2013 13th Street Winery Grande Cuvée Blanc de Noir – Vintages 361394 – $59.95 – ****½ – This bottle of bubbles is a show stopper for sure. The moment I took my first sniff of what was in my glass the complex brioche and citrus notes practically leaped out of...
2017 13th Street Whitty Vineyard Gamay – $23.95 – **** – This is a stellar example of why 13th Street is at the top of the Gamay game in Ontario. 2017 was a challenging vintage – but you wouldn’t know that from the bottle in front of me right now....
2012 13th Street Premier Cuvée – Vintages 142679 – $34.95 – ****+ – This wine took top honours at the 2018 Ontario Wine Awards winning white wine of the year – for good reason. This bottle easily goes toe to toe with Champagne double the price, so there really is...
2016 13th Street Cabernet/merlot – Vintages 056598 – $19.95 – **** – Juicy and lush red fruit with very soft tannin. This is very easy drinking and a great reminder that not every bottle of red wine from a stellar vintage in Ontario needs to spend time in a cellar...
2016 Southbrook Triomphe Chardonnay – Vintages 172338 – $24.95 – ****+ – Aromas are baking spice, baked apple, and vanilla. There is so much texture and richness coming out of the bottle – it’s unapologetic with the invasion of flavour it brings to your glass. There is nice weight on...
2013 Redstone Chardonnay – Vintages 511428 – $25.70 – ****+ – Fantastic Chardonnay at the price from anywhere. Nice aromas of apple and peach with a bit of spice mixed in. On the palate is nice concentration of fruit and vanilla and spice to round out the package. On the...
2016 Charles Baker B-Side Riesling – Vintages 523845 – $22.20 – **** – When U2 released “Where the Streets Have No Name” the b-side to that single was “The Sweetest Thing”. This feels like a literal interpretation of that release. The other side of the record would be Picone or...
13th Street has recently finished building a new addition to their facility. I was shocked to see how quickly the new addition had been built. I usually make a few pilgrimages to the barn to grab some buttertarts or stock up on Saskatoon jam (one of the few places in...
This is not another turkey column… and it’s not “not another turkey column”. The video posted by Rick VanSickle is still one of my favorite commentaries on what to pair with Turkey. Let’s face it, Rick makes some great points. The most exciting herb or spice that sees most of...
2016 Rosewood Sussreserve Riesling – Vintages 258806 – $15.95 – **** – Well this is something different – a little more serious – a little more complex. I have long used the Sussreserve as a go-to when talking about Ontario Riesling, it was straight-forward and easy drinking. It would seem...
2015 Southbrook Triomphe Chardonnay – Vintages 172338 – $24.95 – **** – The short note – this is the best Triomphe Chardonnay that I can remember. The long – Aromas are spicy and layered over apples and peach. This wine opens up on the palate with nice weight and texture....
This pair of wines from the general list of the LCBO are a nice reminder that delicious Ontario wine doesn’t need to be expensive. 2016 13th Street White Burger Blend (Pinot Grigio/Riesling) – LCBO 469304 – $14.95 – ***1/2+ – Simply put, the definition of a patio sipper. This is...
