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!
Opened up this delightful, pretty, and food-friendly wine from Germany last . This sweet white wine was purchased from the VINTAGES Release and plenty of bottles are still available at LCBO outlets across Ontario.
Tasting Note:
DARTING DÜRKHEIMER NONNENGARTEN GEWÜRZTRAMINER KABINETT 2015 - Prädikatswein, Pfalz, Germany (#944181) (S) - $19.95
Screw cap. This has a pretty medium+ intensity nose of lychee, rose, candied ginger, orange blossom and apricots, with a touch of leesy character. The palate is lively and sweet with bright, clean acids and very nice aroma replays. Sweet flavours continue on the juicy finish, with good length. Ideal for spicy dishes. Score: 88+ pts
wine review is this lovely Karlo Estates Cabernet Franc from Prince Edward County that was made by the renowned winemaker Derek Barnett, formerly of Lailey Winery. This Ontario Cab Franc is available at the LCBO and included as part of the VINTAGES Release. It is available only at Flagship Store locations and in very limited quantities. It is also sold out at the winery.
The fascinating history of Karlo Estates begins in the late 1700's, when Peter Van Alstine, a British Loyalist Officer, was given acreage of the land in Prince Edward County by the King of England after the American Civil War. Peter is most famous for building the Glenora Ferry which has been operating now for over 200 years. He was also the first individual to "officially own" the land where Karlo Estates exists today.
In the early 1800's, the land was transferred to the Stevenson family. They built the first homestead on the land, which can still be seen on Danforth Road just east of their carriage house. I was in The County in October, but missed visiting Karlo Estates (didn't have enough time) - but I will be sure to check this out on my next visit to this exciting wine region.
Sherry co-founded the winery with her late husband Richard Karlo after purchasing the property from the Stevenson family in 2005. The property consists of 93 acres, with 14 acres planted to vines beginning in 2006.
The talented Derek Barnett became winemaker at Karlo Estates in 2015. This Cabernet Franc is the first vintage where he had full control - from winegrowing, to harvest, and vinification. He has said this is the best Cabernet Franc he has ever made. I tasted a barrel sample of this lovely wine back in , so I am curious to see how it has developed with a further 8 months under its belt.
Tasting Note:
KARLO CABERNET FRANC 2015 - VQA Prince Edward County, Ontario, Canada (#524389) (XD) - $39.00
Wild fermented with indigenous yeast and aged approximately 15 months in barrel. Vegan certified. Earthy cherry and black plum aromas from the cork. This is a nice, cool-climate Cabernet Franc showing richly dark fruited aromas with lovely cigar box, earth, black plum, and sandalwood aromas with minimal herbally notes of medium+ intensity and opens up quite nicely with air. It's light-to-medium bodied on the palate with vibrant, juicy acids and a touch warming on the mid-palate. Cran-cherry-raspberry flavours mingle with sandalwood, earth, and touches of currant and minerals. Tannins could use another year or so to soften. Nice cigar box and curranty-cherry notes linger on the long finish. I really like the fine cigar box notes found throughout - very compelling! Enjoy over the next 3-4 years. Score: 90 pts
I opened up this delightful red blend from the Roussillon on night. This was purchased from the recent VINTAGES Release and is still widely available at LCBO outlets across Ontario. This red wine is made by the famed house of Domaine Lafage.
Tasting Note:
TESSELLAE OLD VINES GRENACHE/SYRAH/MOURVÈDRE CÔTES DU ROUSSILLON 2015 - AC, Midi, France (#343517) (XD) - $18.95
From vines more than 65 years old on schist soils, this is a blend of 50% Grenache, 40% Syrah and 10% Mourvèdre that was tank-fermented and followed by aging in concrete tanks. Red and black fruit notes, plus some dark plum aromas from the cork. In the glass, this has a medium+ intensity nose leads with flinty minerality and is layered with red and black fruits, white pepper, wild herbs, and hints of black plum and evergreen. It's medium-full bodied on the palate with ripe fruited, peppery, dark berry, and black plum, with good fruit purity and concentration. Acids are bright and zesty. Suave tannins provide subtle grip. Some bitterness mid palate. Juicy finish with good length. Drink over the next 4-5 years. Score: 88 pts
The upcoming VINTAGES Release is the last (and largest) release of 2017 and features Fine Wines for Fêtes & Feasts as its main theme. The mini-theme in this release features some very fine bubblies for festive occasions such as ringing in the New Year. All of these wines will be on LCBO VINTAGES shelves across Ontario this .
