Domaine Hamelin Beauroy Chablis 1er Cru 2019 (Burgundy) - Wine Review

Tonight's white wine review is the latest vintage of this excellent Chablis Premier Cru that landed at the LCBO as an Online Exclusive in the June 2nd LCBO VINTAGES Release.

Domaine Hamelin has a long history that begins in 1840 when Gustave Hamelin planted 2 hectares of vines alongside his mixed farm. In 1880, Pierre Hamelin grew 3 hectares of vines and used mules to help work them. At this time, the wines were held in 132 litres barrels and gave rise to the name "feuillette" or little cask, and transported by river using barges or rafts. By 1911, Georges Hamelin settled in Lignorelle and extended the property to 4 hectares and worked the vines by horse, while transporting the wines in feuillettes by railway. Pierre Hamelin took over from his father in 1936 and not only further developed the vineyard, but also used some of the industry's latest technological advancements. In 1970, Marc Hamelin created his own vineyard and then added the area he inherited from his father. Today, Thierry and his son Charles Hamelin are the sixth and seventh generations of the family to run the estate and perpetuating the Chablis wine tradition. With knowledge handed down from generation to generation, Thierry and Charles focus on mainly Chablis wines using a mix of old traditions and modern-day techniques to craft wines that express the flavours of their terroir.

I've had the pleasure of enjoying a number of previous vintages of this wine, including most recently the 2018 Domaine Hamelin Beauroy Chablis 1er Cru, and it always provides immense pleasure. Crafted with 100% Chardonnay, the vines are located on very steep, south-facing slopes that extend from the bottom of the valley to the top of the slopes. The vines were planted between 1980 and 1982 on Kimmeridgian subsoils that gives the wine the intensity and typicity of a fine Chablis Premier Cru character.

From what is described as probably one of the best vintages ever in Burgundy, let's see how this 2019 Chablis Premier Cru is tasting tonight...

Tasting Note:

DOMAINE HAMELIN BEAUROY CHABLIS 1ER CRU 2019 - AC, Burgundy, France (#391805) (XD) - $41.95
100% Chardonnay. Elegantly fragrant and ripe on the nose with fresh citrus, apple and pear aromas with hints of lactic and shell minerality. It's ripe and fleshy on the medium-full bodied, textured palate with fresh, clean, and bright acidity. Lovely lemon citrus, apple, pear, and butter flavours taper to a minerally, citrusy, and crisp finish, with excellent length. Beautiful, highly recommended buy! Score: 93+ pts

Other lovely wines by Domaine Hamelin can be ordered through their Agent - Connexion Oenophilia.

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Bottega Pinot Grigio Rosé 2021 (Venezie) - Wine Review

Tonight's wine review is this deliciously dry rosé wine made with Pinot Grigio from Italy that is coming to LCBO VINTAGES on June 18.

The story of Bottega S.p.A. begins in 1635 when the forefather, Andrea, was cultivating vines in the hills near Molinetto della Croda in Refrontolo, a comune in the Province of Treviso in the Veneto wine region. The Bottega family were originally tenant farmers for the Counts of Collalto, but when they gained their freedom, they started to farm their own lands.

Moving to more recent history, in the 1920s Domingo Bottega was a wine trader and passionate oenologist who was able to easily identify the best grapes in the vineyard. In the 1950s and 1960s, Aldo Bottega, the son of Domingo, expanded his father's passion for the vine and established his own distillery. In 1977, Bottega S.p.A. was founded by Aldo and his wife Rosina in Pianzano di Godega, within the Province of Treviso. In 1983, Sandro Bottega became the company director with the support of his siblings Barbara and Stefano after their father passed away.

Known for their distilled products such as grappa, Bottega added a winery to the distillery in 1992 to produce a Prosecco Spumante, bringing the company into the wine market. In 2007, Distilleria Bottega moved to a big 17th century farmhouse in Bibano di Godega di Sant’Urbano, 50 km from Venice, near Conegliano Veneto, among 10 hectares of vineyards. The farmhouse was renovated according to state-of-the-art environmental standards. Today, Bottega is known for their grappa and sparkling wines, but also makes still wines such as this rosé.

