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Opened up this wine and it is recommended for those that like their red wines on the sweeter side of the spectrum.
It is produced by Ca'Vit-Consorzio Cantine Sociali, a large co-operative winery located in Trentino, Northern Italy. The Roscato range offers irresistible wines from the region that will complement any type of cuisine.
The Roscato Dark Blend is the newest addition to the lineup and is made using a blend of indigenous Northern Italian varietals - mostly Teroldego and Lagrein, plus some Merlot. It is fermented in contact with grape skins at fairly cool temperatures to preserve fruity aromas, followed by ageing in stainless steel tanks and in medium-sized casks for about 12 months, after which the wines are blended and allowed to age for a further 2 to 3 months in stainless steel tanks before bottling.
This red wine is widely available in at your local LCBO.
Tasting Note:
ROSCATO DARK BLEND - VD'Italia, Trentino, Italy (#629857) (M) - $15.95
Screw cap. Non-vintage blend of Teroldego, Lagrein, and Merlot. Fruit forward with ripe plum and blackberry aromas followed by some chocolatey notes. It is medium-bodied with soft, rounded tannins that have a slightly dusty texture. Food-friendly acids. More dark berry, chocolate, and cocoa flavours, plus vanilla and spice on the palate that lingers through to juicy finish, with good length. Easy-drinking, crowd-pleasing style. Score: 86 pts
Cantina Valpolicella Negrar is the producer considered to be the birthplace of Amarone and the typical Valpolicella Classica wines. In 1936, just 3 years after the winery was founded, the Cantina's President, Gaetano Dall'Ora, pronounced "This is not an Amaro, it’s an Amarone!" (amaro means bitter in English) after tasting a Recioto wine that had accidentally been left to ferment for a long time, thus giving rise to the name of the actual symbolic wine of Valpolicella.
Amarone is traditionally made from partially dried grapes, the majority consisting of Corvina with some Rondinella, and sometimes other indigenous varietals. This process is called appassimento and concentrates the remaining sugars and flavours. After the grapes have been dried, the grapes go through a long fermentation which results in a drier wine - a short fermentation results in sweeter Recioto wine. The final step is often many months of barrel ageing.
The Cantina di Negrar brand is the soul of Cantina Valpolicella Negrar, and the St. Mark's winged lion on the label is a tribute both to the winery's philosophy of cooperative production and to the history of the local area. The lion, a symbol of Venice's once great power in the 16th century, sits atop a column in the centre of the commune of Negrar.
This delicious red wine is a General List product at the LCBO and widely available at LCBO outlets across Ontario, as well as online at lcbo.com.
Tasting Note:
CANTINA DI NEGRAR AMARONE DELLA VALPOLICELLA CLASSICO 2015 - DOCG, Veneto, Italy (#044784) (D) - $34.95
The medium+ intensity nose offers enticing aromas of sour cherry, tobacco, chocolate, oak spice, and fig. It is full-bodied with lovely fig, chocolate, oak spice, and dark berry flavours supported by fresh, vibrant acidity. Sweet tannins are nicely textured with just a touch of grip. Pretty chocolate notes on the mid-palate continue through to the lovely, long finish. Will be better at end of 2019. Very good value in Amarone! Score: 89 pts
beverage is a lovely red wine blend that I purchased 5 years ago from the LCBO VINTAGES Release. I also have the 2013 and 2015 vintages of this wine, which would've made for a nice vertical tasting, but alas, only the 2010 is opened tonight.
The latest vintage (2016) of this delicious wine can be found in the LCBO VINTAGES section for a couple of dollars more than what I paid for this wine 5 years ago.
Tasting Note:
CAVE DE ROQUEBRUN LA GRANGE DES COMBES SAINT-CHINIAN-ROQUEBRUN 2010 - AC, Midi, France (#155804) (XD) - $17.95
Blend of 50% Syrah, 30% Grenache, and 20% Mourvèdre grown on schistous soils facing south and south-east. It was raised in stainless steel tanks and bottled unfiltered. Fragrant earthy, smoky, savoury, meaty nose accented by peppery spice, black cherry, and touches of floral aromas. It is almost full bodied on the lively palate with savoury dark cherry, mineral, smoke, garrigue, blackberry flavours. Acids are still quite fresh, while firm, gritty tannins are chalky and drying. Garrigue, pepper, savoury, and mineral notes linger on the fine, long finish. A pleasure to drink, but tannins are starting to overpower the fruit. Drink now. Score: 90 pts
is celebrated every , so I'm a couple of days late in celebrating with wine review of a locally-made Cabernet-Merlot blend from Niagara that honours our Canadian Artists.
Produced by Niagara's Lakeview Wine Co. (a division of Diamond Estates Wines & Spirits Ltd.), the McMichael Collection of wines were created in celebration of McMichael Art Collection's 50th anniversary.
The McMichael Canadian Art Collection is located in Kleinburg, just north of Toronto and is renowned for its collection of stunning Canadian art, including works by the Group of Seven. This line of Niagara wines were created to pay tribute to the artists that were part of this group. A portion of the proceeds from each bottle helps support the preservation of the art collection.
