Calcu Tiny Blocks Gran Reserva Cabernet Franc 2020 (Chile) - Wine Review

Tonight's red wine review is a lovely, sustainable and vegan-friendly Cabernet Franc from Chile. It is brand new to the LCBO and arrived on shelves earlier this month as part of the feature on wines from Chile in the recent LCBO VINTAGES New Release Collection on February 3rd.

It is produced by Calcu Vineyards, a winery project that was established in 2003 by the Hurtado family. With over a century's worth of experience making quality wines in the Colchagua Valley, the Hurtado family found a unique place in Marchigüe, within the Colchagua Valley in central Chile, that is marked by hills of granite stone. The hills are the inspiration for the name Calcu Vineyards - "CAL: Hill" and "CUrá: Stone" - and means Hills of Stone.

The granite hills with clay seams, combined with the proximity of the vineyard to the sea at just 26 kilometres from the Pacific Ocean, as well as the altitude of the vineyard with different orientations of the slopes allows for a perfect blend that reflects the personality of the vineyard. By combining all of these features, it enables each Calcu wine to showcase the brand's characteristic freshness, structure, verve, and depth.

The core values at Calcu Vineyards are excellence, perseverance, and honesty. While sustainability is also one of the four essential values of the Hurtado family, whereby caring for the environment, workers, and the local community is key, Calcu Vineyards was created with the ambition of redefining the Colchagua Valley with world-class, handcrafted wines. With the assistance of winemaking advisor, Xavier Choné, the Hurtado family designed each of the 166 micro-terroirs using a high-precision manual process that followed the orientation of the slopes and natural clay seams that are present on the site. This resulted in a vineyard architecture of small blocks, with many less than 1 hectare in size, with varying slopes and irregular shapes. The nature of these blocks allows each variety to find the ideal place within the vineyard, where it can express its maximum potential. One of the most important aspects of the site is the gentle granitic slopes on the coastal hills. The soil on these slopes contains important seams of clay, which are preserved and maintained as they contribute structure, texture, and depth to the resulting wines.

To craft this red wine, the grapes were manually harvested and double sorted from vineyards situated at their Marchigüe Estate vineyard, 25 km from the Pacific Ocean. The vineyard is planted on the gentle hills of the coastal hills, where the soft sea breeze moderates the temperatures and allows the grapes to develop excellent concentration and fresh, aromatic fruit. The soil in this vineyard is mainly granitic with a significant clay content, characters that positively influence concentration and persistent aromas. The tiny blocks selected for this Cabernet Franc (which also includes splashes of Petit Verdot and Carménère) are planted in the highest sectors of soil with a high presence of quartz, which provides a fantastic combination of fresh fruit, structure, and elegance. It was fermented in stainless steel tanks at temperatures between 20ºC and 24ºC, and underwent 18 days of maceration time with its skins. After completing malolactic fermentation in stainless steel tanks, it was aged for 12 months in French oak barrels.

The 2020 growing season at Calcu was marked by a warm and dry climate. This challenged the team at Calcu because they needed to be more alert than ever in identifying the opportune time for harvest in order to maintain the elegance and natural balance that characterizes the wines from this terroir. The resulting wines from the high quality 2020 vintage have high concentration, excellent colour intensity and complexity, and very good ageing capability. Let's see how this 2020 Cabernet Franc from Chile is tasting tonight...

Tasting Note:

CALCU TINY BLOCKS GRAN RESERVA CABERNET FRANC 2020 - Sustainable, Valle de Colchagua, Chile (#35677) (XD) - $14.95
This blend of 95% Cabernet Franc, 3% Petit Verdot, and 2% Carménère has a lovely, lifted, medium-high intensity nose of wet earth, mineral, dark fruited (blackberry, black cherry), minty herb, and sweet tobacco aromas. On the dry, ripe, medium+ bodied palate it has lovely, elegant, and balanced aroma replays of dark fruit, mineral, savoury wet earth, blackberry, black cherry, and tobacco flavours with some spicy and herbal notes. It is well-structured with very good acidity and grippy, structured, and mouth puckering tannins. Minerally with dark fruit and tobacco notes linger on the long, crisp, and juicy finish. Enjoyable now, but will reward with 2-3 years in the cellar. Highly recommended buy! Score: 90 pts

While only a limited number of the excellent 2018 Calcu Winemaker's Selection Blend is available on clearance at the LCBO, all wines in the Calcu Vineyards portfolio can be ordered through Agent - Don Ackerman's Wines & Spirits.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Tasting Note:

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

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

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Rodney Strong Symmetry 2017 (Sonoma) - Wine Review

Tonight's red wine review is an excellent red blend from Sonoma County that I was first introduced to back in 2017 during a very interesting Rodney Strong Blending Seminar with Winemaker Rick Sayre. The latest vintage of Symmetry arrived at the LCBO last month, as part of the August 19 LCBO VINTAGES New Release Collection.

It is produced by the pioneering and well-respected Rodney Strong Vineyards, the 13th winery that was established in Sonoma County in 1959. It was founded by Rodney D. Strong and has become one of Sonoma's leading wine producers.

Rodney Strong was an accomplished dancer, but transitioned to winemaking after acquiring a 159-acre vineyard in Healdsburg, Sonoma County, because he saw great potential for growing high-quality wine grapes. In 1979, as Mr. Strong stepped back from daily activities, Rick Sayre came on board as the new winemaker for Rodney Strong Vineyards. It was around this time that Tom Klein was introduced to Rodney Strong Vineyards and in 1989 he purchased the vineyards and winery because he truly loved being in the wine business.

Today, under the leadership of the Klein family, who are also 4th generation farmers in California, Rodney Strong Vineyards is flourishing with a commitment and passion to crafting premium wines. They are also committed to sustainable farming practices and environmental stewardship, and have received certifications such as certifications such as Certified California Sustainable Winegrowing and Sonoma County Sustainable. Rodney Strong produces several ranges of wines, with Symmetry part of their Reserve collection. All wines from their Reserve collection are crafted at their state-of-the-art Artisan Winery.

The philosophy behind Symmetry is that at its heart, it is an artfully blended wine that is carefully crafted using fruit from the very best hillside vineyards in Sonoma County. Part of the goal when crafting Symmetry is to capture the essence of each varietal in the blend, while striking the perfect balance between the classic Bordeaux varieties. Only the best is selected for the final blend, which makes Symmetry a unique expression for each vintage. The name Symmetry means balance, and it is their winemakers' ultimate goal to craft a rich blend that is harmonious, elegant, and intensely flavoured.

Like the wine during the blend seminar and other vintages prior and since, this red wine is typically a blend based on at least 60% Cabernet Sauvignon, with this particular vintage composed of 69% Cabernet Sauvignon, 12% Malbec, 12% Merlot, 4% Petit Verdot, and 3% Cabernet Franc. The fruit was grown in the Cooley (45%), Brothers (30%), and Rockway (25%) vineyards. It was crafted by Winemakers Justin Seidenfeld and Greg Morthole, using their small lot winemaking facility which they call the Artisan Cellar. They employed artisan techniques such as cluster pre-sorting, berry sorting, and extended maceration, while also using small tanks and equipment sized for the most discriminating vineyard selection process. The wine was aged in French oak barrels, 75% new, for 24 months. The facility is truly state-of-the-art and represents the Klein family's commitment to producing the finest wines.

