Brad Mate

Bachelder Wismer Vineyard Chardonnay 2010, VQA Twenty Mile Bench, Niagara Peninsula

So complex and different. Fermented completely with the use of wild yeasts to make this a slow "nail-biting" process, says Thomas Bachelder. It’s awesome to see talented winemakers take risks! With the birth of Thomas Bachelder’s new label, his legendary abilities really shine through.

Watch the my interview with Thomas Bachelder at Cuvee 2013

niagarawinevideos.com

Le Clos Jordanne La Petite Colline Vineyard Pinot Noir 2007, VQA Niagara Peninsula, Twenty Mile Bench

big for a niagara pinot, defies the norm. Balanced and structured, silky with good tannins

Kistler Les Noisetiers Chardonnay 2012, Sonoma Coast

ABSOLUTELY LOVED THIS WINE!!! Believe it or not this is the entree level Juice...But I prefer it to the single vineyard designations...full, lush, balanced, unfiltered foggy and delicious...there's a feeling that develops within you when drinking this wine...harmony! If I were an Egyptian King, I'd take a bottle of this to the after life.

Norman Hardie Unfiltered Niagara Pinot Noir 2010, VQA Niagara Peninsula

Nice smoky, meaty notes that mingle with cherry-tobacco and raspberry with hints of minerality. It stays lean with pronounced acidity and finishes with perfect structure. Needs about three years to round out. This was my runner-up, for the best Pinot of 2013! See the video review at www.niagarawinevideos.com

Achaval Ferrer Malbec 2011, Mendoza

The nose is seductive - perfume like offering fresh cherries, violets and rose petals, herbal cough syrup, mint, cherry-chocolates and more. Very seductive. The palate is smooth and creamy with super fine tannins. It has a long herbal induced finish. Punches way above the price!

Matetic Corralillo Syrah 2011, San Antonio Valley

Big full bodied wine offering luscious vanilla oak, rich blackberry/blueberry fruit and herbal notes. I loved it!

Poliziano Vino Nobile Di Montepulciano 2012, Docg

Very nice...but might I say a tad boring. It's too clean for me, no old world Brett imperfections here. Critics may rejoice, but I hope not all old-world wines turn homogenous with modern technology.

Kenwood Jack London Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon 2010, Sonoma Mountain

Great tannin structure reminds me of Bordeaux or even the Bella Terra wines from Pondview Winery in the Niagara Region. Finesse instead of jammy. Hints of smoky oak and vanilla-nail polish on the finish. Nice wine with some tension that drinks well now. Not a blockbuster at all, something tells me even California is changing their ways.

Bellingham The Bernard Series Old Vine Chenin Blanc 2012, Coastal Region

Quite possibly one of the best white wines I've ever had...ever, seriously. This wine is ripe and lush, but also lean, crisp and focused. A beautiful creamy full body that matches quality ripe fruit. It's like a creamy chardonnay (minimal oak) meets an Alsace Pinot gris. This is wine I adore.

Socré Barbaresco 2011, Docg

I'm going to attempt to describe this wine. Some wines are so excellent it's hard to put it in words. The nose is really interesting - cherry, smoke, charcoal and cigar. The palate has super fine tannins and adds citrus notes (mostly orange peel), orange chocolate, coco dust and cigar on the finish. This is medium bodied and very slick. Worth every penny, probably underpriced at $30. A comparable Gaja would run you over $100 a bottle. Buy as much as you can.