White Wine

Henry of Pelham The Dry River Riesling 2023, Short Hills Bench, Niagara Escarpment, Ontario V.Q.A., Canada: Henry of Pelham The Dry River Riesling from Short Hills Bench reveals aromas of white nectarine, key lime, honeysuckle and a hint of crushed stone. It's medium-sweet and light to medium-bodied with vibrant acidity that balances the residual sugar, creating a wine that's refreshing rather than cloying through a long, clean finish. Serve it well-chilled alongside smoked salmon with cream cheese and chives on baguette where the wine's slight sweetness complements the rich, smoky fish while the acidity cuts through the creaminess, or pair it with mild coconut curry where the wine's fruit sweetness tames the spice while its bright acidity balances the dish's richness. Winemaker Ron Giesbrecht and his team craft this Riesling from sustainably-grown grapes planted in 1984 from Mosel clones at Henry of Pelham's certified-sustainable estate on the Short Hills Bench, where the escarpment's unique microclimate and limestone-rich soils provide ideal growing conditions for this noble variety, then ferment it in stainless steel to preserve the pure fruit expression and bright acidity. Founded in 1988 by brothers Paul, Matthew and Daniel Speck on land their ancestor Nicholas Smith acquired in 1794 from King George III for his service in the American Revolution, Henry of Pelham was among Ontario's pioneering wineries to recognize Riesling's potential in Niagara and remains family-owned across three generations. Enjoy this expressive Riesling through 2032. Riesling food pairings: smoked salmon and chive cream cheese on baguette, oyster hotpot, mild curries. Drink: 2026 - 2032 557165 9.8% MS 750 mL $19.95 Score: 92/100. March 2026. Full Review Add to Shopping Cart

Red Wine

Muga Selección Especial 2020, Rioja D.O.C.A., Spain: The Muga Selección Especial from Rioja D.O.C.A. is a masterfully blended Tempranillo-led red from one of Spain's most storied family estates, aged six months in new French oak followed by a full two years in seasoned French and American barrique, emerging with a captivating nose of dark wild berry, crushed violet and warm graphite, while the medium-to-full-bodied palate unfolds with concentrated flavors of black fig, dried plum and a savory thread of toasted cedar, all framed by silky, seamlessly integrated tannins and an extraordinarily long, layered finish. It is bone dry and irresistibly structured, so serve it slightly below room temperature and enjoy now through 2032. Technical director and winemaker Isaac Muga works alongside enologist Pablo Orio to carry forward a legacy that began in 1932 when founder Isaac Muga Martinez and his wife Aurora Cano, herself a gifted taster who could identify individual vineyard plots by taste alone, established the winery in the historic Station Quarter of Haro in Rioja Alta. Bodegas Muga holds the remarkable distinction of being the only winery in Spain to employ its own master cooper, hand-selecting every oak tree in France each autumn and crafting all barrels and fermentation vats entirely on site, and Wine Spectator honoured the estate as its Wine Value of the Year for 2025. Pour it alongside braised beef short ribs with a rich reduction of red wine and roasted garlic, where the wine's depth and dark fruit are a seamless match for the intensity of the dish, or serve it with a perfectly grilled dry-aged steak, letting the wine's silky structure and complexity rise to meet every magnificent bite. Food pairings: Kobe beef, grilled steak, braised short ribs. Drink: 2026 - 2032 472902 13% XD 750 mL $56.95 Score: 96/100. March 2026. Full Review Add to Shopping Cart

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