Greywacke Riesling 2020 (New Zealand) - Wine Review

After enjoying the excellent 2018 Greywacke Riesling back in October 2020, tonight's white wine review is the latest vintage of this lovely medium-dry (i.e. slightly sweet) Riesling from New Zealand which arrived at the LCBO as a VINTAGES Online Exclusive as part of the recent February 19th LCBO VINTAGES Release.

Greywacke (pronounced Greywacky) is the Marlborough label of the Judd family and named after New Zealand's most abundant bedrock. After many successful years working for another winery, the renowned and one of Marlborough's pioneer winemakers, Kevin Judd fulfilled a lifelong dream to create his own label of wines and established Greywacke in 2009. Situated in the heart of Marlborough's Omaka Valley, Greywacke is a family affair with a "keep it simple and hands-on" approach.

The fruit for Greywacke wines are sourced from prime viticultural sites from vineyards that are sustainably managed, and an increasing amount from organically farmed vineyards. Crop levels are restricted to enhance flavour concentration and a long, cool growing season produces fruit with incredible varietal intensity and bright, natural acidity. Greywacke is accredited with Appellation Marlborough Wine (AMW), ensuring provenance, authenticity and integrity. In the winery, a minimal-interventionist approach to winemaking is adopted, along with extensive use of wild (indigenous) yeast fermentations to create wines with personality and individuality. Although the Greywacke range of wines is primarily based on just two varieties - Sauvignon Blanc and Pinot Noir, limited edition releases of other wines such as this Riesling complement the lineup.

The grapes for this Riesling are from the 24-year-old certified organic Ashmore Vineyard in Fairhall, adjacent to the mouth of the Brancott Valley on gravelly clay-loam soils. The fruit was hand-picked at moderate ripeness levels to capture the exuberance and natural acidity of the variety. After whole-bunch pressing and very low maceration press cycle, half of the juice was fermented in stainless steel, while the other half underwent spontaneous indigenous yeast fermentation in old French oak barriques. Towards the end of fermentation, all of the wine was transferred into stainless steel and fermentation was stopped. The blended wine was aged in old barrels on its yeast lees for five months, then bottled in November 2020.

While the 2020 vintage will be remembered as the year of abnormal working conditions due to the pandemic, the growing season was slightly warmer than average and delivered superb fruit quality. Let's see how this excellent Marlborough Riesling is tasting tonight...

Tasting Note:

GREYWACKE RIESLING 2020 - Marlborough, South Island, New Zealand (#14556) (M) - $29.95
Screw cap. Intense, gorgeously scented bouquet of flowers, lime citrus, white peach, and petrol with whiffs of mineral rise out of the glass. On the impressively concentrated palate it has a very good textured mouthfeel and an off-dry flavour profile of lime citrus, ripe apple, leesy mineral, white flowers, and subtle spicy tones. Impeccably balanced with fresh and juicy acids, while leesy mineral and lime notes taper to a dry, textured finish, with excellent length. Wow! Highly recommended buy to enjoy towards the end of the decade. Score: 93 pts

Small quantities of other Greywacke wines are available at the LCBO, while the rest of the portfolio can be ordered through their Agent - Connexion Oenophilia.

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Greywacke Marlborough Pinot Gris 2017 (New Zealand) - Wine Review

Tonight's wine review is this excellent, off-dry Pinot Gris from New Zealand that arrived at the LCBO in limited quantities over the weekend as part of the recent November 27th LCBO VINTAGES Release.

Greywacke (pronounced Greywacky) is the Marlborough label of iconic winemaker Kevin Judd. After spending many years working at another winery, he wanted to create his own label of wines and established Greywacke in 2009. The name comes from New Zealand's most abundant bedrock and these understated grey river stones are found throughout Marlborough's rivers alluvial vineyard soils.

Today, Greywacke is very much a Judd family affair with a keep it simple and hands-on approach, with minimal intervention techniques adopted for winemaking. Greywacke is located in the heart of Marlborough's Omaka Valley, one of the Southern Valleys, and the fruit is sourced from mature vineyards in prime viticultural sites. All of the vineyards are sustainably managed, with substantial and increasing portions coming from organically farmed sites. Kevin is also a renowned photographer, using his own photos that adorn the labels of his wines.

Much of fruit for this 100% Pinot Gris is from the Selection Ovaille and Mission clones grown at the Wrekin Terrace Vineyard in the Brancott Valley, a valley floor site on gravelly clay-loam soils that is typical of the Southern Valleys. A smaller parcel of fruit is from the Entav 52 clone that is known for its small bunch and berry size and was grown at the Riverbrook Vineyard in Rapaura where the young alluvial soils contain high proportions of greywacke river stones. All of the grapes were hand-picked at high ripeness levels, then whole bunch pressed. Most of the resulting juice was naturally fermented with indigenous yeast in old French oak barriques, while the rest was fermented with cultured yeast in stainless steel tanks. Towards the end of the fermentation, all of the wine was combined into stainless steels tanks, then aged on yeast lees for a year, with 6 months spent in old barrels followed by 6 months in stainless steel tanks.

While I had the pleasure and honour of tasting this same Pinot Gris at the winery with Kevin back in March 2020, I am curious to see how it has evolved and tasting tonight...

Tasting Note:

GREYWACKE MARLBOROUGH PINOT GRIS 2017 - Marlborough, South Island, New Zealand (#994939) (D) - $29.95
Screw cap. The medium-high intensity nose offers an initial flinty, sulphide, yeasty mineral, and lightly nose tingling experience, but laying underneath are rich, ripe and complex aromas of stone fruit, pear, apple, peach, citrus, floral, and grapefruit with touches of honey. On the rich, ripe, concentrated, and creamy palate are off-dry flavours of poached pear, ginger, honey, and spice. Slightly warming on the mid-palate, but still well-balanced with juicy acidity. Honeyed ginger, citrus, spice, and yeasty minerals linger on the long finish, with excellent length. Highly recommended buy! Score: 93 pts

Small quantities of other excellent wines from Greywacke are available at the LCBO, while other wines from their portfolio can be ordered through their Agent - Connexion Oenophilia.

