Les Vignes de Bila-Haut Côtes du Roussillon Blanc 2020 (Midi) - Wine Review

After enjoying the lovely 2018 Les Vignes de Bila-Haut Côtes du Roussillon Blanc at the beginning of this year, tonight's white wine review is the latest vintage of a perennial favourite from Roussillon that arrives at the LCBO tomorrow as part of the November 27 LCBO VINTAGES Release.

This white wine is produced by the legendary Rhône producer M. Chapoutier. The origins of this company go back to the year 1808, but today it is owned by Michel Chapoutier who took over the reigns in 1990. In 2000, Chapoutier purchased its first estate in Roussillon and this particular wine is from Domaine de Bila-Haut, a domain that Chapoutier founded in Latour-de-France, Roussillon. Today, Mathilde and Maxime, the children of Michel, form the next generation of the Chapoutier family to join business, and together they perpetuate the family tradition and vision to craft wines based on the concept of terroir.

For this vintage, the blend remains a mix of Grenache Blanc, Roussanne, Marsanne, and Macabeu. The grapes come from limestone, clay soils, and gneiss in the Agly Valley, as well as from granite soils at 500 metre higher altitude, later ripening sites. There were manually harvested early in the morning and hand selected to protect the aromas, following by pressing and fermentation in temperature-controlled stainless steel tanks. It was aged for a few months in order to preserve freshness and enhance minerality. Despite record-low yields in what was a challenging growing season, the 2020 vintage, in general, produced wines exhibiting the perfect trilogy of elegance, freshness and complexity. Let's see how this 2020 Roussillon Blanc is tasting tonight...

Tasting Note:

LES VIGNES DE BILA-HAUT CÔTES DU ROUSSILLON BLANC 2020 - AP, Midi, France (#485656) (XD) - $15.95
This lovely blend of Grenache Blanc, Roussanne, Marsanne, and Macabeu has fresh, elegant, ripe, and honeyed aromas of floral, lemon citrus, orange blossom, and apple rising out of the glass with hints of grapefruit and smoky notes. On the medium+ bodied, slightly creamy palate, it has very good concentration with lovely, ripe, honeyed flavours of floral, lemon citrus, grapefruit, and leesy minerals in a dry flavour profile. It's very well-balanced and nicely textured with fresh acidity, while leesy minerals, with touches of white florals and citrus lingering on the long, flavourful, and slightly spicy finish. Highly recommended buy! Score: 90 pts

Other lovely wines from M. Chapoutier are available at the LCBO, as well as through their Agent - Dandurand.

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November 27, 2021 LCBO VINTAGES Release Wine Picks: Finest Holiday Wines + Local Sparkling

The November 27, 2021 LCBO VINTAGES Release is the 2nd to last release of the year and the main theme is titled "Finest Holiday Wines", while in the Local Talent feature there are a few, fine sparkling wines from Ontario. All of these wines should be on shelves across Ontario by this Saturday.

We begin with the theme on Finest Holiday Wines - a group of sixteen wines which can be purchased as gifts or to add to your personal collection. While many of the wines featured in this thematic are of high-quality, I have opted to include just five of these wines. At the top of this list is the latest vintage of the Solaia Super Tuscan that is a blend of 73% Cabernet Sauvignon, 20% Sangiovese, and 7% Cabernet Franc. From Bolgheri, the Guado al Tasso is a blend of 65% Cabernet Sauvignon, 20% Merlot, 12% Cabernet Franc, and 3% Petit Verdot, while the iconic Ornellaia consists of 51% Merlot, 40% Cabernet Sauvignon, 7% Cabernet Franc, and 2% Petit Verdot. Moving away from Italy, the Red from Niagara is a blend of 32% Cabernet Franc, 32% Cabernet Sauvignon, 19% Merlot, 11% Petit Verdot, and 6% Tannat, while the Rioja consists of 90% Tempranillo, 5% Mazuelo, and 5% Graciano.

