December 7, 2021 Newsletter
We all send best wishes to you, your family, friends and loved ones for a Merry Christmas and Happy Holiday season. We also extend fervent hope and prayers for everyone to enjoy a healthy, prosperous 2022 in a world at peace.
—Louise, Lisa, Dave, Vic
Newsletter Highlights:
Wines of Argentina recently hosted a virtual tasting of four fabulous wines and invited winecurrent.com. They also allowed us to provide winecurrent subscribers with a great view of their wine country. Please click here to see the reviews of the four wines and the excellent presentation of their vineyards and wine appellations. It’s a pleasurable learning experience that we’re sure you’ll enjoy!
Vineland Estates Winery trots out a Legacy Infinity Vintage program involving Cabernet Franc with a multi-vintage approach that will soon be available from the winery. Please click here to be well informed as winecurrent’s Louise Boutin was recently involved in a virtual tasting with Vineland Estates’ Chief Winemaker, Brian Schmidt, She’ll provide a brief and intriguing peek at this decade-old project that has been kept very active and pretty much under wraps. It’s an interesting, enjoyable four or five minute read.
- 95 points and over – Alvear ‘Pedro Ximénez de Añada 2017 earned 95 points @ $24.95 375 mL found under Dessert Wine; Marchesi de’ Frescobaldi ‘Castelgiocondo’ Brunello di Montalcino earned 95 points @ $53.95 minus a $5.00 per bottle discount; Cave Spring Riesling 375 mL Icewine earned 95 points @ $49.95 minus a $9.99 per bottle discount.
- There are over 60 – There are over 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 over 30 wines that are reviewed in this newsletter that are also being discounted at the LCBO up to a $9.99 rebate for each bottle purchased from now to January 2, 2022.
- Vic Picks – Flat Rock Cellars ‘Twisted’ Sparkling Wine 2020 earned 91 points @ $19.95 found under Sparkling Wine; Featherstone Estate Winery ‘Four Feathers’ 2020 earned 91 points @ $14.95 found under Ontario: White Wine.
Vintages Release: December 11, 2021
Fortified Wine: Port
• The label of the following Sandeman 20-Year-Old Tawny Port can be confusing, as can every vintage-dated Tawny Port. There are four common age-related designations for Tawny Port: 10-, 20-, 30- and 40-year old. However, the total wine inside any is not that exact age. The designations are highly regulated and judged by a tasting panel. They are judged to be, ‘of the quality and appearance that a 10, 20, 30 or forty-year old Tawny should exhibit’. When in Porto, I met with a winemaker involved with these regulations and was told there are a variety of vintages in each bottle, some older, some younger and some, by chance, the age of the designation. Wines are tasted blind and either rejected or accepted by the panel of expert winemakers. My understanding is, the average age of the wines that are accepted, are almost always somewhat older than the designation indicated on the label.
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Sandeman 20-Year-Old Tawny Port
DOP Porto $61.95 (116178) 20.0% alcohol
Tawny Port gains its name from the tawny colour as a result of many years aged in barrel—resolving tannin and imparting a silky-smooth, lip-smacking experience. Aromas of burnt sugar and spice abound on this medium-full bodied, nicely textured gem. It blankets the palate with an über-sweet river of orange marmalade, treacle and butterscotch toffee. This is creamy smooth and pours well with fruit flan, crème caramel or soft white cheese. (Vic Harradine)
Dessert Wine
• The following 2017 Bodega Alvear ‘Pedro Ximénez de Añada’ is a dessert wine, technically not Sherry—although grapes from this region are used for the base wine in making PX Sherry as the designated ‘Sherry triangle’ doesn’t have sufficient PX grapes. It’s not fortified, but rather it’s fashioned from grapes laid out to dry and raisin in the sun on mats, then pressed, fermented and finally aged 12 months in traditional earthenware jars called ‘tinajas’, see photo below—it’s absolutely delicious. The Alvear family got their start in 1729 and it’s still family owned and managed—now by 50 Alvear family members.
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Alvear ‘Pedro Ximénez de Añada 2017
DOP Montilla-Moriles, Spain $24.95 375 mL (499152) 16.0% alcohol
This is pure ambrosia, nectar of the gods. It’s slightly dark-hued in the glass. Aromas of dried fruits—date, fig, molasses and raisin—abound on the nose. The palate’s treated to a sweet, not cloying, almost stunning surge of blackstrap molasses, buckwheat honey and light maple syrup mingling with orange zest, currants, notions of vegemite, toasted almonds and roasted pecans. It magically turns dry almost tangy on the finish and aftertaste as it counterbalances the sweetness. It’s hi octane, so better to pour into small dessert wine glasses. This pairs well with your palate as the dessert, or, if you wish, mince-meat tarts, butter tarts or dark fruit cake. (Vic Harradine)
Specialty: Fruit Wine
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Southbrook Framboise Non-Vintage
Product of Ontario $19.95 (341024) 375 ml 14.0% alcohol
This 100% raspberry, fortified, sweet dessert wine is simply stunning. If they allowed such designations, it would be amongst the Premiers Crus. The lifted nose is a bowl of freshly-picked raspberries while the full-bodied and flavour-packed taste profile is more of the same. This is well balanced and tang laden. It’s an amazing accompaniment to rich, dark Belgian chocolate chunks or fruit flan desserts. (Vic Harradine)
Dessert Wine: Mead
90 
The Lyme Bay ‘Moniack Mead’ Non-Vintage
United Kingdom $19.95 (987263) 14.5% alcohol
The history of mead—made by fermenting honey and water—goes back as far as 8000 years. This particular brand is wildly popular and extremely sought after around the world. In the glass, it has hues of deep golden brown. There are predominant aromas of honey and beeswax with secondary notions of honeydew melon, clover and burnt sugar. It’s full bodied, sweet in the mouth—stops well short of being cloying—with flavours of caramel, honey, and apple. Enjoy by itself after dinner or with home-baked apple pie. (Dave Isaacs)
Sparkling Wine
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Flat Rock Cellars ‘Twisted’ Sparkling Wine 2020
VQA Ontario $19.95 (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)
• And now for something completely different. The first Australian ‘sparkling shiraz’, although it was called ‘Sparkling Burgundy’, was made in the State of Victoria in the late 1880’s by French winemaker, Auguste D'Argent, at the Victorian Champagne Co. In the following multi-vintage Bleasdale Vineyards ‘The Potts Family – Sparkling Shiraz’ you’ll find that a modified Solera system has kept this wine as fresh as a daisy and there’s wine in the bottle you’re drinking from as far back as 1997 and from every vintage until the latest in 2020. This latest vintage has a splash of Malbec. It’s not sweet or cloying, in fact it’s delicious, dry and tangy. Give this a go; you’ll be pleased you did.
