Cave du Château des Loges Les 3 Madones Beaujolais-Villages 2022 (France) - Wine Review

Tonight's red wine review is a delicious Gamay from the Beaujolais-Villages appellation in France. It is featured in the theme exploring France's top wine regions in this weekend's February 1 LCBO VINTAGES New Release Collection and is readily available for purchase now.

It is produced by Cave du Château des Loges, a co-operative winery that was established in 1960 by a group of winemakers in the commune of Le Perréon, Beaujolais, who got together and purchased Château des Loges. Housed in the 19th century winery of Château des Loges, they produced their first wines the following year from 47 hectares of Beaujolais-Villages appellation fruit. Cave du Château des Loges continues to be located in the commune of Le Perréon, in the heart of Beaujolais, and has access to vines grown in very diverse terroirs in the Beaujolais-Villages appellation. Cave du Château des Loges is located on a slope between 250 and 800 metres above sea level, a privileged location which allows them to produce wines of high-quality. This area features a very specific terroir consisting of sandy soil resulting from the decomposition of its granite subsoil, creating sandy areas called "Greae". Moreover, by being situated in these sloping hills, the shallow and very stony soil forces the vine to draw minerals and nutrients from this lean terroir where the Gamay grape finds its favourite land.

Today, the co-operative has grown to nearly 150 members and 430 hectares of vines located in different Beaujolais appellations, including the various Beaujolais Crus, as well as different grape varieties beyond Gamay, such as Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, and Viognier. Furthermore, many of these vineyards are certified HVE3 (High Environmental Value) - the highest level of French certification for environmental sustainability. HVE certification is completely voluntary, with the co-operative's approach to HVE based on the preservation of biodiversity, phytosanitary (reducing treatments), fertilization management, and water resource management. The co-operative is made up of passionate members and workers who work tirelessly to produce a high-quality harvest and craft wines to be enjoyed by all. Their values of solidarity, democracy, equality, fairness, transparency, and proximity distinguish co-operatives from other companies.

This particular wine is from their Les 3 Madones range - named after the 3 Madonnas that are situated in Perréon and Vaux-en-Beaujolais, who watch over the château and cave and protect their vineyards. This Beaujolais-Villages is 100% Gamay Noir that was grown (likely in Le Perréon) on granitic soils in a continental climate. It was vinified using the traditional Beaujolais method of semi-carbonic maceration, followed by ageing in stainless steel vat in order to preserve the crunchy fruit characters typical of wines from Beaujolais.

The 2022 growing season in Beaujolais began with a cold January, followed by a mild February. March had cool weather, which meant that the frosts of early April caused little damage. The rest of April and May was warm and dry, with successful flowering towards the end of May. The usual summer storm arrived in June and caused some hail damage, while July and August were fiercely sunny and warm with a high of 43.5°C (116°F) in early August. Despite light rains in June and August that helped offset the heat, yields were down by one-third (compared to 2021) due to drought and hail. Overall, quality was outstanding during harvest by the end of August, which resulted in aromatic, intense, and intrinsically balanced wines. From an excellent vintage, let's see how this 2022 Gamay from Beaujolais-Villages is tasting tonight...

Tasting Note:

CAVE DU CHÂTEAU DES LOGES LES 3 MADONES BEAUJOLAIS-VILLAGES 2022 - AP, France (#38266) (XD) - $19.95
100% Gamay. The ripe, fresh, fragrant, and medium-high intensity nose is fruit forward with crunchy, mostly red and some black fruits, red currant, black cherry, cassis, and spice aromas with flecks of mineral. The dry, medium+ to medium-full bodied palate is ripe and fruity with black and red cherry, currant, cranberry, and spice flavours. It has fresh, lively, and well-structured acidity, while the impressively textured tannins have good weight and presence. Finely balanced with black cherry, cranberry, currant, and spice notes tapering to minerals on the somewhat grippy, youthful, and lengthy finish. Recommended buy. Score: 89 pts

A lovely Brouilly from this producer arrived in LCBO VINTAGES last October and is still available for purchase, while other wines by Cave du Château des Loges can be ordered through their Agent - Noble Estates Wines & Spirits.

