Kacaba Cabernet Franc 2019 (Niagara) - Wine Review

Tonight's red wine review is a lovely local offering from Niagara that arrived at the LCBO in last weekend's August 5 LCBO VINTAGES New Release Collection and is available for purchase online at LCBO.com and Flagship Exclusive stores.

It is produced by Kacaba Vineyards & Winery, a premium, small-batch winery located on prime, winegrowing land on the Niagara Escarpment in Vineland, Ontario. It's history began when the previous owner, Michael Kacaba, a Bay St. lawyer in Toronto of Ukrainian descent and from a Saskatchewan background, purchased the property in 1997. Although the land was slated for a subdivision, Michael had other ideas and began the work to establish a vineyard and winery. In 1999, Kacaba had his first vintage and consistent success followed thereafter.

Much of Kacaba's success can be attributed to its location on the Escarpment - the slope leading to the lake bed of the prehistoric lake that covered southern Ontario. This unique geographical area sets up a circulating air flow whereby cold air naturally moves down the Escarpment and over Lake Ontario where it warms, rises, and returns to heat the Escarpment. This process helps extend the frost-free season through spring and fall, thereby extending the growing season, which allows grapes such as Syrah and the Bordeaux varieties to develop phenolic maturity.

Kacaba wines are produced using only the finest grapes grown on their estate or partnered grape growers from surrounding vineyards, and their philosophy is based on small quantities. The production is limited based on their ability to handle and manage quantities that can be produced mainly by hand, with pumping kept to a minimum and using gravity for racking and bottling. By focusing on smaller batch sizes, Kacaba is able to produce wines of merit that are rich in aromas, and deep in colour and character with velvety finishes. While encouraging sustainable agriculture, their main goal is to produce ultra-premium wines. However, they also produce moderately priced wines that are necessary for the economic well-being of the company, while striving to produce more fruit-driven wines with more finesse and character.

This red wine is from Kacaba's "Escarpment" range of wines and crafted with 100% Cabernet Franc that was grown in their vineyards situated on the Escarpment Bench, where the soil helps produce quality wines even during an average growing season such as 2019. On the Escarpment Bench, the landscape's elevation and dense clay/loam soils naturally stress the vines which concentrate the flavours in the fruit, and when coupled with strategic crop thinning, this concentration produces balanced tannins with ripe fruit flavours.

The grapes to craft this red wine were carefully harvested and gently de-stemmed. It was fermented over 14 days using select yeast strains, with twice-daily manual pump-overs and punch-downs. Upon completion of primary fermentation, the wine was pressed from the skins and racked into a combination of 29 slightly older French and American oak barrels, where it finished malolactic fermentation. The wine remained in barrels for 12 months for further maturation, and was filtered and bottled. Let's see how this 2019 Cabernet Franc from Niagara is tasting tonight...

Tasting Note:

KACABA CABERNET FRANC 2019 - VQA Niagara Escarpment, Ontario, Canada (#272146) (XD) - $33.15
Lovely, medium-high intensity nose offers ripe red & black fruits, grilled herbs, black cherry, currant, and leather aromas with hints of tobacco. It's medium+ bodied, dry, and well-structured with delicious ripe currant, black cherry, grilled herbs, leather, and tobacco flavour replays, plus touches of pepper and spice. It's all supported by fresh acidity and supple, gently chalky textured, and well-structured tannins. Currant, black cherry, and savoury oak notes with a hint of dark plum lingers on the finish, with very good length. Enjoy this recommended buy over the next 4-5 years. Score: 89 pts

Other fine wines by Kacaba Vineyards are available at the LCBO, with a wider variety available direct from winery in Niagara.

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Zonte's Footstep Splitting Hares Tempranillo / Grenache 2021 (Australia) - Wine Review

Tonight's red wine review is a delicious and unique blend of Tempranillo and Grenache from... Australia! This vegan-friendly red wine is a new arrival at the LCBO that landed on shelves across Ontario as part of the recent July 22nd LCBO VINTAGES New Release Collection.

