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!
The newest batch of wines from the LCBO VINTAGES Release will be on shelves this coming . Once again, it is a mono-thematic release with this one titled "Uncork something great!" and attempts to tell the VINTAGES story.
Of the 20 wines featured as part of the VINTAGES story, 6 wines made my list of wine picks. First up is a 2005 vintage Dom Perignon Champagne that is a blend of Pinot Noir and Chardonnay. Also included is a Syrah from Chile, a Malbec from Argentina, and an old vines GSM blend (40% Grenache, 40% Syrah, 20% Mourvèdre) that was all aged in concrete tank from Midi. The dry white wine from d'Arenberg is a blend of 55% Viognier and 45% Marsanne. For fans of sweeter wines, there is Flat Rock's Riesling.
Other sweet wines in this release include an off-dry (i.e. slightly sweet) Chenin Blanc from South Africa and a medium sweet Grand Cru Pinot Gris from Alsace. Also available are a pair of very sweet Rieslings from Germany - one is a Riesling Kabinett (available as Flagship Store Exclusive), while the other is a Riesling Spätlese.
In red wine, the Olarra is mostly Tempranillo with Grenache and Mazuelo (a.k.a. Carignan) in support, while the Hacienda Valvarés is 100% Tempranillo. The Châteauneuf-du-Pape is a blend of mostly Grenache, with Syrah and Mourvèdre added, while the Tenuta Degli Dei is a blend of (60%) Cabernet Sauvignon, Petit Verdot and Cabernet Franc. Lastly, the Ridge Monte Bello comes in 2 bottle sizes, each of which is composed of 64% Cabernet Sauvignon, 22% Merlot, 8% Cabernet Franc, and 6% Petit Verdot.
wine is a sneak preview of a white wine that will be in VINTAGES on .
Domaine la Haute Févrie is situated in the western part of France, within Loire, and 18 km southeast of Nantes, and located in the heart of the Muscadet Sèvre et Maine appellation. Family-owned and operated while producing 4 generations of winemakers that carefully tended to the vines over the years to produce the very best grapes possible.
Today, Domaine la Haute Févrie covers 30 hectares of vineyards, all within Muscadet Sèvre et Maine appellation. Several plots make up the 30 hecatres, each with different soils such as either siliceous clay or gravelly and shallow, all on metamorphic rock. Furthermore, this winery subscribes to the Terra Vitis methods of sustainable wine growing approach including no use of chemical fertilizers, and yield control by hand. They are also moving towards natural management of the vines.
This white wine comes from Clos de la Févrie, the earliest maturing plots of the entire estate, located in the hills overlooking the Maine river to the south in Saint-Fiacre.
DOMAINE LA HAUTE FÉVRIE SUR LIE MUSCADET SÈVRE & MAINE 2014 - AC, Loire, France (#390625) (XD) - $13.95
Tasting Note:
From 35 year old vines, hand-harvested and on the lees for 7 months. 100% Melon de Bourgogne. Refreshing lemon/lime aromas from the cork. Very good aromas of sweet lemons, citrus, wet earth, and a perfumed flowery note on the back end. The palate is medium-bodied with finely cut acids. It's dry with citrus, Asian pear, floral and honeyed-fruit flavours on the palate. Mineral, citrus and honeysuckle notes on the lingering finish. Some saline notes as it warms up in the glass. This is a wine that changes quite a bit depending on temperature. Over chill it and see how it changes as it warms up. Score: 88+ pts
The latest batch of wines from the LCBO VINTAGES Release will be in stores across Ontario this coming . It appears to a thinner-than-normal release with only one theme titled "Top-Scoring Wines".
In all, there are 19 wines featured in the "Top-Scoring Wines" thematic, and nearly half made my list of wine picks. All three Ontario wines that were featured come recommended - a Charles Baker single vineyard Riesling, the organic oaked Chardonnay from Southbrook, and the Featherstone 60/40 Cabernet Franc/Merlot blend from the great 2010 vintage. From Chile, there's an uncommon Carménère/Syrah blend that is mostly Carménère. A pair of white wines from South Africa are also included among my wine recommendations - a Chenin Blanc and an unoaked Chardonnay. For sweet wine lovers, you'll want to check out the Riesling Kabinett from Germany. Lastly, the red wine from Portugal is a blend of many grape varieties including the country's signature Touriga Nacional.
