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Foreign Affair Apologetic Red 2018

Canada, Ontario

"This might well be the best appassimento-style red produced at the Foreign Affair winery"
John Szabo, Master Somellier

A celebration of Canadian excellence – the label on this wine reads “Sorry” on the front, and “Not Sorry” on the back. A statement which speaks to the quality of VQA wine being something Canadians should be wildly proud of, and unapologetic for.

Country	Canada
Province	Ontario
Region	Niagara Peninsula
Sub-Ava	VQA Niagara Peninsula
Producer	The Foreign Affair Winery
Vintage	2018
Color	Red Wine
Varietal(s)	Cabernet Franc

¥11,000 (incl. tax)

"This might well be the best appassimento-style red produced at the Foreign Affair winery"
John Szabo, Master Somellier

Country	Canada
Province	Ontario
Region	Niagara Peninsula
Sub-Ava	VQA Niagara Peninsula
Producer	The Foreign Affair Winery
Vintage	2018
Color	Red Wine
Varietal(s)	Cabernet Franc

Data

Closure	Cork
Volume	750ml
Alcohol	15,6%
Product Code	A007R00818
UPC	661144000662
Inventory	In Stock (12)

Owning & Enjoying

Tasting notes

Blackcurrant, blueberry compote, violet, black cherry, cedar, and cigar. With elegant but firm tannings, nice acidity and a long, complex finish.

Pairing

This wine pairs perfectly with charcuterie, firm and blue cheese, Moroccan style lamb and couscous, French onion soup, veal rigatoni, mushroom risotto, and dark chocolate desserts.

Cellaring

Enjoy now through 2030 and beyond

Press

92WineAlign

John Szabo, MS - This might well be the best appassimento-style red produced at the Foreign Affair winery. It's pure cabernet franc from the Vinemount Ridge sub-appellation, with a portion dried for over four months before pressing, blending and ageing in French oak for 16 months. Varietal character is on full display, offering both floral perfume (dried violets and roses), a concentrated, roasted vegetal essence, and plenty of gravel, graphite and lush dark fruit flavour. The palate is broad and plush, a solid mouthful, with an impression of sweetness tempered by the gently bitter (pleasantly so) nature of the tannins and concentrated acids. Length and depth are excellent. It's remarkably clean and low in volatile acids, no mean feat for this style of wine. I'd cellar another 3-5 years minimum, or hold long term in the cellar for a fully mature experience. Tasted July 2021.

91WineAlign

David Lawrason - This cabernet franc is made in the appassimento method with 52% dried grapes. It is a fairly full bodied, smooth, almost sleek and slightly sweet red that captures cabernet franc's raspberry/cherry pie character and adds well integrated tobacco, nutmeg, vanilla-chocolate. The 15.6% alcohol provides the richness and a slow burn on the finish, and there is some sourness. Tannins are fine and firm; the length is excellent. Tasted July 2021

Production

Vintage Notes

A very hot summer led to fruit with ripe and complex flavours.

Viticulture

Hand picked and sorted

Vinification

52% Appassimento.

Producer

Producer Description

1990 | Valpolicella, Veneto

Foreign Affair Winery founders Len and Marisa Crispino were living as expats in Italy when they discovered the wonders of Amarone, or 'Appassimento' wines.

The more they learned about this technique and grew to love these wines, the more excited they became at the prospect of bringing this incredible craftsmanship back with them to Ontario.

And so, they did.

2000 | Niagara, Ontario

In 2000, taking a leap of faith, Len and Marisa bought 40 acres of prime farmland in the Vinemount Ridge sub-appellation of Niagara's Twenty Valley wine region, starting their journey to becoming trailblazers of Appassimento winemaking in Canada.

They sourced quality vinifera varietals from Europe, and after three years of carefully nurturing vines, 2004 became the inaugural vintage of Foreign Affair wines.

Today | Niagara, Ontario

While the first vintages had many challenges with this approach, the big, bold red wines they produced as a result spoke for themselves, and so Len and Marisa persisted and over the next few decades, these wines become the benchmark for Appassimento wines in Niagara, inspiring many other producers in the process.

Today, The Foreign Affair Winery offers a unique and diverse selection of award-winning wines, all touched by the Appassimento process in some way, and many stories to share about the journey.

Customer Reviews