The following three wines from Calamus Estate Winery can be purchased by the case for daily home, office or restaurant delivery online at Calamus Estate Winery or by phone +1 905-562-9303 or toll free 1-888-225-9866 or for personal pick up by the bottle or case on your next stop at the winery 3100 Glen Road, Jordan, ON L0R 1S0. Here’s a map.

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Calamus Estate Winery Meritage 2016
VQA Niagara Peninsula $19.95 13.0% alcohol
This offers very good value. Black cherry/berry fruit, cedar and grilled herb aromas dominate the nose of this brawny red blend. It blankets the palate with a full-bore river of delicious flavour with sweet, ripe cherry and bramble berry to the fore. It’s full bodied and fully textured with swashbuckling finish and aftertaste of cassis, excellent tang and acidity and an underpinning of supple tannin. Aerate/decant for three-hours pouring with a thick slab of grilled and well-seasoned, prime cut of beef. (Vic Harradine)

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Calamus Estate Winery ‘Balls Falls Red’ 2017
VQA Niagara Peninsula $17.95 13.0% alcohol
Alluring aromas of rich, dark berry fruit, dark chocolate and cassis abound on the nose of this deftly balanced, gorgeously flavoured red. It dishes up mouthfuls of sweet-tinged fruit—dark cherry and ripe bramble berry interwoven with excellent tang and acidity and mixed spice. It’s medium bodied with good mouthfeel and a lengthy finish oozing with flavour, tangy acidity and plenty of charm. Pour with steak, burgers or beef fajitas. (Vic Harradine)

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Calamus Estate Winery Cabernet Sauvignon 2016
VQA Niagara Peninsula $24.95 13.0% alcohol
Sexy aromas of ripe berry fruit, white pepper and exotic spice billow from this lovely cab. It rolls over the palate with a firm tannin underpinning and plenty of ripe fruit and tangy acidity. Palate flavours of racy pie cherry and red currant find good balance mingling with riper, darker black currant and mulberry plus savory herbs. It’s medium-plus bodied with textured mouthfeel and finish that layers on tang and tannin. Patience will be rewarded at a very good price; pour after a three-hour aeration/decant or twist tops in 2020 and beyond. (Vic Harradine)

• Order the following by the case for daily office, home or restaurant delivery direct by toll-free phone 1-888-399-1183, from the winery using this link - Rosehall Run - or pick it up from the cellar door on your next visit to the winery 1243 Greer Rd, Wellington, Ontario K0K 3L0 in Prince Edward County – it’s an easy two-hour drive, or less, from the GTA or Ottawa via the 401 - Here’s a map.

• The following 2017 Rosehall Run Vineyards ‘Indigo’ Sparkling Wine was sourced from Rosehall Run estate vineyards with a blend of 64% chardonnay musqué and 36% muscat ottonel and the bottle closed by easily removed, crown cap. The artwork on the label was done by Alex Simon, a Tasting Room Associate at the winery and former Guelph U. Visual Arts student.

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Rosehall Run Vineyards ‘Indigo’ Sparkling Wine 2017
VQA Ontario $24.95 10.5% alcohol
This vintage-dated, Charmat method, sparkling wine delivers aromas of honey, citrus, floral notes and exotic spice then mouthfuls of palate flavour with grilled pineapple, honeydew melon and lemon chiffon pie dominant. This is crisp and refreshing, balanced and bountiful with fine-bead bubbles tingling on the palate from flip top to last drop. It finishes dry and delicious, lip-smacking good. Pour when welcoming guests, keep pouring with lighter-styled appetizers. (Vic Harradine)

• The following two wines represent co-owner/winemaker Dan Sullivan’s newest mission, vision and venture – Small Lots. Dan is on a quest to explore interesting varietals from well-matched terroirs. The following 2016 Rosehall Run Vineyards ‘Silver Fox Block – Nedelko Vineyard’ Pinot Noir began when Dan was harvesting merlot from this Niagara in 1966. The pinot noir for this wine was planted ten-years ago. He employed minimalist winemaking intervention letting the fruit and wild yeasts do their thing. This is the very first vineyard-designated wine from these vines and one couldn’t imagine a better first effort. It was indigenous-yeast fermented, matured 19 months primarily in 2nd- and 3rd-fill French oak, less than 20% new, with minimal sulphites added. Only 270 cases were produced.

