Ottawa, ON
April 2019
Matt’s review: 2017 Arterra Pinot Noir benefits from a touch of appassimento winemaking where a portion of the grapes were carefully set aside and left to dry for a period of time after harvesting, similar to what they do in Valpolicella (Italy) with the iconic Amarone wines, before the partially dehydrated grapes were pressed to reveal the extra luscious juice. This extra winemaking step sets this wine apart from most in it’s category with the added benefit of further textural, aromatic, and flavour complexity, all in a subtle but noticeable way. The result is a super approachable and pleasing Pinot that strikes the right balance of flavor, weight, and texture. The nose shows crushed raspberry, dark cherry, sweet incense, spicebox, cinnamon, dried herbs, and vanilla. The palate shows those familiar refreshing Niagara Pinot characteristics yet in a different style, one that preserves the crisp fruit characteristics and youthful tannins, and highlights layers of dried fruit, herbs, and spice making this wine super versatile for pairing from lighter fare to bold BBQ. Enjoy with roasted pork and lamb, braised or BBQ red meats like steak, sausage and game. My top picks, grilled lamb chops with garlic and rosemary, or roasted pork tenderloin with cherry-balsamic sauce. An impressive and unique style of Niagara Pinot that I’d highly recommend. Drink 2019-2023. Tasted April 2019. 90 points. Matt Steeves – http://www.quercusvino.ca
Quercus Vino 
Leave a Reply