The Wine Tribune Blog

NOTICE

carolyn — Sat, 12 May 2012 13:19:18 +0000

This blog has been temporarily discontinued due to other [read: paid] obligations. I hope to continue it at some point.

THREE STEALS UNDER $15 FROM CHILE

admin — Tue, 27 Sep 2011 15:53:03 +0000

By Carolyn Evans Hammond 30/09/11

Last Friday, I spent the evening drinking and laughing with Matias Rias, the charming winemaker from Cono Sur, a leading Chilean winery. He was in town for a few days as part of his brief North American tour, so it was great to catch up and taste through a flight of his wines at Quanto Basta restaurant in Toronto.

He’s been making wine for Cono Sur for nearly a decade and I have a lot of respect for his work. I recall first meeting him at a tasting in London in 2003 and finding his wines seriously overdelivering for the money even back then. Still today, Cono Sur offers excellent value for money, combining complexity, finesse and balance at every price point. And last Friday, three wines under $15 struck me as outstanding.

My favourite of was Cono Sur Sparkling Brut NV. It’s dry and clean but also juicy and compelling. It swathes the palate in pretty floral-mineral notes reminiscent of white flowers and warm stone. Definitely one to have in the fridge for when friends pop around.

Another excellent pour was Cono Sur Reserva Syrah 2008. Imagine one big swirl of smooth, chocolate-covered cherry and violet flavours. Delicious. And a steal.

The third showstopper was Cono Sur Organic Chardonnay 2011, just about to be released in a couple of weeks. This exhilarating pour is fresh and tropical with articulate flavours of grapefruit and pineapple with a hint of almond on the finish from the slightest flirtation with oak. Superb. Drinks like a wine worth twice the price.

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Carolyn’s latest book, Good Better Best Wines, is the first book to rank best-selling wines by price and grape variety, with tasting notes and bottle images (April, 2010, $12.95, Alpha Books). Within weeks of release, it soared to #1 wine book at Amazon.ca and the #2 one at Amazon.com, and received rave reviews in such eminent dailies as Los Angeles Times and The Chicago Tribune. Available at bookstores everywhere. Watch the trailer at www.wine-tribune.com

Carolyn’s critical articles and reviews have appeared in Decanter and Wine & Spirit International in the United Kingdom, at thewinecellarinsider.com, and in Maclean’s, Taste, and Tidings in Canada. Her first book, 1000 Best Wine Secrets, earned critical acclaim and international distribution with the distinction of being a best-seller by Canadian standards. Qualified sommelier and seasoned journalist, Carolyn holds the Diploma from the Wine & Spirit Education Trust and a BA from York University, and is a member of the Circle of Wine Writers in the UK. Carolyn has lived in many cities in North America and Europe, and now resides in Toronto, where she was born.

Join Carolyn’s Facebook wine club here.
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Good Better Best Wines of Pyramid Valley Vineyards

admin — Fri, 29 Jul 2011 15:07:18 +0000

By Carolyn Evans Hammond 29/07/11

Clad in a loose linen shirt and baggy cargo shorts, with a green rock pendant hanging from his neck, Mike Weersing looks more surfer dude than European gentlemen.

Despite spending many years studying wine in France and working in the better vineyards and cellars of Europe, you can tell he was born and raised in California.

Now he lives in New Zealand where he runs Pyramid Valley Vineyards with his wife Claudia.

Having heard good things from colleagues about his wines, I was happy to meet him the other day to taste through a flight of bottles–all biodynamic, unfiltered, and unfined.

Some were delicious, complex gems–the good, better and best of which i’ve noted below. Others were disappointing.

The Pyramid Valley Vineyards Angel Flower Pinot Noir 2009 ($60US/$70CAN) was distressingly overpriced. It’s a very cloudy wine, which would be fine if it didn’t taste furry, funky, and lack the purity of fruit and complexity you would expect from a 2009 high-end, unfiltered, unfined wine.

Similarly, the Pyramid Valley Vineyards Lion’s Tooth Chardonnay 2009 was overpriced at $70CAN/$60US. Sure, it tasted balanced, with some of the expected nut, butterscotch and citrus notes, but it certainly lacked the polish and complexity required for a wine at that price. Especially with so many stellar Chardonnays on the market.

I could go on but you get the idea. The wines that did offer terrific value for money were as follows, ranked good better and best.

