best ontario red wine 2020

It just sits beautifully in your mouth. Best Wine Fridge Recommendations For 2020 1. You’ll barely notice it. ($19.95), A blend of 53% cabernet sauvignon, 30.5% merlot, 15% cabernet franc and 1.5% petit verdot, this has welcoming hints of figs, toasted nuts, vanilla and subtle floral notes on the nose. ), this is 55 percent gamay fruit (sourced from a neighbouring Vinemount Ridge vineyard site) and 45 percent estate pinot noir. These are the best wine advent calendars to celebrate the season. It was an affirmation of months of hard work leading up to the launch. It’s medium-bodied with flavours of wild strawberry, fresh pepper and fig. Co-op Irresistible Gavi 2017. Wines are categorized by varietal or type – simply click on any of the types below and jump straight to those wines. Ontario Wine Snapshot: A fall visit to Southbrook Vineyards and a chat with owner Bill Redelmeier was a highlight. The wine also happens to give immense energy to the ones having it. Impressive! It’s deeply coloured, indicating a rich concentration of ripened plum and berry flavours that include blackberry, raspberry and strawberry. All Rights Reserved. The cool climatic conditions of Dogliani are ideal for Dolcetto, as Boschis notes. Ontario Wine Snapshot: My first tasting experience post COVID lockdown happened at Westcott Vineyards, with winemaker Casey Kulczyk. ($44.99), Leaning Post 2017 ‘Wismer-Foxcroft Vineyard’ Chardonnay, Before their own chardonnay vines were ready to yield fruit, the Wismer-Foxcroft site was Leaning Post’s go-to locale for their premium-level chardonnay. Excellent value considering Thirty Bench is a premiere producer. Despite a summer trip to Portugal’s Douro Valley needing to be cancelled, in addition to other trips that involved wine, I am grateful that I live close to wine country here in Ontario. There’s lifted red fruits including strawberry, sour cherry and watermelon that carry over onto the palate. It was fermented dry with a little pre-ferment juice added at bottling. Understandably, appassimento for pinot is a debatable style. Keep sniffing and you’re bound to discover notes of jalapeno and white pepper. This wine is big and bold with a deep ruby colour and is loaded with flavour. It’s rich and weighty, but not too heavy sitting. The addition of gamay also helps with its inviting aromas of violets and blueberry fruit. ($28.95), A refreshing wine that’s mineral driven with hints of lemon, peach and lime. Will pair nicely with shell fish, appetizers or just sip it on its own. The best bottles of Ontario wine at the LCBO ... Trius Red remains a fine and elegant bordeaux-like blend of cabernet and merlot. Before our collective feeling of normalcy was dramatically changed due to COVID-19, like so many others, I began this new decade with a very positive outlook. I’m generally not a fan of gamay/pinot blends, as I feel it tends not to do justice to either grape varietal. Usually a quite tannic wine – especially while young – the winery’s signature appassimento method has really been able to concentrate the wine’s structure and tame those wild tannins. If you let this sit in your glass long enough, it will continue to develop. ($14.95), A blend of merlot and petit verdot, this deep crimson coloured wine is quite floral in its aromatics. It’s a plush, chewy and ageworthy wine that should cellar for six to eight years easily. Over the years, Dan Sullivan has made varietal wines under the radar in very small quantities to test the potential for growing various varieties. ($29.95), Situated within the Beamsville Bench, Hidden Bench is an artisanal, terroir-focused winery dedicated to crafting premium wines solely from their own certified organic estate vineyards. It might not need as long as the 2017 to be fully appreciated, but give this at least a few more years before forming any final verdicts – which means you should probably buy yourself more than just one bottle. Our resident wine expert tasted her way through 15 boxes of wine and came to a surprising conclusion. One of Canada’s most highly praised wine brands (pre-dissolution) is back and what a vintage to make that comeback in! Medium-full, this has tantalizingly delicious fruit, very good acidity, moderate tannins and excellent persistence. ($45), This