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  • Date publishedFriday, June 2, 2023

Domaine Boussard Chablis 2020 (Burgundy) - Wine Review

white wine review is this beautiful Chardonnay from Chablis that is brand new to the LCBO, arriving in stores across Ontario as part of last weekend's LCBO VINTAGES New Release Collection.

It is produced by Domaine Boussard, an independent winegrower and family estate that planted their first vineyards in AOP Bourgogne in 1992. The Domaine was founded in the heart of Burgundy by Olivier Boussard, a man who comes from a family that has been farming for 5 generations, and his wife Isabelle. Domaine Boussard is located in Nitry, about 17 km southeast of Chablis, between Auxerre and Avallon, in a rustic setting in which the cellar is installed in an old farmhouse. Olivier makes his own wines with Chardonnay and Pinot Noir at the estate using traditional methods.

Olivier's knowledge and passion for the terroir and profession as a winegrower enabled him to grow and expand his range of wines. Today, the husband and wife team, along with their daughter Margot, have 32 hectares of vineyards located in the municipalities of Beines and Venoy, on the edge of Chablis. Their philosophy can be summed up as: Quality, respect for the environment, and hospitality. They aim to find the right balance between plant and terroir, and as such, their vineyards are farmed under the principles of sustainable viticulture as they have obtained the "HVE3" Environmental Value Certification. Their approach consists of enhancing the soil and vine in its natural environment by using plant and mineral materials that take into account natural resources, protect the territory, reduce pollution, and contribute to the balance of the land.

Continuing the fine run of vintages in Chablis, the 2020 vintage can be described as a "classic" across the famed region. Although 2020 was a very early vintage, it was not a particularly hot one and avoided dramatic heat spikes. The growing season began with an unusually mild winter that transitioned into a balmy spring. There were some bouts of frost that stuck, but the consistent warm weather prevailed and led to an unnaturally warm April which prompted both an early budburst and flowering. A hot, dry summer eventually arrived, and although the conditions became somewhat arid, the cleansing winds breezed through the vineyards to help keep the vines free from disease. The fast-growing season led to an early harvest with white grapes being both aromatic and fresh. Let's see how this 2020 Chablis from Burgundy is tasting tonight...

Domaine Boussard Chablis 2020 (92 pts)

Tasting Note:

DOMAINE BOUSSARD CHABLIS 2020 - AP, Burgundy, France (#29709) (XD) - $39.95
100% Chardonnay. Fresh and fragrant, this has a lovely, highly aromatic, clean, and elegant nose of lemon citrus, white floral, and oyster shell minerality with touches of ripe orchard fruit, apple, herbs, and white peach adding complexity. On the medium to medium-full bodied palate it has clean, bracing acidity which lifts the ripe, lightly honeyed flavours of lemon citrus, white floral, mineral, and apple replays. It is finely textured with a gently chalky mouthfeel, while leesy notes join the lemon citrus, apple, floral, and mineral notes on the long, flavourful finish, with excellent length. Perfect for a hot, summer day, and will also pair nicely with seafood, this is a highly recommended buy! Score: 92 pts

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


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  • Date publishedWednesday, May 31, 2023

Alejandro Fernández Dehesa La Granja 2016 (Spain) - Wine Review

red wine review is a lovely Tempranillo from Spain that arrived at the LCBO last weekend as part of the LCBO VINTAGES New Release Collection.

It is produced by Familia Fernández Rivera, a family winery that was established in 1972 when Alejandro Fernández and Esperanza Rivera bought a small, 16th century stone winery, which they called Tinto Pesquera, and began to produce wines from these lands in Ribera del Duero in Spain. With Alejandro Fernández as the head of the company, the wines of Familia Fernández Rivera were gaining recognition and the potential of Ribera del Duero's wines starting to be realized, in 1982 the Designation of Origin Ribera del Duero was created.

During the 1990s, the family business underwent a period of expansion by adding the highly acclaimed Condado de Haza in 1995, adding the three centuries old Dehesa de la Granja in 1998, and building the El Vínculo winery in Campo de Criptana in 1999. From this small, family winery in Ribera del Duero, with hard work and family unity, the group now boasts four bodegas, a hotel, and more than 120 people. In 1985, Robert Parker stated that Familia Fernandez Rivera produces one of the best wines in the world. More recently, the granddaughters of Esperanza and Alejandro took over the reins of the winemaking group in 2019 and represent the third-generation of Familia Fernández Rivera. Together, they continue to adapt to the times and expand the family business.

