July 5 LCBO Wine Picks: New Zealand + Spain

The main focus of the next LCBO Vintages release is on summery wines from New Zealand, while stylish Spanish wines are the secondary focus. All of these and other delightful wines will be in LCBO outlets across Ontario on Saturday, July 5th.

The timing and major focus of this release is perfect as the weather finally feels like summer. It's also evident as my number of white wine recommendations are greater than red wines, with many refreshing wines to choose from.

From New Zealand, refreshing whites are the order of the day. There are two 2012 Sauvignon Blancs, including a low-alcohol (only 9.5%) version from Forrest Estate, as well as a medium-dry (sweetish) Gewürztraminer from Lawson's Dry Hills. My other wine pick from this portion of the release is the Bel Echo Pinot Noir - which is also the Benchmark/Wine of the Month.

Unfortunately, the Spanish wines in this release were rather un-stylish as only the Albariño stood out.

With eight 2010 Bordeaux wines in this release, 2010 Bordeaux could have easily been the second focus. However, just one of these wines made my list of wine picks - the version from Château Gachon is a mostly Merlot-led blend. Not from Bordeaux, but 2010 vintage wines, nonetheless, are the Château de Gourgazaud Reserve that is a Syrah-based blend, and the Hidden Bench Terroir Caché Meritage that consists of 53% Merlot, 19% Cabernet Franc, 16% Cabernet Sauvignon, and 12% Malbec and should be aged a couple of years before enjoying. Also, the Red Rooster Meritage is a blend of 40% Merlot, 28% Cabernet Sauvignon, 28% Cabernet Franc, 2% Malbec and 2% Petit Verdot.

In white wines, if you think the Lawson's Dry Hills Gewürz won't be sweet enough for you, then you'll want to go up a few sugar cubes to the version from Kuhlmann-Platz. In Riesling, the version from Jim Barry is off-dry (slightly sweet), while the version from Alsace's Dopff & Irion is medium in sweetness. The wine from Château des Charmes Chardonnay Musqué is made using a clone of the Chardonnay grape (specifically Clone 809) and is unoaked.

And last but not least, the rosé wine from Château de Lancyre is a blend of 50% Syrah, 40% Grenache, and 10% Cinsault.

Enjoy my wine picks from this release. Cheers!


Red Wine:

• CHÂTEAU DE GOURGAZAUD RÉSERVE 2010 - AC Minervois La Livinière, Midi, France (#986083) (XD) - $16.95
• CHÂTEAU GACHON CUVÉE LES PETITS RANGAS 2010 - AC Montagne Saint-Émilion, Bordeaux, France (#280040) (XD) - $18.95
• CHÂTEAU LOS BOLDOS VIEILLES VIGNES SYRAH 2011 - Single Vineyard, Cachapoal Andes, Chile (#371187) (XD) - $18.95
• BEL ECHO PINOT NOIR 2012 - 'Terroir: Greywacke', Marlborough, South Island, New Zealand (#159137) (XD) - $22.95
• RED ROOSTER RESERVE MERITAGE 2011 - VQA Okanagan Valley, British Columbia, Canada (#366187) (XD) - $24.95
• HIDDEN BENCH TERROIR CACHÉ MERITAGE 2010 - VQA Beamsville Bench, Niagara Peninsula, Ontario, Canada (#505610) (D) - $38.20
• BAROSSA VALLEY ESTATE EBENEZER SHIRAZ 2007 - Barossa Valley, South Australia (#971705) (D) - $39.95

White Wine:

