June 21, 2021 Newsletter
Happy July 1, 2021 – Canada Day!
There are 20 Canadian wines reviewed in the following newsletter.
Why not serve only Canadian wines that long weekend? You may be pleasantly surprised at the high quality and terrific value attached to these various gems.
Newsletter Highlights:
- 95 points and over – The Bollinger ‘Special Cuvée Brut’ Champagne Non-Vintage earned 96 points @ $91.25 found founder under Champagne in June 26, 2021 Vintages Release.
- Over 45 – There are over 45 wine reviews in this newsletter.
- Exceptional-value wine – There are 17 exceptional-value wines found throughout the newsletter and easily spotted by the
icon checkmark in the June 26, 2021 Vintages Release and in the many categories following the release. Happy hunting! - Limited Time Offers –There are 27 wines that are reviewed in this newsletter and are being discounted at the LCBO for up to a $5.00 rebate for each bottle purchased from June 21 to July 18, 2021. They are waiting to be discovered at the end of the newsletter
- Louise Loves – Louise reviewed three wines from Huff Estates and loved them all! 2020 Huff Estate Winery ‘Buried Vine’ Pinot Gris earned 92 points @ $22.00; 2019 Huff Estate Winery South Bay Vineyard ‘Catherine’s’ Chardonnay earned 91 points @ $35.00; 2020 Huff Estate Winery ‘Getaway’ Rosé earned 91 points @ $22.00 with all found under New in Ontario Wineries.
- Vic Picks – Vineland Estates ‘Frienzy’ Sparkling Rosé Non-Vintage earned 91 points @ $19.95 found under Sparkling Wine; 2020 Flat Rock Cellars ‘Pink-Twisted’ Rosé earned 92 points @ $17.95 found under Ontario: Rosé Wine; 2018 Laura Hartwig ‘Single Vineyard’ Cabernet Sauvignon earned 90 points @ $16.95 found under New in Vintages (wine available now in LCBO retail stores); both Wakefield wines the 2018 Pinot Noir and 2018 Cabernet Sauvignon with both earning 92 points and both at $19.95 found under New in Vintages ; three Huff Estates wines found under New in Ontario Wineries – 2019 Huff Estates Winery ‘Vacay’ Vidal earned 91 points @ $18.00; 2020 Huff Estates Winery ‘County Roads’ Pinot Noir Rosé earned 92 points @ $25.00; 2019 Huff Estates Winery ‘Four Acre’ South Bay Vineyard – Merlot earned 92 points @ $30.00,
Vintages Release: June 26, 2021
Fortified Wine: Sherry
• The following ‘La Guita’ was sourced from palomino grapes from the premium site in Sanlucar—Pago de Miraflores—then gently pressed and fermented in stainless tanks. The wine is then fortified with an odourless, tasteless brandy to 15.0% abv. It then goes through a period of ageing/maturing for more than four years in large 516 L American oak butts under a cap of ‘velo de flor’, a.k.a. yeast.
94
Hijos de Rainera Perez Marin ‘La Guita’ Manzanilla
DO Manzanilla – Sanlúcar de Barrameda, Spain $17.95 (337022) 15.0% alcohol
This is a stunning Manzanilla excelling in aroma, flavour, texture and price. It leaps from the glass with aromas of green apple, mineral and yeasty notes before exploding on the palate with a dazzling array of piquant flavour with green pear, melon and lemon-lime interlaced with a fine thread of saline minerality. It’s well textured with a lingering, lip-smacking finish and aftertaste. Pair with freshly shucked briny oysters, olives or charcuterie board. (Vic Harradine)
94
Emilio Lustau ‘East India Solera’ Sherry Non-Vintage
DO Jerez, Spain $26.95 500 mL (342931) 20.0% alcohol
When you spot ‘Lustau’ on a Sherry label, it’s akin to a gold seal of approval. This perennial favourite is showing toffee, raisin and caramel on the nose coupled with a most scrumptious mélange of sweet fig, raisin and nutty flavours. Dense and intense, deftly balanced, the effect is amazing. Serve this dessert wine slightly chilled; either on its own or matched with crème caramel, crème brûlée or any manner of dark spiced fruit cake. (Vic Harradine)
Specialty: Fruit Wine
91 
Southbrook Framboise Non-Vintage
Product of Ontario $19.95 (341024) 375 ml 14.0% alcohol
This 100% raspberry, fortified, sweet dessert wine is simply stunning. If they allowed such designations, it would be amongst the Premiers Crus. The lifted nose is a bowl of freshly-picked raspberries while the full-bodied and flavour-packed taste profile is more of the same. This is well balanced and tang laden. It’s an amazing accompaniment to rich, dark Belgian chocolate chunks or desserts. (Vic Harradine)
Champagne
• There’s an argument to be made that Bollinger is ‘the’ top, or one of the top, Champagne houses and the following Non-Vintage Bollinger ‘Special Cuvée Brut’ certainly lends a good deal of support for top spot. It’s a blend of 60% pinot noir/25% chardonnay/15% pinot meunier with over 85% of grapes sourced from Premier Cru and Grand Cru-rated sites with a generous amount of pre-loved barrel-aged and the inclusion of reserve wines.
