Providing a Unique & Affordable Selection of High Quality Red Wines and White Wines for Your Enjoyment. Also featured: Rosé, Port, Icewine, Champagne and Sparkling Wine for Special Occasions. Cheers!
white wine review is this beautiful Chardonnay from Chablis that is brand new to the LCBO, arriving in stores across Ontario as part of last weekend's LCBO VINTAGES New Release Collection.
It is produced by Domaine Boussard, an independent winegrower and family estate that planted their first vineyards in AOP Bourgogne in 1992. The Domaine was founded in the heart of Burgundy by Olivier Boussard, a man who comes from a family that has been farming for 5 generations, and his wife Isabelle. Domaine Boussard is located in Nitry, about 17 km southeast of Chablis, between Auxerre and Avallon, in a rustic setting in which the cellar is installed in an old farmhouse. Olivier makes his own wines with Chardonnay and Pinot Noir at the estate using traditional methods.
Olivier's knowledge and passion for the terroir and profession as a winegrower enabled him to grow and expand his range of wines. Today, the husband and wife team, along with their daughter Margot, have 32 hectares of vineyards located in the municipalities of Beines and Venoy, on the edge of Chablis. Their philosophy can be summed up as: Quality, respect for the environment, and hospitality. They aim to find the right balance between plant and terroir, and as such, their vineyards are farmed under the principles of sustainable viticulture as they have obtained the "HVE3" Environmental Value Certification. Their approach consists of enhancing the soil and vine in its natural environment by using plant and mineral materials that take into account natural resources, protect the territory, reduce pollution, and contribute to the balance of the land.
Continuing the fine run of vintages in Chablis, the 2020 vintage can be described as a "classic" across the famed region. Although 2020 was a very early vintage, it was not a particularly hot one and avoided dramatic heat spikes. The growing season began with an unusually mild winter that transitioned into a balmy spring. There were some bouts of frost that stuck, but the consistent warm weather prevailed and led to an unnaturally warm April which prompted both an early budburst and flowering. A hot, dry summer eventually arrived, and although the conditions became somewhat arid, the cleansing winds breezed through the vineyards to help keep the vines free from disease. The fast-growing season led to an early harvest with white grapes being both aromatic and fresh. Let's see how this 2020 Chablis from Burgundy is tasting tonight...
Tasting Note:
DOMAINE BOUSSARD CHABLIS 2020 - AP, Burgundy, France (#29709) (XD) - $39.95 100% Chardonnay. Fresh and fragrant, this has a lovely, highly aromatic, clean, and elegant nose of lemon citrus, white floral, and oyster shell minerality with touches of ripe orchard fruit, apple, herbs, and white peach adding complexity. On the medium to medium-full bodied palate it has clean, bracing acidity which lifts the ripe, lightly honeyed flavours of lemon citrus, white floral, mineral, and apple replays. It is finely textured with a gently chalky mouthfeel, while leesy notes join the lemon citrus, apple, floral, and mineral notes on the long, flavourful finish, with excellent length. Perfect for a hot, summer day, and will also pair nicely with seafood, this is a highly recommended buy! Score: 92 pts
Other lovely wines by Domaine Boussard can be ordered through their Agent - Connexion Oenophilia.
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 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.
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.
wine review is a consistently delicious and well-made Chardonnay from Australia that returned to the LCBO recently as part of the feature in wines from the Southern Hemisphere in the LCBO VINTAGES Release.
It is produced by Wakefield Wines, the export brand of the Taylor family who bottle wines under their family name in Australia and New Zealand, but here in Canada and abroad they use the Wakefield branding. Bill Taylor Sr. and his two sons established their own estate winery in 1969 by the Wakefield River in Clare Valley, South Australia, when they planted their first vineyards and began a journey to create their own, authentic, estate grown wines. They achieved overwhelming success with their first vintage and expanded the range of their Estate Label wines to include this Chardonnay, among other wines.
Today, Wakefield Wines is led by the third generation of the family - brothers Mitchell, Justin, and Clinton - with a focus on continuing the family tradition of making delicious wines that stand the test of time. The family's philosophy is to produce wines sustainably and responsibly, while respecting the fruit and where it came from, as well as having a strong innovative spirit. One of the Taylor family's innovations is the Optimum Drinking Sensor that is located on the back label of many of their wines such as this Chardonnay.
I've enjoyed this Chardonnay for quite a few years now, including most recently the 2020 Wakefield Estate Chardonnay last April. While this wine was initially crafted with only Clare Valley fruit, it is increasingly using fruit from Padthaway, and this particular vintage is 100% Chardonnay composed of 70% Padthaway fruit and 30% from Clare Valley. To vinify this wine, a small portion was barrel-fermented and then lees stirred for 4 months. After 6 to 8 months of maturation in French oak, the wine was blended and bottled. I also like the fresh, new label that gives the bottle a more elegant, cohesive look.
The 2021 growing season in South Australia was very slightly warmer-than-average and very dry, with grapes ripening later-than-normal in the last half of March and into April, in sunny, windless, and cool days that enabled the perfect autumnal conditions. With near-perfect growing conditions, both wine regions of Padthaway and Clare Valley produced excellent quality wines with high acidity. Let's see how this 2021 Chardonnay from South Australia is tasting tonight...
Tasting Note:
WAKEFIELD ESTATE LABEL CHARDONNAY 2021 - Padthaway/Clare Valley, South Australia (#711556) (XD) - $17.95 Screw cap. Composed of 70% Padthaway and 30% Clare Valley Chardonnay, this has fresh, ripe, and attractive aromas of white peach, lemon, citrus, melon, buttery cream, and hints of vanilla rising out of the glass. It has very good weight on the creamy, spicy, medium-full bodied palate with lovely aroma replays of white peach, citrus, melon, butter, and vanilla spice flavours. It's lightly textured with juicy acidity on the mid-palate. Finishes gently spicy with leesy mineral notes on the finish, with very good length. Another winner from Wakefield and a highly recommended buy! Score: 89 pts
Other fine wines by Wakefield Wine are available at the LCBO and through their Agent - Profile Wine Group.
sparkling wine review is a lovely bubbly that I've had the pleasure of tasting on several occasions in the past and recently returned to the LCBO as part of the LCBO VINTAGES Release.
It is produced by Segura Viudas, an iconic boutique winery located just outside of Barcelona, Spain, in the sunny, ancient wine region of Penedès. They are situated in a beautiful stone manor house whose origins can be traced back to the 11th century, the time of the Iberian Crusades. This stone manor house has assumed many identities over the years such as embattled fortress, farmhouse, flour mill, family residence, and most recently, a boutique winery.
The land initially belonged to the Monastery of Sant Cugat, the most important monastery in the county of Barcelona, until the abbey ceded the land to one, Gerard Alemany. He constructed the first building on the land, originally as a defensive tower and having been through battles, the scars and bullet holes can be seen on the walls today.
New buildings were added in the 12th century to convert the fortress to a working farmhouse with grains and cereals grown on the estate. Grapes were also cultivated on the estate with native vines criss-crossing its steep hills and swampy riverbanks. In 1156, the building itself was referred to as Domus de Reÿm - The House of Grapes.
Fast forwarding to modern history into the mid-20th century, Cava became recognized as a revolution in the world of "Champagne" and grew to become an international reference of sparkling wine in its own right as it was recognized for its quality and diversity. At this time, the farmhouse and estate of Can Esbert de Raïm were bought by the Segura brothers in the 1950s. The Segura brothers invested in new caves and built new wineries with the latest machinery installed. They began producing their own Cava and in 1969 they proudly launched the iconic Segura Viudas Heredad premium Cava.
Today, their philosophy begins with sensitive farming. They study, understand, and promote biodiversity of the ecosystem around the Heredad. They also respect and preserve the environment, while also remaining in harmony with it. Segura Viudas is certified sustainable under the Wineries for Climate Protection (WFCP) certification.
