First image of this post
  • Date publishedFriday, July 4, 2025

Château de Fontenille Blanc 2023 (Bordeaux) - Wine Review

white wine review is a lovely, sustainable Sauvignon Blanc-based blend from Bordeaux that was included as part of the feature story on "Summery White Wines" in the recent LCBO VINTAGES New Release Collection a couple of weeks ago.

It is produced by the historic Château de Fontenille, a winery whose roots can be traced back to the 4th century, when the poet Ausone praised the wines of the area within the Entre-deux-Mers wine region of Bordeaux. In the 4th century, this site was a Roman villa, of which there are only scattered remains today, and featured grape vines. The history of the property is traced back to the 15th century, when it was mentioned in the archives of the neighbouring Benedictine monastery - Abbey of La Sauve Majeure. This monks of the monastery tended to the vines on this site for hundreds of years. In 1923, the property was known for its use of high-quality wine barrels.

A property as old as Château de Fontenille has changed hands many times over the years, and in 1989 the property marked its rebirth as its 16 hectares of vineyards were acquired by a young Belgian, Stéphane Defraine. Château de Fontenille has since grown to 63 hectares of vines, and in 2020, Stéphane was joined by his daughter Macha. Together, with a dream and ambition, they imagine, probe, prepare, wait, adjust, and improve as they seek to improve their wines with each passing vintage. As part of this process, they master each row of plots, micro-vinify, and delicately mature their wines with meticulous precision.

With the proper choice of varietal origin, reproduction of the vines, caring for their longevity, the intra-parcel selections, micro-vinifications, and ageing techniques, including the selection of wood, the family aims to take Château de Fontenille one step further to produce high-quality wines. They have divided their 63 hectares of vineyards across the appellations of Entre-deux-Mers and Cadillac, which are spread over 5 islets, into 67 plots, and have great diversity in soil, grape varieties, and vineyard management techniques. Among their vine plantings are century-old Sémillon, as well as the re-discovery of Sauvignon Gris from the Loire, and young plantings of Petit Verdot and Malbec.

Since 2005, Château de Fontenille began working their soils without the use of chemical weedkillers, and are actively trying to limit their interventions to control pests and disease. After receiving their HVE environmental approach certification, they began their conversion to organic in 2020. Their approach to sustainability includes social and economic improvements. Among their sustainability initiatives include reducing energy consumption, preserving water resources, the maintenance of a singular plant heritage, the sorting and recycling of waste, and protecting the health and well-being of their employees, local residents, and consumers.

This white wine is from the Entre-deux-Mers appellation of the Bodeaux. Entre-deux-Mers, whose name originates from the Latin term "Inter duo maria”, which means between two tides, is situated between the Garonne and Dordogne rivers. Indeed, the name is related to the two tides that go up the course of the Garonne and Dordogne rivers via the Gironde estuary. While it is often referred to as "Bordeaux Tuscany", the Entre-deux-Mers appellation is renowned for its exemplary white wines.

This white wine is crafted with 50% Sauvignon Blanc, 20% Sauvignon Gris, 20% Muscadelle, and 10% Sémillon that was grown on soil composed of siliceous clay and gravel, at an elevation of 380 feet above sea level. The wine was vinified completely in stainless steel tanks, with skin maceration for 10 to 24 hours, and was aged on its fine lees for 4 months.

The 2023 growing season in Bordeaux began as a dry and warm vintage, with flowering and fruit set looking textbook perfect from late-May to the first week of June. However, the weather turned tropical with three weeks of heat and relentless rain, which led to downy mildew outbreaks. July was also hotter and drier than average, however, it was also unusually cloudy. There were also a couple of pre-harvest heatwaves in August and September. From a great vintage that delivered freshness for white wines, let's see how this 2023 Bordeaux Blanc is tasting tonight...

Château de Fontenille Blanc 2023 (90+ pts)

Tasting Note:

CHÂTEAU DE FONTENILLE BLANC 2023 - Sustainable, AC Entre-deux-Mers, Bordeaux, France (#140046) (XD) - $23.95
Blend of 50% Sauvignon Blanc, 20% Sauvignon Gris, 20% Muscadelle, and 10% Sémillon. The medium+ to medium-high intensity nose seems a bit reserved, offering attractive and ripe aromas of lemon citrus and white peach nuanced with leesy mineral, spice, and grapefruit with touches of earthiness and guava adding further complexity and interest. On the dry, medium-full to full-bodied palate it is richly structured and faintly honeyed with delicious yellow citrus, grapefruit, lemon, spice, and green fruit flavours. Nicely textured with succulent and juicy acidity. More savoury with leesy mineral, spice, earthy, and grapefruit citrus notes on the long, well-structured, and juicy finish. Should continue to drink well over the next 2-3 years. Highly recommended buy! Score: 90+ pts

Other fine wines by Château de Fontenille can be ordered through their Agent - Kolonaki Fine Wines & Spirits.


