Catena Paraje Altamira Malbec 2018 (Argentina) - Wine Review

I first came across this lovely, high-altitude, single vineyard Malbec from Paraje Altamira, Argentina, at the LCBO lab three years ago and have been enamoured with this wine ever since. For tonight's red wine review, I bring you the latest vintage of this terrific wine that arrived at the LCBO last weekend as part of the March 5 LCBO VINTAGES Release.

Founded by the Catena family in 1902, Catena Zapata is one of Argentina's most internationally renowned and celebrated wineries. Recognized for it's pioneering role in high-altitude viticulture, Catena is also responsible for introducing the world to premium quality Malbec. Now in its fourth generation, the winery is led by Dr. Laura Catena, who has spearheaded significant terroir research in pursuit of her family's dream to produce Argentina's "Premier Crus." In February 2021, The Catena Institute of Wine published a research study that proved irrefutably the existence of terroir and its persistence across vintages for Malbec wines.

Like other Catena wines I've enjoyed over the years, this Malbec is from Catena's Appellation range of wines which follow Burgundy's pattern of where the village the grapes are grown lends their name to the appellation. In Argentina, the rural towns of Lunlunta, Vista Flores, San Carlos, Tupungato, Agrelo, and La Consulta lend their names to the beautiful historic vineyards that surround them and proudly displayed on the label for each of Catena's wines in this range. In France, the village vineyards are small and often owned by siblings and cousins within the same family due to the Napoleonic code which establishes that at a person's death, his or her land is divided equally among his or her heirs. Being a Latin country, Argentina also shares the Napoleonic code, and over half of the vineyards in Mendoza are less than four hectares in size and owned by multiple family members. The Catena range of "Village" wines express the diversity of terroir and the historic farming customs of these local families.

The history of this wine can be traced back to the 1950s when Don Domingo Catena began sourcing Malbec from the vineyards of Altamira in the Uco Valley. Today, this wine is from the Altamira Vineyard located at 1,095 metres (3,593 feet) elevation on alluvial origin soils which are loamy with rounded rocks on the bottom, and a composition of 80% sand, 10% clay, and 10% silt. At these high elevations, the combination of intense sunlight and cool nights help produce an elegant, minerally, and slightly spicy Malbec with a deep texture and flavours. From the excellent 2018 vintage, let's see how this Paraje Altamira Malbec is tasting tonight...

Tasting Note:

CATENA PARAJE ALTAMIRA MALBEC 2018 - Uco Valley, Mendoza, Argentina (#492413) (XD) - $22.95
100% Malbec that was grown in Paraje Altamira at 1,095 metres (3,593 feet) above sea level, it was aged for 12 months in mostly used French oak. The fresh, intense nose has lovely ripe black and purple fruits balanced with savoury stony-earthy mineral aromas and touches of herbal spice adding complexity. On the dry, medium-full bodied palate it is rich and nicely structured with spicy, dark berry, violet, currant, stony-earthy minerals, and some herbal notes on the complex flavour profile. Fresh acids are well-balanced, while the structured, refined tannins have a pleasantly and lightly chalky grip. Minerally with black cherry, currant, and violet accents lingering on the juicy finish, with excellent length. Highly recommended buy! Score: 91 pts

Other lovely wines from Catena Zapata are available at the LCBO and through their Agent - Noble Estates Wines & Spirits.

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Zingari 2018 (Tuscany) - Wine Review

Tonight's wine review is a delicious Super Tuscan red that is featured as part of theme on wines from Tuscany and on the cover of the March 5th LCBO VINTAGES Release catalogue.

Petra is a wine company located close to the ancient village of Suvereto, in northern Maremma of Tuscany, on the ferrous hills of the Val di Cornia where you can see as far as the Tyrrhenian Sea. A women's company, Petra has been directed by women for more than 200 years.