It is produced by Zonte's Footstep, a proudly independent wine producer that was established in Australia in 2003. They produce their wines using grapes from their own vineyards, as well as from their mates' vineyards, from regions that produce the desired expressive and varietal characteristics of the grapes, which are grounded by the soil that they are planted in. While they don't take themselves seriously, they are serious about their vineyards and wine. Their goal is simple - produce wines from regions such as McLaren Vale, Langhorne Creek, Adelaide Hills, and the Barossa, that reflect a sense of place, style and purpose. Their aim is to bottle wines with personality and expression, hence each wine at Zonte's Footstep has its own name and face.

When Zonte's Footstep made their first wine in 2003, they needed a name for the company and looked back into the history of the region for some inspiration. In 1893, there was a vineyard planted with Zante currant to produce table grapes for the growing population of Adelaide. In the 1920s, the vineyard was replanted with Shiraz and Cabernet Sauvignon, grapes which were eventually used to make their first wine. As a tribute to the journey of the grapes in the vineyard - and because one isn't legally allowed to mention a grape variety unless it's contained in the wine - it was decided to change the "A" to an "O" to form ZONTE'S. The other half of the company name came about when a group of friends gathered together in 1999 and purchased a vineyard to plant Viognier, Sangiovese, and other exciting varieties to experiment with. During the replanting of the vineyard, they discovered large boulders with footprints of the largest known marsupial to have ever lived: the Diprotodon. This unique, fossilized FOOTSTEP cemented the company's name and journey that they started just before the turn of the century and are continuing on as Zonte's Footstep today.

This red wine is a blend of Tempranillo and Grenache that was grown in the Fleurieu wine zone, south of Adelaide in South Australia. These two very different varieties were brought together by making small winemaking decisions that deliver a big impact and achieving perfect balance in the wine. To craft this wine, it came down to splitting hairs - hence the name of this wine - as they tweaked the proportions of the blend in tiny one percent increments until perfect balance was achieved. The final blend consists of 65% Tempranillo and 35% Grenache and is the exact point at which the juicy, fragrant Grenache tames the savoury chewiness of the Tempranillo.

The grapes underwent alcoholic fermentation in 5 tonne open fermenters, then completed a natural malolactic fermentation in tank. The wine was then pressed off its skins and transferred into well-seasoned hogshead barrels and aged for up to 12 months, and then bottled with minimal filtration. Let's see how this unique 2021 Tempranillo / Grenache blend from Australia is tasting tonight...

Tasting Note:

ZONTE'S FOOTSTEP SPLITTING HARES TEMPRANILLO / GRENACHE 2021 - Vegan, Fleurieu, South Australia (#30847) (XD) - $21.95
Screw cap. This blend of 65% Tempranillo and 35% Grenache has intriguing, fragrant, and medium-high intensity aromatics offering black-purple-blue fruited aromas, plus floral and spice layered over wet earth notes. On the dry, medium+ to medium-full bodied palate it has a delicious savoury, dark fruited, and spicy core of flavours accented with blackberry, nut, cocoa, and clove spice notes. It has fresh, juicy acidity, while the firm, grainy tannins are slightly grippy. It's nicely balanced with savoury, spicy, and tangy dark fruit flavours lingering on the juicy finish, with very good length. Recommended buy! Score: 89 pts

Many other delicious wines by Zonte's Footstep are widely available at the LCBO, as well as through their Agent - Cru Wine Merchants.

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Stags' Leap Winery Chardonnay 2020 (Napa Valley) - Wine Review

After enjoying the excellent 2018 Stags' Leap Winery Petite Sirah earlier this year, tonight's white wine review is an excellent Chardonnay from the same producer that arrived at the LCBO last month as part of the LCBO VINTAGES New Release Collection on July 22nd, with plenty of bottles still available for purchase across Ontario.

