Generations Wine ‘Union Red’ 2007
VQA Ontario $13.95 (197152) 12.5% alcohol
This is balanced, fruit driven and lip-smacking good red offering excellent value. Smooth as silk and flavourful, each sip betters the one before. Fresh field berry fruit and savoury herb on the nose, it bathes the palate with balanced and fruity flavours of crushed black currant and black juicy cherry mingling with nuances of ripe black plum. The blend—Pinot Noir, the two Cabernets, Merlot and Gamay Noir—is food friendly, pairing well with beef fajitas, meat-laden pizza or burgers. (Vic Harradine)


Generations Wine ‘Union White’ 2009
VQA Ontario $13.95 (197145) 12.0% alcohol
Tangy, refreshing and lively on the palate, this delivers a vibrant stream of complex aromas and flavours—minerality, herbaceous savoury notes, rosewater and crisp green apple. Balance, purity of fruit and a focused spine of racy tang pour from a fusion of Riesling, Sauvignon Blanc, Gewürztraminer and Chardonnay. A value-driven summer sipper for deck or patio, it pairs well with chicken, pork or spicy Asian cuisine. (Vic Harradine)


Open Rosé 2009
VQA Niagara Peninsula $10.95 (175349) 11.3% alcohol
Delicate aromas of floral and spice open this sweet and spicy fruit-forward Rosé. Strawberry and candied cherry flavours mingle with hints of spice on the palate and lingering finish. It’s mid weight and fanciful with good texture. Serve well chilled either on its own or alongside spicy wings. (Vic Harradine)


Open Sauvignon Blanc 2009
VQA Niagara Peninsula $12.05 (178681) 11.9% alcohol
Value-driven and bursting with flavour, this is perfumed and flavourful with a racy tangy aftertaste that’ll have you looking for more. There are oodles of aromas in the herbaceous and zesty lemon-lime zones. It then delivers a crisp and refreshing mouthful of zingy white wine. It’s just the thing for deck sipping or pairing with prawns, seafood appetizers or tzatziki-dipped raw veggies. (Vic Harradine)


Rosehall Run Vineyards Chardonnay ‘Sur Lie’ 2009
VQA Prince Edward County $14.95 (114686) 12.0% alcohol
There’s good balance, ripe fruit and a solid spine of acidity keeping this refreshing and full of zing. Aromas of tropical fruit, floral notes and hints of minerality segue a glorious mouthful of crisp and refreshing Chardonnay. It’s mid weight, generously textured and brimming with great depth of fruit—tangy green apple, succulent white peach and lemon zest. Drinking beautifully, it pairs well with chicken or pork—look for the spiffy new label. (Vic Harradine)