Niagara College Les Marmitons Gastronomy Chardonnay 2017 (Niagara) - Wine Review

Tonight's wine review is a lovely barrel-fermented Chardonnay from Niagara College Teaching Winery that I purchased at the winery during my visit to Niagara for the Icewine Festival in January 2020.

The Les Marmitons range of wines were created by Niagara College after being approached by members of Les Marmitons Niagara - the local chapter of an international gastronomic and social club for men interested in fine food, wine and the culinary arts. Although Les Marmitons wines were first launched in 2016, I only discovered them last January and enjoyed tasting all three wines bearing the Les Marmitons label - this Chardonnay, a Fumé Blanc, and a Pinot Noir. While the Chardonnay is sold out (apparently the price was reduced to $20 at some point), the other two wines are available for purchase and proceeds from the sales of Les Marmitons wines help to support student learning.

Tasting Note:

NIAGARA COLLEGE LES MARMITONS GASTRONOMY CHARDONNAY 2017 - VQA St. David's Bench, Niagara-on-the-Lake, Ontario, Canada (XD) - $24.95 Sold out
From estate-grown Chardonnay that was wild and barrel-fermented, along with 11 months 'sur lie' in French barriques. Screw cap. Lovely butter, golden apple, pear, leesy, and lemon citrus aromas with touches of vanilla oak rising out of the glass. On the well-balanced, medium-full bodied palate it is creamy with nice concentration and fine acidity supporting the apple, pear, butter, and vanilla flavours. Leesy and yeasty characters linger on the finish, with very good length. Lovely! Score: 89 pts

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Viña Tarapacá Gran Reserva Cabernet Sauvignon 2018 (Chile) - Wine Review

Tonight's wine review is this lovely Cabernet Sauvignon from Chile. This red wine is a frequent visitor to Ontario due to its popularity and I'm delighted to see this particular vintage return to the LCBO today as part of the January 9, 2021 LCBO VINTAGES Release.

In 2008, Viña Tarapacá merged with Viña San Pedro to form VSPT Wine Group, however, their story actually begins when they were founded at the foothills on the Chilean side of the Andes Mountains in 1874 to become one of Chile's most traditional and historical wineries, as well as a benchmark for Chilean viticulture.

Renowned winemaker Don Francisco de Rojas y Salamanca founded the winery under the name "Viña de Rojas" in the Maipo Valley. In 1892, the winery was acquired by Don Antonio Zavala and became "Viña Zavala". After Zavala's divorce, the winery became the property of his ex-wife, Doña Mercedes, and she renamed the winery to "Viña Tarapacá Ex Zavala" in gratitude to Don Arturo Alessandri, one of those most influential Chilean politicians of the 20th century and twice President of the country, whose nickname was "The Lion of Tarapacá". In 1927, the guest house was built in a Tuscan style at Viña Tarapacá and today this casona adorns the labels of all Tarapacá wines, as well as the embossed seal on wines from the Gran Reserva Tarapacá range.

Viña Tarapacá is continually committed to quality winemaking and sustainable practices that cover economic, social, and environmental areas, as well as conserving the biodiversity surrounding their vineyards. Impressively, Viña Tarapacá was the first Chilean winery to have a mini hydroelectric plant to generate 60% of winery's energy consumption, with any electricity not consumed fed into the national grid to provide the country with clean energy.

I've tasted the Viña Tarapacá Gran Reserva Cabernet Sauvignon on numerous occasions over the years, and based on my database records going back to at least the 2005 vintage that I enjoyed in 2010. The grapes for the 2018 vintage are from their 2,600 hectare El Rosario Estate, of which 611 hectares are planted to vine. The estate and winery is located in Isla de Maipo - about 50 km southwest of Santiago - an area surrounded by mountains and the Maipo River and considered the finest and most traditional for the production of fine wines in Chile.

Tasting Note:

VIÑA TARAPACÁ GRAN RESERVA CABERNET SAUVIGNON 2018 - DO Maipo Valley, Chile (#18721) (XD) - $17.95
The fragrant nose has a nice mix of spice, dried herb, dark berry, ripe blackberry, and smoky oak aromas with subtle touches of mineral adding further complexity. The full-bodied palate is very ripe with blackberry, spice, herbs, currant, cassis, and oak flavours supported by balanced acidity. The smooth, refined tannins have some structure and a pleasant, chalky texture. Earthy wood spice, cocoa, and mineral notes accented by currant and cassis notes linger on the long, juicy finish. Recommended buy. Score: 90 pts

Other lovely wines from Viña Tarapacá can found at the LCBO, as well as through their Agent - Dandurand.

