WINE REVIEW: NYARAI CELLARS

I’ll take the 4-pack, please!

Get me four bottles of Niagara wine for under $100 and I’m in. Get me four bottles of delicious Niagara wine, crafted by an award-winning winemaker for under $100 and I…. well I just won’t believe you.

It took me all of 3 minutes to pull the trigger on my order of Nyarai Cellars’ Variety 4 Pack, which contained a 2014 Cadence, a 2016 Pinot Gris, a 2015 Viognier, and a 2017 Field Blender’s White.

Let’s go through the case:

 2014 Cadence – $20.95

Did I get dropped in the middle of Bordeaux? The 2014 Cadence took a little time to open up, but when she did, wow, was it something to behold.

Blackberry, plum, black cherry, dark chocolate, vanilla, and notes of forest floor and leather akin to wines of the old world.  High acid with tannins to match, a lovely finish as well. A truly impressive Bordeaux-style blend from the Niagara region.

Steve prides himself on his whites, but his reds might just be his secret weapon.

2015 Viognier – SOLD OUT

There’s this thing that happens to me when I smell a great Viognier. An uncontrollable smile appears on my face. This is exactly what happened when I dipped my nose into the bowl of my 2015 Viognier.

Up until this moment, I had never experienced a Viognier from Niagara. Steve’s Viognier delivered that classic Viognier bouquet of aromas – honeysuckle, tangerine, yellow apple, beeswax. The palate delivered similar notes, along with stone fruit, lemon, and a beautiful minerality. Great body and acidity too – another incredible discovery.

2016 Pinot Gris – $20.95

With medium+ body, brisk acidity, and round mouthfeel, Steve turns these 100% Niagara-on-the-Lake Pinot Gris grapes into a textured masterpiece. Fermented in stainless steel, Steve coaxes the grapes into displaying stone fruit, minerality, and spiciness on the finish.  A truly enjoyable cool climate Pinot Gris.

2017 Field Blender’s White – $16.95

A blend of Vidal, Viognier, Sauvignon Blanc, and Chardonnay Musque, I had a lot of fun seeing the aromas and tastes of this white wine develop over time. At first, the honeysuckle and orange blossom jumped out at me (most likely from the Viognier), then I got hit with some yellow apple, citrus, and beeswax. Structurally, racy acidity, with strong minerality and a touch of salinity.

As you can see, I had tonnes of fun pairing this with some fresh PEI oysters.

NEW WINE ALERT

2019 Folklore – $22.95

Winemaker Steve Byfield stays true to his passion for aromatic whites with Nyarai Cellars’ first sparkling wine. “Spumante” inspired, Folklore is a blend of Acadie Blanc, Chardonnay, Muscat Ottonel, Sauvignon Blanc, and a splash of Gewurztraminer, and makes for an incredibly easy-drinking, sparkling wine that pairs well with almost anything.

Packed full of aromatic white flowers, pear, white peach, Folklore is structurally well-balanced, crisp, and refreshing.