Ottawa, ON September 2018 Matt's review: Black Sage Vineyard 2015 Merlot: Deep ruby red, the nose shows dark plum, stewed cherries, mocha, smoky notes, and its namesake in spades, Black Sage - a hallmark of fine Okanagan Merlot. Silky smooth and very inviting with layers of dark chocolate, plum, and black cherry persisting on the... Continue Reading →
wine review: Featherstone Cuvée Joy Rosé
Saskatchewan, Canada August 2018 Matt's review: Featherstone's Cuvée Joy Rosé is a fine example of the mineral-driven premium traditional method sparkling wines that Featherstone Winery is producing on the Twenty Mile Bench. Delicate strawberry, cherry, and rhubarb notes are supported by refreshing red fruit acidity and limestone minerality on the finish. Paired beautifully with watermelon, feta,... Continue Reading →
#wine review: Thorn Napa Valley Merlot
Ottawa, ON August 2018 Matt's review: Thorn Merlot sources their grapes from acclaimed vineyards throughout the world famous Napa Valley. A blend of 77% Merlot with Malbec and Syrah providing additional structure and complexity, this wine is big, juicy, and incredibly luscious. The nose shows spicy raspberry, plum, currant, black cherry, hickory smoke and cedar. The... Continue Reading →
93 pts #wine review: Icellars 2016 Cabernet Sauvignon from NOTL, ON – $60 winery direct
Ottawa, ON April 2018 Matt's review: 2016 was the warmest vintage ever recorded in Niagara, which resulted in the grapes at Icellars' Icel Vineyard being able to hang on the vines until November 17 and be picked at 26.2 brix with full phenolic and flavour ripeness and great acidic structure. Icellars Cabernet Sauvignon is a... Continue Reading →
Women in Wine event in Toronto – a great Mother’s Day gift for any wine lover!
May 5 in Toronto, join four wonderful female wine personalities from some of the world's famous wine regions, including Champagne France, Napa California, Niagara Ontario, and Mendoza Argentina. I've had the pleasure of meeting Louise Engel of Featherstone Estate Winery as well as Megan Schofield of Robert Mondavi, and they're very dynamic and talented wine... Continue Reading →
91+ pts #wine review: 2015 Ravenswood Lodi County Old Vine Zinfandel
Ottawa, ON March 2018 Matt's review: I love the experience and ritual of opening a bottle of wine to begin a meal and being reminded of how much I enjoy the wines from specific wine regions. In this case it's California wines. Each time I open a Ravenswood wine that sentiment comes to mind... Continue Reading →
Sexy Valentine’s Date Night Wines
February, 2018 Ottawa, ON Today on CTV Morning Live, CTV’s Henry Burris and Sommelier Matt Steeves showcased some sexy wine picks that are perfectly suited for a romantic Valentine’s date night. Check out the full CTV video here. When planning a special Valentine's date night, there are so many terrific wine styles from all over... Continue Reading →
wine reviews: Arterra Chardonnay & Pinot Noir 2016
Ottawa, ON February 2017 I love tasting wines (obviously!) and am always keen to taste new wines in the Ontario market so I can share any new personal favourite wine picks with fellow wine lovers on social media and via my wine segments on CTV. Well earlier this winter I had the pleasure of tasting... Continue Reading →
The perfect #holiday #gift for the #wine lover in your life… a liquid Port Encyclopedia avail @LCBO
Ottawa, ON November 2017 Matt's review: Port, the storied fortified wine from Portugal, is loved by many around the world for its rich and refreshing characteristics that are simply perfect when enjoyed after a fine meal in the company of great friends. Like wine, Port comes in many different styles, each with unique characteristics that... Continue Reading →
Blind Wine Tasting Challenge on @CTVOttMornLive – White? Red? Can anyone tell the difference?
April 17, 2016 Theme: Blind Wine Tasting Challenge on CTV Morning Live… Red? White? Can anyone tell the difference? Today on CTV Morning Live we tried a fun wine tasting challenge. The challenge was to taste a few wines blindfolded and try to guess what’s in the glass. Is it a red, a... Continue Reading →
