Showing posts with label white-wine. Show all posts
Showing posts with label white-wine. Show all posts

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  • Date publishedFriday, July 4, 2025

Château de Fontenille Blanc 2023 (Bordeaux) - Wine Review

white wine review is a lovely, sustainable Sauvignon Blanc-based blend from Bordeaux that was included as part of the feature story on "Summery White Wines" in the recent LCBO VINTAGES New Release Collection a couple of weeks ago.

It is produced by the historic Château de Fontenille, a winery whose roots can be traced back to the 4th century, when the poet Ausone praised the wines of the area within the Entre-deux-Mers wine region of Bordeaux. In the 4th century, this site was a Roman villa, of which there are only scattered remains today, and featured grape vines. The history of the property is traced back to the 15th century, when it was mentioned in the archives of the neighbouring Benedictine monastery - Abbey of La Sauve Majeure. This monks of the monastery tended to the vines on this site for hundreds of years. In 1923, the property was known for its use of high-quality wine barrels.

A property as old as Château de Fontenille has changed hands many times over the years, and in 1989 the property marked its rebirth as its 16 hectares of vineyards were acquired by a young Belgian, Stéphane Defraine. Château de Fontenille has since grown to 63 hectares of vines, and in 2020, Stéphane was joined by his daughter Macha. Together, with a dream and ambition, they imagine, probe, prepare, wait, adjust, and improve as they seek to improve their wines with each passing vintage. As part of this process, they master each row of plots, micro-vinify, and delicately mature their wines with meticulous precision.

With the proper choice of varietal origin, reproduction of the vines, caring for their longevity, the intra-parcel selections, micro-vinifications, and ageing techniques, including the selection of wood, the family aims to take Château de Fontenille one step further to produce high-quality wines. They have divided their 63 hectares of vineyards across the appellations of Entre-deux-Mers and Cadillac, which are spread over 5 islets, into 67 plots, and have great diversity in soil, grape varieties, and vineyard management techniques. Among their vine plantings are century-old Sémillon, as well as the re-discovery of Sauvignon Gris from the Loire, and young plantings of Petit Verdot and Malbec.

Since 2005, Château de Fontenille began working their soils without the use of chemical weedkillers, and are actively trying to limit their interventions to control pests and disease. After receiving their HVE environmental approach certification, they began their conversion to organic in 2020. Their approach to sustainability includes social and economic improvements. Among their sustainability initiatives include reducing energy consumption, preserving water resources, the maintenance of a singular plant heritage, the sorting and recycling of waste, and protecting the health and well-being of their employees, local residents, and consumers.

This white wine is from the Entre-deux-Mers appellation of the Bodeaux. Entre-deux-Mers, whose name originates from the Latin term "Inter duo maria”, which means between two tides, is situated between the Garonne and Dordogne rivers. Indeed, the name is related to the two tides that go up the course of the Garonne and Dordogne rivers via the Gironde estuary. While it is often referred to as "Bordeaux Tuscany", the Entre-deux-Mers appellation is renowned for its exemplary white wines.

This white wine is crafted with 50% Sauvignon Blanc, 20% Sauvignon Gris, 20% Muscadelle, and 10% Sémillon that was grown on soil composed of siliceous clay and gravel, at an elevation of 380 feet above sea level. The wine was vinified completely in stainless steel tanks, with skin maceration for 10 to 24 hours, and was aged on its fine lees for 4 months.

The 2023 growing season in Bordeaux began as a dry and warm vintage, with flowering and fruit set looking textbook perfect from late-May to the first week of June. However, the weather turned tropical with three weeks of heat and relentless rain, which led to downy mildew outbreaks. July was also hotter and drier than average, however, it was also unusually cloudy. There were also a couple of pre-harvest heatwaves in August and September. From a great vintage that delivered freshness for white wines, let's see how this 2023 Bordeaux Blanc is tasting tonight...

Château de Fontenille Blanc 2023 (90+ pts)

Tasting Note:

CHÂTEAU DE FONTENILLE BLANC 2023 - Sustainable, AC Entre-deux-Mers, Bordeaux, France (#140046) (XD) - $23.95
Blend of 50% Sauvignon Blanc, 20% Sauvignon Gris, 20% Muscadelle, and 10% Sémillon. The medium+ to medium-high intensity nose seems a bit reserved, offering attractive and ripe aromas of lemon citrus and white peach nuanced with leesy mineral, spice, and grapefruit with touches of earthiness and guava adding further complexity and interest. On the dry, medium-full to full-bodied palate it is richly structured and faintly honeyed with delicious yellow citrus, grapefruit, lemon, spice, and green fruit flavours. Nicely textured with succulent and juicy acidity. More savoury with leesy mineral, spice, earthy, and grapefruit citrus notes on the long, well-structured, and juicy finish. Should continue to drink well over the next 2-3 years. Highly recommended buy! Score: 90+ pts

Other fine wines by Château de Fontenille can be ordered through their Agent - Kolonaki Fine Wines & Spirits.


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  • Date publishedThursday, June 26, 2025

Tiki Single Vineyard North Canterbury Sauvignon Blanc 2024 (New Zealand) - Wine Review

In keeping with the recent trend of sipping only whites and rosés, white wine review is a lovely, sustainably crafted Single Vineyard Sauvignon Blanc from the Waipara Valley in North Canterbury, New Zealand. This white wine arrived at the LCBO earlier this month in the LCBO VINTAGES New Release Collection.

