Creekside Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon 2020

Dense aromas of forest floor, black cherry, black raspberry, herbes de Provence and leather. The palate is linear and focused, with bright red fruit, fine, tight tannins and a savoury, umami finish.

Based on the winery’s tasting note.

Grilled ribeye or striploin, roast lamb with rosemary, braised short ribs, mushroom dishes, aged Gouda or Cheddar. In Japan: wagyu steak with wasabi and soy, grilled beef tongue (gyutan), sukiyaki.

Starting to drink well now; will continue to evolve over the next 5–7 years and hold for a decade after that.

VQA Niagara Peninsula

2020: A near-perfect Ontario vintage. After an uneventful start and a warm summer, sunny, dry weather through September and October allowed full, complete ripening. The crop was smaller than usual, but quality was exceptional, especially for later-ripening reds like Cabernet Sauvignon.

A Reserve-tier red from Creekside Estate in Jordan, Niagara, released after extended ageing.

Creekside Estate Winery opened in 1997 in small-town Jordan, Ontario.  The Winery is run by a passionate (some say fanatical) group of industry veterans who have decades of experience in their respective fields. The team of self-described cork dorks love what they do, and have fun doing it. 

Early on the darlings of the Creekside portfolio were, like the people who created them, a little outside of the mainstream fold; Sauvignon Blanc and Syrah are the signature wines.  Creekside has also developed a cult following for its Sauvignon Blanc / Semillon blend and Ontario’s award winning Broken Press Syrah.

Despite being considered viticulturally off-kilter for the region these 2 grapes showed promise and the early successes spurred further investment in the vineyard and cellar.