May 2015 Archive | VINTAGES Wine Picks & Reviews

Sunday, May 31, 2015

Greek Wine Party at iYellow Wine Club

On May 5th, I had the pleasure of attending a Greek Wine Tasting Party hosted at the iYellow Wine Cave. The evening was filled with Greek fare such as olives, cheese, dessert, and other traditional Greek foods that were served alongside more than 30 Greek wines.

In attendance were principals of the wineries, including winemakers, who made the trek all the way from Greece. One such gentleman was Yiannis Flerianos, winemaker at Panagiotopoulos Wines.

Panagiotopoulos Wines is located in Messinia, in the southwestern part of Peloponnese. They farm organically indigenous and international grape varieties at an altitude of 400 metres above sea level. One of the 4 wines that Mr. Flerianos brought with him was made using the local Malagousia grape - a wine that was my favourite white wine of the night. Yiannis also brought an organic 2008 Cabernet Sauvignon that showed minimal greenness and fine maturity. Both of these wines are reviewed below.

Yiannis Flerianos - Winemaker at Panagiotopoulos Wines

When I met Mr. Flerianos earlier this month, he mentioned that they did not have representation in our market. For any Agents looking to add a Greek winery that produces yummy wines, some of which are organic, to their portfolio, take a look at Panagiotopoulos Wines.

After having enjoyed the Cavino Grande Reserve during my Greek Wine series back in April, I was curious to see what else Cavino had to offer. On this night, in addition to the Grande Reserve, they also had their Reserve bottling and the premium Mega Spileo Grand Cave Red. Wine reviews of both of these delicious wines are found below, and can be purchased via their agent United Stars.

Most of the wines available for tasting on this night were available on Consignment, while a few could be found in the LCBO General List and VINTAGES sections. A couple of easy drinking wines that could be found in LCBO General List in 1 Litre or 1.5 Litre bottles were the Apelia Moschofilero (white wine, #239863) and Apelia Agiorgitiko (red wine, #239871). Both of the wines are available quite cheaply at $10.55 (1 Litre) and $13.95 (1.5 Litre) and make for good every day or party wines.

Overall, my impression of Greek wines is good value for money when using local grape varieties. And I hope they continue to produce these delicious wines and that the LCBO continuously brings them to Ontario. A recent initiative by the LCBO to launch regional specialty wine shops will certainly go a long way to help this cause. The first such store is located on the Danforth and features roughly 90 Greek wines.

Below, you will find wine reviews of some of the wines I enjoyed at this tasting.

And lastly, thank you to Angela Aiello and the iYellow team for the invite, and Ariel Andres for providing some of these photos.

Ya sou!

Tasting Notes:

PANAGIOTOPOULOS MALAGOUSIA 2014 - PGI Peloponnese, Greece (XD) - $????
Medium-high aromatics featuring orange, citrus, and wild herb notes. It's dry on the palate with balanced acids and herb, limestone, hay flavour profile. Excellent length on the finish. Score: 89 pts

Panagiotopoulos Malagousia 2014 from PGI Peloponnese, Greece (89 pts)

PANAGIOTOPOULOS MERLOT 2009 - PGI Trifilia, Greece (XD) - $????
Aromas of medium-to-high intensity showing plum, milk chocolate, wet earth and cedar. Palate is medium+ bodied with very nice aroma replays and some mint, herbal notes for complexity. It has refined tannins, balanced acids and a long finish. Well done! Score: 89 pts

Panagiotopoulos Merlot 2009 from PGI Trifilia, Greece (89 pts)

Panagiotopoulos Cabernet Sauvignon BIO 2008 from PGI Trifilia, Greece (90+ pts)

PANAGIOTOPOULOS CABERNET SAUVIGNON BIO 2008 - PGI Trifilia, Greece (XD) - $????
Made with organic grapes. Elegant medium+ aromas of cassis, dried fruit, fig, dark berry and whiffs of green pepper. The palate is medium-to-full bodied with very nice aroma replays. It has refined tannins and a very long finish. Score: 90+ pts

