Evans & Tate Wild Cape Sauvignon Blanc 2022 (Margaret River) - Wine Review

Tonight's white wine review is a refreshingly delicious Sauvignon Blanc from Margaret River. It made its debut at the LCBO earlier this month in the July 5 LCBO VINTAGES New Release Collection.

Like the 2018 Evans & Tate Hullabaloo Cabernet Sauvignon I enjoyed earlier this year, this white wine is produced by Evans & Tate, a winery whose roots were established in 1971 by two friends - John Evans & John Tate. In 1974, the friends and business partners purchased land and planted a vineyard in Wilyabrup, the heart of Margaret River, Western Australia, and named the vineyard Redbrook. Evans & Tate played pioneering roles in establishing Margaret River as a world-class wine region.

In 2012, Evans & Tate joined the Fogarty Wine Group portfolio of wine brands. The winemaking philosophy at Evans & Tate begins with accessing high-quality fruit and oak, as well as using state-of-the-art winemaking equipment. Senior Winemaker Matt Byrne, who has been at the helm of winemaking at Evans & Tate since 2001, continues to lead the team at Fogarty as they continuously strive to craft elegant wines which exhibit distinct regional characteristics and intense purity of fruit.

The Margaret River wine region is situated adjacent to the Indian Ocean and boasts optimal conditions for viticulture due to its proximity to the ocean, soil consistency, and generally perfect seasonal temperatures. Situated at an elevation of 295 feet above sea level, the Margaret River wine region features a high mean January (peak summer) temperature of 20.2°C, and a low mean annual temperature of 7.6°C, which translates to a pleasant year-around Mediterranean climate that is warm and dry during summer with cooling afternoon breezes, and a mild winter. The soil in the area is loamy sand and gravel, which was formed directly from underlying granite and gneissic rock.

Evans & Tate has been crafting Margaret River wines for over 50 years. Today, they have eight lines of wines ranging from fun-and-friendly to award-winning and sophisticated. This particular white wine is from their mid-range Wild Cape line. The Wild Cape range of three wines is a celebration of the raw beauty of Western Australia's southwest region and is inspired by the spectacular coastline and distinct regional characteristics of Margaret River wine. Adorning each label of Wild Cape wine is a dramatic photo by Andrew Semark that embodies the essence of the region where dramatic waves crash into the cape and world-class wines are produced in this remote, pristine part of the world. The photo that represents the Wild Cape Sauvignon Blanc is called ‘Void’ and captures the wave succinctly as "force, rare and relentless", terms which can also describe Margaret River Sauvignon Blanc as it offers a relentless wave of flavour with purity and energy, while showcasing the unique varietal characteristics of the region.

Crafted with 100% Sauvignon Blanc, the grapes for this white wine were picked at various times from small parcels in two vineyards in order to capture the myriad of aromas and flavours that Sauvignon Blanc vines produce at various ripeness levels. The grapes from the Karridale Vineyard were pressed upon arriving at the winery to soften acidity and to impart aromatic and textural complexity. The grapes from the Wilyabrup Vineyard were allowed to cold-soak on the skins for 24 hours before pressing and fermenting the clear juice. A small portion (13%) was allowed to undergo wild fermentation in used 500 L French oak puncheons to impart texture.

The growing season of the 2022 vintage began with a very wet winter, which led to good and healthy vine growth. The dry summer featured intense heat, which resulted in decreased yields. However, the dry, sunny days also provided a natural barrier to disease, while the extensive marri blossom kept bird pressure at bay. While some bunches suffered from sunburn, there were minimal challenges in the vineyard. Yields were lower than average, but the quality was the fruit resulted in outstanding wines. From a cracker of a vintage, let's see how this 2022 Sauvignon Blanc from Margaret River is tasting tonight...

