L'Acadie Vineyards, Nova Scotia

Hey Fellow Winos

I was fortunate enough to head to Nova Scotia wine country with a fellow new CAPS certified Sommelier, Billy. We spent 3 days, 2 nights exploring what N.S. wine country had to offer and trust me, we were both impressed. 

We flew to Halifax from Toronto, rented a car and drove one-hour north-west to Wolfville. This was in the heart of the Gaspereau Valley which is a subregion of the much larger Annapolis Valley. 

It is located in the western part of the Nova Scotia peninsula, formed by a trough between two parallel mountain ranges along the shore of the Bay of Fundy. What makes the Annapolis valley special is its ability to warm up and grow fruit, specifically grapes. Most of the wineries are located at the north-east tip of the valley on the Minas Basin, a part of the Bay of Fundy. This basin helps to bring in moderating air which helps to keep things cool on hot days and warm on cool nights. 

Did you know Nova Scotia has a long and rich tradition for growing grapes for wine dating back to the 1600s and was one of the first areas to cultivate grapes in North America? 

That being said, let's focus in on L'Acadie Vineyards. 

Bruce Ewert and his Nova Scotian-born wife Pauline Scott moved their young family to Nova Scotia in 2004 and founded L’Acadie Vineyards. Bruce has over 25 years of experience in winemaking; managerial and hands-on roles at a variety of small and large wineries in British Columbia, Nova Scotia, Ontario, California and Australia, and it shows. The fun thing about L'Acadie Vineyards is they were the first to produce a sparkling wine, the first fully certified organic vineyard in N.S. and the winery is geothermal. 

Anything else I'm missing? 

We tasted their L'Acadie which is a hybrid grape that can withstand the cool growing season that Nova Scotia provides. This white wine was rather fresh, crisp and balanced with decent minerality and citrus notes which would pair well with local dishes like mussels, scallops or lobster. 

Next the rose, a blend of two hybrids Marechal Foch and L'Acaie which was fresh, vibrant and a tad crunchy. Perfect for a spring salad of arugula and fresh grilled prawns served on a patio. 

The 2016 Vintage Cuvee sparkling wine made from three grapes, L'cadie, Seyval and Chardonnay. This was really well balanced with 7 G/L dosage. It was dry enough to satisfy the extra brut crowd and yet approachable for the inexperienced sparkling wine drinker, well done. Classic brioche notes good stone fruit, good minerality and even some of that slight ocean salinity, excellent. I've had the Brut Reserve before which is one step up from their vintage Cuvee and trust me, you should try it! 

The 2016 Rose Brut made from 100% Marechal Foch and much like their still Rose, crisp, fresh, a tad crunchy but perfect for a spring salad. Personally, I'm not dying for Marechal Foch but that's just me as many do love it. I guess I'm just a stickler for those Vitis Vinifera grapes like Chardonnay and Pinot Noir and not these hybrids. 

The last we tried was their 2015 Passito made from Marechal Foch and Leon Millot which was interesting, to say the least. The appassimento method is a style from Veneto Italy of drying grapes on racks after you have picked them to improve concentration. The grapes slowly start to shrivel as water leaves the grape but the sugar remains the same so when you ferment you have a much more concentrated liquid which can really help enrich a wine. This is how they make their powerful "Alchemy" brand wine. 

They then pour the juice from the two hybrids for their Passito wine over the skins left over from their Alchemy production to help concentrate this wine. The Passito wine was aged in American oak to pack an extra little punch.

We were very lucky to check out their facility where they hand riddle sparkling wine done in a boutique, low quantity style. I'd certainly recommend their Vintage Cuvee and Brut Prestige which at about 7G/L and 2G/L respectively, they offer some tremendous quality.  

This is what is so beautiful about Nova Scotia wine county and yet slightly tragic. Its current tragedy is its very cool climate which prevents them from growing warmer climate varietals well. The beautiful part, however, is that their same cool climate is what will help place itself on the international map in the future. With alcohol levels and ripeness surging higher and higher due to a warming climate these pockets of cool climate viticulture will surely shine brightly into the future. 

For now, Bubbles remain king but I think you'll start to see single varietal Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and even bigger reds like Cabernet Franc in the future as winemakers slowly fade out these hyrdbrids. 

We also had a chance to make it to Blomidon Provincial Park at low tide, simply stunning. I highly recommend you check it out! 

Where else can you drink world-class locally grown sparkling wine, walk on Mars and then eat some of the freshest seafood you've ever had? 

