The Foreign Affair Winery | 2023
Niagara, Ontario
Sitting on forty acres of Amarone-inspired vines, The Foreign Affair Winery is known for its bold, full-flavoured red wines and elegant white wines. Inspired by their love of amarone-style wines while living in Italy, proprietors, Len and Marisa Crispino, became the pioneers of making appassimento wines in Canada, spanning from old world to new. Their unique and diverse selection of award-winning wines are all touched by the Appassimento process in some way and are the result of patience, passion, care, and innovation.
Wines included this month
December 2023
Enthusiast Red: White: 2021 Sauvignon Blanc, 2021 Merlot
Enthusiast Red Only: 2021 Merlot, 2020 Dream
Enthusiast White Only: 2022 Sussreserve Riesling, 2021 Sauvignon Blanc
Expert Red: White: 2021 Sauvignon Blanc, 2021 Merlot, 2020 Re-Passed Cabernet Sauvignon
Expert Red Only: 2021 Merlot, 2020 Dream, 2020 Re-Passed Cabernet Sauvignon
Expert White Only: 2022 Sussreserve Riesling, 2021 Sauvignon Blanc, 2022 Viognier
Master Red: White: 2022 Sussreserve Riesling, 2021 Sauvignon Blanc, 2022 Viognier, 2021 Merlot, 2020 Dream, 2020 Re-Passed Cabernet Sauvignon
Master Red Only: 2021 Merlot, 2020 Dream, 2020 Re-Passed Cabernet Sauvignon, 2020 Petit Verdot, 2022 Gamay Noir, 2020 Conspiracy
SAUVIGNON BLANC, 2021
Tasting notes written by Tony Aspler.
Geographical Indication: VQA Niagara Peninsula
Varietal: Sauvignon Blanc
Vineyard: Crispino and GreenLane Vineyards
Alcohol: 11%
Residual Sugar: 3 g/L
Volume: 750mL
Cases Produced: 150
Appearance: Very pale in colour, almost water white.
Nose: Grassy, green plum bouquet with a green pepper note.
Palate: Light- to medium-bodied, crisply dry, lemon, lanolin and green plum flavours.
Quality: 90 points – Wine Club Canada. Outstanding. Drink now.
Food Pairing: Shrimp ceviche, niçoise salad, pan-fried oysters, goat cheese tartlets with fig-balsamic compote, and spinach and artichoke chicken.
MERLOT, 2021
Tasting notes written by Tony Aspler.
Geographical Indication: VQA Niagara Peninsula
Varietal: Merlot
Vineyard: Crispino Vineyard
Alcohol: 12.5%
Residual Sugar: 2.7 g/L
Volume: 750mL
Cases Produced: 180
Appearance: Ruby-purple colour.
Nose: Cedary, plum bouquet with oak spice.
Palate: Medium-bodied, richly extracted red cherry and red plum flavours. Well-integrated oak and supple tannins. Engaging floral note on the back taste. Nicely balanced.
Quality: 90 points – Wine Club Canada. Outstanding. Drinking well now, but will reward cellaring for a year or two.
Food Pairing: Penne with sausage and fennel, pulled pork sandwiches, roasted chicken with rosemary and lemon potatoes, gnocchi tossed with asparagus, edamame, and parmesan, and beef wellington.
SUSSRESERVE RIESLING, 2022
Tasting notes written by Tony Aspler.
Geographical Indication: VQA Vinemount Ridge
Varietal: Riesling
Vineyard: Crispino Vineyard
Alcohol: 9%
Residual Sugar: 35.9 g/L
Volume: 750mL
Cases Produced: 200
Appearance: Pale straw colour.
Nose: Grapefruit zest nose with a light floral note.
Palate: Light-bodied, just off-dry with a honeyed grapefruit flavour, finishing on a note of lime and apple. Good length.
Quality: 90 points – Wine Club Canada. Outstanding. Drink now or through 2024-2025. Will develop more complexity with age.
