Ontario, Niagara, VQA Beamsville Bench

100% Cab Franc | Off Dry wine (RS 3.0 g/L) | 16.5% ABV

96+pts Carl’s Wine Club

Elegance and complexity meet power and concentration. From an exceptional vintage in Ontario, this 100% Cab Franc appassimento wine was aged for 24 months in French oak barrels, half of which were new. From the get go, this wine is expressive and exuberant on the nose with aromas of black cherry, cassis jam, cherry cola, expresso coffee, dried cranberry, dried thyme, smoked meat and licorice. On the palate, this wine displays an incredibly soft texture, fantastic depth and a complexity that sets this wine apart from others in its category. Flavours of raspberry jam, macerated black cherry and blueberry pie open the symphony of “awesomeness” followed by a packed mid-palate with sweet tobacco, licorice, earthiness, savouriness and chocolate brownies. The finish exults with spices like anis, cardamom, cinnamon and white pepper. The tannins are now soft and well-integrated in this rare wine that required decanting for a couple of hours before consuming. This is truly one of a kind.

Pairings: beef wellington, venison stew

Drink now until 2035

BC, Okanagan Valley, Naramata Bench

100% Chardonnay | Dry Wine | 13.3% ABV |

95+pts Carl’s Wine Club

The top Chardonnay tasted among 45+ Canadian Chardonnays on World Chardonnay Day in May. Fruits from two Naramata Bench Vineyards provided the perfect harmony between richness and mouth-watering acidity reflecting the great 2016 vintage. The nose is generous with orchard fruit aromas like ripe peach but also ripe lemon, white flowers and hazelnuts. The front-palate is bright and shiny with a mix of lemon, tangerine, peach and vanilla. I’m in love with the soft texture and the orange crème brulé aspect found in the mid-palate. The complexity brought by a good deal of minerality take this wine to the next level. The finish is extremely long with multiple layers of spice and caramel with an added touch of salinity. There is something sexy and suave to this wine, too bad that I can’t get more… I’m sure excited to try the next vintage. (CWC, 26/05/22). 98 cases made.

Pairings: poached halibut, chicken and pork liver pate

Drink now until 2026

#5

Ontario, Niagara, VQA Four Mile Creek

100% Cab Franc | Dry wine (RS 3.0 g/L) | 14.9% ABV

94+pts Carl’s Wine Club

Wow!!! A potential “Top 10 Wine of the Year” candidate. The texture of this wine is absolutely incredible: soft, smooth, creamy, and feels like satin in my mouth. Very unique and special, just like the 2020 vintage conditions. The nose offers black cherry, red currant, raspberry, dark chocolate and roasted red pepper. The palate is rich, suave, long and complex and displays some of the very best attributes of the Cab Franc grape varietal: dark cherry, blackberry, red plum, black forest cake and chili pepper. The tannins are luxurious and velvety at the highest level, leading to a never-ending finish. Of the three new 2020 releases, this one is by far the most approachable and ready to drink. A 30min decanting is suggested. (CWC, 09/10/22).

Food pairing: veal ragout, venison steak

Drink now until 2030

Ontario, VQA Niagara Peninsula

60% Chardonnay, 40% Pinot Noir | Dry wine (RS 4.0 g/ltr) | 12.5% Alc.

94pts Carl's Wine Club | Platinum, 2021 All Canadian Wine Championships | 93pts Decanter World Wine Awards | 94pts WineAlign

This is quite possibly the best wine I have ever tasted from 13th Street. The terroir and Jean-Pierre Colas' talent are on full display with this wine. It's Champagne in a bottle, with all of Niagara's best attributes. It all starts with a creamy, luscious, lasting and tenacious mousse leading to a lengthy and complex experience. Aromas of butter croissant, almond cookie, green apple, and orange. The palate is defined by green apple, lime, lemon, lemon zest, and salty minerality. The precision and length are fantastic. I would pay $65 for this wine, no questions asked! (CWC, 2/04/22). 280 cases made.

Food pairing: oysters, smoked salmon

Drink now until 2027

BC VQA, Okanagan Valley

100% Syrah | Dry wine (RS 0.80 g/ltr)

94pts Carl’s Wine Club

Wow… we are starting the New Year with a BANG! What an incredible Syrah… a classic full body & spicy South Okanagan style. The richness and the complexity are beyond fantastic for a wine of this price-point. The nose offers lots of black plum, blueberry, cassis, a tad of smoked bacon and violet. On the palate you sense many similarities with the aromas but also more subtle nuances of fresh ground coffee, creamy mocha, fresh herbs and black tea. The texture is soft and silky, the tannins are powerful but accessible and the acidity helps to bring a spark of freshness. (CWC, 01/2022). 580 cases produced.

Food pairing: ratatouille, beef tenderloin

Drink now until 2028

Ontario, VQA Niagara Peninsula

100% Riesling | Dessert Wine | 8.1% Alc.

94pts Carl’s Wine Club

A rare and exciting expression of Icewine. A challenging process with amazing results. Riesling Icewine juice fermented part way in a Charmat tank before being sealed to create the carbonation. The fermentation was arrested to keep alcohol and sugar in balance, then filtered and bottled to preserve freshness. The nose offers classic icewine and Riesling aromas including baked gala apple, pineapple lemon, caramel and dried mushroom. On the palate, the mousse is riche, unctuous, soft, thick and incredibly satisfying, exulting a stunning balance sweetness and acidity. Flavours of mango, apricot, mandarin, apple crumble and “tire sur neige” develop slowly offering a very unique sensory experience. This was by far my top dessert wine of the year. (CWC, 08/04/2022).

