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!
Tonight's organic red wine is a lovely Petit Verdot that I heard was specially crafted for the LCBO and was purchased from the September 14, 2013 Vintages release. As it's completely sold out, I wouldn't be surprised to see it show up in Vintages again later this year. If you have this bottle, you may want to open it soon.
EMILIANA NOVAS GRAN RESERVA PETIT VERDOT 2011 - Colchagua Valley, Chile (#325662) (XD) - $15.95
Tasting Note:
Blackcurrant, cola and oak aromas from the cork. Medium+ intensity aromas from the glass that show blackberry, black cherry, cola and new oak notes. Full-bodied and very dense on the palate. Flavour profile consists of blackberry, earth, vanillan oak, and ash. Mouth-watering acids. Tannins with firm, drying, and nicely integrated. Long, smooth finish that is definitely bitter. Fruit is starting to fade - drink over the next year. Enjoyed with homemade chicken curry. Score: 89 pts
Tonight's wine is this delicious dessert wine made by The Ice House Winery, located in Niagara-on-the-Lake.
I picked up this bottle last January during the Icewine Festival. It's worth noting even though it is a sweet, dessert wine, it is not VQA, nor is it labelled as Icewine. Regardless, those who prefer sweet wines will enjoy this one.
ICE HOUSE SLUSHIES CABERNET SAUVIGNON - Ontario, Canada (#) (S) (375 mL) - $45
Tasting Note:
Citrus, orange marmalade and date aromas from the cork. Medium-high aromatics from the glass featuring orange peel, dried cherry, and poached currants. It's medium-bodied and sweet on the palate with cherry, orange, tea flavours and some bitter currants on the medium-long finish. Acids are crisp and balance the sweetness well. Requires only a light chill. Score: 88 pts
Purchased this delicious Grand Cru from a Vintages release last November and opened it last night to celebrate my daughter's 1st birthday. Amazingly, there are still a few bottles kicking around GTA LCBO outlets - get it if you enjoy sweeter wine.
HAULLER MUENCHBERG RIESLING 2011 - AC Alsace Grand Cru, France (#360370) (D) - $19.95
Tasting Note:
Apple, mineral and melon aromas from the cork. Mineral, petrol, lime, citrus and wet rock aromas from the glass giveway to distinct lemon drop notes as it warms up in the glass. It's medium bodied and off-dry on the palate with delicious lemon peel, citrus, wet rocks, and honey flavours. Complex and exquisitely balanced overall with fresh acids and a long, mineral-lemony finish. Highly recommended. Score: 90 pts
The next LCBO Vintages release will be on shelves across Ontario this . The major theme of this release is on top wines from California, with an emphasis on Cabs, Zins and Chards. There are two minor themes - one which focuses on white wines from Loire and Alsace, while the second focuses on mostly disappointing Greek wines.
Just one of the 18 wines from the California feature made my list of wine picks. This is due to the fact that even though California continues to produce good wine, many of them arrive on our shores with prices beyond the reach of most folks, while failing to deliver on the quality that one would expect in that price range. Also, at the lower-end of the scale, many California wines - especially the reds - tend have a sweet, sugary character that I personally do not enjoy. Thus, my lone wine pick from California is from Cameron Hughes. This 100% Cabernet Sauvignon comes from a single block of vines from the Rutherford district and can be enjoyed between now and 2022.
Far more interesting are the white wines from Loire and Alsace. Five of the seven wines made my list of wine recommendations, including all three from Alsace. One interesting thing to note about labels is that Loire wines use regional labelling, while Alsace puts the name of the grape on the label. Thus, in order to know what's inside the bottle of wine from Loire, you will have to know the region. The dry wines from Pouilly-Fumé and Sancerre are both made using Sauvignon Blanc. Alsace wines tend to be between off-dry and medium in sweetness. The Riesling, Gewürztraminer and Pinot Gris wines from Alsace listed below all fit within this range and will be enjoyed by anyone who prefers sweeter wines.
From the rest of the release, the Whispering Angel Rosé is a dry (i.e. not sweet) blend consisting of Grenache, Rolle (Vermentino), Cinsault, Syrah and Tibouren. In whites, there is an interesting white wine from Lebanon that is a blend of 50% Sauvignon Blanc, 30% Semillon and 20% Chardonnay. Also, if you missed the 2004 Loan Semillon that came to Vintages last year, check out the 2005 version - it's just as delicious!
In red wines, the Perrin from Rhône is a fruit-forward blend of 80% tank-aged Grenache and 20% barrel-aged Syrah. The Falcoaria comes from vines that are more than 80 years old and is blend of Castelão, Trincadeira, Cabernet Sauvignon, Touriga Nacional and Alicante Bouschet. From Italy, the Piccini is a blend of 60% Sangiovese, 20% Cabernet, and 20% Merlot.
That's all for this week. Enjoy my wine recommendations. Cheers!
Red Wine:
CLOS TROTELIGOTTE K-OR MALBEC 2011 - AC Cahors, Southwest, France (#299982) (XD) - $16.95
PERRIN PEYRE BLANCHE CAIRANNE CÔTES DU RHÔNE-VILLAGES 2012 - AC, Rhône, France (#650960) (XD) - $17.95
Saturday, August 9, 2014
Tasting Note:
