High Heaven Majestic Pines Cabernet Sauvignon 2018 (Washington) - Wine Review

Tonight's wine review is this vegan-friendly red wine from Washington State that newly arrived at the LCBO today as part of the in September 5th LCBO VINTAGES Release. Although the magazine mentions that it may be a late arrival on Release day, the wine is actually readily available across Ontario now.

It is produced by High Heaven Vintners, a joint project between the Taub and Zirkle family's that was launched at the beginning of this year. High Heaven Vintners is based in Columbia Valley, the largest AVA in the state of Washington. With more than a century of winemaking and farming experience, the Zirkle family believes in a vineyard first philosophy that prioritizes work in the vineyards to make great wines. All of the grapes used in making their wines come from their five estate grown, family-owned vineyards. The vineyards are located in the "Rain Shadow" formed by the Cascade Mountains, a unique cloud and rain barrier protecting the vines from harsh elements, and helping create a warm, sunny and dry climate that is ideal for grape growing.

There are five wines in the High Heaven Vintners range - others can be found via their Agent Dionysus Wines & Spirits Ltd. - and each label was created by three Seattle-based tattoo artists to capture the Columbia Valley and the essence of each wine.

Tasting Note:

HIGH HEAVEN MAJESTIC PINES CABERNET SAUVIGNON 2018 - Vegan, Columbia Valley, Washington, USA (#15671) (XD) - $19.95
This blend of 80% Cabernet Sauvignon and 20% Merlot has sweet oak spice and vanillin aromas that are surrounded by ripe red and black fruits, currant, cassis, and plum notes. It's full-bodied on the palate with cocoa, and ripe berry, currant and cassis flavours. Acids are nicely balanced while well-managed tannins are smooth and refined. Sweet oak and cocoa with hints of dates and plums on the slightly drying finish, with good length. Crafted in a widely-appealing style. Score: 87 pts

Read More

Domaine La Rougeante 2016 (Languedoc) - Wine Review

Tonight's red wine review is this lovely Corbières - a new wine that arrives at the LCBO as part of the September 5th LCBO VINTAGES Release. Even though the wine is marked as a potentially late arrival, it is actually quite widely available across Ontario now.

It is produced by Select Vins, a collaboration between Château de la Négly owner, Jean Paux-Rosset, and his consulting winemaker, Claude Gros. Together, they have assembled some of the best grape growers from across the many appellations of the Languedoc, including Corbières, where this lovely red wine is from.

Corbières is Languedoc-Roussillon's largest AOC, accounting for nearly half of the region's wine production. Red wine dominates in Corbières, consisting of approximately 95% of all wines produced within the AOC. Due to the AOC's rather large size, Corbières has many different soil types and microclimates. Carignan is the mostly widely planted varietal in Corbières, however, none is curiously found in this red that consists of Mourvèdre, Grenache, and Syrah.

Tasting Note:

DOMAINE LA ROUGEANTE 2016 - AC Corbières, Languedoc, France (#15298) (XD) - $19.95
This Corbières is a blend of Mourvèdre, Grenache, and Syrah that was grown on alluvial and clay-limestone soils, and raised completely in tank. Enticing aromas of dark berry, blackberry, and black plum sprinkled with crushed stones and touches of garrigue and dried herb. The medium-full bodied palate is ripe with good fruit concentration and nicely balanced fruity-savoury-herbal flavours of dark berry, pepper spice, dried herb, and earthy notes. Refined, lightly structured tannins have a nice dusty textured character, while juicy acids are well-balanced. Some warmth on the mid-palate. Savoury, earthy mineral notes linger on the finish, with very good length. Recommended buy to enjoy over the next 4-5 years. Score: 89 pts

Other fine wines from Select Vins can be found via their Agent - Connexion Oenophilia.

Read More

September 5, 2020 LCBO VINTAGES Release Wine Picks: Smart Buys

Typically, the annual "Smart Buys" release is the first Release of the year, but in this weird and wacky calendar year, we have our second Smart Buys Release of 2020 as the main theme of the September 5, 2020 LCBO VINTAGES Release. Meanwhile, the mini-theme introduces us to a few Product Consultants and some of their insights. All of the wines from this Release should be on shelves by this Saturday, if not earlier.

We begin with the main theme featuring "Smart Buys", which features seventeen wines that are all under $25. The theme is broken up into three sections - "Low Price", "High Performance" a.k.a. high scoring, and "Popular" categories. Three of the seventeen are included among my top wine picks, and somewhat not surprisingly, all three come under the "High Performance" category. First up is the consistently delicious Riserva Chianti Classico that is a blend of 90% Sangiovese, 5% Cabernet Sauvignon, and 5% Colorino. There is also a Cabernet Sauvignon from Argentina, as well as a medium-dry (i.e. somewhat sweet) Riesling from New Zealand.

