Meritage, 2005
Proprietor's Grand Reserve - Niagra Peninsula
When Alice traveled to the Toronto area in May, she got her first exposure to wines from the Niagra region. Knowing nothing about these wines, she purchased a bottle of Jackson-Triggs, recommended as one of the best-known winemakers in the area. Turns out that Jackson-Triggs is the official wine supplier of the Vancouver 2010 Winter Games, which we are planning to attend! This Meritage wine is a blend of Merlot (51%), Cabernet Sauvignon (35%), and Cabernet Franc (14%) - three classic Bordeaux grape varieties. The wine is deep in color and rich in flavor, with the strong black currant aroma of a big Napa Valley red. Flavors of ripe berries, plums, and pepper fill your mouth, but the finish is a bit strong for our liking. This wine is probably best with paired with food, such as lamb or meat. We ate it with chicken, and enjoyed it much more with food than by itself. It's fun to try a wine from a new region, which is mostly known for it's ice wines. Alice also purchased a small bottle of the ice wine, so stay tuned for that report...
A&T Ranking: 7/10