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Rosehall Run Vineyards ‘Silver Fox Block – Nedelko Vineyard’ Pinot Noir 2016
VQA Twenty Mike Bench $34.95 12.5% alcohol Top of Form
This opens with an alluring nose of exotic spice, red berry fruit and pipe tobacco aromas. It envelops the palate with a stunning array of complex flavours—tangy, ripe, bramble berry fruit robed in piquant spices and black currant jelly with racy pie cherry appearing on the back palate. It’s medium-bodied with good mouthfeel and showcases dazzling fruit flavour, excellent acidity and deft balance. It’s stylish and charming while the monumentally long, balanced and beautiful finish adds to its allure. What’s not to like? (Vic Harradine)

• The following ‘Small Lots’ 2016 Rosehall Run Vineyards ‘Edgerock Vineyard’ Petit Verdot was sourced from a rare south-facing vineyard in Niagara in an ideal, sun-blessed vintage that easily ripened the usually, stubbornly late-ripening, petit verdot, Winemaker Dan Sullivan has captured the raison d’être of this grape in a bottle. Kudos! A mere 270 cases were produced.

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Rosehall Run Vineyards ‘Edgerock Vineyard’ Petit Verdot 2016
VQA Twenty Mike Bench $34.95 13.0% alcohol
This ‘Small Lots’ petit verdot offers aromas of wood smoke, cassis and dark, briary-berry fruit. It captures the palate with swashbuckling flavours of tang-laden, black, juicy cherry and black plum intertwined with racy red currant and notions of passionfruit infused with piquant spice. It’s full bodied and fully textured with good balance, structure and depth. It finishes with lots of tang and oomph, lengthy and luscious. Let this breathe a couple of hours before pouring via an aeration/decant. This deserves hearty fare—osso buco, boeuf Bourguignon or cassoulet. (Vic Harradine)

• The following 2016 Rosehall Run Vineyards ‘The Certain Ratio’ is a blend of grapes and terroir. The fruit was sourced from select vineyards from both Niagara and The County. The grape blend is 33% merlot/28% cabernet franc/26% cabernet sauvignon/13% petit verdot. It was aged in new and used, French and American, large and small barrels, 500L and 228L, respectively.

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Rosehall Run Vineyards ‘The Certain Ratio’ Red Blend 2016
VQA Ontario $34.95 13.0% alcohol Top of Form
Aromas of charred cedar, dark berry fruit and floral notes waft easily from this red blend—33% merlot/28% cabernet franc/26% cabernet sauvignon/13% petit verdot—followed by a gusher of ripe, luscious, teeth-staining fruit flavour coating the palate—black currant, raspberry and black Bing cherry—interlaced with racy tang and supple tannin. It’s medium-plus bodied with generous texture and a firm structure. Palate-flavours replay on the finish and aftertaste, Aerate/decant two-hours before service and pour with grilled, well-seasoned, medium-rare striploin. (Vic Harradine)

• Order the following wine by the case for home, restaurant or office delivery in Ontario online from Southbrook Vineyards or phone toll free: 1 888 581-1581 or pick up a bottle or case directly from the winery at 581 Niagara Stone Road, Niagara-on-the-Lake, ON. Here’s a map.

• The following 2017 Southbrook Vineyards ‘Small Lot – Natural Wine’ ‘Skin Fermented White’ Vidal is an excellent example of the wave of so-called ‘orange wine’, now referred to as ‘skin fermented white. This is hand picked, foot trodden and then indigenous-yeast fermented followed by a malolactic conversion—converting malic acid to lactic acid—with grape juice, skins, seeds and stems present over 30 days. After gentle pressing it was naturally chilled outdoors, allowed to settle and bottled without filter or fining—hence the cloudy appearance—or any additives. There was no sulphur added.

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Southbrook Vineyards ‘Small Lot – Natural Wine’ ‘Skin Fermented White’ Vidal 2017
VQA Ontario $29.95 10.5% alcohol 
This is ProCert certified—organic and biodynamic, suitable for vegans and vegetarians. Citrus and floral aromas on the nose, pave the way to a light-on-its-feet, tart wash of orange peel with citrus pith and notions of the Italian, bitter liqueur, ‘Aperol’ on the palate and persisting through the drying finish and aftertaste. Give this 100% vidal a go with arugula salad dressed with verjus. (Vic Harradine)

• The following 2017 Southbrook Vineyards ‘heather’s home vineyard’ organic Riesling was sourced from 100%, clone 21, riesling vines, organically farmed. Fruit was stem and skin soaked then gently bladder pressed and cold settled before being fermented to 8 g/L residual sugar which tastes, to my palate, quite dry, especially on the finish and aftertaste.

