RKS 2025 CANADIAN Wine: Hare Cabernet Merlot from Niagara Ontario: This Hare Got Lost on the Racetrack and Was Beaten by the Snail

For my ex-Canada readers, the Niagara wine region is a couple of hours drive from Toronto God and traffic willing.

Ok I admit the automobile trip from Toronto is shall we say diplomatically, less than inspiring but becomes much more interesting once you clear The Burlington Skyway Bridge and fumes of Hamilton and hit the wine route. If you were planning a trip to the United States like many Canadians you may want to rethink that and visit Niagara!

Yes of course, there is Niagara Falls spectacular indeed but once outside the immediate Falls and you venture into the town of Niagara Falls its tackiness and tawdriness may just want to make you return to the Falls unless of course you want to go mega tacky and fill your stomach at the Flying Saucer Restaurant.

A better choice for any overnight stay would be the more genteel Niagara-on-the-Lake charming Monday-Friday but far less so on weekends. A range of accommodations. Lots to see including wineries, historic sites and the drive to Niagara Falls is a bucolic one with stops to see the spectacular Niagara Gorge. Plenty of restaurants too.

We may cover restaurants, hotels and touristic sites in more detail in later postings but let’s get down to a Hare Cabernet Merlot from the Niagara-on-the-Lake appellation. The bottle is a heavy lifter and not so carbon friendly!

A blend of Ontario star red grape Cabernet Franc (35.6%), Cabernet Sauvignon (35%) and Merlot (29.4%). Aged 18 months in French oak.

Aroma:  Sharp and clean with hyped raspberry on steroids, black cherry, warm blueberry pie and milk chocolate.

Palate: Gentle tannins with ribald acidity detracting from the fruit. Cactus pear, rhubarb, marginally ripe strawberries. Not much of a finish.

Personality: I come with a pricey tag and I get the sense you are disappointed with my structure. If there is anyone to blame don’t give me dirty looks. I am just a created liquid so blame your choice(s) the terroir, the winemaker, the vineyard manager, the blender or the weather or the guy trying this wine!

Food Match: Friday night burger or pizza i.e. you know what I mean.

Cellarbility: If you want to drink this it will not age well.

Price: $37.95 CDN.

RKS 2025 CANADIAN Wine Rating: 64/100. Natalie MacLean Community Wine Score 90.

(Hare 2019 Cabernet Merlot, VQA Niagara-on-the-Lake, The Hare Wine Company, Niagara-on-the-Lake, 750 mL, 13.5%).