A glass or two of your favourite red or white will probably get you feeling pretty good. But there’s a new local Ontario wine that goes one step further with a charitable spin to give you even more incentive to pour out another serving.
D’Ont Poke The Bear wines are made in part by the co-founder of one of Niagara’s largest wineries – Jackson-Triggs. The graphic on the front of each bottle – a bear donning an eyepatch – references winemaker Andrew von Teichman's experience being bullied for having to wear an eyepatch as a child for medical reasons. So, as a tribute to this, a portion of funds from each bottle is donated to Friends First Foundation which helps promote anti-bullying initiatives.
Good vibes aside, the wines themselves are worth cracking open. Both the red and white are multi-varietals sourced from grapes grown across Niagara. The white is unoaked to let its orchard fruit flavours come forward, combining Chardonnay and Sauvignon Blanc grapes with a touch of Riesling. The red is a blend of cold-hardy Baco Noir and Cabernet grapes, the latter of which is aged in American and French oak barrels for six months. Try the white with seafood and fresh greens, while the red is a great option to accompany the last barbecues of the season.
