WORLD WINE WATCH TOP WINES AT VINTAGES: under/over $20 for JULY 19, 2025 release. By DEAN TUDOR, Gothic Epicures Writing deantudor@deantudor.com. My "Wines, Beers and Spirits of the Net", a guide to thousands of wine news items and RSS feeds, plus references to wines, beers and spirits, has been at https://pages.pathcom.com/~dtudor since 1994. These notes for better or best wines available through LCBO Vintages (on a bi-weekly basis) can always be found at http://www.gothicepicures.blogspot.ca or at https://pages.pathcom.com/~dtudor No winery can buy their way into – or out of – my publications. Ratings are a combined MVC (Modal Varietal Character, e.g. a Rhone would taste like a Rhone) and QPR (Quality/Price Ratio value in the marketplace, above or below its price). Ratings are BETTER or BEST, which gives me some wiggle room. With the rigorous lab standards at the LCBO, I can safely say that every single wine at the LCBO is at least GOOD (75-85 points). I do not list the GOOD wines -- just the BETTER (86-89) and the BEST (90+ ) wines. This spread of points compares to SILVER and GOLD medals [with GOOD being BRONZE]. MVC/QPR=BETTER (86-89)=basic recommendation MVC/QPR=BEST (90+)=superior wine MAJOR THEME: Best BBQ wines, and Nova Scotia discoveries Recommended Wines UNDER $20 ========================= ROSE+45885 REDTAIL ROSÉ 2023 VQA $19 ROSE+44125 MIRADA ORGANIC ROSÉ 2024 SPAIN $15.95 W+42735 HUMBERTO CANALE ESTATE 1909 SAUVIGNON BLANC 2024 ARGENTINA $17.95 W+41875 BIRD IN HAND SAUVIGNON BLANC 2024 AUSTRALIA $17.95 W+25384 PFAFF CUVÉE JUPITER RIESLING 2023 ALSACE $17.95 W+44464 ÉLISABETH COLOMBARD/SAUVIGNON 2023 FRANCE $13.95 W+25762 GUNDERLOCH RED STONE RIESLING 2023 RHEINHESSEN $19.95 W+37070 PETRIESSA ASSYRTIKO 2024 GREECE $18.95 W+408146 MARIA PAPOILA LOUREIRO/ALVARINHO 2023 PORTUGAL $17.95 R+42115 FABRE MONTMAYOU BARREL SELECTION MALBEC 2022 ARGENTINA $19.95 R+46055 FEATHERSTONE GEMSTONE 2023 VQA $17.95 MVC/QPR=BEST (90+) R+320507 PIPOLI AGLIANICO DEL VULTURE 2021 BASILICATA $17.95 R+44954 TERRE DI FAIANO ORGANIC PRIMITIVO 2023 PUGLIA $14.95 R+44856 LA CARUSA NERO D'AVOLA/SYRAH 2023 SICILY $17.95 R+121160 VILLA TRASQUA CHIANTI CLASSICO 2020 $19.95 R+168823 BURGO VIEJO RESERVA 2020 RIOJA $19.95 Recommended Wines OVER $20 ======================== FIZZ+256289 BENJAMIN BRIDGE NOVA 7 SPARKLING NOVA SCOTIA $24.95 W+ 238642 INNISKILLIN MONTAGUE VINEYARD CHARDONNAY 2022 VQA $32.95 W+88955 HUFF CATHERINE'S CHARDONNAY 2022 VQA $34 W+46054 KONZELMANN BARREL AGED RESERVE CHARDONNAY 2022 VQA $24.95 W+46059 CHARLES BAKER LAUNDRY VINEYARD RIESLING 2023 VQA $32.20 W+43522 VINCENT DE LA REMONDIÈRE CHABLIS 2023 $36.95 R+553321 MISSION HILL RESERVE CABERNET SAUVIGNON 2022 BC VQA $37.95 R+45862 LIGHTFOOT & WOLFVILLE FAUNA RED 2022 NOVA SCOTIA $26.95 R+997353 INNISKILLIN MONTAGUE VINEYARD PINOT NOIR 2022 VQA $35.95 R+203364 ERRÁZURIZ ACONCAGUA ALTO CABERNET SAUVIGNON 2021 CHILE $22.95 R+43907 CHÂTEAU BEAU SITE HAUT VIGNOBLE 2016 BORDEAUX $54.95 R+44071 TORRE ZAMBRA COLLE MAGGIO RISERVA MONTEPULCIANO D'ABRUZZO $34.95 R+216309 CASTELLO DI GABBIANO RISERVA CHIANTI CLASSICO 2021 $24.95 LIMITED TIME OFFERS: Some Recommended Wines from the LCBO’s Limited Time Offer selections...these are "better or best" value...on sale to July 20...BETTER HURRY!!! FIZZ 13TH STREET CUVÉE BRUT SPARKLING ROSÉ VQA Niagara Peninsula, Ontario, traditional method, sustainable, vegan 147504 (XD – 9 g/L) 750 mL $29.95 NOW $26.95 Save $3.00 CAVE SPRING BLANC DE BLANCS BRUT SPARKLING VQA Niagara Escarpment, Ontario, traditional method, sustainable, vegan 213983 (XD – 3 g/L) 750 mL $32.95 NOW $29.95 Save $3.00 CHÂTEAU DES CHARMES BRUT SPARKLING VQA Niagara-on-the-Lake, Ontario, traditional method 224766 (D – 12 g/L) 750 mL $30.95 NOW $27.95 Save $3.00 TAWSE SPARK LIMESTONE RIDGE ORGANIC BRUT SPARKLING RIESLING VQA Twenty Mile Bench, Niagara Escarpment, Ontario, traditional method 370361 (M – 19 g/L) 750 mL $24.95 NOW $21.95 Save $3.00 W H I T E W I N ES CLOSSON CHASE THE BROCK CHARDONNAY VQA Niagara River, Niagara-on-the-Lake, Ontario 20899 (XD – 3 g/L) 750 mL $24.95 NOW $22.95 Save $2.00 FERZO ABRUZZO PECORINO SUPERIORE DOP, Abruzzo, Italy 573683 (XD – 4 g/L) 750 mL $17.95 NOW $15.95 Save $2.00 KIM CRAWFORD MARLBOROUGH SAUVIGNON BLANC Marlborough, South Island, New Zealand 35386 (XD – 3 g/L) 750 mL $21.95 NOW $18.95 Save $3.00 FLAT ROCK TWISTED WHITE VQA Niagara Peninsula, Ontario, sustainable 1578 (D – 12 g/L) 750 mL REG. $17.95 NOW $15.95 Save $2 ZENATO SAN BENEDETTO LUGANA DOC, Veneto, Italy 707158 (XD – 7 g/L) 750 mL $19.95 NOW $17.95 Save $2.00 R E D W I N ES CAVE SPRING PINOT NOIR VQA Niagara Peninsula, Ontario, sustainable, vegan 417642 (XD – 2 g/L) 750 mL $21.95 NOW $18.95 Save $3.00 MALIVOIRE FARMSTEAD GAMAY VQA Niagara Peninsula, Ontario, sustainable, vegan 591313 (XD – 3 g/L) 750 mL $21.95 NOW $19.95 Save $2.00 MONTE ZOVO SA’ SOLIN VALPOLICELLA RIPASSO SUPERIORE DOC, Veneto, Italy 650713 (D – 12 g/L) 750 mL $24.95 NOW $22.95 Save $2.00 MONTES ALPHA CABERNET SAUVIGNON Valle de Colchagua, Chile 322586 (XD – 4 g/L) 750 mL $22.95 NOW $20.95 Save $2.00 PENFOLDS KOONUNGA HILL SHIRAZ/CABERNET South Australia 285544 (XD – 3 g/L) 750 mL $18.95 NOW $16.45 Save $2.50 SAN FELICE CHIANTI CLASSICO DOCG, Tuscany, Italy 282996 (XD – 3 g/L) 750 mL $20.95 NOW $18.95 Save $2.00 SELLA & MOSCA RISERVA CANNONAU DI SARDEGNA DOC, Sardinia, Italy 425488 (XD – 3 g/L) 750 mL $19.95 NOW $16.95 Save $3.00 *********LIMITED-TIME OFFERS Save on these popular wines from "July 21 to August 17, 2025" W H I T E W I N ES BOLLINI PINOT GRIGIO DOC, Trentino, Italy 951319 (XD – 2 g/L) 750 mL $19.95 NOW $17.95 Save $2.00 CLOUDY BAY SAUVIGNON BLANC Marlborough, South Island, New Zealand 304469 (XD – 3 g/L) 750 mL $42.95 NOW $38.95 Save $4.00 FEATHERSTONE FOUR FEATHERS VQA Niagara 341586 (D – 13 g/L) 750 mL $15.95 NOW $14.95 Save $1.00 KIM CRAWFORD ILLUMINATE SAUVIGNON BLANC Marlborough, South Island, New Zealand 18947 (D – 16 g/L) 750 mL $21.95 NOW $19.95 Save $2.00 OYSTER BAY SAUVIGNON BLANC Marlborough, South Island, New Zealand 316570 (XD – 4 g/L) 750 mL $20.95 NOW $17.95 Save $3.00 SUSANA BALBO CRIOS TORRONTÉS Argentina 1834 (XD – 2 g/L) 750 mL $16.95 NOW $14.95 Save $2.00 WILLM RESERVE PINOT GRIS AC Alsace, France 42495 (XD – 8 g/L) 750 mL $18.95 NOW $17.95 Save $1.00 FLAT ROCK RIESLING VQA Niagara Peninsula, 43281 (D – 11 g/L) 750 mL REG. $19.95 NOW $17.95 Save $2 R E D W I N ES CATHEDRAL CELLAR CABERNET SAUVIGNON WO Western Cape, South Africa 328567 (XD – 3 g/L) 750 mL $19.95 NOW $16.95 Save $3.00 DESCENDIENTES DE J. PALACIOS PÉTALOS DO Bierzo, Spain 446484 (XD – 3 g/L) 750 mL $29.95 NOW $26.95 Save $3.00 LA MASCOTA CABERNET SAUVIGNON Mendoza, Argentina 292110 (XD – 4 g/L) 750 mL $16.95 NOW $14.95 Save $2.00 PORCUPINE RIDGE SYRAH WO Swartland, South Africa 595280 (XD – 4 g/L) 750 mL $16.95 NOW $13.95 Save $3.00 RICASOLI ROCCA GUICCIARDA RISERVA CHIANTI CLASSICO DOCG, Tuscany, Italy 943613 (XD – 3 g/L) 750 mL $24.95 NOW $21.95 Save $3.00 THE BLACK CHOOK SHIRAZ/VIOGNIER South Australia 66738 (XD – 3 g/L) 750 mL $19.95 NOW $17.95 Save $2.00 VIÑA TARAPACÁ GRAN RESERVA CABERNET SAUVIGNON Valle del Maipo, Chile 18721 (XD – 3 g/L) 750 mL $18.95 NOW $15.95 Save $3.00 WAKEFIELD ESTATE SHIRAZ Clare Valley, South Australia 943787 (XD – 3 g/L) 750 mL $19.95 NOW $17.95 Save $2.00 TOMMASI RIPASSO VALPOLICELLA CLASSICO SUPERIORE DOC, Veneto, Italy 910430 (D – 7 g/L) 750 mL REG. $27.95 NOW $25.95 FOR MORE SELECTIONS, GO TO -- https://www.lcbo.com/en/products#t=clp-products&sort=relevancy&layout=card&f:@lcbo_current_offer=[On%20Sale] ** Some New Wines I Tasted Over the Past Season --- REPORT ON THE ACID TRIP OF THE LIVING VINE May 2025 The Date and Time: May 5, 2025, 1PM-5PM The Event: A curated collection of biodynamic, organic, and natural wines from around the world The Venue: Society Clubhouse, College Street The Target Audience: today it was the Licensees; yesterday (May 4) it was the Living Vine clients. The Availability/Catalogue: everything was available by the LCBO Consignment ordering system, by the case. The Quote/Background: there were ten tables with pourers and information. Overall, there were 85 or so regular wines with alcohol, a few apple ciders, and some proxies with all the complexities of wine and none of the alcohol. Proxies are a new form of wine alternative—not dealcoholized wine, but layered blends of fruit, teas, spices, and bitters, designed to pair with food. I did not taste any of these..indeed, I did not even taste all the 85 regular wines.... The Wines: prices are for Licensees.... **** BEST -- Four Stars (91+ in Quality/Price Rating terms): -Recaredo Intens Rosat 2020 [fizz] Penedes $65.95 (in six pack) -Viberti Moscato d'Asti 2024 Piedmont $20.66 -Viberti Pubblicano Doglia Dolcetto 2023 Piedmont $24.26 -Viberti Nebbiolo Langhe 2023 Pidmont $33.26 -Viberti Buon Padre Barolo 2021 $62.06 (in six pack) -Viberti San Pedro Barolo Riserva 2019 $144.86 (in six pack) -Viberti Bricco delle Viole Nebbiolo Piedmont 2019 $167.36 (in six pack) -Berlioz Les Christine 2022 Savoie $134.96 (in six pack) -Battenfeld Spanier Riesling Trocken Rheinhessen 2023 $24.95 -Camas Chardonnay 2023 Languedoc $17.95 -Antica Enotria Rosso IGT Puglia $21.95 -Lobetia Tempranillo La Mancha Spain $16.95 -COS Rami 2022 Sicily $37.95 -Occhipinti SP68 Rosso Sicily $36.95 -Masseria Cuturi Tuma Primitivo 2022 Puglia $23.95 -Filippi Vindagoti Garganega IGT NV Veneto $39.56 (one litre in six pack) -Le Piane Nebbiolo 2023 Piedmont $30.95 -Famille Fabre Pirouette White Languedoc $20.95 -David Reynaud Crozes "Georges" Rhone 2022 (in six pack) -Patrick Sullivan Chardonnay Victoria Australia 2023 $29.66 -Ant Moore Sauvignon Blanc Marlborough New Zealand $22.95 ***1/2 BETTER -- Three and a Half Stars (87 – 90 in Quality/Price Rating terms): -Partida Creus NV 9% [fizz] Penedes $39.95 -Viberti Derthona Timorasso 2023 Piedmont $45.86 (in six pack) -Viberti Rinato Chardonnay 2023 Piedmont $62.05 (in six pack) -Viberti La Volta Barolo Riserva 2019 $144.86 (in six pack) -Therianthropy Bonni Vivant Sous Voile Chardonnay VQA Ontario $26.79 -Madame Flock Class A Riesling 2023 Mosel $27.95 -Massimago Gastone Amarones 2020 $74.95 (in six pack) The Food: none The Downside: I came early because of the TTC service which sometimes never exists. The tasting was also congested. The Upside: A chance to taste many natural wines on a global basis. The Contact Person: mark@thelivingvine.ca The Event’s Marketing Effectiveness and Execution (numerical grade): 89 WORLD WINE WATCH TOP WINES AT VINTAGES: under/over $20 for JULY 5, 2025 release. By DEAN TUDOR, Gothic Epicures Writing deantudor@deantudor.com. My "Wines, Beers and Spirits of the Net", a guide to thousands of wine news items and RSS feeds, plus references to wines, beers and spirits, has been at https://pages.pathcom.com/~dtudor since 1994. These notes for better or best wines available through LCBO Vintages (on a bi-weekly basis) can always be found at http://www.gothicepicures.blogspot.ca or at https://pages.pathcom.com/~dtudor No winery can buy their way into – or out of – my publication. Scores are a combination of MVC (Modal Varietal Character, e.g. a Southern Rhone would taste like a Southern Rhone) and QPR (Quality/Price Ratio value in the marketplace, above or below its price). I was one of the first to jump on the Robert Parker bandwagon, using numerical indications for my scores in the early 1980s. Why? Because with a database I could rate, rank and order wines in any fashion. It was just so convenient using databases. Unfortunately, the numerical system has been shown to be disgraced by overuse and "inflated numbers"; thus I have quit any ranking by number. From now on, it will just be GOOD, BETTER and BEST, which will give me some wiggle room (e.g. is this wine an 87, 88, 89, or 90? Or all of them...depends on my mood and time of day). With the rigorous standards and lab testing by the LCBO, I can safely say that every single wine at the LCBO is at least GOOD, which I would numerically rank at 75-85 points. For reasons of time and space, I will NOT be listing the GOOD wines. Just the BETTER (86-89) and the BEST (90+ ) wines. This spread of points will relate to SILVER and GOLD medals, with GOOD being BRONZE. This also fits into my scheme for trade tastings. MVC/QPR=BETTER (86-89)=basic recommendation MVC/QPR=BEST (90+)=superior wine MAJOR THEME: Sunny Mediterranean Wines -- Sipping Summer **ROSE under $20 --- +53421 FIELDING ROSÉ VQA 2024 $17.95 MVC/QPR=BEST (90+) CHILE +43407 MONTES LIMITED SELECTION ROSE 2024 $16.95 FRANCE +37678 C'EST TROP ROSÉ 2024 $16.95 PROVENCE +319392 CHÂTEAU LA TOUR DE L'ÉVÊQUE ROSÉ 2024 $20.95 +43568 CHÂTEAU DE L'AUMÉRADE AUMÉRADE STYLE ROSÉ 2024 $19.95 TUSCANY +556266 RICASOLI ALBIA ROSÉ 2024 $18.95 VENEZIE +25752 SANTA MARGHERITA ROSÉ 2024 $18.95 NEW ZEALAND +43353 ERADUS SADIE ROSÉ 2024 $19.95 Recommended Wines UNDER $20 ========================= W+AUSTRALIA +41892 DELINQUENTE SCREAMING BETTY VERMENTINO 2024 $19.95 W+41435 EVANS & TATE WILD CAPE SAUVIGNON BLANC 2022 AUSTRALIA $19.95 W+LANGUEDOC +40434 LAURENT MIQUEL ALAINA BLANC 2022 $18.95 W+RHÔNE +18600 LES DAUPHINS RESERVE CÔTES DU RHÔNE BLANC 2023 $14.95 W+11670 GORGHI TONDI COSTE A PREOLA GRILLO 2023 $18.95 W+646067 AVELEDA LOUREIRO 2023 PORTUGAL $14.95 MVC/QPR=BEST (90+) SOUTH AFRICA +439554 AVONDALE JONTY'S DUCKS PEKIN WHITE 2021 $18.95 SPAIN +461327 BERONIA RUEDA VERDEJO 2024 $15.95 MVC/QPR=BEST (90+) R+CHILE +542183 RAVANAL GRAN RESERVA CABERNET SAUVIGNON 2021 $16.95 MVC/QPR=BEST (90+) R+178657 NIETO SENETINER DON NICANOR MALBEC 2022 $17.95 R+41787 THE LANE ADELAIDE HILLS LDR 2022 AUSTRALIA $19.95 BORDEAUX +123489 CHÂTEAU HAUCHAT 2022 $19.95 +224915 DOMAINES ANDRÉ AUBERT VISAN CÔTES DU RHÔNE-VILLAGES 2023 $17.95 ABRUZZO +396382 ZACCAGNINI TRALCETTO MONTEPULCIANO D'ABRUZZO 2022 $18.95 MVC/QPR=BEST (90+) PORTUGAL +43854 MARQUÊS DE BORBA COLHEITA RED 2022 $15.95 MVC/QPR=BEST (90+ SOUTH AFRICA +41452 SPIER SEAWARD SHIRAZ 2022 $19.95 SPAIN +13632 PALACIO DE PRIMAVERA VENDIMIA SELECCIONADA RESERVA 2020 $19.95 Recommended Wines OVER $20 ======================== Fizz - NEW ZEALAND+280172 OYSTER BAY ROSÉ SPARKLING CUVÉE $23.95 MVC/QPR=BEST (90+) W+36806 LE CLOS JORDANNE CLAYSTONE TERRACE CHARDONNAY 2022 VQA $42 MVC/QPR=BEST (90+) W+45618 HIDDEN BENCH BÉTON CHARDONNAY 2023 VQA $29.95 W+112227 DOMAINE CHEVALLIER CHABLIS 2023 $37.95 W+SICILY 577676 TORNATORE ETNA BIANCO 2024 $24.95 TUSCANY +344416 CASTELGREVE RISERVA CHIANTI CLASSICO 2020 $23.95 MVC/QPR=BEST (90+) +438580 QUERCECCHIO BRUNELLO DI MONTALCINO 2020 $38.95 R+PIEDMONT 638338 MARZIANO ABBONA I DUE RICU 2021 $21.95 MVC/QPR=BEST (90+) RHÔNE +981787 DOMAINE DU GRAPILLON D'OR 1806 GIGONDAS 2021 $39.95 LIMITED TIME OFFERS: Some Recommended Wines from the LCBO’s Limited Time Offer selections...these are "better or best" value...on sale June 23 to July 20... FIZZ 13TH STREET CUVÉE BRUT SPARKLING ROSÉ VQA Niagara Peninsula, Ontario, traditional method, sustainable, vegan 147504 (XD – 9 g/L) 750 mL $29.95 NOW $26.95 Save $3.00 CAVE SPRING BLANC DE BLANCS BRUT SPARKLING VQA Niagara Escarpment, Ontario, traditional method, sustainable, vegan 213983 (XD – 3 g/L) 750 mL $32.95 NOW $29.95 Save $3.00 CHÂTEAU DES CHARMES BRUT SPARKLING VQA Niagara-on-the-Lake, Ontario, traditional method 224766 (D – 12 g/L) 750 mL $30.95 NOW $27.95 Save $3.00 TAWSE SPARK LIMESTONE RIDGE ORGANIC BRUT SPARKLING RIESLING VQA Twenty Mile Bench, Niagara Escarpment, Ontario, traditional method 370361 (M – 19 g/L) 750 mL $24.95 NOW $21.95 Save $3.00 W H I T E W I N ES CLOSSON CHASE THE BROCK CHARDONNAY VQA Niagara River, Niagara-on-the-Lake, Ontario 20899 (XD – 3 g/L) 750 mL $24.95 NOW $22.95 Save $2.00 FERZO ABRUZZO PECORINO SUPERIORE DOP, Abruzzo, Italy 573683 (XD – 4 g/L) 750 mL $17.95 NOW $15.95 Save $2.00 KIM CRAWFORD MARLBOROUGH SAUVIGNON BLANC Marlborough, South Island, New Zealand 35386 (XD – 3 g/L) 750 mL $21.95 NOW $18.95 Save $3.00 FLAT ROCK TWISTED WHITE VQA Niagara Peninsula, Ontario, sustainable 1578 (D – 12 g/L) 750 mL REG. $17.95 NOW $15.95 Save $2 ZENATO SAN BENEDETTO LUGANA DOC, Veneto, Italy 707158 (XD – 7 g/L) 750 mL $19.95 NOW $17.95 Save $2.00 R E D W I N ES CAVE SPRING PINOT NOIR VQA Niagara Peninsula, Ontario, sustainable, vegan 417642 (XD – 2 g/L) 750 mL $21.95 NOW $18.95 Save $3.00 MALIVOIRE FARMSTEAD GAMAY VQA Niagara Peninsula, Ontario, sustainable, vegan 591313 (XD – 3 g/L) 750 mL $21.95 NOW $19.95 Save $2.00 MONTE ZOVO SA’ SOLIN VALPOLICELLA RIPASSO SUPERIORE DOC, Veneto, Italy 650713 (D – 12 g/L) 750 mL $24.95 NOW $22.95 Save $2.00 MONTES ALPHA CABERNET SAUVIGNON Valle de Colchagua, Chile 322586 (XD – 4 g/L) 750 mL $22.95 NOW $20.95 Save $2.00 PENFOLDS KOONUNGA HILL SHIRAZ/CABERNET South Australia 285544 (XD – 3 g/L) 750 mL $18.95 NOW $16.45 Save $2.50 SAN FELICE CHIANTI CLASSICO DOCG, Tuscany, Italy 282996 (XD – 3 g/L) 750 mL $20.95 NOW $18.95 Save $2.00 SELLA & MOSCA RISERVA CANNONAU DI SARDEGNA DOC, Sardinia, Italy 425488 (XD – 3 g/L) 750 mL $19.95 NOW $16.95 Save $3.00 ** Some New Wines I Tasted Over the Past Season --- From Featherstone VQA Niagara May 2025 1.Featherstone Estate Winery Four Feathers 2024 VQA Niagara Peninsula $15.95 +341586 continuously available at LCBO: a summer social sipper or, combining Riesling (60.1%), pinot grigio (18.2%), chardonnay (12.6%), and gewurztraminer (9.1%) – all highly aromatic grapes. The percentages of the grape varieties change from vintage to vintage depending on vineyard conditions. Stainless steel fermentation. Typical fruit flavours to be found include pineapple, melon, lemon, some mango, and some sweet parts of citric tones near the finish. A popular seller, about 1068 cases. Incredibly fresh with juicy-fruity tones for summer picnics. Vegan friendly. 14.3 g/L residual sugar. 12.5% ABV. Quality/Price rating is 90 points by Dean Tudor of Gothic Epicures Writing. 2.Featherstone Estate Winery Cabernet Franc 2022 VQA Niagara Peninsula $21.95 +64618 Vintages Essential: a consistent blend of 95% cabernet franc and 5% merlot. US oak was used. Full malolactic fermentation. Medium-bodied with an assortment of tastes of dark cherry-berry and plums, some leafy herby qualities. Black pepper shows on palate. Long, long finish showing tart-ish food-loving ripe acid balances. Should go well with BBQ veggies. Could keep for another few years (I tasted one bottle over a week) but ready now. Vegan friendly. 3 g/L residual sugar. 12.5% ABV. Quality/Price rating is 92 points by Dean Tudor of Gothic Epicures Writing. 3.Featherstone Estate Winery Sauvignon Blanc 2024 VQA Niagara Peninsula $17.95 +89011 available at LCBO August 30th: 20% of this wine went into neutral Canadian oak barrels for fermentation, leaving 80% for stainless steel. That contributed to the softness and to the muted tones of grassiness. Tropical flowers are accented rather than tropical fruit, and this too adds to its dryness culminating with ending lime citrus notes for a long finish. It's a great wine for savvy lovers who go for complexity rather than just herbs. At the same time, this allows for more food choices. Vegan friendly. 9.5 g/L residual sugar, 12.5% ABV. Quality/Price rating is 92 points by Dean Tudor of Gothic Epicures Writing. 4.Featherstone Estate Winery Black Sheep Riesling 2023 VQA Niagara Peninsula $19.95 +80234 Vintages Essential: more in the off-dry Mosel mode than Rhine wine, this delicious all riesling sipper is loaded with a nose of citrus highlights (lemon, plentiful lime, grapefruit) evolving to Ontario orchard fruit (green apples, peaches, pears) on the mid-palate with some minerality and a long finish which also makes it nifty food wine for many Asiatic dishes. Medium body, off-dry. Suitable for aging to get that “petrol” character. Consistent vintage. 9.01% ABV. RS 20.45 g/L. Vegan friendly. Quality/Price rating is 91 points by Dean Tudor of Gothic Epicures Writing. 5.Featherstone Estate Winery Rose 2024 VQA Niagara Peninsula $16.95 +117861 Vintages available June 7 AND again on September 27: over the years, this rose has had varying amounts of grape varieties – all dependent on what wily winemaker David Johnson sees as the best possible blend. In the past it has had pinot noir and cabernet sauvignon, as well as gamay noir, merlot, chardonnay, gewurztraminer and cabernet franc. It's an extremely useful wine for any event, any occasion, with any food, or just alone as a sipper on the beach/patio/deck/terrace/backyard/porch/balcony – even in front of a roaring fireplace (as I did just this week when the temperature unexpectedly dropped). Expect plenty of red fruit tones (strawberry, cranberry, cherry and raspberry) in its deliciousness. Great price. Vegan friendly. 9g/L residual sugar, 13% ABV. Quality/Price rating is 90 points by Dean Tudor of Gothic Epicures Writing. 6.Featherstone Estate Winery Gemstone 2023 VQA Niagara Peninsula $17.95 available July 19 Vintages LCBO +46055, currently for sale ONLINE and at the winery: Gemstone is a light red wine, with cabernet franc (57.1%) and merlot (42.9%) suggesting an ease of palate delivery and sipping. After developing in stainless steel and with full malolactic, the wine is aged in 2 months of oak. On the nose you can expect plums and raspberry tones, followed by dark cherries and oak. The cabernet franc contributes some dried herb savouriness, making it an ideal wine for pairing with appropriate appetizers or first courses. The merlot completes the picture with soft velvet mouthfeel. Ready now but can keep for a few years. 2g/L RS. 11.6% ABV. Quality/Price rating is 89 points by Dean Tudor of Gothic Epicures Writing. WORLD WINE WATCH TOP WINES AT VINTAGES: under/over $20 for JUNE 21, 2025 release. By DEAN TUDOR, Gothic Epicures Writing deantudor@deantudor.com. My "Wines, Beers and Spirits of the Net", a guide to thousands of wine news items and RSS feeds, plus references to wines, beers and spirits, has been at https://pages.pathcom.com/~dtudor since 1994. These notes for better or best wines available through LCBO Vintages (on a bi-weekly basis) can always be found at http://www.gothicepicures.blogspot.ca or at https://pages.pathcom.com/~dtudor No winery can buy their way into – or out of – my publication. Scores are a combination of MVC (Modal Varietal Character, e.g. a Southern Rhone would taste like a Southern Rhone) and QPR (Quality/Price Ratio value in the marketplace, above or below its price). I was one of the first to jump on the Robert Parker bandwagon, using numerical indications for my scores in the early 1980s. Why? Because with a database I could rate, rank and order wines in any fashion. It was just so convenient using databases. Unfortunately, the numerical system has been shown to be disgraced by overuse and "inflated numbers"; thus I have quit any ranking by number. From now on, it will just be GOOD, BETTER and BEST, which will give me some wiggle room (e.g. is this wine an 87, 88, 89, or 90? Or all of them...depends on my mood and time of day). With the rigorous standards and lab testing by the LCBO, I can safely say that every single wine at the LCBO is at least GOOD, which I would numerically rank at 75-85 points. For reasons of time and space, I will NOT be listing the GOOD wines. Just the BETTER (86-89) and the BEST (90+ ) wines. This spread of points will relate to SILVER and GOLD medals, with GOOD being BRONZE. This also fits into my scheme for trade tastings. MVC/QPR=BETTER (86-89)=basic recommendation MVC/QPR=BEST (90+)=superior wine MAJOR THEME: Refreshing whites Recommended Wines UNDER $20 ========================= ROSE+39974 FLAT ROCK PINK TWISTED ROSÉ 2024 VQA $17.95 ROSE+15277 CASAS DEL BOSQUE BOTANIC SERIES PINOT NOIR ROSÉ 2024 CHILE $16.95 ROSE+19852 ALBINO ARMANI ROSÉ 2024 $15.95 MVC/QPR=BEST (90+) W+22460 WESTCOTT BUTLERS' GRANT OLD VINES RIESLING 2023 VQA $19.95 W+89029 TAWSE SKETCHES RIESLING 2022 VQA $19.95 W+42097 SANTA RITA MEDALLA REAL GRAN RESERVA SAUVIGNON BLANC 2023 CHILE $18.95 W+41120 DOMAINE SABANIS ASSYRTIKO 2023 GREECE $19.95 W+944298 CAVE DE LA TOURANGELLE SAUVIGNON BLANC 2023 LOIRE $16.95 W+499509 FAMILLE PERRIN RÉSERVE CÔTES DU RHÔNE BLANC 2023 $17.95 MVC/QPR=BEST (90+) W+289538 VESEVO BENEVENTANO FALANGHINA 2024 CAMPANIA $17.95 W+32550 ME BY MATAHIWI ESTATE SAUVIGNON BLANC 2023 NEW ZEALAND $16.95 W+42071 QUINTA DO CARDO 2023 PORTUGAL $16.95 W+31123 CAPE POINT NOORDHOEK SAUVIGNON BLANC 2022 SOUTH AFRICA $19.95 W+154302 ABAD DOM BUENO GODELLO 2022 SPAIN $17.95 R+41874 BIRD IN HAND TWO IN THE BUSH SHIRAZ 2022 AUSTRALIA $18.95 R+17381 FIN DEL MUNDO PATAGONIA RISERVA MALBEC 2023 $15.95 R+12281 CHÂTEAU DE RIBEBON 2020 BORDEAUX $16.95 MVC/QPR=BEST (90+) R+43852 CANTO DE CASA ORGANIC TEMPRANILLO 2022 SPAIN $17.95 R+297317 XAVIER VIGNON CÔTES DU RHÔNE 2020 $19.95 MVC/QPR=BEST (90+) R+43464 LULUMI PINOT NOIR 2023 LANGUEDOC $17.95 R+41901 COTA 700 COLHEITA 2022 PORTUGAL $16.95 R+999946 REMO FARINA RIPASSO VALPOLICELLA CLASSICO SUPERIORE 2022 $19.95 MVC/QPR=BEST (90+) R+41443 NOBLE HILL FIELD ATLAS 2021 SOUTH AFRICA $18.95 MVC/QPR=BEST (90+) Recommended Wines OVER $20 ======================== FIZZ+39869 LUCIEN ROGUET NO.1 TRADITION BRUT GRAND CRU CHAMPAGNE $78.95 W+43459 FAMILLE PERRACHON VIEILLES VIGNES POUILLY-FUISSÉ 2023 $42.95 W+57430 MISSION HILL RESERVE SAUVIGNON BLANC 2023 VQA BC $26.95 MVC/QPR=BEST (90+) W+16452 REIF ESTATE DREA'S SAUVIGNON BLANC 2023 VQA $29.50 W+11951 ORGANIZED CRIME LIMESTONE BLOCK CHARDONNAY 2022 VQA $24.95 W+148866 CLOSSON CHASE VINEYARD CHARDONNAY 2021 VQA $35 W+42676 VESEVO GRECO DI TUFO 2022 CAMPANIA $22.95 R+84996 WYNNS COONAWARRA ESTATE BLACK LABEL CABERNET SAUVIGNON 2022 $44.95 MVC/QPR=BEST (90+) R+38301 FEATHERSTONE RESERVE CABERNET FRANC 2021 VQA $29.95 MVC/QPR=BEST (90+) R+42227 AGAMY RÉGNIÉ 2022 BEAUJOLAIS $22.95 R+37942 GAJA SITO MORESCO 2022 PIEDMONT $47.95 MVC/QPR=BEST (90+) R+190462 MUD HOUSE PINOT NOIR 2022 NEW ZEALAND $24.95 LIMITED TIME OFFERS: Some Recommended Wines from the LCBO’s Limited Time Offer selections...these are "better" value...on sale through Sunday June 22...BETTER HURRY!!! FOR MORE SELECTIONS, GO TO - - https://www.lcbo.com/en/products#t=clp-products&sort=relevancy&layout=card&f:@lcbo_current_offer=[On%20Sale] MALIVOIRE LADYBUG ROSÉ VQA Niagara Peninsula, Ontario, 559088 (XD – 2 g/L) 750 mL $19.95 NOW $17.95 Save $2 W H I T E W I N ES ANSELMI SAN VINCENZO IGT Veneto, Italy 948158 (XD – 6 g/L) 750 mL $18.95 NOW $16.95 Save $2. FEATHERSTONE BLACK SHEEP RIESLING Vegan, VQA Niagara Peninsula, Ontario 80234 (M – 17 g/L) 750 mL $19.95 NOW $17.95 Save $2. FLAT ROCK CELLARS CHARDONNAY VQA Niagara Peninsula, Ontario 286278 (XD – 2 g/L) 750 mL $21.95 NOW $19.95 Save $2. TAWSE SKETCHES OF NIAGARA CHARDONNAY VQA Niagara Peninsula, Ontario 89037 (XD – 3 g/L) 750 mL $21.95 NOW $19.95 Save $2. KIM CRAWFORD CHARDONNAY Marlborough/Hawke’s Bay, East Coast, New Zealand 991950 (XD – 2 g/L) 750 mL $20.95 NOW $18.95 Save $2. OYSTER BAY CHARDONNAY Marlborough, South Island, New Zealand 326728 (XD – 4 g/L) 750 mL $20.95 NOW $18.95 Save $2. OYSTER BAY SAUVIGNON BLANC Marlborough, South Island, New Zealand 316570 (XD – 4 g/L) 750 mL REG. $20.95 NOW $18.95 Save $2. XANADU VINEWORK SAUVIGNON BLANC/SEMILLON Margaret River, Western Australia, 41315 (XD – 2 g/L) 750 mL $22.95 NOW $20.95 Save $2. R E D W I N ES BERONIA RESERVA DOCa Rioja, Spain 50203 (XD – 3 g/L) 750 mL $23.95 NOW $21.95 Save $2. FAUSTINO I GRAN RESERVA DOCa Rioja, Spain 976662 (XD – 2 g/L) 750 mL $31.95 NOW $28.95 Save $3. CALVET RÉSERVE DES REMPARTS SAINT-ÉMILION AC, Bordeaux, France 31898 (XD – 4 g/L) 750 mL $24.95 NOW $22.95 Save $2. M. CHAPOUTIER LES VIGNES DE BILA HAUT CÔTES DU ROUSSILLON-VILLAGES AC, Midi, France 168716 (XD – 4 g/L) 750 mL $16.95 NOW $14.95 Save $2. REMO FARINA AMARONE DELLA VALPOLICELLA CLASSICO DOCG, Veneto, Italy 995910 (D – 7 g/L) 750 mL $42.95 NOW $40.45 Save $2. TOMMASI AMARONE DELLA VALPOLICELLA CLASSICO DOCG, Veneto, Italy 356220 (XD – 5 g/L) 750 mL $53.95 NOW $48.95 Save $5. RINGBOLT CABERNET SAUVIGNON Margaret River, Western Australia 606624 (XD – 3 g/L) 750 mL $22.95 NOW $20.95 Save $2. THE FOREIGN AFFAIR THE CONSPIRACY VQA Niagara Peninsula, Ontario 149237 (XD – 3 g/L) 750 mL $19.95 NOW $16.95 Save $3. TWO HANDS GNARLY DUDES SHIRAZ Barossa Valley, South Australia 660043 (XD – 3 g/L) 750 mL $24.95 NOW $21.95 Save $3. VILLA ANTINORI TOSCANA IGT, Tuscany, Italy 53876 (XD – 2 g/L) 750 mL $26.95 NOW $24.95 Save $2 LIMITED TIME OFFERS: Some Recommended Wines from the LCBO’s Limited Time Offer selections...these are "better" value...on sale June 23 to July 20... FIZZ 13TH STREET CUVÉE BRUT SPARKLING ROSÉ VQA Niagara Peninsula, Ontario, traditional method, sustainable, vegan 147504 (XD – 9 g/L) 750 mL $29.95 NOW $26.95 Save $3.00 CAVE SPRING BLANC DE BLANCS BRUT SPARKLING VQA Niagara Escarpment, Ontario, traditional method, sustainable, vegan 213983 (XD – 3 g/L) 750 mL $32.95 NOW $29.95 Save $3.00 CHÂTEAU DES CHARMES BRUT SPARKLING VQA Niagara-on-the-Lake, Ontario, traditional method 224766 (D – 12 g/L) 750 mL $30.95 NOW $27.95 Save $3.00 TAWSE SPARK LIMESTONE RIDGE ORGANIC BRUT SPARKLING RIESLING VQA Twenty Mile Bench, Niagara Escarpment, Ontario, traditional method 370361 (M – 19 g/L) 750 mL $24.95 NOW $21.95 Save $3.00 W H I T E W I N ES CLOSSON CHASE THE BROCK CHARDONNAY VQA Niagara River, Niagara-on-the-Lake, Ontario 20899 (XD – 3 g/L) 750 mL $24.95 NOW $22.95 Save $2.00 FERZO ABRUZZO PECORINO SUPERIORE DOP, Abruzzo, Italy 573683 (XD – 4 g/L) 750 mL $17.95 NOW $15.95 Save $2.00 KIM CRAWFORD MARLBOROUGH SAUVIGNON BLANC Marlborough, South Island, New Zealand 35386 (XD – 3 g/L) 750 mL $21.95 NOW $18.95 Save $3.00 FLAT ROCK TWISTED WHITE VQA Niagara Peninsula, Ontario, sustainable 1578 (D – 12 g/L) 750 mL REG. $17.95 NOW $15.95 Save $2 ZENATO SAN BENEDETTO LUGANA DOC, Veneto, Italy 707158 (XD – 7 g/L) 750 mL $19.95 NOW $17.95 Save $2.00 R E D W I N ES CAVE SPRING PINOT NOIR VQA Niagara Peninsula, Ontario, sustainable, vegan 417642 (XD – 2 g/L) 750 mL $21.95 NOW $18.95 Save $3.00 MALIVOIRE FARMSTEAD GAMAY VQA Niagara Peninsula, Ontario, sustainable, vegan 591313 (XD – 3 g/L) 750 mL $21.95 NOW $19.95 Save $2.00 MONTE ZOVO SA’ SOLIN VALPOLICELLA RIPASSO SUPERIORE DOC, Veneto, Italy 650713 (D – 12 g/L) 750 mL $24.95 NOW $22.95 Save $2.00 MONTES ALPHA CABERNET SAUVIGNON Valle de Colchagua, Chile 322586 (XD – 4 g/L) 750 mL $22.95 NOW $20.95 Save $2.00 PENFOLDS KOONUNGA HILL SHIRAZ/CABERNET South Australia 285544 (XD – 3 g/L) 750 mL $18.95 NOW $16.45 Save $2.50 SAN FELICE CHIANTI CLASSICO DOCG, Tuscany, Italy 282996 (XD – 3 g/L) 750 mL $20.95 NOW $18.95 Save $2.00 SELLA & MOSCA RISERVA CANNONAU DI SARDEGNA DOC, Sardinia, Italy 425488 (XD – 3 g/L) 750 mL $19.95 NOW $16.95 Save $3.00 ** Some New Wines