Trapiche Medalla Malbec 2018 (Argentina) - Wine Review

After enjoying the excellent 2017 Trapiche Gran Medalla Malbec last November, tonight's red wine review is its little sibling that arrived at the LCBO today as the Wine of the Month in the April 2nd LCBO VINTAGES Release. This wine is also part of a collection of Malbecs I'll be reviewing in the lead up to Malbec World Day 2022, which is celebrated worldwide every year on the 17th of April.

Founded in Mendoza in 1883, Trapiche Winery has grown to become one of Argentina's most internationally recognized brands. Not only is Trapiche Argentina's largest producer of wine, but they are also one of the industry's leading innovators while pioneering new sites, partnering with premium grape growers, and developing a new generation of talented winemakers. Trapiche was a pioneer in working with Bordeaux varieties, exploring micro-terroirs, and developing modern winemaking techniques. Today, Trapiche owns more than 1,000 hectares of vineyards across Mendoza's Primera Zone and Uco Valley, as well as having longstanding partnerships with some of the province's revered grape growers.

Trapiche has quite a few different ranges of wines and this wine is from their Medalla collection that was borne in 1983 to celebrate the winery's 100th anniversary. This vegan-friendly red wine is 100% Malbec using fruit from their own vineyards in Uco Valley. The grapes were manually harvested, selected, and de-stemmed, followed by fermentation in small concrete vats. It was aged in new French oak barrels for 18 months and further 6 months in bottle prior to release.

The 2018 vintage in Argentina was celebrated for its return to normality with warm day time temperatures and cool nights, and without any unwanted rains. Overall, the harvest showed excellent quality with full maturation and healthy grapes. In the Uco Valley, Malbec stood out for it's great intensity and character. Let's see how this 2018 Uco Valley Malbec is tasting tonight...

Tasting Note:

TRAPICHE MEDALLA MALBEC 2018 - Vegan, Valle de Uco, Mendoza, Argentina (#547869) (XD) - $19.95
100% Malbec mainly from their vineyards in Tupungato, Uco Valley, situated between 1,060 and 1,200 metres (3,500 and 4,000 feet) above sea level. The nose seems somewhat quiet, offering glimpses of ripe plum, purple fruit, peppery spice, and stony mineral aromas with subtle oak nuances. The medium-full bodied palate is rich and ripe with fleshy concentration and lovely flavours of purple and black fruits, plum, white pepper spice, and stony mineral notes. Acids are juicy and succulent, while the dusty, fine-grained, and lightly structured tannins offer a pleasingly textured mouthfeel. Stony mineral and meaty notes linger on the savoury finish, with very good length. Recommended buy! Score: 89 pts

Other lovely wines by Trapiche are available at the LCBO and through their Agent - Dandurand.

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Château Hauchat 2019 (Bordeaux) - Wine Review

Tonight's red wine review is this lovely Merlot from Bordeaux that arrives at the LCBO this weekend as the Wine of the Month in the April 2nd LCBO VINTAGES Release.

It is produced by Famille Saby, a winemaking family that has been crafting wines on the Right Bank of Bordeaux in Saint Emilion for nine generations. It all started in the 18th century with Jean Saby and the family vineyard properties have been passed down along familial lines ever since. Château Rozier, Château Saint André Corbin and Château Hauchat are the three key pieces in a remarkable viticultural patrimony that has been in the hands of the Saby family since 1775. Today, the family properties are in the hands of Jean-Bernard Saby, the 8th generation of the family. His two sons, Jean-Christophe and Jean-Phillippe, are both oenologists and the 9th generation to join the family business as they apply their new skills while respecting the traditions of their father and grandfather. Together, they manage 62 hectares of vineyards across their three properties.

I've had the pleasure of tasting this wine over several vintages now, including most recently the 2018 Château Hauchat last November, and I've been quite impressed with the quality as it has improved each vintage. The 2019 vintage of this red wine from Right Bank appellation of Fronsac continues to be crafted with 100% Merlot grown on clay-limestone soils. Located on the high plateau of Saint-Aignan, the vineyard is south and southwest oriented, facing Pomerol, which ensures ideal sunshine and perfect drainage. The grapes were manually harvested and sorted on tables. It underwent cold pre-fermentation maceration and crushing, thermo-regulated fermentation, as well as malolactic fermentation. The wine was aged in a combination and new and used American and French oak barrels.

