Showing posts with label Lailey Vineyard. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Lailey Vineyard. Show all posts

Monday, January 24, 2011

Lailey Vineyard 2009 Sauvignon Blanc - $20.00

I'm giving you the rating and the wine - now, head over to the podcast and check out what I have to say about it.

Lailey Vineyard 2009 Sauvignon Blanc
Price: $20.00 – Rating: **** 


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Tuesday, December 8, 2009

Lailey Vineyard 2008 Counterpoint - $20.00

I heard this morning that snow is in the forecast, that means it's time for something exotic to drink, like this white blend from Lailey.

The Tasting Notes: The nose is floral and sweet while the palate is dry with a lovley tangerine note on the finish; needs some time to settle in the bottle and could use a decanter to open it up. Price: $20.00 – Rating: ****


I am thrilled to announce that as of February 24, 2009, each Podcast has its own unique player - so you can listen to whichever Podcast you want to. So without further ado I will leave you with this week's Podcast, or if you decide not to check out the new format you can read the tasting notes below ... I recommend the Podcast, of course.
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Tuesday, June 9, 2009

Lailey Vineyard 2007 Vino 50 Chardonnay - $20

This week we taste a Chardonnay crafted by Lailey in honour of York University's 50th Anniversary.

The Tasting Notes: The nose and taste seem to follow right in step with vanilla, butter, almond and caramel taking the lead. The palate also adds a little woodiness to that mix. I would recommend giving this wine a little time to settle down, say a year or two. Price: $20.00 – Rating: ****

I am thrilled to announce that as of February 24, 2009, each Podcast has its own unique player - so you can listen to whichever Podcast you want to. So without further ado I will leave you with this week's Podcast, or if you decide not to check out the new format you can read the tasting notes below ... I recommend the Podcast, of course.

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Tuesday, February 24, 2009

Lailey Vineyard 2007 Syrah - $25.00

Not sure what in God's name came over me today - but I would kindly ask that you not listen to the Podcast, you'll save me a lot of embarassment ... as Ricky used to say to Lucy - "You got some s'plainin' to do!" ... Now avoid the Podcast at all cost, and just read the more boring tasting notes below (the Podcast is always more fun - but not this time):

The nose is smoky and blackberry with hints of floral. The palate delivers complexity with vanilla-caramel, smoky black fruit, a little cherry, some herbs, oakiness and a smoked meat quality that's very delicious.

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Tuesday, September 9, 2008

Lailey Vineyard 2007 Counterpoint - $25.00

White blends seem to be gaining in popularity in Niagara (think Flat Rock’s Twisted and Hillebrand’s Trius White). Now here’s Lailey’s addition to the fray: “Counterpoint”; the difference between the two previously mentioned white blends and the Lailey version starts with it’s availability, it’s a premium, limited edition (140 cases) wine that is the “counterpoint” to their big gun red Impromptu. This white blend was also developed with a more discerning taste and clientele in mind, one who understands about complex and multi-layered wines. A blend of 100% estate fruit (that will change annually) that consists of 60% Gewurztraminer and the rest being equal parts Riesling, Sauvignon Blanc and unoaked Chardonnay. The aromas are floral, spicy, lemony and vanilla. In the mouth it develops in stages: a big fat front that greets the tongue head on, while the finish has biting acidity and good length – a “counterpoint” to the fleshy beginning. Flavours include, but aren’t limited to, spicy-vanilla, sweet/sour apple, floral, mineral and much more. Scheduled for release September 2008.

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Tuesday, July 1, 2008

Lailey Vineyard 2007 Vidal - $12.00

“Really Michael, I don’t want to be known for making the best Vidal, I just wanted you to try this.” Winemaker Derek Barnett began pleading with me when he saw my eyes light up after my first sip of this wine. “Not another Riesling?” I inquired; Derek has so far made two outstanding versions in ’07 – Niagara Peninsula and Niagara River. “No,” he said, “it’s Vidal … I’d really like to be known for the Rieslings.”

“It’s wonderful,” I said totally ignoring him, “juicy, delicious. How much?” He told me, my eyes lit up again, “Best I’ve ever tasted,” I said … which is the point when he started pleading with me. “Besides,” he said, “It’ll be gone in a few weeks, I only made 110 cases, of which only 80 are left … and I just released it yesterday.”

My lovely blonde companion, whose eyes were also aglow over this wine, leaned over to me as we left the winery (with our own 6 bottle-allotment tucked comfortably under my arm) and said, “You have to let people know about this one, it’s so lovely, it reminded me of the Romeo Peach festival in Michigan – taking a bit of a fresh juicy peach with the juices dripping down your chin … it’s heaven.” She said it with such passion.

Okay, so now you know … Derek didn’t want you to, Erica did, Erica was more convincing than Derek, so she wins. So now what you do with this information is completely up to you.

Update: 07/02/2008 - Only 25 cases left ... told you this wine was too good to be true - soon all that will be left is this review, the podcast and summer memories.

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Tuesday, May 6, 2008

Lailey Vineyard 2006 Niagara River Pinot Noir - $24.95

Is it too early to point you in the direction of a Thanksgiving wine? Well, even if it is I think you should get a jump on things; plus it never hurts to store a good wine. This Pinot is 100% Lailey fruit grown along the Niagara River, and it spends eleven months in a combination of new, one-year-old and two-to-three-year-old French wood. On the nose, it has cranberry, cinnamon, sour cherries, and fresh vanilla-leaf tea. The taste is loaded with those cranberries and sour cherries you smelled, along with rhubarb and fine tannins. Good finish, excellent length and definitely in need of food to complete the ensemble. It still needs some time to fully integrate and mellow which is why I think here in early May (2008), Thanksgiving would be a perfect time to pop the cork on this one. This is one you’ll be enjoying over the next 3-5 years.


