Skouras Wild Ferment Assyrtiko 2022 (Greece) - Wine Review

Tonight's white wine review is a lovely wild fermented Assyrtiko from Greece. It brand new to the LCBO, arriving in-store (and online) as part of last weekend's November 4 LCBO VINTAGES New Release Collection.

It is produced by Domaine Skouras, a well-known winery that was founded by George Skouras, who was born in Argos, within the Peloponnese region, in southern Greece. Argos is one of the oldest towns in Europe with a 3,000 year tradition of wine and culture. George's interest in wine led him to study Agriculture at the University of Dijon, in Burgundy, France, in 1980. However, it was his acquaintance with Chardonnay and Pinot Noir, as well as meeting the famous local wine growers, that put a spell on him. Upon graduating from Dijon with a degree in oenology, George started gathering experience in many of the classic wine-producing regions in France, Italy, and Greece.

In 1986, George's long-held vision of having his own winery was realized with the creation of Domaine Skouras. The small winemaking facility was initially located in Pyrgela, a small village on the outskirts of Argos, followed by the creation of a boutique winery within the Nemea Appellation of northeastern Peloponnese, in the village of Gimno. In Nemea, George performed countless hours of manual work on an extremely small scale while learning about the Agiorgitiko variety and the Nemea denomination - lessons which became invaluable.

Today, Domaine Skouras is an ultra-modern winery that remains located in Nemea, in the highlands of Argolida, an area that is blessed with ideal winegrowing conditions, particularly for the Agiorgitiko variety. The winery is situated in Argolida, northeastern Peloponnese, close to the provinces of Corinthia and Arcadia, just a few kilometres from Argos, in the village of Malandreni. The Nemea zone is the largest - and quite possibly the most exciting - Protected Designation of Origin (PDO) for red wines in Greece, while the nearby PDO of Mantinia and other surrounding areas which do not have PDO status have excellent terroirs for viticulture. Domaine Skouras owns a number of vineyards across all of these areas.

As a skilled winemaker, George Skouras is dedicated to crafting high-quality wines that showcase Greek terroir. In addition to their own vineyards, Skouras also collaborates with select, quality-oriented vine growers, under the expert guidance of the Skouras viticulture team. The philosophy at Domaine Skouras is focused on purity, varietal clarity, tracing of the region's mesoclimate, and imprint of the terroir, with the aim of achieving optimum ripeness and obtaining the best possible grape, as the better the fruit is at harvest, the better the wine. Contributing to the winery's success, Domaine Skouras embraces modern techniques, while putting a strong emphasis on minimal intervention in the winemaking process.

This white wine is crafted with 100% Assyrtiko that was grown in the village of Gymno, Nemea, at 620 metres above sea level. The vines are fairly young, averaging 9 years old, and planted on red clay soil. After harvesting the grapes in September, they are whole bunch pressed and underwent alcoholic fermentation in stainless steel, followed by 4 months of sur lie ageing, all in stainless steel. Let's see how this 2022 Assyrtiko from Greece is tasting tonight...

Tasting Note:

SKOURAS WILD FERMENT ASSYRTIKO 2022 - PGI Peloponnese, Greece (#32387) (XD) - $25.95
Screw cap. The attractive, medium-high intensity nose is ripe and inviting with a lovely mix of lemon citrus, leesy mineral, grapefruit, and tropical fruit aromas, plus hints of white peach, floral, and saline adding further complexity. It's medium-full bodied and dry on the nicely structured palate with delicious grapefruit, lemon citrus, leesy mineral, peach, and floral replays. Some saline and spice characters appear on the mid-palate. Acids are fresh and juicy with nice structure. It's nicely balanced throughout with citrusy, mineral, and subtle spice notes lingering on the long and very juicy finish. Enjoy over the next 5-6 years, and quite possibly longer. Highly recommended buy! Score: 91 pts

Other lovely wines by Domaine Skouras (including the 2022 Skouras Cuvée Prestige White which also arrived in this release) can be found at the LCBO, or ordered through their Agent - Kolonaki Fine Wines & Spirits.

