Henry of Pelham Estate Winery | 2018
Niagara, Ontario
Henry of Pelham Winery is family owned and located in the Short Hills Bench of the Niagara Peninsula. Henry Smith, son of our original Canadian ancestor (Nicholas Smith ca.1778, fifer in the Revolutionary War) took his name from the toll-road which ran across his property. He built an inn, tavern and planted our first vineyards. As children we restored his vineyards to match artisanal grape growing to artisanal wine making.
They produce both still and sparkling wines and their most famous regional specialty, Icewine. Varietal, Reserve and Speck Family Reserve are the three tiers of still wines they produce centered on Chardonnay, Riesling, Pinot Noir, Baco Noir and Cabernet-Merlot. Smaller production Sauvignon Blanc, Pinot Blanc, Gewurztraminer, Gamay and assemblage style rose at the Varietal level.
Wines included this month
December 2018
FUMÉ SAUVIGNON BLANC ESTATE, 2016
GAMAY ESTATE, 2016
CHARDONNAY SPECK FAMILY RESERVE, 2017
PINOT NOIR ESTATE, 2016
RIESLING SPECK FAMILY RESERVE, 2017
BACO NOIR SPECK FAMILY RESERVE, 2017
FUMÉ SAUVIGNON BLANC ESTATE, 2016
Tasting notes written by Tony Aspler.
Geographical Indication: VQA Niagara Peninsula, ON
Varietal: Sauvignon Blanc
Vineyard: Various Niagara Peninsula vineyards
Alcohol: 13%
Volume: 750ml
Cases Produced: 270
Appearance: Bright, pale straw in colour.
Nose: Minerally, lanolin, green plum and grapefruit bouquet.
Palate: Medium-bodied, dry, grassy, green plum flavour. Very much in white Bordeaux style. Fresh and lively on the palate.
Quality: Very Good+ quality. Drink now and through 2019.
Critic Rating: 89 points - Tony Aspler
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Food Pairing: Goat cheese tarts with caramelised onions, chargrilled squid, spaghetti with anchovy Carbonara, cucumber dill yogurt salad, and roast leg of lamb seasoned with harissa, garlic, and rosemary.
Comment:
Located in Niagara, Ontario, Henry of Pelham Family Estate has been an industrious producer of fine wines for multiple generations. The Estate Fumé Sauvignon Blanc was selected exclusively for our wine club members for inclusion in their December package and is not available through any liquor store.
This wine was a standout during our recent tasting. Gorgeous fruit with hints of herb and smoke, this is a nuanced, elegant Sauvignon Blanc. It’s the perfect wine for holiday parties as it’s an ideal match for canapés and appetizers. Enjoy!
- Jackie McLachlan, Founder, My Wine Canada
GAMAY ESTATE, 2016
Tasting notes written by Tony Aspler.
Geographical Indication: VQA Niagara Peninsula, ON
Varietal: Gamay
Vineyard: Various Niagara Peninsula vineyards
Alcohol: 13.5%
Volume: 750ml
Cases Produced: 170
Appearance: Ruby-purple colour with a violet rim.
Nose: Spicy, earthy cherry bouquet with just a suggestion of vanilla oak.
Palate: Light to medium-bodied, fruity and fun black cherry flavour with a hint of tannin on the finish providing structure and added interest to the wine.
Quality: Very Good+ quality. Drink within the next twelve months and serve lightly chilled.
Critic Rating: 89 points - Tony Aspler
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Food Pairing: Hangar steak with chimichurri, roasted black cod with lentils and pork belly, chicken tagine with apricots and olives, sage-stuffed turkey breast, and butternut squash tortellini with brown butter sauce.
Comment:
Located in Niagara, Ontario, Henry of Pelham Family Estate has been an industrious producer of fine wines for multiple generations. The Estate Gamay was selected exclusively for our wine club members for inclusion in their December package – and is not available through any liquor store.
This wine was a fan favourite during our recent tasting with its notes of sweet cherry jam, black pepper, and smoke. Well balanced with a wonderful mouthfeel, it’s a lovely Niagara classic. Pair this wine with your holiday feast and enjoy!
- Jackie McLachlan, Founder, My Wine Canada
CHARDONNAY SPECK FAMILY RESERVE, 2017
Tasting notes written by Tony Aspler.
Geographical Indication: VQA Niagara Peninsula, ON
Varietal: Chardonnay
Vineyard: Short Hills Bench, Niagara, ON
Alcohol: 13.5%
Volume: 750ml
Cases Produced: 200
Appearance: Bright. Clear. Straw-coloured core.
Nose: A lovely complex nose – minerally, lightly toasty, apple and grilled nuts lifted with oak spice.