96
Bollinger ‘Special Cuvée Brut’ Champagne Non-Vintage
AOC Champagne, France $91.95 (384529) 12.0% alcohol
A profusion of mousse fills the glass with lines of fine-bead pearls winding upward, seemingly forever, in the glass. Alluring aromas of leesy/mineral notes, strawberry, baked apple and biscuit introduce a gorgeous array of invigorating, sweet and tang flavours caressing the palate with creamy-smooth texture, lemon curd, nutty notes and poached pear. This is crisp, refreshing, balanced and bountiful on the finish. My highest compliment; it required the utmost discipline to spit. (Vic Harradine)
Sparkling Wine
• The following Non-Vintage Vineland Estates ‘Frienzy’ Sparkling Rosé is a blend of 64% riesling, 36% cabernet franc fashioned in the Charmat method by having the second fermentation occur in a pressurized stainless steel tank.
91
Vineland Estates ‘Frienzy’ Sparkling Rosé Non-Vintage
VQA Ontario $19.95 (20162) 12.0% alcohol
Alluring aromas of piquant spice and red berry fruit adorned with floral notes waft easily on the nose of this delightful spritzy Rosé. It impresses the palate with a rush of tang- and bubble-infused flavour—strawberry, rhubarb and cherry cordial along with wisps of blood orange and citrus-peel marmalade. It’s medium-weight with oodles of mouthfeel and is a major treat and simply mouth-watering ambrosia on the balanced, lengthy finish and aftertaste. Pour on its own or with sushi, traditional paella, pan-seared salmon under a squeeze of fresh lemon or prawn ceviche. (Vic Harradine)
89
Oyster Bay Sparkling Cuvée Rosé Non-Vintage
New Zealand $22.95 (280172) 12.0% alcohol
This attractive pink-hued sparkler is fashioned from 20% hand-harvested pinot noir and 80% low-yielding chardonnay, fermented in the Charmat, a.k.a. Cuve Close, method. It hustles from the bottle with an energetic mousse and aromas of red berry fruit and spice with hints of brioche. It delivers spirited and lively flavours of citrus and red currant interwoven with sweeter and riper cherry on the lip-smacking aftertaste. (Vic Harradine)
Ontario: Red Wine
87
The Tragically Hip ‘Fully Completed - Grand Reserve Red 2016
VQA Ontario $24.95 (411595) 13.0% alcohol
Hip fans will recognize the name and label from their 1992 album. In the glass, this medium-garnet hued blend—38% cabernet franc, 35% merlot, 27% cabernet sauvignon shows an involved nose of forest floor, cherry, dry rose petal, potpourri and laurel aromas. Stainless steel fermented, full malolactic conversion and 14 months of American and French barrel maturation give this wine an über-round mouthfeel that’s almost sweet, with medium acidity and very soft tannin. Expect flavours of candied red fruit, blackberry jam and licorice with a spark of tartness in the finish and aftertaste. Pour with gourmet burgers. (Louise Boutin)
Ontario: Rosé Wine
• The following 2020 Flat Rock Cellars ‘Pink-Twisted’ is an inspired blend of 33% Gamay/33% Riesling/33% Gewürztraminer that showcases the dazzling 2020 vintage of Ontario VQA wines. It was picked at a fairly low Brix level—the amount of sugar in the unfermented grapes that when fermented made up this wine—that retained the natural tangy acidity that eventually matched up with the natural residual sugar to deftly balance this delightful wine-imbibing experience. This is an Ontario-certified sustainable winemaking product.
92
Flat Rock Cellars ‘Pink-Twisted’ Rosé 2020
VQA Niagara Peninsula $17.95 (39974) 11.5% alcohol
Watermelon, rose petals and strawberry aromas lure you in. It’s pure ambrosia on the palate with racy, refreshing flavours of pie cherry and red berries interlaced with balancing ripe red plum and mulberry and hints of cherry cordial. This is crisp and refreshing on entry delectable on the palate and balanced, crisp and refreshing on the finish and aftertaste. Pick up six or twelve when they become available. Divine when sipped on its own, it also pours well with summer salads, charcuterie board or deli platter. (Vic Harradine)
California: White Wine
• The following 2017 Fess Parker ‘Marcella’s White Wine was sourced from three vineyards in Santa Ynez Valley—44% Camp Four Vineyard/31% Rodney’s Vineyard/ 25% Vogelzang Vineyard. The grape blend is 47% viognier/38% grenache blanc/12% roussanne/3% marsanne. Fruit was 73% barrel fermented then aged nine months in one-year and older French oak, pre-loved barrels.
91
Fess Parker ‘Marcella’s’ White Wine 2017
Santa Barbara, California $21.95 (17580) 14.1% alcohol
Piquant, lifted aromas of honeydew melon, white flowers and ginger root abound. It surges over the palate with a resounding river of rollicking flavours with orange and lemon peel marmalade, apricot, nutty notes and sweet vanilla bean to the fore. It finishes with replays of palate flavours that become crisp and refreshing on the finish and aftertaste. Pour with green curry chicken. (Vic Harradine)
France: Rosé Wine
• The following Maison Saint Aix Rosé 2020 was sourced in “… one of the best Aix vintages ever". The blend in this wine is classic—60% grenache/20% syrah/20% cinsault—and was harvested in the coolest part of the day—between 4 and 10 am. This wine is served in Michelin-starred restaurants around the world. It also took great restraint not to swallow, rather than spit.
