Piazzano Ventoso Sangiovese 2019 (Tuscany) - Wine Review

Tonight's wine review is a lovely Tuscan red wine made with Sangiovese. A new arrival, it comes to the LCBO as part of the upcoming January 8th LCBO VINTAGES Release and is featured as a Smart Buy and a $17 solution as a great-value wine in this release.

Fattoria di Piazzano has been in the Bettarini family since 1948, when Otello Bettarini, who had a great interest in astronomy fell in love with the village and region, decided to move from Prato to the area among the hills, south of Empoli. Soon after moving, the family's main activity was winegrowing. Otello and his nephew, Riccardo, would be the first members of the family to work the vineyards and advance the progress of the estate, with Riccardo eventually managing the estate on his own.

At the end of the 1990s, Riccardo entrusted the estate to his children Rolando and Ilaria to continue the traditions, passion and tenacity that was handed down to them. Today, the estate continues to be family-run with Rolando responsible for everything related to winemaking, while Ilaria focuses on the foreign market and administration. Rolando's wife, Michela, focuses on the Italian market.

Although the family has gained great experience over the years, the family does use a consultant winemaker, Attilio Pagli, and other collaborators and technicians to ensure the wines are of high quality while also having respect for the environment and ensuring eco-sustainability to keep the land as healthy as possible. In this context, Piazzano has chosen to use only energy produced from renewable sources.

I've had the pleasure of tasting a number Piazzano wines in this past. This red wine is crafted mainly with Sangiovese, but also includes some Canaiolo, Malvasia Nera, and Trebbiano in the final blend. All of the grapes were grown on clay-loam soils with rock fragments and planted with sun exposure to the south, south-west, and north. After manual and mechanical harvesting, the grapes were sorted, de-stemmed, and pressed. It was fermented and aged in concrete tanks to preserve freshness and fruitiness. By many accounts, the 2019 vintage in Tuscany was extremely good. Although the growing season was marked by extreme heat, life-saving rains in mid-summer proved crucial. Let's see how this red wine from Tuscany is tasting tonight...

Tasting Note:

PIAZZANO VENTOSO SANGIOVESE 2019 - IGT Toscana, Italy (#22761) (XD) - $17.00
Mainly Sangiovese with Canaiolo, Malvasia Nera, and Trebbiano completing the blend, the fragrant nose has funky barnyard and earthy notes off the top, layered over red flowers, red cherry, blackberry, and forest floor aromas. On the medium+ bodied palate it is rustic and savoury with wet earth, red & black fruited, and clove flavours supported by fresh, well-balanced acidity and fine-grained, lightly grippy tannins. Juicy with earthy, savoury, clove, and cocoa notes linger on the long, persistent finish. Really quite nice in a rustic, savoury profile. Recommended buy! Score: 89 pts

Other lovely wines from Piazzano can be ordered through their Agent - Connexion Oenophilia.

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Mike Weir Cabernet Franc Icewine 2013 (Niagara) - Wine Review

Tonight's wine review takes me back to 6 years ago when I first tasted this lovely Icewine at Mike Weir Winery in January 2016 while attending the annual Icewine Festival.

Unfortunately, their wines are no longer available as the winery closed its doors sometime in Spring 2018, and I still have their 2010 Meritage that I should crack open soon. On the bright side, the winery was sold and reopened in Spring/Summer 2020 as Locust Lane Estate Winery.

At 9 years from vintage, let's see how this 2013 Cabernet Franc Icewine is tasting tonight...

Tasting Note:

MIKE WEIR CABERNET FRANC ICEWINE 2013 - VQA Niagara Peninsula, Ontario, Canada (S) (200 mL) - $39.95
100% Cabernet Franc. Pours a mature deep tawny in colour. The medium+ intensity nose wasn't initially very appealing with mature, slightly funky aromas of sugar plums, brandied strawberries, brown sugar, caramel, and brown spices. The medium+ bodied palate, however, is lovely with a viscous, almost syrupy mouthfeel balanced by bracing acidity. I really liked the lusciously sweet flavours of strawberry, raspberry, brown sugar, caramel, and sugar plums, all of which linger through to the juicy and sticky finish, with very good length. Should continue to age well for at least another 5+ years, but it is highly pleasurable right now. Score: 91 pts

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La Motte Cabernet Sauvignon 2018 (South Africa) - Wine Review

Happy New Year! For my first wine of 2022, tonight's red wine review is an excellent, sustainably crafted, vegetarian, and vegan-friendly Cabernet Sauvignon from South Africa. It's a new arrival to the LCBO that should be on shelves across Ontario next weekend as part of the January 8th LCBO VINTAGES Release.

