In the middle of the North Erie Shore of Ontario lies this little known jewel in the Ontario wine establishment. I first visited this winery last year, near end of season, on a trek with my wife and friends to explore the region. Smith & Wilson was our last stop and very much a star of the trip. We encountered some very nice wines (see my Top 5 Lists), and put them on the list of "need to have" wines.
A few weeks back we made the trek back to the winery and were not disappointed (hence the revisited in the title). Once again we were greated as family into the tasting room by George Smith, the wine maker, and his lovely wife Mary Jane. George explains each wine, the complex flavours each attain and what pairings go with each bottle. One thing you will appreciate while tasting is that EACH wine they sell is available for you to enjoy. Many of the bigger wineries won't let you get the full range of the winemaker's art, but here you are allowed to "test drive" all their offerings.
My personal favourite is their 2007 Buckhorn. Wow, wow, wow. I love the flavour of this deep, rich Baco. Tobacco, cherry and all with an oak finish will liven your taste buds and have you begging for more. Well, at least I do. Along with the Buckhorn we purchased their 2009 Smith's Vidal, my wife's favourite, the 2007 Riesling and the 2008 Cherieau. Another case of 12 for the cellar!
While speaking with Mary Jane, I mentioned how much I loved their wines and that I was in the baby steps of writing a blog for Ontario wines. She generously offered up their Double Barrel Cabernet Franc blend for me to try and write about. I have not had the chance yet but will shortly let you in on it's flavours.
When you visit the Erie Shore, please do your self a favour and make sure to stop by this fantastic winery. None of their wines are available at the LCBO, and sadly they do not ship yet, so a visit is most necessary. You will be welcomed warmly and not soon forget your stop here. Add to this the beautiful view of the vines out the tasting room window make this a very special place to visit.
Where to find them:
on the Web : http://www.smithandwilsonestatewines.ca/
Winery :
Smith & Wilson Estate Wines - George and Mary Jane Wilson
RR 1, Blenheim, Ontario N0P 1A0
T. 519.676.5867
1.888.676.5867
I will warn you. If you have a GPS, like I do, DO NOT trust the co-ordinates that Google will give you. Once on Route 3, keep going and you will see them on the south side. The tasting room is just west of the town of Blenheim. I will enter the GPS settings shortly, but just beware that Google will take you down a dirt road to nowhere!
Wednesday, August 25, 2010
Thursday, August 12, 2010
About Time!
Well, after starting this blog it seems that content is a necessary evil! I apologize for not providing more thoughts, but "procrastination" is my first, middle, and last name it appears!
I have added 2 new sections that you will see to the left. I had intended to list my top 5 Ontario wines, and did so, but then realised they were all Reds! Obviously I drink more red wine than white, but I do appreciate many whites that I try during my travels. With this in mind I have made a slight alteration to my ratings system. My decision was to have a favourite REDS section, and add my Top 5 Non-REDS.
In the Non-Reds section I have included an ice wine, which just happens to be my favourite, along with a Chardonnay, Riesling, Gerwurtztraminer and a Chenin Blanc. The list will change as time goes on, but at this time I find that these are my favourite Ontario wines.
In looking back at both lists, I also find that many are NOT available at your local LCBO. The reason being, these wines are either produced by smaller wineries and their volume is too small for the LCBO to carry. Personally, my visits to the wineries now consists of tasting ONLY non-LCBO available wines. May seem a bit snobbish, but over time I find that these are the better wines being produced. With this in mind it also makes them harder to obtain since you can't just head off to the local LCBO to grab a bottle when needed. While many offer inexpensive shipping, usually with a minimum order, it can still prove inconvenient to enjoy your favourite bottle. Then there is the case where a winery does not ship, and they produce one of your favourites. In an instance such as this call and see if they will deliver when they are in your area. Some times you can get lucky and they will actually deliver to you when they are shipping a big order.
I have added 2 new sections that you will see to the left. I had intended to list my top 5 Ontario wines, and did so, but then realised they were all Reds! Obviously I drink more red wine than white, but I do appreciate many whites that I try during my travels. With this in mind I have made a slight alteration to my ratings system. My decision was to have a favourite REDS section, and add my Top 5 Non-REDS.
In the Non-Reds section I have included an ice wine, which just happens to be my favourite, along with a Chardonnay, Riesling, Gerwurtztraminer and a Chenin Blanc. The list will change as time goes on, but at this time I find that these are my favourite Ontario wines.
In looking back at both lists, I also find that many are NOT available at your local LCBO. The reason being, these wines are either produced by smaller wineries and their volume is too small for the LCBO to carry. Personally, my visits to the wineries now consists of tasting ONLY non-LCBO available wines. May seem a bit snobbish, but over time I find that these are the better wines being produced. With this in mind it also makes them harder to obtain since you can't just head off to the local LCBO to grab a bottle when needed. While many offer inexpensive shipping, usually with a minimum order, it can still prove inconvenient to enjoy your favourite bottle. Then there is the case where a winery does not ship, and they produce one of your favourites. In an instance such as this call and see if they will deliver when they are in your area. Some times you can get lucky and they will actually deliver to you when they are shipping a big order.
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About Me
- Wine Guy
- Stumbling through the later stages of life, wine has become an addictive hobby, and Ontario wines my passion. After travelling to many of the wineries across Ontario I found that there were few, if any, references to them and what each had to offer. I hope this site will allow you the opportunity to read about the wine producers of Ontario and maybe get you to visit them. There are some very good wines out there, along with some very not so good wines. Finding those good and even great wines make the distances travelled well worth it. I've experienced many of these wineries and will try to provide you with what makes each special. Enjoy! Other than this latest hobby I also enjoy : playing Poker, gardening, and travelling.