Vanderpump Rosé 2020 (Provence) - Wine Review

After enjoying the lovely Vanderpump Cabernet Sauvignon and Chardonnay wines from California back in July, tonight's wine review completes the look at the Vanderpump portfolio with this deliciously dry rosé that arrived at the LCBO last month as part of the Sept. 18th LCBO VINTAGES Release, and is also featured again this month in the October 2nd LCBO VINTAGES Release.

With many decades in the hospitality industry worldwide, the Vanderpump family developed an appreciation for wines of outstanding quality. After living in the South of France for many years, rosé became a passion for the family, inspiring them to create Vanderpump Wines. In 2017, the family created their own rosé in the classic Provence style and launched their first wine - the Vanderpump Rosé - using grapes from the sun-drenched region of Côtes de Provence.

Now in its fifth vintage, the 2020 Vanderpump Rosé is comprised of Cinsault, Grenache, and Syrah that was sourced from the gorgeous vineyards of the Côtes de Provence AOP, France. More specifically, the grapes come from the interior Valley of Provence and Sainte Victoire, where there is plentiful sunshine and frequent dry, cool mistral winds blow in from the north. The vineyard soils are primarily clay, limestone pebbles and sand, and the hillsides are covered with wild lavender, rosemary and thyme. Crafted in the classical, dry Provencal rosé style, the wine has minimal skin contact to produce a pretty, pale peach colour. Let's see how this dry rosé is tasting tonight...

Tasting Note:

VANDERPUMP ROSÉ 2020 - AC Côtes de Provence, France (#14808) (XD) - $29.95
This blend of Cinsault, Grenache and Syrah has a fresh, medium to medium-high intensity nose that delivers dry aromas of grapefruit, citrus, and stone fruits with underlying red currant, minerals, and herbs. The full palate is dry with a honeyed flavour profile of peach, strawberry, grapefruit, citrus, red currant, and spice. It has fresh, lively acidity, while leesy minerals, strawberry, and citrus with a twist of honey linger on the dry, crisp finish, with very good length. Score: 89 pts

All of the wines from the Vanderpump portfolio are available at the LCBO, as well as through their Agent - Dionysus Wines & Spirits.

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Hedges CMS Cabernet Sauvignon 2018 and CMS Sauvignon Blanc 2020 (Washington) - Wine Reviews

Tonight's wine reviews are a pair of lovely wines from Washington State. The Cabernet Sauvignon arrived at LCBO outlets across Ontario this weekend as part of the October 2nd LCBO VINTAGES Release, while the 2019 vintage of the Sauvignon Blanc also arrived in the same Release, but only at Flagship stores in limited quantities.

These two wines are produced by Hedges Family Estate, a family winery whose story begins when Washington State native Tom Hedges marries Anne-Marie Liégeois in her hometown in Champagne, France. With a passion for authenticity and a deep connection to the land in Washington, the Hedges family began shipping their wines to Taiwan in 1986, and a year later Hedges Cellars was born. In 1989, Tom and Anne-Marie purchased 50 acres of land on Red Mountain in the Yakima Valley and planted forty hectares of Bordeaux varieties. With continued success, the Hedges family broke ground in 1995 on their new Chateau on the coveted Red Mountain.

Tom and Anne-Marie's children - Sarah and Christophe - worked in the vineyards and at the winery, eventually earning prominent roles in the family business. In 2005, Christophe Hedges was promoted to Director of National Sales and Marketing, while Sarah Hedges Goedhart followed a year later to become Assistant Winemaker and became the Head Winemaker in 2015.

In 2008, the Hedges Estate Vineyard was converted to biodynamic farming, and by 2019 all five of their vineyards were converted to biodynamics. The Hedges family also sources fruit for some of them wines, including the two reviewed below, and ensure that these vineyards meet their requirements for sustainable farming. The family fosters a true homegrown approach to farming and viticulture, while also uniting the past and present, and evolving tradition for generations to come. Their winemaking philosophy is of less intervention and filtration

Tasting Notes:

HEDGES CMS SAUVIGNON BLANC 2020 - Columbia Valley, Washington, USA (#20496) (XD) - $24.95
Screw cap. This white wine is a unique blend of 78% Sauvignon Blanc, 20% Chardonnay, and 2% Marsanne with a fragrant, medium-high intensity nose delivering an attractive and unique bouquet of passion fruit and guava aromas mingling with ripe apple, pear, butter, grapefruit, citrus, and touches of floral characters. The ripe, full palate is slightly creamy with bright acidity and stone fruit, ripe apple, grapefruit, and citrus flavours with underlying guava and white floral notes. Subtle chalky texture on the mid-palate, while lemon peel and leesy mineral notes linger on the long, crisp, lip-smacking finish. Chill and enjoy! Score: 90 pts