Good
Pyramid Valley Vineyards, Growers Collection, Kerner Estate Pinot Blanc 2007, Marlborough, NZ ($35CAN/$26US)
Pinot Blanc can all too often be a bit simple–a light, dry, blandly neutral alternative to Pinot Grigio. But not this bottle. Its deep stone fruit and mineral flavours are almost viscously textured, and that dense but dry extract is anchored with plunging acidity creating perfectly balanced wine. Not your average Pinot Blanc. Actually, quite exciting. Full-bodied with 13.9% alc.

Better
Pyramid Valley Vineyards, Growers Collection, Eaton Family Vineyard Pinot Noir 2007, Marlborough, NZ ($50CAN/$41US)
A subtle nose leads to a hugely expansive palate. Rich and smooth, almost creamy Pinot here reminiscent of smoked strawberries shot through with raspberry freshness. Some earthiness, beetroot, and minerality too. Silken mouthfeel that tapers to a long, slow finish. 14.2% alc.
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Pyramid Valley Vineyards, Growers Collection, Howell Family Vineyard Cabernet Franc 2007, Hawkes Bay, NZ ($48CAN/$34US)
What I love about this wine is its concentration and complexity. Incredibly mouthcoating for a Cabernet Franc, which is usually juicy, fruity and relatively light-bodied. Here, layers of smoke, earth, underbrush, black and red macerated fruit swell on the palate, building to a crescendo with bold intensity. Compelling rendition. Full-bodied with 14.3% alc.

Best
Pyramid Valley Vineyards, Growers Collection, Hille Vineyard Late harvest Semillon 2008, Marlborough, NZ ($30CAN/$22US for half bottle)
This rich, sweet Late Harvest style wine shows a peculiar but quite fetching flavour of.. jalapeno? That’s correct. I instantly craved soft unripened cheese when tasting this wine. Beautiful, rich, enticing, interesting and well-priced. But sadly, despite it being my favourite pour of the flight, this 2008 is the last vintage. All the Semillon vines at that vineyard have now been top-grafted with Sauvignon Blanc. Shame.

To find a supplier of Pyramid Valley Vineyards wines in the U.S., go to http://www.wine-searcher.com. In Canada, the wines are available through http://www.thelivingvine.ca

Carolyn’s latest book, Good Better Best Wines, is the first book to rank best-selling wines by price and grape variety, with tasting notes and bottle images (April, 2010, $12.95, Alpha Books). Within weeks of release, it soared to #1 wine book at Amazon.ca and the #2 one at Amazon.com, and received rave reviews in such eminent dailies as Los Angeles Times and The Chicago Tribune. Available at bookstores everywhere. Watch the trailer at www.wine-tribune.com

Best Buy Red for Less Than $10

admin — Fri, 22 Jul 2011 23:31:08 +0000

By Carolyn Evans Hammond, July 22, 2011.

The other week, I reviewed the Barefoot range of wines. It was a fun little exercise that revealed some good values for that mid-week quaff, backyard barbecue, or lazy evening at the cottage or beach house.

I recall the sweet little Moscato being a killer dessert wine for the money–perfect to chill down and have with the cheese course.

Also in the best buy category was the Merlot—a dry but berry-rich attack of sun-drenched black and red cherry, wild blueberry, raspberry and dark chocolate. But I’m not sure that’s my favourite red of the range anymore.

Enter Barefoot Zinfandel.

Apparently, thanks to some Facebook friends who brought it to my attention, I failed to include this variety in last month’s tasting so I called the PR gal and asked her send me a bottle to sample. She sent two. Nice.

The bottles sat on my credenza for ages while I, well, never mind. I opened one this week, and it’s outstanding for the money. Tasted blind, you’d never guess it costs less than a tenner.

For me, the bold attack is disarmingly appealing, but it’s the mouthfeel that’s most compelling. Think smooth black forest fruits nuanced with smoke and vanilla, then a little crushed velvet rub on the finish. Charming.

Go grab a bottle. You won’t be disappointed.

To find a store that carries any of the above wines, go to http://www.wine-searcher.com

WINES FOR THE SUMMER BBQ

admin — Fri, 08 Jul 2011 12:28:21 +0000

By Carolyn Evans Hammond 08/07/11

Hi Carolyn,

Sorry to bother you but thought I would go to the expert. We are having a family gathering on Saturday at our house. What wine would you suggest for BBQ lunch of pulled brisket, pulled pork and pulled turkey - slow cooked with smoke? Rosé? I may steer away from reds entirely due to the new white marble kitchen - maybe one bottle for those who abhor white.

