2016 Locked and Loaded Red – $19.95 – ****+ – The blend from this vintage is 34% Merlot, 27% Malbec, 20% Cabernet Franc, 14% Cabernet Sauvignon, and 5% Petit Verdot. Given that 2016 was an unusually hot and dry summer it’s remarkable the amount of restraint that is in the...
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...
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...
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...
Let’s call this post an epilogue on my visit to Oregon last summer. I drove from Oregon to Regina, Saskatchewan to finish off my summer road trip last year. I couldn’t resist making he pit stop in Walla Walla, Washington. Apart from being one of the most fun places to...
I stopped by Creekside as one of my first winery visits for 2017. It has been a while since i’ve stopped but the recent releases making their way to Toronto through Vintages have been fantastic. Needless to say there is a lot to look forward to available from Creekside. From...
2016 Rosewood Nebulous – $24.95 – **** – This is the first “sparkling” offering from Rosewood. I am putting the Sparkling in quotes because it’s not really a Sparkling in the sense that most Ontario wine lovers are familiar. This is essentially an Ancestral style sparkling wine made with the...
This post marks the end of my trip to the Okanagan this summer. But stay tuned starting in January I am going to be continuing my journey as I also visited Oregon and have a lot to say. Nk’Mip is located in the southernmost part of the Okanagan Valley. It’s...
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...
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...
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...
One winery that was high on my list to visit in BC was Laughing Stock. I have had the opportunity to exchange emails with owner Cynthia Enns in the past. But, I have never had the opportunity to taste any of the wines. In April I reviewed the 2013 Portfolio...
