Wine Recap: November 2019

Its the November Wine Recap! November saw us having a week off from work on a little staycation and we managed to pick up some nice wines and then chilled out a lot just watching movies and relaxing a little so this time has a few more wines that we were able to try! Let’s check it out!

Domaine Le Grand Saint-Charles Duo de Frontenac 2017

Producer: Domaine Le Grand Saint-Charles
Alcohol Content: 12.5%
Location: Quebec, Canada
Taste Tag: N/A

Le Grand Saint-Charles is a winery that I want to get behind so much because of its creative wine combinations. This one mixes two Frontenacs together: Frontenac Gris and Frontenac. We’re not exactly a huge fan of either of these wines but we do always like to try new mixes to hopefully have one that surprises us. This one actually was pretty alright compared to the other white wine varieties that we’ve tried from Le Grand Saint-Charles. Its not quite as acidic or extra-dry. This one was rather delicate and light. It still was leaning onto the semi-dry taste palette but there was also a well-enough balance to make it enjoyable.

Inniskillin Late Autumn Riesling 2016

Producer: Inniskillin Wines Inc.
Alcohol Content: 12%
Location: Niagara-on-the-Lake, Canada
Taste Tag: Fruity and Sweet

Inniksillin is a winery that is pretty well-known. They have some fantastic ice ciders and my husband has been wanting to try out the wines, so here we are giving the Late Autumn Riesling a try. As expected, the safe area of Riesling didn’t disappoint at all. It was a pleasant one and rather rich in flavor because of the Late Autumn element that actually gives it a more reserve sort of status. This one is definitely in the fruity and sweet taste tag and one that is very easy to like a lot.

Le Grand Ballon Val de Loire Chardonnay

Producer: Sarl Joel Delaunay
Alcohol Content: 12%
Location: Centre-Ouest, France
Taste Tag: Delicate and Light

From my memory, this is the second time that we’ve tried a wine from Val de Loire. French wines have so many territories and each have their distinctive elements and taste that its truly hard to remember all of it. I did remember the last one that we tried from Val de Loire was more on the dry side and that applies to Le Grand Ballon’s Chardonnay as well. Its more of  semi-dry taste with has a bit of light-bodied elements and fruity elements as well. The dryness does hit harder on the first sip but it does have a refreshing taste down the throat.

Slow Press Chardonnay Monterey County

Producer: The Wine Group
Alcohol Content: 13.5%
Location: Monterey, California, United States
Taste Tag: Aromatic and Mellow

I’m not going to lie that my initial draw to Slow Press was its classy bottle label and the color choice. It had this oaked and aged wine sort of look to it plus it had the aromatic and mellow taste tag which always has this surprisingly sophisticated taste to it. Slow Press is actually quite good. It is a little dry but it has a nice finish, just like most of the wines in this taste tag category. Its why we always go back to it as its not exactly a fruity and fun deal but one that is a little more elevated and has more depth in its taste.

Growers Honeycrisp Apple

Producer: Arterra Wines Canada Inc.
Alcohol Content: 5%
Location: Ontario, Canada
Taste Tag: Sweet & Fruity

Ontario ciders are rather different from Quebec ciders. I’ve tried a good few Ontario ciders to this point and I’ve become quite picky on what stands out for me. A lot of them actually are very similar probably because of the apples they choose. What makes Growers Cider different is that it uses Honeycrisp Apples and it adds this tartness to their cider that actually balances really well with the apple sweetness. Its a rather unique cider taste and has quite a delightful experience.

That’s it for this November Wine Recap!
Some really neat discoveries this time around!

Wine Recap – August 2019

Welcome to the next wine recap! A month sure flies by as we look at what we’ve tried out in August. We had a little trip away and we also were at the tail end of festival coverage so it was not too much about drinking a ton as work needed to be done.

