Hidden Bench Felsesk Vineyard Pinot Noir 2016, VQA Beamsville Bench, Ontario, Canada 🇨🇦

🍇 Pinot Noir 100%

🧐 Alcohol 13%

🍁 My Score 90 Points

🔹 Slightly shy on the nose with aromas ripe cherries, pomegranates, underbrush, graphite, spices and light smoke. On the mouthfeel, medium bodied, dry, slightly rustic with fuzzy tannins and balanced acidity. The finish is medium length with sour-edged flavours of cherries and plums with underlying earthiness and minerals.

🔸 I fell in love with this Pinot, when I visited the winery last December. This is complex style of Pinot which would shine at the diner table. I can really see this wine being paired with a Coq au Vin. There is so much going on in this dish that the flavours of this Pinot would pair beautifully. Great potential to score even higher with a few extra years in bottle. Certainly glad that I have a few more bottles left. Cheers my wine friends🍷

St. Urbans-Hof Nik Weis Old Vines Riesling 2018, Mosel, Germany 🇩🇪

🍇 Riesling 100%

🧐 Alcohol 11%

🍁 My Score 92 Points

🔹 Very attractive nose with aromas of apples, lemons, tropical fruit, mineral notes and light petrol. On the mouthfeel light to medium bodied, off-dry, luscious mid palate and refreshing acidity. On the mouthfeel, long finish with flavours of limes, tangerines, mango, honey and underlining minerality.

🔸 Oh my god! This Riesling is such a treat. I still have such a great souvenir of visiting St. Urban-Hof in September of 2018. My hotel was able to book a last minute visit. My host was none other than Daniela Weiss. She was such a gracious host and offered us a great tasting experience. As for this wine, classic Riesling nose with a wonderful balance of residual sugar and acidity in perfect harmony. I am so happy that our store Vintages Spirits in Victoria are stocking three of their wines. As for the food pairing, a delicious spicy crusted cod. I would love to see how this would taste in about five years, but hard to resist right now. Cheers my wine friends 😊

Frescobaldi Castello di Nipozzano Chianti Rufina Riserva 2016, Tuscany, Italy 🇮🇹

🍇 Sangiovese 90%

🍇 Malvasia Nera 4%

🍇 Colorino 2%

🍇 Cabernet Sauvignon 2% 

🍇 Merlot 2%

🧐 Alcohol 13%

🍁 My Score 90 Points 

🔹 Big and attractive nose with aromas of cherries, black plums, black currants, Asian spices, vanilla, smoke and cedar notes. On the mouthfeel, surprisingly full bodied, bone dry, intense, structured with dusty tannins and refreshing acidity. 

🔸 From a superb vintage, this wine is a delicious every day wine and luckily many of us, widely available. Tannins and acidity provide a great framework and additional time in bottle should acquire more elegance and savoury character. I enjoyed this Chianti without decanting, but I would recommend decanting for a few hours and paired with meat instead of Italian pasta. Definitely worth multiple purchases to be enjoyed over the next 5-7 years. Cheers my wine friends 🍷

Luigi Bosca 2016, Terroir Los Miradores, Valle de Uco, Mendoza, Argentina 🇦🇷

🍇 Malbec 100%

🧐 Alcohol 14.4%

🍁 My Score 90 Points

🔹 A rich and inviting nose with aromas of blackberries, black cherries, burnt sugar, cedar and peppery notes. On the mouthfeel, full bodied, with delicious forward fruit, oak spices with grainy tannins and lively acidity. The finish is long and flavourful with sweet berry fruit, spicy with cedar notes.

