Kir-Yianni The North Assyrtiko 2024 (Greece) - Wine Review

After enjoying the excellent 2023 Kir-Yianni Le Nord Assyrtiko last year, tonight's white wine review is the latest vintage of this terrific, vegan wine that arrived at the LCBO as part of the feature story on Outdoor Dining in the May 24th LCBO VINTAGES New Release Collection.

It is produced by the renowned Greek winery, Kir-Yianni. The winery was established in 1997 by Yiannis Boutaris (1942-2024) of the renowned Boutaris wine family. Yiannis was one of the leading figures in the Greek wine industry right up until his passing last year.

Even though John Boutaris, Yiannis' grandfather, established the family's successful wine business, Boutari Wine Group, in 1879, Yiannis wanted to set his own path and established a vineyard in 1970 in the eastern foothills of Mt. Vermion, near the town of Naoussa. This vineyard would go on to become Ktima Kir-Yianni. In 1986, Yiannis planted 20 hectares of white wine varieties in the highlands to the west of Mt. Vermion, in the area of Amyndeon. In 1996, Yiannis purchased an old winery in the village of Agios Panteleimon, within the area of Amyndeon. A year later this site would go on to become the newly-built Kir-Yianni winery in Amyndeon, and the first vintage was vinified at the new winery that same year.

Today, Kir-Yianni is led by Stellios Boutaris, son of Yiannis, and the fifth generation of the Boutaris family of winemakers. In 1999, Stellios became the managing director of Kir-Yianni, and he was joined soon thereafter by his brother, Mihalis, who returned from his studies at UC Davis. The Boutaris brothers re-planted their 28 hectares of vineyards, focusing on both Greek and international varieties, but most importantly, ensuring that each varietal was planted on the most appropriate vineyard parcel.

Kir-Yianni's philosophy is based on ensuring a fine balance between the family's hundred-year-long tradition and the use of new and innovative winemaking techniques. Their goal is to produce appealing wines that reflect the potential of the Greek vineyard and its indigenous varieties, while also protecting the environment by using integrated farming principles. Moreover, Kir-Yianni takes proper care in the vineyard with strict selection on the vine, while in the cellar they micro-vinify and meticulously blend to ensure typicity, ageing potential, and consistent wine quality from vintage to vintage.

This white wine is crafted with 100% Assyrtiko that was grown in the PGI Florina appellation in "The North" of Greece, hence the name. More specifically, only selected vine parcels within the village of Agios Panteleimonas in Florina, at the unique plateau of Amyndeon, were chosen to craft this wine. This unique plateau of Amyndeon is the cooler wine region of Greece and consists of an exceptional mixture of elements, or terroir. This area is situated at high-altitude, between 600–700 metres above sea level, and has poor sandy soils on a stunning terrain of raw mountainous beauty. The four neighbouring lakes moderate the temperatures all year round, and contribute to the continental-ish climate with cold, often snowy winters, and mild summers. The area also experiences notable diurnal temperature variation, and the beneficial trademark to the area, wind blowing from the north.

For this wine, Kir-Yianni selected mostly young vines averaging 10 years in order to express Assyrtiko's mountainous expression. To craft this Assyrtiko, the grapes were hand-harvested over a couple of weeks in the middle of September and rigorously selected on a conveyor belt. It was completely vinified in stainless steel tanks and stayed in contact with its fine lees for 4 months.

The 2024 vintage was the warmest year ever recorded in the region. This meant that consistent, systematic work in the vineyard, and vigilance in monitoring weather data helped determine the best time to harvest each variety. Weather conditions were closer to normal after summer, which was beneficial for Assyrtiko as it ripened in more ideal conditions, while maintaining its aromas and acidity. Let's see how this 2024 Assyrtiko from northern Greece is tasting tonight...

Tasting Note:

KIR-YIANNI THE NORTH ASSYRTIKO 2024 - Vegan, IGP Florina, Greece (#25707) (XD) - $19.95
Enclosed by Stelvin screw cap. Fresh and fragrant, the lovely, medium-high intensity nose has leesy, ripe lemon citrus, and white floral aromas accented with herbals, mineral, pear, and grapefruit with hints of spice. The dry, medium+ bodied palate is ripe and gently honeyed with spice, lemon citrus, grapefruit, pear, herbals, and leesy mineral flavours. It has crisp, fresh, and vibrant acidity, along with a slightly chalky mineral texture and spice notes on the mid-palate. Juicy and fresh with savoury, leesy minerals, and lemon citrus notes lingering on the very long, well-balanced finish. Highly recommended buy! Score: 91 pts

Other fine wines by Kir-Yianni are available at the LCBO, while the full range can be ordered through their Agent - Kolonaki Fine Wines & Spirits.

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Featherstone Pinot Grigio 2024 (Niagara) - Wine Review

Tonight's white wine review is a sustainable, vegan, off-dry, and delicious Pinot Grigio that was crafted with some skin contact to give the wine its pretty copper-orange-pinkish colour. This white wine arrived at the LCBO a couple of weeks ago in the May 24 LCBO VINTAGES New Release Collection as part of the feature on Outdoor Dining and is widely available across the province.

It is produced by Featherstone Estate Winery, a winery that was established in 1999 by Dave Johnson and Louise Engel in Vineland, Ontario, within the Twenty Mile Bench sub-appellation of the Niagara Escarpment winegrowing region. With a dedication to excellence in food and a passion for wine, Featherstone crafts distinctive, small-batch Niagara wines that are cultivated in soils that reflect the biodiversity of the Niagara Escarpment.

After 25 years, Featherstone began a new chapter in 2024 as Rayla and George Myhal acquired the winery from Dave and Louise. While Dave and Louise look forward to their life in retirement, Rayla and George are looking to build on the success of the past.

Since the beginning, Featherstone has taken great pride in their eco-friendly practices to winegrowing. The philosophy at Featherstone is based on respect for the land, which is at the heart of making wine that is true to its soil and its site. Nutrients and minerals are exchanged and transformed in the give-and-take relationship between living soil organisms and plants, in a mutually beneficial circle where the soil nourishes the vine and Featherstone's farming practices nurture the soil. Proudly farming naturally, without the use of insecticides, and growing wine in a sustainable manner, Featherstone received their Sustainable Winegrowing Ontario (SWO) certification in 2023.

This white wine is composed of 100% Pinot Grigio, using grapes grown in the single vineyard of Jordan Valley Vineyards. The grapes were machine harvested on September 11, 2024, and showed exceptional ripeness with good colour of the grape skins, which ensured a pinkish hue to the finished wine. The Pinot Grapes were then split into two groups, with half left on the skins to soak, while the other half was pressed immediately. Each group was transferred into stainless steel tanks to undergo a temperature-controlled fermentation with commercial yeast strain X5, with fermentation beginning four days after harvest. The finished wine was bottled in early February and released soon thereafter.

Like the lovely 2024 Featherstone Phoenix Gewürztraminer and 2024 Featherstone Sauvignon Blanc wines I enjoyed back in April, this white wine is also from the exceptional 2024 Niagara vintage, which had perfect conditions from the early bud break to the warm and late fall that allowed for a long hang time. There was a slight hiccup in early fall due to moisture and disease pressure from rain, which affected early-ripening and thin-skinned grapes such as Pinot Grigio. However, this mild concern would be mitigated based on picking decisions. The white varieties from this vintage displayed plenty of ripeness and acidity to keep the wines fresh. Let's see how this 2024 Pinot Grigio from Niagara is tasting tonight...

Tasting Note:

FEATHERSTONE PINOT GRIGIO 2024 - Sustainable, Vegan, VQA Niagara Peninsula, Ontario, Canada (#20599) (D) - $17.95
Enclosed by Stelvin screw cap. Fragrant, pretty, and attractive aromas of ripe red berry, watermelon, strawberry, grapefruit, red cherry, zesty citrus, and herbs of medium-high intensity rise out of the glass. It has very good weight on the medium+ to medium-full bodied palate with delicious, touch off-dry and spicy flavours of red berry, strawberry, watermelon, grapefruit, and zesty citrus. It has juicy and refreshing acidity, along with a finely textured back palate. Juicy and slightly spicy with red berry, strawberry, watermelon, and zesty citrus notes are joined by leesy characters on the long-lasting, savoury, and dry finish. More of a rosé than a white wine, this is perfect for the patio and has crowd appeal. Recommended buy! Score: 89 pts

Other lovely wines by Featherstone are available at the LCBO, and can also be ordered direct from the winery in Niagara.

