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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Wine Picks LCBO VINTAGES Release July 6, 2019: Cool-Climate New World + Chardonnay

Cool wines are the theme of the upcoming LCBO VINTAGES Release on July 6, 2019, with the major theme focusing on wines from Cool New World Regions, while the mini-theme is the annual look at Cool-Climate Chardonnay. All these wines, plus from the rest of the Release will be on LCBO VINTAGES shelves across Ontario by this Saturday.

We'll begin with the main theme that features 13 wines from 10 New World cool-climate wine regions. Typically, cool-climate wines are fresh, refined, and food-friendly, and are influenced by the cooling breezes off a body of water, altitude, vineyard direction and steepness, and latitude. Four of the wines from this theme are among my top wine picks. From New Zealand, there are two lovely wines - a Sauvignon Blanc and a Pinot Noir that are both reductive in style. From the high altitude vineyards in Argentina is a Gran Reserva that is a blend of Malbec, Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, and Cabernet Franc. Lastly, the excellent sparkling wine from British Columbia is a blend of Pinot Noir and Chardonnay.

From the mini-theme on Cool-Climate Chardonnays, which coincides with the Cool-Climate Chardonnay Celebration (i4C) taking place in Niagara later this month, just two of the eleven wines are included among my top wine recommendations. The first is a nice Chardonnay from Niagara, while the second wine is a lovely cool Chardonnay from South Africa.

Among my red wine picks from the rest of the Release, the Beaujolais is, of course, made with Gamay, while the Portuguese red wine is a blend of 40% Tinta Roriz (Tempranillo), 30% Touriga Franca, and 30% Touriga Nacional. If you like Châteauneuf-du-Pape, both of my recommendations excellent - they are from different vintages and are different in style, with the 2015 Châteauneuf-du-Pape consisting of 60% Grenache, 20% Syrah, 15% Mourvèdre, and 5% Muscardin, while the 2016 Châteauneuf-du-Pape is a blend of 60% Grenache, 35% Syrah, and 5% Mourvèdre.

From my white wine picks, all are single varietal wines. The white Bordeaux is made with Sauvignon Blanc, while both white wines from Burgundy are made with Chardonnay.

Lastly, there are a pair of wines from Uruguay's Bodega Garzón, a winery that was awarded 2018 New World Winery of the Year for its innovation and leadership by using sustainable practices, modern technology, and most importantly - making some pretty delicious wines from Tannat (Uruguay's signature varietal) and Albariño.

Enjoy my wine recommendations from this Release! Cheers!

Red Wine:

• GLORIA RESERVA 2016 - DOC Douro, Portugal (#146522) (XD) - $16.95  89 pts  wine review
• SALENTEIN RESERVE MALBEC 2017 - Uco Valley, Mendoza, Argentina (#640854) (XD) - $17.95
• FEUDO MACCARI NOTO NERO D’AVOLA 2016 - IGP Terre Siciliane, Sicily, Italy (#339101) (XD) - $17.95
• BEL-AIR CLOCHERS SAINT-AMOUR 2017 - AP, Beaujolais, France (#648527) (XD) - $18.95  88 pts  wine review
• ZUCCARDI Q MALBEC 2016 - Uco Valley, Mendoza, Argentina (#723478) (XD) - $19.95
• BODEGA GARZÓN RESERVA TANNAT 2016 - Uruguay (#558916) (D) - $21.95  90 pts  wine review
• BODEGA FIN DEL MUNDO NEUQUÉN GRAN RESERVA 2015 - Patagonia, Argentina (#668285) (XD) - $24.95  89 pts  wine review
• SUMMERHOUSE PINOT NOIR 2015 - Marlborough, South Island, New Zealand (#492728) (XD) - $27.95  90 pts  wine review
• GEYSER PEAK WINERY WALKING TREE CABERNET SAUVIGNON 2015 - Alexander Valley, Sonoma County, California, USA (#161323) (XD) - $29.95  90 pts  wine review
• DOMAINE CHANTE-PERDRIX CHÂTEAUNEUF-DU-PAPE 2016 - AC, Rhône, France (#121723) (XD) - $45.95  92 pts  wine review
• GIRAUD TRADITION CHÂTEAUNEUF-DU-PAPE 2015 - AC, Rhône, France (#182899) (XD) - $59.95  92 pts  wine review