Awards:
Gold - 2023 National Wine Awards of Canada
Food Pairing: Coconut chicken curry, pan-seared scallops with linguini, smoked salmon and potato gratin, spicy Thai beef salad, and cheesy zucchini quiche.
DREAM, 2020
Tasting notes written by Tony Aspler.
Geographical Indication: VQA Niagara Peninsula
Varietals: Merlot (52%), Cabernet Franc (37%), Cabernet Sauvignon (11%)
Vineyard: Crispino Vineyard
Alcohol: 14.5%
Residual Sugar: 4 g/L
Volume: 750mL
Cases Produced: 1,000
Appearance: Dense purple in colour.
Nose: Cedar, toasty, spicy nose of black fruits.
Palate: Medium- to full-bodied, richly extracted flavours of blackcurrant and plum backed by oak spice and carried on a lively finish of dark chocolate and a note of violets.
Quality: 91 points – Wine Club Canada. Outstanding.
Awards:
Gold - 2022 Sélections Mondiales des Vins Canada
Food Pairing: Barbecued chicken pizza, veal marsala, cheesy risotto-stuffed bell peppers, lamb chops with rosemary gravy, and fried halloumi cheese with honey.
VIOGNIER, 2022
Tasting notes written by Tony Aspler.
Geographical Indication: VQA Lincoln Lakeshore
Varietal: Viognier
Vineyard: Martin's Vineyard
Alcohol: 12.9%
Residual Sugar: 3 g/L
Volume: 750mL
Cases Produced: 200
Appearance: Pale straw colour.
Nose: Honeysuckle and white peach on the nose.
Palate: Medium-bodied, dry, aromatic, white peach and lemon flavours. Long fresh finish of lemony acidity. A well-balanced wine.
Quality: 90 points – Wine Club Canada. Outstanding. Drink now and through 2024.
Food Pairing: Lobster bisque, duck a l’orange, bacon and cheddar perogies, chicken Kyiv, and Irish nachos.
RE-PASSED CABERNET SAUVIGNON, 2020
Tasting notes written by Tony Aspler.
Geographical Indication: VQA Niagara Peninsula
Varietal: Cabernet Sauvignon
Vineyard: Crispino Vineyard
Alcohol: 14.4%
Residual Sugar: 3 g/L
Volume: 750mL
Cases Produced: 175
Appearance: Deep purple colour.
Nose: Cedary, spicy nose of blackcurrant and blackberry with oak notes.
Palate: Medium- to full-bodied, dry, Christmas cake flavours of dried fruits carried on lively acidity and round with barrel-ageing. Lots of flavour in this well-balanced wine.
Quality: 89 – 91 points – Wine Club Canada. Very Good+ / Outstanding. Can be opened now, but will soften its firm tannins with 1-2 years of cellaring.
Food Pairing: Beef teppanyaki, seared ahi tuna steaks, ratatouille, smoked tofu fried rice, and peppercorn-glazed pork cutlets with apple slaw.
PETIT VERDOT, 2020
Geographical Indication: VQA Niagara Peninsula
Varietal: Petit Verdot
Vineyard: Crispino Vineyard
Alcohol: 13.7%
Residual Sugar: 3 g/L
Volume: 750mL
Cases Produced: 175
Appearance: Bright. Semi-opaque. Dark ruby colour.
Nose: Vibrant aromas of violets, plum, cassis, licorice, and a hint of menthol.
Palate: Medium acid, medium+ tannin, medium body. Bold notes of dark cherry, blackberry, anise, baking spice, and a touch of fennel.
Quality: 90 – 92 points – Wine Club Canada. Outstanding. Decant well and drink now or hold 2-3 years.
Food Pairing: Grilled tri-tip steak with jalapeño butter, butternut squash and kale salad, hoisin pork with stir-fried greens, smoky chicken adobo, and foie gras.
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