A blend of 90% Cabernet Sauvignon and 10% Petit Verdot, this is a wine of great depth and character. Evolving dark fruit on the nose reveals complex notes of cinnamon, clove and a whiff of tobacco. Concentrated dark fruit flavours come in a firmly tannic structure with assertive acidity that needs time to soften. Best with another 5 years in the cellar.
Straw colour with a buttery, croissant nose; spicy pear and peach flavours, soft mouthfeel but carried on lively acidity.
Another Portuguese beauty with a stunning nose of funky cherry, smoke, chocolate, vanilla and complex earthy notes. Such a different wine from a blend of unusual Portuguese grapes. It’s elegant and complex on the palate with a persistent attack of fruit, firm tannins and layers of spice and oak stylings. Lovely, long finish. Ideal match with wild game.
Union is a virtual winery that sells exclusively through the LCBO in Ontario and has been quite a hit with its entry-level wines. This is Union’s top cuvée, a multi-variety blend that will only be made in top vintages. It has a smoky-meaty nose of blackberry, raspberry, earth, pepper and savoury spices. It’s juicy in the mouth with ripe fruit, cedar smoke, a pepper bite, and good structure and length through the finish.
The smoky nose shows an eclectic range of leather and charcuterie, then opens up to thick and rich dark fruits, black peppercorns, vanilla and savoury spices. This is serious Syrah on the palate: dark, dense and concentrated with a silky feel. An array of fruit flavours — cassis, currants and plums — followed by tobacco, leather, grilled meats and pepper, all carried on a bed of fine tannins.
From a warm vintage comes this overt Chardonnay with peach, white flowers, pineapple, honey, red apple and spice on the nose. The same follows through on the palate with creaminess and minerality adding dimension. Ready to drink now.
Aged 3 years in large Slavonian oak botti and another year in bottle. Opens with ripe berries, tobacco and leather, followed by a rich, sweet mid-palate that evolves to a long, fruit-liqueur finish. With its heady 15.5% alcohol, it’s primed for sipping with aged cheeses after the main course.