Providing a Unique & Affordable Selection of High Quality Red Wines and White Wines for Your Enjoyment. Also featured: Rosé, Port, Icewine, Champagne and Sparkling Wine for Special Occasions. Cheers!
wine was released into VINTAGES last Spring and will be back as part of the LCBO VINTAGES Release on .
This wine is produced by La Crema, a winery emphasizing boutique, small-batch winemaking and a commitment to sustainability. I had the opportunity to visit this Sonoma winery in October and will be reporting on this in the near future - stay tuned.
The fruit for this wine comes from various vineyards across the diverse region of Sonoma Coast, including the Laghlin, Fulton, Ramal, Saralee's, Shiloh and Kelli Ann vineyards. The vintage was very good, with the weather co-operating beautifully by offering ample sunshine to achieve optimal ripeness and flavour development, while the cooling breezes maintained vibrant acidity. The wine spent 7 months in barrel, mostly French and some American, 18% new.
Tasting Note:
LA CREMA SONOMA COAST CHARDONNAY 2014 - Sonoma Coast, California, USA (#962886) (XD) - $29.95
Aromas of peach, stone fruit and apple with a twist honey from the cork. Lovely medium+ intensity ripe apple, lemon citrus, pear, butterscotch, sweet vanillan oak aromas with a whiff of mineral at the tail end. The rich palate is medium-full bodied with bright, balanced acids. It's dry with pleasing aroma replays and hints of lemon peel. Moderate use of oak is nicely integrated. Well-balanced overall. Hints of mineral linger on the long finish. Finely crafted, deserves rich seafood or pair with poultry. Enjoy over the next 3-4 years. Score: 90 pts
The upcoming LCBO VINTAGES Release on continues the onslaught of blockbuster wines leading up to holidays (I can only imagine what other goodies are coming down the pipeline over the next 6 weeks). This release focuses on the golden vintages of 2012, 2013 and 2014 in California, while the mini-focus highlights the noble Nebbiolo grape from Piedmont, Italy.
From the California focus, just 2 of the 18 wines are included among my wine picks. There is a fine 2013 Napa Chardonnay, while the 2014 vintage brings us a mostly Zinfandel blend that also contains 24% Carignane, 12% Petite Sirah, and 4% Mataro (Mourvèdre) using some vines that are more than 130 years old.
The small selection of Nebbiolo wines is very good, with half of the wines included among my wine recommendations. From the Langhe DOC in Piedmont, the Sottimano is 100% Nebbiolo, while the Rocche dei Manzoni is from the excellent 2010 vintage and consists of 80% Nebbiolo and 20% Barbera. No talk about Nebbiolo is complete without mentioning Barolo, and the wine from Gianni Gagliardo is a stunner to be cellared for at least a couple of years.
Among other red wines, both Portuguese reds are blends, while the Fitou is a blend of Carignan, Grenache and Syrah. The Bordeaux red is a blend of 63% Cabernet Sauvignon and 37% Merlot, while the Bolgheri is a blend of 55% Cabernet Sauvignon, 25% Merlot, 18% Cabernet Franc, and 2% Petit Verdot. Lastly, the latest Beaucastel CdP is a blend of mostly Grenache and Mourvèdre.
In white wines, the Saint-Roch is a blend of 80% Grenache Blanc and 20% Roussanne. For sweet wine lovers, in order from least sweet to most sweet Riesling, there are wines from Ontario's neighbours Mike Weir and Fielding, and from Germany the Paul Anheuser and Dr. Loosen Riesling Kabinetts.
After having tasted some amazingly sweet PX (Pedro Ximenez) at the recent Spain Is Wine tasting, I am in absolute awe of this fortified style of wine. As luck would have it, a quality PX from Osborne will be available as part of this release.
Enjoy my wine picks from this release. Cheers!
Red Wine:
LUA CHEIA OLD VINES RED 2014 - DOC Douro, Portugal (#266882) (XD) - $13.95
DOMAINE GALAMAN FITOU 2013 - AP, Midi, France (#395467) (XD) - $14.95 reviewed here
La Crema has been practising small-batch winemaking since 1979, focusing on cool-climate appellations. The grapes for this white wine come from Los Carneros, an AVA that includes parts of both Sonoma and Napa, and located just north of San Pablo Bay. The area is a combination of soft, rolling hills, wide-open skies, rocky soils, cooling fog, and late-afternoon breezes sweeping up from the bay to naturally cool the countryside.
