LAVAU Rasteau 2019 (Rhône) - Wine Review

Tonight's red wine review is a lovely Rhône red wine from the southern Rhône Valley Cru of Rasteau that arrived at the LCBO this weekend in the January 21 LCBO VINTAGES Release.

Maison LAVAU was founded in 1965 after the Lavau family, who had been involved in winemaking for several generations, took charge of a small winemaking cellar a year earlier in Sablet, in the southern Rhône Valley. It was established by Jean-Guy Lavau, the third generation of the family, and his wife Anne-Marie as they returned to France from Tunisia. Together, Jean-Guy and Anne-Marie Lavau built a reputation as top quality winemakers in the region thanks to their dedication to high standards, attention to detail, and thirst for excellence. Recognized as a major local player, Maison LAVAU has developed close ties with other winegrowers, especially in the southern Rhône Valley.

Today, Maison LAVAU is run by their two sons - Frédéric and Benoît Lavau. After completing their studies in Canada, Frédéric joined the family business in 1995, and Benoît quickly followed in 1997. The Lavau brothers official took charge of the Maison in 2000 when their parents retired. Their youth, energy and adventurous spirit allowed them to further structure and develop the Maison, including building a new cellar in Violès, and investing in modern, high-performance cellar facilities. As talented winemakers and wine traders, the Lavau brothers also invested in vineyards to also become producers of wine. Maison LAVAU is today one of the last family-run and independent wine estates in the Rhône Valley. Their objective is to offer the very best of the Rhône Valley by producing top quality wines that are fine, generous, and affordable.

Like previous vintages, including the 2017 LAVAU Rasteau that I enjoyed a couple of years ago, this southern Rhône Valley red continues to be a blend of 50% Grenache and 50% Syrah. The village of Rasteau is situated on the summit of a hill at an altitude of 200 metres. The grapes for this wine come from parcels located near the village, on east-facing, stony hillsides that have a Mediterranean climate and offer some protection from the Mistral wind. The vineyards are planted on fairly deep, fairly dry, and pebbly terrain, which results in low yields and late ripening grapes.

It was vinified by completely de-stemming the grapes and placing them in temperature-controlled vats to macerate for around 25 days with rack-and-return operations at the start of fermentation, followed by two pumping-over operations per day. The wine was then aged in barrels for 12 months, with half going into 450 L second- or third-use barrels.

The 2019 growing season began with a wet winter setting the table for the region's vineyards to get through the hot, dry growing season. Grenache, in particular, excelled this vintage as it coped well with the severely hot weather and cooler nights that helped it retain acidity and aromas. Overall, the excellent 2019 vintage is a powerful, ripe vintage with localized areas of greatness. Let's see how this 2019 southern Rhône Valley red from Rasteau is tasting tonight...

Tasting Note:

LAVAU RASTEAU 2019 - AC, Rhône, France (#394650) (XD) - $23.95
Blend of 50% Grenache and 50% Syrah. The fragrant nose of medium-high intensity delivers lovely, perfumed aromas of dark berry, black cherry, black plum, peppery spice, and meaty notes with subtle whiffs of violet, floral, and oak. It's medium-full bodied with ripe, dark fruited flavours of black cherry, black plum, cassis, peppery spice, violet, meaty, and subtle wood. It's slightly spicy on the mid-palate and has fresh, lively acidity, along with smooth, ripe, refined, and lightly chewy and well-structured tannins. Lovely smoky mineral notes linger on the long-lasting, juicy finish. Highly recommended buy! Score: 90+ pts

Limited quantities of one other Maison LAVAU wine is available at the LCBO, while the rest of their portfolio can be ordered through their Agent - Connexion Oenophilia.

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Gunderloch Fritz's Riesling 2021 (Rheinhessen) - Wine Review

Tonight's white wine review is a lovely, off-dry Riesling from Germany that is featured as a Smart Buy in the recent January 7 LCBO VINTAGES Release and is readily available across the Ontario.

