Showing posts with label france. Show all posts
Showing posts with label france. Show all posts

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  • Date publishedFriday, February 14, 2025

La Ferme du Mont Les Marnes Bleues Rasteau 2022 (Rhône) - Wine Review

To celebrate , red wine review is the inaugural vintage of this terrific blend of Grenache and Syrah from the Southern Rhône Valley Cru of Rasteau. It was released into the LCBO VINTAGES New Release Collection on as part of the feature story exploring France's top wine regions.

La Ferme du Mont was established in 2000 by Stéphane Vedeau, a third-generation winemaker and viticulturalist who started out by understanding Grenache, paradoxes, agreed impossibilities, climates, and elevation. Stéphane spent countless hours and days performing micro-vinifications and journeys deep into the cellar to gain an understanding of Grenache and its verticality and all its freshness. At this point, a perfect balance didn't exist, but he was getting closer. With further experimentation and acquired knowledge, Stéphane eventually gained notoriety for producing high-quality wines and his attention to detail.

In 2010, Stéphane continued his journey into the northern tip of the Southern Rhône Valley by acquiring Clos Bellane in Valréas. In 2016, a new adventure begins after meeting Jean-François. After the two men reconnected through their passion for beauty and vision of the vineyard, as well as to get to know each other for a couple of years, they decide to form a business partnership and dedicate themselves to discovering the beautiful terroirs in the Rhône Valley. In 2020, the business was expanded further by purchasing 10 hectares of Val de Rois, while giving the former owner, Emmanuel Bouchard, carte blanche to maintain the vineyards at both Val de Rois and Clos Bellane. The latest acquisition took place in 2022, when the business partners purchased 12 hectares and the winemaking cellar in Crozes-Hermitage, in the northern Rhône Valley.

Today, Les Domaines du Mont is made up of these four estates and one vision - to seek the most sensitive and true interpretation of each of their terroirs in the pursuit of natural balance. The philosophy is to let nature express itself freely, as well as the constant pursuit of natural simplicity. With a conviction that everything is already in nature, Domaines du Mont seeks to express the characteristics of their terroirs using a holistic vision, one in which man is a 'guide', rather than a 'maker.' With humility a guiding principle, man must restrain the urge to intervene too much, and thus allow nature and the grapes to express their deepest essence. The goal of purity, finesse, and balance is achieved by using a minimalist approach, gentle and traditional vinification methods, including the use of gravity-fed vinification, indigenous yeasts, and minimizing sulfites well-below the limits authorized in organic wine production.

This particular wine is from La Ferme du Mont, a range of wines which I've had the pleasure of tasting several times over the years. The wines of La Ferme du Mont offer a unique and complex mosaic of vineyards, within the finest terroirs of the southern Rhône Valley. Sensible to the integrity of its environment, Stéphane Vedeau has deciphered, interpreted, and adapted to these terroirs to reveal their most sincere expression. Representative of a simple place where plants live in a constant balance within a biotope rich in different species, the goal is to produce the healthiest and most balanced fruits in harmony with the plant. With a goal of achieving harmony and balance, each vineyard parcel is approached individually and harvested at the point where freshness will remain even at high ripeness.

From the Rasteau Cru, this red wine is a blend of Grenache and Syrah. It gets its name - Les Marnes Bleues - because the grapes were grown on fine, sandy soils underlined by a safre matrix, which has a grey-blue-reflecting terroir that imparts an elegant exuberance to the renowned ripeness of Rasteau, as well as a subtle mineral texture. This vineyard is situated between 160 and 290 metres above sea level. To craft this wine, each grape was vinified separately, with multiple harvests taking place in order to achieve an optimal ripeness level that balances sweetness and harmony for each parcel. It underwent a 5 to 7 week fermentation, without any mechanical extractions prior to pressing, and was aged in uncoated concrete vats situated in a semi-underground cellar.

The extreme conditions during the 2022 growing season in the Southern Rhône were marked by intense heat and drought, with the year beginning as a dry winter that saw very little rain. It was followed by a spring that rapidly warmed up, although April did experience a fleeting cold snap. Even though temperatures continued to rise, budburst and flowering were a success. May was abnormally hot, while rain in June brought some relief. Heat and drought during the summer months kept rot and disease at bay, while humidity arrived in August, which revived the vines and greatly benefited the red grape varieties Grenache and Syrah. With high grape quality this vintage, let's see how this 2022 Rasteau from the Southern Rhône is tasting tonight...

La Ferme du Mont Les Marnes Bleues Rasteau 2022 (91+ pts)

Tasting Note:

LA FERME DU MONT LES MARNES BLEUES RASTEAU 2022 - AP, Rhône, France (#40869) (XD) - $26.95
Aged in concrete, this blend of Grenache and Syrah has a fragrant, medium-high intensity nose that is uber ripe and fruit forward with red & black raspberry, black cherry, and touches of dried herb aromas layered over blackberry and stony mineral notes that gain prominence with time in the glass. It is medium-full to full-bodied on the impressively concentrated, dry, and ripe palate with delicious black & red fruits, raspberry, black cherry, blackberry, stony mineral, and dried herbal replays. Harmonious and balanced with crisp, finely tuned acidity and smooth, ripe, and dusty textured tannins that are mildly grippy on the back palate with good structure. Ripe dark fruit, raspberry, savoury stony mineral, and smoke notes linger on long, slightly youthful, and grippy finish. Almost drinks like a Châteauneuf-du-Pape. Highly recommended buy! Score: 91+ pts

Only a few bottles of one other wine by La Ferme du Mont is available at the LCBO, while the full range can be ordered through their Agent - Dionysus Wines & Spirits.


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  • Date publishedSunday, February 2, 2025

Deux Roches Tradition Mâcon-Villages 2022 (Burgundy) - Wine Review

white wine review is the latest Chardonnay in a line of recent excellent wines by Deux Roches, the Burgundy estate of Collovray & Terrier, that has come through the LCBO. This Mâcon-Villages arrived at the LCBO this weekend in the LCBO VINTAGES New Release Collection and is featured in the theme of the release which explores France's top wine regions.

The origins of Deux Roches begins in 1928, when Joanny Collovray settled in the small village of Davayé, in the south of Burgundy, a few kilometres west of Mâcon. On this land, Joanny made goat cheeses and farmed the land by growing crops, including grapevines. By 1940, Joanny was noted for the quality of his work. In 1956, he was succeeded by his son, Henri, who maintained the family's polyculture, but also expanded the family's vine holdings by purchasing a few parcels of land in the Mâcon-Davayé appellation. Henri's son, Christian Collovray, began working the vines at the age of 16 and devoted himself entirely to vine growing.

The Terrier family had no history of cultivating vines, but Léon Terrier was the village blacksmith and worked alongside local winegrowers. Jean-Luc Terrier, Léon's son, specialized in viticulture at an agricultural college and crossed paths along the way with his neighbour and childhood friend, Christian Collovray.

The two friends - Christian Collovray and Jean-Luc Terrier - shared a love and passion for vines and wine, and married two sisters - Brigitte and Florence - who came from a family of winegrowers. Bringing together two families, the two couples had a dream to create an estate and make wine together using Christian's and his father's vines. The dream became reality in 1986 with the formation of Deux Roches, which translates to "Two Rocks", and is named after the two limestone rocks of Vergisson and Solutré that are situated in the area of Davayé.

Today, there are six members of the Collovray & Terrier involved in the family business, including Julien Collovray, son of Christian and Brigitte, and his wife Caroline, and Pierre-Alexis Terrier, son of Florence and Jean-Luc. Situated in the heart of the Mâconnais wine region in Burgundy, with its soils rich in limestone, Deux Roches is renowned for producing high-quality Chardonnay wines. The philosophy at Deux Roches is to work the soil and respect the vegetation to produce good quality fruit. They aim for perfection by mastering each and every step with each passing vintage, while also adapting to the year's weather conditions. In 2017, with a commitment to the environment, Deux Roches earned their High Environmental Certification - the French certificate for environmental sustainability.

