May 15, 2021 LCBO VINTAGES Release Wine Picks: France + Portugal

With the arrival of Spring weather, the main theme of the May 15, 2021 LCBO VINTAGES Release focuses on fresh, French sippers, while the mini-theme looks at wines from Portugal. All of these wines, plus those from the main release should arrive on LCBO VINTAGES shelves across Ontario by this Saturday.

We begin with the main theme that looks at fresh French wines for sipping - which can surely be enjoyed on their own or with a meal. Of the fourteen wines featured, four are included among my top wine picks. First up a traditional method sparkling wine from Limoux that is made using 90% Mauzac and 10% Chardonnay. The white wine from Rhône is a blend of 60% Viognier, 20% Grenache Blanc, and 20% Roussanne, while the Minuty Rosé consists of Grenache (Noir), Cinsault, and Syrah. Lastly, the wine from Beaujolais is made with 100% Gamay.

The mini-theme on wines from Portugal is a small feature with just six wines, and the lone wine included among my Portuguese wine recommendations is an unoaked red that is a field blend of 27 grape varieties from old vines.

From my red wine picks from the rest of the release, the South African red is a blend of 71% Syrah, 11% Grenache, 9% Cinsault, 8% Cabernet Sauvignon, and 1% Viognier, while the Châteauneuf-du-Pape consists of Grenache, Syrah, and Mourvèdre. There are also a pair of lovely Syrah/Shiraz and Grenache blends - the wine from Roussillon consists of 70% Syrah and 30% old vines Grenache, while the Australian red is a blend of 60% Shiraz and 40% Grenache. Lastly, the wine from Sicily is a blend of Nerello Mascalese and Nerello Cappuccio. Single varietal wines include a pair of Cabernet Franc wines - one each from Niagara and Argentina, as well as a pair of Pinot Noir wines - one from Chile and one from New Zealand - that you can compare and contrast with each other.

Among my white wine recommendations, all are single varietal wines including a pair of fine Sauvignon Blanc wines, one from Sancerre and the other from New Zealand. From South America, there is also a nice Semillon from Argentina, as well as a lovely Chardonnay from Chile. For Riesling wine lovers, there is a dry Riesling from Australia, an off-dry Riesling (i.e. slightly sweet) from Niagara, and a very sweet Riesling from Mosel.

All of my top rosé wine picks from this release are stylistically dry rosé wines. From Provence, the Pigoudet is a blend of Cinsault and Grenache, while the Ott Rosé consists of Grenache, Cinsault, Syrah, and Mourvèdre. Lastly, the rosé from Languedoc consists of 45% Cinsault, 40% Grenache, 10% Caladoc, and 5% Syrah.

Enjoy my wine recommendations from this release! Cheers!

Red Wine:

• LUA CHEIA OLD VINES RED 2019 - DOC Douro, Portugal (#266882) (XD) - $15.95
• DOMAINE DE LA MADONE LE PERRÉON BEAUJOLAIS-VILLAGES 2019 - AC, France (#981175) (XD) - $17.95
• FABRE MONTMAYOU RESERVA CABERNET FRANC 2018 - Mendoza, Argentina (#492736) (XD) - $18.95
• FEATHERSTONE CABERNET FRANC 2018 - VQA Niagara Peninsula, Ontario, Canada (#64618) (XD) - $19.95
• BASTIDE MIRAFLORS SYRAH/VIEILLES VIGNES GRENACHE 2018 - AP Côtes du Roussillon, France (#320499) (XD) - $19.95
• PAXTON AAA SHIRAZ/GRENACHE 2019 - McLaren Vale, South Australia (#149898) (XD) - $21.95  90+ pts  wine review
  
• BABICH PINOT NOIR 2018 - Sustainable, estate bottled, Marlborough, South Island, New Zealand (#216) (XD) - $22.95  89 pts  wine review
• ERRÁZURIZ ACONCAGUA COSTA PINOT NOIR 2019 - DO Aconcagua Costa, Chile (#541151) (XD) - $24.95  91+ pts  wine review
• TORNATORE ETNA ROSSO 2017 - DOC, Sicily, Italy (#487090) (XD) - $25.95  91 pts  wine review
• THE CHOCOLATE BLOCK 2019 - WO Swartland, South Africa (#129353) (XD) - $39.95
• LA FERME DU MONT VENDANGE CHÂTEAUNEUF-DU-PAPE 2018 - AP, Rhône, France (#309245) (XD) - $57.95
  

