todd10

Creekside Sauvignon Blanc 2023, Niagara Peninsula

Two days ago, I had a $60 Châteauneuf-du-Pape that I found underwhelming. Then yesterday, I tried a $16 Sauvignon Blanc from Ontario—and I was genuinely impressed.

Right away, I picked up notes of fresh-cut grass and citrus. Brad and Michael mentioned jalapeño; I didn’t get it at first, but once I looked for it, I could see what they meant.

The acidity and crispness were spot on. The flavour was definitely there, though it muted quickly when the wine was too cold—something to keep in mind when serving.

That said, I can absolutely see why this won a silver at the National Wine Awards of Canada. It’s a well-crafted and enjoyable wine.
Tasted June 2025

Tedeschi Marne 180 Amarone Della Valpolicella 2020

Fantastic wine. It was not as complexed as other Amarone's that I have had. This is the basic dark fruit flavours and aroma's. What makes this stand out though is how delicious these flavours are. The balance was great. As the night progressed, the wine tasted even better so decanting is not a bad idea but it is great right from opening the bottle.
Tasted November 2024

Auntsfield Single Vineyard Sauvignon Blanc 2022, Southern Valleys

Nice aromas of pineapple and grape fruit. Nice citrus flavors in the wine too. The only thing that would improve this wine for me is just a little more acidity but overall I really enjoyed this.
Tasted November 2024

Tros De Mas Vilella 2019, Catalunya

This was a nice wine at that price point. Aromas of dark fruit with subtle hint of flint. Nice amount of tannins.
Over the evening this wine did not evolve so I see no reason to decant.
Overall, a solid wine for $24 but nothing stood out for me to make this a great wine.

Tasted August 2023

Piekenierskloof Shiraz 2020, Wo Piekenierskloof

Aromas of cherry, and dried herbs. The main issue with this wine is I felt it was too tannic and too acidic. It did smooth out a bit after about an hour but I still feel that this wine needs more time. Perhaps 3 more years before it starts to become more balanced.
Tasted September 2023.

Stina Cuvée White 2021, Island Of Brac

Nice wine with some aromas of stone fruit. Nice balance of acidity. Just a simple yet good wine.
Tasted October 2023

Stoneleigh Latitude Sauvignon Blanc 2022, Golden Mile, Marlborough, South Island

I loved the grape fruit aroma and grape fruit flavors. It was pore grape fruity than most sauvignon blancs that I have had I found it also had a nice balance of acidity.

Tasted July 2024

Dagaz Carmenère 2018, Do Valle De Colchagua

This wine started off promising with nice notes of raspberry and black pepper. However, when I tasted it, it seemed off balance and was lacking quality flavor. It had some grippy tannins, but that is about it. I felt it tasted a bit better the longer the bottle was opened, so perhaps decanting for 30 minutes to an hour will help open this up.
Tasted December 2022

Cape Of Good Hope Western Slopes Red 2015, Wo Swartland

I found the aromas very simple, just your basic dark fruit. But where the aromas lacked, the taste made up for. I found this wine had a very nice balance. I enjoyed the dark fruit and with a hint of dark chocolate on the finish. Only if this had a bit more character, then I would put this in the 90's.
The wine did not evolve throughout the evening, so I see no reason to decant.
Tasted May 2021

Creekside Sauvignon Blanc 2020, Niagara Peninsula

This wine surpassed my expectations. Aromas that hit me hard were tropical fruit with a bit of citrus. A little bit of chalk was in there too. This wine had some nice length. A refreshing acidity. I over chilled this wine after, and it lost some complexity. I would suggest drinking this between 8 to 11C. If I did not always buy a different bottle of wine, I would purchase a case of this right now. At this price, you can't go wrong.
Tasted March 2022