Little Engine Wines launches new wine series

Photo: Winemaker Scott Robinson

Since opening in 2016, Little Engine Wines and its winemaker, Scott Robinson, have delivered top quality wines at prices commensurate with the quality. Now the owners, Steven and Nicole French, and their winemaker, have launched a series of wines – the Elevation Series – that are somewhat more affordable and more informal. The winery says these are “a new collection of playful, quality wines, made for spontaneous occasions.”

In a note with the new releases, Steven says: “Our Elevation wines continue to deliver quality while peeling back some complexity [and] revealing refreshing minerality, brightness and juiciness.” You get the idea when you compare how the Elevation Pinot Noir and the premium Gold Pinot Noir are made. The latter had lengthy maceration time and long aging in French oak barrels. The Elevation Pinot Noir had a short cold soak; was fermented cool in stainless steel and had no aging in oak at all. The Elevation Pinot Noir is crafted to be an easy-quaffing, fruit-driven wine whose price reflects that less time was invested in making it. That is not to suggest that Scott, the winemaker, was cutting any corners. He set out to make a completely different wine, and had success at the task.

Here are notes on current releases from Little Engine.

Little Engine Elevation Rosé 2023 ($34 for 313 cases). This wine is made by the saignée method by draining the juice from crushed Pinot Noir after 24 to 36 hours of skin contact. The wine presents in the glass with an appealing dark rose petal hue. The wine has aromas of strawberry, plum and watermelon; these are echoed on the juicy palate. 90.

Little Engine Elevation Chardonnay 2023 ($36 for 790 cases). This wine was fermented in stainless steel with a variety of cultured yeasts. This is an utterly delicious, fruit forward wine. The aroma is a display of orchard fruits: peach, apple mingled with citrus. The palate is crisp and refreshing, with flavours of peach and citrus fruits. 92.

Little Engine Elevation Pinot Noir 2023 ($38 for 565 cases). Think of this fruit bomb as a Beaujolais Nouveau! The wine was fermented cool in stainless steel and did not see any oak aging. The wine is bursting with aromas and flavours of cherry and plum. 90.

Little Engine Gold Chardonnay 2021 ($59 for 357 cases). This wine had a long, cool fermentation in French oak barrels and then was barrel-aged on the lees for 17 months. The final blend was drawn from 50% new French oak barrels and puncheons, with the rest from second and third-fill barrels. This outstanding Chardonnay has layers of aroma and flavour. It begins with aromas of mandarin orange and apricots mingled with vanilla. The palate is rich and creamy, with flavours of citrus and stone fruit. The finish lingers. 94.

Little Engine Union 2021 ($63 for 495 cases). This is a blend of 69%, Merlot, 26% Cabernet Franc and 5% Cabernet Sauvignon. It was aged 16 months in French oak barrels (41% new). The wine has aromas and flavours of cherry, black currant and red licorice. 88.

Little Engine Gold Pinot Noir 2021 ($68 for 385 cases). The grapes for this wine are destemmed into one-ton fermenters, undergoing a cold soak of six to seven days before being allowed to ferment with natural yeast. The cap is plunged by hand, with total maceration time about three weeks. The wine is aged in French oak puncheons (43% new) and second-fill barrels. The wine is bold and rich in colour, aroma and flavour. On the silky palate, there are flavours of cherry, pomegranate and spice. 93.