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July 5, 2021 Newsletter

Newsletter Highlights:

95 points and over – there no wines in this newsletter that rang the 95 points and over bell.
Over 65 – There are over 65 wine reviews in this newsletter.
Exceptional-value wine – There are 24 exceptional-value wines found throughout the newsletter and easily spotted by the icon checkmark in the July 10, 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 also 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.
Lisa Likes – 2020 Quail’s Gate Rosé earned 89 points @ $19.95 found under Okanagan Valley, BC: Rosé Wine; 2019 Gérard Bertrand ‘cote des roses’ Pinot Noir earned 89 points @ $19.95 found under France: Red Wine; 2018 Kaiken ‘Selección Especial’ Malbec earned 88 points @ $14.95 (includes discount) found under ‘Limited Time Offers’.
Louise Loves – 2016 Henry of Pelham ‘Estate’ Cabernet-Merlot earned 90 points @ $24.95 found under Ontario: Red Wine; 2016 Château des Charmes Sparkling Rosé earned 92 points @ $34.95 found under New in Ontario Wineries; 2016 Beringer ‘Knights Valley’ Cabernet Sauvignon earned 91 points @ $39.95 (includes discount) found under ‘Limited Time Offers’.
Vic Picks – 2020 Gérard Bertrand ‘Cote des Roses’ Chardonnay earned 91 points @ $18.95 found under France: White Wine; 2020 Bodegas Salentein Wines ‘Portillo’ Pinot Noir earned 92 points @ $14.00 found under New in LCBO (presently available in LCBO retail stores); 2018 Casa-Dea Estates Pinot Grigio earned 90 points @ $19.95 found under New in Ontario Wineries; 2019 Kacaba Vineyards ‘Sustainable’ Pinot Noir earned 94 points @ $32.95 found under New in Ontario Wineries; 2019 Henry of Pelham ‘Speck Family Reserve’ Baco Noir earned 94 points @ $21.95 (includes discount) found under Limited Time Offers’.

Vintages Release – July 10, 2021

Sparkling Wine

89
 Chandon ‘Blanc de Noirs’ Sparkling Wine Non-Vintage
California $32.95 (100693) 13.0% alcohol
This classy Non-Vintage party starter—it’s made from pinot noir and pinot meunier grapes and in the same manner as Champagne—delivers enough oomph to pair with hors d’oeuvres and has ample charm to be sipped on its own. Leesy, earthy aromas introduce a profusion of fine-streamed bubbles laced with freshly picked strawberry and spice-infused tangy red grapefruit flavour. The lengthy mouth-watering aftertaste is crisp and refreshing. (Vic Harradine)

Ontario: White Wine

• The following Flat Rock Cellars Chardonnay was hand harvested and hand sorted from single-vineyard chardonnay that was gravity fed at the winery then fermented and matured ten months in French oak barrels. Load up the trunk and drink over the next 12 or so months, it will get better in the short-term, with careful—cool and dark—cellaring.

• This is a Vintages Essentials wine, always found in select LCBO retail stores.

90
 Flat Rock Cellars Chardonnay
 VQA Twenty Mile Bench $19.95 (286278) 13.0% alcohol
 Medium yellow-gold hued, this leaps from the glass with lifted aromas of baking spice, toasty notes, pineapple and caramel. It envelops the palate with a medium-plus bodied, well-textured river of ripe apple and tingling citrus acidity with oodles of nerve, verve and pizzazz expressed as white grapefruit on the back palate and aftertaste. This will be divine paired with freshly shucked Malpec oysters, prawn ceviche or pan-seared white fish under a generous squeeze of fresh lemon. (Vic Harradine)

90
Malivoire ‘Estate Grown’ Chardonnay
VQA Beamsville Bench $19.95 (573147) 12.5% alcohol
 A shy nose of Granny Smith apple and hints of baking spice aromas provide segue to a delightful array of deftly balanced palate flavours with honey-drizzled apple interwoven with lemon curd and sweet Bosc pear that persists throughout. This is medium weight, nicely textured and well balanced with a good seam of tang, persistent purity of fruit, plenty of charm and a delightfully lingering finish. It also offers a price-quality ratio tipped well in your favour - stock up. (Vic Harradine)

Okanagan Valley, BC: White Wine

• 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)

Ontario: Rosé Wine

• The following 2020 Marynissen Estates Rosé was sourced from an eclectic blend of 35% pinot noir/25% riesling/20% pinot gris/11% cabernet franc/9% muscat sourced from select plots in the VQA Niagara Peninsula appellation. The pinot noir was harvested and cold soaked for six hours prior to being pressed and fermented cool in stainless steel tank while the cabernet franc juice was bled off the skins after three hours in tank and fermented warm in stainless steel while the pinot noir and riesling fermentations were arrested to provide aromatic intensity and to preserve a portion of the residual sugar for balance in the finished wine. Pinot gris and cabernet franc were both fermented to dryness with the final proportions of the blend decided based on aromatic intensity, flavour, and texture. This wine is yet another stellar example of the dazzling 2020 vintage for Ontario wines and is splendidly priced. Pick up a few, you won’t be disappointed.

