Showing posts with label loire. Show all posts
Showing posts with label loire. Show all posts

First image of this post
  • Date publishedSaturday, September 23, 2023

Henkell Brut Crémant de Loire 2016 (France) - Wine Review



sparkling wine review is a delicious vintage Crémant from Loire that arrived at the LCBO as part of the recent LCBO VINTAGES New Release Collection on .

It is produced by Henkell, a leading, family-owned sparkling wine producer that is based in Wiesbaden, Germany. Henkell is an international star and best seller when it comes to exporting the German sparkling wine culture as their wines are found globally in more than 100 countries.

It all began when wine lover, Adam Henkell, opened a store as a wine merchant in 1832. He later discovered the fine art of crafting traditional method sparkling wine in France and brought this knowledge back home to Germany, marrying the French art of the cuvée with the German art of cellar-mastery. Following the French example, Henkell made his first outstanding sparkling wines in 1856, marking the beginning of a unique German success story. The Henkell brand of sparkling wines was famous all over the world before the end of the 19th century thanks to Otto Henkell, Adam's grandson. Henkell was also an export pioneer and market leader before the turn of the century, and in the 1950's, after Otto Henkell II took the helm, the company played an important role in the German economic miracle. Since its inception, Henkell has used the best base wines and the perfect technical skills of both German and French cellarmasters to guarantee its inimitable flavour and consistently high quality.

This sparkling wine was launched by Henkell in the fast-growing product segment of Crémant de Loire as a tribute to its French roots. Founder Adam Henkell learned the fine art of sparkling wine production in France and also had his own winery in the French town of Reims, the home of Champagne.

It is not often we see vintage-dated Crémant, but the grapes for this bubbly were hand-harvested at the end of the 2016 growing season, and only the best juices were selected for this wine. It is crafted in the traditional method using 60% Chenin Blanc, 20% Chardonnay, 15% Pinot Noir, and 5% Cabernet Franc. The first fermentation took place in temperature-controlled stainless steel tanks. It was aged on its lees for a short period of time, then underwent a second fermentation in bottle for about 3 years in natural cellars, where the temperature remains a constant 12-13°C and provides the optimal environment for secondary fermentation. Let's see how this 2016 Crémant de Loire sparkling wine is tasting tonight...

Henkell Brut Crémant de Loire 2016 (88+ pts)

Tasting Note:

HENKELL BRUT CRÉMANT DE LOIRE 2016 - Traditional method, AP, Loire, France (#29893) (D) - $21.95
A blend of 60% Chenin Blanc, 20% Chardonnay, 15% Pinot Noir, and 5% Cabernet Franc. The attractive, medium+ intensity nose has lemon citrus, pear, and peach aromas nuanced with brioche, autolytic, and toasty characters. It's medium-full bodied with some sweetness on the palate with honeyed flavours of ripe pear, peach, lemon citrus, plus some toasty, brioche, and hazelnut notes adding a savoury component. It has a crisp mouthfeel with a fine mousse and fresh acidity. More savoury with leesy mineral notes and hints citrus lingering on the finish, with very good length. Recommended buy. Score: 88+ pts

Other delicious sparkling wines by Henkell are available at the LCBO and through their Agent - Mark Anthony Wine & Spirits.


First image of this post
  • Date publishedThursday, September 14, 2023

Jean-Max Roger Cuvée Les Caillottes Sancerre 2021 (Loire) - Wine Review

After enjoying the beautiful 2020 Jean-Max Roger Cuvée Les Caillottes Sancerre in April, white wine review is the latest vintage of a perennially excellent Sauvignon Blanc from Sancerre that arrived at the LCBO last weekend, as part of the recent LCBO VINTAGES New Release Collection on .

This white wine is crafted by one of my favourite producers, Jean-Max Roger, a renowned wine producer based in the village of Bué, just southwest of the town of Sancerre, within the Loire Valley wine region in France. The Roger family comes from a long line of winegrowers, with the first mention of the family name dating back to the 17th century. Up until the 1960s, the Roger family practiced mixed farming with animal rearing. When Jean-Max Roger and his wife, Nicole, took over the 4 hectares of vines from his parents in the 1970s, they focused their attention on developing the vineyards and estate.

Under the guidance of Jean-Max, the winery experienced significant growth and gained recognition for producing exceptional Sancerre wines. Today, the estate covers 28 hectares of vines within the Sancerre appellation, with more than 40 plots that offer exceptional diversity of exposure, slope, and soil profiles which are dispersed among the region's three most renowned terroirs - Caillottes, Kimmeridgian Marl, and Flint. This diversity, combined with the Roger family's winemaking expertise, allows each wine to express all of the uniqueness of their terroirs through their structure, elegance, and finesse.

Jean-Max Roger's passion for wine was naturally passed on to his sons, Thibault and Etienne, and in 2004, the brothers joined their father at the family estate. While complementing each other, the brothers perpetuate the family's know-how, vineyard and winemaking techniques to improve their wines with each passing vintage. The Roger family is dedicated to producing terroir-driven wines with finesse, purity, and typicity, which has helped solidify Jean-Max Roger's reputation as one of Sancerre's top wine producers.

Like previous vintages, this Sauvignon Blanc was grown in the villages of Bué, Amigny, and Sancerre, on limestone soils called "caillottes", with vineyard exposure to the south and southwest. The vines are roughly between 6 to 40 years of age and tended to produce grapes that reveal their terroir. Yields are controlled, while organic amendments and deep soil working revitalize soil life. At the winery, the wines are vinified to reflect the fruitiness and density of the vintage. After harvest, the grapes are immediately pneumatically pressed and cold settled for between 48 and 72 hours to protect the aromas. Temperature-controlled, long fermentation was carried out using natural yeasts, followed by ageing on its heavy lees to develop minerality. After fining and filtration to stabilize the wine, it was bottled at the estate using their own facilities.

The 2021 growing season in Sancerre was a complicated one with frost, mildew, and storms, with great variability on a daily basis. Yields were down with fewer clusters, but the fruit that was harvested is of high quality, resulting in wines that were surprisingly good. Let's see how this 2021 Sauvignon Blanc from Sancerre is tasting tonight...

Jean-Max Roger Cuvée Les Caillottes Sancerre 2021 (93 pts)

Tasting Note:

JEAN-MAX ROGER CUVÉE LES CAILLOTTES SANCERRE 2021 - AC, Loire, France (#65573) (XD) - $36.95
100% Sauvignon Blanc. Elegant and beautifully intense, the aromatic nose offers lemon/lime citrus, stony minerality, grassy herbs, guava, tropical fruit, and grapefruit aromas with hints of melon. It's medium-full bodied, impressively concentrated, and well-structured on the crunchy palate. Dry and complex with lightly honeyed flavours of lemon/lime, citrus, white floral, ripe apple, and pear, with touches of guava, tapering to stony mineral notes. Gently spicy on the mid-palate. It has nicely textured mouthfeel that is supported by juicy, well-balanced acidity. Stony, leesy mineral notes linger on the exceptionally long, balanced finish. Highly recommended buy! Score: 93 pts

Other fine wines by Jean-Max Roger are available at the LCBO, as well as through their Agent - Connexion Oenophilia and Noble Estates Wines & Spirits.


First image of this post
  • Date publishedWednesday, June 28, 2023

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

Jean-Max Roger La Grange Dîmière Sancerre Rosé 2022 (XX pts) and Jean-Max Roger Cuvée Marnes et Caillottes Sancerre 2021 (93 pts)
wine reviews are a pair of excellent wines from Sancerre in the Loire Valley that arrived at the LCBO over the weekend as part of the LCBO VINTAGES New Release Collection.

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

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

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

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

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

Tasting Notes:

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

Jean-Max Roger Cuvée Marnes et Caillottes Sancerre 2021 (93 pts)

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

Jean-Max Roger La Grange Dîmière Sancerre Rosé 2022 (91 pts)

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


First image of this post
  • Date publishedWednesday, April 19, 2023

Jean-Max Roger Cuvée Genèse Sancerre 2021 (Loire) - Wine Review

After the enjoying the beautiful 2020 Jean-Max Roger Cuvée Les Caillottes Sancerre over the weekend, white wine review is its excellent companion that also arrived at the LCBO last weekend as part of the LCBO VINTAGES New Release Collection on .

