July 18, 2026 LCBO VINTAGES Release Wine Picks: Summer Smart Buys + Orange Wines

Here are my top wine picks from the July 18, 2026 LCBO VINTAGES New Release Collection (digital edition here). The feature story for this release is Summer Smart Buys, while Orange Wines serve as the mini-theme. In total, the release showcases 121 products, along with an additional 20 Online & Flagship Exclusive (OFE) wines. It's a strong summer lineup, with white and rosé wines accounting for nearly half of the selection—ideal for warm-weather drinking. All the wines are readily available for purchase both online and at LCBO stores across Ontario.

We'll begin with the "Summer Smart Buys" feature, a theme that first appeared in August 2023 before returning last year. This year's selection includes 24 products: ten whites, ten reds, two rosés, two sake, and one sparkling wine. Six of those wines earn a place among my top recommendations in this release. Leading the white wines are the Creekside Sauvignon Blanc from Niagara, a Sauvignon Blanc from New Zealand, and an ever-fragrant Moschofilero from Greece. On the red side, my picks are a Gamay Noir from Niagara and a Grenache from Australia. Rounding out the feature is a fine Barolo from Piedmont, crafted, of course, from Nebbiolo—perhaps not the most obvious summer wine, but certainly one worth making an exception for.

My lone recommendation from the Orange Wines mini-theme is a Viognier from Chile. Orange wines are made by fermenting white grape varieties on their skins, much like red wines, resulting in wines with added texture, complexity, and their characteristic amber-orange hue.

Among my top red wine picks from the main release, the standout is a superb Amarone crafted from nearly equal parts Corvina and Corvinone, complemented by approximately 15% Rondinella. Close behind is a Rioja that is predominantly Tempranillo with a small proportion of Graciano. Other blends include a Greek red composed of 60% Syrah, 20% Merlot, and 20% Limnio, as well as a Côtes du Rhône led by Grenache with Syrah in a supporting role. Rounding out the mono-varietal selections are a Malbec from Argentina, a Merlot from South Africa, and a Gamay from Beaujolais.

My top white wine recommendations begin in Greece with a Santorini Assyrtiko sourced from ancient vines estimated to be 150–200 years old, alongside another fine Assyrtiko from Macedonia. Two white blends also make the list: a Soave composed of approximately 85% Garganega with the balance Trebbiano di Soave, and a Côtes du Roussillon blending Grenache Blanc, Grenache Gris, and Macabeu. Closer to home, Niagara is represented by a pair of lovely Chardonnays, a fine Sauvignon Blanc, and an excellent Riesling with just a kiss of sweetness. Completing the white wine selections are a Fiano from Campania and a dry Pinot Gris from Wairarapa, New Zealand.

My rosé recommendations include a Bandol composed of 65% Mourvèdre, 20% Grenache, and 15% Cinsault, along with a Côtes du Rhône Rosé made from approximately 70% Grenache, 20% Cinsault, and 10% Syrah. For sparkling wines, my picks include a Champagne blended from 40% Pinot Noir, 35% Chardonnay, and 25% Pinot Meunier, as well as a Loire sparkler crafted entirely from Chenin Blanc.

Enjoy my top wine recommendations from this release! Cheers!

Red Wine:

• CELLIER DES DAUPHINS RÉSERVE CÔTES DU RHÔNE 2023 - AOC, France (#14081) (XD) - $16.95  review coming soon...
• GLENELLY GLASS COLLECTION MERLOT 2021 - WO Stellenbosch, South Africa (#26669) (XD) - $19.95
• D'ARENBERG THE CUSTODIAN GRENACHE 2021 - McLaren Vale, South Australia (#713040) (XD) - $19.95  review coming soon...
• CHÂTEAU DE PONCIÉ BEAUJOLAIS-VILLAGES ROUGE 2022 - AOC, France (#48908) (XD) - $19.95
• LOS CLOP PARAJE ALTAMIRA RESERVA MALBEC 2023 - Valle de Uco, Mendoza, Argentina (#49711) (XD) - $22.95  90+ pts  wine review
• BACHELDER KIRBY SINGLE VINEYARD GAMAY NOIR 2023 - VQA Four Mile Creek, Niagara-on-the-Lake, Ontario, Canada (#45139) (XD) - $29.00
• BARÓN DE LEY GRAN RESERVA 2018 - Vegan, DOCa Rioja, Spain (#642496) (XD) - $32.95
• KTIMA GEROVASSILIOU RED 2022 - Vegan, PGI Epanomi, Greece (#32378) (XD) - $38.95  OFE  91+ pts  wine review
• ROBERTO SAROTTO BAROLO 2021 - DOCG, Piedmont, Italy (#49375) (XD) - $39.95  91+ pts  wine review
• BRIGALDARA AMARONE DELLA VALPOLICELLA CLASSICO 2019 - Sustainable, DOCG, Veneto, Italy (#300012) (XD) - $64.95