Although the 2019 vintage was a hot year in Bordeaux, it is a very good year, especially on the Right Bank where the wines tended to be intensely concentrated with lots of flavour. Merlot was a stand out with its generosity and intensity. Let's see how this 2019 Merlot from Bordeaux is tasting tonight...

Tasting Note:

CHÂTEAU HAUCHAT 2019 - AC Fronsac, Bordeaux, France (#123489) (XD) - $17.95
100% Merlot grown on clay-limestone soils, the fresh, intense, and perfumed aromas offers lovely red fruited notes of raspberry, cherry, currant, floral rose, and sweet wood spices. On the ripe, sunny, medium-full bodied, and lightly structured palate it has lovely balanced aroma replays, plus sandalwood notes on the flavour profile that are supported by fresh, juicy acidity and smooth, refined, and supple tannins. Dusty textured on the mid-palate, while savoury graphite, mineral nuances join the red fruited and sweet spice notes on the long, elegant, and balanced finish. Highly recommended buy! Score: 90+ pts

Other lovely wines from the Saby family can be ordered through their Agent - Connexion Oenophilia.

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April 2, 2022 LCBO VINTAGES Release Wine Picks: Old vs New World Pairings

The main theme of the upcoming April 2nd, 2022 LCBO VINTAGES Release is titled "Family Feasts" and looks at Old World vs. New World wine pairings for these feasts. All of the wines from this release should be on shelves across Ontario by this Saturday.

We begin with the theme titled "Family Feasts", but really focuses on food and wine pairings consisting of traditional April long weekend fare paired with Old World and New World wines. Of the twenty wines featured as part of the theme, two are included among my top wine picks. According to the catalogue, the off-dry (i.e. slightly sweet) Riesling from Niagara would be a fine match with a traditional turkey dinner. For an old world pairing with a sweet and savoury baked ham, try the red from Roussillon that is a blend of 70% Syrah and 30% old vines Grenache.

Red wine blends from the rest of the release include a lovely Portuguese red that consists of 50% Alicante Bouschet, 30% Touriga Franca, and 20% Touriga Nacional, as well as a Côtes du Rhône that consists of 50% Grenache, 20% Syrah, 15% Carignan, 10% Cinsault, and 5% Counoise. The last blend is from Mt. Etna in Sicily and it consists of 80% Nerello Mascalese and 20% Nerello Cappuccio. Among the single varietal wines, there are a pair of lovely Argentine Malbec wines, as well as a pair of Australian Shiraz wines. There is also a fine Pinot Noir from Willamette Valley. Returning to the old world, the Bordeaux red wine is crafted with 100% Merlot, while the Barbaresco is made with Nebbiolo.

From my white wine picks, the only blend is from Australia and it consists of 61% Viognier and 39% Marsanne. Among the single varietal wines, the Rioja is made with 100% Viura that was barrel-fermented and aged in oak. All three Chardonnay wines also spent various amounts of time fermenting and ageing in oak, while a small part of the Verdicchio also spent some time in big wooden barrels.

My lone rosé wine pick is from Niagara and the latest edition of this dry rosé is a blend of 88% Pinot Noir and 12% Pinot Gris. For fans of pink bubbly, the sparkling wine from South Africa is a 60/40 blend of Pinot Noir and Chardonnay.

Enjoy my wine recommendations from this release! Bon appetit!

Red Wine:

• VIRGEN NATURAL MALBEC 2019 - Vegan, sustainable, Tupungato, Valle de Uco, Mendoza, Argentina (#21987) (XD) - $17.95  89 pts  wine review
• CHÂTEAU HAUCHAT 2019 - AC Fronsac, Bordeaux, France (#123489) (XD) - $17.95  90+ pts  wine review
• TENUTE NICOSIA VULKÀ ETNA ROSSO 2018 - Sustainable, DOC, Sicily, Italy (#22804) (XD) - $18.95
• CHÂTEAU DE MONTFAUCON CÔTES DU RHÔNE 2017 - AP, France (#13439) (XD) - $18.95
• TRAPICHE MEDALLA MALBEC 2018 - Vegan, Valle de Uco, Mendoza, Argentina (#547869) (XD) - $19.95  89 pts  wine review
• LARRY CHERUBINO WINES FOLKLORE SHIRAZ 2019 - Western Australia (#23330) (XD) - $19.95
• BASTIDE MIRAFLORS SYRAH / VIEILLES VIGNES GRENACHE 2019 - AP Côtes du Roussillon, France (#320499) (XD) - $19.95
• JIM BARRY THE LODGE HILL SHIRAZ 2018 - Clare Valley, South Australia (#998476) (XD) - $22.95
• SÃO MIGUEL ESCOLHA DOS ENOLOGOS 2019 - Vinho Regional Alentejano, Portugal (#445122) (XD) - $24.95  92 pts  wine review
• ENRICO SERAFINO SANAVENTO BARBARESCO 2018 - DOCG, Piedmont, Italy (#157347) (XD) - $29.95  90+ pts  wine review
• DOMAINE DROUHIN OREGON PINOT NOIR 2018 - Sustainable, Dundee Hills, Willamette Valley, USA (#961284) (XD) - $52.95  93 pts  wine review

White Wine:

• D'ARENBERG THE HERMIT CRAB VIOGNIER/MARSANNE 2021 - McLaren Vale, South Australia (#662775) (XD) - $17.95
• ARBOLEDA CHARDONNAY 2019 - DO Aconcagua Costa, Chile (#606772) (XD) - $18.95  90+ pts  wine review
• NALS MARGREID HILL PINOT GRIGIO 2019 - DOC Südtirol-Alto Adige, Italy (#17365) (XD) - $19.95
• TRIUS DISTINCTION SAUVIGNON BLANC 2020 - VQA Niagara-on-the-Lake, Ontario, Canada (#19379) (XD) - $19.95
• MALIVOIRE ESTATE GROWN CHARDONNAY 2019 - VQA Beamsville Bench, Niagara Escarpment, Ontario, Canada (#573147) (XD) - $19.95
• SOUTHBROOK TRIOMPHE ORGANIC RIESLING 2019 - Vegan, VQA Niagara Peninsula, Ontario, Canada (#25647) (D) - $22.95
• GRANCASALE VERDICCHIO DEI CASTELLI DI JESI CLASSICO SUPERIORE 2018 - DOC, Marche, Italy (#23869) (XD) - $23.95
• VIÑA MURIEL RESERVA 2013 - DOCa Rioja, Spain (#25079) (XD) - $31.95
• GRGICH HILLS ESTATE GROWN CHARDONNAY 2018 - Napa Valley, California, USA (#346304) (XD) - $67.95

Rosé Wine:

• MALIVOIRE VIVANT ROSÉ 2021 - Vegan, sustainable, VQA Beamsville Bench, Niagara Escarpment, Ontario, Canada (#498535) (XD) - $19.95

Sparkling Wine:

• PONGRÁCZ CAP CLASSIQUE ROSÉ - Traditional method, WO Western Cape, South Africa (#646968) (D) - $18.95

Dessert Wine:

• HENRY OF PELHAM SPECIAL SELECT LATE HARVEST VIDAL 2019 - Sustainable, VQA Ontario, Canada (#395228) (S) (375 mL) - $19.95

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São Miguel Escolha dos Enologos 2019 (Portugal) - Wine Review

Tonight's red wine review is a lovely Portuguese blend that arrives at the LCBO this coming weekend as part of the April 2nd LCBO VINTAGES Release.

It is produced by Casa Relvas, a family that has been living from the land on two continents for five generations. With a desire to continue the family's history, Alexandre Relvas (Sr.) purchased Herdade de São Miguel in São Miguel de Machede - Redondo in 1997 after he saw the landscape at this site which was similar to his African roots. The Relvas family developed a passion for Alentejo and respected the region's unique and authentic nature, leading to the planting of a typical afforestation. But their true passion was in the vineyard of this region that had a culture of more than 2000 years of history.

