Château Hauchat 2019 (Bordeaux) - Wine Review

Tonight's red wine review is this lovely Merlot from Bordeaux that arrives at the LCBO this weekend as the Wine of the Month in the April 2nd LCBO VINTAGES Release.

It is produced by Famille Saby, a winemaking family that has been crafting wines on the Right Bank of Bordeaux in Saint Emilion for nine generations. It all started in the 18th century with Jean Saby and the family vineyard properties have been passed down along familial lines ever since. Château Rozier, Château Saint André Corbin and Château Hauchat are the three key pieces in a remarkable viticultural patrimony that has been in the hands of the Saby family since 1775. Today, the family properties are in the hands of Jean-Bernard Saby, the 8th generation of the family. His two sons, Jean-Christophe and Jean-Phillippe, are both oenologists and the 9th generation to join the family business as they apply their new skills while respecting the traditions of their father and grandfather. Together, they manage 62 hectares of vineyards across their three properties.

I've had the pleasure of tasting this wine over several vintages now, including most recently the 2018 Château Hauchat last November, and I've been quite impressed with the quality as it has improved each vintage. The 2019 vintage of this red wine from Right Bank appellation of Fronsac continues to be crafted with 100% Merlot grown on clay-limestone soils. Located on the high plateau of Saint-Aignan, the vineyard is south and southwest oriented, facing Pomerol, which ensures ideal sunshine and perfect drainage. The grapes were manually harvested and sorted on tables. It underwent cold pre-fermentation maceration and crushing, thermo-regulated fermentation, as well as malolactic fermentation. The wine was aged in a combination and new and used American and French oak barrels.

Although the 2019 vintage was a hot year in Bordeaux, it is a very good year, especially on the Right Bank where the wines tended to be intensely concentrated with lots of flavour. Merlot was a stand out with its generosity and intensity. Let's see how this 2019 Merlot from Bordeaux is tasting tonight...

Tasting Note:

CHÂTEAU HAUCHAT 2019 - AC Fronsac, Bordeaux, France (#123489) (XD) - $17.95
100% Merlot grown on clay-limestone soils, the fresh, intense, and perfumed aromas offers lovely red fruited notes of raspberry, cherry, currant, floral rose, and sweet wood spices. On the ripe, sunny, medium-full bodied, and lightly structured palate it has lovely balanced aroma replays, plus sandalwood notes on the flavour profile that are supported by fresh, juicy acidity and smooth, refined, and supple tannins. Dusty textured on the mid-palate, while savoury graphite, mineral nuances join the red fruited and sweet spice notes on the long, elegant, and balanced finish. Highly recommended buy! Score: 90+ pts

Other lovely wines from the Saby family can be ordered through their Agent - Connexion Oenophilia.

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April 2, 2022 LCBO VINTAGES Release Wine Picks: Old vs New World Pairings

The main theme of the upcoming April 2nd, 2022 LCBO VINTAGES Release is titled "Family Feasts" and looks at Old World vs. New World wine pairings for these feasts. All of the wines from this release should be on shelves across Ontario by this Saturday.

We begin with the theme titled "Family Feasts", but really focuses on food and wine pairings consisting of traditional April long weekend fare paired with Old World and New World wines. Of the twenty wines featured as part of the theme, two are included among my top wine picks. According to the catalogue, the off-dry (i.e. slightly sweet) Riesling from Niagara would be a fine match with a traditional turkey dinner. For an old world pairing with a sweet and savoury baked ham, try the red from Roussillon that is a blend of 70% Syrah and 30% old vines Grenache.

Red wine blends from the rest of the release include a lovely Portuguese red that consists of 50% Alicante Bouschet, 30% Touriga Franca, and 20% Touriga Nacional, as well as a Côtes du Rhône that consists of 50% Grenache, 20% Syrah, 15% Carignan, 10% Cinsault, and 5% Counoise. The last blend is from Mt. Etna in Sicily and it consists of 80% Nerello Mascalese and 20% Nerello Cappuccio. Among the single varietal wines, there are a pair of lovely Argentine Malbec wines, as well as a pair of Australian Shiraz wines. There is also a fine Pinot Noir from Willamette Valley. Returning to the old world, the Bordeaux red wine is crafted with 100% Merlot, while the Barbaresco is made with Nebbiolo.

From my white wine picks, the only blend is from Australia and it consists of 61% Viognier and 39% Marsanne. Among the single varietal wines, the Rioja is made with 100% Viura that was barrel-fermented and aged in oak. All three Chardonnay wines also spent various amounts of time fermenting and ageing in oak, while a small part of the Verdicchio also spent some time in big wooden barrels.

My lone rosé wine pick is from Niagara and the latest edition of this dry rosé is a blend of 88% Pinot Noir and 12% Pinot Gris. For fans of pink bubbly, the sparkling wine from South Africa is a 60/40 blend of Pinot Noir and Chardonnay.

Enjoy my wine recommendations from this release! Bon appetit!

Red Wine:

• VIRGEN NATURAL MALBEC 2019 - Vegan, sustainable, Tupungato, Valle de Uco, Mendoza, Argentina (#21987) (XD) - $17.95  89 pts  wine review
• CHÂTEAU HAUCHAT 2019 - AC Fronsac, Bordeaux, France (#123489) (XD) - $17.95  90+ pts  wine review
• TENUTE NICOSIA VULKÀ ETNA ROSSO 2018 - Sustainable, DOC, Sicily, Italy (#22804) (XD) - $18.95
• CHÂTEAU DE MONTFAUCON CÔTES DU RHÔNE 2017 - AP, France (#13439) (XD) - $18.95
• TRAPICHE MEDALLA MALBEC 2018 - Vegan, Valle de Uco, Mendoza, Argentina (#547869) (XD) - $19.95  89 pts  wine review
• LARRY CHERUBINO WINES FOLKLORE SHIRAZ 2019 - Western Australia (#23330) (XD) - $19.95
• BASTIDE MIRAFLORS SYRAH / VIEILLES VIGNES GRENACHE 2019 - AP Côtes du Roussillon, France (#320499) (XD) - $19.95
• JIM BARRY THE LODGE HILL SHIRAZ 2018 - Clare Valley, South Australia (#998476) (XD) - $22.95
• SÃO MIGUEL ESCOLHA DOS ENOLOGOS 2019 - Vinho Regional Alentejano, Portugal (#445122) (XD) - $24.95  92 pts  wine review
• ENRICO SERAFINO SANAVENTO BARBARESCO 2018 - DOCG, Piedmont, Italy (#157347) (XD) - $29.95  90+ pts  wine review
• DOMAINE DROUHIN OREGON PINOT NOIR 2018 - Sustainable, Dundee Hills, Willamette Valley, USA (#961284) (XD) - $52.95  93 pts  wine review

White Wine:

• D'ARENBERG THE HERMIT CRAB VIOGNIER/MARSANNE 2021 - McLaren Vale, South Australia (#662775) (XD) - $17.95
• ARBOLEDA CHARDONNAY 2019 - DO Aconcagua Costa, Chile (#606772) (XD) - $18.95  90+ pts  wine review
• NALS MARGREID HILL PINOT GRIGIO 2019 - DOC Südtirol-Alto Adige, Italy (#17365) (XD) - $19.95
• TRIUS DISTINCTION SAUVIGNON BLANC 2020 - VQA Niagara-on-the-Lake, Ontario, Canada (#19379) (XD) - $19.95
• MALIVOIRE ESTATE GROWN CHARDONNAY 2019 - VQA Beamsville Bench, Niagara Escarpment, Ontario, Canada (#573147) (XD) - $19.95
• SOUTHBROOK TRIOMPHE ORGANIC RIESLING 2019 - Vegan, VQA Niagara Peninsula, Ontario, Canada (#25647) (D) - $22.95
• GRANCASALE VERDICCHIO DEI CASTELLI DI JESI CLASSICO SUPERIORE 2018 - DOC, Marche, Italy (#23869) (XD) - $23.95
• VIÑA MURIEL RESERVA 2013 - DOCa Rioja, Spain (#25079) (XD) - $31.95
• GRGICH HILLS ESTATE GROWN CHARDONNAY 2018 - Napa Valley, California, USA (#346304) (XD) - $67.95

Rosé Wine:

• MALIVOIRE VIVANT ROSÉ 2021 - Vegan, sustainable, VQA Beamsville Bench, Niagara Escarpment, Ontario, Canada (#498535) (XD) - $19.95

Sparkling Wine:

• PONGRÁCZ CAP CLASSIQUE ROSÉ - Traditional method, WO Western Cape, South Africa (#646968) (D) - $18.95

Dessert Wine:

• HENRY OF PELHAM SPECIAL SELECT LATE HARVEST VIDAL 2019 - Sustainable, VQA Ontario, Canada (#395228) (S) (375 mL) - $19.95

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São Miguel Escolha dos Enologos 2019 (Portugal) - Wine Review

Tonight's red wine review is a lovely Portuguese blend that arrives at the LCBO this coming weekend as part of the April 2nd LCBO VINTAGES Release.

It is produced by Casa Relvas, a family that has been living from the land on two continents for five generations. With a desire to continue the family's history, Alexandre Relvas (Sr.) purchased Herdade de São Miguel in São Miguel de Machede - Redondo in 1997 after he saw the landscape at this site which was similar to his African roots. The Relvas family developed a passion for Alentejo and respected the region's unique and authentic nature, leading to the planting of a typical afforestation. But their true passion was in the vineyard of this region that had a culture of more than 2000 years of history.

In 2001, the Relvas family planted their first 10 hectares of vines, followed by another 25 hectares in 2002 after Nuno Franco, a viticulture and oenology consultant, joined the project. The winery was built in 2003 and they launched their first wines a year later. In 2006, Alexandre Relvas Jr. joined the company after a year of viticultural training in Bordeaux, and success soon followed. With a love for celebration, the mission at Casa Relvas is to produce quality wines that accompany every moment in life. Today, as the family has grown, the Relvas family now manages 750 hectares of forests, 250 hectares of olive groves, and 350 hectares of vineyards. Casa Relvas believes in the importance of sustainability in social, environmental, and financial aspects and is a pioneer of the Alentejo Wine Sustainability Program.

Casa Relvas has number of estates and ranges of wines within their portfolio. This particular red wine is from their Herdade de São Miguel estate located in Redondo, east of Evora in the middle of the Alentejo. The vineyards are planted in clay-loam soils derived from schist and surrounded by a cork oak forest. Herdade de São Miguel wines are nationally (and internationally) recognized for their special terroir where the sun of Alentejo perfectly combines with the soil to produce grapes with a lot of character to produce strong and vigorous wines, without losing freshness.

This red wine is a blend of 50% Alicante Bouschet, 30% Touriga Franca, and 20% Touriga Nacional from grapes grown on exclusively at the Herdade de São Miguel estate on clay and schist soils. The grapes were hand-harvested and completely de-stemmed, followed by maceration for 48 hours and then fermented in with controlled temperatures in open vats with automatic pigeurs. The wine underwent malolactic fermentation in French oak barrels, and was then aged for 9 months in 400 L French oak barrels.

With a cold winter that had some rain, followed by a mild and dry spring and summer, the weather was ideal as the cool, dry nights allowed for perfect phenolic maturation. Although yields were low, 2019 was a year of excellent in Alentejo. Let's see how this 2019 red from Portugal is tasting tonight...

Tasting Note:

SÃO MIGUEL ESCOLHA DOS ENOLOGOS 2019 - Vinho Regional Alentejano, Portugal (#445122) (XD) - $24.95
This blend of 50% Alicante Bouschet, 30% Touriga Franca, and 20% Touriga Nacional has rich, perfumed, dense, and spicy aromatics that deliver a lovely bouquet of ripe dark and red berries, black cherry, florals, damson plum, and sweet oak spice notes. It's full-bodied and richly concentrated with lovely dark and red berry, and floral aromas replays on the slightly warming, yet balanced, palate. Juicy and elegant with gritty, refined, and structured tannins. Savoury wood notes, even a touch of mineral, linger on the long, juicy finish. Gorgeous! Will be even better in a couple of years. Highly recommended buy! Score: 92 pts

Other lovely wines by Casa Relvas are available through their Agent - Noble Estates Wines & Spirits.

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Zuccardi Q Malbec 2020 (Argentina) - Wine Review

After enjoying the lovely 2019 Zuccardi Q Malbec last summer, tonight's red wine review is the latest vintage of this consistently well-made Malbec that arrived at the LCBO last weekend as part of the March 19 LCBO VINTAGES Release.

Zuccardi Wines was founded by Alberto Zuccardi in 1963 in Maipú, Mendoza, with a strong visionary and innovative spirit. With winemaker Sebastián Zuccardi, the third generation of the family continues its strong tradition and lead the development of the new stage of the winery, including a dedicated area within the winery for Research and Development to study of the terroir and the different variables that affect wine production. Today, Sebastián is globally recognized as an ambassador for Argentina's unique terroirs, most notably in the high elevation Uco Valley in Southern Mendoza. The goal is to produce wines with identity through the different terroirs in a sustainable manner. Zuccardi Valle de Uco has been named Best Vineyard in the World for the last three consecutive years.

This Malbec is from Zuccardi's "Q" range of regional wines that began as a project in 1999 when they marked the best vineyards and plots with the letter "Q" for Quality. These designated vineyards and plots are given extra care and attention during growing and vinification process in order to produce wines of exceptional quality.

Once again, this 100% Malbec is comprised of grapes grown in the IG Paraje Altamira (San Carlos) at 1,100 metres (3,600 feet) above sea level, and in IG Los Chacayes (Tunuyán) at at 1,000 metres (3,200 feet) above sea level. Both of these regions are situated in the Uco Valley, and although the percentage of grapes from each IG was not specified, Paraje Altamira grapes typically dominate the blend.

In Paraje Altamira, the very heterogeneous soils originated in the alluvial fan of the Tunuyán river, in its upper zone. The sandy loam surface has medium and large gravels and at variable depths, with abundant calcareous material throughout. In Los Chacayes, the soils originated in a series of super-imposed alluvial fans from the middle of the Uco Valley. The very heterogeneous soils are normally sandy loam with moderately eroded strata of small stones, with occasional coverage of calcium carbonate or gypsum.