90
 Marynissen Estates Rosé 2020
 VQA Niagara Peninsula $16.95 (16454) 11.5% alcohol
 A psychedelic pink in the glass, aromas of strawberry and cherry abound on the nose. It blankets the palate balanced on a pin with plenty of ripe red apple and ripe red cherry adorned with oodles of tangy passionfruit and hints of pie cherry that start on entry, expand at mid-palate and persist with purity of fruit through the lip-smacking finish and mouth-watering aftertaste. Delicious on its own, it really sings out when poured with chèvre crumbled on olive-oiled mesclun salad or pan-seared calamari or steamed mussels. This is available at select ‘Wine Country boutique’ LCBO stores. (Vic Harradine)

Ontario: Red Wine

• The following 2016 Henry of Pelham ‘Estate’ Cabernet-Merlot is certified by Sustainable Winemaking Ontario. Low-yielding, 3 tonnes per acre, hand-harvested fruit was sourced from estate vineyards on the Short Hills Bench, destemmed, sorted and partially fermented in oak tank with extended maceration. It matured in European and American oak, 30% new, then blended in an oak tank with total time in wood reaching ten months.

90
 Henry of Pelham ‘Estate’ Cabernet-Merlot 2016
 VQA Short Hills Bench $24.95 (395855) 13.5% alcohol
Lots of peppery character on the nose but also ripe dark fruit, cedar and graphite with this Bordeaux-styled red blend. Über silky-textured at first, it morphs into a robust juice of ripe blackberry and cassis flavours joined with savoury dry herbs, bright acidity and black peppercorn notes persisting in the very dry finish. This has cellaring potential with its grippy tannin but will be delicious with rare, grilled flank steak, seasoned with ‘Montreal steak’ spice mix. Aerate/decant two hours. (Louise Boutin)

Okanagan Valley, BC: Rosé Wine

• The following 2020 Quail’s Gate Rosé was sourced from gamay and pinot noir fruit that was on skins for one hour for colour before each varietal was cool-fermented separately in stainless steel then blended before bottling. This family-owned winery is now managed by 3rd generation Okanagan family winemakers.

89
 Quail’s Gate Rosé 2020
 VQA Okanagan Valley, B.C. $19.95 (275842) 12.0% alcohol
 Pale pink in colour, this charming rosé gently releases aromas of red currant, strawberry and nectarine backed by a pleasant floral note. It’s dry, medium-light bodied with flavours of wild strawberry, savoury herbs and bright citrus on the refreshing palate lifted by a spritz of pink grapefruit on the lengthy finish. Enjoy this summer sipper with a green salad adorned with chilled shrimp. (Lisa Isabelle)

France: White Wine

• The following Louis Jadot Chardonnay Bourgogne is a Vintages Essentials wine always found in select stores.

89
 Louis Jadot Chardonnay Bourgogne
AOC Bourgogne, France $24.95 (933077) 13.0% alcohol
 Ripe pear, red apple and a salad bowl of tropical fruit aromas precede a nicely textured wash of crisp, green apple, white peach and lemon yoghurt. It’s medium weight with a delicious, mouth-watering finish. Very refreshing on its own, it has plenty of oomph to pair with steamed seafood—lobster or mussels, or roasted fowl—chicken or turkey. (Vic Harradine)

• The following 2020 Cote des Roses Chardonnay was sourced from vineyards grown in varied compositions but mainly in pebble-strewn soils with a sub-soil of limestone and schist. Grapes are mechanically harvested and optically sorted at the same time. Grapes are destemmed at the winery and cooled down to 8 °C and transferred to press. Only the first, high-quality juice makes its way to this wine. The fermentation of this 100% chardonnay lasts between 15 and thirty-plus days depending on temperature and clarification. After light fining, the wine is bottled quite early to preserve its fresh, fruity character. The bottom of the bottle is carved in the shape of a rose and makes an elegant flower vase and the bottle is sealed with an ingenious glass and plastic stopper.

91
 Gérard Bertrand ‘Cote des Roses’ Chardonnay 2020
 IGP Pays D’Oc, France $18.95 (10621) 13.5% alcohol
 Aromas of pineapple, exotic floral notes and lemon pastille abound on the nose. It surges over the palate with flavours of lemon zest, lime juice and plenty of nerve and verve, tang and acidity, tempered with saline minerality and orchard fruit—pear and apple—on the mouth-watering finish and lip-smacking aftertaste. This is crisp, clean and refreshing. Delightful on its own, it pours particularly well with pan-seared salmon, steamed mussels or grilled calamari—all with a generous squeeze of fresh lemon. (Vic Harradine)

France: Red Wine

• The following 2019 Gérard Bertrand ‘cote des roses’ Pinot Noir is a work of art. The base of the bottle has a rose carved out of the glass by a young designer from Ecole Boulle and the winery suggests you handle it as you would a bouquet of roses, especially when presenting to someone before pouring. The fruit was sourced from various soil types, but mainly hard limestone and schist and also gravel from rivers in the Languedoc region. Perfectly ripe fruit was harvested in late September. Grapes were then destemmed before macerating in vats for 10 to 15 days. The cap was punched down and pumped over frequently. The wine then matured for several months in 225-litre barrels.

