On the Road with the Grape Guy

The Bertani Podcast Tie-In Tasting

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Category: On the Road with the Grape Guy

Recently, we sat down with Serena Bonaventura to discuss Veneto wines, and in particular Bertani wines, their history, and their outlook towards their own and the region's future. You can find that discussion here.

But there was another side: a luncheon in the spring, where Serena hosted and talked through six wines from the winery, including their hundred-point Amarone and their new Cru Valpolicella. Those who follow me regularly will know it was not the hundred-point wine that excited me—it was the idea that Valpolicella, a blended wine, would consider the idea of Cru, single vineyard, in the making of their wines. Two of those wines are below.

THE WINES

Bertani 2022 Ognisanti di Novare - Valpolicella Classico Superiore 
(95% Corvina Veronese / 5% Rondinella)
Wine spends one year in used barrels then 6 months in bottle: this is cru Valpolicella, richer red fruit, strawberry, nice spice and hints of pepper with good acidity.  (**** ½)

Bertani 2024 Ripasso Valpantena    
(70% Corvina / 20% Corvinone / 10% Rondinella)
Reddish and blackish fruit inter-weave with red licorice, anise, and herbal, there’s also a subtly spicy, black cherry and peppery finish - nice acidity without going over-board.  (****+)

Bertani 2015 Amarone della Valpolicella Classico
(80% Corvina / 20% Rondinella)
Aged 7 years in Slavonian oak … black cherry and licorice along with spices, smoke, and tobacco. Ready now or lay it down.  (****+)

Bertani 2022 Le Miniere di Novare - Valpolicella Classico Superiore    
(70% Corvina / 20% Corvinone / 10% Rondinella)
Super light and subtle cherry; this is easy drinking with sour cherry, and subtle pepper - this could easily be mistaken for Pinot Noir. Made using 20 year old vines, and the vineyard is situated above a mine shaft (Le Miniere), all concrete made and aged: 6-9 months, then 6 months in bottle. This is also Cru Valpolicella; and a very different expression of the wine.  (****+)

Bertani 2023 Sereole Soave Classico
(Garganega)
Classico Soave, named after the plot (Sereola) - fresh and vibrant with good acidity; lemon/lime and floral -  touched lightly by French oak.  (****)

Bertani 2024 Valpolicella Valpantena
(80% Corvina / 20% Rondinella) 
6 months in oak / 3 months in bottle ... lots of red fruit, good acidity, red raspberry, plump strawberry; light in colour, with subtle earthy notes and a hint of balsamic and coffee on the finish. This is an every day wine, but elevated.  (****)

Top Wines From Cuvee 2025

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Category: On the Road with the Grape Guy

(May 2025) … Cuvee is a very different tasting than it used to be, and maybe that is for the better. Many years ago, Cuvee in Ontario was a unique competition where winemakers became the judges – an interesting idea in theory, until it is not. And it became a not. For reasons best left buried in the past.

Today, Cuvee is a tasting where the winemakers pick their favourite two wines to showcase. Without naming names, this is not always the case, some are looking to push popular (read LCBO) brands and labels – but for the most part wineries are showcasing the wines that are special in their portfolio. 

This year 31 wineries participated in the event, meaning 62 wines were in the room for tasting. The following are my top wines from the event (and consists of wines I have not tried before): 

Malivoire Wine Co. NV Bisous Rosé ($32.00) 
Pink bubbles are tough to make, and hard to get the balance right, but this one has everything you want in your blush bubbles: good acidity and subtle red fruits that push the envelope of flavour.  (**** ½+)

13th Street Winery NV Blanc de Blanc ($30.65)
This 100% Chardonnay sparkler sits 12 months on lees and is full of green apple and lemony goodness - it's also half the price of the stuff from that more famous region in France.  (****+)

De Simone Vineyards 2021 Merlot ($60.00)
2021 was a year many winemakers would like to forget - but if you managed your vineyard you could end up with something amazing. Here there's a good concentration of fruit namely raspberry, blueberry, and black cherry. It’s a wine full of contradictions: it's lean but concentrated; it's also delicate, but with and explosion of fruit.  (****+)

