Malcolm Jolley tries four new wines from Nicholas Pearce Wines…
Nicholas Pearce is both a person and a wine agency, and the former invited me, and other Toronto wine journalists, down to the premises of the latter recently to taste some samples of what Nicholas Pearce Wines* are bringing into the Ontario market in the next couple of months. Before I tasted the 20 or so wines Pearce had selected, he gave me a spreadsheet listing the wines and providing relevant information about them including vintage year, price, the type of grapes used, and so on. The last column of the table showed the release date and how the wine would be sold. Like most agencies of any size, Nicholas Pearce Wines represents wines that are sold on the shelves or online shop of the LCBO as well as those in “Consignment”, which are shipped by the case directly from the LCBO warehouse to restaurants or collectors. Four of the wines I tasted had a note next to them that read “Accepted to tasting”, and I asked Pearce what it meant. These wines, he explained had been accepted by the LCBO for consideration, and would be tasted by their panel to determine whether they make the grade and appear on the shelves of LCBO Vintages stores. I’ll save the analysis of whether this is an appropriate way to serve the interests of Ontario wine consumers for another post, but it struck me, as I tasted through the four white wines below, that I might as well write about them before their audition. Who knows? Maybe it might help them get through. I hope so: all four of them, all from Australia, are well made, balanced white wines priced under $20. We could more wines in Vintages that fit the description.
1. Sister’s Run St. Petri’s Riesling 2018 ($19.95)
This Old World style Riesling from Australia’s Eden Valley in the Barossa region ought to please followers of the grape with classic petrol notes and a herbal quality that hovers over a cool streak of lemony acid and generous fruit. Fantastic value for a wine that regularly achieves 90 plus ratings. More about the wine here.
2. Tomich Woodside Vineyard Sauvignon Blanc 2018 ($19.95)
This xrisp white from Australia’s Adelaide Hills sits somewhere between Old and New World styles. It has a bit of reserve to it, so the passion fruit and citrus notes aren’t overwhelming. It wants food and it can take you comfortably through lunch. More about the wine here.
3. Sister’s Run Sunday Slippers Chardonnay 2018 ($19.95)
I am a sucker for a well made Chardonnay, especially if it’s big on fruit and priced under $20. The Sunday Slippers has a big lift of clean stone fruit and bright and refreshing acidity. I’m sure it’s great at the table, but I think its killer (and possibly dangerous) application would be as an aperitif with snacks before a dinner party. More about the wine here.
4. Monterra Adelaide Hills Chardonnay 2018 ($17.95)
The Monterra Chardonnay is another well priced South Australian with citrus notes as well as peach and vibrant acidity. There’s a minerality and a kind of serious to this wine which makes it a particularly good buy for $18. If it comes through Vintages, I don’t think it will last very long. More about the wine here.
Stay tuned to GFR to see if and when these wines make it to the LCBO… or how to get them anyway, if they don’t.
*Long time GFR readers will know that NPW is a Good Food Fighter and a sponsor of this website. This post, however, is not commissioned and reflects opinions that are entirely my own.