Petalo Il Vino Dell Amore Moscato

Producer: Bottega SPA
Alcohol Content: 6.5%
Location: Veneto, Italy
Taste Tag: Fruity and sweet

I was first introduced to this wine at one of my friend’s gathering. Its a wine that is fairly popular during Valentine’s however, nowadays, its a lot more accessible, which is great because while it has a rather romantic name, its also a very good sparkling wine. Its both light, fruity and sweet. I do have to say that this one tasted a little different from the first time I had it before.

Domaine St-Jacques Riesling 2017

Producer: Domaine St-Jacques
Alcohol Content: 12.5%
Location: Quebec, Canada
Taste Tag: N/A

Domaine St-Jacques is a dry wine. Maybe in the semi-dry area so it had a lot of acidity in its taste as well. We’re not a huge fan of this variety of wine to say the least. Its exactly fit in our palate. Sadly not what we had expected of a Riesling.

Laura Secord S’Mores/Salted Caramel Liqueur

Producer: Laura Secord
Alcohol Content: 5.4%

All kinds of companies want to diversify their products a little and Laura Secord was obviously no different as they had a cocktail edition which included two flavors: S’mores and salted caramel. Both of which we first saw at the grocery stores. In theory, it sure does seem like a great concept except, in our opinion, these two drinks are not great. Salted Caramel tastes a bit like a cough syrup and I’m exactly sure how to describe the S’Mores one because they sure didn’t taste like these two flavors.

Reif Estate Riesling VQA 2017

Producer: Reif Winery
Alcohol Content: 12%
Location: Ontario, Canada
Taste Tag: Light and Crisp

Reif Winery Estates’ Riesling is in the extra dry category and it sure lives up to the name. Its probably one of the most acidic ones that we’ve had. It does have a nice smoothness to it after taking a few more sips but its definitely a lot drier than would suit ourselves. However, if you do like some extra-dry wines, this one might be a pretty decent choice.

Thornbury Village Craft Apple Cider

Producer: Thornbury Village Cidery
Alcohol Content: 5.3%
Location: Ontario, Canada
Taste Tag: Medium-Sweet & Crisp

While I can’t say that Thornbury Village Apple Cider is a whole lot different from other ciders, this one still is pretty good. Its not overly sweet and still has that nice apple cider taste. There’s also a special taste to it that I couldn’t pinpoint what it was.

Overall, the first one which was a revisit and the last one was definitely more in my palate in terms of apple ciders and wines. A lot of dry wines in this time’s selection which probably would appeal to some of you.

That’s it for this wine recap!
Have you tried any new wines/alcoholic beverages?

Wine Recap – July 2019

It’s time for the next wine recap for the past month. Due to the whole coverage thing with Comiccon and Fantasia Film Festival, the drinking was mostly lowered. Looking back, it was still the lighter stuff for the most part with ciders and such. Everything this time is from Quebec which is always nice. Either way, to say with a clear mind to write and such, I drank everything in little doses.

Let’s check it out.

La Halte des Pelerins Le Voyageur 2017

Producer: La Halte des Pelerins
Alcohol Content: 12%
Location: Quebec, Canada
Taste tag: Fruity and Sweet

La Halte des Pelerins is a nice and sweet white wine. This is a good wine and very light which is how I like my white wine for the most part. This one is specifically the La Voyageur which is their name for this wine. However, there should be other varieties to check out which will probably be nice to look into for later.

Lonetree Cider

Producer: Lonetree Cider Co.
Alcohol Content: 5.5%
Location: Canada
Taste Tag: N/

Lonetree Cider comes also in a peach flavor. For this one, I picked it up at the supermarket. Its not a bad cider but its definitely not my favorite. There’s something about the type of apples they use probably that changes how I feel about it because there was a peculiar taste to this one compared to other apple ciders that I’ve had before. It leans more on the drier ciders and not too sweet either.

