April 11, 2026 LCBO VINTAGES Release Wine Picks: New Zealand

Here are my top wine picks from the April 11, 2026 LCBO VINTAGES New Release Collection (digital edition here), where the feature story of the release looks at Wine Wonders of New Zealand. This is a smallish release with only 85 products offered, and the average price per bottle comes in at just over $25, with just over half coming in at under $23. This is not a top release, but there are some fine wines to be enjoyed, with everything readily available for purchase both online and in-stores at LCBO outlets across Ontario.

We'll begin with the feature on Wine Wonders of New Zealand wines, with fourteen wines featured in the thematic, of which four are included among my top wine picks. Of the five NZ Sauvignon Blanc wines featured, two are among my recommended buys, with one from Marlborough and the other from a Māori-owned winery in North Canterbury. There's also a dry Pinot Gris from the Awatere Valley, while the only red is a Pinot Noir from Wairarapa on the North Island.

My top red wine picks from the main release begin in Greece with a single vineyard Xinomavro from Naoussa, followed by a 50/50 blend of Merlot and Xinomavro from Macedonia. There are quite a few blends among my red wine recommendations, including a couple from Veneto, where the IGT Veronese is a blend of 40% Corvina Veronese, 30% Corvinone, and 30% Rondinella, while the Valpolicella is composed of 35% Corvina, 35% Corvinone, 20% Rondinella, and 10% other traditional varieties. The red from South Africa is composed of 44% Cabernet Franc, 26% Merlot, 15% Cabernet Sauvignon, 11% Petit Verdot, and 4% Malbec, while the Portuguese red is a blend of Aragonez (Tempranillo), Trincadeira, Syrah, and Cabernet Sauvignon. From France, the Rhône red is 60% Grenache, 20% Syrah, and 20% Carignan, while the red from Roussillon is a blend of Grenache, Carignan, and Syrah.

Among the white wines from the main release, there are a couple of blends, with the Rhône white crafted with 60% Grenache Blanc, 25% Clairette, 10% Roussanne, and 5% Viognier, while the Tuscan white is composed of primarily Vernaccia di San Gimignano with 5% Incrocio Manzoni completing the blend. The rest of the whites are mono-varietal wines, with locally crafted wines from Niagara leading the way once again with a couple of Chardonnays, a Sauvignon Blanc, and a gently sweet Riesling. Lastly, but definitely not the least, there is the perennial favourite Marsanne from Victoria, Australia, and a fine Sauvignon Blanc from Bordeaux.

Other wines include a dry rosé from South Africa that is crafted with Cinsault, while the Crémant de Loire sparkling wine is a blend of 70% Chenin, 15% Chardonnay, and 15% Cabernet Franc.

Enjoy my top wine recommendations from this release!

Red Wine:

• COUTADA VELHA SIGNATURE RED 2022 - Vinho Regional Alentejano, Portugal (#11152) (XD) - $14.95
• MONTES LIMITED SELECTION CARMENÈRE 2022 - DO Valle del Rapel, Chile (#256685) (XD) - $17.95
  
• TEDESCHI NICALÒ VALPOLICELLA SUPERIORE 2023 - Sustainable, DOC, Veneto, Italy (#984997) (XD) - $19.95  89 pts  wine review
  
• CHÂTEAU SAINT-ROCH CHIMÈRES CÔTES DU ROUSSILLON-VILLAGES 2022 - AOP, Midi, France (#119354) (XD) - $19.95  90+ pts  wine review
• DOMAINE LAFAGE CAYROL VIEILLES VIGNES CARIGNAN 2023 - IGP Côtes Catalanes, Roussillon, France (#494039) (XD) - $19.95
  
• MULDERBOSCH FAITHFUL HOUND 2023 - WO Stellenbosch, South Africa (#922443) (XD) - $20.95  review coming soon...
• CHÂTEAU DE MONTFAUCON CÔTES DU RHÔNE 2022 - AOC, France (#51799) (XD) - $20.95