Conditions for the 2014 vintage were once again near ideal. The final blend of this Chardonnay consists of fruit from 7 block of the Ramal West estate vineyard in the Los Carneros appellation. It contains several less common clones such as 131, Calera, Mount Eden and Long, grown on a combination of Haire clay loam and Diablo clay soils. Furthermore, all blocks and clones were kept separate until the final blending.
Tasting Note:
LA CREMA LOS CARNEROS CHARDONNAY 2014 - Los Carneros, California, USA (#184929) (XD) - $39.95
100% Chardonnay that is barrel-fermented and aged for 9 months in 100% French oak barrels, 28% new. Spring meadow and lemon peel aromas from the cork. This fragrant and inviting oaked Chardonnay has a nose of vanilla, butter, ripe pear and apple. It's full bodied and rich on the palate with a creamy, leesy texture that's balanced by high acids. More vanilla, butter, binned apple, and ripe pear flavours with hints of blood orange and wet stone on the long finish. Nicely balanced overall and richly textured, it's ideal for pairing with rich seafood dishes or poultry. Best enjoyed with only a light chill. Score: 92 pts
Made by La Crema, the grapes for this wine come from a winery nestled in a long valley in Monterey, California. On one end of the valley is Monterey Bay, while on the other end is Central California.
La Crema has been making wine since 1979, with an emphasis on small-batch winemaking and a commitment to sustainability. The winery's philosophy of gentle handling produces uniquely expressive, elegant and quality wines such as this Pinot Noir.
Tasting Note:
LA CREMA PINOT NOIR 2014 - Monterey County, California, USA (#367896) (XD) - $26.95
Red and black cherry with hints of black plum and tea from the cork. Lifted nose of red cherry, raspberry, and black tea layered on top of earthy aromas. The palate is medium-bodied and very juicy with more aroma replays shining through along with some cedar oak flavours. There's fresh, juicy acidity on the mid-palate, and supple tannin that will allow for short-term ageing. Plenty of earthy, forest floor flavours on the long finish. Well made and a pleasure to sip. Score: 89 pts
The VINTAGES Release will be on shelves this coming Saturday and features the wines from Veneto as its main theme, while the mini-theme features the players from the 1976 Judgment of Paris tasting.
We'll begin with the secondary theme that honours the 40th anniversary of the famous Judgment of Paris tasting that pitted the relatively unknown Cabernet Sauvignons and Chardonnays from California against the top red wines from Bordeaux and top Chardonnays from Burgundy. California fared quite well in the tasting and ended up taking top prize in both red and white wine categories. The rest, as they say, is history. This mini-theme is anything but mini, with four excellent wines from the seven included among my wine picks.
Three California Chardonnays from Judgment of Paris players made my list of wine picks, including wines from Chateau Montelena, Heitz Cellar, and an organic wine from Grgich Hills. The only red wine chosen from this mini-theme is the Ridge Vineyards Monte Bello Cabernet Sauvignon which contains 8% Petit Verdot, 7% Cabernet Franc, and 5% Merlot, and needs some time before it can be enjoyed over the ensuing three decades. Not included as part of the Judgment of Paris theme but also available in this release as part of the Flagship Store Exclusive (FSE) program is another Ridge Cabernet Sauvignon that's blended with 14% Merlot, 3% Petit Verdot, and 1% Cabernet Franc.
From the major theme of the release, the wines from Veneto were mostly lacklustre except for a Masi Amarone that came through VINTAGES last November in a magnum bottle, but now returns in the more popular 750 mL format. The other Venetian wine is the Pieropan Soave Classico crisp, dry white wine that is a blend of 85% Garganega and 15% Trebbiano di Soave.
South Africa is well-represented among my wine picks with a Chenin Blanc and an oaked Chardonnay, but there's also a lovely little South African organic red wine that is a blend of 37% Shiraz, 26% Cabernet Sauvignon, 24% Merlot, 5% Cabernet Franc, 4% Petit Verdot and 4% Malbec. Other red wines in this release include a Portuguese wine blend consisting of Alicante Bouschet, Touriga Franca and Touriga Nacional, while the Rhône blend consists of Grenache, Syrah, Mourvèdre, and Cinsault.
