Château Beau-Site 2018 (Bordeaux) - Wine Review

Tonight's red wine review is a beautiful Left Bank Bordeaux red wine from the Saint-Estèphe appellation that arrived at the LCBO as part of the recent May 11 LCBO VINTAGES New Release Collection.

It is produced by Borie-Manoux, a wine merchant whose origins started as a wine trading company that was established in 1870 by the Borie family. Today, Borie-Manoux is a significant wine merchant in the Bordeaux wine industry with a rich history and a diverse portfolio of estates. Borie-Manoux is currently owned and managed by the Castéja family, with Philippe Castéja as President.

Château Beau-Site is one of Borie-Manoux's Bordeaux wine estates. Situated in Saint-Estèphe, it was founded in the 18th century and is one of the oldest estates in the commune. At the time of its founding, it was part of Château Morin. Its name - Beau-Site - reflects its scenic location as it overlooks the entire vineyard and has magnificent panoramic views extending towards the Gironde river. Château Beau-Site's first owner was M. de Camiran, while in the 1860s it became the property of M. Grazilhon, at which point in time the name was changed to Château Beau-Site-Grazilhon.

The term "Cru Bourgeois" is used to describe wines of great quality and value, and graced the bottles of Château Beau-Site wines for the first time, starting in 1868. A few years later, the château was upgraded to Cru Bourgeois Supérieur, and continued until the 1990s. A change in ownership in the 1920s led to the château reverting to its original name, with Mme Faugeras managing the property for several decades before selling it in the 1940s to M. Legendre.

In 1955, Château Beau-Site joined the Borie family after it was acquired by Marcel Borie. Marcel worked hard to restore the château to its former glory, and as part of this restoration, all the wines were now made and aged on-site, with the vat room filled with wooden vats. Towards the end of the 1950s, Marcel took over Château Haut-Vignoble Seguin, a 5-hectare vineyard that now produces Château Beau-Site's second wine.

After Marcel Borie died in 1961, his son-in-law, Émile Castéja, took over the reins and over the ensuing decade Émile replaced the wooden vats with epoxy-coated metal vats. By the end of the 1980s, he had replaced some of the metal vats with stainless steel vats.

In 2001, Émile Castéja retired and was succeeded by his son, Philippe Castéja. Upon taking over, Philippe quickly began work on the Château by making a number of improvements, such as digging an underground passageway between the barrel cellar and the vat room to make it easier for visitors to get around. In 2005, the tasting room was set up at the entrance to the barrel cellar and offered a view over the estuary. In 2006, the vat room's interior was completely refurbished, while the Château was completely refurbished and refurnished so that it could accommodate the family of Chantal Preben-Hansen, Philippe Castéja's sister, as well as visitors.

Sustainable winemaking practices were initiated by Philippe when he took over, and developed them further from 2014 as he was able to convince the family and team that the environment was an integral part of the wines and important for consumers. Since that time, the Casteja family has continuously sought ways to increase their commitment to sustainable winemaking. With sustainability at the top of mind, traditional vineyard work is still carried out with precision to ensure the highest quality grapes. The old vines have been carefully preserved to produce distinguished and elegant wines comparable to those of its illustrious neighbour, Château Calon-Ségur. At the winery, precision winemaking is terroir-focused.

As Saint-Estèphe is part of the Médoc region and situated at the northern tip of the Haut-Médoc, on the Left Bank of the Gironde River in Bordeaux, the area has been planted with vines since Roman times, and further developed by English merchants from the Middle Ages onwards. The drainage of marshland in the 17th century led to further increases in surface land area and vineyards. The Saint-Estèphe AOC was officially recognized in 1936 thanks to its diverse climate and geology. The oceanic climate is temperate, but warm enough for the vines to thrive, while the soils are composed of gravelly alluvium, limestone, and oyster marl.

As the flagship of the estate, the 2018 vintage of this elegant wine is a blend of 73% Cabernet Sauvignon, 25% Merlot, and 2% Petit Verdot. The grapes were traditionally picked by hand and sorted on tables in the vineyard, then transferred into tipping buckets which carry the grapes back to the winery. Each plot was vinified separately, fermentation occurring over four weeks in small-capacity, temperature-controlled vats, at fairly low temperatures. Gentle extractions help preserve the fruit, while allowing the terroir to express itself. Each plot was aged in French oak barrels (approx. 40% new) for 6 months, then blended and aged a further 12 months prior to bottling on-site.

From the excellent 2018 vintage, let's see how this 2018 Cabernet Sauvignon-based blend from Bordeaux is tasting tonight...

Tasting Note:

CHÂTEAU BEAU-SITE 2018 - AC Saint-Estèphe, Bordeaux, France (#647933) (XD) - $48.95
This blend of 73% Cabernet Sauvignon, 25% Merlot, and 2% Petit Verdot has a rich, ripe, and brooding nose with medium-high to high intensity aromatics of dark red and black fruits, currant, cassis, and black cherry notes joined by spicy, fine wood spices, and sandalwood surrounding a core of savoury forest floor. On the dry, full-bodied bodied palate it is rich, spicy, and a touch warm with savoury earth, fine wood spice, blackcurrant, blackberry, black cherry, and graphite mineral flavours accented with dried herbs. Some licorice and clove spice notes appear on the mid-palate to add further interest. Acids are juicy and mouth-watering, while the refined, well-structured tannins have a gently chalky textured mouthfeel and are quite approachable at this stage. Savoury, graphite, and dried herb notes linger on the exceptionally long finish. Will improve further with age and enjoy into the mid-2030s. Highly recommended buy! Score: 93 pts

Other fine wines by Borie-Manoux can be ordered through their Agent - Noble Estates Wines & Spirits.

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The Tragically Hip Fully Completely Reserve Red 2021 (Niagara) - Wine Review

Tonight's red wine review is a fully and completely delicious Bordeaux-varietal red blend from Niagara that returned to the LCBO last month in the April 27 LCBO VINTAGES New Release Collection.

It is produced by Stoney Ridge Estate Winery, a producer that was established in December 1986 as Stoney Ridge Cellars and was the 14th licensed winery in Canada. The name of the winery comes from its inauspicious beginnings at the Weylie farm on Ridge Road in Stoney Creek. Stoney Ridge's legacy is that it is one of Canada's fledgling wineries that helped usher in the national wine industry and its rise to world-class wine production.

With a pioneering spirit, Winemaker Jim Warren and his two business partners produced their first vintage of 500 cases of 11 different wines entirely by hand and were committed to making small amounts of the very best wine possible from Ontario grapes.

Over the next few decades, Stoney Ridge grew and expanded, and moved to its new home at the base of the Niagara Escarpment in Vineland. In 2013, Stoney Ridge was purchased by famed Canadian sports broadcaster Bob McCown and continued to evolve, eventually launching the popular Tragically Hip line of wines in partnership with the iconic Canadian rock music band - The Tragically Hip.

Today, Stoney Ridge operates in partnership with the Niagara Custom Crush Studio, Canada's only Custom Crush Winemaking Facility. Still located at the newly renovated facility in Vineland, the Studio has taken over the production of all of Stoney Ridge's wines, including the celebrity wines. Stoney Ridge remains committed to producing 100% locally-sourced, VQA wines, just as it did in 1986.

Stoney Ridge has a few lines of wines, including celebrity wines. This particular wine is from their Tragically Hip range, which consists of 4 premium wines - a rosé, a white wine, and a pair of red wines. Named after their hit album and song - Fully Completely - this red wine is composed of 54% Merlot, 24% Cabernet Franc, and 22% Cabernet Sauvignon. The grapes were grown at select vineyards across the Niagara Peninsula and mechanically harvested in late-October. The fruit arrived clean at Stoney Ridge with good flavour concentration and aromatics, with an average Brix (sugar content) of 21.5°. Upon arriving at the winery, the grapes were crushed and fermented in stainless steel tanks and one tonne fermenter bins, with each lot kept separate. After completing both alcoholic and malolactic fermentation, the wine was racked into new and seasoned French and American oak barrels for 18 months prior to blending.