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February 1, 2025 LCBO VINTAGES Release Wine Picks: France

Here are my top wine picks from the February 1, 2025 LCBO VINTAGES New Release Collection, which explores France's top wine regions. There are 73 wines in this release, 60% of which are red, and nearly all the wines come in at under $40 and should be available on shelves by this Saturday, if not earlier. Grenache and Syrah (and Shiraz) wine lovers should take particular interest in this release as there are a number of quality, wallet-friendly offerings. The HST holiday is still in effect until Feb. 15. Prices noted below include HST, but will be deducted upon check out in-store.

We'll begin with the feature story that explores France's top wine regions, and of the seventeen wines featured, seven are included among my top wine picks from France. Starting with the whites, there is a consistently fine Sancerre made with Sauvignon Blanc, a Mâcon-Villages from Burgundy crafted with Chardonnay, and the off-dry (i.e. slightly sweet) Gewürztraminer from Alsace. Moving to the south of France, the Rasteau is a blend of Grenache and Syrah, the Corbières is composed of 70% Syrah and 30% Grenache, while the Fitou from Midi is a blend of Grenache and Carignan. The lone mono-varietal red is the Beaujolais-Villages that is crafted with Gamay.

Red wine recommendations from the main release begins in California with a fine 100% Cabernet Sauvignon from Sonoma County's Alexander Valley, followed by the Arrive in Style Riserva Chianti Classico from Tuscany that is 100% Sangiovese. Among the blends, the Chilean wine is crafted with 48% Cabernet Sauvignon, 33% Syrah, and 19% Carignan. There are also a pair of Côtes du Rhône-Villages wines, both of which are blends and weren't included as part of the feature story - the Plan de Dieu is the Wine of the Month and composed of Grenache, Syrah, and Mourvèdre, while the Cuvée Sabrine is a blend of 50% Grenache, 25% Syrah, 15% Mourvèdre, and 10% Cinsault. Mono-varietal wines come from down under with a fantastic Pinot Noir from New Zealand, and a Shiraz from Australia.

Among my top white wine picks, all are dry (i.e. not sweet), mono-varietal wines. First up is an excellent Pinot Gris from New Zealand, followed by a Pinot Grigio from northeastern Italy. There are also a pair of fine Chenin Blanc wines from the same producer in South Africa - try both to compare and contrast! Lastly, there is a Falanghina from Basilicata, Italy.

Enjoy my top wine recommendations from this release! Salud!

Red Wine:

• ROC DES TEMPLIERS PLAN DE DIEU CÔTES DU RHÔNE-VILLAGES 2022 - AC, France (#539916) (XD) - $15.95  89 pts  wine review
• EMILIANA NOVAS STELLAR SELECTION CABERNET SAUVIGNON / SYRAH / CARIGNAN 2022 - Vegan, DO Valle del Maule, Chile (#35672) (XD) - $17.95  88+ pts  wine review
• GÉRARD BERTRAND AN 990 FITOU GRENACHE / CARIGNAN 2021 - AP, Midi, France (#403683) (XD) - $17.95
• ANDRÉ BRUNEL CUVÉE SABRINE CÔTES DU RHÔNE-VILLAGES 2022 - AC, France (#538496) (XD) - $18.95
• VIA NOSTRUM 2020 - AP Corbières, Languedoc, France (#32040) (XD) - $18.95
• CAVE DU CHÂTEAU DES LOGES LES 3 MADONES BEAUJOLAIS-VILLAGES 2022 - AP, France (#38266) (XD) - $19.95  89 pts  wine review
• SIDEWOOD SHIRAZ 2021 - Adelaide Hills, South Australia (#446146) (XD) - $19.95
• CASTELLI DEL GREVEPESA CLEMENTE VII RISERVA CHIANTI CLASSICO 2020 - DOCG, Tuscany, Italy (#643205) (XD) - $24.95
• LA FERME DU MONT LES MARNES BLEUES RASTEAU 2022 - AP, Rhône, France (#40869) (XD) - $26.95  review coming soon...
• BABICH ORGANIC SINGLE VINEYARD PINOT NOIR 2020 - Sustainable, Vegan, Marlborough, South Island, New Zealand (#37402) (XD) - $28.95
• RODNEY STRONG ALEXANDER VALLEY CABERNET SAUVIGNON 2021 - Alexander Valley, Sonoma County, California, USA (#350454) (XD) - $34.95

