Italy is known for some of the most excellent wines in the world. There’s something for everyone in Italian wine regions. Tuscan wines are bold flavourful affairs, attracting wine lovers with rich fruit flavours and warm climate charm. Piedmont attracts wine snobs aplenty with its elegant wines and particular polish. The delicate whites from Friuli attract a plethora of casual sippers. Veneto is well known for its Valpolicella and Amarone wines which have attracted their own followers. Amarone is a particularly interesting wine made from partially dried Corvina, Rondinella and Molinara grapes. The grapes are harvested at maturity, partially dried then crushed, fermented and aged in barriques. The process produces a very distinct flavour profile that is celebrated by many wine aficionados around the world.
Len Crispino is one such aficionado. He was smitten by Amarone-style wines while he was in Italy working for the Ontario Trade Commission. When he returned home to Ontario he was determined to create wines from Ontario fruit in the same process used by Italian Amarone winemakers.
In 2000, Crispino purchased 40 acres in Vineland and started to work. His first crop of grapes was harvested in 2004. In August of 2008, The Foreign Affair winery was opened. Crispino’s wife plays a large role in operations and her brother is Crispino’s business partner, making the business a family affair as well. Andrzej Lipinski is a consultant lending his expertise to the winemaking process at The Foreign Affair. Lipinski has an impressive resume, working with wineries such as Organized Crime, Legends, Fielding, and Megalomaniac on their wines.
The Foreign Affair winery produces a strong portfolio of wines. Several wines are made by air drying completely, some by partial air drying, and a few are made using standard non-drying practices. Drying out the grapes means more grapes are needed to make wine, and a good deal of care is required to ensure the grapes dry without complication. The additional effort translates to a higher price tag for the consumer. Their Cabernet Franc, made through air drying completely before crushing, costs $110 a bottle. At the LCBO, customers are most likely to find the Foreign Affair's Pinot Noir, Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon or Riesling from the 2007 vintage. These wines have settled into the typical Niagara premium price bracket, ranging from $28 for the Riesling to $45 for their top of the line Merlot “the Temptress”.
The Foreign Affair Riesling 2007 (LCBO 127340 - $28.00/750 mL) is made from riesling grapes which were partially air dried. The nose doesn’t present a great deal, but there are hints of lime, apple and summer peach. On the palate it feels rich, and is full of ripe pear, peach preserve and lime. The acidity in this wine provides a perfect counterpoint to the ripe flavours. The finish is excellent, transitioning from apple pie spice and pear flavours to a lingering impression of ripe stone fruit. This is really unlike any other riesling on the shelves of the LCBO. The air dry process has given this wine a rich lush profile not present in other wines from the cold climate grape. It’s worth the price for the experience of a fresh interpretation of Riesling, and a wine unlike anything else from Niagara.