Pairing: blue cheese, strawberry shortcake

Drink now until 2026

Wine of British Columbia

100% Pinot Noir

Dry (RS 2.1g/L) | 13.5% Alc.

93+pts Carl’s Wine Club

I have been looking forward to this Rosé release since last year’s Rosé season! For a second year in a row, Tractor & Vines Pinot Noir Rosé is the pinnacle amongst Canadian Rosés. A sexy, alluring, perfumed nose of peach, blood orange, and red apple awakens your senses for an amazing experience. The palate is rich and creamy and feels like biting into a ripe peach. The mid-palate expresses tones of raspberry, ripe strawberry and a hint of pink grapefruit sorbet. The finish has mouth-watering, lengthy and persistent notes of red apple and salty minerality. Beautiful. The 2021 heat dome likely led to this bolder and more textural expression, and yet Daniel Bontorin has maintained a juicy acidity that shines in this very elegant wine. This single-vineyard wine is a true expression of the Summerland Tractor & Vines Vineyard. (CWC, 04/2022). 223 cases designed by hand.

Pairing: summer salad, seared scallops

Drink now until 2024

Ontario, Niagara, VQA Twenty Mile Bench

100% Chardonnay | Dry wine (RS 3.0 g/ltr) 13% ABV

94pts Carl’s Wine Club

This was one of my highest rated Westcott wines, while visiting Niagara in the fall of 2021 and again when visiting this last summer. Low intervention, low sulfur, wild ferment and malolactic fermentation, barrel fermented and aged 9 months in French oak, of which only 12% was new. These very precious grapes were meticulously sourced from 30 year old vines at Butlers’ Grant Vineyard. Flavours of sweet Meyer lemon, pear and honeydew on the front palate, this generous wine has no limitations in terms of concentration and complexity. This is richness, balance and complexity at its best. The spectacular finish brings caramel and white pepper to a spectacular bottle of Chardonnay. (CWC, 06/2022).

Pairing: filet of halibut, shrimp paella

Drink between 2023 and 2028

BC VQA, Okanagan Valley

34% Cabernet Sauvignon, 33% Merlot, 33% Cabernet Franc

Dry wine (RS 0.27g/ltr) | 14.8% ABV

94pts Carl’s Wine Club

The 2016 Intersection Axiom is the rock star bottle of this pack, and clearly a candidate for my top 10 wines of 2022, following the 2015’s footsteps. A rich, complex, dense, voluptuous wine filled with surprises and intricacy. This wine is a full sensory experience on its own. Big and bold yet full of finesse and complexity, this is a good reflection and marriage of grapes from the sought-after Golden Mile and Black Sage Bench. The nose is very expressive offering aromas of crème de cassis, dark plum, raspberry jam, fresh sage, graphite, black forest cake, and leather. On the palate, the oak is perceptible, but very well integrated with the dark fruit flavours like blackberry, black currant, black plum, dark chocolate, and espresso coffee. The extensive and evolving finish takes you to flavours of pepper to baking spices like cloves and nutmeg and cinnamon. The tannins are omnipresent but round and soft, showing a great description of the warm 2016 vintage. One of the best red blends from the South Okanagan! (tasted 05/22). 180 cases produced.

Pairings: lamb shank, filet mignon

Drink now until 2028

BC, VQA Okanagan Valley

100% Pinot Noir | Dry wine | 13.5% ABV

92pts Anthony Gismondi | 93pts John Schreiner

93pts Carl's Wine Club

This is a Rockstar Pinot Noir, and a great reflection of what the Okanagan Falls terroir can deliver at a very high level. The Dijon 777 Clone is very well balanced between earthiness, minerality and purity of fruits. The nose opens up with classic aromas of forest floor, violet, red currant, strawberry and cigar box announcing a serious wine with roots and purpose. The flavours of raspberry, red currant and cranberry jam are generous and suave on the first waves leading the way to a long and textural endeavor. The mid palate is packed with dark cherry, minerality, licorice and savouriness while the finish is extremely long, complex and spicy. I can put this wine side by side with serious Burgundian Pinot Noir at double the price and be confident that you’ll be impressed with it…a very impressive wine. (CWC, 24/11/22). 22 cases made.

Pairings: mushroom risotto, wild stuffed red pepper

Drink now until 2028

Ontario, VQA Niagara Peninsula

95% Cab Franc, 2% Pinot Meunier, 2% Cab Sauv, 1% Merlot | Dry (RS 10.6 g/L) 12.5% ABV

91+pts Carl’s Wine Club | 92pts Rick VanSickle

In my mind, Cab Franc rhymes with Brian Schmidt, the vigneron at Vineland Estates. His passion for the varietal has transcended our frontier. This is another incredible value wine, perfectly showcasing the quality and the power of the 2020 ‘vintage of the century’ in Niagara. The nose explodes with aromas of dark berries, dark cocoa, vanilla, licorice and cigar box while the palate reflects your first sensory perceptions. In addition, the texture is rich and creamy, the tannins are present but not offensive, the length is very impressive while the finish evolves from dark fruits to coffee, all the way to a loaded spice box. I still can’t believe they are charging less than $16 (including tax) for this wine. WOW! (CWC, 17/10/22).

 Pairing: Cheeseburger, lamb gyros

Drink now until 2028