This Pinot Grigio is crafted with grapes from DOC Delle Venezie, a fairly new denomination that was established in 2017 in northeastern Italy to protect and promote Pinot Grigio, the white wine varietal that symbolizes Italianness all over the world. This DOC includes the regions of Veneto and Friuli Venezia-Giulia, and the province of Trento. It covers an area with a wide variety of climates and soils, specializing in the cultivation of vines historically linked to the production of Pinot Grigio.

The grapes for this Pinot Grigio come from an area near the Piave River that is characterized by alluvial, lighter soils, which give the wine acidity, freshness, and complex aromas. Harvested at the beginning of September, the grapes were de-stemmed and softly pressed, then underwent a 12-hour maceration process with the must in contact with skins at a low temperature to extract colour and aromas. After the must is separated from the skins through a soft pressing, the juice is clarified and fermented, then aged on its lees for 3 months before bottling.

Tasting Note:

BOTTEGA PINOT GRIGIO ROSÉ 2021 - DOC Delle Venezie, Italy (#490938) (XD) - $16.95
The fresh, medium-high intensity nose delivers pretty, perfumed aromas of honeysuckle, grapefruit, floral, and orange citrus. The medium-full bodied palate is dry and honeyed with pleasing honeysuckle, grapefruit, floral, and citrusy replays joined by hints of white peach. Gentle acids are juicy and well-balanced, although I would've liked more acidity for a fresher experience. Leesy mineral notes linger on the finish, with very good length. Score: 87+ pts

Other delicious wines from Bottega are available at the LCBO and through their Agent - Noble Estates Wines & Spirits.

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Emerging California Master Class (Apr. 2022)

Last month was California Wine Month and one afternoon in April I had the pleasure of attending a virtual zoom Master Class on "Emerging California". This master class was put on by California Wines and led by leading wine critic, journalist, and educator Elaine Chukan Brown.

Winegrowing activities in California began in the mid-1800's. Since that time, California has emerged as one of the world's great wine producing regions most notable for its Cabernet Sauvignon, Pinot Noir, and Chardonnay from Napa Valley and Sonoma County. In this master class, which included 9 wine samples for us to taste along with Elaine, we learned about some of California's lesser-known wine regions, focusing mainly on areas in the Central Coast.

The wines were, for the most part, made with grape varieties one wouldn't normally associate with California - Grenache, Cabernet Franc, Chenin Blanc, and Sauvignon Blanc were just some of the varietals we touched upon. Overall, I found the master class to be quite informative as a wealth of information was presented by Elaine. I was also very pleased with the quality of the wines. In the end, the Chardonnay and Cabernet Sauvignon were my definitive favourites, but there were also many other lovely wines. To purchase any of these wines, please contact each wine's Agent for availability and pricing as only a very small amount of the rosé is currently available at the LCBO.

Tasting Notes:

BONNY DOON VINEYARD LE CIGARE VOLANT 2020 - Central Coast, California, USA (#18516) (XD) - $20 CAD
Primarily from Monterey, this blend of 42% Grenache, 31% Cinsault, 24% Syrah, 2% Petit Verdot, and 1% Counoise has a medium-high to highly aromatic nose that is fresh, ripe, plummy, red fruited with a subtle smokiness. It’s medium-full bodied with smooth, nicely textured tannins. Flavours are dry and nicely balanced with red fruits, currant, red cherry, and subtle wood. Fresh, balanced acids. Long, red fruited, cherry, and smoky finish. Agent: FWM Canada. Score: 90 pts

SCHUG CABERNET FRANC 2017 - Sonoma County, California, USA (XD) - $47 USD
Blend of 78% Cabernet Franc, 14% Cabernet Sauvignon, 7% Merlot, and 1% Petit Verdot. The lovely, medium-high to highly aromatic nose offers aromas of currant, cassis, red pepper, pretty florals, and herbaceous touches. It’s medium-full bodied and dry with lovely aroma replays with noted red pepper and smoky touches, along with tangy, juicy acidity. Structured and smooth with fine tannins. Red pepper, currant, and chocolate notes linger on the long, juicy finish. Agent: Lifford Wine and Spirits. Score: 91 pts

