Francis Coppola Diamond Collection Blue Label Merlot 2018 and Red Label Zinfandel 2019 (California) - Wine Reviews

For Father's Day, tonight's red wine reviews are a pair of delicious red wines from California that are arriving at the LCBO in next weekend's June 24 LCBO VINTAGES New Release Collection.

These wines are produced by Francis Ford Coppola Winery. Famous for their name in cinema, the Coppola family purchased the historic Chateau Souverain property in Sonoma County in 2006 so they could create a resort, a wine wonderland, and a place to celebrate the love of life. After two years of renovations, the winery had its grand opening in 2010 with a tasting room, museum, and restaurant, and encompasses all that Francis loves most - cinema, wine, food, resorts and adventure. The backbone of each of these endeavours is the deep commitment to quality, authenticity, and pleasure.

With more than 20 years of experience in the wine industry, Corey Beck is the Executive Vice President Production & Chief Winemaker at Coppola. He began his career in viticulture by tagging alongside his grandfather who was the vineyard manager for Napa Valley's renowned Chateau Montelena. Corey has a degree in Fermentation Science from U.C. Davis in California and joined the Coppola family wine business in 1998 as an assistant winemaker, eventually becoming CEO and Chief Winemaker in 2018. Corey and his team have created a strong grower relations program with more than 150 growers, and are regarded as leaders in the wine industry for their innovative and engaging approach.

Following along these lines, Francis and Eleanor Coppola have long supported sustainability throughout their lives and many business endeavours in an effort to preserve the land for generations to come. The have constantly searched for innovative ways to implement environmentally responsible practices into the vineyards and winemaking techniques to improve efficiency, minimize environmental impacts, and create a nurturing habitat for wildlife, on-site staff, and visiting guests. Some of these initiatives include reducing energy use, while currently 36% of the energy sourced from renewable sources. In the vineyard, Coppola has implemented leading water conservation practices which includes aerial imagery, weather stations, soil monitoring probes, smart scheduling, and drip irrigation, while reducing water usage and recycling water in every aspect of their operations. The winery was certified sustainable through the California Sustainable Wine-growing Alliance in 2012, while the whole business was 100% certified sustainable in 2019. Sustainability efforts are also extended throughout their network of growers.

Like the 2018 Francis Ford Coppola Diamond Collection Red Blend that I enjoyed last year, both of these wines are from Coppola's Diamond Collection range and inspired by the oldest bottle in the portfolio - the Claret. The Diamond Collection represents quality, consistency, and authenticity. The range has expanded to more than 15 wines, showcasing grapes sourced from high quality vineyards situated along the coast and inland valleys across California. By combining carefully selected fruit with precise winemaking techniques, the Diamond Collections aims to capture the pure expression of each varietal.

Although both wines reviewed below are labelled as a varietal wine because each is composed of at least 75% of the variety mentioned on the label, each wine is in fact a blend. It is interesting that Petite Sirah is common between both wines. Let's see how these red wines from California are tasting tonight...

Tasting Notes:

FRANCIS COPPOLA DIAMOND COLLECTION BLUE LABEL MERLOT 2018 - California, USA (#595686) (XD) - $24.95
A blend of 75% Merlot, 15% Petite Sirah, and 10% Cabernet Sauvignon from grapes grown across California and aged for 13 months in French and American oak. The intriguing, medium+ intensity nose is savoury with cocoa, nutty, earthy woodspice, and dried herb aromas which surround a core of black fruit. On the lush, dry, medium-bodied palate it is dry with fresh dark berry fruit, blackberry, plum, oak spice, and chocolate flavours supported by fresh acidity and smooth, supple tannins. Very good length on the fresh, savoury and dried herb finish. Recommended buy. Score: 88+ pts

FRANCIS COPPOLA DIAMOND COLLECTION RED LABEL ZINFANDEL 2019 - California, USA (#708289) (D) - $24.95
This blend of 87% Zinfandel and 13% Petite Sirah was sourced from old vines in Amador County and cooler sites in Paso Robles and Sonoma, and aged for 10 months in French oak. The medium+ intensity nose is ripe and somewhat jammy and raisiny with brambly berry, sweet spices and vanilla aromas. It's medium-full bodied with just a kiss of sweetness on the spicy palate with ripe, brambly dark berry, and savoury woodspice flavours. Tangy on the mid-palate with fresh, juicy acidity, and dusty textured, fine-grained tannins. Savoury and earthy with brambly dark berry tones lingering on the finish, with very good length. A widely appealing, recommended buy. Score: 88 pts

Other delicious wines by Francis Ford Coppola can be purchased at the LCBO or through their Agent - Noble Estates Wines & Spirits.

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Louis Pommery Brut Rosé Sparkling (California) - Wine Review

Tonight's sparkling wine review is this excellent brut rosé sparkling wine from California. It's brand new to the LCBO, arrived in stores across Ontario this weekend as part of the feature on rosé wines in the May 27 LCBO VINTAGES New Release Collection.

With a rich legacy in France, the historic Champagne Pommery wanted to grow further and launched Louis Pommery California in 2017. Louis Pommery wines are rooted in tradition and symbolizes the best of sophisticated French winemaking combined with California style and innovation.

The tradition and story of Pommery begins in 1836 when Alexandre Louis Pommery, a retired wool merchant, co-founded his champagne house. Following his death in 1958, the former Jeanne Alexandrine Louise Melin, his widow, took over the operations. Known as Madame Pommery, she had a very clear idea and vision and wanted to produce a different wine while also relocating to different place which combined the optimal conditions for the production of these wines. She began construction of the new site in 1868 in Reims, the unofficial capital of the Champagne winegrowing region, and in 1874 she developed the dry brut Champagne style. Madame Pommery is widely credited for creating the dry champagne style and steering the world's taste in sparkling wine from sweet to dry.

With the great success and popularity of this new, dry style of Champagne across Europe and England, Pommery's focus shifted to the USA. An excellent marketing strategy led to the creation of gigantic 75,000 Litre vat in 1904 at the World's Fair in St. Louis, Missouri. In addition to being both a technical device and an art object, the vat was also a formidable PR tool.

