🔥 Value, Quality & Free Shipping, what more can I ask for! 🔥
Just a few reasons why you should try 13th Street this week:
Carl's Top Picks for You...
Your Six Bottle 13th Street Discovery Pack
$142.75 including tax & deposits
✔️ NV Cuvee Rose - $29.95 ($3.00 off, regular $32.95) | 91pts
✔️ 2022 Expression Riesling | $19.95 | 92pts
✔️ 2023 Gamay Vin Gris | $24.95 | 91+pts
✔️ 2021 Expression Cab Merlot | $19.95 | 91pts
✔️ 2022 Gamay | $19.95 | 90+pts
✔️ 2022 Cab Franc | $24.95 | 90+pts
How many 6-packs would you like?
1️⃣ 6 Bottles | $142.75 including tax
2️⃣ 12 Bottles | $285.50 | 🔥 Free Shipping!
3️⃣ 18 Bottles | $428.25 | 🔥 Free Shipping!
4️⃣ 24 Bottles | $571 | 🔥 Free Shipping!
Add-on options (or choose your own mix)
2020 Reserve Malbec | $39.95 🔥 93pts
NV Blanc de Blanc | $29.95 | 91+pts
2021 L. Viscek Chardonnay | $39.95 | 90pts
These wines will appear on your doorstep between July 17-26!
Here's exactly why I rated these wines the way I did! 👇
2023 13th Street Gamay Vin Gris (Rose)
Ontario, Niagara Peninsula VQA
100% Gamay
Dry (RS 2.0 g/L) | 11.5% ABV
91+pts Carl’s Wine Club
Vin Gris is a classic French winemaking technique where full bunches of red grapes are put into the press and the free-run juice is collected. For two years in a row, the 13th Street Vin Gris Gamay was one of the top wines in our Rose tasting marathon, this time amongst over 93 roses tasted. The colour is a pure crystal light pink. Aromas of orchard fruits, light red berries, hint of strawberry cream, and a spark of herbs. The palate is crisp and fresh but also offers a nice weight on the mid-palate. Flavours of wild raspberry, peach, cherry blossom with a lining of citrus peel on the finish. One of the most exceptional roses of the season! (July 6, 2024). 1000 cases produced.
Pairings: fish & chips, salmon crudo
Drink now until 2026
Winery price: $24.95
2022 13th Street Expression Series Riesling
Ontario, Niagara Peninsula VQA
100% Riesling | Dry (RS 9.0g/L) | 11.5% ABV
92pts Carl’s Wine Club | Gold, 93pts Wine Align
The 2022 vintage has made a name for itself as one of the best years for Riesling in Niagara. This value Riesling is a prime example. Crisp, zingy, and expressive, this wine delivers just as well on a hot day as on the dinner table. The nose offers aromas of lime, lemon, freshly picked apricots, and a hint of jasmine-line white flowers. The palate is directional and lively with mouth-watering acidity. The 9 grams of residual sugar add a great texture to the wine, but are barely perceptible in terms of sweetness. The flavours lean towards citrus on the front palate and tropical fruits like cantaloupe, Asian pear and honey melon develop on the mid-palate. The back-end has a chalky minerality which brings complexity and is outstanding for the price-point. (July 5, 2024).
Pairings: spicy Vietnamese food, shrimp salad rolls
Drink now until 2030
Winery price: $19.95
2022 13th Street Gamay
Ontario, Niagara Peninsula VQA
100% Gamay | Dry (RS 2.4g/L) | 12.5% ABV
90+ pts Carl’s Wine Club | 90pts Natalie McLean
I have to say, Gamay is growing on me. This one is juicy with lots of fruit up front, very approachable and absolutely delicious. Classic gamey Gamay nose with ripe raspberry, tobacco leaves, licorice, perfumed violet and cloves. The palate is soft and round, with a great level of acidity. The length is impressive for the price point. Flavours include ripe red berry, blueberry jam, a hint of chocolate and a lingering spicy finish. The tanins are more present on the back end of the palate, which helps highlight the length, and is probably the best attribute of this wine. Great value proposition! (July 7, 2024).
