Lakeview Cellars Riesling Icewine 2019 (Niagara) - Wine Review

Continuing the recent trend of enjoying fine Icewines, which included the 2017 Lakeview Cellars Cabernet Sauvignon Icewine last month, tonight's Icewine review is a lovely, vegan Riesling Icewine from Niagara that returned to the LCBO this weekend as part of the January 7th LCBO VINTAGES Release.It is produced by Lakeview Cellars, a brand that was established in 1991 by Eddy...

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Lakeview Cellars Cabernet Sauvignon Icewine 2017 (Niagara) - Wine Review

After enjoying the excellent 2019 Lakeview Cellars Gewürztraminer Icewine last month, tonight's Icewine review is another lovely Icewine from the same producer. This lovely red Icewine returned to the LCBO today as part of the December 17 LCBO VINTAGES Release.Lakeview Cellars was established in Vineland in 1991 by Eddy Gurinskas. Today, Lakeview Cellars is the oldest of several...

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Creekside Iconoclast Syrah 2020 (Niagara) - Wine Review

For tonight's red wine review, I am sipping local with this lovely Niagara Syrah that arrived at the LCBO a couple of months ago as part of the October 8th LCBO VINTAGES Release.Founded in 1997 by Laura McCain in Jordan, Ontario, and acquired by Diamond Estates Wines & Spirits Inc. last August, Creekside Estate Winery has been a leader in producing premium wines of distinctive,...

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Lakeview Cellars Gewürztraminer Icewine 2019 (Niagara) - Wine Review

Tonight's wine review is an excellent Icewine that arrived at the LCBO last weekend as part of the LCBO VINTAGES Release on November 19 and is featured in the Local Talent column in the release.Lakeview Cellars is the oldest of several wine brands owned by Diamond Estates. Their winery is located at Lakeview Wine Co. on Niagara Stone Road in Niagara-on-the-Lake. Established...

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FRESH Sparkling Rosé (Ontario) - Wine Review

Tonight's wine review is this casual, fun, and easy drinking rosé sparkling wine from Niagara. FRESH Wines are crafted in Niagara-on-the-Lake by Lakeview Wine Co., a division of Diamond Estates, with a focus on creative, high-quality wines. FRESH is the perfect Niagara wine brand for intrepid wine drinkers who dare to try something a little different. Each wine from the...

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Lakeview Cellars Malbec 2016 (Niagara) - Wine Review

While I'm practising self-isolation and social distancing, tonight's wine review is a lovely Malbec from Niagara... yes, you read that right! Lakeview Cellars was founded in 1991 by Eddy Gurinskas. Today, Lakeview Cellars is the oldest label that forms the group of brands from Lakeview Wine Co., a division of Niagara's Diamond Estates. Malbec is not commonly grown in Niagara,...

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Lakeview Cellars Fumé Blanc 2017 (Niagara) - Wine Review

Tonight's wine review is a yummy Fumé Blanc (i.e. Sauvignon Blanc) from Niagara. The French term "fumé" translates to "smoke", and is derived from a thick layer of fog that would cover the Loire Valley in France. In the new world, as they do at Lakeview Cellars, a wine brand of Lakeview Wine Co., which itself is a division of Niagara's Diamond Estates, they add some mild oak...

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Lakeview Cellars Morgan Vineyard Kerner 2018 (Niagara) - Wine Review

Tonight's wine review is a nice white wine from Niagara that is crafted from the aromatic Kerner grape varietal. I enjoyed the 2017 Lakeview Cellars Morgan Vineyard Kerner back in 2018 and am delighted to see Lakeview Wine Co. make this wine again due to popular demand. Lakeview Cellars was established in 1991 and built a worldwide reputation as a leading producer of premium...

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Lakeview Cellars Serenity Baco Noir 2017 (Ontario) - Wine Review

Tonight's wine review is the companion red to the delicious Lakeview Cellars Serenity Sauvignon Blanc white I opened on Sunday. Like the Sauvignon Blanc, this red wine is produced by Lakeview Wine Co., a division of Diamond Estates Wine & Spirits Ltd., at their property in Niagara-on-the-Lake. The Baco Noir makes up half of the Serenity Wines collection, which aims to...

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Lakeview Cellars Serenity Sauvignon Blanc 2018 (Niagara) - Wine Review

It's been a crazy couple of weeks, plus today's tragic news of Kobe Bryant, so for tonight's wine review I feel like having some serenity now with this Sauvignon Blanc from Niagara. Serenity is that feeling created by quiet conversations, easy smiles, magical moments with friends or simply your personal oasis - and is exactly what this delicious white wine was created to...