• CHÂTEAU DES CHARMES ESTATE BOTTLED CHARDONNAY MUSQUÉ 2012 - Estate bottled, VQA Niagara-on-the-Lake, Ontario, Canada (#640516) (XD) - $16.95
• CEMBRA VIGNA DELLE FORCHE MÜLLER THURGAU 2012 - DOC Trentino, Italy (#372508) (XD) - $17.95
• BURGÁNS ALBARIÑO 2012 - DO Rías Baixas, Spain (#945063) (D) - $18.95
• KUHLMANN-PLATZ MUEHLFORST GEWÜRZTRAMINER 2012 - AC Alsace, France (#168864) (MS) - $18.95
• FORREST ESTATE THE DOCTORS’ SAUVIGNON BLANC 2012 - Marlborough, South Island, New Zealand (#317842) (XD) - $19.95  reviewed here
• LAWSON’S DRY HILLS GEWÜRZTRAMINER 2011 - Marlborough, South Island, New Zealand (#060129) (D) - $19.95  reviewed here
• ALPHA ESTATE SAUVIGNON BLANC 2012 - PGI Florina, Greece (#368464) (XD) - $19.95
• DOPFF & IRION DOMAINES DU CHÂTEAU DE RIQUEWIHR LES MURAILLES RIESLING 2009 - AC Alsace, France (#933069) (M) - $19.95
• JIM BARRY THE LODGE HILL DRY RIESLING 2013 - Clare Valley, South Australia (#262469) (XD) - $24.95  reviewed here
• CLOS HENRI SAUVIGNON BLANC 2012 - Marlborough, South Island, New Zealand (#675629) (XD) - $28.95
• HAMILTON RUSSELL CHARDONNAY 2012 - WO Hemel-en-Aarde Valley, South Africa (#931006) (D) - $34.95

Rosé Wine:

• CHÂTEAU DE LANCYRE PIC SAINT-LOUP ROSÉ 2013 - AC Coteaux du Languedoc, Midi, France (#374900) (XD) - $17.95

Icewine:

• SUE-ANN STAFF VIDAL ICEWINE 2012 - VQA Niagara Peninsula, Ontario, Canada (#368720) (S) (200 mL) - $24.95

Sparkling Wine:

• CHÂTEAU MONCONTOUR CUVÉE PRÉDILECTION BRUT VOUVRAY 2011 - AC, Loire, France (#168963) (D) - $18.95

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

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June 21 LCBO Wine Picks: Grape Expectations + Canada Day

As I write this from sunny California after having spent the better part of Monday touring and tasting in Napa, back home, the next LCBO Vintages release will be on shelves on Saturday, June 21. This edition is titled "Grape Expectations" and focuses on 17 grapes and where they are grown best. This is broken down into two parts - 9 grapes which were transplanted from their original home and now thriving outside its homeland, and 8 other grapes that currently thrive in just a single wine region in the world. The second focus of the release are Canadian wines for Canada Day.

For Canada Day, the rosé from Tawse would make an excellent sipper. It is off-dry (slightly sweet) and likely contains some Cab Franc and Pinot Noir. Not from the Canada Day feature but locally made is the Norman Hardie Riesling that blends grapes from both Niagara and Prince Edward County.

Riesling is one of the 9 grapes that thrive in multiple regions, and the Norman Hardie Riesling is one of the two wines featured. Ontario is the newbie on the wine scene and makes some great Riesling, while Riesling dates back to at least the year 1435 in Germany. The Riesling Kabinett from Schloss Schönborn is fabulous! Both of these wines are off-dry.

Crisp, dry, white wine lover's will want to look to Chenin Blanc. It's original home is in Loire, specifically in Vouvray. In the new world, Chenin Blanc has made a name for itself in South Africa.

Syrah is most prominent in Rhône, and Shiraz is grown widely in Australia - they are the same grape, in case you didn't know. Styles tend to differ between the two regions. and even though the version from Saltram is a Shiraz, it is more like a Syrah.

Other grapes that were featured include Sauvignon Blanc from Loire and New Zealand, Chardonnay from Burgundy, California and Ontario, Pinot Noir from Burgundy and New Zealand, Malbec from Southwest France and Argentina, Cabernet Sauvignon from Bordeaux and California, and Primitivo/Zinfandel (again, same grape, different name) from Puglia (Italy) and California. Keep this in mind the next time you're shopping for wine.

Grapes that excel in just a single wine region include Bonarda in Argentina, Nebbiolo in Piedmont (Italy), and Tempranillo in Spain. Each of these grapes made my wine picks below.

