Canada

Medium-bodied, dry and crisp. A pleasant wine without any toasted oak flavours getting in the way. Instead the wine offers rich aromas and flavours of yellow apple, melon, and peach, with hints of tropical fruit. A great match for chicken or vegan dishes, and especially seafood.

While Germany may be the ancestral home of Riesling, very good versions also come from Ontario. And Lailey’s version is one of the best. Light- to medium-bodied, dry, and refreshing. Bright aromas and flavours of apple, pear, and yellow plum. Unoaked. Pair with appetizers or lighter-style dishes.

Half the wine was fermented in new French and American oak barrels, on the lees for 8 months, and the rest fermented and aged in stainless steel tanks. The result is a rich elegant wine, brimming with aromas and flavours of tropical fruits – pineapple and banana -- peach and pear, with notes of orange citrus, butterscotch, and vanilla spice. Full on the palate, dry, with balancing acidity. Match with chicken, seafood, or veal dishes.

This vines are farmed according to both organic and biodynamic principles. Medium- to full-bodied, this is classic Gewürztraminer, with rich and exotic aromas and flavours of yellow fruits and lychee, with ginger spice and honeysuckle notes. The palate is rich, with a long, slightly sweet finish. Match with spicier-style dishes, chicken or vegan dishes, white meats, and seafood.

From a small boutique winery, farming an equally small plot of land, in the highly-regarded Beamsville Bench appellation. Stainless steel tanks were used for the alcoholic fermentation to fully capture the bold aromatics of this unique grape variety. The aromas and flavours are clean and pure – intense peach-stone fruits and flowers –with mouthwatering acidity and a fully textured, dry finish. A great food wine: match with chicken or vegan dishes, and seafood.

Australia

The addition of Semillon to the blend – similar to white Bordeaux – adds structure and complexity to the wine. Medium-bodied, dry, with good acidity. Aromas and flavours of fresh citrus and tropical fruit and herbal notes. Unoaked. A great match for appetizers and seafood, as well as vegan and chicken dishes.

Ralph Fowler's winemaking career began 30 years ago, and now he works a 100-acre property with his family in Mount Benson, in the Limestone Coast. A pioneer of the Viognier grape in Australia, his vines are specially trellised to enhance the unique varietal characteristics. The wine is fermented in French oak and bottled off lees with minimal handling to maximize the varietal expression and flavours. Aromas and flavours white peach, apricot, and lychee, with roasted nut and honey suckle notes. Elegant and balanced: match with fuller-style dishes.

New Zealand

Marlborough is the home for classic New World Sauvignon Blanc, and Forrest Estates is one of the best producers. Medium-bodied and dry, and refreshing (unoaked), with intense aromas and flavours of tropical fruits, passion fruit, lime, and slight herb/mineral notes. Great with appetizers and dishes featuring goats cheese (a classic match for Sauvignon Blanc) and with chicken and richer vegan dishes.

United States

A deliciously off-dry version; more typical of styles from the Alsace in France. The wine offers up rich aromas and flavours of pear, lychee, and pineapple, accented with spicy notes. Full and creamy on the palate with good balancing acidity and a nice clean finish. Pair with egg dishes and paté, as well as seafood, chicken and other white meats like pork and veal .

A full California-style Chardonnay that has been fermented and aged in American oak barrels for about six months. The result is a rich, round, dry wine with tropical aromas and flavours of baked apple, pineapple, and coconut, with toasty vanilla oak notes. Pair with full-bodied seafood dishes, chicken and other white meats like pork and veal.

The Bogle family began farming in California in the mid-1800's, and in 1968 they planted their first 20-acre vineyard in Clarksburg, a small community along the Sacremento River. Today Bogle Vineyards farms over 1,200 acres of wine grapes. Chenin Blanc is favoured in France’s Loire Valley for its versatility and ability to make long-lived wines. Fermented and aged in 100% stainless steel tanks, with aromas and flavours of green apple, candied lime, and pineapple with notes of vanilla, orange blossom, and honey suckle. Dry and crisp, this medium-bodied wine pairs well with spicy dishes, seafood, and pork.

Sourced from six vineyard sites, approximately half the wine was fermented in stainless steel tanks, giving the wine a distinct brightness and intensity of fruit, while the rest was fermented in oak barrels to round out the wine. Tropical aromas and flavours, with notes of
apples and citrus on the clean finish. Pair with seafood dishes, as well as roast chicken and pork.

Martin Ray Winery operates out of an historic building dating back to the late 19th century, the oldest continuously operating winery building in Sonoma County. The grapes for this wine come from select vineyard sites in the cool Russian River Valley. Aged for 18 months in French oak barrels, on the lees, for an extra creamy texture. Rich aromas and flavours of tropical fruits, apple and ripe melon with vanilla notes. Elegant and smooth, with balancing acidity: pair with richer seafood dishes like lobster, as well as roast chicken and creamier-style pasta dishes.

South Africa

An interesting blend of Chenin Blanc (58%), Chardonnay (25%), Viognier (9%), and the Hungarian grape Harslevelü (8%). The grapes come from hand-harvested old vines, and each variety is vinified separately then aged in a different types and ages of oak barrels. The result is a full-bodied, dry wine, with exotic, tropical aromas and flavours of baked apple, caramel, quince, figs, melon, and honeysuckle. Pair with full-bodied seafood dishes, chicken and other white meats like pork and veal.