The 2017 growing season was a complicated one and will be remembered for many years as the all-time precipitation record was set by mid-April, followed by six different heat waves as high as 43°C. The fruit was harvested between September 16th and October 13th. Let's see how this 2017 red wine from Sonoma is tasting tonight...

Tasting Note:

RODNEY STRONG SYMMETRY 2017 - Sonoma County, California, USA (#641142) (XD) - $74.95
Blend of 69% Cabernet Sauvignon, 12% Malbec, 12% Merlot, 4% Petit Verdot, and 3% Cabernet Franc. Richly fragrant, fresh, and spicy on the highly aromatic nose with a lovely mélange of red and black fruits, currant, cassis, grilled herbs, and savoury earth aromas with a touch of barnyard and anise adding further complexity. It's full-bodied and dry with ripe, chewy, elegant, and well-structured tannins. Lovely, rich flavours of red and black fruits, black cherry, currant, cassis, grilled herbs, oak spice, and earth flavours. A touch palate warming on the mid-palate, but still balanced, while the acids are fresh and juicy. Grilled herbs, dark fruits, and smoky earth notes linger on the long, elegant finish. Enjoy to at least the end of the decade, and perhaps a bit longer. Highly recommended buy! Score: 93 pts

Many other fine wines by Rodney Strong are available at the LCBO, as well as through their Agent - Mark Anthony Wine & Spirits.

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Achaval Ferrer Quimera 2019 (Argentina) - Wine Review

Tonight's red wine review is an excellent, old-vine Malbec-based blend from Argentina that arrived at the LCBO last month in the July 6th LCBO VINTAGES Cellar Collection Release and is still available for purchase on VINTAGES Shop Online.

It is produced by Achaval Ferrer, a prominent winery in Argentina that is known for producing limited quantity, high-quality wines, particularly from the Mendoza wine region. It was founded in 1998 by a group of friends, including Santiago Achával and Manuel Ferrer, who combined their surnames to form the wine company's name - Achaval Ferrer - and became well-known throughout the world in just a few short years.

As guardians of a legacy, Achaval Ferrer decided to preserve the legacy of time during a period when the old was quickly replaced by the new. The legacy is still treasured today as they keep the DNA of centennial vines intact, combining wisdom with passion, and creating wines that express the magic of the exceptional terroir they come from. Their philosophy is based on its commitment to and respect for nature, and its winemaking is based on a minimal interventionist principle from vine to wine, as well as three fundamental pillars. The first pillar is the centennial vines that are own-rooted and pre-phylloxera. The second pillar is to deliberately obtain low yields, which helps produce concentrated and complex berries. In addition to obtaining low yields, Achaval Ferrer also arranges the vines in a strategic, highly dense layout which makes the vines compete with each other, and thus forcing the roots to reach deeper into the soil, changing the structure of the grapes and producing highly concentrated berries. The third and final pillar is to produce wines with minimum intervention and maximum expression, thus respecting and preserving the terroir and its message all throughout the winegrowing and winemaking process, to obtain pure, highly expressive wines.

Quimera, or Chimera, is the name of this wine and it has two different meanings, both of which have an intimate relationship with this wine. The first is that in Greek mythology, Chimera was a beast made up of the parts of three different animals, while this wine is also made up of different varieties. The second meaning of the word is the one that best represents this wine - Chimera is an impossible search, a search for the unattainable; this is the mentality that everyone in the vineyards and winery has every year when they produce this wine. Without following any rules or tradition, the goal is to produce the best possible blend every year. Chimera is design and architecture, an intimate discovery, and a search for perfection.

Usually a Malbec-based blend, this vintage is composed of old-vine 59% Malbec, 16% Cabernet Sauvignon, 13% Merlot, 9% Cabernet Franc, and 3% Petit Verdot that was grown in various vineyards across Mendoza. The Malbec was grown in the Perdriel appellation in Luján de Cuyo, on soils of alluvial origin that feature a thin sandy loam with gravel underneath, and very good drainage.The Cabernet Sauvignon was grown in Medrano (Junín) and Los Arboles (Tunuyan). In Medrano, the soil is also of alluvial origin, but has an 80 cm surface layer of silty clay on a bed of sand and eroded rock, while in Los Arboles there is a great presence of stones with rounded edges, gravel with a toothed shape and colluvion. Furthermore, the sandy loam frame soil in Los Arboles provides ideal drainage. Both the Merlot and Cabernet Franc come from Tupungato, Uco Valley, where there is very little soil depth with gravel on the surface, while also combining volcanic ash and calcareous rocks, which offers very good drainage. All of the vineyards are managed in a highly sustainable manner.

To craft this red wine, each variety underwent primary fermentation separately in small cement tanks, followed by malolactic fermentation in French oak barrels, 65% new and 35% second use. It was then aged in barrel for 12 months, and finally bottled unfined and unfiltered.

The 2019 growing season was notable for its dry weather and cool climate, resulting in highly concentrated wines with great colour and acidity. From a good-to-excellent year, let's see how this 2019 Malbec blend from Argentina is tasting tonight...

Tasting Note:

ACHAVAL FERRER QUIMERA 2019 - Mendoza, Argentina (#24752) (XD) - $53
Blend of old vine 59% Malbec, 16% Cabernet Sauvignon, 13% Merlot, 9% Cabernet Franc, and 3% Petit Verdot. Elegantly complex, medium-high intensity aromas of dark fruit, blackberry, violet, currant, cassis, earthy mineral, and fine oak spices. It is full-bodied and nicely concentrated with lovely ripe blackberry, currant, fine oak spice, violet, and earthy-stony mineral flavours which are supported by fresh acidity and firm, chewy, and well-structured tannins. Crisp and fresh with mineral notes lingering on the exceptionally long, dry finish. Enjoyable now and will improve to the end of the decade. Highly recommended buy! Score: 93+ pts

Very limited quantities of one of their Malbec wines is available at the LCBO, while the rest of their outstanding portfolio can be ordered through their Agent - Mark Anthony Wine & Spirits.

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Calcu Winemaker's Selection Blend 2018 (Chile) - Wine Review

Tonight's red wine review is an excellent five-grape blend led by Cabernet Franc that is sustainably crafted from Chile. It arrived at the LCBO earlier this month in the LCBO VINTAGES May Cellar Collection (formerly Classics) and is available for purchase directly from VINTAGES Shop Online.

It is produced by Calcu Vineyards, a special and unique project that was established by the Hurtado family in 2003. The Hurtado family has over a century's worth of experience making quality wines in the Colchagua Valley and found a unique place in Marchigüe, within the Colchagua Valley in central Chile that is marked by hills of granite stone. This hill is the inspiration for the name Calcu Vineyards - "CAL: Hill" and "CUrá: Stone".

One of the fundamental pillars of the Hurtado family business is the passion for the pursuit of excellence. This is reflected in each of their wines and implemented by each member of the viticultural and winemaking team in the pursuit of excellence through precision viticulture and winemaking that accurately reflects the character of Calcu Vineyards in Marchigüe. Calcu Vineyards and the historic Viña Maquis share a winery in Palmilla, in the Colchagua Valley, for vinifying and ageing their wines. This winery was built in 2002, a year prior to the establishment of Calcu, under a sustainable concept by using gravity-flow technology to gently move the fruit and juice throughout the winery. The facility also uses geothermal energy for its wine production and is the only winery of its kind in Chile.