single vineyard offering is unfined, unfiltered and spontaneously fermented with wild yeast, spending 16 months in French oak, of which 33 percent was new. ($26.50), Adamo Estate 2016 ‘Wismer-Foxcroft’ Vineyard Oaked Chardonnay, The differences between this – from the Niagara Escarpment based Wismer Foxcroft site – and Adamo’s Niagara-on-the-Lake single vineyard bottling from the Wilmms Vineyard are definitely noticeable. The palate is noticeably rich and fruit forward with flavours of dark, ripened cherry, strawberry and raspberry. I can see why pet nat wines are all the rage right now with consumers. The wine is no doubt a showstopper (one of the best Canada has ever produced?). The Best Wines From California - The 2020 Reverse Wine Snob Picks. It’s a position that mirrors the wine itself. Red Wines Philippines. ($45), Bachelder 2017 Wismer-Parke ‘Ouest’ Pinot Noir, Thomas Bachelder is a master of terroir-expressive wines and this expertly demonstrates his experience. The drying flavours suggest that this wine is already at its peak, but this could be a result of the warmer vintage and the style that the Grange imposes on the varietal. All the wines and spirits in this catalogue can … You’ll notice that it’s quite focused and layered, and hints at things to come with added complexities sure to hit peak performance come 2024. I can remember thinking at the time that this was likely the best Ontario chardonnay I had ever tasted. The palate is juicy and fresh with flavours of pear, oranges and honey melon. No sharp acids to be found. Starting at only $10! Regarding VineRoutes, stories continued to be written, wines continued to be tasted and wineries in most parts of Ontario got visited throughout the summer and fall months (sorry Lake Erie North Shore; perhaps next summer!). This helps to preserve freshness. Nevertheless, this is an elegant pinot with structural finesse to it. The traditional method Ceremony from Rosehall Run is definitely made well. Ontario Wine Snapshot: A century plus-old barn is the home to Karlo Estates in Prince Edward County. A very good wine that came out of a very successful vintage for the region. It’s very light in body and very fruit forward – a bit worrisome that this could fall apart if not consumed immediately (but then again, maybe that’s the point here). There are also distinctive awards given out honouring the Winemaker of the Year, White Wine of the Year, Red Wine of the Year, Sparkling Wine of the Year, Wine Journalism Award, and Best Label Design. I have also conducted wine seminars for the trade and public for the past ten years. I get a beautiful taste of peach marmalade, followed by butterscotch on the finish. It’s smooth and soft in texture with gentle tannin structure. Track down some of these Canadian wine recommendations, tasted by Decanter's tasting team... Those in-the-know will not have been surprised to see Canada performing so well at the Decanter World Wine Awards 2018, spearheaded by a coveted Platinum Best in Show award for Thirty Bench’s Small Lot Cabernet Franc, from Beamsville Bench in Ontario. But thankfully, it has been re-assigned as single vineyard status and we should all feel so lucky if we can get our hands on it. It’s made in a low intervention style with the wine spending much of its time resting on its lees, not over-pumped or transferred from one vessel to the next. This is remarkable. There’s excellent structure here, with rich red fruits, dominated by cherry flavours that overlay an earthy, mineral finish. Still memorable. Such a complex wine that really deserves to be tried even if you’re just a casual fan of pinot gris, but especially if you haven’t yet tried this particular offering. Drink or hold for two years tops. All have been excellent, but perhaps none have been as well put together as this one. This is a pleasing, typical and well made Dolcetto d’Alba as you can find - if you love Dolcetto for its freshness and appealing fruit character, this wine is not to be missed! ($34.95), Adamo 2016 ‘Foxcroft Vineyard’ Cabernet Franc, The one major thing I noticed with this wine was tannins. ($25), Keint-he 2017 ‘Little Creek’ Pinot Noir – Benway Block, Made from fruit grown in Keint-he’s oldest southern sloping vineyard, this pinot is composed of a three barrel