Emerging California Master Class (Apr. 2022)

Last month was California Wine Month and one afternoon in April I had the pleasure of attending a virtual zoom Master Class on "Emerging California". This master class was put on by California Wines and led by leading wine critic, journalist, and educator Elaine Chukan Brown.

Winegrowing activities in California began in the mid-1800's. Since that time, California has emerged as one of the world's great wine producing regions most notable for its Cabernet Sauvignon, Pinot Noir, and Chardonnay from Napa Valley and Sonoma County. In this master class, which included 9 wine samples for us to taste along with Elaine, we learned about some of California's lesser-known wine regions, focusing mainly on areas in the Central Coast.

The wines were, for the most part, made with grape varieties one wouldn't normally associate with California - Grenache, Cabernet Franc, Chenin Blanc, and Sauvignon Blanc were just some of the varietals we touched upon. Overall, I found the master class to be quite informative as a wealth of information was presented by Elaine. I was also very pleased with the quality of the wines. In the end, the Chardonnay and Cabernet Sauvignon were my definitive favourites, but there were also many other lovely wines. To purchase any of these wines, please contact each wine's Agent for availability and pricing as only a very small amount of the rosé is currently available at the LCBO.

Tasting Notes:

BONNY DOON VINEYARD LE CIGARE VOLANT 2020 - Central Coast, California, USA (#18516) (XD) - $20 CAD
Primarily from Monterey, this blend of 42% Grenache, 31% Cinsault, 24% Syrah, 2% Petit Verdot, and 1% Counoise has a medium-high to highly aromatic nose that is fresh, ripe, plummy, red fruited with a subtle smokiness. It’s medium-full bodied with smooth, nicely textured tannins. Flavours are dry and nicely balanced with red fruits, currant, red cherry, and subtle wood. Fresh, balanced acids. Long, red fruited, cherry, and smoky finish. Agent: FWM Canada. Score: 90 pts

SCHUG CABERNET FRANC 2017 - Sonoma County, California, USA (XD) - $47 USD
Blend of 78% Cabernet Franc, 14% Cabernet Sauvignon, 7% Merlot, and 1% Petit Verdot. The lovely, medium-high to highly aromatic nose offers aromas of currant, cassis, red pepper, pretty florals, and herbaceous touches. It’s medium-full bodied and dry with lovely aroma replays with noted red pepper and smoky touches, along with tangy, juicy acidity. Structured and smooth with fine tannins. Red pepper, currant, and chocolate notes linger on the long, juicy finish. Agent: Lifford Wine and Spirits. Score: 91 pts

RIDGE ESTATE CABERNET SAUVIGNON 2019 - Monte Bello Vineyard, Santa Cruz Mountains, Central Coast, California, USA (#89284) (XD) - $112 CAD
Composed of 88% Cabernet Sauvignon, 11% Merlot, and 1% Petit Verdot, it has a lovely, highly aromatic nose featuring aromas of sweet cassis, floral, currant, red berry fruit, cherry, and sweet spices. It’s full-bodied, dry, and structured with elegant, slightly chalky tannins along with lovely aroma replays and fresh, tangy acidity lifting the palate. Red cherry, floral, and earthy with some stony mineral notes lingering on the very long, juicy finish. Agent: Rogers & Company. Score: 93 pts

CLINE ANCIENT VINES CARIGNANE 2019 - Contra Costa County, Central Coast, California, USA (#32177) (XD) - $33 CAD
From old vines, some more than 100 years old, grown in sandy soils in northwest Oakley near the San Joaquin River, the medium-high to highly aromatic nose offers lovely purple and black fruit, dark plum, and minty herbal aromas. It’s full-bodied with structured, slightly chalky tannins with lovely aroma replays on the flavour profile. Juicy acids with minty, dark berry notes, plus touches of smoke linger on the long finish. Agent: Vinexx. Score: 91 pts

OAK RIDGE MAGGIO PETITE SIRAH 2020 - Lodi, California, USA (D) - $12 USD
A blend of 90% Petite Sirah and 10% Zinfandel, the medium-high nose is very ripe, plummy, and fruit forward with dark berry and sweet oak aromas. The fleshy, full-bodied palate is juicy and fruit forward, dark berry, plum, tea leaf, and purple fruit flavours joined by subtle sweet spices and vanilla. Structured tannins have some grip. Juicy acids and ripe plum and berry notes linger on the finish, with very good length. Agent: Profile Wine Group. Score: 87 pts

DAOU DISCOVERY ROSÉ 2020 - Paso Robles, Central Coast, California, USA (#19527) (XD) - $29.95 CAD
This blend of 95% Grenache grown on limestone soils, plus 5% Sauvignon Blanc was barrel-aged on its lees. Aromas are fresh and bright with notions of grapefruit, citrus, and red berries, with herbally touches. It’s medium-bodied and dry with a pleasingly chalky textured mouthfeel to go along with very nice aroma replays on the palate, joined by touches of grassy notes. Somewhat fleshy on the mid-palate. Very good length on the slightly leesy finish. Only 10 bottles remain at LCBO, and at a big discount. Agent: Southern Glazer's Wine and Spirits of Canada. Score: 90 pts

INGLENOOK SAUVIGNON BLANC 2019 - Rutherford, Napa Valley, California, USA (#17090) (XD) - $38 USD
A blend of 76% Sauvignon Blanc and 24% Semillon that was aged for 8 months sur lie with 70% in stainless steel tanks, 19% in new French oak, and the rest in neutral French oak. The elegant, medium-high intensity nose is earthy-leesy in profile with pear, stone fruit, white peach, citrus, lemongrass, and herbs. On the medium+ bodied palate it is very textural and rich with pear, citrus, lemongrass, and white peach replays supported by juicy, balanced acidity. Citrus, pear, and subtle spices linger on the long, crisp, and tight finish. Agent: Noble Estates Wine & Spirits. Score: 91+ pts

BOGLE CHENIN BLANC 2020 - Clarksburg, California, USA (#704049) (D) - $21.95 CAD
Chenin Blanc is the most widely planted variety in the Clarksburg AVA, which has mostly alluvial soils mixed with clay and some sand. This Chenin has muted aromas of tropical fruit, honeyed, beeswax, floral, and honeysuckle. It’s medium-full bodied with appealing, off-dry aroma replays joined by spice notes. It has a viscous mouthfeel with lively acids, subtly spicy and tapering to a dry-ish, crisp finish, with very good length. Agent: Abcon Wine Merchants. Score: 88 pts

