Desiderius Pongrácz Brut Cap Classique Sparkling Chardonnay / Pinot Noir (South Africa) - Wine Review

For tonight's wine review, I bring you this excellent bubbly that I actually intended to open on New Year's Eve 2019, but for reasons I don't recall, I ended up not opening it.

This lovely traditional method, dry sparkling wine from South Africa came to the LCBO last year as part of the December 7, 2019 LCBO VINTAGES Release. I had the privilege of tasting this wine at the LCBO tasting lab prior to it being available in stores and was delighted to have purchased a bottle as it did not show up in stores again in 2020.

After what started out as a great year, 2020 turned out to be a year like no other and full of challenges, to say the least. But, I think we have all adapted to these trying times and feel hopeful for a better 2021!

Tasting Note:

DESIDERIUS PONGRÁCZ BRUT CAP CLASSIQUE SPARKLING CHARDONNAY / PINOT NOIR - Traditional method, WO Western Cape, South Africa (#404111) (XD) - $16.95
Made in the traditional method from hand-harvested, maritime cooled vineyards, this is a blend of 60% Pinot Noir from deep red soils and 40% Chardonnay that sees two years of lees ageing. Clean, highly fragrant aromas of brioche, autolytic, and toast layered over nuanced notes of honey, lemony citrus, and almond. It's very fine on the palate with smooth, finely beaded bubbles and creamy textured mousse. The flavour profile is dry with lovely autolytic, brioche, and lemon citrus notes with touches of honey. It has fine acidity and a somewhat textural, chalky grip on the mid-palate. Leesy and mineral notes linger on the long, mouth-watering finish. Lovely! Score: 91 pts

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Lacour Tourny 2018 (Bordeaux) - Wine Review

Tonight's wine review is this nice Bordeaux red that recently arrived at the LCBO as a General List product and is widely available across Ontario.

Lacour Tourny pays tribute to the Marquis de Tourny, who worked under the reign of Louis XV to magnify the city of Bordeaux. The blend of this red wine consists of Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon from small plots within mature vineyards. This red wine reveals the knowledge of the producer's oenologists, while also respecting the typicity of this renowned winemaking region and its environment.

Tasting Note:

LACOUR TOURNY 2018 - AC Bordeaux, France (#17447) (XD) - $11.85
A blend of 60% Merlot and 40% Cabernet Sauvignon that was sourced from small plots in Entre-deux-Mers and the right bank of the Gironde Estuary where the soils have a combination of clay and lime. Rich, medium+ intensity nose offers blackberry and spice aromas accented by dark cherry, raspberry, and touches of black plum. On the dry, medium-bodied palate it has fresh acidity and fruit forward, plummy, dark berry, spice, and beet flavours. Mild tannins have a subtle textured grip. Nicely balanced overall with a savoury, earthy, and juicy finish, with very good length. Score: 88 pts

Other wines from Lacour Tourny can be ordered via their Agent - Churchill Cellars.

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Exploring DO Rueda Wines (Spain)

For tonight's wine reviews, I explore the wines of Rueda (Spain) thanks to DO Rueda and GLO Communications.

Rueda Designation of Origin (DO) is one of the few European wine growing regions specialised in making white wines. Rueda is known for its excellence in producing white wines based on its native varietal, Verdejo, as well as its other principal white varietal, Sauvignon Blanc. While Sauvignon Blanc was introduced to Spain from Loire only in the 1970s, Verdejo has been grown in Rueda for over 10 centuries. In 1980, DO Rueda officially became an appellation, celebrating 40 years in 2020.

DO Rueda is located in northwestern Spain, within the provinces of Valladolid, Segovia and Ávila in the region of Castile and León. The region is located on high plains 700 to 870 metres (2,300 to 2,800 feet) above sea level, and affected by Atlantic winds. Areas close to the River Duero and its tributaries have broad alluvial and diluvial terraces. The brown, rocky soils are rich in calcium and magnesium, with good drainage, along with some limestone at the top of rolling hills, while their texture varies from sandy-loamy to loamy. The geological substratum has evolved on the surface towards rocky allochthonous deposits, giving rise to gravelly plots where the best DO Rueda vineyards are grown.