First image of this post
  • Date publishedFriday, July 4, 2025

July 5, 2025 LCBO VINTAGES Release Wine Picks: Mediterranean Wines

LCBO Wine Picks: July 5, 2025 VINTAGES New Release Collection
Here are my top wine picks from the July 5, 2025 LCBO VINTAGES New Release Collection (flipbook here), which highlights Mediterranean Wines for Summer Sipping as the feature story of the release. The mini-thematic features three wines from Austria's historic Winzer Krems, while in Local Talent there is a stellar lineup of Cool Chardonnays. In all, there are 90 wines included in this release, with almost an equal number of red- and white-coloured wines, and everything should be available for purchase by this Saturday, if not already in many stores.

We'll begin with the feature story of the release, which lists twelve Mediterranean wines for Summer Sipping - five of which are included among my top wine picks. Up first are a couple of white wines from Sicily - an Etna Bianco crafted with 100% Carricante, as well as a Grillo. The other three wines are all rosés, including a couple of blends from Provence in France, with the Coteaux d'Aix-en-Provence a blend of Grenache, Syrah, and Cinsault. The other rosé is from Greece and a blend of 70% Agiorgitiko and 30% Moscofilero.

Skouras Cuvée Prestige Agiorgitiko / Moscofilero Rosé 2024Gorghi Tondi Coste a Preola Grillo 2023 (89 pts)

The red wines in this release felt a bit like slim pickings, with only nine recommendations coming from just four countries. We'll start in France with the Gigondas, which is majority Grenache, with Syrah completing the cuvée, while the Bordeaux red is 100% Merlot. From Italy, the Vino Nobile is Sangiovese, while the Chianti Classico is a blend of 90% Sangiovese, 5% Malvasia Nera, and 5% Colorino. From Argentina there is a straight Malbec, while the other wine is mainly Cabernet Sauvignon. Spain has three recommendations in this release, with both Riojas crafted with 100% Tempranillo, while the Navarra red is 100% Graciano.

Piedra Negra Gran Lurton Single Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon 2018 (90 pts)Montebuena Cuvée KPF 2020 (88+ pts)

Among my top white wine picks, Cool Chardonnay is the place to start with a quartet of lovely 2022 vintage Chardonnays from Ontario - three from the Benchlands in Niagara and one from Prince Edward County. Tasting the four of these side-by-side would be a lovely exercise for the studious types (or a Saturday evening!). There are two blends among my white wine recommendations - the Côtes du Rhône Blanc is composed of 50% Grenache Blanc, 40% Viognier, and 10% Marsanne, while the South African white is mainly Chenin Blanc blended with Roussanne, Viognier, and Sémillon. Among the mono-varietal wines, there is a Sauvignon Blanc from Margaret River in Australia, the Torrontés from the high-altitudes of Salta in Argentina, as well as the slightly off-dry Riesling from Austria. Lastly, the Orange Wine from Chile is crafted with Torontel.

Le Clos Jordanne Claystone Terrace Chardonnay 2022 (92+ pts)Cloudsley Twenty Mile Bench Chardonnay 2022 (91+ pts)

Cave Spring CSV Chardonnay 2022 (91+ pts)Rosehall Run JCR Chardonnay 2022 (91+ pts)

Bodega El Porvenir de Cafayate Laborum Finca El Retiro Torrontés 2023Evans & Tate Wild Cape Sauvignon Blanc 2022

Avondale Jonty's Ducks Pekin White Chenin Blanc 2021 (89 pts)Les Dauphins Réserve Côtes du Rhône Blanc 2023

Maturana Naranjo Torontel Orange Wine 2023

My lone rosé pick (that wasn't part of the Mediterranean feature) is from New Zealand, and it is a somewhat quirky blend of 48% Pinot Gris, 48% Chenin Blanc, and 4% Pinot Noir.

Eradus Sadie Rosé 2024

Enjoy my top wine recommendations from this release! Cheers!