This Brut Reserva Heredad Cava is the brand's icon wine and impressively packaged as such with its distinctive pewter badge and base. It is crafted with 75% Macabeo and 25% Chardonnay grapes which were handpicked from old vine vineyards and transported to the winery in self-draining plastic boxes to prevent grape damage which could lead to oxidized juice and loss of freshness. The first fermentation takes place in stainless steel tanks at a controlled low temperature to retain the primary aromas of the grapes. The final blend is composed of nine different wines, each one vinified separately, and the magic of this blend is in ensuring that each wine lends its own touch of character to the whole. As Macabeo is the dominant grape in this wine, it contributes acidity, freshness, and allows the wine to age well during the 24 months (or more) that it will be in contact with the lees. Both the first and the second fermentations were carried out using their own selected yeast strains. Before disgorgement, each bottle is given a last sharp shake, or twist of the wrist, known as a "poignettage", which lifts the yeast cells from the side of the bottle and mixes them once more with the wine, thus intensifying the element of autolysis. Riddling (or turning) of all the bottles are done by hand and in pupitres, and a dosage of 9 g/L sugar is added to optimize the wine's versatility.
Having enjoying this sparkling wine previously, let's see how the latest edition of this Cava from Spain is tasting tonight...
Tasting Note:
SEGURA VIUDAS HEREDAD RESERVA BRUT CAVA - Traditional method, DO, Spain (#558825) (D) - $39.95 Crafted with 75% Macabeo and 25% Chardonnay, the medium+ to medium-high intensity nose offers pretty biscuit, lemon, white floral, pear, and leesy aromas. It has good weight on the crisp, medium-full bodied palate with flavours of lemon citrus, pear, biscuit, floral, and leesy replays with just a pinch of pleasant sweetness. It has crisp, refreshing acidity and fine, persistent bubbles. Long and succulent on the crisp finish with leesy mineral, floral, and lemony notes. Delicious and will keep you coming back for another sip. Highly recommended buy! Score: 91 pts
Other lovely Cava sparkling wines by Segura Viudas are available at the LCBO and through their Agent - Mark Anthony Wine & Spirits.
white wine review is a lovely Chardonnay from Niagara that was quietly released last fall without much of the usual fanfare, and I had the pleasure of tasting in a virtual tasting with one of the partners at 80x Wine Company, André Proulx.
It is produced by 80x Wine Company, a virtual winery that started as an idea in 2015 when Vadim Chelekhov and André had a conversation at a wine gala in Niagara and asked each other "Wouldn't it be great if we made some wine together?"
André is a wine writer based in Ontario and not only believes you are what you drink, but also that it is important to understand what it takes to go from vineyard to bottle. Vadim wanted an outlet to explore some more experimental winemaking, while Guillaume Frénéhard studied the wine business in France and assured André and Vadim that he could help them sell their wine. Since all of the partners in this project were born in the 80s, they named the business 80x Wine Company.
In 2019, Adam Kern joined the team as dedicated winemaker, bringing with him years of experience being trained as a somm and working at some of Ontario's best wineries. As a virtual winery, 80x Wine Company purchases grapes from selected vineyards across the Niagara Peninsula and vinify their wines at Rockway Vineyards in St. Catharines, Ontario. Together, they believe that great wine is the result of passion, insanity, and friendship.
This Chardonnay gets its name after a contentious discussion within the company on what wine they were going to make next - their first wine was a Gamay, which I recall tasting several years ago, and was followed by Pinot Noir. The conversation ended with one of the partners saying "Fine, You can have your damned Chardonnay".
It is crafted with fruit from vines planted in 1983 at the famed Erv and Esther Willms Vineyard within the Four Mile Creek sub-appellation in Niagara-on-the-Lake. The 80x team didn't hesitate to purchase the Willms fruit when presented with the opportunity as they knew quality wines were produced by other well-known Niagara wine producers using fruit from this vineyard in the past.
The growing season in 2020 in Niagara was exceptional, in spite of a challenging year for humanity. Conditions were near perfect and favoured both white and red varieties. Grapes reached phenolic ripeness while retaining the all-important acidity. Days were warm, but nights were cool, allowing the grapes to rest and retain its acidity. The high diurnal temperature range between warm days and cool nights is almost unheard of in Niagara and helped greatly in achieving high quality wines across the board.
Harvest day was one of the highlights of 2020 for 80x Wine Company. It was an opportunity to get a small team of close friends to help them pick the fruit from the vineyards that looked like they had been photoshopped by mother nature. It was vinified by slow fermentation over several months in 2nd and 4th fill puncheons with indigenous yeast, with winemaker Adam keeping a close eye on it. In January 2021, they were forced to cover their puncheons with blankets to raise the temperature and feel that their patience was rewarded.
Only 99 cases and 16 magnums were produced and it is currently available for purchase direct through 80x Wine Company, on-site at Rockway Vineyards, and at select bottle shops in Ontario. Let's see how this 2020 Niagara Chardonnay is tasting tonight...
Tasting Note:
DAM CHARDONNAY 2020 - VQA Four Mile Creek, Niagara-on-the-Lake, Ontario, Canada (XD) - $30 Elegant, medium-high intensity aromatics are a little musty, revealing golden apple, lemon citrus, butter and lactic aromas with a hint of vanilla spice. On the dry, creamy, medium+ bodied, and nicely textured, palate it offers delicious ripe golden apple, pear, lemon citrus, and buttery flavours with a hints of spice, peach, and honey. It's all supported by fresh, mouth-watering acidity. Citrus and apple notes are joined by touches of spice and earthy minerals on the finish, with very good length. This is indeed a Dam good Chardonnay and a recommended buy! Score: 89 pts
white wine review is a lovely Chardonnay from Burgundy that newly landed at the LCBO as part of last weekend's LCBO VINTAGES Release on .
It is produced by Domaine Yvon & Laurent Vocoret, a small family-owned estate whose history inscribed in vine cultivation and winemaking dating back to 1713. It all began in the early 18th century with Jean Vocoret, whose winemaking soul no doubt guided him to pass down his wisdom, his fruits, his passion, and the nobility of winemaking to his descendants,
The Domaine's more recent history of winemaking in Chablis begins with Victor Hyppolite Vocoret, the great, great grandfather of Yvon Vocoret. Born in 1863, Victor had a few acres of vineyards and some leaflets in the cellar. Henri Vocoret, born in 1895, and alongside his wife Louise were the grandparents of Yvon and they managed to make the land prosper with the help of their horses, and were very proud to produce excellent wine.
The fourth generation of the family to own the estate were Yvon's parents, Maurice (1928-1997) and Huguette (1933), who carefully reflected upon the art of winemaking and invested in high performance equipment for the cellar. Maurice and Huguette knew how to anticipate and plan so that the quality of their wines would be recognized.
Today, the Domaine is led by Yvon, the 5th generation of the family, and his son, Yvon, the 6th generation, together with Huguette, as they uphold the family motto - quality, dignity, and respect - and continue to write the story of a humble, but determined family of winegrowers who craft wines that bring pleasure. Since 1974, the Vocoret family has been farming the vineyards organically to respect and protect their vines and soils, as well as the environment. They have also been using organic soil materials which forces the soil to do its own work in order to transform the organic materials to minerals, so that the vine can feed itself and grow fruit in a natural, sustainable way and guarantee a quality vintage, year after year. The wines of Domaine Yvon & Laurent Vocoret represent the essence of their exceptional terroir.
This Petit Chablis is crafted with 100% Chardonnay that was sourced from various plots covering 4 hectares of land throughout the appellation of Petit Chablis. The vines average 30 years of age and were planted on Portlandian Barrois clay-limestone and limestone marl soils which also feature red pebbles and a reddish-brown colour. Each plot of grapes were harvested at maturity and either manually or mechanically. It underwent a light static settling to retain the fine lees so that the alcoholic and malolactic fermentations can take place naturally. And finally, each plot was aged for approximately 9 months in stainless steel vats to preserve its fresh characteristics and allow plot to express itself prior to creating the final blend.
