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!
red wine was purchased nearly 7 years ago from the LCBO VINTAGES Release that featured wines from Veneto in its main theme. Let's see how it is tasting tonight...
Tasting Note:
MONTE DEL FRÁ TENUTA LENA DI MEZZO VALPOLICELLA CLASSICO SUPERIORE 2008 - DOC, Veneto, Italy (#272500) (D) - $15.95
Blend of 80% Corvina Veronese and Corvinone, and 20% Rondinella from the terraced estate of Lena di Mezzo that is an hilly area with tufaceous, clay and limestone soils. Deep garnet colour with a brownish tinge on the edge. Generous aromas are very earthy and savoury in the glass with dirt, tree bark, and touches of dried cherry and floral. It is medium+ bodied on the palate with tobacco and spice flavours, plus some dried cherry/berry and floral notes. Fruit is starting to fade while tannins have softened but leave a chalky and drying mouthfeel. Acids are juicy. Earthy and stony mineral notes linger on the long finish. Quite nice for an 11-year-old Valpolicella. Drink now. Score: 89 pts
The upcoming LCBO VINTAGES Release on features Organic Wines in its main theme, while mini-theme focuses on wines from Bordeaux's left and right banks. All of these wines, plus many others will be available on LCBO VINTAGES shelves across Ontario by this .
We'll begin with the main theme that features 16 Organic Wines from around the world, of which 7 are included among my wine recommendations. Both Sparkling Wines are organic, with the bubbly from Chile consisting of 80% Chardonnay and 20% Pinot Noir, while the sparkler from Ontario is made with Riesling. Organic white wines include a Torrontés from Chile, a Sauvignon Blanc from New Zealand. Also, the Lagarde Blanc from Bordeaux is a 60/40 blend of Sauvignon Blanc and Semillon, while the dry Riesling is from Germany. The lone organic red wine is a Chianti Classico that is made with 100% Sangiovese.
The mini-theme looks at red wines from Bordeaux's left and right banks. Red wines from Bordeaux are quite often blends, with Left Bank wines typically based on Cabernet Sauvignon, while Right Bank wines are typically based on either Merlot or Cabernet Franc. In this Release, there are 8 wines featured and 3 are included among my top wine picks. My personal preference leans towards Cabernet Sauvignon, so all three of my picks from this feature are from the Left Bank. The Médoc is a blend of 50% Merlot, 45% Cabernet Sauvignon, and 5% Petit Verdot, while the pretty 2009 Haut-Médoc is a blend of 60% Cabernet Sauvignon and 40% Merlot. Last, but definitely not the least, the Pessac-Léognan is a blend of 52% Cabernet Sauvignon, 45% Merlot, and 3% Petit Verdot.
Red wines from the rest of the Release include a 95% Cabernet Sauvignon and 5% Merlot blend from Australia, as well as an 87% Tempranillo and 13% Cabernet Sauvignon blend from Spain. From South Africa, the Glenelly Red Blend consists of 40% Syrah, 40% Cabernet Sauvignon, 10% Merlot, and 10% Petit Verdot, while the M. Chapoutier from Roussillon is a lovely blend of 50% Syrah, 40% Grenache, 5% Carignan, and 5% Mourvèdre. Lastly, the Châteauneuf-du-Pape is a blend of 75% Grenache, 10% Mourvèdre, 10% Syrah, and 5% Cinsault.
Among my white wine picks from the rest of the Release, all are single varietal wines. Included among them is the Anselmi that is made with 100% Garganega, and the Rochemorin Blanc from Bordeaux that is 100% Sauvignon Blanc. There is also a Chenin Blanc from South Africa and a pair of (oaked) Chardonnays from California.
Enjoy my wine recommendations from this Release! Salud!