White Wine:

• LES VIGNERONS DU CASTELAS LE MONARQUE CÔTES DU RHÔNE BLANC 2019 - AP, France (#18570) (XD) - $15.95  88+ pts  wine review
• WAKEFIELD RIESLING 2019 - Clare Valley, South Australia (#301523) (XD) - $16.95  90 pts  wine review
• ARBOLEDA CHARDONNAY 2019 - DO Aconcagua Costa, Chile (#606772) (XD) - $18.95
• PADDY BORTHWICK SAUVIGNON BLANC 2019 - Wairarapa, North Island, New Zealand (#361220) (XD) - $19.95
• EL ENEMIGO SEMILLON 2018 - Agrelo, Luján de Cuyo, Mendoza, Argentina (#17457) (XD) - $23.95  FE
• CAVE SPRING CSV RIESLING 2018 - Cave Spring Vineyard, VQA Beamsville Bench, Niagara Escarpment, Ontario, Canada (#566026) (D) - $29.95
• JEAN-MAX ROGER CUVÉE GENÈSE SANCERRE 2019 - AC, Loire, France (#189126) (XD) - $33.95  92 pts  wine review
• DR. H. THANISCH ERBEN MÜLLER-BURGGRAEF BERNKASTELER GRABEN RIESLING SPÄTLESE 2018 - Estate bottled, Prädikatswein, Mosel, Germany (#18287) (S) - $33.95
  

Rosé Wine:

• LE BIJOU DE SOPHIE VALROSE 2020 - IGP Coteaux de Béziers, Languedoc, France (#20012) (XD) - $16.95
• CHÂTEAU PIGOUDET CLASSIC ROSÉ 2020 - AP Coteaux d’Aix-en-Provence, France (#668434) (XD) - $24.95
• M DE MINUTY ROSÉ 2020 - AP Côtes de Provence, France (#575316) (XD) - $26.95
• OTT BY.OTT ROSÉ 2020 - AP Côtes de Provence, France (#490896) (XD) - $31.95
  

Sparkling Wine:

• J. LAURENS LE MOULIN BRUT BLANQUETTE DE LIMOUX - Traditional method, AP, Midi, France (#180323) (XD) - $19.95  89 pts  wine review
• BLUE MOUNTAIN BLANC DE BLANCS 2011 - Estate bottled, traditional method, Okanagan Valley, British Columbia, Canada (#17693) (XD) - $54.95  FE
  

Read More

Wakefield Riesling 2019 (Australia) - Wine Review

Tonight's wine review is a lovely dry Riesling from Australia, a varietal we unfortunately don't see much of from Australia here in Ontario. This white wine arrives at the LCBO this weekend as part of the May 15, 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 two sons, Bill and John, founded Wakefield Wines by the Wakefield River in South Australia's Clare Valley with a desire to create a proper "old-world" style Estate where the vineyards and winery are at the same location. Today, the third generation of the Taylors - Mitchell, Justin and Clinton - continue the family's long term goal to make wines that will stand the test of time and the next generation will be proud of.

This particular Riesling is from their Estate Label range of wines. This Estate Label white wines are intended to over deliver in every aspect, while also displaying great varietal expression with elegance and finesse.

Like other wines in the Estate Label range, this Riesling also has a handy, touch-activated Optimum Drinking Temperature sensor on the back label. The sensor is calibrated for each wine, with the ideal temperature suggested as between 8-10°C for this particular Riesling. When the wine is at the optimum drinking temperature, the colour of the sensor will fall within the optimum range on the accompanying colour chart.

Tasting Note:

WAKEFIELD RIESLING 2019 - Clare Valley, South Australia (#301523) (XD) - $16.95
Screw cap. Fresh, clean, medium-high intensity aromas of lime citrus, white floral, and pear with hints of petrol and melon adding complexity. The medium-bodied palate has a fleshy mouthfeel with a dry flavour profile of lime citrus, floral, ripe pear notes, joined by a twist of honey. It has fresh, balanced acidity with oyster shell mineral, tart lime, and floral notes coming through on the long, lip-smacking finish. Highly recommended buy! Score: 90 pts

Other lovely wines from Wakefield Wines are available at the LCBO, as well as through their Agent - Profile Wine Group.