• KECHRIS GENESIS XINOMAVRO / MERLOT 2022 - PGI Macedonia, Greece (#30613) (XD) - $22.95  review coming soon...
• PADDY BORTHWICK PAPER ROAD PINOT NOIR 2023 - Wairarapa, North Island, New Zealand (#179770) (XD) - $24.95
• ALLEGRINI PALAZZO DELLA TORRE 2022 - Sustainable, IGT Veronese, Veneto, Italy (#672931) (XD) - $24.95  90+ pts  wine review
• RICASOLI BROLIO BETTINO CHIANTI CLASSICO 2022 - DOCG, Tuscany, Italy (#630939) (XD) - $28.95
• HIDDEN BENCH GAMAY 2023 - Sustainable, Uunfiltered, VQA West Niagara, Niagara Peninsula, Ontario, Canada (#20422) (XD) - $29.95  90+ pts  wine review
• SAN FELICE IL GRIGIO RISERVA CHIANTI CLASSICO 2022 - Sustainable, DOCG, Tuscany, Italy (#716266) (XD) - $29.95
• KIR-YIANNI RAMNISTA SINGLE VINEYARD XINOMAVRO 2020 - PDO Naoussa, Greece (#178020) (XD) - $39.95  92+ pts  wine review

White Wine:

• CHÂTEAU ROQUEFORT LES ROCHES BLANCHES SAUVIGNON BLANC 2024 - AOC Bordeaux, France (#35860) (XD) - $15.95  review coming soon...
• TIKI SINGLE VINEYARD NORTH CANTERBURY SAUVIGNON BLANC 2025 - Sustainable, North Canterbury, South Island, New Zealand (#19767) (XD) - $19.95
• CHÂTEAU DE NAGES HÉRITAGE BLANC COSTIÈRES DE NÎMES 2023 - AOC, Rhône, France (#48332) (XD) - $19.95
• TAHBILK MARSANNE 2024 - Sustainable, Estate Grown and Bottled, Nagambie Lakes, Central Victoria, Australia (#117945) (XD) - $19.95
• PENINSULA RIDGE WISMER VINEYARD SAUVIGNON BLANC 2024 - VQA Twenty Mile Bench, Niagara Escarpment, Ontario, Canada (#155580) (XD) - $21.95  90 pts  wine review
• LOVEBLOCK ORGANIC PINOT GRIS 2023 - Vegan, Sustainable, Awatere Valley, Marlborough, South Island, New Zealand (#47914) (XD) - $23.95
• LAWSON'S DRY HILLS RESERVE SAUVIGNON BLANC 2024 - Vegan, Sustainable, Carbon Zero, Marlborough, South Island, New Zealand (#47921) (XD) - $24.95
• TAWSE LIMESTONE RIDGE-NORTH RIESLING 2024 - VQA Twenty Mile Bench, Niagara Escarpment, Ontario, Canada (#431593) (M) - $24.95
• PANIZZI VERNACCIA DI SAN GIMIGNANO 2024 - DOCG, Tuscany, Italy (#36446) (XD) - $25.95
• BACHELDER LES VILLAGES BENCH CHARDONNAY 2023 - VQA Niagara Escarpment, Ontario, Canada (#16059) (XD) - $34.95
• BACHELDER WERNER-YORK VINEYARD CHARDONNAY 2023 - VQA St. David's Bench, Niagara-on-the-Lake, Ontario, Canada (#45136) (XD) - $45.00

Rosé Wine:

• LUBANZI CINSAULT ROSÉ 2025 - Fair Trade, Climate Neutral, WO Swartland, South Africa (#49070) (XD) - $18.95

Sparkling Wine:

• ACKERMAN BULLE ROYALE CRÉMANT DE LOIRE BRUT SPARKLING - Traditional Method, AOP, Loire, France (#42057) (D) - $20.95  89 pts  wine review

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Praise Bistro Blanc 2024 and Bistro Rouge 2024 (Languedoc) - Wine Reviews

Tonight's wine reviews are a pair of delicious, vegan-friendly IGP Pays d'Oc wines from Languedoc that are brand-new arrivals at the LCBO, with both landing in-store and online in the March 21 LCBO VINTAGES New Release Collection.

