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wine review is an excellent Icewine that arrived at the LCBO last weekend as part of the LCBO VINTAGES Release on and is featured in the Local Talent column in the release.
Lakeview Cellars is the oldest of several wine brands owned by Diamond Estates. Their winery is located at Lakeview Wine Co. on Niagara Stone Road in Niagara-on-the-Lake. Established in Vineland in 1991 by Eddy Gurinskas, Lakeview Cellars has built a worldwide reputation for creating exquisite Niagara wines that are both high quality and affordable.
For Thomas Green, VP of Winemaking and Winery Operations at Lakeview, the brand is nostalgic for him as he began his career at Lakeview Cellars. The label has changed throughout the years, but the high quality wines that they produce under the Lakeview Cellars brand have remained consistent for over 2 decades. Lakeview Cellars is known for big, bold reds and classic whites.
The grapes for Lakeview Cellars' wines are sourced from their best vineyards in the Niagara region which are kissed by Lake Ontario's offshore breezes. The lake's influence creates a more temperate climate, which can produce superior fruit with more intense flavours and complexity. I've enjoyed many wines from Lakeview Cellars over the years, and they have proven to be a premium Niagara wine producer committed to crafting premium VQA wines at affordable prices.
This lusciously sweet Icewine is made with frozen Gewürztraminer grapes that were harvested in late December when the temperatures were between -10°C and -13°C. After gently pressing and settling the juice in stainless steel tanks, it was cool-fermented and then placed outside to complete a natural cold stabilization.
Tasting Note:
LAKEVIEW CELLARS GEWÜRZTRAMINER ICEWINE 2019 - VQA Niagara Peninsula, Ontario, Canada (#547703) (S) (200 mL) - $34.95 Beautifully attractive and intense aromas of candied citrus, orange marmalade, honey, tropical fruit, mango, peach, candied ginger, and hints of lychee rise out of the glass. It's lusciously sweet on the rich, medium to medium-full bodied palate that is balanced with fresh acidity, supporting the lovely, sweet candied citrus, orange marmalade, honeyed caramel, and tropical fruit flavours. Juicy and slightly spicy on the mid-palate, with lovely notes of peach, mango, citrus, honey, and caramel lingering on the long, succulent finish. Highly recommended buy! Score: 92+ pts
Other lovely wines by Lakeview Cellars are available at the LCBO, as well as direct through the winery in Niagara-on-the-Lake.
After enjoying a fine half day of wine tasting in Marlborough on the first Monday of March, my wine tour through Marlborough continued on . It was a long (and fairly busy day) with visits to five wineries, but very enjoyable nonetheless.
The day began where I spent the night - Villa Maria Estate - one of New Zealand's largest wineries. Villa Maria was founded in 1961 by 21-year-old Sir George Fistonich. Having a Croatian background, George was passionate about wine from a young age and it was central to his upbringing. He leased five acres of land from his father in Mangere, Auckland, and crafted his first wines using the one acre of vines that were planted on the site to form Villa Maria. George understood very early on the importance of regional differences between grape quality and wine styles. He pioneered the use of contract growers - a very common practice in New Zealand these days - and was the first New Zealand wine company to initiate payment for grapes based on quality, rather than quantity. Beginning with the 2002 vintage, Villa Maria was the first major wine company in New Zealand to seal all of their wines by screwcap.
Villa Maria's success is attributed to the team's commitment to quality, innovation, and passion to create the best wines possible, starting with exceptional vineyards and people. It it not surprising that by making quality wines the focus, recognition and awards naturally follow - Villa Maria is New Zealand's most awarded winery.
The team at Villa Maria is very tight-knit. George was keen to nurture the talent of the individuals on the team while also providing winemakers with the opportunity to express their own flair. I had the opportunity to meet with Helen Morrison, Villa Maria's Senior Marlborough Winemaker. Upon graduating from Lincoln University in Canterbury with a bachelor's degree in Viticulture and Oenology, she took on winemaking and judging for a number of years prior to joining Villa Maria in January 2014 where she enjoys working for such an iconic winemaking family with a strong focus on sustainability and environmental responsibility.
Being environmentally responsible has been a core objective for Sir George Fistonich for a very long time, with a strong desire to leave something for the next generation. Villa Maria has been a member of Sustainable Winegrowing New Zealand (SWNZ) since its inception in 1995, received its BioGro (Organic) Certification in 2009, and acquired CEMARS Certification in 2010. Some of the many Sustainable Practices employed by Villa Maria include the use of organic vineyards, heat recovery, night air cooling, natural lighting, recycling, and hybrid vehicles - all with the goal of reducing their carbon footprint and impact on the environment. In Fall 2021, Villa Maria was acquired by Indevin.
Starting at 9 a.m. sharp, Helen and I tasted through a number of wines from the Villa Maria portfolio. The range begins with the entry level Private Bin series - a value range of wines that are approachable with consistent quality, and popular with wine drinkers globally. A step up is the Cellar Selection range - wines that are complex, elegant, and food-friendly, with an emphasis on fruit quality and minimal handling. The Reserve range features Villa Maria's most distinguished wines with exceptional quality and ultimate finesse. And finally, the Single Vineyard range features wines with identity, with each wine displaying its own distinct characteristics due to the unique terroir where the grapes are grown. All of the wines I tasted from each range were delicious, while some were really fantastic wines. Many wines from Villa Maria are available at the LCBO, including some in VINTAGES. Wines can also be ordered via their agent - Dandurand. Wine reviews of a few of my favourites from this tasting are provided below.