This particular wine is from their Dehesa La Granja estate which is located in western Spain in the province of Zamora. Twenty-five years ago, Familia Fernández Rivera launched this wine project with a winery built on a sprawling ranch with 250 hectares of vines planted to high-quality Tempranillo. In the Tierra del Vino de Zamora appellation, Familia Fernández Rivera planted these Tempranillo vines which were taken from grafts from the Condado de Haza estate. Today, Dehesa La Granja is considered one of the most beautiful estates in the province and is noted for its 3000 m² underground cave cellar that was built in 1750.

The grapes for this red wine come from vineyards at the Dehesa La Granja in the southwest of the province of Zamora, an area that now covers 800 hectares and is dedicated to both livestock and crops, with 100 hectares planted to vines. The vines average 25 years old and are situated between 700 to 750 metres above sea level on soils which are made up of sediments of sandstone, clay and limestone
puddingstone over which limestone soils have formed with a mix of silt and coarse and fine-grained sandstone. After harvesting and fermentation, the wine was aged for 24 months in American oak barrels.

The 2016 vintage is regarded as an excellent vintage. The growing season began with especially warm and wet weather in January and February, followed by a cold spring and continuous rain until May. This resulted in bud-break around the usual dates, while the shoots grew quickly due to abundant rainfall. Summer temperatures were usual for the season, but the weather was very dry from June to August, limiting the growth of the berries. However, due to the rainfall in spring, the vines produced numerous bunches. In September, a late heatwave occurred, along with rain and cooler temperatures to help slow the ripening process and even out ripening during this period. With perfect timing of autumn rainfall and very good diurnal temperatures between hot days and cool nights during ripening, the 2016 harvest produced grapes of great health and excellent quality. Let's see how this 2016 Tempranillo from Spain is tasting tonight...

Alejandro Fernández Dehesa La Granja 2016 (91 pts)

Tasting Note:

ALEJANDRO FERNÁNDEZ DEHESA LA GRANJA 2016 - Vino de la Tierra de Castilla y León, Spain (#192476) (XD) - $23.95
Crafted with 100% Tempranillo and aged for 24 months in American oak barrels, this has a fragrant, medium-high intensity nose offering ripe and stewed blackberry, black cherry, fine wood spices, coconut, vanilla spice, and licorice aromas with a hint of black plum. Maturing nicely, it has lovely, lightly dried black cherry, blackberry, baking spices, earthy wood, coconut, and vanilla spice flavours on the well-structured, medium-full bodied frame that is supported by juicy, well-balanced acidity. Chewy on the mid-palate with chalky, drying, dusty textured tannins, while savoury wood, earthy, and coconut notes linger on the long, flavourful finish. Highly recommended buy! Score: 91 pts

Other lovely wines from the Familia Fernández Rivera portfolio can be ordered through their Agent - Noble Estates Wines & Spirits.


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  • Date publishedSunday, May 28, 2023

Louis Pommery Brut Rosé Sparkling (California) - Wine Review

sparkling wine review is this excellent brut rosé sparkling wine from California. It's brand new to the LCBO, arrived in stores across Ontario this weekend as part of the feature on rosé wines in the LCBO VINTAGES New Release Collection.

With a rich legacy in France, the historic Champagne Pommery wanted to grow further and launched Louis Pommery California in 2017. Louis Pommery wines are rooted in tradition and symbolizes the best of sophisticated French winemaking combined with California style and innovation.

The tradition and story of Pommery begins in 1836 when Alexandre Louis Pommery, a retired wool merchant, co-founded his champagne house. Following his death in 1958, the former Jeanne Alexandrine Louise Melin, his widow, took over the operations. Known as Madame Pommery, she had a very clear idea and vision and wanted to produce a different wine while also relocating to different place which combined the optimal conditions for the production of these wines. She began construction of the new site in 1868 in Reims, the unofficial capital of the Champagne winegrowing region, and in 1874 she developed the dry brut Champagne style. Madame Pommery is widely credited for creating the dry champagne style and steering the world's taste in sparkling wine from sweet to dry.

