Cost: $19.95 Grape: Chardonnay Category: White Wine Location Bought: Winery Country: Canada Region: St. David’s Bench, Niagara Region, Ontario Format: 750 ml Producer: Queenston Mile Vineyard Alcohol: 13.0% Alcohol/Vol.
Crisp & clean featuring stone fruits & minerality. Score: 89/100.
Tasting Note: Straw in colour with good acidity, medium+ intensity on the nose & a long length on the finish. This wine features: Lemon zest, lime, peach, pear, green apples & wet stones.
Negatives: None
Winemaker’s Note:
Pairings: Drink this now or 2 – 4 years on its own or pair it with steamed mussels in white wine sauce.
Cost: $22.00 Grape: Pinot Blanc Category: White Wine Location Bought: Winery Country: United States Region: Oregon Format: 750 ml Producer: Gray Monk Winery Alcohol: 12.0% Alcohol/Vol.
Crisp & clean featuring stone fruits. Score: 91/100.
Tasting Note: Straw in colour with good acidity, medium+ intensity on the nose & a long length on the finish. This wine features: Lemon zest, apricots, peach, pear, green apples & yellow plums.
Negatives: None
Interesting Point: Made from Oregon grapes due to loss of Pinot Blanc grapes in BC due to the wild fires in previous years.
Winemaker’s Note: “The grapes were delicately pressed and fermented in stainless steel to preserve their vibrant character, then thoughtfully blended to create the perfect balance.”
Pairings: Drink this now or 2 – 4 years on its own or pair it with Branzino.
Cost: $24.00 Grape: Syrah & Cabernet Sauvignon Category: Red Wine Location Bought: Winery Country: Canada Region: BC Format: 750 ml Producer: Gray Monk Winery Alcohol: 12.5% Alcohol/Vol.
Fruit forward & expressive. Score: 88/100.
Tasting Note: Medium ruby in colour with good acidity, medium+ intensity on the nose & a long length on the finish. This wine features: Dark cherry, blackberry, blackcurrants, plums, mulberry, spinach leaves & vanilla.
Negatives: None
Interesting Point: Only available to wine club members
Winemaker’s Note:
Pairings: Drink this now or 2 – 4 years on its own or pair it with Korean short ribs.
Interesting winery that’s owned by John Rossignol for more than 30 years. Local artist contribute to the artwork on the wine labels and statues inside. Their two native grapes grown on the island are the French/North American hybrid grape, Marechal Foch, and The grape is a crossing of the Vitis vinifera variety Goldriesling and another inter-specific crossing Millardet et Grasset Joffre. Both grapes are early ripening which is perfect for the PEI climate. The wines were from okay to nope. Their winery is more geared to fruit wines not wine grape wines. However, Lisa the strawberry wine and the only one we bought. My only gripe with the winery is that you pay for the 3 wine tastings at $12, but they don’t wave that if you purchase X amount of bottles. Someone told me the reason was that the money goes towards cancer charity that his wife died from. If this is the case, I’m more than happy to pay for the tastings, just would be nice if people knew that, this way more people would take up the tastings.
Cost: $29.00 Grape: 55% Gamay Noir and 45% Pinot Noir Category: Sparkling Wine Location Bought: Winery Country: Canada Region: Okanagan Valley, BC Format: 750 ml Producer: Gray Monk Winery Alcohol: 11.2% Alcohol/Vol.
This versatile dry brut rosé is simply eloquent. Score: 95/100.
Tasting Note: Light copper in colour with fine mousse, good acidity, low to medium intensity on the nose & a long length on the finish. This wine features: Strawberry, cherry, rhubarb, pink grapefruit & brioche.
Negatives: None
Winemaker’s Note: “The base wine underwent a traditional second fermentation in bottle and was aged sur lie for 24 months to enhance texture and complexity. After aging, it was disgorged and finished with a proprietary dosage to achieve a precise balance of acidity and subtle sweetness.”
Pairings: Drink this now or 5 – 7 years on its own or pair it with Charcuterie Board.
Cost: $33.00 Grape: Pinot Gris Category: White Wine Location Bought: Winery Country: Canada Region: Lake Country, Okanagan Valley, BC Format: 750 ml Producer: Gray Monk Winery Alcohol: 13.4% Alcohol/Vol.
