Charles Baker Picone Riesling

$56.99

First Canadian wine chosen for the Masters of Wine Blind Examination, Runner-up Canadian Wine of the Year at Gold Medal Plates, and part of Ontario's Stratus winery.  Located in the historic town of Niagara-on-the-Lake, Stratus Vineyards (Charles Baker is part of the Stratus winery) is a gravity-flow winery, distinguished by its LEED-certified facility, its commitment to sustainability and wines of outstanding quality. Bob Nedelko's beautiful vineyard on the Twenty Mile Bench was a result of enthusiastic yields. The vines did not hold back despite their best efforts. The result? Nervy, electric, complex, fruity, steely, seamless, delicious Riesling.

Cloudsley Pinot Noir Twenty Mile Bench

$56.99

This Pinot Noir was made with grapes sourced from carefully chosen vineyard sites in the Twenty Mile Bench sub-appellation. These vineyards, situated near the winery, are well-suited for producing elegant, classic Pinot Noir that demonstrates what makes this part of Niagara so special.

Cloudsley Cellars is dedicated to creating Pinot Noir and Chardonnay from Niagara, Ontario. The cool climate and limestone soils found in this region create an environment ideally suited to making a classic, elegant wine that brings out the best in these noble varietals. It’s a deeply personal project, unmotivated by consumer trends yet informed by over 20 years spent tasting world-class wines. It's inspired by a love of Burgundy, but squarely focused on this stretch of land that intrigues and beguiles wine lovers. Formed by passing glaciers, the soils of the Twenty Mile Bench tend to be made up of deep clay and till, with a large amount of limestone and shale. These soils tend to be moderately well-drained, with the rolling topography and the varying slopes of the escarpment aiding this. The varying elevation and slope, along with the circulating lake breeze, moderate temperatures, ensure gradual warming in spring and cooling in fall.

Poplar Grove Cascadia Pinot Gris

$28.99

Canadian wine, with a caveat: This is made from Washington-grown fruit to compensate for the disastrous 2024 deep freeze. You're going to see more of this, for many, it was the only alternative to having virtually zero wine in 2024. The palate displays bright acidity with flavours of ripe nectarine, apricot, and citrus. A smooth and refreshing mouthfeel and long, delicate finish balance this classic style of Pinot Gris.

Pivot Spirits Spelt Whisky

$116.99

Ever had a whisky made from the ancient grain Spelt? Now is your chance! This cool whisky comes from Pivot Spirits, with grain grown on nearby fields. Bottled at 46% ABV.

Producer Description

"Lars mashed this ancient grain with the hull on. Though a messy process, the result is a taste that brings your palate to life with smooth floral notes and flavours reminiscent of shortbread cookies! This rare grain distillation is distinct and special, making it a welcome addition to any whisky enthusiast's cabinet."

About Pivot Spirits

Pivot Spirits was founded in 2018 and resides in Rolling Hills, Alberta — about a 30-minute drive south of Brooks. If you zoom in on Rolling Hills from a satellite image on Google Maps you will see where the name Pivot Spirits comes from: all the fields in the area have the tell-tail rounded and circular shape of pivot irrigation. The distillery is co-owned by Lars Hirsch and Rachelle Fiset. Lars is an irrigation farmer with fields just across the roads from the distillery and the distiller as well. Just about all the grain used at Pivot Spirits uses for making Whisky, Gin, and other spirits comes from his fields. The only exception to this is when Lars uses corn, which he gets from his neighbours. Pivot Spirits does not malt or roast any of the grains it uses — it comes directly from the field, is ground down, and made into a mash.

Tantalus Syrah

$61.99

Tantalus was established in 2004 when Proprietor Eric Savics was presented with the opportunity to acquire one of the Okanagan Valley’s premier vineyard properties. Originally known as Pioneer Vineyards, the site was first planted to table grapes in 1927 by renowned, local horticulturist JW Hughes. The old vine plantings – 1978 Riesling and 1985 Pinot Noir and Chardonnay became the backbone of the vineyard. Other varietals were removed and new plantings of the 3 flagship varietals commenced in 2005. The vineyard would not only have considerable vine age as its anchor, but it would also grow to have superior clone variation as well. With the success of the wines and the increase in production came the need to build a new winery. Tantalus’ sleek new facility was completed in March 2010 and has the distinction of being British Columbia’s first LEED-certified winery. This wine has been awarded best overall BC wine in previous competitions. The vines are generally regarded as the oldest vinifera plantings in the Okanagan.

Alberta Premium Golden Rye 9 Year

$37.99

A new Rye from Alberta Distillers! With no press release or information or web page on the bottle to be found. What we can tell you is that it carries a stated age of 9 Years Old, and is made from 100% Rye Grain. Oh, and it is bottled at 45% ABV.

The back label does mention three barrel types used, but does not specify which types. It is from ADL, so the liquid should be good. Plus, the price is very reasonable if the quality is there.

If only this small, plucky Calgary Distillery was owned by a large spirits conglomerate that could afford to throw some money into marketing and entice us on what makes this bottle special... Sure, the same company owns a distillery on Islay that pointlessly co-brands some of their high-end single malts with a luxury car brand because they don't see the whisky as premium enough to sell on its own. That is just fine, but throwing a bit of a spotlight on one of the best rye distilleries in the world would be a bridge too far!

Liquidity Merlot

$34.99

Liquidity was established in 2008 when Ian MacDonald, a businessman and art collector, teamed up with some Calgary energy industry executives to buy an ailing Okanagan Falls vineyard left over from a failed winery project. It was a success, and a few years ago it was sold to the Iconic Wineries group, owned by Anthony von Mandl (of Mission Hill and White Claw fame). Bright, juicy and delightfully complex, the Estate Merlot is everything good merlot should be. Succulent aromas of blackcurrant, Ceylon black tea, and blueberry are showcased on the nose. Rich dark cocoa and acai berry lead the palate, complemented by refined dusty tannins.

Little Engine Chardonnay Silver

$54.99

Steven and Nicole Frencg started this winery in 2011. Three properties were planted with Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and Merlot, while Sauvignon Blanc and Cabernet Franc make up the balance of the portfolio. This is a winery dedicated to the pursuit of excellence, and in 2019, their Gold Chardonnay won top Canadian Chard at the Decanter World Wine Awards.

Synchromesh Riesling Gibson Block 3

$51.19

Synchromesh is a boutique, family run winery that focusses on exploring our unique and complex vineyard blocks through the lens of Riesling and Cabernet Franc. They farm over 30 acres of vines ranging from the North end of Naramata to the Golden Mile in Oliver with the bulk of our vineyards situated on 107 acres in Okanagan Falls. They practice a holistic philosophy in both farming and winemaking, meaning no synthetic inputs and following organic methods.  Wines are fermented naturally to capture the expression of each property and vineyard block in it's purest form.