This red wine is available for purchase at the winery and at your local LCBO. Additionally, it is currently on promotion at the LCBO until , where you will receive 7 bonus Air Miles with every bottle purchased.
Tasting Note:
MCMICHAEL COLLECTION GROUP OF SEVEN CABERNET MERLOT 2015 - VQA Niagara Peninsula, Ontario, Canada (#456590) (XD) - $14.95
A blend of 50% Cabernet Sauvignon, 25% Cabernet Franc, and 20% Merlot that was aged in French and American oak barrels for 10 months. Screw cap. It's light on the aromatics, featuring hints of red berry, earth, oak vanillan, and herbs. It's medium-bodied and more savoury on the palate, with hints of black cherry, herbs, and oak flavours. Dusty tannins are well-integrated, with some grip mid-palate. Balanced acids keep everything nice and fresh. Good length on the finish. Simple, easy drinking. Score: 86 pts
wine is another new release that will be coming to LCBO VINTAGES on .
It is produced by Bodegas Jesús Romero in partnership with San Alejandro's winemaker, Juan Vicente Alcañiz. Together, they purchased a three-hectare vineyard of 70-year-old Garnacha in Báguena, Aragón. They also work together on a nearly four-hectare plot of 10-year-old vines at 980 metres altitude.
The name "Rubus" was chosen for this red wine for two reasons. Firstly, it is a nod to its origins in the municipality of Rubielos de Mora (in Teruel, Aragón, Spain) and secondly, it refers to Rubus Ulmifolius, a species of wild blackberry that evokes its aromas and defines the landscape of the area.
Tasting Note:
BODEGA JESÚS ROMERO RUBUS 2016 - DO Aragón, Spain (#575944) (XD) - $18.95
A blend of roughly equal parts Garnacha and Syrah, and 20% Tempranillo completing the blend from vines on pebble soil with sandy loam texture, in a mountainous area between 900 and 1000 metres elevation. All raised in stainless steel and concrete tanks, and spent 5 months on the lees. This is quite fragrant in the glass with blackberry, red berry, and spice aromas accented by earthy mineral. It is medium-full bodied on the fresh, clean, and ripe palate that is fruit forward with blackberry, dark cherry, and spice flavours with a smoky mineral underpinning. Tannins are fairly soft and dusty, offering a nice textural character, with just a touch of grip. Fresh, juicy acids. Long, blackberry and spice finish. Enjoy over the next couple of years. Score: 89 pts
wine review is a nice Spanish red blend that will be coming to LCBO VINTAGES on .
It is produced by one of the region's first wineries, Finca Villacreces, and is situated in the middle of Ribera del Duero’s "Golden Mile". The Duero estate is named after its founder, Franciscan monk Pedro de Villacreces, who, together with other clerics established a monastery on this site to pray and grow crops, including grapes.
For centuries, Villacreces was a place of retreat for Franciscan monks who, among other things, worked the land until the Confiscations of Mendizábal in 1836, when the land passed into the private hands of Marquis Teodosio Alonso-Pesquera - a royal senator of Alfonso XIII. Shortly thereafter, Marquis was granted water rights to the Duero River by the King.
At the beginning of the 20th century, the second Marquis sold the estate to the Cuadrado Family from Valladolid. In 2004, Gonzalo and Lalo Antón met the Cuadrado Family and expressed interest in purchasing the site as they already had bodegas in Rioja and Toro, and had been looking to expand into the Ribera de Duero. Pedro Cuadrado also hinted at leaving the wine business and estate in good hands. Soon after, the Antóns became owners of one of Ribera del Duero's most spectacular vineyards. They rebuilt the bodega, restored the vineyard, and relaunched Villacreces in 2007.
Tasting Note:
VILLACRECES PRUNO 2016 - DO Ribera del Duero, Spain (#312140) (XD) - $22.95
Approximately 90% Tempranillo and 10% Cabernet Sauvignon. Black plum and cedar oak aromas from the cork. In the glass, this has a medium+ intensity nose with smoky black licorice, black cherry, oak spice, and cassis with hints of earth and black plum aromas. It's medium-bodied on the palate with grippy, muscular tannins and fresh acids lifting the black cherry, blackberry, currant, and oak flavours. Drying mid-palate. Long finish with earthy and smoky elements, and just a touch of chocolate bitterness. Solid wine that needs 3+ years of cellar time. Score: 89 pts
Last , I had the pleasure of tasting the wines from Tuscany's Cantalici Winery with Winemaker Carlo Cantalici and Export Manager Angela Butini at Mangia et Bevi in the eastern end of downtown Toronto.
After everyone arrived, we sat down at the long, communal-style dinner table and Angela and Carlo began telling us about their winery and taking us through the wines with course from the delicious 4-course meal, eventually ending the night with some Vin Santo.
The winery, L'Antica Fornace di Ridolfo, was formed by Carlo and his brother Daniele in Castagnoli, a small medieval hamlet close to the village of Gaiole in Chianti. It was named after an ancient kiln that was built in the 16th century by a wealthy Florentine family, and the kiln was preserved and integrated into the winery when Carlo and Daniele purchased the property in the late 1990's. Today, the estate has three properties in different areas of Chianti spread out over 90 hectares of hand-harvested vineyards, at altitudes from 300 to 450 metres above sea level.
