Everyone who knows anything about wine knows Ontario makes amazing cool climate whites and superb sparklers, but did you know we make delicious, rich reds too?
Thanks to an equal mix of innovative wine makers and stalwart growers, more and more rich, deep red wines are hitting winery shelves across Ontario. Here are a few of our favorites, just in time for the holidays.
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2014 Merlot
Ravine Vineyard
This beautiful wine is available as part of Ravine’s Wine Club. It’s a classic example, aged in oak for 9 months. Fun fact: it was fermented in 5 tonne oak fermenters affectionately called “fat boys”. ravinevineyard.com
2017 Magicians Shiraz
Reif Estate Winery
This shiraz is magic. The grapes are kiln dried before pressing, leading to plenty of white pepper aromas and flavours with dark fruit notes on the nose. It’s a great food wine and stands up to Ontario lamb, grilled foods and anything smokey. reifwinery.com
2017 Stratus Decant Cabernet Franc
Stratus Vineyard
The first wine bottled in a design collaboration between Stratus and Global Industrial Designer Karim Rashid, this wine is so much more than just a cool bottle. Inside is a beautiful Cabernet Franc worthy of even the most temperamental wine lover. It makes a really gift for the wine lover in life. stratuswines.com
2017 Pinot Meunier
Vineland Estate Winery
This beauty has loads of dark red cherry notes coupled with earthy beets and a hint of bergamot tea. It’s quite complex! Available only at the winery (or online), this bottle is just one reason to visit Vineland Estates. vinelandwineshop.com
2015 The Biggest Red
Big Head Wines
The official tasting notes on this beautiful, complex wine refer to it as “haunting” – and we couldn’t agree more. It’s the wine we think about when we want to open a bottle of red, everytime. bigheadwines.ca
2016 Chosen Few
Fielding Estate Winery
This wine doesn’t get made very often – in fact, it’s only the third time their winemaker found fruit rich and ripe enough to create it. It’s got all those warm notes big reds love like cigar box and cloves, but also a lot of ripe notes that give it balance.
2017 Estate Grown Malbec
Karlo Estates
Made from the only two acres of Malbec in Prince Edward County, it’s deep and dark in colour. What makes it most unique though is the distinct charred strawberry flavour it’s developed. This wine yearns for a cozy fireside dinner. karloestates.com
Lola Merlot
Pelee Island Winery
There’s always room for a bottle (or two!) of Lola on our festive tables. This is the lightest of the wines on our list, but it pulls well above it’s weight. It’s perfect for salty snacks and keeping things casual. This is the bottle you keep opening, again and again. peleeisland.com
These are just a few of the amazing VQA Ontario wines you can discover when you begin to explore Wine Country Ontario. We encourage you to visit one of Ontario’s many wine regions to find more!
Start your adventure at winecountryontario.ca