Why Nova Scotia Wine Country of course! 

Happy Sipping,

Ryan Sullivan 

Chateau Latour Master Class

Hey Fellow Wino’s

As we age and get older be it 20’s, 30’s, 50’s or 80’s, you start to learn that life has its ups and downs, twists and turns and rarely goes according to your master plan. I suppose that is what makes life so interesting because sometimes unique opportunities arise when you least expect them. 

I’m proud to say I graduated the CAPS program with honours (Canadian Association of Professional Sommeliers) in partnership with George Brown College. It was a lot of studying, a lot of tasting and a tad expensive to say the least but totally worth it. Being a certified Sommelier has its fair share of benefits from complementary industry tastings to getting to know all the people in the #DineTO world, winemakers, importers and beyond. 

Well, as luck may have it, a Chateau Latour tasting came up and much to my surprise a spot was saved for little old me. This “Chateau Latour Masterclass” was put on by Lifford Wine & Spirits, CAPS and Chateau Latour. For those that don’t know, Chateau Latour is a first-growth Bordeaux from the classification of 1855. This means, that in 1855 ahead of the International Exposition in Paris, Chateau Latour was labelled as one of four of the absolute best wineries in all of Bordeaux. 

Think about that for a minute, one of four in all of Bordeaux which had hundreds if not thousands of wineries small, medium and large. This obviously places Chateau Latour among Bordeaux Elite in both quality and price. I always said one day I will taste what First Growth Bordeaux taste like as I have had fifth, fourth and third but not second or first yet. Well, this day was my lucky day. 

For a little perspective, Chateau Latour is located in the heart of the Medoc wine region, about 50KM north-west of the city of Bordeaux in Pauillac. Vines have existed on the site since the 14^thcentury and Latour’s wine received recognition as early as the 16^thcentury. To my amazement, it survived in the same family from 1670 all the way to 1963. Chateau Latour is now owned by Groupe Artemis. Chateau Latour has 190 Acres of vines of which a 120-acre portion near the château is named l'Enclos, where fruit exclusive for the grand vin is grown. The average composition of grape varieties is 80% Cabernet Sauvignon, 18% Merlot, and 2% of Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot. The soil consists of 6m-7m deep of pebbles with clay and sand under that. Some of the vines are as old as 60 years and the 2018 vintage will be the first fully certified Organic vintage with at least 1/2 designated Biodynamic. Chateau Latour has been using Organic and Biodynamic practices since 2008 so it will be great to see a fully certified Organic vintage come out. 

Upon arriving at Lifford Wine & Spirits I saw a setting for maybe 40 people along two sets of long tables. In typical fashion I showed up early and was the first one to arrive, only to watch in amazement at the talent that came walking in after me. Master Sommelier’s, Masters of Wine, Wine Directors from large restaurants, Sommelier from ALO, Sommelier from CIBO Wine Bar, President of CAPS and literally the best Sommelier from Quebec. You can understand how I, a fresh graduate with honours who piddles around with his keyboard blogging felt among such talent. 

Anyways, my rosy cheeks of shyness aside, let’s dive into the wine. 

1.    Pauillac de Chateau Latour 2011

2.    Forts de Latour 2010

3.    Forts de Latour 2009

4.    Forts de Latour 2005

5.    Chateau Latour 2004

6.    Chateau Latour 2003

7.    Chateau Latour 2002

8.    Chateau Latour 2001

9.    Chateau Latour 1999

We also had a mystery wine which turned out be non-other than a magnum of 1970 Chateau Latour from the personal cellar of Steven, the “head cheese” as he likes to call himself of Lifford Wine & Spirits. 

So, how did they taste?

Honestly, I did not care too much for the Pauillac de Chateau Latour, 2011. This wine was from young vines, grown on less prestigious terroirs in the vineyard and do not meet the vintage specific criteria to be labelled “Forts de Latour" their second wine, let alone Chateau Latour, their Grand Vin. This third wine of Chateau Latour was austere and far too young to drink and lacking depth and complexity, hence the price and its classification. 

