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  • Date publishedSunday, May 19, 2019

Peter Lehmann The Barossan Shiraz 2016 (Australia) - Wine Review

red wine review is a nice Australian Shiraz. The 2017 vintage of wine will be coming to LCBO VINTAGES on .

Peter Lehmann was born in Barossa in 1930 and was the fifth generation of one of Barossa's pioneering families. In 1947, Peter apprenticed as a winemaker at Yalumba and in 1959 he became the Winemaker/Manager at the Barossa winery Saltram. In the late 1970's, during a difficult time in the winegrowing region when there was a grape surplus and contracts were being cancelled, Peter took a massive gamble by working with growers to process their grapes at Saltram (with the permission of Saltram's owners) as a side-project he called "Masterson" - a famous gambler from Guys and Dolls. After Saltram was sold, Peter parted ways with the new owners and he started Masterson Wines in 1979, which evolved into Peter Lehmann Wines.

Today, Peter Lehmann Wines is renowned as one of Australia’s most internationally awarded wineries and its wines are a celebration of the Barossa community and the benefits that passion, craft and collaboration can bring. Peter Lehmann Wines has strong relationships with more than 140 grape growers across the region and has access to some of Barossa’s finest fruit.

The fruit for The Barossan Shiraz come from high quality parcels that are selected from a diverse range of Shiraz vineyards throughout the Barossa Valley, many of which include vines over 100 years old.

Peter Lehmann The Barossan Shiraz 2016 (88 pts)

Tasting Note:

PETER LEHMANN THE BAROSSAN SHIRAZ 2016 - Barossa, South Australia (#522235) (XD) - $21.95
Screw cap. Medium+ intensity nose offers ripe black cherry and blackberry aromas combined with enticing black pepper notes. It is medium-full bodied on the palate with mocha, licorice, oak spice and touches of mint joining the black cherry and black pepper notes on the flavour profile. It has fresh acids and smooth, supple tannins. Earthy and mocha notes linger on the finish, with very good length. Enjoyed with lamb burgers off the BBQ. Score: 88 pts


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  • Date publishedFriday, May 17, 2019

Wines from Santorini Volcanic Terroir

Santorini Volcanic Terroir
In , I was invited to a media luncheon featuring the wines of Santorini, Greece. The luncheon and tasting was hosted and led by Steve Kriaris, owner of Kolonaki Group, and Elias Karkabasis, owner and Sommelier of Pane Vino Trattoria & Wine Bar in Lindsay, Ontario. The venue was VOLOS, a fine Greek restaurant in the heart of downtown Toronto, and a place I realized upon arriving that I had dined here a few years ago with my wife.

Winemaking began in Santorini in 3500 BC, more than 5,000 thousand years ago. In the classic Greek era, the island was called Thera, while today is officially called Thira. The massive volcanic eruption of 1600 BC ultimately created island's caldera and shape as it is today. This explosion left behind a mixture of volcanic ash, pumice stone and pieces of solidified lava and sand, which together make up the soil of Santorini. This soil has little to no organic matter, but is rich in essential minerals, except potassium, thus creating wines with a naturally low pH level and high acidity. All of these factors contribute to creating agricultural products with a distinct profile.

Wines grown on volcanic soils also travel well. As such, when the Italians discovered Santorini in 1200 AD, they began trading wines from the island in amphoras. The wine that was traded the most was the delectably sweet Vinsanto dessert wine and it was exported throughout the Mediterranean and Europe. It was also sent back home to the Pope in Italy - a practice that still occurs today as The Pope receives the oldest and some of the finest Vinsanto directly from Santorini.

