Monthly Newsletter

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Volume 30 / Issue 02 / February 2026

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Happy Family Day Long Weekend from Wine Kitz Brantford!

Wine Kitz Brantford will be closed Saturday, Feb 14 for Family Day Weekend. We’ll be back to pour, swirl, and help you make your own wine on Tuesday, Feb 17.

Enjoy the long weekend with family, friends… and maybe a glass or two of your favourite homemade wine. 🍷✨

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PASSPORT SERIES 2026 — Preorder Yours Today!

Cabernet Mataro Merlot (Murray Red) – Riverland, Australia – Available March 2026

Sweetness: Dry | Alcohol: 14% | Body: Full | Oak: Heavy | Labels Included

Say g’day to your next favourite full-bodied red. This powerhouse blend from Riverland, Australia, brings together the best of Cabernet Sauvignon, Mataro, and Merlot — all grown under that glorious South Australian sunshine.

🌏 THE REGION — Riverland, Australia – Welcome to the sunbaked banks of the Murray River, where warm Mediterranean weather, bright sunshine, and reliable irrigation make this one of Australia’s most important wine regions. Here, red varieties thrive — the long growing season and fertile soils give grapes the chance to ripen beautifully and develop generous, fruit-forward flavour. It’s big, bold red territory…and this blend fits the bill perfectly.

🍇 THE WINE — “Murray Red” – Named after the mighty Murray River itself, this blend channels everything the region does best: intensity, structure, and seriously delicious fruit.

Expect:

• Aromas: ripe blackcurrant, plum, red cherry, raspberry
• Palate: rich dark fruit up front with subtle spice, cracked pepper, and dried herbs
• Style: full-bodied, dry, beautifully structured
• Finish: smooth, lingering, and very hard to forget

🍽️ THE FOOD

Pair it with foods that won’t get intimidated:

• Grilled lamb chops with thyme
• Mushroom risotto
• Blue cheese

⭐ WHY YOU SHOULD MAKE THIS WINE KIT

Because some wines are “nice”… and then there’s this. If you love big, full-throttle reds, Murray Red is exactly the kind of bottle you’ll want stocked for backyard grilling, fall and winter dinners, and those nights when your palate deserves a reward.

• Heavy oak + full body = incredible aging potential
• Complex blend = depth and character you don’t see every day
• Riverland fruit = reliable, consistent quality
• It’s a Limited Release — when it’s gone, that’s it

✔️ And yes… labels are included

Make it now, brag about it later.

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WINEXPERT LE25 — Preorder Yours Today!

Pinot Gris Verdelho – Riverland, Australia – Available March 2026

Sweetness: Dry | Alcohol: 13% | Body: Medium | Oak: Unoaked  |  Labels Included

THE WINE – A lively, fruit-driven blend that hits all the right notes for spring and summer sipping.

Expect:

• Aromas: citrus + tropical fruit
• Palate: melon, pear (thanks, Pinot Gris!), pineapple, guava, citrus (you again?), plus green apple and a whisper of spice
• Style: dry, medium-bodied, silky texture
• Finish: crisp acidity, light minerality, beutiffully refreshing
• Alcohol: 13%
• Oak: none (this wine is all about the fruit)

It’s bright, juicy, and extremely easy to like.

THE REGION – Riverland’s warm Mediterranean climate is a dream for aromatic whites. Hot days ripen grapes fully, cool nights lock in acidity, and the Murray River keeps everything happily hydrated.
Pinot Gris and Verdelho love it here—fertile loam and clay soils help produce fruit-forward wines bursting with freshness and flavour.

THE FOOD – Bring on the flavour:

• Thai red curry chicken
• Shrimp noodle bowls
• Pear, walnut & goat cheese salad

This blend LOVES dishes with freshness, spices, or a touch of sweetness.

WHY YOU NEED TO MAKE THIS KIT – Because this is the kind of white you’ll want on repeat from April through October.

• Perfect for warm-weather sipping and patio season
• Pinot Gris + Verdelho is a rare combo — uniquely aromatic and super refreshing
• Crisp acidity + no oak = great “drink now” white
• Fruit-forward but not sweet — crowd-pleasing without trying too hard
• And yes… it’s a Limited Edition. Once it’s gone, it’s gone.

If you want a standout summer white with personality, this one’s a no-brainer. 🍍🍐✨

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🍉 COMING SOON: Niagara Mist Watermelon! 🍉

Ready to add a little summer attitude to your glass way before the snow melts? Say hello to the newest Niagara Mist flavour: Watermelon Splash — and yes, it’s exactly as fun as it sounds.

🍉 The Wine

Bright, juicy, and bursting with fresh watermelon flavour, this sweet sipper is all about refreshment. Light-bodied, clean on the finish, and ridiculously easy to enjoy — this is the kind of wine that disappears faster than you meant it to.

• Alcohol: 6%
• Body: Light
• Sweetness: Sweet

💦 Why You’ll Love It

• • Sweet, vibrant, and perfect served icy cold
• • Ideal for parties, patios, or pretending it’s summer
• • Great on its own or mixed into wine cocktails (hello, watermelon spritz🍹)

Get ready — Watermelon Splash is arriving soon, and it’s going to go fast. Stay tuned and make room in the fridge… this one’s a crowd-pleaser. 🍉✨

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🌸 COMING SOON — Just in Time for Spring Sipping! 🌸

NEW VineCo Estate Series Pinot Grigio Rosé — Limited Release – Arriving Early February!