The story of Petra begins in 1808 when Elisa Bonaparte Baciocchi, Napoleone's sister, Princess of Lucca and Piombino and grand duchess of Tuscany, chose this place in Maremma to establish the first seed of an agricultural and viticultural project. Two centuries later, Francesca Moretti fell in love with the history and the culture of the chateaux in Bordeaux and began studying agriculture and oenology. Francesca also begin looking for properties to convert into a winemaking company like those found in Bordeaux and settled in the fertile Val di Cornia area in Maremma with the cooperation of the explorer Attilio Scienza.

In 1997, Vittorio Moretti purchased 60 hectares in San Lorenzo and 45 hectares in Campiglia Marittima, a few kilometres from Piombino, in the Suvereto area. These purchases were the seed, the start of an extensive and contemporary project that would become Petra. Originally from Franciacorta, Francesca Moretti found her second home in Suvereto. Francesca planted her first varietals at the winery while still in university. Based on the terroir and her vision, she favoured international varieties and planted these in the Princess Vineyard, a 5 hectare plot where Elisa Bonaparte had also planted Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot grapes two centuries earlier. In the vineyard, agricultural practices follow an organic regime while also reducing environmental impact, with a path towards organic certification.

This red wine is a blend of Merlot, Sangiovese, Syrah, and Petit Verdot that was born out of an experimental vineyard to test the attitudes of each varietal. The wine's roots can be traced back to an ancient water spring that was a stop-over for pilgrims and wayfarers, also known as the Zingari (Gypsies), who were travelling along nearby Aurelia Street and could seek refreshment by resting nearby its crystal clear waters. The average age of the vines is 17 years and they are planted on loamy-sandy texture and slightly calcareous soils. It was aged in barrels and barriques for at least 12 months and spent a further 3 months in bottle prior to release. Let's see how this red blend from Tuscany is tasting tonight...

Tasting Note:

ZINGARI 2018 - IGT Toscana, Italy (#244228) (XD) - $19.95
This blend of Merlot, Sangiovese, Syrah, and Petit Verdot has a fragrant, open nose that offers an attractive mix of ripe black cherry, red plum, savoury earth, and subtle wood spice aromas. On the dry, medium-full bodied palate it has delicious ripe black cherry, plum, cassis, cedary wood spice, and savoury earth flavours. Fresh acids are juicy and nicely balanced, while the supple tannins have a subtle, grippy texture. Supple and dry on the long, savoury, cedary wood spiced finish. Recommended buy! Score: 88+ pts

Other delicious wines from Petra can be ordered through their Agent - Noble Estates Wines & Spirits.

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Pasarisa Malbec 2019 (Argentina) - Wine Review

Tonight's red wine review is the second of three delicious Malbec wines that arrived at the LCBO on the weekend as part of the March 5th LCBO VINTAGES Release.

Pasarisa is one of Catena Zapata's newer range of wines that was launched in 2015 and celebrates Argentina's wine producing regions outside of its roots in Mendoza. Pasarisa gets its name by taking the first two letters from Patagonia, Salta, and La Rioja, then finishing with the initials of South America. The range was launched by Catena as part of their vision for the future, along with the work of the Catena Institute, to extensively research and improve Argentina's viticultural and vinification practices outside of Mendoza. Additionally, the hope is to bring economic prosperity to these poorer regions by finding special locations for the cultivation of grapes beyond Malbec.

With this new range of six wines, Catena works with growers in the three regions of Patagonia, Salta, and La Rioja to highlight their varied history, culture, and wine styles. From the remote and southerly region of Patagonia, where the climate is cool and windy, is a Merlot and Pinot Noir, the most widely planted varietals after Malbec. From the high-altitude region of Salta is a Torrontés, the only white in the range, and a Cabernet Sauvignon where some plantings go back to the mid-19th century. Lastly, from the iron-rich soils of La Rioja is a Syrah that pairs nicely with local cuisine that features many dishes made with lamb. For the sixth wine of the collection, Catena returns to its roots with a regionally blended Malbec from Mendoza. Let's see how this Malbec is tasting tonight...