Red Wine:

  • AGRAMONT GRACIANO 2022 - DO Navarra, Spain (#37262) (XD) - $15.95
  • NIETO SENETINER DON NICANOR MALBEC 2022 - Mendoza, Argentina (#178657) (XD) - $17.95
  • MONTEBUENA CUVÉE KPF 2020 - DOCa Rioja, Spain (#211029) (XD) - $18.95  88+ pts  wine review
  • PALACIO DE PRIMAVERA VENDIMIA SELECCIONADA RESERVA 2020 - DOCa Rioja, Spain (#13632) (XD) - $19.95
  • CHÂTEAU HAUCHAT 2022 - AC Fronsac, Bordeaux, France (#123489) (XD) - $19.95
  • MAZZEI FONTERUTOLI CHIANTI CLASSICO 2022 - DOCG, Tuscany, Italy (#977629) (XD) - $24.95
  • PIEDRA NEGRA GRAN LURTON SINGLE VINEYARD CABERNET SAUVIGNON 2018 - IG Los Chacayes, Valle de Uco, Mendoza, Argentina (#980334) (XD) - $24.95  90 pts  wine review
  • VECCHIA CANTINA RISERVA VINO NOBILE DI MONTEPULCIANO 2017 - Sustainable, DOCG, Tuscany, Italy (#36523) (XD) - $27.95
  • DOMAINE DU GRAPILLON D'OR 1806 GIGONDAS 2021 - AC, Rhône, France (#981787) (XD) - $39.95

White Wine:

  • LES DAUPHINS RÉSERVE CÔTES DU RHÔNE BLANC 2023 - Sustainable, Vegan, AC, France (#18600) (XD) - $14.95  review coming soon...
  • GORGHI TONDI COSTE A PREOLA GRILLO 2023 - DOC Sicilia, Italy (#11670) (XD) - $18.95  89 pts  wine review
  • AVONDALE JONTY'S DUCKS PEKIN WHITE CHENIN BLANC 2021 - Sustainable, WO Paarl, South Africa (#439554) (XD) - $18.95  89 pts  wine review
  • EVANS & TATE WILD CAPE SAUVIGNON BLANC 2022 - Margaret River, Western Australia (#41435) (XD) - $19.95  review coming soon...
  • BODEGA EL PORVENIR DE CAFAYATE LABORUM FINCA EL RETIRO TORRONTÉS 2023 - Valle de Cafayate, Salta, Argentina (#489179) (XD) - $19.95  review coming soon...
  • MATURANA NARANJO TORONTEL ORANGE WINE 2023 - Sustainable, Loncomilla, Valle del Maule, Chile (#556217) (XD) - $24.95  review coming soon...

  • TORNATORE ETNA BIANCO 2024 - DOC, Sicily, Italy (#577676) (XD) - $24.95
  • WINZER KREMS KREMSER KREUZBERG RESERVE RIESLING 2022 - Sustainable, Vegan, DAC Kremstal, Austria (#44857) (D) - $29.95
  • CAVE SPRING CSV CHARDONNAY 2022 - Sustainable, VQA Beamsville Bench, Niagara Escarpment, Ontario, Canada (#529941) (XD) - $34.95  91+ pts  wine review
  • ROSEHALL RUN JCR CHARDONNAY 2022 - Estate Grown and Bottled, VQA Prince Edward County, Ontario, Canada (#45615) (XD) - $36.00  91+ pts  wine review
  • CLOUDSLEY TWENTY MILE BENCH CHARDONNAY 2022 - VQA Twenty Mile Bench, Niagara Escarpment, Ontario, Canada (#16093) (XD) - $36.95  91+ pts  wine review
  • LE CLOS JORDANNE CLAYSTONE TERRACE CHARDONNAY 2022 - VQA Twenty Mile Bench, Niagara Escarpment, Ontario, Canada (#36806) (XD) - $42.00  92+ pts  wine review

Rosé Wine:

  • SKOURAS CUVÉE PRESTIGE AGIORGITIKO/ MOSCOFILERO ROSÉ 2024 - PGI Peloponnese, Greece (#25745) (XD) - $16.95  review coming soon...
  • ERADUS SADIE ROSÉ 2024 - Awatere Valley, Marlborough, South Island, New Zealand (#43353) (XD) - $19.95  review coming soon...
  • CHÂTEAU LA TOUR DE L'ÉVÊQUE ROSÉ 2024 - AC Côtes de Provence, France (#319392) (XD) - $20.95
  • SAINT AIX ROSÉ 2024 - AP Coteaux d'Aix-en-Provence, France (#451906) (XD) - $25.95


First image of this post
  • Date publishedWednesday, July 2, 2025

Barón de Ley Gran Reserva 2017 (Rioja) - Wine Review

After enjoying the excellent 2015 Barón de Ley Gran Reserva a couple of years ago, red wine review is the latest vintage of this terrific, vegan-friendly Rioja from Spain that returned to the LCBO last month as part of the LCBO VINTAGES New Release Collection.

