First Bottles at Last House: a quick chat with new County winemaker André Gagné - Archives Wine & Spirit Merchants - bottle shop - liquor store - niagara - lcbo - free delivery - wine store - wine shop - st. catharines

First Bottles at Last House: a quick chat with new County winemaker André Gagné

Prince Edward County is a world class wine growing region and a serious alternative to Burgundy. Full stop. It has the potential to be recognised as such by knowledgeable wine consumers if enough producers focus on the grapes that do well. We need a greater critical mass of quality focused producers to gain more recognition around the world.  

Read more
Distilling a sense of place; Adam Brierley of Ogham Craft Spirits - Archives Wine & Spirit Merchants - bottle shop - liquor store - niagara - lcbo - free delivery - wine store - wine shop - st. catharines

Distilling a sense of place; Adam Brierley of Ogham Craft Spirits

While I certainly can't tell you the difference between if the barley I'm using was grown in limestone or clay, I think there are still plenty of ways to impart a sense of place into every spirit. Don't forget that 'tradition' is one of the four elements of terroir.
Read more
Letting the grapes do the talking; Black Bank Hill's Taylor Emerson - Archives Wine & Spirit Merchants - bottle shop - liquor store - niagara - lcbo - free delivery - wine store - wine shop - st. catharines

Letting the grapes do the talking; Black Bank Hill's Taylor Emerson

Not to limit all the great things that winemakers do, but winemaking is ideally about stewarding the grapes toward their natural destination.  Winemaking really comes into play when you need to fix problems or want to make wine in a very specific style.   We mostly want the grapes to tell us where they want to go, and so far, they have been pretty good at communicating that to us.
Read more
The postmodern winemaker; Urban Tractor Farm's Gordon Maretzki - Archives Wine & Spirit Merchants - bottle shop - liquor store - niagara - lcbo - free delivery - wine store - wine shop - st. catharines

The postmodern winemaker; Urban Tractor Farm's Gordon Maretzki

All wineries are a farm first.  There is no magic wand to put wine in a bottle.  We want people to think about the process; that there was a farmer, who needed land, who had to plant the vine, tend the vine, harvest the fruit, secure resources to process the fruit, acquire skills to make the wine, make the wine, et cetera, et cetera, and finally, enjoy it with your friends. 
Read more
Meet the man behind the labels; an interview with Nick Pappas - Archives Wine & Spirit Merchants - bottle shop - liquor store - niagara - lcbo - free delivery - wine store - wine shop - st. catharines

Meet the man behind the labels; an interview with Nick Pappas

We were drawn to Collab, and Nick, as his aims mirror our own. Rather than launching a drinks label, Collab is a supportive ecosystem for so-called 'virtual' brands who don't have their own physical space. Collab's role is to nurture multiple brands across the spectrum of local drinks, providing the business, marketing, and licencing expertise to wine- and cidermakers, who are then free to focus on their craft.
Read more