Closerie des Alisiers Trilogie de Terroirs Pouilly-Fuissé 2020 (Burgundy) - Wine Review

Tonight's white wine review is an excellent Chardonnay from Burgundy that is new to the LCBO, arriving in stores this weekend as part of the LCBO VINTAGES Release on December 17.

It is produced by Stéphane Brocard, son of renowned Chablis winemaker Jean-Marc Brocard. After it started getting a bit too crowded at his father's family business, Stéphane set out on his own in 2007 and moved to Marsannay, founding his Trading House and the Closerie des Alisiers property in Chablis. In addition to owning his own vines in Pommard and the village of Daix, Stéphane set up a boutique négociant business contracting small parcels of carefully selected grapes because he had an intimate knowledge of the region, as well as the drive to blaze his own trail. He works with the same winegrowers and plots year after year to offer authentic wines based on purity of fruit and freshness, while also having the greatest respect for the terroir and environment. He encourages his vignerons to use organic farming methods and champions minimal intervention at all stages of production. Between Closerie des Alisiers and the wines of their partner estates, Maison Stéphane Brocard covers all of the appellations and diversity of Burgundy.

Crafted with 100% Chardonnay, this particular wine is called Trilogy of Terroirs because the grapes come from the three same selected plots, year after year, in the Pouilly-Fuissé appellation of the Mâconnais subregion in Burgundy. Grown within the communes of Solutré and Vergisson, the 70-year-old vines are based on limestone soils with very hard fossil corals. The vineyards are situated on fairly steep slopes with exposure to the east and south-east, and between 200 to 300 metres above sea level. The vines are tended to in reasoned culture with the greatest respect for the soil and the environment.

The growing season in 2020 in Burgundy produced classic wines despite the hot and dry conditions, and the wines of the vintage can be characterized and fresh, vibrant, and classically styled. From an exceptional year, let's see how this 2020 white wine from Burgundy is tasting tonight...

Tasting Note:

CLOSERIE DES ALISIERS TRILOGIE DE TERROIRS POUILLY-FUISSÉ 2020 - AC, Burgundy, France (#26440) (XD) - $37.95
This 100% Chardonnay has a nose that seems a bit shy and tight, but with some coaxing offers ripe lemon citrus, mineral, apple, melon, and peach aromas with nutty notes emerging with time in the glass. It is beautifully structured on the medium to medium-full bodied on the nicely balanced palate with spicy apple, lemon citrus, melon flavours with a twist of honey. It has fresh and firm acidity, while mineral, nut, and mealy notes emerge on the long, juicy, and mouth-watering finish. Highly recommended buy! Score: 92+ pts

Other excellent wines by Maison Stéphane Brocard can be ordered through their Agent - Connexion Oenophilia.

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Lakeview Cellars Cabernet Sauvignon Icewine 2017 (Niagara) - Wine Review

After enjoying the excellent 2019 Lakeview Cellars Gewürztraminer Icewine last month, tonight's Icewine review is another lovely Icewine from the same producer. This lovely red Icewine returned to the LCBO today as part of the December 17 LCBO VINTAGES Release.

Lakeview Cellars was established in Vineland in 1991 by Eddy Gurinskas. Today, Lakeview Cellars is the oldest of several wine brands owned by Diamond Estates Wines & Spirits Inc. and is situated at Lakeview Wine Co. on Niagara Stone Road in Niagara-on-the-Lake.

At present, Thomas Green is the Vice-President of Winemaking and Winery Operations at Lakeview. He began his career at Lakeview Cellars as an apprentice to winemaking under Eddy. After graduating in 2000 as part of the first graduating class of Cool Climate Oenology and Viticulture (CCOVI) at Brock University, Thomas remained at Lakeview Cellars and worked with Eddy for three more years until Eddy retired. In 2003, Thomas took over head winemaking duties at Lakeview Cellars, and then Diamond Estates in 2005. As a nostalgic brand for Thomas, he is proud that Lakeview Cellars has built a worldwide reputation for creating exquisite Niagara wines that are both high in quality and affordable. Although the label has changed over the years, the high quality wines produced by Lakeview Cellars has remained consistent for over two decades.