Tasting Note:

PASARISA MALBEC 2019 - Mendoza, Argentina (#21986) (XD) - $16.95
The medium+ intensity nose is spicy with stony mineral notes surrounding a core of ripe dark berry, blackberry, and plummy aromas. The medium to medium+ bodied palate is very ripe with dark berry, blackberry, black cherry, plum, spice, and mineral flavours supported by fresh, balanced acidity and ripe, fine-grained, and slightly grippy tannins. Smoky minerals linger on the savoury finish, with very good length. Recommended buy. Score: 88+ pts

Other delicious wines from Pasarisa can be ordered through their Agent - Noble Estates Wines & Spirits.

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Alamos Selección Malbec 2018 (Argentina) - Wine Review

Tonight's red wine review is a delicious Malbec that returned to the LCBO this weekend as part of the March 5 LCBO VINTAGES Release.

It is produced by Alamos, a producer whose history is rooted in over 100 years of family winemaking with the founding wine family of Argentina - the Catenas. With generations of passion and expertise, the adventurous spirit of Alamos wines are crafted from high-elevation vineyards at the foot of the Andes. The wines are flavourful, approachable, and authentically Argentine, with this Malbec the pinnacle of their portfolio.

The winemaker at Alamos is Lucía Vaieretti. She comes from a family of winegrowers who have been tending vines in Mendoza for more than 40 years. Lucía attended Don Bosco, South America's most prestigious viticulture and enology school and has been working with the Catena family of wineries for nearly 20 years, eventually taking over the Alamos cellar in 2016. Alamos wines are internationally renowned for their ability to blend quality grapes from various terroirs and elevations. At high elevations, the intense sunlight leads to thicker grape skins and richer, more flavourful wines, while the crisp, cool nights allow the grapes to gain complexity while retaining balance and acidity. The mineral-rich irrigation from mountain snowmelt also add to the rich, layered aromas and flavours of Argentina's signature varieties.

Without a doubt, Malbec is Argentina's signature varietal with 23 percent of the country's vineyards planted to the varietal and two out of every three bottles exported to other countries. Malbec is grown from north to south and this particular bottling is from the small winegrowing sub-region of La Consulta in the southern Uco Valley of Mendoza. It was grown and hand-picked at high-altitude vineyards between 910 to 1,520 metres (2,985 to 4,986 feet) elevation. At the winery, the grapes were de-stemmed, crushed, and fermented in upright and conical tanks, with each Malbec lot kept separate throughout the vinification process. The wine was aged in French oak for 9 to 12 months prior to blending, then aged another 4 months in bottle.

I first enjoyed the 2016 Alamos Selección Malbec in November 2020. I also enjoyed the 2018 vintage when it first arrived on shelves in July of last year and am curious to see if it has evolved much over the past 8 months...

Tasting Notes:

ALAMOS SELECCIÓN MALBEC 2018 - La Consulta, Uco Valley, Mendoza, Argentina (#322800) (XD) - $16.95
100% Malbec from high-elevation vineyards between 910 to 1,520 metres (2,985 to 4,986 feet), the medium-high intensity nose offers lush, ripe dark fruited aromas of blackberry, purple fruit, violet, and dried herbal spice with some savoury, earthy, and stony minerality notes rising out of the glass. It's medium-full bodied with juicy, well-balanced acidity and smooth, rounded, fine-grained tannins that support the ripe blackberry, black cherry, and black raspberry, smoky mineral, and wood flavours. Slightly tangy with a touch of warmth on the mid-palate, while smoky mineral, wood, black raspberry and dark berry notes linger on the finish, with very good length. Recommended buy. Score: 88+ pts

Other delicious wines from Alamos are available at the LCBO and through their Agent - E & J Gallo Winery Canada.