Winters are cold and very long, springs are short, and late frosts are common. However, summers are hot and dry, resulting in vines that seek water deep into the subsoil. High diurnal temperatures between the hot days and cool nights help maintain balance and excellent acidity. The robust Verdejo has learnt to survive the harsh environment that is Rueda.

Harvesting the grapes of Rueda usually occurs at night, while fermentation is often in stainless steel tanks, but sometimes also occurs in barrels. Oak barrels are also used to age the wine on lees. The wines below, which are all lovely, encompass some aspect of the traditional winemaking process in Rueda. While none of these wines are available at the LCBO, nor through the Passport to Rueda Mixed Case via WineAlign which is now sold out, you should be able to purchase these lovely wines through each winery's respective Agent.

Tasting Notes:

BODEGAS REINA DE CASTILLA EL BUFON VERDEJO 2019 - DO Rueda, Spain (XD) - $19.95
This Verdejo has a fresh, clean nose of citrus, grapefruit, and herb with a touch of stony minerals. The zesty, medium+ bodied palate has fine concentration with tangy citrus, grapefruit, and herbally flavours tapering into saline mineral notes. Succulent acids are fresh, and juicy. Grapefruit and oyster shell mineral with a touch of bitterness on the long finish. Keeps you coming back for another sip. Agent:
Brand New Day Wines & Spirits. Score: 90 pts

NEKORA BY DIEZ SIGLOS 2019 - DO Rueda, Spain (XD) - $19.92
Perfumed, fragrant, and aromatics offer lovely ripe tropical fruit, citrus, and pear mingling with floral, and honeysuckle aromas. It is medium+ bodied on concentrated, textured palate with fresh, juicy acidity, and more tropical fruit, citrus, and pear flavours with some minerality coming through on the long, succulent finish. Agent: Marchands des Ameriques Inc. Score: 90 pts

EL LAGAR DE MOHA SAPIENTIA VERDEJO ECOLÓGICO 2018 - DO Rueda, Spain (XD) - $21.95
This organic Verdejo was fermented using natural yeasts and aged on fine lees. The medium+ intensity nose has a leesy, lactic characters surrounded by peach, melon, and citrus aromas. It's medium-full bodied on the fleshy, creamy, and spicy palate with flavours of tropical fruit, citrus, and hints of spicy ginger. Acids are clean and well-balanced, while mineral and leesy notes linger on the long finish. Agent: Violet Hill Wine Imports. Score: 89 pts

BODEGAS VERDEAL AYRE VERDEJO EDICION PRIMAVERA 2019 - DO Rueda, Spain (XD) - $19.92
Fragrant, zesty lemon/lime citrus, herbs, and leesy aromas rise out of the glass. It's medium+ bodied with a creamy, leesy mouthfeel and sharp, lively acidity. Lovely flavour replays of lemon/lime citrus, herbal, and leesy flavours with a touch of saline mineral, all of which linger through to the long, succulent and leesy finish. Chill (but not too much) and enjoy! Agent: Bespoke Wine and Spirits. Score: 89 pts

BODEGAS JOSÉ PARIENTE VERDEJO FERMENTADO EN BARRICA 2018 - DO Rueda, Spain (XD) - $34.95
From 70-year-old vines, this barrel-fermented Verdejo was aged for 6 months in French oak barrels. Elegantly fragrant on the nose with ripe lemon citrus, tropical fruit, lemon curd, and peach with touches of sweet vanilla. It is medium-full bodied on the creamy and spicy palate with more lemon, tropical fruit, pineapple, and peach flavours accented with subtle vanilla oak spice notes. It has juicy, mouth-watering acids while vanilla-tinged lemon and leesy notes linger on the long, juicy finish. Agent: Azureau Wines & Spirits. Score: 91 pts