It is produced by the prestigious Barón de Ley, a family-owned winery that is situated in a 16th-century monastery on the banks of the Ebro river, where vineyards and winemaking were introduced by monks in 1568. Inspired by French châteaux to craft premium, estate-grown Rioja wines, Barón de Ley was founded at the monastery in 1985, within the Rioja DOCa wine region of Spain. The name 'de ley' comes from the Spanish expression for 'legit', and at Barón de Ley they take care of every little detail to offer in every bottle an excellent, trustworthy wine - a genuinely good Rioja.

In 1990, Barón de Ley launched their first wines, including one of the signature wines of the Estate - this Gran Reserva. Success and growth followed soon thereafter, and by 2000, Barón de Ley renewed their winemaking philosophy with Gonzalo Rodríguez recruited as the new Chief Winemaker. Gonzalo encouraged the planting of new indigenous grape varieties, and further success and expansion followed. By 2008, Barón de Ley owned over 600 hectares of vineyards across the different sub-regions with a variety of microclimates and soils in Rioja. In 2018, Barón de Ley renovated their vinification facilities in order to use state-of-the-art winemaking techniques, while also constructing a new oak ageing cellar to expand their long-ageing capacity, which takes place in traditional French and American oak barrels.

Like the previous vintage, this red wine continues to be composed of Tempranillo and Graciano. The grapes were grown in Barón de Ley's old vineyards of low-yielding vines in Cenicero, Rioja Alta. The vineyard in Cenicero has alluvial calcareous soil, spans 94 hectares, and is situated at an elevation of 450 metres above sea level. At this site, the combination of the Mediterranean climate that is clearly influenced by the Atlantic Ocean, results in elegant wines with great ageing capabilities.

To craft this wine, they hand-harvest and hand-select the bunches, followed by mechanical selection of the berries using their state-of-the-art sorting table, ensuring that only the best grapes are selected with care in order to produce a wine of maximum quality. After undergoing alcoholic fermentation, the wine was aged for a minimum of 24 months in American and French oak casks, followed by a further 36 months in bottle prior to release.

The 2017 vintage in Rioja was rated as 'Very Good'. The growing season began with a dramatic frost in late April, which resulted in significantly lower yields and an extremely short vintage. This was followed up by a lack of rain during the ripening period, along with hot temperatures, which resulted in the earliest picking ever recorded in Rioja. The most difficult part for producers was managing two separate buddings - with the higher acidity from the second budding helping offset the ripeness of the first budding. However, overall quality was good, despite the challenges of the vintage. Let's see how this 2017 Gran Reserva Rioja from Spain is tasting tonight...

Barón de Ley Gran Reserva 2017 (91 pts)

Tasting Note:

BARÓN DE LEY GRAN RESERVA 2017 - Vegan, DOCa Rioja, Spain (#642496) (XD) - $32.95
This blend of Tempranillo and Graciano has some initial woodsy and oak aromas, but after that it delivers a fine, fragrant, very complex, and highly aromatic nose of sandalwood, fine wood spices, dried rose florals, red cherry, cedar, and coconut notes accented with savoury earth, leathery, olive, and vanilla. The medium-full bodied palate is dry and ripe with delicious red cherry, dried roses, wood spices, sandalwood, cedar, olive, and coconut flavours. It has tangy, crisp, and juicy acidity, while a touch spicy on the mid-palate with well-integrated, lightly textured tannins. Tangy, wood spices, and olive notes linger on the long, crisp finish. This recommended buy is best enjoyed over the next 4-5 years. Score: 91 pts

One other wine by Barón de Ley is available at the LCBO, while the full range can be ordered through their Agent - Noble Estates Wines & Spirits.


