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

Tonight's 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 October 19th 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...

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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La Chevalière Rasteau 2022 (Rhône) - Wine Review

Tonight's red wine review is an excellent Grenache-based blend from Rasteau that arrived at the LCBO earlier this month as part of the October 5 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...

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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La Ferme du Mont Le Ponnant Côtes du Rhône-Villages 2022 (France) - Wine Review

To celebrate Father's Day, tonight's red wine review is an excellent GSM-blend Côtes du Rhône-Villages that is a frequent visitor to the LCBO, with the latest vintage arriving on shelves across Ontario last weekend in the June 8 LCBO VINTAGES New Release Collection.

It is produced by La Ferme du Mont, a notable winery situated in the Southern Rhône Valley of France. La Ferme du Mont is a relatively new project in the context of French winemaking, led by winemaker Stéphane Vedeau, and has gained notoriety for its high-quality wines and attention to detail.

With more than two decades of experience as a viticulturist and winemaker, Stéphane Vedeau is a 3rd generation winemaker who continues the traditions from his mother's side of the family. Stéphane has a deep understanding of the Rhône Valley's terroir and winemaking traditions. With La Ferme du Mont, the aim is to create wines that express the unique characteristics of the terroir, emphasizing minimal intervention in the winemaking process to allow the terroir to shine through.

In the vineyard, the goal is harmony. The plants live in a permanent equilibrium in the middle of a biotope rich in different species. The goal is to have the healthiest grapes, which take up most of the time and effort, as well as grapes that are balanced and in harmony with the plant and the natural environment, as well as be in harmony of fruit, juices, and breeding.

Having tasted several vintages of this red wine in the past, this is generally a Grenache-led blend, with this 2022 vintage composed of 80% Grenache, 10% Syrah, and 10% Mourvèdre. The grapes were grown in the Southern Rhône Valley in a region dominated by a rocky peak and rounded stones in the vineyards, while the climate is warm, dry, and influenced by the powerful Mistral winds. The combination of these factors allows Stéphane to use an environmentally-friendly approach to viticulture, with minimal intervention. To vinify this wine, the grapes were lightly pressed and then underwent a long fermentation of 5 to 6 weeks, with soft extractions. To fully express the terroir, two-thirds of the wine was matured in concrete tubs for at least 8 months, out of contact with air, while the remaining was aged 225 L and 500 L barrels to increase complexity. The wine is bottled without filtration.

The 2022 growing season was marked by intense heat and drought. The year began with a dry winter that saw very little rain, followed by a spring that rapidly warmed up, although April did experience a fleeting cold snap. Budburst and flowering were a success, even though temperatures continued to rise. May was abnormally hot, while rain in June brought some relief. The summer months were marked by heat and drought, conditions which keep rot and disease at bay. The vines were revived in August thanks to some humidity, and benefited the red grape varieties Grenache and Syrah. Overall, grape quality is high, which will produce some sophisticated, age-worthy wines. Let's see how this 2022 Côtes du Rhône-Villages red wine from the Southern Rhône Valley is tasting tonight...

Tasting Note:

LA FERME DU MONT LE PONNANT CÔTES DU RHÔNE-VILLAGES 2022 - AP, unfiltered, France (#171371) (XD) - $26.95
This lovely GSM blend of 80% Grenache, 10% Syrah, and 10% Mourvèdre has a lifted, medium-high to highly aromatic, and complex nose of black cherry, raspberry, kirsch liqueur, black peppercorn, and spice with hints of stony minerality. On the medium-full bodied palate it is chewy, ripe, dry, slightly warming and spicy with delicious dark berry-cherry, black raspberry, black peppercorn, stony mineral, and earthy flavours. Acids are crisp and refreshing, while the smooth tannins have some structural and textured grip. Lovely stony mineral notes linger on the long, grippy finish. Should drink nicely to the end of the decade. Highly recommended buy! Score: 91 pts

One other lovely wine by La Ferme du Mont is available at the LCBO, while the entire range can be ordered through their Agent - Eurovintage Wines & Spirits.

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Rhonéa Tradition Rasteau 2021 (Rhône) - Wine Review

Tonight's red wine review is a delicious Southern Rhône Valley red from the Cru Rasteau appellation that is arriving at the LCBO this weekend as part of the June 8th LCBO VINTAGES New Release Collection - and is available in many stores already.

It is produced by Cave de Rasteau - Rhonéa (formerly Ortas), a co-operative winery that was formed after the merger of two historic co-operatives who had deep roots in the Rhône Valley going back to the year 1925. As a co-operative, Rhonéa is today a collective of 400 families of Artisan Winegrowers who have over a combined 2,900 hectares of vineyards that have been cultivated in Rhône's terroirs for 3 to 4 generations.

The initial project at the beginning of the 20th century consisted of only a handful of passionate and visionary families who laid the first stones of the village wineries. Their aim was to create a shared asset which put everyone's talents to use in order to provide the best conditions for producing, ageing and selling wines.

Rhonéa is the innovative, new generation co-operative model made up of 400 families who are winegrowers with small vineyards averaging 10 hectares each. They are united with a common passion, but with know-how that has been passed on from one generation to the next to create their own, unique stories. With perfect knowledge of their terroirs, plots, and grape varieties, they aim to reveal the very best of them. All Rhonéa winegrowers are committed to ethical and sustainable winegrowing, vintage after vintage. The main mission of Rhonéa is to craft wines that are accessible, without compromising on quality, while also innovating with sustainability commitments, which includes social responsibility and environmental protection, at the top of mind.

I enjoyed a previous incarnation of this wine, the 2017 Ortas Tradition Rasteau, nearly five years ago, and like that wine, this edition is also mainly Grenache. In fact, this edition is a blend of 60% Grenache, 20% Syrah, 15% Mourvèdre, and 5% Carignan. The grapes were grown on terraces of clay, limestone, and pebbles on the plain, and blue marls on the hills situated between 200 and 250 metres altitude, facing the Dentelles de Montmirail. After manually harvesting, sorting, and destemming the grapes, they underwent a traditional vinification with long maceration and partial punching down.

The 2021 growing season for red grape varieties presented many difficulties with frost, hail, and rain. With poor weather, disease, pests, and low yields, the vintage will be remembered for being atypical, but also resulting in qualitative, fresh, lush, and tasty wines. Let's see how this 2021 Southern Rhône red from Rasteau is tasting tonight...

Tasting Note:

RHONÉA TRADITION RASTEAU 2021 - AP, Rhône, France (#998716) (XD) - $19.95
This blend of 60% Grenache, 20% Syrah, 15% Mourvèdre, and 5% Carignan has a medium+ to medium-high intensity nose that is musky and woodsy, giving way to a core of ripe raspberry, black cherry, black pepper spice, stony minerals, and black olive aromas, with touches of savoury earth. On dry, medium+ to medium-full bodied, and slightly warming palate it has savoury stony minerals, black raspberry, black cherry, woodsy oak spice flavours. Acids are crisp, fresh, and juicy, while the supple, fine-grained tannins have with some textural grip. Savoury stony mineral and spice notes linger on the well-structured finish, with very good length. Recommended buy! Score: 88+ pts

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

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Cave de Roquebrun La Grange des Combes Saint-Chinian-Roquebrun 2021 (Languedoc) - Wine Review

Tonight's red wine review is the latest vintage of one of my perennial favourites that arrived at the LCBO as part of the recent LCBO VINTAGES New Release Collection on April 27th.