The exceptional 2020 vintage was characterized by limited yields and the surprisingly high speed of maturity. Combined with the pandemic, this really fast vintage was one of their most challenging ever. However, the grapes arrived at the winery healthy and in high quality, generally showing excellent aromatic complexity and a lot of juiciness, texture and structure in the mouth. The grapes were selected by cluster, filled by gravity, and fermented in concrete vessels using native yeasts. Like previous vintages, it was aged in a combination of concrete and used 500 L unroasted French oak barrels. Let's see how this Uco Valley Malbec is tasting tonight...

Tasting Note:

ZUCCARDI Q MALBEC 2020 - Valle de Uco, Mendoza, Argentina (#723478) (XD) - $20.95
From grapes grown at high-altitudes in Paraje Altamira (San Carlos) and Los Chacayes (Tunuyán), this 100% Malbec has a fragrant, medium-high intensity nose that is stony with dark berry, and purple fruit aromas with subtle dark cherry, dried herb, and spice. The lovely stony notes continue on the dry, medium+ bodied palate with dark berry, purple fruit, spice, and plum flavours, all of which are supported by fresh, well-balanced acidity and refined, dusty textured tannins. Stony notes linger on the long, crisp, and balanced finish. Recommended buy! Score: 89 pts

There are many fine Zuccardi wines available at the LCBO, including the 2021 Zuccardi Serie A Torrontés I enjoyed last the weekend, while other wines not found at the LCBO can be ordered through their Agent - The Bacchus Group.

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Château Maucoil 2019 (Rhône) - Wine Review

I enjoyed the organic 2016 Château Maucoil when it arrived at the LCBO three years ago and for tonight's red wine review I am delighted to bring you the latest vintage of this lovely red wine that came to shelves across Ontario on the weekend as part of the LCBO VINTAGES Release on March 19.

Château Maucoil (pronounced "moh-kwahl") is an historic property located on northwestern edge of Châteauneuf-du-Pape in the southern Rhône Valley with over 400 years of history and ancient documents stating that its first occupants were Romans that set up a base there for Caesar's legions. Winegrowing activities on the site began in the 17th century, with several families owning the estate over time. Some plots were planted in 1895 and still exist today!

In 1995, the Arnaud family, who already owned vines in Châteauneuf-du-Pape, purchased the estate and devoted great energy and passion. In 2009, the Arnauds' youngest daughter, Bénédicte, and her husband, Charles Bonnet, took up the torch to secure the future of the estate and manage it in an environmentally-responsible manner, becoming fully certified organic in 2014. After working with Maison LAVAU for several years, Château Maucoil partnered with Lavau brothers in 2013 and today the four run the estate together.

This organic red wine is crafted using a traditional southern Rhône blend of mainly Grenache with Syrah and Mourvèdre in support. However, it is unique in that the grapes come vineyards near Châteauneuf-du-Pape and with similar soils consisting of a mixture of sand and pebbles. From old vines, the grapes in this Côtes du Rhône-Villages yield great concentration and loads of character. The grapes were hand-harvested and transported to the cellar in 15 kg perforated crates, then sorted berry-by-berry before going into vat. Each grape variety and parcel was vinified separately. After fermentation, the wines were drawn off and aged in vats until bottling.

While the 2016 vintage in the southern Rhône was a truly rare, benchmark vintage, the 2019 vintage was no slouch with a wet winter setting the table for the region's vineyards to get through the hot, dry growing season. Grenache and Mourvèdre excelled during the long growing season to produce rich, ripe, and expressive red wines with refined textures. Overall, 2019 was a gorgeous vintage that only falls short when compared to truly elite years. Let's see how this 2019 Côtes du Rhône-Villages is tasting tonight...

Tasting Note:

CHÂTEAU MAUCOIL 2019 - AC Côtes du Rhône-Villages, France (#638502) (XD) - $19.95
A blend of Grenache, Syrah, and Mourvèdre, the lovely medium-high intensity nose is rich, spicy, meaty, and dark berry scented with ripe cherry, cassis, and whiffs of mineral arriving with time in the glass. On the dry, medium to medium-full bodied palate it has lovely spicy, black cherry, cassis, meaty, stony mineral flavours with touches of plum. It has clean, fresh acidity, nice structure, and slightly chalky tannins. Really well-balanced and elegant with lovely savoury mineral notes lingering on the long finish. Highly recommended buy! Score: 90 pts

Other lovely wines by Château Maucoil can be ordered through their Agent - Connexion Oenophilia.

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Zuccardi Serie A Torrontés 2021 (Argentina) - Wine Review

Tonight's white wine review is this lovely Torrontés from the very high-altitude province of Salta in northern Argentina. A frequent visitor here in Ontario. this latest vintage arrived on shelves today as part of the March 19th LCBO VINTAGES Release.

It is produced by Familia Zuccardi and led today by the third generation of the family, winemaker Sebastian Zuccardi. Founded in 1963 when Sebastian's grandfather planted his first vines in Maipú, Mendoza, the Zuccardi family has kept growing and developing to become a leader in Argentine production. Sebastian inherited his father's determination and desire to strive for excellence and is globally recognized as an ambassador for Argentina's unique terroirs, most notably in the high elevation Uco Valley in southern Mendoza. The family's premium winery - Zuccardi Valle de Uco - has been named Best Vineyard in the World for three consecutive years - 2019, 2020, and 2021.

Zuccardi has several ranges of wines and this white wine is from their entry-level Serie A collection that features single varietal and distinct blends from selected vineyards located in the best parts of Mendoza and across Argentina. The Zuccardi Serie A range highlights the richness and diversity of the different micro-climates and soils of Argentina. The name "Serie A" comes from "Argentina Series" and is a way of expressing the most representative varieties from the best regions for each varietal and from selected vineyards along the Andes Mountains. In the winery, each batch is harvested separately at different times with the goal of achieving elegance and excellence in each wine.

Torrontés is Argentina's most widely planted white variety with more than 24,000 acres planted, representing 27% of all white wine varietals. Although most Torrontés is grown in Mendoza, a significant percentage (and the most interesting examples) are grown in the remote, northern province of Salta. Native to Argentina, DNA analysis shows that Torrontés formed after the spontaneous crossing of varietals Listán Prieto and Moscatel de Alexandria in Mendoza in the middle of the 18th century. Today, Torrontés Riojano is the most cultivated of the three varieties of Torrontés as it expresses the best qualities for fine wine production. Although it's original home is in Mendoza, Torrontés has found its true home to the north in the valleys of Rioja and Salta. Torrontés takes a long time to develop and ripen, thus benefitting from the long, northern summer, while the blazing sun at altitudes between 1,500 and 1,900 metres helps it develop concentration. Grown in rich clay soils, Torrontés tends to take longer to ripen, but preserves its volume and acidity, whereas Torrontés grown in sandier soils ripens faster and achieves good aromatic expression.

According to the tech sheet, the grapes for this Torrontés were grown in Cafayate, within the province of Salta, at the very high altitude of 1,800 metres (5900 feet) above sea level. The grapes were manually harvested and selected, followed by de-stemming and pressing. It was fermented with native yeasts and aged on its lees for 6 months.

Although the print edition of the VINTAGES catalogue specifies the 2020 vintage, it is, in fact, the 2021 vintage that arrived in stores. Let's see how this 2021 Torrontés is tasting tonight...