I’m also looking to serve a fresh, light wine for arrivals to get people in the party mood. Thanks.

Cheers,

Michelle Callegari, Toronto, ON

If it were my party, I would stash a Californian Champagne look-a-like and a dry Prosecco in the fridge for two easy aperitif options.

For the Champagne look-a-like, I would go with Mumm Napa Brut Prestige NV (CAN$28/US$21). It’s one of the bottles I turn to for hallmark Champagne flavor and finesse for less. The house of Mumm Champagne in France owns Mumm Napa. And this Brut bubbly is made to the house’s compelling signature style with an added dose of Californian sunshine making it a shade riper. Think aromas and flavors of butter pastry, cooked apple, warm nut, and clean crisp freshness. Dry.

For a reliable Prosecco, go with Santa Margherita Prosecco Superiore Brut Valdobbiadene NV DOCG ($18CAN/$19US). A powdery, talc-like character underpins flavors and aromas of lemon zest, Bosc pear and cashew. Bracing acidity. Dry, restrained and delicate with a light-bodied 11.5% alc. Elegant.

To go with the smoked meats, I love your idea of pouring rosé. You want one that’s not too sweet, quite juicy, and high in acidity to cleanse the palate. Grab some Folie à Deux, Ménage à Trois Rosé 2010 ($18CAN/US$11). It’s a trade favorite and sure to please. My recent tasting note reads: Shining fuchsia in the glass, this attractive and full-on blend of Merlot, Syrah and Gewürztraminer starts with enticing wild berry aromas before racing across the palate with fruit-forward cherry, lychee, rose and strawberry flavours. There’s some sweetness, but it’s well-balanced by a tight seam of acidity to keep things fresh. Final lick of vanilla cream on the finish. Full-bodied with 13.5% alc.

I think you’ll also need to offer a red and white. For the red, do Masi Campofiorin 2007 from Italy (CAN$18/$16US). The primary black cherry and blueberry fruit layered with dried herbal notes and earth will work well with the smoked meat. Bottled Old World charm to appeal to lovers of all things European.

For the white, you’ll need something crisp but full of fruit. Good choice: Stoneleigh Sauvignon Blanc 2010 from Marlborough, New Zealand (CAN$17/US$13). This dry wine hits the palate hard with a lime squirt, cut grass and asparagus attack, and then the flavors linger for ages. Concentrated, quaffable and characterful wine to stand up to the full flavors at play in the meats. Medium-bodied with 13% alc.

Voila.

To find a store that carries any of the above wines, go to http://www.wine-searcher.com

“Penelope says…”

admin — Fri, 01 Jul 2011 10:36:44 +0000

By Carolyn Evans Hammond 01/07/11

I’m slipping you a bit of mild amusement today. I posted the following picture on my Good Better Best Wines Facebook fan page recently with the words: “Caption anyone?” Check out some of the responses:

Where I come from, we sometimes drink in the morning, and we never comb our hair.
Sonoma Elliot, Glastonbury, Connecticut

You call this a pour? Bring me that damn bottle!
Terri Hale French, Huntsville, Alabama

(In a thought bubble:) Maybe gentlemen DO prefer blondes.
Joel Hansen, Lindstrom, Minnesota

Why does Salma always get to play with Antonio?
Cindy Tomczyk, St. Clair Shores, Michigan

Corked.
Jacqueline Malenda, Old Field, New York

Who the eff poured me GAMAY!!
Jennifer DeRidder, North America

He better show up or I am taking the waiter home.
Herman Soloman Jr., Redding, California

I should’ve held out for Keith Urban…
Cindy Tomczyk, St. Clair Shores, Michigan

Today is Canada Day. A bit of a big deal. And the Fourth of July is fast approaching too, which is America’s birthday and my own. So, with lots to celebrate, and Penelope looking so demanding, I’m recommending three crowdpleasers for the long weekend. All of them are widely available, cost less than US$15/$20CAN but could sell for more, and hail from one of the most reliable producers from Australia–Penfolds.