It is produced by Tiki Wine & Vineyards, a winery that was established in the early 2000s by Royce and Sue McKean. Their dream was to earn a grubstake to create something of their own in their homeland of New Zealand. In order to achieve this, they packed up their bags, with two young daughters in tow, and headed to Europe for the next 5 years as they worked and saved up their hard-earned dollars. By the time the girls had started school in the U.K., there was a strong pull to give them the same amazing upbringing that they experienced while growing up in NZ. Thus, they packed up their bags again and returned to New Zealand, settling in the seaside village of Sumner, Christchurch, not far from some of Royce's family.

A year later, they found an old 325-hectare sheep farm in Waipara, North Canterbury, that they fell in love with and thought was perfectly suited to growing grapes. With limited funds and no track record to speak of in grapes or wine, the McKeans had to employ amazing people to help them out - the team they now call the Tiki whānau (family). At the beginning, they planted 60 hectares of Sauvignon Blanc and Pinot Gris. They learned a lot that first year, and began preparing the soil to plant the remaining hectares of land. By the end of 2006, they had fully planted their first vineyard - Waiata Vineyard in Waipara, while also expanding their plantings into Marlborough. In 2009, they finally got to taste the fruits of their labour as they released their first vintage of the Tiki Single Vineyard Sauvignon Blanc. This wine received numerous accolades and confirmed their earlier thinking that this area in Waipara had great potential for vine cultivation.

The name 'Tiki' was chosen in honour of Royce's great-great-great grandfather, Ngāti Uenuku Chieftain, Tiki Tere Mihi. Tiki Wine & Winevyards is an indigenous NZ Māori wine producer that is committed to sustainable winegrowing with an uncompromising commitment to quality. They care for their vines under the guiding Māori principles of Kaitiakitanga: guardianship, protection, and preservation of the earth. In addition to honouring Royce's great-great-great grandfather, the name 'Tiki' also represents a hand-carved Māori treasure which, when gifted, bestows good fortune and love on others. Tiki crafts their wines with this same spirit in mind. Starting from very humble beginnings, there is a sense of adventure and feeling of freedom that the McKeans get from living in New Zealand and is at the very heart of Tiki and the bespoke wines that they produce.

Tiki has several ranges of wines within their portfolio, with this wine coming from their flagship Single Vineyard range. Each wine in the Single Vineyard range is crafted by the winemaking team using selected parcels of fruit grown on the doorstep of the winery in the North Canterbury wine region of New Zealand. The individual parcels are selected in order to offer the best expression of time, the people, and place in each wine.

This white wine is crafted with 100% Sauvignon Blanc that was grown in the Waipara Valley of North Canterbury, on the South Island of New Zealand, just south of Marlborough. After allowing the grapes to reach optimum levels of ripeness, each block of Sauvignon Blanc was harvested individually in the early morning to preserve freshness and varietal characteristics. The free-run juice was kept separate from the pressing portion to provide the wine with greater finesse. The juice was cold-settled, then inoculated with an aromatic yeast and fermented at a relatively low temperature of 13–15°C to enhance the aroma and flavour profile. To add complexity, 5% of the juice was fermented in old French oak barrels. After completing fermentation, the wine was left on its lees to enhance mouthfeel and texture, then racked and stored in steel tanks until final blending in June.

The growing season in 2023/2024 brought the return of El Niño and a hot and dry season that was dominated in the first half by strong winds. Mixed weather patterns saw large swings in day-to-day temperatures, along with rainfall at critical times, which resulted in fewer and smaller bunches than normal during flowering. As the warm weather settled in, the team at Tiki were able to use water from their own reservoirs to ensure healthy canopies and keep the fruit ripening through to harvest. The end of the season was dry with minimal disease pressure, while harvest was earlier than normal, with warm temperatures and low yields. From a brilliant vintage that delivered well-developed flavours, let's see how this 2024 Sauvignon Blanc from Waipara Valley in New Zealand is tasting tonight...

Tiki Single Vineyard North Canterbury Sauvignon Blanc 2024 (90+ pts)

Tasting Note:

TIKI SINGLE VINEYARD NORTH CANTERBURY SAUVIGNON BLANC 2024 - Sustainable, South Island, New Zealand (#19767) (XD) - $23.95
Screw cap. Open, fragrant, and highly aromatic, this has lovely zesty lemon/lime citrus, guava, kiwi, pyrazine (jalapeño pepper), and passion fruit aromas nuanced further with green herbs, gooseberry, and faint leesy mineral notes. The mid-weighted palate is dry and ripe with zesty lemon/lemon citrus, passion fruit, guava, gooseberry flavours. Touch spicy on the mid-palate, along with leesy mineral tones. Acids are crisp and well-balanced. Delicious lemon/lime citrus, passion fruit, guava, and leesy mineral notes linger on the long, crisp, well-balanced, and dry finish. Highly recommended buy! Score: 90+ pts

Other lovely wines by Tiki Wine & Vineyards can be ordered through their Agent - Churchill Cellars Ltd.