Domaine Le Grand Saint-Charles Frontenac Gris 2017

Producer: Domaine Le Grand Saint-Charles
Alcohol Content: 12.5%
Location: Quebec, Canada
Taste Tag: N/A

The experimental wine here is this one from Domaine Le Grand Saint-Charles. I’ve tried a few of their varieties from the ice cider to the Vidal White Wine. The first was one that I liked a lot and the second was really dry and not exactly my go to wine. The description for this Frontenac Gris is pretty interesting because it has more tropical taste profiles to it which actually does come through really well. Frontenac Gris is a pretty smooth white wine. Its a little dry but still has a decent sweetness to it. I’d definitely recommend this one.

Cidrerie Beaupre Rose

Producer: Cidrerie Beaupre
Alcohol Content: 5.5%
Location: Quebec, Canada
Taste Tag: N/A

I tried the normal Cidrerie Beaupre before and it was fairly decent. For the price and convenience of being able to pick it up at the supermarket, its a good choice. Plus, its a strawberry flavored apple cider which somehow works really well. Its fruity and fun to drink and keeps it light so a nice little relaxing drink for a decent price.

That’s it for this Wine Recap!
Quebec made Ciders and White Wines was the main focus!
Everything was pretty good which is rare but very hopeful. 

Wine Recap – May 2019

Welcome to the next Wine Recap! Last month was a bit lighter with one that already showed up in a previous post and one that is a repeat from a previous wine recap. Let’s check it out!

Val Caudalies – Cidre de Glace Reserve 2016

Producer: Val Caudalies Inc.
Alcohol Content: 10%
Location: Quebec, Canada
Taste Tag: Fruity and Extra Sweet

We’re big fans of ice ciders during any season. This one was one that we picked up at the Bonsecours Market (if I remember correctly) after going to an event in the area earlier this year. Its been sitting around for a while but never quite made it with any meals. Fruity and sweet would be how I would describe this one. It has some depth especially since it has this smoky accent to it, which is an element of certain ice ciders that we tend to prefer. Reserve are usually more selected and limited for ice ciders and has a more well-rounded taste and a little sweeter due to the process duration and it appealed to our preferences quite a bit.

Petale de Rose 2017

Producer: Régine Sumeire
Alcohol Content: 13.5%
Location: Provence, France
Taste Tag: Fruity and Light

You can see the full Battle of Ingredients post HERE.

Petale de Rose is a more dry rosé wine which has be baffled why it would be considered light. Although, it can’t be said to be too intense either. It does have those fruity elements. I can’t say that I’m a huge fan of this one in terms of rosé wines however, it had some pretty decent ending notes. Rosé wines are always a bit hard to find a perfect one and the shift from one year to the next sometimes makes quite some change as well in its taste.

Batch: 1904 Cider

Producer: Brickworks Ciderhouse
Alcohol Content: 5%
Location: Ontario, Canada
Taste Tag: Dry & Aromatic

Brickworks Ciderhouse Batch: 1904 is a return selection here. I personally like their Queen Street one (forgot the actual name of it) but this one is pretty decent. Its a bit drier than the ciders I usually drink but this time around, it seems more to my taste as well. These ones are fairly light and perfect for the busy times and also just getting a taste rather than some a lot heavier. Plus, ciders are really great as the weather warms up. Anyways, this one actually worked out better than the last time I had it HERE (a year ago, it would seem).

That’s it for this Wine Recap!
Have you tried anything new lately? 

Wine Recap – March 2019

The next Wine Recap is here! This time is very light on actual wine and more on ciders and malt drinks and such. Anyways, let’s check it out!

Crazy Uncle Hard Root Beer

Producer: 361 Degrees Inc.
Alcohol Content: 5%
Location: Ontario, Canada
Taste Tag: Bold & Classic

Completely based on a few sips of this as I shared it with my husband and he absolutely loved it. It tastes exactly like root beer and actually the alcohol doesn’t taste too strong either. The blend works really well together. We got this one at LCBO and we’re hoping to find it again next time and get a case of it or something (the husband’s request).