While the excellent 2021 Deux Roches Les Pommards Saint-Véran (and still available for purchase) is from their top-tier Parcel Selections range, this Tradition Mâcon-Villages is from their lower-tiered Timeless Collection - exemplary wines that are crafted for immediate pleasure, sharing, and enjoyment.

This 100% Chardonnay was grown in the Mâcon-Villages appellation of southern Burgundy. The cuvee is a blend of several plots which were selected for their limestone soil and drainage quality, as well as their early, southeast-facing exposure to the sun. This combination of soil and sun exposure characteristics allows Deux Roches to develop straightforward, fruity, lively, and fresh wines in the pure spirit of Mâconnais. After harvest, the grapes are gently loaded by gravity into pneumatic presses, where the grapes undergo slow and long presses in order to delicately extract the juices and preserve aromatic finesse. The musts are cooled and decanted, followed by a temperature-controlled alcoholic fermentation in stainless steel tanks. The wine undergoes malolactic fermentation depending on the vintage. The wine remains in tanks for aging on its fine lees until spring. Inputs such as SO₂ are limited as much as possible throughout the entire process from picking to bottling.

The 2022 growing season in Mâconnais was marked by ample rain in June, including a big rainstorm at the end of the month, which helped slow down the physiological ripening of the grapes during the heat and dry weather of the summer months. The resilience of the vines, along with two weeks of dry and windy conditions that preceded harvest resulted in healthy grapes of good quality. Overall, it is a classic, juicy vintage with quantity. From an excellent vintage, let's see how this 2022 Chardonnay from Mâcon-Villages is tasting tonight...

Deux Roches Tradition Mâcon-Villages 2022 (91+ pts)

Tasting Note:

DEUX ROCHES TRADITION MÂCON-VILLAGES 2022 - AP, Burgundy, France (#38077) (XD) - $27.95
100% Chardonnay. Lovely, medium-high to highly aromatic nose offers elegant ripe apple, pear, lemon citrus, and orchard fruit aromas, plus touches of doughy and leesy characters and hints of white peach, with an underlying stony minerality adding further complexity. The medium-full bodied palate is dry, concentrated, ripe, and honeyed with lovely apple-pear, orchard fruit, lemon citrus flavours accented with mild spice, vanilla, and white peach notes. It has clean, juicy acidity, somewhat creamy, and a fine, mineral texture on the mid-palate. Shows finesse, elegance, and balance throughout with spice and mineral notes lingering on the long, succulent finish. Best enjoyed over the next 3-5 years on its own, with goat cheese, fish, or poultry. Highly recommended buy! Score: 91+ pts

A couple of wines by Deux Roches are available at LCBO, while the full line-up can be ordered through their Agent - Profile Wine Group.


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  • Date publishedFriday, January 31, 2025

Cave du Château des Loges Les 3 Madones Beaujolais-Villages 2022 (France) - Wine Review

red wine review is a delicious Gamay from the Beaujolais-Villages appellation in France. It is featured in the theme exploring France's top wine regions in this weekend's LCBO VINTAGES New Release Collection and is readily available for purchase now.

It is produced by Cave du Château des Loges, a co-operative winery that was established in 1960 by a group of winemakers in the commune of Le Perréon, Beaujolais, who got together and purchased Château des Loges. Housed in the 19th century winery of Château des Loges, they produced their first wines the following year from 47 hectares of Beaujolais-Villages appellation fruit. Cave du Château des Loges continues to be located in the commune of Le Perréon, in the heart of Beaujolais, and has access to vines grown in very diverse terroirs in the Beaujolais-Villages appellation. Cave du Château des Loges is located on a slope between 250 and 800 metres above sea level, a privileged location which allows them to produce wines of high-quality. This area features a very specific terroir consisting of sandy soil resulting from the decomposition of its granite subsoil, creating sandy areas called "Greae". Moreover, by being situated in these sloping hills, the shallow and very stony soil forces the vine to draw minerals and nutrients from this lean terroir where the Gamay grape finds its favourite land.

Today, the co-operative has grown to nearly 150 members and 430 hectares of vines located in different Beaujolais appellations, including the various Beaujolais Crus, as well as different grape varieties beyond Gamay, such as Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, and Viognier. Furthermore, many of these vineyards are certified HVE3 (High Environmental Value) - the highest level of French certification for environmental sustainability. HVE certification is completely voluntary, with the co-operative's approach to HVE based on the preservation of biodiversity, phytosanitary (reducing treatments), fertilization management, and water resource management. The co-operative is made up of passionate members and workers who work tirelessly to produce a high-quality harvest and craft wines to be enjoyed by all. Their values of solidarity, democracy, equality, fairness, transparency, and proximity distinguish co-operatives from other companies.

This particular wine is from their Les 3 Madones range - named after the 3 Madonnas that are situated in Perréon and Vaux-en-Beaujolais, who watch over the château and cave and protect their vineyards. This Beaujolais-Villages is 100% Gamay Noir that was grown (likely in Le Perréon) on granitic soils in a continental climate. It was vinified using the traditional Beaujolais method of semi-carbonic maceration, followed by ageing in stainless steel vat in order to preserve the crunchy fruit characters typical of wines from Beaujolais.

The 2022 growing season in Beaujolais began with a cold January, followed by a mild February. March had cool weather, which meant that the frosts of early April caused little damage. The rest of April and May was warm and dry, with successful flowering towards the end of May. The usual summer storm arrived in June and caused some hail damage, while July and August were fiercely sunny and warm with a high of 43.5°C (116°F) in early August. Despite light rains in June and August that helped offset the heat, yields were down by one-third (compared to 2021) due to drought and hail. Overall, quality was outstanding during harvest by the end of August, which resulted in aromatic, intense, and intrinsically balanced wines. From an excellent vintage, let's see how this 2022 Gamay from Beaujolais-Villages is tasting tonight...

Cave du Château des Loges Les 3 Madones Beaujolais-Villages 2022 (89 pts)

Tasting Note:

CAVE DU CHÂTEAU DES LOGES LES 3 MADONES BEAUJOLAIS-VILLAGES 2022 - AP, France (#38266) (XD) - $19.95
100% Gamay. The ripe, fresh, fragrant, and medium-high intensity nose is fruit forward with crunchy, mostly red and some black fruits, red currant, black cherry, cassis, and spice aromas with flecks of mineral. The dry, medium+ to medium-full bodied palate is ripe and fruity with black and red cherry, currant, cranberry, and spice flavours. It has fresh, lively, and well-structured acidity, while the impressively textured tannins have good weight and presence. Finely balanced with black cherry, cranberry, currant, and spice notes tapering to minerals on the somewhat grippy, youthful, and lengthy finish. Recommended buy. Score: 89 pts

A lovely Brouilly from this producer arrived in LCBO VINTAGES last October and is still available for purchase, while other wines by Cave du Château des Loges can be ordered through their Agent - Noble Estates Wines & Spirits.


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  • Date publishedWednesday, January 29, 2025

February 1, 2025 LCBO VINTAGES Release Wine Picks: France

LCBO Wine Picks: February 1, 2025 VINTAGES New Release Collection
Here are my top wine picks from the February 1, 2025 LCBO VINTAGES New Release Collection, which explores France's top wine regions. There are 73 wines in this release, 60% of which are red, and nearly all the wines come in at under $40 and should be available on shelves by this Saturday, if not earlier. Grenache and Syrah (and Shiraz) wine lovers should take particular interest in this release as there are a number of quality, wallet-friendly offerings. The HST holiday is still in effect until Feb. 15. Prices noted below include HST, but will be deducted upon check out in-store.

We'll begin with the feature story that explores France's top wine regions, and of the seventeen wines featured, seven are included among my top wine picks from France. Starting with the whites, there is a consistently fine Sancerre made with Sauvignon Blanc, a Mâcon-Villages from Burgundy crafted with Chardonnay, and the off-dry (i.e. slightly sweet) Gewürztraminer from Alsace. Moving to the south of France, the Rasteau is a blend of Grenache and Syrah, the Corbières is composed of 70% Syrah and 30% Grenache, while the Fitou from Midi is a blend of Grenache and Carignan. The lone mono-varietal red is the Beaujolais-Villages that is crafted with Gamay.