It is produced by the historic and well-regarded Stags' Leap Winery, which is located in the Stags Leap District of Napa Valley, California. The wine estate was established in 1893 by Horace Blanchard Chase and his wife, Mary, when they planted their first vineyards on the unique terroir of the Stags Leap District which is known for its volcanic soils, warm days, and cool nights, characteristics that provide the ideal microclimate for growing premium wine grapes. As one of California's oldest wine estates, the name Stags Leap is attributed to the native Wappo legend of a stag leaping to escape hunters, and the mountains behind the property on the eastern side came to be known as the Stags Leap Palisades.

The estate went through a series of ownership changes in the early part of the 20th century and gained significant recognition during the 1970s because its wine won first place in the 1976 Judgment of Paris tasting. Today, Stags' Leap Winery is renowned for producing high quality wines throughout their portfolio. 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.

Crafted with 100% Chardonnay, the grapes for this white wine were sourced from the cooler southern appellations within Napa Valley, where the fog from San Pablo Bay helps cool the vineyards throughout the growing season and preserves the ideal freshness and acidity in the grapes. The majority of the fruit is from the Carneros AVA, which provides citrus, mineral, and crisp apple notes, while a smaller percentage is from the Oak Knoll AVA, which provides more tropical and stone fruit characters. Both of these vineyards produce Chardonnay that is ideal for Stags' Leap's style of winemaking - to craft wines with fresh fruit flavours, and bright acidity with vibrancy.

To craft this Napa Valley Chardonnay, Stags' Leap Winery gently whole-cluster pressed the grapes in order to preserve the naturally fresh aromatics. Twenty-five percent of the wine was fermented and aged in stainless steel tanks, while the remainder was fermented and aged in French oak barrels, with 25% in new oak and 50% in seasoned French oak. By using this specific method of barrel treatment, this helps preserve the essential purity of the fruit, while adding subtle notes of oak complexity. As is the style of Stags' Leap, the wine did not undergo malolactic fermentation, which further helps maintain the fruit's natural acidity, terroir expression, and aromatic freshness. The yeast lees were put in suspension during 7 months of maturation with weekly batonnage, then the three batches of wines were blended and bottled.

The 2020 growing season will be remembered for factors beyond the typical harvest season. Winter was warm and dry, with rain and cooler weather not arriving until the end of March. The mild spring offered a great, early start, while summer brought very cool mornings and very warm days. Stags' Leap Winery was very fortunate in that none of their vineyards were in the areas of active fires and they were able to harvest their grapes as planned. White wine grapes showed excellent development in the cellar, reflecting the fine vintage. The resulting wines of 2020 are of very high quality with concentrated flavours and excellent acidity, especially for varieties like Chardonnay. Let's see how this 2020 Napa Valley Chardonnay is tasting tonight...

Tasting Note:

STAGS' LEAP WINERY CHARDONNAY 2020 - Napa Valley, California, USA (#655381) (XD) - $44.95
The medium-high to highly aromatic nose is rich with impressive depth, featuring lovely aromas of lemon citrus, stone fruit, green apple, pear, and white peach with touches of vanillin oak spice, butter, and a hint of mineral. It has a concentrated, medium-full bodied, dry and spicy palate with delicious, ripe lemon citrus, green apple, pear, white peach, and gentle oak spice flavours, plus hints of vanilla, butter, and flinty mineral. It's nicely textured with fresh and vibrant acidity, while flinty mineral and oak spice notes linger on the long, juicy finish. Highly recommended buy! Score: 92+ pts

While the Cabernet Sauvignon and small amounts of the Petite Sirah are available at the LCBO, the whole range can be ordered through their Agent - Mark Anthony Wine & Spirits.

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Wakefield Estate Cabernet Sauvignon 2020 (Australia) - Wine Review

Tonight's red wine review is the latest vintage of a lovely, consistently well-made Australian Cabernet Sauvignon that arrived at the LCBO last month in the July 22nd LCBO VINTAGES New Release Collection.