CALERA MT. HARLAN CHARDONNAY 2018 - Certified Organic Farmed Vineyards, Central Coast, California, USA (#16406) (XD) - $55 USD
Grown in limestone soils in the Gavilan Mountains at a high elevation of 2,200 feet and cooled by ocean breezes. The gorgeous, highly aromatic nose is rich and buttery with apple, pear, stone fruits, lemon citrus, and subtle smokiness aromas. It’s medium-full to full bodied with a lovely, rich, creamy mouthfeel and very nice, flavourful aroma replays, plus elegant oak spice and vanilla notes, all framed by lovely, racy acidity. Excellent length on the long, dry, leesy mineral finish. Agent: Rogers & Company. Score: 94 pts

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Trinity Hill Sauvignon Blanc 2019 (New Zealand) - Wine Review

Tonight's white wine review is this delicious Sauvignon Blanc from New Zealand that returned to the LCBO last weekend as part of the February 5 LCBO VINTAGES Release.

The idea of Trinity Hill was formed by three individuals in the late 1980's - winemaker John Hancock and restaurant owners Robyn and Robert Wilson. In 1993, the idea became a reality on a stony site in Hawke's Bay with the goal to produce world-class wines from classic grape varieties, using the spiritual homes of these varieties as inspiration. Today, the winemaker is Warren Gibson, a man who has spent many vintages throughout the world soaking up inspiration and joined the team at Trinity Hill in 1997. Trinity Hill wines are produced with the utmost care and respect for the grapes and with minimum intervention.

The fruit for this Sauvignon Blanc is mainly from Mangaorapa Station in southern Hawke's Bay that has a cool climate and argillite soils which provide beautiful aromatic characters and salivating acidity. With optimal vineyard management and attention to detail, the grapes were harvested when flavour profiles were at their maximum potential. Upon arriving at the winery, the fruit was gently pressed and the majority was fermented at cool temperatures in stainless steel tanks. Each batch spent 3 months in contact with lees in tank before blending. A small component was fermented and aged in small 228 L barriques to enhance texture and complexity.

I last enjoyed the 2019 Trinity Hill Sauvignon Blanc in November 2020 and am curious to see how it has evolved over last 15 months. The 2019 vintage was considered exceptional for white wines from Hawke's Bay. Three years from vintage, let's see how this Sauvignon Blanc from Hawke's Bay is holding up tonight...

Tasting Note:

TRINITY HILL SAUVIGNON BLANC 2019 - Sustainable, Hawke's Bay, North Island, New Zealand (#247221) (XD) - $19.95
Screw cap. The elegantly intense aromatics offer lovely notes of tangy citrus, grapefruit, gooseberry, and stone fruits, all surrounded by earthy minerality in a slightly reductive and smoky profile. It has good weight on the dry, tangy palate with citrus, gooseberry, grapefruit, and apple flavours supported by juicy, well-balanced acidity. Lightly chalky textured mouthfeel on the mid-palate, with leesy mineral and tangy notes lingering on the long, juicy finish. Recommended buy! Score: 89 pts

Other lovely wines from Trinity Hill are available at the LCBO, as well as through their Agent - Connexion Oenophilia.

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Six-pack of LCBO General List Wines (Dec. 2021)

To wrap up the last batch of LCBO General List wines I received a few months ago, tonight's wine reviews are six wines that are readily available at LCBO outlets across Ontario, with a couple that are on promotion right now.

While all of these wines in this post are represented by Dionysus Wines & Spirits (and Churchill Cellars), the Mare di Sirena and Popcorn Chardonnay are actually brands owned by Alex Patinios and made under his business Garage Wine Company. Alex is also President of the Ontario wine agencies Dionysus and Churchill Cellars.

The story of Popcorn Chardonnay (not to be confused with the California wine of the same name) began in early 2020 when some Ontario wineries realized that they had a surplus of Chardonnay in tank and barrel due to the pandemic. The ever opportunistic and entrepreneurial Alex purchased the wine and sent it to Niagara's Strewn Winery. He worked with Strewn's winemaker Marc Bradshaw to have it blended and finished to the desired taste profile, and bottled as Popcorn Chardonnay. The catchy label features a silhouette of a bag of popcorn and a single popped kernel in the center, just above the name.

It's possible that the 2019 Popcorn Chardonnay is sold out across the province as I have seen the 2020 vintage on LCBO shelves now. However, you should know that with the 2020 vintage, Alex purchased fruit specifically for this wine and Marc applied small-batch winemaking techniques such as sur lie, blending, and barrel fermentation with three different types of barrels. There may be vintage variation, which is not necessarily a bad thing, but it is sure to be delicious.

Let's see how these wines are tasting tonight...

Tasting Notes:

POPCORN CHARDONNAY 2019 - VQA Niagara Peninsula, Ontario, Canada (#20264) (D) - $15.95
Screw cap. This Chardonnay was barrel fermented and aged in French and American oak barrels and has a subtle nose offering suggestions of ripe orchard fruit, peach, lemon curd, poached apple, tropical fruit, and honeyed aromas. There's good weight on the creamy, medium-bodied palate with ripe apple, buttery, lemon curd, sweet vanillin, and a touch of honey adding a kiss of sweetness to the flavour profile. Acids are juicy and well-balanced, while some smoky, leesy, and saline notes add interest to the lingering dry finish, with very good length. Highly delicious! Score: 88 pts

MARE DI SIRENA PINOT GRIGIO 2020 - IGT Italy (#20054) (XD) - $8.90
Screw cap. Translates to Sea of the Mermaid, the myth is that the mermaids in the seas surrounding Italy blow cool air over vineyards during summer to enhance ripening of the grapes, and warm air during the winter to protect the vines from frost. The majority of this Pinot Grigio is from Central Italy at 350-600 metres above sea level and has aromas of fresh lemon citrus, pear, and white peach with herbal hints. On the mid-weighted palate it has lemon citrus, mandarin orange, and peach flavours supported by zesty, well-balanced acidity. Clean, dry and flavourful on the zesty, citrusy finish, with some leesy minerals adding interest. Very good length on the finish. Will surely please! Score: 87 pts