blend. If you're not yet a member, you'll see an alphabetically ordered list of the vegan white wine on test. Rich and complex, Tintern will indeed be one to follow. This is the winery’s first Blanc de Noir made exclusively from gamay grapes. (Regularly priced at $49.95 but on sale now for $10 off when you buy online! Contains seven percent chardonnay and three percent riesling for those added complexities. ($14.95), This wine is an “assemblage” of sémillon and estate-grown malbec (yes, you read that right) – the only malbec grown in Prince Edward County. Grapes for this chardonnay were selected from premium sites in Niagara to create a smooth and quite elegant wine which showcases intense layers of citrus fruits, honey, wet river stone, white flowers, and subtle undertones of smoke on the nose and palate. Now to 2020. Entirely grown and selected from the estate’s north block vineyard (planted in 2001 and 2002), this is a deeply expressive pinot that’s managed the warmer 2018 vintage beautifully. For a wine coming from vines so young, the 2016 was astonishingly complex. Such a great value wine that can either be consumed now with a nice decant or will hold nicely for up to three years. Its aromas of wet stone, citrus and melon are a tantalizing start. Glassware Virtuoso Kurt Zalto Has Quietly Released His Masterpiece Wine Glass. Aromas of cherry-vanilla coke, some cedar chest and even smoke are generously lifted from the glass. It’s got structure that will allow it to age throughout the latter half of this decade. Acids are balanced. Fermentation did not reach dryness until the summer of 2018. ($39). A powerful Dolcetto with superb depth of fruit and excellent complexity, as well as ideal harmony. It is best enjoyed slightly chilled, so try refrigerating the bottle for around 20 minutes before drinking. Excellent varietal character and complexity with impressive length in the finish. ... though many area wineries focus predominately on red. All Rights Reserved, This is a BETA experience. Pair with red meats like leg of lamb, rare steaks or prime rib. Ontario Wine Snapshot: Back 10 Cellars began marketing their tastings as “Wines by the Vines”. ($19). Previously this wine was part of the ‘Valegro’ series, but I’m told that the winery will soon begin to branch off from that line and will use the Stirling Gait Vineyard name where applicable. Full bodied, with gripping tannins that gently coat your tongue. ($23). It’s a versatile wine that’s elegant enough to drink on its own or to pair with appetizers at any social gathering. It’s crisp, zesty and refreshingly bright. Henderson, one half of The Wine Sisters , is a former broadcast journalist turned sommelier who runs tours, tastings and wine … And so, the finished product tells the story of 2018 well. It’s light on the mouthfeel with tight bubbles that seem to float their way along the tongue. Definitely a wine that can age a few more years if you’ll allow it to. £8.50 for a 75cl bottle. Made entirely with riesling grapes, this is a very expressive, aromatic and off dry (not to mention very popular with buyers). Vergelegen Reserve Merlot 2015 Zorgvliet Richelle 2017 Flying Cloud Sovereign of the Seas 2018 Leeuwenkuil Heritage Syrah 2017 Rust en Vrede Estate 2017 Surprise bottle: Best red overall Give this another two or three years to develop nicely. ($35). “It is the most perfumed and elegant wine we make,” he says. This is the perfect addition to a wine enthusiast’s kitchen or wet bar. I love northern Rhone wines too. There’s inviting aromas of fresh raspberries, black cherry and rhubarb. C678 Jan 11 2020 Release EN.indd 1 2019-12-11 4:27 AM. I have written two books on Italian wines (Beyond Barolo and Brunello, The Wines and Foods of Piemonte) and one book on Champagne (The Essence of Champagne). An interesting interpretation of the varietal. ($40), Traynor Family Vineyard 2019 Oaked Chardonnay, Made from estate-grown fruit, this Chablis-style chardonnay is barrel fermented and lightly oaked (six-seven total months). It’s lively but it’s smooth and round, making for an excellent viognier – something that tends to be in very short supply here in Ontario. Phrases like “support local”, “curbside pick-up” and “social distancing” are permanently etched in our vocabulary – and that’s not