The heirs of the Alexandre Louis and Jeanne Alexandrine Pommery continued the family tradition and acquired land in the legendary Napa Valley and embarked on a journey to produce sparkling wine in the New World. In 2004, after acquiring the famed Champagne Pommery house, Paul-François Vranken resurrected the quest to produce sparkling wines with a distinct identity from the very best quality grapes. Napa Valley offers a myriad of micro-climates, including vines for cool-climate Chardonnay and Pinot Noir, the ideal grapes to produce fine sparkling wine. The region also offers an exceptionally large diversity of soils with perfectly drained gravel, silt, poor rocks, volcanic ashes, and quartz, ideal for the creation of sparkling wines.

Louis Pommery traditional method sparkling wines are crafted using a revolutionary method by Thierry Gasco, the ninth Pommery cellar master. With a modern and different vision, Thierry spent many years working on developing and implementing a revolutionary new way of encapsulating yeast. This new method results in very clear and pure wines because it is completely free of sediment, while also giving off an exceptional range of aromas and taste. Let's see how this brut rosé sparkling wine from California is tasting tonight...

Tasting Note:

LOUIS POMMERY BRUT ROSÉ SPARKLING - Traditional method, California, USA (#31540) (XD) - $44.95
Crafted in the traditional method with 76% Chardonnay and 24% Pinot Noir, and aged on its lees for 18 months. The fragrant, medium-high to highly aromatic nose offers elegant and pretty aromas of red berry, raspberry, strawberry, cherry, and citrus with a touch of autolytic character. The mid-weighted palate is crisp, dry, and very clean with finesse, delivering lovely, delicate citrusy, red berry, raspberry, grapefruit, strawberry, and white cherry flavours with touches of toast and brioche. It is well-balanced throughout with crisp acidity and fine mousse, leading to a long, crisp, dry, minerally, and toasty finish, with excellent length. Very impressive and a highly recommended buy! Score: 92+ pts

Other lovely wines by Louis Pommery are available at the LCBO and through their Agent - Eurovintage Wines & Spirits.

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Austin Hope Cabernet Sauvignon 2020 (Paso Robles) - Wine Review

Tonight's red wine review is a lovely Cabernet Sauvignon from Paso Robles in California that I picked up a couple of weeks ago at the LCBO on Queens Quay (Toronto) and had signed on the spot at the bottle signing by its creator - Austin Hope. It was an honour to have this bottle signed, shake his hand, and exchange pleasantries before heading on to my next engagement. This California Cab arrived at the LCBO late last year as part of the feature on "Gifts to Celebrate" in the November 5 LCBO VINTAGES Release and is still available to buy now.

Austin Hope is the Winemaker & President of Hope Family Wines, Wine Enthusiast's American Winery of the Year in 2022. Austin is the son of Chuck Hope and was eight years old when he moved from Bakersfield to Paso Robles in 1978 with his parents. Chuck and his wife, Marilyn, sought a change of scenery and career and purchased the property in Paso Robles where Austin still lives today. They started out farming grapes and apples and soon discovered that Paso Robles was ideal for winegrowing and focused their efforts on growing high quality grapes.

Austin credits three people for his growth and encouragement on his path in wine: his father Chuck Hope, his uncle Paul, and the famed Napa Valley winemaker Chuck Wagner. In the 1980s, the Hope family began selling their grapes to Chuck Wagner for a new brand of wines Mr. Wagner was producing - a brand that was later acquired by the Hope family. Austin was a bit of a troublemaker as a kid and his punishment was to go work in the fields. However, he actually enjoyed this chore and preferred working on the ranch instead of being in school, eventually finding himself working in the vineyard alongside his father during the 80's and 90's as the Hope family expanded their winegrowing activities.

While studying fruit science at Cal Poly in San Luis Obispo, Chuck Wagner took him under his wing and it was during this period that Austin developed a passion for making wine. Uncle Paul Hope's desire for the family was to move from simply growing grapes to producing their own wine. In 1996, when the Hope family acquired Chuck Wagner's Liberty School label, Paul was slated to lead the project. However, his untimely death shortly after the acquisition put Austin, who was only 26 at the time, in charge of the project and propel the family's addition of winemaking to their operations.

Today, Hope Family Wines has six labels of wines, each with their own unique focus and personality. The Austin Hope Cabernet Sauvignon is the top bottle in the Hope Family Wines portfolio. It is crafted with 100% Cabernet Sauvignon from Paso Robles and aims to express all that Paso has to offer with its
pastoral beauty, perfect soils, maritime climate, and limitless possibility. Paso Robles is one of California's most pastoral domains and its name roughly translates to "Passageway of Oaks", which comes from the majestic trees that mark the landscape. Amongst the rolling hills and native habitat lie manicured vineyards, where the ideal soil exists for farming Cabernet. The typical weather in Paso Robles are dry and warm, yet the evenings are chilled by a breeze from the Pacific Ocean just 18 miles to the west, allowing the fruit to ripen into luxurious richness.

This Cabernet was grown in several vineyards in Paso with each vineyard lot harvested and fermented individually in stainless steel tanks. Extended macerations and carefully managed pump overs enhanced the extraction of colour and tannin. Each lot was aged in mostly used French oak for 11 months, with the exact combination being 10% new, 25% second use, and 65% in third or fourth use. After tasting and analyzing each lot, the best lots were selected and blended together in late summer 2021, then aged a further 2 months in 75% new and 25% second use French oak.had

From a banner year in Paso Robles that produced grapes of excellent quality, let's see how this 2020 Cabernet Sauvignon from California is tasting tonight...