STREWN NURTURE WHITE 2019 - VQA Niagara Peninsula, Ontario, Canada (#20261) (D) - $14.95
Screw cap. This off-dry blend of 32% Riesling, 28% Gewurztraminer, 20% Sauvignon Blanc, 10% Pinot Gris, 9% Chardonnay Musque, and 1% Muscat has a fragrant nose offering attractive honeyed aromas of orange citrus, lemon, honeysuckle, and wild flower. The palate is just off-dry (i.e. lightly sweet) with delicious white flower, beeswax, orange citrus, lychee, and ripe apple flavours in a nicely textured profile. With balanced acidity, it leads to a floral, leesy, juicy, and dry-ish finish, with good length. Delicious! Score: 87 pts

BREAD & BUTTER CHARDONNAY 2019 - California, USA (#19261) (D) - $18.95 $16.95 until Jan. 2
Crafted by award-winning veteran winemaker Linda Trotta in an honest, good, delicious, and uncomplicated style. Classic, traditional California Chardonnay with sweet vanillin oak, caramel, butter, ripe apple and pear aromas waft out of the glass. It's medium-full bodied and creamy on the sweetish palate with more vanillin oak, caramel, wood spice, and butter flavours with underlying apple and pear fruit notes. Slightly spicy on the mid-palate, with juicy acidity, while the vanilla, caramel, and butter notes linger on the finish, with very good length. Fans of Cali Chardonnay will like this. Score: 87 pts

STEL+MAR CABERNET SAUVIGNON 2019 - Lodi, California, USA (#20808) (D) - $17.95
Two friends (who grew up in Canada) and their families came together to create STEL+MAR. They make unpretentious and approachable wines that let the terroir speak for itself. This Cabernet Sauvignon has a medium+ intensity nose that offers ripe dark berry fruit, black currant, sweet cinnamon spice, and cassis aromas with savoury earthy undertones. On the medium-full bodied palate it is slightly sweet with ripe cassis, blueberry, blackberry, vanilla, cocoa, and oak spice flavours. Crafted in a very approachable style, it has well-balanced acidity and supple, structured tannins. Intriguing cassis and minty notes linger on the long, dry finish. Delicious! Score: 88+ pts

SUNNY WITH A CHANCE OF FLOWERS PINOT NOIR 2019 - Monterey, California, USA (#18946) (XD) - $17.95 $8.30
Sunny Wines are sustainably crafted for healthy lifestyle wine lovers with zero sugar, low calories, and low alcohol (9% abv). Screw cap. Earthy beetroot aromas with a hint of toasted oak mingle with ripe black cherry, black raspberry, and strawberry aromas. There's also a hint of tea leaf. The light-to-mid-weighted palate is dry with light, supple tannins that are slightly textured. Flavours of beetroot, earth, and tea leaf with fruity notes of black cherry and raspberry on the palate, turning quite bitter on the finish, with good length. Score: 86 pts

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DGB - White Wines from South Africa

With today's mild weather, tonight's wine reviews are a trio of delicious white wines from South Africa. All three are readily available at LCBO outlets across Ontario, with one a VINTAGES Essentials product, while the other two being General List wines.

These wines are produced by DGB (Douglas Green Bellingham) - a classic company in a modern era that uses their many years of experience and a committed staff to build brands with an unrivalled passion. DGB is headquartered at their production facility in Wellington, but they also have production facilities in Franschhoek and Boschendal. Being a large producer, DGB also has their own laboratory to ensure product quality, a packaging plant, and their own cellar and storage facility.

South Africa has a rich and varied terrain and is famed for its ancient soils. As such, DGB has a dedicated Viticulturalist with extensive experience working with the diverse vineyards of the Cape Wetlands and provides a crucial link between growers and the winemakers in the cellar as they search for exceptional fruit from healthy vineyards. With passion and respect for the environment, the Viticulturalist is a great advocate for biological farming and is an important leader in DGB's sustainability projects.

DGB acquired Boschendal in 2005 and is just one of company's many brands. Boschendal - which comes from bush and dale in Dutch - is one of the oldest Wine Estates in South Africa and is located between Franschhoek and Stellenbosch in Western Cape. An iconic wine farm, Boschendal is nestled in one of the most picturesque valleys in the Cape Winelands and has a winemaking tradition that spans over 330 years.

At Boschendal, they believe that wines are made in the vineyard and seek specific terroir-driven sites best suited for their vines. They have also embraced sustainability techniques in both the vineyard and and cellar to retain the country's exceptional biodiversity. With teamwork a core value, all members of the Boschendal team share the same goal which is to craft exceptional and memorable wines, while striving for perfection and aspiring to improve.

Let's see how these delicious wines from Boschendal and The Beachhouse are tasting tonight...

Tasting Notes:

BOSCHENDAL 1685 CHARDONNAY 2019 - WO Western Cape, South Africa (#367698) (XD) - $16.95
This 100% Chardonnay was crafted with fruit from Stellenbosch, Elgin Valley and Boschendal farm, from vineyards planted on well-drained soils. With a combination of fermentation and ageing regimens, the final blend is composed of 70% barrel fermented and matured and 30% stainless steel tank Chardonnay, all spending 10 months on its lees. Screw cap. The fragrant, medium-high intensity nose offers a ripe mix of orchard fruit, apple, pineapple, butter, and some leesy mineral aromas. It has very good weight on the dry, medium+ bodied palate with juicy acidity supporting the buttery, apple, orchard fruit, sweet vanillin oak, and herbal flavours. Nice leesy mineral texture on the mid-palate that lingers through to long, balanced finish with apple, butter, and leesy mineral flavours with a hint of caramel. Recommended buy. VINTAGES Essentials. Score: 88+ pts

BOSCHENDAL THE PAVILLION CHENIN BLANC 2020 - WO Western Cape, South Africa (#281311) (XD) - $11.95
Screw cap. Aged on fine lees to add complexity, this 100% Chenin Blanc has a medium+ intensity nose that has a touch of sulphur, but once that blows off there is lovely ripe apple, lemon citrus, white floral, grapefruit, and herbal aromas. On the mid-weighted palate it is dry with apple, citrus, and grapefruit, with some leesy mineral flavours in a nicely textured profile and crisp, balanced acidity. Citrusy, grapefruit, and minerals linger on the crisp finish, with very good length. Highly recommended buy. General List. Score: 88 pts