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Bleasdale Vineyards ‘The Potts Family – Sparkling Shiraz’ Multi-Vintage
Langhorne Creek, South Australia $14.95 375 mL (15694) 13.5% alcohol
Lifted appealing aromas of dark berry fruit—raspberry, currant and plum compote—abound on the nose of this gem. A frothy mousse when poured, it captures the palate with a lively, fresh wash of off-dry flavours—black plum, bramble berry and dark cherry adorned with piquant spice, mocha and hints of dark chocolate. It finishes lengthy with persistent purity of fruit from palate replays. Pour on its own to welcome guests or with roast duck. Remove from the frig twenty minutes before service. (Vic Harradine)
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Oyster Bay Sparkling Cuvée Rosé Non-Vintage
New Zealand $22.95 (280172) 12.0% alcohol
This attractive pink-hued sparkler is fashioned from 20% hand-harvested pinot noir and 80% low-yielding chardonnay, fermented in the Charmat, a.k.a. Cuve Close, method. It hustles from the bottle with an energetic mousse and aromas of red berry fruit and spice with hints of brioche. It delivers spirited and lively flavours of citrus and red currant interwoven with sweeter and riper cherry on the lip-smacking aftertaste. (Vic Harradine)
Ontario: White Wine
• The following 2020 Featherstone Estate Winery ‘Four Feathers’ is an alluring blend of 62% riesling/20% sauvignon blanc/15% gewürztraminer/ 3% chardonnay. It was hand and machine harvested then juice yield was pressed and transferred into 100% stainless steel fermentation tanks. After eight hours of juice fining and settling it was then racked off gross lees. This was fermented with commercial yeast strain X5 with fermentation temperature set for 15 °C that took place through October 2020 before being bottled on February 10, 2021. This wine showcases the dazzling 2020 VQA vintage in Ontario.
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Featherstone Estate Winery ‘Four Feathers’ 2020
VQA Niagara Peninsula $14.95 (341586) 12.5% alcohol
This is a perennial favourite for white-wine lovers. Aromas of apple, pear and apricot mingle with orange blossoms. It surges over the palate with a bracing line of excellent acidity intertwined with mixed spicy flavours of yellow peach, rosewater and hints of herbs. This is medium-weight with good texture and replays of the palate flavours on the finish and aftertaste. Pour on its own or with lighter-styled appetizers of fish, seafood, chicken or pork. (Vic Harradine)
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Redstone Chardonnay 2016
VQA Niagara Peninsula $19.95 (398966) 13.0% alcohol
This wine is light-gold in appearance with a reserved nose containing floral notes and hints of minerality. It’s medium bodied on the palate with a dry and tart acidity delivering flavours of lime and mineral. This is well paired with poached sole drizzled with lemon juice. (Dave Isaacs)
• The following 2019 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.
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Henry of Pelham ‘Estate’ Cabernet-Merlot 2019
VQA Short Hills Bench $24.95 (395855) 13.0% alcohol
Charred toast, dark cherry/berry fruit and exotic incense aromas precede a tang-laden river of palate flavours with racy, crunchy pie cherry and passionfruit underpinned by still-evolving tannin. This needs patience and careful cellaring from now to 2023. This is medium-bodied with good texture and plenty of good reasons to be patient. If you lose patience aerate/decant this for three hours. ‘Patience is a virtue Possess it if you can Found seldom in a woman Never in a man’ by William Langland in the late 1300’s. (Vic Harradine)
California: Red Wine
• The following 2019 Joliesse Cabernet Sauvignon was sourced with fruit primarily from Lodi, California, an AVA most known for their dark, fruit-driven wines.