Weingut Gunderloch was founded in 1890 when banker Carl Gunderloch purchased the fabled Nackenheimer Rothenberg. Not content with just making wine, Carl had a pioneering spirit and led the charge toward quality-oriented viticulture within the region and was a fierce proponent of fine winemaking culture. Gunderloch is a founding member of what is now known as the Verein Deutscher Prädikatsweingüter (VDP), a prestigious association of Germany's finest winegrowers, and one of only four estates to have remained a member for the entire span, which goes back to 1910. The estate has been passed down through six generations of the Gunderloch family, with Johannes Hasselbach taking over the winemaking reins upon the sad passing in 2016 of renowned winemaker Fritz Hasselbach.

The 28 hectare estate and Gunderloch family residence is situated within the Rheinhessen appellation. They craft clear, mineral-driven wines, working primarily with Riesling, which reflect the family's unique blend of experience and ingenuity. The centrepiece of Gunderloch are their vineyards on Roter Hang (aka Red Hill), one of Germany's most revered and richly historical vineyards. Set on picturesque, steep slopes that rise above the Rhine river between the towns of Nackenheim and Nierstein, Roter Hang has very special, iron-oxide laced red shale and clayey soils known as Rotliegend, which have taken on an almost mythical status among wine aficionados.

This white wine is crafted with 100% Riesling grapes that were grown on vivid red slate soils on Roter Hang. The vineyards are situated on steep, southeast facing slopes very close to the river Rhine. The four factors - the red slate soil, the closeness to the river, great sun exposure, and the steepness of the vineyards - are the ideal combination to produce high-quality Riesling. This particular Riesling was fermented naturally with indigenous yeasts and, uncommonly, aged in 600 L neutral oak barrels. From one of the most challenging vintages in recent memory, let's see how this 2021 Riesling from Germany is tasting tonight...

Tasting Note:

GUNDERLOCH FRITZ'S RIESLING 2021 - Qualitätswein, Rheinhessen, Germany (#216366) (M) - $17.95
Screw cap. The medium+ intensity aromatics seem rather quiet, with notes of orchard fruits, apple, peach, and citrus. It's light-to-mid weighted on the palate with fresh, juicy, and bracing acidity that lifts the lovely honeyed, apple, peach, and citrus flavours, gliding over the tongue in an off-dry profile. It's nicely balanced throughout with a subtle chalky textured mouthfeel on the mid-palate, while mineral notes appear and linger through to the long, dry-ish finish. A smart (and highly recommended) buy. Score: 89 pts

You can get other lovely wines by Weingut Gunderloch at the LCBO and through their Agent - Mark Anthony Wine & Spirits.

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January 21, 2023 LCBO VINTAGES Release Wine Picks: California

Here's my top wine picks from the January 21, 2023 LCBO VINTAGES Release which focuses on California's top wine regions as the theme of the release. Also included in this release is a selection of Online Exclusives (VOE) that will also be available at select Flagship Store locations.

The theme is titled "Places in the Sun" and looks at California's top wine regions. There are ten wines featured as part of the theme, and while there are a couple of wines from here that I would happily recommend, just one wine is included among my top wine picks - a consistently well-made Cabernet Sauvignon from Alexander Valley from a solid producer.

Moving on to my top red wine picks from the rest of the release, for Rhône wine lovers there is the Lirac that is a blend of 80% Grenache and 20% Syrah, while the Rasteau is equal parts Grenache and Syrah. From Spain, the 2017 Rioja is a composed of 85% Tempranillo and 15% Graciano / Mazuelo / Garnacha, while the 2015 Rioja is a blend of Tempranillo and Graciano. Fans of Bordeaux blends will want to seek out the premium wine from South Africa that is composed of 90% Cabernet Sauvignon, 8% Merlot, and 2% Cabernet Franc, or the wine from Washington that is a blend of 97% Cabernet Sauvignon, 2% Carmenere, and 1% Merlot, or the budget-friendly 2015 Bordeaux that is a blend of 60% Merlot, 20% Cabernet Sauvignon, and 20% Cabernet Franc. Wines from Italy include a Tuscan red crafted with 90% Sangiovese and 10% Cabernet Sauvignon, and the Barolo which is, of course, made with Nebbiolo.

