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Ontario Wine Reviews
- Stoney Ridge 2005 Wismer Vineyard Reserve Cabernet Franc
Ontario Reviews
Stoney Ridge 2005 Wismer Vineyard Reserve Cabernet Franc
When I first tasted this wine, out of barrel at a sneak peak winemaker’s dinner in January of 2007, I thought it was lovely … so lovely in fact I got the particular’s wrong – I wrote something about “Fox Vineyard” … but my analysis of the wine still holds (A dark fruit nose and chocolate taste all wrapped up in a dark fruit blanket … a sweet mid-palate, wonderfully smooth tannins and good acidity makes this a winner with a capital “W”. Finish that off with a medium-long finale and 14% alcohol and you have [a] ten plus year wine to enjoy for years to come). Today, just 12 months later, and bottled, this beauty still holds up to that review. But now it has developed a tad of vegetal smell on the nose, hidden mostly by the sweet tobacco and vanilla. In the mouth, it is the red fruit and silky tannins that carry the show. The vegetal blows off in about 15 minutes from initial opening (on both nose and taste) … and this one becomes a delicately smooth and enjoyable - one to drink now and into 2017, though I am not sure my bottles will last that long.
2005
Red
Cabernet Franc
$36.95
Niagara Peninsula
at the winery
http://www.stoneyridge.com
2012-02-09
(Re-Tasted March 2011) ... Why I seem to drag this wine out in March I am not sure. Two years ago, almost to the day, I pulled a bottle of this out from the cellar and gave it a re-taste, and it showed very well. Not surprising, it was only a year from whence I tasted it (or at least posted my review). Now some 3 years from the original review, two years from last tasting and 6 years from vintage date it is time to re-taste this wine again. This wine was made by Stoney Ridge's then winemaker Liubomir Popovici and he has done some really good work on this wine. The nose has some great blackberry, cassis, cedar and good spices lingering around; the taste is loaded with spice, cassis, chocolate liqueur, some dried red fruits (namely raspberry and cherry). Across the tongue it is smooth yet with enough tannins to make it interesting, there is still a few years left in this bottle and as I check my inventory I see I will be reviewing this wine a few more times before I am done with what I have. I am sure that over time winemaker Liubomir P has been referred to as "Lube" ... and I would say this is a good oil (wine) by Lube with no filler; (though I am not sure if it is unfiltered - or the pun would be even better). If you have any of this wine you could sit it for a few more years or enjoy it now with a little decanting.