It is produced by Jean-Max Roger, one of the most highly regarded wine producers in Sancerre and the Loire Valley. The Roger family comes from long-line of of winegrowers in the village of Bué, with the family name first mentioned in the 17th century. Until the 1960s, the family practiced mixed farming which included animal rearing.

In the 1970s, Jean-Max Roger took over the 4 hectares of vines from his parents and together with his wife, Nicole, they focused on developing the vineyards and the estate. Their passion and love for wine and terroir was naturally passed on to their sons, Thibault and Etienne, and in 2004 both joined the family estate. The brothers complement each other, perpetuating their family's know-how and techniques to improve their wines with each passing vintage. Today, the estate covers 28 hectares of vines in the Sancerre appellation, and 6 hectares in Menetou-Salon, with more than 40 plots that offer exceptional diversity of exposure, slope, and soil profiles. This diversity, combined with the Roger family's winemaking expertise, allows each wine to express all of the uniqueness of their terroirs through their structure, elegance, and finesse.

I've enjoyed this Sancerre Blanc many times over the years, including most recently the 2020 Jean-Max Roger Cuvée Genèse Sancerre back in September. It is crafted with 100% Sauvignon Blanc that was grown in ancestral plots in the village of Bué, in Grand Chemarin and neighbouring vineyards with identical agronomic characteristics. It gets its name "Cuvée Genèse" because this is the wine that has shaped the tastes of several generations of the Roger family and it is the genesis of the estate.

The Sauvignon Blanc vines are between 10-40 years old and planted on stony, limestone, and calcareous soils called "caillottes" with south-eastern exposure to the sun. Like other wines in the portfolio, the vineyards are managed according to organic principles to produce grapes that reveal its terroir. At the winery, the wines are produced to reflect the fruitiness and density of the vintage. The grapes are immediately pneumatically pressed upon arrival at the winery, then cold settled for between 48 and 72 hours. It undergoes a long, temperature-controlled fermentation using natural yeasts, followed by ageing on heavy lees. After fining and filtration, the wine is bottled at the estate. From a challenging 2021 growing season, let's see how this Sauvignon Blanc from Sancerre is tasting tonight...

Jean-Max Roger Cuvée Genèse Sancerre 2021 (92+ pts)

Tasting Note:

JEAN-MAX ROGER CUVÉE GENÈSE SANCERRE 2021 - AC, Loire, France (#189126) (XD) - $37.95
100% Sauvignon Blanc. Fresh, fragrant, and intensely aromatic with impressive depth, it has lovely aromas of lemon citrus, white floral, flinty-earthy minerality, pear, quince, and melon. On the dry, medium-full bodied palate it has very good concentration with ripe, lightly honeyed flavours of citrus, pear, quince, and flinty-earthy-leesy minerality. It's supported by fresh, crisp, and lively acidity, and a pleasing textural mouthfeel on the mid-palate. Leesy minerality with citrus, quince, and pear notes linger on the very long, crisp finish. Highly recommended buy! Score: 92+ pts

Other lovely wines by Jean-Max Roger can be purchased at the LCBO or through their Agent - Connexion Oenophilia.


First image of this post
  • Date publishedSunday, April 16, 2023

Jean-Max Roger Cuvée Les Caillottes Sancerre 2020 (Loire) - Wine Review

white wine review is this beautiful Sauvignon Blanc from Sancerre that arrived at the LCBO this weekend as part of the LCBO VINTAGES New Release Collection.

It is produced by Jean-Max Roger, one of my favourite Loire Valley wine producers. The Roger family comes from a long-line of winegrowers in the village of Bué, which is located just west and a little south of the town of Sancerre. The first mention of the Roger family name dates back to the 17th century and up until the 1960s, the Roger family practiced mixed farming with animal rearing. In the 1970s, Jean-Max Roger took over the 4 hectares of vines from his parents and together with his wife, Nicole, they focused on developing the vineyards and the estate.

Today, Jean-Max Roger is one of the most highly regarded wine producers in Sancerre and the Loire Valley. Their passion and love for wine and terroir was naturally passed on to their sons, Thibault and Etienne, and in 2004 both joined the family estate. The brothers complement each other, perpetuating their family's know-how and techniques to improve their wines with each passing vintage. The estate covers 28 hectares of vines in the Sancerre appellation, and 6 hectares in Menetou-Salon, with more than 40 plots that offer exceptional diversity of exposure, slope, and soil profiles. This diversity, combined with the Roger family's winemaking expertise, allows each wine to express all of the uniqueness of their terroirs through their structure, elegance, and finesse.

I've had the pleasure of tasting previous vintages of this lovely white wine from Sancerre, including most recently the 2019 Jean-Max Roger Cuvée Les Caillottes Sancerre last September. It is crafted with 100% Sauvignon Blanc that was grown in the famous vineyards of Saint Martin, L'Epée, and others, within the villages of Bué, Amigny, and Sancerre. Most importantly, this is a terroir-focused wine where all of the grapes were grown on limestone soils called "caillottes", and hence, where the wine gets its name from. The grapes have southern and south-western exposure to the sun. The vines are between 6-40 years of age and were managed according to organic principles to produce grapes that reveal its terroir. After harvesting, the grapes are brought to the winery and immediately pneumatically pressed and cold settled for between 48 and 72 hours. It undergoes a long, temperature-controlled fermentation using natural yeasts, followed by ageing on heavy lees. After fining and filtering, the wine is bottled at the estate using their own facilities.

The 2020 growing season was the warmest ever recorded in the Loire Valley. However, periods of intense rain helped fully replenish the soils. March and April were alternately warm and cool, while late April and May were warm; July began cool, but turned very warm, while August was hot. There were some welcomed rains at the end of August, leading to fine September weather. Overall, 2020 is an excellent vintage with wines having concentration, freshness, and poise. Let's see how this 2020 Sauvignon Blanc from Sancerre is tasting tonight...

Jean-Max Roger Cuvée Les Caillottes Sancerre 2020 (93 pts)

Tasting Note:

JEAN-MAX ROGER CUVÉE LES CAILLOTTES SANCERRE 2020 - AC, Loire, France (#65573) (XD) - $35.95
100% Sauvignon Blanc. Fresh, fragrant, open, and highly aromatic on the nose with lovely lemon citrus, quince, pear, and spring flower aromas with a fine, flinty mineral underpinning. It is medium to medium-full bodied on the well-structured, dry, and ripe palate with deliciously elegant lemon citrus, stone fruit, apple, quince, and pear replays, plus spicy notes, herbs, and flinty mineral flavours. It is impeccably well-balanced throughout with crisp, juicy acidity, while minerally, herbal, and stone fruit characters linger on the finish, with excellent length. Wow. Highly recommended buy! Score: 93 pts

Other lovely wines by Jean-Max Roger can be purchased at the LCBO or through their Agent - Connexion Oenophilia.


First image of this post
  • Date publishedThursday, February 23, 2023

Jean-Max Roger Cuvée La Grange Dîmière Sancerre Rouge 2017 (Loire) - Wine Review

red wine review is a lovely Pinot Noir from Sancerre that arrived at the LCBO last weekend. It was featured as part of the theme on wines from France's top wine regions in the LCBO VINTAGES Release and is available online at lcbo.com and at Flagship Exclusive locations in Ontario.

It is produced by Jean-Max Roger, one of my favourite Loire wine producers. Jean-Max Roger is a family-owned winery that descends from a long line of winegrowers from the village of Bué, in the Sancerre appellation, dating back to the early 17th century. In the early 1970's, Jean-Max Roger took over the 4 hectares of vineyards from his parents and, with his wife Nicole, focused on developing the vineyards to become one of the top estates in Sancerre today. The Rogers family passion was transferred to their sons with Etienne and Thibault joining the family estate in 2004, while their third son, Xavier, has a passion for wine and works in the Languedoc-Roussillon region. Today, the estate covers 26 hectares in the Sancerre AOC, all located along the Loire River, and together they perpetuate the family know-how and techniques to continuously improve their wines vintage after vintage.