Among my white wine recommendations, the Rhône white is a blend of 50% Grenache Blanc, 30% Roussanne, 15% Clairette, and 5% Viognier, while the Portuguese white is composed of 50% Loureiro, 40% Arinto, and 10% Trajadura. The other white wines are all mono-varietal wines, with both the Petit Chablis and the Chilean white crafted with Chardonnay.

Sparkling wine recommendations in this release include a Champagne which is crafted with 70% Pinot Noir and 30% Chardonnay, as well as a Cava which is made with 75% Macabeo and 25% Chardonnay. For sweet wine lovers, there is a lovely Sauternes that is crafted with 91% Sémillon and 9% Sauvignon Blanc, and a Sherry which is made with 100% Pedro Ximénez.

Enjoy my top wine recommendations from this release! Cheers!

Red Wine:

• CHÂTEAU LES PINS DE BOSSUET 2015 - AC Bordeaux Supérieur, France (#26305) (XD) - $16.95
• WAKEFIELD PINOT NOIR 2021 - South Australia (#197392) (XD) - $19.95  89 pts  wine review
  
• POWERS CABERNET SAUVIGNON 2018 - Columbia Valley, Washington, USA (#434456) (XD) - $19.95  89 pts  wine review
• SALENTEIN RESERVE MALBEC 2020 - Valle de Uco, Mendoza, Argentina (#640854) (XD) - $19.95
• MONTERRA CABERNET SAUVIGNON 2019 - Vegan, McLaren Vale, South Australia (#12835) (XD) - $19.95
• LAVAU RASTEAU 2019 - AC, Rhône, France (#394650) (XD) - $23.95  90+ pts  wine review
• XAVIER VIGNON LIRAC 2019 - AP, Rhône, France (#636183) (XD) - $24.95  91 pts  wine review

• CASTELLO VICCHIOMAGGIO AGOSTINO PETRI RISERVA CHIANTI CLASSICO 2018 - 47th Anniversary, sustainable, DOCG, Tuscany, Italy (#993360) (XD) - $30.95  91 pts  wine review
• DELHEIM GRAND RESERVE 2017 - WO Stellenbosch, South Africa (#26094) (XD) - $31.95  92+ pts  wine review
• BARÓN DE LEY GRAN RESERVA 2015 - Vegan, DOCa Rioja, Spain (#642496) (XD) - $32.95  92+ pts  wine review
• RODNEY STRONG ALEXANDER VALLEY CABERNET SAUVIGNON 2019 - Sustainable, Alexander Valley, Sonoma County, California, USA (#350454) (XD) - $35.95  91+ pts  wine review
  
• CVNE IMPERIAL RESERVA 2017 - DOCa Rioja, Spain (#424390) (XD) - $39.95
• MIRAFIORE BAROLO 2016 - DOCG, Piedmont, Italy (#26908) (XD) - $49.95  92+ pts  wine review

White Wine:

• ARCA NOVA VINHO VERDE 2021 - Vegan, DOC, Portugal (#292029) (XD) - $13.95
• CHÂTEAU DE NAGES HÉRITAGE BLANC 2020 - AC Costières de Nîmes, Rhône, France (#479659) (XD) - $22.95
• DOMAINE YVON & LAURENT VOCORET PETIT CHABLIS 2020 - AC, Burgundy, France (#26446) (XD) - $27.95  91 pts  wine review
• CLOS HENRI SAUVIGNON BLANC 2019 - Marlborough, South Island, New Zealand (#675629) (XD) - $29.95
• TARA ATACAMA WHITE WINE 1 2020 - Unfiltered, DO Valle de Atacama, Chile (#511337) (XD) - $54.95  VOE