Malivoire Wine Co. 2022 Small Lot Gamay ($22.00)
Gamay continues to be a strong suit for Malivoire and this 2022 small lot is no different: pretty cherry notes meet a subtle smokiness ... this is well-balanced and delicious.  (****+)

Redstone Winery 2018 Redstone Blanc de Blancs ($33.95)
Chardonnay that has been hand harvested then goes through everything wine does to get into the process of making bubbles. Then it sits 6 years on lees in the very bottle we buy the wine in. Then into your glass and over the lips and passed the gums … a breath in will show toasted nuts and biscuity notes; then the sip, and in goes the lemon, the green apple and the punch of acidity keeping this lively and fresh.  (****+)

Redstone Winery 2020 Redstone Merlot ($40.95)
This Merlot is from a hot vintage, so it has all the lush, plush fruit you expect in the south of the border stuff, including blueberry, blackberry and black cherry with silky tannins and extra umph from the acid pumch.  (****+)

Tawse Winery 2022 Cherry Ave Pinot Noir ($49.95)
Pinot is one of Ontario's mainstays of late and this one shows lovely amounts of spice and dark fruit, while still managing to layer in cherry, cranberry and nice balancing acidity.  (****+)

Trius Winery 2020 Trius Grand Red ($76.00)
You knew Grand Red would be coming back in 2020, it was inevitable. This wine is made with the core three grapes of Bordeaux, spends 18 months in oak, 12 of those are together, creating a spicy wine with notes of cassis and other black fruits. The acidity is on point and the wine is smooth and tasty. Another great addition to the Grand Red family.  (****+)

Wending Home Estate Vineyards & Winery 2020 Chardonnay Estate ($34.95)
Chardonnay is Ontario's other mainstay. This one spends 18 months in 10% new oak and has a lovely mouthfeel of vanilla cream, apple puree and good acidity to help keep it all from weighing down the tongue.  (****+)

Front Road Cellars 2022 Renegade, Marquette-Cabernet ($27.95)
A vineyard planted with 2.5 acres of Marquette, which makes up 85% of this blend. The fruit is rich and robust, reminds me a little like Zinfandel with its intensity of blackberry and cassis at the core; nice smoky notes and nicely well-balanced with acidity. A real winner.  (****)

Inniskillin Winery 2022 Reserve Cabernet Franc ($20.99)
This full-fruited Franc is showing black cherry, tobacco and a smoky long finish.  (****)

Jackson-Triggs Niagara Estate 2022 Grand Reserve Shiraz ($29.95)
I miss the Delaine days, in fact I may still have a few bottles of Syrah labelled as such in the cellar. This Reserve is dark fruited, subtly smoky and well-fruited with black cherry and cassis - there's even a nice peppry component on the finish.  (****)

Marynissen Estates 2021 Platinum Cabernet Sauvignon ($44.95)
Niagara-on-the-Lake fruit meets its counterpart from the bench (Marynissen and Stouck vineyards), then spend 18 months in oak, of which 75% is American. There is a pretty floral nose along with vanilla, cherry and good acidity. 2021 was not a great year for Cabernet Sauvignon, but Marynissen has found a way to make a version that's quite pleasing.  (****)

Strewn Winery 2020 Terroir Cabernet Franc ($83.00)
Still seeing some of these 2020 coming out, these are the really big guns that have sat in oak for longer periods of time, those that have softened or will eventually soften with more time. This is Strewn's version, from their own 'terroir' vineyards. The tobacco is evident along with smoky blackberry, cassis and black raspberry. A good job is to be commended for taming those tannins.  (****)

Leaning Post Wines 2024 Sauvignon Blanc ($29.58) 
One-third of this wine sees oak, giving it a little more weight, but there is also a smooth lemon rind note that creates a silkiness on the finsh. (*** ½+)

Riverview Cellars Estate Winery 2022 Cabernet Sauvignon "Basket Press" - Salvatore's Reserve ($59.95)
This is some late harvested fruit that they treated as a small batch and created just 50 cases There is a nice elegance here with some cherry creating the majority of the flavour.  (*** ½+)

Peller Estates Winery 2023 Peller Estates Private Reserve Gamay Novelle ($22.00)
Definitely a novel way to present Gamay; nice, light and easy with a subtle touch of white pepper.  (*** ½)