From the rest of the release, the Château Canteloup is from the great 2010 Bordeaux vintage and consists of 55% Merlot and 45% Cab Sauv, while the Rhône wine from La Ferme du Mont is a Grenache-led blend that returns to Vintages $3 higher than last year. There are also a pair of Italian wines made using some relatively obscure grape varieties. From Piedmont, the Malvirà Roero is made using 100% Arneis, while the Poggio Al Tufo is made with 100% Alicante Boushet. And finally, the dry rosé wine from Provence is a blend of Cinsault and Grenache.

That's it for my wine recommendations for this week. Enjoy!


Red Wine:

• VINECOL ORGANIC BONARDA 2013 - Mendoza, Argentina (#375493) (XD) - $15.95
• CHÂTEAU CANTELOUP 2010 - AC Médoc, Bordeaux, France (#243923) (XD) - $16.95
• ERCAVIO TEMPRANILLO ROBLE 2011 - Vino de La Tierra de Castillia, Spain (#067504) (XD) - $16.95
• MURIEL VENDIMIA SELECCIONADA RESERVA 2008 - DOCa Rioja, Spain (#276030) (XD) - $19.95
• LA FERME DU MONT LE PONNANT CÔTES DU RHÔNE-VILLAGES 2011 - Unfiltered, AP, Rhone, France (#171371) (XD) - $19.95  reviewed here
• MALVIRÀ ROERO 2009 - DOCG, Piedmont, Italy (#368472) (XD) - $19.95
• POGGIO AL TUFO ALICANTE 2010 - IGT Toscana, Italy (#070797) (XD) - $19.95
• MAGPIE ESTATE THE SACK SHIRAZ 2010 - Barossa Valley, South Australia (#094078) (XD) - $21.95
• STONELEIGH LATITUDE PINOT NOIR 2012 - Marlborough, South Island, New Zealand (#325654) (XD) - $25.95  reviewed here
• PAOLO CONTERNO RIVA DEL BRIC BAROLO 2009 - DOCG, Piedmont, Italy (#172783) (XD) - $42.95
• CAPANNA BRUNELLO DI MONTALCINO 2008 - DOCG, Tuscany, Italy (#378513) (XD) - $48.95

White Wine:

• CAPE POINT VINEYARDS SAUVIGNON BLANC 2012 - WO Cape Point, South Africa (#285221) (XD) - $15.95
• CHATEAU OLLWILLER CLOS DE LA TOURELLE PINOT BLANC 2009 - AC Alsace, France (#377788) (D) - $16.95
• ALPHA ESTATE AXIA MALAGOUZIA 2012 - PGI Florina, Greece (#371666) (XD) - $17.95
• DR. HERMANN ÜRZIGER WÜRZGARTEN RIESLING SPÄTLESE 2007 - Prädikatswein, Mosel, Germany (#313528) (M) - $18.95
• VINCENT ET JULIEN RAIMBAULT BEL AIR VOUVRAY 2012 - AC, Loire, France (#205468) (XD) - $19.95
• NORMAN HARDIE RIESLING 2012 - VQA Ontario, Canada (#131169) (D) - $21.00  reviewed here
• SCHLOSS SCHÖNBORN ERBACHER MARCOBRUNN RIESLING KABINETT 2008 - Prädikatswein, Rheingau, Germany (#928861) (D) - $21.95  reviewed here

Rosé Wine:

• TAWSE SKETCHES OF NIAGARA ROSÉ 2013 - VQA Niagara Peninsula, Ontario, Canada (#172643) (D) - $15.95
• CHÂTEAU LA MASCARONNE QUAT’SAISONS ROSÉ 2013 - AC Côtes de Provence, France (#375634) (XD) - $19.95

Fortified:

• SIGNATURE VIN DOUX NATUREL RASTEAU 2009 - AC, Rhône, France (#371740) (S) (500 mL) - $24.95

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

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Southbrook Canadian Framboise (Ontario) - Wine Review

This is the final post (at least for now) in my series of wine reviews from Southbrook Vineyards.

The Canadian Framboise was one of the Southbrook's very first wines - with Mother Nature lending an almost fortuitous hand. It was the summer of 1992, and it rained nearly every weekend. This resulted in customers staying away from the pick-your-own raspberries patch. Bill Redelmeier loved fortified wines, so he decided that with this 3 ton yield of raspberries that were unsold, he would make a dessert wine. This Framboise was born, the awards piled in, and the rest, as they say, is history.