RIDGE ESTATE CABERNET SAUVIGNON 2019 - Monte Bello Vineyard, Santa Cruz Mountains, Central Coast, California, USA (#89284) (XD) - $112 CAD
Composed of 88% Cabernet Sauvignon, 11% Merlot, and 1% Petit Verdot, it has a lovely, highly aromatic nose featuring aromas of sweet cassis, floral, currant, red berry fruit, cherry, and sweet spices. It’s full-bodied, dry, and structured with elegant, slightly chalky tannins along with lovely aroma replays and fresh, tangy acidity lifting the palate. Red cherry, floral, and earthy with some stony mineral notes lingering on the very long, juicy finish. Agent: Rogers & Company. Score: 93 pts

CLINE ANCIENT VINES CARIGNANE 2019 - Contra Costa County, Central Coast, California, USA (#32177) (XD) - $33 CAD
From old vines, some more than 100 years old, grown in sandy soils in northwest Oakley near the San Joaquin River, the medium-high to highly aromatic nose offers lovely purple and black fruit, dark plum, and minty herbal aromas. It’s full-bodied with structured, slightly chalky tannins with lovely aroma replays on the flavour profile. Juicy acids with minty, dark berry notes, plus touches of smoke linger on the long finish. Agent: Vinexx. Score: 91 pts

OAK RIDGE MAGGIO PETITE SIRAH 2020 - Lodi, California, USA (D) - $12 USD
A blend of 90% Petite Sirah and 10% Zinfandel, the medium-high nose is very ripe, plummy, and fruit forward with dark berry and sweet oak aromas. The fleshy, full-bodied palate is juicy and fruit forward, dark berry, plum, tea leaf, and purple fruit flavours joined by subtle sweet spices and vanilla. Structured tannins have some grip. Juicy acids and ripe plum and berry notes linger on the finish, with very good length. Agent: Profile Wine Group. Score: 87 pts

DAOU DISCOVERY ROSÉ 2020 - Paso Robles, Central Coast, California, USA (#19527) (XD) - $29.95 CAD
This blend of 95% Grenache grown on limestone soils, plus 5% Sauvignon Blanc was barrel-aged on its lees. Aromas are fresh and bright with notions of grapefruit, citrus, and red berries, with herbally touches. It’s medium-bodied and dry with a pleasingly chalky textured mouthfeel to go along with very nice aroma replays on the palate, joined by touches of grassy notes. Somewhat fleshy on the mid-palate. Very good length on the slightly leesy finish. Only 10 bottles remain at LCBO, and at a big discount. Agent: Southern Glazer's Wine and Spirits of Canada. Score: 90 pts

INGLENOOK SAUVIGNON BLANC 2019 - Rutherford, Napa Valley, California, USA (#17090) (XD) - $38 USD
A blend of 76% Sauvignon Blanc and 24% Semillon that was aged for 8 months sur lie with 70% in stainless steel tanks, 19% in new French oak, and the rest in neutral French oak. The elegant, medium-high intensity nose is earthy-leesy in profile with pear, stone fruit, white peach, citrus, lemongrass, and herbs. On the medium+ bodied palate it is very textural and rich with pear, citrus, lemongrass, and white peach replays supported by juicy, balanced acidity. Citrus, pear, and subtle spices linger on the long, crisp, and tight finish. Agent: Noble Estates Wine & Spirits. Score: 91+ pts

BOGLE CHENIN BLANC 2020 - Clarksburg, California, USA (#704049) (D) - $21.95 CAD
Chenin Blanc is the most widely planted variety in the Clarksburg AVA, which has mostly alluvial soils mixed with clay and some sand. This Chenin has muted aromas of tropical fruit, honeyed, beeswax, floral, and honeysuckle. It’s medium-full bodied with appealing, off-dry aroma replays joined by spice notes. It has a viscous mouthfeel with lively acids, subtly spicy and tapering to a dry-ish, crisp finish, with very good length. Agent: Abcon Wine Merchants. Score: 88 pts

