Matt scored this wine: 99/100

Iconic Canadian winery, Inniskillin, is renowned for their luxurious Icewines as they consistently deliver the most impressive style of sweet, full bodied, richly textured, and incredibly refreshing (dessert) wine that's sought after in the finest dining establishments around the world. Their 2017 Cabernet Sauvignon Icewine, a first for this varietal at Inniskillin, is the finest Icewine I can recall ever tasting from this winery, or any other producer, ever! Harvested December 14th, at -10C, and pressed immediately following at that same freezing cold temperature, the grapes displayed vibrant and richly concentrated ripe fruit characteristics from an extended but not overdone hang time, with that rich/freshness carrying through to the finished wine thereby further contributing to the observed paradoxical rich sweetness with mouthwatering acidity - they've achieved textural nirvana! Imagine baked strawberry-rhubarb pie, vanilla scones with strawberry compote smothered in chilled vanilla whipped cream and topped with brandied cherries...The flavor and creaminess of this perfectly balanced Icewine is sublime. The finish lasts for minutes with more strawberry-rhubarb pie flavours persisting and inviting rich chocolate desserts, baked pie, or aged cheese to complement this outstanding wine experience. It's confirmed, this is the finest Icewine I've tasted and one that will blow your mind now and over the next two decades! Enjoy. Tasted February 2019. 99-100 points. Matt Steeves - www.quercusvino.ca

Matt scored this wine: 98/100

Benjamin Bridge has been making a real fizz in the sparkling wine scene over the past two decades. This Nova Scotia (Canada) based winery is producing sparkling wines that rival those from Champagne and other storied wine regions around the world. A combination of ideal terroir for producing crisp and complex cool climate grapes, along with visionary winemaking expertise, has resulted in world-class sparkling wines each and every vintage. There’s a tendency to compare Nova 7 to Italy’s Moscato d’Asti, given its gentle effervescence and off-dry low alcohol style, but Nova 7 is in a league of its own. Crisper, perfectly balanced, more complex, and loaded with refreshing minerality, Nova 7 is unlike no others, and many Canadians have caught on to this, making it arguably Canada's favourite wine. In its thirteenth vintage now, the 2019 is by far the best I've tasted! The perfect balance of aromatic and crisp fruit, Bay of Fundy-influenced sea breeze minerality, mouthwatering texture, and all with a welcome low alcohol (6%) and RS (39g/L), delivering an arguably perfect expression of Nova 7! Sometimes nature's disruptions workout for the best. Although not initially viewed as a positive, there was a silver lining when Hurricane Dorian struck and disrupted the ripening of the grapes in fall 2019, resulting in a harvest with a lower Brix levels than normal, which led to a lower alcohol and reduced residual sugar style of Nova 7. Coupled with Benjamin Bridge's non-interventionist winemaking, the results of the 2019 Nova 7 are outstanding, this is the finest Nova 7 to-date! Beautifully balanced, this crisp and subtly off-dry wine is perfectly balanced with mouthwatering acidity and refreshing minerality making it a great choice for east coast seafood appetizers, sushi, tart berry desserts, or simply to enjoy on its own. Tasted April 9, 2020 on Nova 7 day. 98 points. Matt Steeves - www.quercusvino.ca Buy winery direct ($24.95) this spring and enjoy free shipping until May 1st. Look for Nova 7 in wine retail shops across Canada over the spring and summer.  Also, keep your eyes peeled this spring for the handy 250ml can format too...the perfect size to tuck in your picnic baskets this summer.

Matt scored this wine: 98/100

Alpha Omega's Beckstoffer To Kalon Cabernet Sauvignon showcases the splendour and greatness that’s capable in ultra premium To Kalon Cabernet. Internationally acclaimed winemaker Jean Hoefliger has produced another world-class wine that showcases just how great To Kalon wine can be, especially when ingenious winemaking enhance and elevate the perfectly structured Beckstoffer To Kalon fruit to achieve its full potential. Meticulous attention to detail in the winery, including quadruple sorting of the individual grapes to ensure only the finest grapes make the cut, Jean Hoefliger also employs 100% small barrel (60 gallon) fermentation with a post-fermentation extended maceration on the skins for upwards of 120 days to add additional density and concentration in the wine while contributing to the exceptionally smooth texture and preserving the acidic backbone and tannic structure that To Kalon fruit is renowned for. The 2013 is bursting with rich dark fruits, mocha, cassis, herbs and sweet spice. Luxuriously textured, layered, and remarkably fresh, this incredibly complex and well structured Cabernet demonstrates just how harmonious and exceptionally well balanced To Kalon wines can be. Structured to last for many decades and drinking beautifully now, this life long window of enjoyment is only capable when perfection is the objective and excellence is fully achieved, as they’ve accomplished so clearly in the 2013. Tasted May 2017. 98 points. Matt Steeves – www.quercusvino.ca

Matt scored this wine: 98/100

La Mattonara is Zyme's finest Amarone which is produced only in the finest vintages using nothing but the cream of the crop, hand selected and picked. A blend of 40% Corvina, 30% Corvinone, 15% Rondinella, 10% Oseleta, and 5% Croatina. After drying the grapes for three months to concentrate even further the rich flavours, the clusters are pressed and fermentation occurs for two months on the skins in concrete vats. The free run is then transferred and spends nine years in Slovanian Oak before it's bottled in its 10th year. Needless to say this is an absolutely perfect wine that has power, structure, depth, harmony, and full equilibrium in every way. It's rich, young, fresh, which is odd for such an old wine, but shows the incredible life it has in front of it for evolution that will blow your mind each decade for the next 4-5 decades. Highly recommend this iconic Amarone. 180 Euros at the winery. Tasted September 2016. 98 points. Matt Steeves - www.quercusvino.ca

Matt scored this wine: 98/100

Deep and richly concentrated, this fine Oakville Cabernet from the storied Far Niente winery. Founded in 1885, Far Niente, took a breather in 1919 with the onset of Prohibition, and only got things back and running sixity years later. The 2013 is a deep ruby red with a purple hue, the harmony of fresh and stewed dark fruits, fig, plum, cedar, and spice is exceptional! Texture galore, the finest tannins with a perfect does of refreshing acidity maginifies the fruit flavours and makes a stunning impression! A fantastic wine, worthy of any royal or fortunate recipient. Tasted November 2016. 98 points. Matt Steeves - www.quercusvino.ca