Tasting Note:

ZUCCARDI SERIE A TORRONTÉS 2021 - IP Salta, Argentina (#389262) (XD) - $17.95
Screw cap. The perfumed nose offers medium-high intensity aromatics of muscat characters with lychee, ripe lemon citrus, and floral notes joining the fray. The impressively concentrated, medium-full bodied palate is dry with ripe lemon citrus, muscat, floral, and leesy flavours with touches of herbal. Nicely textured mouthfeel with juicy acidity. Leesy mineral with lemon citrus notes linger on the long finish. Chill well and enjoy this recommended buy! Score: 89 pts

Other delicious wines by Zuccardi are available at the LCBO, as well as through their Agent - The Bacchus Group.

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La Posta Fazzio Malbec 2019 (Argentina) - Wine Review

Tonight's red wine review is this lovely Malbec that arrives at the LCBO this weekend in the March 19th LCBO VINTAGES Release after a half a dozen year hiatus from our shelves.

It is produced by La Posta Vineyards, the entry-level brand of the Catena family of wines. La Posta Vineyards was formed in 2000 after Laura Catena discovered a handful of growers who consistently showed impressive results with specific varietals year-after-year. La Posta wines salute these hard-working growers who strive for superior flavours from grapes they grow on their own estate, and often single vineyard bottlings. Each La Posta label illustrates a story of these individual families and are inspired by Art Nouveau and Art Déco designs of the 1920s and 1930s.

This Malbec is from the Fazzio family. Salvador Fazzio arrived in Argentina from Sicily in 1917 in the search for a better life. His son, Francisco Fazzio, got married in Mendoza and had three children, and in 1955 he purchased 15 hectares of land in Tupungato to dedicate himself to viticulture. Today, Domingo Fazzio is the third generation of family to run the business and expanded by purchasing more land in Tupungato. In 2005, Domingo bought a 100-hecatre vineyard in the area of Agua Amarga, Tupungato and named the property "El Nono Francisco" to honour his father. Domingo Fazzio, a dancing farmer who loves the ladies, also loves working the soil invites you to rest at the edge of the vineyard to find inspiration and leave inspired by an "old man" to Never Slow Down.

This particular Malbec is from the El Nono Francisco property, a vineyard located in a very privileged area at 1,100 metres (3,608 feet) elevation that borders las Tunas River where they get water to irrigate the land. Local ancient people told stores of a big Indian settlement that used to inhabit this land more than 150 years ago, and when the Fazzio family began working this land, they discovered archaeological remains which showed evidence of this settlement. The vineyard was planted in 2003 and the soil is composed of medium deep loamy soils, with calcareous stony subsoils - soils which are good for roots development and drain well. In the winery, half the wine was aged in second use French oak barrels, while the other half was aged in stainless steel tanks.

Tasting Note:

LA POSTA FAZZIO MALBEC 2019 - Tupungato, Mendoza, Argentina (#444687) (XD) - $19.95
Grown at 1,100 metres above sea level, this Malbec has a spicy, medium-high intensity nose that reveals lovely ripe black fruits, blackberry, and violet aromas with hints of stony mineral and a touch of dried herb. On the plush, medium-full bodied palate it is impressively concentrated with ripe black fruits, blackberry, violet, and stony mineral flavours wrapped by smooth, refined, and velvety tannins. Fresh, juicy acidity takes you through to the long, well-balanced, stony, dark berry, and cocoa-tinged finish. Quite impressed by this. Highly recommended buy! Score: 90 pts

Other lovely wines from La Posta are available at the LCBO and through their Agent - Noble Estates Wines & Spirits.

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March 19, 2022 LCBO VINTAGES Release Wine Picks: Cabernet Sauvignon

The main theme of the March 19, 2022 LCBO VINTAGES Release is yet another mono-themed release and focuses on wines made using Cabernet Sauvignon. There's also a number of Online Exclusive (OE) wines as part of this release and will be available for purchase exclusively on lcbo.com a couple of days prior to release day. In-store wines should be available across the province by Saturday.

Titled "The ABCs of CABs", we begin with the theme on wines made with Cabernet Sauvignon. This noble red grape varietal is considered the "King of Grapes" due to its bold and ageable character. The grape is treasured and celebrated in Bordeaux's iconic blends of the Left Bank, but has also found a home in many other wine regions around the globe. Of the sixteen wines listed as part of the theme, only a Cabernet Sauvignon from McLaren Vale in Australia is among my top wine picks.

Red wine options from the rest of the release are aplenty. Starting in Rhône, there is a lovely Châteauneuf-du-Pape that is a blend of 80% Grenache, 10% Syrah, 6% Mourvèdre, and 4% Cinsault, while the Lirac consists of 55% Grenache, 15% Cinsault, 15% Syrah, 10% Carignan, and 5% Mourvèdre. Also from Rhône, the Crozes-Hermitage is 100% Syrah, while the Côtes du Rhône-Villages is a blend of roughly 50% Grenache, 25% Syrah, and 25% Carignan. From Italy, the Gran Selezione Chianti Classico consists of 80% Sangiovese and the rest Merlot and Colorino, while the Barolo is, of course, made with Nebbiolo. Other blends include a Madiran that is mostly Tannat plus Cabernet Franc completing the blend, as well as a Douro red that consists of roughly equal parts Touriga Nacional, Tinta Roriz, Touriga Franca, and Tinta Barroca.

All of my white wine picks are single varietal wines. There are a pair of lovely Torrontés wines from Argentina - one is unoaked, while the other is barrel fermented and aged in French oak barrels. From Italy there is a Pinot Grigio from the northeastern part of the country in Friuli, while the Pecorino is from Abruzzo in central Italy. On the local front, there is a fine Chardonnay that is available only as an Online Exclusive, as well as its mutated variant, the unique and aromatic Chardonnay Musqué. Other recommendations include an Albariño from Spain, a Chenin Blanc from South Africa, and a Semillon from Hunter Valley.

Enjoy my wine recommendations from this release! Cheers!

Red Wine:

• CRASTO 2019 - DOC Douro, Portugal (#81588) (XD) - $18.95  89 pts  wine review
• MITOLO JESTER CABERNET SAUVIGNON 2018 - McLaren Vale, South Australia (#43224) (XD) - $19.95  89 pts  wine review
• LA POSTA FAZZIO MALBEC 2019 - Tupungato, Mendoza, Argentina (#444687) (XD) - $19.95  90 pts  wine review
• SUTHERLAND PINOT NOIR 2019 - WO Elgin, South Africa (#624924) (XD) - $19.95
• MONTGRAS AMARAL SYRAH 2019 - Sustainable, DO Valle de Leyda, Chile (#21958) (XD) - $19.95
• CHÂTEAU MAUCOIL 2019 - AC Côtes du Rhône-Villages, France (#638502) {XD) - $19.95  90 pts  wine review
• ZUCCARDI Q MALBEC 2020 - Valle de Uco, Mendoza, Argentina (#723478) (XD) - $20.95  89 pts  wine review

 