Praise Wines was founded a few years ago by sommeliers, friends, and business partners Scott Zebarth and Will Predhomme. Praise was born out of a desire to democratize wine, with the core values of quality, transparency, collaboration, sustainability, empowerment, and life-changing. In addition to making wine accessible for everyone, they wanted to go one step further and launched their Drink Better Initiative.

In today's world, access to clean water is the biggest crisis in the world, and the team at Praise believes that everyone should have access to clean water. At Praise, they are on a mission to combat the water crisis and create a positive impact through their wine brand. Praise believes that businesses can be agents of change and transform the world together. Their vision is to end water scarcity and build a sustainable future where humanity thrives in harmony with nature. With their commitment to making a difference, each bottle of Praise wine helps provide clean and safe water, an essential resource, to those in need for one year.

Praise proudly works with Water.org, who offers a portfolio of smart solutions that break down the financial barriers between people living in poverty and access to safe water and sanitation. Their unique solutions are adapted to the conditions in 11 countries across Asia, Africa, and Latin America, as they work in collaboration with their in-country partners to provide efficient and scalable solutions, while using financing as a tool to help those in need.

There are only two wines in the Praise portfolio - the Bistro Blanc and Bistro Rouge. Both wines are crafted using organically cultivated grapes that were grown in Minervois, Languedoc, and labelled as IGP Pays d'Oc wines. Additionally, both wines are vegan-friendly, sustainable HVE3 certified, and packaged with environmentally-friendly packaging.

The growing season in 2024 in Minervois experienced drought conditions for the third year in a row, along with hot (and sometimes very hot) temperatures, which led to reduced yields. The resulting wines were generally aromatic with concentrated and dense flavours. From a very good vintage in terms of quality, let's see how these two IGP Pays d'Oc wines from Languedoc are tasting tonight...

Tasting Notes:

PRAISE BISTRO BLANC 2024 - Vegan, Sustainable, IGP Pays d'Oc, Languedoc, France (#46876) (XD) - $18.95
Blend of 70% Marsanne and 30% Viognier grown in Minervios and enclosed by screw cap. The delicate, medium+ intensity nose offers ripe yellow fruit, lemon citrus, pear, and floral aromas with touches of fresh herbs and honeysuckle. On the dry, medium-full bodied palate it has impressive weight and concentration with flavours of ripe lemon citrus, pear, white peach, floral, and herbs, plus touches of gummy bear notes. It has juicy, well-balanced acidity, along with some warmth and spice on the mid-palate. Pear and citrus notes taper to leesy minerals on the finish, with good length. Recommended buy. Score: 88 pts

PRAISE BISTRO ROUGE 2024 - Vegan, Sustainable, IGP Pays d'Oc, Languedoc, France (#46339) (D) - $18.95
100% Grenache enclosed by screw cap. The fresh, open, medium-high intensity nose is quite ripe and fruity with a fine mix of red berry, raspberry, savoury earth, and spice aromas, plus hints of white pepper and milk chocolate. On the mid-weighted palate it has fresh, juicy, and lively acidity that supports the ripe-fruited flavours of raspberry, white pepper spice, clove, and chocolate, with savoury earth undertones. It has ripe, supple tannins with a slightly gritty texture. The ripe fruit has a touch of sweetness that is masked by the high acids, which makes the wine come off as dry. Ripe raspberry, spice, and savoury earth notes linger on crisp finish, with very good length. Give it a light chill, crack open and enjoy! Score: 87+ pts

Both of these wines can also be ordered through their Agent - Noble Estates Wines & Spirits.

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Casale del Giglio Bellone 2023 (Lazio) - Wine Review

Tonight's white wine review is a lovely white crafted with the indigenous and quite rare Bellone (bel-LOH-neh) varietal. It made its debut at the LCBO a couple of weeks ago in the March 21st LCBO VINTAGES New Release Collection.

It is produced by Casale del Giglio, a winery with roots as a wine merchant that was founded in 1914 by the Santarelli brothers - Emidio, Isidoro, and Antonio. In 1955, Dino Santarelli, son of Emidio, founded a company to bottle Lazio's classic wines, which were largely sold in Rome, but also exported abroad, including Canada.