The most interesting wine of the night was the 2012 Chianti Classico as it really blossomed over the course of the evening.
Thank you to AMV-Whiz for the invitation and hosting this event. It was a lovely evening with fine wines, delicious food, and very good conversation. You may find these wines at the LCBO, but can otherwise contact AMV-Whiz for availability.
Tasting Notes:
CANTALICI PETALI ORGANIC ROSÉ 2016 - IGT Toscana, Italy (#314004) (XD) - $18.15
100% Sangiovese. Medium intensity nose that has attractive herbal, strawberry and citrus notes. It's dry on the structured palate with balanced acids and a touch glycerin like texture. The mid-palate is spiced and finishes with blood orange and strawberry flavours, with good length. Score: 87 pts
CANTALICI CHIANTI CLASSICO 2012 - DOCG, Tuscany, Italy (#314012) (XD) - $25.15
A blend of 85% Sangiovese, 10% Merlot and 5% Cabernet Sauvignon, quite shy initially, but eventually opens up beautifully with cinnamon, clove, sweet oak spice, dark cherry and rose flowers, all of which come through in spades on the medium-bodied palate with nicely integrated tannins and very good acidity. It has a medium-long finish. Give this a short decant (1 hour) prior to serving and drink over the next 3-5 years. Score: 90 pts
CANTALICI BARUFFO CHIANTI CLASSICO 2013 - DOCG, Tuscany, Italy (#315795) (XD) - $25.15
100% Sangiovese. This has a medium+ intensity nose in a (new) wood and dark profile with dark berry/cherry, blackberry and oak spice aromas. It's medium-full bodied on the palate with tannins a touch chalky. This has nice aroma replays that are oak influenced with clove and sweet oak spices. Acids are fresh and the finish length is very good. Still young, should improve in 2-3 years. Score: 88 pts
CANTALICI MESSER RIDOLFO CHIANTI CLASSICO RISERVA 2011 - DOCG, Tuscany, Italy (#315787) (XD) - $33.60
This 100% Sangiovese is named after the 1st owner of the property and who was also mayor of the town. It has a medium-high intensity nose with red berry, cherry, and subtle oak spices. The palate is richly concentrated with more dark cherry, berry and oak spices. Tannins are well-integrated, acids are juicy and the finish length is very good. Score: 89 pts
CANTALICI BARUFFO CHIANTI CLASSICO RISERVA 2012 - DOCG, Tuscany, Italy (#541078) (XD) - $35.95
100% Sangiovese from vines planted 500 metres above sea-level, this has medium-high intensity aromas of sweet oak spice, floral, and dark berries. It is full-bodied and richly structured with smooth tannins and lovely aroma replays. Acids are mouth-watering and the finish length is excellent. Has the stuffing to age 10 years. Released into LCBO VINTAGES on . Score: 90+ pts
To celebrate France's World Cup win, red wine is from the fantastic 2015 Rhône vintage that will be arriving in LCBO VINTAGES on .
It is produced by Pierre Amadieu, a winery that was established in 1929 with 7 hectares of vineyards in Gigondas that was passed on from generation to generation. Continued success allowed Pierre to grow and expand, eventually building a new winery in 1945. Pierre's son, Jean-Pierre joined the winery after he completed his business studies, and was followed by his brother Claude shortly thereafter. More recently, Claude's three children - Henri-Claude, Jean-Marie, and Marie - also joined the family's winemaking business.
I had the privilege to meet Henri-Claude Amadieu, grandson of Pierre, on a recent visit to the Rhône Valley. While I did not get the chance visit the winery (perhaps the next trip?), I did get a chance to taste some amazing wines - more on this to come.
Indeed, this is a family passionate about wine. Together, they strive to create wines of finesse and reflect their unique terroir, while holding a long-established family tradition of respect for
the soil.
This particular wine comes from the Hautes Rives vineyards that are located on marl soils covered with pebble stones on the hillside slopes above
the village of Cairanne, 200 metres above sea level. The vineyards are bordered by cliffs overlooking the
Aygues River.
Tasting Note:
PIERRE AMADIEU LES HAUTES RIVES CAIRANNE 2015 - AP, Rhône, France (#539890) (XD) - $19.95
A blend of 60% Grenache, 25% Mourvèdre, and 15% Syrah raised completely in stainless steel tanks. Plummy, black cherry and blackberry aromas from the cork. In the glass, this has enticing aromas of smoke, dark berry, and spice with savoury elements and hints of pepper, garrigue, and forest floor. It's medium-bodied with fine purity of fruit - lavender, pepper, dark berry/cherry, and spice flavours. Nicely textured with juicy, vibrant acids and smooth, refined tannins. Some mineral and smoky notes arrive on the long blackberry-pepper finish. Lovely wine to enjoy over the next 3-4 years. Score: 89 pts
I had previously enjoyed the 2014 Lavau Vacqueyras in and noted that a further 1-2 years of cellar time would benefit an already delicious wine. Well, it's 18 months since I last tasted this beautiful red wine and, lo and behold, wine is returning to LCBO VINTAGES on .