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Joliesse Vineyards Cabernet Sauvignon 2019
California $17.95 (16564) 13.5% alcohol
Alluring aromas of black currant, juicy, black, Bing cherry and mulberry waft easily from the glass. Palate flavours of bramble berry and crème de cassis are juxtaposed with tangy red fruit—red currant and pie cherry providing the Yin and the Yang for this sweet and tang gem. It’s medium-plus bodied and pleasantly textured with satin-smooth mouthfeel and supple and subtle fine-grained tannin. It showcases persistent purity of fruit, deft balance and a lingering mouth-watering finish and aftertaste. Pour with medium-rare flank steak with grilled Portobello mushrooms. (Vic Harradine)
• The following 2018 Tarot ‘L’Etoile’ Cabernet Sauvignon is a red blend of 84% cabernet sauvignon/6% petit verdot/5% merlot/5%cabernet franc that were sourced from six select vineyards in northern Napa County. The wine was matured in 100% French oak with 14% new and the balance in twice and three-times used barrels.
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Tarot ‘L’Etoile’ Cabernet Sauvignon 2018
Napa Valley, California $49.95 (16563) 14.5% alcohol
Rich, luscious aromas of mocha, bramble berry, ripe Bing cherry and mineral notes waft easily from the glass. It envelops the palate with of surge of pure ambrosia made up of dried cherry/berry fruit, black plum compote, mulberry and crème de cassis. This glides over the palate with good texture, good mouthfeel and plenty of charm and appeal. This is medium-full bodied and showcases fine-grained, polished tannin that gives structure and body to the wine. Pour with a premium cut of beef or lamb, grilled medium-rare. (Vic Harradine)
Australia: Red Wine
• The following 2018 Bleasdale Vineyards ‘The Potts Family – Mulberry Tree’ – Cabernet Sauvignon is a blend of 90% cabernet sauvignon/5% petit verdot/3% merlot/2% cabernet franc sourced exclusively from the GI of Langhorne Creek, South Australia. It was de-stemmed and crushed to open fermenters for a brief soak, Fermentation peak was held to 28 °C with pump overs up to four times daily. It was then drained and pressed after 8 to 12 days on skins including up to 5 days post-ferment maceration then settled for 24 hours before racking to oak for malolactic fermentation. It then spent 12 months maturing in French oak puncheons, 10% new.
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Bleasdale Vineyards ‘The Potts Family – Mulberry Tree’ – Cabernet Sauvignon 2018
Langhorne Creek, South Australia $19.95 (661892) 14.0% alcohol
Aromas of red berry fruit and notions of minty notes precede a satin-smooth, balanced and beautiful stream of palate flavours with black cherry and bramble berry interwoven with excellent acidity and soft, ripe tannin. This is medium bodied with the fresh fruit flavours on the palate persisting through the long finish and aftertaste. There’s good symmetry between fruit flavours, acidity and tannin. Pour with burgers, pizza or wings. There’s exceptional-value here. (Vic Harradine)
• The following 2019 Jaraman Shiraz was sourced from estate vineyards in Clare Valley where the winery is located and McLaren Vale noted for their peppery Shiraz. The wine was matured in a mixture of coopers’ American oak hogsheads—30% in 1 year old and 70% in 2-3 year old for an average of 12 months before being bottled. There were some extreme weather conditions during the growing season, including the lowest temperature recorded in spring and the highest ever temperature in summer, but overall, the vines showed great resilience and wine quality is strong with intense flavours and colours across the classic Clare Valley varieties. In McLaren Vale, the conditions leading up to vintage 2019 were dry. These conditions, in combination with a hail event in November and hot weather in January and February resulted in both an overall reduction in harvest yields along with a corresponding increase in fruit flavour profiles intensity.
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Wakefield ‘Jaraman’ Shiraz 2019
Clare Valley and McLaren Vale, Australia $24.95 (377036) 14.5% alcohol
Alluring aromas of dark and juicy fruit—black plum, juicy black Bing cherry and black raspberry—intertwine with espresso roast, floral notes, peppery spice and notions of vanilla. It blankets the palate with boisterous and bountiful palate flavours of peppery spice, blueberry, black bramble berry and ripe black cherry and mulberry. This is full bodied and fully textured with a supple underpinning of ripe tannin along with good mouthfeel and plenty of tangy acidity and oodles of pizzazz along with persistent purity of fruit to and through the finish and aftertaste. Pour alongside your favourite grilled meat including gourmet sausage, steak or backyard burgers. (Vic Harradine)
Italy: Red Wine
• The following 2018 Cantine Giorgio Lungarotti ‘Rubesco – Sangiovese/Colorino’ takes its name “Rubesco” from the Latin verb “rubescere,” to blush, and has a joyous significance. Grapes were sourced from 90% sangiovese and 10% colorino cultivated in clayey‐sandy soil with medium depth, good structure and limestone subsoil. There was stainless steel fermentation with 15 days of skin contact followed by aging for 12 months in casks and 12 months in bottle after light filtration.
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Cantine Giorgio Lungarotti ‘Rubesco – Sangiovese/Colorino’ 2018
DOC Rosso di Torgiano, Italy $19.95 (368548) 14.0% alcohol
Aromas of savoury herbs and red cherry/berry fruit mingle with piquant peppery spice. It races over the palate with a tang-laden streak of red currant and pie cherry intertwined with black plum and passionfruit. It’s medium-bodied with plenty of pizzazz and pours well with pasta puttanesca or pasta in Bolognese sauce. (Vic Harradine)
Spain: Red Wine
• The following 2018 Cune ‘Reserva – Rioja’ was sourced from 100% hand-harvested viura white grapes grown on bush vines at 400m a.s.l. in the premium growing area of Rioja, Spain where it was full-cluster pressed, fermented and aged for 18 months in oak barrel before bottling and release. This is the traditional way of Cune producing this wine.