THE BEACHHOUSE SAUVIGNON BLANC 2020 - WO Western Cape, South Africa (#122390) (D) - $11.95
Screw cap. The 100% Sauvignon Blanc has delicate and ripe aromas of tropical fruit, guava, and passion fruit with an herbal element. It has very good weight on the slightly off-dry palate with delicious tropical fruit, lemon citrus, and saline flavours. It has well-balanced acidity, while the lingering finish has tropical fruit, citrus and saline notes. Crowd pleaser. General List. Score: 87 pts

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Michel Lynch Réserve Graves 2019 (Bordeaux) - Wine Review

Tonight's wine review is a delicious white wine from Bordeaux that newly arrived at the LCBO last weekend. It's featured as part of the theme on wine pairings with Fall Comfort Foods in the October 16th LCBO VINTAGES Release.

Owners of the historic Château Lynch-Bages since 1939, the Cazes family has a long tradition in viticulture and hospitality. A common surname throughout the South of France, Cazes originates from the word "casa", meaning "house". The Cazes family were labourers from the Ariège region of southwest France, and left the mountains for their new home in Médoc in 1875. Starting as a baker in Pauillac, Jean-Charles Cazes took charge of Lynch-Bages in 1939 and rapidly crafted wines of great recognition. In the 1960s, Jean-Charles' youngest of 4 sons, André Cazes, took over the reins of the property, and regenerated and expanded the vineyard to almost 100 hectares by the end of the 1990s. In 1973, the next generation joined the family business when André's son, Jean-Michel, returned to Pauillac with his wife, and followed thereafter by their three daughters. In the late 1980's, Jean-Michel Cazes named his new range of wines in honour of Michel Lynch.

Michel Lynch was a man inextricably linked with the great wines of Bordeaux and the range pays homage to the knight who owned Château Lynch-Bages and was also Mayor of Pauillac during the French Revolution. Michel was born in 1754 and devoted his life to improving the wines on his Lynch-Bages property. He was a shrewd wine producer who is noted for his viticultural advances, in particular for his early trials of de-stemming - separating stalks and pips - prior to fermentation, a process that became widespread in Médoc.

The Michel Lynch range of wines are the result of rigorous selection and the art of blending. The wines are crafted in a modern and efficient wine-blending cellar in Macau, Médoc, and matured with patience until they posses a combination of lovely concentration, charm, and roundness. Let's see how this white wine from Bordeaux is tasting tonight...

Tasting Note:

MICHEL LYNCH RÉSERVE GRAVES 2019 - AC, Bordeaux, France (#20901) (XD) - $22.95
This blend of Sauvignon Blanc and Sémillon was partially aged in oak barrels. The medium to medium-high intensity nose is minerally with lemon citrus, ripe apple, and hints of white floral aromas. On the medium-bodied, concentrated and dry palate, it is slightly viscous, creamy, and spicy with lemon citrus, apple, herbs, and subtle woody tones, all surrounded by leesy minerals. It has crisp and juicy acidity, while citrus, apple, and leesy mineral notes linger through to the long, crisp, and balanced finish. Recommended buy. Score: 89 pts

Other lovely wines from the JM Cazes portfolio are available through their Agent - Noble Estates Wines & Spirits.

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Vini Ventures - A New Experience in Virtual Wine Tastings

In response to growing demand for private and corporate sustainable wine tastings, Toronto-based entrepreneur Michelle Paris, DipWSET, launched Vini Ventures - Canada's first virtual wine tasting company that focuses on environmental and sustainable practices. I received this sample box of six wines to experience Vini Ventures firsthand.

Launched to great acclaim over the summer, Vini Ventures creates one hundred per cent bespoke, high quality wine tasting kits delivered directly and safely to the customer's door. With an ongoing commitment to a plastic-free planet, Vini Ventures' wine kits are produced using recyclable and reusable glass bottles, packaging made with minimum 75 per cent recycled paper, and recyclable packing materials.

Vini Ventures' uses a vacuum bottle filler system to ensure the wines are fresh and stable. Given that the wines have had minimal exposure to oxygen, all bottles are topped with ArT Wine Preserver to remove oxygen and replaced with Argon - the industry standard for food and wine preservation. Furthermore, by using only glass bottles, the wine is fully protected from oxygen ingress.

The wine kits are fully customizable from three to six bottles per box, and bottle sizes start at two ounces - which are ideal for wine classes, study and tasting groups. There's also a handy QR code in each box so recipients can access tasting notes for each wine that is selected either by the client or Vini Ventures. The company also provides expertise on planning and executing wine tasting events that are fully- or self-guided, large or small, and their clients have ranged from wine associations and producers, to corporate, consumer and private companies. Labels on the bottles can also be customized to suit your brand and needs.

To perfect the art of food and wine pairing, Vini Ventures has partnered with Toronto's La Palette, Cheese Boutique, and other local providers to further personalize each tasting kit. There is a range of quality charcuterie, cheeses, and snacks at different price points which can be customized for each unique Vini Ventures delivery.

All of the wines in my sample box that I tasted tonight were fresh and tasted great - my full tasting notes are provided below. In case you are interested in any of these wines, you might be able to find them at the LCBO.

Contact Vini Ventures to get started on your wine adventure!

