M. Chapoutier Bila-Haut Occultum Lapidem 2018 (Roussillon) - Wine Review

After enjoying the excellent 2017 M. Chapoutier Bila-Haut Occultum Lapidem around this time last year, tonight's red wine review is the latest vintage of this perennially lovely wine from Roussillon that arrived at the LCBO last weekend as part of the LCBO VINTAGES Release on April 30th.

It is produced by Maison M. Chapoutier, one of the iconic names in northern Rhône Valley winemaking whose roots go back to the year 1808 in Rue de l'Hermitage in Tain. Marius Chapoutier joined the company in 1897 and had complete control of the winery by the 1920's. Passed down through the generations, M. Chapoutier is led today by the highly acclaimed winemaker Michel Chapoutier who took control of operations in 1990. Michel has a passion for the environment, thirst for knowledge, and drive for innovation, and began applying biodynamic cultivation techniques in the year 2000, the same year Chapoutier expanded into Roussillon.

Domaine de Bila-Haut was Michel's first domain in Roussillon. It is located in Latour de France on a bend in the Agly river. The had an intense, forceful, and sometimes violent past, but also has contoured terraces with stony soils and rich geology. The climate is climate is Mediterranean with long, hot summers, and relatively mild winters, while experiencing more sunshine over the course of a year than any other part of France. This Occultum Lapidem wine was the first expression of this terroir and is a blend of mainly Syrah and Grenache, plus some Carignan, all grown in a vineyard with gneiss and schistous soils from the Devonian Period (approx. 400 million ago) and limestone from Kimmeridgian Period (approx. 150 million years ago). The grapes were hand-harvested, non-pressed, and de-stemmed prior to fermentation. It was aged entirely in concrete tanks.

In 2018, Chapoutier reports that they (finally!) had perfect water balance for an outstanding vintage. Rainfall had been scarce in Roussillon since 2014, but in 2018 the exceptional rainfall arrived at opportune times. September was also noteworthy with average daytime temperatures reaching 30°C, along with cool nights, and no tramontane wind but a light sea breeze. This allowed the grapes to gradually ripen and reach phenolic maturity, resulting in wines with freshness, aromatic complexity, and lower alcohol content, all characters worthy of a great year in Roussillon. In this particular wine, the schist soils provided suppleness, while the Syrah offered sophisticated spiciness, and Grenache grown in limestone soils gave the wine exceptional structure. Let's see how this 2018 wine from Roussillon is tasting tonight...

Tasting Note:

M. CHAPOUTIER BILA-HAUT OCCULTUM LAPIDEM 2018 - AP Côtes du Roussillon-Villages
Latour-de-France, France (#643239) (XD) - $26.95
Matured in concrete tanks, this blend of mainly Syrah and Grenache, plus Carignan has a medium-high to highly aromatic nose with lovely, ripe wild berry aromas in the shades of black-red-blue, joined by plum, peppery spice, and dried herb, and underlying meaty and minerally notes. It's medium-full bodied with lovely raspberry, blackberry, pepper, and mineral flavours with hints of violet. It's got fresh acidity and smooth, supple, and lightly structured tannins. Raspberry, wild berry, and meaty flavoured, tapering to a long, minerally, and very satisfying finish. Highly recommended buy! Score: 92 pts

Other lovely wines by M. Chapoutier are available at the LCBO and through their Agent - Dandurand.

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Errázuriz Aconcagua Alto Cabernet Sauvignon 2019 (Chile) - Wine Review

Tonight's wine review is the latest vintage of this consistently delicious Cabernet Sauvignon from Chile that arrived at the LCBO last weekend as the Wine of the Month in the April 30th LCBO VINTAGES Release.

Viña Errázuriz was founded in 1870 by Don Maximiano Errázuriz. a visionary who planted the first French grape varieties in Chile's Aconcagua Valley. By 1873, the winery had over 300 hectares of vineyards and launched their first wine. Rafael Errázuriz, the son of Don Maximiano, took over the property by 1890 and established 700 hectares of vines to become the largest vineyard in the world in the hands of a single owner. Today, Viña Errázuriz continues to thrive with global accolades under Eduardo Chadwick Claro, the fifth generation of the family. Francisco Baettig, Viña Errázuriz's Technical Director, is considered to be one of the top 5 trend-setting winemakers of South America.