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Southbrook Vineyards ‘heather’s home vineyard’ organic Riesling 2017
VQA Vinemount Ridge $22.95 11.2% alcohol
This is certified organic and suitable for vegans and vegetarians. There are aromas of pit fruit, citrus and mineral notes on the nose of this tang-laden riesling. It streaks over the palate with a laser-like, electrifying line of stony minerality, racy lime juice and green pear. This is medium weight with oodles of nerve and verve from twist top to last drop. It’s dry on the finish and pairs exceptionally well with sushi or freshly shucked oysters. (Vic Harradine)

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Southbrook Vineyards ‘Organic - Triomphe’ Chardonnay 2016

VQA Niagara Peninsula $24.95 13.0% alcohol

Certified organic by ProCert, this is suitable for vegans and vegetarians. Exotic spice, wisps of smoky oak and sweet vanilla aromas provide segue to a racy river of lime-drizzled crab apple jelly and notions of Mirabelle plum caressing the palate infusing the lengthy, mouth-watering finish. This is medium-weight with creamy-smooth mouthfeel and plenty of tang throughout. Pour with pan-seared seafood, roast chicken or breaded pork cutlets. (Vic Harradine)
• The following 2017 Southbrook Vineyards ‘Wild Ferment’ Chardonnay is the first bottling to not contain Southbrook estate-grown fruit. It was sourced in the home vineyard of the noted Saunders family in Beamsville. 100% chardonnay was barrel fermented with wild yeast in French oak. After maturation and a scrupulous selection of the best barrels, only those were used in the bottling of this wine.

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Southbrook Vineyards ‘Wild Ferment’ Chardonnay 2017

VQA Niagara Peninsula $40.00 13.0% alcohol

This is ProCert certified—organic and biodynamic, suitable for vegans and vegetarians. Alluring aromas of baking spice, vanilla and toasty oak mingle with wisps of yellow plum and green pear on the nose of this medium-full bodied stunning chardonnay. Sweet-tinged entry flavours of yellow peach and plum meld nicely with back-palate flavours of green apple and lemon curd. The finish and aftertaste tingle with ripe-fruit flavour and racy tang decorated with deft balance and charm. Delicious now, short to medium-term cellaring will enhance even this fine wine. Pour alongside roast fowl with all the fixings, steamed lobster dipped in clarified butter or firm, pan-seared fish. (Vic Harradine)

• The following 2017 Southbrook Vineyards ‘laundry vineyard’ organic Gamay was 40% crushed and destemmed while the balance was 60% whole-cluster fermented with indigenous yeasts and underwent natural malolactic conversion completing 25 days of fermentation on skins then gently pressed and barrel matured for 7 months in small, oak, 225 L barriques.

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Southbrook Vineyards ‘laundry vineyard’ organic Gamay 2017
VQA Vinemount Ridge $24.95 13.0% alcohol
This is ProCert certified—organic and biodynamic, suitable for vegans and vegetarians. The lifted nose of red and black berry fruit, mocha and wisps of smoke waft easily from the glass of this medium bodied, nicely textured and deftly balanced gamay. It envelops the palate with a delicious wash of dark Bing cherry and red currant flavours decorated with excellent acidity, good stucture and exquisite balance. Purity of palate-flavoured fruit persists through the long, mineral-infused finish and aftertaste. (Vic Harradine)

• The following 2016 Southbrook Vineyards ‘laundry vineyard’ organic Pinot Noir was meticulously fashioned not with contemporary practices, but with time-proven, traditional methods: after hand-harvesting and hand-sorting, 40% whole-cluster fruit was put in the bottom of an oak vat then 60% de-stemmed grapes were gravity fed over top. After an indigenous yeast ferment—gravity forced open the berries—and natural malolactic fermentation, it was pressed and settled then spent 17 months maturing in French barrel.