VINOS SANZ MONTESOL RUEDA SAUVIGNON 2019 - DO Rueda, Spain (XD) - $29.52
Fresh, fragrant, intense, and ripe aromas of passion fruit, kiwi, guava, floral, and asparagus with some underlying minerality. It's medium-bodied and fresh on the palate with lively, zesty acidity. Lovely lemon/lime citrus, passion fruit, and floral flavours plus some white pepper and herbal notes add complexity on the palate. Long, zesty finish with touches of mineral. Chill well and enjoy! Agent: Spain Only 1. Score: 90 pts

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Southbrook Organic Vidal Icewine 2014 (Niagara) - Wine Review (Dec. 2020)

To celebrate the holiday season, tonight's wine review is this gorgeous organic Vidal Icewine from Niagara that showed up in LCBO VINTAGES on November 10, 2018. While the 2014 is mostly sold out - six bottles actually still remain at LCBO locations - the 2015 vintage is available through the winery in Niagara-on-the-Lake and online through their web store.

It is produced by Southbrook Vineyards at their 150-acre vineyard in the heart of Niagara-on-the-Lake in Ontario, Canada. Southbrook Vineyards is the epitome and evolution of owner Bill Redelmeier's love story with wine, the land, and all things local. Southbrook produces organic and biodynamic wines and strives to the make the finest wines possible in a way that is local and respectful of the land. There were many hurdles along the way, but becoming growers strengthened these principles as control over the quality of grapes is the starting point of produce of fine wines. In 2008, Southbrook became Canada's first wine estate to earn both organic and biodynamic certification for its vineyard and winery.

The Vidal grapes for this lovely organic Icewine were ripened throughout the Summer of 2014, then were frozen on the vine, then picked and pressed while the air temperature was at least -8° Celsius (17.6°F), resulting in lusciously sweet juice that is concentrated in flavour, acidity, and sugar.

I actually enjoyed the 2014 Southbrook Organic Vidal Icewine back in December 2015 when it was just released by the winery and am curious to see how it has developed over the last 5 years.

Tasting Note:

SOUTHBROOK ORGANIC VIDAL ICEWINE 2014 - VQA Niagara Peninsula, Ontario, Canada (#581165) (S) (375 mL) - $49.95 $37.25
Pours a deep golden colour. Intense and very complex aromas of honeyed peach, apricot, mango, caramel, spice, almond, candied citrus, and touches of ginger rise out of the glass. It's quite full-bodied on the concentrated, very sweet palate with lovely aroma replays supported by very good, mouth-watering acidity. Caramel, dried apricot, and honey notes linger on the finish, with excellent length. Ageing nicely and should continue to drink well over the next 4-5 years, possibly more. Score: 93 pts

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St. Stephen Oda al Vino Cabernet Sauvignon Reserva 2017 and Am Malbec Reserva 2016 (Chile) - Wine Reviews

Tonight's wine reviews are a pair of nice organic red wines by St. Stephen Organic Vineyards from Chile. Both are currently only available via their Agent - Don Ackerman's Wines & Spirits, and may potentially appear in LCBO VINTAGES some time next year.

St. Stephen Organic Vineyards is a family-owned and -operated winery located in the Colchagua Valley at the base of the Andes Mountains. The primary focus is on creating flavourful wines that begin with the sun, soil, temperature, and water. There is little-to-no rainfall during the fruit-bearing months, and because they are situated at the base of the Andes, this provides a plentiful supply of pure snowmelt water. The rich, volcanic soils located in this area are particularly well-suited for winegrowing, especially Cabernets.

The grapes are grown 100% organically using sustainable agricultural methods, and without the use of any preservatives, pesticides, fungicides, herbicides, or other toxicant. All of the grapes at St. Stephen are grown and harvested by hand to reduce bruising and preserve the sugar and flavours of the grapes, followed by rigorous sorting and quality control through to the use of the finest quality French oak barrels to ensure that the final wine is of high quality.

The winemaking process is artisanal, deliberate and flexible. With no two vintages ever the same, the winemaking team is constantly evaluating and adapting to ensure they are able craft the best possible quality of wine. The goal is to create delicious, consistent, unique, and memorable wines.