The growing season in 2021 was impacted by chilly conditions, as well as a drastically wet fall during harvest. It is a vintage where picking decisions will play an important role and also tests the winemakers' skills in both the vineyard and the winery. Let's see how this 2021 Bordeaux-blend from Niagara is tasting tonight...

Tasting Note:

THE TRAGICALLY HIP FULLY COMPLETELY RESERVE RED 2021 - VQA Niagara Peninsula, Ontario, Canada (#411595) (XD) - $24.95
Enclosed by screw cap, this blend of 54% Merlot, 24% Cabernet Franc, and 22% Cabernet Sauvignon has a medium-high intensity nose that offers enticing aromas of brambly red and dark berries, black raspberry, black cherry, and white pepper spice, plus hints of tea leaf, underbrush, and cedar wood adding further intrigue and complexity. On the dry, medium+ bodied palate, it has delicious ripe and spicy red and black berries, dark red cherry, blackberry, and red plum flavours accented with white pepper spice, tea leaf, and underbrush notes. It has juicy, well-balanced acidity, along with smooth, refined, and well-integrated tannins. Savoury and gently spicy with touches of smoke linger on the long-lasting finish. Enjoy this highly recommended with your favourite Hip song over the next 3-4 years. Score: 90+ pts

All Tragically Hip wines are currently available at the LCBO, as well as direct from the Stoney Ridge in Niagara, and through their Agent - Perigon Beverage Group.

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Château Coufran 2010 (Bordeaux) - Wine Review

After enjoying the excellent 2009 Château Coufran last year, tonight's red wine review is the latest edition and from another legendary vintage. This red wine from the Left Bank of Bordeaux arrived at the LCBO as part of the theme on Fine Wines for Festive Entertaining in the December 2nd LCBO VINTAGES New Release Collection.

It is produced by the renowed Château Coufran, an estate situated in the Haut-Médoc appellation of Bordeaux, and has a long history going back to the 18th century. While the Château changed hands many times in its earlier years, the most notable exchanges occurred from the late 19th century, when the wine merchants families of Cabarrus and Célérier purchased the estate and invested in the Médoc wine region.

Château Coufran is currently the property of the Miailhe family. It was acquired by Louis Miailhe in 1924 and he was responsible for the current spelling of the estate - the Château was previously known as "Cousran" and "Couffran". Upon acquiring the property, Louis undertook a major redevelopment project in the vineyard, which included planting mainly Merlot - a grape which was more charming and highly appreciated at the time. The Miailhe family were wine brokers in France, dating back to the 19th century and continued to 1970, while winemaking was also in the family with Jean Miailhe, son of Louis, the winemaker at Coufran for a period of time.

Today, it is Jean's two children - Marie Cécile Vicaire and Eric Miailhe - who run the estate. Château Coufran is certified to Certified Environmentally Friendly Agriculture in Aquitaine (AREA) level 2, and High Environmental Value (HVE) level 3. In the vineyard, vegetation cover is encouraged between rows, while leaves are thinned after flowering, and bunches are thinned to allow the fruit to ripen in the best conditions possible. There is great attention to detail during the harvest period to ensure that the harvest quality is optimal, while the sorting of grapes is also nuanced based on quality, terroir, and vine age, among other things. In the winery, the grapes are vinified using traditional Bordeaux techniques, in temperature-controlled stainless steel tanks. Work in the tanks and maceration is according to the vintage and the desired style of wine. After alcoholic and malolactic fermentation, the blend of the first wine (i.e. their top bottle, which is this wine) is decided on after tasting and selection by their consultant oenologist, Mr Eric Boissenot. By using only a portion of their entire production to create their top wine, they ensure that the atypical grape variety blend they use at Coufran is expressed to the fullest, to produce a great wine that is ideal for aging and ranks among the best in the appellation each year. The wine is then matured in French oak barrels for 12 months, with 25% replaced with new barrels every year. The wine is blended one last time to ensure homogeneity just prior to fining and bottling. The wines are then stored on-premise, in air-conditioned rooms to optimize the ageing process, allowing them to release ready-to-drink wines after being aged in perfect conditions.

This red wine is crafted with 85% Merlot and 15% Cabernet Sauvignon, a blend which is unique for Left Bank wines that are normally crafted primarily with Cabernet Sauvignon. Located in the village of Saint-Seurin, the property is uniquely known as the Pomerol of Médoc because of the predominance of the Merlot grape variety. Saint-Seurin is located in the canton of Pauillac, within the AOC of Haut-Médoc and borders the commune of Saint-Estephe to the south, running along the river. The average age of the vines is 45 years old, and they are planted across a single 76 -hectare block, on soil that is composed of different types of gravel. To craft this wine, the grapes are fermented in temperature-controlled, stainless steel vats, followed by ageing in tight-grain French oak barrels for 12 months, with 25% renewed each year.

While the 2009 vintage was considered legendary right from the get-go, the 2010 growing season got off to a slow start. However, things picked up in 2010 during the beautiful summer with warm and hot days from June to August, and combined with cool nights that helped preserve fresh acidity. The growing season overall in 2010 was largely cool and dry, producing small, thick-skinned berries with perfect phenolic ripeness, producing wines that were concentrated and expressive, with very fine tannins. The result was yet another legendary vintage that was markedly different from the 2009s, with the 2010s considered classical and structured. Let's see how this 2010 Bordeaux red wine is testing tonight...

Tasting Note:

CHÂTEAU COUFRAN 2010 - AC Haut-Médoc, Bordeaux, France (#325555) (XD) - $43.95
From vines averaging 45 years old, this is a blend of 85% Merlot and 15% Cabernet Sauvignon. The richly aromatic nose of medium-high to high intensity is fragrant, sweet spiced, and maturing with a lovely bouquet of stewed dark berries and Damson plums, dried floral and cherries, leather, and forest floor. On the full-ish bodied palate it offers maturing flavours of dark berry, red and black cherry, fine sweet spices, some dried cherry and florals, savoury forest floor, and leather. Acids are juicy and succulent, while the fine, dusty textured tannins are structured, and still a few more years away from fully resolving. Intriguing salty and leafy herb notes on the mid-palate. Complex and still evolving, with dried cherry and mineral notes lingering on the long, juicy finish. Wow! Provides immense pleasure now, and should continue to evolve nicely over the next 5+ years. Highly recommended buy! Score: 93 pts

Other lovely wines from the Château Coufran portfolio can be ordered through their Agent - Connexion Oenophilia / Noble Estates Wines & Spirits.

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Chateau St. Jean Cinq Cépages 2017 (Sonoma) - Wine Review

Tonight's red wine reviews is an excellent Cabernet Sauvignon blend from Sonoma County that arrived at the LCBO as part of the August LCBO VINTAGES Cellar Collection Release and is now available at several stores across Ontario. It will make a fine gift for the holidays or a nice addition to your cellar.

It is produced by Chateau St. Jean, an iconic Chateau that dates back to the 1920's, but whose story as a top wine producer began in 1973 when the three founders of the estate purchased the northern Sonoma Valley property. Their vision for the property was to create wines that captured the nuance, character, and quality of Sonoma's distinct vineyards and growing regions. The founders, Robert and Edward Merzoian, and Kenneth Sheffield, who were San Joaquin Valley table grape growers and shippers, named the winery after the only woman who was "saintly" enough to keep the three of them in line, Jean Sheffield Merzoian, sister-in-law, wife, and sister to the owners.

The Chateau was built by the Goff family, who had established their family fortune in the iron ore mines of Michigan's Upper Peninsula and Pacific Northwest lumber. They came to California in 1916 and purchased 300 acres of land in the Valley of the Moon area of Sonoma County, California. Construction of the Goff family summer home - now the Chateau - began in 1920, and white wine grapes were grown on the property. The living room of the home is now the Reserve Tasting Room in the Chateau.