The second stop of the day was a short drive northwest to Nautilus Estate. I was picked up by winemaker Clive Jones, but before heading to the winery, we took a nice driving tour of some of Nautilus' vineyards, beginning at the Clay Hills Vineyard in the Omaka Valley, Southern Valleys sub-region. This 5.5 hectare site is located on an elevated hillside (120 metres above sea level) with clay soils on the eastern Omaka Valley and is exclusively Pinot Noir that was planted between 1999 and 2004. We then headed north into Wairau Valley and made a quick stop at their organic Renwick Vineyard - with its classic stony "Rapaura" soils - that was purchased in 1992 and was Nautilus' first vineyard.
Following the vineyard visits, we headed to the Cellar Door of Nautilus Estate, a small, boutique winery that was established in 1985 by owner and fifth-generation vigneron - Robert Hill-Smith. Being family-owned, Nautilus takes a cautious, long-term approach to everything they do. They are also a member of the Family of Twelve - a group of 12 prestigious family-owned wineries in New Zealand that they share ideas and time with. In 2000, Nautilus opened the first dedicated Pinot Noir facility in the Southern Hemisphere, and in 2006 they completed a separate, energy-efficient white wine making facility. Over the years, they have maintained their focus on harnessing the different sub-regional flavours in this cool climate region while using innovative winemaking practices to craft textural and complex food-friendly wines that are also vegan and vegetarian-friendly.
Clive and I tasted through the many wines from the portfolio - a pair of traditional method sparkling wines and an array of white wines including their popular Albariño and Grüner Veltliner single varietal wines. We then took a brief tour of the winemaking facility before heading back to the tasting bar to taste a flight of Nautilus Pinot Noir. Clive joined Nautilus as winemaker in 1998 and has overseen their Pinot Noir programme, including the design of the Pinot Noir gravity flow facility. Moreover, the Nautilus Pinot Noir has shown a high pedigree ever since Clive's first year at the estate and today it is considered a Marlborough benchmark.
Wine reviews of a few of my most favourite wines from Nautilus are provided below. The wines of Nautilus are imported into Canada by Negociants International, and their Agent in Ontario is Breakthru Beverage Canada.
A short drive east in the Rapaura area along the northern edge of the Wairau Valley to Allan Scott Family Winemakers was the third stop of the day. As the name suggests, this is a family winery that established itself as one of the first independent wineries in Marlborough in 1990. Allan Scott planted some of the region's most famous vineyards, including the very first, and has worked at the winery every vintage since. Allan is one of the most experienced people in the Marlborough wine business as he has been working in the industry for nearly 50 years after settling in the region in 1973. Allan and his wife, Catherine, purchased a block of land to get into contract growing, setting themselves up for the new era of New Zealand's wine industry when independent winemakers began to emerge. All three of Allan and Catherine's children are now involved in the family's winemaking business.
The eldest daughter, Victoria, is responsible for marketing, while their son Josh is Chief Winemaker. Their younger daughter, Sara, also trained as a winemaker, but mostly works in the vineyard. I had the pleasure of meeting Sara as she gave me a quick tour of the facility. Allan Scott is one of the few wineries in Marlborough with their own bottling line. During the tour, I also was surprised to see that they are packaging wine in kegs so that wines can be served as Wine on Tap. After the conclusion of the tour, we headed to the on-site Allan Scott Bistro for a wine tasting with a fine lunch and great conversation. The Allan Scott Bistro has a lovely sheltered outdoor courtyard (where we enjoyed lunch), as well as indoor dining by the fire. During lunch, I also had the pleasure of meeting Mr. Allan Scott himself and later received a signed copy of his book - Marlborough Man.
Allan Scott is a member of Méthode Marlborough and their Cecilia Brut Méthode Traditionnelle NV (reviewed below) is a lovely Chardonnay-based sparkling wine that I hope comes to the LCBO, although it may be available through their Agent - The Case For Wine. I also learned that Allan Scott is experimenting with ageing sparkling wines under the sea - the wines were dropped into Marlborough Sounds a couple of years ago and they are looking to bring a few back up soon. Allan Scott also practices sustainability, while all wines beginning with the 2018 vintage are vegan-friendly.
In addition to their Marlborough wines, Allan Scott also has a vineyard and winery in Central Otago. As Sara explained to me, Central Otago in the deep south was a family holiday spot when they were younger, often referred to as "our base", with the name eventually morphing to "Scott Base" and the brand Scott Base Wines was borne. I enjoyed the Scott Base Pinot Noir (reviewed below) and it was one of the few wines from Central Otago I tasted on this trip to New Zealand.
The fourth stop of the day was southwest into the Waihopai Valley to visit Spy Valley Wines. The name of the winery comes from its proximity to an international satellite communications monitoring station - a spy base. I discovered the wines of Spy Valley a number of years ago, most notably their barrel-fermented ENVOY Sauvignon Blanc, and have been enamoured with their wines ever since. I met up with Tricia Pike, Cellar Door Supervisor, who gave me a tour of the winery and vineyards, followed by a tasting of many special wines from Spy Valley portfolio.
Spy Valley Wines was founded in the 1990s by Bryan and Jan Johnson when they established 180 hectares of estate vineyards on land in the Waihopai Valley considered too hard, too dry and too unfertile for wine. The terroir at Spy Valley is stony, free-draining riverbed terrain, while the terraced vines sit on both rocky riverside gravels and deeper clay and silt soils. The venture started as a passion for the land and continues today with a commitment to the land and people who tend it - nurturing the soil and vine, and focusing on sustainability to ensure guardianship of the land for generations to come.