DOMAINE MERCOURI 2010 - PGI Letrini, Greece (XD) - $19.95
Red wine blend of 85% Refosco and 15% Mavrodaphne. Medium intensity nose with currant, vanilla, oak, bretty and smoke. Medium-bodied palate with fresh acids and a balanced flavour profile consisting of red fruit and leather. It's dry with somewhat firm, yet integrated tannins and medium-long finish with steely aftertaste. Score: 87 pts

DOMAINE LANTIDES LITTLE ARK 2014 - PDO Mantinia, Peloponnese, Greece (XD) - $????
White wine blend that is equal parts Assyrtiko and Malagousia showing medium+ intensity aromas of crisp citrus, floral, mineral and herbally notes with floral and herbal flavours emerging on the palate. It's medium-bodied and feels plumpy in the mouth. Dry (i.e. not sweet) and lengthy finish. Score: 87 pts

CAVINO NEMEA RESERVE 2009 - PDO Nemea, Greece (XD) - $14.95
100% Agiorgitiko. Perfumed floral aromas of medium+ intensity, red berry, plum and sweet spices. Palate has low tannins with nice aroma replays, and good freshness from the acidity. Finish is medium-long. Score: 88 pts

Cavino Nemea Reserve 2009 from PDO Nemea, Greece (88 pts)

Cavino Domain Mega Spileo Grand Cave Red 2008 from PGI Achaia, Peloponnese, Greece (90 pts)

CAVINO DOMAIN MEGA SPILEO GRAND CAVE RED 2008 - PGI Achaia, Peloponnese, Greece (XD) - $24.95
Blend of 60% Mavrodafne and 40% Mavro Kalavritino. Medium-to-high intensity aromatics featuring black fruits, earthy, dark cherries, barnyard and dried flowers. It's full-bodied with smooth, integrated tannins and pleasing aroma replays. It also has mouth-watering acids and a very long finish. Score: 90 pts

TSELEPOS CLASSIC MOSCHOFILERO 2014 - PDO Mantinia, Peloponnese, Greece (#724583) (XD) - $14.95
Medium+ intensity nose with herbal, lemon and white peach aromas. The palate is dry with fresh, bright acids and very nice aroma replays with predominantly herbal notes. It has a slightly chalky mineral texture and a medium-long finish. I would expect this vintage to show up in LCBO VINTAGES at some point this year. Score: 88+ pts

Tselepos Classic Moschofilero 2014 from PDO Mantinia, Peloponnese, Greece (88 pts)

Montebuena Cuvée KPF 2012 (Spain) - Wine Review

Tonight's red wine is another sneak preview of a wine that will be returning to LCBO VINTAGES on June 13th.

The wine is made by Bodegas y Viñedos Labastida as part of the Unión de Cosecheros of Labastida co-operative that was formed in the mid-1960's. As can be expected, the co-operative has gone through a number of enhancements to its facilities since then, including using modern equipment such as stainless steel tanks, a cooling unit for regulating fermentation temperatures, and a new bottling plant.

Grapes for this wine were hand-harvested from the Montebuena estate vineyard, with vines averaging 25 years of age. This wine saw light oak ageing of 4 months in American oak. It will be enjoyed with Gosht (lamb curry) and fulia.

Montebuena Cuvée KPF 2012 from DOC Rioja, Spain (88 pts)

Tasting Note:

MONTEBUENA CUVÉE KPF 2012 - DOCa Rioja, Spain (#211029) (XD) - $15.95
100% Tempranillo. Prune and cedar oak aromas from the cork. Black cherry, mulberry surrounded by forest floor and earthy aromas of medium intensity. The palate is medium bodied with silky, refined tannins and balanced acidity. Good complexity on the palate with flavours of black cherry, resin, light oak spice and pepper that linger through to the long finish, which also has hints of mocha. Enjoy over the next couple of years. Score: 88 pts

May 30 LCBO Wine Picks: Southern Rhône + New World Pinot Noir

Wine Picks from May 30, 2015 LCBO VINTAGES Release

The next LCBO VINTAGES release will be on shelves this Saturday, May 30, 2015. The co-themes of this release, with 12 wines apiece, are wines from Southern Rhône and New World Pinot Noirs.