After founding the winery in 1973, they had their first vintage a year later, and produced wines on the property for the first time in 1975 with Dick Arrowood as Chateau St. Jean's first winemaker. In 1980, the founders built a brand new winery in Kenwood, California, that was designed from the ground up to accommodate the numerous grape parcels and keep them separate throughout the winemaking process, ensuring that vineyard designation stayed pure. In 1999, Chateau St. Jean was acquired by Treasury Wine Estates, and a year later they opened a new Visitor Centre and Gardens, which features a statue of Jean in the main courtyard garden by the pool.

In 2021, Foley Family Wines acquired Chateau St. Jean from the Americas division of Treasury Wine Estates. A year later, they welcomed Winemaker Niki Williams, the company's fifth winemaker, while also undergoing renovations that included rebuilding the destemmer, crush pad, and presses, as well as upgrading the gardens and surrounding facilities to improve the visitor experience.

With a proud history and having set the standard for excellence in Sonoma County winemaking, Chateau St. Jean celebrates 50 years in 2023. Some of these achievements for excellence in wine include the 1996 Cinq Cépages being awarded the wine of the year in Wine Spectator's Top 100 list, while the 1999 vintage was awarded second place. In 2008, Winemaker Margo Van Staaveren was also awarded Winemaker of the Year by Wine Enthusiast Magazine.

This Cinq Cépages, which translates to "Five Grape Varieties", is the flagship wine of Chateau St. Jean. First introduced in 1990, it is crafted in a Bordeaux-style blend with Cabernet Sauvignon the main variety. To craft this wine, Winemaker Margo Van Staaveren, who joined Chateau St. Jean in 1980 and became Winemaker in 2003, selected the best fruit from outstanding and proven Bordeaux varietal vineyards that showcase the very best of Sonoma County. In this vintage, it is a blend of 83% Cabernet Sauvignon, 10% Merlot, 3% Cabernet Franc, 3% Malbec, and 1% Petit Verdot, with 46% of the fruit coming from Knights Valley, an area which highlights boysenberry flavours and elegant tannins. Cabernet Sauvignon from the Monte Rosso and Mountain Terraces Vineyards on Moon Mountain add structure, while Merlot from the Louvau Vineyard in Dry Creek adds lush juiciness and texture. The Malbec comes from Chateau St. Jean's Estate Vineyard in Sonoma Valley, while some fruit is also from Stuhlmuller Vineyard in Alexander Valley, which brings savoury, dried herb, and bright berry notes. After vinification, the wine was aged for 20 months in French oak (68% new). It was bottled in January 2020 and released in October.

The 2017 growing season began with abundant rainfall, followed by a mild spring that resulted in extended flowering. Warm late-summer temperatures moved harvest along quickly, while yields for the 2017 vintage were slightly lower than the previous couple of vintages. While the 2017 vintage was challenging, the wines that were produced are of excellent quality with complex flavours, concentrated colour, and finesse. Let's see how this 2017 Cabernet Sauvignon blend from Sonoma is tasting tonight...

Tasting Note:

CHATEAU ST. JEAN CINQ CÉPAGES 2017 - Sonoma County, California, USA (#710913) (XD) - $130
Blend of 83% Cabernet Sauvignon, 10% Merlot, 3% Cabernet Franc, 3% Malbec, and 1% Petit Verdot. Rich and elegant, the fragrant, medium-high intensity nose delivers lush, complex, ripe, dark fruited, blackberry, black and red currant, fine oak spices, grilled herb, and earth aromas with touches of boysenberry and floral. It's full-bodied with ripe black and red currant, cassis, blackberry, savoury oak spice, earth, peppery spice, grilled herb flavours surrounding a savoury core. It's framed by fresh, juicy acidity and elegant, yet firmly structured, fine-grained tannins. It's a touch palate warming, but still balanced. Savoury and earthy with graphite notes linger on the exceptionally long finish. Provides immense pleasure now, but will reward cellaring. Enjoy to 2035+. Highly recommended buy! Score: 94 pts

Other fine wines from Chateau St. Jean's large portfolio can be found at the LCBO, or ordered through their Agent - Mark Anthony Wine & Spirits.

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Château Guillou 2020 (Bordeaux) - Wine Review

Tonight's red wine review is an excellent wine from the Right Bank of Bordeaux that is arriving at the LCBO this weekend (and likely in stores already) as part of the May 27th LCBO VINTAGES New Release Collection.

It is produced by Famille Saby, a winegrowing family of oenologists for nine generations with knowledge passed down from father to son since the 18th century. Today, the family business is led by Jean-Bernard Saby, the 8th generation of the family, and his two sons who are the 9th generation - Jean-Christophe and Jean-Philippe. The Saby family are considered specialists of wines from the Right Bank of Bordeaux and own and operate several estates in this historic wine region. One of these estates is Château Guillou and its vineyard which has existed in its current form since 1870. At Château Guillou there are 62 hectares of vines, most of which are planted on a plateau with clay-limestone soils, and hillsides with clayey-silty soils.

I've had the pleasure of enjoying this wine quite a few times over the years, including most recently the 2018 Château Guillou late last year. Like previous vintages, this red wine from Bordeaux is a blend of 80% Merlot and 20% Cabernet Franc. The grapes were grown on the siliceous, sandy, and gravelly soils at Château Guillou in the Montagne-Saint-Emilion appellation. The Château is located in the Libourne sub-region on the right bank of the Dordogne where the wines are usually Merlot-based. The grapes were traditionally hand-picked and sorted on tables. It underwent a cold soak pre-fermentation and foulage, a temperature-controlled fermentation, and malolactic fermentation. The wine was aged in second- and third-use French and American oak barrels.

Despite the challenges during the growing season due to the pandemic, the 2020 vintage is rated as an excellent and legendary vintage. The growing season began well with a frequently wet spring that put the vineyards in a good state leading up to the hot, dry summer. Autumn was blessed with golden sunshine and warm days, along with chilly nights in September which brought the grapes to phenolic ripeness. Although there were some periods of rain, it was the periods of drought that helped concentrate the grapes to deliver rich and intense wines. Overall, yields were slightly smaller than average, but the fruit is, for the most part, healthy and of high quality. Let's see how this 2020 Bordeaux is tasting tonight...

Tasting Note:

CHÂTEAU GUILLOU 2020 - AC Montagne-Saint-Émilion, Bordeaux, France (#140483) (XD) - $24.95
This blend of 80% Merlot and 20% Cabernet Franc has a gorgeous, intense, and complex bouquet of crushed dark fruit, currant, blackberry, black cherry, and plum mingling with oak spice, dried herb, and savoury wet earth aromas rising out of the glass, plus hints of floral with time. On the ripe, full-bodied palate it has plummy, dark red cherry, blackberry, and currant flavours balanced with savoury earth, dried herbs, and gentle oak spice notes. It's supported by fresh, juicy acidity and well-structured, medium-firm tannins. Quite balanced throughout with some mineral notes appearing on the long, structured finish, with excellent length. Provides pleasure now, but will improve further with a few years in the cellar. Enjoy to the end of the decade and a highly recommended buy! Score: 92 pts

Other lovely wines by Famille Saby can be ordered through their Agent - Connexion Oenophilia.

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Creekside Red Tractor Cabernet/Merlot 2020 (Niagara) - Wine Review

Tonight's red wine review is a delicious Cabernet-Merlot from Niagara that returned to the LCBO over the weekend as part of the March 4 LCBO VINTAGES Release.

Red Tractor Wines are produced by Creekside Estate Winery. This new world wine brand was established by Creekside in 2011 to celebrate the past, present, and future of farming in Ontario. The red tractor symbol comes from an old Massey Harris tractor that Creekside owns and serves as a symbol of the hard work required to farm the vineyards. Red Tractor Wines honours this hard work and salutes their family of growers.