The latest vintage of the dry rosé wine returns to VINTAGES shelves, consisting of Syrah and Grenache, while the sparkling wine is a blend of Chardonnay and Pinot Noir.
Enjoy my wine recommendations from this release. Cheers!
Red Wine:
AVONDALE JONTY’S DUCKS PEKIN RED 2011 - WO Paarl, South Africa (#383547) (D) - $14.95 reviewed here
HERDADE DA PIMENTA ALENTEJANO 2013 - DO Alentejo, Portugal (#445114) (XD) - $16.95
wine is a sneak peak of the La Crema Monterey Chardonnay that will be on LCBO VINTAGES shelves across Ontario on .
Originally named La Crema Vinera, meaning "best of the vine", the once family-owned and operated winery concentrated on exclusively on cool-climate appellations, while emphasizing boutique, small-batch winemaking to produce elegant, quality wines.
This Chardonnay comes from the cool-climate vineyards in Monterey that are nestled in a long valley with Monterey Bay on one side and Central California on the other. The cool-climate means that grapes spend more time on the vine, and 2014 was an especially long, cool growing season in Monterey. The winemaker is Elizabeth Grant-Douglas, born and educated in Canada, and has been part of the La Crema team since 2001, becoming head winemaker in 2010.
Tasting Note:
LA CREMA CHARDONNAY 2014 - Monterey, California, USA (#158683) (XD) - $26.95
Lemon and ripe fruited aromas from the cork. Aromas of medium intensity showing butter, poached apple, butterscotch and orchard fruits. Full bodied on the palate with butterscotch and baked apple flavours, along with hints of caramel. There's hints of sweetness on the palate and notable oak influence, but it's not overdone. It has delicate acids and good length on the slightly warming finish. Score: 88 pts
This red wine will be on LCBO shelves this coming as part of the VINTAGES Release.
It was interesting to taste the 2013 and 2014 back-to-back. The style is essentially the same, but you can see that the 2013 has had some evolution in the bottle with the softer, rounder tannins.
Tasting Note:
LA CREMA PINOT NOIR 2013 - Sonoma Coast, California, USA (#719435) (XD) - $31.95
Wood and intriguing potpourri aromas from the cork. Soft, medium intensity nose of cherry, cedar, earth and some sour fruited tones. The palate is medium-bodied with sweet, ripe red fruits, cedar wood, earth and hints of cocoa that linger on the long finish. Some dried herb notes emerge with time in the glass. Well-balanced overall with good acidity and dusty tannins that are soft and nicely integrated. Enjoy over the next couple of years. Score: 88 pts
The 375 mL half-size bottle (#732040, $17.95) will also be available on LCBO VINTAGES shelves on .
wine is a sneak preview of a wine that will be released in LCBO VINTAGES later this year in Fall/Winter 2016.
La Crema was founded in 1979 and was family-owned and operated while concentrating on cool-climate appellations. The winery emphasizes boutique, small-batch winemaking with a commitment to sustainability and a philosophy of gentle handling of fruit to produce elegant and quality wines.
The winery's commitment to sustainability in the vineyard includes the use of sustainable farming techniques, being water wise, and the use of natural predators and the introduction of insects to reduce the need for pesticides. In the winery, energy comes from a photovoltaic (PV) solar array, as well as the use of Tesla batteries to reduce La Crema's use of electricity from the grid during peak times. Furthermore, water conservation and reuse in a closed loop systems helps reduce the amount of water that is used.
Surprisingly, there is a Canadian connection to this Sonoma-based winery. Elizabeth Grant-Douglas was born and educated in Canada and has been part of the La Crema team since 2001, eventually becoming head winemaker in 2010.
Tasting Note:
LA CREMA PINOT NOIR 2014 - Sonoma Coast, California, USA (#719435) (XD) - $31.95
Cherry, strawberry and wood aromas from the cork. Medium+ intensity aromas of tilled earth, dried spice, dark cherry and whiffs of olive. It's light-to-medium bodied with black cherry, tea leaf, strawberry, earth and some spice flavours framed by juicy acids. Tannins are light and supple. Dark fruits, vanilla and wood notes linger on the long finish. Enjoy this yummy Pinot over the next 2-3 years. Score: 89 pts
This wine should also be available in 1/2 bottle size format (#732040) for $17.95.