We'll begin with the feature listing fine wines for fêtes & feasts, which focuses on wines for holiday get-togethers. Of the eighteen wines listed, just two are included among my wine picks. The red wine is from Gérard Bertrand and is made with 40% Grenache, 30% Syrah, and 30% Mourvèdre, while the white wine is a Premier Cru Chablis (Chardonnay) from Burgundy.
From the bubblies mini-thematic which is composed of ten Champagnes, five are included among my top wine recommendations. The Cristal is a blend of 60% Pinot Noir and 40% Chardonnay, while the Nicolas Feuillatte is blend of Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and Pinot Meunier. The HBH is equal parts Pinot Noir and Chardonnay and aged at least 10 years on their sides. The Moët & Chandon is the 72nd vintage of this Champagne and this latest incarnation is composed of 40% Chardonnay, 37% Pinot Noir and 23% Pinot Meunier. Lastly, the Rosé Champagne is a blend of Chardonnay, Pinot Meunier and Pinot Noir that was vinified as a red wine.
In red wines from the rest of the release, there are a pair of nice Portuguese reds - the DAC Tinto is a blend of 30% Tinta Roriz (Tempranillo), 30% Touriga Nacional, 20% Alfrocheiro, and 20% Jaen, while the Quadrus is a blend of Touriga Nacional, Tinta Roriz and Souzao. From Rhône, a pair of wines from the excellent 2015 vintage include the Les Grands Bois, which is a blend of 60% Grenache, 30% Syrah, and 10% Carignan, while the Chateauneuf-du-Pape is a blend of 75% Grenache, 10% Syrah, 10% Mourvèdre, and 5% Cinsault. The Elderton from Australia is a blend of 56% Cabernet Sauvignon, 37% Shiraz, and 7% Merlot, while the 1994 Spanish red is a blend of 85% Tempranillo, 10% Graciano, and 5% Mazuelo. The blockbuster Joseph Phelps Cabernet Sauvignon also includes 8% Merlot, 4% Petit Verdot, 2% Malbec, and 2% Cabernet Franc. Lastly, the pair of Bolgheri's are the Antinori, which contains Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, and Cabernet Franc, and the stellar Ornellaia that is a blend of 34% Cabernet Sauvignon, 32% Merlot, 15% Cabernet Franc, and 20% Petit Verdot.
For sweet wine lovers, you'll want to look at either Riesling from Ontario or the Gewürztraminer from British Columbia as all three wines are mildly sweet. For very sweet wines, check out the Riesling Spätlese from Germany or the Tokaji from Hungary.
Enjoy my top wine recommendations from this release! Happy holidays!
wine is the second bottle I have of this yummy Ontario Cabernet Franc. I last tasted (and enjoyed) the 2012 Pillitteri Cabernet Franc back in .
The 2012 vintage across Niagara was very good across all regions with a relatively mild winter and early spring, followed by warmer and drier conditions than normal during the growing season. It continued to be hot and dry during the summer months, right up until harvest season in September. All of this resulted in very good conditions for winegrowing for all grapes, but especially Bordeaux varietals such as Cabernet Franc.
I am curious to see how this 2012 Cabernet Franc has developed in bottle the last couple of years. Of course, the 2012 would be sold out by now, but you can pick up the 2013 by visiting Pillitteri Estates Winery in Niagara-on-the-Lake or purchasing it online through their web store.
Tasting Note:
PILLITTERI CABERNET FRANC 2012 - VQA Niagara-on-the-Lake, Niagara Peninsula, Ontario, Canada (XD) - $23.20
Dark plum and dark berry aromas with hints of earth from the cork. In the glass, this offers subtle nuances of red and black fruits, green herbs, dark currants and savoury earthiness. It is medium-bodied on the palate with the fruit starting to dry out with dried cherry and sweet tobacco flavours. Tannins have softened but give off a very chalky mouthfeel. Acids are still very good. Nice dried cherry and floral characters from the mid-palate and continue through to the earthy finish. Decant and drink now. Score: 88 pts
The next release into LCBO VINTAGES on is a mono-thematic release featuring top California wines for holiday wish lists. All of these wines will be on LCBO VINTAGES shelves across Ontario this coming . This is the second to last release of 2017, and it's a thick one, so you'll want to begin stocking up for the holidays from this release and the past few releases in October and November.