The Lavau family has been involved in winemaking for several generations, beginning in St. Emilion in the 19th century, then Tunisia, then returning to France and settling in the Rhône Valley in 1962. Maison Lavau was officially created in 1965 by Jean-Guy Lavau and his wife, Anne-Mariein. In the 1990's both of their sons - Frédéric and Benoît - returned to France after completing their studies in Canada to join the family's winemaking business. The sons eventually took over the business as their parents retired in the year 2000.
Today, Maison Lavau is one of the last family-run and independent wine estates in the Rhône Valley. With its three winemaking cellars and 180 hectares of vines, it has made its name as a major winemaker, trader and producer in Rhône wines.
On a side note, while visiting the exciting Cairanne Appellation in the southern Rhône Valley last month (more on this in a future post coming soon), we ended up driving by the Lavau winery. Having enjoyed many of their wines over the years, I was delighted get a glimpse of this fairly large winery.
Tasting Note:
LAVAU VACQUEYRAS 2014 - AC, Rhône, France (#104927) (XD) - $26.95
Blend of 50% Grenache, 40% Syrah and 10% Mourvèdre that was aged in a combination of vat and used 450 Litre barrels. Plummy, blackberry and oak spice aromas from the cork. Medium-high aromatic intensity and complex with cassis, blackberry, dark fruit, oak spice aromas with a savoury component throughout. Hints of rocky mineral and peppery notes arrive as it opens up in the glass. The full-bodied palate is smooth and dense with finely knit tannins that have meshed into the palate very nicely. Dark, ripe fruit, plum, cassis with hints of peppery, savoury oak spices on the flavour profile. Acids are juicy and mouth-watering, while the finish is long, smooth and savoury. In a fine place right now, and will continue to age well over the next 3-5 years. Recommended buy. Score: 90+ pts
wines are a pair of entry-level wines from Malivoire Wine Company - one of Niagara's most respected boutique wineries, renowned for its creativity and use of wine-growing practices. Its carefully crafted VQA wines are made exclusively from grapes grown locally on the Niagara Peninsula.
Malivoire Wine is the magnum opus of Martin Malivoire, and was founded after the purchase of the Moira Vineyard on the Beamsville Bench in 1995. Minimal environmental impact is a foundation block of Malivoire Wine's corporate mission. They subscribe to the Oregon-based “LIVE”, or Low Impact Viticulture and Enology programme, whose guidelines determine their farming practices, including the use of eco-friendly winemaking techniques. Winemaker Shiraz Mottiar was awarded Winemaker of the Year at the 2017 Ontario Wine Awards.
Martin always insisted that he would never focus on Bordeaux varietals and Bordeaux blends, and instead focus on Pinot Noir and Gamay. He also said he wouldn't focus on Riesling. Over the years, many people kept asking for these styles of wines from Malivoire, so Martin said that "If we make these styles of wines, we would be Guilty Men", based on the male group assembled from the winemaking team, and the fact that he had been very vocal about not going down this road for many years. Guilty Men eventually launched in 2010.
Both of these wines are easy-drinking, food-friendly, and made in a crowd-pleasing style that is also fairly light on the wallet. Moreover, both of these wines are widely available at LCBO outlets across Ontario, and the white wine is currently on sale (save $1) until .
Tasting Notes:
MALIVOIRE GUILTY MEN RIESLING SAUVIGNON BLANC 2017 - VQA Niagara Peninsula, Ontario, Canada (#192666) (D) - $15.10 $14.10 until .
A unique blend of 80% Riesling and 20% Sauvignon Blanc. Screw cap. This has a fruity medium intensity nose with aromas of ripe apple, citrus zest, peach, along with hints of tropical fruit, white flowers and flinty mineral. The light-to-medium bodied palate is off-dry (i.e some sweetness) with apple and stone fruit flavours that mingle with some tropical fruit notes. Clean, juicy acids are nicely balanced, while apple notes linger on the finish, with very good length. Clean, easy drinking wine to enjoy on the patio, or with seafood or poultry. Chill well and drink to 2019. Score: 87 pts
MALIVOIRE GUILTY MEN RED 2016 - VQA Niagara Peninsula, Ontario, Canada (#192674) (D) - $15.95
From the very good 2016 vintage, this is a blend of 55% Merlot, 20% Gamay, 15% Cabernet Sauvignon, and 10% Cabernet Franc, with about 2/3 of the wine aged in tank, while the remainder was in mostly French barrels for 9 months. Screw cap. The medium+ intensity nose offers cranberry, raspberry, dark currant, and black spice with hints of tea leaf and minty cassis. It is medium-bodied on the palate with soft, gentle tannins with just a touch of sweetness that's held in check with the lively acids. Appealing tea leaf and oak spice flavours with hints of raspberry and blueberry on the palate. Good length on the finish. Chill slightly and enjoy to 2020. Score: 87 pts
Even though Tenuta PoggioVerrano was founded in the shining and rural landscape of Maremma Toscana at the turn of the century in the year 2000, this appears to be the first vintage for this particular red wine. The property has 27 hectares of vines planted to Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Alicante, Sangiovese, and Cabernet Franc on rocky soils of a calcareous and clayey nature, and located between 170 metres and 300 metres elevation. The vineyards are facing south-southwest and are located just 15 kilometres from the Mediterranean. The winery is built upon gravity flow principles and is fully underground.