Crafted with 100% Cabernet Sauvignon, the frozen grapes were harvested in early December when temperatures fell between -10°C and -13°C, After settling the juice in stainless steel tanks, a cool fermentation was completed in late-February when the wine was placed outdoors to stop fermentation and complete a natural cold stabilization. Let's see how this Cabernet Sauvignon Icewine from Niagara is tasting tonight...

Tasting Note:

LAKEVIEW CELLARS CABERNET SAUVIGNON ICEWINE 2017 - VQA Niagara Peninsula, Ontario, Canada (#471813) (S) (200 mL) - $39.95
Pours a medium garnet colour. The lovely, highly aromatic nose is open, fresh, and fragrant with ripe raspberry, strawberry jam, cran-cherry, and plum aromas, plus subtle spice notes. It's medium to medium-full bodied on the sweet palate with lovely strawberry jam, raspberry, cran-cherry, and subtle spice flavour replays. Harmonious and well-balanced throughout with a subtle chalky mouthfeel adding a nice textural element. Fresh, lively, and juicy acidity holds it all together, while the red berry flavours give way to faintly mineral notes on the long, juicy finish. Delicious and a highly recommended buy! Score: 92 pts

Other lovely Icewines and table wines from Lakeview Cellars are available at the LCBO and direct through the winery in Niagara-on-the-Lake.

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Jean-Marc Brocard Sainte Claire Chablis 2020 (Burgundy) - Wine Review

Tonight's white wine review is a lovely Chardonnay that is coming to the LCBO this weekend as part of the December 17 LCBO VINTAGES Release.

It is produced by Jean-Marc Brocard, a family domaine that was established in 1973 in the center of Chablis, in Burgundy. Since the beginning, Jean-Marc Brocard was committed to a healthier culture and respectful of the environment. As one of the first organic wine producers in Chablis and Burgundy, in 1997 they converted their first plot of 11 hectares to organic and biodynamic farming. Today, the domaine covers 144 hectares with more than 60 hectares certified organic farming and 40 hectares biodynamic.

In 1995, Jean-Marc's son, Julien, joined the family domaine to work alongside his father. Julien is also passionate about biodynamics and traditional methods. Their logo is an ammonite - a life force, the spiral is naturally present in nature and is a symbol and creation and fulfillment, it also characterizes the Broacrd family's commitment to continuous improvement.

The unique style of Brocard wines are focuses around three words - precision, strength, and freshness. Precision involves accurately conveying the terroir, the memory of the soil transmitted from vine to wine, and the pure typical characteristics of the Chablis soil with its marine sediments deposited during the Jurassic era. Strength is conveyed in the structure of a wine that is powerful and long on the palate, while also appreciating the complexity of a terroir. Freshness is the a natural acidity that is born of the land's minerality, giving this wine its signature tautness.

One of quite a few Chablis wines in the Jean-Marc Brocard portfolio, this particular wine is from their Sainte Claire Vineyard which boasts Kimmeridgian limestone soils. It is crafted with 100% Chardonnay from 60-year-old vines and fermented with indigenous yeast. This Chablis expresses with a great deal of finesse the typicity of its Kimmeridgian soils, along with the singularity of Jean-Marc Brocard's wines through its strength, precision, and freshness.

From an early, yet classic vintage with superb quality, let's see how this 2020 Chablis is tasting tonight...