91
Maison Saint Aix ‘Aix’ Rosé 2020
AOP Coteaux d’Aix en Provence, France $24.95 (451906) 13.0% alcohol
Watermelon rind aromas meet citrus and pretty freesia flower notes in this popular rosé. A little tingle on the tip of the tongue introduces delicious flavours of nectarine, ruby grapefruit and a piquant ginger note delivered in a medium-bodied fashion and a nice chalky minerality emerging in the dry satisfying finish. An excellent sipper to share with friends or pair with fresh watermelon and feta salad. (Louise Boutin)
New in Vintages (available now in LCBO retail stores)
• The following 2018 Laura Hartwig ‘Single Vineyard’ Cabernet Sauvignon was hand-harvested into bins from 95% Cabernet Sauvignon and 5% Petit Verdot vines with an average age of forty years old. Grapes were gently destemmed on arrival to the winery and passed through a selection table. The fruit was macerated on skins for three days then fermented at controlled temperature for three weeks. It matured 100% in French barrels, 3rd and 4th use, during 13 months, plus a component of first-use French staves. The 2018 vintage was particularly kind to cabernet sauvignon.
90
Laura Hartwig ‘Single Vineyard’ Cabernet Sauvignon 2018
DO Colchagua Valley, Chile $16.95 (13428) 13.4% alcohol
Savoury herbs, dark berry fruit and charred toast aromas waft easily from the glass and provide segue to a medium-full bodied stream of black currant and black cherry palate flavours accompanied by milk chocolate, tang and acidity. This is racy on the finish and aftertaste with tang-laden flavours of crunchy red fruit—Montmorency cherry, currants and passionfruit. There’s good tension and a medium length finish and aftertaste. Aerate/decant for a couple of hours and pour with a well-seasoned burger, just off the grill. (Vic Harradine)
New in Vintages (available now in LCBO retail stores)
• The following two wines are labelled Wakefield as the Taylor family were requested, due to copyright issues, to not to use the Taylor family name in most northern hemisphere countries by Taylor Fladgate in Portugal, the Port producers. The Taylor family of Australia are now 3rd generation family wine makers and involved for the past four decades. As a general rule of thumb, if it has Taylors Australia or Wakefield on the label you can be fairly confident it will be a well-made wine at a fair, or even better than fair price. The following 2018 Wakefield ‘Estate Label’ pinot noir was awarded a Double Gold and ‘Pinot of the Year’ at the China Wine and Spirits Award in 2020.
92
Wakefield ‘Estate Label’ Pinot Noir 2018
Adelaide Hills, South Australia $19.95 (197392) 14.0% alcohol
Fascinating aromas of smoke, savoury herbs, tobacco and red cherry/berry fruit float easily from the glass. It envelops the palate with ripe red fruit—cherry, plum and strawberry galore—all nicely balanced with tangy passionfruit and mixed spice. This is medium-plus bodied with creamy-smooth mouthfeel and is balanced on a pin. There is full fruit flavour with an underpinning of soft, ripe tannin and lengthy, delicious finish and aftertaste. Drink now and over the next 7-8 years. (Vic Harradine)
• The following 2018 Wakefield ‘Estate Label’ Cabernet Sauvignon garnered a Platinum rating at the 2019 Sommelier Challenge International Wine & Spirits Competition and Double Gold at the 2019 Women’s Wine & Spirits Awards. It also was awarded ten gold medals and a swag of Silver medals at wine competitions around the world. The Taylor family are also one of the founding members of the über-exclusive Australia’s First Families of Wine with just nine other iconic Australian wineries in the group.
92
Wakefield ‘Estate Label’ Cabernet Sauvignon 2018
Clare Valley, South Australia $19.95 (744235) 14.5% alcohol
Lifted aromas of dark cherry/berry fruit abound adorned with savoury herbs, espresso roast and wisps of minty notes. A rich, luscious surge of black currant and cassis blankets the palate decorated with dark bittersweet chocolate and vanilla and wisps of savoury herbs. It’s medium-full bodied, balanced and bountiful with persistent purity of fruit from entry to finish and aftertaste. Pour now or over the next eight years with grilled rack of lamb that was rubbed in rosemary. The price-quality balance is well in your favour. (Vic Harradine)
New in Ontario Wineries
• Order the following Huff Estates wines for daily home, restaurant or office delivery in Ontario online from Huff Estates or pick up from the winery that is open from 11 am to 6 pm daily. FREE shipping on orders of $100.00 and more. Check Covid Protocols from this link. The winery is located in Bloomfield, Prince Edward County. Here’s a map. Here’s their phone number - 613-393-5802 and email address - This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. .
• The following 2020 Huff Estate Winery ‘Buried Vine’ Pinot Gris was sourced from 100% Prince Edward County Pinot Gris and was settled and aged in stainless steel keeping it lively, fresh and ideal for summer sipping and demonstrating how versatile a wine for food pairing this is.