White Wine:

• CHÂTEAU BRIOT 2017 - AC Bordeaux, France (#668855) (XD) - $14.95  88 pts  wine review
• DeMORGENZON DMZ SAUVIGNON BLANC 2018 - WO Stellenbosch, South Africa (#698324) (XD) - $17.95  88+ pts  wine review
• NOVELLUM CHARDONNAY 2017 - France (#390781) (XD) - $18.95
• MARKUS HUBER TERRASSEN GRÜNER VELTLINER 2018 - DAC Traisental, Austria (#484956) (XD) - $18.95
• BODEGA GARZÓN RESERVA ALBARIÑO 2018 - Maldonado, Uruguay (#646802) (XD) - $21.95  90 pts  wine review
• LEANING POST THE FIFTY CHARDONNAY 2017 - VQA Niagara Peninsula, Ontario, Canada (#578864) (XD) - $21.95  90 pts  wine review
• DOG POINT SAUVIGNON BLANC 2018 - Marlborough, South Island, New Zealand (#677450) (XD) - $26.95  90 pts  wine review
• PAUL CLUVER ESTATE CHARDONNAY 2017 - WO Elgin, South Africa (#570952) (XD) - $29.95  90+ pts  wine review
• LAROCHE LES BEAUROYS CHABLIS 1ER CRU 2017 - AC, Burgundy, France (#648469) (XD) - $39.95  91+ pts  wine review
• CHÂTEAU DE LAVERNETTE VERS CHÂNE POUILLY FUISSÉ 2016 - AC, Burgundy, France (#499657) (XD) - $44.95  FE

Rosé Wine:

• MIMI EN PROVENCE GRANDE RÉSERVE ROSÉ 2018 - AP Côtes de Provence, France (#452573) (XD) - $20.95  89 pts  wine review
• ASHLEY MARY LIMITED EDITION M DE MINUTY ROSÉ 2018 - AP Côtes de Provence, France (#575316) (XD) - $26.95

Sparkling Wine:

• 13TH STREET CUVÉE BRUT ROSÉ - Traditional method, VQA Niagara Peninsula, Ontario, Canada (#147504) (XD) - $29.95  90+ pts  wine review
• SPERLING BRUT RESERVE 2011 - VQA Okanagan Valley, British Columbia, Canada (#635144) (XD) - $48.95  92 pts  wine review

Liqueur:

• SIVÓ SHÁMÁN HERBAL LIQUEUR - Matured in oak casks, Canada (#653436) (500 mL) - $27.95

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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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Joiy Rosé Sparkling (Australia) - Wine Review

Tonight I am trying sparkling wine in a can. This is a new product that will be arriving at the LCBO very soon and will complement the Joiy Sparkling (Riesling) that is currently available.

I must admit, I have never tried wine from a can before and the traditionalist in me thinks that I will eventually drink it from a wine glass. However, I do see the advantages of packaging wine in a can as it is very portable, doesn't require any special openers, nor do you need a glass.

This particular sparkling wine is made by the New Zealand company Joiy in Australia using Australian wine. The winemaker is Chris Archer, an entrepreneur with over 25 years of winemaking experience. He wanted to create a truly unique product that broke the realms of the traditional wine industry. According to Chris, Joiy wines are "Delightfully chic and spirited, Joiy wines act as the catalyst for many social escapades. Joiy celebrates the day. The antidote to the ordinary, it sings of the promise of amusements yet to come. Wines to release a little mischief".

Tasting Note:

JOIY ROSÉ SPARKLING - Australia (#647313) (D) (250 mL) - $4.95
Fresh, candied cherry and strawberry aromas that follow through on the off-dry palate with some floral, citrus and bitter stemmy flavours. Crisp and lively acids balance the bubbles and helps keep the sweetness in check. Casual, easy drinking, and fun for a day at the beach or park.

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Wine Picks LCBO VINTAGES Release May 11, 2019: People's Choice + New Zealand

The main theme from the upcoming May 11, 2019 LCBO VINTAGES Release is titled "The People's Choice", while the mini-theme focuses on wines from New Zealand. All of these wines, plus many more will arrive on LCBO VINTAGES shelves across Ontario by this Saturday.