White Wine:

• JOSEPH CATTIN GEWURZTRAMINER 2023 - Sustainable, AC Alsace, France (#224626) (D) - $18.95
• KEN FORRESTER OLD VINE RESERVE CHENIN BLANC 2023 - WO Stellenbosch, South Africa (#231282) (XD) - $18.95  91 pts  wine review
• PATERNOSTER VULCANICO FALANGHINA 2022 - IGT Basilicata, Italy (#19691) (XD) - $19.95
• ATTEMS PINOT GRIGIO 2023 - DOC Friuli, Italy (#707950) (XD) - $19.95  89 pts  wine review
• BABICH BLACK LABEL MARLBOROUGH PINOT GRIS 2023 - Sustainable, Estate grown, South Island, New Zealand (#36906) (XD) - $20.95  91 pts  wine review
• KEN FORRESTER SWARTLAND TERRE NOIR CHENIN BLANC 2022 - WO Swartland, South Africa (#15716) (XD) - $22.95  90+ pts  wine review
• DEUX ROCHES TRADITION MÂCON-VILLAGES 2022 - AP, Burgundy, France (#38077) (XD) - $27.95  91+ pts  wine review
• JEAN-MAX ROGER CUVÉE GENÈSE SANCERRE 2022 - AC, Loire, France (#189126) (XD) - $38.95

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Babich Black Label Marlborough Pinot Gris 2023 (New Zealand) - Wine Review

Tonight's white wine review is an excellent, sustainably crafted, and dry Pinot Gris from New Zealand. It is a brand-new arrival at the LCBO that is landing on shelves across Ontario as part of the upcoming February 1st LCBO VINTAGES New Release Collection.

Like the excellent 2017 Babich Winemakers' Reserve Syrah I enjoyed last spring, this wine is produced by Babich Wines, one of New Zealand's most prominent and oldest family-owned wineries. Founded in 1916 by Josip Babich, a Dalmatian immigrant (now part of modern day Croatia) after he immigrated to New Zealand at 14 years old to join his brothers in the far north of the country. Josip's son, Peter, joined the family wine business in 1949, and was followed by his other son, Joe, in 1958. Today, Babich Wines is now led by cousins David and André Babich, sons of Peter and Joe, respectively. Babich Wines is based in Henderson Valley, West Auckland, just a short drive from the city of Auckland, and has estate vineyards located in both Marlborough and Hawke's Bay.

With over 100 years of innovation, achievement and winemaking excellence, the aim of Babich Wines today is to passionately craft sustainable wines that are stylish, refined, and have an easy drinking appeal. For three generations, the Babich family has gently worked in harmony with the land, ecosystem, and seasons to produce wines of outstanding quality, while also making sure that their vineyards and processes get better with each passing vintage. At Babich, there are four important areas of focus to ensure a sustainable future - being careful with water, organic farming and processes, wild fermentation, and waste reduction and elimination.