92
Huff Estate Winery ‘Buried Vine’ Pinot Gris 2020
VQA Prince Edward County $22.00 12.5% alcohol
If you think of pinot gris as only off-dry or sweet wine, think again, this one is very dry and you’ll fall in love with it. The classic aromas—ripe pear, pineapple, honey—will trick your palate with a crisp and lively character showcasing fresh orchard fruit flavours, lemon rind, a tiny balancing pithy citrus note and lots of exquisite chalky minerality adding complexity in the long mouth-watering dry finish. Definitely worth trying on its own, or with coconut prawns or grilled chicken with mango salsa. (Louise Boutin)
• The following 2019 Huff Estate Winery South Bay Vineyard ‘Catherine’s’ Chardonnay was sourced from selected premium, hand-harvested chardonnay from the vaunted estate South Bay Vineyard. It aged for 15 months in 70% pre-loved French oak barrels and 30% new oak.
91
Huff Estate Winery South Bay Vineyard ‘Catherine’s’ Chardonnay 2019
VQA Prince Edward County $35.00 13.0% alcohol
This estate single vineyard chardonnay greets you with aromas of pomelo grapefruit and orchard fruit coupled with exotic spice and a note of resin. This is medium-bodied and it glides on the palate with a soft mouthfeel meeting a contrasting tight fruit acidity—passionfruit, lemon rind—and loads of refreshing steely minerality tingling on the tongue. The finish is crisp with a zesty profile dressed-up with persistent delicious vanilla and nutmeg undertone. Here’s a great summer pairing Pear Naan Pizza with Honeyed Goat Cheese. (Louise Boutin)
• The following 2019 Huff Estates Winery ‘Vacay’ Vidal was sourced from 100% Prince Edward County vidal blanc and was aged in stainless steel.
91
Huff Estates Winery ‘Vacay’ Vidal 2019
VQA Ontario $18.00 12.0% alcohol
Lifted alluring aromas of lemon zest, floral notes and piquant spice abound. It caresses and dazzles the palate with a surge of lively, fresh flavour with sweet white peach, blood orange, lemon-lime cordial and oodles of tangy acidity and plenty of excellent pizzazz. This is medium bodied with excellent texture and mouthfeel and showcases persistent purity of fruit, deft balance and lengthy, luxurious finish and aftertaste. Pour and sip on its own or with breaded and grilled calamari or steamed mussels. (Vic Harradine)
• The following 2020 Huff Estate Winery ‘Getaway’ Rosé was sourced from 100% Niagara Peninsula cabernet franc that macerated on skins in stainless steel for 16 hours.
91
Huff Estate Winery ‘Getaway’ Rosé 2020
VQA Ontario $20.00 12.5% alcohol
Cabernet franc in a rosé style often presents with a perfect combination of fruitiness and savoury character and this one is no exception. It has aromas of strawberry, watermelon, pink grapefruit, red bell-pepper jelly and a touch of lemon thyme. It shows good weight on the palate carrying delicious flavours of strawberry preserve, red bell-pepper, orange zest and a nice kick of white pepper trailing in the dry satisfying finish. This delicious gem offers many pairing possibilities such as ratatouille sprinkled with feta cheese, grilled gourmet sausages, spinach, bacon and strawberry salad, and more. (Louise Boutin)
• The following 2020 Huff Estates Winery ‘County Roads’ Pinot Noir Rosé was sourced from 100% Prince Edward County pinot noir and macerated for 18 hours on skins—hence the rich, dark, salmon colour. This gorgeous dry rosé wine showcases the dazzling 2020 Ontario vintage.
92
Huff Estates Winery ‘County Roads’ Pinot Noir Rosé 2020
VQA Prince Edward County $25.00 12.0% alcohol
This is a delectable, great-value wine. Fruit-filled aromas of strawberry, watermelon and red cherry mingle with wisps of orange zest on the nose of this lip-smacking, dry rosé. It races over the palate with nerve and verve, and a laser-like stream of tang and pizzazz expressed as peel marmalade, ruby red grapefruit, red currant and mouth-watering red raspberry. This is crisp and refreshing from twist top to last drop. It’s medium-weight with excellent mouthfeel and a monumentally long finish and aftertaste. Sip on its own or pour with pan-seared fish under a generous squeeze of fresh lemon or salmon en papillote. (Vic Harradine)
• The following 2019 Huff Estates Winery ‘Four Acre’ Merlot was sourced from 100% Prince Edward County grapes. The wine matured for 15 months in French oak barrel—70% pre-loved and 30% new.
92
Huff Estates Winery ‘Four Acre’ South Bay Vineyard - Merlot 2019
VQA Prince Edward County $30.00 13.0% alcohol
This is a lovely, delicious red wine that delivers very good value. Fragrant, enticing aromas open on the nose with exotic spice and sprigs of savoury herbs interlaced with scads of dark fruit—black plum, black cherry, and black currant. It’s medium-full bodied with good mouthfeel and plenty of tang to balance the ripe fruit flavours that appear on the palate—black plum and juicy black cherry. There’s a solid underpinning of perceptible tannin that’s easily ameliorated by a three-hour aeration/decant, or two more years of careful cellaring. Pour alongside rosemary and grilled rack of lamb. (Vic Harradine)
Upstream in winecurrent
Vintages Release Date; TBD, 2021
• The following 2020 Cantina Del Giusto ‘Fontegrande’ was sourced from 90% sangiovese/10% canaiolo nero grapes. ‘Fontegrande refers to the vineyard where the grapes were sourced that is near to some old ruins that scholars attribute to the ruins of an old Roman spa. Once harvested, fruit was brought to the winery to be destemmed and gently pressed. Alcoholic fermentation and maceration on grape skins took place for 20 to 23 days at controlled temperature with pressing and pump-overs followed by natural malo-lactic conversion and frequent batonnage for 15 days. It aged 10 months in stainless steel containers.