Tasting Note:

AUSTIN HOPE CABERNET SAUVIGNON 2020 - Paso Robles, California, USA (#578005) (D) - $74.95
100% Cabernet Sauvignon. The fragrant, highly aromatic nose is sweet vanillin oak spice and ripe, jammy black fruit driven with notes of black plum, blackberry, fine oak spice, cassis, and red licorice. On the full-bodied, richly structured palate it has sweet oak vanillin, fresh & ripe black fruit, blackberry, mocha, and black plum flavours supported by fresh, well-balanced acidity. The ripe, smooth, and refined tannins have a pleasingly mild grip on the back palate that will reward with a few years of ageing. Vanilla with roasted coffee, smoky oak, and tangy dark berry notes linger on the long, juicy finish, with excellent length. Well-balanced throughout. For the style, this is really nicely made and a highly recommended buy! Score: 92 pts

Other lovely wines by Hope Family Wines are available at the LCBO and through their Agent - Mark Anthony Wine & Spirits.

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April 15, 2023 LCBO VINTAGES Release Wine Picks: California Cabernet

Here are my top wine picks from the April 15, 2023 LCBO VINTAGES New Release Collection that is titled "California Cab" and also includes the monthly selection of Online & Flagship Exclusives. It's a good sized release with nearly 100 wines and also has quite a few nice buys, with white wines playing a more prominent role as we head into warmer weather.

However, we begin with the feature on California Cabernet. There are only eight wines as part of the theme, all more than $20, and while there are some delicious among the bunch, only the Napa Valley Cab - which is actually composed of 90% Cabernet Sauvignon, 4% Malbec, 3% Petit Verdot, and 3% Merlot - is included among my top California Cabernet Sauvignon wine recommendations.

Red wine picks that are blends from the rest of the release start in Rhône with the Vacqueyras consisting of Grenache and Syrah, and the Côtes du Rhône-Villages that is a blend of 70% Grenache, 20% Syrah, and 10% Mourvèdre. The only other blend is from Portugal and it consists of Touriga Nacional, Tinta Roriz (Tempranillo), and Touriga Francesa. Single varietal wines include a Sangiovese from Chianti Classico DOCG, a pair of Cabernet Sauvignon wines from Argentina, a Cabernet Franc from Niagara, a Xinomavro from Greece, and a Carignan from 70 year-old vines in Chile.

Among my top white wine picks, the only blend is the Soave from Veneto that is made with 85% Garganega and 15% Trebbiano di Soave. For Sauvignon Blanc wine lovers there are a pair of excellent wines from Sancerre, as well as a Sauvignon Blanc from South Africa, and one that is locally crafted in Niagara. To explore other varieties off the beaten track, try the Ribolla Gialla from Friuli, or the Malagouzia from Greece. For Riesling wine lovers, from most to least sweet are the wines from Mosel, Okanagan, and Niagara. Lastly, the Champagne consists of 59% Chardonnay and 41% Pinot Noir.

Enjoy my top wine recommendations from this release! Cheers!

Red Wine:

• BISQUERTT FAMILY VINEYARDS CRAZY ROWS CARIGNAN 2020 - Sustainable, DO Valle del Maule, Chile (#30217) (XD) - $16.95
• JOSÉ MARIA DA FONSECA DOMINI 2019 - DOP Douro, Portugal (#452730) (XD) - $17.95  88+ pts  wine review
• ANDRÉ BRUNEL CUVÉE SABRINE CÔTES DU RHÔNE-VILLAGES 2019 - AC, France (#538496) (XD) - $18.95
• MARYNISSEN CABERNET FRANC 2020 - VQA Niagara Peninsula, Ontario, Canada (#23973) (XD) - $18.95
• ZUCCARDI Q CABERNET SAUVIGNON 2019 - Sustainable, Valle de Uco, Mendoza, Argentina (#28078) (XD) - $19.95  89 pts  wine review
• TRAPICHE MEDALLA CABERNET SAUVIGNON 2019 - Mendoza, Argentina (#568865) (XD) - $21.95  90 pts  wine review
• CASTELLI DEL GREVEPESA CLEMENTE VII RISERVA CHIANTI CLASSICO 2018 - Sustainable, DOCG, Tuscany, Italy (#643205) (XD) - $24.95  90 pts  wine review
• ALPHA ESTATE HEDGEHOG SINGLE VINEYARD XINOMAVRO 2020 - Vegan, PDO Amyndeon, Greece (#259762) (XD) - $26.95
• DOMAINE DE L'OISELET VACQUEYRAS 2017 - AP, Rhône, France (#537951) (XD) - $29.95
• ST. SUPÉRY ESTATE BOTTLED CABERNET SAUVIGNON 2019 - Napa Valley, California, USA (#423822) (XD) - $72.95

White Wine:

• FEATHERSTONE SAUVIGNON BLANC 2022 - VQA Niagara Peninsula, Ontario, Canada (#89011) (XD) - $17.95
• SANTA CAROLINA GRAN RESERVA CHARDONNAY 2019 - Sustainable, carbon neutral, DO Valle de Itata, Chile (#928580) (XD) - $18.95  88+ pts  wine review
• VIDUSSI RIBOLLA GIALLA 2021 - DOP Collio, Friuli, Italy (#27624) (XD) - $19.95
• ALPHA ESTATE TURTLES SINGLE VINEYARD MALAGOUZIA 2022 - Vegan, PGI Florina, Greece (#32161) (XD) - $19.95
• PIEROPAN SOAVE CLASSICO 2020 - DOC, Veneto, Italy (#946848) (XD) - $21.95
• SOUTHERN RIGHT SAUVIGNON BLANC 2022 - Sustainable, WO Cape Coast, South Africa (#512277) (XD) - $23.95  FE
• STUDERT-PRÜM WEHLENER SONNENUHR RIESLING SPÄTLESE 2019 - Prädikatswein, Mosel, Germany (#114777) (S) - $28.95  FE
• CAVE SPRING CSV RIESLING 2019 - Sustainable, Cave Spring Vineyard, VQA Beamsville Bench, Niagara Escarpment, Ontario, Canada (#566026) (D) - $31.95  93 pts  wine review
• SPERLING VINEYARDS OLD VINES RIESLING 2019 - BC VQA Okanagan Valley, British Columbia, Canada (#361204) (M) - $34.95
• JEAN-MAX ROGER CUVÉE LES CAILLOTTES SANCERRE 2020 - AC, Loire, France (#65573) (XD) - $35.95  93 pts  wine review
• JEAN-MAX ROGER CUVÉE GENÈSE SANCERRE 2021 - AC, Loire, France (#189126) (XD) - $37.95  92+ pts  wine review