The 2020 growing season was warm and dry, yielding grapes with exceptional freshness and purity. The white wines of Burgundy classically styled, balanced, and consistently of a very high quality. As the 2020 vintage is such a fine vintage across the board, let's see how this 2020 Petit Chablis is tasting tonight...
Tasting Note:
DOMAINE YVON & LAURENT VOCORET PETIT CHABLIS 2020 - AC, Burgundy, France (#26446) (XD) - $27.95 This lovely Chardonnay has an elegant, medium-high intensity nose offering a lovely mix of ripe lemon, citrus, mineral oil, nutty, lactic, green apple, and white peach aromas. It is impressively weighted and quite structured on the medium-full bodied palate with lactic, mineral, lemon citrus, and green apple flavours supported by juicy, well-balanced acidity. Lemon citrus, apple, and white peach taper to leesy mineral notes on the long, crisp finish. Enjoyable now, but will be even better in a year or two. Highly recommended buy! Score: 91 pts
There is a Chablis 1er Cru available at the LCBO, while other lovely wines from their portfolio can be ordered through their Agent - DBINO David Beauroy Selections.
white wine review is a lovely, eclectic white wine blend of three varietals that arrived at the LCBO as a Smart Buy in the LCBO VINTAGES Release.
It is produced by Casale del Giglio, whose story begins in 1914 when three brothers - Emidio, Isidoro and Antonio Santarelli - established "Berardino Santarelli & Figli", a company named after the founding father, Berardino, Wine Merchant. The company moved to Rome and grew over the years, selling wines, liquors, and olive oils, and had several outlets across the city. In 1955, Emidio's son, Dino, founded the company "Santarelli S.p.A." to bottle Lazio's classic wines. These wines were sold primarily in Rome, but were also quite popular in Canada.
Casale del Giglio was established in 1967 by Dino Santarelli. He was fascinated by the Agro Pontino valley and founded Casale del Giglio at Le Ferriere, a hamlet close to the ancient city of Satricum in the province of Latina, some 50 kilometres south of Rome. A virgin territory, quite unlike other parts of Lazio or any other Italian region, the area was ripe for viticultural exploration.
In the early 1990s, Antonio Santarelli joined his father, Dino, and in partnership with the young enologist Paolo Tiefenthaler from the northern Italian Trentino region, they achieved remarkable results stemming from an intense programme of research and experimentation. They were joined by famous ampelographers and university researchers and planted close to 60 different experimental vines in Casale del Giglio's soil. With a scheme that was bold and daring in a very scientific way, they were rewarded and achieved their first significant results from the red grape varieties Syrah and Petit Verdot and from whites such as Sauvignon, Viognier, and Petit Manseng.
Today, Casale del Giglio continues to subscribe to the philosophy that "the future of Italian viticulture relies not only on consolidating the image of its traditional wine producing zones, but on its ability to produce top quality wines at favourable prices in areas whose potential is still relatively unexplored." As a result of Casale del Giglio's research, the the European Community authorized the cultivation of "new recommended varieties" such as Chardonnay, Sauvignon, Syrah, Petit Verdot, and Cabernet Sauvignon in the province of Latina (from 1990), while other varieties were authorized later. Casale del Giglio has since elected to plant those grape varieties which adapt well to the territory and produce quality wines.
The Satrico is a white wine blend consisting of 40% Chardonnay, 40% Sauvignon Blanc, and 20% Trebbiano Giallo. Satrico gets its name from the ancient pre-Roman city of Satricum. Traces of the earliest huts, which formed a village around a central place of worship on high ground near the river Astura, date from the 9th century B.C. This hillside settlement, later to become the acropolis of the city, was the site of a temple dedicated to the goddess Mater Matuta. Remains of her temple can still be seen today, close to Casale del Giglio’s vineyards in the hamlet of Le Ferriere, near the town of Latina.
The grapes for this white wine were harvested just as they begin to ripen and vinified separately to ensure that the fresh, distinctive aromas and flavours of each variety come through in the final blend. The bunches were carefully selected, with only the very best bunches included in this wine, and after careful soft-pressing, the free-run juice was separated from the skins. It underwent a temperature-controlled, slow fermentation over 7-8 days, matured in stainless steel tanks, and bottled at the beginning of the following year. Let's see how this white wine blend from Lazio is tasting tonight...
Tasting Note:
CASALE DEL GIGLIO SATRICO 2020 - IGT Lazio Bianco, Italy (#569806) (D) - $18.95 This eclectic blend of 40% Chardonnay, 40% Sauvignon Blanc, and 20% Trebbiano Giallo has a soft, medium+ intensity nose that is dusty and earthy with floral, lemon citrus, melon, and ripe apple aromas with a whiff of mango adding interest. It's impressively concentrated on the medium+ bodied palate with slightly spicy flavours of ripe melon, mango, lemon citrus, floral flavours in a dry flavour profile. Slightly viscous mouthfeel, along with juicy, well-balanced acidity, while savoury, leesy, and mineral notes linger on the long finish. Chill well and enjoy this recommended buy now! Score: 89 pts
Other lovely wines by Casale del Giglio can be ordered through their Agent - Profile Wine Group.
For sparkling wine review, I opened this excellent sparkling rose wine from Niagara that is a VINTAGES Essentials product at the LCBO and is readily available throughout the year. You will want to get your hands on it today as it is currently on promotion at $3 off until .
Like the lovely 2020 13th Street Blanc de Blanc that I enjoyed last month, this bubbly is crafted by 13th Street Winery - Niagara's sparkling wine specialists. Established in 1998 in St. Catharines, Ontario, 13th Street was acquired in 2008 by the Mann and Whitty families - John & June Mann and Doug & Karen Whitty. Both families have deep roots in the Niagara community and started out as four amateur winemaker friends. As owner, partners, and friends, Doug and Karen Whitty and John and June Mann share a common love of wine, food, art, and a genuine heart for hospitality, and had a strong desire to create exceptional wines that reflect the unique terroir of Niagara.
In 2009, talented winemaker Jean-Pierre Colas, originally from Chablis, France, joined 13th Street and success soon followed. Jean-Pierre's winemaking philosophy is that great wines come from the best grapes grown in the best vineyards, with winemaking techniques only utilized to supplement and capture the very essence of the grapes' terroir and character. 13th Street's success has culminated with them being awarded the #1 Winery in Ontario and #2 in Canada at the 2022 National Wine Awards of Canada.
I most recently enjoyed the 13th Street Cuvée Rosé Brut in December 2020, and while that bottling was predominantly Pinot Noir, this particular edition is composed of 54% Chardonnay and 46% Pinot Noir. Since the wine is a majority of Chardonnay, the white grape provides structure and backbone, while the Pinot Noir provides fruit, power, and richness. Crafted in a dry style, this sparkling wine was fermented and aged in the traditional method, undergoing second fermentation in the final bottle, and was aged sur lattes (en tirage) for a minimum of 18 months during which the bubbles became smaller and more compact, while also developing a slight autolytic, or toast and bread character. After dosage mixed with reserve Pinot Noir was added, the wine was aged a further 3 months prior to release. Let's see how this delicious, locally-crafted pink bubbly is tasting tonight...
Tasting Note:
13TH STREET CUVÉE ROSÉ BRUT NV - VQA Niagara Peninsula, Ontario, Canada (#147504) (XD) - $29.95 $26.95 until Pretty pink-orange colour, this blend of 54% Chardonnay and 46% Pinot Noir has a fragrant, medium-high intensity nose with attractive aromas of strawberry, red cherry, autolytic, watermelon, and peach with touches of toast and pastry. On the medium+ bodied palate it is clean and crisp, with fine mousse that delivers lightly honeyed, yet dry, flavours of strawberry, red cherry, raspberry, lemon, and peach. Fresh acidity is clean and crisp, with a succulent, slightly chalky mouthfeel on the mid-palate. Lovely red berry and strawberry flavours are joined by mineral notes on the long-lasting, dry finish. Always a delight and my favourite bottling so far. Highly recommended buy! Score: 91 pts
Other lovely wines by 13th Street are available at the LCBO and direct through the winery in Niagara.
white wine review is an excellent Chardonnay from Burgundy that is new to the LCBO, arriving in stores this weekend as part of the LCBO VINTAGES Release on .