White Wine:

• M. CHAPOUTIER BILA-HAUT CÔTES DU ROUSSILLON BLANC 2024 - AOP, Midi, France (#485656) (XD) - $16.95
• MITRAVELAS WHITE ON GREY MOSCHOFILERO 2025 - PGI Peloponnese, Greece (#49094) (XD) - $16.95  89 pts  wine review
• PADDY BORTHWICK PINOT GRIS 2025 - Wairarapa, North Island, New Zealand (#555516) (XD) - $19.95
• JANARE FIANO 2025 - DOP Sannio, Campania, Italy (#528786) (XD) - $19.95
• AHI KA BLACKMORE GROWER SAUVIGNON BLANC 2024 - Dillons Point, Marlborough, South Island, New Zealand (#41803) (XD) - $20.95
• PIEROPAN SOAVE CLASSICO 2024 - DOC, Veneto, Italy (#946848) (XD) - $21.95
• CREEKSIDE BACKYARD BLOCK SAUVIGNON BLANC 2024 - Sustainable, VQA Creek Shores, Niagara Peninsula, Ontario, Canada (#341792) (XD) - $22.00  90+ pts  wine review
• BOUTARI ASSYRTIKO 2025 - PGI Macedonia, Greece (#44246) (XD) - $23.95  90+ pts  updated review soon...
• JACKSON-TRIGGS GRAND RESERVE SAUVIGNON BLANC 2024 - VQA Niagara Peninsula, Ontario, Canada (#25368) (XD) - $24.95
• SIEGEL NARANJO VIOGNIER 2024 - Sustainable, Valle de Colchagua, Chile (#37759) (XD) - $27.95
• CHARLES BAKER LAUNDRY VINEYARD RIESLING 2024 - VQA Vinemount Ridge, Niagara Peninsula, Ontario, Canada (#46059) (D) - $34.95
• CLOUDSLEY TWENTY MILE BENCH CHARDONNAY 2024 - VQA Twenty Mile Bench, Niagara Escarpment, Ontario, Canada (#16093) (XD) - $36.95  92+ pts  wine review
• DIVERGENCE GRIMSBY HILLSIDE VINEYARD FRONTIER BLOCK CHARDONNAY 2023 - VQA Lincoln Lakeshore, Niagara Peninsula, Ontario, Canada (#51974) (XD) - $53.00  OFE  91+ pts  wine review
• ARGYROS CUVÉE EVDEMON ASSYRTIKO 2022 - PDO Santorini, Greece (#51195) (XD) - $116.95  OFE

Rosé Wine:

• E. GUIGAL CÔTES DU RHÔNE ROSÉ 2025 - AOC, France (#225003) (XD) - $23.95
• BASTIDE DE LA CISELETTE LOU PIGNA BANDOL ROSÉ 2025 - AOC, Provence, France (#49431) (XD) - $26.95  OFE

Sparkling Wine:

• LAUDACIUS MONTLOUIS-SUR-LOIRE BRUT NATURE SPARKLING - Traditional Method, AOP, Loire, France (#49418) (XD) - $31.95
• FRESNE DUCRET LE CHEMIN DU CHEMIN BRUT 1ER CRU CHAMPAGNE - AOC, France (#49032) (XD) - $68.95  OFE

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Maturana Naranjo Torontel Orange Wine 2023 (Chile) - Wine Review

Tonight's wine review is a lovely and highly-acclaimed orange wine (i.e. skin-fermented white) that arrived at the LCBO earlier this month and was featured on the back cover of the July 5th LCBO VINTAGES New Release Collection.