Most of the wine production on Santorini consists of white wines and dessert wines. Assyrtiko is the main white grape grown as it thrives in its birthplace, the volcanic island of Santorini. According to appellation rules, Protected Designation of Origin (PDO) Santorini white wines must contain a minimum of 75% Assyrtiko. Most often, it is produced as a single varietal wine, but can also contain the varietals Athiri and Aidani. Nykteri wines are also made with Assyrtiko and aged for at least three months is oak barrels. Vinsanto wines are naturally sweet dessert wines made from sun-dried grapes, must contain at least 51% Assyrtiko and be aged for at least 24 months in oak barrels, allowing the wine to develop additional complexities. PDO Santorini wines have great ageing potential due to their unique characteristics that stem from their volcanic origin, as well as their naturally high acidity and minerality.

All of the wines we tasted during the luncheon were from the Union of Santorini Cooperatives, also known as SantoWines. This co-operative was founded in 1947 and today it is the largest winery on the island, representing more than 1,200 active growers of grapes and other agricultural products. SantoWines is committed to safeguarding local traditional cultivations, producing high quality PDO Santorini wines, tomatoes, and fava, as well as promoting sustainable agriculture development.

In addition to the fine wines from Santorini, there were also a couple of other food items from this small and rich volcanic island. Santorini fava beans are scientifically known as "Lathyrus Clymenum L." and have been grown exclusively on the island for more than 3,500 years. These fava beans are considered a superfood as they have amazing nutritional value and contain more than 20% plant-based protein. Traditionally dried and aged under the sun, this legume has a rich, velvety texture and an earthy, slightly sweet taste.

Fava spread

Tomataki dip (top left) with Saganaki

Santorini tomatoes, commonly known as tomataki, are one-of-a-kind as they are dry-farmed on volcanic soils. They have thick skins with a ruffled shape, a concentrated full-body and a naturally sweet taste. Tomataki also have more vitamin C than regular tomatoes and more lycopene (antioxidant) than any other fruit or vegetable. Tomataki also makes a unique tomato paste, which we got to enjoy during lunch. It has a distinctive dark red colour, velvety texture, and a sweet and slightly minerally taste that was great for dipping with bread.

The wines, as well as the unique Santorini food items can all be purchased through Kolonaki Group. You can also purchase these wines at the LCBO Greece Destination outlet at 200 Danforth Avenue (Toronto), while the first Assyrtiko in the list below is widely available across Ontario.

Thank you Kolonaki Group for the invitation and the opportunity to try these delicious Santorini foods and wines. Lunch was delicious and I was pleasantly surprised to find that my lamb dish paired beautifully with these white wines. Wine reviews of these delicious wines are provided below and I trust that you will enjoy them as much as I dd. Opa!

Exohico (phyllo pastry and braised lamb) with Santo Grand Reserve Assyrtiko

Tasting Notes:

SANTO SANTORINI ASSYRTIKO 2017 - PDO Santorini, Greece (#459032) (XD) - $23.30
Medium+ intensity nose is clean with citrus, herbs and minerality with hints of saline. It is medium+ bodied and concentrated on the minerally-textured palate with nicely balanced aromas replays on the flavour profile. It is structured with vibrant acids, and has a long, juicy finish. Score: 89 pts

Santo Santorini Assyrtiko 2017 (89 pts)Santo Nykteri 2017 (90 pts)


SANTO NYKTERI 2017 - PDO Santorini, Greece (XD) - $33.95
A blend of 75% Assrytiko, 15% Athiri, and 10% Aidani that was harvested at night to keep freshness. Spent 3 months in oak barrels. This is ripe with roasted pineapple, stone fruit, ripe apple, pear, citrus, and melon, with subtle oak influence. All of which comes through on the vibrant palate with lively acids. Clean, elegant and nicely balanced with excellent finish length. Score: 90 pts

SANTO GRANDE RESERVE ASSYRTIKO 2016 - PDO Santorini, Greece (#814186) (XD) - $57.95
This Assyrtiko spent 1 year in French oak barrels. The medium-high intensity nose has a subtle oak influence with Meyer lemon citrus, baked apple, butter, and stone fruit aromas and flavours. It is medium-full bodied and structured with vanilla notes appearing on the palate. There is a nice mineral texture to go along with juicy acids. Long on the finish. Score: 91 pts

