Providing a Unique & Affordable Selection of High Quality Red Wines and White Wines for Your Enjoyment. Also featured: Rosé, Port, Icewine, Champagne and Sparkling Wine for Special Occasions. Cheers!
red wine is a frequent arrival in VINTAGES and was recently featured in the LCBO VINTAGES Release. It is currently available for purchase in the VINTAGES section at many LCBO outlets across Ontario.
Wakefield Wines is a family-owned and -operated winery located in the southern end of Clare Valley, South Australia. Wakefield is also a member of Australia's First Families of Wine, a group of twelve of Australia's oldest and most respected family-owned, multi-generational wineries who collectively have over 1,380 years of winemaking experience.
WAKEFIELD JARAMAN SHIRAZ 2016 - Clare Valley/McLaren Vale, South Australia (#377036) (XD) - $24.95
Screw cap. Dark berry, mint, pepper and spice aromas waft from the glass with some jamminess. It is a touch confected on the full-bodied palate with smooth, silky tannins and fresh, lively acids supporting the minty, blueberry, dark berry, cocoa, and spice flavours. Some chalkiness arrives mid-palate. Smooth berry, mocha, and earthy notes linger on the juicy finish, with very good length. Aussie Shiraz lovers will like this. Score: 88 pts
Last , I had the pleasure of attending Taste the Season in Niagara-on-the-Lake. This annual Wineries of Niagara-on-the-Lake event celebrates the season’s bounty with exceptional VQA wines and locally inspired food pairings at participating member wineries.
The event ran every weekend (Friday to Sunday) in November from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m, Touring Passes costed $55 and allowed us to enjoy a food pairing with VQA wine at each of the 26 participating wineries, while Designated Driver Touring Passes were available for $30.
Of course, visiting all of the wineries in 6 hours would've been impossible, so we picked wineries that aligned most with our palate and ended up visiting 13 wineries. If you wanted to visit each winery (and not rush through), you could probably complete the tour over 3-4 days. Details and reviews from each winery visit are provided below. We had a great time visiting Niagara-on-the-Lake and hope to attend this lovely event again next Fall.
PondView Estate Winery Lot 74 Sparkling Brut 2017 ($25, 87 pts) paired with chicken & waffles topped with a holiday-spiced strawberry Icewine glaze. Generously sized portion with lots of strawberry Icewine glaze. I thought this might end up being too sweet with an off-dry Vidal sparkling wine paired strawberry Icewine glaze, but it was anything but. The wine became quite savoury because of the chicken, and because it was fried, it cut right through the acids and further enhanced the savoury profile.
Marynissen Estates Heritage White 2016 ($40, 89 pts) paired with a carrot ginger bisque. The stylish white wine is a blend of barrel-fermented and aged Gewurztraminer, Muscat, Pinot Gris, and Viognier and off-dry in flavour profile, while the bisque was thick, almost pureé in style, and a bit on the tangy side. On the down side, I was surprised that they would pour such an expensive (and quality wine) in a plastic cup. On the bright side, it was a delicious and interesting pairing with the wine becoming less sweet and more savoury when paired with the soup.
Inniskillin Vidal Icewine 2017 ($50, 375 mL, #388306, 89 pts) paired with Vidal onion soup topped with Niagara gold crouton. Both the soup and Icewine were delicious. Furthermore, the soup was flavourful and hearty and something I would definitely want to make at home. Together, this was a lovely sweet and savoury pairing which showed that Icewine can be enjoyed not only after dinner, but also before the main course of your dinner.
Reif Estate Winery Shiraz 2017 ($19, 88 pts) paired with black pepper, truffle and Parmesan popcorn. The popcorn was quite interesting (and delicious) on its own as I had never heard of popcorn with this kind of flavouring before. It worked well because the black pepper notes in the popcorn matched the black pepper notes in the Shiraz, creating a nice complementary pairing.
Lailey Winery Chardonnay Third Curiosity 2013 ($??, 88 pts) paired with butter tarts made at the nearby Harvest Barn. The wine was more stone fruit and citrus with just a hint of vanilla. However, when paired with the yummy butter tarts, the wine became more buttery and vanilla flavoured with some brown sugar notes from the tart also appearing on the palate. In this pairing, it was the tart that added interesting nuances.
