Vanessa Vineyard Syrah 2015, Cawston, Similkameen Valley, British Columbia, Canada 🇨🇦

🍇 Syrah 92%

🍇 Viognier 8%

🧐 Alcohol 14.2%

🍁 My Score 92 Points 

🧩 Estate grown fruit, Syrah is co-fermented in small batches with Viognier, aged for 20 months in new and second use American and French oak, small production at 445 cases.

🔹 Elegant nose with aromas of blueberries, plums, dried figs, black pepper, floral and light toasty notes. On the mouthfeel, medium bodied, velvet texture, very smooth and flavourful with fine silky tannins and refreshing acidity. The finish is medium-long and smooth with seductive black fruit, dried herbs and mocha flavours lingering. 

🔸 This is even better than when I last tasted this Syrah, at the winery, this past September.  The kind of wine that makes you happy. This is a beautiful made wine, where the mouthfeel is definitely the star.  This Syrah is a terrific value, that would make any dish shine, but equally delicious on it’s own. I look forward to a visit at the winery again next month. Cheers 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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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.

Little Engine Silver Sauvignon Blanc 2017, Okanagan Valley, British Columbia, Canada 🇨🇦

🍇 Sauvignon Blanc⁣

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🧐 Alcohol 13.1%⁣

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🍁 My Score 90 Points ⁣

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🔹 A beautiful bright nose with aromas of lemons, gooseberries, honeydew melon, tropical fruit and fresh herbs. On the mouthfeel, medium bodied with great energy, refreshing flavours and crisp acidity. The finish is medium length with delicious forward fruits like lemons, apples and peaches. ⁣

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🔸 There’s no denying the fact that the aromatics takes you directly to the house of Sauvignon Blanc. This was my last of three bottles and no bottle variation here. They where all very good, refreshing and flavourful. Such a delightful food wine with many pairing possibilities. Now I just need to acquire their new vintage 2019. Should I wait till I visit them in September or should I order on line 🤔 Cheers my wine friends.

Township 7 Reserve 7 2016, VQA British Columbia, Canada 🇨🇦

🍇 Merlot 56%

🍇 Cabernet Franc 29%

🍇 Cabernet Sauvignon 14%

🍇 Malbec & Petit Verdot 1%

🧐 Alcohol 14.5%

🍁 My Score 92 Points 

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Beautiful bouquet with aromas of cherries, plums, soft leather, light cedar, savoury spices and vanilla notes. On the mouthfeel, medium-full bodied, elegant structure, flavourful with fine silky tannins and refreshing acidity. The finish is medium-long with flavours of soft seductive fruit, toband silky waves of oak spices. 

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Tasted at the winery last September, there was no doubt that this is my kind of wine. Definitely love at first sip where every element of the winemaking process was well executed. Beautiful aromatics, seductive mouthfeel with a nice purity of fruit and terrific oak integration. If you have only one bottle, a few more years in bottle should give it a more savoury character but it’s almost impossible to resist right now. I just wish that I had purchased more than this one bottle. Cheers my wine friends 🍷

Painted Rock Red Icon 2014, VQA Skaha Bench, British Columbia, Canada 🇨🇦

🍇 Merlot 33%
🍇 Cabernet Franc 21%
🍇 Malbec 19%
🍇 Petit Verdot 16%
🍇 Cabernet Sauvignon 11%

🧐 Alcohol 14.3%

🍁 My Score 93 Points

🧩 100% Estate grown fruit, aged 18 months in 30% new French oak and unfiltered.

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 A rather intoxicating nose, with aromas of black fruit, black currants, leather, pencil shavings, smoky cedar, savoury spices and peppery notes. On the mouthfeel, full bodied, broad textured with great flavours, fine silky tannins and refreshing acidity. The finish is long with flavours of dark fruit, chocolate, vanilla and savoury spices.

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After a two hour decant this beast was ready to roar. Oh my god! So delicious with a BBQ steak. There was so much going on, starting with it’s great aromatics, seductive mouthfeel with fantastic richness and weight and flavourful finish that begged for another sip. If you are lucky enough to have one of these in your cellar, the good news is, the best is yet to come. What a treat 👌😋 Cheers my wine friends 🍷

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

🍇 Sauvignon Blanc

🧐 Alcohol 12%

🍁 My Score 90 Points

🧩 Estate fruit, hand harvested, wild & organic yeast, 85% stainless steel remaining 15% in Slovakian oak with a production of 800 cases.

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A classic nose of a Sauvignon Blanc with aromas of gooseberry, pears, hints of dry herbs, light floral and mineral notes. On the mouthfeel, medium bodied, dry with a slightly creamy texture, complex flavours and fresh acidity. The finish is medium length with sweet and tart flavours and mineral notes.