It is produced by Maturana Winery, a family-owned wine producer that was founded in 2010, after the great earthquake in Chile, by brothers José Ignacio and Sebastian Maturana. After the earthquake, the brothers decided that there was no time to waste in getting started on their great passion for viticulture and wine. Since the beginning, the Maturana brothers have produced unique, sustainably crafted wines which represent a way of life.

The core values at Maturana are based on innovation, differentiation, fair price, passion, rescue of heritage strains, and quality. With innovation, the goal is to capture the identity of the varieties and specific locations in order to bring out each of their best characteristics. Because Chile has been making wines in the same way for decades, Maturana welcomes differentiation as this is an opportunity to differentiate themselves from others. Maturana supports natural vineyard management and believes in horizontal growth by responsibly paying their growers, sometimes as much as seven times the market price per kilo. Passion is the drug that keeps the Maturana brothers going, and is personified by the Walt Disney phrase: "Dreams can come true if you have the courage to pursue them." With a deep commitment to promoting the ancient vineyards of central Chile, Maturana aims to revive varietals such as País, Torontel, San Francisco, and others. Last, but not least, producing the best quality wines is their core value and goes hand-in-hand with their concept of creating something unique.

This unique orange wine is crafted with 100% Torontel from old vines that were planted ungrafted in 1935 in Loncomilla, within the Maule Valley. The grapes were selected and harvested by hand. It was vinified using traditional Orange Wine (or Amber Wine) methods whereby the white wine remains in contact with the grape skins. To craft this wine, the grapes were fermented and aged for 9 months in concrete eggs.

The 2023 growing season was a warm and somewhat challenging vintage for most of Chile, except for the mostly coastal areas. It began with a chilly and wet winter, followed by an equally cold spring. Vegetative growth was relatively prolific due to replenished water levels, while budburst and flowering was slow due to cold weather. Summer was sizzling as one of the hottest in decades, with fires breaking out in parts of the country, including Maule. Those that were lucky enough to be out of the fires' path avoided smoke taint and the drop in yields, with the result being good quality wines. Let's see how this 2023 Torontel Orange Wine from Chile is tasting tonight...

Tasting Note:

MATURANA NARANJO TORONTEL ORANGE WINE 2023 - Sustainable, Loncomilla, Valle del Maule, Chile (#556217) (XD) - $24.95
Pours a vivid orange colour. The medium-high intensity nose is deep and intense with lovely orange, white tea, and dried herb aromas accented with spice notes. The medium+ weighted palate is dry and spicy with bright and vibrant acidity lifting the orange, white tea, blossom, and herbally flavours. Stony mineral notes add interest and complexity on the textured mid-palate. Spices and herbs give way to tea and minerals on the long, juicy, dry, and fine-grained finish. Highly recommended buy! Score: 90+ pts

One other wine by Maturana is available at the LCBO, while the full range can be ordered through their Agent - Kolonaki Fine Wines & Spirits.

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Anatolikos Vineyards (Greece) - Winemaker's Dinner

Back in October, I enjoyed the fine wines of Anatolikos Vineyards with winemaker Sakis Nikolaidis at the new (and very secluded) Vintage Conservatory location in Yorkville, downtown Toronto. The wines were paired with a specially prepared 4-course dinner and hosted by Kolonaki Fine Wines & Spirits, the agency who represents the wines of Anatolikos Vineyards.

Anatolikos Vineyards was established in 2005 by brothers Sakis and Marios Nikolaidis. The Nikolaidis brothers are from Xanthi in northeastern Greece and experienced businessmen in the field of gastronomy. Their vineyard is located in the Avdira area of Xanthi, which is in the Thrace region of Greece. The city of Avdira is known from the ancient times as a city of initiative. In this same spirit in the year 2000, the Nikolaidis brothers began the revival of a famous ancient vineyard and in 2005 Anatolikos Vineyards started farming Greek and foreign grape varieties on the site.

The vineyard is located on the dry hills of Avdira at an elevation of 50-70 metres above sea level, approximately 3 km north of the Thrace Sea, and features sandy soils, continuous cool winds, and Avdira's micro-climate which is great for growing high quality grapes. Avdira's micro-climate offers an ideal environment for the cultivation of grapes as it experiences very little, but necessary, rainfall, while the evenings have low temperatures. The thermal amplitude between warm days and cool nights is about 13-15°C.

