Let the WineAlign Critics help you find the Right Wine
for the Right Price, Right Now!
By John Szabo, MS Campania is a region of singular beauty in the southern Italian Peninsula. It includes the Phlegraean Islands, Ischia, Procida, Vivara and Nisida, and the jewel, Capri, under its administrative umbrella. With nearly 6 million inhabitants, it is Italy’s 3rd most populous, and, as anyone who has travelled in its capital city […] More
Buyer’s Guide to Vintages November 2nd Release
John Szabo’s Vintages Preview November 2: Premium (Greatest Hits?) California, and The Best From Campania Felix By John Szabo MS, with notes from Sara d’Amato, David Lawrason, and Michael Godel This week Vintages brings us a release with a “Premium California” theme, though the LCBO’s selection could well have been named “California’s Greatest Hits.” Those […] More
By John Szabo, MS Last week representatives from 18 of Italy’s leading estates stopped in Toronto to pour their latest offerings. The Istituto Grandi Marchi, a private association of high profile, family-owned wineries representing Italy from the Dolomites to Sicily, was created in 2004 with the aim of promoting premium Italian wine on a global […] More
National Wine Awards of Canada
Canada's premier wine awards. In 2022, 24 judges tasted over 1,900 wines from 250 wineries across the country to identify Canada's top wines.
National Wine Awards of CanadaExchange Wine Club Subscription
The Exchange delivers an exclusive curated, mixed case of top quality wines directly to your door once a quarter. Mixed, All Red and All White options.
Exchange Wine Club Subscription
Cabernet Franc is one of the major varieties of red wine grape in Bordeaux, where it is blended with Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot. It is also the main red variety in the Loire Valley, where it is vinified alone in appellations such as Chinon, Saumur and Bourgueil. It is even made into ice wine in Canada, where it is one of the main red varieties. Cabernet Franc is lighter than Cabernet Sauvignon (of which it is a parent), contributing finesse and a peppery perfume to blends with more robust grapes. Depending on growing region and the style of wine, additional aromas can include tobacco, raspberry, and cassis, sometimes even violets, as well as bell pepper. That particular aroma is loved by some and seen almost as a fault by many.