89
 Gérard Bertrand ‘cote des roses’ Pinot Noir 2019
 IGP Pays d’Oc, France $19.95 (20751) 13.0% alcohol
 Ripe cherry, plum and blackberry aromas are garnished with hints of lavender, rose petals and a dusty mineral note on the nose before finding their way effortlessly to the palate. This dry, medium bodied, easy-drinking red delivers gentle tannins, a silky mouthfeel and a juicy, cherry-berry finish. Hints of dark chocolate and baking spice appear on the aftertaste. Pair with a selection of cheese and charcuterie. (Lisa Isabelle)

New in the LCBO (presently available in LCBO retail stores)

• The following 2020 Seméli Estate ‘Feast’ Moschofilero is a dry white table wine sourced from Moschofilero grapes that are a vitis vinifera white grape indigenous to Greece and grown widely in the Péloponnèse wine region. The winery was one of the first to be certified carbon neutral and uses gravity to move wine utilising the sloping terrain. Fruit was crushed and chilled before oxidative pressing and settling. Through cool fermentation in stainless steel tank it was taken to dryness. There was short maturation on light lees before bottling to preserve freshness.

89
Seméli Estates ‘Feast’ Moschofilero 2020
IGP Péloponnèse, Greece $12.50 (15777) 12.0% alcohol
Light-yellow hued when poured, pleasing aromas waft from the glass with floral notes and nuances of citrus galore. It’s light-medium bodied with textured mouthfeel and excellent palate flavours of honey-drizzled mango and creamy-smooth lemon chiffon pie. This is a go to sipper at any time and pours well with pastitsio, a Greek version of Italian lasagna. Pick up an armful, possibly a dozen. The price-quality balance tips wildly in your favour. (Vic Harradine)

• The following 2020 Bodegas Salentein Wines ‘Portillo’ Pinot Noir was sourced from mountain vineyards from high plateaus in the Uco Valley of Mendoza, Argentina. They employ a gravity system for moving wine, apparently somewhat unique in this part of the world. Grapes are hand-picked then destemmed before transfer to stainless steel tanks where cold maceration takes place at 8 to 10 °C, followed by fermentation for 7 to 10 days.

92
Bodegas Salentein Wines ‘Portillo’ Pinot Noir 2020
Valle de Uco, Mendoza, Argentina $14.00 (19274) 14.05 alcohol
Light-ruby hued in the glass, it dishes up aromas of bright cherry/berry and notions of savoury herbs. This captures the palate with a lovely mélange of flavours with freshly picked strawberry, ripe juicy black Ranier cherry and black plum. There’s baking spice and ripe soft tannin added to the mix on the finish and aftertaste. This showcases ripe fruit, balancing tang and acidity, persistent purity of fruit, great mouthfeel and versatility at the table. Pour with roast chicken with cut-up root veggies in the bottom of the pan—turnip, potato, carrot, parsnip, or coq au vin or crown roast of pork or lamb tagine. (Vic Harradine)

New in Ontario Wineries

• The following six wines may be purchased online from this link Casa-Dea Estates Winery. For a limited time only: Buy 6 bottles or more and get FREE shipping in Ontario.

• The following 2019 Casa-Dea Estates ‘Embrace’ Sparkling Riesling is vintage dated and was fashioned utilising the Charmat method, a process that produces fewer bubbles than the Méthode Traditionnelle used in the production of Champagne. This was sourced from 100%, estate grown riesling grapes grown on the vineyard in front of the winery.

88
Casa-Dea Estates ‘Embrace’ Sparkling Riesling 2019
VQA Ontario $19.95 (20516) 11.7% alcohol
Aromas of yeasty and floral notes precede a palate wash of flavours with ripe red apple and Meyer lemon adorned with good tang and acidity. There’s good frothy mousse when poured and textured, creamy-smooth mouthfeel on the palate and tangy dry finish and aftertaste. You can greet guests with this and continue to serve with the welcoming hors d’oeuvres. (Vic Harradine)

• The following 2018 Casa-Dea Estates ‘Dea’s Cuvée’ Sparkling was sourced from Chardonnay and Pinot Noir from Casa-Dea’s Estate’s Cold Creek Vineyard. It was fashioned in the Charmat method with the 2nd alcoholic fermentation taking place in an enclosed tank.

89
Casa-Dea Estates ‘Dea’s Cuvée’ Sparkling 2018
VQA Ontario $20.95 12.6% alcohol
It’s light-yellow hued when poured and dishes up aromas of baking brioche, binned apple and notions of rose petals. It shows little mousse when poured, but certainly is there when you have it on your palate. It’s sweet-tinged with palate flavours of lemon-lime cordial and wisps of maraschino cherries. Palate flavours replay on the mid-length finish and aftertaste. Pour for company when they arrive and serve with all manner of hors d’oeuvres and/or canapés. (Vic Harradine)

• The following 2018 Casa-Dea Estates Pinot Grigio was barrel-fermented and aged in older, pre-loved oak barrels.