CALERA MT. HARLAN CHARDONNAY 2018 - Certified Organic Farmed Vineyards, Central Coast, California, USA (#16406) (XD) - $55 USD
Grown in limestone soils in the Gavilan Mountains at a high elevation of 2,200 feet and cooled by ocean breezes. The gorgeous, highly aromatic nose is rich and buttery with apple, pear, stone fruits, lemon citrus, and subtle smokiness aromas. It’s medium-full to full bodied with a lovely, rich, creamy mouthfeel and very nice, flavourful aroma replays, plus elegant oak spice and vanilla notes, all framed by lovely, racy acidity. Excellent length on the long, dry, leesy mineral finish. Agent: Rogers & Company. Score: 94 pts

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June 2, 2022 LCBO VINTAGES Release Wine Picks: Online Exclusives

Here's my top wine picks from the June 2, 2022 LCBO VINTAGES Online Exclusives Release. Of the thirty-two wines included as part of this small-ish release, ten are including among my top wine picks. There is no theme to this release, but Australia had a particularly high number of recommendations. All of the wines from this Online Exclusives release will be available for purchase online only on lcbo.com starting this Thursday.

Among my top red wine picks, the only blend is the wine from McLaren Vale that consists of 62% Grenache, 32% Shiraz, 6% Sagrantino. Also from Australia are wines crafted with 100% Grenache and 100% Shiraz. For Pinot Noir wine lovers, there is an excellent local Pinot from Prince Edward County, as well as a lovely Pinot from Central Otago in New Zealand.

From my white wine recommendations, there are a pair of lovely Chardonnay wines - a premier cru Chablis from Burgundy, and a Chardonnay from the southern Chilean winegrowing appellation of Traiguén in the Malleco Valley. For sweet wine lovers, you'll want to order the Riesling Kabinett from the unique red volcanic and slate soils of the Ürzig Würzgarten (Spice Garden).

The last two wines are a dry 2012 vintage rosé from Spain that is made with 60% Tempranillo, 30% Viura, and 10% Garnacha Tinta, while the non-vintage Champagne is composed of roughly 70 % Chardonnay and 30 % Pinot Noir.

Enjoy my wine recommendations from this release! Cheers!

Red Wine:

• TEUSNER THE G GRENACHE 2018 - Vegan, Barossa Valley, South Australia (#23781) (XD) - $29.95
• MITOLO 7TH SON 2018 - McLaren Vale, South Australia (#481937) (XD) - $29.95
• CLONAKILLA HILLTOPS SHIRAZ 2017 - Canberra District, Australia (#481861) (XD) - $34.95
• LOVEBLOCK PINOT NOIR 2020 - Vegan, sustainable, Central Otago, South Island, New Zealand (#313924) (XD) - $37.95  91+ pts  wine review
• CLOSSON CHASE CHURCHSIDE PINOT NOIR 2019 - VQA Prince Edward County, Ontario, Canada (#265074) (XD) - $42  93 pts  wine review

White Wine:

• MÖNCHHOF ÜRZIG WÜRZGARTEN RIESLING KABINETT 2019 - Prädikatswein, Mosel, Germany (#25714) (S) - $22.95  review coming soon...
• BAETTIG LOS PARIENTES CHARDONNAY 2020 - DO Traiguén, Valle del Malleco, Chile (#23086) (XD) - $33.95
• DOMAINE HAMELIN BEAUROY CHABLIS 1ER CRU 2019 - AC, Burgundy, France (#391805) (XD) - $41.95  93+ pts  wine review

Rosé Wine:

• LÓPEZ DE HEREDIA VIÑA TONDONIA GRAN RESERVA ROSÉ 2012 - DOCa Rioja, Spain (#15781) (XD) - $67.95

Sparkling Wine:

• CHARLES MIGNON CUVÉE COMTE DE MARNE BRUT GRAND CRU CHAMPAGNE - AC, France (#18133) (XD) - $67.95

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Clos St. Antonin Côtes du Rhône 2016 (France) - Wine Review

Tonight's red wine review is a lovely Côtes du Rhône that I purchased from the December 7th LCBO VINTAGES Release in 2019.

