October 12, 2019 LCBO VINTAGES Release Wine Picks: Cabernet Sauvignon + Rioja

The main theme from the October 12, 2019 LCBO VINTAGES Release features Cabernet Sauvignon wines from around the globe, while the mini-theme focuses on food-friendly wines from Rioja. All of these wines, plus those from the main release will be available on VINTAGES shelves across Ontario by this Saturday. If you're looking for some great wines for holiday gift-giving, you...

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Marqués de Cáceres Gran Reserva 2011 (Spain) - Wine Review

Following up on the delicious 2014 Marqués de Cáceres Crianza, tonight's wine review is another lovely Rioja from Spanish producer Marqués de Cáceres. This red wine arrived at the LCBO recently as part of the September 14th LCBO VINTAGES Release - and plenty are still available for purchase. Marqués de Cáceres made its first Gran Reserva in 1975 and produces it only in the...

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CVNE (Spain) Wine Tasting with Maria Larrea

On a fine Sunday morning in May, I had the pleasure of tasting a few wines from Spain's historic CVNE wine company with winemaker María Larrea at George Restaurant in downtown Toronto. CVNE is actually an abbreviation of Compañía Vinícola del Norte del España, which translates to the Northern Spanish Wine Company. It was founded in 1879 by two brothers in the town of Haro...

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Château de la Pierre Levée Révélations d'Hubert de Boüard 2016 (Bordeaux) - Wine Review

Tonight's wine review is a red wine from Bordeaux that arrived at the LCBO recently as part of the September 14th LCBO VINTAGES Release and is widely available for purchase across Ontario. This red wine was born out of an exclusive partnership between Yvon Mau and Hubert de Boüard. Yvon Mau has been trading in the wine industry since 1897, while Hubert de Boüard is co-owner...

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Vallobera Crianza 2005 (Spain) - Wine Review

Tonight's wine review is a nice red wine that I purchased from an LCBO VINTAGES Release way back in November 2008. The tasting note in the VINTAGES magazine indicated that this Crianza could be aged until 2020. However, my research today indicates that this wine probably should have been opened 3-4 years ago. Looking at my bottle, I see there is noticeable ullage (the gap...

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Closson Chase Vineyard Chardonnay 2014 (PEC) - Wine Review (Bottle 5)

Tonight's wine review is the last bottle from a case I ordered through the VINI wine app. Of course, the 2014 is no longer available for purchase, but a newer vintage of this delightful wine from Prince Edward County's Closson Chase arrived in LCBO VINTAGES in August. The first bottle of this lovely 2014 Closson Chase Vineyard Chardonnay was opened from in December 2016,...

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September 28, 2019 LCBO VINTAGES Release Wine Picks: Super Euro Signatures + Oregon

The September 28, 2019 LCBO VINTAGES Release features some top Signature wines from Europe as its main theme, while the mini-theme looks at wines from Oregon. This is the first of what will be some big Releases leading up to the holidays. Thus, if you are looking for fine wines as holiday gifts, or to add to your collection, wines from this Release would be a great place...

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