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!
To cap off Ontario Wine Week, I opened this lovely Icewine . I purchased this Icewine from the winery in Niagara-on-the-Lake when I visited the region back in during the annual Niagara Grape & Wine Festival. At the time, this 200 mL bottle was on promotion for $20.
It also showed up at the LCBO last year at the same price as part of the LCBO VINTAGES Release. Although it is long gone from LCBO shelves, it is still available for purchase at the winery.
Tasting Note:
PALATINE HILLS VIDAL ICEWINE 2012 - VQA Niagara Lakeshore, Ontario, Canada (#614842) (S) (200 mL) - $24.95
Gorgeous, fragrant nose of apricot, honey, and orange with touches of citrus, burnt orange, marmalade. It is medium-full bodied with lovely apricot, honey, and burnt orange flavours on the palate, albeit fading slightly. Has very good acidity. Notes of orange and honey linger on the finish, with very good length. Enjoy over the next 1-2 years. Score: 89 pts
Bodegas Franco-Españolas was founded in 1890 in the aftermath of the French wine industry's most devastating incidents - the phylloxera plague - when Bordeaux winemakers affected by the plague departed for Spain in search of the country's best soil and climate to continue their winemaking traditions. The name comes from the fact that it was founded by Frenchman Frederick Anglade Saurat and Spanish partners to become Bodegas Franco-Españolas. By 1922, the winery became entirely Spanish-owned.
The grapes for this Gran Reserva come from vineyards in the 3 sub-areas in Rioja - Rioja Alta, Rioja Alavesa and Rioja Oriental - each having different soil types, and located on northward-facing slopes in the foothills of the Sierra de la Demanda. After careful selection of the fruit, the bunches are de-stemmed and lightly pressed prior to alcoholic and malolactic fermentation. The wine is aged in new and second-year medium-roasted white American (Ohio) oak barrels for 30 months, with decanting every 6 months to facilitate the natural filtering process. It then stays in the bottle for 36 months for refinement. Bodegas Franco-Españolas is proud to age all of their wines longer than legally required by Rioja wine law.
This Gran Reserva takes me back to a wine tasting I had the honour of attending back in October 2015, where I had the opportunity to taste many back vintage Rioja Bordón Gran Reserva wines - the oldest being a 1982 Rioja Bordón Gran Reserva. Today, the wines of Rioja Bordón are represented in Ontario by Churchill Cellars.
Tasting Note:
RIOJA BORDÓN GRAN RESERVA 2009 - DOCa Rioja, Spain (#114454) (XD) - $27.95
A blend of 70% Tempranillo, 20% Graciano, and 10% Mazuelo that was aged in white American (Ohio) oak barrels for 30 months. Medium-high intensity aromas offer cherry, wood spice, tobacco, chocolate, and leather with touches of barnyard. It's full-bodied on the palate with pleasing savoury aroma replays joined by some clove flavours. Acids are well-balanced, while textured tannins have integrated into the wine quite nicely. The long finish is savoury with earthy, wood spice and barnyard notes. A nicely maturing Rioja that has the structure to enjoy over the next 5+ years. Score: 90+ pts
lovely red wine from Rhône is featured as the "$17 Solution" in the LCBO VINTAGES Release. It is a new arrival at the LCBO and will be on shelves across Ontario by this .
It is produced by Maison LAVAU, a negociant winemaker whose wines I've enjoyed many times over the years. The story of the Lavau family begins with its passion for wine and love of terroir in 19th Saint-Émilion and continued into Tunisia where René Lavau and his son transformed a small estate of vines and orange trees into the country's largest wine producer. In the 1960s, Jean-Guy Lavau (René’s grandson) and his wife Anne-Marie returned to France and took charge of a small winemaking cellar in Sablet, in the heart of the Rhône Valley, eventually becoming Maison LAVAU in 1965. Frédéric and Benoît Lavau joined the team 30+ years later at their family winery and LAVAU has since become one of the most renowned and respected names in Rhône Valley winemaking.