Deux Roches Tradition Macon-Villages 2022 (91+ pts)La Ferme du Mont Les Marnes Bleues Rasteau 2022 (91+ pts)

Cave du Château des Loges Les 3 Madones Beaujolais-Villages 2022 (89 pts)

Red wine recommendations from the main release begins in California with a fine 100% Cabernet Sauvignon from Sonoma County's Alexander Valley, followed by the Arrive in Style Riserva Chianti Classico from Tuscany that is 100% Sangiovese. Among the blends, the Chilean wine is crafted with 48% Cabernet Sauvignon, 33% Syrah, and 19% Carignan. There are also a pair of Côtes du Rhône-Villages wines, both of which are blends and weren't included as part of the feature story - the Plan de Dieu is the Wine of the Month and composed of Grenache, Syrah, and Mourvèdre, while the Cuvée Sabrine is a blend of 50% Grenache, 25% Syrah, 15% Mourvèdre, and 10% Cinsault. Mono-varietal wines come from down under with a fantastic Pinot Noir from New Zealand, and a Shiraz from Australia.

Rodney Strong Alexander Valley Cabernet Sauvignon 2021 (91 pts)Roc des Templiers Plan de Dieu Côtes du Rhône-Villages 2022 (89 pts)

Emiliana Novas Stellar Selection Cabernet Sauvignon / Syrah / Carignan 2022 (88+ pts)

Among my top white wine picks, all are dry (i.e. not sweet), mono-varietal wines. First up is an excellent Pinot Gris from New Zealand, followed by a Pinot Grigio from northeastern Italy. There are also a pair of fine Chenin Blanc wines from the same producer in South Africa - try both to compare and contrast! Lastly, there is a Falanghina from Basilicata, Italy.

Ken Forrester Old Vine Reserve Chenin Blanc 2023 (91 pts)Ken Forrester Swartland Terre Noir Chenin Blanc 2022 (90+ pts)

Attems Pinot Grigio 2023 (89 pts)

Enjoy my top wine recommendations from this release! Salud!

Red Wine:

  • ROC DES TEMPLIERS PLAN DE DIEU CÔTES DU RHÔNE-VILLAGES 2022 - AC, France (#539916) (XD) - $15.95  89 pts  wine review
  • EMILIANA NOVAS STELLAR SELECTION CABERNET SAUVIGNON / SYRAH / CARIGNAN 2022 - Vegan, DO Valle del Maule, Chile (#35672) (XD) - $17.95  88+ pts  wine review
  • GÉRARD BERTRAND AN 990 FITOU GRENACHE / CARIGNAN 2021 - AP, Midi, France (#403683) (XD) - $17.95
  • ANDRÉ BRUNEL CUVÉE SABRINE CÔTES DU RHÔNE-VILLAGES 2022 - AC, France (#538496) (XD) - $18.95
  • VIA NOSTRUM 2020 - AP Corbières, Languedoc, France (#32040) (XD) - $18.95
  • CAVE DU CHÂTEAU DES LOGES LES 3 MADONES BEAUJOLAIS-VILLAGES 2022 - AP, France (#38266) (XD) - $19.95  89 pts  wine review
  • SIDEWOOD SHIRAZ 2021 - Adelaide Hills, South Australia (#446146) (XD) - $19.95
  • CASTELLI DEL GREVEPESA CLEMENTE VII RISERVA CHIANTI CLASSICO 2020 - DOCG, Tuscany, Italy (#643205) (XD) - $24.95
  • LA FERME DU MONT LES MARNES BLEUES RASTEAU 2022 - AP, Rhône, France (#40869) (XD) - $26.95  91+ pts  wine review
  • BABICH ORGANIC SINGLE VINEYARD PINOT NOIR 2020 - Sustainable, Vegan, Marlborough, South Island, New Zealand (#37402) (XD) - $28.95
  • RODNEY STRONG ALEXANDER VALLEY CABERNET SAUVIGNON 2021 - Sonoma County, California, USA (#350454) (XD) - $34.95  91 pts  wine review

White Wine:

  • JOSEPH CATTIN GEWURZTRAMINER 2023 - Sustainable, AC Alsace, France (#224626) (D) - $18.95
  • KEN FORRESTER OLD VINE RESERVE CHENIN BLANC 2023 - WO Stellenbosch, South Africa (#231282) (XD) - $18.95  91 pts  wine review
  • PATERNOSTER VULCANICO FALANGHINA 2022 - IGT Basilicata, Italy (#19691) (XD) - $19.95
  • ATTEMS PINOT GRIGIO 2023 - DOC Friuli, Italy (#707950) (XD) - $19.95  89 pts  wine review
  • BABICH BLACK LABEL MARLBOROUGH PINOT GRIS 2023 - Sustainable, Estate grown, South Island, New Zealand (#36906) (XD) - $20.95
  • KEN FORRESTER SWARTLAND TERRE NOIR CHENIN BLANC 2022 - WO Swartland, South Africa (#15716) (XD) - $22.95  90+ pts  wine review
  • DEUX ROCHES TRADITION MÂCON-VILLAGES 2022 - AP, Burgundy, France (#38077) (XD) - $27.95  91+ pts  wine review
  • JEAN-MAX ROGER CUVÉE GENÈSE SANCERRE 2022 - AC, Loire, France (#189126) (XD) - $38.95


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  • Date publishedSaturday, January 11, 2025

Famille Perrin Les Christins Vacqueyras 2010 (Rhône) - Wine Review

red wine review is a mature Vacqueyras that I purchased over a dozen years ago when it arrived on shelves across Ontario in the LCBO VINTAGES Release. While this vintage is long sold out, this wine does come through LCBO VINTAGES every fall, with a small amount of the latest vintage (2021) currently available at the LCBO.

This Southern Rhône red wine is produced by the renowned Famille Perrin winemaking family. It is a blend of 80% Grenache and 20% Syrah that was grown in the Southern Rhone Valley Cru of Vacqueyras. The grapes were hand-harvested and placed in 25 kg boxes. Upon arriving at the winery, the grapes were crushed and underwent a month-long fermentation, with half going into 50 hectolitre tanks, while the other half was fermented Foudres. The wines underwent malolactic fermentation, and was then blended and aged for one year in a combination of Foudres and barrels.

The growing conditions in the Southern Rhone Valley in 2010 produced an exceptional vintage. There was heavy rainfall during spring, followed by a very hot summer. September featured an Indian summer, which allowed for long hang-time and great harvest conditions. Yield reduction during the initial phase of the growing season greatly benefited the grapes that remained on the vine, which resulted in a legendary vintage that produced very balanced wines with intense fruit notes and great finesse. I imagine that I've held on to this a bit too long, but let's see how this 2010 Vacqueyras is tasting tonight...

Famille Perrin Les Christins Vacqueyras 2010 (89 pts)

Tasting Note:

FAMILLE PERRIN LES CHRISTINS VACQUEYRAS 2010 - AC, Rhône, France (#973453) (XD) - $23.95
Pours a deep garnet colour. This blend of 80% Grenache and 20% Syrah has an open, medium-high intensity nose that offers mature, stewed dark berry aromas alongside sweet baking spices, leather, dried purple flowers, and savoury wet earth, plus some dried dark berry tones. On the dry, tangy, and medium-full bodied palate, the fruit is shifting into the mature, dried spectrum, and is joined by savoury wet earth, leather, and dried spice flavours. It has tangy, lemony acidity, while the grippy textured and astringent tannins overwhelm the palate. Savoury earth, spice, floral, plus smoky mineral notes linger on the finish, with a touch of heat at the tail end. Enjoyable, but certainly past its drinking window. Drink now if you have a bottle. Score: 89 pts


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  • Date publishedSaturday, December 28, 2024

Palmer Brut Réserve Champagne (France) - Wine Review

Just in time for year-end celebrations, sparkling wine review is a beautiful, non-vintage Champagne that is brand-new to the LCBO, arriving as part of the recent LCBO VINTAGES New Release Collection as an Online & Flagship Exclusive.

