• Winecurrent’s Louise Boutin and Vic Harradine attended The Vine Agency wine tasting on November 25th, 2019. The tasting was held at the popular fine dining establishment, Beckta Dining and Wine on Elgin St. in Ottawa and was attended by many fine-dining owners and sommeliers—watch for these wines when next dining out. The following eight wines have been submitted by Vic, with Louise’s to follow next newsletter.

• These wines were selected from a carefully curated collection of fine wines via the LCBOs Consignment program with many not available at LCBO retail stores. Order and purchase arrangements are handled through Account Manager, Lauren Hayes-Van den Weghe at the following coordinates:


• Order the following wines by the case—some 6 bottles, others 12—by contacting Lauren Hayes-Van den Weghe by email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or by phone 613 240 3667 for restaurant, home or office delivery via The Vine Agency.

92 
Cave Spring Cellars ‘Adam Steps’ Riesling 2017

VQA Beamsville Bench $24.95 10.5% alcohol
Crafted from 40-year-old riesling vines from the unique ‘Adam Steps’ limestone-rich soil on the Niagara Escarpment, lifted aromas of floral notes and wisps of minerality waft easily from the glass. It races over the palate with steely resolve in a gusher of palate flavours with Key lime and crisp green apple to the fore interwoven with pit fruit—mango, peach and apricot—along with notes of minerality. This single-vineyard gem is medium bodied with good texture and a lengthy lip-smacking finish and aftertaste. (Vic Harradine)

93
Nik Weiss ‘Wiltinger - Old Vines’ 2017
Mosel, Germany $28.95 10.0% alcohol
Alluring wisps of petrol, citrus and floral notes billow from this value-packed, off-dry gem. An explosion of ambrosia captures the palate with balanced and beautiful, crisp and refreshing flavours—racy lemon-lime, blood orange and flinty/mineral notes are intertwined with ripe melon and white peach producing a magical sweet and tang sensation from cork pop to last drop. Gorgeous sipped on its own, sublime when paired with spicy Asian cuisine. (Vic Harradine)

92
Domaine Corinne & Jean-Pierre Grossot ‘Les Forneaux’ ler Cru Chablis 2017
AOC Chablis ler Cru, France $53.95 13.0% alcohol
This Premiere Cru Chablis exhibits structure, finesse and persistent purity of fruit. It opens with crisp aromas of gunflint minerality and sharp lemon-lime providing segue to a laser-like line of flavour with racy citrus, green apple and Anjou pear appearing from first sip to last tip. It’s clean, crisp and tangy on the very lengthy finish and aftertaste. Connoisseurs and wine lovers like you and me will appreciate this alongside pan-seared, lemon-drizzled trout or smoked Lake Winnipeg Goldeye. (Vic Harradine)

91 
Cave Spring Cellars Blanc de Blancs Sparkling Wine Non-Vintage
VQA Niagara Escarpment $29.95 12.0% alcohol
When poured, a profusion of mousse builds on top of the yellow-tinged liquid teasing the nose with aromas of baking brioche and leesy notes. A towering tsunami wave of flavour builds on the palate showcasing a bracing line of tingling acidity expressed as lip-smacking lemon-lime and flinty minerality. Replays persist through the mouth-watering, clean and crisp finish. This is value-laden and the perfect bubbly with which to welcome your guests. (Vic Harradine)

91
Chateau Pesquie ‘Terrassess – Organic’ Rosé 2018
AOC Ventoux, France $46.95 1500 mL 13.0% alcohol
This is a tasty blend of 50% cinsault/40 % grenache/10 % syrah that captures your interest with its light-pink hue and aromas of red cherry and black plum. It’s light on its feet with good mouthfeel and excellent tang and plenty of pizzazz delivered via palate flavours of red currant and cranberry juxtaposed with sweet, ripe, freshly sliced strawberries. It’s deftly balanced and delivers a delightfully clean and refreshing aftertaste. Pour with pan-seared salmon, a deli platter or charcuterie board. (Vic Harradine)

• The following 2018 2027 Cellars ‘King Street Vineyard’ Pinot Noir is highly perfumed on the nose, balanced and tasty, mellow and smooth on the palate, and lengthy, luxurious on the finish and aftertaste.

93 
2027 Cellars ‘King Street Vineyard’ Pinot Noir 2018
VQA Twenty Mile Bench $TBD 12.5% alcohol
Aromas of exotic incense, floral notes and red berry fruit precede a medium-bodied, nicely textured river of palate flavours with crunchy red berry fruit and pomegranate deftly balanced with black Bing cherry and hints of ripe black plum framed by excellent acidity and tang and supported by soft wisps of tannin. The finish and aftertaste replay palate flavours showcasing persistent purity of fruit. Owner/winemaker, Kevin Panagapka, once again hits a bullseye—Kudos! (Vic Harradine)

• The following 2018 Prà ‘Morandina’ Valpolicella is from Graziano Prà, a true doyen when working with white Soave. Branching out, he’s certainly on track to make a similar mark with Valpolicella red—this is delicious. It’s fashioned from traditional Valpolicella grapes—corvina/corvinone/rondinella/oseleta—grown approx. 450m a.s.l.

92
Prà ‘Morandina’ Valpolicella 2018
DOC Valpolicella, Italy $31.95 13.0% alcohol
Aromas of red cherry and black plum interwoven with savoury herbs provide segue to a racy, tang-infused stream of pie cherry and pomegranate decorated with mixed herbs and framed by excellent acidity. This settled three to six months in large French oak (Alliers) casks, now fully integrated. This is medium weight and nicely textured with a mouth-watering replay of palate flavours on the finish and aftertaste along with hints of minerality and tannin. (Vic Harradine)

94
Odette Estate ‘Adaptation’ Cabernet Sauvignon 2018
Napa Valley, California $108.95 14.5% alcohol
Rosewood, exotic spice and red berry fruit aromas abound on the nose of this certified organically farmed beauty. It rolls over the palate showcasing deft balance, firm structure, complexity and persistent purity of fruit. Palate flavours include black currant, dark cherry, mineral, mocha and herbal notes with oodles of crunchy, mouth-watering tang. It finishes dry and lengthy with palate-flavour replays and a dollop of still-evolving tannin. Patience will be rewarded, pop corks 2024 to 2029, or aerate/decant for a few hours before service. (Vic Harradine)