The grapes used to craft Red Tractor Wines are sourced from family farms across the Niagara Peninsula - because place matters. The wines pay homage to the vineyards and growers such as the Serluca and Smith Families, as they work alongside these second-generation farmers as they push the boundaries on innovation and lead with sustainable farming practices.

And thinking ahead to International Women's Day, which is held annually on March 8th, Yvonne Irvine leads the winemaking for Red Tractor Wines. She has over 12-years of viticultural and winemaking experience, and works closely with the family of growers while embracing the honest, hard-work required to grow and harvest quality fruit. Each vintage is a labour of love as she celebrates the growers by crafting their fruit into strong, powerful wines.

I was first introduced to Red Tractor Wines in 2019 when they launched their first Cabernet/Merlot and Cabernet Franc wines. The range now also includes a Shiraz Cabernet and a Chardonnay. While the 2017 vintage of this red wine blend was Merlot-based, this particular vintage is composed of equal parts Cabernet Sauvignon (47%) and Merlot (46%), plus 7% Cabernet Franc to complete the blend. This blend celebrates the vineyards of the Niagara Peninsula and the growers that have shaped the landscape. The grapes were harvested from three vineyards in Niagara-on-the-Lake. It was vinified and aged in separate small lots, and then blended after 16 months in barrel.

From the near-perfect 2020 growing season that provided structure, ripeness, and longevity to age, let's see how this 2020 Bordeaux-blend from Niagara is tasting tonight...

Tasting Note:

CREEKSIDE RED TRACTOR CABERNET/MERLOT 2020 - VQA Niagara Peninsula, Ontario, Canada (#11851) (D) - $17.95
A blend of 47% Cabernet Sauvignon, 46% Merlot, and 7% Cabernet Franc, this has an attractive, medium-high intensity nose that offers ripe black currant, cassis, black cherry, chocolate, and oak spice aromas with some earthy undertones and a touch of olive. On the medium-full bodied palate it has ripe, dark currant, cassis, black cherry, plum, and earthy oak spice flavours supported by fresh acidity. Structured tannins are gritty textured and quite drying, while savoury earth, cedary, and cocoa notes linger on the finish, with very good length. Enjoy this recommended buy with big red meats. Score: 88+ pts

Other delicious Red Tractor Wines are available direct from Creekside Estate Winery in Niagara.

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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 Deli. The name "Delheim" is German for "Deli's home". They started by planting citrus trees but quickly discovered that the area wasn't suited to Delheim because of the windy conditions. Their German friends suggested that they grow vineyards and two years later Hans Otto planted his first grape vines.

In 1944, the concrete tanks in the cellar were completed by Italian prisoners-of-war. Several years later, Deli mentioned to her nephew in Germany that she needed help on the wine farm in South Africa, and because he didn't see a future in post-war Germany, he decided to join them and arrived in South Africa in 1951. Her nephew's name was Michael "Spatz" Sperling - Sperling is the German word for "sparrow" and Spatz means "baby sparrow".

Michael Sperling soon took a keen interest in the few vineyards Hans Otto had planted. As Michael knew nothing about winemaking, and there were no books or winemaking schools in South Africa at the time, he taught himself through a process of trial and error and with some help from neighbours and visiting German winemakers. Over time, Spatz established himself as a serious winemarker and garnered numerous awards. He also embarked on a series of pioneering initiatives in the South African wine industry over the ensuing decades.

In 1971, patriarch Spatz Sperling’s far-sightedness led him to buy 80 hectares of prime red-wine land on the Klapmutskop mountain, about 3 kilometres from Delheim, as the crow flies in a westerly direction. This property was called Delvera in honour of Spatz’s wife, Vera, while the vineyards are called Vera Cruz - Cruz meaning "cross", allegedly for the cross Vera has had to bear during her long marriage to Spatz! With its warmer, drier climate, and sandier soils, Vera Cruz was better suited to growing high-quality red wines. Delvera is planted mainly with Cabernet Sauvignon, predominantly grown as bush vines and today aged between 15 and 37 years, along with some Merlot and Cabernet Franc.

Today, Delheim is owned by the Sperling family. Vera still resides on the farm, while the late Michael Hans "Spatz" Sperling is the Patriarch and a South African wine industry legend. Their eldest son, Victor Sperling, and eldest daughter, Nora Sperling-Thiel, serve as Directors of the company and live on the farm with their families, while their other two children, Maria and Nicholas, live in Europe.

In the vineyard, their philosophy is that they are custodians of the land and must tread lightly in order to minimize the impact they have on it, as well as creating balance and harmony in the vineyards. They also strive to gain a sense of timelessness by allowing their vineyards to grow old, tell their stories and allowing the wines to gain a sense of place, while also keeping an eye on the future, seeking longevity and sustainability. Delheim also practices precision farming by embracing technologies to improve the quality of their vineyards and grapes.

This red wine is a blend of 90% Cabernet Sauvignon, 8% Merlot, and 2% Cabernet Franc that was grown on their Vera Cruz property. The soil at Vera Cruz has an Oakleaf profile with mainly decomposed granite, and faces southwest on a slope between 220 to 280 metres above sea level. The grapes were handpicked and in small batches and fermented in a combination of open-top fermenters and vertical stainless steel tanks. The was was matured in 300 L French oak barrels for 18 months, and only the finest barrels were selected for this Grand Reserve blend.

From an excellent vintage, let's see how this 2017 Cabernet Merlot blend from South Africa is tasting tonight...

Tasting Note:

DELHEIM GRAND RESERVE 2017 - WO Stellenbosch, South Africa (#26094) (XD) - $31.95
A blend of 90% Cabernet Sauvignon, 8% Merlot, and 2% Cabernet Franc. The highly aromatic nose is fresh and fragrant with ripe blackberry, black currant, fine wood spices, and savoury earth aromas, with intriguing touches of cassis, tomato leaf, and graphite. It's full-ish bodied on the dry, chewy palate with very good concentration and complex, lightly tangy flavours of ripe dark berry, blackberry, currant, tomato leaf, and some pipe tobacco and graphite notes. It has fresh, juicy, and well-balanced acidity, while the structured tannins are smooth, refined, and well-integrated. There's a pleasing, subtly chalky mouthfeel on the back palate. Savoury, graphite mineral notes linger on the long, very satisfying finish. Maturing nicely, enjoy this delicious, highly recommended buy to the end of the decade. Score: 92+ pts

Other lovely wines by Delheim can be ordered through their Agent - Noble Estates Wines & Spirits.

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Tenuta San Guido Wine Tasting (Tuscany) - Wine Reviews

Back in September, I had a great opportunity to taste the latest wines by Tenuta San Guido - makers of the iconic Sassicaia Super Tuscan wine from Bolgheri - and after the structured tasting enjoyed a fine lunch at Stratus Restaurant in downtown Toronto.

The story of Tenuta San Guido begins with Mario Incisa della Rocchetta. The Marchesi Incisa della Rocchetta are among the protagonists of Italian history, from the early Middle Ages to the emergence of the Baroque age, and beyond. Mario was born into a Piedmontese family in 1899 and studied agriculture in Pisa and immediately cultivated a strong inclination for agronomy. By the 1920s, his dream was to find perfection in agriculture and respect for the land.

In 1930, Mario married Clarice della Gherardesca, a descendant of one of the oldest families in Tuscany, and moved to Maremma, Tuscany. In addition to a common passion for wine, Mario and Clarice also had a passion for thoroughbred horses - a family passion that continues to this day with an on-site stable and training centre. Countess Clarice was also the heiress to 2,500 hectares in the Bolgheri area: Tenuta San Guido.