I Tasted Over the Past Season --- REPORT ON THE ACID TRIP OF THE LIVING VINE May 2025 The Date and Time: May 5, 2025, 1PM-5PM The Event: A curated collection of biodynamic, organic, and natural wines from around the world The Venue: Society Clubhouse, College Street The Target Audience: today it was the Licensees; yesterday (May 4) it was the Living Vine clients. The Availability/Catalogue: everything was available by the LCBO Consignment ordering system, by the case. The Quote/Background: there were ten tables with pourers and information. Overall, there were 85 or so regular wines with alcohol, a few apple ciders, and some proxies with all the complexities of wine and none of the alcohol. Proxies are a new form of wine alternative—not dealcoholized wine, but layered blends of fruit, teas, spices, and bitters, designed to pair with food. I did not taste any of these..indeed, I did not even taste all the 85 regular wines.... The Wines: prices are for Licensees.... **** BEST -- Four Stars (91+ in Quality/Price Rating terms): -Recaredo Intens Rosat 2020 [fizz] Penedes $65.95 (in six pack) -Viberti Moscato d'Asti 2024 Piedmont $20.66 -Viberti Pubblicano Doglia Dolcetto 2023 Piedmont $24.26 -Viberti Nebbiolo Langhe 2023 Pidmont $33.26 -Viberti Buon Padre Barolo 2021 $62.06 (in six pack) -Viberti San Pedro Barolo Riserva 2019 $144.86 (in six pack) -Viberti Bricco delle Viole Nebbiolo Piedmont 2019 $167.36 (in six pack) -Berlioz Les Christine 2022 Savoie $134.96 (in six pack) -Battenfeld Spanier Riesling Trocken Rheinhessen 2023 $24.95 -Camas Chardonnay 2023 Languedoc $17.95 -Antica Enotria Rosso IGT Puglia $21.95 -Lobetia Tempranillo La Mancha Spain $16.95 -COS Rami 2022 Sicily $37.95 -Occhipinti SP68 Rosso Sicily $36.95 -Masseria Cuturi Tuma Primitivo 2022 Puglia $23.95 -Filippi Vindagoti Garganega IGT NV Veneto $39.56 (one litre in six pack) -Le Piane Nebbiolo 2023 Piedmont $30.95 -Famille Fabre Pirouette White Languedoc $20.95 -David Reynaud Crozes "Georges" Rhone 2022 (in six pack) -Patrick Sullivan Chardonnay Victoria Australia 2023 $29.66 -Ant Moore Sauvignon Blanc Marlborough New Zealand $22.95 ***1/2 BETTER -- Three and a Half Stars (87 – 90 in Quality/Price Rating terms): -Partida Creus NV 9% [fizz] Penedes $39.95 -Viberti Derthona Timorasso 2023 Piedmont $45.86 (in six pack) -Viberti Rinato Chardonnay 2023 Piedmont $62.05 (in six pack) -Viberti La Volta Barolo Riserva 2019 $144.86 (in six pack) -Therianthropy Bonni Vivant Sous Voile Chardonnay VQA Ontario $26.79 -Madame Flock Class A Riesling 2023 Mosel $27.95 -Massimago Gastone Amarones 2020 $74.95 (in six pack) The Food: none The Downside: I came early because of the TTC service which sometimes never exists. The tasting was also congested. The Upside: A chance to taste many natural wines on a global basis. The Contact Person: mark@thelivingvine.ca The Event’s Marketing Effectiveness and Execution (numerical grade): 89 WORLD WINE WATCH TOP WINES AT VINTAGES: under/over $20 for JUNE 7, 2025 release. By DEAN TUDOR, Gothic Epicures Writing deantudor@deantudor.com. My "Wines, Beers and Spirits of the Net", a guide to thousands of wine news items and RSS feeds, plus references to wines, beers and spirits, has been at https://pages.pathcom.com/~dtudor since 1994. These notes for better or best wines available through LCBO Vintages (on a bi-weekly basis) can always be found at http://www.gothicepicures.blogspot.ca or at https://pages.pathcom.com/~dtudor No winery can buy their way into – or out of – my publication. Scores are a combination of MVC (Modal Varietal Character, e.g. a Southern Rhone would taste like a Southern Rhone) and QPR (Quality/Price Ratio value in the marketplace, above or below its price). I was one of the first to jump on the Robert Parker bandwagon, using numerical indications for my scores in the early 1980s. Why? Because with a database I could rate, rank and order wines in any fashion. It was just so convenient using databases. Unfortunately, the numerical system has been shown to be disgraced by overuse and "inflated numbers"; thus I have quit any ranking by number. From now on, it will just be GOOD, BETTER and BEST, which will give me some wiggle room (e.g. is this wine an 87, 88, 89, or 90? Or all of them...depends on my mood and time of day). With the rigorous standards and lab testing by the LCBO, I can safely say that every single wine at the LCBO is at least GOOD, which I would numerically rank at 75-85 points. For reasons of time and space, I will NOT be listing the GOOD wines. Just the BETTER (86-89) and the BEST (90+ ) wines. This spread of points will relate to SILVER and GOLD medals, with GOOD being BRONZE. This also fits into my scheme for trade tastings. MVC/QPR=BETTER (86-89)=basic recommendation MVC/QPR=BEST (90+)=superior wine MAJOR THEME: Rose Table Wine (UNDER ~$20) +177840 PENINSULA RIDGE BEAL VINEYARD CABERNET ROSÉ VQA 2024 $16.95 +45075 TAWSE GROWER'S BLEND ROSÉ VQA 2024 $18.95 +117861 FEATHERSTONE ROSÉ VQA 2024 $16.95 +388702 THE FOREIGN AFFAIR AMAROSÉ VQA 2024 $19.95 +16296 ORGANIZED CRIME ROSÉ VQA 2024 $19.95 +43979 CARUSO & MININI FRAPPO FRAPPATO ROSÉ SICILY 2024 $18.95 +493171 OYSTER BAY ROSÉ NEW ZEALAND 2024 $20.95 +43396 MAN HANEKRAAI ROSÉ SOUTH AFRICA 2024 $14.95 +490961 IZADI LARROSA GARNACHA ROSÉ SPAIN 2024 $17.95 Recommended Wines UNDER $20 ========================= W+ 390781 NOVELLUM CHARDONNAY FRANCE 2023 $19.95 W+18560 CLEEBOURG GEWURZTRAMINER ALSACE 2022 $18.95 W+31534 DOMÄNE WACHAU TERRASSEN FEDERSPIEL GRÜNER VELTLINER AUSTRIA 2023 $19.95 W+673236 LAURENT MIQUEL NORD SUD VIOGNIER LANGUEDOC 2023 $16.95 MVC/QPR=BEST (90+ ) W+391847 THIERRY DELAUNAY TOURAINE SAUVIGNON BLANC LOIRE 2023 $17.95 W+289553 UMANI RONCHI VELLODORO PECORINO ABRUZZO 2024 $17.95 MVC/QPR=BEST (90+ ) W+268110 LUNGAROTTI TORRE DI GIANO BIANCO DI TORGIANO UMBRIA 2022 $17.95 R+37937 MONTES LIMITED SELECTION PINOT NOIR CHILE 2023 $16.95 R+569962 VANITÁ PRIMITIVO PUGLIA 2023 $17.95 R+488007 PERIQUITA RESERVA PORTUGAL 2023 $18.95 MVC/QPR=BEST (90+ ) R+44140 GENIO ESPANOL ROBLE MONASTRELL SPAIN 2021 $16.95 Recommended Wines OVER $20 ======================== FIZZ+198754 HUFF CUVÉE PETER F. SPARKLING VQA 2021 $39 MVC/QPR=BEST (90+) FIZZ+42032 CUVÉE FRANÇOISE CRÉMANT DE LIMOUX ROSÉ SPARKLING LANGUEDOC NV $25.95 FIZZ+556654 KRONE BOREALIS VINTAGE CUVÉE CAP CLASSIQUE BRUT SPARKLING SOUTH AFRICA 2022 $22 W+45136 BACHELDER WERNER-YORK VINEYARD CHARDONNAY VQA 2022 $39.95 MVC/QPR=BEST (90+) W+45135 BACHELDER PARCELLE HAUT IVY & WARREN SAUNDERS VINEYARD VQA 2022 $45.00 MVC/QPR=BEST (90+) W+415901 CAVE SPRING SELECT LATE HARVEST RIESLING VQA 2023 $27.95 MVC/QPR=BEST (90+) W+523845 CHARLES BAKER B-SIDE RIESLING VQA 2023 $24.95 MVC/QPR=BEST (90+ ) R+45139 BACHELDER KIRBY VINEYARD GAMAY NOIR VQA 2022 $27.95 R+33994 BACHELDER WISMER-FOXCROFT VINEYARD GAMAY NOIR VQA 2022 $32 R+11581 DOMAINE QUEYLUS TRADITION CABERNET FRANC VQA 2021 $33.70 R+121723 DOMAINE CHANTE-PERDRIX CHÂTEAUNEUF-DU-PAPE 2022 $52.95 R+17572 VITE COLTE SOGNI AL CAMPO NEBBIOLO PIEDMONT 2022 $24.95 R+943290 FONTANAFREDDA SERRALUNGA D'ALBA BAROLO 2020 $49.95 R+155408 MARCHESI DI BAROLO BARBARESCO 2021 $43.95 MVC/QPR=BEST (90+ ) LIMITED TIME OFFERS: Some Recommended Wines from the LCBO’s Limited Time Offer selections...these are "better" value... **LIMITED-TIME OFFERS Save on these popular wines from May 26 to June 22, 2025** FOR MORE SELECTIONS, GO TO - - https://www.lcbo.com/en/products#t=clp-products&sort=relevancy&layout=card&f:@lcbo_current_offer=[On%20Sale] MALIVOIRE LADYBUG ROSÉ VQA Niagara Peninsula, Ontario, 559088 (XD – 2 g/L) 750 mL $19.95 NOW $17.95 Save $2 W H I T E W I N ES ANSELMI SAN VINCENZO IGT Veneto, Italy 948158 (XD – 6 g/L) 750 mL $18.95 NOW $16.95 Save $2. FEATHERSTONE BLACK SHEEP RIESLING Vegan, VQA Niagara Peninsula, Ontario 80234 (M – 17 g/L) 750 mL $19.95 NOW $17.95 Save $2. FLAT ROCK CELLARS CHARDONNAY VQA Niagara Peninsula, Ontario 286278 (XD – 2 g/L) 750 mL $21.95 NOW $19.95 Save $2. TAWSE SKETCHES OF NIAGARA CHARDONNAY VQA Niagara Peninsula, Ontario 89037 (XD – 3 g/L) 750 mL $21.95 NOW $19.95 Save $2. KIM CRAWFORD CHARDONNAY Marlborough/Hawke’s Bay, East Coast, New Zealand 991950 (XD – 2 g/L) 750 mL $20.95 NOW $18.95 Save $2. OYSTER BAY CHARDONNAY Marlborough, South Island, New Zealand 326728 (XD – 4 g/L) 750 mL $20.95 NOW $18.95 Save $2. OYSTER BAY SAUVIGNON BLANC Marlborough, South Island, New Zealand 316570 (XD – 4 g/L) 750 mL REG. $20.95 NOW $18.95 Save $2. XANADU VINEWORK SAUVIGNON BLANC/SEMILLON Margaret River, Western Australia, 41315 (XD – 2 g/L) 750 mL $22.95 NOW $20.95 Save $2. R E D W I N ES BERONIA RESERVA DOCa Rioja, Spain 50203 (XD – 3 g/L) 750 mL $23.95 NOW $21.95 Save $2. FAUSTINO I GRAN RESERVA DOCa Rioja, Spain 976662 (XD – 2 g/L) 750 mL $31.95 NOW $28.95 Save $3. CALVET RÉSERVE DES REMPARTS SAINT-ÉMILION AC, Bordeaux, France 31898 (XD – 4 g/L) 750 mL $24.95 NOW $22.95 Save $2. M. CHAPOUTIER LES VIGNES DE BILA HAUT CÔTES DU ROUSSILLON-VILLAGES AC, Midi, France 168716 (XD – 4 g/L) 750 mL $16.95 NOW $14.95 Save $2. REMO FARINA AMARONE DELLA VALPOLICELLA CLASSICO DOCG, Veneto, Italy 995910 (D – 7 g/L) 750 mL $42.95 NOW $40.45 Save $2. TOMMASI AMARONE DELLA VALPOLICELLA CLASSICO DOCG, Veneto, Italy 356220 (XD – 5 g/L) 750 mL $53.95 NOW $48.95 Save $5. RINGBOLT CABERNET SAUVIGNON Margaret River, Western Australia 606624 (XD – 3 g/L) 750 mL $22.95 NOW $20.95 Save $2. THE FOREIGN AFFAIR THE CONSPIRACY VQA Niagara Peninsula, Ontario 149237 (XD – 3 g/L) 750 mL $19.95 NOW $16.95 Save $3. TWO HANDS GNARLY DUDES SHIRAZ Barossa Valley, South Australia 660043 (XD – 3 g/L) 750 mL $24.95 NOW $21.95 Save $3. VILLA ANTINORI TOSCANA IGT, Tuscany, Italy 53876 (XD – 2 g/L) 750 mL $26.95 NOW $24.95 Save $2. ** Some New Wines I Tasted Over the Past Season --- REPORT ON -- Elevate Your Cellar: A Journey Through the Okanagan’s Iconic Wine Estates 2025 The Date and Time: April 22, 2025, 6PM to 8PM The Event: Mark Anthony's Private Collectors Tasting The Venue: The Bovine Wine Club (Union Station) The Target Audience: wine media, sommeliers, private wine clients The Availability/Catalogue: CheckMate Artisanal Winery, Martin's Lane, and Mission Hill (Oculus 2020 $228; Quatrain Legacy Collection 2019 $80; Compendium 2019 $79; Perpetua 2021 $66; CheckMate Fool's Mate Chardonnay 2023 $91; Martin's Lane Naramata Ranch Vineyard Pinot Noir 2019 $97; Martin's Lane Simes Vineyard Riesling 2023 $52) - mostly on consignment through Mark Anthony. The Quote/Background: this was one of a series of small wine tastings beginning in 2023, moving through 2024 and 2025 but with different wines and vintage dates from the same wineries. This sun-drenched region of British Columbia has become synonymous with craftsmanship and terroir. The Wines: There were two tables with four wines each, but I was unable to taste the eighth wine (CheckMate) because I left early. **** BEST -- Four Stars (91+ in Quality/Price Rating terms): -Mission Hill Perpetua Chardonnay 2021 -Mission Hill Compendium 2019 -Martin Lane Riesling Simes Vineyard 2023 -Mission Hill Quatrain Legacy Collection 2019 -Mission Hill Oculus 2020 -Martin Lane Pinot Noir Naramata Ranch 2019 ***1/2 BETTER -- Three and a Half Stars (87 – 90 in Quality/Price Rating terms): -CheckMate Fool's Mate Chardonnay 2023 The Food: there were a few gigantic charcuterie/cheese boards, the latter with Manchego and old Cheddar; followed by sushi Cali roll platters (about a dozen different ones - and more if you count the vegan versions). All food was catered by Bovine Club. More food was on the way but I had to leave early. The Downside: the room got congested really fast The Upside: a chance to taste wines that are not normally available in Ontario The Contact Person: kpasquali@iconicwineries.com The Event’s Marketing Effectiveness and Execution (numerical grade): 92 WORLD WINE WATCH TOP WINES AT VINTAGES: under/over $20 for MAY 24, 2025 release. By DEAN TUDOR, Gothic Epicures Writing deantudor@deantudor.com. My "Wines, Beers and Spirits of the Net", a guide to thousands of wine news items and RSS feeds, plus references to wines, beers and spirits, has been at https://pages.pathcom.com/~dtudor since 1994. These notes for better or best wines available through LCBO Vintages (on a bi-weekly basis) can always be found at http://www.gothicepicures.blogspot.ca or at https://pages.pathcom.com/~dtudor No winery can buy their way into – or out of – my publication. Scores are a combination of MVC (Modal Varietal Character, e.g. a Southern Rhone would taste like a Southern Rhone) and QPR (Quality/Price Ratio value in the marketplace, above or below its price). I was one of the first to jump on the Robert Parker bandwagon, using numerical indications for my scores in the early 1980s. Why? Because with a database I could rate, rank and order wines in any fashion. It was just so convenient using databases. Unfortunately, the numerical system has been shown to be disgraced by overuse and "inflated numbers"; thus I have quit any ranking by number. From now on, it will just be GOOD, BETTER and BEST, which will give me some wiggle room (e.g. is this wine an 87, 88, 89, or 90? Or all of them...depends on my mood and time of day). With the rigorous standards and lab testing by the LCBO, I can safely say that every single wine at the LCBO is at least GOOD, which I would numerically rank at 75-85 points. For reasons of time and space, I will NOT be listing the GOOD wines. Just the BETTER (86-89) and the BEST (90+ ) wines. This spread of points will relate to SILVER and GOLD medals, with GOOD being BRONZE. This also fits into my scheme for trade tastings. MVC/QPR=BETTER (86-89)=my basic recommendation MVC/QPR=BEST (90+ )=superior wine MAJOR THEME: Outdoor Entertaining and Rose Recommended Wines UNDER $20 ========================= W+648840 PADDY BORTHWICK RIESLING NEW ZEALAND 2023 $19.95 W+41073 WALDSCHÜTZ STRASS GRÜNER VELTLINER AUSTRIA 2023 $19.95 W+20599 FEATHERSTONE PINOT GRIGIO VQA 2024 $17.95 MVC/QPR=BEST (90+ ) W+389726 BOYA SAUVIGNON BLANC CHILE 2024 $15.95 MVC/QPR=BEST (90+ ) W+41899 AZEVEDO LOUREIRO ALVARINHO PORTUGAL 2024 $13.95 W+328559 CATHEDRAL CELLAR CHARDONNAY SOUTH AFRICA 2022 $18.95 MVC/QPR=BEST (90+ ) R+12846 SIDEWOOD STABLEMATE SHIRAZ AUSTRALIA 2021 $17.95 R+44919 FEROX VANTAGE RED VQA $16.95 MVC/QPR=BEST (90+ ) R+14424 CREEKSIDE RED TRACTOR CABERNET FRANC VQA 2020 $19.95 R+42814 M. CHAPOUTIER ROUGE CLAIR & FRAIS RHONE 2024 $18.95 R+42228 CHÂTEAU GAILLARD BEAUJOLAIS-VILLAGES 2023 $19.95 R+561290 LOUIS BERNARD LOUIS CÔTES DU RHÔNE-VILLAGES 2022 $16.95 R+994616 TERRA D'ALIGI TATONE MONTEPULCIANO D'ABRUZZO 2022 $17.95 ROSE TABLE WINE under $20 +32026 SUSANA BALBO CRIOS MALBEC ROSÉ ARGENTINA 2024 $16.95 +24747 LA POSTA MALBEC ROSÉ ARGENTINA 2024 $15.95 +552497 PELEE ISLAND LOLA CABERNET FRANC ROSÉ VQA $18.95 +319384 CARTE NOIRE HÉRITAGE ROSÉ PROVENCE $19.95 +37726 MARRENON ROSACE ROSÉ RHONE 2024 $16.95 +32401 BAGLIETTI NO.1 ORGANIC ROSÉ ITALY 2024 $15.95 +37863 BORN RAMBLA ROSÉ SPAIN 2024 $16.95 Recommended Wines OVER $20 ======================== FIZZ+401018 LABOURÉ-GONTARD BRUT CRÉMANT DE BOURGOGNE $22.95 MVC/QPR=BEST (90+ ) W+35723 LAFAZANIS GEOMETRIA ASSYRTIKO GREECE 2023 $23.95 W+82255 ROGER & DIDIER RAIMBAULT SANCERRE 2023 $39.95 MVC/QPR=BEST (90+ ) W+36416 FONTANAFREDDA DERTHONA COLLI TORTONESI TIMORASSO PIEDMONT 2023 $28.95 W+663286 AUNTSFIELD SINGLE VINEYARD SAUVIGNON BLANC NEW ZEALAND 2024 $22.95 R+41352 EVANS & TATE WILD CAPE CABERNET SAUVIGNON AUSTRALIA 2021 $21.95 R+174334 GAJA CA'MARCANDA PROMIS 2022 $79.95 R+368910 CARPINETO RISERVA VINO NOBILE DI MONTEPULCIANO TUSCANY 2019 $34.95 MVC/QPR=BEST (90+ ) R+129353 THE CHOCOLATE BLOCK 2023 SOUTH AFRICA $41.95 R+37384 ANCIANO NO. 10 GRAN RESERVA SPAIN 2016 $21.95 LIMITED TIME OFFERS: Some Recommended Wines from the LCBO’s Limited Time Offer selections...these are "better" value...quickly save on these wines on sale to May 25, 2025 -- See next paragraph below for the May 26 to June 22 LTOs.... BOTTEGA GOLD PROSECCO DOC Treviso, Veneto +621458 (D – 14 g/L) 750 mL $30.95 NOW $29.45 Save $1.50 CHÂTEAU DES CHARMES BRUT SPARKLING VQA Niagara-on-the-Lake traditional method +224766 (D – 12 g/L) 750 mL $32.95 NOW $30.95 Save $2.00 KIM CRAWFORD ROSÉ Hawke’s Bay, North Island, New Zealand +650325 (XD – 7 g/L) 750 mL $20.95 NOW $18.95 Save $2.00 LAURENT-PERRIER CUVÉE BRUT ROSÉ CHAMPAGNE +158550 (D – 11 g/L) 750 mL $119.95 NOW $109.95 Save $10.00 W H I T E W I N ES CAVE SPRING ESTATE RIESLING VQA Beamsville Bench, Niagara Escarpment, Ontario, sustainable +286377 (XD – 7 g/L) 750 mL $21.95 NOW $19.95 Save $2.00 ERADUS SAUVIGNON BLANC Awatere Valley, Marlborough New Zealand +225557 (XD – 2 g/L) 750 mL $19.95 NOW $18.95 Save $1.00 FLAT ROCK RIESLING VQA Niagara Peninsula +43281 (M – 19 g/L) 750 mL $19.95 NOW $17.95 Save $2.00 KIM CRAWFORD ILLUMINATE SAUVIGNON BLANC Marlborough New Zealand +18947 (D – 16 g/L) 750 mL $20.95 NOW $18.95 Save $2.00 STONELEIGH LATITUDE SAUVIGNON BLANC Marlborough New Zealand +40137 (XD – 3 g/L) 750 mL REG. $23.95 NOW $20.95 Save $3.00 TAWSE QUARRY ROAD ORGANIC RIESLING VQA Vinemount Ridge Niagara +198853 (M – 24 g/L) 750 mL $24.95 NOW $22.95 Save $2.00 R E D W I N ES CATENA MALBEC Mendoza, Argentina +478727 (XD – 4 g/L) 750 mL $22.95 NOW $20.95 Save $2.00 CHÂTEAU PIPEAU SAINT-ÉMILION GRAND CRU Bordeaux +302018 (XD – 3 g/L) 750 mL $44.95 NOW $40.95 Save $4.00 MAN FAMILY WINES SKAAPVELD SHIRAZ WO Cape Coast, South Africa +71332 (XD – 4 g/L) 750 mL $14.95 NOW $12.95 Save $2.00 MONTE ANTICO IGT Tuscany +69377 (D – 8 g/L) 750 mL $17.95 NOW $15.95 Save $2.00 OYSTER BAY PINOT NOIR Marlborough New Zealand +590414 (XD – 5 g/L) 750 mL $21.95 NOW $18.95 Save $3.00 RIVERA IL FALCONE RISERVA CASTEL DEL MONTE DOCG Puglia, Italy +177295 (XD – 2 g/L) 750 mL $26.95 NOW $23.95 Save $3.00 DUCA DI SARAGNANO ALCHYMIA PRIMITIVO IGT Puglia, Italy +636613 (D – 18 g/L) 750 mL REG. $21.95 NOW $18.95 Save $3.00 ******************************************************* **more LIMITED-TIME OFFERS Save on these popular wines from May 26 to June 22, 2025** FOR MORE SELECTIONS, GO TO -- https://www.lcbo.com/en/products#t=clp-products&sort=relevancy&layout=card&f:@lcbo_current_offer=[On%20Sale] MALIVOIRE LADYBUG ROSÉ VQA Niagara Peninsula, Ontario, 559088 (XD – 2 g/L) 750 mL $19.95 NOW $17.95 Save $2 W H I T E W I N ES ANSELMI SAN VINCENZO IGT Veneto, Italy 948158 (XD – 6 g/L) 750 mL $18.95 NOW $16.95 Save $2. FEATHERSTONE BLACK SHEEP RIESLING Vegan, VQA Niagara Peninsula, Ontario 80234 (M – 17 g/L) 750 mL $19.95 NOW $17.95 Save $2. FLAT ROCK CELLARS CHARDONNAY VQA Niagara Peninsula, Ontario 286278 (XD – 2 g/L) 750 mL $21.95 NOW $19.95 Save $2. TAWSE SKETCHES OF NIAGARA CHARDONNAY VQA Niagara Peninsula, Ontario 89037 (XD – 3 g/L) 750 mL $21.95 NOW $19.95 Save $2. KIM CRAWFORD CHARDONNAY Marlborough/Hawke’s Bay, East Coast, New Zealand 991950 (XD – 2 g/L) 750 mL $20.95 NOW $18.95 Save $2. OYSTER BAY CHARDONNAY Marlborough, South Island, New Zealand 326728 (XD – 4 g/L) 750 mL $20.95 NOW $18.95 Save $2. OYSTER BAY SAUVIGNON BLANC Marlborough, South Island, New Zealand 316570 (XD – 4 g/L) 750 mL REG. $20.95 NOW $18.95 Save $2. XANADU VINEWORK SAUVIGNON BLANC/SEMILLON Margaret River, Western Australia, 41315 (XD – 2 g/L) 750 mL $22.95 NOW $20.95 Save $2. R E D W I N ES BERONIA RESERVA DOCa Rioja, Spain 50203 (XD – 3 g/L) 750 mL $23.95 NOW $21.95 Save $2. FAUSTINO I GRAN RESERVA DOCa Rioja, Spain 976662 (XD – 2 g/L) 750 mL $31.95 NOW $28.95 Save $3. CALVET RÉSERVE DES REMPARTS SAINT-ÉMILION AC, Bordeaux, France 31898 (XD – 4 g/L) 750 mL $24.95 NOW $22.95 Save $2. M. CHAPOUTIER LES VIGNES DE BILA HAUT CÔTES DU ROUSSILLON-VILLAGES AC, Midi, France 168716 (XD – 4 g/L) 750 mL $16.95 NOW $14.95 Save $2. REMO FARINA AMARONE DELLA VALPOLICELLA CLASSICO DOCG, Veneto, Italy 995910 (D – 7 g/L) 750 mL $42.95 NOW $40.45 Save $2. TOMMASI AMARONE DELLA VALPOLICELLA CLASSICO DOCG, Veneto, Italy 356220 (XD – 5 g/L) 750 mL $53.95 NOW $48.95 Save $5. RINGBOLT CABERNET SAUVIGNON Margaret River, Western Australia 606624 (XD – 3 g/L) 750 mL $22.95 NOW $20.95 Save $2. THE FOREIGN AFFAIR THE CONSPIRACY VQA Niagara Peninsula, Ontario 149237 (XD – 3 g/L) 750 mL $19.95 NOW $16.95 Save $3. TWO HANDS GNARLY DUDES SHIRAZ Barossa Valley, South Australia 660043 (XD – 3 g/L) 750 mL $24.95 NOW $21.95 Save $3. VILLA ANTINORI TOSCANA IGT, Tuscany, Italy 53876 (XD – 2 g/L) 750 mL $26.95 NOW $24.95 Save $2. ** Some New Wines I Tasted Over the Past Season --- The Date and Time: Monday January 20, 1PM to 4PM The Event: Boldly NY: wines of New York pop-up tasting The Venue: Paris Paris Ossington Ave. The Target Audience: wine trade including importers The Availability/Catalogue: it was another QR code and I did not have a cell phone, but I got a list of wineries and tasted what I could. There were positions and stands for the different wineries at small tables, some of which had shared wineries. The Quote/Background: Surprisingly there were few paper "sell or tech sheets", which are cheap enough to run off. As it was, I had to write my notes on the invitation sheet. The Wines: these were mostly wineries seeking distribution in Ontario. Ten were from the Finger Lakes and included Boundary Breaks, Element Winery, Heron Hill Winery, Keuka Lake Vineyards, Living Roots Wine & Co.,Osmote, Ria's Wines, Usonia, Wagner Vineyards and Weis Vineyards. Channing Daughters came from Long Island. Dr. Konstantin Frank was there, although it already had an agent (Buyers + Cellars) as did Lamoureux Landing. I did not taste all the wines; I passed on the reds since there were many tasters ahead of me trying the reds. **** BEST -- Four Stars (91+ in Quality/Price Rating terms): -Living Roots Bone Dry Riesling 2023 -Lamoureaux Landing Riesling 2021 -Lamoureaux Landing Chardonnay 2023 (unoaked but off-dry) -Wild Arc Farm Piquette! [sparkling orange wine 2022 $10 canned] -Dr. Konstantin Frank Blanc de Blancs MC 2020 -Keuka Lakes Vineyard Evergreen Lek 2021 ($35 US) ***1/2 BETTER -- Three and a Half Stars (87 – 90 in Quality/Price Rating terms): -Ria's Wines Chardonnay Seneca Lake 2023 -Boundary Breaks Riesling 2022 -Ria's Wines Pet Nat Seneca Lake -Boundary Breaks Reserve Riesling 2023 -Ria's Wines Viva Riesling 2023 -Keuka Lakes Vineyard 20 Rows Dry Riesling 2020 ($35 US) -Weis Dry Riesling 2023 -Ria's Wines Grace Riesling 2022 -Weis Semi-Dry Riesling 2023 -Elegant Winery Can't Stop Won't Stop 2022 Chardonnay + Riesling blend -Osmote Pet Nat Cayuga White Finger Lakes -Wagner Vineyards Riesling Select 2022 -Wagner Vineyards Riesling Finger Lakes 2022 The Food: immense loaves of sourdough bread, with salted butter and olive oil. The Downside: NY wines are a tough sell in Ontario since we are right around the corner so far as the climate goes and we sell out of the VQA wines quickly here. Also, the dollar valuation does not work in the USA's favour. The Upside: a chance to taste some relatively rare and different wines. The Contact Person: melissa@amcc-inc.com The Event’s Marketing Effectiveness and Execution (numerical grade): 87 WORLD WINE WATCH TOP WINES AT VINTAGES: under/over $20 for MAY 10, 2025 release. By DEAN TUDOR, Gothic Epicures Writing deantudor@deantudor.com. My "Wines, Beers and Spirits of the Net", a guide to thousands of wine news items and RSS feeds, plus references to wines, beers and spirits, has been at https://pages.pathcom.com/~dtudor since 1994. These notes for better or best wines available through LCBO Vintages (on a bi-weekly basis) can always be found at http://www.gothicepicures.blogspot.ca or at https://pages.pathcom.com/~dtudor No winery can buy their way into – or out of – my publication. Scores are a combination of MVC (Modal Varietal Character, e.g. a Southern Rhone would taste like a Southern Rhone) and QPR (Quality/Price Ratio value in the marketplace, above or below its price). I was one of the first to jump on the Robert Parker bandwagon, using numerical indications for my scores in the early 1980s. Why? Because with a database I could rate, rank and order wines in any fashion. It was just so convenient using databases. Unfortunately, the numerical system has been shown to be disgraced by overuse and "inflated numbers"; thus I have quit any ranking by number. From now on, it will just be GOOD, BETTER and BEST, which will give me some wiggle room (e.g. is this wine an 87, 88, 89, or 90? Or all of them...depends on my mood and time of day). With the rigorous standards and lab testing by the LCBO, I can safely say that every single wine at the LCBO is at least GOOD, which I would numerically rank at 75-85 points. For reasons of time and space, I will NOT be listing the GOOD wines. Just the BETTER (86-89) and the BEST (90+ ) wines. This spread of points will relate to SILVER and GOLD medals, with GOOD being BRONZE. This also fits into my scheme for trade tastings. MVC/QPR=BETTER (86-89)=basic recommendation MVC/QPR=BEST (90+ )=superior wine MAJOR THEME: Fizz Recommended Wines UNDER $20 ========================= Fizz+648188 MIMI GRANDE RÉSERVE BRUT ROSÉ PROVENCE $19.95 Fizz+43393 NORTON COSECHA ESPECIAL EXTRA BRUT SPARKLING ARGENTINA $18.95 Rose+408476 ZONTE'S FOOTSTEP SCARLET LADYBIRD AUSTRALIA ROSÉ 2024 $18.95 W+702845 D'ARENBERG THE OLIVE GROVE CHARDONNAY AUSTRALIA 2022 $17.95 W+71233 LENZ MOSER PRESTIGE GRÜNER VELTLINER AUSTRIA 2023 $18.95 W+413757 COUILLARD RÉSERVE DU CHIRON MUSCADET SÈVRE ET MAINE 2023 $14.95 W+588814 ZACHARIAS ASSYRTIKO GREECE 2023 $17.95 W+734798 THORNBURY SAUVIGNON BLANC NEW ZEALAND 2023 $18.95 R+63537 CHÂTEAU HYOT BORDEAUX 2022 $15.95 MVC/QPR=BEST (90+ )=superior wine R+336313 GUADALUPE RED PORTUGAL 2022 $13.95 MVC/QPR=BEST (90+ )=superior wine R+574368 FINCA MONICA CRIANZA SPAIN 2019 $15.95 R+971689 D'ANGELO AGLIANICO DEL VULTURE BASILICATA 2020 $19.95 R+42756 ZUCCARDI BRAZOS DE LOS ANDES CABERNET SAUVIGNON ARGENTINA 2023 $17.95 R+478271 SISTER'S RUN OLD TESTAMENT CABERNET SAUVIGNON AUSTRALIA 2022 $18.95 R+131540 FEATHERSTONE RED TAIL MERLOT VQA 2021 $19.95 MVC/QPR=BEST (90+ )=superior wine Recommended Wines OVER $20 ======================== Fizz+175588 GRAHAM BECK MÉTHODE CAP CLASSIQUE BRUT PINOT SOUTH AFRICA $24.95 MVC/QPR=BEST (90+ )=superior wine Fizz+405035 HUFF CUVÉE JANINE SPARKLING ROSÉ VQA 2021 $34.00 Fizz+383315 FLAT ROCK RIDDLED SPARKLING VQA 2021 $39.95 Fizz+19346 THE FOREIGN AFFAIR BRUT ROSÉ SPARKLING VQA $24.95 Rose+498535 MALIVOIRE VIVANT ROSÉ VQA 2024 $21.95 W+660704 STRATUS WHITE VQA 2022 $49.20 W+733956 MALLORY & BENJAMIN TALMARD MÂCON-UCHIZY 2023 $21.95 R+157347 ENRICO SERAFINO SANAVENTO BARBARESCO PIEDMONT 2021 $37.95 MVC/QPR=BEST (90+ )=superior wine R+23374 CAPRAIA RISERVA CHIANTI CLASSICO 2020 $39.95 MVC/QPR=BEST (90+ )=superior wine R+747030 LA VITE LUCENTE TUSCANY 2022 $32.95 R+412759 STRATUS CABERNET FRANC VQA 2021 $45.20 R+48884 COUDOULET DE BEAUCASTEL CÔTES DU RHÔNE 2021 $32.95 LIMITED TIME OFFERS: Some Recommended Wines from the LCBO’s Limited Time Offer selections...these are "better" value...Save on these wines from April 28 to May 25, 2025 -- BOTTEGA GOLD PROSECCO DOC Treviso, Veneto +621458 (D – 14 g/L) 750 mL $30.95 NOW $29.45 Save $1.50 CHÂTEAU DES CHARMES BRUT SPARKLING VQA Niagara-on-the-Lake traditional method +224766 (D – 12 g/L) 750 mL $32.95 NOW $30.95 Save $2.00 KIM CRAWFORD ROSÉ Hawke’s Bay, North Island, New Zealand +650325 (XD – 7 g/L) 750 mL $20.95 NOW $18.95 Save $2.00 LAURENT-PERRIER CUVÉE BRUT ROSÉ CHAMPAGNE +158550 (D – 11 g/L) 750 mL $119.95 NOW $109.95 Save $10.00 W H I T E W I N ES CAVE SPRING ESTATE RIESLING VQA Beamsville Bench, Niagara Escarpment, Ontario, sustainable +286377 (XD – 7 g/L) 750 mL $21.95 NOW $19.95 Save $2.00 ERADUS SAUVIGNON BLANC Awatere Valley, Marlborough New Zealand +225557 (XD – 2 g/L) 750 mL $19.95 NOW $18.95 Save $1.00 FLAT ROCK RIESLING VQA Niagara Peninsula +43281 (M – 19 g/L) 750 mL $19.95 NOW $17.95 Save $2.00 KIM CRAWFORD ILLUMINATE SAUVIGNON BLANC Marlborough New Zealand +18947 (D – 16 g/L) 750 mL $20.95 NOW $18.95 Save $2.00 +Earn 50 bonus points STONELEIGH LATITUDE SAUVIGNON BLANC Marlborough New Zealand +40137 (XD – 3 g/L) 750 mL REG. $23.95 NOW $20.95 Save $3.00 TAWSE QUARRY ROAD ORGANIC RIESLING VQA Vinemount Ridge Niagara +198853 (M – 24 g/L) 750 mL $24.95 NOW $22.95 Save $2.00 R E D W I N ES CATENA MALBEC Mendoza, Argentina +478727 (XD – 4 g/L) 750 mL $22.95 NOW $20.95 Save $2.00 +Earn 75 bonus points CHÂTEAU PIPEAU SAINT-ÉMILION GRAND CRU Bordeaux +302018 (XD – 3 g/L) 750 mL $44.95 NOW $40.95 Save $4.00 MAN FAMILY WINES SKAAPVELD SHIRAZ WO Cape Coast, South Africa +71332 (XD – 4 g/L) 750 mL $14.95 NOW $12.95 Save $2.00 MONTE ANTICO IGT Tuscany +69377 (D – 8 g/L) 750 mL $17.95 NOW $15.95 Save $2.00 +Earn 30 bonus points OYSTER BAY PINOT NOIR Marlborough New Zealand +590414 (XD – 5 g/L) 750 mL $21.95 NOW $18.95 Save $3.00 RIVERA IL FALCONE RISERVA CASTEL DEL MONTE DOCG Puglia, Italy +177295 (XD – 2 g/L) 750 mL $26.95 NOW $23.95 Save $3.00 DUCA DI SARAGNANO ALCHYMIA PRIMITIVO IGT Puglia, Italy +636613 (D – 18 g/L) 750 mL REG. $21.95 NOW $18.95 Save $3.00 WORLD WINE WATCH TOP WINES AT VINTAGES: under/over $20 for APRIL 26, 2025 release. By DEAN TUDOR, Gothic Epicures Writing deantudor@deantudor.com. My "Wines, Beers and Spirits of the Net", a guide to thousands of wine news items and RSS feeds, plus references to wines, beers and spirits, has been at https://pages.pathcom.com/~dtudor since 1994. These notes for better or best wines available through LCBO Vintages (on a bi-weekly basis) can always be found at http://www.gothicepicures.blogspot.ca or at https://pages.pathcom.com/~dtudor No winery can buy their way into – or out of – my publication. Scores are a combination of MVC (Modal Varietal Character, e.g. a Southern Rhone would taste like a Southern Rhone) and QPR (Quality/Price Ratio value in the marketplace, above or below its price). I was one of the first to jump on the Robert Parker bandwagon, using numerical indications for my scores in the early 1980s. Why? Because with a database I could rate, rank and order wines in any fashion. It was just so convenient using databases. Unfortunately, the numerical system has been shown to be disgraced by overuse and "inflated numbers"; thus I have quit any ranking by number. From now on, it will just be GOOD, BETTER and BEST, which will give me some wiggle room (e.g. is this wine an 87, 88, 89, or 90? Or all of them...depends on my mood and time of day). With the rigorous standards and lab testing by the LCBO, I can safely say that every single wine at the LCBO is at least GOOD, which I would numerically rank at 75-85 points. For reasons of time and space, I will NOT be listing the GOOD wines. Just the BETTER (86-89) and the BEST (90+ ) wines. This spread of points will relate to SILVER and