VINTAGES Release Aug. 6: Australia + Greece

The VINTAGES Release on August 6th will be on LCBO shelves this coming Saturday and features Australian wines for grilling and chilling as its main thematic. A small selection of Greek wines are featured in the mini-theme.

Just 12 wines are included in the Aussie wines feature, and only 2 are included among my wine picks. The Best's Shiraz will age for at least a decade and is recommended to pair with grilled chicken wings with a spiced barbecue sauce, while the Hill-Smith Chardonnay would go well with a roasted chicken marinated in lavender & provençal herbs.

The Greek mini-theme has only 6 wines listed and, once again, 2 are included in my wine recommendations. Native to Greece, the Moschofilero is a florally aromatic white wine that's dry and crisp. Gaining in popularity in Greek winemaking (and here in Ontario!) is Syrah; it is more often blended with other local varietals, but single-varietal wines such as the one from Alpha Estate are showing very good potential.

In red wines, the Faugères red is a blend of 55% Syrah, 26% Mourvèdre and 19% Grenache, while the Rhône red is a equal parts Grenache and Syrah, along with 20% Carignan. Also from France, the Bordeaux red is approximately 80% Merlot and 20% Cabernet Sauvignon/Cabernet Franc, while the Loire red is 100% Cabernet Franc from 30-year-old vines. Lastly, the wine from Hungary is made with 100% Kekfrankos (a.k.a. Blaufrankisch, Lemberger) from vines more than 40 years old.

Among my white wine picks, Domaine Lafage continues to pump out quality wines at very reasonable prices, such as the Cadireta Blanc which consists of Chardonnay (unusual for this French appellation) and 5% Viognier. Also in this release is a rich Fiano that is a Flagship Store Exclusive (FSE). The South African Chardonnay is made in a reductive, smoky style, while the California Chardonnay is your traditional (for the region) ripe, fruity, heavily oaked Chardonnay.

From the rest of the release, the Gassier rosé is a blend of 40% Grenache, 35% Syrah, 10%
Rolle, 10% Cinsault and 5% Ugni Blanc, while the Bandol rosé is a blend of 40% Mourvèdre, 30% Grenache and 30% Cinsault. And finally, the vintage sparkling wine from South Africa is 100% Chardonnay.

Enjoy my wine recommendations from this release! Cheers!

Red Wine:

• CHÂTEAU RIGAUD 2012 - AP Faugères, Midi, France (#393561) (XD) - $16.95  reviewed here
• LES VIGNERONS DU CASTELAS VIEILLES VIGNES SIGNARGUES CÔTES DU RHÔNE-VILLAGES 2013 - AC, Rhône, France (#034116) (XD) - $17.95  reviewed here
• BEST’S BIN NO. 1 SHIRAZ 2013 - Great Western, Victoria, Australia (#222323) (D) - $19.95
• CHÂTEAU TOUR DE SARRAIL 2010 - AC Bordeaux, France (#448829) (XD) - $19.95
• KLOOF STREET 2014 - WO Swartland, South Africa (#460964) (XD) - $19.95
• VIGNOBLE DES ROBINIÈRES L’ALOUETTE BOURGUEIL 2014 - AC, Loire, France (#450494) (XD) - $19.95
• ALPHA ESTATE TURTLES VINEYARD SYRAH 2011 - IGP Florina, Greece (#115295) (D) - $21.95  reviewed here
• J. & J. KEKFRANKOS 2011 - Eger, Hungary (#446591) (XD) - $24.95
• LAZZERETTI BRUNELLO DI MONTALCINO 2008 - DOCG, Tuscany, Italy (#318352) (XD) - $46.95
• DAMILANO LECINQUEVIGNE BAROLO 2011 - DOCG, Piedmont, Italy (#454488) (XD) - $46.95  FSE
• HARTLEY OSTINI HITCHING POST QUINTA DEL MAR PINOT NOIR 2012 - San Luis Obispo County, California, USA (#456715) (XD) - $58.95  FSE

White Wine:

• THELEMA MOUNTAIN VINEYARDS SUTHERLAND CHARDONNAY 2012 - WO Elgin, South Africa (#146423) (XD) - $15.95
• NALS MARGREID PINOT GRIGIO 2014 - DOC Südtirol/Alto Adige, Italy (#290924) (D) - $16.95
• FEATHERSTONE BLACK SHEEP RIESLING 2015 - VQA Niagara Peninsula, Ontario, Canada (#080234) (M) - $16.95  reviewed here
• DOMAINE LAFAGE CADIRETA BLANC 2014 - IGP Côtes Catalanes, Midi, France (#448472) (XD) - $16.95
• TROUPIS MOSCHOFILERO 2015 - PDO Mantinia, Greece (#463422) (XD) - $16.95
• HILL-SMITH ESTATE CHARDONNAY 2014 - Eden Valley, South Australia (#361584) (XD) - $19.95
• SANFORD CHARDONNAY 2012 - Santa Rita Hills, Santa Barbara County, California, USA (#956003) (XD) - $30.95
• COLLI DI LAPIO FIANO DI AVELLINO 2014 - DOCG, Campania, Italy (#455253) (XD) - $30.95  FSE

Rosé Wine:

• LA CADIERENNE CUVÉE GRANDE TRADITION BANDOL ROSÉ 2015 - AC, Provence, France (#119453) (XD) - $20.95  reviewed here
• CHÂTEAU GASSIER LE PAS DU MOINE ROSÉ 2015 - AP Côtes de Provence Sainte-Victoire, France (#450874) (XD) - $21.95

Sparkling Wine:

• CATHEDRAL CELLAR BLANC DE BLANCS SPARKLING WINE 2010 - Méthode Cap Classique, WO Western Cape, South Africa (#462762) (D) - $16.95

Fortified Wine:

• OFFLEY 10-YEAR-OLD TAWNY PORT - DOP, Portugal (#297788) (S) - $25.95

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La Cadierenne Cuvée Grande Tradition Bandol Rosé 2015 (Provence) - Wine Review

Opened up this fine, dry rosé wine from Provence tonight ahead of it's release into VINTAGES on August 6th.

Produced by Les Vignerons de La Cadiérenne, this rosé comes from the Bandol wine region in Provence, where a long tradition of winemaking exists since the Greeks first colonized the area more than 2,600 years ago. This co-operative winery was created in 1929 with 37 winemakers in the region.

Bandol is a relatively small AOC located in the South of France, near the coast of the Mediterranean and just west of Toulon. The region specializes in rosé wine, with 60% of its entire production devoted to it.

This wine will be on LCBO shelves as part of the August 6 VINTAGES Release.

Tasting Note:

LA CADIÉRENNE CUVÉE GRANDE TRADITION BANDOL ROSÉ 2015 - AC, Provence, France (#119453) (XD) - $20.95
Made with 40% Mourvèdre,  30% Grenache and 30% Cinsault, from vines that are 20 years old on clay-limestone and marl soils. Ripe peach and spring meadow aromas from the cork. Pretty pale pink colour. Medium+ intensity nose of peach, citrus, floral and hints of Provençal herb. Full-ish on the palate with more citrus, peach, floral and herbally flavours. Nicely balanced with fresh, juicy acids. Made in the traditional dry (i.e. not sweet) style. Clean orange citrus notes on the long, crisp finish. Perfect on a hot summer's day. Score: 89 pts

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Top Riesling - Wines of Germany Tasting 2016

The next post in my continuing series of wine tastings in May is the Riesling & Co. Wines of Germany tasting that was held in mid-May at the Arcadian Loft on Bay Street.

This event tends to be one of my favourite tastings of the year because I love my Rieslings, especially the wines from Germany. And while there were plenty of delicious German Riesling wines of various sweetness levels, I was a bit disappointed with the fact that very few showed the lovely petrol nose that I was seeking. Furthermore, there seems to be a growing trend of producing more dry instead of sweet Riesling in Germany. Personally, I prefer the sweeter styles.

In addition to Riesling, there were a few delicious Pinot Noirs, such as the Thörle Saulheimer Hölle Spätburgunder 2013 (90+ pts, $60). There was also the delicious Weingut Am Stein Stettener Stein Silvaner 2014 (89 pts) and a surprising Cabernet Sauvignon & Merlot blend in the Frey Assemblage 2013.

My most memorable wine of the event was a German Eiswein. This was my first time ever tasting Eiswein and it was absolutely delicious - I can see why most of it never leaves the borders of Germany (because not much is made, and what ever is made is scooped up by the locals). Wine reviews of my other favourite German wines are provided below. None of these wines are available at the LCBO, but you can contact the Agent for pricing and availability.