Tasting Note:

EVANS & TATE WILD CAPE SAUVIGNON BLANC 2022 - Margaret River, Western Australia (#41435) (XD) - $19.95
Screw cap. Fresh and fragrant, the medium-high to highly aromatic nose delivers tropical fruit (passion fruit, guava), lime/lemon zest, citrus, and green herbal aromas with underlying savoury mineral and a touch of white floral. The medium+ weighted palate is dry and ripe with lime/lemon zest, passion fruit, guava, and herbs joined by mild spice notes. It has fresh and vibrant acidity, alongside a textured mouthfeel with good structure on the mid-palate. Lime zest, herbs, spice, and touches of mineral linger on the long, crisp finish. Chill well and enjoy this recommended buy on a hot summer day! Score: 89 pts

Other delicious wines by Evans & Tate are available at the LCBO, while the full range can be ordered through their Agent - Eurovintage Wines & Spirits.

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Maturana Naranjo Torontel Orange Wine 2023 (Chile) - Wine Review

Tonight's wine review is a lovely and highly-acclaimed orange wine (i.e. skin-fermented white) that arrived at the LCBO earlier this month and was featured on the back cover of the July 5th LCBO VINTAGES New Release Collection.

It is produced by Maturana Winery, a family-owned wine producer that was founded in 2010, after the great earthquake in Chile, by brothers José Ignacio and Sebastian Maturana. After the earthquake, the brothers decided that there was no time to waste in getting started on their great passion for viticulture and wine. Since the beginning, the Maturana brothers have produced unique, sustainably crafted wines which represent a way of life.

The core values at Maturana are based on innovation, differentiation, fair price, passion, rescue of heritage strains, and quality. With innovation, the goal is to capture the identity of the varieties and specific locations in order to bring out each of their best characteristics. Because Chile has been making wines in the same way for decades, Maturana welcomes differentiation as this is an opportunity to differentiate themselves from others. Maturana supports natural vineyard management and believes in horizontal growth by responsibly paying their growers, sometimes as much as seven times the market price per kilo. Passion is the drug that keeps the Maturana brothers going, and is personified by the Walt Disney phrase: "Dreams can come true if you have the courage to pursue them." With a deep commitment to promoting the ancient vineyards of central Chile, Maturana aims to revive varietals such as País, Torontel, San Francisco, and others. Last, but not least, producing the best quality wines is their core value and goes hand-in-hand with their concept of creating something unique.

This unique orange wine is crafted with 100% Torontel from old vines that were planted ungrafted in 1935 in Loncomilla, within the Maule Valley. The grapes were selected and harvested by hand. It was vinified using traditional Orange Wine (or Amber Wine) methods whereby the white wine remains in contact with the grape skins. To craft this wine, the grapes were fermented and aged for 9 months in concrete eggs.

The 2023 growing season was a warm and somewhat challenging vintage for most of Chile, except for the mostly coastal areas. It began with a chilly and wet winter, followed by an equally cold spring. Vegetative growth was relatively prolific due to replenished water levels, while budburst and flowering was slow due to cold weather. Summer was sizzling as one of the hottest in decades, with fires breaking out in parts of the country, including Maule. Those that were lucky enough to be out of the fires' path avoided smoke taint and the drop in yields, with the result being good quality wines. Let's see how this 2023 Torontel Orange Wine from Chile is tasting tonight...

Tasting Note:

MATURANA NARANJO TORONTEL ORANGE WINE 2023 - Sustainable, Loncomilla, Valle del Maule, Chile (#556217) (XD) - $24.95
Pours a vivid orange colour. The medium-high intensity nose is deep and intense with lovely orange, white tea, and dried herb aromas accented with spice notes. The medium+ weighted palate is dry and spicy with bright and vibrant acidity lifting the orange, white tea, blossom, and herbally flavours. Stony mineral notes add interest and complexity on the textured mid-palate. Spices and herbs give way to tea and minerals on the long, juicy, dry, and fine-grained finish. Highly recommended buy! Score: 90+ pts

One other wine by Maturana is available at the LCBO, while the full range can be ordered through their Agent - Kolonaki Fine Wines & Spirits.

