PHI Chardonnay 2021 (Yarra Valley) - Wine Review

After enjoying the lovely 2019 De Bortoli Estate Vineyard Chardonnay last month, we go up a notch with tonight's white wine review - a fantastic single vineyard Chardonnay from the Yarra Valley in Victoria. It is a brand-new arrival at the LCBO, arriving a few months ago in the March 2 LCBO VINTAGES New Release Collection and is still available for purchase Online and in-person at Flagship Exclusive locations.

It is produced by De Bortoli Wines, one of Australia's leading family-owned wine companies. De Bortoli Wines was established in 1928 after Vittorio De Bortoli, an Italian immigrant from Treviso, arrived in New South Wales to discover that the flat plains and red earth were very different compared to his homeland and purchased a 55 acre mixed fruit farm. That same year, there was a glut of Shiraz grapes in the region and Vittorio was able to get 15 tonnes of Shiraz grapes for free since other farmers preferred to let them rot. Vittorio's wine was very popular among local Italians and other Europeans in the area, and they wanted to buy the wine off him. With this first of many successes, Vittorio established De Bortoli Wines.

Vittorio married his fiancée, Giuseppina, on the farm a year later, and the 1930s brought the second generation of the De Bortoli family with the births of Florrie, Deen, and Eola. The family business continued to grow over the years, while Deen left school (against his parents' wishes) at the age of 15 in 1951 to work at the family winery, and by 1957 he was itching to modernize it. In 1958, Deen married Emeri Cunial and the third generation of the De Bortoli family arrived with the births of Darren, Leanne, Kevin, and Victor. Deen was instrumental in expanding the family business during the 1970s, and in 1987, De Bortoli expanded into Yarra Valley, Victoria. In 1990, De Bortoli Yarra Valley Estate was established and led by Leanne De Bortoli and her husband, Steve Webber, and together they welcomed the 4th generation of the family. Their daughter, Kate Webber, joined the family wine business and is the winemaker for this Chardonnay.

This particular white wine is from De Bortoli's PHI range of wines. PHI is the 21st letter of the Ancient Greek alphabet and symbolizes balance, harmony, and proportion. Similarly, with PHI wines, the third and fourth generations of the De Bortoli family are working together to create Single Vineyard wines that give proportion to climate, soil, and maker.

The Yarra Valley is one of Australia's premier cool climate wine regions and is located approximately 50 km northeast of Melbourne, near the towns of Yarra Glen and Healesville. This Chardonnay was grown at the Lusatia Park Vineyard in the town of Woori Yallock, one of the most iconic single vineyard sites in the Yarra Valley. The Lusatia Park Vineyard was purchased from the Shelmerdine family in 2016 and forms part of De Bortoli's plans to establish iconic vineyards to produce single plot fine wines. The 18 hectare, north-facing vineyard was first planted in 1985 at an altitude of 240 metres, while the soil is deep decomposed basalt that is quite rich in iron.

To craft this lovely Chardonnay, the grapes were hand-harvested in mid-to-late March, whole-bunch pressed, and allowed to settle overnight. The juice was then racked into older French oak casks where it underwent natural fermentation. The wine was then left on its yeast lees for 9 months, with occasional stirring.

It was a classic, cooler growing season in Yarra Valley and Lusatia Park in 2021. Spring featured timely rain, while ripening season temperatures tracked long-term averages. From a good-to-excellent vintage that featured idyllic growing conditions, let's see how this 2021 Chardonnay from Yarra Valley is tasting tonight...

Tasting Note:

PHI CHARDONNAY 2021 - Yarra Valley, Victoria, Australia (#33567) (XD) - $33.95
Vegan-friendly and enclosed by screw cap. The fragrant, perfumed, medium-high to highly aromatic nose offers lovely saline minerality aromas layered over green apple, lemon citrus, pear, savoury earth, and subtle spice notes. On the dry, medium-full bodied palate it has a creamy mouthfeel with lovely green apple, lemon citrus, and saline mineral flavours joined by accents of almond and mealy notes on the back palate. It's supported by fresh, lively, and slightly tangy acidity. A touch spicy on the mid-palate with a finely textured mouthfeel, while saline mineral, citrus, and apple notes linger on the long, balanced, and savoury finish. Enjoy to the early 2030s. Highly recommended buy! Score: 91+ pts

The Estate Vineyard Chardonnay is still available at the LCBO, while the entire portfolio can be ordered through their Agent - Dionysus Wines & Spirits.

