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Ontario Wine Review:  WINERY REVIEW:  Lailey Vineyard
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Our winery reviews are done blindly – the wineries have no prior knowledge of our visit and are not made aware until just before we leave their premises that they have been “spot-checked” – this ensures that we get the same level of service that anybody walking off the street would get.

The genesis of Lailey Vineyard winery (the way I heard it anyway) may not be of biblical proportion a la Cain and Abel, or as legendary as the Hatfields and McCoys, nor as epic as the Battle of Thermopylae (as depicted in the movie 300), but there is a sort of Dallas meets Dynasty feel to it, full of backstabbing, betrayal and deals gone bad; and is a story I will sum up as briefly as possible for you … Donna and David Lailey grew grapes (still do) and would sell them to a variety of wineries in Niagara and other areas.  One day, one of their buyers, a relatively new player on the wine scene, came to them and said, “I will buy all that you grow of [a particular grape] because my winemaker is making fabulous wine with it.” (or something like that).  So Donna and David planted more of those particular grapes with the assurance that they have a buyer for them.  Some years later, this buyer came along and said, “I will not be buying anymore of [that particular grape] because I can make a wine cheaper if I use Foch instead – sorry not buying that [particular grape] anymore.”  Now Donna and David are stuck with a whole bunch of these little known grapes, so what do they do?  There’s an old saying that “need is the mother of invention” and they decided to establish their own winery so that they can use their own grapes.  They lure away a young, talented, self-taught winemaker, fresh off a winemaker of the year honour, and one known for making really good wines from “that particular grape”.  The grape is Zweigelt, the winemaker is Derek Barnett, and the renegger of the deal will remain nameless … suffice it to say that our deal breaker now goes around saying “I helped start Lailey Vineyard’s winery.”  Talk about giving a misdeed some spin.

Thus, as folklore will have it, started Lailey Vineyard … they built themselves a winery, a production facility, a barrel cellar (of which a newer underground cellar was just recently completed) and began making wine; not just from Zweigelt, but from all the grapes grown on their property – and it is a good thing they did, because Lailey makes some of the best, age-worthy wines in Niagara and is committed to making small batches of quality wines.  Their winemaker continues his commitment to Canada, something he started during his Southbrook days, Derek Barnett is one of the few winemakers using Canadian oak extensively in his winemaking - Cabernet Franc, Chardonnay, Syrah all aged using Canuck wood, and proudly yet discretely displayed on their label.

Your visit to Lailey starts along the Niagara Parkway … you’ll come across their new sign, which replaced their simplistic green and white sign that was indistinguishable from all the other similar signs seen along the Parkway – today Lailey has a very classy black with silver scripted lettering sign (something they have been waiting years to get approval on – its an even longer story than the genesis story above).  Turn into the driveway and it’s a long drive to what looks like a simple wooden and glass box-like structure that houses the tasting room, events room, tank room / production area and the original barrel cellar.  The tasting room, on the main floor, is glassed in (front and side) and the tasting bar is an elegant black as is the shelving behind it.  To the left of the bar is small wooden shelving made into triangular cubbies, which hold the bottles of wine for sale.

Everything at Lailey seems pretty simple, straight lines, glass and wood, simple shelving … that’s because Lailey isn’t about the flash and showmanship on the outside, it’s about what’s in the bottle that counts for them.  Using the varieties best grown in Ontario and some trial plantings for fun, Lailey has built its name on quality wines at a variety of price points which seem to top out at $39.95.  But while the outside is simple, there is nothing simple about these wines.  Derek Barnett has a philosophy and love based around wines with a potential for ageing, wines you can certainly enjoy now if you choose, but ones that will show even better over time and will reward your patience.  Some to be opened in as little as 3-5 years, while others can age longer – a philosophy that is applied across the board for both reds and whites.

If you’re looking for that simple sipper to take home tonight and drink right away, sure Derek makes a BBQ-ready Zweigelt to die for, but for the long haul, nothing beats one of Barnett’s Beauty-of-a-Cabernet Franc that’s had time to mellow.