Pinot Noir from this region in France is a bit of a rarity here in Ontario, and this particular wine seems to show up at the LCBO once every 2-3 years. I've had the pleasure of tasting previous vintages this lovely Pinot on a couple of occasions, including most recently the 2015 Jean-Max Roger Cuvée La Grange Dîmière Sancerre Rouge back in July 2020. It's name "La Grange Dîmière" refers to one of Bué's ancient tithe barns. The ancestors of Jean-Max Roger used this barn for making their wine and today it remains the oldest part of the winery.

This Sancerre Rouge is crafted with 100% Pinot Noir that was grown in various vineyards within the villages of Bué, Sancerre, and Amigny, on limestone soils called Caillottes and Terres Blanches, which are also known as Kimmeridgian marls. The vines average between 25 to 40 years old and have southwestern and southeastern exposure to the sun. Across each vineyard, the grapes were grown to reveal its terroir while revitalizing and respecting soil life. The grapes were hand-harvested, sorted, de-stemmed, and crushed, and after a few days of cold maceration it was fermented using natural yeasts. Approximately 30% of the wine was aged for 10-12 months in 400 L barrels, and the wine was aged in bottle for at least another 6 months prior to release.

From a somewhat difficult start to the growing season in 2017 that began with frosts, the fortunes turned and became picture-perfect throughout summer and allowed the grapes to full ripen. Overall, the 2017 vintage in Loire is a good one, with especially high-quality in Sancerre. Let's see how this 2017 Sancerre Rouge is tasting tonight...

Jean-Max Roger Cuvée La Grange Dîmière Sancerre Rouge 2017 (91 pts)

Tasting Note:

JEAN-MAX ROGER CUVÉE LA GRANGE DÎMIÈRE SANCERRE ROUGE 2017 - AC, Loire, France (#539858) (XD) - $33.95
100% Pinot Noir. The medium-high intensity nose has ripe, maturing, and slightly stewed strawberry, red berry, raspberry, and cranberry aromas surrounded by enticing savoury mineral, earthy, and spice notes. It's light-to-mid weighted on the dry palate with delicious strawberry-cran-cherry, raspberry, and spice flavours layered over mineral and savoury earth notes. It has very good acidity and supple, well-structured tannins and a light grip on the mid-palate. I really like the long, elegant, stony mineral and raspberry flavoured finish. Highly recommended buy! Score: 91 pts

Only small quantities of other wines from the Jean-Max Roger portfolio are available at the LCBO, but they can also be ordered through their Agent - Connexion Oenophilia.


First image of this post
  • Date publishedSaturday, December 10, 2022

Jean-Max Roger Cuvée Marnes et Caillottes Sancerre 2020 (Loire) - Wine Review

A perennial favourite, white wine review is this excellent Sauvignon Blanc from Sancerre that came to the LCBO last weekend as part of the LCBO VINTAGES Release.

It is produced by Jean-Max Roger, a winemaking family that descends from a long line of winegrowers dating back to at least the 17th century in the village of Bué, in Sancerre of the Loire Valley. Up until the 1960s, the Roger practised mixed farming and animal rearing, but when Jean-Max Roger took over in the 1970s from what his parents left him, he (along with his wife Nicole) focused on the 4 hectares of vineyards they had and developed the estate to become one of the top producers in the Loire. They passed on their love for wine and terroir to their sons, and in 2004 Thibault and Etienne, two of their three sons, joined their father at the estate.

Today, Thibault and Etienne continue to define the estate's identity, which is comprised of 34 hectares of land, of which 28 hectares are in the Sancerre appellation. There are more than forty plots of land which offer exceptional diversity of exposure, slope and soil profiles, and are dispersed among the region's three most renowned terroirs - Caillottes (stony calcareous clay soil), Kimmeridgian Marl or Terres Blanches (clayey calcareous clay soil), and Flint (siliceous clay soil). As a complementary team, Thibault and Etienne perpetuate the family know-how and techniques that they are perfecting vintage after vintage. Along with their winemaking expertise, the various terroirs allows each of their wines to express all of the uniqueness of their terroirs through their structure, elegance and finesse.

This Sancerre is crafted with 100% Sauvignon Blanc that was grown in various vineyards within the villages of Bué & Amigny, with soils consisting of Kimmeridgian Marls called "Marnes" and Limestone called "Caillottes", hence the name of the wine. The vines are between 5 and 40 years of age and grown to reveal its terroir, while also using organic techniques and respecting soil life. In the winery, the grapes go through a pneumatic press and a long, temperature-controlled fermentation using natural yeasts. The wine is aged on heavy lees to develop minerality, and fined and filtered prior to bottling at the estate using their own facilities.

I enjoyed the 2019 Jean-Max Roger Cuvée Marnes et Caillottes Sancerre in August of last year and am excited to try the latest vintage. The winter leading up to the 2020 growing season was the warmest ever recorded the Loire Valley, but also featured periods of intense rains that fully replenished the soils. March and April were alternately warm and cool, while late-April and May were very warm. July began cool, but then turned very warm, while August was hot. Harvest began after some welcome rains at the end of August, leading into fine weather for the month of September. The 2020 vintage was another excellent vintage in the Loire Valley with wines showing excellent concentration, freshness, and poise.

This white wine is quite possibly my favourite wine in the Jean-Max Roger portfolio. Let's see how this 2020 Sancerre is tasting tonight...

Jean-Max Roger Cuvée Marnes et Caillottes Sancerre 2020 (92 pts)

Tasting Note:

JEAN-MAX ROGER CUVÉE MARNES ET CAILLOTTES SANCERRE 2020 - AC, Loire, France (#196667) (XD) - $33.95
Lovely, intense, and ripe aromas of lemon citrus, melon, and grapefruit with touches of tropical fruit, all underpinned by fine, stony minerality. It has very good fruit concentration on the medium-full bodied palate with ripe, slightly honeyed and gently spicy flavours of lemon citrus, melon, grapefruit, apple, peach, and tropical fruits framed by fresh and elegant acidity. Nicely balanced throughout with fine, leesy mineral notes lingering on the long, crisp finish. Highly recommended buy! Score: 92 pts

Both the Jean-Max Roger Cuvée Les Caillottes Sancerre 2019 and Cuvée Genèse Sancerre 2020 that I enjoyed recently are available at the LCBO, while other wines from Jean-Max Roger can be ordered through their Agent - Connexion Oenophilia.


First image of this post
  • Date publishedMonday, December 5, 2022

Le Fils des Gras Moutons Sur Lie Muscadet Sèvre-et-Maine 2021 (Loire) - Wine Review

wine review is a lovely, organic white wine from the Loire Velley in France that arrived at the LCBO over the weekend as part of the LCBO VINTAGES Release.

It is produced by Claude Branger at Domaine Haute Févrie in the heart of the Muscadet Sèvre et Maine appellation in the Loire Valley. The Domaine was founded 18 km southeast of Nantes during the First World War by Claude's grandfather. For many years, Claude worked alongside his father for many years, and in 2007 he was joined by his son Sébastien to become the fourth generation of the family to carefully tend the estate's vines which are situated on hills overlooking the Sèvre River, ‎between the communes of Saint-Fiacre and Monnières. As conscientious winegrowers, the Branger family harvests all of their grapes by hand, and starting in 2016, Sébastien embarked on a vision to convert all of their vineyards to organic farming. By 2019, all of the domain's parcels were fully certified organic.

I've enjoyed this consistently delicious wine many times over the years, including most recently the 2019 Le Fils des Gras Moutons Sur Lie Muscadet Sèvre-et-Maine last year in July. Certified organic, this white wine is crafted with the Melon de Bourgogne varietal from 10 hectares of vines averaging 40+ years old that were grown in the earlier maturing plots of the Les Gras Moutons vineyard. The vines are planted on soils that sit on a granite bedrock that is metamorphic gneiss full of mica and quartz. The grapes were hand-picked and after fermentation rested on its lees for 6-7 months prior to bottling.

2021 was a tricky growing season in the Loire with difficult weather and yields down significantly. However, the resulting wines were surprisingly good with the cool growing season naturally favouring aromatic varietals which preserved their elegant structures and clean, crisp acidity. Let's see how this 2021 Muscadet is tasting tonight...

