May 26 LCBO Wine Picks: 90+ Wines and Portugal

The next VINTAGES wine release from the LCBO will be out in stores across Ontario on May 26. The theme of this release is on wines that scored 90 and higher. I've whittled down the many 90+ wines from this feature into a few that are worth pursuing.

Among them are the following red wines Lealtanza from Spain made with 100% Tempranillo; the Sequillo Cellars Red from South Africa that is a GSM blend plus Carignan and Cinsault, while the Antinori Brunello di Montalcino is 100% Sangiovese. In white wine, we have the C.H. Berres Riesling Kabinett, the Vasse Felix Chardonnay, and the Cave Spring CSV Riesling.

One wine that is not listed below but deserves a mention is the Mas d’Auzières Sympathie pour les Stones 2009 from Midi (#277046, $19.95). It's part of the 90+ feature but there's a note saying the product is currently not available. Why they would include this wine in this release if it's not going to be available?? I would keep an eye out for this once it does arrive in stores.

The secondary feature in this release is on wines from Portugal's hotspots. My pick from Portugal is the Cunha Martins, made from the varietals Touriga-Nacional, Tinta Roriz, Alfrocheiro-Preto and Jaen.

Among the rest of the my wine picks, the Umani Ronchi Montepulciano d'Abruzzo is an Organic wine made with 100% Montepulciano and has a very high QPR. As the weather gets warmer, rosés tend to quench the thirst. The 13th Street version is made using 6 different red and white varietals, while the Château Montet is 60% Merlot and 40% Cabernet Sauvignon.

There are lots of good wines to choose from this release. Hope you enjoy my picks! Cheers!

Red Wine:

• LEALTANZA RESERVA 2005 - DOCa Rioja, Spain (#276097) (XD) - $19.95
• LA POSTA PIZZELLA FAMILY VINEYARD MALBEC 2009 - Uco Valley, Mendoza, Argentina (#166298) (D) - $15.95
• UMANI RONCHI MONTIPAGANO MONTEPULCIANO D’ABRUZZO 2010 - DOC, Abruzzo, Italy (#134585) (XD) - $13.95
• CUNHA MARTINS RESERVA 2008 - DOC Dão, Portugal (#276188) (XD) - $14.95
• GAMMA RESERVA PRIVADA CABERNET/MERLOT 2008 - Maipo Valley, Chile (#269191) (D) - $16.95
• BODEGA MONTEVIEJO LINDAFLOR MALBEC 2006 - Uco Valley, Mendoza, Argentina (#109322) (D) - $39.95
• SEQUILLO CELLARS RED 2009 - WO Swartland, South Africa (#277996) (XD) - $29.95
• ANTINORI PIAN DELLE VIGNE BRUNELLO DI MONTALCINO 2006 - DOCG, Tuscany, Italy (#651141) (XD) - $59.95

White Wine:

• C.H. BERRES ÜRZIGER WÜRZGARTEN RIESLING KABINETT 2008 - Prädikatswein, Mosel, Germany (#207274) (MD) - $19.95
• LINGENFELDER FREINSHEIMER MUSIKANTENBUCKEL RIESLING KABINETT 2010 - Deutscher Prädikatswein, Pfalz, Germany (#087593) (MD) - $17.95
• TRIMBACH RIESLING 2009 - AC Alsace, France (#734517) (XD) - $18.95
• VASSE FELIX CHARDONNAY 2010 - Margaret River, Western Australia (#903617) (XD) - $20.95
• CAVE SPRING CSV RIESLING 2008 - VQA Beamsville Bench, Niagara Peninsula, Cave Spring Vineyard, Ontario, Canada (#566026) (MD) - $29.95
• WILLIAM FÈVRE SAUVIGNON BLANC SAINT-BRIS 2010 - AC, Burgundy, France (#626523) (XD) - $16.95

Rosé Wine:

• 13TH STREET PINK PALETTE ROSÉ 2011 - VQA Niagara Peninsula, Ontario, Canada (#275834) (D) - $14.95
• CHÂTEAU MONTET ROSÉ 2011 - AC Bordeaux Rosé, France (#276386) (D) - $12.95

Sparkling Wine:

• MARENCO STREV MOSCATO D’ASTI 2011 - DOCG, Piedmont, Italy (#276600) (MS) - $14.95

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

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Grant Burge Wine Tasting

Last week I had the pleasure of tasting Grant Burge Wines at the Trialto Wines office in Toronto. The tasting was led by Nick Doumanis, Global Sales Director at Grant Burge. Six wines were on the lineup card, but we ended up tasting seven.