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Izadi Reserva 2020 (Rioja) - Wine Review

Tonight's red wine review is a lovely, vegan-friendly Tempranillo from Rioja that arrived at the LCBO a few weeks ago in the May 10 LCBO VINTAGES New Release Collection - with plenty of bottles still available for purchase across Ontario.

It is produced by Bodegas Izadi, a relatively new winery that was established in 1987 by Gonzalo Antón and a group of friends and business people from nearby Vitoria. The groundbreaking project was developed deep in the Rioja Alavesa wine region, on the northern bank of the River Ebro, known for its poor soils.

Gonzalo chose the village of Villabuena de Alava, at the western end of Rioja Alavesa, where his family was already growing grapes, as the location of Bodegas Izadi, where the focus would be on making fine wine. Gonzalo's knowledge of hotels and restaurants soon made Izadi one of the most highly-regarded wines in gastronomic circles. Furthermore, Izadi introduced new winemaking techniques and made continuous improvements in quality over time, which helped develop their house style of wines.

In 2000, Lalo Antón, Gonzalo's son, joined the company and quickly helped it expand and grow, while also increasing its exports. Under Lalo's leadership, the Antón family acquired several other notable bodegas across Spain. Today, all four wineries are under the family's umbrella company - Artevino Group.

The family's commitment to quality, bond with gastronomy, and love of the land are the cornerstones of Bodegas Izadi. Their core values are encapsulated in the words: Sensitivity, Hospitality, Respect, and Curiosity. Sensitivity refers to their attention to detail in all areas of the business, from the vineyard to the point where the bottle is opened by the consumer. Hospitality is the starting point and the driving force behind their growth as they are restaurateurs at heart. The name "Izadi" means "Nature" in Basque, and reflects the family's commitment to sustainability and nature. They take care of their natural surroundings and ask their customers to do the same. Izadi practices integrated and sustainable farming, as well as being socially and environmentally responsible. Curiosity drives Izadi to new horizons, encourages them to grow, constantly improve, and do things differently.

This red wine is crafted with 100% Tempranillo that was grown in vineyards spanning 178 hectares, 70 hectares of which it owns, from vines planted before 1970 and averaging 45 years of age. Trained using the Goblet system, these vineyards are located within a triangle formed by three villages - Villabuena, Samaniego, and Abalo. The soil in these sloped vineyards is composed of clay-chalk, with a northeast-to-south aspect, and situated between 450–550 metres above sea level. Situated in northern Spain, the climate is influenced by both the Atlantic Ocean to the north, and the Mediterranean Sea to the east. The vineyards are managed using integrated viticulture practices, while the soil is cultivated using traditional techniques. After manually harvesting the grapes, they were destemmed, gently pressed, and underwent alcoholic and malolactic fermentation in stainless steel tanks. The wine was aged for 16 months in 73% American oak and 27% French oak, with only 20% new oak and the rest no more than 4 years old. It was filtered and clarified prior to bottling.

In 2020, the growing season in Rioja featured rainfall and early budding, which resulted in an early and uneven harvest. Some areas were also severely hit with hail and mildew, which contributed to a drop in yields. It was a mixed bag of a vintage with some producers devastated by losses. However, those that were lucky enough to avoid the inclement weather conditions and harvested after the rain benefited from the subsequent northern winds; these producers were enthusiastic about the results and produced balanced wines with moderate alcohol, good acidity, and deep colour. With strict selections on the sorting table, it is considered a "Very Good" vintage. Let's see how this 2020 Tempranillo from Rioja is tasting tonight...

Tasting Note:

IZADI RESERVA 2020 - Vegan, DOCa Rioja, Spain (#461269) (XD) - $23.95
100% Tempranillo. The medium+ to medium-high intensity nose has rich sandalwood, oak spice, nut, and savoury earth aromas surrounding a core of ripe red cherry, florals, currant, and red plum mingling with dried cherry and rose petals. The medium-full bodied palate is dry and spicy with oak spice, sandalwood, nut, red cherry, currant, red plum, and savoury earth flavours, plus touches of rose floral. Hints of orange on the mid-palate adds further complexity and interest. It has fresh acidity, along with somewhat grippy and chalky textured tannins, with good structure. The finish is long, savoury, and earthy. Highly recommended buy! Score: 90+ pts

Izadi's rose is coming to the LCBO this weekend, while the full range of their portfolio can be ordered through their Agent - Noble Estates Wines & Spirits.

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Spy Valley Pinot Gris 2022 (New Zealand) - Wine Review

Tonight's white wine review is a lovely, slightly off-dry, single vineyard, sustainably crafted, and vegan-friendly Pinot Gris from New Zealand. It is a brand-new arrival that landed on LCBO shelves across Ontario as part of the recent April 26 LCBO VINTAGES New Release Collection.

It is produced by Spy Valley Wines, a renowned, family-owned winery situated deep in the Waihopai Valley, within the Southern Valleys of Marlborough. It was established in 1993 by Bryan and Jan Johnson, during a period of discovery and courage in Marlborough. Considered too hard, too dry, and too unfertile for wine, the Johnson couple had the audacity and passion for the land to establish 180 hectares of estate vineyards. With a pioneering spirit, Spy Valley Wines would go on to become one of New Zealand's most successful family-run wineries. The name "Spy Valley" is inspired by the winery's proximity to a government communications facility that is often referred to as a spy base.

Today, Spy Valley Wines is run by Bryan and Jan's daughter, Amanda Johnson. After being involved in the family business for many years, Amanda officially took over from her parents in 2016. Under the leadership of Amanda, Spy Valley remains committed to the land and the people who tend it - they are simply farmers at heart, nurturing the soil and vines in order to cultivate complexities in their wine. Sustainability has been a focus and source of pride at Spy Valley for many years, as they were one of the first (since 1999!) wineries to be accredited under the Sustainable Winegrowing New Zealand program. Moreover, their focus on sustainability and environmental responsibility runs deeply throughout all of their decisions and actions. Their mission is to conserve, preserve, and protect as custodians of their land and legacy.

Spy Valley is always searching for the best of the best in order to produce exceptional wines. They manage just over a handful of varieties on the estate and have experience of knowing the land, environment, and climate, and over the years they have classified the viticultural and winemaking traditions. Among their many core beliefs are well-being and safety first, collaborating, growing people, leading innovation, bringing your 'A' game, and happy customers.

This white wine is 100% Pinot Gris and was sustainably crafted. The grapes were grown at their Johnson Vineyard in the Waihopai Valley, a sub-region within Marlborough, a well-drained vineyard with alluvial stony silt loam soil. To craft this wine, the grapes were gently pressed and fermented in a mix of stainless steel and older oak barrels. The wine remained on its lees post-fermentation before final blending and bottling.

The 2022 growing season in the Waihopai Valley featured near-perfect weather patterns during the flowering period, resulting in even crops and healthy canopies. In February, the weather took a turn with above-average rainfall, which was quickly followed by favourable ripening conditions. Daily monitoring of the vines during the harvest period was the key to ensuring quality grapes, and in turn, quality wine. From an excellent vintage for white wines from Marlborough, let's see this 2022 Pinot Gris from New Zealand is tasting tonight...

Tasting Note:

SPY VALLEY PINOT GRIS 2022 - Marlborough, South Island, New Zealand (#41807) (M) - $19.95
Screw cap. Ripe and fragrant aromas of honeysuckle, white peach, yellow pear, and lemon citrus, and apple notes rise out of the glass. The medium+ to medium-full bodied palate is just off-dry, fleshy, and ripe with delicious honeysuckle, peach, pear, apple, and lemon citrus replays joined by some honeyed spice and floral notes. It's nicely textured with good structure and clean and vibrant acidity. Well-balanced throughout honeyed citrus, pear, apple, and honeysuckle notes tapering to leesy minerals on the long-lasting finish. Recommended buy! Score: 89 pts

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

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DAME Beverage Co. Hard Seltzer and Italian Spritzers (Ontario) - Reviews

Tonight's reviews are a trio of lovely ready-to-drink alcoholic beverages crafted in Ontario, Canada, by DAME Beverage Co.