It is produced by Wakefield Wines, a well-respected winery situated in the Clare Valley wine region of South Australia. The family winemaking business was established in 1969 by Bill Taylor Sr. He was inspired by the producers of Bordeaux and had a vision to craft estate wines that rival the best in the world. In Australia and New Zealand, they trade under their family name, Taylors Wines, but here in Canada and abroad, the wines are marketed under the Wakefield Wines brand.

When the Taylor family established their wine business, they wanted to create proper "old world" style estate wines, which are by definition when both the vineyards and winery are in the same location. This approach allowed the Taylor family to have ultimate control over the vineyards, winery, and even the bottling of the wines. The first wines they crafted were this Estate Cabernet Sauvignon, and an Estate Shiraz. These days, each wine is still crafted and bottled at the estate, but all of the fruit is not grown on the property. This is mainly due to the popularity of the wines - they need more fruit to meet demand, but also because fruit from other regions can be of higher quality.

Today, Wakefield Wines is led by the grandsons of Bill Taylor Sr. - brothers Mitchell, Justin, and Clinton, who represent the third generation of the family. The commitment from each generation of the family to the way the wines are crafted has earned the Taylors an enviable reputation and contributed to their continued success. Their love for winemaking, keen eye for detail, and commitment to excellence have made Wakefield Wines a renowned producer of top Australian wines.

The Taylor family is also committed to ensuring that they function in a responsible and sustainable manner on both land and sea. While their strong connection to the land is evident, their connection to the sea is equally strong, starting with their unique seahorse emblem that adorns each bottle of wine. Nationally and globally, the Taylor family has partnered with two organisations that are working to protect seahorses. On land, they favour innovative techniques to improve energy efficiency, water conservation, and packaging, as well as prevent or eliminate the production of waste or pollution. Their goal as a company is to apply best practice principles in environmental management which promote biodiversity to enhance sustainable business activities and products.

I've had the pleasure of tasting quite a few vintages of this delicious Cabernet Sauvignon, going back to at least the 2016 vintage. This wine is traditionally crafted with fruit exclusively from the Clare Valley. However, fruit from Limestone Coast played a minority role in the final blend of the 2019 Wakefield Estate Cabernet Sauvignon. For this vintage, the wine is still 100% Cabernet Sauvignon, but Limestone Coast fruit plays a major role with 67% Limestone Coast and 33% Clare Valley fruit.

The Limestone Coast zone is approximately 400 km south of the Clare Valley and includes, among others, the winegrowing regions of Coonawarra (one of the finest regions for Cabernet Sauvignon) and Padthaway. In 2020, the Limestone Coast zone produced small quantities of high quality fruit due to a cool spring that resulted in small berries with great fruit concentration and lovely tannins. Warm days and cool nights also provided the perfect ripening conditions. Let's see how this 2020 Cabernet Sauvignon from Australia is tasting tonight...

Tasting Note:

WAKEFIELD ESTATE CABERNET SAUVIGNON 2020 - Limestone Coast / Clare Valley, South Australia (#744235) (XD) - $19.95
100% Cabernet Sauvignon that was matured for up to 12 months in used French oak barrels, with half in 2 year old barrels and the remainder in 3 year old barrels, prior to final blending and bottling. Elegantly fragrant, medium-high intensity aromatics offer attractive minty cassis, black currant, tomato leaf, and herbs with a savoury, earthy core, plus some oak spice and cocoa notes. It's medium-full bodied with fresh, lively acidity that lifts the minty, cassis, black currant, tomato leaf, and herbal flavours that become savoury with earthy and cocoa notes on the gently tangy mid-palate. Smooth, refined tannins are well-structured. Clean and well-balanced throughout with very good acid structure. Earthy, cedary oak, and cocoa with touches of mineral, plus some tangy notes on the long, well-structured finish. Enjoy this highly recommended buy over the next 5+ years. Score: 89 pts

Many other lovely wines from the Wakefield Wines portfolio are available at the LCBO and through their Agent - Profile Wine Group.

