Malivoire Wine Company | 2022
Niagara, Ontario
Malivoire has pioneered an innovative, eco-centric approach to wine growing on the Beamsville Bench in the Niagara Peninsula. Expert winemaker Shiraz Mottiar personifies Malivoire’s founding philosophy: that excellence as a winery begins with healthy soil and vines, and depends on minimal human manipulation of the fruit and its wine. Shiraz and the Malivoire winemaking team craft a spectacular, award-winning portfolio of wine that include chardonnay, pinot gris, pinot noir, gamay, cabernet franc, and merlot, among many others.
In 2021, Malivoire earned the top honour at the National Wine Awards and was named the Winery of the Year, earning 17 medals for their outstanding wines.
Wines included this month
April 2022
MOTTIAR CHARDONNAY, 2019
COURTNEY GAMAY, 2019
PINOT GRIS, 2020
SMALL LOT GAMAY, 2020
MELON, 2021
OLD VINES FOCH, 2019
MOTTIAR CHARDONNAY, 2019
Tasting notes written by Tony Aspler.
Geographical Indication: VQA Beamsville Bench
Varietal: Chardonnay
Vineyard: Mottiar Vineyard
Alcohol: 12.5%
Residual Sugar: 0 g/L
Volume: 750mL
Cases Produced: 125
Appearance: White gold in colour.
Nose: Spicy nose of green pineapple, Granny Smith apple, and a hint of oak.
Palate: Medium-bodied, dry, beautifully balanced flavours of green apple and lemon with well-integrated oak. Lovely mouth-feel with a long, fresh finish.
Quality: Outstanding. Drinking beautifully now, but can be kept for four to five years.
Critic Rating: 91 points - Tony Aspler
Awards:
Silver - 2021 National Wine Awards of Canada
Food Pairing: Lobster mac and cheese, fried chicken and waffles with spicy maple syrup, old school fish and chips, salmon with lemon-dill sauce, and spicy peanut tofu with coconut rice.
COURTNEY GAMAY, 2019
Tasting notes written by Tony Aspler.
Geographical Indication: VQA Beamsville Bench
Varietal: Gamay
Vineyard: Malivoire Estate Vineyard, Courtney Block
Alcohol: 13%
Residual Sugar: 2 g/L
Volume: 750mL
Cases Produced: 300
Appearance: Dense purple-ruby in colour.
Nose: Toasty, lightly peppery, black cherry nose with a floral note and cedary nuances from the large format oak fermentation cuves.
Palate: Medium-bodied, dry, beautifully balanced and fresh on the palate with cherry and raspberry flavours.
Quality: Outstanding. Drink now, but will hold for five years. A more sophisticated version of the Small Lot Gamay.
Critic Rating: 90 points - Tony Aspler
Food Pairing: Mushroom and shallot risotto, roasted butternut squash with butter and sea salt, vegan pasta primavera with creamy garlic cashew sauce, steak tartare, and spicy tuna handrolls.
PINOT GRIS, 2020
Geographical Indication: VQA Beamsville Bench
Varietal: Pinot Gris
Vineyard: Malivoire Estate Vineyard
Alcohol: 12.5%
Residual Sugar: 1 g/L
Volume: 750mL
Cases Produced: 600
Appearance: Clear, bright. Very pale gold colour.
Nose: Green apple, lemon zest, peach, honey, hint of minerality.
Palate: Medium acid, medium body. Tropical fruit, mandarin orange, peach, green apple, honeyed note.
Quality: 89 points. Very Good+.
Food Pairing: Lemon and garlic butter-baked cod, crab ravioli with a white wine cream sauce, kale Caesar salad with chicken, coq au vin blanc, and spicy black bean and caramelized onion tacos.
SMALL LOT GAMAY, 2020
Tasting notes written by Tony Aspler.
Geographical Indication: VQA Beamsville Bench
Varietal: Gamay
Vineyard: Malivoire Estate Vineyard
Alcohol: 12%
Residual Sugar: 0.6 g/L
Volume: 750mL
Cases Produced: 1,000
Appearance: Deep purple-ruby colour.
Nose: Spicy, lightly peppery, cherry bouquet with the merest suggestion of oak.
Palate: Light- to medium-bodied, dry, fruity, red plum and cranberry flavours carried on lively acidity and ending in a floral flourish of violets.
Quality: Very Good+. Drink now and through 2024. Malivoire is a Gamay specialist. Consistently, year after year the winery sweeps the medals in the Ontario Wine Awards in the Gamay category.
Critic Rating: 89 points - Tony Aspler
Awards:
Silver - 2021 National Wine Awards of Canada
Food Pairing: Cheese and onion-stuffed potato skins, bruschetta dusted with prosciutto, tangy barbequed chicken, pan seared duck with blackberry pan sauce, and fried calamari with lemon aioli.
MELON, 2021
Tasting notes written by Tony Aspler.
Geographical Indication: VQA Beamsville Bench
Varietal: Melon de Bourgogne
Vineyard: Malivoire Estate Vineyard and Mottiar Vineyard
Alcohol: 12%
Residual Sugar: 0.6 g/L
Volume: 750mL
Cases Produced: 500
Appearance: Pale straw with a lime tint.
Nose: Citrus nose of green apple.
Palate: Medium-bodied, crisply dry, green apple and quince flavours with a light floral note on the finish.
Quality: Outstanding. An elegant wine for oysters.
Critic Rating: 90 points - Tony Aspler
Food Pairing: Fish tacos with lime-cilantro crema, seafood fried rice, kale salad with pecan vinaigrette, oysters on the halfshell with a dash of garlic, and pan-roasted chicken with French green beans.
OLD VINES FOCH, 2019
Tasting notes written by Tony Aspler.
Geographical Indication: VQA Ontario
Varietal: Marechal Foch
Vineyard: Quarry Ridge Vineyard
Alcohol: 12.5%
Residual Sugar: 3 g/L
Volume: 750mL
Cases Produced: 740
Appearance: Dense purple in colour.
Nose: Spicy, cedary, blackberry bouquet.
Palate: Medium-bodied, dry, vanilla, blackberry, blueberry, and coconut flavours balanced with fresh acidity — and just a hint of tannin on the finish to give the wine structure.
Quality: Very Good+. Drink now or will hold for 5 – 6 years.
Critic Rating: 89 points - Tony Aspler
Food Pairing: Grilled salmon with dill, lamb burgers with tzatziki, roasted beetroot and broccoli salad, venison steak with red wine jus, and white pizza with garlic, potato, and gorgonzola.
BISOUS BRUT, NV
Tasting notes written by Tony Aspler.
Geographical Indication: VQA Beamsville Bench
Varietal: Chardonnay (60%), Pinot Noir (40%)
Vineyard: Various Beamsville Bench vineyards
Alcohol: 12%
Residual Sugar: 4 g/L
Volume: 750mL
Cases Produced: 249 six-bottle cases
Appearance: Pale straw in colour with an active mousse of tiny bubbles.
Nose: Lightly toasty brioche nose of yellow apple and lemon.
Palate: Medium-bodied, dry, elegant, creamy, lemony flavour.
Quality: Outstanding. A delicious sparkling wine in Champagne style and a more affordable price. Drink now or can be held for several years (or the next family wedding!)
Critic Rating: 90 points - Tony Aspler
Awards:
Silver - 2021 National Wine Awards of Canada
Gold - 2019 National Wine Awards of Canada
Food Pairing: Prosciutto and brie crostinis, crispy fried potato pancakes with a dab of sour cream and caviar, toasted brown rice with mushrooms and thyme, alfredo pasta with grilled chicken and herbs, and crème fraiche ice cream.
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