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Cune ‘Reserva – Rioja’ 2018
DOCa Rioja, Spain $22.95 (22446) 13.0% alcohol
This intriguing vegan white displays aromas of tropical fruit, coconut and a touch of vanilla. It coats the palate with exquisite flavours of pear, tangy pineapple, a replay of coconut and a nice mouth-watering saline note taking you to the finish with a delicious mild bitter twist. There is a truckload of value in this well-crafted medium-full bodied gem and it’s a great alternative to oaked chardonnay. Pair with paella for a traditional match or with light cream chicken or seafood pasta. (Louise Boutin)
New in Ontario Wineries:
• Creekside Estate Winery has come up with two very good wines with a tongue-in-cheek message of in-law house guests over the holidays. You can purchase these wines in a two-pack or a six-pack with the latter offering free shipping to your Ontario home or office. This link to the Creekside Estate Winery will take you to where you can order online directly from the winery.
The MerryMerry Two-Pack @ $49.95
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Creekside Estate Winery ‘Screaming Kids Muffler’ Pinot Gris 2020
VQA Ontario 11.2% Alcohol
Yellow peach, vanilla and Mirabelle plum aromas abound. Palate flavours are fruit forward with blood orange, ripe red apple and citrus notes intertwined and riding a medium-bodied, slightly off-dry stream of lovely flavours and excellent tang with palate replays reverberating in the finish and aftertaste. Once you’ve calmed your guests, you’ll want to enjoy this peace maker while sipping on your own along with lighter-styled appetizers. (Vic Harradine)
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Creekside Estate Winery ‘In-Laws Antidote’ Cabernet - Merlot 2019
VQA Ontario 12.3% Alcohol
Delicate aromas of cherry/berry fruit, savoury grilled herbs and hints of mixed spice waft from the glass. It envelops the palate with a surge ripe black currant, juicy black cherry and hints of blueberry. It showcases rich, robust flavours, deft balance and a lengthy finish and aftertaste along with great versatility at the table pouring well with grilled red meat, burgers, gourmet sausage, wings and back ribs. (Vic Harradine)
Upstream in winecurrent.com
Vintages Release: TBD
• The following 2020 Domaine de la Présidente Côtes du Rhône Villages was sourced from a hand-picked red blend of 50% grenache/35% syrah/10% carignan/5% mourvèdre vines that are planted in limestone-clay soil with an average age of 10 to 30 years. The juice was macerated on skins at 17 °C then fermented at 25 °C for 14 days staying within 18 °C up to a high of 26 °C. The wine’s price-quality balance tips well in your favour.
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Domaine de la Présidente Côtes du Rhône Villages 2020
Côtes du Rhône Villages, France $17.95 15.0% alcohol
Fresh and lively on the nose that showcases aromas of floral notes, grilled savory herbs, mixed spice and plenty of red and black cherry/berry fruit and black licorice. It’s medium-full bodied with good mouthfeel and a surge of delectable fruit on the palate with ripe mulberry, black Bing cherry and bramble berry adorned with crunchy pie cherry and passionfruit keeping this all in balance. This ready to drink now along with an additional five years of optimal drinking. Pick up a few at this price and pour with grilled rack of lamb, crown roast of pork or filet mignon. (Vic Harradine)
• The following 2020 Tenuta Della Luia ‘Cilestro – Toscana’ was sourced from 50% sangiovese/50% cabernet sauvignon and it should be noted it is produced only in the best vintages. It was fermented in stainless steel tanks at 28 °C and matured 12 months in oak barriques. The price-quality ratio is skewed well in your favour. Pick up a few.
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Tenuta Della Luia ‘Cilestro – Toscana’ 2020
IGT Rosso Toscana, Italy $16.95 13.5% alcohol
Aromas of black cherry, dark plum and hi-toned alcohol precede a tang- and tannin-infused river of rich and luscious bramble berry and notions of cassis. It’s medium-plus bodied with excellent mouthfeel and plenty of tangy pizzazz providing a line of nerve, verve and intensity. Pour alongside pasta puttanesca or pasta in Bolognese sauce. (Vic Harradine)
LCBO ‘Limited Time Offers’ – Now to January 2, 2022
• 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 now to January 2, 2022.
White Wines
• The following four white wines receive a $2.00 discount on each bottle purchased from the regular price shown below now to January 2, 2022.
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Bollino Pinot Grigio
DOC Trentino, Italy $18.95 (951319) 14.0% alcohol
Delicate aromas of straw and floral notes open the door to a medium-bodied, nicely textured wash of crisp refreshing white grapefruit intertwining with Granny Smith apple and mineral notes bathing the palate infusing the clean, zippy-dry finish and aftertaste. Pour this clean, mouth-watering pinot grigio with grilled fish or seafood under a squeeze of fresh lemon. (Vic Harradine)
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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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Robert Oatley ‘Signature Series’ Chardonnay
Margaret River, Western Australia $19.95 (350900) 12.5% alcohol
Powerful aromas of toasty oak and spice on the nose precede a balanced and beautiful flow of sweet-tinged Golden Delicious apple, ripe pear and Mirabelle plum nicely juxtaposed with a glorious rush of racy lemon acidity on the back palate and persisting through the long finish—clean, crisp and refreshing. This is medium-full bodied with good texture and delivers a price-quality balance tipped well in your favour. Pour with roast bird and all the extras. (Vic Harradine)
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Vineland Estates ‘Elevation - St. Urban Vineyard’ Riesling
VQA Niagara Escarpment $19.95 (38117) 9.5% alcohol
Lifted aromas of lemony citrus, buckwheat honey and notions of petrol precede a dazzling off-dry surge of lemon-lime cordial, a bowl of tropical fruit—pineapple, mango, rambutan—along with oodles of tangy pizzazz persisting from the first drop through the palate to the delicious, balanced and beautiful finish and aftertaste. This is quite special. Pour on its own or with spicy Asian dishes—General Tso’s chicken, moo shu pork or tikka masala. Drink now to 2028. (Vic Harradine)
• The following four white wines receive a $3.00 discount on each bottle purchased from the regular price shown below now to January 2, 2022.