It is produced by Le Vins de Roquebrun, a co-operative winery that was founded in 1967. It is located in Haut-Languedoc Natural Regional Park, approximately 30 km north of Béziers, between Montpellier and Toulouse. Le Vins de Roquebrun is the largest producer in the Saint-Chinian appellation of Languedoc, consisting of 70 winegrowers that cultivate over 700 hectares of vines, plus 30 members in the cellar. Together, their philosophy is to create wines of originality, balance, and power.

Le Vins de Roquebrun is particularly noted because of its terroir - the mild and relatively arid climate, and in combination of schist soils, which allows for particular development of grapes within the Saint-Chinian Appellation. The resulting wines are typical of the region and of recognized quality. The soils in the Saint-Chinian Appellation are more than 450 million years old and among the oldest in France. The schist soil is commonly a brown or green rock, sometimes red, with a flaky appearance. As a fine-grained rock, it is composed mostly of clay flakes and tiny fragments of other minerals, all of which are laminated by the compression of clay in the heart of the earth's crust. The laminated and fractured rocks allow the roots of the vines to infiltrate deep into the ground in the search for natural groundwater, picking up minerals along the way. The minerals in the hills and valleys of Roquebrun retain water and store heat. This heat is released slowly at night, and it is said that the grapes still grow during the night. The main objective of the winegrowers of Roquebrun is to highlight the typicality of the terroir, and thanks to their efforts, the communal appellation of AOP Saint-Chinian-Roquebrun was created in 2005.

In the vineyard, Le Vins de Roquebrun only uses a set of qualitative grape varieties, while being respectful of culture. They also have rigorous specifications to regulate pruning methods, trellising, phytosanitary treatments, and yields, with a large part of the vineyard using drip irrigation to supply the vines with water. At the winery, Roquebrun uses strict specifications depending on the grape type and quality. All the grapes are manually harvested, which allows for sorting in the vineyard. Red wines, such as this wine, are often vinified using carbonic maceration, a technique that converts the sugar into alcohol without the use of yeast. The wine cellar is situated in an air-conditioned, semi-buried storehouse, and contains 900 French oak barrels and 56 stainless steel vats, all of which are used for ageing wines, depending on the wine and vintage. As of 1998, Le Vins de Roquebrun added a bottling line and a Bag-in-Box machine to its facility.

I've enjoyed this unoaked red many times over the years, with the most recent vintage being the 2018 Cave de Roquebrun La Grange des Combes Saint-Chinian-Roquebrun a few years ago. The 2021 vintage of this lovely red wine is a blend of 50% Syrah, 30% Grenache, and 20% Mourvèdre, from selected plots that were grown on schistous soils. The grapes were manually harvested, then brought to the winery and vinified in whole bunches using carbonic maceration in vats for 25 to 30 days. It was aged in stainless steel vats in an insulated and air-conditioned cellar, and bottled at the property.

The 2021 growing season in Languedoc had severe frosts in April, which drastically cut yields. Summer conditions were hot and dry, and put the vines under drought stress, while heavy September rains arrived too late to offer much help. Overall, it is a small crop and quality is variable throughout the region. However, I am optimistic about this consistently well-made red from Saint-Chinian-Roquebrun. Let's see how this 2021 red wine from Languedoc is tasting tonight...

Tasting Note:

CAVE DE ROQUEBRUN LA GRANGE DES COMBES SAINT-CHINIAN-ROQUEBRUN 2021 - AC, Languedoc, France (#155804) (XD) - $21.95
This unoaked blend of 50% Syrah, 30% Grenache, and 20% Mourvèdre has a fresh, lifted nose of medium-high to high intensity that is ripe and spicy with lovely red & black fruits, blackberry, raspberry, cherry, peppery spice, stony mineral, and dried herb aromas with touches of meaty and savoury notes. It is notably mid-weighted on the dry palate with complex ripe blackberry, black cherry, black raspberry, savoury meaty, stony mineral, black pepper spice, and dried herb flavours supported by tangy, juicy acidity. The smooth, refined tannins have some chalky textured and youthful grip. Stony mineral with touches of spice linger on the slightly tangy, crisp finish, with excellent length. Well-balanced and ready to drink now, but will provide pleasure over the next 5 years. Highly recommended buy! Score: 90+ pts

The delicious 2022 Cave de Roquebrun Soleil de Schiste is currently available at the LCBO, while the rest of the portfolio can be ordered through their Agent - Eurovintage Wines & Spirits.

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Seppeltsfield EC405 Barossa Shiraz/Mataro 2020 (Australia) - Wine Review

Tonight's red wine review is an excellent blend of Shiraz and Mataro from the Barossa Valley in Australia. It arrived as a brand-new wine at the LCBO last month in the March 2nd LCBO VINTAGES New Release Collection as an Online & Flagship Exclusive, with many bottles now available both in-store and online.

It is produced by Seppeltsfield Wines, an iconic winery located on the Western Ridge of the Barossa Valley. With a rich history, Seppeltsfield combines over 420 acres of ancient vineyards, gardens, and heritage-listed architecture to handcraft quality wines and unique offerings. The Seppeltsfield estate is surrounded by a small settlement, also named Seppeltsfield, and is among the most western townships in the Barossa Valley. The picturesque region is a patchwork of vineyards on gently rolling hills, contrasted by open fields of cereal crops. The estate is a landmark of South Australia where travellers of all origins were warmly welcomed throughout the 19th and 20th centuries due to the generous hospitality of the Seppelt family. Today, Seppeltsfield proudly continues the Seppelt family vision of the "village", ensuring that the history, heritage, and provenance of this remarkable estate is shared with many.

Seppeltsfield was established in the Barossa Valley by Joseph and Johanna Seppelt, just 15 years after the European settlement of South Australia. In 1851, Joseph Seppelt, an emigrant from Silesia, purchased 158 acres of land with the original intention of farming tobacco, with later generations of the Seppelt family concentrating their efforts on grape growing and winemaking. Seppeltsfield flourished into the 20th century, along with the Seppelt family's expanding interest in the liquor industry. The Seppelt family is regarded as one of Australia's most successful wine dynasties as it remained within the family until 1985.

In 2007, Seppeltsfield returned to private ownership, and is now under the custodianship of proprietor Warren Randall. Mr. Randall is a qualified viticulturist and winemaker who had previously worked for the Seppelt family in the 1980s, and is supported by proud investors. The estate is viewed by Warren as a custodianship of the Seppelt family legacy. In 2010, the 1888 Gravity Cellar was recommissioned and has revitalized the estate's prowess with still wines as all super premium red Barossa varietals are once again passing though the Gravity Cellar. Originally completed in 1888, the visionary design of the Gravity Cellar was borne out of engineering logic by Oscar Benno Seppelt, son of Joseph and Johanna. The Gravity Cellar uses a gravity-fed, minimal handling approach to winemaking, which is now a coveted modern-day winemaking principle, and results in wines with heightened aromatics and purity of fruit, aided by the gentle extraction of colour, flavour, and tannin. As part of Randall Wine Group, Seppeltsfield is also committed and compliant with Freshcare Australian Wine Industry Standard of Sustainable Practice – Winery Standard and the Sustainable Winegrowing Australia programs.

This red wine is a handcrafted blend of Shiraz (aka Syrah) and Mataro (aka Mourvèdre or Monastrell), a wine that celebrates the winemaking art of assemblage (bench blending) to achieve a final blended wine that is greater than the sum of its parts. The "EC" (East Cellar) part of the name of this wine goes back to the earliest red varietal blends that were first released by Seppeltsfield's founding family in the 1960s. While the composition of each wine varied with each vintage, the East Cellar code was a unique reference to where the wines were rested and matured in oak barrels prior to release.