It is produced by Stéphane Brocard, son of renowned Chablis winemaker Jean-Marc Brocard. After it started getting a bit too crowded at his father's family business, Stéphane set out on his own in 2007 and moved to Marsannay, founding his Trading House and the Closerie des Alisiers property in Chablis. In addition to owning his own vines in Pommard and the village of Daix, Stéphane set up a boutique négociant business contracting small parcels of carefully selected grapes because he had an intimate knowledge of the region, as well as the drive to blaze his own trail. He works with the same winegrowers and plots year after year to offer authentic wines based on purity of fruit and freshness, while also having the greatest respect for the terroir and environment. He encourages his vignerons to use organic farming methods and champions minimal intervention at all stages of production. Between Closerie des Alisiers and the wines of their partner estates, Maison Stéphane Brocard covers all of the appellations and diversity of Burgundy.
Crafted with 100% Chardonnay, this particular wine is called Trilogy of Terroirs because the grapes come from the three same selected plots, year after year, in the Pouilly-Fuissé appellation of the Mâconnais subregion in Burgundy. Grown within the communes of Solutré and Vergisson, the 70-year-old vines are based on limestone soils with very hard fossil corals. The vineyards are situated on fairly steep slopes with exposure to the east and south-east, and between 200 to 300 metres above sea level. The vines are tended to in reasoned culture with the greatest respect for the soil and the environment.
The growing season in 2020 in Burgundy produced classic wines despite the hot and dry conditions, and the wines of the vintage can be characterized and fresh, vibrant, and classically styled. From an exceptional year, let's see how this 2020 white wine from Burgundy is tasting tonight...
Tasting Note:
CLOSERIE DES ALISIERS TRILOGIE DE TERROIRS POUILLY-FUISSÉ 2020 - AC, Burgundy, France (#26440) (XD) - $37.95 This 100% Chardonnay has a nose that seems a bit shy and tight, but with some coaxing offers ripe lemon citrus, mineral, apple, melon, and peach aromas with nutty notes emerging with time in the glass. It is beautifully structured on the medium to medium-full bodied on the nicely balanced palate with spicy apple, lemon citrus, melon flavours with a twist of honey. It has fresh and firm acidity, while mineral, nut, and mealy notes emerge on the long, juicy, and mouth-watering finish. Highly recommended buy! Score: 92+ pts
Other excellent wines by Maison Stéphane Brocard can be ordered through their Agent - Connexion Oenophilia.
white wine review is a lovely Chardonnay that is coming to the LCBO this weekend as part of the LCBO VINTAGES Release.
It is produced by Jean-Marc Brocard, a family domaine that was established in 1973 in the center of Chablis, in Burgundy. Since the beginning, Jean-Marc Brocard was committed to a healthier culture and respectful of the environment. As one of the first organic wine producers in Chablis and Burgundy, in 1997 they converted their first plot of 11 hectares to organic and biodynamic farming. Today, the domaine covers 144 hectares with more than 60 hectares certified organic farming and 40 hectares biodynamic.
In 1995, Jean-Marc's son, Julien, joined the family domaine to work alongside his father. Julien is also passionate about biodynamics and traditional methods. Their logo is an ammonite - a life force, the spiral is naturally present in nature and is a symbol and creation and fulfillment, it also characterizes the Broacrd family's commitment to continuous improvement.
The unique style of Brocard wines are focuses around three words - precision, strength, and freshness. Precision involves accurately conveying the terroir, the memory of the soil transmitted from vine to wine, and the pure typical characteristics of the Chablis soil with its marine sediments deposited during the Jurassic era. Strength is conveyed in the structure of a wine that is powerful and long on the palate, while also appreciating the complexity of a terroir. Freshness is the a natural acidity that is born of the land's minerality, giving this wine its signature tautness.
One of quite a few Chablis wines in the Jean-Marc Brocard portfolio, this particular wine is from their Sainte Claire Vineyard which boasts Kimmeridgian limestone soils. It is crafted with 100% Chardonnay from 60-year-old vines and fermented with indigenous yeast. This Chablis expresses with a great deal of finesse the typicity of its Kimmeridgian soils, along with the singularity of Jean-Marc Brocard's wines through its strength, precision, and freshness.
From an early, yet classic vintage with superb quality, let's see how this 2020 Chablis is tasting tonight...
Tasting Note:
JEAN-MARC BROCARD SAINTE CLAIRE CHABLIS 2020 - AC, Burgundy, France (#356634) (XD) - $28.95 This single vineyard 100% Chardonnay is from 60-year-old vines grown on Kimmeridgian limestone soils and fermented with indigenous yeast. Intense, flinty mineral aromas off the top with notes of lemon citrus, apple, and butter laying underneath with melon and nutty hints, and a touch of reduction. It's medium-full bodied, well-structured, and creamy on the dry palate with lightly honeyed flavours of lemon citrus, mineral, apple-pear, and melon with nutty and mealy hints adding further complexity and interest. Acids are crisp and mouth-wateringly juicy. Excellent length with mineral, nut, and mealy notes lingering on the crisp, juicy finish. Highly recommended buy! Score: 91 pts
A Chablis 1er Cru from Jean-Marc Brocard also arrived at the LCBO in this release, while other wines from their portfolio can be found at the LCBO or ordered through their Agent - Noble Estates Wines & Spirits.
sparkling wine review is a lovely, locally crafted Traditional Method vintage sparkling wine that recently launched at the LCBO and is currently on limited time offer at $3 off and widely available across Ontario.
It is produced by Niagara's sparkling wine specialists - 13th Street Winery. Founded in 1998 in St. Catharines, Ontario, and purchased by the Mann and Whitty families in 2008, 13th Street has developed a reputation for crafting a wide range of high-quality, cool-climate sparkling wines from Niagara. Much of their success can be attributed to their winemaker, Jean-Pierre Colas, who is originally from Chablis in France and joined 13th Street in 2009. His winemaking philosophy is simple - he believes that great wines come from the best grapes grown in the best vineyards, with winemaking techniques only utilized to supplement and capture the very essence of the grapes' terroir and character. Their success has culminated in being awarded the No. 1 Winery in Ontario and No. 2 in Canada at the 2022 National Wine Awards of Canada.
This Tradition Method sparkling wine is crafted with 100% Chardonnay from 13th Street's neighbour Lado Viscek's meticulously farmed vineyard and some of their favourite growers in Niagara-on-the-Lake. All of the fruit was hand-harvested in early September and then transferred gently into the press where the free-run juice was captured separately to preserve the elegant profile. The primary fermentation was kept cool in 100% stainless steel, while malolactic fermentation was suppressed to keep fresh fruit characters in the wine. Secondary fermentation took place in bottle and the wine was aged sur lattes for a minimum of 12 months. It was disgorged in summer 2022 with no dosage added, resulting in a classic Brut Nature dry style of sparkling wine. Having enjoyed many other 13th Street wines over the years, let's see how their 2020 Blanc de Blanc from Niagara is tasting tonight...
Tasting Note:
13TH STREET BLANC DE BLANC 2020 - VQA Niagara Peninsula, Ontario, Canada (#28420) (XD) - $29.95 $26.95 until Nov. 27 100% Chardonnay made in the traditional method. Elegant, clean, medium-high intensity nose offers lovely aromas of lemon citrus, peach, ripe apple, autolytic, and biscuit. It's medium-full bodied on the crunchy palate with crisp acidity and bubbles with peach, lemon citrus, ripe apple, biscuit, and autolytic flavours in a dry style. It's nicely textured with citrus, peach, and apple flavours joined by leesy mineral notes on the long, juicy, and dry finish. Highly recommended buy. Score: 90+ pts
Other lovely wines by 13th Street Winery are available at the LCBO and directly from the winery in St. Catharines, Ontario.
wine reviews are a pair of delicious wines from the North Coast AVA in California that are coming to the LCBO this weekend as part of the LCBO VINTAGES Release.