GOLD medals, with GOOD being BRONZE. This also fits into my scheme for trade tastings. MVC/QPR=BETTER (86-89)=my basic recommendation MVC/QPR=BEST (90+ )=superior wine MAJOR THEME: Wines for Spring Flings Recommended Wines UNDER $20 ========================= Rose+15267 STONELEIGH WILD VALLEY ROSÉ NEW ZEALAND 2024 $18.95 Rose+37864 PÉTALOS DE ARESAN ROSÉ SPAIN 2024 $13.95 W+30599 LEINDL GV GRÜNER VELTLINER AUSTRIA 2023 $19.95 W+485334 KEW MARSANNE VQA 2020 $19.95 W+200501 KONZELMANN RIESLING VQA 2023 $16.95 W+175232 SAINT-ROCH CÔTES DU ROUSSILLON CORBAROL 2021 $14.95 W+39938 CASTELFEDER REBELL RIESLING MOSEL-SAAR-RUWER 2023 $19.95 W+25713 KOUROS ASSYRTIKO GREECE 2023 $14.95 W+27182 DOMAINE HATZIMICHALIS ALEPOTRYPA VINEYARD ASSYRTIKO GREECE 2023 $18.95 W+39754 PRIMO MONTE SKIN FERMENTED NATURAL WINE ABRUZZO 2023 $18.95 W+13359 BERTANI SEREOLE SOAVE VENETO 2023 19.95 W+144386 SOHO PEGGY SAUVIGNON BLANC 2024 $18 W+41261 CUATRO RAYAS 40 VENDIMIAS VERDEJO SPAIN 2023 $14.95 R+548867 CASA SANTOS LIMA COLOSSAL RESERVA PORTUGAL 2019 $15.95 R+MARQUÉS DE LA CONCORDIA RIOJA-SANTIAGO RESERVA 2019 $18 R+606764 ARBOLEDA CABERNET SAUVIGNON CHILE 2022 $19.95 R+42731 CHATEAU DE DURETTE LES BRUYÈRES RÉGNIÉ BEAUJOLAIS 2023 $19.95 R+43441 M. CHAPOUTIER LA CIBOISE LUBERON RHONE 2022 $14.95 R+984997 TEDESCHI CAPITEL NICALÒ VALPOLICELLA SUPERIORE VENETO 2021 $19.95 R+166579 MONASTERIO DE LAS VIÑAS RESERVA 2020 $16.95 Recommended Wines OVER $20 ======================== Fizz+438200 WESTCOTT VIOLETTE SPARKLING VQA 2023 $26.95 Fizz+43594 KEW ROSALIE ROSÉ SPARKLING VQA 2019 $32.95 W+547299 BACHELDER WISMER-FOXCROFT PARCELLE NORD CHARDONNAY VQA 2022 $54.95 W+578864 LEANING POST THE FIFTY CHARDONNAY VQA 2022 $25.95 W+68825 HIDDEN BENCH ROSOMEL VINEYARD FUMÉ BLANC VQA 2022 $29.95 W+974527 VILLA MARIA CELLAR SELECTION SAUVIGNON BLANC NEW ZEALANSD 2023 $21.95 R+243592 FOWLES LADIES WHO SHOOT THEIR LUNCH WILD FERMENT SHIRAZ AUSTRALIA 2020 $34.95 R+258228 MISSION HILL COMPENDIUM BC VQA 2019 $78.95 R+39621 BACHELDER BEAM CITY PINOT NOIR VQA 2021 $39.95 R+43438 ALBERT BICHOT HAUTES COTES DE NUITS ROUGE BURGUNDY 2022 $36.95 R+19288 MONTES ALPHA SPECIAL CUVÉE PINOT NOIR CHILE 2022 $24.95 LIMITED TIME OFFERS: Some Recommended Wines from the LCBO’s Limited Time Offer selections...these are "better" value...on sale through Sunday April 27 -- better hurry!!! Fizz+991562 Bailly Lapierre Reserve Brut Cremant de Bourgogne, now $23.45, save $1.50 W+68817 Hidden Bench Estate Organic Chardonnay VQA Beamsville Bench, now $29.95, save $3 W+35t386 Kim Crawford Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc New Zealand, now $18.95, save $3 W+89037 Tawse Sketches of Niagara Chardonnay VQA, now $19.95, save $2 W+711556 Wakefield Estate Label Chardonnay Clare Valley South Australia, now $15.95, save $2 R+64618 Featherstone Cabernet Franc VQA Niagara, now $19.95, save $2 R+258673 G. Marquis The Silver Line Pinot Noir VQA NOTL, now $17.95, save $2 R+274753 Hidden Bench Estate Organic Pinot Noir VQA Beamsville Bench, now $34.95, save $3 R+58339 Kaiken Estate Malbec Mendoza Argentina, now $16.95. save $2 MORE LIMITED-TIME OFFERS Save on these wines from April 28 to May 25, 2025 BOTTEGA GOLD PROSECCO DOC Treviso, Veneto +621458 (D – 14 g/L) 750 mL $30.95 NOW $29.45 Save $1.50 CHÂTEAU DES CHARMES BRUT SPARKLING VQA Niagara-on-the-Lake traditional method +224766 (D – 12 g/L) 750 mL $32.95 NOW $30.95 Save $2.00 KIM CRAWFORD ROSÉ Hawke’s Bay, North Island, New Zealand +650325 (XD – 7 g/L) 750 mL $20.95 NOW $18.95 Save $2.00 LAURENT-PERRIER CUVÉE BRUT ROSÉ CHAMPAGNE +158550 (D – 11 g/L) 750 mL $119.95 NOW $109.95 Save $10.00 W H I T E W I N ES CAVE SPRING ESTATE RIESLING VQA Beamsville Bench, Niagara Escarpment, Ontario, sustainable +286377 (XD – 7 g/L) 750 mL $21.95 NOW $19.95 Save $2.00 ERADUS SAUVIGNON BLANC Awatere Valley, Marlborough New Zealand +225557 (XD – 2 g/L) 750 mL $19.95 NOW $18.95 Save $1.00 FLAT ROCK RIESLING VQA Niagara Peninsula +43281 (M – 19 g/L) 750 mL $19.95 NOW $17.95 Save $2.00 KIM CRAWFORD ILLUMINATE SAUVIGNON BLANC Marlborough New Zealand +18947 (D – 16 g/L) 750 mL $20.95 NOW $18.95 Save $2.00 +Earn 50 bonus points STONELEIGH LATITUDE SAUVIGNON BLANC Marlborough New Zealand +40137 (XD – 3 g/L) 750 mL REG. $23.95 NOW $20.95 Save $3.00 TAWSE QUARRY ROAD ORGANIC RIESLING VQA Vinemount Ridge Niagara +198853 (M – 24 g/L) 750 mL $24.95 NOW $22.95 Save $2.00 R E D W I N ES CATENA MALBEC Mendoza, Argentina +478727 (XD – 4 g/L) 750 mL $22.95 NOW $20.95 Save $2.00 +Earn 75 bonus points CHÂTEAU PIPEAU SAINT-ÉMILION GRAND CRU Bordeaux +302018 (XD – 3 g/L) 750 mL $44.95 NOW $40.95 Save $4.00 MAN FAMILY WINES SKAAPVELD SHIRAZ WO Cape Coast, South Africa +71332 (XD – 4 g/L) 750 mL $14.95 NOW $12.95 Save $2.00 MONTE ANTICO IGT Tuscany +69377 (D – 8 g/L) 750 mL $17.95 NOW $15.95 Save $2.00 +Earn 30 bonus points OYSTER BAY PINOT NOIR Marlborough New Zealand +590414 (XD – 5 g/L) 750 mL $21.95 NOW $18.95 Save $3.00 RIVERA IL FALCONE RISERVA CASTEL DEL MONTE DOCG Puglia, Italy +177295 (XD – 2 g/L) 750 mL $26.95 NOW $23.95 Save $3.00 DUCA DI SARAGNANO ALCHYMIA PRIMITIVO IGT Puglia, Italy +636613 (D – 18 g/L) 750 mL REG. $21.95 NOW $18.95 Save $3.00 WORLD WINE WATCH TOP WINES AT VINTAGES: under/over $20 for APRIL 12, 2025 release. By DEAN TUDOR, Gothic Epicures Writing deantudor@deantudor.com. My "Wines, Beers and Spirits of the Net", a guide to thousands of wine news items and RSS feeds, plus references to wines, beers and spirits, has been at https://pages.pathcom.com/~dtudor since 1994. These notes for better or best wines available through LCBO Vintages (on a bi-weekly basis) can always be found at http://www.gothicepicures.blogspot.ca or at https://pages.pathcom.com/~dtudor No winery can buy their way into – or out of – my publication. Scores are a combination of MVC (Modal Varietal Character, e.g. a Southern Rhone would taste like a Southern Rhone) and QPR (Quality/Price Ratio value in the marketplace, above or below its price). I was one of the first to jump on the Robert Parker bandwagon, using numerical indications for my scores in the early 1980s. Why? Because with a database I could rate, rank and order wines in any fashion. It was just so convenient using databases. Unfortunately, the numerical system has been shown to be disgraced by overuse and "inflated numbers"; thus I have quit any ranking by number. From now on, it will just be GOOD, BETTER and BEST, which will give me some wiggle room (e.g. is this wine an 87, 88, 89, or 90? Or all of them...depends on my mood and time of day). With the rigorous standards and lab testing by the LCBO, I can safely say that every single wine at the LCBO is at least GOOD, which I would numerically rank at 75-85 points. For reasons of time and space, I will NOT be listing the GOOD wines. Just the BETTER (86-89) and the BEST (90+ ) wines. This spread of points will relate to SILVER and GOLD medals, with GOOD being BRONZE. This also fits into my scheme for trade tastings. MVC/QPR=BETTER (86-89)=basic recommendation MVC/QPR=BEST (90+ )=superior wine MAJOR THEME: Perfect Pairings for Easter and Passover Recommended Wines UNDER $20 ========================= FIZZ+352856 CYGNUS SADOR ORGANIC RESERVA BRUT NATURE CAVA $19.95 W+918805 CATENA HIGH MOUNTAIN VINES CHARDONNAY ARGENTINA 2023 $20.95 MVC/QPR=BEST (90+ ) W+166942 WAKEFIELD ESTATE LABEL SAUVIGNON BLANC AUSTRALIA 2024 $17.95 W+89011 FEATHERSTONE SAUVIGNON BLANC VQA 2024 $17.95 MVC/QPR=BEST (90+ ) W+44286 SOUTHBROOK TRIOMPHE WHITE VQA 2023 $19.95 W+519025 FEATHERSTONE PHOENIX VQA 2024 $18.95 W+99309 LEYDA GARUMA COASTAL VINEYARDS SAUVIGNON BLANC CHILE 2023 $18.95 W+259788 JOSEPH CATTIN RIESLING ALSACE 2023 $17.95 MVC/QPR=BEST (90+ ) W+39443 TENUTE ORESTIADI MOLINO A VENTO CATARRATTO SICILY 2023 $14.95 W+39393 ASSULI CARINDA INSOLIA SICILY 2023 $19.95 W+13338 RADFORD DALE VINUM CHENIN BLANC SOUTH AFRICA 2023 $19.95 MVC/QPR=BEST (90+ ) W+218354 GARCIARÉVALO FINCA TRES OLMOS LIAS VERDEJO SPAIN 2023 $14.95 R+ 261867 FABRE MONTMAYOU RESERVA MALBEC ARGENTINA 2023 $19.95 R+744235 WAKEFIELD ESTATE CABERNET SAUVIGNON AUSTRALIA 2022 $19.95 MVC/QPR=BEST (90+ ) R+14148 EMILIANA NOVAS GRAN RESERVA PINOT NOIR CHILE 2023 $17.95 MVC/QPR=BEST (90+ ) R+23259 TOMMASI RAFAÈL VALPOLICELLA CLASSICO SUPERIORE 2022 $19.95 MVC/QPR=BEST (90+ ) R+421024 LAVAU CÔTES DU RHÔNE-VILLAGES 2020 $16.95 Recommended Wines OVER $20 ======================== FIZZ+42732 OEDORIA DIAMANT CRÉMANT DE BOURGOGNE BRUT SPARKLING $24.95 ROSE+319368 CHÂTEAU D'AQUÉRIA TAVEL ROSÉ 2024 $24.95 MVC/QPR=BEST (90+ ) ROSE+493171 OYSTER BAY ROSÉ NEW ZEALAND 2024 $20.95 W+99309 BACHELDER L'ARDOISE NIAGARA CHARDONNAY VQA 2022 AND 2023 $25.95 MVC/QPR=BEST (90+ ) W+461640 WILLIAM FÈVRE CHAMPS ROYAUX CHABLIS 2023 $38.95 W+648691 STAETE LANDT ANNABEL SAUVIGNON BLANC NEW ZEALAND 2022 $24.95 R+213132 LA PIEVE BAROLO 2021 $49.95 MVC/QPR=BEST (90+ ) R+236257 GRANT BURGE THE HOLY TRINITY GRENACHE/SHIRAZ/MOURVÈDRE AUSTRALIA 2021 $39.95 MVC/QPR=BEST (90+ ) R+312082 STRATUS GAMAY VQA 2023 $35.20 MVC/QPR=BEST (90+ ) R+427500 WESTCOTT ESTATE PINOT NOIR VQA 2021 $31.95 MVC/QPR=BEST (90+ ) R+392738 DOMAINE QUEYLUS TRADITION PINOT NOIR VQA 2021 $35.70 MVC/QPR=BEST (90+ ) R+230391 CHÂTEAU LAGRANGE BORDEAUX 2022 $23.95 R+20246 CHÂTEAU FONRÉAUD BORDEAUX 2012 $33.95 R+276576 POGGIOTONDO BRUNELLO DI MONTALCINO 2019 $55.95 R+42287 BERONIA 198 BARRICAS RESERVA SPAIN 2019 $25.95 LIMITED TIME OFFERS: Some Recommended Wines from the LCBO’s Limited Time Offer selections...these are "better" value...on sale through Sunday April 27, 2025.... Fizz+991562 Bailly Lapierre Reserve Brut Cremant de Bourgogne, now $23.45, save $1.50 W+68817 Hidden Bench Estate Organic Chardonnay VQA Beamsville Bench, now $29.95, save $3 W+35t386 Kim Crawford Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc New Zealand, now $18.95, save $3 W+89037 Tawse Sketches of Niagara Chardonnay VQA, now $19.95, save $2 W+711556 Wakefield Estate Label Chardonnay Clare Valley South Australia, now $15.95, save $2 R+64618 Featherstone Cabernet Franc VQA Niagara, now $19.95, save $2 R+258673 G. Marquis The Silver Line Pinot Noir VQA NOTL, now $17.95, save $2 R+274753 Hidden Bench Estate Organic Pinot Noir VQA Beamsville Bench, now $34.95, save $3 R+58339 Kaiken Estate Malbec Mendoza Argentina, now $16.95. save $2 WORLD WINE WATCH TOP WINES AT VINTAGES: under/over $20 for MARCH 29, 2025 release. THIS IS THE BLUE MOON RELEASE!!!! By DEAN TUDOR, Gothic Epicures Writing deantudor@deantudor.com. My "Wines, Beers and Spirits of the Net", a guide to thousands of wine news items and RSS feeds, plus references to wines, beers and spirits, has been at https://pages.pathcom.com/~dtudor since 1994. These notes for better or best wines available through LCBO Vintages (on a bi-weekly basis) can always be found at http://www.gothicepicures.blogspot.ca or at https://pages.pathcom.com/~dtudor No winery can buy their way into – or out of – my publication. Scores are a combination of MVC (Modal Varietal Character, e.g. a Southern Rhone would taste like a Southern Rhone) and QPR (Quality/Price Ratio value in the marketplace, above or below its price). I was one of the first to jump on the Robert Parker bandwagon, using numerical indications for my scores in the early 1980s. Why? Because with a database I could rate, rank and order wines in any fashion. It was just so convenient using databases. Unfortunately, the numerical system has been shown to be disgraced by overuse and "inflated numbers"; thus I have quit any ranking by number. From now on, it will just be GOOD, BETTER and BEST, which will give me some wiggle room (e.g. is this wine an 87, 88, 89, or 90? Or all of them...depends on my mood and time of day). With the rigorous standards and lab testing by the LCBO, I can safely say that every single wine at the LCBO is at least GOOD, which I would numerically rank at 75-85 points. For reasons of time and space, I will NOT be listing the GOOD wines. Just the BETTER (86-89) and the BEST (90+ ) wines. This spread of points will relate to SILVER and GOLD medals, with GOOD being BRONZE. This also fits into my scheme for trade tastings. MVC/QPR=BETTER (86-89)=basic recommendation MVC/QPR=BEST (90+ )=superior wine MAJOR THEME: Classic Euro wines and their New World Counterparts Recommended Wines UNDER $20 ========================= W+662775 D'ARENBERG THE HERMIT CRAB VIOGNIER/MARSANNE AUSTRALIA 2023 $17.95 MVC/QPR=BEST (90+ )=superior wine W+370098 PAUL MAS SINGLE VINEYARD COLLECTION NICOLE VINEYARD RÉSERVE VIOGNIER LANGUEDOC 2022 $16.95 MVC/QPR=BEST (90+ )=superior wine W+599274 DR. L RIESLING MOSEL-SAAR-RUWER 2023 $18.95 MVC/QPR=BEST (90+ )=superior wine W+40537 NOVUS ALTITUDE ASSYRTIKO/MOSCHOFILERO/MALAGOUSIA GREECE 2023 $15.95 R+66298 LA POSTA PIZZELLA FAMILY MALBEC ARGENTINA 2023 $17.95 R+36316 TRAPICHE TESORO MALBEC ARGENTINA 2022 $15.95 R+433060 WYNNS COONAWARRA ESTATE SHIRAZ AUSTRALIA 2021 $18.95 MVC/QPR=BEST (90+ )=superior wine R+25366 TRIUS DISTINCTION CABERNET SAUVIGNON VQA 2023 $19.95 R+42221 DOMAINE DE BEL-AIR LES GRANITS BLEUS BEAUJOLAIS-VILLAGES 2022 $19.95 R+948059 FAMILLE PERRIN SIGNATURE CÔTES DU RHÔNE 2021 $19.95 MVC/QPR=BEST (90+ )=superior wine R+39226 CORNO GRANDE MONTEPULCIANO D'ABRUZZO PREMIUM 2022 $17.95 R+39484 CA' DI RAJO CABERNET SAUVIGNON VENEZIE 2023 $17.95 R+41902 SANTOS LIMA TAVERNA DA ALDEIA PORTUGAL 2021 $13.95 MVC/QPR=BEST (90+ )=superior wine Recommended Wines OVER $20 ======================== FIZZ+42003 HENRI D'AUGAN BRUT CRÉMANT DE BORDEAUX ROSÉ SPARKLING NV $22.95 W+256552 CAVE SPRING ESTATE GROWN CAVE SPRING VINEYARD CHARDONNAY VQA 2022 $21.95 MVC/QPR=BEST (90+ )=superior wine W+424507 WESTCOTT ESTATE CHARDONNAY VQA 2022 $29.95 MVC/QPR=BEST (90+ )=superior wine W+44145 THIRTY BENCH SMALL LOT WILD CASK RIESLING VQA 2021 $32 W+18585 PASCAL BOUCHARD LE CLASSIQUE CHABLIS 2023 $31.95 W+274357 DOMAINE CHAUVEAU LA CHARMETTE POUILLY-FUMÉ 2023 $27.95 R+38499 WAPISA PATAGONIA PINOT NOIR ARGENTINA 2022 $22.95 R+11582 BACHELDER LES VILLAGES NIAGARA PINOT NOIR VQA 2022 $34.95 MVC/QPR=BEST (90+ )=superior wine R+26503 SOUTHBROOK TRIOMPHE GAMAY VQA 2021 $28.95 R+42229 LES ARBILLONS MÂCON MILLY-LAMARTINE ROUGE 2020 $21.95 R+261784 PAPALE LINEA ORO PRIMITIVO DI MANDURIA PUGLIA 2021 $26.95 MVC/QPR=BEST (90+ )=superior wine R+930966 ROCCA DELLE MACÌE RISERVA CHIANTI CLASSICO 2021 $25.95 R+681262 BANFI ROSSO DI MONTALCINO TUSCANY 2022 $26.95 R+984187 MURIEL GRAN RESERVA SPAIN 2015 $29.95 LIMITED TIME OFFERS: Some Recommended Wines from the LCBO’s Limited Time Offer selections...these are "better" value...on sale through SATURDAY March 29...you better hurry...new listing out March 31 (see next entry below)... Fizz+302752 Santa Margherita Brut Rose Sparkling Italy, was $21.95, now $19.95, save $2 W+326728 Oyster Bay Chardonnay New Zealand was $20.95, now $17.95, save $3 W+958975 Mer Soleil Reserve Chardonnay Monterey, was $29.95, now $26.95, save $3 W+1834 Susana Balbo Crios Torrontes Argentina was, $16.95, now $14.95, save $2 R+425488 Sella & Mosca Riserva Cannonau di Sardegna was $19.95, now $16.95, save $3 R+352583 Beringer Knights Valley Cabernet Sauvignon Sonoma was, $49.95, now $44.95, save $5 R+964221 Le Volte dell'Ornellaia, was $31.95, now $28.95, save $3 R+177345 Muga Reserva Rioja, was $28.95, now $26.95, save $2 R+149237 The Foreign Affair The Conspiracy VQA Niagara, was $21.95, now $18.95, save $3 R+394718 Erath Pinot Noir Oregon, was $28.95, now $25.95, save $3 R+910430 Tommasi Ripasso Valpolicella Classico Superiore, was $27.95, now $25.95, save $2.50 R+479766 Zenato Ripassa Valpolicella Ripasso Superiore, was $29.95, now $26.95, save $3 LTO deals March 31 to April 27, 2025... Fizz+991562 Bailly Lapierre Reserve Brut Cremant de Bourgogne, now $23.45, save $1.50 W+68817 Hidden Bench Estate Organic Chardonnay VQA Beamsville Bench, now $29.95, save $3 W+35t386 Kim Crawford Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc New Zealand, now $18.95, save $3 W+89037 Tawse Sketches of Niagara Chardonnay VQA, now $19.95, save $2 W+711556 Wakefield Estate Label Chardonnay Clare Valley South Australia, now $15.95, save $2 R+64618 Featherstone Cabernet Franc VQA Niagara, now $19.95, save $2 R+258673 G. Marquis The Silver Line Pinot Noir VQA NOTL, now $17.95, save $2 R+274753 Hidden Bench Estate Organic Pinot Noir VQA Beamsville Bench, now $34.95, save $3 R+58339 Kaiken Estate Malbec Mendoza Argentina, now $16.95. save $2 More LTO deals are at -- https://www.lcbo.com/en/products#t=clp-products&sort=relevancy&layout=card&f:@lcbo_current_offer=[On%20Sale] ** Some New Wines I Tasted Near the End of Last year (2024) --- REPORT ON DRINK CHILE 2024 TORONTO WINES OF CHILE ANNUAL TRADE TASTING The Date and Time: Tuesday November 12, 11:30AM to 4:30 PM The Event: Wines of Chile annual tasting in Toronto The Venue: One King Street West The Target Audience: wine trade in day time, then public at night The Availability/Catalogue:just about everything is at the LCBO The Quote/Background: it was a very pleasant stroll through the uncrowded aisles, with many familiar faces. The Wines: I could not try them all.... **** BEST -- Four Stars (91+ in Quality/Price Rating terms): -Cono Sur Sparkling Rose Pinot Noir $16.05 +365205 LCBO -Emiliana Signos de Origen Chardonnay Casablanca 2022 $21.95 +37756 Vintages -Emiliana Novas Stellar Selection Red Blend Maule $19.95 +35672 Vintages -Vina Garces Silva Organic Boya Sauvignon Blanc Leyda 2024 $15.95 +389726 Vintages -Vina Haras de Pirque Hussonet Cabernet Sauvignon 2021 Maipo $25 (Mark Anthony) -Vina las Ninas Traditional Method Sparkling Chardonnay NV Colchagua $19.95 (Hektars Agency) -Luis Felipe Edwards Gran Reserva Sauvignon Blanc 2023 Leyda $16.95 +37758 Vintages -Montes Alpha Cabernet Sauvignon 2022 Colchagua $22.95 +322586 Vintages -Vina Vik A Cabernet Sauvignon Cachapoal 2022 $48 (Bacco Imports) -Vina Vik Milla Cala Cachapoal 2021 $100 -Vina Vik La Piu Belle Cachapoal 2021 $135 -Vina Vik VIK Cachapoal $250 -Montes Folly Syrah Colchagua 2020 $90 +62356 -De Martino Viejas Tinajas Muscat Itata 2021 $47 +25921 -Don Melchor Cabernet Sauvignon 2020 +35100 $220 -Casa Bauza Presumido 2020 +38476 $40 -Garage Wine Co Cru Truquilemu DO Empedrado 2019 +24544 $71.25 ***1/2 BETTER -- Three and a Half Stars (87 – 90 in Quality/Price Rating terms): -Caliterra Tributo Chardonnay 2022 Casablanca +37748 $17.95 -Vina Carmen Delanz Cabernetv Sauvignon Alto Jahuel Maipo +41879 $29.95 -Arboleda Chardonnay Aconcagua $18.95 +606772 $18.95 -Emiliana Organic Coyam Colchagua +63891 $29.95 -Las Ninas Ella Chardonnay Organic Casablanca +37162 $13.95 -Montes Sparkling Angel $26.95 +37122 Vintages -Montes Alpha Chardonnay Aconcagua +390203 $19.95 -Montes Wings Apalta +33354 $67.95 -Montes Purple Angel 2021 Colchagua +62364 $109.95 -Montgras Intriga 2022 Maipo $23.95 (Charton Hobbs) The Food: cold cuts platter, with salami and prosciutto, two cheeses, lots of breads (soft focaccia), cooked split cherry tomatoes, marinated eggplant, tomatoes, artichokes, olives, dry cured tomatoes. The Downside: modest food platter The Upside: lots of room to move around, in the early hours of the show The Contact Person: lisa@androscom.com The Event’s Marketing Effectiveness and Execution (numerical grade): 90 WORLD WINE WATCH TOP WINES AT VINTAGES: under/over $20 for MARCH 15, 2025 release. By DEAN TUDOR, Gothic Epicures Writing deantudor@deantudor.com. My "Wines, Beers and Spirits of the Net", a guide to thousands of wine news items and RSS feeds, plus references to wines, beers and spirits, has been at https://pages.pathcom.com/~dtudor since 1994. These notes for better or best wines available through LCBO Vintages (on a bi-weekly basis) can always be found at http://www.gothicepicures.blogspot.ca or at https://pages.pathcom.com/~dtudor No winery can buy their way into – or out of – my publication. Scores are a combination of MVC (Modal Varietal Character, e.g. a Southern Rhone would taste like a Southern Rhone) and QPR (Quality/Price Ratio value in the marketplace, above or below its price). I was one of the first to jump on the Robert Parker bandwagon, using numerical indications for my scores in the early 1980s. Why? Because with a database I could rate, rank and order wines in any fashion. It was just so convenient using databases. Unfortunately, the numerical system has been shown to be disgraced by overuse and "inflated numbers"; thus I have quit any ranking by number. From now on, it will just be GOOD, BETTER and BEST, which will give me some wiggle room (e.g. is this wine an 87, 88, 89, or 90? Or all of them...depends on my mood and time of day). With the rigorous standards and lab testing by the LCBO, I can safely say that every single wine at the LCBO is at least GOOD, which I would numerically rank at 75-85 points. For reasons of time and space, I will NOT be listing the GOOD wines. Just the BETTER (86-89) and the BEST (90+ ) wines. This spread of points will relate to SILVER and GOLD medals, with GOOD being BRONZE. This also fits into my scheme for trade tastings. MVC/QPR=BETTER (86-89)=basic recommendation MVC/QPR=BEST (90+ )=superior wine MAJOR THEMES: Sustainable Italian; South African Stellenbosch; Beamsville Bench Recommended Wines UNDER $20 ========================= FIZZ+515254 VILARNAU BARCELONA RESERVA BRUT ORGANIC SPAIN CAVA $16.95 MVC/QPR=BEST (90+ )=superior wine W+186346 SIDEWOOD CHARDONNAY AUSTRALIA 2022 $18.95 W+19379 TRIUS DISTINCTION SAUVIGNON BLANC VQA 2022 $19.95 W+40441 MICHALAKIS ASSYRTIKO GREECE 2023 $16.15 W+18685 THE WINERY OF GOOD HOPE BUSH VINE CHENIN BLANC SOUTH AFRICA 2023 $15.95 W+218354 GARCIARÉVALO FINCA TRES OLMOS LIAS VERDEJO SPAIN 2023 $14.95 R+38492 ALTUS RESERVA MALBEC ARGENTINA 2021 $19.95 R+24980 KNAPPSTEIN CLARE VALLEY SHIRAZ AUSTRALIA 2021 $19.95 R+942904 D'ARENBERG D'ARRY'S ORIGINAL GRENACHE/SHIRAZ AUSTRALIA 2020 $19.95 MVC/QPR=BEST (90+ )=superior wine R+39275 FEATHERSTONE GAMAY NOIR VQA 2021 $18.95 MVC/QPR=BEST (90+ )=superior wine R+42112 MORANDE SELECCIÓN DE VIÑEDOS GRAN RESERVA CABERNET CHILE $16.95 MVC/QPR=BEST (90+ )=superior wine R+470963 DOMAINE GOURON CHINON LOIRE 2023 $17.95 R+39219 GORGHI TONDI COSTE A PREOLA NERO D'AVOLA 2022 SICILY $17.95 R+39220 TRULLO DI PEZZA MEZZAPEZZA PRIMITIVO PUGLIA 2021 $18.95 R+438713 VALDELACIERVA CRIANZA SPAIN 2019 $17.95 R+443374 RUSTENBERG STELLENBOSCH CABERNET SAUVIGNON 2022 $19.95 MVC/QPR=BEST (90+ )=superior wine R+427195 FLOR DE MAIO MAYFLOWER PORTUGAL 2021 $15.95 Recommended Wines OVER $20 ======================== W+16059 BACHELDER LES VILLAGES BENCH CHARDONNAY VQA 2022 $34.95 MVC/QPR=BEST (90+ )=superior wine W+149302 FEATHERSTONE CANADIAN OAK CHARDONNAY VQA 2023 $24.95 MVC/QPR=BEST (90+ )=superior wine W+177758 ROSEWOOD SÉMILLON VQA 2022 $21.95 W+20455 LE CLOS JORDANNE JORDAN VILLAGE CHARDONNAY VQA 2021 $30.00 MVC/QPR=BEST (90+ )=superior wine W+183491 HIDDEN BENCH ESTATE RIESLING VQA 2020 $24.95 W+10489 CHARTRON ET TRÉBUCHET POUILLY-FUISSÉ BURGUNDY 2022 $44.95 MVC/QPR=BEST (90+ )=superior wine W+38065 MAISON ROCHE DE BELLENE VIEILLES VIGNES CHABLIS 2022 $29.95 W+39744 AGANIS DI FLABE RIBOLLA GIALLA FRIULI 2023 $21.95 R+38499 WAPISA PATAGONIA PINOT NOIR ARGENTINA 2022 $22.95 R+520379 BACHELDER WISMER-PARKE SINGLE VINEYARD PINOT NOIR VQA 2022 $54.95MVC/QPR=BEST (90+ )=superior wine R+325118 PELLER PRIVATE RESERVE MERITAGE VQA 2021 $29.95 R+36194 FIELDING CABERNET FRANC VQA 2022 $26.15 R+42129 CHÂTEAU MONTLISSE BORDEAUX 2016 $54.95 R+559732 ANDRÉ GOICHOT & FILS PERNAND-VERGELESSES 2023 $42.95 R+331900 E. GUIGAL GIGONDAS RHONE 2020 $47.95 MVC/QPR=BEST (90+ )=superior wine R+906073 FAMILLE PERRIN LA GILLE GIGONDAS RHONE 2021 $32.95 MVC/QPR=BEST (90+ )=superior wine R+39225 JASCI & MARCHESANI NERUBÈ MONTEPULCIANO D'ABRUZZO 2021 $21.95 R+39475 OLIANAS CANNONAU SARDINIA 2021 $24.95 MVC/QPR=BEST (90+ )=superior wine R+630939 RICASOLI BROLIO BETTINO CHIANTI CLASSICO 2021 $28.95 R+695023 NIEPOORT VERTENTE TINTO PORTUGAL 2020 $30.95 R+446484 DESCENDIENTES DE J. PALACIOS PÉTALOS SPAIN 2022 448B 12 $22.95 MVC/QPR=BEST (90+ )=superior wine LIMITED TIME OFFERS: Some Recommended Wines from the LCBO’s Limited Time Offer selections...these are "better" value...on sale through SUNDAY March 30... Fizz+302752 Santa Margherita Brut Rose Sparkling Italy, was $21.95, now $19.95, save $2 W+326728 Oyster Bay Chardonnay New Zealand was $20.95, now $17.95, save $3 W+958975 Mer Soleil Reserve Chardonnay Monterey, was $29.95, now $26.95, save $3 W+1834 Susana Balbo Crios Torrontes Argentina was, $16.95, now $14.95, save $2 R+425488 Sella & Mosca Riserva Cannonau di Sardegna was $19.95, now $16.95, save $3 R+352583 Beringer Knights Valley Cabernet Sauvignon Sonoma was, $49.95, now $44.95, save $5 R+964221 Le Volte dell'Ornellaia, was $31.95, now $28.95, save $3 R+177345 Muga Reserva Rioja, was $28.95, now $26.95, save $2 R+149237 The Foreign Affair The Conspiracy VQA Niagara, was $21.95, now $18.95, save $3 R+394718 Erath Pinot Noir Oregon, was $28.95, now $25.95, save $3 R+910430 Tommasi Ripasso Valpolicella Classico Superiore, was $27.95, now $25.95, save $2.50 R+479766 Zenato Ripassa Valpolicella Ripasso Superiore, was $29.95, now $26.95, save $3 More LTO deals are at https://www.lcbo.com/en/products#t=clp-products&sort=relevancy&layout=card&f:@lcbo_current_offer=[On%20Sale] ** Some New Wines I Tasted Over the Past Season --- REPORT ON A TASTING OF WINES FROM ITALY 2024 TORONTO The Date and Time: November 1, 2024, 10:30AM through 5PM The Event:The GIGANTIC annual wine tasting of Italian wines -- 29th edition! The Venue: Roy Thomson Hall The Target Audience: wine media, sommeliers, restaurants, private collectors. The Availability/Catalogue: the digital catalogue was accessible; unfortunately I had no cell phone. The Quote/Background: About 93 producers participated, with well over 500 wines. There was a masterclass for about 75 people, led by Michael Godel. The class was all about understanding the evolution and current concept of Italy's IGT and IGP. The Wines: It was impossible to taste everything. So I just randomly picked tables.... **** BEST -- Four Stars (91+ in Quality/Price Rating terms): -Surnat Vinificato in Anfora 2021 Sebino Bianco IGT Lombardia Franciacorta (Le Sommelier) -Agricola Foradori Teroldega 2022 Vignet Dolormiti IGT (The Living Vine) -Rivera Maresse Bombino Bianco 2023 -Collalbrigo Prosecco Superiore Conegliano Vald -Inama Vin Soave 2023 Soave Classico DOC $22.95 LCBO -Inama Carbonare 2022 Soave Classico DOC -Ferrucio Deiana Vermentino di Sardegna DOC Arrali $32 -Mazzei Ser Lapo Chianti Classico Riserva 2020 $24.95 Vintages -Mazzei Castello Fonterutoli Chianti Classico Gran Selezione DOCG 2020 $74.95 -Lis Neris Gris 2023 DOC ***1/2 BETTER -- Three and a Half Stars (87 – 90 in Quality/Price Rating terms): -Quarticello Ferrando 2022 Lambrusco Emilia IGT (Context Wines) -Planeta Eruzione Carricante 2021 Terre Siciliane IGT (Noble Estates) -Fattoria Mancini Wines Pinot Noir Focara 2021 Colli Pesaresi DOC (P V Wine and Spirits) -Fontodi Flaccianello della Pieve 2021 Colli della Toscana Centrale IGT (Rogers and Company) -San Fabiano Calcinaia Chianti Classico 2021 DOCG [organic] (Woodman consignment) -Planeta La Segretta Grillo Sicilia -Planeta Etna DOC Contrada Taccione 2022 -Borgogno Langhe Riesling 2021 -Villa Sparina Blanc de Blancs Cortese Trad Method Piedmont -Villa Sparina Montterotondo Gavi del Commune di Gavi DOCG -Wineoclock SRL Serena Prosecco Treviso Brut Natur $22 The Food: cold cuts of beef and pork; porchetta;dried sausages; pickled mushrooms; assorted veggie crudites; sun-dried tomatoes; breads, biscotti, pasta orecchiette; pesto, olives. The Downside: it got crowded really fast, and there were many people with perfumes and colognes. The Upside: a chance to pick and choose wines The Contact Person: b.marassi@ice.it The Event’s Marketing Effectiveness and Execution (numerical grade): 89 WORLD WINE WATCH TOP WINES AT VINTAGES: under/over $20 for MARCH 1, 2025 release. By DEAN TUDOR, Gothic Epicures Writing deantudor@deantudor.com. My "Wines, Beers and Spirits of the Net", a guide to thousands of wine news items and RSS feeds, plus references to wines, beers and spirits, has been at https://pages.pathcom.com/~dtudor since 1994. These notes for better or best wines available through LCBO Vintages (on a bi-weekly basis) can always be found at http://www.gothicepicures.blogspot.ca or at https://pages.pathcom.com/~dtudor No winery can buy their way into – or out of – my publication. Scores are a combination of MVC (Modal Varietal Character, e.g. a Southern Rhone would taste like a Southern Rhone) and QPR (Quality/Price Ratio value in the marketplace, above or below its price). I was one of the first to jump on the Robert Parker bandwagon, using numerical indications for my scores in the early 1980s. Why? Because with a database I could rate, rank and order wines in any fashion. It was just so convenient using databases. Unfortunately, the numerical system has been shown to be disgraced by overuse and "inflated numbers"; thus I have quit any ranking by number. From now on, it will just be GOOD, BETTER and BEST, which will give me some wiggle room (e.g. is this wine an 87, 88, 89, or 90? Or all of them...depends on my mood and time of day). With the rigorous standards and lab testing by the LCBO, I can safely say that every single wine at the LCBO is at least GOOD, which I would numerically rank at 75-85 points. For reasons of time and space, I will NOT be listing the GOOD wines. Just the BETTER (86-89) and the BEST (90+ ) wines. This spread of points will relate to SILVER and GOLD medals, with GOOD being BRONZE. This also fits into my scheme for trade tastings. MVC/QPR=BETTER (86-89)=basic recommendation MVC/QPR=BEST (90+)=superior wine MAJOR THEME: Women in Wine Recommended Wines UNDER $20 ========================= W+356873 FLAT ROCK GOOD KHARMA CHARDONNAY VQA 2023 $17.95 MVC/QPR=BEST (90+)=superior wine W+42741 DOMAINE DE LA ROCHETTE SAUVIGNON BLANC LOIRE 2023 $14.95 MVC/QPR=BEST (90+)=superior wine W+25710 DOMDECHANT WERNER HOCHHEIM ORTSWEIN RIESLING TROCKEN RHEINGAU 2022 $19.95 W+173252 VELENOSI VILLA ANGELA PECORINO MARCHE 2023 $17.95 MVC/QPR=BEST (90+)=superior wine W+32553 SHEILD SAUVIGNON BLANC NEW ZEALAND 2023 $18.95 W+41444 NEDERBURG THE WINEMASTERS CHARDONNAY SOUTH AFRICA 2022 $18.95 MVC/QPR=BEST (90+)=superior wine R+42109 LEYDA COASTAL VINEYARD CANELO SYRAH CHILE 2020 $18.95 R+309260 LE GRAVILLAS SÉGURET CÔTES DU RHÔNE-VILLAGES 2021 $19.95 R+38859 PLAIMONT GÉOGLYPHE GRAND VIN SOUTHWEST FRANCE 2018 $19.95 R+278150 NIRO DI CITRA MONTEPULCIANO D'ABRUZZO 2021 $17.95 R+366955 MASSERIA ALTEMURA SASSEO PRIMITIVO PUGLIA 2021 $17.95 R+476002 LUNGAROTTI L'UM UMBRIA ROSSO UMBRIA 2022 $17.95 R+471854 RIOJA