Providing a Unique & Affordable Selection of High Quality Red Wines and White Wines for Your Enjoyment. Also featured: Rosé, Port, Icewine, Champagne and Sparkling Wine for Special Occasions. Cheers!
Normally, I am not one to buy and consume within days after purchase. However, I knew that this wine was nearing the end of it's peak drinking window and felt it was time to open sooner rather than later. It's quite nice, and plenty are available at the LCBO. If you do buy it, make sure to drink it over the next couple of months.
CAVE DE SAUMUR RÉSERVE DES VIGNERONS SAUMUR-CHAMPIGNY 2010 - AC, Loire, France (#103879) (XD) - $17.95
Tasting Note:
Currant, plum and deli meat aromas from the cork. Medium intensity aromas of bramble, currant, blackberry, and forest floor. Medium-bodied with dusty tannins. Palate has bramble, red & black fruits and sweet vanillan flavours. Raisined fruit notes show as it warms up in the glass. Fine acidity will allow it to pair with foods. Finish is medium-long with currant, cherry and dry soil notes. Drink now. Will be enjoyed with chicken lasagne. Score: Wife gives it a 10/10. Me: 89 pts
Now that we're past Halloween, the 3 remaining Vintages releases of 2013 will all hover around the concept of "wines for the holiday season". The next release, which will be in LCBO outlets across Ontario, will be on . This release is titled "The Stars Are Aligned" and features 30 "top-quality" wines geared for your enjoyment during the holiday season, or as excellent gift-giving options.
When choosing a wine to give as a gift, it's helpful to know your recipient's tastes - does s/he like big, powerful reds, or lighter reds, or perhaps soft, elegant whites, or big, oaky Chardonnays. It also helps to know if s/he prefers dry wines or sweet wines. Knowing this information will go a long way to ensure that your family, friend or colleague enjoys the wine that you have generously gifted.
There's an interesting selection of 8 sweet dessert wines in this release, which is the secondary focus of the release. There is a Late Harvest Vidal, Honey wine, Cranberry/Maple "wine", Vidal Icewine, Tokaji, Vin Santo, and a couple of Ports, one of which is a 1994 vintage Port. One notable omission from the list is Riesling Icewine. I have no doubt that all 8 will be enjoyed by sweet wine lovers, but just 4 of these made my wine picks below as great buys. The Sherry from Spain is not part from the dessert wine feature and is off-dry. So, you may want to just sip it on it's own or pair it with not-so-sweet desserts.
Back to the main feature of the release, of the 23 wines that are featured, only 4 made my cut. First and foremost is the 2009 Antinori Guado Al Tasso (93 pts), which is a blend of 60% Cab Sauv, 25% Merlot, 12% Cab Franc and 3% Petit Verdot, and costs $100. I had the pleasure of tasting this at Halpern Enterprises annual Grand Cru wine tasting held recently in the AllStream Centre at Exhibition Place. As I approached the building, the front doors were adorned with very expensive vehicles such as a Lambourghini and Bentley, among others. I could tell I was in for a special treat - which it was. It was a very high-end event featuring many premium-quality and premium-priced wines. The Antinori wine mentioned in this paragraph was one of the highlights for me, as you will see in my tasting note. It's a big wine that will age for many years.
Also from The Stars Are Aligned features is the medium-bodied Norman Hardie Unfiltered Niagara Pinot Noir. Norm continues to pump out the stars! The Jonata Todos Red is a big blend consisting of - wait for it - 63% Syrah, 12% Sangiovese, 11% Merlot, 6% Cabernet Sauvignon and dollops of Grenache, Cabernet Franc, Petit Verdot, Sauvignon Blanc and Viognier. And finally, the Dead Arm Shiraz is big, dry (XD) Shiraz that could have easily been featured in a Vintages Halloween Release.
From the rest of the release, the Chilensis Lazuli is a blend of 6 grapes (36% Cab Sauv, 21% Malbec, 16% Petit Verdot, 10% Merlot, 9% Syrah, 8% Carmenére) and Organic and Certified Sustainable. If you want to taste a mature Bordeaux without the trouble of ageing it yourself, then check out the 2004 Château Bréhat, which is a blend of mostly Merlot, with Cab Franc and Cab Sauv in support. Also check out the Jean-Michel Dupré, which is made using Gamay Noir from vines planted in 1918! The Reserve des Vignerons is straight Cab Franc, while the Domaine Grand Nicolet is a blend of 70% Grenache and 30% Syrah. The Spanish Pétalos makes my list again, this time with the 2011 vintage and is made using the Mencía grape.
For white wine lovers, there isn't much I found interesting enough to recommend, except for a couple of Chardonnays. The Zolo Chardonnay is unoaked, while the Hidden Bench Chardonnay is from "The Stars Are Aligned" feature and is (not heavily) oaked.
Enjoy my wine recommendations for this week. Remember to stock up as we approach the holidays, and get a head-start on gift-giving.
Red Wine:
CHÂTEAU BRÉHAT 2004 - AC Côtes de Castillon, Bordeaux, France (#348672) (XD) - $16.95
JEAN-MICHEL DUPRÉ VIGNES DE 1918 RÉGNIÉ 2011 - AC, Beaujolais, France (#344895) (XD) - $17.95
This red wine - that has a dash of white mixed in - was purchased from a Vintages release last March. It is composed of an unusual blend of 97% Shiraz and 3% Riesling, although the Riesling isn't noticeable on the palate. And in case you wanted to buy this, you'll probably have to wait for the 2011 vintage, as the 2010 is completely sold out at the LCBO.
