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November 6, 2021 Newsletter

Newsletter Highlights:

95 points and over – There are three wines that rang the 95 points and over bell; Kopke ‘20 Years Old’ Tawny Port earned 95 points @ $58.95 found under Fortified Wine: Vin Doux Natural; Cave Spring Vineyard ‘CSV’ Riesling 2018 earned 95 points @ $29.95 found under Ontario: White Wine; Malivoire Wine Company ‘Le Coeur’ Gamay 2020 earned 96 points @ $27.95 found under New in Ontario Wineries.
There are 60 – There are 60 wines reviewed in this newsletter.
Exceptional-value wine – There are many exceptional-value wines found throughout the newsletter and easily spotted by the icon checkmark. Happy hunting!
Limited Time Offers –There are 29 new wines that are reviewed in this newsletter and are also being discounted at the LCBO up to a $10.00 rebate for each bottle purchased from November 13 to November 28, 2021. They are waiting to be discovered at the end of the newsletter.
Louise Loves – Henry of Pelham ‘Lost Boys - Bin 106 – Limited Edition’ Baco Noir 2020 earned 91 points @ $29.95 found under Ontario: Red Wine; Rombauer Vineyards Carneros Chardonnay 2019 earned 94 points @ 63.95 found under California: White Wine.
Vic Picks – Featherstone Estate Winery ‘Joy – Premium Cuvée’ Sparkling Wine 2014 earned 94 points @ $34.95 found under Sparkline Wine; Featherstone Estate Winery ‘Canadian Oak’ Chardonnay 2019 earned 92 points @ $22.95 found under Ontario: White Wine. Malivoire Wine Company ‘Stouck Farmstead’ Red 2019 earned 93 points @ $26.95 found under New in Ontario Wineries; Chombart + Speck ‘Cave Mystère’ Merlot 2018 earned 91 points @ $18.95 found under France: Red Wine; Longshot Wine Cabernet Sauvignon 2019 earned 91 points @ $15.95 found under New in Vintages (available now! in most stores);

Vintages Release: November 13, 2021

Fortified Wine: Vin Doux Naturel

90
 Kourtaki Muscat Samos
 AOC Samos, Greece $15.95 (938407) 15.0% alcohol
 And now for something completely different, a ‘Vin Doux Naturel’—it’s a bottle you should give a second glance. This offers good value, a fabulous welcoming wine—over the rocks with a splash of tonic or soda—and can be served as dessert. Sweet flavours of dried apricot, honeyed apple and pear coat the palate and gorgeous finish. Great at spring/summer gatherings. (Vic Harradine)

Fortified Wine: Port

95
 Kopke ‘20 Years Old’ Tawny Port
 DOC Douro $58.95 (368340) 20.0% alcohol
 Not to be confused with ‘Vintage Port’, this is sweet, smooth as silk and ready for the table. Aromas of figs, dates, rich caramel and toffee waft from the nose of this aged beauty—some of the wine in this is +20-years old. Creamy smooth nectar coats the palate and long, long aftertaste—toffee, nutty notes, Christmas cake spice and dried apricot. Sip on its own or with spice cake: it’s one of the wine world’s hidden treasures. (Vic Harradine)

Sparkling Wine

• The following Featherstone Estate Winery ‘Joy – Premium Cuvée’ Sparkling Wine 2014 was made Méthode Traditionelle and sourced from the estate ‘Featherstone Vineyard’ on the premium Twenty Mile Bench with 100% Clone 78 chardonnay planted 26 years before the fruit for this vintage-dated gem was harvested. The chardonnay fruit was hand-picked into small 25 Kg picking bins arriving at the sorting table with fruit intact to be hand-sorted and whole-bunch pressed. Juice yield was less than 500 L/tonne and was transferred to stainless tank for 36 hours of natural cold settling then racked off its gross lees. It was fermented dry with select yeast strain DV10 with fermentation temperature controlled to 16 °C. The 2nd fermentation took place in bottle starting January 28, 2015 and was kept on lees until disgorged in June, 2020.