This particular red wine comes from Domaine de la Decelle, an 82 hectare site that Frédéric and Benoît Lavau acquired in 2010 after they were convinced of its great potential. The Domaine is located in the heart of the Enclave des Papes, in the village of Valréas. The Enclave des Papes is a small part of the Vaucluse situated in Drôme provençale. The history of the Enclave is closely linked to that of the Popes of Avignon and began over 700 years ago when the lone estate in the area was purchased by Pope John XXII in the year 1317. Legend has it that Pope John XXII, returning from Lyon after his election and feeling very weary, took a glass of Valréas wine and was restored to full health. He then annexed the land that had produced this miraculous wine, so he would have permanent access. This became the Papal Enclave, and Valréas remained the capital until the French Revolution of the late 18th century. The vineyards were awarded Côtes du Rhône-Villages Valréas status in 1967.
The site where the Grenache and Syrah grapes for this wine are grown sit at a latitude and altitude that give it unique climatic conditions which are perfect for creating structured, complex, and fresh wines. The grapes are grown on south- and west-facing slopes as high as 320 metres above sea level, thus benefiting from a cooler climate. This also allows for wide diurnal temperature variation between day and night, which in turn helps the grapes ripen slowly and develop tannins.
Tasting Note:
DOMAINE LA DÉCELLE RÉSERVE VALRÉAS 2017 - AC Côtes du Rhône-Villages, France (#14391) (XD) - $17.00
This 50/50 blend of Grenache and Syrah was grown on clay-limestone soils and aged for 6 months in used French oak barrels. Lovely, complex, southern Rhône nose of blackberry, plum, and peppery spice mingling with garrigue, lavender, purple fruit, and some meaty notes. Smoky mineral notes develop with time in the glass. It's medium-full bodied on the palate with ripe, elegant tannins that have a touch of grip. Acids are fresh and juicy, while the flavours are more red fruited and a touch candied on the flavour profile with raspberry, spice, and meaty flavours which linger through to the long, meaty and smoky mineral finish. Recommended buy to enjoy over the next 5-6 years. Score: 90 pts
The first theme of the upcoming June 13, 2020 LCBO VINTAGES Release focuses on wines from Spain, while the second theme looks at wines from California. As the weather warms, the slew of rosé wines also start appearing in VINTAGES shelves, as you'll find in this Release. All of the wines from this Release will be on shelves across Ontario by this Saturday.
We'll begin with the main theme that looks at wines from Spain, of which there are nine wines featured and four are included among my top wine picks. Up first is a lovely Rioja red wine that is a blend of 92% Tempranillo and 8% Mazuelo that was aged for 18 months in hybrid barrels made of French and American oak. Also from Rioja is a barrel-fermented white wine made with Viura. Outside of Rioja, there is a nice Albariño from Rías Baixas in northwestern Spain. Lastly, there is a nice Cava sparkling wine that is made with 67% Macabeo and 33% Parellada.
From the theme on California wines, there are ten wines featured, but just one is included among my top wine recommendations. Fortunately, it is a sub-$20 Cabernet Sauvignon from Sonoma County that will probably fly off the shelves.
Among my red wine recommendations, we begin in Portugal with a traditional red blend of Touriga Nacional, Tinta Roriz, Touriga Franca, and Tinta Barroca. Meanwhile, the Côtes du Rhône-Villages is a 50/50 blend of Grenache and Syrah. From Tuscany, the Chianti Classico is made with 100% Sangiovese. Novel grapes that we don't see much of in Ontario include Xinomavro from Greece, Areni from Armenia, and Grignolino from Piedmont.
All of my white wine picks from the rest of the Release are single varietal wines. Among them are a pair of Sauvignon Blanc wines from New Zealand, and a Hunter Valley Semillon from Australia. There are also a pair of barrel-fermented whites, including a Chenin Blanc from South Africa, and a Torrontés from Argentina. For sweet wine lovers, look for the off-dry Riesling from Niagara, or take the sweetness up a notch with a Gewurztraminer from Alsace.
