Every year, when the holidays roll around, our bar cart is our best friend. We love refreshing our lineup with the best drams of the season, whether it's a dark spirit for sipping, a beautiful bottle of wine for hosting or a knock-out champagne for toasting. Bringing out the best for our guests is our love language, and seeing our friends' and family's faces light up when we reach for that special bottle always fills us with joy.
Having a well-stocked arsenal of bottles also means that we can try to recreate the tastiest Christmas cocktails we discover at Toronto's holiday markets and pop-ups, and there's always something on hand for those last minute invitations (or that one person we forgot when we were buying gifts for everyone — we're doing our best, OK?).
It's not all for others though — we also love to pour something nice when we're cozied up at home in our pyjamas watching the fireplace channel while the snow falls. Cheers to the season of all things comfy with this list of wine, spirits and sparklings.
Dark spirits
Appleton Estate 8 Year Old Double Cask
$49.95
After aging for a near-decade in Jamaica’s tropical climes, this rum is finished in single malt scotch barrels for a balanced spirit that combines worlds.
Glenfiddich Orchard Experiment
$89.95
Apples reign supreme year-round, and you’ll taste them in this Scottish single malt. Finished in Somerset Pomona casks, this scotch’s caramelized apple and creamy toffee notes culminate in a warm finish that banishes the chilliest day.
Seagram’s VO Select
$34.15
A silky-smooth whisky blend, Seagram’s VO Select is a trusty Canadian whisky to uncork post-holiday feast. Ample spice flavours pair effortlessly with baked goods.
Dillon’s Rye Whiskey
$49.95
A pure Canadian whisky through and through, this award-winning spirit is aged for four years in American and Ontario oak, and bourbon casks. It’s made from 100 per cent Ontario rye.
Chardonnay
G. Marquis The Silver Line Chardonnay
$19.95
The Silver Line consists of Ontario VQA vintages, including this Niagara Stone Road vineyard chardonnay.
Domaine Queylus Tradition Chardonnay 2019
$29.95
This smooth chardonnay took home silver at the National Wine Awards of Canada.
Grange of Prince Edward 2022 Farmer's Series County Chardonnay
$27.00
This P.E.C. winery’s chardonnay is part of their Farmer’s Series, which celebrates growers across Ontario.
Mission Hill 2021 Reserve Chardonnay
$27.00
Taste the terroir of Okanagan in this citrus-forward chardonnay.
Le Clos Jordanne Le Grand Clos Chardonnay 2020
$52.00
Domaine Le Clos is celebrating its first summer on the Beamsville Bench. Enjoy this chardonnay’s stone fruit notes.
Joseph Drouhin Chablis Drouhin-Vaudon
$34.45
The wines of Chablis represent the purest expression of chardonnay, and this one is popping with grapefruit aromas.
Canadian gin
Valley of Mother of God Smoked Gin
$72.95
Just because it’s cold outside doesn’t mean we have to say goodbye to one of our favourite warm weather spirits. This tipple is excellent in a negroni; with notes of allspice and wood, it fits right in with the season.
Collective Arts Lavender & Juniper Gin
$46.85
Savour heather, lavender, chamomile, bergamot and sweet almond in this beautiful blue gin. It’ll transform into a pretty pink when mixed with citrus or tonic.
Seventh Heaven London Dry Gin
$37.75
This London dry out of Québec will add hints of exotic fruit to your martini. It’s infused with oils from seven unique, sought-after botanicals — a bouquet greets you in every sip.
Ginslinger Handcrafted Ontario Dry Gin
$32.95
A small-batch gin made from foraged juniper and other botanicals sourced from the Niagara Escarpment, Ginslinger is expertly balanced.
Red, red wines
Tom Gore Cabernet Sauvignon
$19.95
Tom Gore, a second-generation grower, prioritizes using quality grapes. Dark fruit, honey and oak leap out of the glass.
Maison Merveille
$19.95
Stop the search for a perfectly pairable red: This elegant blend of cab sauv, merlot and malbec from Bordeaux is great with hearty beef and lamb dishes.
1924 Limited Edition Bourbon Barrel Aged Cabernet Sauvignon
$20.00
This beefy red from Gnarly Head in California pays homage to the rebellious spirit of the roaring 1920s.
13th Street Gamay
$19.95
Made on the Niagara Peninsula, this gamay is a fabulous example of Ontario’s prowess with the grape. Look out for notes of pickling spices and wild berries.
Domaine Queylus 2020 Pinot Noir Tradition
$35.00
Grab a bottle of this pinot noir from the Ontario Wine Awards’ Winery of the Year and save it for your top-tier guests visiting this holiday season.
Noble Vines 337 Cabernet Sauvignon
$20.00
Cabernet grapes from the renowned Lodi region of California were tapped for this full-bodied and drinkable red.
Poppin’ Bottles
Saintly The Good Sparkling Rosé VQA
$19.95
Easy on the wallet and even easier on the palate, this crisp and fruity sparkling rosé is our hosting go-to.
Bottega Gold Prosecco
$30.95
This shiny bottle looks extra-special when you hand it to your host. Pair it with seafood and turkey, or use it to make cocktails.
Moët & Chandon Brut Imperial
$78.65
Dry with notes of bread and grapefruit, and a clean finish, this classic champagne is the perfect bottle to pull out this season.
Ruinart Brut Blanc de Blancs Champagne
$143.00
Ring in the new year with this luxurious champagne and 2025 is sure to start right. A bouquet of elderflower gives way to flavours of peach and apple with undertones of minerality and smoke.
Lily Sparkling Rosé VQA
$17.95
This bottle’s floral, fruity and brioche notes, and creamy mouthfeel are everything we want in a holiday sparkling.
Best brandies
Calvados Boulard Pays d’auge
$54.70
This delicious apple brandy is practically dessert in a glass. It’s best enjoyed neat, with a slice of apple pie, a crackling fireplace and holiday cheer.
Cortel Napoleon VSOP Brandy
$32.95
A delightfully long finish greets you with open arms after each sip of this French-oak-aged brandy. Caramel and honey mingle with light fruitiness.
Dujardin VSOP Brandy
$33.65
French winegrowing and German distillation, plus aging in Limousin oak barrels, give this brandy its exquisitely rich taste.
Torres Brandy 10 Year Old
$34.75
This full-bodied Spanish brandy is aged in oak barrels. Torres smells and tastes just like a holiday dessert charcuterie board: cinnamon, vanilla, candied fruits and nutmeg.
