We’re delighted to announce an exclusive pre-sale for tickets to our upcoming Wine Legends Dinner V chaired by José Andrés. Grapes For Humanity Global has partnered with José Andrés in order to raise funds to support Hôpital Albert Hospital. José will match the wines for dinner with an outstanding menu. In addition to the wines provided for the dinner each producer is donating a large format bottle, some with accommodations, dinners and tours. As a valued member of the wine and philanthropy community, you have the opportunity to secure your spot before tickets officially go on sale to the publ ..read more

Westcott Vineyard whites Westcott Vineyards Butler’s Grant Old Vines Riesling 2022 (Twenty Mile Bench) Pale straw colour; minerally, grapefruit nose with a floral top note; light to medium-bodied, crisply dry, lemon-lime and green apple flavours with great persistence on the palate. Can be opened now but with that acidity it will last for 8–10 years. (89–91) Westcott Vineyards Estate Chardonnay 2021 (Niagara Escarpment) Light golden colour; toasty, minerally, apple nose with oak spice; medium-bodied, dry, richly extracted and well-balanced with nicely integrated oak. Drink now and through 20 ..read more

Friday, April 5th: Had a wisdom tooth extracted this morning. I think my IQ has dropped ten points. The dentist says no alcohol for “a few days.” Trying to parse what “a few days” means. Does it mean I can’t toast the eclipse on Monday? No chance. Henry of Pelham’s new sparkling wine Henry of Pelham Sparkling Wine (Ontario, $17.95) I’m a great fan of HofP Cuvée Catharine, a sparkler made by the traditional method. This is the winery’s first venture into a Charmat process (tank fermented) sparkling wine. Pale straw in colour with an active mousse; green peach nose with a brioche note; light ..read more

Emma Smalley, assistant winemaker at Niagara College Teaching Winery, and Allison Findlay, head winemaker Monday, March 25th: Allison Findlay, winemaker at Niagara College Teaching Winery, came by with a selection of wines for me to taste to get the Dean’s List designation. (Wine scoring 90 or above make the list.) Niagara College Dean’s List Pinot Gris Rosé 2023 (Allison, I was going to use this descriptor for the colour, until I googled it: ‘The name œil de perdrix means ” partridge ‘s eye” in French, a reference to the pale pink colour of the eye of a partridge in death throes.’) Light co ..read more

Winemaker Jonathan McLean at work Wednesday, March 20th: Participated in a zoom presentation of a new documentary produced by Winemasters TV Beaujolais about Georges Duboeuf, narrated by his grandson Adrien Lacombe. It was beautifully shot and I learned information about the region I did not know – that Duboeuf produces almost half the volume of Beaujolais wine; that 30% of the winery’s production is Beaujolais Nouveau and Beaujolais-Villages Nouveau; that Beaujolais-Villages Nouveau is given a longer maceration time than Beaujolais Nouveau to give the wine more structure; that Duboeuf is th ..read more

Grapes for Humanity, a charity focused on supporting sustainable humanitarian and environmental programs, is delighted to announce the 2024 Fine Wine Auction in partnership with Waddington’s Auctioneers and DYMON Wine Cellars. This annual event aims to raise funds for climate action and support underserved communities worldwide. The primary recipients for 2024 will be Tree Canada, The Nature Conservancy of Canada and The Halo Trust. On April 12, Grapes for Humanity invites the media to a special event from 9 AM to 11 AM at DYMON Wine Cellar, 1460 The Queensway, Etobicoke. This engaging showcas ..read more

Sunday, March 10th: Oscar night. We enjoyed Bachelder Les Villages Bench Pinot Noir 2021 and Stonebridge Cabernet Franc 2019 as we watched the presentations. Thursday, March 14th: Deborah and I went to hear a talk by the artist Floyd Elzinga, one of whose works hangs in our living room. Floyd created that magnificent metal sculpture that stands at the old Lock One on Lakeport Road, Port Dalhousie. It’s titled “The Pull” and it pays homage to the horses who pulled the barges through the lock. Elzinga captures beautifully the strain on the horse’s neck as it pulls a tremendous weight. The head ..read more

Cuvée is on March 30, 2024. Don’t miss out on the best wine and food event of the year! The Cuvée Grand Tasting ticket gives you access to tastings of over 100 Ontario VQA wines and 10 live gourmet food stations as well as the Après Cuvée after party. Get your tickets now before it sells out! Go behind the scenes with some of our participating Ontario WineriesThe 2024 Cuvée Grand Tasting features 38 Ontario Wineries, and the winemakers sharing their favourite selections from the cellar!       ..read more

Tuesday, February 28th: Fresh from his triumph in Paris at the Master Winemakers Awards, Andrzej Lipinski invited me to taste his new Lipinski wines at his Niagara-on-the-Lake winery, Big Head. He explained the symbolism of his new label that features a cluster of four heart-shaped linden leaves (representing members of his family). The choice of leaf speaks to his Polish heritage. Linden in Polish is “lipa,” which suggests the derivation of his family name. According to World Sensorium, “The wood of the Linden tree is used in traditional Polish wood carvings, its dried flowers are used for t ..read more

Jen Hart Saturday, February 17th: Jennifer Hart generously invited friends to taste her “cellar treasures” at Phil and Meg’s house (who live in our ’hood). The invitation read: “This is how the evening will lay out: 6:30 arrival – for bubbles, apps and cheese 7:00 sharp – cellar wines tasting 7:45/8 – dinner.” Philip Dowell’s Millésime Blanc de Blancs Brut The bubbles were a magnum of Phil’s Millésime Blanc de Blancs Brut. (I brought along a bottle of Township 7 Seven Stars Polaris 2020 (Okanagan; $39.97 in BC). Shining, pale straw in colour; Active mousse of tiny bubbles; minerally, green ..read more