VEGA CRIANZA 2020 $15.95 R+190694 EVEL TINTO PORTUGAL 2021 $14.95 Recommended Wines OVER $20 ======================== FIZZ+16602 ALBINO ARMANI EXTRA DRY CONEGLIANO VALDOBBIADENE PROSECCO FRIULI $21.95 MVC/QPR=BEST (90+)=superior wine ROSE+43624 DREA'S ROSATO VQA 2023 $26.50 MVC/QPR=BEST (90+)=superior wine W+384339 SUSANA BALBO SIGNATURE BARREL FERMENTED TORRONTÉS ARGENTINA 2024 $22.95 W+566026 CAVE SPRING CSV CAVE SPRING VINEYARD ESTATE GROWN RIESLING $34.95 MVC/QPR=BEST (90+)=superior wine W+692632 PELLER PRIVATE RESERVE SAUVIGNON BLANC VQA 2023 $23.95 W+366419 DOMAINE DU COLOMBIER CHABLIS 2023 $32.95 R+492413 CATENA PARAJE ALTAMIRA MALBEC ARGENTINA 2022 $23.95 MVC/QPR=BEST (90+)=superior wine R+142398 WAKEFIELD JARAMAN CABERNET SAUVIGNON AUSTRALIA 2022 $24.95 R+553313 MISSION HILL RESERVE MERLOT BC VQA 2021 $33 R+30252 TAWSE SKETCHES CABERNET/MERLOT VQA 2021 $22.95 MVC/QPR=BEST (90+)=superior wine R+30073 THIRTY BENCH WINEMAKER'S BLEND CABERNET FRANC VQA 2021 $26.95 R+41424 STÉPHANE AVIRON JULIENAS BEAUJOLAIS 2022 $22.95 R+937128 FORIS ROGUE VALLEY PINOT NOIR OREGON 2023 $29.95 MVC/QPR=BEST (90+)=superior wine R+525931 CHÂTEAU VIEUX CHEVROL BORDEAUX 2020 $34.95 R+330704 BENI DI BATASIOLO RISERVA BAROLO 2015 $45.95 R+994095 ALTESINO BRUNELLO DI MONTALCINO 2019 $67.95 R+222109 MICHELE CASTELLANI COLLE CRISTI AMARONE DELLA VALPOLICELLA $48.95 LIMITED TIME OFFERS: Some Recommended Wines from the LCBO’s Limited Time Offer selections...these are "better" value...on sale now to March 2...Since this newsletter covers through March 1, then you had better hurry if you want to take advantage of the sale -- one day left !! +35386 Kim Crawford Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc New Zealand now $18.95, save $3 +926626 Famille Perrin Les Sinards Chateauneuf-du-Pape Rhone now $40.95, save $3 +322586 Montes Alpha Cabernet Sauvignon Chile now $20.95, save $2 +595280 Porcupine Ridge Syrah South Africa $13.95, save $3 +145920 Tenuta Frescobaldi di Castiglioni Tuscany now $21.95, save $3 +303800 Trius Red VQA Niagara now $25.95, save $2 +48793 Louis Bouillot Perle d'Aurore Brut Rose Cremant de Bourgogne $24.95, save $2 The next LTO dates are March 3 to March 29... More LTO deals are at https://www.lcbo.com/en/products#t=clp-products&sort=relevancy&layout=card&f:@lcbo_current_offer=[On%20Sale] ** Some New Wines I Tasted Over the Past Season --- REPORT ON THE CGU PORTFOLIO TASTING IN NOVEMBER The Date and Time: November 1, 2024 2PM - 5 PM The Event: 2024 Fall CGU Portfolio Tasting The Venue: Vintage Conservatory - King Street The Target Audience: private clients, restaurants, wine media and sommeliers The Availability/Catalogue: we had a simple listing of some 26 wines with all relevant information about regions, vintage dates, and prices. The Quote/Background: It was a quick tasting in that there were only two dozen or so wines, with no food. There were 4 tables with about 6 wines each. The Wines: I tasted all the wines. Prices are retail. **** BEST -- Four Stars (91+ in Quality/Price Rating terms): -Moritz Kissinger Winzersekt Extra Brut Nr. 2 NV $52.57 -Weingut A.J.Adam Hofberg CG 2022 $84.76 -Kinsman Eades 2022 Aisana Sauvignon Blanc $177.84 -Le Clos du Gravillas Lo Vielh Carignan de 100 Ans 2021 $45.17 (my fave red of this tasting) -Jean-Baptiste Souillard Saint Joseph 2022 $58.12 -Jean-Baptiste Crozes-Hermitage Les Baties 2022 $84.02 -Domaine des Ardoisieres Schiste Blanc 2022 $99.23 -Champagne Dhondt-Grellet Dans Un Premier Temps NV $119.44 -Domaine Genot-Boulanger Pommard 2021 $131.35 -Domaine Genot-Boulanger Meursault Savigny Les Beaune Vieilles Vignes 2021 $105.45 -Domaine Genot-Boulanger Meursault Clos du Cromin 2021 $175.75 -Domaine Arnoux-Lachaux Bourgogne Pinot Fin 2020 $416.24 -Laurent Ponsot Griotte Chambertin Grand Cru Cuvee du Saule 2019 Rouge $989.76 -Laurent Ponsot Meursault 1er Cru Blagny Cuvee du Myosotis 2019 $220.33 -Domaine des Terres de Velle Auxey-Duresses Les Bulles par Terres de Velle Extra Brut NV $36.05 -Domaine des Terres de Velle Auxey-Duresses Corton-Charlemagne Grand Cru 2021 $250.82 - ***1/2 BETTER -- Three and a Half Stars (87 – 90 in Quality/Price Rating terms): -Weingut Peter Jakob Kuhn Jacobus Rheingau 2022 $37.77 -Moritz Kissinger OHM White 2022 $39.99 -Niew Vineyards Chardonnay 2022 Eola-Amity Hills $154.36 -Thiriet Bourgogne Rouge Les Chagniots 2022 $101.75 -Domaine David Duband Vosne-Romanee 2021 $154.48 -Domaine Garcia Aloxe Corton 1er Cru Le Calozieres 2022 $249.75 -Armand Heitz Morey-Saint Denis 1er Cru Monts Luisants 2021 $342.24 -Gautheron d'Anost Bourgogne Hautes Cotes de Beaune 2022 $64.76 The Food: none The Downside: It was crowded with small tables. The Upside: it was a small tasting which allowed me to taste everything!! The Contact Person: jade@cgufinewines.com; info@cgufinewines.com; cgufinewines@gmail.com The Event’s Marketing Effectiveness and Execution (numerical grade): 91 WORLD WINE WATCH TOP WINES AT VINTAGES: under/over $20 for FEB 15, 2025 release. By DEAN TUDOR, Gothic Epicures Writing deantudor@deantudor.com. My "Wines, Beers and Spirits of the Net", a guide to thousands of wine news items and RSS feeds, plus references to wines, beers and spirits, has been at https://pages.pathcom.com/~dtudor since 1994. These notes for better or best wines available through LCBO Vintages (on a bi-weekly basis) can always be found at http://www.gothicepicures.blogspot.ca or at https://pages.pathcom.com/~dtudor No winery can buy their way into – or out of – my publication. Scores are a combination of MVC (Modal Varietal Character, e.g. a Southern Rhone would taste like a Southern Rhone) and QPR (Quality/Price Ratio value in the marketplace, above or below its price). I was one of the first to jump on the Robert Parker bandwagon, using numerical indications for my scores in the early 1980s. Why? Because with a database I could rate, rank and order wines in any fashion. It was just so convenient using databases. Unfortunately, the numerical system has been shown to be disgraced by overuse and "inflated numbers"; thus I have quit any ranking by number. From now on, it will just be GOOD, BETTER and BEST, which will give me some wiggle room (e.g. is this wine an 87, 88, 89, or 90? Or all of them...depends on my mood and time of day). With the rigorous standards and lab testing by the LCBO, I can safely say that every single wine at the LCBO is at least GOOD, which I would numerically rank at 75-85 points. For reasons of time and space, I will NOT be listing the GOOD wines. Just the BETTER (86-89) and the BEST (90+ ) wines. This spread of points will relate to SILVER and GOLD medals, with GOOD being BRONZE. This also fits into my scheme for trade tastings. MVC/QPR=BETTER (86-89)=basic recommendation MVC/QPR=BEST (90+ )=superior wine MAJOR THEME: Australia Recommended Wines UNDER $20 ========================= W+42293 DOMAINE BOUSQUET ORGANIC RESERVE CHARDONNAY 2023 ARGENTINA $19.95 W+251470 TRIUS DISTINCTION BARREL FERMENTED CHARDONNAY VQA 2023 $19.95 MVC/QPR=BEST (90+ ) W+40326 LES COSTIÈRES DE POMÉROLS LE JADE VIOGNIER 2023 LANGUEDOC $15.95 W+42392 DOMAINE FONT SARADE LE BLANC VIOGNIER RHONE 2023 $19.95 W+631622 COLLAVINI T FRIULANO 2022 $16.95 W+39380 PASQUA BLACK LABEL ITALIANO CHARDONNAY 2022 VENETO $17.95 W+41453 ALVI'S DRIFT SIGNATURE SAUVIGNON BLANC 2023 SOUTH AFRICA $14.95 R+38491 LA BELLE MARGUERITE MALBEC 2021 ARGENTINA $17.85 R+41309 STONEHAVEN STEPPING STONE CABERNET SAUVIGNON 2020 AUSTRALIA $16.95 MVC/QPR=BEST (90+ ) R+33501 THORN-CLARKE BAROSSA SHIRAZ 2022 AUSTRALIA $19.95 R+12990 CHÂTEAU CAMPLONG GRANDE RÉSERVE CORBIÈRES 2023 $13.95 R+39282 NESTORE BOSCO LINEA CLASSICA MONTELPULCIANO D'ABRUZZO 2020 $16.95 MVC/QPR=BEST (90+ ) R+11152 COUTADA VELHA SIGNATURE RED 2022 PORTUGAL $14.95 Recommended Wines OVER $20 ======================== W+632034 TYRRELL'S HUNTER VALLEY SEMILLON 2023 AUSTRALIA $24.95 MVC/QPR=BEST (90+ ) R+135202 KAIKEN ULTRA CABERNET SAUVIGNON 2021 ARGENTINA $22.95 MVC/QPR=BEST (90+ ) R+41310 SMALL VICTORIES EDEN VALLEY SHIRAZ 2022 AUSTRALIA $24.95 R+33894 LE CLOS JORDANNE JORDAN VILLAGE PINOT NOIR VQA 2021 $30.00 MVC/QPR=BEST (90+ ) R+389759 CASAS DEL BOSQUE GRAN RESERVA SYRAH 2022 CHILE $22.95 R+534339 VAUCHER PÈRE & FILS FLEURIE 2022 BEAUJOLAIS $20.95 R+384271 CHÂTEAU MAGNOL 2021 BORDEAUX $27.95 MVC/QPR=BEST (90+ ) R+42394 DOMAINE FONT SARADE LES HAUTS DE LA PONCHE VACQUEYRAS RHONE 2022 $28.95 R+39229 ARBÉTA BARBARESCO 2019 $39.95 R+39165 SAN BIAGIO COMMUNE DI LA MORRA BAROLO 2019 $48.95 R+39401 PIAN DELLE QUERCI BRUNELLO DI MONTALCINO 2019 $45.95 R+11228 SIGLO GRAN RESERVA 2015 SPAIN $24.95 LIMITED TIME OFFERS: Some Recommended Wines from the LCBO’s Limited Time Offer selections...these are "better" value...on sale from Feb 3 to March 2 -- and there is no HST through February 15...so you'll save more ...!!! +35386 Kim Crawford Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc New Zealand now $18.95, save $3 +926626 Famille Perrin Les Sinards Chateauneuf-du-Pape Rhone now $40.95, save $3 +322586 Montes Alpha Cabernet Sauvignon Chile now $20.95, save $2 +595280 Porcupine Ridge Syrah South Africa $13.95, save $3 +145920 Tenuta Frescobaldi di Castiglioni Tuscany now $21.95, save $3 +303800 Trius Red VQA Niagara now $25.95, save $2 +48793 Louis Bouillot Perle d'Aurore Brut Rose Cremant de Bourgogne $24.95, save $2 More LTO deals at https://www.lcbo.com/en/products#t=clp-products&sort=relevancy&layout=card&f:@lcbo_current_offer=[On%20Sale] ** Some New Wines I Tasted Over the Past Season --- REPORT ON INSTITUTO GRANDI MARCHI TORONTO OCTOBER 2024 The Date and Time: October 16, 2024, 11AM to 4:30PM The Event: Wine tasting of Instituto Grandi Marchi in Toronto The Venue: Arcadian Loft The Target Audience: wine writers and sommeliers, wine trade agents The Quote/Background: Grandi Marchi here means "wine family heritage" -- these are some of the oldest wineries in Italy. There are 18 members but only 14 were at the show. The Wines: We tasted 54 wines that were available. The masterclass explained the nature of the families and wine samples augmented this. **** BEST -- Four Stars (91+ in Quality/Price Rating terms): -Ca" del Bosco Annamaria Clementi Franciacorta DOCG Riserva 2015 -Umani Ronchi Vecchie Vigne Verdicchio dei Castelli di Jesi DOC Classico Superiore 2022 -Vinchio Vaglio Moscato D’Asti -Podere Casanova Settecento 2018 -Vinchio Vaglie Barbera d’Asti Vechie Vigne 2021 -Vinchio Vaglie Nizza Laudana 2020 -Castello di Selvole Chianti Gran Selezione 2019 -Castello di Melet Chianti Gran Selezione 2020 -Castello di Fonterutoli Chianti Gran Selezione 2020 -Tasca d'Almerita Rosso del Conte Contea di Sciafani DOC 2018 -Tenuta San Leonardo Vigneti delle Dolomiti IGT 2016 -Michele Chiaro Cerequio Barolo DOCG Riserva 2016 -Col d'Orcia Poggio al Vento Brunello di Montalcino DOCG Riserva 2016 -Masi Costasera Riserva Amarone della Valpolicella Classico DOCG Riserva 2018 -Serego Alighieri Possessioni Veneto 2013 -Jermann Bianco Venetia IGT 2022 Where Dreams Have No End -Michele Chiaro Barbaresco 2021 ***1/2 BETTER -- Three and a Half Stars (87 – 90 in Quality/Price Rating terms): -Carpene Malvolti 1868 Rive di San Pietro di Barbozza Conegliano Valdobbiadene Prosecco Superiore DOCG Brut -Jermann Vintage Tunina Venezia Giulia IGT 2022 -Ambrogio e Giovanni Folonari Tenute Cabreo Il Borgo Toscana Chianti Region IGT 2021 -Lungarotti Montefalco Sagrantino DOCG 2020 -Mastroberardino Stilema Taurasi DOCG Riserva 2016 -Cantina Nativ Fiano d’Avellion 2023 -Cantina Nativ Greco di Tufo 2023 -Obiz Friulano 2023 -Cecci Chardonnay 2023 -Feudi di Romans Ribolla Gialla 2023 -Mezzacorona Rotari Prosecco -Rivera Marese Bombino Bianco Castel del Monte DOC 2023 -San Leonardo Vette Sauvignon Blanc 2023 -Michele Chiarlo Gavi 2023 -Lungarotti Torre de Giano 2023 -Mastroberardino Greco di Tufo 2013 -Masterberardino Fiano de Avellino 2023 The Food: we had the cheese and charcuterie platters, Atlantic salmon salad sandwich, quinoa and eggplant wrap, crispy chicken ciabatta and tomatoes, beef flat iron pretzel sandwich -- all with smoked cheddar cheeses available as well as smoked jalapeno aioli. Catered by Oliver & Bonacini The Downside: I missed tasting Donnafugata and Antinori wines (these families did not come to Toronto) The Upside: the foods were a great match for the various wines. The Contact Person: b.marassi@ice.it The Event’s Marketing Effectiveness and Execution (numerical grade): WORLD WINE WATCH TOP WINES AT VINTAGES: under/over $20 for FEBRUARY 1, 2025 release. By DEAN TUDOR, Gothic Epicures Writing deantudor@deantudor.com. My "Wines, Beers and Spirits of the Net", a guide to thousands of wine news items and RSS feeds, plus references to wines, beers and spirits, has been at https://pages.pathcom.com/~dtudor since 1994. These notes for better or best wines available through LCBO Vintages (on a bi-weekly basis) can always be found at http://www.gothicepicures.blogspot.ca or at https://pages.pathcom.com/~dtudor No winery can buy their way into – or out of – my publication. Scores are a combination of MVC (Modal Varietal Character, e.g. a Southern Rhone would taste like a Southern Rhone) and QPR (Quality/Price Ratio value in the marketplace, above or below its price). I was one of the first to jump on the Robert Parker bandwagon, using numerical indications for my scores in the early 1980s. Why? Because with a database I could rate, rank and order wines in any fashion. It was just so convenient using databases. Unfortunately, the numerical system has been shown to be disgraced by overuse and "inflated numbers"; thus I have quit any ranking by number. From now on, it will just be GOOD, BETTER and BEST, which will give me some wiggle room (e.g. is this wine an 87, 88, 89, or 90? Or all of them...depends on my mood and time of day). With the rigorous standards and lab testing by the LCBO, I can safely say that every single wine at the LCBO is at least GOOD, which I would numerically rank at 75-85 points. For reasons of time and space, I will NOT be listing the GOOD wines. Just the BETTER (86-89) and the BEST (90+ ) wines. This spread of points will relate to SILVER and GOLD medals, with GOOD being BRONZE. This also fits into my scheme for trade tastings. MVC/QPR=BETTER (86-89)=my basic recommendation MVC/QPR=BEST (90+ )=superior wine MAJOR THEME: Top French Wine Regions Recommended Wines UNDER $20 ========================= Fizz+42007 CELENE CUVÉE ROYAL BRUT CRÉMANT DE BORDEAUX NV $17.95 MVC/QPR=BEST (90+ ) W+37912 D'ARENBERG THE STUMP JUMP SAUVIGNON BLANC AUSTRALIA 2023 $14.95 W+224626 JOSEPH CATTIN GEWURZTRAMINER ALSACE 2023 $18.95 MVC/QPR=BEST (90+ ) W+38155 CHÂTEAU MARIE PLAISANCE LE BRIN SOUTH OF FRANCE 2022 $14.95 MVC/QPR=BEST (90+ ) W+19691 PATERNOSTER VULCANICO FALANGHINA BASILICATA 2022 $19.95 W+707950 ATTEMS PINOT GRIGIO FRIULI 2023 $19.95 W+231282 KEN FORRESTER OLD VINE RESERVE CHENIN BLANC SOUTH AFRICA 2024 $18.95 R+35672 EMILIANA NOVAS STELLAR SELECTION CABERNET CHILE $17.95 2022 MVC/QPR=BEST (90+ ) R+38266 CAVE DU CHÂTEAU DES LOGES LES 3 MADONES BEAUJOLAIS-VILLAGES 2022 $19.95 R+32040 FONCALIEU VIA NOSTRUM LANGUDOC 2020 $18.95 R+539916 ROC DES TEMPLIERS PLAN DE DIEU CÔTES DU RHÔNE-VILLAGES 2022 $15.95 R+134544 MONTE DEL FRÀ BARDOLINO VENETO 2023 $16.95 R+431064 HERDADE PESO TRINCA BOLOTAS TINTO PORTUGAL 2022 $16.95 Recommended Wines OVER $20 ======================== Fizz+267039 NICOLAS FEUILLATTE BRUT ROSÉ NV CHAMPAGNE $64.95 MVC/QPR=BEST (90+ ) W+17633 LAKEVIEW BARREL-AGED CHARDONNAY VQA 2020 $24.95 W+38077 DEUX ROCHES TRADITION MACON-VILLAGES 2022 $27.95 W+695908 JEAN PABIOT ET FILS DOMAINE DES FINES CAILLOTTES POUILLY-FUMÉ 2022 $30.20 R+42612 HINTERBROOK RESERVE CABERNET FRANC VQA 2017 $49.95 R+418111 TRIUS SHOWCASE CLARK FARM PINOT NOIR VQA 2022 $45.00 R+42111 MORANDÉ VITIS ÚNICA PINOT NOIR CHILE 2022 $20.95 R+41082 CHÂTEAU HAUTS DE PLAISANCE BORDEAUX 2016 $24.95 MVC/QPR=BEST (90+ ) R+38093 VIGNERONS DE BEL-AIR BOURGOGNE PINOT NOIR 2022 $29.95 R+643205 CASTELLI DEL GREVEPESA CLEMENTE VII RISERVA CHIANTI CLASSICO $24.95 2020 R+132597 ESCONDIDO TEMPRANILLO SPAIN 2020 $18.95 LIMITED TIME OFFERS: Some Recommended Wines from the LCBO’s Limited Time Offer selections...these are "better" value...especially since there is also no HST in the price (most of these wines are now about $5 less on "double" sale through Sunday February 2 -- better hurry!! W+158683 La Crema Monterey Chardonnay 2023, now $27.95. save $2...now $24.50 since there is no HST! a total savings of $5.45 a bottle. W+18947 Kim Crawford Illuminate Sauvignon Blanc Marlborough New Zealand, now $17.95, save $3 R+36483 Torres Gran Coronas Reserva Cabernet Sauvignon Penedes, now $17.95, save $2 R+328567 Cathedral Cellar Cabernet Sauvignon South Africa, now $16.95, save $3 R+295410 Michel Gassier Nostre Pais 2021 Costieres de Nimes, now $23.95, save $2 R+383018 Ramirez de la Piscina Crianza Rioja $16.95, save $4 FIZZ+302752 Santa Margherita Brut Rose Sparkling Italy, now $19.95, save $2 ** Some New Wines I Tasted Over the Past Season --- REPORT ON STEM WINE PORTFOLIO TASTING OCTOBER 30, 2024 The Date and Time: October 30, 2024, 2PM to 9PM The Event: 20th Anniversary Edition of Stem Wine Group Inc.'s Portfolio Tasting The Venue: Globe & Mail Event Centre The Target Audience: wine media, sommeliers, collectors, private clients, etc. The Availability/Catalogue: everything in the catalogue is available. The book itself weighs over a pound. The Quote/Background: It was a walkaround tasting, moving at its own pace, with plenty of wine to sample. The majority of wines came from Italy, followed by France, Spain, Chile, Argentina, Mexico, Australia, New Zealand, USA, and Ontario Canada. The book gave us a label reproduction, grape names, regions, vintage dates and prices. Many producers and/or their North American reps were pouring. It's always an interesting experience. The Wines: I could only taste a few of the wines: there were so many, plus beers and spirits and sparklers. Prices do not include HST or bottle deposit. **** BEST -- Four Stars (91+ in Quality/Price Rating terms): -Anno Domini Vyds Moscato IGT Veneto Frizzante $14.99 -Tombacco Pecorino IGT Terre di Chieti $16.99 -Delibori Amarone della Valpolicella Classico Superiore DOCG $52.99 -Zyme From Black to White Il Bianco 2020 IGP $33.99 -Zyme 60 20 20 Cabernet IGP 2020 $82.99 -Zyme Kairos IGP 2020 $132.99 -Zyme Amarone dell Valpolicella Classico 2018 DOCG $209.99 -Zyme La Mattonara Amarone Classico Riserva 2009 DOP $519.99 -Zyme Harlequin 2016 IGP $519.99 -Corteaura Franciacorta Brut DOCG $39.99 -Corteaura Franciacorta Rose DOCG $47.99 -Ronco Del Gelso Siet Vignis Chardonnay 2022 DOC $36.99 -La Chiara Gavi del Comune di Gavi 2023 DOCG $23.99 -Giulia Negri La Tartufaia Barolo 2020 DOCG $89.99 -Giulia Negri Serradenari Barolo 2020 DOCG $129.99 -Giulia Negri Marassio Barolo 2020 DOCG $189.99 -Arnaldorivera Rocche di Castiglione Barolo 2020 DCG $184.99 -Gaja Alteni di Brassica 2021 DOP $239.99 -Castello Monsanto Il Poggio Gran Selezione Chianti Classico 2018 DOCG $109.99 --Settesoli Vermentino 2022 IGT $14.99 -La Manufacture Blanchot Chablis Grand Cru 2022 $139.99 -Tome Arzabal Albarino 2023 Yakima Valley AVA $34.99 -Citation Chardonnay Oregon 2015 $59.99 -Citation Pinot Noir Willamette Valley 2015 $61.99 ***1/2 BETTER -- Three and a Half Stars (87 – 90 in Quality/Price Rating terms): -Delibori Garda Chardonnay IGT 2023 $13.99 -Schreckbichl Colterenzio Altikirch Chardonnay 2023 $24.99 -Deltetto Il Fondatore Barolo 2017 DOCG $74.99 -Ca' del Baio Luna d'Agosto Langhe Chardonnay 2023 DOC $23.99 -Villa a Sesta Sarleone Gran Selezione Chianti Classico 2018 $59.99 -Gaja Rossj Bass 2022 DOP $139.99 -Gaja Dagromis Barolo 2020 DOP $169.99 -La Manufacture Bourgogne 2022 Cote d'Auxerre $33.99 -Castell d'Or Cava Rose NV $18.99 -Precision Adorn Chardonnay 2021 California $18.99 -Butternut Chardonnay 2021 California $23.99 The Food: Piano Piano was present with rigatoni Bolognese and cavatelli mushrooms and truffles; Edna + Vita fed us with tuna crudo, whipped ricotta and beet crostini, mortadella grissini and pistachio pesto, polpette and polenta; kb from Whitby provided us with beef tartare, wild boar crisps, deep-fried rabbit and polenta balls. Amazing food. The Downside: it got crowded really fast The Upside: I could not taste every wine that I wanted to - I ran out of palate. So sad. The Contact Person: tania@stemwinegroup.com or tony@stemwinegroup.com The Event’s Marketing Effectiveness and Execution (numerical grade): 94 WORLD WINE WATCH TOP WINES AT VINTAGES: under/over $20 for JANUARY 18, 2025 release. By DEAN TUDOR, Gothic Epicures Writing deantudor@deantudor.com. My "Wines, Beers and Spirits of the Net", a guide to thousands of wine news items and RSS feeds, plus references to wines, beers and spirits, has been at https://pages.pathcom.com/~dtudor since 1994. These notes for better or best wines available through LCBO Vintages (on a bi-weekly basis) can always be found at http://www.gothicepicures.blogspot.ca or at https://pages.pathcom.com/~dtudor No winery can buy their way into – or out of – my publication. Scores are a combination of MVC (Modal Varietal Character, e.g. a Southern Rhone would taste like a Southern Rhone) and QPR (Quality/Price Ratio value in the marketplace, above or below its price). I was one of the first to jump on the Robert Parker bandwagon, using numerical indications for my scores in the early 1980s. Why? Because with a database I could rate, rank and order wines in any fashion. It was just so convenient using databases. Unfortunately, the numerical system has been shown to be disgraced by overuse and "inflated numbers"; thus I have quit any ranking by number. From now on, it will just be GOOD, BETTER and BEST, which will give me some wiggle room (e.g. is this wine an 87, 88, 89, or 90? Or all of them...depends on my mood and time of day). With the rigorous standards and lab testing by the LCBO, I can safely say that every single wine at the LCBO is at least GOOD, which I would numerically rank at 75-85 points. For reasons of time and space, I will NOT be listing the GOOD wines. Just the BETTER (86-89) and the BEST (90+ ) wines. This spread of points will relate to SILVER and GOLD medals, with GOOD being BRONZE. This also fits into my scheme for trade tastings. MVC/QPR=BETTER (86-89)=my basic recommendation MVC/QPR=BEST (90+ )=superior wine MAJOR THEMES: California Sustainability; Local Talent Reds Recommended Wines UNDER $20 ========================= W+447425 MOUNT RILEY LIMITED RELEASE SAUVIGNON BLANC NEW ZEA 2024 $19.95 W+117945 TAHBILK MARSANNE 2023 AUSTRALIA $19.95 MVC/QPR=BEST (90+ ) R+981175 DOMAINE DE LA MADONE LE PERRÉON BEAUJOLAIS-VILLAGES 2023 $19.95 R+452029 PIATTELLI LUJÁN DE CUYO RESERVE MALBEC 2022 ARGENTINA $15.50 R+360636 SISTER'S RUN BETHLEHEM BLOCK CABERNET SAUVIGNON 2022 $19.95 R+13434 ESCUDO ROJO GRAN RESERVA CABERNET SAUVIGNON CHILE 2022 $17.95 MVC/QPR=BEST (90+ ) R+195107 SAINT-ROCH CORBAROL SYRAH/GRENACHE FRANCE 2022 $16.95 R+38858 CAMPET SAINT MARIE VIEILLES VIGNES SAINT-CHINIAN 2022 $15.95 R+38650 DOMAINE CHANTEPIERRE LIRAC 2021 $18.95 R+120907 VESEVO BENEVENTANO AGLIANICO CAMPANIA 2022 $17.95 R+455220 SAN MARZANO TALÒ PRIMITIVO DI MANDURIA PUGLIA 2022 $17.45 Recommended Wines OVER $20 ======================== FIZZ+515262 DE CHANCENY BRUT CRÉMANT DE LOIRE $21.95 MVC/QPR=BEST (90+ ) W+36895 KONRAD SAUVIGNON BLANC 2022 SOUTH AFRICA $22.95 W+38089 ALAIN GEOFFROY VAU-LIGNEAU CHABLIS 1ER CRU $44.95 MVC/QPR=BEST (90+ ) W+466144 J. MOREAU & FILS GLORIE DE CHABLIS 2023 $31.95 R+42483 STONEY RIDGE SMALL LOT BUCKNALL VINEYARD GAMAY NOIR 2022 $22.95 R+41303 CHÂTEAU FERRAN 2023 $34.95 R+41302 CHÂTEAU FERRAN 2019 $37.95 R+42482 FOGOLAR PICONE VINEYARD CABERNET FRANC VQA 2021 $34.95 R+320986 THIRTY BENCH WINEMAKER'S BLEND RED 2020 $24.95 R+418830 SOUTHBROOK TRIOMPHE ORGANIC MERLOT VQA 2019 $27.95 MVC/QPR=BEST (90+ ) R+19875 IL DRAGO E LE 8 COLOMBE TUSCANY 2019 $36.95 LIMITED TIME OFFERS: Some Recommended Wines from the LCBO’s Limited Time Offer selections...these are "better" value...on sale January 6 through February 2 (and don't forget the HST reductions through Feb 15) -- FIZZ+302752 Santa Margherita Brut Rose Sparkling Italy, now $19.95, save $2 W+18947 Kim Crawford Illuminate Sauvignon Blanc Marlborough New Zealand, now $17.95, save $3 W+158683 La Crema Monterey Chardonnay 2023, now $27.95. save $2 R+36483 Torres Gran Coronas Reserva Cabernet Sauvignon Penedes, now $17.95, save $2 R+328567 Cathedral Cellar Cabernet Sauvignon South Africa, now $16.95, save $3 R+295410 Michel Gassier Nostre Pais 2021 Costieres de Nimes, now $23.95, save $2 R+383018 Ramirez de la Piscina Crianza Rioja $16.95, save $4 LTOs for all of the 600-800 wines, beers, spirits, etc. can be found at -- https://www.lcbo.com/en/products#t=clp-products&sort=relevancy&layout=card&f:@lcbo_current_offer=[On%20Sale] ** Some New Wines I Tasted Over the Past Season --- REPORT ON ALSACE ROCKS! IN TORONTO OCTOBER The Date and Time: Tuesday, October 15, 2024 1PM to 5PM The Event: Alsace Rocks! in Toronto The Venue: Storys Building, Toronto The Target Audience: wine trade and wine media The Availability/Catalogue: I had no cell phone to QR. The Quote/Background: there were 36 or so wines spread around three stations, about 12 wines each. The Wines: I did not sample every wine (I only had 15). I passed on the sweeties and the reds. And on the sylvaner and the muscat. **** BEST -- Four Stars (91+ in Quality/Price Rating terms): -Cremant d'Alsace Zinck Rose NV -Cremant d'Alsace Allimant Rose Brut NV (all pinot noir) -Domaine Allimant Gewurztraminer 2023 -Justin Boxler Riesling Grand Cru Florimont 2018 -Pfersigberg Riesling Grand Cru 1999 -Pfersigberg Gewurztraminer Grand Cru 1999 -Jean-Louis Schoepfer Gewurztraminer 2020 [my fave of the day] ***1/2 BETTER -- Three and a Half Stars (87 – 90 in Quality/Price Rating terms): -Cremant d'Alsace Bott Geyl NV -Cremant d'Alsace Domaine Gilg NV -Cremant d'Alsace J. Louis Brut NV -Wilm Gewurztraminer Reserve 2021 -Lucien Albrecht Gewurztraminer 2023 Reserve -Zotzenberg Gewurztraminer Grand Cru -Domaine Gilg Riesling Grand Cru 2022 -Domaine Allimant Laugner Riesling 2023 The Food: lovely canapes such as smoked fish fritter, beet manti (goat cheese and beet), warm mini-shrimp po boy, wild mushroom katai fi, oysters, ahi tuna crudo, chicken satay. -- some of the best I'ver had all year! The Downside: too few wines but crowded tasting tables (only three tables with one server each) The Upside: some interesting musicians named Stereoflavour, and low crowd numbers The Contact Person: ctouchette@hopscotchgroupe.com The Event’s Marketing Effectiveness and Execution (numerical grade): 91 WORLD WINE WATCH TOP WINES AT VINTAGES: under/over $20 for JANUARY 4, 2025 release. By DEAN TUDOR, Gothic Epicures Writing deantudor@deantudor.com. My "Wines, Beers and Spirits of the Net", a guide to thousands of wine news items and RSS feeds, plus references to wines, beers and spirits, has been at https://pages.pathcom.com/~dtudor since 1994. These notes for better or best wines available through LCBO Vintages (on a bi-weekly basis) can always be found at http://www.gothicepicures.blogspot.ca or at https://pages.pathcom.com/~dtudor No winery can buy their way into – or out of – my publication. Scores are a combination of MVC (Modal Varietal Character, e.g. a Southern Rhone would taste like a Southern Rhone) and QPR (Quality/Price Ratio value in the marketplace, above or below its price). I was one of the first to jump on the Robert Parker bandwagon, using numerical indications for my scores in the early 1980s. Why? Because with a database I could rate, rank and order wines in any fashion. It was just so convenient using databases. Unfortunately, the numerical system has been shown to be disgraced by overuse and "inflated numbers"; thus I have quit any ranking by number. From now on, it will just be GOOD, BETTER and BEST, which will give me some wiggle room (e.g. is this wine an 87, 88, 89, or 90? Or all of them...depends on my mood and time of day). With the rigorous standards and lab testing by the LCBO, I can safely say that every single wine at the LCBO is at least GOOD, which I would numerically rank at 75-85 points. For reasons of time and space, I will NOT be listing the GOOD wines. Just the BETTER (86-89) and the BEST (90+ ) wines. This spread of points will relate to SILVER and GOLD medals, with GOOD being BRONZE. This also fits into my scheme for trade tastings. MVC/QPR=BETTER (86-89)=my basic recommendation MVC/QPR=BEST (90+ )=superior wine MAJOR THEME: Smart Buys (~30 wines) Recommended Wines UNDER $20 ========================= W+37912 D'ARENBERG THE STUMP JUMP SAUVIGNON BLANC AUSTRALIA 2023 $14.95 W+41739 FALERNIA GRAN RESERVA SAUVIGNON BLANC CHILE 2023 $15.95 W+363150 LE FILS DES GRAS MOUTONS SUR LIE MUSCADET SÈVRE-ET-MAINE LOIRE 2023 $18.95 W+39799 DR. HEIDEMANNS-BERGWEILER RIESLING MOSEL-SAAR-RUWER 2022 $15.95 W+16607 VELENOSI QUERCIANTICA VERDICCHIO DEI CASTELLI DI JESI CLASSICO MARCHE $15.95 W+36907 INVINITI SAUVIGNON BLANC NEW ZEALAND 2023 $17.95 W+17552 OHAU WOVEN STONE SINGLE VINEYARD SAUVIGNON BLANC NEW ZEALAND 2023 $19.95 W+36900 OHAU WOVEN STONE SINGLE VINEYARD PINOT GRIS NEW ZEALAND 2022 $19.95 W+41445 SIX HATS CHENIN BLANC SOUTH AFRICA 2024 $14.90 W+461327 BERONIA RUEDA VERDEJO SPAIN 2023 $15.95 R+38493 CASARENA 505 MALBEC ARGENTINA 2022 $15.95 R+38491 LA BELLE MARGUERITE MALBEC ARGENTINA 2021 $17.95 R+28082 FINCA LALANDE ORGANIC MALBEC ARGENTINA 2022 $16.95 R+40721 HIGHGATE SHIRAZ AUSTRALIA 2021 $18.95 R+33732 KARL'S SCEPTER COONAWARRA CABERNET SAUVIGNON AUSTRALIA 2022 $14.95 R+40731 MON TOUT CHERRY PICKING GRENACHE AUSTRALIA 2023 $17.95 R+37911 SAN PEDRO 1865 SELECTED VINEYARDS CABERNET SAUVIGNON CHILE 2022 $19.95 R+38189 ESPRIT DE FONROZAY BORDEAUX 2020 $14.95 R+39301 L'ARNAUDE PROVENCE 2022 $15.95 R+18141 CHÂTEAU GRAND ESCALION RHONE 2021 $15.95 R+28545 DOMAINE FOND CROZE LE SERRE DE LA GARDE CÔTES DU RHÔNE 2022 $14.95 R+18642 DOMAINE MARTIN CÔTES DU RHÔNE 2022 $17.95 R+17403 TORRE ZAMBRA MADIA MONTEPULCIANO D'ABRUZZO 2021 $16.95 R+19285 NARDELLI NEGROAMARO/PRIMITIVO PUGLIA 2022 $16.95 R+470377 CASA DE CAMBRES RESERVA RED PORTUGAL 2018 $15.95 R+25257 GUARDA RIOS RED PORTUGAL 2022 $11.95 R+26329 CIMAL TEMPRANILLO SPAIN 2022 $14.95 R+460154 COLUMBIA CREST GRAND ESTATES CABERNET SAUVIGNON WASHINGTON STATE 2020 $19.95 R+42095 VIGNERONS DES PIERRES DORÉES VIEILLES VIGNES LA ROSE POURPRE BEAUJOLAIS 2022 $17.95 Recommended Wines OVER $20 ======================== FIZZ+40359 LEBLOND-LENOIR PASCAL BRUT TRADITION CHAMPAGNE $52.45 W+520627 CREEKSIDE ICONOCLAST SAUVIGNON BLANC/SEMILLON VQA 2023 $23 W+37756 EMILIANA SIGNOS DE