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Southbrook Vineyards ‘laundry vineyard’ organic Pinot Noir 2016 
VQA Vinemount Ridge $35.00 13.0% alcohol
Certified organic by ProCert, this is suitable for vegans and vegetarians. Earthy notes, exotic spice and red raspberry aromas provide segue to a medium-bodied, satin-smooth, balanced and beautiful wash of palate-bathing flavours with the sweet and tang of a cranberry/cherry/bramble berry fruit cocktail adorned with spice, charred toast, complexity and delicate elegance. The long racy finish is dry, crisp and refreshing with palate-flavour replays. This is stylish and graceful throughout. (Vic Harradine)

• The following wines from Tawse Winery can be purchased by the case for home, office or restaurant delivery online at Tawse Winery, by email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. by phone +1 (905) 562 9500 or for pick up by the bottle or case directly at the winery 3955 Cherry Ave, Vineland ON. Here’s a map.

• The following 2016 Tawse ‘Quarry Road Vineyard, Rosé’ Sparkling Wine is vintage dated and crafted Méthode Tradionnelle from single-vineyard, 100% Pinot Noir and kept on its lees for 12 months before disgorging.

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Tawse ‘Quarry Road Vineyard, Rosé’ Sparkling Wine 2016 
VQA Vinemount Ridge $29.95 12.0% alcohol
Aromas of red berry fruit, flinty minerality and cherry provide segue to a lighter-hued, bubbly wash of palate-bathing ripe red fruit—cherry, plum and raspberry—well textured with good mouthfeel. The dry, mouth-watering finish layers on good acidity and notions of chalky minerality. This is made in the traditional method and layers on citrus notes and chalky minerality on the lingering aftertaste. Pour alongside sushi, ceviche or bouillabaisse. (Vic Harradine)

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Tawse Cabernet Sauvignon Icewine 2017 
VQA Niagara Peninsula $35.95 200 mL 10.5% alcohol
Lifted aromas of ripe strawberry and cherry clafoutie drift from this nicely paced, far from cloying, icewine. It coats the palate with a viscous flow of spice-infused nectar of the gods delivered with sweet flavours of red raspberry jelly and hints of cherry cordial along with enough acidity on the finish to be sipped on its own or poured with a fruit flan or chocolate dessert. Drink up now with a good friend on a special occasion, it’s delicious. (Vic Harradine)

• The following 2016 Redstone Pinot Noir Rosé’ Sparkling Wine is vintage dated and crafted Méthode Tradionnelle from 100% Pinot Noir having four-day skin contact and kept on its lees for 12 months before disgorging.

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Redstone Pinot Noir Sparkling Rosé 2016
VQA Lincoln Lakeshore $29.95 12.0% alcohol
This deep-pink-hued rosé offers aromas of strawberry, mineral notes and citrus. A frothy mousse when poured, the fine-bead bubbles wind to the top of the glass in seemingly endless lines. Flavours of ruby red grapefruit, blood orange and citrus pith bathe the palate infusing the lip-smacking dry finish and aftertaste. This sips well on its own and pours particularly well with pan-seared salmon, steamed mussels Provençal or paella. (Vic Harradine)

• The following 2012 Redstone Meritage is a red blend—60% merlot from Redstone Vineyard/20% cabernet sauvignon from Redstone Vineyard/20% cabernet franc from Van Bers Vineyard—that matured 18 months in French oak barrels.

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Redstone Meritage 2012
VQA Niagara Peninsula $45.95 14.0% alcohol
This red Bordeaux blend showcases persistent purity of fruit, good balance and gorgeous flavour. It opens with lively aromas of exotic spice, black currant and blueberry. This bathes the palate with a gusher of tang-infused, crunchy red fruit—pie cherry and passionfruit—intertwined with ripe briary berry, mocha and wisps of soft, ripe tannin. It’s medium-full bodied with creamy smooth texture, balanced on a pin and has a lengthy, dry, mouth-watering finish. Pour alongside crisp pork bellies and grilled root veggies after a two-hour aeration/decant. (Vic Harradine)

• The following 2015 Redstone ‘Redstone Vineyard’ Cabernet – Merlot is a tangy red blend of 68% cabernet sauvignon and 32% merlot, both from Redstone Vineyard. It matured 18 months in French oak barrels.

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Redstone ‘Redfoot Vineyard’ Cabernet - Merlot 2015
VQA Lincoln Lakeshore $28.95 13.5% alcohol
Delicate aromas of floral notes, spice and dark cherry set the table for a spice-laden, tang-infused stream of crunchy red fruit—sour cherry and red currant—streaking across the palate with wild abandon, red fruit acidity and traces of savory herbs and minerality. The finish lingers with palate replays and a firm structure of still-evolving tannin. Best to pop corks 2021 and beyond or, if impatient, aerate/decant three-hours and pour with pasta puttanesca. (Vic Harradine)