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Planeta Frappato 2021 (Sicily) - Wine Review

After enjoying the beautiful 2018 Planeta Frappato Vittoria a couple of years ago, tonight's red wine review is the latest vintage of this terrific (and now organically certified) red wine that arrived at the LCBO last weekend in the July 22 LCBO VINTAGES New Release Collection.

It is produced by Planeta, a well-established and respected wine producer based on the island of Sicily, Italy. The Planeta family have been involved in the agricultural evolution on the complex lands of Sicily for over 500 years and 17 generations. Their approach has always been inclined towards openness and innovation, and in the early 1900's, Grandfather Vito led the way towards new solutions and new prospects by transforming the small, family winery in Menfi, in western Sicily, into a large co-operative in a short period of time.

Fast-forward to the mid-1980's, the Planeta family planted their first vines around a 16th century farmhouse, Ulmo, which the family has always owned. They wanted to provide this beautiful place full of memories with a new future and built their first winery at the site in 1995, on the banks of Lake Arancio and its nearby woods. The success of the winery at Ulmo led to further expansion on the island, with the idea of producing each wine in its own territory.

In addition to the winery in Menfi, Planeta also has wineries in Etna, Capo Milazzo, Noto, and where this wine is from - Vittoria. The Dorilli estate was established in Vittoria by renovating the big country house which stood at the centre of the family's landholding in the late-1990's, with the first vines planted in 1997. Vittoria is a place redolent of history and the long agricultural traditions of the Planeta family - even their ancestors couldn't agree on whether Vittoria or Menfi would be better suited to cultivate vines.

Planeta is still family-owned and operated today, with primarily two generations of the family, which includes brothers and sisters, children, nieces and nephews, who work together with a vision of unity, a love for the land, and a desire to protect it by using sustainable and environmentally-friendly viticultural approaches to winemaking. Planeta is also dedicated to producing high-quality wines that showcase the unique terroir of Sicily's diverse wine regions.

This red wine is crafted with 100% Frappato, a rare, exclusive, and sought after variety that is grown in only a few hectares around Vittoria, on the island of Sicily. It is cultivated according to sustainable and organic standards and reaches its ultimate expression in the red sands of Vittoria, not far from the sea, where this wine is from. The soils in Vittoria are primarily sandy textured and consist of mainly loose red sands with a structure of small dimensions, moderately deep. An important layer of tufa (limestone) sits at about 90 cm deep, allowing for water capacity and balance for the plants. This Frappato was grown in the Mogli vineyard, which is located 70 metres above sea level.

The grapes were hand picked and transported to the winery in small trolleys. Once the grapes arrived at the winery, they were de-stemmed and pressed, then fermented in stainless steel tanks. After alcoholic fermentation is completed, the wine remains in contact with the skins for 10-13 days. After malolactic fermentation, the wine remains in stainless steel tanks for further maturation, prior to bottling. From a smaller, but formidable vintage, let's see how this 2021 Frappato from Sicily is tasting tonight...

Tasting Note:

PLANETA FRAPPATO 2021 - Sustainable, DOC Sicilia Vittoria, Italy (#508655) (XD) - $24.95
Organic, 100% Frappato raised entirely in stainless steel tanks. The fragrant, medium-high intensity nose is elegantly aromatic with red berry, raspberry, herbs, red licorice, cherry, and smoky-stony mineral aromas with touches of floral and earth. On the dry, light-to-mid weighted palate it offers juicy and ripe raspberry, herbal, cherry, earthy mineral flavours that are backed by fresh, well-balanced acidity and light, dusty textured tannins. It has very nice interplays between the berry fruit, savoury mineral, and herbal characters, with the mineral notes lingering through to the long-lasting, gently chalky textured finish. Even better than last time and a highly recommended buy! Score: 91+ pts

Quite a few wines by Planeta are available at the LCBO, albeit in limited quantities, while the whol range can be ordered through their Agent - Noble Estates Wines & Spirits.

