Pelee makes some incredible wines - their Merlot and Pinot Noir are both worth seeking out. Too bad about those three. It is worth visiting North Shore Lake Erie. There are only eleven main wineries to check out. Mastronardi is excellent and Colio Estate. Pelee does make an incredible Meritage and a Cabernet/Petit Verdot blend that will appeal to many Napa Valley fans. Colio's wines are excellent in the CEV line. Cabernet Franc is one of the best offerings in Canada.

Those wines were burned but they don't represent Canada. Not at all. I live in the Niagara Region and we have amazing Pinot Noir and Riesling. There is a Colio store in Niagara on the Lake, just across the border from Lewiston.

QOTD: La Crema Chardonnay helped me fall in love with Chardonnay all over again.

Funny enough, my wife just started a wine blog about Canadian Wines and just recently panned a bottle of 2008 Eco Trail Cabernet Franc from Pelee Island Winery. I think they will get it soon, a lot of vineyards in Canada are still experimenting with grapes and such and figuring out what works best, its always fun to watch and drink :)

Ouch..... Another o' fer? Tough draw, sir. Its ok though, I dont knock on Canada. I know they are a quality producer and have several bottles cellared. QOTD: Just a simple American Pino Gris. It was a cheap-o $6 or so bottle and of course I was like "meh" before I tried it but it was quite drinkable. Nothing special but once again putting me in my place for poo-pooing a cheap wine.

I'm from Quebec Canada and discovered Ontario wines over conducting studies in the Niagara wine region, at Brock University. What you tasted is pretty bad but on visiting the Niagara region wineries I had the chance to enjoyed out of the ordinary wine experiences. Malivoire makes a Gamay like nobody else and others like Cave Spring with 13 Street and Thirty Bench have made Riesling one of my fav grape. If you think Icewine is too sweet try something from Lailey and you might change you mind getting hit by a good dose of acidity. And after all the hype around Pinot Noir I had to fall over a Le Clos Jordanne wine to finally get what it's all about (I was zipping roses!!?).

In Ontario most people are not even aware of the little jewels hidden in their backyard. But not every winery deserve too much attention. Many are doing everything and anything including too many weddings.

Before you toss Ontario wines aside, people from Ontario should give them a fair chance. Caroline from Quebec

I have not tried a lot of Pelee Island wines, so won't comment other than to say that what I've had from them was OK, but nothing spectacular. I'll admit I haven't sampled their higher-priced offerings.

As for Quinn who said "Ontario isn’t the place for good Canadian wine." ... balderdash! I will not put down BC wine because I haven't tried enough to form an opinion. But man, that comment is just so wrong. Angel's Gate, Malivoire, Hillebrand, Flat Rock, Stratus ... the list goes on. The '97 Hillebrand Showcase Cab Franc was one of the best reds I have ever had ... 98 and 99 were good years all around for most wineries in Ontario.

The growing season may be shorter than the Okanagan, but the Niagara escarpment and the stored heat from Lake Ontario give the region a better growing season than most people think. Rieslings are what are best known in Ontario, but I find cab franc to be consistently good and often outstanding. In Prince Edward County I had a Seyval Blanc from Waupoos that was so outstanding I was tempted to buy a fortune's worth of oysters just to pair them up. And down the road from Waupoos was an unoaked chardonnay that made my mouth very happy ... the most interesting finish I've ever had in a chardonnay.

While I continue to hear good things about Pelee Island wines, every single one of them I've had has been mediocre to poor. The Niagara region can produce some great whites and is well known for it's Ice Wines. But that's the issue you have to like sweet wines. Inniskillin is sort of looked down on around here, probably for it's success, but every Riesling I've had from them has been quite tasty at a fair $12-14 price. However the favorite of mine and our friends is Riverview Cellars. They don't sell to LCBO, but they will ship in the region for free after a case.

They make a couple good reds, one is the Fontana Dolce, but this is a semi-sweet red. The Baco Noir is actually a good dry red which is, in my experience, impossible to find in the Niagara region. Reds are often very weak here. But if you like fruity whites, most places in the region make good to great Rieslings, Vidal's and Ice Wines. Pelee can't even make a decent Rose.

As some have said, Ontario isn't the place for good Canadian wine. They have a very short and very hot summer typically, and produce a lot of commodity grapes instead of the good stuff. BC, on the other hand, has a longer growing season, plenty of wonderful (cooler) micro-climates, and the hot (desert) Okanagan Valley. I'm saying this as a Canadian, who lives in Ontario, but misses his BC wines.

