For The Love Of Port

Just came back form visiting the Niagara wine region .
( Inniskilin wines )
Visited , production facilities , wine tasting area , the vineyards were they produce ice wine .
There oldest vines are 33 yrs old !!
tasted there ice wine .
Great dessert wine , but too sweet
They have wind mills in the vineyard
IN the winter time , if the temperature drops below -15 celcius , the wind mills are powered up and heat the vines .
They need to do this maybe twice during late January .

I've liked both the Inniskillin from Niagra and their other vineyards in the BC region - Okanogan (sp?). Really nice wines in some years. I like the Riesling by far the best and the Vidal can be nice when there's enough acidity ... but I have never quite understood why they do the Cabernet Franc Icewine.

The Cabernet Franc icewine is unusual but I tend to really like it. I'm a big fan of the version made by the Niagara Teaching College.

I've got some friends un the Niagara area and get out there occasionally. Generally, I really like most of the late-harvest Rieslings and icewines coming out of the area. Daniel Lenko does a great job for a small producer. I also like the Niagara Teaching College stuff, as I mentioned. I also like Henry of Pelham as a producer.

Having said that, I really think they have an uphill battle on their dry table wines. My friend really thinks the area is the equal (or just about) to other major wine producing areas in the world, but I just don't see it. Their Pinot Noirs and Chardonnays are "ok", but I would never see one ageing well or approaching the quality of California. The Rieslings are good, but here again you've got a little bit of residual sweetness helping it along. I don't think you'll ever see a decent "kabinett" style Riesling coming out of Niagara.

Have very little experience with Niagara wines, but am intrigued by the Sparkling Icewine. Anyone had it?