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Les Dauphins Réserve Côtes du Rhône Blanc 2023 (France) - Wine Review

Tonight's white wine review is a lovely, certified sustainable, and vegan-friendly white wine blend that is predominantly Grenache Blanc and Viognier that arrived at the LCBO a couple of weeks ago in the July 5th LCBO VINTAGES New Release Collection.

Les Dauphins is one of several wine brands produced by Union des Vignerons des Côtes du Rhône (UVCDR), a co-operative winery that was founded in the southeastern French region of Drôme Provençale in 1965 by a group of local grower co-operatives. Together, they specialize in the production of an extensive range of AOC Côtes du Rhône, Villages, and Cru wines, thanks to the wealth of terroirs and grape varieties cultivated by their growers. The wines of UVCDR are crafted with the aim of encapsulating the beauty of their landscapes and the fabulous diversity of their Rhône Valley vineyards.

With its colourful, retro-style label, the Les Dauphins brand captures the "Joie de Vivre" of Paris in the Roaring 1920s, at a time when Paris was the festive capital of culture, and creativity was at its peak. The brand's origins go back to the 1920s, when family winegrowers in the region of Dauphiné joined forces in a co-operative style. The wines quickly became very popular because of their fruit-forward and palate-pleasing style.

The name "Les Dauphins" pays tribute to the terroir of the former Dauphiné province in southeastern France, where these wines originate from. The area, which has some of the Southern Rhône's best plots of vineyards, is bordered by the French Alps to the east, the Rhône River to the west and Provence to the south. The climate in this area is typically warm and sunny with little rainfall, while the soils range from stony clay-limestone to sandy soil.

Today, Les Dauphins wines are crafted by the new generations of winegrowers in the southern Rhône Valley as they work together with care and dedication to their terroir and by practicing environmentally-friendly viticulture. To obtain the unique style of Les Dauphins wines, the winemakers of Les Dauphins wines first select the plots among their vineyards, guide the vinification at their facilities, then select, blend, and age the best wines that will adorn the Les Dauphins label.

This white wine is a blend of 50% Grenache Blanc, 40% Viognier, and 10% Marsanne. The grapes were grown in a vineyard situated in the southeast of France, around the village of Tulette, within the old historic region of Dauphiné, on two different soil types: clay-limestone soil formed of sedimentary rock and pebbles, and stony soil with a sandy subsoil. With careful attention throughout the winemaking process, the grapes were grown in carefully selected plots and picked at dawn in order to preserve a pale colour, crunchy aromas, and freshness. It was aged for 4 months to increase drinking pleasure and soften the wine.

The 2023 growing season in the southern Rhône was very good for white wine varieties. The season began with a very dry start from January to March. Bud burst was relatively late (early April), while the Mistral winds were often influential from early April to flowering in mid-May. Following some welcoming late-spring rains in May and June, the summer months were warm and arid, reaching a climax of 43°C on August 22nd, and the fierce heat remained until the end of the month. White varieties were picked from mid-to-late-August. It was a season well-suited for vines planted in clay soils, rather than sandy soils. Let's see how this 2023 Côtes du Rhône Blanc is tasting tonight...

Tasting Note:

LES DAUPHINS RÉSERVE CÔTES DU RHÔNE BLANC 2023 - Sustainable, Vegan, AC, France (#18600) (XD) - $14.95
Screw cap. Blend of 50% Grenache Blanc, 40% Viognier, and 10% Marsanne. The medium+ to medium-high intensity nose is open and ripe with lovely yellow apple, pear, and lemon citrus aromas nuanced with white peach, melon, mealy, leesy, and vanilla. The dry, medium+ to medium-full bodied has good weight with delicious, ripe yellow fruit, apple, pear, citrus, leesy, spice, white peach, and vanilla flavours. Gently spicy on the mid-palate along with fresh and juicy acidity. Yellow orchard fruit and leesy notes with touches of vanilla linger on the long, very satisfying finish. Highly recommended buy! Score: 89 pts

Other delicious Les Dauphins wines are available at the LCBO, and can also be ordered through their Agent - Churchill Cellars Ltd.

