Canadian Sommelier, On-Air (TV, radio) Wine & Spirits Somm, Valpolicella Wine Specialist
Today on CTV Morning Live, CTVs Melissa Lamb and Sommelier Matt Steeves showcased some great wines and spirits for ringing in the New Year.
Today on CFRA News Talk Radio, CFRA Patricia Boal and Sommelier Matt Steeves showcased some great wines and spirits for gifting this season as well as enjoying with family and friends over the holidays. These options will suit every palate and budget, including white, red, and sparkling wines too.
The most memorable Orange Wine I tasted in 2023 was from an impressive Italian producer located in the renowned Collio DOC - Primosic's Ribolla Gialla Riserva 2019. This Orange Wine (long skin contact white wine) is a beautiful amber colour, thanks to four weeks of maceration extracting all that colour and flavour from the grape skins and seeds. This long skin contact also is responsible for much of the impressive texture complexity in this impressive wine. Super expressive aromatic profile with apricot, candied mandarin, tomato leaf, and balsamic/resin notes. Medium+ body, this super textured wine has beautiful refreshing mineral and stone fruit driven finish that highlights the rich Collio terroir that produces some of Italy's finest wines. This reserve-tier Orange Wine is super versatile making great pairings with Asian cuisine, Mediterranean dishes, or traditional holiday roasts. Enjoy around cellar temperature and drink over the next decade. Tasted May 2023. 94 points. Matt Steeves - http://www.quercusvino.ca
Fontanafredda's Serralunga d'Alba Barolo is renowned for its approachability, great structure, and complex aromatic and flavour profile. Ruby with a garnet hue, this 2018 Barolo is showing wonderfully now with loads of red fruit, spice, earthy characteristics, hints of tar and minerality. Fresh, layered, with a long spicy fruit finish, it's showing beautifully now. Enjoy with creamy mushroom risotto with truffles or braised beef. Enjoy 2023-2030. Tasted November 2023. 93 points. Matt Steeves - http://www.quercusvino.ca
St. Hugo has been crafting fine wines since their first vintage in 1980. While Australia's Barossa Valley is renowned for Shiraz, Grenache has gained great attention and become a favourite varietal star as of late, contributing both floral and spicy characteristics in the wines. St. Hugo's GSM, is a blend of Grenache, Shiraz, and Mataro, which brings the best of the Barossa Valley in one elegant and inviting blend. The nose shows delicious dark plum, crushed raspberry, cherry, mocha, floral and graphite minerality notes. The palate highlights its elegant style, this GSM is yummy and light on its feet, showing great elegance and concentration, structure and impeccable balance. 2021 vintage was an exceptional vintage, arguably the best in 20 years, and St. Hugo GSM is a great representation of this fine vintage and one that is showing beautifully now and will shine bright the next 10+ years. Tasted November 2023. 93 points. Matt Steeves - http://www.quercusvino.ca
Matt's review: Deep colour, the nose shows black plum, currant, herbs, spice, and prominent graphite minerality. The palate is fresh with impressive balance. Fine grained and well integrated tannins make this Cabernet ripe to enjoy now and over the next five years with braised dishes, aged cheese, and BBQ burgers alike. Tasted November 2023. 90 points. Matt Steeves - http://www.quercusvino.ca
Cloudsley Cellars is situated on the Twenty Mile Bench in Ontario’s Niagara region, where they produce some of the finest Chardonnay and Pinot Noir you'll taste. Their Twenty Mile Bench Chardonnay, happens to be their non-single vineyard offering, is absolutely delightful! Wow! So harmonious, flavourful, intriguing. Medium-full bodied with refreshing yellow apple, almond croissant, tropical fruit, and sweet banana chip flavours…oak influence adding some further aromatic, flavour, and textural complexity. It’s a love-at-first-sip wine you’ll fall in love with, well if you’re like me you will . Tasted October 2023. 93 points. Matt Steeves - http://www.quercusvino.ca
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.
Cloudsley Cellars has crafted a wonderful Pinot Noir that showcases the best of the region's terroir and winemaking expertise.
2021 Black Sheep Riesling shows crisp yellow apple, pear, wildflower honey, and impressive minerality with subtle petrol notes on the nose. Medium bodied, the palate is creamy with lively acidity, a faint hint of sweetness on the mid palate (a key element of Black Sheep's food pairing magic) disappears as the refreshing and textured orchard fruit and mineral finish persists. This versatile wine makes pairing spicy or tangy foods a breeze whether its BBQ ribs, wings, Pad Thai, or Sweet Chili Heat Doritos - this Black Sheep is a spicy food pairing super star. Enjoy over the next couple years. Tasted June 2023. 90 points. Matt Steeves - http://www.quercusvino.ca
Quercus Vino 