Of the 12 wines featured from Southern Rhône, three made my list of wine picks. Among them is an always reliable and dry (i.e. not sweet) Tavel Rosé comprised of Cinsault, Grenache and Mourvèdre. Also included is a Gigondas that consists of old vines Grenache (80%) and Syrah (20%), while the Châteauneuf-du-Pape is a blend of Cinsault, Grenache, Mourvèdre and Syrah. Both of these red wines can be aged for a number of years.

Three of the 12 New World Pinots are also included among my wine picks. Russian River Valley (RRV), in California, makes some very nice Pinot of different styles due to it's many varied soil types. The Migration Pinot Noir from RRV is made by Duckhorn Vineyards, with grapes coming from their own vineyards' sandy loam soils. Altitude plays an important role in grape-growing as higher elevations, which normally have poorer soils, and along with cooler temperatures, contribute to vine stress and results in greater flavour concentrations. The Creekside Pinot Noir is planted at 105-145 metres above sea level in the St. David's Bench VQA (Niagara) and is the first Pinot for this estate since 2008. Last, but definitely not the least, is the Auntsfield Single Vineyard Pinot Noir from New Zealand. The vineyard at Auntsfield Estate where this Pinot was grown consists of Greywacke rock and Loess clay soils - poor soils that produce great wine!

Other red wines worth pursuing in this release include the Alvaro Castro Touriga Nacional-led blend, and the Boschendeal 1685, which is a blend of 70% Shiraz and 30% Mourvèdre.

Lastly, the dessert wine from Bordeaux is a blend of Semillon and Sauvignon Blanc.

I find it interesting that more and more wines from the Flagship Store Exclusives (FSE) section near the back of the VINTAGES magazine are included among my wine picks. From this release, there are 5 such wines that I've recommended that will be available at very select LCBO VINTAGES locations.

Enjoy my wine recommendations for this week. Cheers!

Hidden Bench Estate Riesling 2013 - VQA Beamsville Bench, Niagara Peninsula, Ontario, Canada (89 pts)

Königschaffhauser Vulkanfelsen Pinot Noir Rosé Trocken 2014 - Qualitätswein, Baden, Germany (88 pts)

Dow’s Late Bottled Vintage Port 2009 - DOP, Portugal (89 pts)

Red Wine:

ÁLVARO CASTRO RED 2011 - DOC Dão, Portugal (#285288) (XD) - $17.95
CREEKSIDE QUEENSTON ROAD PINOT NOIR 2013 - VQA St. David’s Bench, Niagara Peninsula, Ontario, Canada (#415877) (XD) - $18.95
BOSCHENDAL 1685 S & M SHIRAZ/MOURVÈDRE 2013 - WO Coastal Region, South Africa (#403667) (XD) - $19.95
ERRAZURIZ ACONCAGUA ALTO CABERNET SAUVIGNON 2012 - Aconcagua Valley, Chile (#203364) (XD) - $19.95
RUSTENBERG MERLOT 2010 - WO Stellenbosch, South Africa (#404194) (XD) - $19.95
QUINTA DAS CARVALHAS TOURIGA NACIONAL 2011 - DOC Douro, Portugal (#408112) (XD) - $21.95 91 pts wine review
PIERRE AMADIEU ROMANE-MACHOTTE GIGONDAS 2012 - AC, Rhône, France (#017400) (D) - $27.95
AUNTSFIELD SINGLE VINEYARD PINOT NOIR 2012 - Southern Valleys, Marlborough, South Island, New Zealand (#361246) (XD) - $29.95 reviewed here
DOMAINE DU VIEUX LAZARET CHÂTEAUNEUF-DU-PAPE 2011 - AC, Rhône, France (#983650) (D) - $39.95
MIGRATION PINOT NOIR 2013 - Russian River Valley, Sonoma County, California, USA (#412437) (XD) - $44.95

White Wine:

LAILEY UNOAKED CHARDONNAY 2013 - VQA Niagara Peninsula, Ontario, Canada (#299776) (D) - $14.95
REDSTONE LIMESTONE VINEYARD SOUTH RIESLING 2012 - VQA Twenty Mile Bench, Niagara Peninsula, Ontario, Canada (#381251) (M) - $18.95 reviewed here
BENZIGER CHARDONNAY 2012 - Sonoma County, California, USA (#034777) (XD) - $19.95
HIDDEN BENCH ESTATE RIESLING 2013 - VQA Beamsville Bench, Niagara Peninsula, Ontario, Canada (#183491) (D) - $23.95 reviewed here
OLDENBURG CHARDONNAY 2012 - WO Stellenbosch, South Africa (#374645) (XD) - $26.95 FSE
DOMAINES SCHLUMBERGER KESSLER GEWURZTRAMINER 2010 - AC Alsace Grand Cru, Alsace, France (#307694) (MS) - $33.95 FSE
MAISON ROCHE DE BELLENE VIEILLES VIGNES MEURSAULT 2010 - AC, Burgundy, France (#241091) (XD) - $48.95
STONESTREET BEAR POINT CHARDONNAY 2011 - Alexander Valley, Sonoma County, California, USA (#411579) (XD) - $64.95 FSE

Rosé Wine:

KÖNIGSCHAFFHAUSER VULKANFELSEN PINOT NOIR ROSÉ TROCKEN 2014 - Qualitätswein, Baden, Germany (#168237) (D) - $13.95 reviewed here
FAMILLE PERRIN TAVEL 2014 - AC, Rhône, France (#680801) (XD) - $19.95

Sparkling Wine:

LOUIS ROEDERER PREMIER BRUT CHAMPAGNE - AC, France (#093054) (XD) (375 mL) - $40.95 FSE

Fortified:

DOW’S LATE BOTTLED VINTAGE PORT 2009 - DOP, Portugal (#613927) (MS) - $18.95 reviewed here

Dessert Wine:

PUKLUS PINCÉSZET TOKAJI ASZÚ 3 PUTTONYOS 2010 - Hungary (#980805) (S) (500 mL) - $20.95
CHÂTEAU NAIRAC 2011 - AC Barsac, 2e Cru, Bordeaux, France (#302125) (S) (375 mL) - $41.85 FSE

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

Talamonti Trabocchetto Pecorino 2012 (Italy) - Wine Review

Tonight's white wine was purchased from the July 5th LCBO VINTAGES release last year with the intention of opening it during my daughter's 1st birthday party. Like many white wines, it is not meant to be aged. Let's see how this is... 3 years after vintage.

TALAMONTI TRABOCCHETTO PECORINO 2012 - IGP Colline Pescaresi, Abruzzo, Italy (#372474) (XD) - $15.95

Talamonti Trabocchetto Pecorino 2012 - IGP Colline Pescaresi, Abruzzo, Italy (88 pts)

Tasting Note:

100% Pecorino. Inviting lemon and nectarine aromas from the cork. Quite aromatic with wet hay, flinty, and lemon aromas in the glass. Dry on the palate, quite full-ish with lemon, grapefruit, peach and green apple flavours. Has balanced acids and very good length with lemony flavours on the finish. Some saltiness mid-palate continues on to the finish. Drink soon. Score: 88 pts

16 Mile Chardonnay Niagara - Wine Reviews

Tasted these wines from 16 Mile Cellar last week with André Proulx and Krista Lamb as part our monthly #blendedcru tasting (if you would like to submit wines for a future tasting, please contact me). André gave us the story behind this winery and the naming of the wines, which I found to be very interesting. However, I won't repeat much of the story as I believe it to be somewhat controversial and is entirely irrelevant to what's inside the bottle.

We'll begin with the 2011 Civility Chardonnay that recently won Gold in the "Oaked Chardonnay over $20" category at the 2015 Ontario Wine Awards. With the winery being only founded in 2010, the fruit for this wine was sourced from Ed Hughes and made at Henry of Pelham with the assistance of world-renowned winemaker Thomas Bachelder.

The 2012 Rebel Chardonnay is also (lightly) oaked and was made by winemaker Regan Kapach. It is very much similar in style and flavour profile to the Civility - but comes in a wallet friendlier price point.

Given the quality of these wines, I hope to taste the rest of their lineup in the near future. Neither of these wines are available at the LCBO, but can be purchased at the winery or ordered online via their website.