89
Cantina Del Giusto ‘Fontegrande’ 2020
DOC Rosso Di Montepulciano, Italy $15.95 14.0% alcohol
You just found your weekday go to youthful red for pasta in tomato sauce, hearty stuffed bell peppers or cabbage rolls. There are plenty of nice fruit aromas—sour cherry, red plum and a hint of strawberry, combined with a layer of mixed dry herb in the background. Tart cherry and red currant flavours lead the way on the palate along with astringent powdery tannin and a nice peppery bite showing up in the tangy, savoury finish. Aerate/decant one hour before serving. (Louise Boutin)
• The following 2018 Cantina Del Giusto ‘San Claudio 11’ is named San Claudio 11 to mark the place of an old winery that now serves as a museum for the old winemaking tools and equipment. This wine was sourced from 85% sangiovese/10% canaiolo nero/5% mammalo grapes. Once harvested, fruit was brought to the winery to be destemmed and gently pressed. Alcoholic fermentation and maceration on grape skins took place for 30 to 35 days at controlled temperature with pressing and pump-overs, natural malo-lactic fermentation followed with frequent batonnage for 15 days before being transferred to large oak casks. It underwent 6 months settling in stainless steel, 24 months in large casks of Slovenian oak and a further three months in bottle.
90
Cantina Del Giusto ‘San Claudio 11’ 2018
DOCG Vino Nobile Di Montepulciano, Italy $22.95 (541292) 15.0% alcohol
A whiff of old wood will dissipate after a vigorous swirl and unveil a beautiful nose of cherry cola, potpourri, clove and sandalwood. This medium-full bodied tangy red shows quite focused sour and black cherry flavours mingling with piquant cinnamon and dry oregano notes all framed in ripe yet chewy tannin. Aerate/decant two hours for full enjoyment and bring on the osso buco, charcuterie and hard cheese or juicy flank steak on the grill. (Louise Boutin)
• The following 2018 Victor Vineyards Cabernet Sauvignon was sourced from small-town vignerons with over a century of dedication to providing quality grapes that went into the making of this quality red wine. Victor Vineyards is housed in the historic Victor Fruit Company with vineyards over 100 years old.
89
Victor Vineyards Cabernet Sauvignon 2018
Lodi, California $18.95 (438515) 14.9% alcohol
Ripe black fruit aromas--blackberry, cherry and cassis--ooze from the glass along with tobacco and hints of grilled herb. This medium-full bodied red flows on the palate with flavours of black cherry, plum, balsamic reduction and earthiness. Powdery tannin and good alcohol integration provide a pleasant warm dry finish with notes of prune and charred savoury herb in the aftertaste. Pour alongside grilled lamb sausages or stuffed Portobello mushrooms. (Louise Boutin)
• The following 2018 Cantine Bellini Chianti Classico was sourced from a blend of 90% sangiovese and 10% merlot grapes that were harvested by hand. The fruit underwent controlled alcoholic fermentation at 20-25°C in stainless steel tanks with automatic pumping over and punching down of the cap then spent at least 18 days of maceration on the lees and then underwent malolactic fermentation. Wine matured for 12 months in 45 hl barrels of French oak and 12 months in concrete tank.
90
Cantine Bellini Chianti Classico 2018
DOCG Chianti Classico, Tuscany, Italy $19.95 13.0% alcohol
Pleasing aromas of earthy notes and wood smoke decorated with black cherry and mulberry provide segue to a tang-infused river of pie cherry, red currant and still-evolving tannin on the palate and persisting through the finish and aftertaste. This is medium-plus bodied with a mouth-watering ending. Pour now after a two-hour aeration/decant allowing it to breathe and provide the missing balance. Pour alongside osso buco, pasta puttanesca or spaghetti Bolognese. (Vic Harradine)
LCBO ‘Limited Time Offers’ – June 21 to July 18, 2021
Regardless of the vintage you purchase from the LCBO, you’ll receive the discount shown below for each bottle of wine reviewed below that’s purchased (either ‘in person’ or online) June 21 to July 18, 2021.
White Wines
• The following five wines will have a discount of $2.00 taken off the price shown below for each bottle purchased from June 21 to July 18, 2021
• The following Flat Rock Cellars Riesling is a Vintages Essentials wine always found in select LCBO retail stores.
90
Flat Rock Cellars Riesling
VQA Twenty Mile Bench $17.95 (43281) 11.0% alcohol
Aromas of yellow peach and green apple drizzled with lime mingle with piquant spice and mineral notes on the nose of this lovely off-dry riesling. It envelops the palate with a tang-laden surge of lime cordial and lemon curd persisting through the finish and aftertaste decorated with wisps of saline minerality. It’s quite food friendly; pour alongside spicy Asian fare like tandoori chicken or moo shu pork or Moroccan-style lamb tagine. (Vic Harradine)
90
Ghost Pines ‘Winemaker’s Blend’ Chardonnay
Monterey/Napa/Sonoma Counties $21.95 (308122) 13.8% alcohol
Multi-County fruit was whole-bunch pressed and fermented in stainless steel before settling and aged sur lie in French and American oak. A gorgeous array of baking spice, vanilla and orchard fruit aromas set the table for a smorgasbord of flavours—tropical fruit, sweet, ripe pear and hints of citrus and spice. It’s mid-weight and good value with generous texture, depth and complexity. It finishes balanced and mouth-watering. Pour with roast chicken, pork or veal. (Vic Harradine)
• The following wine is a Vintages Essentials product always available in select LCBO stores.
