Tag: wine

wine review: St. Hugo GSM 2021

St. Hugo has been crafting fine wines since their first vintage in 1980. While Australia's Barossa Valley is renowned for Shiraz, Grenache has gained great attention and become a favourite varietal star as of late, contributing both floral and spicy characteristics in the wines. St. Hugo's GSM, is a blend of Grenache, Shiraz, and Mataro, which brings the best of the Barossa Valley in one elegant and inviting blend. The nose shows delicious dark plum, crushed raspberry, cherry, mocha, floral and graphite minerality notes. The palate highlights its elegant style, this GSM is yummy and light on its feet, showing great elegance and concentration, structure and impeccable balance. 2021 vintage was an exceptional vintage, arguably the best in 20 years, and St. Hugo GSM is a great representation of this fine vintage and one that is showing beautifully now and will shine bright the next 10+ years. Tasted November 2023. 93 points. Matt Steeves - http://www.quercusvino.ca

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wine review: 1 Mill Road Chardonnay East Kelowna Slopes 2022

1 Mill Road's newest offering in their small portfolio of premium wines is their 2022 Chardonnay from the East Kelowna Slopes sub-GI (Okanagan's newest sub-GI which became official in 2022). Clean, crisp, and elegant, the nose revels citrus, delicate pear, wet stone, subtle spice, and a hint of melon. The palate is bright and lively with an elegant creamy texture. Exceptionally well balanced, the finish is long and bright with delicate orchard fruit and minerality persisting. Enjoy with pan seared halibut with a lemon butter sauce. Tasted October 2023 92 points. Matt Steeves - http://www.quercusvino.ca

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Top Sommelier Recommended Wines for Thanksgiving

Today on CFRA News Talk Radio, CFRAs Patricia Boal and Sommelier Matt Steeves showcased some of their top recommended wines to enjoy this Thanksgiving and throughout Autumn.  From Spanish Cava to Canadian Chardonnay, Riesling, or elegant Ontario Pinot Noir, refreshing Valpolicella Superiore, big and juicy California red blends, Matt’s Autumn-inspired wine recommendations include something for everyone, for every palate, every preference.

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wine review: Cloudsley Twenty Mile Bench Chardonnay 2020

Cloudsley Cellars is situated on the Twenty Mile Bench in Ontario’s Niagara region, where they produce some of the finest Chardonnay and Pinot Noir you'll taste. Their Twenty Mile Bench Chardonnay, happens to be their non-single vineyard offering, is absolutely delightful! Wow! So harmonious, flavourful, intriguing. Medium-full bodied with refreshing yellow apple, almond croissant, tropical fruit, and sweet banana chip flavours…oak influence adding some further aromatic, flavour, and textural complexity. It’s a love-at-first-sip wine you’ll fall in love with, well if you’re like me you will . Tasted October 2023. 93 points. Matt Steeves - http://www.quercusvino.ca

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wine review: 1 Mill Road Home Block Pinot Noir 2020

Matt's review: Nestled in one of the most picturesque settings you'll discover along the Naramata Bench you'll find 1 Mill Road's 'Home Block' vineyard where they produce their impressive Home Block Pinot Noir. This small vineyard is perched on a cliff above the shores of Lake Okanagan with its sun-drenched southwest aspect that encourages great fruit ripening, but it's the sage-lined amphitheater that sets it apart and plays a major role contributing to the unique terroir of this Okanagan Cru vineyard in-the-making. Home Block is planted exclusively with Dijon Clone 115 producing compact clusters that provide impressive aromatic complexity, finesse, structure, and overall balance in the finished wines. 2020 Home Block shows cherry, savoury dark fruits, herbs, dusty rose petals and earthy notes on the nose. A deeply coloured Pinot, with great aromatic intensity and overall structure, it's medium+ bodied with supple tannins - characteristics from both the Dijon 115 clone and the enhanced fruit-ripening features of the Home Block vineyard which protects from early spring frost and ensures full ripening even in the cooler vintages like 2019. The palate shows spicy and savoury fruit with fine grained tannins persisting on the finish. A Pinot Noir to keep your eyes on and one to look for early to ensure you get access to its very small production. Tasted September 2022 and June 2023, 93+ points. Matt Steeves - http://www.quercusvino.ca Look for the next release of Home Block Pinot Noir at 1MillRoad.ca

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wine review: Henkell Crémant de Loire 2016 now at LCBO

From France's Loire Valley, Henkell's Crémant de Loire 2016 is a blend of Chenin (60%), Chardonnay (20%), Pinot Noir (15%), and Cabernet Franc (5%), crafted in the traditional method to produce an elegant, refreshing, and very approachable sparkling wine which is perfect for any occasion. With several years of bottle age it's shinning now with great aromatic, flavour, and textural harmony. Inviting baked apple, pear and orchard fruit characteristics with a fine creamy mousse making this vintage 2016 Crémant de Loire a great choice to enjoy now and over the next couple years with autumn dishes, Lox bagel, canapés, and spicy Asian cuisine. Tasted September 2023

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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.

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