With a strong commitment to organic agriculture, sustainability, and the general welfare of the planet, a portion of the proceeds from each bottle of St. Stephen wine purchased benefits environmental organizations committed to protecting our planet, expanding national parks and wildlife refuges, reducing pollution, defending our oceans, moving beyond fossil fuels, reducing plastic consumption, and slowing climate change. In recognition of their efforts, St. Stephen Organic Vineyards was invited to address the United Nations Climate Change Division's Annual Conference (COP25) in Madrid in December 2019, joining other speakers such as Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi and Environmental Activist Greta Thunberg.

Tasting Notes:

ST. STEPHEN ODA AL VINO CABERNET SAUVIGNON RESERVA 2017 - Colchagua Valley, Chile (XD) - $30.80
100% Cabernet Sauvignon from dark, rich, volcanic soils that are composed of red granite, andesite,
basalt, and rhyolite. An Ode to Wine, the medium+ intensity nose offers red berry, raspberry, currant, and strawberry aromas with wood spice notes that nicely accent the fruit. It's medium-full bodied on the palate with slightly tart red fruit flavours joined by savoury oak, cocoa notes. It has fresh acidity, while the dry tannins are quite grippy and chalky. Savoury, earthy, and cocoa flavours with a touch of smoke linger on the long, dry finish. Score: 89 pts

ST. STEPHEN AM MALBEC RESERVA 2016 - Curicó Valley, Chile (XD) - $29.10
"Am" means "soul" or "spirit" in the Mapuche language. 100% Malbec grown on dark, rich, volcanic soils. The nose is quite intense with bretty, barnyard, and savoury tones with some dark berry notes adding some fruit characters. It's medium-bodied on the palate with dark berry, boysenberry, and raspberry flavours surrounded by savoury, earthy notes. Acids are fresh and well-balanced while the soft, rounded tannins have a slight textural grip. There's some warmth on the mid-palate. while savoury-earthy tones continue through to the finish, with very good length. Score: 88 pts

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Catena Zapata Nicolás Cabernet Sauvignon/Malbec 2016 (Argentina) - Wine Review

To follow up on the lovely 2017 Catena Cabernet Sauvignon that I enjoyed last month, tonight's wine review is an excellent blend of Cabernet Sauvignon and Malbec by Bodega Catena Zapata that arrived at the LCBO as part of the VINTAGES Classics Collection back in September - with a few bottles still available for purchase at LCBO outlets in Toronto.

The family winery was founded in 1902 by Italian immigrant Nicola Catena when he planted his first Malbec in Mendoza, Argentina. The winery was then passed along to his son, Domingo. It was Domingo's son, Nicolás Catena Zapata, that revolutionized Argentine winemaking. Nicolás was literally born in the vineyard at his family home in Rivadavia in eastern Mendoza in 1939 as his mother never made it to the hospital. Nicolás began planting at higher elevations, looking for cooler temperatures, and planted the Adrianna Vineyard in the Andean foothills. He was instrumental in putting high-altitude Malbec from Mendoza on the world map.

Today, Nicolás' daughter, Dr. Laura Catena, the fourth generation of the family, runs the winery. To further elevate Mendoza as a world-class wine region, she established the Catena Institute of Wine in 1995 to focus on the study of terroir, sustainability, and other research. The wines of Catena Zapata come from six historic family estate vineyards and each of these vineyards is divided into parcels according to their soil composition, with each parcel farmed individually. Nearly all of Catena's vineyards are farmed sustainably and organically, focusing on lower yields and biodiversity.

Catena Zapata has a number of icon wines in their portfolio, but at the top of the list is this profound Nicolás Catena Zapata. It was first crafted in the 1997 vintage using the best grapes from the family's historic vineyards and set a new standard of quality for wines not only from Argentina, but all of South America.