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Bodega El Porvenir de Cafayate Laborum Finca El Retiro Torrontés 2023 (Argentina) - Wine Review

Tonight's white wine review is an excellent, high-altitude, and single vineyard Torrontés from the Cafayate Valley in Salta, Argentina, that arrived at the LCBO earlier this month in the July 5 LCBO VINTAGES New Release Collection.

Established in 2000 by the Romero Marcuzzi family, Bodega El Porvenir de Cafayate is one of the benchmark wineries in the high-altitude Cafayate Valley wine region of Argentina. While El Porvenir is relatively new, its roots go back to the 1970s as the first winery was located in Tolombón, a few miles outside Cafayate.

The name 'El Porvenir' means 'future' and embodies the paradigm of Cafayate wine - the fusion between permanent innovation and great respect for the identity and unmistakable character of the Cafayate terroir. El Porvenir is part of a generation of wineries that emerged at the end of the 20th century with the transformation of the Argentine wine industry, the reconversion of Salta's viticulture and the projection of Cafayate wines to the world.

Since 2013, El Porvenir has been led by Lucía Romero Marcuzzi, a vintner, entrepreneur, mother, and third-generation vineyard owner who was born and raised in Salta and took her first steps at her grandfather's finca. With Lucia's hands-on approach, this female-led, family-run project is rewriting the legend of Cafayate. The philosophy at El Porvenir is based on a deep respect and love for their terroir in Cafayate, and is reflected in the wines.

Cafayete is a small, isolated, and elevated valley known for its stunning red rock formations. It is located 180 km (111 miles) south of the city of Salta and features a unique terroir that ensures high-quality and healthy grapes. The Cafayete Valley has an extreme desert climate, along with poor soils, warm days and cool nights, very little rainfall, and plentiful sunlight, all of which, when combined, allow El Porvenir to practice integrated, sustainable, and organic viticulture at high-altitudes between 1,750 and 2,500 metres above sea level. Furthermore, because these vineyards are among the highest in the world, the height and thermal amplitude (i.e. diurnal temperature range) are the elements that significantly influence the growth of the vine and impart unique characteristics to the grapes.

Like the previous vintage, this white wine is crafted with 100% Torrontés that was grown at El Porvenir's oldest vineyard - Finca El Retiro. The vineyard is located at the high-altitude of 1,650 metres above sea level in the Cafayate Valley, Salta, and first planted in 1945 uses both pergola and parral vine-training techniques. Harvest was carried out manually over three periods - the first week of February, and the first and last weeks of March - in order to obtain different layers of complexity. The clusters of grapes were harvested, placed into 20 kg bins, and brought to the winery for cluster selection. It was vinified by whole-cluster pressing and underwent alcoholic fermentation using selected yeasts for 30 days at relatively cool temperatures between 11°C and 13°C. The wine was aged on its fine lees for 3 months, then underwent débourbage (clarifying) and final blending in September prior to bottling.

I enjoyed the 2022 Bodega El Porvenir de Cafayate Laborum Finca El Retiro Torrontés about 18 months ago, and I am expecting this vintage to be even better. The 2023 growing season in Argentina was a bit of a rollercoaster, with recent years influenced by La Niña leaving the country in an unnatural state of drought, as well as being influenced by the southern pole. After devastating spring frosts during budburst, which cut yields in some parts of the country, the season settled into warm, dry days, with summer being one of the hottest and driest in years, which resulted in the grapes ripening quickly. Vineyards at high altitudes (such as those in Salta) benefited from high diurnal temperature variation, which helped retain acidity and aromatics. Due to the heat, the resulting harvest was a little earlier than normal. From what is considered to be an excellent vintage for high-altitude white wines, let's see how this 2023 Torrontés from the Cafayate Valley in Salta is tasting tonight...