Le Fils des Gras Moutons Sur Lie Muscadet Sèvre-et-Maine 2021 (90 pts)

Tasting Note:

LE FILS DES GRAS MOUTONS SUR LIE MUSCADET SÈVRE-ET-MAINE 2021 - AC, Loire, France (#363150) (XD) - $17.95
This lovely organic wine crafted with 100% Melon de Bourgogne has a crisp, elegant, and focused medium-high intensity nose with appealing aromas of lemon-lime citrus, orchard fruit, apple, and mineral with hints of melon and peach adding further complexity. There's good weight on the dry, medium+ bodied palate that is slightly honeyed with ripe apple, lemon-lime peel citrus, saline mineral, and subtle spice flavours, plus orange and melon notes. There's a subtle chalky mouthfeel on the mid-palate, along with clean, crisp, and juicy acidity. Minerally with citrus and apple notes lingering on the long, juicy, and dry finish. Ideal with oysters. Highly recommended buy! Score: 90 pts

You can find other lovely wines by Domaine Haute Févrie through their Agent - Connexion Oenophilia.


First image of this post
  • Date publishedSunday, September 18, 2022

Jean-Max Roger Cuvée Les Caillottes Sancerre 2019 and Cuvée Genèse Sancerre 2020 (Loire) - Wine Reviews

wine reviews are a pair of perennially excellent white Sancerre wines crafted with Sauvignon Blanc from Loire that arrived at the LCBO recently as part of the LCBO VINTAGES Release.

Jean-Max Roger Cuvée Les Caillottes Sancerre 2019 (92+ pts) and Cuvée Genèse Sancerre 2020 (92 pts)

These lovely wines are produced by Jean-Max Roger, one of my favourite producers from the Loire Valley. The Roger family descends from a long line of winegrowers from the village of Bué, with the first mention of the family name dating back to the 17th century. Up until the 1960s, the Roger family practiced mixed farming with animal rearing. In the 1970s, Jean-Max Roger took over the 4 hectares of vines from his parents left for him and together with his wife, Nicole, they focused on developing the vineyards and estate to make it the highly regarded producer it is today. In 2004, their sons, Thibault and Etienne, joined them at the estate. Today, Thibault and Etienne carry on their parents' passion for wine and terroir and define the estate's identity. The brothers complement each other, perpetuating their family's know-how and techniques to improve their wines with each passing vintage.

Both of these wines are crafted with 100% Sauvignon Blanc that was grown on Sancerre's famous limestone soils called "caillottes". The vineyards were managed to produce grapes that reveal its terroir, including the use of organic principles and working the deep soils to revitalize the soil life. Jean-Max Roger also uses Guyot Poussard pruning to have a better balance of stock, while also performing spring debudding to control yields. Weeds are controlled mechanically while also respecting soil life.

In the winery, Jean-Max Roger uses a similar vinification process for each wine. They start by using a pneumatic press with cold settlement for between 48 and 72 hours. The wines undergo a temperature-controlled, long fermentation using natural yeasts to develop aromatic complexity, followed by ageing on heavy lees to develop minerality. After fining and filtration to stabilize the aromas and wine, it is bottled at the estate and rests for a couple of months prior to release.

While these wines come from different vintages, both the 2019 and 2020 vintage are considered very good years for Sauvignon Blanc. Let's see how this Sauvignon Blanc wines from Sancerre are tasting tonight...

Tasting Notes:

JEAN-MAX ROGER CUVÉE LES CAILLOTTES SANCERRE 2019 - AC, Loire, France (#65573) (XD) - $31.95
100% Sauvignon Blanc from vines ranging between 6 to 40 years of age that were grown in the villages of Bué, Amigny, and Sancerre. Clean, elegant, and fresh aromas of lemon citrus, white floral, and ripe orchard fruit with subtle herb, spiciness and leesy mineral aromas rising out of the glass. It's medium-full bodied with lovely aromas replays and fine, well-delineated acidity gliding across the palate. Elegant and drinking beautifully at this stage. Lightly spicy on the slightly chalky textured, juicy mid-palate. Lovely citrus and apple, along with a fine mineral streak lingers on the well-balanced finish, with excellent length. Highly recommended buy! Score: 92+ pts

Jean-Max Roger Cuvée Les Caillottes Sancerre 2019 (92+ pts)

JEAN-MAX ROGER CUVÉE GENÈSE SANCERRE 2020 - AC, Loire, France (#189126) (XD) - $32.95
This 100% Sauvignon Blanc was grown in ancestral plots exclusively in the village of Bué on caillottes soils, from vines between 10 to 40 years of age. Lovely, intense aromas of lemon/lime citrus, white floral, and spice layered over stony minerals with a hint of white peach. It has very good weight on the medium-full to full-bodied palate. Elegant citrus, white floral, and stony mineral flavour replays are lifted by fresh, juicy acidity. There's a nice, subtle chalky texture on the mid-palate, while citrus, leesy-stony mineral and floral notes linger on the very long, crisp, and balanced finish. Highly recommended buy! Score: 92 pts

Jean-Max Roger Cuvée Genèse Sancerre 2020 (92 pts)

Other excellent wines by Jean-Max Roger are available through their Agent - Connexion Oenophilia.


First image of this post
  • Date publishedThursday, July 14, 2022

Domaine La Haute Févrie Sur Lie Muscadet Sèvre et Maine 2020 (Loire) - Wine Review

After a one year hiatus, it's great to see this lovely organic Muscadet made with the Melon de Bourgogne varietal come back to Ontario. I enjoyed the 2018 Domaine La Haute Févrie Muscadet Sèvre et Maine Sur Lie almost two years ago to the day, and for wine review I bring you the 2020 vintage that arrives at the LCBO this weekend as part of the LCBO VINTAGES Release.

Sébastien Branger produces this lovely Muscadet. He is an independent winemaker situated in the heart of the Muscadet Sèvre et Maine appellation, 18 kilometres southeast of Nantes, at his family's estate - Domaine Haute Févrie. Sébastien represents the fourth generation of a family of winemakers who have been carefully tending their vines to ensure that they produce the very best grapes possible. Today, Domaine Haute Févrie has 26 hectares of estate vines and practices organic and biodynamic viticulture in order to craft wines that are pure to their origins and reflect the soils where they are grown. Sébastien has great respect for the vine and the environment and does not use any chemical fertilizers, while also controlling yields and harvesting all of their fruit by hand.

The 2020 edition from their Classiques range is crafted with the Melon de Bourgogne varietal from young vines between 15 to 35 years old grown organically on the estate. The vines are located on slopes with mostly gneiss sub-soils. The grapes were hand-harvested and aged on its lees for 7 months prior to bottling.

Leading into the 2020 growing season, the winter was the warmest ever recorded in the Loire Valley, with periods of intense rain that left the soils fully replenished. March and April were alternately warm and cool, with budbreak occurring earlier than average. Late April and May remained warm with flowering occurring earlier than normal. July began cool, but turned very warm, while August was hot. Harvest occurred after the much-welcomed rains at the end of August and throughout the fine September weather. Overall, 2020 was an excellent vintage throughout the Loire Valley with grapes showing superb concentration, freshness, and poise. Let's see how this 2020 Muscadet is tasting tonight...

Domaine La Haute Févrie Sur Lie Muscadet Sèvre et Maine 2020 (90+ pts)

Tasting Note:

DOMAINE LA HAUTE FÉVRIE SUR LIE MUSCADET SÈVRE ET MAINE 2020 - AC, Loire, France (#390625) (XD) - $15.95
100% Melon de Bourgogne. Organic. Fresh, intense aromas of ripe lemon, citrus, white floral, golden apple, and leesy minerals with a twist of honey in an elegant profile. Impressively concentrated on the dry, medium-full bodied, and crisp palate with lemon citrus, apple, grapefruit, and oyster shell mineral flavours. Tangy on the mid-palate with crisp, fresh acidity. Pure notes of oyster shell mineral linger on the long, succulent finish. Highly recommended buy! Score: 90+ pts

Other lovely wines by Sébastien Branger are available through their Agent - Connexion Oenophilia.


