Pink Wines for Canada Day

You may have have envisioned a day of sprinkler dodging and outdoor grazing but there's no guarantee the crisp, white, patio sippers you're hoping to pair with a smokin' hot deck or backyard will meet their match on Canada's birthday. In Vancouver, especially, the weather forecast for Canada Day has rarely been reliably hot and sunny. So why not plan on serving the most versatile category of wine available with your flexible festivities? "Think Pink", as JoieFarm likes to remind us, and try one of the following blush wines on July 1st:

Chateau Des Charmes 2015 Cuvée D'Andrée Rosé - $16
A fruity and fresh rosé with lifted, red berry aromas and a touch of cooling minerality on the nose. Medium bodied with a touch of residual sugar mid-palate that finishes dry thanks to a refreshing wave of cranberry-rhubarb acidity and flavours. Grapefruit rind and light, dried herbs linger on the moderate finish.
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Fort Berens Estate Winery 2015 Pinot Noir Rosé - $18
An orangy-pink rosé with a lovely combination of delicate, sweet berry fruit and warm, sage and dried herbs aromas on the appealing nose and the off-dry, approachable palate. Cool, steely-mineral notes and cranberry acidity balance the residual sugar nicely and linger on the finish.
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Quails' Gate Estate Winery 2015 Rosé - $18
A consistent blend, from the 2014 vintage, of 80% Gamy Noir, 10% Pinot Noir and 10% Pinot Gris offering a pleasant, delicate, nose of Spring flowers, strawberry, watermelon, citrus peel and white pepper. Followed by a fruity, slightly off-dry and slightly boozy, effervescent palate of ripe citrus, strawberry, cranberry, minerals, wild herbs and watermelon rind flavours. A delicious taste of Spring. 
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Bench 1775 Winery 2015 Glow Rosé - $20
A truly lovely rosé to experience via its delicate, candied fruit and floral-herb nose and superbly balanced, slightly off-dry, mouth-watering, berry and citrus-infused palate. Salmon-hued and subtly textured, produced with minimal skin contact and aged in stainless steel tanks. Finishes long with lingering herb, melon and tangy, tropical fruit notes.
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Tinhorn Creek Vineyards 2015 Oldfield Series Rosé - $20
2015 was another stellar vintage for this Provence styled, salmon-pink rosé made from 100% Cabernet Franc grapes sourced from the winery's Diamondback Vineyard along the Black Sage Bench in the Southern Okanagan Valley. Its balance of sweet and savoury characters on the joyful nose and on the off-dry, mouth-watering palate is spot on.
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River Stone Estate Winery 2015 Malbec Rosé - $20
Though muted on the nose, with a youthful bouquet of strawberry, raspberry and mineral aromas, this rosé is as bright and cheerful as its cherry-coral colour suggests. Made from 100%, estate-grown Malbec grapes this blush's raison d'être is its delightful, juicy'n'crisp, off-dry palate of plump, strawberry-kiwi and citrus-pomegranate flavours.
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LaStella 2015 LaStellina Rosato - $20
Produced in the saignée method which "bleeds" juice from newly crushed red grapes imparting a pale strawberry colour and just a touch of tannin texture, the LaStellina is a blend of 62.6% Cabernet Franc, 29.9% Merlot and 7.6% Sangiovese with a fruity, joyful flavour profile of strawberry, rhubarb, cherry and mouth-watering tropical fruit. The balance between the sweet fruit and the acidic elements leans towards off-dry, but not fully.
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JoieFarm 2015 Rosé - $21
A very consistent wine, year-to-year, with a distinct colour and profile offering juicy, red fruit and light, dried herbs on the expressive nose and the slightly, off-dry, textured palate where the residual sugar is balanced beautifully by tart cranberry acidity, light tannins and tangy citrus notes. Your go-to, feel-good rosé. 
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 - Liam Carrier ©copyright 2016 IconWines.ca

Wines for Canada Day 2013

Each year July 1st marks Canada’s “birthday” and many of us have the day off and an excuse to celebrate. Sadly, Canada Day doesn’t always equate to good weather (especially in BC where this site originates), therefore, we've compiled a list of wines for you to enjoy no matter what Mother Nature sends your way.

For this year's list we're, appropriately, only listing the excellent and under appreciated wines of Canada, which are becoming easier to purchase across Provincial borders thanks, in part, to the tireless efforts of folks like www.freemygrapes.ca.

Sunny
If it’s nice and hot where you are – and ideally that will be the case for most of us – then we have some heat-quenching wine suggestions for you to enjoy of a hot patio, deck or dock.

