Deep rose colour and fragrant scents of floral, plum and spice. The juicy, medium-bodied palate has a rich texture and light tannins, so it’s no shrinking violet of a Rosé, made from 100% Cabernet Franc. Its spicy profile continues to a warm finish. Made me want to bite into a pulled pork sandwich.
Laroche starts with no oak aging for his lower-tiered Chablis and finishes at 30% new oak for his Grand Cru Blanchot. It is such a refined beauty with a nose of flinty minerals and an undercurrent of lemon and apple fruit. It’s delicate, with well-integrated fruit, subtle spice in an even, balanced approach through the finish. It’s all about the finesse here. Perfect with oysters, snails or prawns.
The Piping Shrike is South Australia's bird emblem. This wine is dense purple-black in colour, offering a smoky, medicinal nose of blackberries with an earthy note; it's full-bodied, dry and firmly structured with lively acidity.
Fresh stone fruit with exotic floral scent and succulent ripe apricot backed by stony mineral and rich honeyed notes in the mouth. Finishes with bracing acidity and lingering honeyed apricot notes. Demonstrates how well Viognier can do in southern Okanagan terroir.
Côteaux Bourguignons is a regional wine appellation in France, covering the entire Burgundy region from the area around Auxerre down to Beaujolais. From this region Bouchard Père & Fils make this blend of Chardonnay and Aligoté. Pale yellow in colour, it shows a spicy, apple nose; it’s medium-bodied, dry and crisp with crabapple and green pear flavours and a lemony finish. A great introduction to white Burgundy.
Both red and dark fruits are apparent, with a light spice a splash of vanilla, a whiff of clove, dark chocolate and a suggestion of liquorice. Medium bodied, with lightly firm but approachable tannins and not overly aggressive acidity. Bears some similarity to the reds of the Veneto.
A sign that spring is on the horizon is the appearance of Muskoka Brewery’s Legendary Oddity, a seasonal release, on store shelves. The Belgian-style strong ale is seasoned with heather tips, juniper berries and orange peel, adding a touch of pine and fruit to the aroma. The Belgian yeast shines through, layering in more fruit complexity, and there’s a building bitterness on the palate. If you like this beer, try to get your hands on Legendary Oddity Gin, the spirit is seasoned with the same botanicals, as well as hops.