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Ravine Vineyard Sand & Gravel Cabernet Franc 2017 (Niagara) - Wine Review

Tonight's wine review is this lovely Cabernet Franc from Niagara-on-the-Lake's Ravine Vineyard Estate Winery. I purchased this bottle while visiting the winery during the Days of Wine & Chocolate Festival in February 2019. Of course, this particular vintage is sold out, however, the 2019 is available for purchase at winery or online from their website.

Ravine Vineyard's Tasting Room is situated in the Wm. Woodruff House that was originally built in 1802 by David Secord - the namesake of the town of St. Davids in Niagara-on-the-Lake. The farm property was purchased by the Lowrey family in 1867, and two years later the first grape vines were planted on the site. Fast forward to 2008 when Ravine Vineyard Estate Winery opened to the public. I have been to Ravine on a number of occasions over the years - whose grapes on the 34 hectare family property are all organically farmed - and have always loved their wines.

Of all the Bordeaux red varietals planted in Niagara, it is Cabernet Franc that consistently performs the best - showcasing its tolerance for our cold winters and its ability to ripen in Niagara's cool climate. I noted that this wine was a bit young and grippy when I tasted it at the winery a couple of years ago, but it should be in fine form now. Let's see how this Niagara Cabernet Franc is tasting tonight...

Tasting Note:

RAVINE VINEYARD SAND & GRAVEL CABERNET FRANC 2017 - VQA Niagara Peninsula, Ontario, Canada (XD) - $19.95
Aged in French oak for 10 months and enclosed by screw cap. Medium-high intensity nose offers earthy and bretty aromas layered over complex ripe red and black berries, spice, thyme, bay leaf, and herbal notes. It is quite full with very good concentration on the palate that has savoury, earthy notes mingling with ripe red and black berry, and dark cherry flavours. Some peppery spice on the mid-palate, with very good acidity, and smooth tannins that are well-integrated with subtle chalkiness. Earthy, wood spice, and some vanilla notes linger on the very long finish. Score: 89 pts

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January 9, 2021 LCBO VINTAGES Release Wine Picks: Smart Buys + Organic Wines

Happy New Year! The January 9, 2021 LCBO VINTAGES Release is the first Release of the year. As per the usual, it is the annual Smart Buys Release, but new for 2021 is the addition of a feature on Organic wines. Overall, this is a noticeably smaller Release than past years, and is perhaps a sign of things to come for future VINTAGES Release - time will tell. Nevertheless, there are some fantastic wines in this Release and all should be on shelves across Ontario by this Saturday.

We begin with the main theme on Smart Buys. It's a large feature with 20 wines listed, of which five that are all under $20 and included among my top wine picks. At the top of this list is a lovely Malbec from Argentina (2018 vintage tasted here). Also from the Southern Hemisphere, there is a nice Carmenère from Chile, as well as a lovely Australian Shiraz that returns to my list of recommended wines, and a fine Sauvignon Blanc from New Zealand. The only "Smart Buy" from the Northern Hemisphere is a Cairanne from Rhône that consists of 50% Grenache, 30% Syrah, and 20% Mourvèdre.

From the mini-theme on organic wines, there are only five wines listed, but a couple are included among my top organic wine recommendations. First up is a Viognier from Australia, while the second wine is the always lovely Emiliana Coyam from Chile that is a blend of 43% Syrah, 29% Carmenère, 12% Cabernet Sauvignon, 5% Mourvedre, 3% Petit Verdot, 3% Carignan, 2% Malbec, 2% Garnacha, and 1% Tempranillo.

Among my red wine picks, from France, the Châteauneuf-du-Pape is a blend 75% Grenache, 20% Syrah, and 5% Mourvèdre, while the Bordeaux red consists of mostly Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon, with a splash of Petit Verdot. The only other blend is from Tuscany, a Super Tuscan that consists of 70% Cabernet Sauvignon and 30% Sangiovese. Single varietal wines include the Barolo that is made with Nebbiolo and an Aglianico from Campania. There are also a pair of lovely Cabernet Sauvignon wines - one from Argentina and one from Chile.

It was a very small Release of white wines, thus, my list of white wine recommendations is also smaller than usual. There are a pair of fine Chardonnays - one from Burgundy and one from Argentina, as well as a lovely Albariño from Spain. Last, but definitely not the least, there is a fine, higher-end Pinot Grigio from Südtirol – Alto Adige in Northern Italy.