First image of this post
  • Date publishedFriday, October 15, 2021

Donatien Bahuaud Les Grands Mortiers Vouvray 2019 (Loire) - Wine Review

white wine review is a delicious off-dry Vouvray from Loire that returned to LCBO VINTAGES a couple of weeks ago as part of the LCBO VINTAGES Release, with plenty of bottles still available for purchase across Ontario.

Donatien Bahuaud was born in the region of Nantes and came from a family of clog makers, coopers and vine-growers. As a young boy, he wandered through the local vineyards and enjoyed watching barrel-laden boats travel up the Loire River, and eventually decided to become a winemaker. In 1929, he founded Maison Donatien Bahuaud and travelled throughout the vineyard with his wines in oak vats loaded on a cart. With careful cultivation of the vineyard and observation of the region's terroirs, Donatien was able to craft exceptional wines with subtle and refined flavours. He contributed to the recognition of Muscadet up until the creation of the AOC in 1936 and was recognized as a master in the art of wine maturing by his peers.

According to the values of Donatien Bahuaud - winemaking on its own is not enough to create unique wines. The aromas of each wine evolve naturally over time thanks to the mastering of the three types of ageing in vat, oak, and bottle. The maturing of a wine is a crucial and natural procedure that allows the wine's aromas to evolve and complete its tasting structure. Donatien Bahuaud's journey leaves behind a remarkable legacy to the brand, marked by values of excellence and quality.

This white wine is from their "Expression de Loire" range of wines - a collection of Appellation specific wines that reflect the richness and diversity of terroirs of the Loire Valley. The wines in this range are crafted to be expressive and highly typical of the appellation, while also expressing the winemaker's talent.

The grapes for this Vouvray were carefully selected and harvested from vineyards planted on limestone and chalky soils - a combination of exceptional terroir and temperate climate from the Loire which helps produce diverse styles of Chenin Blanc ranging from dry to sweet, and also sparkling wines. This Vouvray is crafted to be medium-dry in sweetness (i.e. subtly sweet) with some mineral notes. Let's see how this Vouvray from Loire is tasting tonight...

Donatien Bahuaud Les Grands Mortiers Vouvray 2019 (88+ pts)

Tasting Note:

DONATIEN BAHUAUD LES GRANDS MORTIERS VOUVRAY 2019 - AP, Loire, France (#140889) (M) - $21.95
100% Chenin Blanc, the delicate nose has honeyed aromas of elderflower and pear with a hint of minerality. The crunchy, off-dry (i.e. slightly sweet) palate has good weight and a spicy flavour profile with pear, apple, and honey notes with some citrus and minerals on the back palate. Acids are pleasantly fresh and bright, while leesy mineral notes linger on the dry finish, with very good length. Recommended buy. Score: 88+ pts

Other delicious wines from Donatien Bahuaud can be ordered through their Agent - Profile Wine Group.


First image of this post
  • Date publishedSaturday, August 14, 2021

Jean-Max Roger Cuvée Marnes et Caillottes Sancerre 2019 (Loire) - Wine Review

white wine review is a brilliant Sauvignon Blanc from Sancerre that arrived at the LCBO last weekend as part of the LCBO VINTAGES Release. However, this lovely white wine is listed as a VINTAGES Online Exclusive and can only be purchased online through LCBO.com.

One of my favourite Loire wine producers, Jean-Max Roger comes from a long line of winegrowers dating back to at least the early part of the 17th century. The winery, which has evolved over time with the development of the estate, is located in the heart of the village of Bué. The oldest structures on the estate are date back to the 17th century, while part of the winery was once one of the village's tithe barns.

In the early 1970s, Jean-Max Roger took over the property from his parents, and in 2004 was joined by two of his three sons, Thibault and Etienne. The estate's vineyards are managed according to regional winegrowing traditions, while also striving to uphold sustainable viticultural practices. The Roger family uses the Guyot Poussart pruning method which helps to better balance the vines and respect sap flow, in turn keeping the vines strong and healthy.

I last enjoyed this white wine when the 2018 Jean-Max Roger Cuvée Marnes et Caillottes Sancerre arrived at the LCBO in November 2019 and am delighted to taste the latest vintage. The grapes for this Sauvignon Blanc were grown in several vineyards within the Sancerre appellation villages of Bué and Amigny. The soils in these vineyards are a blend of Kimmeridgian Marls called "Marnes" and Limestone called "Caillottes" - hence the name of this wine. The vines are between 5 and 40 years of age with southeastern and southwestern exposure to the sun and farmed using organic principles to revitalize soil life and produce grapes that reveal its terroir. At the winery, the grapes are long-fermented using natural yeasts to develop aromatic complexity, followed by ageing on heavy lees to develop minerality.

During the growing season in 2019, although the summer heat and dry weather stressed the vines and reduced yields, the fruit at harvest was of premium quality, with general consensus being that the quality is even better than the previous year. I rated the last vintage of this wine 92 pts, let's see how the 2019 is tasting...

Jean-Max Roger Cuvée Marnes et Caillottes Sancerre 2019 (92+ pts)

Tasting Note:

JEAN-MAX ROGER CUVÉE MARNES ET CAILLOTTES SANCERRE 2019 - AC, Loire, France (#196667) (XD) - $31.95
100% Sauvignon Blanc from Kimmeridgian Marls ("Marnes") and stony calcareous "Caillottes" terroirs, this has an intense, aromatic nose that is elegant, pretty, and ripe with lemon citrus, floral, and earthy white stone mineral notes accented with stone fruit and white peach. The concentrated, medium-full bodied palate has lovely aroma replays of ripe lemon citrus, white peach, floral, and white stone mineral adding a pleasant savoury touch. Subtly spice on the mid-palate, along with a slightly chalky texture. Finely balanced throughout with fresh, well-articulated acidity. Oyster-shell minerality with hints of citrus lingers on the juicy finish, with excellent length. Beautiful. Highly recommended buy. Score: 92+ pts

Other lovely wines from Jean-Max Roger are available at the LCBO, as well as through their Agent - Connexion Oenophilia.


First image of this post
  • Date publishedSunday, August 8, 2021

Jean-Max Roger La Grange Dîmière Sancerre Rosé 2020 (Loire) - Wine Review

wine review is this lovely dry rosé from Sancerre that arrived at the LCBO this weekend, as part of the LCBO VINTAGES Release.

Jean-Max Roger comes from a long-line of winegrowers in the village of Bué, just southwest of the town of Sancerre, with the Roger family name mentioned in texts going back to the early part of the 17th century. In the early 1970s, Jean-Max Roger took over the 4 hectares of vines left to him by his parents, and together with his wife, Nicole, developed the vineyards and further expanded the estate. In 2004, he was joined by two of this three sons, Etienne and Thibault. Today, the estate covers 34 hectares, 28 of which are in the Sancerre appellation along the Loire River.

I've always enjoyed this rose, including most recently just over three years ago when the 2017 Jean-Max Roger La Grange Dîmière Sancerre Rosé showed up at the LCBO. This lovely rose is crafted from 100% Pinot Noir grown in the villages of Vinon, Bué, and Sancerre, on flint, Kimmeridgian marls & Limestone Silex, Terres Blanches & Caillottes soils. The vines average between 25 to 45 years old and are farmed using organic principles, including revitalization of soil life, to produce grapes which reveal its terroir. In the winery, the grapes undergo a long fermentation to develop aromatic complexity and are aged on heavy lees to develop minerality.

Although little detailed information exists about the 2020 vintage in Loire, it was frost-free and relatively easy-going, resulting in an excellent vintage with berry fruited and aromatic rosé wines. Let's see how this 2020 Sancerre Rosé is tasting tonight...

Jean-Max Roger La Grange Dîmière Sancerre Rosé 2020 (90+ pts)

Tasting Note:

JEAN-MAX ROGER LA GRANGE DÎMIÈRE SANCERRE ROSÉ 2020 - AC, Loire, France (#490813) (XD) - $26.95
This 100% Pinot Noir rosé has a fresh, elegant, and intense nose with attractive aromas of grapefruit, citrus, red currant, strawberry, red cherry, and mineral. It's medium+ bodied with good weight to the fruit with lovely grapefruit, citrus and red berry flavours coming through on the dry palate. Acids are well-balanced, while white pepper spice notes join the grapefruit, citrus, and red berry profile on the mid-palate, lingering through to the long, leesy mineral finish. Recommended buy. Score: 90+ pts

Other lovely wines from Jean-Max Roger are available at the LCBO, as well as through their Agent - Connexion Oenophilia.