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As most of you may know, I usually prefer un-oaked SB but Michal Mosny wines are always well made, elegant showing us the beautiful subtlety of his winemaking style. The addition of the Slovakian oak softens up the acidity and ensures the wine has a beautiful texture and complexity, which makes this SB ideal for the dinner table or equally enjoyable on it’s own. Beautiful wine and strongly recommended. Cheers my wine friends 🙂

Clos du Soleil Winemaker’s Series Cabernet Franc 2016, VQA Similkameen Valley, British Columbia, Canada 🇨🇦

🍇 Cabernet Franc 100%

🧐 Alcohol 14 %

🍁 My Score 90 Points

🧩 Production of 68 Cases, certified organic fruit, native yeast, 15 months in neutral French oak (3rd fill), unfined & unfiltered.

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Most intriguing nose with aromas of plums, blueberries, violets, dried leaves, underbrush and a touch of dried herbs. On the mouthfeel, medium-full bodied, earthy, savoury palate with lovely acidity and fine, well integrated tannins. The finish is medium length, dry with flavours of plums, bay leaves and earthy notes.

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This is a very enjoyable, beautifully balanced Cabernet Franc with more earthy flavours than fruit. These earthy, underbrush characteristics can be found throughout this wine. So many different styles of CF made in this province. This one is middle road between a liner Loire Valley and fruitier California style. This wine was purchased from the winery last summer. Cheers my wine friends 🍷

Poplar Grove Merlot 2016, Okanagan Valley, British Columbia, Canada 🇨🇦

🍇 Merlot 89%
🍇 Cabernet Sauvignon 11%

🧐 Alcohol 14.1%

🍁 My Score 90 Points

🧩 21 months in French oak (25% new, the remaining in a combination of 1-3 years old), followed by a minimum of 12 months of cellar aging prior to release.

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Gorgeous nose with aromas of black plums, cherries, black currants, leather, underbrush, spices and peppery notes. On the mouthfeel, medium-full bodied, good structured and complexity, fine grainy tannins and refreshing acidity. The finish is medium length with a flavourful mix of black fruit, peppery and savoury notes.

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Poplar Grove is one of my favourite B.C. Merlot and this vintage certainly doesn’t disappoint. I have tasted this wine at two separate trade tastings, it’s definitely improving nicely. Most likely a higher score in 5-6 years. I was lucky enough to pick up the only bottle left on the shelf. When I see it again, I will definitely pick up a few more bottles. Cheers my wine friends 🍷

Winemaker’s Cut 2020 wine collection release.

There are few things in life more stressful then moving. The preparation, packing, unpacking, cleaning and reorganizing. The arrival of Winemaker’s Cut Spring wine release is definitely an additional unpacking I can definitely get behind 🙂 When I first tasted their wines last Spring, I became a fan of the winemaking style of winemaker Michael Mosny, who is originally from Slovakia show a European flair with wines that are beautifully balanced, with great elegance. Definitely a fan of his lower alcohol wines, which range from 11.5% to 13.5%.

I look forward to sharing with you, my thoughts and tastes of these wines in the near future;

🔸 Winemaker’s Cut Sauvignon Blanc 2019

🔸 Winemaker’s Cut Grüner Veltliner 2019

🔸 Winemaker’s Cut Muscat Canelli 2019

🔸 Winemaker’s Cut Boho Beat 2019 (Riesling, Kerner, Gewürztraminer & Viognier)

🔹 Winemaker’s Cut Rosé 2019

♦️ Winemaker’s Cut Syrah 2018 

♦️ Winemaker’s Cut Bohemian Cuvée 2018 (Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Franc & Syrah)

♦️ Winemaker’s Cut Boho Zen 2019 (Syrah & Merlot)

I strongly believe this small production winery is about to have their big coming out party, based on the outstanding quality of their wines. Cheers my wine friends 🍷

Hillside Un-Oaked Pinot Gris 2019, Naramata Bench, VQA Okanagan Valley, British Columbia, Canada 🇨🇦

🍇 Pinot Gris 100%

🧐 Alcohol 12.7%

🍁 My Score 90 Points

🧩 2 to 6 hours of skin contact and stainless steel fermented

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Beautiful, vibrant nose with aromas of strawberries, melon, white peaches with a hint of mineral notes. On the mouthfeel, medium bodied with a vibrant, flavourful texture and well balanced by crisp acidity. The finish is long, refreshing, fruity with light mineral notes lingering.

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New label this year but same delicious, refreshing Pinot Gris. Every year Hillside knows how to offer us an easy drinking wine, perfect for the summer patio season. It is fantastic paired with fish, chicken, prawns or salad. Newly released and strongly recommended 👌 Cheers my wine friends.