In 1967, Dr. Berardino Santarelli, son of Antonio, established the family estate of Casale del Giglio on the unconventional land in the Agro Pontino valley, between the towns of Aprilla and Latina, about 50 km south of Rome. Since vine growing was not a tradition in this area, Dr. Santarelli and his son, Antanio, had free rein to introduce pioneering ideas, and in 1985 they planted nearly 60 different experimental varietals in the soils at Casale del Giglio. This bold and daring scheme had never been approached in such a scientific way, and their young winemaker, Paolo Tiefenthaler, was to become its leading light. Ampelographers and university researchers of the day joined them in this research project, and continue to support this effort, which is also endorsed by the Agricultural Department of Latium's Regional Government. The project aimed at identifying and maximizing the territory's potential for quality viticulture has yielded positive results, with these processes influencing other regions across the globe.

The philosophy at Casale del Giglio is based on the future of Italian viticulture relying not only on consolidating the image of its traditional wine producing zones, but on its ability to produce top-quality wines at favourable prices in areas whose potential is still relatively unexplored. As a result of Casale del Giglio's research, there are new recommended varieties that can be cultivated in the province of Latina. Casale del Giglio has 180 hectares of vines planted to the cordon trained system, while electing to plant grape varieties which have adapted well to the territory and produce quality wines.

Bellone is an Italian white wine grape variety first cited by Pliny the Elder and has been present in the Latium region of central-western Italy, near the city of Rome, and cultivated since the times of the Romans. Today, Bellone is cultivated from the Roman to the Lepini hills and in the hinterland of the coastal town of Anzio in Lazio, where the warm sandy soils tempered by a relentless sea breeze provide the ideal microclimate. Casale del Giglio's Bellone Project was launched in 2012 around the coastal town of Anzio, a choice location keeping in line with the claim of past farmers that Bellone thrives on sea air. The Bellone grape is vigorous and resistant to drought, which ensures wine quality and balance, while its plump, golden yellow, and thick-skinned grapes hang in elongated, cone-shaped bunches. Meanwhile, the persistent Tyrrhenian Sea breeze prevents over-ripening, while maintaining high concentrations of both sugar and acidity, which ultimately lead to early maturation and highlighting the wine's pronounced mineral notes.

I've had the pleasure of tasting Casale del Giglio's flagship white wine "Anthium", which is crafted with Bellone from 60-year-old vines, many times over the years and am excited to see how this entry-level Bellone compares. To vinify this wine, the grapes were harvested at the end of September and then macerated on the skins to encourage extraction of the aromas bestowed by the territory. It was then softly pressed and then underwent spontaneous fermentation with indigenous yeasts for about 10–12 days at 18–20°C, and matured in bottle without the use of any oak. Let's see how this 2023 Bellone from Lazio is tasting tonight...

Tasting Note:

CASALE DEL GIGLIO BELLONE 2023 - IGT Lazio Bianco, Italy (#45845) (XD) - $19.95
This 100% Bellone has a lovely, medium-high intensity nose that is open with earthy minerality and sea spray aromas layered over lemon citrus, apple, and yellow floral. It's medium-full bodied on the dry, fairly concentrated, and well-structured palate with lovely, ripe lemon citrus, apple, earthy mineral, saline, floral, and warm spice flavours in a gently honeyed profile. Acids are crisp and juicy, while also having a slight mineral texture on the mid-palate. Lemon citrus and apple transition to spices, and then to saline minerals on the long, balanced, and savoury finish, with excellent length. Highly recommended buy! Score: 90+ pts

Other lovely wines by Casale del Giglio can be ordered through their Agent - Profile Wine Group.

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Licenciado Reserva 2020 (Rioja) - Wine Review

For the long weekend, tonight's red wine review is a lovely Tempranillo from Rioja that arrived at the LCBO as part of the feature on wines for Easter in the recent March 21 LCBO VINTAGES New Release Collection.