Santo Grande Reserve Assyrtiko 2016 (91 pts)Santo Vinsanto 2011 (89 pts)

SANTO VINSANTO 2011 - PDO Santorini, Greece (#654722) (S) (500 mL) - $67.95
Sun-dried 85% Assyrtiko and 15% Aidani grapes that spent 3 years in oak barrels. Deep orange-red-brown colour. Offers complex aromas of sweet spice, golden raisin, fig, dates, plum, honeyed, brown sugar and hints of hazelnut. Full-bodied with more raisin, fig, and sweet plum notes on the palate, with very good acidity and flavours lingering on the long finish. Score: 89 pts


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  • Date publishedWednesday, May 15, 2019

Cave de Tain Grand Classique Crozes-Hermitage 2015 (Rhône) - Wine Review

wine review is a lovely bottle that first arrived in VINTAGES nearly , and I am happy to report that this delicious red wine is coming back to LCBO VINTAGES on with a couple of years of bottle age under its belt.

It is produced by Cave de Tain, a large co-operative that was founded in 1933 by Louis Gambert de Loche on the Hermitage slope in northern Rhône. With 1,000 hectares of vineyards that are meticulously maintained in five prestigious appellations - Hermitage, Crozes-Hermitage, Saint-Joseph, Cornas, and Saint-Péray - Cave de Tain is the leading producer of Cru wines in the northern Rhône Valley. Even though Cave de Tain is a co-operative, they own all of their vineyards. This allows the winemakers to select and vinify from individual plots to create wines that express their rich, unique and diverse terroirs.

Cave de Tain is a pioneer in areas such as sustainable winegrowing (certified since 2009), conservation of their unique grape varieties, developing winemaking knowledge that is passed down over four generations of winemakers, and investing in cutting-edge tools.

Northern Rhône and the Crozes-Hermitage Cru are famous for its Syrah as the terroir here offers a very rich expression of the varietal. This particular Crozes-Hermitage comes from the multi-faceted terroirs of more than 30 different plots of vineyards. The terroir here consists of predominantly granite soils in a fresher climate in the north, while in the south there are pebbly and filtrating soils of the Rhône and Isère.

Cave de Tain Grand Classique Crozes-Hermitage 2015 (90 pts)

Tasting Note:

CAVE DE TAIN GRAND CLASSIQUE CROZES-HERMITAGE 2015 - AC, Rhône, France (#572230) (XD) - $24.95
Cool, medium-high intensity nose is fairly complex with peppery, black cherry, meaty, black plum, and savoury earthy aromas. It is quite dense on the full-ish bodied palate with smooth, refined tannins and just a touch of chalky grippiness. Nicely balanced with more black pepper, black cherry and meaty flavours, plus some stony minerality on the mid-palate. Acids are juicy. Excellent length on the long, earthy-minerally-savoury finish. Enjoy this classic northern Rhône Syrah over the next 3-5 years. Score: 90 pts


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  • Date publishedMonday, May 13, 2019

Rodenbach Vintage 2016 and Caractère Rouge (Belgium) - Beer Reviews

Rodenbach Ale
I recently had the opportunity to try these two fine, award-winning beers from Belgium.

The brewery was established by the Rodenbach family in 1821 in the West Flemish town of Roeselare, Belgium. Rodenbach beer owes it unique quality and masterful character to the oak casks in which it matures. Rodenbach is the archetypical Flemish red-brown ale from West Flanders. It is recognised as a regional product and is (probably) the most award-winning beer in the world.

It is interesting to note that the Vintage Ale is a 5-time GOLD World Beer Award winner that is hand-selected from the year's best foeder (i.e. large oak barrel) by brewmaster Rudi Ghequire who selected it exclusively for Ontario beer drinkers.

