This is a surprisingly thin wine from this classic vineyard and stellar vintage. Flavors of strawberry, watermelon and cranberry seem dilute, and there is little backup as the wine trails out the finish. It's a pleasant and balanced wine, aged in 28% new French barrels that push out a toasty finish. Paul Gregutt

Showing its Etna pedigree and loaded with finesse, this gorgeous red has inviting aromas of camphor, crushed red berries, blue flowers and Mediterranean brush. Full-bodied but boasting an almost weightless elegance, the enveloping, delicious palate delivers raspberry compote, ripe strawberry and baking spice alongside a flinty mineral note that lends depth. Enveloping, polished tannins provide lithe support while fresh acidity keeps it balanced. It's already showing beautifully so there's no need to wait. Drink through 2029. Kerin O’Keefe

The Oculus, a Bordeaux blend cultivated organically in British Columbia's Okanagan Valley, seamlessly combines opulence and elegance, showcasing serious New World fruit with refined sophistication. Aromatically, it unveils layers of complexity and florality, with notes of strawberries and balsamic intertwined with dried violets, savory anise, and gravelly dust. On the palate, its construction is exquisite, with tannins and freshness in harmonious interplay. Fresh mint and pine bough complement flavors of strawberries, clove, and smoke, while well-integrated wild mountain berries, pencil lead, and hints of evergreen add depth. This wine exemplifies a perfect balance of freshness, ripeness, and structure

The Grand Cru is a powerful wine with a structure similar to Côte de Nuits wines. The vineyard orientation allows to elaborate a wine with silky tannins and harmonious acidity. Les Grèves is a South east exposure vineyard based on a siliceous soil. This gives power and delicacy to the wine.

This California Cabernet Sauvignon breaks away from the typical profile, offering a lush and velvety experience. Rich flavors of black cherries and sugar plums dominate the palate, accented by a subtle hint of vanilla, creating a luxurious and indulgent tasting sensation.

One of the original producers that grows Trebbiano Abruzzese, one of the few quality grapes of the Trebbiano group. There is not much of this exported and even fewer bottles of the Montepulciano. Francesco Valentini and his son are the only humans allowed in the cellar as Francesco never wants to introduce foreign microbes or yeasts to interfere with the ageing of the wine. These are some of the most ageable white wines in the world and in fact, could be considered “unicorns” as they are hard to find here in Canada.  Truly collectible.

Located in Loreto Aprutino in the province of Pescara, the Valentini winery boasts of a centuries-old winemaking tradition. Francesco Paolo Valentini is a more than well-known figure in the wine world. The winery covers 65 hectares of vineyards dedicated to the production of Trebbiano, Montepulciano and Cerasuolo d' Abruzzo. Annual production is around 50,000 bottles. It is not possible to identify the production method as Organic or Biodynamic since the approach in the vineyard is unique and artisanal. Montepulciano is a powerful and impetuous wine. It is characteristic of bewitching with its important body and intriguing bouqet of aromas.

This super-interesting blend from Liguria is made from Sangiovese, Merlot and the rarely seen Pollera Nera, native to Liguria. The wine is very aromatic, perfumed with wild berries, fresh herbs and dried flowers. The vibrant palate highlights classic Sangiovese tart-cherry notes and lively acidity. Merlot contributes a softer edge while the Pollera Nera adds background notes of herbs and spice.

This wine is in peak condition. The tannins and the secondary flavors dominate this ripe leather-textured wine. The fruit is all there as well: dried berries and hints of black-plum skins. It is a major wine right at the point of drinking with both the mature flavors and the fruit in the right balance.

Nose: Intense aromas of ripe red fruits, such as cherries and raspberries, with hints of floral notes and a touch of spice.

Taste: Rich and velvety on the palate, with flavors of blackberries, plums, and a subtle earthiness. Well-balanced acidity and smooth tannins.

Palate: Full-bodied and elegant, with a long and persistent finish. Notes of dark chocolate and a touch of vanilla add complexity to the wine.

Tobacco, cigar wrapper, wet earth and red fruits lead off the wine. On the palate, the wine is soft, medium bodied, forward and finishes with smoky fruit and a hint of dust in the tannins. You can drink this elegant wine young or age it. 90 Points

The family owns 18 hectares between La Morra, Serralunga d'Alba, Monforte d'Alba, including 4 Barolo Cru's: R56 (Brandini), Annunziata, Meriame, Cerretta. Annunziata is a Cru with a 6200 bottle production. The wine is elegant, yet with great concentration. Notes of red fruits, roses and sweet tobacco on the nose, with a silky, refined tannic finish.

"Subtle and profound aromas of blackberries, wet earth and sweet tobacco. Hints of spice, too. Full-bodied and so deep. It's incredibly vertical and long. Just like looking down a well. Firm and powerful tannins, yet polished and balanced. Goes on for minutes. One of the greatest ever. Try after 2025." ---James Suckling

Blend: 65% Cabernet Sauvignon, 35% Merlot 94 Points- Wine Enthusiast A solid effort, this is a wine with great fruit and firm structure to support it. Ripe and full in the mouth, it’s a firm and complex wine with a delicious juicy aftertaste.

