1997 Inniskillin Founders' Show Reserve Pinot Noir

Inniskillin is in Ontario, Canada. It was established in 1975 by Karl J. Kaiser, a chemist, and Donald J.P. Ziraldo, an agricultural expert who grew up in a Canadian family of Italian descent where wine was part of every meal. In 1994 the partners also established a winery in the southern tip of the Okanagan Valley of British Columbia. Inniskillin has vineyards in the Niagara region of Ontario and in Okanagan in British Columbia. The estate makes a portfolio of red and white wines, including Pinot Noir, Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon, Chardonnay and Riesling. But it is best known for its ice wines, which are sweet dessert wines made by leaving the grapes on the vine until they are frozen by cold weather, a practice that concentrates the grape flavors. Inniskillin ice wines routinely wine top ratings from reviewers.

This red wine is relatively light and can pair with a wide variety of foods. The grape prefers cooler climates and the wine is most often associated with Burgundy, Champagne and the U.S. west coast. Regional differences make it nearly as fickle as it is flexible.