The upcoming VINTAGES Release features classic, collectible wines from California as its main theme, while the small secondary thematic highlights Brunello's from the great 2010 vintage.
From the main theme, 3 of the 13 wines from California made my list of wine picks. Among them them is a Cali Cabernet Sauvignon from the Mount Veeder AVA, as well as the Jonata Red that is a blend of 75% Syrah, 13% Cabernet Sauvignon, 4% Grenache, 4% Sangiovese, 2% Viognier, 1% Petit Verdot and 1% Merlot. The final wine pick is one of only two white wines featured from California and is an exquisite Chardonnay from California's unofficial of king of Chardonnay, Steve Kistler.
Based on the 2010 vintage in Brunello di Montalcino being hailed as the best of the century, I can only presume most of the 2010's are either already sold out or still maturing in barrels as only 6 Brunello's made it across the Atlantic. Both of the Brunello wines included among my wine picks are made from Sangiovese grapes, and one of these wines is in Magnum (1500 mL) format.
Among my red wine picks is a terrific Mencía from Bierzo, while the Rioja is a blend of Tempranillo, Graciano and Mazuelo. From Rhône, the half-size bottle of the CdP consists of Grenache, Mourvèdre, and Syrah, while the Xavier Côtes du Rhône is a blend of 40% Grenache, 20% Syrah, 15% Mourvèdre and the rest Cinsault, Carignan and Marselan.
In white wines, the Sancerre is 100% Sauvignon Blanc, while the Lafage Centenaire is an 80/20 blend of Grenache Blanc and Roussanne. The Chardonnays all have some oak treatment. If you like sweet wines, there is a nice medium sweet German Riesling.
That's it for this release. Enjoy my wine recommendations and Cheers!
Red Wine:
ABAD DOM BUENO CRIANZA 2006 - DO Bierzo, Spain (#244699) (XD) - $15.95 reviewed here
XAVIER 100% CÔTES DU RHÔNE 2012 - AP, Rhône, France (#437079) (XD) - $17.00
The next LCBO VINTAGES release will be on shelves this . The major theme of this release highlights many of the biggest names in California's wine scene and is titled "Cali Icons". As such, we find many high-priced wines that are beyond the reach of most people. However, if you have the deep pockets or are really into wine, there are 5 wines worth your attention and all are north of $70.
First up is the Ridge Vineyards Cabernet Sauvignon that hails from the Santa Cruz Mountains and contains 14% Merlot, 3% Petit Verdot, and 1% Cabernet Franc - it will drink well for the next 6-7 years. The Grgich Hills Cabernet Sauvignon is organic & biodynamic and almost all Cab with just dashes of Petit Verdot (5%), Cabernet Franc (3%) and Merlot (1% ). The Cade Cabernet Sauvignon is also all Napa Valley fruit, but specifically from Howell Mountain, and includes 7% Merlot to round out the blend. The Dominus is the most expensive wine in the release and it is composed of 86% Cabernet Sauvignon, 9% Petit Verdot and 5% Cabernet Franc and can be enjoyed over the next decade. Lastly, the Cakebread Dancing Bear Ranch is available as part of the Flagship Store Exclusive release and contains 13% Cabernet Franc and 2% Merlot.
The mini-theme of this release features 6 big, food-friendly wines from Southwest, France. From this portion of the release, only a premium Cahors made the list - a red wine that is 100% Malbec from vines that are 60+ years old.
If you're looking for quality red wines under $20, this release is a little light. However, there is a big 100% Xinomavro from Greece that could be aged for at least another 10 years. There is also traditional Bordeaux-blend from Ontario - a 2012 Cab Franc/Cab Sauv/Merlot blend from Pondview. Actual Bordeaux wines that are worth considering are a Cab Sauv/Merlot blend from Les Charmes de Magnol and a Cabernet Sauvignon/Merlot/Cabernet Franc/Petit Verdot (60/35/4/1%) from iconic Château Pontet-Canet.
In white wines, the only blend is from Rhône's E. Guigal and it consists of 65% Viognier, 15% Roussane, 10% Marsanne, 8% Clairette, and 2% Bourboulenc. For sweet wine lovers, you'll want to check out either Riesling from Germany or Ontario, or the Pinot Gris from Alsace.