Read More

Château d'Aquéria Tavel 2020 (Rhône) - Wine Review

As we look forward to bright and sunny weather, tonight's wine review is a bright and lovely rosé from the southern Rhône Valley Cru of Tavel that came to the LCBO as part of the most recent LCBO VINTAGES Release on May 1st.

Perennially one of my favourite Tavel wines, this rosé takes me back to my visit to the historic Château d'Aquéria nearly three years ago. The fascinating story of Château d'Aquéria begins in 1595 when Louis Joseph d'Aqueria purchased the area of Tavel known as "Puy Sablonneux" from the monks at the Abbey in Villeneuve les Avignon. On prime vine-growing lands, his son, Robert d'Aqueria, built a home that was transformed in the 18th century into the Château that stands today. Château d'Aquéria has been owned by many families since that time, while maintaining winegrowing activities.

In 1919, Jean Olivier purchased the estate, which was then managed by his son-in-law, Paul de Bez, beginning in 1943. Today, his grandsons, Bruno and Vincent de Bez, run the estate using environmentally-friendly and sustainable agricultural principles. The climate at Château d'Aquéria is quintessentially Mediterreanean with low rainfall, plenty of sunshine, and exposure to the Mistral winds. Situated in Tavel, the distinct soils around the Château are light and sandy-clayey, and when combined with the climate are ideal for the production of the estate's great rosé wines that are both fruity and complex. Let's see how the lovely 2020 Tavel is tasting tonight...

Tasting Note:

CHÂTEAU D'AQUÉRIA TAVEL 2020 - AC, Rhône, France (#319368) (XD) - $24.95
A blend of 45% Grenache, 20% Clairette, 15% Cinsault, 8% Mourvèdre, 6% Syrah, 4% Bourboulenc, and 2% Picpoul grown on sandy-clayey hillsides. Pretty, deep red colour in classic Tavel style. Medium-high to highly aromatic nose is bright, ripe, and sunny with lovely aromas of strawberry, raspberry, and cherry joined by white pepper spice, mineral, and herbal nuances. The full-bodied palate is ripe and dry with lovely aromas replays, plus lavender and a tinge of honey on the flavour profile supported by fresh, vibrant, and citrusy acidity. It has a nicely textured, slightly chalky mouthfeel, while mineral notes linger on the long, balanced, and crisp finish. One of the best vintages ever? Highly recommended buy. Score: 91 pts

There's another Tavel by Aquéria available at the LCBO, while other lovely wines from this producer can be ordered through their Agent - Noble Estates Wines & Spirits.

Read More

Cave de Roquebrun La Grange des Combes Saint-Chinian-Roquebrun 2018 (Languedoc) - Wine Review

Tonight's wine review is a lovely, unoaked red wine blend from Languedoc in the south of France. This wine comes to the LCBO just about every year and is usually on my shopping list each time. This latest vintage arrived at the LCBO last weekend as part of the May 1st LCBO VINTAGES Release.

Founded in 1967, Cave de Roquebrun is located in Haut-Languedoc Natural Regional Park approximately 30 km north of Béziers, between Montpellier and Toulouse. This co-operative is the largest producer in the Saint-Chinian appellation of Languedoc, consisting of 70 winegrowers that cultivate over 650 hectares of vines, plus 30 members in the cellar. Together, their philosophy is to create wines of originality, balance, and power.

Situated in the village of Roquebrun, the exceptional, sunny Mediterranean micro-climate combined with the schist terroir typical of Languedoc allows for the production of high quality and original wines with a sense of place. The soils in the Saint-Chinian appellation are among the oldest in France at 500 million years of age, and are ideal for the cultivation of grapes. These acidic, schist soils of character make up 80% of the winegrowing lands in the area and form the base of the reputation of the quality wines from Roquebrun.

I enjoyed the 2010 Cave de Roquebrun La Grange des Combes Saint-Chinian-Roquebrun back in October 2018, and with a couple of other vintages still resting in my cellar, I am delighted to open the 2018 tonight. From the Saint-Chinian sub-appellation of Saint-Chinian-Roquebrun, this vintage is a blend of 45% Syrah, 35% Grenache, and 20% Mourvèdre that was grown on schistous soils facing south and south-east. It was vinified in whole bunches and fermented and aged in stainless steel vats. Let's see how this unoaked red wine is tasting tonight...