With the great success and popularity of this new, dry style of Champagne across Europe and England, Pommery's focus shifted to the USA. An excellent marketing strategy led to the creation of gigantic 75,000 Litre vat in 1904 at the World's Fair in St. Louis, Missouri. In addition to being both a technical device and an art object, the vat was also a formidable PR tool.

The heirs of the Alexandre Louis and Jeanne Alexandrine Pommery continued the family tradition and acquired land in the legendary Napa Valley and embarked on a journey to produce sparkling wine in the New World. In 2004, after acquiring the famed Champagne Pommery house, Paul-François Vranken resurrected the quest to produce sparkling wines with a distinct identity from the very best quality grapes. Napa Valley offers a myriad of micro-climates, including vines for cool-climate Chardonnay and Pinot Noir, the ideal grapes to produce fine sparkling wine. The region also offers an exceptionally large diversity of soils with perfectly drained gravel, silt, poor rocks, volcanic ashes, and quartz, ideal for the creation of sparkling wines.

Louis Pommery traditional method sparkling wines are crafted using a revolutionary method by Thierry Gasco, the ninth Pommery cellar master. With a modern and different vision, Thierry spent many years working on developing and implementing a revolutionary new way of encapsulating yeast. This new method results in very clear and pure wines because it is completely free of sediment, while also giving off an exceptional range of aromas and taste. Let's see how this brut rosé sparkling wine from California is tasting tonight...

Louis Pommery Brut Rosé Sparkling (92+ pts)

Tasting Note:

LOUIS POMMERY BRUT ROSÉ SPARKLING - Traditional method, California, USA (#31540) (XD) - $44.95
Crafted in the traditional method with 76% Chardonnay and 24% Pinot Noir, and aged on its lees for 18 months. The fragrant, medium-high to highly aromatic nose offers elegant and pretty aromas of red berry, raspberry, strawberry, cherry, and citrus with a touch of autolytic character. The mid-weighted palate is crisp, dry, and very clean with finesse, delivering lovely, delicate citrusy, red berry, raspberry, grapefruit, strawberry, and white cherry flavours with touches of toast and brioche. It is well-balanced throughout with crisp acidity and fine mousse, leading to a long, crisp, dry, minerally, and toasty finish, with excellent length. Very impressive and a highly recommended buy! Score: 92+ pts

Other lovely wines by Louis Pommery are available at the LCBO and through their Agent - Eurovintage Wines & Spirits.


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  • Date publishedFriday, May 26, 2023

Château Guillou 2020 (Bordeaux) - Wine Review

red wine review is an excellent wine from the Right Bank of Bordeaux that is arriving at the LCBO this weekend (and likely in stores already) as part of the LCBO VINTAGES New Release Collection.

It is produced by Famille Saby, a winegrowing family of oenologists for nine generations with knowledge passed down from father to son since the 18th century. Today, the family business is led by Jean-Bernard Saby, the 8th generation of the family, and his two sons who are the 9th generation - Jean-Christophe and Jean-Philippe. The Saby family are considered specialists of wines from the Right Bank of Bordeaux and own and operate several estates in this historic wine region. One of these estates is Château Guillou and its vineyard which has existed in its current form since 1870. At Château Guillou there are 62 hectares of vines, most of which are planted on a plateau with clay-limestone soils, and hillsides with clayey-silty soils.

I've had the pleasure of enjoying this wine quite a few times over the years, including most recently the 2018 Château Guillou late last year. Like previous vintages, this red wine from Bordeaux is a blend of 80% Merlot and 20% Cabernet Franc. The grapes were grown on the siliceous, sandy, and gravelly soils at Château Guillou in the Montagne-Saint-Emilion appellation. The Château is located in the Libourne sub-region on the right bank of the Dordogne where the wines are usually Merlot-based. The grapes were traditionally hand-picked and sorted on tables. It underwent a cold soak pre-fermentation and foulage, a temperature-controlled fermentation, and malolactic fermentation. The wine was aged in second- and third-use French and American oak barrels.

Despite the challenges during the growing season due to the pandemic, the 2020 vintage is rated as an excellent and legendary vintage. The growing season began well with a frequently wet spring that put the vineyards in a good state leading up to the hot, dry summer. Autumn was blessed with golden sunshine and warm days, along with chilly nights in September which brought the grapes to phenolic ripeness. Although there were some periods of rain, it was the periods of drought that helped concentrate the grapes to deliver rich and intense wines. Overall, yields were slightly smaller than average, but the fruit is, for the most part, healthy and of high quality. Let's see how this 2020 Bordeaux is tasting tonight...

