Kew Blanc de Blancs 2017 and Blanc de Noirs 2020 (Niagara) - Wine Reviews

After enjoying the excellent 2020 Kew Vineyards Marsanne a few months ago (and still widely available in stores today), tonight's sparkling wine reviews a pair of wonderful bubblies from the same producer in Niagara that arrived at the LCBO as part of the feature story on Bubbles in the December 14 LCBO VINTAGES New Release Collection.

Both of these fantastic bubblies are produced by Kew Vineyards, a boutique estate winery situated on the limestone-rich soils of the Beamsville Bench, in the heart of Niagara wine country. Kew Vineyards is situated on a 160-year-old estate, in a homestead built by William Kew that was used by the family to successfully produce carriages.

Once the Kew family's chapter ended, a new chapter began in 1975, when Mr. Hermann Weis brought his own clones from the Mosel Valley in Germany and planted some of Niagara's first Riesling vines on the estate at Kew Vineyards. Unknowingly, Mr. Weis became a true pioneer of Ontario's wine region, even while he was relentlessly met with skepticism as the community said he could never do it. Most of Niagara's Rieslings today are based on the Weis Clone.

Today, Kew Vineyards is a hidden gem of Niagara's wine country history. It is owned by Arterra Wines Canada, who acquired the historical property and its 80+ acres of vineyards in 2023. The vineyards are situated on sloping land and well-drained soils, with ideal growing temperatures.

The focus at Kew Vineyards is on small-batch winemaking, with the belief that wine is the ultimate expression of passion - passion for the art of wine making, passion for the land, and passion for the way in which it celebrates daily life. The winemaking team is led by veteran Australian winemaker Philip Dowell, who has focused his life's work on cool-climate wines. The philosophy at Kew is to allow the vineyard to tell its story of each harvest, while also expressing the terroir in order to produce world-class wines that are uniquely Niagara.

The sparkling wines reviewed below are both mono-varietal and vintage sparkling wines. The 2017 Blanc de Blancs is crafted using 100% Chardonnay, while the 2020 Blanc de Noirs was produced using 100% Pinot Noir. The 2017 growing season in Ontario was generally cool with wet weather. At the beginning of September, extended heat and sunshine resulted in one of the nicest autumn seasons on record, as well as a later harvest. Grape quantities were high with a record harvest, while the quality was excellent for white wine varieties. The growing season in 2020 provided near perfect conditions that coaxed the best out of a wide spectrum of grapes from whites to big red Bordeaux varieties, and everything in between, including Pinot Noir. The 2020 vintage produced grapes which reached phenolic ripeness, while also maintaining acidity to allow for balanced wines. Let's see how these two vintage sparkling wines from Niagara are tasting tonight...

Tasting Notes:

KEW BLANC DE BLANCS 2017 - Traditional method, VQA Beamsville Bench, Niagara Escarpment, Ontario, Canada (#438994) (D) - $32.95 $28.70
100% Chardonnay that was barrel aged for 5 months prior to bottling for secondary fermentation, and then aged on its lees for 5 years. Fresh, elegant, medium+ to medium-high intensity nose offers lovely toasty, brioche, and autolytic characters mingling with lemon citrus, stone fruit, and white peach aromas, plus whiffs of pastry and honey adding further complexity and intrigue. It's light-to-mid weighted and essentially dry on the palate with delicious citrusy, ripe apple, toasty, and brioche flavours with touches of autolytic notes and a twist of honey. It has crisp acidity and lively bubbles that freshen the juicy and slightly creamy palate. Subtly spicy with apple, toasty, and brioche flavours that are joined by leesy minerals on the long, crisp finish. Highly recommended buy! Score: 91+ pts

KEW BLANC DE NOIRS 2020 - Traditional method, VQA Beamsville Bench, Niagara Escarpment, Ontario, Canada (#380030) (D) - $32.95 $28.70
100% Pinot Noir that was gently whole-berry pressed and fermented in stainless steel, followed by ageing on its lees for 2 years. The medium+ intensity nose offers apple, pear, red cherry, and lemon citrus aromas with touches of biscuit and toast. Some autolytic and honeyed aromas develop with time in the glass. The vibrant, medium-bodied palate is dry with delicious toasty, apple, pear, and lemon citrus flavours with hints of honey, biscuit, and mineral. It has fresh, vibrant acidity and crisp, refreshing mousse, along with a textured and slightly grippy mid-palate. Apple, lemon citrus, and mineral notes linger on the long, crisp, and dry finish. Recommended buy! Score: 90+ pts

Other fine wines by Kew Vineyards can be found at the LCBO, while the full range can be purchased directly from the winery in Beamsville (Niagara), or through their Agent - Arterra Wines Canada.

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

Tonight's red wine review is a delicious Pinot Noir from the Upper Aude Valley in the Languedoc region. It is a brand-new arrival at the LCBO that landed on shelves across Ontario as part of the September 21st LCBO VINTAGES New Release Collection.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Tasting Note:

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

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

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Bichot Saint-Romain Pinot Noir 2018 (Burgundy) - Wine Review

Tonight's red wine review is a lovely Pinot Noir from Burgundy that was a new arrival at the LCBO in December. It was included as part of the theme of "Fine Wines for Festive Entertaining" in the December 2nd LCBO VINTAGES New Release Collection and would be a fine match for upcoming family feasts, with the added bonus that it's on clearance right now, with plenty of bottles still available for purchase.

It is produced by the prestigious and historic Maison Albert Bichot. The first traces of the family name date back to 1214, while in 1350 they settled in Burgundy, France. The Bichot family's coat of arms - a doe (biche) - was established in the 14th century and has not changed since. In 1831, Bernard Bichot founded a wine trading business in his name in Monthélie, while his son, Hippolyte, succeeded him and bought the first vines in Volnay. Hippolyte's son, Albert Bichot, the first to bear the name, gave the family business new momentum in the late 19th century and settled in the centre of Beaune in 1912.

Born in 1900, the second Albert Bichot was a pioneer of international commerce and travelled the globe to introduce the family's wines, which were already recognized as being among the best. During the second half of the 20th century, Albert's four sons - Albert, Bernard, Bénigne, and Jean-Marc - inherited the family business and know-how, and a new era of expansion with the construction of a large cellar, bottling facility, and winery.

In the early 1990s, Albéric Bichot, the son of the third Albert, joined the family company and took over its management in 1996. Though he fully respects long-held family traditions, he is completely focused on the future. He compares himself to the conductor of an orchestra and is proud to bring people and their talents together over a common project. Albéric has numerous challenges, such as converting to organic viticulture in the Côte-d'Or vineyards, ongoing adaptation to new markets, and increasing the prestige and exposure of Burgundy wines, but he is convinced that the quality of the wine is dependent on the quality of the grapes. Thus, he is focused on developing control of grape growing, a task that began in the 1980s. Albéric also secured equipment, expanded vinification capacity, and the ageing cellars, while the company's vineyards now total 6 estates that are spread out across Burgundy from the north to the south.

Today, the philosophy at Albert Bichot is based on protecting their children's planet, and respect for the terroir and nature. They practice sustainable viticulture based on observation, prevention, and being attentive to the complex balances found in nature. The soil is maintained responsibly, while encouraging manual labour that boosts the plants’ natural defences. Bichot also follows up on their partners' grower plots with the same thoroughness and philosophy as their own. At the winery, they apply a minimal interventionist approach during the vinification process so that the wines reveal the terroir and characteristics of the village where they hail from. The wine is carefully transferred from the vinification vats or barrels to the cellars by means of gravity. It is during the key period, while in the cellar, that time and expertise come together, and the wines truly acquire their body, reveal their personality, and all of their potential.