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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)
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Oyster Bay Sauvignon Blanc
Marlborough, South Island, New Zealand $19.95 (316570) 13.0% alcohol
Lemon-lime citrus, grassy and pit fruit on the nose, this washes across the palate at full sail with tangy, juicy flavours of lemon drop candy, herbaceous notes and lip-smacking key lime pie flavours. Medium bodied with a silky mouth feel and consistently one of the most popular white wines in the Vintages Essentials line up. (Vic Harradine)
• The following Quails’ Gate Chardonnay was sourced from a blend of notable French chardonnay clones 95, 96, 277, 809 planted in estate vineyards that are approximately thirty years old. It was then fermented and matured in both stainless steel tank and older oak barrels.
• The Quails’ Gate Chardonnay 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)
• The following Sonoma Cutrer ‘Russian River Ranches’ Chardonnay is a Vintages Essentials wine—always available in select LCBO stores.
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Sonoma Cutrer ‘Russian River Ranches’ Chardonnay
Sonoma Coast, California $27.95 (608653) 14.2% alcohol
Baking spice, oak, pear and apple aromas abound. A medium-full bodied, generously textured surge of tangy lemon curd and Key lime interweave with baked apple and spice along with hints of grapefruit pith on finish and aftertaste. This has come around nicely since last tasted. Pour with roast chicken. (Vic Harradine)
Red Wines
• The following four red wines receive a $3.00 discount from the regular price shown below on each bottle purchased now to January 2, 2022.
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Sella and Mosca Cannoneau Di Sardegna ‘Riserva’
DOC Cannoneau Di Sardegna, Italy $18.95 (425488) 13.5% alcohol
This Cannoneau, a.k.a. grenache or garnacha, showers ripe fruit throughout along with good structure, intensity and balance. Aromas of anise, red berry fruit and wood smoke presage a steady wash of racy fruit flavour with red currant and pomegranate to the fore. It’s nicely balanced with a lengthy, dry finish layering on notions of dark coffee and spice. (Vic Harradine)
• The following 7 Deadly Zins ‘Old Vine’ Zinfandel is a Vintage Essentials wine always available in many LCBO retail stores. The weather patterns in this unique part of Lodi are quite good. This was matured for just under one year in American oak.
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7 Deadly Zins ‘Old Vine’ Zinfandel
Lodi, California $24.95 (59311) 15.0% alcohol
Plum compote and crushed blueberry come to mind when nosing this ‘old vines’ zin, followed by raspberry, vanilla and cedar aromas emerging as you get deeper in the glass. A juicy flow of ripe blackberry, purple plum and raspberry glides on the palate with gentle heat and peppery notes. Tannins are present yet smooth and the sweet/savoury note in the finish makes you go back for more. Definitely a crowd pleaser, this full-bodied versatile red is a safe buy and is delicious with lamb burgers or glazed beef short ribs. (Louise Boutin)
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Barone Ricasoli ‘Rocca Guicciarda’ Riserva Chianti Classico
DOCG Chianti Classico $24.95 (943613) 13.5% alcohol
Lifted floral and earthy notes weave through aromas of red and dark fruit—cherry and plum—in this dry, medium-full bodied sangiovese accented with a touch of merlot and cabernet sauvignon. A well-defined structure supported by flavours of dark cherry, cranberry, spice and a pleasant mineral quality persist through the lengthy, drying finish—aerate/decant a couple of hours before serving alongside pasta with tomato-based sauce. (Lisa Isabelle)
• The following Concha y Toro is a Vintages Essentials wine, always available in select stores.
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Concha y Toro ‘Marques de Casa Concha’ Cabernet Sauvignon
DO Puento Alto $22.95 (337238) 14.5% alcohol
This is a glorious wine to sip, pair with food or stick in the cellar for enjoyable drinking over the next few years. Dark toast and spiced field berry on the nose, the palate-coating succulent flavours—cassis, ripe boysenberry and Bing cherry—are underpinned by a firm chalky tannin structure and excellent moderating acidity. It’s mid weight, generously textured and finishes lengthy and luxurious, chockfull of warm ripe fruit flavour. (Vic Harradine)
• The following four red wines are $5.00 per bottle off the regular price shown below for each bottle purchased now to January 2, 2022.