Enjoy my wine recommendations from this Release! Cheers and stay safe!

Red Wine:

• TRAPICHE MEDALLA CABERNET SAUVIGNON 2016 - Mendoza, Argentina (#568865) (XD) - $17.00  89 pts  wine review
• VIÑA TARAPACÁ GRAN RESERVA CABERNET SAUVIGNON 2018 - DO Maipo Valley, Chile (#18721) (XD) - $17.95  90 pts  wine review
• APALTAGUA ENVERO GRAN RESERVA CARMENÈRE 2015 - Apalta, Colchagua Valley, Chile (#481010) (XD) $18.95  88+ pts  wine review
• COLAB AND BLOOM SHIRAZ 2018 - McLaren Vale, South Australia (#16043) (XD) - $19.95
• ZUCCARDI Q MALBEC 2019 - Uco Valley, Mendoza, Argentina (#723478) (XD) - $19.95
• ENTRE RESTANQUES ET GARRIGUES 2016 - AP Cairanne, Rhône, France (#15449) (XD) - $19.95

 

• MASTROBERARDINO IRPINIA AGLIANICO 2018 - DOC Irpinia, Campania, Italy (#93112) (XD) - $23.95
• CHÂTEAU PIERRE DE MONTIGNAC 2015 - Cru Bourgeois, AP Médoc, Bordeaux, France (#437954) (XD) - $25.95
• EMILIANA COYAM 2017 - Los Robles Estate, Colchagua Valley, Chile (#63891) (XD) - $29.95  91 pts  wine review
• TENUTA SAN GUIDO LE DIFESE 2018 - IGT Toscana, Italy (#147876) (XD) - $37.95
• CHÂTEAU BEAUCHENE VIGNOBLES DE LA SERRIÈRE CHÂTEAUNEUF-DU-PAPE 2017 - Haute Valeur Environnementale, AC, Rhône, France (#13518) (XD) - $48.95
• RENATO RATTI MARCENASCO BAROLO 2016 - DOCG, Piedmont, Italy (#713479) (XD) - $71.95

White Wine:

• YALUMBA ORGANIC VIOGNIER 2019 - Vegan, South Australia (#288217) (XD) - $16.95
• VIGNERONS DE BUXY BUISSONNIER BOURGOGNE CHARDONNAY 2018 - AC, Burgundy, France (#10349) (XD) - $17.95
• FOLLAS NOVAS ALBARIÑO 2019 - DO Rías Baixas, Spain (#488981) (XD) - $18.95
• CATENA CHARDONNAY 2019 - Mendoza, Argentina (#918805) (XD) - $19.95
• MOUNT RILEY LIMITED RELEASE SAUVIGNON BLANC 2019 - Marlborough, South Island, New Zealand (#447425) (XD) - $19.95
• NALS MARGREID PUNGGL PINOT GRIGIO 2018 - DOC Südtirol – Alto Adige, Italy (#395756) (XD) - $31.95

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Zuccardi Q Malbec 2018 (Argentina) - Wine Review

For my first wine of 2021, tonight's wine review is a lovely Malbec that is a frequent visitor to the LCBO as a VINTAGES listing and most recently arrived on shelves across Ontario as part of the June 13, 2020 LCBO VINTAGES Release. While a few bottles of the 2018 may still be available throughout the province, the 2019 will be arriving aplenty as part of the January 9, 2021 LCBO VINTAGES Release.

Viticulturist Sebastián Zuccardi grew up in a winegrowing family that had a strong visionary and innovative spirit which began with Sebastián's grandfather in prior to 1963 and passed down to his father. Sebastián studied at the Agricultural School, becoming a winemaker and continued his studies as an Agricultural Engineer.

Today, Sebastián is the third generation of the winegrowing family and leads a young agricultural and winemaking team with the goal of crafting wines that express the place and region through the continuous exploration of the different terroirs in the Uco Valley. Since 2008, under Sebastián's initiative, Zuccardi established an area of research and development dedicated to the study of the terroir and the many variables that affect the production of the wine.

I've tasted and enjoyed many Zuccardi wines over the years, including several from the Zuccardi Q line that was launched in 1999, but this is the first time I've profiled the Q Malbec. The "Q" stands for Quality, and the project was a great yearning for Sebastián Zuccardi's dad as he did the work in the vineyards that were started by Sebastián's grandfather in 1963. The Zuccardi Q line of wines is special for the family as they were the first wines to bear the Zuccardi name.