Founded by Melissa Pulvermacher in 2023, DAME Beverage is based on a simple philosophy of crafting ridiculously delicious beverages while committing to keeping them clean and pure. The focus is on sourcing good quality ingredients, balance, quality, and flavour, while avoiding unnecessary additives.

DAME Beverage currently consists of three ready-to-drink ("RTD" for short) beverages that are crafted using all-natural and plant-based recipes, while also being mindful of sugar. All three products are 100% Canadian-crafted and canned in Toronto, Ontario, using all-natural ingredients, and are vegan & gluten-free. DAME's masterfully crafted hard seltzers and Italian Spritz cocktails provide a refreshing and delicious drinking experience straight from the can, poured over ice, or into your favourite fancy glass with a fresh fruit garnish.

In addition to elevating the canned beverage experience, as a female-founded company, DAME is also working on fuelling education, mentorship, and bursary programs for women to build sustainable careers in the hospitality and drinks business. Later in 2025, DAME Beverage will be launching "The Dame Dialogue" - a mentorship program pairing 'Dames' who have well-established careers and leadership positions in food and beverage with women looking to navigate personal and professional growth in the industry.

The Blood Orange Italian Spritz was just recently launched at LCBO outlets across Ontario, while the full range of ready-to-drink beverages can be ordered (and shipped across Canada) through damebeverage.com. Restaurants and licensees can order these beverages through Cru Wine Merchants.

After enjoying all three of these RTDs, I can tell you that Melissa and her team make really DAME good beverages, while also allowing you to drink better.

Tasting Notes:

DAME BLACK CHERRY VANILLA HARD SELTZER - Ontario, Canada - $3.45
Fragrant and very attractive aromas of black cherry and blueberry with hints of vanilla rise out of the glass. It honestly reminds me of a blue raspberry freezie. Delicately carbonated in a frizzante sparkling style, it has gentle flavours of black cherry, blue raspberry, and vanilla, with a kiss of sweetness on the mid-palate, while the refreshing finish is clean and dry. Crafted with a pure neutral grain spirit. Enjoy straight from the can, or over ice in a glass with a splash of your favourite cola and garnish with a fresh lime wedge.

DONNA SICILIAN LEMON WITH SEA SALT - Ontario, Canada - $3.55
Fresh, attractive aromas of Meyer lemon rise out of the glass. It's light-to-mid-weighted on the zesty palate with Meyer lemon and lemon peel aromas that give way to hints of bitters, herbs, and thyme with a pinch of salt at the tail end. Crafted in a frizzante style with light effervescence that balances the gently sweet flavours. Crafted with pure neutral grain spirit, Canadian bitters, Meyer lemon concentrate, Italian sea salt, organic cane sugar, and Sicilian lemon natural flavour extract. Enjoy straight from the can, or over ice in your favourite glass and garnish with a slice of fresh lemon and sprig of thyme.

DONNA BLOOD ORANGE ITALIAN SPRITZ - Ontario, Canada (#42798) - $3.95
Fresh, lifted aromas of blood orange, citrus, grapefruit, and floral accented with bitters. It's gently sweet on the medium+ bodied palate with more blood orange, citrus, and floral flavours, plus some bitters and rosemary undertones adding savoury characters. It has palate refreshing acidity and is crafted in a frizzante style with light bubbles. The gently sweet mid-palate gives way to a citrus peel, lemony, and rosemary finish. Crafted with a pure neutral grain spirit and Canadian bitters. Enjoy straight from the can, or over ice in a glass with a fresh orange slice and sprig of rosemary.

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Featherstone Phoenix Gewürztraminer 2024 and Sauvignon Blanc 2024 and (Niagara) - Wine Reviews

Tonight's white wine reviews are a pair of lovely, vegan-friendly, sustainable, and locally crafted wines from Niagara. Both of these wines were bottled at the beginning of February and arrived at the LCBO in the April 12th LCBO VINTAGES New Release Collection.

These wines are grown and produced locally by Niagara's own Featherstone Estate Winery. Established in 1999 by Dave Johnson and Louise Engel in the celebrated sub-appellation of Twenty Mile Bench in the Niagara Peninsula, Featherstone has a dedication to excellence in food and a passion for wine.

First planted in the 1970s, the grape crop from the Featherstone vineyard was sold to a large wine conglomerate until 1999, after which the first Featherstone wines were produced. The Riesling planted on the site in 1978 are some of the oldest Riesling vines in Niagara, while the Chardonnay and Cabernet Franc that were planted in 1986 continue to thrive. Today, the entire crop is bottled to produce Featherstone wines.

Featherstone has distinguished itself with pride in being insecticide-free since 1999 and are the practitioners of eco-friendly farming. Featherstone Winery farms naturally and cultivates wine sustainably, encouraging an environment that is healthy and completely unique, with a belief that this individuality translates into their wines. Beginning with the 2023 vintage, Featherstone has been certified sustainable by Sustainable Winegrowing Ontario (SWO), assuring wine drinkers that the complete grape-to-glass cycle is sustainable. Moreover, the SWO certification ensures that the grapes are grown and the Ontario VQA wine is crafted with sustainability at the forefront of each winery and vineyard's business philosophy.

In February 2024, Featherstone began a new chapter as Rayla and George Myhal acquired the winery from Dave and Louise. A transformative purchase in the year celebrating Featherstone's 25th anniversary, Rayla and George look to build on the successes of the past, while Dave and Louise look forward to their retirement.

The philosophy at Featherstone remains unchanged. As grape growing and winemaking are both scientific and intuitive processes, the wines are crafted to reflect the special character of the grapes, as well as the artistry of the winemaker, along with a focus on creating food-oriented, rich, clean, and brisk wines. Featherstone works throughout the growing season to enhance each grape's natural attributes, to ensure at harvest that the grapes will produce exceptional wines with minimal winemaking embellishments. They continue to use a small-lot, hands-on, artisanal approach to wine production. More than 20 years ago, Featherstone was one of the first wineries to use Canadian oak barrels, and Canadian oak continues to play an expanding role in many wines, including the Sauvignon Blanc.

Both grapes were completely harvested by the middle of October. The Sauvignon Blanc was crushed, destemmed and allowed to cold soak for 8 hours. 80% of the Sauvignon Blanc was fermented in stainless steel with a selected yeast strain, while the remainder underwent uncontrolled fermentation in neutral Canadian oak barrels. The Sauvignon Blanc was racked off lees several times before final fining. To craft the Gewürztraminer, the grapes were cold-soaked and fermented with a selected yeast strain. It was fermented at 15°C, then racked off gross lees immediately after fermentation was completed.

From an excellent 2024 growing season that produced grapes with plenty of ripeness and acidity that would yield wines with both concentration and freshness, let's see how these two white wines from Niagara are tasting tonight...

Tasting Notes:

FEATHERSTONE SAUVIGNON BLANC 2024 - Sustainable, Vegan, VQA Niagara Peninsula, Ontario, Canada (#89011) (XD) - $17.95
The fresh, fragrant, and fairly intense nose delivers grassy, grapefruit, lemon citrus, apple, and white peach aromas accented with ripe tropical fruit and green herbs. On the dry, medium-full bodied palate it shows impressive concentration and weight supporting the lovely grassy, grapefruit, lemon citrus, and ripe tropical fruit flavours. It has a finely textured mouthfeel and juicy, food-friendly acidity. Clean and well-balanced, it has ripe tropical fruit, grapefruit, and lemon citrus notes on the long, fruity, crisp, and textured finish. Score: 90 pts

FEATHERSTONE PHOENIX GEWÜRZTRAMINER 2024 - Sustainable, Vegan, VQA Niagara Peninsula, Ontario, Canada (#519025) (D) - $18.95
Seems a bit shy at the moment, offering a medium+ intensity nose of honeydew melon, lychee, and rose petal aromas layered over ripe lemon citrus and apple. Rosewater aromas emerge with time in the glass and gain prominence. On the gently sweet, medium-full bodied palate it has delicious, honeyed flavours of ginger spice, rosewater, honeydew melon, lemon zest flavours accented with apricot and grapefruit notes. Framed by fresh and lively acidity, it also has a fairly richly textured mouthfeel. Some spice notes give way to honeyed, lemon zest, and lychee on the long, savoury, and leesy mineral finish. Bottled only a couple of months ago, this has room to improve and grow and will be even better after a few years in the cellar. Should drink nicely into the early 2030s and is a highly recommended buy! Score: 90 pts

There are many lovely wines by Featherstone available at the LCBO, while the full portfolio can be ordered direct from the winery online, or by visiting them in Niagara.