• CHÂTEAU PEYROS VIEILLES VIGNES MADIRAN 2017 - AC, Southwest, France (#234997) (XD) - $22.95
• FERRATON PÈRE & FILS LA MATINIÈRE CROZES-HERMITAGE 2018 - AP, Rhône, France (#127712) (XD) - $28.95  OE
• CHÂTEAU DE MONTFAUCON BARON LOUIS LIRAC 2015 - AP, Rhône, France (#13438) (XD) - $32.95  91 pts  wine review
• DOMAINE DROUHIN OREGON PINOT NOIR 2019 - Dundee Hills, Willamette Valley, Oregon, USA (#11263) (XD) - $42.95  OE
• RUFFINO RISERVA DUCALE ORO GRAN SELEZIONE CHIANTI CLASSICO 2017 - DOCG, Tuscany, Italy (#353201) (XD) - $49.95  92 pts  wine review
• DOMAINE DU VIEUX TÉLÉGRAPHE TÉLÉGRAMME CHÂTEAUNEUF-DU-PAPE 2019 - AC, Rhône, France (#292722) (XD) - $59.95
• BORGOGNO BAROLO 2016 - DOCG, Piedmont, Italy (#283499) (XD) - $65.95  OE
  

White Wine:

• RUSTENBERG STELLENBOSCH CHENIN BLANC 2019 - WO Stellenbosch, South Africa (#698274) (XD) - $14.95
• ZUCCARDI SERIE A TORRONTÉS 2021 - IP Salta, Argentina (#389262) (XD) - $17.95  89 pts  wine review
• FERZO ABRUZZO PECORINO SUPERIORE 2020 - DOP, Abruzzo, Italy (#573683) (XD) - $18.95  89 pts  wine review
• CAVE SPRING ESTATE CHARDONNAY MUSQUÉ 2020 - Sustainable, Cave Spring Vineyard, VOA Beamsville Bench, Niagara Escarpment, Ontario, Canada (#246579) (XD) - $19.95
• ATTEMS PINOT GRIGIO 2020 - DOC Friuli, Italy (#707950) (XD) - $19.95
• SUSANA BALBO SIGNATURE BARREL FERMENTED TORRONTÉS 2020 - Valle de Uco, Mendoza, Argentina (#384339) (XD) - $21.95
• PAZO DAS BRUXAS ALBARIÑO 2019 - DO Rias Baixas, Spain (#417667) (XD) - $21.95
• TYRRELL'S HUNTER VALLEY SERIES SEMILLON 2019 - Hunter Valley, New South Wales, Australia (#632034) (XD) - $24.95
• BACHELDER LES VILLAGES CHARDONNAY 2018 - VOA Niagara Peninsula, Ontario, Canada (#16059) (XD) - $34.95  OE
  

Fortified:

• FONSECA LATE BOTTLED VINTAGE PORT 2015 - Unfiltered, DOP, Portugal (#87551) (S) - $23.95

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Mitolo Jester Cabernet Sauvignon 2018 (McLaren Vale) - Wine Review

Tonight's wine review is a delicious Cabernet Sauvignon from McLaren Vale. A frequent visitor to the LCBO for many years now. I recall enjoying 2008 vintage of this wine back in 2010, while the latest vintage should be arriving on shelves across Ontario this weekend as part of the March 19 LCBO VINTAGES Release.

Originally from Abruzzo with a viticultural ancestry, the Mitolo family moved to Australia in the 1950s to become successful market gardeners. After years of working in his family's potato business, Frank Mitolo started making wine for family and friends. In 1999, after a legendary 5-hour discussion with winemaker Ben Glaetzer, the pair fashioned a dream of making the ultimate expression of McLaren Vale's rich provenance of soils. Mitolo Wines was formed with a six word business plan on the back of a napkin: individuality, integrity, quality, purity, elegance and power, and the first wine was a 2000 G.A.M. Shiraz that was named in honour of Frank's children Gemma, Alex, and Marco. Ben is part of the well-known Glaetzer family that has a long lineage of viticulture and winemaking within the Barossa Valley, and uses a hands-off approach in the winery, while also working closely with the growers of Mitolo wines - the Lopresti family.

Mitolo works closely with its growers, the Lopresti family, who are also from Italy and old friends of the Mitolo family. Don Lopresti, a Calabrian, started planting his vineyards in the coastal Aldinga McLaren Vale in 1975. Today, Don works closely with his sons Joe and Michael to fastidiously maintain the 200 acres of vineyards to produce the style Mitolo is renowned for. The Lopresti vineyards are sandwiched between the Gulf St Vincent and the nearby Willunga Hills, known as the Clay Plains of Aldinga, where the soils are of heavy, grey loams mixed with black 'Biscay' clay overlying ancient Ngaltinga formation that was formed one million years ago in the Pleistocene age. Winter rains soak deep into the clay and hold the moisture deep in the soil, and when the soils have dried out, the ensuing cracks create positive stress on the vines as they strive for energy and concentrating fruit flavours.

This Cabernet Sauvignon is from Mitolo's Jester range of wines. The Jesters of the Courts of Europe had one motivation - to entertain the household of a nobleman and their guests. A modern entertainer, the Jester is able to excite, tell stories at any dinner table, and are the life of the party. Ultimately, the Jesters - and these wines - are there to remind us not to take life too seriously.

Crafted with 100% Cabernet Sauvignon, 20% of the fruit was dried on racks for approximately 7-8 weeks in the Italian Appassimento style. From vineyards located at the southern end of McLaren Vale on heavy clay soils, close to the seaside town of Aldinga, the combination of cool sea breezes and gully winds provide the ideal conditions for growing powerful fruit with intensity and balance. Yields were down compared to the 2017 vintage, but quality was exceptional. Let's see how this 2018 Cabernet Sauvignon from McLaren Vale is tasting tonight...

Tasting Note:

MITOLO JESTER CABERNET SAUVIGNON 2018 - McLaren Vale, South Australia (#43224) (XD) - $19.95
100% Cabernet Sauvignon with 20% of the grapes dried in the Appassimento style. Screw cap. The medium+ intensity nose has ripe black currant, and cassis aromas joined by spices, mocha chocolate, dried herbs, and whiffs of crushed rock. On the dry, medium to medium-full bodied palate it has fresh, juicy acidity that supports the ripe black currant, dark cherry, mocha chocolate, and dried herbal flavours with a slightly tangy mid-palate. Textured tannins have a supple grip. Savoury, earthy, and mocha chocolate notes linger on the fresh finish, with very good length. A bit of a crowd pleaser, a joy to sip. Recommended buy. Score: 89 pts

Other delicious wines by Mitolo are available at the LCBO and through their Agent - Noble Estates Wines & Spirits.

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Catena Paraje Altamira Malbec 2018 (Argentina) - Wine Review

I first came across this lovely, high-altitude, single vineyard Malbec from Paraje Altamira, Argentina, at the LCBO lab three years ago and have been enamoured with this wine ever since. For tonight's red wine review, I bring you the latest vintage of this terrific wine that arrived at the LCBO last weekend as part of the March 5 LCBO VINTAGES Release.

Founded by the Catena family in 1902, Catena Zapata is one of Argentina's most internationally renowned and celebrated wineries. Recognized for it's pioneering role in high-altitude viticulture, Catena is also responsible for introducing the world to premium quality Malbec. Now in its fourth generation, the winery is led by Dr. Laura Catena, who has spearheaded significant terroir research in pursuit of her family's dream to produce Argentina's "Premier Crus." In February 2021, The Catena Institute of Wine published a research study that proved irrefutably the existence of terroir and its persistence across vintages for Malbec wines.