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Satellite Pinot Noir 2018 (New Zealand) - Wine Review

Tonight's red wine review is this lovely Pinot Noir from New Zealand that arrived at the LCBO over the weekend as part of the November 13 LCBO VINTAGES Release.

It is produced by Spy Valley Wines, a winery founded by Bryan and Jan Johnson deep in the Waihopai Valley (one of the Southern Valleys) in the 1990s, at a time when the Marlborough region was undergoing discovery. It was thought that this land was too considered too hard, too dry, and too unfertile for wine, but Bryan and Jan went ahead and planted 180 hectares of estate vineyards anyway. Today, Spy Valley is one of New Zealand's most successful family-run wineries. They are committed to the land and the people who tend it, firmly focused on sustainability to ensure their guardianship of this land for generations to come. Spy Valley was one of the first wineries to be proudly accredited under the New Zealand Sustainable Winegrowing program which promotes economically and environmentally sustainable vineyard management.

This Pinot Noir is from Spy Valley's Satellite range of wines - a fruit-driven range that is out of this world, yet within your reach, that shows varietal typicity with balance and poise. It is crafted using fruit from selected estate vineyard blocks, all of which were kept separate until final blending. The grape bunches were mostly destemmed and all fermented naturally in open vats. After gentle plunging the wine was drained into barrels and aged for 11 months prior to blending.

The growing season in 2018 was very warm, with dry weather conditions throughout spring and summer, followed by wet conditions during the autumn harvest period. This was Spy Valley's quickest harvest ever and the Pinot Noir was rapidly picked from the vines between periods of rain. Although the vintage was difficult, quality is good and this Pinot produced great flavours. Let's see how this 2018 Pinot Noir was Marlborough is tasting tonight...

Tasting Note:

SATELLITE PINOT NOIR 2018 - Marlborough, South Island, New Zealand (#12627) (XD) - $22.95
Pretty, pale-medium ruby colour and enclosed by screw cap. Lovely, intense nose of black tea leaf, beetroot, and earth surrounds a core of red berry, strawberry, cherry, and spice aromas. On the light-to-mid weighted and ripe palate it has red fruited, strawberry, cherry, and red plum flavours accented with beetroot, earth, spice. Acids are fresh and well-balanced, while the light, rounded tannins have a pleasant, fine-grained and slightly chalky texture. Juicy with earthy, tangy black cherry, and stony minerals linger on the long, satisfying finish. Highly recommended Pinot! Score: 90 pts

Other lovely wines from Spy Valley Wines are available at the LCBO, as well as through their Agent - Noble Estates Wines & Spirits.

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Babich Pinot Noir 2018 (New Zealand) - Wine Review

Tonight's wine review is a lovely, sustainably crafted Pinot Noir from New Zealand that landed at the LCBO over the weekend as part of the May 15, 2021 LCBO VINTAGES Release.

Babich Wines is New Zealand's most experienced family-owned winery as they have been making wine in NZ since 1916. With three generations of winemaking, the Babich family has achieved winemaking excellence with innovation across three winemaking regions - Marlborough, Hawke's Bay, and Auckland.

Josip Babich, who was originally from Dalmatia (now part of modern day Croatia) and emigrated to New Zealand to join his brothers in 1910 at the tender age of 14, began planting vines in remote New Zealand in 1912 in the difficult way - with vision, thoughtfulness, ingenuity, and true craft. In 1916, Josip makes his first New Zealand wines and bottles them under the name Babich Brothers. In 1919, the Babich brothers move to Henderson in West Auckland and planted Pinot Meunier vines. After marriage in 1929, Josip and his wife Mara Grgic have five children, with their son Peter joining the family vineyard 20 years later. Much success led to the extension of the Auckland vineyard and Josip's son, Joseph, joined the family business in 1958.

Babich Wines expanded further in 1984 with the production of wine from the Gimblett Gravels region in Hawke's Bay, followed by wine from Marlborough in 1991. In 1997, Babich lays claim to New Zealand's first sustainably registered vineyard. In 2001, David Babich, Peter's son, becomes the third generation of the Babich family to join the company. In 2013, Babich completed building their brand new Marlborough winery, processing more than 4,000 tonnes of grapes. Josip Babich's hard-working spirit has traversed generations, and with over 100 years of winemaking achievements, experience, and excellence, Babich Wines has 100 small and interesting stories on their website that are worth reading when you have some time.

Sustainability is also a core value at Babich. For three generations, the Babich family has gently worked in harmony and balance with the land and ecosystem, ensuring that the vineyards and processes improve every vintage. Some of these sustainability practices include being careful with water, expanding the use of organic viticulture, using wild fermentations, and reducing waste.

This red wine is part of Babich's classic range of wines that showcase each varietal's regional style with a classic flavour profile and a touch of everyday sophistication. This particular Pinot Noir was hand-crafted using fruit from their estate-owned vineyards in Marlborough, harvested at optimum ripeness, and fermented in open vats. It was aged in a combination of new and used oak barriques for 7 months, then blended to create to final wine. Let's see how this NZ Pinot Noir is tasting tonight...

Tasting Note:

BABICH PINOT NOIR 2018 - Sustainable, estate bottled, Marlborough, South Island, New Zealand (#216) (XD) - $22.95
Screw cap. The fragrant nose delivers a lovely, complex mix of earthy, beetroot, and raspberry, cherry, and rhubarb flecked with tea leaf notes. It's light-to-mid weighted on the palate with sour black cherry, and raspberry flavours layered over savoury earthy, beetroot, and tea leaf notes, It has fresh acidity, while the light tannins are somewhat chalky textured. Smoky black cherries and tea leaf notes linger on the finish, with very good length. Very enjoyable! Score: 89 pts

Other lovely wines from Babich can be purchased at the LCBO, as well as through their Agent - Dionysus Wines & Spirits.

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New Zealand Wine Week - Feb. 2021 + Albariño, Pinot Noir & Syrah Wine Reviews

During the week of February 8 - 12, 2021, I attended the first ever New Zealand Wine Week. There were many activities planned throughout the week across Canada, USA, UK, and Ireland, including tastings, discussions, and online activities.