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Les Vignerons du Castelas Le Monarque Côtes du Rhône Blanc 2022 (France) - Wine Review

Tonight's white wine review is a lovely, organic, Viognier-based white wine blend from Rhône that arrived at the LCBO over the long weekend in the October 7th LCBO VINTAGES New Release Collection.

It is produced by Les Vignerons du Castelas, a co-operative winery that was established in 1952 by a handful of winegrowers that were keen to combine their efforts and wills to produce appellation wines of high quality. The co-op is located in Rochefort du Gard, between Pont d'Avignon and Pont du Gard, on the right bank of the Rhône River, and is named after a XII century Romanesque chapel that is perched atop the village. The origins of Rochefort du Gard as a winegrowing village goes back to 1933, when it became one of the first villages to be approved in the, at the time, very young Côtes du Rhône Appellation, officially gained its status within the appellation in 1937.

Following the formation of the co-op, the winery opened its doors three years later, in 1955, on the eve of harvest, and inscribed on the cellar walls was the quote "Less wine but better" - a philosophy that still holds today. Since that time, several generations have followed one another and, together, they continue to make wines with respect for tradition, while also respecting the people and the land.

Today, 45 families of winemakers, who are attached to their land and vineyard, form Les Vignerons du Castelas. Together, they have over 450 hectares of vineyards, mainly in the Côtes du Rhône appellation, with four distinct soil characteristics - deep soils on stony spreads, marl soils, sandy soils, and Villafranchian terraced floors - with each soil type playing an important role in the character of the wine. The families of winegrowers cultivate their quality vines in order to create supple and pleasurable wines for every occasion. The winemakers of Rochefort du Gard are committed, by vocation, to healthy vines on a living soil, to create wines that express the enthusiasm and sincerity of their work accomplished with passion, knowledge, and sensitivity.

The name of this wine - Le Monarque - comes from the butterfly that is found in their region, in the Rhône Valley, and migrates every summer to Africa, travelling more than 4,000 kilometres during its journey. As a wine that seems to show up every couple of years, I last enjoyed the 2019 Les Vignerons du Castelas Le Monarque Côtes du Rhône Blanc just over two years ago. For this vintage, it continues to be a blend of 60% Viognier, 20% Grenache Blanc, and 20% Roussanne, as per the back label. The grapes were grown on sandy marl soils which are mainly composed of clay, limestone, and carbonate sand. The grapes were harvested by machine at night to preserve freshness and underwent a slow, 1-month fermentation in temperature-controlled vats. The wine was matured in concrete tanks and bottled at the property without any added sulphites. Let's see how this 2022 Côtes du Rhône Blanc is tasting tonight...

Tasting Note:

LES VIGNERONS DU CASTELAS LE MONARQUE CÔTES DU RHÔNE BLANC 2022 - AP, France (#18570) (XD) - $17.95
This organic white wine is a blend of 60% Viognier, 20% Grenache Blanc, and 20% Roussanne. Fragrant and highly attractive aromas of yellow and white florals, lemon citrus, ripe apple, and pear with white peach and herbally tones. It's medium-full bodied and impressively concentrated on the fleshy palate with lovely yellow and white floral, lemon citrus, apple, pear, and herbal replays in a dry flavour profile. Some leesy mineral notes appear on the nicely textured, slightly oily palate. Juicy with fresh, zesty acidity, while citrusy, orchard fruit, and leesy mineral notes linger on the long, succulent, and lightly spicy finish. Lots going on here and a highly recommended buy! Score: 90 pts

Other delicious wines by Les Vignerons du Castelas can be ordered through their Agent - Connexion Oenophilia / Noble Estates Wines & Spirits.

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Hãhã Sauvignon Blanc 2022 (New Zealand) - Wine Review

Tonight's white wine review is a lovely, sustainably-crafted Sauvignon Blanc from New Zealand that landed at the LCBO last month as part of the September 9 LCBO VINTAGES Release.

