2015 Vieni Gamay Noir – Vintages 498519 – $17.95 – ****½ – The intensity of everything in this wine will make you want to stand up and applaud it. The nose is rich black cherry and climbs out of the glass with such concentration it feels like an invasion of...
2015 Vineland Estates Gewurztraminer – Vintages 434779 – $17.95 – ***½+ – I’m not sure how much Gewurztraminer we are going to see coming from Ontario given the damage most Gew vineyards saw during the winters of 2014 and 2015 many wineries have moved on from the varietal, for those...
There’s a few new wines available at Hinterland. If you missed out on scoring a bottle of Les Étoiles don’t worry, if you stow a couple bottles away they will be ready to go in time for 2018! 2013 Les Étoiles – $39.00 – ****½ – While reading this note...
I recently had the opportunity to taste the new VQA Fresh wines from Diamond Estates at the iYellow Wine Cave. In short, I was impressed. Wines like these are important. It’s the same reason I spend time looking at the Pelee Island wines. Let’s call them “entry level” wines. Let’s...
2015 Dea’s Cuvée – $18.95 – **** – This is one of the best value wines in the province bar none. You will hear me talk about “Just Because” Sparkling wines with my meals and get-togethers, this is one of those wines. There is a hint of sweetness in the...
2013 Henry of Pelham Speck Family Reserve Chardonnay – Vintages 616466 – $29.95 – ****+ – Soft, Balanced, Complex and Elegant. There is a lot going on in this bottle, but it all feels restrained. To be honest, this restraint is what makes this wine so good. The nose is...
2014 Gamay Noir – LCBO 57349 – $13.95 – ****+ – In a recent social media post I called this “liquid awesome”. The nose is inviting with red and dark cherry with a subtle earthiness. The nose on this wine feels a little heavier than when it hits your mouth....
The Wine Writers Circle of Canada recently hosted a Rosé tasting. We had over fifty wines available to taste from various growing regions. France, Italy, Australia, Spain, New Zealand and Ontario were all present. There were a lot of great wines on the table. The table was full of surprises...
There are some incredible things afoot at Rosehall Run as they enter their 15th year. In 2001 the farm was purchased and the vines were planted. 2014 Indigo Sparkling – $24.95 – **** – This is a blend of Chardonnay Musqué, Muscat Ottonel, and Ehrenfelser. There’s a good chance you’re...
Recently I posted my thoughts on the fantastic Beaujolais producer Dominique Piron. I also mentioned that the wines are not available in Canada. It turns out, I was wrong. While I still wish that these bottles were available at the LCBO the people at Lifford (LINK) have brought in a...
2014 Vintage Ink Sauvignon Blanc – Vintages 391953 – $16.95 – ***1/2+ – Sauvignon Blanc from Ontario is something I love. If you’re drinking a lot of Kim Crawford these days it might be time to crawl out of that bottle and into this one. The nose is grassy and...
The Cuvée Grand Tasting 2016 took place March 5th at the Scotiabank Convention Centre. Every year I set out with the goal of tasting every wine at the event and every year I fall short. This year there were 48 wines in attendance. This year was also interesting because we...