It is produced by the historic La Motte Estate, where viticulture was first established on the farm by Huguenot descendant Gabriël du Toit in 1752 with an initial planting of 4,000 vines. La Motte is situated in the beautiful Franschhoek Valley in South Africa's Cape winelands and is believed to be named after the French village La Motte d'Aigues in Provence, which was home to several Huguenots who left their country for South Africa in 1688. A number of these French refugees were granted land in the region that later became known as Franschhoek, which means "French Corner".

Today, La Motte is one of three wine estates owned by the Rupert family after it was acquired by the late Dr. Anton Rupert in 1970. Dr. Rupert was an internationally respected industrialist who established a global business empire and was also a committed conservationist. Following the acquisition in 1970, La Motte was redeveloped and restored to become a leading global wine producer and sought-after tourist destination with a number of historic buildings and sites that date back to the 18th century.

Environmental management is a high priority at La Motte. They practice sustainable farming along with other long-term strategies, and also consider the environmental impact in day-to-day operations. Among the many green certifications and initiatives, in 2003 La Motte became one of the first wine estates to be awarded the coveted ISO 14001 Environmental Management Certification. As a member of the Ethical Trading Initiative (ETI), social responsibility is also top of mind La Motte as they seek to uplift and empower its people. Today, La Motte is owned by Dr. Rupert's daughter, Hanneli Rupert-Koegelenberg and her husband Hein Koegelenberg and the Estate is known for producing fine wines of exceptional quality.

This red wine is made with 100% Cabernet Sauvignon that was grown in two areas - Franschhoek (67%), which yields pure berry fruit and creamy texture, and from Stellenbosch (33%) which provides volume and light minty spice notes. Grapes from different blocks were fermented and aged separately, with fermentation occurring in stainless steel tanks. The wine was aged in a mix of new and used 300 L French oak barrels for 16 months, followed by blending and bottling in November 2019. Although the 2018 growing season was challenging due to extreme drought conditions leading to reduced yields, the end result was ripe, concentrated berries of excellent quality. Let's see how this 2018 Cabernet Sauvignon from South Africa is tasting tonight...

Tasting Note:

LA MOTTE CABERNET SAUVIGNON 2018 - WO Western Cape, South Africa (#21155) (XD) - $24.95
This lovely 100% Cabernet Sauvignon has a medium-high intensity nose offering earthy minerals, dark berry fruit, currant, and cassis aromas accented with wood spice. It's elegantly structured with firm, yet approachable tannins on the full-bodied palate with fresh, vibrant, and lemony acidity. Flavours of dark berry, currant, earthy mineral, and wood spice are nicely balanced with touches of minty dried herbs. Structured and slightly tangy with earthy, woody, and cocoa notes on the long finish. Enjoyable now, but I would hold for at least 3+ years. Highly recommend buy. Score: 91 pts

Other fine wines from La Motte Estate can be ordered through their Agent - Noble Estates Wines & Spirits.

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FRAM Shiraz 2019 (South Africa) - Wine Review

For my final post of 2021, tonight's wine review is this lovely Shiraz from South Africa that arrives at the LCBO in the New Year as part of the first LCBO VINTAGES Release of 2022 on January 8.

This red wine is produced by FRAM Wines, a passion project created in 2013 by Winemaker Thinus Krüger. After working at Boschendal Winery for 12 long years, Thinus decided to take his experience and passion to make even better wines on his own. As CEO, President, Winemaker, and Grape Crusher, Thinus desired to craft wines oozing with personality that wine drinkers will enjoy drinking.

FRAM Wines is named after the Norwegian polar exploration vessel that went to both the North and South Poles more than a century ago. The name means "to move forward". In this spirit, FRAM Wines also sails into uncharted territory to boldly search for whatever great grapes lie behind the next hill, over the next horizon, or in previously unexplored territory.