It is produced by Hãhã Wine, a winery based in the Hawke's Bay wine region, on the North Island of New Zealand. It was founded by three families who came together to share their passion for wine. This partnership is at the foundation of a sharing and caring culture that is carried out in all aspects of the winemaking process, from vineyard to bottle. With a background in farming and fishing export, the company has a deep respect for the land. To go along with a strong commitment to an environmentally responsible approach, all of Hãhã Wine vineyards, wineries, and bottling facilities are certified 100% sustainable by Sustainable Winegrowing New Zealand.

The name of this wine producer comes from the Māori language of Te Reo, where Hãhã means to catch your breath. The breath of conversation which brings us together also leads to discussions and reflections, and the memories and stories binding the past to the present and the present to future ventures. The breath weaves worlds together and is the inspiration behind the Hãhã logo.

As a family-owned winery, they are focused and quality-driven, while also built on a generosity of spirit towards each other and the land. Internationally acclaimed, Hãhã's range of premium quality wines are a true expression of both the long, warm summers of Marlborough and the temperate climate of Hawke’s Bay, while also sharing a place, a time, and a belonging. With an uncompromising commitment to quality, Hãhã wines are now one of New Zealand's fastest growing wine brands and are available across the world.

Crafted with 100% Sauvignon Blanc, the grapes for this white wine were harvested early in the morning from vineyards situated in the Wairau and Awatere Valleys. The grapes were lightly pressed, while the juice was cool-fermented with selected yeasts to preserve the aromatic characters of the fruit.

The 2022 growing season in New Zealand was the warmest ever recorded. Along with favourable rain post-flowering, the warm temperatures helped deliver a fantastic fruit crop. Harvest was early and compact, which allowed the talented winemaker at Hãhã to produce fabulous, well-balanced, and flavourful wines that rival the last two vintages. Let's see how this 2022 Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc is tasting tonight...

Tasting Note:

HÃHÃ SAUVIGNON BLANC 2022 - Marlborough, South Island, New Zealand (#388363) (XD) - $18.95
Sustainably crafted and enclosed by screw cap, this has a clean, fragrant, fresh, and well-balanced nose of ripe tropical fruit, guava, passion fruit, kiwi, lime citrus, grassy, and herbal aromas. On the dry, mid-weighted palate it offers deliciously ripe lime citrus, passion fruit, guava, grassy, and herbal flavour replays joined by some mineral notes. It's all supported by fresh and lively acidity. It is composed, elegant, and nicely balanced throughout with lime citrus, guava, and mineral notes lingering on the long, succulent, and juicy finish. Highly recommended buy! Score: 90 pts

Other delicious wines by Hãhã Wine can be purchased at the LCBO, or through their Agent - Perigon Beverage Group.

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Cellier du Château de la Chaume Chablis 2022 and Beaujolais 2022 (France) - Wine Reviews

Tonight's wine reviews are a pair of delicious wines that are brand new to the LCBO, arriving earlier this summer as General List wines that are widely available at LCBO outlets across Ontario right now.

Both of these wines are produced by Cellier du Château de la Chaume, a very old Maison that is located in Burgundy, in the commune of Corgoloin, Côte de Nuits, and is surrounded by a 10 hectare park of trees. The castle belonged to the very influential Marey-Monge family from Beaune, while the Monge name was known because of Gaspard Monge (1746- 1818), a famous mathematician who created descriptive geometry. Some time later, the castle was sold to the former owner of Corgoloin's famous quarries. The high-quality marble from these quarries was distributed throughout the world to build monuments, squares, and roads.

Cellier du Château de la Chaume strives to work closely with winegrowers that share their values, which most importantly is the desire to create wines of excellence. The vines are trained while respecting viticultural tradition and methods in order to obtain high-quality and mature grapes. Partnership winegrowers are asked to favour working the soil and limit synthetics in order to favour environmental balance, while seeking Burgundy terroir and climate expressions.