Fort Berens Estate Winery 2012 23 Camels White - $17
This tangy and playful blend of 60% Pinot Gris, 20% Chardonnay and 20% Riesling is all about its well balanced palate with tart green apple mingling with ripe grapefruit and juicy white peach flavours. The mouth-watering, long finish lingers with herbal notes and lots of green apple and lime peel acidity.
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Little Straw Vineyards 2012 Tapestry - $18
Though a blend of Riesling, Auxerrois, Gewurztraminer, Siegerrebe and Schonburger, it's the Gewurztraminer that plays the lead character in 2012 with lush tropical fruit on the floral nose and the off-dry palate which starts with a chewy (gooey) texture and then finishes crisp and tangy thanks to its pronounced grapefruit acidity.
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JoieFarm 2012 A Noble Blend - $24
Delivering rich, complex flavours of tropical fruit, apples, lime rind and clove spice on the off-dry, vibrant palate and delicate aromas of kiwi fruit, lychee and peaches on the delightful nose.
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Cloudy
If it’s cloudy where you are, well, look on the bright side – at least it isn’t raining. Cloudy weather (assuming it’s also a bit cool) calls for something with some body and texture to compliment a wide variety of foods. Think lighter reds and rosé.

River Stone Estate Winery 2012 Malbec Rosé - $20
Bold, both in hue and in flavour, the River Stone Malbec Rosé is one of the more colourful and fuller-bodied blush wines on the market in BC today. Juicy and ripe cran-apple, pomegranate and strawberry flavours are supported by light tannins and grapefruit acidity.
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Meyer Family Vineyards 2011 Pinot Noir - $25
A gorgeous, complex array of cherry-cola, raspberry, sweet oak, vanilla, forest floor and warm earth aromas greet you on the nose of this blend of Pinot Noir batches from numerous locations all over the Okanagan Valley.
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Le Vieux Pin 2011 "Cuvée Violette" Syrah - $30
Focuses more on the aromatic qualities of the Rhone Valley grape while the palate has been left quite light with a good balance of fruit, pepper and herbaceous flavours, while the nose successfully expresses the lovely, feminine, floral aromas achievable by Syrah.
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Rainy
If it’s raining where you are then you may be spending a large portion of your Canada Day indoors. This calls for a soothing and cheerful red wine to lift your spirits.

Chateau Des Charmes 2009 Cabernet-Merlot - $13
An impressive "budget" blend that over-delivers for the price with a nice nose of cassis, blackberry, vanilla spice and oak aromas followed by a medium-bodied, smooth-tannin palate with a good balance of mature dark fruit and savoury herbs'n'spice flavours.
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Stag's Hollow Winery 2010 Heritage Block - $25
Although a "Bordeaux style" blend, the Heritage Block has always been quite New World-y in its approach to showcasing the rich and vibrant fruitiness of the classic combination of Merlot, Cabernet Franc and Cabernet Sauvignon.
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Howling Bluff Estate Winery 2010 Summa Quies Vineyard Sin Cera - $29
A blend of all five Bordeaux varietals and aged in French oak for 18 months, the Sin Cera is an irresistible femme fatale that jumps out of the glass with potent, yet graceful, feminine aromas of baked cherry and blackberry fruit, plum preserve, cooking spice, sweet licorice, vanilla, toasted oak and holds your attention through to the equally seductive, fine tannin and similarly flavoured palate.
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Have a fun and safe Canada Day celebration – wherever you are!

 - Liam Carrier ©copyright 2013 IconWines.ca

Wines for Canada Day 2012

Each year July 1st marks Canada’s “birthday” and many of us have the day off and an excuse to celebrate. Sadly, Canada Day doesn’t always equate to good weather, therefore, we've compiled a list of wines for you to enjoy no matter what Mother Nature sends your way.

For this year's list we're, appropriately, only listing the excellent and under appreciated wines of Canada, which, with the recent passing of Bill C-311 should be easier to purchase across Provincial borders in due time.

Sunny
If it’s nice and hot where you are – and ideally that will be the case for most of us – then we have some heat-quenching wine suggestions for you to enjoy of a hot patio, deck or dock.

