Canadian Sommelier, On-Air (TV, radio) Wine & Spirits Somm, Valpolicella Wine Specialist
Ottawa, ON December 2018 Matt's review: There's no surprise that this is Washington State's best selling Cabernet at the LCBO, as it offers great value in a very crowd-friendly style. Chalked full of sweet dark fruit, black currant, black cherry, plum and a hint of graphite. Expressive, refreshing, and silky smooth, all the hallmarks of... Continue Reading →
Ottawa, ON November 2018 Matt's review: This beautiful Okanagan blend showcases the strength, elegance, and harmony of Burrowing Owl's premium wines. A blend of 58% Cabernet Sauvignon and 42% Syrah, from Burrowing Owl's estate vineyards on the Black Sage Bench, it's deep and concentrated with layers of dark fruits, sweet spices, and an elegant yet... Continue Reading →
Ottawa, ON November 2018 Matt's review: 2017 Chateau des Charmes' estate grown and bottled Sauvignon Blanc is a fantastic example of the fine mineral-focused Sauvignon Blanc being produced by this iconic Ontario winery. Herbaceous, with fresh tropical and exotic fruits on the nose and palate, the impressive minerality which persists on the finish resembles that... Continue Reading →
Ottawa, ON October 2018 Matt's review: Icellars 2016 Pinot Noir, 150 cases total production from the Icel (estate) Vineyard in beautiful Niagara-on-the-Lake. Inviting sweet spice box aromas with fresh herbs, plum, and cherry notes showing the complexity of the wine from this special vineyard that has been producing nothing short of exceptional wines with each vintage.... Continue Reading →
Ottawa, ON October 2018 Matt's review: Featherstone's Four Feathers blends four cool climate white grapes: Riesling, Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc, and a splash of Gewürztraminer, in one fragrant, creamy, and refreshing wine that's both super versatile and super value priced. Pale straw in colour, it's loaded with sweet orchard and tropical fruits, fragrant floral blossom, and... Continue Reading →
Ottawa, ON September, 2018 Matt's review: Icellars is excelling in the production of high quality red wines, which is earning them a reputation as one of the top fine wine producing wineries in Ontario. Their low production Syrah (145 cases) has a deceiving light ruby red appearance which bursts with expressive strawberry, smoky plum, black... Continue Reading →
Ottawa, ON October 2018 Matt's review: Icellars Wiyana Wanda is a blend of 75% Cabernet Sauvignon, 20% Merlot, and 5% Cabernet Franc, all from their Icel estate vineyards in Niagara on the Lake. Deeply coloured, the nose shows rich dark fruit, dark plum, cassis, black cherry, sweet spices, cedar, and graphite. The palate offers fleshy ripe... Continue Reading →
Ottawa, ON September 2018 Matt's review: Ruffino's Riserva Ducale Oro is produced only in the best vintages, a tradition started in 1947 to showcase the finest fruit from Ruffino's acclaimed vineyards. The 2014 sourced fruit from Ruffino's Gretole, Santedame, and Casavecchia di Cagnano estates in the renowned Castellina subregion of Chianti Classico. Savoury, structured, and delicious,... Continue Reading →
Ottawa, ON September 29, 2018 Matt's review: Burrowing Owl's 2015 Cabernet Franc, from the southern part of British Columbia's pocket desert, the Okanagan Valley, is a deep ruby colour showing rich and concentrated dark plum, black cherry, blueberry pie, grilled peppers, cedar, scorched earth and black sage. Full bodied with great structure, the rich dark fruits,... Continue Reading →
Ottawa, ON September 2018 Matt's review: Black Sage Vineyard 2015 Merlot: Deep ruby red, the nose shows dark plum, stewed cherries, mocha, smoky notes, and its namesake in spades, Black Sage - a hallmark of fine Okanagan Merlot. Silky smooth and very inviting with layers of dark chocolate, plum, and black cherry persisting on the... Continue Reading →
Quercus Vino 