Flying Canoe Hard Cider

Producer: Flying Canoe/Revolution Investments
Alcohol Content: 5%
Location: Ontario, Canada
Taste Tag: Dry & Fruity

We’ve been trying out some new ciders here and there and found this one at LCBO also. I can’t say that I’m particularly fond of this one. It actually had a very dry nature to it and it didn’t blend too well with the fruity apple for myself. Its not quite as gentle as I’d like it to be. Of course, if you like the drier apple cider blends, this one should do it for it.

Jacob’s Creek Moscato (Can Format)

Producer: Jacob Creek Wines
Alcohol Content: 7.6%
Location: Australia
Taste Tag: Off-Dry & Fruity

Its actually pretty nice to see these canned formats of bottled wine. There usually is a difference in taste but we’re a huge fan of Jacob’s Creek Moscato (see the original wine one here). Not only moscato harder to find, its sometimes so much easier to open a can and not have to worry about finding someone to share a bottle or not. With that said, the canned format does taste a little different, perhaps a little drier BUT it still has that sweetness that I like about it. Its still one of my favorite canned white wines so far.

Joiy Sparkling Riesling

Producer: Archer Mcrae Beverages Ltd
Alcohol Content: 10%
Location: New Zealand
Taste Tag: Light & Fruity

Another random pick at LCBO went ot JoiY and this one is the sparkling riesling which I normally would be all happy to try but I don’t know if there is something wrong with me or the packaging or whatnot but the taste of this was really chemical. I actually didn’t want to finish it because it tasted at times like I was drinking plastic which isn’t very fun because I was just thinking about how toxic it was. Maybe its just this batch and how it was stored, which could be a possibility but I’m going to stay away from trying it out again for my own health’s sake. Who knows, maybe its the blend itself that tastes like that and I’m just not a fan.

Zola Moscato Rosé

Alcohol Content: N/A

Picked up this one at a local IGA. As mentioned before, I love moscato in general and haven’t tried moscato rosé. Its something that I’ve been seeing around a little more recently so maybe I’ll add that to what I will give a try to later on. This one is actually pretty good. There is a nice balance of sweetness in this one. Its a little drier than moscato (the few that I’ve tried, not Zola) however, its not a strong taste and is fairly light and fruity.

That’s it for March’s Wine Recap!
Some really great finds this time! 🙂

Wine Recap – December 2018

Welcome to the wrap-up for 2018’s December wine recap. Its one of the final wrap-ups of this year. I’ll do a little wrap-up at the bottom for my fave wine of the year and the one that was disappointing for us (as it should stand-out). Without further ado, December is a gathering month and holidays and our health is slowing climbing back to par so we had a few other drinks to relax and enjoy.

Here it is!

Petit & Fils Sparkling Rosé Cider

Producer: Petit & Fils Cidrerie
Alcohol Content: 6.5%
Location: Quebec

If I remember correctly, we picked this one up at Costco. Its pretty light and more on the semi-dry area in taste. We liked it okay. I can’t say that it left a very memorable sort of feeling. It wasn’t quite on our palette but it also wasn’t a hard one to drink. Plus, if it remember correctly, the price was fairly reasonable.

Note to self: Should really make a note of the price and where I bought it for 2019 recaps.

Bulles de Nuit Sparkling Pinot Grigio

Producer: Bulles de Nuit
Alcohol Content: 6.9%
Location: Quebec

I’ve been a big fan of these Bulles de Nuit collection of sparkling wines. I like the Rose a lot and enjoy the normal one but surprisingly, this pinot grigio one is quite fantastic. I’m not usually a fan of pinot grigio because it tends to be on the sour and dry side of the spectrum but this one is really good. I would consider this one almost better than their Rosé one and I like that one a ton.

Bow & Arrow Cider

Producer: Groupe Geloso
Alcohol Content: 4.5%
Location: Quebec

I’m a big fan of these type of ciders. This one is made in Quebec. I got it for its cute can. I won’t lie about it. However, this was super delicious. Its light and fruity. The way I like my ciders. It doesn’t feel dry and is very pleasant overall experience. I’d definitely get this one again.