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  • Date publishedWednesday, June 25, 2025

The Quarterly Pour with Arterra Wines Canada (Apr. 2025)

At the end of , Arterra Wines Canada held their quarterly tasting for the media at their head office in Mississauga, Ontario. This was my first "The Quarterly Pour" tasting, and it featured a curated lineup of estate-driven and milestone wines, along with a few lifestyle-led selections from their Better for You portfolio. All the wines were crafted using grapes from Ontario. The tasting was broken down into 4 categories:

  • Better for You Selection - zero-sugar, low- and no-alcohol wines
  • LCBO VINTAGES Release Wines
  • Surprise Pours - A special preview of wines that were just recently released or will be available in the near future
  • Inniskillin 50th Anniversary Spotlight

While I didn't taste everything in the Better for You Selection, there were a couple of wines that stood out, and they are in the last group in the list below.

I expected the quality of the LCBO VINTAGES Release Wines (the first three wines in the list below) to be very good, and was really impressed with the Chardonnay as it had improved somewhat significantly since I first tasted the wine last year. The Jackson-Triggs wines were all delicious, high-quality, and premium wines with a price to match.

The surprise of the tasting were the three Inniskillin Reserve wines, especially the Cabernet Franc and Chardonnay, as they offered a great quality-to-price ratio and just arrived at the LCBO last month as widely-available General List wines with special pricing to celebrate Inniskillin's 50th Anniversary.

Pretty much all the wines listed below (except the previews) are readily available through one or more of their retail sales channels - LCBO, Great Estates Niagara, or Wine Rack.


  • LE CLOS JORDANNE JORDAN VILLAGE CHARDONNAY 2021 - VQA Niagara Peninsula, Ontario, Canada (#20455) (XD) - $30.00  91+ pts
  • KEW VINEYARDS MARSANNE 2020 - VQA Beamsville Bench, Niagara Escarpment, Ontario, Canada (#485334) (XD) - $19.95  91+ pts
  • KEW ROSALIE ROSÉ SPARKLING 2019 - Traditional Method, VQA Beamsville Bench, Niagara Escarpment, Ontario, Canada (#43594) (XD) - $32.95  90+ pts
Kew Vineyards Wines

Le Clos Jordanne Wines

  • JACKSON-TRIGGS GRAND RESERVE SAUVIGNON BLANC 2023 - VQA Niagara Peninsula, Ontario, Canada (#25368) (XD) - $24.95  90+ pts
  • JACKSON-TRIGGS GRAND RESERVE RED MERITAGE 2022 - VQA Niagara Peninsula, Ontario, Canada (XD) - $29.22  91 pts
  • JACKSON-TRIGGS GRAND RESERVE GEWÜRZTRAMINER 2024 (exclusive preview)  91 pts
  • DOMAINE LE CLOS JORDANNE CRÉMANT (2nd blend preview)  91+ pts
Jackson-Triggs Grand Reserve Wines

  • INNISKILLIN RESERVE CABERNET FRANC 2022 - VQA Niagara Peninsula, Ontario, Canada (#17290) (XD) -$19.95  91 pts
  • INNISKILLIN RESERVE CHARDONNAY 2022 - VQA Niagara Peninsula, Ontario, Canada (#105379) (XD) - $19.95  91 pts
  • INNISKILLIN RESERVE SAUVIGNON BLANC 2023 - VQA Niagara Peninsula, Ontario, Canada (XD) - $22.79  90+ pts
  • INNISKILLIN NIAGARA ESTATE CABERNET FRANC ICEWINE 2023 - VQA Niagara Peninsula, Ontario, Canada (#149963, 200 mL) (S) - $59.95  92+ pts
Inniskillin Wines

  • SAINTLY THE GOOD SAUVIGNON BLANC - VQA Ontario, Canada (#32183) (XD) - $19.95
  • BASK CHARDONNAY - Canada (#39912) (XD) - $13.95
Better For You Selection


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  • Date publishedSaturday, June 21, 2025

June 21, 2025 LCBO VINTAGES Release Wine Picks: Summery White Wines

LCBO Wine Picks: June 21, 2025 VINTAGES New Release Collection
Here are my top wine picks from the June 21, 2025 LCBO VINTAGES New Release Collection (flipbook here), where the feature story of the release focuses on Summery White Wines. Also included in this release is a mini-feature of three wines from Campania, as well as a new batch of Online & Flagship Exclusives (OFE). Overall, this release is on the bigger side with 106 offerings, with red and white wines having nearly equal representation. It is also worth mentioning, perhaps due to U.S. wines still off the shelves, that the LCBO seems to have done away with the reduced release schedule during the summer months - where in a given month there was only one in-store release and one small OFE release. We shall see if it returns later this summer, or next year.

We'll begin with the feature story of this release, where the seemingly timely "Summery White Wines" arrive just in time as the summer heat has finally arrived upon us. Of the eighteen wines included as part of the theme, five white wines are included among my top wine recommendations. First up is a lovely white Bordeaux that is crafted with 40% Sauvignon Blanc, 20% Sauvignon Gris, 20% Sémillon, and 20% Muscadelle, while the Côtes du Rhône Blanc is composed of 38% Viognier, 33% Grenache Blanc, 12% Marsanne, 10% Roussanne, and 7% Clairette. There's also a Sauvignon Blanc from Chile, and a Pinot Grigio from Niagara. The last white wine is definitely going off the beaten path with a white wine from Portugal that is crafted with the indigenous Siria varietal.