HEDGES CMS CABERNET SAUVIGNON 2018 - Columbia Valley, Washington, USA (#20491) (XD) - $29.95
Blend of 76% Cabernet Sauvignon, 16% Merlot, and 8% Syrah. The medium-high intensity nose offers dark fruited blackberry and plum aromas accented with savoury, cocoa, wet earth, and touches of black pepper spice and brett. It's full-bodied, structured, and chewy with smooth, refined, and supple tannins and fresh, juicy acidity that supports the dark fruit, blackberry, cocoa, and earthy flavours. Some peppery spice, tobacco, and dried herbs add complexity on the mid-palate. Savoury cocoa notes linger on the long finish. Recommended buy. Score: 90+ pts

Other lovely wines from Hedges Family Estate are available through their Agent - Noble Estates Wines & Spirits.

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Wakefield Jaraman Cabernet Sauvignon 2018 (Australia) - Wine Review

Tonight's red wine review is the latest vintage of this always delicious Cabernet Sauvignon from Australia that arrived at the LCBO approximately two of weeks ago, as part of the September 18th LCBO VINTAGES Release.

The Taylors family founded Wakefield Wines in Australia's Clare Valley in 1969 after making wines for many years prior. Today, three generations of the family are involved in the business, with a goal of producing fine wines with great dedication and care, while also respecting the fruit. Sustainability is also a core value of the Taylor family, and by being responsible they hope to leave a legacy that lasts for future generations.

I enjoyed the 2017 Wakefield Jaraman Cabernet Sauvignon when it showed up in LCBO VINTAGES last March and am curious to see how this latest vintage compares. For 2018, the blend of Cabernet Sauvignon grapes is identical to the previous vintage - 56% Clare Valley and 44% Coonawarra fruit.

In Clare Valley, the 2018 vintage growing season was one of the warmest and driest in recent times - only 2016 was warmer - and helped produce some excellent wines. One of the great things about this vintage is that there were no major heatwaves, thus it was very calm and controlled. In Coonawarra, the growing season delivered superb vintage conditions with fruit of outstanding quality - a slow and cool ripening yielded fruit with fine tannins and strong varietal characters. Let's see how this 2018 Australia Cabernet Sauvignon is tasting tonight...

Tasting Note:

WAKEFIELD JARAMAN CABERNET SAUVIGNON 2018 - Clare Valley & Coonawarra, South Australia (#142398) (XD) - $24.95
Screw cap. Fresh, medium-high intensity nose is cool, minty and leafy herbal, layered with red and black fruits, currant, and cassis aromas with gentle wood spice accents. On the ripe, full-bodied palate, it has delicious mint, leafy herb, blackberry, and dark currant flavours with touches of tobacco leaf and coffee, supported by succulent, balanced acidity and fine, structured, well-integrated, and slightly chalky tannins. Some intriguing salty and tangy notes on the mid-palate, while the finish has savoury, woody and hints of coffee, with very good length. Great vintage for this wine. 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.

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October 2, 2021 LCBO VINTAGES Release Wine Picks: Euro Signatures + Pacific Northwest

As we head into the holiday season, the main theme of the October 2, 2021 LCBO VINTAGES Release focuses on European Signature wines, while in the mini-theme we venture to the Pacific Northwest south of the border. For some bizarre reason the LCBO has also re-listed in this Release all of the rosés from the last Release. On a positive note, it's great to see the LCBO finally list the wines from the VINTAGES Online Exclusives (VOE) collection in the magazine! All of the wines slated to be in stores should be on shelves across the province by Saturday.

We begin with the main theme that is a light look at European Signature wines. This feature probably could've gone a quite bit deeper, but as it stands there are ten wines among the eight categories, and four wines are included among my top wine picks. First up is a Grüner Veltliner from the Kamptal region in Austria, and secondly there is a fine Pinot Grigio from the northern Italian wine region of Südtirol – Alto Adige. Lastly, the white wine from Portugal is a blend of Loureiro and Alvarinho, while the 2009 Rioja consists of 70% Tempranillo, 20% Garnacho, and 10% Graciano / Mazuelo.

