Southbrook Vineyards Organic Wine Tasting

I received these wines to celebrate Southbrook Vineyards' recent inclusion into the high-quality prepared food section of distinguished British retailer Marks & Spencer. Southbrook is now the sole Canadian vintner to be found in this section. This is also Southbrook's first foray into the U.K. market with Demeter-certified biodynamic wine.

"We are thrilled and honoured with the Marks & Spencer designation," says Bill Redelmeier, co-owner of Southbrook Vineyards.

"Our focus is on the importance of organic and biodynamic viticulture in the production of great wine, something which places us on the leading edge of winemaking globally. It is a wonderful opportunity for us to partner with one of the world's great retailers in one of the world's great wine markets."

All three of the wines below are certified organic, while the two Cabernets are also certified biodynamic. Furthermore, all three of these of wines are available (or will be available soon) in the LCBO Vintages section.


Tasting Notes:
SOUTHBROOK TRIOMPHE SAUVIGNON BLANC 2013 - VQA Niagara Peninsula, Ontario, Canada (#117556) (D) - $21.95
Stelvin screw cap. Medium intensity, elegant lime and mineral nose with hints of lychee, floral and citrus coming from the 5% (Reimer Vineyard) Gewürztraminer that adds some interesting complexity. Honeyed fruits with floral tones lead the way on medium-bodied palate. Also notable pink grapefruit flavours. Bright acids are nicely balanced, while finish long and honeyed. Slightly off-dry. 95% Laundry Vineyard Sauvignon Blanc. Certified organic and vegan-friendly. Will be in September 27 Vintages release. Not your typical Savvy, but tasty nonetheless. Recommended. Score: 89 pts

SOUTHBROOK TRIOMPHE CABERNET SAUVIGNON 2012 - VQA Niagara-on-the-Lake, Ontario, Canada (#193573) (XD) - $22.95
Stelvin screw cap. Slightly closed nose with red currants, hints of violet, and smoky cassis undertones. On the medium-bodied palate, it has flavours of blackberry, red currants and oak spice. Tannins integrating nicely. Finish is medium in length. Vintages Essentials product and always available. Score: 87 pts

SOUTHBROOK TRIOMPHE CABERNET FRANC 2012 - VQA Niagara-on-the-Lake, Ontario, Canada (#275958) (XD) - $21.95
Stelvin screw cap. Contains 12.4% Merlot. Medium+ intensity aromas with barnyard, earthy notes dominating, layered with black cherry, black currants, and fresh cedar oak. Palate is medium+ bodied with firm tannins and a flavour profile consisting of blackberry, black cherry, sweet vanillan oak, and slight meaty character. Mouth-watering acids and medium-length finish. Enjoy over the next 2-4 years. Just released in the upcoming September 13 Vintages release. Recommended. Score: 89 pts

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Sept. 13 LCBO Wine Picks: Ontario + Vino Nobile di Montepulciano

The next batch of wines will hit LCBO Vintages shelves this Saturday, September 13th. In line with local harvest season, this edition's primary focus is on wines from Ontario, while the secondary focus highlights wines from Vino Nobile di Montepulciano.

The Niagara Peninsula is Ontario's biggest wine region, with Niagara-on-the-Lake (NOTL) arguably the most well-known of the sub-appellations. NOTL is synonymous with Icewine made using Vidal and Riesling grapes, and the always delicious Vidal Icewine from Château des Charmes available in this release. A rising star in Niagara - and my personal favourite Ontario red varietal - is Cabernet Franc. Southbrook's Cabernet Franc is organic and biodynamic.

2012 was a great year for red Bordeaux grapes in Niagara - the Thirty Bench Red is a blend of 51% Cabernet Sauvignon, 27% Cabernet Franc, and 22% Merlot. Being a cool-climate region with ideal soil conditions, Niagara does Riesling and Chardonnay very well. Riesling's from Flat Rock Cellars and Charles Baker Wines are both among my wine picks below.

These days, one cannot talk about Ontario wine without mentioning Norman Hardie and his wines from Prince Edward County. "The County" - as it's often known - is still a relatively new VQA wine region, with the first experimental vines planted in the 1980's and the first commercial vinifera vineyard established only in 1993. Norm's County Pinot Noir is a very fine example of the quality that can be found in The County.

From the second focus of this release on wines from Vino Nobile di Montepulciano, just one of the five wines featured made my list of wine picks. Wines from this DOCG fall figuratively and on the map between the lighter Chianti and the fuller Brunello. Known locally as Prugnolo Gentile, Sangiovese is the primary grape grown in this region, and 70% of each wine must be comprised of this grape. The version from Castellani contains 90% Prugnolo Gentile and 10% Canaiolo.

