Dragons’ Den Star Releases Wine

Arlene Dickinson — the lone female judge on the hit CBC reality television show, Dragons’ Den — is getting into the wine business.

This month, the Canadian entrepreneur is releasing a red wine under her own label. The Persuasion 2010 Dragon Blend Red comes from Sonoma County, California, and coincides with the release of her new book, entitled "Persuasion: A New Approach to Changing Minds" (Harper Collins, $33), in stores now.

A blend of cabernet sauvignon from the Russian River Valley, and merlot from Chalk Hill, it will retail for about $42 a bottle in Western Canada. Only 1,200 cases have been made. The Western Canadian importer is Fluid Imports.

We at Wine Access haven’t tasted the wine, but master sommelier Jennifer Huether, from Maple Leaf Sports & Entertainment, describes the nose as “clean and upfront. Dark, concentrated blackcurrants, mulberry, white pepper, cocoa, liquorice, black earth, black plum and vanilla spice.” On the palate, she says it’s “dry and full-bodied, medium-plus acidity, liquorice laced with violets, ripe blackcurrants, black plums, cocoa, vanilla, silky and velvet texture with a dusty minerality on the finish. Solid and concentrated with dense but plush tannins and enough freshness to carry this bold wine,” according to a news release.

Born in South Africa, Dickinson is the owner and CEO of Venture Communications, which has offices in Calgary, Toronto and Ottawa. Follow her on Twitter at @arlenedickinson.