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Bachelder Wismer Parke Pinot Noir 2022, VQA Twenty Mile Bench, Niagara Escarpment

The 2022 Wismer Park is dressed in an unusually pale reddish-garnet guise, and with air opens to reveal an unexpected floral side, delicate, all crunchy red fruit. Yet the palate anchors back down on a strong mineral note, positively saline and saliva-inducing, tying the wine back to the earth and the Twenty Mile Bench in assonance with previous editions. I love the blood orange flavours that emerge, tonic and refreshing, and the surprisingly lingering finish, unexpected with the delicate appearance. It has all of the hallmarks of a great terroir, lingering and reverberating, reflecting and transmitting. Has a Corton-like firmness allied to subtlety

Black Hills Estate Winery Bona Fide 2022, BC VQA Okanagan Valley

Blend of 42% Malbec, 33% Carmenere, and 25% Syrah. Platinum award winner.

Burrowing Owl Athene 2021, Okanagan Valley

A blend 55% Syrah and 45% Cabernet Sauvignon. NWAC2024 Platinum

Thirty Bench Steel Post Vineyard Small Lot Riesling 2020, VQA Beamsville Bench, Niagara Escarpment

Hidden Bench Natur Zero Dosage 2017, VQA Beamsville Bench

Tyrrell's Hunter Valley Semillon 2023, Hunter Valley, New South Wales, Sustainable

Arch-classic Hunter Valley semillon here from stalwarts Tyrrell's, one of the originators of this excellent genre, once known as "Hunter valley Riesling". This is surprisingly genteel and approachable in youth - often it takes at least 8-10 years for these wines to show their merit, but here the fruit is quite ripe and forward, and starting to develop ahead of the historic curve. Acids are yet firm and crunchy, propelled by a dash of residual carbon dioxide. Length and depth are very fine indeed. Although tasty now, I'd still suggest awaiting the more developed and interesting version, after about 2028, if you can wait.

Wynns Coonawarra Estate Black Label Cabernet Sauvignon 2021, Coonawarra, South Australia

Tenuta San Guido Guidalberto 2022, Igt Toscana

60% merlot and 40% cabernet sauvignon, all from the San Guido estate, the highest percentage of merlot in the wine's history since launching in 2000 (2020 was the closest at 50-50, while the usual is 60% cabernet and 40% merlot).

Creekside Broken Press Syrah Reserve Queenston Road Vineyard 2020, VQA St. David's Bench

The Broken Press Syrah is aptly named because in 2004 when our little basket press broke with some juicy Viognier skins in it, we decided to try co-fermenting them with our Syrah. That happy accident turned out so well that the tradition continues in making this elegant but powerful wine, year after year.

Megalomaniac Narcissist Riesling 2021, VQA Niagara Peninsula