Vintages Release: May 29, 2021

• The following 2018 Cave Spring Vineyard ‘Estate’ Chardonnay was sourced from 100% estate-grown Chardonnay from limestone-rich soils on a terrace of the Niagara Escarpment famously known as the Beamsville Bench.

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Cave Spring Vineyard ‘Estate’ Chardonnay 2018
VQA Beamsville Bench, Niagara Escarpment $19.95 (256552) 13.5% alcohol
The price-quality balance here tips well in your favour—pick up a few. This presents with a rich nose of orchard fruit, anise and vanilla notes opening the door to a medium-full bodied wash of delicious ripe pear and peach flavours lifted with tangy and slightly pithy citrus. It is perfectly balanced with an enjoyable warm and lasting dry finish, replaying anise and vanilla notes. Pour alongside prawn risotto. (Louise Boutin)

Vintages Release: TBD summer/fall 2021

• The following exceptional-value 2020 Vineland Estates Pinot Grigio reflects the dazzling 2020 vintage in Ontario.

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Vineland Estates Pinot Grigio 2020
VQA Niagara Escarpment $17.95 11.0% alcohol
Lightly hued in the glass, aromas of honeydew melon, floral notes and lemon citrus can be coaxed from the glass with a vigorous swirl or two. It bathes the palate with a mellow and smooth entry of Granny Smith apple and lime cordial soon followed by a boatload of tang, acidity and pizzazz. Palate flavours replay on the lingering, dry, lip-smacking, mouth-watering finish and aftertaste. It’s medium weight with good texture and plenty to like. Pour on its own or alongside an olive-oil tossed salad of arugula under a liberal portion of crumbled chèvre or pan-seared fish or seafood under a generous squeeze of fresh lemon. (Vic Harradine)

• The following 2020 Vineland Estates Sauvignon Blanc was sourced from 86% sauvignon blanc/14% riesling. It reflects and showcases the dazzling 2020 vintage in Ontario.

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Vineland Estates Sauvignon Blanc 2020
VQA Niagara Peninsula $18.95 11.0% alcohol
Aromas of honeydew melon, citrus and herbal notes abound on the nose. It glides over the palate on entry with lime cordial, minerality and plenty of tang and pizzazz joining in by mid-palate. It’s medium weight with very good mouthfeel offering up persistent purity of palate flavours through the lip-smacking and monumentally lengthy finish and aftertaste. It starts with alluring aromas and finishes absolutely delicious. Pour this slightly off-dry beauty with a spicy Asian dish like General Tso’s chicken. (Vic Harradine)

• The following gorgeous 2017 Vineland Estates Winery ‘Cabernet’ Cabernet Franc/Cabernet Sauvignon was sourced from 53.7% cabernet franc and 46.3% cabernet sauvignon from vines in the prime VQA sub-appellation of Twenty Mile Bench with the wine maturing for 18 months in oak barrique barrels.

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Vineland Estates ‘Cabernet’ Cabernet Franc-Cabernet Sauvignon 2017
VQA Twenty Mile Bench $19.95 13.0% alcohol
Rich and luscious on the nose, look for fruit-forward aromas of black cherry and dark bramble berry decorated with mocha and hints of pencil shavings. It’s über-flavourful on the palate with a surge of black currant, espresso roast, crème de cassis and hints of crunchy pie cherry persisting through the lengthy finish and aftertaste adorned with medium-full bodied texture and good tang and acidity throughout. Pick up a few as the price-quality balance tips well in your favour. Pour with grilled red meat you pull off your barbecue. (Vic Harradine)

Vintages Release: TBD 2021

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VignaMadre ‘Becco Reale Bio’ Pecorino 2020
IGP Pecorino Terre Di Chieti $17.95 13.0% alcohol
Better known as a cheese, pecorino is also a grape variety native to Italy’s Marche region. This one has pretty jasmine flower aromas on the nose combined with fresh apricot, wet stone and an herbaceous hint in the background. This is medium-bodied, vegan- and organic-certified and flows easily on the palate with fresh flavours of peach, lemon rind and mineral notes, closing with a nice balancing bite profile perfect to pair with salty appetizers. Try with fried calamari or zucchini sticks under a squeeze of lemon juice. (Louise Boutin)

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VignaMadre ‘Becco Reale Bio’ Montepulciano 2018
DOP Montepulciano D’Abruzzo $17.95 13.0% alcohol
This vegan- and organic-certified, medium-full-bodied red opens the door with alluring aromas of chocolate-covered dark cherry, blackberry and a hint of sweet vanilla. It flows on the palate softly with an abundance of fruit—mixed berry, purple plum, cherry—until firm tannins bring in character and structure in the astringent, tangy-savoury finish. Not your Friday night smooth sipper but this is perfect with juicy flank steak or hearty lasagna. Aerate/decant one hour before serving. (Louise Boutin)

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VignaMadre ‘Kriya’ Montepulciano 2020
DOC Montepulciano D’Abruzzo $15.95 13.0% alcohol
Organic- and vegan-certified, this stainless steel fermented young red offers attractive blackberry, red plum, cola aromas and a note of sweet baking spice in the background. A juicy wash of black fruit medley--blackberry, cassis and plum--treats the palate, while grippy tannins provide a robust structure and drying effect to a savoury-tangy finish. This food-friendly red will be perfect with charcuterie or mushroom and lentil stew with gourmet sausage. Aerate/decant one hour before serving. (Louise Boutin)

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VignaMadre ‘Capo le Vigne’ Chianti Classico 2018
DOCG Chianti Classico $19.95 13.5% alcohol
There is 15% merlot in this pretty sangiovese blend. Floral aromas paired with cherry, forest floor and a hint of dry herb mix make up for a very charming nose. The palate welcomes a fresh and tangy wash of ripe red cherry and raspberry, followed with rosemary and earthy notes all framed in fine grain tannins leading to a dry, slightly peppery finish and aftertaste. This medium-full bodied, classic Chianti pours beautifully with mushroom risotto or veal parmigiana. Aerate/decant one hour before serving. (Louise Boutin)

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Provolo ‘Gino’ Rosso Veneto 2020
IGT Rosso Veneto $16.95 14.0% alcohol
This is a blend of 40% corvina and equal parts of corvinone and rebo—the latter a crossing of merlot and teroldego grapes. On the nose, an interesting mix of mincemeat aromas, tobacco and dry herbs introduce a silky flow of ripe red cherry flavour mingling with cinnamon, vanilla and a green peppercorn note emerging mid-palate. This is a crowd-pleaser, medium-bodied red with mellow tannin and a nice fruit-forward piquant finish. Pour alongside red sauce pizza or BBQ dry-rub pork, baby back ribs. (Louise Boutin)

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Puelles Reserva 2014
DOC Rioja $18.95 (10720) 14.5% alcohol
This superb tempranillo reserva blend spent 24 months in equal parts of French and American oak before bottling and has been maturing in bottle since. The nose is complex with tertiary aromas of pencil shaving and leather, but also dried fig, pretty licorice notes, wild mushroom and potpourri. It is velvety on the palate with delicious flavours of dark cherry, blackberry, dry dill and crushed black peppercorn heating up the long, savoury and delicious chalky finish. This exceptional value Rioja is your full-bodied red sipper to enjoy on its own or with nibbles of aged hard cheese, dark chocolate, salted nuts...you get the idea. (Louise Boutin)