On the Road with the Grape Guy
Mission Hill Tasting (Podcast Tie-in)
26 Oct 2023- Details
- Category: On the Road with the Grape Guy
(March 2023) … Mission Hill came to Toronto for the first time in a while and they brought with them their new winemaker. It’s the first time in their history they’ve had a woman at the helm: Corrie Krehbiel. I attended this tasting and then we talked with Corrie on the podcast. I review the wines tasted below and for the rest; I suggest you listen to the podcast - link can be found here.
Mission Hill 2019 Oculus (Legacy Collection) 
Merlot 52% / Cabernet Franc 30% / Cabernet Sauvignon 17% / Petit Verdot 1%
First vintage 1997 - Beautiful fruit: blueberry, mocha, dark and red, layered and lovely; red licorice and anise seed join in mid-palate to the finish. Also has notes of tobacco, with silky and elegant tannins. Very classy wine. (**** ½+)
Mission Hill 2018 Quatrain (Legacy Collection)
Syrah 47% / Cabernet Sauvignon 26% / Merlot 18% / Cabernet Franc 8%
Quatrain was looking for an identity and it has found it - 2016 they made the change to Syrah dominant.
Smooth and silky with a peppery backbone, blue and black fruit notes includes: blueberry, blackberry, smoked-plum, all with a delightful length to the finish with spicy-tannic notes. (**** ½)
Mission Hill 2020 Perpetua (Legacy Collection)
Chardonnay 100%
From the Border Vista vineyard and Naramata Ranch - it has some weight to it with peach pit, apple and mineral plus some smoke, good acidity and a touch of spice - hard to beat that long finish. (****+)
Mission Hill 2018 Compendium (Legacy Collection)
Cabernet Sauvignon 44% / Merlot 30% / Cabernet Franc 26%
Spends 18 months French oak / 30% new – Smoky-cigar box, intense, with a long finish. Fruit includes notes of blackberry and cassis, but there’s even some floral notes and some bittersweet chocolate; there were times I thought this wine was just showing off. (****)
Mission Hill NV (2021) Exhilaration Brut (Charmat)
Pinot Noir
This is a pretty little sparkling, rosé, with notes of citrus, with hint of pineapple and peach - 3 months of lees stirring helps create its depth of character ... long finish. (****)
Mission Hill 2020 Vista's Edge (Terroir Collection) 
Cabernet Franc
22% whole bunch - concrete fermented - and aged in foudre (large barrels).
This wine takes it’s beginnings from Compendium: smoky-cigar box, earthy, black raspberry, stony, with some tannin grit. (*** ½+)
Mission Hill 2014 Quatrain (Legacy Collection)
Merlot 44% / Syrah 28% / Cabernet Franc 14% / Cabernet Sauvignon 14%
While this wine was double decanted before serving, it still was pretty closed. Smooth across the palate, so the tannins have toned down, and the more you sip the fruit emerges with some pretty undertones – but there is nothing overly wonderful about this wine, yet. More time? I guess we wait and see. If you have any, open at least one to check it out for yourself.
Link to the PODCAST by clicking here.
