Many 2005 Rieslings have already been released and you’ll soon be seeing the 2006’s hitting the shelves; on the other hand, some wineries are just sending their ‘05’s to market, that’s where 20 Bees comes into play. Ontario’s first co-op winery still doesn’t have an official building to call home, so the LCBO is the only place to buy their output – though rumour has it by spring or summer 2007 we should see the fruit of the workmen’s labours who have been toiling on highway 55. For now we only get the pressed-fruits of the winemakers and growers labours and their promise of unpretentious wines at unpretentious prices, which continues with this offering. There is nothing here that’ll blow your socks off – but nothing to offend either, this is a very straight-forward serve at all occasions Riesling; and the price is perfect for everyday consumption. Lots of sweet apple and peach on the nose; hints of petrol and mineral grab the fore-palate and while lime settles pleasantly in the mid-palate. Finally, the apple comes through in the medium long finish. Good price for a pleasant crowd-pleaser of a wine.
Showing posts with label 20 Bees (Niagara Vintners). Show all posts
Showing posts with label 20 Bees (Niagara Vintners). Show all posts
Tuesday, March 27, 2007
20 Bees 2005 Riesling - $12.95
Tuesday, September 19, 2006
20 Bees 2005 Cabernet Merlot - $12.95
If you go to the LCBO website, the tasting note for this wine says “Price subject to change without notice” … and I thought to myself “there must be more to say about this wine”. Let’s start with the packaging … if animals are selling wine these days then 20 Bees is on the right track. The bottle is eye-catching, with yellow and black stripes on the Stelvin-sleeve and screw cap – the picture on the label is cute too. But unfortunately that’s where the impressiveness of this wine stops. The nose is non-descript, the taste is leather, oak and earth (and that’s because I’m searching for terms to describe it). It’s certainly drinkable, quaffable in large amounts even; but there’s nothing really grab you by the bottle (if you know what I mean) – there’s nothing there to make you stand up and take notice. The person I shared this wine with said “it reminds me of an inoffensive Italian table wine, you know the kind they serve in those mom and pop places. There’s no tannin. It’s smooth, easy drinking and … bland.”
Maybe I was too gung-ho about trying this wine from this Niagara-on-the-Lake based co-op: 19 growers and one chief winemaker (20 bees, get it?) got together to, quote, “make great tasting unpretentious wine at an unpretentious price”. Well, they succeeded at the price part, but at what cost? While the bottle is eye-catching, the wine lacks the depth and structure to really make it stand out. With all the pomp-and-circumstance, the media coverage and the years of experience of the people behind it that went into this brand, I just expected a little more from it. Do all these growers have a say in the outcome of the wine? And if they did, did too many bees dilute the honey? For now I will reserve too strong a judgment on this wine and let them find their voice, or taste, in the Ontario wine landscape. Let’s just say it’s a decent attempt for a first release, and cross our collective fingers that the 20 Bees figure it out better in 2006.
Does anyone else have an opinion on this wine? Did I miss something? Please let me know. Available at the LCBO.
Maybe I was too gung-ho about trying this wine from this Niagara-on-the-Lake based co-op: 19 growers and one chief winemaker (20 bees, get it?) got together to, quote, “make great tasting unpretentious wine at an unpretentious price”. Well, they succeeded at the price part, but at what cost? While the bottle is eye-catching, the wine lacks the depth and structure to really make it stand out. With all the pomp-and-circumstance, the media coverage and the years of experience of the people behind it that went into this brand, I just expected a little more from it. Do all these growers have a say in the outcome of the wine? And if they did, did too many bees dilute the honey? For now I will reserve too strong a judgment on this wine and let them find their voice, or taste, in the Ontario wine landscape. Let’s just say it’s a decent attempt for a first release, and cross our collective fingers that the 20 Bees figure it out better in 2006.
Does anyone else have an opinion on this wine? Did I miss something? Please let me know. Available at the LCBO.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)