I managed to attend a couple of fascinating classes - one titled "Pinot Noir Soils" and another on Syrah. To assist with the learning, I also received a specially-curated Sustainable Wine Tasting Kit that contained three lovely wines which are reviewed below. To reduce environmental impact, the wines were packaged in low-waste, recyclable tetra-paks. Given the current pandemic, I can't help but wonder if more wine tasting kits will be provided in this manner in the future.

New Zealand produces 1% of the world's wine and 17% of the world's Sauvignon Blanc. While most of New Zealand's wine production is devoted to Sauvignon Blanc, ranking second is Pinot Noir with 7% of the country's wine production. New Zealand's soils are approximately 42 million years old, relatively new by comparison to other wine regions, and most of it has been moved by water. As such, there can be expected a variety of soil types which are layered. Pinot Noir prefers free-draining soils such as those found in Wairarapa, North Island. In Marlborough, as I learned during my visit to New Zealand last year, the Southern Valleys of the Wairau Valley have predominately clay soils - a prime area for growing fuller-bodied Pinot. As vines with age go deeper and deeper into soil in the search for water and nutrients, the different layers of soils reveal themselves and develop additional character in the wines. In Pinot Noir, clay gives density to wines, gravelly soils build tannins, and limestone gives vibrancy and length to wines. In a short period, New Zealand has built a reputation for producing quality Pinot Noir, with Central Otago leading much of this notoriety, although interesting Pinot Noir is produced throughout all of New Zealand's wine regions.

Syrah is the oft-forgotten variety of New Zealand. It represents just 1% of all vines in New Zealand and ranks 7th by acreage. Although it is speculated that Syrah was first planted in New Zealand in the 1830s. it is known that the first Australian cuttings were brought to New Zealand in 1900. The oldest modern Syrah vines were planted in 1984. Of the 437 hectares of Syrah planted in New Zealand in today, 339 hectares are planted in the warmer North Island region of Hawke's Bay - a region I had the pleasure of visiting last year because I discovered NZ Syrah several years prior. I also visited Waiheke Island last year and it has the second-most Syrah in the country with 51 hectares planted to the varietal.

A lovely Albariño from the Awatere Valley in Marlborough was also part of this tasting kit and reviewed below. Originally from Spain, Albariño has found a home in New Zealand. I discovered New Zealand Albariño after tasting a few wines during my visit to NZ last year. Only 27 hectares of Albariño are planted within the country, with most of the plantings concentrated in Gisborne, Marlborough, and Hawke's Bay.

The most recent vintage was also among the many topics discussed. While the 2020 vintage will always be remembered as the COVID-19 harvest, it was actually an excellent summer throughout most of New Zealand and the 2020 vintage is expected to be outstanding.

Sustainability was also a major theme of the week. New Zealand was the first wine industry to establish a national sustainability programme - Sustainable Winegrowing New Zealand (SWNZ) - which first started 1994. Today, 96% of New Zealand's vineyard producing area is certified by the programme. With a strong commitment from winemakers and grape growers, New Zealand is able to craft exceptional wines while also helping the natural environment, local businesses, and communities thrive. The six areas of focuses with sustainability efforts are water, waste, pest and disease, soil, climate change, and people.

Tasting Notes:

THE HUNTING LODGE SEASONAL ALBARINO 2019 - Awatere Valley, Marlborough, South Island, New Zealand (XD) - $19.95
Mostly fermented in stainless steel tanks, with 10% fermented in French oak barriques, as well as 3 months ageing on the lees. Fresh aromatics deliver an intriguing mix of ripe citrus, stone fruits, and floral with touches of vanilla, yeasty, and seashell notes. On the medium+ bodied palate it has a slightly creamy mouthfeel that’s balanced by fresh, zesty acidity. It has ripe, honeyed flavours of citrus and stone fruits on the flavour profile, while yeasty, seashell mineral, and touches of vanilla linger on the juicy finish, with very good length. Agent: Nicholas Pearce Wines. Score: 90 pts

CHURTON NATURAL STATE PINOT NOIR 2019 - Waihopai Valley, Marlborough, South Island, New Zealand (XD) - $31.95
Grown according to biodynamic and organic principles from the Southern Valley of Waihopai, this single block Pinot Noir was naturally fermented with indigenous yeast and has medium-high intensity aromas are very ripe with black cherry, raspberry, blackberry, and floral notes with touches of bramble. It is medium-bodied and mildly structured on the palate with nice, fruity aroma replays plus some earthy and tea leaf flavours. It has balanced, juicy acids and elegantly textured tannins. Very good length on the finish with notes of savoury black cherry. Vegan-friendly. Agent: Le Sommelier. Score: 90 pts

ESK VALLEY WINEMAKERS RESERVE SYRAH 2014 - Gimblett Gravels, Hawke's Bay, North Island, New Zealand (XD) ~$60
From the Cornerstone Vineyard, the medium+ intensity nose seems a bit closed, but offers notes of black plum, dark berry, blackberry, and some wood spice aromas. The structured, medium-full bodied is lovely with blackberry, black pepper, earth, eucalypt, and wood spice flavours that are supported by juicy acidity and well-integrated tannins. The savoury, earthy, black pepper spice, and dark chocolate notes continue through to the long, satisfying finish. Still has many years of enjoyment ahead. Agent: Perigon Beverage Group. Score: 92 pts

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Greywacke Riesling 2018 (New Zealand) - Wine Review

I had the opportunity to taste this fantastic Riesling back in March, in New Zealand with winemaker Kevin Judd (a full report on this is coming soon), and am delighted to see it come to LCBO VINTAGES on October 31st. For tonight's wine review, we take a look at how this Riesling has evolved, 8 months after my first tasting.