In the feature on Local Talent, the theme is on sparkling wines and there are a few beauties among the group and all of my recommendations are crafted in the traditional method. First up is the 2016 Blanc de Blancs that is made with Chardonnay, while the 2015 sparkling wine from 13th Street is a blend of 60% Chardonnay and 40% Pinot Noir. Lastly, the Sparkling Rosé is made with Pinot Noir.

From my top red wine recommendations, the red wine from Bordeaux is a blend of 75% Merlot and 25% Cabernet Sauvignon, while the Rhône red consists of 75% Grenache, the rest Syrah, and a dollop of Mourvedre to complete the blend. The Portuguese red consists of Touriga Nacional and Alfrocheiro. New Zealand has a large and strong showing in this release with a pair of lovely reds included among my wine picks - an excellent Marlborough Pinot Noir and a red blend from Hawke's Bay that consists of 32% Merlot, 30% Cabernet Franc, 28% Cabernet Sauvignon, 6% Petit Verdot, and 4% Malbec. From Italy, the Chianti Classico is 100% Sangiovese, while the Brunello is made with 100% Sangiovese Grosso, and lastly, the Barolo is 100% Nebbiolo.

Additionally, there are also a couple of lovely reds not listed below as they came through VINTAGES earlier this year, but have returned to the LCBO as part of this release - the 2018 Clos de Los Siete (90+ pts, $25) and the 2015 Lealtanza Reserva (90 pts, $22) - and both are worth checking out if you missed them the first time.

Among my white wine picks, the only blend is the wine from Roussillon that consists of Grenache Blanc, Roussanne, Marsanne, and Macabeu. Notable single varietal wines includes a beautiful 2019 Sancerre (which is made with Sauvignon Blanc), as well as a pair of Sauvignon Blanc wines from New Zealand. If you like your wines a little sweet, look for the delicious Pinot Gris from New Zealand or the semi-sweet Riesling from Mosel.

Enjoy my wine recommendations from this release! Cheers!

Red Wine:

• CUVÉE SABRINE CÔTES DU RHÔNE-VILLAGES 2017 - AC, France (#538496) (XD) - $15.95
• ENRIQUE MENDOZA LA TREMENDA MONASTRELL 2018 - DO Alicante, Spain (#490011) (XD) - $16.95
• CAP ROYAL ROUGE 2018 - Vegan, AC Bordeaux Supérieur, France (#486761) (XD) - $18.95  90 pts  wine review
• TRINITY HILL THE TRINITY RED BLEND 2018 - Hawke's Bay, North Island, New Zealand (#551630) (XD) - $19.95   89 pts  wine review
• QUINTA DO PENEDO RESERVA 2013 - DOC Dão, Portugal (#21809) (XD) - $19.95

• IL MOLINO DI GRACE RISERVA CHIANTI CLASSICO 2015 - DOCG, Tuscany, Italy (#382945) (XD) - $27.95
• TRAPICHE GRAN MEDALLA MALBEC 2017 - Uco Valley, Mendoza, Argentina (#467977) (XD) - $28.95  91+ pts  wine review
• HERAS CORDÓN RESERVA 2015 - DOCa Rioja, Spain (#144113) (XD) - $32.95
• STRATUS RED 2017 - VQA Niagara-on-the-Lake, Ontario, Canada (#312058) (D) - $49.20
• DOG POINT PINOT NOIR 2017 - Marlborough, South Island, New Zealand (#329672) (XD) - $49.95  FE  92 pts  wine review

• LA TORRE BRUNELLO DI MONTALCINO 2016 - Estate bottled, DOCG, Tuscany, Italy (#17626) (XD) - $59.95
• RENATO RATTI MARCENASCO BAROLO 2017 - DOCG, Piedmont, Italy (#713479) (XD) - $69.95
• GUADO AL TASSO 2018 - DOC Bolgheri Superiore, Tuscany, Italy (#986380) (XD) - $161.95
• ORNELLAIA 2018 - DOC Bolgheri Superiore, Tuscany, Italy (#722470) (XD) - $249.95
• SOLAIA 2018 - IGT Toscana, Italy (#987586) (XD) - $475.95

White Wine:

• LES VIGNES DE BILA-HAUT CÔTES DU ROUSSILLON BLANC 2020 - AP, Midi, France (#485656) (XD) - $15.95  90 pts  wine review
• FONTANAFREDDA PRADALUPO ROERO ARNEIS 2019 - DOCG, Piedmont, Italy (#577700) (XD) - $18.95
• INVIVO SAUVIGNON BLANC 2020 - Marlborough, South Island, New Zealand (#14199) (XD) - $18.95
• RADFORD DALE VINUM CHENIN BLANC 2019 - WO Stellenbosch, South Africa (#13338) (XD) - $18.95
• ELGIN VINTNERS CHARDONNAY 2019 - WO Elgin, South Africa (#21156) (XD) - $19.95
• SELBACH TRADITION FEINHERB RIESLING KABINETT 2018 - Prädikatswein, Mosel, Germany (#21031) (M) - $24.95
• GREYWACKE MARLBOROUGH PINOT GRIS 2017 - Marlborough, South Island, New Zealand (#994939) (D) - $29.95  FE  93 pts  wine review
• VILLA MARIA SOUTHERN CLAYS SINGLE VINEYARD SAUVIGNON BLANC 2019 - Marlborough, South Island, New Zealand (#447474) (XD) - $29.95  91+ pts  wine review
• JEAN-MAX ROGER CUVÉE GENÈSE SANCERRE 2019 - AC, Loire, France (#189126) (XD) - $32.95  92 pts  wine review
• DOG POINT CHARDONNAY 2018 - Marlborough, South Island, New Zealand (#238568) (XD) - $44.95  FE

Sparkling Wine:

• BELCANTO DI BELLUSSI EXTRA DRY PROSECCO DI VALDOBBIADENE SUPERIORE - DOCG, Veneto, Italy (#53215) (D) - $18.95  89 pts  wine review
• MEGALOMANIAC BUBBLEHEAD SPARKLING ROSÉ - Traditional method, VQA Niagara Peninsula, Ontario, Canada (#363655) (D) - $34.95  91 pts  wine review
• 13TH STREET PREMIER CUVÉE SPARKLING 2015 - Traditional method, VQA Niagara Peninsula, Ontario, Canada (#142679) (XD) - $39.95
• HENRY OF PELHAM CUVÉE CATHARINE CARTE BLANCHE ESTATE BLANC DE BLANCS 2016 - Traditional method, VQA Short Hills Bench, Niagara Escarpment, Ontario, Canada (#315200) (XD) - $49.95
• VILMART ET CIE GRANDE RÉSERVE 1ER CRU CHAMPAGNE - AC, France (#12619) (XD) - $73.95  92 pts  wine review

Fortified:

• BURMESTER 10-YEAR-OLD TAWNY PORT - DOP, Portugal (#223958) (S) - $29.95  91 pts  wine review
  
• WARRE'S QUINTA DA CAVADINHA VINTAGE PORT 2005 - DOP, Portugal (#21811) (S) - $54.95

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Cap Royal Rouge 2018 (Bordeaux) - Wine Review

Tonight's wine review is this lovely, vegan-friendly red wine from Bordeaux that is coming to the LCBO this weekend, as part of the November 27th LCBO VINTAGES Release.

It is produced by Cap Royal, a brand that owes its name to the Cordouan lighthouse, the oldest lighthouse in Europe. This lighthouse located at the mouth of the Gironde estuary always had a bleak reputation due to the perilous nature of the area. The original lighthouse was built in 1360 and has evolved over the centuries to become the one-of-a-kind, "King of Lighthouses" seen today.