First image of this post
  • Date publishedThursday, July 1, 2021

Le Fils des Gras Moutons Sur Lie Muscadet Sèvre-et-Maine 2019 (Loire) - Wine Review

wine review is the latest vintage of this lovely Muscadet Sèvre-et-Maine white wine that is made using the Melon de Bourgogne varietal. It arrived at the LCBO over the weekend, as part of the LCBO VINTAGES Release on .

Domaine la Haute Févrie was founded in the heart of the Muscadet Sèvre et Maine appellation, 18 km southeast of Nantes, Loire, during the First World War by Claude Branger's grandfather. Claude worked alongside his father for many years, and in 2007, Sébastien Branger, Claude's son, joined the domain to become the fourth generation of the family to carefully tend the vines. The estate vines are grown on hills overlooking the Sèvre River, ‎between the communes of Saint-Fiacre and Monnières, and enjoy optimum ripening conditions. The Branger's are conscientious winegrowers, harvesting all of the grapes by hand. Starting in 2016, Sébastien embarked on a vision to convert all of their vineyards to organic farming, and by 2019 all of the domain's parcels was fully certified to organic.

The grapes for this wine come from their "Les Gras Moutons" named single vineyard, which translates to "Fat Sheep", perhaps because there was a well-fed sheep that used to graze on this land. The wine is named "Le Fils des Gras Moutons", which translates to "The Son of the Fat Sheep", perhaps because the first sheep was the father of a lamb.

In all seriousness, "mouton" is actually a variant on the Old French word motton, which means a slight rise or small hill. Thus, "Gras Moutons" refers to larger hill where the grapes for this wine were grown. It is made with 100% Melon de Bourgogne from 26 acres of vines in earlier maturing plots of the Les Gras Moutons vineyard. The vines average 40+ years old and are planted on soils that sit on granite bedrock that is metamorphic gneiss full of mica and quartz. The grapes are hand-picked and rest on lees for 6-7 months prior to bottling.

I've enjoyed this white wine numerous times over the years, including most recently last July when the 2018 Le Fils des Gras Moutons Sur Lie Muscadet Sèvre-et-Maine arrived in LCBO VINTAGES last June. Although yields were down in 2019, the quality was very good, especially for white wines. Let's see how this white wine is tasting tonight...

Le Fils des Gras Moutons Sur Lie Muscadet Sèvre-et-Maine 2019 (90 pts)

Tasting Note:

LE FILS DES GRAS MOUTONS SUR LIE MUSCADET SÈVRE-ET-MAINE 2019 - AC, Loire, France (#363150) (XD) - $16.95
100% Melon de Bourgogne. Fresh, intense, lemon-lime citrus, and wet stone aromas with hints of saline, orange peel and musky spice notes rising out of the glass. It's medium+ bodied and ripe on the palate with very good concentration and flavours of lemon-lime citrus, wet stone, oyster shell mineral, saline, and touches of honey. It's nicely balanced throughout with very good acidity and a finely textured mid-palate. It finishes with lovely wet stone minerals and tart lemons on the lip-smacking, juicy finish, with excellent length. Easily the best vintage I've tasted. Chill and enjoy this highly recommended buy. Score: 90 pts

Other lovely wines from Domaine la Haute Févrie can be ordered through their Agent - Connexion Oenophilia.


First image of this post
  • Date publishedSunday, May 16, 2021

Jean-Max Roger Cuvée Genèse Sancerre 2019 (Loire) - Wine Review

wine review is the latest edition of this lovely Sauvignon Blanc from Sancerre that arrived at the LCBO this weekend as part of the LCBO VINTAGES Release.

Jean-Max Roger is one of my favourite Loire Valley wine producers. The Roger family comes from a long line of winegrowers dating back to at least the early part of the 17th century in the village of Bué, just southwest of the town of Sancerre. In the early 1970's, Jean-Max Roger took over 4 hectares of vines that his parents left for him and then expanded the estate to its current size of 26 hectares in the Sancerre AOC along the Loire River. In 2004, he was joined by two of his three sons, Etienne and Thibault.

Named "Cuvée Genèse" (or Genesis in English), this white wine represents the origin of the Roger family's history on these ancestral lands. This 100% Sauvignon Blanc is crafted using a blend of grapes grown on stony, calcareous soils known as "caillottes" located within the commune of Bué. The grapes come from the famous Grand Chemarin vineyard and neighbouring vineyard sites with identical agronomic characteristics with southeastern exposure to the sun. The vine age is between 10 to 40 years and grown using organic principles. It was fermented using natural yeasts, followed by ageing on heavy lees. The wine undergoes fining and filtration prior to bottling at the estate.

I really enjoyed the 2018 Jean-Max Roger Cuvée Genèse Sancerre back in December and the 2018 vintage in Loire was historic in terms of yield and quality. During the 2019 growing season, the summer heat stressed the vines and lowered yields, but the fruit that was harvested was excellent and of premium quality. Early reports suggest that the 2019 vintage is even better than the year prior. Let's see how this 2019 Sancerre is tasting tonight...

Jean-Max Roger Cuvée Genèse Sancerre 2019 (92 pts)

Tasting Note:

JEAN-MAX ROGER CUVÉE GENÈSE SANCERRE 2019 - AC, Loire, France (#189126) (XD) - $33.95
This 100% Sauvignon Blanc has intense and deep aromas of lemon citrus and white flowers with underlying minerality and touches of herbal and guava adding further complexities. The medium-full bodied, concentrated palate has ripe fruited aroma replays of lemon citrus, white floral, and stony mineral flavours with elegance. It has crisp, well-delineated acidity and is really well-balanced throughout with stony mineral notes lingering on the finish, with excellent length. Lovely Sancerre and highly recommended buy! Score: 92 pts

Other fine wines from Jean-Max Roger can be ordered via their Agent - Connexion Oenophilia.


First image of this post
  • Date publishedWednesday, December 2, 2020

Jean-Max Roger Cuvée Genèse Sancerre 2018 (Loire) - Wine Review

wine review is this lovely Sauvignon Blanc from the renowned region of Sancerre in Loire. It returned to VINTAGES as part of the LCBO VINTAGES Release.

One of my favourite producers from Loire, Jean-Max Roger comes from a long line of winegrowers from the village of Bué, just southwest of the town of Sancerre, with the first mention of the name dating back to the early 17th century. Up until the 1960s, generation after generation of the family practiced mixed farming and animal rearing. Jean-Max Roger inherited the 4 hectare property from his parents in the 1970s, and with his wife, Nicole, focused on the vineyards and developed the estate. In 2004, two of their three sons - Thibault and Etienne - joined the family estate. Today, the brothers continue to define the estate's identity with their 28 hectares of Sancerre appellation vines located along the Loire River.

This lovely white wine is 100% Sauvignon Blanc from selected plots of stony, calcareous clay soils called "caillottes" that have shaped the palate of several generations of the Roger family. The Cuvée Genèse (or Genesis) represents the origin of the Roger family's history. The vines are between 10 and 40 years of age, have southeastern exposure to the sun, and are raised using some organic priniciples to reveal its terroir. It was long fermented using natural yeasts and aged on heavy lees to develop minerality in the wine.

I've had the pleasure of tasting previous vintages of this lovely wine, most recently the 2015 Jean-Max Roger Cuvée Genèse Sancerre back in 2017, and this vintage should be just as good, if not better. The 2018 vintage in Loire was historic in terms of both quality and yield. In 2018, the Spring weather was favourable and unhampered by hail or frost. Although there were heavy rains in June, winegrowers skilfully managed the vineyards. Summer temperatures reached an all-time high and excellent growing conditions continued through to harvest. Let's see how the 2018 is tasting tonight...

