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wine review is this lovely rosé wine that's new to LCBO and coming to shelves across Ontario this weekend as part of the June 18th LCBO VINTAGES Release.
La Posta Vineyards wines are the Catena family's entry-level range of wines which were first created at the turn of the century when Dr. Laura Catena discovered a handful of growers who consistently showed impressive results with specific varietals year-after-year. La Posta wines salute these hard-working growers who strive for superior flavours from grapes they grow on their own estate, and produce wines that are often single vineyard bottles. Each La Posta label illustrates a story of these individual families (although this rosé doesn't mention the family) and are inspired by Art Nouveau and Art Déco designs of the 1920s and 1930s.
This rosé is a relatively new edition to the La Posta range and is crafted with 100% Malbec that was grown at high-altitude at 1,000 metres (3,280 feet) elevation in the Tupungato wine region of the Uco Valley in Mendoza. It was vinified using carbonic maceration by press after whole clusters were hand-loaded into 5,000 Litre stainless steel tanks and did not spend any time in contact with oak. From the cooler 2021 vintage, I would expect this rosé to be quite refreshing. Let's see how this Malbec Rosé from Argentina is tasting tonight...
Tasting Note:
LA POSTA MALBEC ROSÉ 2021 - Tupungato, Valle de Uco, Mendoza, Argentina (#24747) (XD) - $14.95 Screw cap. Lovely deep orange-peach colour. The medium-high intensity, fragrant nose has aromas of grapefruit, stony minerals, pomegranate, and grilled herbs, plus touches of blood orange, citrus, raspberry, and cherry. On the dry, medium+ bodied palate it has refreshing, vibrant acidity that lifts the grapefruit, stone mineral, citrus, pomegranate, and herbal notes. Nicely textured and slightly tannic on the back palate, with mineral, herbs, and grapefruit notes lingering on the long, dry, crisp, and juicy finish. Quite impressive and a highly recommended buy! Score: 89 pts
Other delicious wines by La Posta are available at the LCBO, as well as through their Agent - Noble Estates Wines & Spirits.
Produced by La Posta Vineyards, a range of entry-level wines which are part of the Catena family and formed in the year 2000 after Dr. Laura Catena discovered a handful of growers who consistently showed impressive results with specific varietals year-after-year. La Posta wines salute these hard-working growers who strive for superior flavours from grapes they grow on their own estate, and produce wines that are often single vineyard bottles. Each La Posta label illustrates a story of these individual families and are inspired by Art Nouveau and Art Déco designs of the 1920s and 1930s.
The grapes for this Bonarda were grown by Estela Armando. Her family has been growing grapes in Mendoza since 1887, one year after they arrived from the Piedmont region of Northern Italy. Estela's great-grandfather started the family wine business by growing grapes, making wine, and then taking the wine by mule train in leather wine bags to sell to the workers building the Trans-Andean railroad. The grapes used in this Bonarda were planted by Estela's grandfather and father in 1963 in the vineyard that she still tends to. The combination of a unique place, old vines, and very little irrigation helps create grapes of high quality. With this Bonarda, Estela invites you to venture into the Andes as Summer gives way to Fall and the snow-capped mountains grow whiter, while the water of the Desaguadero River gets bluer with each day.
This red wine is crafted with 100% Bonarda, Argentina's second-most widely planted red varietal. It was grown in a single vineyard planted in 1963 and located in Guaymallén in eastern Mendoza at an elevation of 700 metres (2,300 feet). The soils at this vineyard are shallow loamy clay with gravel subsoils. During vinification, 30% of this Bonarda was aged for 10 months in 2nd and 3rd use French oak barrels. The exceptional 2020 harvest is noted as one of the earliest and warmest vintages in Mendoza, with reduced yields, but also produced extraordinarily high quality grapes under the otherwise terrible circumstances. Let's see how this 2020 Bonarda is tasting tonight...
Tasting Note:
LA POSTA ESTELA ARMANDO BONARDA 2020 - Mendoza, Argentina (#261586) (XD) - $15.95 The fresh, lifted nose offers generous aromas of black cherry, blackberry, raspberry, and plum with whiffs of stony minerals and violet. On the ripe, medium-full bodied palate it has pleasing black cherry, raspberry, blackberry, mineral, and plum replays on the flavour profile. Acids are juicy, while the supple, dusty textured tannins have a nice mouthfeel. Fine mineral notes with dark berries linger on the long finish. Even better than the 2018, this is a highly recommended buy! Score: 89 pts
Other delicious wines by La Posta are available at the LCBO and through their Agent - Noble Estates Wines & Spirits.
red wine review is this lovely Malbec that arrives at the LCBO this weekend in the LCBO VINTAGES Release after a half a dozen year hiatus from our shelves.