Château de Fontenille Blanc 2023 (90+ pts)Paul Jaboulet Aîné Parallèle 45 Côtes du Rhône Blanc 2023 (90 pts)

13th Street Expression Series Pinot Grigio 2023 (88+ pts)

Among my top red wine picks in this release, we'll start in Italy with a Bolgheri Rosso that is a blend of Merlot, Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon, and Syrah. Moving westerly across Europe, the Côtes du Rhône is primarily Grenache with Syrah and Mourvèdre in support, while the Rioja is 85% Tempranillo and 15% Garnacha Tinta / Graciano / Mazuelo. The rest of my red wine recommendations are all mono-varietal wines, including the Cabernet Sauvignon from Australia, the Cabernet Franc from Niagara, the Grenache from Australia, the Saperavi from Georgia, and the Gamay from the Cru of Régnié in Beaujolais.

Wynns Coonawarra Estate Black Label Cabernet Sauvignon 2022 (93 pts)Seppeltsfield Grenache 2023

Featherstone Reserve Cabernet Franc 2021 (91+ pts)Bedoba Saperavi 2021

Xavier Vignon Côtes du Rhône 2020 (89 pts)

White wine recommendations from the main release are centred around Chardonnay and Sauvignon Blanc. Both Chardonnays are locally crafted, with one from Prince Edward County, and the other from the Beamsville Bench in Niagara. For Sauvignon Blanc, one is from South Africa, while the other Sauv Blanc is a barrel fermented and aged style from New Zealand. Mono-varietal white wines include a fine Pecorino from Prince Edward County, as well as a barely off-dry Riesling from the Twenty Mile Bench sub-appellation of Niagara.

Closson Chase Vineyard Chardonnay 2021 (91 pts)Casa-Dea Pecorino 2023 (91 pts)

Southern Right Sauvignon Blanc 2023

Among my rosé wine picks, both are single varietal wines, with the rose from Niagara crafted with 100% estate-grown Pinot Noir, while the rose from Australia is 100% Grenache.

Westcott Pinot Noir Rosé 2024 (90 pts)Dandelion Fairytale of the Barossa Rosé 2024 (89 pts)

Enjoy my top wine picks from this release! Cheers!

Red Wine:

  • TARAPACÁ GRAN RESERVA CARMENÈRE 2022 - Sustainable, Vegan, DO Valle del Maipo, Chile (#57513) (XD) - $19.95  89 pts  wine review
  • XAVIER VIGNON CÔTES DU RHÔNE 2020 - AP, France (#297317) (XD) - $19.95  89 pts  wine review
  • IL POGGIO SANNIO AGLIANICO 2020 - DOP, Campania, Italy (#575225) (XD) - $19.95
  • AGAMY RÉGNIÉ 2022 - AP, Cru du Beaujolais, France (#42227) (XD) - $22.95
  • SEPPELTSFIELD GRENACHE 2023 - Barossa, South Australia (#41439) (XD) - $24.95  review coming soon...
  • BEDOBA SAPERAVI 2021 - Georgia (#41298) (XD) - $26.95  review coming soon...
  • CUNE RESERVA 2019 - DOCa Rioja, Spain (#417659) (XD) - $26.95
  • SANTA RITA FLORESTA CABERNET SAUVIGNON 2022 - Alto Jahuel, Valle del Maipo, Chile (#41878) (XD) - $29.95  OFE  90 pts  wine review
  • FEATHERSTONE RESERVE CABERNET FRANC 2021 - Sustainable, Vegan, VQA Niagara Peninsula, Ontario, Canada (#38301) (XD) - $29.95  91+ pts  wine review
  • WYNNS COONAWARRA ESTATE BLACK LABEL CABERNET SAUVIGNON 2022 - 67th vintage, Coonawarra, South Australia (#84996) (XD) - $44.95  93 pts  wine review
  • LE MACCHIOLE BOLGHERI ROSSO 2022 - DOC, Tuscany, Italy (#483412) (XD) - $46.95  OFE
Santa Rita Floresta Cabernet Sauvignon 2022 (90 pts)Tarapacá Gran Reserva Carmenère 2022 (89 pts)

White Wine:

  • QUINTA DO CARDO 2023 - DOC Beira Interior, Portugal (#42071) (XD) - $16.95
  • SANTA RITA MEDALLA REAL GRAN RESERVA SAUVIGNON BLANC 2023 - Valle de Leyda, Chile (#42097) (XD) - $18.95
  • PAUL JABOULET AÎNÉ PARALLÈLE 45 CÔTES DU RHÔNE BLANC 2023 - AC, France (#42031) (XD) - $18.95  90 pts  wine review
  • 13TH STREET EXPRESSION SERIES PINOT GRIGIO 2023 - Sustainable, VQA Niagara Peninsula, Ontario, Canada (#20311) (XD) - $19.95  88+ pts  wine review
  • WESTCOTT BUTLERS' GRANT OLD VINES RIESLING 2023 - Sustainable, VQA Twenty Mile Bench, Niagara Escarpment, Ontario, Canada (#22460) (D) - $19.95
  • CHÂTEAU DE FONTENILLE BLANC 2023 - Sustainable, AC Entre-deux-Mers, Bordeaux, France (#140046) (XD) - $23.95  90+ pts  wine review
  • ORGANIZED CRIME LIMESTONE BLOCK CHARDONNAY 2022 - VQA Beamsville Bench, Niagara Escarpment, Ontario, Canada (#11951) (XD) - $24.95
  • TE PA OKE SAUVIGNON BLANC 2020 - Sustainable, Marlborough, South Island, New Zealand (#30159) (XD) - $24.95
  • SOUTHERN RIGHT SAUVIGNON BLANC 2023 - Sustainable, WO Cape Coast, South Africa (#512277) (XD) - $24.95  OFE  review coming soon...
  • CASA-DEA PECORINO 2023 - VQA Prince Edward County, Ontario, Canada (#45183) (XD) - $34.95  91 pts  wine review
  • CLOSSON CHASE VINEYARD CHARDONNAY 2021 - Vegan, VQA Prince Edward County, Ontario, Canada (#148866) (XD) - $35.00  91 pts  wine review

