I think my biggest surprise going through the newest wines from Sue-Ann Staff was that there was a definite hint of sweetness on the Red … but I liked it anyways. I’m not talking Yellowtail sweet – it was just enough sweetness to help pump up the ripe fruit flavours....
I am a big fan of Viña Cobos. The past couple vintages of Chardonnay from this winery have knocked my socks off in terms of quality and price. The Cabernet Sauvignon offers exceptional value and manages to walk a great tightrope of ripe fruit while holding onto a nice acid...
2016 Henry of Pelham Family Tree Red – Vintages TBD – $18.95 – **** – I love Family Tree blends from Henry of Pelham. These are wines designed for entertaining. They over deliver on their price and offer something that everyone at your table can enjoy whether they are a...
2015 Cave Spring Estate Bottled Chardonnay Musqué – Vintages 246579 – $16.95 – **** – It’s always nice to see this bottle make an appearance on the vintages shelves. There is a lot of apple, lemon and peach on the nose and on the palate. There is a signature note...
One of my last winery visits of 2017 was a stop at Rosewood Estates. Winemaker Ryan Corrigan has taken the helm from Ross Wise. Both are very good winemakers but dramatically different in style. Ryan joins Rosewood from Pearl Morissette, which leads me to ask the question – how much...
My last trip to Niagara in 2017 included a stop at Megalomaniac. THIS is the visit I have been waiting for as the wines that are currently available at Megalomaniac are the first that have been made start to finish by Winemaker Sebastian Jacquey. The white wines available over 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...
2016 Henry of Pelham Speck Family Reserve Chardonnay – Vintages 616466 – $29.95 – ****+ – This is one of the first wines I have had an opportunity to sample what the very warm 2016 summer has to offer from Niagara, and I was not disappointed. Aromas of vanilla and...
I recently had a chance to speak with Barb DiGiulio of Newstalk 1010 about evidence of some very old wine being made. I confessed that old wines don’t really do it for me. I’ll admit that I find it interesting seeing how wines evolve and change with time. These are...
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...
Everyone these days seems to be enamoured with Prince Edward County. There is some fantastic, gritty winemaking taking place to the east of Toronto. There are a lot of reasons to pay attention to the County. But there is a renaissance taking place in Niagara. It started when Two Sisters...
2015 Mission Hill Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon – $30.95 – Vintages 553321 – **** – This is a great example of BC Cabernet Sauvignon with nice rich black fruit layered over smoke. The story of this wine is one of structure and approachability. This wine is drinking great right now, with...