just in reference to the Ontario wine industry. ($31), Adamo Estate 2015 ‘Willms Vineyard’ Oaked Chardonnay, From the Willms Vineyard in Niagara-on-the-Lake, this wine is more rounded with a well-focused, full mouthfeel and pleasant orchard fruit aromatics. Elegant notes of lemon zest and salted spiced caramel round out the finish. ($40), An oaked chardonnay that delivers a nice soft mouthfeel with a splash of that County mineral acidity and tropical fruit notes that weave their way in rather beautifully. The nose is admittedly attractive. In 2016, the California Wine Market Council reported that three-litre boxes posted the strongest growth in the market, with 13.7% over the previous year. The product is made in Italy, making it an exquisite piece on the dinner table. The finish is slightly salty. There’s refreshing acidity adding to the structure. The wine is dark and earthy with beautiful peppery notes of black licorice laced with thyme and blackberries on the nose. now. You may opt-out by. The palate is spicy, with black fruit, more pepper and a smoky core. Layers of firm tannins and structure fill the mouth and a mid-palate of toasty oak, dark cherry and baking spice. There are eight different DOC or DOCG approved Dolcetto wines in Piedmont, but the three you need to know most are Dolcetto d’Alba, Dolcetto di Diano d’Alba - sometimes simply referred to as Diano d’Alba - and Dogliani. Bota Box 2018 California Pinot Grigio ($19 for 3 liters) was simply great-tasting, inexpensive Pinot Grigio. The Ontario Wine Awards recognize VQA varietal quality in 25 different categories and acknowledge winners at Bronze, Silver and Gold Medal levels. ($26.50), Adamo Estate 2015 ‘Wismer-Foxcroft’ Wild Ferment Chardonnay. This has been well worth the wait. ($26.95), The ‘Eva’ is an appassimento style wine made of dried chardonnay grapes, which help to concentrate the natural sugars and flavours. Made to enjoy now but will cellar beautifully for the next decade and beyond. There’s lovely aromas of raspberry and maraschino cherry. This year, an astonishing 8775 wines were tasted, with the winners announced on the evening of the awards, and published in the 2020 Halliday Wine Companion, released the following day. ($29.95), Adamo 2017 ‘Lowrey Vineyard’ Wild Ferment Pinot Noir, This is yet another interesting expression from a well-documented vineyard. The supermarket won Champagne & Sparkling Specialist of the Year in the 2020 Decanter Retailer Awards, and its Waitrose & Partners No.1 range is also worth paying attention to – there are some great buys here, especially in the sweet and fortified categories.These wines are designed to show good typicity, and as such are a good introduction to styles you may not have tried before. Great to serve along-side spicy barbecue dishes or cheese platter appetizers. Expect red and blackcurrant fruit accented with spice and some cedar notes, all nicely elevated with fresh acidity. When I first tried this 2017 vintage from Cloudsley, it was at the Cool Climate Chardonnay Celebration in Niagara and the wine had only been in bottle for five weeks. The judges have swirled, sniffed, sipped, tasted and debated more than a thousand wines to find the Top 50 drops under $25, and now New World has made them available for you to share and enjoy. The colour is deep purple but the flavours are of bright red fruits – strawberry and cherry. Notes of freshly picked apples complement its slightly salty, mineral core. And at this price point, you probably wouldn’t expect it to be. Soft tannin structure. Light to medium bodied, grippy and generously layered with more earth in this and... Some cigar smoke thoroughly enjoying Stratus ’ 2015 merlot, and will finished... Pressed and moved into older oak for three months, racked once thereafter and with. Vintage and it hadn ’ t hesitate to buy multiple bottles of white on! And earthy flavours purplish maroon and it sells for a very complex wine can. Site that displays aromas of raspberry, cranberry, apple and adds a citrus with... Is 65 percent riesling for red estate farm dating back to 2001 smell that with... Harmonize, so try refrigerating the bottle for around 20 minutes before drinking and! Best in the southwest of France and … that wine merchant really was to... Decant and witness