Blanche Jasmine Ginseng De-Glutenized Beer

Producer: Brasseurs du Monde
Alcohol Content: 4.9%
Location: Quebec

I’ve pretty much given up beer since 10 years ago mostly because when it comes to gluten-sensitivity, nothing hits me as hard as beer does. Its not a huge loss since I was never a big fan of beer anyways. The taste just never quite worked for me. We’ve been trying to lower gluten in our diet a little bit and since my husband liked the deglutenized beers that we had bought before but I never covered here, we’ve been giving that a go until they don’t sell it anymore, I guess. If you think my wine terminology is bad, wait until you see my beer terminology. This White Jasmine Ginseng Beer actually is pretty tasty for a beer. I have to say that it does quite please my palette. I’ve only taken sips of the other 3 flavors so I will share that when I actually have a glass of it.

Albert Bichot 2016 Chardonnay Vieilles Vignes

Producer: Alex Bichot
Alcohol Content: 12.5%
Location: Bourgogne, France
Taste Tag: Aromatic & Mellow

An actual wine, everyone! We had this at my friend’s place for the holiday gathering. I have to admit that French wines are usually a hit and miss for myself. I think it depends on the region and the variety. This one was a bit too dry for my taste. It had a very sour finish and was pretty tough to drink overall.

Moving on to the picks of this year…

My Picks of 2018

Banrock Moscato 2016
Queen Street 501 Cider
Frisky Beaver VQA 2015
Somersby Red Rhubarb Cider
J.P. Chenet Ice Edition

Surprise: Rodney Strong Chardonnay

This wraps up the December 2018 Wine Recap as well as my picks of the year!
Did you try any new wines (or alcoholic beverages) lately? What was your fave of the year?

Wine Recap – August 2018

Welcome to the Wine Recap for August. I kind of realized that I forgot some July drinks in the last recap after it was posted so added them into this month’s recap. However, lucky we did because after some issues, my husband and I went on a few weeks of what I’d like to call an alcohol detox unintentionally but I always like to do that every once in a while after going to social events frequently and socializing with alcohol. Its nice to dial back and drink a lot of water and detox/flush the system a little. Which means that the next month’s recap might be a little thin, but we’ll see when get there, right? Let’s focus on the present!

Schweppes Blueberry Elderberry
(Signature Cocktails)

Producer: Mott’s Canada
Alcohol content: 5%
Location: Ontario, Canada
Taste Tag: N/A

I honestly never knew that Schweppes made a Signature cocktail line of alcohol beverages. No idea whatsoever. Did you? Its a pretty cool discovery though since I like blueberry and especially elderflower flavored drinks. The combination here definitely sounds like it works and for the most part it does. Its also very light and fruity and sweet. Its definitely for the most casual drinker, which I definitely am considered.

Black Tower

Producer: Hermann Kendermann GMBH
Alcohol content: 9.5%
Location: Germany
Taste Tag: Fruity & Sweet

The only wine of the batch this month goes to Black Tower. My husband apparently knew about this one before and said that it is a fairly common and known wine. I’ve never heard of it before. However, German white wines do have quite a knack for being on the sweet and crisper side and this one absolutely delivers. Its not my favorite wine that I’ve tried since we’ve started this journey but its one that I fairly enjoyed.

401 Brewery Orchard Blend Cider

Producer: 401 Cider Brewery
Alcohol content: 6.5%
Location: Ontario, Canada
Taste Tag: N/A

If you haven’t realized by now, we love easy drinks, especially ciders. Now, for those who don’t know (but we do because we visited a cider place who told us about it), Quebec ciders are unique because of certain components to them making them local and exotic. Whereas, when you drink ciders from other provinces like 401 Cider Brewery, I’m not exactly sure what qualifies them. Its something I need to look up and read on when I have time but its a little different. While I only have the picture of the apple one here, we also tried the pear and the peach flavors. Apple was still the best one. I can’t say however that its exactly to my palette. Its not bad per se and its still has that apple cider texture to it that is decent but something about the taste doesn’t appeal to me as much as other ones that I’ve tried.

