Earlier this year I had the opportunity to meet Aurelio Montes the winemaker at Montes wines in Chile. He is also making wines at Kaiken in Argentina. A Caiquen is a bird that migrates between Chile and Argentina by passing over the Andes. The wines I tasted in the spring...
2014 Hinterland Borealis Method Charmat Rosé – Vintages 431817 – $22.00 – **** – This rosé sparkler has captured the essence of Gamay. Walking on a tightrope of balance there is a little sweetness on the finish of this wine that line up perfectly with the bubbles and acidity. The nose...
2012 Hinterland Les Étoiles – $39.00 – Winery Only – ****1/2 – This is not going to last at the winery for long. Before reading this review any further go onto the Hinterland website (http://www.hinterlandwine.com/) and order a few bottles of this. Simply put this is the best vintage of...
My biggest pet peeve with regards to wine is that often most people overthink what goes with what. Whether you stick to the simplest of rules red with red meat and white with white meat or freestyle your pairings once you have had the chance to taste a perfect wine...
2013 Rosewood Harvest Gold Dry Mead – Vintages 346767 – $14.95 – ****+ – (500ml bottle) – I love it when the signature of Rosewood makes its way to the vintages shelves. This is fun to sip on after or before a meal on its own because it’s so unique. The...
I look forward to each vintage of the Osoyoos Larose Le Grand Vin. This is straight up one of the best Canadian wines on the market and every vintage has been exceptional value. I am not in a position where I can spend a couple hundred bucks on Premier Grand...
2012 Chateau des Charmes Gamay Droit – Vintages 346742 – $16.95 – ****+ – I think many people underestimate the aging potential in Gamay. 2012 was a very hot summer giving us nearly perfect growing conditions for the Bordeaux reds. Drinking great right now you will find blackberry and dark cherry...
2012 Chateau Canteloup Médoc – LCBO 420000 – $19.65 – ***1/2+ – Who said that decent Bordeaux was expensive? or that it had to age in a cellar for years? This is uncomplicated straight forward and most importantly delicious. Fruit driven with very soft tannin on the finish. The nose...
What I found most interesting about my visit to California has to do with their own identity as a wine growing region. Most wineries have put their Cabernet Sauvignon at their highest tier with Chardonnay somewhere behind it and Zinfandel on the bottom rung of the ladder. This is great...
Comstock Wines in California just had their grand opening weekend on August 22. I was fortunate enough to get to poke around and taste through the portfolio a little early while I was in the area. I’m not going to post any photos of the actual winery because while the...
The way some people talk about Zinfandel in California reminds me of how people talk about Icewine in Ontario. We do it well, people know us for it … but please come take a look at all these other Chardonnays and Cab Francs we are making… forget about the sweet...
2010 Henry of Pelham Estate Cabernet-Merlot – Vintages 395855 – $24.95 – ****+ – This is approachable right out of the bottle but if you’re looking for an affordable bottle that will age for a few more years in a cellar. Aromas of Cocoa and Black Currant and flavours of...