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Flor de Maio Mayflower 2021 (Portugal) - Wine Review

Tonight's red wine review is a terrific, vegan-friendly red wine blend from Portugal that returned to the LCBO a couple of weeks ago in the March 15 LCBO VINTAGES New Release Collection.

It is produced by Magnum Wines, a winery that was founded in 2011 by winemaker Carlos Lucas. Originally from Dão, Carlos had a dream to produce quality wines in his home country of Portugal with a team that was dynamic and continuously interested in innovation, while also respecting tradition and history.

Since the beginning, Magnum Vinhos has been environmentally concerned and respectful of the land. These days, they are pursuing a sustainable growth strategy that respects the land and wines, while also aiming to showcase the authentic sublime of every region where it has vineyards. While the heart of Magnum Wines is the Quinta do Ribeiro Santo production facility in the Dão region, Magnum also has wineries throughout Portugal, including Maria Mora in Alentejo, where this red wine is from.

While the 2016 Flor de Maio Mayflower Red I tasted four years ago was a blend of three grapes, this latest vintage is composed of four grapes - Trincadeira, Aragonez (Tempranillo), Touriga Nacional, and Syrah. The grapes were grown in the Mora, within the Évora district, about 100 km east of Lisbon. The 60-hectare vineyard is planted on a low-altitude, slightly sloped plain, with exposure to the south. The soil in this vineyard is poor and consists mainly of clay and limestone. This area is dry throughout the year, cold during winter, and hot during summer. The grapes were manually harvested, destemmed, and then fermented in stainless steel vats with prolonged maceration and gentle pumping over to extract colour and aromas. The wine was naturally decanted and aged in stainless steel vats, with light filtration, until bottling.

The 2021 vintage in Alentejano was almost brilliant with remarkable acidity and balance. The growing season began with winter rains that replenished the soil. Spring was warm and dry, which provided the perfect conditions for flowering and fruit set. Summer was much milder than usual, while the cool nights allowed for slow and steady ripening. There was a brief heatwave at the beginning of August, which temporarily shut down the vines and stopped the ripening process. However, temperatures cooled down by mid-month. The quality of the grapes at harvest resulted in wines with elegance, remarkable acidity, and balance. Let's see how this 2021 Portuguese red from Alentejano is tasting tonight...

Tasting Note:

FLOR DE MAIO MAYFLOWER 2021 - Vegan, Vinho Regional Alentejano, Portugal (#427195) (XD) - $15.95
This unoaked blend of Trincadeira, Aragonez, Touriga Nacional, and Syrah has a medium-high intensity nose that is fragrant and open with a lovely mix of brambly, dark red cherry, raspberry, and plum aromas nuanced savoury minerals and earth. On the dry, medium+ bodied palate it is ripe with plummy, cran-cherry, raspberry, gentle spice, and earth flavours flecked with minerals. Acids are juicy and well-balanced, while the smooth and refined tannins have good structure. Gently grippy on the back palate, with plummy, dark cherry, and earthy mineral notes lingering on the lengthy, succulent finish. Highly recommended buy! Score: 89 pts

One other wine by Magnum Wines is available at the LCBO, while the full portfolio can be ordered through their Agent - Rare Earth Wines.

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El Goru Gold Mad Hairy Fella Monastrell / Syrah / Cabernet Sauvignon 2020 (Spain) - Wine Review

Tonight's red wine review is the latest vintage of a lovely, vegan-friendly Monastrell-based blend from Jumilla (Spain) that arrived at the LCBO earlier this month in the March 1st LCBO VINTAGES New Release Collection.

It is produced by Ego Bodegas, a winery project that was established from scratch in 2011 by the husband-and-wife team of Santos Ortiz and Ioana Paunescu. Santos is of Spanish origin, while Ioana was from Romania, and together they settled in the Jumilla wine region of Spain, not far from the historical centre of Jumilla. The project was borne out of their passion and effort, with a vision to produce high-quality wines that showcase the unique terroir of Jumilla.

Santos and Ioana built the winery together, not from the bottom up, but from the roof down, from top to bottom, after they fell in love with a spectacular farm in an elevated area of Jumilla, locally known as the carpenter's place. It was surrounded by old vineyards planted to Monastrell and offered a naturally beautiful landscape. While their business objectives were sales and profitability, they needed to find the right balance to achieve this goal by focusing on the three core concepts of Quality, Image, and Price. In 2013, after two years of hard work, the couple launched their wine brand: Ego Bodegas. The name "Ego Bodegas" is based on the philosophy centred on ego, talento, and infinito - or self, talent, and infinity.

From the beginning, Ego Bodegas has taken a contemporary twist on winemaking by combining traditional methods with modern techniques. They use their modern winemaking facilities to improve quality and efficiency, while striving to seek out the best technology available. With 35 hectares of vineyards planted mostly to native varieties, the winery is focused on producing high-quality wines that reflect the unique terroir of the region. Their focus is mainly on the native Monastrell varietal as it has adapted well to the soil and climatic conditions of Jumilla. The soil in Jumilla is dark and enriched with lime, while also being permeable with good moisture retention, which helps the vines during periods of drought. The climate in the region is continental, arid, and influenced by the Mediterranean Sea to the east and by the plateau of La Mancha to the west, while also receiving more than 3,000 hours of sunshine per year, which makes Jumilla one of the driest areas in Spain. Today, Ego Bodegas crafts their wines with a dedication to innovation, craftsmanship, and excellence in winemaking.

Like the 2019 El Goru Gold I enjoyed last year, this red is predominantly Monastrell (aka Mourvèdre), with this particular vintage including a bit more Monastrell this time, and the final blend consisting of 80% Monastrell, 15% Syrah, and 5% Cabernet Sauvignon. To craft this wine, all three grape varieties were hand-harvested in 15 kg boxes through a strict selection in the vineyard. The grapes underwent supervised maceration in order to achieve the ideal wine profile, and during the entire process, the pigeage pumping down technique was used in order to favour a slower extraction and a synthesis of varietal aromas. It underwent temperature-controlled fermentation, up to a maximum of 28ºC, in order to extract the full potential of each grape variety. The final wine was blended and aged for 12 months in new French and American oak barrels.

The 2020 growing season in Jumilla and southern Spain was marked by early budding, a rainy spring, and a hot, dry summer, conditions which resulted in an early harvest. Yields in the region were also mostly down due to mildew issues. However, 2020 produced an excellent quality vintage. Let's see how this 2020 Monastrell-based red from Jumilla is tasting tonight...

Tasting Note:

EL GORU GOLD MAD HAIRY FELLA MONASTRELL / SYRAH / CABERNET SAUVIGNON 2020 - Vegan, DOP Jumilla, Spain (#13621) (XD) - $18.95
This blend of 80% Monastrell, 15% Syrah, and 5% Cabernet Sauvignon is fragrant and open, with a medium+ to medium-high intensity nose that offers ripe black & purple fruits, blackberry, cedary oak, spice, black cherry, and plum aromas with whiffs of reductive notes. On the medium+ to medium-full bodied palate it is dry and spicy with ripe black & purple fruits, cedar oak, plum, black cherry flavours supported by crisp and bright acidity. Touches of licorice and sweet vanillin oak join the party on the mid-palate. Ripe tannins are mildly grippy, with good structure. Ripe black fruits with cedary oak and cocoa notes linger on the long and juicy finish. Recommended buy! Score: 89 pts

A couple of other wines by Ego Bodegas are available at the LCBO, while the full portfolio can be ordered through their Agent - Kolonaki Fine Wines & Spirits.

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Kir-Yianni Cuvée Villages Xinomavro 2021 (Greece) - Wine Review

Tonight's red wine review is an excellent, vegan-certified Xinomavro that is featured as a Food & Drink Discovery and was part of the Women in Wine theme in last weekend's March 1st LCBO VINTAGES New Release Collection.

Like the excellent 2023 Kir-Yianni Le Nord Assyrtiko I enjoyed last year, this red wine is produced by Kir-Yianni, a renowned Greek winery that was established in 1997 by the late Yiannis Boutaris (1942-2024). From the renowned Boutaris family, Yiannis was one of the leading figures in the Greek wine industry right up until his passing last year.