Both of these delicious beers are widely available at LCBO outlets across Ontario.

Tasting Notes:

RODENBACH VINTAGE 2016 - Belgium (#402578) (750 mL) - $12.75
Unblended fine ale aged for two years in hand-made standing oak casks (foeders). Brownish colour with tinges of orange. Malty, tangy citrus, sour red berry, and spice aromas. It is full-bodied on the palate with tangy, tart and sour red cherry, red berry and malty flavours along with some oak spice notes. Balanced sweet and sour flavours linger on the finish.

Rodenbach Vintage 2016

RODENBACH CARACTÈRE ROUGE - Belgium (#551622) (750 mL) - $8.70This beer starts as Rodenbach's Vintage Ale and is macerated with cranberries, raspberries, and sour cherries for six months. In the glass, this offers fragrant aromas of red berries and nutmeg spice. The palate is medium bodied with more red berry notes such as cranberry, cherry and raspberry flavours. There's also some flavours of tangy citrus, spice, and hints of caramel. Slightly creamy and well-balanced with a long, clean finish. A fruity and complex beer for summer or fall drinking.

Rodenbach Caractère Rouge


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  • Date publishedTuesday, May 7, 2019

Joiy Rosé Sparkling (Australia) - Wine Review

I am trying sparkling wine in a can. This is a new product that will be arriving at the LCBO very soon and will complement the Joiy Sparkling (Riesling) that is currently available.

I must admit, I have never tried wine from a can before and the traditionalist in me thinks that I will eventually drink it from a wine glass. However, I do see the advantages of packaging wine in a can as it is very portable, doesn't require any special openers, nor do you need a glass.

This particular sparkling wine is made by the New Zealand company Joiy in Australia using Australian wine. The winemaker is Chris Archer, an entrepreneur with over 25 years of winemaking experience. He wanted to create a truly unique product that broke the realms of the traditional wine industry. According to Chris, Joiy wines are "Delightfully chic and spirited, Joiy wines act as the catalyst for many social escapades. Joiy celebrates the day. The antidote to the ordinary, it sings of the promise of amusements yet to come. Wines to release a little mischief".

Joiy Rosé Sparkling

Tasting Note:

JOIY ROSÉ SPARKLING - Australia (#647313) (D) (250 mL) - $4.95
Fresh, candied cherry and strawberry aromas that follow through on the off-dry palate with some floral, citrus and bitter stemmy flavours. Crisp and lively acids balance the bubbles and helps keep the sweetness in check. Casual, easy drinking, and fun for a day at the beach or park.


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  • Date publishedMonday, May 6, 2019

Wine Picks LCBO VINTAGES Release May 11, 2019: People's Choice + New Zealand

LCBO Wine Picks: May 11, 2019 VINTAGES Release
The main theme from the upcoming May 11, 2019 LCBO VINTAGES Release is titled "The People's Choice", while the mini-theme focuses on wines from New Zealand. All of these wines, plus many more will arrive on LCBO VINTAGES shelves across Ontario by this Saturday.

We'll begin with the main theme titled "The People's Choice". This feature lists twenty wines that are grouped together as "Customer Favourites", of which five are included among my top wine picks. The lone white is a lovely, minerally Sancerre from Loire that is made with Sauvignon Blanc. The rose from Château Saint Roch is a blend of Grenache Noir, Grenache Gris, and Mourvèdre. Among the red wines, there is a nice, meaty Australian Shiraz that includes 2% Barbera. There is also the latest vintage of the La Ferme Du Mont Première Côte that is a blend of 60% Grenache, 30% Syrah, and 10% Mourvèdre, as well as the Monasterio de las Viñas which consists of Garnacha, Cariñena, and Tempranillo.