Pairings: lasagna, duck confit or duck liver pate
Drink now until 2027
Winery price: $19.95
2021 13th Street Expression Series Cabernet Merlot
Ontario, Niagara Peninsula VQA
51% Cabernet Sauvignon, 49% Merlot | Dry (RS 3.0g/L) | 13% ABV
91pts Carl’s Wine Club
Here’s another example of a wine the blows it’s price point out of the water. Honestly I’m shocked that this wine is only $19.95 including tax. A blend of two vineyards in the Creekshores appellation, the wine has spent 15 months in French oak barrels. On the nose you’ll find delicate aromas of blackberry, dark red cherry, blueberry compote, a hint of thyme, and cedar box. The palate is rich and soft, and offers multiple layers of dark fruits like cassis, black cherry, dark chocolate sweet tobacco leaves, and black cracked pepper. This wine is entering it’s prime window of drinkability and will shine for another two years. To have Cabernet Sauvignon of this quality at this price point…I’d buy it by the case before the price goes up. (July 7, 2024).
Pairings: beef chili, baby back ribs
Drink now until 2026
Winery price: $19.95
2022 13th Street Cabernet Franc
Ontario VQA
100% Cabernet Franc | Dry (RS 4.5g/L) | 13% ABV
90+ pts Carl’s Wine Club
This is Cabernet Franc in a nutshell! A great example of this varietal with purity and a bright expression. This wine was aged 2/3 in stainless steel and 1/3 in oak barrels, which helped preserve the fruitiness and authenticity of this wine. The nose offers a great mix between ripe red fruits, blue fruits, and floral components. It also delivers a bit of chocolate on the nose and a hint of mint. The palate is clean, bright, but definitely not simple. There’s a great deal of complexity and an impressive length. The tannins are already soft, but hang around for a long period of time. You can expect flavours of blueberry, cassis, ripe strawberry, dark chocolate, and a hint of smoke. The finish closes off on a nice mix of Asian spice and white pepper. This will gracefully age and improve for at least half a decade. (July 7, 2024). 550 cases produced.
Pairings: lamb shank, wood fired pizza with chorizo and green pepper
Drink now until 2026
Winery price: $24.95
NV 13th Street “Cuvée Rosé” Traditional Method
Ontario, VQA Niagara Peninsula
60% Pinot Noir, 40% Chardonnay | Dry (RS 3.0g/l) | 12.5% ABV
91pts Carl’s Wine Club | 92pts WineAlign | 90pts Natalie Maclean
This was one of my favourite sparkling rosés of our 2024 live rosé marathon. Approachable, smooth, easy drinking, with a very well balanced sweetness to acidity ratio, this traditional method wine is an absolute gem. On the nose you will find aromas of red cherry, ripe strawberry, a hint of orchard fruits and just a touch of toasted spices. On the palate, I just love the creaminess and how the bubbles coated my mouth. Flavours of red berry fruits, maraschino cherry, red apple and a fantastic lime peel tartness on the finish – one of the greatest attributes of this wine. This is one of my favourite summer pours! Absolutely stunning…and the price point is pretty unbeatable too! (CWC July 6, 2024).
Pairings: tuna tartar, ratatouille
Drink now until 2029
Winery price: 29.95
2020 13th Street Reserve Malbec
Ontario, Niagara Peninsula VQA
85% Malbec, 15% Merlot | Dry (RS 6.1g/L) | 13% ABV
93pts Carl’s Wine Club
I think I just found my favourite Niagara Malbec. I’ve been looking for a while and I got it. The 2020 vintage brought the extra heat that the Malbec needed to hit it’s maximum potential. Aged for 18 months in French oak barrels, this is a rich, ripe, full body wine which delivers a luxurious mouthfeel that could please all collectors of this popular grape varietal. On the nose, expressive aromas of blackberry, blueberry, dry roses, brined Kalamata olives and vanilla – displaying a unique side of Malbec. On the palate, this wine is a real symphony. The front, middle and back palate sing together in symphony at every step. Opening up on notes of ripe dark fruits, the mid-palate follows with a hint of red fruits like dried cranberry mixed with dark chocolate and dark licorice and vanilla. The back-palate includes expresso coffee before it finishes with light spices, blended well with the soft tannins that carry through the whole experience. The splash of Merlot brings a noticeable softness and elegance to this wine. With only 255 cases made, don’t miss your chance to get your hands on a few of these! (July 7, 2024). 255 cases produced.