From the mini-theme that introduces Product Consultants, there are eight wines featured and two are included among my wine recommendations. First up is the consistently high-quality, off-dry Riesling from Niagara, while the second wine is from the southern Rhône Cru of Vinsobres that is made using a 50/50 blend of Grenache and Syrah.

Among my top red wines from this Release, it's the French wines that are blends. From Languedoc is an unoaked red made with Mourvèdre, Grenache, and Syrah, while the Châteauneuf-du-Pape consists of 75% Grenache and 25% Syrah. There are two fine Bordeaux reds worth your attention - at the low-end of the price range is a Fronsac that is 100% Merlot, while at the high-end is a Margaux that consists of 60% Cabernet Sauvignon and 40% Merlot. The Wine of the Month is an Australian Shiraz and is also a recommended buy.

From my white wine picks, there are quite a few nice Chardonnays - a pair from Burgundy, one from California, and one from Niagara. The Loire white is a Sauvignon Blanc, while the Rhône white is a blend of 50% Viognier and 50% Marsanne from vines that are more than 50 years old.

Among my rosé wine picks, all are dry roses. The roses from both Rhône and Provence are blends of Grenache, Syrah, and Cinsault, while the rose from Australia is a blend of Pinot Noir and Merlot.

Enjoy my wine recommendations from this Release! Cheers!

Red Wine:

• CAMELEON ORGANIC CABERNET SAUVIGNON 2018 - Tupungato, Uco Valley, Mendoza, Argentina (#15079) (XD) - $15.95
• DOMAINE AUTRAND VINSOBRES 2018 - AC, Rhône, France (#15451) (XD) - $17.95
• DOMAINE LA ROUGEANTE 2016 - AC Corbières, Languedoc, France (#15298) (XD) - $19.95  89 pts  wine review
• DOMAINE LAFAGE CUVÉE NICOLAS VIEILLES VIGNES GRENACHE NOIR 2018 - IGP Côtes Catalanes, Roussillon, France (#354191) (D) - $19.95
• SAN PEDRO 1865 SELECTED VINEYARDS CABERNET SAUVIGNON 2018 - DO Maipo Valley, Chile (#37911) (XD) - $19.95
• CHÂTEAU MAYNE-VIEIL 2016 - AC Fronsac, Bordeaux, France (#14469) (XD) - $19.95  review coming soon...
• ROCCA DELLE MACÌE FAMIGLIA ZINGARELLI RISERVA CHIANTI CLASSICO 2017 - DOCG, Tuscany, Italy (#930966) (XD) - $24.95  89 pts  wine review
• TYRRELL'S HUNTER VALLEY SHIRAZ 2017 - Hunter Valley, New South Wales, Australia (#13990) (XD) - $24.95  90+ pts  wine review
• VASSE FELIX FILIUS CABERNET SAUVIGNON 2018 - Margaret River, Western Australia (#559872) (XD) - $24.95
• CHÂTEAU D'ARSAC 2015 - AC Margaux, Bordeaux, France (#14443) (XD) - $49.95  91 pts  wine review
• DOMAINE DE SAINT PAUL CHÂTEAUNEUF-DU-PAPE 2015 - AC, Rhône, France (#15185) (XD) - $55.95

White Wine:

• DÉCELLE CÔTES DU RHÔNE-VILLAGES BLANC 2018 - AC, Rhône, France (#14037) (XD) - $15.95
• LAFAZANIS GEOMETRIA MOSCHOFILERO 2018 - PGI Peloponnese, Greece (#15753) (XD) - $17.95  90 pts  wine review
• CAVE DE LUGNY GRANDE RÉSERVE CHARDONNAY 2018 - AC Mâcon, Burgundy, France (#14743) (XD) - $19.95
• HENRY OF PELHAM ESTATE RIESLING 2019 - Certified sustainable, VQA Short Hills Bench, Niagara Escarpment, Ontario, Canada (#557165) (D) - $19.95
• KAHURANGI MOUNT ARTHUR RESERVE RIESLING 2017 - Nelson, South Island, New Zealand (#14559) (M) - $23.95  89 pts  wine review
• JEAN-MARC BROCARD SAINTE CLAIRE CHABLIS 2018 - AC, Burgundy, France (#356634) (XD) - $28.95
• SAGET LA PERRIÈRE L'ORIGINE BLANC FUMÉ DE POUILLY 2018 - AC Pouilly-Fumé, Loire, France (#15672) (XD) - $29.95
• CAMBRIA KATHERINE'S VINEYARD CHARDONNAY 2017 - Santa Maria Valley, Santa Barbara, California, USA (#980490) (XD) - $29.95  91 pts  wine review
• BACHELDER WISMER WINGFIELD OUEST VINEYARD CHARDONNAY 2017 - VQA Twenty Mile Bench, Niagara Escarpment, Ontario, Canada (#520403) (XD) - $47.95  FE