I have tasted many wines from Greywacke over the years and they have all been excellent. Greywacke is the Marlborough label of iconic winemaker Kevin Judd. After many successful years at Cloudy Bay, he fulfilled a long held dream with his wife Kimberley to have his own vineyard and winery. The name 'Greywacke' comes from the high prevalence of rounded greywacke river stones found in the soils of the vineyard in Rapaura. Kevin focuses on quality winemaking and sources fruit mostly from mature vineyards within the central Wairau Plains and the Southern Valleys, such as this single vineyard Riesling from 21-year-old vines. These prime viticultural sites are cultivated using yield restricting vineyard management, and a number of these are owned by the Sutherland family (Dog Point).

Kevin makes his wines at Dog Point Winery in the lower Brancott Valley, a facility extended to him by Ivan Sutherland and James Healy - long-standing friends and industry colleagues who go back to their days together at Cloudy Bay. The Greywacke portfolio is primarily based on Sauvignon Blanc and Pinot Noir, but there are also limited release wines such as this Riesling. Kevin is also an accomplished photographer and uses his own photos on Greywacke wine labels.

Tasting Note:

GREYWACKE RIESLING 2018 - Marlborough, South Island, New Zealand (#14556) (M) - $29.95
This single vineyard Riesling is from 27-year-old vines. Half of this wine was fermented in stainless steel tanks, while the other half underwent spontaneous indigenous yeast fermentation in old French oak barriques. Both halves of this wine also spent about 4 months in barrels on yeast lees. Screw cap. Lovely, highly aromatic nose is slightly reductive and features earthy mineral, leesy, and petrol notes followed by lime zest, citrus, and floral aromas. It has lively, vibrant acidity on the medium+ bodied palate with fine concentration. Nicely textured with citrus, floral, and apple flavours. There's some sweetness, but it is relatively hidden due to the high acidity. Apple, floral, and stony mineral notes linger on the long, lip-smacking finish. Lovely! Score: 91 pts

Other delightful wines from the Greywacke portfolio are available in LCBO VINTAGES, as well as through their Agent - Connexion Oenophilia.

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Spy Valley Sauvignon Blanc 2019 (New Zealand) - Wine Review

To celebrate Earth Day, tonight's white wine review is this lovely Sustainably Crafted Sauvignon Blanc that I picked up while visiting the winery in New Zealand in March. More about my fabulous trip visiting wineries in New Zealand is coming soon, so stay tuned!

Spy Valley Wines was founded in the 1990's by Bryan and Jan Johnson in Waihopai Valley, Marlborough, and was named after its proximity to the international satellite communications monitoring station - a spy base - located just down the road. With a passion for the land, they established 180 hectares of estate vineyards on land considered too hard, too dry and too unfertile for wine and have become one of New Zealand’s most successful family-run wineries. The Johnson family chose the Spy Valley terroir back in 1993 for its stony, free draining riverbed terrain, with terraced vines enjoying both rocky riverside gravels and deeper clay and silt soils.

Today, Spy Valley’s commitment remains to the land and to the people who tend it as they are simply farmers at heart, nurturing soil and vine to cultivate the complexities in their wines. They are also focused on sustainability, which will ensure their guardianship of the land for generations to come.

The environment at Spy Valley has been one of the many secrets to their success. Since the beginning, Spy Valley Wines has been accredited under the New Zealand Sustainable Winegrowing initiative which promotes economically and environmentally sustainable vineyard management. Some of these initiatives include promoting biodiversity in and around the vineyards, using organic matter and compost to replace nutrients in the soils, minimising irrigation (2/3 of the vineyards are irrigation free), reducing energy use, and using low-toxic, environmentally-friendly products in the winery and vineyard.

Spy Valley abides by the principles to reduce, reuse and recycle throughout the winery. It is interesting to know that they crush their own bottles (which are made out of 96% recycled glass), providing them with a fine dust which they mulch and distribute below the grapevines to enhance light reflection.

This grapes for this Sustainably Crafted Sauvignon Blanc were grown in three places. The Waihopai Valley that has alluvial stony silt loams that are very well drained, the Mid Wairau Valley that has varying depths of alluvial silt loam over gravel and is well-drained, and from the Lower Wairau Valley which has deep alluvial silt deposits over gravel. All of the grapes were harvested in the cool mornings throughout the month of March and vinified in small vineyard batches until the final blending. It was predominantly fermented in stainless steel tanks, with several blocks fermented in barrels. The 2019 vintage was a very dry and warm growing season, bringing with it small yields with great fruit concentration.

This white wine always appears in LCBO VINTAGES (at least) once a year. The 2018 vintage showed up last Fall and small quantities are still available, while the 2019 vintage will arrive in LCBO VINTAGES in October later this year.

Tasting Note:

SPY VALLEY SAUVIGNON BLANC 2019 - Marlborough, South Island, New Zealand (#686675) (XD) - $18.25
Screw cap. This Sustainably Crafted Sauvignon Blanc has a fresh, intense, yet restrained aromatics offering passion fruit, guava, lemon/lime citrus, gooseberry, nettle, and tropical fruit aromas with just a touch of leesy character. It is medium-full bodied on the richly concentrated and slightly creamy palate with very nice replays of passion fruit, guava, lime, and tart citrus flavours that are supported by fresh, vibrant acidity. Some tartness with mineral, citrus, and passion fruit notes linger on the finish, with very good length. Score: 89 pts

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Yealands Sauvignon Blanc 2018 (New Zealand) - Wine Review

Following up on the delicious 2019 Yealands Sauvignon Blanc that I enjoyed late last year, tonight I am trying the 2018 vintage to see how it is holding up two years from vintage.

With the 2018 edition of this white wine, Yealands celebrated its 10th year of operations. Back in 2008, founder Peter Yealands set out to become one of the world’s most sustainable wine producers. He determined that the only way to craft truly beautiful, award-winning wines was in partnership with nature - a philosophy that holds true today and forms the basis of their approach to winemaking.

Peter Yealands is a third generation Marlborough native and his trademark "can do" attitude is the stuff of legend. The former founder had an irrepressible imagination, inexhaustible energy, and an unswerving passion for the land. He also had a career of leading-edge innovation across many industries. At the winery, they installed a large solar panel array on their winery roof, as well as bailed and burned their vine prunings to heat their water. The vision is to push boundaries, think innovatively and produce some of the most exceptional, and sustainable, wines around.