Tasting Note:

CAVE DE ROQUEBRUN LA GRANGE DES COMBES SAINT-CHINIAN-ROQUEBRUN 2018 - AC, Languedoc, France (#155804) (XD) - $20.95
This blend of 45% Syrah, 35% Grenache, and 20% Mourvèdre from the schistous hillside of Roquebrun was raised entirely in tanks. The fragrant, spicy nose and lovely aromas of ripe dark berry, blackberry, schist mineral, and peppery aromas with touches of smoke. The full-bodied palate is ripe with dark berry, blackberry, currant, peppery spice flavours backed by lovely mineral and hints of cassis and meaty notes. It has fresh, juicy acidity, while the chalky tannins are just a touch tight at the moment. Some bitterness with smoky mineral notes linger on the finish, very good length. Enjoyable now, but will be even better in a couple of years. Recommended buy. Score: 90 pts

Other lovely wines from Cave de Roquebrun can be ordered through their Agent - Eurovintage Wines & Spirits.

Read More

Luna Estate Pinot Noir 2016 (New Zealand) - Wine Review

Tonight's wine review is a lovely Pinot Noir from New Zealand. This red wine is a new arrival to the LCBO that was featured as part of the theme on "What's New, New Zealand?" from the May 1st LCBO VINTAGES Release.

Luna Estate is a family owned vineyard located in Martinborough, one of the three main sub-regions of the Wairarapa wine region in the southern end of North Island. They have two parcels of land with two distinct terroirs that they use to create their range of wines. Their main philosophy is to work very hard to do as little as possible. The passionate, dedicated team tends the vineyards, hand picks and carefully selects only the best fruit, and then minimally handles the grapes at the winery to preserve the purity and integrity of the fruit.

Although the human touch at Luna Estate is ever present, the land is at the heart of the winery. Sustainable and organic principals and practices drive the farming processes across both of their thriving vineyards, thereby eliminating the need for harmful herbicides and pesticides within their ecosystems as cleaner farming is good for all. By respecting and nurturing the land, the rewards will always be seen in the wines that are crafted using modern technology and traditional winemaking techniques.

This lovely Pinot Noir is crafted from fruit grown on both of their vineyards - Puruatanga Road (Eclipse) and Dry River Road (Blue Rock). With its ideal climate and ancient rocky riverbed, winemaking in the area where the Eclipse Vineyard resides began taking shape in 1970's, with Luna Estate planting their first Pinot Noir here in 1992. The Blue Rock Vineyard is located approximately 12 km south of Martinborough on Dry River Road, on a north-facing elevated hillside with silty clay loam soils interspersed with ancient marine sediment. Vines were first planted at Blue Rock in 1986. This Pinot Noir was fermented in open topped fermenters, gently plunged by hand, then pressed to tank, followed by ageing in mostly used French oak barrels with lower toast levels for 12 months prior to bottling. The 2016 vintage was not too hot, nor too cold, and considered a bit of a 'goldilocks' vintage. Let's see how this Pinot is tasting tonight...

Tasting Note:

LUNA ESTATE PINOT NOIR 2016 - Sustainable, Martinborough, North Island, New Zealand (#17544) (XD) - $26.95
Screw cap. Lovely, elegant, intense, and well-balanced aromas of raspberry, red and black cherry, and strawberry with subtle sweet spice, floral and dried cherry notes adding further complexity. The medium+ bodied palate has very good fruit concentration and flavours of raspberry-cran-cherry, mineral, earth, and touches of dried floral, and herbal notes. It has very good acidity, while the lightly structured tannins provide a pleasant grip. Nicely balanced throughout with mineral and cherry notes lingering on the long finish. Enjoy this highly recommended buy over the next 3-4 years! Score: 91 pts

Other lovely wines from Luna Estate can be ordered through their Agent - Noble Estates Wines & Spirits.

Read More

Avondale Jonty's Ducks Pekin Red 2016 (South Africa) - Wine Review

Tonight's wine review is a lovely, organic, and vegan-friendly red wine blend from South Africa. This customer favourite (and mine too) arrived at the LCBO over the weekend as part of the LCBO VINTAGES Release on May 1st.

Jonty's Ducks wines are produced at Avondale's eco-friendly estate in the picturesque Paarl region in South Africa. Avondale Wines is a family owned farm run by proprietor, Johnathan Grieve, who is sometimes also known as 'Jonty'.

