Toro Bravo Sparkling Secco White (Spain) - Wine Review

For tonight's wine review, I have this accessibly-priced, easy drinking, and vegan-friendly sparkling wine from Spain that is a recent arrival to the LCBO and widely available across Ontario.

The Toro Bravo brand was born a few years from a collaboration between Alex Patinios of Dionysus Wines & Spirits Ltd. (Ontario Agent) and Melanie Nathou, a négociant who owns Wines & Company S.L.U. in Valencia, Spain. After recognizing that very few new value-based wines were coming into Ontario, Alex approached Melanie and together they came up with Toro Bravo.

Today, there are a number of wines bearing the Toro Bravo label. This particular sparkling wine is crafted in the Charmat method using 50% Macabeo, 30% Parellada, and 20% Xarel-lo, with the majority of the grapes coming from vineyards located between 350 to 600 meters above sea level in rocky areas of the Cataluña region. It is crafted in a very approachable style with some sweetness that will appeal to many. I found it very interesting that this sparkling wine is enclosed by easy-to-open and re-sealable screw cap. The cap was specially designed to withstand the pressures of sparkling wine. I've been tasting it over the last few days and the bubbles and flavours are still quite fresh and persistent.

Tasting Note:

TORO BRAVO SPARKLING SECCO WHITE - Spain (#16191) (D) - $11.95
This sparkling wine is made in the Charmat method using a blend of 50% Macabeo, 30% Parellada, and 20% Xarel-lo, and enclosed by screw cap. Sweet citrus, floral, peach, and pear aromas rise out of the glass. On the medium-bodied, creamy palate it has frothy mousse and fine bubbles with pleasantly off-dry (i.e. slightly sweet) aroma replays on the flavour profile that linger through to the finish, with decent length. Casual, uncomplicated bubbly to enjoy as an aperitif or in a sparkling wine cocktail. Score: 85 pts

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La Posta Pizzella Family Malbec 2018 (Argentina) - Wine Review

Tonight's wine review is this Malbec by La Posta Vineyads, the entry-level brand of Bodega Catena. This red wine is a frequent visitor to LCBO VINTAGES due to its popularity and last arrived at the LCBO in June - with only approximately 10 bottles still remaining on shelves in Ontario.

In 2000, Laura Catena discovered a handful of growers whose results in the vineyards with specific varietals was impressive year-in and year-out. Her first encounter with many of these growers was at a posta del viñatero, or "tavern of the grape grower". They drank wine and spoke passionately for hours about their soils, vines, and quest for superior flavours in their grapes. The wines of La Posta salute these hard-working growers, with each bottle a vineyard-designate wine solely made using their own grapes. Each La Posta label illustrates a story of these individual families and are inspired by Art Nouveau and Art Déco designs of the 1920s and 1930s.

This particular Malbec is grown by the Pizzella Family - two teachers who came from Buenos Aires to Mendoza in 2000 and achieved early success by growing cool-climate Malbec grapes. The soils of their vineyard consist of sandy loam, sand, silt, and clay with 20% stones covered by limestone. Along with their three children, they meticulously work their 10-hectare vineyard together with the goal of uniformity and balance.
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Tasting Note:

LA POSTA PIZZELLA FAMILY MALBEC 2018 - La Consulta, Uco Valley, Mendoza, Argentina (#166298) (XD) - $16.95
100% Malbec from 20-year-old vines grown at 3,600 feet (1,100 metres) above sea level. 10% of this wine was aged in new French barrels for 10 months, while 30% in 2nd use French barrels. The soft nose is ripe and plummy with blackberry, mulberry, and peppery spice notes along with a streak of stony mineral. It's soft and rounded on the medium-full bodied palate with oak-influenced flavours of dark berry and earth with a touch of sweetness. Acids are well-balanced while light tannins are well-integrated with a mild grip. Savoury and earthy notes linger on the finish, with good length. A casual, entry-level Malbec that has wide appeal. Score: 87 pts

Other wines from La Posta can be found at the LCBO or ordered through their Agent - Noble Estates Wines & Spirits.

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13th Street Cuvée Rosé Brut (Niagara) - Wine Review (Dec. 2020)

For tonight's wine review, I opened this lovely Rosé Brut Sparkling Wine from Niagara. It is part of the VINTAGES Essentials collection at the LCBO - which means it is always available in the VINTAGES section, and is currently on promotion at $5 off until January 3rd, 2021. It is also available at the winery for the same price with a home delivery option.