The Forts de Latour 2010, 2009 and 2005 were a noticeable improvement. The quality of the fruit, the complexity and a fuller body you would expect over the Pauillac de Chateau Latour. As we drank older and older vintages they were showing signs of softening so it was a pleasure to go back in time vintage by vintage. I found these wines had almost a luxurious feel to them, a certain plushness, not because I knew the price, but because everything was so well integrated. Some wines I find you can taste Fruit x, Leather this and Forest Floor that, all while quite separate. This wine was hard to describe as I have never experienced this before because all of the flavours came together at once in perfect harmony. Not in a loud way like an Italian family and all of their hand gestures at Christmas, but like a symphony during Beethoven’s 5^thas each instrument builds to their high point of pure elegance and bliss. I thought these were quite beautiful, that is until that Grand Vin was tasted, ohh my! 

The Chateau Latour 2004 was fantastic with its polished elegant tannins, integration of all aspects and most importantly, power. This wine is bigger, meaner and yet drives like an Aston Martin with a V8, big and powerful, yet elegant. 

The Chateau Latour 2003 was fantastic and my favourite. The fruit seemed riper, finish lasted for minutes and honestly, I started smiling and couldn’t stop. Holy Crap I thought to myself, I’m tasting 15-year-old Chateau Latour besides Masters of Wine and Master Sommeliers, I better not knock one of my many glasses over and look like a newb. They often say that some of the finest wines from Bordeaux including Pauillac taste like an iron fist wrapped in a velvet glove and I couldn’t have agreed more. The structure was that of a behemoth with acidity and tannin to go the distance for 20-40-60 years but the delicate florals and soft fruit, just elegance. To quote the famous Drag Queen RuPaul, it was a “Eleganza Extravaganza” 

The Chateau Latour 2002, 2001 and 1999 were all fantastic and lovely but the ripeness of the 03 is the one that stood out most to me. I guess you could say I like my slightly more fruit forward old-world wines. 

The 1970 Chateau Latour was unlike anything I’ve ever tasted before as well. This wine was 48 years old and yet drinking dam well. For a winemaker to be able to produce a wine that can go 50 years takes not only incredible skill and courage but in my opinion also a little bit of luck from the weather of that vintage. The acidity, tannin and body were all there but its fruit condition was slowly heading towards fig, prune, charred and dried blackberries and the earth notes were taking over. I would have paired this with a delicately aged ribeye with nothing but a shitake mushroom glaze on top, perfection! While my jaw was on the floor when it was revealed after tasting it, I’d still say the 03 was my favorite cup of tea. 

There was a chance for some Q&A after our tasting and one question was raised which had to do with climate change and increased alcohol levels. The guest was wondering will the Chateau Latour wines of today make it 50 years like the previous decades’ vintages to which an older man turned to his older seatmate and mumbled: “doesn’t matter for us”. 

*Side Note on Climate Change = Hotter summers mean quicker ripening grapes with more sugar, in turn, more alcohol and in turn boozier yet flabbier wines (less acidity). 

I guess that shows wine is like life, live it and drink it while you can before it’s gone because it is precious. If you told me a few years ago I would be at a Chateau Latour tasting not because of my wallet, but because of my certification, determination and talent, I simply wouldn’t have believed you. 

I want to personally thank Steven, the big cheese of Lifford Wine and Spirits, the sales rep from Chateau Latour and CAPS as these doors wouldn’t have opened without them. 

Happy Sipping,

Ryan Sullivan 

South Okanagan Valley

Hey Fellow Wino's

In late September I visited my parents in Kelowna and decided to pop down to the Southern Okanagan Valley to see what all the big fuss was about.

Driving almost two hours south of Kelowna past the small towns of Summerland and Penticton, towards Osoyoos and the American border, everything started to change. 

In the central and North Okanagan Valley, it is a tad cooler so varietals like Chardonnay, Riesling and Pinot Noir thrive where Cabernet Sauvignon and Syrah have a bit of a hard time fully ripening. The opposite is true in the South Okanagan Valley. The days are warmer by up to 5C compared to the north and there is no moderating lake effect like there is in Kelowna. In the south near Oliver and Osoyoos, winemakers strive for big results, literally.  Varietals such as Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Syrah and even some heavy hitting whites like Viognier, Marsanne & Roussanne as well as some very unique varietals like Trebbiano a white grape typically from central Italy, are grown here.

What will really rattle your brain through is the experimentation with very unique varietals such as Barbara from Piedmont Italy, Sangiovese from Tuscany Italy and Tempranillo, typically from Rioja in Spain. Canadian Chianti or Canadian Rioja anyone?