Tasting Note:
INFINITY 2009 - IGT Toscana, Italy (#540906) (XD) - $25.95
This excellent Super Tuscan is a blend of 35% Merlot, 25% Cabernet Sauvignon, 20% Sangiovese, and 20% Alicante that was aged for 2 years is French oak barriques and 3 years in small stainless steel tanks before bottling. Intriguing black plum, blackberry, and oak spice aromas from the cork. Highly aromatic, pretty aromas in the glass with a nice, mature mix of savoury and dried fruits - think red floral, savoury wet forest floor, dried cherry, and sweet oak spice, along with hints of cinnamon, black plum, and black licorice. The palate is medium-full bodied with nicely balanced, complex aroma replays. Supple tannins are nicely folding into the palate, offering some grip and dusty texture. Acids are fresh. Savoury notes linger on the finish, with excellent length. Drinking great now, but can also be enjoyed over the next 5 years. Score: 91 pts
This red wine blend is produced by Trinity Hill, a winery that was established on a stony site in Hawkes Bay, North Island, New Zealand, in the early 90's after a conversation over a glass of wine between Winemaker John Hancock and the owners of the London restaurant Bleeding Heart, Robert and Robyn Wilson. They were convinced that the Hawkes Bay’s Gimblett Gravels winegrowing region could produce world-class wines and became one of the region's early pioneers.
Hawkes Bay is the second largest wine growing region in New Zealand, but is responsible for 85% of the production of Syrah, Merlot and Cabernet within the country. What makes Trintiy Hill special is that most of their grape harvest comes from unique gravel soils and micro-climate of the Gimblett Gravels region.
All wines at Trinity Hill are produced with the utmost care and respect for the grapes and with minimum intervention. The winery is known for consistently delivering quality wines across the range.
Tasting Note:
TRINITY HILL THE TRINITY RED BLEND 2014 - Hawkes Bay, North Island, New Zealand (#551630) (XD) - $22.95
Predominantly Merlot (55%), with 17% Tempranillo, 13% Cabernet Sauvignon, 8% Malbec and 7% Syrah completing the blend. Individual blocks were aged for 14 months in small French oak barrels and stainless steel tanks prior to blending. Screw cap. The generous nose is complex, offering cassis, black & blueberry, black plum, leather, sweet oak spice and cocoa aromas. It's medium-bodied with a lush mouthfeel and ripe black plum, blackberry, earthy, leather, and cocoa flavours. Nice black pepper notes arrive with time in the glass. Ripe, dusty tannins are refined and offer nice texture, while offering some grip towards the mid- and back-palate. Earthy, forest floor notes linger on the very long finish. Enjoy this fine wine over the next 3-4 years. Score: 90 pts
wine was purchased nearly 4 years ago from the LCBO VINTAGES Release, and actually showed up again in VINTAGES on . This wine has since been moved to the General List, with the most recent vintage widely available for $19.95 (#420000) at LCBO outlets across Ontario.
The 2010 Bordeaux vintage was truly great, with optimal ripeness, firm acidity and tannins, thus allowing wines to age gracefully for many years. My notes indicated that this wine would be best until 2018. Let's see how this is tasting tonight...
Tasting Note:
CHÂTEAU CANTELOUP 2010 - AC Médoc, Bordeaux, France (#243923) (XD) - $16.95
Blend of 55% Merlot and 45% Cabernet Sauvignon. Savoury barnyard, earth and oak aromas from the cork. Leads with mature savoury earthy aromas and hints of barnyard layered on top of dried cherry and red florals. It is medium-to-full bodied with fine-grained tannins that are nearly fully resolved. There's just a touch of tannic grip on the back palate. Earthy, forest floor flavours mingle with dark berry, dried cherry, black plum, and leather notes in a mature flavour profile. Acids are still quite juicy. Dark berry and earthy notes linger on the long, savoury finish. Delicious! Drink up within the next year or so if you still have this bottle. Score: 89 pts
Château d'Aigueville is the Rhône property of Burgundian producer Henri de Villamont. It is located on a plateau between the villages of Sérignan and Uchaux, close to Orange. The estate benefits from exceptional terroir that has a very large
proportion of pebbles, which is also commonly found in Châteauneuf-du-Pape terroir.
The grapes for this red blend come from a cluster of hills in Uchaux, at an altitude between 100 and 250 metres, from vines that are 30 years old. Soil consists of pebbles and either siliceous or clay limestone. Furthermore, plots are separated from each other by garrigue and olive groves.
Within the hierarchy of the Côtes-du-Rhône AOC, this wine is a level up from the generic/entry level designation. A "Villages" wine indicates a sense of place, which in turn is an indication of terroir and quality. There are approximately 90 municipalities within Rhône that can produce Côtes-du-Rhône Villages wines. Since this wine is designated as a Côtes-du-Rhône Villages, among other stipulations, it must contain at least 50% Grenache and at least 20% Syrah or Mourvèdre.