Since the beginning, Spy Valley has been accredited under New Zealand Sustainable Winegrowing - an initiative that promotes economically and environmentally sustainable vineyard management. This sustainability initiative encompasses their own winery and vineyards, as well as grower vineyards, and they have seen firsthand how the environment has benefitted. At Spy Valley, some of these sustainability initiatives include biodiversity, minimal irrigation, reduce energy usage by various means such as the use of solar panels. Spy Valley also uses low-toxic and environmentally products in the vineyard and winery. The principles of reduce, reuse, and recycle are prevalent throughout Spy Valley. While their bottles are made out 96% recycled glass, they also crush their own glass to make a fine dust that they mulch and distribute below the vines, thus enhancing light reflection. When I took a stroll through the vineyard with Tricia, she talked about the fine glass dust that sits in the vineyard and that we must be careful. The mission at Spy Valley is to produce quality wines that ensure a sustainable business for the future, while also benefitting the environment. Spy Valley wines come through LCBO VINTAGES throughout the year, but are also available via their Agent - Noble Estates Wine & Spirits.
The fifth and final stop of the day was a 25 minute drive northeast into the mountainous locality of Koromiko, about 20 km north of Blenheim, to visit Johanneshof Cellars. This artisan boutique winery was established in 1991 by Edel Everling, from Germany, and Warwick Foley, a 5th generation New Zealander. Edel's family had been making wine for five generations, while Warwick, as a teenager, planted one of Marlborough's first vineyards on the steep hillside land in Koromiko in 1977. With a long history of European tradition combined with Kiwi ingenuity, they have combined old world knowledge and customs with new world terroir to produce a collection of outstanding New Zealand fine wines.
In keeping with Europe's century old wine culture, Edel and Warwick created New Zealand's first underground rock cellar in 1993. It was tunnelled into solid sandstone and is located underneath their hillside Maybern Vineyard. I had the pleasure of taking a tour and experiencing an intimate tasting in the cellar with Edel and Warwick and their lovely 2009 EMMI Brut Méthode Traditionnelle (reviewed below) which spent 7 years on the lees. The cool, stable temperature and high natural humidity of their underground cellar provides ideal storage conditions to allow the maturation of wines, which are aged in French barriques and German barrels.
Another unique thing about Johanneshof Cellars is the aforementioned Maybern Estate Vineyard. It stretches up behind the estate, on a 30 degree slope, northwest facing, and oversees the winery and cellar door below. The Maybern vineyard is not irrigated and is the only vineyard in Marlborough to have Kenepuru (sandy silt) soils over a bedrock of schist and iron-rich sandstone. All of the wines are made on-site by Edel and Warwick by combining traditional winemaking techniques with modern technology, including the use of gravity to move the wine throughout the facility. Johanneshof Cellars is a member of New Zealand Winegrowers, New Zealand Sustainable Winegrowing, and a founding member of Méthode Marlborough.
Since I was a bit pressed for time because I had a plane to catch to Hawke's Bay, I didn't get a close look at the vineyard, nor the winemaking facility, and instead tasted through almost the entire portfolio that consisted of many lovely wines (a few of my favourites are reviewed below). Unfortunately, the wines from Johanneshof Cellars are not available in Canada at the time of my visit, but they are seeking representation.
This concluded my short trip through Marlborough wine country by visiting eight wineries over two days. The Sauvignon Blanc wines I tasted were lovely, as expected. I was pleasantly surprised by the high quality Pinot Noir wines, as well as the fresh Pinot Gris. The biggest surprise were the white wines made with Albariño and Grüner Veltliner - two grapes not widely planted, but growing in popularity.
Full wine reviews of some of my many favourites wines from Marlborough are below, and my next post is a visit to Hawke's Bay for a full day of wine tasting. Pricing is in Canadian dollars, unless otherwise noted, and would be approximate given the timing of this post.
Tasting Notes:
VILLA MARIA SINGLE VINEYARD SOUTHERN CLAYS SAUVIGNON BLANC 2019 - Southern Valleys, Marlborough, South Island, New Zealand (#447474) (XD) - $29.99 Bottled recently. A single vineyard Sauvignon Blanc with grapes coming from the Southern Clays sub-region within the Wairau Valley that has tight, dense clay soils. With many months on yeast lees, this has fresh, lemony, stone fruit, citrus, herbs, and some yeasty/leesy characters, as well as earthy mineral aromas. On the medium-full bodied palate, it is rich, creamy and nicely textured with very nice citrusy, peach, and grapefruit flavours supported by juicy acids. Very good length on the finish. Needs another 1-2 years to really show itself. Score: 91+ pts
VILLA MARIA SINGLE VINEYARD SEDDON PINOT GRIS 2018 - Awatere Valley, Marlborough, South Island, New Zealand (#497361) (D) - $34.90 From a cool, long ripening site with wind blown silt soils on the southern bank of the Awatere River. One-third of this delicious wine was wild fermented used barrels and had 6 months of lees contact. This single vineyard Pinot Gris has a medium-high intensity nose that is clean and elegant with peach, nectarine, and citrus aromas, plus some leesy, stone fruit, and spice characters. It’s medium-full bodied, fleshy, richly textured and a touch creamy in the mouth. Off-dry on the palate with honeysuckle, ripe stone fruit, peach, ginger spice flavours. It has balanced acids and finishes long with ginger spice, peach, and citrus notes. Score: 92 pts