Peller Estates Private Reserve Merlot 2016 ($24, 88+ pts) paired with curried lamb, butternut squash and lentil stew. Generous portions of stew were provided, however, it was a little inconsistent as my wife got plenty of lamb chunks in her stew, yet I only received a couple of small pieces. Nevertheless, it was a nice pairing as the peppery nature of the wine, along with some grippy tannins provided balance with the hearty lamb stew. An ideal pairing for the season!
Rancourt Chardonnay 2013 ($12, 87 pts) paired with locally made tiramisu. The unoaked Chardonnay paired surprisingly well with the acids in the wine balancing the creamy mousse in the tiramisu that was made by Harvest Barn. The tiramisu also brought out the lemony flavours in the wine. Delighted to see this crafty pairing from the new owners at Rancourt.
Pillitteri Estates Winery 25th Anniversary Select Late Harvest Riesling 2013 ($20, 375 mL, 88+ pts) paired with a caramel apple crumble parfait. The wine was semi-sweet, as expected, and paired very nicely with the parfait that matched the sweetness of the Late Harvest Riesling. However, it was the contrasting cinnamon spice in the parfait that really lifted this pairing and showed that spice and sweet makes for a delicious pairing.
Stratus Vineyards Weather Report Red 2014 ($29, #552604, 88 pts) paired with a lemon & chicken tourtière with crunchy roasted mustard seeds. The wine is a fairly easy drinking 7-grape blend led by the two Cabernets, but also showed some structure and elegance. Since this was my first time stepping into Stratus, I was pleasantly in awe at the very modern-looking and chic tasting room. The pairing fit the space as it was all very gourmet, and the roasted mustard seeds provided a kick to the nicely savoury and gourmet pairing.
Jackson-Triggs Niagara Estate Winery Grand Reserve Merlot 2016 ($26, #563197, 88 pts) paired with wood-fired chicken wings topped with black pepper, sage and Parmesan. This was a delicious pairing as the black pepper spice and sage herb complemented the black pepper and herbally notes in the wine, while the Parmesan helped balanced the acids in the wine. So yummy that I was tempted to ask for a second serving. Simple, yet delicious, pairing that you could easily try at home.
Strewn Winery Riesling 2017 (88+ pts, $16) is a barely off-dry Riesling that was paired with a seasonal sampler trio of a vegetable spring roll, an edamame spread on a beet cracker, and an orange KitKat. Strewn always seems to do an interesting food and wine pairing, and lately they have been pairing 3 items with a single wine to see how the food & wine interplay changes with each food item. In the case, the vegetable spring roll brought out the green apple notes in the wine, along with a nice savoury element too. With the edamame spread on a beet cracker, the wine became more citrusy. Lastly, the wine actually enhanced the orange flavours in the KitKat while also becoming more creamy and smooth. Really well done!
Konzelmann Estate Winery Lakefront Series Pinot Grigio 2017 ($16, 87 pts) paired with buttermilk brined fried chicken, coated in Louisiana butter sauce, topped with house-made ranch dressing and arugula micro greens. Firstly, the fried chicken here was spicy and delicious and definitely something I would want to make at home. Since the wine was slightly honeyed and a touch sweet, this played towards the classic sweet and spicy pairing that tends to work very well.
Palatine Hills Estate Winery 1812 Red 2017 ($14, 87 pts) paired with Spicy Buffalo Chicken featuring creamy chicken, carrots and celery in flaky pastry drizzled with blue cheese aioli. The wine is a 50/50 blend of Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon that is fruit forward and easy drinking. I wasn't too sure how this pairing would fare, but it turned out quite well as the flaky pastry wasn't very spicy and was quite casual in nature. This played perfectly to the wine's character and could be easily be a delicious appetizer & wine pairing at your next dinner.
The upcoming LCBO VINTAGES Release focuses on wines from Argentina in the main theme, while the mini-theme looks at wines from Portugal. Wines from this Release will be on shelves at LCBO outlets across Ontario this .
We'll begin with the main theme that features some of the new regions, styles, and producers that are defining Argentina's wine scene. Among the thirteen wines featured, six are included among my top Argentinean wine picks. There are two white wines from Argentina among my picks - a Torrontés grown at 1,830 m altitude in the mountainous Cafayate Valley, and an unoaked Chardonnay that was made without malolactic fermentation. Among the reds, Cabernet Franc is gaining in popularity (and quality) in Argentina. There's also a pair of quality Argentinean Cabernet Sauvignon wines. Lastly, no Argentinean list is complete without the country's signature varietal - Malbec, of which there is an excellent single vineyard example from Trapiche.