Château Guillou 2020 (92 pts)

Tasting Note:

CHÂTEAU GUILLOU 2020 - AC Montagne-Saint-Émilion, Bordeaux, France (#140483) (XD) - $24.95
This blend of 80% Merlot and 20% Cabernet Franc has a gorgeous, intense, and complex bouquet of crushed dark fruit, currant, blackberry, black cherry, and plum mingling with oak spice, dried herb, and savoury wet earth aromas rising out of the glass, plus hints of floral with time. On the ripe, full-bodied palate it has plummy, dark red cherry, blackberry, and currant flavours balanced with savoury earth, dried herbs, and gentle oak spice notes. It's supported by fresh, juicy acidity and well-structured, medium-firm tannins. Quite balanced throughout with some mineral notes appearing on the long, structured finish, with excellent length. Provides pleasure now, but will improve further with a few years in the cellar. Enjoy to the end of the decade and a highly recommended buy! Score: 92 pts

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


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  • Date publishedThursday, May 25, 2023

May 27, 2023 LCBO VINTAGES Release Wine Picks: Rosé

LCBO Wine Picks: May 27, 2023 VINTAGES New Release Collection
Here's my top wine picks from the May 27 LCBO VINTAGES New Release Collection that focuses on rosé wines - just in time for summer sipping. All of the wines from the theme, plus those from the main release should be on shelves across Ontario by this Saturday.

We begin with the feature on rosé wines, with fourteen wines included as part of the theme and five included among my top rosé wine picks. At the top of this list are a pair of higher-end wines - a sparkling rosé wine from California that is a blend of roughly 76% of Chardonnay and 24% of Pinot Noir, and the dry rosé from Provence that is composed of mainly Grenache and Rolle (aka Vermentino). Dry rosé wines in the sub-$20 range include a pair from France - the Rhône rosé is consistently a blend of Cinsault, Grenache, Mourvèdre, and Syrah, while the IGP Côtes Catalanes is consists of 60% Syrah and 40% Grenache. Lastly, the rosé from Rioja is crafted with 100% Garnacha.

Louis Pommery Brut Rosé Sparkling (92+ pts)

Among my red wine picks, Bordeaux has a strong showing with four recommendations. We start with the 2015 Bordeaux that is composed of 50% Cabernet Sauvignon, 47% Merlot, and 3% Petit Verdot, while the 2019 Bordeaux is a blend of 85% Merlot, 7% Cabernet Sauvignon, 6% Cabernet Franc, 1% Malbec, and 1% Carmenere. Also from Bordeaux, the 2020 Montagne-Saint-Émilion is composed of 80% Merlot and 20% Cabernet Franc, while the 2020 Bordeaux Supérieur is made with 100% Merlot. Other red wines from France includes the Châteauneuf-du-Pape that is mainly Grenache Noir, Syrah, and Mourvèdre, plus small amounts of Cinsault, Counoise, Muscardin, and Vaccarèse, as well as the Languedoc red that is composed of Grenache, Syrah, and Mourvèdre. The last of the blends is the Super Tuscan that consists of 55% Sangiovese and 45% Cabernet Sauvignon, while the Syrah from Niagara is actually a co-fermented blend of 99.4% Syrah and 0.6% Viognier. Some of the single varietal red wines include both wines from Spain that are crafted with Tempranillo (aka Tinto Fino), and the Chianti Classico which is made with Sangiovese.

Château Guillou 2020 (92 pts)Château Clou du Pin Premium 2020 (89 pts)

Tenuta San Guido Le Difese 2020 (92 pts)Creekside Iconoclast Syrah 2020 (91 pts)

Alejandro Fernández Dehesa La Granja 2016 (91 pts)Castelli del Grevepesa Clemente VII Chianti Classico 2019 (89 pts)

White wine recommendations include a couple of relatively rare blends. From Sicily, there is a white wine consisting of 39% Insolia, 33% Grecanico, 19% Catarratto, and 9% Chardonnay, while the cuvée from Croatia is a blend of 70% Posip, 20% Vugava, and 10% Chardonnay. Single varietal wines include a trio of lovely Chardonnays - one each from Burgundy, Niagara, and Chile, as well as a Sauvignon Blanc from New Zealand. Lastly, the Riesling from Alsace will have a kiss of sweetness, but it is essentially a dry Riesling.

