Bright bubbles bring green apple, pear and melon, with blood orange lift and a light biscuit note in the background. This organic Catalonian sparkler feels brisk, uncomplicated and fruit-forward, finishing cleanly enough for aperitif pours, fried seafood, salty snacks or relaxed celebrations.
The grapes are from the Lingard Vineyard on the St. David's Bench that was planted in 2006 to the 21b Clone. Fermentation was stopped to leave a bit of residual sugar (8 g/l) to balance the crisp acidity. A classic Niagara Riesling nose of lime, grapefruit, floral lift, lanolin and white peach. It's nicely balanced on the palate with lip-smacking citrus, summer peaches, ginger, honeycomb and yellow apple with a zippy, lifted finish. Can cellar through 2031. Score - 90. (Rick VanSickle, winesinniagara.com, July 21, 2025)
Recommend decanting. A density of savoury and plum fruits with a hint of sweet vanilla and blueberry muffin. Dusted fine tannins gives this wine a lovely structure. Score - 94. (International Wine Challenge, 2025)
The 2023 vintage in Niagara was beautiful, warm and sunny throughout, but with very small yields. As a result, wines are very concentrated with great acidity. This elegant Chardonnay was vinified in concrete with ambient yeast and aged on the lees for nine months. Evoking pineapple, nectarine, lemon curd, orange blossom and wet stones, it'll pair well with lemon-roasted chicken or turkey.
From one of Niagara's most reliable premium producers, this characterful, consistent, charming Cabernet Franc is ripe and concentrated, with generous blueberry, black fruit, cassis, forest floor, roasted red pepper, savoury herbs, earth, coffee, and lifted mint tones. Polished and enjoyable, it's drinking beautifully now and will continue to evolve into the mid 2030s.
This Gamay is aged in American oak barrels for 10 months. The aromas of black cherries, plums, red currants, anise, smoke and pepper leap from the glass. It's juicy and bold with light tannins, bright red berries, pomegranate, a touch of spice and a tangy, lifted finish. Score - 91. (Rick VanSickle, winesinniagara.com, July 15, 2024)
Queylus Tradition Pinot Noir 2022 is slightly rustic in nature and opens with inviting aromas of cinnamon, cocoa, raspberries, and violets. The palate reveals a bright core with good concentration, carried by firm, rugged tannins. Red berries take the lead, framed by notes of liquorice root and a distinct blood-iron character. There's a savoury edge that adds depth, and the finish lingers with freshness and grip. Drinking window: 2025-2030.
Wood Post Vineyard is part of the Thirty Bench 'Small Lot' Riesling portfolio, and this 2021 edition is another top expression of Riesling from this property in Beamsville Bench. Gentle aromas of apple blossoms and lemons. Flavours of white peaches with lively acidity balance the off-dry style. The pleasing stoney character creates complex mineral notes with a long, lingering finish. Elegant and structured with discreet power. Drinking window: 2024-2032. Score - 94. (Magdalena Kaiser, decanter.com, Nov. 16, 2024)
Named for the limestone caves and mineral springs in their estate vineyard, Cave Spring has long been a go-to source for exceptional purity, precision and elegance in premium Niagara winemaking. Sourced from 36-year-old vines, this Chardonnay is a must-try paragon of elegance and refinement. It shows pear, apple, lemon, vanilla, a touch of marmalade, and a saline mineral character and will evolve into the mid-2030s+.
A fifty-fifty blend of the local Feteasca Regala with French-born international superstar Sauvignon Blanc, this lively wine evokes ripe apple, yellow plum, lemon and lime. Zippy acidity makes it a good choice for pan-fried trout, or pasta in pesto sauce.
... deeply coloured, purple-hued saperavi showing a billowing, almost perfumed nose of lilac, black cherry/blackberry jam, tea and light spice. It pours full, soft, medium sweet and thick. Not quite syrupy, but there is a ton of fruit here. Tannins are soft, the flavour depth is very good to excellent. Chill lightly. Tasted Oct. 2024. Score - 89. (David Lawrason, winealign.com)
Cherry, plum and wild raspberry sit at the centre of this Umbrian red, joined by leather, herbs, pepper and a touch of oak. The palate feels medium bodied with lively acidity and noticeable tannin, finishing with a savoury bitter edge that makes it feel firmly Italian and food ready.
The blend is 42% Cabernet Franc, 33% Cabernet Sauvignon, 24% Merlot and 1% Petit Verdot. This wine is from the best vintage in a decade, when the season delivered balanced and elegant wines. This wine begins with aromas of black currant, black cherry and spice. The flavours are intense, with dark fruits mingled with plum, blueberry, mint and chocolate. Generous in texture, the wine has long, ripe tannins. The finish persists. The 2020 Nota Bene delivers immediate pleasure but has the structure to deliver even more complexity as it is cellared over the next decade. [Drink till 2034+.] Score - 95. (johnschreiner.blogspot.com, June 23, 2022)
44% Cabernet Sauvignon, 36% Merlot, 14% Cabernet Franc. Ripe berries, sweet oak and dried herbs perfume the nose. The palate is deeper, with fig, cocoa, black plum and coffee. Score - 92. (Decanter World Wine Awards, 2025)
Sweet black cherries with some blackberries, as well as cherry blossom in both the nose and palate. Medium to full body with firm tannins and a chewy finish, but it will soften and come together nicely with bottle age. Try after 2025 [into the mid-2030s]. Score - 94. (jamessuckling.com, Sept. 13, 2023)
[Part of SOHO's White Collection line.] It's brilliantly expressed on the nose, showing feijoa, kaffir lime, green rockmelon and lemon sorbet aromas, followed by a lively palate that's filled with juicy fruit intensity. Splendidly styled with a lengthy exuberant finish, offering terrific drinking. At its best: now to 2027. Score - 93. (Sam Kim, wineorbit.co.nz, Aug. 2024)
The 2020 Rioja Reserva, their flagship wine, comes from the 300 hectares of estate vineyards ... I loved the aromatics here - floral and elegant, more in the style of the 2018 than the 2019. It's lighter, more elegant, fine-boned and has a silky texture and very fine tannins. Both 2019 and 2020 are very good, but 2020 is more my style. It was bottled after 21 months in American oak barrels. Drink date: 2024-2034. Score - 94+. (Luis Gutiérrez, robertparker.com, Feb. 29, 2024)
The Jip Jip Rocks is always a big, bombastic, plush Shiraz with concentrated blackberry, spice, wood, smoke, chocolate and vanilla. It's an opulent yet elegant and finessed wine, and all at a shockingly impressive price. Pair with roast beef or grilled steak.[Melbourne International Wine Competition did not include a tasting note.] Score - 94. (Melbourne International Wine Competition, 2023)
Opulent and gorgeously complex, the perfumed bouquet shows dark fruit richness, cake spice, toasty oak and dark chocolate characters, leading to a concentrated palate offering excellent depth and plush texture. Tannins are polished and beautifully infused, making it velvety and deliciously appealing. At its best: now to 2037. Score - 94. (Sam Kim, wineorbit.co.nz, Sept. 2024)