Castelgreve Riserva Chianti Classico 2018 (Tuscany) - Wine Review

Tonight's red wine review is a lovely, sustainably crafted Riserva Chianti Classico which arrives at the LCBO this coming weekend as part of the December 3rd LCBO VINTAGES Release.

Produced by Castelli del Grevepesa, this modern co-operative winery was established in 1965 by visionary Sir Armando Nunzi and an initial group of 17 winegrowers. Today, this co-operative is the largest Chianti Classico family with over 120 associate winegrowers. Together, they maintain age-old traditions and know-how that is passed along each generation, while also using modern and innovation production methods and techniques to craft their wines. With passion and hard work, Castelli del Grevepesa aims to deliver a combination of fine quality and affordably priced wines.

After enjoying several wines recently from Castelli del Grevepesa's Clemente VII range, this red wine is from their Castelgreve line of wines. The name 'Castelgreve' is a shortened version of the company's full name. This Castelgreve Riserva Chianti Classico is crafted with mainly Sangiovese (min. 80%) and a small percentage of other red berry varieties. The grapes were hand-harvested with individual grape selection, then fermented at a controlled temperature of 30°C with 12 days of maceration time with skins. It was aged for a minimum of 24 months in Slavonian oak barrels, followed by further refinement and ageing in bottle for at least 3 months. From what was by most accounts an exceptionally good vintage, let's see how this 2018 Riserva Chianti Classico is tasting tonight...

Tasting Note:

CASTELGREVE RISERVA CHIANTI CLASSICO 2018 - Sustainable, DOCG, Tuscany, Italy (#344416) (XD) - $21.95
Crafted with mainly Sangiovese, this has a medium-high intensity nose that is elegant and quite pretty with aromas of sweet red and black cherry, sweet baking spices, cinnamon, and clove, along with touches of plum and earthy, oak spice undertones which add a savoury component. It's medium to medium-full bodied and slightly creamy on the palate with plummy, red and black cherry, sweet spices, and oak flavours. Juicy and succulent with fresh acidity and smooth, refined tannins that have just a touch of chalky grip. Savoury with chocolatey oak and earthy notes lingering on the long finish. Enjoy this recommended buy over the next few years. Score: 89 pts

Other lovely wines by Castelli del Grevepesa are available at the LCBO or through their Agent - Profile Wine Group.

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Xavier Vignon Côtes du Rhône 2020 (France) - Wine Review (Nov. 2022)

Tonight's red wine review is a lovely, organic red wine from Rhône that returned to LCBO VINTAGES shelves across Ontario just over a week ago as part of the recent November 19th LCBO VINTAGES Release.

It is produced by Xavier Vignon, a man who started out as an consultant oenologist in 1996 in a laboratory in Vaucluse in the Southern Rhône Valley for 30+ cellars, and three years later started crafted artisanal cuvees from his garage for his friends. After one of his friends secretly took his wines and submitted them to Guide Hachette where they received critical acclaim, Xavier started crafted his own wines under the Xavier Vins label. Today, with two fundamental values of a job well done and the capacity to transmit knowledge, Xavier bottles wines under his own name. He is known as a Terroir Hunter and Master Blender, while also having respect for the environment. The wines of Xavier Vignon are the result of a scientific background, great deal of experience, confidence in others, total involvement, exchange of knowledge, and shared pleasure.

I first enjoyed this organic 2020 Xavier Vignon Côtes du Rhône six month ago when it showed up in VINTAGES in last spring. It is a blend of primarily Grenache from 80-year-old vines, plus Syrah from 45-year-old vines, and Mourvèdre from 60-year-old vines, all grown on Galets roulés (rolled pebbles), sands, clay, and limestone soils located mostly in the northern part of the Vaucluse and altitude parcels. The grapes were manually harvested, fermented at moderate temperatures, and aged in concrete tanks for a short period of time.