Like other Catena wines I've enjoyed over the years, this Malbec is from Catena's Appellation range of wines which follow Burgundy's pattern of where the village the grapes are grown lends their name to the appellation. In Argentina, the rural towns of Lunlunta, Vista Flores, San Carlos, Tupungato, Agrelo, and La Consulta lend their names to the beautiful historic vineyards that surround them and proudly displayed on the label for each of Catena's wines in this range. In France, the village vineyards are small and often owned by siblings and cousins within the same family due to the Napoleonic code which establishes that at a person's death, his or her land is divided equally among his or her heirs. Being a Latin country, Argentina also shares the Napoleonic code, and over half of the vineyards in Mendoza are less than four hectares in size and owned by multiple family members. The Catena range of "Village" wines express the diversity of terroir and the historic farming customs of these local families.

The history of this wine can be traced back to the 1950s when Don Domingo Catena began sourcing Malbec from the vineyards of Altamira in the Uco Valley. Today, this wine is from the Altamira Vineyard located at 1,095 metres (3,593 feet) elevation on alluvial origin soils which are loamy with rounded rocks on the bottom, and a composition of 80% sand, 10% clay, and 10% silt. At these high elevations, the combination of intense sunlight and cool nights help produce an elegant, minerally, and slightly spicy Malbec with a deep texture and flavours. From the excellent 2018 vintage, let's see how this Paraje Altamira Malbec is tasting tonight...

Tasting Note:

CATENA PARAJE ALTAMIRA MALBEC 2018 - Uco Valley, Mendoza, Argentina (#492413) (XD) - $22.95
100% Malbec that was grown in Paraje Altamira at 1,095 metres (3,593 feet) above sea level, it was aged for 12 months in mostly used French oak. The fresh, intense nose has lovely ripe black and purple fruits balanced with savoury stony-earthy mineral aromas and touches of herbal spice adding complexity. On the dry, medium-full bodied palate it is rich and nicely structured with spicy, dark berry, violet, currant, stony-earthy minerals, and some herbal notes on the complex flavour profile. Fresh acids are well-balanced, while the structured, refined tannins have a pleasantly and lightly chalky grip. Minerally with black cherry, currant, and violet accents lingering on the juicy finish, with excellent length. Highly recommended buy! Score: 91 pts

Other lovely wines from Catena Zapata are available at the LCBO and through their Agent - Noble Estates Wines & Spirits.

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Zingari 2018 (Tuscany) - Wine Review

Tonight's wine review is a delicious Super Tuscan red that is featured as part of theme on wines from Tuscany and on the cover of the March 5th LCBO VINTAGES Release catalogue.

Petra is a wine company located close to the ancient village of Suvereto, in northern Maremma of Tuscany, on the ferrous hills of the Val di Cornia where you can see as far as the Tyrrhenian Sea. A women's company, Petra has been directed by women for more than 200 years.

The story of Petra begins in 1808 when Elisa Bonaparte Baciocchi, Napoleone's sister, Princess of Lucca and Piombino and grand duchess of Tuscany, chose this place in Maremma to establish the first seed of an agricultural and viticultural project. Two centuries later, Francesca Moretti fell in love with the history and the culture of the chateaux in Bordeaux and began studying agriculture and oenology. Francesca also begin looking for properties to convert into a winemaking company like those found in Bordeaux and settled in the fertile Val di Cornia area in Maremma with the cooperation of the explorer Attilio Scienza.

In 1997, Vittorio Moretti purchased 60 hectares in San Lorenzo and 45 hectares in Campiglia Marittima, a few kilometres from Piombino, in the Suvereto area. These purchases were the seed, the start of an extensive and contemporary project that would become Petra. Originally from Franciacorta, Francesca Moretti found her second home in Suvereto. Francesca planted her first varietals at the winery while still in university. Based on the terroir and her vision, she favoured international varieties and planted these in the Princess Vineyard, a 5 hectare plot where Elisa Bonaparte had also planted Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot grapes two centuries earlier. In the vineyard, agricultural practices follow an organic regime while also reducing environmental impact, with a path towards organic certification.

This red wine is a blend of Merlot, Sangiovese, Syrah, and Petit Verdot that was born out of an experimental vineyard to test the attitudes of each varietal. The wine's roots can be traced back to an ancient water spring that was a stop-over for pilgrims and wayfarers, also known as the Zingari (Gypsies), who were travelling along nearby Aurelia Street and could seek refreshment by resting nearby its crystal clear waters. The average age of the vines is 17 years and they are planted on loamy-sandy texture and slightly calcareous soils. It was aged in barrels and barriques for at least 12 months and spent a further 3 months in bottle prior to release. Let's see how this red blend from Tuscany is tasting tonight...

Tasting Note:

ZINGARI 2018 - IGT Toscana, Italy (#244228) (XD) - $19.95
This blend of Merlot, Sangiovese, Syrah, and Petit Verdot has a fragrant, open nose that offers an attractive mix of ripe black cherry, red plum, savoury earth, and subtle wood spice aromas. On the dry, medium-full bodied palate it has delicious ripe black cherry, plum, cassis, cedary wood spice, and savoury earth flavours. Fresh acids are juicy and nicely balanced, while the supple tannins have a subtle, grippy texture. Supple and dry on the long, savoury, cedary wood spiced finish. Recommended buy! Score: 88+ pts

Other delicious wines from Petra can be ordered through their Agent - Noble Estates Wines & Spirits.

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Pasarisa Malbec 2019 (Argentina) - Wine Review

Tonight's red wine review is the second of three delicious Malbec wines that arrived at the LCBO on the weekend as part of the March 5th LCBO VINTAGES Release.

Pasarisa is one of Catena Zapata's newer range of wines that was launched in 2015 and celebrates Argentina's wine producing regions outside of its roots in Mendoza. Pasarisa gets its name by taking the first two letters from Patagonia, Salta, and La Rioja, then finishing with the initials of South America. The range was launched by Catena as part of their vision for the future, along with the work of the Catena Institute, to extensively research and improve Argentina's viticultural and vinification practices outside of Mendoza. Additionally, the hope is to bring economic prosperity to these poorer regions by finding special locations for the cultivation of grapes beyond Malbec.

With this new range of six wines, Catena works with growers in the three regions of Patagonia, Salta, and La Rioja to highlight their varied history, culture, and wine styles. From the remote and southerly region of Patagonia, where the climate is cool and windy, is a Merlot and Pinot Noir, the most widely planted varietals after Malbec. From the high-altitude region of Salta is a Torrontés, the only white in the range, and a Cabernet Sauvignon where some plantings go back to the mid-19th century. Lastly, from the iron-rich soils of La Rioja is a Syrah that pairs nicely with local cuisine that features many dishes made with lamb. For the sixth wine of the collection, Catena returns to its roots with a regionally blended Malbec from Mendoza. Let's see how this Malbec is tasting tonight...

Tasting Note:

PASARISA MALBEC 2019 - Mendoza, Argentina (#21986) (XD) - $16.95
The medium+ intensity nose is spicy with stony mineral notes surrounding a core of ripe dark berry, blackberry, and plummy aromas. The medium to medium+ bodied palate is very ripe with dark berry, blackberry, black cherry, plum, spice, and mineral flavours supported by fresh, balanced acidity and ripe, fine-grained, and slightly grippy tannins. Smoky minerals linger on the savoury finish, with very good length. Recommended buy. Score: 88+ pts

Other delicious wines from Pasarisa can be ordered through their Agent - Noble Estates Wines & Spirits.

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Alamos Selección Malbec 2018 (Argentina) - Wine Review

Tonight's red wine review is a delicious Malbec that returned to the LCBO this weekend as part of the March 5 LCBO VINTAGES Release.