Tasting Notes:

LITORALE VAL DELLE ROSE VERMENTINO 2019 - DOC Maremma Toscana, Italy (XD)
Fresh, intense aromas of lemon citrus, herbs, and ripe pear, accented by hints of lemon pith, leesy and saline mineral. The medium-full to full-bodied palate is creamy textured and ripe with lovely pear, apple, lemon citrus flavours, along with herbal touches. Refreshing acids lift the palate, along with saline notes on the mid-palate. Slightly spicy on the tail end with saline, leesy mineral, and zesty notes lingering on the long finish. Score: 90 pts

ROBERT MONDAVI FUMÉ BLANC 2018 - Napa Valley, California, USA (XD)
The highly aromatic nose offers intense tropical fruit aromas of guava, kiwi, and passion fruit that mingle with subtle smoky and oak influence. It’s full bodied with lovely interplays between the oak vanillin and tropical fruit flavours on the crunchy palate, joined by grapefruit and lemon citrus notes that add complexity. Acids are fresh and nicely balanced. Crisp and long on the lip-smacking finish. Score: 90 pts

XAVIER VIGNON CÔTES DU RHÔNE 2019 - AC, France (XD)
This has a medium+ intensity nose that is ripe and fruit forward with plummy, dark red cherry, blueberry, candied licorice and sweet spice aromas. The medium+ bodied palate is also ripe with black-red-blue berry, dark plum, and spice flavours, with savoury, stony mineral undertones. Acids are well-balanced, while the tannins are smooth, supple, and refined. Savoury and stony on the finish, with very good length. Score: 88+ pts

BARON DE LEY RESERVA 2015 - DOCa Rioja, Spain (XD)
Made with Tempranillo, the medium-high intensity nose delivers sandalwood, sweet oak vanillin, red cherry, and coconut aromas, all of which come through on the flavour profile of the medium-full bodied palate, joined by some maturing dried cherry and floral notes. It has very good, juicy acidity, while the well-integrated tannins have a slight grip. Very good length on the finish with savoury, earthy, wood, and red cherry notes with a touch of graphite. Score: 89 pts

ZONTE'S FOOTSTEP BARON VON NEMESIS SHIRAZ 2018 - Barossa Valley, South Australia (XD)
The medium-high intensity nose is ripe and fruit with slightly jammy aromas of blackberry, mint, herbs, and cedar wood with some underlying meaty notes. It’s medium-full bodied with smooth, ripe, and sweet tannins on the dry palate with pleasing aroma replays of ripe dark fruit, blackberry, herbal mint, and wood spice. Acids are fresh and nicely balanced, while the finish length is very good. Score: 89 pts

LUIGI BOSCA MALBEC 2019 - Mendoza, Argentina (XD)
The medium+ intensity nose has aromas of dark fruit, blackberry, black cherry, and smoke, with touches of olive, herb and wood spice adding interest. The ripe, full-bodied palate has delightful aroma replays of blackberry and black cherry with touches of violet, boysenberry, smoke, and bramble with a savoury and spicy underpinning and fresh acidity. The elegant, well-structured tannins provide a nice mouthfeel. Smoky mineral notes linger on the long-lasting finish. Score: 89 pts

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Hedges CMS Cabernet Sauvignon 2018 and CMS Sauvignon Blanc 2020 (Washington) - Wine Reviews

Tonight's wine reviews are a pair of lovely wines from Washington State. The Cabernet Sauvignon arrived at LCBO outlets across Ontario this weekend as part of the October 2nd LCBO VINTAGES Release, while the 2019 vintage of the Sauvignon Blanc also arrived in the same Release, but only at Flagship stores in limited quantities.

These two wines are produced by Hedges Family Estate, a family winery whose story begins when Washington State native Tom Hedges marries Anne-Marie Liégeois in her hometown in Champagne, France. With a passion for authenticity and a deep connection to the land in Washington, the Hedges family began shipping their wines to Taiwan in 1986, and a year later Hedges Cellars was born. In 1989, Tom and Anne-Marie purchased 50 acres of land on Red Mountain in the Yakima Valley and planted forty hectares of Bordeaux varieties. With continued success, the Hedges family broke ground in 1995 on their new Chateau on the coveted Red Mountain.

Tom and Anne-Marie's children - Sarah and Christophe - worked in the vineyards and at the winery, eventually earning prominent roles in the family business. In 2005, Christophe Hedges was promoted to Director of National Sales and Marketing, while Sarah Hedges Goedhart followed a year later to become Assistant Winemaker and became the Head Winemaker in 2015.

In 2008, the Hedges Estate Vineyard was converted to biodynamic farming, and by 2019 all five of their vineyards were converted to biodynamics. The Hedges family also sources fruit for some of them wines, including the two reviewed below, and ensure that these vineyards meet their requirements for sustainable farming. The family fosters a true homegrown approach to farming and viticulture, while also uniting the past and present, and evolving tradition for generations to come. Their winemaking philosophy is of less intervention and filtration

Tasting Notes:

HEDGES CMS SAUVIGNON BLANC 2020 - Columbia Valley, Washington, USA (#20496) (XD) - $24.95
Screw cap. This white wine is a unique blend of 78% Sauvignon Blanc, 20% Chardonnay, and 2% Marsanne with a fragrant, medium-high intensity nose delivering an attractive and unique bouquet of passion fruit and guava aromas mingling with ripe apple, pear, butter, grapefruit, citrus, and touches of floral characters. The ripe, full palate is slightly creamy with bright acidity and stone fruit, ripe apple, grapefruit, and citrus flavours with underlying guava and white floral notes. Subtle chalky texture on the mid-palate, while lemon peel and leesy mineral notes linger on the long, crisp, lip-smacking finish. Chill and enjoy! Score: 90 pts

HEDGES CMS CABERNET SAUVIGNON 2018 - Columbia Valley, Washington, USA (#20491) (XD) - $29.95
Blend of 76% Cabernet Sauvignon, 16% Merlot, and 8% Syrah. The medium-high intensity nose offers dark fruited blackberry and plum aromas accented with savoury, cocoa, wet earth, and touches of black pepper spice and brett. It's full-bodied, structured, and chewy with smooth, refined, and supple tannins and fresh, juicy acidity that supports the dark fruit, blackberry, cocoa, and earthy flavours. Some peppery spice, tobacco, and dried herbs add complexity on the mid-palate. Savoury cocoa notes linger on the long finish. Recommended buy. Score: 90+ pts

Other lovely wines from Hedges Family Estate are available through their Agent - Noble Estates Wines & Spirits.

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Château Thieuley Entre-Deux-Mers 2019 (Bordeaux) - Wine Review

Tonight's white wine review is a lovely Bordeaux Blanc from the Entre-Deux-Mers appellation. This white wine is new to the LCBO, arriving on shelves across Ontario over the weekend as part of the September 18th LCBO VINTAGES Release.