Sparkling Wine:

• G.H. MARTEL VICTOIRE GOLD EDITION FÛT DE CHÊNE BRUT CHAMPAGNE 2012 - AC, France (#25967) (XD) - $99.95  FE

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Treana Chardonnay 2021 (California) - Wine Review

After enjoying the delicious 2020 Treana Cabernet Sauvignon late last year, tonight's white wine review is its companion Chardonnay that arrived at the LCBO last month in the January 7th LCBO VINTAGES Release.

It is produced by Hope Family Wines, a winemaking family that has been farming the lands in Paso Robles, a sub-region within the Central Coast AVA, for over 30 years. When the family first arrived in this barely-discovered region, they planted apples and grapes. Over time, the rolling, oak-studded terrain of Paso Robles would become a viticultural terroir of significance and one of the top winegrowing regions for quality red wine within the Central Coast.

Hope Family Wines consists of five individual wine brands. Like the aforementioned Cabernet Savuginon, this white wine is from the Hope family's Treana line of wines. The name "Treana" is inspired by Spanish word for trio of natural elements. It represents the sum of three elements that influences their wines: the land that their families farm, the warm California sun that nurtures, and the cooling ocean breeze that balances.

This Chardonnay is crafted with fruit sourced from some very distinctive vineyards mainly in Santa Barbara County - all of which have sandy loam soils that provide good drainage and a climate that experiences marine layers that typically dominate the summer mornings and lead into warm afternoons. After harvesting, the grapes were whole-cluster pressed into stainless steel tanks. The juice was fermented in a combination of barrel and stainless steel. 65% of the wine was barrel-fermented in American and French oak followed by 7 months of sur-lie ageing, while the other 35% was fermented in stainless steel. The two wines were blended together and a portion was barrel-aged for 1 month in new French oak. The barrels used to craft this wine offer a distinctive nuance. Let's see how this 2021 California Chardonnay is tasting tonight...

Tasting Note:

TREANA CHARDONNAY 2021 - Central Coast, California, USA (#481523) (D) - $25.95
Screw cap. Rich, fragrant aromas of vanilla, caramel, butterscotch, pineapple, butter, and poached apple rise out of the glass. On the medium-full bodied palate it is ripe, creamy, and sweet with oak-influenced flavours of vanilla, caramel, butterscotch, lemon, pineapple, butter, and apple. The textured mid-palate gives way to smoky, toasty oak flavours on the finish, with good length. A crowd-pleasing Chardonnay. Score: 87 pts

Other delicious wines from Hope Family Wines are available at the LCBO and through their Agent - Mark Anthony Wine & Spirits.

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Rodney Strong Alexander Valley Cabernet Sauvignon 2019 (California) - Wine Review

Tonight's red wine review is a lovely Cabernet Sauvignon from the Alexander Valley in Sonoma County, California, that arrived at the LCBO last month. It was featured as part of the theme on California wines in the January 21st LCBO VINTAGES Release, and while the magazine and LCBO website list the 2018 vintage, it's actually the 2019 that arrived and widely available across Ontario.

It is produced by Rodney Strong Vineyards, a pioneering winery that was the 13th winery established in Sonoma County in 1959. Rodney Strong envisioned Sonoma County as a special place for producing wine and led the way for the future of the region's winemaking.

Winery Founder Rodney D. Strong was born in 1927 in Carnas, Washington, and was a Renaissance man from an early age. In 1946, Rod returned from a dancing stint in Paris, where he fell in love with fine wine. In 1959, Rod retired from dancing, married his dance partner, Charlotte Ann Winson, and began his new career in winemaking. After searching California and meeting UC Davis scientists, Rod and Charlotte settled in Sonoma County. Over the ensuing years, Rodney Strong purchased vineyards and lands, and replanted some of them with new vines, while also building a new winery in 1970 in Russian River Valley with an innovative and cutting edge design.

In 1979, as Rod took a step back from the demanding daily activities, Rick Sayre came on board as the new winemaker for Rodney Strong Vineyards. At this time, the management consulting firm McKinsey & Company was also hired to evaluate the potential of the well-known Sonoma County winery. Tom Klein was employed by McKinsey & Company and met Rod and Rick for the very first time.

Tom realized that he truly loved the wine business and purchased Rodney Strong Vineyards in 1989, and over the next decade made significant investments in innovation in the cellar, including purchasing fermentation tanks, state-of-the-art wine presses, custom barrel equipment, and a large barrel ageing building.

Today, Rodney Strong Vineyards is flourishing under the leadership of the Klein family. They are passionate and committed to crafting premium wines and a leader in sustainability in Sonoma County. As 4th generation California farmers, the Klein family is committed to protecting and preserving the environment in both the vineyards and at the winery through sustainable farming and winemaking.

The history of this wine goes back to the 1960s when Rodney Strong recognized that Sonoma County's Alexander Valley was an exceptional area for heat loving Cabernet Sauvignon grape varietal. He planted the wine producer's first Cabernet vineyard, Alexander's Crown, in 1971 on a small hill in Jimtown and the reputation for fine Sonoma County Cabernet was set and has never looked back. Alexander Valley is best known for classic Bordeaux varieties which thrive in the unique soils and warm climate, with parts of the valley moderated by cooling ocean breezes and evening fog. Today, Rodney Strong has three exceptional vineyards planted with Cabernet Sauvignon in Alexander Valley - Jimtown in the southern part of the valley, Geyserville in the central part of the valley, and Cloverdale in the north. The vineyards are planted on well-drained, alluvial, volcanic, and uplifted shale/sandstone soils that make Sonoma County an ideal place for this noble grape variety.