The rest of my LCBO wine picks feature mostly single varietal wines, with a few exceptions. The Côtes du Rhône-Villages is a blend of 70% Grenache and 30% Syrah, while the Rioja is 80% Tempranillo and 20% Garnacha (Grenache). For sweet wine lovers, there is a Pinot Gris, a Tokaji, and plenty of Rieslings for your pleasure.

Enjoy my wine recommendations for this week and hope to see you in Niagara for the upcoming Grape & Wine Festival. Cheers!


Red Wine:

• DOMAINE DE LA CÔTE CÔTES DU RHÔNE-VILLAGES VALRÉAS 2011 - AC, Rhône, France (#380634) (XD) - $16.95
• NINQUÉN ANTU CHILEAN MOUNTAIN VINEYARD SYRAH 2012 - Colchagua Valley, Chile (#675371) (XD) - $17.95
• QUINTA DE PANCAS CABERNET SAUVIGNON 2010 - Vinho Regional Lisboa, Portugal (#380568) (XD) - $18.95
• CASTELLANI FILICHETO VINO NOBILE DI MONTEPULCIANO 2010 - DOCG, Tuscany, Italy (#184937) (XD) - $19.95
• SOUTHBROOK TRIOMPHE CABERNET FRANC 2012 - VQA Niagara-on-the-Lake, Ontario, Canada (#275958) (XD) - $21.95  reviewed here
• REININGER CABERNET SAUVIGNON 2012 - Walla Walla Valley, Washington, USA (#387027) (XD) - $21.95
• THIRTY BENCH RED 2012 - VQA Beamsville Bench, Niagara Peninsula, Ontario, Canada (#320986) (XD) - $24.00
• CEDERBERG SHIRAZ 2010 - WO Cederberg, South Africa (#374199) (XD) - $24.95
• NORMAN HARDIE COUNTY UNFILTERED PINOT NOIR 2012 - VQA Prince Edward County, Ontario, Canada (#125310) (XD) - $39.00
• LA RIOJA ALTA VIÑA ARDANZA RESERVA 2004 - DOCa Rioja, Spain (#315531) (XD) - $39.95
• BEAULIEU VINEYARD GEORGES DE LATOUR PRIVATE RESERVE CABERNET SAUVIGNON 2009 - Napa Valley, California, USA (#080218) (XD) - $100.95

White Wine:

• FLAT ROCK RIESLING 2013 - VQA Twenty Mile Bench, Niagara Peninsula, Ontario, Canada (#043281) (M) - $16.95
• STELLENRUST WILD YEAST BARREL FERMENTED CHARDONNAY 2011 - WO Stellenbosch, South Africa (#382218) (XD) - $17.95
• BISCHÖFLICHE WEINGÜTER TRIER DOM RIESLING KABINETT 2011 - Prädikatswein, Mosel, Germany (#378828) (MS) - $18.95
• ANDRÉ BLANCK & SES FILS CLOS SCHWENDI PINOT GRIS 2013 - AC Alsace, France (#686311) (M) - $19.95
• AUNTSFIELD SINGLE VINEYARD SAUVIGNON BLANC 2013 - Southern Valleys, Marlborough, South Island, New Zealand (#663286) (XD) - $20.95
• STUDERT-PRÜM GRAACHER HIMMELREICH RIESLING KABINETT 2012 - Prädikatswein, Gutsabfüllung, Mosel, Germany (#160853) (M) - $20.95
• ROYAL TOKAJI 5 PUTTONYOS TOKAJI ASZÚ 2008 - Hungary (#972836) (S) (250 mL) - $23.95
• CHARLES BAKER PICONE VINEYARD RIESLING 2011 - VQA Vinemount Ridge, Niagara Peninsula, Ontario, Canada (#241182) (M) - $35.20  reviewed here
• GRGICH HILLS ESTATE CHARDONNAY 2011 - Napa Valley, California, USA (#346304) (XD) - $55.95  reviewed here

Sparkling Wine:

• VINCENT COUCHE BRUT CHAMPAGNE 2002 - AC, Champagne, France (#387035) (XD) - $49.95

Dessert Wine:

• CHÂTEAU DES CHARMES ESTATE BOTTLED VIDAL ICEWINE 2013 - VQA Niagara-on-the-Lake, Ontario, Canada (#565861) (S) (200 mL) - $25.95

The rest of the wines from this release can be found here.

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KWV Wines Tasting with Izele van Bierk

On August 5th, I had the pleasure of attending the KWV Wines tasting at the iYellow Wine Cave. Coming all the way from South Africa to attend and host this special event was winemaker at KWV Wines - Izele van Bierk.