GRANT BURGE VINEYARD RANGE SUMMERS CHARDONNAY 2010 - Eden Valley & Adelaide Hills (#269829) (D) - $19.95
Lovely aromas of citrus, oak, nut and hints of spice. One the palate, peach, apple, citrus and oak mingle together with racy acidity and finishing long. Medium-bodied. Tastes and feels more expensive. Excellent summer appertif, but can also be paired with lightly seasoned salmon. This white wine is scheduled to be part of the LCBO General List in about a month. Be ready to pounce.

GRANT BURGE MIAMBA SHIRAZ 2010 - Barossa (#725127) (XD) - $17.95
Smells dense with smoky, dark fruits, vanilla aromas. Blueberry flavours in the glass with hints of mint, lavender and pepper. Medium-bodied with a medium-length finish. Current vintage not available at LCBO.

GRANT BURGE CAMERON VALE CABERNET SAUVIGNON 2009 - Barossa (#937276) (XD) - $15.95
Dark fruit, blackcurrant, vanillan and oak aromas. On the palate there is lots of cassis and blackcurrant in this medium-bodied wine. Evident tannins will reward ageing another 2-3 years. Very good Cab Sauv. Currently not available at the LCBO.

GRANT BURGE THE HOLY TRINITY GRENACHE/SHIRAZ/MOURVÈDRE 2008 - Barossa (#236257) (XD) - $33.95
Holy moly! This blend of 46% Grenache, 39% Shiraz and 15% Mourvèdre offers gorgeous aromas of red fruit, ripe cherries and subtle milk chocolate. Crushed red berries and blueberries with hints of chocolate and mocha on the palate. Medium-full bodied. Could be aged another 5-6 years. Awesome! My favourite wine of the evening.

GRANT BURGE FILSELL OLD VINE SHIRAZ 2010 - Barossa (#987453) (XD) - $29.95
This is a big wine with aromas of ripe dark fruits, blueberry, violet and lavender. Lovely blueberry with hints of coffee and vanilla on the palate. Full-bodied. Drinkable now, but has enough tannic grip to let sit for another 2-3 years. Current vintage not available at LCBO.

GRANT BURGE CORRYTON PARK CABERNET SAUVIGNON 2009 - Barossa (#317834) (XD) - $35.00
Another big wine with blackcurrants, tobacco, smoke, meat and oak aromas. On the palate, there is blackcurrant and red fruits (cranberry and cherry) that are well-integrated with fine tannins. Very smooth. Medium-bodied with a very long finish. Yummy. Available via private order from Trialto Wines.

GRANT BURGE 10 YEAR OLD TAWNY - Barossa (#058388) (S) - $30.95
Made with Grenache, Mataro and Shiraz. Gorgeous aromas of caramel, floral, herbal and touch of earth. Complex palate that begins with candied pecans, followed by burnt orange, and finishes with cocoa. It starts sweet and finishes dry. Lovely! Very few left in stock at the LCBO.

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Hardys Winemakers Dinner and Wine Walkthrough

Last week I had the opportunity to attend a Winemakers Dinner and Wine Walkthrough hosted at the Edward Day Gallery by Bill Hardy, the great grandson of Hardys founder - Thomas Hardy.

I arrived early and had the chance to mingle before the festivities got started. While mingling and waiting for everyone to arrive, we were offered 'The Gamble' Chard Pinot Gris, which ended up being one of my favourites wines of the evening. It was a rather small, intimate crowd (which I enjoyed) that also allowed everyone to meet and chat with Bill for a few moments. Overall, the event was well organized and executed. Quality and portions of both the food and wine were just right!

Here are my full reviews of the wine and food pairings:

HARDYS CHRONICLES 'THE GAMBLE' CHARDONNAY PINOT GRIS 2011 - South Australia (#219147) (D) - $15.05
Served to open the evening as people walked in and played the part very well with very smooth with apple, pear, citrus notes, mingling with peach aromas and flavours. Some earthy notes. Medium bodied wine with a medium-length finish that would make a very good appetizer wine. Yummy. Part of the LCBO General List and always available.