Among my dry rosé wine picks, the rosé from Provence is a blend of 53% Cinsault, 15% Syrah, 14% Grenache, 9% Mourvèdre, 7% Ugni Blanc, and 2% Rolle, while the Tavel consists of 45% Grenache Noir, plus Clairette, Cinsault, Mourvèdre, Syrah, and other varietals completing the blend.
Enjoy my wine recommendations from this Release! Cheers!
Red Wine:
DOMAINE LA DÉCELLE RÉSERVE VALRÉAS 2017 - AC Côtes du Rhône-Villages, France (#14391) (XD) - $17.00 90 pts wine review
red wine review is a delicious red wine from Bordeaux. It is a new arrival at the LCBO as part of the VINTAGES Release and is also featured in the LCBO's Food & Drink magazine.
This red wine is produced by the co-operative winery Vignobles Gabriel & Co., a company founded in 1904 when Gabriel Bruneteau founded Domaine du Grand Moulin at Saint Aubin de Blaye, about 50 km north of Bordeaux in the heart of the Blaye vineyards. In 1921, with a passionate interest in wine and people, Gabriel created the forerunner to the Vignobles Gabriel & Co. enterprise.
After Gabriel's passing, the vineyard dwindled and changed over the years, but finally recovered four generations later when Jean-François Reaud, the great grandson of Gabriel Bruneteau, inherited the estate in 1985. There were only 7 hectares of vines at the time, but he reorganized, modernized, and expanded the winery to cover 25 hectares by the end of the 1990's, eventually becoming Château Le Grand Moulin. Further development increased the size of the estate to the 81 hectares it is today, and to further meet consumer demand, Jean-François formed partnerships with several neighbouring producers and winegrowers on the Right Bank to collectively promote their wines. Being sensitive to the environment, Jean-François also owns Château Les Aubiers which has 25 hectares of organically-farmed vines.
With lots of bottles available throughout Ontario, it will be very easy for you to get your hands on this wallet-friendly Bordeaux.
Tasting Note:
CHÂTEAU LE GRAND MOULIN 2016 - AC Blaye Côtes de Bordeaux, France (#11326) (XD) - $17.00
An estate grown blend of mostly Merlot, with Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, and Malbec in support, and aged in cement vats. Generous, nicely ripe, and fruit forward aromas of dark currant, blackberry, cassis, mint, and spice with touches of earthiness lift out of the glass. The medium+ bodied palate has nice balanced aroma replays supported by refined, textured, and gritty tannins, and balanced acidity. The finish is a touch drying, with savoury and earthy flavours, and very good length. Enjoy now or cellar for a couple of years and drink into the later part of this decade. This is very good Bordeaux! Score: 89 pts
wine review is a lovely organic white wine from Rhône that most recently came to LCBO VINTAGES on and is still readily available across Ontario.
It is produced by Château de Nages, a winery in Costières de Nîmes, within the southern Rhône Valley that I had the pleasure of visiting in May 2018. In fact, I recall tasting this delicious wine when I visited the winery.
For the Gassier family, the story of Château de Nages begins when Joseph Torrès, Michel Gassier's great grandfather, purchased the southern Rhone estate during World War II. Upon Joseph's passing, his son-in-law, Alfred Gassier inherits the property while remaining in Algeria with his wife. However, his four children reconstruct their lives in France with his eldest son, Jean Gassier, arriving first and restoring the badly neglected farm. Alfred's second son, Roger Gassier, arrives soon thereafter and revives Château de Nages, eventually passing along the magnificent vineyard and exceptional winery to his son, the highly-acclaimed winemaker Michel Gassier.
The JT White is dedicated to visionary founder Joseph Torrès and uses Roussanne and Viognier grapes that come from their very best parcels in the extreme north of the appellation where the terroir consists of grès (rolled pebbles) from the Rhône River over red clay soils rich in iron. There is also some Grenache Blanc in the blend, and all of the grapes were grown according to certified organic farming techniques, with a particular attention to soil health. The fruit was manually harvested and underwent natural yeast fermentation in French oak barrels, followed by some lees ageing prior to blending and bottling.