It is produced by Palmer & Co., a prestigious Champagne house that was established in 1947 by seven families who were also growers that owned prized Premier Cru and Grand Cru vineyards in the Montagne de Reims region of Champagne. These seven families shared a desire for perfection and had a vision to create a Champagne house known for its passion and pursuit of excellence, and wines with harmony and balance, qualities that still define the Champagne Palmer style today.

Palmer & Co represents a true search for harmony and balance that was initiated by the 7 founding winegrowers. Today, Champagne Palmer has become a house of reference and is well-prepared for the challenges of tomorrow. Palmer & Co is able to distinguish itself through its grands terroirs of Montagne de Reims, where all of its vineyards are classified as Premier Cru or Grand Cru. Additionally, Palmer & Co also has vineyards in the areas of Côte de Sézanne, Côte des Bar, and Marne Valley, and during the blending process these areas add elegance and balance that are iconic to the Palmer & Co style.

For Palmer & Co, the Cellar Master plays a role that is just as important as the work of nature. To create each cuvée, Xavier Berdin, the Cellar Master at Palmer & Co, and his four oenologists blend the different varieties, crus, and reserve wines until the perfect balance is achieved. A significant percentage of reserve wines constitute the backbone of Palmer & Co's non-vintage cuvées, which are selected for their structure and aptitude for ageing, while also lending richness and depth to the blend. One other important distinguishing factor is that Palmer & Co is one of the few Champagne houses that has adapted the famous Solera system of Jerez to the wines of Champagne with a perpetual reserve system that is refreshed every year with the wines from the latest harvest. For over 35 years, Palmer & Co has been working with three Soleras in two stages - the first in oak casks for the new vintage, and then added to the perpetual reserve in stainless steel vats. Xavier and his team passionately watch over the wines of yesterday, today, and tomorrow with unrelenting vigilance.

The Palmer & Co style is made up of several inspired collections which are an expression of a very special art that combines technical precision with harmony to produce champagnes characterized by their elegance and balance. Palmer & Co Champagnes are expressed fully after a long maturation period in their chalk cellars, which are located 18 metres below ground. The traditional method sparkling wines of Palmer & Co are dominated by the freshness and purity of its Chardonnays, leading to a style that is seductive through its precision and clarity. Pinot Noir adds grace and power, while Pinot Meunier adds generosity, and the significant contribution of reserve wines adds rich fullness and rare maturity.

Palmer & Co is also committed to the environment. They produce wines while respecting the environment and preserving the integrity of the grapes. Palmer & Co is heavily committed to sustainable winegrowing, with an action plan that involves soil and vine nutrition, soil maintenance, treatment of the vines, sustainable protection of the vineyards, and waste management. The technicians of Palmer & Co are actively involved with winegrowers to ensure maximum respect for everyone and the environment in the vineyard and the winegrowing process.

This non-vintage Champagne by Palmer & Co. is the flagship wine of the house. It is made from a selection of the most prestigious terroirs of Champagne, with Premier Cru and Grand Cru grapes of the Montagne de Reims dominating the blend and leaving their mark. It is typically a blend of 50-55% Chardonnay, 35-40% Pinot Noir, and 10-15% Pinot Meunier. This Champagne is also typically composed of a significant amount of reserve wine (30-35%), which brings a rare fullness and maturity to this class of traditional method sparkling wine. This 750 mL bottling is aged on its lees for 4 years, while the Magnum is aged on its lees for 6 years. Crafted in the timeless Palmer-style, this Brut Réserve Champagne exudes excellence and is distinguished above all by its remarkable finesse and elegance. Let's see how this Champagne tastes tonight...

Palmer Brut Réserve Champagne (93 pts)

Tasting Note:

PALMER BRUT RÉSERVE CHAMPAGNE - AC, France (#39865) (XD) - $85.95 $74.80
Blend of 51% Chardonnay, 30% Pinot Noir, and 19% Pinot Meunier, with 22% reserve wine that was bottled Jan. 22, 2019, aged on its lees for 4 years, and disgorged on Feb. 20, 2023. Lot L23131C. Rich and elegantly fragrant, the medium-high to highly aromatic nose has a lovely, complex mix of biscuit, toasty, brioche, autolytic, lemon citrus, and pear/apple aromas, plus leesy mineral accents. The mid-weighted palate is crisp and refreshing with lovely autolytic, lemon citrus, brioche, toasty, pear, and apple replays on the flavour profile. It has an elegant mouthfeel with crisp acidity and a fine bead of bubbles. Harmonious and well-balanced throughout with fine citrus, toasty, and leesy mineral notes joined by white florals on the long, crisp, and elegant finish. Highly recommended buy! Score: 93 pts

Limited quantities of other fine Champagnes by Palmer can be found at the LCBO, while the full range can be ordered through their Agent - Arterra Wines Canada.


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  • Date publishedSaturday, December 7, 2024

Deux Roches Les Pommards Saint-Véran 2021 (Burgundy) - Wine Review

After enjoying the lovely 2021 Deux Roches Vieilles Vignes Pouilly-Fuissé a couple of months ago, for white wine review we go up a notch with this excellent, single vineyard Chardonnay from Burgundy that was a brand-new arrival at the LCBO last month as an Online & Flagship Exclusive in the LCBO VINTAGES New Release Collection - with plenty still available for purchase today!

Like the Pouilly-Fuissé, this white wine is produced by Deux Roches, the Burgundy estate winery that is run by two long-time friends, Christian Collovray and Jean-Luc Terrier, who are behind Collovray et Terrier. The Domaine of Deux Roches is situated in the heart of the picturesque Mâconnais landscape, in the village of Davayé to the north of the Saint-Véran AOC, and specializes in the production of Chardonnay wines in the Mâconnais style. Deux Roches, which translates to "Two Rocks", gets its name from the two limestone rocks of Vergisson and Solutré that are situated in the area.

Deux Roches' story begins in 1928, when Joanny Collovray settled in the small village of Davayé to farm the land with various crops, including grapevines, and produce goat's cheese. Joanny was a simple tenant farmer and produced some wine on the property, while letting merchants take care of selling the wine. In 1940, Collovray's wines were mentioned in the press for their quality. In 1956, Henri Collovray, son of Joanny, took over the property and extended the family's vineyard holdings by purchasing a few parcels in the Mâcon-Davayé appellation. At the young age of 16, Christian Collovray, son of Henri, began working the vines and, eventually, gave up animal farming to solely focus on winegrowing.

The Terrier family had no history of cultivating vines, but Léon Terrier was the village blacksmith and worked alongside local winegrowers. His son, Jean-Luc Terrier, chose to go to an agricultural college and specialize in viticulture, and crossed paths with his childhood friend and neighbour, Christian Collovray. Together, Christian and Jean-Luc shared a love for vines and wines, a bond which grew even closer when they married sisters Brigitte and Florence, who were from a family of winegrowers.

Today, with the next generation joining the family business, Deux Roches is recognized for producing great wines that respect terroir and tradition, at relatively accessible prices. With agricultural roots, they know that everything begins in the vineyard as they work the soil and have respect for the vegetation. Perfection is the objective, while also recognizing that adapting to the year's weather conditions is also necessary. Sustainability is also a core value of Collovray et Terrier as they minimize inputs and use natural processes to stimulate the plants’ own natural defences to control pests and disease. The families also protect and encourage biodiversity, with one of these projects revolving around having beehives on the property in Davayé. Other initiatives in reducing their environmental impact include minimizing the use of water in the cellar and controlling waste disposal, and limiting the use of energy from non-renewable sources.

This white wine is from Deux Roches' top-tier Parcel Selections range - single vineyard wines that are the expression of a specific place with a unique character. Since the beginning, Collovray & Terrier have sought to produce wines that express the individual characteristics of each of their parcels, with their extraordinary organoleptic potential. For the Parcel Selections range, they employ all the techniques and skills available to them, such as hand harvesting and lengthy barrel ageing, to allow the terroir to speak of the superb complexity conferred by the wines' origins.