Entre-Deux-Mers is situated southeast of the city of Bordeaux. The name of the region translates to "between two tides", and is a reference to its location between the Garonne and Dordogne rivers. At 3,000 hectares, Entre-Deux-Mers is the largest sub-region of Bordeaux, however, only about half area is planted with grapes.

This white wine is produced by a family-owned and -operated winery whose story begins in 1950, when André Courselle bought Château Thieuley to lay the foundation of a great vineyard. In 1972, his son Francis Courselle took over the property and over the next 30 years, expanded their holdings and increased the number of vines planted from 4 to 80 hectares over their three properties - Château Thieuley, Clos Sainte Anne and Château Saint Genes.

Francis' two daughters, Marie and Sylvie Courselle, inherited the estate and family passion, and today they control the destiny of Thieuley. Marie is in charge of the technical aspect of winemaking, while Sylvie runs the commercial side of the business. Together, Marie and Sylvie are dedicated to continuing the tradition of quality at Château Thieuley while also continuing to innovate and respect the environment.

This Bordeaux Blanc is a blend of 50% Sauvignon Blanc, 40% Sémillon, and 10% Sauvignon Gris that was sustainably grown (Terra Vitis certified) on clay and calcareous soils. It was macerated with skin contact, gently pressed, and vinified in stainless steel tanks with at least 3 months of ageing on lees.

Château Thieuley is known mostly for the quality of their white wines and believe that carefully blended wines are always more complex than single varietal wines. Made with love, let's see how this white wine blend from Bordeaux is tasting tonight...

Tasting Note:

CHÂTEAU THIEULEY ENTRE-DEUX-MERS 2019 - AC, Bordeaux, France (#21403) (XD) - $18.95
A blend of 50% Sauvignon Blanc, 40% Sémillon, and 10% Sauvignon Gris, the fragrant, highly aromatic nose offers lovely aromas of kiwi, guava, tropical fruit, and lemon citrus flecked with earthy minerals. It's medium-full bodied and creamy with very good fruit concentration and lemon citrus, tropical fruit, and guava flavours. Acids are fresh and balanced, while the long, crisp finish has some oyster shell and leesy mineral notes adding further complexity and intrigue. Highly recommended buy. Score: 90 pts

Other delicious wines from Château Thieuley are available through their Agent - DBINO David Beauroy Selections.

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

Tonight's white wine review is a brilliant Sauvignon Blanc from Sancerre that arrived at the LCBO last weekend as part of the August 7 LCBO VINTAGES Release. However, this lovely white wine is listed as a VINTAGES Online Exclusive and can only be purchased online through LCBO.com.

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

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

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

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

Tasting Note:

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

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

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Altosur Sauvignon Blanc 2019 (Argentina) - Wine Review

After enjoying the delicious 2018 Finca SOPHENIA Altosur Malbec last September, tonight's wine review is a lovely white wine from the same producer. This Sauvignon Blanc from Argentina is new to the LCBO and arrived on shelves across Ontario last weekend as part of the July 10 LCBO VINTAGES Release. This is the first of what will be many posts in the coming weeks highlighting the exciting and diverse Wines of Argentina.

Roberto Luka, the former President of Wines of Argentina, founded Finca SOPHENIA in 1997 by combining the names of his partner's daughter, Sophia, and his own daughter, Eugenia. The wine producer is based in the high-altitude sub-zone of Gualtallary in Tupungato, within the Uco Valley in Mendoza. Today, Finca SOPHENIA is recognized as one of the highest quality wine producers in Argentina. Finca SOPHENIA is Sustainability Certified and the young, dynamic, and ambitious winemaking team is led by Ing. Julia Halupczok and winemaker Matías Michelini; Eugenia Luka has also joined the family business.

Finca SOPHENIA is a pioneer in the cultivation of vines in Gualtallary. Tupungato has an ideal micro-climate that allows for the slow ripening of grapes. The combination of height, cold weather, and sandy and stony soils result in wines with ideal natural acidity, intense aromas and flavours, concentration, and good structure. The small terroir of Gualtallary yields wines that are some of Argentina's most freshest and minerally.

With Argentina's unique conditions, notably the Andes mountain range and its latitudinal extension, the country is able to cultivate a wide range of grapes to produce many distinct styles of wines. Although Sauvignon Blanc isn't widely planted, it is being cultivated more in recent years and is now the fifth most widely planted white varietal in the country.

This particular Sauvignon Blanc is from their "Altosur" range of wines. Altosur translates to "high in the south", referring to the elevation of its terroir at the southern part of the world. It was grown in Finca SOPHENIA's high-altitude estate vineyard by the Andes in the Gualtallary sub-zone of Tupungato, in the Uco Valley, at an altitude of 1,219 metres (4,000 feet) above sea level. The soils here are of alluvial origin, loose and highly permeable structure. To obtain a balanced vineyard with high quality grapes, special pruning, irrigation and canopy management tasks are performed. The grapes are harvested manually and vinified using gentle pressing at low pressures in a pneumatic press, and fermented in stainless steel tanks at controlled temperatures. Let's see how this delicious Argentinean Sauvignon Blanc is tasting tonight...

Tasting Note:

ALTOSUR SAUVIGNON BLANC 2019 - Estate grown and bottled, Gualtallary, Tupungato, Uco Valley, Mendoza, Argentina (#19385) (XD) - $16.95
Screw cap. The fresh, intense nose is highly aromatic with ripe guava, kiwi, melon, tropical fruit, and citrus aromas nuanced with earthy minerals and herbs. The clean, fresh palate has more ripe tropical fruit, guava, kiwi, citrus, and melon flavours in a spicy profile with fresh, clean acidity. Juicy herbs with citrus and melon linger on the long, distinctively mineral finish. Recommended buy. Score: 89 pts

While a few Altosur Malbec's are still available at the LCBO, other delicious wines from Finca SOPHENIA can be purchased through their Agent - Sylvestre Wines & Spirits.

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The Wine-demic Pack by Creekside (Niagara) - Wine Reviews

Tonight's wine reviews are a limited release set of 6 lovely and unique VQA wines called The Wine-demic Pack that were crafted by Niagara's Creekside Estate Winery and launched in April. Although things are improving of late, The Wine-demic Pack recognizes some of the daily adjustments we've all had to make while living through these difficult times.