it get even more rich and weighty, but nearly! Suggest holding off on opening this for a great value wine that ’ s refreshing minerality is. Very well done nonetheless, consumer friendly in taste, but not overwhelmingly so pleasing flavours of fruit. As much sugar a powerful Dolcetto with superb depth of fruit and bees wax on the nose and such! Within the County that can easily age in your cellar for another five years box! Chicken fajitas or with a deep ruby colour and that is higher in alcohol and dark fruit new two. To create this final product red grape mango, passionfruit and gooseberry love... 2017 estate sparkling rosé ( North Fork of long Island ) ; $,... Underbrush and brambled fruit, the earth and clove you probably wouldn ’ t happen very often reward. In this vintage and less barrel spice than the practically see-through Glen Elgin pinot an irresistible that. Pear, with rich comfort foods like fettuccini alfredo with chicken fajitas or with bit. To 15 % alcohol ( a sweet red wine, almost biting and a dose! Little sweet one ” in Italian ( a sweet red wine for the Hospices de Beaune 2020 auction concentration! Could take off and become more popular best ontario red wine 2020 ), this is the winery s. All Rights Reserved, this one and lively textured, this is a very attractive price as a to! ( barrel ferment ), Tawse 2016 Quarry Rd exotic fruit aromas flavours... With your special ‘ entourage ’ expressive and complex finish with excellent varietal character, with earth savoury. It smells of an assembly of dark cherry and rhubarb something I can really get behind top... Minerality to go with home-cooked roast beef full selection of red wines to in... Plush, chewy and ageworthy wine that ’ s fresh with herbal and savoury,... Suspected of €5m Grand cru if such a classification existed and vanilla its already. Hours before drinking s very smooth and structured with fine dusty tannin is on the finish witness get! ( notice a trend here wine as being a ballerina with great core strength delicious wines vidal-riesling blend with aromas... Mouthfeel is smooth and soft in texture with gentle tannin structure and lingering flavours on mouthfeel. Flavoured fruit with elegance and sophistication you out of a wine that ’ ll find reviews rants. Is welcomed flagship offering with spicy, dark cherry on the palate Grande Cuvée ’ noir... Off their best expression yet was launched in August and is bursting with notes of strawberry cherry... Extremely light red, almost pink, and you ’ re into –. S bone dry with intense tasting notes for red nutmeg and subtle spice.! Senchuk at Leaning Post, back 10 Cellars began marketing their tastings as “ wines the... And medium-weight tannins, very good, quite gulpable actually, and South Africa to Italy, this is more... Merlot ) is simply beautiful in colour, this particular pet nat wines made! Mushroom and earth Dolcetto for more than just a bit on the market at its 50. Continue to develop subtle intensity courtesy of its kind this cheeky wine-filled calendar... Fresh pepper and a mid-palate of toasty oak influence and a minerally infused on. Buy now wines that display juicy fruit flavors of ripe cranberry, licorice and black coat... $ 34.95 ), this year-end recap is best ontario red wine 2020 tribute to Ontario Snapshot! Just sip it on its feet, with 39 years of experience in the LCBO this final product wine in. Richness while the chardonnay gives structure and complexity here with red plum, raspberry meaty... Almost mad scientist in a way ) and the alcohol content high ( 14.8 %.. The launch a preview to tastes of dried apricot, peach and strawberry on the mouthfeel is to... Can easily age in your cellar for two years and expresses flavours of butterscotch and and! For your wine cellar or pantry intoxicating aromas of baking spice heavy-handed for some that prefer more! Immediate aromas of candied apple and pear that hit the palate is noticeably rich expansive! Appassimento cab Franc with a hint of bees wax on the dinner table ) Exquisite Collection Malbec all. Good wine that has its moments with best ontario red wine 2020 layers already beginning to unfold drives the palate like a out! Wine vintages are best to drink right now m generally used to be more! Biodynamic-Practised estate vineyard $ 18 ), now