94
 Featherstone Estate Winery ‘Joy – Premium Cuvée’ Sparkling Wine 2014
 VQA Niagara Peninsula $34.95 (310334) 12.0% alcohol
 Slightly leesy and mineral on the nose at first swirl then nutty notes and wisps of green apple appear. There’s frothy mousse—aka bubbles—when poured and a light-yellow hued wine in the glass. There are endless über fine-bead bubbles that wend their way from the bottom of the glass to the top of the wine. It’s exceedingly fresh and lively on the palate with flavours of lemon pie filling and lime cordial decorated with blood orange, ripe pear and plenty of pizzazz from the excellent tang throughout. It’s crisp and refreshing, classy and memorable. The perfect wine with which to greet guests and to serve again with the appetizer if they’re dinner guests. (Vic Harradine)

93
 Roederer Estate ‘Sparkling Brut’ Non-Vintage
 Anderson Valley, Mendocino, California $44.95 (294181) 12.0% alcohol
 There are baking brioche and nutty notes on the nose before a solid profusion of bubbles and flavours are unleashed on the palate. The yeasty, mineral bits are predominant intertwined with pear and apple on the mid palate. It’s mid weight with good mouth feel and crisp, lemony finish and aftertaste. (Vic Harradine)

Ontario: White Wine

• The following 2018 Cave Spring ‘CSV’ Riesling was sourced from limestone-rich soils of the estate Cave Spring Vineyard on a terrace of the Niagara Escarpment now famously known as the Beamsville Bench. The vines are the oldest and lowest-yielding riesling estate vines representing a ‘CSV’ wine that embodies the winery’s highest commitment to quality and authenticity. It was fermented to dry at cellar temperature by ambient yeasts in stainless steel over ten weeks with skin contact for 2/3rds of the wine followed by 11 months sur lie; with minimal sulphur added.

95
 Cave Spring Vineyard ‘CSV’ Riesling 2018
 VQA Beamsville Bench $29.95 (566026) 12.5% alcohol
 Aromas of ripe yellow peach, savoury herbs and mandarin orange provide segue to a tang-laden stream of bracing acidity with palate flavours of lime cordial and lemon curd that meet up mid-palate with saline minerality and notions of passionfruit along with blue plum and honey- and lime-drizzled guava. It’s medium-weight with good tension and a crisp, refreshing finish and aftertaste. Pour with a thick fillet of pan-seared, sushi-grade tuna or cold-smoked fresh Atlantic salmon. (Vic Harradine)

• The following 2019 Featherstone Estate Winery ‘Canadian Oak’ Chardonnay was sourced from 100% chardonnay that was crushed, destemmed and pressed into Canadian oak barrels and fermented by autochthonous yeast indigenous to the vineyard and surrounding areas. The wine was matured for ten months—stirred on lees monthly—in 100% Canadian oak barrels with 90% one to 5-year-old barrels and 10% new. Malolactic fermentation was taken to 50% completion.

92
 Featherstone Estate Winery ‘Canadian Oak’ Chardonnay 2019
 VQA Niagara Peninsula $22.95 (149302) 13.0% alcohol
 Aromas of green apple and ripe pear interwoven with floral notes and caramel precede a palate-bathing wash of tangy lemon-lime acidity and baked apple and notions of baking spice—nutmeg and cinnamon. This is medium bodied with good mouthfeel and persistent purity of fruit, good balance and plenty of pizzazz. Palate replays persist through the finish and aftertaste crisp, clean and refreshing. Remove from the refrigerator 20 to 30 minutes before serving. It sips well on its own and also pours well with roast chicken or pork roast. (Vic Harradine)

Ontario: Red Wine

• The following 2020 Henry of Pelham ‘Lost Boys - Bin 106 – Limited Edition’ Baco Noir was sourced from vines more than thirty years old that were shovel planted by the three Speck brothers. This is a single vineyard wine from an exceptional block that is sustainably grown and accredited by SWM. The low-yielding fruit—3.5 tonnes per acre--was gently moved by gravity at the winery destemmed and mechanically sorted with cap managed by pulse-air during fermentation with all juice separated from skins with no press wine added back. Only top-performing barrels were chosen for the final blend of this wine. The dazzling VQA Ontario 2020 vintage certainly plays a positive role here.

91
 Henry of Pelham ‘Lost Boys - Bin 106 – Limited Edition’ Baco Noir 2020
 VQA Ontario $29.95 (13421) 13.5% alcohol
 An intense purple robe staining the edge of the glass introduces attractive aromas of mixed crushed berry, black currant, hard crusted bread, forest floor and a hint of smoke. Careful use of American oak—50% new—allows the fruit to shine here with beautiful flavours of dark cherry, raspberry, blackberry and zesty orange peel followed by a savoury and slightly peppery note in the juicy finish. This medium-bodied red with mellow tannins inspires a pairing with BBQ sauce pork rib. (Louise Boutin)

California: White Wine

• Thirty years ago, the Rombauer family started crafting chardonnay from the Carneros region because the cooler climate and the clay soil were ideal for growing superior quality fruit. This 2019 vintage is from whole-cluster pressed juice that went through full malolactic conversion in a combination of American and French oak barrels for nine months with frequent lees stirring.