VILLA MARIA TAYLORS PASS PINOT NOIR 2016 - Awatere Valley, Marlborough, South Island, New Zealand (XD) - $59.99 NZD Made with Clone 5, 667, and 777 on a terrace furthest away from the Awatere River with an interesting soil split between stony and silty for clones 667 and 777, leading to the grapes being picked in lots and vinified separately. The nose is fresh, elegant, and perfumed with sweet baking spice, raspberry, rhubarb, and cherry aromas, plus some blueberry and mulberry notes. The medium-full bodied palate has lovely, velvety tannins that have some grip on the back palate. Very nice aroma replays on the balanced flavour profile, lingering through to the long, succulent finish. Enjoy over the next 5-7 years. Score: 92
NAUTILUS ESTATE CUVÉE MARLBOROUGH BRUT NV - Traditional Method, Marlborough, South Island, New Zealand (XD) - $39 NZD Made in the traditional method since 1989, consisting of 75% Pinot Noir and 25% Chardonnay and aged for a minimum of 36 months on the lees in used oak barrels. Lovely, fragrant aromatics deliver biscuity, toasty, yeasty, and lemon citrus notes that have more citrusy and grapefruit replays on the crisp, dry palate. Bubbles are fine while acids are crisp and refreshing. Excellent length on the dry finish. Score: 91 pts
NAUTILUS SOUTHERN VALLEYS PINOT NOIR 2016 - Marlborough, South Island, New Zealand (#606913) (XD) - $29.95 Indigenous yeast fermented, with some whole bunch fermentation, and matured in French oak for 11 months. Fresh, medium+ intensity nose is earthy with beetroot, rhubarb, cherry, and spice aromas. It’s medium+ bodied and nicely balanced with lovely aroma replays, plus cran-cherry flavours, supported by fine-grained tannins that offer some structure on the back palate. Balanced throughout with a long, clean finish. Enjoy over the next 6-8 years. Score: 90+ pts
NAUTILUS CLAY HILLS VINEYARD PINOT NOIR 2016 - Marlborough, South Island, New Zealand (XD) - $68 NZD 25% whole bunch fermented. Clean, refined and elegant nose features earthy, beetroot, cherry, rhubarb, and subtle sweet spice aromas are quite complex. The medium-full bodied, structured palate is spiced with lovely raspberry replays, plus touches of tea leaf and supported by succulent, juicy acids. Tannins are on the firm side, but well-integrated. Excellent length on the finish with savoury beetroot, rhubarb, and spice notes. Score: 92 pts
ALLAN SCOTT CECILIA BRUT MÉTHODE TRADITIONNELLE NV - Marlborough, South Island, New Zealand (XD) - $26 NZD Vegan-friendly and predominantly Chardonnay blended with Pinot Noir that spent 18+ months on lees, this has a fairly aromatic and clean nose with biscuity, leesy, yeasty, and citrus aromas with touches of seaweed. It has fine mousse and crisp acids on the palate with citrus and grapefruit flavours, plus biscuity and pastry notes. Long, crisp, and dry with touches of saline on the finish. Score: 90 pts
ALLAN SCOTT WHITE LABEL SAUVIGNON BLANC 2019 - Marlborough, South Island, New Zealand (XD) - $18.95 The restrained, medium-high intensity nose is elegant and clean with ripe tropical fruit, passion fruit, kiwi aromas, and whiffs of minerality. Nicely balanced on the medium-full bodied, slightly creamy palate with very good fruit concentration. Lovely, balanced aroma replays on the flavour profile and supported by vibrant acids that continue through to the long, ripe finish. Vegan-friendly. Score: 91 pts
ALLAN SCOTT SCOTT BASE PINOT NOIR 2018 - Central Otago, South Island, New Zealand (XD) - $38 NZD Lovely, perfumed aromas of raspberry, black cherry, currant, and spice, with some beetroot and earth. It’s medium+ bodied with firm, structured tannins and nice raspberry and black cherry replays layered over earthy tones on the flavour profile. There's fresh, balanced acidity, and a long savoury finish with raspberry and black cherry notes. Should improve in 2-3 years. Score: 91 pts
SPY VALLEY ENVOY SAUVIGNON BLANC 2015 - Johnson Vineyard, Waihopai Valley, Marlborough, South Island, New Zealand (#429308) (XD) - $29.95 Naturally fermented in French oak for 6-10 months, this has a highly aromatic and complex nose with smoky, flinty, citrusy lemon/lime aromas and hints of herbally and grassy notes. It’s medium-full bodied with lovely smoky, herbaceous, herbally, green pepper flavours, plus hints of white peach. It has a very nice texture with juicy acids and a long, juicy finish. Should continue to drink well over the next 5 years. Score: 91 pts
SPY VALLEY ENVOY GEWURZTRAMINER 2018 - Johnson Vineyard, Waihopai Valley, Marlborough, South Island, New Zealand (M) - $34.90 NZD Fermented in small oak barrels, this has a lovely, highly aromatic nose of floral, lychee, rose, candied ginger, and honeyed spice notes. The medium-full bodied palate is rich and spiced with nicely balanced, medium sweet aroma replays. Lively acids freshen the juicy palate. Lovely honeyed spice flavours linger on the long, clean finish. Score: 92 pts
SPY VALLEY HANDPICKED SINGLE ESTATE PINOT NOIR 2016 - Southern Valleys, Marlborough, South Island, New Zealand (XD) - $32.90 NZD Handpicked as individual vineyard blocks and vinified separately until final blending. Naturally fermented and aged for 11 months in French oak. Lovely, black cherry, spice, earthy, beetroot, and rhubarb aromas that echo on the nicely balanced, lightly oak spiced, medium-full bodied palate with very good fruit concentration. Acids are very good, while tannins are smooth and finely-grained. More black cherry, currant, and cherry with spice notes linger on the long finish. Score: 91 pts