While this vintage is long gone from LCBO shelves, the latest vintage is the 2019 edition with its new label is widely available at LCBO outlets across Ontario. Let's see how the 2018 is tasting tonight...

Tasting Note:

YEALANDS SAUVIGNON BLANC 2018 - Marlborough, South Island, New Zealand (#277731) (XD) - $16.95
Screw cap and vegan-friendly, this NZ Sauvignon Blanc has an elegant, restrained nose of guava and passionfruit aromas followed by some lemon citrus, mint, and thyme notes. It's medium-bodied with bracing acidity that freshens the palate. Ripe and tart with flavours of lemon/lime citrus, guava, and gooseberry, with touches of pear and thyme. Well-balanced with touches of mineral on the mid-palate and very good length on the juicy, lip-smacking finish. Score: 89 pts

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Johanneshof Cellars Gewürztraminer 2019 (New Zealand) - Wine Review

Tonight's wine review is this lovely Gewürztraminer that I picked up from the winery in Marlborough during my recent trip to New Zealand - just before all of the COVID-19 restrictions came into place here in Canada. More about my visit to Marlborough and other New Zealand winegrowing regions is coming soon, so stay tuned.

Johanneshof Cellars is an artisan boutique winery located in the mountainous locality of Koromiko, about 20 km north of Blenheim. It was established in 1991 by Edel Everling and Warwick Foley, two winemakers who were from opposites part of the globe.

Edel Everling, M.Sc.Oenology, grew up in Rheingau, Germany, in a winemaking family that had been making wine on both sides of her family for five generations. From an early age, Edel was helping in the vineyards overlooking the river Rhine, where vines grow on very steep slopes. The knowledge she gained here was beneficial when she met Warwick in New Zealand and helped him establish Marlborough's first steep hillside vineyard in 1977. Edel continued her travels and finished her degree in viticulture and oenology at Geisenheim University in Germany. She also worked at the world-renowned Wine Research Institute of Geisenheim in the Department of Grape Breeding and Grafting under the leadership of well-respected wine scientist Prof. Dr. Helmut Becker, which gave her an in-depth insight into vine growing and crafting wines from a scientific angle. Further knowledge was gained by working at different wineries and a distillery.

Warwick Foley is a 5th generation New Zealander and grew up on the property where Johanneshof Cellars resides. As a teenager, he planted one of the first vineyards in Marlborough on their steep hillside land in Koromiko in 1977, just four years after the first commercial grapes were introduced to Marlborough. This vineyard consisted of mainly Riesling, but was re-planted to Pinot Noir and named "Maybern Vineyard" in honour of Warwick's parents May and Bernhard. Warwick met Edel in the early 1980's while learning about winemaking and working at New Zealand's first wine research station in Te Kauwhata, near Hamilton. He took up viticulture and winemaking training in Germany, followed by working at various wineries in Rheingau and Baden.

Upon returning to New Zealand, Edel and Warwick combined European wine traditions with modern technology and founded one of Marlborough's pioneering artisan wineries to produce a collection of outstanding fine wines from New Zealand, such as this Gewürztraminer.

Johanneshof Cellars is renowned for producing multi-award winning table wines, classic Methode Traditionnelle sparkling wines, and some outstanding spirits such as Brandy and Grappa. They are part of New Zealand Winegrowers, an accredited member of New Zealand Sustainable Winegrowing, and a founding member of Methode Marlborough.

Unfortunately, the lovely wines from Johanneshof Cellars are currently not available in Ontario - or anywhere Canada for that matter. However, they are seeking representation and would love to have their wines in our market. If any Agents read this, you can inquire directly with the winery or reach out to me and I can connect you with Edel and Warwick.

Tasting Note:

JOHANNESHOF CELLARS GEWÜRZTRAMINER 2019 - Marlborough, South Island, New Zealand (D) - $31 NZD
Screw cap. This hand-harvested Gewürztraminer has a gorgeous, intense, focused, and very pure nose of lychee, rose floral, lemon citrus, and musky spice aromas. The concentrated, full-ish palate is off-dry with lovely lychee, floral and spice replays with touches of marzipan on the mid-palate. Bracing acids are juicy and keep things nicely balanced. More rose and lychee notes complete the dry finish, with excellent length. Top NZ Gewürztraminer! Score: 91 pts

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Greywacke Sauvignon Blanc 2018 (New Zealand) - Wine Review

Tonight's wine review is a lovely Sauvignon Blanc from New Zealand that will be arriving in LCBO VINTAGES on February 22.

It is produced by the legendary Kevin Judd at Greywacke - his Marlborough label on the South Island of New Zealand. Greywacke is the fulfillment of a long-held dream, a name adopted by Kevin and his wife Kimberley for their first Marlborough vineyard located in Rapaura which has a high prevalence of rounded greywacke stones in the soils of the vineyard. I am excited to be visiting New Zealand later this month and will be meeting up with Kevin at Greywacke and hope to see these stones in person. Stay tuned.

The grapes for this Sauvignon Blanc were sourced from various prime vineyard sites in Marlborough's Southern Valleys, the central Wairau Plains (specifically in Woodbourne, Renwick, and Rapaura), and a spectacular river terrace site in the upper Awatere Valley. Soil types vary from the young alluvial soils of Rapaura, Renwick and the upper Awatere, which contain high proportions of New Zealand’s ubiquitous greywacke river stones, to the older and denser clay-loams of the Southern Valleys.

The previous three vintages of the Greywacke Sauvignon Blanc that I tasted have all been amazing, high-quality wines - and perhaps not really surprising given who is behind these wines - so, I fully expect this latest vintage to also be delicious! The 2018 vintage was very warm and humid, but also very wet, resulting in a challenging year that promises to deliver quality wines. Let's see how the 2018 is tasting tonight...

Tasting Note:

GREYWACKE SAUVIGNON BLANC 2018 - Marlborough, South Island, New Zealand (#164228) (XD) - $24.95
Screw cap. Ripe, medium-high intensity nose delivers guava, kiwi, passion fruit, tropical fruit, gooseberry, and citrus aromas with a fine mineral underpinning. It is medium-bodied with good weight to the fruit and slightly creamy textured. Zesty citrus, ripe kiwi, guava, and passion fruit flavours with touches of spice and floral are lifted by the fresh, vibrant acidity. Fine mineral and lime zest notes linger on the long, crisp finish, with excellent length. Lovely, as always. Score: 91 pts

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Yealands Sauvignon Blanc 2019 (New Zealand) - Wine Review

Tonight's wine review is a delightful, vegan-friendly, award-winning Sauvignon Blanc from New Zealand that comes to us with a fresh, new label for the 2019 vintage.

It is produced by Yealands, a winery that opened its doors on August 8, 2008 (i.e. 08-08-08) with a vision to become one of the world’s most sustainable wine producers and determined to craft beautiful wines in partnership with nature - a philosophy that continues to hold true and forms the basis of their approach to winemaking.

The fresh new look for the Yealands range (formerly Peter Yealands) reflects their stunning location in the Awatere Valley, Marlborough, as well as the unique features of their vineyard. The new label starts with the eye-catching Y that represents the White Road that runs through the heart of their Seaview Vineyard. The White Road takes you on a journey through this stunning coastal vineyard, and captures the breathtaking vistas of Yealands Estate and its unique sustainability initiatives such as New Zealand's largest solar panel installation on the winery roof.

The label is inspired by the coast that surrounds their vineyard, showing the proximity of their vines to the coast through the frame of the U, so close to the ocean that the vines are often misted with sea spray. The beauty of their environment influences how they craft wine, respectful of nature and the land. Yealands believes in sustainable winemaking and creating thoughtfully crafted wines such as this Sauvignon Blanc that work in harmony with their landscape.

This lovely white wine, with its fresh, new label is widely available now at LCBO outlets across Ontario.

Tasting Note:

YEALANDS SAUVIGNON BLANC 2019 - Marlborough, South Island, New Zealand (#277731) (XD) - $16.95
Enclosed by screw cap, this vegan-friendly Sauvignon Blanc has a clean, fresh and fragrant nose of tropical fruit, kiwi, guava, gooseberry, and nettles with whiffs of mineral. It's medium-bodied on the spicy palate with vibrant, food-friendly acidity and ripe flavours of tropical fruit, guava, and citrus. A fine mineral note lingers through to the long, clean finish. Score: 89 pts

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Kono Sauvignon Blanc 2018 (New Zealand) - Wine Review

Tonight's wine review is an excellent white wine that is coming to LCBO VINTAGES this Saturday, September 14th.

I recall enjoying the 2015 Kono Sauvignon Blanc when it came through VINTAGES a couple of years ago and am delighted to see how this latest vintage is tasting. It is produced by Kono Wines, New Zealand's first Māori owned and operated winery. The Māori are the indigenous people of New Zealand.

This white wine is crafted from carefully selected vineyards in Marlborough, from grapes grown with soil knowledge and cultivation methods passed down from Māori forebearers. This gift of knowledge and rich, unspoiled lands create wines of personality and purity. Furthermore, Kono vineyards are certified by Sustainable Winegrowing New Zealand (SWNZ) and CEMARS (certified emissions measurement and reduction scheme) certified, which is integral to the values of kaitiakitanga - the guarding and protecting of the environment without compromise. The Māori culture has a strong spiritual connection to everything they grow and a responsibility to ensure that the land is passed onto future generations in pristine condition.

The grapes for this white wine were machine harvested from vineyards in Waihopai, Awatere, and Rapaura sub-regions and transported to the winery in Awatare Valley, then pressed in modern membrane presses. With juice from both free-run and harder pressings, they are combined in stainless steel tanks and fermented using selected yeast cultures and controlled temperatures. The 2017/2018 growing season was warmer than average, with challenging wet conditions appearing closer to harvest. However, vigilance in the vineyard from the team ensured that the fruit was in good condition at harvest, with excellent flavours seen in the winery.

Tasting Note:

KONO SAUVIGNON BLANC 2018 - Marlborough, South Island, New Zealand (#441394) (XD) - $18.95
Screw cap. Fragrant nose of key lime, passionfruit, citrus, kiwi, guava tropical fruit and hints of asparagus aromas wafting from the glass. It is medium-full bodied and concentrated, brimming with vibrant, zesty acidity that freshens the palate. More lime, passion fruit, citrus, and tropical fruit flavours dance on the zesty and ripe palate. It's quite juicy on the mid-palate, while mineral notes appear on the long, dry finish. Highly recommended. Score: 90 pts

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Momo Organic Sauvignon Blanc 2016 (New Zealand) - Wine Review (Bottle 2)

I last enjoyed the 2016 Momo Organic Sauvignon Blanc in October 2018 and am delighted to see how this white wine is faring tonight, on this hot and sweltering day, three years after vintage. It returned to LCBO VINTAGES on May 11 and plenty are still available throughout Ontario.

Seresin Estate is a leading organic and biodynamic producer in New Zealand and this white wine comes from their Momo range of wines. Cinematographer Michael Seresin created Seresin Estate, a new world winery with an old world approach. They are in no hurry when it comes to their wines as they let the wild yeasts that live in their vineyard ferment the grape juice into wine. This approach to winemaking does take a little more time, but the results yield wines with added savouriness, and more mouth watering textures and flavours. They also show a unique sense of place. All of Seresin's wines spend time in barrel or bottle before release because, as we all know, good things come to those who wait.

This organic white wine was naturally fermented with wild yeast in stainless steel tanks, and aged on the lees for 6 months. It is also suitable for vegetarians and vegans. Since it doesn't look like a 2017 vintage of this delicious wine was made - likely due to it being a challenging vintage with cold temperatures leading to lower yields - we'll continue to enjoy the 2016 vintage until the 2018 shows up in Ontario.