Errázuriz has quite a large portfolio of wines, and this red wine is from their "Specialties" range that reflects their exploration of the Aconcagua Valley for the best and purest expression of each variety through wines that show their true sense of origin. The Specialties range is divided into wines which are near the Pacific Ocean, or Aconcagua Costa, and Aconcagua Alto (Mount Aconcagua) which is the highest peak in the western hemisphere.

Like the 2018 Errázuriz Aconcagua Alto Cabernet Sauvignon I enjoyed in August of last year, the 2019 edition of this Cabernet Sauvignon is also sourced primarily from Errazuriz's Max vineyards which are located in the interior of the Aconcagua Valley at 600 metres elevation. The soils in the vineyard are of colluvial origin and predominantly silty textured, but also quite diverse in its unique nutrition and drainage conditions which help control plant vigour and produce balanced fruit loads with small bunches and berries. The grapes were hand-picked early in the morning to retain freshness and inspected on a double selection table, crushed, and finally deposited into stainless steel tanks for fermentation. After maceration and fermentation, the wine was aged in French oak barrels (35% new) for 14 months.

The growing season in 2019 was dry and warm with the absence of rains ensuring splendid conditions for the grapes. Harvest was earlier, while the vineyards' quality once again demonstrated its excellence given the climatic fluctuations, droughts and high temperatures to deliver grapes of superb concentration while preserving the aromas and acidity in the wines. From a very good vintage, let's see how this 2019 Cabernet Sauvignon from Chile is tasting tonight...

Tasting Note:

ERRAZURIZ ACONCAGUA ALTO CABERNET SAUVIGNON 2019 - DO Valle del Aconcagua, Chile (#203364) (XD) - $21.95
The fresh, medium-high intensity nose delivers well-balanced aromas of evergreen, leafy, and herbs mingling with both red black fruits, cassis, and currant, and touches of sandalwood in a cool-climate profile. It's medium+ bodied with ripe, grainy textured tannins and lovely aroma replays on the palate. Acids are fresh and saliva-inducing. Oak, plus touches of woodsmoke and mineral join the currant, cassis, and evergreen notes on the long, satisfying finish. Enjoyable now, but will be even better in 1-2 years. Recommended buy! Score: 90 pts

Other fine wines from Viña Errázuriz are available not only at the LCBO, but also through their Agent - Dandurand. There is also An Evening with Errázuriz reception & dinner Vintages event being held on May 11.

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Pierre Amadieu Romane Machotte Gigondas 2019 (Rhône) - Wine Review

Tonight's red wine review is this beautiful organic and biodynamic Gigondas from Rhône that arrived at the LCBO last weekend in the April 30th LCBO VINTAGES Release.

Pierre Amadieu has been winegrowing in the hills of Gigondas since 1929. At the time, he had a 7 hectare vineyard that had been passed down through the generations. Pierre Amadieu was one of the first producers to print the name of the appellation on its labels and played an instrumental role in developing and promoting Gigondas wines. Near the village in 1945, Pierre Amadieu built a winemaking facility and a subterranean ageing cellar that was dug two levels underground to ensure constant temperature and hygrometry.

In 1950, Pierre Amadieu, who was a pioneer in several domains in Gigondas, purchased two properties that were historically linked - Romane and La Machotte. With this purchase, Pierre Amadieu became the largest estate in Gigondas with 137 hectares of vines that were surrounded by 200 hectares of garrigue and holm oaks, assuring natural protection of the vineyard. In 1955, he purchased an old railway tunnel near Pierrelongue (Drôme) to allow for exceptional ageing of his wines. The property at La Machotte is equipped with oak casks still in use today, as well as takes advantage of natural air conditioning, and also has 13th century ceramic vats which are still visible. Well before environmental awareness grew across the globe, 1,200 sheep were pasturing in the vineyards in the off-season and providing natural manure and controlled ground cover planting to obtain a natural and healthy vineyard.