Crafted with 100% Chardonnay, the grapes for this wine were grown on a 0.81 hectare plot located in the town of Davayé, on the hillside of the Roche de Solutré. The vines are north-facing, on a 30% slope, and planted between 1975 and 1983 on marly soil that is moderately deep, and is made up of chalk on the surface. The grapes were manually harvested and gently loaded into the pneumatic presses by gravity, followed by long pressing cycles in order to preserve the aromatic finesse. The must was cold-stabilized, then decanted and placed into barrels for fermentation. The wine was aged for 19 months, of which 11 months were in barrels, followed by 8 months in vats.

In 2021, the growing season in Burgundy was challenging due to the season beginning with a hard winter frost, followed by pests and disease which wreaked havoc in the vineyards and reduced yields. Summer was cool-ish, while the wine quality was determined by hard work in the vineyard and at the winery. In challenging vintages, the best vignerons can still produce delicious and harmonious wines exhibiting freshness, energy, elegance, and finesse. Let's see how this 2021 single vineyard Chardonnay from Burgundy is tasting tonight...

Deux Roches Les Pommards Saint-Véran 2021 (93 pts)

Tasting Note:

DEUX ROCHES LES POMMARDS SAINT-VÉRAN 2021 - AP, Burgundy, France (#37919) (XD) - $50.95
This single vineyard Chardonnay has richly elegant, medium-high intensity, and developing aromas of stone and orchard fruits, nectarine, honeysuckle, apple, and pear, plus floral, vanilla, oak spice, flinty mineral, and hints of mushroom add intrigue and great complexity. It is impressively concentrated on the dry, medium+ to medium-full bodied palate with rich and lovely honeyed, nutty, vanilla oak spice flavours surrounding a core of ripe orchard fruit, apple, pear, nectarine, and floral. It's nicely textured with very good structure and juicy, mouth-watering acidity. Still somewhat youthful on the structured and textured finish with tangy stone fruit and flinty mineral notes lingering on the finish, with excellent length. Should drink beautifully into the early 2030s and is a highly recommended buy! Score: 93 pts

Other fine wines by Collovray et Terrier's Deux Roches label and can be found at the LCBO, or ordered through their Agent - Profile Wine Group.


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  • Date publishedSaturday, November 16, 2024

Rémy Ferbras Plan de Dieu Côtes du Rhône-Villages 2022 (France) - Wine Review

red wine review is a lovely Côtes du Rhône-Villages from the Plan de Dieu appellation that arrived at the LCBO last month in the LCBO VINTAGES New Release Collection.

Like the 2018 Rémy Ferbras Terre de Mistral Plan de Dieu Côtes du Rhône-Villages I enjoyed a couple of years ago, this red wine is produced by Rémy Ferbras, a winery with deep roots in the Southern Rhone Valley, at the heart of the prestigious Châteauneuf-du-Pape vineyards. Owned by Grandes Serres winery, they pay tribute to Rémy Ferbras, its very first cellar master. Rémy Ferbras was an iconic figure of the winery and a tireless advocate of the Rhône terroir and its grape varieties. He succeeded in expressing the full potential of Rhône Valley wines and, through his work and tenacity, contributed greatly to the development and public recognition of Grandes Serres. The Rémy Ferbras range of wines are the result of strict selections, precise vinification, and ageing, methodologies he would've used, to produce wines that are rich, elegant, complex, and flavourful.

This red wine is a blend of four grapes that were grown in the Plan de Dieu appellation, in the heart of the Southern Rhône Valley. Plan de Dieu is spread across four villages and extends to the foothills of the Dentelles de Montmirail. In the Middle Ages, the sisters of Prébayon Abbey tended to these lands, which were covered with a vast garrigue forest rife with brigands and other robbers who ambushed travellers. Thus, when travelling in the region, it is best to put yourself in God's hands! Vine cultivation had been practiced in the region since at least 1326, but was abandoned for many years until it was revived during the 1920s. The terroir of this plateau is stony and arid, with soils composed of mainly limestone chippings and brown clay, conditions loved by Grenache.

A blend of Grenache, Syrah, Cinsault, and Mourvèdre, the grapes for this red wine were picked at optimum harvest maturity. Each grape was vinified separately using traditional techniques for each grape variety. It underwent alcoholic fermentation between 26-28°C, with two weeks of maceration. After undergoing malolactic fermentation, the individual wines were blended and bottled.

The 2022 growing season in the Southern Rhône Valley was marked by intense heat and drought. The year began with a dry winter and very little rain, followed by a spring that rapidly warmed up, although there was a fleeting cold snap in April. Temperatures continued to rise throughout spring, leading to a successful budburst and flowering. May was abnormally hot, while June rains brought some relief. Summer brought intense heat and drought, with some vines struggling, while rot and disease were mostly kept at bay. Some humidity in August helped revive some of the vines. From a very good vintage that was more suitable for red wines, particularly Grenache and Syrah, let's see how this 2022 Plan de Dieu Côtes du Rhône-Villages red wine is tasting tonight...

Rémy Ferbras Plan de Dieu Côtes du Rhône-Villages 2022 (89 pts)

Tasting Note:

RÉMY FERBRAS PLAN DE DIEU CÔTES DU RHÔNE-VILLAGES 2022 - AP, France (#538009) (XD) - $17.95
This blend of Grenache, Syrah, Cinsault, and Mourvèdre has a fragrant, open, and medium-high intensity nose that offers ripe, lush, and complex aromas of black raspberry, scorched earth, smoky mineral, red plum, black cherry, blackberry, and spice notes. On the crisp, dry, medium+ bodied palate, it has lovely, ripe black raspberry, red plum, cherry, peppery spice, red licorice, and mineral flavours. It has juicy, succulent acidity, and supple, lightly chalky tannins with good structure. Gently tangy on the mid-palate, while lovely smoky mineral and touches of spice notes linger on the long, savoury finish. Absolutely delicious and a highly recommended buy to enjoy over the next 3-4 years. Score: 89 pts

Other lovely wines by Rémy Ferbras can be ordered through their Agent - DBINO David Beauroy Selections.


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  • Date publishedSaturday, October 26, 2024

La Chevalière Rasteau 2022 (Rhône) - Wine Review

red wine review is an excellent Grenache-based blend from Rasteau that arrived at the LCBO earlier this month as part of the LCBO VINTAGES New Release Collection.

The La Chevalière label is a joint product between Les Grandes Serres and Rémy Ferbras. Both producers are based in the Rhône Valley and known for their expertise in crafting high-quality wines from the prestigious Southern Rhône Valley appellations. They use traditional winemaking techniques combined with modern practices to express the unique terroirs of the Rhône Valley. With sustainable vineyard practices, hand-harvesting, and meticulous sorting of grapes, both producers work with growers to ensure high-quality grapes are grown.

Like the 2017 La Chevalière Rasteau I enjoyed a few years ago, this red wine is a blend of four grapes led by Grenache. The 2022 vintage is, in fact, a blend of 70% Grenache, 10% Carignan, 10% Mourvèdre, and 10% Syrah. The grapes were grown in the Rasteau Cru, a village located just north of Vaucluse county, between the valleys of Aigues and Ouvèze, in the Southern Rhône Valley. The area of Rasteau has a variety of terroirs, including red marl and sandstone, clay and limestone soils, and is covered with worn pebbles on the surface. After accumulating heat throughout the day, these pebbles are known for their ability to release all that heat at night, which in turn cools down the vines. The Mediterranean climate and diversity of terroirs in Rasteau offers an ideal environment for the wines to fully express their structured, generous, and powerful nature.

To vinify this Rhône red, the grapes were destemmed, softly crushed, and placed in temperature-controlled vats to undergo a three-week maceration with regular pumping-over and délestage (rack and return). After ageing, the different terroirs were blended together to achieve optimum balance for the very differentiated character of this Rasteau.

The 2022 growing season in the Southern Rhône was marked by intense heat and drought, with the year beginning as a dry winter that saw very little rain. It was followed by a spring that rapidly warmed up, although April did experience a fleeting cold snap. Even though temperatures continued to rise, budburst and flowering were a success. May was abnormally hot, while rain in June brought some relief. Heat and drought during the summer months kept rot and disease at bay, while humidity arrived in August, which revived the vines and benefited the red grape varieties Grenache and Syrah. Overall, grape quality is high in 2022. Let's see how this 2022 Rasteau from the Southern Rhône is tasting tonight...