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Tuesday, March 11, 2008

Lailey Vineyard 2006 Merlot - $24.95

I have a friend that travels around to the wineries with me, and although she isn’t much into the reds she does love a good Riesling. I just seem to have a hard time convincing her about the deliciousness of reds, but in those Rieslings she can pick out white peach, green apple or citrus like there’s nobody’s business. So, while I’m tasting the reds she sips on her Riesling or wanders about the winery. During a recent visit to Lailey she hung around during my red sampling (I have a sneaking suspicions it’s due to winemaker Derek Barnett’s English brogue – or whatever you call it – chicks dig those accents). She wasn’t interested in the Pinot or the Syrah he poured but she did want to try this Merlot which Derek sheepishly placed on the counter. I was immediately suspicious because Derek isn’t sheepish about anything, “just wanted you to try this,’ he said quietly. I did, then I said “wow, that‘s really good” (to hear our conversation click here). For now know that this wine has a wonderful black fruit nose with black raspberries and gentle wondsiness eminating coming from the glass. On the palate there’s a soft, fruity mouthfeel, red fruit forwardness, sweet vanilla oak with great sippability.
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Tuesday, February 5, 2008

Lailey Vineyard 2006 Impromptu - $39.95

If it wasn’t for the Cabernet Sauvignon in this wine, Lailey’s first proprietors’ blend, they could have called it PMS for the Petit Verdot, Malbec and Syrah that makes up the majority of the blend (and because it’s a ballsy wine with a feminine side) … but instead they opted for the name Impromtu. The nose is strawberry and dark fruit with a touch of earthiness. In the mouth, you’ll find really good flavours that fight for supremacy, and they’ll keep fighting it out over the next 4 to 7 years. But while you’ll definitely pick up on the black fruit throughout and the earth-laden finish, the most surprising part of this wine is the perfumey mid-section; I’ll call it lilac or Chanel No. 5. That might prove to be a strange description, but no matter how I describe it, this wine remains a delicious addition to the Lailey portfolio. And just for the record, this PMS-CS blend can be quite a bitch, if you let it, so I recommend some decanting, which will help smooth out her edges. Lailey also tried to pretty her up by wrapping her in tissue paper and giving her a necklace (tag) to explain the wine.


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Tuesday, June 12, 2007

Lailey Vineyard 2005 Zweigelt - $11.95

According to Derek Barnett, winemaker for Lailey, he has received plenty of good feedback about this year’s Zweigelt, including “best Zweigelt in Ontario.” While that seems like high praise I am not sure he can take that one to his bank manager and negotiate that next loan. Considering there are maybe 9 or 10 wineries in Ontario that are making a straight Zweigelt … it really is more like faint praise. This wine deserves better so how about I try to one up that and make it a little easier for him to hold his head up the next time he walks into the bank. At a recent Austrian wine show (home of Zweigelt) I tried many of these “Z” wines and kept coming back to Derek’s version, using it as my point of reference. The wine spent 10 months in 3 to 4 year old barrels and another 6 months ageing in bottle; the result is a wine that’s cherry red in colour, has red fruit, white pepper and spice on the nose; sour cherry and cranberry with a touch of oak on the palate. This is a true summer BBQ wine if I’ve ever had one, and for 11.95 it truly is a bargain. As for where this Zweigelt stands with the others I tasted, Derek, your wine is truly world class … now that you can take to the bank.


Listen to the Podcast of this review - www.ontariowinereview.libsyn.com
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Tuesday, November 28, 2006

Lailey Vineyard 2005 Riesling - $13.95

For the second time Lailey appears in our weekly wine notes – not because I don’t think they deserve a newsletter spotlight – but because they make wine in limited quantity and I want to alert you to some great wines that you’d otherwise probably miss out on if I slotted them into one of the next available spots in a newsletter. Whatever my reasoning, you’ll thank me once I tell you about this one. Great acidity and mouth-filling are two words I could use to describe this wine – but there is so much more to it than just that. Derek Barnett (winemaker of Lailey) really knows how to make a Riesling that is both dry but tastes sweet – this one is truly an experience. Deep rich flavours, mouth-coating feel ... apples, peach, lime and mango on the nose and it follows right through on the taste - best part of all, it stays there - lick your cheeks and you taste it again, lick your lips and yup, it's still there ... absolutely scrumptious. Available at the winery only.

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Tuesday, August 1, 2006

Lailey Vineyards 2005 Gamay - $13.95

You have probably heard me (or read anyway) talk about the new penchant in Ontario for making fuller bodied more age-worthy Gamay … which is not usually the norm for this Beaujolais grape … well it’s nice to see that the art of the light bodied quaffing version has not been lost either. Award winning winemaker Derek Barnett makes this one as an easy drinking, chillable (if you wish) quaffer. The Blackberries and blueberries on the nose are followed up by slightly oaky, cherry and plum flavours in the mouth. Simple, sweet and easy – what Gamay, was originally, intended to be. Available at the winery only.

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