Stoneboat wines

Stoneboat Valley Commons Rosé Frizzante 2023 (Okanagan Valley)
Gamay grapes. Coppery orange in colour with a light spritz; pink grapefruit and cherry bouquet; light-bodied, dry, raspberry and rhubarb flavours. Good length. Drink now. (89)

Stoneboat Vineyards Cascadia Series Pinot Gris 2024 (Oliver, BC)
Pale straw colour; peach pit nose with a light floral top note; medium-bodied, full on the palate; ripe peach flavour carried on lively acidity with a thread of minerality. Drink now and through 2026. (90)

Stoneboat Vineyards Pinot Noir Rosé 2024
Very pale pink in colour; minerally, raspberry nose; medium-bodied, dry, well balanced; elegant and lengthy raspberry and red plum flavours. Drink now. (90)

Stoneboat Vineyards Pinot Noir 2022 (Okanagan Valley)
Deep ruby in colour: toasty, black raspberry nose with oak spice; medium-bodied, dry, richly extracted plum and raspberry flavours; firmly structured with ripe tannins. Can be opened now but will reward 1–2 years cellaring. (90)

Stoneboat Vineyards Lake’s Edge Red 2022 (Okanagan Valley)
A blend of 47% Merlot, 32% Cabernet Franc, 9% Malbec, 8% Petit Verdot and 4% Syrah. Deep ruby in colour; cedary, spicy, black fruit nose; full-bodied, dry, juicy blackberry and mulberry flavours ; rich on the palate with a savoury finish. Drink now and through 2027. (90)

Stoneboat Vineyards Reserve Series Pinotage 2022 (Okanagan Valley)
Pinotage is South Africa’s flagship grape. Only three growers in the Okanagan. Deep ruby in colour; cedary, blackberry and blackcurrant nose; richly extracted, earthy, black fruit flavours; full-bodied, dry, firmly structured with ripe tannins. Hold 1–2 years to allow the tannins to soften. (90–92)

Township 7 Provenance Series Cabernet Sauvignon 2022 (Okanagan Valley)
Deep ruby in colour; cedary, spicy, black fruit nose; medium to full-bodied, dry, elegant, well-balanced blackberry and blackcurrant flavours; well-integrated oak, ending on cocoa powder tannins, Great length. (91)

Township 7 Reserve 7 Benchmark Series 2021 (Okanagan Valley)
Deep ruby-purple colour; cedary, blackcurrant, blackberry and blueberry nose; full-bodied, dry, savoury blackberry and mulberry flavours with well-integrated oak; well-balanced with lively acidity and ripe tannins; lovely mouth feel. (92)

Flat Rock’s Twisted series

Flat Rock Cellars Twisted 2022 (Niagara Peninsula, Vintages Essential #1578, $17.95. Limited Time offer for $14.95)
A blend of 77% Riesling, 15% Gewurztraminer, 8% Chardonnay. Straw colour; floral, lychee and apple on the nose; medium-bodied, just off-dry with flavours of lychee and lemon. (89)

Flat Rock Cellars Pink Twisted 2023 (Niagara Peninsula, LCBO #39974, $17.95, to be released June 21^st)
A blend of 90% Gamay, 10% Merlot. Pale pink in colour; spicy cherry on the nose; medium-bodied, just off-dry with cherry and raspberry flavours carried on lively acidity. Great length. (90)

Flat Rock Cellars Twisted 2015 (Niagara Peninsula – not for sale)
Straw colour; lightly floral, minerally nose of grapefruit and lychee; medium-bodied, off-dry, finishing on a distinctive lychee note. Shows that this blend of 75% Reisling, 17% Gewurztraminer and 8% Chardonnay can age! (90)

Saturday, April 12^th: Thomas Bachelder gave me a lift into Toronto for the launch of Grapes for Humanity’s Fine Wine Auction. For tasting there were seven “micro-lots” of Ontario wine, created by many superstar winemakers from Niagara, Prince Edward County and Nova Scotia: two sparkling wines, a Riesling, a Chardonnay, a red blend, a Cabernet Sauvignon, a Cabernet Franc, a Pinot Noir and a Gamay. To bid on the lots, go to www.grapesforhumanity.com/fine-wine-auction.

These are the Ontario winemakers whose photos will appear on the labels they collaborated on.