Like the 2020 Burgo Viejo Reserva I enjoyed last year, this red wine is also produced by Bodegas Burgo Viejo, a co-operative style of winery that was formed at the end of the 1980s by six neighbouring families in La Rioja, Spain. The winegrowing families of Castillo Garcia, Galán Garijo, Gurría García, Marques Malumbres, Rivas Marques, and Ruiz Casas came together, along with their vineyards, winegrowing traditions, and age-old knowledge that was passed down from one generation to the next to create wines with an innovative spirit under a single brand.

Together, they have 200 hectares of vineyards that they cultivate with care, and are able to produce a wide range of wines that combine the tradition of La Rioja with new market trends that meet the demands of consumers worldwide. Their vines average 30+ years of age, with some dating back almost a century, while newer plantings are grown organically and represent the future.

While Burgo Viejo has several lines of wines, this particular wine is the lone wine in the Licenciado range. This wine has been crafted since at least the 2006 vintage and represented a shift in Burgo Viejo's philosophy to premium, estate wines. It also coincided with the time of Mr. Gorka Etxebarria's arrival at Burgo Viejo in 2003. Gorka holds a Graduate Degree in Oenology from the University of La Rioja and has worked for some of Rioja's most prestigious wineries. Since 2003, Gorka has been leading the winemaking process at Burgo Viejo, where he combines an innovative approach with traditional methods to produce the finest results that the wonderful vineyards have to offer.

This red wine is crafted with 100% Tempranillo that was grown in vineyards throughout the municipality of Alfaro in La Rioja of Spain, at the foot of the Yerga Mountain and on the banks of the fertile Ebro valley. This area offers a wide diversity of soils and microclimates where Tempranillo — the flagship variety of the region — thrives and becomes a special Rioja wine. As the vineyards are owned by Bodegas Burgo Viejo, the team constantly works the vineyards as required in order to produce top-quality grapes, as well as decides the precise time for harvest.

It was vinified by de-stemming and lightly crushing the grapes, followed by a temperature-controlled fermentation in stainless steel tanks. It also underwent malolactic fermentation in concrete tanks, and then was matured for at least 18 months in 225 L oak barriques.

In 2020, the hot growing season featured rainfall and early budding, which resulted in an early and uneven harvest. Some areas were also severely hit by hail and mildew, which resulted in smaller yields in these areas, while areas not impacted by these conditions had more generous yields. Rainfall in September also presented challenges, but those that harvested after the rain benefited from northern winds and generally excellent conditions, produced balanced wines with moderate alcohol, good acidity, and deep colour. From a very good vintage, let's see how this 2020 Tempranillo Rioja Reserva is tasting tonight...

Tasting Note:

LICENCIADO RESERVA 2020 - DOCa Rioja, Spain (#370023) (XD) - $19.95
This 100% Tempranillo has lovely, medium-high intensity aromas that are clean and well-balanced with ripe dark red berry, black cherry, coconut, and oak spice, plus touches of floral, wild raspberry, savoury earth, and cocoa. On the dry, medium+ to medium-full bodied palate it has more dark red berry notes of strawberry, raspberry, and black cherry nuanced with coconut, oak spice, earth, and cocoa notes. It's well-structured with crisp and succulent acidity, along with refined, dusty textured tannins that are a touch grippy on the back palate. Savoury with coconut, toasty oak, and earthy notes on the long finish. Enjoy this highly recommended buy over the coming 5-7 years. Score: 89 pts

Other lovely wines by Burgo Viejo can be ordered through their Agent - Dionysus Wines & Spirits.

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Mega Spileo Cuvée III Red 2023 (Greece) - Wine Review

Tonight's red wine review is a lovely blend of mainly Mavrodaphne and Cabernet Sauvignon from Greece that arrived at the LCBO just over a week ago in the March 21st LCBO VINTAGES New Release Collection.

Like the lovely 2023 Mega Spileo Assyrtiko I enjoyed last year, this wine is produced by Mega Spileo Estate, a historically significant monastery and winery whose roots date back to 362 A.D. The monastery was established by brothers who were also monks near the town of Kalavryta, in the Achaea region of northern Peloponnese, and holds a special place in Greek orthodox tradition and history.

In the mid-15th century, vine cultivation was added to the lands surrounding the winery. The grapes harvested from these vines were used by the monks to produce wine for both the Holy Communion and as a nutritious dietary supplement. During this period, a massive barrel called "Angelis" was acquired and used to store 12 tonnes of wine - this barrel still survives today.

