Lungarotti San Giorgio 2018 (Umbria) - Wine Review

After enjoying the lovely 2016 Lungarotti San Giorgio from Umbria nearly three years ago, tonight's red wine review is the latest vintage of this Super Umbrian red wine that arrived at the LCBO last month as part of the VINTAGES Classics Collection on January 5. It is still available for purchase through VINTAGES Shop Online and also appears to be available at select LCBO outlets within the GTA and Ottawa.

It is produced by Cantine Giorgio Lungarotti, a winery founded in the 1960's in Torgiano, the heart and birthplace of Umbrian wine, in central Italy. Lungarotti is a symbol of Umbrian oenological excellence within the region and Italy. With a story of successes, Lungarotti became a major driving force for new opportunities in the region - with wine as the centrepiece.

Today, the family business is led by Maria Grazia, wife of the pioneering founder and late Giorgio Lungarotti, and their two daughters, Chiara and Teresa. With the third generation of the family, Teresa's son, Francesco, and daughter, Gemma, are also involved in the business. Lungarotti has two estates - one in Torgiano and one in Montefalco, and 250 hectares of vineyards. As a pioneer in modern Italian oenology, Lungarotti is focused on quality wine production and sustainability.

Lungarotti has been practicing sustainable viticulture for many years. They safeguard the land and everything that allows it to bear fruit which, to a great extent, depends on respecting the environment. For Lungarotti, sustainability means not only protecting the environment, but also using energy wisely, and continuously experimenting and applying new techniques and solutions to swiftly adapt to climate change. The choices they make are guided by the desire to obtain the best possible grapes, while respecting the vine, biodiversity of the soil, and the vineyard environment. To achieve this, they have undertaken various projects in both the vineyards and cellars.

This red wine is dedicated to Saint George (a.k.a. San Giorgio). According to an ancient custom that is still practiced today in the countryside of Torgiano, on the eve of the feast of Saint George, on April 23rd, propitiatory bonfires are still lit in the vineyards with cuttings from the winter vine pruning, hoping for a good harvest. The label depicts the preparatory drawing by Raffaello for "Saint George and the Dragon", which is housed at the Louvre in Paris. The wine label also bears the signature of Giorgio Lungarotti who introduced Cabernet Sauvignon to Umbria in the 1960s and was one of the first in Italy to blend it with Sangiovese, creating this "Super Umbrian" whose first vintage dates back
to 1977.

Like the previous vintage, this red wine is crafted with equal parts Cabernet Sauvignon and Sangiovese and harvested separately. The Cabernet Sauvignon was grown on soils with pebbles and a medium mix that leans towards limestone on a tufa subsoil, while the Sangiovese is from a plot within the Monticchio Vineyard which has clay layers alternating with sandy fringes in the lower part of the vineyard. It was fermented in stainless steel, undergoing 25-28 days of maceration on skins. The wine was then aged in barrique for 12 months, followed by at least 1 year in bottle. From what was apparently an unusually good vintage, let's see how this 2018 Super Umbrian is tasting tonight...

Tasting Note:

LUNGAROTTI SAN GIORGIO 2018 - IGT Umbria Rosso, Italy (#62877) (XD) - $62
A 50/50 blend of Cabernet Sauvignon and Sangiovese, this has a medium-high intensity nose that delivers ripe red fruited aromas of currant, wet earth, cassis, brambly, cherry, and cedary oak spices with hints of dried leafy green herbs. It's well-structured on the medium-full bodied palate with lovely red & black fruited notes of currant, cherry, cedar oak spice, clove, cassis, and earthy flavours. It's supported by juicy, balanced acids and smooth, fine grained, and well-knit tannins. Subtle grippiness on the mid-palate, while savoury earthy, spice, and even some mineral notes linger on the finish, with excellent length. Enjoyable now and will drink nicely for at least the next 5+ years. Recommended buy! Score: 91+ pts

Other lovely wines by Lungarotti are available not only at the LCBO, but also through their Agent - Profile Wine Group.