KWV (Ko-operatieve Wijnbouwers Verenigingvan Zuid Afrika) Wines is one of South Africa's largest wine & spirits producers. It has a long and rich history dating back to 1918 - the same year Nelson Mandela was born - when it was first registered as a company. KWV was formed with the aim of stabilising, supporting, and structuring a young, struggling industry.

In 1924, the KWV Act is passed in parliament and certain administrative responsibilities as well as the position of sole exporter and importer of surplus alcohol are handed to the association. In 1949, the Roodeberg brand of wine of born and is now one of KWV's most celebrated brands.

KWV also played a vital role in establishing the South African Brandy Foundation in 1984.

In all, there were 10 wines and one Brandy available for tasting. Below, you will find wine reviews of a few wines that I enjoyed on this night. Included among them is one of Izele's favourites - the Roodeberg Red, which I poured at a party recently and it went over really well with guests.


Tasting Notes:
KWV CATHEDRAL CELLAR BRUT MÉTHODE CAP CLASSIQUE SPARKLING 2010 - WO Western Cape, South Africa (#296426) (D) - $16.95
Cap Classique is South Africa's designation for sparkling wines made using the Traditional Method. Blend of 78% Chardonnay and 22% Pinot Noir and highly aromatic nose showing toastiness, lees and bread. Medium-bodied with a hint of sweetness and flavours of green apple and lime cordial. Fine mousse and finishing medium-long. In Vintages with high availability. Score: 88+ pts

KWV CATHEDRAL CELLAR CHARDONNAY 2013 - WO Western Cape, South Africa (#328559) (XD) - $15.95

Low nose featuring butter, apple and orchard fruits. Medium-bodied with a chalky texture on the palate. Flavours mimic the aromas and are joined by minerality, toasty oak and spice notes. Bright acids and long finishing. Quite easy drinking. In Vintages with high availability. Score: 88 pts

KWV ROODEBERG RED 2012 - WO Western Cape, South Africa (#007187) (XD) - $12.45

Blend of 61% Cab Sauv, 11% Shiraz, 10% Merlot and 18% Other. Medium intensity aromas of blackberry, cherry and dark fruits. Medium-bodied and lush on the concentrated palate with crunchy tannins. Pepper, toasty oak, dark cherry and plum flavour profile. Made in a crowd-pleasing style and can be cellared 2-3 years. LCBO General List product and quite available. Score: 88+ pts

KWV THE MENTORS CHENIN BLANC 2012 - WO Coastal Region, South Africa (#) (XD) - $24.95

Highly aromatic with leesy, herbal and slight earthy nose. Low-to-medium bodied palate with refreshingly dry, lime, lemon peel and some mineral flavours. Chalky texture with mouth-watering acids. Excellent finish that is long and smooth. Score: 91 pts

KWV THE MENTORS CANVAS 2011 - WO Coastal Region, South Africa (#348839) (XD) - $24.95

Blend of 63% Shiraz, 18% Tempranillo, 10% Mourvèdre and 9% Grenache. Aromas are of medium intensity and feature peppercorn, blackberry, oak and hints of earth & barnyard. On the palate, it`s full-bodied with green pepper, earth, oak and sweet ripe fruit flavours. Mouth-watering acids and smooth, integrated tannins that ride the long finish. Score: 90 pts

KWV PAARL CAPE RUBY - WO Western Cape, South Africa (#028951) (S) - $9.95
Non-Vintage port-style wine that offers medium+ intensity aromas with prune, dried fig, caramel and nutty notes. On the palate, it's medium-bodied and very sweet with flavours of oak spice, caramel and nut. Finish is long, spiced and a touch hot. A good, everyday Port-style wine that is part of LCBO General List and widely available Score: 88 pts

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Dunavar Muscat Ottonel 2012 (Hungary) - Wine Review

Tonight's wine is this slightly sweet Muscat Ottonel from Hungary. The Muscat Ottonel grape is used to make white wine and is a member of the Muscat family. This wine is a LCBO General List product and is widely available.

DUNAVAR MUSCAT OTTONEL 2012 - Mátra, Hungary (#565812) (D) - $8.95

Tasting Note:
Screw cap. Medium aromatics showing lime, lemongrass, watercress and fresh herb notes. It's medium-full bodied and off-dry (slightly sweet) on the palate with herbal, lime and lifted floral notes. Also has a slight spritz and some orange notes that show up as it warms up in the glass. Mouth-watering acids and very good length on the finish. Very good bang for the buck and a nice wine to finish off the summer. Will be enjoyed with Mediterranean Chicken off the BBQ. Score: 88 pts

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