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What’s red and white and grown right here
in Ontario? Great wine, of course!
Add a little local colour to your Canada Day celebrations this
year with our collection of outstanding Ontario wines. Their VQA
status guarantees not only superior quality but also a pedigree
that’s 100% Canadian. This July 1st fire up the grill and raise a birthday
toast with a glass of homegrown flavour. Cheers!
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| White Wine |
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CHÂTEAU DES CHARMES ESTATE RIESLING 2005 & 2006
VQA Niagara-on-the-Lake
Here is your opportunity to try two fabulous vintages of this consistently excellent Riesling from Château des Charmes. Contact your local VINTAGES location to find out which vintage they have in stock.
TASTING NOTE: ...there's excellent value in Château des Charmes Estate Riesling 2005. Quite German in style, but technically dry, it's brimming with ripe peach and lychee notes, crisp, balancing acidity and has an impressively long finish. (Beppi Crosariol, Globe & Mail, Aug. 5, 2006)
TASTING NOTE: Château's Riesling '06 Estate Bottled is a showstopper. Essentially handmade, it expresses the mineral elegance of its terroir in a concentrated lime-lemon style with hints of Delicious apple and steely acidity.
Score - 93.
(Frank Baldock, www.winexpress.ca, Summer 2008)
277228
(XD) 750 mL $16.95  |
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13th STREET FUNK VINEYARD RIESLING 2006
PRODUCT CANCELLED |
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HENRY OF PELHAM GEWÜRZTRAMINER 2007
VQA Niagara Peninsula
TASTING NOTE: Ontario's local winemakers are becoming more adept with Gewürz all the time, as evidenced by this off-dry, quaffable wine from Henry of Pelham. Aromas of sweet citrus, subtle cinnamon and orange blossom lead to a refreshing, lip-smacking palate of tangy grapefruit with a hint of lychee. Medium-bodied and nicely balanced, this will make a lovely partner to fried, breaded calamari, or gently spiced seafood noodle dishes.
(VINTAGES panel,
April 2009)
268359
(MD) 750 mL $17.95  |
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Malivoire:
Easy Being
Green
Malivoire Wine
Company in Beamsville,
Ontario is a leader
in eco-friendly winegrowing.
All of their
estate vineyards are
certified organic.
“Encouraging a naturally
sustainable, living
vineyard through organic
farming methods,”
says winemaker Shiraz
Mottiar, “enables us
to grow wines that are
truly alive.”
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Organic Product
MALIVOIRE CHARDONNAY MUSQUÉ 2008
VQA Beamsville Bench, Niagara Peninsula
This little wonder is quite unique. Malivoire's winemakers have nicknamed it "spritz" musqué due to its lively fizziness.
Our Quality Assurance Laboratory has determined that this wine contains 24 mg/L of free sulphur.
TASTING NOTE: Pale straw with evident effervescence; fresh, apple, melon and peach blossom on the nose; off-dry, light-bodied. Fresh, sparkling on the palate, easy drinking, orange and apple flavours. Clean as a whistle, good length. A great summer aperitif.
Score - 89.
(Tony Aspler, www.tonyaspler.com, A Wine Lover's Diary, April 6, 2009)
129759
(MD) 375 mL $11.95  |
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VQA Wine of the Month
PENINSULA RIDGE VIOGNIER 2007
VQA Niagara Peninsula
TASTING NOTE: Here's a lovely, summery Viognier from Ontario. Pale lemon-gold in colour, the nose opens with attractive aromas of white flowers and apricots. Flavours of apricots and ripe citrus are joined by a hint of peach, and the gentle touch of minerality, on the mouth-watering, medium-long finish. This is silky textured and also quite refreshing thanks to lively, tangy acidity. Kick back and savour with grilled chicken salad, or roasted chicken breast with apricot/mango chutney.
(VINTAGES panel,
April 2009)
662601
(D) 750 mL $14.95 |
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TRUMPOUR'S MILL ESTATE BOTTLED CHARDONNAY 2007
VQA Prince Edward County
(Grange of Prince Edward)
The fruit for this estate-bottled Chardonnay is grown exclusively on Trumpour's Mill's Grange farm in Prince Edward County. It's a refreshing wine that delivers great value.