Yiannis left the family's wine business to chart his own path in the eastern foothills of Mt. Vermion, in Yianakohori, near the town of Naoussa, where he planted 40 hectares of Xinomavro vines in 1970. This vineyard would go on to become the Ktima Kir-Yianni. More vines would be planted in 1985, followed by the acquisition of an old winery in 1996 in the village of Agios Panteleimon. A year later, the old winery was completely rebuilt to become the new Ktima Kir-Yianni, with the first vintage entirely vinified at the new winery.

Today, Kir-Yianni is led by Yiannis' son, Stellios Boutaris, who is the fifth generation of the Boutaris family of winemakers. After becoming managing director of Kir-Yianni in 1999, Stellios was joined soon thereafter by his brother, Mihalis, who had returned from his studies at UC Davis. During this period, there was intense experimentation and research on the Xinomavro varietal. The results of these experiments were a new generation of Xinomavro wines borne in 2003, along with 28 hectares of vines that were re-planted mainly with Xinomavro and other Greek varieties between 2004 and 2006. In 2009, Kir-Yianni acquired another 10 hectares of vineyards to become one of Greece's largest vineyards.

The philosophy at Kir-Yianni is a fine balance between a hundred-year-long family tradition and the use of new and innovative winemaking techniques. The aim of Kir-Yianni is to produce appealing wines that reflect the potential of the Greek vineyard and its indigenous varieties. Activities in the vineyard and at the winery are based on the principles of integrated farming and protecting the environment. The core practices at Kir-Yianni include taking care of the vineyard, implementing strict selection policies on the vine and in the cellar, micro-vinification, and meticulously blending, thus endowing Kir-Yianni wines with typicity, ageing potential, and consistent quality from vintage to vintage. At Kir-Yianni, sustainability is both a philosophy and a vital business decision that entails dedication, realism, and systematic investment, and in 2023 they started their journey to carbon neutrality.

Margarita Koumpiou is the reason why this wine is part of the Women in Wine feature in this VINTAGES Release. Margarita holds an integrated master's degree in crop science, an honours M.A. in oenology, and a diploma in food and beverage quality management. At Kir-Yianni, Margarita is an oenologist and works closely with Stellios.

This red wine is crafted using 100% Xinomavro that was grown in various villages across PDO Naoussa. More specifically, it was crafted using a strict selection of estate-grown grapes from younger vines, as well as parcels from small vine growers. The villages of Naoussa offer an interesting diversity of terroir, including their hilly terrains, altitude, slope, soil structure, and orientation, conditions which provide an intriguing mixture of meso-climates. To vinify this wine, the grapes were immediately cooled upon hand-harvesting, then underwent a rigorous grape selection on a conveyor belt. The grapes were then cold soaked at low temperatures for 6 days, followed by fermentation in stainless steel tanks at temperatures of 20–23°C for 12 to 15 days. After undergoing malolactic fermentation, the wine was matured mainly in 225- and 500-litre French oak barrels for 12 months in a combination of new and 3rd to 5th use barrels. The first blend was made on the 6th month of maturation, while the final blend was completed just before bottling.

The 2021 growing season in Naoussa began with a typical winter, followed by a cool March that resulted in a longer time for budbreak to complete. Dry conditions with significant diurnal variation in April and May led to a slightly early flowering, while summer began with hail in June, which decreased yields in the affected areas. July and August were characterized by long heatwaves and dry conditions, which resulted in the rapid (and positive) development of veraison in early August. From September onwards, weather conditions were typical and back to ideal standards, which allowed for the full ripening of Xinomavro. To ensure optimum ripeness, the grapes were handpicked in stages from late-September to mid-October. From a different year with positive results and great uniformity, let's see how this 2021 Xinomavro from Greece is tasting tonight...

Tasting Note:

KIR-YIANNI CUVÉE VILLAGES XINOMAVRO 2021 - Vegan, PDO Naoussa, Greece (#14151) (XD) - $18.00
Fragrant, intense, and slightly perfumed nose of red and dark cherry, rose floral, and touches of orange peel layered over savoury earth, plus accents of oak spice and sun-dried tomato adding further intrigue and complexity. On the dry, medium-full bodied palate it has lovely ripe red & black cherry, blackberry, savoury earth, oak spice, sun-dried tomato, and rose floral flavours supported by juicy acidity and well-structured, medium-firm, and fairly grippy tannins that are youthful, yet approachable. Cherry, earthy, and floral notes with a slight tang and some minerality lingering on the very long finish. Highly recommended buy! Score: 91 pts

Several other fantastic wines by Kir-Yianni are available at the LCBO, while the full range can be ordered through their Agent - Kolonaki Fine Wines & Spirits.

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El Goru 38 Barrels Monastrell / Cabernet Sauvignon 2020 (Spain) - Wine Review

After enjoying the lovely 2019 El Goru Gold Monastrell / Syrah / Cabernet Sauvignon last year, we go up a notch for tonight's red wine review with another vegan and organic Monastrell-based blend from the same producer that is a brand-new arrival at the LCBO, landing on shelves across Ontario as part of this weekend's January 4 LCBO VINTAGES New Release Collection.

It is produced by Ego Bodegas, a prominent winery located in Jumilla, Spain. The project was founded from scratch in 2011 by Santos Ortiz, of Spanish origin, and Ioana Paunescu from Romania. Born out of the partners' passion and effort, while short on financial resources, Santos and Ioana had extraordinary talent for creating wines and coordinating the financial, marketing, and sales departments.

As a couple that was united and committed, both personally and professionally, Santos and Ioana built the winery together from top to bottom, from the roof down, just a few kilometres away from the historical city of Jumilla, after falling in love with a spectacular farm in an area locally known as the carpenter's place. The farm was situated in an elevated area, where they enjoyed the beauty of the landscape that was surrounded by old vineyards planted to the Monastrell varietal. Like any business, their objectives were sales and profitability, but in order to achieve this goal they needed to find the right balance between the three concepts of Quality, Image, and Price. After two years of hard work, Ego Bodegas was launched in 2013 with good wine, a good design, and good pricing. The name "Ego Bodegas" is based on the philosophy centred on ego, talento, and infinito (self, talent, and infinity). With a continuous commitment to improve, Ego Bodegas has quickly gained recognition and a foothold now in over 30 countries.

Today, Ego Bodegas uses its modern winemaking facilities to improve quality and efficiency, while striving to seek out the best technology available. Since the beginning, Santos and Iona have taken a contemporary twist on winemaking by combining traditional methods with modern techniques. With 35 hectares of vineyards planted mostly to native varieties, the winery is focused on producing high-quality wines that reflect the unique terroir of the region. Monastrell is of particular focus for Ego Bodegas as it is native to Jumilla and has adapted well to the climatic and soil conditions of the region. The continental climate is sunny and arid in Jumilla, and is influenced by the Mediterranean Sea to the east and by the plateau of La Mancha to the west. Moreover, Jumilla receives more than 3,000 hours of sunshine per year, and is one of the driest areas in Spain. The soil in Jumilla is dark and enriched with lime, while also being permeable with good moisture retention, which helps the vines during periods of drought. To craft their exquisite wines, Ego Bodegas spares no detail in delivering wines of consistent quality that are ready to drink, but can also improve with time.

This red wine is a blend of 85% Monastrell and 15% Cabernet Sauvignon that was organically grown in the winegrowing region of Jumilla in southeastern Spain. The grapes were manually selected, harvested, and placed in small boxes with great care. To extract a great amount of aroma and colour, the grapes underwent a week-long cold maceration that was aided by the pigeage method (punch-down), which helps control and regulate the extraction. Temperature-controlled malolactic fermentation and oak ageing took place exclusively and carefully in 38 barrels - where this wine gets its name from. Ageing occurred for 12 months in a combination of both French and American oak. Each varietal was vinified separately prior to blending and bottling.

The 2020 growing season in southern Spain was marked by early budding, a rainy spring, and a hot, dry summer, conditions which resulted in an early harvest. Yields were also mostly down due to mildew issues in the region. From a qualitatively excellent vintage, let's see how this 2020 Jumilla red tastes tonight...