94
 Rombauer Vineyards Carneros Chardonnay 2019
 Carneros, California $63.95 (441089) 14.5% alcohol
 This chardonnay will transport you to your favourite movie theatre with its buttered popcorn aromas followed with peach, vanilla and nutmeg notes. It treats the palate with a coating wash of rich toasted bread and nut flavours mingling with vanilla poached pear, tangy lemon rind, salted butter and piquant spice. Definitely complex and full-bodied opulent, yet beautifully balanced. Pour alongside coquille St-Jacques or baked brie for a comforting and delightful treat. (Louise Boutin)

France: Red Wine

• The following 2018 Chombart + Speck ‘Cave Mystère’ Merlot is a collaboration between the Chombart family of Bordeaux, France with the Speck brothers of Henry of Pelham winery here in Ontario. The prehistoric caves below the Chambort’s vineyards at their winery, Château Lamothe-Haux, are carved out of limestone and go for kilometers as the limestone is used for the buildings in the area. This wine matured for 10 months in French oak barriques in these limestone caves with 80% pre-loved medium-toast barriques, half were one-year used and the balance two-year used with 20% new oak. The raisin d’être for the collaboration is to fashion a red wine in ‘old world’ Bordeaux to please ‘new world’ palates’.

91
 Chombart + Speck ‘Cave Mystère’ Merlot 2018
 AOC Bordeaux, France $18.95 (17232) 14.5% alcohol
 Delicate aromas of floral notes and cherry/berry fruit make way for a tang-infused flow of palate flavours with pie cherry and passion fruit to the fore. It’s medium-bodied with plenty of tangy pizzazz and flavours of red plum and red cherry making an appearance on the aftertaste along with wisps of tannin. Give this a go now to 2024 poured with meat and tomato lasagna, chicken pot pie or tomato beef stew. Aerate/decant for two hours before serving. (Vic Harradine)

• The Pommier family are now 6th generation vignerons with 1920 the year they went into full-time vignerons starting with 51 acres of vines that has expanded now into 90 acres of vines. Most of the soil composition is clay and limestone. After destemming the harvested grapes—55% merlot/20% cabernet sauvignon/25% cabernet franc—are gently pressed by pneumatic press and with vinification through thermo-regulated stainless steel tanks. Several punchdowns of the cap are made before ageing for at least 12 months in both tanks and barrels.

88
 Cháteau Vrai Caillou 2017
 AOC Bordeaux Supérieur $15.95 (348292) 12.5% alcohol
 Deep, rich aromas of black cherry/berry fruit, licorice and wisps of tar on the nose. It envelops the palate with a racy streak of tang and acidity expressed as passionfruit, red currant and pie cherry interlaced with dark cherry and notions of cassis. It persists through the mouth-watering finish and lip-smacking aftertaste. It’s medium-bodied with oodles of tang from first to last sip. Give this a go with spaghetti Bolognese, red pizza or pasta puttanesca. (Vic Harradine)

Greece: White Wine

87
 Kechris ‘Kechribari’ Retsina Non-Vintage
 Greece $8.95 (581942) 500 mL 11.5% alcohol
 This is fermented in stainless steel tanks with high-quality resin infused during the fermentation process. The result is a wine that‘s light golden-yellow in appearance with a nose of pine, eucalyptus and roses. It’s medium-to-full bodied and dry on the palate with flavours of lemon and pine that linger through the finish. This is well paired with olives and anchovies. (Dave Isaacs)

Portugal: White Wine

• The following 2020 Curvos ‘Loureiro’ was sourced from 100% Loureiro grapes, widely acknowledged as the premium grape for Vinho Verde in the Minho region of northern Portugal.

88
 Curvos ‘Loureiro’ 2020
 DOC Vinho Verde, Portugal $13.95 (471284) 12.0% alcohol
 Lifted aromas of floral notes tropical fruit and citrus notes abound on the nose. It caresses the palate with lemon zest, pineapple and white grapefruit leaving a crisp, clean and refreshing taste that remains racy and tangy throughout the finish and aftertaste. This is looking for the perfect dance partner with fish and chips or mussels steamed in white wine garlic and cream. The price-quality balance tips well in your favour; pick up an armful. (Vic Harradine)

New in Vintages (available now! in most stores)

• The following 2020 Longshot Wine Pinot Grigio was sourced from 76% pinot grigio/7.0% chardonnay/7.0% viognier in the cool of the night then using particularly aromatic yeast strains and moderate fermentation techniques enhancing the natural flavours and expressive mouthfeel on the palate.