Tasting Notes:

RAPPENHOF NIERSTEINER OELBERG RIESLING AUSLESE 2014 - Rheinhessen, Germany (S)
Highly aromatic with wet stone, mineral, lime, peach and stone fruit. The palate is sweet with balanced aroma replays and lively acids. Excellent finish length. Contact Churchill Cellars for ordering info. Score: 93 pts

SCHLOSS SCHÖNBORN JUBILÄUM HATTENHEIMER PFAFFENBERG RIESLING SPÄTLESE 2011 - Rheingau, Germany (MS)
The nose is highly aromatic, offering peach, apricot, orange, citrus and some wet stone aromas. It's medium-bodied with bright, balanced acids and very nice aroma replays. Balanced and very long finishing. Contact H.H.D. Imports for ordering info. Score: 91 pts

REICHSGRAF VON KESSELSTATT JOSEPHSHÖFER RIESLING SPÄTLESE MONOPOL 2003 - Mosel, Germany (MS)
An effervescence wine with white peach and citrus aromas and flavours, joined by apricot, honey and mature petrol notes on the medium-sweet palate. Acids are still quite juicy, finish is long-lasting. Contact H.H.D. Imports for ordering info. Score: 91 pts

JULIUS TREIS GOLDLAY RIESLING SPÄTLESE 2015 - Mosel, Germany (MS)
Medium-high intensity nose featuring white peach, apricot, citrus, pink grapefruit and stony minerality with terrific complexity. It's medium-dry with aroma replays led by orangey citrus notes. Very well balanced with finely tuned acids, and excellent finish length. Not represented in Ontario at time of tasting. Score: 91 pts

THÖRLE SAULHEIMER SCHLOSSBERG RIESLING 2014 - Rheinhessen, Germany (D) - $50
Medium+ intensity nose with mineral and lime aromas. The medium+ bodied palate offers a chalky texture with more mineral notes, high acids, and fine length with more minerally tones. Contact Univins and Spirits to order. Score: 91 pts

BURG RAVENSBURG HUSARENKAPPE RIESLING GROSSES GEWÄCHS 2013 - Baden, Germany (D)
A single site wine from vines that are more than 40 years old, this Riesling has an appealing, highly aromatic nose of petrol, orange, apricot that's very clean. Just a touch off-dry, it has flavours of orange, peach and stony minerality. Nicely balacned with very good acidity and finishing long. Contact Halpern Wine Enterprises to order. Score: 91 pts

WEINGUT AM STEIN STETTENER STEIN RIESLING EISWEIN 2012 - Franken, Germany (S)
Highly aromatic, so intoxicating with lovely honey, apricot, and peach aromas that come from the drops I was poured. The palate is medium-bodied and very sweet with gentle acidity that balances the sweet aroma replays very well. Excellent length on the finish. Was seeking representation in Ontario. Score: 92 pts

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Château Rigaud 2012 (Midi) - Wine Review

Opened up this pretty red wine from Midi tonight ahead of its VINTAGES Release on August 6th.

This wine comes from Languedoc's Faugères appellation, located 20 km northwest of Beziers, a town just off the Mediterranean sea. Château Rigaud is produced by Jean Paux-Rosset, owner of Château de la Négly, and his consulting winemaker, Claude Gros. The Faugères area has multi-coloured sandy schist soils that naturally imparts acidity and elegance to the grapes. Furthermore, the area is unique in that it has the only homogeneous terroir in the region.

Tasting Note:

CHÂTEAU RIGAUD 2012 - AP Faugères, Midi, France (#393561) (XD) - $16.95
Blend of 55% Syrah, 26% Mourvèdre and 19% Grenache, from organically-grown grapes on flaky schist soils with southern exposure. Black plum, dark fruit and some sweet oak spice aromas from the cork. Initially a rustic earthy nose that gives way to ripe blackberry, black cherry, and hints of floral and sweet oak spice. With air, lovely floral aromas really pop from the glass. Full-bodied on the palate with pretty floral, red and black fruits, and sweet oak spice flavours layered over earth. Slightly tart acids are fresh and juicy. Fine-grained tannins gain texture in the glass. Long, satisfying finish with hints of minerality. A lot going on in this bottle, evolving very nicely from sip-to-sip. Enjoy tasting and smelling this pretty wine over an evening. Score: 88 pts

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Les Vignerons du Castelas Vieilles Vignes Signargues Côtes du Rhône-Villages 2013 (France) - Wine Review

Tonight's wine will be available on LCBO shelves in a couple of weeks, as part of the VINTAGES Release on August 6.

It is produced by Les Vignerons du Castelas, a co-op that was formed in 1952 by a handful of winemakers that wanted to pool their efforts. Today, the co-op is comprised of 50 different winemakers. Furthermore, these winemakers strive to pursue the "lutte rasionnée" form of viticulture which aims to use chemicals less often and less aggressively than conventional growers.

