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!
Tonight's white wine was purchased from a VINTAGES release back in August 2012. I didn't intend to cellar it as long as I have, as it is nearing the end of its drinking window. However, I was saving it for a dish such as tonight's lobster with garlic butter dip.
The 2012 vintage of this oaked Chardonnay is available in VINTAGES right now and currently retails for $24.95.
INNISKILLIN WINEMAKER'S SERIES MONTAGUE VINEYARD CHARDONNAY 2010 - VQA Four Mile Creek, Niagara Peninsula, Ontario, Canada (#586347) (XD) - $18.95
Tasting Note:
Ripe orchard fruit and spiced vanilla aromas from the cork. Medium intensity aromatics consisting of apple, butter, and vanilla in the glass. The palate is medium+ bodied with spiced apple, vanilla, and buttery notes, and a touch of sweetness. Oak is nicely integrated. Vibrant, balanced acids keep everything in check. Lengthy finish is a touch warm. Drink now. Thoroughly enjoyed with lobster and Parmesan crusted shrimp tonight. Score: 88+ pts
The next LCBO VINTAGES release will be on shelves this and has 3 features. The first theme is titled "Back by Popular Demand", while the second and third mini-themes are small and feature wines from the Americas in an ode to the upcoming Pan-Am Games in Toronto, and wines for Canada Day festivities.
We'll begin with the biggest of the three themes - popular wines that have returned to VINTAGES. However, of the 16 wines featured, only 2 are included among my wine picks. The first wine is the Villa Maria Cellar Selection Sauvignon Blanc - a crisp, dry white wine that has been consistently good in recent years and worthy of returning to shelves. The second wine is a Tavel Rosé that is dry and composed of 60% Grenache, 20% Cinsault, 5% Mourvèdre, 5% Syrah and 10% other grapes rounding out the blend.
From the two mini-themes, there is only one wine from each theme that made my list of wine picks - a Carmenère from Chile, and an aromatic and sweet Chardonnay Musqué from Ontario's Malivoire Wine Company.
The rest of the release has a few nice "New to VINTAGES" selections. Included among them is an Aglianico from Basilicata and a Cabernet Sauvignon from Argentina. A couple of wines that are not new to VINTAGES but are included in my wine picks below are the Borsao Berola from Spain that is 70% Garnacha (Grenache), 20% Syrah and 10% Cabernet Sauvignon, while the wine from Carpineta Fontalpino is nearly equal parts Merlot, Sangiovese and Cabernet Sauvignon.
In white wines, the Château Saint-Genès is a blend of Semillon and Sauvignon Blanc.
Besides the Tavel Rosé mentioned above, there is also a rosé from Gerard Bertrand that is off-dry and made using a grape that mutated from Grenache into what is known as Grenache Gris. Other dry rosés to consider in this release are both. From Château de Lancyre is a blend of 50% Syrah, 40% Grenache and 10% Cinsault, and the Bandol Rosé which is a blend of 40% Mourvèdre, 30% Grenache and 30% Cinsault.
Both sparkling wines recommended below are on the sweeter side of the spectrum - the Lambrusco is off-dry in style, while Brachetto is very sweet.
, I had the pleasure of tasting the wines of Avondale with proprietor Johnathan Grieve.
Avondale is located on a 160-hectare, picturesque farm in the Paarl valley in the southwestern part of South Africa, only 35 minutes from Cape Town, and has been cultivated for more than 300 years. Early records also indicate that this piece of land was one first in Paarl valley to be allocated specifically for the production of grapes.
Although the farm was established as early as 1693, current owners John and Ginny Grieve (Johnathan's parents) only began producing wine on the site in 1999, two years after purchasing the land. Today, it continues to be family-owned and operated with Johnathan taking up the challenge to transform the land into a balanced vineyard ecosystem using organic and biodynamic viticultural practices that he developed, along with modern science, and now terms BioLOGIC.
One of the ways Avondale promotes a balanced ecosystem is through the use of natural predators. Beginning more than 15 years ago, Avondale began unleashing White Pekin Ducks to feast on snails that were proliferating throughout the vineyards and eating the vines. Johnathan showed us a fascinating video of the ducks in action that you can view here:
Other natural predators include predatory wasps (to combat mealy bugs), Spotted Eagle Owls, Rock Kestrels, Yellow-billed and Black-shouldered Kites.
Continuing on the theme of "natural" is the waste water system that mimics the way Nature cleans water. The system is comprised of three dams interlinked by spiralling channels of cleansing reeds that replicates the natural river system. This closed-nutrient cycle yields quality water that is then used for their irrigation needs.
Avondale has 13 different soil types on their land, and vines are planted within pockets of soil types. Furthermore, when Avondale built their cellar, it was designed such that each block of fruit from these different soil types could be vinified independently of each other, allowing for terroir expression. The soil is often re-balanced using the soil balancing system pioneered by Dr. William Albrecht, followed by re-mineralization of the soil. To further help balance the soil and ecosystem, legumes and other cover crops are used to create a vibrant and diverse plant community.
