Drink.  Learn.  Laugh.  Repeat.

Welcome Back!Sign in here:

Not Registered?Become one of our thirsty clan 332,944 strong:

Register Today!

Creekside Laura's Red 2012 Wine Review

Creekside Laura's Red 2012

Creekside Laura's Red 2012

Niagara Peninsula, Ontario V.Q.A., Canada

Community Score:88/100

Community Reviews: 15

  Add My Review


Price: $25.00

Drink: 2013-2016

Bottle size: 750 ml

Alcohol: 12.7%

Sweetness: Extra Dry

Wine Type: Red Wine


Winery: Creekside

Agent: Hobbs & Co. - Perigon

Natalie's Score: 90/100

Juicy black fruit and toasty oak on the nose of this robust Niagara red wine. Lots of acidity and tart blackberry on the palate for dishes with a tangy tomato sauce. Good balance. Full-bodied. This full-weighted wine is intense and balanced with aromas of blackcurrant, pepper and mocha. Try it with gourmet hamburgers.

Food pairings: hamburger, steak, meat pie, pulled pork.

Heavenly Hamburger Wine

This Creekside Laura's Red 2012 was reviewed on April 18, 2016 by Natalie MacLean

More Vintages: 2018  2017  2016  2011  2010 

  Add New Vintage

Pricing & Stock Information

StoreStock    
Bathurst & Centre12 Add
Tecumseh & Lauzon10 Add
Speedvale & Stevenson10 Add
Queens Quay & Cooper Street9 Add
Rideau & King Edward9 Add
See More Edit

Reviews and Ratings

Lynn van der Linde - Certified Sommelier rated this wine as 91/100 with the following review:

Full bodied, opaque ruby red. Heady aromas of eucalyptus, blackberries, bacon, with floral hints, present tannins, and a persistent peppery finish.
Matt Steeves - Certified Sommelier rated this wine as 90/100 with the following review:

Creekside Estate Winery's flagship red, Laura's Red, is a complex Bordeaux-ish blend made of 45% Cabernet Sauvignon, 28% Merlot, 21% Cabernet Franc, 3% Syrah, 2% Malbec, and 1% Petit Verdot. Deep ruby red, the nose shows savoury dark berries, plum, blueberry, charcoal grilled beef, pepper, and violets. Extra dry, the palate is refreshing with tart dark berries, underbrush, and fine grained tannins that provide the perfect texture to complement grilled beef dishes such as flank steak with balsamic bbq sauce. Enjoy 2015-2018. Tasted November 2015. 90+ points. Matt Steeves - www.quercusvino.ca
Wineboy rated this wine as 90/100 with the following review:

Lovely aromatics with floral notes, a core of fresh red fruit, plus a kiss of herbs and new oak. Fully dry, with mouthcoating tannins giving way to fruit eventually showing spice and oak on the late palate, A lovely dance.
Steven rated this wine as 89/100 with the following review:

A ruby red colour, with lots of aromas of dark berries, earthy tones, and plums, the high tannin and acidity blend nice with the flavours of tart blackberries, vanilla, and pepper.
Greg Hughes rated this wine as 89/100 with the following review:

There is, apparently, a dash of Petit Verdot in this near bordeaux blend (Creekside focuses on quality Syrah, which it incorporates here). This blends has a reputation for vintage consistency. This won't be an issue for Ontario on the 2012 vintage, which is garnering as much praise as the fantastic 2007 and 2010.
Classic Ontario herbal cab takes a back seat to dark blue/black fruit. The oak is very tasteful - the nose has some lovely coffee and vanilla notes.
The palate revolves around darker fruit: bramble, blueberry compote, fig, and a touch of black olive. There is some replays of coffee, vanilla, and chocolate, as well as some chickory and perhaps a touch of dill.
Easy to enjoy!
Heather Wall - CS; WSET Advanced rated this wine as 89/100 with the following review:

A full-bodied red blend from Niagara's Bench side and a hot vintage. This is an inky full-bodied wine to be sure. At it's core is the very ripe red and black fruit lifted with mint. It is balanced by the fresh acidity and some integrated youthful tannins. The finish is long and warming. Makes and excellent Canadian BBQ wine - don't hold back the sauce. This wine can take it!
Tasted: May 2016
Jennifer Havers - WSET Level 3 rated this wine as 88/100 with the following review:

A very smooth blend with a lot of rich aromas, including ripe blackberry and cherry, some peppery spice and a hint of a green herbaceous note. Fairly full bodied with nice acidity. Almost a hint of vanilla on the palate. Fruit, spice and some oak are all balanced. This wine would be great with any roasted or braised meats.
Martha Kelly AIWS - CS rated this wine as 88/100 with the following review:

Ontario Shiraz from a very ripe vintage Laura's Red is full of dark berry fruit, earthy notes, and forest floor with hints of pungent spice. Refreshing with soft tannins.
Pair with grilled or roast beef.
Drink now through 2018.
Date tasted: October 2015.
Trevor Sabourin - Certified Sommelier rated this wine as 88/100 with the following review:

Black currant, raspberry, dark cherry, green bell pepper, pencil shavings, vanilla, menthol, and some light cocoa on the nose. Medium-full bodied, with medium tannins and medium-high acidity. The tart dark cherries, green bell pepper, and pencil shavings really stand out on the palate.
Douglas McMillan rated this wine as 88/100 with the following review:

Smoky plum, cocoa, blackberry and blueberry aromas. In the mouth, the grippy tannins really take you stand up and take notice. Tart blackberry flavour with a little sweet cherry and a burlap mouth-feel. A great wine for a nice rare barbecued steak.
Emilie Ryan rated this wine as 75/100 with the following review:

A terroir-based wine that need food...

Appearance: medium purple-red
Nose: sour cherries, meat, green pepper, ash.
Taste: green pepper, lavender, earth, sour cherries
Finish: earth, ash, tannic, long.
Overall impression: a terroir-based wine, that needs food like grilled meat or old cheese.

Value: 2 out of 5
This robust Niagara red wine is a blend of 45% Cabernet Sauvignon, 28% Merlot, 21% Cabernet Franc, 3% Syrah, 2% Malbec, 1% Petit Verdot grapes. - Community Wine Reviews

1 Member would buy this wine again

If you liked the Creekside Laura's Red 2012, you might also like these wines:

Recipes for Creekside Laura's Red 2012

WANT TO LEARN HOW TO

PAIR WINE
& FOOD?

Join me in a free online video class to learn the secrets to perfect pairings.

Wine of the Week

As featured on  

CTV Wine of the Week!

Noughty Sparkling Wine
Sparkling Chardonnay,
La Mancha ...

Natalie MacLean

Natalie MacLean offers North America's most popular online wine and food pairing classes. She was named the World's Best Drinks Writer at the World Food Media Awards in Australia.

Natalie has published two books with Random House, both selected as one of Amazon's Best Books of the Year.

Join 332,944 thirsty wine lovers who get access to all of her wine reviews by becoming a member of her site. Take a free online pairing class with her here.

FEEL LOST IN THE

LCBO?

Know the wines you want before you even get to the store with my wine reviews. Join now. It's free.

Red, White & Drunk All Over

  Best Books of the Year

Red, White & Drunk all over by Natalie MacLean

Natalie MacLean writes about wine with a sensuous obsession... and often laugh-out-loud funny... Terrific.

Rex Pickett, Sideways

Ms. MacLean is the disarming Everywoman. She loves wine, loves drinking ... ultimately, it's a winning formula.

Eric Asimov, The New York Times

GOT A SMARTPHONE?

Access my reviews on mobile with the bar code scanner.

GET NAT'S APP

Unquenchable: A Tipsy Search

  Best Books of the Year

Unquenchable by Natalie MacLean

Natalie MacLean is a new force in the wine writing world ‐ a feisty North American answer to Hugh Johnson and Jancis Robinson. She can write beautifully about wine.

The Financial Times of London

There are very few people in the wine world who "get it" and Natalie is one of those who brings more fun to a buttoned-up and stodgy game.

Gary Vaynerchuck, Wine Library TV

Starting a Wine Cellar?

Expert advice for all budgets

Insider tips on starting a wine cellar
From wine racks to underground caves, insider tips on size and space, number of bottles, ideal conditions and reputable resources.   learn more  
Winner World's Best Drink Writer
WFour-Time Winner James Beard Foundation
Five-Time Winner Association of Food Journalists
Six-Time Winner Bert Greene Award
Best Wine Literature Book Gourmand World Cookbook Awards
Online Writer of the Year Louis Roederer International Wine Writing Award