Tasting Note:

JEAN-MARC BROCARD SAINTE CLAIRE CHABLIS 2020 - AC, Burgundy, France (#356634) (XD) - $28.95
This single vineyard 100% Chardonnay is from 60-year-old vines grown on Kimmeridgian limestone soils and fermented with indigenous yeast. Intense, flinty mineral aromas off the top with notes of lemon citrus, apple, and butter laying underneath with melon and nutty hints, and a touch of reduction. It's medium-full bodied, well-structured, and creamy on the dry palate with lightly honeyed flavours of lemon citrus, mineral, apple-pear, and melon with nutty and mealy hints adding further complexity and interest. Acids are crisp and mouth-wateringly juicy. Excellent length with mineral, nut, and mealy notes lingering on the crisp, juicy finish. Highly recommended buy! Score: 91 pts

A Chablis 1er Cru from Jean-Marc Brocard also arrived at the LCBO in this release, while other wines from their portfolio can be found at the LCBO or ordered through their Agent - Noble Estates Wines & Spirits.

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December 17, 2022 LCBO VINTAGES Release Wine Picks: Festive Sparklers

The final release of the year is the December 17, 2022 LCBO VINTAGES Release and it's theme is focused on sparkling wines for festive celebrations. Also included in this release are selection of Flagship and Online Exclusive wines. All of these wines should be available in stores or online by this Saturday.

We start with the theme on Festive Sparkling Wines, with a dozen wines featured, but just one included among my top sparkling wine picks - a non-vintage Prosecco crafted with 100% Glera. Fear not, there are many other delightful bubblies throughout the release, including an excellent local offering from Niagara that is a blend of 60% Chardonnay and 40% Pinot Noir. There is also a higher-end vintage Prosecco which is made with 100% Glera, while both wines from Champagne are blends of consisting of Pinot Noir and Chardonnay, with all three sparkling wines only available online or at Flagship locations.

Among my top red wine picks, the Wine of the Month is from Roussillon and it is a blend of 60% Syrah, 30% Mourvedre, and 10% Grenache. Other blends include a Chilean red that consists of 95% Syrah and 5% Roussanne, while the Rioja is a blend of 76% Tempranillo, 22% Garnacha, and 2% Viura. The last of the blends is the Cabernet Sauvignon from Alexander Valley which is actually consists of 94.8% Cabernet Sauvignon, 4.2% Merlot, and 1% Cabernet Franc, while the Vino Nobile di Montepulciano is crafted with mainly Sangiovese, plus small quantities of complementary varieties. Single varietals wines from Italy include the Brunello di Montalcino that is made with Sangiovese, the Barolo made with Nebbiolo, and the wine from Umbria that is made with Sagrantino, while the wine from Beaujolais in France is crafted with Gamay.

The aren't any blends among my white wine recommendations, but it is a Chardonnay wine lover's delight with five wines in total coming from Burgundy and California, as well as a pair of lovely Sauvignon Blanc wines from New Zealand. From Italy, the white wine from Sicily is made with the indigenous Carricante, and from Piedmont there is a nice Arneis. For those that prefer wines with some sweetness, you'll want to pick up the medium-sweet Riesling from Niagara.

Enjoy my top wine recommendations from release and have a safe and happy holiday!

Red Wine:

• HOLLICK THE BARD CABERNET SAUVIGNON 2019 - Coonawarra, South Australia (#18525) (XD) - $17.95
• EL ESTECO BLEND DE EXTREMOS MALBEC 2021 - Valles Calchaquíes, Argentina (#24863) (XD) - $18.95  89 pts  wine review
• EMILIANA SALVAJE SYRAH/ROUSSANNE 2021 - Vegan, Valle Casablanca, Chile (#19246) (XD) - $19.95
• VENTISQUERO GREY GLACIER SINGLE BLOCK CABERNET SAUVIGNON 2019 - Trinidad Vineyard, Valle del Maipo, Chile (#485474) (XD) - $19.95  91+ pts  wine review
• CHÂTEAU ROMBEAU L'ÉLEVÉ CÔTES DU ROUSSILLON-VILLAGES 2018 - AP, Languedoc, France (#28411) (XD) - $21.95
• DOMAINE ANITA TRES VIEILLES VIGNES LES CAVES MOULIN-À-VENT 2020 - AC, Beaujolais, France (#28706) (XD) - $21.95  FE