Dough is the foundation of bread, signifying new beginnings. Like making bread, thoughtful maturing creates positive change that rises from the simplest of actions. Dough Wines are rooted in purpose by sourcing grapes from some of the most prestigious winegrowing regions on the West Coast (USA) and crafting the most food-friendly wines possible in concert with a diverse group of chefs and leaders of the James Beard Foundation (JBF). Dough wines are crafted by Winemaker Heidi Bridenhagen who brings a solid scientific background to her winemaking with a B.S. degree in biochemistry from the University of Colorado at Boulder. Her goal in pursuing winemaking is to combine her scientific expertise and her creative skills. She is also a firm believer in the value of exploration and experimentation.
Heidi utilizes DVWP vineyards and its network of growers and négociants to choose high quality lots from top AVAs, and bringing the art of assemblage to life to craft the core wines to be as food-friendly as possible. The final blend for each wine is a collaborative approach with a hand-selected group of JBF Chefs and Sommeliers, where everyone has an opportunity to weigh in on the various aspects of the wine and which will pair best with food. With this feedback, Heidi returns to the cellar to compose the final blend.
At Dough, they believe that they can be a catalyst for good and believe that each glass, bottle and conversation can make a lasting impact. Dough Wines is proud to support the James Beard Foundation's work to create an inclusive, equitable, and sustainable food culture through an annual donation. In Ontario, Dough Wines is providing an annual scholarship of $5,000 to be awarded to Black, Indigenous and other People of Colour (BIPOC) students of the hospitality and culinary arts programs at George Brown College.
Tasting Notes:
DOUGH CHARDONNAY 2019 - North Coast, California, USA (#25598) (XD) - $26.95 Screw cap. 100% Chardonnay that was hand-picked from a few select vineyards. It was mostly barrel-fermented and aged in French oak with a smaller percentage coming from stainless steel fermented parcels. The generous nose offers lovely ripe orchard and tropical fruits, apple, pear, peach, vanilla, citrus, and cold cream aromas with hints of bubblegum adding intrigue. It's full-bodied and richly textured on the palate with delicious ripe apple, pear, vanilla, gentle oak spice, peach, and citrus flavours. Acids are fresh and juicy. I really like the chalky textured mouthfeel throughout, while apple, pear, and citrus taper to mineral, smoke, and coffee notes on the long finish. Solid buy for Thanksgiving dinner. Score: 89 pts
DOUGH CABERNET SAUVIGNON 2019 - North Coast, California, USA (#20802) (XD) - $27.95 Screw cap. 100% Cabernet Sauvignon grown in Mendocino. The appealing, medium-high intensity nose is a mix of ripe black currant, cassis, blackberry, vanillin oak spice, and chocolate aromas accented with grilled herbs, pepper, and savoury earth notes. It's medium-full bodied with ripe, smooth, and fine-grained tannins with flavours of dark currant, black cherry, blackberry, cassis, dark chocolate, grilled herbs and earth with a hint of mint. Acids are juicy and well-balanced. Chocolate, earth, savoury oak spice, and minty notes linger on the textured, fine-grained finish, with very good length. Score: 88+ pts
Other delicious Dough Wines can be ordered through their Agent - Profile Wine Group.
I enjoyed the 2017 Monte Creek Ranch Cabernet/Merlot a couple of years ago, and wine review is a lovely Chardonnay made by the same producer in British Columbia. This new wine is coming to the LCBO this weekend as part of the LCBO VINTAGES Release.
It is produced by Monte Creek Winery, which is owned by a local B.C. family and supported by a trusted team of on-site professionals to manage the operations. Established in 2009, Monte Creek Winery is located in the Thompson Valley, near Kamloops. Today, Monte Creek is turning its unique growing conditions in the Thompson Valley through quality, innovation and sustainability into award-winning premium wines. They also re-branded (and for the better, in my opinion) since the last time I tasted their wines to better align with their vision.
This particular wine is from their Living Land Series - a celebration of the idea that great wines only come from balanced vines, and earth that is truly alive and thriving. Their philosophy is that in order to grow incredible fruit, you must promote and maintain an environment that is healthy and working with nature, not against it. Far from just dirt, the grapevines used to grow the grapes in the Living Land Series wines are grown not from just dirt, but soils that are biodiverse and alive, and enhancing their vitality is the guiding principle of their viticulture. Flourishing soils make for healthy grapes, and healthy grapes help produce vibrant wines.
Crafted with 100% Chardonnay, the grapes for this wine were grown in the Thompson Valley on Olhausen glaciolacustrine sandy loam and Similkameen glaciofluvial silty loam soils. It underwent wild fermentation and was aged sur lie, with 75% aged in French oak, while the remainder was aged in concrete eggs. By using both of these ageing methods, Monte Creek aims to integrate the oak slightly while also preserving the acidity.
The 2020 growing season in the Thompson Valley is characterized by a relatively cool and slightly compressed season, with 50% budbreak occurring about a week later than normal. Harvest came to an abrupt end due to temperatures falling to -11 Celsius on October 25th. However, with a cool a start to the season combined with the warm late-summer period, the grapes reached phenolic maturity at the same level as sugar maturity. Overall, the wines from 2020 tended to have moderate alcohol levels and well-extracted, refined structure. Let's see how this 2020 Chardonnay from B.C. is tasting tonight...
Tasting Note:
MONTE CREEK LIVING LAND SERIES CHARDONNAY 2020 - BC VQA British Columbia, Canada (#25658) (XD) - $22.95 Screw cap. Fresh, medium-high intensity nose is richly structured with orchard fruit, apple, and pear aromas nuanced with subtle oak, butter, lemon citrus, and touches of tropical fruit. On the dry, medium-full bodied palate it offers lovely apple, pear, buttery, and citrus replays on the flavour profile and supported by fresh acidity. Well-balanced throughout and impressively structured. More orchard fruits with lemon citrus, and butter with hints of vanilla, tapering to a long, fine, leesy mineral finish. Highly recommended buy! Score: 91 pts
Other delicious wines by Monte Creek are available at the LCBO and through their Agent - Perigon Beverage Group.
wine review is a lovely sparkling wine from Limoux, a region widely considered the birthplace of traditional method sparkling wine with the first bubbly's produced in the year 1544. This Limoux sparkling wine is a new arrival to the LCBO and should be in stores across the province by next weekend as part of the LCBO VINTAGES Release.
It is produced by Antech Limoux, a winery that was founded in the late 19th century by Zélie and Jules upon their family's long history of passion for wine. Early in the 20th century, the estate was run by Eugénie Limouzy, a dynamic, courageous, and modern woman who lived through wars unbowed to ensure the winery's long-term survival. In 1930, Eugénie's niece, Marguerite, married fellow vintner Edmond Antech. It was a match made in heaven as two winemaking families merged and gave birth to the Antech name.
In 1965, their sons Georges and Roger were inseparable as they took the reins of the estate at a very early age and in the 1970s decided to produce only sparkling wines. In 1996, the 6th generation of the family joined the estate as Georges' daughter, Françoise, arrived and carried on the family tradition to raise Antech to the ranks of the greatest sparkling wine makers.
Today, Antech (pronounced "An-tesh") is one of only 24 producers in Limoux and is by far the region's most celebrated. They are known for producing sparkling wines with purity and elegance by harnessing the three terroirs of Limoux - freshness from the Pyrenees, vinousness from the ocean, and roundness from the Mediterranean. The estate was originally planted to 120 acres of vines six generations ago, while adding another 24 acres since then. The family vineyard sits on the appellation's highest land nearly 400 metres above sea level on stony, south-facing hillsides. For over 90 years, Antech has also purchased fruit from several friends who have plots on the top of the mountain that sits north of them, grapes which are grown at high altitudes and add freshness to the wines.