Tasting Note:

BODEGA EL PORVENIR DE CAFAYATE LABORUM FINCA EL RETIRO TORRONTÉS 2023 - Valle de Cafayate, Salta, Argentina (#489179) (XD) - $19.95
Screw cap. Delicately lifted and fresh, the medium-high to highly aromatic nose offers green herbs, ripe kaffir lime citrus, and lemongrass aromas nuanced with hints of tropical fruit, guava, blossom, and pithy fruit, with touches of leesy minerality. The medium+ to medium-full bodied palate shows impressive weight, concentration, and structure in a tangy flavour profile of ripe lime citrus, green herbs, lemongrass, and tropical fruit flavours, plus some peppery spice and leesy notes. It has crisp, juicy, and well-structured acidity. Leesy minerals carry you through to the long, savoury finish. Highly recommended buy! Score: 90 pts

Other lovely wines by Bodega El Porvenir de Cafayate can be ordered through their Agent - Eurovintage Wines & Spirits.

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Skouras Cuvée Prestige Agiorgitiko / Moscofilero Rosé 2024 (Greece) - Wine Review

After enjoying the lovely 2023 Skouras Cuvée Prestige Agiorgitiko / Moscofilero Rosé last year, tonight's rosé wine review is the latest vintage of this terrific wine that arrived at the LCBO earlier this month as part of the feature story on Mediterranean wines in the July 5th LCBO VINTAGES New Release Collection.

It is produced by the well-respected Domaine Skouras, a winery that was founded in 1986 by George Skouras. George was born in the Peloponnese town of Argos, one of Europe's oldest towns and one with a rich, 3,000-year-old tradition of wine and culture. After completing his studies that began in agriculture and finished with a degree in Oenology in Burgundy, George gained his experience in the classic wine-producing regions of France before returning home to realize the dream of having his own winery.

Initially, he set up his winery in the small village of Pyrgela, on the outskirts of Argos, then eventually moved to Nemea in the northeastern Peloponnese. It was in Nemea where he gained invaluable lessons about Agiorgitiko and the Nemea appellation. Today, Domaine Skouras is situated in the highlands of Argolida, an area that is blessed with ideal winegrowing conditions, particularly for Agiorgitiko.

The ultra-modern winery of Domaine Skouras helps fulfill their winemaking philosophy that focuses on purity, varietal clarity, tracing of the region's mesoclimate, and imprint of the terroir. The viticultural team at Skouras has only one aim: to achieve optimum ripeness and obtain the best possible grape. With a belief that the better the fruit, the better the wine, the wines of Domaine Skouras consistently show the hallmarks of their creator with intensity, vibrancy, and complexity, and all is expressed with elegance, grace, and nobility. Domaine Skouras' wines are engraved with the character of their terroir.

Like the previous vintage, the 2024 vintage is also composed of 70% Agiorgitiko and 30% Moscofilero and grown in the Peloponnese wine region of Greece. The Agiorgitiko was grown in Corinthia at an elevation of 850 metres above sea level on calcareous soil, while the Moscofilero was grown in Mantinia at an elevation of 750 metres above sea level on sandy soil. The average age of the Agiorgitiko vines is 29 years, while the average age of the Moscofilero vines is 31 years. After harvesting the grapes from the end of September to the beginning of October, the Moscofilero underwent skin contact for 6 hours at 16°C, and was then blended and co-fermented with the Agiorgitiko in stainless steel vats at the same controlled temperature of 16°C. The wine was aged on its fine lees for a short period of time and then bottled and enclosed by screw cap.

From a warm vintage with reduced volumes, let's see how this 2024 rosé from Greece is tasting tonight...