When the 2015 arrived at the LCBO last year, it was placed in the VINTAGES section. Now, due to its immense popularity and relatively low price point, the 2016 vintage is placed in the General List section and began arriving at LCBO outlets this week.
Tasting Note:
CHÂTEAU D'AIGUEVILLE CÔTES-DU-RHÔNE VILLAGES 2016 - AC, Rhône, France (#544031) (XD) - $15.95
A blend of 50% Grenache, 30% Syrah, 10% Carignan, and the balance other varietals. Faint notes of plum, dark berry and currant aromas from the cork. In the glass, this has ripe blackberry and blueberry aromas mingling with charcuterie and peppery notes, and hints of cocoa and oak spice. It is medium-to-full bodied on the palate with fresh acidity providing lift. More blackberry, blueberry, pepper, and oak spice notes on the flavour profile. Fine-grained tannins are richly structured and gain grip with air. The finish is long and juicy with blackberry and earthy notes. 15% abv is held together quite well. Still quite young. Enjoyable now, but I would age this 3+ years for more enjoyment later. Score: 88 pts
In , I had the pleasure of tasting through the wines of La Ferme Du Mont. Taking us through the tasting was the winemaker and vigneron Stéphane Vedeau. This was my third time tasting the wines from this Rhone winery, having previously met and tasted with Stéphane back in 2015 and 2013. I was quite impressed with the quality of the wines on both prior tastings, so I was expecting high quality this time around too.
The event got off to a very slow start as we waited for quite some time for other guests to arrive - some didn't even show up, so I was told. The pace of the wine tasting was also a bit slow. However, these shortcomings were forgotten as the event moved along as the quality of the wines just kept getting better and better.
The most interesting aspect of this tasting was the opportunity to taste multiple vintages of the same wine. We got to taste different vintages of three different wines - including five different vintages of the Côtes-du-Rhône Premiere Côte, two vintages of the Côtes-du-Rhône Villages Le Ponnant, and two vintages of the Châteauneuf-du-Pape Vendage. How often does one get to taste five different vintages of the same wine on the same day? Thus, it was most fascinating for me to taste the 2011, 2013, 2014, 2015, and 2016 Premiere Côte wines. Each Premiere Côte was quite different from each other, and you could sort of see the evolution of this wine, as well as how the growing season and the blend contributed to the vintage.
Grenache is the main component in nearly all of the wines at La Ferme Du Mont's. 50 hectares of old vines are cultivated on the estate, incorporating several AOC's, and grown in a completely natural environment in harmony with Provencal vegetation. Vines are tended all throughout the year while using only organic fertilizers to help produce top quality fruit and fine wines year after year.
Thank you to Eurovintage International Wines & Spirits for the opportunity to taste these lovely wines. Some of these wines may be available for purchase at the LCBO - click six-digit the product code (if listed) to find out. You can also reach out to Eurovintage directly for availability or to order by the case.
Tasting Notes:
LA FERME DU MONT PREMIÈRE CÔTE CÔTES DU RHÔNE 2011 - Unfiltered, AP, France (#251645) (XD)
Medium-high intensity nose that is quite complex with sweet oak spice, blackberry, dark fruit, licorice, plum, cherry, and mature hints of dried fruit and floral. It's medium-full bodied with fresh acids and a spiced palate with lovely savoury aroma replays. This has supple tannins and a long, clean finish. Drink over the next 3-5 years. Score: 89 pts
LA FERME DU MONT PREMIÈRE CÔTE CÔTES DU RHÔNE 2013 - Unfiltered, AP, France (#251645) (XD)
Quite light in colour and has focused red cherry and earth aromas of medium-high intensity with subtle oak and smoke notes. The palate of medium bodied with nice red currant aroma replays plus chalky mineral flavours. It has fine tannins, juicy acids and a long finish with a nice mineral underpinning. Score: 88 pts
LA FERME DU MONT PREMIÈRE CÔTE CÔTES DU RHÔNE 2014 - Unfiltered, AP, France (#251645) (XD)
The medium+ intensity nose offers dark berry, oak spice, raspberry, and sweet spices. It's medium-bodied with fine tannins, fresh balanced acids, and dark berry aroma replays. It finishes long with a currant and mineral aftertaste. Score: 88 pts
LA FERME DU MONT PREMIÈRE CÔTE CÔTES DU RHÔNE 2015 - Unfiltered, AP, France (#251645) (XD) - $17.95
A blend of 60% Grenache, 30% Syrah and 10% Mourvedre, this has a medium+ intensity nose of dark berry, dark plum, oak, blackberry and herbal aromas that follow through on the flavour profile. The palate is medium+ bodied and more savoury with supple and ripe tannins that provide some grip. It has a crunchy texture. Still young and a bit tight. Acids are juicy and the finish length is very good. Should evolve nicely over the next 5-6 years. Score: 88+ pts
LA FERME DU MONT PREMIÈRE CÔTE CÔTES DU RHÔNE 2016 - Unfiltered, AP, France (#251645) (XD)
Medium+ intensity nose
