I am definitely no wine connoisseur, but I do know what I like when it hits my pallet. Throughout the evening we tried four wines from the series and listened as Marketing Director, Scott Starra, regaled us with stories of Inniskillin’s past and present accolades.

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We started the tasting with a 2008 Two Vineyard Riesling. Unlike most Rieslings this particular blend was not overly sweet, but instead had strong notes of citrus, leaving a refreshed feeling in your mouth. If you like your Rieslings dry with higher acidity levels this is a great choice. It is also highly versatile for food pairings, going well with Asian, Thai and Indian dishes as well as squash soups.  Scott explained that if you are ever unsure of what to pair with a particular meal, a dry Riesling is a good choice as they often accent most flavours and foods.

Our second wine was a 2008 Three Vineyard Chardonnay, oaked in both French and American oak for a full robust bodied taste.  As with the Riesling, this Chardonnay was high in acidity, which is a common element in 2008 white wines because of the long, warm nights that summer was blessed with. I usually prefer an unoaked Chardonnay, however, found this one to be really tasty when paired a strong cheese  like the Roaring Forties Blue from Australia. You can also pair it with buttery foods like lobster, seafood, buttered popcorn (with truffle oil if you’re feeling swanky), and even turkey.

It was finally time to move onto the reds. While I enjoy my whites, I am a red wine girl at heart. I was thrilled to learn our first selection was a Pinot Noir. Maybe it stems from the scene from Sideways in which Miles gives a full description of the delicacy, sensitivity and temperament of the Pinot grape, or maybe its just because i have good taste, but Pinot has been high on my list of favourites for some time.

The 2007 Three Vineyard Pinot Noir owes its full body and distinguished tastes to the hot summer we had in 2007. If you’re looking for a mild Pinot, this is not for you. On the other hand, if you like your wines to have a little bit of attitude and be able to stand on their own this is a great choice.  In terms of pairings, Scott suggested anything with earthy mushroom flavours, pork, duck, or a good brie. I also liked it with the Blackburn cheese from Quebec that we sampled last night.

Our final vino of the soiree was a 2007 Cabernet Franc from Inniskillin’s Reserve Series. As with all wines from 2007, the Cab Franc was very full bodied, without being too strong or intrusive on the pallet.  I liked this wine a lot and since it is the only one we tried last night currently on the stands in the LCBO will definitely be picking some up for the holidays. Priced at $16.95 you’re getting a lot of value at a low cost. This wine is well paired with lamb, steak and grilled chicken as well as a strong well-aged cheese.

The first three wines featured will be hitting the shelves in the near future. If you’re not already familiar with the different wines Inniskillin and other Niagara region wineries have to offer, its high time you get acquainted. For more information on Inniskillin check out their Facebook page, including videos, interviews and recipes.