Domaine Boussard Chablis 2020 (92 pts)Domaine Queylus Tradition Chardonnay 2019 (90+ pts)

Other top wine picks in this release includes the Sauternes from Bordeaux that consists of 65% Sémillon and 35% Sauvignon Blanc, while the Prosecco is made with 100% Glera.

Brilla! Prosecco (87 pts)

Enjoy my top wine recommendations from this release!

Red Wine:

  • GÉRARD BERTRAND AN 806 CORBIÈRES 2019 - AP, Languedoc, France (#394288) (XD) - $18.95
  • CHÂTEAU CLOU DU PIN PREMIUM 2020 - AC Bordeaux Supérieur, France (#28727) (XD) - $18.95  89 pts  wine review
  • TARAPACÁ GRAN RESERVA CARMENÈRE 2021 - DO Valle del Maipo, Chile (#57513) (XD) - $19.95
  • KIR YIANNI CUVÉE VILLAGES XINOMAVRO 2019 - PDO Naoussa, Greece (#14151) (XD) - $19.95
  • CASTELLI DEL GREVEPESA CLEMENTE VII CHIANTI CLASSICO 2019 - Sustainable, DOCG, Tuscany, Italy (#421388) (XD) - $22.95  89 pts  wine review
  • CELESTE CRIANZA 2019 - Pago del Cielo, DO Ribera del Duero, Spain (#210872) (XD) - $23.95
  • ALEJANDRO FERNÁNDEZ DEHESA LA GRANJA 2016 - Vino de la Tierra de Castilla y León, Spain (#192476) (XD) - $23.95  91 pts  wine review

  • CHÂTEAU GUILLOU 2020 - AC Montagne-Saint-Émilion, Bordeaux, France (#140483) (XD) - $24.95  92 pts  wine review
  • CREEKSIDE ICONOCLAST SYRAH 2020 - VQA St. David's Bench, Niagara-on-the-Lake, Ontario, Canada (#471797) (XD) - $25.00  91 pts  wine review
  • CHÂTEAU LE PUY EMILIEN 2019 - Unfined and unfiltered, AC Côtes de Bordeaux, France (#557660) (XD) - $36.95
  • CHÂTEAU BEAUMONT 2015 - AC Haut-Médoc, Bordeaux, France (#15203) (XD) - $42.95
  • TENUTA SAN GUIDO LE DIFESE 2020 - Castagneto Carducci, IGT Toscana, Italy (#147876) (XD) - $43.95  92 pts  wine review
  • CHÂTEAU MONT-REDON CHÂTEAUNEUF-DU-PAPE 2019 - Sustainable, AC, Rhône, France (#29721) (XD) - $61.95

White Wine:

  • TASCA D'ALMERITA REGALEALI BIANCO 2021 - DOC Sicilia, Italy (#531780) (XD) - $17.95
  • PIERRE SPARR GRANDE RÉSERVE RIESLING 2020 - AC Alsace, France (#959361) (D) - $18.95
  • ARBOLEDA CHARDONNAY 2021 - DO Aconcagua Costa, Chile (#606772) (XD) - $19.95
  • STINA CUVÉE WHITE 2021 - PDO Central and South Dalmatia, Croatia (#32035) (XD) - $21.95
  • PADDY BORTHWICK SAUVIGNON BLANC 2022 - Wairarapa, North Island, New Zealand (#361220) (XD) - $21.95
  • DOMAINE QUEYLUS TRADITION CHARDONNAY 2019 - VQA Lincoln Lakeshore, Niagara Peninsula, Ontario, Canada (#417774) (XD) - $29.95  90+ pts  wine review
  • DOMAINE BOUSSARD CHABLIS 2020 - AP, Burgundy, France (#29709) (XD) - $39.95  92 pts  wine review

Rosé Wine:

  • DOM BRIAL LE POT ROSÉ 2022 - Sustainable, IGP Côtes Catalanes, France (#32074) (XD) - $15.95
  • FAMILLE PERRIN RÉSERVE ROSÉ 2022 - AC Côtes du Rhône, France (#719062) (XD) - $17.95
  • IZADI LARROSA GARNACHA ROSÉ 2022 - DOCa Rioja, Spain (#490961) (XD) - $18.95
  • CAVES D'ESCLANS ROCK ANGEL ROSÉ 2021 - AC Côtes de Provence, France (#491027) (XD) - $49.95