Sustainability is also a core value of the Hurtado family. They care for the environment, workers, and local community. One such example is the small vineyard blocks with short rows which were intentionally planted this way so that it minimizes soil erosion, while the sloping rows help reduce the risk of accidents for farm workers. The vineyards were also planted with extra care devoted to respecting natural rock formations, clay deposits, and native trees; 4,500 plants were also planted in ravines near the vineyards to increase biodiversity and protect endangered native species.

With this red wine blend, Calcu seeks to rediscover Colchagua Valley from the exceptional terroir in Marchigüe, a town and commune located in the province of Cardenal Caro, a few kilometres from the Pacific coast. The vineyard here has a unique architecture that was designed by hand to craft world-class wines that faithfully reflect the terroir, with deep care for the winegrowing and natural landscape. A blend that changes every year, this particular vintage is composed of 38% Cabernet Franc, 25% Carmenere, 18% Cabernet Sauvignon, 15% Malbec, and 4% Petit Verdot.

The grapes were grown in Calcu's own vineyards in Marchigüe on gentle hills where it is influenced by the sea breeze in the afternoon and at night, which helps moderate temperatures to produce particularly fresh grapes. The soils are primarily granitic with some important clay content, but poor in organic matter which helps to obtain low yields, delivering power, structure, and elegance to the wines. The grapes were manually harvested and selected in bunches, and then fermented in stainless steel tanks. It was aged for 18 months in French oak barrels.

The 2018 growing season in Chile was somewhat cool during spring and early summer, resulting in a harvest that was a little later than normal. This helped deliver grapes with great freshness, outstanding elegance, and natural balance with round and delicate tannins. With dry weather during the ripening phase, the grapes were very healthy with developed impressive concentration. From an exceptional vintage that is described as the year of finesse, let's see how this 2018 red wine from Chile is tasting tonight...

Tasting Note:

CALCU WINEMAKER'S SELECTION BLEND 2018 - Sustainable, Colchagua Valley, Chile (#28585) (XD) - $43.00
A blend of 38% Cabernet Franc, 25% Carmenere, 18% Cabernet Sauvignon, 15% Malbec, and 4% Petit Verdot, it is elegantly fresh and fragrant on the nose with lovely, complex aromas of crushed red and black berry, currant, cassis, floral and fine oak spices with touches of dried herbs and stony mineral. On the full-ish bodied, warming palate it has well-structured and velvety smooth tannins along with fresh, juicy acidity that supports the ripe red and black berry, cassis, currant, smoky oak, mineral, and dried herbal flavours on a well-structured frame. Impressive depth and complexity. Some tannic grippiness on the back palate. Savoury with mineral and smoky oak notes lingering on the finish, with excellent length. Enjoy over coming 10 years. Highly recommended buy! Score: 92+ pts

Other lovely wines by Calcu Vineyards can be ordered through their Agent - Don Ackerman's Wines & Spirits.

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French Door Estate Winery Héritage 2020 (British Columbia) - Wine Review

Tonight's red wine review is a sneak preview of a lovely red wine from B.C. that is expected to be released by the winery this Spring!

It is produced by French Door Estate Winery, a small, boutique, family-owned and -operated winery and vineyard that was founded in 2019 by Audra and Jason Shull. They are located on the beautiful Black Sage Bench at 365 metres above sea level on a plateau edge overlooking the valley, south of the town of Oliver, in the southern Okanagan Valley.

With a passion for quality wine, the 10-acre property is planted with 100% vinifera vines, both red and white, on beautiful, expressive soils that have resulted in rich, lush, and character driven wines. The soils on the property are sandy and rocky, with a gravel and clay base that are very well drained, with a granitic sub-soil. Their goal is to produce honest, low-intervention wines, from sustainably grown grapes, in a classic old-world French style.

The name "French Door Estate Winery" came to mind because the family was inspired by the simplicity and quality of French architecture, cuisine, and wine during their travels to Provence. As they believe that the Okanagan valley has a similar uniqueness about it, the Shull family wanted to bring these parallels to life through the way their wine is made and discussed.

Their consultant winemaker is Pascal Madevon, a man who integrates his French heritage into all of his wine creations. All of the wines are produced in the Barrel Room where there are three Tonneau French oak vats and French oak barrels. The French theme continues with a white and bright with black accents colour scheme throughout the winery, resembling the look and feel of a French farmhouse. The symbol of the "French door" is representative of their aspiration to incorporate the traditional aesthetics and values of beautiful Provence into their own backyard, with a modern twist.

This red wine from the Okanagan Valley is a blend of 41% Merlot, 28% Cabernet Franc, 13% Cabernet Sauvignon, 7% Syrah, 6% Malbec, and 5% Petit Verdot. The grapes were grown at their estate vineyard which experiences long days of sunshine, while the Oliver wind in the afternoon cools the grapes until the sun goes behind Mount Kobau. Each vineyard block and variety is cultivated with precise care depending on the vines' needs. To vinify this wine, all of the grapes were hand-harvested and sorted before being de-stemmed and gently crushed into tanks. Each variety was fermented separately and was followed by an extended maceration to extract colour and tannins. Free run wine was drained directly into barrels, while the rest was pressed off the following day, and then aged for 14 months in 60% neutral and 40% new French oak barrels before being bottled.

The 2020 growing season in the Okanagan started wet and cool, which meant a smaller fruit set than usual. The result was a smaller grape harvest, which in turn meant less wine. However, the grape quality of what was picked was excellent due to perfect ripening conditions, and the quality of the wines will be among the best of the decade. According to French Door, their 2020 Héritage could be their most refined yet. Let's see how this 2020 Okanagan Valley red wine is tasting tonight...

Tasting Note:

FRENCH DOOR ESTATE WINERY HÉRITAGE 2020 - BC VQA Okanagan Valley, British Columbia, Canada (XD) - $52
Blend of 41% Merlot, 28% Cabernet Franc, 13% Cabernet Sauvignon, 7% Syrah, 6% Malbec, and 5% Petit Verdot. The medium+ intensity nose seems a bit shy, offering elegant dark fruited aromas of black currant, cassis, and blackberry nuanced with savoury freshly tilled earth, olive, dried herbs, and oak spice adding complexity. On the elegant, refined, medium-full bodied, and dry palate it has lovely dark currant, blackberry, black cherry, olive, and earthy flavours. It has fresh acidity and elegantly refined, well-structured tannins, with savoury cocoa and herbal notes lingering on the long, juicy finish. Really elegant and refined throughout. Once released, this is a highly recommended buy! Score: 92+ pts

While this 2020 vintage isn't available for purchase as of yet at the time of this post, the 2019 vintage of this terrific wine is available direct from the winery.

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Zingari 2019 (Tuscany) - Wine Review

After enjoying the delicious 2018 Zingari last year, tonight's red wine review is the latest edition of this lovely Super Tuscan that arrived at the LCBO last weekend as part of the February 18 LCBO VINTAGES Release.

It is produced by Petra, a winery and estate whose modern story was conceived in the late 1990's with the intention of bringing together some of the greatest pioneers of Italian wine to create a new benchmark for Super Tuscans - wines made using international grape varieties grown and vinified on Tuscan soils. Petra is situated close to the ancient village of Suvereto, in northern Maremma of Tuscany, on the ferrous hills of the Val di Cornia where you can see as far as the Tyrrhenian Sea.