Sparkling Wine:

• SEGURA VIUDAS HEREDAD RESERVA BRUT CAVA - Traditional method, DO, Spain (#558825) (D) - $39.95  91 pts  wine review
  
• VILMART ET CIE GRANDE RÉSERVE 1ER CRU CHAMPAGNE - AC, France (#12619) (D) - $73.95  92 pts  wine review

Dessert Wine:

• CASTELNAU DE SUDUIRAUT 2015 - Second wine of Château Suduiraut, AC Sauternes, Bordeaux, France (#29694) (S) (375mL) - $26.95  VOE

Fortified Wine:

• GONZÁLEZ BYASS NECTAR PEDRO XIMÉNEZ DULCE SHERRY - Vegan, DO, Spain (#87577) (S) - $26.95

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Tenuta Iuzzolini Cirò Rosso Classico 2021 (Calabria) - Wine Review

Tonight's red wine review is a delicious red wine from Calabria crafted with the indigenous Gaglioppo variety that arrived at the LCBO just over a week ago as part of the recent LCBO VINTAGES Release on January 7th.

Tenuta Iuzzolini was founded in 2004 by Fortunato Iuzzolini and his wife Giovanna Colicchio, and the couple transferred their love and passion for the land to their four sons who are also now part of the Estate. Located in Cirò, a small Calabrian town with Greek roots along the Ionian coast of Crotone, they have approximately 500 hectares of land on the Estate with 100 hectares planted to vineyards, 50 hectares to secular olive groves, 100 hectares of arable land, and the remaining land consists of pastures and woods for livestock raised in the wild.

The soils at Tenuta Iuzzolini are of clayey-limestone and sandy origin, and very fertile because they are rich in natural springs. It experiences a Mediterranean climate with hot, dry summers and short, rainy winters, providing the ideal conditions for growing vines and olive trees. In addition to making quality wines, the goal of the Iuzzolini family is to recover and enhance native Calabrian vines, namely Greco Bianco, Gaglioppo, and Magliocco. The most widely planted of the three varieties is Gaglioppo as it has been cultivated for thousands of years in the area of Cirò and thrives because it has adapted to the dry climate and resists disease. Today, the family employs 35 workers to perform specific tasks within the company, a number which triples during the grape and olive harvest period.

While the 2017 Tenuta Iuzzolini Cirò Rosso Classico that I tasted a couple of years ago was crafted with 100% Gaglioppo, this vintage, according to the back label, is crafted with mainly Gaglioppo. The grapes were grown in the "Timpa Bianca" area, in Cirò Marina, in the central eastern part of the province of Crotone, Calabria. The vineyards are situated 50 to 100 metres above sea level and planted on white clay soils, and experience a Mediterranean climate with mild winters and hot, dry summers. The grapes were manually harvested during the first week of October and underwent a traditional fermentation, followed by ageing in steel for 5 months with a short passage in barriques. Let's see how this 2021 Gaglioppo from Calabria is tasting tonight...

Tasting Note:

TENUTA IUZZOLINI CIRÒ ROSSO CLASSICO 2021 - DOC, Calabria, Italy (#13034) (XD) - $19.95
Crafted mainly with the Gaglioppo variety, the medium+ intensity nose is lightly candied and fruit forward with ripe red fruits, red cherry, red plum, raspberry, plus some spices and savoury wood undertones adding interest. It's medium+ bodied and dry on the palate with delicious red berry, raspberry, red plum, and spice flavours supported by fresh, juicy acidity and supple, rounded tannins. The red berry, plum, and spice notes are joined by a touch of mineral on the finish, with very good length. Enjoy this recommended buy over the next few years. Score: 88 pts

Other delicious wines by Tenuta Iuzzolini can be ordered through their Agent - Eurovintage Wines & Spirits.