Red Wine:
FERNGROVE FRANKLAND RIVER CABERNET/MERLOT 2016 - Frankland River, Western Australia (#632638) (XD) - $16.95 89 pts wine review
LA LEGUA EL TRANSFORMADOR TEMPRANILLO/CABERNET SAUVIGNON 2014 - DO Cigales, Spain (#645812) (XD) - $18.95 88 pts wine review
wine review is a lovely Syrah I discovered while visiting the winery during the annual Niagara Wine Festival in .
I purchased this red wine for $17.95 and recall that it was on promotion and made available for purchase because their Estate Syrah was sold out. The 2012 is, of course, sold out, but I have tasted a few vintages of this wine now, including the current vintage which is the 2016 Creekside Iconoclast Syrah (89+ pts). You won't find newer vintages at this price, but the current vintage is also a very delicious wine that is available at the winery and may also come through LCBO VINTAGES at some point.
CREEKSIDE ICONOCLAST NIAGARA SYRAH 2012 - VQA Niagara Peninsula, Ontario, Canada (#471797) (XD) - $17.95
Screw cap. Just a tinge of reddish-brown colour on the edge. The medium-high intensity nose has savoury, earthy, meaty, and black pepper aromas with hints of oak spice and dark berry. The medium+ bodied palate is somewhat dense with refined, dusty tannins that fold into the palate very nicely. It is chalky textured with savoury, freshly tilled soil, meaty, dark berry, and black plum flavours with peppery hints. Acids are juicy. Nicely balanced aromas and flavours linger through to the long, earthy finish. Best with a light chill. Drink soon if you have it. Score: 89 pts
Of course, the 2014 was sold out a long time ago, while small quantities of the 2016 remain at the LCBO, and the 2017 should be available at Closson Chase Winery in Prince Edward County soon.
Tasting Note:
CLOSSON CHASE VINEYARD CHARDONNAY 2014 - VQA Prince Edward County, Ontario, Canada (#148866) (XD) - $28.95
Pours a medium-yellow colour and offers lemon citrus, waxy, paraffin aromatics in a mature profile. The palate is medium-bodied and fairly complex with lovely mature waxy, paraffin, mealy, and lemon citrus flavours plus some butter and vanilla notes in the background. It is nicely textured with some chalkiness on the mid-palate. Balanced acidity. Lemon and waxy notes linger on the long finish. A high-quality, mature Chardonnay to drink soon. Score: 90 pts
I picked up sweet dessert wine while visiting the winery last month during the annual Days of Wine & Chocolate Event in Niagara-on-the-Lake.
With this wine, Pillitteri Estates Winery is celebrating 25 years of family, quality and tradition. This family winery opened its doors in June of 1993. Pillitteri has successfully grown with 3 generations working in the family business, having received over 1000 prestigious wine awards and sell to more than 35 countries worldwide. The family is thankful and proudly presents the 25th Silver Anniversary Collection of wines for all to enjoy.
Back in February during Days of Wine & Chocolate, they were offering BOGO on this particular late harvest dessert wine - what a great deal! Although this deal is no more, this delicious sweet wine is still available for purchase at the winery and through their online web store.
Tasting Note:
PILLITTERI 25TH ANNIVERSARY SELECT LATE HARVEST CABERNET 2013 - VQA Ontario, Canada (S) (375 mL) - $25
Fresh red cherry and strawberry aromas waft from the glass with hints of white raisins and chocolate. On the medium-full bodied palate, it is somewhat dense and fairly sweet with just enough acidity to keep the palate fresh. More cherry, strawberry, and raisiny flavours continue through to the finish, with very good length. Enjoy well-chilled. Score: 88+ pts
The upcoming LCBO VINTAGES Release on is a mono-thematic Release, featuring 8 favourite grapes to "Meet Your Perfect Match". All of these wines, plus many others will arrive on LCBO VINTAGES shelves across Ontario by this .