Pairings: New York striploin with peppercorn sauce, spicy BBQ pulled pork sandwiches
Drink now until 2028
Winery price: $39.95
2021 13th Street L. Vischek Vineyard Chardonnay
Ontario, Niagara Peninsula, Creekshores VQA
100% Chardonnay | Dry (RS 2.1g/L) | 12.5% ABV
90pts Carl’s Wine Club | 90pts WineAlign
From a single vineyard in the Creekshores appellation, this Chardonnay is bold, full bodied and concentrated. It’s also built for the long run, having been fermented and aged in French oak barrels for 12 months. On the nose, intense aromas of nectarine, crème brulee, chamomile, and a hint of grilled pineapple. The palate is soft and rich, and the oak is well integrated between the front and back palate. The acidity as bright especially on the mid-palate, and the flavours mirror the aromas quite well. I enjoyed the light spice on the finish, and it showed better on the second day. That tells me that a few more years in the cellar will improve this wine. Vischek single vineyard Chardonnay has become a staple in the 13th Street portfolio, and the 2021 vintage is no exception. (July 7, 2024). 350 cases produced.
Pairings: fresh caught halibut, burrata and pear salad
Drink now until 2027
Winery price: $39.95
NV 13th Street Traditional Method Blanc de Blanc
Ontario, Niagara Peninsula VQA
100% Chardonnay | Dry (RS 3.0g/L) | 12.5% ABV
91+pts Carl’s Wine Club | 90pts Decanter | 91pts WineAlign
Fresh, bright, precise and directional. This wine doesn’t disappoint! Exactly what you can expect from a traditional method. Winemaker Jean-Pierre Colas has brought some of the Old World to this wine from his original home in Chablis. A fine and tenacious mousse highlights this wine, which can rival some well known Champagnes at a quarter of the price. The nose is floral with citrus fruits and a hint of freshly baked pastry and almond cookie. The palate delivers a zing of green apple, lime, and a little burst of apricot brings softness on the mid-palate. A noticeable flinty minerality plays a great role in the texture of this wine, which makes it much more serious than what the price suggests. (July 7, 2024).
Pairings: oyster on the halfshell, fried calamari
Drink now until 2027
Winery price: $29.95
The Story & People
13th Street Winery is located in the Niagara Peninsula, Ontario with more than 40 acres of estate vineyards in the VQA Creek Shores appellation.
I chose this winery to feature because their exceptional wines are a true reflection of the Niagara terroir, and they've been a hit amongst members since our early days as a club. They've also been recognized by Wine Align as the number 1 Winery in Ontario.
If you ever get a chance to visit in person, the winery also has great food, art, a bakery and accommodations...and EPIC butter tarts!
Their winemaker, Jean-Pierre Colas, is known as a white wine genius, producing world class Chardonnay, Riesling, Sauvignon Blanc, Pinot Gris, and Gewurztraminer.
Likewise, JP also excels at crafting high-quality red wines paramount to the Niagara peninsula: Gamay Noir, Pinot Noir, Cabernet Franc and Syrah.
Established in 1998 by four winemakers, the winery was purchased in 2008 by two Niagara couples, John & June Mann and Doug & Karen Whitty. Doug Whitty carries on a century-old family tradition of farming the Niagara terroir, and was appointed the coveted 'Grape King of Ontario' in 2017.
Hope you enjoy the latest discoveries from this member-favourite winery!
Cheers,Carl
Jean Pierre Colas is one of the most talented French-trained winemakers in Canada.
In his home country of France, JP worked at the notable Chablis house, Domaine Laroche, where he produced Wine Spectator Magazine’s 1998 White Wine of the Year, an award he received for his Domaine Laroche Grand Cru Les Clos 1996.
Also in 1998, Jean Pierre was awarded the Best Wine in The Wine Enthusiast, Grand Cru Chablis Blanchots “Reserve de l’obedience” 1996 (99 pts).
Between France and his current residency at 13th Street, Jean Pierre travelled and worked extensively around the world, including Carmen Vineyards in Chile, Bodegas Chandon in Argentina, and Oyster Bay Winery in New Zealand.
He has studied and worked under a number of exceptional winemakers including Michel Givors in Morgon, Beaujolais and Gilbert Picq, and Michel Laroche in Chablis, Burgundy.
His winemaking philosophy is quite simple. He believes that great wines come from the best grapes grown in the best vineyards.
Meanwhile, winemaking techniques are only utilized to supplement and capture the very essence of the grapes’ provenance and character.