JACKSON-TRIGGS DELAINE VINYARD SYRAH 2006

Picked up this bottle during another recent visit to the Niagara wine region. Jackson-Triggs is one of my favourite Canadian wineries. I find their wines to be consistently outstanding. Of the wines I tasted, the Delaine Vinyard Syrah stood out for its distinct character. It had just been released to the public when we visited and was apparently selling very well.

The Delaine Vinyard is a 100-acre plot along the Niagara Parkway that grows vines for JT's premium wines. Several varietals are grown in this vinyard, including Syrah. Also known as Shiraz, this grape is well known for comprising many Rhône wines from Southeastern France. I often associate Shiraz with spice, although the spice was subtle in this wine. I detected leather, cloves, and cinamon on the nose. This wine showed nice tannins, with flavours of blueberry pie and cranberries. I also found hints of chilli peppers. This wine could probably benefit from a year or two of aging, but it definitely shows well now. It was a very enjoyable accompaniment to the lamb chops and grilled vegetables we had tonight.

STONEY RIDGE RESERVE PINOT NOIR 2006

I picked up this pinot when I visited several Beamsville Bench wineries in August. The grounds at Stoney Ridge was very impressive, with large beautiful gardens full of flowers and herbs. They very much deserve to be know as "Niagara's Garden Winery." Inside, the tasting bar was small yet busy, and you could pick up a variety of cheeses and other food to go with your wine.

I wish I could be as positive about the wine. The boquet showed hints of strawberry, and I could detect cranberry and roses on the palate. I found it to be a very simple wine, and the low alcohol content was very noticable (12.2%). The label claimed that the wine had been oaked for at least a year, however it was undetectable. For a "reserve" wine I was quite disappointed.