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Clos de Luz Massal 1945 Carmenère 2018 (Chile) - Wine Review

After enjoying the excellent 2018 Clos de Luz Massal 1945 Cabernet Sauvignon back in January, tonight's red wine review is a lovely Carmenère from the same producer and vintage. This red wine arrives at the LCBO this weekend as part of the March 5 LCBO VINTAGES Release.

The family run winery of Cloz de Luz is situated in the Almahue Valley within the Rapel Valley D.O. in Chile's Central Valley. The Alamhue Valley is 150 km south of Santiago, 65 km west of the Pacific, and 45 km east of the Andes. The winery and vineyards are naturally walled in by the Mancuman Hill, benefiting from the early morning sun and cooler afternoons with the Pacific Ocean breeze. The vineyards were planted in 1945 by the family's Grandmother Luz, have been part of the family for five generations, and are now among the oldest in Chile. Today, the estate is owned by the Edwards Cosmelli branch of the family and with 33 hectares of estate vineyards, the principal focus is on crafting elegant, quality wines in a non-interventionist style with freshness and subtle use of oak to enhance the natural fruity character of the wines.

Like the Cabernet Sauvignon, this Carmenère also includes 5% Syrah and is from Clos de Luz's Massal 1945 range of wines. The Massal range is named because of the old and rigorous technique used in the vineyard to select the best vines in a vineyard and propagating them through cuttings - it is the opposite of clonal propagation. As such, all of their vineyards are ungrafted and non-clonal. The grapes are sustainably grown and ploughed by horses, while also aiming to conserve the natural diversity of the plants to create more complex and unique wines.

The grapes for this wine are from the Amalhue Valley - an area considered the birthplace of Carmenère. From vines planted in 1945 on granitic soils with quartz components of volcanic origin, the grapes were manually harvested. After gentle extraction, the juice was spontaneously fermented using native yeasts. After fermentation, it was aged for 12 months, with 50% aged in 4,000 L Gamba French oak tanks, 44% in 225 and 300 L French oak barrels, and 6% in new 600 L Sylvain French oak barrels. From a brilliant 2018 vintage, let's see how this Chilean Carmenère is tasting tonight...

Tasting Note:

CLOS DE LUZ MASSAL 1945 CARMENÈRE 2018 - Almahue, DO Valle de Cachapoal, Chile (#11861) (XD) - $24.95
A blend of 95% Carmenère and 5% Syrah, the fresh, medium-high intensity nose offers herbaceous, leafy green notes sitting atop currant, cassis, and savoury earth aromas with hints of minerality. On the medium-full bodied palate it has lovely, fresh acidity that lifts the clean red and black fruits, cassis, and currant flavours which interplay nicely with the herbaceous, savoury, and spice tones. Really nicely balanced with supple, lightly textured tannins. Juicy, earthy, and minerally on the long, balanced and fresh finish. Recommended buy! Score: 90+ pts

The Cabernet is available at the LCBO, while other wines from the Clos de Luz portfolio can be ordered through their Agent - Touchstone Brands.

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Laura Hartwig Selección del Viticultor Block Nogales Cabernet Sauvignon 2018 (Chile) - Wine Review

Back in June I enjoyed the 2018 Laura Hartwig Single Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon, and for tonight's red wine review I take it up a notch with this Winemaker's Selection Cabernet Sauvignon from the same producer. This red wine from Chile is a new arrival to the LCBO that came to LCBO VINTAGES on February 19th.

Laura Hartwig is a winery located Santa Cruz, in the heart of the Colchagua Valley, Chile. Their story begins when Osvaldo Bisquertt purchased the property in 1928 to cultivate annual crops and raise cattle. His daughter, Laura Bisquert, inherited the "Santa Laura" farm in 1966 and further expanded the estate. Wine entered the picture in the 1970's after she and her husband, Alejandro Hartwig, developed a passion for wine and returned to Chile from Toronto to focus their attention on viticulture.

