Nederburg Manor House Shiraz 2014 (South Africa) - Wine Review

Tonight's Shiraz from South Africa was most recently released into LCBO VINTAGES on March 3rd and featured as part of its main theme on wines from South of the Equator. It is widely available across Ontario.

Nederburg is one of South Africa's most awarded wineries and was most recently named Platter's Winery of the Year in 2017.

The story of Nederburg begins in 1791, when Philippus Wolvaart purchased a farm that lay between the Berg and Palmiet rivers. Together with his wife, Margaretha, they nurtured the land, innovated, and paid close attention to details, all of which helped build a strong foundation on which Nederburg flourishes today.

The Manor House is but one of a few wine labels among the Nederburg portfolio, and is comprised of single varietal wines made from Nederburg's best-of-best fruit. The line is inspired by the Cape Dutch manor house built by Philippus Wolvaart, Nederburg's founder and original wine master, for himself and his wife in 1800.

Tasting Note:

NEDERBURG MANOR HOUSE SHIRAZ 2014 - WO Western Cape, South Africa (#068775) (D) - $16.95
Plummy, blackberry and blueberry aromas from the cork. This has a medium+ intensity nose featuring ripe blackberry and blueberry, along with some minty herbal and meaty notes, all wrapped in vanillan oak. It is full bodied on the palate with suave, well-integrated tannins and crunchy, juicy acids. The palate is sweet-fruited with ripe blackberry, blueberry, pepper, and sweet oak flavours. The finish length is very good. If you like 'Shiraz', you will like this. Score: 88 pts

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Giveaway - Win Tickets to 2018 County in the City in Toronto

TRY & BUY many of Prince Edward County's most spectacular wines, while they are available in Toronto for one night only! At the 7th annual County in the City, presented by WineAlign, samples of more than 70 different wines will delight the palates of guests and introduce them to some of the most enticing flavours of Prince Edward County - Ontario’s hottest growing wine region.

Receive FREE DELIVERY on orders of 12 bottles or more. $10 delivery for minimum 6 bottle orders.

I have personally attended this event every year and can tell you firsthand that the delicious wines have been getting better every year, and some are downright excellent. As such, I am pleased to have the opportunity to give away two (2) pairs of tickets to this fabulous try & buy wine tasting!

Participating Wineries & Vendors:

Broken Stone Winery, By Chadsey's Cairns Winery, Casa Dea Winery, Closson Chase Winery, Grange of Prince Edward Winery, Hillier Creek Estates, Huff Estates Winery, Karlo Estates, Keint-He Winery and Vineyard, Lacey Estates Winery, Lighthall Vineyards, Norman Hardie Winery & Vineyard, Rosehall Run Winery, Sandbanks Estate Winery, Stanners Vineyard, Trail Estate Winery, Traynor Family Vineyard, Kinsip House of Fine Spirits, and Cured Spice Co.

Event Details:

County in the City presented by WineAlign
Where: Berkeley Church - 315 Queen Street East, Toronto, Ontario
When: Thursday, April 12, 2018 from 5 p.m. to 9 p.m.

Tickets are $49 in advance and include all wine samples plus two food items.
($60 at the door - subject to availability)
BUY TICKETS NOW

A portion of all ticket sales from this event goes directly to the Canadian Music Therapy Trust Fund.

This is a Beck Taxi sponsored event. Beck Taxis will be on hand to get you home safe. Please drink responsibly.

Contest:

Here's your chance to WIN a pair of tickets to County in the City presented by WineAlign.
Two (2) winners will be announced! Each winner will receive one (1) pair of tickets valued at $98 per pair.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

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Jean-Max Roger Cuvée La Grange Dîmière Sancerre Rouge 2013 (Loire) - Wine Review

Tonight's Pinot Noir from Loire is a new release that arrived in LCBO VINTAGES on March 3rd (with plenty still available for purchase as of this post).