Although Petra was only conceived fairly recently, it's roots go back to 1808 when Elisa Bonaparte Baciocchi, Napoleone's sister, Princess of Lucca and Piombino and grand duchess of Tuscany, chose this place in Maremma to establish the first seed of an agricultural and viticultural project. Nearly two centuries later, Francesca Moretti fell in love with the history and the culture of the chateaux in Bordeaux and began studying agriculture and oenology. She eventually settled in the fertile Val di Cornia and in 1997, her father Vittorio Moretti, one of the greats of Italian wine, purchased 60 hectares in San Lorenzo and 45 hectares in Campiglia Marittima, a few kilometres from Piombino, in the Suvereto area, as the start of the contemporary project that would become Petra.

While still in university, Francesca planted her first varietals at the winery based on the terroir and her vision and favouring international varieties in the Princess Vineyard, a 5 hectare plot where Elisa Bonaparte had also planted Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot grapes two centuries earlier. The vineyards of Petra are located in a pristine, "wild" part of Maremma along the Tuscan coast where biodiversity is vibrant. The vineyards are managed according to organic practices while in the process of being certified, as well as reducing environmental impact.

The Zingari wine was born as an experimental vineyard on loamy-sandy textured and slightly calcareous soils to test the attitude of its varietals: Syrah, Merlot, Sangiovese, and Petit Verdot. The wine traces its roots to an ancient water spring that was a stop-over for pilgrims and wayfarers who were travelling along the Aurelia Street, hence the name Zingari (aka Gypsies), and could seek refreshment by resting near by its crystal clear waters. The decision to plant not only autochthonous grape varieties, but also international varieties, was to underline and narrate the migrating nature of the wine. The grape varieties used in this wine travelled distances to finally find comfort within the water spring of Zingari! It was aged in barrels and barriques for at least 12 months, and then at least a further 3 months in bottle prior to release.

By most accounts, the 2019 growing season in Tuscany was extremely good, marked by extreme summer heat and life-saving rains which fell towards the end of July that prevented the onslaught of drought. The weather stayed fine and stable through to harvest period, raising expectations for producing some excellent wines. Let's see how this 2019 Super Tuscan is tasting tonight...

Tasting Note:

ZINGARI 2019 - IGT Toscana, Italy (#244228) (XD) - $19.95
This Super Tuscan is a blend of Syrah, Merlot, Sangiovese, and Petit Verdot has clean, fragrant, medium-high intensity aromatics that deliver spicy, dried herbs, dark-black cherry, cocoa, clove, earthy mineral, and balsamic notes with impressive complexity. On the dry, chewy, medium+ to medium-full bodied palate it has ripe dark berry cherry, cassis, black plum, mineral, and dried herbs flavours with a saltiness that permeates throughout. Acids are fresh and succulent, while the supple tannins have a lightly pleasant chalky grip. Salty minerals, dark berry, cherry, sweet cassis, and cedary oak notes linger on the finish, with very good length. Better than the previous vintage and a highly recommended buy! Score: 89 pts

Other delicious Petra Wines can be ordered through their Agent - Noble Estates Wines & Spirits.

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Creekside Laura's Red 2018 (Niagara) - Wine Review

Tonight's red wine review is the latest vintage of a terrific red blend from Niagara that arrived at the LCBO last weekend as part of the February 4 LCBO VINTAGES Release.

It is produced by Creekside Estate Winery in small-town Jordan, Ontario, within the Niagara Peninsula. Creekside was founded in 1997 by Laura McCain and has a been a leader in producing distinctive, premium wines, and introducing grape varieties to Niagara that have expanded the horizons of the region. They are also known for their eclectic blends such as this wine - Laura's Blend - which has been made since the winery's founding in the late 90s.

Today, Creekside is owned by Diamond Estates Wines & Spirits Inc., but they are still led by the same group of passionate (and some say fanatical) group of industry veterans, chief among them winemaker Rob Power, who have decades of experience in their respective fields. The team of self-described cork dorks love what they do, and have fun doing it.

This lovely red wine is always a blend whose exact composition changes with each vintage, but always consists of red vinifera varieties Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, and Cabernet Franc, and often includes other varieties as well, with the end goal of creating the best wine possible. This particular edition was meticulously crafted with Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Malbec, Cabernet Franc, Petit Verdot, and Syrah to create a wine with structure and ageing potential, but also with a core of good fruit that can also be enjoyed in its youth.

The 2018 growing season in Niagara was one of the most difficult vintages ever in terms of weather calamities with a hot summer season and very little rain, followed by rain, rain, and more rain mid-harvest. However, this didn't seem to impact grape quality too much as the resulting wines were all quite good in a moderate climate idiom. Let's see how this 2018 red wine from Niagara is tasting tonight...

Tasting Note:

CREEKSIDE LAURA'S RED 2018 - VQA Niagara Peninsula, Ontario, Canada (#117960) (XD) - $25.00
Screw cap. This blend of 48% Cabernet Sauvignon, 38% Merlot, 6% Cabernet Franc, 4% Malbec, 3% Petit Verdot, and 2% Syrah has a fragrant, open, and medium-high intensity nose that delivers a fine, complex mix of red & black fruits, currant, cassis, oak spices, and grilled herbs with savoury earth undertones. It's medium to medium-full bodied on the dry palate with ripe black cherry, peppery spice, grilled herbs, currant, and cassis flavours all supported by fresh acidity and grainy textured, lightly grippy tannins. Flavours taper to savoury, chocolate, and oak spice notes on the finish, with very good length. A delicious, recommended buy! Score: 89 pts

Other lovely wines by Creekside are widely available at LCBO outlets across Ontario, and direct from the winery in Niagara.

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Zingari 2018 (Tuscany) - Wine Review

Tonight's wine review is a delicious Super Tuscan red that is featured as part of theme on wines from Tuscany and on the cover of the March 5th LCBO VINTAGES Release catalogue.

Petra is a wine company located close to the ancient village of Suvereto, in northern Maremma of Tuscany, on the ferrous hills of the Val di Cornia where you can see as far as the Tyrrhenian Sea. A women's company, Petra has been directed by women for more than 200 years.

The story of Petra begins in 1808 when Elisa Bonaparte Baciocchi, Napoleone's sister, Princess of Lucca and Piombino and grand duchess of Tuscany, chose this place in Maremma to establish the first seed of an agricultural and viticultural project. Two centuries later, Francesca Moretti fell in love with the history and the culture of the chateaux in Bordeaux and began studying agriculture and oenology. Francesca also begin looking for properties to convert into a winemaking company like those found in Bordeaux and settled in the fertile Val di Cornia area in Maremma with the cooperation of the explorer Attilio Scienza.

In 1997, Vittorio Moretti purchased 60 hectares in San Lorenzo and 45 hectares in Campiglia Marittima, a few kilometres from Piombino, in the Suvereto area. These purchases were the seed, the start of an extensive and contemporary project that would become Petra. Originally from Franciacorta, Francesca Moretti found her second home in Suvereto. Francesca planted her first varietals at the winery while still in university. Based on the terroir and her vision, she favoured international varieties and planted these in the Princess Vineyard, a 5 hectare plot where Elisa Bonaparte had also planted Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot grapes two centuries earlier. In the vineyard, agricultural practices follow an organic regime while also reducing environmental impact, with a path towards organic certification.