Having tasted this particular vintage on at least three separate occasions over the last few years, I am curious to see where this barrel-fermented white wine is in its evolution. Let's see how it is tasting tonight...
Tasting Note:
MICHEL GASSIER CHÂTEAU DE NAGES JT WHITE 2015 - AC Costières de Nîmes, Rhône, France (#485854) (XD) - $26.95
This barrel-fermented blend of 64% Roussanne, 20% Viognier, and 16% Grenache Blanc pours a medium yellow gold and has medium+ intensity aromatics featuring rich and complex notes of lemony, waxy, paraffin, butter, and pear with touches of saline. It's full-bodied on the rich palate with buttery, pear, lemon, herb, slightly smoky wood, and leesy flavours followed by touches of saline. It's nicely textured with very good acidity, but also shows some heat on the mid-palate. Long, smoky finish with touches of saline, lemon, and pear. Enjoy now, nicely chilled. Score: 90 pts
For wine review, I was going through my cellar and found this nugget that I acquired back in . Looking back on my tasting note from 2013, I mentioned that it would hold for another 5 years, so I am now 2 years beyond and hoping that this beautiful Cornas Syrah is still drinkable.
Founded in 1933, Cave de Tain is a pioneer and leader in the northern Rhône with its prestigious cru wines, sustainable viticulture, and conservation of their unique varieties. Knowledge has been passed down over four generations of winegrowers and today they are led by a team of young winemakers who have a desire to craft wines that express the diverse terroirs. Cave de Tain is recognized today as a jewel in the crown of the northern Rhône Valley.
Cave de Tain is located between Valence and Lyon, laying at the foot of the Hermitage hillside. Cornas - meaning "burnt earth" in Celtic - is a cru located little south of the winery, on the right bank of the Rhône River on the border of the northern Rhône Valley, and is one of 5 cru wines that Cave de Tain produces.
There is evidence that winemaking existed in Cornas dating back to the 10th century. The first terraces and "chaillées" (or walls) go back even further to the times of the Romans. In 1938, Cornas was awarded AOC status. Today, the vineyards in Cornas are abrupt, south-facing slopes that form a natural amphitheatre, protecting the vines from cold winds. This unique location also means that the Syrah grapes ripen early and are the first to be harvested in the northern part of Côtes du Rhône. The soil in Cornas is mainly made up of decomposed granite, resulting in clayey and sandy surfaces, while the foothills of the steep slopes are rich in clay. Cornas is one of the smallest appellations of the Rhône Valley, and all wines from this cru must be made with 100% Syrah.
This wine has showed up in LCBO VINTAGES previously, but newer vintages are more frequently found at the SAQ in Quebec. The agents representing this wine are Noble Estates Wines & Spirits in Ontario and Divin Paradis in Quebec. Let's see how this 15 year old red wine is tasting tonight...
Tasting Note:
CAVE DE TAIN L'HERMITAGE CORNAS ARÈNES SAUVAGES 2005 - AC, Rhône, France (#11099552) (XD) - $51.50
This northern Rhône Syrah was grown on steep terraces with granitic sand and aged for 18 months in French oak barrels. Pours deep garnet colour. Fragrant, perfumed nose is full of savoury, leathery, and sweet spice aromas along with touches of dried berry, plum, and violet notes. It's savoury on the medium+ bodied palate with more leathery, spice, and dried berry flavours. Mature, supple tannins have nicely integrated while acids still have some zip. Some warmth on the mid-palate continues through to the long, savoury, spiced, and a touch gamey finish, with excellent length. A joy to sip. Drink now. Score: 90 pts
Tasting note from 2013:
Lovely meaty, dark fruit aromas waft from the glass. On the palate it has purple fruited, oak, and dark fruit flavours with touches of raisiny characters. Long and smooth on the finish with hints of violet throughout. It has chalky tannins and could still be aged another 5 years. Score: 91 pts
Sunday, June 21, 2020
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