From Babich's Black Label range, this 100% Pinot Gris was first crafted in the 2009 vintage. The Black Label range consists of three wines using fruit from their estate-owned vineyards and are sustainably crafted to be enjoyed with food in a rich, complex, and textural style suitable for any dining occasion. The grapes were grown in their Echelon (Waihopai), Selmes Road (Wairau) and Cowslip Valley (Waihopai) vineyards. The Echelon Vineyard is an elevated site with deep silt loam "Jordan" soils over underlying clay, while the Selmes Road Vineyard has a slightly heavier soil and is perfect for blending with fruit grown on lighter, gravelly soils. The Cowslip Valley Vineyard has a glacial outwash with free-draining clay loam soils perfect for aromatic varieties. After machine-harvesting the grapes over 6 days at the beginning of April, the grapes were crushed, pressed, and underwent an inoculated fermentation using selected yeasts, mostly in tanks with 40% barrel fermented in older oak barrels. The wine was matured on its lees for 5 months, fined using pea protein, filtered, and then bottled.

The 2023 growing season in Marlborough was wetter than usual due to the impact of Cyclone Gabrielle. The rain resulted in a shaky budburst and flowering, while yields were also cut. However, the fruit that pulled through grew in relatively loose bunches, which meant less disease vulnerability. Meanwhile, while the cold nights kept botrytis at bay and helped maintain acidity. Exceptional weather in March and April led to grapes with intense flavours and good acidity levels. Overall, it is considered to be an excellent vintage for Marlborough wines. Let's see how this 2023 Marlborough Pinot Gris is tasting tonight...

Tasting Note:

BABICH BLACK LABEL MARLBOROUGH PINOT GRIS 2023 - Sustainable, Estate grown, South Island, New Zealand (#36906) (XD) - $20.95
Screw cap. Pours a fairly deep gold colour. The concentrated, medium-high intensity nose offers lovely, rich, and honeyed aromas of ripe orchard and stone fruit, apple, nectarine, lemon zest, citrus, peach, honeysuckle, candied ginger, and spice. The medium+ to medium-full bodied palate is richly concentrated and dry with honeyed, ripe stone and orchard fruit, apple-pear, nectarine, peach, ginger spice, and honeysuckle flavours underpinned by leesy minerality. It has a fine, zesty, acidic backbone, along with a fine, richly textured mouthfeel. Nicely balanced throughout with leesy mineral notes lingering on the savoury, textured, and exceptionally long finish. Enjoy with seafood or vegetarian fare, or even on its own. Highly recommended buy! Score: 91 pts

In addition to their 2020 Organic Single Vineyard Pinot Noir that is also arriving in this release, there are a number fine wines by Babich that are available at the LCBO and through their Agent - Dionysus Wines & Spirits.

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San Marzano Talò Primitivo di Manduria 2022 (Puglia) - Wine Review

Tonight's red wine review is a delicious Primitivo from Manduria in Puglia that returned to the LCBO last weekend as part of the January 18 LCBO VINTAGES New Release Collection.

It is produced by Cantine San Marzano, a co-operative winery that was established in 1962 by winegrowers chasing a dream. Named after the small town where it resides, San Marzano is located at the centre of the Primitivo di Manduria DOP on a strip of land between the seas that wash over the Puglia region.

In 1982, Francesco Cavallo was appointed Chair of the Board of Directors. Francesco is a volcanic and visionary personality, as well as helmsman of their reality. In 1996, with the commitment and dedication of its members, San Marzano purchased a modern bottling plant, which allowed them to move from a bulk commodity to a wine producer and establish a brand with a direct relationship to the end consumer. In 2000, San Marzano produced their first vintage of Sessantanni Primitivo di Manduria DOP. Produced from old vines, this wine is an expression of a thousand-year-old relationship between the people of Marzano and the Primitivo grape. The iconic label encapsulates the company's philosophy and essence to produce distinctive and high-quality wines by combining traditional winemaking methods with innovative techniques. With Francesco at the helm while overseeing the winery's present and planning the future, San Marzano has grown to become one of Puglia's most recognized producers and is highly regarded internationally.