ORIGEN CHARDONNAY/ROUSANNE CHILE 2022 $21.95 W+12714 PENINSULA RIDGE FALCON'S NEST PINOT NOIR VQA 2021$21.95 R+194274 TRINITY HILL SYRAH NEW ZEALAND 12 $22.95 R+50203 BERONIA RESERVA SPAIN $23.95 LIMITED TIME OFFERS: Some Recommended Wines from the LCBO’s Limited Time Offer of 681 selections...these are "better" value...on sale through Sunday January 5 -- last call, better hurry!!! The complete collection is on the LCBO website at -- https://www.lcbo.com/en/products#t=clp-products&sort=relevancy&layout=card&f:@lcbo_current_offer=[On%20Sale] and this URL can be used for the latest LTO listings which appear every four weeks, e.g. JAN 5 to FEB 2 is the next one.... RATING: MVC/QPR=BEST 90+ There are 10 fizz wines rated here at 90+ points Trius Brut VQA MVC/QPR=BEST 90+ 750 ml bottle $26.95Sale Price $26.95 $29.95Price Was $29.95 Save $3.00 13th Street Cuvée Brut Sparkling Rosé MVC/QPR=BEST 90+ 750 ml bottle $26.95Sale Price $26.95 $29.95Price Was $29.95 Save $3.00 Cave Spring Blanc de Blancs Brut Sparkling VQA MVC/QPR=BEST 90+ 750 ml bottle $27.95Sale Price $27.95 $32.95Price Was $32.95 Save $5.00 Tawse Spark Limestone Ridge Organic Brut Sparkling Riesling VQA MVC/QPR=BEST 90+ 750 ml bottle $20.95Sale Price $20.95 $24.95Price Was $24.95 Save $4.00 Saintly The Good Sparkling VQA 750 ml bottle $16.95Sale Price $16.95 $18.95Price Was $18.95 Save $2.00 Lily Sparkling Rosé VQA 750 ml bottle $14.95Sale Price $14.95 $17.95Price Was $17.95 Save $3.00 Rosehall Run Pixie Sparkling Rosé VQA 750 ml bottle $17.95Sale Price $17.95 $19.95Price Was $19.95 Save $2.00 Romeo Prosecco 750 ml bottle $14.10Sale Price $14.10 $16.10Price Was $16.10 Save $2.00 Zonin Prosecco Brut 1821 DOC MVC/QPR=BEST 90+ 3 x 200 ml bottle $16.95Sale Price $16.95 $17.95Price Was $17.95 Save $1.00 Santa Margherita Brut Valdobbiadene Prosecco Superiore MVC/QPR=BEST 90+ 750 ml bottle $20.95Sale Price $20.95 $22.95Price Was $22.95 Save $2.00 Louis Bouillot Perle d'Aurore Brut Rosé Crémant de Bourgogne MVC/QPR=BEST 90+ 750 ml bottle $24.95Sale Price $24.95 $26.95Price Was $26.95 Save $2.00 Mionetto Prestige Prosecco Brut DOC Treviso 750 ml bottle $16.80Sale Price $16.80 $18.80Price Was $18.80 Save $2.00 Luc Belaire Rare Rosé Sparkling 750 ml bottle $35.95Sale Price $35.95 $40.95Price Was $40.95 Save $5.00 La Marca Prosecco DOC 750 ml bottle $19.85Sale Price $19.85 $21.85Price Was $21.85 Save $2.00 Freixenet Cordon Negro Brut Cava MVC/QPR=BEST 90+ 750 ml bottle $15.95Sale Price $15.95 $17.95Price Was $17.95 Save $2.00 Codorniu Brut Clasico MVC/QPR=BEST 90+ 750 ml bottle $14.00Sale Price $14.00 $16.50Price Was $16.50 Save $2.50 Fiol Prosecco DOC 750 ml bottle $16.75Sale Price $16.75 $18.75Price Was $18.75 Save $2.00 Blu Giovello Prosecco DOC 750 ml bottle $15.95Sale Price $15.95 $17.95Price Was $17.95 Save $2.00 Nozeco Sparkling Rose Dealcoholized 750 ml bottle $10.95Sale Price $10.95 $12.95Price Was $12.95 Save $2.00 Ruffino Prosecco Rose DOC MVC/QPR=BEST 90+ 750 ml bottle $17.50Sale Price $17.50 $19.50Price Was $19.50 Save $2.00 Jacob's Creek Moscato Rosé Sparkling 750 ml bottle $13.45Sale Price $13.45 $15.95Price Was $15.95 Save $2.50 Champagnes on Sale until Jan 5 -- hurry, hurry...Get a bunch for Valentine's Day...Apart from the Piper Heidsieck Brut, these are good prices. Happy New Year Everybody!!! Nicolas Feuillatte Brut Champagne - $5.00 LTO [My Best Buy Pick} https://www.lcbo.com/en/nicolas-feuillatte-brut-champagne-537605 Piper Heidsieck Brut Champagne - $3.00 LTO https://www.lcbo.com/en/piper-heidsieck-brut-champagne-462432 Taittinger Brut Reserve Champagne - $6.00 LTO https://www.lcbo.com/en/taittinger-brut-r-cserve-champagne-365312 Perrier Jouet Grand Brut Champagne - $6.00 LTO [my fave of the bunch] https://www.lcbo.com/en/perrier-jou-t-grand-brut-champagne-155341 Louis Roederer Brut Premier Champagne - $5.00 LTO and 100 Aeroplan points https://www.lcbo.com/en/louis-roederer-collection-brut-premier-champagne-268771 MORE LIMITED TIME OFFERS: Some Recommended Wines from the LCBO’s Limited Time Offer selections...these are "better" value...on sale January 6 through February 2 (and don't forget the HST reductions through Feb 15) -- FIZZ+302752 Santa Margherita Brut Rose Sparkling Italy, now $19.95, save $2 W+18947 Kim Crawford Illuminate Sauvignon Blanc Marlborough New Zealand, now $17.95, save $3 W+158683 La Crema Monterey Chardonnay 2023, now $27.95. save $2 R+36483 Torres Gran Coronas Reserva Cabernet Sauvignon Penedes, now $17.95, save $2 R+328567 Cathedral Cellar Cabernet Sauvignon South Africa, now $16.95, save $3 R+295410 Michel Gassier Nostre Pais 2021 Costieres de Nimes, now $23.95, save $2 R+383018 Ramirez de la Piscina Crianza Rioja $16.95, save $4 ** Some New Wines I Tasted Over the Past Season --- REPORT ON CHIANTI LOVERS CANADIAN TOUR FALL 2024 The Date and Time: Wed October 2, 2024 The Event: MasterClass in Chianti wines The Venue: Aria Restaurant, York Street The Target Audience: sommeliers, wine trade, wine media The Availability/Catalogue: mostly at the LCBO although there were some wines that were specific to an area. The Quote/Background: local wine writer Sara d'Amato and Chianti Wine Ambassador Luca Alves gave a two hour presentation on the historical development and recent changes in Chianti wine regulation. Self-regulation began in 1716, Ricasoli developed the formula in 1872, the Consortium was founded in 1927, the demarcation of lands started in 1932 followed by the DOC codification in 1967, 1984, 1997, and 2009. The Wines: There were seven wines from the seven regions, some in the Annata style (released after March 1 of the prior harvest), the Superiore style (higher alcohol), and the Riserva style (barrel aging), along with different vintage dates (2019 through 2023). **** BEST -- Four Stars (91+ in Quality/Price Rating terms): -Chianti Montespertoli DOCG 2022 [Annata] -Chianti Colli Senesi DOCG 2020 [Riserva] -Chianti Rufina DOCG 2019 [Riserva] ***1/2 BETTER -- Three and a Half Stars (87 – 90 in Quality/Price Rating terms): -Chianti Montalbano DOCG 2023 [Annata] -Chianti Colline Pisane DOCG 2022 [Superiore] -Chianti Colli Aretini DOCG 2021 [Superiore] -Chianti Colli Fiorentini DOCG 2021 [Riserva} The Food: it was a small buffet of winter bitter salad with walnuts, grilled chicken and salmon chunks, cooked greens and potatoes, bread...very well-spiced and herby. The Downside: the sun floated into and out of my eyesight, distracting me. The Upside: good food and a chance to evaluate some Chianti wines from diverse regions and regulations. The Contact Person: b.marassi@ice.it The Event’s Marketing Effectiveness and Execution (numerical grade): 88. WORLD WINE WATCH TOP WINES AT VINTAGES: under/over $20 for DECEMBER 14, 2024 release. By DEAN TUDOR, Gothic Epicures Writing deantudor@deantudor.com. My "Wines, Beers and Spirits of the Net", a guide to thousands of wine news items and RSS feeds, plus references to wines, beers and spirits, has been at https://pages.pathcom.com/~dtudor since 1994. These notes for better or best wines available through LCBO Vintages (on a bi-weekly basis) can always be found at http://www.gothicepicures.blogspot.ca or at https://pages.pathcom.com/~dtudor No winery can buy their way into – or out of – my publication. Scores are a combination of MVC (Modal Varietal Character, e.g. a Southern Rhone would taste like a Southern Rhone) and QPR (Quality/Price Ratio value in the marketplace, above or below its price). I was one of the first to jump on the Robert Parker bandwagon, using numerical indications for my scores in the early 1980s. Why? Because with a database I could rate, rank and order wines in any fashion. It was just so convenient using databases. Unfortunately, the numerical system has been shown to be disgraced by overuse and "inflated numbers"; thus I have quit any ranking by number. From now on, it will just be GOOD, BETTER and BEST, which will give me some wiggle room (e.g. is this wine an 87, 88, 89, or 90? Or all of them...depends on my mood and time of day). With the rigorous standards and lab testing by the LCBO, I can safely say that every single wine at the LCBO is at least GOOD, which I would numerically rank at 75-85 points. I will be listing just the BETTER (86-89) and the BEST (90+ ) wines. This spread of points will relate to SILVER and GOLD medals, with GOOD being BRONZE. This also fits into my scheme for trade tastings. MVC/QPR=BETTER (86-89)=basic recommendation MVC/QPR=BEST (90+ )=superior wine MAJOR THEME: BUBBLES and Online/Flagship stores exclusives, ~131 wines in all Recommended Wines UNDER $20 MVC/QPR=BETTER (86-89)=basic recommendation ========================= FIZZ+40866 BOUVET LADUBAY BOUVET BRUT DE LOIRE SAUMUR BRUT $19.95 MVC/QPR=BEST (90+ )=superior wine FIZZ+39675 CASERE VIZINA MILLESIMATO EXTRA DRY PROSECCO 2023 $18.95 W+42201 ROSE HILL PRIVATE RESERVE CHARDONNAY VQA 2023 $19.95 W+734517 TRIMBACH RIESLING ALSACE 2022 $29.95 MVC/QPR=BEST (90+ )=superior wine W+673236 LAURENT MIQUEL NORD SUD VIOGNIER LANGUEDOC 2022 $16.95 W+631051 MONTE DEL FRÀ LUGANA ITALY 2023 $23.95 W+734798 THORNBURY SAUVIGNON BLANC 2023 $18.95 MVC/QPR=BEST (90+ )=superior wine W+919514 WITHER HILLS SAUVIGNON BLANC NEW ZEALAND 2023 $19.95 W+445098 CASAL DE VENTOZELA LOUREIRO PORTUGAL 2022 $16.95 R+442459 VIÑALBA RESERVA MALBEC/TOURIGA NACIONAL 2022 $19.95 R+63537 CHÂTEAU HYOT BORDEAUX2020 $15.95 MVC/QPR=BEST (90+ )=superior wine R+123489 CHÂTEAU HAUCHAT BORDEAUX 2020 $18.95 R+72975 ZONTE'S FOOTSTEP LAKE DOCTOR SHIRAZ AUSTRALIA 2021 $19.95 R+37937 MONTES LIMITED SELECTION PINOT NOIR 2022 $17.95 MVC/QPR=BEST (90+ )=superior wine R+397448 FONTANAFREDDA EBBIO NEBBIOLO PIEDMONT 2022 $17.95 Recommended Wines OVER $20 MVC/QPR=BETTER (86-89)=basic recommendation ======================== FIZZ+924654 GARDET TRADITION CUVÉE SAINT FLAVY BRUT CHAMPAGNE $59.95 MVC/QPR=BEST (90+ )=superior wine FIZZ+438994 KEW BARREL AGED BLANC DE BLANC 2017 $32.95 MVC/QPR=BEST (90+ )=superior wine FIZZ+380030 KEW BLANC DE NOIRS 2020 $32.95 MVC/QPR=BEST (90+ )=superior wine W+307694 DOMAINES SCHLUMBERGER KESSLER GEWURZTRAMINER ALSACE 2021 $37.95 MVC/QPR=BEST (90+ )=superior wine W+28618 E. GUIGAL CHÂTEAUNEUF-DU-PAPE BLANC 2021 $68.95 MVC/QPR=BEST (90+ )=superior wine W+36903 BABICH SINGLE VINEYARD SAUVIGNON BLANC NEW ZEALAND 2022 $24.95 W+19762 STAETE LANDT DUCHESS WILD BARREL FERMENT SAUVIGNON BLANC NEW ZEALAND $31.95 MVC/QPR=BEST (90+ )=superior wine R+79798 SUSANA BALBO SIGNATURE MALBEC ARGENTINA 2022 $23.95 MVC/QPR=BEST (90+ )=superior wine R+85601 MARCHAND-TAWSE CÔTE D'OR BOURGOGNE PINOT NOIR 2021 $23.95 R+38944 CHÂTEAU JAS DE BRESSY CHÂTEAUNEUF-DU-PAPE 2019 $42.95 R+396382 ZACCAGNINI TRALCETTO MONTEPULCIANO D'ABRUZZO 2021 $21.95 R+47118 CARPINETO RISERVA CHIANTI CLASSICO 2019 $31.95 R+368910 CARPINETO RISERVA VINO NOBILE DI MONTEPULCIANO 2019 $34.95 R+324137 MASI COSTASERA RISERVA AMARONE DELLA VALPOLICELLA CLASSICO $84.95 MVC/QPR=BEST (90+ )=superior wine LIMITED TIME OFFERS: Some Recommended Wines from the LCBO’s Limited Time Offer selections...these have value...on sale through January 5, 2025---- There are 37 sparklers on sale in this month's Limited Time Offers promotion (unfortunately there seems to be no champagnes this time around)...Here are the better sparklers, and the best ones (total of 20 better and best sparklers)...Available now at LCBO stores through January 5, 2025... RATING: MVC/QPR=BEST 90+ There are 10 wines rated here at 90+ points Trius Brut VQA MVC/QPR=BEST 90+ 750 ml bottle $26.95Sale Price $26.95 $29.95Price Was $29.95 Save $3.00 13th Street Cuvée Brut Sparkling Rosé MVC/QPR=BEST 90+ 750 ml bottle $26.95Sale Price $26.95 $29.95Price Was $29.95 Save $3.00 Cave Spring Blanc de Blancs Brut Sparkling VQA MVC/QPR=BEST 90+ 750 ml bottle $27.95Sale Price $27.95 $32.95Price Was $32.95 Save $5.00 Tawse Spark Limestone Ridge Organic Brut Sparkling Riesling VQA MVC/QPR=BEST 90+ 750 ml bottle $20.95Sale Price $20.95 $24.95Price Was $24.95 Save $4.00 Saintly The Good Sparkling VQA 750 ml bottle $16.95Sale Price $16.95 $18.95Price Was $18.95 Save $2.00 Lily Sparkling Rosé VQA 750 ml bottle $14.95Sale Price $14.95 $17.95Price Was $17.95 Save $3.00 Rosehall Run Pixie Sparkling Rosé VQA 750 ml bottle $17.95Sale Price $17.95 $19.95Price Was $19.95 Save $2.00 Romeo Prosecco 750 ml bottle $14.10Sale Price $14.10 $16.10Price Was $16.10 Save $2.00 Zonin Prosecco Brut 1821 DOC MVC/QPR=BEST 90+ 3 x 200 ml bottle $16.95Sale Price $16.95 $17.95Price Was $17.95 Save $1.00 Santa Margherita Brut Valdobbiadene Prosecco Superiore MVC/QPR=BEST 90+ 750 ml bottle $20.95Sale Price $20.95 $22.95Price Was $22.95 Save $2.00 Louis Bouillot Perle d'Aurore Brut Rosé Crémant de Bourgogne MVC/QPR=BEST 90+ 750 ml bottle $24.95Sale Price $24.95 $26.95Price Was $26.95 Save $2.00 Mionetto Prestige Prosecco Brut DOC Treviso 750 ml bottle $16.80Sale Price $16.80 $18.80Price Was $18.80 Save $2.00 Luc Belaire Rare Rosé Sparkling 750 ml bottle $35.95Sale Price $35.95 $40.95Price Was $40.95 Save $5.00 La Marca Prosecco DOC 750 ml bottle $19.85Sale Price $19.85 $21.85Price Was $21.85 Save $2.00 Freixenet Cordon Negro Brut Cava MVC/QPR=BEST 90+ 750 ml bottle $15.95Sale Price $15.95 $17.95Price Was $17.95 Save $2.00 Codorniu Brut Clasico MVC/QPR=BEST 90+ 750 ml bottle $14.00Sale Price $14.00 $16.50Price Was $16.50 Save $2.50 Fiol Prosecco DOC 750 ml bottle $16.75Sale Price $16.75 $18.75Price Was $18.75 Save $2.00 Blu Giovello Prosecco DOC 750 ml bottle $15.95Sale Price $15.95 $17.95Price Was $17.95 Save $2.00 Nozeco Sparkling Rose Dealcoholized 750 ml bottle $10.95Sale Price $10.95 $12.95Price Was $12.95 Save $2.00 Ruffino Prosecco Rose DOC MVC/QPR=BEST 90+ 750 ml bottle $17.50Sale Price $17.50 $19.50Price Was $19.50 Save $2.00 Jacob's Creek Moscato Rosé Sparkling 750 ml bottle $13.45Sale Price $13.45 $15.95Price Was $15.95 Save $2.50 ** Some New Wines I Tasted Over the Past Season --- REPORT ON CHARTONHOBBS/AUTHENTIC WINE TASTING September 2024 The Date and Time: Monday September 16, 2024 2P - 4:30P The Event: Event for professionals: Family of Wines The Venue: Liberty Grand Entertainment Complex The Target Audience: wine trade, wine media, writers The Availability/Catalogue: a selection of exceptional consignment wines available exclusively. The Quote/Background: Family of Wines was an event with exclusive wines from Charton Hobbs Group and from Authentic Wines & Spirits. In the evening there was a luxury show of the wines being poured for a paying audience, beginning at 6P. The Wines: I could not taste all the wines, unfortunately, due to a lack of time, even if I was attending both the trade show and the walk around afterwards. I concentrated mainly on sparklers and white wines. With some notes and scores below, these were the 14 corporate wineries involved: Ginestet - Bordeaux, MASI - Veneto, Italy Champagne Louis Roederer - Champagne, France Batasiolo - Piedmont, Italy Famille Perrin (Château de Beaucastel) - Côte du Rhône, France Michele Chiarlo - Piedmont, Italy Sogrape - Portugal Cakebread Cellars - Napa Valley, United States Foley Family Wines - California, United States Joseph Phelps - Napa Valley, United States Collemassari - Tuscany, Italy Bourgeois Family - Loire Valley, France Cecchi - Tuscany, Italy Bodegas Riojanas - Rioja, Spain **** BEST -- Four Stars (91+ in Quality/Price Rating terms): -Henri Bourgeois Sancerre 2023 -Clos Henri Waimaunga Sauvignon Blanc Marlborough -Cakebread Chardonnay 2022 -Champagne Louis Roederer Brut Vintage 2015 $129 -Champagne Louis Roederer Cristal Brut Champagne 2015 $457 -Champagne Louis Roederer Rose 2016 $129 -Champagne Louis Roederer Collection 244 -Casa Canevel Prosecco Rose DOC Brut 2023 -Masi Serego Alighieri Belloville Vermentino Toscana 2022 -Michele Chiarlo Palas Gavi DOCG 2023 -Barolo Bussia Vigneto Bofani 2015 DOCG -Bodegas Riojanas Monte Real Gran Reserva 2017 Rioja -Famille Perrin Chateau de Beaucastel Chateauneuf-du-Pape Rouge 2009 -Masi Serego Alighieri Vaio Amarone DOCG 2016 ***1/2 BETTER -- Three and a Half Stars (87 – 90 in Quality/Price Rating terms): -Bishop Pine Wood Chardonnay 2022 $17 -Collemassari Melacce Montecucco Vermentino 2023 -Chalk Hill Sonoma Coast Chardonnay 2022 -Silverado Miller Ranch Estate Sauvignon Blanc 2023 -Provia Regia Quinta do Romeira White 2023 Arinto -Casa Ferreirihna Planalto 2023 -Bodegas Riojanas Monte Real Reserva Tempranillo Blanco 2022 Rioja The Food: basic cheeses and meats platters with some sweetened walnuts, olive buns and breads. The Downside: it was a smallish room, far away from the street The Upside: there was a posh booklet which explained the participants and the showcased wines. The Contact Person: contact.on@chartonhobbs.com The Event’s Marketing Effectiveness and Execution (numerical grade): 89 WORLD WINE WATCH TOP WINES AT VINTAGES: under/over $20 for NOVEMBER 30, 2024 release. By DEAN TUDOR, Gothic Epicures Writing deantudor@deantudor.com. My "Wines, Beers and Spirits of the Net", a guide to thousands of news items and RSS feeds, plus references to wines, beers and spirits, has been at https://pages.pathcom.com/~dtudor since 1994. These notes for better or best wines available through LCBO Vintages (on a bi-weekly basis) can always be found at http://www.gothicepicures.blogspot.ca or at https://pages.pathcom.com/~dtudor No winery can buy their way into – or out of – my publication. Scores are a combination of MVC (Modal Varietal Character, e.g. a Southern Rhone would taste like a Southern Rhone) and QPR (Quality/Price Ratio value in the marketplace, above or below its price). I was one of the first to jump on the Robert Parker bandwagon, using numerical indications for my scores in the early 1980s. Why? Because with a database I could rate, rank and order wines in any fashion. It was just so convenient using databases. Unfortunately, the numerical system has been shown to be disgraced by overuse and "inflated numbers"; thus I have quit any ranking by number. From now on, it will just be GOOD, BETTER and BEST, which will give me some wiggle room (e.g. is this wine an 87, 88, 89, or 90? Or all of them...depends on my mood and time of day). With the rigorous standards and lab testing by the LCBO, I can safely say that every single wine at the LCBO is at least GOOD, which I would numerically rank at 75-85 points. For reasons of time and space, I will NOT be listing the GOOD wines. Just the BETTER (86-89) and the BEST (90+ ) wines. This spread of points will relate to SILVER and GOLD medals, with GOOD being BRONZE. This also fits into my scheme for trade tastings. MVC/QPR=BETTER (86-89)=my basic recommendation MVC/QPR=BEST (90+ )=superior wine MAJOR THEME: Holiday Gifts and Entertaining Montes wines; Kosher wines ~120+ wines in total Recommended Wines UNDER $20 ========================= FIZZ+39378 BERSANO MONTEOLIVO MOSCATO D'ASTI 2023 $18.95 MVC/QPR=BEST (90+ ) W+22984 MOUNTADAM FIVE-FIFTY CHARDONNAY AUSTRALIA 2021 $18.95 W+398966 REDSTONE CHARDONNAY VQA 2022 $19.95 MVC/QPR=BEST (90+ ) W+39765 STUDERT-PRÜM RIESLING TROCKEN 2023 $17.95 W+40788 AVELINO VEGAS MONTESPINA VERDEJO SOBRE LÍAS SPAIN 2023 $16.95 R+12842 ANGOVE FAMILY CREST SHIRAZ AUSTRALIA 2021$19.95 MVC/QPR=BEST (90+ ) R+354191 DOMAINE LAFAGE CUVÉE NICOLAS VIEILLES VIGNES GRENACHE NOIR $19.95 R+143099 MAS DES BRESSADES CUVÉE TRADITION RHONE 2021 $17.95 MVC/QPR=BEST (90+ ) Recommended Wines OVER $20 ======================== FIZZ+175588 GRAHAM BECK MÉTHODE CAP CLASSIQUE BRUT PINOT NOIR SOUTH AFRICA $21.95 MVC/QPR=BEST (90+ ) W+78535 PENINSULA RIDGE BEAL VINEYARDS RESERVE CHARDONNAY VQA 2021 $26.95 W+184549 LE CLOS JORDANNE LE GRAND CLOS CHARDONNAY VQA 2020 $52 MVC/QPR=BEST (90+ ) W+389726 BOYA SAUVIGNON BLANC CHILE 2024 $15.95 MVC/QPR=BEST (90+ ) W+370098 PAUL MAS SINGLE VINEYARD COLLECTION RÉSERVE VIOGNIER FRANCE 2022 $14.95 W+140889 DONATIEN BAHUAUD LES GRANDS MORTIERS VOUVRAY LOIRE 2023 $22.95 W+290296 E. GUIGAL CÔTES DU RHÔNE BLANC 2023 $22.95 MVC/QPR=BEST (90+ ) W+447474 VILLA MARIA SOUTHERN CLAYS SINGLE VINEYARD SAUVIGNON BLANC NEW ZEALAND $26.95 R+377036 WAKEFIELD JARAMAN SHIRAZ AUSTRALIA 2022 $24.95 R+84996 WYNNS COONAWARRA ESTATE BLACK LABEL CABERNET SAUVIGNON $44.95 MVC/QPR=BEST (90+ ) R+505610 HIDDEN BENCH TERROIR CACHÉ VQA 2020 $47.95 MVC/QPR=BEST (90+ ) R+427500 WESTCOTT ESTATE PINOT NOIR VQA 2020 $31.95 R+86363 STRATUS WILDASS RED VQA 2019 $21.95 R+297945 CHÂTEAU LAROSE-TRINTAUDON BORDEAUX 2016 $34.95 R+38864 BROTTE LA ROLLANDE CROZES-HERMITAGE 2022 $32.95 R+930966 ROCCA DELLE MACÌE RISERVA CHIANTI CLASSICO 2021 $24.95 R+747030 LA VITE LUCENTE TUSCANY 2022 $32.95 LIMITED TIME OFFERS: Some Recommended Wines from the LCBO’s Limited Time Offer selections...these are "better" value...on sale Nov 11 through Sunday December 1 -- last call -- better hurry.... +341743 Trius Rose VQA now $16.95, save $3 +326090 Oyster Bay Pinot Grigio now $17.95, save $3 +302380 Mezzacorona Pinot Grigio now $12.95, save $2 +573147 Malivoire Estate Grown Chardonnay VQA Beamsville Bench now $19.95, save $2 +40137 Stoneleigh Latitude Sauvignon Blanc New Zealand now $20.95, save $3 +619452 Matua Sauvignon Blanc Hawke's Bay now $15.95, save $2 +933077 Louis Jadot Chardonnay Bourgogne now $34.95, save $2 +225086 Umberto Cesari Liano Sangiovese/Cabernet Sauvignon now $24.95, save $5 +479766 Zenato Ripassa Valpolicella Ripasso Superiore now $26.95, save $3 +356220 Tommasi Amarone Della Valpolicella Classico now $48.5, save $5 +212480 Georges Duboeuf Beaujolais now $19.45, save $2 +478727 Catena Malbec now $21.95, save $2 +274753 Hidden Bench Estate Organic Pinot Noir VQA Beamsville Bench now $34.95, save $3 More (358 products on sale) can be found at https://www.lcbo.com/en/products#t=clp-products&sort=relevancy&layout=card&f:@lcbo_current_offer=[On%20Sale] And FYI, here are the upcoming dates to watch out for LTOs sales promotions -- Dec 2 through January 5, 2025; January 6 through February 2, 2025; usually about every four weeks --- ** Some New Wines I Tasted Over the Past Season --- REPORT ON MARK ANTHONY LUXURY WINE TASTING SEPTEMBER 2024 The Date and Time: Tuesday September 24 2P - 4:30P The Event: Mark Anthony Wine & Spirits Luxury Portfolio Tasting The Venue: National Club The Target Audience: Private collectors, sommeliers, wine media The Availability/Catalogue: there were several catalogues available, including Mark Anthony, Declaration Wine & Spirits Inc., Bacchus Frechette, plus a more complete emailed pictorial catalogue that included all of them, will label illustrations and prices. The Quote/Background: it was quite crowded shortly after 2PM The Wines: several dozen producers and principals were in attendance -- a wealth of wines to be tasted. But of course I could not do them all -- about 200 plus wines spread over two large rooms. I only tasted table wines. Prices are licensee,not retail. **** BEST -- Four Stars (91+ in Quality/Price Rating terms): -Jayson by Pahlmeyer Cabernet Sauvignon 2020 $104.97 -Louis M. Martini Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon NV $47.59 -Brotte Bord Elegance Cotes du Rhone Villages Laudin 2023 [white grenache] $19.95 Vintages -Castel Freres Chateau Cavalier Rose Provence 2023 $24.29 -Castel Freres Plessis-Duval Sancerre 2023 $41.81 -Garzon Single Vineyard Albarino $42.95 Vintages +646802 -Mission Hill Perpetus BC VQA 2021 $66 +934090 -Checkmate Fool's Mate Chardonnay 2020 BC VQA $95 Spring 2025 -Lanson Champagne Le Black Creation Brut NV $72.50 -Lanson Champagne Le Rose Creation NV $99.75 -Lanson Champagne Le Vintage 2013 $109.95 -Louis Latour Simonnet Febvre Chablis 1er Cru Mont de Milieu 2021 $57.35 -Louis Latour Simonnet Febvre P100 $32.66 -Louis Latour Chateau Corton Grancey Red 2022 $250.60 Vintages Spring 2025 -Louis Latour Corton Charlemagne 2022 $461.35 Vintages Spring 2025 -Attems Ramato Rose 2023 $19.95 Vintages +111732 -Rodney Strong Davis Bynum Chardonnay $34.95 -Rodney Strong Davis Bynum Russian River Pinot Noir $39.95 -Sena 2021 $210 Vintages +496430 -Beringer Private Reserve Napa Valley Chardonnay 2022 $79.95 Vintages +26682 -Henkell-Freixenet Segura Heredad NV $39.95 +558825 Vintages November -Henkell-Freixenet Gloria Ferrer Blanc de Noirs NV $23.85 ***1/2 BETTER -- Three and a Half Stars (87 – 90 in Quality/Price Rating terms): -Rombauer Carneros Chardonnay Napa 2021 $55.55 -Louis M. Martini Sonoma County Cabernet Sauvignon $20.51 -Whitehaven Sauvignon Blanc Marlborough NZ $17.24 -Alois Lageder Terra Alpina Pinot Grigio 2023 $23.26 -Alois Lageder Gaun Chardonnay 2022 $34.48 -Brumont Chateau Bouscasse Jardins Philo white 2018 $28.70 -Chateau St Jean Chardonnay Carneros 2022 $55.95 -Castel Freres Chateau Ferrande Graves White 2021 $34.97 -Garzon Estate Sauvignon Blanc 2023 $19.95 Vintages +12678 -Martin's Lane Winery Simes Vineyard Riesling 2023 $55 Spring 2025 -Louis Latour Marsannay White 2022 $56.10 Vintages Spring 2025 -Arboleda Chardonnay 2022 $18.95 Vintages November +606772 -Treasury Wine Estates Luxury Frank Family Vineyards Chardonnay 2023 $59.95 Vintages +40333 -Wolf Blass Grey Label Shiraz 2021 $34.95 Vintages +390872 The Food: there was an enormous table with cheeses (manchego, danish blue) and cold cuts, plus diverse dried fruit and breads and biscuits. The Downside: it was warm inside with the air conditioning off. The Upside: a chance to try some really rare and/or expensive wines. The Contact Person: hprice@markanthony.com The Event’s Marketing Effectiveness and Execution (numerical grade): 91 WORLD WINE WATCH TOP WINES AT VINTAGES: under/over $20 for NOVEMBER 16, 2024 release. By DEAN TUDOR, Gothic Epicures Writing deantudor@deantudor.com. My "Wines, Beers and Spirits of the Net", a guide to thousands of news items and RSS feeds, plus references to wines, beers and spirits, has been at https://pages.pathcom.com/~dtudor since 1994. These notes for better or best wines available through LCBO Vintages (on a bi-weekly basis) can always be found at http://www.gothicepicures.blogspot.ca or at https://pages.pathcom.com/~dtudor No winery can buy their way into – or out of – my publication. Scores are a combination of MVC (Modal Varietal Character, e.g. a Southern Rhone would taste like a Southern Rhone) and QPR (Quality/Price Ratio value in the marketplace, above or below its price). I was one of the first to jump on the Robert Parker bandwagon, using numerical indications for my scores in the early 1980s. Why? Because with a database I could rate, rank and order wines in any fashion. It was just so convenient using databases. Unfortunately, the numerical system has been shown to be disgraced by overuse and "inflated numbers"; thus I have quit any ranking by number. From now on, it will just be GOOD, BETTER and BEST, which will give me some wiggle room (e.g. is this wine an 87, 88, 89, or 90? Or all of them...depends on my mood and time of day). With the rigorous standards and lab testing by the LCBO, I can safely say that every single wine at the LCBO is at least GOOD, which I would numerically rank at 75-85 points. For reasons of time and space, I will NOT be listing the GOOD wines. Just the BETTER (86-89) and the BEST (90+ ) wines. This spread of points will relate to SILVER and GOLD medals, with GOOD being BRONZE. This also fits into my scheme for trade tastings. MVC/QPR=BETTER (86-89)=my basic recommendation MVC/QPR=BEST (90+ )=superior wine MAJOR THEME: Top wines for Gifting and Entertaining Ontario Icewines AND Greek wine ~130 wines are released today [there are many wines at the $18.95 and $19.95 level] Recommended Wines UNDER $20 ========================= FIZZ+23545 VILLA SANDI IL FRESCO MILLESIMATO BRUT ROSÉ PROSECCO 2023 $18.95 W+196956 JOSEPH CATTIN PINOT GRIS ALSACE 2023 $17.95 MVC/QPR=BEST (90+ ) W+485656 M. CHAPOUTIER BILA-HAUT CÔTES DU ROUSSILLON BLANC MIDI 2022 $16.95 MVC/QPR=BEST (90+ ) W+527622 ZACCAGNINI TRALCETTO PINOT GRIGIO ABRUZZO 2023 $17.95 W+408146 MARIA PAPOILA LOUREIRO/ALVARINHO PORTUGAL 2023 $18.95 R+39835 FARM TO TABLE CABERNET SAUVIGNON AUSTRALIA 2020 $19.95 R+38501 MONTEVIEJO FESTIVO MALBEC 2022 ARGENTINA $18.95 R+606764 ARBOLEDA CABERNET SAUVIGNON 2022 CHILE $19.95 MVC/QPR=BEST (90+ ) R+994616 TERRA D'ALIGI TATONE MONTEPULCIANO D'ABRUZZO 2021 $17.95 Recommended Wines OVER $20 ======================== FIZZ+167486 DEUTZ CLASSIC BRUT CHAMPAGNE $82.95 FIZZ+37482 THORN-CLARKE PINOT NOIR/CHARDONNAY SPARKLING AUSTRALIA $24.95 FIZZ+37122 MONTES ANGEL ZAPALLAR VINEYARD BRUT SPARKLING CHILE $26.95 W+172338 SOUTHBROOK TRIOMPHE ORGANIC CHARDONNAY 2020 VQA $26.95 MVC/QPR=BEST (90+ ) W+424507 WESTCOTT ESTATE CHARDONNAY 2022 $29.95 MVC/QPR=BEST (90+ ) W+10489 CHARTRON ET TRÉBUCHET POUILLY-FUISSÉ 2022 $49 W+40325 DOMAINE FOURNIER LES BELLES VIGNES SANCERRE BLANC LOIRE 2023 $38.95 W+33260 PAPAGIANNAKOS ASSYRTIKO GREECE 2022 $26.95 W+361220 PADDY BORTHWICK SAUVIGNON BLANC NEW ZEALAND 2023 $23.95 W+22851 LOVEBLOCK SAUVIGNON BLANC NEW ZEALAND 2022$ 29.95 R+977843 ALVARO PALACIOS VELLES VINYES LES TERRASSES SPAIN 2021 $58.95 R+41732 BACHELDER HANCK VINEYARD PINOT NOIR 2021 $55 MVC/QPR=BEST (90+ ) R+184564 LE CLOS JORDANNE LE GRAND CLOS PINOT NOIR VQA 2020 $52 MVC/QPR=BEST (90+ ) R+312058 STRATUS RED VQA 2021 $55.20 MVC/QPR=BEST (90+ ) R+38098 DOMAINE DE LA CREUZE NOIRE BELLE VUE SAINT-AMOUR BEAUJOLAIS 2022 $24.25 R+20246 CHÂTEAU FONRÉAUD BORDEAUX 2022 $36.95 R+39128 MARCHESI DI BAROLO NIZZA VINEAREI BARBERA PIEDMONT 2021 $49.95 MVC/QPR=BEST (90+ ) R+261784 PAPALE LINEA ORO PRIMITIVO DI MANDURIA PUGLIA 2020 $28 MVC/QPR=BEST (90+ ) R+23374 CAPRAIA RISERVA CHIANTI CLASSICO 2018 $38.95 MVC/QPR=BEST (90+ ) LIMITED TIME OFFERS: Some Recommended Wines from the LCBO’s Limited Time Offer selections...these are "better" value...on sale Nov 11 through Sunday December 1. --- +341743 Trius Rose VQA now $16.95, save $3 +326090 Oyster Bay Pinot Grigio now $17.95, save $3 +302380 Mezzacorona Pinot Grigio now $12.95, save $2 +573147 Malivoire Estate Grown Chardonnay VQA Beamsville Bench now $19.95, save $2 +40137 Stoneleigh Latitude Sauvignon Blanc New Zealand now $20.95, save $3 +619452 Matua Sauvignon Blanc Hawke's Bay now $15.95, save $2 +933077 Louis Jadot Chardonnay Bourgogne now $34.95, save $2 +225086 Umberto Cesari Liano Sangiovese/Cabernet Sauvignon now $24.95, save $5 +479766 Zenato Ripassa Valpolicella Ripasso Superiore now $26.95, save $3 +356220 Tommasi Amarone Della Valpolicella Classico now $48.5, save $5 +212480 Georges Duboeuf Beaujolais now $19.45, save $2 +478727 Catena Malbec now $21.95, save $2 +274753 Hidden Bench Estate Organic Pinot Noir VQA Beamsville Bench now $34.95, save $3 More (358 products on sale) can be found at https://www.lcbo.com/en/products#t=clp-products&sort=relevancy&layout=card&f:@lcbo_current_offer=[On%20Sale] And FYI, here are the upcoming dates to watch out for LTOs sales