The next generation took up the reins in the vineyard and cellar when Pierre Amadieu's sons Jean-Pierre and Claude joined the family business in 1965 and 1975. In 1989, Pierre Amadieu Jr. (Jean-Pierre's son) became the head of the company and represented the third generation of the family. Soon thereafter, Pierre was joined by his three cousins Henri-Claude, Jean-Marie, and Marie, and all three play important roles in the company. In 2019, Pierre Amadieu celebrated its 90th vintage and with a commitment to continuously improving their knowledge and infrastructure, they inaugurated their new ageing cellar that was built in natural stone. Their goal is to produce well-balanced, fine wines that reveal the elegance and richness of their protected terroirs located in the heights of the Gigondas appellation.

This particular red wine is a blend of 80% Grenache and 20% Syrah that was grown in the southern Rhone Valley Cru of Gigondas on vines that are deeply rooted on the hillsides of the family estate, where the scent of "garrigue" that grew there for centuries still perfumes the vines that replaced it. The vineyard is located at 300 metres altitude, faces northwest, and has soils composed of alternating Cretaceous limestone and marl. The grapes for this bottling were grown on vines averaging 45 years. After hand-picking the grapes, it was fermented in concrete tanks and aged for 12 months in foudres and barrels.

Tasting Note:

PIERRE AMADIEU ROMANE MACHOTTE GIGONDAS 2019 - AC, Rhône, France (#17400) (XD) - $27.95
Composed of 80% Grenache and 20% Syrah, the fragrant nose is intense and spicy with beautiful aromas of garrigue, peppery spice, raspberry, dark cherry, floral, and dried herb flecked with smoky minerals. It's medium-full bodied, structured, and ripe with plummy, black cherry, raspberry, smoky flavours. It has fresh, well-balanced acidity, while the tannins are supple, structured, and a bit tight. Smoky raspberry notes linger on the long, juicy, and crisp finish. Highly recommended buy! Score: 91 pts

Other excellent wines by Pierre Amadieu can be ordered through their Agent - Trilogy Wine Group.

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Mike Weir Meritage 2010 (Niagara) - Wine Review

Tonight's red wine review is this lovely 2010 Meritage that I first enjoyed at the winery back in January 2016 during the annual Niagara Icewine Festival.

Unfortunately, as I mentioned when I enjoyed the 2013 Mike Weir Cabernet Franc Icewine a few months ago, Mike Weir Winery closed its doors for good sometime in Spring 2018. This is also my last bottle of any Mike Weir wine. On the bright side, the property was sold and reopened as Locust Lane Estate Winery in Spring/Summer 2020.

When I first tasted this red crafted with Bordeaux varieties from the exceptional 2010 Niagara vintage, I mentioned that it could be enjoyed up to 2023. Let's see how this red wine from Niagara is tasting tonight...

Tasting Note:

MIKE WEIR MERITAGE 2010 - VQA Niagara Peninsula, Ontario, Canada (XD) - $19.95
Composed of Bordeaux varieties Cabernet Sauvignon (40%), Cabernet Franc (34%), and Merlot (26%). It pours a mature deep tawny colour and has a lovely, medium-high intensity nose offering complex aromas of dried dark berry, stewed plums and berries, sweet spice, and touches of evergreen and red pepper. It's medium-full bodied with mature, very smooth tannins with a slight grip. Dried berry, plum, sweet spice, chocolate, and some floral notes on the flavour profile. It has very good structure and acids are still well-balanced. Chocolate, savoury, and earthy notes linger on the long finish. Only 12% abv. It has aged well and is a joy to sip. Score: 91 pts

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Wakefield Estate Chardonnay 2020 (Australia) - Wine Review

Tonight's wine review is the latest edition of the lovely Estate Label Chardonnay by Wakefield Wines that arrives at the LCBO this weekend as part of the April 30th LCBO VINTAGES Release.