Alejandro Hartwig is a dedicated winegrower who personally oversees the entire Estate. He understands that producing excellent wine requires not only blessed soils, careful management of the vineyard, and the finest selection of grapes, but also perseverance, respect, and dedication. With a non-interventionist philosophy and human scale production to craft their wines, Laura Hartwig is able to take detailed care with each step of the winemaking process.

This Winemaker's Selection of 100% Cabernet Sauvignon was grown at the Laura Hartwig Estate in Santa Cruz, specifically from a single block that was planted in 1980 over deep soils and a loam clay surface. These old vines which are now over 40 years old have achieved a natural balance between growth and production per season to give balanced fruit for high quality wines. The grapes were hand-selected by cluster and transported to the winery in bins for further detailed selection. After fermentation in stainless steel tanks, the the wine was aged for 12 months in first and second-use French oak barrels, followed by a further 5 months in cement egg.

With a brilliant 2018 growing season across Chile that started with a warm spring and moderate conditions that allowed the grapes to slowly ripen, the resulting wines achieved good fruit characters, balanced alcohol, and very good acidity. Let's see how this 2018 Cabernet Sauvignon from Chile is tasting tonight...

Tasting Note:

LAURA HARTWIG SELECCIÓN DEL VITICULTOR BLOCK NOGALES CABERNET SAUVIGNON 2018 - DO Santa Cruz, Valle de Colchagua, Chile (#21951) (XD) - $20.95
100% Cabernet Sauvignon from 40-year-old vines, the medium+ intensity nose has cool, fresh, leafy herbals and evergreen aromas followed by red currant, cassis, and subtle spice notes. On the full-bodied palate it has structured, smooth, and polished tannins, along with fresh, balanced acidity. Nice interplays between fruity and herbals on the palate with currant, cassis, leafy herbs, evergreen, and some smoky notes on the back palate. Long and juicy with wood smoke notes lingering on the finish. Recommended buy. Score: 89 pts

While there are a couple of dozen bottles of one other Laura Hartwig wine available at the LCBO, wines from the rest of their portfolio can be ordered through the Agent - Profile Wine Group.

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March 5, 2022 LCBO VINTAGES Release Wine Picks: Tuscany

The title of the March 5, 2022 LCBO VINTAGES Release is "Under the Tuscan Sun" and features wines from Tuscany as the theme of the release. Overall, it is a smaller-than-usual release with just 89 wines listed, and the majority of the wines are red coloured. All of the wines in this release should be on shelves across Ontario by this Saturday.

We begin with the theme on wines from Tuscany. Of the thirteen wines featured, four are included among my top wine picks and the lone white is a Chardonnay-based blend. The Rosso di Montepulciano (which tastes quite a bit like a Rosso di Montalcino) is a blend of 80% Sangiovese and 20% Merlot, while the Chianti Classico Riserva is composed of 90% Sangiovese, 5% Cabernet Sauvignon, and 5% Colorino. Lastly, the IGT Super Tuscan is a blend of Merlot, Sangiovese, Syrah, and Petit Verdot.

Among my red wine recommendations, at the top of the list is the 2nd wine of Ornellaia that is a blend of 54% Merlot, 28% Cabernet Sauvignon, 14% Cabernet Franc, and 4% Petit Verdot. The only other blend is the red from the Itata Valley in Chile that consists of 72% Cinsault, 18% País, and 10% Carignan. Single varietal wines include a Monastrell from Spain, a Xinomavro from Greece, and a Carmenère from Chile. There is also a trio of Malbec wines from Argentina, and a Grenache from 65-year-old vines in Roussillon.

From a small release of white wines, the only blend among my recommendations is an Argentine wine that consists of 42% Semillón, 33% Sauvignon Blanc, and 25% Torrontés. From single varietal white wines, both Chardonnays from Niagara spent some time fermenting and ageing in barrels. The other mono-varietal wines are a Sauvignon Blanc from Touraine in Loire and a lovely Grüner Veltliner from Austria. If you enjoy some sweetness to your wines, check out the off-dry Riesling from Niagara.

