2012 Chateau des Charmes “Old Vines” Cabernet-Merlot – Vintages 222372 – $21.95 – **** – This is very approachable and one of those wines that can drink a little too dangerously depending on the meal and company. Aromas of black currant and blackberry. There are hints of cocoa, and smoke...
2014 Henry of Pelham Family Tree Red – $18.95 – I always look forward to the Family Tree wines from Henry of Pelham. The blend in this wine is 33% Syrah, 29% Merlot, 19% Cabernet Franc, 14% Cabernet Sauvignon, and 5% Baco Noir. Syrah is definitely the dominant theme in...
2014 Wildass Merlot – Vintages 376822 – $18.95 – ****+ – Beautifully ripe and juicy red fruit climb out of the glass. This is outstanding Ontario Merlot at any price. The Wildass wines from Stratus set the bar for “entry level” wines in the province. The price of this wine...
2012 Union Forté – Vintages 361758 – $16.95 – ****1/2 – There is a lot of people experimenting with fortified wines in Ontario, but the Union Forté sits above everyone else. This wine offers something very different from the nose until the finish. The nose is candied cherry, plum and...
2013 Burrowing Owl Meritage – Vintages 644906 – $54.95 – ****½ – The short word on this is that it’s outstanding. The nose is rich and complex – Lots of blackberry, black currant, cocoa, and licorice. The flavours in this wine are just as rich and complex as what you...
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...
2015 Wildass Sauvignon Blanc – Vintages 376814 – $18.95 – ****+ – This is a solid Sauv Blanc from Niagara. There is a nice grassy note that runs through the backbone of this wine from start to finish. There is concentrated tropical fruit with rich passion fruit and pineapple on...
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 love the word terroir. Terroir basically has to do with what affects the flavour of a wine. The soil, weather, and climate all have an effect on the fruit that comes from the vine that ends up in your bottle. I have given a lot to how Terroir can...
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 was privileged to be one of the first journalists to taste the new vintage of Le Grand Vin. I was also privileged to get to visit the estate. This winery has no tasting room and the facilities in the vineyards are quite literally a working farm. When I met...