This dry sparkling wine is produced by Niagara's 13th Street Winery. Founded in 1998 in St. Catharines, Ontario, and purchased by the Mann and Whitty families in 2008, 13th Street has grown to develop a reputation for crafting a wide range of quality sparkling wines from Niagara. One of the most talented French-trained winemakers, Jean-Pierre Colas joined the team in 2009 and has been instrumental in the rise of quality wines at 13th Street, which starts by using the best grapes from some of Niagara's best vineyards.

I last enjoyed 13th Street Cuvée Rosé Brut back in December 2019 and am delighted to see how the latest incarnation of this sparkling wine is tasting. This bottling is a blend of 71% Pinot Noir and 29% Chardonnay - which is significantly more Pinot Noir than Chardonnay when compared to last December's bottle - with 70% of the fruit comes from the 2014 vintage. Pinot Noir provides fruit, power, and richness to the wine, while the Chardonnay adds structure and backbone. It underwent secondary fermentation in the final bottle and was aged sur lattes (en tirage / on yeasts) for a minimum of 18 months during which the bubbles became smaller and more compact, and the wine became slightly autolytic in character. A dosage of 8 grams of sugar was mixed with reserve Pinot Noir and added to the wine, then aged for another 3 months to allow the wine to integrate prior to release.

Tasting Note:

13TH STREET CUVÉE ROSÉ BRUT - VQA Niagara Peninsula, Ontario, Canada (#147504) (XD) - $29.95 $24.95 until Jan. 3.
Made in the traditional method using 71% Pinot Noir and 29% Chardonnay, this has lovely, fresh brioche and autolytic aromas off the top, with medium+ intensity, layered over bright red berries - strawberry, cherry, and raspberry - and some citrusy notes. It is medium+ bodied on the creamy, dry palate with fine mousse and flavours of autolytic, red berry, and citrus with honeyed accents. It has tart, bracing acidity, while mineral notes linger on the finish, with very good length. Score: 90 pts

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Château Prieuré-Lichine 2016 (Bordeaux) - Wine Review

Tonight's wine review is this lovely Margaux from the Left Bank of Bordeaux that newly arrived at the LCBO today as part of the December 12th LCBO VINTAGES Release.

A jewel of the Margaux appellation, this red wine is produced by Château Prieuré-Lichine and expresses the very essence of a world-famous terroir. The Priory (or monastery) of Cantenac was founded during the Roman era by the monks of the Abbey of Vertheuil, and its local wines enjoyed a fine reputation from the very beginning. In the 13th century, with the support of Bordeaux's Pope Clément V, the church vineyards flourished. The first mention of Prieuré growth dates to the year 1444.

With great international interest in the wines of Médoc, vines were completely taking over lands, and in 1745, the Bordeaux Intendance (Royal Administration) classified the wines of Prieuré in the category of third growths within the parishes of Margaux and Cantenac. By 1855, Prieuré was promoted to the 4th Classified Growth in the 1855 Imperial Classification. A century later, the vineyard had shrunk to just one hectare due to various factors such as powdery and downy mildew, phylloxera, and the Great Depression.

In 1951, Alexis Lichine, the Pope of Wine, purchased the estate and renamed it to Château Prieuré-Lichine. Alexis was a renowned winemaker and tireless champion of the wines of Bordeaux, heralding the renaissance of this Margaux estate. In 1999, after half a century of close ties with the Lichine family, the Château was acquired by Ballande group with sights firmly looking forward into the new millenium.

The vineyard was extended by 10 hectares in 2012 with plots located in the commune of Arsac. After soil studies were conducted, the technical team was able to match the rootstock with the grape varietal to exploit the full potential of the terroir. The result is that the grape composition was identical to the blend of the First Wine of Château Prieuré-Lichine. In 2013, the vat room was completely renovated and modernized, including the use of gravity-flow. Château Prieuré-Lichine also has a commitment to environment, joining the High Environmental Value (HVE) system.

This particular red wine, from the great 2016 Bordeaux vintage, is a blend of predominantly Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot, with a splash of Petit Verdot, that was grown on terraces of Günz-era Garonne gravelly soils that are mostly fast-draining, The grapes were hand-harvested in small crates, sorted on vibrating sorting tables using manual sorting and optical sorting machine. The grapes were not crushed and used gravity-flow to move the juice around the winery, followed by ageing in 50% new and 50% second use French oak barrels.