La Chevalière Rasteau 2022 (91 pts)

Tasting Note:

LA CHEVALIÈRE RASTEAU 2022 - AC, Rhône, France (#18502) (XD) - $23.95
This blend of 70% Grenache, 10% Carignan, 10% Mourvèdre, and 10% Syrah has a ripe, bright, and lifted nose of medium-high to high intensity that delivers lovely red & black raspberry, blackberry, black cherry, and spice aromas surrounding a meaty, savoury, and mineral core. Some olive and Mediterranean herb aromas appear with time in the glass, adding further complexity. On the dry, medium+ to medium-full bodied palate it has spicy, black and red berry fruited raspberry, cassis, savoury mineral, and earthy flavours with some plummy notes. Acids are fresh and tangy, while structured, grainy tannins have some chalky grip. Peppery spice with savoury earth and stony mineral notes linger on the long, grippy, and structured finish. Enjoyable now, and should drink well over the next 6-8 years. Highly recommended buy! Score: 91 pts

Other lovely wines from the producers of La Chevalière can be ordered through their Agent - DBINO David Beauroy Selections.


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  • Date publishedMonday, October 14, 2024

Deux Roches Vieilles Vignes Pouilly-Fuissé 2021 (Burgundy) - Wine Review

Happy Thanksgiving! white wine review is a lovely white wine that I first tasted just over a year ago and am delighted to see it arrive at the LCBO as part of the LCBO VINTAGES New Release Collection as an Online & Flagship Exclusive and available at 17 stores in Ontario right now.

Deux Roches is the Burgundy winery of Collovray et Terrier. The Domaine is situated in the heart of the picturesque Mâconnais landscape, in the village of Davayé, and focuses mainly on white wines made with Chardonnay in the Mâconnais style.

The story of Deux Roches, which means "Two Rocks", begins in 1928 when Joanny Collovray settled in the small village of Davayé, a few kilometres west of Mâcon, in the south of Burgundy. He farmed the land, made goat cheese, and grew various crops, including vines. As a simple tenant farmer, he made some wine on the property and the merchants took care of selling it, and in 1940, Collovray was mentioned in the press for the quality of his work. In 1956, his son, Henri Collovray, took over the property and extended the family's vine holdings by purchasing a few parcels in the Mâcon-Davayé appellation. At the young age of 16, Henri's son, Christian, began working the vines and later gave up animal farming to focus solely on winegrowing.

The Terrier family had no history of cultivating vines. Léon Terrier was the village blacksmith and always worked alongside local winegrowers. Growing up in this environment, Léon's son, Jean-Luc Terrier, chose to go to an agricultural college and specialize in viticulture. Jean-Luc crossed paths along the way with Christian, his neighbour and childhood friend, and together they shared a love of the vines and wines.

Christian and Jean-Luc's bond grew even closer when they married two sisters, Brigitte and Florence, who were also from a family of winegrowers. The two couples had a dream to create an estate together to make wines from Christian and his father's vines, and in 1986 the dream became a reality. The vines were grouped around the two rocks of Vergisson and Solutré, which led to the name "Deux Roches". From the beginning, each member of the two families played a role, with Christian tending the vines, Jean-Luc responsible for the cellar and sales, and both Brigitte and Florence first worked the vines, then looked after bottling, and finally devoting themselves to administrative and commercial matters as the business grew.

In 2009, Julien Collovray, son of Christian and Brigitte, joined the family business following his studies in viticulture, oenology, law, and economics, and various experiences at other wine estates. In 2012, Caroline Collovray, Julien's wife, also joined the estate as an oenologist with experience in several estates. In 2019, Pierre-Alexis Terrier, son of Jean-Luc and Florence, returned to the Domaine after completing his studies abroad and working in the vines and the cellar at both Davayé and Antugnac in Languedoc.

The philosophy at Deux Roches is to craft wines that express the unique terroirs of the Mâconnais, while working the soil and respecting the vegetation. Their goal is to have perfection, which means mastering each step from the vineyard to bottle, and includes adapting to the year's weather conditions by evolving and experimenting with each parcel. Since 2017, Deux Roches has earned High Environmental Certification for their commitment to the environment, where they use natural processes and minimize inputs to anticipate disease and manage the vineyard, while also promoting and encouraging biodiversity. Collovray et Terrier also work to have the least possible environmental impact in the cellar, including minimizing the use of water and limiting energy use from non-renewable sources.

Domaine des Deux Roches has two lines of wines within their portfolio - the Timeless Collection and the single vineyard Parcel Selections. The Timeless Collection of wines are exemplary, accessible, and made for drinking and sharing with enjoyment for immediate pleasure. The Timeless Collection wines are blended from several vineyards and aged in stainless steel or oak. The aim of the Timeless Collection is to give true expression of the appellations, while also corresponding to their vision of the Mâconnais style - great classics that never cease to please!

This white wine is from Deux Roches' Timeless Collection. It is 100% Chardonnay from 60 to 100-year-old vines grown on the estate and from selected parcels grown by long-standing partner winegrowers who are friends and family. The vines are planted on mainly limestone clay hillsides near the Rocks of Solutré and Vergisson, and also at Chaintré and Fuissé. The selection of grapes from these sites allows Collovray et Terrier to produce a delicate, mineral wine, with bright and refined aromas, as well as a rich, solid structure. To vinify this wine, the grapes were harvested and gravity-fed into pneumatic presses. Pressing is long and slow to ensure that the juice is delicately extracted and to preserve aromatic finesse. The resulting must is cooled and decanted, followed by alcoholic fermentation in barrel, with 20% in 600 L demi-muids, and less than 10% is new wood, followed by ageing on its fine lees until spring. Inputs are restricted during the entire process, including the use of sulphur dioxide.

The 2021 vintage was a challenging one in Burgundy that began with a hard winter frost, along with pests and disease that wreaked havoc in the vineyards and reduced yields. It was a cool-ish summer, with wine quality determined by hard work in the vineyard and winery. Let's see how this 2021 Chardonnay from Pouilly-Fuissé in Burgundy is tasting tonight...

Deux Roches Vieilles Vignes Pouilly-Fuissé 2021 (91 pts)

Tasting Note:

DEUX ROCHES VIEILLES VIGNES POUILLY-FUISSÉ 2021 - AP, Burgundy, France (#488825) (XD) - $49.95
100% Chardonnay. The medium+ to medium-high intensity nose takes a while to reveal the maturing, earthy, stony mineral aromas mingling with baked apple, lemon peel, and whiffs of mushroom and nut. On the dry, medium-full bodied palate it is deliciously flavoured, structured, and complex with lovely orchard fruit, apple, pear, lemon citrus, white peach and spice flavours backed by nutty notes and a stony mineral core. It has zesty, well-structured acidity, while stony-leesy mineral, orchard fruit, citrus, and mushroom notes with touches of spice lingering on the long, crisp, and very juicy finish. An intriguing wine to enjoy on its own or with poultry and seafood over the next 3-4 years. Recommended buy! Score: 91 pts

One other wine from Collovray et Terrier's Deux Roches label can be found at the LCBO, while the entire portfolio can be ordered through their Agent - Profile Wine Group.


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  • Date publishedSaturday, October 12, 2024

Xavier Vignon Lirac 2020 (Rhône) - Wine Review

red wine review is the follow-up to the excellent 2019 Xavier Vignon Lirac that I enjoyed nearly three years ago. This latest vintage arrived at the LCBO as part of last month's LCBO VINTAGES New Release Collection.

It is produced by Xavier Vins, a wine label that was established towards the end of the 20th century by celebrated French winemaker Xavier Vignon. The story begins while Xavier was studying in the faculty of pharmacy in the Champagne capital of Reims when he caught the wine bug thanks to a chance encounter with an oenologist. This encounter led to Xavier gaining valuable experience at several Champagne houses and was the beginning of his journey into the world of winegrowing and producing wine.