In 2001, the Relvas family planted their first 10 hectares of vines, followed by another 25 hectares in 2002 after Nuno Franco, a viticulture and oenology consultant, joined the project. The winery was built in 2003 and they launched their first wines a year later. In 2006, Alexandre Relvas Jr. joined the company after a year of viticultural training in Bordeaux, and success soon followed. With a love for celebration, the mission at Casa Relvas is to produce quality wines that accompany every moment in life. Today, as the family has grown, the Relvas family now manages 750 hectares of forests, 250 hectares of olive groves, and 350 hectares of vineyards. Casa Relvas believes in the importance of sustainability in social, environmental, and financial aspects and is a pioneer of the Alentejo Wine Sustainability Program.

Casa Relvas has number of estates and ranges of wines within their portfolio. This particular red wine is from their Herdade de São Miguel estate located in Redondo, east of Evora in the middle of the Alentejo. The vineyards are planted in clay-loam soils derived from schist and surrounded by a cork oak forest. Herdade de São Miguel wines are nationally (and internationally) recognized for their special terroir where the sun of Alentejo perfectly combines with the soil to produce grapes with a lot of character to produce strong and vigorous wines, without losing freshness.

This red wine is a blend of 50% Alicante Bouschet, 30% Touriga Franca, and 20% Touriga Nacional from grapes grown on exclusively at the Herdade de São Miguel estate on clay and schist soils. The grapes were hand-harvested and completely de-stemmed, followed by maceration for 48 hours and then fermented in with controlled temperatures in open vats with automatic pigeurs. The wine underwent malolactic fermentation in French oak barrels, and was then aged for 9 months in 400 L French oak barrels.

With a cold winter that had some rain, followed by a mild and dry spring and summer, the weather was ideal as the cool, dry nights allowed for perfect phenolic maturation. Although yields were low, 2019 was a year of excellent in Alentejo. Let's see how this 2019 red from Portugal is tasting tonight...

Tasting Note:

SÃO MIGUEL ESCOLHA DOS ENOLOGOS 2019 - Vinho Regional Alentejano, Portugal (#445122) (XD) - $24.95
This blend of 50% Alicante Bouschet, 30% Touriga Franca, and 20% Touriga Nacional has rich, perfumed, dense, and spicy aromatics that deliver a lovely bouquet of ripe dark and red berries, black cherry, florals, damson plum, and sweet oak spice notes. It's full-bodied and richly concentrated with lovely dark and red berry, and floral aromas replays on the slightly warming, yet balanced, palate. Juicy and elegant with gritty, refined, and structured tannins. Savoury wood notes, even a touch of mineral, linger on the long, juicy finish. Gorgeous! Will be even better in a couple of years. Highly recommended buy! Score: 92 pts

Other lovely wines by Casa Relvas are available through their Agent - Noble Estates Wines & Spirits.

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Zuccardi Q Malbec 2020 (Argentina) - Wine Review

After enjoying the lovely 2019 Zuccardi Q Malbec last summer, tonight's red wine review is the latest vintage of this consistently well-made Malbec that arrived at the LCBO last weekend as part of the March 19 LCBO VINTAGES Release.

Zuccardi Wines was founded by Alberto Zuccardi in 1963 in Maipú, Mendoza, with a strong visionary and innovative spirit. With winemaker Sebastián Zuccardi, the third generation of the family continues its strong tradition and lead the development of the new stage of the winery, including a dedicated area within the winery for Research and Development to study of the terroir and the different variables that affect wine production. Today, Sebastián is globally recognized as an ambassador for Argentina's unique terroirs, most notably in the high elevation Uco Valley in Southern Mendoza. The goal is to produce wines with identity through the different terroirs in a sustainable manner. Zuccardi Valle de Uco has been named Best Vineyard in the World for the last three consecutive years.

This Malbec is from Zuccardi's "Q" range of regional wines that began as a project in 1999 when they marked the best vineyards and plots with the letter "Q" for Quality. These designated vineyards and plots are given extra care and attention during growing and vinification process in order to produce wines of exceptional quality.

Once again, this 100% Malbec is comprised of grapes grown in the IG Paraje Altamira (San Carlos) at 1,100 metres (3,600 feet) above sea level, and in IG Los Chacayes (Tunuyán) at at 1,000 metres (3,200 feet) above sea level. Both of these regions are situated in the Uco Valley, and although the percentage of grapes from each IG was not specified, Paraje Altamira grapes typically dominate the blend.