San Marzano has several lines of wines, while this red wine is from their "Talò" range, which was created so that the producer could thank the farmers and their families who look after each vineyard as if it were their own garden. Talò is a surname, and the range is made up of a collection of varieties and is a symbol of community.

This particular red wine is crafted with 100% Primitivo that was grown in its spiritual home - the appellation of Primitivo di Manduria DOP in southern Puglia. More specifically, the grapes were grown in the town and commune of San Marzano, within the Province of Taranto, in the region of Salento. The vineyard is situated close to the sea, at about 100 metres above sea level and experiences high average temperatures and medium-low rainfall. The vines were trained using the Espalier training system, and grown on clayey and thin soil that is full of rocks. After harvesting the grapes in mid-September, they underwent a thermo-controlled maceration and alcoholic fermentation for about 10 days with selected yeasts, followed by ageing for 6 months in French and American oak barrels.

In 2022, the growing season in Puglia was generally warmer and dry, with the grapes in the region that are used to the heat basking in the sun in June and July. Some heavy rain events in August helped revive some of the vines, leading to average yields and good quality fruit. Let's see how this 2022 Primitivo di Manduria from Puglia is tasting tonight...

Tasting Note:

SAN MARZANO TALÒ PRIMITIVO DI MANDURIA 2022 - DOP, Puglia, Italy (#455220) (D) - $19.95
The medium+ to medium-high intensity nose is richly spiced with lush and ripe black fruit, blackberry, clove, sweet spices, black plum, and black cherry aromas, plus whiffs of milk chocolate. It's fairly dry on the mid-weighted palate with delicious and impressively complex milk chocolate, cocoa, vanilla, savoury oak spice, black-red berry fruit, clove, and plum flavours. Acids are crisp and well-balanced, while the mildly grippy tannins are smooth and refined. There's a touch of sweetness on the mid-palate, which tapers to cocoa, chocolate, and savoury earth notes flecked with ripe black fruit on the long, savoury, stony mineral finish. Recommended buy! Score: 89 pts

One other Primitivo by San Marzano is available at the LCBO, while the entire range can be ordered through their Agent - Dionysus Wines & Spirits.

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January 18, 2025 LCBO VINTAGES Release Wine Picks: Sustainable California

Here are my top wine picks from the January 18, 2025 LCBO VINTAGES New Release Collection, where the theme of the release focuses on Sustainable wines from California, while the mini-feature includes a few wines for Lunar New Year Celebrations. In all, there are just over 75 wines in this release, including a half-dozen Online & Flagship Exclusives. The release is definitely red heavy, and all the wines should be available for purchase by this Saturday, if not earlier. Please note that the prices indicated below include HST, which will be deducted when purchasing in-store, while the prices on lcbo.com have already deducted the HST.

Of the twelve wines included in the feature story on Sustainable California, three wines are among my top wine recommendations. First up is a white wine from Central Coast that is a blend of Sauvignon Blanc, 9% Orange Muscat, 4% Malvasia Bianca, and 2% Muscat Canelli, while the second white wine is a Chardonnay broadly labelled as from California, with the majority of the fruit likely coming from the Sonoma Coast. The lone red wine from California is a lovely Pinot Noir from Central Coast, with the fruit coming from Arroyo Seco.

The selection of wines for Lunar New Year Celebrations is much more exciting, with three of the four wines on my recommended list. At the top of the list is an excellent and lusciously sweet Vidal Icewine from Niagara, while the off-dry Riesling from Niagara will also delight if you enjoy your wines a little sweet. Lastly, there is a Super Tuscan featuring a dragon on the label that is crafted with 60% Sangiovese and equal parts Merlot and Sagrantino.