The latest chapter in Mega Spileo's long and storied history opened in 1999 when brothers Giannis and Theodoros Anastasiou received a long-term lease on the Estate from the Monastery. The brothers' vision was to revitalize the historical vineyard using a team of experienced oenologists and wine producers in order to create a completely new and unique estate. Situated only a few minutes away from the historical monastery, Mega Spileo Estate is located within the UNESCO Chelmos-Vouraikos Global Geopark, which covers an area of 647 km² and is surrounded by tall mountains, plateaus, sheer gorges, ancient trees, wild herbs, flowers, and cool breezes, all of which come together to create a unique microclimate that is ideal for winegrowing. By replanting vineyards and implementing best practices in both the vineyard and winery, including protecting the environment and using sustainable agricultural techniques, Mega Spileo is now a thriving estate winery and a reference point for premium Greek wines.

This wine is one of two wines from Mega Spileo's "Cuvée III" range, which is named as such because each wine in the range is crafted using three varietals that blend indigenous Greek varieties with international varieties. The grapes for Cuvée III wines are also grown at altitude and express a modern Greek identity.

The Mega Spileo Cuvée III Red is a blend of 40% Mavrodaphne, 40% Cabernet Sauvignon, and 20% Agiorgitiko that was grown in mountain vineyards surrounding the Mega Spileo vineyard, between 700 and 800 metres above sea level, within the PGI Achaia regional appellation of the Peloponnese. Each varietal was vinified separately, with the grape must and marc (pomace) remaining in contact until fermentation is complete. The varieties are then blended and matured for 8 months in new American oak barrels.

In 2023, heavy rainfall during spring caused severe diseases such as downy mildew, which was followed by elevated temperatures and drought during the summer months. While these conditions reduced yields, grape quality is high. Let's see how this 2023 red blend from Greece is tasting tonight...

Tasting Note:

MEGA SPILEO CUVÉE III RED 2023 - PGI Achaia, Greece (#25708) (D) - $21.95
This blend of 40% Mavrodaphne, 40% Cabernet Sauvignon, and 20% Agiorgitiko has a medium+ to medium-high intensity nose that delivers lush and ripe dark berry, black cherry, blackberry aromas alongside sweet oak, vanilla and cocoa notes. On medium-bodied palate it ripe and sweet fruited with delicious cassis, black cherry, blackberry, vanillin oak, and cocoa flavours. Subtle spice on the mid-palate. Acids are fresh and juicy, while the tannins offer some chalkiness and textural grip. Cassis and ripe dark berry notes taper to savoury, cocoa, vanilla, oak, and smoke on the long lasting finish. Shows much better balance than the previous vintage and is a recommended buy! Score: 90 pts

Small quantities of many Mego Spileo wines are available the LCBO, while the full range can be ordered through their Agent - KOLONAKI Group of Companies.

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Featherstone Four Feathers 2024 (Niagara) - Wine Review

Tonight's white wine review is a delicious, vegan-friendly, and off-dry (i.e. slightly sweet) white wine blend from Niagara that is crafted with mainly Riesling. It is a VINTAGES Essentials product that was featured in Local Talent in last weekend's March 21 LCBO VINTAGES New Release Collection, and this vintage should be readily available at most stores.

It is produced by Featherstone Estate Winery, a boutique, eco-conscious winery that was established by Louise Engel and her winemaker husband, Dave Johnson. The name "Featherstone" is an homage to the gourmet food shop named "Feather" which specialized in poultry that they once owned, and "stone" for the stone rock face and quarry adjacent to the vineyard. Featherstone is situated in Vineland, Ontario, among the rolling hills of the Twenty Mile Bench sub-appellation of the Niagara Escarpment. Featherstone prides itself on its eco-friendly farming practices, which have been in place since its founding in 1999.