The 2020 vintage benefitted from a good amount of rain in late-autumn and the early winter of 2019, providing very good water stores that would help the vines stay hydrated later in the year. The mild and dry winter meant that flowering and bud break took place early, while the dry and hot summer resulted in a long ripening season with vines drawing water from their winter reserves. During the 2020 growing season, there were no sever heat spikes and night-time temperatures were much cooler, thus allowing the grapes to gently and gradually ripen. The Southern Rhône also benefitted from cool winds which refreshed the vines during the summer heat. Conditions were splendid during harvest as the pristine grapes were picked in warm, dry conditions. Wines from the 2020 Southern Rhône Valley are described as well-balanced with finesse and elegance. Let's see how this 2020 organic Côtes du Rhône tasting tonight...

Tasting Note:

XAVIER VIGNON CÔTES DU RHÔNE 2020 - AP, France (#297317) (XD) - $17.95
Aged in concrete, this is primarily Grenache with Syrah and Mourvèdre in support. Lovely, elegant, and fragrant mix that is spicy and savoury, joined by ripe dark red cherry, raspberry, and red plum aromas, plus hints of white pepper spice and meaty notes. It's medium-full bodied with good concentration on the crunchy palate with spicy flavours of ripe dark red cherry, raspberry, and red plum that tapers to savoury, earthy, and meaty flavours. Saliva-inducing fresh and juicy acids. Supple, lightly grippy tannins. Nicely balanced throughout with lovely dark red cherry, raspberry, and mineral notes lingering on the long, juicy finish. Highly recommended buy to enjoy over the next 3-5 years. Score: 89 pts

You can find other lovely wines by Xavier Vignon at the LCBO and through their Agent - Noble Estates Wines & Spirits.

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Lakeview Cellars Gewürztraminer Icewine 2019 (Niagara) - Wine Review

Tonight's wine review is an excellent Icewine that arrived at the LCBO last weekend as part of the LCBO VINTAGES Release on November 19 and is featured in the Local Talent column in the release.

Lakeview Cellars is the oldest of several wine brands owned by Diamond Estates. Their winery is located at Lakeview Wine Co. on Niagara Stone Road in Niagara-on-the-Lake. Established in Vineland in 1991 by Eddy Gurinskas, Lakeview Cellars has built a worldwide reputation for creating exquisite Niagara wines that are both high quality and affordable.

For Thomas Green, VP of Winemaking and Winery Operations at Lakeview, the brand is nostalgic for him as he began his career at Lakeview Cellars. The label has changed throughout the years, but the high quality wines that they produce under the Lakeview Cellars brand have remained consistent for over 2 decades. Lakeview Cellars is known for big, bold reds and classic whites.

The grapes for Lakeview Cellars' wines are sourced from their best vineyards in the Niagara region which are kissed by Lake Ontario's offshore breezes. The lake's influence creates a more temperate climate, which can produce superior fruit with more intense flavours and complexity. I've enjoyed many wines from Lakeview Cellars over the years, and they have proven to be a premium Niagara wine producer committed to crafting premium VQA wines at affordable prices.

This lusciously sweet Icewine is made with frozen Gewürztraminer grapes that were harvested in late December when the temperatures were between -10°C and -13°C. After gently pressing and settling the juice in stainless steel tanks, it was cool-fermented and then placed outside to complete a natural cold stabilization.

Tasting Note:

LAKEVIEW CELLARS GEWÜRZTRAMINER ICEWINE 2019 - VQA Niagara Peninsula, Ontario, Canada (#547703) (S) (200 mL) - $34.95
Beautifully attractive and intense aromas of candied citrus, orange marmalade, honey, tropical fruit, mango, peach, candied ginger, and hints of lychee rise out of the glass. It's lusciously sweet on the rich, medium to medium-full bodied palate that is balanced with fresh acidity, supporting the lovely, sweet candied citrus, orange marmalade, honeyed caramel, and tropical fruit flavours. Juicy and slightly spicy on the mid-palate, with lovely notes of peach, mango, citrus, honey, and caramel lingering on the long, succulent finish. Highly recommended buy! Score: 92+ pts

Other lovely wines by Lakeview Cellars are available at the LCBO, as well as direct through the winery in Niagara-on-the-Lake.