Kalala Organic Estate Winery Zweigelt 2017, VQA British Columbia, Canada 🇨🇦

🍇 Zweigelt 2017

🧐 Alcohol 12.6%

🍁 My Score 91 Points 

🧩 Aged mainly in Hungarian barrels for 18 months.

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Intriguing and very attractive nose with aromas of cherries, plums, dried strawberries, cassis and peppery notes. On the mouthfeel, light bodied, complex flavours, silky tannins and lively acidity. The finish is medium-long with flavours of plums, spices and a charming touch of earthy and undergrowth.

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Not yet available here on a Vancouver Island and generously provided to me by Kalala Organic Estate after having written on Instagram, of my interest in tasting this varietal and my love of cooler climate wines. Oh My! What a lovely wine, there is so much going on; it’s awesome, fruity aromatics, the mouthfeel is complex, well balanced with less fruity flavours than the aromatics would have you believe. Quite a charming Zweigelt with endless pairing possibilities but would easily make a lovely sipping wine. We will definitely be bringing this lovely wine in our store Vintage Spirits in Victoria. It should be an easy sell for wine lovers like me, who are looking for an interesting and different wine experience. Cheers my wine friends 🍷

Desert Hill Estate Winery Cabernet Sauvignon 2016, VQA Okanagan Valley, British Columbia, Canada 🇨🇦

🍇 Cabernet Sauvignon 100%

🧐 Alcohol 14.5%

🍁 My Score 91 Points

🧩 Small production of 490 cases

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Very attractive nose with aromas of black cherries, dark plums, blackberries, spice box, leather and peppery notes. On the mouthfeel, medium-full bodied, elegant texture, flavourful, smooth tannins and balanced acidity. The finish is medium length with soft seductive fruit flavours and spices lingering.

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This Cabernet from Desert Hill is fully deserving of their Gold medal at the WineAlign National Wine Awards of Canada 2019. I love visiting Desert Hill winery, there is so many beautiful and well produced wines, made in an elegant style I really enjoy, especially their Gamay, Cabernet, Mirage Bordeaux blend and Ursa Major Syrah. This Cabernet is very aromatic, flavourful and stylish wine. Strongly recommended. Cheers my wine friends 🍷

Ursa Major ‘Sabor a Mi' 2017, British Columbia, Canada 🇨🇦 ⁣

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🍇 Whole Cluster Syrah 53%⁣
🍇 Malbec 27%⁣
🍇 Whole Cluster Merlot 18%⁣
🍇 Petit Verdot 2%⁣
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🧐 Alcohol 14%⁣
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🍁 My Score 90 Points ⁣
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🧩 18 months in neutral oak, bottled unfined and unfiltered ⁣
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♦️ Artwork by @kgardnerk⁣
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🔸  Quite an intriguing nose on this blend with aromas of fresh wild berries, plums, peppery notes and a touch of earthy funk. On the mouthfeel, medium-full bodied with lively flavours, good energy, fine grainy tannins and refreshing acidity. The finish is medium-long with flavours of berries, spices and underlying earthiness.⁣
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🔹  Definitely one of my favourite low intervention red so far. The star for me, by far was it’s intoxicating aromatics, there is a Brett like aromas that I find quite charming. A very approachable, flavourful red blend with load of character and a juicy finish. ⁣
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🙂 👏  A portion of the proceeds from this wine will be donated to @sowins_page  South Okanagan Women in Need. A non-profit organization in Penticton, British Columbia that provides shelter, safety and support to victim of abuse.⁣
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Cheers my wine friends 🍷⁣
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Winemaker’s CUT Grüner Veltliner 2018, VQA Okanagan Valley, British Columbia, Canada 🇨🇦

🍇 Grüner Veltliner

🧐 Alcohol 12%

🍁 My Score 91 Points

🧩 Made with minimal intervention, wild/spontaneous stainless steel ferment. “All wines are raised by classical music in the cellar, Estate wines by classical music in the vineyard as well.” Small production of 80 cases.

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Beautiful, elegant nose with aromas of pears, apples, citrus fruits, almonds and white pepper. On the mouthfeel, medium bodied, elegant texture, well balanced with refreshing acidity. The finish is medium length with plenty of ripe lemon fruit, peaches and white pepper.

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Austria’s most popular varietal, Grüner is hard to find, with only three wineries growing this varietal here in British Columbia. I tasted the wines from Winemaker’s CUT three times last year. What an awesome discovery, I love the winemaking style from Slovakian winemaker Michal Mosny, who is bringing a beautiful European sensibility to the Okanagan. Not only this delicious Grüner, I love his Syrah (2 from the 2017 in my cellar) and his Bohemian Cuvée 2018, which I have not been able to find yet. Small production winery where the quality of their wines makes the search well worth it. Cheers my wine friends.