Tasting Note:

EL GORU 38 BARRELS MONASTRELL / CABERNET SAUVIGNON 2020 - Vegan, DO Jumilla, Spain (#41096) (XD) - $22.95 $20.00
This organic blend of 85% Monastrell and 15% Cabernet Sauvignon has a medium+ intensity nose that seems a bit shy, offering a ripe black fruit core accented with blackcurrant, purple fruit, oak spice, violet, and savoury earth aromas. Plum, black cherry, and cassis notes emerge with time in the glass. On the dry, medium-full bodied palate it is ripe and sweetly fruited with delicious blackcurrant, black cherry, savoury oak spice, and earthy flavours, along with hints of cassis and plum. Acids are fresh, juicy, and succulent, while the smooth, well-structured tannins feel a bit tight at the moment. Composed with a sense of elegance, it is nicely balanced throughout with lovely flavour replays joined by mineral notes on the long, savoury finish. This highly recommended buy is enjoyable now, but should really shine in about 3 years. Score: 90 pts

There is one El Goru wine readily available at the LCBO, while the entire range by Ego Bodegas can be ordered through their Agent - Kolonaki Fine Wines & Spirits.

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Heaphy Pinot Gris 2023 (New Zealand) - Wine Review

Tonight's white wine review is a lovely, vegan-friendly Pinot Gris from New Zealand that made its debut at the LCBO as a brand new arrival in last month's October 5 LCBO New Release Collection.

It is produced by Heaphy Vineyard, a wine brand that was only established in 2019, but has long roots deep into the soil of the cooler Nelson winegrowing region on the South Island of New Zealand. The brand was established, mainly for international markets, by one of Nelson's wine pioneers, Greg Day, and his wife, Amanda.

Heaphy Vineyard is situated in the northwest corner of New Zealand's South Island, in a region named Nelson Tasman. The small winery is located high above Tasman Bay, in the Moutere Hills, where they have 10 hectares of long-established vineyards planted on Moutere's signature clay soils. Some of the vines in these vineyards were first planted in 1973, and are among the oldest productive vineyards in New Zealand.

In 2022, Heaphy Vineyard was acquired by Boutinot Wines, an international producer and distributor based in Manchester, UK. Greg had a long-standing relationship with Boutinot and offered them the opportunity to buy the brand as Greg and Amanda were planning on retiring. With the acquisition, Boutinot planned to make Heaphy the largest Nelson wine brand and one of the largest New Zealand wine brands in the UK. To help achieve this goal, Boutinot purchased new equipment in order to handle the additional capacity.

Today, Heaphy Vineyard is committed to sustainability and quality winemaking, with a particular focus on crafting wines that express the unique Nelson landscape. Heaphy Vineyard has two ranges of wines - the entry-level, which is the line this Pinot Gris is from, and the premium Moutere Range. Heaphy Vineyard is certified by Sustainable Wine Growing New Zealand (SWNZ), which means that their wines are crafted using grapes grown in 100% SWNZ-certified vineyards and produced in 100% SWNZ-certified winemaking facilities. Some of the SWNZ certification commitments include completing annual submissions, as well as undergoing regular on-site audits, which are conducted by an independent verification company.

This white wine is crafted using 100% Pinot Gris that was grown in a single vineyard on Moutere's clay loam soils. The grapes were hand-picked at full ripeness, then gently pressed and cold settled in stainless steel tanks. The pressing juices were separated into free run and (direct) pressings, which allows for better integration for when they eventually come together again. The two juices were then racked together for fermentation at 14°C (on average) in stainless steel tanks, which delivered a natural residual sugar (RS) level of 4.5 g/L.

From an excellent vintage, albeit with slightly lower yields, let's see how this 2023 Pinot Gris from Nelson is tasting tonight...

Tasting Note:

HEAPHY PINOT GRIS 2023 - Sustainable, Nelson, South Island, New Zealand (#36901) (D) - $19.95
Screw cap. This single vineyard Pinot Gris has a fragrant, medium-high intensity nose that is attractive with freshly squeezed lemon citrus and lemon peel aromas joined by grapefruit, pear, and touches of floral, pithy and mineral notes adding complexity and interest. It has good weight on the dry, fleshy, medium-full bodied palate with delicious, honeyed flavours of pear, apple, lemon citrus, and grapefruit flavours. There's a kiss of sweetness, along with spice notes on the mid-palate. Clean acids are well-balanced and juicy. It's gently spicy with flor and leesy mineral notes lingering on the long, dry, and finely textured finish. Enjoy this highly recommended buy over the next 2 years. Score: 90 pts

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

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

Tonight's red wine review is a lovely, sustainable and vegan Cabernet Sauvignon (blend) that made its debut at the LCBO last month as part of the October 5th LCBO VINTAGES New Release Collection.

It is produced by Calcu Vineyards, a winery that began its life in 2003 as the unique project of the Hurtado family who have over a century's worth of winemaking experience making quality wines in the Colchagua Valley. The Hurtado family found a unique place in Marchigüe, in western Colchagua Valley, that is marked by granite stone hills which are the inspiration for the name of the winery - "CAL: Hill" and "CUrá: Stone".

The vineyards in Marchigüe have granite hills with clay seams, and are situated at altitude just 26 kilometres from the Pacific Ocean. The blend of differing orientations of the slopes makes the perfect blend which reflects the personality of the vineyard, and enables each variety to showcase the characteristic freshness, structure, verve, and depth in each Calcu wine.

With the core values of excellence, perseverance, honesty, and sustainability, Calcu is seeking to redefine Colchagua through the architecture of its vineyards. Excellence is reflected in the crafting of world-class wines by using high standards throughout each process and precision winemaking. With perseverance and determination, Calcu is continuously searching to improve their wine by taking action to achieve their proposed objectives. Honesty is the intention of their wines to naturally reflect their origin, and by scarcely intervening in the vineyards, the environment, and winery management. By adopting sustainable practices, Calcu is constantly implementing new measures and technologies to be more energy efficient, reducing waste and water consumption, while also becoming more environmentally-friendly. One of Calcu's sustainable initiatives was to design their vineyards in small blocks with short rows that minimize soil erosion, while the sloping rows are intended to reduce the risk of accidents for farmworkers.

Today, the passion for the pursuit of excellence is one of the fundamental pillars of the Hurtado family business and is reflected in each of their wines. This pursuit of excellence is implemented through precision viticulture and winemaking to accurately reflect the character of Calcu Vineyards in Marchigüe. Calcu Vineyards shares a winery with its sister company, Viña Maquis, in Palmilla in the Colchagua Valley, where they make and age their wines. This winery was built in 2002 under a sustainable concept and uses gravity technology to gently move the grapes, must, and wine throughout the winery in order to preserve the aromas and flavours of each of its wines. The winery is also innovative in that it is the only winery in Chile with a geothermal plant to generate energy, which is then used for wine production, thereby reducing its consumption of gas by 90%, and electricity by 40% per litre of wine produced.

Like the 2020 Calcu Tiny Blocks Gran Reserva Cabernet Franc, which I enjoyed earlier this year and included small amounts of other grape varieties to complete the blend, this Cabernet Sauvignon includes 7% Cabernet Franc, and 3% Petit Verdot. The grapes were grown at their vineyard in Marchigüe, 25 km from the Pacific Ocean, in the gentle hills of the coastal mountains where the soft breezes coming from the ocean moderate temperatures and allow the grapes to obtain freshness, aromatics, and excellent concentration. The vineyard is planted on granitic soils with important clay content that helps develop persistent aromas and increases concentration in the wine. The tiny blocks selected for this Cabernet Sauvignon have a high clay content, but are poor in organic matter, which helps to obtain lower yields, while also allowing the wines to have fantastic power, structure, and elegance.

To craft this red wine, the grapes were hand-picked, followed by hand-sorting of clusters and berries. It underwent alcoholic fermentation between 20-24°C, maceration for 18 days, and then malolactic fermentation, all in stainless steel tanks. The wine was aged for 12 months in French oak barrels.

The 2020 growing season experienced by Calcu in the Colchagua Valley was marked by a dry and warm climate, which challenged the team to be on high alert in order to identify the right moment of harvest for each block. The time of harvest is very important because this is what allows winemakers to maintain elegance and balance, characteristics which have embodied the wines of Calcu from this terroir. From a good vintage that produced high quality wines with excellent colour intensity and high concentration, which resulted in excellent complexity and very good ageing capability, let's see how this 2020 Cabernet Sauvignon from Chile is tasting tonight...