93 Points- Wine Spectator This offers beguiling aromas of bergamot, roasted sandalwood and black tea, before giving way to a well-endowed core of plum, blackberry and raspberry reduction notes. The structure is remarkably fine-grained, showing seamless integration through the long finish. A really great showing.

93 Points -Robert Parker's Wine Advocate The 2012 Cantenac Brown, one of the most impressive Margaux I tasted, is the complete package – from the initial attack to the layered, rich finish. Dense ruby/purple-hued with notes of licorice, mulberries, black currants, asphalt and spring flowers, this medium to full-bodied, concentrated, rich effort does not reveal an excess of rusticity or astringency.

92 Points-James Suckling This is very intense for the vintage in the Médoc with blueberry, mineral and blackcurrant character. Full and chewy. Needs two or three years to soften but already there.

Benefiting from the same care as Château de Camensac, it is blended from carefully selected batches, specifically for the second wine, in accordance with its identity. Soft tannins, ripe fruit, elegance, and always excellent value! Château de Camensac's second wine is predominantly Merlot, subtly complemented by Cabernet Sauvignon.

The fruit is highlighted and offers an elegant aromatic palette.When young, the wine develops a crisp density that becomes patinated with a beautiful complexity as the years pass.

Bright violet color. Black berries with flowery scents and red fruit, complicated by peppery top note.

Soft and velvety in the mouth, concentrated with textured and complexity. Finishes fresh and long.

A third growth in the 1855 Classification, Chateau Desmirail is located in the Margaux appellation on the left bank of Bordeaux. The name of this Chateau is unique as the property does not bear the name of its original owner, Marguerite Rauzan du Ribail, but rather that of her husband, Jean-Baptiste Desmirail. It is also one of the few chateaux with an ancient "Medocain" system - a gravity operated vat room that is still well-preserved. The red blend consists of 57% Cabernet Sauvignon, 38% Merlot and 5% Petit Verdot and this 2014 is attractive and ready to drink now.

The Tollot-Beaut family is a based at Chorey-Les-Beaune with vineyards located in Beaune, Savigny, Aloxe-Corton and a small holding in Corton Charlemagne. The 2020 Corton Grand Cru, which comes from Les Combes as usual (though not on the label), has a lovely nose with brambly red fruit, black truffle and subtle pencil box aromas. The palate is medium-bodied with saturated tannins, very fine tension and an almost sorbet-fresh, quite mouth-coating finish. It will require time in bottle...but this Corton will be worth the wait.

Clean mineral notes, spice, dried flowers, menthol and graphite all run through this potent yet super-refined Barbera that cries for cold weather and bold, lusty food on the table. When I think about what Asti Barbera should be, the Bionzo often comes to mind."

Mocha and dark chocolate with dark spice on this robust Italian red wine made from the Appassimento method of drying the grapes for great concentration of flavour. Pair with grilled meats. Amarone Della Valpolicella Classico food pairings: pasta with a tomato sauce, roasted venison, beef and veggie stew, leg of lamb.

Similar to its growing season, this wine projects harmony and evenness with an underlying current of something a little thrilling. The 2020 Dundee Hills Pinot Noir is structured and dense, while earth and spice abound with unfolding notes of dark fruits and floral highlights. Fresh acidity lengthens the attack and expands these flavors across the palate.

The 2008 vintage of Roberto Voerzio La Serra Barolo is known for its complex aroma, with scents of rose petals, dried cherries, leather, and spices. On the palate, the wine is full-bodied and rich, with flavors of ripe red fruit, licorice, and tobacco, balanced by firm tannins and good acidity. The wine is typically aged for several years in oak barrels before release, which contributes to its structure and complexity.

The Robert Keenan Winery is located in the Spring Mountain District, high in the Mayacamas mountain range above the town of Saint Helena. We planted eleven acres of Merlot vines in the rocky soils surrounding the winery, and we believe this mountainside vineyard produces some of the finest Merlot in all of Napa Valley. Sited above the dense fog that creeps up the Napa Valley most evenings, the vineyard warms earlier in the morning, and temperatures remain warm throughout the night. Combining these warm temperatures, steep hillside vine rows, and gravelly soils promotes stress on the vines, increasing the intensity of flavours and aromas in the finished wine.

Pairs well with: Lamb

A wine that compairs to those at double the price point. The Robert Craig Diamond Mountain is a rich, lucious, wine with bountiful flavour. The Cabernet Sauvignon brings those classic dark fruit, black pepper and flint, whilst the Cabernet Franc adds earthy structure and capsicum characteristics. A delicious wine that is showing welll straight from the bottle, but can be set to rest for 10 years. Enjoy with Alberta beef, wild boar, bison or anything else meaty and rich.

Aromas of raspberry, licorice, plum and spice give way to a sweet, fruity core complemented by cocoa notes and savoury tannins. The Atlas is an ideal food wine, perfectly pairing with everything from midweek pasta to roasted cauliflower and pork belly. It's drinking well now, though your patience will be rewarded after a couple of extra years in the cellar.

