Monthly Picks: January '15 - Celebration Wines

Sure, Dec 25th has come and gone and your family celebrations along with it. However, many of you who work with companies which schedule their 'Holiday' parties early in the New Year, still have evenings of fizz and fun ahead. Here are some of our favourite celebration wines from 2014 for the drawn-out party season.

Fort Berens Estate Winery 2013 Late Harvest Riesling - $20
Many late harvest wines are as sweet as their more expensive ice wine cousins, but the Fort Berens version, though bursting with intense, candied lychee and ripe peach flavours, does not overwhelm the palate with unctuous, syrupy fruit.
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Backyard Vineyards N/V Blanc De Noir Brut - $23
Backyard Vineyards' Blanc De Noir is a traditional example of a sparkling wine made from 100% Pinot Noir offering a light, yellow-gold hue and fat, persistent bubbles. On the nose you'll find an array of aromas ranging from sweet citrus fruit to fresh brioche with light nutty notes and a touch of brine.
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Chateau Des Charmes N/V Brut Sparkling Wine - $23
There's a nice balance on the palate of this pale-gold, finely-beaded bubbly, between tangy citrus and sweet peach fruit flavours, which in turn, balance the classic, yeasty-brioche and creamy-texture, making it approachable and crowd-pleasing; you'll be hard-pressed to find someone who'll turn-down a second glass. Enjoy on its own or serve with light appetizers.
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Graham's N/V Six Grapes Reserve Port - $24
Sourced from multiple estates in the Douro and compiled of the four noble Douro grapes, Touriga Franca, Touriga Nacional, Tinta Roriz and Tinta Barroc, plus small parts of other native grapes, the 'Six Grapes' offers intense red fruit, plum and licorice aromas supported by notes of mint, flowers and Ferrero Rocher confections.
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Quails' Gate Estate Winery 2012 Fortified Vintage Foch - $25
Marechal Foch makes a natural fit as the base for a fortified, Port-style wine like this tasty, after-dinner treat from Quails' Gate. Foch's unique combination of berry fruit and homey, camp fire aromas and flavours makes a solid foundation for the extended barrel ageing and Brandy fortification which imparts added layers of blue fruit, oak characters and exotic citrus fruit to the intense nose and sweet palate.
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Chateau Des Charmes 2013 Vidal Icewine - $26
This beautifully constructed, dense Vidal ice wine smells and tastes of a bowl of apricot and honeydew-infused custard adorned with shavings of candied lime peel. The unctuous, honeyed fruit is balanced nicely with lemon/lime acidity through to an everlasting finish.
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 - Liam Carrier ©copyright 2014 IconWines.ca