It is produced by Wakefield Wines, a family-owned and -operated winery that was founded by Bill Taylor Sr. and his two sons near the Wakefield River in South Australia's Clare Valley in 1969. Today, the third generation of the family - Mitchell, Justin and Clinton - continue the family tradition of making delicious wines that stand the test of time. The Taylor family is firmly committed to sustainability and producing wines in a responsible manner that respects the fruit and the land where it came from. The Taylor family also has an innovative spirit, and one of these innovations includes an Optimum Drinking Sensor that is on the back label of many of their wines.

Like the 2019 Wakefield Estate Chardonnay that I enjoyed just over a year ago, this vintage is also crafted with Chardonnay from Padthaway and Clare Valley. Although the percentage from each region was unspecified last time, this vintage is composed of 57% Padthaway and 43% Clare Valley Chardonnay. A small portion of this wine was barrel-fermented and stirred on its lees for 4 months. After 6-8 months of ageing in French oak, the wine was blended and bottled. Let's see how this 2020 Chardonnay is tasting tonight...

Tasting Note:

WAKEFIELD ESTATE CHARDONNAY 2020 - Padthaway & Clare Valley, South Australia (#711556) (XD) - $16.95
Screw cap. The medium-high intensity nose is fresh with ripe apple, citrus, pear, and butter aromas nuanced with vanilla, lactic, and yoghurt notes. On the dry, medium+ bodied, and creamy palate it is lightly honeyed with citrusy, apple, pear, butter, and vanilla flavours supported by crisp, fresh acidity. Leesy mineral, apple, citrus, butter, with touches of sweet vanillin oak and saline linger on the long finish. Might be my favourite vintage so far. Highly recommended buy! Score: 89 pts

Other lovely wines by Wakefield are available at the LCBO and through their Agent - Profile Wine Group.

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April 30, 2022 LCBO VINTAGES Release Wine Picks: Signature Europe

The theme of the upcoming, and relatively large, April 30, 2022 LCBO VINTAGES Release features Signature wines from Europe. Also previewed in the magazine are the next batch of Online Exclusives that will be available for purchase starting May 12. As well, this release is the last in-store release until the May long weekend as the LCBO shifts to one in-store and one online-only release per month for the summer. Wines from this release should be on shelves across Ontario by this Saturday.

We begin with the theme titled "Signature Europe" that looks at nine classic European wine regions, with fifteen wines represented and five included among my top wine picks. Among the white wines is a Chardonnay from the Montagny appellation in Burgundy, and a Sauvignon Blanc from the Pouilly-Fumé appellation in Loire. Red wines from Europe's signature wine regions include a Châteauneuf-du-Pape from Rhône that is a blend of 75% Grenache, 10% Mourvèdre, 10% Syrah, 5% Cinsault, while the Rioja red consists of Tempranillo and Graciano. Lastly, the Barolo from Piedmont is crafted with Nebbiolo.

Red wine picks from the rest of the release begin with both Wines of the Month - a Chilean Cabernet Sauvignon and the wine from Languedoc that is a blend of 50% Syrah, 30% Grenache, and 20% Mourvèdre. Blends from Rhône include the Gigondas which is a blend of 80% Grenache and 20% Syrah, while the Lirac is made with 60% Grenache, 30% Syrah, and 10% Cinsault. Also from France, the wine from Roussillon consists of approximately 50% Syrah, 40% Grenache, and 10% Carignan, while the Malbec from Uco Valley is actually a blend of 96% Malbec and 4% Merlot.

Among my white wine recommendations, the only blend is from Roussillon which consists of Grenache Blanc and Roussanne. Single varietal white wines include a pair of lovely Sauvignon Blanc wines from New Zealand and a trio of Chardonnays - one each from Niagara, Argentina, and Australia. If you enjoy wines with some sweetness, the off-dry Riesling from New Zealand should be on your shopping list, and if you enjoy more sweeter, try the semi-dry (i.e. quite sweet) Gewurztraminer from Alsace.

Both of my rosé wine picks are dry rosé wines crafted with a single varietal. The rosé from Rioja is made with Garnacha (i.e. Grenache), while the Californian rosé with crafted with Petite Sirah.