Among my top red picks, we'll begin in Bordeaux with the Wine of the Month, which is predominantly Cabernet Sauvignon, plus Merlot completing the cuvée, along with the Arrive in Style Rhône red that is a blend of 50% Grenache, 40% Mourvèdre, and 10% Cinsault & Syrah. Staying in France, there is also the Saint-Chinian that is a blend of Grenache and Syrah, while the red from Roussillon is mainly Syrah with Grenache in support. From the U.S.A., the Petite Sirah actually includes small amounts of Grenache, Syrah, and other Rhône varietals, while the red wine from Washington State is straight Merlot. Mono-varietal wines include the Gran Selezione Chianti Classico that is crafted with pure Sangiovese, a Primitivo from Puglia, a Malbec from Argentina, and a Cabernet Sauvignon from Chile. On the local front, there is a lovely Gamay Noir, as well as the Thirty Bench red, which is a blend of 55% Cabernet Sauvignon, 23% Cabernet Franc, and 22% Merlot.

There are only two other white wine picks in this release - a perennial favourite Marsanne from Australia, as well as a Limited Release Sauvignon Blanc from New Zealand.

Enjoy my top wine recommendations from this release! Cheers!

Red Wine:

• CAMPET SAINT MARIE VIEILLES VIGNES SAINT-CHINIAN 2022 - AP, Languedoc, France (#38858) (XD) - $15.95
• PIATTELLI LUJÁN DE CUYO RESERVE MALBEC 2022 - Luján de Cuyo, Mendoza, Argentina (#452029) (XD) - $16.95
• SAINT-ROCH CORBAROL 2022 - Old vines, AP Côtes du Roussillon, France (#195107) (XD) - $16.95
• ESCUDO ROJO GRAN RESERVA CABERNET SAUVIGNON 2022 - Sustainable, Valle del Maipo, Chile (#13434) (XD) - $17.95
• YALUMBA GALWAY VINTAGE SHIRAZ 2021 - Vegan, Barossa, South Australia (#41311) (XD) - $19.95
• SAN MARZANO TALÒ PRIMITIVO DI MANDURIA 2022 - DOP, Puglia, Italy (#455220) (D) - $19.95  89 pts  wine review
• RUE NAUJAC 33 MERLOT 2019 - Columbia Valley, Washington, USA (#39143) (XD) - $19.95  90 pts  wine review
• XAVIER VIEILLES VIGNES CÔTES DU RHÔNE 2020 - AC, France (#12987) (XD) - $21.95

• STONEY RIDGE SMALL LOT BUCKNALL VINEYARD GAMAY NOIR 2022 - VQA Vinemount Ridge, Niagara Peninsula, Ontario, Canada (#42483) (XD) - $22.95  90 pts  wine review
• WENTE BAILY HILL PINOT NOIR 2021 - Sustainable, Central Coast, California, USA (#39674) (XD) - $23.95  90 pts  wine review
• THIRTY BENCH WINEMAKER'S BLEND RED 2020 - VQA Niagara Peninsula, Ontario, Canada (#320986) (XD) - $24.95
• CHÂTEAU FONTIS 2019 - AC Médoc, Bordeaux, France (#41081) (XD) - $25.95
• IL DRAGO E LE 8 COLOMBE 2019 - IGT Toscana, Italy (#19875) (XD) - $36.95
  
• CECCHI VALORE DI FAMIGLIA GRAN SELEZIONE CHIANTI CLASSICO 2018 - DOCG, Tuscany, Italy (#32313) (XD) - $39.95  91 pts  wine review
• STAGS' LEAP PETITE SIRAH 2020 - Napa Valley, California, USA (#590356) (XD) - $59.95

White Wine:

• MOUNT RILEY LIMITED RELEASE SAUVIGNON BLANC 2024 - Sustainable, Vegan, Marlborough, South Island, New Zealand (#447425) (XD) - $19.95
• TAHBILK MARSANNE 2023 - Sustainable, Nagambie Lakes, Central Victoria, Australia (#117945) (XD) - $19.95
• WENTE LOUIS MEL SAUVIGNON BLANC 2023 - Sustainable, Central Coast, California, USA (#368563) (XD) - $20.95  89 pts  wine review
• BENZIGER CHARDONNAY 2022 - Sustainable, California, USA (#34777) (XD) - $22.95
• JADE RIESLING 2023 - Sustainable, Vegan, VQA Twenty Mile Bench, Niagara Escarpment, Ontario, Canada (#42484) (M) - $24.95

Dessert Wine:

• INNISKILLIN VIDAL ICEWINE 2022 - With Gift Box, VQA Niagara Peninsula, Ontario, Canada (#388306, 375 mL) (S) - $54.95  92+ pts  wine review

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Famille Perrin Les Christins Vacqueyras 2010 (Rhône) - Wine Review

Tonight's red wine review is a mature Vacqueyras that I purchased over a dozen years ago when it arrived on shelves across Ontario in the December 8, 2012 LCBO VINTAGES Release. While this vintage is long sold out, this wine does come through LCBO VINTAGES every fall, with a small amount of the latest vintage (2021) currently available at the LCBO.

This Southern Rhône red wine is produced by the renowned Famille Perrin winemaking family. It is a blend of 80% Grenache and 20% Syrah that was grown in the Southern Rhone Valley Cru of Vacqueyras. The grapes were hand-harvested and placed in 25 kg boxes. Upon arriving at the winery, the grapes were crushed and underwent a month-long fermentation, with half going into 50 hectolitre tanks, while the other half was fermented Foudres. The wines underwent malolactic fermentation, and was then blended and aged for one year in a combination of Foudres and barrels.

The growing conditions in the Southern Rhone Valley in 2010 produced an exceptional vintage. There was heavy rainfall during spring, followed by a very hot summer. September featured an Indian summer, which allowed for long hang-time and great harvest conditions. Yield reduction during the initial phase of the growing season greatly benefited the grapes that remained on the vine, which resulted in a legendary vintage that produced very balanced wines with intense fruit notes and great finesse. I imagine that I've held on to this a bit too long, but let's see how this 2010 Vacqueyras is tasting tonight...

Tasting Note:

FAMILLE PERRIN LES CHRISTINS VACQUEYRAS 2010 - AC, Rhône, France (#973453) (XD) - $23.95
Pours a deep garnet colour. This blend of 80% Grenache and 20% Syrah has an open, medium-high intensity nose that offers mature, stewed dark berry aromas alongside sweet baking spices, leather, dried purple flowers, and savoury wet earth, plus some dried dark berry tones. On the dry, tangy, and medium-full bodied palate, the fruit is shifting into the mature, dried spectrum, and is joined by savoury wet earth, leather, and dried spice flavours, It has tangy, lemony acidity, while the grippy textured and astringent tannins overwhelm the palate. Savoury earth, spice, floral, plus smoky mineral notes linger on the finish, with a touch of heat at the tail end. Enjoyable, but certainly past its drinking window. Drink now if you have a bottle. Score: 89 pts

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El Goru 38 Barrels Monastrell / Cabernet Sauvignon 2020 (Spain) - Wine Review

After enjoying the lovely 2019 El Goru Gold Monastrell / Syrah / Cabernet Sauvignon last year, we go up a notch for tonight's red wine review with another vegan and organic Monastrell-based blend from the same producer that is a brand-new arrival at the LCBO, landing on shelves across Ontario as part of this weekend's January 4 LCBO VINTAGES New Release Collection.

It is produced by Ego Bodegas, a prominent winery located in Jumilla, Spain. The project was founded from scratch in 2011 by Santos Ortiz, of Spanish origin, and Ioana Paunescu from Romania. Born out of the partners' passion and effort, while short on financial resources, Santos and Ioana had extraordinary talent for creating wines and coordinating the financial, marketing, and sales departments.