• LUNGAROTTI ILBIO ROSSO 2020 - IGT Umbria, Italy (#16573) (XD) - $26.95  88+ pts  wine review
• DEI VINO NOBILE DI MONTEPULCIANO 2018 - DOCG, Tuscany, Italy (#285510) (XD) - $34.95
• COL D'ORCIA BRUNELLO DI MONTALCINO 2017 - DOCG, Tuscany, Italy (#306852) (XD) - $54.95  92+ pts  wine review
• ROCCHE COSTAMAGNA ROCCHE DELL'ANNUNZIATA BAROLO 2017 - DOCG, Piedmont, Italy (#413484) (XD) - $54.95
• HERMANOS HERNÁIZ FINCA LA EMPERATRIZ VIÑEDO SINGULAR TINTO 2017 - DOCa Rioja, Spain (#16594) (XD) - $58.95  FE
• SILVER OAK ALEXANDER VALLEY CABERNET SAUVIGNON 2018 - Alexander Valley, Sonoma County, California, USA (#943472) (XD) - $143.95  93 pts  wine review

White Wine:

• TENUTA FRATELLI POVERO TERRE DEL CONTE ROERO ARNEIS 2021 - DOCG, Piedmont, Italy (#436915) (XD) - $17.95
• ROCKWAY VINEYARDS RIESLING 2020 - Small lot, VQA Twenty Mile Bench, Niagara Escarpment, Ontario, Canada (#30739) (M) - $20
• ESK VALLEY SAUVIGNON BLANC 2020 - Marlborough, South Island, New Zealand (#12638) (XD) - $21.95  90 pts  wine review
• AUNTSFIELD SINGLE VINEYARD SAUVIGNON BLANC 2021 - Sustainable, Southern Valleys, Marlborough, South Island, New Zealand (#663286) (XD) - $21.95
• TORNATORE ETNA BIANCO 2021 - DOC, Sicily, Italy (#577676) (XD) - $24.95
• JEAN-MARC BROCARD SAINTE CLAIRE CHABLIS 2020 - AC, Burgundy, France (#356634) (XD) - $28.95  91 pts  wine review
• CLOSERIE DES ALISIERS TRILOGIE DE TERROIRS POUILLY-FUISSÉ 2020 - AC, Burgundy, France (#26440) (XD) - $37.95  92+ pts  wine review
• HARTFORD COURT RUSSIAN RIVER VALLEY CHARDONNAY 2020 - Russian River Valley, Sonoma County, California, USA (#404277) (XD) - $44.95
• DOMAINE JEAN-MARC BROCARD CÔTE DE LÉCHET CHABLIS 1ER CRU 2020 - AC, Burgundy, France (#181305) (XD) - $48.95  FE
• CALERA MT. HARLAN CHARDONNAY 2019 - Mt. Harlan, Central Coast, California, USA (#16406) (XD) - $70.95  FE

Sparkling Wine:

• BELCANTO DI BELLUSSI SPECIAL CUVÉE EXTRA DRY PROSECCO DI VALDOBBIADENE SUPERIORE - DOCG, Italy (#53215) (D) - $21.95  89 pts  wine review
• 13TH STREET PREMIER CUVÉE SPARKLING 2015 - Traditional method, VQA Niagara Peninsula, Ontario, Canada (#142679) (XD) - $39.95
• PRIMO FRANCO GRAVE DI STECCA BRUT PROSECCO 2016 - DOC, Veneto, Italy (#422758) (D) - $48.95  FE
  