Crafted with 100% Pinot Noir, this red wine was grown in the village appellation of Saint-Romain, in the central part of Côte de Beaune, Burgundy. The appellation is situated in an isolated valley to the north of the Cote d'Or's main escarpment and stands at the foot of a high cliff, but at an elevation which enables it to look out over a wide stretch of the countryside. While bears and lions roamed here 100,000 years ago, the area has been a focus of human activity since neolithic times. The area was one of the first places in Bourgogne where the Celts and Gallo-Romans cultivated vines, and eventually led to Saint-Romain being instituted as an appellation in 1947. The terroir in Saint-Romain can be traced back to the earliest period of the Jurassic, with the soil consisting of a blend of limestone and marl, with patches of clay. The vines in Saint-Romain, which face south-southeast and north-northeast at altitudes between 280 and 400 metres, occupy a sloping site where they benefit from the excellent soil. The Pinot Noir vines used to craft this wine were grown in brown limestone soil. It was vinified in oak barrels (20% new) for 6 to 8 weeks, and remained in oak barrels (25% new) for 14 to 16 months to maturation.

The 2018 growing season was noted for being one of the hottest and driest growing seasons since the intense heatwave of 2003. Despite a wet winter and spring, perfect weather arrived in time for an early, but very successful flowering. Summer was hot and exceedingly dry, followed by ideal conditions arriving in August and September, which meant that producers could harvest their grapes at their own leisure. From an excellent vintage, let's see how this 2018 Pinot Noir from Burgundy is tasting tonight...

Tasting Note:

BICHOT SAINT-ROMAIN PINOT NOIR 2018 - AC, Burgundy, France (#33708) (XD) - $41.95 $34.75
From the Saint-Romain village appellation of Côte de Beaune, this Pinot Noir has a perfumed, medium+ to medium-high intensity nose that offers a lovely bouquet of rose floral, sweet spices, ripe red & black cherry, earthy mineral, and mushroom aromas. It's light-to-mid weighted with good structure and fine, crisp, and tangy acidity that supports the ripe red & black cherry, gentle oak spice, and earthy mineral flavours with touches of beetroot. The light tannins have a subtle, chalky textured grip. Earthy mineral notes linger on the finish, with excellent length. Highly recommended buy! Score: 91+ pts

Other fine wines by Maison Albert Bichot are available at the LCBO and through their Agent - Dionysus Wines & Spirits.

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Domaine Pansiot Côte de Nuits-Villages 2021 (Burgundy) - Wine Review

Tonight's red wine review is an excellent, sustainably crafted Pinot Noir from the Côte de Nuits-Villages appellation in Burgundy. Brand new to our market, it arrived in Ontario as an Online & Flagship Exclusive in the recent December 2nd LCBO VINTAGES New Release Collection, with good quantities still available for purchase.

It is produced by Domaine Pansiot, a small, family-owned estate that was created in 1981 by Eric Pansiot in the commune of Corgoloin, within the Côte de Nuits district in northern Burgundy, between Beaune and Nuits-Saint-Georges, near the border where the appellations of Côte de Nuits and Côte de Beaune separate. The area of Corgoloin has a strong tradition of wine, agriculture, and quarrying dating back to 1847.

Eric Pansiot established the estate with just 4 hectares of vines, but in 1991 he acquired a further 5 hectares of vines. In 2000, Eric created a SCEA agricultural company with his wife, Chantal Pansiot, and a gentleman from Welsh, Marc Thomson, and together they had 15 hectares of vines. Joining the family business in 2005 was Emilie Pansiot, daughter of Eric, and in the ensuing years the company continued to grow and expand by acquiring plots in the communes of Meursault, Gevrey Chambertin, Beaune, Chorey les Beaune, and Savigny les Beaune. Today, they have 21 hectares of vines across 19 different appellations, producing wines using grapes from all of these Burgundian appellations.

This red wine is crafted with 100% Pinot Noir that was grown in the appellation of Côte de Nuits-Villages, but is mainly composed of grapes grown in the commune of Corgoloin. The terroir in this area consists of hill-slopes that are gentle and regular, and carved into the hard limestones of the Upper Bathonian, during the Jurassic period of about 167 million years ago. In the upper part, the brown soil is only slightly limy, while lower down there is a thick layer of pebbly scree, and at the foot of the slope there is an extensive area of brown soil over accumulated alluvium.

The 2021 vintage was undoubtedly a challenging one with wild and unpredictable weather. The growing season began off the back of a balmy winter, which initiated early vine growth and budbreak. Because of the early start, the vines were susceptible to the elements, and in April the temperatures took a sharp dive and included a bout of vicious frost, followed by snow. Summer arrived with depressing, intermittent rains throughout. Spirits were finally raised in June, when temperatures rose and there were enough sunny days to dry out the vines, which also resulted in early flowering. However, heavy rain throughout July and August meant that growers had to be vigilant in keeping both rot and disease at bay. The weather finally eased up before veraison, allowing the fruit to dry out and ripen, with the reds unusually ripening before the whites. Overall, this was one of Burgundy's smallest ever vintages, which was also cooler-than-usual. The wines that were produced are very good to excellent, offering a classic and refined Burgundian style. Let's see how this 2021 Pinot Noir from Burgundy is tasting tonight...

Tasting Note:

DOMAINE PANSIOT CÔTE DE NUITS-VILLAGES 2021 - Sustainable, AC, Burgundy, France (#34252) (XD) - $48.95
100% Pinot Noir assembled mainly from the Corgoloin commune. The fragrant, medium-high intensity nose offers cool aromas of red and black cherries, and red currant with whiffs of savoury mushroom, forest floor, cinnamon spice, and roses adding intrigue and complexity. It is intensely flavoured on the mid-weighted palate with lovely red currant, cran-sour cherry, raspberry, cinnamon spice, roses, and red plum flavours, plus some minerality and black tea notes. Juicy acids are fresh and lively, while the light tannins are fine-grained with good structure. Shows elegance throughout, with red currant, cherry, raspberry, and mineral notes lingering on the long, crisp finish. Gorgeous and a highly recommended buy! Score: 93 pts

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

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Pommery Pink POP Rosé Champagne (France) - Wine Review

Since it is the season for bubbly, tonight's sparkling wine review is a delicious Champagne that is packaged in a convenient, wallet-friendly, and individually-sized Piccolo bottle of 200 mL. It was a brand-new arrival in the October 21 LCBO VINTAGES New Release Collection - and still widely available - and makes a fine option for when you don't want to open a full 750 mL bottle.

It is produced by Champagne Pommery, a prestigious Champagne house with a rich history that was founded in 1836 by Alexandre Louis Pommery. However, it was only after his death in 1958, that his young widow, Madame Pommery, took over with a drive to conquer national and international markets by inventing the luxurious image of the Pommery brand and steering the Maison to success and glory.

One of the lasting legacies of Madame Pommery was the creation of the first vintage brut Champagne in 1874, a dry style of traditional method sparkling wine that was a revolution in Champagne during a time when the prevailing taste was sweet-toothed. The success of this wine led to a new dynasty in Champagne, while also establishing the fame and style of Maison Pommery.

Pommery has always challenged generally accepted ideas by imposing its innovative and avant-garde approach. During the 1930s, Maison Pommery launched a quartet of Veuve Pommery (VP) Champagne in a 200 mL format, an idea that was initially conceived by Marquis Melchior de Polignac, son of Madame Pommery, and contributed to the expansion of the Pommery brand to international markets.