Cap Royal is a brand of La Compagnie Médocaine des Grands Crus, an historical wine merchant that has established itself a key player in the sales of Bordeaux wines around the globe. La Compagnie Médocaine des Grands Crus is a subsidiary of AXA Millésimes, the wine branch of AXA group, and encompasses many of Europe's most renowned wine domaines. More than just a company, La Compagnie Médocaine des Grands Crus is a team of people of who ensure that they provide the highest quality wines possible. This team is led by Jean-René Matignon, a man who was born in Anjou and grew up in a family of winemakers. He actually spent a year in Canada in 1982 working for a wine domaine in British Columbia. Upon returning to France, he developed new vinification techniques with a winemakers association and became known as a perfectionist. In 2013, he worked with La Compagnie Médocaine des Grands Crus to create the Cap Royal brand with the sole objective to offer high quality, yet accessible, Bordeaux wines that can be enjoyed by all.

Certified vegan, this Bordeaux blend of 75% Merlot and 25% Cabernet Sauvignon was crafted using fruit chosen by Jean-René Matignon and his winemaker partners from specially selected lots that offered quality and complexity. The grapes were fermented in thermo-regulated stainless steel vats, and carefully aged in oak barrels under the regular supervision of Jean-René Matignon to guarantee a quality wine. Let's see how this 2018 Bordeaux red wine is tasting tonight...

Tasting Note:

CAP ROYAL ROUGE 2018 - Vegan, AC Bordeaux Supérieur, France (#486761) (XD) - $18.95
This blend of 75% Merlot and 25% Cabernet Sauvignon has an open and fragrant nose with lovely dark fruited aromas of blackberry, black plum, currant, cassis, wood spice, and vanilla with savoury undertones. On the ripe, medium-full bodied, and structured palate it has dark berry, blackberry, leather, and wood spice flavours, with a hint of jammy notes. Fresh acids are juicy and well-balanced, while the structured tannins are youthful. Savoury, earthy, and cocoa notes linger on the long, drying finish. Highly recommended buy that is enjoyable now, but will reward with a few years in the cellar and drink well towards the end of the decade. Score: 90 pts

Other lovely wines from Cap Royal are available through their Agent - Noble Estates Wines & Spirits.

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Marqués de Cáceres Excellens Cuvée Especial Crianza 2017 (Rioja) - Wine Review

For tonight's wine review, I Arrive in Style with this lovely, vegan-friendly Tempranillo that came to the LCBO last weekend as part of the November 13th LCBO VINTAGES Release.

Produced by Marqués de Cáceres, and although the winery was only founded by Enrique Forner in 1970, the enterprising family's origins in wine go back much further to 1920, when Enrique's grandfather and father established a family business in Valencia devoted to the production, sale, and export of wine.

Today, Enrique's daughter, Cristina Forner, manages the winery with pride. The Forner family is one of the great Spanish wine families, known for producing high-quality wines, while the wines of Marqués de Cáceres can be found globally in more than 120 countries now thanks to the key role played by Cristina. In the early years of Marqués de Cáceres, Enrique Forner was advised by a friend having success in Bordeaux to apply new growing and production techniques - vineyard control, grape selection, cold production in order to extract the first aromas, ageing in new and semi-new French oak, and long refinement in the bottle in order to strengthen the great virtues of the Tempranillo grape. All of these improvements resulted in wines of finesse and elegance. Marqués de Cáceres continues it's success today by investing in technology and innovation while offering consumers a wine they can consistently enjoy.

This 100% Tempranillo was grown on mainly clay and limestone soils, with some parcels having more iron-rich subsoils, from vineyards planted on gentle hillsides to those 'drooping' at the town's highest altitudes. The grapes were manually harvested, parcel by parcel, and took place as the grapes reached maturity, meaning that they had to return to some vineyards several times because the grape were reaching maturity at different times. At the winery, the grapes were de-stemmed and crushed, followed by fermentation and long skin-contact maceration in stainless steel tanks. It was aged for 14 months in medium-toast French oak barrels and followed by at least 12 months in bottle prior to release.

After liking the 2015 Marqués de Cáceres Excellens Cuvée Especial a couple of years ago, let's see how this bottling, which is from a very good vintage, is tasting tonight...