90
Casa-Dea Estates Pinot Grigio 2018
VQA Prince Edward County $19.95 12.3% alcohol
This bronze-gold hued wine dishes up a nose of nutty and floral notes decorated with wisps of ripe apricot. It envelops the palate with a unique surge of pure ambrosia expressed as tang-laden lemon curd infused with ripe yellow peach and hints of rosewater. This is medium bodied with excellent mouthfeel, persistent purity of fruit and balanced on a pin. It finishes clean and refreshing with a lengthy lip-smacking finish and aftertaste. Sip on its own or pour with a deli platter, soft cheese or a creamy spinach salad. (Vic Harradine)

• The following 2017 Casa-Dea Estates Unoaked Chardonnay was sourced from 100% Prince Edward County chardonnay that saw not a splinter of oak.

88
Casa-Dea Estates Unoaked Chardonnay 2017
VQA Prince Edward County $16.95 12.4% alcohol
Aromas of lanolin, binned apple and straw provide segue to a mouthful of flavour with tang-infused flavours of Key lime, pomelo and lemon pastille to the fore. This is medium weight with persistent tang-infused flavours throughout. Give this a go with home oven-grilled chicken wings or chicken salad. (Vic Harradine)

• The following 2020 Casa-Dea Estates ‘Rosato’ Rosé was sourced from 100% County fruit made up of 85% gamay and 15% pinot noir that cold soaked for 24 hours on its skins.

89
Casa-Dea Estates ‘Rosato’ Rosé 2020
VQA Prince Edward County $18.95 12.4% alcohol
An alluring purple-pink hue in the glass, it captures the palate with a medium-bodied, nicely textured mouthful of candy floss, balancing pie cherry and hints of maraschino cherry on the front and mid palate. It finishes with oodles of tang and pizzazz on a lingering crisp and refreshing finish and aftertaste. Give this a go on its own or pour with spicy red pizza. (Vic Harradine)

• The following 2017 Casa-Dea Estates Cabernet Franc was sourced from 100% Prince Edward County fruit that was matured 12 months in oak barrels.

90
Casa-Dea Estates Cabernet Franc 2017
VQA Prince Edward County $19.95 12.6% alcohol
Lifted aromas of dark cherry/berry fruit mingle with hints of earthiness and cedar. It blankets the palate with piquant spice, rich ripe black currant and notions of savoury herbs. It’s medium-plus bodied with textured mouthfeel that’s silky smooth from twist top to last drop. There’s considerable tang and pizazz on the mid-palate while persisting through the finish and aftertaste. Pour with backyard burgers, beer-can grilled chicken or beef fajitas. (Vic Harradine)

• This Château des Charmes vintage-dated méthode traditionnelle sparkling wine is available at the winery and online at Château des Charmes for shipping to your home, office or restaurant. This is a blend of chardonnay with a small portion of pinot noir used for liqueur de dosage. It matured on its lees for at least 18 months and was disgorged recently, just before release.

92
Château des Charmes Sparkling Rosé 2016
VQA Niagara-on-the-Lake $34.95 11.5% alcohol
A festive mousse rises above a wild-salmon shaded liquid releasing aromas of peach, strawberry, red cherry, yeasty buns and a whiff of white mushroom. The first sip will fill your palate with an expansive and tightly knit froth carrying delicious flavours of field strawberry, red apple, pie cherry and vivid zesty character leaving you wanting more. This thirst quenching, well crafted, crisp, bubbly rosé will pair well with just about everything. Try smoked salmon, sun-dried tomato crostini or sip on its own with friends. (Louise Boutin)

• Order the following wines by the case for daily home or office directly online from Kacaba Vineyards with FREE shipping in Ontario on orders of six bottles or more, by phone at 1 866 522-2228 or 1 905 562-5625, or pick up a bottle or case from the winery (curbside pick-up or shop in the boutique it’s open 10 am to 5 pm seven days a week) at 3550 King Street in Vineland ON. For various wine shopping options during COVID-19, click here.

• The following 2020 Kacaba Vineyards ‘Summer Series – Jennifer’s’ Pinot Gris was sourced from a select single vineyard of 100% pinot gris in the VQA sub-appellation of Lincoln Lakeshore that was harvested at optimum sugar and acid levels. At the winery it was immediately gently destemmed and cold-soaked overnight. After pressing, the clean juice was racked into stainless steel tanks where it fermented for several weeks at a controlled temperature of 17 °C until dryness.

91
Kacaba Vineyards ‘Summer Series – Jennifer’s’ Pinot Gris 2020
VQA Niagara Peninsula $19.95 12.5% alcohol
Alluring aromas of pear, white floral notes and lemon zest abound. It dazzles the palate with piquant flavours of grapefruit and pineapple balanced with lime cordial and ripe pear. This is medium bodied with creamy-smooth mouthfeel and showcases excellent balance and persistent purity of fruit throughout. It’s crisp and refreshing with a flavourful mouth-watering finish and aftertaste. Pour alongside pan-seared or grilled fish or seafood, or chicken or pork in a vegetable stir fry. (Vic Harradine)

• The following 2020 Kacaba Vineyards ‘Vegan Friendly - Sustainable – Unoaked’ Chardonnay was fashioned without any oak influence in order to capture the true nature of the chardonnay grape in the bottling of this wine.