QOTD: I had a white wine from France, and I always thought of France as best at reds, but the white was excellent!!!!

I'm not generally impressed with Ontario wines, and I live in Ontario. As far as Canadian wines, I'm all about the Okanagan Valley in BC.

I have only seen you dump a wine on one other episode, but all three, ouch! That was a great show for exactly what you are saying about preconceived notions.

QOTD: The 1992 Russian River Valley White Table Wine (Muscat) I recently had. Opened it as a lark with friends and found it enjoyable a week later. I thought this was going to be a vintage "cheap" wine and be undrinkable because of its age. Surprise.

Interesting show, Gary. You know, I got that same melted plastic weird kinda palate on a Charlottesville, VA. Norton wine by White House Vineyards. Hm. Also, I've never seen you actually dump bottles into the Jets bucket. dang.
QOTD: I tasted the Gemtree 'Tatty Road' Cab Franc, Merlot, P.Verdot blend 2003 from McClaren Vale Aus.
I never would have guessed that it was an Australian wine. It wasn't that full bodied, no Jam, cinnamon or leather. It was all veggies and licorice, and even some ferrous minerals. I think my palate was expecting a typical Australian Shiraz and I was super-surprised by the almost old world quality of this interesting wine.

Interesting!

Q-I had my first Gruner V from Austria not long ago and loved it!!

I had a Glaeser Cabernet Franc from California recently, which was so cool because it was like drinking a glass of celery and other vegetables.

I'm sure this is in the comments somewhere already but it's pronounced PEE-LEE. I'm from Northern Ohio, Catawba Island. I've never had a good wine produced in the southern Ontario/Northern Ohio region. The limestone content in the soil is great for growing apples but no so much for grapes. I think you're right on with what you've said in the past about wines tasting better on vacation because of the atmosphere and the lack of stress. That area is a huge vacation spot; Cedar Point is just a few minutes away. There are a ton of wineries in the area and I'm always surprised by how many people I meet that have vacationed there and talk about how good the wine is. It's pretty much a local joke, but to each his own.

Cool show, although dissapointing... I'm from Ontario, Canada, and I try Ontario wines often. I can't stand Pelee Island wines personally (ok-I had one Pinot Noir that was nice). There are few and far between, but there are some really great wines. If you can find Daniel Lenko wines (they sell as they hit the shelf up here), they are great... The higher end wines is where you gotta go though... Peller Estates (Niagara) have serious stuff - NOT the lower-end, but the Signatures Series (CDN$45). The sad thing is: for that $45 bottle of very good Ontario wine, you can find a wine of equal quality elsewhere in the world for half the price... Crappy climate, what can I say! Cheers!

Those wines sucked big-time, but you're right, you can't generalise.

QOTD - I can't really say, I tend not to have hard preconceptions to change. Maybe it was the Grant Burge "The Holy Trinity" 2002 GSM, which remionds me there are some nice red wines from Australia in the under $30 category!

Comment on Question of the day, Pinot Noir: I have been told that thissis a wine to be loved. I did not see it. Last night I finally found a Pinot noir I can enjoy. (Lulu B.) Also remember the ABC wine drinkers (anything but CHARDONAY). Look elsewhere. Australia, Is doing an incredible job.

As a follow up. Pretty much anywhere in Canada is just WAY too cold to barely ripen the grapes! Ok, it's the same latitude as Mendocino and also as Spain or Italy! But it's a completelly different climate with Arctic winds pounding you daily. The European equivalent would be wines from Denmark or Sweden. I'm not running to try and get them. Let's admit it, you can't grow vines everywhere and we'll all be happier. And you know I'm not a fan of overripe wines, more like the opposite.

Dude! Quince paste and cheese! The dessert of Spain!!! Welcome to that taste profile!

QOTD. Really good question. Kudos! I guess a quick answer would be formerly unknown or unheralded Spanish regions that now are producing decent wines when 10 years ago when I was still there it was only drinkable mixed with 7up. That includes Jumilla, Yecla, Utiel-Requena, Cariñena and Calatayud... Also having the opportunity lately to taste more aged California wines from great producers also changed my perception that I had on them being just fruit and American oak.

And what are you thinking? Canada? Maybe for ice wine! I spent a week in the Niagara peninsula and only had a very few whites that we just ok. The rest was like what you had today. Good luck!