Enjoy my wine recommendations from this release! Cheers!

Red Wine:

• LA POSTA ESTELA ARMANDO BONARDA 2020 - Mendoza, Argentina (#261586) (XD) - $15.95  89 pts  wine review
• RIOJA VEGA CRIANZA 2018 - DOCa Rioja, Spain (#471854) (XD) - $16.95
• ANGOVE FAMILY CREST SHIRAZ 2018 - Vegan, McLaren Vale, South Australia (#12842) (XD) - $19.95
• SUSANA BALBO SIGNATURE MALBEC 2019 - Valle de Uco, Mendoza, Argentina (#79798) (XD) - $20.95  89 pts  wine review
• CAVE DE ROQUEBRUN LA GRANGE DES COMBES SAINT-CHINIAN-ROQUEBRUN 2019 - AC, Languedoc, France (#155804) (XD) - $20.95

• FEATHERSTONE CABERNET FRANC 2019 - Vegan, VQA Niagara Peninsula, Ontario, Canada (#64618) (XD) - $21.95  89 pts  wine review
  
• ERRAZURIZ ACONCAGUA ALTO CABERNET SAUVIGNON 2019 - DO Valle del Aconcagua, Chile (#203364) (XD) - $21.95  90 pts  wine review
• MATETIC CORRALILLO SYRAH 2017 - Estate bottled, DO Valle de San Antonio, Chile (#146407) (XD) - $21.95
• CATENA APPELLATION AGRELO CABERNET SAUVIGNON 2019 - Agrelo, Valle de Uco, Mendoza, Argentina (#484303) (XD) - $21.95
• CHÂTEAU DE MONTFAUCON 2019 - AP Lirac, Rhône, France (#15447) (XD) - $24.95

• M. CHAPOUTIER BILA-HAUT OCCULTUM LAPIDEM 2018 - AP Côtes du Roussillon-Villages Latour-de-France, France (#643239) (XD) - $26.95  92 pts  wine review
• PIERRE AMADIEU ROMANE MACHOTTE GIGONDAS 2019 - AC, Rhône, France (#17400) (XD) - $27.95  91 pts  wine review
• DOMAINE DROUHIN ROSEROCK PINOT NOIR 2019 - Eola-Amity Hills, Willamette Valley, Oregon, USA (#529107) (XD) - $42.95  92+ pts  wine review
• TENUTA ROCCA COMUNE DI SERRALUNGA D'ALBA BAROLO 2016 - DOCG, Piedmont, Italy (#154591) (XD) - $56.95
• LE VIEUX DONJON CHÂTEAUNEUF-DU-PAPE 2019 - AC, Rhône, France (#700922) (XD) - $68.95

White Wine:

• WAKEFIELD ESTATE CHARDONNAY 2020 - Padthaway & Clare Valley, South Australia (#711556) (XD) - $16.95  89 pts  wine review
• SAINT-ROCH VIEILLES VIGNES CÔTES DU ROUSSILLON GRENACHE BLANC / ROUSSANNE 2020 - AP, France (#175232) (XD) - $16.95
• JOSEPH CATTIN GEWURZTRAMINER 2019 - Sustainable, AC Alsace, France (#224626) (M) - $17.95
• PADDY BORTHWICK SAUVIGNON BLANC 2020 - Wairarapa, North Island, New Zealand (#361220) (XD) - $19.95  89 pts  wine review
• VIGNERONS DE BUXY BUISSONNIER MONTAGNY 2019 - AC, Burgundy, France (#382879) (XD) - $20.95
• KAHURANGI MOUNT ARTHUR RESERVE RIESLING 2017 - Vegan, sustainable, single vineyard, Nelson, South Island, New Zealand (#14559) (D) - $22.95  89 pts  wine review
• EL ENEMIGO CHARDONNAY 2019 - Mendoza, Argentina (#482984) (XD) - $24.95
• HENRI BOURGEOIS EN TRAVERTIN POUILLY-FUMÉ 2019 - AC, Loire, France (#12097) (XD) - $29.95
• VILLA MARIA TAYLORS PASS SINGLE VINEYARD SAUVIGNON BLANC 2020 - Marlborough, South Island, New Zealand (#13901) (XD) - $29.95
• LE CLOS JORDANNE LE GRAND CLOS CHARDONNAY 2019 - VQA Twenty Mile Bench, Niagara Escarpment, Ontario, Canada (#184549) (XD) - $44.95

