I think there won’t be much hooting and booing when I say Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot aren’t exactly two of Ontario’s great grapes unless under the cover of “terroir” you bless their weakness by stating they have a distinct Ontario imparted quality to them. Bah Humbug says me the Wine Scrooge. On the other hand Ontario Cabernet Franc shines so when you blend Cabernet Franc with Ontario Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon there may be some magic that rescues them from criticism.
With a 2020 Trius Red “The Icon” we have a blend of Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon and the mighty Cabernet Franc. 43.9 % Cabernet Sauvignon, 32.3% Cabernet Franc and 23.3 % Merlot.
Aroma: Blackberry, black cherry, raspberry, and cocoa powder. With concentration one can distinguish some of the individual characteristics of the three grapes but the blending largely obfuscates readily individual identification.
Palate: Nippy tannins. A mid weight wine with a long dusty finish. Blueberry (Cabernet Sauvignon?), Cherry and cocoa (Cabernet Franc) and cherry (Merlot). I can’t really say which grape wins the Battle of The Blends”. Somewhere between soft and austere.
Personality: As a mixie I am not sure who I am. Who are my true ancestors? I might figure that out one day but now I am strong and say Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon grapes matter….perhaps not as a single varietal wine but in a blend..you know just like a wine bottle where all grapes matter! You humans with colour of your skin fussing that only they matter can learn from us grapes!
Cellarbility: The wine is not yet at its prime. That will be after 2024 and it will cruise into the end of 2026.
Food Pairing: Should you eat at the Trius Restaurant in Niagara-on-the-Lake go for the Ontario Lamb tasting!
Price: $24.95 CDN (Ontario).
RKS 2023 Wine Rating: 89/100.
(Trius Red The Icon 2020, VQA Niagara Peninsula, Trius Winery, Niagara-on-the-Lake, Ontario, 750 mL, 13.5%).
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