What happens when you open nearly 60 Canadian red blends all at once?
On December 28, 2024, we embarked on an epic 5.5-hour live tasting journey to find out!
These wines ranged from $14.94 to $265, showcasing the diversity, style, and exceptional potential of Canadian terroir. We then re-tasted our top 15 wines on the following day (also live!), and finalized the scores.
Regional Representation and Value Highlights
Our tasting lineup featured:
- 28 wines from British Columbia: Representing regions such as Oliver-Osoyoos, Naramata Bench, Okanagan Falls, Skaha Bench, the Similkameen Valley, and even the Lillooet region in the Thompson Valley.
- 30 wines from Ontario: Including entries from Niagara-on-the-Lake, the Niagara Escarpment, and one standout from the Lake Erie North Shore.
In total, we evaluated 58 wines, collectively valued at $3,684.60, with an average bottle price of $64.64 and an impressive average score of 92 points. I used my usual 100 point rating scale (find out more about how I score here).
Unfortunately, more than 15 samples didn’t make it in time due to the Canada Post strike and an overwhelmed transportation system during the holiday season.
Meritage Blends and Syrah Standouts
Classic Meritage blends—requiring a minimum of three Bordeaux varietals (Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Malbec, and Petit Verdot)—dominated the lineup, earning many of the highest scores. However, innovative blends like Fred Wines’ Bolero Reserve and Tightrope’s Equipoise, which incorporated generous portions of Syrah, stood out for their distinctive character.
The Blind Tasting Experiment
Inspired by John Schreiner’s perfect 100-point rating of Mission Hill’s Oculus earlier this year, we included this $265 (tax in) wine in a blind tasting lineup with other iconic Canadian blends. The goal? To see how it measured up against its peers. Here are the wines we blind-tasted alongside the 2020 Oculus (94 points, Carl’s Wine Club):
- 2020 Fred Wines Bolero Reserve (94 points)
- 2020 Clos du Soleil Signature (92+ points)
- 2019 Black Hills Nota Bene (90 points - we may have had an off bottle)
- 2020 Hidden Bench La Brunante (93+ points)
- 2019 Painted Rock Red Icon (94+ points)
- 2019 Da Silva Nobreza (95 points)
- 2020 Icellars Wiyana Wanda (93 points)
- 2020 Ferox Black Lion Cuvee (94+ points)
- A tank sample of 2023 Bottega Wine Studio Cabernet Franc (93+ points)
Ageability of Canadian Reds
Thanks to a donation from Tightrope founder and winemaker Graham O’Rourke (also former viticulturist at Mission Hills), we had the opportunity to taste the 2009 Oculus (92+ points) alongside the 2020 Oculus. The 2009 version, still fully in its prime, had clearly benefited from age and showed much more life to come.
Similarly, we tasted the 2010 Palatine Hills “Neufeld Vineyard” Meritage (92 points), graciously provided by Vadim Chelekov, winemaker at Palatine Hills. Both wines demonstrated the excellent aging potential of Canadian red blends, reinforcing their ability to evolve and develop over time.
Insights into the Canadian Wine Industry
One key takeaway from the tasting was the noticeable price difference between wines from Ontario and British Columbia. Ontario producers can offer more value-driven wines (under $30) due to larger farm sizes, greater potential for machine harvesting, and significantly lower vineyard land costs compared to British Columbia. This economic advantage allows Niagara producers to maintain competitive price points without sacrificing quality.
Notable Discoveries
I was quite surprised and impressed by the following wines, which were completely new to me. These three wines were a wonderful discovery and are all priced under $40 as of December 28, 2024:
- 2018 Terralux Meritage (92 points)
- 2021 Muscedere Meritage (92 points)
- 2021 Southbrook “Whimsy” Field Blend (93+ points)
Top-Scoring Wines (93+ Points)
95 Points
- 2019 Da Silva Nobreza
94+ Points
- 2020 Ferox Black Lion Cuvée
- 2019 Painted Rock Red Icon
94 Points
- 2020 Fred Wines Bolero Reserve
- 2019 Black Market The Syndicate
- 2015 Tawse Meritage
- 2022 Tightrope Equipoise
- 2020 Icellars Arinna
- 2020 Mission Hill Oculus
- 2020 One-Eighty Meritage
93+ Points
- 2020 Dobbin Estate Cabernet Blend
- 2020 Upper Bench Altitude
- 2020 Hidden Bench La Brunante
- 2020 Icellars Wiyana Wanda
- 2021 Southbrook Whimsy Field Blend
Top Value Picks (Under $30)
Special shoutout to Burnt Ship Bay with their 2020 Reserve Red (92 points, Carl’s Wine Club) and 2022 Mayhem Cab-Merlot (91+ points, Carl’s Wine Club). These wines showcased the greatest value of the entire tasting, delivering exceptional quality at a price point under $30 including tax. Finding such red blends has become increasingly rare, making these stand out as true gems.
So…can we really ripen reds in Canada?
Are Canadian reds really cellar worthy?
Can you really find a bold red from Canada?
While I know that I’m probably preaching to the choir here, the answer continues to be a resounding YES! YES! And YES!
Whether you’re drawn to the elegance of a classic Meritage or the bold innovation of Syrah-enhanced blends, there’s a Canadian red blend waiting to delight your palate.
Know a wine lover that might enjoy this post? Please share and ask them to join Carl’s Wine Club for free to discover World Class Canadian wine together!
Cheers,
Carl Boucher
Chief Wine Officer, Carl's Wine Club