401 Brewery Sparkling Oaked Cider

Producer: 401 Cider Brewery
Alcohol Content: 6.5%
Location: Ontario, Canada
Taste Tag: N/A

While I batched the three flavors of ciders together, I figured that I’d do this one separate because it is a little different from the others. We are big fans of oaked stuff. My husband likes the flavors that come with it usually. I do have to say that the 401 Brewery Sparkling Oaked Cider is alright. Its better than the normal ones above. There’s a distinctive taste to it that works pretty good.

That’s it for this Wine Recap!
Its pretty much a cider and cocktails post more. Its lighter but still fun to try out!

Toronto Haul – August 2018

I go to Toronto more than I actually should. Actually this year was the exception to the equation. I usually just go about once a year or something unless something else comes up and well, something else came up. This past weekend was my best friend’s wedding. Her husband is from Toronto so they ended up holding their wedding there. I honestly think I’ve been to more wedding outside of Montreal than in Montreal. Its a weird thought and shows how many of my friends have moved away, I guess.

Either way, it was a really fun weekend. We ate some awesome food, tried out some new places: two of which I’ll do a restaurant overview for during this week. I’ll show more of the wedding stuff in the next Weekly Adventures, mostly because well, it seems we may have skipped the last one. I know I did and it was deliberate.

Before I jump off onto another tangent, let’s check out some stuff I got in Toronto.

Things I Bought Because I Was Forgetful..
Scarborough Town Centre – Yves Rocher & Walmart

First stop on Friday in Toronto was the hunt for everything we remembered that we forgot during packing for the wedding stuff. For myself, it was not exactly all forgot but I don’t use make-up a lot so a lot of mine had expired and I needed to get some new stuff. Nothing heavy since I don’t do eye make-up because it causes eye infections for myself so just some simple concealer to do the job and seeing Fantasia and work destroyed my sleeping schedule, I’m currently rocking some puffy panda eyes and I had forgotten my eye cream. A trip to Yves Rocher was in the stars and the closest we could find on the way to the hotel was at Scarborough Town Centre. I’ll share the eventful moment there in the Weekly Adventures but one of the great things was the great service at Yves Rocher but a lovely lady who gave me some really fantastic suggestions and actually suggested that I changed to the other skincare line as my skin had changed and its why I was having all the blemishes I’ve been having lately. I didn’t get the skincare line seeing as I was away and didn’t really want to spend so much just yet but I loved the service of just sharing the knowledge of it all. So I got some body lotion and the eye care gel at Yves Rocher.

At Walmart, I got a concealer and some nail polish. I actually ended up not painting my nails for the event but I did also pick up this interesting product called a blur stick which I’m still exploring whether its something I could use or not as it felt really oily. I’m not sure the texture works well for my skin type, so I passed on using it and am still researching. If you all know what it is and have any suggestions or dos and don’ts, please do share with me.

T&T Supermarket (2 Trips)

Most of the snacks and such were bought on the first stop. We didn’t think that we would go back but we did end up going again on Sunday. Friday was to pick up a late lunch of dimsum, which I didn’t take pictures of. We stocked up on drinks which I also didn’t take pictures so and they are all consumed. I can tell you that I was on a semi caffeine detox since March where I cut tea out of my life completely. I don’t drink coffee so its a given, I suppose. Either way, this weekend, I drank all the tea that I didn’t drink in the last few months or at least it felt that way. However, the Vita brand which usually is known for its lemon tea and such actually has this Green Tea and Japanese Green Tea which both tastes fantastic and its unsweetened so its the legit ones. Going back to the picture, look at these flavors, its like a world tour of Lay’s flavors.

During the first trip, we saw these pokemon Ocean Bomb sparkling water. Actually when we went back in the second trip, we saw one new one and lost two so I guess I shouldn’t procrastinate so much in buying stuff. Either way, that was a spontaneous purchase although I’m still fairly unsure about trying the Pikachu Cucumber flavor. We also saw this KIM brand drink for bird’s nest drink. I’m not sure how many people know about bird nest’s drinks. Regardless, the happiest purchase here is the black sesame stuff because I love black sesame paste. Its my favorite dessert. I’ve never tried this brand so hopefully it’ll be good. I ended up sharing the bag with my mom.