As a couple that was united and committed, both personally and professionally, Santos and Ioana built the winery together from top to bottom, from the roof down, just a few kilometres away from the historical city of Jumilla, after falling in love with a spectacular farm in an area locally known as the carpenter's place. The farm was situated in an elevated area, where they enjoyed the beauty of the landscape that was surrounded by old vineyards planted to the Monastrell varietal. Like any business, their objectives were sales and profitability, but in order to achieve this goal they needed to find the right balance between the three concepts of Quality, Image, and Price. After two years of hard work, Ego Bodegas was launched in 2013 with good wine, a good design, and good pricing. The name "Ego Bodegas" is based on the philosophy centred on ego, talento, and infinito (self, talent, and infinity). With a continuous commitment to improve, Ego Bodegas has quickly gained recognition and a foothold now in over 30 countries.

Today, Ego Bodegas uses its modern winemaking facilities to improve quality and efficiency, while striving to seek out the best technology available. Since the beginning, Santos and Iona have taken a contemporary twist on winemaking by combining traditional methods with modern techniques. With 35 hectares of vineyards planted mostly to native varieties, the winery is focused on producing high-quality wines that reflect the unique terroir of the region. Monastrell is of particular focus for Ego Bodegas as it is native to Jumilla and has adapted well to the climatic and soil conditions of the region. The continental climate is sunny and arid in Jumilla, and is influenced by the Mediterranean Sea to the east and by the plateau of La Mancha to the west. Moreover, Jumilla receives more than 3,000 hours of sunshine per year, and is one of the driest areas in Spain. The soil in Jumilla is dark and enriched with lime, while also being permeable with good moisture retention, which helps the vines during periods of drought. To craft their exquisite wines, Ego Bodegas spares no detail in delivering wines of consistent quality that are ready to drink, but can also improve with time.

This red wine is a blend of 85% Monastrell and 15% Cabernet Sauvignon that was organically grown in the winegrowing region of Jumilla in southeastern Spain. The grapes were manually selected, harvested, and placed in small boxes with great care. To extract a great amount of aroma and colour, the grapes underwent a week-long cold maceration that was aided by the pigeage method (punch-down), which helps control and regulate the extraction. Temperature-controlled malolactic fermentation and oak ageing took place exclusively and carefully in 38 barrels - where this wine gets its name from. Ageing occurred for 12 months in a combination of both French and American oak. Each varietal was vinified separately prior to blending and bottling.

The 2020 growing season in southern Spain was marked by early budding, a rainy spring, and a hot, dry summer, conditions which resulted in an early harvest. Yields were also mostly down due to mildew issues in the region. From a qualitatively excellent vintage, let's see how this 2020 Jumilla red tastes tonight...

Tasting Note:

EL GORU 38 BARRELS MONASTRELL / CABERNET SAUVIGNON 2020 - Vegan, DO Jumilla, Spain (#41096) (XD) - $22.95 $20.00
This organic blend of 85% Monastrell and 15% Cabernet Sauvignon has a medium+ intensity nose that seems a bit shy, offering a ripe black fruit core accented with blackcurrant, purple fruit, oak spice, violet, and savoury earth aromas. Plum, black cherry, and cassis notes emerge with time in the glass. On the dry, medium-full bodied palate it is ripe and sweetly fruited with delicious blackcurrant, black cherry, savoury oak spice, and earthy flavours, along with hints of cassis and plum. Acids are fresh, juicy, and succulent, while the smooth, well-structured tannins feel a bit tight at the moment. Composed with a sense of elegance, it is nicely balanced throughout with lovely flavour replays joined by mineral notes on the long, savoury finish. This highly recommended buy is enjoyable now, but should really shine in about 3 years. Score: 90 pts

There is one El Goru wine readily available at the LCBO, while the entire range by Ego Bodegas can be ordered through their Agent - Kolonaki Fine Wines & Spirits.

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