91
Kacaba Vineyards ‘Vegan Friendly - Sustainable – Unoaked’ Chardonnay 2020
VQA Niagara Peninsula $15.95 (326975) 13.0% alcohol
Granny Smith apple, honeydew melon and lemony aromas waft easily after a gentle swirl or two. Flavours of blood orange, lemon-lime and pineapple mingle with nuances of saline minerality and ripe pear on the palate persisting through the clean and refreshing finish and aftertaste. This is balanced on a pin with good mouthfeel, medium weight and plenty of tangy pizzazz. Pour alongside Classic Chicken a la King. (Vic Harradine)

• The following 2019 Kacaba Vineyards ‘Sustainable’ Pinot Noir was sourced from grapes harvested at peak ripeness then sorted before being processed. Following a gentle destemming the fruit was divided into several small fermentation vessels for manual punch-downs then inoculated with RB2 yeast strains. After fermentation was completed, grapes were gently pressed and rested in tanks for a short time. Once settled, wine was racked into barrels for 14 months in a combination of new and old French oak barrels (88%) and Acacia barrels (12%). The wine was then racked and bottled April, 2020.

94
Kacaba Vineyards ‘Sustainable’ Pinot Noir 2019
VQA Niagara Peninsula $32.95 13.0% alcohol
Aromas of cedar, earthy notes and mixed spice interlace with wisps of red cherry/berry and cigar box. This is elegant, sensuous and spreads over the palate with a mélange of flavour—cherry and kirsch liqueur with blueberry and hints of black currant underpinned by toasty oak and hints of vanilla. This is medium weight with a firm mouthfeel, good depth and deft balance. A doff of the cap to Kacaba winemaker extraordinaire, Vadim Chelekov, and his entire team. You could happily sip it now on its own or pour with coq au vin. (Vic Harradine)

• The following 2020 Kacaba Vineyards ‘Sustainable – Vegan Friendly’ Cabernet was sourced from 71% cabernet franc and 29% cabernet sauvignon. Kacaba is well known for its value and quality-packed wines.

92
Kacaba Vineyards ‘Sustainable – Vegan Friendly’ Cabernet 2020
VQA Niagara Peninsula (499384) $15.95 13.0% alcohol
Sexy aromas of rose petals, exotic spice and rich, ripe dark cherry/berry fruit abound on the nose of this gem. It blankets the palate with a gorgeous surge of ripe blackberry fruit, raspberry and dark Rainier cherry robed in excellent balancing crunchy red fruit tang and acidity. It’s medium-bodied with deft balance, persistent purity of fruit, lengthy lip-smacking aftertaste and has great versatility at the table. Incredibly enjoyable on its own, it’s also wonderful with barbecued beef or lamb tagine or crown roast of pork. (Vic Harradine)

• For daily home, office or restaurant delivery for the following two wines order online from this link Malivoire Wine Company with FREE shipping on orders of $99 or more, or $20 credited next business day towards delivery outside Ontario and Québec. Phone 905-563-9253 Monday to Friday 10 am - 5 pm on weekdays and noon to 5 pm Saturday and Sunday for information and for locals to access curbside pickup instructions. Their retail shop is now open - 10 am - 5 pm on weekdays, and noon to 5 pm on Saturday and Sunday. There are guidelines due to COVID-19 that change often, best to phone or email first (the website has a space to type and is linked to their email).

• The following 2019 Malivoire ‘Courtney’ Gamay was sourced from 100% gamay fruit grown on the estates Courtney Block that was hand-harvested in late October when grapes averaged 22.4 ° Brix. After being destemmed and crushed, fruit was barrel-fermented in large-format oak cuves. The greater portion of 93% of the wine matured in neutral barrels while 7% aged first in new oak for 10 months before transferring to neutral oak. In all, wine aged 16 months in barrel before being bottled in February 2021.

92
Malivoire ‘Courtney’ Gamay 2019
VQA Twenty Mile Bench $29.95 13.0% alcohol
Aromas of dark bramble berry, cherry and blueberry interwoven with piquant spice and savory herbs abound on the nose. It’s balanced, bountiful and beautiful on the palate with flavours of Ribena ©, pie cherry and hints of cassis. It’s medium weight with good mouthfeel and plenty of tang and acidity that persist through finish and aftertaste. There’s an underpinning of tannin that’s still evolving. Enjoy now poured alongside a mixed deli platter or try this summer pasta. (Vic Harradine)

• The following 2019 Malivoire ‘Wismer’ Cabernet Franc was sourced from 100% cabernet franc grown on the Wismer Vineyard in the VQA sub-appellation of Twenty Mile Bench where the soils and subsoils are well-drained and rich in limestone and shale. Freshly picked fruit was destemmed and divided in two—one to ferment in large oak cuve, and the other in stainless steel tank. Following alcoholic fermentation, 13% of the wine spent seven months in new oak barriques before blending to age in a mature oak tank, After 16 months in oak the wine was bottled in February 2021.