It is produced by La Posta Vineyards, the entry-level brand of the Catena family of wines. La Posta Vineyards was formed in 2000 after Laura Catena discovered a handful of growers who consistently showed impressive results with specific varietals year-after-year. La Posta wines salute these hard-working growers who strive for superior flavours from grapes they grow on their own estate, and often single vineyard bottlings. Each La Posta label illustrates a story of these individual families and are inspired by Art Nouveau and Art Déco designs of the 1920s and 1930s.
This Malbec is from the Fazzio family. Salvador Fazzio arrived in Argentina from Sicily in 1917 in the search for a better life. His son, Francisco Fazzio, got married in Mendoza and had three children, and in 1955 he purchased 15 hectares of land in Tupungato to dedicate himself to viticulture. Today, Domingo Fazzio is the third generation of family to run the business and expanded by purchasing more land in Tupungato. In 2005, Domingo bought a 100-hecatre vineyard in the area of Agua Amarga, Tupungato and named the property "El Nono Francisco" to honour his father. Domingo Fazzio, a dancing farmer who loves the ladies, also loves working the soil invites you to rest at the edge of the vineyard to find inspiration and leave inspired by an "old man" to Never Slow Down.
This particular Malbec is from the El Nono Francisco property, a vineyard located in a very privileged area at 1,100 metres (3,608 feet) elevation that borders las Tunas River where they get water to irrigate the land. Local ancient people told stores of a big Indian settlement that used to inhabit this land more than 150 years ago, and when the Fazzio family began working this land, they discovered archaeological remains which showed evidence of this settlement. The vineyard was planted in 2003 and the soil is composed of medium deep loamy soils, with calcareous stony subsoils - soils which are good for roots development and drain well. In the winery, half the wine was aged in second use French oak barrels, while the other half was aged in stainless steel tanks.
Tasting Note:
LA POSTA FAZZIO MALBEC 2019 - Tupungato, Mendoza, Argentina (#444687) (XD) - $19.95 Grown at 1,100 metres above sea level, this Malbec has a spicy, medium-high intensity nose that reveals lovely ripe black fruits, blackberry, and violet aromas with hints of stony mineral and a touch of dried herb. On the plush, medium-full bodied palate it is impressively concentrated with ripe black fruits, blackberry, violet, and stony mineral flavours wrapped by smooth, refined, and velvety tannins. Fresh, juicy acidity takes you through to the long, well-balanced, stony, dark berry, and cocoa-tinged finish. Quite impressed by this. Highly recommended buy! Score: 90 pts
wine review is this Malbec by La Posta Vineyads, the entry-level brand of Bodega Catena. This red wine is a frequent visitor to LCBO VINTAGES due to its popularity and last arrived at the LCBO in June - with only approximately 10 bottles still remaining on shelves in Ontario.
In 2000, Laura Catena discovered a handful of growers whose results in the vineyards with specific varietals was impressive year-in and year-out. Her first encounter with many of these growers was at a posta del viñatero, or "tavern of the grape grower". They drank wine and spoke passionately for hours about their soils, vines, and quest for superior flavours in their grapes. The wines of La Posta salute these hard-working growers, with each bottle a vineyard-designate wine solely made using their own grapes. Each La Posta label illustrates a story of these individual families and are inspired by Art Nouveau and Art Déco designs of the 1920s and 1930s.
This particular Malbec is grown by the Pizzella Family - two teachers who came from Buenos Aires to Mendoza in 2000 and achieved early success by growing cool-climate Malbec grapes. The soils of their vineyard consist of sandy loam, sand, silt, and clay with 20% stones covered by limestone. Along with their three children, they meticulously work their 10-hectare vineyard together with the goal of uniformity and balance.
Tasting Note:
LA POSTA PIZZELLA FAMILY MALBEC 2018 - La Consulta, Uco Valley, Mendoza, Argentina (#166298) (XD) - $16.95 100% Malbec from 20-year-old vines grown at 3,600 feet (1,100 metres) above sea level. 10% of this wine was aged in new French barrels for 10 months, while 30% in 2nd use French barrels. The soft nose is ripe and plummy with blackberry, mulberry, and peppery spice notes along with a streak of stony mineral. It's soft and rounded on the medium-full bodied palate with oak-influenced flavours of dark berry and earth with a touch of sweetness. Acids are well-balanced while light tannins are well-integrated with a mild grip. Savoury and earthy notes linger on the finish, with good length. A casual, entry-level Malbec that has wide appeal. Score: 87 pts
Over the Civic Holiday long weekend, I had a great opportunity - thanks to Wines of Argentina! - to taste through and explore many lovely Argentine wines that will be arriving at the LCBO as part of the LCBO VINTAGES Release that features wines from Argentina.