This red wine is a blend of Merlot, Sangiovese, Syrah, and Petit Verdot that was born out of an experimental vineyard to test the attitudes of each varietal. The wine's roots can be traced back to an ancient water spring that was a stop-over for pilgrims and wayfarers, also known as the Zingari (Gypsies), who were travelling along nearby Aurelia Street and could seek refreshment by resting nearby its crystal clear waters. The average age of the vines is 17 years and they are planted on loamy-sandy texture and slightly calcareous soils. It was aged in barrels and barriques for at least 12 months and spent a further 3 months in bottle prior to release. Let's see how this red blend from Tuscany is tasting tonight...

Tasting Note:

ZINGARI 2018 - IGT Toscana, Italy (#244228) (XD) - $19.95
This blend of Merlot, Sangiovese, Syrah, and Petit Verdot has a fragrant, open nose that offers an attractive mix of ripe black cherry, red plum, savoury earth, and subtle wood spice aromas. On the dry, medium-full bodied palate it has delicious ripe black cherry, plum, cassis, cedary wood spice, and savoury earth flavours. Fresh acids are juicy and nicely balanced, while the supple tannins have a subtle, grippy texture. Supple and dry on the long, savoury, cedary wood spiced finish. Recommended buy! Score: 88+ pts

Other delicious wines from Petra can be ordered through their Agent - Noble Estates Wines & Spirits.

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Coppola Rosso & Bianco Cabernet Sauvignon 2018 (California) - Wine Review

After enjoying the 2018 Francis Ford Coppola Diamond Collection Red Blend last month, tonight's wine review is another California red wine blend from the same producer. While this bottle is the 2018 vintage, it is the 2019 vintage that is coming to the LCBO this weekend as part of the February 19th LCBO VINTAGES Release as a new arrival.

Following many years of success in the world of cinema, the Coppola family established Francis Ford Coppola Winery in 2006 after the purchase of a historic winery in Sonoma County, California. Their desire was to create a resort, a wine wonderland, and a place to celebrate the love of life, and after two years of renovations the winery opened in 2010 with a brand new tasting room, museum, and restaurant. And just like in many of their other business endeavours, the Coppola family is firmly committed to preserving the land for future generations, while also practising sustainability and promoting biodiversity in the vineyard.

This red wine is from Coppola's Rosso & Bianco collection that consists of three wines. Francis Ford Coppola grew up with wine on the family table. Rosso & Bianco wines are very special to the family as they pay tribute to their family's Italian heritage. As the story goes, Francis Ford Coppola used to hear stories from his father about how Grandpa Agostino Coppola made wine in the tenement in New York City during Prohibition. Grandpa Coppola's wines weren't fancy, but pleasurable, everyday wines that reflected the comfort of home. This Cabernet Sauvignon (blend) is crafted in the same spirit - a wine for everyday life. Let's see how this California Cabernet Sauvignon is tasting on this Tuesday night...

Tasting Note:

COPPOLA ROSSO & BIANCO CABERNET SAUVIGNON 2018 - California, USA (#23646) (D) - $19.95
This blend of 81% Cabernet Sauvignon, 10% Petit Verdot, 5% Petite Sirah, and 4% Segalin was aged for 12 months in French oak. The medium+ intensity nose has oak driven aromas of wood spice, caramel, and clove surrounding a core of ripe currant, cassis, and blueberry. It's medium+ bodied and ripe with sweet oak vanillin, currant, cassis, clove spice, milk chocolate, cold cream, and blueberry flavours on the verge of being jammy. Juicy acids are fresh and well-balanced, while the polished tannins are smooth and rounded. Coffee, milk chocolate, and clove notes linger on the finish, with good length. Easy drinking crowd pleaser. Score: 87 pts

Other delicious wines Francis Ford Coppola are available at the LCBO, as well as through their Agent - Noble Estates Wines & Spirits.

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Francis Ford Coppola Diamond Collection Red Blend 2018 (California) - Wine Review

Tonight's red wine review is this delicious blend from California that is featured on the cover of the January 22nd LCBO VINTAGES Release and arrives on shelves across Ontario for the first time this Saturday.

It is produced by Francis Ford Coppola Winery, a name famous in the world of cinema, but also quite popular in the world of wine. In 2006, the Coppola family purchased a historic property in Sonoma County and wanted to create a resort, a wine wonderland, and a place to celebrate the love of life. After two years of renovations, the winery opened in 2010 with a tasting room, museum, and restaurant.

The Coppola family also has a firm commitment to sustainability as they have long supported sustainability throughout their lives and many business endeavours in an effort to preserve the land for generations to come. In 2020, the winery became certified sustainable through the California Sustainable Winegrowing Alliance. Some of Coppola winery's sustainability activities include using energy produced from renewable sources, conserving and reducing water usage, as well as farming sustainably and promoting biodiversity in the vineyard.

This red wine is from Coppola's Diamond Collection, a range of wines that are crafted with grapes grown across California (and Oregon), and are carefully combined to create wines for all occasions. This particular wine is created exclusively by taste each vintage with no particular roadmap in mind. The 2018 vintage it is a blend of 43% Petit Verdot, 15% Cabernet Sauvignon, 14% Alicante Bouschet, 12% Zinfandel, 9% Petite Sirah, and 7% Syrah using grapes from various appellations across California and aged for 12 months in French oak barrels.

Tasting Note:

FRANCIS FORD COPPOLA DIAMOND COLLECTION RED BLEND 2018 - California, USA (#22593) (XD) - $28.95
This blend of 43% Petit Verdot, 15% Cabernet Sauvignon, 14% Alicante Bouschet, 12% Zinfandel, 9% Petite Sirah, and 7% Syrah has a fragrant nose that offers a lush array of ripe black, dark red, and purple fruit aromas mingling with vanillin oak, and spices. It's full-bodied with slightly jammy black and red fruits such as blackberry and cherry, along with spice, and vanillin oak flavours in a pleasingly dry flavour profile. Although there is a touch of warmth, it's still well-balanced with good acidity, and smooth, dusty textured, and moderately grippy tannins. Woody, earthy, and milk chocolate notes linger on the finish, with very good length. Score: 89 pts

Other delicious wines Francis Ford Coppola are available at the LCBO, as well as through their Agent - Noble Estates Wines & Spirits.

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Trinity Hill The Trinity Red Blend 2018 (Hawke's Bay) - Wine Review

Tonight's red wine review is a delicious Bordeaux varietal from Hawke's Bay in New Zealand that arrived at the LCBO this weekend, as part of the November 27th LCBO VINTAGES Release.

Trinity Hill was jointly established in the early 1990's on a stony site in Hawke's Bay, on the North Island of New Zealand, by founding winemaker John Hancock and Robert and Robyn Wilson over a glass of wine. Together, they were convinced that they could produce world-class wines in this region by recognizing the outstanding potential of Hawke's Bay's Gimblett Gravels winegrowing district. In 1993, Trinity Hill became one of the region's early pioneers by planting grapevines on a barren plot on the former bed of the Ngaruroro River, a vineyard that is now 18 hectares and known as the Gimblett Estate Vineyard. In 1998, they produced their first Gimblett Road wines to critical acclaim and a number of awards. In 2000, a 20 hectare parcel of prime Gimblett Gravels land was purchased and planted with Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Malbec and Petit Verdot - a vineyard now known as the Gimblett Stones Vineyard. A year later, Trinity Hill joined the Gimblett Gravels Winegrowers Association as a founding member.

