Saturday, February 1^st: Since the world is going to hell in a Trump basket, I decided enough with no wine with muscle relaxant pills. So, I gave up the pills and tasted, with a hamburger, Marynissen Merlot 2021 (Niagara Peninsula):
Deep purple-ruby in colour; cedary, plum bouquet with oak spice; medium-bodied, dry, plum and black raspberry flavours with a flora note; well-balanced, well-integrated oak, lovely mouth feel, finishing on ripe tannins. (90–91)

Sunday, February 2^nd: Deborah and I drove to Niagara Falls to have lunch at Paris Crêpe.

Wednesday, February 5^th: Tasted the following Ferox wines:

Ferox Sauvignon Blanc 2023 (tank sample)
Bright, pale straw in colour; grassy, gooseberry and lemon bouquet; medium-bodied, dry; great varietal character, Loire style; crisp and mouth-freshening, green plum, gooseberry and grapefruit flavours. Drink now and through 2026. (91)

Ferox Chardonnay 2022 (Niagara Lakeshore)
Pale straw colour; leesy, apple nose with a toasty note; medium-bodied, dry, citrus and green apple flavours; Chablis style; beautifully balanced, with a fine spine of acidity and saline and licorice notes on the finish. (90)

Ferox Riesling 2022 (Four Mile Creek)
Pale straw colour with a greenish hue; grapefruit and lime on the nose with a hint of petrol and a floral note; light-bodied, off-dry. Honeyed grapefruit flavour, succulent mouth-feel, bracing acidity and great length. Reminiscent of a Rheingau Spätlese. Drink now but will cellar well for five years at least. (92)

Ferox Cabernet Franc 2020 (Niagara Lakeshore)
Ruby-purple in colour; cedary, toasty, plum with oak spice; medium-bodied, dry, richly extracted plum and black fruit flavours; well-balanced with ripe tannins and well-integrated oak. Earthy note on the finish. Hold 1–2 years. (90)

Ferox Merlot Cabernet 2017 (Niagara Peninsula)
Mature ruby in colour with a tawny rim; high-toned, lifted nose, oaky, plum with tobacco notes; medium-bodied, dry, mature, savoury red plum flavour with oak spice; acidic spine and ripe tannins. Soft on the palate with a velvety mouthfeel. Drink now and through 2026. (90)

Ferox Cabernet Sauvignon 2020 (Niagara Lakeshore)
Deep purple colour; cedary, blackcurrant nose with vanilla oak notes; medium-bodied, dry, blackcurrant and cranberry flavours carried on a fine spine of acidity; firmly structured, evident but ripe tannins. Good length. Hold 1–2 years. (89–91)

Ted Van Geest and I drove over to Megalomaniac for a meeting with John Howard. John, always the generous host, opened a couple of bottles of his wine – Megalomaniac Reserve Pinot Noir 2022 and Megalomaniac Cabernet Franc 2022 – and ordered some appetizers.

John Howard

Thursday, February 6^th: A Confrérie des Chevaliers du Tastevin dinner at Piano Piano in Oakville. Ubered there with Richard Ross (Grand Sénéchal of the Chapitre) and Stephen Pauwels (Chef de Protocol). Richard had contributed a double magnum of Jean-Noel Gagnard Bâtard Montrachet 2003, which was sensational!

Chef Tristan Duranleau