The Best of the Best: 2021 Varietal WinnersCabernet and FamilyTop 2021 Cabernet and Family Wines

The Best of the Best: 2021 Varietal WinnersCabernet and FamilyTop 2021 Cabernet and Family Wines

The Best of the Best: 2021 Varietal WinnersCabernet SauvignonTop 2021 Cabernet Sauvignon

The Best of the Best: 2021 Varietal WinnersShiraz2021 Best Shiraz Wines

The Best of the Best: 2021 Varietal WinnersShiraz2021 Best Shiraz Wines

The Best of the Best: 2021 Varietal WinnersShiraz2021 Best Shiraz Wines

The Best of the Best: 2021 Varietal WinnersGrenache and Family2021 Best Grenache And Blends

Wine of the Week: Beat the heat with sauvignon blancs Every time I try the 2018 Matanzas Creek Sauvignon Blanc from Sonoma County, I am momentarily transported back to a porch overlooking the Russian River Valley. The wine is partially fermented in neutral oak and has a touch of Semillon blended, which accents the charming scents of white peaches, melon and nectarines in the bouquet.Bright flavors of melon, Lychee and passion fruit dominate on the front of the palate, while grilled nectarine notes accent the crisp finish. Enjoy with your favorite rocking chair or hammock.

If you need a change from the Red Blends you're currently drinking, give this Bordeaux blend from Italy a chance. It has the powerful depth of fruit and grippy tannins you love and heightens everything on the palate with good acidity. This is a wonderfully balanced wine that can go a few more years in the bottle, but can also be enjoyed now.

White pinot noir is becoming more popular in California. Whole clusters of grapes are immediately pressed after harvest, so the wine has no time for color. Viscous with white peach and sweet apple flavors with hints of white raisins and honey.

Zepaltas combines co-fermented pinot noir and pinot gris – the two “Ps” – to create a unique wine that for us was like a cross between rosé and Beaujolais. Bold and fruit, it has a candy-like appeal and juicy strawberry flavors. Zepaltis calls it a “super fun wine to chill.”

Lighter in color, this medium-bodied and elegant wine has a Burgundian feel. Low in alcohol at 13.1 percent, it has raspberry aromas with cherry flavors.

The most complex and boldest of the pinot noirs, the Afleet has a reserve quality. Rich, layered and tannic, it shows off floral aromas and an earthy combination of red and black fruit.

Red wine might be the perfect fit with breakfast; much like a Bloody Mary. French Toast goes very well with Oregon’s La Crema Willamette Valley Pinot Noir 2018. The light oak in the wine melds with the honey and vanilla in the French toast, and if bacon or ham is on the menu, the pairing would be exquisite.

Winemaker Jeff Stewart produces a dizzying array of outstanding Chardonnays, Pinot Noirs, and Zinfandels at this Forestville winery. Most are at the pricey end, yet this wine delivers a lot of bang for the buck. It’s medium full-bodied, melding aromas and flavors of golden apple, poached pear, and caramelized spices with a refreshing citrus edge.

A damp and salty perfume of fog air over strawberry rhubarb gives this sexy Pinot its unique temptation. There’s an underlying sensuality here, fuller-bodied, and yet maintaining svelte structure and silkiness on top of boosted acidity. A bright and juicy core of bing cherries, along with soft melty marshmallows gives it food porn delectability before floral effervescence and a tiny sprinkle of backend spice caps it off. This is delicious, well-priced Pinot Noir that checks all of the boxes and punches well above its weight class. While it may be devoid of earthier nuances, it capitalizes on incredibly succulent fruit and a lean, clean mouthfeel. This is well-pedigreed stuff, and stands as one of the best Pinots I’ve had in recent memory that lands under $30. A definite repurchase.

This Jackson Estate wine comes from the Arroyo Seco AVA in Monterey County. Pale orange in color, this rosé truly represents a summertime wine. Aromas of watermelon and ripe apricot give way to flavors of wild strawberries and pink grapefruit, layered with white floral notes.A crisp wine with bright acidity, it's best served lightly chilled. It pairs well with a charcuterie platter, grilled asparagus, and cobb salad.

This pale golden delight displays an aromatic bouquet of crisp lime, melon, and ripe pear, followed by flavors of fresh fig, herbs, and luscious honeysuckle. A dry, medium-bodied sauvignon blanc, it pairs nicely with a charcuterie board of ripe cheese, herbaceous crackers, prosciutto, and marcona almonds.

If you ever come across a wine produced by Jackson Family Wines, take notice. It will be mouth-wateringly good. This is from its first estate in South Africa, a super-high-end Chardonnay which showcases the very best of what SA's Western Cape can produce. Creamy tropical notes intertwine with custard tart, fresh apricots, nectarines and white truffle. On the palate there's a lively balance of acidity and creaminess from the gentle oak ageing. A fresh lemon zest evolves, before culminating in an electric zesty zing on the finish. Phwoar.

Only 217 cases of this stunning Pinot Noir are produced each year from the coldest spot of Green Valley in the Russian River AVA. Planted in 1975, this old vine vineyard struggles to ripen, creating super low yields that preserve purity and a unique expression. I fall in love every time I drink a bottle, as soon as the black currant, black cherry and herb-cured violets hit my nose. The palate is even juicier – black cherries, kirsch and a milk chocolate with so much texture across silky tannins and a stunning finish.

It’s wild berry time, children!

American Rosés For An American HolidayA “drink, don’t think” kind of wine from a veritable producer. Salmon pink in color, delivering watermelon and mixed red berries. A little heavier in style, this is a good food rosé, with a little depth on the finish. Drink with tuna sashimi, lobster roll, soft shell crab sandwich.

Fourth of July wineIt’s July 4, America’s 244th birthday.If you want to help celebrate the national holiday of our southern neighbour, why not do it with California Chardonnay or Pinot Gris from Oregon.The 2017 WillaKenzie Pinot Gris is a big Gris with a lime, cream and mineral profile.

Fourth of July wineIt’s July 4, America’s 244th birthday.If you want to help celebrate the national holiday of our southern neighbour, why not do it with California Chardonnay or Pinot Gris from Oregon.A deft use of oak similarly allows the 2018 Kendall-Jackson Vintner’s Reserve Chardonnay to be buttery, but also fruity.

Fourth of July wineIt’s July 4, America’s 244th birthday.If you want to help celebrate the national holiday of our southern neighbour, why not do it with California Chardonnay or Pinot Gris from Oregon.The 2018 La Crema Sonoma Coast Chardonnay is elegantly oaked so the aromas and flavours of apple, lemon and honeydew melon shine through.