Following the success of VP, Pommery was the first to launch the POP Champagne range of wines in 1999, which revolutionized the market for Champagne. Today, the Pommery POP range consists of POP (in a blue bottle), Pink POP (this bottle), and the Gold POP Vintage Champagne which is crafted from only classified Grand Cru vineyards. All three wines are packaged in Piccolo bottles and was the first Champagne especially blended to be consumed directly from the bottle or with a straw.

In keeping with the spirit of POP, Pink POP remains resolutely young and fresh, with a delicious flavour that is almost sensual. It was produced according to the same principals that Pommery holds so dearly in the production of its rosé wines - a blend of Chardonnay and Pinot wines, with a dash of red wine. Let's see how this Pink POP Rosé Champagne is tasting tonight...

Tasting Note:

POMMERY PINK POP ROSÉ CHAMPAGNE - AC, France (#16944) (D) (200 mL) - $19.95
Crafted with Chardonnay and Pinot, this has a medium+ to medium-high intensity nose of fine autolytic, toasty, and brioche characters accented with strawberry and cherry. There's an appealing kiss of sweetness on the cherry, strawberry, toasty, and brioche flavoured palate that is a touch spicy. It has crisp and lively acidity and bubbles, as well as some delicious autolytic notes on the mid-palate. The finish is long, dry, and crisp, with leesy mineral and very good length. A solid, recommended buy! Score: 89 pts

Other delicious sparkling wines by Champagne Pommery are available at the LCBO, and through their Agent - Eurovintage Wines & Spirits.

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Piera 1899 Terre Magre (Friuli) Virtual Wine Tasting

In September, I had the pleasure of attending an exclusive virtual wine tasting via Zoom to taste the latest wines from Piera 1899's Terre Magre line of wines - a pure expression of Friuli. Leading the presentation and tasting were Anna Polon, Sales and Marketing Director, and she was joined by Gianpietro Poveglian, Oenologist at Piera 1899.

The wines of Terre Magre are produced by Piera 1899, a winery whose story begins in 1899 on a farm that was situated in the commune of Padua in northern Italy's Veneto wine region, when the first generation of the Martellozzo family entered the world of wine.

Today, the family business is led by Piera, the granddaughter of Giovanni Martellozzo. Grandfather Giovanni took his first steps in the world of wine during an important time in history, as he understood that the rise of new social classes would create demand for a different type of drink - wine. He seized the opportunity to make a wider audience appreciate wines from his territory, as well as those from other regions. Piera's operations stretched from Veneto to Friuli Venezia Giulia in the north, to Southern Italy, passing through Umbria. In the 1960s, Giovanni spent most of his time working on the countryside property located in Lison Pramaggiore, while leaving the main house in Padua to his children. Mario, one of five Martellozzo brothers, would lead the company towards the future by expanding production and taking sales beyond national borders. Mario always had a vision that his daughter, Piera, would be the future leader of the family business, and in 1992 that vision became a reality when he handed the entire company over to her.

With Piera at the helm, she aimed to distinguish the company's activities by working on the quality of the products, re-evaluating native varieties, and creating a very close bond with other territories, particularly in Triveneto. Since the 90s, the greatly overlooked native varieties of Raboso del Piave and Ribolla Gialla have been revived, while in 1998 Piera created their first line of organic wines.

In 2001, Piera 1899 acquired a company in the region of Friuli Venezia Giulia, a territory that was close to Piera. She decided to make this property her home and move the family business into the heart of Friuli Grave - an area known for the remarkable organoleptic characteristics of its vines which yield fragrant and aromatic wines thanks to strong seasonal and diurnal temperature variations. The ensuing adventure in Friuli began with an extensive analysis of the territory and its extraordinary biodiversity through a more complete mapping of the various winegrowing areas with the help of Gianpietro Poveglian, an Oenologist and Agronomist appointed to select the grapes for Piera's project. Open to innovation while respecting traditions, Piera would set a new course in the family's history, while becoming the face of the brand named after her - Piera 1899.

Today, while Piera 1899 is still family-owned, it is part of Gruppo Martellozzo, a group that also includes the brands Martellozzo and Blu Giovello. Gruppo Martellozzo was one of the first producers in Friuli, and it is currently made up of 26 professionals who work in synergy while forging a strong territorial identity of their wines. Interestingly, the company exports over 50% of their wines abroad, with Canada as the top export country with 45% exported to Canada.

The philosophy at Piera 1899 is based on expertise and quality, with the aim of bringing wines of territorial identity to the world. They invest in not only native varieties, but also international varieties that can aptly express the territory on which they are grown. Endowed with a deep knowledge of the terroir, Piera 1899 also has an eye towards the future. As one of the first wineries to believe in organic farming, Piera 1899 is an advocate for protecting the environment, while also being a pioneer of an approach based on sustainable agriculture.

Piera 1899 is situated within Friuli Grave DOC, a denomination within the wine region of Friuli Venezia Giulia. Friuli Grave is located at the foot of the Dolomites, an area sheltered from the cold, northern winds, that also benefits from the mitigating influence of the nearby Adriatic Sea to the south, thereby creating a microclimate that is particularly suitable for vine cultivation. Historically, this area has been cultivated with vines since the Roman Era. An area of about 7,500 hectares, the Grave is characterized by a steppe of alluvial origin called the Magredi - a rocky area that offers a unique landscape thanks to the particular microclimate and porous composition of the soil, where water flows between the stones and resurfaces in springs downstream. The natural landscape is distinguished by a plain and the erosive actions of the Meduna, Cellina, and Tagliamento rivers. The waters dragged huge amounts of limestone-dolomite material that was deposited downstream, along the riverbed. The result is more evident in the northern area known as Magredi, an area where the vine has found its ideal habitat with white pebbles in the vineyards that absorb the sun's heat, protects the plant, and favours a distinct seasonal temperature variation.

The range of Terre Magre wines faithfully express the wine heritage of Friuli Grave and embody Piera's philosophy. The labels of Terre Magre wines represent the territory, with the top edge representing the Dolomites, while just below are vineyards and pebbles which are embossed on to the label, and lastly, the lines represent the Meduna and Cellina rivers. Terre Magre wines are highly recognizable, mono-varietal wines characterized by good structure, drinkability, persistent fruity and mineral notes, distinct flavour, and typical scents of the territory. The grapes of each Terre Magre wine flourish in a naturally enchanting and splendid environment in Magredi.

I tasted 6 of the 11 wines in the Terre Magre line, and my clear favourites were both Pinot Grigio wines, and Friuli's rising star - Ribolla Gialla. All the wines in the Terre Magre line are vegan-friendly and vinified and aged in stainless steel.

Thank you to Piera 1899 and Wellcom Marketing for arranging the opportunity to taste these lovely wines. While these wines aren't currently available at the LCBO, in Ontario, they can be ordered through their Agent - Andrew Peller Import Agency.