The 2019 vintage of this red wine is crafted with 100% Cabernet Sauvignon that was grown on the hillsides of the Alexander Valley and aged in French oak barrels for 24 months, half of which was new. According to Rodney Strong, the 2019 growing season produced another fantastic vintage in California. It started with a copious amount of rain in Sonoma County, saturating the soil in late winter and early spring, followed by early summer heat waves which acclimated the vines to warmer weather and allowed the grapes to withstand the heat spell in August. This moved the sugars higher and allowed the flavours to ripen. Let's see how this 2019 Alexander Valley Cabernet Sauvignon is tasting tonight...

Tasting Note:

RODNEY STRONG ALEXANDER VALLEY CABERNET SAUVIGNON 2019 - Sustainable, Alexander Valley, Sonoma County, California, USA (#350454) (XD) - $35.95
100% Cabernet Sauvignon. The fresh, fragrant, and highly aromatic nose offers lovely, fine oak spice scented aromas of red & black fruits, currant, and cassis layered over wet earth and herbal notes. On the medium-full bodied palate it has elegant, medium-firm, lightly grippy tannins and juicy, well-balanced acidity that frames the currant, cassis, and earthy flavours replays, plus some mocha chocolate notes. Juicy and flavourful with earthy, mocha chocolate notes lingering on the long finish. Enjoyable now, but will improve with a couple of years in the cellar, and drink well to the end of the decade. Recommended buy! Score: 91+ pts

With many lovely wines in the Rodney Strong portfolio, quite a few are available at the LCBO, while others can be ordered through their Agent - Mark Anthony Wine & Spirits.

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January 21, 2023 LCBO VINTAGES Release Wine Picks: California

Here's my top wine picks from the January 21, 2023 LCBO VINTAGES Release which focuses on California's top wine regions as the theme of the release. Also included in this release is a selection of Online Exclusives (VOE) that will also be available at select Flagship Store locations.

The theme is titled "Places in the Sun" and looks at California's top wine regions. There are ten wines featured as part of the theme, and while there are a couple of wines from here that I would happily recommend, just one wine is included among my top wine picks - a consistently well-made Cabernet Sauvignon from Alexander Valley from a solid producer.

Moving on to my top red wine picks from the rest of the release, for Rhône wine lovers there is the Lirac that is a blend of 80% Grenache and 20% Syrah, while the Rasteau is equal parts Grenache and Syrah. From Spain, the 2017 Rioja is a composed of 85% Tempranillo and 15% Graciano / Mazuelo / Garnacha, while the 2015 Rioja is a blend of Tempranillo and Graciano. Fans of Bordeaux blends will want to seek out the premium wine from South Africa that is composed of 90% Cabernet Sauvignon, 8% Merlot, and 2% Cabernet Franc, or the wine from Washington that is a blend of 97% Cabernet Sauvignon, 2% Carmenere, and 1% Merlot, or the budget-friendly 2015 Bordeaux that is a blend of 60% Merlot, 20% Cabernet Sauvignon, and 20% Cabernet Franc. Wines from Italy include a Tuscan red crafted with 90% Sangiovese and 10% Cabernet Sauvignon, and the Barolo which is, of course, made with Nebbiolo.

Among my white wine recommendations, the Rhône white is a blend of 50% Grenache Blanc, 30% Roussanne, 15% Clairette, and 5% Viognier, while the Portuguese white is composed of 50% Loureiro, 40% Arinto, and 10% Trajadura. The other white wines are all mono-varietal wines, with both the Petit Chablis and the Chilean white crafted with Chardonnay.

Sparkling wine recommendations in this release include a Champagne which is crafted with 70% Pinot Noir and 30% Chardonnay, as well as a Cava which is made with 75% Macabeo and 25% Chardonnay. For sweet wine lovers, there is a lovely Sauternes that is crafted with 91% Sémillon and 9% Sauvignon Blanc, and a Sherry which is made with 100% Pedro Ximénez.

Enjoy my top wine recommendations from this release! Cheers!

Red Wine:

• CHÂTEAU LES PINS DE BOSSUET 2015 - AC Bordeaux Supérieur, France (#26305) (XD) - $16.95
• WAKEFIELD PINOT NOIR 2021 - South Australia (#197392) (XD) - $19.95  89 pts  wine review
  
• POWERS CABERNET SAUVIGNON 2018 - Columbia Valley, Washington, USA (#434456) (XD) - $19.95  89 pts  wine review
• SALENTEIN RESERVE MALBEC 2020 - Valle de Uco, Mendoza, Argentina (#640854) (XD) - $19.95
• MONTERRA CABERNET SAUVIGNON 2019 - Vegan, McLaren Vale, South Australia (#12835) (XD) - $19.95
• LAVAU RASTEAU 2019 - AC, Rhône, France (#394650) (XD) - $23.95  90+ pts  wine review
• XAVIER VIGNON LIRAC 2019 - AP, Rhône, France (#636183) (XD) - $24.95  91 pts  wine review

• CASTELLO VICCHIOMAGGIO AGOSTINO PETRI RISERVA CHIANTI CLASSICO 2018 - 47th Anniversary, sustainable, DOCG, Tuscany, Italy (#993360) (XD) - $30.95  91 pts  wine review
• DELHEIM GRAND RESERVE 2017 - WO Stellenbosch, South Africa (#26094) (XD) - $31.95  92+ pts  wine review
• BARÓN DE LEY GRAN RESERVA 2015 - Vegan, DOCa Rioja, Spain (#642496) (XD) - $32.95  92+ pts  wine review
• RODNEY STRONG ALEXANDER VALLEY CABERNET SAUVIGNON 2019 - Sustainable, Alexander Valley, Sonoma County, California, USA (#350454) (XD) - $35.95  91+ pts  wine review
  
• CVNE IMPERIAL RESERVA 2017 - DOCa Rioja, Spain (#424390) (XD) - $39.95
• MIRAFIORE BAROLO 2016 - DOCG, Piedmont, Italy (#26908) (XD) - $49.95  92+ pts  wine review