First image of this post
  • Date publishedTuesday, July 1, 2025

Celebrating Canadian Spirits: Sortilège & Seventh Heaven

It is only fitting to sip Canadian on , so for reviews I have a trio of Canadian spirits that showcase some of the best of local craftsmanship. Canadian distilleries such as Sortilège and Seventh Heaven produce world-class spirits with passion, precision, and tradition, as well as exceptional drinks worth celebrating.

Seventh Heaven Classic London Dry Gin and Sortilège Original - Canada

Sortilège Original Maple & Whisky Liqueur, along with Seventh Heaven London Dry Gin and their Gin & Tonic Ready-to-Drink Cocktail are standout examples of Canadian excellence as they blend high-quality ingredients with expert craftsmanship. Whether you’re a gin or whisky enthusiast, or looking for a premium ready-to-drink cocktail, now is the perfect time to raise a glass to the exceptional spirits crafted right here at home in Canada.

Launched at around the turn of the century, Sortilège is a Québécois distillery known for producing maple-flavoured whisky liqueurs and celebrated its 25th anniversary last year. Sortilège is derived from an authentic recipe that was developed by Quebec's first settlers who would flavour their eau-de-vie with the local ingredient - maple syrup. Soon thereafter, the settlers began using maple syrup directly during the distillation process to produce maple whisky. The base used to craft Sortilège hails from New France and offers the perfect balance between the complexity of Canadian whisky and the rich flavours of pure Quebec maple syrup.

Seventh Heaven was launched in 2018 in the quest for gin perfection. The line of gins by Seventh Heaven are crafted in Quebec by combining the highest quality ingredients with the art of local craft distillation to create aromatic products for a taste that is truly heavenly. Today, there are four gins in the line, along with many ready-to-drink canned cocktails, including a few that are low-alcohol (2%) versions. This post showcases the Seventh Heaven London Dry Gin, which is based off of their Premium Seventh Heaven Gin that features 7 herbs and aromatics. This Seventh Heaven London Dry Gin is a tribute to the English origins of the spirit and is crafted to spotlight the aromas and flavours of Nordic juniper berries and elderberries. Seventh Heaven also makes a canned, ready-to-drink Gin & Tonic with a squeeze of lemon cocktail for your convenience.

The Sortilège Original and both products by Seventh Heaven are readily available at the LCBO. Furthermore, the Gin & Tonic Ready-to-Drink canned cocktail is currently on promotion with 35 bonus Aeroplan points until July 19th.

Tasting Notes:

SORTILÈGE ORIGINAL - Canada (#250134) - $35.75
A perfect blend of quality Canadian whisky and Quebec maple syrup, this has rich whisky aromas joined with distinct notes of rich and sweet maple syrup. It's quite thick on the palate, with an almost viscous or syrupy mouthfeel, with sweet maple syrup, brown sugar, caramel, butterscotch, and vanilla flavours accented with rye spices and a touch of oak. Gentle spices with maple syrup on the mid-palate, while finishing clean and dry. Can be enjoyed as an aperitif, but is also at home after dinner as a dessert-style drink. Very nice!

Sortilège Original

SEVENTH HEAVEN CLASSIC LONDON DRY GIN - Québec, Canada (#30719) - $37.95
Fragrant with clean and elegant aromas of juniper berry, floral, and elderberries. It has good weight on the palate with delicious flavours of juniper, floral, and elderberry replays joined by spice, lime peel, and botanical herbs adding complexity. A touch of alcoholic warmth, but not intrusive. Nicely balanced throughout with spice touches on the long finish. You can certainly enjoy sipping this on its own, while it will also be a fine centerpiece in a martini or cocktail.

Seventh Heaven Classic London Dry Gin

SEVENTH HEAVEN LONDON DRY GIN & TONIC - Québec, Canada (#42405) - $3.45  LTO 35 bonus Aeroplan points until July 19
Faint aromas of juniper, elderberry, and floral are joined by lime peel and bitter notes. The palate is fresh, clean, and flavoursome with notes of juniper berries, botanical herbs, and a lime twist. Nicely carbonated with botanical herbs and lime, plus touches of bitter and thyme notes lingering on the pleasing, well-balanced finish. Perfect for a hot, summer day!

Seventh Heaven London Dry Gin & Tonic

Other fine products made in Canada by Sortilège and Seventh Heaven can be found at the LCBO, while the full range of each brand can be ordered through their Agent - Dandurand.