JOHANNESHOF CELLARS METHODE TRADITIONNELLE EMMI BRUT 2009 - Marlborough, South Island, New Zealand (XD) - $41 NZD A blend of 75% Pinot Noir and 25% Chardonnay that spent 7 years on the lees. This sparkling wine has a lovely, highly aromatic and complex nose featuring biscuity, leesy, toasty, fine lees, pastry and some citrus notes. mature fine bubbles and acids. Fresh acids, juicy, lovely citrusy still quite fresh. The medium-bodied palate is citrusy with fine, mature bubbles and still quite fresh acidity. Fine pastry, biscuity, and brioche flavours that continue through to the long, slightly minerally finish. Fine bubbly! Score: 93 pts
JOHANNESHOF CELLARS PINOT GRIS 2019 - Marlborough, South Island, New Zealand (D) - $25 NZD Tank sample. Restrained stone fruit, white peach, and some earthy characters on the nose. The medium-full bodied palate is fat, fleshy, and concentrated with lovely off-dry flavours of honeysuckle, quince, and peach flavours supported by balanced acidity. Some herbal, stone fruit, and white peach flavours linger on the finish, with very good length. Score: 90 pts
JOHANNESHOF CELLARS RIESLING 2019 - Marlborough, South Island, New Zealand (D) - $24 NZD Fresh, honeysuckle, floral, lemon-lime and stony mineral aromas in a dry profile emanate from the glass. It is medium+ bodied on the palate with a nice, fleshy texture and off-dry flavours of white peach, lime zest, mineral, and herbs. It has juicy acids while the long, complex finish has herbally, white peach, quince, pear and floral characters. Score: 90 pts
To wrap up the last batch of LCBO General List wines I received a few months ago, wine reviews are six wines that are readily available at LCBO outlets across Ontario, with a couple that are on promotion right now.
While all of these wines in this post are represented by Dionysus Wines & Spirits (and Churchill Cellars), the Mare di Sirena and Popcorn Chardonnay are actually brands owned by Alex Patinios and made under his business Garage Wine Company. Alex is also President of the Ontario wine agencies Dionysus and Churchill Cellars.
The story of Popcorn Chardonnay (not to be confused with the California wine of the same name) began in early 2020 when some Ontario wineries realized that they had a surplus of Chardonnay in tank and barrel due to the pandemic. The ever opportunistic and entrepreneurial Alex purchased the wine and sent it to Niagara's Strewn Winery. He worked with Strewn's winemaker Marc Bradshaw to have it blended and finished to the desired taste profile, and bottled as Popcorn Chardonnay. The catchy label features a silhouette of a bag of popcorn and a single popped kernel in the center, just above the name.
It's possible that the 2019 Popcorn Chardonnay is sold out across the province as I have seen the 2020 vintage on LCBO shelves now. However, you should know that with the 2020 vintage, Alex purchased fruit specifically for this wine and Marc applied small-batch winemaking techniques such as sur lie, blending, and barrel fermentation with three different types of barrels. There may be vintage variation, which is not necessarily a bad thing, but it is sure to be delicious.
Let's see how these wines are tasting tonight...
Tasting Notes:
POPCORN CHARDONNAY 2019 - VQA Niagara Peninsula, Ontario, Canada (#20264) (D) - $15.95 Screw cap. This Chardonnay was barrel fermented and aged in French and American oak barrels and has a subtle nose offering suggestions of ripe orchard fruit, peach, lemon curd, poached apple, tropical fruit, and honeyed aromas. There's good weight on the creamy, medium-bodied palate with ripe apple, buttery, lemon curd, sweet vanillin, and a touch of honey adding a kiss of sweetness to the flavour profile. Acids are juicy and well-balanced, while some smoky, leesy, and saline notes add interest to the lingering dry finish, with very good length. Highly delicious! Score: 88 pts
MARE DI SIRENA PINOT GRIGIO 2020 - IGT Italy (#20054) (XD) - $8.90 Screw cap. Translates to Sea of the Mermaid, the myth is that the mermaids in the seas surrounding Italy blow cool air over vineyards during summer to enhance ripening of the grapes, and warm air during the winter to protect the vines from frost. The majority of this Pinot Grigio is from Central Italy at 350-600 metres above sea level and has aromas of fresh lemon citrus, pear, and white peach with herbal hints. On the mid-weighted palate it has lemon citrus, mandarin orange, and peach flavours supported by zesty, well-balanced acidity. Clean, dry and flavourful on the zesty, citrusy finish, with some leesy minerals adding interest. Very good length on the finish. Will surely please! Score: 87 pts
STREWN NURTURE WHITE 2019 - VQA Niagara Peninsula, Ontario, Canada (#20261) (D) - $14.95 Screw cap. This off-dry blend of 32% Riesling, 28% Gewurztraminer, 20% Sauvignon Blanc, 10% Pinot Gris, 9% Chardonnay Musque, and 1% Muscat has a fragrant nose offering attractive honeyed aromas of orange citrus, lemon, honeysuckle, and wild flower. The palate is just off-dry (i.e. lightly sweet) with delicious white flower, beeswax, orange citrus, lychee, and ripe apple flavours in a nicely textured profile. With balanced acidity, it leads to a floral, leesy, juicy, and dry-ish finish, with good length. Delicious! Score: 87 pts
BREAD & BUTTER CHARDONNAY 2019 - California, USA (#19261) (D) - $18.95 $16.95 until Jan. 2 Crafted by award-winning veteran winemaker Linda Trotta in an honest, good, delicious, and uncomplicated style. Classic, traditional California Chardonnay with sweet vanillin oak, caramel, butter, ripe apple and pear aromas waft out of the glass. It's medium-full bodied and creamy on the sweetish palate with more vanillin oak, caramel, wood spice, and butter flavours with underlying apple and pear fruit notes. Slightly spicy on the mid-palate, with juicy acidity, while the vanilla, caramel, and butter notes linger on the finish, with very good length. Fans of Cali Chardonnay will like this. Score: 87 pts