Today, Xavier Vignon is known for using his expertise in blending and deep understanding of terroir to produce high-quality wines from the Rhône Valley. The philosophy at Xavier Vignon is to use an unusual, original, and creative approach that combines daring with inspiration. His time in Champagne and Bordeaux left a lasting impression on him, with strong values in the freedom of blending and the notion of beginning with an idea before embarking on the creation of the wine. Furthermore, each year is different and a source of surprise. The art of blending different grape varieties imparts complexity to the wine, while also enhancing the terroir. As a means to achieve this philosophy, Xavier Vignon has a wide range of ingredients at his disposal, such as grapes, terroirs, parcels, exposures, altitudes, stainless steel, concrete, and wooden receptacles.

With Xavier's deep knowledge of each and every part of the Rhône Valley, he is able to start by selecting a soil, a parcel, and a varietal with the aim of creating the most loyal and harmonious composition possible. Wines are always the result of contrary or complementary unions, and by bringing together these different entities, it provides the opportunity for the best possible result. Therefore, each cuvée is a unique experience that is an expression of vintage, varietal or terroir. It is also a source of emotion that is guided by the pleasure of sharing, and an invitation to not only dream, but also to better understand those landscapes which Xavier holds close to his heart. Xavier Vignon strives to capture this little part of the southern Rhône in the bottle, to encapsulate all of its aromas, colours, and textures, with the ultimate goal of making people happy.

While the previous vintage was predominantly Grenache, the 2020 vintage is a blend of 60% Grenache and 40% Syrah. This cuvée was crafted using grapes from the heart of the Lirac appellation, one of the most southern Crus of the Rhône Valley and covers the best soils of four communes in the Gard. The grapes come from a selection of 15 parcels within the appellation that are mainly made up of rolled pebbles and clay soils. In the vineyard, the grapes were pruned using the goblet pruning method, which helps limit the sugar content and preserves freshness. In a sunny vintage such as 2020, goblet pruning allows natural acidity to be maintained. Upon determining the harvest dates by daily measurement of polyphenols in the berries, the grapes were manually harvested. It was fermented at a moderate temperature to favour soft diffusion of flavour compounds using 100% free-run juice, with extraction by gravity. All the Grenache was vinified and matured in concrete tanks. Meanwhile, 30% of the Syrah was matured in unheated Allier and Vosges barrels for 12 months, with the remainder matured in concrete tanks.

From an excellent growing season that delivered wines of finesse and elegance, let's see how this 2020 Lirac red from the southern Rhône Valley is tasting tonight...

Xavier Vignon Lirac 2020 (90+ pts)

Tasting Note:

XAVIER VIGNON LIRAC 2020 - AP, Rhône, France (#636183) (XD) - $23.95
Mostly aged in concrete tanks, this blend of 60% Grenache and 40% Syrah has a ripe and spicy medium-high intensity nose that offers lovely black & red cherry, peppery spice, blackberry, and stony mineral aromas with touches of floral and oak spice. The dry, medium-full bodied palate shows elegance and finesse with delicious black raspberry, red & black cherry, peppery spice, and mineral flavours, joined by meaty and floral touches that add complexity. It's well-supported by juicy, well-balanced acidity and smooth, fine-grained, and well-structured tannins. It's nicely balanced throughout with savoury mineral notes lingering on the long, gently chalky finish, with excellent length. Enjoy this highly recommended buy over the next 5+ years. Score: 90+ pts

Several lovely wines by Xavier Vignon are available at the LCBO, while the entire range can be ordered through their Agent - Noble Estates Wines & Spirits.


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  • Date publishedFriday, October 4, 2024

Trénel Beaujolais-Villages 2022 (France) - Wine Review

red wine review is a lovely Gamay from Beaujolais that arrived at the LCBO last month in the LCBO VINTAGES New Release Collection.

It is produced by Maison Trénel, a winery that was created in Burgundy in 1928 by Henri Claudius Trénel. Since the beginning, Maison Trénel's philosophy has been driven by the search for authenticity in their wines, as well as their fruit-liqueurs. To create their products, Trénel chooses the best terroirs in Burgundy and Beaujolais as the source of their fruit. With Burgundy tradition the cornerstone of Maison Trénel, the taste of authenticity has been present since its founding.

Today, Maison Trénel is renowned for its wines, specifically from the Beaujolais and Mâconnais areas. Trénel has also become a local reference as the winery was passed down from Henri Claudius to his son, André, and remains a familial authentic company, a philosophy that shared with the famous Maison M. Chapoutier, with whom they collaborate with today.

Trénel is dedicated to crafting high-quality wines that reflect the unique terroirs from across Beaujolais and Burgundy. While embracing sustainable vineyard practices, Trénel uses traditional winemaking methods and focuses on minimal intervention during the vinification process to allow the wines to express the specific terroir, climate, and geology of each area.

This red wine is crafted with 100% Gamay from the Beaujolais Villages AOP. There are 38 Villages that make up the Beaujolais Villages AOP, which produce wines of distinction and character. Most of the grapes in this red wine come from the areas of Le Perréon and Clochermerle, in the south of the AOP. These regions' undulating landscapes are perfectly suited to Gamay Noir. The Gamay used to craft this wine are from 30 to 60 year old vines which are planted facing southeast, on silty clay granite soil. After hand-harvesting the grapes, they underwent an 8-10 day maceration, 30% of which were destemmed. After fermentation, the wine was aged for 6 months in concrete tank, and then bottled without fining, but a light filtration.

The 2022 growing season in Beaujolais began with a cold January and a mild February. This was followed by cool weather in March, which helped prevent frost damage in April, while the rest of April and May was warm and dry, leading to an even and successful flowering. Violent summer storms, which often come to this continental zone, arrived at the end of June and caused some hail damage. The summer months of July and August were fiercely sunny and warm, leading to some drought losses and lowered yields during harvest. However, the quality of the grapes was outstanding, leading to aromatic and intense wines with fine balance, sap, and poise, especially from those grown in clay and granite soils. Let's see how this 2022 Beaujolais-Villages Gamay is tasting tonight...

Trénel Beaujolais-Villages 2022 (89 pts)

Tasting Note:

TRÉNEL BEAUJOLAIS-VILLAGES 2022 - AP, France (#487140) (XD) - $19.95
100% Gamay. The open, medium+ to medium-high intensity nose is spicy with savoury earth aromas layered over ripe black fruits, black cherry, plus touches of cassis, floral, cranberry that emerge with time in the glass. On the dry, mid-weighted palate it is ripe with black cherry, cassis, spice, earth flavours with touches of cranberry. It has crisp, clean, and fresh acidity, along with supple, slightly grippy tannins. Pleasing mineral notes join the dark cherry, earth, and spice flavours on the finish, with very good length. This shows better balance with time in the glass and will be better in 6 to 12 months. Recommended buy! Score: 89 pts

Other delicious wines by Maison Trenel can be ordered through their Agent - Noble Estates Wines & Spirits.


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  • Date publishedWednesday, October 2, 2024

Les Turitelles Altugnac Pinot Noir 2022 (France) - Wine Review

red wine review is a delicious Pinot Noir from the Upper Aude Valley in the Languedoc region. It is a brand-new arrival at the LCBO that landed on shelves across Ontario as part of the LCBO VINTAGES New Release Collection.

Domaine Altugnac is the Languedoc wine estate of two winegrowing families - Collovray & Terrier. The estate of Altugnac is situated in Antugnac, on the edge of Languedoc, on the Pyrenean foothills, where the vines flirt with the scrubland and the woods, between sunny days and cool nights, and at the crossroads of the Atlantic and Mediterranean winds. Antugnac is a peaceful village that is dominated by an amphitheatre of mountains, surrounded by breathtaking landscapes, and an invitation to imagine and create unique wines.

The Collovray & Terrier arrived in Antugnac in 1997 with a desire to explore new horizons and take on new challenges. Coming from Burgundy, the quality of the white wines in Languedoc appealed to them, especially those from high in the Aude Valley where mostly Chardonnay and Pinot Noir are planted on limestone soils. Moreover, the harvest dates of these grapes were within a few days compared to those back home in Davayé (Burgundy), while the vegetative cycles were also very similar.