Today, Anatolikos Vineyards has 10 varietal and regional wines in their portfolio, all certified organic, vegan, and vegetarian, and continues to develop and expand the vineyard. The wines are grown according to the principals of bio-agriculture, cultivating traditional grape varieties from the lands of Avdira and Thrace, highlighting the history and interest of the wider region. One of the more interesting facts I learned from Sakis is that their wines are aged outdoors in clay amphorae for 270 days. They also continue to develop the distribution channels in Greece and overseas. In Canada, the lovely wines of Anatolikos Vineyards are available via Kolonaki.

Thank you to the team at Kolonaki for a lovely evening and the opportunity to taste these fine, certified vegan and organic wines from Greece. All five wines were great and really complemented the food pairings very nicely. Full reviews of each wine is provided below and all of the Anatolikos Vineyards wines can be purchased through Kolonaki Fine Wines & Spirits.

Tasting Notes:

ANATOLIKOS FINE ASSYRTIKO 2021 - PGI Avdira, Greece (XD) - $34.95
Aged for 6 months on fine lees in French oak barrels, this Assyrtiko has an elegant, medium-high to highly aromatic nose that is leesy with citrus, herbs, and earthy mineral aromas. On the medium-bodied, well-structured palate, it is fleshy and gains weight in the mouth with pleasing aroma replays, plus salty notes on the ripe flavour profile. With balanced acidity, it is nicely textured on the mid-palate, continuing on the long finish with touches of vanilla and butter. Score: 90+ pts

ANATOLIKOS MALAGOUSIA 2021 - PGI Avdira, Greece (XD) - $32.95
Fermented with indigenous yeast and spending some time in French oak barrels, this Malagousia has a lovely, fragrant, highly aromatic nose featuring aromas of anise, wild herbs, chamomile, some citrus, and touches of sweet oak. It's medium-full bodied on the nicely textured, dry palate with lovely, flavourful replays joined by floral notes. It's well-structured with good acidity, and very good length on the finish. Score: 91 pts

ANATOLIKOS ORANGE WINE 2019 - PGI Avdira, Greece (XD) - $61.95
Blend of 80% Assyrtiko and 20% Malagousia that was grown on sandy hills with stony subsoil at a distance of 3 km from the sea. This skin-fermented white (aka orange wine) was fermented in amphora with native yeasts. It offers a medium+ intensity nose with aromas of tea leaf, orange citrus, herbs, and spices. It's medium-full to full-bodied and harmonious with lovely, dry aroma replays, and nicely textured with a chalky mouthfeel. Impressively concentrated and a lingering finish. Score: 92 pts

ANATOLIKOS MV MAVROUDI OF THRACE 2018 - PGI Avdira, Greece (XD) - $36.95
Organically grown blend of 60% Mavroudi, 20% Merlot, and 20% Cabernet Sauvignon, it was fermented with native yeasts and aged for 10 months in French oak barrels. The fragrant, medium-high to highly aromatic nose is spicy with dark currant, dark berry, cassis, and blackberry aromas. On the medium-full to full-bodied palate it is structured with mildly grippy, yet smooth tannins balanced with fresh, juicy acidity. It has nicely balanced aroma replays on the flavour profile with a tinge of cocoa on the long finish. Score: 91+ pts

ANATOLIKOS FINE MAVROUDI OF THRACE 2019 - PGI Avdira, Greece (XD) - $49.95
Organically grown 100% Mavroudi, this has an elegant, medium-high to highly aromatic nose of spices, pepper spice, ripe dark berry, blackberry, black cherry, and cassis. It's medium-full to full-bodied on the palate with appealing ripe currant, pepper spice, and green herbal flavours which are supported by fresh acidity and smooth, refined tannins. Elegant and nicely balanced throughout, with excellent length on the finish. Score: 93 pts

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August 7, 2021 LCBO VINTAGES Release Wine Picks: Old World Meets New World + Orange Wines

The main theme of the August 7, 2021 LCBO VINTAGES Release compares Old World wines to their New World counterparts, while the mini-theme features Orange Wines. All of these wines, plus those from the Main Release should be on shelves across Ontario by this Saturday. In addition, there are also a select number of wines in this Release listed as a VINTAGES Online Exclusive (VOE). These VOE wines - a few of which are recommended below - aren't listed anywhere in the printed magazine and are only available for purchase through lcbo.com for delivery to your home or nearest LCBO outlet. Clicking on the product code for each wine will take you its product page on lcbo.com.