The wines celebrate Avondale's natural vineyard eco-system where a posse of glossy Pekin ducks patrol the vineyards to find and eat snails which would otherwise cause serious damage to the vines. These ducks provide a very effective and eco-friendly method to manage pests while also avoiding the use of harmful chemical poisons, and is just one of the many ways Avondale works with nature to produce premium quality, organically certified wines, while also ensuring that our Earth is protected for future generations.

There are only two wines in the Jonty's Ducks range - a lovely white blend that came through VINTAGES back in December and is nearly sold out, and this red blend. Both wines are slow made with natural yeast, free of all artificial additives and low in sulphur.

I was first introduced to this wine, the 2011 Avondale Jonty's Ducks Pekin Red back in 2015 and have enjoyed it on a number of occasions since. For the 2016 vintage, this red wine is a blend of 37% Shiraz, 26% Cabernet Sauvignon, 24% Merlot, 5% Cabernet Franc, 4% Malbec, and 4% Petit Verdot, that was aged in used 225 litre barrels for 12-14 months.

Tasting Note:

AVONDALE JONTY'S DUCKS PEKIN RED 2016 - Vegan, WO Paarl, South Africa (#383547) (XD) - $16.95
Screw cap. Organic and vegan-friendly. The medium+ intensity nose has a lovely mix of red and black fruits, currant, ink, and wood spice with whiffs of wild herbs and white pepper notes adding complexity. It's full-bodied and quite concentrated and dense on the ripe palate with minty, currant, cassis, and herbal flavours surrounding a savoury, earthy core. It has juicy, succulent acids, while sweet, ripe tannins have a subtle, chalky grip. Slightly spicy on the mid-palate, while the long finish is savoury and earthy with touches of mineral. Recommended buy. Score: 89 pts

Wines from Jonty's Ducks and Avondale Wines can be ordered through their Agent - Rare Earth Wines.

Read More

J. Denuzière Crozes-Hermitage 2018 (Rhône) - Wine Review

Tonight's wine review is a lovely Syrah from the northern Rhône appellation of Crozes-Hermitage that arrived at the LCBO this weekend as part of the May 1st LCBO VINTAGES Release.

Based in Condrieu, the story of J. Denuzière begins in 1876 when founder of the estate, Joanny Paret, wished to develop the reputation and distribute local Rhône wines. Joseph Paret, son of Joanny, continued the traditions of the family business for forty years, eventually handing it over in the 1940s to his son-in-law, Pierre Denuzière. Since that time, the Denuzière name has been part of the vineyard landscape in northern Rhône Valley.

Today, J. Denuzière handcrafts a number of micro-cuvées around their Condriot heritage that strengthen with each passing vintage. In addition to owning 1 hectare vineyard plots in both Condrieu and Cornas, J. Denuzière also works exclusively and closely with a number of regional winegrowers, ensuring that each terroir is carefully studied to get the best expression of each grape variety. The vinification philosophy is to be gentle and natural, while combining tradition with modernity. Since 2010, and more recently with the help of Caroline Moro (whom I had the pleasure of meeting back in May 2018), all J. Denuzière wines are handcrafted, requiring working plot-by-plot on the terraced vineyards, and giving rise to a small quantity of wines with excellent quality.

This particular red wine is from the northern Rhône Valley's largest appellation, Crozes-Hermitage. It is 100% Syrah and was grown on old alluvial terraces with a lot of rocks and pebbles in the soils. The grapes were hand-picked, then destemmed at the cellar. Fermentation occurred in stainless steels vats, followed by ageing in barrels for 6 to 8 months. Let's see how this northern Rhône Syrah is tasting tonight...

Tasting Note:

J. DENUZIÈRE CROZES-HERMITAGE 2018 - AC, Rhône, France (#667485) (XD) - $29.95
The medium+ intensity nose seems a bit shy, but offers dark fruited aromas of black and blueberry alongside white pepper spice, wood, and touches of floral. It's medium+ bodied with good fruit concentration on the palate and fruit forward flavours of dark berry and blackberry joined by savoury, earthy, white pepper spice, and wood notes supported by fresh acidity and refined, dusty-textured tannins. Lovely floral notes emerge on the mid-palate and linger to the stony mineral finish, with excellent length. Enjoy this classy Syrah over the next 7-8 years. Score: 91 pts

A limited number of other lovely wines from J. Denuzière are available at the LCBO, while the rest of the portfolio can be ordered through their Agent - DBINO David Beauroy Selections.

Read More