Unfortunately my July 2016 visit to Black Hills Estate Winery this summer was abridged. Time had gotten the best of me and I was forced to cut the visit a little short. Without getting into my notes on the wine that winemaker Graham Pierce tasted with me, I can already...
2013 Megalomaniac Big Kahuna – $34.95 – ****+ – This is another great example of everything that’s right with Ontario in a typical summer. This wine calls itself the Big Kahuna, but it’s not as brash as the label would suggest. This wine is pure elegance. The aromas are ripe...
Arterra are a pair of new wines being offered by Jackson-Triggs winemaker Marco Piccoli. These wines are going to fill a hole in the constellation portfolio that has been created by the absence of Le Clos Jordanne. That being said, these are not meant to emulate these wines but be...
One of the most scenic estates in the Okanagan is Burrowing Owl. I am familiar with many of these wines as they are frequently on the shelves of Vintages. I have always felt that the wines were out of reach because they do tend to get a little pricy when...
I had a chance to visit the Foreign Affair this summer. If you haven’t been down to the winery you may have seen the Apologetic Red recently released through vintages. That being said there are a few wines that make this worth the visit. 2012 Sauvignon Blanc – **** –...
I’m a big fan of Twitter (shameless plug you can follow me @andrewinereview) but many other great wine people and businesses exist on this platform. I have been following Sandra Oldfield for a few years. She is the founder of #BCWineChat and the CEO and President of Tinhorn Creek and...
2014 Cabernet/Syrah – $24.95 – **** – This wine is driven by the Cabernet as the wine is made of 44% Cabernet Sauvignon and 29% Cabernet Franc. When I first opened the bottle I couldn’t figure out where the Syrah was hiding. For the first 30 minutes the bottle was...
I woke up early on July 25th to fit in a visit to Intersection winery. I got a chance to walk through the vineyards and go through the wines with Assistant Winemaker and Vineyard Manager Melissa Smits. What is interesting at the winery is the attention being given to their...
2027 Queenston Road 2013 Pinot Noir – Vintages 361832 – $35.00 – ****½ – This is a near perfect expression of St David’s Bench Pinot Noir. There is nice earthiness and slightly floral qualities that rise out of the glass. The earthiness to this wine is vivid like a damp...
I recently had the opportunity to taste the new VQA Fresh wines from Diamond Estates at the iYellow Wine Cave. In short, I was impressed. Wines like these are important. It’s the same reason I spend time looking at the Pelee Island wines. Let’s call them “entry level” wines. Let’s...
2012 Casa-Dea Pinot Noir – $19.95 – **** – This is a little rough around the edges, but that’s a good thing. There is a nice depth to this wine with good earthiness and smoke over black cherry and blackberry. This wine is a bit like a lion in a...
2014 Flat Rock Pinot Noir – Vintages 001545 – $20.20 – **** – This is solid Pinot Noir at a reasonable price. Bright red cherry on the nose with a nice earthiness. This wine is balanced with nice acidity but it finishes with a subtle earthiness. I know we don’t...