Bummer that canada struck out. I have two bottles of Canadian wine in my cellar that I am hoping are better then what you tasted.

QOTD: Domaine de Laporte 2001 Pouilly Fume La vigne de Beaussoppet, Incredible Sauv Blanc that was in Oak a little. Just beautiful all around. Wasn't a huge Sauv Blanc person because I had not had a lot of Loire Valley Sauv Blancs and now I am almost a fiend

WOW...To see Pelee Island crash and burn HARD really isn't a surprise for me. If these wines were from the 1999,2000,2001 vintages I think they would have fared alot better. Back then the winemaker was putting out some great stuff. Since then a new winemaker is coming up with what was sampled here. Another point to keep in mind is that the Pelee Island area does have a unique terroir yet they are the only winery there. If you want to taste the wines from Canada that make us proud you have to explore the Niagara region, Beamsville Bench, Vineland, St. David's Bench, Niagara on the Lake. There is about 100 wineries in this vast neighbourhood. The founding fathers of the modern day wine industry are enjoying over 30 years of making some of the finest wines from Ontario. Chateau des Charmes, Inniskillin, Reif, Konzelmann, Henry of Pelham, these are the pioneers. From there the sky is truly the limit. Angel's Gate, Featherstone, Fieldings, Marynissen, Flat Rock, Coyote's Run, Mike Weir, Cave Springs, I certainly can go on. The two other areas to check out is the Prince Edward County region, near Kingston, east of Toronto. They are making some kickass Pinot's there and British Columbia, the Okanagan, Kelowna regions are world class producers like their brothers in Ontario. Tinhorn, Mission Hill, Burrowing Owl, Grey Monk just some of again about 100 wineries in BC to explore.

Thanks Gary for supporting our efforts. I look forward to more reviews. It's great to get an honest opinion.

Wow, straight to the spit bucket with all three. ouch!!!
QOTD- 2001 Arrowood Merlot, it did not act like a merlot and was a total surprise, I thought I was drinking a cab at first and had to double check.

Dude- brutal episode. Nonetheless, I'll totally search out Canadian wines. QOTD: well, I'm drinking a Fess Parker reisling right now that I assumed would suck but I really like it- go Santa Maria

Hi Gary - been away for a ten days and playing major catchup on my WLTV viewing. The last wine that made me change my mind about a category was Wakefield Shiraz 2006. A brilliant wine that made me want to try Australian Shiraz again, after years of just not giving them much thought.

Thanks for plugging Canadian wines, despite your experience with the wines in this one episode.
QOTD: I did not like my first couple of Sauvignon Blanc wines but recently had one from Ontario (!) and it was fabulous!

We just had a really nice pink wine from Australia. Before that, my only experience was Grandma's Beringer white zin.

QOTD - I hate Chardonnay; at least I thought until I tried a 2005 Chablis. The wine was so good I could not believe it was made from chardonnay. The past few chardonnays I had tried were from California and all were over oaked, heavy, and even nausiating, I couldn't even finish one glass.

I have explored more white burgundy wines and have found out that chardonnay can be made into a very good wine, at least good for my taste.

This EP was like Peleeing in the wind!

Gary I think you're starting something again. I'm hearing some rumbling of distant thunder. What I'm hearing on Canadian wines is if you like ice wines, whites, and or red try the Okanagan region in BC. That's IF you can get them as they are low producers and rarely make it very far.

Actually GaryVee, the more I think about it, the more I think that Inniskillin's International Series Sauvignon Blanc might be right up your alley.

I shared a bottle with a friend a couple months back and it had a really fun nose, and it RIPPED through your palate. Take a switchblade and *nnngnnn* (cutting motion while holding tongue with other hand). If you end up dropping by the great white north it's one that you might consider seeking out (and I think it's got great QPR).

Gary Vee! I'm so sorry that you had to try Pelee Island wines, I'm from right near James H and Pelee Island Wines are a local joke. They're the ones that you get in gift baskets and groan just a little. There are a few smaller Essex County producers that are doing good things, but for slightly easier to find decent/good wines, try Inniskillin or Jackson-Triggs. They're both way more drinkable than the stuff you had to suffer through today.

QOTD: Red Guitar Navarra 2005. Such a heavy cinnamon component that it completely blew me away. I wouldn't want that in every wine, but it made me really sit up and take notice of spanish wines as something that can be surprising.