From the main theme on comparing Old World and New World wines, just one wine made my list of wine picks - a Rhône blend from the old world of Vacqueyras (France) that is mainly Grenache and Syrah, along with some Cinsault and Mourvèdre.

The mini-feature looks at Orange Wines which are also known as Amber Wines or Skin-Fermented White Wines. These types of wines are crafted using white wine grapes that are fermented with prolonged skin or lees contact, adding depth and unique flavours to the resulting wine, along with an orange or amber hue. Although none of orange wines made my list of wine recommendations (mostly because I'm not a big fan of the category), I have enjoyed the Southbrook Vidal Skin Fermented White Orange Wine in the past and the latest vintage is featured in this Release. Orange wines are a bit of an acquired tasted and worth trying at least once.

Among my red wine recommendations, the "GSM" blend from Barossa Valley consists of 65% Grenache, 26% Shiraz, and 12% Mourvèdre, while the Languedoc red is a blend of 85% Syrah, 10% Grenache, and 5% Mourvèdre. The Tonel 78 is a 50/50 blend of Malbec and Bonarda, while the Chianti Classico is mainly Sangiovese with Canaiolo and other red grape varietals in support. Single varietal red wines include a lovely Malbec from Argentina, a Cabernet Sauvignon that is also from Argentina, and an Australian Shiraz. Lastly, the Taurasi is 100% Aglianico, while the Barolo is 100% Nebbiolo.

From my white wine picks, three are blends. From South Africa, the Pekin White is a blend of 85% Chenin Blanc and the rest consisting of Roussanne, Viognier, and Sémillon, while the Coastal Region white is a blend of 90% Sauvignon Blanc and 10% Sémillon. The Bordeaux Blanc is a also a blend of Sauvignon Blanc and Sémillon. The single varietal wines are fairly straightforward, led by a lovely Sancerre that is made with 100% Sauvignon Blanc. Other wines not-very-common to Ontario include a Grenache Blanc, a Falanghina, and a 2013 Marsanne.

Both of my rosé wine picks are dry rosés, with the version from Argentina a blend of 60% Malbec and 40% Pinot Noir, while the Sancerre Rosé is made with 100% Pinot Noir.

Enjoy my wine recommendations from this Release! Cheers!

Red Wine:

• QUARISA MRS Q McLAREN VALE SHIRAZ 2017 - McLaren Vale, South Australia (#12909) (XD) - $18.95  89 pts  wine review
• CARPINETO CHIANTI CLASSICO 2018 - DOCG, Tuscany, Italy (#356048) (XD) - $19.95
• CHÂTEAU PAUL MAS CLOS DES MÛRES 2018 - Sustainable, AP Languedoc, France (#286393) (XD) - $19.95
• VIÑA COBOS FELINO CABERNET SAUVIGNON 2019 - Unfined, Mendoza, Argentina (#132365) (XD) - $19.95  89 pts  wine review
• GABRIEL MEFFRE LA CHÂSSE GRANDE RÉSERVE 2016 - AP Vacqueyras, Rhône, France (#15455) (XD) - $19.95
• TONEL 78 BARREL SELECT MALBEC / BONARDA 2017 - Mendoza, Argentina (#17380) (XD) - $23.95  VOE  90 pts  wine review
• WAKEFIELD JARAMAN SHIRAZ 2019 - Clare Valley & McLaren Vale, South Australia (#377036) (XD) - $24.95  89 pts  wine review
• BORGODANGELO TAURASI 2013 - DOCG, Campania, Italy (#96792) (XD) - $24.95
• TORBRECK OLD VINES GRENACHE / SHIRAZ / MOURVÈDRE 2017 - Barossa Valley, South Australia (#10223) (XD) - $24.95  VOE  90+ pts  wine review
• DURIGUTTI PROYECTO LAS COMPUERTAS CINCO SUELOS MALBEC 2018 - Luján de Cuyo, Mendoza, Argentina (#12670) (XD) - $29.95  92 pts  wine review
• ATTILIO GHISOLFI BUSSIA BAROLO 2017 - DOCG, Piedmont, Italy (#382796) (XD) - $56.95  VOE

White Wine:

• CHÂTEAU BELLES EAUX LES COTEAUX GRENACHE BLANC 2020 - AP Languedoc, France (#18665) (XD) - $14.95
• AVONDALE JONTY'S DUCKS PEKIN WHITE 2018 - WO Paarl, South Africa (#439554) (XD) - $16.95
• IL POGGIO TABURNO FALANGHINA DEL SANNIO 2018 - DOP, Campania, Italy (#17695) (XD) - $16.95  89 pts  wine review
• LES HAUTS DE LAGARDE BLANC 2020 - Vegan, AC Bordeaux, France (#387787) (XD) - $17.95
• CATENA APPELLATION TUPUNGATO CHARDONNAY 2019 - Tupungato, Mendoza, Argentina (#10964) (XD) - $19.95  90 pts  wine review
• SPIER CREATIVE BLOCK 2 2019 - Vegan, sustainable, WO Coastal Region, South Africa (#307827) (XD) - $19.95
• TAHBILK MUSEUM RELEASE MARSANNE 2013 - Sustainable, Nagambie Lakes, Central Victoria, Australia (#276980) (D) - $19.95
• 13TH STREET JUNE'S VINEYARD CHARDONNAY 2019 - VQA Creek Shores, Niagara Peninsula, Ontario, Canada (#236745) (XD) - $21.95  89 pts  wine review
• JEAN-MAX ROGER CUVÉE MARNES ET CAILLOTTES SANCERRE 2019 - AC, Loire, France (#196667) (XD) - $31.95  VOE  92+ pts  wine review

Rosé Wine:

• SUSANA BALBO SIGNATURE ROSÉ 2020 - Uco Valley, Mendoza, Argentina (#493130) (XD) - $22.95
• JEAN-MAX ROGER LA GRANGE DÎMIÈRE SANCERRE ROSÉ 2020 - AC, Loire, France (#490813) (XD) - $26.95  90+ pts  wine review
  

Sparkling Wine:

• DE CHANCENY BRUT CRÉMANT DE LOIRE - Traditional method, AC, Loire, France (#515262) (D) - $19.95

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Southbrook Vidal Skin Fermented White Orange Wine 2017 (Niagara) - Wine Review

Tonight's wine is a very interesting natural, organic and biodynamic orange wine produced by Southbrook Vineyards. Technically, orange wines are now known as a skin-fermented white wines. Southbrook has produced this style of wine under the guiding hands of winemaker Ann Sperling for several years now, with latest rendition being the 2017 vintage that was bottled in January and released for sale in June.

The grapes for this wine were hand-harvested from Southbrook's Estate in the Four Mile Creek sub-appellation of Niagara-on-the-Lake. Small lots of grapes, including stems, were cluster-sorted and foot-trodden before undergoing wild yeast and malolactic fermentation over 30 days. After gentle pressing, the wine was naturally chilled outdoors, settled, and bottled without any filtration or additives, and is free of sulphites.

This orange wine is suitable for vegans and vegetarians, and available for purchase through the winery and soon at the LCBO.

Tasting Note:

SOUTHBROOK VIDAL SKIN FERMENTED WHITE ORANGE WINE 2017 - VQA Ontario, Canada (#628065) (XD) - $29.95
Stelvin screw cap enclosure. Cloudy orange colour. Highly fragrant nose offers aromas of citrus and black tea leaves with hints of floral and sage. More pronounced tart citrus, floral, and black tea flavours are well-balanced on the nicely textured, medium-bodied palate. Dry mouthfeel with some chalkiness. Acids are bright and balanced. Some tea, sage and earthy notes linger on the long finish. I'll be honest, I have tasted previous vintages and never really been a big fan of this wine, but this latest vintage is very compelling and engaging. Highly recommended. Best with a light chill. Score: 91 pts

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Wine Tasting in Niagara-on-the-Lake - August 2017

In late August, I toured Niagara-on-the-Lake and visited a some fine wineries with a few friends. It was a day trip, and with fine weather in tow, this was a fantastic day of wine tasting!

We visited four wineries in all, beginning at Ravine Vineyard Estate Winery - a family-run organic and biodynamic winery for a tasting of some of their very fine, premium wines. They also have a nice bakery in the back where they make various types of freshly baked bread. Also on-site is a restaurant with an ever-changing menu where the focus is on using fresh, local ingredients. I definitely want to come back and dine here as they also have a hearth wood oven for baking pizza.

