As Hemingway once said, “wine and friends are a great blend”. Enjoy them both this season.
Leindl Gv Grüner Veltliner 2023, Kamptal, Austria. Leindl Gv 2023 Grüner Veltliner from the Kamptal wine region in Niederösterreich is a vibrant, dry white with floral notes and a refreshing, medium-bodied profile. Expect citrus zest, green herbs, and a touch of green bean, all balanced by lively acidity. It’s a perfect match for seafood Alfredo or smoked salmon Bennies. Food pairings: Green salads topped with grilled chunks of chicken, cheese fondue, grilled pork tenderloin. Alcohol: 12.5%. Sweetness: Extra Dry. 750 ml. Drink: 2025-2025. Score: 90/100. LCBO: 30599. $19.95.
On Seven Estate Winery The Pursuit on Seven Chardonnay 2021, Niagara-On-The Lake, Ontario V.Q.A., Canada. This elegant white wine offers aromas of ripe golden apple, toasty vanilla and a hint of fresh baked brioche. The palate is rich yet balanced with a creamy texture and vibrant acidity. Much like Canadian diplomacy, this wine manages to be both assertive and polite at the same time. Food pairings: A caramelized onion and aged cheddar tart where the flaky buttery pastry melts on your tongue while the sweet onions and sharp cheese zing across your palate. Order from the winery: onsevenwinery.ca. Alcohol: 13.6%. Sweetness: Extra Dry. 750 ml. Drink: 2025-2031. Score: 96/100. LCBO:21655. $48.00.
Mastronardi Estate Winery Cabernet Sauvignon 2023, Ontario V.Q.A., Canada. Ontario’s Lake Erie North Shore in southwestern Ontario is one of Canada’s warmest growing areas, allowing Cabernet Sauvignon to reach full ripeness, creating wines that can stand shoulder to shoulder (elbow to elbow?) beside more famous regions. This elegant Cabernet Sauvignon displays concentrated notes of blackcurrant, dark cherry, and cedar with a hint of mint and structured tannins that provide a satisfying grip. Food pairings: Rosemary-scented rack of lamb encrusted with a fragrant mixture of herbs, Dijon mustard and breadcrumbs, roasted to a perfect medium-rare with a caramelized exterior giving way to juicy, blush-pink meat inside, the richness balanced by the subtle gaminess that makes lamb so distinctive. The wine’s structure and fine tannins cut through the succulent fat of the lamb while complementing its robust flavour. Order from the winery: mastronardiwines.com. Alcohol: 13.5%. Sweetness: Extra Dry. 750 ml. Drink: 2025-2029. Score: 90/100. LCBO: 46007. $19.95.
Villa Maria Cellar Selection Sauvignon Blanc 2023, Marlborough, South Island, New Zealand. Villa Maria 2023 Sauvignon Blanc is produced from sustainably grown grapes from the Wairau Valley, Marlborough wine region. Dry, medium-bodied and intensely perfumed with passionfruit, mango, gooseberry, lemon-lime zest and herbal notes mouth-wateringly long on the palate, it is drinking beautifully now through 2030. Chill and enjoy it as a sipper. Food pairings: Seafood canapes, herbed grilled chicken breast. Alcohol: 13.5%. Sweetness: Dry. 750 ml. Drink: 2024-2025. Score: 95/100. LCBO: 974527. $22.95.
Trivento Golden Reserve Malbec 2022, Lujàn De Cuyo, Mendoza, Argentina. Trivento Gold Reserve 2022, from the esteemed Luján de Cuyo region in Mendoza, is a dry, medium-plus-bodied Malbec that offers exceptional value at $21. Crafted from grapes sourced primarily from third-party vineyards in Vistalba, Las Compuertas, Agrelo, and Perdriel, this vegan-friendly wine bursts with juicy blackberry, blueberry, and dark plum flavours. Aromatic violet notes, rich chocolate, and warming spices add complexity, while vibrant acidity and firm, textured tannins provide structure. Decant for an hour before serving. Food pairings: Grilled lamb chops or a hearty lentil and chorizo stew. Alcohol: 14.5%. Sweetness: Extra Dry. 750 ml. Drink: 2025-2028. Score: 93/100. LCBO: 588731. $21.95.
Big Head Wines Cabernet Sauvignon Select 2020, Niagara Peninsula, Ontario V.Q.A., Canada. Big Head Cabernet Sauvignon Select offers impressive depth and structure, delivering concentrated black cherry, blackberry and mocha notes with hints of cedar and spice. The tannins are firm yet smooth, giving it excellent aging potential. This wine doesn’t need a passport to prove its identity – it has all the confidence of a world traveler who still remembers exactly where home is. Food pairings: Slow-braised short ribs where the meat falls off the bone after hours of gentle cooking in a rich sauce of red wine, root vegetables and fresh herbs, the gamey sweetness of the bison complementing the wine’s robust character. Order from the winery: bigheadwines.ca. Alcohol: 15.3%. Sweetness: Dry. 750 ml. Drink: 2025-2027. Score: 95/100. $69.80.
Forty Creek Copper Bold Whisky, Niagara, Ontario. In 1972, the Forty Creek distillery opened and more recently, was named Whisky Maker of the Decade at the Canadian Whisky Awards. The Forty Creek Copper Bold has intense toffee aromas like a bourbon, but with spicy rye notes. This whisky gets educated through extended barrel aging, creating incredible complexity. Did you know that Canadian whisky must be aged for at least three years in wooden barrels? Forty Creek takes this much further with their special aging process, creating their distinctive smooth yet complex profile. Food pairings: Maple-glazed bacon where thick-cut artisanal bacon is slowly baked with pure Canadian maple syrup and a touch of bourbon until it achieves that perfect balance of sweet, salty, smoky, and crisp—an irresistible accompaniment to this premium whisky. Alcohol: 43%. 750 ml. Drink: 2025-2042. Score: 94/100. LCBO: 285254. $35.45.
Dunrobin Distilleries Beaver’s Dram Sherry Wood Finish Premium Canadian Whisky, Vankleek Hill, Ontario. Dunrobin Distillery near Ottawa makes Beaver’s Dram Sherry Wood Finish. They also have a rye whisky with a port wood finish and a soon to be released bourbon-style, corn-based whisky. Could there be a more Canadian name than Beaver’s Dram? On the palate, caramel wraps around orange-scented almonds as this whisky is finished in sherry wood casks, just as some bourbons are. Food pairings: Beaver tails, and I do mean the pastry not the critter. Specifically, I’d go with the classic cinnamon sugar beavertail where the hand-stretched fried dough is crispy on the outside, pillowy inside and dusted generously with cinnamon sugar that melts slightly from the pastry’s warmth. Alcohol: 46%. Sweetness: Sweet. 700 ml. Drink: 2025-2045. Score: 93/100. LCBO: 37204. $49.95.
Natalie MacLean offers Ontario’s most popular online wine and food pairing courses, tasting classes, expert reviews and mobile apps at nataliemaclean.com.
Natalie is the author of the new, bestselling book, Wine Witch on Fire: Rising from the Ashes of Divorce, Defamation, and Drinking Too Much.
Host of the award-winning podcast Unreserved Wine Talk on Apple Podcasts, Spotify and Amazon Music.
Photo: Ahmet Kurt, Unsplash