First image of this post
  • Date publishedThursday, June 26, 2025

Tiki Single Vineyard North Canterbury Sauvignon Blanc 2024 (New Zealand) - Wine Review

In keeping with the recent trend of sipping only whites and rosés, white wine review is a lovely, sustainably crafted Single Vineyard Sauvignon Blanc from the Waipara Valley in North Canterbury, New Zealand. This white wine arrived at the LCBO earlier this month in the LCBO VINTAGES New Release Collection.

It is produced by Tiki Wine & Vineyards, a winery that was established in the early 2000s by Royce and Sue McKean. Their dream was to earn a grubstake to create something of their own in their homeland of New Zealand. In order to achieve this, they packed up their bags, with two young daughters in tow, and headed to Europe for the next 5 years as they worked and saved up their hard-earned dollars. By the time the girls had started school in the U.K., there was a strong pull to give them the same amazing upbringing that they experienced while growing up in NZ. Thus, they packed up their bags again and returned to New Zealand, settling in the seaside village of Sumner, Christchurch, not far from some of Royce's family.

A year later, they found an old 325-hectare sheep farm in Waipara, North Canterbury, that they fell in love with and thought was perfectly suited to growing grapes. With limited funds and no track record to speak of in grapes or wine, the McKeans had to employ amazing people to help them out - the team they now call the Tiki whānau (family). At the beginning, they planted 60 hectares of Sauvignon Blanc and Pinot Gris. They learned a lot that first year, and began preparing the soil to plant the remaining hectares of land. By the end of 2006, they had fully planted their first vineyard - Waiata Vineyard in Waipara, while also expanding their plantings into Marlborough. In 2009, they finally got to taste the fruits of their labour as they released their first vintage of the Tiki Single Vineyard Sauvignon Blanc. This wine received numerous accolades and confirmed their earlier thinking that this area in Waipara had great potential for vine cultivation.

The name 'Tiki' was chosen in honour of Royce's great-great-great grandfather, Ngāti Uenuku Chieftain, Tiki Tere Mihi. Tiki Wine & Winevyards is an indigenous NZ Māori wine producer that is committed to sustainable winegrowing with an uncompromising commitment to quality. They care for their vines under the guiding Māori principles of Kaitiakitanga: guardianship, protection, and preservation of the earth. In addition to honouring Royce's great-great-great grandfather, the name 'Tiki' also represents a hand-carved Māori treasure which, when gifted, bestows good fortune and love on others. Tiki crafts their wines with this same spirit in mind. Starting from very humble beginnings, there is a sense of adventure and feeling of freedom that the McKeans get from living in New Zealand and is at the very heart of Tiki and the bespoke wines that they produce.

Tiki has several ranges of wines within their portfolio, with this wine coming from their flagship Single Vineyard range. Each wine in the Single Vineyard range is crafted by the winemaking team using selected parcels of fruit grown on the doorstep of the winery in the North Canterbury wine region of New Zealand. The individual parcels are selected in order to offer the best expression of time, the people, and place in each wine.

This white wine is crafted with 100% Sauvignon Blanc that was grown in the Waipara Valley of North Canterbury, on the South Island of New Zealand, just south of Marlborough. After allowing the grapes to reach optimum levels of ripeness, each block of Sauvignon Blanc was harvested individually in the early morning to preserve freshness and varietal characteristics. The free-run juice was kept separate from the pressing portion to provide the wine with greater finesse. The juice was cold-settled, then inoculated with an aromatic yeast and fermented at a relatively low temperature of 13–15°C to enhance the aroma and flavour profile. To add complexity, 5% of the juice was fermented in old French oak barrels. After completing fermentation, the wine was left on its lees to enhance mouthfeel and texture, then racked and stored in steel tanks until final blending in June.

The growing season in 2023/2024 brought the return of El Niño and a hot and dry season that was dominated in the first half by strong winds. Mixed weather patterns saw large swings in day-to-day temperatures, along with rainfall at critical times, which resulted in fewer and smaller bunches than normal during flowering. As the warm weather settled in, the team at Tiki were able to use water from their own reservoirs to ensure healthy canopies and keep the fruit ripening through to harvest. The end of the season was dry with minimal disease pressure, while harvest was earlier than normal, with warm temperatures and low yields. From a brilliant vintage that delivered well-developed flavours, let's see how this 2024 Sauvignon Blanc from Waipara Valley in New Zealand is tasting tonight...