88
Kendall-Jackson ‘Vintner's Reserve’ Chardonnay
California $21.95 (369686) 13.5% alcohol
Aromas of butter cream and toasted oak meld with hints of tropical fruit. It is medium-to-full bodied on the palate, with a refreshing acidity. Flavours of oak and pineapple are carried through the finish, where they are joined with a hint of grapefruit. This will be a nice match for baked cod. (Dave Isaacs)
• The following Tawse Winery ‘Sketches’ Chardonnay is a Vintages Essential wine always available in many select LCBO stores. It’s a blend of estate and purchased fruit and was aged 12 months in French oak barrel, 20% new. The price-quality ratio skews wildly in your favour; pick up a few.
93
Tawse Winery ‘Sketches’ Chardonnay
VQA Niagara Peninsula $19.95 (89037) 12.5% alcohol
Ripe pear, Granny Smith apple and baking spice aromas provide segue for complex, delightful mouthfuls of flavours with apple pie spice, caramel, citrus and mineral nuances on the palate and persisting through the balanced and bountiful finish and aftertaste. This showcases terrific value, gorgeous flavours and oodles of pizzazz and pleasurable sipping. It’s medium-plus weight and smooth as silk. Pour with pan-seared Atlantic salmon or breaded pork cutlets or vegetable terrine. (Vic Harradine)
89
Santa Margherita Pinot Grigio
DOC Valdadige, Italy $19.95 (106450) 12.5% alcohol
The LCBO once touted this as their best-selling wine. A delicate nose of floral notes, lemon tart and wisps of mineral precede a mid-weight, very nicely textured streak of lemon and lime garnished with notions of green apple. The mid-length finish is crisp, refreshing and lip-smacking good. Pair with steamed mussels and a sliced and buttered baguette. (Vic Harradine)
• The following four wines will have a discount of $3.00 taken off the price shown below for each bottle purchased from June 21 to July 18, 2021
89
Kim Crawford Sauvignon Blanc
Marlborough, South Island $19.95 (35386) 12.5% alcohol
Aromas of gooseberry, canned peas and piquant spices/herbs jump from the glass. It’s racy and tang-laden showcasing quintessential Marlborough flavours with passion fruit, citrus and tropical fruit interwoven on the palate persisting through the crisp, refreshing aftertaste. Mid weight with good mouth feel, pour alongside chèvre or sea food—mussels, fish or calamari. (Vic Harradine)
89
Oyster Bay Chardonnay
Marlborough, New Zealand $19.95 (326728) 13.5% alcohol
Tropical fruit, citrus and sweet vanilla aromas abound on this tangy, generously textured, value-packed beauty. Rivers of nicely balanced flavour pour from the bottle with lemon chiffon pie, crisp grapefruit and spiced yellow plum to the fore. It’s mid weight sporting a mid-length finish that’s crisp and refreshing. Pour alongside grilled white fish, roast chicken or roast pork. (Vic Harradine)
• The following Quails’ Gate Chardonnay was sourced from a blend of notable French chardonnay clones 95, 96, 277, 809 planted in estate vineyards that are approximately thirty years old. It was then fermented and matured in both stainless steel tank and older oak barrels.
• This is a Vintages Essentials wine always available in select LCBO stores.
92
Quails’ Gate Chardonnay
Okanagan Valley, B.C. $24.95 (377770) 13.0% alcohol
Alluring, lifted aromas of butterscotch, piquant spice and green apple leap from the glass. It blankets the palate and fills the senses with a medium-plus bodied, generously textured flow of tang-infused, balanced and beautiful palate flavours with lemon curd, apple compote and tropical notes interwoven with mineral notes and baking spice all persisting through the lingering finish. Pour on its own or with lemon chicken or with pan-seared trout under a squeeze of fresh lemon. In a word or two… delightful, delicious. (Vic Harradine)
92
Thirty Bench ‘Winemaker’s Blend’ Riesling
VQA Beamsville Bench $22.95 (24133) 10.8% alcohol
The lifted nose of lime and piquant spice aromas is also decorated with sharp mineral notes and notions of petrol. An off-dry surge of citrus-infused flavours explode on the palate with lemon curd and lime cordial providing pizzazz along with delicious accoutrements of melon, minerality and under-ripe orchard fruit. It’s medium-weight with a bountiful, lip-smacking finish. Divine sipped on its own, it pours well with grilled or pan-seared fish, steamed mussels or breaded and skillet-fried calamari. (Vic Harradine)
Red Wines
• The following wine will have a discount of $1.00 taken off the price shown below for each bottle purchased from June 21 to July 18, 2021
• The following Kaiken ‘Seleccion Especial’ Malbec was sourced from 100% malbec hand-harvested from vineyards at 950 metres above sea level in Agrelo, Luján de Cuyo. Fruit was handpicked while berries were hand-selected once in the winery. The juice was fermented in small tanks preserving the quality of fruit. Alcoholic fermentation and later maceration lasted about 20 days with half the wine matured eight months in French oak barrels and half left unoaked to preserve the fruit flavours and aromas and maintain silky tannins. The wine was lightly filtered by using cross-flow filtration and cartridges. It’s also a Vintages Essentials wine always found in select LCBO retail stores.