DANDELION VINEYARDS LION’S TOOTH OF MCLAREN VALE SHIRAZ/RIESLING 2010 - McLaren Vale, South Australia (#311233) (D) - $19.95
Tasting Note:
Screw cap. Cedar oak aromas lead the way with undertones of plum and blackcurrants. Medium-full bodied and quite fruit-forward with sweet red fruits, plum, blueberry jam, and oak. Slightly off-dry. Good acids and smooth tannins. Medium-length, mocha-tinged finish that is on the hot side. Chill slightly. Score: 87 pts
Here's your chance to win a pair of tickets to Lailey Vineyard's Futures and Portfolio Wine Tasting in either Ottawa or Toronto. Meet Lailey's highly acclaimed winemaker and owner Derek Barnett as he will be on-hand at both wine events to discuss and answer your questions.
The 2012 Ontario vintage was wonderful! Along with current release wines, you will also get a chance to taste 2012 "futures" wines - which are essentially barrel samples. You will also have the opportunity buy wines, and pre-order "futures" wines at discounted prices. In all, there will be over 30 wines for you to taste, enjoy and buy!
I'll be attending the Toronto event and hope to see you there!
The next LCBO Vintages release will be on shelves across Ontario on . The main focus of this release is the much heralded 2010 Bordeaux vintage - often described as the "vintage of the decade" and "one of the best ever".
However, looking at the majority of 17 wines that are featured, one might wonder what is so special about the 2010 vintage. Well, to sum it up - the 2010s are robust and very age-worthy, and should be aged a number of years before they will reach their prime drinking window. The extreme weather conditions, including dehydration, from El Niño forced winemakers to wait to pick their grapes, which resulted in slightly shrivelled (raisined) grapes, which meant less juice and more skin (i.e. tannin) per grape. The fruit is strong enough to hold up to the tannins. The cooler-than-normal Autumn temperatures also helped produce wines with higher acidity and alcohols. Personally, I think I prefer the 2009s over the 2010s.
Just one of the 2010 Bordeauxs made my list of wine picks - the Chateau de Maison Neuve that is 80% Merlot and 20% Cabernet Sauvignon that you may want to cellar for a few years before imbibing. Suffice it to say, the selection featured in this release doesn't provide a full spectrum of the 2010s, as it's missing many of the higher-end wines that I would have liked to see. The LCBO's minimum case requirement and cost may have been a barrier.
The secondary feature in this release is a small one (just 6 wines) and highlights the Western USA states of Oregon and Washington. I'm a big fan of wines from both of these states, but just one of the 6 wines intrigued me - the Elk Cove Pinot Gris. It's made in a extra dry style and has a slight spritz. In Oregon, Pinot Noir is the most widely planted varietal, while Pinot Gris is second most.
From the rest of the release, there are a couple of wines from the Iberian Peninsula worth your consideration. Age for a couple of years the Portuguese Quinta do Portal, which is made using 50% Touriga Nacional, 40% Touriga Roriz, and 10% Touriga Franca. From Spain is the Coto de Imaz, which is 100% Tempranillo and can be enjoyed now or in a few years. And finally, the Vacqueyras from Rhone is a GSM-blend (70% Grenache, 15% Syrah and 15% Mourvedre) that can be enjoyed now or in 4 years.
Enjoy my Vintages wine recommendations for this week. Cheers!
I never purchase the same wine same vintage twice, but do on occasion purchase different vintages of the same wine. I first tasted the 2008 vintage back in July, 2012 and became smitten with it. I then bought the 2010 vintage (still in my rack) and decided to open the 2011 last night. Amazingly, I've tasted the 2011 twice at the winery (here and here) over the last ~12 months. It's interesting to note that the 2008 was labelled as VQA Twenty Mile Bench, while the 2011 is VQA Niagara Peninsula.
Featherstone is very much committed to eco-friendly farming practices, which I love! One of these days I want to see their sheep. If you're inclined, this is quite readily available in Vintages locations across Ontario.
Tasting Note:
Screw cap. Medium intense aromas of raspberry, plum, cedar, earth and some meaty notes. Medium-bodied on the palate with restrained tannins that will be better integrated in a year. Ripe and juicy red fruits, cedar on the palate. Finish is smooth and lingering. Quality Ontario Cab Franc that was enjoyed with chicken tacos. Score: 88 pts
Purchased this white wine from a Vintages release last November and opened it Sunday night for a Thanksgiving dinner with roasted chicken. I was expecting good things and it definitely lived up to my expectations! If you like wines on the sweeter side of things, then you'll enjoy this one. My guests certainly enjoyed this one as well, as there was very little remaining for the second day.
I can't wait to open the 2008 vintage, which is also in my rack, because it is even better than the 2009. I can only hope you picked up either one (or both!) of these wines when I recommended them, as neither the '08 or '09 are available at the LCBO any longer. However, I predict the '10 and/or '11 vintage may be in Vintages soon.
Screw cap. Medium-high intense aromas of slate, honeyed pear, floral, petrol, and minerals. Medium sweetness with zippy acidity that rushes across the palate and has very nice aroma replays. Slightly chalky mouthfeel. Finishes long and smooth with a honeyed tinge. Gorgeous! It paired well with the homemade oven roasted chicken. Score: 90 pts
Sunday, November 10, 2013
Tasting Note:
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