Tag Archives: Canada

Red Wine: Fork in the Road, Oliver block 249 Red, Okanagan, Canada

85 Points – $25

A blend of Merlot, Syrah, Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot aged in French and American oak. Dark red with a nose of red fruit, chocolate and lavender. Flavors of strawberries and licorice. Flavor fades to asphalt and tannin too quickly in finish. – 14% alcohol

Fork in the Road Oliver block 249 Red Okanagan Canada

Red Wine: Oculus Mission Hills Family Estate – Okanagan Valley, Canada

92 Points – $69

Revisited. Last tried in 2005 the wine was young and tannic. 10 years later it has smoothed. Dark black with a tawny edge. Aromas of red berries, chocolate and spice. Flavors of dark blackberry, cedar and raspberry. Along truffle and chocolate finish.

A Bordeaux blend of Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot. -14 % alcohol

Oculus Mission Hills

Rye: Crown Royal Northern Harvest Rye Blended, Canadian Whisky

90 Points – $33

The color of new oak. Nose if oak and clove. Spicy clove, anise, pepper and apricot fruit mouth. Oily and spicy. Best served neat. (Not a mixer). Given 97.5 points by whisky expert Jim Murray in his 13th Annual Whiskey Bible.

Much better than regular Crown Royal which suffers from a harshness from its corn mash origin. This is more like the more expensive XO Crown Royal.

Crown Royal Northern Harvest Rye Blended Canadian Whisky

Alcohol: 45% alcohol

90% rye mash whisky

Region: Canada

 

Summer White Wine Picks:2012

During the long hot summer days, nothing is as refreshing as a properly chilled white wine. While red wines go well with meat and can cut through a heavy meal, their high alcohol content and thick body can tire one on a hot day. A crisp white wine with its lower alcohol content has less pucker and more cooling sparkle to help beat the heat. Some of this year’s recent favorites are:

From Austria:

Gruner Veltliner with its crisp white fruit flavours. 12% alcohol $16

From Italy:

Piemonte Moscato Pelassa with 5.5% alcohol and fizzante sparkle has apple and orange flavours. $21

Martini Asti – a full sparkling wine in the classic style with peach, pear and apple flavors. 7%alcohol $15

From Germany:

Relax Riesling with sweet flavors of white fruit and apple. 9% alcohol $12

From New Zealand:

Stoneleigh Sauvignon Blanc. Great star fruit and grapefruit notes. 90 pts. 12.5% alcohol $18

From the U.S.A.:

Bokisch Granacha Blanca a full grapefruit and green apple flavor in a great wine made from a Spanish grape varietal grown in California. 12.5% alcohol $22

From Canada:

Union White a well round white with flavors coming from four different grape varietals. Apple, pear, grapefruit and lychee. 12% alcohol $15

Remember to properly chill these wines, serve cold and Enjoy!

Red Wine: Sandhill 2005 Two, Okanagan, Canada

90 Points – $39

This Bordeaux styled wine is a blend of wines that have been aged 16 months in French and American oak. Complex in smell this dark red wine exudes the aromas of blackberries, plums and spice. A full mouthful of dark spices, pepper, plum and oak finish in a long smooth fashion. An ageable wine from the small lots program. Very good stuff here.

Red Wine

Name: Sandhill 2005 Two

Grape: Cabernet Sauvignon 53%, Merlot 33%, Cabernet Franc 14%

Region: Okanagan, Canada

Maker: Sandhill

Price: $39

Alcohol: 14%