Tasting Note:

CHÂTEAU PRIEURÉ-LICHINE 2016 - 4e cru classé, AC Margaux, Bordeaux, France (#17487) (XD) - $113.95
A blend of 66% Cabernet Sauvignon, 29% Merlot, and 5% Petit Verdot, this has rich, complex, dark and red fruited, brooding aromas of spice, currant, and cassis mixed with savoury, earthy, oak, and touches of sweet tobacco and herb. It's medium-full bodied on the elegantly spiced palate, slightly warm, with lovely currant, cassis, tobacco, and earthy notes on the flavour profile. It has very good acidity and structured, fine-grained tannins that are quite integrated with a pleasant grippiness. Savoury, earthy tones with touches of graphite linger on the finish, with excellent length. Enjoy this beauty now to 2040. Score: 93 pts

Other lovely wines from the Château Prieuré-Lichine portfolio can be ordered through their Agent - Connexion Oenophilia.

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Castelo do Mar Albariño 2018 (Spain) - Wine Review

Tonight's wine review is this lovely Albariño from Spain that came to VINTAGES last Fall and returns to our shores as part of the December 12th LCBO VINTAGES Release.

Castelo do Mar wines are produced by Veiga da Princesa, a winery that is part of the Pazo do Mar Group of wineries. Veiga da Princesa is located Arbo, Pontevedra, in western Spain near the Atlantic Ocean and just north of Portugal. The vineyard was first planted in 2002, plot by plot, after two years of merging more than 200 small farms which were the property of more than 70 different owners!

The Albariño vines used to produce this white wine are cultivated on trellises, giving more airy, sun-kissed and less acidic grapes than those obtained with other vine-training techniques. This cultivating method also helps avoid the use of many phytosanitary treatments (i.e. disease control) which are applied in other sub-areas of this Appellation. All of the wines are produced and bottled using modern equipment and techniques, with a clear commitment to quality.

I had the pleasure of enjoying the 2016 Castelo do Mar Albariño a couple of years ago and am sure the 2018 will be just as good, if not better, due to a vintage that was rated 'very good' with a growing season that delivered a typical profile of the Albariño grape.

Tasting Note:

CASTELO DO MAR ALBARIÑO 2018 - DO Rías Baixas, Spain (#488734) (XD) - $19.95
100% Albariño from their 18 hectare estate in Tea County. Screw cap. The fragrant nose is ripe with tropical fruit, pineapple, peach, citrus and apple aromas with touches of floral. It's medium-full bodied on the palate with a rich, honeyed concentration of fruit and flavours of citrus and apple. Acids are vibrant and zesty, while oyster shell mineral notes arrive on the back palate, adding complexity and lingering through to the long, lip-smacking finish. Enjoy over the next 2-3 years. Score: 90 pts

Other lovely wines from Veiga da Princesa can be ordered via their Agent - Connexion Oenophilia.

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December 12, 2020 LCBO VINTAGES Release Wine Picks: Dinner Wines + Gifts

In what has been a year like no other, the December 12, 2020 LCBO VINTAGES Release is upon us and it is the final Release of the year. This mono-thematic Release features Delicious Dinner Wines and Gifts and all of these wines, plus those from the Main Release will be on VINTAGES shelves across Ontario by this Saturday.

The theme of this Release is a big one with thirty-two wines featured, but only four are included among my top wine recommendations. First up is a dry Champagne that is a blend of Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, and Pinot Meunier. There are also a trio of delightful red wines that includes a lovely Malbec from the Uco Valley in Argentina, as well as an Australian Shiraz made with fruit from Clare Valley and McLaren Vale. Lastly, there is a fine blend from the Côtes du Rhône in France that consists of 75% very old Grenache, 15% Mourvèdre, and 10% Syrah.

From my top red wine picks from this Release, the lovely Marguax is a blend of 66% Cabernet Sauvignon, 29% Merlot, and 5% Petit Verdot, while the Lirac consists of 60% Grenache, 30% Syrah and 10% Cinsault. From Spain, the Rioja is a blend of 94% Tempranillo and 6% Mazuelo, while the gorgeous Amarone is a fairly traditional blend of 40% Corvina, 40% Corvinone, and 20% Rondinella. Lastly, the Cabernet Franc from Chile usually includes a small amount of Petit Verdot. The rest of the wines are all single varietals, including the wine from Georgia that is made with the indigenous Saperavi varietal.