90
Longshot Wine Pinot Grigio 2020
California $15.95 (633354) 13.0% alcohol
Appealing aromas of yellow peach, Mirabelle plum and Bartlett pear mingle with floral notes and hints of rosewater. This clean, crisp and refreshing with good flavour and oodles of pizzazz. A full-Monty surge of delicious, fully textured flavours envelop the palate with tang-infused, lip-smacking Key lime and Meyer lemon citrus with notions of pineapple and white grapefruit. Palate flavours replay on the finish and aftertaste. Sip on its own by removing from the refrigerator twenty minutes before pouring or pour with all manner of fish and seafood or roast chicken or pork. The price-quality ratio is well in your favour; pick up a few. (Vic Harradine)

• The following 2019 Longshot Wine Pinot Noir was sourced from primarily pinot noir and 2% cabernet sauvignon fruit that were harvested during cool night temperatures to preserve fresh fruit flavours. The team of winemakers chose select, aromatic yeast strains and moderate fermentation techniques enhancing the natural flavours and expressive mouthfeel on the palate. Proper storage post fermentation preserved natural bright flavours and balance in the wine. This is a newly added wine recently distributed to LCBO retail store shelves. If you don’t find it stocked in your local LCBO store ask to see the store manager, and ask politely if they could stock it.

91
Longshot Wine Pinot Noir 2019
California $15.95 (21969) 13.5% alcohol
Charred toast, grilled, savoury herbs and a fruit bowl of red and ripe, black cherry/berry aromas waft easily from the glass. It bathes the palate with a light-medium body and texture, adorned with deftly balanced, tangy flavours of crunchy pie cherry, sweet-tinged crème de cassis and excellent lingering finish and aftertaste. What’s not to like. Pour with coq au vin or roast chicken or turkey pot pie.

• The following 2019 Longshot Wine Cabernet Sauvignon was sourced from 75% cabernet sauvignon/8.0% petite sirah/7.0% teroldego in the cool of the night then using particularly aromatic yeast strains and moderate fermentation techniques enhancing the natural flavours and expressive mouthfeel on the palate. Proper storage post fermentation preserved natural bright flavours and balance in the wine.

91
Longshot Wine Cabernet Sauvignon 2019
California $15.95 (633347) 13.5% alcohol
Alluring aromas of dark cherry, black currant and notions of black plum compote dominate the nose of this gem of a wine. It blankets the palate with delicious flavours that are balanced-on-a-pin and pure ambrosia—ripe juicy mulberry, sweet cherry clafoutie, divine mixed baking spice and a monumentally long finish and aftertaste replaying palate flavours. The price-quality ratio tips well in your favour. Stock up before they’re gone. Pour with burgers, grilled gourmet sausages or a premium cut of grilled beef. (Vic Harradine)

• The following 2019 Pelee Island Winery ‘Bella’ Sparkling Red Wine is a vintage-dated Red Sparkling Wine made in the Charmat Method with a blend of two grapes—80% chambourcin/20% pinot noir with the former being a somewhat rare teinturier grape and is a French-American hybrid grape variety. This wine is certified sustainable by SWO, and certified vegan-friendly by VegeCert. Were you aware Pelee Island is Canada’s furthest southerly point and is further south than the most northern part of California? Chalk one up for Pelee Island! Oh Canada!

90
Pelee Island Winery ‘Bella’ Sparkling Red Wine 2019
VQA Ontario $18.95 (21321) 10.5% alcohol
Aromas of mulled wine, cherry/berry fruit and dried roses precede mouthfuls of sweet and tang decorated with flavours of racy passionfruit and cranberry juxtaposed with hints of sweet candy floss and kirsch liqueur. It’s a tad lighter than medium bodied with plenty of pizzazz that persists through the finish and aftertaste. It’s quite nicely balanced throughout and delivers persistent fruit flavours and acidity with little sign of tannin. This is a versatile wine—pour chilled as an aperitif or pair with a strawberry fruit flan for dessert. (Vic Harradine)

New in Ontario Wineries

• For daily home, office or restaurant delivery for the following two wines are sold at the winery only, 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 2020 Malivoire Wine Company ‘Le Coeur’ Gamay was sourced from estate vines harvested September 29th at an average Brix level of 23.3 °C. Whole grape clusters were directed to stainless steel tanks that were purged of oxygen and sealed for one week undergoing carbonic maceration without mechanical or other augmentation followed by fermentation by wild yeast then by malo-lactic conversion. The wine aged for six months in neutral French oak 300L puncheons before bottling. This wine is certified sustainable; it’s also quite special with few wines attaining this score.