This red wine is from Sancerre, a wine appellation in Loire, France, that is normally associated with fine expressions of Sauvignon Blanc. However, 30% of the vines at Jean-Max Roger are planted to Pinot Noir on flint, "terres blanches", and "caillottes" soil types. "La Grange Dîmière" refers to one of the village of Bue's ancient tithe barns. This barn was used by ancestors to make wine, and today it remains the oldest part of the winery.

I've enjoyed many wines from Jean-Max Roger over the years, but this is the first red wine from this winery. I am expecting another quality wine.

Tasting Note:

JEAN-MAX ROGER CUVÉE LA GRANGE DÎMIÈRE SANCERRE ROUGE 2013 - AC, Loire, France (#539858) (XD) - $29.95
100% Pinot Noir aged for 10-15 months, with 20-30% aged in 300 litre oak barrels, while the rest is aged in stainless steel tanks. Black plum, dark cherry and oak spice aromas from the cork. This has a medium+ intensity nose that offers ripe red berry and floral aromas with hints of candied cherry, earth and sandalwood oak spice. The tangy palate is light-bodied with fine tannins that are well-integrated and gains some grip with air. Tart acids are fresh. Sour cherry, floral and earthy flavours linger on the long, juicy finish, with touches of bitterness. Score: 89 pts

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Rawson's Retreat Private Release Chardonnay 2013 (Australia) - Wine Review

This wine was purchased at a Liquor World (the liquor store attached to New World IGA Supermarket) in Suva, Fiji, and opened while there on a recent vacation. At each of the few liquor shops I visited, shelves were stocked with mostly wines from Australia and New Zealand. I recognized quite a few of the wine brands, however, I would be hard pressed to find these specific wines at an LCBO.

Since I wanted to try something new, and with almost no shelf talkers or award stickers, I was pretty much in the dark as to what to get. I opted for this white wine made by Penfolds, a fairly reliable brand owned by Treasury Wine Estates that tends to produce quality wines throughout the range, and because Chardonnay tends to pair well with local Spiny Lobster.

Tasting Note:

RAWSON'S RETREAT PRIVATE RELEASE CHARDONNAY 2013 - South Eastern Australia (XD) - $33 FJD / ~$22 CAD
The medium intensity nose is very ripe with banana, tropical fruit, melon, and citrus fruit aromas. On the medium bodied palate it is a touch sweet with stone fruit and pear aroma replays, plus a salty mineral character and hints of lime. It has fresh acids and sweet vanilla notes with good length on the finish. Score: 87 pts

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Aniello 006 Riverside Estate Pinot Noir 2016 (Argentina) - Wine Review

Tonight's wine is new to the LCBO and was recently released into LCBO VINTAGES on March 3rd. It was featured as part of the main theme on wines from South of the Equator.

Bodegas Aniello is a small winery with Italian roots that was originally built in 1927 and looks to explore the value of the ancient winemaking tradition of Patagonia. The winery is currently on the path of moving from conventional to sustainable agriculture and integrated vineyard management by using natural alternatives for fertilization, pests, disease and weed prevention.

The name '006' derives from the cadastral nomenclature of the estate and is one of the few vineyards in Argentina, located next to an actual flowing river. Indeed, the image on the label depicts all of the elements of the varied alluvial-type soils that characterize the vineyard.

As this is a recent release, this wine is still widely available in the VINTAGES section at LCBO outlets across Ontario.

Tasting Note:

ANIELLO 006 RIVERSIDE ESTATE PINOT NOIR 2016 - Río Negro Valley, Patagonia, Argentina (#542092) (XD) - $17.95
Fermented in small concrete tanks, with a portion oak-aged for 12 months. Red cherry and raspberry aromas from the cork. This has a cinnamon spice driven nose with dark red cherry, strawberry and raspberry laying underneath, with good intensity. The palate is medium-bodied with cran-cherry-raspberry and forest floor flavours joined by some baking spice and beetroot notes which are lifted by fresh acids. Tannins have a touch of grip and are finely structured. Some mineral notes arrive mid-palate and continue through to the long finish. Drink over the next 3-4 years. Score: 89 pts

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Castelo do Mar Albariño 2016 (Spain) - Wine Review

Tonight's delicious wine will be coming to LCBO VINTAGES on March 17.