It is produced by siblings Christophe and Isabelle Sabon of the family that owns Domaine de la Janasse. Christophe and Isabelle decided to embark on a new adventure and purchased St. Antonin after the 2014 harvest. The property is located in the town of Jon-Quières and has 15 hectares of vines and has terraces of pebbles on clay (marls) soils preserved from erosion. The entire vineyard, which is oriented north-south, was re-worked and redesigned with respect for the terroir and environment.

This particular Côtes du Rhône red wine is a blend of 80% Grenache, 10% Mourvèdre, and 10% Syrah grown just south of St. Antonin on plots characterized by clay and silt soils resting on marls, from vines averaging 40 years of age. The grapes were manually harvested and sorted in the vineyard. with 80% de-stemmed prior to maceration and fermentation. It was aged for 9 months in concrete vats and casks.

The 2016 vintage was excellent across the Rhône Valley. With a long, drawn-out growing season, Grenache became intensely concentrated, while Mourvèdre was able to reach full phenolic ripeness. Let's see how this 2016 Rhône red is tasting tonight...

Tasting Note:

CLOS ST. ANTONIN 2016 - AC Côtes du Rhône, France (#10513) (XD) - $19.95
A blend of 80% Grenache, 10% Mourvèdre, and 10% Syrah aged in concrete vats and casks, the fragrant, medium-high to highly aromatic nose leads with savoury meaty notes, mingling with spices, garrigue, kirsch, dark berry, black cherry, and blackberry aromas. Impressively concentrated on the medium-full to full-bodied palate, it has savoury, earthy, and green herb flavours surrounding a dark berry, garrigue, and kirsch flavoured core. There's a touch of warmth on the mid-palate, but not out balance, along with fresh, juicy acidity, and smooth, refined, lightly chalky tannins. Finishes savoury with stony minerals on the long finish. Should continue to drink well over the next couple of years. Score: 91 pts

The agent for this wine was Brand New Day Wines & Spirits.

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Wakefield Estate Cabernet Sauvignon 2018 and 2019 (Australia) - Wine Reviews

Tonight's red wine reviews consist of a mini-vertical of Cabernet Sauvignon wines by Wakefield Wines. I first enjoyed the 2018 Wakefield Estate Cabernet Sauvignon last June and am curious to see how it compare it now with the 2019 vintage that arrived at the LCBO last weekend as part of the May 21st LCBO VINTAGES Release.

Wakefield Wines was established by the Taylor family in 1969. Bill Taylor Sr. and his two sons, Bill and John, decided to create a proper "old world" style of estate and settled in the Clare Valley by the Wakefield River. The Estate Cabernet Sauvignon and Shiraz wines were their first wines and are the heart of their business. While the range has since expanded and not all of the fruit is grown on the estate, every bottle is still crafted at their Clare Valley Estate with the same care and attention as the very first vintage.

Today, Wakefield Wines is run by the third generation of the Taylor family - Mitchell, Justin, and Clinton Taylor, three sons of Bill Taylor Jr. Although less involved with day-to-day operations of the family business, Bill Taylor Jr. is still very much a driving force behind the vision of the company. The Taylor family is committed to ensuring that they operate in a responsible and sustainable manner on both the land and sea.

Wakefield has a strong connection to the sea - while excavating the winery site in Clare Valley to secure a water source, Bill Taylor Sr. discovered tiny seahorses in the limestone bedrock and served as a reminder that these soils were under water more 600 million years ago. The seahorse is now a symbol of the family's wine brand with three seahorses representing the three generations of Taylor family winemakers. The seahorse is also their symbol of sustainability as they support two initiatives to protect seahorses and secure thriving populations.

On the innovative front, all Estate Label wines feature an Optimum Drinking Temperature sensor on the back label that will tell you when each wine is ready to enjoy. Each sensor is calibrated to each varietal and wine, and it touch-activated. To use the sensor, simply touch it and compare the colour to the chart located on the left. If the colour of the sensor falls between the optimum temperature indicated in the chart, then the wine is ready to drink.

