wine review: La Crema Monterey Pinot Noir 2019

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.

wine review: Featherstone Black Sheep Riesling 2021

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

wine review: Le Clos Jordanne Le Grand Clos 2020 Pinot Noir

Planted with Dijon clones from Burgundy, in one of Niagara’s premiere ‘Grand Cru’ quality vineyards, on the Jordan Bench, 2020 vintage marks the fourth since the revival of LCJ in 2019 with the 2017 vintage crafted by Thomas Bachelder. Consistently one of the top quality Pinots in Ontario, the 2020 shows expressive field berries, savoury cherry, dark chocolate, herbs, flint, and wood spice on the nose. Medium bodied, the palate shows refreshing cherry, delicate spices, and great texture with impressive flinty minerality on the long finish. Le Grand Clos wines are well suited to enjoy youthful, and will evolve beautifully over a decade, perhaps longer. Tasted April 2023. 93 points. Matt Steeves - http://www.quercusvino.ca

wine review: Culmina No. 18 Süsser Riesling 2020

Ottawa, ON November 2022 Matt's review: Culmina's No. 18 Süsser Riesling 2020 is very unique offering that's part of their winemaker's small lot experimental series. 2020 Süsser Riesling No. 18 is sourced from Margaret's Bench Vineyard high up on the slopes of the Golden Mile Bench. Winemaker Jean-Marc Enixon stopped fermentation when the optimal balance... Continue Reading →

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