Monday, March 13th: Wrote up my 680 NEWS wine reviews and then the wine notes for Quench before getting down to more tasting:

• Henry of Pelham Pinot Grigio 2016 (Ontario): Golden straw colour; minerally, peach nose; medium-bodied, off-dry, peach and melon flavours with a touch of sweetness. (87)
• Louis Martini Cabernet Sauvignon 2014 (Sonoma): dense purple colour; smoky, floral, vanilla oak and black plum bouquet with a cedary note; full-bodied, dry, creamy mouth-feel. A well-structured wine. (89)
• Creekside Cabernet Franc 2013 (Ontario): Deep purple-ruby; cedary, black fruit nose with spicy, peppery notes; medium-bodied, dry, floral, blackberry flavour with a vanilla oak backing; ripe tannins and a firm finish. (89.5)
• Yalumba Coonawarra Cabernet Sauvignon 2016: Deep ruby colour; cedary, dusty, savoury nose of blackcurrants; medium-bodied, dry, lean and sinewy blackcurrant flavour with a floral note. (89)
• Luigi Bosca Malbec 2013 (Argentina): Deep ruby colour; cedary-sandalwood nose of spicy blackberries; full-bodied, dry, creamy blackberry flavour with vanilla oak; richly extracted sweet black fruit flavours with mocha-chocolate notes and a chalky finish. (89)

Tuesday, March 14th: Wrote my Lexpert column on “Tasting Like a Pro.” Then went down to the LCBO to taste the rest of the March 28th Vintages release. French fries on the way home.

Wednesday, March 15th: Recorded my 680 NEWS wine reviews. In the afternoon, worked on the Ontario Wine Awards judging panels.

Thursday, March 16th: Finally had a day when there were no deadlines so that I could get back to writing the book. Still no title but the end is in sight. Opened a bottle of Rémy Pannier Rosé d’Anjou 2015 (pale pink with an orange tint; minerally, cherry pit and wild strawberry bouquet; light-bodied with a touch of sweetness in mid palate; fresh watermelon flavour with citrus acidity (88.5)).

Friday, March 17th: St. Patrick’s Day – wore green socks. Down to the LCBO for the next Vintages release tasting (April 1). Dinner at Parmigiano.

Saturday, March 18: After grocery shopping, Deborah and I went for a bowl of chicken soup and a shared sandwich of smoked meat at Panser’s on Bathurst. Overheard a patron at the next table asking the waitress, “What would you charge to send 500 portions of cabbage borscht to New Zealand?” Dinner at Gordon and Carole Stimmell’s. We brought carrot cake and three bottles of wine. They cooked Dungeness crab. Great meal. Uber-ed home.

• Flat Rock Riddled 2010 (Ontario – 100% Chardonnay, traditional method): Lively mousse; leesy, citrus, apple and lemon nose; fresh and lemony on the palate, easy drinking with good length. (89)
• Flat Rock Unplugged Chardonnay 2015 (stainless steel and 10-year-old barrels(!)): Straw colour; spicy pear and melon nose; light to medium-bodied, dry, apple blossom, citrus and green pineapple flavours. Good length. (88.5)
• Caliterra Reserva Sauvignon Blanc 2016 (Casablanca Valley, Chile): Pale straw colour; grassy, grapefruit and green plum nose; medium-bodied, dry, minerally grapefruit flavour. (88)