 |
| Look right in the center of the photo and you'll see the stone arch rising into view. We were 1/3 of the way from the road when this was taken. |
Our stop at Megalomaniac Wines (John Howard Cellars of Distinction) was another nice surprise in our day, beginning with our approach up the property's rather steep drive, from the bottom of which you can hardly see the production facility, carved as it is into the side of the hill so that only the stone arch above the door is visible. Although the entrance and large oak doors have a medieval flare to them, Chris's overall impression was bomb shelter, having decided that Megalomaniac is where he will head in the event of a natural disaster or enemy attack! Indoors, the air is kept cool and most by the surrounding hillside, which was a refreshing escape from the summer's heat.
The winery had advertised a sparkling with a strawberry and white chocolate ganache tart. First, though, we were offered its Pink Slip Rose, a pinot noir, which tasted mostly of sour strawberry skin and brought out the sweetness in the dessert without sacrificing its own taste. Although I don't drink a lot of pink wine, I have noticed that all of my favourites are made from pinot noir. At $17.95 per bottle, it is comparable in price and quality to other better roses in the region.
Next, we tried the winery's first ever sparkling release, also made from pinot noir, which matched beautifully with the strawberries in the dessert but also cleansed our palates from the heavy ganache. Interestingly, the wine taste didn't change at all with the food. It is sweet for a sparkling, with very little yeast on the nose, and it is not at all dry. Although the wine is not yet listed on the winery's website, it is available on site for $28, which is again comparable to other sparklings in the area, and a safe bet to serve at special events for people who don't generally
drink a lot of wine.
No comments:
Post a Comment