Tiki Single Vineyard North Canterbury Sauvignon Blanc 2024 (90+ pts)

Tasting Note:

TIKI SINGLE VINEYARD NORTH CANTERBURY SAUVIGNON BLANC 2024 - Sustainable, South Island, New Zealand (#19767) (XD) - $23.95
Screw cap. Open, fragrant, and highly aromatic, this has lovely zesty lemon/lime citrus, guava, kiwi, pyrazine (jalapeño pepper), and passion fruit aromas nuanced further with green herbs, gooseberry, and faint leesy mineral notes. The mid-weighted palate is dry and ripe with zesty lemon/lemon citrus, passion fruit, guava, gooseberry flavours. Touch spicy on the mid-palate, along with leesy mineral tones. Acids are crisp and well-balanced. Delicious lemon/lime citrus, passion fruit, guava, and leesy mineral notes linger on the long, crisp, well-balanced, and dry finish. Highly recommended buy! Score: 90+ pts

Other lovely wines by Tiki Wine & Vineyards can be ordered through their Agent - Churchill Cellars Ltd.


First image of this post
  • Date publishedWednesday, June 25, 2025

The Quarterly Pour with Arterra Wines Canada (Apr. 2025)

At the end of , Arterra Wines Canada held their quarterly tasting for the media at their head office in Mississauga, Ontario. This was my first "The Quarterly Pour" tasting, and it featured a curated lineup of estate-driven and milestone wines, along with a few lifestyle-led selections from their Better for You portfolio. All the wines were crafted using grapes from Ontario. The tasting was broken down into 4 categories:

  • Better for You Selection - zero-sugar, low- and no-alcohol wines
  • LCBO VINTAGES Release Wines
  • Surprise Pours - A special preview of wines that were just recently released or will be available in the near future
  • Inniskillin 50th Anniversary Spotlight

While I didn't taste everything in the Better for You Selection, there were a couple of wines that stood out, and they are in the last group in the list below.

I expected the quality of the LCBO VINTAGES Release Wines (the first three wines in the list below) to be very good, and was really impressed with the Chardonnay as it had improved somewhat significantly since I first tasted the wine last year. The Jackson-Triggs wines were all delicious, high-quality, and premium wines with a price to match.

The surprise of the tasting were the three Inniskillin Reserve wines, especially the Cabernet Franc and Chardonnay, as they offered a great quality-to-price ratio and just arrived at the LCBO last month as widely-available General List wines with special pricing to celebrate Inniskillin's 50th Anniversary.

Pretty much all the wines listed below (except the previews) are readily available through one or more of their retail sales channels - LCBO, Great Estates Niagara, or Wine Rack.


  • LE CLOS JORDANNE JORDAN VILLAGE CHARDONNAY 2021 - VQA Niagara Peninsula, Ontario, Canada (#20455) (XD) - $30.00  91+ pts
  • KEW VINEYARDS MARSANNE 2020 - VQA Beamsville Bench, Niagara Escarpment, Ontario, Canada (#485334) (XD) - $19.95  91+ pts
  • KEW ROSALIE ROSÉ SPARKLING 2019 - Traditional Method, VQA Beamsville Bench, Niagara Escarpment, Ontario, Canada (#43594) (XD) - $32.95  90+ pts
Kew Vineyards Wines

Le Clos Jordanne Wines

  • JACKSON-TRIGGS GRAND RESERVE SAUVIGNON BLANC 2023 - VQA Niagara Peninsula, Ontario, Canada (#25368) (XD) - $24.95  90+ pts
  • JACKSON-TRIGGS GRAND RESERVE RED MERITAGE 2022 - VQA Niagara Peninsula, Ontario, Canada (XD) - $29.22  91 pts
  • JACKSON-TRIGGS GRAND RESERVE GEWÜRZTRAMINER 2024 (exclusive preview)  91 pts
  • DOMAINE LE CLOS JORDANNE CRÉMANT (2nd blend preview)  91+ pts
Jackson-Triggs Grand Reserve Wines

  • INNISKILLIN RESERVE CABERNET FRANC 2022 - VQA Niagara Peninsula, Ontario, Canada (#17290) (XD) -$19.95  91 pts
  • INNISKILLIN RESERVE CHARDONNAY 2022 - VQA Niagara Peninsula, Ontario, Canada (#105379) (XD) - $19.95  91 pts
  • INNISKILLIN RESERVE SAUVIGNON BLANC 2023 - VQA Niagara Peninsula, Ontario, Canada (XD) - $22.79  90+ pts
  • INNISKILLIN NIAGARA ESTATE CABERNET FRANC ICEWINE 2023 - VQA Niagara Peninsula, Ontario, Canada (#149963, 200 mL) (S) - $59.95  92+ pts
Inniskillin Wines