The EC405 borrows the legacy of earlier EC bottlings, and brings together the traditional blend of Shiraz and Mataro. This 2020 vintage of the EC405 is a blend of 66% Shiraz and 34% Mataro. The Shiraz is made up of a parcel grown on Seppeltsfield's "V-Block" Vineyard in the western part of the valley and a parcel grown on Seppeltsfield's "Chooks Block" in the southern part of the valley, while the Mataro was sourced from a grower vineyard on the western ridge. The grapes used to craft the EC405 were fermented at their 1888 Gravity Cellar, which is built into the hillside on a series of terraces. Gravity guides the flow of the fruit through the winery, delivering gentle extraction of colour, flavour, and tannins. Each vineyard parcel was kept separate throughout the entire process, including maturation in seasoned French oak hogsheads. Bench blend trials were then conducted by the Seppeltsfield winemaking team, prior to assemblage and bottling.

While the 2020 growing season proved to be yet another challenging vintage, which led to reduced yields, and in turn, reducing supply, the quality of what was produced is high. Let's see how this 2020 Barossa Shiraz/Mataro is tasting tonight...

Tasting Note:

SEPPELTSFIELD EC405 BAROSSA SHIRAZ/MATARO 2020 - Barossa Valley, South Australia (#33561) (XD) - $33.95
Enclosed by screw cap, this blend of 66% Shiraz and 34% Mataro has an elegant, fragrant, medium-high to highly aromatic nose of ripe, sweet black and purple fruits, blackberry, black cherry, and potpourri aromas with accents of savoury earth, iron, and minty herbs. It's medium-full to full-bodied with well-structured, rustic tannins and black-purple fruited and savoury flavours of blackberry, black cherry, sweet cassis, peppery spice, and graphite with persistent savoury mineral and cocoa characters. Acids are crisp and juicy. Some spice notes on the mid-palate taper to savoury graphite and mineral flavours on the long, grippy finish, with excellent length. Enjoy now to 2040. Highly recommended buy! Score: 93 pts

Small quantities of other Seppeltsfield Wines are available at the LCBO, while the entire range can be ordered through their Agent - Dionysus Wines & Spirits.

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Cave de Roquebrun Soleil de Schiste 2022 (Languedoc) - Wine Review

Tonight's red wine review is a lovely Syrah-based blend from Languedoc that newly arrived at the LCBO last weekend in the April 13th LCBO VINTAGES New Release Collection. It is included as part of the release's theme on Perfect Pairings for Spring Celebrations and will be a fine match for backyard BBQs.

It is produced by Cave de Roquebrun, a co-operative winery located in the Languedoc wine region of France. It was founded in 1967 in Haut-Languedoc Natural Regional Park, approximately 30 km north of Béziers, between Montpellier and Toulouse. More specifically, it is situated in the picturesque village of Roquebrun, which lies within the Saint-Chinian appellation of the Languedoc-Roussillon wine region, and offers an exceptional, sunny microclimate for Mediterranean vegetation and the cultivation of fruit. Moreover, Cave de Roquebrun is located on schist terroir, which is typical of Languedoc, and allows Roquebrun to produce original and high-quality wines.

Today, Cave de Roquebrun is the largest wine producer within the Saint-Chinian appellation, consisting of 70 winegrowers who cultivate over 700 hectares of vines. With a team of professionals motivated by high standards, their philosophy is to create wines of originality, balance, and wealth.

In order to realize their philosophy, their schist terroir plays a very important role. The climate in Roquebrun is very mild and relatively arid, and when combined with schist soils, the development of the different grape varieties is very special and unique. The soils where the vines are planted are among the oldest in France, dating back to the Devonian, Ordovician, and Visean eras, which are more than 330 million years old. Schists are a brown, green, or sometimes red rock, with a flaky appearance that is fine-grained and includes tiny fragments of other minerals. These rocks are laminated and fragmented, allowing the roots of the vine to go deep into the ground in the search for naturally circulating rainwater. This mineral has two main virtues: it retains water, while also storing heat which is released slowly at night and, according to local winegrowers, allows the grapes to still grow at night.

This red wine is a blend of 65% Syrah, 20% Grenache, and 10% Mourvèdre that was grown on the clay-limestone slopes on the banks of the Orb River. The grapes were manually harvested at night to retain freshness, and upon arriving at the winery they were direct-pressed, cold settled, and underwent a long fermentation at a low temperature. To retain the full expression of the fruit, the wine was matured in stainless steel vats for at least a year in an insulated and air-conditioned cellar.

Despite spring frosts and summer hail which created uncertainty among growers, the 2022 vintage in Languedoc is said to be the best since 2011. While extreme weather patterns have become commonplace in the Languedoc region of France, summer brought sunshine and wind, reducing the risk of disease, while some grape varieties progressed rapidly. Timely rains in mid-August and at the beginning of September helped polish the tannins and polyphenols. From then on, the weather was idyllic, allowing producers to pick grapes at peak ripeness without any concern. Let's see how this 2022 Languedoc red is tasting tonight...

Tasting Note:

CAVE DE ROQUEBRUN SOLEIL DE SCHISTE 2022 - AP, Languedoc, France (#35995) (XD) - $18.95
This unoaked blend of 65% Syrah, 20% Grenache, and 10% Mourvèdre has a fresh, lifted nose of medium-high intensity that offers generous and attractive aromas of ripe red & black fruits, blackberry, black cherry, raspberry, and black plum that mingles with earthy and stony minerality, plus touches of wild herbs. It's mid-weighted on the dry and very ripe palate with delicious flavours of wild berry, garrigue, blackberry, raspberry, peppery spice, stony mineral, and savoury earth. It has fresh acidity and supple, chalky textured, gently grippy, and well-structured tannins. Smoky mineral notes linger on the long, crisp, and well-structured finish. Highly recommended buy! Score: 89 pts

A wine by Cave de Roquebrun will be available at the LCBO in a couple of weeks, while the entire can be ordered today through their Agent - Eurovintage Wines & Spirits.

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Château Maucoil Privilège Châteauneuf-du-Pape 2020 (Rhône) - Wine Review

After enjoying the beautiful 2016 Château Maucoil Privilège Châteauneuf-du-Pape a few years ago, tonight's red wine review is the latest edition of this terrific, certified organic red wine that arrived at the LCBO last month in the LCBO VINTAGES New Release Collection on December 16th - with plenty of bottles still available for purchase.

It is produced by Château Maucoil, an historic property that is situated in an area of Châteauneuf-du-Pape that has been occupied since Roman times when they set up a base for Caesar's legions. The Château Maucoil estate and castle was built in 1624 and inherited by Joseph de La Pise, Lord of Maucoil and archivist of the House of Orange-Nassau (the Dutch royal family). Winegrowing has been an intrinsic part of the property since the 17th century, with Château Maucoil possessing some of Châteauneuf-du-Pape's oldest vines, some of which are over 100 years old.

Château Maucoil has changed hands many times over the years, with a series of illustrious families taking over the reins to develop the estate and establish its reputation. Most recently, in late 2022, Château Maucoil was acquired by Bernard Duseigneur from Groupe Maucoil Lavau, which was owned jointly by the (65%) Lavau and (35%) Bonnet families.