88
Kaiken ‘Selección Especial’ Malbec 2018
Mendoza, Argentina (58339) $15.95 14.0% alcohol
This fruit-forward malbec boasts ripe cherry, berry and plum aromas entwined with notions of cured meat and herbs. Dry, medium bodied with silky tannins, flavours of juicy red fruit wash over the palate before finishing mid-length with smoke and herbs appearing on the aftertaste. Enjoy this good-value red with pasta in tomato sauce. (Lisa Isabelle)
• The following three wines will have a discount of $2.00 taken off the price shown below for each bottle purchased from June 21 to July 18, 2021
92
Columbia Crest ‘H3’ Cabernet Sauvignon
Horse Heaven Hills, Washington State $19.95 (210047) 14.0% alcohol
This is a lovely red with the price-quality balance tipped well in your favour. A subdued nose of mixed spice and dark cherry/berry fruit unleashes a delectable wash of balanced and beautiful flavours with red and black currant and juicy black Bing cherry to the fore. It’s medium bodied with generous texture and long, balanced finish showcasing delicious ripe fruit. Each sip is as good or better than the previous. (Vic Harradine)
88
Tom Gore Cabernet Sauvignon
California $19.95 (451336) 13.5 % alcohol
This is fairly priced, full bodied and fully textured. Aromas of blackberry, dark plum, pipe tobacco and spice open the door to a mouthful of rich, luscious flavour with kirsch liqueur and black plum compote nicely balanced by red cherry tang and acidity. It finishes balanced with hints of mocha and pours well with grilled striploin after a one-hour aeration/decant. (Vic Harradine)
91
Wits End ‘Luna’ Shiraz
McLaren Vale, South Australia $17.95 (311258) 14.0% alcohol
This is developing a following as each vintage cements its reputation as delivering value and great taste. Savory herbs and dark ripe fruit aromas—plum, bramble berry and cherry—herald smooth and mellow mouthfuls of juicy tang and oodles of flavour with pie cherry and ripe black currant melding with an underpinning of soft, ripe tannin. This is mid-full weight and nicely textured with good balance and charm. It’s good to go now served with well-seasoned, grilled medium-rare striploin. (Vic Harradine)
• The following two wines will have a discount of $3.00 taken off the price shown below for each bottle purchased from June 21 to July 18, 2021
• The following Henry of Pelham ‘Speck Family Reserve’ Baco Noir is quite special. Baco Noir is an especially successful hybrid grape amongst a small number that could be called ‘highly successful’ and possibly stands alone when referred to as ‘elegant, stylish or distinguished’. However, I believe this wine flirts with all three descriptors. It’s sourced from a single vineyard ‘Block 106’ that the Speck brothers planted manually by shovel in a somewhat less than perfect pattern as it meanders somewhat rather than the usual row after row after row of perfectly aligned vines, posts and trellis wire. The first vines were planted in 1984, making them 35-years-old when harvested for this wine. This matured in a combination of new, second-fill and third-fill American oak barriques then partially finished in 5000L oak foudres for a combined 12 months.
94
Henry of Pelham ‘Speck Family Reserve’ Baco Noir 2019
VQA Ontario $24.95 (461699) 13.5% alcohol
There’s great value here. Lifted aromas of bramble berry, mixed piquant spice and black cherry abound on the nose of this dazzling baco noir. It envelops the palate with a surge of fruit flavours—ripe black currant and juicy Bing cherry intertwined with wisps of black plum compote and a glorious balancing streak of excellent tang and acidity mirrored by a streak of minerality. This showcases deft balance, persistent purity of fruit and excellent smooth and mellow taste, mouthfeel and a monumentally lengthy finish and aftertaste. Pour on its own or alongside grilled striploin or prawn and chorizo paella. (Vic Harradine)
91
Rodney Strong ‘Estate’ Pinot Noir
Russian River Valley, Sonoma County, California $29.95 (954834) 14.5% alcohol
This is a premium pinot from the fabulous cool-climate appellation of Russian River Valley. It’s part California with ripe fruit and oodles of it, and part Burgundy with good structure and lip-smacking acidity for excellent balance. There’s red cherry with wisps of red currant and mixed spice on the nose and palate joined by ripe black berry and notions of beetroot on the finish and lingering aftertaste. (Vic Harradine)
• The following wine will have a discount of $5.00 taken off the price shown below for each bottle purchased from June 21 to July 18, 2021
91
Beringer ‘Knights Valley’ Cabernet Sauvignon 2016
Knights Valley, California $44.95 (352583) 14.8% alcohol
This blend of predominantly cabernet sauvignon with a splash of cabernet franc, merlot and petit verdot, matured 16 months in French oak, 30% new. Dark cherry, plum compote, chipotle, baking spice and violet aromas showcase the complex nose. Silky soft on palate entry with flavours of ripe black cherry, clove and vanilla, it shows a firmer profile mid palate with tight tannin and flavours of cocoa powder, freshly cracked black peppercorn and a wisp of red plum acidity through the finish and aftertaste. This is full-bodied with cellaring potential; enjoy now to 2024 with juicy rare prime rib after a two-hour aeration/decant. (Louise Boutin)
Other Wines
• The following three wines will have a discount of $2.00 taken off the price shown below for each bottle purchased from June 21 to July 18, 2021
• The following Kim Crawford Rosé is a Vintages Essentials wine always available in select LCBO stores.