Enjoy my wine picks for this week. Cheers!
Red Wine:
CASTELLO DI AMA RISERVA CHIANTI CLASSICO 2009 - DOCG, Tuscany, Italy (#403824) (XD) (375 mL) - $16.95
On , I visited Napa Valley for the second time in the last 2 years. After visiting quite a few wineries along the Silverado Trail during my first visit, I decided that I wanted to visit more wineries off the trail this time around.
The first stop on this hot and sunny Monday was The Hess Collection Winery, located within the Mount Veeder sub-appellation within Napa Valley. I had tasted Hess Collection wines last year at the Napa Valley tasting in Toronto and felt the wines they offered that day represented relatively good value and figured I would see more good value at the winery - and I was not disappointed.
The site on which The Hess Collection sits was established as a winery in the 1860's. Fast forward to 1978, where Donald Hess established his first Mount Veeder vineyard. Hess Collection now owns 1,034 acres of prime California vineyards, including 704 acres in Napa Valley. The tasting room and art museum are located on Redwood Road, west of St. Helena Highway and the famous Silverado Trail. It is reachable after driving approximately 10-15 minutes on a narrow, long and winding, uphill road.
Since its inception, The Hess Collection has tried to use sustainable and environmentally-sound practices for growing grapes. In 2008, The Hess Collection was among the first 10 wineries to receive certification for the Napa Green Winery program and one of only six wineries to have both Land and Winery certifications. Two years later, they were among the first wineries to be certified through the California Sustainable Winegrowing Alliance by third-party verification.
Due to arriving a bit later than expected because of late-morning traffic, I didn't have time to do a very in-depth tasting, but did get a chance to taste some wonderful wines nonetheless. My favourite was the 2010 Mount Veeder 19 Block Cuvée. This special wine comes from 19 blocks from their highest altitude estate vineyard (Veeder Summit Vineyard), with altitudes ranging from 1,300 to 2,000 feet above sea level and features steep slopes and volcanic soils. Overall, this red wine is intensely flavoured, complex and ageable for at least 4 years, although you will be tempted to enjoy it now.
Full wine reviews of many of the wines I tasted on this day are available at the bottom of this post.
For our second stop of the afternoon, we ventured back east along the aforementioned Redwood Road, passed St. Helena Hwy and the Silverado Trail, towards the eastern side of Napa Valley
Upon arriving at the front gate at Palmaz Vineyards, I realized that we were going to be in for something special. After being let in through the gate, driving by a former gatehouse, and up 4 levels along a steep and twisty road on Mount George, we arrived at the main entrance and were promptly greeted by Diana Lasso, National Estate Ambassador at Palmaz Vineyards and our guide on this visit.
We began the tour outside the main entrance on level 4, overlooking the vineyards and the said gatehouse, while having an expansive view of the Napa landscape. Diana began by telling us about the rich history surrounding the property that began its story as Cedar Knoll Vineyard and Winery by Henry Hagen in 1881. Henry was one of the Napa Valley's pioneer winemakers, and his wines garnered many awards. Unfortunately, Prohibition forced the winery to close and the site laid dormant for nearly 80 years.
In 1997, soon after Julio and Amalia Palmaz purchased the property, they began to restore it and accomplish a shared dream. Those in the medical profession may recognize the name "Julio Palmaz" - he invented the now widely used coronary heart stent.
We were also informed that the former gatehouse we saw upon entering the estate was restored and is now the home of Christian Gaston Palmaz, Director of Operations, and son of Julio and Amalia. He lives there with his wife Jessica Louise Palmaz.
Dr. Julio Palmaz had great interest in mechanics and engineering and played an integral role in designing Palmaz Vineyards' gravity-flow winery. Inside, we got to see the grape sorter that he helped design - it was quite versatile as it was able to sort different sizes of grapes with relative ease. Being a gravity-fed winery, the grapes arrive at the top to be sorted and de-stemmed and then proceed on an ever downward path and eventually bottled. The height of the cave is equivalent to an 18-storey building. We got a glimpse of this depth in the stairwell, looking down the centre of the staircase.
Once the grapes are sorted, they go down one level and into fermentation tanks. The dome in which these tanks are housed is 72 feet in diameter and 54 feet high and is the world's largest underground reinforced structure. One can truly appreciate the design and beauty of the dome when looking up from Level 3, where the fermentation tanks are held. The cave also houses its own water treatment plant, resulting in reuse of all waste water and in compliance with strict conservation guidelines.