Tasting Notes:

TERRE MAGRE RIBOLLA GIALLA 2022 - DOC Friuli Colli Orientali, Italy (XD)
Elegant and fresh, the medium+ intensity nose offers attractive aromas of white floral, melon, mandarin orange, honeysuckle, and white peach with some leesy mineral notes adding a savoury component to the bouquet. It has very good weight on the dry, medium-full bodied and textured palate with lovely, floral and citrusy aroma replays plus ripe apple and pear notes, supported by fresh, succulent acidity. It has a very pleasant, fine leesy texture on the mid-palate. The melon, honeysuckle, peach, orange citrus, and leesy mineral notes all appear right through to the long, balanced, and very satisfying finish. Score: 90+ pts

TERRE MAGRE SAUVIGNON 2022 - DOC Friuli, Italy (XD)
100% Sauvignon Blanc. Fresh, fragrant, and highly aromatic on the nose with ripe lemon/lime citrus, sage, tropical fruits such as kiwi, guava, and passion fruit aromas, plus notes of grass and herbs. It has good weight on the medium-full bodied and ripe palate with delicious lemon/lime citrus, sage, grassy, grapefruit, and tropical fruit flavour replays flecked with ripe, honeyed fruit notes. It has a fine, leesy textured mouthfeel that is supported by gentle acidity, while leesy mineral and lime citrus notes linger on the long, flavourful finish. Score: 89 pts

TERRE MAGRE PINOT GRIGIO 2022 - DOC Friuli, Italy (XD)
Aged on its lees until spring, this has a medium to medium-high intensity nose that offers attractive aromas of orange blossom, lemon citrus, and floral notes with hints of honey suckle, lemon peel, and herbal tones. It is impressively weighted on the medium+ to medium-full bodied, and nicely textured palate. It’s dry and ripe with lightly honeyed flavours layered over citrus, orange blossom, and floral notes, plus touches of sweet herbs and leesy minerals adding complexity. Crisp acidity is fresh and juicy, while leesy mineral and lemon peel notes linger on the long, textured finish. Score: 90+ pts

TERRE MAGRE L'ALTRO PINOT GRIGIO 2022 - DOC Friuli, Italy (XD)
A limited edition bottling of approx. 6,000 bottles, this was partially fermented with skins for 10-15 days and aged on its lees for 6-7 months. Pretty, pink salmon colour. The fragrant, medium-high intensity nose is elegant and quite complex with pink grapefruit, leesy mineral, citrus, and floral aromas joined by hints of melon, honeysuckle, and creamed corn. On the medium+ to medium-full bodied palate it is impressively weighted, concentrated, and dry with spiced flavours of pink grapefruit, citrus, melon, and floral characters. It has a very nice, chalky textured mineral mouthfeel on the mid-palate, plus fresh and vibrant acidity. Lovely leesy mineral notes linger on the long, juicy, and balanced finish, with excellent length. Score: 91+ pts

TERRE MAGRE PINOT NERO 2022 - DOC Friuli, Italy (XD)
Fresh and fruity nose delivers aromas of ripe red cherry, strawberry, and cranberry nuanced with earthy beetroot, spice, and a touch of tea leaf. The fruity notes continue on the light-to-mid-weighted palate with red fruited cran-cherry, strawberry, spice, earth flavours with herbal, mineral, and saline touches on the mid-palate. It’s supported by fresh acidity and elegant, light, fine, and dusty textured tannins. Savoury with mineral notes linger on the long, textured finish. Score: 89 pts

TERRE MAGRE MERLOT 2022 - DOC Friuli, Italy (#29821) (D) - $22.95
Unoaked, 100% Merlot with 8% appassimento style. The medium-high intensity aromatics are fragrant, open, and complex with fruit forward dark and red berries, cherry, black cherry, and currant aromas, plus some spices and dried herbs. It’s medium+ to medium-full bodied on the dry palate with delicious currant, black cherry, dark berry, and cocoa flavours with hints of dark plum and savoury, earthy undertones. It has a supple mouthfeel with well-structured tannins, while the fresh acidity hides the kiss of sweetness. Cocoa and savoury earth notes linger on the finish, with very good length. Score: 89 pts

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Neiss Bockenheim Pinot Noir 2019 (Pfalz) - Wine Review

Tonight's red wine review is a lovely, vegan-friendly, and sustainable Pinot Noir (locally known as Spätburgunder) from the Pfalz wine region in Germany. This red wine is brand new to the LCBO, arriving as part of the recent September 23rd LCBO VINTAGES New Release Collection.

It is produced by Weingut Neiss, a well-known, family-owned winery located in the town of Kindenheim within the Pfalz wine region in southwestern Germany. The Neiss family has a long history of winemaking, going back many generations, and are known for their dedication to producing top-quality wines from a diverse range of grape varieties.

Today, the winery is managed by Axel Neiss, the 6th generation of the family, and his wife, Katja. The winery is located in the far north of the Palatinate. The hillside vineyards are located in the same region, in Kindenheim, Bockenheim, and Zell, and up to 250 meters above sea level, which is significantly higher than comparable locations in the Northern Palatinate.The grapes in this area naturally benefit from a cooler climate due to westerly winds which ventilate the exposed vineyards and extends the growing season. The grapes are also influenced by the clearly visible lime content in the soil. The vines are a high proportion of old, deeply rooted vines which are nearly 50 years old. This terroir helps produce wines with moderate alcohol levels, great depth of taste, fully developed aromas, and refreshing acidity, as well as naturally dense, compact, and powerful wines that are characterized by fresh elegance and stimulating lightness.

The wine philosophy of Axel Neiss is future-oriented and with an extra portion of handwork, as well as working close to nature. Their focus is on sustainable and environmentally-friendly winemaking practices, which not only ensures the health of the vineyards, but also contributes to the overall quality of their wines. In the mid-1990s, the winery actively switched to controlled, environmentally friendly viticulture. In 2013, they joined the Fair'n Green association, a German system for sustainable viticulture, as a founding member. In 2021, Winegut Neiss became one of the few German wineries to be certified CO2-neutral.

This Pinot Noir is from Neiss winery's Local Range of wines - wines with clear origins. All of their wines in the Local Range come from their best vineyards within the municipality of Bockenheim, a region that showcases the calcareous terroir, fruit, and minerality. The grapes were grown to low-harvest yields in a cool climate on sand, loam, mineral limestone, and clay soils. Selectively hand-picked, the grapes were mash fermented for 6-8 days, then pressed into a combination of barriques and large wooden barrels, where the wine matured for 12 months prior to bottling.

The growing season in Pfalz in 2019 began with vines budding in mid-April and blossoming in early-to-mid June. The dry weather in July and August caused problems for the vines in the Palatinate region, while rainfall was 50 to 60 percent less than normal, resulting in many small-grained grapes, while some were also damaged from sunburn due to the extreme heat in July. Harvest was largely completed by the end of September, prior to the continuous rain that set in. The quality of the harvested grapes is very satisfying, with the first young wines presenting themselves in a fruity and rather light manner, with clearly pronounced varietal aromas, ripe tannins, and good colour expression due to the smaller berries. While this vintage was not the easiest, it is considered to be an exceptional vintage. Let's see how this 2019 Pinot Noir from Pfalz is tasting tonight...

Tasting Note:

NEISS BOCKENHEIM PINOT NOIR 2019 - Vegan, sustainable, Pfalz, Germany (#25769) (XD) - $30.95
The intense nose is fragrant and highly aromatic with lovely, complex wet earth, minerality, raspberry, black cherry, cinnamon, beetroot, and spice aromas. Even some tea leaf notes with time in the glass. It is medium+ bodied and dry with delicious black cherry, raspberry, and cola flavours surrounding a savoury, wet earth core, and accented with cinnamon and spices. Acids are fresh and juicy, while fine-grained tannins are lightly grippy. Some tomato leaf notes add further complexity on the mid-palate. Earthy and minerally on the long, savoury, and crisp finish. Highly recommended buy! Score: 91 pts

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

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Henkell Brut Crémant de Loire 2016 (France) - Wine Review

Tonight's sparkling wine review is a delicious vintage Crémant from Loire that arrived at the LCBO as part of the recent LCBO VINTAGES New Release Collection on September 9th.