Today, Château Maucoil has 45 hectares of vines in the Châteauneuf-du-Pape appellation, all of which have been tended to organically since 2011. With the estate's privileged situation and unique terroir, the vines are allowed to grow at pace with care, precision, and patience. The soils are worked in the traditional method, without any chemical weed killers, while preferring the use of ancient methods such as furrowing, forming mounds, and ploughing. The vineyards are tended to with maximum respect for the people and the environment.

This cuvée marks a return to the traditions of Châteauneuf-du-Pape by using the original 13 grape varieties that were permitted within the AOC (in 2009 the list of permitted grape varieties was expanded). It is crafted with 50% Grenache, 15% Syrah, 12% Mourvèdre, 8% Cinsault, Clairette, 5% Bourboulenc, Vaccarèse, Muscardin, Counoise, Terret, Roussanne, Picpoul, and Picardan. All the grapes were hand-harvested from a plot of old vines that were planted on sand and large rounded stones. After meticulously sorting the grapes, it was vinified using traditional methods and represents a return to the origins of winemaking by co-fermenting the grapes and ageing for 18 months in larger demi-muids. It was then aged for several years in bottle prior to release.

The 2020 growing season in the Southern Rhône began with a mild winter, followed by a hot and dry summer, with slightly cooler nights, which led to wines with good freshness and balance. Conditions during harvest were ideal, resulting in a stress-free vintage with solid yields. Since 2020 lacked lengthier periods of extreme heat, Grenache took its time to ripen. Fortunately, some light rain arrived towards the end of September, and by early October all Grenache grapes were harvested. There is some variance in the quality of wines from 2020 Châteauneuf-du-Pape, but overall, the wines are harmonious, fresh, balanced, and engaging, with more delicate tannins and lower alcohol levels, and offer immediate drinkability.

It is also interesting that the 2016 I enjoyed in November 2020 retailed for $86, while this vintage is priced at more than 25% less, an unusual surprise in these highly inflationary times, although the ownership change may have been a factor. Let's see how this organic 2020 Châteauneuf-du-Pape is tasting tonight...

Tasting Note:

CHÂTEAU MAUCOIL PRIVILÈGE CHÂTEAUNEUF-DU-PAPE 2020 - AC, Rhône, France (#16210) (XD) - $62.95
Certified organic and a blend of 50% Grenache, 15% Syrah, 12% Mourvèdre, 8% Cinsault, Clairette, 5% Bourboulenc, Vaccarèse, Muscardin, Counoise, Terret, Roussanne, Picpoul, and Picardan. The highly aromatic nose is deep and complex with aromas of ripe, dark red & black fruits, black cherry, black raspberry, blackberry, stony mineral, garrigue, white pepper spice, kirsch, and smoke. On the dry, medium-full to full-bodied palate it is ripe, harmonious, gently spicy, and warming, but within balance, with lovely savoury, stony, black-blue fruits, peppery spice, garrigue, and meaty flavours with touches of violet. Acids are crisp, juicy, and succulent, while the ripe tannins are smooth and refined with good structure. Stony, smoky, meaty, and peppery spice notes linger on the finish, with excellent length. Provides immense pleasure now, and will continue to do so over the next 10+ years. Highly recommended buy! Score: 94 pts

Other fine wines by Château Maucoil can be ordered through their Agent - Connexion Oenophilia / Noble Estates Wines & Spirits.

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d'Arenberg The Stump Jump Grenache / Shiraz / Mourvèdre 2019 (McLaren Vale) - Wine Review

Tonight's red wine review is a delicious GSM blend from McLaren Vale in Australia that arrived at the LCBO last month as part of the recent August 19th LCBO VINTAGES New Release Collection.

It is produced by d'Arenberg, a well-known and highly regarded winery situated in McLaren Vale, South Australia. It was established in 1912 by Joseph Osborn when he planted his first eight acres of Shiraz vines on the property. The same year, Joseph was joined by his third child, Frank Osborn, who left university to take up life on the land. Joseph also sold his stable of prize winning horses to purchase the d'Arenberg property, which was originally named Bundarra.

In 1913, Frank Osborn harvested his first vintage at the Bundarra property in McLaren Vale, with grape prices reaching an unheard of price of £20 per tonne. After several years serving in the army, Frank married Helena d'Arenberg in 1920. A year later, Jane Antoinette (Toni) Osborn was born, followed by the birth of Rowen Frederick Osborn in 1924. In 1926, Helena Osborn died after giving birth to their third child, Francis d'Arenberg Osborn, who was also always known as d'Arry.

After encouragement from Sam Tolley, Frank's brother-in-law and wine industry mentor, in 1927 Frank decided to build a winery and produce his own wine. Frank spent some time learning about winemaking, while Sam was largely responsible for building the winery. In 1928, Frank Osborn produced his first wines, which were labelled "Bundarra Vineyards by F. E. Osborn & Sons". Production ceased in 1942 due to Frank's health, but resumed when d'Arry Osborn left school at the age of 16 to join the family business in 1943 and work at the winery full-time.

Modernization began during this period when the first tractor with rubber tires was purchased in 1946, followed by electricity and the electrification of the production area in 1951. In 1959, d'Arry Osborn launched his own wine label with a distinctive red stripe, while also designing the family crest that has the Latin words "Vinum vita est", which translates to "Wine is Life", and the fertility symbol in the top right corner of the crest, and grapes in the opposite corner.

On a day that was hailed as a good start to the financial year, Chester d'Arenberg Osborn was born on July 1, 1962. In 1963, they purchased their first hydraulic basket press and a year later they built their first tasting room. To this day, traditional winemaking methods are still used, with all of the wines basket pressed and all the red wine ferments foot trodden. In 1965, d'Arry received a letter from another well-established winery who had applied for trademark protection for the name "Bundarra", and by mutual agreement, d'Arry agreed to let the name go and stop using the Bundarra name.

The name change didn't hinder progress or success, as d'Arenberg had to build another tasting room to accommodate the ever increasing number of visitors. In 1971, they installed their own bottling line. Starting in the late 1960s, d'Arenberg was awarded many trophies and awards for their wines.

d'Arenberg's success continued when Chester Osborn, the fourth generation of the family, took over as Chief Winemaker, focusing his efforts on producing high quality and distinctive wines, while also reducing yields in the vineyards by eliminating fertilization and minimizing irrigation. d'Arenberg is also focused on natural and environmentally-friendly philosophies which encourage strong root systems that penetrate the soil, which in turn results in lively tannin structures, soil characters, and fine minerality. Moreover, all d'Arenberg estate owned and leased vineyards are NASAA Certified for organic and biodynamic processes. d'Arenberg is also a founding member of Australia's First Families of Wine.

This particular red wine is from d'Arenberg's "The Stump Jump" range of wines. The name comes from a rumour that the inventor of the Stump Jump plough, which enabled a ploughshare to jump over tree roots, had poor eyesight and required regular eye tests to ensure he could still operate machinery safely. The label design of The Stump Jump range is inspired by an optometrist's eye chart and serves as a
makeshift sobriety test - if you can hold the bottle at arm's length and still read the front label, you can enjoy another glass. There are half a dozen wines in the range, and this particular wine is a blend is approximately equal parts Grenache and Shiraz, with Mourvèdre completing the blend. The grapes used to craft this blend were mostly from very old bush vines that underwent gentle crushing and were fermented in traditional, open tank fermenters, followed by basket pressing and maturation in oak prior to bottling.