From the rest of the release, there is a nice 2010 Bordeaux red wine (100% Merlot) that comes in at a very affordable price point. The Rhône red from La Ferme Du Mont is a blend of 60% Grenache and 40% Syrah, while the Châteauneuf-du-Pape is a blend of 85% 90-year-old Grenache, 10% 60-year-old Mourvèdre, and 5% Syrah. A pair of red wines from Tuscany include a Vino Nobile di Montepulciano that is a blend of 90% Prugnolo Gentile (clone of Sangiovese) and 10% Canaiolo, while the IGT Tuscan wine is 75% Sangiovese and 25% Cabernet Sauvignon. Finally, the Rioja from Spain is 90% Tempranillo and 10% Graciano.
In white wines, the Lugana from Lombardy, Italy is 100% Trebbiano di Lugana. If you like your wines really sweet, then you'll want to pick up the Riesling Auslese from Germany.
Lastly, the Rhône rosé is made in a dry style (i.e. not sweet) using the grapes Cinsault, Grenache, Mourvèdre, and Syrah.
Enjoy my LCBO wine picks for this week. Cheers!
Red Wine:
CHÂTEAU DES MOINES MENODIN 2010 - AC Bordeaux Supérieur, France (#424259) (XD) - $14.95
HERDADE DO ROCIM RED 2011 - Vinho Regional Alentejano, Portugal (#423574) (D) - $17.95
VIÑA MAIPO GRAN DEVOCIÓN CARMÉNÈRE/SYRAH 2012 - Maule Valley, Chile (#274100) (XD) - $17.95
wine hails from Casale of Montefalco, within central Umbria in central Italy.
A trip to this region in the early 90's by Perticaia's owner Guido Guardigli convinced him of the extraordinary potential of the region and its princely vine Sagrantino. In the year 2000, Perticaia - whose name means "plow" in Umbrian dialect - was founded by Mr. Guardigli. The vines at Perticaia are cultivated using sustainable farming methods. Today, 7 of the 15 hectares on the property are dedicated to Sagrantino de Montefalco (100% Sagrantino grapes).
This red wine goes through an interesting ageing process. It is aged for a total of 36 months, however, it spends 12 months in small oak barrels, 12 months in steel vats, and 12 months in bottle prior to release.
If you're a fan of big Italian red wines like Brunello and Barolo, you'll definitely want to check this one out. It is available by Private Order via their agent in Ontario - Mondo Vino.
100% Sagrantino. Naturally fermented. Interesting sage, herbs and cinnamon spice aromas from the cork. Medium+ aromatics featuring nuances of blackberry, cinnamon, herbs, spice, olive and wild flower surrounded by earthy notes. The palate is medium bodied with firm tannic structure and drying tannins. Balanced flavours of blackberry, cinnamon, wild herbs, and cedar oak. Has mouth-watering acids and mocha notes on the very long finish. Decant 1-2 hours and serve now or drink up to 2022. Deserves to be paired with red meats. Excellent wine on par with Brunello and Barolo. Score: 91 pts
On , Day 2 of our tour (read all about Day 1 here) began in the morning in Niagara-on-the-Lake at Reif Estate Winery. We started in the tasting room with a platter of 4 cheeses, each paired with a different wine. The first pairing I really enjoyed was their 2012 Reif Chardonnay Reserve ($21.95, 88+ pts) with Gunn's Hill Farms Five Brothers cow's milk cheese - a type of Gouda and Swiss cheese that's very creamy and cuts through the wine's acidity to provide a very nice, balanced mouthfeel. The second pairing I really enjoyed was the luscious 2013 Reif Vidal Icewine with Glengarry Celtic Blue Reserve - a sweet and salty pairing with a mild blue cheese that worked extremely well together.
The Discovery Pass Experience at Reif was back outside in the Wine Sensory Garden, where we enjoyed the 2012 Reif Sauvignon Blanc ($15.15, 87 pts) with Ruth Anne's Grilled Asparagus and Goat Cheese Pizza. The generously sized pizza was made fresh on the outdoor grill and paired beautifully with the wine as fresh, herbally flavours came to the fore, while the goat cheese helped cut the acidity in the wine. Overall, a delicious and well-balanced pairing.
