Barón de Ley Gran Reserva 2015 (Rioja) - Wine Review

Tonight's red wine review is an excellent, vegan-friendly blend of Tempranillo and Graciano from the Classic European Wine Region of Rioja that arrived at the LCBO recently as part of the April 29th LCBO VINTAGES New Release Collection and is still widely available across the province.

It is produced by Barón de Ley, a family-owned winery located in Rioja, Spain's most celebrated wine region with a privileged terroir to farm and craft premium quality wines. A relatively young winery, Barón de Ley was founded in 1985 as a ground-breaking project in DOCa Rioja as a vineyard-focused winery that was inspired by French châteaux and specializing in premium Rioja wines. They are housed in a monastery that was built in 1548 on the banks of the Ebro river where vineyards and winemaking were introduced by monks in 1568. The Estate changed hands numerous times over the years and was eventually purchased by a family that remained there for three generations as they farmed crops and raised livestock until it was acquired and re-born as Barón de Ley. The name "de ley" comes from the Spanish expression for "legit", and at at Barón de Ley they take care of every little detail to offer in every bottle an excellent, trustworthy wine - a genuinely good Rioja.

Barón de Ley launched their first wines in 1990, including this Gran Reserva which is one of the signature wines of the Estate. After growing the business throughout the 90s, In 2000, Barón de Ley renewed their winemaking philosophy with Gonzalo Rodríguez recruited as the new Chief Winemaker, encouraging the planting of new indigenous grape varieties. Success and growth continued over the ensuing decade, and by 2008 they owned over 600 hectares of vineyards across different sub-regions with a variety of micro-climates and soils. In 2018, they renovated their vinification facilities with state-of-the-art winemaking techniques and constructed a new oak ageing cellar to expand their ageing capacity. As a specialist in Reserva and Gran Reserva wines, Barón de Ley honours Rioja's acclaimed tradition of long ageing in French and American oak barrels.

This red wine is a blend of mainly Tempranillo plus some Graciano. The grapes were grown in the best terroirs in their old vineyards in Cenicero, in Rioja Alta, in an area with Mediterranean climate with a clear Atlantic influence, and low yields. These conditions are ideal for creating elegant wines with ageing capacity. After manually harvesting and selecting the bunches, the individual berries were mechanically selected using their state-of-the-art sorting table. This process ensures that only the best grapes are used, which in turn helps deliver the maximum quality of the wine. After fermentation, the wine was aged for a minimum of 24 months in American and French oak casks, followed by a further 36 months in bottle.

Only marketed in the best vintages, the 2015 vintage was a very good one in Rioja that began with a balmy and dry spring. Temperatures rose quickly thereafter, but Rioja did receive some rejuvenating showers in June. Heat records were broken in July and the intense heatwave continued for much of the summer. Fortunately, temperatures cooled for the most part in August and September, leading to an early harvest with balanced ripening and exceptionally healthy grapes. The higher (and cooler) vineyards produced wines of great aromatic complexity and concentration, and stand out for their finesse and elegance. Let's see how this 2015 Gran Reserva from Rioja is tasting tonight...

Tasting Note:

BARÓN DE LEY GRAN RESERVA 2015 - Vegan, DOCa Rioja, Spain (#642496) (XD) - $34.95
Blend of Tempranillo and Graciano. Lovely, slowly emerging and complex aromas of Indian spices, red and black cherry, underbrush, forest floor, olive, pot pourri, and sandalwood rise out of the glass. It's medium-full to full-bodied with very good depth and delicious flavours of red and black cherry, spices, cedar wood, underbrush, and forest floor in a dry, lightly tangy profile. It has very good, juicy acidity, while the well-structured, dusty textured tannins are lightly chalky and grippy on the back palate. Cedary, sandalwood, and earthy notes linger on the long savoury finish, with excellent length. Enjoy this highly recommended buy to the end of the decade. Score: 92+ pts

Limited quantities of the Reserva is available at the LCBO, while the full portfolio can be ordered through their Agent - Noble Estates Wines & Spirits.