During the 2019 growing season, winter was quite dry with sporadic light showers that didn't penetrate the soil very deeply. Although bud burst was impacted, it was managed with irrigation. During spring, a strong wind event at the time of flowering upset some of the growth, especially in Shiraz, while summer was hot with an extreme heat wave and a record high temperature of 46.6°C. Yields were down on most varieties. However, the quality was excellent, with the grapes exhibiting very typical varietal characteristics. From what is classified as a good vintage, let's see how this 2019 McLaren Vale GSM is tasting tonight...

Tasting Note:

D'ARENBERG THE STUMP JUMP GRENACHE / SHIRAZ / MOURVÈDRE 2019 - McLaren Vale, South Australia (#173294) (XD) - $17.95
Enclosed by screw cap, this GSM blend has a fresh, medium+ to medium-high intensity nose that offers lovely black pepper, spice, raspberry and blackberry aromas layered over earthy and meaty notes. It's full-ish bodied, dry, and sweetly fruited with ripe dark red berry, blackberry, black raspberry, black pepper, oak spice, earth, and meaty flavours which are supported by fresh, well-balanced acidity and smooth, firm, and somewhat grippy tannins that are youthful. Some minty herbal notes on the mid-palate. Savoury with cedary wood spice and earth notes linger on the finish, with very good length. A solid, highly recommended buy to enjoy over the next few years. Score: 89 pts

Other lovely wines by d'Arenberg can be found at the LCBO (with some in very limited quantities), while the whole portfolio can be ordered through their Agent - Churchill Cellars.

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Xavier Vignon Côtes du Rhône 2020 (France) - Wine Review (Nov. 2022)

Tonight's red wine review is a lovely, organic red wine from Rhône that returned to LCBO VINTAGES shelves across Ontario just over a week ago as part of the recent November 19th LCBO VINTAGES Release.

It is produced by Xavier Vignon, a man who started out as an consultant oenologist in 1996 in a laboratory in Vaucluse in the Southern Rhône Valley for 30+ cellars, and three years later started crafted artisanal cuvees from his garage for his friends. After one of his friends secretly took his wines and submitted them to Guide Hachette where they received critical acclaim, Xavier started crafted his own wines under the Xavier Vins label. Today, with two fundamental values of a job well done and the capacity to transmit knowledge, Xavier bottles wines under his own name. He is known as a Terroir Hunter and Master Blender, while also having respect for the environment. The wines of Xavier Vignon are the result of a scientific background, great deal of experience, confidence in others, total involvement, exchange of knowledge, and shared pleasure.

I first enjoyed this organic 2020 Xavier Vignon Côtes du Rhône six month ago when it showed up in VINTAGES in last spring. It is a blend of primarily Grenache from 80-year-old vines, plus Syrah from 45-year-old vines, and Mourvèdre from 60-year-old vines, all grown on Galets roulés (rolled pebbles), sands, clay, and limestone soils located mostly in the northern part of the Vaucluse and altitude parcels. The grapes were manually harvested, fermented at moderate temperatures, and aged in concrete tanks for a short period of time.

The 2020 vintage benefitted from a good amount of rain in late-autumn and the early winter of 2019, providing very good water stores that would help the vines stay hydrated later in the year. The mild and dry winter meant that flowering and bud break took place early, while the dry and hot summer resulted in a long ripening season with vines drawing water from their winter reserves. During the 2020 growing season, there were no sever heat spikes and night-time temperatures were much cooler, thus allowing the grapes to gently and gradually ripen. The Southern Rhône also benefitted from cool winds which refreshed the vines during the summer heat. Conditions were splendid during harvest as the pristine grapes were picked in warm, dry conditions. Wines from the 2020 Southern Rhône Valley are described as well-balanced with finesse and elegance. Let's see how this 2020 organic Côtes du Rhône tasting tonight...

Tasting Note:

XAVIER VIGNON CÔTES DU RHÔNE 2020 - AP, France (#297317) (XD) - $17.95
Aged in concrete, this is primarily Grenache with Syrah and Mourvèdre in support. Lovely, elegant, and fragrant mix that is spicy and savoury, joined by ripe dark red cherry, raspberry, and red plum aromas, plus hints of white pepper spice and meaty notes. It's medium-full bodied with good concentration on the crunchy palate with spicy flavours of ripe dark red cherry, raspberry, and red plum that tapers to savoury, earthy, and meaty flavours. Saliva-inducing fresh and juicy acids. Supple, lightly grippy tannins. Nicely balanced throughout with lovely dark red cherry, raspberry, and mineral notes lingering on the long, juicy finish. Highly recommended buy to enjoy over the next 3-5 years. Score: 89 pts

You can find other lovely wines by Xavier Vignon at the LCBO and through their Agent - Noble Estates Wines & Spirits.

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LAVAU Vacqueyras 2018 (Rhône) - Wine Review

For Rhône wine lovers (like me!), tonight's red wine review is this lovely Vacqueyras that arrived at the LCBO last weekend as part of the September 10 LCBO VINTAGES Release.

It is produced by Maison LAVAU, one of my favourite Southen Rhône producers. Maison LAVAU was founded in the Rhône Valley in 1964 by the Lavau family that had been involved in winemaking from Bordeaux to Tunisia for several generations. The Lavau family decided to settle in the Rhône Valley after being seduced by the richness and quality of the Provencal soils. Today, Lavau is a renowned and respected name in Rhône Valley winemaking with brothers Benoit and Frédéric Lavau at the helm of the family business. Over the years, the Lavau brothers have enhanced their expertise by becoming creators of cuvées and producers. Not only do they own wine estates covering more than 180 hectares of vines across the Rhône Valley, but they also have long-running partnerships with more than 350 growers so that Maison LAVAU is able to select the best terroir and grapes in order to craft top quality wines.

This red wine is crafted with 50% Grenache Noir, 40% Syrah, and 10% Mourvèdre, all grown in plots on the plain of Vacqueyras. The vines average 35 years old and are planted on alluvial and sandy, well-draining soils. Grenache is the emblematic variety of the Southern Rhône Valley, tolerating drought very well, while also providing juice that is very sweet, and often contributes power and volume to wine blends. Syrah is often trellised because it is not very resistant to the mistral winds, while adding a beautiful purple colour to the wines, along with intense fruit aromas and spices; Syrah also pairs very well with Grenache. Mourvèdre is the late-maturing variety that originated in Spain and produces intense and powerful wines with great finesse, and is particularly suited for ageing and ageing in wood. At the winery, the grapes for this wine were de-stemmed and placed in stainless steel, thermo-regulated vats for a 24-hour maceration, followed by fermentation. 60% of the cuvée is matured in vats, while the rest was aged in 450 L first and second-use barrels for a period of 12 months, before being blended together with the tank-aged portion.

The 2018 growing season in Rhône was a bit of a hit and miss. Winter and spring were wet and mild, but reasonably successful. In the Southern Rhône, there was unexpected rainfall in June that caused some difficulties with mildew and rot. The damp weather eventually dried up and gave way to a hot, dry summer. Despite a challenging growing season, the resulting wines were generally good with red wines more densely concentrated than typical with strong fruit flavours and structure. After enjoying the excellent 2017 LAVAU Vacqueyras in Spring of last year, let's see how this latest vintage is tasting tonight...

