Baco Noir Wine

Ange and Taylor talk about this signature grape variety (Baco Noir) from Niagara region of Canada. For more like this visit: www.legourmet.tv

Ange: Hi, everyone, I’m Ange from iYellow Wine Club and we’re here today with Taylor Thompson from Reds Bistro down on the financial district downtown Toronto to talk about Baco Noir. Now you can’t, Taylor you know, you can’t talk about Ontario, you can’t talk about the wine industry in Canada without talking about what ice wine but then secondly not talk about Baco Noir. You look at a signature grape such as Baco Noir and we’ve sort of really brought that grape into its own one do you agree. Taylor Thompson: Yeah, absolutely, I mean California has got Zinfandel and Australia’s got its Shiraz and we’ve got our Baco Noir. Ange: Absolutely, and I mean looking at Baco Noir, there’s almost a lot of, many of the wineries out Niagara and Principal County like here on our shore are a lot of them are producing Baco Noir. Taylor Thompson: Yeah, yeah. Ange: And this is the top producer of Baco Noir reserve. We’ve got Henry of Pelham here. I mean really you can’t taste any Baco Noir before trying to eat a Baco Noir. Taylor Thompson: It’s simply the flakes of Baco Noir, now this is a particularly good because it is the reserved Baco Noir. So it’s their higher end of the Bacos and it’s a 2005 which was the hugely successful year Niagara. Okay? Ange: But it can, it can be the 2005 can be compared to the ’07. I mean we’re looking at the ’07 vintage being here a comparable. Taylor Thompson: Oh yes, the ’05 and the ’07 are two great vineyards and before that ’02 was another one that was pretty benchmarked, right. Henry of Pelham is owned by the Speck Family. The Speck brothers run Henry of Pelham and this vineyard was planted in 1984 so it’s their oldest vineyard hand planted by the Speck brothers and handpicked by probably the Speck brothers and many others. Ange: Yeah, well when we talk about family own business definitely one of the ones from Niagara that’s very family owned through generations and generations of family. Taylor Thompson: Yeah, and they have a, they have a uniqueness actually to the tear and war of this vineyard with South facing slopes because as many know because of the escarpment in Niagara most of the vineyards are North facing vineyards. So this is a Southern facing vineyard on the Short Hills Bench and the wines that are produce in this area are quite fantastic. If you want to get a little bit technical, Baco Noir was a, is a crossing and it’s a Folle Blanche and Vitis Rupestris frosting so it kind created in a lab to take the best out of both of these have to offer. And Rupestris being more of a hearty grape, more of a hearty vine stock will certainly lend itself to the climate better. Okay, so this wine is actually made for our cooler climates but ripens quite well, especially in Short Hills Bench. Ange: And you’ll definitely get that berry flavor, it’s very prevailing in the berry flavor. You’ll get a really great mouth field to it and another; even for the reserve I still it hits $20, isn’t it, for the Reserve? Taylor Thompson: This Reserve Baco Noir retails at the El Studio for $25. Okay, so for $25 it’s still a great Canadian wine and I think the Baco Noir, the regular Baco Noir is a great wine. It’s in and around $15, the extra ten bucks take my word for it, get the Reserve. Have a Baco Noir experience because this wine is actually quite good. Ange: Well and I think you hit the nail right on the head of this Baco Noir experience people have is that, they’ve never even heard of the grape and then as soon as they have it, it’s a Baco Noir experience. People will understand it and realize it but they’ll also love it. There’s something about Baco Noir that sort of instills and love in a lot of people. I know lot of people that are really Baco Noir fans to the core and really enjoy a good Baco Noir. I mean on top of that, you can’t talk about Henry of Pelham and not talk about their eco friendly and sustainable approach to the environment as well. Taylor Thompson: Absolutely. Ange: I mean not just them, you’re looking at the whole industry moving towards a very environmentally friendly way of growing grapes, dealing with our grape growers, working in a fermentation process. And bottling even with screw tops, that whole area of people really spearheading and the Speck brothers being one of those people that spearheads a lot of their sustainable development within the region as well. Taylor Thompson: Yes, they’re really proud of their sustainable farming and going to the vineyard and taking the tour. Seeing the steps that they go through are really, it really puts the passion in it. Do you know what I mean? Ange: And this wine is available at Reds by the glass, is it not? Taylor Thompson: This one’s available at Reds by the glass. Yes, one of our many Canadian wines are serve by the glass as far as Ontario goes, I think that this Baco Noir is probably one of the best representations of Ontario red wine and it’s different and it’s special to us. And after talking with Henry of Pelham I found out that they’re actually selling some of this wine down in the US. It’s actually one their big exports which is interesting because it’s nice to know that the wine’s getting a little bit of recognition and selling around the world. Ange: That’s ride a Canadian Landmark other than the rice wine with the Baco Noir. Taylor Thompson: Exactly, we’re on the board. Ange: Excellent. Well thanks very much and Baco Noir obviously matches very well with a lot of foods. Taylor Thompson: You know what, Baco Noir for me, barbeque, I mean we do great burgers here; it is a nice companion to sucudries and things like that. But you take a bottle of Baco Noir home and you just serve it up with barbequed pork, barbequed burgers, it’s a like a summer time. Ange: Chicken, some grilled veggies, corn on the cob. Taylor Thompson: Because there is a smokiness to it that just lands itself so well to barbequed items and adds that same smokiness to it. Ange: So barbeque, Baco Noir and go loco, three key things to remember today, cheers and thanks for joining us.