promotions -- Dec 2 through January 5, 2025; January 6 through February 2, 2025; about every four weeks --- ** Some New Wines I Tasted Over the Past Season --- REPORT ON MEDITERRANEAN APERITIVO MASTERCLASS 2024 MAY It was my pleasure to attend the latest Italian seminar on its agrobusiness. This time, it was the "Mediterranean Apertivo" or MAP. There was an earlier seminar on the same topic about two years ago at Eataly with an attendance of about a dozen and a hook-up with New York city. The location now was the larger Chefs' House of George Brown College, where the audience had grown to a large number of about 75+. Wine Media and students dominated the audience. Today we heard from Christian Perreault Hamel and James Grant. They led us through an explanation of PDO and PGI, using four examples: Pecorino Toscano PDO [in order for the cheese to be granted a Protected Designation of Origin (PDO) seal, all of the phases of production, transformation and processing must occur within a specific geographic area and with strict production rules established by the production regulations]; Costa d'Amalfi Lemon PGI [a European mark of quality granted to agricultural and food products which have at least ONE phase of the production process that is permanently linked to the specific geographic area of reference -- Protected Geographical Indication (PGI)]; Vermouth di Torino PGI with its many layers of ginger, flowers, organic citrus fruits, spritzers, Negroni, Martini, punches, bitters, spices, ABV levels of 17%, half of the wine used is from Piedmont, et al; and Olives from Greece, a part of the Agrifood Partnership of Western Greece Region. The Protected and Partnership systems are part of the DOP program for making sure that names of products are legitimate in terms of production values. For example, the Amalfi lemons must come from Amalfi and they are guaranteed as such -- or else the seller/distributor can be penalized. For more details on all of these, check with vermouth@vermouthditorino.org, or for lemons, info@costieragrumicoop.it, or info@pecorinotoscanodop.it, or for olives, info@agrifoodwest.gr. WORLD WINE WATCH TOP WINES AT VINTAGES: under/over $20 for November 2, 2024 release. By DEAN TUDOR, Gothic Epicures Writing deantudor@deantudor.com. My "Wines, Beers and Spirits of the Net", a guide to thousands of news items and RSS feeds, plus references to wines, beers and spirits, has been at https://pages.pathcom.com/~dtudor since 1994. These notes for better or best wines available through LCBO Vintages (on a bi-weekly basis) can always be found at http://www.gothicepicures.blogspot.ca or at https://pages.pathcom.com/~dtudor No winery can buy their way into – or out of – my publication. Scores are a combination of MVC (Modal Varietal Character, e.g. a Southern Rhone would taste like a Southern Rhone) and QPR (Quality/Price Ratio value in the marketplace, above or below its price). I was one of the first to jump on the Robert Parker bandwagon, using numerical indications for my scores in the early 1980s. Why? Because with a database I could rate, rank and order wines in any fashion. It was just so convenient using databases. Unfortunately, the numerical system has been shown to be disgraced by overuse and "inflated numbers"; thus I have quit any ranking by number. From now on, it will just be GOOD, BETTER and BEST, which will give me some wiggle room (e.g. is this wine an 87, 88, 89, or 90? Or all of them...depends on my mood and time of day). With the rigorous standards and lab testing by the LCBO, I can safely say that every single wine at the LCBO is at least GOOD, which I would numerically rank at 75-85 points. For reasons of time and space, I will NOT be listing the GOOD wines. Just the BETTER (86-89) and the BEST (90+ ) wines. This spread of points will relate to SILVER and GOLD medals, with GOOD being BRONZE. This also fits into my scheme for trade tastings. MVC/QPR=BETTER (86-89)=my basic recommendation MVC/QPR=BEST (90+ )=superior MAJOR THEME: California Premium Wines Recommended Wines UNDER $20 ========================= Fizz+515221 STARS BRUT NATURE RESERVA CAVA 2022 SPAIN $17.95 MVC/QPR=BEST (90+ )=superior W+518357 SIDEWOOD SAUVIGNON BLANC 2023 AUSTRALIA $18.95 W+606772 ARBOLEDA CHARDONNAY 2022 CHILE $18.95 MVC/QPR=BEST (90+ )=superior W+38203 CHÂTEAU DOMI-COURS VITAE SAUVIGNON BLANC 2023 BORDEAUX $16.95 W+438796 DOMAINE DE LA BAUME ELISABETH VIOGNIER 2022 LANGUEDOC $14.95 MVC/QPR=BEST (90+ )=superior W+39302 LA PERRIÈRE CÔTEAUX DU GIENNOIS BLANC 2022 LOIRE $19.95 W+456020 RUSTENBERG STELLENBOSCH SAUVIGNON BLANC 2022 $15.95 MVC/QPR=BEST (90+ )=superior W+37648 ZENATO PINOT GRIGIO VENEZIE 2023 $17.95 W+14199 INVIVO SAUVIGNON BLANC 2023 NEW ZEALAND $17.95 R+13113 FINCA SOPHENIA ALTOSUR MALBEC 2023 ARGENTINA $17.95 R+162529 SUSANA BALBO CRÍOS MALBEC 2022 ARGENTINA $17.95 MVC/QPR=BEST (90+ )=superior R+15495 3 RINGS SHIRAZ 2021 AUSTRALIA $17.95 R+23905 KNAPPSTEIN CLARE VALLEY CABERNET SAUVIGNON 2021 $19.95 R+131540 FEATHERSTONE RED TAIL MERLOT 2021 VQA NIAGARA $19.95 MVC/QPR=BEST (90+ )=superior R+37866 VENTISQUERO QUEULAT SINGLE VINEYARD GRAN RESERVA CABERNET CHILE $17.95 R+37799 MORANDÉ VITIS ÚNICA CARMENÈRE 2021 CHILE $18.95 MVC/QPR=BEST (90+ )=superior R+38261 CHÂTEAU DUCASSE 2020 $16.95 R+630046 CHÂTEAU L'ESCADRE GRANDE RÉSERVE 2019 $19.95 R+354134 CHÂTEAU BELLEVUE LA FORÊT ORIGINAL 2020 $15.95 R+995704 ZENATO VALPOLICELLA SUPERIORE 2021 $17.95 R+278150 NIRO DI CITRA MONTEPULCIANO D'ABRUZZO 2021 $17.95 R+166439 MORGADO DE SILGUEIROS VINHO TINTO 2021 PORTUGAL $12.95 R+629832 HEREDAD DE URUEÑA SANTO TERROIR TEMPRANILLO 2015 SPAIN $16.95 Recommended Wines OVER $20 ======================= W+558734 SUSANA BALBO SIGNATURE WHITE BLEND 2023 ARGENTINA $22.95 MVC/QPR=BEST (90+ )=superior W+241182 CHARLES BAKER PICONE VINEYARD RIESLING 2021 VQA NIAGARA $44.95 MVC/QPR=BEST (90+ )=superior W+41257 LIEBLING RIESLING 2022 VQA NIAGARA $22 W+524959 DOMAINE BÈGUE-MATHIOT VAILLONS CHABLIS 1ER CRU 2022 $39.95 W+16012 VILLA MARIA CELLAR SELECTION HAWKE'S BAY CHARDONNAY 2022 $22.95 MVC/QPR=BEST (90+ )=superior W+36872 SUMMERHOUSE MARLBOROUGH SAUVIGNON BLANC 2023 $20.95 R+404137 TINTONEGRO LIMESTONE BLOCK MALBEC 2020 ARGENTINA $21.95 R+38506 SALENTEIN PYROS APPELLATION MALBEC 2019 $22.95 R+48470 TEUSNER THE RIEBKE SHIRAZ 2021 AUSTRALIA $22.95 R+10541 RYMILL COONAWARRA CLASSIC CABERNET SAUVIGNON 2019 $29.95 MVC/QPR=BEST (90+ )=superior R+64380 THE FOREIGN AFFAIR DREAM 2020 VQA NIAGARA $29.95 R+208702 NORMAN HARDIE NIAGARA UNFILTERED PINOT NOIR 2020 VQA $49.20 R+304162 REIF RESERVE CABERNET SAUVIGNON 2019 VQA NIAGARA $34.95 R+40964 CHÂTEAU DE NAGES HÉRITAGE COSTIÈRES DE NÎMES 2022 $22.95 R+25826 SAN BIAGIO CAPALOT BAROLO 2017 $54.95 R+943290 FONTANAFREDDA SERRALUNGA D'ALBA BAROLO 2020 $52.95 R+421388 CASTELLI DEL GREVEPESA CLEMENTE VII CHIANTI CLASSICO 2020 $22.95 R+14857 CARPINETO BRUNELLO DI MONTALCINO 2019 $69.95 MVC/QPR=BEST (90+ )=superior R+515502 BANFI FONTE ALLA SELVA CHIANTI CLASSICO GRAN SELEZIONE 2019 $37.95 R+39489 VALPANTENA TORRE DEL FALASCO VALPOLICELLA RIPASSO SUPERIORE $25.95 MVC/QPR=BEST (90+ )=superior R+37724 CASA DE CAMBRES GRANDE RESERVA 2017 PORTUGAL $27.95 R+114454 BORDÓN GRAN RESERVA 2013 RIOJA $27.95 R+315531 LA RIOJA ALTA VIÑA ARDANZA RESERVA 2016 $59.95 MVC/QPR=BEST (90+ )=superior LIMITED TIME OFFERS: Some Recommended Wines from the LCBO’s Limited Time Offer selections...these are "better" value wines...on sale through November 10 -- WHITE - +158683 LA CREMA MONTEREY CHARDONNAY Monterey, California, NOW $27.95 Save $2 +89037 TAWSE SKETCHES OF NIAGARA CHARDONNAY VOA Niagara, NOW $19.95 Save $2 RED - +352583 BERINGER KNIGHTS VALLEY CABERNET SAUVIGNON Sonoma County, California, NOW $44.95 Save $5 +328567 CATHEDRAL CELLAR CABERNET SAUVIGNON WO Western Cape, South Africa, NOW $16.95 Save $3 +226035 CHATEAU TEYSSIER AC Montagne-Saint-Emilion, NOW $24.95 Save $3 +59311 THE SEVEN DEADLY ZINS OLD VINE ZINFANDEL Lodi, California, now $21.95, save $3 +964221 LE VOLTE DELL'ORNELLAIA IGT Tuscany, NOW $28.95 Save $3 +353201 Ruffino Riserva Ducale Oro Gran Selezione Chianti Classico DOCG Tuscany, now $44.95, save $5 +145920 Tenuta Frescobaldi di Castiglioni IGT Tuscany, now $21.95, save $3 +303800 Trius Red VQA Niagara, now $24.95, save $3 ** Some New Wines I Tasted Over the Past Season --- REPORT FROM TASTIN' FRANCE: 17TH ANNUAL TRADE TASTING ROADSHOW IN CANADA The Date and Time: Monday July 11 11AM to 4PM The Event: Business France wine and spirits tasting for businesses seeking representation in Ontario. The Venue: Park Hyatt, Terrace Room The Target Audience: wine agents, media The Availability/Catalogue: there was a catalogue of some 12 wine producers with label descriptions of their wines plus a concise history of the firm, with production figures and importation distribution. The Quote/Background: No prices were listed since this meeting was at the wholesale level and there was room for flexible pricing. The Wines: over 100 wines from eight regions were available for sampling with the available producers. I did not try all the wines, and I did not try any of the spirits. **** BEST -- Four Stars (91+ in Quality/Price Rating terms): -C Adele Monavin AOP Champagne Blanc de Blancs -Bouvet Ladubay Brut de Loire AOP Saumur Brut [trad. met] $18? -Bouvet Ladubay Saphir Brut de Loire AOP Saumur Brut 2022 [trad. met] -Bouvet Ladubay Excellence AOP Cremant de Loire Brut [trad. met] -Bouvet Ladubay Excellence AOP Cremant de Loire Rose Brut [trad. met] -Bouvet Ladubay Tresor AOP Saumur Brut 2020 [trad. met] -Bouvet Ladubay Zero AOP Saumur Brut Nature 2020 [trad. met] -Chateau de Poncie AOC Beaujolais Villages Blanc 2021 -Domaine de Mayol Oplezir Rose 2023 AOP Luberon -Anne de Joyeuse Camas Syrah Rose 2023 IGP Pays d'Oc -Anne de Joyeuse Very Chardonnay Limoux Blanc 2022 AOP Pays d'Oc -Vignerons Mais Autrement Orange Blossom Sauvignon Gris IGP Atlantique Orange -Comtesse de Saint Pey White AOP Cremant de Bordeaux Blanc -Les Vignerons Reunis de Monsegur Chateau des Rois Blanc 2023 AOC Bordeaux -SARL Monavin M Rose by Monavin Monaco AOC Cotes de Provence 2023 -SARL Monavin M AOC Cremant de Loire -SARL Monavin M Sauvignon Blanc AOP Touraine 2022 -DIVA Dampt Daniel Chablis 2022 AOC Chablis 2022 -DIVA Lapalus AOC Macon Milly Lamartine 2022 [con. small winemakers $33.50] ***1/2 BETTER -- Three and a Half Stars (87 – 90 in Quality/Price Rating terms): -Jean Aubron Les Bulles Petillant Naturel Melon Blanc Vin de France -Jean Aubron Contact Vin Orange Melon Blanc Vin de France -Domaine de Mayol Cuvee Classique Blanc 2023 AOP Luberon -Anne de Joyeuse Camas Chardonnay 2023 IGP Pays d'Oc -Anne de Joyeuse Camas Sauvignon Blanc 2023 IGP Pays d'Oc -Vignerons Mais Autrement Chateau Roberperote Cuvee Olivia 2018 AOP Bordeaux Superieur Rouge -Vignerons Mais Autrement Black & Wine Blanc de Noirs 2023 IGP Atlantique Blancs de Noirs -Les Vignerons Reunis de Monsegur Edmond Barbe Sparkling Vin de France -SARL Monavin M AOP Graves by Monavin Monaco 2023 Bordeaux -DIVA Girardin Benoit AOC Santenay Blanc "Les Champs Claude" 2022 -Sequentis Reflet Floreal Organic 2023 Vin de France Cepages Resistants (and two others: Sequentis Tandem Blanc with Souvignier Gris and Floreal; Sequentis Miroir Rouge with Vidoc and Monarch) The Food: typical cold cuts and cheeses platters, with breads and crisps and fruit. The Downside: nothing really The Upside:lots of room and lots of time to explore the wines The Contact Person: laetitia.miroux@businessfrance.fr The Event’s Marketing Effectiveness and Execution (numerical grade): 93 WORLD WINE WATCH TOP WINES AT VINTAGES: under/over $20 for OCTOBER 19, 2024 release. By DEAN TUDOR, Gothic Epicures Writing deantudor@deantudor.com. My "Wines, Beers and Spirits of the Net", a guide to thousands of news items and RSS feeds, plus references to wines, beers and spirits, has been at https://pages.pathcom.com/~dtudor since 1994. These notes for better or best wines available through LCBO Vintages (on a bi-weekly basis) can always be found at http://www.gothicepicures.blogspot.ca or at https://pages.pathcom.com/~dtudor No winery can buy their way into – or out of – my publication. Scores are a combination of MVC (Modal Varietal Character, e.g. a Southern Rhone would taste like a Southern Rhone) and QPR (Quality/Price Ratio value in the marketplace, above or below its price). I was one of the first to jump on the Robert Parker bandwagon, using numerical indications for my scores in the early 1980s. Why? Because with a database I could rate, rank and order wines in any fashion. It was just so convenient using databases. Unfortunately, the numerical system has been shown to be disgraced by overuse and "inflated numbers"; thus I have quit any ranking by number. From now on, it will just be GOOD, BETTER and BEST, which will give me some wiggle room (e.g. is this wine an 87, 88, 89, or 90? Or all of them...depends on my mood and time of day). With the rigorous standards and lab testing by the LCBO, I can safely say that every single wine at the LCBO is at least GOOD, which I would numerically rank at 75-85 points. For reasons of time and space, I will NOT be listing the GOOD wines. Just the BETTER (86-89) and the BEST (90+ ) wines. This spread of points will relate to SILVER and GOLD medals, with GOOD being BRONZE. This also fits into my scheme for trade tastings. MVC/QPR=BETTER (86-89)=basic recommendation MVC/QPR=BEST (90+ )=superior MAJOR THEME: Classic Italian Recommended Wines UNDER $20 ========================= W+37758 LUIS FELIPE EDWARDS FAMILY SELECTION GRAN RESERVA SAUVIGNON $17.95 W+32387 SKOURAS WILD FERMENT ASSYRTIKO 2023 GREECE $19.95 MVC/QPR=BEST (90+ ) W+17586 MISSION ESTATE MARLBOROUGH SAUVIGNON BLANC 2022 NEW ZEALAND $19.95 W+203877 SUTHERLAND SAUVIGNON BLANC 2022 SOUTH AFRICA $15.95 MVC/QPR=BEST (90+ ) R+38142 TRIVENTO PRIVATE RESERVE MALBEC 2022 ARGENTINA $17.95 R+19386 ALPATACO PINOT NOIR 2023 ARGENTINA $15.95 R+36282 HENTLEY FARM VILLAIN & VIXEN SHIRAZ 2022 AUSTRALIA $19.95 R+478271 SISTER'S RUN OLD TESTAMENT CABERNET SAUVIGNON 2021 AUSTRALIA $18.95 R+186114 JIP JIP ROCKS SHIRAZ/CABERNET 2022 AUSTRALIA $17.95 R+86918 FLAT ROCK RED TWISTED 2023 VQA ONTARIO $19.95 R+37870 CLOS DE LUZ INTACTO FAMILY RESERVE CABERNET SAUVIGNON 2019 CHILE $18.95 R+38202 CHÂTEAU DU LUC 2020 BORDEAUX $19.95 R+38204 CHÂTEAU LUCQUES BESSAN 2016 BORDEAUX $16.95 R+526632 COURTOIS LA GRANGE VINSOBRES 2022 RHONE $19.95 R+23034 DUCA DI SARAGNANO NERO DI TROIA 2021 PUGLIA $16.95 R+455659 FATTORIA LE PUPILLE MORELLINO DI SCANSANO 2022 TOSCANO $18.95 R+984997 TEDESCHI CAPITEL NICALÒ VALPOLICELLA SUPERIORE 2021 VENETO $19.95 Recommended Wines OVER $20 ======================== W+381251 REDSTONE LIMESTONE RIDGE SOUTH RIESLING 2023 VQA ONTARIO $22.95 MVC/QPR=BEST (90+ ) W+149302 FEATHERSTONE CANADIAN OAK CHARDONNAY 2022 VQA ONTARIO $24.95 MVC/QPR=BEST (90+ ) W+747600 PIERRE SPARR GRANDE RÉSERVE GEWURZTRAMINER 2022 ALSACE $20.95 W+681429 ALOIS LAGEDER TERRA ALPINA PINOT GRIGIO 2022 ALTO ADIGE $20.95 W+36687 SAN GIACOMO DEL COMUNE DI GAVI 2022 PIEDMONT $23.95 W+9142 BABICH BLACK LABEL SAUVIGNON BLANC 2022 NEW ZEALAND $21.95 R+631879 WAPISA MALBEC 2022 ARGENTINA $21.95 R+36314 SCHROEDER SAURUS SELECT CABERNET SAUVIGNON/CABERNET FRANC 2021 ARGENTINA $23.95 R+497388 HIDDEN BENCH LOCUST LANE VINEYARD PINOT NOIR 2020 VQA ONTARIO $48.95 R+307686 TAWSE QUARRY ROAD PINOT NOIR 2021 VQA ONTARIO $35.95 R+39769 CAVE DU CHÂTEAU DES LOGES LES 3 MADONES CÔTE DE BROUILLY BEAUJOLAIS 2022 $21.95 R+213132 LA PIEVE BAROLO 2020 PIEDMONT $49.95 MVC/QPR=BEST (90+ ) R+579094 CAPARZO BRUNELLO DI MONTALCINO 2019 $59.95 R+541292 SAN CLAUDIO II VINO NOBILE DI MONTEPULCIANO 2020 $23.95 R+37722 SAN ALEJANDRO QUERENCIA DESEYA ORGANIC VIEJA GARNACHA 2022 SPAIN $17.95 R+529586 R. LÓPEZ DE HEREDIA VIÑA BOSCONIA RESERVA 2013 RIOJA $54.95 R+692780 R. LÓPEZ DE HEREDIA VIÑA CUBILLO CRIANZA 2016 RIOJA $33.95 MVC/QPR=BEST (90+ ) LIMITED TIME OFFERS: Some Recommended Wines from the LCBO’s Limited Time Offer selections...these are "better" value...on sale through November 9 -- WHITE - +158683 LA CREMA MONTEREY CHARDONNAY Monterey, California, NOW $27.95 Save $2 +89037 TAWSE SKETCHES OF NIAGARA CHARDONNAY VOA Niagara, NOW $19.95 Save $2 RED - +352583 BERINGER KNIGHTS VALLEY CABERNET SAUVIGNON Sonoma County, California, NOW $44.95 Save $5 +328567 CATHEDRAL CELLAR CABERNET SAUVIGNON WO Western Cape, South Africa, NOW $16.95 Save $3 +226035 CHATEAU TEYSSIER AC Montagne-Saint-Emilion, NOW $24.95 Save $3 +59311 THE SEVEN DEADLY ZINS OLD VINE ZINFANDEL Lodi, California, now $21.95, save $3 +964221 LE VOLTE DELL'ORNELLAIA IGT Tuscany, NOW $28.95 Save $3 +353201 Ruffino Riserva Ducale Oro Gran Selezione Chianti Classico DOCG Tuscany, now $44.95, save $5 +145920 Tenuta Frescobaldi di Castiglioni IGT Tuscany, now $21.95, save $3 +303800 Trius Red VQA Niagara, now $24.95, save $3 ** Some New Wines I Tasted Over the Past Season --- REPORT FROM THE ABRUZZO ITALIAN WINE TASTING June 2024: The Date and Time: Monday June 17, 2024 11:30AM- 5PM The Event: Wines of Abruzzo Tasting/Vins des Abruzzes, Italie The Venue: The Carlu The Target Audience: wine trade The Availability/Catalogue: many of the wines were available for private consignment sales by Ontario wine agents. The Quote/Background: The Masterclass (90 minutes) was a synopsis of the Abruzzo wine industry, principally Montepulciano d'Abruzzo (red) and Pecorino and/or Trebbiano d'Abruzzo (white). There is also a piquant rose: Cerasuolo d'Abruzzo, made from Montepulciano grapes. 65% of the region is mountainous (Apennines) with different microclimates that are milder by the Adriatic side. The region has 250 wineries and 35 co-ops to deal with 10,000 grape producers. 34,000 hectares produce 3.5 million hectolitres, 1 million of which is DOC. A lot of it is exported to foreign markets such as Germany (19%) and Canada (11%). The Wines: Unfortunately we did not taste any red wines in the Masterclass; I was expecting some reds with some depth and aging to contrast and compare with what is currently available. **** BEST -- Four Stars (91+ in Quality/Price Rating terms): -Cantina Tollo Terre di Chieti Pecorino Peco 2923 IGP (Azureau Wines) -Ausonia Pecorino Bio Machaon 2021 DOC [organic] -Cirelli Trebbiano d'Abruzzo DOC 2022 (The Living Vine) $27.95 -Cirelli Orange Trebbiano NV (The Living Vine) $27.95 -Cirelli Montepulciano d'Abruzzo 2022 (The Living Vine) $27.95 -Colle Moro Montepulciano Nero 2019 -Castaldi Montepulciano Appassimento 2012 -Cirelli Pecorino 2022 (The Living Vine) $28.95 ***1/2 BETTER -- Three and a Half Stars (87 – 90 in Quality/Price Rating terms): -Fizz: Tenuta Micoli Passerina Orso Bianco NV -Colle Moro Terre di Chieti Pecorino Alianto 2023 IGP (Lexcellent Wines) $12.95 -Castorani Collini Pescarese Trebbiano Lupai 2022 IGT (Tre Amici Import) -Ciavolich Trebbiano d'Abruzzo DOC Fosso Cancelli 2021 (Tifa Wine Inc) -Valle Martello Villamaggio 2020 -Cantina Tollo Mo' Montepulciano d'Abruzzo Riserva (Azureau) -Castaldi Casauria Montepulciano Riserva 2018 -Pietrame Edizione Limita Montepulciano d'Abruzzo DOP -Orapiena Montepulciano d'Abruzzo DOP Riserva (Vintages $17.95 +36526) -Brado Pecorino 2021 -Fattoria Nicodemi Pecorino 2023 The Food: there was a charcuterie board (ante pasta harvest table), with tomatoes, buffalo mozzarella, Canadian cheeses, cured meats, smoked salmon, pickled onions, marinated artichokes, artisan breads, crisps, eggplant, dried fruit, et al. The main highlight was the cheese board with giant slabs of Gorgonzola dolce and Parmigiana Reggiano Vecchio (old) The Downside: the masterclass was almost a half hour late in starting. The Upside: a chance to taste an impressive variety of obscure Italian wines from Abruzzo. The Contact Person: lisa@androscom.com The Event’s Marketing Effectiveness and Execution (numerical grade): 92. WORLD WINE WATCH TOP WINES AT VINTAGES: under/over $20 for OCTOBER 5, 2024 release. By DEAN TUDOR, Gothic Epicures Writing deantudor@deantudor.com. My "Wines, Beers and Spirits of the Net", a guide to thousands of news items and RSS feeds, plus references to wines, beers and spirits, has been at https://pages.pathcom.com/~dtudor since 1994. These notes for better or best wines available through LCBO Vintages (on a bi-weekly basis) can always be found at http://www.gothicepicures.blogspot.ca or at https://pages.pathcom.com/~dtudor No winery can buy their way into – or out of – my publication. Scores are a combination of MVC (Modal Varietal Character, e.g. a Southern Rhone would taste like a Southern Rhone) and QPR (Quality/Price Ratio value in the marketplace, above or below its price). I was one of the first to jump on the Robert Parker bandwagon, using numerical indications for my scores in the early 1980s. Why? Because with a database I could rate, rank and order wines in any fashion. It was just so convenient using databases. Unfortunately, the numerical system has been shown to be disgraced by overuse and "inflated numbers"; thus I have quit any ranking by number. From now on, it will just be GOOD, BETTER and BEST, which will give me some wiggle room (e.g. is this wine an 87, 88, 89, or 90? Or all of them...depends on my mood and time of day). With the rigorous standards and lab testing by the LCBO, I can safely say that every single wine at the LCBO is at least GOOD, which I would numerically rank at 75-85 points. For reasons of time and space, I will NOT be listing the GOOD wines. Just the BETTER (86-89) and the BEST (90+ ) wines. This spread of points will relate to SILVER and GOLD medals, with GOOD being BRONZE. This also fits into my scheme for trade tastings. MVC/QPR=BETTER (86-89)=my basic recommendation MVC/QPR=BEST (90+ )=superior MAJOR THEME: FALL FAVOURITES Recommended Wines UNDER $20 ========================= Fizz+281329 JOSEPH CATTIN BRUT CRÉMANT D'ALSACE NV $19.95 MVC/QPR=BEST (90+ )=superior Orange+30344 LANZADO ORGANIC ORANGE WINE 2022 Spain $19.95 MVC/QPR=BEST (90+ )=superior W+662775 D'ARENBERG THE HERMIT CRAB VIOGNIER/MARSANNE 2023 Australia $17.95 W+89011 FEATHERSTONE SAUVIGNON BLANC 2023 VQA $17.95 MVC/QPR=BEST (90+ )=superior W+89029 TAWSE SKETCHES OF NIAGARA RIESLING 2022 VQA $19.95 W+37755 EMILIANA NOVAS GRAN RESERVA CHARDONNAY 2022 Chile $17.95 W+644385 BORD ELEGANCE LAUDUN CÔTES DU RHÔNE-VILLAGES BLANC 2022 $19.95 W+402677 MATAHIWI ESTATE SAUVIGNON BLANC 2023 New Zealand $18.55 W+37785 ADEGA PONTE DA BARCA LOUREIRO/ALVARINHO 2023 Portugal $13.95 R+167619 ZUCCARDI SERIE A MALBEC 2022 Argentina $18.95 R+15079 CAMELEON ORGANIC CABERNET SAUVIGNON 2022 Argentina $16.95 R+38468 ATAMISQUE SERBAL CABERNET FRANC 2023 Argentina $17.95 R+37867 CALCU TINY BLOCKS GRAN RESERVA CABERNET SAUVIGNON 2020 Chile $17.95 R+37798 TABALÍ PEDREGOSO CARMENÈRE 2022 Chile $19.95 R+426247 CHÂTEAU LES TOURELLES 2019 Bordeaux $17.95 R+37240 FONJOYA HEMA GRAND VELOURS GRANDE RÉSERVE 2020 Languedoc $19.95 R+413211 XAVIER VIGNON VENTOUX Rhone 2021 $18.95 R+983742 L.A. CETTO PETITE SIRAH 2020 Mexico $14.95 R+39097 DOLIANOVA DOLIA CANNONAU DI SARDEGNA 2022 $18.95 Recommended Wines OVER $20 ======================== Fizz+421032 CHARLES MIGNON PREMIUM RÉSERVE BRUT CHAMPAGNE NV $58.95 W+918805 CATENA HIGH MOUNTAIN VINES CHARDONNAY 2022 Argentina $20.95 W+39763 TRIUS SHOWCASE WILD FERMENT SAUVIGNON BLANC 2020 VQA $32.00 MVC/QPR=BEST (90+ )=superior W+256552 CAVE SPRING ESTATE GROWN CAVE SPRING VINEYARD CHARDONNAY 2020 VQA $21.95 MVC/QPR=BEST (90+ )=superior W+302083 BACHELDER L'ARDOISE NIAGARA CHARDONNAY 2022 VQA $25.95 MVC/QPR=BEST (90+ )=superior R+390872 WOLF BLASS GREY LABEL SHIRAZ 2021 Australia $34.95 MVC/QPR=BEST (90+ )=superior R+317008 VERSADO MALBEC 2018 Argentina $21.95 MVC/QPR=BEST (90+ )=superior R+33894 LE CLOS JORDANNE JORDAN VILLAGE PINOT NOIR 2021 VQA $30.00 R+20422 HIDDEN BENCH ESTATE ORGANIC GAMAY 2022 VQA $29.95 R+38198 CHÂTEAU SUAU CADILLAC-CÔTES DE BORDEAUX 2009 $24.95 R+38194 CHÂTEAU COUFRAN HAUT-MÉDOC 2009 $43.95 MVC/QPR=BEST (90+ )=superior R+713354 TRAVAGLINI GATTINARA 2020 Piedmont $39.95 R+36916 FATTORIA SVETONI VINO NOBILE DI MONTEPULCIANO 2019 $28.50 R+19022 R. LÓPEZ DE HEREDIA VIÑA TONDONIA RESERVA 2012 $41.95 LIMITED TIME OFFERS: Some Recommended Wines from the LCBO’s Limited Time Offer selections...these are "better" value...on sale through Sunday October 13 -- +20899 Closson Chase The Brock Chardonnay VQA Niagara now $22.95, save $2 +326728 Oyster Bay Chardonnay New Zealand now $17.95, save $3 +198853 Tawse Quarry Road Organic Riesling VQA Vinemount Ridge now $21.95, save $3 +24133 Thirty Bench Winemaker's Blend Riesling VQA Beamsville Bench now $19.95, save $3 +38117 Vineland Estates Elevation St. Urban Vineyard Riesling VQA Niagara now $19.95, save $3 +168716 M. Chapoutier Les Vignes de Bila-Haut Cotes du Roussillon Villages now $14.95, save $2 +149237 The Foreign Affair The Conspiracy VQA Niagara now $18.95, save $3 +50203 Beronia Reserva Rioja now $20.95, save $3 +976662 Faustino I Gran Reserva Rioja now $27.95, save $4 +166538 LAN Crianza Rioja now $16.95, save $2 +590414 Oyster Bay Pinot Noir New Zealand now $18.95, save $3 +130989 Tawse Growers Blend Pinot Noir VQA Niagara now $26.95, save $3 ** Some New Wines I Tasted Over the Past Season --- REPORT ON GAMBERO ROSSO VINI D'ITALIA 2024 MONDAY MAY 4 2024 The Date and Time: Monday May 6 2024, 1P-5P The Event: Gambero Rosso Tre Bicchieri Itallian Wine Tasting The Venue: Liberty Grand CNE grounds. The Target Audience: wine trade, sommeliers, wine writers The Availability/Catalogue: available via the QR quick-response code. The Quote/Background: 60 wineries participated in today's event; over 200 wines were showed. Italy, of course, is the world's largest wine producer and exporter by volume. There was a masterclass of 12 wines offered up to an audience of 50 or so sommeliers and wine writers. This was a special tasting of wines that had won "special awards" such as "Sparkler of the Year" or "Winery of the Year". The 2024 edition of Gambero Rosso reviews some 2647 wineries and a total of 25, 231 blind-tasted wines. Scores range from 1 to 3 glasses according to quality. 2,300 samples made it to the finals, and 498 wines were awarded Tre Bicchieri - Three Glasses...so close...maybe 500 next year? The Wines: I did not taste every wine offered. **** BEST -- Four Stars (91+ in Quality/Price Rating terms): -Enrico Gatti Franciacorta Millesimo Brut Nature 2016 -Umani Ronchi Verdicchio dei Castelli di Jesi 2018 Marche -Primosic Collio Chardonnay Riserva 2018 Friuli -Cantina Reamin A.A. Gewurztraminer Nussbaumer 2021 -Dastello di Volpaia Chianti Classico Gran Riserva Selezione 2020 Tuscany -Castello di Quercetto Chianti Classico Riserva 2020 Tuscany -Ruffino Chianti Classico Gran Selezione Riserva Ducale 2019 Tuscany -Giovanni Rosso Barolo Vigna Ester Canale Rosso 2019 -Camerani Corte Sant'Alda Amarone della Valpolicella Val**zzane 2016 -Florio Marsala Virgine Riserva 2011 Sicily [fortified] -Luigi Baudana Barolo 2020 Cerretta Piedmont -Luigi Baudana Barolo 2020 Baudana Piedmont -Allegrini Amarone Della Vallipolicella Classico 2020 Veneto -Barone Pizzini Animante NV -Giusti Dei Carni Chardonnay IGT Trevenezie 2022 -Barone Pizzini Bagnadore Franciacortia 2016 -Il Borro IGT Toscana 2019 [Vintages] -Monteti IGT Toscana 2018 -Polissena Sangiovese 2019 Valdarno di Sopra -Pian di Nova IGT Toscana 2020 -Caburnio IGT Toscana 2017 ***1/2 BETTER -- Three and a Half Stars (87 – 90 in Quality/Price Rating terms): -Primosic Ribolla Gialla 2019 Friuli -Fradiles Mandrolisai Rosso 2021 Tuscany -Torgiano Rosso Freccia Degli Scacchi Riserva 2020 Terra Margaritelli Umbria -Tenuta di Artimino Grumarello Carminiano Riserva 2019 Tuscany -Vinchio Vaglio Barbera d’Asti, 2021 Piedmont -Castello di Rada Chianti Classico 2017 Tuscany -Azienda Agricola Pettinella Giuliano Pettinella Cerasuolo d'Abruzzo Tauma 2022 [rose] -Tenuta Ceri Carmignano Arrendevole Riserva 2020 -Velenosi Ascoli Piceno Rosso Piceno Superiore Roggio del Filare 2020 [amarone] -Barone Pizzini Rose 2019 -Luigi Baudana Langhe Dragon Bianco 2023 Piedmont -Gorghi Tondi Grillo Riserva Sicilia Kheire 2022 -Gorghi Tondi Coste a Preola Grillo Sicilia 2022 -Gorghi Tondi Coste a Preola Nero d'Avola Sicilia 2021 -Monteti TM Rose IGT Toscana 2023 The Food: the cheese was served cold (a no-no) but the cold cuts were actually cold. For some reason, many boxes of room temperature Pizza Nova rectangular pizzas were served up to the trade crowds. The Downside: this year, the audience was larger in number than usual (I have been going to Toronto's Gambero Rosso for many years), but there were many strange faces and some areas had an overwhelming smell of cologne and/or perfume. The Upside: nevertheless, it was a good opportunity to taste some high end Italian wines. The Contact Person: Giovanni Silvestri [gamberorossocanada@sogood.it] The Event’s Marketing Effectiveness and Execution (numerical grade): 82 WORLD WINE WATCH TOP WINES AT VINTAGES: under/over $20 for SEPTEMBER 21, 2024 release. By DEAN TUDOR, Gothic Epicures Writing deantudor@deantudor.com. My "Wines, Beers and Spirits of the Net", a guide to thousands of news items and RSS feeds, plus references to wines, beers and spirits, has been at https://pages.pathcom.com/~dtudor since 1994. These notes for better or best wines available through LCBO Vintages (on a bi-weekly basis) can always be found at http://www.gothicepicures.blogspot.ca or at https://pages.pathcom.com/~dtudor No winery can buy their way into – or out of – my publication. Scores are a combination of MVC (Modal Varietal Character, e.g. a Southern Rhone would taste like a Southern Rhone) and QPR (Quality/Price Ratio value in the marketplace, above or below its price). I was one of the first to jump on the Robert Parker bandwagon, using numerical indications for my scores in the early 1980s. Why? Because with a database I could rate, rank and order wines in any fashion. It was just so convenient using databases. Unfortunately, the numerical system has been shown to be disgraced by overuse and "inflated numbers"; thus I have quit any ranking by number. From now on, it will just be GOOD, BETTER and BEST, which will give me some wiggle room (e.g. is this wine an 87, 88, 89, or 90? Or all of them...depends on my mood and time of day). With the rigorous standards and lab testing by the LCBO, I can safely say that every single wine at the LCBO is at least GOOD, which I would numerically rank at 75-85 points. For reasons of time and space, I will NOT be listing the GOOD wines. Just the BETTER (86-89) and the BEST (90+ ) wines. This spread of points will relate to SILVER and GOLD medals, with GOOD being BRONZE. This also fits into my scheme for trade tastings. MVC/QPR=BETTER (86-89)=my basic recommendation MVC/QPR=BEST (90+ )=superior MAJOR THEME: High Scoring Wines Recommended Wines UNDER $20 ========================= W+37909 ZONTE'S FOOTSTEP LADY MARMALADE VERMENTINO 2022 Australia $18.95 W+356873 FLAT ROCK GOOD KHARMA CHARDONNAY 2023 VQA $17.95 W+36732 JASCI ORGANIC TREBBIANO D'ABRUZZO 2023 Abruzzo $17.95 MVC/QPR=BEST (90+ )=superior W+17549 OTU MARLBOROUGH SAUVIGNON BLANC 2023 New Zealand $18.95 MVC/QPR=BEST (90+ )=superior W+126847 MAN FREE-RUN STEEN CHENIN BLANC 2023 South Africa $16.95 Rose+117861 FEATHERSTONE ROSÉ 2023 VQA $16.95 MVC/QPR=BEST (90+ )=superior Rose+165845 GRAN FEUDO ROSÉ 2022 Spain $12.95 MVC/QPR=BEST (90+ )=superior R+38143 VIÑALBA PARRILLA MALBEC 2022 Argentina $19.95 R+37552 COSME PALACIO VENDIMIA SELECCIONADA 2018 Spain $18.95 R+37579 REINO DE ALTUZARRA CABERNET SAUVIGNON 2021 Spain $12.95 R+36283 BRICKFIELDER G.F. ANGAS BAROSSA VALLEY SHIRAZ 2020 $16.95 R+37911 SAN PEDRO 1865 SELECTED VINEYARDS CABERNET SAUVIGNON 2022 Chile $18.95 R+487140 TRENEL BEAUJOLAIS-VILLAGES 2022 $19.95 R+38880 FAMILLE FABRE LE CERF ET LE VIGNERON CABERNET SAUVIGNON 2022 Languedoc $14.95 MVC/QPR=BEST (90+ )=superior R+561290 LOUIS BERNARD LOUIS CÔTES DU RHÔNE-VILLAGES 2021 $16.95 R+25447 GANDARADA 2020 Portugal $13.95 R+146522 VICENTE FARIA GLORIA RESERVA 2021 Portugal $14.95 R+634667 FRANSCHHOEK CELLAR THE CHURCHYARD CABERNET SAUVIGNON 2021 South Africa $15.95 Recommended Wines OVER $20 ======================== W+33858 NESTOR GRÜNER VELTLINER 2022 Austria $24.95 W+32364 BACHELDER BAI XU VINEYARD VIGNES DE 1981 CHARDONNAY 2021 VQA $49.95 MVC/QPR=BEST (90+ )=superior W+359760 THIRTY BENCH SMALL LOT WOOD POST RIESLING 2019 VQA $32.00 MVC/QPR=BEST (90+ )=superior W+267856 STRATUS CHARDONNAY 2021 VQA $35.20 W+30350 DOMAINE ALLIMANT-LAUGNER PRAELATENBERG GEWURZTRAMINER 2022 Alsace $39.95 W+461640 WILLIAM FÈVRE CHAMPS ROYAUX CHABLIS 2022 $35.95 MVC/QPR=BEST (90+ )=superior W+391052 ANSELMANN RIESLING AUSLESE 2022 Pfalz $24.95 W+36386 PESOLILLO PECORINO SUPERIORE 2022 Abruzzo $21.95 MVC/QPR=BEST (90+ )=superior Rose+319368 CHÂTEAU D'AQUÉRIA TAVEL ROSÉ 2023 $24.95 MVC/QPR=BEST (90+ )=superior R+400598 NORTON PRIVADA FAMILY BLEND 2021 Argentina $23.95 R+39621 BACHELDER BEAM-TOWN VUE SUR LA MONTAGNE PINOT NOIR 2021 VQA $39.95 R+524231 MALIVOIRE COURTNEY GAMAY 2021 VQA $34.95 R+265074 CLOSSON CHASE CHURCHSIDE PINOT NOIR 2021 VQA $45.00 R+284570 TAWSE GROWERS BLEND CABERNET FRANC 2020 VQA $29.95 R+523183 LEANING POST PINOT NOIR 2021 VQA $34.95 LIMITED TIME OFFERS: Some Recommended Wines from the LCBO’s Limited Time Offer selections...these are "better" value...on sale through Sunday October 13 -- +20899 Closson Chase The Brock Chardonnay VQA Niagara now $22.95, save $2 +326728 Oyster Bay Chardonnay New Zealand now $17.95, save $3 +198853 Tawse Quarry Road Organic Riesling VQA Vinemount Ridge now $21.95, save $3 +24133 Thirty Bench Winemaker's Blend Riesling VQA Beamsville Bench now $19.95, save $3 +38117 Vineland Estates Elevation St. Urban Vineyard Riesling VQA Niagara now $19.95, save $3 +168716 M. Chapoutier Les Vignes de Bila-Haut Cotes du Roussillon Villages now $14.95, save $2 +149237 The Foreign Affair The Conspiracy VQA Niagara now $18.95, save $3 +50203 Beronia Reserva Rioja now $20.95, save $3 +976662 Faustino I Gran Reserva Rioja now $27.95, save $4 +166538 LAN Crianza Rioja now $16.95, save $2 +590414 Oyster Bay Pinot Noir New Zealand now $18.95, save $3 +130989 Tawse Growers Blend Pinot Noir VQA Niagara now $26.95, save $3 ** Some New Wines I Tasted Over the Past Season --- Chateau des Charmes Aligote 2021 Cuvee Michele VQA Niagara-on-the-Lake, $15.95, +296848 LCBO: made from the rarely grown French vinifera grape seldom seen outside Burgundy -- one that Paul Bosc had cultivated since 1978, loaded with lean orchard fruit (green apples and unripe pears) and ending with a finishing crisp acidity suggesting food rather more than sips. It was often used in Burgundy as the white wine base for Kir; in North America now almost any dry white is used for a Kir. Aligote is refreshing for summer, and has no oak. Named for the late Michele Bosc. I last reviewed this wine (2019 vintage) in 2020. 