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.
Red Wine
Azhadi Vineyards The Pardis 2022, Okanagan Valley, British Columbia, Canada: One barrel sample was all it took for founder Mike Azhadi to call this blend paradise. In Farsi, pardis means heaven or a walled garden, and it's the root of our word paradise. The Cabernet Franc and Merlot grow in the sunny South Okanagan, around Oliver and Osoyoos. Blackberry and plum are laced with cinnamon and black olive tapenade. Winemaker Jim Faulkner pairs French and American barrels with a touch of Hungarian oak, which flatters Persian spices. Invite your favourite people over for Come Over October and serve it with roasted squash stuffed with wild mushrooms and wild rice. Food pairings: spiced roasted sweet potatoes, wild rice with cranberries and walnuts. Drink: 2026 - 2032 13.7% XD 750 mL $45.00 Score: 96/100. October 2026. Full Review Add to Shopping Cart
Azhadi Vineyards Shiraz 2021, Okanagan Valley, British Columbia, Canada: Azhadi Vineyards opened in 2026 on a hillside high above Okanagan Lake in Kelowna. This Shiraz shares its name with the ancient Persian city of Shiraz, famous for its gardens and for poets like Hafez and Saadi. The winery suggests pouring it for new friends who trade old stories. A good bottle is really an excuse to pull up more chairs. Braised short ribs with a spiced rub will keep everyone at the table a little longer. Shiraz food pairings: slow-braised lamb shoulder, peppercorn-crusted beef tenderloin, aged cheddar and cured meat board. Drink: 2026 - 2032 14% XD 750 mL $45.00 Score: 92/100. October 2026. Full Review Add to Shopping Cart
Rosés
Vineland Estates Winery Full Bloom Rosé, Niagara Peninsula, Ontario, Canada: Mosel winemaker Hermann Weis planted some of Niagara's first Riesling vines on the escarpment site that became Vineland Estates. Full Bloom blends that Riesling with Cabernet Sauvignon and Gamay Noir. Its deep pink colour promises plenty of flavour before you even take a sip. Ripe raspberry and a squeeze of citrus brighten the strawberry at its core. It's dry, with mouth-watering acidity. Pink wine is the diplomat of the Thanksgiving table, getting along with the turkey and the cranberry sauce alike. Rosé food pairings: roasted butternut squash soup, brie and fig crostini. Drink: 2026 - 2027 11.5% D 750 mL $17.95 Score: 92/100. October 2026. Full Review Add to Shopping Cart
White Wine
Organized Crime Cuvée Krystyna Sacred Series Chardonnay 2021, Beamsville Bench, Niagara Escarpment V.Q.A., Canada: Organized Crime takes its name from an old Beamsville Mennonite church dispute over whether to install an organ. This Sacred Series Chardonnay from the Beamsville Bench is a rich, reserve-style white. Golden apple and brioche melt into a plush, rounded texture. It's at its generous best right now. Lobster with drawn butter is the splurge match. Chardonnay food pairings: pan-seared trout with brown butter and capers, roast chicken with leeks, lobster bisque. Drink: 2026 - 2027 54137 13% XD 750 mL $39.95 Score: 91/100. October 2026. Full Review Add to Shopping Cart
Vineland Estates Winery Elevation St. Urban Riesling 2025, Niagara Escarpment, Ontario V.Q.A., Canada: In 1979, Mosel winegrower Hermann Weis planted Riesling cuttings from his family’s nursery on the Niagara Escarpment. Those St. Urban vines have been in the ground for almost fifty years. This Elevation Riesling has a touch of natural sweetness, kept in check by bright acidity the way lemons balance the sugar in lemonade. Ripe apricot and pink grapefruit come with a refreshing zing, and at just 8% alcohol, it’s light on its feet. That zing takes me right back to my grandmother’s kitchen, with cranberry sauce simmering on the stove before Thanksgiving dinner. Riesling food pairings: shrimp tempura, grilled salmon with lemon sauce, duck liver pate, eggs benedict, planked salmon. Drink: 2026 - 2033 8% MD 750 mL $22.95 Score: 93/100. October 2026. Best Value White Wine Full Review Add to Shopping Cart