2016 Henry of Pelham Speck Family Reserve Chardonnay – Vintages 616466 – $29.95 – ****+ – This is one of the first wines I have had an opportunity to sample what the very warm 2016 summer has to offer from Niagara, and I was not disappointed. Aromas of vanilla and...
2012 Henry of Pelham Carte Blanche – Vintages 315200 – $44.95 – ****½ – Cuvée Catherine Sparkling from Henry of Pelham is a benchmark for Sparkling wine in the province. It would seem the Speck brothers aren’t content with setting the bar without exceeding it themselves. The nose offers a...
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...
2015 Hidden Bench Fumé Blanc – Vintages 68825 – $29.45 – **** – Well isn’t this something … I don’t think many people really think of Niagara when they of Sauvignon Blanc. Wines like this are going to change minds. A deeply complex nose offering tropical fruit and a mineral...
2015 Creekside Iconoclast Sémillon/Sauvignon Blanc – Vintages 520627 -$22.95 – ***½+ – There is a charred wood aroma layered over tropical and citrus fruits on the nose. There flavours of lemon and passion fruit with a hint of grassiness tossed in for good measure. The finish is bright and crisp...
2012 Henry of Pelham Carte Blanche – $44.95 – ****½ – Cuvée Catherine Sparkling from Henry of Pelham is a benchmark for Sparkling wine in the province. It would seem the Speck brothers aren’t content with setting the bar without exceeding it themselves. The nose offers a hint of vanilla,...
2013 Henry of Pelham Family Tree White – Vintages 251116 – $17.95 – ****+ – Simply put, I love this wine. There is a nice acid backbone to this bottle that keeps it food friendly. This is a blend of viognier, gewurztraminer, chardonnay and chardonnay musqué. There should be no...
2015 Henry of Pelham Family Tree White – Vintages 251116 – $17.95 – ****+ – The blend on this wine is always a little different but every year this wine seems to deliver something delicious and unique. For 2015 the blend is mainly Viognier with Chardonnay, Gewurztraminer and Chardonnay Musqué....
2014 Tawse Spark Limestone Ridge Sparkling Riesling – Vintages 370361 – $20.20 – **** – Simply put this should be essential for your holiday entertaining. Bright and crisp this will pair with any food that you can put on the table this time of year. Flavours are lemon, lime and...
2014 Henry of Pelham Family Tree Red – $18.95 – I always look forward to the Family Tree wines from Henry of Pelham. The blend in this wine is 33% Syrah, 29% Merlot, 19% Cabernet Franc, 14% Cabernet Sauvignon, and 5% Baco Noir. Syrah is definitely the dominant theme in...
2012 Union Forté – Vintages 361758 – $16.95 – ****1/2 – There is a lot of people experimenting with fortified wines in Ontario, but the Union Forté sits above everyone else. This wine offers something very different from the nose until the finish. The nose is candied cherry, plum and...