From the mini-feature on U.S. wines from the Pacific Northwest, namely Oregon and Washington, only seven wines are listed, three from Oregon and four from Washington. Just one wine from this feature is among my top wine recommendations - a lovely Cabernet-based blend from Washington that consists of 76% Cabernet Sauvignon, 16% Merlot, and 8% Syrah. Additionally, there is also a nice white wine from the same producer that is a unique blend of 77% Sauvignon Blanc, 22% Chardonnay, and 1% Marsanne which is listed as a "Flagship Exclusive" and is only available at LCBO Flagship store locations.

Looking at my red wine picks, the Wine of the Month is the Côtes du Rhône-Villages that is a blend of Grenache and Syrah. Also from Rhône, the Costières de Nîmes red is a blend of 93% Syrah and 7% Mourvèdre. The Argentinean red consists of 92% Syrah and 8% Viognier, while the Cab Sauv from Chile is actually a blend of 85% Cabernet Sauvignon, 10% Carménere, and 5% Petit Verdot. Meanwhile, the 2016 Bordeaux is a blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, and Malbec, and lastly, the Madiran is comprised of 90% Tannat and 10% Cabernet Sauvignon from 50+ year-old vines.

Among my white wine picks, the only blend is the White Meritage from Niagara that is made with Sauvignon Blanc and Semillon. If you're into sweet wines, the latest vintage of the Riesling Kabinett from Mosel should be on your shopping list, as well as a vegan-friendly Riesling that is also from Mosel.

All of the rosés from the last Release are featured again in this Release, and my lone rosé wine pick is a dry rosé from Provence that is a blend of Cinsault, Grenache, and Syrah.

For Lady Gaga fans, there are a couple of Special Edition Champagnes from Dom Pérignon. The 2010 is a blend of 54% Chardonnay and 46% Pinot Noir, while the 2006 Champagne is a blend of 56% Pinot Noir and 44% Chardonnay. On the more affordable side of sparkling, the bubbles from Chile is a blend of 55% Chardonnay and 45% Pinot Noir.

Enjoy my wine recommendations from this Release! Cheers!

Red Wine:

• AROMO PRIVATE RESERVE SYRAH 2019 - Valle del Maule, Chile (#14128) (XD) - $16.95
• CHÂTEAU LE GRAND MOULIN 2016 - AC Blaye Côtes de Bordeaux, France (#11326) (XD) - $17.95  89 pts  wine review
• PATERNOSTER GIUV AGLIANICO DEL VULTURE 2017 - DOC, Basilicata, Italy (#21458) (XD) - $18.95
• VIÑA CHOCALAN GRAN RESERVA ORIGEN CABERNET SAUVIGNON 2018 - Sustainable, Valle del Maipo, Chile (#21467) (XD) - $19.95
• LA FERME DU MONT LE PONNANT CÔTES DU RHÔNE-VILLAGES 2019 - Unfiltered, AP, France (#171371) (XD) - $23.95
• EL ENEMIGO SYRAH/VIOGNIER 2017 - Gualtallary, Tupungato, Uco Valley, Mendoza, Argentina (#19390) (XD) - $24.95  90+  wine review

• BERTHOUMIEU CHARLES DE BATZ MADIRAN 2015 - AP, South of France (#12979) (XD) - $24.95
• CHÂTEAU DE NAGES JT 2016 - AP Costières de Nîmes, Rhône, France (#736876) (XD) - $27.95  VOE  90 pts  wine review
• HEDGES CMS CABERNET SAUVIGNON 2018 - Columbia Valley, Washington, USA (#20491) (XD) - $29.95  90+ pts  wine review
• LEALTANZA GRAN RESERVA 2011 - DOCa Rioja, Spain (#453548) (XD) - $32.95  90+  wine review
• CARPINETO RISERVA VINO NOBILE DI MONTEPULCIANO 2016 - DOCG, Tuscany, Italy (#368910) (XD) - $32.95
• CLOSSON CHASE CHURCHSIDE PINOT NOIR 2018 - VQA Prince Edward County, Ontario, Canada (#265074) (XD) - $42.00  FE
• R. LÓPEZ DE HEREDIA VIÑA TONDONIA RESERVA 2009 - DOCa Rioja, Spain (#356337) (XD) - $60.95

White Wine:

• LA FORTEZZA GRECO 2018 - DOC Sannio, Campania, Italy (#17744) (XD) - $15.95
• MARIA PAPOILA LOUREIRO / ALVARINHO 2020 - DOC Vinho Verde, Portugal (#408146) (XD) - $17.95
• MARKUS HUBER TERRASSEN GRÜNER VELTLINER 2019 - DAC Traisental, Austria (#484956) (XD) - $18.95  90 pts  wine review
• MORANDÉ GRAN RESERVA CHARDONNAY 2019 - DO Valle de Casablanca, Chile (#83287) (XD) - $19.95
• ALLRAM STRASS GRÜNER VELTLINER 2019 - DAC Kamptal, Austria (#14189) (XD) - $19.95
• KELLEREI BOZEN PINOT GRIGIO 2019 - DOC Südtirol – Alto Adige, Italy (#249466) (XD) - $19.95
• DONATIEN BAHUAUD LES GRANDS MORTIERS VOUVRAY 2019 - AP, Loire, France (#140889) (M) - $21.95  88+ pts  wine review
• AXEL PAULY GENERATIONS MOSEL RIESLING 2019 - Vegan, Qualitätswein, Germany (#21033) (M) - $22.95  VOE  90+ pts  wine review
  
• STUDERT-PRÜM MAXIMINHOF WEHLENER SONNENUHR RIESLING KABINETT 2019 - Estate bottled, Prädikatswein, Mosel, Germany (#970129) (S) - $23.95  FE
• HEDGES CMS SAUVIGNON BLANC 2019 - Columbia Valley, Washington, USA (#20496) (XD) - $24.95  FE
• JACKSON-TRIGGS NIAGARA GRAND RESERVE WHITE MERITAGE 2020 - VQA Niagara Peninsula, Ontario, Canada (#360297) (XD) - $25.95

Rosé Wine:

• VANDERPUMP ROSÉ 2020 - AC Côtes de Provence, France (#14808) (XD) - $29.95  89 pts  wine review

Sparkling Wine:

• UNDURRAGA TITILLUM BLANC DE NOIRS - Traditional method, Valle del Leyda, Chile (#21215) (XD) - $19.95
• DOM PÉRIGNON BRUT CHAMPAGNE 2010 - Creators Edition: Lady Gaga, AC, France (#20755) (XD) - $296.95
• DOM PÉRIGNON BRUT ROSÉ CHAMPAGNE 2006 - Creators Edition: Lady Gaga, AC, France (#20996) (XD) - $375.95  FE

Fortified Wine:

• BARROS COLHEITA TAWNY PORT 1998 - DOC, Douro, Portugal (#18603) (S) - $59.95  VOE

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Reine des Fleurs Rosé 2020 (Languedoc) - Wine Review

Tonight's wine review is a lovely dry rosé from Languedoc that is new to the LCBO, arriving on shelves across Ontario recently as part of the Sept. 18 LCBO VINTAGES Release - and listed again in the upcoming Oct. 2 LCBO VINTAGES Release.

The Reine des Fleurs brand rings like the Cicada’s song... Drinking Reine des Fleurs wines is all about enjoying the true French way of life where people take time to indulge in the simple, yet refined pleasures of life. In the French countryside, the brand conveys the vineyards peaceful atmosphere and its picturesque wineries. One sip and you can already imagine the scented Garrigue and the Cicadas singing in the field.

Languedoc is the source of grapes for this rosé, a beautiful wine region located in Southern France, by the Mediterranean sea. This wine region benefits from the Mediterranean climate that offers hot and dry summers. Grape varietals in Languedoc are planted according to the specific characteristics of each terroir, thus, one of the most distinguishing features of Languedoc appellation wines is the strong bond between taste and place.

This dry rosé is a blend of 70% Grenache and 30% Syrah where the grapes were harvested and fermented separately. Upon reaching the winery, the grapes were sorted and destemmed, then gently pressed with a pneumatic press to slowly extract the juice. After fermentation in stainless steel tanks, the wine was aged on fine lees for 4 months. It was then blended, carefully filtered and bottled prior to release. Let's see how this rosé from Languedoc is tasting tonight...

Tasting Note:

REINE DES FLEURS ROSÉ 2020 - AP Languedoc, France (#19841) (XD) - $14.95
Crafted with 70% Grenache and 30% Syrah, the fragrant nose offers pretty aromas of melon and grapefruit citrus alongside some garrigue and herbs with a touch of minerality. The fleshy, medium+ bodied palate is dry with delightful melon, grapefruit, citrus, ripe strawberry, and mineral flavours supported by fresh, balanced acidity. Slightly chalky textured on the mid-palate, with mineral, grapefruit, and strawberry notes lingering on the crisp, dry, and very long after taste. Highly recommended buy. Score: 89 pts

Other delicious wines from the Reine des Fleurs label can be ordered through their Agent - Connexion Oenophilia.

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Lungarotti Rosso di Montefalco 2016 (Umbria) - Wine Review

Tonight's wine review is this lovely organic red wine from Montefalco, in central west Umbria, that landed at the LCBO last weekend as part of the September 18 LCBO VINTAGES Release.

