todd10

Regaleali Cavallo Delle Fate Grillo 2022, Doc Sicilia, Sustainable

This wine was good but I guess I was expecting more. I did get some tropical fruit on the nose including a hint of banana.
It was a refreshing drink and I would drink it again but it was not too special. I may have made an error of drinking it too cold. I am guessing I was drinking it around 8 or 9C. Maybe do not chill it too much so more character can pop out.

Tasca D'Almerita Regaleali Bianco 2023, D.O.C. Sicilia

This wine was quite different from what I'm accustomed to. I began tasting it at around 11°C to ensure the aromas and flavors weren’t muted. While nothing particularly stood out on the nose, I did detect a subtle banana note on the palate. Banana isn’t a flavor I usually associate with wine, but it offered an interesting twist and a welcome departure from my usual preferences.

As the wine chilled further—closer to 5°C in my wine cooler—it became noticeably more refreshing, making it well-suited for a warm summer evening on the patio. I'm glad I gave this wine a try; it was a unique experience. That said, it’s not quite to my personal taste, and I likely wouldn’t purchase it again.

Tasted July 2025

Beringer Knights Valley Cabernet Sauvignon 2021, Sonoma County

Blackcurrant, black cherry, pencil lead and black pepper. Initially very tannic, but softened with air, so decanting is recommended. Good now, but another 2–3 years should add complexity and better balance. Rated 90 (July 2026), based on how it drinks today, not its potential.

Marques De Casa Concha Cabernet-sauvignon 2016

I was getting a mix of leather and smoke on the nose. When I tasted it I was getting some dark fruit flavors, perhaps plum. It was very well balanced. The finish was about 25 seconds. I found the wine did not evolve too much through out the night so I see little need to decant. Even though I would have liked a little more character in this wine, it was very well balanced, I think 90 is a fair rating.
2016 vintage Tasted March 2019.

2017 Vintage. Earthy and dark fruit aromas. Nice finish. Decanting may bring out more flavors. 2017 is an 89.
Tasted July 2020

Peninsula Ridge Inox Chardonnay 2024, VQA Niagara Peninsula

This wine was enjoyable, though I may have overchilled it, which likely muted some of the aromas and flavours. I let it warm up a bit before continuing, but it still didn't reveal anything particularly distinctive. Don't get me wrong—it was a pleasant, fresh-tasting wine, but nothing really stood out or made it especially memorable.

If you try this wine, don't make my mistake and serve it too cold.

Tasted June 2026

Creekside Iconoclast Syrah 2017, St. David's Bench, Niagara On The Lake

This was a nice wine. However, I did not find any secondary or tertiary notes that really stood out, so that is why I gave this an 87. With that said, this wine did have notes of black fruit. It also has nice grippy tannins with some acidity. The finish is tasty as well, with some dark fruit flavors that linger.
This wine did not evolve throughout the evening, so I see no reason to decant.
Tasted February 2022.

Schild Estate Ben Schild Reserve Shiraz 2021, Single Vineyard, Barossa Valley, South Australia

This Shiraz was an impressive surprise. While the style often suggests a heavily tannic wine suited for steak, this bottle was softer and more approachable, pairing beautifully with cheese as well. Aromas of black fruit and a subtle touch of oak led to a balanced, polished palate. The wine showed little evolution throughout the evening, so decanting felt unnecessary. While not overly complex, it was extremely well put together and thoroughly enjoyable. Tasted May 2026.

Henry Of Pelham Lost Boys Limited Edition Bin 106 Baco Noir 2020, Sustainable, VQA Ontario

Some nice fruity flavours but the issue for me was the lack of tannins. It was so weak that it was close to drinking a fruit drink. Unless you enjoy low tannins, I would drink this right now. In fact, I have the 2021 vintage, I will drink that in the coming weeks as I feel aging will take away any tannins that it currently has.
Tasted Feb 2025

Hidden Bench Estate Chardonnay Unfiltered 2019, VQA Beamsville Bench

To me, this wine had a dominant aroma of candle wax, followed by butter and a very slight hint of lemon in the back ground.
This wine had flavours of tree fruit such as apples.
This was a complexed wine and I feel the aromas and flavours that I stated are not giving this wine justice. I had this wine last night and I am still thinking how wonderful it was.
Tasted June 2022

Gemtree Uncut Shiraz 2015, Mclaren Vale, South Australia

I was unable to get much on the nose. If anything stood out, it would have been a hint of green pepper. I can say that it had a firm tannin that became softer as it had a chance to breathe. I was tasting some dark fruit and dark chocolate on the finish.

I do recommend that this wine be decanted one hour before drinking.

2015 vintage Tasted April 2019