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Hidden Bench Natur Zero Dosage 2017, VQA Beamsville Bench

Pinot Noir 57% Chardonnay 43%. This strikingly golden, bone-dry sparkling wine displays rich tones of honey-drizzled croissants, strawberry and cherry preserve, caramelized lemons, dried apples, and toasted hazelnuts.

Creekside Broken Press Syrah Reserve Queenston Road Vineyard 2020, VQA St. David's Bench

The Broken Press Syrah is aptly named because in 2004 when our little basket press broke with some juicy Viognier skins in it, we decided to try co-fermenting them with our Syrah. That happy accident turned out so well that the tradition continues in making this elegant but powerful wine, year after year.

Vineland Estates Vidal Icewine 2017, VQA Niagara Peninsula (375ml)

Wildly aromatic Icewine, unique and savoury, almost smells like charcuterie with pork rillette and a mix of pickles. Onion skin and the musky cured skin of pork salumi. So bloody interesting. Would age this a year or two.

Burrowing Owl Athene 2021, Okanagan Valley

A blend 55% Syrah and 45% Cabernet Sauvignon. NWAC2024 Platinum

Delicious - big, dark peppery syrah and cabernet sauvignon. Smooth, cherries and long finish. With prime rib, and beef short ribs - yum. One of my favs.

Tenuta San Guido Guidalberto 2022, Igt Toscana

60% merlot and 40% cabernet sauvignon, all from the San Guido estate, the highest percentage of merlot in the wine's history since launching in 2000 (2020 was the closest at 50-50, while the usual is 60% cabernet and 40% merlot).

Tyrrell'S Hunter Valley Semillon 2023, Hunter Valley, New South Wales, Sustainable

Wow, this is amazing. Classic semillon peach, silky with a long beautiful finish. Double thumbs up!

Arch-classic Hunter Valley semillon here from stalwarts Tyrrell's, one of the originators of this excellent genre, once known as "Hunter valley Riesling". This is surprisingly genteel and approachable in youth - often it takes at least 8-10 years for these wines to show their merit, but here the fruit is quite ripe and forward, and starting to develop ahead of the historic curve. Acids are yet firm and crunchy, propelled by a dash of residual carbon dioxide. Can cellar to at least 2028.

Bachelder Werner York Chardonnay 2022, V.Q.A. St. David's Bench

The nose is quite rich and almost tropical with peach-pineapple fruit, well integrated spice, bread crust and nougat. The palate is lovely, very creamy, warming and bright, with a tweak of acetic sharpening the finish. The length is excellent to outstanding.

Megalomaniac Narcissist Riesling 2021, VQA Niagara Peninsula

Tasca D'Almerita Regaleali Lamùri 2020, Doc Sicily

A succulent, sapid and mineral-rich nero d'avola grown at higher hillside elevations between 450 and 700 meters above sea level. Crunchy, salty, and red-fruited with notes of strawberry jam, white pepper.

Double thumbs up. Strawberry, cranberry and cherry; dry tannin with a long smooth finish. Very nice.

Remy Ferbras Châteauneuf-du-pape 2021, Ap Rhône