13th Street Cuvée Rosé NV

GRAPE VARIETIES: 54% Chardonnay, 46% Pinot Noir

REGION: Niagara Peninsula, Ontario 

COUNTRY: Canada 

ALCOHOL: 12.5%

Pale pink in the glass. The nose hints at ripe red berry, mineral and light spice notes. The palate is dry and fruity with a creamy and fine mousse with flavours of wild strawberries, raspberry cream and light toast. The finish is long and persistent with cleansing acidity and persistent red fruit flavours. Although delicious and perfectly appropriate to drink this wine immediately, this wine will change and mellow through 2023. 

This wine will pair nicely with shellfish or poached fish in pink sauces, smoked salmon or tuna tartare, charcuterie plates or antipasti . Although not sweet enough to pair with dessert, try with high-fat creamy, fresh and bloomy rind cheeses such as Upper Canada ricotta drizzled with honey and topped with toasted, candied nuts. Will marry nicely with fresh strawberries in season drizzled with a little aged balsamic or topped with cracked pepper. 

WINEMAKING NOTES:

A blend of Chardonnay and Pinot Noir fermented and aged in the traditional method. The Chardonnay provides structure and backbone while the Pinot Noir provides fruit, power and richness. This dry sparkling wine underwent second fermentation in the final bottle and aged sur lattes (en tirage) for a minimum of 18 months during which the bubbles became smaller and more compact. A slight autolytic, or toast and bread character also developed during this time. After dosage of 8 grams of sugar mixed with reserve Pinot Noir was added, the wine was aged a further 3 months before release to allow all elements to integrate. This wine was not exposed to oak and did not undergo malolactic fermentation.

REVIEWS:

93 Points - Toronto Star