White Wine:

• ARCA NOVA VINHO VERDE 2021 - Vegan, DOC, Portugal (#292029) (XD) - $13.95
• CHÂTEAU DE NAGES HÉRITAGE BLANC 2020 - AC Costières de Nîmes, Rhône, France (#479659) (XD) - $22.95
• DOMAINE YVON & LAURENT VOCORET PETIT CHABLIS 2020 - AC, Burgundy, France (#26446) (XD) - $27.95  91 pts  wine review
• CLOS HENRI SAUVIGNON BLANC 2019 - Marlborough, South Island, New Zealand (#675629) (XD) - $29.95
• TARA ATACAMA WHITE WINE 1 2020 - Unfiltered, DO Valle de Atacama, Chile (#511337) (XD) - $54.95  VOE

Sparkling Wine:

• SEGURA VIUDAS HEREDAD RESERVA BRUT CAVA - Traditional method, DO, Spain (#558825) (D) - $39.95  91 pts  wine review
  
• VILMART ET CIE GRANDE RÉSERVE 1ER CRU CHAMPAGNE - AC, France (#12619) (D) - $73.95  92 pts  wine review

Dessert Wine:

• CASTELNAU DE SUDUIRAUT 2015 - Second wine of Château Suduiraut, AC Sauternes, Bordeaux, France (#29694) (S) (375mL) - $26.95  VOE

Fortified Wine:

• GONZÁLEZ BYASS NECTAR PEDRO XIMÉNEZ DULCE SHERRY - Vegan, DO, Spain (#87577) (S) - $26.95

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Stags' Leap Winery Petite Sirah 2018 (Napa Valley) - Wine Review

Tonight's red wine review is an excellent Petite Sirah, a distinct variety not to be confused with Syrah, from Napa Valley that arrived at the LCBO last weekend as part of the January 7th LCBO VINTAGES Release.

Established in 1893, Stags' Leap Winery is one of California's oldest wine estates. Their 240-acre property is situated on the watershed of the Stags Leap Palisades, nine miles north of the city of Napa, and is planted to 90 acres of vineyards. Situated in an intimate valley within the greater Napa Valley, they have a unique terroir and ideal microclimate which supports a classical standard of viticulture, land use, and winemaking. Their goal is to convey the essence of their world-class terroir from grape to glass, and to create handcrafted wines that tell an authentic story of the land on which they are grown.

The Stags' Leap name originated in the late 1880s with the founding Chase family, and is attributed to a native Wappo legend of a stag leaping to escape hunters. The mountains behind the property on the eastern side came to be known as the Stags Leap Palisades.

The Stags Leap Palisades are a rock outcropping that forms the eastern boundary of the estate and sheds debris in the form of volcanic rhyolite and tuff, which is carried to the valley floor where it mingles with the deeper subsoil made up of Bale loam formed from ancient river sediment. Topographically, the slope of the palisades and its small valley are oriented to block early morning sun, retain afternoon heat, and funnel cooler marine air coming from the San Pablo Bay to the south. The sheer volume of rock has a direct impact on the local climate of the estate as the rock face of the palisades gives off stored warmth after sunset, radiating down over the entire ranch. Moreover, the high incidence of rock in the soil holds the heat of the sun into the early twilight hours, and then loses it rapidly, effectively slowing and prolonging the ripening process. With Napa Valley's long growing season combined with the accentuated warmth and cooling of the Stags Leap District, the result is an ideal balance of acid and sugar in the fruit that also gives the grapes more time to mature and develop.

This Petite Sirah is actually a blend that includes small amounts of Syrah, Grenache, and other Rhône varieties. The grapes that make up the backbone of this wine come from the estate's vineyards which have deep, rocky soils, while other carefully selected fruit also comes from Calistoga and St. Helena in the north, and Oakville, Oak Knoll and Coombsville in the south, as well as from their own Stags Leap District. Petite Sirah is a varietal that is enhanced by the deliberate diversity of their vineyard sites.

It was vinified by Winemaker Christophe Paubert using the same, time-honoured techniques - simple and traditional - that have made Petite Sirah one of the winery's staples, thereby showing the uniqueness of the Petite Sirah fruit. It underwent a relatively short maceration and fermentation, and was aged for approximately 15 months in mostly used American oak barrels.

The 2018 growing season in Napa Valley was stunning and near-perfect with good winter rains, mild spring weather, and steady temperatures throughout that allowed for even flowering and bud break. These ideal growing conditions were followed by a cool, even, and slow-paced harvest, which allowed Stags' Leap to vinify wines at a gentle pace. The result is that the wines of 2018 are of very high quality with lower alcohol, concentrated flavours, colour, and excellent acidity. Let's see how this 2018 Petite Sirah from Napa Valley is tasting tonight...

Tasting Note:

STAGS' LEAP WINERY PETITE SIRAH 2018 - Napa Valley, California, USA (#590356) (XD) - $60.95
Primarily Petite Sirah with a small amount of Syrah, Grenache, and other Rhône varieties completing the blend. Elegantly perfumed aromas of black and blue berry, dark plum, peppery spice, and cocoa, with some wood spice and reductive notes rise out of the glass. It's full-bodied and well-structured on the palate with juicy, ripe black and blue fruit, pepper, spices, and cocoa flavours with touches of smoky mineral and black raspberry adding further complexity. Acids are fresh, vibrant, and juicy, while the firm tannins are structured and grainy. Nicely balanced throughout with savoury, smoky mineral, and cocoa notes lingering on the very long finish. Enjoyable now, but will be better in a few years. Drink over the next 15 years. Highly recommended buy! Score: 93 pts

Other excellent wines by Stags' Leap Winery are available at the LCBO and through their Agent - Mark Anthony Wine & Spirits.

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Treana Cabernet Sauvignon 2020 (Paso Robles) - Wine Review

Tonight's wine review is this delicious, crowd-pleasing Cabernet Sauvignon from Paso Robles that arrived at the LCBO some weeks ago as part of the September 24th LCBO VINTAGES Release.