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Segura Viudas Heredad Reserva Brut Cava (Spain) - Wine Review (Feb. 2023)

Tonight's sparkling wine review is a lovely bubbly that I've had the pleasure of tasting on several occasions in the past and recently returned to the LCBO as part of the January 21 LCBO VINTAGES Release.

It is produced by Segura Viudas, an iconic boutique winery located just outside of Barcelona, Spain, in the sunny, ancient wine region of Penedès. They are situated in a beautiful stone manor house whose origins can be traced back to the 11th century, the time of the Iberian Crusades. This stone manor house has assumed many identities over the years such as embattled fortress, farmhouse, flour mill, family residence, and most recently, a boutique winery.

The land initially belonged to the Monastery of Sant Cugat, the most important monastery in the county of Barcelona, until the abbey ceded the land to one, Gerard Alemany. He constructed the first building on the land, originally as a defensive tower and having been through battles, the scars and bullet holes can be seen on the walls today.

New buildings were added in the 12th century to convert the fortress to a working farmhouse with grains and cereals grown on the estate. Grapes were also cultivated on the estate with native vines criss-crossing its steep hills and swampy riverbanks. In 1156, the building itself was referred to as Domus de Reÿm - The House of Grapes.

Fast forwarding to modern history into the mid-20th century, Cava became recognized as a revolution in the world of "Champagne" and grew to become an international reference of sparkling wine in its own right as it was recognized for its quality and diversity. At this time, the farmhouse and estate of Can Esbert de Raïm were bought by the Segura brothers in the 1950s. The Segura brothers invested in new caves and built new wineries with the latest machinery installed. They began producing their own Cava and in 1969 they proudly launched the iconic Segura Viudas Heredad premium Cava.

Today, their philosophy begins with sensitive farming. They study, understand, and promote biodiversity of the ecosystem around the Heredad. They also respect and preserve the environment, while also remaining in harmony with it. Segura Viudas is certified sustainable under the Wineries for Climate Protection (WFCP) certification.

This Brut Reserva Heredad Cava is the brand's icon wine and impressively packaged as such with its distinctive pewter badge and base. It is crafted with 75% Macabeo and 25% Chardonnay grapes which were handpicked from old vine vineyards and transported to the winery in self-draining plastic boxes to prevent grape damage which could lead to oxidized juice and loss of freshness. The first fermentation takes place in stainless steel tanks at a controlled low temperature to retain the primary aromas of the grapes. The final blend is composed of nine different wines, each one vinified separately, and the magic of this blend is in ensuring that each wine lends its own touch of character to the whole. As Macabeo is the dominant grape in this wine, it contributes acidity, freshness, and allows the wine to age well during the 24 months (or more) that it will be in contact with the lees. Both the first and the second fermentations were carried out using their own selected yeast strains. Before disgorgement, each bottle is given a last sharp shake, or twist of the wrist, known as a "poignettage", which lifts the yeast cells from the side of the bottle and mixes them once more with the wine, thus intensifying the element of autolysis. Riddling (or turning) of all the bottles are done by hand and in pupitres, and a dosage of 9 g/L sugar is added to optimize the wine's versatility.

Having enjoying this sparkling wine previously, let's see how the latest edition of this Cava from Spain is tasting tonight...

Tasting Note:

SEGURA VIUDAS HEREDAD RESERVA BRUT CAVA - Traditional method, DO, Spain (#558825) (D) - $39.95
Crafted with 75% Macabeo and 25% Chardonnay, the medium+ to medium-high intensity nose offers pretty biscuit, lemon, white floral, pear, and leesy aromas. It has good weight on the crisp, medium-full bodied palate with flavours of lemon citrus, pear, biscuit, floral, and leesy replays with just a pinch of pleasant sweetness. It has crisp, refreshing acidity and fine, persistent bubbles. Long and succulent on the crisp finish with leesy mineral, floral, and lemony notes. Delicious and will keep you coming back for another sip. Highly recommended buy! Score: 91 pts

Other lovely Cava sparkling wines by Segura Viudas are available at the LCBO and through their Agent - Mark Anthony Wine & Spirits.

