Tag: wine tasting

Amarone 2021: Valpolicella’s Living Culture and the Standout Wines of the Vintage

The 2021 vintage does not present a single, uniform style. There are traditional and firmly tannic expressions, fragrant wines filled with regional herbs and red fruit, and darker examples built around dried dark fruits, graphite and balsamic complexity. The best share a more important quality: proportion. Fruit concentration is matched by freshness. Alcohol is present but rarely becomes the wine’s sole defining feature. Appassimento adds depth without consistently pushing the wines into heaviness. Even among the most powerful examples, the more successful producers have preserved movement, aromatic clarity and a sense that the wines will continue to evolve rather than merely soften. Seen through the six symbols of the masterclass, 2021 becomes more than another Amarone release. It demonstrates how vineyard architecture, grape selection, drying conditions, fermentation, maturation and inherited cultural knowledge all contribute to the finished wine. Valpolicella is no longer most accurately explained through simple oppositions: power versus elegance, tradition versus modernity, or technique versus terroir. Its identity lies in the relationships between its wines and in the decisions, rituals and accumulated wisdom connecting them. The 2021 Amarone vintage shows that concentration and elegance need not be opposites. When every stage is handled with precision and restraint, each can make the other more compelling. Full details at http://www.quercusvino.ca #Amarone #Anteprima #Valpolicella #Italy #Sommelier #Wine #TopRated #MustTry #WineAficionado #Verona #AmaronePreview #Cellarworthy #Backupthetruck #Winetime #2021Amarone #Corvina #LakeGarda #OperaPrima #Anteprima #WineCollecting #Cellaring #Consorzio

Etna: Sicily’s Paradox of Fire and Freshness

High on the slopes of Mount Etna, Mediterranean sunshine, mountain elevation, ancient vines and successive layers of volcanic lava converge to produce some of Italy’s most distinctive wines. Exploring Etna during Sicilia en Primeur, I discovered the remarkable diversity of Nerello Mascalese and Carricante, the increasingly precise expression of individual contrade, and an appellation whose quality now extends far beyond a handful of celebrated producers. Etna’s wines may be born from fire, but they are defined by freshness, elegance and an extraordinary sense of place.

wine review: Kirby Estate Single Vineyard Merlot 2022 – Niagara-on-the-Lake VQA

Kirby Estate continues to demonstrate why the western reaches of Niagara-on-the-Lake, bordering the Four Mile Creek sub-appellation, are capable of producing some of Canada's most compelling Merlot. Here, warm days, moderating lake influences, and mineral-rich lacustrine silt and sandy loam soils consistently deliver full phenolic ripeness while preserving the vibrant acidity that gives Niagara's finest wines their unmistakable freshness. It is a terroir uniquely suited to crafting both expressive, age-worthy red wines and elegant, mineral-driven Chardonnay. The 2022 Estate Merlot reflects the remarkable concentration of this exceptionally low-yielding vintage. Aromas of graphite, crushed raspberry and a medley of dark berries mingle with hints of menthol, sweet baking spice and wet stone minerality. The palate is fresh, energetic and beautifully composed, balancing ripe dark fruit with lively acidity and finely integrated tannins. Nineteen months in a combination of new and neutral Burgundian oak provides subtle complexity without overshadowing the purity of the fruit. The finish is long, refreshing and distinctly mineral, leaving an impression of elegance rather than weight. While the monumental 2020 Signature Merlot showcased just how profound Niagara Merlot can become in an exceptional vintage, the 2022 Estate Merlot offers a more restrained and classically proportioned expression, emphasizing precision, freshness and site transparency. It is another outstanding example of the remarkable quality emerging from Kirby Estate. Tasted July 2026.  95 points. Matt Steeves – http://www.quercusvino.ca

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wine review: Kirby Estate Chardonnay 2022 – Niagara-on-the-Lake VQA

Kirby Estate Chardonnay 2022 While Niagara-on-the-Lake has earned its reputation for producing expressive, ripe red wines, it shines just as brightly with medium to full-bodied cool-climate Chardonnay. At Kirby Estate, the combination of mineral-rich lacustrine silt soils, warm days, cool nights and the moderating influence of Lake Ontario consistently yields fruit that achieves exceptional phenolic ripeness while retaining the vibrant natural acidity that defines the region's finest white wines. The exceptionally low-yielding 2022 vintage has produced a Chardonnay of remarkable concentration, elegance and precision. Aromas of ripe yellow apple, pear and white orchard fruit are layered with delicate baking spice, subtle hints of toasted brioche and pronounced seashell minerality. The palate is silky and beautifully textured, the result of full malolactic fermentation and twenty months in second-fill Damy Vosges Burgundian oak, yet remains vibrant and energetic. Ripe orchard fruit, citrus and crushed stone unfold across the palate before giving way to a long, mineral-driven finish that lingers with freshness and finesse. The restrained élevage allows the exceptional fruit and distinctive terroir to take centre stage, resulting in a Chardonnay that recalls the balance and understated elegance of fine white Burgundy while remaining unmistakably Niagara. Another beautifully composed wine from Kirby Estate that reinforces the estate's growing reputation as one of Niagara's premier ultra-premium producers. Drink: 2026-2036+. Tasted July 2026. 94 Points Matt Steeves - http://www.quercusvino.ca

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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.

Volta Estate Winery — Prince Edward County’s New Visionary

Prince Edward County has never lacked for ambition, but Volta Estate Winery represents something altogether different — a bold, design-forward newcomer poised to reshape the region’s premium wine landscape. As the newest kid on the block in Hillier, Volta arrives with both serious intent and a long-term vision that extends well beyond the glass.

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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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Wine review: Benjamin Bridge Underwater Quest NV Brut Rosé

This is a compelling sensory example demonstrating that underwater cellaring is not merely theatrical but, when executed with precision, can serve as a legitimate élevage method, influencing structural tension, mousse density, aromatic restraint, and preservation of freshness. Excellent now, but also a prime candidate for medium-term evolution under cork. Enjoy 2025-2035. Tasted November 2025. 94+ points. Matt Steeves – http://www.quercusvino.ca

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Collectible Amarone: The Top Wines of the 2020 Vintage

Collectible Amarone: The Top Wines of the 2020 Vintage - A First Look at Amarone 2020: A Vintage of Elegance, Energy & Exceptional Balance. Full details at http://www.quercusvino.ca #Amarone #Anteprima #Valpolicella #Italy #Sommelier #Wine #TopRated #MustTry #WineAficionado #Verona #AmaronePreview #Cellarworthy #Backupthetruck #Winetime #2020Amarone #Corvina #LakeGarda #OperaPrima #Anteprima #WineCollecting #Cellaring #Consorzio

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