In Paraje Altamira, the very heterogeneous soils originated in the alluvial fan of the Tunuyán river, in its upper zone. The sandy loam surface has medium and large gravels and at variable depths, with abundant calcareous material throughout. In Los Chacayes, the soils originated in a series of super-imposed alluvial fans from the middle of the Uco Valley. The very heterogeneous soils are normally sandy loam with moderately eroded strata of small stones, with occasional coverage of calcium carbonate or gypsum.

The exceptional 2020 vintage was characterized by limited yields and the surprisingly high speed of maturity. Combined with the pandemic, this really fast vintage was one of their most challenging ever. However, the grapes arrived at the winery healthy and in high quality, generally showing excellent aromatic complexity and a lot of juiciness, texture and structure in the mouth. The grapes were selected by cluster, filled by gravity, and fermented in concrete vessels using native yeasts. Like previous vintages, it was aged in a combination of concrete and used 500 L unroasted French oak barrels. Let's see how this Uco Valley Malbec is tasting tonight...

Tasting Note:

ZUCCARDI Q MALBEC 2020 - Valle de Uco, Mendoza, Argentina (#723478) (XD) - $20.95
From grapes grown at high-altitudes in Paraje Altamira (San Carlos) and Los Chacayes (Tunuyán), this 100% Malbec has a fragrant, medium-high intensity nose that is stony with dark berry, and purple fruit aromas with subtle dark cherry, dried herb, and spice. The lovely stony notes continue on the dry, medium+ bodied palate with dark berry, purple fruit, spice, and plum flavours, all of which are supported by fresh, well-balanced acidity and refined, dusty textured tannins. Stony notes linger on the long, crisp, and balanced finish. Recommended buy! Score: 89 pts

There are many fine Zuccardi wines available at the LCBO, including the 2021 Zuccardi Serie A Torrontés I enjoyed last the weekend, while other wines not found at the LCBO can be ordered through their Agent - The Bacchus Group.

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Château Maucoil 2019 (Rhône) - Wine Review

I enjoyed the organic 2016 Château Maucoil when it arrived at the LCBO three years ago and for tonight's red wine review I am delighted to bring you the latest vintage of this lovely red wine that came to shelves across Ontario on the weekend as part of the LCBO VINTAGES Release on March 19.

Château Maucoil (pronounced "moh-kwahl") is an historic property located on northwestern edge of Châteauneuf-du-Pape in the southern Rhône Valley with over 400 years of history and ancient documents stating that its first occupants were Romans that set up a base there for Caesar's legions. Winegrowing activities on the site began in the 17th century, with several families owning the estate over time. Some plots were planted in 1895 and still exist today!

In 1995, the Arnaud family, who already owned vines in Châteauneuf-du-Pape, purchased the estate and devoted great energy and passion. In 2009, the Arnauds' youngest daughter, Bénédicte, and her husband, Charles Bonnet, took up the torch to secure the future of the estate and manage it in an environmentally-responsible manner, becoming fully certified organic in 2014. After working with Maison LAVAU for several years, Château Maucoil partnered with Lavau brothers in 2013 and today the four run the estate together.

This organic red wine is crafted using a traditional southern Rhône blend of mainly Grenache with Syrah and Mourvèdre in support. However, it is unique in that the grapes come vineyards near Châteauneuf-du-Pape and with similar soils consisting of a mixture of sand and pebbles. From old vines, the grapes in this Côtes du Rhône-Villages yield great concentration and loads of character. The grapes were hand-harvested and transported to the cellar in 15 kg perforated crates, then sorted berry-by-berry before going into vat. Each grape variety and parcel was vinified separately. After fermentation, the wines were drawn off and aged in vats until bottling.

While the 2016 vintage in the southern Rhône was a truly rare, benchmark vintage, the 2019 vintage was no slouch with a wet winter setting the table for the region's vineyards to get through the hot, dry growing season. Grenache and Mourvèdre excelled during the long growing season to produce rich, ripe, and expressive red wines with refined textures. Overall, 2019 was a gorgeous vintage that only falls short when compared to truly elite years. Let's see how this 2019 Côtes du Rhône-Villages is tasting tonight...