Crisp, clean wine that is an excellent substitute for a high-end Sauvignon Blanc. Score: 88/100.
Tasting Note: Straw in colour with good acidity, medium nose & a long length on the finish. This wine features: Grapefruit, kumquat, lemon, pear, dragon fruit, wet stone
Negatives: None
Winemaker’s Note: “Pinot Gris grapes were hand-picked from our Estate Vineyard (Block 8) from some of the oldest vines in British Columbia (approximately 40 years old). The grapes were gently pressed, then the juice fermented in stainless steel tanks for pure fruit expression, and aged in 2,000L French oak foudre for 6 months.”
Pairings: Drink this now or 3 – 4 years on its own or pair it with lightly breaded pan-fried fresh-water fish with buttered new potatoes.
Cost: $33.00 Grape: Chardonnay Category: White Wine Location Bought: Winery Country: Canada Region: British Columbia Format: 750 ml Producer: Gray Monk Winery Alcohol: 13.9% Alcohol/Vol.
Top tier Chard that is exquisite, elegant & complexed. Wine features nice balance between oak, fruit & acidity. Score: 98/100.
Tasting Note: Light gold in colour with good acidity, medium+ nose & a long length on the finish. This wine features: Lemon, pineapple, peach, green & yellow apples, green mango, Haden mangos, butterscotch, ginger, dill, oak spice.
Negatives: None
Interesting Point: In order to bring out everything this wine has to offer, don’t overchill and use the larger Chard style glassware.
Winemaker’s Note: “The grapes come from select vineyards in Kelowna and Osoyoos regions of the Okanagan Valley, and from the Similkameen Valley, allowing for unique Chardonnay characteristics from each terroir. 50% of the wine was fermented and aged in new French oak barrels for 3 months, with battonage (lees stirring), and underwent a full malolactic fermentation to soften the acidity. 50% of the wine was aged in stainless steel with no malolactic fermentation for a more refreshing fruit forward style. This first vintage of the Odyssey Chardonnay was blended, allowed to rest, then bottled in small production of 524 cases.”
Pairings: Drink this now or 4 – 6 years on its own or pair it with Chilean Sea Bass in butter.
Cost: $34.95 Grape: Chardonnay Category: White Wine Location Bought: Winery Country: Canada Region: St. David’s Bench, Niagara Region, Ontario Format: 750 ml Producer: Niagara College Teaching Winery Alcohol: 13.0% Alcohol/Vol.
NC best Dean’s List Chardonnay to date featuring a balance between the oak, fruit & acidity. Score: 94/100.
Tasting Note: Light gold in colour with good acidity, medium+ nose & a long length on the finish. This wine features: Lemon, pineapple, peach, green apples, butterscotch, ginger, dill & oak spice.
Negatives: None
Winemaker’s Note: “This Chardonnay for the St. David’s Bench was aged in a combination of new and neutral French oak to balance the freshness of the fruit and the softness of the barrel.”
Pairings: Drink this now or 4 – 6 years on its own or pair it with steamed lobster with drawn butter.
Cost: $22.50 Grape: Tempranillo & Cabernet Sauvignon Category: Rosé Wine Location Bought: The Small Wine Makers Collection Country: Spain Region: Costers Del Segre Format: 750 ml Producer: Bodegas Raimat Alcohol: 12.5% Alcohol/Vol.
Dry, versatile, pleasant drinking rosé. Score: 88/100.
Tasting Note: Light copper in colour with good acidity, medium nose & a good length on the finish. This wine features: Cherry, strawberries, pink grapefruit,
Negatives: None
Interesting Point: Vegan & Organic
Winemaker’s Note: “Abadía represents the essence of Raimat and is the oldest wine brand in the Costers del Segre Designation of Origin.”
Pairings: Drink this now or 2 – 3 years on its own or pair it with a variety of Tapas.
Smooth, easy to drink, nice citric & tropical notes while not being overtly oaked. Score: 88/100.
Tasting Note: Light gold in colour with good acidity, low to medium nose & a long length on the finish. This wine features: Lemon, Pitahaya, cantaloupe, Fuji apples, ginger & light oak spice.
Negatives: None
Winemaker’s Note: “Fermented in stainless steel and 50% was aged with French oak.”
Pairings: Drink this now or 3 – 4 years on its own or pair it with chicken breast.
