The Best-Kept Secret in Niagara Cab Franc

Meet Yvonne Irvine, the winemaker behind Maenad Wines, and taste the wine that shocked us in a lineup of 65 Cab Francs from across Canada.

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Named for the Maenads, the wild, wine-loving women of Greek myth, Yvonne Irvine's Niagara wines focus on wild ferments, whole-bunch fruit, and great personality!

 

Her Grimsby Hillside Cabernet Franc finished 93 points and #6 out of 65 wines from across Canada in our latest Cab Franc marathon. This wine definitely caught our attention, and it's time to discover more from this personal brand of a highly experienced Niagara winemaker. 

 

Click here to go directly to the order page...or keep scrolling to see the tasting notes.

 

Cheers,

Carl

🔥Get this wine here (click or tap)
2023 Maenad “Grimsby Hillside” Cabernet Franc 🔥 93pts

2023 Maenad “Grimsby Hillside” Cabernet Franc 🔥 93pts

$36.95

This is the star of the Maenad portfolio, in my opinion. Out of 65 wines in our last Cabernet Franc marathon, this one finished #6, with a stunning 93 points. It was a big surprise for me, as I’d never heard of this small producer before. Here we are, a year later, featuring this fantastic wine. Aromas of dark cherry, black cherry, dark chocolate, cedar and fresh tobacco. The palate is precise and rich, with a beautiful acid level and great softness. Very pure, clean and expressive, this wine spent 18 months in French oak puncheon. Flavours of dark macerated cherry, cassis, black forest cake and a great spicy finish. Again, a nice long mineral finish highlights the back palate of this Cabernet Franc, typical of the Grimsby Hillside vineyard. (Carl Boucher, 07/26/26).

 

93 points, Carl's Wine Club

100% Cabernet Franc

Ontario, Niagara Peninsula, Grimsby Hillside Vineyard

 
2021 Maenad Wine Chardonnay - Carl's Wine Club

2021 Maenad Skin-Fermented Chardonnay | 90pts

$32.95

Skin-fermented white is the technical term for orange wine, so yes, this is a Chardonnay orange wine. This is very interesting, and “off the beaten path.” The grapes were sourced from the Niagara College Vineyard. Bright acid, soft texture, well-defined edges: a wine full of energy and mystery. Marmalade, orange peel, lemon confit and chamomile. There’s a lot going on here, but nothing to destabilize me. As a Chardonnay fanatic, I will carry one of these in my fridge at all times. (Carl Boucher, 07/26/26).

 

90 points, Carl's Wine Club

100% Chardonnay (skin-fermented / orange wine style)

Ontario, Niagara Peninsula, VQA St. David's Bench, Niagara College Vineyard


Dry Wine | 12.1% ABV | Drink from 2024 to 2027

Pairings: salmon sushi, apricot baked brie

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Frequently Asked Questions

How does this work?

Carl's Wine Club is Canada's first pan-Canadian, direct-to-consumer wine club.

 

Being a member of the wine club is FREE and you have access to our informative emails and our live virtual events with Carl to learn more about Canadian wineries.

 

We feature a different Canadian winery every 1-2 weeks with a specially curated mix of wines. You choose if and how much wine to purchase, with winery direct pricing and shipping deals. 

 

On Wednesdays (yes Wine Wednesdays!) we also go LIVE on our social media platforms to chat about Canadian wine and often interview winemakers. Cheers!

How does shipping work?

The wineries ship these wines to you via couriers like Canada Post, UPS, Purolator, ATS or GLS and the wines arrive right to your doorstep! No need to spend time or gas or manpower to visit a store.

 

Your wines will ship within 1-2 weeks of your order date, as wineries ship out our club orders all together in a few batches. You'll receive a tracking number from our system and sometimes also from the winery's system.

 

Someone over the legal drinking age must be present at the time of delivery and provide ID to the delivery driver (this is a legal requirement). Please do your best to ensure that an adult is available to receive the order on the anticipated delivery date.

What if there's a problem with my order or wines?

We will be very happy to assist you if there are any issues, and find a suitable solution. Please contact us at carl@carlswineclub.com or call 587-899-8249.