In 2024, amidst its 25th anniversary, Featherstone began a new chapter as it was acquired by philanthropist Rayla Myhal and businessman George Myhal, while Louise and Dave look forward to retirement after 25 successful years. Today, the Head Winemaker at Featherstone is Kevin Qin, a graduate of the Niagara College Winery & Viticulture program. Kevin joined Featherstone in 2014 and has grown alongside the winery ever since as he started out in retail and eventually moved into cellar operations and harvest leadership, while also assisting Dave in winemaking.

The philosophy at Featherstone remains the same - as both grape growing and winemaking are both scientific and intuitive processes - the wines of Featherstone reflect the special character of the grapes, as well as the artistry of the winemaker. In the vineyard, they work through the growing season to enhance the grapes' natural attributes, and then craft wines with minimal winemaking embellishments. Their goal is to produce limited amounts of small-lot wines so that they are able to practice hands-on, artisanal wine production.

As a local leader in eco-friendly farming practices, respect for the land is at the heart of making wine that is true to its soil and its site. Featherstone pioneered in Niagara the employment of a small flock of sheep to naturally eat their way through the grape leaves that need to be removed from the fruiting zone on the vines, while also fertilizing the soil as they move through the vineyard. Among the many sustainable practices, Featherstone takes care of their dirt by avoiding herbicides, planting cover crops, using organic compounds to control mould and mildew, managing bugs without the use of insecticides, and switching to a recycle sprayer. In 2023, Featherstone received its Sustainable Winegrowing Ontario (SWO) certification.

This certified sustainable white wine is a blend of precisely 60.1% Riesling, 18.2% Pinot Grigio, 12.6% Chardonnay, and 9.1% Gewurztraminer using grapes grown across the Niagara Peninsula. The grapes were both hand- and machine-harvested from Sept. 9th to Oct. 18th. After bringing the grapes to the winery, the juice was pressed and transferred into stainless steel tanks to undergo a temperature-controlled fermentation. It also underwent eight hours of juice fining and settling, then racked off its lees.

In 2024, the growing season in Niagara had perfect conditions from early bud break to the warm and late fall that allowed for a long hang time. While there was a slight hiccup in early fall due to moisture and disease pressure from rain that affected early-ripening and thin-skinned grapes, those that picked early were able to mitigate these pressures. From an exceptional vintage with plenty of ripeness and acidity, let's see how this 2024 Riesling-based blend from Niagara is tasting tonight...

Tasting Note:

FEATHERSTONE FOUR FEATHERS 2024 - Vegan, VQA Niagara Peninsula, Ontario, Canada (#341586) (D) - $15.95
Enclosed by Stelvin screw cap, this blend of 60.1% Riesling, 18.2% Pinot Grigio, 12.6% Chardonnay, and 9.1% Gewurztraminer has a delicate, medium+ intensity nose of ripe peach, lemon peel, and apple with hints of honey and floral. On medium+ bodied palate it is gently off-dry with good concentration and delicious poached peach, lemon peel, apple, honey, and floral replays joined by spice notes on the flavour profile. Acids are clean and well-balanced. Finishes crisp and dry with leesy and apple notes, with good length. Chill and enjoy this easy drinking, recommended buy. Score: 88 pts

Many other delicious wines by Featherstone are available at the LCBO, while the full range can be ordered direct from the winery in Niagara.

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Parés Baltà V Brut Cava 2023 (Spain) - Wine Review

Tonight's sparkling wine review is a lovely, vegan, and organic Vintage Brut Cava. It is brand-new to the LCBO, arriving in-store and online in the recent March 7 LCBO VINTAGES New Release Collection, and was also featured in the release as part of the thematic on Women in Wine.

It is produced by Parés Baltà, a well-respected and family-owned estate winery situated in the Penedes wine region of Spain, just 50 km south of Barcelona. The family has a long winemaking history that goes back to 1790, when the first vineyards were planted on the Parés Baltà estate, surrounding the manor house where the winery is located.

As the son of a family of winegrowers, Joan Cusiné Hill was born in 1917 in a small village in Penedes and dedicated his entire life to the cultivation of vines and creating the finest quality wines. During the 1980s, Joan Cusiné Cusiné, son of Joan Cusiné Hill, took over the winery and produced their first white wine that has become a classic at the winery. His wife, Maria Angels Carol, has always been by her husband’s side and supported him to get Parés Balta table wines and sparkling wines recognized and admired across the globe.