Tasting Note:

LAVAU VACQUEYRAS 2018 - AC, Rhône, France (#104927) (XD) - $26.95
Blend of 50% Grenache Noir, 40% Syrah, and 10% Mourvèdre. The fragrant, medium-high intensity offers lovely perfumed, ripe dark berry, purple fruit, dark cherry, and floral aromas with swarthy, scorched earth undertones. The medium-full bodied palate is ripe with smooth, refined, subtly structured and grippy tannins that support the ripe dark berry-cherry, purple fruit, earthy, and smoky flavours with subtle spicy notes. Acids are fresh and lively, Nicely balanced throughout with lovely dark berry, subtle smoky earth, and spice notes linger on the long finish. Highly recommended buy! Score: 92 pts

Other lovely wines by Maison LAVAU can be ordered through their Agent - Connexion Oenophilia.

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Rémy Ferbras Terre de Mistral Plan de Dieu Côtes du Rhône-Villages 2018 (France) - Wine Review

After the enjoying the lovely 2017 Rémy Ferbras Terre de Mistral Plan de Dieu Côtes du Rhône-Villages in Spring of last year, for tonight's red wine review I'm delighted to see the next vintage come to the LCBO next weekend as part of the September 10th LCBO VINTAGES Release.

It is produced by Rémy Ferbras, a range of wines that pays tribute to the first cellar master of Maison Grandes Serres - a winery with deep roots in the Southern Rhône Valley at the heart of the presigious vineyards of Châteauneuf-du-Pape. Rémy Ferbras is an iconic figure of the winery as he was a tireless advocate of the Rhône terroir and its grape varieties. He also contributed largely through his work and tenacity to the development and recognition of Grandes Serres. The Rémy Ferbras range is a result of strict selections, precise vinification and ageing, to produce rich, elegant, complex, and flavourful wines, just as Rémy Ferbras would have it.

This red wine from Rhône is a classic blend of Grenache, Syrah, and Mourvèdre, or GSM for short. The grapes were grown within the Plan de Dieu Côtes du Rhône-Villages appellation on soils mostly composed of limestone pebbles and brown clay. After harvesting the grapes at optimum maturity, each variety was vinified separately and after alcoholic and malolactic fermentations, the wine was blended and bottled.

The 2018 vintage in the Southern Rhône was a bit of a hit and miss with humidity, mildew, and uneven ripening issues due to unexpected rainfall. However, despite a challenging growing season, the resulting wines were generally good and more densely concentrated that normal with strong fruit flavours and structure. Let's see how this 2018 Rhône wine from Plan de Dieu is tasting tonight...

Tasting Note:

RÉMY FERBRAS TERRE DE MISTRAL PLAN DE DIEU CÔTES DU RHÔNE-VILLAGES 2018 - AP, Rhône, France (#538009) (XD) - $15.95
This classic blend of Grenache, Syrah, and Mourvèdre has a fresh, perfumed, medium-high intensity nose with a lovely bouquet of ripe dark red cherry, floral, and spices with touches of red plum and subtle earthiness. On the medium to medium-full bodied palate it offers delicious red cherry and raspberry flavours in a slightly cooked profile, plus spices and earthy-stony-smoky minerality notes. Acids are fresh and well-balanced, while the tannins are smooth, refined, and lightly structured with a subtle grip on the back palate. Tangy with lovely stony mineral notes lingering on the very long aftertaste. Enjoy this recommended buy over the next 3-4 years. Score: 89 pts

Other lovely wines by Rémy Ferbras are available through their Agent - DBINO David Beauroy Selections.

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Laya 2020 (Spain) - Wine Review

After enjoying the 2018 Laya in January of last year, tonight's wine review is the latest vintage of this delicious, vegan-friendly Spanish red wine that is coming to LCBO VINTAGES on September 10th.

Bodegas Atalaya is a small winery founded by the Gil family in 2007. The bodega is located in the Almansa wine region, within the province of Albacete, in the east of Spain's largest winegrowing region, La Mancha, and in a transition zone between the high central plateau of La Mancha and the Mediterranean Sea. The region's vineyards are located on mainly flat areas of land with low-fertile, limestone soils, and experience very little rainfall which forces the vines to work hard and deep into the soils in the search for nutrients. Extreme hot and cold temperatures in the region promote higher acidity and freshness. The prinicple grape of the region is Garnacha Tintorera (aka Alicante Bouschet) followed by Monastrell (aka Mourvèdre), with both of these grape varieties thriving in the region.

The Gil family produced their first wines from humble beginnings in 1916 in the heart of Jumilla, which is just south of Almansa. Founded by Juan Gil Gimènez and continuously family-owned, Gil Family Estates is currently run by fourth generation of the family - brothers Miguel and Ángel. Today, Gil Family Estates is made up of a number of small wineries with over 1,400 hectares of total vineyards across Spain's many winegrowing regions. They craft wines using only indigenous varieties.

This red wine is crafted using 70% Garnacha Tintorera and 30% Monastrell that was grown in DOP Almansa. The bush vines are planted on calcareous soils between 700 and 1000 metres above sea level and produce grapes that concentrate complexity, structure, colour, and fruit forward flavours. It was vinified by fermentation in stainless steel tanks and followed by ageing in French oak barrels for 4 months.

The 2020 vintage in Castilla La Mancha is described as "excellent" and the best in the last 10 years. Let's see how this red wine from Almansa is tasting tonight...

Tasting Note:

LAYA 2020 - Vegan, DOP Almansa, Spain (#132605) (XD) - $16.95
This blend of 70% Garnacha Tintorera and 30% Monastrell has a fragrant, intensely aromatic nose offering very ripe black-blue-purple fruit aromas joined by plummy and savoury undertones with touches of pepper spice, limestone mineral, and floral. It's medium+ bodied on the dry palate with ripe black-blue-purple berry and plum flavours. Some peppery spice and earthy mineral notes add a nice savoury component. It's balanced with fresh acidity and supple, lightly structured, and grainy tannins. Mineral notes linger on the long, supple finish. Recommended buy! Score: 89 pts

Other delicious wines by Gil Family Estates and Bodegas Atalaya can be ordered through their Agent - Profile Wine Group.

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Cave de Roquebrun La Grange des Combes Saint-Chinian-Roquebrun 2013 (Midi) - Wine Review

Tonight's red wine review is a lovely GSM blend from Languedoc that I purchased from the February 6th LCBO VINTAGES Release back in 2016.

It is produced by Cave de Roquebrun with grapes from the Saint-Chinian sub-appellation of Saint-Chinian-Roquebrun in southern France. The blend consists of 50% Syrah, 30% Grenache and 20% Mourvèdre that was grown 30 km north of Beziers on the schistous hillside of Roquebrun facing south-southeast. It was vinified by whole bunch maceration and fermented and aged in stainless steel tanks.

As a perennial favourite of mine, I've enjoyed many previous vintages of this wine over the years, including most recently the 2015 Cave de Roquebrun La Grange des Combes Saint-Chinian-Roquebrun at the beginning of the year. The latest edition is available in LCBO VINTAGES now.

Tasting Note:

CAVE DE ROQUEBRUN LA GRANGE DES COMBES SAINT-CHINIAN-ROQUEBRUN 2013 - AC, Midi, France (#155804) (XD) - $18.95
Blend of 50% Syrah, 30% Grenache, and 20% Mourvèdre that was raised entirely in tank. Deep garnet colour. Intense, finely aromatic, and maturing notes of savoury, wet earth, dried florals, and dried dark berry. It's medium-full bodied and spicy with dried dark berry, savoury earth, dried spices, and hints of dried florals. Smooth, refined tannins have matured and integrated very nicely. Still has very good structure and juicy acidity. Well-balanced, slightly tangy, and tapering to a minerally, earthy, succulent, and long finish. Should continue to drink well for a few more years. Great buy! Score: 91 pts

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Torbreck Old Vines Grenache / Shiraz / Mourvèdre 2018 (Barossa) - Wine Review

After enjoying the lovely 2017 Torbreck Old Vines Grenache / Shiraz / Mourvèdre last August, tonight's red wine review is the next vintage of this lovely GSM blend from Australia that is coming to the LCBO this weekend as part of the July 16 LCBO VINTAGES Release.