The second stop of the day was at Pillitteri Estates Winery for a Strawberry and Brie Grilled Cheese Slider that was paired with their newly released 2013 Pillitteri Pinot Grigio ($14.95, #146787, 86 pts). I've never had strawberries on grilled cheese before, so I was quite excited to try this combo as I love both strawberries and grilled cheese. The slider was freshly prepared while we waited and sipped on the Pinot Grigio. Subtly sweet strawberries combined with the brie provided a very rich, mouth-watering experience and overall quite delicious. The pairing with the wine was nice and elegant.
For lunch, we visited Southbrook Vineyards to check out their new Farmers' Table @Southbrook bistro that opened in June and will be open for service during lunch hours all summer long and through to Thanksgiving long weekend. By now, we were quite full thanks to a big, delicious lunch courtesy of Chef Shawn Murphy and Southbrook and were left pondering how we would be able to enjoy the final two Discovery Pass Experiences remaining on the trip.
Still in Niagara-on-the-Lake, our third stop was at Château des Charmes for what I expected to be a light pairing of their 2013 St. David's Bench Sauvignon Blanc and 2013 Paul Bosc Estate Sauvignon Blanc with a Candy Onion Glazed Goat's Cheese and Chive Muffin with Crème Fraiche. The two wines were quite drastically (and surprisingly) different considering that they were the same grape grown basically across the street from each other. Each is a very nice expression showcasing the effects of terroir on grape growing. Full tasting notes of these wines, along with a few others I tasted are provided below. The pairings with the muffin were also intriguing. The St. David's Bench Savvy was a more fruit forward example and lent itself more as a sipper than pairing with food, while the Paul Bosc Estate Savvy was the opposite - a mineral-driven wine with texture and great acidity perfect for food pairing. The muffin itself was on the small side, but very dense and quite rich and fulfilling. The onion flavours from the muffin were also brought out by the Paul Bosc Estate Savvy. Quite the experience!
Our final stop of the day was back in Twenty Valley at Featherstone Estate Winery. Here, we enjoyed a generously sized portion of thin-crust Strawberry and Mozzarella Pizza made fresh by hand in their outdoor wood burning oven. It was beautifully paired with their 2014 Featherstone Rosé (#14.95, #117861, 86 pts) with strawberry flavours from the wine matching the flavours coming off the pizza.
After all this heavy food on Sunday, we were quite full and actually skipped dinner. I want to thank everyone at each of 9 wineries for your excellent hospitality and helping make this visit a very successful and enriching experience. I hope to see all of you again in September for the Annual Grape & Wine Festival.
Tasting Notes:
REIF WHITE MERITAGE 2012 - VQA Niagara River, Niagara Peninsula, Ontario, Canada (XD) - $19.95
Blend of 63% Sauvignon Blanc and 37% Semillon. Medium+ intensity aromas showing pear, herb, green apple and nettle notes which replay nicely on the medium-bodied, dry palate. It has bright acids, spicy mid-palate and a lingering finish. Score: 88 pts
REIF VIDAL ICEWINE 2013 - VQA Niagara River, Niagara Peninsula, Ontario, Canada (#544791) (S) (200 mL / 375 mL) - $24.95 / $46.95
Lovely honey, yellow plum, peach, and apricot aromas which replay beautifully on the balanced palate. Notes of pineapple and toffee also add complexity to the flavour profile. It's very sweet, but not cloying due to the very good, crisp acids. Excellent length on the finish. Score: 91 pts
PILLITTERI EXCLAMATION RESERVE MERLOT 2012 - VQA Niagara-on-the-Lake, Niagara Peninsula, Ontario, Canada (XD) - $50
Medium-to-high aromatics with chocolate, oak and vanilla notes. It's medium-to-full bodied with complex flavours of leather, oak spice, cocoa, earth and blackcurrant. Bright acids and very long finishing. Score: 90 pts
PILLITTERI GEWÜRZTRAMINER RESERVE ICEWINE 2012 - VQA Niagara-on-the-Lake, Niagara Peninsula, Ontario, Canada (#409417) (S) (200 mL) - $34.95