The second stop was at another family-run winery - Riverview Cellars Estate Winery. This winery is adjacent to the Niagara River and has vineyards with special terroir. The topsoil offers subtle differences across their property - from pliable, silty loam, to denser, clay loam, and to fertile sandy loam. In 1992, the family planted their first vinifera - Gewürztraminer, followed by Vidal Blanc in 1993, and Cabernet Sauvignon in 1998.

Our third stop of the afternoon was at nearby Inniskillin Wines. I had been to this winery numerous times over the years, but this was my first time doing a tour of the facility. The tour began outside, overlooking the vineyards as we were told about the history of Inniskillin and, in a sense, winemaking in Canada. Inniskillin was founded in 1975 by Donald Ziraldo and Karl Kaiser (1941-2017) and became Canada's original estate winery and an industry pioneer committed to the production of premium wines made from quality grapes grown in Canada. From grapes harvested in 1984, Innikillin produced their first Icewine and eventually put Canada on the global wine scene when their 1989 Vidal Icewine was awarded the highest accolade at Vinexpo in Bordeaux.

We proceeded to move around the property, eventually finding our way to the crush pad, where sorting, de-stemming and crushing took place. We then made our way through an informational walkway (previously used for self-guided tours) and then into the cellar room to watch a video and learn more about Icewine production. While in the cellar room, I couldn't help but notice that they still had quite a few older bottles, including the 1984 Icewine. Following the tour, we tasted a few wines, including a delicious, one-of-a-kind Vidal Sparkling Icewine.

The final stop of the day was at Southbrook Vineyards - Canada's first estate winery to earn both organic and biodynamic certification. We ended up tasting only a few wines, but their Poetica Chardonnay ended up being one of the top wines of the day, while their Orange Wine was the most polarizing. Upon completion of the tasting in the central room at their LEED-Gold Standard tasting pavilion, we ventured outside and took a stroll along the vineyards, all the while noticing the grid of solar panels that sat beside the vines.

Once again, I tasted some very fine wines in Niagara-on-the-Lake. Most of these wines are only available at the winery or online through their website, while a few could be found in LCBO VINTAGES. Full wine reviews of my favourite wines tasted on this day are provided below.

Tasting Notes:

RAVINE RESERVE CHARDONNAY 2014 - VQA St. Davids Bench, Niagara-on-the-Lake, Ontario, Canada (XD) - $55
The highly aromatic nose has lovely rich, buttery, toast, smoke, lemon, apple and stone fruit aromas. It's very refined and nicely textured on the medium-full bodied palate with very nice aroma replays. Acids are well-balanced and the finish length is excellent, albeit a touch warm. Score: 92 pts

RAVINE CABERNET FRANC 2016 - VQA Niagara-on-the-Lake, Ontario, Canada (XD) - $35
Bottle in June from a solid vintage, this has a medium-high intensity nose that's ripe with dark currants, chocolate, and cassis, along with herbally hints and tobacco. This should open up further with some ageing. It's medium-bodied on the palate with refined tannins and very nice dark fruited aroma replays. Oak is well-integrated and acids are fresh. There's some bitterness mid-palate. Finishes long. Still young and should flesh out nicely in 2-3 years. Score: 90+ pts

RAVINE BOTRYTIS-AFFECTED RIESLING 2016 - VQA St. Davids Bench, Niagara-on-the-Lake, Ontario, Canada (S) (375 mL) - $48
Highly aromatic and open on the nose with fruity, peach, apricot honeycomb, Flintstone vitamins, orange and a hint of petrol, all of which come through in a very appealing fashion on the sweet palate. Acids ere crisp and clean, providing much freshness. Excellent finish length. Score: 92 pts

RIVERVIEW ANGELINA’S RESERVE GEWURZTRAMINER 2014 - VQA Niagara River, Niagara-on-the-Lake, Ontario, Canada (#511642) (M) - $17.15
From vines planted in 1992, this has medium+ aromatics offering honeyed lychee, lemon, and ginger aromas with an earthy component. It's medium sweet on the medium-bodied palate with appealing tropical and floral fruit tones joining the aromas on the flavour profile. Acids are fresh with some sourness. Finishes crisp and on the dry side with some bitterness. Overall, very pleasing Ontario Gewurz. Released into VINTAGES on Sept. 2. Score: 88 pts

