Author: pxlv_adm

By Rick VanSickle After 15 years of meticulous plotting and planting the vineyard and seven vintages under its belt, Niagara’s On Seven Estate Winery is about to unveil its finest expression of Chardonnay yet. A top tier wine beyond the already lofty Pursuit and Devotion levels “has been in the works since day one of…

More than just a warm-weather escape, the Cape offers rich culture, Michelin-starred dining, and wine tourism that rivals Europe—at a fraction of the cost When the wet, cold and dark days of late autumn and winter set in, most Canadians pine for warmer, sun-drenched climes. It is estimated that about one million Canadian ‘snowbirds’ escape…

Us in white Wednesday, July 30th: A tasting of Lakeview Wine Co. Wines. Lakeview whites and rosé EastDell Black Label Chardonnay Sur Lie 2022 (Niagara-on-the-Lake) Straw colour; toasty, apple and pear bouquet with a light floral note; medium-bodied, dry, peachy-lemony flavours with lively acidity and a long fresh finish. (90) Lakeview Wine Co. Barrel-Aged Chardonnay…

Reading Time: 3 minutes A retro pour of predictions — with a BC twist. In 2016, Dr. Liz Thach MW published a list of “Hot Wine Trends” that aimed to capture the future of wine consumer behaviour. The industry was bracing for a sparkling boom, boxed wine battles, and a love affair with Sauvignon Blanc.…

By Rick VanSickle Trying to buy a bottle of Ontario VQA wine in B.C. is about as easy as it is to buy a bottle of B.C. wine in Ontario. I just spent two weeks touring around B.C. from Vancouver to Whistler and on the island from Victoria to Nanaimo. We could not spot one…

Reading Time: 3 minutes “A vibrant showcase of “Crafted in BC” wines — produced with imported grapes but made entirely in British Columbia. From rosés and Rieslings to bold reds and elegant whites, these bottles represent the resilience of BC winemakers in the face of climate adversity.” Introduction In response to the devastating cold snap…

Photo: Winemaker Philip McGahan The highest scoring Chardonnays in the Okanagan have been produced consistently by CheckMate Artisanal Winery. They are also the most expensive, the logical consequence of setting such a high bar for quality. The winery was established after Mission Hill owner Anthony von Mandl in 2012 bought adjacent properties on the Golden…

Tonight’s rosé wine review is a lovely Pinot-based dry rosé from New Zealand that made its debut at the LCBO earlier this month in the July 5 LCBO VINTAGES New Release Collection. It is produced by Eradus Wines, a family-owned winery that was established in the early 1980s by Har and Sophie Eradus. The Eradus…

Long overshadowed, this foundational white grape is stepping into the spotlight—refined, expressive, and distinctively Catalan Macabeo is a versatile Spanish white grape primarily grown in regions like Catalunya and Rioja, where it is used in both still and sparkling wines, including Cava. If you are looking at a map of Spain, in the uppermost northeast…

Here are my top wine picks from the August 2, 2025 LCBO VINTAGES New Release Collection (click here for digital edition), which features Canadian Wines from Coast to Coast as the theme of the release, while the mini-feature has a trio of wines from an Australian producer, and in Local Talent there’s a look at…