Rosé Wine:

  • DANDELION FAIRYTALE OF THE BAROSSA ROSÉ 2024 - South Australia (#43354) (XD) - $19.95  89 pts  wine review
  • WESTCOTT PINOT NOIR ROSÉ 2024 - Sustainable, VQA Vinemount Ridge, Niagara Peninsula, Ontario, Canada (#38227) (D) - $21.95  90 pts  wine review

Sparkling Wine:

  • CANTINE POVERO CAMPO DEL PALIO MOSCATO D'ASTI 2023 - Sustainable, Vegan, DOCG, Piedmont, Italy (#477869) (S) - $16.95  review coming soon...
Cantine Povero Campo del Palio Moscato d'Asti 2023

Dessert Wine:

  • INNISKILLIN NIAGARA ESTATE CABERNET FRANC ICEWINE 2023 - VQA Niagara Peninsula, Ontario, Canada (#149963, 200 mL) (S) - $59.95  OFE  92+ pts  wine review
  • INNISKILLIN NIAGARA ESTATE GOLD VIDAL ICEWINE 2022 - VQA Niagara Peninsula, Ontario, Canada (#19083, 375 mL) (S) - $99.95  OFE
Inniskillin Niagara Estate Cabernet Franc Icewine 2023 (92+ pts)


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  • Date publishedWednesday, June 18, 2025

Domäne Wachau Terrassen Federspiel Grüner Veltliner 2023 (Austria) - Wine Review

white wine review is the latest vintage of a perennial personal favourite - a certified sustainable and vegan Grüner Veltliner from the Wachau Valley in Austria that arrived at the LCBO earlier this month in the LCBO VINTAGES New Release Collection.

It is produced by Domäne Wachau, one of Austria's most prestigious and renowned wine producers. Situated in the heart of the Wachau Valley of Austria, the estate has a long history, with the earliest documentation of the estate's name going back to the year 1137. The Wachau is a gorge of only 33 km in length and features steep slopes terraced with dry stone walls, fortressed mountains, vineyards, orchards, rare flora and fauna. The estate has changed hands several times over the years, and by 1930 it had become Freie Weingärtner Wachau, the regional wine cooperative of Wachau.

Based in the small town of Dürnstein, near the Danube river in the Krems-Land district, this co-operative is no ordinary cooperative as they are quality-oriented and considered experts among Austria's leading winegrowing businesses. In 2008, the independent wine company was renamed to Domäne Wachau.

Today, under the leadership of Roman Horvath, MW, and Heinz Frischengruber, the wine company's key values are craftsmanship, terroir, and precision. They work in close partnership with their vignerons, while respecting nature and the soil which dominate the hard work on the steeply-sloped vineyards. Domäne Wachau is Austria’s leading organic wine estate with over 160 hectares of organically cultivated vines. The vineyards are organized into small parcels and worked mainly by hand, with each vigneron cultivating less than two hectares on average, and thus allowing the vignernon to focus on the needs of the individual plot. Furthermore, Domäne Wachau produces grand single vineyard (ried) wines that reflect their unique origins and deliver a distinctive and puristic style, with both depth and freshness. Domäne Wachau is a next generation Wine Cooperative like no other on Earth.

The winemaking philosophy at Domäne Wachau is based on working closely with nature, barely intervening during vinification, and accompanying the wines through absolutely minimal activity. Their goal is to nurture and bring out the origin, vintage, and varietal characteristics of every single wine as precisely as possible. With no vintage being the same, time helps shape the wine and gives it balance to produce a natural equilibrium that allows for the aromas to develop slowly and calmly. Domäne Wachau is continuously learning and developing, while the interplay between tradition and innovation comes together in their work in the cellar.

Domäne Wachau has several ranges of wines within their portfolio, and this white wine is from their Terrassen, or Terraces, range. Because grapes from primary rock sites are too tiny for a single vineyard wines, Wachau blends the grapes from these sites to create a series of wines that represent the classic expression of the Wachau and the vintage.

Crafted with 100% Grüner Veltliner, the grapes were grown on steeply terraced vineyards throughout the Wachau Valley. The vineyards are worked on in a sustainable manner, and increasingly, using organic principles, without the use of insecticides or herbicides. After carefully hand-picking the grapes, they are brought to the winery and carefully selected and then processed in a pneumatic tank press. The must is then fermented under a controlled temperature and aged on its fine lees in stainless steel tanks. Grüner Veltliner from these terraced vineyards typically exhibit fresh fruit characters and pronounced minerality.