It still warps my little wine brain that the “Okanagan Valley” can grow both cool and warm climate varietals in the same valley. Now, this valley does stretch a few hundred kilometres North to South and there are soil, water and temperature variances so it is believable from a scientific or technical standpoint, but personally, I find it quite bizarre. I mean you don’t hear much of Spanish Riesling just a few hundred clicks up the road from Rioja which does big Tempranillo. You also don’t hear much Sangiovese from Tuscany to go side by side some local Tuscan Chardonnay. The Okanagan Valley is just a very unique hodgepodge mix of climates, varietals and soils "Terroir" that really make the difference. 

Just under two hours south I stopped into Road 13, a vineyard that won “Best Winery of the Year” award in 2018 by the National Wine Awards from Wine Align. So, what was the fuss all about?

Well for starters they make single varietal Marsanne and single varietal Roussanne, two grapes typically blended together in the Northern Rhone Valley. South Okanagan in location, Northern Rhone in style. This was the first time I was able to try these varietals on their own. The Marsanne had subtle stone fruit such as white Peach and Asian Pear with some nuttiness and overall pleasant. The Roussanne was more flavourful with Pineapple, Apricot, Golden Apple and even some Mandarin Orange. The wine certainly had a richness similar to Viognier, although a tad lighter. Both wines saw a combo of stainless steel, concrete egg and French oak. I sampled several more but these were the ones that had my somm bone most intrigued. 

Onto Hester Creek for their Syrah-Viognier blended wine. Hester Creek is literally just up the road from Road 13 and specializes in their “Cote Rotie” style blend styled from the Northern Rhone Valley in France. In Cote Rotie, they co-ferment Syrah grapes and Viognier (white grape) grapes to make a floral yet earthy, meaty backbone red. This is hardly a child's wine but serious wine for serious wine lovers. Notes of raspberry, blueberry, white pepper and violets fill the glass but this is not Northern Rhone. The Fruit condition is a tad riper and the typical smoked meat, olive brine, soy-sauce richness simply is lacking. While I enjoyed it tremendously and even picked up a bottle for home, this is a Canadian New World Okanagan take on this Northern Rhone classic. A good effort and would gladly recommend as my family and I enjoyed it with some ribeyes, salt-pepper on the grill.

The one thing that also puts Hester Creek on the map is their Trebbiano, the only of its kind in the Okanagan Valley. Unfortunately, it wasn’t for sampling but I can only imagine how these 50-year-old vines would produce a rich and voluptuous Trebbiano to certainly stand head to head with Italy’s. 

Onto Le Vieux Pin, a boutique winery up the road. Le View Pin has visitations by appointment only as they only produce around 7,000 cases per year. I emailed ahead and after accepting my request, they were expecting me. Upon entering I tasted their whole flight starting with a 100% Pinot Noir based Rose, pleasant, earthy, serious but still, a rose. Onto a simple white blending all of their varietals, meh, good but not my cup of tea. Onto their Viognier, Marsanne and Roussanne blend, wow. This was as rich as Condrieu (Northern Rhone) and as spiny as a Marsanne could make it with great acidity and structure. Ripe peaches, yellow plums, chamomile tea with some light brioche and a light honey drizzle note. Superb and worthy of ageing and decanting.

Ok, onto the reds. Syrah and more Syrah. I first tasted their Cuvee Classique Syrah priced around $40 a bottle and it was the perfect blend between Old World Northern Rhone Syrah and Australian Shiraz. The fruit was bolder and riper than the Rhone would produce yet more elegant and less jammy that the Aussies do theirs. The earth, olive brine and smoked meat were less than the Northern Rhone but more than the Aussie’s, truly a middle of the road approach just like South Africa can sometimes be that middle of the road approach between Old World and New World style.

I then sampled their more prestigious and more expensive at $90 a bottle, Syrah aged longer in oak and if I’m not mistaken with 2.5% Viognier. Holy Grail of Jesus Wine! There was no spitting this one. If you put this wine in a blind flight I would dare any sommelier (other than maybe a Master Somm) to guess anything other than Northern Rhone Syrah. The fruit was still forward but certainly passable for the old world and the smoked meat, olive brine, soy-sauce umami savouriness was soul touching. This was the most serious wine I’ve had in a long time and was one certainly for the cellar. This wine had the structure to go the distance,10-20 years if aged properly which is a sign of some serious “put this winery on the map” type wine. While the price of this wine places it out of reach for most, in comparison, a good quality wine from the Northern Rhone can easily surpass this price just to start, let alone the top stuff going for $500 a bottle or more. So, all things considered, to sip possibly one of the best Syrah’s from Canada I have ever had for less than a $100 is actually a pretty good deal.