Tasting Note:

CALCU TINY BLOCKS GRAN RESERVA CABERNET SAUVIGNON 2020 - Sustainable, Vegan, Valle de Colchagua, Chile (#37867) (XD) - $17.95
This blend of 90% Cabernet Sauvignon, 7% Cabernet Franc, and 3% Petit Verdot has a whiff of reduction off the top, giving way to reveal fresh layers of ripe red and some black fruits, currant, cassis, and fine wood spice aromas of medium-high intensity, along with touches of dried herbs. On the dry, medium-full bodied palate it offers delicious red and some black fruit, currant, cassis, and dried herb flavour replays with smoky oak spice accents. Touch spicy on the mid-palate. Acids are fresh and juicy, while the ripe tannins are smooth and well-structured, with some grip on the back-palate. Minerally and savoury on the long, slightly chalky textured, and youthful finish. Should drink nicely to the end of the decade and is a highly recommended buy! Score: 90 pts

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

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Vietti Perbacco Nebbiolo 2020 (Piedmont) - Wine Review

Tonight's red wine review is an excellent, vegan-friendly Nebbiolo from Piedmont that arrived at the LCBO last month in the September 21 LCBO VINTAGES New Release Collection.

It is produced by the prestigious and historic Vietti winery, which was established at the end of the 1800s by Carlo Vietti in the heart of the Langhe wine region, on the highest point of the medieval village of Castiglione Falletto, where it continues to be located today.

In 1917, Mario Vietti, son of Carlo, returned after spending several years in the U.S. and took over the family farm and transformed it into a winemaking facility dedicated to the production of high quality wines. In the late-1950s, Luciana Vietti, daughter of Mario, and her husband and winemaker Alfredo Currado, who were both great admirers of art, brought the Vietti family to newer heights by intertwining winemaking knowledge, art, and culture.

With the ambition and foresight of Alfredo, one of the first Barolo Cru - Rocche di Castiglione - was born in 1961, and six years later the first Roero Arneis was born. In 1974, as Vietti wines were matched with artist labels, the Vietti brand became an icon and a standard-bearer of one of the most important revolutions of that time.

In the 1980s, the legacy of Luciana and Alfredo was taken over by their son-in-law, Mario Cordero, followed in the 1990s by their son Luca Currado Vietti, and accompanied by his wife, Elena. Under the leadership of the 4th generation of the Vietti family, the brand has grown today to be universally recognized among the best Italian labels with the core values of commitment, vision, culture, and enthusiasm. Vietti's road to quality combines respect for tradition and careful experimentation, where man and earth have always been able to dialogue.

In 2016, the Krause family purchased the winery and expanded the estate with new and renowned Crus in the denomination of both Barolo and Barbaresco. The Krause family is committed to safeguarding the identity and values that have characterized the Vietti brand since its origins, while also looking towards the future. Today, Vietti holds some of the most valuable and representative vineyards in the Barolo and Barbaresco areas. In total, they have 75 hectares of vineyards across Langhe, Roero, Asti, and Colli Tortonesi. The territory they inhabit, cultivate, take care of, and practice sustainability, has been recognized since 2014 as a UNESCO World Heritage Site - a home for them and the vines.

Vietti has an Agronomic Manifesto with sustainability at its core. Since 2007, Vietti has been practicing sustainable vineyard management techniques. They resort to weeding, promoting biodiversity of the agricultural ecosystem, and minimizing the use of agricultural vehicles. Furthermore, they monitor the impact on the environment around them and act flexibly and adaptively.

With several ranges in the Vietti portfolio, this red wine is from their Classic range and is crafted with 100% Nebbiolo that was grown in selected vineyard sites mostly situated in the areas of Barolo and Barbaresco. To vinify this wine, the grapes underwent temperature-controlled (28°-32°C) alcoholic fermentation for 3-4 weeks, followed by malolactic fermentation in steel tanks and/or barriques. Each parcel is vinified and aged separately, followed by a selection of lots that will be used for this Langhe Nebbiolo, and those that will continue to be aged for Barolo Castiglione. After malolactic fermentation, further maturation takes place in barriques and large barrels for about 18-20 months, followed by blending in steel, and finally bottled.

The 2020 growing season in Piedmont was an earlier ripening vintage that began with a mild winter, a very wet spring, and followed by a warm summer. Crop size was slightly lower than average, while acidity levels were bright and demonstrated impressive complexity. Overall, the quality in Piedmont in 2020 is excellent, with Langhe Nebbiolo wines showcasing their elegance with rounded tannins. With a vintage that's believed to be even better than the powerful 2019 vintage for Nebbiolo, let's see how this 2020 Nebbiolo from Piedmont is tasting tonight...

Tasting Note:

VIETTI PERBACCO NEBBIOLO 2020 - Vegan, DOC Langhe, Piedmont, Italy (#15087) (XD) - $36.95
Clean, fragrant, and perfumed, the very attractive, highly aromatic nose is complex with red & black cherry, floral, underbrush, cinnamon, and fine sweet spice aromas, plus touches of tobacco and savoury earth. The medium-full bodied palate is impressively structured with ripe red berry, cherry, cranberry, savoury earth, and underbrush flavours with hints of oak spice and herbs. Acids are crisp, fresh, and juicy, while the dusty, structured tannins are approachable, yet age worthy. Some orange notes add further complexity to the red cherry, floral, and oak spice finish, with excellent length. Should drink nicely for at least a decade, probably more. Highly recommended buy! Score: 92+ pts

Small quantities of other fine wines by Vietti are available at the LCBO, while the entire range can be ordered through their Agent - Noble Estates Wines & Spirits.

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Escapade Shiraz 2021 (Barossa) - Wine Review

Tonight's red wine review is a lovely, vegan-friendly Australian Shiraz. It is a brand-new arrival at the LCBO that landed on shelves (and online) in Ontario as part of last month's September 21 LCBO VINTAGES New Release Collection.

Escapade Vineyards wines are produced by Shanahans Wines, a family-owned and operated winery situated in the hamlet of Greenock, on the outskirts of northwestern Barossa, that has grown from humble beginnings to a significant operation.

The name 'Shanahans Wines' is a tribute to John Harris' family, in particular to his late grandfather, James (Jim) Shanahan. It was Jim who established a broadacre farm in the early 1900s at Magdala, South Australia, while John spent much of his childhood years by his grandfather's side, helping and exploring this beloved property.

On the property is an old shearing shed, where John recalls his fondest memories spending time with the shearers and seasonal workers. It was also in this shed where John turned one tonne of fruit that had been gifted to him into the first 60 cases of Shanahans Wines, which he shared with friends and family. The enjoyment of hand-crafting such a small parcel of premium Barossa fruit and having a label to honour his family started a tradition.

Today, Shanahans Wines is led by John and his wife, Gemma, along with their three boys that they are bringing up together among their vines. John has worked in the wine industry for more than two decades, working his way up from cellar hand to winemaker to owning his own wine company. He has love for his iconic family farm in the Barossa Valley with strong ancestral ties to the region and its people. Gemma is a seventh generation Barossan who comes from a long line of vignerons. She grew up in the small village of Krondorf and spent her childhood years in the vineyards exploring and helping her late father tend to 30 acres of vines.

Together, the Harris family hand crafts their wines with care each vintage, using small parcels of premium fruit that are sourced predominantly from the Western Barossa sub-regions of Greenock and Marananga, as well as parcels from selected growers in Eden Valley, Ebenezer, and Tanunda. In order to represent the true character of the individual vineyards and varieties, much of the fruit is hand-picked from old vineyards and fermented in small batches on skins to retain as much fleshy fruit as possible. Mostly older French oak is used for maturation, ensuring that the fruit is the main feature of each wine.

This red wine is crafted using 100% Shiraz that was sourced from a selection of growers that John has worked with for several years in the Barossa Valley hamlets of Greenock, Tanunda, Ebenezer, and Bethany. The individual vineyards were picked and crushed separately. Each vineyard provides different characteristics, and when coming together by assemblage, becomes more than the sum of its parts. It underwent fermentation in small, 4-tonne open fermenters, with pumping twice a day for one week before draining and being slowly basket-pressed. After fermentation, the wine was aged in 2- to 4-year-old French oak.

From a near-perfect vintage that resulted in both high quality and quantity, let's see how this 2021 Shiraz from Barossa Valley is tasting tonight...

