2026 Ontario's Ultimate Wine - Part 1

Ontario’s Ultimate Wine 2026, Part 1: Eighteen Wines, Eight Places

Eighteen Ontario wineries. Eighteen wines. One title.

Ontario’s Ultimate Wine returns to Two Guys Talking Wine, with André and Michael joined by legendary Canadian wine writer Tony Aspler for a completely blind, randomly drawn tournament.

Each participating winery submits one wine it believes represents its best. From there, anything can happen: Chardonnay can face Cabernet Franc, sparkling wine can take on Pinot Noir, and price offers no protection from elimination.

In Part 1, we work through six opening flights before reshuffling the surviving wines for a second round. Along the way, we debate drinkability versus cellar potential, struggle to identify what’s in our glasses, and discover just how difficult it is to send a very good wine home.

Behind the scenes, Anja keeps the bottles concealed and the tasting moving—and Spencer lends a hand with the draw. What could possibly go wrong?

By the end, 18 wines have become eight. Next stop: the head-to-head quarterfinals.

In this episodeHow the blind tournament works—and why there are no easy matchups.What happens when different grapes, styles, vintages, and price points compete.The tension between a wine’s future potential and how it drinks today.A Riesling that immediately demands attention.A Chardonnay that keeps the judges guessing.The opening rounds’ first split decision.

The wines: opening flights

Flight A

16 Mile Cellar — 2019 Incivility Pinot NoirDivergence Wines — 2020 Blanc de BlancsMeldville Wines — 2024 Cabernet Franc, Grimsby Hillside Vineyard Block 275Flight B

Wending Home Estate Vineyards & Winery — 2020 Estate Vineyard Cabernet FrancKeint-he Winery and Vineyards — 2023 Portage ChardonnayHenry of Pelham Family Estate — 2024 Speck Family Reserve ChardonnayFlight C