Tasting Note:

SKOURAS CUVÉE PRESTIGE AGIORGITIKO / MOSCOFILERO ROSÉ 2024 - PGI Peloponnese, Greece (#25745) (XD) - $16.95
Blend of 70% Agiorgitiko and 30% Moscofilero and enclosed by screw cap. Enticing with an attractive, complex, and medium-high to highly aromatic nose of citrus, grapefruit, blood orange, floral, red berry, currant, raspberry, and cherry notes. Quite full and weighty on the dry palate with delicious citrus, grapefruit, red berry, raspberry, currant, and blood orange flavours nuanced with gentle spice. It has very good, crisp, juicy, and slightly tangy acidity. Citrus and red berry flavours are joined by touches of leesy minerals on the finish, with very good length. Highly recommended buy! Score: 89 pts

Other lovely wines by Domaine Skouras can be found at the LCBO and through their Agent - Kolonaki Fine Wines & Spirits.

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July 19, 2025 LCBO VINTAGES Release Wine Picks: BBQ Wines

Here are my top wine picks from the July 19, 2025 LCBO VINTAGES New Release Collection, where BBQ Wines is the feature story of the release. The mini-theme highlights a trio of wines from Nova Scotia, while also included in this release is a new selection of Online & Flagship Exclusives (OFE). There are 102 products offered in this release, and all should be available for purchase by this Saturday, if not earlier.

We'll begin with the feature story on Wines for the BBQ. The printed catalogue (and digital edition) offer good pairing ideas for these wines, as well as serving temperatures. Of the twenty-two wines included as part of the theme, seven are among my recommended wine picks. Quality white wines for BBQ fare include the Assyrtiko from Greece, the Sauvignon Blanc from New Zealand, and the Grillo from Sicily. Among the reds, the only blend is the Chianti Classico, which is composed of 80% Sangiovese, 10% Merlot, and 10% Cabernet Sauvignon. Mono-varietals reds are the Gamay Noir from Niagara, the Pinot Noir from New Zealand, and the outstanding Cabernet Franc from Niagara.

Red wine recommendations from the main release begin in Tuscany with a Super Tuscan that is crafted with 57% Merlot, 26% Cabernet Franc, 11% Cabernet Sauvignon, and 6% Petit Verdot. From France, the Rasteau is composed of 60% Grenache, 20% Syrah, 15% Mourvèdre, and 5% Carignan, while the Languedoc-Roussillon red is 70/30 Grenache and Syrah. Other red blends include the $14 Portuguese wine that is a blend of 40% Alicante Bouschet, 30% Aragonez (Tempranillo), and 30% Trincadeira, and the Gemstone from Niagara that is 57.1% Cabernet Franc and 42.9% Merlot. We also travel the globe for mono-varietal red wines, beginning with a Tempranillo from Spain, a Malbec from Argentina, and a Pinot Noir from South Africa.

Sauvignon Blanc and Chardonnay lead the pack among my white picks from the main release. For Sauvignon Blanc wine lovers, there are four wines in total representing Pouilly-Fumé and Sancerre in Loire, Argentina, and Australia. For fans of Chardonnay, the local hit parade from the last release continues in this release with wines by Huff Estates in Prince Edward County, and Inniskillin in Niagara-on-the-Lake. Other white wines include a skin-contact Pinot Grigio from Friuli, and the only white wine blend - a Sicilian white composed of 38% Catarratto, 28% Inzolia, 21% Grecanico, 7% Grillo, and 6% Chardonnay.

My lone sparkling wine recommendation from this release comes from South Africa, and it is primarily Pinot Noir with Chardonnay and Pinotage playing complementary roles.

Enjoy my top wine recommendations from this release! Cheers!

Red Wine:

• CARMIM TERRA LENTA PREMIUM 2023 - DOC Alentejo, Portugal (#646083) (XD) - $13.95
• FEATHERSTONE GEMSTONE 2023 - Sustainable, VQA Niagara Peninsula, Ontario, Canada (#46055) (XD) - $17.95  review coming soon...
• VILLA TRASQUA CHIANTI CLASSICO 2020 - DOCG, Tuscany, Italy (#121160) (XD) - $19.95
• BURGO VIEJO RESERVA 2020 - DOCa Rioja, Spain (#168823) (XD) - $19.95  review coming soon...
• RHONÉA TRADITION RASTEAU 2021 - AP, Rhône, France (#998716) (XD) - $19.95  90+ pts  wine review
• FABRE MONTMAYOU BARREL SELECTION MALBEC 2022 - Patagonia, Argentina (#42115) (XD) - $19.95  90+ pts  wine review
• THELEMA MOUNTAIN VINEYARDS SUTHERLAND PINOT NOIR 2021 - WO Elgin, South Africa (#624924) (XD) - $23.95  OFE
• LAFAGE NARASSA 2022 - IGP Côtes Catalanes, Languedoc-Roussillon, France (#483313) (XD) - $24.95  90+ pts  wine review
• JULES TAYLOR PINOT NOIR 2021 - Sustainable, Marlborough, South Island, New Zealand (#329805) (XD) - $25.95
• BACHELDER WILLMS LES NATURISTES GAMAY NOIR CRU 2020 - VQA Four Mile Creek, Niagara-on-the-Lake, Ontario, Canada (#45883) (XD) - $29.95
• BLACK BANK HILL CABERNET FRANC 2022 - VQA Lincoln Lakeshore, Niagara Peninsula, Ontario, Canada (#46056) (XD) - $39.95
• TENUTA DI TRINORO LE CUPOLE TRINORO 2022 - IGT Rosso Toscana, Italy (#30361) (XD) - $53.95  OFE

White Wine:

• FEUDO MACCARI OLLI GRILLO 2024 - DOP Sicilia, Italy (#477877) (XD) - $16.95  89 pts  wine review
• BIRD IN HAND SAUVIGNON BLANC 2024 - Vegan, Adelaide Hills, South Australia (#41875) (XD) - $17.95  89 pts  wine review
• HUMBERTO CANALE ESTATE 1909 SAUVIGNON BLANC 2024 - Patagonia, Argentina (#42735) (XD) - $17.95
• TASCA D'ALMERITA REGALEALI BIANCO 2024 - DOC Sicilia, Italy (#531780) (XD) - $17.95
• ATTEMS RAMATO PINOT GRIGIO 2024 - DOC Friuli, Italy (#111732) (XD) - $19.95
• SPY VALLEY SAUVIGNON BLANC 2023 - Sustainable, Marlborough, South Island, New Zealand (#686675) (XD) - $19.95
• MEGA SPILEO ASSYRTIKO 2023 - PGI Achaia, Greece (#31680) (XD) - $19.95  review coming soon...
• CHATELAIN LES VIGNES DE SAINT-LAURENT L'ABBAYE POUILLY-FUMÉ 2023 - Sustainable, AC, Loire, France (#958801) (XD) - $29.45  OFE
• INNISKILLIN MONTAGUE VINEYARD CHARDONNAY 2022 - VQA Four Mile Creek, Niagara-on-the-Lake, Ontario, Canada (#238642) (XD) - $32.95  OFE  90 pts  wine review
• HUFF CATHERINE'S CHARDONNAY 2022 - VQA Prince Edward County, Ontario, Canada (#88955) (XD) - $34.00  91+ pts  wine review
• JEAN-MAX ROGER CUVÉE MARNES ET CAILLOTTES SANCERRE 2023 - AC, Loire, France (#196667) (XD) - $39.95

Sparkling Wine:

• BOSCHENDAL CAP CLASSIQUE BRUT ROSÉ SPARKLING - Disgorged July 2024, Traditional Method, WO Western Cape, South Africa (#34127) (D) - $29.95  OFE  90+ pts  wine review

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Southern Right Sauvignon Blanc 2023 (South Africa) - Wine Review

Tonight's white wine review is an excellent, certified sustainable Sauvignon Blanc from South Africa that arrived at the LCBO as an Online & Flagship Exclusive in the June 21 LCBO VINTAGES Release Collection - with bottles still available for purchase.