Rosé Wine:

• IZADI LARROSA GARNACHA ROSÉ 2021 - DOCa Rioja, Spain (#490961) (XD) - $16.95
• GRANDEUR ROSÉ 2021 - Vegan, estate grown, White Flower Vineyard, Monterey County, California, USA (#25115) (XD) - $24.95

Sparkling Wine:

• WOLFBERGER BRUT CRÉMANT D'ALSACE - Traditional method, AC, Alsace, France (#460832) (XD) - $19.95
• MEDICI ERMETE & FIGLI ARTE E CONCERTO LAMBRUSCO 2020 - DOC Reggiano Lambrusco, Emilia-Romagna, Italy (#208967) (D) - $20.95

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La Posta Estela Armando Bonarda 2020 (Argentina) - Wine Review

After enjoying the 2018 La Posta Estela Armando Bonarda back in August 2020, tonight's red wine review is the latest vintage of this lovely Bonarda from Argentina that arrives at the LCBO this weekend in the April 30th LCBO VINTAGES Release.

Produced by La Posta Vineyards, a range of entry-level wines which are part of the Catena family and formed in the year 2000 after Dr. Laura Catena discovered a handful of growers who consistently showed impressive results with specific varietals year-after-year. La Posta wines salute these hard-working growers who strive for superior flavours from grapes they grow on their own estate, and produce wines that are often single vineyard bottles. Each La Posta label illustrates a story of these individual families and are inspired by Art Nouveau and Art Déco designs of the 1920s and 1930s.

The grapes for this Bonarda were grown by Estela Armando. Her family has been growing grapes in Mendoza since 1887, one year after they arrived from the Piedmont region of Northern Italy. Estela's great-grandfather started the family wine business by growing grapes, making wine, and then taking the wine by mule train in leather wine bags to sell to the workers building the Trans-Andean railroad. The grapes used in this Bonarda were planted by Estela's grandfather and father in 1963 in the vineyard that she still tends to. The combination of a unique place, old vines, and very little irrigation helps create grapes of high quality. With this Bonarda, Estela invites you to venture into the Andes as Summer gives way to Fall and the snow-capped mountains grow whiter, while the water of the Desaguadero River gets bluer with each day.

This red wine is crafted with 100% Bonarda, Argentina's second-most widely planted red varietal. It was grown in a single vineyard planted in 1963 and located in Guaymallén in eastern Mendoza at an elevation of 700 metres (2,300 feet). The soils at this vineyard are shallow loamy clay with gravel subsoils. During vinification, 30% of this Bonarda was aged for 10 months in 2nd and 3rd use French oak barrels. The exceptional 2020 harvest is noted as one of the earliest and warmest vintages in Mendoza, with reduced yields, but also produced extraordinarily high quality grapes under the otherwise terrible circumstances. Let's see how this 2020 Bonarda is tasting tonight...

Tasting Note:

LA POSTA ESTELA ARMANDO BONARDA 2020 - Mendoza, Argentina (#261586) (XD) - $15.95
The fresh, lifted nose offers generous aromas of black cherry, blackberry, raspberry, and plum with whiffs of stony minerals and violet. On the ripe, medium-full bodied palate it has pleasing black cherry, raspberry, blackberry, mineral, and plum replays on the flavour profile. Acids are juicy, while the supple, dusty textured tannins have a nice mouthfeel. Fine mineral notes with dark berries linger on the long finish. Even better than the 2018, this is a highly recommended buy! Score: 89 pts

Other delicious wines by La Posta are available at the LCBO and through their Agent - Noble Estates Wines & Spirits.

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