96
Malivoire Wine Company ‘Le Coeur’ Gamay 2020
VQA Beamsville Bench $27.95 13.0% alcohol
The rich and luscious aromas of grilled savory herbs, mixed spice and dark fruit beguile the senses before delivering lively red fruit flavours—raspberry, currant and cherry—on the palate adorned with lip-smacking acidity and plenty of delightful, lively pizzazz. This is medium-plus bodied with good texture and mouthfeel and persistent purity of fruit to and through the mouth-watering finish and aftertaste. It finishes lengthy, satisfying and just plain delicious. Pour with grilled rack of lamb and oven-roasted potato wedges, skins on. (Vic Harradine)

• The following 2019 Malivoire Wine Company ‘Stouck Farmstead’ Red was sourced from the Stouck family farmstead with the Stouck family now 6th generation farmers of this land with ownership spread well over 100 years. This wine is certified sustainable by SWO and made of a blend of 57% merlot and 43% cabernet sauvignon with depth, structure and complexity of the grapes sourced here. The two grape varieties were vinified separately being crushed and sent to 3000L oak tanks. Following primary alcoholic fermentation and malo-lactic conversion the wine was matured in equal portions of American and French oak barrels including 15% new. The wine was blended after 16 months and bottled April, 2021.

93
Malivoire Wine Company ‘Stouck Farmstead’ Red 2019
VQA Lincoln Lakeshore $26.95 13.0% alcohol
Lifted aromas of exotic spice and beguiling incense give way to black cherry/berry fruit on the nose of this delectable, red blend. It blankets the palate with a structured and textured surge of lively, refreshing red currant and pie cherry intertwined with piquant spice and ripe black raspberry and sweet mulberry underpinned by perceptible and acceptable, fine-grained, polished tannin. It’s medium-plus bodied with good mouthfeel and deft balance throughout while the finish and aftertaste showcase the persistent purity of fruit from the palate. The price-quality balance tips in your favour; pick up a few and pour with grilled gourmet sausage or a prime cut of beef tenderloin. (Vic Harradine)

• Order the following wine online via this link to Pelee Island Winery. They offer FREE shipping Ontario-wide on orders of $75 and more and Canada-wide on orders of $200 or more (Excluding QC, NL, NU).

• The following 2019 Pelee Island Winery ‘Bella’ Sparkling Red Wine is a vintage-dated Red Sparkling Wine made in the Charmat Method with a blend of two grapes—80% chambourcin/20% pinot noir with the former being a somewhat rare teinturier grape and is a French-American hybrid grape variety. This wine is certified sustainable, and certified vegan-friendly by VegeCert. Were you aware Pelee Island is Canada’s furthest southerly point and is further south than the most northern part of California? Chalk one up for Pelee Island! Oh Canada!

LCBO ‘Limited Time Offers’ – November 13 to November 28, 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) from November 13 to November 28, 2021.

White Wine

• The following six wines will have a discount of $2.00 taken off the price shown below for each bottle purchased from November 13 to November 28, 2021.

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)

94
 Featherstone Estate Winery ‘Black Sheep’ Riesling
 VQA Niagara Peninsula $18.95 (80234) 10.5% alcohol
 Cascading aromas of floral notes, piquant minerality and notions of petrol roll easily from the glass. It blankets the palate with off-dry flavours of sweetened Meyer lemon, and lime cordial that replay on the finish and aftertaste with lip-smacking and mouth-watering variations that add mineral and green apple to the mix. This sips beautifully on its own and you won’t find many better matches than spicy Asian cuisine like moo shu pork or General Tso’s chicken; and… you won’t find many high-quality rieslings at this price; stock up while you can. (Vic Harradine)

91
 Flat Rock Cellars ‘Twisted’ Sparkling Wine
 VQA Ontario $17.95 (14421) 12.5% alcohol
 Lifted aromas of Key lime, apricot and pear precede a sweet and tangy surge of palate flavours carried along on a vigorous mousse of small-bead bubbles that include racy lemon and white grapefruit juxtaposed with a balancing surge of ripe nectarine and sweet-ish lime cordial. It’s nicely balanced, crisp and mouth-watering refreshing on the palate, finish and aftertaste. This is a very well-priced, vintage-dated, Charmat-method fashioned bubbly that you may want to try and to keep on hand for drop-in friends and neighbours. (Vic Harradine)

92
 Hidden Bench Estate Winery Chardonnay
 VQA Beamsville Bench $29.95 (68817) 13.0% alcohol
 This is an outstanding expression of certified-organic Niagara chardonnay. Pronounced aromas of red apple, white grapefruit, butterscotch and vanilla segue to a creamy-textured wash of apple, tangy citrus and spice notes on the palate. Dry, medium bodied, it’s well-balanced with a long, mouth-watering, mineral-laden finish. Delicious on its own or enjoy with almond-crusted halibut fillets. (Lisa Isabel)

