Great Italian Wines - Understanding Indigenous Grape Varieties - Nebbiolo & Valpolicella

On Thursday, I had the pleasure of attending a masterclass titled "Great Italian Wines" that focused on understanding the indigenous varietals of Italy. This class was the first in a series being held by the Italian Chamber of Commerce of Ontario Canada (ICCO Canada) and focused on Nebbiolo and the varieties of Valpolicella.Italy is the world's largest producer of wine by...

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New Zealand Wine Tasting - Waiheke Island (Mar. 2020)

While visiting New Zealand for the first time ever last year (which feels like eons ago due to the pandemic), I had the pleasure of visiting Waiheke Island on a fine Sunday afternoon. This was the first day of what ended up being five straight days of wine tasting in New Zealand - more on the rest of the trip is to come. Waiheke Island is a hilly, wine-producing region located...

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Volcanic Hills Wine Tasting - New Zealand (Feb. 2020)

On a lovely Friday during my visit to New Zealand last year, I was in Rotorua, a hot tourist spot on the North Island, about 2 hours away from Auckland and came across Volcanic Hills Winery. Volcanic Hills was founded in 2009 using borrowed winery space. The brand was born from the Volcanic Plateau that is surrounded by the volcanic peaks of Ngauruhoe, Ruapehu, and Tarawera....

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Mon Frère Vintner's Selection California Cabernet Sauvignon 2017 (USA) - Wine Review

Tonight's red wine review is a new California Cabernet Sauvignon that arrived at the LCBO last month as part of the January 9, 2021 LCBO VINTAGES Release.It is produced by Mon Frère Winery, French for "My Brother", and was established in 2019 to champion the very best in quality wine making and exceptional value from California. Mon Frère is a celebration of our connections...

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Margan Family Hunter Valley Semillon 2018 (Australia) - Wine Review

Tonight's wine review is a lovely Semillon from the Hunter Valley in Australia that arrives at the LCBO this weekend as part of the February 6, 2021 LCBO VINTAGES Release.Margan Wines was established in 1996 by Lisa and Andrew Margan in the picturesque Broke Fordwich wine region of Hunter Valley. Prior to establishing Margan Wines, Andrew learned the art of grape growing and...

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February 6, 2021 LCBO VINTAGES Release Wine Picks: Italy + Local Heroes

The main theme from the February 6, 2021 LCBO VINTAGES Release focuses on Italian wine & food, while the mini-theme focuses on six Niagara producers who are Local Heroes. All of these wines, plus those from the rest of the release will be on shelves across Ontario by this Saturday.We begin with the main theme that focuses on Italian wine & food. In this feature, there...

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Wakefield Clare Valley Estate Chardonnay 2019 (Australia) - Wine Review

For tonight's wine review, I opened this delicious Australian Chardonnay that is a frequent visitor to the LCBO. This particular bottle is the 2019 vintage that arrives on our shores as part of the February 6, 2021 LCBO VINTAGES Release.Wakefield Wines are hand-crafted by three generations of the Taylor family at their estate in Clare Valley. In 1969, Bill Taylor Sr. and his...

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