Tuesday, May 24, 2011

Karlo Estates 2008 Pinot Noir VQA Prince Edward County

Although I’ve tasted a fair amount of Ontario wine, I’ve never tasted any from Prince Edward County, which is on the north shore of Lake Ontario. The area was named a designated viticultural area under Canada’s VQA system in 2007 and now boasts 30 wineries. At TasteCamp North I was fortunate to receive this bottle of Prince Edward County Pinot Noir.

The driving force behind Karlo Estates is owner and winemaker Richard Karlo, who was making award-winning wines for 20 years before opening his own winery. The initial planting of the vineyard was in 2006 and includes Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, and Fontenac Noir. The wines are made in the Old World style, with lower alcohol levels and less use of oak. The limestone soil and cool climate allow for wines with character.

This Pinot has a delicate black cherry flavor with slight pepper notes. The body is very light. Although enjoyable, complexity is needed to elevate it to the level of really good Pinot. The bottle shows promise not only for this winery but for the wines of Prince Edward County as well.
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