Located in Nuits-Saint-Georges, the Dufuoleur family has been steeped in Burgundian winemaking and culture for more than 400 years. Their property of 30ha runs from the village of Fixin in the north to Santenay in the south. The Fraîches Eaux Nuits-Saint-Georges is a very small plot planted to Pinot Noir grapes with an average age of 45 years. Aromas of blackthorn, strawberry and cherry dominated with further nuances of tobacco, candied strawberry and forest floor notes on the palate. Nuits-Saint-Georges offers more full-bodied examples of Pinot Noir and this wine is no exception.

After a classic winter, spring settled down with warm températures, but fabulous weather in April slowed down the vines’ evolution. May was rainy and was followed by a warm summer with heat waves. However, a few thunderstorm épisodes brought enough rain to allow the maturation of the grapes to continue. The harvest started in early September with an excellent sanitary level of the grapes. Vinification: whole bunch fermentation for approximately two weeks; the wines are then aged in our XVth century cellar for a period between 14 and 18 months—moderate use of new oak.

Tasting: Dark ruby colour. Delicate floral fragrances (violet) mixed with red berries and plum aromas with a hint of vanilla. Well-balanced and complex. Dense and velvety texture. Well-integrated tannins. Long aftertaste. GUIDE BETTANE & DESSEAUVE 2020 : Score 16/20 - JANCIS ROBINSON : 16/20 - BURGHOUND : Score 88-91/100

Food pairing: Game (pheasant), poultry and all the classic cheeses (Epoisses, Langres).

Appearance : Nice deep ruby robe, limpid and brilliant
Bouquet : Open and pleasant aromas on blackberry and other black berry fruits
so typical from the wines from Côte de Nuits, backed by nice touch of toasted
bread
In the mouth : Full of fruits, powerful and complex at the same time ! Flavours
of undergrowth and blueberry. Tannins are well integrated and the wine is very
elegant and long lasting

Louis Latour's vineyards cover 50 ha and includes the largest collection of Grand Cru in Burgundy, not to mention a name synonymous with quality. En Chevret vineyard is located in the Volnay appellation; an eastern exposition located close to Mersault. It has a bright ruby color and aromas of red fruits, such as cherries and raspberries, as well as floral and spice notes. On the palate, it is medium-bodied and well-structured, with flavors of ripe fruit, earth, and subtle oak nuances. This is an elegant wine with supple tannins and a round, slightly woody finish.

Wine Enthusiast: This fruity Pinot opens with cooked berry notes, like grape and strawberry jelly, followed by subtle florals and earthy spice. In the mouth there's a lift of acidity and chalky tannins. The fruit feels thin and finishes a touch sour. - Christina Pickard

Aromas of sweet cherries, currants, loamy soil and espresso roast introduce the 2017 Pommard 1er Cru Clos de Verger, a medium to full-bodied, supple and open-knit wine that will drink well out of the gates. The character of the vintage emphasizes the charm that wines from this site often display. -WA

This wine shows an earthy but fresh nose which evolves into fruity glimpses on the palate. The flavors' weight, from light to medium, contribute to a beautiful balance and length, one of the best in its range.

We don’t often think about Nebbiolo outside of Barolo or Barbaresco, but the northern region of Gattinara is a quality region growing points-worthy Spanna, as it is known here. Elegant with aromas and flavours of dried roses, raspberry jam and hints of toasted nuts and vanilla. If you’ve never tried Nebbiolo from Northern Piemonte, this is a good place to start. 

Passopisciaro is a small area (the name of a town) on Mt.Etna's north face on the property of the late Andrea Franchetti. Soils from this active volcano provides resulting wine with a vein of minerality that speaks of the terroir of this prestigious region. Rampante sits at 1000m asl and produces one of the finest, most aromatic of the volcano wines due to the sandy content in the soil. Dried flowers, smoke, sour cherries, and exotic spices dominate. It is the winery's most rarified and ethereal expression of Nerello Mascalese. Stunning.

It has a deep ruby color and aromas of dark fruit, spices, and vanilla. On the palate, it is full-bodied with firm tannins and a long finish. This wine is best paired with hearty meat dishes, such as grilled steak or roasted lamb. Overall, it is a high-quality wine that showcases the unique characteristics of the Refosco grape and the terroir of Friuli-Venezia Giulia.

The region of Patagonia in the southern tip of Argentina has become more well known for cold climate winemaking in recent years. Bodega Noemia Malbec comes from a small 1.5 ha vineyard of pre-phylloxera vines planted in 1932. The wine is well-balanced and elegant with well integrated intense dark fruit notes with hints of dark chocolate , coffee and spice. Full-bodied with a persistent, long finish.

Individual rows are chosen by hand, and fruit is selected and separated to preserve the unique flavours. Indigenous yeasts are used and time on the lees allows for earthy flavours and lovelu textures to emerge. The final wines are rich and complex with the perfect amount of oak. The Pinot Noir has a fragrant, savoury, and slightly herbal bouquet. On the palate it has concentrated plum, herb and spice flavours, smooth tannins and balanced acidity.