HARDYS HRB CHARDONNAY D648 2009 - Pemberton & Adelaide Hills (XD) - $29.95
Lots of butter, apple, citrus with some oak notes. Smooth, full bodied with fine seam of acidity. Long finish. Tasty.

Paired quite nicely with seared scallops, braised leeks, fricasse of baby spring vegetables and saffron cream. Coming to VINTAGES in November.

EILEEN HARDY CHARDONNAY 2009 - Tasmania (#500991) (XD) - $59.95
Nutty, hazelnut, earth, oak aromas and flavours with touch of barnyard on the finish. Extremely smooth, medium-bodied with a very long finish. Excellent.

Paired with lobster poached in lemongrass consommé, Napa cabbage, orange-ruby grapefruit salad and toasted hazelnuts. This pairing was exquisite as the toasted hazelnuts really brought out the nutty flavours of this white wine. Unfortunately not currently available.

HARDYS CHRONICLES 'BUTCHERS GOLD' SHIRAZ SANGIOVESE 2008 - South Australia (#219139) (XD) - $15.05
Aromas of plum, raisin, currant, oak, sour cherry with nuances of mint. Plum, fruit forward with ripe fruit on the palate. Ripe tannins for drinking now. I would serve this slightly chilled.

HARDYS HRB SHIRAZ D641 2007 - McLaren Vale & Clare Valley (XD) - $34.95
Bright and minty, licorice, pepper with red fruit aromas. Dark fruits and herbal pepper notes on the palate balanced by oak. Good amount of tannin for ageing another 3-5 years. Full-bodied with a long finish. Yum.

The above two red wines were paired with a lamb duo of roasted loin and braised shank, cherry-infused lamb jus, whipped mash potatoes, and baby carrot. I thought the Shiraz Sangiovese was a bit weak for the gamey lamb flavours, while the HRB Shiraz, with it's full body and integrated tannins was well suited. The Shiraz Sangiovese is always available as in LCBO General List, while the HRB Shiraz will be coming to VINTAGES on November 24, 2012.

EILEEN HARDY SHIRAZ 2005 - McLaren Vale (#461368) (XD) - $89.95
Big, Australian fruit bomb with an explosion of red and black fruit aromas and flavours. Some mintyness arrives towards the finish. Still evident tannins will reward another 2-3 years ageing, or decant prior to serving today.

Served with a cheese plate featuring cheddar, melted brie(?) and a too-salty blue cheese. I would've preferred this wine with a chicken dish, as opposed to a cheese plate. If you like big, fruit bombs, you will enjoy this one.

HARDYS WHISKER'S BLAKE TAWNY - Australia (S)
Peach, caramel, nuts, raisin and plum aromas. Dried raisin, caramel and peach flavours on the palate. Medium-viscosity. Should be served well-chilled to tone down the alcohol. Quite nice.

This Fortified wine is not available in Ontario (and possibly Canada), so it was a real treat to taste this with Pear Beignet, espresso-chocolate sauce, and hazelnut-sun dried cherry praline.

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May 12 VINTAGES Wine Picks: California Legends + Rosés

The next LCBO VINTAGES release will be out in stores on May 12, and the main "attraction" in this release are California Legends starring Cab, Zin and Chard. However, as is the par for Cali wines in Ontario, many are over-priced and out of budget. However, the Ravenswood Zin is a "star" in this release and worth checking out.

The secondary attraction in this release is on Rosé wines and features 11 wines of various different styles, from dry to off-dry, and made using many different varietal combinations. The Mas des Bressades is made in a dry style using Grenache, Syrah and Cinsault, while the dry Carpineto is made using Sangiovese and Canaiolo. The off-dry Ontario versions from Fielding Estate is a blend of Cab Franc, Pinot Noir, Merlot and Syrah, while the Featherstone is made up of almost 50/50 Gamay and Cab Franc.

Among the rest of the release, Morgon is made using Gamay, the Cinghiale is a blend of Syrah, Cab France, Merlot and Petit Verdot, while Vouvray is made with currently trending varietal Chenin Blanc. If you want something sweet, definitely check out the Yalumba Muscat.

When you head into the LCBO this Saturday, you may notice updates to shelf tags. Among other things, the sugar code levels (0, 1, 2, 3, etc...) have been replaced with XD, D, M, MS, S (i.e. Extra Dry, Dry, Medium, Medium-Sweet or Sweet) and indicate the perceived sweetness level of any wine. These sweetness levels are always indicated for wine picks and reviews found on my blog, and now also fall in line with the rest of the world. Alongside this you will also find the actual sugar content, which may or may not affect your decision to purchase a particular bottle of wine. Enjoy shopping on Saturday!