It is produced by Henkell, a leading, family-owned sparkling wine producer that is based in Wiesbaden, Germany. Henkell is an international star and best seller when it comes to exporting the German sparkling wine culture as their wines are found globally in more than 100 countries.

It all began when wine lover, Adam Henkell, opened a store as a wine merchant in 1832. He later discovered the fine art of crafting traditional method sparkling wine in France and brought this knowledge back home to Germany, marrying the French art of the cuvée with the German art of cellar-mastery. Following the French example, Henkell made his first outstanding sparkling wines in 1856, marking the beginning of a unique German success story. The Henkell brand of sparkling wines was famous all over the world before the end of the 19th century thanks to Otto Henkell, Adam's grandson. Henkell was also an export pioneer and market leader before the turn of the century, and in the 1950's, after Otto Henkell II took the helm, the company played an important role in the German economic miracle. Since its inception, Henkell has used the best base wines and the perfect technical skills of both German and French cellarmasters to guarantee its inimitable flavour and consistently high quality.

This sparkling wine was launched by Henkell in the fast-growing product segment of Crémant de Loire as a tribute to its French roots. Founder Adam Henkell learned the fine art of sparkling wine production in France and also had his own winery in the French town of Reims, the home of Champagne.

It is not often we see vintage-dated Crémant, but the grapes for this bubbly were hand-harvested at the end of the 2016 growing season, and only the best juices were selected for this wine. It is crafted in the traditional method using 60% Chenin Blanc, 20% Chardonnay, 15% Pinot Noir, and 5% Cabernet Franc. The first fermentation took place in temperature-controlled stainless steel tanks. It was aged on its lees for a short period of time, then underwent a second fermentation in bottle for about 3 years in natural cellars, where the temperature remains a constant 12-13°C and provides the optimal environment for secondary fermentation. Let's see how this 2016 Crémant de Loire sparkling wine is tasting tonight...

Tasting Note:

HENKELL BRUT CRÉMANT DE LOIRE 2016 - Traditional method, AP, Loire, France (#29893) (D) - $21.95
A blend of 60% Chenin Blanc, 20% Chardonnay, 15% Pinot Noir, and 5% Cabernet Franc. The attractive, medium+ intensity nose has lemon citrus, pear, and peach aromas nuanced with brioche, autolytic, and toasty characters. It's medium-full bodied with some sweetness on the palate with honeyed flavours of ripe pear, peach, lemon citrus, plus some toasty, brioche, and hazelnut notes adding a savoury component. It has a crisp mouthfeel with a fine mousse and fresh acidity. More savoury with leesy mineral notes and hints citrus lingering on the finish, with very good length. Recommended buy. Score: 88+ pts

Other delicious sparkling wines by Henkell are available at the LCBO and through their Agent - Mark Anthony Wine & Spirits.

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Davis Bynum Russian River Valley Pinot Noir 2018 (California) - Wine Review

Tonight's red wine review is a beautiful Pinot Noir from the Russian River Valley that arrived at the LCBO as a Summer Smart Buy in the August 19th LCBO VINTAGES New Release Collection.

It is produced by Davis Bynum Winery - the original Russian River Valley Pinot Noir wine producer. The story begins in 1973, when Davis Bynum released his first small lot single vineyard Pinot Noir from the famed Rochioli vineyard in Sonoma County's Russian River Valley. At the time, Pinot Noir was a relative stranger to the region, but this fickle grape thrived in the unique terroir of the Russian River Valley. As Davis Bynum was the first to produce a single vineyard, Russian River Valley Pinot Noir, his efforts paved the way for the Russian River Valley winegrowing region to become one of California's finest for growing Pinot Noir and Chardonnay.

In 2007, Davis Bynum Winery was sold to proprietor Tom Klein and his family, 4th generation California farmers who shared the same values and principles that he built his own reputation on. Today, it remains in the capable hands of Tom Klein and winemaker Greg Morthole, as they honour the expertise and innovative winemaking spirit of founder, friend, and mentor Davis Bynum. Together, they are humbled and proud to carry on the Davis Bynum legacy while staying true to Bynum's philosophy.

The philosophy at Davis Bynum is based on intuitive winemaking - the techniques and technicalities of winemaking should be mastered to the extent that they take a backseat to instinct and intuition. With four decades of understanding the unique terroir of the Russian River Valley, this knowledge allows Davis Bynum to craft wines with emotion and soil at the forefront, but anchored by the innate understanding of this terroir's complexity. In the vineyard, they use certified sustainable vineyard practices, while opting for minimalist viticulture and handling the fruit with the utmost care. The grapes are also handpicked at night, before sunrise, which ensures that the grapes have stable sugar levels and, since they are already cool, the grapes require less chilling prior to crushing, thus saving energy. In keeping with their "hands off" approach, the grapes are naturally fermented in barrel using wild yeasts and bottled unfiltered. Each wine bearing the Bynum name is estate grown, bottled, and produced.

All of their wines are crafted with fruit exclusively from the Russian River Valley, a winegrowing region that has cool, maritime conditions that are ideal for early ripening varieties such as Chardonnay and Pinot Noir. The climate in this region is influenced by the consistent creep of cooling fog from the Pacific Ocean a few miles to the west. This fog ebbs and flows through the Petaluma Wind Gap and the channel cut by the Russian River across the coastal hills, typically arriving in the evening and dropping temperatures, and retreating to the ocean the following morning. This naturally cool climate allows wine grapes to develop full flavour maturity over an extended growing season, while retaining their natural acidity.

While Davis Bynum is distinguished as the first winery to produce a single vineyard Pinot Noir from the Russian River Valley, with their 1973 Pinot Noir from the Joe Rochioli vineyard, this particular Pinot is hand-crafted with grapes from four vineyards which reside on Goldridge sandy loam soils: Jane's, Dutton Lorenzo, Dutton Gregori, and Dutton Barron. This particular vintage blends the characteristics of two separate neighbourhoods - the warmer Santa Rosa Plains that provide darker fruit tones and velvety tannins, and the much cooler Green Valley that adds brightness and vibrant acidity. By blending warmer climate fruit with cooler climate fruit, Davis Bynum is able to craft a wine with tension between the rich fruit and lush mouthfeel of a centrally located Russian River vineyards in Santa Rosa against the bright fruit and racy acidity of the westernmost vineyards in the Green Valley. The final blend of this Pinot Noir was created after each different vineyard block was fermented and aged separately for 13 months in French and Hungarian oak barrels, 22% new.

The 2018 growing season was mild with low precipitation at just under 2 feet of rain, while summer saw only a handful of days warmer than 32°C, but none over 38°C, at their Jane's Vineyard, located in the warmer Santa Rosa Plains. The grapes were harvested into early September on cool and overcast mornings. From near-perfect growing conditions, let's see how this 2018 Pinot Noir from the Russian River Valley is tasting tonight...

Tasting Note:

DAVIS BYNUM RUSSIAN RIVER VALLEY PINOT NOIR 2018 - Sustainable, Sonoma County, California, USA (#458893) (XD) - $34.95
Elegant, medium-high to highly aromatic nose offers lovely bright red cherry aromas that mingle with musky, strawberry, gentle oak spice, and earth, plus hints of tea leaf, beetroot, and plum adding further complexity. It has good weight and concentration on the medium to medium-full bodied, dry palate with ripe red cherry, dark berry, strawberry, gentle oak spice, tea leaf, earth, and beetroot flavours in a nicely balanced profile. Acids are crisp, fresh, and juicy, while the refined tannins are lightly grippy, offering a pleasing mouthfeel. Tangy dark red berries with earthy mineral notes linger on the long, crisp finish. Should drink nicely over the next 5+ years. Highly recommended buy! Score: 91+ pts

Other fine wines by Davis Bynum are available through their Agent - Mark Anthony Wine & Spirits.