Thinus Krüger is a member of the Swartland Independent Producers and this is my first time tasting any of his wines. He is known among his peers for having an experimental approach in the cellar, but also strikes a balance between tradition and personal expression. Thinus has become known for creating beautifully balanced wines that seek to reflect the terroir and soil.

Although Thinus works with various different blocks of Shiraz grapes each year, thus the final composition tends to change every year as well, he always tries to represent the unique character of the Swartland terroir. In particular, he believes that Shiraz truly reflects the singular soils in the area. Let's see how this Shiraz is tasting tonight...

Tasting Note:

FRAM SHIRAZ 2019 - WO Swartland, South Africa (#21326) (XD) - $22.95
Mainly Shiraz from a vineyard on sandy granite soils on the eastern side of Malmesbury, plus 5% Grenache and 5% Mourvèdre to complete the blend. Screw cap. The medium-high intensity nose offers lovely meaty, black and blue fruit, blackberry, black pepper spice, anise, clove, and gentle wood spice aromas rising out of the glass. On the medium-full bodied, structured palate, it has good fruit concentration and is slightly warming with delicious dark berry, blackberry, black pepper spice, meaty, earthy, and licorice flavours. Slightly tangy on the mid-palate, with fresh, balanced acidity, and refined, slightly grippy tannins. Savoury, earthy, and cocoa notes linger on the long, juicy finish. Highly recommended buy! Score: 90+ pts

Other delicious FRAM Wines are available through their Agent - Noble Estates Wines & Spirits.

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Six-pack of LCBO General List Wines (Dec. 2021)

To wrap up the last batch of LCBO General List wines I received a few months ago, tonight's wine reviews are six wines that are readily available at LCBO outlets across Ontario, with a couple that are on promotion right now.

While all of these wines in this post are represented by Dionysus Wines & Spirits (and Churchill Cellars), the Mare di Sirena and Popcorn Chardonnay are actually brands owned by Alex Patinios and made under his business Garage Wine Company. Alex is also President of the Ontario wine agencies Dionysus and Churchill Cellars.

The story of Popcorn Chardonnay (not to be confused with the California wine of the same name) began in early 2020 when some Ontario wineries realized that they had a surplus of Chardonnay in tank and barrel due to the pandemic. The ever opportunistic and entrepreneurial Alex purchased the wine and sent it to Niagara's Strewn Winery. He worked with Strewn's winemaker Marc Bradshaw to have it blended and finished to the desired taste profile, and bottled as Popcorn Chardonnay. The catchy label features a silhouette of a bag of popcorn and a single popped kernel in the center, just above the name.

It's possible that the 2019 Popcorn Chardonnay is sold out across the province as I have seen the 2020 vintage on LCBO shelves now. However, you should know that with the 2020 vintage, Alex purchased fruit specifically for this wine and Marc applied small-batch winemaking techniques such as sur lie, blending, and barrel fermentation with three different types of barrels. There may be vintage variation, which is not necessarily a bad thing, but it is sure to be delicious.

Let's see how these wines are tasting tonight...

Tasting Notes:

POPCORN CHARDONNAY 2019 - VQA Niagara Peninsula, Ontario, Canada (#20264) (D) - $15.95
Screw cap. This Chardonnay was barrel fermented and aged in French and American oak barrels and has a subtle nose offering suggestions of ripe orchard fruit, peach, lemon curd, poached apple, tropical fruit, and honeyed aromas. There's good weight on the creamy, medium-bodied palate with ripe apple, buttery, lemon curd, sweet vanillin, and a touch of honey adding a kiss of sweetness to the flavour profile. Acids are juicy and well-balanced, while some smoky, leesy, and saline notes add interest to the lingering dry finish, with very good length. Highly delicious! Score: 88 pts

MARE DI SIRENA PINOT GRIGIO 2020 - IGT Italy (#20054) (XD) - $8.90
Screw cap. Translates to Sea of the Mermaid, the myth is that the mermaids in the seas surrounding Italy blow cool air over vineyards during summer to enhance ripening of the grapes, and warm air during the winter to protect the vines from frost. The majority of this Pinot Grigio is from Central Italy at 350-600 metres above sea level and has aromas of fresh lemon citrus, pear, and white peach with herbal hints. On the mid-weighted palate it has lemon citrus, mandarin orange, and peach flavours supported by zesty, well-balanced acidity. Clean, dry and flavourful on the zesty, citrusy finish, with some leesy minerals adding interest. Very good length on the finish. Will surely please! Score: 87 pts