Red Wine:

• MONTES ALPHA CARMENÈRE 2009 - Colchagua Valley, Chile (#143230) (XD) - $19.95
• RAVENSWOOD OLD VINE ZINFANDEL 2009 - Sonoma County, California, USA (#673798) (D) - $23.95
• GEORGES DUBOEUF DOMAINE MONT CHAVY MORGON 2010 - AC, Beaujolais, France (#276477) (D) - $17.95
• GRAFFIGNA GRAND RESERVE MALBEC 2008 - Pedernal Valley, San Juan, Argentina (#162149) (D) - $16.95
• CAMPO DI SASSO INSOGLIO DEL CINGHIALE 2010 - IGT Toscana, Italy (#277012) (D) - $29.95

White Wine:

• ANGELS GATE MOUNTAINVIEW CHARDONNAY 2010 - VQA Beamsville Bench, Niagara Peninsula, Ontario, Canada (#116384) (D) - $18.95
• MONMOUSSEAU VOUVRAY 2010 - AC, Loire, France (#271940) (D) - $14.95
• GEIL BECHTHEIMER ROSENGARTEN RIESLING KABINETT 2011 - Prädikatswein, Rheinhessen, Germany (#994764) (MD) - $14.95
• PENINSULA RIDGE BEAL VINEYARDS INOX RESERVE CHARDONNAY 2010 - VQA Beamsville Bench, Niagara Peninsula, Ontario, Canada (#007328) (D) - $18.95
• TALBOTT LOGAN ESTATE SLEEPY HOLLOW VINEYARD CHARDONNAY 2009 - Santa Lucia Highlands, Monterey County, California, USA (#716290) (D) - $26.95

Rosé Wine:

• MAS DES BRESSADES CUVÉE TRADITION ROSÉ 2011 - AC Costières de Nîmes, Rhône, France (#950576) (XD) - $13.95
• FEATHERSTONE ROSÉ 2011 - VQA Niagara Peninsula, Ontario, Canada (#117861) (D) - $14.95
• FIELDING ESTATE ROSÉ 2011 - VQA Niagara Peninsula, Ontario, Canada (#053421) (D) - $15.95
• CARPINETO ROSATO 2011 - IGT Toscana, Tuscany, Italy (#699934) (XD) - $12.95

Dessert Wine:

• YALUMBA MUSEUM RESERVE MUSCAT - South Eastern Australia (#963488) (S) (375 mL) - $24.95

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

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Brigaldara Valpolicella 2010 (Veneto) - Wine Review

Purchased this red wine just last week from the VINTAGES Veneto release. It's a good one and many are still available in LCBO outlets.

BRIGALDARA VALPOLICELLA 2010 - DOC, Veneto, Italy (#917864) (XD) - $14.95

Tasting Note:
Made with grape varietals Corvina, Rondinella and Molinara. Cork was dry. Licorice, black cherry, plum, pepper and hints of smoked meat aromas. Lots of red cherries on the palate. Spicy core with good acidity throughout. Light- to medium-bodied. Dry with well-balanced ripe tannins. Perfect for chicken lasagna. Very good wine.

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Michel Delhommeau Cuvée Harmonie Muscadet Sèvre-et-Maine 2010 (Loire) - Wine Review

This white wine was purchased very recently from the April 14th VINTAGES release and can still be found in many stores across the province.

MICHEL DELHOMMEAU CUVÉE HARMONIE MUSCADET DE SÈVRE-ET-MAINE 2010 - AC, Loire, France (#164624) (XD) - $12.95

Tasting Note:
Made with 100% Melon de Bourgogne. Aromas of lime and citrus from the cork. More fresh lime aromas in the glass, followed by gooseberry notes that mingle nicely together on the palate. Hint of sweetness on the finish. Dry, with zippy acidity. Very well made summer sipper that can be enjoyed alone or with a simply prepared white fish or lightly herbed chicken.

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Vinho Verde Wine Tasting

It was a gorgeous spring evening when I recently attended a walk-around tasting of Vinho Verde wines. The weather was perfectly suited for tasting wines from this Portuguese region.

Prior to this event, I couldn't recall the last time I tasted a Vinho Verde as it must have been many years ago, so I was excited to be attending this tasting and getting re-acquainted the region.