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Greystone Pinot Noir 2018 (New Zealand) - Wine Review

Tonight's red wine review is another excellent, organic, and vegan-friendly Pinot Noir from New Zealand. It is brand new to the LCBO, arriving as part of the recent July 8 LCBO VINTAGES New Release Collection.

It is produced by Greystone Wines, a 100% certified organic winery that was established in 2000 by the Thomas Family when they saw something magical - a promise of excellence - in an old sheep farm in Waipara’s Omihi Hills, in northern Canterbury on the South Island of New Zealand. Greystone draws its name from the unique limestone conglomerate that is the bedrock on which their vine roots grow in. This limestone mix of fossils, sea shells, and small pebbles had been fused together over time through the seismic movement of North Canterbury, becoming an ancient seabed that was pushed and folded upwards to form the Teviotdale Hills. Pinot Noir loves soils with limestone, and thus different clones, aspects and blocks were planted to see what was capable from this bare land.

As the family believes that true fine wines are temporal, each vintage a fleeting snapshot of a place in time. The family doesn't seek to manipulate the final product with additives or flavourings, instead, they allow the true interpretation of the soil, vines, and season to shine through. They take intense pleasure in protecting their land and using organic practices as it leads to many ecological benefits, such as healthy soils, healthy waterways, biodiversity, and a safe place for bees and other beneficial insects. The use of natural products throughout production also provides a safe and happy work environment for their dedicated team. They see their commitment to organic winegrowing as a bigger picture collaboration with the planet towards a more stable climate and sustainable ecosystem.

The story of how Greystone became one of New Zealand's most acclaimed organic vineyards began in early 2014 when they started their conversion from conventional to organic viticulture. By 2018, they had successfully converted their entire 33-hectare vineyard to certified organic by BioGro New Zealand. In 2021, they began their journey to become a fully regenerative and carbon-neutral farm. Today, Greystone is one of NZ's first regenerative agricultural wine brands.

Organic winegrowing relies on harnessing biodiversity and natural ecological cycles as an alternative to the use of synthetic and external inputs. It is a hands-on and labour-intensive approach, which also means being intimately connected to the vineyard and attuned to the subtle changes in the soil, vines, and grapes. Synthetic chemicals are avoided to ensure the health and abundance of microbial flora above and below the soil, which results in successful wild fermentation as this is only possible because of the flourishing yeast populations found in the vineyard.

As vineyards are a monoculture, to increase biodiversity, Greystone cultivates "companion plantings" such as Phacelia, Buckwheat, and Alyssum in the inter-rows, as well as planting native trees and vegetation to disrupt the monocultural environment. Crop management is meticulously done by hand without the use of any herbicides, insecticides, or systemic fungicides, thus reducing disease pressure and increasing overall wine quality.

This 100% Pinot Noir (clones 115, 667, 777, and 5) was organically grown on their estate, on clay over limestone soils. The grapes were carefully hand-picked and sorted, then wild fermented with 10% whole bunches at ambient temperatures. They gently hand plunged each vat daily before pressing to French oak barriques after one month of maceration. Each barrel underwent a natural malolactic fermentation the following summer. It was aged for 11 months in French oak barriques, 28% new, and was then blended and bottled.

The growing season in Waipara Valley began with spring rains that cooled the soil and gave the vines a slow start to the season. Flowering wasn't ideal, leading to small bunches and lots of leaf growth, so it needed extensive canopy work to ensure even ripening. Summer helped turn things around in the new year with a particularly dry & hot February, leading to a harvest that delivered pristine fruit with great concentration, but very small yields. Let's see how this 2018 Pinot Noir from New Zealand is tasting tonight...

Tasting Note:

GREYSTONE PINOT NOIR 2018 - Waipara Valley, North Canterbury, South Island, New Zealand (#30151) (XD) - $33.95
Enclosed by screw cap, this lovely organic and vegan-friendly Pinot Noir has a fresh, fragrant, and highly aromatic nose with a lovely, balanced, and complex mix of dark red cherry, strawberry, spices, earthy-stony minerality and beetroot aromas. It's mid-weighted with very good concentration on the elegant palate with smooth, gentle, and refined tannins, along with fresh, juicy acidity. It's very nicely balanced with lovely dark red cherry, strawberry, earthy beetroot, and spices, plus touches of plum flavours surrounding a stony mineral core. Supple mouthfeel with tea leaf notes emerging on the mid-palate, while the finish is exceptionally long with lingering stony mineral notes. Wow. Enjoy this highly recommended buy over the next 5+ years. Score: 93 pts

A limited quantiy of other fine wines by Greystone are available at the LCBO, while the entire range can be ordered through their Agent - Noble Estates Wines & Spirits.

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Hidden Bench Locust Lane Rosé 2022 (Niagara) - Wine Review

Tonight's rosé wine review is a lovely organic and dry rosé from Niagara that arrived at the LCBO last month as part of the recent June 24 LCBO VINTAGES New Release Collection.

It is produced by Hidden Bench Estate Winery, one of the top wineries in the Niagara Peninsula. Hidden Bench was founded in 2003 by Harald Thiel and family with a dedication to artisanal, terroir-focused, and premium wines using grapes from their own, organic, estate vineyards situated within the sup-appellation of VQA Beamsville Bench in Niagara, Ontario. With a non-interventionist, quality-focused, and terroir-driven approach, Hidden Bench has long-established an ongoing reputation for excellence both domestically and internationally.

The Beamsville Bench is home to many of the best wines produced in Ontario. Much of this success is attributed to the limestone-rich, clay-based, and glacial till soils - all three of Hidden Bench's estate vineyards are situated on these soils and allow them to produce complex, mineral-driven wines that are old-world in style, age worthy, and have a definitive sense of place. The three estate vineyards are farmed for low yields using organic and biodynamic practices to produce approximately 120,000 bottles of wine with pronounced complexity and character which bear a sense of place and time.

Hidden Bench also employs the latest technologies to enhance the viticultural and winemaking processes, while respecting their traditional non-interventionist winemaking style. As stewards of the land, Hidden Bench has also embraced sustainability as they apply Procert certified organic and sustainable best practices in the vineyard, at the winery, and the marketing of their wines to reduce their environmental footprint on the land, and impact on their neighbours, and society as a whole.

I've had the pleasure of tasting many wines over the years from Hidden Bench, and their passion is always on full display as they embrace a whole-team approach that is founded upon a shared, ongoing passion for excellence, as well as a contagious enthusiasm. Their ongoing and uncompromising attention to detail distinguishes and differentiates their wines and winery from their contemporaries.

Having tasted this rosé wine several times in the past, I know that the exact composition changes with each vintage. For the 2022 vintage, this dry rosé is composed of 88% Pinot Noir, 6% Viognier, and 6% Chardonnay. All of the grapes were grown organically on the estate and crafted using a combination of both "direct to press" and "saignée" techniques. As this blend is predominantly Pinot Noir, the elegance of whole-cluster pressed Pinot Noir, combined with a small percentage of the richer saignée portion, provides a unique complexity to the finished wine, while both portions were fermented in neutral French oak and aged for 5 months prior to racking and blending.

