Quercus Vino

Today on CTV Morning Live, CTVs Annette Goerner and Sommelier Matt Steeves showcased their top local wine picks for enjoying this Spring. Wines that pair perfectly with BBQ and patio season! Red, White, and Rosé!

These Sommelier selected wines represent some of the best styles of wines for enjoying this Spring. From patio favourite Rosé, to a world-class Chardonnay, and a tangy Red, these are wines that will resonate with your BBQ fare this Spring and to top it off they’re all locally produced from right here in Ontario!

And if you don’t want to leave your house, no worries, you can order these with a few clicks. Through LCBO, Skip the Dishes/WineRack or winery direct, it has never been this easy to procure quality wines from the comfort of your home.

So here are Sommelier Matt Steeves’ top recommended local wine picks to enjoy this Spring:

Here’s today’s line-up of Sommelier-recommended wines all from the Niagara region in Ontario:

1. Stratus WILDASS Red – $21.95
2. Le Clos Jordanne Le Grand Clos Chardonnay – $44.95
3. Saintly Rosé – $17.95
4. 13^th Street Winery Cuvée Rosé – $29.95

As Spring arrives and BBQ season is now officially upon us, we thought it would be nice to showcase some delicious wines you can source easily from the comfort of your home, and wines that go perfect with the food you’re enjoying on your patio is the sun.  I highly recommend checking out these wines and perhaps enjoying during your next virtual happy hour with friends.

Here are some of my top recommended and readily available Canadian wines I suggest checking out this Spring.

1. Stratus WILDASS Red  – $21.95

Wildass Red combines a who’s who of different grapes each vintage, but whatever the blend, the wine is consistently fruit-forward, bright and savoury, with easygoing tannins. This one comes from the red-varietal-loving 2018 vintage. A great match for gourmet BBQ burgers, pork tenderloin, or beef tacos.  

Stratus has been offering their WildAss Rosé in convenient can format and starting this spring they’ll also be releasing a crisp and refreshing Sauvignon Blanc and their popular WildAss Red too, all in a handy 250ml format. Look for them to arrive at select Vintages stores and winery direct this spring.

And building on the strong fan base WILDASS wines have, they’re going to be releasing convenient single serve can formats for their Red, Rosé, and Sauvignon Blanc. Look for these great wines in Vintages and winery-direct this spring.

2. Le Clos Jordanne Le Grand Clos Chardonnay  – $44.95

The 2017 Le Grand Clos Chardonnay explodes from the glass with ripe tropical fruits, pineapple, baked apple, perfumed spring blossoms, and sweet yet subtle vanilla bean notes. One taste of this fine wine showcases how rich, complex, and unique it is, and serves as a great reminder for how loved Le Grand Clos was in earlier vintages and how much it’s been missed until now! Full bodied and beautifully textured, with zesty citrus, ripe orchard fruit, creamy butter, and toasty lees persisting on the long finish. A great example of what exceptional terroir and skilled winemaking can achieve when they overlap. I greet the return of Thomas Bachelder and Le Grand Clos with open arms and thank him, once again, for showing what’s possible here in Ontario. This is an outstanding expression of Niagara Chardonnay that I’d recommend enjoying over the next decade. A terrific wine to begin a vertical with in anticipation of other great vintages of Le Grand Clos to come. Score – 94. (Matt Steeves, quercusvino.ca, Nov. 2019)

I advocate for enjoying Rosé all year round as it’s super versatile, however, when Spring arrives I all of a sudden find myself even more drawn to this easy to enjoy style of wine, whether it be still or bubbly. Here are a few delicious options to enjoy this Spring:

3. Saintly Rosé  – $17.95 available at WineRack and Skip the Dishes or LCBO

The nose has notes of strawberry, raspberry, peach, and lime, as well as subtle fl oral notes. The palate is clean and crisp with a rich texture and dry finish. Strawberry carries through on the palate with lingering stone fruit notes. Saintly is a versatile wine that pairs well with anything, particularly grilled chicken or fish dishes along with fresh flavorful salads or prosciutto wrapped melon.

4. 13^th Street Winery Cuvée Rosé – $29.95

13th Street Winery Cuvée Rosé is a blend of Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, with a hint of Gamay Noir. Produced in the same labour intensive manner as Champagne, this traditional method sparkling wine offers great value and is a go-to for many when looking for a fine bubbly. Dry with lively acidity and a fine palate cleansing mousse, it has lovely field berries, cran-apple, strawberry shortcake/biscuit, and mineral notes. Perfect as an aperitif, or on it’s own, and made even better with smoked salmon, charcuterie plates, or fresh garden salads with strawberries. Such a versatile wine and terrific value for a traditional method sparkling wine. Enjoy now or cellar for a few extra years.

Tasted March 2015, January 2016, April 2017, August 2019, April 2021. A consistent 91 points each tasting. Matt Steeves – http://www.quercusvino.ca

Here’s wishing you a safe and enjoyable Spring filled with lots of tasty wines! Highly recommend checking out some of the many great Canadian wineries this spring!

Cheers,

Matt

Matt Steeves –  Sommelier, Wine Writer, and Director with the National Capital Sommelier Guild (www.sommelierguild.com)  Follow Matt on Twitter @QuercusVino  and check out  www.mattswinepicks.com for his top wine and spirits picks.