Next, we went down another level to Level 2 and visited the barrel ageing room, as well as the racking area. During the whole tour, I couldn't help but notice that everything was SO clean - the level of cleanliness appeared to be medical-grade and seemed cleaner than some hospitals I've been to.
By now, I think we were all salivating at the thought of finally tasting the wines after being awestruck by the facility. We entered the classically-styled dining room and sat down at a long, very grandiose, dining table. Diane took us through the tasting menu as we paired four wines with bite-sized treats.
The pairings were all very well done, but my favourite was the Muscat Canelli with the Almond and Apricot biscotti. This wine also paired well with the Dark Chocolate Cabernet Truffle, while the two Cabernets also fared very well with the chocolate truffle. My favourite wine was the '09 Cabernet Sauvignon with it's classic aromas and flavours, smooth, velvety tannins, mouth-watering acids all nicely balanced into one cohesive wine. It paired really well with the Piave Vecchio (hard, cow's milk cheese).
If you are ever in Napa, I would highly recommend adding Palmaz Vineyards to your itinerary as it is truly an amazing winery. Note that tours and tastings are available by appointment only.
The third stop of the day was Miner Family Winery, located on the scenic Silverado Trail. Most of our group appeared to arrive at Miner breathless due to the amazing experience at Palmaz. This resulted in only a few of us partaking in the tasting on Miner's lovely upper deck patio with a sweeping view of vineyards located in the Oakville AVA.
The Miner Family Winery brand was born in 1996, three years after Dave Miner got his start in wine as President of Oakville Ranch Vineyards - a winery owned by his late uncle, Robert Miner. In 1999, Dave and his wife Emily purchased the winery building from his family and released the first Miner Family wines. That same year, a 15-month project to build caves concluded, resulting in over 20,000+ square feet of space they could now use for wine ageing. Impressively, since 2008, Miner has been running exclusively on solar power. Next time, I think a tour will be in order to see first-hand some of these impressive accomplishments.
In all, we tasted 5 wines (+1 one more that only I tasted inside at the bar) from what appeared to be a specially crafted menu just for us. All 5 wines were very good to outstanding in quality, with the favourite being aptly named "The Oracle". This Bordeaux-blend is their flagship wine that was first made in 2004. The 2008 version of this fabulous red wine was most recently in Vintages last October, and I expect the 2009 will be available at some point later this year.
Our final stop of the afternoon was a quick and unplanned visit to Priest Ranch Wines. This winery had a rustic, Western charm and was conveniently located just off St. Helena Hwy in the town of Yountville, en route back to home base.
Priest Ranch was originally part of the 8,500-acre Rancho Catacula Mexican land grant that took place in 1844 and remained in the Priest family for over a century until it was sold in 1963. In 2006, Priest Ranch became part of the Somerston Estate.
Tasting through a flight of wines and meeting Jack Edwards, Vice President of Sales, my favourite wines were the Syrah and the Bordeaux-blend Coachgun. Ironically, neither of these wines are currently available at the LCBO, but perhaps may make an appearance in the future, while the others I tasted have made their way onto LCBO shelves. On my next visit, I think I will make a point to visit Somerston Estate to experience their all-terrain vineyard tour and taste some of their limited production wines.
Given the quality of the small sampling of just 2 Syrahs I tasted on this trip, I will definitely be seeking out more Syrah from Napa. Currently the 6th most planted grape in California, I would love to see Syrah move up a couple of places and become more widely planted.
And finally, a big thank you to Megan Basten at Profile Wine Group, who helped arrange the visits to Palmaz Vineyards and Miner Family Winery, while also introducing me to Somerston Estate.