I mean, there is always Yellow Tail Shiraz if you want to penny pinch, me personally, I’ll give you all of my pennies to not pour me a glass. 

I haven’t been “haunted” by a wine in quite some time because writing about this a few days/weeks after tasting I can still remember how delicious this wine really was. I think the last time I had a really good bottle of wine was a 2010 Chateau Segla, the second wine of Rouzan Segla and before that a 2001 Chablis which was full of honeycomb waxiness, unlike any wine I’ve had before. All I can do is slow clap for Le Vieux Pin, truly revolutionizing what it means to produce fine wine in Canada. Bravo!

I headed north back to Kelowna to make my second last stop, Blue Mountain. Not only is Blue Mountain a visually stunning vineyard, but they make some really great sparkling wine. Leaving the South and heading North you can already see the wineries change from big reds to sparkling, which requires a cooler climate. The fun thing about Blue Mountain is they have a bit of elevation on their property so that must help with the diurnal shift, cooling the grapes at night. Their gold label brut is made from 50% Pinot Noir, 45.5% Chardonnay and 4.5% Pinot Gris. Fine mousse, lemon and brioche notes with a smooth finish. It is dry, bordering for a moment with a tinge of sweetness but then the acidity comes slicing through to remind you this is not child play but a serious “champagne”. That’s right, I said it, sue me France! 

I purchased a bottle of their recently released 2010 Reserve Brut R.D. sparkling wine. Made from 50% Pinot Noir and 50% Chardonnay, this wine will be heavier and fuller bodied, not to mention more complex due to its ageing. This wine spent 6.5 years sur-lie, building those rich brioche notes and bottled for 12 months prior to release to really help find it’s groove. I brought this one home to save for a special occasion...does having a case of the Mondays count?

I popped into Burger 55 in Penticton for a later afternoon lunch which may possibly make the best burgers in BC, sorry Vancouver. 

Tunes loaded, the car fueled and further north to Kelowna I headed. I didn’t mention this yet, but the drive itself through the Okanagan Valley was quite beautiful. The small highway blasted out of rock the size of mountains, I couldn’t help but feel quite small. Lake Okanagan looks like an ocean off the side compared to our two-lane highway and tiny cars.

I couldn't resist one last stop to sample the allure of some Canadian Barbera and Sangiovese, traditionally grown in Italy. Sandhill has its vines in the southern Okanagan Valley but their tasting bar is right in Kelowna. While I did pick up a bottle of Sangiovese (use Brunello yeast for fermentation) the wine was lacking some of that earthiness traditionally seen in Chinati or Brunello. Overall for new world Canadian Sangiovese though I have to say I enjoyed it and can't wait to make a pasta to match. Maybe I'll make a Moose Bolognese to really Canadian it up a little.

Overall I was surprised by exploring a new region of the Okanagan Valley which showcased just how different it can be. The Northern Rhone and Southern Rhone are known for two different styles of wine and perhaps we need to start thinking about sub-dividing our version of the “Rhone Valley”. I think if the Southern Okanagan focused on those full-bodied reds and whites basing it on the Northern Rhone model, I think the French would have something to worry about. Unfortunately, until wineries come together and really commit to a few varietals and styles to represent this area, it will continue to be a mix match of producers planting everything from Sangiovese to Marsanne without having an international marketable plan that can be easily recognizable to consumers.

I guess perhaps I’ll just continue to scoop up these great Canadian wine’s while I can because once we do place Okanagan valley more on the international map, the prices will only rise.

Double edged sword I guess. 

Happy Sipping,

Ryan

Canadian Thanksgiving

Hey, fellow winos, it’s Ryan

I’m sitting here in my parent’s backyard in Kelowna, British Columbia. It’s a beautiful sunny fall afternoon but you can definitely tell the cold weather is slowly moving in. The sun is shining, the sky is blue but the leaves are starting to turn that beautiful golden colour. It’s Thanksgiving weekend.

I thought that since we are having Canadian Thanksgiving, let's choose a selection of Canadian wines that I think would be perfect for your family’s table this weekend. Sure I could recommend some Beaujolais from France or some Gewürztraminer from Germany but let’s drink local this weekend and celebrate our nations finest. 

Everything I'm recommending below pairs well with chicken, turkey, stuffing, gravy, mashed potatoes, squash, and into dessert... you name it-I'm pairing it. 