Tasting Note:

WAKEFIELD ESTATE CABERNET SAUVIGNON 2018 - Clare Valley, South Australia (#744235) (XD) - $19.95 Sold out
Screw cap. The fragrant, medium-high intensity nose offers a lovely mix of cassis, dark currant, and savoury earth undertones accented with minty herbs, milk chocolate, and wood spices. On the medium-full bodied palate it has smooth, refined, supple tannins and fresh, juicy acidity that lifts the currant, cassis, milk chocolate, savoury earth, and minty herb flavour replays. A bit softer and smoother than tasted last year, and finishing with savoury, earthy, and mocha notes, with very good length. Score: 88+ pts

WAKEFIELD ESTATE CABERNET SAUVIGNON 2019 - Clare Valley/Limestone Coast, South Australia (#744235) (XD) - $19.95
Aged for up to 12 months in French oak barrels prior to blending and bottling. Enclosed by screw cap. The fragrant, medium-high intensity nose is fresh with a pleasing mix of minty herbs, cassis, dark currant, and black cherry aromas backed by savoury earthy undertones and subtle wood spice. The medium-full bodied palate is ripe with currant, cassis, earthy, and wood spice flavours in a slightly tangy profile. Ripe tannins are smooth and well-integrated with a subtle chalky textured mouthfeel, while the acids are fresh and juicy. Nicely balanced throughout with earthy notes lingering on the long finish. Recommended buy! Score: 89 pts

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

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Castello di Bossi Berardo Riserva Chianti Classico 2016 (Tuscany) - Wine Review

After enjoying the lovely 2018 Castello di Bossi C. Berardenga Chianti Classico a few months ago, for tonight's red wine review we go up a notch with a Riserva Chianti Classico from the same producer that arrived at the LCBO today as part of the May 21st LCBO VINTAGES Release.

Castello di Bossi is located in Chianti Classico's southernmost commune of Castelnuovo Berardenga, approximately 50 kilometres southeast of Florence and 14 kilometres east of Siena. The name "Bossi" is apparently linked to a money chest made of the rare and prized boxwood which the Roman army would carry to its encampments to pay the soldiers. Local inscriptions dating back to the 1st century A.D. indicate that a Roman settlement existed on the site where Castello di Bossi resides.

Today, Castello di Bossi is owned by Bacci Wines. While growing up in Tuscany, Marco Bacci developed a passion for wine and purchased the estate in 1983, bottling his first wines a couple of years later after spending some time learning about the soil and vines. The estate covers an area of 650 hectares, with most of the 124 hectares of vines planted to Sangiovese. The Bacci family uses modern viticultural practices to consistently harvest the best quality fruit in order to best express the terroir and grape variety. With great care and an eye for detail, the Bacci family uses only estate fruit to produce their wines and believes that nature plays a significant role in the quality of their wines.

This red wine is 100% Sangiovese from the Berardo Vineyard within the commune of Castelnuovo Berardenga. The commune is located at the southernmost tip of the Chianti Classico zone and Berardo is a shorthand way of saying "it comes from Berardenga." The Berardo Vineyard is 88 acres in size and planted on calcareous clay-loam soils at an elevation of 1,155 feet with southern exposure to the sun. It was fermented in stainless steel tanks, followed by ageing in French barriques and casks for 18-24 months, and then aged in bottle for 6 months prior to release. First produced in 1994, let's see how this 2016 Riserva Chianti Classico is tasting tonight...

Tasting Note:

CASTELLO DI BOSSI BERARDO RISERVA CHIANTI CLASSICO 2016 - DOCG, Tuscany, Italy (#113316) (XD) - $38.95
This 100% Sangiovese has a lovely, open, fragrant, and fresh nose delivering aromas of Damson plum, red cherry, spices, sandalwood, and savoury wet earth with rose floral accents. It's medium-full bodied on the chewy, structured palate with very appealing Damson plum, red cherry, savoury earth, and sweet spice flavours. Acids are fresh and lively, while the ripe, youthful tannins have some grip that will reward ageing. Savoury with lovely flavour replays lingering on the long, youthful finish. While enjoyable now, this should be even better in 3-4 years and drink well to at least the end of the decade. Highly recommended buy! Score: 93 pts

Other fine wines from Castello di Bossi are available at the LCBO and through their Agent - Connexion Oenophilia.

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