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Michele Chiarlo Tortoniano Barolo 2017 (Piedmont) - Wine Review

After enjoying the beautiful 2018 Michele Chiarlo Reyna Barbaresco back in November, tonight's red wine review is a lovely Barolo that landed at the LCBO a couple of weekends ago as part of the January 7 VINTAGES Release.

Even though Michele Chiarlo was only established in the 1950s, its story begins in 1898 with the birth of Pietro Chiarlo who was born into a farming family in Bubbio. Pietro worked as a farmhand and then at the winery in Canelli during his adolescent years, and in the 1930s, after working for a period in Abyssinia, he returned to Calamandrana determined to invest in the estate and production of wine. Peitro, along with his brother Felice, tilled the lands, breaking the soil by hand to replant the vineyards, and had a sense that wine was the future of the Piedmont hills.

Michele Chiarlo, Pietro's first son, was born in 1935, and he attended a winemaking school in Alba and his classmates were the future protagonists of Italian winemaking: Renato Ratti, Ezio Rivella, Franco Ziliani, Giuliano Noè, and Giacomo Tachis. In 1956, Michele Chiarlo started his adventure as a producer of wine and understood that quality wine in the Piedmont hills began with the choice of vineyards in the most suitable areas. The first cru of Barolo bottled under his name dates back to 1958.

Through the 1960s, Michele expanded the market boundaries for wine, and was among the first producers in Piedmont to believe in the success of Italian wines abroad. He consolidated his success by building a larger, more functional winery in Calamandrana, and began purchasing select vineyards in important positions in Langhe, Monferrato, and the area of Gavi. As a founding member across a number of organizations, including Istituto Grandi Marchi and Accademia del Barolo, the family wine business of Michele Chiarlo is now run by Michele and his two sons Stefano and Alberto Chiarlo. Together, they have an international outlook with great attention to the details at home, including the maniacal care of the vineyards, vinification while respecting the terroirs and vines, and artisanship of the processes. Situated in Calamandrana, Michele Chiarlo is one of the most important oenological realities in Piedmont.

This Barolo is crafted with 100% Nebbiolo grown on calcareous marl clay soils of sedimentary marine origin from the Tortonian period of 9 million years ago. The soil is also composed of 12% active limestone and a basic pH, with a significant presence of micro-elements, specifically magnesium and manganese. The vineyards have southeast and southwest exposure to the sun. After manually harvesting the grapes, it was vinified in steel tanks and underwent 17 to 18 days of skin maceration, with a soft "shower" system of wetting the cap at a temperature between 32°C and 27°C. It was aged for a minimum of 3 years, with the first 24 months spent in average-sized oak casks, followed by refinement in bottle.

According to winemaker Stefano Chiarlo, the 2017 was characterized by a long summer with very little rainfall. In the vineyard, they adopted agronomic practices that allowed them to keep the soil moist and preserve the freshness of the grapes. Some of these practices include doing extraordinary work on the soil to oxygenate the roots, not eliminating excess leaves to prevent sunlight from directly hitting the bunches and avoiding sunburn, while also delaying leaf thinning operations in order not to risk damaging the fruit. To maintain elegance, freshness, and avoid excessive alcohol content, harvest was brought forward by about ten days compared to normal. Chiarlo thinks that 2017 can be compared to vintages such as 2007 or 2011 in terms of climate and organoleptic characteristics. Let's see how this 2017 Barolo is tasting tonight...

Tasting Note:

MICHELE CHIARLO TORTONIANO BAROLO 2017 - DOCG, Piedmont, Italy (#586388) (XD) - $44.95
100% Nebbiolo. Intensely fragrant with lovely, complex aromas of new leather, earth, red cherry-berry, fine wood spices, juniper berry, and cedar, with touches of rose floral, orange, and barnyard. On the medium-full to full-bodied, structured, slightly creamy palate it is quite approachable right now with red cherry, wild berry, forest floor, wet earth, and savoury wood spice flavours with a touch of orange. Acids are juicy and well-balanced. The structured tannins have some chalky grip, but are accessible now. Forest floor, cherry, and wild berry notes linger on the very long, savoury finish. Enjoyable now and should drink well to the end of the decade. Highly recommended buy! Score: 92 pts

Many other lovely wines by Michele Chiarlo are available at the LCBO and through their Agent - Univins & Spiritueux.