Having tasted and enjoyed the 2015 and 2014 Trinity Hill The Trinity Red Blend wines in prior years, this wine is always a multi-varietal blend led by Merlot, with supporting varietals changing with each vintage. The 2018 vintage is a blend of 32% Merlot, 30% Cabernet Franc, 28% Cabernet Sauvignon, 6% Petit Verdot, and 4% Malbec using grapes grown in the Gimblett Stones and Tin Shed Vineyards within the Gimblett Gravels appellation in Hawke's Bay. Each individual vineyard parcel was harvested separately and gently de-stemmed prior to fermentation. It was fermented to extract a soft, complex structure, followed by extended skin maceration for up to 4 weeks to further integrate and soften the tannins. After 15 months of aging in a combination of small French oak barrels and stainless steel tanks, the individual blocks were blended to create the ideal wine.

The growing season in 2018 was very warm with humid conditions arriving in late summer and autumn - ideal conditions to produce rich, supple, ripe, and robust red varietals. Trinity Hill winemaker Warren Gibson was very enthusiastic about the results of the 2018 vintage, describing it has a "cracker" of a vintage. Let's see how this 2018 red wine from Hawke's Bay is tasting tonight...

Tasting Note:

TRINITY HILL THE TRINITY RED BLEND 2018 - Hawke's Bay, North Island, New Zealand (#551630) (XD) - $19.95
Screw cap. This delicious blend of 32% Merlot, 30% Cabernet Franc, 28% Cabernet Sauvignon, 6% Petit Verdot, and 4% Malbec has a medium to medium-high intensity nose offering rich dark fruited, plum, and leathery accents with currant, cassis, cedar wood spice, and savoury earthy undertones adding complexity. On the medium+ bodied, ripe and dark fruited palate it is spicy with black and blue fruits, currant, cassis, plum, and savoury cocoa flavours, all framed by fresh acidity and smooth, dusty, and well-integrated tannins. Savoury cocoa with blackcurrant notes linger on the long, supple finish, with very good length. A recommended buy best enjoyed over the next 3-4 years. Score: 89 pts

While a very small quantity of other wines from Trinity Hill are available at the LCBO, they can also be ordered through their Agent - Connexion Oenophilia.

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Pirramimma Petit Verdot 2017 (McLaren Vale) - Wine Review

Tonight's red wine review is a lovely, and perennial favourite, Petit Verdot from Australia. The latest vintage arrived at the LCBO a couple of weeks ago in the October 16th LCBO VINTAGES Release, where it was featured as part of the theme on Australian wines.

Pirramimma was founded by Alexander Campbell Johnston (ACJ) in 1892 and has been owned and operated by the Johnston family ever since. The Johnston family arrived in South Australia in 1839 and Alexander, the tenth of thirteen children, purchased 97 hectares of rich farmland southeast of the village of McLaren Vale in 1892. ACJ selected McLaren Vale because of the region's cooling sea breezes from the Gulf of St. Vincent, the Mediterranean climate, rich & diverse soil structures and quality drainage. He named his land Pirramimma, an Aboriginal phrase meaning "the moon and the stars."

Pirramimma has been handed down familial lines, with Geoff Johnston, the third generation of the family, now the custodian. Geoff is known as a "Professor of Soil", spending over 25 years converting Pirramimma's sterile land into a living organism, as well as reducing the winery's ecological footprint through various projects including solar systems, dams, and even a wind turbine. After a trip to Bordeaux, Geoff developed an interest in the Bordeaux grape variety Petit Verdot. He then planted a small area to Petit Verdot as a trial in 1983, which has now expanded to 35 acres of mature vines. Geoff Jonhston pioneered Petit Verdot in Australia, and his Petit Verdot is now considered among the best in the world.

According to Chief Winemaker Geoff Johnston, the 2017 growing season was exceptional - providing outstanding fruit quality, great colour, varietal character, ripe tannins, and length of flavour. The 2017 vintage of this wine was twenty-second release of this Petit Verdot, and the fruit for this vintage was selected from the Siberia, Eric's, OTC, Jones, and Katunga vineyards, all within McLaren Vale, with each block providing its own distinctive profile. Let's see how the latest vintage of this Australian Petit Verdot is tasting tonight...

Tasting Note:

PIRRAMIMMA PETIT VERDOT 2017 - McLaren Vale, South Australia (#986752) (XD) - $29.95
Aged for 2 years and new and used French and American oak, bottled by screw cap, this 100% Petit Verdot is ripe, black-blue fruited and spicy on the medium-high intensity nose with aromas of black cherry, peppery spice, plum, and bramble, with savoury and earthy undertones. It's full-bodied with very good concentration on the palate with delicious blackberry, cedary oak, boysenberry, and plum flavours supported by fresh, juicy acidity and woolly, finely textured, and slightly chalky tannins. Tangy black cherry, savoury, earthy, and cocoa notes linger on the finish, with excellent length. Another lovely vintage for this recommended buy. Score: 90 pts

Find other lovely wines from Pirramimma through their Agent - Noble Estates Wines & Spirits.

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Wines of Argentina - July 24, 2021 LCBO VINTAGES Wine Reviews

To help satisfy your wine wanderlust, tonight's wine reviews continue the recent series on Wines of Argentina, the world's fifth largest wine producer, with this quintet of delicious wines arriving at the LCBO this weekend as part of the July 24th LCBO VINTAGES Release. In this post, I explore Chardonnay, Cabernet Sauvignon, Malbec, and Malbec-based blends from Mendoza.

Mendoza is Argentina's largest and most important winegrowing region with 75% of all vineyards in the country located here. Not surprisingly, Mendoza also has the largest number of wineries in the country and is one of the main producing centres in the world. It is located on a high-altitude plateau at the edge of the Andes Mountains at an altitude between 430 - 2,003 metres (1,410 - 6,500 feet) above sea level. The Andes act as a barrier to the humid winds from the Pacific, and with a fair long distance to the Atlantic in the east, the climate here is continental. In addition, with the heterogeneity of soils and snowmelt water providing irrigation, the conditions are ideal for vine cultivation. Mendoza is divided into five sub-regions - Uco Valley, Primera Zone (which includes Luján de Cuyo and Maipú), the Northern oasis, the East, and the South.

Chardonnay is the third most widely planted white varietal in Argentina (and seventh most among all varietals), with the ability to ripen well and produce a wide range of wines. Malbec is the flagship varietal of Argentina and, as of 2011, is the most widely cultivated varietal in the country. Malbec is most often produced as a single varietal wine, but is also blended with Bonarda (which is is the second most widely planted varietal) and Bordeaux varietals such as Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, and Petit Verdot to produce more structured reds as we see in the two examples below. Cabernet Sauvignon is the third most cultivated varietal in the country and is one of the most researched varieties in recent years. Research has found that Argentina has at least three continental climate styles of Cabernet Sauvignon, with wines from Cuyo described as fruity in character with ripe currants.

All of the red wines in this post are from the 2018 vintage, which was dry and sunny, and considered the best quality since 2013, while the 2019 Chardonnay comes from a cool and dry vintage that is considered the best in nearly 30 years. Let's see how these delicious wines from Argentina are tasting tonight...