I opened this raspberry wine last night and it continues to drink well today. Should you go out and purchase this wine that is part of the LCBO General List and readily available, then remember to serve this one well-chilled. At $15.95, it offers very good value as a dessert wine.

SOUTHBROOK CANADIAN FRAMBOISE - Ontario, Canada (#341024) (375 mL) (S) - $15.95

Tasting Note:
Made using 100% Royalty Raspberries. Screw cap. Medium+ aromas that shows raspberry and cherry cough drop notes. Pleasing aroma replays on the palate that is medium-bodied. Warmth arrives mid-palate and continues through to the smooth, medium-length finish. It's sweet, but balanced acids keep everything in check. Serve well-chilled. Score: 88 pts

Here are full wine reviews of the other samples I received:
2012 Southbrook Triomphe Chardonnay
2012 Southbrook Triomphe Cabernet Sauvignon
2012 Southbrook Triomphe Cabernet Franc Rosé

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Spring + Summer Wine Evening at Pukka with Peter Boyd

Last month, I attended Pukka's first-in-a-series of wine evenings planned for this Spring and Summer. Located in the Bathurst & St. Clair area in Toronto, Pukka is billed as a "Modern Indian Restaurant" and very forward-thinking - both of which were quite evident on this evening. Leading our small group of 14 was Sommelier Peter Boyd, who has 30 years experience teaching and working in the restaurant industry.

The theme of this tasting was titled "Matching Wines with Indian Food". Being East Indian myself, I know firsthand that it can be challenging to pair wine with Indian foods, even more so when combining wine with a 5 course tasting menu complete with spices, dips, chutneys and salsas.

The first pairing of the evening were some vegetable pakoras served with a side of tomato chutney and paired with the Cima del Colle Prosecco (Veneto, Italy). The vibrant acids and the bubbles from this sparkling wine cut through the oil from the pakoras very well. Also, the pakoras toned down and helped balance the sweetness that resided in the wine. Overall, a good pairing.

For each of the final four courses for the remainder of the night, two wines were paired with two menu items to allow for some mix-and-matching as we sampled both wines with both food items together.

We paired a Herb-Infused Chicken Tikka and a Sweet Potato Samosa. The wines were a 2012 Monte Schiavo Verdicchio dei Castelli di Jesi (Marche, Italy) and a 2013 Marisco Sauvignon Blanc (Marlborough, New Zealand). Chutneys made from tamarind and coriander were also provided for dipping.

The Verdicchio balanced well with the Chicken Tikka, but showed very green, vegetal notes with the Samosa. The Chicken Tikka also paired well with the Sauvignon Blanc, very balanced, while also helping tone down the flavours of the wine. Indian chutneys can often dominate the flavour palate, and are often difficult to pair with wine. In this case, the Verdicchio and coriander chutney combined to provide a sensory overload consisting of very green flavours. Meanwhile, the (sweetish) tamarind, combined with meat and a lighter wine all provided a sense of balance.

Our next course was a Tawa Monkfish with a mango, tomato and red pepper sambal, alongside Pan-Roasted Pickerel with tomato-fennel curry on a bed of pan-fried veggies. The wines for these dishes were the 2012 Charles Baker Riesling (Niagara Peninsula, Canada) and the 2012 Rabl Grüner Veltliner (Kamptal, Austria).

With the Monkfish, the mildly sweet Riesling suddenly became quite dry, while adding the sambal brought spice into the equation. The Monkfish also overpowered the Grüner, resulting in neither wine pairing particularly well with this fish. Paired with the Pickerel, the Riesling overpowered the fish, while the Grüner was much better, including with the sambal.

Moving on to bigger dishes, the fourth course featured Butter Chicken in a tomato infused butter sauce and sweetened with maple syrup. Alongside this was a South Indian Vegetable Curry that was made in a coconut, tamarind, and mustard seed broth. The wines for this course were the 2010 Mittnacht-Klack Gewürztraminer (Alsace, France) and the 2011 Domaine des Lauribert Côtes du Rhône (France).