The wines are vinified in the cellar of Château de la Chaume, which was created in 1993, and the winemaking facility was completely redesigned and modernized with a stainless steel wine storehouse. Each vintage is different, thus the wines are vinified according to the climate of the vintage, with length of maceration and extraction more or less pronounced, as well as ageing in tank and barrel, in order to highlight the terroir and qualities of the vintage, while trying to obtain wines with the best balance. The wines are carefully vinified to develop and amplify the original organoleptic qualities of the wines, resulting in wines that are rich, delicate, attractive, refined, complex, and smooth.

Cellier du Château de la Chaume has four ranges of wines across Burgundy (and Beaujolais) - Regional, Village, Premier Cru, and Grand Cru. The Beaujolais would fall under their Regional appellation range, while the Chablis is from their Village appellation range. The Village appellation wines are meant to be the first introduction to the complexity of Burgundy terroir, with limited yields that deliver nice concentration. The grapes are grown on clayed-chalky soils, hand harvested, and de-stemmed prior to fermentation in stainless steel or wood tanks, followed by ageing in mostly used barrels.

From a 2022 vintage that was very good in both Beaujolais and Burgundy, let's see how these two wines are tasting tonight...

Tasting Notes:

CELLIER DU CHÂTEAU DE LA CHAUME CHABLIS 2022 - AC, Burgundy, France (#32568) (XD) - $35.95
From clayed-chalky soils, this Chardonnay has elegant, concentrated, and medium-high intensity aromas of ripe lemon citrus, apple, and pear with hints of stony minerality. It's light-to-medium bodied on the dry, ripe, and lightly honeyed palate with lemon citrus, apple, pear, and floral flavours, plus touches of oyster seashell mineral notes. Gently spicy on the mid-palate. It's all supported by crisp, bracing acidity. Juicy and lip-smacking, with seashell mineral notes lingering on the long finish. Highly recommended buy! Score: 91+ pts

CELLIER DU CHÂTEAU DE LA CHAUME BEAUJOLAIS 2022 - AC, Beaujolais, France (#32624) (XD) - $18.95
100% Gamay. Fresh, medium-high intensity aromatics offer red and black cherry, wild berry, pomegranate, and raspberry fruit aromas that are accented with dried herbs and spice. It's medium-bodied on the dry and very ripe palate with fruit forward red and black cherry, raspberry, pomegranate, and currant flavours with hints of dried herbs. Juicy acids are well-balanced, while the light tannins offer a supple, lightly grippy texture. Fruity with a savoury, mineral edge on the finish, with very good length. Score: 88 pts

Other delicious wines by Cellier du Château de la Chaume can be ordered through their Agent - Noble Estates Wines & Spirits.

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Cabriz Colheita Selecionada Rosé 2022 and Tinto 2020 (Portugal) - Wine Reviews

Tonight's wine reviews are a pair of very popular, wallet-friendly, and delicious wines from the Dão wine region of Portugal. You can grab both of these wines this weekend as the Tinto (red wine) will be on shelves this weekend as it will arrive in the August 19 LCBO VINTAGES New Release Collection, while the rosé arrived at the LCBO last month in the July 22nd LCBO VINTAGES New Release Collection.

Cabriz is a well-known, entry-level brand of wines from Dão, the oldest winemaking region of Portugal. The brand is part of Dão Sul, which itself is the Dão branch of the Global Wines conglomerate, one of Portugal's leading wine producers. As a visionary company, they have done an excellent job of restoring the estate's 17th century manor and outlying buildings, as well as making a concerted effort to elevate wine tourism and fine dining within the region to the highest of international standards.

These two wines are among Cabriz's most popular, and when you look at the entire portfolio, it is like travelling to the heart of Portugal, through the plains, the mountains, the rivers, the food, and the people. The goal of the brand is to give more to those who choose Cabriz. They want to have a wine for everyone and for every moment, and made with the best that nature can provide, at the best possible price.