93
Malivoire ‘Wismer’ Cabernet Franc 2019
VQA Twenty Mile Bench $26.95 12.5% alcohol
Alluring aromas leap from the glass after a simple swirl—dark cherry/berry, graphite and grilled savoury herbs to the fore. It envelops the palate with a surge of tangy fruit flavours including ripe juicy black and red cherry, bramble berry and passionfruit decorated with baking spice and sprigs of herbs and underpinned by firm tannin. This is balanced on a pin with acid, tannin and fruit flavour all in sync with each other as well as cabernet franc typicity. It’s medium-plus bodied with good mouthfeel and a lengthy, lip-smacking, mouth-watering finish and aftertaste. (Vic Harradine)

• The following two Marynissen Estates Wines are available for purchase and delivery to your home, office or restaurant online with FREE shipping in Ontario with a minimum order of six bottles or for curbside pick-up at the winery - order ahead online, here’s a map.

• The following 2019 Marynissen Estates ‘Lokaal - White’. Lokaal (pronounced local) is the Dutch word for "local", a nod to the pioneering founders of Marynissen Estates. It’s an inspired blend of 48% vidal/37% gewürztraminer/15% chardonnay. This wine showcases the unique profile of local hybrid and vinifera grapes and dazzles the palate paying homage to the fabulous 2020 Ontario wine vintage. The price-quality balance tips well in your favour; pick up an armful at this price.

91
 Marynissen Estates ‘Lokaal - White’ 2019
 VQA Niagara Peninsula $13.95 (20508) 12.0% alcohol
 Alluring aromas of exotic spice and incense mingle with tropical fruit, rosewater and whiffs of Juicy Fruit © gum. It envelops the palate with a gusher of ambrosia riding a balanced and bountiful wave of dazzling flavours with ginger root, Key lime cordial and plenty of tang and pizzazz from twist top to final drop. This is clean, crisp and refreshing. Just the wine to be drunk now and in summer on its own, and in the fall and winter with fish and seafood. This is also available at the LCBO. (Vic Harradine)

• Order the following two wines online for home, office or restaurant: delivery in Ontario is FREE on orders of six bottles or more from this link Vineland Estates Winery. The wine shop is open for Curbside Pickup 7 days a week, 11am-5pm. Purchase online from the above link or place your order at 905.562.7088 ext. 124. Restaurant is open for Takeout Wednesday – Sunday, 11am – 6pm. Please order directly with the Kitchen at 905.562.7088 ext. 165. Best to check with the winery first as COVID-19 rules and regulations often change.

• The following 2020 Vineland Estates ‘Semi-dry’ Riesling was sourced from 100% riesling and the wine has no oak influence allowing this wine to portray the inherent qualities, aromas and flavours of their prized riesling grapes. The price-quality balance tips wildly in your favour. Pick up an armful or two.

92
Vineland Estates ‘Semi-dry’ Riesling 2020
VQA Niagara Peninsula $15.95 (232033) 10.5% alcohol
Aromas of flinty minerality and notions of petrol interweave with peach and plum on the nose. The races over the palate exploding with off-dry flavours—lemon pastille and lime cordial—along with textbook riesling tang and acidity. The monumentally tasty and lengthy finish and aftertaste replay palate flavours with gusto. This is medium bodied with silky mouthfeel and nicely balanced fruit flavour and acidity. It’s a sure thing matched with spicy Asian cuisine—spicy Shanghai noodles, Pad Thai or tandoori chicken. (Vic Harradine)

92
Vineland Estates Cabernet Franc 2020
VQA Niagara Peninsula $14.95 (594127) 13.5% alcohol
Lifted aromas of dark bramble berry and black cherry decorated with baking spice and hints of floral notes precede a gusher of flavour of medium-plus weight with outstanding satin-smooth mouthfeel enveloping the palate with flavours galore—cassis and pie cherry mingle with savoury herbs and plenty of spice along with black currant and juicy black cherry. It finishes with a lengthy ripe-fruit tinged and mouth-watering aftertaste. Drink now to 2026 with backyard grilled burgers, flank steak, or beef fajitas. At this price, load up with a case of six or twelve. (Vic Harradine)

Upstream in winecurrent

Vintages Release: TBD, 2021

• The following 2020 Maison François-Xavier Nicolas ‘Essentielle’ Blanc was sourced from vineyards with soils of clay, chalk and marlstone—a carbonate-rich mud or mudstone which contains variable amounts of clays and silt that are often the result of an ancient fresh-water lake. It’s a blend of 50% grenache blanc/25% viognier/20% clairette/5% bourboulenc with an average age of 25 years. The wine was pressed then macerated in cold temperatures then fermented at a cool temperature not exceeding 16 °C with bâtonnage—stirring of spent yeast cells. There was no malolactic conversion and this protects the freshness, tang and acidity of the finished wine.