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Dam Chardonnay 2020 (Niagara) - Wine Review

Tonight's white wine review is a lovely Chardonnay from Niagara that was quietly released last fall without much of the usual fanfare, and I had the pleasure of tasting last night in a virtual tasting with one of the partners at 80x Wine Company, André Proulx.

It is produced by 80x Wine Company, a virtual winery that started as an idea in 2015 when Vadim Chelekhov and André had a conversation at a wine gala in Niagara and asked each other "Wouldn't it be great if we made some wine together?"

André is a wine writer based in Ontario and not only believes you are what you drink, but also that it is important to understand what it takes to go from vineyard to bottle. Vadim wanted an outlet to explore some more experimental winemaking, while Guillaume Frénéhard studied the wine business in France and assured André and Vadim that he could help them sell their wine. Since all of the partners in this project were born in the 80s, they named the business 80x Wine Company.

In 2019, Adam Kern joined the team as dedicated winemaker, bringing with him years of experience being trained as a somm and working at some of Ontario's best wineries. As a virtual winery, 80x Wine Company purchases grapes from selected vineyards across the Niagara Peninsula and vinify their wines at Rockway Vineyards in St. Catharines, Ontario. Together, they believe that great wine is the result of passion, insanity, and friendship.

This Chardonnay gets its name after a contentious discussion within the company on what wine they were going to make next - their first wine was a Gamay, which I recall tasting several years ago, and was followed by Pinot Noir. The conversation ended with one of the partners saying "Fine, You can have your damned Chardonnay".

It is crafted with fruit from vines planted in 1983 at the famed Erv and Esther Willms Vineyard within the Four Mile Creek sub-appellation in Niagara-on-the-Lake. The 80x team didn't hesitate to purchase the Willms fruit when presented with the opportunity as they knew quality wines were produced by other well-known Niagara wine producers using fruit from this vineyard in the past.

The growing season in 2020 in Niagara was exceptional, in spite of a challenging year for humanity. Conditions were near perfect and favoured both white and red varieties. Grapes reached phenolic ripeness while retaining the all-important acidity. Days were warm, but nights were cool, allowing the grapes to rest and retain its acidity. The high diurnal temperature range between warm days and cool nights is almost unheard of in Niagara and helped greatly in achieving high quality wines across the board.

Harvest day was one of the highlights of 2020 for 80x Wine Company. It was an opportunity to get a small team of close friends to help them pick the fruit from the vineyards that looked like they had been photoshopped by mother nature. It was vinified by slow fermentation over several months in 2nd and 4th fill puncheons with indigenous yeast, with winemaker Adam keeping a close eye on it. In January 2021, they were forced to cover their puncheons with blankets to raise the temperature and feel that their patience was rewarded.

Only 99 cases and 16 magnums were produced and it is currently available for purchase direct through 80x Wine Company, on-site at Rockway Vineyards, and at select bottle shops in Ontario. Let's see how this 2020 Niagara Chardonnay is tasting tonight...

Tasting Note:

DAM CHARDONNAY 2020 - VQA Four Mile Creek, Niagara-on-the-Lake, Ontario, Canada (XD) - $30
Elegant, medium-high intensity aromatics are a little musty, revealing golden apple, lemon citrus, butter and lactic aromas with a hint of vanilla spice. On the dry, creamy, medium+ bodied, and nicely textured, palate it offers delicious ripe golden apple, pear, lemon citrus, and buttery flavours with a hints of spice, peach, and honey. It's all supported by fresh, mouth-watering acidity. Citrus and apple notes are joined by touches of spice and earthy minerals on the finish, with very good length. This is indeed a Dam good Chardonnay and a recommended buy! Score: 89 pts

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February 4, 2023 LCBO VINTAGES Release Wine Picks: Southern Hemisphere

Here are my top wine picks from the February 4 LCBO VINTAGES Release, where the theme of the release focuses on five wine regions in the Southern Hemisphere. It's a pretty good release with many fine options, although the number of sub-$20 wines continues to dwindle.