All of the wines at Avondale go through natural fermentation - a process which is much slower than commercial fermentation. Some wines are also warm-fermented at this estate, producing wines that can be aged for longer periods when compared with wines that are cool-fermented.
One thing Johnathan talked about that really intrigued me was the Luna Tasting Calendar. This calendar is based on the Biodynamic Planting Calendar that was developed in the 1950's by Maria Thun and centres around the 12 Zodiac constellations and the lunar cycle. Within the calendar there are four cycles: Fruit, Root, Flower and Leaf. The Luna Tasting Calendar conjectures that any given wine will taste different based on the current cycle. The Flower cycle is regarded as the best day for tasting wine. I personally have not tried tasting wine based on this, but it's on my list of things to do this year.
The dowsing experiment using rods that Johnathan performed on one of the attendees was also very interesting. I have a pair of dowsing rods that I haven't used in quite a few years, so it was refreshing to see somebody else perform dowsing, and do it well!
Overall, I was quite pleased with the tasting. It was an eye-opener in terms of the many organic and biodynamic practices that are followed. The labels are also very pretty - with a unique story behind each of them. However, it's what's inside the bottle that counts - and the wines are delicious.
Thank you Rare Earth Wines for the invitation and the opportunity to taste these fabulous wines that also happen to be organic & biodynamic. Since most of these wines are not (yet) available at the LCBO, you can order these wines directly with Rare Earth Wines.
Tasting Notes:
AVONDALE ARMILLA BLANC DE BLANC 2009 - WO Paarl, South Africa (#) (XD) - $28
100% Chardonnay. Medium-high aromatics with toast, bread, poached pear and citrus notes. The palate has vibrant mousse and show hints of sweetness that are cut very quickly by the vibrant acids. Medium-long finish. Score: 88 pts
AVONDALE JONTY'S DUCKS PEKIN WHITE 2013 - WO Paarl, South Africa (#) (XD) - $14.95
Primarily Chenin Blanc (85%) with Roussanne, Muscat de Frontignan, Viognier and Semillon rounding out the blend. Aromas of medium-to-high intensity consisting of sweet ripe peach, citrus and lemon notes. On the palate, it's medium-bodied and fleshy with flavours of lemon/lime, citrus, tangy peach and hints of honey. Some chalky minerality mid-palate. Balanced acids and medium-length finish. Score: 87 pts
AVONDALE ANIMA 2013 - WO Paarl, South Africa (#) (D) - $22.95
100% Chenin Blanc. Elegant, medium+ intensity aromas of honeyed fruit, white peach and tropical fruit. Palate is medium-bodied with very nice aroma replays showing nice complexity. It's off-dry with good tension between fruit and vibrant, yet balanced, acidity. Long finishing. Score: 89 pts
AVONDALE CYCLUS 2012 - WO Paarl, South Africa (#295220) (XD) - $26.95
White wine blend consisting of equal parts Viognier, Chardonnay, Roussanne & Chenin Blanc, and a small amount of Semillon. Medium-high aromatics that are elegant with notions of apples, orchard fruit, floral and fennel. The palate is medium-bodied, dry, and slightly oily with a chalky mineral texture and fresh, vibrant acids. Layered flavours of herb, lemon and floral continue through to the very long finish. Score: 90+ pts
AVONDALE JONTY'S DUCKS PEKIN RED 2011 - WO Paarl, South Africa (#383547) (XD) - $14.95
Blend of 37% Shiraz, 26% Cabernet Sauvignon, 24% Merlot, 5% Cabernet Franc, 4% Petit Verdot and 4% Malbec. Medium+ aromatic intensity with complex herbal, wild dark/red berry fruit, currant, cassis and elegant oak aromas. On the palate, it is medium-bodied with ripe, supple tannins and flavours of red/black fruits, black cherry, black currant, vanilla and chocolate. Good, balanced acids and a medium-long finish. Currently in VINTAGES. Score: 88+ pts
AVONDALE SAMSARA 2009 - WO Paarl, South Africa (#295550) (XD) - $32.95
100% Syrah. Medium+ intensity aromas of red cherry, berry, white pepper, dark plum, and soft vanillan oak. Flavours of spiced oak, plum, white pepper and currants on the medium+ bodied palate. It has brilliant acidity and firm, chalky tannins. Hints of chocolate on the spiced finish. Will age gracefully for 5-8 years. Score: 90 pts
AVONDALE LA LUNA 2009 - WO Paarl, South Africa (#) (XD) - $34.95
A Bordeaux-blend consisting of Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Merlot, Petit Verdot and Malbec, this red wine has medium+ intensity aromas with suggestions of elegant plum, red & dark fruits, floral, cedar oak and some purple fruits. It's full-bodied with refined tannins and very nice aroma replays. It also has very good acids and a long, smooth finish. Score: 91 pts
Tonight's white wine was purchased nearly 2 years ago from the August 3, 2013 LCBO VINTAGES release. At 5 years old, let's see if this unoaked Chardonnay is still any good...