It is produced by Alamos, a producer whose history is rooted in over 100 years of family winemaking with the founding wine family of Argentina - the Catenas. With generations of passion and expertise, the adventurous spirit of Alamos wines are crafted from high-elevation vineyards at the foot of the Andes. The wines are flavourful, approachable, and authentically Argentine, with this Malbec the pinnacle of their portfolio.

The winemaker at Alamos is Lucía Vaieretti. She comes from a family of winegrowers who have been tending vines in Mendoza for more than 40 years. Lucía attended Don Bosco, South America's most prestigious viticulture and enology school and has been working with the Catena family of wineries for nearly 20 years, eventually taking over the Alamos cellar in 2016. Alamos wines are internationally renowned for their ability to blend quality grapes from various terroirs and elevations. At high elevations, the intense sunlight leads to thicker grape skins and richer, more flavourful wines, while the crisp, cool nights allow the grapes to gain complexity while retaining balance and acidity. The mineral-rich irrigation from mountain snowmelt also add to the rich, layered aromas and flavours of Argentina's signature varieties.

Without a doubt, Malbec is Argentina's signature varietal with 23 percent of the country's vineyards planted to the varietal and two out of every three bottles exported to other countries. Malbec is grown from north to south and this particular bottling is from the small winegrowing sub-region of La Consulta in the southern Uco Valley of Mendoza. It was grown and hand-picked at high-altitude vineyards between 910 to 1,520 metres (2,985 to 4,986 feet) elevation. At the winery, the grapes were de-stemmed, crushed, and fermented in upright and conical tanks, with each Malbec lot kept separate throughout the vinification process. The wine was aged in French oak for 9 to 12 months prior to blending, then aged another 4 months in bottle.

I first enjoyed the 2016 Alamos Selección Malbec in November 2020. I also enjoyed the 2018 vintage when it first arrived on shelves in July of last year and am curious to see if it has evolved much over the past 8 months...

Tasting Notes:

ALAMOS SELECCIÓN MALBEC 2018 - La Consulta, Uco Valley, Mendoza, Argentina (#322800) (XD) - $16.95
100% Malbec from high-elevation vineyards between 910 to 1,520 metres (2,985 to 4,986 feet), the medium-high intensity nose offers lush, ripe dark fruited aromas of blackberry, purple fruit, violet, and dried herbal spice with some savoury, earthy, and stony minerality notes rising out of the glass. It's medium-full bodied with juicy, well-balanced acidity and smooth, rounded, fine-grained tannins that support the ripe blackberry, black cherry, and black raspberry, smoky mineral, and wood flavours. Slightly tangy with a touch of warmth on the mid-palate, while smoky mineral, wood, black raspberry and dark berry notes linger on the finish, with very good length. Recommended buy. Score: 88+ pts

Other delicious wines from Alamos are available at the LCBO and through their Agent - E & J Gallo Winery Canada.

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Clos de Luz Massal 1945 Carmenère 2018 (Chile) - Wine Review

After enjoying the excellent 2018 Clos de Luz Massal 1945 Cabernet Sauvignon back in January, tonight's red wine review is a lovely Carmenère from the same producer and vintage. This red wine arrives at the LCBO this weekend as part of the March 5 LCBO VINTAGES Release.

The family run winery of Cloz de Luz is situated in the Almahue Valley within the Rapel Valley D.O. in Chile's Central Valley. The Alamhue Valley is 150 km south of Santiago, 65 km west of the Pacific, and 45 km east of the Andes. The winery and vineyards are naturally walled in by the Mancuman Hill, benefiting from the early morning sun and cooler afternoons with the Pacific Ocean breeze. The vineyards were planted in 1945 by the family's Grandmother Luz, have been part of the family for five generations, and are now among the oldest in Chile. Today, the estate is owned by the Edwards Cosmelli branch of the family and with 33 hectares of estate vineyards, the principal focus is on crafting elegant, quality wines in a non-interventionist style with freshness and subtle use of oak to enhance the natural fruity character of the wines.

Like the Cabernet Sauvignon, this Carmenère also includes 5% Syrah and is from Clos de Luz's Massal 1945 range of wines. The Massal range is named because of the old and rigorous technique used in the vineyard to select the best vines in a vineyard and propagating them through cuttings - it is the opposite of clonal propagation. As such, all of their vineyards are ungrafted and non-clonal. The grapes are sustainably grown and ploughed by horses, while also aiming to conserve the natural diversity of the plants to create more complex and unique wines.

The grapes for this wine are from the Amalhue Valley - an area considered the birthplace of Carmenère. From vines planted in 1945 on granitic soils with quartz components of volcanic origin, the grapes were manually harvested. After gentle extraction, the juice was spontaneously fermented using native yeasts. After fermentation, it was aged for 12 months, with 50% aged in 4,000 L Gamba French oak tanks, 44% in 225 and 300 L French oak barrels, and 6% in new 600 L Sylvain French oak barrels. From a brilliant 2018 vintage, let's see how this Chilean Carmenère is tasting tonight...

Tasting Note:

CLOS DE LUZ MASSAL 1945 CARMENÈRE 2018 - Almahue, DO Valle de Cachapoal, Chile (#11861) (XD) - $24.95
A blend of 95% Carmenère and 5% Syrah, the fresh, medium-high intensity nose offers herbaceous, leafy green notes sitting atop currant, cassis, and savoury earth aromas with hints of minerality. On the medium-full bodied palate it has lovely, fresh acidity that lifts the clean red and black fruits, cassis, and currant flavours which interplay nicely with the herbaceous, savoury, and spice tones. Really nicely balanced with supple, lightly textured tannins. Juicy, earthy, and minerally on the long, balanced and fresh finish. Recommended buy! Score: 90+ pts

The Cabernet is available at the LCBO, while other wines from the Clos de Luz portfolio can be ordered through their Agent - Touchstone Brands.

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Laura Hartwig Selección del Viticultor Block Nogales Cabernet Sauvignon 2018 (Chile) - Wine Review

Back in June I enjoyed the 2018 Laura Hartwig Single Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon, and for tonight's red wine review I take it up a notch with this Winemaker's Selection Cabernet Sauvignon from the same producer. This red wine from Chile is a new arrival to the LCBO that came to LCBO VINTAGES on February 19th.

Laura Hartwig is a winery located Santa Cruz, in the heart of the Colchagua Valley, Chile. Their story begins when Osvaldo Bisquertt purchased the property in 1928 to cultivate annual crops and raise cattle. His daughter, Laura Bisquert, inherited the "Santa Laura" farm in 1966 and further expanded the estate. Wine entered the picture in the 1970's after she and her husband, Alejandro Hartwig, developed a passion for wine and returned to Chile from Toronto to focus their attention on viticulture.

Alejandro Hartwig is a dedicated winegrower who personally oversees the entire Estate. He understands that producing excellent wine requires not only blessed soils, careful management of the vineyard, and the finest selection of grapes, but also perseverance, respect, and dedication. With a non-interventionist philosophy and human scale production to craft their wines, Laura Hartwig is able to take detailed care with each step of the winemaking process.