Jean-Max Roger Cuvée Genèse Sancerre 2018 (91+ pts)

Tasting Note:

JEAN-MAX ROGER CUVÉE GENÈSE SANCERRE 2018 - AC, Loire, France (#189126) (XD) - $33.95
100% Sauvignon Blanc grown on stony, calcareous clay soils called "caillottes". Intense, stony mineral aromas are layered over fresh, ripe lemon/lime citrus and white floral notes. It's quite full and powerful on the palate with some warmth due to the hot vintage, but still well-balanced with floral, lime, and stony flavours and lively, juicy, mouth-watering acidity. Tangy mid-palate with a pleasing chalky texture. Stony mineral notes linger on the long finish. Lovely! Score: 91+ pts

Other fine wines from Jean-Max Roger can be ordered via their Agent - Connexion Oenophilia.


First image of this post
  • Date publishedSunday, July 26, 2020

Le Fils des Gras Moutons Muscadet Sèvre et Maine Sur Lie 2018 (Loire) - Wine Review

Following up on the lovely 2018 Domaine La Haute Févrie Muscadet Sèvre et Maine Sur Lie that I opened on , wine review is another Muscadet from the same producer - and same vintage. It arrived in LCBO VINTAGES on and plenty are available throughout the province.

This white wine is produced by independent winemaker Sébastien Branger at Domaine Haute Févrie in Muscadet. Located in the heart of the Muscadet Sèvre et Maine appellation, 18 km southeast of Nantes, in Loire, the estate vines are grown on hills overlooking the Sèvre River, ‎between the communes of Saint-Fiacre and Monnières, and enjoy optimum ripening conditions. Sébastien is the fourth generation of his family of winemakers that have carefully tended to the vines.

Today, all 26 hectares of estate vineyards are located within the Muscadet Sèvre et Maine PDO. There are several distinct plots of vineyards, each with a different aspect and soil type that are either siliceous clay or gravelly and shallow, with sub-soils of gneiss, ‎orthogneiss and amphibolites. Because of this diversity of soils, Sébastien is able to produce many styles of wines that are specific to the site, such as this "Gras Moutons" that is made with fruit from the Saint-Fiacre area. In addition, the vines are cultivated with respect for the environment and without the use of chemical fertilizers in order to grow the wines in a more natural manner.

I have enjoyed previous vintages of this white wine, including most recently the 2016 Le Fils des Gras Moutons Muscadet Sèvre-et-Maine Sur Lie, so let's how the 2018 is tasting tonight...

Le Fils des Gras Moutons Muscadet Sèvre et Maine Sur Lie 2018 (87 pts)

Tasting Note:

LE FILS DES GRAS MOUTONS MUSCADET SÈVRE ET MAINE SUR LIE 2018 - AC, Loire, France (#363150) (XD) - $16.95
100% Melon de Bourgogne that was hand-picked from 40 to 70 year old vines. The medium intensity nose offers lemon citrus with melon aromas surrounded by stony, oyster shell minerality. The fleshy, medium+ bodied has gentle acidity and flavours of lemon/lime citrus and oyster shell mineral with touches of melon and stone fruits. Nice chalky mineral texture on the mid-palate, while the finish length is very good, closing with stony mineral notes. Enjoy now with seafood. Score: 87 pts

Other wines from Domaine Haute Févrie can be ordered through their Agent - Connexion Oenophilia.


First image of this post
  • Date publishedFriday, July 24, 2020

Domaine La Haute Févrie Muscadet Sèvre et Maine Sur Lie 2018 (Loire) - Wine Review

wine review is this lovely organic Muscadet Sèvre et Maine from the Loire Valley that arrives at the LCBO as part of the LCBO VINTAGES Release and is available in some stores now.

It is produced by Sébastien Branger, an independent winemaker at his family's estate - Domaine Haute Févrie - in the heart of the Muscadet Sèvre et Maine appellation, 18 kilometres southeast of Nantes. He is the fourth generation of a family of winemakers that have carefully tended to the vines to ensure they produce the very best grapes possible. Domaine Haute Févrie practices organic and biodynamic viticulture in order to craft wines that are pure to their origins and reflect the soils where they are grown, while also having respect for the environment. Sébastien does not use any chemical fertilizers, while controlling yields and harvesting entirely by hand.

This particular organic white wine is made with the Melon de Bourgogne grape varietal from vines that average 35 years old and grown on a plot called "Clos de la Févrie". This small piece of land is located on the hills overlooking the Maine River in Saint-Fiacre and is the earliest maturing plot of the entire estate. The soil here consists of mostly gneiss sub-soils.

I enjoyed the 2017 Domaine La Haute Févrie Muscadet Sèvre et Maine Sur Lie when it showed up in LCBO VINTAGES in April of last year, and I would expect the 2018 to be just as delicious as the vintage has been described as 'historic'. Other delicious wines from Domaine La Haute Févrie can be found via their Agent - Connexion Oenophilia.

Domaine La Haute Févrie Muscadet Sèvre et Maine Sur Lie 2018 (89 pts)

Tasting Note:

DOMAINE LA HAUTE FÉVRIE MUSCADET SÈVRE ET MAINE SUR LIE 2018 - AC, Loire, France (#390625) (XD) - $16.95
From vines averaging 35 years of age, this organic Melon de Bourgogne was hand-harvested and matured on lees for 7 months. This organic white wine has fresh, ripe aromas of lemon citrus, stone fruit, and grapefruit with layered over fine minerality and touches of herb. It's more apple flavoured on the ripe, structured, concentrated, and medium-bodied palate with zesty acidity, joined by lemon/lime citrus and oyster shell mineral flavours throughout, while the stony mineral notes linger on the long, dry, crisp finish. Ideal with seafood. Recommended buy. Score: 89 pts


First image of this post
  • Date publishedFriday, July 10, 2020

Jean-Max Roger Cuvée La Grange Dîmière Sancerre Rouge 2015 (Loire) - Wine Review

wine review is a lovely Pinot Noir from one of my favourite producers of Sancerre that arrived in LCBO VINTAGES on - with plenty still available for purchase throughout the province.

It is made by Jean-Max Roger, a family-owned winery that comes from a long line of winegrowers from the village of Bué dating back to the early 17th century. Jean-Max Roger took over from his parents in the early 1970's, and in 2004, two of his three sons, Etienne and Thibault, returned to the estate after working abroad. His third son, Xavier, has a passion for wine and works in the Languedoc-Roussillon region. Today, the estate covers 26 hectares in the Sancerre AOC, all located along the Loire River.

The name "La Grange Dîmière" refers to one of Bué's ancient tithe barns. The ancestors of Jean-Max Roger used this barn for making their wine and today it remains the oldest part of the winery. This Sancerre Rouge is made with Pinot Noir grapes grown in the villages of Bué, Sancerre, and Amigny, on flint and limestone soils called Caillottes & Terres Blanches (Kimmeridgian marls) with south western and south eastern exposures. The vines are 25 to 40 years old and tended to using organic principles, handpicked and sorted, then fermented using natural yeast. Approximately 20-30% of the wine was aged in 300 L oak barrels, while the remainder was aged in stainless steel tanks where it underwent malolactic fermentation, with a total ageing time of 10 to 15 months. I recall enjoying the 2013 Jean-Max Roger Cuvée La Grange Dîmière Sancerre Rouge a couple of years ago and am expecting this vintage to be even better due to the legendary quality of the 2015 Loire vintage.

Jean-Max Roger Cuvée La Grange Dîmière Sancerre Rouge 2015 (91 pts)

Tasting Note:

JEAN-MAX ROGER CUVÉE LA GRANGE DÎMIÈRE SANCERRE ROUGE 2015 - AC, Loire, France (#539858) (XD) - $29.95
From the great 2015 vintage, this Pinot Noir has a pretty, pale ruby colour and the medium-high intensity nose leads with stony-smoky minerality, followed by red berry, cherry, and currant aromas, with subtle florals. It is light-to-medium bodied on the spicy, red fruited, cherry, and currant palate with elegantly structured tannins. Acids are nice and fresh, while the stony-smoky mineral notes come to the fore on the long, juicy finish. Enjoy over the next 4-5 years. Score: 91 pts

Other wines from the fabulous Jean-Max Roger collection can be ordered through their Agent - Connexion Oenophilia.