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De Bortoli Estate Vineyard Chardonnay 2019 (Australia) - Wine Review

Tonight's white wine review is another fine Chardonnay from Australia. It is a brand-new arrival at the LCBO that landed on shelves across Ontario last month as part of the March 2nd LCBO VINTAGES New Release Collection.

It is produced by De Bortoli Wines, one of Australia's leading family-owned wine companies. Their story begins when Italian immigrant Vittorio De Bortoli journeyed from Castelcucco in Treviso to New South Wales and discovered that the flat plains and red earth are very different to his homeland. His fiancée, Giuseppina, arrived in Australia a couple of years later, and in 1928 Vittorio purchased a 55 acre mixed fruit farm. In 1928, there was a glut of Shiraz grapes and many farmers saw it as cheaper to let them rot. Instead, Vittorio took them for free and crushed 15 tonnes of Shiraz grapes. The resulting wine was very popular among local Italians and other European workers in the area as they offered to buy the wine off him. Thus, the creation of De Bortoli Wines, with Vittorio and Giuseppina getting married on the farm a year later.

The 1930s brought the second generation of the family - Florrie, Deen and Eola - and also brought high demand for De Bortoli Wines as train loads of 270 litre barrels were transported to Sydney and Queensland. The family business continued to grow over the years, and in 1951, against his parents' wishes, Deen left school at the age of 15 to begin working at the family winery. By 1957, Deen was now itching to modernize the production facility. In 1958, Deen marries Emeri Cunial and the third generation of the De Bortoli family arrived in the 1960s with the births of Darren, Leanne, Kevin, and Victor.

Deen De Bortoli was instrumental in expanding the family business (normally when his dad was out of town and unaware!) during the 1970s, during Australia's first major wine boom. As a newly qualified winemaker in 1982, Deen created the highly acclaimed Noble One - a wine that has won numerous awards over the years.

In 1987, De Bortoli expanded into Yarra Valley, Victoria, where this wine is from, by purchasing an existing winery and vineyard. De Bortoli Yarra Valley Estate was established in 1990 and led by Leanne De Bortoli and her husband, Stephen (aka Steve), who is also a winemaker. Together, they welcomed the 4th generation of the De Bortoli family, and in 2007 Steve Webber was awarded Gourmet Traveller WINE magazine’s Winemaker of the Year.

Today, De Bortoli has grown to become one of Australia's largest and most respected wine producers, and is renowned for its commitment to quality winemaking, innovative practices, and sustainability. By the 2010s, De Bortoli made great strides in their sustainability initiatives and goal to become a "zero-waste" winery, while earning their first of many accolades for its achievements in sustainability that same decade. De Bortoli goes well beyond the mandatory requirements and is driven by both philosophical and pragmatic factors, but mostly by their desire to leave a legacy for future generations.

This white wine is crafted with 100% Chardonnay that was grown at the Estate Vineyard in Yarra Valley. The Estate Vineyard consists of a series of small plots of mature Chardonnay, with the oldest vines planted in 1976 and the youngest planted in 1994. These small plots are located within a few hundred metres of each other and consistently produce the finest, most detailed wines on the Estate. To craft this wine, the grapes were hand-harvested over 8 days beginning on the 19th of February, then whole-bunch pressed and allowed to settle for 4-6 hours. The juice was then racked to new and used French oak cask where it underwent natural fermentation. The lees were stirred in late Autumn, and the wine was then left to rest on its lees until November.

The growing season during 2019 was warm and early with timely rain. The conditions were very good and resulted in grapes with good, natural acidity and balanced flavours. Let's see how this 2019 Chardonnay from Yarra Valley is tasting tonight...

Tasting Note:

DE BORTOLI ESTATE VINEYARD CHARDONNAY 2019 - Dixons Creek, Yarra Valley, Victoria, Australia (#33565) (XD) - $23.95
This vegan-friendly, 100% Chardonnay is barrel-fermented and aged, and enclosed by screw cap. The fresh, medium-high intensity nose offers lovely pear, apple, and buttery aromas with accents of lemon citrus and flinty minerality. It has good weight on the dry, medium-full bodied palate with spicy flavours of pear, apple, gentle oak spice, butter, and lemon citrus. It has a crisp, textured mouthfeel with good structure and very good, juicy acidity, while leesy mineral notes linger on the crisp and lengthy finish. Will provide pleasure over the next 4-5 years and is a highly recommended buy! Score: 90 pts

Other fine wines by De Bortoli Wines can be ordered through their Agent - Dionysus Wines & Spirits.