In fact, there are more than 30 Argentine wines coming through LCBO VINTAGES this summer and fall - and I will be writing about nearly all of these over the coming weeks - but we'll begin our look at wines from Argentina with these 7 wines.
With 895 wineries, Argentina is the 5th largest wine producer globally and is 7th most in cultivated surface. Of course, Malbec is Argentina's flagship grape that we all know and love and is usually the first grape that comes to mind when we think of Argentine wine. However, only 22% (44,000 hectares) of Argentine vineyards are devoted to Malbec. Bonarda is currently Argentina's 2nd most planted grape with 18,000 hectares planted to this varietal. However, this was always not the case as Bonarda was the most planted grape in Argentina until the end of the last century. The 3rd most widely planted grape is Cabernet Sauvignon - and not far behind Bonarda in acreage - has been extensively researched in recent years. Not surprisingly, Cabernet Sauvignon expresses different profiles depending on where its grown, and in Argentina the trend has been to grown this varietal in colder, higher altitude zones. These three red grapes combine to make up the majority of Argentina's wine production, making Argentina very much a red wine producing nation.
However, with 36,000 hectares of vines planted to white grape varietals, Argentina does produce some white wines. Argentina has many old vineyards in perfect condition, but winemakers are also innovating by reconditioning and reviving old vineyards, as well as experimenting with earlier harvests that result in wines with higher acidity and lower alcohol. Winemakers are also exploring new regions for white wines such as at very high altitude sites, in poor, high drainage, calcareous soils, and different micro-climates within the desert regions of the Andes mountains and in Oceanic, coastal vineyards. Another area of experimentation is fermentation vessels such as using amphoras, spheres, and pressurized barrel fermenters. Torrontés Riojano - found only in Argentina - is the most widely planted white varietal at nearly 8,000 hectares, making it the country's signature white wine. The other white varietal of prominence is Chardonnay with almost 6,000 hectares planted. Sauvignon Blanc has seen explosive growth over the last 14 years to become the 3rd most planted white varietal. The final grape of note is Semillón - with 650 hectares planted - and it develops well in cool, moderate climates such as those found in the Uco Valley (Mendoza) and Rio Negro Upper Valley (Patagonia). The white wine below is a delightful blend of three of these varietals.
One of the most interesting aspects of winegrowing in Argentina is the landscape. Grapes are grown from 22° to 45° southern latitude along a strip that follows the Andes mountain range, and heights reaching up to an astounding 3,300 metres above sea level - which are among the highest in the world.
The Cuyo, in central western Argentina, contains 95% of the country's total acreage planted to vines. Located in the Cuyo are the wine regions of La Rioja, San Juan, and the heart of Argentine wine production - Mendoza. The highest peaks of the Andes are found in Mendoza, thus acting as a barrier to the humid winds from the Pacific Ocean. The altitude, continental climate, heterogeneity of soils, and snowmelt are key contributors to the production of excellent wines in the region. Mendoza is divided into 5 sub-regions - Valle de Uco (Tunuyán, Tupungato, and San Carlos), Primera Zone (Luján de Cuyo and Maipú), Northern Oasis (Lavalle and Las Heras), the East (San Martín, Rivadavia, Junín, Santa Rosa and La Paz), and the South (San Rafael, Malargüe and General Alvear). Moreover, new research has led to the identification of micro-regions within these terroirs, with new Geographical Indications (GIs) being certified as contributing distinctive characteristics to their wines.
Located north of Cuyo are the wine regions of Jujuy, Salta, Tucumán, and Catamarca, collectively known as The North. It is here that some of the world's highest-altitude vineyards are located. Viticultural tradition in the region can be traced back to the 18th century and primarily located in the Calchaquí Valleys - a system of mountains that formed 5 million years ago and stretch 270 km. The town of Cafayate, in Salta, is home to 60% all of vineyards in The North. The wines from this region are strongly influenced by the terroir and high altitude, with its arid and dry climate, very high average temperatures and diurnal temperature variation, long growing season, and sandy-loam soils. The Cabernet Sauvignon reviewed below is a great example from Cafayate.
The Patagonia and Atlantic Region is south of Cuyo and forms a large area that is flanked by low mountains to the west and extends to the ocean in the east. Five regions encompass the area - Neuquén is located to the southwest of La Pampa, while Río Negro is to the south and borders both regions. Newer projects have regions further to the south in Chubut, and towards the ocean to the east in Chapadmalal (Buenos Aires). It is interesting to note that the city of Buenos Aires has a wine consumption rate per capita that is 2nd only to Paris.
Wine reviews are provided below and all of these lovely wines will be in stores by . You will also be able to order them online at LCBO.com where Wines of Argentina is sponsoring an amazing contest to Win the Ultimate Backyard Makeover - a $10,000 grand prize that includes a Home Depot Gift Card and four premium cuts of 100% Argentine beef valued at $600. To enter this contest, simply spend at least $100 on LCBO.com - easily achieved by adding a few of these lovely Argentine wines to your shopping cart. This contest closes .