Tasting Note:

CHÂTEAU MAUCOIL 2019 - AC Côtes du Rhône-Villages, France (#638502) (XD) - $19.95
A blend of Grenache, Syrah, and Mourvèdre, the lovely medium-high intensity nose is rich, spicy, meaty, and dark berry scented with ripe cherry, cassis, and whiffs of mineral arriving with time in the glass. On the dry, medium to medium-full bodied palate it has lovely spicy, black cherry, cassis, meaty, stony mineral flavours with touches of plum. It has clean, fresh acidity, nice structure, and slightly chalky tannins. Really well-balanced and elegant with lovely savoury mineral notes lingering on the long finish. Highly recommended buy! Score: 90 pts

Other lovely wines by Château Maucoil can be ordered through their Agent - Connexion Oenophilia.

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Zuccardi Serie A Torrontés 2021 (Argentina) - Wine Review

Tonight's white wine review is this lovely Torrontés from the very high-altitude province of Salta in northern Argentina. A frequent visitor here in Ontario. this latest vintage arrived on shelves today as part of the March 19th LCBO VINTAGES Release.

It is produced by Familia Zuccardi and led today by the third generation of the family, winemaker Sebastian Zuccardi. Founded in 1963 when Sebastian's grandfather planted his first vines in Maipú, Mendoza, the Zuccardi family has kept growing and developing to become a leader in Argentine production. Sebastian inherited his father's determination and desire to strive for excellence and is globally recognized as an ambassador for Argentina's unique terroirs, most notably in the high elevation Uco Valley in southern Mendoza. The family's premium winery - Zuccardi Valle de Uco - has been named Best Vineyard in the World for three consecutive years - 2019, 2020, and 2021.

Zuccardi has several ranges of wines and this white wine is from their entry-level Serie A collection that features single varietal and distinct blends from selected vineyards located in the best parts of Mendoza and across Argentina. The Zuccardi Serie A range highlights the richness and diversity of the different micro-climates and soils of Argentina. The name "Serie A" comes from "Argentina Series" and is a way of expressing the most representative varieties from the best regions for each varietal and from selected vineyards along the Andes Mountains. In the winery, each batch is harvested separately at different times with the goal of achieving elegance and excellence in each wine.

Torrontés is Argentina's most widely planted white variety with more than 24,000 acres planted, representing 27% of all white wine varietals. Although most Torrontés is grown in Mendoza, a significant percentage (and the most interesting examples) are grown in the remote, northern province of Salta. Native to Argentina, DNA analysis shows that Torrontés formed after the spontaneous crossing of varietals Listán Prieto and Moscatel de Alexandria in Mendoza in the middle of the 18th century. Today, Torrontés Riojano is the most cultivated of the three varieties of Torrontés as it expresses the best qualities for fine wine production. Although it's original home is in Mendoza, Torrontés has found its true home to the north in the valleys of Rioja and Salta. Torrontés takes a long time to develop and ripen, thus benefitting from the long, northern summer, while the blazing sun at altitudes between 1,500 and 1,900 metres helps it develop concentration. Grown in rich clay soils, Torrontés tends to take longer to ripen, but preserves its volume and acidity, whereas Torrontés grown in sandier soils ripens faster and achieves good aromatic expression.

According to the tech sheet, the grapes for this Torrontés were grown in Cafayate, within the province of Salta, at the very high altitude of 1,800 metres (5900 feet) above sea level. The grapes were manually harvested and selected, followed by de-stemming and pressing. It was fermented with native yeasts and aged on its lees for 6 months.

Although the print edition of the VINTAGES catalogue specifies the 2020 vintage, it is, in fact, the 2021 vintage that arrived in stores. Let's see how this 2021 Torrontés is tasting tonight...

Tasting Note:

ZUCCARDI SERIE A TORRONTÉS 2021 - IP Salta, Argentina (#389262) (XD) - $17.95
Screw cap. The perfumed nose offers medium-high intensity aromatics of muscat characters with lychee, ripe lemon citrus, and floral notes joining the fray. The impressively concentrated, medium-full bodied palate is dry with ripe lemon citrus, muscat, floral, and leesy flavours with touches of herbal. Nicely textured mouthfeel with juicy acidity. Leesy mineral with lemon citrus notes linger on the long finish. Chill well and enjoy this recommended buy! Score: 89 pts

Other delicious wines by Zuccardi are available at the LCBO, as well as through their Agent - The Bacchus Group.

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