Paraschos, from San Floriano del Collio, in the far north east of Collio, has grown a reputation for producing expressive, bold, skin-fermented wines that don't hold anything back. Their direct press wines are exceptional too, such as the Paraschos 2022 Sauvignon Riserva. Sourced from a new Cru vineyard in their portfolio near Gradis’ciutta, named JZB for Jazbine that means Giasbana, the small part of the village of San Floriano del Collio where the vineyard is located. They waited for the grapes to achieve perfect maturation at harvest, then their low intervention winemaking took over...allowing spontaneous fermentation on wild yeasts (no commercial yeast in their winery), with two years of aging in large Slovenian oak barrels (10-25hl) on fine lees. Bottled without filtration resulting in a super expressive wine, showing ripe fruits, stone fruits, exotic fruits, citrus zest, herbs, and a touch of chamomile tea. This expression of Sauvignon is pure terroir and highlights the ability they have to make world-class wines across their portfolio. This is an intriguing wine that I plan to follow as it evolves over the next decade and as winemaker Jannis Paraschos fine-tunes working with this impressive new Cru vineyard in their portfolio. Tasted February 2025. 95+ points. Matt Steeves - http://www.quercusvino.ca
Raising your elbows and a glass of delicious Canadian wine this Spring – Being patriotic never tasted so good! As aired on CTV – March 31, 2025
Today on CTV, CTVs Stefan Keys, Melissa Lamb, and Sommelier Matt Steeves were tasting an all-Ontario line-up of local wines and spirits which are delicious, crafted right here in Ontario, and are easily accessible winery-direct or at LCBO. With everything going on these days, having some delicious local Canadian wines and spirits is the perfect way to show your national pride and stay refreshed this spring.
Raising your elbows and a glass of delicious Canadian wine this Spring – Being patriotic never tasted so good! As aired on CFRA News Talk Radio – March 28, 2025
Today on CFRA, CFRAs Patricia Boal and Sommelier Matt Steeves were tasting an all-Ontario line-up of local wines and spirits which are delicious, crafted right here in Ontario, and are easily accessible winery-direct or at LCBO. With everything going on these days, having some delicious local Canadian wines and spirits is the perfect way to show your national pride and stay refreshed this spring.
wine review: Checkmate 2021 Little Pawn Chardonnay
Ottawa, ON December 2024 Matt’s review: Checkmate 2021 Little Pawn Chardonnay With each vintage CheckMate further demonstrates their exceptional winemaking artistry highlighting the great potential of the impressive vineyards they work with to craft their world-class wines. While 2021 brought unprecedented challenges during the growing season, the team at CheckMate delivered the consistent high-quality standard... Continue Reading →
Cheers to the New Year! Sommelier Matt Steeves’ Wine Selections for NYE as seen on CTV Morning Live and CFRA News Talk Radio
Today on CFRA News Talk Radio with Patricia Boal, and later on CTV Morning Live, Sommelier Matt Steeves showcased a few of his top rated drinks for the occasion including how to jazz up some delicious sparkling wines by making ‘Champagne Cocktails’ to enjoy this New Year’s Eve.
wine review: Stonebridge Chardonnay 2019, Stonebridge Vineyard, Four Mile Creek VQA
Single vineyard cool-climate Chardonnay like this from Stonebridge is showing the world how great Niagara's terroir and winemaking talent are!
Sommelier Matt Steeves’ wine picks for holiday entertaining – CFRA News Talk Radio
Today on CFRA News Talk Radio, CFRAs Patricia Boal and Sommelier Matt Steeves showcased some of their top recommended wines for entertaining and gifting this holiday season.
wine review: St. Hugo Chardonnay 2023 – Eden Valley, Australia – now at LCBO
St. Hugo Chardonnay stands as a great example of Eden Valley’s cool-climate elegance. From the first encounter, the nose is alive with zesty citrus, delicate stone fruit, and a blend of fresh herbs, melon, and a whisper of pineapple. These aromas are beautifully restrained, leaning towards crisp citrus rather than the heavy tropical fruit notes found in warmer climates. An exceptional expression of Eden Valley, this wine is already impressive, yet it holds the potential to age gracefully over the next decade.
Top Rated 2019 Amarone della Valpolicella Wines
Must try 2019 Amarone della Valpolicella wines! Full details at http://www.quercusvino.ca #Amarone #Anteprima #Valpolicella #Italy #Sommelier #Wine #TopRated #MustTry #WineAficionado #Verona #AmaronePreview #Cellarworthy #Backupthetruck #Winetime #2019Amarone
wine review: Foreign Affair Winery – The Conspiracy 2020
2020 was a great vintage in Niagara and this wine highlights that with delicious fruit and structure. Conspiracy is a blend of 60% Cabernet Sauvignon, 18% Merlot, 15% Petit Verdot, and 7% Cabernet Franc where the base wine is re-passed over their appassimento Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon grapes after they're pressed. This ultimately boosts the wine's body, flavours, and textures, producing a wine with impressive complexity for the price. Look for rich dark fruits, dark cherry, raspberry tarts, herbs, and graphite minerality. Medium-full bodied with a creamy texture, this wine over-delivers on price and quality. Enjoy with BBQ fare, beef tacos, pizza, and hearty stewed dishes too. Tasted September 2024. 90+ points. Matt Steeves - http://www.quercusvino.ca