Rosé Wine:

• MAS DES BRESSADES CUVÉE TRADITION ROSÉ 2019 - AP Costières-de-Nîmes, Rhône, France (#950576) (XD) - $18.95
• BLUE PYRENEES ESTATE BONE DRY ROSÉ 2019 - Victoria, Australia (#15272) (XD) - $18.95
• ASHLEY MARY LIMITED EDITION M DE MINUTY ROSÉ 2019 - AP Côtes de Provence, France (#575316) (XD) - $26.95

Sparkling Wine:

• AYALA CUVÉE PERLE D'AYALA BRUT NATURE CHAMPAGNE 2006 - AC, Champagne, France (#288340) (D) - $168.95  FE

Fortified:

• POÇAS COLHEITA PORT 2003 - DOP Douro, Portugal (#216424) (S) - $45.95

Read More

Leyda Garuma Single Vineyard Sauvignon Blanc 2018 (Chile) - Wine Review

Tonight's white wine review is this lovely single vineyard Sauvignon Blanc from Chile that arrived in LCBO VINTAGES on July 25 - with plenty still available across the province.

Viña Leyda is part of the VSPT Wine Group, a group of six Chilean and two Argentinean wineries. However, Viña Leyda does stand out on its own as a pioneer, planting vineyards in the Leyda Valley in 1998 well before it became a Designation of Origin in Chile. Leyda (the winery) is located on the western side of the Chilean Coastal Range of mountains, only 4 kilometres from the Pacific Ocean. The coastal climate provided ideal conditions for winegrowing, however, they needed to innovate by building an aqueduct to bring water from the Maipo River to the valley. In 2001, they were able to prove that wines of the Leyda Valley were distinct and helped create the D.O. Leyda Valley appellation. Today, Viña Leyda is Chile's most awarded coastal winery.

Leyda is internationally renowned for producing some of Chile's finest cool-climate Pinot Noir and Sauvignon Blanc, including this delicious Garuma Single Vineyard Sauvignon Blanc. This white wine is named after the Garuma, a small seagull that can be found along the Chilean coastline and sandy beaches all year-round. The grapes for this Sauvignon Blanc come from the producer's El Maitén vineyard in the coastal valley of Leyda, just 12 kilometres from the Pacific Ocean, and grown on a west-facing slope with plenty of cooling breezes from the ocean that allow the grapes to slowly and steadily ripen, while also adding a unique saline character to the wines. The soils here are granitic with calcareous encrustations. It is produced with 100% Davis 1 clone Sauvignon Blanc, a variant known for producing creamy and structured wines. All of the grapes were hand-harvested early in the morning and spent 4 months on the lees during vinification.

Tasting Note:

LEYDA GARUMA SINGLE VINEYARD SAUVIGNON BLANC 2018 - DO Leyda Valley, Chile (#99309) (XD) - $16.95
Screw cap. Lovely, elegant, and highly aromatic nose of ripe passion fruit, guava, and lime citrus surrounded by earthy minerality and saline notes. The creamy, medium+ bodied is palate is nicely textured with lemon-lime citrus, passion fruit, saline mineral, and green pepper flavours. Lively acids are finely balanced by the concentrated fruit. Hints of jalapeño join the lemon-lime citrus, passion fruit, and saline notes on the juicy, well-balanced finish, with very good length. Enjoy this distinctive, cool-climate Sauvignon Blanc well-chilled over the next 3-4 years. Recommended buy. Score: 90 pts

Other fine wines from the award-winning Leyda portfolio are available at the LCBO, but can also be ordered via Dandurand.

Read More

Lealtanza Reserva 2015 (Spain) - Wine Review

Tonight's wine review is this lovely, vegan-friendly Rioja from Spain that arrived in LCBO VINTAGES on August 8th.

Bodegas Altanza, a synonym for quality, is a relatively new winery in the world of Spanish wine as it was only established in 1998. Their goal is to offer the best possible quality wine at a sensible price, while also combining tradition and modernity at their estate in Fuenmayor, Rioja Alta. The estate spans 300 hectares, of which 220 hectares are planted to vine. At the winery, they have many stainless steel tanks of varying sizes which allows for better customization of the fermentation process depending on the varietal and style of wine they wish to craft. The modern winemaking facility features temperature-control jackets on each of their tanks and is managed by a central control panel.