Tasting Notes:
SUSANA BALBO SIGNATURE WHITE BLEND 2018 - Uco Valley, Mendoza, Argentina (#558734) (XD) - $21.95
This blend of 35% Semillón, 35% Sauvignon Blanc, and 30% Torrontés was grown at 1,050 metres above sea level. It has a medium-high intensity, ripe nose of asparagus and grassy tones with some yellow floral, passion fruit, and lime citrus with touches of mineral adding complexity. It's medium+ bodied on the palate with very good concentration and zesty, limey acidity. Pleasing citrus, herbal, asparagus flavours with a fine, underlying minerality. It has a nice, chalky texture on the mid-palate while the finish is long and zesty. Agent: Profile Wine Group. Score: 90+ pts
LA MASCOTA ROSÉ 2019 - Mendoza, Argentina (#15182) (XD) - $16.95
Screw cap. This 100% Malbec Rosé has a medium+ intensity nose offering bright red berry, cherry, and strawberry aromas with touches of citrus, all of which come through nicely on the ripe red berry and citrus palate with some spice and floral notes adding interest to the flavour profile. It's somewhat fleshy on the mid-palate with bracing acidity. Nicely dry overall with subtle stony mineral and saline characters on the long, fresh finish. Very impressive. Agent: Univins and Spirits. Score: 89 pts
LUIGI BOSCA TERROIR LOS MIRADORES MALBEC 2017 - Uco Valley, Mendoza, Argentina (#568899) (XD) - $34.95
This single vineyard Malbec from vines averaging only 10 years old was grown at 1,150 metres above sea level. It has a clean, fresh, elegant, fragrant, and ripe nose of spice, stony mineral, violet, blackberry, and touches of herb. The spicy, medium bodied palate is ripe with very nice replays and sweet, elegant tannins and flavours of dark berry, blackberry, and violet accented with spice and stony minerals. It's juicy on the mid-palate with fresh acidity. Long, stony, spicy finish with subtle oak nuances. Lovely! Agent: FWM Canada. Score: 91 pts
LA MASCOTA MALBEC 2018 - Mendoza, Argentina (#555805) (XD) - $16.95
This Malbec was grown in deep, stony soils and aged for 12 months in new French and American oak barrels. The medium intensity nose has dark berry, black cherry, and white pepper spice aromas mingling with stony mineral and touches of plum, floral, and oak. It is medium-full bodied on the palate with dark berry, black cherry, white pepper spice, and oak influenced flavours. The smooth, rounded tannins have a slightly chalky texture, while acids are well-balanced. Very good length on the spicy, dark berry, and cocoa scented finish. A nice wine that I'd like to see with a little less oak. Agent: Univins and Spirits. Score: 88+ pts
LA CELIA RESERVA MALBEC/CABERNET FRANC 2017 - Uco Valley, Mendoza, Argentina (#618280) (XD) - $14.95
This co-fermented blend of 80% Malbec and 20% Cabernet Franc has a medium intensity nose that leads with woody, herbal, and green pepper tones backed by some red and dark currant aromas and subtle spiciness. It is medium+ bodied with herbal, woody, currant, and peppery spice flavours with well-integrated, subtly grippy, crunchy tannins. Acids are fresh, while the finish length is very good. Agent: Mark Anthony Wine & Spirits. Score: 87 pts
EL ESTECO 1947 OLD VINES CABERNET SAUVIGNON 2018 - Cafayate Valley, Salta, Argentina (#15082) (XD) - $24.95
From pergola-trained vines whose origins can be traced back to 1947, and raised entirely in cement egg with natural yeasts. Fresh, aromatic nose has herbaceous, paprika, olive, and minty notes with some cassis, red and black fruits and some minerals. It is full bodied on the complex palate with peppery, spice, paprika, olive, cassis, currant, herbal, and plum flavours with some earthiness supported by fresh acidity. Smooth, refined tannins have some grip on the back palate, while the long finish is earthy and stony with olive notes. Agent: Dandurand. Score: 90+ pts
LA POSTA ESTELA ARMANDO BONARDA 2018 - Mendoza, Argentina (#261586) (XD) - $15.95
From 50+ year old vines located in the Guaymallén region. Ripe and fruity nose with raspberry, blueberry, and spice. It's medium+ bodied on the fruity palate with raspberry, red berry and spice flavours balanced with fresh acidity and smooth, rounded tannins. The fruit and spice notes are joined by some chocolate notes on the finish, with very good length. Agent: Noble Estates Wine & Spirits. Score: 88 pts
Monday, June 13, 2022