In the vineyard, the best plots of each vineyard are marked with a "Q", denoting that these vines require special attention to achieve grapes of exceptional quality. which in turn help to produce exceptional wines. Zuccardi also employed the farm workers with better skills to work these particular plots. The Zuccardi Q Malbec is a regional wine, using specially selected grapes from specially selected vineyards in the micro-regions of Paraje Altamira (San Carlos) and Los Chacayes (Tunuyán), the two main sub-regions within the Uco Valley in Mendoza. Los Chacayes is a distinct area that previously used to be part of the broader Vista Flores region, hence the labelling on the bottle.

Tasting Note:

ZUCCARDI Q MALBEC 2018 - Uco Valley, Mendoza, Argentina (#723478) (XD) - $19.95
100% Malbec from Paraje Altamira (San Carlos) at 1,100 metres elevation and Los Chacayes (Tunuyán) at 1,000 metres elevation. It was vinified using gravity-flow, native yeasts, and underwent malolactic fermentation. It was also aged in a combination of concrete and oak. The medium-high intensity nose has a savoury core surrounded by ripe blackberry, smoky mineral, and spice accented with violet florals. The palate is medium-bodied with more ripe blackberry flavours followed by spice, violet, and smoky mineral notes. There's some warmth on the mid-palate, along with fresh, lively acidity and smooth, fine-grained tannins that are nicely textured. Finishes with smoky mineral notes and some chalkiness on the long, satisfying finish. Score: 89 pts

There are many fine Zuccardi wines available at the LCBO, while other wines not found at the LCBO can be ordered through their Agent - The Bacchus Group.

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Desiderius Pongrácz Brut Cap Classique Sparkling Chardonnay / Pinot Noir (South Africa) - Wine Review

For tonight's wine review, I bring you this excellent bubbly that I actually intended to open on New Year's Eve 2019, but for reasons I don't recall, I ended up not opening it.

This lovely traditional method, dry sparkling wine from South Africa came to the LCBO last year as part of the December 7, 2019 LCBO VINTAGES Release. I had the privilege of tasting this wine at the LCBO tasting lab prior to it being available in stores and was delighted to have purchased a bottle as it did not show up in stores again in 2020.

After what started out as a great year, 2020 turned out to be a year like no other and full of challenges, to say the least. But, I think we have all adapted to these trying times and feel hopeful for a better 2021!

Tasting Note:

DESIDERIUS PONGRÁCZ BRUT CAP CLASSIQUE SPARKLING CHARDONNAY / PINOT NOIR - Traditional method, WO Western Cape, South Africa (#404111) (XD) - $16.95
Made in the traditional method from hand-harvested, maritime cooled vineyards, this is a blend of 60% Pinot Noir from deep red soils and 40% Chardonnay that sees two years of lees ageing. Clean, highly fragrant aromas of brioche, autolytic, and toast layered over nuanced notes of honey, lemony citrus, and almond. It's very fine on the palate with smooth, finely beaded bubbles and creamy textured mousse. The flavour profile is dry with lovely autolytic, brioche, and lemon citrus notes with touches of honey. It has fine acidity and a somewhat textural, chalky grip on the mid-palate. Leesy and mineral notes linger on the long, mouth-watering finish. Lovely! Score: 91 pts

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Lacour Tourny 2018 (Bordeaux) - Wine Review

Tonight's wine review is this nice Bordeaux red that recently arrived at the LCBO as a General List product and is widely available across Ontario.

Lacour Tourny pays tribute to the Marquis de Tourny, who worked under the reign of Louis XV to magnify the city of Bordeaux. The blend of this red wine consists of Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon from small plots within mature vineyards. This red wine reveals the knowledge of the producer's oenologists, while also respecting the typicity of this renowned winemaking region and its environment.

Tasting Note:

LACOUR TOURNY 2018 - AC Bordeaux, France (#17447) (XD) - $11.85
A blend of 60% Merlot and 40% Cabernet Sauvignon that was sourced from small plots in Entre-deux-Mers and the right bank of the Gironde Estuary where the soils have a combination of clay and lime. Rich, medium+ intensity nose offers blackberry and spice aromas accented by dark cherry, raspberry, and touches of black plum. On the dry, medium-bodied palate it has fresh acidity and fruit forward, plummy, dark berry, spice, and beet flavours. Mild tannins have a subtle textured grip. Nicely balanced overall with a savoury, earthy, and juicy finish, with very good length. Score: 88 pts

Other wines from Lacour Tourny can be ordered via their Agent - Churchill Cellars.

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