Impressive portfolio of wines at Ridgepoint
Rick VanSickle
What: Ridgepoint Wines
Where: 3900 Cherry Ave., Vineland
Hours: Wednesday to Sunday, 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. (restaurant open to 4 p.m.)
Web: www.ridgepointwines.com
Specialty: Ridgepoint has a solid program of premium 100 per cent Ontario
wines. The selection starts with everyday "quaffing" wines and ranges to the
ultra-premium reserve Pinot Noirs and Bordeaux-style blends. Over half the
estate is planted to Pinot Noir, Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot.
Must try: Ridgepoint was the first Ontario winery to plant and bottle
Nebbiolo (source of the renowned Barolo wines of the Piedmont region in Italy).
There is limited production of this wine but make sure to try it in the retail
store. It's delicious!
The Ridgepoint Wines estate, tasting room and restaurant, perched comfortably
on top of the Niagara Escarpment in Vineland, is a labour of love for owner
Mauro Scarsellone.
Scarsellone, a proud Italian who is an accountant by trade and still lives in
Maple just north of Toronto, took one look at Niagara while on a business trip
to the area and decided to trade in his calculator for a pair of pruning shears
and he was on his way in the world of wine. He purchased the former grape juice
property in Vineland in 1995 and replanted 18 of 20 acres to premium vinifera
grapes, over half of which are red varieties.
The portfolio of wines is impressive with a strong red and red blend program
including Ontario's first Nebbiolo. The whites include oaked and unoaked
Chardonnay, semi-dry Riesling, Gewurztraminer and a limited amount of icewines,
roses and late harvest wines.
Here are three to try that are available now:
Ridgepoint Riesling 2007 ($15 at the winery, 2006 at Vintages, 4 stars) —
Tropical fruit, citrus, orange, grapefruit aromas in this seductively fruity
riesling made in a slightly off-dry style.
Ridgepoint Cabernet Merlot 2006 ($15 available at the winery and soon at the
LCBO, 3.5 stars) — Ripe blackberry and cherry aromas to go with soft vanilla,
spice and cedar notes. This is a fresh, fruit-forward red bolstered by cedar,
mint and herbs.
Ridgepoint Vidal Icewine 2000 (this vintage not available, 4.5 stars) — One
of the joys of visiting a winery tasting room in Niagara is the little surprises
you'll find on any given day. Wineries love to pull out little treasures from
the cellar to show how their wines age and improve over time. On my visit I was
treated to this gorgeous Vidal icewine loaded with apricot, orange peel and
peach flavours. One of those honey-sweet icewines where the taste lasts for
minutes on the finish.
•••
A final word:
In a column on The Standard's Comment page some time ago I said we'd give
Vincor a medal if they switched up its Esprit Olympic wines to contain 100 per
cent Canadian grapes.
Recently, the company did just that and stopped producing both Esprit Shiraz
and Sauvignon Blanc in Niagara, which were Cellar in Canada products (made with
up to 70 per cent foreign grape juice), and, as of July 1, will keep all Olympic
wines purely Canadian.
So, a bright and shiny gold medal to you, Vincor.
Enjoy!