Profiles

Huff Estates - Fall 2019

Here’s a trio of bottles form Huff Estates. It’s fascinating how wineries that have specific sites at their disposal can make magic wines that are in-duplicatable. The South Bay vineyard from Huff is one of those locations. The Chardonnay is always a slam dunk – but I don’t know why...

What's new with Conegliano Valdobbiadene Prosecco?

With the temperatures dropping, and some of us already counting the days before Christmas, it is clear that the entertaining season is among us. While I still believe we should be drinking more bubbly wines year round – let’s face it, this is the time of year when most of...

Flat Rock for Fall 2019

Let me get straight to the point here – there are a couple of Pinot Noir’s from Flat Rock that deserve your attention.  2018 Flat Rock Pinot Noir – Vintages 1545 – $21.95 – **** – The entry level from Flat Rock continues to be a benchmark for quality. I...

Wine Review - Hinterland 2015 Les Etoiles

Hinterland 2015 Les Etoiles – $43.00 – ****½ – In 2015 Hinterland got hit with a late frost and much of the crop was lost – so the bad news is there isn’t much of this wine for sale. The good news is that this is one of the best...

Henry of Pelham - Fall 2019

It has been awhile since I’ve written about some of the bottles that have passed through my front door. And it’s really too bad – because there are some killer bottles that you need to know about. Let me start with going through some of the current bottles available from...

Meldville - Fall 2019

Derek Barnett’s Meldville wines are still one of the most exciting additions to the landscape of Ontario over the past couple years. The core lineup of wines is still exciting and tasted – and frankly, I enjoy having each bottle labeled by edition. It’s an interesting way to track which...

Featherstone - Fall 2019

It’s been an exciting year at Featherstone. The winery celebrated their 20th anniversary, and winemaker/owner David Johnson was named winemaker of the year at the Ontario Wine Awards. David had previously been named Grape King in 2003 – which I believe makes him the only winemaker to hold both coveted...

Closson Chase - Summer 2019

It has been a few years since the wines at Closson Chase really left me speechless. I was left so on my last visit to the winery. The portfolio is small and focused but over-delivers on every level. In fact, this current batch of wines may bed the best they...

Lighthall Vineyards - Summer 2019

If you’re not a fan of Lighthall Vineyards you’ve probably never been there. Over the past few years, the challenge with visiting Lighthall has been how hard it is to get your hands on these coveted bottles. The wines would fly off the shelf the moment they were available for...

Trail Estates - Summer 2019

I can’t remember the last time I had a chance to sit down and really digest the entire portfolio at Trail Estates. It’s definitely a challenge to walk into this winery, and not walk out without finding a bottle or two that’s to your liking. It’s also great when you...

Wine Reviews - Hinterland - Summer 2019

It’s been far too long since I’ve given some love to the County. My much overdue visit took me to a few places – but one issue that seems to be an epidemic in the county is a shortage of wine. Don’t get me wrong, it’s not a bad thing...

Wine Review - 2017 Flat Rock Chardonnay

About a month ago I got one of the most interesting media packages from a winery in Ontario. Flat Rock Cellars sent me a small package with 3 100ml bottles of what will eventually become the 2017 Rusty Shed Chardonnay. It was interesting to get a package like this. I...