2g/L residual sugar. 12.5% ABV. Twist top. A nifty and neat bone-dry white wine, fairly priced, and quite useful as a mixer. Quality/Price rating is 89 points by Dean Tudor of Gothic Epicures Writing. Chateau des Charmes Sauvignon Blanc 2022 VQA Niagara-on-the-Lake, +391300 $15.95 LCBO: last tasted by me with the 2017 vintage. Here, good balanced fruit, herbaceousness, citric tones (mainly lime), zest, MVC typicity for sauvignon blanc. Light to medium bodied, from grapes harvested a month later than usual. Fresh but so far maybe a bit too fresh at this point. Try later in the summer. 12.5% ABV. Well-priced. 4g/L residual sugar. Twist top. Quality/Price rating is 89 points by Dean Tudor of Gothic Epicures Writing. Chateau des Charmes Fume Blanc 2022 Paul Bosc Estate Vineyard VQA St David's Bench, +739133 $34.95 Winery: vines planted in 1983, very aromatic with nuances of toastiness both in the nose and on the palate, somewhat in the fume style as started by Robert Mondavi over fifty years ago. Typical savvy citric and unripe pear zestiness is tamed by oaking and unctuous tropical fruit tones developed through small batch lots. Medium finish accents lemon and vanillin character, melon, honeysuckle. Best as a classy sipper on its own, but also with a lightly aromatic first course. Barrel fermentation in barriques, aged in French oak on lees for a year or so which adds some heft with smoke and toast. 12.5% ABV. Can be cellared through six years (but watch out for changing wine tastes). Quality/Price rating is 93 points by Dean Tudor of Gothic Epicures Writing. Chateau des Charmes Pinot Noir 2021 Cuvee Michele Estate Grown & Bottled VQA NOTL, +454967, $16.95 LCBO: A lovely young wine, with some forest floor (mushrooms, earth) to complement the red fruit (strawberries are hinted at by the winemaker). I hadn't tasted this wine since the 2018 vintage. Just under subtle oaking, with a moderate intensity of medium flavours of spices mid-palate. Ready to drink now. Cork closure, 12.5% ABV, 3g/L residual sugar. Ready now. Try with slider burgers. Dedicated to the late Michele Bosc. Quality/Price rating is 90 points by Dean Tudor of Gothic Epicures Writing. Chateau des Charmes Gamay Noir 2021 VQA Niagara-on-the-Lake, $15.95, +57349 LCBO: medium-bodied, suggestive of Beaujolais [same grape variety]. Easy drinking of (sour) cherry-berry flavours with occasional nuances of spices. Fermented in normal classic unoaked style. I had not tasted this wine since the 2016 vintage. Best for patios or mulled wine, parties, BBQ. Could be served slightly chilled. Ready now, but with some tannic structure to carry through a whole meal. 12.5% ABV, cork closure. A very popular wine at this consistent price level. Quality/Price rating is 89 points by Dean Tudor of Gothic Epicures Writing. Omrah Crossing Chardonnay Great Southern Western Australia 2023 +17644 $21.95 LCBO Vintages Release Sept. 7 or from Airen.com: some of my fave chardonnays that I have tasted came from Western Australia, and Omrah continues that pattern. It was last available in Ontario with the 2019 vintage (which I enjoyed), and now it's back at a few dollars more, moving from my recommended "under $20" to "over $20". But that's life. On the nose, there's a whack of fresh stone-orchard fruit and some toast. On the palate, there's an intense rush of fruit tempered by judicious oaking leading to a lemon saline minerality on the finish. The crispy food-friendly style lingers. Malolactic fermentation has been kept to a minimum, and it shows. Best with curries and other SEA dishes. Might be good to lay down for a few years, to get another view. 13% ABV. 2g/L residual sugar. Quality/Price rating is 92+ points by Dean Tudor of Gothic Epicures Writing. WORLD WINE WATCH TOP WINES AT VINTAGES: under/over $20 for SEPTEMBER 7 , 2024 release. By DEAN TUDOR, Gothic Epicures Writing deantudor@deantudor.com. My "Wines, Beers and Spirits of the Net", a guide to thousands of news items and RSS feeds, plus references to wines, beers and spirits, has been at https://pages.pathcom.com/~dtudor since 1994. These notes for better or best wines available through LCBO Vintages (on a bi-weekly basis) can always be found at http://www.gothicepicures.blogspot.ca or at https://pages.pathcom.com/~dtudor No winery can buy their way into – or out of – my publication. Scores are a combination of MVC (Modal Varietal Character, e.g. a Southern Rhone would taste like a Southern Rhone) and QPR (Quality/Price Ratio value in the marketplace, above or below its price). I was one of the first to jump on the Robert Parker bandwagon, using numerical indications for my scores in the early 1980s. Why? Because with a database I could rate, rank and order wines in any fashion. It was just so convenient using databases. Unfortunately, the numerical system has been shown to be disgraced by overuse and "inflated numbers"; thus I have quit any ranking by number. From now on, it will just be GOOD, BETTER and BEST, which will give me some wiggle room (e.g. is this wine an 87, 88, 89, or 90? Or all of them...depends on my mood and time of day). With the rigorous standards and lab testing by the LCBO, I can safely say that every single wine at the LCBO is at least GOOD, which I would numerically rank at 75-85 points. For reasons of time and space, I will NOT be listing the GOOD wines. Just the BETTER (86-89) and the BEST (90+ ) wines. This spread of points will relate to SILVER and GOLD medals, with GOOD being BRONZE. This also fits into my scheme for trade tastings. MVC/QPR=BETTER (86-89)=my basic standard MVC/QPR=BEST (90+ )=superior MAJOR THEME: BRING HOME ONTARIO Recommended Wines UNDER $20 ========================= Fizz+515254 Vilarnau Barcelona Reserva Brut Organic Cava NV $16.95 MVC/QPR=BEST (90+ )=superior W+39741 Flat Rock Twisted Special Anniversary Edition 2023 VQA $19.95 W+485334 Kew Vineyards Marsanne VQA 2020 $19.95 MVC/QPR=BEST (90+ )=superior W+10964 Catena Appellation Chardonnay 2022 Argentina $19.95 W+37750 Caliterra Tributo Sauvignon Blanc Chile 2022 $17.95 W+12638 Esk Valley Sauvignon Blanc New Zealand 2022 $16.95 W+37420 Huber Vision Organic Gruner Veltliner Austria 2022 $16.95 W+10632 Lacheteau Les Cimes Haut-Poitou Sauvignon Blanc Loire 2022 $14.95 W+38396 Ormarine Carte Noire Picpoul de Pinet France 2023 $14.95 W+610295 Aveleda Alvarinho Portugal 2022 $14.95 MVC/QPR=BEST (90+ )=superior R+36311 Piedra Negra Alta Coleccion Organic Malbec Argentina 2023 $15.95 R+38260 Chateau Fleur Haut Gaussens Bordeaux 2015 $19.95 R+35902 Lacheteau Soleil des Vignes Chinon Cabernet Franc Loire 2022 $15.95 R+224592 Chateau Le Grand Retour Plan de Dieu Cotes du Rhone Villages 2021 $16.95 R+38260 Chateau Fleur Haut Gaussens Bordeaux 2015 $19.95 MVC/QPR=BEST (90+ )=superior R+35902 Lacheteau Soleil des Vignes Chinon Cabernet Franc Loire 2022 $15.95 R+224592 Chateau Le Grand Retour Plan de Dieu Cotes du Rhone Villages 2021 $16.95 R+452730 Jose Maria da Fonseca Domini Portugal 2019 $15.95 Recommended Wines OVER $20 ======================== Fizz+39728 13th Street Gamay Blanc de Noir VQA 2021 $34.95 Fizz+178137 Louis Bouillot Perle Brut Crémant de Bourgogne 2020 $23.95 MVC/QPR=BEST (90+ )=superior W+286377 Cave Spring Estate Riesling VQA $21.95 MVC/QPR=BEST (90+ )=superior W+20899 Closson Chase The Brock Chardonnay VQA $24.95 MVC/QPR=BEST (90+ )=superior W+183491 Hidden Bench Estate Organic Riesling VQA 2020 $24.95 W+20455 Le Clos Jordanne Jordan Village Chardonnay VQA 2021 $30 MVC/QPR=BEST (90+ )=superior W+160846 Dr. Loosen Blue Slate Riesling Kabinett Mosel 2021 $23.95 W+17644 Omrah Crossing Chardonnay 2013 W.Australia $21.95 MVC/QPR=BEST (90+ )=superior W+155382 Marchesi de Barolo Gavi del Comune di Gavi Piedmont 2022 $24.95 R+523001 Cave Spring Estate Grown Cave Spring Vineyard Cabernet Franc VQA 2022 $20.95 R+417642 Cave Spring Pinot Noir VQA $21.95 R+392738 Domaine Queylus Tradition Pinot Noir VQA 2021 $35.70 R+633628 Mission Hill Family Estate Reserve Meritage BCVQA 2021 $32.95 MVC/QPR=BEST (90+ )=superior R+203364 Errazuriz Aconcagua Alto Cabernet Sauvignon Chile 2021 $22.95 R+142398 Wakefield Jaraman Cabernet Sauvignon Australia 2021 $24.95 R+36670 Ellena Giuseppe Ascheri Barolo Piedmont 2019 $53.95 R+157347 Enrico Serafino Sanavento Barbaresco Piedmont 2021 $37.95 R+14200 Cecchi Riserva di Famiglia Chianti Classico Tuscany 2018 $23.95 LIMITED TIME OFFERS: Some Recommended Wines from the LCBO’s Limited Time Offer selections...these are "better" value wines...on sale through Sunday September 15. Some recommended wines are listed below, but you might also want to check the whole lot of 197 wines at https://www.lcbo.com/en/products#t=clp-products&sort=relevancy&layout=card&f:@ec_category=[Wine]&f:@lcbo_current_offer=[On%20Sale%5D%20] -Flat Rock Twisted White VQA Sale Price $14.95 Save $3.00 -Luc Belaire Rare Rosé Sparkling Sale Price $39.95 Save $3.00 -Zonin Ripasso Valpolicella Superiore DOC Price $18.95 Save $3.00 -Wolf Blass Yellow Label Cabernet Sauvignon Sale Price $14.95 Save $3.00 -Trius Rosé VQA Sale Price $16.95 Save $3.00 -Oyster Bay Pinot Grigio Sale Price $17.95 Save $3.00 -Barón de Ley Reserva 2019 Sale Price $19.95 Save $4.00 -Stags' Leap Winery Cabernet Sauvignon Sale Price $64.95 Save $5.00 -Umberto Cesari Liano Sangiovese/Cabernet Sauvignon Sale Price $24.95 Save $5.00 -Moillard Chablis Les Coteaux D'Or Sale Price $29.35 Save $3.00 -Mitolo Jester Shiraz 5 stars Sale Price $19.95 Save $3.00 -Jacob's Creek Double Barrel Shiraz 5 stars Sale Price $17.00 Save $3.00 -J-Harden Cabernet Sauvignon Sale Price $16.95 Save $3.00 -A to Z Wineworks Pinot Noir Sale Price $28.95 Save $3.00 -Jacob's Creek Reserve Shiraz Sale Price $16.00 Save $3.00 -Concha y Toro Marques de Casa Concha Cabernet Sauvignon Sale Price $20.95 Save $3.00 -Tommasi Ripasso Valpolicella Classico Superiore Sale Price $25.95 Save $2.00 -Stoneleigh Latitude Sauvignon Blanc Sale Price $20.95 Save $3.00 ** Some New Wines I Tasted Over the Past Spring Season --- REPORT ON THE OREGON AND WASHINGTON WINE EXPEDITION April 2024 The Date and Time: April 8, 2024 Noon to 4PM The Event: Oregon & Washington Wine Tasting The Venue: El Mocambo The Target Audience: wine writers/media, sommeliers, agents The Availability/Catalogue: online by request, although many of the producers had their own notes with prices, etc. The Quote/Background: it was really crowded and spread over three floors and levels. The quest for the partial solar eclipse proved to be a relief. The Wines: I did not taste all the wines. Many were not available at the LCBO but some will be soon. **** BEST -- Four Stars (91+ in Quality/Price Rating terms): -A-Z Oregon Chardonnay 2022\ -Rex Hill Chardonnay 2022 -Goose Ridge Columbia Vineyard 2022 -Tome Wines Albarino Arzabal Yakima Valley 2023 fave aromatic white of the day] -Cristom Pinot Noir Dessier Vineyard Oregon 2021 -Cristom Eola-Amity Pinot Noir Oregon2021 -Chateau Ste. Michelle Intrinsic Cabernet Sauvignon Washington 2020 -Chateau Ste. Michelle Columbia Valley 2022 Washington $22 at LCBO now -Chateau Ste. Michelle Canoe Ridge Horse Heaven Wash. 2021 $45 CAD -Gramercy Cellars Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon Washington 2018 -Tome Wines Lip Out Riesling Anchient Lakes 2022 Washington -Citation Oregon Chardonnay 2015 Oregon $60 -Westmount Willamette Valley Chardonnay 2022 $35 -Valdemar Entre Nosotros Chardonnay 2022 -Sokol Blosser Brut Willamette 2021 Trad Meth ***1/2 BETTER -- Three and a Half Stars (87 – 90 in Quality/Price Rating terms): -Centerstone Unoaked Chardonnay 2018 Willamette Valley Oregon $25 -Adelsheim Vineyard Chardonnay 2022 -Eve Washington State Chardonnay 2022 -Foris Rogue Valley Chardonnay 2022 -Rock Point Pinot Gris 2022 Oregon -Stoller Family Estate Dundee Hills Chardonnay 2022 -Avni Chardonnay 2022 Oregon -Stone Cap Riesling 2022 Washington -Pearce-Predhomme Oregon Pinot Gris 2022 -Valdemar Estate Washington Syrah 2021 -Adelsheim Breaking Ground Pinot Noir 2021 Oregon -Chateau Ste. Michelle Artiste Series Red Wine 2015 Washington -Suzar ther Sunflower 2021 Willamette The Food: there were Bymark hamburger sliders, salmon on cuke slices, and deep fried crab cakes. I only stayed for half the time, so maybe there was other food as well -- but later in the day. The Downside: the venue was small and consequently crowded in its arrangement, with a main stage, a mezzanine tiki bar, a main long bar, and a mezzanine studio. It took awhile to get through to the producer tables and request samples. The Upside: good overall quality wines. The Contact Person: amanda@predhomme.ca The Event’s Marketing Effectiveness and Execution (numerical grade): 89 WORLD WINE WATCH TOP WINES AT VINTAGES: under/over $20 for AUGUST 24, 2024 release. By DEAN TUDOR, Gothic Epicures Writing deantudor@deantudor.com. My "Wines, Beers and Spirits of the Net", a guide to thousands of news items and RSS feeds, plus references to wines, beers and spirits, has been at https://pages.pathcom.com/~dtudor since 1994. These notes for better or best wines available through LCBO Vintages (on a bi-weekly basis) can always be found at http://www.gothicepicures.blogspot.ca or at https://pages.pathcom.com/~dtudor No winery can buy their way into – or out of – my publication. Scores are a combination of MVC (Modal Varietal Character, e.g. a Southern Rhone would taste like a Southern Rhone) and QPR (Quality/Price Ratio value in the marketplace, above or below its price). I was one of the first to jump on the Robert Parker bandwagon, using numerical indications for my scores in the early 1980s. Why? Because with a database I could rate, rank and order wines in any fashion. It was just so convenient using databases. Unfortunately, the numerical system has been shown to be disgraced by overuse and "inflated numbers"; thus I have quit any ranking by number. From now on, it will just be GOOD, BETTER and BEST, which will give me some wiggle room (e.g. is this wine an 87, 88, 89, or 90? Or all of them...depends on my mood and time of day). With the rigorous standards and lab testing by the LCBO, I can safely say that every single wine at the LCBO is at least GOOD, which I would numerically rank at 75-85 points. For reasons of time and space, I will NOT be listing the GOOD wines. Just the BETTER (86-89) and the BEST (90+ ) wines. This spread of points will relate to SILVER and GOLD medals, with GOOD being BRONZE. This also fits into my scheme for trade tastings. We are back -- sort of -- AUGUST 24th Vintages Release (~148 wines) A: Recommended White Wines UNDER $20: +357913 COLOMÉ TORRONTÉS 2023 Argentina $15.95 +295709 RABL LÖSS GRÜNER VELTLINER 2022 Austria $16.95 +25384 PFAFF CUVÉE JUPITER RIESLING 2023 Alsace $17.95 +519025 FEATHERSTONE PHOENIX 2023 VQA $18.95 +38193 CHÂTEAU DES PERLIGUES 2022 Bordeaux $14.95 +36914 LAVAU CÔTES DU RHÔNE BLANC 2022 $16.95 +36686 CÀ MAIOL LUGANA 2023 $19.95 +111732 ATTEMS CUPRA RAMATO PINOT GRIGIO 2023 Emilia-Romagna $19.95 +919514 WITHER HILLS SAUVIGNON BLANC 2023 New Zealand $19.95 +36663 PASSO DEL SUD LUNGOMARE VERMENTINO 2022 Puglia $16.95 +21107 ALVI'S DRIFT SIGNATURE RANGE CHENIN BLANC 2023 South Africa $14.95 +12119 POMELADO ORANGE WINE 2022 Spain $18.95 B: Recommended White Wines OVER $20: +39276 FEATHERSTONE FROSTBITE SELECT LATE HARVEST GEWÜRZTRAMINER VQA $29.95 +68825 HIDDEN BENCH ROSOMEL VINEYARD FUMÉ BLANC 2021 VQA $29.95 +523845 CHARLES BAKER B-SIDE RIESLING 2022 VQA $24.95 +41780 SIMONNET-FEBVRE CHABLIS 2022 $33.95 +140889 DONATIEN BAHUAUD LES GRANDS MORTIERS VOUVRAY 2023 $22.95 +10421 ASTROLABE SAUVIGNON BLANC 2023 New Zealand $23.95 +311563 CANNONBALL CHARDONNAY 2022 California $22.95 +258145 A TO Z PINOT GRIS 2022 Oregon $22.95 C: Recommended Rose Wines: +20359 13TH STREET EXPRESSION SERIES CABERNET FRANC ROSÉ 2023 VQA $17.95 +498535 MALIVOIRE VIVANT ROSÉ 2023 VQA $21.95 +37825 DOMAINE D'ESPEYRAN ELÉGANCE ROSÉ 2021 $17.95 +37679 SOLIS LUMEN ROSÉ 2023 Languedoc $14.95 +20012 LE BIJOU DE SOPHIE VALROSE ROSÉ Languedoc 2023 $17.95 +37680 DOMAINE TERRE DAVAU TAVEL ROSE 2023 $19.95 D: Recommended Sparkling Wines: +39278 SOUTHBROOK TRIOMPHE SPARKLING ROSÉ VQA $29.95 +460832 WOLFBERGER BRUT CRÉMANT D'ALSACE $21.95 +280172 OYSTER BAY ROSÉ SPARKLING CUVÉE $23.95 E: Recommended Red Wines UNDER $20: +36315 TAPIZ MALBEC 2021 Argentina $14.95 +39275 FEATHERSTONE GAMAY NOIR 2020 VQA $18.95 +569673 VIU MANENT GRAN RESERVA CABERNET SAUVIGNON 2021 Chile $17.95 +38258 FAMILLE DESCOMBE GRANITE BEAUJOLAIS VILLAGES 2022 $18.95 +28727 CHÂTEAU CLOU DU PIN 2021 Bordeaux $18.95 +14391 DOMAINE LA DÉCELLE RÉSERVE VALRÉAS 2020 Rhone $15.95 +36661 MONNALISA MONTEPULCIANO D'ABRUZZO 2022 $18.95 +320507 PIPOLI AGLIANICO DEL VULTURE 2020 Basilicata $16.95 +19590 RIVERA PRIMITIVO 2022 Puglia $17.95 +36535 SARTORI VALPOLICELLA SUPERIORE RADOLE 2021 $16.95 +452730 JOSÉ MARIA DA FONSECA DOMINI 2019 Portugal $16.95 +276030 MURIEL RESERVA 2018 Spain $19.95 +37558 VIÑA CERRADA RESERVA 2018 Spain $18.95 F: Recommended Red Wines OVER $20: +118067 VIÑA COBOS FELINO MALBEC 2022 Argentina $20.95 +38648 VIGNOBLES & COMPAGNIE LES ROCHES DES DENTELLES VACQUEYRAS $27.95 +17572 VITE COLTE SOGNI AL CAMPO NEBBIOLO 2021 Piedmont $24.95 +508655 PLANETA FRAPPATO 2022 Sicily $24.95 +438580 QUERCECCHIO BRUNELLO DI MONTALCINO 2018 $38.95 +3962 RICASOLI BROLIO CHIANTI CLASSICO 2021 $23.95 +350454 RODNEY STRONG ALEXANDER VALLEY CABERNET SAUVIGNON 2020 $34.95 +38814 BOREALIS PINOT NOIR 2020 Oregon $29.95 +421198 UNDERWOOD PINOT NOIR 2022 Oregon $22.95 +488635 ERATH RESPLENDENT PINOT NOIR 2019 Oregon $29.95 ...and Limited Time Offers are also back. The current grouping is good until September 15. Some recommended wines are listed below, but you might also want to check the whole lot of 197 wines at https://www.lcbo.com/en/products#t=clp-products&sort=relevancy&layout=card&f:@ec_category=[Wine]&f:@lcbo_current_offer=[On%20Sale%5D%20] -Flat Rock Twisted White VQA Sale Price $14.95 Save $3.00 -Luc Belaire Rare Rosé Sparkling Sale Price $39.95 Save $3.00 -Zonin Ripasso Valpolicella Superiore DOC Price $18.95 Save $3.00 -Wolf Blass Yellow Label Cabernet Sauvignon Sale Price $14.95 Save $3.00 -Trius Rosé VQA Sale Price $16.95 Save $3.00 -Oyster Bay Pinot Grigio Sale Price $17.95 Save $3.00 -Barón de Ley Reserva 2019 Sale Price $19.95 Save $4.00 -Stags' Leap Winery Cabernet Sauvignon Sale Price $64.95 Save $5.00 -Umberto Cesari Liano Sangiovese/Cabernet Sauvignon Sale Price $24.95 Save $5.00 -Moillard Chablis Les Coteaux D'Or Sale Price $29.35 Save $3.00 -Mitolo Jester Shiraz 5 stars Sale Price $19.95 Save $3.00 -Jacob's Creek Double Barrel Shiraz 5 stars Sale Price $17.00 Save $3.00 -J-Harden Cabernet Sauvignon Sale Price $16.95 Save $3.00 -A to Z Wineworks Pinot Noir Sale Price $28.95 Save $3.00 -Jacob's Creek Reserve Shiraz Sale Price $16.00 Save $3.00 -Concha y Toro Marques de Casa Concha Cabernet Sauvignon Sale Price $20.95 Save $3.00 -Tommasi Ripasso Valpolicella Classico Superiore Sale Price $25.95 Save $2.00 -Stoneleigh Latitude Sauvignon Blanc Sale Price $20.95 Save $3.00 ** Some New Wines I Tasted Over the Past Season --- A GETAWAY WITH THE WINES OF PORTUGAL TASTING EVENT OF MAY The Date and Time: Wednesday May 1, 2024 2P - 5P The Event: Getaway with the Wines of Portugal The Venue: The Well, 8 Spadina The Target Audience: Ontario wine trade, wine media The Availability/Catalogue: spiral bound book with full details (contacts, regions, grapes, et al -- but no prices). Good background material on Portuguese wines. The quality continues to exceed every year. The Quote/Background: it was a small list of importers (Sylvestre, Colio, P Dandurand, 351, The Vine, Charton Hobbs and Majestic) but I managed to sample my way through some of the wines that they represented. Most of these table wines were at the LCBO, or Vintages, or in Consignment, or "on the water". The Wines: I did not taste every wine -- there must have been about 300 of them. As a grouping, I did admire the "Reserva" category, both for red and white wines. In general, the white wines were a bit more off-sweet than I am used to. **** BEST -- Four Stars (91+ in Quality/Price Rating terms): -Sogevinus Veedha Red Douro 2021 -3 Rostos Flor de Linho Alvarinho 2023 Vinho Verde (351 Imports) -Lua Cheia-Saven Maria Bonita Nostalgia 2022 Alvarinho Vinho Verde (The Vine Agency) -J. Portugal Ramos Family Estates Loios 2023 Alentejo (Sylvestre) -J. Portugal Ramos Family Estates Alvarinho 2023 Vinho Verde (Sylvestre) -J. Portugal Ramos Family Estates Loureiro 2023 Vinho Verde (Sylvestre) -J. Portugal Ramos Family Estates Marques de Borba Reserva 2019 Alentejo (Sylvestre) -Casa Santos Lima Lab 2023 Lisboa [white] (Majestic) -Casa Santos Lima Blend 2023 Lisboa [white] (Majestic) -Sandeman Porto Tawny 20 Years Old Port Douro (Charton Hobbs) fortified -Casa Santos Lima Colossal Reserva 2019 Lisboa [red] (Majestic) -Casa Santos Lima Quinta Espirito Santo 2020 Lisboa [red] (Majestic) -Bacalhoa Catarina Branco 2022 Peninsula de Setubal (Colio Estate Wines) -Bacalhoa Quinta do Carmo Branco 2022 Alentejo (Colio Estate Wines) -Bacalhoa JP Azeitao Rose 2013 Peninsula de Setubal Syrah (Colio Estate Wines) -Quinta da Bacalhoa Tinto 2019 Peninsula de Setubal Cab Merlot (Colio Estate Wines) FAVE red -Quinta da Bacalhoa Branco 2019 Peninsula de Setubal Semillon/SauvBl/Alvarinho (Colio Estate Wines) FAVE white -Vinihold Fonte Real 2022 [white, looking] -Vinihold Fat Baron Reserva 2022 [white, looking] -Casa das Hortas Vale do Gaio DOC Douro Grande Reserva Branco 2021 [looking] -Casa das Hortas Vale do Gaio DOC Douro Reserva Tinto 2017 [looking] ***1/2 BETTER -- Three and a Half Stars (87 – 90 in Quality/Price Rating terms): -Casa Santos Lima Lab 2022 Lisboa [red] (Majestic) -Casa Santos Lima Confidencial Reserva 2020 Lisboa [red] (Majestic) -Casa Santos Lima Quid Pro Quo 2021 Alentejo [red] (Majestic) -Casa Ferreirinha Planalto Branco Reserva 2022 Douro (Charton Hobbs) -Casa de Amados Todos Bairrada Baga Reserva 2021 -Bacalhoa Quinta de Carmo Tinto 2019 Alentejo -Aveleda Quinta Vale D Maria Vinas Velhas, 2020 Douro -Alianca Vinho Verde 2023 (Colio Estate Wines) -Bacalhoa Catarina Tinto 2021 (Colio Estate Wines) -Aveleda Vinho Verde Solos de Granito 2022 White Alvarinho (P Dandurand) -Aveleda Vinho Verde Solos de Xisto 2022 White Alvarinho (P Dandurand) -Quinta da Lagoalva Reserva Branco 2022 (351 Imports) -3 Rostos Flor de Linho Loureiro 2023 Vinho Verde (351 Imports) -Lua Cheia-Saven Maria Papoila 2022 Alvarinho & Loureiro Vinho Verde (The Vine Agency) -Vinihold ZOM DOC Douro Reserva 2019 [white, looking] -Falua Duas Cartas Branco 2022 -Quinta do Baicao 2021 Europort Wines Lisboa -Falua Quinta de Sao Jose Touriga Nacional 2019 -Herdade Paco do Conde Alicante Bouchet 2021 Alentejo -Vinha de Souto 2019 Quinta do Fonte Santo A|lentejo -Vinha des Arzilas 2011 Quinta de Vale Pios Douro -Caves Velhas Garrafeira 2018 Enoporto Wines Dao -Churchill’s Estates Grafite Tinta 2019 Douro -Caves Arcos do Dei Quinta de Sao Pedro 2016 Dao -S. Escondidas 2019 Casa Ferreinha Douro The Food: we were offered an "antipasto harvest table" put together by Oliver & Bonacini. This consisted of cured meats such as prosciutto, salami, and capicola; marinated veggies and olives; artisan breads and flatbreads; cheeses via 100km Foods which included Brigid's Brie, Celtic Blue, and Beemster XO. The Downside: nothing really, except the general lack of price information. The Upside: the main organizers were the seven importers who were on top of their wines with prices and availability in the province. The other wineries, about two dozen, made available what data they could since they were essentially looking for importers and had economic data in FOB and wholesale prices. The Contact Person: mdiaz@sopexa.com The Event’s Marketing Effectiveness and Execution (numerical grade): 92 We'll continue to write and publish despite the stand off between the union and the LCBO... .it will all depend on the availability of product. Needless to say that LTOs may not exist and/or that Vintages New Releases will still continue as they were... WORLD WINE WATCH TOP WINES AT VINTAGES: under/over $20 for JULY 20, 2024 release. By DEAN TUDOR, Gothic Epicures Writing deantudor@deantudor.com. My "Wines, Beers and Spirits of the Net", a guide to thousands of news items and RSS feeds, plus references to wines, beers and spirits, has been at https://pages.pathcom.com/~dtudor since 1994. These notes for better or best wines available through LCBO Vintages (on a bi-weekly basis) can always be found at http://www.gothicepicures.blogspot.ca or at https://pages.pathcom.com/~dtudor No winery can buy their way into – or out of – my publication. Scores are a combination of MVC (Modal Varietal Character, e.g. a Southern Rhone would taste like a Southern Rhone) and QPR (Quality/Price Ratio value in the marketplace, above or below its price). I was one of the first to jump on the Robert Parker bandwagon, using numerical indications for my scores in the early 1980s. Why? Because with a database I could rate, rank and order wines in any fashion. It was just so convenient using databases. Unfortunately, the numerical system has been shown to be disgraced by overuse and "inflated numbers"; thus I have quit any ranking by number. From now on, it will just be GOOD, BETTER and BEST, which will give me some wiggle room (e.g. is this wine an 87, 88, 89, or 90? Or all of them...depends on my mood and time of day). With the rigorous standards and lab testing by the LCBO, I can safely say that every single wine at the LCBO is at least GOOD, which I would numerically rank at 75-85 points. For reasons of time and space, I will NOT be listing the GOOD wines. Just the BETTER (86-89) and the BEST (90+ ) wines. This spread of points will relate to SILVER and GOLD medals, with GOOD being BRONZE. This also fits into my scheme for trade tastings. MVC/QPR=BETTER (86-89) = my basic standard is MVC/QPR=BETTER (86-89) MVC/QPR=BEST (90+ ) =superior wine MAJOR THEME: LCBO Online and 16 Flagship Stores Only; see page 28+ in the July 6 magazine. Recommended Wines UNDER $20 ======================== W+18794 Fabregues Selection Picpoul de Pinet 2022 Languedoc $16.95 MVC/QPR=BEST (90+ ) Recommended Wines OVER $20 ======================== W+12811 Jermann Chardonnay 2022 Friuli $42.95 W+37748 Montes Alpha Special Cuvee Chardonnay 2021 Chile $29.95 MVC/QPR=BEST (90+ ) W+37519 Dreissigacker Organic Dry Riesling Rheinhessen 2022 $25.95 W+63941 Mahi Sauvignon Blanc 2022 Marlborough $25.95 R+596031 Mitolo G.A.M. Shiraz 2019 McLaren Vale $49.95 