Tag: Okanagan

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. 

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wine review: Hester Creek Cabernet Sauvignon 2022, Okanagan Valley, BC, Canada

The 2022 vintage presented challenges, yet it resulted in fruit of exceptional quality. Hester Creek's 2022 Cabernet Sauvignon showcases the remarkable potential of this variety in the southern Okanagan. Despite a cooler-than-usual spring, the extended growing season allowed the fruit to fully ripen, with some even slightly withering on the vine. This extended maturation resulted in a beautifully balanced and harmonious Cabernet with impressive aromatic and flavor complexity. The wine reveals a deep ruby color, with a nose offering fragrant dark fruits, sweet spices, dried fruits, cassis, forest floor, and a hint of graphite. On the palate, dark fruits, spices, and herbal notes persist, leading to a long, lingering finish. The tannins are exceptionally soft and well-integrated, a true testament to both the terroir and winemaking expertise. Tasted over two days, the wine showed even greater harmony and enjoyment on day two. Best enjoyed between 2025 and 2035, with decanting recommended before serving. Tasted January 2025. 93+ points. Matt Steeves - http://www.quercusvino.ca

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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 →

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Wine review: Poplar Grove Pinot Noir 2022

Ottawa, ON July 2024 Matt’s review: Pinot Noir from the Okanagan Valley’s Naramata Bench can be absolutely incredible as they have great terroir for producing expressive terroir-driven wines thanks to the mineral rich soils, varying elevations and west facing aspects, northen latitude with long days, significant diurnal temperature differences, and of course the moderating effects... Continue Reading →

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Wine review: Hester Creek “The Judge” 2021, Golden Mile Bench, Okanagan Valley, BC, Canada

The Judge 2021 is a deep ruby colour with slight garnet hue, the nose shows dark plum, black berries, dark cherry, savoury desert herbs, cedar, earth, and graphite. The palate shows great intensity of flavour with refreshing plum, fine integrated dusty tannins, with savoury dark fruit, spice, and pepper persisting on the long textured finish. A serious wine that beautifully showcases the unique vintage characteristics from this esteemed Golden Mile Bench estate. Enjoy over the next decade with rosemary and garlic grilled lamb chops or Parmesan crusted steak skewers. Tasted July 2024 and July 2025. 94 points. Matt Steeves - http://www.quercusvino.ca

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