Coopers Creek: Cat wines - Noble Estates Wines & Spirits

Recently launched in Ontario, Coopers Creek family of "Cat themed wines have become a huge success, exceeding all sales expectations! These high-quality wines are full flavoured with pronounced varietal character. The fun and colourful labels attract all wine lovers, particularly those who are new to the wonderful world of wine."

Fat Cat Chardonnay

Grapes are carefully selected from the premium area of Hawkes Bay on the north island. Oak fermented with a mixture of new and seasoned American oak. 50% of the wine undergoes malolactic fermentation. The wine matures in oak barrels for a further five months before stabilization, filtration and bottling. Fat Cat was rated 3½ stars by Toronto Life, July, 2001.

Grape: Chardonnay

LCBO # 576124 $14.90

Tasting- This rich, full bodied wine aptly reflects its namesake. Well balanced between fruit and oak with more than a hint of smugness. Pale straw with green highlights.

Particularly aromatic for a Chardonnay, this wine exhibits lifted citrus and citrus blossom characters, intermingled with stone fruit and oak derived notes. Palate is rich and weighty with sweet fruit and toasty oak to the fore. Acid/fruit balance is excellent with a long and lingering finish.

Serving- Serve lightly chilled. Excellent match with full-flavoured rich dishes, in particular poultry, pork, salmon and crayfish.

Cat's Pee on a Gooseberry Bush Sauvignon Blanc

Grape: Sauvignon Blanc

LCBO # 606384 $13.00

Tasting- Extremely playful, with aromas inclined to leap out of the glass at you and a long and racy body.

Serving- This wine is equally happy relaxing on its own or engaging in boisterous antics with fresh seafood.

Tom Cat Merlot

Grapes are fermented and macerated on their skins for three weeks. Following malolactic fermentation the wine is aged for three months in new and seasoned American oak.

Grape: Merlot

LCBO # 576116 $15.00

Tasting- Youthful red with red/crimson hints at the rim. A mixture of plumy fruit derived aromas and subtle oak from barrel aging. Medium body with balanced tannin and acid. The plum characters from the bouquet are also present on the palate and give the wine a ripe, sweet finish.

Wine Access says: "A real winner for the price, bridging New World and Bordeaux styles. Lovely, sweet, gentle berry, cedar, tobacco and oak aromas are quite Bordelaise. Gentle nose. Its mid-weight and fairly supple on the palate, with good to very good length."

Serving- The soft tannins and earthy flavours of Merlot make it a great match with full-flavoured meats such as lamb, venison, beef and game. Sauces that are not too rich will go well with this wine, as will roast garlic and vegetables. A good match with cheese.

Sally Cat Pinot Noir

Selected vineyards in some of New Zealand's premium vinicultural regions provided the fruit for this wine. Each vineyard was separately vinified and then aged in a mixture of new and seasoned French and American oak. The batches were then blended and the wine bottled.

Grape: Pinot Noir

LCBO # 610667 $14.95

Tasting- Well-rounded and silky smooth. A wine of glamourous proportions, flirting deliciously sweet flavours in a sassy and suggestive style. Like sipping velvet.

Serving- The soft, juicy fruit characters of this wine make it ideal for early consumption. It will gain further complexity with careful, cool cellaring. This medium bodied, fruit driven red wine is a great match with salads, pasta, fish and simple lamb dishes.

Mother Cluckers Chardonnay

This unoaked Chardonnay has been produced from carefully selected Gisborne vineyards.

Grape: Chardonnay

LCBO # 620088 $15.20

Tasting- Full bodied, dry white wine. Exhibits classic peach, nectarine and melon aromas and flavors.

Serving- Best served lightly chilled. Pairs especially well with chicken.