Here’s what’s inside the March Toronto Life Wine Club box
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In March’s delivery: A tropical sauvignon blanc, an opulent riesling and a hearty malbec from Creekside’s exclusive Under Current label. Orders must be placed by March 17.
2019 Under Current ‘Breakaway’ Riesling
Why we’re into this wine: It’s not just leading the pack, it’s on a breakaway of its own. The benefit of fermenting slowly and coolly in stainless steel is the preservation of the bright, forward aromatics and abundant fruit flavour. Opting for a slightly off-dry expression, the winemaker halted fermentation early to allow for some residual sugar to remain in the wine. The acid deftly balances the sweetness, presenting a riesling that is crisp and thirst-quenching with honey undertones. An outstanding contribution to the premium Under Current series, which prioritizes small batch, higher risk winemaking.
What it tastes like: A floral perfume of honeysuckle and jasmine evolves to green apple, stone fruit and candied orange peel on the palate. Ample acidity gives the wine a lively, spritzy mouthfeel. This is a delicate riesling that has surprising zest and depth.
How to drink it: Chilled. The ‘Breakaway’ Riesling is a tantalizing sipper on its own, but will also pair beautifully with Thai mango salad with cilantro and lime, chicken peanut satay and spicy noodle dishes.
2018 Under Current ‘Long Row’ Sauvignon Blanc
Why we’re into this wine: The name ‘Long Row’ comes from Creekside’s idea to leave these particular sauvignon blanc grapes on the vine a little longer than usual so as to extract optimal flavour. Winemaking is always a daring dance with Mother Nature, and when she turned, the winemakers were forced to hurriedly hand harvest the grapes. But what resulted from the adventure was a small-batch success that offers enormous flavour. Only 100 cases of this highly coveted wine were produced. Nothing risked, nothing gained.
What it tastes like: Tropical fruit–think papaya, guava and passionfruit–and citrus are the dominant notes in this wine, with a hint of nectarine and limestone. A light caramelized note of crème brûlée is present thanks to a brief period in oak.
How to drink it: Similar to the riesling, it’s lovely to sip on its own, but also a great match with washed rind cheese and potato gratin, roasted pork belly with pineapple salsa and asparagus risotto with parmesan.
2016 Under Current Malbec
Why we’re into this wine: Usually reserved for blending, the malbec from 2016’s bumper crop was the ripest that Creekside had ever seen, and they couldn’t resist bottling a small portion of it as a single varietal. Big flavour characterizes this wine: it’s jammy, juicy, and fruit forward. Structured and bold with a complementary balance of acid and tannin, this is a confident wine with good legs and limitless potential.
What it tastes like: Ripe strawberry, dark cherry, raspberry jam and dashes of cinnamon and clove greet the nose and palate. Earthy and herbal with a supple mouthfeel and lengthy finish.
How to drink it: Decant to encourage the wine’s expressiveness and pair with grilled red meats, hearty spaghetti Bolognese and funghi linguine with herbs.
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