In the mini-theme that features wines from Portugal, two of the seven wines are among my wine recommendations. The white wine is made with the indigenous Loureiro, while the red wine is a blend of Touriga Nacional, Alfrocheiro, and Tinta Roriz (aka Tempranillo).
Among my red wine recommendations from the rest of the Release, the Côtes du Rhône-Village is a blend of Grenache, Syrah, and Mourvèdre, the Côtes du Rhône is a blend of 40% Grenache, 30% Mourvèdre, 20% Syrah, and 10% Cinsault, and the Roussillon is made with 50% Grenache, 40% Syrah, and 10% Mourvèdre. From Spain, the Priorat red is a blend of Cariñena, Garnacha, and Syrah. From Italy, the Morellino consists of 85% Sangiovese, 10% Cabernet Sauvignon, and 5% Merlot, while the Guidalberto (Sassicaia's little brother) is a blend of 60% Cabernet Sauvignon and 40% Merlot. The Brunello is 100% Sangiovese Grosso, and the Amarone is a blend of 30% Corvina, 30% Corvinone, 30% Rondinella, and 10% Oseleta / Negrara / Dindarella / Croatina / Forselina.
From my white wine picks, the Spanish white is an intriguing blend of Moscatel and Chardonnay, while the rest are single varietal wines. For sweet wine lovers, the Ontario Riesling will be medium sweet, while the Riesling Spätlese from Mosel will be very sweet.
Both sparkling wine picks are dry, with the Cava consisting of 90% Viura and 10% Malvasía, while the Champagne is equal parts Chardonnay and Pinot Noir.
Enjoy my wine recommendations from this Release. Salud!
Red Wine:
CHÂTEAU LE GRAND RETOUR PLAN DE DIEU CÔTES DU RHÔNE-VILLAGES 2016 - AC, France (#224592) (XD) - $15.95
OPTA RED 2015 - DOC Dão, Portugal (#633834) (D) - $15.95
TESSELLAE OLD VINES GRENACHE/SYRAH/MOURVÈDRE CÔTES DU ROUSSILLON 2016 - AP, Midi, France (#343517) (XD) - $18.95
delicious red wine review will be arriving at the LCBO as part of the upcoming LCBO VINTAGES Release.
Fattoria Viticcio has been producing wine since 1964 among the rolling green hills of Tuscan wine country in Greve in Chianti, between Florence and Siena. Today, the winery encompasses 120 ha of estate-owned land among the hills in Chianti Classico and Maremma. With the help of a young and energetic team, they are dedicated to producing wines that showcase the nuances of the incredible terroir in Tuscany, while also respecting the environment. Viticcio has always cultivated their vines using organic techniques and natural treatments as much as possible. Since 2013, their entire production has converted to organic.
This particular red wine was launched by Viticcio a couple of years ago. It is their second wine from the lands of Maremma and first red from this zone. The climate in Maremma, which is located in southern Tuscany, is sunny with a refreshing sea breeze from the Tyrrhenian Sea in the west, and clay, sand, limestone, and sandstone soils that make it the ideal terroir for cultivating varietals such as Sangiovese, Cabernet Sauvignon, and Merlot.
The name "Morellino" is the local word for "Sangiovese." In Maremma, it is a deep-hued purple grape that is a clone of the Sangiovese grape found in other parts of Tuscany, and (possibly) named after the dark-haired Morelli bay horse that once roamed these lands.
Tasting Note:
VITICCIO MORELLINO DI SCANSANO 2015 - DOCG, Tuscany, Italy (#574186) (XD) - $19.95
Blend of 85% Sangiovese, 10% Cabernet Sauvignon, and 5% Merlot aged in 225 L barriques for 10-12 months. The medium+ intensity nose reveals pretty red cherry, rose floral, oak aromas wrapped around a savoury core. It is full bodied with bold, assertive, and grippy tannins, along with fresh acids and nice aroma replays on the palate. Very good length with more cherry, floral and earthy notes lingering on the finish. Needs a couple of years for tannins to soften, or try now with big red meats. Should drink well for the next 6-8 years. Score: 88 pts
Not to be confused with the other "Pinot" varietals out there, Pinot Blanc is actually a genetic mutation of Pinot Noir, an unstable grape known to naturally mutate. Worldwide, Pinot Blanc isn't grown in large quantities, but it is fairly common in Alsace, Germany, and Austria. In Ontario, Konzelmann Estate Winery, with its German heritage, is one of the very few producers in Niagara growing it, and they have been making Pinot Blanc wines for more than 20 years.
