The Perfect Pairing
Hinterland winery based out of Prince Edward County, Ontario - the nether regions of where European grape vines grow, often fitted with sleeve-like armor or buried underground in the winter - are naught to mess around with. Their stylings are crisp and lean if made into sparkling. Funky and defiant in their natural wine efforts. The winemaker Jonas, calls himself “The Viking.” Their Red Herring Syrah, in the years that Dame Nature allows, is a smoldering fire of lingonberry. It cannot be made every year. During the winter, temperatures of -22°C can permanently damage the vine. Frost is a jack knife. All of these factors make their syrah virtually abominable. It’s a wonder that pinot noir, the least hardy vine of all, continues to avoid extinction. Best here, with dumplings would be Hinterland’s Blanc de Noirs (red grapes made into clear, sparkling wine). As feeble as pinot noir is to grow (even a little Spring wind can cause a tailspin) it is a virtuoso at the dining room table. It savors the challenges of too- sweet root vegetables. Umami in soya that can put another grape to its knees - bitter and defeated. Frothing, pinot noir anticipates it. These bubbles are an Olympic ribbon dance with tactile dumplings and trickling ponzu sauce. Hinterland Blanc de Noirs, grown on top of fossilized shellfish, broaches the argument that wine can take something from the soil - such as the salt from a dried up ocean, and bridge that to any food with the same treatment and delicacy.
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