NV Big Bang Sparkling – Winery Only – $45.00 – ****1/2 – This is a very special wine. It’s the first sparkling wine from Big Head wines the name is definitely apt. The nose is lightly toasted bread, lemon and hints of vanilla. This wine is complex and rich and...
I recently took a visit to the new brick and mortar facility for Big Head wines. If you haven’t had the chance to check out the new winery it is well worth the visit. Many of the wines are getting the appassimento treatment. There are many mixed reviews about using the...
I recently had the chance to taste through a couple of the new releases from Southbrook. The “Whimsy” line is being replaced with the “Estate Grown Small Lot” line. I’m not sure it has the same ring to it that Whimsy does, but the wines are beautiful. Consider this your...
2010 Henry of Pelham Carte Blanche Blanc de Blancs – Vintages 315200 – $44.95 – ****1/2 – I look forward to this wine with every release. The price puts it at the top of the pile for Ontario sparkling but I assure you the price is completely worth it. The nose is...
2014 Back 10 Cellars Start from Scratch Chardonnay – Winery Only – $27.94 – ****1/2 – I hesitate while I write these notes… because there isn’t a lot of this wine made. This wine is for the hardcore locavore. Canadian Oak and Indigenous Yeast make this as truly Canadian as...
Trius Brut Rosé – Vintages 184309 – $29.95 – ****+ – I’m so excited about this wine I’m not sure where to start. First, it’s very dry with perfectly balanced acidity so it is everything you would expect from a good high quality sparkling Rosé. That being said it’s loaded...
2014 Inniskillin Vidal Sparkling Icewine – Vintages 560367 – $79.95 – ****1/2 – This wine is for those of you who are full on sick of Icewine. There are bubbles in the glass when you pour this wine and they are amazing. The flavours are everything you would expect from...
2014 Vineland Cabernet Franc – LCBO 594127 – $14.95 – **** – Winemaker Brian Schmidt is some kind of Wizard when it comes to working with Cabernet Franc. This wine is great and textbook cabernet franc. The fact that it is only fifteen dollars is an added bonus. The nose...
2011 Featherstone Joy Premium Cuvée Sparkling – Vintages 310334 – $34.95 – ****1/2 – Joy is a perfect name for a sparkling wine. Try to open a bottle and not smile, I dare you. Made purely from Chardonnay and sealed with a crown cap this is one of my favorite...
2010 Montecillo Crianza – LCBO 144493 – $14.95 ($11.95 until Nov 29, 2015) – **** – Very fruit forward and ripe. The nose is jammy strawberry, plum, and blackberry. When you taste the wine the fruit takes over your mouth but as it starts to roll off the back of...
2012 Creekside Sauvignon Blanc Backyard Bubbly – $24.95 – Winery Only – ****+ – What I found most interesting about this wine was the texture. There is a nice creamy texture that takes over your mid palate … when you serve this wine right out of the fridge you might...
2013 Reif Estate Reserve Gewurztraminer – Vintages 360255 – $18.95 – ***1/2+ – This wine is definitely defined by its texture. This leans more towards an alsatian style of Gewurztraminer with a nice almost oily texture that grips the tongue. This varietal is one of my favorites in Ontario, it...
