Casa Dea Estates Pinot Gris 2010
VQA Prince Edward County $18.95 12.5% alcohol
All County fruit from 2 separate vineyards, this jumps from the glass with alluring aromas of melon, pear and floral notes. It’s balanced and beautiful, medium weight and generously textured. Ripe, yellow peach, juicy, Bosc pear and lemon curd coat the palate in waves. The finish is crisp and mouth-watering. Lovely on its own, it marries well with not-too-spicy Asian dishes. Order by the case for home or office delivery direct from Casa Dea. (Vic Harradine)


Cave Spring Cellars ‘CSV’ Riesling 2010
VQA Beamsville Bench $29.95 (566026) 11.5% alcohol
Highly respected as one of Canada’s premium Riesling producers, their wine does the talking and it’s highly persuasive. The lifted nose of slate/mineral, nectarine and floral notes interweave with lemon citrus. It bathes the palate with concentrated flavour delivered with medium body and generous mouth feel—ripe peach, blood orange, lemon curd and a replay of those slate/minerally bits, particularly on the off-dry, mouth-watering aftertaste. Wine lovers and Riesling aficionados will scoop this up by the case for home or office delivery direct from Cave Spring Cellars. (Vic Harradine)


Fielding Estate Winery ‘Estate’ Chardonnay 2012
VQA Beamsville Bench $22.15 12.5% alcohol
It’d be difficult to top this producer in consistently delivering balanced, flavourful, good-value wine. Pear, apple and baking spice aromas precede a medium bodied, generously textured wash of ripe orchard fruit—nectarine, apple and pear—mingling with racy lemon acidity. There’s good purity of fruit throughout with wisps of well-integrated oak and a lingering, refreshing finish. What’s not to like? Order by the case for daily home or office delivery direct from Fielding. (Vic Harradine)


Foreign Affair Sauvignon Blanc 2011
VQA Niagara Peninsula $24.95 13.4% alcohol
Showy, robust and chockfull of flavour and charm, spirited aromas of lemon-lime, herbaceous notes and gooseberry abound. A balanced and structured tsunami wave of creamy smooth texture and flavour—white peach, ripe apple and pear garnished with tangy lemon curd—coat the palate dominating a lively, lip-smacking finish and aftertaste. This definitely delivers a ‘Wow’ factor; it was tough to spit. Order by the case for daily home or office delivery direct from Foreign Affair Winery. (Vic Harradine)


Peninsula Ridge ‘Beal Vineyard –Inox Reserve’ Chardonnay 2010
VQA Beamsville Bench $19.95 13.4% alcohol
Smooth, mellow and stylish, aromas of tropical fruit and pit fruit presage a nicely textured, medium-bodied wash of ripe nectarine, yellow apple and lemon chiffon pie bathing the palate and lengthy finish and aftertaste. Always good value and fully flavoured, this won’t disappoint. The price-quality ratio’s skewed well in your favour. Order by the case for daily home or office delivery direct from Peninsula Ridge. (Vic Harradine)


Reif Estate Winery ‘Reserve’ Gewürztraminer 2012
VQA Niagara River $19.95 13.0% alcohol
This barrels from the glass with aromas of exotic spice, rosewater and pineapple. It spills over the palate with plush texture and myriad flavours—lychee, rosewater, spiced white peach and nectarine balanced by racy lemon acidity. This beats the pants off most Grand Cru Alsatian Gewürzt. Pick up a case for home or office delivery direct from Reif Estate before word spreads and it’s gobbled up. (Vic Harradine)

• Order the following wines for daily home or office delivery direct from Tawse Winery.


Tawse Vineyard ‘Quarry Road Vineyard’ Chardonnay 2011
VQA Vinemount Ridge $35.95 13.0% alcohol
Here’s a sleek offering with tightly wound aromas of slate/mineral, sharp citrus and notions of apple and pear. It streaks across the palate mid weight and racy, full of nerve and verve with lemon tang, lime cordial and grapefruit zest to the fore. It’s crisp, clean and refreshing with a clean, mouth-watering finish and aftertaste. It pours well with pan-seared calamari rings showered with freshly squeezed lemon. (Vic Harradine)


Tawse Vineyard Chardonnay 2011
VQA Beamsville Bench $44.95 13.0% alcohol
This is structured with good depth and complexity. Sourced from 52-year-old Chardonnay vines, touted the oldest in Canada, this ‘Lenko Vineyard’ was barrel fermented and barrel aged twelve months in French oak. Baking spice, apple crumble and tropical fruit aromas provide segue for an elegant, medium-full bodied, creamy smooth river of palate-bathing lemon drop, chalky minerality and Granny Smith apple. It finishes with a flourish of toasty oak and white grapefruit pith. (Vic Harradine)