RIVERVIEW SALVATORE'S RESERVE SYRAH 2013 - VQA Niagara-on-the-Lake, Ontario, Canada (XD) - $30
Third time tasting this in 2017, this bottling is highly aromatic with savoury, meaty, black pepper, earth, and bretty notes with a sprinkle of baking spice. It's full-bodied and savoury on the palate with olive and oak spices joining the aroma replays. It has good acidity and medium-level tannins that are integrating well. Very good finish length. Seems to be getting better with every tasting. Score: 90 pts

RIVERVIEW CABERNET FRANC ICEWINE 2016 - VQA Niagara-on-the-Lake, Ontario, Canada (S) (375 mL) - $70
Lovely medium-high aromatics have candied strawberry jam, caramel, butterscotch and a hint of lemon. The palate is medium+ bodied and smooth and richly textured with very nice raspberry-driven aroma replays on the sweet flavour profile. It has nicely balanced acids and a long finish. Score: 91+ pts

INNISKILLIN RIESLING ICEWINE 2015 - VQA Niagara Peninsula, Ontario, Canada (#558288) (S) (375 mL) - $79.95
Aromas are of medium+ intensity, somewhat muted, and feature bright lemon and peach notions with some earthy minerality. It's light-to-medium bodied with a delicate mouthfeel that's lifted by bright acids. Pleasing lemony citrus and orange, plus aroma replays shine through on the palate and continue through to the long finish. Seems a bit simple now, this should gain complexity with age. Score: 90 pts

INNISKILLIN VIDAL ICEWINE 2015 - VQA Niagara Peninsula, Ontario, Canada (#388306) (S) (375 mL) - $49.95
Highly aromatic aromas of honey, apricot, ginger and sweet Meyer lemon waft from the glass. The palate is medium-full bodied and lusciously sweet with honeyed aroma replays. There's good, balanced acidity in here to keeps things fresh and not cloying. Fine length on the finish. Score: 90+ pts

INNISKILLIN VIDAL SPARKLING ICEWINE 2015 - VQA Niagara Peninsula, Ontario, Canada (#560367) (S) (375 mL) - $79.95
Made using the Charmat method, this has yeasty, earthy and bready with underlying apricot, honey and candied ginger aromas and flavours. It's sweet on the palate with fine mousse, high acids and very good finish length. A unique wine, to be sure. Score: 89 pts

SOUTHBROOK SMALL LOT ORANGE WINE 2016 - Four Mile Creek, Niagara-on-the-Lake, Ontario, Canada (XD) - $29.95
Made using Vidal (white wine grape) that was naturally fermented with skins and stems for 25 days (just like a red wine), this a medium-high intensity nose that has floral, grapefruit, orange zest and tea nuances. It's medium-bodied and bone-dry on the palate with complex notes of bergamot, sage, tea, citrus peel and some savoury herbs and bitterness. Acids are balanced and the finish length is very good. A unique wine to try once. Score: 89 pts

SOUTHBROOK POETICA CHARDONNAY 2013 - VQA Four Mile Creek, Niagara-on-the-Lake, Ontario, Canada (#366500) (XD) - $49.95
Showing a lovely, highly aromatic nose that's rich and buttery with golden apple, pear, and smoke notes, and has notable wood influence that's nicely integrated. It's medium-bodied with nice, clean fruit, impressive depth and very nice aroma replays on the flavour profile. Acids are finely tuned and well-balanced. The long finish is smooth and rich. Exquisite! Will continue to sing a poem for at least the next half dozen years. Score: 93 pts

SOUTHBROOK ESTATE GROWN SMALL LOT 'WITNESS BLOCK' CABERNET SAUVIGNON / CABERNET FRANC 2013 - VQA Four Mile Creek, Niagara-on-the-Lake, Ontario, Canada (XD) - $39.95
Blend of 60% Cabernet Sauvignon, 37% Cabernet Franc, and 3% Merlot. Aromas of medium-high intensity with notes of currant, herbaceous, red berry, resinous oak, woody, and hints of violet, with much of same on the full-bodied palate. It has good acidity and a long finish. Still young, with chalky tannins suggesting a few years in bottle are needed for optimum drinkability. Score: 90 pts

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