Burning Down the Kiln

Usually I tell you about wines you can get at the LCBO… but here I’m going to recommend wines to keep your eyes peeled for because they could be coming to the LCBO (yes, I did say “could”, because they are pending an LCBO decision). Recently, I set foot on the property of a seven-year-old project known as Burning Kiln in Williams, Ontario, for the very first time. I was impressed with the operation, the look and feel of this winery, seemingly in the middle of nowhere, surrounded by vines, nature trails, zip lines and marshlands, all within spitting distance.  But of course, the wine brought me there. Here are some of the good ones just waiting for the government monopoly’s okay.

Burning Kiln Harvest Party Red 2012 ($15.95) – the name comes from where they dry the grapes for their wines (in old / reconditioned / repurposed) tobacco kilns, because after all, this is tobacco country, or it was anyway, until growers learned that the same soil that makes tobacco grow so well is also good for grapes. This wine is made up of 100% Cabernet Franc that was kiln dried for 7-14 days; not surprising the aromas are that of smoke and tobacco – but those are typical characteristics of Cabernet Franc anyway; the aromas follow as flavors on the palate, adding spiced-raspberry to the mid-palate (***½+).

The 2012 Strip Room ($24.95) is a blend of Merlot and Cabernet Franc also dried, but this time it took 8-14 days to achieve the needed dryness in the grapes to create the wine. What drying does is concentrate the flavors and sugars within the grapes, thus creating highly-concentrated and higher alcohol wines that otherwise might not be possible. This one is listed at 14.3%. Strip Room is one of the more fruit-forward and readily approachable of the Burning Kiln wines with little need to age (unless you want to, and it will). Still has the spicy tobacco notes, but they are the backdrop for the red fruit that’s front and center (****).

Every winery has a flagship wine, be it a grape variety they hang their hat on or a style or even a particular blend. Burning Kiln created a wine they call “Kiln Hanger”… and it has come in two incarnations. The first was the 2010 Kiln Hanger released some 14-15 months ago. Now comes Kiln Hanger 2010 – The Sequel ($59.95) lovingly cared for over an extra 13 months in barrel (did you notice that it was the same year as the original?)… some of the wine was kept aside to age longer, adding more complexity, longer possible ageing time for the consumer and added depth to the wine. 100% kiln-dried Cabernet Franc (a staple of the winery) aged a total of 30 months in French oak barrels. This has got some real power of tannins, lots of fruit, mostly red (strawberry and raspberry), with some dark fruit kicking around – plus a lovely cocoa flavor that runs mid-palate all the way to the lingering finish (****+).

Check out Burning Kiln at www.burningkilnwinery.ca and be sure to look for the wine coming (hopefully) at some point to the LCBO (or purchase directly from the winery online).

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qu2LOra8yc8&feature=share&list=UU102i-SF5A-4AHhH79TiVqg