Category: Cabernet Franc

If you visit Osoyoos and stay at the Spirit Ridge Resort or visit the Nk’Mip Desert Cultural Centre, you will drive past Adega on 45th Estate Winery.  The winery and tasting room is at the top of a hill slope and gives you a wonderful view of Osoyoos.  The winery was recently taken over by Gate 22 Winery, which has…

Trius Winery, located in Niagara-on-the-Lake, traces its roots to the Hillebrand estate, where the Trius label was first introduced in 1989. Over time, the label gained prominence, most notably when Trius Red, a Bordeaux-style blend, became the first Canadian vintage to be named “Best Red Wine in the World” in 1991, putting Canadian wines on the global map.  In 2012,…

I have two Cabernet wines for you from South Okanagan’s Adega on 45th Estate Winery;  one is their Cabernet Franc 2022 and the other their Cabernet Sauvignon 2019.  Did you know that Cabernet Franc is one of the parents of Cabernet Sauvignon?  Who is the other parent?  Adega cultivates 19 acres of estate fruit and are committed to sustainability.  Their…

Here are my next two red wines from Osoyoos’ Bordertown Vineyards & Estate Winery to review for you.  I previously tasted their Bordertown Merlot 2020 and Bordertown Cabernet Franc 2021.  I now have their Bordertown Reserve Malbec 2020 and Reserve Cabernet Franc 2019; a step up in quality.  It will be interesting to see how their entry level Cabernet Franc compares to this…

Today I tasted the battle of the blends.  An epic battle royale between two iconic red wines made by Hester Creek Estate Winery.  Wines of phenomenal origin and destiny, The Judge and Garland are crafted from the best barrels in their cellar, and are an authentic expression of our South Okanagan terroir.  These are heavy bottles with solid corks. Their…

I think we are all grateful in BC for the rainy weather we had recently to combat the forest fires, as well as water our trees, gardens, and vineyards.  The sunny weather is coming back, as summer is not yet over.  I received two red wines from Osoyoos’ Bordertown Vineyards & Estate Winery to review for you.  The two wines…

2022 was an epic year for making wine, according to BC’s Hester Creek Estate Winery.  The year started out challenging with a late cold start, summer temperatures were not too high, low rainfall during the summer, but then lead to a long, warm end to extend the growing season, allowing the grapes to fully mature.  Many wineries noted that their…

Cabernet Franc has found a remarkable home in the diverse terroirs of Ontario, producing wines that are both vibrant and distinctive. Over the past several months I’ve tasted through 28 different bottles of Cabernet Franc, primarily from the Niagara peninsula, but also two bottles from Prince Edward County.  I wanted to examine how the unique climate and soil composition of the Niagara Peninsula,…

My last stop on my weekend trip to Lillooet and Kamloops was Monte Creek Winery.  I’ve followed along, tasted their wines, and wrote about them since they opened.  And as luck would have it, on this visit, they were celebrating their 10-year anniversary of opening the tasting room.  People have changed over time, and they planted an additional vineyard, Lion’s…

2017 was the last time I visited Fort Berens Estate Winery in Lillooet, along with other wine writers.  The winery was still young, but the quality of their wines were notable.  Almost every year since 2018, I interviewed their current winemaker to find out about their grape harvest.  And every year, I tell people how they should try Fort Berens’…