Canadian Sommelier, On-Air (TV, radio) Wine & Spirits Somm, Valpolicella Wine Specialist
Ottawa, ON April 2018 Matt's review: Icellars are producing some of Canada's finest wines, from their boutique Niagara-On-The-Lake winery. Their 2016 Chardonnay (130 cases produced), from their Icel (estate) Vineyard, displays a light gold colour, revealing baked apple, tart pineapple, melon, croissant, white floral aromas, and minerality on the nose. Medium bodied and remarkably fresh, this... Continue Reading →
Ottawa, ON April 2018 Matt's review: From the renowned Coonawarra wine region in South Australia, The Yearling Cabernet Sauvignon shows remarkable maturity and complexity on the nose with plum, mulberry, pepper, eucalyptus, leather and grilled brisket. The palate is dry with black cherry and fine grained dark chocolate persisting on the finish. Impressive structure that... Continue Reading →
Ottawa, ON April 2018 Matt's review: The Yearling Sauvignon Blanc, from South Australia's Coonawarra wine region, is a very ripe and refreshing wine that's perfectly suited for enjoying throughout the spring and summer. Very aromatic with sweet pear, lime, lemongrass, and a hint of minerality on the nose, while the palate offers mouthwatering acidity with... Continue Reading →
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 →
The Robert #Mondavi ToKalon Fume Blanc was released @LCBO a couple weeks ago… this is a must try wine for anyone that appreicates fine white wines.
Ottawa, ON
February 2018
Matt’s reivew: The provenance of Robert Mondavi’s Fumé Blanc Reserve is some of the finest Grand Cru quality vineyards in North America, being the world-renowned To Kalon Vineyard in Napa Valley’s Oakville AVA. A blend of 98% Sauvignon Blanc and 2% Semillon sourced entirely from To Kalon Vineyard, where some of the Sauvignon Blanc vines date back to 1945, with the balance planted in 1959, 1994, and 1999, making them some of the oldest and renowned in North America. The vines are nestled beside Opus One and Beckstoffer vines, and neighbouring Harlan Estate, needless to say, many of the finest wines in California come from this storied micro region which is known to deliver perfect (or near perfect) scoring wines vintage after vintage. 2013 happened to be a fantastic vintage with optimally ripened fruit allowing for an early harvest which was wrapped up by the end…
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Ottawa, ON Matt's review: Altivo Dão DOC white 2017: This fresh, fruity, and fragrant wine from one of the most storied wine regions in Portugal, the Dão DOC, is reminiscent of a tropical summer breeze. Very expressive with perfumed floral blossoms, sweet orchard fruit, and citrus notes, with a creamy texture that's kept lively by its... Continue Reading →
Ottawa, ON Matt's review: Wow! What an impressive and super value-priced wine ($17.95)! Did they get the price wrong? Seriously, I think they did! This big blend of Barbera and Nebbiolo from Italy's Langhe DOC region is chalked full rich dark fruit, currant, prune, chocolate, anise, graphite, and black tea. Fine tannins add further textural complexity... Continue Reading →
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 →
Ottawa, ON March 2018 Matt's review: An impressive and super value-priced red blend of Touriga Nacional, Jaen, and Trincadeira from one of the oldest and most storied wine regions in Portugal, the Dão. Rich and fragrant with an inviting bouquet of plum, dark fruit, currant, clove, pepper, smoky bacon, graphite, and a hint of... Continue Reading →
Cais da Ribeira Reserva 2015. This dry Portuguese red blend incorporates some of Portugual's most popular varietals including Touriga Nacional, Touriga Franca, Touriga Barroca, and Tinta Roriz from the Douro region - the world's first demarcated and regulated wine region (1756), which is renowned for their Port production and becoming increasingly recognized for their dry red wines that offer great value as this one does! Deeply coloured, it shows black fruit, dark plum, spice, leather, mushroom, and sous bois. Dry with dusty tannins and mouthwatering acidity that makes this well suited for enjoying with rich dishes such as Portuguese braised steak & onions, or stew with Javali (wild boar) and root vegetables. Tasted March 2018. 89 points. Matt Steeves - http://www.quercusvino.ca
Quercus Vino 