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Maison François-Xavier Nicolas ‘Essentielle’ Blanc 2020
AOP Côtes du Rhône, France $16.95 13.5% alcohol
Expect charming aromas of apricot, ripe pear, honeysuckle and a hint tangerine zest in this medium-bodied southern Rhône white blend. The palate is treated to a round, almost coating texture of delicious ripe orchard fruit flavours, lifted with sweetened ruby grapefruit and a mild pithy citrus note balancing the refreshing tangy finish. There’s exceptional-value in this versatile wine. Sip on its own or pair with coconut shrimp or fish and chips. (Louise Boutin)

• The following 2020 Maison François-Xavier Nicolas ‘Essentielle’ Rouge blend was sourced from 40% grenache /20% syrah/20% mourvèdre/20% carignan with an average vine age of 30 years grown in soils of sand, clay and old alluvial deposits of shingles— well drained soils that are very shallow or shallow to bedrock. All grapes are destemmed pressed then fermented on skins over a period of two weeks. It then aged for 12 months in concrete vats.

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Maison François-Xavier Nicolas ‘Essentielle’ Rouge 2020
AOP Côtes du Rhône, France $16.95 14.5% alcohol
Once a vigorous swirl takes care of the alcohol whiff, pretty aromas of ripe black fruit, fresh rose and tobacco notes reveal themselves in this medium-full bodied red. A silky soft wash of ripe blackberry flavours, dark cherry and a bright note of dry cranberry meet powdery tannin mid-palate, bringing structure to the warm, briny and savoury profile trailing in the dry pleasant finish. Aerate/decant one hour and pair with black olive pizza or ratatouille. (Louise Boutin)

• The following 2020 Maison François-Xavier Nicolas ‘Réserve Personnelle’ Blanc was sourced from soils of red marlstone, clay and alluvium—deposit of clay, silt, sand, and gravel left by flowing streams in a river valley or delta, typically producing fertile soil. This white wine is a blend of 70% grenache blanc/15% clairette/10% roussanne/5% marsanne sourced from grapes with an average age of 30 years that were pressed then macerated with cold temperatures then fermented at a maximum of 23 °C with stirring of the lees then aged on their lees in vats and barrels for 6 months, with no malolactic fermentation.

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Maison François-Xavier Nicolas ‘Réserve Personnelle’ Blanc 2020
AOP Côtes du Rhône, France $18.95 13.5% alcohol
Ripe pear, and sweet cantaloupe discretely mingle with mineral notes and white flower aromas in this meticulously crafted white. It flows on the palate with good weight and plush texture offering delicious ripe apricot flavours infused with lemon rind, a wisp of pithy citrus and a fair dose of minerality in the finish and enjoyable aftertaste. This is medium-full bodied and will shine alongside bacon-wrapped scallops or fish tacos. (Louise Boutin)

• The following 2019 Maison Darragon ‘Les Truffes - Dry’ Chenin Blanc was sourced from 100% chenin blanc vines planted in soils of clay, both Calcareous—mostly or partly composed of calcium carbonate and Siliceous—containing silica limestone—with an average age of 30 years. Grapes were harvested by low pressure pneumatic presses and were settled at low temperature settling with fermentation regulated to 16 °C. The wine was aged on fine lees with stirring for six months followed by sterile fermentation during bottling. Chenin blanc is indigenous to the Loire Valley.

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Maison Darragon ‘Les Truffes - Dry’ Chenin Blanc 2019
AOC Vouvray, Loire Valley, France $17.95 13.5% alcohol
If you can’t get enough of tanginess in your white wine, this one is for you. White grapefruit, yellow apple, bread crumb aromas and mineral character introduce a wash of sharp fruit flavours and addictive bright acidity—passionfruit, lime, starfruit—awakening the palate and senses. The lee stirring brings texture and weight on the palate adding dimension and depth in the zesty and beautiful mouth-watering mineral finish. This medium-bodied chenin is perfect for feta, bruschetta or prosciutto-wrapped yellow apple. (Louise Boutin)

• The following 2019 Maison Darragon ‘Les Haut des Ruettes – Medium-Dry’ Chenin Blanc is 100% Chenin Blanc—a grape that is indigenous to the Loire Valley, France. The vines from which this wine was sourced averaged 30 years old with vines planted in soils of calcareous and siliceous clay. The Darragon family have been winegrowers in Vouvray since 1761 and are now in their ninth generation. The estate covers 99 acres.