If you’re counting down to patio season, this one’s going to be your new favourite glass. This lightly off-dry rosé is delicate but lively, blending floral and tropical aromatics with juicy strawberry and rhubarb notes. Fresh, bright, and crisp right through the finish — exactly what spring tastes like.

It pairs beautifully with seafood, salads, and mild cheeses… or just enjoy it on its own while pretending winter is already over.

Body: Light-Medium  |  Sweetness: Off-Dry  |  Oak: None  |  Alcohol: 12%

Make it early February and it’ll be perfectly chilled and ready for those first warm afternoons. ☀️🍷

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February 7 – Happy International Merlot Day!

Today we honour the grape that’s smoother than your favourite pair of sweatpants and far more socially acceptable to bring to dinner.

Merlot is the “relax, I’ve got this” of red wines — soft tannins, juicy plum and blackberry, a hint of mocha, and zero drama. It’s the friend who shows up, blends in, and somehow makes everyone happy. Roast chicken? Sure. Pasta? Absolutely. Tuesday night on the couch? Merlot was born for it.

And if you want a Merlot that’s truly yours? Come make one in store. It’s silky, rich, and way more satisfying than grabbing a random bottle off the shelf and hoping for the best.

Cheers to Merlot — the wine equivalent of a warm hug that won’t ask when you’re finally cleaning out the garage. 🍇😄🍷

February 9 — National Pizza Day!

A sacred holiday, really. Whether you’re a classic pepperoni loyalist, a veggie-pile-on visionary, or someone who still insists pineapple belongs on pizza (I’m not judging… much), there’s a wine that makes every slice even better.

Top pairings:

• 🍕 Margherita → Crisp Pinot Grigio or Sauvignon Blanc
• 🍕 Pepperoni → Medium reds like Merlot or Sangiovese
• 🍕 Meat Lover’s → Bold friends: Cabernet, Shiraz
• 🍕 Veggie → Rosé or Pinot Noir
• 🍕 Hawaiian → Off-dry Riesling (sweet + salty = magic)

And here’s the real win: make your own wine in-store and you’ll always have the perfect pizza-night pairing ready to go. No last-minute dash to the LCBO required. Happy Pizza Day! May your slices be hot and your glasses full. 🍕🍷😄

February 16 — Family Day and International Syrah Day!

Today’s a two-for-one celebration: quality time with the people you love (or tolerate), and a global toast to one of the world’s great red grapes — Syrah.

👨‍👩‍👧‍👦 Family Day – Whether you’re spending it playing games, cooking together, or hiding from the chaos with a strategic “I’ll just check on the laundry,” today’s all about connection. Slow down, savour it, and enjoy the moments — the loud ones and the quiet ones.

🍷 International Syrah Day – Syrah is rich, dark, spicy, and just a little dramatic — basically the perfect mirror for family dynamics. And since someone will ask:

• Syrah vs. Shiraz — what’s the deal? Same grape, different personality.
• Syrah: Old World style — elegant, peppery, savoury, a little more reserved (like the quiet cousin who judges everyone).
• Shiraz: New World style — ripe, bold, fruit-forward, full of swagger (like the cousin who shows up late but brings great snacks).
• Either way, it’s delicious!

🍽️ Perfect Pairings for Today

• Roast beef or lamb
• Mushroom dishes
• Charcuterie
• A peaceful corner of the house

How ever you’re celebrating, here’s to good company, good wine, and surviving Family Day with grace and maybe a little Syrah. 🍷🎉

February 18 — Global Drink Wine Day!

Today is the one day of the year when the universe basically says, “Go on… pour it.” No guilt. No excuses. Just wine.

Whether you love a crisp white, a bold red, a playful rosé, or something you made yourself (the best flex of all), today’s the perfect day to raise a glass and celebrate the world’s favourite fermented grape juice.

How to observe properly:

• Pour a glass of your favourite wine
• Pour another for someone you like
• Maybe pour a third for future-you
• Toast to good friends, good stories, and the ancient miracle that is fermentation

Bonus points if you’re sipping something you crafted right here with us — nothing beats enjoying a wine you made with your own hands. Cheers to Global Drink Wine Day! 🍇🍷🎉

February 28 – Drink THAT Bottle Night

You know exactly which bottle we’re talking about. The one you’ve been “saving for a special occasion” for… what… three years now? Yeah. Tonight’s the night.

Drink THAT bottle. Not the everyday one. Not the backup one. The one you keep moving to the back of the shelf like it’s made of unicorn tears.

Because here’s the truth: Special occasions don’t magically appear — you create them. And opening a great bottle is a perfectly valid reason to celebrate all on its own.

Need permission? Here it is:

• Life is short
• Wine is meant to be enjoyed
• Future-you will be thrilled you didn’t wait

So, grab the “someday” bottle — the fancy one, the sentimental one, the one you made yourself and have been proudly hoarding — and make tonight the reason it existed in the first place. Cheers to Drink THAT Bottle Night. Your patience has expired. 🍷😄

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