Palate: Medium-bodied, dry, beautifully balanced apple flavour with well-integrated oak notes and lively, lemony acidity. Very Burgundian in style.
Quality: Outstanding quality. Drinking well now or within the next two years.
Critic Rating: 91 points - Tony Aspler
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Food Pairing: Grilled shrimp with apricot glaze, eggs benedict, pumpkin ravioli, grilled veal chops with mushrooms, pecan-crusted chicken, and halibut with brown butter.
PINOT NOIR ESTATE, 2016
Tasting notes written by Tony Aspler.
Geographical Indication: VQA Niagara Peninsula, ON
Varietal: Pinot Noir
Vineyard: Short Hills Bench, Niagara, ON
Alcohol:
Volume:
Cases Produced: 250
Appearance: Medium ruby in colour.
Nose: A nose of raspberries and moist earth.
Palate: Medium-bodied, dry, well-textured and firm with raspberry and strawberry flavours carried on lively acidity.
Quality: Very Good+ quality. Hold 1 – 2 years.
Critic Rating: 89 points – Tony Aspler
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Food Pairing: Roasted salmon with mustard and maple syrup, spinach mushroom pesto spaghetti, wild mushroom and burrata bruschetta, leek and pecorino pizza, cheesy caprese chicken and quinoa casserole, Brie: artichoke dip.
RIESLING SPECK FAMILY RESERVE, 2017
Tasting notes written by Tony Aspler.
Geographical Indication: VQA Niagara Peninsula, ON
Varietal: Riesling
Vineyard: Short Hills Bench, Niagara, ON
Alcohol: 12.5%
Volume: 750ml
Cases Produced: 200
Appearance: Pale straw in colour.
Nose: A spicy, minerally, grapefruit nose with a honeyed note.
Palate: Light to medium-bodied, just off-dry with grapefruit and honey flavours and fresh citrus acidity that gives the wine great length.
Quality: Outstanding quality. Drinking nicely now but will hold for several years.
Critic Rating: 90 points - Tony Aspler
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Food Pairing: Spicy sweet and sour shrimp, roasted pork with honey and soy sauce and braised vegetables, steamed mussels, chicken satay pasta, and red snapper with charred tomatillos and pepper salsa.
BACO NOIR SPECK FAMILY RESERVE, 2017
Tasting notes written by Tony Aspler.
Geographical Indication: VQA Niagara Peninsula, ON
Varietal: Baco Noir
Vineyard: Various Niagara Peninsula vineyards
Alcohol: 13%
Volume: 750ml
Cases Produced: 3,977
Appearance: Opaque purple in colour.
Nose: This richly extracted Baco Noir behaves more like a vinifera than a hybrid. Spicy, slightly herbal on the nose.
Palate: It shows blackberry fruit with vanilla oak notes. Medium-bodied and dry, jammy flavours of black plum and prune, accented with vanilla oak, fill the mouth.
Quality: Very Good+ quality. Drinking well now, but will be more harmonious in a year or two.
Critic Rating: 89 points - Tony Aspler
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Food Pairing: Roast beef dinner with horseradish sauce, barley risotto with duck confit and peas, lasagna with sun-dried tomato and pancetta, meatlovers pizza with marinara sauce, and grilled steak: onion tacos.
Comment:
Henry of Pelham, a pioneer Canadian winery, has a well-deserved rep for making top Baco Noirs. This 2017 version is among the absolute best of Henry’s Bacos I’ve tasted in 20+ years. A dark blockbuster (yet medium-bodied) with rich aromas of blackberries and pepper. It faithfully delivers a warm, juicy, blackberry and pepper treat to the palate.
This wine is quite versatile – but particularly enjoys red meats and rich tomato pastas. And don’t forget this special Baco pairing – fresh Ontario strawberries with black pepper!
- Doug Towers, Founder, WineryToHome
CHARDONNAY ESTATE, 2016
Geographical Indication: VQA Niagara Peninsula, ON
Varietal: Chardonnay
Vineyard: Short Hills Bench, Niagara, ON
Alcohol: 13.5%
Volume: 750ml
Cases Produced: 1,268
Appearance: Bright. Clear. Golden core, lighter rim.
Nose: Medium aromatic intensity. Oak spice, vanilla, hint of white flowers.
Palate: Medium acid, medium body. Apricot, white flowers, white peach, citrus zest, hint of smoke.
Quality: Very Good quality. 86 points. Drink now or hold 1-2 years.
Food Pairing: Honeycrisp apple pizza with balsamic onions, pork chops with gremolata, mushroom and Brie pizza, fettuccini with scallops and white wine sauce, and pan-fried sole with butter and lemon.
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