Tag: Pinot Noir

World-Class Canadian Wines for Canada Day – As aired on CTV and CFRA – June 19, 2026

Today on CTV Your Morning (and later on CFRA News Talk 580), Sommelier Matt Steeves was presenting some of his top-rated Canadian wines from across the country with special focus on regions such as Prince Edward County, Niagara, and British Columbia’s Okanagan Valley, where wineries are producing wines with freshness, balance, elegance, complexity, and a true sense of place. These are the qualities that define many of the world’s greatest wines, and they are increasingly the qualities wine enthusiasts associate with Canadian wine. These wines highlight why Canada is now recognized as one of the most exciting cool-climate wine-producing countries in the world. The story of Canadian wine in 2026 is no longer about potential. It is about achievement. Ontario and British Columbia have become Canada’s superpowers for world-class wine, but the broader message extends across the country. Canadian wineries are producing wines that are refreshing, balanced, complex, food-friendly, age-worthy, and increasingly sought after by wine enthusiasts across Canada and around the world. From traditional method sparkling wine and elegant Chardonnay to expressive Pinot Noir, distinctive whites, and powerful red blends, Canadian wine has never been better. This Canada Day, support local. Drink Canadian. Explore the wines being produced in our own backyard. And discover why the world is paying more attention to what Canada is putting in the glass.

Sommelier Matt Steeves’ Top Rated Wines of 2025

Each year, a small handful of wines rise unmistakably above the rest—bottles that don’t simply impress, but define what greatness looks like in their place of origin. The top-rated wines I tasted this year from Canada, Champagne, and across Italy represent the absolute pinnacle of craftsmanship, terroir expression, and ambition. These are wines made without compromise, where precision meets emotion, and regional identity is expressed with clarity and confidence. From cool-climate Canadian vineyards delivering finesse and mineral tension, to the timeless brilliance of Champagne, and the profound depth and heritage found throughout Italy’s greatest appellations, these selections stand shoulder-to-shoulder with the world’s finest. Together, they tell a compelling story of what is possible when vision, site, and skill align—wines that proudly showcase the extraordinary heights their regions can achieve on the global stage.

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Special Club Champagne – Terroir and Talent

While many know Champagne through famous houses like Taittinger, Krug, Lanson, Moët & Chandon and Dom Pérignon, there is a growing movement of Récoltants-Manipulants (grower-producers) who farm their own vineyards and craft wines that express their unique terroir. Among the elite is Le Club Trésors de Champagne, a group (currently of) 25 exceptional growers (including the three featured producers below) united by a commitment to quality, authenticity, and terroir expression. Within Le Club, the pinnacle of achievement is the Special Club — a bottle shape and designation reserved only for the very best cuvée(s) each grower produces in outstanding vintages. To be chosen as a Special Club Champagne, a wine must pass multiple blind tastings by a jury of fellow Le Club members and external oenologists, both as a still base wine and also post-second fermentation, generally 3+ years later before the wine is considered for commercial release. If the jury all agree that the wine merits the honour of carrying the Special Club label then it is permitted to be sold as a Special Club Champagne, in the distinctive, slightly antique-shaped bottle first used in 1971, signaling to collectors and connoisseurs that they are holding something rare and something that represents the height of Champagne craftsmanship.

wine review: 1 Mill Road Home Block Pinot Noir 2023, Naramata Bench, Okanagan Valley, BC, Canada

From a warmer, more unpredictable vintage marked by forest fires and dramatic summer weather, the 2023 Home Block Pinot Noir shows impressive clarity and structure despite the challenges. Picked earlier to retain freshness, this single-vineyard wine from Dijon Clone 115 delivers vibrant cherry, wild herbs, graphite, and a distinct Black Sage nuance, reflecting the unique terroir of the sage-lined amphitheatre-shaped vineyard above Lake Okanagan. 25% whole cluster fermentation, a four-day cold soak, and 18 days on skins build depth and fine tannic grip, while 9 months in (28% new) French oak enhances structure without overpowering the generous fruit. Unfined and unfiltered, the purity and concentration shine through, making this a precise and cellar-worthy expression of Naramata Pinot. A step up in intensity from 2022’s elegant frame, this vintage blends power with restraint—an exciting evolution from this emerging Okanagan Cru. Highly recommended. Tasted July 2025. 93+ points. Matt Steeves - http://www.quercusvino.ca

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World-Class Canadian Wines for Canada Day – As aired on CTV – June 30, 2025

Today on CTV Morning Live (and later on CFRA News Talk 580), Sommelier Matt Steeves was presenting some of his top-rated Canadian wines from all across Canada. These are wines which sommeliers across Canada and around the world are raving about the high quality and world-class nature that these wines have, similar to some of the finest wines from more storied wine regions in the world.  But nowadays you don’t need to look far in Canada to find exceptional quality wines that are both locally produced and absolutely delicious! As we prepare to celebrate Canada Day this is one of the best times to explore and enjoy Canadian wine as we’ve come a long way over the past half century and we’ve firmly secured our spot as a great wine-making nation!

wine review: Cloudsley Wingfield Vineyard Chardonnay 2023, Twenty Mile Bench, Niagara Escarpment, Ontario

June 2025 Matt's review: From one of Niagara’s most compelling single vineyards, Cloudsley's 2023 Wingfield Vineyard Chardonnay delivers a stunning expression of cool-climate winemaking and site-specific nuance. The Wingfield Vineyard, planted in 1993 with Clone 76 Chardonnay, lies just uphill from the celebrated Foxcroft Vineyard on the Twenty Mile Bench, yet it carves its own... Continue Reading →

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Wine review: 2024 Noble Ridge Vineyard & Winery “Vilicus” Pinot Grigio from Horse Heaven Hills

Straw-gold colour, the nose offers ripe stone fruit, orchard fruits, spring blossoms, and a hint of wildflower honey, accompanied by a subtle mineral note. On the palate, it's generous, with vibrant flavors of stone fruit, pear, and a touch of citrus zest that lingers on the finish. A delightful wine to enjoy this spring and summer. Tasted May 2025. 90 points. Matt Steeves - http://www.QuercusVino.ca

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Raising your elbows and a glass of delicious Canadian wine this Spring – Being patriotic never tasted so good! As aired on CTV – March 31, 2025

Today on CTV, CTVs Stefan Keys, Melissa Lamb, 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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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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