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Marchesi de’ Frescobaldi ‘Castelgiocondo’ Brunello di Montalcino
DOCG Brunello di Montalcino, Italy $53.95 (650432) 14.5% alcohol
This showcases purity of fruit, a deft tang/fruit balance and plenty of years ahead to mature—pop corks now, after a three-hour aeration/decant, or 2023 to 2026. Alluring, sexy aromas of baking spice, smoky notes, berry fruit, floral and cedar abound. A supple flow of full-flavoured ambrosia envelops the palate with crunchy red fruit—pomegranate and cranberry—interlaced with black currant, dark plum, spice and juicy Bing cherry. It’s medium-full bodied with good mouthfeel and a lingering finish underpinned by still-evolving ripe tannin. (Vic Harradine)
90
Stags’ Leap Winery Cabernet Sauvignon
Napa Valley, California $62.95 (996405) 14.1% alcohol
This offers good balance on the palate, flavourful fruit and a drying, mouth-watering finish and aftertaste. Aromas of dark berry fruit, tarry notes and grilled savory herbs provide segue for a full-bodied, generously textured flow of black berry, sweet vanilla and racy red currant washing over the palate infusing the dry finish and aftertaste along with reverberating tang. (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 2026. (Vic Harradine)
• Established in Napa Valley for over 80 years, Louis M. Martini specializes in cabernet sauvignon produced from premium vineyards in Napa and Sonoma counties.
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Louis M. Martini Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon 2014
Napa Valley, California $44.95 (232371) 15.4% alcohol
The nose is inviting with ripe dark-fruit aromas and intense delicious licorice and vanilla notes. A silky, juicy wash floods the palate with ripe blackberry, blueberry and cassis flavours decorated with baking spice and replay of licorice trailing in the lengthy, delicious finish. This full-bodied blend is 90% cabernet sauvignon, 5% petite sirah, 5% petit verdot, offering excellent balance, polished tannins, good structure and at least ten years of cellaring potential. This is good value and certainly a crowd pleaser at a BBQ gathering. (Louise Boutin)
• The following four red wines receive a $3.00 discount on the regular price shown below on each bottle purchased now to January 2, 2022.
• 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 over 30-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 $27.95 (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)
• The following wine from Rocca delle Macie is a Vintages Essentials wine always found in select LCBO retail stores.
• The ‘Classico’ on the wine label in the following Rocca delle Macie Chianti Classico below alerts you this wine is from the heartland and original homeland of Chianti with ‘Chianti Classico’ considered the premium growing and winemaking sub-zone of the seven sub-zones in the now, quite large Chianti region in Tuscany.
90
Rocca delle Macie ‘Famiglia Zingarelli’ Chianti Classico
DOCG Chianti Classico, Italy $18.95 (741769) 13.5% alcohol
Cedar, floral notes and mixed field berry fruit aromas precede a racy line of red currant and pie cherry palate flavours adorned with savory herbs and a lick of red licorice and hints of mocha. It’s medium-plus bodied with good mouthfeel and a lengthy dry, mouth-watering finish. Give this a go with pasta Bolognese or meat-laden lasagna. (Vic Harradine)
89
The Foreign Affair ‘The Conspiracy’
VQA Niagara Peninsula $19.95 (149237) 13.8% alcohol
This cabernet, Ripasso-inspired red—the wine was ‘passed over’ cab sauv and cab franc skins from dried wines—highlights aromas of raisin, fig and red cherry. It flows over the palate with tannin-infused waves of dark berry fruit and red cherry that are spice laden and framed with good moderating acidity. It’s full bodied and fully textured with a long finish laced with still-evolving tannin. Pop corks now-2025 after a two-hour aeration/decant. (Vic Harradine)
• The following seven red wines receive a $2.00 discount on the regular price shown below on each bottle purchased now to January 2, 2022.
• The following Flat Rock Cellars Pinot Noir is a Vintages Essentials wine always found in select LCBO retail stores.
91
Flat Rock Cellars Pinot Noir
VQA Niagara Peninsula $22.95 (1545) 12.5% alcohol
Aromas of tobacco, red cherry and floral notes abound. The palate’s treated to a medium-bodied nicely textured wash of crunchy red cherry, hints of passion fruit and savoury notes. There’s good purity of fruit, deft balance and a clean, crisp, lip-smacking finish and aftertaste. This sips well on its own and is versatile at the table; pour with pan-seared Atlantic salmon and bok choy or roast chicken and root veggies. The price-quality ratio is certainly attractive. (Vic Harradine)
90
Francis Coppola ‘Diamond Collection Ivory Label’ Cabernet Sauvignon
California $24.95 (521021) 13.5% alcohol
Wood smoke and toasty oak mingle with ripe dark fruit—mulberry, bramble berry and juicy cherry on the nose of this meaty, delectable California Cab. It’s full bodied and fully flavoured flaunting rich, concentrated and luscious flavours of spice-laden black Bing cherry and briary berry garnished with dark chocolate and cassis. The finish lingers with gorgeous replays, lip-smacking tang and a supple tannin base. (Vic Harradine)
• The following wine is a Vintages Essentials wine always available in select LCBO stores.
91
Kim Crawford Pinot Noir
Marlborough, South Island, New Zealand $22.95 (626390) 13.0% alcohol
A portion of this elegant and easy-drinking pinot noir has been aged in French oak barrels, 10% new. This has resulted in a complex nose with aromas of musty wood, dried red fruit, fresh cherries and spice. It’s medium bodied with good acidity and tannins that start gentle then slowly grow, but never become overwhelming. Red berry flavours linger nicely on the finish. It can be cellared another three years and enjoyed with a beef and mushroom stew. (Dave Isaacs)
• The following Luigi Bosca Malbec was sourced from estate vineyards with vines 35-years-old at an altitude of 900 to 1100 metres above sea level located in the prestigious wine areas of Luján de Cuyo and Valle de Uco, Mendoza. Fruit was hand harvested with careful selection of clusters and destemming. It was cold macerated at 8 °C then fermented in stainless steel tanks at 28 °C with commercial yeasts. The wine was then transferred to French oak barrels where it matured for 12 months before a light fining and bottling. It’s also a Vintages Essentials wine always found in select LCBO retail wine stores.
