Holly Thompson
Cold Weather, Great Company and Savoury Wine…
I had a lunch date with my mother over the weekend, we decided to meet at Quail’s Gate Winery, the Old Vines Restaurant, but first we stopped in at the Wine Shop. I forgot how much I love this time of the year; we were greeted by a beautiful Christmas display, gift boxes filled with wine, cheeses, jams, jellies, trinkets and so much more! We tasted a few whites and a few reds; my favourite was the 2013 Chenin Blanc, known as one of their most popular wines. The Chenin Blanc is a delicious light weight wine, with citrus notes of lime, lemon and grapefruit, a very beautiful wine that would make a great gift for someone over this up-coming holiday season.
Onto our next stop, Volcanic Hills, where I tasted the award winning 2012 Rosé! Loved this one, which was extremely unexpected. I’m not usually a big fan of Rosé due to the sweetness but the wine pourer insisted that I try it and I am very grateful that she did, I ended up leaving with 2 bottles! The Rosé was not like any Rosé I've ever tasted before; it was a pleasant surprise, very smooth, it was a lot less sweeter then I imagined it would be. The 2012 Rosé, unveiled fruitful flavours, hints of strawberries with notes of grapefruit and tangerine, the perfect wine for a warm summer’s day. I can’t wait to crack open a bottle next summer!
Two wineries deep, why not make it three? We finished up at Volcanic Hills, turned the corner and ended up at Mt. Boucherie, where we were embraced by the friendliest staff and amazing customer service! Mt. Boucherie, boasts a stunning view, a smaller wine shop, very quaint, yet beautiful nonetheless. I tasted all white wines, 2 of which stood out the most, the 2013 Erenfelser and the 2011 Semillon or as I quickly learned the Sem. The Erenfelser was a refreshing light wine, with a hint of tropical favours, this wine would pair quite nice with spicy food. The Semillon was my mom’s absolute favourite, it easily seduced her pallet and as far as she was concerned, it was the day’s winner! A crisp citrus taste followed by hints of apple.
All in all it was a wonderful day but along with our wine tasting experience followed a few questions; tipping etiquette (wine pourer), retail prices at winery restaurants and it’s never too cold for summer activities!?! I think I definitely broke the mold for myself this weekend and I am looking forward to another cold and crisp winter’s day, filled with great company, great food and savoury wine!
Winter Wine Tasting
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