Today, Parés Baltà is led by the third generation of the Cusiné family. Brothers Joan and Josep head the winery with the unconditional help of their parents and their wives, María Elena and Marta, two women that fell in love with the brothers while learning about the world of wine. After working their first harvest, both women decided to study oenology at the University of Tarragona (Spain) and upon their return became lead winemakers at the winery, a position they have now held for more than 20 years. Their primary challenge was to combine tradition with innovation, ultimately sparking a revolution that converted their vineyards to organic and biodynamic certification in the span of a decade. Together, they have shared values and a vision that is invariably linked to respect for nature and care for their environment, a family legacy that was inherited from the first generation, Joan Cusiné Hill and Rosa Cusiné.

Faithful to their grandfather and father, the Cusiné brothers continue to produce high-quality organic and biodynamic table wines and sparkling wines with the premise of leaving the land that they inherited in peak condition for future generations. They continue to use their old cava cellar, which was constructed stone by stone at the beginning of the twentieth century. This cellar is located 10 metres underground and has a natural and constant temperature of 14–15ºC, conditions which are perfect for ageing cavas.

This sparkling wine is a blend of the three traditional grape varieties from Penedes: Parellada, Macabeu, and Xarel·lo. The Parellada comes from 59-year-old vines at Viñas del Pi and Viña de Cal Pons, on the foothills of the highest mountains of the Penedes - the Ancosa Mountains, between 610–635 metres above sea level, where loam and gypsum are the most highlighted components in the soil that was formed during the Triassic period. The Macabeu comes from 44-year-old vines at Vinyes de Macabeu, from the foothills of the Prelitoral Mountains at 230 metres above sea level, on loam soil with low permeability and good water retention, which makes it difficult to suffer from water stress and loss of aromatics. The Xarel·lo comes from 44-year-old vines grown in the Penedes Central Valley at 254 metres above sea level on loamy soils and continental sediments whose origins are from the Pleistocene and Holocene epochs of the Quaternary period. To this wine, Parellada contributes the floral freshness, which is preserved from its special microclimate, while Macabeu brings fruit and Xarel·lo provides the body to the final wine, and together, they complete this special cava.

As a 2023 vintage traditional method bubbly, this is crafted using a blend of 59% Parellada, 33% Macabeu, and 8% Xarel·lo. The grapes were hand-harvested from vineyards that were organically and biodynamically farmed. It underwent its first fermentation for two weeks in stainless steel tanks at 16°C. The wine underwent its second fermentation in bottle, following the traditional method, with a minimum ageing of 12 months, and without any oak ageing.

The vegetative cycle for this vintage begins in October 2022, when it had lower-than-usual rainfall and was the warmest October in history. The winter months were warm and wet, while drought set in from the end of February to the end of April, as there were 61 consecutive days without rain. May and June were warm and quite rainy, while July featured a heat spike that reached a record 40.2ºC. In August, there was an intense and persistent heat wave, while a short harvest was completed over about 7 weeks from August to September. This was a low-yielding vintage where, unusually, the red varieties ripened earlier than the white varieties. From an excellent vintage for sparkling wines, let's see how this 2023 Brut Cava from Spain is tasting tonight...

Tasting Note:

PARÉS BALTÀ V BRUT CAVA 2023 - Vegan, Traditional Method, DO, Spain (#650648) (XD) - $17.95
This organic sparkling wine is a blend of 59% Parellada, 33% Macabeu, and 8% Xarel·lo with medium+ intensity aromatics offering enticing lemon, floral, apple, and autolytic notes with touches of peach and brioche. The mid-weighted palate is dry with a creamy mouthfeel and delicious pear, apple, lemon, floral, and autolytic flavours in a gently tangy profile. More savoury with leesy minerals on the mid-palate and touches of spice on the back-palate. Acids are bright and lively, while the mousse is well-balanced. Leesy mineral notes linger on the long, savoury finish. A delicious, highly recommended buy! Score: 89 pts

Other lovely wines by Parés Baltà can be ordered through their Agent - Noble Estates Wines & Spirits.

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