Please enjoy Michael and I tossing these wines around in this weeks podcast.
2018 Henry of Pelham Bin 106 Baco Noir – $29.95
THUMBS UP – André – I am firmly in the category of Baco Noir skeptic – that being said the Speck brothers know what they are doing. This delivers rich mexican vanilla caressing juicy blue fruit – a must have for Baco lovers, and lovers of Ontario Wine at large.
THUMBS UP – Michael – I’m even more skeptical than you are when it comes to Baco and I hate to encourage this grape being made into wine; that said I agree that the Speck boys do have a handle on it, it’s the other 90% of the stuff being made in Ontario that shouldn’t be.
2017 Thirty Bench Red – $24.95
THUMBS DOWN – A – There is nothing really wrong with this wine – but for twenty five dollars from Ontario, in this style, I was expecting more. Given that I have better places to put my twenty five bucks from Ontario I am going to do just that.
THUMBS UP – M – Wow, Mr. Curmudgeon, this is one of the better and more approachable Thirty Bench Reds that has come out in quite some time, and it will age for a number of years to come, I think anyone who buys it now will be even happier they did in 2025.
2017 Featherstone Joy Brut Rosé – $29.95
THUMBS UP – A – I am a big fan of Pinot Noir sparkling made traditional method with a short time on lees – it manages to preserve the freshness of the red fruit and mates it with the zippy acid you expect from a great bottle of sparkling.
THUMBS UP – M – But just barely, I know you’re a fan of this wine, as I am, but they have made such stellar version in the past that I find this one just passable, but not up to the calibre it has been.
2017 Le Clos Jordanne Le Grand Clos Chardonnay – $44.95
THUMBS UP – A – I first tasted this in July of 2018 – I have been fortunate enough to revisit this every few months since that first glimpse – the wine is drinking great right now but it’s exciting to see Le Clos Jordanne is back and this is only the beginning.
THUMBS DOWN – M – Not enough to give it a failing grade on my website but I was not as thrilled with this version as you are, but then again we all know for you if it says Chardonnay you are all over it … this just lacked the kind of finesse I expect for a $45 Chardonnay – it might come around but it’s not there yet.
2015 Hinterland Les Etoiles – $43.00
THUMBS UP – A – by far the most approachable Les Etoiles made to date – but I wouldn’t be in a hurry to guzzle any bottle you can get your hands on, thanks to a short crop there are very few of these bottles available.
THUMBS UP – M – Jonas sure knows what he is doing with his bubbly program and he never fails to impress with what he puts in the bottle – and while this one is more pricey than the Featherstone in comparison it delivers when compared to past versions of the wine.
Cave Spring Blanc de Blancs NV – $29.95
THUMBS UP – M – My thumb could not shoot up fast enough when we tasted this, easily one of the most under-rated bubbly in the province, and don’t let Cave Spring know it’s also under-priced, especially with your Champagne comparison … you’re not going to get any argument from me there, I just want to make sure I get a few bottles into my cellar before our review makes it sell out.
THUMBS UP – A – STOP TELLING WINERIES WHEN THEIR GOODS ARE UNDERPRICED – while it may be true – I don’t want the people at the winery to get any ideas, especially given that the quality in this bottle pushes into entry level Champagne quality easily.
2016 Louis M Martini Napa Cabernet Sauvignon – $39.95
THUMBS UP – M – What’s that word you keep using, “sessionable”, hell this Cali-Cab has all the ear-marks of that: juicy, red fruit, currants, black cherry, hints of vanilla – focused and well-balanced; I was impressed.
THUMBS UP – A – Sessionable is a great way to describe this wine – and given that I have been known to grab the odd bottle pushing north of fifty dollars I end up feeling guilty when I realize how quickly the wine disappears. I realize this is asking a lot for a mid week sipper – but if you want to see what the fuss is all about in Napa but haven’t wanted to make the investment in more expensive bottles start here.
2017 Ferox Rosé – $24.80
THUMBS UP – A – Bright confected fruit, and there is a bit of spritz to boot – this is easy drinking and a bit of bottled summer for the cold months to come.
THUMBS DOWN – M – Once again your love of Rosee gets in the way of reason, confected is a good word here, and the effervescent threw me off, sure it has some strawberry and floral notes and has a pretty pink grapefruit finish, but that fizz is a killer for me because I’m not sure it’s not a fault.