Tasting Note:

MARQUÉS DE CÁCERES EXCELLENS CUVÉE ESPECIAL CRIANZA 2017 - Collecion Privada, Vegan, DOCa Rioja, Spain (#10684) (XD) - $17.95
100% Tempranillo. The medium to medium-high intensity nose offers lovely rich black and dark red berry aromas alongside sweet & fine wood spice, tobacco, coconut, and earthy notes. On the medium-full bodied palate the sweet and fine wood spice notes really shine, followed by black and red berry, black cherry, sweet spices, clove, and savoury wet earth flavours. Acids are succulent and well-balanced, while the structured tannins are a touch chalky and drying. Earthy notes linger on the lengthy finish. Excellent, as the name suggests, and a highly recommended buy! Score: 90 pts

Other lovely wines from Marqués de Cáceres are available through their Agent - Dionysus Wines & Spirits.

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CR Gold 5 Monastrell/Syrah 2019 (Spain) - Wine Review

Tonight's red wine review is a delicious blend of Monastrell and Syrah that arrived in LCBO VINTAGES on November 13th.

It is produced by Crápula Wines, a project of Gabriel Martínez Valero. He was born in 1967 in the land of Jumilla, one of the Spain's prestigious winegrowing regions, and developed a passion for his homeland as a young boy. For decades, Gabriel has been an enthusiastic ambassador and great defender of Jumilla wines, convinced that this region in the south of Spain is one of the best places in the world to grow grapes due to the region's various micro-climates and terrain that provide nuance to the grapes and resulting wines.

After getting tired of working for other wineries, Gabriel decides to start his own project - Crápula - in Jumilla in 2008. The name comes from when he was tasting with a group of friends on a monthly basis, and one time he was asked to bring a bunch of bottles without labels. One of his friends, Simón, brought out some beautiful wine labels with the name Crápula. Gabriel really liked the name and Simón suggested that they make wines with the Crápula label and sell them. For Gabriel, Crápula symbolizes a good way of life. Crápula Wines are focused on Monastrell and Syrah varieties (as found in this wine) as they give the best results in this area. Gabriel strives to create wines that are modern, fruity, and elegant, while maintaining the identity and personality of the Jumilla terroir.

This red wine is a blend of equal parts Monastrell and Syrah from 30 to 50 year-old vines grown sandy clay limestone soils at 800 metres (2,600 feet) altitude. The grapes were organically farmed, hand-harvested, and fermented in stainless steel tanks. The wine was aged for 5 months in a combination of 330 L neutral French and American oak barrels. Let's see how this red blend from Jumilla is tasting tonight...

Tasting Note:

CR GOLD 5 MONASTRELL/SYRAH 2019 - DOP Jumilla, Spain (#482505) (XD) - $18.95
A 50/50 blend of Monastrell and Syrah. The medium+ intensity nose is rich and swarthy with ripe, dark fruited aromas of blackberry, black plum, purple fruit, and peppery spice. On the weighty, medium-full bodied palate it has intriguing, fruit-forward purple and black fruits mingling with pepper spice, savoury wood, and cocoa flavours. Acids are fresh and juicy, while the smooth, youthful tannins have a slightly chalky texture. Tangy notes on the mid-palate linger through to the savoury, cocoa, and cedary spiced finish, with very good length. Recommended buy. Score: 88+ pts

Other delicious wines from Crápula can be ordered through their Agent - Connexion Oenophilia.

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Satellite Pinot Noir 2018 (New Zealand) - Wine Review

Tonight's red wine review is this lovely Pinot Noir from New Zealand that arrived at the LCBO over the weekend as part of the November 13 LCBO VINTAGES Release.

It is produced by Spy Valley Wines, a winery founded by Bryan and Jan Johnson deep in the Waihopai Valley (one of the Southern Valleys) in the 1990s, at a time when the Marlborough region was undergoing discovery. It was thought that this land was too considered too hard, too dry, and too unfertile for wine, but Bryan and Jan went ahead and planted 180 hectares of estate vineyards anyway. Today, Spy Valley is one of New Zealand's most successful family-run wineries. They are committed to the land and the people who tend it, firmly focused on sustainability to ensure their guardianship of this land for generations to come. Spy Valley was one of the first wineries to be proudly accredited under the New Zealand Sustainable Winegrowing program which promotes economically and environmentally sustainable vineyard management.

