Vintages Release: November 13, 2021

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Best’s ‘Great Western – Bin No. 1’ 2018
Great Western, Victoria, Australia $21.95 (222323) 14.0% alcohol
Peppery piquant spice, floral notes and aromas of grilled savory herbs are decorated with ripe mulberry fruit, cassis and black licorice on the nose of this elegant, well balanced, structured and delicious Aussie shiraz. Palate flavours of dark cherry fruit and red berry fruit—cherries and cranberries—come to the fore just past mid-palate and persist through the luscious, mouth-watering finish. This is good to go now and on to 2028; pour alongside grilled backyard burgers or grilled gourmet sausage and Portobello mushrooms. (Vic Harradine)

• 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 are tons 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)

• 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.

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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)

• 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.

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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)

Vintages Release: November 27, 2021

• The following 2019 Henry of Pelham (Speck Family Reserve) Pinot Noir is barely a teenager, though strutting its stuff now and certainly flashing signs of an enhanced future after even short-term cellaring. Sourced from older vines—some shovel planted 35 years before this fruit was harvested—that are sustainably grown under, and accredited by, SWM. Fruit was hand harvested, gently destemmed and mechanically sorted. It was then stainless steel vat fermented with the cap punched down by hand. It was then aged in European oak, 30% new then married together with the balance in pre-loved oak with total oak maturation being ten months.

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Henry of Pelham (Speck Family Reserve) Pinot Noir 2019

VQA Short Hills Bench $34.95 (657874) 13.0% alcohol

Grilled savoury herbs and mixed spice aromas mingle with red berry fruit on the nose of this young and fresh pinot. A lively flow of flavours race over the palate with crunchy pie cherry and passionfruit intertwined with sweet black plum and hints of black cherry along with savoury herbs and a firm tannin underpinning. There’s replays of palate flavours and mouth-watering tang on the lengthy finish. Time in the cellar should pay off handsomely, pick up a few and pour starting in 2023. Impatient? Aerate/decant three hours and pour alongside roast fowl with all the fixings. (Vic Harradine)

• The following 2018 Ferraton Père & Fils ‘Le Parvis’ is a blend of primarily grenache along with a small percentage of syrah and mourvèdre. It was sourced from typical Rhone Valley soils of red clay, and rounded pebbles from the Rhone River. Grapes are destemmed at the winery then vinified in vats with extraction by punch-downs and pumping over with maceration lasting approximately 20 days at temperatures between 25 – 30 °C.

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Ferraton Père & Fils ‘Le Parvis’ 2018
AOP Châteauneuf-Du-Pape, France $58.95 (638551) 15.0% alcohol
You’ll be greeted with a complex nose of beautiful aromas—dark cherry, cola, coffee beans and baking spice. An opulent and silky liquid caress the palate delivering flavours of dark cherry, cooked strawberry and a hint of orange zest all wrapped in a lasting warm blanket, remember this is 15% alcohol. The finish offers a persistent combination of ripe red fruit flavour and dry herb mingling perfectly together. This gorgeous full-bodied red with polished tannins will benefit from 2-3 hours of aeration/decant to ease the heat on most palates. This is a great wine to pair with slow-simmered beef and carrot stew or venison dishes. (Louise Boutin)

• 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)

• The following méthode traditionelle, vintage-dated, 2016 Henry of Pelham ‘Cuvée Catharine – Carte Blanche - Estate - Blanc de Blanc’ is named for family matriarch Catherine Smith—Henry of Pelham’s wife. It was hand harvested, bunch selected from 100% chardonnay, whole-cluster pressed, partially barrel fermented, maturing on its lees more than four years in the bottle(s) you purchase before disgorgement—aka, expelling spent yeast cells from the 2nd fermentation.in this bottle,

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Henry of Pelham ‘Cuvée Catharine – Carte Blanche - Estate - Blanc de Blanc’ 2016

VQA Short Hills Bench $49.95 (315200) 12.5% alcohol

This top-notch, vintage-dated sparkling wine is one of the top traditional-method, vintage-dated sparkling wines on the market, regardless of country of origin. Aromas of yeasty notes, baking brioche and flinty minerality make way for a profusion of fine-bead bubbles that endlessly wind their way to the top of your glass. This has complexity, purity of fruit, good tension, is well balanced with a painter’s palette of lively flavour—a surge of racy lemon and lime tang adorned with white nectarine, nutty and mineral notes dazzle the palate infusing the lingering finish and aftertaste. This is classy, elegant and wired for sipping on its own for two or with festive food when entertaining, eg roast turkey or baked ham with all the fixings. (Vic Harradine)

Vintage Release: TBD, 2021

• The following 2020 Chateau Maison Bordeaux Supérieur was sourced from 25 year-old vines of 60% merlot/30% cabernet sauvignon/10% cabernet franc planted in clay and limestone soil. The grapes were vinified in thermoregulated stainless steel tanks, It was cold macerated for 24 hours then inoculated for malo-lactic fermentation then matured in 30% French oak barrel and the balance in stainless steel vats and cement.