• FRESNE DUCRET LA GRANDE HERMINE 1ER CRU CHAMPAGNE 2008 - AC, France (#14636) (XD) - $79.95  FE
• MARC HEBRART MES FAVORITES VIEILLES VIGNES BRUT CHAMPAGNE 1ER CRU - Mareuil-sur-Aÿ, AC, France (#26655) (XD) - $79.95  FE

Dessert Wine:

• LAKEVIEW CELLARS CABERNET SAUVIGNON ICEWINE 2017 - VQA Niagara Peninsula, Ontario, Canada (#471813) (S) (200 mL) - $39.95  92 pts  wine review

Fortified Wine:

• CALEM 20-YEAR-OLD TAWNY PORT - DOP, Portugal (#10902) (S) - $56.95

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Creekside Iconoclast Syrah 2020 (Niagara) - Wine Review

For tonight's red wine review, I am sipping local with this lovely Niagara Syrah that arrived at the LCBO a couple of months ago as part of the October 8th LCBO VINTAGES Release.

Founded in 1997 by Laura McCain in Jordan, Ontario, and acquired by Diamond Estates Wines & Spirits Inc. last August, Creekside Estate Winery has been a leader in producing premium wines of distinctive, eclectic blends, and introducing grape varieties to Niagara that have expanded the horizons of the region. The winery is run by a passionate, and some say fanatical, group of industry veterans, including winemaker Rob Power, who have decades of experience in their respective fields. The team of self-described cork dorks love what they do, and have fun doing it. Early on, Creekside was outside of the mainstream fold as their signature wines were Sauvignon Blanc and Syrah - neither very common in Niagara back then.

Creekside first began extensively planting Syrah in the late 1990's. With each passing vintage, they witnessed first-hand the grape's huge potential and now, more than two decades later, Syrah is what Creekside is best known for. With the grape's popularity surging and having garnered many awards over the years, Creekside has developed a reputation as a pioneer in Canadian Syrah.

This particular bottling is from Creekside's Iconoclast range of wines. Iconoclasts in history are those that ignore conventional practice and lead the charge for change, and the Iconoclast bottlings reflect that pioneering spirit.

Personally, I'm a big fan of Syrah in general, and have been a Niagara Syrah wine lover for many years now. I've enjoyed quite a few previous vintages of this wine over the years, last writing about the 2012 Creekside Iconoclast Niagara Syrah a few years ago, and am ecstatic to see what this latest vintage tastes like. This wine always includes a dollop of Viognier, and for the 2020 vintage it is a co-fermented blend of 99.4% Syrah and 0.6% Viognier. All of the fruit for this wine was selected from their Queenston Road Vineyard's three nuanced blocks in the VQA St. David’s Bench sub-appellation of Niagara-on-the-Lake, an area that is typically warmer than where the winery is located and offers a slightly longer growing season that is ideal for Syrah. The Queenston Road Vineyard is known as the birthplace of the Syrah-volution in Niagara. The grapes were fermented in stainless steel tanks and individual fruit bins. It was aged for 19 months in mostly older, neutral oak, and mostly French with a little bit of Hungarian and American.

From the highly-acclaimed 2020 vintage that has been described as one of the best ever with wines showing elegance and balance, let's see how this 2020 Niagara Syrah is tasting tonight...

Tasting Note:

CREEKSIDE ICONOCLAST SYRAH 2020 - VQA St. David's Bench, Niagara-on-the-Lake, Ontario, Canada (#471797) (XD) - $25.00
A co-fermented blend of 99.4% Syrah and 0.6% Viognier enclosed by screw cap. Ripe, fragrant, and wonderfully perfumed aromas of great intensity rise out of the glass with dark berry, black pepper, spices, meaty, and dark plum notes with hints of purple fruit and florals. It's medium-full bodied, ripe and quite chewy on the palate with lovely, balanced aroma replays supported by fresh acidity and ripe, firm, and grainy tannins. Finishes long, juicy, and minerally with subtle smoky notes. Enjoyable now, but will reward ageing and drink well over the next 5 years or so. Highly recommended buy! Score: 91 pts

Other lovely wines by Creekside are available at the LCBO and direct through the winery in Niagara.