Tasting Notes:

KAIKEN ULTRA CHARDONNAY 2019 - Mendoza, Argentina (#355552) (XD) - $19.95
From Altamira (Uco Valley) at 1,200 metres (3,937 feet) altitude and Vistalba (Luján de Cuyo) at 1,050 meters (3,444 feet) altitude, 65% of this Chardonnay was fermented in concrete tanks and the rest in new barrels. Screw cap enclosure. The open, medium-high intensity nose has yummy tropical fruit, pineapple, lemon citrus, and stone fruit aromas. The full-bodied, crunchy and creamy palate has very good fruit concentration with citrus, ripe apple, and smoke flavours accented with vanilla, butter, and a touch of pink bubble gum adding complexity and interest. Acids are well-balanced, while the lingering, citrusy finish has a slightly chalky texture, with some saline mineral notes on the aftertaste. Agent: Trajectory Beverage Partners. Score: 89 pts

ALAMOS SELECCIÓN MALBEC 2018 - La Consulta, Uco Valley, Mendoza, Argentina (#322800) (XD) - $16.95
From high-altitude vineyards planted between 910 and 1,520 metres (2,985 feet and 4,986 feet) above sea level and aged in French oak for 9 to 12 months before assemblage. The medium+ intensity nose has very ripe aromas of black and blueberries rising out of the glass, joined by smoky minerals, violet, and hints of dried herb. It's medium-full bodied on the palate with smooth, finely textured tannins and fresh, balanced acidity, and flavours of blackberry, violet, smoky mineral, and black tea. I like the strong mineral and savoury notes on the juicy finish, with very good length. Agent: E & J Gallo Winery Canada. Score: 89 pts

KAIKEN TERROIR SERIES MALBEC / BONARDA / PETIT VERDOT 2018 - Mendoza, Argentina (#450163) (XD) - $18.95
This blend of 80% Malbec, 15% Bonarda, and 5% Petit Verdot was grown in Los Chacayes (Uco Valley) and Agrelo (Luján de Cuyo) between at 950 and 1,250 metres (3,117 and 4,101 feet). It was fermented in concrete tanks and aged in a mix of French oak barrels for 12 months. After taking some time to open up, the nose reveals fresh aromas of dark fruit, blackberry, blueberry, stony mineral, and some vanillin oak spice, leafy herb, and black plum notes. It's full-ish bodied on the somewhat structured palate with nice aroma replays, plus violet notes, all supported by balanced acidity and structured, gritty, and slightly chalky tannins. The finish length is very good, with mineral, cedar oak, and dark berry with hints of violet. Enjoyable now with BBQ fare, but should be even better in 2 years. Agent: Trajectory Beverage Partners. Score: 88+ pts

D.V. CATENA HISTORIC RED BLEND 2018 - Tupungato, Mendoza, Argentina (#555466) (XD) - $19.95
Blend of 75% Malbec, 19% Bonarda, and 6% Petit Verdot from four historic estate vineyards at 750 to 1,450 metres (2,460 to 4,757 feet) altitude. The grapes fermented with wild yeasts and aged for 12 to 14 months in barrel. The medium+ intensity nose is oak-driven with earthy, red and black fruits, along with a mineral note that emerges with time in the glass. The full-ish bodied palate is dark fruited with blackberry, earthy, oak spice, and touches of leafy herb flavours supported by fine-grained, slightly grippy tannins. Acids are juicy and well-balanced, while savoury oak and earthy notes with touches of blackberry linger on the finish, with good length. Agent: Noble Estates Wines & Spirits. Score: 88+ pts

GAUCHEZCO RESERVE CABERNET SAUVIGNON 2018 - Alto Agrelo, Luján de Cuyo, Mendoza, Argentina (#17460) (XD) - $16.95
100% Cabernet Sauvignon, of which half was aged in French and American oak barrels for 10 months. The medium intensity nose seems a bit shy, offering glimpses of black cherry, ripe red & black fruits, green pepper, and herbal aromas. The full-bodied palate has flavours of black cherry, ripe currant, green pepper, and sour cherry, layered over savoury, earthy, and toasty oak notes. It has very good, balanced acidity to go along with structured, grainy tannins that have some grip. Savoury and earthy on the finish, with very good length. Agent: Majestic Wine Cellars. Score: 88+ pts

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Vanderpump Cabernet Sauvignon 2017 and Sonoma Coast Chardonnay 2018 (California) - Wine Reviews

Tonight's wine reviews are a pair of lovely wines from Sonoma - a California Cabernet Sauvignon and California Chardonnay. Both of these wines are new to the LCBO and arrived on VINTAGES shelves across Ontario this weekend as part of the July 10 LCBO VINTAGES Release.

With many decades in the hospitality industry worldwide, the Vanderpump family developed a passion for outstanding wines. The family has deep roots in California - it is where they call home and raised their family. Vanderpump Wines was founded in 2016, when Lisa and her family decided to collaborate with renowned Winemaker Tom Hinde to produce wines that combine the family's love of Old World style with the excellence of New World fruit from Sonoma.

Their first wine was a rosé, which they launched in 2017 after developing a passion for it from living in the South of France for many years. Last year, they expanded their portfolio with the addition of these two wines, both crafted using fruit Sonoma within their home state of California. Both of these "celebrity wines" beat my expectations and have impressively high quality.

Tasting Notes:

VANDERPUMP SONOMA COAST CHARDONNAY 2018 - Estate grown, Sonoma Coast, Sonoma County, California, USA (#18636) (XD) - $37.95
Hand-sorted and whole cluster pressed, this barrel-fermented Chardonnay with some lees ageing was raised in French oak for 11 months. It has a fresh, medium-high intensity nose with aromas of ripe stone fruits such as pear, apple, and lemon citrus, along with some tropical fruit and peach layered over butter and toasty vanilla notes. It's medium+ bodied on the slightly warming palate with more ripe apple, pear, and lemon citrus notes joined by vanilla and butter flavours. Acids are well-balanced, while some leesy mineral and coffee notes linger on the finish, with very good length. Score: 91 pts

VANDERPUMP CABERNET SAUVIGNON 2017 - Sonoma County, California, USA (#20176) (XD) - $49.95
The grapes for this lovely blend of 88% Cabernet Sauvignon, 9% Merlot, and 3% Petit Verdot were sourced from Sonoma Valley and Alexander Valley, and aged in French oak for 18 months. Elegant, medium-high intensity aromas of dark fruited, blackberry, black cherry, plum, and currant notes are nuanced with cocoa and sweet spices. It's full-bodied and chewy with lovely dark fruited aroma replays plus cocoa, sweet spice, and vanilla flavours adding savoury complexity. It's supported by juicy, well-balanced acidity and very smooth, refined tannins that have a supple texture. Savoury and earthy with dark fruited notes linger on the long, elegant finish. Score: 92 pts

The portfolio of Vanderpump wines and are proudly represented by their Agent - Dionysus Wines & Spirits.

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Laura Hartwig Single Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon 2018 (Chile) - Wine Review

Following up on the delicious 2018 Laura Hartwig Single Vineyard Carménère that I enjoyed back in April, tonight's wine review is another delicious offering from the same producer. This Chilean Cabernet Sauvignon arrived at the LCBO last weekend and was featured as part of theme on wines from Chile in the June 12 LCBO VINTAGES Release.