Founded in the Barossa Valley in 1994 by David Powell, Torbreck Vintners was named after a forest in Scotland where David worked as a lumberjack. After gaining his winemaking experience at various Barossa wineries, David was inspired to create his own label and began to share-farm vineyards in order to obtain fruit from some of the Barossa Valley's very best vineyards.

Torbreck Vintners is owned today by Proprietor Peter Kight with a continued focus on the classic Rhône (and Barossa) varieties - Shiraz (Syrah), Grenache and Mataró (Mourvèdre) - all three of which make up this red wine. Torbreck considers Barossa to be the most exciting place to make wine in the world with its gentle Mediterranean climate and 175 years of Silesian and English commitment to grape-growing and winemaking. Torbreck works with multi-generational winegrowers whose ancestors arrived here nearly two centuries ago and have great knowledge of the seasons and soils, while working the vineyards with minimal intervention and aiming to get the best out of each vineyard site.

Compared to the previous vintage, the 2018 edition of this wine contains a little bit less Grenache (59%) and Syrah (19%), and more Mourvèdre (22%). The grapes were hand harvested from vines as much as 100 years old from the red earth sub-regions of Marananga, Gomersal, and Ebenezer of the western Barossa Valley. It was fermented in a combination of open top cement and wooden vats, as well as stainless steel tanks, followed by aging in well-seasoned French oak hogsheads for 24 months. Each parcel of grapes was vinified separately until the final stage of blending and bottling.

The 2018 growing season started with above average winter rainfall, which led into below average spring and summer rainfall, producing small bunches and berries. In the Barossa it was reasonably hot and caused considerable heat stress to some vines. However, once temperatures eased off, the dry and mild conditions allowed the fruit to fully ripen slowly, with both Shiraz and Grenache showing some great potential. Overall, quality was particularly high amongst Torbreck's red varieties Shiraz, Grenache and Mataro. Let's see how this 2018 GSM blend from Australia is tasting tonight...

Tasting Note:

TORBRECK OLD VINES GRENACHE / SHIRAZ / MOURVÈDRE 2018 - Barossa Valley, South Australia (#10223) (XD) - $24.95
Screw cap enclosure. This blend of 59% Grenache, 22% Mourvèdre, and 19% Syrah has a lovely, fragrant, intense nose of ripe raspberry and black cherry with underlying savoury, meaty, and wet earth aromas, plus with some black pepper spice and dried herb adding further complexity. The medium-full bodied is also quite ripe with more raspberry, black cherry, meaty, wet earth, and black pepper spice flavours. Acids are fresh, juicy, and well-balanced. Lightly structured tannins are smooth and refined. Savoury with smoky mineral notes linger on the long, lightly chalky textured finish. Highly recommended buy! Score: 91 pts

Other lovely wines by Torbreck are available at the LCBO and through their Agent - Noble Estates Wines & Spirits.

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Clos St. Antonin Côtes du Rhône 2016 (France) - Wine Review

Tonight's red wine review is a lovely Côtes du Rhône that I purchased from the December 7th LCBO VINTAGES Release in 2019.

It is produced by siblings Christophe and Isabelle Sabon of the family that owns Domaine de la Janasse. Christophe and Isabelle decided to embark on a new adventure and purchased St. Antonin after the 2014 harvest. The property is located in the town of Jon-Quières and has 15 hectares of vines and has terraces of pebbles on clay (marls) soils preserved from erosion. The entire vineyard, which is oriented north-south, was re-worked and redesigned with respect for the terroir and environment.

This particular Côtes du Rhône red wine is a blend of 80% Grenache, 10% Mourvèdre, and 10% Syrah grown just south of St. Antonin on plots characterized by clay and silt soils resting on marls, from vines averaging 40 years of age. The grapes were manually harvested and sorted in the vineyard. with 80% de-stemmed prior to maceration and fermentation. It was aged for 9 months in concrete vats and casks.

The 2016 vintage was excellent across the Rhône Valley. With a long, drawn-out growing season, Grenache became intensely concentrated, while Mourvèdre was able to reach full phenolic ripeness. Let's see how this 2016 Rhône red is tasting tonight...

Tasting Note:

CLOS ST. ANTONIN 2016 - AC Côtes du Rhône, France (#10513) (XD) - $19.95
A blend of 80% Grenache, 10% Mourvèdre, and 10% Syrah aged in concrete vats and casks, the fragrant, medium-high to highly aromatic nose leads with savoury meaty notes, mingling with spices, garrigue, kirsch, dark berry, black cherry, and blackberry aromas. Impressively concentrated on the medium-full to full-bodied palate, it has savoury, earthy, and green herb flavours surrounding a dark berry, garrigue, and kirsch flavoured core. There's a touch of warmth on the mid-palate, but not out balance, along with fresh, juicy acidity, and smooth, refined, lightly chalky tannins. Finishes savoury with stony minerals on the long finish. Should continue to drink well over the next couple of years. Score: 91 pts

The agent for this wine was Brand New Day Wines & Spirits.

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Xavier Vignon Côtes du Rhône 2020 (France) - Wine Review

Tonight's red wine review is this lovely, organic Côtes du Rhône that I've had the pleasure of enjoying on a couple of occasions over the last few years. The latest edition of this Rhône red will arrive in stores at the LCBO this weekend as part of the May 21st LCBO VINTAGES Release.

It is produced by Xavier Vignon, a man who started out as an consultant oenologist in 1996 in a laboratory in Vaucluse for 30+ cellars. Originally of Picardie in the North of France, he followed his passions of music and natural sciences and landed in Champagne to study in the faculty of pharmacy in Reims. A chance encounter with an oenologist while studying and Xavier caught the wine bug. He applied to the French National Diploma of Oenology and gained valuable experience working at several Champagne houses. Xavier worked several harvests across the globe, found mentors, and eventually settled in the southern Rhône Valley in 1996. He was amazed by the variety of terroirs and cultivars across the southern Rhône Valley and gained a reputation as a slightly mad consultant with innovative techniques.

In 1999, Xavier began producing artisanal cuvees from his garage for his friends. One of his friends secretly took his wines and submitted them to Guide Hachette where they received critical acclaim. In 2002, he started creating his own wines under the Xavier Vins label. Today, Xavier Vignon's two fundamental values are the love for a job well done and the capacity to transmit knowledge. He bottles wines under his own name and is known as a Terroir Hunter and Master Blender. With respect for the environment, Xavier's wines are the result of a scientific background, a great deal of experience, confidence in others, total involvement, exchange of knowledge, and shared pleasure.

My last full review of this wine was the 2017 Xavier Vignon Côtes du Rhône that I enjoyed three summers ago. This organic red wine continues to be a blend of primarily Grenache, with Syrah and Mourvèdre in support. The Grenache comes from 80-year-old vines, the Syrah from 45-year-old vines, and the Mourvèdre is from 60-year-old vines. The grapes were grown on Galets roulés (rolled pebbles), sands, clay, and limestone soils located mostly in the northern part of the Vaucluse and altitude parcels. Manually harvested, the grapes were fermented at moderate temperatures to favour soft diffusion of flavour compounds, and aged in concrete tanks for a short period of time. With a generally dry, sunny growing season, the 2020 vintage promises to be a very good year. Let's see how this 2020 Côtes du Rhône is tasting tonight...