Women have been the driving force at Antech for the last three generations. Today, Antech is led by winemaker Francoise Antech, one of France's more vocal and gregarious female winemakers. Antech is committed to integrated winemaking and implements the Terra Vitis approach for integrated, sustainable viticulture, a certification they obtained in 2013.
This cuvée pays homage to Eugénie Limouzy, a pioneering woman winemaker in Limoux and great aunt of Francoise Antech. Eugénie ran the Antech estate after her brother and his fiancé were killed in WWI, and lived with Francoise until she passed away at 96 years old. This Crémant de Limoux sparkling wine is crafted with 70% Chardonnay, 20% Chenin Blanc, and 10% Mauzac. Chardonnay adds body to the wine, while Chenin adds acidity and freshness, and Mauzac keeps the wine rooted in Limoux and contributes creaminess to the textured finish. All of the grapes were handpicked in the morning, cooled, and directly pressed and fermented separately in stainless steel. After lot selection, wines were blended and second fermentation occurred in bottle for 18 months in temperature controlled cellars. Let's see how this 2018 Crémant de Limoux is tasting tonight...
Tasting Note:
ANTECH CUVÉE EUGÉNIE BRUT CRÉMANT DE LIMOUX 2018 - Traditional Method, Sustainable, AP, Languedoc, France (#25367) (XD) - $23.95 This blend of 70% Chardonnay, 20% Chenin Blanc, and 10% Mauzac has a fresh, elegant nose of medium-high intensity that offers aromas of white flowers, bread, toasty, and citrus with a sense of minerality. The soft, medium+ bodied palate has a kiss of sweetness on the flavour profile with notes of ripe peach, white flowers, citrus, honey, and toast with mineral undertones. Soft and mildly structured with fine acidity and elegant bubbles. Well-balanced, while finishing crisp, dry, and long with lovely peach, citrus, white floral, and mineral notes. Elegant bubbly and a highly recommended buy! Score: 91 pts
After enjoying a fine half day of wine tasting in Marlborough on the first Monday of March, my wine tour through Marlborough continued on . It was a long (and fairly busy day) with visits to five wineries, but very enjoyable nonetheless.
The day began where I spent the night - Villa Maria Estate - one of New Zealand's largest wineries. Villa Maria was founded in 1961 by 21-year-old Sir George Fistonich. Having a Croatian background, George was passionate about wine from a young age and it was central to his upbringing. He leased five acres of land from his father in Mangere, Auckland, and crafted his first wines using the one acre of vines that were planted on the site to form Villa Maria. George understood very early on the importance of regional differences between grape quality and wine styles. He pioneered the use of contract growers - a very common practice in New Zealand these days - and was the first New Zealand wine company to initiate payment for grapes based on quality, rather than quantity. Beginning with the 2002 vintage, Villa Maria was the first major wine company in New Zealand to seal all of their wines by screwcap.
Villa Maria's success is attributed to the team's commitment to quality, innovation, and passion to create the best wines possible, starting with exceptional vineyards and people. It it not surprising that by making quality wines the focus, recognition and awards naturally follow - Villa Maria is New Zealand's most awarded winery.
The team at Villa Maria is very tight-knit. George was keen to nurture the talent of the individuals on the team while also providing winemakers with the opportunity to express their own flair. I had the opportunity to meet with Helen Morrison, Villa Maria's Senior Marlborough Winemaker. Upon graduating from Lincoln University in Canterbury with a bachelor's degree in Viticulture and Oenology, she took on winemaking and judging for a number of years prior to joining Villa Maria in January 2014 where she enjoys working for such an iconic winemaking family with a strong focus on sustainability and environmental responsibility.
Being environmentally responsible has been a core objective for Sir George Fistonich for a very long time, with a strong desire to leave something for the next generation. Villa Maria has been a member of Sustainable Winegrowing New Zealand (SWNZ) since its inception in 1995, received its BioGro (Organic) Certification in 2009, and acquired CEMARS Certification in 2010. Some of the many Sustainable Practices employed by Villa Maria include the use of organic vineyards, heat recovery, night air cooling, natural lighting, recycling, and hybrid vehicles - all with the goal of reducing their carbon footprint and impact on the environment. In Fall 2021, Villa Maria was acquired by Indevin.
Starting at 9 a.m. sharp, Helen and I tasted through a number of wines from the Villa Maria portfolio. The range begins with the entry level Private Bin series - a value range of wines that are approachable with consistent quality, and popular with wine drinkers globally. A step up is the Cellar Selection range - wines that are complex, elegant, and food-friendly, with an emphasis on fruit quality and minimal handling. The Reserve range features Villa Maria's most distinguished wines with exceptional quality and ultimate finesse. And finally, the Single Vineyard range features wines with identity, with each wine displaying its own distinct characteristics due to the unique terroir where the grapes are grown. All of the wines I tasted from each range were delicious, while some were really fantastic wines. Many wines from Villa Maria are available at the LCBO, including some in VINTAGES. Wines can also be ordered via their agent - Dandurand. Wine reviews of a few of my favourites from this tasting are provided below.
The second stop of the day was a short drive northwest to Nautilus Estate. I was picked up by winemaker Clive Jones, but before heading to the winery, we took a nice driving tour of some of Nautilus' vineyards, beginning at the Clay Hills Vineyard in the Omaka Valley, Southern Valleys sub-region. This 5.5 hectare site is located on an elevated hillside (120 metres above sea level) with clay soils on the eastern Omaka Valley and is exclusively Pinot Noir that was planted between 1999 and 2004. We then headed north into Wairau Valley and made a quick stop at their organic Renwick Vineyard - with its classic stony "Rapaura" soils - that was purchased in 1992 and was Nautilus' first vineyard.
Following the vineyard visits, we headed to the Cellar Door of Nautilus Estate, a small, boutique winery that was established in 1985 by owner and fifth-generation vigneron - Robert Hill-Smith. Being family-owned, Nautilus takes a cautious, long-term approach to everything they do. They are also a member of the Family of Twelve - a group of 12 prestigious family-owned wineries in New Zealand that they share ideas and time with. In 2000, Nautilus opened the first dedicated Pinot Noir facility in the Southern Hemisphere, and in 2006 they completed a separate, energy-efficient white wine making facility. Over the years, they have maintained their focus on harnessing the different sub-regional flavours in this cool climate region while using innovative winemaking practices to craft textural and complex food-friendly wines that are also vegan and vegetarian-friendly.
Clive and I tasted through the many wines from the portfolio - a pair of traditional method sparkling wines and an array of white wines including their popular Albariño and Grüner Veltliner single varietal wines. We then took a brief tour of the winemaking facility before heading back to the tasting bar to taste a flight of Nautilus Pinot Noir. Clive joined Nautilus as winemaker in 1998 and has overseen their Pinot Noir programme, including the design of the Pinot Noir gravity flow facility. Moreover, the Nautilus Pinot Noir has shown a high pedigree ever since Clive's first year at the estate and today it is considered a Marlborough benchmark.
Wine reviews of a few of my most favourite wines from Nautilus are provided below. The wines of Nautilus are imported into Canada by Negociants International, and their Agent in Ontario is Breakthru Beverage Canada.
A short drive east in the Rapaura area along the northern edge of the Wairau Valley to Allan Scott Family Winemakers was the third stop of the day. As the name suggests, this is a family winery that established itself as one of the first independent wineries in Marlborough in 1990. Allan Scott planted some of the region's most famous vineyards, including the very first, and has worked at the winery every vintage since. Allan is one of the most experienced people in the Marlborough wine business as he has been working in the industry for nearly 50 years after settling in the region in 1973. Allan and his wife, Catherine, purchased a block of land to get into contract growing, setting themselves up for the new era of New Zealand's wine industry when independent winemakers began to emerge. All three of Allan and Catherine's children are now involved in the family's winemaking business.