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)

92
 Malivoire Wine Company ‘Estate Grown’ Chardonnay
 VQA Beamsville Bench $19.95 (573147) 12.5% alcohol
 Alluring aromas of baked apple, cinnamon and notions of caramel abound. It gently washes over the palate with a touch of sweetness accompanied by tangy flavours of lemon-lime and flinty minerality. This is medium-bodied with good balance and textured mouthfeel. It finishes lengthy, crisp and refreshing with hints of grapefruit pith on the aftertaste. Pour alongside skillet-seared Atlantic salmon. (Vic Harradine)

• The following wine will have a discount of $3.00 taken off the price shown below for each bottle purchased from November 13 to November 28, 2021.

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 Wine

• The following eight wines will have a discount of $2.00 taken off the price shown below for each bottle purchased from November 13 to November 28, 2021.

93
 Tommasi Valpolicella Classico Superior ‘Ripasso’
 DOC Valpolicella Classico Superior, Veneto $24.95 (910430) 14.0% alcohol
 A quiet nose of sweet black berry fruit opens up a glorious experience for lucky tasters. The fruit-forward nature of this wine unleashes a salvo of flavours including rich and concentrated cherry and bramble berry infused with fruit cake spice and dark chocolate. The memorable finish has gobs of black sweet fruit and black pepper with a hint of cigar box. At this price, flip open the trunk and toss in a case. (Vic Harradine)

90
 Borsao ‘Tres Picos’ Garnacha
 DO Campo de Borja, Spain $19.95 (273748) 15.0% alcohol
 This gem has developed quite the following. Aromas of black plum, fig and savory herbs set the tone for a rich, hedonistic river of bramble berry and black currant robed in lip-smacking acidity adorned with peppery notes and fennel. There are ripe fine-grained tannin adding structure and interest. It’s nicely balanced with a fruit and tang-filled finish. (Vic Harradine)

91
 Catena ‘High Mountain Vines’ Cabernet Sauvignon
 Mendoza, Argentina $19.95 (985002) 13.5% alcohol
 The price-quality ratio swings wildly in your favour here. Tobacco, dark cherry/berry fruit and grilled savoury herb aromas abound. This gorgeous cab envelops the palate with a plush, full-bodied swath of ripe black plum, juicy black cherry and hints of cassis and mocha. It’s complex, deftly balanced and dense with a lengthy finish enhanced by lip-smacking tang and acidity. Give this a go with grilled gourmet sausage, steak or backyard burgers. (Vic Harradine)

90
 Famille Perrin ‘Réserve’ Côtes-du-Rhône
 AOC Côtes-du-Rhône, France $16.95 (363457) 13.5%alcohol
 A Grenache, Syrah, Mourvèdre blend offering up a nose of cedar, green herbs and red berry fruit mingling with kitchen spice. It’s medium-bodied with a persistent wash of red currant and cranberry mingling with savoury herbs and spice. The aftertaste is dry with mixed field berry fruit and spiced black plum underpinned by a lick of supple tannin. Try with grilled gourmet sausage. (Vic Harradine)

90
 Bodegas Julian Chivite ‘Gran Fuedo Reserva’
 DO Navarra $18.95 (479014) 13% alcohol
 Here’s a red blend—Tempranillo, Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot—delivering a delicious mouthful of flavour-packed value. Black currant, spice, minty cherry and cassis on the nose and palate, it washes over the palate in waves with a good underpinning of dusty tannin. Mid weight with a generous mouth feel, the lingering well-balanced finish is fruit-forward and refreshing. Great with grilled t-bone, ribs or burgers. (Vic Harradine)

90
 M. Chapoutier ‘Les Vignes de Bila-Haut’ Côtes du Roussillon-Village
 AOC Côtes du Roussillon-Villages $15.95 (168716) 14.0% alcohol
 Consistently great value, this southern Rhône blend of grenache, syrah and carignan opens with fresh red fruit and strawberry jam aromas with hints of vanilla, spice and an earthy note adding interest. Dry, medium bodied and well-structured with silky tannins and balancing acidity, spiced cherry and plum flavours generously coat the palate. The warming, lengthy finish delivers a wine well suited for braised beef short ribs. (Lisa Isabelle)

91
 ring.bolt Cabernet Sauvignon
 Margaret River $21.95 (606624) 14.5% alcohol
 Floral, savory and dark berry fruit aromas set the table for a smorgasbord of flavours led by a palate-coating, gusher of ripe juicy fruit—ripe juicy black Bing cherry, black bramble berry and red currant—interlaced with black licorice, espresso roast and hints of cassis. Showcasing good purity of fruit and with depth and complexity, this is medium-full bodied with creamy-smooth mouthfeel and a lingering aftertaste. (Vic Harradine)