The winery is located in southern Rhône, near the Rhône river, between Pont d'Avignon and Pont du Gard in Rochefort du Gard. The name of the winery comes from an 11th century Romanesque chapel that is perched atop the village. Together, the growers cultivate 500 hectares of vines, with the majority in the Cotes du Rhône appellation. Signargues is one of their top terroirs.

Look for this yummy red wine on VINTAGES shelves beginning Saturday, August 6th.

Tasting Note:

LES VIGNERONS DU CASTELAS VIEILLES VIGNES SIGNARGUES CÔTES DU RHÔNE-VILLAGES 2013 - AC, Rhône, France (#034116) (XD) - $17.95
Blend of 40% Grenache, 40% Syrah and 20% Carignan. Ripe raspberry, blackberry and kirsch liqueur on top of a layer of forest floor, and hints of sweet spice aromas from the glass. Medium+ bodied on the palate with plush, dusty tannins and flavours of blackberry, dark fruits, spice and earth. Acids are juicy. Fruit holds up well to the 14% abv. Long finish with just a touch of tannic grip. Enjoy over the next 3-5 years. Score: 88+ pts

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Byrrh Grand Quinquina (France) - Review

Here's an interesting wine-based apertif I received to review and is now available at LCBO locations throughout the province.

Byrrh (pronounced "beer") was created in 1866 by brothers Pallade and Simon Violet in the small village of Thuir, France. Initially, it was distributed in pharmacies and appreciated for its medicinal benefits. Over time, Byrrh became a feature in bistros and grew in popularity through the Belle Époque (1890s - 1910s) and the Années folles (1920s). By 1935, Byrrh was the leading apertif brand in France with sales of more than 35 million litres.

The Bryrrh Grand Quinquina original recipe has remained unchanged since 1866 and is amazingly still produced in the original production facility in Thuir that was designed by Gustave Eiffel (of the famed tower) and created in 1873.

It is hand-crafted and produced by the maceration of the mistelles, naturally sweet and fruity wines (Macabeu and Grenache) which are then infused in alcohol with aromatic plants including coffee, bitter orange, colombo, cocoa, and the finest cinchona (quinine) barks. The final blend is then aged several years in one of the world's largest oak vats (1 million litres).

Tasting Note:

BYRRH GRAND QUINQUINA - Roussillon, France (#440909) (S) - $14.90
Grapey, caramel, nutty, golden raisin aromas, along with hints of sweet spice from the glass. Viscous, silky mouthfeel that's slightly warming with flavours of blackberry, orange peel, raisin, some potpourri and walnut. The palate is initially sweet, but finishes long and on the earthy, nutty side. Ideal as an apertif. I enjoyed this well-chilled, but it can also be mixed into a cocktail. Score: 87 pts

Serving Suggestions:

Byrrh on the Rocks - Served on ice

Byrrh Tonic - 1 part Byrrh Grand Quinquina, 1/2 freshly squeezed Lemon, 1 part Tonic water

Byyrh Blood & Sand - 1 part Byrrh Grand Quinquina, 1 part Te Bheag Scotch Whisky, 1 part freshly squeezed Orange Juice, 1 part Cherry Heering or Filthy Black Cherry

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Fleur du Cap Cabernet Sauvignon 2013 (South Africa) - Wine Review

Tonight's wine just arrived at the LCBO last week and is now widely available throughout the province.

The grapes for this Fleur du Cap Cabernet Sauvignon were sourced from the Somerset West vineyards, planted in decomposed shale and Stellenbosch vines in decomposed granite. The vines are between 14 and 17 years of age. Pest and disease control was implemented according to South African Integrated Production of Wine (IPW) standards that focus on environmental sustainability. It was aged for 12 months in a combination of new French, and 2nd and 3rd use American oak barrels.

Tasting Note:

FLEUR DU CAP BERGKELDER SELECTION CABERNET SAUVIGNON 2013 - WO Western Cape, South Africa (#457101) (XD) - $12.95
Currant and dark plum aromas from the cork. Lush aromas of blackcurrant, cassis, dark fruits with touches of smoke, cocoa and earth. It's medium-to-full bodied with ripe red cherry flavours and some spice notes. It has fresh acids to go with supple tannins that are integrated and smooth. Good length on the earthy finish. Perfectly fine mid-week red. Enjoying with some aged cheddar. Score: 87 pts

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