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Lakeview Cellars Viognier 2016 (Niagara) - Wine Review

Tonight's wine review is a locally made white wine made with Viognier, a varietal not commonly grown here in Ontario. It is produced by Lakeview Wine Co., a division of Diamond Estates Wine & Spirits Ltd., a large winery based in the heart of Niagara-on-the-Lake. This particular wine was sourced from high quality Niagara vineyards and gently pressed in pneumatic bladder...

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McMichael Collection Group of Seven Cabernet Merlot 2015 (Niagara) - Wine Review

National Cabernet Day is celebrated every August 30th, so I'm a couple of days late in celebrating with tonight's wine review of a locally-made Cabernet-Merlot blend from Niagara that honours our Canadian Artists. Produced by Niagara's Lakeview Wine Co. (a division of Diamond Estates Wines & Spirits Ltd.), the McMichael Collection of wines were created in celebration...

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Lakeview Cellars Morgan Vineyard Kerner 2017 (Niagara) - Wine Review

Tonight's wine review is a unique white wine that will be coming to LCBO VINTAGES on August 18th. The Kerner grape is an aromatic white grape variety that was bred in Germany in 1929 by crossing Trollinger (a red grape variety) with Riesling. Today, most Kerner plantings are in Germany, while some are also grown in Austria, Switzerland, and South Tyrol (in Northern Italy). With...

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Backyard Vineyards Nosey Neighbour Cabernet Franc 2015 & EastDell Pinot Noir 2016 (Niagara) - Wine Reviews

Tonight's wine reviews are a pair of wines produced by Lakeview Wine Co., a division of Diamond Estates Wines & Spirits Ltd. Based in Niagara-on-the-Lake, this large wine producer has many brands within their portfolio, including EastDell, 20 Bees, FRESH Wines, McMichael Collection, Dan Aykroyd, Lakeview Cellars, and more recently, Backyard Vineyards. The Backyard...

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Lakeview Cellars Sauvignon Blanc 2015 (Niagara) - Wine Review

Tonight's wine is a back vintage of a wine that was recently released into LCBO VINTAGES on May 12th. This white wine is produced by Lakeview Wine Co. (formerly known as Diamond Estates Wines & Spirits) and is one of the largest wine producers in the country. The re-brand of the winery coincided with the launch of their brand new retail and tasting centre in Niagara-on-the-Lake,...

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FRESH Wines for the Holidays

Tonight's wine reviews are a pair of wines from the FRESH brand produced by Diamond Estates. The focus on FRESH is about fun, creative wines for wine drinkers who want to explore and try something different. The two wines reviewed below fit into the brand very nicely as the Riesling/Gewürztraminer blend and the Sparkling Wine made with Riesling are both relatively uncommon...

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EastDell Unoaked Chardonnay 2015 (Ontario) - Wine Review

Tonight's wine is an unoaked Chardonnay and, similar to the 2014 EastDell Gamay Noir, is now on LCBO shelves with an updated, modern label that still retains the iconic heron. The 2015 vintage began with unusually cold temperatures throughout Winter and Spring. Fortunately, weather conditions improved greatly during the Summer growing season, with favourable conditions continuuing...

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EastDell Gamay Noir 2014 (Ontario) - Wine Review

Tonight's wine review is the latest Gamay from EastDell Estates. I tasted the 2010 EastDell Gamay Noir three years ago, but this wine has since undergone a label change and comes to us now with a brand new, modern label that still includes the iconic heron. The summer in 2014 had average-to-cooler than normal temperatures, while late summer and into September brought much...

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McMichael Collection Group of Seven Chardonnay 2014 (Niagara) - Wine Review

Sunday night's wine was this Unoaked Chardonnay that was created by the McMichael Canadian Art Collection in collaboration with Diamond Estates Winery. It is one of two wines that is part of the collection - the other is the 2014 McMichael Collection Group of Seven Cabernet Merlot that I reviewed last week. There are 7 different labels for the two wines - with each member...

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McMichael Collection Group of Seven Cabernet Merlot 2014 (Niagara) - Wine Review

Tonight's wine is an LCBO General List product that was released into the market in June and is readily available throughout Ontario. Produced by the McMichael Canadian Art Collection, in Kleinburg, just north of Toronto, in partnership with Niagara's Diamond Estates Winery, the Cabernet Merlot (along with an unoaked Chardonnay) is part of a new collection of wines to celebrate...

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