A blend of regional varieties — Friulano, Malvasia Istriana and Ribolla Gialla — offering attractively scented floral honey and green fruit with supple stone-fruit flavours, delicately balanced acidity and a lick of mineral on the finish.
From Sea Star estate. Aromas of orchard fruits, apple and pear with a bright entry, underpinned by firm acidity. Some pink grapefruit citrus, zesty notes and guava, with well-defined acidity and varietal character through the close. One of the best examples as to just how well, in the right hands, this variety performs in the Gulf Islands and parts of Vancouver Island.
Domaine Matassa blends and borders France and Spain in the Pyrénée-Orientales, in a region and a style that is distinctly Catalan. Schist and slate slopes surrounded by garrigue yield this biodynamic Grenache Gris (70%) & Macabeu (30%), whole-bunch pressed in wooden basket press and wild-yeast fermented in barrel before aging on lees for 18 months before bottling (lightly filtered but not fined). This richer white is best enjoyed at cellar temperature, with nutty, wild herbs, hay, hints of pear skin texturing and ample flake sea salts on this elastic, medium-plus palate. Acidity is humming and vibrating, streaming to the lingering finish. Electric, alive wine, this is age-worthy, drinking beautifully now, and will do with more cellaring.
Characteristic Merlot dark plum and earthiness on the nose with Cabernet-like blackcurrant flavours chiming in more on the palate. Has good depth of fruit and solid structure but, like most 2010 Cru Classé reds, it needs 3 to 5 years' additional cellaring.
Amber tint. Hops dominate in the otherwise strongly malted nose. More toasted notes appear in the mouth with a mildly bitter aftertaste of good length. This is brewed under license by "Les 2 Frères" in Terrebonne, a good source of strongly flavoured beers.
Stiffened with a splash of fortified wine, this one offers deeply scented spicy red and dark fruit on the nose with dark cherry and cassis on the palate. Somewhat sweet fruit character is reminiscent of Ruby Port. Well balanced and structured, it finishes with lingering cassis, bitter cherry and tannic grip. Interesting and approachable.
An oak-aged Chardonnay Icewine is a rarity in Ontario. Straw-coloured with a spicy, honey and peach bouquet, the wine is richly extracted with sweet honey and nectarine flavours carried on lively acidity. A joy to drink.