🔸On a relaxing Friday night, in my glass, was this always dependable Malbec from Argentina. The company of an old friend. I have enjoyed this Malbec many times, including this vintage, twice over the last few weeks. No bottle variation here, just a delicious and rich style of Argentina Malbec paired with a BBQ steak. Comfort wine for the soul. Cheers my wine friends 🍷

Luis Seabra Xisto Ilimitado Branco 2017, Douro Valley, Portugal 🇵🇹

🍇 Rabigato 50%

🍇 Códega 20%

🍇 Gouveio 15%

🍇 Viosinho 10%

🍇 Other Varietals 5%

🧐 Alcohol 13.5%

🍁 My Score 93 Points 

🔹 Alluring nose with aromas of gooseberries, honeydew melon, citrus fruit and mineral notes. On the mouthfeel, medium bodied with a beautiful purity of fruit and fresh acidity. The finish is very elegant with refreshing flavours of stone and citrus fruits, honey and underlying mineral notes.

🔸 I must admit that I had never heard of these varietals before. Have you?  This is a flavourful, well crafted, elegant blend.  A beautiful purity of fruit, with an underlying minerality throughout, combining both freshness and complexity. It’s love at first sip. Awesome wine experience my wine friends 🙂

Hester Creek The Judge 2014, Golden Mile Bench, VQA British Columbia, Canada 🇨🇦 ⁣

🍇 Merlot, Cabernet Franc & Cabernet Sauvignon ⁣
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🧐 Alcohol 14.2%⁣
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🍁 My Score 92 Points ⁣
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🧩 12 months in barrels, 75% French oak and 25% American oak⁣
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🔹 What a sensuous nose with aromas of field berries, plums, cassis, leather, charcuterie, toasted oak, vanilla and savoury herb. On the mouthfeel, medium-full bodied, elegant and flavourful with silky smooth tannins and refreshing acidity. The finish is medium length with flavours of soft seductive fruit and savoury herbs.⁣
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🔸 I believe that I have enjoyed every vintage of The Judge since 2009. For me, the last two vintage have been the best. On this vintage they nailed all elements of this blend. The nose is rather intoxicating, the mouthfeel is quite seductive and the finish is very flavourful. Nice bricking colour on the rim, drinking really well now. Looking forward to my 2015 & 2016 vintage. I declare “this is one sexy wine your Honour”. Cheers my wine friends 🍷⁣
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Domaine des Ouled Thaleb Syrocco 2017, Zenatta, Morocco 🇲🇦

🍇 Syrah 100%

🧐 Alcohol 14%

🍁 My Score 88 Points

🔹 Intriguing nose with aromas of black fruit, dried cherries, incense, undergrowth, herbs, spices and cedar notes. On the mouthfeel, medium-full bodied, dry, slightly tart flavours, grainy tannins and fresh acidity. The finish is medium length with flavours of leathery fruits, dried raisins, minerals, pepper, mushrooms and  underlying earthiness.

🔸 This was my first experience with a wine from Morocco and a great example why the world of wine is so interesting. Very compelling Syrah from experienced French Rhône Valley winemaker Alain Graillot. More baked fruit than fresh fruits, with a rustic feel, in the best sense of this term. Definitely a great wine experience and great choice for fans of terroir driven wines. BBQ lamb or steaks, perhaps a lamb tagine anyone? Cheers my wine friends 🍷

Winemaker’s Cut Rosé 2019, VQA Okanagan Valley, British Columbia, Canada 🇨🇦

🍇 Cabernet Franc 90%
🍇 Syrah 10%

🧐 Alcohol 11.5%

 🍁 My Score 90 Points

🧩 Estate grown fruit, straight press with no skin contact, wild & organic yeast ferment and 100% stainless steel

🔹 What an elegant Rosé with aromas of citrus fruit, wild berries, rhubarb, apples and spices. On the mouthfeel, medium bodied, dry with light tannin structure and crisp acidity. The finish is medium length with a nice mix of sweet and tart fruit, like apples, strawberries and grapefruit.

🔸 If summer is taking it’s sweet time to arrive let us lure it in with this refreshing, delicious Rosé. Winemaker’s Cut managed to craft a Rosé like I have never tasted before. For me it’s more of a serious wine, made to be paired with food. Bring on the charcuterie and cheese platter and enjoy outside when the summer and sunshine finally make an appearance. Strongly recommended 👍 Cheers my wine friends.