The 2023 growing season in Austria was a challenging one. It began with an exceptionally mild and dry winter followed by a cool spring, which provided the soil with plenty of moisture. The moisture build-up in the soil was often beneficial to the vines during the hot summer days. It was turning out to be a very good year until several hailstorms came through the region in Autumn. High September temperatures and the resulting ripeness were compensated for by cool October nights, and in the end the grapes were ripe and healthy during harvest. The resulting wines were balanced and harmonious, with complex and juicy aromas, along with a rounder texture and acidity. Let's see how this 2023 Grüner Veltliner from Wachau in Austria is tasting tonight...

Domäne Wachau Terrassen Federspiel Grüner Veltliner 2023 (89 pts)

Tasting Note:

DOMÄNE WACHAU TERRASSEN FEDERSPIEL GRÜNER VELTLINER 2023 - Sustainable, Vegan, DAC Wachau, Qualitätswein, Austria (#31534) (XD) - $19.95
Screw cap. Lovely, clean, and fresh medium-high to highly aromatic nose of ripe and zesty lemon citrus, yellow apple, hay, and pear aromas flecked with stony minerals and touches of peppery spice. The light to mid-weighted palate is dry, zesty, and fresh, with crunchy yellow apple, lemon citrus, and pear flavours nuanced with peppery spice and stony minerality. Clean and well-balanced throughout with fresh and vibrant acidity. Delicious yellow apple and lemon citrus notes taper to leesy-stony minerals on the long, crisp, and juicy finish. Recommended buy! Score: 89 pts

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


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  • Date publishedSunday, June 15, 2025

Blason de Bourgogne Aligoté 2023 (Burgundy) - Wine Review

For ,
Blason de Bourgogne Aligoté 2023 (89 pts)

Tasting Note:

BLASON DE BOURGOGNE ALIGOTÉ 2023 - AC Bourgogne Aligoté, France (#648436) (XD) - $19.95
The generous, medium+ to medium-high intensity nose is ripe with stone fruits, peach, pear, lemon citrus, and apple aromas mingling with flinty minerals. It is impressively weighted on the dry palate with delicious, gently honeyed and spice flavours joining the ripe apple, pear, lemon citrus, and peach notes. It has crisp, well-balanced acidity, along with a slightly textured mouthfeel. Stone and orchard fruits give way to flinty minerals on the juicy and gently spicy finish, with very good length. Ideal with seafood and salads, and a highly recommended buy. Score: 89 pts

Other delicious wines by Blason de Bourgogne can be ordered through their Agent - Churchill Cellars.


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  • Date publishedTuesday, June 10, 2025

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

After enjoying the excellent 2023 Kir-Yianni Le Nord Assyrtiko last year, 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 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...

Kir-Yianni The North Assyrtiko 2024 (91 pts)

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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  • Date publishedSaturday, June 7, 2025

Featherstone Pinot Grigio 2024 (Niagara) - Wine Review

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 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...

Featherstone Pinot Grigio 2024 (89 pts)

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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  • Date publishedThursday, May 15, 2025

Jean Perrier & Fils Cuvée Gastronomie Chignin 2023 (Savoie) - Wine Review

white wine review is a lovely white made with the Jacquère varietal that was grown in the Savoie Cru of Chignin. It is a brand-new arrival at the LCBO, landing on shelves across Ontario in last weekend's LCBO VINTAGES New Release Collection.

It is produced by Jean Perrier & Fils, an historic, winegrowing family that has been cultivating vines and making wine in Savoie and the French Alps since 1853. The Perrier family is linked to the history of wines in Savoie. Famous around the world, the wines of Savoie represent a quaint and wild way of life, and is a unique tradition in French winegrowing.

The Perrier family's story begins in 1853, when Catherin Perrier, who was born in 1820 in the commune of Barberaz (Savoie), bought a cellar in St André les Marches and started growing vines next to the mountain Mont Granier. In 1911, Catherin's son, Claude Emile Perrier, acquired a second cellar, but had to start from the beginning due to phylloxéra. As a winegrower and trader, Claude Emile delivered products to café owners on the backs of donkeys. In 1920, Jean Perrier, son of Claude Emile, extended both the vineyard and cellar.

In 1947, Jean Victor Perrier, son of Jean, extended the lands further and was the first in Savoie to bottle the wine. By 1953, Jean Perrier had purchased a wine trading licence, sold 150,000 litres/year, and farmed over 2 hectares of vines with two employees.

Today, Vins Perrier is led by President Gilbert Perrier, son of Jean Victor, who joined the family business in 1964. In 1973, under the direction of Gilbert, the family wine company established their first bottling line, extended their cellars further, while also building a new winery. Further expansion took place in the 1980s, while Gilbert's two elder sons also joined the family business. In 1993, Gilbert's third son joined the company. The three brothers - Philippe, Christophe, and Gilles - share the tasks of vinification, trade, administration and marketing.

The company continues to grow, expand, and modernize throughout the years, including expanding their farming areas into other towns of Savoie. With the 2023 vintage of this wine, the family wine company celebrates 70 years of Perrier wines.