Highly aromatic nose featuring lovely peach, apricot, honey, ginger and citrus notes that replay very nicely on the medium-to-full bodied, sweet palate. It has good acids, chalky mineral texture and a very long, spiced finish. Score: 90+ pts
PILLITTERI VIDAL RESERVE ICEWINE 2012 - VQA Niagara-on-the-Lake, Niagara Peninsula, Ontario, Canada (S) (200 mL) - $28
Medium-to-high aromatics with tart lemon, honey, and apricot. It's medium+ bodied with very good acids and notes of citrus, honey and spices on the palate. Finishes long. Score: 89 pts
CHÂTEAU DES CHARMES SAUVIGNON BLANC ST. DAVID'S BENCH VINEYARD 2013 - VQA St. David's Bench, Niagara Peninsula, Ontario, Canada (#391300) (D) - $14.95
Medium intensity, fruity citrus aromas joined by grassy, nettle, and herbally notes. The palate is medium-bodied with nice aroma replays and some lemony flavours. It's quite dry with bright acids and a touch warm on the long finish. Easy drinking, summer patio sipper with substance. Score: 88 pts
CHÂTEAU DES CHARMES SAUVIGNON BLANC PAUL BOSC ESTATE VINEYARD 2013 - VQA St. David's Bench, Niagara Peninsula, Ontario, Canada (XD) - $17.95
Elegant lemon/lime, peach and citrus aromas from the glass. It's light-to-medium-bodied with crisp acids and a lemon/lime, herbaceous, and mineral flavour profile. Slight chalky textured and finishing long. Deserves to be paired with light fare. Score: 88+ pts
CHÂTEAU DES CHARMES CHARDONNAY MUSQUE 2013 - VQA Niagara-on-the-Lake, Niagara Peninsula, Ontario, Canada (#640516) (XD) - $16.95
Medium intensity nose that comes off sweet with honeyed fruits, honeysuckle, earth and lime peel. On the palate, it's medium+ bodied and creamy with herbaceous and lime zest notes. It's dry with crisp acidity and a lengthy finish. Score: 88 pts
CHÂTEAU DES CHARMES GAMAY NOIR 'DROIT' ST. DAVID'S BENCH VINEYARD 2012 - VQA St. David's Bench, Niagara Peninsula, Ontario, Canada (#346742) (XD) - $16.95
Medium+ intensity nose with earthy, sour cherry and black currant aromas. The palate is medium+ bodied and complex with toasty oak spice, black cherry, blackberry, hint of mint, and undertones of herbs and white pepper. It has very good, balanced acids and a long finish. Score: 89 pts
FEATHERSTONE BLACK SHEEP RIESLING 2013 - VQA Niagara Peninsula, Niagara Peninsula, Ontario, Canada (#080234) (M) - $16.95
Aromas of medium+ intensity featuring apple, citrus, slate and ginger notes, plus some maturing hints of mineral and petrol. It's mid-weight with bright acids and medium sweet flavours of citrus zest, slate and wet rocks. Lingering, chalky finish. Score: 88+ pts
FEATHERSTONE SAUVIGNON BLANC 2014 - VQA Twenty Mile Bench, Niagara Peninsula, Ontario, Canada (#089011) (D) - $17.95
Harmonious and elegant medium+ intensity aromas of tropical fruit, kiwi and grass. It's mid-weight with grassy, kiwi and guava flavours on the palate. Bright acidity with some herbally and spice notes on the long finish. Score: 89 pts
ICE HOUSE SLUSHIES VIDAL - Ontario, Canada (#) (S) (375 mL) - $45
Tasting Note:
Honey, apricot and candied ginger aromas from the cork. In the glass, it is highly aromatic with notes of candied apricot, honey, peach and hints of blood orange. The palate is medium bodied with good acids that balance the sweet flavours of orange and peach well. Honeysuckle notes mid-palate. Decent length on the finish. Score: 88+ pts
white wine was purchased from the VINTAGES Release back in 2013. Knowing that I could let this sit for a while and mature, I decided to finally open this wine after 2 years, just before it reaches the end of it's predicted drinking window and starts to degrade. Let's see how it is...
TE AWA CHARDONNAY 2010 - Hawkes Bay, North Island, New Zealand (#301135) (D) - $18.95
Tasting Note:
Screw cap. Highly aromatic nose featuring pear, lemon peel and sweet vanillan shows judicious use of oak. The palate is medium-bodied with sweet lemon, stonefruit, and some nutty oak notes intermingling with fine, refreshing acids. Evident use of oak balances fruit well, slightly creamy mouthfeel. Shows good balance and tension. Excellent length on the finish with flinty aftertaste. Very nice! Drink soon. Score: 90 pts
Monday, August 31, 2015
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