This Winemaker's Selection of 100% Cabernet Sauvignon was grown at the Laura Hartwig Estate in Santa Cruz, specifically from a single block that was planted in 1980 over deep soils and a loam clay surface. These old vines which are now over 40 years old have achieved a natural balance between growth and production per season to give balanced fruit for high quality wines. The grapes were hand-selected by cluster and transported to the winery in bins for further detailed selection. After fermentation in stainless steel tanks, the the wine was aged for 12 months in first and second-use French oak barrels, followed by a further 5 months in cement egg.

With a brilliant 2018 growing season across Chile that started with a warm spring and moderate conditions that allowed the grapes to slowly ripen, the resulting wines achieved good fruit characters, balanced alcohol, and very good acidity. Let's see how this 2018 Cabernet Sauvignon from Chile is tasting tonight...

Tasting Note:

LAURA HARTWIG SELECCIÓN DEL VITICULTOR BLOCK NOGALES CABERNET SAUVIGNON 2018 - DO Santa Cruz, Valle de Colchagua, Chile (#21951) (XD) - $20.95
100% Cabernet Sauvignon from 40-year-old vines, the medium+ intensity nose has cool, fresh, leafy herbals and evergreen aromas followed by red currant, cassis, and subtle spice notes. On the full-bodied palate it has structured, smooth, and polished tannins, along with fresh, balanced acidity. Nice interplays between fruity and herbals on the palate with currant, cassis, leafy herbs, evergreen, and some smoky notes on the back palate. Long and juicy with wood smoke notes lingering on the finish. Recommended buy. Score: 89 pts

While there are a couple of dozen bottles of one other Laura Hartwig wine available at the LCBO, wines from the rest of their portfolio can be ordered through the Agent - Profile Wine Group.

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March 5, 2022 LCBO VINTAGES Release Wine Picks: Tuscany

The title of the March 5, 2022 LCBO VINTAGES Release is "Under the Tuscan Sun" and features wines from Tuscany as the theme of the release. Overall, it is a smaller-than-usual release with just 89 wines listed, and the majority of the wines are red coloured. All of the wines in this release should be on shelves across Ontario by this Saturday.

We begin with the theme on wines from Tuscany. Of the thirteen wines featured, four are included among my top wine picks and the lone white is a Chardonnay-based blend. The Rosso di Montepulciano (which tastes quite a bit like a Rosso di Montalcino) is a blend of 80% Sangiovese and 20% Merlot, while the Chianti Classico Riserva is composed of 90% Sangiovese, 5% Cabernet Sauvignon, and 5% Colorino. Lastly, the IGT Super Tuscan is a blend of Merlot, Sangiovese, Syrah, and Petit Verdot.

Among my red wine recommendations, at the top of the list is the 2nd wine of Ornellaia that is a blend of 54% Merlot, 28% Cabernet Sauvignon, 14% Cabernet Franc, and 4% Petit Verdot. The only other blend is the red from the Itata Valley in Chile that consists of 72% Cinsault, 18% País, and 10% Carignan. Single varietal wines include a Monastrell from Spain, a Xinomavro from Greece, and a Carmenère from Chile. There is also a trio of Malbec wines from Argentina, and a Grenache from 65-year-old vines in Roussillon.

From a small release of white wines, the only blend among my recommendations is an Argentine wine that consists of 42% Semillón, 33% Sauvignon Blanc, and 25% Torrontés. From single varietal white wines, both Chardonnays from Niagara spent some time fermenting and ageing in barrels. The other mono-varietal wines are a Sauvignon Blanc from Touraine in Loire and a lovely Grüner Veltliner from Austria. If you enjoy some sweetness to your wines, check out the off-dry Riesling from Niagara.

Enjoy my wine recommendations from this release! Cin cin!

Red Wine:

• PASARISA MALBEC 2019 - Mendoza, Argentina (#21986) (XD) - $16.95  88+ pts  wine review
• ALAMOS SELECCIÓN MALBEC 2018 - La Consulta, Uco Valley, Mendoza, Argentina (#322800) (XD) - $16.95  88+ pts  wine review
• BOUTARI NAOUSSA XINOMAVRO 2019 - PDO Naoussa, Macedonia, Greece (#23218) (XD) - $18.95
• ZINGARI 2018 - IGT Toscana, Italy (#244228) (XD) - $19.95  88+ pts  wine review
• DOMAINE LAFAGE CUVÉE NICOLAS VIEILLES VIGNES GRENACHE NOIR 2019 - Sustainable, IGP Côtes Catalanes, Roussillon, France (#354191) (XD) - $19.95
• POLIZIANO ROSSO DI MONTEPULCIANO 2019 - DOC, Tuscany, Italy (#22795) (XD) - $20.95  90 pts  wine review
• LA CAUSA CINSAULT / PAÍS / CARIGNAN 2019 - Valle del Itata, Chile (#23434) (XD) - $22.95

• CATENA PARAJE ALTAMIRA MALBEC 2018 - Paraje Altamira, Valle de Uco, Mendoza, Argentina (#492413) (XD) - $22.95  91 pts  wine review
• MATETIC EQ GRANITE PINOT NOIR 2016 - Sustainable, DO Valle de Casablanca, Chile (#21952) (XD) - $22.95
• CLOS DE LUZ MASSAL 1945 CARMENÈRE 2018 - Almahue, DO Valle de Cachapoal, Chile (#11861) (XD) - $24.95  90+ pts  wine review
• ROCCA DELLE MACÌE FAMIGLIA ZINGARELLI RISERVA CHIANTI CLASSICO 2018 - DOCG, Tuscany, Italy (#930966) (XD) - $24.95  90+ pts  wine review
• UNDURRAGA TERROIR HUNTER CABERNET SAUVIGNON 2018 - Alto Maipo, Valle del Maipo, Chile (#630350) (XD) - $24.95
• LOS FRAILES CALIZA 2018 - Sustainable, La Parada de Tordos Vineyard, DO Valencia, Spain (#23806) (XD) - $29.95
• LE SERRE NUOVE DELL'ORNELLAIA 2019 - DOC Bolgheri Rosso, Tuscany, Italy (#606194) (XD) - $74.95

White Wine:

• DOMAINE DU PRÉ BARON TOURAINE SAUVIGNON BLANC 2020 - Sustainable, AC, Loire, France (#107128) (XD) - $17.95
• DOMÄNE WACHAU TERRASSEN FEDERSPIEL GRÜNER VELTLINER 2020 - Vegan, sustainable, Qualitätswein, Austria (#31534) (XD) - $17.95
• FLAT ROCK CHARDONNAY 2020 - VQA Niagara Peninsula, Ontario, Canada (#286278) (XD) - $19.95
• ADAMO LEPP DAVID'S VINEYARD RIESLING 2020 - VQA Niagara Lakeshore, Niagara-on-the-Lake, Ontario, Canada (#17203) (D) - $19.95
• SUSANA BALBO SIGNATURE WHITE BLEND 2020 - Valle de Uco, Mendoza, Argentina (#558734) (XD) - $21.95
• DUCA DI SARAGNANO VECCIANO TOSCANA BIANCO 2020 - IGT Toscana, Italy (#23042) (XD) - $25.95
• QUEYLUS TRADITION CHARDONNAY 2019 - VQA Lincoln Lakeshore, Niagara Peninsula, Ontario, Canada (#417774) (XD) - $29.95

Sparkling Wine:

• DRAPPIER BRUT NATURE PINOT NOIR CHAMPAGNE - AC, France (#179275) (XD) - $64.95

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