As Andrew Howard, President of Creekside Estate Winery says, "Great wine and a sense of humour is in our DNA at Creekside, so we've combined them together to create a fun and delicious box of wine that we call our Pandemic Pack (aka Wine-demic Pack). While we won't solve any of life's real problems with this collection, we think that a sense of humour and some very good wine can help to make the current struggles a little less formidable." As these are stressful times for a lot of people, Creekside is donating a portion of the proceeds from these wines to support local mental health services.

The Wine-demic Pack Collection includes 6 delicious and unique VQA wines (reviewed below), with each wine highlighting a different aspect of pandemic living, and while the labels and names are fun in nature, the wines are no joke! You can get this Collection, which includes one of each bottle for a total of 6 bottles for $125 at the winery in Jordan, Ontario, as well as through their online store for free home delivery anywhere in the province.

Tasting Notes:

THE WINE-DEMIC PACK SAUVIGNON BLANC 2019 - VQA Ontario, Canada (XD)
Laggy wifi patience enhancer

Intense, fresh, ripe, tropical fruit aromas of guava, kiwi, passion fruit, and lemon citrus. It's medium+ bodied on the fleshy, slightly creamy palate with lovely tropical fruit and citrus aroma replays, along with some saline notes. It has fresh acidity, while the finish has touches of saline mineral notes, with very good length. Score: 90+ pts

THE WINE-DEMIC PACK PINOT GRIS 2019 - VQA Ontario, Canada (XD)
Every day is ground hog day is every day

Pours a medium-deep gold colour. The medium+ intensity nose has a slightly funky nose of peach and stone fruit aromas. It's medium+ bodied on the palate with more peach and stone fruits flavours joined by honeyed notes in a dry flavour profile. Acids are well-balanced, while more peach and stone fruit notes come through on the dry finish, with good length. Score: 88 pts

THE WINE-DEMIC PACK RAZZLE DAZZLE RIESLING 2020 - VQA Niagara Peninsula, Ontario, Canada (M)
Vaccination celebration libation

Bottled under Stelvin screw cap, this Charmat-method sparkling wine is made with Riesling and offers a fragrant nose of ripe peach, apple, citrus, and apricot with touches of white floral aromas, with lovely replays on the semi-sweet palate and frothy mousse with fresh acidity that brightens the palate. Very good length with more apple, floral, and touches of honey lingering on the finish. Score: 89 pts

THE WINE-DEMIC PACK ROSÉ 2020 - VQA Niagara Peninsula, Ontario, Canada (XD)
Spousal tolerance enhancement beverage

This blend of Pinot Noir and Pinot Gris has fresh, medium-high intensity aromatics with ripe raspberry, cranberry, strawberry, cherry, and herbal notes. It's medium-full bodied on the weighty, dry palate with fairly complex currant, cranberry, cherry, strawberry, and herbal flavours joined by orange zest nuances. It has very good acidity and a slightly tannic presence. Lovely herbal, currant, and red berry notes linger on the crisp, dry finish, with very good length. Score: 90+ pts

THE WINE-DEMIC PACK SYRAH 2019 - VQA Niagara Peninsula, Ontario, Canada (XD)
Fuzzy face and furry legs acceptance tonic

The medium+ intensity nose has funky, meaty aromas layered over dark fruit and black peppercorn. It's medium+ bodied on the palate with fresh acids and smooth, rounded, slightly dusty textured tannins that support the savoury, earthy, dark fruit, meaty, and black peppercorn flavours. Nicely balanced overall with meaty, olive, black pepper, and savoury wood notes lingering on the finish. Score: 90 pts

THE WINE-DEMIC PACK CABERNET MERLOT 2019 - VQA Ontario, Canada (XD)
Remote schooling sauce

The nose is a bit quiet, offering glimpses of red & black fruits, currant, cassis, and touches of wood spice. The full-bodied, structured palate is ripe with currant, cassis, and black cherry with touches of wood spice and herbally mint flavours, It has fresh, balanced acidity, while the structured tannins are a bit grippy. Pleasantly savoury on the tight finish, with very good length. Enjoyable now, but should be even better in 2-3 years. Score: 90 pts

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

Tonight's wine review is the latest edition of this lovely Sauvignon Blanc from Sancerre that arrived at the LCBO this weekend as part of the May 15 LCBO VINTAGES Release.

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

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

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

Tasting Note:

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

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

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Les Hauts de Lagarde Blanc 2019 (Bordeaux) - Wine Review

Tonight's wine review is a lovely organic and vegan-friendly white wine from Bordeaux that came to the LCBO over the weekend as part of the January 23rd LCBO VINTAGES Release.

It is produced by Maison Raymond, a vigneron and negociant family that has a history of winegrowing that dates back to the year 1850. Maison Raymond is located in the southeastern end of Entre-Deux-Mers, Bordeaux's largest appellation, within the commune of Saint-Laurent-du-Bois. Entre-Deux-Mers stretches from near the city of Bordeaux and moves southeasterly, between the Garonne and Dordogne rivers. In addition to growing wines in Saint-Laurent-du-Bois, they also have vineyards in the villages of Saint-Martial and Saint-Felix de Conclude, where wines have been grown since medieval times.

The family property of the domaine du Château de Lagarde has been built up over years by successive generations and uses a combination of ancestral traditions and efficient, modern technologies to craft its wines. In 2000, Lionel Raymond purchased the organic vineyard of Château Joumes Fillon and because he had strong respect for the environment and terroir, he also converted his own vineyard - all 130 hectares - to organic agriculture. Most winemakers in the area thought he was crazy as it was twice the work of a conventional vineyard. Today, Maison Raymond is one of Bordeaux's largest organic wineries and one of the few in the region that has made the commitment to organic viticulture.

This particular organic white wine is a blend of 60% Sauvignon Blanc and 40% Sémillon that was grown on a hillside vineyard with clay-limestone soil and gravels in Saint-Laurent-du-Bois, where the climate is mild due to the influence of the Atlantic Ocean. I enjoyed tasting the 2018 vintage of this wine when it arrived in LCBO VINTAGES in April 2019 and expect this latest vintage to be just as lovely.