N.V. Henry Of Pelham, Cuvée Catharine Rosé Brut, Niagara Peninsula, Canada at $29.95
"Pale salmon colour with fine beads; enticing aromas of brioche, wild strawberry and lemon curd; extra dry, medium bodied, with flavours of biscuits, strawberry rhubarb pie, fresh apples and a creamy textured mousse." Says the LCBO. 

2017 Closson Chase K.J. Watson Vineyard, Pinot Gris, P.E.C. Canada at $22.95
"Honey-dipped pear, apricot and exotic spice aromas are precursors to a luscious balanced and beautiful gusher of racy lemon curd and pineapple interwoven with tingly spice on the palate and a dry, lip-smacking finish. This is medium weight and unoaked with plenty of creamy-smooth mouthfeels and mouth-watering, mineral-laced aftertaste; it's crisp, clean and refreshing," says Vic Harradine from winecurrent.com. 

2015 Charles Baker Picone Vineyard Riesling, Niagara Peninsula, Canada at $37.20

"... only very recently bottled ... and done entirely up with a wild, indigenous ferment. Youth calls out as the understatement in where this sits ... Citrus never had it so good in Picone and aridity is a five letter word. That word is not yet written but should see to utterance and put to paper in a year or so. For now, this needs some fat in your diet, like pork belly or some particularly sharp charcuterie" says Michael Godel from winealign.com 

2015 Culmina Dilemma Chardonnay, Okanagan Valley, Canada at $47.95

"Reminiscent of a lightly browned galette, Dilemma envelops the senses with pronounced baked apple, pear, mineral, and fresh green cardamom pod aromas. Integrated fresh tree fruit flavours follow, girdled together by stone, classic oak toast, and caramelized butter characters. A surprisingly firm acid backbone carries the generous palate through to the long, briny finish." as per producers tasting notes. For the nerds out there (like me) oak use was 35% New French Oak 35% Used French Oak 30% Stainless Steel. 

2016 Tawese Gamay Noir, Niagara Peninsula, Canada at $19.95 

Five years deep the Tawse Gamay continues down a (Côte de Brouilly) Beaujolais cru road with a consistency of style, making use of one-fifth new oak for eight months. The fruit darkens to variegated inflections of blackberry and black cherry with a decidedly toasty char. A silty streak of mineral salts runs through this meaty gamay like a vein of sapid caramel in a roll of bresaola. There is quite a bit of gastronomy in the '16 so it should be both food versatile and develop further character for two to three years. I see some licorice, porchetta in its not too distant future." says Michael Godel from winealign.com 

P.S. Don't forget to chill this one, at least a little bit. 

2016 Closson Chase Vineyard, Pinot Noir, P.E.C. Canada at $34.95

"Bright red fruit, cherries, smoked meat, earth and white pepper are displayed in the nose. The fruit carries through to the palette, dried cheery skins, beets, spices and the minerality that defines the County is all there. Floral nuances, cedar and those tea like tannins round out the finish." says Closson Chase. 

P.S. - This is a staple in my home, year after year! 

2015 Stratus, Cabernet Franc, Niagara Peninsula, Canada at $38.65

"With fourteen different blocs dating back to 1986, barrel and bloc selection always result in distinctive, complex and age-worthy Cabernet Franc from the Stratus vineyard. Aromatics of cassis, white pepper, steeped tea, black plum, oak char, and herbs de Provence crescendo into a well-structured and nicely balanced wine on the palate. The cool climate vibrancy of acidity and tannin is beautifully supported by ripe, sweet red and black fruits that echo throughout an ever-evolving finish." says Stratus. 

2016 Cave Spring, Indian Summer Riesling, Niagara Peninsula, Canada at $24.95
"This sweet wine offers aromas and flavours of apples and honey. It is balanced enough that it could be paired with spicy Asian noodle dishes, as there is ample acidity to curtail some of the sweetness. It is finished with 75 g/L residual sugar." says Paul Gregutt, Wine Enthusiast. 

Serve chilled in tiny glasses to sip and savour with dessert. 

Jackson-Triggs Reserve Vidal Ice Wine, Niagara Peninsula, Canada at $34.95"Nectar-like in both flavour and texture, this Icewine boasts delectable notes of honey and vanilla, which are perfectly complemented by bight green apple and citrus zest. The lush and creamy mouthfeel is perfectly supported by a vibrant, fresh acidity, while flavours of lemon candy linger on the finish," says Jackson-Triggs. 

Happy Sipping,

Ryan