To craft Cabriz wines, the company draws fruit from 200 hectares of vines across the Dão. The winegrowing and production techniques used are ultra-modern and internationally-influenced. However, the wines do reflect Dão's terroir and style. After enjoying both the Cabriz Colheita Selecionada Rosé 2020 and Cabriz Colheita Selecionada Tinto 2019 last summer, let's see how the latest vintage of these two wines are tasting tonight...

Tasting Note:

CABRIZ ROSÉ 2022 - DOC Dão, Portugal (#30445) (D) - $14.95
This unoaked blend of Touriga Nacional and Alfrocheiro has a medium+ intensity nose that offers enticing aromas of grapefruit, raspberry, honeysuckle, and citrus with a whiff of minerality. It has good weight on the medium+ to medium-full bodied palate with ripe citrus, grapefruit, raspberry, honeysuckle, apple, and red berry flavours. There is a vague impression of sweetness, but it's tempered by the fresh, crisp, and lively acidity. Nicely textured on the mid-palate, while oyster shell mineral and white cherry notes linger on the finish, with very good length. Delicious! Chill and enjoy this recommended buy! Score: 88+ pts

CABRIZ COLHEITA SELECIONADA TINTO 2020 - DOC Dão, Portugal (#247973) (D) - $14.95
Aged for 6 months in French oak barrels, this blend of 40% Alfrocheiro, 40% Aragonez (Tempranillo), and 20% Touriga Nacional has an intriguing, medium+ intensity nose of herbal and wood spices that surrounds a core of ripe, plummy, dark cherry-berry fruit. It's medium bodied with fine, bright acidity and dark cherry-berry, blackberry, wood spice, and dark plum flavours. Supple, well-structured tannins offer a nice mouthfeel, while cedary wood spice notes with hints of smoky mineral linger on the finish, with very good length. Recommended buy! Score: 88+ pts

Other delicious wines by Cabriz can be ordered through their Agent - Noble Estates Wines & Spirits.

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Hidden Bench Locust Lane Rosé 2022 (Niagara) - Wine Review

Tonight's rosé wine review is a lovely organic and dry rosé from Niagara that arrived at the LCBO last month as part of the recent June 24 LCBO VINTAGES New Release Collection.

It is produced by Hidden Bench Estate Winery, one of the top wineries in the Niagara Peninsula. Hidden Bench was founded in 2003 by Harald Thiel and family with a dedication to artisanal, terroir-focused, and premium wines using grapes from their own, organic, estate vineyards situated within the sup-appellation of VQA Beamsville Bench in Niagara, Ontario. With a non-interventionist, quality-focused, and terroir-driven approach, Hidden Bench has long-established an ongoing reputation for excellence both domestically and internationally.

The Beamsville Bench is home to many of the best wines produced in Ontario. Much of this success is attributed to the limestone-rich, clay-based, and glacial till soils - all three of Hidden Bench's estate vineyards are situated on these soils and allow them to produce complex, mineral-driven wines that are old-world in style, age worthy, and have a definitive sense of place. The three estate vineyards are farmed for low yields using organic and biodynamic practices to produce approximately 120,000 bottles of wine with pronounced complexity and character which bear a sense of place and time.

Hidden Bench also employs the latest technologies to enhance the viticultural and winemaking processes, while respecting their traditional non-interventionist winemaking style. As stewards of the land, Hidden Bench has also embraced sustainability as they apply Procert certified organic and sustainable best practices in the vineyard, at the winery, and the marketing of their wines to reduce their environmental footprint on the land, and impact on their neighbours, and society as a whole.

I've had the pleasure of tasting many wines over the years from Hidden Bench, and their passion is always on full display as they embrace a whole-team approach that is founded upon a shared, ongoing passion for excellence, as well as a contagious enthusiasm. Their ongoing and uncompromising attention to detail distinguishes and differentiates their wines and winery from their contemporaries.

