Please note that our reviews are based on a variety of sources: samples sent to our team, those we purchase in store, tasting events, those tasted in restaurants and while traveling domestically and internationally.
Other Wines/Drinks
Mike's Harder Mixed Pack, Ontario, Canada: Mike's Harder brews this lemonade mix right here in Ontario, and the lineup covers the bases: classic Lemonade, Mango Lemonade and Strawberry Lemonade, four cans of each. The lemonade base is properly tart, not candy-sweet, so the mango and strawberry versions taste like real fruit stirred into a good lemonade rather than a fruit drink pretending to be lemonade. Each can pours bright and fizzy, built for a hot afternoon rather than a formal occasion. This is the kind of mixed pack that solves the "what do I bring" question for a potluck or a dock party in one trip to the store. Toss the whole case in a cooler and let people work their way through the flavours. Food pairings: BBQ chicken sliders, strawberry shortcake, salted popcorn, fruit skewers with mint. Drink: 2026 - 2027 41999 7% 355 mL $29.95 Score: 92/100. August 2026. Full Review Add to Shopping Cart
Broken Paddle Whiskey Sour, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada: Whitewater got its start when three friends bonded over whitewater rafting trips on the Ottawa River, and that spirit still runs through everything the Cobden, Ontario company makes, including its move into canned cocktails. Broken Paddle Whisky forms the base here, mixed with real lemon juice and local honey instead of a bottled sour mix. Lemon carries the front end, honey easing in behind it without tipping into syrupy territory, and the whisky's warmth builds underneath. The texture stays full and smooth, closer to a proper bar pour than most cans manage. Pack it for a canoe trip or a backyard barbecue, no glassware required. Whiskey Sour food pairings: Fried chicken with honey drizzle, salted pork rinds, lemon tart with whipped cream, smoked pulled pork slider. Drink: 2026 - 2027 48705 10% 222 mL $3.50 Score: 92/100. August 2026. Full Review Add to Shopping Cart
Nutrl Vodka Soda Lemon, Ontario, Canada: NÜTRL sources its vodka from British Columbia, then keeps everything else about this can deliberately simple: vodka, soda water, and real lemon. Tart lemon peel opens the can, a clean, saline snap running right behind it, with no sugar dulling either edge. The finish stays light and crisp, built for a hot afternoon rather than a formal pour. This is the cooler for people who want a drink, not a dessert. Keep a sleeve of these on hand for the dock or the deck. Vodka Soda Lemon food pairings: Grilled fish tacos with lime crema, salted edamame, lemon herb chicken skewers, chilled shrimp cocktail. Drink: 2026 - 2027 553164 5% XD 473 mL $3.50 Score: 92/100. August 2026. Full Review Add to Shopping Cart
Mike's Harder Lemonade, Ontario, Canada: Mike's Hard Lemonade Co. built an entire company around one simple can back in the 1990s, well before hard seltzer made spiked drinks fashionable again. This one leans bright and citrusy, with a clean, crisp fizz carrying it through. Straightforward and refreshing, it's an easy pour with no fuss involved. Pour it over ice for a backyard barbecue or a day at the beach. Lemonade food pairings: Salted pretzels, BBQ chicken wings, fruit skewers with mint, lemon pound cake. Drink: 2026 - 2027 36697 7% 473 mL $3.35 Score: 91/100. August 2026. Full Review Add to Shopping Cart
Red Wine
Vineland Estates Winery Cabernet Franc 2025, Niagara Peninsula, Ontario V.Q.A., Canada: Vineland Estates sits on a Niagara Escarpment homestead first settled in 1845, with vines going into the ground in 1979. The wine shop occupies a log barn with a ceiling that feels like something out of a cathedral, and the restaurant next door sits inside the original farmhouse. This year's redesigned label puts the vineyard's home, VQA Niagara Escarpment, right at the top, ahead of the wine's own name. The nose opens on summer berries, wooden spice curling in as it sits in the glass. The palate turns broad and smooth, lively acidity keeping the fruit focused throughout. This is a wine built for the grill, just as happy carried into the evening once things cool down by the fire. Try it with a rack of ribs hot off the backyard grill. Cabernet Franc food pairings: Roast duck with cherry reduction, lamb chops with herbs, aged cheddar with quince, mushroom and lentil flatbread. Drink: 2023 - 2025 594127 12% D 750 mL $15.95 Score: 93/100. August 2026. Full Review Add to Shopping Cart