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Château Maison Noble 2020
AOC Bordeaux Supérieur, France $18.95 (24495) 14.0% alcohol
This is a bright purple blend of 60% merlot/30% cabernet sauvignon/10% cabernet franc with youthful aromas of crushed mixed berry, lilac and a distant note of bell pepper. A softly textured flow of ripe dark fruit flavours travels the palate before suddenly drying the mouth and leaving freshly cracked peppercorn and green bell pepper character on the finish and aftertaste. This medium-full bodied red needs time to soften and offer its full personality. If opened now, aerate/decant 2-3 hours and serve with juicy meat in tomato sauce with pasta. (Louise Boutin)

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Chàteau Maison Noble ‘Saint Martin’ 2020
AOC Bordeaux, France $16.95 (14785) 13.5% alcohol
This red blend—60 merlot/30% cabernet sauvignon/10% cabernet franc—dishes up a lovely nose of lifted aromas with juicy red cherry/berry fruit and savoury herbs to the fore. It glides over the palate creamy smooth and fruit-filled with black currant, ripe juicy black cherry and balancing pizzazz in the form of pie cherries that persist through the mid-palate to the mouth-watering finish and aftertaste. This is delicious, balanced and underpinned by soft tannin. The quality-cost balance tips well in your favour; pick up a few and drink now to 2026. (Vic Harradine)

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Vaucher Père et Fils Fleurie 2020
AOC Fleurie, Beaujolais, France $17.95 (534339) 13.5% alcohol
No sign of bubble gum despite carbonic maceration in this beautiful cru Beaujolais but plenty of raspberry, strawberry aromas, a hint of red licorice and white mushroom. Ripe fruit flavours of red cherry, tangy raspberry and pomegranate delivered in a soft-textured flow treats the palate, followed with just enough powdery tannins adding backbone to the fruit-forward finish and delicious savoury aftertaste. If you haven’t tried a Beaujolais lately, give this one a try, it won’t disappoint, especially at this bargain price. Pair with duck confit, roasted ham or charcuterie. The options are endless. (Louise Boutin)

• The following 2020 Provolo ‘Costa Del Monte’ is certified organic. It was sourced from 60% Müller-Thurgau/40% Chardonnay vines with an average age of 10 years planted at 900 meters above sea level. The fruit was hand-harvested then macerated on skins for six hours at 10 °C before being fermented in stainless steel for 20 days at controlled temperatures of 10-14 °C. It then matured in stainless steel for three to four months then kept in bottle for a further two months before being released. The price-quality balance tips well in your favour; pick up an armful, then go back for more.

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Provolo ‘Costa Del Monte’ 2020
IGT Bianco Veneto. Italy $17.95 13.0% alcohol
Beguiling aromas of exotic spice, soft citrussy notes and wisps of white flowers dominate the nose of this 60% müller-thurgau/40% chardonnay white blend. It’s crisp and refreshing with lemon-lime cordial, and hints of pineapple and honeydew melon being prominent as palate flavours in this just off-dry beauty. Light-medium bodied with good mouthfeel, it replays palate flavours throughout the dry finish. Pour with all manner of fish or seafood or as an aperitif or with lighter-styled appetizers. (Vic Harradine)

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Villa Montepaldi Chianti Classico ‘Tagliafune’ 2019
DOCG Chianti Classico $17.95 (18588) 14.0% alcohol
This is a single vineyard blend of 80% sangiovese with a dash of cabernet, merlot, alicante and colorino with profound aromas—dry cherry, spice cupboard, leather and potpourri. The first sip is velvety on the palate carrying ripe red and black fruit flavours along with cinnamon spiciness and clove all framed in fine grained tannin and lovely acidity, finishing warm with persistent savoury notes. There is so much in this wine for this price tag, including cellaring potential. Aerate/decant one hour and enjoy with hearty homemade lasagna or eggplant parmigiana. (Louise Boutin)

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Villa Montepaldi Chianti Classico Riserva ‘Tagliafune’ 2017
DOCG Chianti Classico $22.95 14.5% alcohol
Dry cherry, stewed prune, cola, leather, star anise, balsamic notes and I could go on to describe this gorgeous single vineyard sangiovese blend aged in wooden vats a minimum of 21 months. It glides on the palate with elegance offering mature and concentrated flavours of dried fruit, earthiness and caraway notes and a long, warm, comforting savoury finish. This full-bodied beauty is the perfect balance of finesse and structure with its fine-grained tannins and while it is totally enjoyable now it will only improve with a few more years of cellaring. Slowly simmered osso buco would be an excellent pairing. (Louise Boutin)