Although Catena Zapata played an important role in elevating Argentine Malbec on the world stage, Cabernet Sauvignon has also been an important part of the Catena portfolio. The 2016 vintage of this iconic wine is a blend of primarily Cabernet Sauvignon (61%), plus Malbec (31%) and Cabernet Franc (8%) in support. The Cabernet Sauvignon comes from the La Pirámide Vineyard at 3,117 ft. (950 m) within Agrelo, Luján de Cuyo, that has deep alluvial loam soils with 30% clay that decreases soil temperatures by 2ºC. A large portion of the Malbec comes from the Adrianna Vineyard at 4,757 ft. (1,450 m) elevation, in Gualtallary, Tupungato, Uco Valley, and has alluvial, gravelly soils with limestone deposits in the topsoil. Lastly, the Cabernet Franc, as well as some of the Malbec come from the Nicasia Vineyard at 3,593 ft. (1,095 m) in Altamira and La Consulta, Uco Valley, where the very shallow loamy topsoil with surface gravel and gravelly (large stones) dry river bed subsoils have optimal drainage characteristics.

The 2016 harvest was characterised by the cool-climate (the coolest vintage in the last thirty years), vineyards there were mostly dry farmed, and a fully snow-covered Andes throughout the summer growing season. Of particular note, the La Pirámide Vineyard - which makes up the majority of this wine - experienced an excellent vintage in part due to it being completely dry farmed because of the year's increased rain pattern, while the clay soils added a level of freshness. Crafted under the tutelage of Wine Director Alejandro Vigil, the winemaker for this wine is Fernando Buscema. Let's see how this iconic wine is tasting tonight...

Tasting Note:

CATENA ZAPATA NICOLÁS CABERNET SAUVIGNON/MALBEC 2016 - Uco Valley, Mendoza, Argentina (#510958) (XD) - $123.00
Blend of 61% Cabernet Sauvignon, 31% Malbec, and 8% Cabernet Franc that was fermented using wild yeasts and aged in French oak barrels for 18 months. Elegant, refined, and fresh aromas of red and black fruits, currant, cassis, blackberry, and earth with a whiff of herb wafting out of the glass. It is full-bodied with lovely replays of currant, cassis, and herb, plus cocoa, earth, oak spice, and touches of graphite on the refined palate. Fresh acidity is well-balanced, while the structured tannins are smooth and fine-grained with some grip. Savoury oak notes come through on the very long, mouth-watering finish. Enjoyable now, but still a bit young. Should improve in 2-3 years and drink well into the early 2030s. Exceptional! Score: 95 pts

Other fine wines from Catena Zapata can be found at the LCBO or ordered through their Agent - Noble Estates Wine & Spirts.

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Toro Bravo Sparkling Secco White (Spain) - Wine Review

For tonight's wine review, I have this accessibly-priced, easy drinking, and vegan-friendly sparkling wine from Spain that is a recent arrival to the LCBO and widely available across Ontario.

The Toro Bravo brand was born a few years from a collaboration between Alex Patinios of Dionysus Wines & Spirits Ltd. (Ontario Agent) and Melanie Nathou, a négociant who owns Wines & Company S.L.U. in Valencia, Spain. After recognizing that very few new value-based wines were coming into Ontario, Alex approached Melanie and together they came up with Toro Bravo.

Today, there are a number of wines bearing the Toro Bravo label. This particular sparkling wine is crafted in the Charmat method using 50% Macabeo, 30% Parellada, and 20% Xarel-lo, with the majority of the grapes coming from vineyards located between 350 to 600 meters above sea level in rocky areas of the Cataluña region. It is crafted in a very approachable style with some sweetness that will appeal to many. I found it very interesting that this sparkling wine is enclosed by easy-to-open and re-sealable screw cap. The cap was specially designed to withstand the pressures of sparkling wine. I've been tasting it over the last few days and the bubbles and flavours are still quite fresh and persistent.

Tasting Note:

TORO BRAVO SPARKLING SECCO WHITE - Spain (#16191) (D) - $11.95
This sparkling wine is made in the Charmat method using a blend of 50% Macabeo, 30% Parellada, and 20% Xarel-lo, and enclosed by screw cap. Sweet citrus, floral, peach, and pear aromas rise out of the glass. On the medium-bodied, creamy palate it has frothy mousse and fine bubbles with pleasantly off-dry (i.e. slightly sweet) aroma replays on the flavour profile that linger through to the finish, with decent length. Casual, uncomplicated bubbly to enjoy as an aperitif or in a sparkling wine cocktail. Score: 85 pts

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