Like the Merlot, this white wine was also picked up at the winery. The 2016 vintage of this wine is currently available for purchase at the LCBO, while the 2017 vintage should arrive in the near future.
Tasting Note:
KONZELMANN LAKEFRONT SERIES PINOT BLANC 2017 - VQA Niagara Peninsula, Ontario, Canada (#219279) (D) - $14.95
Screw cap. Pale yellow colour. Fairly light on the nose with lemon and mineral aromas, along with hints of melon and floral. Alsatian in style with a medium-bodied and intense palate that is quite fleshy and off-dry with green apple, ripe melon, beeswax, and pear flavours. Nicely textured with well-balanced crisp and refreshing acidity. Very good finish length that's dry with pear, mineral, and floral tones. Score: 88 pts
I picked up red wine while visiting Konzelmann Estate Winery back in November during the Taste the Season food & wine pairing event that took place at many wineries in Niagara-on-the-Lake.
Konzelmann is Niagara’s exclusive lakefront winery and is heralded for providing one of the most friendly, informative and educational experiences in Niagara's wine country. On a past visit, I had the opportunity to visit their below-ground tasting room, which was dark, yet cozy, and without much in the way of seating. However, they recently renovated this area and it is now bright and airy, and offers seating for structured wine tastings and educational sessions. I can envision this space also being used for small private events.
This Merlot is the winery's most popular red wine. It is a fairly new release, with a new label for 2017, and is currently available for purchase at the winery and online through their web store. This latest vintage has also just recently arrived at the LCBO and is currently on promotion - with every bottle purchased you receive 6 Bonus Air Miles until . The wine review of this highly quaffable Niagara red is provided below.
Tasting Note:
KONZELMANN LAKEFRONT SERIES MERLOT 2017 - VQA Niagara Peninsula, Ontario, Canada (#439281) (D) - $14.95
Screw cap. Soft, medium intensity nose offers ripe red berry, cherry, plum, and black currant aromas with wisps of earth and olive adding savoury elements. It is medium bodied with gritty, textured tannins that are just a touch tight. Fresh, lively acids lift the berry, currant, earthy, and cocoa flavoured dry palate. There's good length on the juicy finish with cocoa, vanilla and earthy notes. Highly drinkable now and should improve in 2020. Score: 87 pts
The LCBO VINTAGES Release is the second release of the year and continues the value parade with wines from Europe for Hearty Winter Suppers as the main theme, while the mini-theme highlights wines from South Africa. All of the wines from the two themes, plus many more will be on LCBO VINTAGES shelves across Ontario this .
We'll begin with the main theme that features European wines for Hearty Winter Suppers. There are 12 European wines paired with 6 classically regional dishes. Only 3 of these wines are included among my wine picks - the Scopeto Super Tuscan is a blend of 40% Sangiovese, 20% Syrah, 20% Cabernet Sauvignon, and 20% Merlot, while the Lirac from Rhône is a blend of Syrah and Grenache. The third and final wine is an excellent semi-sweet Riesling from Mosel, Germany.
In the mini-theme, there are 9 wines featured from South Africa, a wine region considered "New World" but has been producing wine since the 17th century. Six wines from South Africa made my list of wine picks, including a Chenin Blanc, an Unoaked Chardonnay, and an excellent white wine blend made with 65% Chenin Blanc, 10% Viognier, 10% Clairette Blanche, 13% Grenache Blanc, and 2% Sémillon Gris. Among the reds, there are single varietal wines made with Grenache and Shiraz, while the sparkling wine is made with 100% Pinot Noir. This is a very nice selection of South Africa wines.
From my top red wine picks of the Release, the Chianti Classico is a blend of 90% Sangiovese, 5% Merlot, and 5% Colorino, while the Gabarda is a blend of 85% Cariñena (Carignan) and 15% Garnacha. The Douro red is a field blend of indigenous varietals, and the Meritage from B.C. is a blend of 35% Cabernet Franc, 32% Cabernet Sauvignon, 31% Merlot, and 2% Petit Verdot.