Mario Incisa immediately realized Tenuta San Guido as one of the most extraordinary biotypes of Mediterranean Europe and began experimenting with some French grape varieties, concluding that Cabernet had the bouquet he was seeking. Recalling a time in the 1920s when Mario Incisa tasted a wine belonging to the Dukes Salviati di Migliarino, grown on the hill of San Giuliano, near Pisa, he asked Salviatis for some plants of their vines and planted the first Cabernet Sauvignon vineyard on the hills that gently descended towards the sea, below the fortress of Castiglioncello. He also noticed the similarity between this land in Bolgheri and the Graves area in Bordeaux, due to the mainly gravelly soil which is very favourable to the production of great red wines. In order to grow excellent quality fruit, he pruned drastically to obtain low-yields, and then introduced barrique for the ageing of fine wines, following the example of French producers.

Although no one considered Bolgheri an area suited for the cultivation of Cabernet Sauvignon before the 1940s, Tenuta San Guido benefits from a set of natural elements that favours this varietal. The soils are partially clayey and situated at an altitude between 100 and 400 meters above sea level, with west and southwest exposure, along with a strong presence of limestone areas rich in Alberese and Gabbro, as well as stones. The climate also has its own peculiarity with an amphitheatre of hills embracing the land that stretches from Bibbona to Castagneto, protecting the vineyards and olive groves from northeast winds, while in summer this corridor is cooled by winds generated between the valleys of the Cecina river. The energy and sunlight are reflected from the sea to the hills, which in turn retains the sea breeze and generates refreshing humidity. Situated within a range of 2,500 hectares, this area was found to have the ideal terroir for Sassicaia.

Sassicaia, the wine whose name is a toponym, was strictly a private product reserved for family and friends from 1945 to 1967. In 1971, the 1968 vintage was the first vintage available to the public and it received praise worthy of greatness and importance. In 1978, the 1972 Sassicaia was awarded first place at a Decanter magazine blind tasting among 33 Cabernet Sauvignons from around the world and moved towards becoming the iconic wine it is today. In order to recognize Mario's vision in creating a wine that gave Italian winemaking lustre and fame, Italy created the Bolgheri DOC appellation in 1983, and in 2013 the sub-appellation of DOC Bolgheri Sassicaia was created. Since Tenuta San Guido owns all of the land under the DOC Bolgheri Sassicaia appellation, Sassicaia is the only wine that is made in the appellation.

Today, Tenuta San Guido is led by Honorary President Nicolò Incisa della Rocchetta. son of Mario. Nicolò joined his father in 1955 to help manage the family business. The Incisa family had a relationship with the Antinori family through Nicolò's mother, Clarice, who was from the Della Gherardesca family. It was through this relationship that Nicolò worked with the young oenologist Giacomo Tachis to develop the first red Bordeaux blend in the history of Bolgheri - it was the aforementioned 1968 Sassicaia. Nicolò was instrumental in turning Tenuta San Guido into a modern estate that combined family traditions with the expertise of independent managers.

The bond that exists between the family and company is now represented by Priscilla Incisa della Rocchetta, daughter of Nicolò and brand manager responsible for external relations, and her five cousins and their children. The estate covers 2,500 hectares, of which 90 hectares are devoted to the vineyards and the winery. The approach in the vineyard is always measured against the needs of the land. Vineyard management requires a great deal of time and care and is influenced by the seasonality to determine if any interventions are required, while the concepts of sustainability, integration, and conservation are also important prerequisites prior to taking any action. Harvest is carried out manually, while in the winery, they strive to create wines with balance, pleasantness, elegance, freshness, sinuous tannins, and longevity.

In addition to Sassicaia, Tenuta San Guido also produces two other wines - Guidalberto and Le Difese. We had the opportunity to taste all three wines during the structured tasting which was led by Priscilla. After taking us through each of the fantastic wines, including some back vintages, we also had the opportunity to pair the wines with lunch. Reviews of all of the wines tasted are provided below, with the latest vintages available for purchase through the Agent - Sylvestre Wines & Spirits, or at the LCBO in the coming months.

Tasting Notes:

TENUTA SAN GUIDO LE DIFESE 2020 - IGT Toscana, Italy (#147876) (XD) - $38.95
First produced in 2002 and traditionally more Cab Sauv than Sangiovese, this vintage is a blend of 55% Sangiovese and 45% Cabernet Sauvignon, with the Sangiovese purchased from two estates. From a warm vintage that was good for early ripening varieties, this has a clean, ripe, medium-high to highly aromatic nose of dark cherry-berry, currant, and clove with hints of cassis, as well as elegant wood spice aromas. Some beautiful floral notes emerge with time in glass. On the medium to medium-full bodied palate it offers elegant, fine-grained, and gritty tannins that have some structure. Very nice aroma replays are nicely balanced on the palate. Clove, currant, and dark cherry replays linger on the long, succulent finish. Coming to LCBO VINTAGES May 2023. Score: 92 pts

TENUTA SAN GUIDO GUIDALBERTO 2020 - IGT Toscana, Italy (#72439) (XD) - $66.95
A 50/50 blend of Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot that is fresh, yet seems shy with crushed dark red berry, currant, and cassis aromas with savoury undertones. It’s medium-full bodied on the crunchy palate with tight tannins. Very nice aroma replays on the flavour profile are joined by licorice, and wild herbs. It has fresh acidity and excellent length on the long, balanced, finish. Still a bit young and should age nicely up to a decade from now. Coming to LCBO VINTAGES March 2023. Score: 93 pts

TENUTA SAN GUIDO GUIDALBERTO 2015 - IGT Toscana, Italy (#72439) (XD)
Named after Guidalberto della Gherardesca, the ancestor who made the greatest contribution to the territory’s agricultural and viticultural history. This blend of 60% Cabernet Sauvignon and 40% Merlot has a lovely, perfumed, highly aromatic nose of currant, cassis, red & black fruits, with savoury, wet earth, forest floor undertones. It’s medium-full bodied with smooth, refined tannins that have some structure and is still a bit tight. Nicely balanced aroma replays with elegance on the palate. Balanced acids. Long, dark berry, currant, and earthy finish. Score: 93 pts

SASSICAIA 2019 - DOC Bolgheri-Sassicaia, Tuscany, Italy (#480533) (XD) - $249.95
A traditional blend of 85% Cabernet Sauvignon and 15% Cabernet Franc. From a very regular, steady vintage, this has a medium-high to highly aromatic nose that offers a lovely perfume of red & black fruits, currant, cherry, wet earth, and forest floor, with touches of florality. It’s medium-full to full-bodied with lovely aroma replays plus spice notes and smooth, structured, and elegant tannins that are balanced with fresh acidity. Nicely balanced flavours throughout, tapering to a very long, currant, dark berry, and wet earth finish. Score: 96 pts

SASSICAIA 2018 - DOC Bolgheri-Sassicaia, Tuscany, Italy (#480533) (XD)
85/15 blend of Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet Franc. First made in 1968 and celebrating its 50th vintage, the perfumed, medium-high to highly aromatic nose offers fresh dark and red berry, currant, and cassis notes with touches of purple fruit and floral. On the medium-full to full-bodied palate it has fresh acidity and lovely aroma replays. Smooth, structured, and dusty textured tannins are very nicely balanced throughout. Attractive fruit and savoury earthy interplays on the finish, with excellent length. Very approachable now and will continue to age well into the late 2030s. Score: 96 pts

SASSICAIA 2010 - DOC Bolgheri-Sassicaia, Tuscany, Italy (#480533) (XD)
Blend of 85% Cabernet Sauvignon and 15% Cabernet Franc from a fresher vintage and long harvest. Beautiful, highly aromatic, maturing nose of dried cherry, rose florals, and savoury wet earth. Wow! Lovely smooth, refined, finely textured tannins on the medium-full to full-bodied palate with lovely aroma replays plus some earthy mineral notes on the flavour profile. Juicy, well-balanced acids. Very nice, very long, earthy mineral finish. Will continue to drink well for another 10+ years. Score: 97 pts

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Château Coufran 2009 (Bordeaux) - Wine Review

Tonight's wine review is an excellent, maturing red wine from Bordeaux that is featured on the cover of today's December 3 LCBO VINTAGES Release. This wine is also part of the theme of the release which is titled "Gifts to Celebrate: Festive, Food-Friendly Wines" and would make a fine gift for the holidays.

