Charles Baker 'Picone Vineyard' Riesling 2007
VQA Vinemount Ridge $35.00
Expressive and elegant, this attracts attention in the glass and in the bottle—it’s pristine and ageworthy. Shimmering straw-coloured with a slight tinge of green, this offers a lifted nose of heady floral notes with hints of mineral and diesel aromas. Medium bodied throughout and quite fleshy on the mid-palate, the flavours are crisp and lip-smacking delicious—white grapefruit, yellow peach and lemon-lime. Drink now to 2015 alongside pan-seared tuna. Order by the case of six from www.charlesbaker.ca for home delivery or pick some up at Stratus Winery. (VH)


Konzelmann Estate Winery Icewine Cabernet Sauvignon 2007
VQA Niagara Peninsula $40.00 200 mL
A deep and gorgeous purple in the glass, this blossoms forth with aromas of strawberry, spice and plum. There’s a gusher of delectable flavours that wash over the palate in waves with black raspberry and strawberry, dipped in milk chocolate, to the fore. It’s perfectly balanced, nicely textured and provides a lingering finish that’s quite elegant. Order by the case for daily home or office delivery direct from Konzelmann. (VH)


Konzelmann Estate Winery ‘Grand Reserve’ Riesling Traminer 2007
VQA Niagara Peninsula $25.00
A very aromatic nose of floral, honeyed pineapple and exotic incense segue flavours of candies nectarine and ripe red apple. This is medium bodied, generously textured and delivers a lengthy clean and refreshing finish of crisp apple and lemon-lime flavours. Pair this with smoked salmon on freshly baked bread smeared with herbed cream cheese. Order by the case for daily home or office delivery direct from Konzelmann. (VH)


Konzelmann Estate Winery Icewine Shiraz 2006
VQA Niagara Peninsula $40.00 200 mL
The deep rosé-coloured liquid sends off billows of fruity aromas, spicy red cherry, ripe juicy mulberry and black briary berry. There are more fruit flavours on the palate with ripe strawberry, black currant and zesty red currant. This is medium bodied, fully textured and finishes in perfect harmony without the slightest hint of cloying sweetness. Sip on its own as the dessert or with a generous slice of blue-veined cheese. Order by the case for daily home or office delivery direct from Konzelmann. (VH)


Strewn Winery ‘Strewn Three – Terroir’ 2006
VQA Niagara Peninsula $26.20
This is highly perfumed with a mélange of exotic aromas—cassis, creosote, smoke, cedar and mixed spice among them. It’s an even-split blend of Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot with 4% Cabernet Franc. The flavour profile is quite extraordinary and it includes dark berry fruit, espresso roast, oaky notes, earthiness and leather—not for the faint of heart. It’s medium to full bodied, richly textured and delivers more of the same on the lingering finish. Smoked and grilled back ribs slathered in spicy BBQ sauce match up well. Order by the case for daily home or office delivery via Strewn. (VH)