GOOD

Koonunga Hill Chardonnay 2010, Penfolds, South Australia (US$11/CAN$15)
Enticing aromas and flavors of ruby grapefruit, fresh orange, lemon and lime swirl around in this refreshing wooded chardonnay. The judicious use of oak infuses each sip with a rich note of vanilla bean and nut. Roasted hazelnut and almond resonate on the finish. Medium to full-bodied with 13% alc.

BETTER

Koonunga Hill Cabernet Sauvignon 2009, Penfolds, South Australia (US$11/CAN$17)
Blackcurrant liqueur aromas lead flavors of the same threaded through with notes of dark chocolate and black cherry. A tug of tannin anchors elegant fruit layered with oak, black pepper. and black olive. More of a well-balanced food wine than fruit-bomb. Medium to full-bodied with 13.5% alc.

BEST

Koonunga Hill Shiraz Cabernet 2008, Penfolds, South Australia (US$13/CAN$16)
You really can’t go wrong with this bottle. It’s got everything: a silky-smooth mouthfeel, tonnes of rich-ripe mouthcoating fruit, and more complexity and finesse than the price might suggest. Juicy flavors of mixed macerated berries and stewed plum wink and nod toward bonfire, warm wood, black pepper, and melting chocolate before tapering to a long lingering finish that draws you back. Full-bodied with 13.5% alc.

To find a store that carries any of the above wines, go to http://www.wine-searcher.com

GOOD BETTER BEST–AND BEST TO AVOID–BAREFOOT WINES

admin — Fri, 24 Jun 2011 05:00:28 +0000

By Carolyn Evans Hammond, 24/06/11.

While wine snobs with raised pinkies are buying, swirling and sniffing the wines that cost two arms and a leg per bottle and are tediously hard to find, the rest of North America is just drinking wine. Popular big-brand wine. Inexpensive wine. But is all inexpensive wine cheap, vile swill?

It’s hard to tell when a disproportionate amount of wine criticism focuses on big-ticket, small-scale wines in infinite detail.

Frankly, one reason relatively little ink has been spilled on big brands is that there’s a stigma attached to them. Among many wine critics and connoisseurs, they’re seen as less interesting. Too commercial. Too generic. Too industrial—as if quantity has an inverse relationship with quality, which of course it doesn’t. Single-note wines are made by big and small producers, but still this stigma persists.

Among some wine critics, it’s even believed big brands are simply a means for driving shareholder value, leading to marketing that overpromises and bottles that underdeliver. Though this is the case sometimes, it’s certainly not always true. It makes better business sense to do the opposite: use economies of scale to make wines that overperform at each price point then fan awareness with honest marketing.

Sure, big brands use economies of scale to muscle into the market, and it tugs at the heart to watch cold, hard market forces squeeze out smaller winemakers. With little money to toss toward marketing, merchandising, and advertising and without the quantities of wine or dollars needed to secure wide distribution, the little guy loses and the big guy wins—simple as that.

It’s especially difficult for wine critics to watch this happen when we spend much time visiting smaller winemakers, seeing the dirt under their fingernails, feeling the grip of passion behind their words, and appreciating their daily struggle with those gnarled vines to produce wines of beauty, place and often pedigree. On some level, it’s hard not to fall in love with these producers when they charm you with their honest lifestyle, take you into their homes, make you food, and court you with their most treasured wines.

But the people behind the big brands work hard too and their wines couldn’t be successful without consumer consent—without making wine that people like to drink, can find on the shelves, and count on for pleasure. Lower-priced big brands are there to turn to as reliable, go-to wines for Wednesday’s pasta, Friday’s hamburgers, or that upcoming wedding reception for 100 of your closest friends and family.

Trouble is, with relatively little criticism focused on branded wines, it’s hard to know which bottles to buy–which was why I wrote Good Better Best Wines–the first book to rank bestselling wines by grape variety and price up to $15US. And it soared to bestseller within weeks of release.

I’m not afraid to critique big brand wines. I taste them technically to assess quality—are they clean, balanced, and correct for their variety and style? Do they offer good value for the price? This doesn’t mean I don’t appreciate a first growth Bordeaux or vintage Champagne but there’s a time, place, and market for all categories of wine and to argue otherwise is snobbery.

So this week, I tasted the Barefoot Wine range to reveal the good, better, best–and best to avoid. Barefoot Wine doesn’t pretend to be fancy. It’s made to appeal to drinkers looking for an unpretentious, tasty, good value quaff who prefer a touch of sweetness in their wines. And right now the brand is huge.