This white wine is crafted using the Jacquère grape, a varietal grown primarily in the Savoie wine region of eastern France. The grapes themselves are mid-sized with very tight bunches, have thick skins and juicy pulp. The grapes for this wine were grown on clay-limestone soil in one of the more important Crus of the Vin de Savoie appellation - Chignin. The village and commune of Chignin is situated in the French Alps on the southeastern edge of France, near the Swiss border and Lake Geneva. More specifically, Chignin lies on the southwestern side of the Bauges mountains in the Combe de Savoie - a deep valley that runs for 40km between the winter resort town of Albertville in the northeast and Montmélian in the southwest - while the Cru of Chignin is essentially one steeply-sloped vineyard that sits atop soils rich in clay and limestone.

The Savoie wine region is primarily known for its white wines, and almost all of it is enjoyed locally as only 5% is exported, so having a high-quality wine from this region, especially the tiny Cru of Chignin, is a real treat! To craft this wine, the grapes were manually harvested, then pressed using a pneumatic press. It was fermented over three weeks at 20°C in temperature-controlled tanks.

In 2023, the growing season in Savoie featured a late frost, hail, and a heatwave. However, plenty of sunshine in August and re-hydrating rains in September resulted in a healthy harvest and helped save the vintage. From a providential growing season, let's see how this 2023 Jacquère from Chignin in Savoie is tasting tonight...

Jean Perrier & Fils Cuvée Gastronomie Chignin 2023 (90 pts)

Tasting Note:

JEAN PERRIER & FILS CUVÉE GASTRONOMIE CHIGNIN 2023 - AP, Savoie, France (#41428) (XD) - $19.95
100% Jacquère. The fresh, medium-high intensity nose has attractive aromas of pear, quince, yellow stone fruit, and lemon citrus nuanced with white floral and honeysuckle. The light-to-mid-weighted palate is dry, ripe and lightly honeyed with delicious pear, lemon citrus, honeysuckle, and floral flavours accented with touches of peppery spice. It's got clean, vibrant, and well-balanced acidity, while citrus, pear, and spice notes are joined by leesy minerals on the long, succulent, juicy, and well-balanced finish. For summer sipping, or at the table with salad or seafood. Highly recommended buy! Score: 90 pts

Other lovely wines by Jean Perrier & Fils can be ordered through their Agent - Buyers+Cellars.


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  • Date publishedTuesday, May 13, 2025

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

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 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...

Spy Valley Pinot Gris 2022 (89 pts)

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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  • Date publishedFriday, April 25, 2025

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

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 LCBO VINTAGES New Release Collection.

Featherstone Phoenix Gewürztraminer 2024 (90 pts) and Sauvignon Blanc 2024 (90 pts)

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 Sauvignon Blanc 2024 (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

Featherstone Phoenix Gewürztraminer 2024 (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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  • Date publishedFriday, April 18, 2025

Wakefield Estate Label Wines - Degrees Matter

Last I had the pleasure of attending a media event titled "The Temperature Experience". I had the opportunity to Chill Out with Justin Taylor, a third generation family member of renowned and well-respected Wakefield Wines (also known as Taylors Wines in their home country of Australia). The purpose of this event was to taste Wakefield's latest Estate Series of wines that are now available in Ontario, and, more importantly, to stimulate our senses and find out why degrees matter.

Wakefield Wines - Degrees Matter

Wakefield Wines was established in 1969 by Bill Taylor Sr. in South Australia's Clare Valley. Bill found a perfect plot of land by the Wakefield River to establish the family estate and planted his first Cabernet Sauvignon vines that would eventually find its way into the family's first wine in 1973 - the Estate Label Cabernet Sauvignon. During the excavation of the land to find a water source for the vines, they discovered tiny seahorses in the limestone bedrock that date back more than 600 million years - seahorses that became the winery's symbol and emblem for over 50 years.

Justin Taylor, Wakefield Wines
Today, Wakefield Wines is led by the third generation of the family - brothers Mitchell, Justin, and Clinton. Their focus is on continuing the family tradition by crafting delicious wines that not only stand the test of time, but are also crafted in a sustainable and responsible manner that respects the fruit and where it comes from.

With a strong innovative spirit, the Taylor family launched an industry-first on-the-bottle temperature sensor in 2016 that helps ensure that wine drinkers enjoy Wakefield wines at the optimum temperature. I covered the Optimum Drinking Temperature Sensor a few years ago when the wines with these innovative labels first made their way into Canada in 2020.

At this event, we had the opportunity to taste four Estate Label wines that are available in Ontario and compare the difference when experiencing the wine that was served either too warm or too cold and the optimum temperature. First up was a refreshing Chardonnay. However, the aromas and flavours were a bit muted when served too cold. There was much more intensity, depth, flavours, and texture when the Chardonnay was served at the ideal suggested temperature of 10–12°C.

Chardonnay Pairing

The Sauvignon Blanc was terribly imbalanced and dull when served too warm. The suggested temperature for the Wakefield Sauvignon Blanc is 6–8°C, and at this cooler temperature the wine comes alive with refreshing acidity and bright fruit flavours. It is important to note that the wine shouldn't be served too cold either, because this will mute the wine and you won't get to experience all that it offers.