  • SAINTLY THE GOOD SAUVIGNON BLANC - VQA Ontario, Canada (#32183) (XD) - $19.95
  • BASK CHARDONNAY - Canada (#39912) (XD) - $13.95
Better For You Selection


First image of this post
  • Date publishedMonday, June 23, 2025

Featherstone Rosé 2024 (Niagara) - Wine Review

For rosé wine review, I sip local with this delicious, just-off-dry Cabernet-Gamay blend from Niagara that was featured as part of the theme on food-friendly rosé wines in the LCBO VINTAGES New Release Collection.

It is produced by Niagara's own Featherstone Estate Winery. This eco-friendly winery was established in the Twenty Mile Bench sub-appellation of the Niagara Escarpment in 1999 by Louise Engel and her winemaker husband Dave Johnson. Together, they built Featherstone with a dedication to excellence in food and a passion for wine. In 2024, amidst its 25th anniversary since its inception, Featherstone underwent a transformative purchase and is now owned by philanthropist Rayla Myhal and businessman George Myhal.

While Featherstone may be under new ownership, Rayla and George look to build on the successes of the past. Featherstone continues to craft distinctive, small-batch Niagara wines that are cultivated in soils that reflect the biodiversity of the Niagara Escarpment. Featherstone prides itself as being insecticide-free since the beginning and are practitioners of eco-friendly farming. The philosophy at Featherstone is based on respect for the land, which is at the heart of making wine that is true to its soil and its site. Nutrients and minerals are exchanged and transformed in the give-and-take relationship between living soil organisms and plants, in a mutually beneficial circle where the soil nourishes the vine, while farming practices nurture the soil. In 2023, Featherstone received their Sustainable Winegrowing Ontario (SWO) certification.

This rosé is crafted in a just off-dry (i.e. slightly sweet) style using 46.7% Gamay, 42.2% Cabernet Sauvignon, and 11.1% Cabernet Franc. The grapes were machine harvested over 16 days in the middle of October, then optically sorted, crushed, and de-stemmed. The grapes underwent a cold soak maceration on skins for 24 hours and were then pressed and transferred into stainless steel fermentation tanks. After 8 hours of juice flotation settling, it was then racked off gross lees. It was fermented with the commercial yeast strain Actiflore Rosé at a controlled temperature of 15°C and bottled in early February.

The growing season in 2024 in Niagara had perfect conditions from early budbreak to the warm and late fall that allowed for long hang time of the grape bunches, especially for the Bordeaux red varieties. Summer was marked by above-average temperatures, with warm days and warmer-than-usual evenings, which meant a reduced diurnal temperature range and resulted in grapes with intense flavours and colour development. It was a drama-free growing season for the thick-skinned grapes such as the Bordeaux varieties, which weathered the rain and allowed picking to occur at a leisurely pace in the fall. There were also no issues with Gamay. From an excellent vintage, let's see how this 2024 Rosé from Niagara is tasting tonight...

Featherstone Rosé 2024 (88+ pts)

Tasting Note:

FEATHERSTONE ROSÉ 2024 - Sustainable, Vegan, VQA Niagara Peninsula, Ontario, Canada (#117861) (D) - $16.95
Enclosed by Stelvin screw cap, this blend of 46.7% Gamay, 42.2% Cabernet Sauvignon, and 11.1% Cabernet Franc pours a fairly deep pink colour with orange accents. The ripe, fragrant, medium-high intensity nose delivers candied red berry, strawberry-rhubarb, red apple, red cherry, watermelon, and honey aromas, plus touches of stony minerals. It's fairly light-weighted on the palate with spice notes joining the candied red berry, cherry, strawberry-rhubarb, and watermelon flavours. It has clean, fresh, and vibrant acidity, along with a slightly chalky textured mouthfeel. While a touch sweet on the mid-palate, this tapers to tangy red berry, savoury, leesy minerals, and spice notes on the dry, juicy, and lengthy finish. A crowd-pleasing, recommended buy. Score: 88+ pts

Many other delicious wines by Featherstone can be found at the LCBO, while the full range can be ordered direct from the winery.


Blog Archive

Posts by Tag

Recent Posts

Recent Posts Widget