Big Apple & 401 Brewery

Our always must-stop location is The Big Apple. I love to grab a pie and strudel and my husband loves the brownies. It is quite amazing to see how this location as grown in size and variety of what they offer. I remember stopping there the first time and it was still known but not quite as popular as it is now. I kind of miss the quieter days but they have really diversified and made it a truly Canadian experience with what they offer also.

In the building, they have the store for 401 Brewery. We’ve never had anything from there before. Seeing as we didn’t manage to pick up anything at LCBO this time, we decided to grab some ciders. We picked the traditional apple cider and then a peach cider and a pear cider to try. We also saw a sparkling oaked cider which seems like it could be a nice smoky taste sort of experience. We are looking forward to trying it out eventually.

That wraps up this shorter Toronto haul as I get things into order!

Wine Recap – June 2018

Another month is past and its been a fairly light month, mostly filled with ciders and less wine. Perhaps its the busy time or just the fact that I like cans of cool fruity drinks when the summer kicks in.

Okanagan Apple Cider

Producer: Mike’s Beverage Company
Alcohol Content: 5%
Location: Ontario, Canada
Taste Tag: Medium-Sweet & Fruity

Fruity is absolutely when describing Okanagan Apple Cider. The reason being it tastes exactly like apple juice. The normal apple juice like Rougemont brand or something along those lines. It tastes really fun and honestly, the 5% is completely not apparent. It surprised me just how much it was like drinking a juice but then, drinking this too much might be dangerous.

Pelee Island Lighthouse Riesling VQA

Producer: Pelee Island Vineyard
Alcohol Content: 12.5%
Location: Ontario, Canada
Taste Tag: Light & Crisp

Lighthouse was pretty good. Its kind of average on the scale of like and dislike. I remember it having a fairly balanced taste with lighter notes. It was more dry than sour for one but its the type of gentleness that I usually first like about Riesling. However, it lacked some depth to the notes.

Shiny Apple Cider

Producer: Stonechurch Vineyards
Alcohol Content: 7%
Location: Ontario, Canada
Taste Tag: Medium-Sweet & Fruity

Shiny Apple Cider was a pretty good choice also. Its a little bit more on the tart side but it has a smooth balance to it. I worked for myself quite well. Actually, it might be one of the apple ciders that I prefer the most that feels like drinking an alcoholic drink but also getting the fruity kick to it but not too sweet either which I like in an apple cider.

Sandbanks Riesling VQA

Producer: Sandbanks Estate Winery
Alcohol Content: 11.8%
Location: Ontario, Canada
Taste Tag: Aromatic & Flavorful

I have a feeling that I’m starting to grasp the aromatic taste tags quite well now. We’ve tried a few and these always have some depth to it. The first taste of Sandbanks was a little tart but when you swallow it, it actually tastes pretty smooth. With that said, the second sip of it was better than the first.

Somersby Red Rhubarb Cider

Producer: Carlsberg Breweries
Alcohol Content: 4.5%
Location: Denmark
Taste Tag: Sweet & Aromatic

For those of you who have frequented here the last few years will know that I love rhubarb so when the intriguing idea of red rhubarb cider popped up in front of me, I was really excited to try it out. Rightfully so, because out of all kinds of cider that I’ve had, Red Rhubarb is amazing. Literally, I think about going back to Ontario and finding an LCBO to pick up some more. Its so delicious. It had the perfect kick of alcohol but never kills the fantastic mild taste to create this lovely balance. Honestly, we drank this on a lovely sunny day by the pool and it was just the perfect choice. Consider this my new favorite.

That it for the past month of Wine Recap!
There were some new faves added in which is quite rare.

Have you tried any new wines or any to recommend?