Last year, Americans bought about 100 million bottles of Barefoot and Canadians bought nearly six million. These aren’t wines people buy and go, meh, and don’t buy again. They’re repeat purchases. The numbers bear that out. Plus, the wines are not just stocked at little out-of-the-way wine boutiques; they’re among the most widely available bottles in North America.

So here we go.

Good
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Barefoot Bubbly Pinot Grigio ($8US/$13CAN)
Cool, clean, crisp attack of Golden Delicious apple and honeydew melon. Not terribly complex but certainly balanced and refreshing with a pretty floral finish. Decent mid-afternoon drink, perhaps on the dock. Light-bodied with 12.5% alc.
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Barefoot Chardonnay ($6US/$10CAN)
Attractively flinty nose leads to clean, juicy flavors of mixed citrus edged with honey and vanilla. Best served well-chilled, maybe with a spot of chicken and Caesar salad. Medium-bodied with 13.5% alc.
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Better
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Barefoot Pinot Grigio($6US/$10CAN)
Pinot Grigio lovers take note. Here’s a ripe little number teeming with red grapefruit, lemon-lime, and white peach. Powdery white blossom finish. Dry but not bone-dry. Honest value aperitif or cocktail alternative. Medium-bodied with 13% alc.
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Barefoot White Zinfandel ($6US/$10CAN)
Shatteringly fresh like a summer rainfall, this pinky-orange wine with sweet watermelon aromas washes over the tongue with flavors of rosewater, pineapple, orange pear and cantaloupe. Relatively refined for a White Zin, frankly. Sweet stuff that finishes clean and dry due to mouthwatering acidity. Perfect for those who like fruity drinks. Light-bodied with 9.5% alc.�
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Barefoot Shiraz ($6US/$10CAN)
Clean, smooth and full of fruit, this wine swells with blackberry jam and stewed plum before arcing and tapering to smoke, peppercorn and macerated berries. Silky and round but appropriately structured. Easy choice for grilled ribs. Full-bodied with 13.5% alc.
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Best

Barefoot Merlot ($6US/$10CAN)
Aromas of homemade blueberry pie lead to a dry but berry-rich attack of sun-drenched black and red cherry, wild blueberry, raspberry and dark chocolate. Swings from cocktail alternative to versatile, mid-week food wine for everything from pepper steak with fried onions to meatloaf and mashed potatoes. Full-bodied with 13.5% alc.
�
Barefoot Moscato ($6US/$10CAN)
The label is right; this wine is deliciously sweet—but balanced with lemon-squirt acidity so it doesn’t cloy. Aromas and flavors of wildflowers and rose, luscious apricot, and succulent citrus oil. Incredible value wine to serve with dessert or the cheeseboard—or as dessert itself. While this wine’s viscosity makes it taste quite full-bodied, it’s light in alcohol with 9% alc.
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Barefoot Moscato Spumante ($8US/$13CAN)
This is a sweet bubbly wine—make no mistake. But again the residual sugar is balanced with bracing acidity and satisfyingly intense flavor (cantaloupe, orange, honey and rose) with a lingering kiss of honeysuckle. Chill it down and pour it one Sunday afternoon with fresh goat cheese and a selection of other mild cheeses. For the money, very good value. Light-bodied with 9.5% alc.
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Best to Avoid

Barefoot Sauvignon Blanc ($6US/$10CAN)
Not enough varietal character. Single note, neutral and non-descript vinousness. Nah. You can do better than this.
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Barefoot Cabernet Sauvignon ($6US/$10CAN)
There are a lot of undervalued Cabernet Sauvignons out there, but this is not one of them. Slightly stalky texture, hollowish mid-palate, and one-dimensional flavor profile disappoints.�
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To find a store that carries any of the above wines, go to http://www.wine-searcher.com

Join Carolyn’s Facebook wine club here.
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To order her latest book from Amazon.com, click here.

ONLY IN CANADA, EH?

admin — Fri, 17 Jun 2011 16:19:38 +0000

By Carolyn Evans Hammond Friday, June 17, 2011

Canada spins out some terrific summer sippers, but you need to know which bottles to buy. So this week, the focus lies north of the border with the good, better, best Canadian whites under $15.

The bottles recommended this week are pretty much only available in Canada, balancing last week’s piece on flipflop wines in the U.S. Next week, I’ll review the ubiquitous Barefoot range.

