Kew Vineyards Marsanne 2020 (Niagara) - Wine Review

Tonight's white wine review is an excellent Marsanne from the Beamsville Bench appellation in Niagara that arrived at the LCBO earlier this month as part of the feature on Ontario Wines in the September 7th LCBO VINTAGES New Release Collection.It is produced by Kew Vineyards, a boutique winery focused on small-batch production that is located in the heart of Niagara on the...

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LAVAU Côtes du Rhône Blanc 2022 (France) - Wine Review

Tonight's white wine review is a delicious blend of Grenache Blanc and Viognier from the Rhône wine region of France. It made its debut at the LCBO in the recent August 24th LCBO VINTAGES New Release Collection and is widely available across Ontario right now.It is produced by Maison LAVAU, a winery that was founded by the Lavau family in 1965. The Lavau family had already...

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Les Vignerons du Castelas Le Monarque Côtes du Rhône Blanc 2022 (France) - Wine Review

Tonight's white wine review is a lovely, organic, Viognier-based white wine blend from Rhône that arrived at the LCBO over the long weekend in the October 7th LCBO VINTAGES New Release Collection.It is produced by Les Vignerons du Castelas, a co-operative winery that was established in 1952 by a handful of winegrowers that were keen to combine their efforts and wills to produce...

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

Tonight's rosé wine review is a lovely organic and dry rosé from Niagara that arrived at the LCBO last month as part of the recent June 24 LCBO VINTAGES New Release Collection.It is produced by Hidden Bench Estate Winery, one of the top wineries in the Niagara Peninsula. Hidden Bench was founded in 2003 by Harald Thiel and family with a dedication to artisanal, terroir-focused,...

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Creekside Iconoclast Syrah 2020 (Niagara) - Wine Review

For tonight's red wine review, I am sipping local with this lovely Niagara Syrah that arrived at the LCBO a couple of months ago as part of the October 8th LCBO VINTAGES Release.Founded in 1997 by Laura McCain in Jordan, Ontario, and acquired by Diamond Estates Wines & Spirits Inc. last August, Creekside Estate Winery has been a leader in producing premium wines of distinctive,...

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El Enemigo Syrah/Viognier 2017 (Argentina) - Wine Review

During Thanksgiving Day long weekend in 2020, I enjoyed a pair of lovely wines from El Enemigo. Surprisingly, a full year later and almost to the day, I am once again enjoying a fine wine from Argentina's El Enemigo with tonight's red wine review - a lovely Syrah/Viognier blend which newly arrived across Ontario last weekend as part of the October 2nd LCBO VINTAGES Release.El...

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Montpellier Viognier 2020 (California) - Wine Review

Tonight's white wine review is a tasty Viognier blend from California that is a new arrival to the LCBO that was released as part of the August 21st LCBO VINTAGES Release.The Montpellier Vineyards brand of wines are produced by Bronco Wine Company, a family-owned company whose winemaking traditions go back to 1893. Since childhood, brothers Fred T. and Joseph S. Franzia, alongside...

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Turkey Flat Barossa Valley White 2017 (Australia) - Wine Review

Tonight's wine review is this lovely Australian white wine made with Rhône varietals that newly arrived at the LCBO last weekend as part of the feature on Australia in the May 29th LCBO VINTAGES Release.Turkey Flat was established on the edge of Tanunda in the Barossa Valley in 1847 by Johann Fiedler. The name "Turkey Flat" is derived from a large, native bird that frequented...

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Les Vignerons du Castelas Le Monarque Côtes du Rhône Blanc 2019 (France) - Wine Review

Tonight's wine review is a delicious white wine from Côtes du Rhône. It's a new arrival to the LCBO and is featured as part of the theme on fresh French sippers in the May 15th LCBO VINTAGES Release.Les Vignerons du Castelas is a co-operative winery that was formed in 1952 by a handful of winegrowers that were keen to pool their efforts to produce appellation wines of high...

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The Black Chook Shiraz/Viognier 2019 (Australia) - Wine Review

Tonight's wine review is the latest vintage of this always popular Australian Shiraz (which includes a small amount of Viognier) that arrives at the LCBO next weekend as part of the April 3rd LCBO VINTAGES Release.The Black Chook brand was founded with its first vintage in 2003 using premium fruit from winegrowing regions in South Australia. The Back Chook struts wines that...

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Michel Gassier Château de Nages JT White 2015 (Rhône) - Wine Review

Tonight's wine review is a lovely organic white wine from Rhône that most recently came to LCBO VINTAGES on May 16 and is still readily available across Ontario. It is produced by Château de Nages, a winery in Costières de Nîmes, within the southern Rhône Valley that I had the pleasure of visiting in May 2018. In fact, I recall tasting this delicious wine when I visited the...

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Rhône Wine Tour 2018 - Cairanne (Day 2)

After a fine day tasting the white and rose wines from Luberon and Ventoux, our second day focused on Cairanne, the newest Southern Rhône Valley Cru. Cairanne was granted Côtes du Rhône status in 1953 and became a Côtes du Rhône Villages appellation in 1967. In 2008, an application was filed to the INAO to grant Cru status to Cairanne. Denis Alary, a man who I had lunch...

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The Black Chook Shiraz/Viognier 2017 (Australia) - Wine Review

This popular red wine has come through VINTAGES many times over the years - and looking through my database I discovered that I purchased the 2007 vintage of this bottle in 2008. Tonight, I opened the latest vintage which arrived in LCBO VINTAGES on June 8th - with plenty still available for purchase at the LCBO. It is produced by Penny's Hill, a winery located in the...

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