I am a big fan of Viña Cobos. The past couple vintages of Chardonnay from this winery have knocked my socks off in terms of quality and price. The Cabernet Sauvignon offers exceptional value and manages to walk a great tightrope of ripe fruit while holding onto a nice acid...
2015 Cave Spring Estate Bottled Chardonnay Musqué – Vintages 246579 – $16.95 – **** – It’s always nice to see this bottle make an appearance on the vintages shelves. There is a lot of apple, lemon and peach on the nose and on the palate. There is a signature note...
I first met Jerry Kopanski a few years ago at the Wychwood Barns Farmer’s Market. I was enamoured with his 2011 Cabernet Franc made in a ripasso style. I bought a case of that wine and sadly have none left … it’s hard to hold onto a bottle priced at...
2013 Redstone Chardonnay – Vintages 511428 – $25.70 – ****+ – Fantastic Chardonnay at the price from anywhere. Nice aromas of apple and peach with a bit of spice mixed in. On the palate is nice concentration of fruit and vanilla and spice to round out the package. On the...
2015 Hidden Bench Riesling – Vintages 183491 – $23.95 – **** – There’s something about Riesling and this time of year. I just enjoy putting it on the table next to roast chicken, paprikash, even Coq au Vin can get a nice counterpoint to it. This is bone dry with...
2014 Charles Baker Picone Vineyard Riesling – Vintages 241182 – $35.20 – ****+ – I love it when my Riesling has a hint of sugar. But sweetness needs balance and this is perfectly balanced. The sweetness brings some golden delicious apple to lemon drop. The mineral note adds even more...
Blue Mountain Gold Label Brut Sparkling – Vintages 206326 – $30.95 – **** – This is the second visit to vintages for 2017 and I’m excited to see this hitting the shelf heading into fall. The price has crept up by a couple dollars but this is still outstanding value....
2013 Cave Spring Estate Bottles Gewurztraminer – Vintages 302059 – $17.95 – ****+ – If there is any reason we should stop trying to compare Niagara to other wine regions it’s Gewurztraminer. If you go in expecting Alsace or Germany… you’re going to be disappointed… if you can get over...
2016 Seriously Cool Chardonnay – LCOB 457481 – $14.95 – **** – Bright and crisp with a nice mouthfeel. Unoaked Chardonnay of this calibre is anything but boring. The aromas speak of peaches and apples with some citrus tossed in there. The flavours match the nose and are met with...
Since this wine was tasted Norman Hardie has been accused of sexual misconduct. The article can be found here – https://www.theglobeandmail.com/canada/article-canadian-winemaker-norman-hardie-accused-of-sexual-misconduct/ 2016 Norman Hardie Riesling – Vintages 131169 – $21.00 – **** – Straight up, this is the best vintage of Riesling I have ever tasted from Norm. This has...
2013 Charles Baker Piccone Vineyard Riesling – Vintages 241182 – $35.20 – ****+ – I have a hard time ageing white wines in my home. The problem with Riesling is that while it does have fantastic ageing potential, it offers so much in it’s youth. I recognize Riesling north of...
2016 Remy Pannier Muscadet – LCBO 13821 – $15.20 – **** – The problem I have with Muscadet is that it generally needs to be paired with food. This Muscadet, on the other hand, is welcoming and approachable. There is a nice citrus note, a grassiness and tons of mineral....
