Rick VanSickle

And a Merry Christmas to all, from our family to yours. 🎄 🎄🎄🎄🎄🥂🥂🥂🥂🥂

Coyotes out at Jaycee Park in Port Dalhousie. Be careful.

The Christmas 🎄 Cactus 🌵 is right on cue.

It’s the end of an ‘incredible ride’ as @countycider is put up for sale. The Prince Edward County cidery set the bar for the modern era of craft ciders in Ontario. We talk to Jenifer Dean, the owner of County Cider, on her reasons for putting the historic cidery and estate up for sale in this post on Wines in Niagara. Just follow the link in the bio to read the post.

Pulling out the good stuff for Game Six of the Jays’ incredible run in the World Series. This 2019 @bachelder_wines Chardonnay was Wines in Niagara’s Most Thrilling White Wine in 2021. The big 2023 Bachelder release comes out tomorrow and you can read all about it by clicking the link in the bio. Here’s what I wrote about this wine in 2021 … Most Thrilling Niagara White Wine of 2021 Bachelder Wismer-Wingfield West Chardonnay 2019 ($48, 96 points) — This consistently exquisite Chardonnay is sourced by from “the hill of Wingfield,” in what Thomas Bachelder not so quietly refers to as “grand cru” even though it is a classification that still has no standing in Niagara (but should!). The Chard grown in this parcel, which is at the highest elevation and furthest from Lake Ontario, are the latest ripening in Wingfield. As Bachelder says, and in this I agree 100%: “This wine’s beauty is certainly at least partially in the eye of the beholder, but, come on, the Wingfield is grandiose!” The vineyard is located 6.8 km from Lake Ontario at an altitude of 160 metres. The Wingfield parcel has always shown profound, singular terroir on a perfectly exposed, well-drained slope on the east side of Victoria Street in Vineland. The 2019 vintage is a wonder, the best ever produced and worthy of all the accolades it is getting, even if it needs time to fully reveal itself. Such a gorgeously perfumed and floral nose with ripe pear, bergamot, granny smith apple, vanilla toast, light creamy accents, elegant oak spices and defined by a stony/slate minerality that is just beginning to reveal itself. But, OMG, one taste and it vaults to another level. It’s rich, dense and concentrated on the palate while still maintaining a saline, stony, flinty minerality profile. Next comes defined fruits of ripe pear, lemon curd, apple skin and an ever-so-subtle note of reduction that makes this highly complex and attractive with rich and toasty spices and an eternally long and finessed finish. Tight, yes, but wait for this to fully reveal itself. Cellar 7+ years, but try at least one of them now so you can watch the evolution.

I was in the early days of discovering this fascinating little project in Prince Edward County when I first tasted this wine. I was impressed with the early wines and the steadfast commitment from @lasthousevineyard proprietor Andre Gagne and consultant @geoffheinricks to simply let the terroir of the County express itself without any tricks and no matter the vintage. I am thrilled they keep raising the bar from such humble beginnings. This is our Game Two good luck wine for the amazing Blue Jays in the World Series. My previous notes of this wine below … Last House Hiller Blanc Christian Block 2020 (91 points) — This 100% estate Chardonnay was whole cluster pressed in a water pressure basket press. It was wild fermented with 75% of the wine transferred to barrel for spontaneous malolactic fermentation and elevage (new barrels). It was bottled unfiltered and unfined and was lightly sulphured after malo and at bottling. It has a unique and savoury nose with a saline beginning then fresh-cut pear, golden apple, citrus zest/lemon oil and subtle spice notes. There is a subtle note of reduction on the palate followed by sweet pear, baked apple, lemon tart, wild sage, gentle oak spice and mouth-watering acidity to give the finish plenty of lift.

As Harvest 2025 winds down in Niagara, all signs point to a robust vintage with success across all grape varieties. Some thoughts from @ccovibrocku . Also in this Wines in Niagara report: A new Zweigelt from @lailey_winery , Pinot Noir from @henryofpelham and our picks from the Vintages release Saturday, including @2027cellars , @southbrookvineyards , @cloudsleycellars and a great Malbec from Argentina’s @versadowine owned by Niagara’s @sperling7139 and @petergamble2024 . Story/reviews now posted on Wines in Niagara 👉 just follow the link in the bio.

A lot of VanSickle’s in this shot from our Yukon school reunion in Squamish this weekend (Maureen, left, sister Kim right with adorable pup Beauty. Plus, some photos today high up in Whistler.

Morning walk on the shores of Horseshoe Bay in West Van.

Phase three of the summer garden welcomes the first Rose of Sharons, the purple cornflowers, day lilies and gigantic snowballs. A riot of colour and favourite eating spot for bees.

Once a year, you have to fly that flag! Even on the golf course.

I am Canadian but with a Canadian wine twist for Canada Day ... with apologies to Molson Coors (sorry, not sorry). A parody of sorts now live on Wines in Niagara 👉 just follow the link in the bio