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Stags' Leap Winery Petite Sirah 2018 (Napa Valley) - Wine Review

Tonight's red wine review is an excellent Petite Sirah, a distinct variety not to be confused with Syrah, from Napa Valley that arrived at the LCBO last weekend as part of the January 7th LCBO VINTAGES Release.

Established in 1893, Stags' Leap Winery is one of California's oldest wine estates. Their 240-acre property is situated on the watershed of the Stags Leap Palisades, nine miles north of the city of Napa, and is planted to 90 acres of vineyards. Situated in an intimate valley within the greater Napa Valley, they have a unique terroir and ideal microclimate which supports a classical standard of viticulture, land use, and winemaking. Their goal is to convey the essence of their world-class terroir from grape to glass, and to create handcrafted wines that tell an authentic story of the land on which they are grown.

The Stags' Leap name originated in the late 1880s with the founding Chase family, and is attributed to a native Wappo legend of a stag leaping to escape hunters. The mountains behind the property on the eastern side came to be known as the Stags Leap Palisades.

The Stags Leap Palisades are a rock outcropping that forms the eastern boundary of the estate and sheds debris in the form of volcanic rhyolite and tuff, which is carried to the valley floor where it mingles with the deeper subsoil made up of Bale loam formed from ancient river sediment. Topographically, the slope of the palisades and its small valley are oriented to block early morning sun, retain afternoon heat, and funnel cooler marine air coming from the San Pablo Bay to the south. The sheer volume of rock has a direct impact on the local climate of the estate as the rock face of the palisades gives off stored warmth after sunset, radiating down over the entire ranch. Moreover, the high incidence of rock in the soil holds the heat of the sun into the early twilight hours, and then loses it rapidly, effectively slowing and prolonging the ripening process. With Napa Valley's long growing season combined with the accentuated warmth and cooling of the Stags Leap District, the result is an ideal balance of acid and sugar in the fruit that also gives the grapes more time to mature and develop.

This Petite Sirah is actually a blend that includes small amounts of Syrah, Grenache, and other Rhône varieties. The grapes that make up the backbone of this wine come from the estate's vineyards which have deep, rocky soils, while other carefully selected fruit also comes from Calistoga and St. Helena in the north, and Oakville, Oak Knoll and Coombsville in the south, as well as from their own Stags Leap District. Petite Sirah is a varietal that is enhanced by the deliberate diversity of their vineyard sites.

It was vinified by Winemaker Christophe Paubert using the same, time-honoured techniques - simple and traditional - that have made Petite Sirah one of the winery's staples, thereby showing the uniqueness of the Petite Sirah fruit. It underwent a relatively short maceration and fermentation, and was aged for approximately 15 months in mostly used American oak barrels.

The 2018 growing season in Napa Valley was stunning and near-perfect with good winter rains, mild spring weather, and steady temperatures throughout that allowed for even flowering and bud break. These ideal growing conditions were followed by a cool, even, and slow-paced harvest, which allowed Stags' Leap to vinify wines at a gentle pace. The result is that the wines of 2018 are of very high quality with lower alcohol, concentrated flavours, colour, and excellent acidity. Let's see how this 2018 Petite Sirah from Napa Valley is tasting tonight...

