On more than one occasion I have been approached at an event and sooner or later the topic turns to Ontario Wineries that I like (who is worth visiting, who’s making the best wine, etc.), those who have read my articles inevitably state, “… but you don’t like Tawse very much do you.”  It’s time I clarify my position about Tawse Winery – it is not that I dislike Tawse, in fact I think the owner Moray Tawse is a genuinely affable and gentle gentleman.   What I dislike is paying $50 for a bottle of wine, I don’t like the fact that an upstart is asking $40+ for a Chardonnay while some the old guards who paved the way for this upstart to open in the first place, asks $20 (my feeling is you have to build a reputation before you ask for the big dollars), and, on one specific occasion, I don’t like being told I have to buy x-number of bottles of a particular wine.  That all said I have never denied Tawse Winery their due when it comes to the taste of their wines – case on point, my glowing review of their 2005 Echos Bistro Red was made quite public in (the LCBO’s) Vintages magazine when the wine was released.  I’ve also written highly about their 06 Echos Red, 06 Echos White, 04 Riesling and 06 Chardonnay Musque (even though I wasn’t allowed to buy “just a few bottles”).  But I still get, “You don’t like Tawse.”

Well a new day has dawned at Tawse Winery and it shows to me they are going in the right direction ... (Read more)

To read about more interesting adventures thru the world of wine check out the On the Road With the Grape Guy blog.