The story of Château Coufran begins with 18th century archives that referred to it as the noble house of "Cousran", as well as the dovecote that dates back even further to the Ancien Régime. The Château has changed families many times over the years. One of the notable exchanges occurred after the revolution, when Jean-Valère Cabarrus, a ship-owner and wine merchant who already owned other prestigious wine estates, acquired Château Couffran. At the end of the 19th century, the Château changed families again when the Célérier family, wine merchants in Bordeaux, took advantage of the success of Bordeaux wines and invested in the Médoc wine region and purchased Couffran.

In 1924, Louis Miailhe acquired the Château and decided on the current spelling of "Coufran". Louis undertook major redevelopment work in the vineyard, including planting mainly Merlot, which was more charming and highly appreciated at the time. The Miailhe family were wine brokers in France dating back to the 19th century and continued to 1970. Winemaking was also in the family with Louis' son, Jean, the winemaker at Coufran for a period of time. Since the 1980's, Jean's two children - Marie Cécile Vicaire and Eric Miailhe - have taken over. The wines of Coufran are atypical for the Médoc region, with a journalist once calling Coufran the "Pomerol of Médoc" due to their Merlot-based wines.

Château Coufran is located in the Haut-Médoc appellation in Saint-Seurin-de-Cadourne, a town just north of neighbouring Saint-Estèphe in the Pauillac area. Although the Château is located on the Left Bank of Bordeaux, where wines are usually blends of predominantly Cabernet Sauvignon, this red wine is crafted with 85% Merlot and 15% Cabernet Sauvignon, with vines averaging 45-years-old. Château Coufran is a single 76-hectare block that stretches across a hillside, with its highest point at 21 metres elevation, and the soils are primarily made up of gravel and clay.

In the vineyard, vegetation cover is encouraged between rows, and the leaves are thinned after flowering. Grape bunches are also thinned, allowing the fruit to ripen in the best possible conditions. Harvest is carried out selectively, starting with Merlot, and then moving on to Cabernet. The grapes are also sorted based on quality and according to the terroir and vine age. It was vinified using traditional Bordeaux techniques, in temperature-controlled stainless-steel tanks. The wine was matured in French oak barrels for 12 months, with a quarter of the barrels replaced with new barrels each year. After bottling, the wine is stored on-site in an air-conditioned room to optimise the ageing process, allowing them to release the ready-to-drink wines. From the legendary 2009 vintage, let's see how this Bordeaux red wine is tasting tonight...

Tasting Note:

CHÂTEAU COUFRAN 2009 - AC Haut-Médoc, Bordeaux, France (#13399) (XD) - $37.95
Blend of 85% Merlot and 15% Cabernet Sauvignon from vines averaging 45-years-old. Lovely, complex, elegant, and very attractive nose has medium-high intensity aromatics of crushed and stewed dark berry, black cherry, sweet spices, wet earth, olive, and sandalwood. It's medium-full to full-bodied with complex and maturing flavours of dark berry, black cherry, sweet spices, earth, currant, and cassis on the palate. Acids are still quite juicy and refreshing. Some dried cherry and floral notes on the mid-palate add further interest. Maturing tannins are structured, refined, and somewhat grippy-chalky, with a pleasing mouthfeel. Earthy with black cherry, olive, and sweet spice notes linger on the long, satisfying finish. In a nice place right now and should continue to drink well over the next 5 years, maybe longer. Highly recommended buy! Score: 92+ pts

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

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Château Guillou 2018 (Bordeaux) - Wine Review

I enjoyed the 2016 Château Guillou when it came through VINTAGES in spring of last year, and for tonight's red wine review I bring you the latest vintage that arrived at the LCBO this weekend as part of the November 19th LCBO VINTAGES Release.

It is produced by Famille Saby, a winegrowing family that are considered specialists on wines from the Right Bank of Bordeaux. The Saby family have been oenologists from father to son for nine generations dating back to the 18th century and are led today by Jean-Bernard Saby and his two sons, Jean-Christophe and Jean-Philippe. The Saby family owns and operates several estates on the Right Bank, including the Château Guillou vineyard which has existed in its current form since 1870. There are 62 hectares of vines at Château Guillou and most are located on a plateau with clay-limestone soils, and hillsides with clayey-silty soils.

I first tasted this wine seven years ago, starting with the 2012 vintage and the quality has improved with each passing vintage. Like the 2012, this vintage is also crafted with 80% Merlot and 20% Cabernet Franc from fruit grown at Château Guillou in the Montagne-Saint-Emilion appellation, which is situated in the Libourne subregion on the right bank of the Dordogne, on siliceous soils which are sandy and gravelly. The fruit was traditionally hand-picked and sorted on tables, followed by cold-maceration, temperature-controlled alcoholic fermentation, and malolactic fermentation. The wine was aged in a combination of new and third-use American and French oak barrels.

From an excellent 2018 growing season in Bordeaux with dry conditions and cool nights, let's see how this 2018 red wine from Bordeaux is tasting tonight...

Tasting Note:

CHÂTEAU GUILLOU 2018 - AC Montagne-Saint-Émilion, Bordeaux, France (#140483) (XD) - $24.95
This blend of 80% Merlot and 20% Cabernet Franc has a fragrant, elegant, and well-balanced nose that is highly aromatic with lovely dark berry, black cherry, blackberry, and currant with touches of floral violet, chocolate, herbs, and subtle spices. It's medium-full bodied on the ripe palate with delicious dark berry, currant, black cherry, and blackberry replays joined by plummy notes. Acids are fresh and juicy, while the smooth, refined tannins have a slightly chalky textured mouthfeel towards the back palate. Finishes juicy, long and savoury with stony mineral and subtle oak spice notes on the long aftertaste. Really nicely balanced. Enjoy this highly recommended buy over the next 5+ years. Score: 91 pts

Other lovely wines by Famille Saby can be ordered through their Agent - Connexion Oenophilia.

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Mike Weir Meritage 2010 (Niagara) - Wine Review

Tonight's red wine review is this lovely 2010 Meritage that I first enjoyed at the winery back in January 2016 during the annual Niagara Icewine Festival.

Unfortunately, as I mentioned when I enjoyed the 2013 Mike Weir Cabernet Franc Icewine a few months ago, Mike Weir Winery closed its doors for good sometime in Spring 2018. This is also my last bottle of any Mike Weir wine. On the bright side, the property was sold and reopened as Locust Lane Estate Winery in Spring/Summer 2020.

When I first tasted this red crafted with Bordeaux varieties from the exceptional 2010 Niagara vintage, I mentioned that it could be enjoyed up to 2023. Let's see how this red wine from Niagara is tasting tonight...

Tasting Note:

MIKE WEIR MERITAGE 2010 - VQA Niagara Peninsula, Ontario, Canada (XD) - $19.95
Composed of Bordeaux varieties Cabernet Sauvignon (40%), Cabernet Franc (34%), and Merlot (26%). It pours a mature deep tawny colour and has a lovely, medium-high intensity nose offering complex aromas of dried dark berry, stewed plums and berries, sweet spice, and touches of evergreen and red pepper. It's medium-full bodied with mature, very smooth tannins with a slight grip. Dried berry, plum, sweet spice, chocolate, and some floral notes on the flavour profile. It has very good structure and acids are still well-balanced. Chocolate, savoury, and earthy notes linger on the long finish. Only 12% abv. It has aged well and is a joy to sip. Score: 91 pts

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Cap Royal Rouge 2018 (Bordeaux) - Wine Review

Tonight's wine review is this lovely, vegan-friendly red wine from Bordeaux that is coming to the LCBO this weekend, as part of the November 27th LCBO VINTAGES Release.

