Gjoa's Vineyard Merlot 2013 makes the Globe and Mail with a 90 score!
/WATERS ON WINE
Ward off winter’s chill with these nine wines
SPECIAL TO THE GLOBE AND MAIL
PUBLISHED 2 DAYS AGOUPDATED JANUARY 13, 2021
This week's recommendations feature a mix of mostly full-bodied merlots with some blends and a richly concentrated shiraz.
News reports of an imminent big chill due to polar-vortex activity in the atmosphere helped shape this week’s wine recommendations. Forecasts suggesting cold air from the Arctic is set to descend into parts of Canada further south than normal inspired a search for wines that could wake up one’s taste buds.
The projections also raised concerns about potential damage to vineyards in the affected areas as a result of extremely low temperatures. Some grapevines can weather prolonged cold snaps better than others. Merlot and sauvignon blanc vines, for instance, aren’t as winter-hardy as riesling, vidal or baco noir.
Vine Alert is a program conducted by the Cool Climate Oenology and Viticulture Institute at Brock University that monitors the cold hardiness of vineyards throughout Ontario during the dormant period. Recent reports suggest the crop for the 2021 harvest could be significantly affected by sustained temperatures of -23.1 C. Following previous polar-vortex incidents in 2014, 2015 and 2018, growers in Niagara witnessed lower-than-anticipated yields across affected varieties due to bud damage. In some instances, they needed to replace damaged or dead vines as a result of damage to the roots or trunk of the vine.
A vine’s ability to handle cold weather changes throughout its dormant cycle. The good news for wineries and growers is the predicted cold snap would occur during the maximum cold-hardiness period.
When temperatures begin to increase, vines start to break out of dormancy. A deep freeze in March, for instance, typically has more dire consequences for grape growers in affected areas than sub-zero temperatures right now.
It’s worth noting that growers have different ways to protect their vineyards from winter injury, ranging from large wind machines designed to create an inversion by pulling warmer air down to crop levels or employing smudge-pot heaters throughout the vineyard to protect against frost.
To my taste, red wines are more suited to warding off winter’s chill, so the recommendations feature a mix of mostly full-bodied merlots with some blends and a richly concentrated shiraz added for good measure. There’s also a couple of whites that made an impression during recent tastings.
Hillside Gjoa’s Vineyard Merlot 2013 (Canada)
RATING OUT OF 100
90
PRICE: $40
This single-vineyard merlot from 2013 is a new release from Hillside that is developing nicely. A flavourful and complex red, this offers ripe plum and cherry notes with savoury and mocha accents. The fruity character is still fresh and inviting. Drink now to 2023. Available at the above price, direct through hillsidewinery.ca.