Sauvignon Blanc Pairing

Both red wines were absolutely gross when served too warm. To illustrate this, the warm wines were poured out of a thermos and one sip had me spit and dump the wine into a spittoon. The suggested temperature for each of their reds is between 16–18°C and each wine was lovely at this temperature, showcasing both the fruit and oak in their aromas and flavours, along with a fine texture, with everything in balance.

Cabernet Sauvignon Pairing

Shiraz Pairing

The key takeaway is that temperature plays a very important role in how you experience a wine and how it impacts your enjoyment. Serving wine at the correct temperature enhances aromas and flavours, affects the wine's structure, alters perception of sweetness & alcohol, and preserves the wine's integrity. The suggested serving temperature for white wines is between 6–12°C, and I would personally lean a little warmer for richer white wines such as Chardonnay. For red wines, the suggested serving temperature is between 12–18°C. The old adage of serving red wines at "room temp" is from a bygone era when central heating didn't exist and rooms were generally cold. There are various methods you can use to cool down (ice bath, freezer, refrigerator, etc...) or warm up your wine (rest at room temperature, hold glass in your hands, etc...). Personally, all my wines are placed in the refrigerator, at the back of the top shelf for cooling, with the white wines resting there for 50 to 60 minutes prior to opening, and the red wines for 45 minutes.

All Estate Label wines, including the four listed below, have the innovative temperature sensor on the back label. The Chardonnay and the Shiraz are available year-round at the LCBO as they are VINTAGES Essentials products, while the Sauvignon Blanc (which hasn't been in Ontario in many years) and Cabernet Sauvignon arrived in Ontario a week ago in the LCBO VINTAGES New Release Collection. All four are worthy buys, and with a convenient temperature sensor on the back label, you can actively taste the difference that temperature makes!

To use the sensor, simply wipe away any moisture from the circular Temperature Sensor to reveal its true colour, then match its colour to the chart on the left to see if you are serving the wine at the correct temperature.
Wakefield Wines Temperature Sensor

Tasting Notes:

WAKEFIELD ESTATE LABEL SAUVIGNON BLANC 2024 - Adelaide Hills / Margaret River, Australia (#166942) (XD) - $17.95
Screw cap. Fresh, medium-high intensity nose offers a lovely mix of gooseberry, lime citrus, grapefruit, lemongrass, and green herb aromas with leesy undertones. It's medium-full bodied with good weight, concentration, and richness, along with delicious ripe lime citrus, gooseberry, and grapefruit, herbs, and leesy flavours on the palate. Mostly dry with a vague impression of sweetness and a richly textured mouthfeel. Acids are clean and well-balanced. Lime citrus, gooseberry, and grapefruit notes taper to leesy flavours on the long, crisp, and juicy finish. Best enjoyed at the temperature suggested on the back label. Score: 89 pts

Wakefield Estate Label Sauvignon Blanc 2024 (89 pts)Wakefield Estate Label Sauvignon Blanc 2024 (89 pts)

WAKEFIELD ESTATE LABEL CHARDONNAY 2022 - Clare Valley / Limestone Coast, South Australia (#711556) (XD) - $16.95 $15.95 until Apr. 27
Served at 8C, this has fresh, citrusy, lemon, and ripe tropical fruit nose. It's nicely textured and a touch grippy on the medium+ bodied and dry palate with delicious aroma replays on the flavour profile It has fresh and lively acidity, and is nicely balanced throughout. Very good length on the crisp finish. At the ideal temperature of between 10-12C, it allowed the wine to breathe and release more complex aromas and flavours, while also offering a more richer, rounder, and creamier mouthfeel. It was definitely much better at the slightly warmer temperatures and continued to improve as it warmed up in my glass. Score: 89 pts

Wakefield Estate Label Chardonnay 2022 (89 pts)Wakefield Estate Label Shiraz 2022 (88+ pts)

WAKEFIELD ESTATE LABEL SHIRAZ 2022 - Clare Valley / Limestone Coast, South Australia (#943787) (XD) - $19.95 $17.95 until Apr. 27
Generously intense with ripe plum, black cherry, blackberry aromas nuanced with some savoury cocoa, milk chocolate, and vanilla notes. The salty, medium-full bodied palate is well-structured with delicious aroma replays and notable spicy, cocoa chocolate, blackberry, and black plum flavours. It has very good, crisp acidity and supple, well-structured tannins. Nicely textured with earthy, cocoa, and savoury notes on the finish, with very good length. Score: 88+ pts

WAKEFIELD ESTATE LABEL CABERNET SAUVIGNON 2022 - Limestone Coast / Clare Valley, South Australia (#744235) (XD) - $19.95
52% Limestone Coast and 48% Clare Valley fruit and enclosed by screw cap. The rich, medium-high intensity nose offers lovely dark fruited, black currant, cassis, cedar oak spice, cocoa, and earthy aromas accented with leafy herbs and mint. It's full-bodied and ripe on the dry palate with black & red fruits, currant, cassis, gentle oak spice, and savoury earth flavours accented with plummy and minty herb notes. Acids are crisp and fresh, while the ripe, refined, and mildly grippy tannins are well-structured. Clean and well-balanced with savoury black fruit and cocoa notes lingering on the lengthy finish. Score: 89 pts

Wakefield Estate Label Cabernet Sauvignon 2022 (89 pts)Wakefield Estate Label Cabernet Sauvignon 2022 (89 pts)


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