First image of this post
  • Date publishedWednesday, March 18, 2020

March 21, 2020 LCBO VINTAGES Release Wine Picks: Classic Euro Regions + Okanagan + Annapolis

LCBO Wine Picks: March 21, 2020 VINTAGES Release
In these extraordinary times with COVID-19 at top of mind, this post seems almost irrelevant in the grand scheme of things. However, since the LCBO is still open (with reduced hours as of Thursday, March 19) and I think we would all like to step back and take a breather from all of the Coronavirus pandemic news, the next batch of new wines arriving at the LCBO are from the LCBO VINTAGES Release. The main theme of the Release focuses on wines from Classic Euro Regions, while the mini-theme looks at the Canadian wine regions of the Okanagan and Annapolis Valleys. So long as LCBO outlets remain open, the new wines from this Release will be on shelves across Ontario by this Saturday.

We begin with the main theme that looks at eleven classic wine regions of Europe: Bordeaux, Burgundy, Champagne, Rhône, Loire, Rioja, Tuscany, Veneto, Piedmont, Mosel, and Port. These are some of the world's most venerable and venerated wine regions, and with twenty wines featured as part of this theme, six are included among my top wine picks. From Hautes-Côtes de Beaune in Burgundy is a Pinot Noir, while the Champagne is a blend of 52% Pinot Noir and 48% Chardonnay. Also from France, there are a pair of very nice Rhône reds - the Côtes du Rhône is a blend of 70% Grenache, 15% Mourvedre, and 15% Syrah, while the Châteauneuf-du-Pape is also primarily Grenache with Mourvedre and Syrah completing the blend. From Italy, the Amarone from Veneto consists of 70% Corvina, 25% Rondinella, and 5% Molinara. Last but not least, there is a very nice Riesling Kabinett from the Mosel.

The mini-feature on wines from the Okanagan (British Columbia) and Annapolis (Nova Scotia) Valleys features a combined total of just five wines. While none of the wines from the mini-theme made my list of wine picks, there are a couple of noteworthy wines such as the Burrowing Owl Merlot ($40, #585737) from British Columbia, and the now-iconic Benjamin Bridge Nova 7 Sparkling ($25, #256289) sweet bubbly from Nova Scotia.

From my red wine picks, the Portuguese red is a blend of 35% Tinta Roriz (Tempranillo), 25% Tinta Barroca, 25% Touriga Franca, and 15% Touriga Nacional, while the red from South Africa is made with 53% Cabernet Sauvignon, 15% Cinsaut, 12% Petit Verdot, 10% Malbec, 9% Cabernet Franc, and 1% Merlot. The last red that is a blend is the 2010 Rioja that consists of 85% Tempranillo, 10% Graciano, and 5% Maturana. The rest of the reds are all single varietal wines made with Garnacha from Spain, Cabernet Franc from Niagara, Malbec from Argentina, and a Shiraz and Pinot Noir that are both from Australia.

Innocent Bystander Pinot Noir 2018 (89 pts)

Among my top white wine picks, the white wine from Greece is a blend of 60% Malagouzia, 20% Asyrtiko, and 20% Chardonnay, while the White Meritage from Niagara consists of 80% Sauvignon Blanc and 20% Semillon. There are a pair of delightful single varietal white wines from Italy - Grillo and Greco. Lastly, there are a pair of delicious Rieslings - an off-dry version from Alsace, and a medium-sweet version from Niagara.

Gorghi Tondi Coste a Preola Grillo 2018 (88 pts)

In sparkling wines, the Cava is a blend of 65% Parellada, 20% Xarel-lo, and 15% Macabeu, while the fortified wine from Niagara is a blend of Merlot, Cabernet, and Shiraz that was fortified with a Cabernet Franc brandy.

Enjoy my wine recommendations from this Release! Cheers and stay safe!

Red Wine:

  • EL VIVERO DE USALDÓN COLECCIÓN ORIGEN GARNACHA 2018 - Finca Casa Balaguer, DO Alicante, Spain (#13624) (XD) - $15.95
  • CASA FERREIRINHA PAPA FIGOS TINTO 2018 - DOC Douro, Portugal (#11157) (XD) - $15.95
  • CAVE SPRING CABERNET FRANC 2017 - VQA Niagara Peninsula, Ontario, Canada (#523001) (XD) - $17.95
  • YALUMBA ORGANIC SHIRAZ 2018 - South Australia (#280883) (XD) - $17.95
  • ANDELUNA ANDUCO LIMITED EDITION MALBEC 2017 - Uco Valley, Mendoza, Argentina (#12025) (XD) - $19.95
  • XAVIER VIEILLES VIGNES CÔTES DU RHÔNE 2016 - AC, Rhône, France (#12987) (XD) - $20.95

  • INNOCENT BYSTANDER PINOT NOIR 2018 - Yarra Valley, Victoria, Australia (#178897) (XD) - $22.95  89 pts  wine review
  • LE RICHE RICHESSE 2016 - WO Stellenbosch, South Africa (#13320) (XD) - $23.95
  • DOMAINE MAZILLY PÈRE & FILS CLOS DU BOIS PRÉVOT BOURGOGNE HAUTES-CÔTES DE BEAUNE 2017 - AC, Burgundy, France (#11904) (XD) - $28.95
  • CONDE DE VALDEMAR GRAN RESERVA 2010 - DOCa Rioja, Spain (#960427) (XD) - $29.95
  • LA FERME DU MONT VENDANGE CHÂTEAUNEUF-DU-PAPE 2017 - AP, Rhône, France (#309245) (D) - $52.95
  • MICHELE CASTELLANI CINQUE STELLE AMARONE DELLA VALPOLICELLA CLASSICO 2015 - Collezione Ca' del Pipa, DOCG, Veneto, Italy (#75127) (D) - $53.95

White Wine:

  • GÉRARD BERTRAND RÉSERVE SPÉCIALE VIOGNIER 2018 - IGP Pays d'Oc, Roussillon, France (#147975) (XD) - $14.95
  • MEGA SPILEO CUVÉE III WHITE 2018 - PGI Achaia, Greece (#14186) (XD) - $17.95
  • GORGHI TONDI COSTE A PREOLA GRILLO 2018 - DOC Sicilia, Italy (#11670) (XD) - $17.95  88 pts  wine review
  • CATENA ZAPATA APPELLATION TUPUNGATO CHARDONNAY 2017 - Tupungato, Mendoza, Argentina (#10964) (XD) - $19.95
  • ADAMO FOXCROFT RIESLING 2017 - Grower's Series, VQA Twenty Mile Bench, Niagara Escarpment, Ontario, Canada (#11236) (M) - $19.95
  • RUHLMANN VIEILLES VIGNES COTEAU DU BLETTIG RIESLING 2016 - AC Alsace, France (#10722) (D) - $21.95
  • MONTEMAJOR GRECO DI TUFO 2018 - DOCG, Campania, Italy (#10955) (XD) - $23.95
  • JACKSON-TRIGGS GRAND RESERVE WHITE MERITAGE 2018 - VQA Niagara Peninsula, Ontario, Canada (#360297) (XD) - $25.95
  • DR. LOOSEN ERDENDER TREPPCHEN RIESLING KABINETT 2017 - Prädikatswein, Mosel, Germany (#393181) (S) - $29.95

Sparkling Wine:

  • STARS BRUT NATURE RESERVA CAVA 2016 - Traditional method, DO, Spain (#515221) (D) - $16.95
  • THIRTY BENCH SPARKLING RIESLING - Traditional method, VQA Niagara Peninsula, Ontario, Canada (#469478) (XD) - $38.95
  • PIPER-HEIDSIECK BRUT CHAMPAGNE 2012 - AC, France (#409326) (XD) - $79.95

Fortified:

  • UNION FORTÉ 2012 - VQA Niagara Peninsula, Ontario, Canada (#361758) (S) (500 mL) - $17.95


Blog Archive

Posts by Tag

Recent Posts

Recent Posts Widget

Lists

OnToplist.com
Blogarama - Drinks & Beverages Blogs
RSSChomp Blog Directory