Sparkling Wine:

  • BRILLA! PROSECCO - DOC, Italy (#13836) (D) - $17.95  87 pts  wine review
  • LOUIS POMMERY BRUT ROSÉ SPARKLING - Traditional method, California, USA (#31540) (XD) - $44.95  92+ pts  wine review

Dessert Wine:

  • CHÂTEAU GUIRAUD 2006 - 1er cru, AC Sauternes, Bordeaux, France (#28721) (S) (375 mL) - $53.95


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  • Date publishedMonday, May 22, 2023

Calcu Winemaker's Selection Blend 2018 (Chile) - Wine Review

red wine review is an excellent five-grape blend led by Cabernet Franc that is sustainably crafted from Chile. It arrived at the LCBO earlier this month in the LCBO VINTAGES Cellar Collection (formerly Classics) and is available for purchase directly from VINTAGES Shop Online.

It is produced by Calcu Vineyards, a special and unique project that was established by the Hurtado family in 2003. The Hurtado family has over a century's worth of experience making quality wines in the Colchagua Valley and found a unique place in Marchigüe, within the Colchagua Valley in central Chile that is marked by hills of granite stone. This hill is the inspiration for the name Calcu Vineyards - "CAL: Hill" and "CUrá: Stone".

One of the fundamental pillars of the Hurtado family business is the passion for the pursuit of excellence. This is reflected in each of their wines and implemented by each member of the viticultural and winemaking team in the pursuit of excellence through precision viticulture and winemaking that accurately reflects the character of Calcu Vineyards in Marchigüe. Calcu Vineyards and the historic Viña Maquis share a winery in Palmilla, in the Colchagua Valley, for vinifying and ageing their wines. This winery was built in 2002, a year prior to the establishment of Calcu, under a sustainable concept by using gravity-flow technology to gently move the fruit and juice throughout the winery. The facility also uses geothermal energy for its wine production and is the only winery of its kind in Chile.

Sustainability is also a core value of the Hurtado family. They care for the environment, workers, and local community. One such example is the small vineyard blocks with short rows which were intentionally planted this way so that it minimizes soil erosion, while the sloping rows help reduce the risk of accidents for farm workers. The vineyards were also planted with extra care devoted to respecting natural rock formations, clay deposits, and native trees; 4,500 plants were also planted in ravines near the vineyards to increase biodiversity and protect endangered native species.

With this red wine blend, Calcu seeks to rediscover Colchagua Valley from the exceptional terroir in Marchigüe, a town and commune located in the province of Cardenal Caro, a few kilometres from the Pacific coast. The vineyard here has a unique architecture that was designed by hand to craft world-class wines that faithfully reflect the terroir, with deep care for the winegrowing and natural landscape. A blend that changes every year, this particular vintage is composed of 38% Cabernet Franc, 25% Carmenere, 18% Cabernet Sauvignon, 15% Malbec, and 4% Petit Verdot.

The grapes were grown in Calcu's own vineyards in Marchigüe on gentle hills where it is influenced by the sea breeze in the afternoon and at night, which helps moderate temperatures to produce particularly fresh grapes. The soils are primarily granitic with some important clay content, but poor in organic matter which helps to obtain low yields, delivering power, structure, and elegance to the wines. The grapes were manually harvested and selected in bunches, and then fermented in stainless steel tanks. It was aged for 18 months in French oak barrels.

The 2018 growing season in Chile was somewhat cool during spring and early summer, resulting in a harvest that was a little later than normal. This helped deliver grapes with great freshness, outstanding elegance, and natural balance with round and delicate tannins. With dry weather during the ripening phase, the grapes were very healthy with developed impressive concentration. From an exceptional vintage that is described as the year of finesse, let's see how this 2018 red wine from Chile is tasting tonight...