Having tasted this rosé wine several times in the past, I know that the exact composition changes with each vintage. For the 2022 vintage, this dry rosé is composed of 88% Pinot Noir, 6% Viognier, and 6% Chardonnay. All of the grapes were grown organically on the estate and crafted using a combination of both "direct to press" and "saignée" techniques. As this blend is predominantly Pinot Noir, the elegance of whole-cluster pressed Pinot Noir, combined with a small percentage of the richer saignée portion, provides a unique complexity to the finished wine, while both portions were fermented in neutral French oak and aged for 5 months prior to racking and blending.

The 2022 vintage began with cold temperatures in January, with overnight lows close to -21°C. This cold snap caused some primary bud damage, and was partially responsible for a 25% reduction in grape yields compared to their historical average. Spring brought better weather with seasonal temperatures and minimal precipitation. Flowering started earlier than normal, while the berry set was complete by late June. Summer was moderate and dry, with seasonal rainfall. The main challenge in the vineyard was managing disease pressures, which were the result of high humidity from June through August. Disease pressure was reduced by keeping the fruit clean through timely leaf removal, crop thinning, and a disciplined and timely organic spray program. Veraison began in early August and was completed towards the middle of the month, while harvest began in the middle of September and lasted until mid-to-late October. Hidden Bench was blessed with consistent and favourable weather during harvest, which allowed them to choose pick dates based on flavour and ripeness.

It is often said, particularly in Niagara, that the quality of the vintage is determined by the weather in September and October. Overall, Hidden Bench was pleased with the quality of the harvested fruit, albeit in smaller-than-normal quantities. It is expected that the 2022 vintage is excellent across the board with wines that will truly showcase the terroir of the Beamsville Bench in Niagara. Let's see how this 2022 rosé from Niagara is tasting tonight...

Tasting Note:

HIDDEN BENCH LOCUST LANE ROSÉ 2022 - Sustainable, VQA Niagara Peninsula, Ontario, Canada (#68833) (XD) - $24.95
This organic rosé is blend of 88% Pinot Noir, 6% Viognier, and 6% Chardonnay. The deep and intense nose offers lovely, complex aromas of grapefruit, citrus, orange, stony minerals, and floral accented with strawberry, melon, watermelon, and peach. It's medium+ bodied on the dry, lightly honeyed palate with fresh, juicy acidity supporting grapefruit, citrus, strawberry, watermelon, melon, orange, mineral, and floral flavours. Slightly viscous mouthfeel on the mid-palate. It's nicely balanced with pleasing mineral, grapefruit, and citrus flavours that are joined by spicy notes on the long, crisp finish. Highly recommended buy! Score: 91+ pts

Many other lovely wines from the fine portfolio of Hidden Bench Estate Winery can be purchased through the LCBO, their Agent - Mark Anthony Wine & Spirits, or direct from the winery in Niagara.

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Alois Lageder Terra Alpina Pinot Grigio 2022 (Alto Adige) - Wine Review

Tonight's white wine review is the latest vintage of a lovely, organic Pinot Grigio from northern Italy. A perennial favourite of mine, this latest vintage arrived at the LCBO last month as part of the feature on "Summer Sippers" in the June 24th LCBO VINTAGES New Release Collection and is readily available to buy now.

Terra Alpina wines are produced by Alois Lageder Winery, an historic family winery that was founded in 1823 and is located in Alto Adige in northern Italy. The long and rich history of the Lageder family and wine began in 1823 when the young craftsman Johann Lageder set himself up as a wine merchant in Bolzano. Beginning in 1934, his successors purchased vineyards to produce their own wines and, today, Alois Lageder is in the hands of the sixth generation of the family.

The project of Terra Alpina was initiated by the Lageder family as part of their initiative to collaborate with growers and neighbouring communities to produce high-quality wines that reflect their unique origin - the Dolomites - a mountain range located in northeastern Italy. The foothills of the Dolomite range offer both a cool Alpine and warm Mediterranean influence that allows the region to craft fresh, precise, and expressive wines which are also influenced by the prevalent Dolomitic limestone in the soil. With the Lageder family's centuries of experience and holistic understanding of nature, they are able to select the best terroirs and the optimal exploitation of the special climatic, geological, and topographic conditions in the area to produce exceptional wines.

