Wakefield Pinot Noir 2021 (Australia) - Wine Review

Tonight's red wine review is the latest vintage of a lovely Pinot Noir from Australia that arrived at the LCBO as part of the recent January 21st LCBO VINTAGES Release.It is produced by Wakefield Wines, a family wine business established in 1969 by Bill Taylor Sr. and his two sons, Bill and John, by the Wakefield River in South Australia's Clare Valley. They planted their...

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Powers Cabernet Sauvignon 2018 (Washington) - Wine Review

Tonight's red wine review is a lovely Cabernet Sauvignon from the Columbia Valley in Washington State that arrived at the LCBO last weekend as part of the January 21st LCBO VINTAGES Release.Powers Winery was founded by the legendary Bill Powers, a man who was drawn from Oklahoma to the Columbia Valley in the 1950's. After years of farming multiple crops, Bill and his son,...

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Domaine Yvon & Laurent Vocoret Petit Chablis 2020 (Burgundy) - Wine Review

Tonight's white wine review is a lovely Chardonnay from Burgundy that newly landed at the LCBO as part of last weekend's LCBO VINTAGES Release on January 21.It is produced by Domaine Yvon & Laurent Vocoret, a small family-owned estate whose history inscribed in vine cultivation and winemaking dating back to 1713. It all began in the early 18th century with Jean Vocoret,...

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Delheim Grand Reserve 2017 (South Africa) - Wine Review

Tonight's red wine review is an excellent Bordeaux variety blend from South Africa that newly arrived at the LCBO over the weekend as part of the January 21st LCBO VINTAGES Release.Delheim Wines is a family business that was established in 1938 when Hans Otto Hoheisen purchased the farm, which had various owners over the years, as a retirement home for himself and his wife...

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LAVAU Rasteau 2019 (Rhône) - Wine Review

Tonight's red wine review is a lovely Rhône red wine from the southern Rhône Valley Cru of Rasteau that arrived at the LCBO this weekend in the January 21 LCBO VINTAGES Release.Maison LAVAU was founded in 1965 after the Lavau family, who had been involved in winemaking for several generations, took charge of a small winemaking cellar a year earlier in Sablet, in the southern...

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Gunderloch Fritz's Riesling 2021 (Rheinhessen) - Wine Review

Tonight's white wine review is a lovely, off-dry Riesling from Germany that is featured as a Smart Buy in the recent January 7 LCBO VINTAGES Release and is readily available across the Ontario.Weingut Gunderloch was founded in 1890 when banker Carl Gunderloch purchased the fabled Nackenheimer Rothenberg. Not content with just making wine, Carl had a pioneering spirit and led...

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January 21, 2023 LCBO VINTAGES Release Wine Picks: California

Here's my top wine picks from the January 21, 2023 LCBO VINTAGES Release which focuses on California's top wine regions as the theme of the release. Also included in this release is a selection of Online Exclusives (VOE) that will also be available at select Flagship Store locations.The theme is titled "Places in the Sun" and looks at California's top wine regions. There are...

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Tenuta Iuzzolini Cirò Rosso Classico 2021 (Calabria) - Wine Review

Tonight's red wine review is a delicious red wine from Calabria crafted with the indigenous Gaglioppo variety that arrived at the LCBO just over a week ago as part of the recent LCBO VINTAGES Release on January 7th.Tenuta Iuzzolini was founded in 2004 by Fortunato Iuzzolini and his wife Giovanna Colicchio, and the couple transferred their love and passion for the land to their...

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Michele Chiarlo Tortoniano Barolo 2017 (Piedmont) - Wine Review

After enjoying the beautiful 2018 Michele Chiarlo Reyna Barbaresco back in November, tonight's red wine review is a lovely Barolo that landed at the LCBO a couple of weekends ago as part of the January 7 VINTAGES Release.Even though Michele Chiarlo was only established in the 1950s, its story begins in 1898 with the birth of Pietro Chiarlo who was born into a farming family...

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Stags' Leap Winery Petite Sirah 2018 (Napa Valley) - Wine Review

Tonight's red wine review is an excellent Petite Sirah, a distinct variety not to be confused with Syrah, from Napa Valley that arrived at the LCBO last weekend as part of the January 7th LCBO VINTAGES Release.Established in 1893, Stags' Leap Winery is one of California's oldest wine estates. Their 240-acre property is situated on the watershed of the Stags Leap Palisades,...

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Trapiche Medalla Cabernet Sauvignon 2019 (Argentina) - Wine Review

I enjoyed the lovely 2018 Trapiche Medalla Malbec last year, and for tonight's wine review I uncorked it's companion wine - a Cabernet Sauvignon - that arrived at the LCBO last weekend as part of the January 7 LCBO VINTAGES Release.It is produced by Trapiche Winery, Argentina's largest producer of wine. Established in 1883, Trapiche has grown to become one of Argentina's most...

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Viña del Pedregal Kidia Reserve Carmenère 2018 (Chile) - Wine Review

Tonight's red wine review is a lovely, single vineyard Carmenère from Chile that is new to the LCBO, arriving on shelves across Ontario on the weekend as part of the January 7 LCBO VINTAGES Release.It is produced by Viña del Pedregal, a family with a long history in wine that dates back to the mid-19th century when Carlos Adolfo del Pedregal Neumann was one of the first to...

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Lakeview Cellars Riesling Icewine 2019 (Niagara) - Wine Review

Continuing the recent trend of enjoying fine Icewines, which included the 2017 Lakeview Cellars Cabernet Sauvignon Icewine last month, tonight's Icewine review is a lovely, vegan Riesling Icewine from Niagara that returned to the LCBO this weekend as part of the January 7th LCBO VINTAGES Release.It is produced by Lakeview Cellars, a brand that was established in 1991 by Eddy...

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Casale del Giglio Satrico 2020 (Lazio) - Wine Review

Tonight's white wine review is a lovely, eclectic white wine blend of three varietals that arrived at the LCBO today as a Smart Buy in the January 7 LCBO VINTAGES Release.It is produced by Casale del Giglio, whose story begins in 1914 when three brothers - Emidio, Isidoro and Antonio Santarelli - established "Berardino Santarelli & Figli", a company named after the founding...

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Portugal: A Region to Dream About

Tonight's red wine reviews are a trio of wines from some of Portugal's best red wine growing appellations - Douro (& Porto), Dão, and Alentejo.Given the time of year when the days are cold and the leaves have long fallen, many wine lovers gravitate to sipping a warming glass of red wine and daydream about warmer climes. If you combine the two on a vinous reverie - you...

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