It is produced by Southern Right, a winery that was founded by Anthony Hamilton Russell in 1994 as a sibling winery to the renowned and highly-acclaimed Hamilton Russell Vineyards. In 2005, Southern Right established its home on a strikingly beautiful 448-hectare property in the cool, maritime, Hemel-en-Aarde Valley appellation, just behind the old fishing village of Hermanus. In 2009, their "Overberg" style cellar was built on the property and tailor-made for their Pinotage and Sauvignon Blanc.

The winery is named after the rare Southern Right whales that frequent the cool, South Atlantic Walker Bay, which is located a mere 3 kilometres from the vineyards at its closest point. With each bottle of Southern Right sold, the Russell family makes a contribution to the whales' conservation, as well as the conservation of indigenous and endangered vegetation in the area. Their motto 'Naturam Esse Omne', which means 'Nature is Everything', is carried on the neck label of each Southern Right bottle and is their commitment to the conservation and improvement of the environment.

As a boutique winery, Southern Right is a small specialist in Pinotage and Sauvignon Blanc wines. With Pinotage, the aim of Southern Right is to produce serious, age-worthy wines that combine distinct South African fruit and flavour expression with classic styling and refinement. Southern Right's vineyards have stony, very high iron and clay content, and shale-derived soils which are best suited to crafting refined and classically-styled wines. As is their philosophy at Hamilton Russell Vineyards, they practice rigorous yield management and take extreme care to ensure harvesting the grapes at optimal physiological ripeness. With Sauvignon Blanc, a wine that is a local and international bestseller, it undergoes a slower fermentation using both natural and endemic yeasts, and is crafted with the aim of avoiding excessively dramatic varietal characters that obscure the expression of the site and soil.

This white wine is crafted with 100% Sauvignon Blanc that was grown in the Cape Coast area. More specifically, 53% of the fruit comes from Walker Bay, while 47% is from Hemel-en-Aarde. The vineyards are planted on diverse soils consisting of 40% clay-rich shale, 32% Table Mountain sandstone, and 28% decomposed granite. The wine was crafted to ensure the personality of the sites and soils is not overridden by the forceful character of Sauvignon Blanc, and aims to balance the tight Old World minerality and length with New World texture and body. With a significant percentage of the fruit coming from iron and clay-rich soil, this adds a fine textural and structural component to the wine, as well as additional overall complexity. To further impart texture and mouthfeel, 8% of this wine was matured in neutral barrels. Meanwhile, the sandstone soils contribute their typically bright, tensile character and a marked, saline minerality.

The 2023 growing season along the Cape Coastal areas was one of the coolest years on record, averaging a maximum of 24.18°C from December to March. Budbreak was slightly later than normal for Sauvignon Blanc, while ripening was just over one week earlier. The later-ripening sites were at risk from significant rainfall during harvest in late-February and March, however, careful selection in the vineyard enabled the team at Southern Right to bring only the best grapes to the cellar. Considered a somewhat challenging vintage of good quality with cool-climate characteristics, this vintage produced vibrant and energetic wines with wonderful natural acidity. Let's see how this 2023 Sauvignon Blanc from South Africa is tasting tonight...

Tasting Note:

SOUTHERN RIGHT SAUVIGNON BLANC 2023 - Sustainable, WO Cape Coast, South Africa (#512277) (XD) - $24.95
Cool and fresh, the medium-high intensity nose has complex aromas of lemon/lime citrus, grapefruit, sea spray, asparagus, snow pea, tarragon, grassy, and green herb aromas accented with guava and ripe tropical fruits. The dry, medium+ to medium-full bodied palate has very good concentration supporting the spicy flavours of lemon/lime citrus, grapefruit, saline mineral, tarragon, herbal, and grassy notes. It's nicely textured, and a touch viscous on the mid-palate, alongside clean, tangy, fresh, and vibrant acidity. Complex throughout with tangy citrus and herbs tapering to saline and earthy minerals on the long, savoury finish. Highly recommended buy! Score: 91+ pts

Other fine Southern Right wines can be ordered through their Agent - Noble Estates Wines & Spirits.

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