It is produced by Cap Royal, a brand that owes its name to the Cordouan lighthouse, the oldest lighthouse in Europe. This lighthouse located at the mouth of the Gironde estuary always had a bleak reputation due to the perilous nature of the area. The original lighthouse was built in 1360 and has evolved over the centuries to become the one-of-a-kind, "King of Lighthouses" seen today.

Cap Royal is a brand of La Compagnie Médocaine des Grands Crus, an historical wine merchant that has established itself a key player in the sales of Bordeaux wines around the globe. La Compagnie Médocaine des Grands Crus is a subsidiary of AXA Millésimes, the wine branch of AXA group, and encompasses many of Europe's most renowned wine domaines. More than just a company, La Compagnie Médocaine des Grands Crus is a team of people of who ensure that they provide the highest quality wines possible. This team is led by Jean-René Matignon, a man who was born in Anjou and grew up in a family of winemakers. He actually spent a year in Canada in 1982 working for a wine domaine in British Columbia. Upon returning to France, he developed new vinification techniques with a winemakers association and became known as a perfectionist. In 2013, he worked with La Compagnie Médocaine des Grands Crus to create the Cap Royal brand with the sole objective to offer high quality, yet accessible, Bordeaux wines that can be enjoyed by all.

Certified vegan, this Bordeaux blend of 75% Merlot and 25% Cabernet Sauvignon was crafted using fruit chosen by Jean-René Matignon and his winemaker partners from specially selected lots that offered quality and complexity. The grapes were fermented in thermo-regulated stainless steel vats, and carefully aged in oak barrels under the regular supervision of Jean-René Matignon to guarantee a quality wine. Let's see how this 2018 Bordeaux red wine is tasting tonight...

Tasting Note:

CAP ROYAL ROUGE 2018 - Vegan, AC Bordeaux Supérieur, France (#486761) (XD) - $18.95
This blend of 75% Merlot and 25% Cabernet Sauvignon has an open and fragrant nose with lovely dark fruited aromas of blackberry, black plum, currant, cassis, wood spice, and vanilla with savoury undertones. On the ripe, medium-full bodied, and structured palate it has dark berry, blackberry, leather, and wood spice flavours, with a hint of jammy notes. Fresh acids are juicy and well-balanced, while the structured tannins are youthful. Savoury, earthy, and cocoa notes linger on the long, drying finish. Highly recommended buy that is enjoyable now, but will reward with a few years in the cellar and drink well towards the end of the decade. Score: 90 pts

Other lovely wines from Cap Royal are available through their Agent - Noble Estates Wines & Spirits.

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Frind Chardonnay 2018 and Big Red 2018 (British Columbia) - Wine Reviews

Tonight's wine reviews are a couple of lovely wines from British Columbia that are new to the LCBO, arriving on shelves across Ontario as part of last weekend's LCBO VINTAGES Release on October 30th.

Frind Estate Winery was founded in 2017 by Markus Frind when he purchased the lakeside property in West Kelowna, British Columbia, from the political Bennett family who had owned the property for more than 50 years. Markus was born in Germany, a descendant of a generation of farmers, and immigrated to Canada as a young boy with his parents to a farm in northeastern British Columbia. He studied Business and Computer Science at the British Columbia Institute of Technology and developed the Plenty of Fish dating site in 2003 to great success. After many successes, Markus sold the site in 2015 to follow his ambition into B.C. wine by combining his two passions: technology and agriculture.

Markus brought on famed Winemaker Eric von Krosigk to oversee the operation and, today, Frind Estate Winery is one of the most advanced wineries in the world, using cutting edge technology to create truly distinctive wines. Some of the technology they use includes an optical sorter, automated ferment tanks, and the Willmes Sigma Press.

On the label of each Frind Estate wine is an abstract golden pinecone that represents three aspects meaningful to Markus and his family - science, symbolism and sentiment. The property is sprinkled with beautiful, old growth Ponderosa Pine trees, and one day Markus and his daughter Ava found the perfect pinecone which was artistically used for the creation of the brand. Let's see how these two wines from British Columbia are tasting tonight...

Tasting Notes:

FRIND CHARDONNAY 2018 - BC VQA, British Columbia, Canada (#19930) (XD) - $29.95
Enclosed by Stelvin screw cap, this lovely unoaked Chardonnay has a fragrant, medium-high to highly-aromatic nose with complex aromas of lemon citrus, ripe apple, yeasty, and leesy, with subtle buttery nuances. On the weighty, impressively concentrated palate it has lovely replays of lemon citrus, ripe apple, and buttery flavours with a subtle toastiness, and supported fresh and lively acidity. The juicy mid-palate leads to more ripe apple, lemon citrus, and leesy notes on the long, crisp finish. Highly recommended buy! Score: 91 pts

FRIND BIG RED 2018 - BC VQA Okanagan Valley, British Columbia, Canada (#19931) (XD) - $24.95
A Merlot-dominated blend with Cabernet Franc and Cabernet Sauvignon in support, all aged for 12 months in mostly neutral French and American oak. Stelvin screw cap. The medium+ intensity nose is ripe and plummy with a mix of red and black fruits, red cherry, and touches of cedary wood and stemmy characters. On the medium-bodied palate it has delicious ripe cassis, black cherry, blackberry, plummy, and sweet wood spice flavours supported by fresh, well-balanced acidity and supple, structured and slightly chalky tannins. Some minty herbals and leafy notes add complexity on the mid-palate. Juicy and succulent with cedar wood spice and savoury cocoa notes lingering on the finish, with very good length. Recommended buy. Score: 89 pts

Other lovely wines from B.C.'s Frind Estate Winery are available through their Agent - Noble Estates Wines & Spirits.

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Hedges CMS Cabernet Sauvignon 2018 and CMS Sauvignon Blanc 2020 (Washington) - Wine Reviews

Tonight's wine reviews are a pair of lovely wines from Washington State. The Cabernet Sauvignon arrived at LCBO outlets across Ontario this weekend as part of the October 2nd LCBO VINTAGES Release, while the 2019 vintage of the Sauvignon Blanc also arrived in the same Release, but only at Flagship stores in limited quantities.

These two wines are produced by Hedges Family Estate, a family winery whose story begins when Washington State native Tom Hedges marries Anne-Marie Liégeois in her hometown in Champagne, France. With a passion for authenticity and a deep connection to the land in Washington, the Hedges family began shipping their wines to Taiwan in 1986, and a year later Hedges Cellars was born. In 1989, Tom and Anne-Marie purchased 50 acres of land on Red Mountain in the Yakima Valley and planted forty hectares of Bordeaux varieties. With continued success, the Hedges family broke ground in 1995 on their new Chateau on the coveted Red Mountain.

Tom and Anne-Marie's children - Sarah and Christophe - worked in the vineyards and at the winery, eventually earning prominent roles in the family business. In 2005, Christophe Hedges was promoted to Director of National Sales and Marketing, while Sarah Hedges Goedhart followed a year later to become Assistant Winemaker and became the Head Winemaker in 2015.