Although the Lungarotti family had been producing wine and oil since the 1700s, it was in 1949 when Giorgio Lungarotti was among a group of exhibitors at the Perugia Grape Exhibition and realized the need to modernize viticulture in Umbria. In the early 1960s, he founded Cantine Lungarotti in Torgiano, Umbria. With deep knowledge of the climate, soil, and environment in Umbria, Giorgio Lungarotti played an important role in the the creation of the DOC Montefalco appellation in 1979.

This red wine is from Lungarotti's estate in Montefalco. The winery is located in Turrita di Montefalco and was established after they purchased 20 hectares of land in 2000 and planted vineyards for the production of a range of Sagrantino-based wines. The cellars are located completely underground, and uses a gravity flow system from the time the grapes arrives at the winery, through to vinification and cellaring. The underground cellars also allow for natural control of ambient temperatures. Being environmentally conscious, all of the wines produced at the Montefalco estate are certified organic from the 2014 vintage onwards.

Depicted on the label of this red wine is a view of the Montefalco winery. In the foreground is a falcon because falcon hunting was practiced here and was a passion of Emperor Frederick II of Swabia.

Rosso di Montefalco DOC wines tend to be softer and easier to drink than the DOCG wines of Montefalco (which are 100% Sagrantino) thanks to the varietals in the blend. Montefalco Rosso wines are blends composed of 60-70% Sangiovese, 10-15% Sagrantino, and the rest from other red grape varieties, but typically Merlot. This organic Rosso di Montefalco is a blend of Sangiovese, Merlot, and Sagrantino that was grown on loose soils with a sandy-clayey texture and a subsoils of limestone. It was fermented in stainless steel, followed by ageing in barriques and 3-ton casks for 12 months. The wine spent a further 10 months ageing in bottle prior to release.

Tasting Note:

LUNGAROTTI ROSSO DI MONTEFALCO 2016 - DOC, Umbria, Italy (#577668) (XD) - $26.95
This organic red wine is a blend of Sangiovese, Merlot, and Sagrantino that has an elegant, perfumed, medium-high intensity nose of lovely red cherry, sweet spices, cinnamon, and floral aromas with wet earth notes providing a savoury aspect. It's medium-full bodied with lovely aroma replays plus some dark cherry notes on the flavour profile. It has juicy, succulent acids, while the firm, gritty, and drying tannins need a few years to integrate. Savoury and earthy with some minerals linger on the finish, with excellent length. Enjoyable now, this will benefit from a few years in the cellar. Recommended buy. Score: 90 pts

Other fine wines from Lungarotti can be purchased through their Agent - Profile Wine Group.

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La Vie d'Arnaud Corbières 2017 (Languedoc) - Wine Review

Tonight's wine review is a delicious red wine from the Corbières appellation that arrived at the LCBO for the first time as part last weekend's LCBO VINTAGES Release on September 18th.

This tidy little red wine is produced by the young and dynamic winegrower Arnaud Sié, In 2000, he took over his family's estate, which is located in located in Talairan, between Carcassonne and Perpignan, in the southern France wine region of Languedoc-Roussillon. Currently, he has 20 hectares of vineyards, 14 hectares of which are in the Corbières appellation. The vineyards are located on chalky clay soils 200 to 350 metres above sea level. Arnaud has worked tirelessly to modernize the wine cellars, while also performing extensive work in the vineyards. To ensure high quality, all of the grapes hand-harvested and sorted in the vineyard.

I enjoyed the 2017 Château de Tréviac Corbières back in March, a red wine also crafted by Arnaud Sié, and would expect this wine to also be quite enjoyable. Let's see how this Corbières red wine is tasting tonight...

Tasting Note:

LA VIE D'ARNAUD CORBIÈRES 2017 - AC, Languedoc, France (#18784) (XD) - $13.95
This blend of 80% Syrah and 20% Grenache has a pleasing medium-high intensity nose that offers spicy black pepper, dark plum, dark cherry, ripe black & blueberry aromas, plus some stony mineral notes. The ripe, medium-full bodied, well-structured palate has dark cherry, black-blueberry fruit, peppery spice, violet, and licorice flavours with underlying savoury mineral notes. Plummy and dry on the mid-palate with fresh acids, and slightly chalky tannins, with more plum, dark berry, and savoury mineral notes lingering on the finish, with very good length. Impressive quality for the price. Highly recommended buy! Score: 88+ pts

Other delicious wines from Arnaud Sié are available through their Agent - Connexion Oenophilia.

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