88
 Rodney Strong ‘Sonoma County’ Cabernet Sauvignon
 Sonoma County $27.95 (226944) 13.5% alcohol
 Savoury herbs and red berry fruit aromas precede medium-plus bodied, well-textured mouthfuls of black and red cherry/berry flavours adorned with grilled savoury herbs and charred toast. It’s fruit-filled and pours well with grilled rack of lamb or grilled striploin after a one- or two-hour aeration/decant. As California cab goes, this is certainly attractively priced. (Vic Harradine)

• The following wine will have a discount of $2.50 taken off the price shown below for each bottle purchased from November 13 to November 28, 2021.

90
 Château Argadens
 AOC Bordeaux Supérieur $18.95 (681643) 13.5% alcohol
 This property was bought in 2002 and named Château Argadens to recognize the name of the family that founded the estate in the 16th century. It’s 63% Merlot, 32% Cabernet Sauvignon, 5% Cabernet Franc woven together displaying aromas of black fruit, dark cocoa and sweet vanilla. Ripe red cherry and plum merge with earthy, savoury notes of cedar and dry leaves on the palate. This wine is full bodied and deftly balanced with well-integrated tannins and a lengthy finish. (Lisa Isabelle)

• The following six wines will have a discount of $3.00 taken off the price shown below for each bottle purchased from November 13 to November 28, 2021.

88
 Concha y Toro ‘Winemaker’s Lot 148’ Carmenère
 Rapel Valley, Chile $18.95 (30957) 14.0% alcohol
  This is good value and it’s rich, ripe and rarin’ to go now. A beautifully balanced river of juicy black Bing cherry and black plum interweave with racy pomegranate and herbal notes on the creamy smooth palate along with mixed spice and mocha. It’s a bit funky on the nose with some bell pepper and strong herbal notes, but that melts away and you’re left with a creamy-smooth, hedonistic offering. It pours and pairs well with burgers, red pizza or lasagna. (Vic Harradine)

91
 Hidden Bench Estate ‘Organic’ Pinot Noir
 VQA Beamsville Bench $34.95 (274753) 12.7% alcohol
 A subdued nose of red berry fruit and spice provide segue for a gorgeous mouthful of deftly balanced racy tang—pie cherry and red currant—and ripe juicy fruit—black plum and dark Bing cherry. It’s medium weight with good mouthfeel and a delectable lingering finish of mixed spice with wisps of toasty oak and soft tannin. Pour this organic gem with rack of lamb or crown roast of pork. (Vic Harradine)

92
 Mitolo ‘Jester’ Shiraz
 McLaren Vale, South Australia $23.95 (659607) 14.5% alcohol
 This is a Vintages Essentials wine, always available in select stores. Dark and mysterious at first glance, it reveals itself with aromas of plum and cassis accented with cedar, mint and hints of black pepper. It starts with vibrant, juicy ripe cherry and black currant accented with dark chocolate and sweet spice, finishing warm with velvety tannins. Enjoy this full-bodied, rich and luscious red with spiced, grilled lamb chops. (Lisa Isabelle)

93
 Quails’ Gate Pinot Noir 2019
 VQA Okanagan Valley, B. C. $34.95 (585760) 13.0% alcohol
 Lifted aromas of barnyard, beet root and earthy notes provide segue for a delightful mouthful of pure pinot noir ambrosia with red currant, passion fruit and lip-smacking tang and acidity to the fore. It envelops the palate with mixed spice and red currant jelly balanced nicely with mouth-watering tang. This is medium-weight with good mouthfeel, deft balance and a luxurious, lengthy finish and aftertaste. Pour now alongside smoked duck breasts, pan-seared salmon fillet or a roast turkey with all the fixings or baked ham on the bone dotted with cloves. (Vic Harradine)

93
 Wakefield ‘Estate Label’ Shiraz
 Clare Valley, South Australia $19.95 (943787) 14.5% alcohol
 Aromas of black cherry, berry and plum intertwine with baking spice and cocoa on the nose of this value-packed shiraz. It spreads over the palate creamy smooth and medium-plus bodied while unleashing a gusher of fruit-forward flavour of ripe mulberry, black plum and ripe Bing cherry adorned with balancing tang and a boatload of pizzazz. It showcases persistent purity of fruit, is balanced on a pin and sports a dry, delectable finish with palate replays plus a hint of cassis and dark, bittersweet chocolate. Pour with friends and slow-cooked lamb shoulder or grilled rack of lamb. Pick up a few to drink now and over the next seven or eight years. (Vic Harradine)