GOOD

Konzelmann Estate Winery, Riesling 2008, Niagara Peninsula VQA, ON, Canada (CAN$12)
Tart lime and lilac aromas lead to seriously mouthwatering flavours of Granny Smith apple and lime juice before returning to lilacs. Lovely. Off-dry but incredibly crisp giving the illusion of bone dryness. Killer match for spicy chicken skewers with a Thai peanut sauce.

BETTER

Mike Weir Riesling 2008, Niagara-on-the-Lake VQA, ON, Canada (CAN$14.95)
Good quality wine. Classic lime zest style with firm seam of acidity supporting ripe extract. Lime and apricot flavours, a slick mouthfeel, and a cool, steely finish. Slight petrol notes breaking through. Balanced, light-to-medium bodied, and slightly sweet but balanced with bracing acidity. Lovely aperitif but also sublime with seared scallops.

BEST

Mission Hill Five Vineyards Sauvignon Blanc 2010, Okanagan Valley VQA , BC, Canada ($14.95)
Quite a polished number for the price. Grassy notes underpin fetching flavours of kiwi, pear, and lemon-lime. Zesty, dry, and crisp with considerable length. Stylish choice for goat cheese salad with walnuts.

GOOD BETTER BEST FLIPFLOP WINES

admin — Fri, 10 Jun 2011 12:07:03 +0000

By Carolyn Evans Hammond Friday, June 10, 2011

Americans have access to some great quality wines at ridiculously low prices. The latest out of the gate is the flipflop range. Retailing for US$7 or less and now available in every state, flipflop wines offer solid value much of the time.

I tasted the range and squirreled out the good, better, and best of the bunch. My three selections make great casual quaffs to keep stowed in the fridge this summer. Sadly, they’re not available in Canada yet, but hopefully they will be soon. Canadians: Might be about time for a cross-border wine run, no?

GOOD

Flipflop Washington Riesling 2010
If you like honey dew melon and cantaloupe, this wine is for you. That’s exactly what it tastes like, with that vinous kick of course. Nice aperitif or accompaniment to spicy fare.

BETTER

Flipflop California Moscato 2010
Arresting aromas of honeyed orange, spiced peach and apricot lead to a sweet but bracing attack resonating with flavors of the same. This delicious wine is the perfect finish to a casual lunch in the garden. Chill it down and pour with the lemon pound cake, the cheeseboard, or the grilled pineapple slices.

BEST

Flipflop California Pinot Grigio 2010
The floral and key lime aromas are quite fetching, I find. Then, a compelling charge of electric lime, white grapefruit and tart tangerine races across the palate with some sea salt and fresh herb underpinnings. Nice. Quite concentrated and complex for the price. Drink it on its own, with goat cheese salad, or roast chicken. Expect this will be a runaway success. Snap it up.

GOOD BETTER BEST WINES BY FRANCIS FORD COPPOLA, DIRECTOR OF “THE GODFATHER”

admin — Fri, 03 Jun 2011 10:18:59 +0000

By Carolyn Evans Hammond Friday, June 3, 2011

Good
Francis Coppola Diamond Chardonnay Gold Label 2009, Monterey County, CA ($20CAN/$13US)
Buttered apple nose leads to juicy apple, cantaloupe and peach flavours with hint of cream. Glossy mouthfeel.
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Better
Francis Ford Coppola Director’s Cut Chardonnay 2009, Russian River Valley, Sonoma, CA ($29CAN, through Lifford Wine Agency/$21US)
Almonds, gravel and white pepper lace stewed pear fruit and apple. Refined. Salty-stony finish.
�
Best
Rubicon Estate Niebaum Coppola RC Reserve Syrah 2008, Rutherford, CA ($85CAN, through Lifford Wine Agency/$36US)
Loved this wine. So fetching. Blood aromas lead to a clean, meaty flavour imbued with stewed cherry, warm wood, licorice and black pepper. Black olive finish.

Special Note for Canadian Readers

Inniskillin Pinot Noir 2010, VQA Niagara, ON, may be the finest $15 Canadian red wine i’ve ever tasted. Could sell for twice the price, easily. Clean, fresh, wild strawberry and raspberry aromas and flavours edged with the slightest whisper of beetroot creates a sassy, easy-to-love pour. Impeccable varietal character, stylish finesse, and silky mouthfeel. Magic.