STREWN NURTURE WHITE 2019 - VQA Niagara Peninsula, Ontario, Canada (#20261) (D) - $14.95
Screw cap. This off-dry blend of 32% Riesling, 28% Gewurztraminer, 20% Sauvignon Blanc, 10% Pinot Gris, 9% Chardonnay Musque, and 1% Muscat has a fragrant nose offering attractive honeyed aromas of orange citrus, lemon, honeysuckle, and wild flower. The palate is just off-dry (i.e. lightly sweet) with delicious white flower, beeswax, orange citrus, lychee, and ripe apple flavours in a nicely textured profile. With balanced acidity, it leads to a floral, leesy, juicy, and dry-ish finish, with good length. Delicious! Score: 87 pts

BREAD & BUTTER CHARDONNAY 2019 - California, USA (#19261) (D) - $18.95 $16.95 until Jan. 2
Crafted by award-winning veteran winemaker Linda Trotta in an honest, good, delicious, and uncomplicated style. Classic, traditional California Chardonnay with sweet vanillin oak, caramel, butter, ripe apple and pear aromas waft out of the glass. It's medium-full bodied and creamy on the sweetish palate with more vanillin oak, caramel, wood spice, and butter flavours with underlying apple and pear fruit notes. Slightly spicy on the mid-palate, with juicy acidity, while the vanilla, caramel, and butter notes linger on the finish, with very good length. Fans of Cali Chardonnay will like this. Score: 87 pts

STEL+MAR CABERNET SAUVIGNON 2019 - Lodi, California, USA (#20808) (D) - $17.95
Two friends (who grew up in Canada) and their families came together to create STEL+MAR. They make unpretentious and approachable wines that let the terroir speak for itself. This Cabernet Sauvignon has a medium+ intensity nose that offers ripe dark berry fruit, black currant, sweet cinnamon spice, and cassis aromas with savoury earthy undertones. On the medium-full bodied palate it is slightly sweet with ripe cassis, blueberry, blackberry, vanilla, cocoa, and oak spice flavours. Crafted in a very approachable style, it has well-balanced acidity and supple, structured tannins. Intriguing cassis and minty notes linger on the long, dry finish. Delicious! Score: 88+ pts

SUNNY WITH A CHANCE OF FLOWERS PINOT NOIR 2019 - Monterey, California, USA (#18946) (XD) - $17.95 $8.30
Sunny Wines are sustainably crafted for healthy lifestyle wine lovers with zero sugar, low calories, and low alcohol (9% abv). Screw cap. Earthy beetroot aromas with a hint of toasted oak mingle with ripe black cherry, black raspberry, and strawberry aromas. There's also a hint of tea leaf. The light-to-mid-weighted palate is dry with light, supple tannins that are slightly textured. Flavours of beetroot, earth, and tea leaf with fruity notes of black cherry and raspberry on the palate, turning quite bitter on the finish, with good length. Score: 86 pts

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Trio of LCBO General List Wines (Dec. 2021)

Happy Holidays! Tonight's wine reviews are a trio of General List wines I received several months ago and finally got around to tasting. Both red wines are new arrivals to the LCBO and available in standard 750 mL bottles, while the white wine from Abruzzo comes in a 1.5 L large format magnum bottle. All of the wines are readily available at LCBO outlets across Ontario.

Tasting Notes:

CESARI ESSERE VALPOLICELLA 2019 - DOC Veneto, Italy (#19774) (D) - $13.95
Founded in 1936, Gerardo Cesari soon became synonymous with creating quality wines from the Verona area. Today, Cesari wines draw on tradition but also use the latest knowledge in vineyard cultivation and environmentally sustainable growing techniques to create elegant, balanced, and fine wines. This vegan-friendly red wine is a blend of 70% Corvina, 20% Rondinella, and 10% Negrara / Rossignola with a medium intensity nose that leads with a hint of bretty and funky earth characters, followed by delicate aromas of dried cherry, plum, and oak spice. On the medium-full bodied palate, it is tangy with red cherry, herb, and earthy spice notes in a dry flavours profile. It has balanced acidity and soft, supple tannins providing a subtle textural mouthfeel. Earthy wood spice notes linger on the finish, with very good length. Recommended buy. Score: 88 pts