Tasting Note:

XAVIER VIGNON CÔTES DU RHÔNE 2020 - AP, France (#297317) (XD) - $17.95
This organic wine is primarily Grenache with Syrah and Mourvèdre in support, aged in concrete tanks, and has a clean, fragrant, mineral-inflected nose layered with ripe black, blueberry, and violet aromas with meaty and dried herbal touches. On the medium-full bodied palate it is ripe and slightly warming, yet balanced, with black-blue-purple fruits, violet, stony mineral, and meaty flavours. Acids are crisp and juicy, while the ripe, supple tannins have some structure and chalky grip. Very good length on the long, savoury, minerally finish. I really like this. Recommended buy! Score: 89 pts

Other lovely wines by Xavier Vignon are available at the LCBO, as well as through their Agent - Noble Estates Wines & Spirits.

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Château Maucoil 2019 (Rhône) - Wine Review

I enjoyed the organic 2016 Château Maucoil when it arrived at the LCBO three years ago and for tonight's red wine review I am delighted to bring you the latest vintage of this lovely red wine that came to shelves across Ontario on the weekend as part of the LCBO VINTAGES Release on March 19.

Château Maucoil (pronounced "moh-kwahl") is an historic property located on northwestern edge of Châteauneuf-du-Pape in the southern Rhône Valley with over 400 years of history and ancient documents stating that its first occupants were Romans that set up a base there for Caesar's legions. Winegrowing activities on the site began in the 17th century, with several families owning the estate over time. Some plots were planted in 1895 and still exist today!

In 1995, the Arnaud family, who already owned vines in Châteauneuf-du-Pape, purchased the estate and devoted great energy and passion. In 2009, the Arnauds' youngest daughter, Bénédicte, and her husband, Charles Bonnet, took up the torch to secure the future of the estate and manage it in an environmentally-responsible manner, becoming fully certified organic in 2014. After working with Maison LAVAU for several years, Château Maucoil partnered with Lavau brothers in 2013 and today the four run the estate together.

This organic red wine is crafted using a traditional southern Rhône blend of mainly Grenache with Syrah and Mourvèdre in support. However, it is unique in that the grapes come vineyards near Châteauneuf-du-Pape and with similar soils consisting of a mixture of sand and pebbles. From old vines, the grapes in this Côtes du Rhône-Villages yield great concentration and loads of character. The grapes were hand-harvested and transported to the cellar in 15 kg perforated crates, then sorted berry-by-berry before going into vat. Each grape variety and parcel was vinified separately. After fermentation, the wines were drawn off and aged in vats until bottling.

While the 2016 vintage in the southern Rhône was a truly rare, benchmark vintage, the 2019 vintage was no slouch with a wet winter setting the table for the region's vineyards to get through the hot, dry growing season. Grenache and Mourvèdre excelled during the long growing season to produce rich, ripe, and expressive red wines with refined textures. Overall, 2019 was a gorgeous vintage that only falls short when compared to truly elite years. Let's see how this 2019 Côtes du Rhône-Villages is tasting tonight...

Tasting Note:

CHÂTEAU MAUCOIL 2019 - AC Côtes du Rhône-Villages, France (#638502) (XD) - $19.95
A blend of Grenache, Syrah, and Mourvèdre, the lovely medium-high intensity nose is rich, spicy, meaty, and dark berry scented with ripe cherry, cassis, and whiffs of mineral arriving with time in the glass. On the dry, medium to medium-full bodied palate it has lovely spicy, black cherry, cassis, meaty, stony mineral flavours with touches of plum. It has clean, fresh acidity, nice structure, and slightly chalky tannins. Really well-balanced and elegant with lovely savoury mineral notes lingering on the long finish. Highly recommended buy! Score: 90 pts

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

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Château de Nages ButiNAGES Red 2019 and White 2020 (Rhône) - Wine Reviews

Tonight's wine reviews are a pair of lovely, organic wines from southern Rhône that arrived at the LCBO for the first time last weekend as part of the January 22nd LCBO VINTAGES Release.

Château de Nages is a family-owned operation located in Costières de Nîmes that has been passed down over the generations. The family's history at Château de Nages begins with Joseph Torres, the family patriarch who at 68 years of age purchased this southern Rhône estate during World War II. After the passing of Joseph, the estate was managed by his son-in-law Alfred Gassier.

Today, the highly-acclaimed Michel Gassier is the fourth generation of the family to manage the estate. Situated in the heart of a Natura 2000 zone (an ecological network of protected areas of the European Union), the vineyards are planted with typical Rhône varietals and organically farmed. They are firmly committed to protecting their ecosystem and using resources wisely. To produce their fabulous wines, they combine ancestral know-how with modern techniques and with an absolute respect for the soil.

Both of these wines are from Château de Nages' ButiNAGES collection, which also includes a rosé. ButiNAGES, which means "gather nectar", is a metaphor that describes both the style of these wines, as well as the vineyard approach that allows us to achieve it. The grapes for these wines come from their younger vineyards, but receive the same attentiveness as their other cuvées. ButiNAGES wines are crafted with purity of fruit in mind to produce fresh, crisp, and unoaked wines with a soft mouthfeel. While the producer suggests that these are easy-drinking crowd pleasers (which they are), the quality offered in these wines are far superior than what you would normally find in an easy-drinking crowd pleaser type of wine. The 2019 vintage was outstanding in the Southern Rhône Valley, while the 2020 vintage for white wine varietals was very good. Let's see how these lovely wines are tasting tonight...

Tasting Notes:

BUTINAGES WHITE 2020 - AP Costières de Nîmes, Rhône, France (#20906) (XD) - $16.95
Screw cap. Blend of 70% Grenache Blanc and 30% Roussanne that was aged on fine lees in concrete vats with batonnage for 3 months. Elegant, fragrant, medium-high intensity aromatics are leesy mineral-inflected with lemon citrus, grapefruit, and white florals nuanced with ripe apple, stone fruits, and white peach. The palate is dry and impressively concentrated with flavours of apple, stone fruit, grapefruit, citrus, and white floral. Nicely balanced with fresh, succulent acidity. Saline minerals with citrusy notes linger on the long, juicy finish. Highly recommended buy! Score: 89 pts

BUTINAGES RED 2019 - AP Costières de Nîmes, Rhône, France (#20637) (XD) - $16.95
Screw cap. Unoaked blend of 50% Syrah, 30% Grenache, and 20% Mourvèdre that was destemmed without crushing to keep only whole berries. It was blended and aged on lees in vats for 6 months. The medium-high intensity nose offers a lovely bouquet of dark cherry, raspberry, wild herbs, smoky minerality, garrigue, peppery spice, and subtle meaty nuances. It's medium-full bodied with rich, ripe, supple, and dusty tannins that have a subtly textured grip. Flavours of dark cherry, raspberry, licorice, peppery spice, smoky minerality, and garrigue are lifted by fresh, vibrant acidity. Finishes long and juicy with smoky mineral notes. Highly recommended buy! Score: 89 pts

Other lovely wines from Château de Nages are available at the LCBO, as well as through their Agent - Profile Wine Group.

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