Maker: Cave Spring, Jordan, Ontario, Canada
Grape: Gamay Noir (at least 85%)
Place of origin: Niagara Escarpment VQA, Ontario, Canada
Vintage: 2015
ABV: 13%
Price: $12.50 USD ($17 Canadian, LCBO)
Appearance: Dark burgundy.
Nose: Black pepper, earth, blackberry jam, peony.
Palate: Semi-dry and full-flavored. Reminiscent of Cru Chénas or Cru Juliénas. Earthy but fruity. Blackberry, mushroom.
Finish: Tart with a little spice. Fades pretty quickly.
Parting words: This is the last wine I have left from my last trip to the LCBO a few months ago. It was a part of my effort to give myself a crash course in Gamay. I expected it to be similar to the Gamay produced by Chateau Grand Traverse or Hawthorne on Old Mission Peninsula in Northern Michigan, but it was not like those at all. Cave Spring’s was fruity but “darker” and spicier than I expected. I found that quality off-putting at first, but I grew to enjoy it over the time it was open. That’s where the comparison to Chénas comes in. I remember the first time I tasted one, I was shocked at how unlike it was from any other Beaujolais I had tasted before. I was intrigued, though, and at that moment began planning the crash course.
At any rate, this is a Gamay that one can easily drink with any sort of cuisine and at $12.50 (plus border toll) it’s affordable enough to be in weeknight rotation. 2015 Cave Spring Gamay is recommended.
Sipology 