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!
I opened up this delightful Ontario Riesling on to celebrate . This white wine was purchased from the VINTAGES Release and is widely available throughout the province.
Screw cap. Highly aromatic nose offers petrol, limestone mineral, tart lime citrus, and hints of white peach. The palate offers lovely aromas replays along with some honeyed melon notes. Very chalky mineral texture. Energetic acids keep everything fresh and balanced. Excellent length on the mineral-driven, lip-smacking finish. Highly recommended buy. Score: 91 pts
The upcoming LCBO VINTAGES Release features wines from 5 sunny Southern Italy hot spots in its main theme, while the mini-theme focuses on wines from Santa Barbara. Wines from this release will be on shelves at LCBO outlets across Ontario this .
We'll begin my top wine picks from this release with the focus on southern Italy because nothing from Santa Barbara made the cut. The hot and sunny wine regions of Campania, Puglia, Basilicata, Sicily, and Sardinia are featured, with a total of 12 wines listed and only 2 are included among my top wine picks. From the island of Sicily, there is a nice Grillo, one of the key white wine grapes on the island. One of the major grapes in Campania is Aglianico, and there is a nice little wine for $14 in this release. The last wine from Southern Italy is a Chardonnay from Puglia, and is actually listed near the back the VINTAGES Magazine as a Flagship Store Exclusive (FSE) - with limited availability.
From the rest of the release, the Domaine Guisset is a spicy blend of Syrah, Carignan and Grenache, while the Black Rock from South Africa is 68% Syrah that was co-fermented with other Rhône varieties to produce this multi-varietal blend. The latest vintage of the Emiliana Coyam is organic & biodynamic and consists of 48% Syrah, 24% Carmenere, 11% Merlot, 10% Cabernet Sauvignon, 3% Mourvedre, 3% Malbec and 1% Petit Verdot. The pair of big Cabernet Sauvignon wines from California are also blends, with the Chateau Montelena including 1.5% Cabernet Franc and 1.5% Petit Verdot, while the La Jota includes one quarter other grapes - 10.5% Merlot, 8% Cabernet Franc, 4.5% Petit Verdot, and 2% Malbec.
My white wine recommendations from this release consist of either Sauvignon Blanc, Chardonnay or Riesling. As is quite common, Riesling can be produced in styles ranging from bone dry to very sweet. From this release, the Pearl Morissette Riesling is bone dry, while the Hidden Bench Riesling will have a kiss of sweetness to it, and the Waimea Riesling is off-dry (i.e. slight sweet).
Among my sparkling wine picks, the Cava is a blend of Parellada, Xarel-lo and Macabeo, while the vintage Champagne is a blend of 50% Chardonnay, 40% Pinot Noir, and 10% Pinot Meunier.
Enjoy my top wine picks from this release! Cheers!
On the evening of , I attended the VIP Preview Night of the 22nd Annual Gourmet Food & Wine Expo that was held, as per the usual, in the north building of the Metro Toronto Convention Centre in downtown Toronto.
As usual, the event was busy as the crowds poured in soon after 6 p.m. and stayed busy over the course of the evening, until the lights began flashing near the end, signalling that the night event was about to end soon at 10 p.m.
For me, this tasting is all about the wine, however, there seemed to be fewer wine-focused booths compared to previous years - hopefully this doesn't develop into a trend. Meanwhile, spirits-focused booths seemed to be at the same number compared to prior years (which is not that many), and the number of food-centric booths seemed to be more than prior years, including some new names to the show. Having more food options was definitely a pleasant surprise as, for once, I wasn't left scrambling trying to find something to eat towards the end of the show.
Some of the booths I visited included the agency booths of United Stars Corporation, where they were pouring wines from Georgia, and MCO - Interesting Wines & Spirits, where they offered pours of fine French wines. No trip to Gourmet Food & Wine Expo would be complete without a stop at the Kolonaki Group booth to sample some lovely Greek wines and the top-notch Armand de Brignac Ace of Spades Gold Brut Champagne. My favourite booth every year is Wines of Germany for the some very fine sweet Riesling. This time, because it wasn't crazy busy, I also managed to taste at the Wines from Spain booth and tried the very nice PX (Pedro Ximenez) lusciously sweet Sherry.
