Mountain Road Wine Company Unoaked Chardonnay 2005
VQA Beamsville Bench $15.15
A refreshing Chardonnay with laser-clean fruit from attack to finish. It's predominantly sweet peach and nectarine, with notes of sweet apple, pear and citrus. The fruit and acid are in excellent harmony in this well-made, well-priced wine, and it's ideal for slightly fattier foods, such as chicken, pork or veal in a cream-based sauce. Order from This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.. This email address is being protected from spam bots, you need Javascript enabled to view it (RP)


Mountain Road Wine Company Barrel Fermented Chardonnay 2004
VQA Beamsville Bench $16.15
This is a rich, concentrated Chardonnay with a juicy, edgy texture. The fruit is mainly peach, with good parts of bitter lemon and grapefruit, but look for some seams of sweet fruit and caramel and a background note of ground cherry. The decent whack of citrus acidity makes this an excellent food wine, and I suggest you pour this with pan-fried white fish and lemon or with lemon chicken. Order from This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. This email address is being protected from spam bots, you need Javascript enabled to view it (RP)


Reif Estate Pinot Noir 2006
VQA Niagara River $14.95
This is unmistakably Pinot Noir in a fairly classic style: light in colour and light-to-medium in body, but with deceptive flavour intensity. It's dominated by tart red cherry with a fine seam of sweetness at the centre. Notes of spice and black pepper add complexity, and an underlying earthiness reminds you of the variety. The acidity makes its presence felt, as it should in a Pinot Noir. Overall, this is well made, well priced, and goes well with grilled duck and lamb. Order from www.reifwinery.com. (RP)


Thirty Bench Riesling 2006
VQA Beamsville Bench $18.00
A delicious, fruity Riesling that's all lemon-lime with hints of peach and tropical fruit deep in the background. Refreshing and crisp in texture, it's just off-dry—just enough to bring out the full ripe flavours in the wine—and the balancing, lime-laden acidity is bright and clean. This is a wine you can happily sip with lightly-spiced appetizers or drink with not-too-spicy Thai dishes. Order from 905 556 1698 or This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. This email address is being protected from spam bots, you need Javascript enabled to view it (RP)


Thirty Bench 'Small Lot' Cabernet Franc 2005
VQA Beamsville Bench $35.00
The 'Small Lot' line from Thirty Bench Wine Makers means just that—that only a small batch of each wine was made. In this case, there were only 109 cases, and I suggest you hurry and order yours now. This is a beautiful Cabernet Franc that's full of plush, spicy, complex red and dark fruit flavours. You'll find sweet plum and berries with notes that include pepper, herbs, tobacco and cedar. The balance is excellent, the texture is rich and full, the tannins are ripe and gripping. In all, a terrific Cabernet Franc that's ready to drink now if you like, but best held two or three years. Order from 905 556 1698 or This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. This email address is being protected from spam bots, you need Javascript enabled to view it (RP)


Thirty Bench 'Benchmark' Red 2005
VQA Beamsville Bench $60
This is a wine with authority, one that speaks with boldness and subtlety, a Bordeaux blend that's stepped definitively into the New World but has retained much of the nuanced character usually associated with the Old. More specifically, this is a rich, concentrated red, dominated by flavours of dark cherry, plum and berries, with an array of accents that include spice, chocolate, tobacco, and oak spices. It has a plush, generous and edgy texture, good grip from the ripe tannins, and a long spicy finish. I'd suggest holding it for a year and drinking from winter 2009-10. This is a good price for a wine of this quality, but only 226 cases were made. Order from 905 556 1698 or This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. This email address is being protected from spam bots, you need Javascript enabled to view it (RP)