This newly opened Toronto brewery is taking a page from the history books and producing great-quality classic beer styles like Munich Helles and Irish stout. Their porter pours a deep cocoa brown with tan head. On the sip, it’s dark chocolatey and roasty with a touch of vanilla, cherry nibs and whisp of smoke in the finish. This porter pairs well with smoked brisket, the roasted and smoky malt flavours in both the ale and the dish complement each other beautifully.
White flower and perfume notes before a generous palate of peach and nectarine with formidable but balanced acidity and a lengthy finish; some spicy hints in the close. Made from the oldest vines on the estate, planted by the visionary Vera Klokocka in the early 1980s. Perfect with duck liver paté and gooseberry marmalade. History in a bottle.
Shows good depth of flavour with medium weight and smoothly rounded, well-integrated cherry fruit accented by a splash of dark chocolate, finishing with moderate tannic grip.
Dark ruby. Pleasant nose of red fruits. Supple and fruity taste, medium body, clean finish. According to the producer, this unusual blend is an attempt to introduce Sangiovese to the consumer of Australian wines. Those who love Chianti need no presentation.
This carries all of Semillon's waxy heft and sheen, but with a stony, citrus-lined, edgy profile that talks of its place. This is from Henk Laing's Trekpoort farm on Skurfberg Mountain, within the Citrusdal Mountains (WO Citrusdalberg). These are now 50+ year-old bush vines, almost 1 m tall, planted on red sand and clay in between rooibos, fynbos and apricot trees. After whole bunch pressing, this fermented in stainless before 6 months in neutral, large format French oak. Vibrant stone fruit — nectarine, peach, apricot peel — is scented with tropical melon, pineapple, guava, all wrapped around a waxen, expansive core, and framed with gentle wood spicing. Structural and generous, but held to a 13.5 degree declaration, this young wine well suits protein pairings now, or a couple years' rest in the cellar.
South African winemakers used to call their Chenin Blanc grape “Steen.” This is one winery that can’t quite let go of the old name. Very pale straw in colour with a spicy, white-peach nose; it’s medium-bodied, dry, with nicely balanced pear and quince flavours. (MAN is made up of the initials of the 3 owners’ wives: Marie, Anette and Nicky.)
JP Wiser’s cleaned up at this year’s Canadian Whisky Awards, where their brawny 100% rye whisky Lot No 40 scooped the title of Canadian Whisky of the Year. Noses dark rye bread, fermented cherries and hints of banana flambé. Powerful, balanced and oily in the mouth with flavours of vanilla, black tea, wood and spice. A well-muscled rye whisky deserving of its accolades.