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Castelli del Grevepesa Clemente VII Chianti Classico 2018 (Tuscany) - Wine Review

After enjoying the lovely 2019 vintage of this red wine that was included as part of the Castelli del Grevepesa Clemente VII Trio gift box last month, tonight's wine review is the 2018 vintage that arrived at the LCBO last weekend on its own as the Wine of the Month in the November 19 LCBO VINTAGES Release.

It is produced by Castelli del Grevepesa, a modern co-operative winery that was established in 1965 by visionary Sir Armando Nunzi and an initial group of 17 winegrowers. They came together because 1960s were difficult years in the Chianti winegrowing region and Sir Armando Nunzi wanted to not only safeguard the land and maintain the age-old traditions of Tuscan winegrowing with the long-established know-how that farmers still today pass on from one generation to the next, but also introduce innovative production methods and techniques such as implementing careful grape selection and rigorously controlling the vinification process. Today, Castelli del Grevepesa is the largest Chianti Classico family with over 120 associate winegrowers. As one of the first co-operatives in Italy, Castelli del Grevepesa strives with a passion and hard work to achieve a combination of fine quality and affordably priced wines.

This Chianti Classico is crafted with 100% Sangiovese that was hand-harvested with individual bunch selection. It was fermented at a controlled temperature of 28°C with 10 days of maceration with skins. Aging occurred for 12 months, with 85% of the wine aged in Slavonian oak barrels, while the remainder was aged in barriques; it was then blended and refined in bottle for a further three months.

Although it can be difficult to generalize vintages in Chianti Classico as the weather tends to be very localized and Sangiovese is particularly sensitive to the site where its grown, the 2018 growing season was characterized as more challenging than 2019. On the whole, Chianti Classico experienced an uneven and changeable weather pattern throughout the growing season with a lack of sustained dry, sunny weather. This changeable weather pattern created a lot of extra work to manage the health of the vineyards. However, when September arrived it brought hot, sunny days with good night-day temperature variation, enabling the grapes to fully ripen and the harvest to go ahead without any further problems. In terms of quality, it was another very good year for those who managed to harvest quite late. Let's see how this 2018 Chianti Classico is tasting tonight...

Tasting Note:

CASTELLI DEL GREVEPESA CLEMENTE VII CHIANTI CLASSICO 2018 - DOCG, Tuscany, Italy (#421388) (XD) - $18.95
100% Sangiovese. The fragrant, medium-high intensity nose offers aromas of ripe red and black cherry, blackberry, earthy forest floor, and wood spice notes with touches of dried herbs and spices. On the medium to medium+ bodied palate it is very ripe with delicious red and dark cherry, savoury earth, woodspice replays, plus some red plum and dried herbal flavours. It's juicy and fresh with light, dusty, and slightly grippy tannins. Long and succulent on the savoury, earthy, and woody finish. Enjoy this recommended buy over the next 2-3 years. Score: 88+ pts

While the Clemente VII Trio gift box is available in limited quantities at the LCBO, it can also be ordered along with other wines from the Castelli del Grevepesa portfolio through the Agent - Profile Wine Group.

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Nativ Suadens Bianco 2020 (Campania) - Wine Review

Tonight's white wine review is a lovely blend crafted in a slightly sweet style from Campania that arrived at the LCBO over the weekend as part of the November 19 LCBO VINTAGES Release.

Vini Nativ was born in 2008 in the heart of Irpinia, in the comune Paternopoli, Campania, by Dr. Mario Ercolino, an internationally renowned oenologist, and Dr. Roberta Pirone, a specialist in food science, with the aim of producing wines of excellence. Together, they are dedicated to the production of typical wines of the territory using the native varieties of Fiano di Avellino, Greco di Tufo, Falanghina, Aglianico, and Aglianico of Taurasi. The vines are grown on 15 hectares between Paternopoli and Taurasion on the soils of the property known for its particular fertility thanks to its volcanic origin.