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August 5, 2023 LCBO VINTAGES Release Wine Picks: Online & Flagship Exclusives

Here are my top wine picks from the August 5, 2023 LCBO VINTAGES New Release Collection. This is the final release of its kind for the year, where the entire release is only available online and at Flagship stores. There are 39 wines included in the release and 13 are among my top wine picks. All of the wine should be available for purchase by this Saturday.

There is only one blend, albeit barely, among my top red wine recommendations - a Gigondas that is composed of 95% Grenache and 5% Mourvèdre. Single varietal wines include a fine Pinot Noir from Oregon, while the others are made up of Bordeaux varietals. There are a couple of lovely Cabernet Sauvignon wines - one each from Washington and McLaren Vale, as well as a Cabernet Franc from Niagara, and lastly, a Merlot from Friuli.

Among my top white wine picks, all are single varietal wines. Both Sauvignon Blanc wines are unique, with the version from Niagara fermented and aged in concrete, while the version from New Zealand was fermented and aged in oak vessels. The Assyrtiko from Greece was also fermented and aged in French oak barrels. Other dry white wines include a Chardonnay from Niagara, as well as a Torrontés from Argentina. If you enjoy some sweetness in your wines, you will want to get the Riesling or Pinot Gris - both are from New Zealand.

Enjoy my top wine recommendations from this release! Cheers!

Red Wine:

• BORGO CONVENTI MERLOT 2020 - DOC Collio, Friuli, Italy (#32492) (XD) - $24.95
• HASELGROVE PROTECTOR CABERNET SAUVIGNON 2019 - McLaren Vale, South Australia (#30849) (XD) - $32.95
• KACABA CABERNET FRANC 2019 - VQA Niagara Escarpment, Ontario, Canada (#272146) (XD) - $33.15  89 pts  wine review
• DELILLE MÉTIER CABERNET SAUVIGNON 2021 - Columbia Valley, Washington, USA (#32496) (XD) - $39.95  91 pts  wine review
• XAVIER VIGNON GIGONDAS 2019 - AP, Rhône, France (#31698) (XD) - $44.95
• CRISTOM VINEYARDS MT. JEFFERSON CUVÉE PINOT NOIR 2021 - Willamette Valley, Oregon, USA (#940882) (XD) - $63.95  92 pts  wine review

White Wine:

• HIDDEN BENCH BÉTON SAUVIGNON BLANC 2021 - Rosomel Vineyard, VQA Beamsville Bench, Niagara Escarpment, Ontario, Canada (#33552) (XD) - $27.95  90+ pts  wine review
  
• NANNY GOAT DRY RIESLING 2019 - Single vineyard, Central Otago, South Island, New Zealand (#25836) (MD) - $28.95
• EL ESTECO 1945 OLD VINES TORRONTÉS 2022 - Valles Calchaquíes, Argentina (#10695) (XD) - $31.95
• CLOUDSLEY TWENTY MILE BENCH CHARDONNAY 2020 - VQA Twenty Mile Bench, Niagara Escarpment, Ontario, Canada (#16093) (XD) - $34.95
• VILLA MARIA SEDDON PINOT GRIS 2021 - Marlborough, South Island, New Zealand (#32199) (M) - $39.95
• SPY VALLEY ENVOY SAUVIGNON BLANC 2016 - Sustainable, Johnson Vineyard, Waihopai Valley, Marlborough, South Island, New Zealand (#429308) (XD) - $39.95  92 pts  wine review
• DOMAINE SIGALAS SANTORINI ASSYRTIKO 2021 - Barrel fermented, PDO Santorini, Greece (#33163) (XD) - $67.95  92+ pts  wine review

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Arboleda Cabernet Sauvignon 2020 (Chile) - Wine Review

Tonight's red wine review is a delicious, vegan-friendly Cabernet Sauvignon from Chile that is a perennial favourite at the LCBO that arrived in Ontario as part of the recent July 22nd LCBO VINTAGES New Release Collection.