We'll begin with the main theme titled "The People's Choice". This feature lists twenty wines that are grouped together as "Customer Favourites", of which five are included among my top wine picks. The lone white is a lovely, minerally Sancerre from Loire that is made with Sauvignon Blanc. The rose from Château Saint Roch is a blend of Grenache Noir, Grenache Gris, and Mourvèdre. Among the red wines, there is a nice, meaty Australian Shiraz that includes 2% Barbera. There is also the latest vintage of the La Ferme Du Mont Première Côte that is a blend of 60% Grenache, 30% Syrah, and 10% Mourvèdre, as well as the Monasterio de las Viñas which consists of Garnacha, Cariñena, and Tempranillo.

The mini-theme looks at wines from New Zealand, where producer's these days are fine-tuning the country's wine story by focusing on site selection. Of the ten wines featured, just two are included among my wine recommendations. The first wine is an organic Sauvignon Blanc from Marlborough, while the second wine is a lovely Pinot Noir from Central Otago.

For lovers of red wines, from the fantastic 2015 Bordeaux vintage is the Cap Royal Rouge that consists of 70% Merlot and 30% Cabernet Sauvignon, while the Château Le Boscq is a blend of 48% Cabernet Sauvignon, 47% Merlot, and 5% Petit Verdot. From Rhône, the Châteauneuf-du-Pape is mostly Grenache with small amounts of Syrah and Mourvèdre completing the blend - all of which was raised entirely in concrete tanks.

Among my white wine picks, the only blend is from Rioja that consists of Viura and other varietals, and also sees some time in barrel. The rest are all single varietal wines, including a Grillo, a barrel fermented Chardonnay, and a dry Riesling from Alsace. For those that prefer sweeter wines, you will enjoy the lovely Riesling from Niagara's Tawse Winery.

Enjoy my wine picks from this Release! Cheers!

Red Wine:

• MONASTERIO DE LAS VIÑAS RESERVA GARNACHA / TEMPRANILLO / CARIÑENA 2014 - DOP Cariñena, Spain (#166579) (XD) - $14.95  88 pts  wine review
• WITS END LUNA SHIRAZ 2017 - McLaren Vale, South Australia (#311258) (XD) - $17.95  88 pts  wine review
• LA FERME DU MONT PREMIÈRE CÔTE CÔTES DU RHÔNE 2017 - AP, France (#251645) (XD) - $18.95  88+ pts  wine review
• CAP ROYAL ROUGE 2015 - AC Bordeaux Supérieur, France (#486761) (XD) - $18.95
• CREEKSIDE GAMAY 2017 - VQA Niagara Peninsula, Ontario, Canada (#646521) (XD) - $19.00  88+ pts  wine review
• ALPHA BOX & DICE TAROT GRENACHE 2017 - McLaren Vale, South Australia (#632612) (XD) - $21.95
• RAPAURA SPRINGS RESERVE PINOT NOIR 2017 - Central Otago, South Island, New Zealand (#645184) (XD) - $24.95  90 pts  wine review
• DAMILANO LECINQUEVIGNE BAROLO 2013 - DOCG, Piedmont, Italy (#454488) (XD) - $45.95
• CHÂTEAU LE BOSCQ 2015 - Cru Bourgeois, AC Saint-Estèphe, Bordeaux, France (#633891) (XD) - $51.95  92 pts  wine review
• LE PARVIS CHÂTEAUNEUF-DU-PAPE 2016 - AC, Rhône, France (#638551) (XD) - $53.95

White Wine:

• FEUDO MACCARI OLLI GRILLO 2017 - DOC Sicilia, Italy (#477877) (XD) - $15.95
• EDGEBASTON CHARDONNAY 2017 - WO Stellenbosch, South Africa (#636019) (XD) - $15.95  88 pts  wine review
• OHH POITOU SAUVIGNON BLANC 2017 - AP Haut-Poitou, Loire, France (#635854) (XD) - $16.95  88 pts  wine review
• MOMO ORGANIC SAUVIGNON BLANC 2016 - Marlborough, South Island, New Zealand (#009167) (XD) - $19.95  90 pts  wine review
• TAWSE LIMESTONE RIDGE-NORTH ESTATE BOTTLED RIESLING 2016 - VQA Twenty Mile Bench, Niagara Escarpment, Ontario, Canada (#431593) (M) - $25.95  91 pts  wine review
• ROGER & DIDIER RAIMBAULT SANCERRE 2017 - AC, Loire, France (#082255) (XD) - $31.95  90 pts  wine review
• CVNE MONOPOLE CLÁSICO 2015 - DOCa Rioja, Spain (#489583) (XD) - $31.95
• TRIMBACH RÉSERVE RIESLING 2016 - AC Alsace, France (#247023) (XD) - $34.95  FE