92
Luigi Bosca Malbec
Mendoza, Argentina (452672) $18.95 14.5% alcohol
The nose is laden with red currant and dark cherry mingling with sweet tobacco and a dusty mineral note. Rich, ripe fruit flavours coat the palate while mouth-watering freshness and pleasantly chewy tannins create balance. Dry, medium-full bodied, dark fruit and spice flavours linger on the warm, lengthy finish. This would pair well with grilled lamb or Portobello mushroom burgers. (Lisa Isabelle)
89
Monte Zovo ‘Sa’ Solin’ Ripasso Valpolicella
DOC Valpolicella Ripasso, Italy $19.95 (650713) 14.0% alcohol
Campfire aromas mingle with gamy notes and dark berry fruit on the nose of this rich, ripe Ripasso. A surge of sweet ripe fruit and toasty/oaky notes blanket the palate adorned with spice, still-evolving tannin and crunchy red fruit—cranberry, currant and raspberry. It finishes dry with good tang and acidity. Paired and poured well with manicotti or pasta puttanesca sauce with garlic toast. (Vic Harradine)
88
Tom Gore Cabernet Sauvignon
California $19.95 (451336) 13.5 % alcohol
This is fairly priced, full bodied and fully textured. Aromas of blackberry, dark plum, pipe tobacco and spice open the door to a mouthful of rich, luscious flavour with kirsch liqueur and black plum compote nicely balanced by red cherry tang and acidity. It finishes balanced with hints of mocha and pours well with grilled striploin after a one-hour aeration/decant. (Vic Harradine)
• The following Trius red blend—cabernet franc/cabernet sauvignon/merlot—was matured 12 months in French and American oak.
87
Trius Red
VQA Niagara Peninsula $24.95 (303800) 13.6% alcohol
Aromas of ripe cherry/berry fruit, herbs and spice abound. A medium-full bodied, nicely textured flow of red cherry, bramble berry and savory herbs blanket the palate tightly robed in the still-evolving grip of perceptible tannin. Aerate/decant for three hours pouring with rare-grilled, well-seasoned striploin. (Vic Harradine)
Other Wines and Spirits
• The following three wines will have a discount of $5.00 taken off the regular price shown below for each bottle purchased from now to January 2, 2022
91
13th Street Winery Cuvée Brut Rosé Non-Vintage
VQA Niagara Peninsula $29.95 (147504) 12.5% alcohol
This ‘traditional method’ sparkling Rosé underwent its second fermentation in the bottle(s) you purchase and is a blend of 56% Pinot Noir, 45% Chardonnay and a splash of Gamay. Aromas of strawberry, baking bread and red licorice introduce an elegant mousse of fine-bead bubbles infused with an array of racy flavour—red currant and cranberry mingle with peach skin and grilled, lightly sugared pink grapefruit. All in all, balanced and crisp, good value and lip-smacking delicious. (Vic Harradine)
• The following Henry of Pelham Riesling Icewine is a Vintages Essentials wine always available in select LCBO stores. Many wine lovers think of Riesling as the premium white grape for making icewine.
93
Henry of Pelham Riesling Icewine
VQA Niagara Peninsula $49.95 (430561) 9.5% alcohol
This is a perennial favourite showcasing excellent acidity and ripe, sweet, fruit flavours that are perfect partners in this delicious offering. Aromas of peach, pear and wisps of minerality unleash a flow of palate-enveloping flavours—baked apple and poached pear interlace with crisp green apple, sharp ginger and lemony tang in a crescendo of balanced and beautiful ambrosia. It all replays on the lengthy finish and aftertaste. Gorgeous now, this will develop depth and complexity with bottle age. Pour on its own or with premium blue-veined cheese, fruit flan or pan-seared foie gras. (Vic Harradine)
89
Inniskillin Vidal Icewine
VQA Ontario $49.95 (388306) 375 mL 9.5% alcohol
This vidal icewine from Niagara expresses itself without reservation starting with lifted aromas of apricot, lemon and earthy notes. It blankets the palate with a textured wash of apricot tart, lime-soaked guava and orange marmalade. Lemon zest and grilled pineapple provide semblance balance on the finish and aftertaste. Serve well chilled on its own or paired with fruit flan or blue cheese. (Vic Harradine)
• The following four wines will have a discount of $2.00 taken off the regular price shown below for each bottle purchased from now to January 2, 2022
• The following Lakeview Cellars Vidal Icewine is a Vintages Essentials wine always available in select LCBO stores.
91
Lakeview Cellars Vidal Icewine
VQA Ontario $22.95 (522672) 200 mL 12.0% alcohol
This lighter-styled beauty keeps the final sip as fresh and lively as the first—it’s not cloying or over the top and that’s not a common occurrence for vidal icewine. A nicely balanced flow of palate-bathing apricot jam and white nectarine meet nirvana with a healthy dollop of lemon zest and racy blood orange on the palate and persists through the lingering finish and aftertaste. This pairs particularly well with Stilton on water crackers or pan-seared foie gras. (Vic Harradine)
• The following Gérard Bertrand ‘cote des roses’ Rosé 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. This wine is also a Vintages Essentials wine, always seasonally available in select stores. This was fashioned by a traditional blend of the Languedoc—grenache/syrah/cinsault. These three grape varieties were harvested and sorted separately with each at the peak of ripeness. At the winery they were destemmed, cooled to 8 °C then transferred to the press where only the first high-quality juice is retained for this wine. It is then fermented over 15 to +30 days followed by a light fining then bottled.
