For years, Peller's Baco has been an extremely reliable, go-to example of Niagara Baco. 2009 was a difficult vintage, but it seems that it is precisely in such vintages that Baco, and other red hybrids, put their best feet forward.
$10.25 on general list at the LCBO. Clear, 750-ml bottle with a deep punt. Screwcap closure (for years, they used pressed-particle natural corks - I am so glad to see the screwcap...)
12.5% alc./vol. Intense, magenta/beet-black-crimson colour (part of why I love hybrids: they give great colour, even in lousy vintages!!) Spot-on varietal nose of beets, sour plums and peppercorns. Some V. riparia weediness comes in as well, offering a pleasant hint of ancestry... Nice American oak accents frame the entire package. Sharp, sour acidity (aha, cold and wet vintage!!); but balanced with a bit of residual sweetness. Tart and brisk; this is truly a palate waker. (I really enjoyed sipping it while grilling.) Tart all around, with a redcurrant-like tanginess all across the palate. Wonderfully gutsy. Light body, but with great pigmentation - a typically intriguing combination. Warm and expansive on the mid-palate, with flavours following through. Invigorating, yet smooth overall. Some nice dusty/grainy tannins towards the aft-palate. Clean and cleansing texture, right into the finish.
Two observations: (1) I can see this wine being chilled in the fridge and served cool. Its light body and brisk acidity would make that very workable. (2) It is a great match for anything grilled, since the briskness really does cleanse the palate.
As time goes on, I am seeing Baco Noir more and more as a true blending grape. While I have an affinity for big-acid reds, many do not. All the same, Baco has loads of flavour and colour - and these qualities shouldn't go unnoticed. Blending zingy Baco with plush Merlot might yield interesting results.