90
 Zenato ‘Ripassa – Superiore’
 DOC Superiore Ripasso, Italy $27.95 (479766) 14.0% alcohol
 Leftover grape skins and seeds (pomace) from Amarone and Recioto wine are added to the crushed and fermenting grapes of this wine, with the potential of adding colour, tannin, alcohol, texture, flavour and complexity. This is medium-full bodied, overflowing with rich flavour—sweet dried currant, spiced pie cherry, fig and mocha—sporting a well-balanced long succulent aftertaste. This has the oomph and structure to pair well with grilled steak or the heartiest of stews, like osso buco. It’s a step up in price and quality; you might give it a try. (Vic Harradine)

• The following two wines will have a discount of $5.00 taken off the price shown below for each bottle purchased from November 13 to November 28, 2021.

86
 The Prisoner 2015
 Napa Valley $54.95 (104299) 15.2% alcohol
 Aromas of spice box and berry fruit precede this high-alcohol bruiser of a fruit bomb dishing up sweet, ripe jammy flavours of black currant, boysenberry and dark plum adorned with kirsch liqueur and hints of ripe tannin. It’s full bodied and fully textured with a lengthy finish and aftertaste. It’s a hedonist’s delight from start to finish and pairs well with tandoori chicken and garlic naan. (Vic Harradine)

93
 Tommasi ‘Amarone Della Valpolicella Classico’
 DOCG Valpolicella Classico $49.95 (356220) 15.0% alcohol
 Dried raisins and wisps of figs on the nose, this shifts into high gear with a gorgeous river of deep, rich fruit flavour—black plum compote and black cherry—and hints of Ribena coating the palate infusing the lingering finish. It was crafted from hand-harvested Corvina/Corvinone/ Rondinella/Oseleta and aged in Slovenian oak barrel. It’s full bodied and well balanced with firm structure and good bones. Drink now, after a two-hour aeration/decant, and on to 2023. (Vic Harradine)

Other Wines and Spirits

• The following wine will have a discount of $4.00 taken off the price shown below for each bottle purchased from November 13 to November 28, 2021.

90
 Château des Charmes Vidal Icewine
 VQA Niagara-on-the-Lake $28.95 200ml (565861) 9.5% alcohol
 This is the perfect after-dinner treat on its own or with dessert and … it’s the ideal size for two or three people to enjoy. Aromas and flavours of mango-infused treacle, candied-peel marmalade and racy lemon curd interweave on the nose, palate and delectable finish and aftertaste—this is absolutely delicious. It’s also the perfect hostess gift presented in an attractive box. (Vic Harradine)

• The following two wines will have a discount of $2.00 taken off the price shown below for each bottle purchased from November 13 to November 28, 2021.

89
 Foss Marai Prosecco ‘Extra Dry’ Non-Vintage
 DOC Prosecco $19.95 (729392) 11.5% alcohol
 A tempting nose of floral and citrussy notes tingle the nose and provide a fitting entry to this very well-priced sparkler. Nothing complicated, but everything is in balance, from the frothy attack of tropical fruit flavours and lemon zest to the lovely tang of acidity on the finish. Serve well chilled to guests as a welcoming wine. (Vic Harradine)

92
 Reif Vidal Icewine
 VQA Niagara River, Niagara Peninsula $24.95 200 mL (544791) 10.0% alcohol
 Apricot, truffles and honeyed pear on the nose, this coats the palate with a glorious wash of peel marmalade, apricot and piquant spice along with notions of lemon curd and a fruit bowl of honey-dipped tropical fruit. It cleans up nicely on the back palate and aftertaste with good, balancing acidity and tang to the rescue allowing following sips to be as enjoyable as the previous. Pour with aged Gouda or pan-seared foie gras. (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)

• The following wine will have a discount of $10.00 taken off the price shown below for each bottle purchased from November 13 to November 28, 2021.

94
 Laurent-Perrier Cuvée Rosé Brut Champagne Non-Vintage
 AOC Champagne $102.95 (158550) 12.0% alcohol
 Made from 100% pinot noir, this was vinified saignée—using only red grapes, not red wine mixed with white, as is usually done in Champagne—capturing tantalizing spice, red licorice and berry fruit aromas and an alluring salmon-pink colour. It attacks the palate with mid weight, generous texture and a groundswell of flavour with black currant, strawberry and spiced Damson plum to the fore. This is lovely sipped on its own with the oomph to pair well with pan-seared salmon or festive bird. (Vic Harradine)

Stay safe, stay healthy. Best wishes and good thoughts from all of us:

Louise, Lisa, Dave, Vic