Calcu Winemaker's Selection Blend 2018 (92+ pts)

Tasting Note:

CALCU WINEMAKER'S SELECTION BLEND 2018 - Sustainable, Colchagua Valley, Chile (#28585) (XD) - $43.00
A blend of 38% Cabernet Franc, 25% Carmenere, 18% Cabernet Sauvignon, 15% Malbec, and 4% Petit Verdot, it is elegantly fresh and fragrant on the nose with lovely, complex aromas of crushed red and black berry, currant, cassis, floral and fine oak spices with touches of dried herbs and stony mineral. On the full-ish bodied, warming palate it has well-structured and velvety smooth tannins along with fresh, juicy acidity that supports the ripe red and black berry, cassis, currant, smoky oak, mineral, and dried herbal flavours on a well-structured frame. Impressive depth and complexity. Some tannic grippiness on the back palate. Savoury with mineral and smoky oak notes lingering on the finish, with excellent length. Enjoy over coming 10 years. Highly recommended buy! Score: 92+ pts

Other lovely wines by Calcu Vineyards can be ordered through their Agent - Don Ackerman's Wines & Spirits.


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  • Date publishedSaturday, May 20, 2023

Castelli del Grevepesa Clemente VII Chianti Classico 2019 (Tuscany) - Wine Review

After enjoying this lovely red wine as part of the Castelli del Grevepesa Clemente VII Trio gift pack last fall, this Chianti Classico Annata arrives on its own next weekend in the LCBO VINTAGES New Release Collection and is red wine review.

Castelli del Grevepesa is a modern, co-operative winery that was established in 1965 by visionary Sir Armando Nunzi and an initial group of 17 winegrowers from the different areas of Florentine Chianti Classico. They came together because the 60's were difficult years in the Chianti winegrowing region. Together, they wanted to safeguard the land and maintain age-old traditions of Tuscan winegrowing with the long-established know-how that farmers still pass on from one generation to the next. They also had a shared ambition to introduce innovative production methods and techniques, which included careful grape selection and a rigorously controlled vinification process, to produce high quality wines at affordable prices in compliance with the strict regulations of the law and the consortium that was previously called Consorzio Gallo Nero, and now Consorzio del Chianti Classico.

Today, Castelli del Grevepesa has grown to become the largest Chianti Classico family with over 120 associate winegrowers that are passionate and hard working. The logo of Castelli del Grevepesa is an iris flower that grows naturally between Val di Greve and Val di Pesa. The iris is a perennial flower that resists both the sweltering heat of summer and the winter frost - it is a symbol of the solidity of Castelli del Grevepesa and its unbreakable bond with Florentine culture and traditions. Castelli del Grevepesa's mission is to be guardians of hundreds of years of traditions as their ancestors taught them that wine comes, first and foremost, from the vineyard. Thus, they are committed to promoting the land and safeguarding the traditions of ancient craftsmanship. As one of the first co-operative wineries in Italy, one of their founding values is that fine quality wine must be for everyone and is a source of great pride and satisfaction.

As I enjoyed the 2018 Castelli del Grevepesa Clemente VII Chianti Classico back in November, this vintage is also crafted with 100% Sangiovese. Certified sustainable, the grapes were hand-harvested with individual bunch selection and then fermented at a controlled temperature with 10 days of maceration with skins. It was aged for 12 months with 85% in Slavonian oak barrels and 15% in barriques, followed by a further 3 months in bottle after blending.

Although the growing season in Chianti Classico can be hard to generalize since it is a fairly large region, the 2019 summer growing season can be defined as a real classic. Let's see how this 2019 Chianti Classico is tasting tonight...

Castelli del Grevepesa Clemente VII Chianti Classico 2019 (89 pts)

Tasting Note:

CASTELLI DEL GREVEPESA CLEMENTE VII CHIANTI CLASSICO 2019 - Sustainable, DOCG, Tuscany, Italy (#421388) (XD) - $22.95
100% Sangiovese. The medium-high intensity nose offers an attractive mix of red cherry, savoury wet earth, red currant, raspberry, dried herbs, and sweet oak spice aromas. On the dry, medium to medium-full bodied it has red fruited, red cherry and red plum flavours, plus savoury earth, oak spice, and dried herbal notes which are supported fresh, well-balanced acidity and ripe, refined, dusty textured, and lightly grippy tannins. Spicy mid-palate. Cherry and savoury earth notes are joined by hints of orange and mineral on the finish, with very good length. Enjoy this recommended buy to the end of the decade. Score: 89 pts

One other wine by Castelli del Grevepesa is available at the LCBO, while other lovely wines from their portfolio can be ordered through their Agent - Profile Wine Group.


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Tezza Valpolicella Ripasso Valpantena Superiore 2020

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