Tasting Notes: HESS SMALL BLOCK VIOGNIER 2012 - Mount Veeder, Napa Valley (#) (XD) - $28
Aromas are of medium+ intensity and show fresh notes of clean lime, citrus and nectarine. Medium+ bodied with a very oily and slightly chalky texture on the palate. 14.5% alcohol by volume (abv). Good acids and a long finish. Tingly mouth sensation is numbing. Serve well-chilled. Score: 89 pts
HESS MOUNT VEEDER CHARDONNAY 2012 - Mount Veeder, Napa Valley (#) (XD) - $40
Did not undergo malolactic fermentation and was aged in neutral French oak. Medium-intensity aromas which show orchard fruits, pear and white peach notes. Medium-bodied on the palate with nicely balanced aroma replays and mineral notes. Good acids. Elegant spice on the long finish. Score: 90 pts
HESS ALLOMI VINEYARD CABERNET SAUVIGNON 2012 - Napa Valley (#906420) (XD) - $30 USD / $37.95 CAD
Aged in American oak and contains 10% Petite Sirah and 2% Petit Verdot. Medium+ aroma intensity with ripe fruits, plum, cherry notes. Medium+ bodied with integrated tannins on palate with flavours of cassis, plum, pepper, and spice. Good acids and a long, warm finish. Score: 89 pts
HESS MOUNT VEEDER 19 BLOCK CUVÉE 2010 - Mount Veeder, Napa Valley (#018879) (D) - $38 USD / $47.95 CAD
Blend of 68% Cabernet Sauvignon, 14% Malbec, 11% Syrah, 6% Merlot, and 1% Petit Verdot. Medium-high intensity aromas that show complex bretty, red fruits, black currant, and tobacco. The palate is medium-bodied with flavours consisting of blackberry, black cherry, vanilla, green pepper and oak spice. Mouth-watering acids and finishing long with tobacco and slight earthy notes. Dry tannins are nicely integrated. Enjoyable over the next 4 years. Score: 91 pts
PALMAZ CHARDONNAY "AMALIA" 2012 - Napa Valley (#) (XD) - $55
Highly aromatic with elegant apple, pear and butter aromas. Nice and creamy on the medium-bodied palate with very nice aroma replays. Well-balanced overall with a long, long finish that is slightly warm and has some subtle spice notes. Score: 91 pts
PALMAZ ESTATE CABERNET SAUVIGNON 2009 - Napa Valley (#) (XD) - $145
Contains 1% Petit Verdot. Aromas are very expressive, showing currant, cassis, blackberry and slight brettiness. It's medium-full bodied with nicely balanced aroma replays. Mouth-watering acids to go along with smooth, velvety tannins on the palate. Long, smooth finish. Balanced wine overall. A delight. Score: 93 pts
PALMAZ ESTATE CABERNET SAUVIGNON 2010 - Napa Valley (#) (XD) - $120
Include 3% Petit Verdot. Highly aromatic with elegant barnyard, cassis and currant aromas. Palate is full-bodied with black currants, earthiness and black cherry flavours. Mouth-watering acids and tannins that are smooth and integrating nicely. Lengthy finish. Nicely balanced. Would give this another in bottle for everything to come together. Score: 92 pts
PALMAZ MUSCAT CANELLI "FLORENCIA" 2012 - Napa Valley (#) (MS) - $55
Medium+ aromas with elegant peach, tropical fruit, and melon aromas. Fresh, clean, orange citrus and peach flavour profile that is medium-dry. Has crisp acids and a long finish that is slightly oily in texture. Score: 90 pts
MINER THE ILIAD 2012 - Napa Valley (#) (XD) - $30
Blend of 54% Marsanne, 40% Roussanne, and 6% Viognier. Medium-high intensity aromas featuring clean herbal, pear, and florals. On the mineral-driven palate, there are aroma replays and crisp acids. Finish is long with herbal notes in play. Score: 89 pts
MINER WILD YEAST CHARDONNAY 2010 - Napa Valley (#) (XD) - $50
Highly aromatic with apple, butter, and pear notes with hints of butterscotch. Medium+ bodied on the palate with crisp acids and nice aroma replays along with hints of crème brûlée. Texture is creamy with a finish that's long and smooth. A little high in alcohol at 14.3%. Score: 90 pts
MINER ROSELLA'S VINEYARD PINOT NOIR 2011 - Santa Lucia Highlands, Monterey (#) (XD) - $60
Aromas are of medium+ intensity and show strawberry, cherry and citrus on the nose. It's low-to-medium weighted with crisp acids. Warm red berries, hint of earth on the palate. Slightly astringent. Very fruit-driven and finishing long. Score: 89 pts