90
Gérard Bertrand ‘cote des roses’ Rosé
AOP Languedoc, France $18.95 (373985) 13.5% alcohol
Here’s a fresh bouquet of peach, pink grapefruit, watermelon and floral aromas getting along perfectly. Round on the palate without being heavy, you’ll find flavours of strawberry and fresh apricot, a touch of white pepper and orange peel leaving a refreshing aftertaste in the dry and slightly spicy finish. This is a great sipper on its own or try with a Cobb salad for a delicious pairing. (Louise Boutin)
• The following Santa Margherita Prosecco is a Vintages Essentials wine always available in select LCBO stores
90
Santa Margherita ‘Prosecco di Valdobbiadene Brut’ Sparkling Wine Non-Vintage
DOC Prosecco di Valdobbiadene, Italy $20.95 (687582) 11.5% alcohol
Citrus, toasty, and floral on the nose this dishes out a creamy smooth texture and delicious flavour—it’s also good value. There are oodles of bubbles with a river of white peach, lemon sherbet and mouth-watering tang on the palate and lip-smacking finish. Wonderful as a welcoming wine and can be poured with stand-around appetizers. (Vic Harradine)
• The following Tawse Winery ‘Spark – Limestone Ridge’ Riesling - Sparkling Wine - Non-Vintage is a Vintages Essentials wine that is certified organic and was sourced from riesling vines on the estate Limestone Ridge Vineyard. With the discount, the price-quality balance tips well in your favour.
90
Tawse Winery ‘Spark – Limestone Ridge’ Riesling Organic Sparkling Wine – Non Vintage
VQA Twenty Mile Bench $20.95 (370361) 11.5% alcohol bead
Frothy mousse when poured, seemingly endless winding streams of fine- bubbles make their way from the bottom of the glass to the top of the liquid carrying with it autolytic aromas and hints of pit fruit—yellow plum and feint notions of ripe apricot. Bubbles explode on the palate bringing out flavours of lemon-lime and white grapefruit extending through the finish and aftertaste. It’s crisp, refreshing and lip-smacking good. Pour on its own as a welcoming or aperitif wine to get the gastric juices flowing or alongside freshly shucked briny oysters. (Vic Harradine)
• The following wine will have a discount of $3.00 taken off the regular price shown below for each bottle purchased from now to January 2, 2022.
• The following Cave Spring Vineyard ‘Blanc de Blancs – Estate Grown’ Brut Sparkling Wine Non-Vintage was sourced from estate-grown vineyards along the benchlands of the Niagara Escarpment. It was vinified Méthode Traditionelle—fermented and aged sur lie in the bottle for its 2nd fermentation a minimum of 30 months prior to disgorging.
94
Cave Spring ‘Blanc de Blancs – Estate Grown’ Brut Sparkling Wine Non-Vintage
VQA Beamsville Bench $29.95 (213983) 12.0% alcohol
Lifted aromas of leesy notes, saline minerality and brioche mingle with apple, orange blossom and pear. A frothy mousse—aka bubbles—when poured, reveal a light-gold hue in the wine while fine-bead bubbles work their way from the bottom and sides of the glass to the top of your wine. This is delicious with palate-flavours of poached pear and baked apple intertwined with wet stone minerality and excellent tang delivered in the flavour of freshly squeezed lemon and lime. Versatile at the table, give one or more of these a try: prawn ceviche, scallops pan-seared in butter, freshly-shucked oysters, breaded and grilled calamari, tempura sushi. (Vic Harradine)
• The following wine will be discounted $9.99 per bottle purchased from the regular price shown below regardless of the vintage you purchase.
95
Cave Spring Riesling Icewine
VQA Niagara Peninsula $49.95 375 mL (447441) 10.5% alcohol
Glorious aromas of apricot, honeyed ripe pear and raisin fill the air. A palate-coating surge of liquid ambrosia coats the palate with a tapestry of sweet flavour—peel marmalade, poached pear, grilled pineapple, honey and spice. It’s fully fruited and full textured with moderating citrus tang on the finish and aftertaste keeping it balanced and far from cloying. This is quite special and very well priced. (Vic Harradine)
• The following wine will be discounted $4.00 per bottle purchased from the regular price shown below.
• The following Non-Vintage Chateau des Charmes Sparkling Wine ‘Méthode Traditionelle’ was recently disgorged—after spending 18 months on its lees—guaranteeing you freshness and vitality. It’s a chardonnay/pinot noir blend with premium, estate-grown, hand-picked fruit and handled with loving care.
92
Chateau des Charmes Sparkling Wine ‘Méthode Traditionelle’ Non-Vintage
VQA Niagara-on-the-Lake $25.95 (224766) 12.5% alcohol
This provides terrific value; stock up. It offers a lively nose of baking brioche and lemon-lime aromas. A profusion of fine-bead bubbles make a substantial mousse when poured and continue in endless thin streams making their way to the top of your glass. Almost off-dry flavours of apple and pear on the palate are joined by a bracing line of lemon curd and Key lime persisting through the mouth-watering finish—clean, crisp and refreshing. (Vic Harradine)
Best wishes, always.
Lisa, Louise, Dave, Vic