We'll begin with the main theme that features top wines from California. Most of the seventeen wines listed in this thematic will provide enjoyment, but I have limited my selection to four top wines. This includes the mountain vineyard blend from The Hess Collection which contains 61% Malbec, 33% Cabernet Sauvignon, and 6% Petit Verdot/Syrah, while the flagship wine from Stags' Leap is made with 100% Cabernet Sauvignon. In white wines from California, the Grgich Chardonnay is always delicious every year, while the Kistler Chardonnay comes from their mountain vineyards that range in elevation from 800 to 1700 feet above sea level.
From my red wine picks from the rest of this release, the Crianza is made with 100% Tempranillo, while the Faithful Hound from South Africa is faithfully made with 32% Cabernet Franc, 26% Cabernet Sauvignon, 19% Merlot, 16% Malbec, and 7% Petit Verdot. The Chianti Classico is also a blend and consists of 80% Sangiovese, 10% Colorino, and 10% Pugnitello. From France there are a pair of GSM-blends - the La Ferme du Mont wine is composed of 60% Grenache, 30% Syrah, and 10% Mourvèdre, while the Tessellae Old Vines is made with 50% Grenache, 40% Syrah and 10% Mourvèdre. Also from France, the Crozes-Hermitage is 100% Syrah, while the "Vin de France" Xavier wine from Rhône consists of almost 100% Mourvèdre. On the local front, the Stratus Red is predominantly Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet Franc, with Syrah, Sangiovese, Malbec, and Tannat added to complete the final blend.
Among my white wine picks, the Antinori white from Umbria and the Montagny from Burgundy are both made with Chardonnay. For sweet wine lovers, you should pick up any of the Rieslings from either Ontario or Germany.
The sparkling wines found among my wine recommendations are all on the dry side. The Desiderius Pongrácz Sparkling Wine and the Drappier Champagne are both blends of 60% Pinot Noir and 40% Chardonnay, while the Moët & Chandon Rosé Champagne is a blend of 46% Pinot Noir (of which 20% is red wine), 32% Chardonnay, and 22% Pinot Meunier. Meanwhile, the Cuvée Catharine Blanc de Blanc is made with 100% Chardonnay.
Enjoy my top wine picks from this Release! Cheers!
HENRI DE VILLAMONT MONTAGNY 1ER CRU 2014 - AC, Burgundy, France (#522151) (XD) - $40.95 91 ptsreviewed here
ANTINORI CASTELLO DELLA SALA CERVARO DELLA SALA 2015 - IGT Umbria, Italy (#512376) (XD) - $59.95
GRGICH HILLS ESTATE CHARDONNAY 2013 - Napa Valley, California, USA (#346304) (XD) - $67.95 92 ptsreviewed here
KISTLER SONOMA MOUNTAIN CHARDONNAY 2015 - Sonoma Mountain, Sonoma County, California, USA (#183921) (XD) - $107.95
Sparkling Wine:
DESIDERIUS PONGRÁCZ BRUT CAP CLASSIQUE SPARKLING CHARDONNAY/PINOT NOIR - Traditional method, WO Western Cape, South Africa (#404111) (XD) - $16.95
HENRY OF PELHAM CUVÉE CATHARINE CARTE BLANCHE ESTATE BLANC DE BLANC 2012 - Traditional method, VQA Short Hills Bench, Niagara Escarpment, Ontario, Canada (#315200) (XD) - $44.95 91ptsreviewed here
On , I attended the 23rd annual Gourmet Food & Wine Expo that was held in the North building of the Metro Toronto Convention Centre. This event always features many wines from all over the world, as well as various gourmet food items and premium spirits and other cocktails. This event will also appeal to beer lovers as there seemed to be as many beer booths as wine booths.
This year, however, the event did seem smaller than usual, with fewer wine booths and even fewer food options. As a result, the event did feel more spacious. It also seemed like there were fewer attendees on the VIP Preview Evening than previous years.
If you are heading there this weekend (the Expo runs from Friday to Sunday), here were some of my favourite booths that you should also make a point to visit, as well as my favourite wines of the night.
Sunday, December 10, 2017
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