Georges Duboeuf Beaujolais-Villages, Beaujolais A.P., France: A dry, medium bodied, juicy Gamay Noir with ripe red berry, blueberry and spice finishing on a mineral note. So easy to love. Chill it slightly before pouring. This is the bottle I put on the table when the guest list can’t agree on anything. It handles white meat and dark meat with equal grace. Food pairings: Roast chicken, duck confit, grilled goose sausages, turkey.. Drink: 2026 - 2029 122077 13.5% XD 750 mL $21.15 Score: 90/100. August 2026. Top Rated Full Review Add to Shopping Cart
Torres Gran Coronas Reserva Cabernet Sauvignon 2021, Penedès, Spain: A superb Spanish Cabernet from one of the country’s most storied wine families. Terrific intensity and concentration, yet balanced and structured. The grapes grow on vines at the Mas la Plana estate. Blackberry jam, dark spice and a peppery lift on the nose. Lusciously ripe with layers of dark fruit, firm tannins and a long, savoury finish. Pair with lamb Bolognese, grilled New York strip loin, hard cheese, braised pork shanks, or veal chops. Cabernet Sauvignon food pairings: lamb Bolognese, grilled New York strip loin, hard cheese, braised pork shanks, veal chops. Drink: 2024 - 2026 36483 14% D 750 mL $19.95 Score: 93/100. August 2026. Full Review Add to Shopping Cart
Sparkling Wine
Bread & Butter Prosecco, D.O.C., Italy: Bread & Butter Prosecco, Italy is a bright and easygoing sparkling wine with lively aromas of green apple, pear, lemon zest and white peach, followed by subtle floral and light brioche notes. The palate is light-bodied, crisp and dry, with fine bubbles, refreshing acidity and clean orchard fruit that carries through to a soft, uplifting finish at about 11% alcohol. It is made in a modern, fruit-forward Prosecco style that emphasizes freshness and approachability. Fascinating fact: Prosecco is produced primarily from the Glera grape in northeastern Italy, and its gentle secondary fermentation in pressurized tanks helps preserve its fresh, fruity character and delicate bubbles. Serve it well-chilled. Prosecco food pairings: sushi nigiri, fried calamari, caprese salad, lemon herb popcorn chicken. 21621 11% MD 750 mL $19.95 Score: 92/100. August 2026. Full Review Add to Shopping Cart
White Wine
Jackson-Triggs Proprietor's Selection Sauvignon Blanc, Ontario, Canada: This Sauvignon Blanc comes in a 4-litre box, the format equivalent of stocking a cottage fridge for the whole season in one trip. Green melon and a touch of grapefruit pith lead, with a soft, honeyed edge underneath. It's easy and round in the mouth, built for pouring by the glass without ceremony. Serve it with grilled fish tacos or a simple green salad. Sauvignon Blanc food pairings: Chilled shrimp with cocktail sauce, fresh herb and feta flatbread, tuna niçoise salad, cucumber and dill yogurt dip. Drink: 2026 - 2027 270942 12.5% D 4000 mL $49.95 Score: 90/100. August 2026. Full Review Add to Shopping Cart
Volta Estate Winery Chardonnay 2023, Prince Edward County, Ontario V.Q.A., Canada: 2023 Volta Estate Winery Chardonnay, VQA Prince Edward County, Ontario Barrel-fermented Chardonnay usually announces itself from across the room. This one keeps its voice subtle. Yellow plum and quince come first, then lemon oil and a dusting of toasted hazelnut from the oak, which sits behind the fruit rather than on top of it. The acidity gives this wine energy. The finish is dry with a stony note that I'd expect from a wine twice the age. Serve it at 15°C. Pair with grilled shrimp, corn with pecorino, or a Thai green curry. Chardonnay food pairings: Grilled shrimp with herb butter, corn with pecorino, Thai green curry. 53052 13.5% XD 750 mL $34.95 Score: 94/100. August 2026. Full Review Add to Shopping Cart
Vineland Estates Winery Unoaked Chardonnay 2025, Niagara Peninsula, Ontario V.Q.A., Canada: Vineland Estates has made this Chardonnay without oak since it was first conceived, giving Niagara fruit the lead over any barrel influence. Bosc pear and crisp Mutsu apple carry the glass, honeydew melon and a bright citrus edge filling out the background. Bold acidity drives a playful, lighthearted finish. Try it with barbecue chicken or grilled salmon. Chardonnay food pairings: Roast chicken with tarragon, pan-seared trout with almonds, goat cheese and leek tart, summer corn salad. Drink: 2026 - 2027 669374 12% XD 750 mL $15.95 Score: 91/100. August 2026. Best Value White Wine Full Review Add to Shopping Cart