The winery began with a focus on crafting only reserva wines, but have also introduced a rosé, an aromatic white wine, and other red wines. All of the red wines at Altanza are made using 100% Tempranillo, the queen of the Rioja's autochthonous varieties and, by far, Spain's most popular grape. Spain grows nearly 90% of the world's Tempranillo. The grape descends from two varieties which were once at home in the Ebro Valley, becoming Tempranillo in the Middle Ages (about 1,500 years ago). Tempranillo flourishes in cool, temperate climates where high summer temperatures allow the vine to give optimum results with good acidity. Tempranillo is relatively late budding, but develops earlier than many other varietals, hence the name "temprano" which means "early".

Whereas many Spanish Riojas are traditionally known for their use of American oak ageing, Bodegas Altanza uses mainly French oak ageing, allowing the wines to have nuances more suited to their preference. I have tasted previous vintages of this wine and it has always been delicious. Let's see how this fine Rioja is tasting tonight...

Tasting Note:

LEALTANZA RESERVA 2015 - Vegan, DOCa Rioja, Spain (#208223) (XD) - $23.95
This 100% Tempranillo was fermented using natural yeasts and aged for 18 months in French oak barrels, followed by 3 months in 22,000 L French (Allier) oak vats. The medium-high intensity nose has black cherry and sandalwood aromas with some earthy wood spice and a touch of barnyard. It's medium+ bodied on the palate with more sandalwood spice and red cherry flavours supported by supple, refined tannins and racy, food-friendly acidity. A touch warming on the mid-palate, but nicely balanced overall. Earthy, meaty, savoury, wood spice, and cherry notes linger on the long, juicy finish. Enjoy this fine Tempranillo over the next 4-5 years. Score: 89 pts

Limited availability of other wines from the Bodegas Altanza portfolio can be ordered via their Agent - Profile Wine Group.

Read More

Château de Nages JT 2016 (Rhône) - Wine Review

Tonight's wine review is this lovely organic red wine from a Southern Rhône winery that I had the pleasure of visiting back in 2018. This delicious wine arrived at the LCBO as part of the July 25 LCBO VINTAGES Release and plenty of bottles are still available for purchase.

Château de Nages is situated in the Costières de Nîmes appellation and the heart of an ecological network of protected areas of the European Union. It is the 4th generation family estate of the highly-acclaimed winemaker Michel Gassier and his wife Tina. They are committed to protecting the ecosystem with an absolute respect for the soil. By combining ancestral know-how with modern winemaking techniques from their fabulous terroir, Michel Gassier is able to produce high-quality, fine wines.

The JT line of wines at Château de Nages, which consists of the lovely 2015 Château de Nages JT White that I enjoyed back in June and this JT Red are dedicated to Michel Gassier's visionary great grandfather, Joseph Torrès. Both of these cuvées are crafted using fruit from the very best parcels of their own estate vineyards in Costières de Nîmes, while offering northern Rhône character.

For this vintage of the JT Red, Michel Gassier notes that the 2016 vintage is the greatest he has ever seen in 23 years of making wine. In 2016, yields were naturally moderate in a warm and dry growing season with exceptionally cool nights that helped produce fresh, concentrated and wonderfully balanced grapes. All of the grapes were certified organically farmed with particular attention to soil health. The grapes were manually harvested and sorted, then fermented using natural yeasts with 50% aged in French oak, while the other half was raised in cement tanks for 12 months. Finally, it was blended and bottled without filtration.

Tasting Note:

CHÂTEAU DE NAGES JT 2016 - AP Costières de Nîmes, Rhône, France (#736876) (XD) - $26.95
This organic red wine is a blend of 93% Syrah and 7% Mourvèdre from soils that have rolled pebbles from the Rhône over red clay rich in iron. Ripe, medium-high intensity nose has dark berry, black pepper spice, and game aromas with a strong mineral character. The medium-full bodied, structured palate is flavourful with lovely ripe dark berry, mineral and pepper with some gamey, floral, and oak spice tones. Acids are well-balanced while the mid-palate is somewhat chalky with drying tannins. Finishes long with savoury, earthy mineral and floral notes. Score: 90 pts

Other fine wines from the Château de Nages portfolio can be found at the LCBO or ordered via their Agent - Profile Wine Group.

Read More

Wakefield Estate Wines (Australia) and Optimum Drinking Temperature

Tonight's wine reviews are a trio of wines from Australia's Wakefield Wines where we take brief look at wine serving temperatures.

