If I told you that everyone and his cocker spaniel were making wine using some form of drying method, I would not be far off … here in Ontario it is becoming a trend to dry out your grapes and enhance the wine. This one is the first I have heard of a county winery doing what has become quite common-place in Niagara. The method comes from the Veneto region of Italy and is known as appassimento. This 100% Cabernet Franc has been dried over the course of 5 weeks in a natural way (instead of the de rigeur movement of using old tobacco kilns), then aged 2 years in older oak barrels. The result of the drying bumps the grapes from 22 brix to 28 brix (sugar level) … higher sugar brings out the potential for higher alcohol (this one sits at 15.2%). Lots of big dried and fresh cherry fruit here with hints of tobacco and chocolate all balanced with some excellent spice. Intensely flavoured this is one really good wine. Price: $39.95 – Rating: ****+