In 2008, the Hedges Estate Vineyard was converted to biodynamic farming, and by 2019 all five of their vineyards were converted to biodynamics. The Hedges family also sources fruit for some of them wines, including the two reviewed below, and ensure that these vineyards meet their requirements for sustainable farming. The family fosters a true homegrown approach to farming and viticulture, while also uniting the past and present, and evolving tradition for generations to come. Their winemaking philosophy is of less intervention and filtration

Tasting Notes:

HEDGES CMS SAUVIGNON BLANC 2020 - Columbia Valley, Washington, USA (#20496) (XD) - $24.95
Screw cap. This white wine is a unique blend of 78% Sauvignon Blanc, 20% Chardonnay, and 2% Marsanne with a fragrant, medium-high intensity nose delivering an attractive and unique bouquet of passion fruit and guava aromas mingling with ripe apple, pear, butter, grapefruit, citrus, and touches of floral characters. The ripe, full palate is slightly creamy with bright acidity and stone fruit, ripe apple, grapefruit, and citrus flavours with underlying guava and white floral notes. Subtle chalky texture on the mid-palate, while lemon peel and leesy mineral notes linger on the long, crisp, lip-smacking finish. Chill and enjoy! Score: 90 pts

HEDGES CMS CABERNET SAUVIGNON 2018 - Columbia Valley, Washington, USA (#20491) (XD) - $29.95
Blend of 76% Cabernet Sauvignon, 16% Merlot, and 8% Syrah. The medium-high intensity nose offers dark fruited blackberry and plum aromas accented with savoury, cocoa, wet earth, and touches of black pepper spice and brett. It's full-bodied, structured, and chewy with smooth, refined, and supple tannins and fresh, juicy acidity that supports the dark fruit, blackberry, cocoa, and earthy flavours. Some peppery spice, tobacco, and dried herbs add complexity on the mid-palate. Savoury cocoa notes linger on the long finish. Recommended buy. Score: 90+ pts

Other lovely wines from Hedges Family Estate are available through their Agent - Noble Estates Wines & Spirits.

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Château Guillou 2016 (Bordeaux) - Wine Review

Tonight's wine review is this delicious red wine from Bordeaux that arrived at the LCBO last weekend as part of the June 12th LCBO VINTAGES Release.

Château Guillou has been winegrowing in its current form since 1870. It is located within the Montagne-Saint-Émilion AOC, a satellite of the Saint-Émilion appellation, on the Right Bank of the Dordogne River in Bordeaux. The Château's 62 hectares of vines are mostly located on a plateau with clay-limestone soils, and hillsides with clayey-silty soils. Today, the wines of Château Guillou are produced by Vignobles Jean-Bernard Saby & Fils, a family that has been making wine for nine generations since the 18th century.

I last enjoyed the 2014 Château Guillou nearly five years ago when it came through VINTAGES in November 2016. It is typically a blend of mostly Merlot and some Cabernet Franc, with the exact composition varying slightly each vintage. This particular vintage consists of 90% Merlot and 10% Cabernet Franc, which is more Merlot than the last time I tasted this wine. The grapes were hand-picked and sorted, fermented in temperature-controlled tanks, then aged in a combination of new and used oak barrels. Although the 2016 vintage was mixed across Right Bank appellations, some estates produced their best wines ever. Let's see how this lovely Bordeaux red wine is tasting tonight...

Tasting Note:

CHÂTEAU GUILLOU 2016 - AC Montagne-Saint-Émilion, Bordeaux, France (#140483) (XD) - $23.95
Composed of 90% Merlot and 10% Cabernet Franc, the fresh, open, medium-high to highly aromatic nose is ripe, plummy, and dark berry scented with some lovely floral, sweet spice, and licorice notes adding interest and complexity. It's medium-full to full-bodied with lovely savoury, earthy, tobacco, and dark berry flavours, while the acidity is fresh and juicy. Tannins are smooth with a very fine, dusty texture, yet still somewhat chalky and drying. Savoury, earthy, and chocolatey oak notes linger on the long finish. An impressive step up from previous vintages. Highly recommended buy to enjoy over the next few years. Score: 91 pts

Other lovely wines from Vignobles Jean-Bernard Saby & Fils can be ordered through their Agent - Connexion Oenophilia.

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The Wine-demic Pack by Creekside (Niagara) - Wine Reviews

Tonight's wine reviews are a limited release set of 6 lovely and unique VQA wines called The Wine-demic Pack that were crafted by Niagara's Creekside Estate Winery and launched in April. Although things are improving of late, The Wine-demic Pack recognizes some of the daily adjustments we've all had to make while living through these difficult times.

As Andrew Howard, President of Creekside Estate Winery says, "Great wine and a sense of humour is in our DNA at Creekside, so we've combined them together to create a fun and delicious box of wine that we call our Pandemic Pack (aka Wine-demic Pack). While we won't solve any of life's real problems with this collection, we think that a sense of humour and some very good wine can help to make the current struggles a little less formidable." As these are stressful times for a lot of people, Creekside is donating a portion of the proceeds from these wines to support local mental health services.

The Wine-demic Pack Collection includes 6 delicious and unique VQA wines (reviewed below), with each wine highlighting a different aspect of pandemic living, and while the labels and names are fun in nature, the wines are no joke! You can get this Collection, which includes one of each bottle for a total of 6 bottles for $125 at the winery in Jordan, Ontario, as well as through their online store for free home delivery anywhere in the province.

Tasting Notes:

THE WINE-DEMIC PACK SAUVIGNON BLANC 2019 - VQA Ontario, Canada (XD)
Laggy wifi patience enhancer

Intense, fresh, ripe, tropical fruit aromas of guava, kiwi, passion fruit, and lemon citrus. It's medium+ bodied on the fleshy, slightly creamy palate with lovely tropical fruit and citrus aroma replays, along with some saline notes. It has fresh acidity, while the finish has touches of saline mineral notes, with very good length. Score: 90+ pts

THE WINE-DEMIC PACK PINOT GRIS 2019 - VQA Ontario, Canada (XD)
Every day is ground hog day is every day

Pours a medium-deep gold colour. The medium+ intensity nose has a slightly funky nose of peach and stone fruit aromas. It's medium+ bodied on the palate with more peach and stone fruits flavours joined by honeyed notes in a dry flavour profile. Acids are well-balanced, while more peach and stone fruit notes come through on the dry finish, with good length. Score: 88 pts

THE WINE-DEMIC PACK RAZZLE DAZZLE RIESLING 2020 - VQA Niagara Peninsula, Ontario, Canada (M)
Vaccination celebration libation

Bottled under Stelvin screw cap, this Charmat-method sparkling wine is made with Riesling and offers a fragrant nose of ripe peach, apple, citrus, and apricot with touches of white floral aromas, with lovely replays on the semi-sweet palate and frothy mousse with fresh acidity that brightens the palate. Very good length with more apple, floral, and touches of honey lingering on the finish. Score: 89 pts

THE WINE-DEMIC PACK ROSÉ 2020 - VQA Niagara Peninsula, Ontario, Canada (XD)
Spousal tolerance enhancement beverage

This blend of Pinot Noir and Pinot Gris has fresh, medium-high intensity aromatics with ripe raspberry, cranberry, strawberry, cherry, and herbal notes. It's medium-full bodied on the weighty, dry palate with fairly complex currant, cranberry, cherry, strawberry, and herbal flavours joined by orange zest nuances. It has very good acidity and a slightly tannic presence. Lovely herbal, currant, and red berry notes linger on the crisp, dry finish, with very good length. Score: 90+ pts

THE WINE-DEMIC PACK SYRAH 2019 - VQA Niagara Peninsula, Ontario, Canada (XD)
Fuzzy face and furry legs acceptance tonic

The medium+ intensity nose has funky, meaty aromas layered over dark fruit and black peppercorn. It's medium+ bodied on the palate with fresh acids and smooth, rounded, slightly dusty textured tannins that support the savoury, earthy, dark fruit, meaty, and black peppercorn flavours. Nicely balanced overall with meaty, olive, black pepper, and savoury wood notes lingering on the finish. Score: 90 pts

THE WINE-DEMIC PACK CABERNET MERLOT 2019 - VQA Ontario, Canada (XD)
Remote schooling sauce

The nose is a bit quiet, offering glimpses of red & black fruits, currant, cassis, and touches of wood spice. The full-bodied, structured palate is ripe with currant, cassis, and black cherry with touches of wood spice and herbally mint flavours, It has fresh, balanced acidity, while the structured tannins are a bit grippy. Pleasantly savoury on the tight finish, with very good length. Enjoyable now, but should be even better in 2-3 years. Score: 90 pts

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