Among my white wine recommendations, the only blend is an organic and biodynamic wine from South Africa is driven by Chenin Blanc with Roussanne, Viognier, and Semillon in support. There are also pair of lovely Sauvignon Blanc wines - one from New Zealand and the other is from Uruguay. There's also a very nice Albariño from Spain and a pair of Chardonnay wines from Burgundy. For those that prefer some sweetness in their wines, look for the off-dry Riesling from Niagara or the Pinot Gris from Alsace.

Enjoy my wine recommendations from this Release and stay safe during the holiday season!

Red Wine:

• ZANGAURA SAPERAVI 2017 - PDO Kindzmarauli, Kakheti, Georgia (#617332) (XD) - $16.95
• SISTER'S RUN EPIPHANY SHIRAZ 2018 - Epiphany Vineyard, McLaren Vale, South Australia (#269464) (XD) - $17.95
• HALOS DE JUPITER CÔTES DU RHÔNE 2018 - AC, France (#276956) (D) - $17.95
• KAIKEN ULTRA LAS ROCAS MALBEC 2018 - Mendoza, Argentina (#50849) (XD) - $19.95  89 pts  wine review
• PÉREZ CRUZ LIMITED EDITION CABERNET FRANC 2017 - Fundo Liguai de Huelquén, DO Maipo Valley, Chile (#10591) (XD) - $19.95
• VAENI NAOUSSA GRANDE RESERVE XINOMAVRO 2013 - PDO Naoussa, Greece (#15849) (XD) - $20.95  FE

• WAKEFIELD JARAMAN SHIRAZ 2017 - Clare Valley/McLaren Vale, South Australia (#377036) (XD) - $24.95  88 pts  wine review
• CHÂTEAU DE MONTFAUCON 2016 - AP Lirac, Rhône, France (#15447) (XD) - $25.95
• MAJELLA CABERNET SAUVIGNON 2016 - Coonawarra, South Australia (#301531) (XD) - $29.95  FE
• LAN GRAN RESERVA 2011 - DOCa Rioja, Spain (#928622) (XD) - $34.95  91 pts  wine review
• DOMAINE DROUHIN ROSEROCK PINOT NOIR 2016 - Eola-Amity Hills, Willamette Valley, Oregon, USA (#529107) (XD) - $42.95
• FUMANELLI AMARONE DELLA VALPOLICELLA CLASSICO 2015 - DOCG, Veneto, Italy (#475053) (XD) - $62.95  92 pts  wine review
• CHÂTEAU PRIEURÉ-LICHINE 2016 - 4e cru classé, AC Margaux, Bordeaux, France (#17487) (XD) - $113.95  93 pts  wine review
  

White Wine:

• AVONDALE JONTY'S DUCKS PEKIN WHITE 2017 - WO Paarl, South Africa (#439554) (XD) - $16.95
• BODEGA GARZÓN MALDONADO SAUVIGNON BLANC 2018 - Garzón, Uruguay (#12678) (XD) - $18.95
• CHÂTEAU DES CHARMES OLD VINES RIESLING 2015 - VQA Niagara-on-the-Lake, Ontario, Canada (#277228) (D) - $18.95
• CASTELO DO MAR ALBARIÑO 2018 - DO Rías Baixas, Spain (#488734) (XD) - $19.95  90 pts  wine review
• LA CHABLISIENNE LE FINAGE CHABLIS 2018 - AC, Burgundy, France (#556340) (XD) - $22.95
• DOMAINES SCHLUMBERGER LES PRINCES ABBÉS PINOT GRIS 2018 - AC Alsace, France (#21253) (D) - $24.95
• VILLA MARIA SOUTHERN CLAYS SINGLE VINEYARD SAUVIGNON BLANC 2018 - Marlborough, South Island, New Zealand (#447474) (XD) - $29.95  90 pts  wine review
• RURIS AMOR LES BURNINS MONTAGNY 1ER CRU 2016 - AC, Burgundy, France (#16198) (XD) - $29.95

Sparkling Wine:

• ALBINO ARMANI EXTRA DRY CONEGLIANO VALDOBBIADENE PROSECCO SUPERIORE - DOCG, Friuli, Italy (#16602) (XD) - $22.95
• TRIUS BRUT ROSÉ SPARKLING - Traditional method, VQA Niagara Peninsula, Ontario, Canada (#17690) (XD) - $29.95
• VEUVE CLICQUOT PONSARDIN BRUT VINTAGE CHAMPAGNE - AC, France (#508614) (XD) - $107.95

Fortified:

• ALVEAR PEDRO XIMENEZ DE AÑADA 2015 - DOP Montilla-Moriles, Spain (#499152) (S) (375 mL) - $24.95
• WARRE'S QUINTA DA CAVADINHA VINTAGE PORT 2006 - DOP, Portugal (#189605) (S) - $54.95

Dessert Wine:

• CHÂTEAU HAUT-BERGERON 2016 - AC Sauternes, Bordeaux, France (#17503) (S) (375 mL) - $31.95

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Kaiken Ultra Las Rocas Malbec 2018 (Argentina) - Wine Review

For tonight's wine review, I continue the series on some lovely Malbec wines from Argentina. This particular bottle is arriving at the LCBO as part of the December 12, 2020 LCBO VINTAGES Release.

It is produced by Kaiken Wines, the name of which comes from the Caiquén wild goose from Patagonia that flies across The Andes between Argentina and Chile. Like the border-crossing Caiquén, Aurelio Montes, founder of Chilean winery Bodega Montes, made several trips across the Andes to Argentina and in the year 2000 he rediscovered Mendoza as a generous land, filled with superb vines and hardworking people. Although the winery was built in 1920, it was in 2001 that Aurelio realized Mendoza was the perfect place to make Kaiken Wines.

Today, the winemaking team consists of Chilean Gustavo Hörmann and Argentinean Rogelio Rabino, with support from Aurelio Montes. Kaiken owns vineyards in some of the most prestigious regions of Argentina with the goal of crafting wines that faithfully express the terroir they come from. The philosophy at Kaiken has always been to produce premium wines with respect for the environment and our collaborators, promoting a sustainable culture in all stages of the winemaking process, including the use of biodynamics.

Although this Malbec is generically labelled from Mendoza, the grapes were actually grown in three separate vineyards located in the sub-regions of the Uco Valley. The first batch comes from Los Chacayes in Tunuyán at an elevation of 4,101 ft. (1,250 m) where the climate is temperate with cool nights and the soils are rocky and mixed with coarse sand and some lime with low fertility and high permeability. The second parcel of Malbec comes from Altamira in San Carlos that was grown at 3,937 ft. (1,200 m) above sea level and has a large diurnal temperature range with cold nights and warm days. The soil in Altamira is chalky with sand, lime, and stones. The third and final parcel of Malbec comes from an extremely high-elevation vineyard in Gualtallary, Tupungato, at 4,265 - 5,249 ft. (1,300 - 1,600 m) above sea level. This area in Gualtallary also has a large diurnal temperature range, along with instances of Zonda wind - a strong, dry wind - and has alluvial, poor, and stony soils, with an important quantity of calcium carbonate and sand. All of the grapes were manually harvested and fermented in concrete tanks and aged in a combination of new and used French oak barrels for 12 months. The name of this delicious wine "Las Rocas" comes from the hundreds of rounded boulders that lie among the vines at their Los Chacayes vineyard in Tunuyán.

Tasting Note:

KAIKEN ULTRA LAS ROCAS MALBEC 2018 - Mendoza, Argentina (#50849) (XD) - $19.95
100% Malbec from three separate vineyards across the Uco Valley grown at 3,937 - 5,249 ft. (1,200 m - 1,600 m) above sea level. Spicy, medium+ intensity aromas are layered over blackberry, dark berry, and smoky dark minerals with touches of oak. Lovely floral and peppery spice aromas arrive with time in the glass. It's medium-bodied on the palate with nice dark berry, dark mineral, blackberry, and touches of violet on the flavour profile. Succulent acids are juicy and well-balanced, while gritty tannins seem just a bit tight at the moment. Dark berry and mineral notes linger on the tight finish, with very good length. Enjoy over the next 5 years. Score: 89 pts

Other lovely wines from Kaiken can be found at the LCBO or through their Agent - Trajectory Beverage Partners.

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