White grapefruit, lemon and mineral aromas from the cork. Honeyed fruit, baked apple, with whiffs of mineral and nutty aromas of medium intensity from the glass. On the palate, it's medium-to-full bodied and dry with pleasing aroma replays. Very bright acids linger through to the long, minerally finish. Good balance overall. Will be enjoyed with pan-fried Haddock. Recommended. Score: 89 pts
The next LCBO VINTAGES release will be on shelves this . The major theme of this release is on Sparkling Wines (I guess to coincide with wedding season?), while the mini-theme is on fine white wines from Italy. There is also a feature on gifts for Father's Day.
We'll begin with Sparkling Wines. Of the 20 wines featured, 5 are included among my wine picks below. At the top of the heap is the Bollinger Champagne that is a blend of 60% Pinot Noir, 25% Chardonnay and 15% Meunier. The Cygnus Brut Cava is an organic sparkling wine made using Parellada, Xarel-lo and Macabeo grapes, while the Showcase 5 Blanc de Noirs is a unique sparkler made by Trius using 70% Pinot Noir and 30% Pinot Meunier - this will have a hint of sweetness to it. Going up the sweetness scale a little bit is the latest vintage of the Tawse Spark Limestone Ridge Riesling. Last but not least is the off-dry (i.e. slightly sweet) Segura Viudas Brut Reserva Heredad Cava that's made up of 9 different wines, each vinified in its own separate tanks. Macabeo is the most prominent grape in the Segura Viudas blend, and the bottle is finished with very nice Pewter accents that make the bottle a nice keepsake.
The mini-theme on Italian white wines is titled "White Knights" and features just 7 wines, two of which made my wine picks. The first of these wines is the Pieropan Soave Classico which is 100% Garganega and comes from the hillside La Rocca vineyard where vines range 10-50 years old. Harvesting occurs in late-October, providing some sweetness to the wine. An outstanding wine that is probably the white wine of the release. The second wine from this feature is from Le Monde and made using 100% Pinot Bianco - a grape which is a genetic mutation of Pinot Noir.
From the rest of the release, the Xavier Ventoux is a blend of 50% Syrah, 30% Grenache and 20% Mourvèdre, while the Cara Nord is a blend of 42% Garnacha (a.k.a. Grenache), 38% Syrah and 20% Garrut (a.k.a. Mourvèdre). Single-varietal wines include the Montebuena (100% Tempranillo) and the Moulin-à-Vent (100% Gamay).
In white wines, the Finca Nueva Blanco is made with Viura (a.k.a. Macabeo). The only rosé among my wine recommendations is a dry (i.e. not sweet) blend that is primarily Cinsault and blended with Grenache, Syrah and Merlot.
The Toronto Wine & Spirit Festival pops the cork for its 7th year and is returning to Toronto’s Sugar Beach for three great days on the water! We are excited to be partnering with the Redpath Waterfront Festival for a second year, and are excited to make this our biggest year yet! Welcome summer the right way with sampling wine, spirit, beer, ciders and coolers right at the beach!
Mark your calendar and save the date to join us at the Toronto Wine & Spirit Festival:
June 18th, 19th, and 20th.
Wineries, breweries and distilleries will be on location to discuss and sample their products and give attendees the “goods” on new and hot summer trends. Building on last year’s line-up, a variety of premium distributors will get the season started with their summertime libations. Local restaurants will also be on hand with delicious creations, designed to tantalize the senses and complement their sampling partners.
This event is rain or shine as all pavilions are tented. Advance tickets are $25 and include an official Toronto Wine & Spirit Festival Sampling Glass and 5 food/drink vouchers. Tickets can also be purchased on-site for $35 (subject to availability) cash only.
Thursday, June 18, 2015 – 6:00pm to 11:00pmBuy Tickets Friday, June 19, 2015 – 6:00pm to 11:00pmBuy Tickets Saturday, June 20, 2015 – Noon to 10:00pmBuy Tickets
wine is a rosé wine that will be available in the upcoming June 27th VINTAGES release.
This rosé comes from the Bandol region in Provence, in the south of France. This area has been producing wine since the Greeks first colonized the region over 2600 years ago. Bandol specializes in producing rosé wine, with over 60% of its entire wine production devoted to producing rosé.
If you like your rosé wines dry (like me), then you'll enjoy this one.
LA CADIERENNE CUVÉE GRANDE TRADITION BANDOL ROSÉ 2014 - AC, Provence, France (#119453) (XD) - $19.95
Tasting Note:
Blend of 40% Mourvèdre, 30% Grenache, and 30% Cinsault. Fresh peaches, nectarines and spring flower aromas from the cork. Elegant white peach, citrus and floral nose, with some herbally notes adding complexity. The palate is dry and quite full-ish with flavours of blood orange, grapefruit and strawberry. Has nice, crisp acidity and good length on the finish. It paired really well with garlic herbed salmon. Score 87 pts
Monday, June 29, 2015
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