It is produced by Hope Family Wines, a family that has been farming the land in Paso Robles for more than 30 years. When the family arrived in this barely-discovered region, they planted apples and grapes. Little did they know that the rolling, oak-studded terrain of Paso Robles would one day become a viticultural terroir of significance and one of the top winegrowing regions for quality red wine within the Central Coast.

Today, the Hope family cultivates mature vineyards of varieties best suited to their area including Cabernet Sauvignon, Syrah, Merlot, Mourvedre and Grenache. Vine density has increased and each vine is asked to produce very little fruit. The terroir of the domain expresses itself in its unique regional character which includes spice, licorice, and berry notes to go along with soft textures and silky tannins.

The Hope family range of wines consists of five individual brands, and this particular wine is from their Treana label that began as a dream when the family arrived in Paso Robles at a time when it was a rural, grain farming community with very few grape vines and even fewer wineries. The dream was to create world-class wines that could compete on the world stage, and yet be approachable for all to enjoy. The name "Treana" is inspired by the Spanish word for a trio of natural elements and in Paso Robles it is represented by the sun, soil, and sea - the three elements that make Paso Robles an exceptional winegrowing region. In 1996, the first Treana wines were crafted and became the benchmark for Paso Robles blends. In very recent news, Hope Family Wines won the 2022 American Winery of the Year at Wine Enthusiast's Wine Star Awards.

Owner and winemaker Austin Hope grew up in his family's vineyards and much of his life around Cabernet Sauvignon and three men who helped guide his path - his father Chuck Hope, his Uncle Paul, and winemaker Chuck Wagner. As a tribute to these three men, Austin created the Treana Cabernet Sauvignon that encapsulates the quintessential learning over the course of this career.

To craft this 100% Cabernet Sauvignon red wine from the Paso Robles AVA, the grapes from each vineyard lot were vinified separately. Each lot was fermented in stainless steel tanks, underwent extended maceration, and carefully managed pump overs to enhance the extraction of colour and tannin. Furthermore, each lot was aged for 14 months in a combination of 25% once used French oak and 75% neutral French and American oak. After blending the lots together, the wine spent three months in new French oak. Let's see how this 2020 California Cabernet Sauvignon from Paso Robles is tasting tonight...

Tasting Note:

TREANA CABERNET SAUVIGNON 2020 - Paso Robles, California, USA (#639518) (D) - $39.95
100% Cabernet Sauvignon. The fragrant nose offers sweet and lush aromas of ripe dark berry, blackberry, cassis, sweet oak, milk chocolate, green herbs, licorice, and spice. It's full-bodied and concentrated with sweet chocolatey oak flavours over shadowing the dark berry fruit, cassis, spice, and licorice notes. It's all supported by fresh, juicy acidity and smooth, supple, and lightly chalky tannins. Savoury chocolate with touches of coffee linger on the dry finish, with very good length. Reminds me of a chocolate milkshake. Will be enjoyed by many! Score: 89 pts

Other delicious wines from Hope Family Wines are available at the LCBO and through their Agent - Mark Anthony Group.

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October 22, 2022 LCBO VINTAGES Release Wine Picks: California

The October 22, 2022 LCBO VINTAGES Release is a humongous release with almost 200 products! The main theme of this release focuses on premium wines from California. A segment of the release also offers a large range of wines for Gift Giving, as well there is an impressive collection of wines offered at Flagship outlets in-store and online. All of the products in this release should be available for purchase across Ontario by this Saturday.

We begin with the main theme that focuses on premium wines from California. It is a rather small feature with just ten wines featured, and only one wine is among my top wine picks - a stunning Chardonnay grown in the Sonoma Mountains.

From the Gift Giving feature there are nearly 50 products available, some as single bottles ranging in size from 200 mL up to Double Magnum (3 L), as well as boxes of 2 to 6 wines packaged in wooden gift boxes. One such offering is a delicious trio of wines by Castelli del Grevepesa from Tuscany that includes a Chianti Classico, a Riserva Chianti Classico, and the Rosso di Toscana. Both Chianti Classico wines are crafted with 100% Sangiovese, while the third wine is a blend of 50% Sangiovese, 25% Merlot, and 25% Syrah.

Among my top red wine picks, at the top of the list is an excellent Bordeaux red that is crafted with 75% Cabernet Sauvignon, 19% Merlot, and 6% Cabernet Franc. Rhône blend wine lovers can savour a Côtes du Rhône-Villages that is a blend of 50% Syrah, 30% Grenache, 15% Mourvèdre, and 5% other permitted varieties, or the Barossa Valley GMS blend that consists of 44% Grenache, 31% Mourvèdre, and 25% Shiraz. From Italy, the Brunello and all of the Chianti Classico wines are made with 100% Sangiovese, while the Etna Rosso is crafted with Nerello Mascalese. Moving to South America, there is a fine blend from Argentina that consists of 55% Malbec, 19% Merlot, 10% Cabernet Sauvignon, 12% Syrah, 2% Petit Verdot, and 2% Cabernet Franc. Lastly, if you enjoy exploring new varieties, try the Pais varietal wine from Chile.

The only blend among my top white wine recommendations is the Châteauneuf-du-Pape Blanc which consists of 70% Grenache Blanc, 20% Roussanne, and 10% Clairette. The Lugana is crafted with Trebbiano (aka Verdicchio), while the Pouilly-Fuissé is made with Chardonnay. For Riesling wine lovers, there are a trio of offerings with a pair of off-dry Rieslings from Niagara and a fairly sweet Riesling Kabinett from Mosel. Also for sweet wine lovers, there is a delicious Gewurztraminer from Alsace.