But first, the story of Wakefield Wines begins in 1950, when the Taylor family's long-standing association with Clare Valley results in a partnership with a local co-operative to bottle and distribute their own wines. In 1969, Bill Taylor finds a perfect plot of land by the Wakefield River in South Australia's Clare Valley to establish their family estate and plants its first Cabernet Sauvignon vines. At the same time, Bill was excavating the land to find a water source and discovered tiny seahorses in the limestone bedrock that date back more than 600 million years. These seahorses are featured prominently in the company's logo.

In 1973, the Taylor family completed construction of the winery and also released their first wines - the Estate Cabernet Sauvignon and Estate Shiraz which are the heart of the business. As the company grew and expanded, they began exporting wines to the UK in 1985 under the name "Wakefield" due to international trademarks held by the Taylors family of Portugal. In 2004, Wakefield became the first major Australian wine company to bottle all of their wines under screw cap. The latest innovation came a few years ago, when they launched the Optimum Drinking Temperature sensor on the back label.

A world first, the back label of the Wakefield Estate and Promised Land range of wines feature their exclusive, touch-activated, Optimum Drinking Temperature sensor. The temperature of a wine plays an important role in the experience and enjoyment of wine. However, most people serve their wine without really thinking about the temperature of it and serve red wines at room temperature - which is too warm - and white wines too cold. The myth surrounding enjoying red wine at room temperature originated from the chilly drawing rooms of medieval French castles. In my younger days, I was also guilty of this behaviour as I would bring a nicely cooled red wine up from the basement and let it warm up to room temp before opening. I learned, and these days I chill all of my wines - how much time in the fridge depends on the varietal/style - and gradually let them warm up to see how the wine changes. I would strongly encourage you to try this at home as well.

Wakefield's solution to the temperature problem is to provide temperature sensors on the back label that indicate when the wine is ready to enjoy. Each wine has its own calibrated sensor that is touch-activated and changes colour depending on the temperature of the wine. By referencing the temperature guide (also printed on the back label) with the colour of the sensor, you can easily tell if the wine is too warm, too cold, or at the right serving temperature. Pictures of the back label are provided below, as well as wine reviews of three Wakefield Estate wines. Based on my personal experimentation, the temperature sensor is a useful guide that will help you determine when to drink the wine. However, since I tend to slowly sip my wines, I would serve them a little cooler than recommended and gradually let the wine warm up in the glass for best enjoyment.

All three of these wines are readily available in the VINTAGES section at the LCBO. Other wines from the Wakefield portfolio can be found at the LCBO or ordered via their Agent - Profile Wine Group.

Tasting Notes:

WAKEFIELD CLARE VALLEY ESTATE CHARDONNAY 2018 - Clare Valley, South Australia (#711556) (XD) - $16.95
Screw cap. Ripe, medium+ intensity nose has buttery, pear, golden apple, and some leesy aromas. It's medium-full bodied on the creamy palate with ripe banana and pineapple flavours balanced by apple, lemon, and sweet vanillin oak, and touches of butterscotch. Acids are fresh while the lemony, spicy finish has very good length. Arrived in LCBO VINTAGES August 8th. Score: 88 pts

WAKEFIELD ESTATE SHIRAZ 2018 - Clare Valley, South Australia (#943787) (XD) - $19.95
Screw cap. The medium-high intensity nose is fresh with herbal, leafy, mint and spice layered over black cherry, plum, and gentle oak aromas. The medium-full bodied palate offers well-integrated oak spice, black cherry, plum, and peppery spice flavours supported by smooth, fine-grained, and sweet tannins. It has fresh, juicy acidity. Pleasantly dry (but undeniably Shiraz) and well-balanced overall with a touch of chocolate on the long finish. VINTAGES Essentials product and always available year-round. The 2018 is a highly recommended buy! Score: 89 pts

WAKEFIELD ESTATE CABERNET SAUVIGNON 2017 - Clare Valley, South Australia (#744235) (XD) - $19.95
Screw cap. Fresh, medium-high intensity aromatics lead with herbal, green pepper, and black cherry liqueur followed by cassis, wood spice, and touches of olive. It is full-bodied on the palate with herbal, dark cherry, cassis, and woodsy replays on the flavour profile. Acids are well-balanced, while tannins are slightly chalky and grainy, softening somewhat since tasting in Sept. 2019. Earthy and wood spice notes linger on the finish, with good length. Available in LCBO VINTAGES now and also featured in the September 19, 2020 LCBO VINTAGES Release. Score: 88 pts

Read More