We begin in the Southern Hemisphere where five well-known wine producing countries are featured. In total there are a combined 21 wines listed between Australia, New Zealand, Argentina, Chile, and South Africa, and seven are included among my top wine picks. Argentina has three recommendations with a pair of lovely Malbec wines, as well as a Chardonnay. From Chile there is a Cabernet Sauvignon, and from South Africa there is a Merlot and a perennial favourite - Chenin Blanc. Lastly, there is a consistently well-made Chardonnay from Australia.

Among my top red wine picks from the rest of the release, there are quite a few blends. We start at home in Ontario where the wine from Niagara is crafted with Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Malbec, Cabernet Franc, and Petit Verdot. Staying with Bordeaux varieties but moving to its namesake region, the Saint-Émilion Grand Cru consists of mostly Cabernet Franc and Merlot, with a touch of Cabernet Sauvignon completing the blend, while the Fronsac is a blend of 85% Merlot, 10% Cabernet Franc, and 5% Malbec. Moving to Tuscany, the Riserva Chianti Classico is a blend of 95% Sangiovese, 3% Canaiolo, and 2% Colorino, while the Annata Chianti Classico is 100% Sangiovese. Also from Italy, the wine from Sardinia is made with Cannonau (a.k.a. Grenache or Garnacha), while the Etna Rosso is crafted with 85% Nerello Mascalese and 15% Nerello Cappuccio from grown on volcanic soils.

The only blend among my white wine recommendations from the rest of the release is from Bordeaux it is composed of 80% Sauvignon Blanc and 20% Sémillon. Other white wines include a consistently well-made Verdicchio from Marche, and a lovely Chardonnay from Burgundy. For sweet wine lovers, look to the Riesling Kabinett from Mosel.

There are also a couple of lovely pink wines worth your attention. The Crémant sparkling wine is a blend of 75% Pinot Noir, 15% Chardonnay, and 10% Gamay, while the dry pink table wine is composed of 47% Cinsault, 42% Grenache Noir, 6.5% Grenache Blanc, and 4.5% Clairette.

Enjoy my wine recommendations from this release! Cheers!

Red Wine:

• GLENELLY GLASS COLLECTION MERLOT 2018 - WO Stellenbosch, South Africa (#26669) (XD) - $16.95
• FINCA LALANDE ORGANIC MALBEC 2020 - Vegan, Tupungato, Valle de Uco, Mendoza, Argentina (#28082) (XD) - $17.95
• JERZU MARGHIA CANNONAU DI SARDEGNA 2020 - DOC, Sardinia, Italy (#508630) (XD) - $18.95
• LORNANO CHIANTI CLASSICO 2017 - DOCG, Tuscany, Italy (#211599) (XD) - $20.95  90 pts  wine review
• PÉREZ CRUZ LIMITED EDITION CABERNET SAUVIGNON 2020 - Valle del Maipo, Chile (#431015) (XD) - $21.95  89 pts  wine review
• NICOSIA LENZA DI MUNTI 2018 - Sustainable, DOC Etna Rosso, Sicily, Italy (#28129) (XD) - $23.95
• CREEKSIDE LAURA'S RED 2018 - VQA Niagara Peninsula, Ontario, Canada (#117960) (XD) - $25.00  89 pts  wine review
• EL ESTECO 1946 OLD VINES MALBEC 2021 - Valles Calchaquíes, Argentina (#19391) (XD) - $25.95  90+ pts  wine review
• CHÂTEAU DU GAZIN 2018 - AP Canon Fronsac, Bordeaux, France (#26303) (XD) - $25.95
• CHÂTEAU BELLEVUE FIGEAC 2018 - AC Saint-Émilion Grand Cru, Bordeaux, France (#496661) (XD) - $29.95
• DIEVOLE NOVECENTO RISERVA CHIANTI CLASSICO 2018 - DOCG, Tuscany, Italy (#213926) (XD) - $45.95  92 pts  wine review