STEL+MAR CABERNET SAUVIGNON 2019 - Lodi, California, USA (#20808) (D) - $17.95 Two friends (who grew up in Canada) and their families came together to create STEL+MAR. They make unpretentious and approachable wines that let the terroir speak for itself. This Cabernet Sauvignon has a medium+ intensity nose that offers ripe dark berry fruit, black currant, sweet cinnamon spice, and cassis aromas with savoury earthy undertones. On the medium-full bodied palate it is slightly sweet with ripe cassis, blueberry, blackberry, vanilla, cocoa, and oak spice flavours. Crafted in a very approachable style, it has well-balanced acidity and supple, structured tannins. Intriguing cassis and minty notes linger on the long, dry finish. Delicious! Score: 88+ pts
SUNNY WITH A CHANCE OF FLOWERS PINOT NOIR 2019 - Monterey, California, USA (#18946) (XD) - $17.95 $8.30 Sunny Wines are sustainably crafted for healthy lifestyle wine lovers with zero sugar, low calories, and low alcohol (9% abv). Screw cap. Earthy beetroot aromas with a hint of toasted oak mingle with ripe black cherry, black raspberry, and strawberry aromas. There's also a hint of tea leaf. The light-to-mid-weighted palate is dry with light, supple tannins that are slightly textured. Flavours of beetroot, earth, and tea leaf with fruity notes of black cherry and raspberry on the palate, turning quite bitter on the finish, with good length. Score: 86 pts
white wine review is a tasty Viognier blend from California that is a new arrival to the LCBO that was released as part of the LCBO VINTAGES Release.
The Montpellier Vineyards brand of wines are produced by Bronco Wine Company, a family-owned company whose winemaking traditions go back to 1893. Since childhood, brothers Fred T. and Joseph S. Franzia, alongside their first cousin, John G. Franzia, have been learning every aspect of the wine business from their fathers. On Christmas Day in 1973, the three members of the Franzia family succumbed to the industry's charms and formed Bronco Wine Company.
Over the next 40+ years, the family-owned company has grown to become a force in the U.S. wine industry, committing itself to becoming the largest privately held vineyard holder in the U.S. Bronco Wine Company is focused on crafting quality wines for every table through hard work, innovation, and a willingness to embrace change - touchstones that are the backbone of its success and while also laying the groundwork for a strong foundation for future generations.
Tasting Note:
MONTPELLIER VIOGNIER 2020 - California, USA (#658138) (D) - $19.95 Predominantly Viognier (83%) with Chardonnay (6.7%), Gewurztraminer (5%), and Muscat (5.3%) completing the blend. The medium intensity nose seems quiet with aromas of lemon, white floral, and herbs with hints of apple, pear, lychee, and beeswax. The mid-weighted palate is fleshy and viscous with ripe lemon, white flowers, herbal flavours. The bright, juicy acidity hides the vague impression of sweetness, with notes of ripe apple, vanilla, lychee and beeswax joining the flavour replays on the dry, juicy, slightly bitter and leesy finish, with very good length. Score: 88 pts
wine review is this lovely Gewürztraminer that I picked up from the winery in Marlborough during my recent trip to New Zealand - just before all of the COVID-19 restrictions came into place here in Canada. More about my visit to Marlborough and other New Zealand winegrowing regions is coming soon, so stay tuned.
Johanneshof Cellars is an artisan boutique winery located in the mountainous locality of Koromiko, about 20 km north of Blenheim. It was established in 1991 by Edel Everling and Warwick Foley, two winemakers who were from opposites part of the globe.
Edel Everling, M.Sc.Oenology, grew up in Rheingau, Germany, in a winemaking family that had been making wine on both sides of her family for five generations. From an early age, Edel was helping in the vineyards overlooking the river Rhine, where vines grow on very steep slopes. The knowledge she gained here was beneficial when she met Warwick in New Zealand and helped him establish Marlborough's first steep hillside vineyard in 1977. Edel continued her travels and finished her degree in viticulture and oenology at Geisenheim University in Germany. She also worked at the world-renowned Wine Research Institute of Geisenheim in the Department of Grape Breeding and Grafting under the leadership of well-respected wine scientist Prof. Dr. Helmut Becker, which gave her an in-depth insight into vine growing and crafting wines from a scientific angle. Further knowledge was gained by working at different wineries and a distillery.
Warwick Foley is a 5th generation New Zealander and grew up on the property where Johanneshof Cellars resides. As a teenager, he planted one of the first vineyards in Marlborough on their steep hillside land in Koromiko in 1977, just four years after the first commercial grapes were introduced to Marlborough. This vineyard consisted of mainly Riesling, but was re-planted to Pinot Noir and named "Maybern Vineyard" in honour of Warwick's parents May and Bernhard. Warwick met Edel in the early 1980's while learning about winemaking and working at New Zealand's first wine research station in Te Kauwhata, near Hamilton. He took up viticulture and winemaking training in Germany, followed by working at various wineries in Rheingau and Baden.