TASTING NOTE: There's quite intense extraction here, with sweet and reasonably complex fruit flavours. The acidity included a slightly bitter note at first, but as this wine improved in the glass over time, I suggest decanting/aerating it. Then drink it with chicken or pork.
Score - 3 1/2 Stars (out of 5).
(Rod Phillips, www.rodphillipsonwine.com, Aug. 14, 2008)
111955
(D) 750 mL $15.95 |
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| Rosé Wine |
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HENRY OF PELHAM CABERNET SAUVIGNON ROSÉ 2008
VQA Niagara Peninsula
TASTING NOTE: Vibrant, rose petal pink colour. Young and fresh with aromas of wild raspberry, strawberry, redcurrants and sweet dried cranberry. Intriguing palate awash in mixed red berries, and an earthy, sweet red pepper note. Medium-bodied and dry with a clean, crisp and savoury medium finish. Try this lively rosé alongside chicken stir-fry with red and orange bell peppers, or, if you're in the mood for barbecue, grilled paprika-rubbed chicken and grilled bell peppers on a lightly toasted panini.
(VINTAGES panel,
April 2009)
685610
(D) 750 mL $14.95 |
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| Red Wine |
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New Kid
in Town:
Hidden Bench
A new fixture in Niagara,
Hidden Bench is an
artisanal winery crafting
premium wines in the
Beamsville Bench
sub-appellation.
The venture’s
guiding principles
are: ‘Terroir, technology,
sustainability and passion.’
All of their wines are
made exclusively from
grapes grown in three
small estate-owned vineyards,
using
non-interventionist
farming.
This well-kept secret
is worth discovering.
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HIDDEN BENCH TERROIR CACHÉ MERITAGE 2006
VQA Beamsville Bench, Niagara Peninsula
TASTING NOTE: This Meritage is an elegant and tasty blend of 50% Merlot, 34% Cabernet Franc, 12% Malbec and 4% Cabernet Sauvignon. Deep ruby in colour, it brims with complex aromas of black plum, raspberry, cocoa, currants, and earthy notes. These are joined on the palate by intriguing tobacco spice, and a touch of minerality. Dry and medium full-bodied with a juicy, lengthy finish, the wine is very well composed and shows fine balance. Though well suited to fine dining, it will also kick things up a notch or two around the barbecue alongside sizzling steaks with sautéed mushrooms.
(VINTAGES panel,
April 2009)
505610
(XD) 750 mL $35.20 |
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VINTAGES Essentials Collection
MIKE WEIR WINE CABERNET/MERLOT 2007
VQA Niagara Peninsula
This wine scores a hole-in-one with its penetrating aromas of blackberries, black cherry, roasted bell pepper, portobello mushroom, vanilla and hints of sweet herbs. Dry and medium-bodied, this lovely red blend features ripe, velvety smooth black fruit flavours which are nicely balanced by a lively acidity. After a round of golf, relax at your very own 'clubhouse' and enjoy this beauty alongside gourmet barbecued burgers garnished with portobello mushrooms and gorgonzola.
000109
(XD) 750 mL $18.95
* Go to weirwines.com for a chance to
win 2 Canadian Open Executive Passes,
plus signed Weir memorabilia. |
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LAKEVIEW CELLARS CABERNET FRANC ICEWINE 2006
VQA Niagara Peninsula
This luscious local treat is an intriguing amber-tinged ruby colour. Deeply satisfying aromas of strawberry and ripe cherry leap from the glass and are coupled with a subtle spicy note. The aromas replay deliciously on the palate, with the sweetness of the wine held nicely in balance by a seam of bright acidity. Sip this Icewine, well-chilled, with fresh fruit tarts, strawberry-rhubarb pie, or homemade berry-flavoured gelato.
53397
(S) 200 mL $29.95 |
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PALATINE HILLS CABERNET SAUVIGNON 2005
VQA Niagara Lakeshore
This very promising boutique winery was established in 2003. Winemaker David Hojnoski uses estate-grown fruit to craft the winery's Cab, an intensely robust, characterful wine reminiscent of the Bordeaux style. Its aromatics are complex with notes of blackberries, red plums and vanilla, and the palate delivers more of the savoury same. A great wine for toasting Canada's big day!
121699
(XD) 750 mL $19.95 |
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