The Arboleda Wines project was founded in 1999 by Chilean vintner Eduardo Chadwick, a 5th generation member of the family that founded Viña Errazuriz. The name "Arboleda" means a grove of trees and is a tribute to the more than more than 1,450 hectares of native forest that surround its sustainably managed vineyards. The philosophy behind Eduardo's project is to craft single-vineyard wines that reveal the purest expression of each unique terroir within its vineyards in the Aconcagua Valley. This project was initially born as a joint venture between Eduardo Chadwick and legendary Californian vintner Robert Mondavi.

Today, the vision for the Arboleda project is to make the most sustainable, pure, and modern wines that showcase the world-class quality of the best terroirs in the Aconcagua Valley. The team is led by talented Winemaker Francisco Baettig, whose winemaking style produces wines marked by elegance, balance and the expression of the fruit’s origin. At Arboleda, the winemaking and viticultural team is committed to not intervening in the vineyard and environment as much as possible, allowing the vines to yield fruit with the purest expression of the terroir's intrinsic characteristics. They closely follow the progress of the vines and fruit throughout the entire season to better understand the terroir. This allows Arboleda to make accurate decisions, especially during the harvest period, which is key for grape health. This involves picking each lot at the precise time, avoiding degraded skins, and obtaining moderate alcohol and good acidity levels. After harvest, the grapes are very carefully selected and they use specific vinification techniques with the latest technologies for each lot, while focusing on maintaining the special characteristics of the grapes.

Arboleda was one of the country's first wineries to be certified under Chile’s National Sustainability Code that guarantees environmentally friendly production, social responsibility towards the community, and economic viability. They are committed to conserving the biodiversity in the Aconcagua Valley and have more than 1,450 hectares of native forest that have been kept virgin to protect the natural corridors that constitute a true habitat of flora and fauna. Water is also preserved in a reservoir that extends over 14 hectares.

This 100% Cabernet Sauvignon was grown at Arboleda's Las Vertientes vineyard, which is named after the freshwater springs found on the estate. The Las Vertientes vineyard is situated 37 km inland from the Pacific Ocean, within the Hijuelas locality. Although the climate in the vineyard is Mediterranean, it receives cool, coastal winds that blow in from the sea, refreshing the climate and allowing the grapes to slowly ripen. The vineyard is surrounded by hills, with the vines sitting on gentle slopes and part of the alluvial plain. The blocks of Cabernet Sauvignon are planted on flat sections of the vineyard, where the soil is clay-loam or sandy-loam and generally 90–200 cm deep. The stone content varies between 30% and 40%, and drainage is good throughout. These vines were planted in 1999 and 2000 with ungrafted vines from a massal selection. To craft this wine, the grapes were double-sorted and fermented in stainless steel tanks. It was aged for 14 months in French oak, barrels, 30% new.

The 2020 growing season was a challenging one, beginning with one of the driest winters of the last 50 years. The vineyards in the Aconcagua Valley had to endure an intense hydric marathon in order achieve ripeness. Temperatures were warm, especially during spring, and became slightly colder in March and April. Crop yields were moderate thanks to abundant irrigation in summer, which also helped maintain freshness and quality. I was first introduced to the wines of Arboleda just over 7 years ago and have consistently enjoyed them ever since. Let's see how this 2020 Cabernet Sauvignon from Chile is tasting tonight...

Tasting Note:

ARBOLEDA CABERNET SAUVIGNON 2020 - Vegan, DO Valle del Aconcagua, Chile (#606764) (XD) - $19.95
This 100% Cabernet Sauvignon has a fresh, medium-high intensity nose that is open with evergreen, forest herbs, red and black berry fruit, currant, and gentle oak spice aromas with savoury earth undertones. It's medium-full bodied on the fresh palate with ripe red and black fruits, currants, and dried herb flavours accented with oak spice, evergreen, and cassis notes. It is nicely balanced with fresh, juicy acidity and fine-grained, lightly grippy tannins. Savoury with cedary oak notes lingering on the long finish. Recommended buy! Score: 89 pts

A couple of other fine wines by Arboleda are available at the LCBO, while the whole range can be ordered through their Agent - Mark Anthony Wine & Spirits.

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