White Wine:

• CHÂTEAU LES TOURELLES 2021 - AC, Bordeaux, France (#28717) (XD) - $15.95
• WAKEFIELD ESTATE LABEL CHARDONNAY 2021 - Padthaway/Clare Valley, South Australia (#711556) (XD) - $17.95  89 pts  wine review
  
• KEN FORRESTER OLD VINE RESERVE CHENIN BLANC 2021 - WO Stellenbosch, South Africa (#231282) (XD) - $18.95
• VIÑA COBOS FELINO CHARDONNAY 2021 - Unfined and unfiltered, Mendoza, Argentina (#119099) (XD) - $19.95
• CASAL DI SERRA VERDICCHIO DEI CASTELLI DI JESI CLASSICO SUPERIORE 2020 - DOCG, Marche, Italy (#268169) (XD) - $19.95  89 pts  wine review
• ANDRÉ GOICHOT MÂCON-VILLAGES 2019 - AC, Burgundy, France (#26439) (XD) - $22.95
• SELBACH TRADITION FEINHERB RIESLING KABINETT 2020 - Prädikatswein, Mosel, Germany (#21031) (M) - $24.95  90 pts  wine review

Rosé Wine:

• BONNY DOON VINEYARD VIN GRIS DE CIGARE 2021 - Central Coast, California, USA (#19526) (XD) - $19.95

Sparkling Wine:

• HENRI CHAMPLIAU BRUT ROSÉ CRÉMANT DE BOURGOGNE - Traditional method, AC, Burgundy, France (#20945) (XD) - $25.95  91 pts  wine review

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Wakefield Pinot Noir 2021 (Australia) - Wine Review

Tonight's red wine review is the latest vintage of a lovely Pinot Noir from Australia that arrived at the LCBO as part of the recent January 21st LCBO VINTAGES Release.

It is produced by Wakefield Wines, a family wine business established in 1969 by Bill Taylor Sr. and his two sons, Bill and John, by the Wakefield River in South Australia's Clare Valley. They planted their first vineyards at that time and their desire was to create authentic, estate-grown wines where the vineyards and winery both reside at the same location. The Taylor family was inspired by the great producers of Bordeaux and the approach of having ultimate control over the vineyards, winery, and even bottling of the wines appealed to the them.

These days, the wines are still crafted and bottled at the estate, but the grapes aren't necessarily grown there. This is mainly due to the popularity of Wakefield Wines - they need more fruit to satisfy demand, but also fruit from other areas can be of higher quality, as is the case for Sauvignon Blanc and Pinot Noir. With the Taylor family's continued commitment, they have earned an enviable reputation of consistently crafting quality wines that have contributed to their success, including winning many awards around the globe for almost half a century.

While the 2018 Wakefield Pinot Noir that I enjoyed a couple of years ago was crafted with grapes exclusively from Adelaide Hills, this particular vintage is regionally labelled as from South Australia, with grapes primarily coming from Adelaide Hills and possibly a small amount from Riverland or Clare Valley. It was matured for 9 months in a combination of 1 and 2 year old French oak hogshead barrels prior to bottling and enclosed by screw cap.

To help wine lovers enjoy Wakefield Wines, the Taylor family has added an innovative Optimum Drinking Temperature sensor on the back label that will tell you when the wine is ready to enjoy. All Estate range wines have this temperature sensor and it is calibrated to each varietal and wine. To use the sensor, simply touch the round temperature sensor and compare its colour to the chart located to its left. If the colour of the sensor falls between the optimum temperature indicated in the chart, then the wine is ready to drink. Let's see how this 2021 Australian Pinot Noir is tasting tonight...