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Château Clou du Pin Premium 2020 (Bordeaux) - Wine Review

Tonight's red wine review is a lovely Merlot from Bordeaux which arrived at the LCBO last weekend in the May 27 LCBO VINTAGES New Release Collection and is widely available across Ontario right now.

It is produced by Domaines Fontana, a family winery that was founded by Huguette and Angelo Fontana in 1950. They were in their mid-twenties at the time and had a dream to plant vines and build a winery, eventually settling in the small town of Gensac in Gironde, about 15 km southeast of Saint-Émilion. They chose Gensac because of the richness of the land that determined the location of their vineyard, high on the hillsides of Gironde.

As the years and vintages went by, not only did the vines grow, but the family also grew as Huguette and Angelo had five children who grew up and inherited their parent's passion for the vine. The boys of the second generation of the Fontana family enlarged the family business by acquiring plots of neighbouring vines and each invested in various trades that are currently present at the Estate. The family heritage has grown further today with the grandchildren of Huguette and Angelo joining Domaines Fontana, bringing with them modernity, a fresh outlook, dynamism, youth, and a common desire to share their passion for vines and wine.

Today, Domaines Fontana has over 300 hectares of land mainly within the commune of Gensac, but also extending over neighbouring and bordering communes. Since 2019, they vines and winery have been HVE (High Environmental Value) certified, a certification that allows recognition of good environmental and health practices in the vineyard. The work of the vineyard and the cellar are adapted to the times, always respecting know-how while adopting new and innovative techniques with the sole aim of producing quality wines. Red wine makes up nearly all (96%) of their production and is made to Bordeaux and Bordeaux Supérieur AOC. The wines are bottled using their own bottling facilities on-premise, and most of the wine is sold in France, with only 30% exported outside the country.

This red wine is the result of a unique and careful selection of the Chai des Domaines Fontana. It bears the Premium label because it is crafted from their best, single vat of Merlot which is chosen for its complexity, rarity, and concentration - the qualities sought for this exceptional cuvée. It is crafted with 100% Merlot from a vineyard planted on clay-limestone soils on hillsides up to 120 metres above sea level, with south-southwest exposure. From pruning to vinification, they practice traditional and reasoned cultivation with soil that is enriched with only organic manure. The grapes were harvested from low-yield plots which result in grapes that produce a structured and concentrated wine. Upon arrival a the winery, the grapes are destemmed and macerated for 30 days, followed by fermentation in stainless steel tanks. It was aged in their cellar which is equipped with a thermoregulation system with micro oxygenation. From an excellent vintage, let's see how this 2020 Merlot from Bordeaux is tasting tonight...

Tasting Note:

CHÂTEAU CLOU DU PIN PREMIUM 2020 - AC Bordeaux Supérieur, France (#28727) (XD) - $18.95
100% Merlot. The rich, ripe, medium-high intensity nose offers dark fruited aromas of blackberry, black cherry, and plum balanced with savoury, musky woodspice, and cocoa notes, plus a touch of floral. It's full-bodied on the rich palate with chewy, well-structured, and fine-grained tannins, along with juicy, well-balanced acidity. Delicious grilled herbs join the blackberry, black cherry, plum, and cocoa replays in a dry flavour profile. Savoury cocoa notes linger on the long, dry, and well-structured finish. Recommended buy! Score: 89 pts

Other lovely wines by Domaines Fontana can be purchased through their Agent - Eurovintage Wines & Spirits.

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Domaine Boussard Chablis 2020 (Burgundy) - Wine Review

Tonight's 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 May 27 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...

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

Tonight's red wine review is a lovely Tempranillo from Spain that arrived at the LCBO last weekend as part of the May 27 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...

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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Louis Pommery Brut Rosé Sparkling (California) - Wine Review

Tonight's 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 May 27 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...

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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Château Guillou 2020 (Bordeaux) - Wine Review

Tonight's 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 May 27th 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...

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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May 27, 2023 LCBO VINTAGES Release Wine Picks: Rosé

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.

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.

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.

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.

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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