The name "Nativ" represents the origin of the viticulture of Irpina through autochthonous production and the concept of "original of place" with love and respect for the terroir. The wines are crafted using innovative winemaking methods while also respecting tradition, and always paying attention to keep the organoleptic structure of the grape unaltered. Nativ has a wide range of wines in their portfolio that can satisfy every palate, and this particular wine is from their IGT line that is an emblem of Campania.

This white wine is named Suadens to represent the suaveness of the wine. This wine is also a molecular project aimed at valorizing not only the autochthonous vines of Irpinia, but also the typical local fruits that aren't generally cultivated anywhere else in the world. This white wine is a unique blend of Fiano di Avellino, Greco di Tufo, and Falanghina Beneventana that was grown on medium soils with some calcareous-clay using the trellis vine-training system with guyot pruning. At the winery, whole clusters of grapes were lightly pressed and fermented with selected yeasts at controlled temperatures, then aged in stainless steel tanks with a brief passage through oak barrels.

Having enjoyed several wines from Nativ in the past, including tasting a previous vintage of this particular wine, let's see how this 2020 white wine from Campania is tasting tonight...

Tasting Note:

NATIV SUADENS BIANCO 2020 - IGT Campania, Italy (#577767) (M) - $27.95
This unique blend of Fiano di Avellino, Greco di Tufo and Falanghina Beneventana has rich, fragrant and perfumed aromas of yellow and white florals, lemon citrus, tropical fruit, and melon with herbal undertones. It is impressively concentrated on the creamy, full-bodied palate with juicy, well-balanced acidity and slightly sweet flavours of apricot, peach, honeysuckle, lemon citrus, yellow & white floral, and ripe apple. Subtly spicy on the mid-palate, giving way to a long, dry-ish, leesy and apricot flavoured finish. Highly recommended buy! Score: 91 pts

Other lovely wines by Nativ are available through their Agent - Don Ackerman's Wines & Spirits, as well as in limited quantities at the LCBO.

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Château Guillou 2018 (Bordeaux) - Wine Review

I enjoyed the 2016 Château Guillou when it came through VINTAGES in spring of last year, and for tonight's red wine review I bring you the latest vintage that arrived at the LCBO this weekend as part of the November 19th LCBO VINTAGES Release.

It is produced by Famille Saby, a winegrowing family that are considered specialists on wines from the Right Bank of Bordeaux. The Saby family have been oenologists from father to son for nine generations dating back to the 18th century and are led today by Jean-Bernard Saby and his two sons, Jean-Christophe and Jean-Philippe. The Saby family owns and operates several estates on the Right Bank, including the Château Guillou vineyard which has existed in its current form since 1870. There are 62 hectares of vines at Château Guillou and most are located on a plateau with clay-limestone soils, and hillsides with clayey-silty soils.

I first tasted this wine seven years ago, starting with the 2012 vintage and the quality has improved with each passing vintage. Like the 2012, this vintage is also crafted with 80% Merlot and 20% Cabernet Franc from fruit grown at Château Guillou in the Montagne-Saint-Emilion appellation, which is situated in the Libourne subregion on the right bank of the Dordogne, on siliceous soils which are sandy and gravelly. The fruit was traditionally hand-picked and sorted on tables, followed by cold-maceration, temperature-controlled alcoholic fermentation, and malolactic fermentation. The wine was aged in a combination of new and third-use American and French oak barrels.

From an excellent 2018 growing season in Bordeaux with dry conditions and cool nights, let's see how this 2018 red wine from Bordeaux is tasting tonight...

Tasting Note:

CHÂTEAU GUILLOU 2018 - AC Montagne-Saint-Émilion, Bordeaux, France (#140483) (XD) - $24.95
This blend of 80% Merlot and 20% Cabernet Franc has a fragrant, elegant, and well-balanced nose that is highly aromatic with lovely dark berry, black cherry, blackberry, and currant with touches of floral violet, chocolate, herbs, and subtle spices. It's medium-full bodied on the ripe palate with delicious dark berry, currant, black cherry, and blackberry replays joined by plummy notes. Acids are fresh and juicy, while the smooth, refined tannins have a slightly chalky textured mouthfeel towards the back palate. Finishes juicy, long and savoury with stony mineral and subtle oak spice notes on the long aftertaste. Really nicely balanced. Enjoy this highly recommended buy over the next 5+ years. Score: 91 pts

Other lovely wines by Famille Saby can be ordered through their Agent - Connexion Oenophilia.