This white wine is produced by the Pazo do Mar Group, a family business with over 40 years of experience in producing Galician wines in northwestern Spain, just north of Portugal. The winery, Veiga da Princesa, is located in Arbo, Pontevedra, and produces only single estate/property wines using modern equipment and winemaking techniques. It was formed after merging more than 200 small farms that were owned by more than 70 different owners, with the first vines planted in 2002.

The Albariño vines for this wine come entirely from their own 18 hectare estate on granite soils in Tea County. The vines were cultivated on trellises, which helps produce grapes that are airy and sun-kissed, while also less acidic when compared to other vine-training techniques. This wine was hand-harvested and raised completely in stainless steel tanks using indigenous yeasts.

Tasting Note:

CASTELO DO MAR ALBARIÑO 2016 - DO Rías Baixas, Spain (#488734) (XD) - $17.95
Screw cap. This has a fairly generous nose featuring citrus, green apple, white flower and lemon oil aromas. On the ripe medium-to-full bodied palate, this has appealing lemon oil, citrus, and orchard fruit flavours. Some herbally notes add complexity as it warms in the glass. Fresh, crunchy, and balanced acids offer nice texture. Hints of stony mineral come through on the mid-palate and on the long, juicy finish. Score: 88+ pts

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VINTAGES Release March 17, 2018: Classic Euro Regions + Merlot + Argentina

The next LCBO VINTAGES Release on March 17, 2018 features wines from Europe's classic wine regions as it's main theme. There are two mini-themes - one featuring Merlot, the other featuring Argentina - however, none of the wines from the mini-themes are included among my wine picks. All of these new wines will be on shelves across Ontario this Saturday.

The main theme is interesting, featuring Europe's top 11 classic wine regions and lists 18 wines, four of which are included among my top wine picks. The 11 regions listed are Burgundy, Bordeaux, Champagne, Loire Valley, Rhône Valley, Piedmont, Tuscany, Veneto, Mosel, Douro, and Rioja. Among my top wine picks, you'll find an excellent Champagne that is a 50/50 blend of Pinot Noir and Chardonnay. From the Mosel region in Germany, there is a sweet Riesling that will pair really well with spicy dishes. Lastly, both Rhône wines - from the outstanding 2015 vintage - listed in this feature are among my wine recommendations. The Costières de Nîmes is an organic wine consisting of 75% Grenache, 10% Syrah, 10% Mourvèdre, and 5% Carignan, while the Châteauneuf-du-Pape is a blend of 70% Grenache, 10% Syrah, 10% Mourvèdre and other varietals making up the balance.

Among red wines from the rest of the release, Australia continues to explore Italian varietals, and the results are promising. From Australia, there is a Nero d'Avola, as well as a blend of Sangiovese and Shiraz. From Tuscany, the Gran Selezione Chianti Classico is made with 100% Sangiovese. From South Africa, the Ernie Els (yes, the golfer) wine is a blend of 60% Shiraz, 20% Cabernet Sauvignon, 5% Grenache, 3% Mourvèdre, 7% Cinsaut, and 5% Viognier. From France, the La Clape red from the Languedoc is a blend of 60% Syrah, 20% Grenache and 20% Carignan, while the 2015 Vacqueyras is a blend of 68% Grenache, 27% Syrah, and 5% Cinsault.

From my white wine picks, the Fumé Blanc is actually a blend of 89% Sauvignon Blanc and 11% Sémillon that was barrel-fermented and aged in French oak. For sweet wine lovers, the Siegerrebe will surely please your palate, as will the Ontario Riesling. The Pinot Gris also offers some sweetness.