The 2022 vintage began with cold temperatures in January, with overnight lows close to -21°C. This cold snap caused some primary bud damage, and was partially responsible for a 25% reduction in grape yields compared to their historical average. Spring brought better weather with seasonal temperatures and minimal precipitation. Flowering started earlier than normal, while the berry set was complete by late June. Summer was moderate and dry, with seasonal rainfall. The main challenge in the vineyard was managing disease pressures, which were the result of high humidity from June through August. Disease pressure was reduced by keeping the fruit clean through timely leaf removal, crop thinning, and a disciplined and timely organic spray program. Veraison began in early August and was completed towards the middle of the month, while harvest began in the middle of September and lasted until mid-to-late October. Hidden Bench was blessed with consistent and favourable weather during harvest, which allowed them to choose pick dates based on flavour and ripeness.

It is often said, particularly in Niagara, that the quality of the vintage is determined by the weather in September and October. Overall, Hidden Bench was pleased with the quality of the harvested fruit, albeit in smaller-than-normal quantities. It is expected that the 2022 vintage is excellent across the board with wines that will truly showcase the terroir of the Beamsville Bench in Niagara. Let's see how this 2022 rosé from Niagara is tasting tonight...

Tasting Note:

HIDDEN BENCH LOCUST LANE ROSÉ 2022 - Sustainable, VQA Niagara Peninsula, Ontario, Canada (#68833) (XD) - $24.95
This organic rosé is blend of 88% Pinot Noir, 6% Viognier, and 6% Chardonnay. The deep and intense nose offers lovely, complex aromas of grapefruit, citrus, orange, stony minerals, and floral accented with strawberry, melon, watermelon, and peach. It's medium+ bodied on the dry, lightly honeyed palate with fresh, juicy acidity supporting grapefruit, citrus, strawberry, watermelon, melon, orange, mineral, and floral flavours. Slightly viscous mouthfeel on the mid-palate. It's nicely balanced with pleasing mineral, grapefruit, and citrus flavours that are joined by spicy notes on the long, crisp finish. Highly recommended buy! Score: 91+ pts

Many other lovely wines from the fine portfolio of Hidden Bench Estate Winery can be purchased through the LCBO, their Agent - Mark Anthony Wine & Spirits, or direct from the winery in Niagara.

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Luna Estate Pinot Noir 2019 (New Zealand) - Wine Review

Tonight's red wine review is this lovely Pinot Noir from Martinborough in New Zealand that arrived at the LCBO last month in the June 24th LCBO VINTAGES New Release Collection.

It is produced by Luna Estate, a winery that was established in 2000 and is situated in the beautiful Wairarapa wine region, in the southern part of the North Island in New Zealand. Luna Estate is named after the moon because of its unifying qualities - because it doesn't matter where you are on the planet, we all see the same moon. At the heart of the operation is their sustainable and organic principles, which drive the farming process, while in the winery they let the grapes do the talking. Luna Estate looks after their land and soils, employing regenerative and organic farming principles and practices across both of their vineyards, eliminating the need for harmful herbicides and pesticides in their ecosystems, because better and cleaner farming is good for all of us.

Two vineyards make up Luna Estate. The Eclipse Vineyard, which is tended to organically, lies in the heart of the terrace on Puruatanga Road, where planting began in 1992 with Pinot Noir and Chardonnay vines that now form the core of Luna's higher-tier bottlings. While these vineyards are relatively new, they owe gratitude to government scientists in the 1970s who suggested that the climate, combined with an ancient rocky riverbed to the east of the village, might make Martinborough a suitable place for winegrowing. Pioneers experimented by planting several grape varieties over the years and determined that Pinot Noir fared very well, leading to justifications now that Martinborough is among the top Pinot Noir grape growing regions on the planet.

The Blue Rock Vineyard is their north-facing, hillside vineyard with silty clay loams interspersed with ancient marine sediment soils, located approximately 12 km south of Martinborough on Dry River Road. Planting at Blue Rock began in 1986, with some of the vines still producing grapes today. This vineyard is also in the process of converting to full organic practices.

This 100% Pinot Noir is crafted using only estate grown fruit that was harvested from their Eclipse and Blue Rock vineyards, with the majority coming from younger vines growing on the clay/limestone hillside of the Blue Rock Vineyard. All of the fruit is de-stemmed and gently transferred into 6 ton open-top temperature-controlled stainless steel fermenters. After the fruit is chilled down and held for a 5-6 day cold soak to aid in colour and flavour extraction, the cooling is turned off and a temperature-controlled fermentation begins. The total maceration time was between 15–30 days before gentle pressing. It was matured in oak for 10 months, then bottled with minimal fining and gentle filtration, without the use of any animal products throughout the entire process.

The 2019 vintage began with winter arriving late and a cold and wet August and September, as well as a catastrophic frost in late spring which resulted in heavy losses across the region. Their Eclipse vineyard was struck across the blocks closest to the terrace edge, with losses estimated at around 30%. Spring was very challenging with high rainfall in November impacting the flowering stage, significantly reducing crop levels and making the vineyard work extremely difficult. Summer was hot and relatively dry, while harvest was early again with perfect weather for picking. In spite of the challenges, the quality of the fruit harvested was excellent, albeit in small quantities.

After enjoying the lovely 2016 Luna Estate Pinot Noir a couple of years ago, let's see how this latest vintage of Pinot Noir from NZ is tasting tonight...

Tasting Note:

LUNA ESTATE PINOT NOIR 2019 - Sustainable, Martinborough, North Island, New Zealand (#17544) (XD) - $27.95
Screw cap. The fragrant, highly aromatic nose is rich and spicy with attractive aromas of black and red cherry, strawberry, beetroot, and earth, plus hints of tea leaf and dried herbs. It's light-to-mid weighted on the palate with light, fine-grained tannins and juicy acidity that supports the black and red cherry, strawberry, spices, stony mineral, and earth flavours complementing each other quite nicely. It's well-balanced and nicely composed throughout. Pleasing chalky textured mouthfeel on the mid-palate, while stony mineral and spicy notes linger on the long, juicy, and savoury finish. Will drink well over the next 3-4 years. Highly recommended buy! Score: 91+ pts

Limited quantities of other Luna Estate wines are available at the LCBO, while the entire portfolio can be ordered through their Agent - Noble Estates Wines & Spirits.

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Jean-Max Roger Cuvée Marnes et Caillottes Sancerre 2021 and La Grange Dîmière Sancerre Rosé 2022 (Loire) - Wine Reviews

Tonight's wine reviews are a pair of excellent wines from Sancerre in the Loire Valley that arrived at the LCBO over the weekend as part of the June 24 LCBO VINTAGES New Release Collection.

Both of these wines are produced by Jean-Max Roger, a renowned producer from Sancerre in the Loire Valley, and is easily my favourite producer from the region. The Roger family comes from a long-line of winegrowers from the village of Bué, a commune within the Sancerre appellation and located to the west and a little to the south of the town of Sancerre. The Roger family name was first mentioned in the 17th century and up until the 1960s practiced mixed farming, which included animal rearing.

Jean-Max took over the family estate of 4 hectares of vines in the 1970s and, together with his wife, Nicole, developed the vineyards and estate. Under his guidance, the winery experienced significant growth and gained recognition for producing exceptional Sancerre wines. Jean-Max Roger is focused on crafting high-quality wines that reflect the unique terroir of Sancerre, which is renowned for its chalky limestone soils and cool climate.