Upon returning to New Zealand, Edel and Warwick combined European wine traditions with modern technology and founded one of Marlborough's pioneering artisan wineries to produce a collection of outstanding fine wines from New Zealand, such as this Gewürztraminer.
Johanneshof Cellars is renowned for producing multi-award winning table wines, classic Methode Traditionnelle sparkling wines, and some outstanding spirits such as Brandy and Grappa. They are part of New Zealand Winegrowers, an accredited member of New Zealand Sustainable Winegrowing, and a founding member of Methode Marlborough.
Unfortunately, the lovely wines from Johanneshof Cellars are currently not available in Ontario - or anywhere Canada for that matter. However, they are seeking representation and would love to have their wines in our market. If any Agents read this, you can inquire directly with the winery or reach out to me and I can connect you with Edel and Warwick.
Tasting Note:
JOHANNESHOF CELLARS GEWÜRZTRAMINER 2019 - Marlborough, South Island, New Zealand (D) - $31 NZD
Screw cap. This hand-harvested Gewürztraminer has a gorgeous, intense, focused, and very pure nose of lychee, rose floral, lemon citrus, and musky spice aromas. The concentrated, full-ish palate is off-dry with lovely lychee, floral and spice replays with touches of marzipan on the mid-palate. Bracing acids are juicy and keep things nicely balanced. More rose and lychee notes complete the dry finish, with excellent length. Top NZ Gewürztraminer! Score: 91 pts
wine review is a lovely, slightly sweet white wine from Alsace that was recently promoted from General List to a VINTAGES Essentials listing at the LCBO and should arrive on shelves within a week or so.
It is produced Pierre Sparr, from the historic Sparr winemaking family that has been making wine since 1680. In 1785, François Pierre Sparr influenced expanded the size of vineyards. Generations later, Charles Sparr developed the business further by increasing activities with trade and influencing the wine ageing process. Charles' son, Pierre, succeeded his father at the tender age of 20 and became a pioneer of estate bottling of wines in Alsace.
Unfortunately, the commune of Sigolsheim and all of its vineyards were completely destroyed during WWII. However, with courage and determination, Pierre Sparr rebuilt one of Alsace’s most beautiful and prestigious Domaines. With contributions from his sons René and Charles, Vins Sparr continued to grow and develop the business, expanding vineyards and exporting their wines to new markets.
Today, the 9th generation of the Sparr family continues the family tradition of making quality wines using ancestral knowledge and modern technology with passion and emotion. They also respect each varietal's own character that is a special harmony of soil and climate in Alsace. Maison Pierre Sparr is located in the heart of Alsace’s famous vineyard, working on 15 ha of estate vineyards while also sourcing grapes from 130 ha owned by experienced winegrowers.
Tasting Note:
PIERRE SPARR GEWURZTRAMINER 2018 - AC Alsace, France (#373373) (M) - $17.95
This single-vineyard Gewurztraminer comes from 35-year-old vines that were grown on granitic, limestone, and gneiss chalk & clay soils. Screw cap. Fragrant aromas of lychee, floral, and spice lift out of the glass. The medium+ bodied palate is structured and spicy with very good, mouthfilling fruit. It's medium sweet with nicely balanced flavours of lychee, rose floral, lemon citrus, and touches of honeyed apricot. Acids are lively and fresh, while the finish is long and dry. Enjoy nicely chilled. Recommended buy. Score: 88+ pts
Last , I visited Niagara to take in the 66th Annual Niagara Grape and Wine Festival that celebrates the harvest season. I have been fortunate to attend this festival many times and have always enjoyed the visit. Once again, I visited Niagara over two days and my review from second day will be posted shortly.
Our tour began in Niagara-on-the-Lake, at Jackson-Triggs Niagara Estate Winery for some Pacific snapper ceviche and Niagara Apple Slaw paired with their 2016 Grand Reserve Riesling. This was a nicely crisp, balanced pairing where the off-dry (i.e. slightly sweet) Riesling wine suddenly became quite dry when paired with the slaw due to the high, lemony acids from the ceviche overtaking the sugary elements in the wine. This was really quite well done. Using my Winemaker's Selections' Tasting Passes, we also got to taste their intriguing, and uncommon Entourage Grand Reserve Sparkling Wine made with Sauvignon Blanc, but otherwise did not taste any other wines as the tasting bar is always a zoo. Full wine reviews from Jackson-Triggs and all the other wineries visited on this day are provided below.
The second stop of the day was at Rancourt Winery for grilled chicken wings brushed with Harvest Barn’s signature Apple Cinnamon grilling sauce, and paired with their 2013 Rancourt Unoaked Chardonnay ($14.80, 86 pts). I do wings and wine at home quite often and find it to be delightful. The pairing at Rancourt was also good, with mild stone fruit flavours from the wine meshing well with the mildly flavoured wings.
Moving along to the Beamsville Bench area of Niagara, Cave Spring Cellars was our third stop of the day. They were not participating in the Discovery Pass Experience, so we simply tasted a few wines from their lovely portfolio, followed by a short stroll on picturesque Main Street in Jordan Village.
The fourth stop of the afternoon was at GreenLane Estate Winery to taste their newly released 2014 GreenLane Guts and Glory Blend ($19.95, 87 pts), which is a blend of 55% Unoaked Chardonnay (Guts) and 45% Riesling (Glory), and paired with a Macaroni and Gorgonzola Fritter by Just Cooking. This was a nicely balanced pairing as the high acidity in the wine cut through the deep fried mac & cheese ball, while also providing a nice mouthfeel. The ambience on their outdoor patio is always such a delightful place, we took our time before heading inside and tasting a few of their top wines.