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Jean-Max Roger Cuvée Marnes et Caillottes Sancerre 2020 (Loire) - Wine Review

A perennial favourite, tonight's white wine review is this excellent Sauvignon Blanc from Sancerre that came to the LCBO last weekend as part of the December 3 LCBO VINTAGES Release.

It is produced by Jean-Max Roger, a winemaking family that descends from a long line of winegrowers dating back to at least the 17th century in the village of Bué, in Sancerre of the Loire Valley. Up until the 1960s, the Roger practised mixed farming and animal rearing, but when Jean-Max Roger took over in the 1970s from what his parents left him, he (along with his wife Nicole) focused on the 4 hectares of vineyards they had and developed the estate to become one of the top producers in the Loire. They passed on their love for wine and terroir to their sons, and in 2004 Thibault and Etienne, two of their three sons, joined their father at the estate.

Today, Thibault and Etienne continue to define the estate's identity, which is comprised of 34 hectares of land, of which 28 hectares are in the Sancerre appellation. There are more than forty plots of land which offer exceptional diversity of exposure, slope and soil profiles, and are dispersed among the region's three most renowned terroirs - Caillottes (stony calcareous clay soil), Kimmeridgian Marl or Terres Blanches (clayey calcareous clay soil), and Flint (siliceous clay soil). As a complementary team, Thibault and Etienne perpetuate the family know-how and techniques that they are perfecting vintage after vintage. Along with their winemaking expertise, the various terroirs allows each of their wines to express all of the uniqueness of their terroirs through their structure, elegance and finesse.

This Sancerre is crafted with 100% Sauvignon Blanc that was grown in various vineyards within the villages of Bué & Amigny, with soils consisting of Kimmeridgian Marls called "Marnes" and Limestone called "Caillottes", hence the name of the wine. The vines are between 5 and 40 years of age and grown to reveal its terroir, while also using organic techniques and respecting soil life. In the winery, the grapes go through a pneumatic press and a long, temperature-controlled fermentation using natural yeasts. The wine is aged on heavy lees to develop minerality, and fined and filtered prior to bottling at the estate using their own facilities.

I enjoyed the 2019 Jean-Max Roger Cuvée Marnes et Caillottes Sancerre in August of last year and am excited to try the latest vintage. The winter leading up to the 2020 growing season was the warmest ever recorded the Loire Valley, but also featured periods of intense rains that fully replenished the soils. March and April were alternately warm and cool, while late-April and May were very warm. July began cool, but then turned very warm, while August was hot. Harvest began after some welcome rains at the end of August, leading into fine weather for the month of September. The 2020 vintage was another excellent vintage in the Loire Valley with wines showing excellent concentration, freshness, and poise.

This white wine is quite possibly my favourite wine in the Jean-Max Roger portfolio. Let's see how this 2020 Sancerre is tasting tonight...

Tasting Note:

JEAN-MAX ROGER CUVÉE MARNES ET CAILLOTTES SANCERRE 2020 - AC, Loire, France (#196667) (XD) - $33.95
Lovely, intense, and ripe aromas of lemon citrus, melon, and grapefruit with touches of tropical fruit, all underpinned by fine, stony minerality. It has very good fruit concentration on the medium-full bodied palate with ripe, slightly honeyed and gently spicy flavours of lemon citrus, melon, grapefruit, apple, peach, and tropical fruits framed by fresh and elegant acidity. Nicely balanced throughout with fine, leesy mineral notes lingering on the long, crisp finish. Highly recommended buy! Score: 92 pts

Both the Jean-Max Roger Cuvée Les Caillottes Sancerre 2019 and Cuvée Genèse Sancerre 2020 that I enjoyed recently are available at the LCBO, while other wines from Jean-Max Roger can be ordered through their Agent - Connexion Oenophilia.

