VINTAGES Release April 28, 2018: Pacific Northwest + Germany

The upcoming LCBO VINTAGES April 28, 2018 Release features as the main theme the cool-climate regions of the Pacific Northwest, which includes British Columbia, Oregon, and Washington. The mini-theme features the wines from Germany. All of these wines will be on LCBO VINTAGES shelves across Ontario this Saturday. We'll begin with the main theme that features the wines from...

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Château d'Aigueville Côtes-du-Rhône Villages 2016 (France) - Wine Review

I had the pleasure of tasting the 2015 Château d'Aigueville Côtes-du-Rhône Villages last Spring, so I was delighted to try the latest vintage of this red wine tonight. Château d'Aigueville is the Rhône property of Burgundian producer Henri de Villamont. It is located on a plateau between the villages of Sérignan and Uchaux, close to Orange. The estate benefits from exceptional...

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Tenuta di Renieri Chianti Classico 2013 (Tuscany) - Wine Review

Tonight's delicious red wine is a new release that will be coming to LCBO VINTAGES on April 28. Tenuta di Renieri is the Chianti-area estate of Bacci Wines, a winery based in Montalcino. It is located in the commune of Castelnuovo Berardenga, approximately 14 km east of Siena and in the southern half of the Chianti Classico production zone. The property is contiguous with...

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VINTAGES Release April 14, 2018: Grapes Gone Global + Lighter Reds

The main theme of the upcoming LCBO VINTAGES Release on April 14 is titled "Grapes Gone Global", while the mini-theme features the lighter side of red wines. All of these wines will be on VINTAGES shelves by this Saturday. We'll begin with the main theme, which looks at 10 classic European grape varietals and compares how they express themselves in Europe versus around...

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René Barbier Mediterranean White (Spain) - Wine Review

Tonight's wine was gifted to me during the holidays. This white wine blend is a General List wine that is readily available at the LCBO. Tasting Note: RENÉ BARBIER MEDITERRANEAN WHITE - DO Catalunya, Spain (#332767) (XD) - $9.95 Screw cap. A non-vintage blend of 40% Xarel-lo, 30% Macabeo, and 30% Parellada. Honeyed aroma profile with melon and lemon rind notes. The...

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La Ferme Du Mont (Rhône) 2017 Wine Tasting

In late November, I had the pleasure of tasting through the wines of La Ferme Du Mont. Taking us through the tasting was the winemaker and vigneron Stéphane Vedeau. This was my third time tasting the wines from this Rhone winery, having previously met and tasted with Stéphane back in 2015 and 2013. I was quite impressed with the quality of the wines on both prior tastings,...

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Cattail Creek Estate Series Cabernet Merlot 2012 (Niagara) - Wine Review

Tonight's wine is something I purchased at the winery when I visited Niagara during the Icewine Festival in January 2014. The 2012 vintage in Niagara was an excellent vintage due to the long, hot summer that's a pre-requisite for Bordeaux-style reds to flourish in this region. Looking back at my tasting note, I gave this red wine a score of 89 pts and noted that it would...

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