Roger & Didier Raimbault Sancerre 2017 (90 pts)Château Saint Roch Le Rosé 2018 (88 pts)

La Ferme Du Mont Première Côte Côtes du Rhône 2017 (88+ pts)Wits End Luna Shiraz 2017 (88 pts)

The mini-theme looks at wines from New Zealand, where producer's these days are fine-tuning the country's wine story by focusing on site selection. Of the ten wines featured, just two are included among my wine recommendations. The first wine is an organic Sauvignon Blanc from Marlborough, while the second wine is a lovely Pinot Noir from Central Otago.

Rapaura Springs Reserve Pinot Noir 2017 (90 pts)Momo Organic Sauvignon Blanc 2016 (90 pts)

For lovers of red wines, from the fantastic 2015 Bordeaux vintage is the Cap Royal Rouge that consists of 70% Merlot and 30% Cabernet Sauvignon, while the Château Le Boscq is a blend of 48% Cabernet Sauvignon, 47% Merlot, and 5% Petit Verdot. From Rhône, the Châteauneuf-du-Pape is mostly Grenache with small amounts of Syrah and Mourvèdre completing the blend - all of which was raised entirely in concrete tanks.

Château Le Boscq 2015 (92 pts)Tawse Limestone Ridge-North Estate Bottled Riesling 2016 (91 pts)

Among my white wine picks, the only blend is from Rioja that consists of Viura and other varietals, and also sees some time in barrel. The rest are all single varietal wines, including a Grillo, a barrel fermented Chardonnay, and a dry Riesling from Alsace. For those that prefer sweeter wines, you will enjoy the lovely Riesling from Niagara's Tawse Winery.

Enjoy my wine picks from this Release! Cheers!

Red Wine:

  • MONASTERIO DE LAS VIÑAS RESERVA GARNACHA / TEMPRANILLO / CARIÑENA 2014 - DOP Cariñena, Spain (#166579) (XD) - $14.95  88 pts  wine review
  • WITS END LUNA SHIRAZ 2017 - McLaren Vale, South Australia (#311258) (XD) - $17.95  88 pts  wine review
  • LA FERME DU MONT PREMIÈRE CÔTE CÔTES DU RHÔNE 2017 - AP, France (#251645) (XD) - $18.95  88+ pts  wine review
  • CAP ROYAL ROUGE 2015 - AC Bordeaux Supérieur, France (#486761) (XD) - $18.95
  • CREEKSIDE GAMAY 2017 - VQA Niagara Peninsula, Ontario, Canada (#646521) (XD) - $19.00  88+ pts  wine review
  • ALPHA BOX & DICE TAROT GRENACHE 2017 - McLaren Vale, South Australia (#632612) (XD) - $21.95
  • RAPAURA SPRINGS RESERVE PINOT NOIR 2017 - Central Otago, South Island, New Zealand (#645184) (XD) - $24.95  90 pts  wine review
  • DAMILANO LECINQUEVIGNE BAROLO 2013 - DOCG, Piedmont, Italy (#454488) (XD) - $45.95
  • CHÂTEAU LE BOSCQ 2015 - Cru Bourgeois, AC Saint-Estèphe, Bordeaux, France (#633891) (XD) - $51.95  92 pts  wine review
  • LE PARVIS CHÂTEAUNEUF-DU-PAPE 2016 - AC, Rhône, France (#638551) (XD) - $53.95
Creekside Gamay 2017 (88+ pts)

White Wine:

  • FEUDO MACCARI OLLI GRILLO 2017 - DOC Sicilia, Italy (#477877) (XD) - $15.95
  • EDGEBASTON CHARDONNAY 2017 - WO Stellenbosch, South Africa (#636019) (XD) - $15.95  88 pts  wine review
  • OHH POITOU SAUVIGNON BLANC 2017 - AP Haut-Poitou, Loire, France (#635854) (XD) - $16.95  88 pts  wine review
  • MOMO ORGANIC SAUVIGNON BLANC 2016 - Marlborough, South Island, New Zealand (#009167) (XD) - $19.95  90 pts  wine review
  • TAWSE LIMESTONE RIDGE-NORTH ESTATE BOTTLED RIESLING 2016 - VQA Twenty Mile Bench, Niagara Escarpment, Ontario, Canada (#431593) (M) - $25.95  91 pts  wine review
  • ROGER & DIDIER RAIMBAULT SANCERRE 2017 - AC, Loire, France (#082255) (XD) - $31.95  90 pts  wine review
  • CVNE MONOPOLE CLÁSICO 2015 - DOCa Rioja, Spain (#489583) (XD) - $31.95
  • TRIMBACH RÉSERVE RIESLING 2016 - AC Alsace, France (#247023) (XD) - $34.95  FE
Edgebaston Chardonnay 2017 (88 pts)Ohh Poitou Sauvignon Blanc 2017 (88 pts)

Rosé Wine:

  • CABRIZ ROSÉ 2018 - DOC Dão, Portugal (#030445) (XD) - $13.95  88 pts  wine review
  • CHÂTEAU SAINT ROCH LE ROSÉ 2018 - AP Côtes du Roussillon, Midi, France (#557900) (XD) - $17.95  88 pts  wine review
  • MIRAVAL ROSÉ 2018 - AP Côtes de Provence, France (#342584 / #490870) (XD) - $24.95 / $48.95  90 pts  wine review
Miraval Rosé 2018 (90 pts)Cabriz Rosé 2018 (88 pts)

Sparkling Wine:

  • TAWSE SPARK LIMESTONE RIDGE ORGANIC SPARKLING RIESLING 2016 - Traditional method, VQA Twenty Mile Bench, Niagara Escarpment, Ontario, Canada (#370361) (D) - $20.95  89 pts  wine review
  • ANGELS GATE ARCHANGEL BRUT CHARDONNAY 2013 - Traditional method, VQA Beamsville Bench, Niagara Escarpment, Ontario, Canada (#227009) (XD) - $29.95  90 pts  wine review
Angels Gate Archangel Brut Chardonnay 2013 (90 pts)Tawse Spark Limestone Ridge Organic Sparkling Riesling 2016 (89 pts)


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  • Date publishedWednesday, May 1, 2019

Altocedro La Consulta Select Blend 2015 (Argentina) - Wine Review

red wine review is a blend from Argentina that recently arrived in LCBO VINTAGES as part of the Release.

If you visit the Altocedro website, all you will find is a humble, down-to-earth video of owner and winemaker Karim Mussi Saffie - it's quite an interesting three-and-a-half minute watch. Altocedro is located in the premier winegrowing region of La Consulta, at the southern end of the Uco Valley in Mendoza, Argentina. Karim Mussi Saffie is the owner and winemaker. He uses sustainable growing practices to produce limited quantities of terroir-driven wines from vines that range up to 100 years of age. All harvesting, sorting, and crushing are done in individual batches by hand, while the grapes and wine move throughout the winery in a gravity flow system that was developed at the winery more than 100 years ago.

Even though this wine came to VINTAGES three months ago, there are still many bottles of this delicious red wine still available at your local LCBO.

Altocedro La Consulta Select Blend 2015 (89 pts)

Tasting Note:

ALTOCEDRO LA CONSULTA SELECT BLEND 2015 - La Consulta, Uco Valley, Mendoza, Argentina (#631770) (XD) - $24.95
Blend of 42% Malbec, 27% Cabernet Sauvignon, 22% Tempranillo, and 9% Syrah that was sustainably farmed and hand-harvested. It was also co-fermented and barrel-aged as a blend. The medium+ intensity nose offers compelling dark spice, blackberry, licorice and chocolate aromas with savoury touches. The aromas come through on the full-bodied, savoury palate with some minty notes. Tannins are smooth and well-integrated with a pleasant grippiness, while acids are fresh and nicely balanced. Very good length on the savoury-chocolatey finish. Score: 89 pts


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