90
Kim Crawford Rosé
Hawke’s Bay $18.95 (650325) 13.0% alcohol
A wonderful rosé to raise in a toast to spring, this is a blend of 93% merlot with the balance malbec. It has a salmon-pink and peach-hue colour, with a nose of strawberry and clover aromas. This is medium-full bodied with a slightly off-dry sensation and nice crisp level of acidity. There are flavours of strawberry throughout, and a slight touch of gentle tannins on the finish. Enjoy with a baby spinach and strawberry salad drizzled with balsamic vinegar. (Dave Isaacs)
• The following iconic Malivoire ‘Ladybug’ Rosé is the 22nd vintage produced by Malivoire with the first in 1998. It’s now a Vintages Essentials wine always available in select stores. This vintage it’s a 65% cabernet franc/27% gamay/8% pinot noir blend with all grapes being grown to make this specific wine. When measured, the sugar content in all varieties when unfermented averaged 20.4 Brix. Fruit was destemmed, crushed and placed in stainless steel tank then cold-soaked for 24 hours before pressing. Cold fermented and stabilized in stainless steel tank, it was bottled in March.
90
Malivoire ‘Ladybug’ Rosé
VQA Niagara Peninsula $16.95 (559088) 12.0% alcohol
Myriad red fruit aromas—strawberry, watermelon and ruby red grapefruit among them—precede a light-medium bodied, racy wash of palate flavours with passion fruit and red currant to the fore. It finishes with a blaze of lip-smacking tang reminiscent of the red grapefruit aromas on the nose. It’s clean, crisp and refreshing from twist top to last drop. It pairs well with skinless Atlantic salmon pan-seared in butter or ham and cheese crust-less quiche. (Vic Harradine)
88
Three of Hearts ‘Trois Coeurs’ Rosé
VQA Niagara Peninsula $19.95 (552562) 11.5% alcohol
This racy rosé is a blend of 53% pinot noir, 41% pinot gris (itself a mutation of pinot noir) and 6% gamay. It dishes up aromas of red raspberry, rhubarb and watermelon before unleashing a tang-laden explosion of passionfruit, lemon zest and ruby red grapefruit that blankets the palate persisting through the finish and aftertaste. This is tang-driven from cork pop to last drop. Seek out a pasta with rich zesty sauce; try pasta puttanesca or spaghetti and Bolognese sauce. (Vic Harradine)
• The following wine will have a discount of $2.50 taken off the price shown below for each bottle purchased from June 21 to July 18, 2021
• The following Lakeview Cellars Vidal Icewine is also a Vintages Essentials wine always available in select LCBO stores.
91
Lakeview Cellars Vidal Icewine
VQA Ontario $22.95 (522672) 200 mL 12.0% alcohol
This lighter-styled beauty keeps the final sip as fresh and lively as the first—it’s not cloying or over the top and that’s not a common occurrence for vidal icewine. A nicely balanced flow of palate-bathing apricot jam and white nectarine meet nirvana with a healthy dollop of lemon zest and racy blood orange on the palate and persists through the lingering finish and aftertaste. This pairs particularly well with Stilton on water crackers or pan-seared foie gras. (Vic Harradine)
• The following wine will have a discount of $3.00 taken off the price shown below for each bottle purchased from June 21 to July 18, 2021
91
13th Street Winery Cuvée Brut Rosé Non-Vintage
VQA Niagara Peninsula $29.95 (147504) 12.5% alcohol
This ‘traditional method’ sparkling Rosé underwent its second fermentation in the bottle(s) you purchase and is a blend of 56% Pinot Noir, 45% Chardonnay and a splash of Gamay. Aromas of strawberry, baking bread and red licorice introduce an elegant mousse of fine-bead bubbles infused with an array of racy flavour—red currant and cranberry mingle with peach skin and grilled, lightly sugared pink grapefruit. All in all, balanced and crisp, good value and lip-smacking delicious. (Vic Harradine)
• The following two wines will have a discount of $5.00 taken off the price shown below for each bottle purchased from June 21 to July 18, 2021
89
Inniskillin Vidal Icewine
VQA Ontario $49.95 (388306) 375 mL 9.5% alcohol
This vidal icewine from Niagara expresses itself without reservation starting with lifted aromas of apricot, lemon and earthy notes. It blankets the palate with a textured wash of apricot tart, lime-soaked guava and orange marmalade. Lemon zest and grilled pineapple provide semblance balance on the finish and aftertaste. Serve well chilled on its own or paired with fruit flan or blue cheese. (Vic Harradine)
88
Jackson-Triggs ‘Reserve’ Vidal Icewine
VQA Ontario $39.95 (389411) 375 mL 9.5% alcohol
Mango and ripe yellow peach aromas unleash a gusher of sweet, honeyed flavour on the palate with honey-drizzled peach pie and candied apricot coating the palate and persisting through the finish. It’s full bodied and generously textured delivering a sticky, sweet aftertaste. Pour with quality blue cheese or fruit flan. (Vic Harradine)
Cheers and stay safe, Louise, Lisa, Dave, Vic