Enjoy my wine recommendations from this release! Cin cin!

Red Wine:

• PASARISA MALBEC 2019 - Mendoza, Argentina (#21986) (XD) - $16.95  88+ pts  wine review
• ALAMOS SELECCIÓN MALBEC 2018 - La Consulta, Uco Valley, Mendoza, Argentina (#322800) (XD) - $16.95  88+ pts  wine review
• BOUTARI NAOUSSA XINOMAVRO 2019 - PDO Naoussa, Macedonia, Greece (#23218) (XD) - $18.95
• ZINGARI 2018 - IGT Toscana, Italy (#244228) (XD) - $19.95  88+ pts  wine review
• DOMAINE LAFAGE CUVÉE NICOLAS VIEILLES VIGNES GRENACHE NOIR 2019 - Sustainable, IGP Côtes Catalanes, Roussillon, France (#354191) (XD) - $19.95
• POLIZIANO ROSSO DI MONTEPULCIANO 2019 - DOC, Tuscany, Italy (#22795) (XD) - $20.95  90 pts  wine review
• LA CAUSA CINSAULT / PAÍS / CARIGNAN 2019 - Valle del Itata, Chile (#23434) (XD) - $22.95

• CATENA PARAJE ALTAMIRA MALBEC 2018 - Paraje Altamira, Valle de Uco, Mendoza, Argentina (#492413) (XD) - $22.95  91 pts  wine review
• MATETIC EQ GRANITE PINOT NOIR 2016 - Sustainable, DO Valle de Casablanca, Chile (#21952) (XD) - $22.95
• CLOS DE LUZ MASSAL 1945 CARMENÈRE 2018 - Almahue, DO Valle de Cachapoal, Chile (#11861) (XD) - $24.95  90+ pts  wine review
• ROCCA DELLE MACÌE FAMIGLIA ZINGARELLI RISERVA CHIANTI CLASSICO 2018 - DOCG, Tuscany, Italy (#930966) (XD) - $24.95  90+ pts  wine review
• UNDURRAGA TERROIR HUNTER CABERNET SAUVIGNON 2018 - Alto Maipo, Valle del Maipo, Chile (#630350) (XD) - $24.95
• LOS FRAILES CALIZA 2018 - Sustainable, La Parada de Tordos Vineyard, DO Valencia, Spain (#23806) (XD) - $29.95
• LE SERRE NUOVE DELL'ORNELLAIA 2019 - DOC Bolgheri Rosso, Tuscany, Italy (#606194) (XD) - $74.95

White Wine:

• DOMAINE DU PRÉ BARON TOURAINE SAUVIGNON BLANC 2020 - Sustainable, AC, Loire, France (#107128) (XD) - $17.95
• DOMÄNE WACHAU TERRASSEN FEDERSPIEL GRÜNER VELTLINER 2020 - Vegan, sustainable, Qualitätswein, Austria (#31534) (XD) - $17.95
• FLAT ROCK CHARDONNAY 2020 - VQA Niagara Peninsula, Ontario, Canada (#286278) (XD) - $19.95
• ADAMO LEPP DAVID'S VINEYARD RIESLING 2020 - VQA Niagara Lakeshore, Niagara-on-the-Lake, Ontario, Canada (#17203) (D) - $19.95
• SUSANA BALBO SIGNATURE WHITE BLEND 2020 - Valle de Uco, Mendoza, Argentina (#558734) (XD) - $21.95
• DUCA DI SARAGNANO VECCIANO TOSCANA BIANCO 2020 - IGT Toscana, Italy (#23042) (XD) - $25.95
• QUEYLUS TRADITION CHARDONNAY 2019 - VQA Lincoln Lakeshore, Niagara Peninsula, Ontario, Canada (#417774) (XD) - $29.95

Sparkling Wine:

• DRAPPIER BRUT NATURE PINOT NOIR CHAMPAGNE - AC, France (#179275) (XD) - $64.95

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