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Maison Darragon ‘Les Haut des Ruettes – Medium-Dry’ Chenin Blanc 2019
AOC Vouvray, Loire Valley, France $17.95 13.5% alcohol
Yellow-gold when poured in the glass, it begrudgingly offers up aromas of honeydew melon, lanolin and traces of baking spice after a few vigorous swirls. It envelops the palate with tangy lemon pastille, honey-drizzled baked apple and hints of lemon drop candy. It’s medium bodied with good mouthfeel, complexity and plenty of pizzazz on the finish and aftertaste. Pour with baked ham on the bone scored and crisscrossed with cloves and basted with maple syrup. (Vic Harradine)

• The following 2020 Gardian ‘Grande Réserve – Alma Cercius’ Blanc was sourced from 34% chardonnay/33% sauvignon/33% vermentino. Alma Cercius refers to a particular area in the Coteau de Béziers appellation that is unique in itself due to the dedication of the local vignerons. The soils are primarily limestone clay and rolled stones. A rigorous grape selection relied on organoleptic, as well as scientific measurements to capture grapes at their maximum peak for harvest. The chardonnay underwent maceration on the skins for four hours while the sauvignon spent six to eight hours on skin maceration. The vermentino was sorted and went directly to pressing with no oxygen contact settling for four hours. It macerated on lees for several days then fermented on lees by selected yeasts at low temperatures.

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Gardian ‘Grande Réserve – Alma Cercius’ Blanc 2020
IGP Coteaux de Béziers, France $15.95 13.0% alcohol
A mélange of pineapple, lime zest and green apple aromas flirting with freesia flower and slate notes will please your olfactory senses. This is medium-full bodied with a lovely round mouthfeel that’s full of energy with its flavours of green lemon and white grapefruit but also sweet pear, a touch of herbaceousness and chalky minerality developing in the lengthy complex finish. There’s a lot to love in this beautiful wine, including the price point. Pair with grilled asparagus wrapped in prosciutto or steamed mussels in leek-cream sauce. (Louise Boutin)

• The following 2020 Gardian ‘Grande Réserve – Alma Cercius’ Rouge is a blend of 70% cabernet sauvignon and 30% merlot sourced from vineyards of limestone clay and rolled stones. A traditional maceration of 30 days was incurred by both varieties then pump-overs and punched-downs of the cap with micro-oxygenation at the end of alcoholic fermentation.

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Gardian ‘Grande Réserve – Alma Cercius’ Rouge 2020
IGP Coteaux de Béziers, France $16.95 13.5% alcohol
This red blend from the Mediterranean coast offers intense ripe black fruit aromas—blackberry and plum—along with kirsch liqueur, fresh rose petals and black pepper notes. It glides on the palate with mixed berry compote flavours, cassis and a delicious spike of orange zest until powdery tannin showed up to frame the dry, fruit-forward finish with hints of dry herbs. This is perfect to pour alongside gourmet burgers or artisan sausages just off the grill. (Louise Boutin)

• The following 2018 Salvaterra ‘Classico Superiore - Vino Rosso’ is a blend of hand-harvested 65% corvina/20% rondinella/10% corvinone/5% other field grapes sourced from vineyards at 550 meters a.s.l. with soils of marlstone covered with a layer of soil rich in humus—the organic component of soil, formed by the decomposition of leaves and other plant material by soil microorganisms. Grapes were destemmed and soft-crushed at the winery then fermented for approximately 30 days at controlled temperatures 18 to 20 °C then aged for three months in large barrels.

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Salvaterra ‘Classico Superiore - Vino Rosso’ 2018
DOC Valpolicella Ripasso, Veneto, Italy $18.95 14.5% alcohol
This presents with a cocktail of interesting aromas—dry cherry, prune, black tea and tobacco. Slightly lighter in body and dryer than other Ripasso styled wines, it showcases flavours of tart cherry, red plum and freshly cracked peppercorn offered on a warm wave travelling the palate with ripe, yet chewy tannin and ending with a persistent dry, savoury and piquant profile. Aerate/decant two hours and enjoy with hearty traditional lasagna. (Louise Boutin)

• The following 2021 Bleasdale Vineyards ‘The Potts Family’ Rosé was sourced from 100% Dolcetto grapes. The Bleasdale Vineyards winery was founded in Langhorne Creek in 1850 by Frank Potts and is still owned and managed by the family. The price-quality ratio is skewed in your favour.

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Bleasdale Vineyards ‘The Potts Family’ Rosé 2021
Langhorne Creek, Australia $19.95 12.5% alcohol
This pours in the glass with a hint of pink and aromas of floral notes and wisps of strawberry. It’s fresh, crisp and lively on the palate with plenty of tang and pizzazz joined by flavours of watermelon, rhubarb and freshly sliced strawberry. It’s light on its feet with a linear line of tang-laden nerve and verve from twist top to last drop. This is the ideal Rosé to serve chilled, not refrigerator cold, with or without food. My preference would be to serve alongside slices of baguette slathered with cream cheese decorated with capers and slices of sweet onion topped with smoked salmon adorned with a sprig or two of dill weed—a match made in heaven. (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.

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 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)

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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.

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 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.

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 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)

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 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

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 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)

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 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)

 • This is a Vintages Essentials wine always available in select LCBO stores.

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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)

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 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.

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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

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 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 as or better than the previous. (Vic Harradine)

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 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)

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 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.

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 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)

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 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

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 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.

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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.

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 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)

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 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.

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 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

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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

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 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)

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 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 - Lisa, Louise, Dave, Vic