Rosé Wine:

• CABRIZ ROSÉ 2018 - DOC Dão, Portugal (#030445) (XD) - $13.95  88 pts  wine review
• CHÂTEAU SAINT ROCH LE ROSÉ 2018 - AP Côtes du Roussillon, Midi, France (#557900) (XD) - $17.95  88 pts  wine review
• MIRAVAL ROSÉ 2018 - AP Côtes de Provence, France (#342584 / #490870) (XD) - $24.95 / $48.95  90 pts  wine review

Sparkling Wine:

• TAWSE SPARK LIMESTONE RIDGE ORGANIC SPARKLING RIESLING 2016 - Traditional method, VQA Twenty Mile Bench, Niagara Escarpment, Ontario, Canada (#370361) (D) - $20.95  89 pts  wine review
• ANGELS GATE ARCHANGEL BRUT CHARDONNAY 2013 - Traditional method, VQA Beamsville Bench, Niagara Escarpment, Ontario, Canada (#227009) (XD) - $29.95  90 pts  wine review

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Gourmet Food & Wine Expo 2018 - Top Wines

On a cold Thursday night in November, I attended the 24th annual Gourmet Food & Wine Expo - a 4-day event that ran through Sunday, November 25. The first night was VIP Preview Night and attendance seemed a bit lighter than previous years. There also seemed to be fewer food and wine booths, but more craft breweries. Since my focus was mostly on the wines, I traversed the floor seeking some of the finest on offer and had a great time chatting with familiar faces en route.

Some of the highlights included wines in the Fine Wine Tasting Lounge, and at the Kolonaki Group booth where they featured many lovely Greek wines. There were also some fine wines at Wines from Spain, Wines of South Africa, Villa Maria Wines of New Zealand, and Grenache Wines booths. Here are some of my favourites from the show. All of these wines are available via the LCBO unless otherwise noted. Thank you Foodies on Foot for the tickets I won through their online contest!


CHAMPAGNE CUVÉE CARBON BRUT - AC, France (XD) - $350  92 pts
The official Champagne of Formula 1. Exclusive bottle wrapped in carbon looks awesome! Available via Bianchi & Nero.

VIDAL LEGACY CHARDONNAY 2016 - Hawkes Bay, New Zealand (#570895) (XD) - $60  93 pts

CUNE GRAN RESERVA 2011 - DOCa Rioja, Spain (#393553) (XD) - $39.95  92 pts

MEGA SPILEO GRAND CAVE CABERNET SAUVIGNON 2011 - PGI Achaia, Greece (#539924) (XD) - $27.95  91 pts
Available via Shop Greek Wine.

MARTIN BERDUGO RESERVA 2010 - DO Ribera del Duero, Spain (#233741) (XD) - $38  91 pts

TE AWA LEFT FIELD SYRAH 2015 - Hawkes Bay, North Island, New Zealand (#377837) (XD) - $24.95  90+ pts

ARGYROS ASSYRTIKO 2017 - PDO Santorini, Greece (#387365) (XD) - $32  90+ pts
Available via Shop Greek Wine.

KEN FORRESTER OLD VINE RESERVE CHENIN BLANC 2017 - WO Stellenbosch, South Africa (#231282) (XD) - $17.95  90 pts

ONTAÑÓN RESERVA 2010 - DOCa Rioja, Spain (#725895) (XD) - $25.95  90 pts

GÉRARD BERTRAND GRAND TERROIR LES ASPRES SYRAH / MOURVÈDRE  / GRENACHE 2015 - AP Côtes du Roussillon Les Aspres, France (#413245) (XD) - $18.95  89 pts

UMBERTO CESARI LIANO SANGIOVESE / CABERNET SAUVIGNON 2015 - IGT Rubicone, Emilia-Romagna, Italy (#225086) (D) - $27.95  88 pts

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