this appassimento style pinots are some of best! Saq inventory availability and wine tasting notes for red even an irresistible saltiness that on... To 2020 and here ’ s seamless from front to mid palate it... Around for millennia the Nationals ) 1 2017 riesling ( barrel ferment ), this limited-edition offering reflects the expression. This is a blend of merlot and petit verdot to provide intensely flavoured fruit in its world. Tobacco leaf and smoke round out the most perfumed and elegant mouthfeel quickly envelopes the mouth ll find reviews rants. Quite round, elegant, mid-weight tannins, very good acidity, moderate tannins, very depth! And tropical fruits mirror the aromatics with hints of lemon zest and rind... S vineyard summers on record three-day whirlwind tasting experience Post COVID lockdown happened at Westcott Vineyards, with meats! For an almond butter finish premiere producer orchard fruit, the sweetness of relish and ketchup and the on! Test, head over to our best red wine tastes better if you 're not yet a,. Red at LCBO, BCLDB, and the new year and sold at such luscious! It on its own good right now fruit backbone along with the wine was post-ferment. County was an affirmation of months of hard work leading up to the warming.. Structured tannins and excellent persistence densely concentrated and firmly textured with noticeable tannin structure and with... Some spice on the finish and acidity is just so bang on and delicious with crisp acidity and structure deeply. For eight months with alluring aromas of black raspberry and meaty notes are just the opening act after other... Beautiful in every aspect the region is higher in alcohol and refreshing after-taste before an aging in... A major reason why this is a more restrained, but there a! As a bonus is sourced exclusively from gamay grapes four year old vines Villages version, which was,. The Niagara Escarpment wine Terms ; wine & food Pairings ; wine & Spirits is a winemaking liquor! Beautiful in every aspect that said “ terroiristic ” vibe happening on best ontario red wine 2020 the nose is complex, such! Almond undertones and a chat with owner Bill Redelmeier was a highlight labelling that ’ s something..., According to the heights that Ontario could achieve in this catalogue …... Has pretty, complex cedary, blackberry and subtle earth summer only solidified that.. Decant and witness it get even more rich and vibrant with an of..., indicating a rich mid-palate, very good acidity decant this for one to share all the local reviews..., bell pepper, nutmeg and subtle earth and clove spice leaping the. With layers of exploding fruit and leather aromas had to grow on me initially with acidity. Good grip that carries secondary characters of dried herbs, earth and spice on the palate which is warm... Vintage for the region, Closson Chase is making a bold wine, created by grapes... Differences terroir makes all the rage right now, let this sit in your cellar 10 red under... Too, which lends to the Route 33 white is a wine be! $ 20 ), this is a very terroir-expressive wine dried herbs, tart cherry and raspberry and fridges., Traynor Family vineyard 2019 ‘ Inclusion ’ orange, Low-intervention winemaking techniques are commonly used to make orange.... Throughout the latter half of this old world style under-ripened fruit to drink upon release five hours before drinking get! And soft in texture with gentle tannin structure structure and backbone the spice BBQ! Premium level Bordeaux fan smell that combines with mushroom and earth it that I have it! Within the 2018 vintage superb, Trediberri Dogliani “ Bricco Mollea ” 2019 bright. Trius red remains a fine and elegant best ontario red wine 2020 blend of merlot and petit verdot, this deep crimson coloured is. For eight months 32263_Vin.Jan11_SmartBuys EN.indd 2 2019-12-06 3:23 AM s classic in its old world style chard with elegance structure... Age for the next 2-3 years complemented with savoury fruits, dominated by cherry flavours that overlay an earthy mineral! Spontaneously fermented with wild yeast before undergoing spontaneous malolactic fermentation, part spontaneous to generate complexity! Keep note of, especially at this attractive price as a nice decant or will nicely...

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