is ripe with dark cherry, dark berry, earth, brett, licorice, and raspberry aromas gain complexity with air, introducing kirsch liqueur and coffee aromas. It's medium+ bodied with ripe tannins, nice aroma replays plus some floral notes. Acid are very good and the finish length is good. Drinkable now, but will improve in a few years time. Score: 88 pts
LA FERME DU MONT LE PONNANT CÔTES DU RHÔNE VILLAGES 2014 - Unfiltered, AC, Rhône, France (#171371) (XD)
An 80/10/10 blend of Grenache, Syrah and Mourvèdre that has an elegant medium-high intensity nose of dried cherry, floral and sweet spices. On the palate, this is medium-full bodied with medium-firm tannins that are ripe and offer some structure and fine aroma replays of dark berry, dark cherry, and licorice. This has very good juicy acids.and a long finish. 89 pts
LA FERME DU MONT LE PONNANT CÔTES DU RHÔNE VILLAGES 2015 - Unfiltered, AC, Rhône, France (#171371) (XD) - $20.95
A blend of 60% Grenache and 40% Syrah. The medium-high intensity nose is ripe and high-toned with dark red berry, blackberry, white pepper, sweet oak aromas, all of which come through nicely on the medium+ bodied palate. It has bright, sharp, and fresh acidity. Medium+ tannins are supple and textured. Balanced acids. Long mineral finish. Softer than the 2014. Score: 89+ pts
LA FERME DU MONT CHÂTEAUNEUF-DU-PAPE VENDANGE 2011 - AC, Rhône, France (XD) - $48.95
Highly aromatic nose is elegant and savoury, showing fine maturity with forest floor, wet earth, dried cherry, and a whiff of florality. It's medium-full bodied with very nice aroma replays and silky, sweet tannins that still have some crunch to them. Acids are finely balanced. Earthy and barnyard notes on the long finish. Score: 91+ pts
LA FERME DU MONT CHÂTEAUNEUF-DU-PAPE CÔTES CAPELAN 2013 - AC, Rhône, France (#078857) (XD) - $82.95
A blend of 80% Grenache, 10% Syrah, and 10% Mourvèdre. The medium-high intensity nose is complex with dried cherry, floral, sweet spice, raspberry, red fruit, and some minerality. The medium+ bodied palate is chalky textured with medium-firm tannins that are well structured. Nice, complex aroma replays plus some graphite notes on the flavour profile. Acids are nice and bright, while the long finish is a touch warm, yet balanced. This is a powerful wine that is still quite young and should be aged 4-5 years and will continue to drink well for a decade or more. Score: 92 pts
The 2012 vintage in Niagara was an excellent vintage due to the long, hot summer that's a pre-requisite for Bordeaux-style reds to flourish in this region. Looking back at my tasting note, I gave this red wine a score of 89 pts and noted that it would develop well in bottle for another 2 years. At more than 4 years now, let's see how this wine is tasting...
Tasting Note:
CATTAIL CREEK ESTATE SERIES CABERNET MERLOT 2012 - VQA Niagara-on-the-Lake, Ontario, Canada (XD) - $17.95
Aged in French oak barrels for 1 year. Blend of 40% Merlot, 40% Cabernet Franc, and 20% Cabernet Sauvignon. Screw cap. This has a medium-high intensity nose that leads with earth and dried cherry/floral notes, followed by some dark currant, blackberry, oak and a whiff of olive. Tannins are nicely resolving into the medium-full bodied palate, with some grippiness arriving with time. Savoury earthy, dark cherry, blackberry flavours, while the acids are still quite lively. Some dried cherry/red floral notes arrive mid-palate and continue through to the long, earth-driven finish. Should continue to drink well for at least another 2-3 years. Delicious! Score: 89 pts
As the world comes together in a few days to celebrate their top athletes and diversity, PMA Canada is celebrating the diversity of its international portfolio with award-winning wines that have received high accolades on the global stage.
wine is from Bodegas Montecillo is the third and final wine in the series. This red wine has received high scores ranging from 90-92 points from internationally-acclaimed critics and publications. Having tasted and enjoyed the 2011 Montecillo Crianza last year, I am expecting similar (if not higher) quality levels with this wine, but with a more noticeable oak component as Spanish Reserva wines are required to spend at least 1 year in oak.
Tasting Note:
MONTECILLO RIOJA RESERVA 2011 - DOCa, Rioja, Spain (#621003) (XD) - $17.90
A blend of 95% Tempranillo, 3% Mazuelo, and 2% Garnacha from the excellent 2011 vintage and raised in French and American oak casks for 24 months. This has a medium intensity nose of sandalwood, savoury, umami and earthy nose with hints of blackberry, dark currant and dried cherry, along some sweet spice notes at the tail end. It is medium-full bodied on the palate with sneaky tannins that are refined and smooth, yet build steadily in the mouth. Acids are mouthwatering. The mature palate doles out licorice, dark currant, wood, and some dried fruit characters in a savoury profile. Some sourness mid-palate. Finishes savoury and woody with hints of very appealing sweet spice and dried cherry flavours. Enjoy over the next 3-4 years. Score: 89 pts
This red wine is a General List product and widely available in-store at the LCBO. It can also be purchased online at LCBO.com.