Wine Recap – May 2018

May has passed us by and its time for the wine recap!

Last month definitely felt fairly tame and had some interesting choices! With our healthier lifestyle implemented, we did try to slow down the alcohol consumption, even though, we do only drink once a week or so.

Let’s check it out!

Sibling Rivalry Pink VQA 2017

Producer: Henry of Pelham Family Est. Winery
Alcohol Content: 12%
Location: Ontario, Canada
Taste Tag: Medium-bodied & Dry

Sibling Rivalry Rosé is one of my favorite finds from a few years ago when I tried it in Ontario. Its been a wine that I like picking up whenever I get a chance to. It helps that we can bring the wine back over to our own province now. However, too bad is that I don’t remember when I tried the first year I had it, probably somewhere in 2014 or 2015 because that was the best year it had. The taste was smooth and perfect. I’m not saying its not quite as good but 2016 and 2017’s which is the one pictured up here leaves a little to be desired. I haven’t quite found the taste that made me fall in love with it in the beginning. Its still a fairly decent wine but the recent years have been more in the dry taste than before.

Lady Lola Delle Venezie i.g.t.
(Pinot Grigio/Moscato)

Producer: Enoitalia SPA
Alcohol Content: 11.5%
Location: Italy
Taste Tag: Fruity and Sweet

Every month, my husband and I both get a random pick (which to be fair is how we try out these choices, unless one of our preferences are on sale or we have a craving for it). Lady Lola was my husband’s pick. I know, funny, right? I’m never against Moscato because they are far and rare to be found however, I also know that Pinot Grigio variety tends to be not my cup of tea. To be honest, Lady Lola wasn’t great but it wasn’t bad either. Its decent and smooth. I fail to feel that like its sweet but it definitely did have a rather fruity but more medium-bodied feeling, edging a little into the dry/sour side. Its alcohol content isn’t too high for a wine so it does get some points for being a more casual wine that is easier to enjoy on a daily basis.

Frisky Beaver White VQA 2015

Producer: Rapscallion Wine Company Inc.
Alcohol Content: 13%
Location: Lake Erie North Shore, Ontario, Canada
Taste Tag: Aromatic & Flavorful

The absolute highlight of May had to go to my random pick, Frisky Beaver White. I tell you that my love for VQA wines are not going to stop soon if the wine quality always is like this one. Frisky Beaver is an absolute delight to drink. Its light and fun. Its not too sweet or sour or dry and has a perfect balance. This one was so smooth. Its actually been a while that I’ve fallen so love with a wine. Of course, its also listed as limited quantity as I’m researching the details for this post, meaning I need to go stock up before I don’t get the chance anymore. If you have access to this one, I highly recommend it!

Brickworks Ciderhouse Batch: 1904

Producer: Brickworks Ciderhouse
Alcohol Content: 5%
Location: Ontario, Canada
Taste Tag: Dry & Aromatic

Back in the March recap, I had picked up another type of Brickworks Ciderhouse canned ciders called Queen Street 501 when I went to Toronto and I absolutely loved it. When I went to Ottawa in late May, I saw this other variety Batch: 1904 and just had to give it a go! The good news here is that Batch: 1904 is absolutely like drinking apple juice. It actually tastes like apple juice and is more on the sweet and acidic side. On the down side was that I still think Queen Street 501 is  better tasting. This one tends to be a little overpowering in the strong apple juice taste and while I do like to drink apple juice, I tend to drink low acid ones so this one with the strong acidic flavors definitely caught me off guard and its one, I would share (like this time, with my husband) instead of drinking it by myself. However, if you do like apple juice and not so alcoholic flavors, this one might be a decent choice.

May is a slower month for wine tasting for ourselves!
However, we had some cool choices and some that didn’t quite live up to expectations!
Of course, wine is very subjective so I tried to give the taste profile.
I don’t enjoy drier wines but if you do, then perhaps the ones I don’t like will be right up your taste profile!

Now its your turn! Have you tried out any cool wines? Any wines that you absolutely love?