Thursday, December 20, 2012

Hiller Creek Estates 2009 Estate Riesling, Prince Edward County VQA

Thank goodness we have friends from Canada! They picked up this bottle of Hiller Creek Riesling during a recent trip and brought it to a party at our hacienda.

We are big fans of Ontario wines, especially the dry Rieslings and the expressive Cabernet Francs. This is the first we’ve tried from Hiller Creek.

Prince Edward County is Ontario’s newest wine region. It is located on the opposite side of Lake Ontario from Niagara-on-the-Lake.

Hiller Creek has 24 acres of vineyards planted to Gamay, Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, Riesling and Vidal. The winery features a 150-year-old barn that serves as winery, cellar and tasting room. Appropriately enough, a creek runs through the estate.

I hadn’t glanced closely at the label during the party and assumed this was a semi-sweet to sweet Riesling. I was pleased to find out that this has just a touch of sweetness which is balanced by a nice acidity.

The flavor notes are lime and peach and there is a mineral character that creates just the groove we like in a Riesling. The alcohol level is 10.5%, much lower than “big” reds which can go above 14%. That adds to the lightness and makes this a versatile refresher. This uses 100% estate grown grapes.

Unfortunately, the 2009 vintage is now sold out – but we expect that 2010 rocks as well. The cost for this wine was $20 CA.

Hiller Creek is making some great wine. We encourage you to give them a taste.

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Rating: 3.5 of 5  Value: 4 of 5
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