Oh, Canada! 4 Pack
Q&A
Okanagan Valley, British Columbia, Canada
Based in the Okanagan Valley, Q&A is a premium wine project by Hollywood actor and director Jason Priestley, Winemaker’s CUT proprietor Michal Mosny, and media personality and broadcaster Terry David Mulligan.
Ten years ago a couple from Slovakia, both winemakers, decided to move to Canada because of our show Hollywood and Vines. They opened a winery in the Okanagan and our paths were crossed forever. It was destiny.
Two years ago, we decided to put this beautiful story in a bottle. We started by questioning everything – the smallest decision, the most trivial detail – to try to create a wine that has every answer.
With over 50 years of combined industry experience, they started Q&A by questioning everything they know.
Q&A 2020 RED
45% Cabernet Sauvignon, 38% Merlot, 13% Cabernet Franc, 4% Petit Verdot.
The 2020 vintage is elegant yet densely concentrated, with layers of fruit that continually evolve in the glass. Expressive aromas of midsummer Okanagan cherry and wild blackberry are seamlessly balanced by cloves and cedar, with a thoughtful, restrained use of oak that keeps the fruit the focus. Drinking beautifully now, the polished, fine-grained tannins and exceptional depth will reward careful cellaring over the next 10-15 years.
Food Pairings
Aged cheeses, especially those with a bit of funk, can also complement the wine's robustness and big flavours. Grilled strip steak, rib eye, lamb chops, stews or dishes with rich tomato-based sauces pair deliciously with this wine. Also, grilled salmon, tuna, roasted beef, lamb, veal, venison, squab, duck, mushrooms, and eggplant.
MEYER FAMILY VINEYARDS
Okanagan Valley, British Columbia, Canada
#2 Winery in Canada - 2024 National Wine Awards
In traditional French Burgundian style we focus on small case lots of varietals best suited and expressive of their unique place of origin with an emphasis on Chardonnay and Pinot Noir. We produce about 8,000 cases and strive to produce the finest wines possible. Our wines are hand harvested and hand crafted and we take great pride in each bottle of wine with great attention to detail.
Sweet perfumed pear, lime blossom, starfruit fill this lean framed but voluptuous gewürztraminer. Here, gew's lushness meets Okanagan Falls acidity. Planted in 1994 on sandy and gravel loams, this was picked in stages, partial whole bunch, partial skin contact, and entirely native fermented, long and cool in stainless and older French oak where it was left on lees for a further three months post ferment. This is a level of attention not often seen in gew in Canada, and it shows. Meyer Family Vineyards' wines need time in bottle after release to really shine, and this library vintage is at it’s prime!
Food Pairings
Here is an amazing recipe pairing for this delicious gewurztraminer by the one and only, "The Tipsy House Wife".
Bleu Cheese & Bacon Savory Cheesecake with A Pretzel Crust
Spicy cuisine, such as aromatic asian, thai and indian dishes. Ex: grilled poultry with curry, wok and rice noodles, a platter of spring rolls. Aromatic cheeses such as Munster, Maroilles or all blue or blue-veined cheeses like Roquefort.
BENJAMIN BRIDGE
Gaspereau Valley, Nova Scotia, Canada
Over two short decades, Benjamin Bridge has distinguished itself as Canada's premier sparkling wine house. In 1999, it all started as a labour of love with Nova Scotian entrepreneurs Gerry McConnell and the late Dara Gordon. Gerry and Dara met as lawyers, who held similar values in their respective areas of practice, including the rights of workers, gender equality, and improving the Nova Scotia economy.
Inspired by the early grape growers and winemakers in the region, Gerry and Dara invested in years of research to discover whether region-defining wines could be produced in the Gaspereau Valley.
With expertise from Canada and the world’s top oenologists, led by its chief innovator and head winemaker, Jean-Benoit Deslauriers, Benjamin Bridge has been unwavering in the singular pursuit of reflecting its precise set of growing conditions as transparently as possible.
Gerry and Dara’s twin daughters Ashley & Devon McConnell-Gordon now lead the small family-like team. As stewards of lands located in Mi’kma’ki, the ancestral and unceded territory of the Mi’kmaq First Nations, the team has carefully and meticulously grown Benjamin Bridge from a micro-boutique project into a dedicated sparkling wine house.
NV Brut is our in-house classic, layering richness from the older reserve wines with the vibrancy of young vintages. A non-vintage sparkling wine featuring a house style with blending components from our inaugural 2002 vintage, this handcrafted sparkling wine offers a true taste of our history.
In the glass, a pale golden colour with a straw hue. On the nose, the wine displays suggestions of smoke and lemon rind with strong sea minerals undertones. The palate is luscious, but with good intensity and vibrancy. Featuring both substantial structure and elegance, vibrant
notes of lime blossom and hints of smoke echo through an expressive finish.
BENJAMIN BRIDGE NV ROSÉ
Our NV Rosé captures the intriguing qualities of our Maritime climate and embodies our terroir’s unique ability to offer freshness, richness, minerality, and salinity all at once. Sibling to our flagship NV Brut, this méthode classique sparkling rosé sets itself apart with a hint of pink resulting from a skin soak of its Pinot Noir component, a slightly higher dosage, and a fruit-forward profile.
In the glass, a classic pale rosé colour. On the nose, suggestions of white cherries and strawberry rind with abundant sea minerals undertones. The palate is luscious but with good intensity and vibrancy. Hints of green apples and dried cranberries are magnified by the wine’s bright structure, unfolding in a lengthy mineral finish.
Recipe!
CARAMELIZED HONEY BAKED BRIE
Ingredients:
1 small wheel of brie or camembert
2 tbsp honey
2 tsp chili flakes
2 sprigs thyme, sage and/or rosemary, leaves removed from stems and chopped
Kosher salt & fresh black pepper
Fresh sourdough or a selection of your favourite crackers, to serve.
VISTA D'ORO
Fraser Valley, British Columbia, Canada
Vista D’oro overlooks the meadows and trees of Campbell Valley Park and the position of the farm allows for an amazing view of the Golden Ears Mountains. Hence, the golden view or, for those with an Italian influence, Vista D’oro.
The winery is a testament to the passion and dedication of Patrick Murphy, a skilled winemaker who has poured his heart and soul into crafting exquisite vintages. The journey began when Patrick and his wife acquired the picturesque farm, a blank canvas brimming with potential. As the years passed, Patrick honed his craft, transforming a beloved hobby into a full-time pursuit of viticultural excellence. His winemaking philosophy is deeply rooted in the rich traditions of old-world techniques, gleaned from extensive travels to renowned wine regions across the globe.
This wealth of knowledge, combined with formal training at the esteemed University of California, Davis, has shaped Patrick's unique approach to viticulture.
2007 VISTA D'ORO FORTIFIED WALNUT WINE
This wine is BC's answer to Tawny port. Many wineries in British Columbia try to produce fortified wines that do not do justice to a fortified wine. This is one wine that would be the only fortified wine from BC we would serve with a plate of stinky cheese. It is made with green walnuts from the Vista D'oro farm and never disappoints. Notes of figs, nuts, and caramel. Amazing wine and at this age, is still a baby!
Food Pairings
Many kinds of cheese including Stilton, nuts, fruit tarts, and cream-based or chocolate desserts have found a magnificent pairing partner in a fortified wine. This fortified wine in particular pairs beautifully with stinky blue cheese, a chocolate lave cake infused with dates and Sautéed Foie Gras!