Please note that the four Flagship Store Exclusives included among my wine picks will only be available in limited quantities at Flagship stores. Enjoy my wine recommendations from this Release! Cheers!

Red Wine:

• CORIOLE SANGIOVESE/SHIRAZ 2016 - McLaren Vale, South Australia (#534610) (XD) - $17.95
• MONTERRA FLEURIEU PENINSULA NERO D’AVOLA 2016 - Fleurieu Peninsula, South Australia (#534743) (XD) - $18.95
• ARBOLEDA CARMENÈRE 2015 - Aconcagua Valley, Chile (#046284) (XD) - $19.95  88 pts  wine review
• CHÂTEAU DE NAGES VIEILLES VIGNES COSTIÈRES DE NÎMES 2015 - AC, Rhône, France (#040964) (XD) - $19.95
• ERNIE ELS BIG EASY 2016 - WO Western Cape, South Africa (#220038) (XD) - $19.95
• CHÂTEAU PECH REDON L’ÉPERVIER LA CLAPE 2014 - AC Coteaux du Languedoc, Midi, France (#129965) (XD) - $22.95
• DOMAINE DROUHIN ROSEROCK PINOT NOIR 2014 - Eola-Amity Hills, Willamette Valley, Oregon, USA (#529107) (XD) - $39.95
• DOMAINE LES ONDINES PASSION VACQUEYRAS 2015 - AC, Rhône, France (#536854) (XD) - $39.95  FSE
• IL MOLINO DI GRACE IL MARGONE GRAN SELEZIONE CHIANTI CLASSICO 2011 - DOCG, Tuscany, Italy (#435115) (XD) - $42.95  92 pts  wine review
• FONT DE MICHELLE CHÂTEAUNEUF-DU-PAPE 2015 - AP, Rhône, France (#400358) (D) - $51.95
• MICHELE CASTELLANI CINQUE STELLE AMARONE DELLA VALPOLICELLA CLASSICO 2013 - Collezione Ca’ del Pipa, DOCG, Veneto, Italy (#075127) (D) - $55.95

White Wine:

• ANSELMANN EDESHEIMER ROSENGARTEN SIEGERREBE SPÄTLESE 2016 - Prädikatswein, Pfalz, Germany (#910554) (S) - $16.95
• HENRY OF PELHAM ESTATE RIESLING 2016 - VQA Short Hills Bench, Niagara Escarpment, Ontario, Canada (#557165) (M) - $17.95  88 pts  wine review
• CASTELO DO MAR ALBARIÑO 2016 - DO Rías Baixas, Spain (#488734) (XD) - $17.95  88+ pts  wine review
• A TO Z PINOT GRIS 2016 - Oregon, USA (#258145) (D) - $19.95
• ATTEMS PINOT GRIGIO 2016 - IGT Venezia Giulia, Venezie, Italy (#707950) (XD) - $19.95
• TOHU SINGLE VINEYARD SAUVIGNON BLANC 2016 - Marlborough, South Island, New Zealand (#536177) (XD) - $21.95  89 pts  wine review
• DR. PAULY-BERGWEILER BERNKASTELER BADSTUBE RIESLING SPÄTLESE 2015 - Prädikatswein, Mosel, Germany (#727370) (S) - $29.95
• WAKEFIELD ST. ANDREWS CHARDONNAY 2015 - Single Vineyard Release, Clare Valley, South Australia (#237933) (XD) - $34.95  FSE
• MARCO FELLUGA RUSSIZ SUPERIORE RISERVA SAUVIGNON BLANC 2012 - DOC Collio, Friuli, Italy (#541599) (XD) - $48.95  FSE
• ROBERT MONDAVI TO KALON VINEYARD RESERVE FUMÉ BLANC 2013 - Napa Valley, California, USA (#326165) (XD) - $59.95  FSE

Sparkling Wine:

• MOUTARD PÈRE & FILS CUVÉE PRESTIGE BRUT CHAMPAGNE - AC, France (#514372) (XD) - $51.95

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