On the local scene, Prince Edward County had a lengthy booth featuring wines from a few different wineries, including Trail Estates Winery and Closson Chase Winery. Although I didn't taste anything from Niagara wineries this time around, Hidden Bench Vineyard and Winery and Two Sisters Vineyards were among the notables that I know have quality wines.
All in all, I was quite pleased with the event. And even though the number of wine-focused booths was less than previous years, the event did compensate by having more food options that were to my liking. Many of the wines I tasted were also very good quality, with wine reviews of some of my favourites provided below. You should be able to find most of these wines at the LCBO in the General List section or in VINTAGES.
Tasting Notes:
KONCHO MUKUZANI 2013 - Kakheti, Georgia (#460501) (XD) - $13.95
Made with the indegenous Saperavi grape, this has a medium intensity nose with currant, cedar oak, red & black fruits and some spice aromas and flavours. It's medium-bodied and dry with good acids. Tannins have some structure and are a touch drying. Medium-long finish. Score: 87 pts
DOMAINE COURBIS SAINT-JOSEPH 2013 - AC, Rhône, France (#007914) (XD) - $30.95
100% Syrah. Highly aromatic and very appealing nose of black current, blackberry, red & black fruits, pepper, and hints of floral and oak. It's full-bodied with soft, velvety smooth tannins and very nice aroma replays. Very good acidity. Balanced, long finish. Superb. Score: 91 pts
SKOURAS MOSCHOFILERO 2015 - PGI Peloponnese, Greece (#442178) (XD) - $15.95
Medium-high intensity aromas of nice spring flower, mineral, tropical fruit and orange that continue on palate. Acids are clean and bright, offering a juicy mouthfeel. Medium-long finish. A wine for Spring. Score: 88 pts
KIR-YIANNI ESTATE WHITE 2015 - Samaropetra Vineyard, PGI Florina, Greece (#464511) - $17.95
A 50/50 blend of Roditis and Sauvignon Blanc, this has clean medium-high aromatics of kiwi, asparagus, grass, tropical fruit, and spring flowers. Acids are bright on the medium+ bodied palate with nice, ripe-fruited aroma replays and touches of mineral from the Roditis. Finish length is very good. Score: 88+ pts
ARMAND DE BRIGNAC ACE OF SPADES GOLD BRUT CHAMPAGNE - AC, France (#220244) (XD) - $299.95
A blend of Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and Pinot Meunier, offering medium-high aromatics that has bready, nutty, walnut, and some lime citrus aromas. Mostly comes off as dry on the fruity palate which is smooth and refined with fine bubbles. Vibrant acids are refreshing with a minerally character. Excellent finish length. Will have wide appeal at just about any table. Score: 91 pts
TRAIL ESTATE SKIN CONTACT SERIES LAKEVIEW VINEYARD RIESLING 2015 - Twenty Mile Bench, Niagara Escarpment, Ontario, Canada (XD) - $30
Fermented with 21-day skin contact - much longer than most modern white wines. Highly aromatic nose of golden apple and pear. The palate is bone dry with a chalky mineral texture, nice aroma replays, and crisp acids. Very good length on the finish. Winery only. Score: 91 pts
TRAIL ESTATE BARREL-FERMENT CHARDONNAY 2015 - VQA Niagara Peninsula, Ontario, Canada (XD) - $32
Bottled one week prior, the nose is highly aromatic, offering heavily-oaked aromas of toasty oak, smoke, popcorn, apple and butter aromas. It's medium-full bodied with a creamy mouthfeel and flavours that are less oak-influenced and more fruity - stone fruit, apple and butter flavours. Balanced acids. Finish length is excellent! Winery only. Score: 90 pts
PAUL ANHEUSER SCHLOSSBÖCKELHEIMER KÖNIGSFELS RIESLING KABINETT 2015 - Nahe, Germany (#161828) (MS) - $17.95
Medium+ aromas, very mineral-driven with stone fruits and citrus adding complexity. Crunchy mouthfeel, brimming with high acids that cuts into the perceived sweetness. More mineral and stone-citrus fruits on the palate, while finishing with grapefruit flavours. Score: 88+ pts
MARKUS MOLITOR ÜRZIGER WÜRZGARTEN RIESLING SPÄTLESE 2013 - Mosel, Germany (#139005) (MS) - $36.75
Highly aromatic nose offers complex mineral, earth, matchstick/smoke, and citrus aromas. It's medium+ bodied on the palate with a fleshy mouthfeel. Semi-sweet on the palate with lovely stone fruit and pink grapefruit flavours that are nicely balanced by vibrant acids. Excellent finish length. Score: 91 pts