The eldest daughter, Victoria, is responsible for marketing, while their son Josh is Chief Winemaker. Their younger daughter, Sara, also trained as a winemaker, but mostly works in the vineyard. I had the pleasure of meeting Sara as she gave me a quick tour of the facility. Allan Scott is one of the few wineries in Marlborough with their own bottling line. During the tour, I also was surprised to see that they are packaging wine in kegs so that wines can be served as Wine on Tap. After the conclusion of the tour, we headed to the on-site Allan Scott Bistro for a wine tasting with a fine lunch and great conversation. The Allan Scott Bistro has a lovely sheltered outdoor courtyard (where we enjoyed lunch), as well as indoor dining by the fire. During lunch, I also had the pleasure of meeting Mr. Allan Scott himself and later received a signed copy of his book - Marlborough Man.
Allan Scott is a member of Méthode Marlborough and their Cecilia Brut Méthode Traditionnelle NV (reviewed below) is a lovely Chardonnay-based sparkling wine that I hope comes to the LCBO, although it may be available through their Agent - The Case For Wine. I also learned that Allan Scott is experimenting with ageing sparkling wines under the sea - the wines were dropped into Marlborough Sounds a couple of years ago and they are looking to bring a few back up soon. Allan Scott also practices sustainability, while all wines beginning with the 2018 vintage are vegan-friendly.
In addition to their Marlborough wines, Allan Scott also has a vineyard and winery in Central Otago. As Sara explained to me, Central Otago in the deep south was a family holiday spot when they were younger, often referred to as "our base", with the name eventually morphing to "Scott Base" and the brand Scott Base Wines was borne. I enjoyed the Scott Base Pinot Noir (reviewed below) and it was one of the few wines from Central Otago I tasted on this trip to New Zealand.
The fourth stop of the day was southwest into the Waihopai Valley to visit Spy Valley Wines. The name of the winery comes from its proximity to an international satellite communications monitoring station - a spy base. I discovered the wines of Spy Valley a number of years ago, most notably their barrel-fermented ENVOY Sauvignon Blanc, and have been enamoured with their wines ever since. I met up with Tricia Pike, Cellar Door Supervisor, who gave me a tour of the winery and vineyards, followed by a tasting of many special wines from Spy Valley portfolio.
Spy Valley Wines was founded in the 1990s by Bryan and Jan Johnson when they established 180 hectares of estate vineyards on land in the Waihopai Valley considered too hard, too dry and too unfertile for wine. The terroir at Spy Valley is stony, free-draining riverbed terrain, while the terraced vines sit on both rocky riverside gravels and deeper clay and silt soils. The venture started as a passion for the land and continues today with a commitment to the land and people who tend it - nurturing the soil and vine, and focusing on sustainability to ensure guardianship of the land for generations to come.
Since the beginning, Spy Valley has been accredited under New Zealand Sustainable Winegrowing - an initiative that promotes economically and environmentally sustainable vineyard management. This sustainability initiative encompasses their own winery and vineyards, as well as grower vineyards, and they have seen firsthand how the environment has benefitted. At Spy Valley, some of these sustainability initiatives include biodiversity, minimal irrigation, reduce energy usage by various means such as the use of solar panels. Spy Valley also uses low-toxic and environmentally products in the vineyard and winery. The principles of reduce, reuse, and recycle are prevalent throughout Spy Valley. While their bottles are made out 96% recycled glass, they also crush their own glass to make a fine dust that they mulch and distribute below the vines, thus enhancing light reflection. When I took a stroll through the vineyard with Tricia, she talked about the fine glass dust that sits in the vineyard and that we must be careful. The mission at Spy Valley is to produce quality wines that ensure a sustainable business for the future, while also benefitting the environment. Spy Valley wines come through LCBO VINTAGES throughout the year, but are also available via their Agent - Noble Estates Wine & Spirits.
The fifth and final stop of the day was a 25 minute drive northeast into the mountainous locality of Koromiko, about 20 km north of Blenheim, to visit Johanneshof Cellars. This artisan boutique winery was established in 1991 by Edel Everling, from Germany, and Warwick Foley, a 5th generation New Zealander. Edel's family had been making wine for five generations, while Warwick, as a teenager, planted one of Marlborough's first vineyards on the steep hillside land in Koromiko in 1977. With a long history of European tradition combined with Kiwi ingenuity, they have combined old world knowledge and customs with new world terroir to produce a collection of outstanding New Zealand fine wines.
In keeping with Europe's century old wine culture, Edel and Warwick created New Zealand's first underground rock cellar in 1993. It was tunnelled into solid sandstone and is located underneath their hillside Maybern Vineyard. I had the pleasure of taking a tour and experiencing an intimate tasting in the cellar with Edel and Warwick and their lovely 2009 EMMI Brut Méthode Traditionnelle (reviewed below) which spent 7 years on the lees. The cool, stable temperature and high natural humidity of their underground cellar provides ideal storage conditions to allow the maturation of wines, which are aged in French barriques and German barrels.
Another unique thing about Johanneshof Cellars is the aforementioned Maybern Estate Vineyard. It stretches up behind the estate, on a 30 degree slope, northwest facing, and oversees the winery and cellar door below. The Maybern vineyard is not irrigated and is the only vineyard in Marlborough to have Kenepuru (sandy silt) soils over a bedrock of schist and iron-rich sandstone. All of the wines are made on-site by Edel and Warwick by combining traditional winemaking techniques with modern technology, including the use of gravity to move the wine throughout the facility. Johanneshof Cellars is a member of New Zealand Winegrowers, New Zealand Sustainable Winegrowing, and a founding member of Méthode Marlborough.
Since I was a bit pressed for time because I had a plane to catch to Hawke's Bay, I didn't get a close look at the vineyard, nor the winemaking facility, and instead tasted through almost the entire portfolio that consisted of many lovely wines (a few of my favourites are reviewed below). Unfortunately, the wines from Johanneshof Cellars are not available in Canada at the time of my visit, but they are seeking representation.
This concluded my short trip through Marlborough wine country by visiting eight wineries over two days. The Sauvignon Blanc wines I tasted were lovely, as expected. I was pleasantly surprised by the high quality Pinot Noir wines, as well as the fresh Pinot Gris. The biggest surprise were the white wines made with Albariño and Grüner Veltliner - two grapes not widely planted, but growing in popularity.
Full wine reviews of some of my many favourites wines from Marlborough are below, and my next post is a visit to Hawke's Bay for a full day of wine tasting. Pricing is in Canadian dollars, unless otherwise noted, and would be approximate given the timing of this post.