MINER LA DILIGENCE SYRAH 2009 - Stagecoach Vineyard, Napa Valley (#) (XD) - $40
Medium+ aromas with nose consisting of blueberry preserve, purple fruits, and bacon. Medium-full bodied with warm, black fruits, meaty, peppercorn and subtle smoke on the palate. Mouth-watering acids and finishing long, and smooth. Tannins are nicely integrated. Made in a northern Rhône style, this very nice wine is drinkable now or can be enjoyed over the next 2-3 years. Score: 90+ pts
MINER CABERNET SAUVIGNON 2011 - Napa Valley (#) (XD) - $50
Contains 8% Cabernet Franc and 2% Merlot. Grilled green pepper and currants show on the highly aromatic nose. Full-bodied with finely-grained tannins, aromas replay on the palate joined by herbal notes and some oak. Mouth-watering acids and a very long finish. Score: 89 pts
MINER THE ORACLE 2009 - Napa Valley (#046367) (XD) - $90 USD / $99.95 CAD
Barrel aged in 55% new French Oak blend consisting of 50% Cabernet Sauvignon, 25% Cabernet Franc, 15% Merlot, 5% Malbec, and 5% Petit Verdot. Elegant oak, currant, cassis, vanillan and red berry notes make up the medium+ intensity bouquet. It's full-bodied with red currant, leather and sweet tobacco flavours and a spicy mid-palate. Has good acids, drying tannins and a lengthy finish. Drinking well now, could be enjoyed until 2019. Score: 91 pts
PRIEST RANCH SYRAH 2009 - Somerston Vineyard, Napa Valley (#) (XD) - $38
Aromas are of medium intensity with nose consisting of peppercorn, oak and dark fruits. It's full-bodied with very good acids and flavours of peppercorn, blueberry and vanillan oak. Slightly chalky tannins. Long and spicy finish. Very much Old World style. Enjoyable now, but will reward in 2-3 years. Score: 89-90 pts
PRIEST RANCH CABERNET SAUVIGNON 2011 - Somerston Vineyard, Napa Valley (#361097) (XD) - $48 USD / $52 CAD
Contains 5% Petit Sirah. Highly aromatic with green pepper and red currant nose. Medium-full bodied with aroma replays on the palate joined by cassis and minty complexity. Dry, chalky tannins and long, slightly warm finish. Could use 2-3 years in cellar. Score: 89 pts
PRIEST RANCH PETITE SIRAH 2010 - Somerston Vineyard, Napa Valley (#361105) (XD) - $40 USD / $52 CAD
Medium+ intensity nose with mulberry, currants, dried fruit and mint aromas. Medium-bodied with eucalyptus, spice, blackberry and sweet vanillan flavours on the palate. Tannins are crunchy, big, and smooth. Very good acids and slightly warm finish. Score: 89 pts
PRIEST RANCH COACHGUN 2008 - Somerston Vineyard, Napa Valley (#) (XD) - $75
Blend of 68% Cabernet Sauvignon, 22% Merlot, and 10% Petit Verdot. This mature red has medium-high intensity aromas that has a nose consisting of dried fruits, mint, and raisined notes. Full-bodied on the palate with nice aroma replays along with dark fruits, sweet cassis, and eucalyptus flavour profile. Finish is long and warm. Score: 90+ pts
Note: All prices are in USD, unless otherwise stated.
Purchased this gorgeous cool-climate Chardonnay from an LCBO Vintages release last August that highlighted a bunch of wines that were scored 90 pts or higher by some of the more famous wine critics.
It was opened due to a closing drinking window. For those that prefer very oakey Chardonnays, this is one not to be missed, as you will see from my wine review below. However, it's unlikely you will be able to find this vintage in Vintages at this point in time, but I could see the 2010 coming into stock in the near future. This white wine paired great with crab curry and will go really well with other rich, seafood dishes.
GALLO FAMILY LAGUNA VINEYARD CHARDONNAY 2009 - Russian River Valley, Sonoma County, California, USA (#544981) (XD) - $19.95
Tasting Note:
Mango, melon and peach aromas from the cork. Heavily oaked with smoky aromas lead the way, followed by butter, and hints of apple. On the palate, it's medium-full bodied, dry, and concentrated with buttery oak, honeysuckle, spice and nutty flavours. Acids are still fresh. Slightly creamy texture, with a finish that is excellent in length and smooth. Enjoyed with Dungeness crab curry. Highly recommended. Score: 90 pts