This Pinot Noir is from Spy Valley's Satellite range of wines - a fruit-driven range that is out of this world, yet within your reach, that shows varietal typicity with balance and poise. It is crafted using fruit from selected estate vineyard blocks, all of which were kept separate until final blending. The grape bunches were mostly destemmed and all fermented naturally in open vats. After gentle plunging the wine was drained into barrels and aged for 11 months prior to blending.

The growing season in 2018 was very warm, with dry weather conditions throughout spring and summer, followed by wet conditions during the autumn harvest period. This was Spy Valley's quickest harvest ever and the Pinot Noir was rapidly picked from the vines between periods of rain. Although the vintage was difficult, quality is good and this Pinot produced great flavours. Let's see how this 2018 Pinot Noir was Marlborough is tasting tonight...

Tasting Note:

SATELLITE PINOT NOIR 2018 - Marlborough, South Island, New Zealand (#12627) (XD) - $22.95
Pretty, pale-medium ruby colour and enclosed by screw cap. Lovely, intense nose of black tea leaf, beetroot, and earth surrounds a core of red berry, strawberry, cherry, and spice aromas. On the light-to-mid weighted and ripe palate it has red fruited, strawberry, cherry, and red plum flavours accented with beetroot, earth, spice. Acids are fresh and well-balanced, while the light, rounded tannins have a pleasant, fine-grained and slightly chalky texture. Juicy with earthy, tangy black cherry, and stony minerals linger on the long, satisfying finish. Highly recommended Pinot! Score: 90 pts

Other lovely wines from Spy Valley Wines are available at the LCBO, as well as through their Agent - Noble Estates Wines & Spirits.

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Montebuena Cuvée KPF 2019 (Rioja) - Wine Review

Tonight's wine review is a delicious Rioja that returned to the LCBO this weekend after a five year hiatus. This new vintage was released into VINTAGES as part of today's November 13 LCBO VINTAGES Release.

This red wine by Bodegas Montebuena is from the portfolio of Kysela Pere et Fils, Ltd., hence the name "KPF" on the bottle. Montebuena - meaning "good mountain" - is located on the eastern part of the ancient winemaking village of Labastida, in what is considered to be one of the best vineyards in Rioja Alavesa, and covers an area of more than 160 hectares. Viticulture in Labastida goes back several centuries, but the most interesting historical evidence of winemaking in the area is its "lagares rupestres" - man-made formations carved into large rocks in the vineyards that consisted of three holes where the grapes were pressed to obtain the juice prior to fermentation - which were in use between the 9th and 18th centuries.

Montebuena sets itself apart with its unique position where the river Ebro is closest to the Sierra Cantabria mountains, creating a blend of Mediterranean and Continental climates that prevents an excess of rain and extreme cold. Moreover, the shallow and calcareous soils limit yields and the size of grapes while increasing the volume of the skin, resulting in deeper colour and greater concentration of flavours.

Kysela's Montebuena Cuvée is made with 100% Tempranillo from 20-25 year-old vines grown in Rioja Alavesa. The grapes were hand-harvested, and after fermentation the wine was aged for 3-4 months in new French oak. Having enjoyed the 2014 Montebuena Cuvée KPF five years ago, let's see how this new vintage is tasting tonight...

Tasting Note:

MONTEBUENA CUVÉE KPF 2019 - DOCa Rioja, Spain (#211029) (XD) - $17.95
100% Tempranillo from 20 to 25 year-old vines grown in Rioja Alavesa. Screw cap. The medium+ intensity nose is very ripe with dark red cherry, black cherry, sweet spice and sandalwood aromas. On the medium bodied palate it has smooth, lightly textured tannins and fresh, lively acidity with ripe, plummy flavours of dark red cherry, black cherry, and savoury wood spice. Very good length on the savoury, earthy, and juicy finish. Highly quaffable for everyday enjoyment. Recommended buy. Score: 88 pts

Other delicious wines from Bodegas Montebuena can be found through their Agent - Connexion Oenophilia.

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