Organic and biodynamic viticulture is top of mind at Alois Lageder as all of their own vineyards are farmed according to biodynamic principles. The Lageder family works with approximately 80 contract grape growers and share their knowledge and experience with partners from other regions, encouraging, motivating, and supporting them to convert to organic or biodynamic farming. Together with their partners, the Lageder family works in a way that responds to nature with great care, curiosity, and respect.

The grapes for this Pinot Grigio were grown in selected areas in the Dolomiti area at an altitude between 220 to 350 metres above sea level. These vineyards are planted on mostly Dolomitic limestone and volcanic porphyry soils, and experience a fairly cool meso-climate with great variations between day and night temperatures. The vines range between 14 and 34 years old. It was fermented using selected yeasts in stainless steel tanks, followed by maturation on fine lees for at least four months.

The 2022 growing season in Alto Adige yielded extraordinary whites due to the hot summer. The region experienced record-high temperatures as early as May, causing fast and early blossoming, including at higher altitudes. The hot and dry weather conditions continued into June, July, and August, leading to an early harvest. The white varieties did surprisingly well, turning out unusually powerful, but still fresh and fruity. It is expected that the classic characteristics of Alto Adige white wines will be preserved, even in such an exceptional year. Let's see how this 2022 Pinot Grigio from Alto Adige is tasting tonight...

Tasting Note:

ALOIS LAGEDER TERRA ALPINA PINOT GRIGIO 2022 - IGT Vigneti delle Dolomiti, Alto Adige, Italy (#681429) (XD) - $20.95
Screw cap enclosure. This organic Pinot Grigio has a bright, highly aromatic nose that is fresh, clean, and crisp with lovely ripe lemon citrus, white peach, and honeysuckle aromas accented with stony minerals and touches of herbal and white spice notes. It's medium-full bodied and quite concentrated on the dry, ripe palate with delicious white peach, lemon, citrus, grapefruit, white pepper spice, and leesy mineral flavours. It has crisp, juicy acidity, and exceptionally long on the juicy, balanced, lemon, white peach, and leesy mineral flavoured finish. Highly recommended buy from a great vintage! Score: 91 pts

Many other lovely wines by Alois Lageder can be ordered through their Agent - Mark Anthony Wine & Spirits.

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Jean-Max Roger Cuvée Marnes et Caillottes Sancerre 2021 and La Grange Dîmière Sancerre Rosé 2022 (Loire) - Wine Reviews

Tonight's wine reviews are a pair of excellent wines from Sancerre in the Loire Valley that arrived at the LCBO over the weekend as part of the June 24 LCBO VINTAGES New Release Collection.

Both of these wines are produced by Jean-Max Roger, a renowned producer from Sancerre in the Loire Valley, and is easily my favourite producer from the region. The Roger family comes from a long-line of winegrowers from the village of Bué, a commune within the Sancerre appellation and located to the west and a little to the south of the town of Sancerre. The Roger family name was first mentioned in the 17th century and up until the 1960s practiced mixed farming, which included animal rearing.

Jean-Max took over the family estate of 4 hectares of vines in the 1970s and, together with his wife, Nicole, developed the vineyards and estate. Under his guidance, the winery experienced significant growth and gained recognition for producing exceptional Sancerre wines. Jean-Max Roger is focused on crafting high-quality wines that reflect the unique terroir of Sancerre, which is renowned for its chalky limestone soils and cool climate.