It is produced by Laura Hartwig Premium Wines, a winery whose roots go back to when Osvaldo Bisquertt purchased the property in 1928 to cultivate annual crops and raise cattle. In 1966, his daughter Laura Bisquert inherited the "Santa Laura" farm and further expanded the estate. While living in Toronto and Montreal in the 1970's, Laura and her husband, Alejandro Hartwig, developed a passion for wine and decided to turn their estate back in Chile into a winery. Together, they planted their first vines in 1978 with the aim of producing wines that reflect their origin in Santa Cruz, the heart of the Colchagua Valley. Laura Hartwig uses a non-interventionist philosophy and human scale production to craft their wines. In this way, they are able to take detailed care with each step of the winemaking process.

This Single Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon is composed of 95% Cabernet Sauvignon and 5% Petit Verdot that was crafted from carefully selected 40 year old vines grown in the town of Santa Cruz, in central Chile's Colchagua Valley. The soils here are clay on the surface with sandy deposits in the deeper strata. The grapes were hand-harvested, then gently destemmed and sorted, fermented in stainless steel tanks, and then aged in French oak barrels and staves for 13 months. Let's see how this Cabernet Sauvignon from Chile is tasting tonight...

Tasting Note:

LAURA HARTWIG SINGLE VINEYARD CABERNET SAUVIGNON 2018 - DO Colchagua Valley, Chile (#13428) (XD) - $16.95
This Cabernet Sauvignon, which includes 5% Petit Verdot has a fresh, medium-high intensity nose that delivers aromas of red and black fruit, cassis, currant, herbal and spice with savoury undertones. The fresh and chewy, medium-full bodied palate has ripe red and black fruit, currant, cassis, and herbal aroma replays on the flavour profile that turns savoury on the mid-palate. Acids are fresh, while the finely textured, powdery tannins are a touch drying. Savoury graphite with hints of dark berry linger on the finish, with good length. Score: 88 pts

The aforementioned Carménère can be found at the LCBO, while other delicious wines from Laura Hartwig can be ordered through their Agent - Profile Wine Group, who also now offer Air Miles® Reward Miles with purchase.

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Clos de los Siete 2018 (Argentina) - Wine Review

Tonight's red wine review is a lovely, Malbec-led, six varietal blend from Argentina. I first enjoyed the 2002 vintage - the wine's inaugural vintage - in 2006 and it's become a perennial favourite of mine. This latest vintage arrived at the LCBO this weekend as part of the May 29. 2021 LCBO VINTAGES Release.

Michel Rolland, one of the world's most famous consultant oenologists, founded the Clos de los Siete project by combining 850 hectares of vines at the foot of the Andes Mountains in the Uco Valley from 4 bodegas run by passionate Bordeaux families.

In 1988, Michel Rolland first visited Argentina and immediately fell in love with the country, including its atmosphere, people, landscape, and culture. With frequent return trips to the country, he became convinced that all of the conditions were right to grow great wines in Argentina. After some time searching, he and Jean Michel Arcaute (a winegrower from Pomerol, Bordeaux) found an ideal plot of land at the based of the Andes Mountains at 1,100 metres altitude with uniquely exposed with soils made up of pebbles, clay and sand, as well as some enormous boulders that have laid there since prehistoric times. The two friends were joined by others from Bordeaux. The "C7" on the label comes from the fact that 7 winemaking families were involved in the Clos de los Siete project. Each family independently made their own wines, but also contributed their wines to Clos de los Siete, a wine crafted under the supervision of Michel Rolland. Today, 4 bodegas contribute their wines to Clos de los Siete. The four key elements that make Clos de los Siete special are the generous soils on which the grape are grown, the dry weather with high day-night diurnal temperatures, high altitude vines, and the orientation of these vines in relation to the sun.

This red wine is a Malbec-based blend every year, and the 2018 vintage consists of 55% Malbec, 19% Merlot, 10% Cabernet Sauvignon, 12% Syrah, 2% Petit Verdot, and 2% Cabernet Franc. All of the grapes were grown in the Uco Valley on sand and clay soils with large pebbles at an altitude of 1,100 metres above sea level. The grapes were manually harvested, sorted twice, and gently moved throughout the winery by gravity. It was aged for 11 months - 70% in French oak barrels and rest in vats. As 2018 was one of the finest harvests in the last 30 years, let's see how this latest vintage is tasting tonight...

Tasting Note:

CLOS DE LOS SIETE 2018 - Uco Valley, Mendoza, Argentina (#622571) (XD) - $24.95
Blend of 55% Malbec, 19% Merlot, 10% Cabernet Sauvignon, 12% Syrah, 2% Petit Verdot, and 2% Cabernet Franc. The rich, intense nose has a complex, ripe, dark fruited mix of blackberry, blueberry, peppery spice, and savoury oak aromas with touches of stony mineral and plum. The medium-full bodied, ripe palate has blackberry, blueberry, and floral flavours accented with peppery spice and savoury oak notes. A touch of warmth on the mid-palate with juicy, well-balanced acidity, while the tannins are smooth, refined, and dusty textured. Herb and mineral touches join the dark berry and savoury notes on the long finish. Enjoy this recommended buy over the next 5-6 years. Score: 90+ pts

When not available at the LCBO, this lovely wine can be ordered through their Agent - Dandurand.

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Avondale Jonty's Ducks Pekin Red 2016 (South Africa) - Wine Review

Tonight's wine review is a lovely, organic, and vegan-friendly red wine blend from South Africa. This customer favourite (and mine too) arrived at the LCBO over the weekend as part of the LCBO VINTAGES Release on May 1st.

Jonty's Ducks wines are produced at Avondale's eco-friendly estate in the picturesque Paarl region in South Africa. Avondale Wines is a family owned farm run by proprietor, Johnathan Grieve, who is sometimes also known as 'Jonty'.

The wines celebrate Avondale's natural vineyard eco-system where a posse of glossy Pekin ducks patrol the vineyards to find and eat snails which would otherwise cause serious damage to the vines. These ducks provide a very effective and eco-friendly method to manage pests while also avoiding the use of harmful chemical poisons, and is just one of the many ways Avondale works with nature to produce premium quality, organically certified wines, while also ensuring that our Earth is protected for future generations.

There are only two wines in the Jonty's Ducks range - a lovely white blend that came through VINTAGES back in December and is nearly sold out, and this red blend. Both wines are slow made with natural yeast, free of all artificial additives and low in sulphur.

I was first introduced to this wine, the 2011 Avondale Jonty's Ducks Pekin Red back in 2015 and have enjoyed it on a number of occasions since. For the 2016 vintage, this red wine is a blend of 37% Shiraz, 26% Cabernet Sauvignon, 24% Merlot, 5% Cabernet Franc, 4% Malbec, and 4% Petit Verdot, that was aged in used 225 litre barrels for 12-14 months.

Tasting Note:

AVONDALE JONTY'S DUCKS PEKIN RED 2016 - Vegan, WO Paarl, South Africa (#383547) (XD) - $16.95
Screw cap. Organic and vegan-friendly. The medium+ intensity nose has a lovely mix of red and black fruits, currant, ink, and wood spice with whiffs of wild herbs and white pepper notes adding complexity. It's full-bodied and quite concentrated and dense on the ripe palate with minty, currant, cassis, and herbal flavours surrounding a savoury, earthy core. It has juicy, succulent acids, while sweet, ripe tannins have a subtle, chalky grip. Slightly spicy on the mid-palate, while the long finish is savoury and earthy with touches of mineral. Recommended buy. Score: 89 pts

Wines from Jonty's Ducks and Avondale Wines can be ordered through their Agent - Rare Earth Wines.

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