The event was held at Verity Club on Queent St. East (Toronto) and featured about 10 wineries. Most wines produced in Vinho Verde are white wines, while rosé wines are becoming more popular; not many red wines are produced.

Overall, most of the white wines were very high in acidity, slightly tart and many had a slight spritz. The few red wines that were on hand were average at best and generally not my cup of tea. The rosé wines were my favourite of the evening, with notes of candied strawberries and cherries in a light, fruit foward style perfect for sipping on the patio on a hot summer day. Here are some of my tasting notes from the evening:

White Wine:
AVELEDA QUINTA DA AVELEDA 2010 - Colheita Seleccionada Vinho Verde (#089995) (XD) - $9.95
Fresh, delicate floral, herbal aromas. Grassy, tart, some tropical fruits on the palate with a slight spritz.

QUINTA DAS ARCAS CONDE VILLAR LOUREIRO 2009 - DOC (XD)
Grass, nettle, peach aromas and flavours. High acidity. Reminds me of a strong NZ Sauvignon Blanc.

QUINTA DAS ARCAS CONDE VILLAR ALVARINHO 2010 - DOC (XD)
Tropical fruits, floral and citrus aromas follow through on palate. Crisp acidity; will pair nicely with food.

QUINTA DE CARAPEÇOS ESCOLHA 2010 - Vinho Regional Tinto (XD)
This white wine had a closed nose with apple, butter notes on palate. Creamy mouthfeel with spicy notes on mid-palate. Quite nice. Would buy.

QUINTA DE CARAPEÇOS EIRA DOS MOUROS Non-Vintage
Lots of orange and citrus aromas and flavours. Spritzy.

QUINTAS DO HOMEM VALE DO HOMEM BRANCO 2011 (D)
Very aromatic, tree fruits, floral aromas and peach on the palate. Off-dry. Lacking a bit of acidity.

SOLAR DO LOUREDO 2011 (XD)
70% Loureiro, 30% Trajadero. Fresh floral aromas and flavours. Some sweetness, smooth, clean white. Nice.

SOLAR DO LOUREDO TERRAS DE GERAZ 2011 (XD)
50/50 blend of Loureiro and Trajadero. Aromatic white wine with anise notes.

SOLAR DO LOUREDO VIANNA 2011 (D)
Crisp, clean white wine with light acidity levels. Floral aromas and flavours.Slightly off-dry.

SAVAM SOLAR DE SERRADE ALVARINHO 2011 (XD)
Smooth, crisp white wine with citrus notes, followed by floral and mineral flavour profile.

VINIVERDE ESTREIA ALVARINHO 2011 (XD)
Floral aromas with sweet notes in the mouth, followed by slightly earthy tones. Interesting.

VINIVERDE ESTREIA LOUREIRO GRANDE ESCOLHA 2011 - DOC (XD)
Clean, crisp aromas of grass and mineral also evident on palate. Slight spritz.

VINIVERDE ESTREIA BRANCO - DOC (XD)
Clean, fresh white wine, very basic, straightforward and uncomplex.

QUINTA DA LIXA TERRAS DO MINHO BRANCO 2011 - Vinho Verde (XD)
Lime and grass aroma and flavour profile. Very tart and acidic.


Rosé Wine:
AVELEDA CASAL GARCIA ROSÉ 2010 - DOC (D)
My favourite rosé of the event - very fruit forward with fresh raspberries and strawberries aromas and flavours. Off-dry. Perfect patio sipper.

VINIVERDE ESTREIA ROSÉ - DOC (D)
Fairly straight-forward profile with lovely candy coated strawberries aromas and flavours with a nice seam of acidity. Off-dry. Nice!

QUINTA DE CARAPEÇOS ESPADEIRO 2010 - Vinho Verde (XD)
Simple, fruit forward, rosé wine with balanced acidity.

SAVAM TERRAS DE MONÇÃO 2011 (XD)
Dry rosé wine with mineral, grassy and floral aromas and flavours.


Red Wine:
VINIVERDE ESTREIA VINHÃO TINTO (XD)
Fruit-forward red wine with lots of red berries. Light-bodied. Best red at the event.

QUINTAS DO HOMEM VALE DO HOMEM TINTO 2010 (XD)
Smoky, bacon, mushroom and barnyard profile. Not enjoyable.

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