Chateau Des Charmes 2010 St. David's Bench Vineyard Sauvignon - $15
The acid is high and a tad sharp, but when paired with a hot deck and fresh oysters, you'll be thankful it's there. The moderate finish lingers with cool minerality and tart, green apple flavours and just a hint of spice.
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Bartier-Scholefield 2010 Rosé Table Wine - $20
The concentration achieved on the palate is so great and cheerful, that despite the dryness, one is left with a loving embrace of freshly baked cherry-goodness and rhubarb-tang. The texture and balance are spot-on with a touch of tannin from the Gamay skins and mouth-watering acidity.
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Young and Wyse Collection 2011 Pinot Gris - $20
Cool, crisp and masculine with lively stonefruit, lemon/lime, pink grapefruit and peach skin characters and a nice mineral backbone highlighted by a steely finish and a touch of lingering spice.
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Cloudy
If it’s cloudy where you are, well, look on the bright side – at least it isn’t raining. Cloudy weather (assuming it’s also a bit cool) calls for something with a bit more body as your senses aren’t being overloaded with sun and heat. A nicely oaked Chardonnay is the cure.

Cassini Cellars 2009 Reserve Chardonnay - $29
A delightful, fully oaked Chardonnay from a concentrated, hot vintage that manages to remain fairly bright and fruity - not burdened with the chunky nature of lesser, over-oaked Chards.
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JoieFarm 2009 Reserve Chardonnay - $30
A gorgeous nose of candied pears, cold butter and river rocks is presented subtly followed by increased intensity on the dry palate with lush poached pear characters, slick minerality and some tropical fruit notes. Sits lovingly on your palate with evenly matched energetic acid and glycerol fullness.
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Herder Winery and Vineyards 2009 Estate Chardonnay - $35
A full bodied Chardonnay with just enough acid to add extra dimension to the lush mouth feel and liven up the long finish. A satisfying all-spice taste lingers.
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Rainy
If it’s raining where you are then you may be spending a large portion of your Canada Day indoors. This calls for a soothing and cheerful red wine to lift your spirits.

Hillebrand Winery 2010 Trius Cabernet Franc - $15
Not overly complex, but tasty and satisfying with good concentration and moderately intense tannins. The finish is long and balanced with lingering clove spice and a touch of minerality.
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River Stone Estate Winery 2010 Merlot - $20
The tannins are tad rough but tend to enhance the rustic, terroir-driven character of this wine. Some vegetal notes are present on the dry palate, but the fruit is ripe and expressive. Good concentration, good balance, mouth-watering acid and a uniquely spicy presentation all for just under $20!
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Fairview Cellars 2010 Cabernet Franc - $27
A cool, but long 2010 growing season has given birth to a low alcohol and nuanced Cabernet Franc that offers a warm, feminine nose of violets, mandarin peel, ripe blackberry, boysenberry and soft oak aromas.
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Have a wonderful and safe Canada Day celebration – wherever you are!

 - Liam Carrier ©copyright 2012 IconWines.ca

Wines for Canada Day 2011

July 1st marks Canada’s “birthday” which means many of us have the day off and an excuse to celebrate. Sadly, Canada Day doesn’t always equate to good weather, therefore, we've compiled a list of wines for you to enjoy no matter what Mother Nature sends your way. Well, nearly whatever she sends your way. If it's snowing where you are then stay inside and pour yourself a scotch.

Sunny
If it’s nice and hot where you are – and ideally that will be the case for most of us – then we have some heat-quenching wine suggestions for you to enjoy of a hot patio, deck or dock.

Tinhorn Creek Vineyards 2010 Gewurztraminer - $18
Off-dry and richly aromatic with mountains of spice on the medium intense nose and full palate. Stonefruit, citrus and peach fruit characters aplenty with a well-balanced, long finish.
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Fairview Cellars 2010 Sauvignon Blanc - $20
More complex than merely a clean, crisp summer sipper with some fullness on the palate from lush, oily Semillon fruit adding a hint of honeydew melon to the mix. A long finish with lingering tartness completes the satisfying experience.
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Nobilo 2008 Icon Sauvignon Blanc - $23
A tart, but not bombastic, fresh Sauvignon Blanc from the Marlborough region that offers classic gooseberry and grass characaters as well as lush tropical fruits and a touch of lime zest.
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Cloudy
If it’s cloudy where you are, well, look on the bright side – at least it isn’t raining. Cloudy weather (assuming it’s also a bit cool) calls for something with a bit more body as your senses aren’t being overloaded with sun and heat. A nice oaked Chardonnay is the cure.