Among my top white wine recommendations, the Australian blend has slightly more Semillon (from Hunter Valley) than Sauvignon Blanc (from Orange), while the Venetian is a barely off-dry (i.e. hint of sweetness) blend containing Garganega, Cortese, and Riesling. If you prefer your wines sweet, the Rheingau Riesling, as well as the aforementioned Mosel Riesling from Germany are both lovely!
It was nice to find a quality dry rosé in this Release as well, with a very good wine from Provence that is a blend of 42% Cinsault, 34% Grenache, and 24% Syrah.
Enjoy my wine recommendations from this Release! Cheers!
I had the opportunity to taste these three lovely wines from Southbrook Organic Vineyards recently and am pleased to report that all of them are delicious!
Southbrook recently launched a new tier of "Single Vineyard" wines with a focus on grapes from single sub-appellations, highlighting their dedicated organic growers. The winery is known for their Connect, Triomphe, Estate, and Poetica wines - some of which I also tasted recently. The wines are produced by internationally-acclaimed winemaker, Ann Sperling.
"Over the years I have worked with several organic growers, and have had the opportunity to get to know the quality of each vineyard nearly as well as our own Southbrook Estate. I felt we were ready to show off these unique and worthy vineyard sites as stand-alone wines," said winemaker Ann Sperling. "So, this year we bottled single vineyard wines from our favourite growers - Laundry Vineyard and Saunders Family Vineyard."
The new Single Vineyard collection from Laundry Vineyards includes a 2017 Riesling, 2017 Gamay, and 2016 Pinot Noir. The Riesling and Gamay come from the Vinemount Ridge vineyard, which shows classic properties of the geological area known as the Vinemount Moraine, featuring some of the steepest slopes in the Niagara Peninsula, and mineral-rich soils that are well-suited for growing Riesling and Gamay. The Pinot Noir comes from Heather Laundry's old vines in the Lincoln Lakeshore sub-appellation - an area that is becoming known for producing quality Pinot Noir and Chardonnay.
Heather Laundry has been specializing in Chardonnay since she graduated as one of the first Enology and Viticulture students from CCOVI at Brock University in 2000. While most of her classmates went on to become winemakers, Heather had her heart set on being among the vines. She learned from her mentor, Deborah Paskus, that the biggest impact on a wine could be made in the vineyard.
These new Single Vineyard Laundry wines are available at the winery and online at Southbrook.com. The new Single Vineyard Saunders wines will be released in early 2019.
Tasting Notes:
SOUTHBROOK HEATHER'S HOME VINEYARD ORGANIC RIESLING 2017 - VQA Vinemount Ridge, Niagara Escarpment, Ontario, Canada (#650135) (XD) - $22.95
Clone 21 Riesling. Screw cap. Lovely, linear, medium-high intensity aromatics of lime citrus, white peach, wet stone, and limestone minerality. The palate is medium+ bodied, fleshy and just off-dry with more lime citrus, peach and stony mineral flavours, and a whiff of honey. Nicely balanced with brilliant acidity providing freshness. Lovely wet stone notes linger on the long finish. Score: 91 pts
SOUTHBROOK LAUNDRY VINEYARD GAMAY 2017 - VQA Vinemount Ridge, Niagara Escarpment, Ontario, Canada (#646323) (XD) - $24.95
Planted on north-facing slopes and hand-harvested. Screw cap. Fresh, highly aromatic and pretty nose offers red berry, spice, black plum and whiffs of earthy and savoury notes. It is light-to-medium bodied on the palate with red berry, currant, herbs, tea leaf, and earthy flavours with dusty tannins adding a nice textural element and some structure. Acids are fresh. Appealing tea leaf notes linger on the long, juicy finish. A lovely expression of Niagara Gamay to enjoy over the next 3-4 years. Score: 90 pts
SOUTHBROOK LAUNDRY VINEYARD PINOT NOIR 2016 - VQA Lincoln Lakeshore, Niagara Peninsula, Ontario, Canada (#646885) (XD) - $35
Organically grown Pinot Noir clone 115, hand-harvested. Lovely ruby red colour. Fresh and spicy on the nose with ripe raspberry, wild berry and earthy aromas, along with touches of oak spice. It is light-to-medium bodied on the palate with brilliant, mouth-watering acids supporting the raspberry, earth, and spice flavours with hints of strawberry. Nicely textured and structured, with tight, chalky tannins. Savoury and red berry notes linger on the long, juicy finish. Enjoyable now, but better in a 1-2 years. Score: 91+ pts
Wednesday, January 30, 2019
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