Review: Trius Riesling Dry

As I've surely mentioned before, Ontario makes great Rieslings.  Powered by the cool climate and limestone soils of the Niagara peninsula, Trius makes an especially delicious bottle (though, total disclosure, I've never met an Ontario Riesling that I didn't like).  Having been making wine in Ontario for over 30 years, Trius is one of the oldest wineries in the region.  In fact, it's parent company, Andrew Peller, is the proud owner and purveyor of the very glamourous Baby Duck, of 1970's fame.   Peller is one of the pioneer Canadian wine producers, though fortunately Baby Duck has been allowed to fade into the background.

Society tip: If you ever find yourself in a room with Canadian adults who may have been of or around legal drinking age in the early 1970's, mentioning Baby Duck will spark lively discussion and reminiscences.  You'll take them way back.

I digress.  On to the Trius Riesling Dry, 2010, of Niagara Ontario. The nose of this wine is typical Riesling: petrol, lime, lemon blossom, and green apples.  The palate follows perfectly with the added notes of mandarin orange zest and pink grapefruit.  It's a racy, vibrant wine that refreshes the palate; it's approachable while still being elegant and refined.  This wine will be delicious on a patio in the summer.

We paired it with a round of triple creme Brie with sliced Bartlett pears on top, as well as crab toasties.  Crab toasties are some kind of family recipe, which involve small squares of bread fashioned into little shallow cups, in which a mixture of crab, mayo, cheese, herbs, and seasoning is dolloped, and then are placed into the oven to bake for a wee while.  Both were excellent.  The Riesling is a great match to anything creamy, by virtue of its zippy acidity and dry finish.  It cut through the chubby palates of both the brie and crab toasties with ease.  Pears are great with this wine, as they are delicate enough in flavour and sweetness not to throw off the taste of the wine and make it seem bitter.  Lobster in melted butter would be another excellent match, or pasta in a cream sauce... (it's clearly time to make supper).

Wine: Trius Riesling Dry 2010

Food Pairing:  Brie & Pears; Crab Toasties

Chip Pairing:  Smartfood Popcorn

Verdict: We loved it!