The sweet Gewürztraminer and the sweet, ripe fruited nature of this Côtes du Rhône complemented the sweet flavours from the Butter Chicken very well. Pairing these wines to the Vegetable Curry was intriguing as it paired well with the Côtes du Rhône, while also bringing out some smoky flavours. The Gewürz was great on its own - it was my favourite white wine of the evening - but merited only an average grading in my books when pairing with the Vegetable Curry.

And last but not least, we paired a couple of big, dry, red blends with Grilled Lamb Lollipops marinated in turmeric, mint and coriander curry, and served with a side of French Beans that were caramelized in onion, curry leaf and coconut. The two wines enjoyed with this lovely dish were the 2011 Stratus Tollgate Meritage (Niagara Peninsula, Ontario) and the 2011 Perlita Malbec-Syrah (Mendoza, Argentina).

Malbec and Syrah both pair wonderfully with lamb, so it's no surprise that the Argentinean blend (80% Malbec and 20% Syrah) paired really well with this dish. This Malbec/Syrah was my favourite red wine of the night. The Meritage is likely a blend of the classic Bordeaux grapes and paired relatively well with the lamb. However, I thought this wine was a bit too young to be opened right now (or could have been decanted prior to serving).

Overall, I thought this event was a great idea and fairly well executed. It's not often I see such great attention to wine pairings at Indian restaurants and was very refreshing! This was my first time visiting Pukka and I was quite impressed with the quality of their ingredients, including the use of fresh, high-quality meat. I would definitely come back.

Thank you Harsh Chawla, Derek Valleau, Peter Boyd and The Culinary Team at Pukka for putting together this special evening. Also, thank you to Krista Lamb for inviting me to this event as your guest. I very much enjoyed it and would highly encourage you to check out Pukka's Wine Evening event in August event - as all their other events are already sold out. And if you're not able to attend a Wine Evening, you'll be glad to know that most of the wines we paired tonight are available by the glass. Visit the Pukka events page for all the details.

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Southbrook Triomphe Chardonnay 2012 (Niagara) - Wine Review

This is the 3rd wine sample I'm reviewing from Southbrook Vineyards (here are reviews of their Triomphe Cab Franc Rosé and Triomphe Cabernet Sauvignon).

All the grapes for this certified organic Chardonnay were sourced from 3 different estate vineyards within Niagara-on-the-Lake. It was released in Vintages last February and there is currently good inventory remaining on shelves.


SOUTHBROOK TRIOMPHE CHARDONNAY 2012 - VQA Niagara-on-the-Lake, Ontario, Canada (#172338) (D) - $22.95

Tasting Note:
Screw cap. Fruit-driven apple and pear aromas of medium intensity. Medium+ bodied palate with balanced acids. Apple and pear flavours with a distinct caramel note on the lengthy finish that also shows some minerality. Oak is definitely in the background. Just off-dry and nicely balanced. Serve only lightly chilled. Recommended. Score: 88+ pts

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June 7 LCBO Wine Picks: Authentic Oz + Italian Whites + Father's Day

The next Vintages wine release will be in LCBO outlets across Ontario on Saturday, June 7th. This edition focuses on "authentic" Australian wines, with the emphasis solely on Shiraz, Cabernet Sauvignon, and Chardonnay. The secondary feature is on regional white wines from Italy.

Overall, the selection of 14 Aussie wines featured are very good. At the top of the list is the Wynns Coonawarra Cabernet Sauvignon, while in the same price range and a close second is the Grant Burge The Holy Trinity GSM (38% Grenache, 36% Shiraz and 26% Mourvèdre). Both of these wines hail from an excellent 2010 vintage. Further down the price range and into more affordable territory is the impressive Tournon Shiraz that is back in Vintages after showing up in January; the fourth and final red I can recommend is the Cab Sauv from Kilikanoon. Both Aussie Chardonnays featured in this release made my wine picks - neither are heavily oaked, but do have some oak influence.

From the secondary feature on Italian white wines, two of the nine wines made my list of wine picks. Tiefenbrunner's PG (Pinot Grigio) is one of the best around. Dry white wine lovers that want to try something new should check out Terredora's Greco di Tufo - it's made using the Greco grape.