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Feudo Maccari Saia Nero d'Avola 2018 (Sicily) - Wine Review

Tonight's red wine review is a lovely Nero d'Avola from Sicily that arrived at the LCBO over the weekend as part of the LCBO VINTAGES Release on December 3rd.

Feudo Maccari was founded in the late 1990's when Antonio Moretti Cuseri of Tenuta Sette Ponti in Tuscany visited Sicily for a brief time and was enchanted by region's famous Baroque style and the warm waters of the sea. He thought he would only stay a while, but ended up planting roots and beginning a new adventure by acquiring land by units of "tumulo", an ancient Sicilian unit of measurement equal to 1,744 square metres, and acquiring more than fifty properties.

Today, Feudo Maccari has more than 250 hectares of property with about 60 hectares of land under vine, all of which exclusively rely on the head-trained system. This system was brought over by the first Greek colonists and is very costly to manage, but it is well-suited to the warm climate of southeastern Sicily. With the head-trained system, the bunches of grapes are protected by the leaves, while also limiting the oxidation of polyphenolic and aromatic substances. At the same time, the leaves are exposed to the sun's rays, allowing for excellent photosynthesis. Antonio chose this system because of the way it allows for perfect ventilation, how it offers the maximum amount of sunlight during daytime hours, and the fact that the bunches stay closer to the ground, which allows for ideal heat exchange so the fruit ripens.

Antonio immediately focused on native grape varieties like Nero d'Avola, Grillo, and Moscato di Noto, as well as some international varieties, to bring a fruity elegance and rich minerality to the wines. Because of Feudo Maccari's proximity to the sea and the limestone-rich soils, the area is perfect for quality winemaking and Nero d’Avola, in particular, came to life in this area between Avola and Pachino, in the province of Siracusa. Nero d'Avola is one of the great grape varieties of southern Italy, helping usher in a new era in the 1980s. Produced as a single variety, Nero d'Avola has shown itself to be an elegant, harmonious, well-balanced, and structured red able to stand up to long ageing in bottle.

The Saia gets its name from the irrigation canals created by the Arabs to collect rainwater centuries ago. It is crafted with Maccari's best selection of Nero d'Avola grapes, which were handpicked from 20-30 year old vines that were planted to south-facing vineyards situated 80 metres above sea level on volcanic soils with white sand and chalk deposits. The skins were gently broken and then it was fermented in stainless steel tanks and lined vats. The wine's first blend occurs when it is placed in barrique, and blended a second time at the first racking. It was aged for 12 to 14 months in French oak and then bottled with minimum intervention.

The 2018 vintage was characterized by a rainy spring which helped to refill the ground water, followed by a very sunny summer with temperatures sometimes higher than usual, along with sporadic rains which allowed the vines to work. September had perfect weather conditions with sunny, but not too hot days, and fresh nights, allowing the grapes to ripen perfectly. The balanced and regular weather trend helped guarantee the best territorial expression of the grapes and obtain wines of great elegance, beautiful acidity, and longevity. Let's see how this 2018 Nero d'Avola from Sicily is tasting tonight...

Tasting Note:

FEUDO MACCARI SAIA NERO D'AVOLA 2018 - DOC Sicilia, Italy (#128967) (XD) - $29.95
The nose is richly intense and spicy, followed by aromas of plum, red cherry, mineral, sandalwood, and raspberry. It's full-bodied and quite dense on the palate with a plummy core accented with cherry, sweet spices, and oak, plus savoury undertones. Acids are juicy and well-balanced, while the smooth and well-integrated with a slightly chalky mouthfeel on the back palate. Savoury, minerally, and tangy with sweet spices linger on the long, crisp, and very satisfying finish. Highly recommended buy. Score: 90 pts

A very select number of wines from Feudo Maccari, while other wines from their portfolio can be ordered through their Agent - Noble Estates Wines & Spirits.

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