Tasting Note:

MOMO ORGANIC SAUVIGNON BLANC 2016 - Marlborough, South Island, New Zealand (#009167) (XD) - $19.95
Screw cap. Medium+ intensity nose is ripe with gooseberry, kiwi, guava, tropical fruit, and leesy characters with lemony hints. It is medium+ bodied with a slight spritz on the creamy, nicely textured palate. It is dry and ripe with lemon citrus, tropical fruit, guava, and kiwi flavours. Crisp acids are still quite refreshing. Leesy, citrus, and tropical fruit notes linger on the long, balanced finish. Enjoy until 2021. Score: 89 pts

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Spy Valley Pinot Noir 2015 (New Zealand) - Wine Review

Tonight's wine review is a lovely red wine for Pinot lovers that will be coming to LCBO VINTAGES on June 8.

Spy Valley Wines was founded deep in the Waihopai Valley by Bryan and Jan Johnson in the 1990s, at a time when the Marlborough region was undergoing discovery. They established 180 hectares of estate vineyards on land that was considered too hard, too dry and too unfertile for wine. However, as this wine can attest too, as well as others from Spy Valley that I have tasted in the past, this couldn't be further from the truth.

This family-run winery began with a passion for the land. Today, it remains committed to the land and to the people who tend it, focusing on sustainability to ensure guardianship of the land for generations to come. Since the beginning, Spy Valley has been accredited under the New Zealand Sustainable Winegrowing scheme, an initiative that promotes economically and environmentally sustainable vineyard management that includes their own winery and vineyards, as well as their grower vineyards.

Fun fact: The winery is named after a spy base that is located just down the road from the winery.

Tasting Note:

SPY VALLEY PINOT NOIR 2015 - Southern Valleys, Marlborough, South Island, New Zealand (#734681) (XD) - $24.95
Screw cap. As it warms in the glass, this offers an appealing, medium+ intensity nose of red cherry, black cherry, tea leaf, floral, and subtle oak spice. It is medium-full bodied on the palate with chunky, mouthfilling tannins that have a slightly dusty texture to go along with juicy, balanced acids. Nice black cherry, beetroot, and tea leaf flavours. Hints of mocha on the finish, with very good length. Score: 89 pts

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Momo Organic Sauvignon Blanc 2016 (New Zealand) - Wine Review

Tonight's wine review is the delicious white wine companion to the red 2016 Momo Pinot Noir that I enjoyed recently, It was released into LCBO VINTAGES on April 28 and is virtually sold out at the moment, but will be coming back to shelves as part of the October 13 LCBO VINTAGES Release.

This organic white wine is produced by Seresin Estate, a leading organic and biodynamic producer in New Zealand, and comes from their second line of wines called 'Momo', which means 'offspring' in Maori. This white wine is also suitable for vegetarians and vegans.

It was a challenging cold start in 2016, with pressure to fight frosts during the early stage of vine growth. However, a spectacularly long and warm summer, with dry weather during the harvest period allowed the fruit to be picked on-time, delivered intact, and without stress. One-third of the 100% certified organic fruit was sourced from their own Tatou and Raupo Creek vineyards, which also has biodynamic certification, while the remainder was sourced from certified organic growers - whose vineyards they help manage - in Wairau and Waihopai Valleys.

Tasting Note:

MOMO ORGANIC SAUVIGNON BLANC 2016 - Marlborough, South Island, New Zealand (#009167) (XD) - $19.95
Naturally fermented with wild yeast in stainless steel tanks, and aged on the lees for 6 months. Screw cap. This has a lovely, open, fragrant nose of kiwi, guava, tropical fruit, asparagus, and lemon, with hints of yellow pepper and mineral adding complexity. It's medium-bodied on the palate with a nice creamy texture and lovely aroma replays joined by some wet wool flavours. Succulent, crisp acids are juicy. Minerally and grapefruit-tinged on the long finish. This is very nice. Highly recommended. Score: 90 pts

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Momo Pinot Noir 2016 (New Zealand) - Wine Review

Tonight's red wine review is a nice organic Pinot Noir from New Zealand that will be coming to LCBO VINTAGES on September 29th.

Momo, meaning 'offspring' in Maori, is the second line of wines from the organic and biodynamic winery Seresin Estate. The estate is located in sun-soaked heart of Marlborough, at the top of New Zealand's South Island. It was founded by cinematographer Michael Seresin in the early 1990s with a desire to create wines in the most natural way possible, and without compromising on quality. The Momo range of wines is fermented naturally with wild yeasts and produced true to variety and reflect the essence of their fruit characters.

The majority (97%) of the fruit for this Pinot came from their Raupo Creek vineyard where the soils are rich and clay-based, while the remaining portion came from the Wairau Valley. The fruit was hand-picked and destemmed, and fermented using wild yeasts. Ageing occurred in French oak barriques for 10 months. This organic and biodynamic wine is suitable for vegetarians and vegans.

Tasting Note:

MOMO PINOT NOIR 2016 - Marlborough, South Island, New Zealand (#163972) (XD) - $19.95
Screw cap. This organic wine has a medium intensity nose that offers ripe and attractive raspberry and cherry aromas with earthy and spicy undertones. It is light-to-medium bodied with smooth, elegant tannins on the palate with cherry, raspberry, earth, and beetroot flavours. Hints of tea leaf and cola arriving mid-palate add to the complexity, while tannins have a nice chalky texture. Acids are fresh. Very good length on the earthy, forest floor, and somewhat grippy finish. Enjoy over the next 3-4 years. Score: 88+ pts

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Wither Hills Sauvignon Blanc 2016 (New Zealand) - Wine Review

Tonight's wine review is a recent arrival to the LCBO, as it was part of the July 21 LCBO VINTAGES Release.

It is produced by Wither Hills, a winery in New Zealand that takes its name from the landmark Wither Hills mountain range that borders their vineyards. It was founded as a small boutique winery in 1994 by (former) winemaker Brent Marris with a passion to craft the very best wine from Marlborough’s beautiful natural surroundings. In 2002, the winery was sold to Lion Wines.

Wither Hills is an accredited winery with Sustainable Winegrowing NZ. This industry standard was developed to allow grape growers and winemakers to protect the environmental integrity of wine production.