Our fifth and final stop of the day was at Legends Estates Winery. The food and wine pairing here was a mouthwatering, bite-sized pie stuffed with Brie and caramelized onions from the Itty Bitty Pie Company, and paired with their award-winning 2013 Legends Estates Chardonnay Reserve and 2012 Legends Estates Shiraz Reserve. Having tasted both of these wines previously, I was curious to see how each wine would the on prior visits to the winery, so I opted to pair the pie with the Chardonnay as the rich, buttery, butterscotch, and vanilla notes in the wine accentuated caramelized flavours in the pie filling, as well as the buttery flavours in the pie crust. Delicious pairing, indeed.
All-in-all, I was quite satisfied with yet another trip to Niagara Wine Country. This is only part 1 of my review, as I ended up visiting Niagara a couple of weeks later to partake in more Discovery Pass Experiences. Stay tuned, as that review will be posted in a few days time.
Tasting Notes:
JACKSON-TRIGGS GRAND RESERVE RIESLING 2016 - VQA Niagara Peninsula, Ontario, Canada (#367102) (D) - $21
Fragrant nose of tropical fruits, orange citrus, Flintstone vitamins and mineral waft from the glass, and all of it coming through nicely on the off-dry palate, balanced by clean acids. The finish is long with some bitterness and comes off as dry. Score: 88+ pts
JACKSON-TRIGGS ENTOURAGE GRAND RESERVE SPARKLING SAUVIGNON BLANC 2015 - VQA Niagara Peninsula, Ontario, Canada (#353078) (D) - $29.95
A sparkling wine that is tart and sour with pink grapefruit notes, followed by some brioche, leesy and green stemmy aromas and flavours. It comes off as mostly dry on the palate with frothy mousse and a toasty brioche edge. Nicely balanced with a medium-long finish. Score: 88 pts
RANCOURT FOUNDER'S BLEND 2012 - VQA Niagara Lakeshore, Niagara-on-the-Lake, Ontario, Canada (XD)
Equal parts Merlot, Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon, and Petit Verdot, this is highly aromatic with lots of woodsy, barnyard, brett, and oak spice aromas, with underlying cassis and blackberry notes. It's full-bodied with nice aroma replays on the palate with notable, but well-integrated oak. Ripe tannins are smooth and refined. Acids are very good, while the finish is long. Score: 89 pts
RANCOURT GEWÜRZTRAMINER ICEWINE 2013 - VQA Niagara Peninsula, Ontario, Canada (S) (200 mL) - $30
Tasted a few times now, and still drinking very well. The highly aromatic nose offers sweet honey, pear, stone fruit, peach and some spices. The palate has very nice, balanced aroma replays. It's sweet, but the fresh acids keep everything nicely balanced. Excellent finish length. Score: 90+ pts
CAVE SPRING CSV CHARDONNAY 2015 - VQA Beamsville Bench, Niagara Peninsula, Ontario, Canada (#529941) (XD) - $29.95
From 41-year old vines, 100% barrel fermented and aged for 10 months in French oak barriques and puncheons, this has a richly buttered nose of apple, pear, and lemon aromas of medium-high intensity. It has a medium+ body that is rich and buttery with, apple, vanilla and well-integrated oak flavours. Nicely textured with crisp, balanced acidity. Excellent finish length. Still a bit young - age this 1-2 years. Score: 91 pts
CAVE SPRING ESTATE BOTTLED RIESLING 2015 - VQA, Beamsville Bench, Niagara Escarpment,, Ontario, Canada (#286377) (D) - $18.95
This has a medium-high intensity nose of orange citrus, peach, lime, and some limestone mineral aromas. It's medium-bodied with a chalky limestone mineral texture on the off-dry palate. Clean acids are a touch sour. Long finishing. Will age gracefully for many years. Score: 89 pts
GREENLANE OLD VINES RIESLING 2010 - VQA Lincoln Lakeshore, Niagara Escarpment, Ontario, Canada (MD) - $34.95
The medium-high intensity aromas are quite fragrant and open with orange citrus, mineral notes, and hints of petrol. The palate is medium-bodied with very nice aroma replays in a medium-dry profile and lifted by vibrant acids. Excellent finish length. Lovely! Score: 90+ pts
GREENLANE CABERNET SAUVIGNON 2012 - VQA Lincoln Lakeshore, Niagara Escarpment, Ontario, Canada (XD) - $32.95
Ripe, medium-high intensity nose of evergreen, cassis, black currant, cocoa, and chocolate aromas, all of which come through very nicely on the wood-driven, full bodied palate. Balanced acids. Tannins are chalky, yet well-integrated and quite refined. The finish goes on and on. Score: 91 pts
LEGENDS ESTATES CHARDONNAY RESERVE 2013 - VQA Niagara Peninsula, Ontario, Canada (XD) - $18.95
The medium-intensity nose offers rich, buttery aromas with butterscotch, vanilla, and poached apple joining fray, all of which come through nicely on the medium-bodied palate. Acids are still clean, while the finish length is very good. Score: 88+ pts
LEGENDS ESTATES RESERVE SHIRAZ 2012 - Lizak Vineyard, VQA Lincoln Lakeshore, Niagara Escarpment, Ontario, Canada (XD) - $23.95
This has a medium-high intensity nose that's very savoury with wood spice, green olive, meaty, and gamey aromas. On the medium-full bodied palate, this has black peppercorn, gamey and charcuterie flavours surrounded by good acidity and refined tannins. The finish length is very good. Score: 89 pts
Saturday, November 26, 2022
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