At the time, the domaine was owned by Mr. Ramirez, a founding member of the association of private cellars, and one of the first to imagine Chardonnay in the Aude Valley. Upon taking over the domaine in 1997, the Collovray & Terrier families undertook the colossal project to revitalize the 45 hectares of vineyards and rebuild the facilities.

Today, there are six members of the Collovray & Terrier families that work with a strong sense of cohesion within the family business, and with the support of a close-knit, loyal, and dedicated team. Their philosophy begins with strong roots in agriculture, where everything begins in the vines. It is widely known that working with the soil and respecting the vegetation are the prerequisites for a healthy, ripe, and good quality crop. While adapting to the year's weather conditions, the team at Altugnac has the know-how to evolve and experiment, in order to ensure that each variety is harvested at the optimum moment. The goal is to reveal the diversity of their terroirs, while also protecting and developing the biodiversity in and around the vineyards.

Collovray & Terrier has three ranges of wines within the Altugnac label. The excellent 2021 Altugnac Terres Amoureuses that I enjoyed last year (with a few bottles still available at LCBO) is from their Les Terroirs d'Altitude range, while this red wine is from their Les Turitelles d'Altugnac range. Turitelles are marine fossils that are found in abundance in their plots situated on the slopes of the Upper Aude Valley. This area experiences significant diurnal temperature variations between night and day, and when combined with clay-limestone soils, helps promote slow and complete maturation of the grapes to produce are range of aromatic and fresh wines.

This red wine is crafted with 100% Pinot Noir that was grown in their vineyard that is full of Turitelles fossils on the slopes of the Upper Aude Valley. These fossils are the origin of their soil and are carried by a limestone and clay base, which form the sloping plateaus in the landscape. This terroir in the foothills of the Pyrenees is known for the quality of its hillsides and its sunny and cool microclimate. To vinify this wine, the harvested grapes were placed into vats by gravity. They underwent a few days of cold, prefectural maceration, along with daily, gentle pickling and winding, to extract a beautiful aromatic palette and silky tannins. Two weeks after a controlled-temperature alcoholic fermentation, below 25°C, the juices are tasted, followed by malolactic fermentation and ageing in stainless steel or concrete tanks for several months, with bottling taking place within a year from harvest. From harvest to bottling, inputs are limited as much as possible, including the reduction of sulphites.

From a hot and dry growing season that is rated as a very good vintage, let's see how this 2022 Pinot Noir from Languedoc is tasting tonight...

Les Turitelles Altugnac Pinot Noir 2022 (88+ pts)

Tasting Note:

LES TURITELLES ALTUGNAC PINOT NOIR 2022 - IGP Pays d'Oc, France (#37921) (XD) - $19.95
The ripe, medium+ intensity nose offers mild mannered, yet typical, Pinot characters of red & black cherry, and strawberry aromas with touches of beet root, earth, and black tea. The ripe notes continue on the light-to-mid-weighted palate with red & black cherry, strawberry, beet root, earth, and black tea leaf flavour replays. It has fresh, succulent acidity, while the light, supple tannins have a gentle, chalky textured mouthfeel. A touch grippy, with dark berry, earthy, and hints of mineral linger on the finish, with very good length. Recommended buy. Score: 88+ pts

Small quantities of the Amoureuses, while the entire portfolio of wines by Collovray et Terrier can be ordered through their Agent - Profile Wine Group.


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  • Date publishedTuesday, September 10, 2024

Ormarine Carte Noire Picpoul de Pinet 2023 (Southwest) - Wine Review

white wine review is a delicious Picpoul that is brand-new to the LCBO, arriving as part of last weekend's LCBO VINTAGES New Release Collection.

It is produced by Cave de l'Ormarine, a well-known co-operative winery located in the Languedoc of southern France. Its story begins in 1922, when a group of winegrowers in the town of Pinet gathered together in the spirit of solidarity and formed a winegrowers' association. However, the story of Pinet goes back much further - 2000 years.

It all started in the year 118 B.C., when a Roman General Domitius Aheobarbus built a military road across Gaul to link the Italian Peninsula to the Iberic Peninsula. The famous via Domitia went across the vineyards of Pinet and opened the path for the wine trade and promoted the expansion of the vineyards. The historical grape variety Picpoul, also known as Piquepoul, was first quoted in 1618 by the famous botanist J.B. Magnol in his book and called it one of the six best-known grape varieties of Languedoc.

Fast-forward to 1922, and the 53 winegrowers of Pinet came together officially to enhance the white wine produced from the terroirs of Pinet. Ets Noilly Prat of Marseillan bought all the wines produced at the cellar and was responsible for the marketing and sales of the wines. In 1985, after several long years of investment to improve the quality of their wines and create brand awareness at both the national and international level, the producers of Cellar Ormarine were able to get Picpoul de Pinet classified as an AOC and joined the large family of AOC Côteaux du Languedoc. Even though the Languedoc region is mostly known for its blends, the appellation of AOC Picpoul de Pinet is dedicated solely to dry white production and permits the use of only one single grape variety - Picpoul.

In 1992, the co-operative cellar celebrated its 70th anniversary and re-introduced itself to the market as Ormarine. In 2008, the cellar merged with the Cooperative Cellar of Villeveyrac, allowing them to produce more wine, and gave birth to its new and current name - SCA Cave de l'Ormarine. In 2013, the Cooperative Cellar of Cournonterral joined Ormarine, which allows Ormarine to produce wines from a wide variety of appellations and grape varieties. In 2017, two more mergers occurred, bringing together 470 united coopérators operating more than 2,500 hectares of vines.

With "Terroir Discovery" their slogan, Ormarine benefits with access to grapes from a wide area extending from the Cévennes to the Mediterranean to produce high-quality wines. These grapes benefit from the maritime influence of the Etang de Thau, as well as the limestone clay and red sandstone soils. In Pinet, which is situated just north of Etang de Thau, the terroir is mainly composed of limestone clay soils, while its proximity to the Lagoon and the Mediterranean Sea plays a role in regulating and reducing temperature variations. The Marin, Tramontane, and Mistral winds also help keep the vines healthy and reduce disease pressure. Omarine is also committed to nature and the environment, as they embarked on a path to organic viticulture in 2011. Furthermore, in 2018, Ormarine obtained Terra Vitis certification, which highlights sustainable and integrated winegrowing.

This white wine is crafted using the Picpoul grape varietal that was grown in the AOP Picpoul de Pinet appellation, within the Languedoc region of southern France. This 100% Picpoul de Pinet was grown on homogeneous limestone clay soils that open out to the sea. After undergoing plot selection in the vineyard, the grapes were harvested at night, then underwent another round of selection upon arriving at the winery. The grapes underwent a cold, pre-fermentary maceration, followed fermentation at low temperature, and then matured in thermo-regulated vats. The wine was then filtered and bottled at the estate. From a challenging year of extremes, let's see how this 2023 Picpoul de Pinet is tasting tonight...

Ormarine Carte Noire Picpoul de Pinet 2023 (89 pts)

Tasting Note:

ORMARINE CARTE NOIRE PICPOUL DE PINET 2023 - AP, Southwest, France (#38396) (XD) - $14.95
Screw cap enclosure. This Picpoul de Pinet has an attractive, medium+ to medium-high intensity nose that offers ripe apple, lemon citrus, white floral, and orchard fruit aromas with hints of limestone minerality and white spice. It's light-to-medium bodied on the dry palate with slightly honeyed flavours of apple, white-fleshed orchard fruit, lemon citrus, and white pepper spice notes which are supported by refreshing, saliva-inducing, and food-friendly acidity. It's nicely textured, a touch creamy, with stony mineral and spice notes appearing on the mid-palate. Stony mineral notes linger on the long-lasting, savoury finish. Ideal with seafood and a recommended buy! Score: 89 pts

Other delicious wines by Ormarine can be ordered through their Agent - Eurovintage Wines & Spirits.


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