Monthly Archives: November 2025

QUEENSTON MILE VINEYARD PINOT NOIR ROSÉ 2024, VQA St. David’s Bench, Niagara Region, Ontario, Canada

25 Tuesday Nov 2025

Posted by in Best Buys, Canadian Wines, Non LCBO Wine, Recommended, Rosés

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Cost: $24.95
Grape: Pinot Noir
Category: Rose Wine
Location: Winery
Country: Canada
Region: St. David’s Bench, Niagara Region, Ontario
Format: 750 ml
Producer: Queenston Mile Vineyards
Alcohol: 11.5% Alcohol/Vol.

Crisp clean rosé with a nice flavour profile. Score: 90/100.

Tasting Note: Bright copper in colour with good acidity, medium intense nose & a good length on the finish. This wine features: Cherry, rhubarb, cranberry, strawberry & red currants.

Negatives: None

Winemaker’s Note: “100% Pinot noir, immediately pressed, left on the grape skins for 3.5 hours, fermented in stainless steel.”

Pairings: Drink this now or in the next 3 – 4 years on its own or pair it with chili.

My Opinion: Recommended

Best Buy

Tasted: November 24, 2025

QUEENSTON MILE SPARKLING PINOT NOIR, Pétillant Naturel – Ancestral Method, VQA St. David’s Bench, Niagara Region, Ontario, Canada

17 Monday Nov 2025

Posted by in Canadian Wines, Non LCBO Wine, Recommended, Sparkling Wine

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Cost: $24.95
Grape: Pinot Noir
Category: Sparkling Wine
Location: Winery
Country: Canada
Region: St. David’s Bench, Niagara Region, Ontario
Format: 750 ml
Producer: Queenston Mile Vineyards
Alcohol: 13.0% Alcohol/Vol.

Interesting, but in a good way. A rustic style sparkling. Score: 90/100.

Tasting Note: Cloudy bloody Mary in colour with good acidity, low intense nose & a good length on the finish. This wine features: Cherry, rhubarb, Fuji apple, strawberry, Oyster mushrooms

Negatives: None

Interesting Point: Don’t disturb the sediment in the bottle before opening as if you do (and I did), it will uncontrollably bubble over.

Winemaker’s Note: “100% Pinot noir harvested September 22nd 2020 from Estate Vineyard. Bottled during wild fermentation on October 14th 2020. This wine was left unfiltered on its lees for extended ageing in bottle.”

Pairings: Drink this now or in the next 5 – 7 years on its own or pair it with Escargot.

My Opinion: Recommended

November 16, 2025

KIN VINEYARDS CARP RIDGE CHARDONNAY 2020, VQA Ontario, Canada

16 Sunday Nov 2025

Posted by in Canadian Wines, Kin Vineyards, Non LCBO Wine, Organic/Sustainability, Recommended, White Wines, Winery Review Series

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Cost: $32.00
Grape: Chardonnay
Category: White Wine
Location: Winery
Country: Canada
Region: Cap Ridge, Ottawa, Ontario
Format: 750 ml
Producer: Kin Vineyards
Alcohol: 13.5% Alcohol/Vol.

Versatile Chard made mostly in neutral oak. Score: 89/100.

Tasting Note: Bright gold in colour with good acidity a medium+ intense nose & a good length on the finish. This wine features: Lemon, Kumquat, golden apples, pineapple, pear, peach, dill & limestone.

Negatives: None

Interesting Point: Taste better in the oak style chard glass vs the Chablis style ones.

Winemaker’s Note: “Carp Ridge Chardonnay grapes, grown organically as well as biodynamically, were harvested with rigorous selection and sorting, over three days. After gentle pressing and cool settling, the juice was transferred to French Oak Burgundy format cooperage for indigenous fermentation and malolactic conversion over 5 months. Oak profile is 3% New Oak, 85% Neutral Oak and 12% Stainless Steel. Total elevage of 9 months with biweekly battonage for 4 months. Following barrel blending, light bentonite fining and cold stabilization, the wine was bottled with minimal filtration.”

Pairings: Drink this now or in the next 5 – 7 years on its own or pair it with Coquilles Saint-Jacques.

My Opinion: Recommended

Top Pick

Tasted: November 15, 2025

SIEUR GAILLARD EXCELLENCE CRÉMANT DE BORDEAUX, MÉTHODE TRADITIONNELLE, NV, Entre-deux-Mer, Bordeaux, France

09 Sunday Nov 2025

Posted by in Highly Recommended, Non LCBO Wine, Sparkling Wine, Top Picks, Price Not Withstanding

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Cost: $20.00
Grape: Sémillon, Muscadelle and Cabernet Franc
Category: Sparkling Wine
Location: Prague
Country: France
Region: Entre-deux-Mer, Bordeaux
Format: 750 ml
Producer: Sieur Gaillard
Alcohol: 12.0% Alcohol/Vol.

Elegance in a bottle. Score: 94/100.

Tasting Note: Straw in colour with good acidity, fine mousse, a medium+ intense nose, & a good length on the finish. This wine features: Lemon zest, golden apples, pear, honeydew melon, light yeast & vanilla.,

Negatives: None

Winemaker’s Note: “Harvested by hand. Primary fermentation takes place in stainless steel tanks at a controlled temperature, secondary fermentation and aging on the lees for 12 months in bottles.”

Pairings: Drink this now or in the next 5 – 7 years on its own or pair it with Eggs Benedict.

My Opinion: Highly Recommended

Top Pick

Tasted: November 9, 2025