Tasting Note:

WAKEFIELD PINOT NOIR 2021 - South Australia (#197392) (XD) - $19.95
Screw cap. The rich, medium-high intensity nose offers perfumed aromas of raspberry and black cherry nuanced with lovely black tea leaf, spices, beet root, and forest floor adding intrigue. On the light-to-mid weighted palate it is dry and fruity with ripe raspberry, black cherry, spices, tea leaf, and wild herb flavours. It has fresh, juicy acidity and sweet, ripe, supple and lightly textured tannins. Raspberry, tea leaf, and touches of cedary wood notes linger on the finish, with very good length. Highly recommended buy! Score: 89 pts

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

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Powers Cabernet Sauvignon 2018 (Washington) - Wine Review

Tonight's red wine review is a lovely Cabernet Sauvignon from the Columbia Valley in Washington State that arrived at the LCBO last weekend as part of the January 21st LCBO VINTAGES Release.

Powers Winery was founded by the legendary Bill Powers, a man who was drawn from Oklahoma to the Columbia Valley in the 1950's. After years of farming multiple crops, Bill and his son, Greg, planted their estate Badger Mountain Vineyard in 1982 and soon after they went organic. In 1990, their Badger Mountain estate was the first certified organic vineyard in Washington.

Since the release of their first wines in 1992, Powers Winery has remained committed to crafting concentrated, structured, and age-worthy wines, while also practicing and innovating environmental, community, and fiscal sustainability. Bill Powers passed away in 2014, but he was highly respected for his progressive techniques and farming expertise. He was honoured by his colleagues many times over the years and was considered a Washington wine industry pioneer.

Today, Bill's legacy lives on through his son, Greg Powers, Director of Winemaking. They have a dynamic winemaking team and long-time grower partnerships that allows Powers Winery to continue to showcase Washington State's diverse micro-climates and distinctive vineyards. All Powers wines reflect a devotion, experience, and integrity that result in products worthy to carry the family name.

Their comprehensive approach to sustainability comes from a long-held belief that they are responsible not only to the land from which the fruit comes, but also to their employees, grower partners, and to the larger communities in which they operate. Powers Winery believes that stewardship in the vineyard, the winery, and the community is rewarded with better wines, but more importantly they believe it is simply the right thing to do. By utilizing both tradition and technology, they are able to produce compelling wines with a sustainable approach. Their continued approach to reduce their carbon footprint led to the installation of solar panels and giving back to the grid in 2011, making their own bio-diesel by sourcing recycled cooking oil from local restaurants, and switching to lighter weight glass for their wines.

This red wine actually a blend of 97% Cabernet Sauvignon, 2% Carménère, and 1% Merlot which was sourced from seven vineyards across the Columbia Valley. I love the transparency that Powers Winery lists exactly where the grapes were sourced from. The Cabernet Sauvignon in this wine was grown in five different vineyards - Goose Ridge Vineyard (36%) in Columbia Valley, Champoux Vineyard (28%) in Horse Heaven Hills, Rivercrest Vineyard (25%) in Columbia Valley, Ravenscliff Vineyard (5%) in Wahluke Slope, and Kiona Vineyard (3%) in Red Mountain. With all of these great vineyard sites to choose from, Powers was able to have the lots harvested from late-September into early-November and blend the perfectly ripe and balanced fruit with great acidity and tannin structure into a very complex, yet approachable Cabernet. It was fermented using PDM yeast in a combination of pump-under method and in upright stainless steel tanks. It was aged in mostly used French oak barrels for 22 months, with 50% in third-use and 38% in second-use barrels. Let's see how this Cabernet Sauvignon from Washington is tasting tonight...

Tasting Note:

POWERS CABERNET SAUVIGNON 2018 - Columbia Valley, Washington, USA (#434456) (XD) - $19.95
Screw cap. This blend of 97% Cabernet Sauvignon, 2% Carménère, and 1% Merlot has a medium-high intensity nose that delivers complex sage, herbal, and minty freshness aromas layered over dark currant, blackberry, black raspberry, savoury wet earth, and subtle plum and oak spices. On the medium to medium-full bodied, dry palate it has delicious ripe dark berry, blackberry, black currant, raspberry, spices, savoury earth, and chocolate flavours that are supported by juicy, well-balanced acidity and smooth, fine-grained, and lightly grippy tannins. Blackberry, savoury earth, mineral, and chocolate notes linger on the finish, with very good length. A delicious, recommended buy! Score: 89 pts

Other lovely wines by Powers Winery can be ordered through their Agent - Rare Earth Wines.