CLEMENS BUSCH MARIENBURG GROSSES GEWÄCHS ROTHENPFAD RIESLING 2014 - Mosel, Germany (XD)
Stony mineral, limestone, and hints of lemon pith aromas of great intensity from the glass. Dry on the palate with more lemon pith. stony earth and limestone. Composed and well-balanced through and through. It has balanced acids and a long, elegant, juicy finish. Score: 91+ pts
SELBACH OSTER ZELTINGER SCHLOSSBERG RIESLING AUSLESE * 2012 - Mosel, Germany (S)
Medium-high aromatics with lovely orange and mineral notes. The palate is very sweet with highly appealing aroma replays which are balanced by bright acids. The finish goes on and on. Well-balanced, this will age for many years and will go great at the dinner table. Score: 92 pts
OSBORNE PEDRO XIMENEZ 1827 - DOP, Spain (#047944) (S) - $17.95
This Sherry has a highly aromatic nose of caramel, walnut, fig, molasses and more nutty notes. It's very sweet on the full bodied palate with many of the aromas coming through on the lush, thick, and smooth palate. Finish length is very long. Serve with a slight chill. Score: 91 pts
On night, I opened up this delicious red wine that will be available at the LCBO as part of the upcoming VINTAGES Release.
This red wine is produced by Château de Fontenelles, a winery located in the north-westerly commune of Douzens in Corbières. The Domaine, with over 40 hectares of Syrah, Grenache, Carignan, and Mourvèdre, has been part of the family for five generations and is currently family-owned and operated by Thierry Tastu and his wife Nelly.
The vines for this wine are grown on argilo-limestone soil on the slopes of Mont Alaric, allowing the grapes to develop well due to the cooler temperatures. Two types of vinification was used to produce this wine: Cold vinification for a few days to preserve the quality of the tannins, and strict temperature-controlled vinification of whole grape clusters.
Tasting Note:
CHÂTEAU DE FONTENELLES RENAISSANCE CORBIÈRES 2013 - AP, Midi, France (#148692) (D) - $19.95
A blend of 55% Syrah, 25% Grenache, and 20% Carignan/Mourvèdre. Aromas of black plum, blackberry, and oak spice from the cork. In the glass, there are aromas of black pepper, blackberry and whiffs of violets, herbs and forest floor notes of medium-high intensity. Pleasing aroma replays continue on the medium-full bodied and dry palate with rich, structured tannins and very good acidity. Lovely savoury barnyard, meaty notes arrive with air and linger through to the long, earthy finish. Enjoyable now, but should improve in 2-3 years and drink well to 2024. Score: 89 pts
The next LCBO VINTAGES Release on will be on shelves this coming and features an interesting theme as its main release - an introduction to some of the buyers at the LCBO and their best finds, which is also a collection of wines that are new to VINTAGES. The mini-themes are wines from New Zealand and Sake - the same as the first release of .
We'll begin with Buyers' Best finds feature that lists 19 wines from 5 different buyers. However, only 1 wine made my list of wine picks - a dry rosé from Spain that is made with Garnacha from nearly 60-year-old vines planted at high-altitude (790 metres).
From the New Zealand mini-theme, there are 7 wines listed and 2 are included among my top wine picks. If you enjoy Sauv Blanc, then the excellent Greywacke Sauvignon Blanc should be on your shopping list. Also from New Zealand is a red wine blend that consists of 76% Cabernet Sauvignon, 14% Merlot, and 10% Malbec.
In red wines from the rest of the release, the wine from Rhône is a blend of 60% Grenache and 40% Syrah, while the Corbières is a blend of 55% Syrah, 25% Grenache, and 20% Carignan/Mourvèdre. From Spain, the Valdemar is a blend of 90% Tempranillo, 5% Graciano and 5% Mazuelo, while the Cune adds more Graciano, with the final blend consisting of 85% Tempranillo, 10% Graciano, and 5% Mazuelo. The 2 California Cabs are also blends - the Clos du Bois includes 6% Merlot, 5% Petit Verdot, and 2% Cabernet Franc, while the Ridge includes 20% Merlot, 3% Petit Verdot, and 2% Cabernet Franc. From South Africa, the Glenelly Red is a blend of 36% Shiraz, 34% Cabernet Sauvignon, 20% Merlot, and 10% Petit Verdot. And last but not least, the Solaia is a blend of 75% Cabernet Sauvignon, 20% Sangiovese, and 5% Cabernet Franc.