No matter what the impetus for their start up it’s a good thing they did, Lailey is a must stop for lovers of quality, age-worthy reds, Chardonnays and Rieslings … and after all this, don’t forget to try the Zweigelt, you won’t be disappointed.

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Grape Guy’s Picks of the Bunch:  A Fabulous Fume and a Real Fine SLH Riesling
For directions and more information visit www.laileyvineyard.com

Lailey Vineyard 2006 Fume Blanc - $24.95

I tried this wine a few months ago back when it was first released, it was nice, but not $24.95 nice … now, 5 months later, it is finally coming into its own and the 24.95 price tag seems like more of a deal.  Fume Blanc is Sauvignon Blanc that has seen the inside of a barrel, in this case, 7 months in one-year-old used French oak, of which 3 of those months were on the lees (dead yeast cells – lees sounds so much better doesn’t it?).  The nose is vanilla with a touch of citrus and asparagus, but it’s on the palate where this wine really shines.  A bit grassy at first but then there is lots of butterscotch, apple, pears and other friendly fruit flavours.  Give it another 5 months and that 24.95 will seem like a steal, and then we’ll be into spring and that’ll be the perfect time to pop the cork.

Lailey Vineyard 2006 Select Late Harvest Riesling - $29.95 (375ml)

There are 2 ways to make Select Late Harvest wines:  1 way is to use the second pressing of juice from icewine grapes; the 2nd is to actually select a block(s) or row(s) of grapes to be picked later … this is the way that winemaker Derek Barnett makes his late harvest wines.  His feeling is that good wine is made as fore-thought, not as an after-thought; and that by choosing his late harvested grapes before hand he makes the best wines possible.  If you’ve had opportunity to try this wine, you’ll know he just might have a point.  The smell is the first thing that’ll lure you in:  peaches, apricots, honey, apples, other sweet fruits and banana chips – all clamour for your attention.  The palate is just as lush, inviting and complex with wonderful flavours of dried fruits, apricots, bananas, wild flower honey, lilacs and yellow delicious apples.  Succulent, smooth, a real taste treat … this is everything icewine should be, but without the high sugar count – this one’s only a 10; you’d swear it was higher.  Two words remain to describe this wine:  Absolutely and Gorgeous … the order is up to you.

Here are some other Lailey wines you might enjoy (I did):
2006 Vidal Select Late Harvest, 2006 Gewurztraminer,

2006 Syrah and 2006 Canadian Oak Syrah

All wines available at the winery and thru winerytohome.

Holiday Sweeties – checking in with the newest sweet stuff:
As we get closer to the holidays, our thoughts turn to sweet wines and luscious desserts – here are a few suggestions to make your holidays that much sweeter:

Archibald’s Spiced Winter Apple Reserve - $16.95 (375ml) … (W)
Cattail Creek 2006 Barrel Fermented Vidal Icewine - $50.00 (375ml) … (W)
Mountain Road 2002 Cabernet Franc Icewine - $80 (375ml) … (W)
Pillitteri 2004 Select Late Harvest Cabernet Franc - $30 (375ml) … (W)
Reif Estate Winery 2005 Vidal Icewine - $24.95 (200ml) … (W)
The Ice House Northern Ice Vidal 2005 - $53.95 (375ml) … (W, L)

and for something different
Riverview Cellars 2004 Fontana Dolce - $14.95 … (W)

Availability legend:  W (Winery) – L (LCBO/Vintages) – WTH (Winery to Home)

Weekly Wine Notes and More:  Thirty Bench Red, Tawse Echos Red, Vintages Release

The Grape Guy presents the "Weekly Wine Note"! A savoury selection of Ontario wines to impress, enjoy, or just plain drink!  A NEW Wine Selection is added to ontariowinereviews.blogspot.com every Tuesday or listen to the Podcast at www.ontariowinereview.libsyn.com!

Here are the Weekly Wine Notes that were added to the Blog over the past two weeks:
December 11:  Stratus 2006 Red Icewine (read) (listen)
December 18:  Tawse Winery 2006 Echos White (read) (listen)

The January 5th LCBO Vintages Release report is Coming Soon.