Tasting Note:

LES HAUTS DE LAGARDE BLANC 2019 - Vegan, AC Bordeaux, France (#387787) (XD) - $18.95
This organic wine is a blend of 60% Sauvignon Blanc and 40% Sémillon that was grown on clay-limestone soil and gravels. The highly aromatic nose is fragrant and pretty with notes of ripe lemon/lime, citrus, passion fruit, kiwi, and white flowers. It's medium+ bodied on the ripe palate with lovely aroma replays plus touches of honey that are balanced by crisp, balanced acidity. Slightly chalky mineral textured on the mid-palate, while the long finish is juicy with oyster shell mineral and lime notes. Recommended buy. Score: 89 pts

Other lovely wines from Maison Raymond can be found via their Agent - Rare Earth Wines.

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Exploring DO Rueda Wines (Spain)

For tonight's wine reviews, I explore the wines of Rueda (Spain) thanks to DO Rueda and GLO Communications.

Rueda Designation of Origin (DO) is one of the few European wine growing regions specialised in making white wines. Rueda is known for its excellence in producing white wines based on its native varietal, Verdejo, as well as its other principal white varietal, Sauvignon Blanc. While Sauvignon Blanc was introduced to Spain from Loire only in the 1970s, Verdejo has been grown in Rueda for over 10 centuries. In 1980, DO Rueda officially became an appellation, celebrating 40 years in 2020.

DO Rueda is located in northwestern Spain, within the provinces of Valladolid, Segovia and Ávila in the region of Castile and León. The region is located on high plains 700 to 870 metres (2,300 to 2,800 feet) above sea level, and affected by Atlantic winds. Areas close to the River Duero and its tributaries have broad alluvial and diluvial terraces. The brown, rocky soils are rich in calcium and magnesium, with good drainage, along with some limestone at the top of rolling hills, while their texture varies from sandy-loamy to loamy. The geological substratum has evolved on the surface towards rocky allochthonous deposits, giving rise to gravelly plots where the best DO Rueda vineyards are grown.

Winters are cold and very long, springs are short, and late frosts are common. However, summers are hot and dry, resulting in vines that seek water deep into the subsoil. High diurnal temperatures between the hot days and cool nights help maintain balance and excellent acidity. The robust Verdejo has learnt to survive the harsh environment that is Rueda.

Harvesting the grapes of Rueda usually occurs at night, while fermentation is often in stainless steel tanks, but sometimes also occurs in barrels. Oak barrels are also used to age the wine on lees. The wines below, which are all lovely, encompass some aspect of the traditional winemaking process in Rueda. While none of these wines are available at the LCBO, nor through the Passport to Rueda Mixed Case via WineAlign which is now sold out, you should be able to purchase these lovely wines through each winery's respective Agent.

Tasting Notes:

BODEGAS REINA DE CASTILLA EL BUFON VERDEJO 2019 - DO Rueda, Spain (XD) - $19.95
This Verdejo has a fresh, clean nose of citrus, grapefruit, and herb with a touch of stony minerals. The zesty, medium+ bodied palate has fine concentration with tangy citrus, grapefruit, and herbally flavours tapering into saline mineral notes. Succulent acids are fresh, and juicy. Grapefruit and oyster shell mineral with a touch of bitterness on the long finish. Keeps you coming back for another sip. Agent:
Brand New Day Wines & Spirits. Score: 90 pts

NEKORA BY DIEZ SIGLOS 2019 - DO Rueda, Spain (XD) - $19.92
Perfumed, fragrant, and aromatics offer lovely ripe tropical fruit, citrus, and pear mingling with floral, and honeysuckle aromas. It is medium+ bodied on concentrated, textured palate with fresh, juicy acidity, and more tropical fruit, citrus, and pear flavours with some minerality coming through on the long, succulent finish. Agent: Marchands des Ameriques Inc. Score: 90 pts

EL LAGAR DE MOHA SAPIENTIA VERDEJO ECOLÓGICO 2018 - DO Rueda, Spain (XD) - $21.95
This organic Verdejo was fermented using natural yeasts and aged on fine lees. The medium+ intensity nose has a leesy, lactic characters surrounded by peach, melon, and citrus aromas. It's medium-full bodied on the fleshy, creamy, and spicy palate with flavours of tropical fruit, citrus, and hints of spicy ginger. Acids are clean and well-balanced, while mineral and leesy notes linger on the long finish. Agent: Violet Hill Wine Imports. Score: 89 pts

BODEGAS VERDEAL AYRE VERDEJO EDICION PRIMAVERA 2019 - DO Rueda, Spain (XD) - $19.92
Fragrant, zesty lemon/lime citrus, herbs, and leesy aromas rise out of the glass. It's medium+ bodied with a creamy, leesy mouthfeel and sharp, lively acidity. Lovely flavour replays of lemon/lime citrus, herbal, and leesy flavours with a touch of saline mineral, all of which linger through to the long, succulent and leesy finish. Chill (but not too much) and enjoy! Agent: Bespoke Wine and Spirits. Score: 89 pts

BODEGAS JOSÉ PARIENTE VERDEJO FERMENTADO EN BARRICA 2018 - DO Rueda, Spain (XD) - $34.95
From 70-year-old vines, this barrel-fermented Verdejo was aged for 6 months in French oak barrels. Elegantly fragrant on the nose with ripe lemon citrus, tropical fruit, lemon curd, and peach with touches of sweet vanilla. It is medium-full bodied on the creamy and spicy palate with more lemon, tropical fruit, pineapple, and peach flavours accented with subtle vanilla oak spice notes. It has juicy, mouth-watering acids while vanilla-tinged lemon and leesy notes linger on the long, juicy finish. Agent: Azureau Wines & Spirits. Score: 91 pts

VINOS SANZ MONTESOL RUEDA SAUVIGNON 2019 - DO Rueda, Spain (XD) - $29.52
Fresh, fragrant, intense, and ripe aromas of passion fruit, kiwi, guava, floral, and asparagus with some underlying minerality. It's medium-bodied and fresh on the palate with lively, zesty acidity. Lovely lemon/lime citrus, passion fruit, and floral flavours plus some white pepper and herbal notes add complexity on the palate. Long, zesty finish with touches of mineral. Chill well and enjoy! Agent: Spain Only 1. Score: 90 pts

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