Tasting Note:

ESCAPADE SHIRAZ 2021 - Vegan, Barossa Valley, South Australia (#36286) (XD) - $17.95
Screw cap. The open, fragrant, medium-high to highly aromatic nose has lovely ripe black and red raspberry, blackberry, and black pepper spice aromas layered over savoury earth, oak spice, and touches of meaty and dried herb notes. It's medium+ to medium-full bodied on the dry palate with delicious ripe raspberry, blackberry, black pepper, and dried herb flavours with just a touch of jamminess. It has fresh, juicy acidity, while the ripe, supple, and fine-grained tannins provide a nice, textured mouthfeel and are integrating nicely. It's well-balanced with blackberry, raspberry, and peppery notes tapering to a long, savoury, mineral-tinged finish. Recommended buy! Score: 89 pts

Other lovely Shanahans Wines can be ordered through their Agent - Lexcellent Wines.

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Tom de Baton dos Heredias 2021 (Portugal) - Wine Review

Tonight's red wine review is a delicious, vegan-friendly red blend from Portugal that returned to the LCBO as part of the recent September 7th LCBO VINTAGES New Release Collection.

It is produced by Magnum Wines, a winery that was born from the dream of Winemaker Carlos Lucas. He created this company in the Dão region in 2011 with the dedication to producing high quality wines, surrounding himself with a team that brings experience and youth that has a continuous interest in innovation and dynamism, while respecting tradition and history.

Carlos is a man of the land and a modern farmer. He has over 25 years of winemaking experience and has worked in various wine regions, including Montpellier, Piemonte, Priorat, and Vale de S. Francisco. Carlos was also one of the first to bring a spotlight to the Dão region.

Since the beginning, Carlos has been concerned about the environment and respectful of the land, and his practices led to Magnum Vinhos being awarded "The Best Farmer of the Year" in 2014 by the Ministry of Agriculture of Portugal. Today, Magnum Wines is pursuing a sustainable growth strategy that respects the land and wines, while aiming to show the authentic character of every region where it has vineyards.

Magnum Wines produces several ranges of wines from across Portugal, with this red wine under the "Tom de Baton" label and being produced at the Quinta das Herédias property in Douro. The name "Tom de Baton" refers to the traditional winemaking tool called "bâton", which is used for stirring the wine during fermentation, a process which is known as "bâtonnage". Tom de Baton wines are crafted to be easy to drink, while also maintaining quality and structure, and often have a complexity that reflects the terroir.

This red wine is a blend of Touriga Nacional, Touriga Franca, Tinta Roriz, and Tinta Barroca that was grown in the Douro on schist soil with slight granitic outcrops. The vineyards are between 15 and 50 years old and planted at an altitude between 100 and 500 metres above sea level. These vineyards experience hot summers, low annual precipitation, and are protected by the Serra do Marão and Serra do Montemuro mountains. To craft this blend, the grapes were manually harvested and de-stemmed. Fermentation took place in stainless steel tanks at a temperature of about 22°C, with gentle stirring to extract colour and aromas. It underwent natural decanting and filtration prior to bottling.

The 2021 growing season is characterized by early budbreak, a dry and cooler year with healthy yields (just a bit below average), and slow ripening. The nights were cool during harvest, with some rain that interrupted picking. The resulting wines are slightly less concentrated when compared to the year prior, with lower alcohol levels. From a cool and somewhat challenging vintage for red wines, let's see how this 2021 Douro red from Portugal is tasting tonight...

Tasting Note:

TOM DE BATON DOS HEREDIAS 2021 - Tabuaço, DOC Douro, Portugal (#363168) (XD) - $17.95
This vegan-friendly blend of Touriga Nacional, Touriga Franca, Tinta Roriz, and Tinta Barroca has a fragrant, open, medium-high intensity nose that is slightly spicy with ripe plum, red & black fruits, blackberry, and black cherry aromas with underlying stony minerality. It's medium-bodied on the dry palate with ripe plummy flavours, plus red & black fruits, black cherry, blackberry, and gentle oak spice notes. Well-balanced with crisp and fresh acidity, as well as slightly grippy, youthful tannins with good structure. Smoky mineral notes linger on the crisp, juicy, and savoury finish, with very good length. Enjoyable now, but will be even better in 1-2 years. Recommended buy. Score: 88+ pts

Other delicious Magnum Wines can be purchased at the LCBO, or through their Agent - Rare Earth Wines.

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Le Bijou de Sophie Valrose Rosé 2023 (Languedoc) - Wine Review

Tonight's rosé wine review is a delicious, vegan-friendly dry rosé wine from Languedoc that arrived at the LCBO a couple of weeks ago in the August 24th LCBO VINTAGES New Release Collection.

It is produced by Bijou Wines, a wine producer based in the heart of the South of France. Originally established in the Languedoc in 2012, Bijou Wines has since expanded into Provence and specializes in the production of rosé wines.

With a talented team of growers and winemakers, Bijou's stance has always been to produce best-in-class wines. Bijou sources their grapes from unique, lesser-known, but authentic terroirs such as Coteaux de Béziers, Coteaux Varois en Provence, and Haute Vallee de l'Aude in Limoux. Framed as "affordable luxury", Bijou wines are comprised of the very best expressions of old and low-yielding Mediterranean grape varieties, and recognized around the world by critics as authentic and delicious, with beautiful aromas and flavours, and good structure to allow the wines to be enjoyed with or without food.

At Bijou, sustainability is always at the top of mind. The vision is to provide quality wine sustainably by using greener approaches from vineyard to packaging. In 2019, their growers in Coteaux de Béziers (where this wine is from) obtained the HVE Level 3 certification. Today, more than 95% of Bijou's wines are sustainably farmed as HVE3 and organic certified. With climate change and weather patterns changing, adapting viticulture is paramount. As such, Bijou began using the sustainable Caladoc grape varietal in their blends starting in 2019. Caladoc is a crossing of Grenache and Malbec that is resistant to intense heat and drought. In the realm of packaging, Bijou uses lightweight bottles, as well as an extraordinary range of sustainable and environmentally-friendly 1.5 L pouches that significantly lowers their carbon footprint.

This particular rosé is from Bijou's Sophie Valrose line of wines, which also includes a white and red. The "Le Bijou de Sophie Valrose" range is named after a lady who worked in the vineyards of Languedoc during the late 19th century and became a local hero. In that era, it was largely women who worked in the vineyards to prune and harvest the vines, while often mistreated, overworked and underpaid. Not pleased with the situation, Sophie fought for women's rights and drastically improved the working conditions for her fellow women who also worked in the vineyards. As a tribute to Sophie and her legacy, the back label of every bottle in this range shares her story. Each wine in this range is crafted using grapes sourced from handpicked bush vines, just like those that Sophie would have harvested herself many years ago.

The rosé is a blend of 45% Cinsault, 40% Grenache, 10% Caladoc, and 5% Syrah from 25-50 year-old well-trellised and low yielding bush vines. The grapes were grown on cool, alluvial clay soils within the Coteaux de Béziers appellation of Languedoc. After harvesting the grapes early in the morning, when temperatures are cooler, in order to preserve fresh acidity and balanced sugar levels, the grapes are destemmed and direct-pressed, with the Syrah undergoing a light maceration on its skins. The four grapes separately underwent a long and cool fermentation, and were then blended together, clarified, and stabilized prior to bottling. From a growing season that was a challenging year of extremes, let's see how this 2023 rosé from Languedoc is tasting tonight...

Tasting Note:

LE BIJOU DE SOPHIE VALROSE ROSÉ 2023 - Vegan, IGP Coteaux de Béziers, Languedoc, France (#20012) (XD) - $17.95
Enclosed by screw cap and pours a pale copper-pink colour. This blend of 45% Cinsault, 40% Grenache, 10% Caladoc, and 5% Syrah has a medium+ intensity nose that delivers ripe Mandarin orange, red apple, grapefruit, citrus, and melon aromas with honeyed peach overtones. It has good weight on the medium+ to medium-full bodied and dry palate with refreshing acidity and flavours of citrus, grapefruit, red apple, strawberry, red berry, plus touches of peppery spice. It has a slightly creamy mouthfeel on the mid-palate, while hints of oyster shell and saline mineral notes appear on the citrusy, lengthy, and very juicy finish. Recommended buy! Score: 89 pts

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

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