Other lovely wines in this release include a Champagne that is a blend of 40% Pinot Noir, 40% Chardonnay, and 20% (Pinot) Meunier, while the Cava is crafted with Chardonnay, Macabeo, Parellada, and Pinot Noir. The dry rosé from Provence is a blend of 50% Cinsault, 28% Grenache, 13% Syrah, and 9% Cabernet. Moving on to lusciously sweet wines, the Vin Santo is a blend of Trebbiano, Malvasia, and Sangiovese, while the Vintage Port wine is made with Touriga Franca, Tinto Cão, Tinta Francisca, Tinta Amarela, Sousão, Tinta Roriz, and other varieties from 80-100 year old vines.

Enjoy my top wine recommendations from this release! Cheers!

Red Wine:

• SAN PEDRO 1865 SELECTED VINEYARDS CARMENÈRE 2020 - DO Valle de Maule, Chile (#249201) (XD) - $19.95
• GARCÉS SILVA CATALINO PAÍS 2019 - Coronel de Maule, DO Secano Interior, Valle del Maule, Chile (#25638) (XD) - $19.95  FE
• SCHILD ESTATE GRENACHE/MOURVÈDRE/SHIRAZ 2018 - Barossa Valley, South Australia (#108183) (XD) - $19.95
• LA NERTHE LES CASSAGNES CÔTES DU RHÔNE-VILLAGES 2019 - AP, France (#494674) (XD) - $24.95
• THIRTY BENCH WINEMAKER'S BLEND CABERNET FRANC 2020 - VQA Niagara Peninsula, Ontario, Canada (#30073) (XD) - $24.95

• CLOS DE LOS SIETE 2018 - Valle de Uco, Mendoza, Argentina (#622571) (XD) - $25.95  90+ pts  wine review
• TORNATORE PIETRARIZZO 2019 - DOC Etna Rosso, Sicily, Italy (#18926) (XD) - $32.95  FE
• FONTODI CHIANTI CLASSICO 2019 - DOCG, Tuscany, Italy (#933317) (XD) - $39.95  92 pts  wine review
• CARPINETO GRAN SELEZIONE CHIANTI CLASSICO 2016 - DOCG, Tuscany, Italy (#16727) (XD) - $49.95  FE  92 pts  wine review
• MICHELE CASTELLANI CINQUE STELLE AMARONE DELLA VALPOLICELLA CLASSICO 2017 - Collezione Ca' del Pipa, DOCG, Veneto, Italy (#75127) (D) - $50.95

• DONATELLA CINELLI COLOMBINI BRUNELLO DI MONTALCINO 2016 - DOCG, Tuscany, Italy (#113357) (XD) - $64.95
• CASTELLI DEL GREVEPESA CLEMENTE VII TRIO - Three bottles in wooden gift box, Tuscany, Italy (#577908) (XD) (2250 mL) - $84.95  wine reviews
• CHIANTI CLASSICO 2019 - DOCG  89 pts
• RISERVA CHIANTI CLASSICO 2018 - DOCG  90 pts
• ROSSO DI TOSCANA 2016 - IGT Toscana  89 pts
• ELDERTON COMMAND SINGLE VINEYARD SHIRAZ 2018 - Barossa Valley, South Australia (#716142) (XD) - $99.95
• CHÂTEAU SAINT-PIERRE 2015 - 4e cru, AC Saint-Julien, Bordeaux, France (#353516) (XD) -- $129.95  FE

White Wine:

• PETER ZEMMER PINOT GRIGIO 2020 - DOC Alto Adige, Italy (#95802) (XD) - $17.95
• VIEIL ARMAND SÉLECTION GEWURZTRAMINER 2019 - AC Alsace, France (#18153) (M) - $19.95
• SANTA CAROLINA GRAN RESERVA CHARDONNAY 2019 - Sustainable, carbon neutral, DO Valle de Itata, Chile (#928580) (XD) - $19.95
• ZENATO SAN BENEDETTO LUGANA 2021 - DOC, Veneto, Italy (#707158) (XD) - $19.95
• ORGANIZED CRIME WILD FERMENT RIESLING 2019 - VQA Beamsville Bench, Niagara Escarpment, Ontario, Canada (#11952) (D) - $20.95

• BISCHÖFLICHE WEINGÜTER TRIER KANZEMER ALTENBERG FEINHERB RIESLING KABINETT 2020 - Prädikatswein, Mosel, Germany (#15292) (S) - $27.95  FE
• HENRY OF PELHAM SPECK FAMILY RESERVE RIESLING 2020 - Sustainable, VQA Short Hills Bench, Niagara Escarpment, Ontario, Canada (#643361) (D) - $29.95  91 pts  wine review
• DOMAINE LES VIEUX MURS POUILLY-FUISSÉ 2020 - Sustainable, AC, Burgundy, France (#241117) (XD) - $33.95
• BLACK HILLS ESTATE ROUSSANNE 2020 - Black Sage Bench, BC VQA Okanagan Valley, British Columbia, Canada (#17728) (XD) - $33.95  FE
• DOMAINE DU GRAND TINEL CHÂTEAUNEUF-DU-PAPE BLANC 2018 - AC, Rhône, France (#27430) (XD) - $58.95  FE
• KISTLER SONOMA MOUNTAIN CHARDONNAY 2020 - Sonoma Mountain, Sonoma County, California, USA (#183921) (XD) - $116.95

Rosé Wine:

• CHÂTEAU PIGOUDET CLASSIC ROSÉ 2021 - AP Coteaux d'Aix-en-Provence, France (#668434) (XD) - $25.95

Sparkling Wine:

• ELYSSIA GRAN CUVÉE BRUT CAVA - Traditional method, DO, Penedès, Spain (#392548) (D) - $24.95
• CHARLES HEIDSIECK BRUT RÉSERVE CHAMPAGNE - AC, France (#36962) (XD) - $74.95

Dessert Wine:

• FÈLSINA VIN SANTO DEL CHIANTI CLASSICO 2009 - DOC, Tuscany, Italy (#26544) (S) (375mL) - $49.95  FE

Fortified Wine:

• NIEPOORT VINTAGE PORT 2019 - DOP, Portugal (#27485) (S) - $135.95  FE

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