QOTD: A canadian wine: 2003 Baco Noir by Jost in Nova Scotia. Changed my mind about nova scotian wines... an excellent wine. I was so excited I ran out to buy another of their wines, a Marchial Foch... which was hands down one of the worst wines I've ever had...
Another Canadian producer I have often enjoyed is Mission Hill winery in BC

Too bad about those wines today. But like you said there are lots of others that are more representative of what Canada has going on.

QOTD. Had a crianza that shocked me, it was very light and elegant and delicious. I was expecting something very different, but loved what I found. Bottom line - there are lots of outlayers in every category to keep things interesting.

The problems with Canadian wines and Ontario in particular are numerous. Yet I agree that they are very under-appreciated and searching out the best can be very rewarding.

In Ontario the government controls the sale of wine on the large scale through the LCBO. They are the largest buyers of liquor in North America by far and the primary customer for the Ontario wineries. Which means that to sell to them you need to produce a lot of wine. The exception to this is their limited release section known as Vintages. The growing area is quite small in the Niagara region and the larger commercial wineries use up a lot of those grapes for the plonk they sell through the LCBO. The wine you drank today could consist of as much as 95% foreign grapes with the exception of the ones marked VQA. Pelee island is a small windy island that grows potatoes primarily, it is also know for pheasant hunting and serves as a junction for a Canada/US ferry. It is not ideal for grapes. For better wines you will need to go to the Niagara region.

Even the wine you can get from the liquor store in Ontario is often not the most representative of the best wine available from a specific winery. Their best tends to be from very small batches only available by going to the winery or buying from it directly. Take Lailey Winery its very small, the grapes are hand picked and sorted, producing wines in lots numbering in the hundreds of cases at best. Yet in my opinion some of the best wines available in the Niagara region. Same goes for Tawse Winery. The scale of economics prevents them from selling through the liquor store nor do they need to. Even Vinland Winery or Cave Springs which is widely sold retail reserves their best for winery only sales.

This is a two fold problem, one the number of old vines with proven quality is very limited due to youth of the industry here, they have really only been trying to make top quality fine wines on a larger scale for 10 to 15 years. With small batches you need not worry about selling to retail outlets if you have enough demand at home. Two, the LCBO takes the lions share of the profits. The wineries need the LCBO to get the people to start drinking their wine but the sales from the boutique are crucial to their survival economically.

Lastly, many of the wineries do not cellar their wines until they would be better suited for drinking but rather sell them off young. This is not true of all the wineries but is of the wine sold retail at the LCBO in the regular section.

I hope you do come up this way for a wine safari some time. Email me and I will send you a list of wineries that I feel are worthwhile visiting. BTW I don’t work in the industry I just like drinking their wine.

I'm a fan of argentinian wine, seems that you can find a lot of good wines at a good QPR, and I'm jet to find many chilenian wines that really bring the thunder for me... Have not tried 40..
QOTD: Monte Andino Carmenere, chilenian... made me give Chile a shot again...

This information really helps me. So many of my clients are into wines and I like to give wine as a gift to them. I have noticed wine racks are out in houses that was a thing of the 80's. The hot button is the wine refrig. My clients like the built-ins or the portables. It encourage them to make an offer on the proeprty.

Hey Gary! I grew up just down the road from Pelee Island wineries (btw, it's "PEAL-E"). Their set up is kind of neat. They grow the grapes on an island in the middle of Lake Erie, ship them to the coastal town of Kingsville (where I was born), and then produce the wine.

Honestly, when I saw you were reviewing these wines my reaction was "oh, boy". They're not really that good, and we all know it. The surrounding area has some really good vineyards though. My favourite are these guys http://www.muscederevineyards.com/ (disclaimer: I don't know them, I was just really blown away by their wine recently). Check 'em out if you get the chance.

13 hours ago....agentorange...I agree the Cusumano Insolia from Sicily is very good

Gary, so what are the good Canadian wines you have tasted?
I've lived in Toronto for 2 years, and from what I've tasted the quality is not so great and QPR just sucks!

Nice one - now I have absolute proof for my girlfriend that you don't have a vested (commercial) interest in your WLTV blog. Can't wait for her to see you pouring the wine away on camera!

QOTD: Magnum of Ch du Trignon, Gigondas 1997. I've had this since 1999 and opened it at the weekend as part of a tasting to get my friends away from the obvious New World and aware of the treats of Cotes du Rhone - what an etherial treat! I had no idea Gigondas could get so 'blue-cheesy' and well developed. Completely changed my previously indifferent view of Trignon, and also the style and potential of Gigondas.