Canadian Sommelier, On-Air (TV, radio) Wine & Spirits Somm, Valpolicella Wine Specialist
Ottawa, Canada September 2023: Matt’s review: Renato Keber is a renowned winery located in northeastern Italy’s Collio DOC wine region along the Slovenian border. If you’re not familiar with this region or producer, take note as they produce some of the most complex and sought after white wines in Italy making them difficult to source... Continue Reading →
2019 Monterey Pinot is very approachable with impressive complexity on the nose and palate, something you don’t always get that this price point. Look for cherry, raspberry, plum, fragrant herbs with a subtle earthiness and flinty minerality on the nose and palate. Ripe, refreshing, and polished, it’s showing beautifully now and will be great over the next few years paired alongside braised grouse with bacon and sage, grilled pork tenderloin with a cherry compote, or wood-fired Margherita pizza. All great pairings with this value-priced Pinot. Tasted September 2023. 92 points.
A wine I suspect many will love given it's profile and price. Highly recommend checking out this new release from Tom Gore Vineyards and see for yourself. $19.95 at LCBO.
The most elegant and impressive vintage of this wine I recall tasting in the last five years.
When it comes to premium Pinot and Chardonnay in the Okanagan, I've always found the vineyards in the centre of the Okanagan, along the Naramata Bench and in Okanagan Falls, consistently produce the finest expressions. One of those top producers in Okanagan Falls is Meyer Family Vineyards. Last fall I had the pleasure of visiting JAK Meyer and the team at Meyer Family Vineyards in Okanagan Falls, British Columbia, Canada. It had been ~5 years since I last visited so it was a real treat to be back in Okanagan Falls sampling JAKs wines from their OK Falls and Naramata Bench vineyards.
Rosehall Run's single vineyard 'Righteous Dude' Riesling hails from the Nedelko Vineyard on the Twenty Mile Bench of the Niagara Peninsula. A cold winter saw a reduction of crops in 2022, but those low yields brought great concentration, structure, and balance to the 2022 vintage. Fresh and expressive, this Riesling shows fragrant stone fruit, pear, lychee, and honey on the nose. Repeat on the crisp and off-dry palate with honey, pear, and refreshing minerality persisting. A terrific single vineyard Riesling which will complement a wide range of dishes, especially spicy fare, hors d'oeuvres, Autumn fare, and artisanal cheese boards. Enjoy now and over the next five years. Tasted August 2023. 91 points. Matt Steeves - http://www.quercusvino.ca
First impressions of this single vineyard Sauvignon Blanc from @hiddenbench … wow! Béton (as in concrete vessel fermented and aged) and sourced from the Rosomel Vineyard on Ontario’s Beamsville Bench. Expressive, lovely lemon grass, pear, lemon meringue, floral, flinty minerality, and superbly balanced. Certified organic, and absolutely delicious! Bravo @hiddenbench ! Tasted August 2023. 93 points. Matt Steeves - http://www.quercusvino.ca
Ottawa, ON August 2023 Matt's review: Rosehall Run’s top tier Pinot Noir, St. Cindy, makes it's debut for the incredible 2020 vintage. Remarkably fresh, complex, and elegant, the nose shows raspaberry, cherry, herbs, wet stone minerality, some tobacco and rose petals. Superbly balanced with fine silky tannins and refreshing acidity, with field berries, spice, and... Continue Reading →
Ottawa, ON August 2023 Matt's review: Achaval Ferrer’s Quimera 2019 is a fresh and elegant blend of low yield vineyards from some of the finest high altitude vineyards in Mendoza, Argentina, at the foot of the magestic Andes. A blend of 59% Malbec, 16% Cabernet Franc, 13% Merlot, 9% Cabernet Franc, and 3% Petit Verdot,... Continue Reading →
Cloudsley Cellars has crafted a wonderful Pinot Noir that showcases the best of the region's terroir and winemaking expertise.
Quercus Vino 