FANTINI TREBBIANO D'ABRUZZO 2020 - DOC Abruzzo, Italy (#20082) (XD) (1.5 L) - $16.60
Fantini is part Farnese Group, an estate associated with quality winemaking since the late 1500s. This white white is enclosed by a 100% recyclable cork and made with Trebbiano from Abruzzo. The medium-high intensity nose is clean and fresh with lemon citrus, grapefruit, white floral, herb, and leesy aromas. On the ripe, medium+ bodied palate it has pleasing citrus, grapefruit, white floral, and herbal replays in a dry flavour profile and supported by fresh, balanced acidity. Lingering on the finish are notes of lemon pith and leesy characters, along with some bitterness, with good length. Pleasantly surprising and highly satisfying recommended buy. Score: 88 pts

LISBON BY NIGHT RED BLEND 2018 - Vinho Regional Lisboa, Portugal (#18998) (D) - $9.80
Crafted by Vicente Faria, a winemaking family that settled in the Douro at the end of the 18th century to become one of the region's pioneer winemakers. This Syrah-based blend has a medium intensity nose with sweet and ripe aromas of black cherry, plum, pepper spice, and sweet oak. The medium-bodied palate is slightly sweet vanllin oak, ripe black cherry, and black plum flavours supported by balanced acidity and soft, rounded tannins. The slightly sweet black cherry, plum, and oak spice flavours continue through to the finish, with good length. Commercially styled crowd pleaser. Score: 86 pts

Other wines from these producers are available at the LCBO, as well as through their Agent - Profile Wine Group.

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Albert Bichot Sélection Parcellaire Beaujolais-Villages 2018 (France) - Wine Review

Tonight's wine review is this lovely Gamay from Beaujolais that was slated to be released as a new arrival during the summer as part of the August 21st LCBO VINTAGES Release but actually never made it into stores back then. However, it did arrive on shelves a few weeks ago and there are plenty of bottles still available.

It is produced by Albert Bichot, a family whose roots go back to the year 1214. In 1350, the Bichot family settled in Burgundy and their coat of arms and symbol, a doe (biche), has not changed since. Wine entered the picture in 1831 when Bernard Bichot founded a wine trading business. His grandson, the first Albert Bichot, gave the family business momentum in the late 19th century and settled in Beaune in 1912. The second Albert Bichot was born in 1900 and was a pioneer in international commerce, introducing the family's wines to wine lovers around the world. In the second half of the 20th century, Albert's four sons, one of which is the third Albert, inherited the know-how and began an era of expansion with the construction of a new winery, bottling centre, and ageing cellar.

The Beaujolais appellation is located in southern Burgundy and spread across the administrative departments of Rhône and Sâone-et-Loire. This particular wine is from the Beaujolais-Villages appellation, the majority of which is located in the Vauxonne and Ardières valleys and represents 25% of the Beaujolais region's total production. The vines from the Beaujolais-Villages AOC are under the influence of several microclimates, which enhances the characteristics of the wines. This red wine is made with 100% Gamay grown on granite-based and sandy soils, with some clay. It was fermented in stainless steel tanks and then aged for 6-7 months in vats.

Beaujolais-Villages wines first attained their glory and reputation in Lyon's bouchons, or small family-run restaurants, and are perfect for convivial meals and appetizing dishes. The 2018 vintage was considered the ideal vintage as it combined good volume and excellent quality. Let's see how this Gamay is tasting tonight...

Tasting Note:

ALBERT BICHOT SÉLECTION PARCELLAIRE BEAUJOLAIS-VILLAGES 2018 - AC Beaujolais, France (#18781) (XD) - $13.95
Crafted with 100% Gamay, the medium+ intensity nose has attractive aromas of strawberry, raspberry, blackberry, wild berry, and spices with a touch of savoury wet earth. On the medium+ bodied palate it is spicy with raspberry, strawberry, blackberry, and clove flavours in a dry profile. It has very good, juicy acidity and light, fine-grained tannins adding a nice texture to the mouthfeel. Clove spice and earthy notes linger on juicy finish, with very good length. Highly recommended buy. Score: 88+ pts

Other delicious wines from Albert Bichot are available at the LCBO, as well as through their Agent - Dionysus Wines & Spirits.

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