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November 19, 2022 LCBO VINTAGES Release Wine Picks: Finest Holiday Wines

Here's my top wine picks from the November 19 LCBO VINTAGES Release. The theme of the release is titled "Gifts to Celebrate: Our Finest Holiday Wines" and basically continues the theme from the last release - fine holiday wines for gift-giving or yourself, with prices further moving into the premium scale with each passing release. Also in this release are many wines available only at Flagship Exclusive (FE) locations and online at lcbo.com. On the whole, it's another outstanding (and large) release with many lovely options.

From the feature on the "Finest Holiday Wines", many of the twenty-five wines listed in the feature could be considered recommended buys, but I have limited myself to six recommendations - all red wines. We start in Italy with the Amarone that is a blend of Corvina, Rondinella, and Molinara, while the Riserva Chianti Classico is an 80/20 blend of Sangiovese and Merlot. Lastly, the beautiful Barolo is crafted with Nebbiolo. From the Pessac-Léognan appellation in Bordeaux is a lovely red that is made with 52% Cabernet Sauvignon, 45% Merlot, and 3% Petit Verdot. On the local front, the Terroir Caché is a blend of 46% Merlot, 31% Malbec, and 23% Cabernet Franc, as well as a Pinot Noir, both from Niagara.

Other top red wine picks from this release includes a Rhône red that is a blend of primarily Grenache with Syrah and Mourvèdre in support, while the Bordeaux red from the Montagne-Saint-Émilion appellation is an 80/20 blend of Merlot and Cabernet Franc. From Chile, the Vitrum consists of 42% Cabernet Sauvignon, 35% Syrah, 9% Cabernet Franc, 8% Carmenère, 4% Malbec, and 2% Petit Verdot, while the Portuguese red is a blend of Touriga Nacional, Tinta Roriz, and Sousao. Last, but not least, the Cabernet Sauvignon from Lake County is actually a blend of 94% Cabernet Sauvignon, 2% Petit Verdot, 2% Malbec, 1% Petite Sirah, and 1% Syrah.

Among my dry white wine recommendations, the only blend is the wine from Napa Valley that consists of 76% Sauvignon Blanc and 24% Semillon. The Chablis is crafted with Chardonnay, while the Muscadet is made with Melon de Bourgogne, and the rest of the white wines should be self-explanatory.

For sweet wine lovers, there is a nice selection of wines that will satisfy your sweet tooth. Starting at the off-dry (i.e. slightly sweet) end of the spectrum is a Riesling from Niagara and a Pinot Gris from Alsace. Semi-sweet wines include a blend of Fiano di Avellino, Greco di Tufo, and Falanghina from Campania and a Riesling Kabinett from Mosel. The very sweet wines are a Riesling Auslese from Mosel, a lovely Gewürztraminer Icewine from Niagara, and a 2010 Sauternes from Bordeaux that is a blend of 80% Sémillon, 15% Sauvignon Blanc, and 5% Muscadelle.

Enjoy my fine wine recommendations from this release! Cheers!

Red Wine:

• ABAD DOM BUENO LADERAS DEL NORTE MENCIA 2019 - DO Bierzo, Spain (#244699) (XD) - $15.95
• XAVIER VIGNON CÔTES DU RHÔNE 2020 - AP, France (#297317) (XD) - $17.95  89 pts  wine review
  
• CASTELLI DEL GREVEPESA CLEMENTE VII CHIANTI CLASSICO 2018 - DOCG, Tuscany, Italy (#421388) (XD) - $18.95  88+ pts  wine review
  