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Tournon Shays Flat Vineyard Shiraz 2013 (Australia) - Wine Review

Tonight's wine review is this excellent Australian Shiraz that came to the LCBO over the weekend as part of the November 28th LCBO VINTAGES Release.

The Chapoutier family have been working the vineyards and winegrowing in the Rhône Valley since 1808. Michel Chapoutier is the seventh generation of the family to work in the wine business. Michel is a legend in the world of wine with a passion for the expression of soils and a pioneering spirit. In 1997, Michel Chapoutier set out to explore the terroirs of the planet's oldest continent - Australia.

Michel wanted to meet like-minded people who had a passionate interest in bringing out the true character of the vines. He eventually found land awaiting its revelation in the state of Victoria and partnered with a couple of families. The area of Victoria is renowned for its distinct soils and and diversity of microclimates. Later, Maison M. Chapoutier purchased a pair of Australian vineyards in the Victorian Pyrenees region - one of these was Shays Flat - and set up Domaine Tournon with the goal of producing world-class wines that speak of the individual terroirs from which they are grown.

The Domaine Tournon portfolio consists of four ranges of wines. At the low end is the Mathilda range from Victorian vineyards - I enjoyed the 2011 Domaine Tournon Mathilda Shiraz a few years ago. There is also the Landsborough Vineyard in Pyrenees, and the Lady's Lane Vineyard in Heathcote. Lastly, there is the Shay's Flat Vineyard, where this Shiraz is from, that . The Shay's Flat Vineyard is located in the cool region of Pyrenees in Western Victoria, nestled in the mountain range with a northeastern aspect on red soils that are a mix of schists, silt, quartz, and clay - ideal for producing high quality red wines, especially Shiraz.

Tasting Note:

TOURNON SHAYS FLAT VINEYARD SHIRAZ 2013 - Pyrenees, Victoria, Australia (#311480) (XD) - $23.95
Cork enclosure. This Shiraz was grown on red podzolic soils that overlay iron schists and quartz. Most of this wine was aged for 12 months in French oak barrels. The medium+ intensity nose seems somewhat shy, but offers savoury, earthy, and dark fruited aromas with hints of herbal mint. The medium-full to full-bodied palate has lovely, slightly maturing flavours of dark berry, spice, and herbs surrounding a savoury, earthy, and woody core. Some lovely peppery spice notes arrive with time in the glass. It has balanced acidity and gritty, refined tannins that are pleasantly textured. Savoury and earthy on the finish, with excellent length. More Northern Rhône Syrah than Shiraz in style. Highly recommended buy for Syrah wine lovers. Enjoy over the next 8-10 years. Score: 91+ pts

Other lovely wines from M. Chapoutier can be ordered via their Agent - Dandurand.

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De Bortoli Rosé Rosé 2018 (Australia) - Wine Review

Tonight's wine review is a pale coloured and dry rosé wine from Australia made with the Sangiovese grape varietal. It's a new wine that recently arrived in LCBO VINTAGES on August 17 and there is plenty of stock available throughout Ontario.

It is made by De Bortoli Wines, a member of Australia's First Families of Wines. However, their story actually begins in the 1920's in war-torn Europe when Vittorio and Giuseppina De Bortoli immigrated to Australia and through hard work, innovation and the support of family and friends formed De Bortoli Wines.

In 1928, Vittorio produced his first wine in Australia from grapes he acquired for free due to the glut of Shiraz grapes that vintage and sold his wine mostly to fellow European immigrants. In the 1950's, their middle child, Deen, left school to begin work at the family winery and at 21 years old was itching to modernize the winery. Soon thereafter, De Bortoli Wines expanded and consolidated under the direction of Deen and his wife Emeri. During the 1980's, Deen and Emeri's four children joined the family business and developed De Bortoli's repoutation for premium wine, firstly through their iconic Noble One dessert wine, followed closely by their success at the family's Yarra Valley Estate.

In the 1990's, the De Bortoli family purchased a vineyard in the King Valley - where the grapes for this rosé wine come from. The 90's also welcomed the 4th generation of the family.

Today, Deen and Emeri's children are the custodians of De Bortoli Wines. As the 4th generation of the family contemplates entering the family business, De Bortoli Wine’s official motto is Semper ad Majora (“always striving for better”) while the unofficial motto - good food, good wine and good friends - remain as true and central as ever.