Today, the estate is still operated by Jean-Max Roger and his wife. However, their passion and love for wine was transferred to both of their sons, and in 2004 both Thibault and Etienne joined the family estate. The brothers complement each other, perpetuating the family's know-how and techniques to improve their wines with each passing vintage. With a family estate that has grown to 28 hectares of vines in the Sancerre appellation and 6 hectares in Menetou-Salon, and with more than 40 plots that offer an exceptional diversity of exposure, slope, and soil profiles, this allows the Roger family to use their winemaking expertise to allow each wine to express all of the uniqueness of the terroirs through the wines structure, elegance, and finesse. Jean-Max Roger also maintains a sustainable approach to viticulture which helps preserve the vines and terroir, while not compromising on the production of top-quality grapes. The winery has also expanded over the years to include modern equipment, and combined with new techniques while respecting traditions, Jean-Max Roger is able to craft their wines under optimal conditions.

With vineyard management, Jean-Max Roger produces grapes to reveal its terroir. The vines are tended to using organic principles and working the deep soil to revitalize soil life. By using the Guyot Poussard pruning method, the result is better balance of the stock. They also perform spring disbudding to control yields, while using mechanical weed control which respects soil life. At the winery, Jean-Max Roger aims to produce wines reflecting the fruitiness and density of the vintage. The grapes are pneumatically pressed upon arriving at the winery, and cold settled for between 48 and 72 hours which helps protect deterioration of aromas, while also eliminating vegetal fragments and dust. The wines undergo a long, temperature-controlled fermentation using natural yeasts, which helps develop aromatic complexity, and follows with ageing on heavy lees to develop minerality. After fining and filtration, which helps stabilize the aromas and wine, it is bottled at the estate using their own facilities.

While the 2021 vintage was a good, but tricky vintage, the 2022 vintage was very good and referred to as possibly the best in the last 30 years. Having enjoyed previous editions of these wines such as the 2020 Jean-Max Roger Cuvée Marnes et Caillottes Sancerre and the 2020 Jean-Max Roger La Grange Dîmière Sancerre Rosé, I would expect similar, if not better quality levels this time around. Let's see how this Sancerre Rosé and Sancerre Blanc wines from Loire Valley is tasting tonight...

Tasting Notes:

JEAN-MAX ROGER CUVÉE MARNES ET CAILLOTTES SANCERRE 2021 - AC, Loire, France (#196667) (XD) - $38.95
100% Sauvignon Blanc from 5 to 40 year-old vines grown in the villages of Bué & Amigny on Kimmeridgian Marls (Marnes) and Limestone (Caillottes) soils. Fresh, fragrant, and highly aromatic on the perfumed nose with spring flowers, lemon/lime citrus, herbs, and freshly cut grass aromas with a fine, flinty mineral underpinning. It's nicely textured on the medium+ bodied palate with fresh, lively acidity lifting the clean and ripe lemon/lime citrus, spring flower, herbs, and stony mineral flavours, plus some spicy notes on the mid-palate. It's nicely balanced throughout with a pleasantly chalky textured mouthfeel on the back palate. Lovely lemon/lime citrus and dried herbal notes taper to an exceptionally long, leesy mineral finish. My favourite in the portfolio and a highly recommended buy! Score: 93 pts

JEAN-MAX ROGER LA GRANGE DÎMIÈRE SANCERRE ROSÉ 2022 - AC, Loire, France (#490813) (XD) - $31.95
100% Pinot Noir grown on flint, Kimmeridgian marls & Limestone, Silex, Terres Blanches & Caillottes' soils from vines between 25 to 45 years old. The medium+ intensity nose is clean and fresh and red berry, strawberry, cherry, grapefruit, and citrus, and blood orange aromas underpinned by fine mineral notes. On the medium+ bodied palate it is dry, ripe, and lightly honeyed with lovely mineral, grapefruit, blood orange, red berry, strawberry, and cherry flavour replays. It has clean, succulent, and well-balanced acidity, along with a pleasant, chalky textured mouthfeel. Lightly spicy on the mid-palate, while mineral notes linger on the long finish. Highly recommended buy! Score: 91 pts

While a couple of other lovely wines by Jean-Max Roger can be found at the LCBO, the entire portfolio can be ordered through their Agent - Connexion Oenophilia.

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