Tasting Notes:
VILLA MARIA SINGLE VINEYARD SOUTHERN CLAYS SAUVIGNON BLANC 2019 - Southern Valleys, Marlborough, South Island, New Zealand (#447474) (XD) - $29.99 Bottled recently. A single vineyard Sauvignon Blanc with grapes coming from the Southern Clays sub-region within the Wairau Valley that has tight, dense clay soils. With many months on yeast lees, this has fresh, lemony, stone fruit, citrus, herbs, and some yeasty/leesy characters, as well as earthy mineral aromas. On the medium-full bodied palate, it is rich, creamy and nicely textured with very nice citrusy, peach, and grapefruit flavours supported by juicy acids. Very good length on the finish. Needs another 1-2 years to really show itself. Score: 91+ pts
VILLA MARIA SINGLE VINEYARD SEDDON PINOT GRIS 2018 - Awatere Valley, Marlborough, South Island, New Zealand (#497361) (D) - $34.90 From a cool, long ripening site with wind blown silt soils on the southern bank of the Awatere River. One-third of this delicious wine was wild fermented used barrels and had 6 months of lees contact. This single vineyard Pinot Gris has a medium-high intensity nose that is clean and elegant with peach, nectarine, and citrus aromas, plus some leesy, stone fruit, and spice characters. It’s medium-full bodied, fleshy, richly textured and a touch creamy in the mouth. Off-dry on the palate with honeysuckle, ripe stone fruit, peach, ginger spice flavours. It has balanced acids and finishes long with ginger spice, peach, and citrus notes. Score: 92 pts
VILLA MARIA TAYLORS PASS PINOT NOIR 2016 - Awatere Valley, Marlborough, South Island, New Zealand (XD) - $59.99 NZD Made with Clone 5, 667, and 777 on a terrace furthest away from the Awatere River with an interesting soil split between stony and silty for clones 667 and 777, leading to the grapes being picked in lots and vinified separately. The nose is fresh, elegant, and perfumed with sweet baking spice, raspberry, rhubarb, and cherry aromas, plus some blueberry and mulberry notes. The medium-full bodied palate has lovely, velvety tannins that have some grip on the back palate. Very nice aroma replays on the balanced flavour profile, lingering through to the long, succulent finish. Enjoy over the next 5-7 years. Score: 92
NAUTILUS ESTATE CUVÉE MARLBOROUGH BRUT NV - Traditional Method, Marlborough, South Island, New Zealand (XD) - $39 NZD Made in the traditional method since 1989, consisting of 75% Pinot Noir and 25% Chardonnay and aged for a minimum of 36 months on the lees in used oak barrels. Lovely, fragrant aromatics deliver biscuity, toasty, yeasty, and lemon citrus notes that have more citrusy and grapefruit replays on the crisp, dry palate. Bubbles are fine while acids are crisp and refreshing. Excellent length on the dry finish. Score: 91 pts
NAUTILUS SOUTHERN VALLEYS PINOT NOIR 2016 - Marlborough, South Island, New Zealand (#606913) (XD) - $29.95 Indigenous yeast fermented, with some whole bunch fermentation, and matured in French oak for 11 months. Fresh, medium+ intensity nose is earthy with beetroot, rhubarb, cherry, and spice aromas. It’s medium+ bodied and nicely balanced with lovely aroma replays, plus cran-cherry flavours, supported by fine-grained tannins that offer some structure on the back palate. Balanced throughout with a long, clean finish. Enjoy over the next 6-8 years. Score: 90+ pts
NAUTILUS CLAY HILLS VINEYARD PINOT NOIR 2016 - Marlborough, South Island, New Zealand (XD) - $68 NZD 25% whole bunch fermented. Clean, refined and elegant nose features earthy, beetroot, cherry, rhubarb, and subtle sweet spice aromas are quite complex. The medium-full bodied, structured palate is spiced with lovely raspberry replays, plus touches of tea leaf and supported by succulent, juicy acids. Tannins are on the firm side, but well-integrated. Excellent length on the finish with savoury beetroot, rhubarb, and spice notes. Score: 92 pts
ALLAN SCOTT CECILIA BRUT MÉTHODE TRADITIONNELLE NV - Marlborough, South Island, New Zealand (XD) - $26 NZD Vegan-friendly and predominantly Chardonnay blended with Pinot Noir that spent 18+ months on lees, this has a fairly aromatic and clean nose with biscuity, leesy, yeasty, and citrus aromas with touches of seaweed. It has fine mousse and crisp acids on the palate with citrus and grapefruit flavours, plus biscuity and pastry notes. Long, crisp, and dry with touches of saline on the finish. Score: 90 pts
ALLAN SCOTT WHITE LABEL SAUVIGNON BLANC 2019 - Marlborough, South Island, New Zealand (XD) - $18.95 The restrained, medium-high intensity nose is elegant and clean with ripe tropical fruit, passion fruit, kiwi aromas, and whiffs of minerality. Nicely balanced on the medium-full bodied, slightly creamy palate with very good fruit concentration. Lovely, balanced aroma replays on the flavour profile and supported by vibrant acids that continue through to the long, ripe finish. Vegan-friendly. Score: 91 pts
ALLAN SCOTT SCOTT BASE PINOT NOIR 2018 - Central Otago, South Island, New Zealand (XD) - $38 NZD Lovely, perfumed aromas of raspberry, black cherry, currant, and spice, with some beetroot and earth. It’s medium+ bodied with firm, structured tannins and nice raspberry and black cherry replays layered over earthy tones on the flavour profile. There's fresh, balanced acidity, and a long savoury finish with raspberry and black cherry notes. Should improve in 2-3 years. Score: 91 pts
SPY VALLEY ENVOY SAUVIGNON BLANC 2015 - Johnson Vineyard, Waihopai Valley, Marlborough, South Island, New Zealand (#429308) (XD) - $29.95 Naturally fermented in French oak for 6-10 months, this has a highly aromatic and complex nose with smoky, flinty, citrusy lemon/lime aromas and hints of herbally and grassy notes. It’s medium-full bodied with lovely smoky, herbaceous, herbally, green pepper flavours, plus hints of white peach. It has a very nice texture with juicy acids and a long, juicy finish. Should continue to drink well over the next 5 years. Score: 91 pts
SPY VALLEY ENVOY GEWURZTRAMINER 2018 - Johnson Vineyard, Waihopai Valley, Marlborough, South Island, New Zealand (M) - $34.90 NZD Fermented in small oak barrels, this has a lovely, highly aromatic nose of floral, lychee, rose, candied ginger, and honeyed spice notes. The medium-full bodied palate is rich and spiced with nicely balanced, medium sweet aroma replays. Lively acids freshen the juicy palate. Lovely honeyed spice flavours linger on the long, clean finish. Score: 92 pts
SPY VALLEY HANDPICKED SINGLE ESTATE PINOT NOIR 2016 - Southern Valleys, Marlborough, South Island, New Zealand (XD) - $32.90 NZD Handpicked as individual vineyard blocks and vinified separately until final blending. Naturally fermented and aged for 11 months in French oak. Lovely, black cherry, spice, earthy, beetroot, and rhubarb aromas that echo on the nicely balanced, lightly oak spiced, medium-full bodied palate with very good fruit concentration. Acids are very good, while tannins are smooth and finely-grained. More black cherry, currant, and cherry with spice notes linger on the long finish. Score: 91 pts
JOHANNESHOF CELLARS METHODE TRADITIONNELLE EMMI BRUT 2009 - Marlborough, South Island, New Zealand (XD) - $41 NZD A blend of 75% Pinot Noir and 25% Chardonnay that spent 7 years on the lees. This sparkling wine has a lovely, highly aromatic and complex nose featuring biscuity, leesy, toasty, fine lees, pastry and some citrus notes. mature fine bubbles and acids. Fresh acids, juicy, lovely citrusy still quite fresh. The medium-bodied palate is citrusy with fine, mature bubbles and still quite fresh acidity. Fine pastry, biscuity, and brioche flavours that continue through to the long, slightly minerally finish. Fine bubbly! Score: 93 pts
JOHANNESHOF CELLARS PINOT GRIS 2019 - Marlborough, South Island, New Zealand (D) - $25 NZD Tank sample. Restrained stone fruit, white peach, and some earthy characters on the nose. The medium-full bodied palate is fat, fleshy, and concentrated with lovely off-dry flavours of honeysuckle, quince, and peach flavours supported by balanced acidity. Some herbal, stone fruit, and white peach flavours linger on the finish, with very good length. Score: 90 pts
JOHANNESHOF CELLARS RIESLING 2019 - Marlborough, South Island, New Zealand (D) - $24 NZD Fresh, honeysuckle, floral, lemon-lime and stony mineral aromas in a dry profile emanate from the glass. It is medium+ bodied on the palate with a nice, fleshy texture and off-dry flavours of white peach, lime zest, mineral, and herbs. It has juicy acids while the long, complex finish has herbally, white peach, quince, pear and floral characters. Score: 90 pts
Friday, June 2, 2023
