A Wine Lover’s Diary, part 1033: Anniversary Week

Posted on August 25, 2026 by tonyaspler

Twisted Pig’s complimentary dessert

Monday, August 17th: Today is our 29th anniversary. We will celebrate with two couples tomorrow who share the same day.

I went to Big Head winery to taste some of Andrzej Lipinski’s new wines.

Big Head Biggest 2023 (carbonic maceration; 32 months in French 500-litre foudres)
44% Cabernet Franc, 33% ,15% Petit Verdot, 8% Cabernet Sauvignon. Dense purple in colour; cedary, toasty, blackcurrant bouquet with vanilla oak notes; full-bodied, dry, richly extracted sweet black fruit flavours; well-integrated oak; firmly structured with ripe tannins. A powerful wine (15.3% alc) with a rich mouth-feel and bright acidity. (95–96) Continue reading →

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A Wine Lover’s Diary, part 1032: Kelowna Aborted and a Corn Roast Concert

Posted on August 17, 2026 by tonyaspler

Andrzej Lipinski presents me with a signed bottle of Lipinski Family Syrah 2023

Monday, August 10th: John Nadeau and I took an early Porter flight to Kelowna. But we never got there. Over Calgary, the Captain came on the public address system to tell us that he had been instructed by NAV Canada to return to Toronto because of the smoke around Kelowna airport.

Tuesday. August 11th: Tasted ten Big Head wines: Continue reading →

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A Wine Lover’s Diary, part 1031: Nova Scotia

Posted on August 11, 2026 by tonyaspler

Nova Scotia licence plate

Monday, August 3rd: Dinner: chicken puttanesca tagliatelle (a sous vide meal created by Cacio Pepe (www.caciopepemeals.com), with a bottle of Perez Cruz Gran Reserva Cabernet Sauvignon 2024 from Maipo Valley, Chile.

Perez Cruz Gran Reserva Cabernet Sauvignon 2024

Tuesday. August 4th: Dinner: hamburgers with a bottle of Malivoire Albert’s Honour Old Vines Foch 2022. Continue reading →

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A Wine Lover’s diary, Part 1030: Argentinian Reds and an Odyssey

Posted on August 3, 2026 by tonyaspler

Monday, July 26th: Dinner: barbecued steak, with a bottle of Peller Estates Cabernet Franc 2022.

Tuesday, July 27th: Dinner: pasta, with a bottle of Porta Ravessa Reserva 2015 from the Alentejo.

Porta Ravessa Reserva 2015 Continue reading →

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The Crush on King

Posted on July 29, 2026 by tonyaspler

Dedicated followers of the Ontario wine industry will remember Stoney Ridge Estate Winery in Vineland, where Winemaker Jim Warren worked his magic. Today, the facility is a winemakers’ collective where vintners can make or finish their wines without the expense of building a winery.

If you’re ever visiting Oakville in the Napa Valley, there’s a similar enterprise called the Napa Wine Company which was undoubtedly the model for The Crush on King, Niagara Custom Crush Studio.

In Crush’s bright, contemporary tasting room, you can taste, buy a glass or buy a bottle of 20+ of the resident winemakers’ products.

The current resident winemakers are: Continue reading →

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