This wine review is the second in the series celebrating the internationally-acclaimed, award-winning, and high-scoring wines from the PMA Canada portfolio.
As the world comes together in a few days to celebrate diversity and cheer on their top athletes, PMA Canada is celebrating it's diverse portfolio of high quality and high-scoring wines, such as this red wine from Bordeaux that was opened during Superbowl Sunday.
Château Timberlay is produced by Robert Giraud and is Terra Vitis certified, while regularly receiving top scores in its long history, with the most recent vintage receiving scores of 87-88 points. The property's origin dates back to the 14th century, during the 100 Years' War, when Aquitaine was under English domination. More recently, the château was destroyed during the French Revolution, later rebuilt, and was completely renovated after the Second World War.
Tasting Note:
CHÂTEAU TIMBERLAY 2014 - AOC Bordeaux Supérieur, France (#030072) (XD) - $16.95 $14.95
A blend of 85% Merlot, 10% Cabernet Sauvignon, and 5% Cabernet Franc. Ripe blackberry, plum and earthy aromas from the cork. In the glass, the nose is subtle with ripe red cherry, raspberry, and blackberry with a tinge of prune. On the palate, this has more prune notes followed by dark cherry, cedar oak, and peppery nuances. Dry overall with fresh acids, structured tannins that drying on the mid-palate. Good length on the dry, woody, earthy, and dark berry finish. Pair with big meats like lamb or steak. Score: 87 pts
A General List wine at the LCBO, this red wine is widely available at LCBO outlets across Ontario, as well as online at LCBO.com. Buy now and save $2 off the regular price until February 25th.
wine is the first in a series from PMA Canada's portfolio that highlights a few top scoring wines from around the globe to help you gear up for the International Sports Stage in February, namely the 2018 Winter Olympics.
As the world comes together this February to celebrate their top athletes, PMA Canada celebrates diversity by offering a selection of award-winning wines from around the globe.
PMA Canada not only prides itself on offering a vast selection of international wines, but also on the fact that the wines presented are of the highest and most renowned quality. So, as different countries battle to come out on top, cheer on your team with a top scoring wine from PMA Canada.
This particular red wine from Chile's Emiliana - Organic Vineyards is the winery's signature wine. "Coyam" means "Chilean oak" and is named in honour of the trees that surround the vineyard that supplies the grapes for this blend. The label, with its tree ring pattern, stylishly matches the name. Scores for this wine range from 90 to 93 points, including 90+ points from me when I tasted this delicious wine back in . Let's see how this wine is tasting tonight.
Tasting Note:
EMILIANA COYAM 2013 - Los Robles Estate, Colchagua Valley, Chile (#063891) (XD) - $29.95
This organic and biodynamic wine is made with 48% Syrah, 24% Carmenere, 11% Merlot, 10% Cabernet Sauvignon, 3% Mourvedre, 3% Malbec and 1% Petit Verdot that was manually harvested and double sorted. Ageing occurred for 13 months in French (85%) and American oak, spread evenly between casks that were new, single use, and twice used. Dark plum with hints of savoury meaty notes from the cork. This has fine, savoury, meaty, forest floor, crushed blackberry, and evergreen aromas along with hints of white pepper and licorice that gain intensity with air. Very complex and fairly intense nose. It's medium-full bodied on the palate and shows finesse with smooth, supple tannins that fold into the wine very nicely. Complex savoury, blackcurrant, pepper and herbal flavours are well-balanced and lifted by bright, juicy acids. Some evergreen on the mid-palate. Finishes long and savoury. An amazing wine to enjoy over the next 4-5 years. Score: 91 pts
Last released into VINTAGES on October 14, 2017, and (surprisingly!) is still widely available throughout Ontario.
wine is a preview of a delicious red blend that will arrive in LCBO VINTAGES on .
This red wine is produced by Arnaud Sié at his family's estate that he took responsibility over in the year 2000. The southern facing vineyards are situated 200 to 350 metres elevation, on very rocky limestone-clay soils - perfect terroir for Syrah and Grenache - and surrounded by garrigue. The crop is completely hand-harvested and sorted in the vineyard, after which the grapes are then de-stemmed and crushed when they arrive in the cellar.
CHÂTEAU DE TREVIAC CORBIÈRES 2015 - AP, Midi, France (#670505) (XD) - $16.95
A blend of 60% Syrah and 40% Grenache (35 year old vines) that was aged in tank. Faint notes of cherry from the cork. Medium-high intensity nose of cassis, licorice, and black pepper with savoury meaty notes throughout. With air, the nose reveals red currant and garrigue aromas. On the medium bodied palate, there are very nice aroma replays - cassis, garrigue, licorice and black pepper on a bed of fine, chalky textured, and slightly grippy tannins. Acids are bright and juicy. The finish length is very good with lingering earth and garrigue notes. Nicely balanced overall. Enjoy over the next 5-6 years. Score: 89 pts
Friday, November 30, 2018