Kalala Apire 2014, VQA British Columbia, Canada 🇨🇦

🍇 Merlot
🍇 Cabernet Sauvignon
🍇 Syrah

🧐 Alcohol 14.4%

🍁 My Score 89 Points

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Very expressive nose with aromas of ripe black cherries, blackberries, tobacco and peppery notes. On the mouthfeel, full bodied, luscious mid palate, smooth tannins and refreshing acidity. The finish is long, flavourful with a smoky crushed wild berries explosion.

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I enjoy when Syrah is added to Bordeleau varietals, it definitely adds flavour and complexity, at $28 🇨🇦 dollars it represents fantastic value, strongly recommended. Now if can only put my hands on one of their Zweigelt 😉 Cheers my wine friends 🍷

Orofino Beleza 2016, Similkameen Valley, British Columbia, Canada 🇨🇦

🍇 Merlot
🍇 Cabernet Sauvignon
🍇 Cabernet Franc
🍇 Petit Verdot

🧐 14.5%

🍁 My Score 92%

🧩 Aged for 20 months in premium French and American barrels. Unfined and unfiltered

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A beautiful and inviting nose with aromas of ripe berry fruit, cherries, vanilla, tobacco and oak spices. On the mouthfeel, medium-full bodied, luscious mid palate, silky tannins and refreshing acidity. The finish is long, flavourful with great depth of flavours.

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I just can’t believe that this is my first experience with this local Meritage blend, talk about a hidden gem. I have discovered some beautiful red blends from the Similkameen Valley over the last few years. As I discovered from my visit to the Okanagan Valley last September and during various trade tastings over the last year, was that the 2016 vintage was excellent for red wines. A gorgeous wine and highly recommended. Cheers my wine friends🍷 🙂

Moon Curser Arneis 2018, VQA Okanagan Valley, British Columbia, Canada 🇨🇦

🍇 Arneis 100%

🧐 Alcohol 14.2%

🍁 My Score 90 Points

🧩 Stainless steel no oak, Filtered Yes, Fine No

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Quite a complex nose with aromas of golden apples, yellow plums, lemon zest, floral notes and a touch of dried herbs. On the mouthfeel, medium bodied, dry, great flavours and crisp acidity. The finish is medium-long, refreshing with flavours of tree fruits, citrus fruits and dry herbs.

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What an interesting white from Moon Curser. This varietal (Arneis) originates from the Piedmont region of Italy and it seems like this is the only Arneis grown in Canada. A beautiful wine best suited for the dinner table paired with chicken or white fish. Tasted and purchased at the winery last September. Strongly recommend 👍🙂 Definitely a great wine experience. Cheers my wine friends.

Unsworth Vineyards Allegro 2018, Vancouver Island, British Columbia, Canada 🇨🇦

🍇 Sauvignette 40%
🍇 Petit Milo 40%
🍇 Amiel 20%

🧐 Alcohol 12.5%

🍁 My Score 88 Points

🧩 Stainless steel tank fermented, extensive lees contact and full malolactic fermentation.

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Beautiful, expressive nose with aromas of peaches, pineapple, pink grapefruit, light floral and mineral notes. On the mouthfeel, medium bodied, intense, electric texture and crisp acidity. The finish is long with bright delicious flavours of sweet tree fruit and crisp tart green apple with a touch of minerality.

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The word Allegro is a musical term referring to a cheerful, playful and lively tempo. Well it’s certainly lived up to the name, exotic and tasty, quite an oral experience. On the second night the acidity softened up a little bit. I recommend serving it well chilled. A well enjoyed first experience with Allegro. Recommended, even if it’s just to experience the taste of those hybrid Blattner varietals. Cheers my wine friends 🙂

River Stone Estate Merlot 2016, VQA Okanagan Valley, British Columbia, Canada 🇨🇦

🍇 Merlot 100%

🧐 Alcohol 14.1%

🍁 My Score 90 Points

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Beautiful, vibrant nose with aromas of cherries, plums, black currants, leather, stony minerals and peppery notes. On the mouthfeel, dry with sour-edged flavours of berries, cherries and plums, fine grainy tannins and balance acidity. The finish is medium-long, slightly tangy with bitter chocolate with an underlying minerality lingering.

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Absolutely love this terroir driven Merlot, it’s definitely more old world style than new world. This wine needs food to really shine, like beef, lamb, pasta, pizza or cheese. It should blossom with an additional few years in your cellar. I purchased this one bottle at the winery last September and I definitely need to resupply, thankfully our store is the only one in Victoria that stock this Merlot. A fantastic value 👌 Cheers my wine friends 🍷

Available @vintagespiritsvictoria