With 8 varietals featured and 2 wines for each grape, there are 16 wines in total as part of the theme of this Release. The varietals are Cabernet Sauvignon, Chardonnay, Malbec, Merlot, Pinot Gris, Pinot Noir, Sauvignon Blanc, and Syrah and most of the selections here compare and old world wine with a new world wine. Of these 16 wines featured, 5 are included among my top wine picks. Pinot Gris (aka Pinot Grigio) is actually a naturally mutated clone of Pinot Noir. Both the dry Pinot Gris from Niagara and a Pinot Grigio from Italy are among my wine recommendations. From New Zealand, there is a nice Sauvignon Blanc. Among the reds, there is a Malbec from Argentina and a Shiraz from Australia.
The red wines from the rest of the Release includes a lovely $20 Côtes du Rhône-Villages that consists of 50% Grenache, 25% Syrah, and 25% Carignan, while the Bordeaux red is a blend of 68% Merlot and 32% Cabernet Sauvignon from 40 year old vines. From Italy, the Chianti consists of 95% Sangiovese and 5% Colorino/Canaiolo, while the Chianti Classico is a blend of 90% Sangiovese, 5% Cabernet Sauvignon, and 5% Merlot. The organic Emiliana Coyam is a perennial favourite of mine, and the 2015 is an 8-grape blend consisting of 44% Syrah, 30% Carmenere, 12% Cabernet Sauvignon, 4% Mourvedre, 4% Malbec, 2% Petit Verdot, 2% Garnacha, and 2% Tempranillo. Lastly, the Châteauneuf-du-Pape is a blend of 60% Grenache, 30% Syrah, and 10% Mourvedre.
Among my white wine picks, all are single varietals. The Pecorino and Avesso are not very common varietals and surely worth a try. All of the Rieslings are (mostly) dry in style, while the Pinot Gris from New Zealand will have some sweetness to it.
And finally, the lovely dry rosé from Niagara is made with 100% Pinot Noir.
Enjoy my wine recommendations from this Release!
Red Wine:
CUATRO PASOS MENCÍA 2015 - DO Bierzo, Spain (#039313) (XD) - $18.95
FINCA LAS MORAS PAZ MALBEC 2016 - San Juan, Argentina (#520486) (XD) - $18.95
D’ARENBERG THE FOOTBOLT SHIRAZ 2016 - McLaren Vale, South Australia (#984021) (XD) - $18.95
wine review is a lovely Chianti that will be coming to LCBO VINTAGES on .
Having tasted and enjoyed both the 2014 Giacomo Mori Chanti and the 2012 Giacomo Mori Chanti, I am fully expecting this latest vintage to also provide pleasure. This red wine is from the 2015 vintage - a vintage that is widely regarded as one of the great vintages in Tuscany.
The history of Giacomo Mori begins at the end of the 18th century as a marketer of processed, aged, and bottled wine from the cellars of Palazzone and Chiusi. These activities slowed with the onset of World War I and eventually ceasing during the economic crisis of 1927. In 1970, Giovanni, the son of Giacomo, restarted the production of grapes and wine with his sons, selling mostly in tanks and demijohns. In 1995, they began focusing on making quality wines by planting new vineyards with a careful selection of varieties, clones, and vineyard layout.
This particular red wine has been made for more than 15 years and today consists of 95% Sangiovese and 5% Colorino/Canaiolo. It is vinified in stainless steel tanks at carefully controlled temperatures, aged for 10-12 months in Slavonian and Allier oak barrels, as well as tonneaux and used barriques.
Tasting Note:
GIACOMO MORI CHIANTI 2015 - DOCG, Tuscany, Italy (#68858) (XD) - $22.95
Medium-high intensity nose offers ripe red cherry and spice, with leather and sour cherry hints, all surrounded by a savoury, earthy, forest floor core. It is medium-bodied with juicy acids and gritty tannins that will reward with some ageing. Nicely savoury with earthy, forest floor, red and black cherry, and oak spice flavours. Very good finish length. Really starts to shine as it warms in the glass. Enjoy over the next 6 years. Score: 90 pts
Wednesday, April 10, 2019
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