Tasting Note:

DE BORTOLI ROSÉ ROSÉ 2018 - King Valley, Victoria, Australia (#668343) (XD) - $17.95
Screw cap. Mainly Sangiovese from their King Valley Estate Vineyard that was grown for the purpose of making this rosé, this has a medium intensity nose of floral, peach, red berry, and a hint of wild herbal notes. The mid-weighted palate is dry with clean fruit, offering herbally, red berry, strawberry, spice, and peach flavours. Acids cut nicely into palate that has a soft, rounded mouthfeel. Good length on the dry, herbally with hints of spice and mineral finish. Score: 86 pts

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Domaine Tournon Mathilda Shiraz 2011 (Australia) - Wine Review

Tonight's wine is a lovely Shiraz made by the visionary Michel Chapoutier. It was purchased nearly three years ago from the June 7 LCBO VINTAGES Release, and, obviously, not currently available at the LCBO, but does periodically show up in VINTAGES. As luck would have it, the 2013 vintage will be on VINTAGES shelves on April 29.

Tasting Note:

DOMAINE TOURNON MATHILDA SHIRAZ 2011 - Victoria, Australia (#327395) (XD) - $19.95
Screw cap. Medium-high aromatics with terrific complexity offering white pepper, garrigue, blackberry, mint, with some earthy/barnyard funk. Dusty tannins are nicely integrated with just a touch of grip on the medium-bodied palate. Juicy blackberry, white pepper, black cherry, mint, earth and wood flavours in a dry style, Acids are fresh. Nice, long earthy finish. Old world in style and highly drinkable. Enjoyed with homemade butter chicken tonight. Score: 90 pts

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Top Wines from Savour Australia Wine Tasting - May 2016

This mid-May tasting titled "Savour Australia" featured wines from about 25 wineries and was held in a compact room at George Restaurant on Queen Street East. At times, the room felt very small due to the high number of people in attendance. Overall, there were many high quality wines at various price points. As is the case with most tastings, many of the wines are not available at the LCBO, but can be ordered through the winery's representing Agent here in Ontario. Many wines from Australia at this tasting were most definitely savoured and highly recommended. Here are some of my favourite Australian wines from this tasting.

Tasting Notes:

CIRILLO 1850 ANCESTOR SEMILLON 2011 - Barossa Valley, South Australia (#250281) (XD) - $42.65
Vines from 1849 and produced by the 9th generation of this family-owned winery, this Semillon has a very appealing and highly aromatic nose of mineral, wet stone, white flowers and hints honey. On the palate, it is medium-bodied with a creamy mouthfeel and tart lime and mineral flavours. It is a dry wine with very good acids and excellent length on the finish. Excellent wine will age for at least 5 years. Superb! Contact Bokke Wines for availability. Now available online at LCBO.com and at the Eglinton & Laird LCBO. Score: 92 pts

HOLLICK RAVENSWOOD CABERNET SAUVIGNON 2012 - Coonawarra, South Australia (XD) - $75
Highly aromatic with elegant notes of sweet spice, red and black fruits, currant, cassis, hints of pencil lead and slightly jammy fruit notes, all of which echo very nicely on the full-bodied palate. Acids are juicy and mouth-watering, while the finish is excellent. Tannins are firm and drying, but also provide very good structure. This should be better in 2-3 years and drink well for at least decade. Contact Lifford Wine & Spirits for availability. Score: 92 pts

ALPHA BOX & DICE APOSTLE SHIRAZ DURIF 2012 - McLaren Vale, South Australia (XD) - $50
This 85/15 blend of Shiraz and Durif (aka Petite Sirah) has a medium-to-high intensity nose of red, black and purple fruits intermingling with sweet spice, herbs, mint and violets. On the palate, it is full-bodied and offers complex aroma replays framed by very good acidity and integrated tannins. In my excitement, I guess I forgot to take a photo of this absolutely delicious wine! Score: 91+ pts

STONIER CHARDONNAY 2015 - Mornington Peninsula, Victoria, Australia (#025353) (XD) - $35
Medium-high intensity nose that's fresh and clean with bright orchard fruits and pear aromas. The mouthfeel is full with a nice texture and pleasing aroma replays on the palate. It has very good acidity and finishes long. Very well-balanced. 30% barrel fermented. Contact Select Wines to order. Score: 90+ pts

KILIKANOON MORT'S BLOCK RIESLING 2015 - Clare Valley, South Australia (#428342) (XD) - $19.95
A medium-to-high intensity nose offers lovely petrol aromas with underlying mineral and wet rock along hints of stone fruit, all of which show up on the flavour profile. There's some sweetness on the palate, but is shaded by bright acids. Minerally finish is long and dry with hints of citrus. Should arrive in VINTAGES in the Fall. Contact Charton Hobbs for quicker availability. Score: 90+ pts

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Plunkett Fowles Stone Dwellers Shiraz 2008 (Australia) - Wine Review

Tonight's delicious red wine was purchased nearly 4 years ago and was the Wine of the Month from the February 4, 2012 VINTAGES Release.