Tasting Note:

STAGS' LEAP WINERY PETITE SIRAH 2018 - Napa Valley, California, USA (#590356) (XD) - $60.95
Primarily Petite Sirah with a small amount of Syrah, Grenache, and other Rhône varieties completing the blend. Elegantly perfumed aromas of black and blue berry, dark plum, peppery spice, and cocoa, with some wood spice and reductive notes rise out of the glass. It's full-bodied and well-structured on the palate with juicy, ripe black and blue fruit, pepper, spices, and cocoa flavours with touches of smoky mineral and black raspberry adding further complexity. Acids are fresh, vibrant, and juicy, while the firm tannins are structured and grainy. Nicely balanced throughout with savoury, smoky mineral, and cocoa notes lingering on the very long finish. Enjoyable now, but will be better in a few years. Drink over the next 15 years. Highly recommended buy! Score: 93 pts

Other excellent wines by Stags' Leap Winery are available at the LCBO and through their Agent - Mark Anthony Wine & Spirits.

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Trapiche Medalla Cabernet Sauvignon 2019 (Argentina) - Wine Review

I enjoyed the lovely 2018 Trapiche Medalla Malbec last year, and for tonight's wine review I uncorked it's companion wine - a Cabernet Sauvignon - that arrived at the LCBO last weekend as part of the January 7 LCBO VINTAGES Release.

It is produced by Trapiche Winery, Argentina's largest producer of wine. Established in 1883, Trapiche has grown to become one of Argentina's most internationally recognized brands. With a long history in exploration, Trapiche is also one of the wine industry's leading innovators while pioneering new sites, partnering with premium grape growers, and developing a new generation of talented winemakers. Some of Trapiche's pioneering efforts include being among the first in Argentina to work with Bordeaux varieties such as Cabernet Sauvignon, using French oak barrels, exploring micro-terroirs, and developing modern winemaking techniques.

Today, Trapiche owns more than 1,000 hectares of vineyards across Mendoza's Primera Zone and Uco Valley, as well as having longstanding partnerships with some of the province's revered grape growers. With a relentless determination to achieve the highest standards in the world of winemaking, Trapiche has received global recognition from publications such as Wine Enthusiast and Drinks International and won awards such as "The New World Winery of the Year" and "50 Most Admired Wine Brands".

Like the Malbec, this wine is part of Trapiche's Medalla collection of wines that was created in 1983 to celebrate the company's 100th anniversary. Each wine in the Medalla range is crafted using grapes from Mendoza's Primera Zona, the province's premium winemaking area, and predominantly old vineyards that have for decades produced the most prestigious Argentine wines. Medalla wines are 100% single varietal wines crafted with a nod to Old World style and sophistication. This particular wine is crafted with 100% Cabernet Sauvignon that was sourced from their vineyards in Luján de Cuyo. It was aged for 18 months in new French oak barrels.

The 2019 vintage in Argentina was excellent, with some winemakers calling it their best vintage of the decade. The hot, dry summer, particularly in Mendoza, was bookended by a cold winter, and cool spring and autumn, which slowed down ripening times (and moderating alcohol levels along with it), and brought harvest times in line with the average. Because of the cooler climate, yields were slightly lower than normal, but also resulted in highly concentrated wines with great colour and acidity. Let's see how this Cabernet Sauvignon from Argentina is tasting tonight...

Tasting Note:

TRAPICHE MEDALLA CABERNET SAUVIGNON 2019 - Mendoza, Argentina (#568865) (XD) - $19.95
100% Cabernet Sauvignon from Luján de Cuyo, this has fragrant, open, and intense aromatics offering lovely notes of ripe dark black-blue berry, dark currant, black cherry, cassis, plum, fine wood spices, and a touch of herb. It's full-bodied with ripe, chewy tannins and ripe black-blue fruit, currant, plum, and black cherry flavours balanced with savoury wood spice and earthy mineral. It has fresh, juicy acidity, while the dusty, fine-grained tannins provide a pleasing, lightly textured mouthfeel. Lovely earthy mineral notes linger on the long, savoury, and well-balanced finish. Highly recommended buy! Score: 90 pts

You can find many other lovely wines by Trapiche at the LCBO or through their Agent - Dandurand.

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