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Domaine Yvon & Laurent Vocoret Petit Chablis 2020 (Burgundy) - Wine Review

Tonight's white wine review is a lovely Chardonnay from Burgundy that newly landed at the LCBO as part of last weekend's LCBO VINTAGES Release on January 21.

It is produced by Domaine Yvon & Laurent Vocoret, a small family-owned estate whose history inscribed in vine cultivation and winemaking dating back to 1713. It all began in the early 18th century with Jean Vocoret, whose winemaking soul no doubt guided him to pass down his wisdom, his fruits, his passion, and the nobility of winemaking to his descendants,

The Domaine's more recent history of winemaking in Chablis begins with Victor Hyppolite Vocoret, the great, great grandfather of Yvon Vocoret. Born in 1863, Victor had a few acres of vineyards and some leaflets in the cellar. Henri Vocoret, born in 1895, and alongside his wife Louise were the grandparents of Yvon and they managed to make the land prosper with the help of their horses, and were very proud to produce excellent wine.

The fourth generation of the family to own the estate were Yvon's parents, Maurice (1928-1997) and Huguette (1933), who carefully reflected upon the art of winemaking and invested in high performance equipment for the cellar. Maurice and Huguette knew how to anticipate and plan so that the quality of their wines would be recognized.

Today, the Domaine is led by Yvon, the 5th generation of the family, and his son, Yvon, the 6th generation, together with Huguette, as they uphold the family motto - quality, dignity, and respect - and continue to write the story of a humble, but determined family of winegrowers who craft wines that bring pleasure. Since 1974, the Vocoret family has been farming the vineyards organically to respect and protect their vines and soils, as well as the environment. They have also been using organic soil materials which forces the soil to do its own work in order to transform the organic materials to minerals, so that the vine can feed itself and grow fruit in a natural, sustainable way and guarantee a quality vintage, year after year. The wines of Domaine Yvon & Laurent Vocoret represent the essence of their exceptional terroir.

This Petit Chablis is crafted with 100% Chardonnay that was sourced from various plots covering 4 hectares of land throughout the appellation of Petit Chablis. The vines average 30 years of age and were planted on Portlandian Barrois clay-limestone and limestone marl soils which also feature red pebbles and a reddish-brown colour. Each plot of grapes were harvested at maturity and either manually or mechanically. It underwent a light static settling to retain the fine lees so that the alcoholic and malolactic fermentations can take place naturally. And finally, each plot was aged for approximately 9 months in stainless steel vats to preserve its fresh characteristics and allow plot to express itself prior to creating the final blend.

The 2020 growing season was warm and dry, yielding grapes with exceptional freshness and purity. The white wines of Burgundy classically styled, balanced, and consistently of a very high quality. As the 2020 vintage is such a fine vintage across the board, let's see how this 2020 Petit Chablis is tasting tonight...

Tasting Note:

DOMAINE YVON & LAURENT VOCORET PETIT CHABLIS 2020 - AC, Burgundy, France (#26446) (XD) - $27.95
This lovely Chardonnay has an elegant, medium-high intensity nose offering a lovely mix of ripe lemon, citrus, mineral oil, nutty, lactic, green apple, and white peach aromas. It is impressively weighted and quite structured on the medium-full bodied palate with lactic, mineral, lemon citrus, and green apple flavours supported by juicy, well-balanced acidity. Lemon citrus, apple, and white peach taper to leesy mineral notes on the long, crisp finish. Enjoyable now, but will be even better in a year or two. Highly recommended buy! Score: 91 pts

There is a Chablis 1er Cru available at the LCBO, while other lovely wines from their portfolio can be ordered through their Agent - DBINO David Beauroy Selections.

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