Today, the estate is still operated by Jean-Max Roger and his wife. However, their passion and love for wine was transferred to both of their sons, and in 2004 both Thibault and Etienne joined the family estate. The brothers complement each other, perpetuating the family's know-how and techniques to improve their wines with each passing vintage. With a family estate that has grown to 28 hectares of vines in the Sancerre appellation and 6 hectares in Menetou-Salon, and with more than 40 plots that offer an exceptional diversity of exposure, slope, and soil profiles, this allows the Roger family to use their winemaking expertise to allow each wine to express all of the uniqueness of the terroirs through the wines structure, elegance, and finesse. Jean-Max Roger also maintains a sustainable approach to viticulture which helps preserve the vines and terroir, while not compromising on the production of top-quality grapes. The winery has also expanded over the years to include modern equipment, and combined with new techniques while respecting traditions, Jean-Max Roger is able to craft their wines under optimal conditions.

With vineyard management, Jean-Max Roger produces grapes to reveal its terroir. The vines are tended to using organic principles and working the deep soil to revitalize soil life. By using the Guyot Poussard pruning method, the result is better balance of the stock. They also perform spring disbudding to control yields, while using mechanical weed control which respects soil life. At the winery, Jean-Max Roger aims to produce wines reflecting the fruitiness and density of the vintage. The grapes are pneumatically pressed upon arriving at the winery, and cold settled for between 48 and 72 hours which helps protect deterioration of aromas, while also eliminating vegetal fragments and dust. The wines undergo a long, temperature-controlled fermentation using natural yeasts, which helps develop aromatic complexity, and follows with ageing on heavy lees to develop minerality. After fining and filtration, which helps stabilize the aromas and wine, it is bottled at the estate using their own facilities.

While the 2021 vintage was a good, but tricky vintage, the 2022 vintage was very good and referred to as possibly the best in the last 30 years. Having enjoyed previous editions of these wines such as the 2020 Jean-Max Roger Cuvée Marnes et Caillottes Sancerre and the 2020 Jean-Max Roger La Grange Dîmière Sancerre Rosé, I would expect similar, if not better quality levels this time around. Let's see how this Sancerre Rosé and Sancerre Blanc wines from Loire Valley is tasting tonight...

Tasting Notes:

JEAN-MAX ROGER CUVÉE MARNES ET CAILLOTTES SANCERRE 2021 - AC, Loire, France (#196667) (XD) - $38.95
100% Sauvignon Blanc from 5 to 40 year-old vines grown in the villages of Bué & Amigny on Kimmeridgian Marls (Marnes) and Limestone (Caillottes) soils. Fresh, fragrant, and highly aromatic on the perfumed nose with spring flowers, lemon/lime citrus, herbs, and freshly cut grass aromas with a fine, flinty mineral underpinning. It's nicely textured on the medium+ bodied palate with fresh, lively acidity lifting the clean and ripe lemon/lime citrus, spring flower, herbs, and stony mineral flavours, plus some spicy notes on the mid-palate. It's nicely balanced throughout with a pleasantly chalky textured mouthfeel on the back palate. Lovely lemon/lime citrus and dried herbal notes taper to an exceptionally long, leesy mineral finish. My favourite in the portfolio and a highly recommended buy! Score: 93 pts

JEAN-MAX ROGER LA GRANGE DÎMIÈRE SANCERRE ROSÉ 2022 - AC, Loire, France (#490813) (XD) - $31.95
100% Pinot Noir grown on flint, Kimmeridgian marls & Limestone, Silex, Terres Blanches & Caillottes' soils from vines between 25 to 45 years old. The medium+ intensity nose is clean and fresh and red berry, strawberry, cherry, grapefruit, and citrus, and blood orange aromas underpinned by fine mineral notes. On the medium+ bodied palate it is dry, ripe, and lightly honeyed with lovely mineral, grapefruit, blood orange, red berry, strawberry, and cherry flavour replays. It has clean, succulent, and well-balanced acidity, along with a pleasant, chalky textured mouthfeel. Lightly spicy on the mid-palate, while mineral notes linger on the long finish. Highly recommended buy! Score: 91 pts

While a couple of other lovely wines by Jean-Max Roger can be found at the LCBO, the entire portfolio can be ordered through their Agent - Connexion Oenophilia.

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Louis Pommery Brut Rosé Sparkling (California) - Wine Review

Tonight's sparkling wine review is this excellent brut rosé sparkling wine from California. It's brand new to the LCBO, arrived in stores across Ontario this weekend as part of the feature on rosé wines in the May 27 LCBO VINTAGES New Release Collection.

With a rich legacy in France, the historic Champagne Pommery wanted to grow further and launched Louis Pommery California in 2017. Louis Pommery wines are rooted in tradition and symbolizes the best of sophisticated French winemaking combined with California style and innovation.

The tradition and story of Pommery begins in 1836 when Alexandre Louis Pommery, a retired wool merchant, co-founded his champagne house. Following his death in 1958, the former Jeanne Alexandrine Louise Melin, his widow, took over the operations. Known as Madame Pommery, she had a very clear idea and vision and wanted to produce a different wine while also relocating to different place which combined the optimal conditions for the production of these wines. She began construction of the new site in 1868 in Reims, the unofficial capital of the Champagne winegrowing region, and in 1874 she developed the dry brut Champagne style. Madame Pommery is widely credited for creating the dry champagne style and steering the world's taste in sparkling wine from sweet to dry.

With the great success and popularity of this new, dry style of Champagne across Europe and England, Pommery's focus shifted to the USA. An excellent marketing strategy led to the creation of gigantic 75,000 Litre vat in 1904 at the World's Fair in St. Louis, Missouri. In addition to being both a technical device and an art object, the vat was also a formidable PR tool.

The heirs of the Alexandre Louis and Jeanne Alexandrine Pommery continued the family tradition and acquired land in the legendary Napa Valley and embarked on a journey to produce sparkling wine in the New World. In 2004, after acquiring the famed Champagne Pommery house, Paul-François Vranken resurrected the quest to produce sparkling wines with a distinct identity from the very best quality grapes. Napa Valley offers a myriad of micro-climates, including vines for cool-climate Chardonnay and Pinot Noir, the ideal grapes to produce fine sparkling wine. The region also offers an exceptionally large diversity of soils with perfectly drained gravel, silt, poor rocks, volcanic ashes, and quartz, ideal for the creation of sparkling wines.

Louis Pommery traditional method sparkling wines are crafted using a revolutionary method by Thierry Gasco, the ninth Pommery cellar master. With a modern and different vision, Thierry spent many years working on developing and implementing a revolutionary new way of encapsulating yeast. This new method results in very clear and pure wines because it is completely free of sediment, while also giving off an exceptional range of aromas and taste. Let's see how this brut rosé sparkling wine from California is tasting tonight...

Tasting Note:

LOUIS POMMERY BRUT ROSÉ SPARKLING - Traditional method, California, USA (#31540) (XD) - $44.95
Crafted in the traditional method with 76% Chardonnay and 24% Pinot Noir, and aged on its lees for 18 months. The fragrant, medium-high to highly aromatic nose offers elegant and pretty aromas of red berry, raspberry, strawberry, cherry, and citrus with a touch of autolytic character. The mid-weighted palate is crisp, dry, and very clean with finesse, delivering lovely, delicate citrusy, red berry, raspberry, grapefruit, strawberry, and white cherry flavours with touches of toast and brioche. It is well-balanced throughout with crisp acidity and fine mousse, leading to a long, crisp, dry, minerally, and toasty finish, with excellent length. Very impressive and a highly recommended buy! Score: 92+ pts

Other lovely wines by Louis Pommery are available at the LCBO and through their Agent - Eurovintage Wines & Spirits.

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