The annual Father's Day selection is also included in this release and features a number of premium wines and spirits. If you're inclined, there is the Macallan Sherry Oak 25 Years Old Highland Single Malt Scotch Whisky going for almost $1000.

From the rest of the release, Palo Alto's red from Chile is a blend of 50% Shiraz, 23% Cabernet Sauvignon, 15% Carménère, 10% Merlot, and 2% Petit Syrah. The Carignanissime de Centeilles is 100% Carignan, comes from vines that are between 60-100 years old, and is matured in tanks only (no oak used). The Ramos Pinto is mostly Touriga Nacional (45%) and Touriga Franca (35%), while 6 other grapes make up the final 20% of the blend. And finally, the 2010 Niagara growing season was excellent for traditional Bordeaux grapes and helped produce a wonderful blend from Creekside (47.3% Cab Sauv, 37.2% Merlot, 10.8% Shiraz, 4.7% Malbec). In white wines, the Menetou-Salon is made using Sauvignon Blanc.

Enjoy my wine recommendations from this LCBO Vintages release. Cheers!


Red Wine:

• PALO ALTO WINEMAKER’S SELECTION 2010 - Maule Valley, Chile (#376236) (XD) - $18.95
• CARIGNANISSIME DE CENTEILLES 2010 - AC Minervois, Midi, France (#041913) (XD) - $18.95
• KILIKANOON KILLERMAN’S RUN CABERNET SAUVIGNON 2012 - Clare Valley, South Australia (#675223) (XD) - $19.95
• ADRIANO RAMOS PINTO DUAS QUINTAS 2011 - DOC Douro, Portugal (#359893) (XD) - $19.95
• CREEKSIDE LAURA’S RED 2010 - VQA Niagara Peninsula, Ontario, Canada (#117960) (XD) - $19.95
• DOMAINE TOURNON MATHILDA SHIRAZ 2011 - Victoria, Australia (#327395) (XD) - $19.95
• WYNNS COONAWARRA ESTATE BLACK LABEL CABERNET SAUVIGNON 2010 - Coonawarra, South Australia (#084996) (XD) - $27.95  reviewed here
• LICENCIADO RESERVA TEMPRANILLO 2006 - DOCa Rioja, Spain (#370023) (XD) - $29.95
• GRANT BURGE THE HOLY TRINITY GRENACHE/SHIRAZ/MOURVÈDRE 2010 - Barossa, South Australia (#236257) (XD) - $29.95  reviewed here

White Wine:

• TIEFENBRUNNER PINOT GRIGIO 2013 - DOC Südtirol-Alto Adige, Italy (#954024) (XD) - $18.95
• MALIVOIRE PINOT GRIS 2012 - VQA Beamsville Bench, Niagara Peninsula, Ontario, Canada (#591305) (D) - $19.95
• CHAVET & FILS LA DAME DE JACQUES COEUR MENETOU-SALON BLANC 2012 - AC, Loire, France (#525048) (XD) - $19.95
• NUGAN KING VALLEY FRASCA’S LANE VINEYARD CHARDONNAY 2012 - Frasca's Lane Vineyard, King Valley, Victoria, Australia (#288191) (XD) - $19.95
• TERREDORA DI PAOLO LOGGIA DELLA SERRA GRECO DI TUFO 2012 - DOCG, Campania, Italy (#983197) (XD) - $20.95
• WINZER KREMS EDITION CHREMISA GRÜNER VELTLINER 2012 - Niederösterreich, Austria (#368803) (XD) - $24.95
• TYRRELL’S HVD SINGLE VINEYARD CHARDONNAY 2012 - HVD (Hunter Valley Distillery) Vineyard, Hunter Valley, New South Wales, Australia (#368282) (XD) - $29.95
• SMITH-MADRONE CHARDONNAY 2011 - Spring Mountain District, Napa Valley, California, USA (#363556) (XD) - $39.95

Dessert Wine:

• DOMINIUM CUVÉE LATE HARVEST TOKAJI 2006 - DOP, Hungary (#371617) (MS) (500 mL) - $28.95

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

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