• PÉREZ CRUZ LIMITED EDITION CABERNET FRANC 2019 - DO Valle del Maipo, Chile (#10591) (XD) - $19.95  90 pts  wine review
• CHÂTEAU GUILLOU 2018 - AC Montagne-Saint-Émilion, Bordeaux, France (#140483) (XD) - $24.95  91 pts  wine review
• QUADRUS RED 2016 - DOP Douro, Portugal (#440305) (XD) - $23.95  90 pts  wine review
• CHOCALAN VITRUM BLEND 2019 - Sustainable, DO Valle del Maipo, Chile (#25640) (XD) - $25.95  92 pts  wine review

• BRANCAIA RISERVA CHIANTI CLASSICO 2018 - DOCG, Tuscany, Italy (#260802) (XD) - $41.95
• HIDDEN BENCH TERROIR CACHÉ 2018 - Unfiltered, VQA Beamsville Bench, Niagara Escarpment, Ontario, Canada (#505610) (XD) - $44.95
• LE CLOS JORDANNE LE GRAND CLOS PINOT NOIR 2020 - VQA Twenty Mile Bench, Niagara Escarpment, Ontario, Canada (#184564) (XD) - $47.95
• CHÂTEAU LA GARDE 2015 - AC Pessac-Léognan, Bordeaux, France (#191163) (XD) - $52.95  92 pts  wine review
• AURELIO SETTIMO ROCCHE DELL'ANNUNZIATA BAROLO 2017 - DOCG, Piedmont, Italy (#293761) (XD) - $54.95  94 pts  wine review
• OBSIDIAN RIDGE CABERNET SAUVIGNON 2019 - Obsidian Ridge Vineyard, Red Hills, Lake County, California, USA (#544940) (XD) - $58.95  FE
• MASI MAZZANO AMARONE DELLA VALPOLICELLA CLASSICO 2013 - DOCG, Veneto, Italy (#597476) (XD) - $135.95

White Wine:

• ZACHARIAS MOSCHOFILERO 2021 - PGI Peloponnese, Greece (#548222) (XD) - $13.95
• DOMAINE DU HAUT BOURG MUSCADET CÔTES DE GRANDLIEU 2019 - Sur lie, AP, Loire, France (#426619) (XD) - $18.95
• CAVE SPRING ESTATE CHARDONNAY 2019 - Cave Spring Vineyard, VQA Beamsville Bench, Niagara Escarpment, Ontario, Canada (#256552) (XD) - $19.95
• 13TH STREET JUNE'S VINEYARD RIESLING 2020 - VQA Creek Shores, Niagara Peninsula, Ontario, Canada (#147512) (D) - $19.95  89 pts  wine review
• PIERRE SPARR MAMBOURG PINOT GRIS 2019 - AC Alsace Grand Cru, France (#686451) (D) - $26.95  FE
• NATIV SUADENS BIANCO 2020 - IGT Campania, Italy (#577767) (M) - $27.95  91 pts  wine review
  
• REICHSGRAF VON KESSELSTATT SCHARZHOFBERGER FEINHERB SAAR RIESLING KABINETT 2019 - Prädikatswein, Mosel, Germany (#25716) (M) - $29.95  FE
• CHRISTOPHE PATRICE BEAUREGARD CHABLIS 1ER CRU 2021 - AC, Burgundy, France (#14872) (XD) - $43.95  FE
• INGLENOOK SAUVIGNON BLANC 2019 - Estate bottled, Rutherford, Napa Valley, California, USA (#17090) (XD) - $52.95  FE  91+ pts  wine review
• MARKUS MOLITOR WEHLENER SONNENUHR RIESLING AUSLESE*** 2018 - Prädikatswein, Mosel, Germany (#25715) (S) - $149.95  FE
  

Dessert Wine:

• LAKEVIEW CELLARS GEWÜRZTRAMINER ICEWINE 2019 - VQA Niagara Peninsula, Ontario, Canada (#547703) (S) (200 mL) - $34.95  92+ pts  wine review
• CHÂTEAU LA TOUR BLANCHE 2010 - AC Sauternes 1er Grand Cru Classé, Bordeaux, France (#28719) (S) (350mL) - $62.95  FE
  

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