Cupcake Vineyards 2009 Chardonnay - $15
This Chardonnay is rich, fruity and textured with just the right amount of residual sugar. Reminiscent of a health conscious mom using only half of the prescribed sugar when baking for her kids.
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River Stone Estate Winery 2010 Malbec Rosé - $20
The intense, dry, full-ish palate has mouth watering acidity, bold flavours of pomegranate, pink grapefruit and hints of balsamic vinegar with enough tannins to add texture and depth.
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Stag's Hollow Winery 2009 Renaissance Chardonnay - $28
A full-bodied, textured Chardonnay with layers of sultry, rich characters of melon, pineapple, butter-cream, vanilla, smoke and oak.
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Rainy
If it’s raining where you are then you may be spending a large portion of your Canada Day indoors. This calls for a soothing and cheerful red wine to lift your spirits.

Blackwood Lane 2008 Vicuna Roja - $24
This easy-drinking and charming wine offers decent complexity and mouth feel with intense characters of plum, cherry, cedar, spice and oak.
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Church and State Wines 2007 Pinot Noir - $26
Medium garnet in colour, this Pinot offers superb concentration of raspberry, cherry, savoury spice and earth note characters on the sublime nose and silky palate. Fully dry, yet veins of sweet fruit linger with spice on the long and refined finish.
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Mollydooker Wines 2008 The Boxer - $35
Smooth, integrated tannins and mouth watering acidity add to the packs-a-punch texture. A slight Port-like finish due to the massive concentration and touch of residual sugar.
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Have a wonderful and safe Canada Day celebration – wherever you are!
- Liam Carrier ©copyright 2011 IconWines.ca

Wines for Canada Day

July 1st marks Canada’s “birthday” which means many of us have the day off and an excuse to celebrate. Sadly, Canada Day doesn’t always equate to good weather, therefore, we at IconWines.ca have compiled a list of wines for you to enjoy no matter what Mother Nature sends your direction, whichever part of the country you find yourself in.

Sunny:

If it’s nice and hot where you are – and ideally that will be the case for most of us – then we have some heat-quenching wine suggestions for you to enjoy of a hot patio, deck or dock.

BC: CedarCreek 2009 Ehrenfelser - $18
Notes: A perfect complement to a hot day. Great acidity and tropical fruit. Sometimes this wine is hard to get so consider the Lake Breeze 2009 Pinot Blanc as a worthy alternative.

Ontario: Tawse 2009 Sketches of Niagara Riesling - $18
Notes: Happily available in both Ontario and BC. One of Niagara’s signature grapes. Ripe fruit and refreshing acidity.

USA: Pieropan 2009 Soave Classico - $12 (US)
Notes: This is a tasty Italian, light-to-medium bodied, food-friendly wine that displays citrus and mineral notes on the nose and palate. Full Review

Cloudy:

If it’s cloudy where you are, well, look on the bright side – at least it isn’t raining. Cloudy weather (assuming it’s also a bit cool) calls for something with a bit more presence as your senses aren’t being overloaded with sun and heat. A good Chardonnay in the cure.

BC: JoieFarm 2009 Un-Oaked Chardonnay - $24
Notes: As some of your fellow celebrators may be A-B-C folks, I suggest confusing them with this excellent un-oaked Chard from Naramata. Loaded with fruit and mineral flavours. Full Review

Ontario: Le Clos Jordanne 2007 Village Chardonnay - $25
Notes: This is the entry level Le Clos Jordanne which is a lovely blend of fruit from their various vineyards. Chardonnay is fast becoming a rival to the excellent Riesling found on the Niagara Peninsula.

USA: La Crema 2008 Sonoma Chardonnay - $15 (US)
Notes: For Canadians celebrating down in the US, do yourself a favor and pick this gem of a Chardonnay up at Costco immediately! It runs $40 CDN back home. Maybe the best $15(ish) you ever spend (on wine).

Rainy:

If it’s raining where you are – as it’s forecasted to do in Vancouver – then you may be spending a large portion of your Canada Day indoors. This calls for a soothing and cheerful red wine to lift your spirits.

BC: See-Ya-Later Ranch 2007 Rover - $25
Notes: Very well-priced Shiraz-Viognier blend. Full-bodied, warming spice and bright fruit wrapped within a bold, but structured frame of tannins. Full Review

Ontario: Inniskillin 2007 Reserve Cabernet Franc - $19
Notes: The Niagara Peninsula makes excellent Cabernet Francs, especially when the fruit ripens properly. 2007 was a good year for ripeness.

USA: Edge 2007 Cabernet Sauvignon - $16 (US)
Notes: This big California Cabernet will warm your soul on a dreary day. Look for it at your local Costco and laugh at Canada’s ridiculous import mark-ups (The Edge sells for $33 CDN in BC). Full Review

Have a wonderful and safe Canada Day celebration – wherever you are!
 - Liam Carrier