In white wines, the Portuguese wine consists of two local barrel-aged varietals Arinto and Rabigato, rarely found in these parts, while the Sancerre is a Sauvignon Blanc, and the Meursault is a lightly oaked Chardonnay. For sweet wine lovers, try either Riesling or Gewürztraminer, including the very sweet Late Harvest Gewürztraminer from Konzelmann.
Among my sparkling wine picks, the Franciacorta is made with 100% Chardonnay, while both the Riddled and the Rosé Champagne consist of a blend of Chardonnay and Pinot Noir.
Enjoy my wine recommendations from this release! Cheers!
Red Wine:
DOMAINE LES GRANDS BOIS CUVÉE PHILIPPINE CÔTES DU RHÔNE-VILLAGES 2015 - AP, Rhône, France (#286344) (D) - $18.95
PASK GIMBLETT GRAVELS CABERNET/MERLOT/MALBEC 2013 - Gimblett Gravels, Hawkes Bay, North Island, New Zealand (#279869) (XD) - $19.95
CHÂTEAU DE FONTENELLES RENAISSANCE CORBIÈRES 2013 - AP, Midi, France (#148692) (D) - $19.95 reviewed here
After following up on celebration of International Sauvignon Blanc Day, wine is also a Sauvignon Blanc that will be arriving on LCBO shelves as part of the VINTAGES Release.
Greywacke is the Marlborough label of one of the region's pioneer winemakers, Kevin Judd. The name comes from his first Marlborough vineyard located in Rapaura where there is an high prevalence of rounded greywacke river stones in the soils of the vineyard.
I tasted the 2014 Greywacke Sauvignon Blanc in February of last year and am curious to see how this latest vintage turned out. In 2014, the quality of the fruit was considered above-average, along with the largest ever vintage in Marlborough. For the 2015 vintage, quality across South Island was good, but crop yields were lower, resulting in less wine produced; it was also a very dry summer in Marlborough, resulting in greater concentration than the 2014s.
Tasting Note:
GREYWACKE SAUVIGNON BLANC 2015 - Marlborough, South Island, New Zealand (#164228) (XD) - $24.95
Screw cap. Medium-high intensity aromatics are clean and elegant with subtle nuances of lemon zest, herbs, yellow flowers, tropical fruit and a fine mineral note. There's very good fruit concentration on the medium-bodied palate, balanced by zesty acids and fine minerally texture. Ripe stone fruits and lemon flavours are followed by hints of melon, orange and ripe tropical fruits, all nicely balanced. Stony mineral notes linger on the very long finish. Wow. This is excellent! Must buy. Score: 92 pts
I opened up this wine to celebrate the 8th Annual International Sauvignon Blanc Day, which is always the first Friday in May and takes place on this year.
This Sauvignon Blanc is produced by Saint Clair Family Estate, one of the leading wineries in New Zealand. The winery is owned by Neal and Judy Ibbotson, a couple that are considered viticultural pioneers in Marlborough since 1978. Initially, grapes they produced were sold to other wine companies, but in 1994 they established Saint Clair Family Estate because they had a desire to produce their own finished wine. Saint Clair is synonymous with quality ever since its first vintage in 1994 and continues to produce top quality wines today, such as this 2016 Sauvignon Blanc.
This delicious white wine is readily available at LCBO outlets across Ontario. How are you celebrating #SauvBlancDay?
Tasting Note:
SAINT CLAIR FAMILY ESTATE SAUVIGNON BLANC 2016 - Marlborough, South Island, New Zealand (#237255) (XD) - $17.35
Screw cap. Lifted aromatics offer ripe tropical fruits, kiwi, gooseberry, grass and hints of mineral notes. It's light-weighted and fleshy with clean, refreshing acids. Fine chalky mineral texture on the dry palate with ripe tropical fruit and blood orange flavours. Clean, lingering finish. Score: 88 pts
Friday, May 26, 2017
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