The winery is located in Marlborough at the northeast tip of the South Island of New Zealand, and the grapes for this lovely Sauvignon Blanc come from the Wairau Valley, not far from the winery. 2016 was one of the warmest vintages on record, allowing the grapes to ripen to optimum maturity.

Tasting Note:

WITHER HILLS SAUVIGNON BLANC 2016 - Marlborough, South Island, New Zealand (#919514) (XD) - $19.95
Screw cap. The fragrant nose offers ripe kiwi, guava, and tropical fruit notes along with some with green, nettle and earthy characters. It's light-to-mid weight on the ripe palate with ripe, citrusy flavoured aroma replays. Acids are bright, juicy and nicely balanced. Hints of salty minerality linger on the finish, with very good length. Enjoy well-chilled. Score: 89 pts

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Peter Yealands Sauvignon Blanc 2017 (New Zealand) - Wine Review

International Sauvignon Blanc Day is celebrated around the globe the first Friday in May. This year, the occasion falls on May 4th and I am celebrating tonight with this yummy Sauvignon Blanc from New Zealand. This white wine is a General List product at the LCBO and is widely available across Ontario. It is also suitable for vegetarians, vegans and gluten-free diets.

Peter Yealands is part of the Yealands Wine Group that was formed in 2008 with a vision to become the world's leading sustainable wine producer. In 2008, the winery opened to become the first winery in the world to be accredited carboNZero certified from inception. Mr. Yealands himself is known for his pioneering and innovative ways, all of which is chronicled in the book A Bloke for All Seasons: The Peter Yealands Story.

Today, Peter and his family focus their energies on building Yealands Estate into a global brand with sustainability at top of mind. The winery opened in August 2008 Some of the sustainable initiatives at Yealands include developing wetlands, making their own special compost, and using natural pest control methods. They are also working at reducing their emissions by producing their own renewable energy, and using environmentally-friendly packaging.

Which Sauvignon Blanc is in your glass tonight? Leave a comment below or join the conversation online by using the hashtags #SauvBlancDay and #SauvBlanc.

Tasting Note:

PETER YEALANDS SAUVIGNON BLANC 2017 - Marlborough, South Island, New Zealand (#277731) (XD) - $17.20
Fruit comes from 75% (Seaview) Awatere Valley and 25% Wairau Valley. Screw cap. Bright nose is typically pungent for Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc with green aromas with lime zest, passion fruit, guava, and herbs. The medium bodied palate is crunchy and fresh with lip-smacking acidity and flavours of green herbs, lemon, guava, passion fruit, and asparagus. Touches of salty mineral on the mid-palate. Finishes long and juicy with some sourness and hints of mineral. Enjoy nicely chilled. Score: 88 pts

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Tohu Single Vineyard Sauvignon Blanc 2016 (New Zealand) - Wine Review

Hot on the heels of enjoying a wonderful NZ Sauvignon Blanc earlier this week, tonight's wine is another delightful Sauvignon Blanc from New Zealand.

Producing fine wines in New Zealand's premier grape growing regions since 1998, Tohu (pronounced Tor-who) means "sign" or "signature" and is the world's first Maori owned wine company. The Maori are the indigenous people of Aotearoa, New Zealand.

The grapes for this single vineyard bottling of Sauvignon Blanc was grown on their own vineyards in the upper reaches of the Awatere Valley at approximately 200 metres above sea level and machine harvested. In stainless steel tanks, this was fermented and left to settle on the less, following by maturation. Each batch was meticulously classified during the entire process, then finally blended together to capture the unique characteristics of the vineyard and the season. In 2016, Marlborough produced larger than average berries, which should emphasize more passionfruit flavours over herbally flavours.

This new wine will be available on shelves as part of the LCBO VINTAGES Release on March 17.

Tasting Note:

TOHU SINGLE VINEYARD SAUVIGNON BLANC 2016 - Marlborough, South Island, New Zealand (#536177) (XD) - $21.95
Screw cap. The pungent, aromatic nose offers passionfruit, grapefruit, gooseberry, and guava with hints of minerality. It's very ripe with sweet and sour flavours on the palate with appealing aroma replays. Racy acids provide freshness. Juicy mid-palate. Fine length on the crisp, mouth-watering finish. Inclined to let this sit for another 6 to 12 months to let the acids settle down and enjoy to 2020. Score: 89 pts

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Greywacke Sauvignon Blanc 2016 (New Zealand) - Wine Review

Tonight's wine is featured on the cover of the latest LCBO VINTAGES Release on March 3rd.

When I tasted the 2014 Greywacke Sauvignon Blanc and 2015 Greywacke Sauvignon Blanc, both wines were excellent in my books, so I am expecting another high quality wine this vintage. Yields were up in New Zealand after the small 2015 vintage. However, the biggest difference in 2016 in Marlborough, where this white wine is from, is the larger than average berry size which should result in wines with an emphasis on thiols (i.e. passionfruit flavours) over methoxypyrazines (i.e. herbal flavours).

Greywacke was formed by Kevin Judd to fulfil a long-held dream and is named after the rounded greywacke river stones that were found at his first Marlborough vineyard located in Rapaura. The grapes for this wine were sourced from various prime vineyard sites in Marlborough’s Southern Valleys, the central Wairau Plains (specifically in Woodbourne, Renwick and Rapaura), and a spectacular river terrace site in the upper Awatere Valley. All individual vineyard batches were left on lees and kept separate until the blend was finally assembled.

Since this wine was just placed on LCBO VINTAGES shelves last weekend, there are still quite a few bottles available for you to buy now and enjoy over the Summer.

Tasting Note:

GREYWACKE SAUVIGNON BLANC 2016 - Marlborough, South Island, New Zealand (#164228) (XD) - $24.95
Screw cap. The expressive nose opens with flinty mineral followed by guava, kiwi, tropical fruit, gooseberry and hints of lemon drops at the tail end. On the plump medium-bodied palate, this offers crisp, bright, and crunchy acids with ripe guava, white grapefruit, melon and tropical fruit flavours. Finishes long with fine minerality. A substantial Sauv Blanc that will be succulent with oysters. Score: 91 pts

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