As luck would have it, the 2013 vintage of this wine will be available in the upcoming January 23rd VINTAGES Release.

Tasting Note:

PLUNKETT FOWLES STONE DWELLERS SHIRAZ 2008 - Strathbogie Ranges, Victoria, Australia (#265967) (XD) - $19.95
Screw cap. Medium-to-high intensity nose featuring stewed fruits, blackberry, dried herbs, black pepper spice and earthy tones. It's full-bodied with sweet, integrated tannins and very nice aroma replays joined by hints of violet and eucalyptus notes. Rush of fresh, juicy acidity mid-palate. Finishes long and earthy. This lovely Aussie Shiraz should continue to drink well over the next 2-3 years. Will be enjoyed with homemade chicken burgers. Score: 89 pts Jason Solanki

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July 21 Wine Picks: Cool-Climate Victoria + Loire

The next VINTAGES wine release will be in LCBO stores across Ontario on Saturday, July 21. The main feature in this release is on the cool-climate wines from Victoria, Australia, while the secondary feature is on wines from Loire. Overall, this is a very "cool" release, with white wines stealing the show.

From Central Victoria, we have a very intriguing Marsanne. From Malivoire in Ontario, we have the aromatic Gewürztraminer, while the Sauvignon Blanc from New Zealand is a steal at $20. My top white from this release is a 5-year-old Muscadet made with the Melon de Bourgogne grape from Loire (#653485, below) - the name is a mouthful, but I'm sure you will enjoy it if you like dry white wines.

Among red wines, the Grenache-blended Guintrandy from southen Rhône comes from the fabulous 2010 vintage, while the 2008 Grenache/Syrah/Carignan-blend from Gerard Bertrand comes from Midi. Pinot lovers will likely enjoy the De Bortoli offering from Victoria. My top value-red is the Castello d'Alba from Portugal and consists of Tinta Roriz (Tempranillo) and the Port varietals Touriga Franca and Touriga Nacional.

If you're in need of a summer rosé, the off-dry Syrah/Grenache offering from Château Saint-Roch is a tasty good value. Cheers!


Red Wine:

• CASTELLO D’ALBA RESERVA 2009 - DOC Douro, Portugal (#276204) (XD) - $14.95
• GÉRARD BERTRAND GRAND TERROIR TAUTAVEL GRENACHE/SYRAH/CARIGNAN 2008 - AC Côtes du Roussillon-Villages Tautavel, Midi, France (#272575) (XD) - $17.95
• DE BORTOLI WINDY PEAK PINOT NOIR 2010 - Yarra Valley, Victoria, Australia (#048587) (D) - $17.95
• DOMAINE LA GUINTRANDY CÔTES DU RHÔNE-VILLAGES VISAN LE DEVÈS 2010 - AC, Rhône, France (#277368) (XD) - $14.95
• DURIGUTTI MALBEC 2009 - Mendoza, Argentina (#246124) (XD) - $16.95
• TAHBILK SHIRAZ 2008 - Nagambie Lakes, Central Victoria, Australia (#214742) (D) - $20.95

White Wine:

• COMTE LELOUP DU CHÂTEAU DE CHASSELOIR CUVÉE DES CEPS CENTENAIRES 2007 - AC Muscadet Sèvre-et-Maine, Sur Lie, Loire, France (#653485) (XD) - $18.95
• WHITEHAVEN SAUVIGNON BLANC 2011 - Marlborough, South Island, New Zealand (#278556) (D) - $19.95
• TAHBILK MUSEUM RELEASE MARSANNE 2007 - Nagambie Lakes, Central Victoria, Australia (#276980) (D) - $22.95
• MALIVOIRE GEWÜRZTRAMINER 2010 - VQA Niagara Escarpment, Ontario, Canada (#542522) (D) - $24.95
• LA CHABLISIENNE VAULORENT CHABLIS 1ER CRU 2009 - AC, Burgundy, France (#111666) (XD) - $31.95

Rosé Wine:

• CHÂTEAU SAINT-ROCH SYRAH/GRENACHE ROSÉ 2011 - AC Côtes du Roussillon, Midi, France (#276352) (D) - $14.95

The rest of the wines from this release can be found here.

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