2014 Trius Gamay Noir – $19.95 – ****+ – Winery Only and Wine Shop Locations – This is the first Trius Gamay I have had the chance to taste in recent memory. There is a lot going on in this bottle but I hesitate to use the word complex …...
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...
2014 North Shore Project Gamay – ****+ – $24.00 – This wine is the newest edition to the Norht Shore project offered by Will Predhomme via Hinterland last year. It’s not as if we needed more evidence to support the argument for Gamay as a varietal to help define the wine...
2007 Union Forté – Vintages 361758 – $16.95 – ****+ – It’s been a while since I tasted this wine. It’s just as good as I remember. There is a slight nuttiness and dried fruit to it over baking spices. This is quite light on the palate even though it...
We have a few celebrities who threw their hat into the ring early when it came to making Canadian wine. The main three were Wayne Gretzky, Mike Weir, and Dan Akroyd. I don’t doubt for one minute that there is a passion from these individuals to making wine. A couple...
Both of these wines are approachable and easy drinking. Made to pair with food and unpretentious. I realize I have been saying this a lot lately but not all wines are meant for the cellar sometimes you just want something crowd pleasing and affordable. Lot 74 fits the bill. 2014...
2027 Cellars Queenston Road Vineyard – Vintages 421370 – ****1/2 – $35.00 – I won’t be surprised if you haven’t heard of 2027 Cellars. The Virtual label is operating out of Featherstone and making some amazing wines. I recently tasted their Chardonnay and spent an afternoon all over town tracking...
Tasting my way through California definitely opened my eyes to a world of wine that isn’t making its way to the LCBO. Beautiful Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc and elegant Zinfandel all very reasonably priced. As I said in a tweet halfway through the dinner there is always room in my glass...