R+38535 Marchand-Tawse Morgon 2021 Beaujolais $31.95 MVC/QPR=BEST (90+ ) R+31464 Chateau Chemin-Royal 2028 Moulis-en-Medoc Bordeaux $30.95 R+36460 Bertani Valpantena Valpolicella 2022 Veneto $25.95 R+19872 Dolianova Blasio Riserva Cannonnau di Sardegna 2017 Sardinia $28.95 R+36448 Piemaggio Le Fioraie Chianti Classico 2017 Tuscany $32.95 LIMITED TIME OFFERS: Some Recommended Wines from the LCBO’s Limited Time Offer selections...these are "better" value...on sale online through Sunday July 21.. Cave Spring Blanc de Blancs Brut Sparkling Sale Price $29.95 Price Was $32.95 Save $3.00 Miraval Rosé Sale Price $23.95, Price Was $25.95 Save $2.00 King Maui Sauvignon Blanc Sale Price $14.95 Price Was $17.95 Save $3.00 Kim Crawford Sauvignon Blanc Sale Price $18.95 Price Was $21.95 Save $3.00 Château des Charmes Barrel Fermented Chardonnay VQA Sale Price $13.95 Price Was $14.95 Save $1.00 Flat Rock Twisted White Sale Price $14.95 Price Was $17.95 Save $3.00 Sistina Pecorino Terre Di Chieti IGT Sale Price $14.00, Price Was $16.00 Save $2.00 Latte Miele Pecorino IGT Terre Di Chieti Abruzzo Sale Price $12.00, Price Was $14.00 Save $2.00 Tenuta Frescobaldi di Castiglioni Sale Price $21.95, Price Was $24.95 Save $3.00 Chateau Ste. Michelle Cabernet Sauvignon Sale Price $20.95 Price Was $22.95 Save $2.00 Masi Costasera Amarone Classico DOC Sale Price $51.00, Price Was $55.00 Save $4.00 Negrar Amarone Classico DOCG Sale Price $33.55 Price Was $37.05 Save $3.50 Sella & Mosca Riserva Cannonau di Sardegna Sale Price $17.45 Price Was $19.95 Save $2.50 Dievole Tenuta Le Colonne Vermentino IGT Sale Price $15.00 Price Was $17.00 Save $2.00 Faustino I Gran Reserva Sale Price $28.95 Price Was $31.95 Save $3.00 Some LTO recommendations for the July 21 to August 18 2024 period...maybe.... W+158683 La Crema Monterey Chardonnay Sale Price $27.95, Price was $29.95 Save $3.00 R+367896 La Crema Monterey Pinot Noir Sale Price $31.95. Price was $34.95 Save $3.00 R+541946 Stave & Steel Bourbon Barrel Aged Cabernet Sauvignon Sale Price $18. Price was $21. Save $3 ** Some New Wines I Tasted Over the Past Spring Season --- REPORT ON THE ICONS OF THE OKANAGAN VALLEY WINE TASTING The Date and Time: Tuesday March 26, 2024 7P - 9P The Event: ICONS of the Okanagan Valley - Taste and Buy Event with Checkmate Artisanal Winery and Martin's Lane Winery The Venue: Lena, Yonge Street The Target Audience: the private collectors group of Mark Anthony, wine media and sommeliers The Availability/Catalogue: all wines were available in Ontario by consignment. The Quote/Background: The fact of dratted construction outside did not deter many people from attending this business casual tasting event. Seven wines were presented, which was a good number for holding our attention and gives us enough space to evaluate and taste properly. Eventually, it got really crowded -- as I left... The Wines: at least I was able to taste each and every wine at this event. Wines are available by consignment. **** BEST -- Four Stars (91+ in Quality/Price Rating terms): -Checkmate Fool's Mate Chardonnay 2019, $101.95 con -Checkmate End Game Merlot 2019, $101.95 con -Martin's Lane Simes Vineyard Riesling 2022, $59.95 con -Martin's Lane Simes Vineyard Pinot Noir 2018, $101.95 con [my fave, being one year older] ***1/2 BETTER -- Three and a Half Stars (87 – 90 in Quality/Price Rating terms): -Martin's Lane Dehart Vineyard Pinot Noir 2019, $101.95 con -Checkmate Knight's Challenge Chardonnay 2019, $101.95 con -Checkmate Attack Chardonnay 2019, $101.95 con The Food: there was the inevitable cheese platter and biscuits with slices of murcia al vino, bella vitano, manchego, and a slab of blue Valdeon. Some plattered pinchos (canapes) such as patatas bravas with spiced tomato and milk mayonnaise, jambon-wrapped dates with blue cheese and marcona almonds, lamb skewer asado with onion salsa, and avocado guac on sourdough toast. The Contact Person: privatecollectors@markanthony.com The Event’s Marketing Effectiveness and Execution (numerical grade): 89. WORLD WINE WATCH TOP WINES AT VINTAGES: under/over $20 for the JULY 6, 2024 release and assuming the LCBO will be open for its distribution on that day. Some stores put out new Vintages wines a few days early, so check.... By DEAN TUDOR, Gothic Epicures Writing deantudor@deantudor.com. My "Wines, Beers and Spirits of the Net", a guide to thousands of news items and RSS feeds, plus references to wines, beers and spirits, has been at https://pages.pathcom.com/~dtudor since 1994. These notes for better or best wines available through LCBO Vintages (on a bi-weekly basis) can always be found at http://www.gothicepicures.blogspot.ca or at https://pages.pathcom.com/~dtudor No winery can buy their way into – or out of – my publication. Scores are a combination of MVC (Modal Varietal Character, e.g. a Southern Rhone would taste like a Southern Rhone) and QPR (Quality/Price Ratio value in the marketplace, above or below its price). I was one of the first to jump on the Robert Parker bandwagon, using numerical indications for my scores in the early 1980s. Why? Because with a database I could rate, rank and order wines in any fashion. It was just so convenient using databases. Unfortunately, the numerical system has been shown to be disgraced by overuse and "inflated numbers"; thus I have quit any ranking by number. From now on, it will just be GOOD, BETTER and BEST, which will give me some wiggle room (e.g. is this wine an 87, 88, 89, or 90? Or all of them...depends on my mood and time of day). With the rigorous standards and lab testing by the LCBO, I can safely say that every single wine at the LCBO is at least GOOD, which I would numerically rank at 75-85 points. For reasons of time and space, I will NOT be listing the GOOD wines. Just the BETTER (86-89) and the BEST (90+ ) wines. This spread of points will relate to SILVER and GOLD medals, with GOOD being BRONZE. This also fits into my scheme for trade tastings. MVC/QPR=BETTER (86-89)=Basic Standard for Recommended Wines MVC/QPR=BEST (90+ ) MAJOR THEME: Summer Sunshine White Wines Recommended Wines UNDER $20 ========================= Rose+53421 FIELDING ROSÉ 2023 VQA $17.95 Rose+172643 TAWSE SKETCHES OF NIAGARA ROSÉ 2022 VQA $18.95 MVC/QPR=BEST (90+ ) Rose+71712 WILDASS ROSÉ 2023 VQA $19.95 MVC/QPR=BEST (90+ ) Rose+319384 CARTE NOIRE HÉRITAGE ROSÉ 2023 Provence $19.95 Rose+719062 FAMILLE PERRIN RÉSERVE ROSÉ 2023 Rhone $17.95 W+20599 FEATHERSTONE PINOT GRIGIO 2023 VQA $17.95 W+18385 WESZELI FELIX GRÜNER VELTLINER 2022 Austria $19.95 W+37757 MORANDÉ SELECCIÓN DE VIÑEDOS GRAN RESERVA SAUVIGNON BLANC CHILE $14.95 MVC/QPR=BEST (90+ ) W+701094 MAS DES BRESSADES CUVÉE TRADITION BLANC 2022 Rhone $18.95 MVC/QPR=BEST (90+ ) W+548222 ZACHARIAS MOSCHOFILERO 2022 GREECE $15.95 W+37087 FILIA GHI ASSYRTIKO 2022 GREECE $19.95 MVC/QPR=BEST (90+ ) W+36513 TERRA FAGETO FENÈSIA PECORINO 2022 Marche $18.95 W+465880 RAPAURA SPRINGS SAUVIGNON BLANC 2022 New Zealand $17.45 W+25586 ABCDARIUM AZAL BRANCO 2022 Portugal $16.95 W+82073 FÉLIX LORENZO CACHAZO CARRASVIÑAS VERDEJO 2022 Spain $18.95 R+123489 CHÂTEAU HAUCHAT 2020 Bordeaux $18.95 R+368167 CHÂTEAU RECOUGNE 2021 Bordeaux $16.95 R+38403 DOMAINE GAYDA-SPHÈRE SYRAH 2022 Languedoc $14.95 R+544031 CHÂTEAU D'AIGUEVILLE CÔTES DU RHÔNE-VILLAGES 2019 $18.95 MVC/QPR=BEST (90+ ) R+14081 CELLIER DES DAUPHINS RÉSERVE 2022 $16.95 R+36526 ORAPIENA MONTEPULCIANO D'ABRUZZO RISERVA 2019 Abruzzo $17.95 R+638338 MARZIANO ABBONA I DUE RICU 2020 Piedmont $18.95 MVC/QPR=BEST (90+ ) R+36534 MATANÉ NEGROAMARO 2021 Puglia $15.95 R+526640 COURTOIS LA SOURCE CÔTES DU RHÔNE 2022 $15.95 R+729962 DELAS SAINT-ESPRIT CÔTES DU RHÔNE 2022 $19.95 R+646042 EMINENTE RESERVA TINTO 2021 Portugal $16.95 R+617175 BABU RESERVA 2021 Portugal $15.95 R+383547 AVONDALE JONTY'S DUCKS PEKIN RED 2018 South Africa $18.95 MVC/QPR=BEST (90+ ) R+37517 LUIS MARIN OLD VINE AMETHYST EDITION GARNACHA 2020 Spain $13.95 Recommended Wines OVER $20 ======================== Rose+225003 E. GUIGAL CÔTES DU RHÔNE ROSÉ 2023 $21.95 MVC/QPR=BEST (90+ ) Rose+701318 DOMAINE MABY LA FORCADIÈRE TAVEL ROSÉ 2023 $24.95 W+350900 ROBERT OATLEY SIGNATURE SERIES CHARDONNAY 2023 Australia $21.95 W+199273 TRIUS SHOWCASE WILD FERMENT CHARDONNAY 2020 VQA $38.00 MVC/QPR=BEST (90+ ) W+302083 BACHELDER L'ARDOISE NIAGARA CHARDONNAY 2021 VQA $25.95 MVC/QPR=BEST (90+ ) W+578864 LEANING POST THE FIFTY CHARDONNAY 2021 VQA $24.95 W+299867 MAISON ROCHE DE BELLENE VIEILLES VIGNES BOURGOGNE $29.95 W+37177 CHARTRON ET TRÉBUCHET SAINT-VÉRAN 2022 $29.95 W+36666 PLANETA TEREBINTO GRILLO 2022 Sicily $25.95 W+974527 VILLA MARIA CELLAR SELECTION SAUVIGNON BLANC 2023 New Zea $22.95 R+32824 TAWSE GROWER'S BLEND GAMAY 2021 VQA $23.15 R+261784 PAPALE LINEA ORO PRIMITIVO DI MANDURIA 2020 Puglia $26.95 MVC/QPR=BEST (90+ ) R+642496 BARÓN DE LEY GRAN RESERVA 2017 Rioja $33.95 LIMITED TIME OFFERS: Some Recommended Wines from the LCBO’s Limited Time Offer selections...these are "better" value wines...on sale through Sunday July 21 -- -Cave Spring Blanc de Blancs Brut Sparkling Sale Price $29.95 Price Was $32.95 Save $3.00 -Miraval Rosé Sale Price $23.95, Price Was $25.95 Save $2.00 -King Maui Sauvignon Blanc Sale Price $14.95 Price Was $17.95 Save $3.00 -Kim Crawford Sauvignon Blanc Sale Price $18.95 Price Was $21.95 Save $3.00 -Château des Charmes Barrel Fermented Chardonnay VQA SalePrice $13.95 Price Was $14.95 Save $1 -Flat Rock Twisted White Sale Price $14.95 Price Was $17.95 Save $3.00 -Sistina Pecorino Terre Di Chieti IGT Sale Price $14.00, Price Was $16.00 Save $2.00 -Latte Miele Pecorino IGT Terre Di Chieti Abruzzo Sale Price $12.00, Price Was $14.00 Save $2.00 -Tenuta Frescobaldi di Castiglioni Sale Price $21.95, Price Was $24.95 Save $3.00 -Chateau Ste. Michelle Cabernet Sauvignon Sale Price $20.95 Price Was $22.95 Save $2.00 -Masi Costasera Amarone Classico DOC Sale Price $51.00, Price Was $55.00 Save $4.00 -Negrar Amarone Classico DOCG Sale Price $33.55 Price Was $37.05 Save $3.50 -Sella & Mosca Riserva Cannonau di Sardegna Sale Price $17.45 Price Was $19.95 Save $2.50 -Dievole Tenuta Le Colonne Vermentino IGT Sale Price $15.00 Price Was $17.00 Save $2.00 -Faustino I Gran Reserva Sale Price $28.95 Price Was $31.95 Save $3.00 ** Some New Wines I Tasted Over the Past Spring --- REPORT ON THE CGU FINE WINES SPRING PORTFOLIO TRADE TASTING MARCH 2024 The Date and Time: Tuesday March 26, 2024 The Event: CGU Portfolio Tasting The Venue: Vintage Conservatory - King Street The Target Audience: licensees and wine media, sommeliers The Availability/Catalogue: a one-page sheet listed the wines at three tables, with label names, regions, vintage dates, prices, case sizes, and order information. The Wines: I had the opportunity to try 28 wines. Prices are licensee only. **** BEST -- Four Stars (MVC/QPR=BEST (90+ ) in Quality/Price Rating terms): -Domaine Derey Marsannay Rose 2022 $28.84 -Domaine Gerard Julien & Fils Nuits-Saint-Georges 1er Cru 2021 $115.60 -Domaine Francois Mikulski Bourgogne Cote d'Or Blanc 2021 Organic $61.06 -Armand Heitz Pommard 1er Cru Arvelets 2018 $183.73 -Armand Heitz Meursault 2020 $143.28 -Weingut A.J.Adam Spatburgunder Rose 2022 Mosel $28.50 -Champagne Thierry Fournier NV Reserve organic $62.36 -Armand Heitz Bourgogne Blanc 2021 $46.23 -Domaine Lamy-Pillot Chassagne-Montrachet Champs de Morgec Rouge 2021 $77.89 -Domaine Derey Gevrey-Chambertin 2021 $95.02 -Domaine Lamy-Pillot Chassagne-Montrachet Pot Bois Blanc 2021 $125.76 -Domaine La Barroche Chateauneuf-du-Pape Barrot 2021 $73.50 -Champagne Marguet NV [2019] Shaman Grand Cru biodynamic $95.35 -Champagne Marguet 2018 Les Crayeres Grand Cru biodynamic $159.39 [my fave today] -Champagne Dhondt-Grellet NV Dans Un Premier Temps organic $98.72 ***1/2 BETTER -- Three and a Half Stars (MVC/QPR=BETTER (86-89) Quality/Price Rating terms): -Le Chai Duchet Macon Blanc Vire biodynamic 2022 $24.96 -Laurent Ponsot Bourgogne Rouge Cuvee des Peupiers 2019 $61.67 -Domaine Derey Bourgogne Motre Cul Marsannay 2021 Rouge $40.64 -Domaine des Ardoisieres Amethyste Rouge 2020 [biodynamic] $137.61 -Weingut Schloss Lieser Riesling Feinherb 2021 Mosel $23.44 -Weingut Dr. Heger Weissburgunder Trocken Pinot Blanc 2022 1 litre $27.94 -Weingut Dr. Heger Spatburgunder Trocken Ihringen 2018 $41.17 -Clement Lavallee Saint-Bris Les Copains d'Abord 2021 $47.07 -Domaine Derey Bourgogne Montre Cul Marsannay 2021 Rouge $40.64 -Domaine Philippe Chavy Bourgogne Aligote 2020 $41.50 -Jean Stodden The Rotweingut Spatburgunder J 2021 Organic $45.87 -Canaille Chardonnay 2022 Santa Maria California $57.11 -Weingut A. J. Adam Has'chen GG 2022 $76.79 -Weingut Hermann Donnhoff Felsenberg Felsenturmchen GG 2022 $112.95 The Contact Person: info@cgufinewines.com The Event’s Marketing Effectiveness and Execution (numerical grade): 85 WORLD WINE WATCH TOP WINES AT VINTAGES: under/over $20 for JUNE 22, 2024 release. By DEAN TUDOR, Gothic Epicures Writing deantudor@deantudor.com. My "Wines, Beers and Spirits of the Net", a guide to thousands of news items and RSS feeds, plus references to wines, beers and spirits, has been at https://pages.pathcom.com/~dtudor since 1994. These notes for better or best wines available through LCBO Vintages (on a bi-weekly basis) can always be found at http://www.gothicepicures.blogspot.ca or at https://pages.pathcom.com/~dtudor No winery can buy their way into – or out of – my publication. Scores are a combination of MVC (Modal Varietal Character, e.g. a Southern Rhone would taste like a Southern Rhone) and QPR (Quality/Price Ratio value in the marketplace, above or below its price). I was one of the first to jump on the Robert Parker bandwagon, using numerical indications for my scores in the early 1980s. Why? Because with a database I could rate, rank and order wines in any fashion. It was just so convenient using databases. Unfortunately, the numerical system has been shown to be disgraced by overuse and "inflated numbers"; thus I have quit any ranking by number. From now on, it will just be GOOD, BETTER and BEST, which will give me some wiggle room (e.g. is this wine an 87, 88, 89, or 90? Or all of them...depends on my mood and time of day). With the rigorous standards and lab testing by the LCBO, I can safely say that every single wine at the LCBO is at least GOOD, which I would numerically rank at 75-85 points. For reasons of time and space, I will NOT be listing the GOOD wines. Just the BETTER (86-89) and the BEST (90+ ) wines. This spread of points will relate to SILVER and GOLD medals, with GOOD being BRONZE. This also fits into my scheme for trade tastings. MVC/QPR=BETTER (86-89) MVC/QPR=BEST (90+ ) MAJOR THEME: Availability Online or the 16 Flagship stores. No printed catalogue for the June 22 release....see page 28-32 of the June 8 printed New Release Collection... Only one wine is listed for under $20: +669531 Domaine Gassier Embruns de Viognier 2023 IGP Pays d'Oc Languedoc $19.95. In this context it's rated as a "best buy". Recommended Wines Over $20 [my basic standard is MVC/QPR=BETTER (86-89)] ====================== FIZZ+32668 PIERRE JOURDAN BLANC DE BLANCS CAP CLASSIQUE 2017 FRANSCHHOEK TRADITIONAL METHOD $41 MVC/QPR=BEST (90+ ) R+37581 VICENTE GRANDIA CERAMIC CRIADO EN TINAJA MONASTRELL 2020 VALENCIA $24.95 R+974006 CALCINAIA CHIANTI CLASSICO 2020 TUSCANY $32.95 R+439737 ITALO CESCON PINOT NOIR 2021 IGT VENETO $28.95 R+36457 RUBINELLI VAJOL VALPOLICELLA CLASSICO 2021 $24.95 W+37732 RADFORD DALE CHARDONNAY 2021 STELLENBOSCH SOUTH AFRICA $29.95 W+37379 KLEIN KONSTANTIA KC SAUVIGNON BLANC 2021 WESTERN CAPE SOUTH AFRICA $25.95 JUNE 2024 LIMITED TIME OFFERS: Some Recommended Wines from the LCBO’s Limited Time Offer selections...these are "better" value...on sale through Sunday June 23....better hurry.... Fortified+32503 Cocchi Vermouth Di Torino, now $30.50, save $3.00 Fizz+991562 Bailly Lapierre Reserve Brut Cremant de Bourgogne, now $21.95, save $3 W+373373 Pierre Sparr Gewurztraminer, now $17.95, save $2 W+32567 Cave de Buxy Bourgogne Côte Chalonnaise 'Buissonnier' Chardonnay, now $20.15, save $3 W+215525 La Chablisienne Les Vénérables Vieilles Vignes Chablis, now $29.95, save $3 W+465146 Les Jamelles Sauvignon Blanc Pays D'Oc, now $14.95, save $2 R+22199 Jacob's Creek Double Barrel Shiraz Australia, now $17, save $3 R+149237 The Conspiracy Ripasso Style (Foreign Affairs VQA), now 18.95, save $3 R+155051 Masi Campofiorin IGT Veneto, now $21.90, save $3 R+251876 Wolf Blass Yellow Label Cabernet Sauvignon Australia, now $14.95, save $3 R+426718 Cesari Amarone Classico DOC Veneto, now $38.95, save $6 R+506519 Cesari Mara Valpolicella Ripasso Superiore DOC Veneto, now $16.95, save $4 ** Some New Wines I Tasted Over the Past Season --- REPORT ON THE BENVENUTO BRUNELLO TOUR 2023.... The Date and Time: November 28, 2023 9:30A - 2:30P The Event: a tasting of the 2019 Brunello di Montalcinos (plus a few other Brunello wines) from Tuscany, sponsored by the Consorzio del Vino Brunello di Montalcino. The Venue: Aria Ristorante, York Street The Target Audience: wine trade, wine media, sommeliers The Availability/Catalogue: quite a few of the wines are available right now through the LCBO and local agents. Michael Godel provided a brisk commentary on the region, and this was followed by a "wine list" of the 70 or so wines we were to taste. The region produces three distinct types of wines: Brunello from the sangiovese grosso grape, a white moscadello, and a "Rosso di Montalcino" for current drinking. The Quote/Background: There are 208 producing wineries in the region (we tasted wines from about 35 different wineries); 25% of them are organic or biodynamic. From a variety of sources -- "Brunello di Montalcino has an aroma of cherries, strawberries, florals, tar, truffles, violets and spices. They are supple, generous, elegant, refined, polished, succulent and rich in texture and depth. All are well-balanced with silky smooth mouthfeel, integrated tannins with a long aftertaste." Of course, all of these have to develop through long cellaring, about 3 - 10 years at least. The 2019 vintage has been rated 5/5, the 2018 is 4/5 and the 2016 is 5/5. The 130+ attendees tasted the wines in lots of four, which was a decent pace. The Wines: I managed to taste most of the wines...about 55 of them were from the release of the 2019 vintage. The rest were 2018 (and at the Riserva level) and even 2016 (my fave). Older is better with Brunello. **** BEST -- Four Stars (91+ in Quality/Price Rating terms): -Argiano Brunello Di Montalcino Docg 2019 LCBO# 154609 $59.95 -Argiano Brunello Di Montalcino Docg Vigna Del Suolo 2019 $275.00 -Castello Di Banfi Brunello Di Montalcino Docg 2019 $59.95 -Banfi Brunello Di Montalcino Docg Poggio Alle Mura Vigna Marrucheto 2019 -Castello Di Banfi Brunello Di Montalcino Docg Poggio Alle Mura 2019 -Tommasi Casisano Brunello Di Montalcino Docg 2019 LCBO# 483800 $49.95 -Celestino Pecci Brunello Di Montalcino Docg Poggio Al Carro 2019 -Col D'orcia Brunello Di Montalcino Docg 2019 LCBO# 306852 $54.95 -Col D'orcia Brunello Di Montalcino Riserva Docg 2016 Poggio al Vento (my fave) -Corte Dei Venti Brunello Di Montalcino Docg 2019 $44.95 -Cortonesi Brunello Di Montalcino Docg La Mannella 2019 $89.41 -Donatella Cinelli Colombini Brunello Di Montalcino Docg Progetto Prime Donne 2019 $115.00 -Donatella Cinelli Colombini Brunello Di Montalcino Docg 2019 $64.95 -Donatella Cinelli Colombini Brunello Di Montalcino Riserva Docg 2018 -Fanti Brunello Di Montalcino Docg 2019 $67.00 -Fanti Brunello Di Montalcino Docg Vallocchio 2019 $89.95 -La Fiorita Brunello Di Montalcino Docg 2019 $65.00 -La Fiorita Brunello Di Montalcino Docg Fiore Di NO 2019 -La Fiorita Brunello Di Montalcino Docg Riserva 2018 -Le Gode Brunello Di Montalcino Docg Montosoli 2019 $150.00 -La Serena Brunello Di Montalcino Docg 2019 LCBO# 14963 $94.00 -Ridolfi Brunello Di Montalcino Docg 2019 LCBO# 644963 $59.95 -Ruffino Brunello Di Montalcino Docg Greppone Mazzi 2019 $72.26 -Salicutti Brunello Di Montalcino Docg 2019 $199.95 -San Polo Brunello Di Montalcino Docg Vignvecchia 2019 $160.00 -Tenute Silvio Nardi Brunello Di Montalcino Docg Poggio Doria 2019 -Val Di Suga Brunello Di Montalcino Docg Vigna Del Lago 2019 $95.00 -Val Di Suga Brunello Di Montalcino Docg Poggio Al Granchio 2019 $95.00 -Val Di Suga Brunello Di Montalcino Docg Vigna Spuntali 2018 -Poggio Di Sotto Brunello Di Montalcino 2018, D.O.C.G. LCBO# 337774 $243.95 -San Polino Brunello Di Montalcino 2018, D.O.C.G. LCBO# 14813 $87.00 ***1/2 BETTER -- Three and a Half Stars (87 – 90 in Quality/Price Rating terms): -Armilla Brunello Di Montalcino Docg 2019 $69.95 -Carpineto Brunello Di Montalcino Docg 2019 LCBO# 515486 $64.95 -Caprili Brunello Di Montalcino Docg 2019 $60.00 -Collemattoni Brunello Di Montalcino Docg 2019 $61.99 -Corte Pavone Brunello Di Montalcino Docg 2019 $57.95 -Corte Pavone Brunello Di Montalcino Docg Campo Di Marzo 2019 -Cortonesi Brunello Di Montalcino Docg Poggiarelli 2019 $95.95 -Elia Palazzesi Brunello Di Montalcino Docg 2019 -Franco Pacenti Brunello Di Montalcinio Docg 2019 $73.00 -Franco Pacenti Brunello Di Montalcinio Docg Rosildo 2019 -La Casaccia Di Franceschi Brunello Di Montalcino Docg 2019 -Il Poggione Brunello di Montalcino 2019 -La Fornace Brunello Di Montalcino Docg 2019 $65.00 -La Fortuna Brunello Di Montalcino Docg 2019 $49.95 -San Polo Brunello Di Montalcino Docg 2019 LCBO# 650812 $79.00 -San Polo Brunello Di Montalcino Podernovi Docg 2019 $160.00 -San Polo Brunello Di Montalcino Docg Riserva 2018 -Talenti Brunello Di Montalcino Docg 2019 $76.00 -Talenti Brunello Di Montalcino Docg Piero 2019 $215.00 -Tenute Silvio Nardi Brunello Di Montalcino Docg 2019 LCBO# 922054 $56.95 -Uccelliera Brunello Di Montalcino Docg 2019 $134.99 -Val Di Suga Brunello Di Montalcino Docg 2019 LCBO# 713719 $59.95 -Voliero Brunello Di Montalcino Docg 2019 $119.99 The Food: there was bread followed by a box lunch of four paninos - pulled chicken, prosciutto, tomato caprese and grilled veggies. The Downside: we needed bigger spit buckets (at least one had spilled all over a section of our table). The Upside: a chance to taste some really incredible wines. The Contact Person: b.marassi@ice.it The Event’s Marketing Effectiveness and Execution (numerical grade): 91. WORLD WINE WATCH TOP WINES AT VINTAGES: under/over $20 for JUNE 8, 2024 release. By DEAN TUDOR, Gothic Epicures Writing deantudor@deantudor.com. My "Wines, Beers and Spirits of the Net", a guide to thousands of news items and RSS feeds, plus references to wines, beers and spirits, has been at https://pages.pathcom.com/~dtudor since 1994. These notes for better or best wines available through LCBO Vintages (on a bi-weekly basis) can always be found at http://www.gothicepicures.blogspot.ca or at https://pages.pathcom.com/~dtudor No winery can buy their way into – or out of – my publication. Scores are a combination of MVC (Modal Varietal Character, e.g. a Southern Rhone would taste like a Southern Rhone) and QPR (Quality/Price Ratio value in the marketplace, above or below its price). I was one of the first to jump on the Robert Parker bandwagon, using numerical indications for my scores in the early 1980s. Why? Because with a database I could rate, rank and order wines in any fashion. It was just so convenient using databases. Unfortunately, the numerical system has been shown to be disgraced by overuse and "inflated numbers"; thus I have quit any ranking by number. From now on, it will just be GOOD, BETTER and BEST, which will give me some wiggle room (e.g. is this wine an 87, 88, 89, or 90? Or all of them...depends on my mood and time of day). With the rigorous standards and lab testing by the LCBO, I can safely say that every single wine at the LCBO is at least GOOD, which I would numerically rank at 75-85 points. For reasons of time and space, I will NOT be listing the GOOD wines. Just the BETTER (86-89) and the BEST (90+ ) wines. This spread of points will relate to SILVER and GOLD medals, with GOOD being BRONZE. This also fits into my scheme for trade tastings. MVC/QPR=BETTER (86-89) MVC/QPR=BEST (90+ ) MAJOR THEME: Everything's Coming Up Roses (see below) Recommended Wines Under $20 [my basic standard is MVC/QPR=BETTER (86-89)] ======================= W+33569 DEEP WOODS MARGARET RIVER CHARDONNAY 2023 $19.95 W+89029 TAWSE SKETCHES OF NIAGARA RIESLING VQA 2022 $19.95 MVC/QPR=BEST (90+ ) W+389726 BOYA SAUVIGNON BLANC CHILE 2023 $15.95 MVC/QPR=BEST (90+ ) W+959361 PIERRE SPARR GRANDE RÉSERVE RIESLING ALSACE 2021 18.95 W+462457 PAUL MAS SINGLE VINEYARD RÉSERVE MARSANNE LANGUEDOC 2022 $14.95 W+37154 MAS PAILLET MONTS DU ROI CHARDONNAY/VIOGNIER LANGUEDOC 2021 $17.95 W+599274 DR. L RIESLING MOSEL-SAAR-RUWER 2022 $16.95 MVC/QPR=BEST (90+ ) W+708073 ATTEMS SAUVIGNON BLANC FRUILI 2023 $19.95 W+734798 THORNBURY SAUVIGNON BLANC NEW ZEALAND 2023 $18 W+408146 MARIA PAPOILA LOUREIRO/ALVARINHO PORTUGAL 2022 $17.95 R+494690 DEMAZET ARMOIRIES TRADITION CÔTES DU RHÔNE 2022 $14.95 R+17403 TORRE ZAMBRA MADIA MONTEPULCIANO D'ABRUZZO 2021 $18.95 R+37768 CASA SANTOS LIMA QUID PRO QUO RED PORTUGAL 2021 $11.95 MVC/QPR=BEST (90+ ) R+10684 MARQUÉS DE CÁCERES EXCELLENS CUVÉE ESPECIAL COLECCIÓN PRIVADA CRIANZA 2018 SPAIN $18.95 Recommended Wines Over $20 [my basic standard is MVC/QPR=BETTER (86-89)] ====================== W+172338 SOUTHBROOK TRIOMPHE ORGANIC VQA CHARDONNAY 2019 $26.95 MVC/QPR=BEST (90+ ) W+366419 DOMAINE DU COLOMBIER CHABLIS 2022 $31.95 W+140525 DOMAINE BONNARD SANCERRE LOIRE 2022 $32.95 MVC/QPR=BEST (90+ ) W+366948 FONTANAFREDDA GAVI DI GAVI PIEDMONT 2022 $22.95 R+79798 SUSANA BALBO SIGNATURE MALBEC ARGENTINA 2022 $22.95 R+35463 LOUIS AÎNÉ & FILS BEAUJOLAIS-VILLAGES 2022 $20.95 R+298612 CHÂTEAU DE LA GARDINE CHÂTEAUNEUF-DU-PAPE 2020 $53.95 R+36549 MADONNA DELLE GRAZIE LISCONE BASILICATA 2018 $24.95 R+17626 LA TORRE BRUNELLO DI MONTALCINO TUSCANY 2018 $64.95 ***BEST OF THE JUNE 8 SPECIAL RELEASE OF 22 ROSE WINES*** +68833 HIDDEN BENCH LOCUST LANE ROSÉ VQA 2023 $24.95 MVC/QPR=BEST (90+ ) +388702 THE FOREIGN AFFAIR AMAROSÉ VQA 2023 $19.95 +16454 MARYNISSEN ESTATES ROSÉ VQA 2022 $16.95 +650655 REDSTONE ROSÉ VQA 2023 $18.95 +668426 VILLA AIX EN PROVENCE ROSÉ 2023 $20.95 +37681 ROSELINE PRESTIGE ROSÉ PROVENCE 2023 $29.95 +37661 AMOUR DE TROPEZ PROVENCE ROSÉ 2022 $25.95 +37664 CELLIER DES DAUPHINS VAL SOLEU ORGANIC ROSÉ PROVENCE 2023 $16.95 +707281 CHÂTEAU VAL-JOANIS ROSÉ RHONE 2023 $19.95 +680801 FAMILLE PERRIN TAVEL 2023 $23.95 +25860 DONNAFUGATA DOLCE & GABBANA ROSA ROSÉ SICILY 2023 $49.95 +19852 ALBINO ARMANI ROSÉ TRENTINO 2023 $15.95 MVC/QPR=BEST (90+ ) MAY-JUNE 2024 LIMITED TIME OFFERS: Some Recommended Wines from the LCBO’s Limited Time Offer selections...these are "better" value...on sale May 27 through Sunday June 23: Fortified+32503 Cocchi Vermouth Di Torino, now $30.50, save $3.00 Fizz+991562 Bailly Lapierre Reserve Brut Cremant de Bourgogne, now $21.95, save $3 W+373373 Pierre Sparr Gewurztraminer, now $17.95, save $2 W+32567 Cave de Buxy Bourgogne Côte Chalonnaise 'Buissonnier' Chardonnay, now $20.15, save $3 W+215525 La Chablisienne Les Vénérables Vieilles Vignes Chablis, now $29.95, save $3 W+465146 Les Jamelles Sauvignon Blanc Pays D'Oc, now $14.95, save $2 R+22199 Jacob's Creek Double Barrel Shiraz Australia, now $17, save $3 R+149237 The Conspiracy Ripasso Style (Foreign Affairs VQA), now 18.95, save $3 R+155051 Masi Campofiorin IGT Veneto, now $21.90, save $3 R+251876 Wolf Blass Yellow Label Cabernet Sauvignon Australia, now $14.95, save $3 R+426718 Cesari Amarone Classico DOC Veneto, now $38.95, save $6 R+506519 Cesari Mara Valpolicella Ripasso Superiore DOC Veneto, now $16.95, save $4 ** Some New Wines I Tasted Over the Past Season --- REPORT FROM RHONE VALLEY WINES..late 2023 The Event: The Rhone Valley Vineyards Winemaker Tour The Venue: 2d Event The Target Audience: wine media, sommeliers, wine agents. The Availability/Catalogue: an xlsx file with full details The Quote/Background: The Rhone Valley (North and South) is a region and not an appellation. The "Vignobles de la Vallee du Rhone" wine tour had six principals speak to us: Michelle Bouffard from Chateau du Trignon (Gigondas), Denis Guthmuller who is President of the Syndicat Of Cotes du Rhone, Philippe Pellaton from Maison Sinnae, Celine Verdier Rieu from Chateau d'Orsan, and Samuel Montgermont. There are 31 appellations in the region, using 34 grape varieties for 17 crus, 22 Cotes du Rhone Villages, and 171 communes. Exporting to Canada: 9% of the total production (which is itself 76% red, 11% white, 13% rose). Of all the wines, 18% are organic. The Wines: I tasted most of the wines. The tasting was divided into three parts: one was a seminar of 11 wines, another was a stand up walk around of about 10 wines, and another was a sitdown lunch with about a dozen wines. Only 7 or so agents rep these wineries, while half of the wineries here were looking for agents. No prices were offered on my spreadsheet. About half of the wines were organic...see below...The tasting featured 23 wines followed by an extensive meal with more wines. Each course was matched with an appropriate wine to underline their ability to enhance food. **** BEST -- Four Stars (91+ in Quality/Price Rating terms): -Chateau de Trignon Gigondas 2017 -Xavier Vins Red Cotes du Rhone 2020 (Noble) -J. Denuziere Cotes du Rhone, 2020 (Rogers) -Chateau d’Aqueria Tavel Rose, 2022 (Noble) -Cave Heritiere Gabert Cave de Tain Hermitage, 2018 (Noble) [my fave red] -Paul Jaboulet Cornas Les Grandes Terasses, 2020 -Les Vignes de l'Arque Cuvee Les Chemins de Rome White Duche d'Uzes 2022 -Cave de Bonnieux Luberon Cuvee Revelation 2020 -J. Denuziere Saint Joseph Cotes du Rhone 2020 -Cave de Cairanne Cuvee Insouciante Red 2021 -Cave Saint Desirat Condrieu 2020 [my fave white] -Alain Jaune Grande Garrigue 2021 -Domaine de Vacqueyras Seguret L'Amandine Cotes du Rhone Villages 2021 ***1/2 BETTER -- Three and a Half Stars (87 – 90 in Quality/Price Rating terms): -Chateau Beaubois Cuvee Confidence Costieres de Nimes 2022 (white) -LAVAU White Cotes du Rhone 2022 (Noble) -Domain Rozel Cuvee Alayx, 2021, Grignon-LesAdhemar -Halos de Jupiter Red Cotes du Rhone 2020 -Chateau des Coccinelles Cotes du Rhone 2022 -Domaine Gassier Nostre Pais 2020 -Les Petits Duc Cotes du Rhone 2021 -Domaine de la Citadelle Le Chataigner Rose Luberon 2022 -Domain Autrand Cotes du Rhone Village, 2022 (N Pearce) -Villa Voltinia Maison Sinnae Cotes du Rhone Villages Chusclan, 2021 -Chateau d’Orsan Chusclan, 2020 -Mas Carlot Generations Costieres de Nimes 2020 (N Pearce) -Gabriel Meffre Cotes du Rhone Saint Vincent 2022 -La Font Louisiane Cotes du Rhone 2020 -Collines de Bourdic Duche d'Uzes Les Figuieres 2022 -Chateau de Montfaucon Comtesse Madeleine 2021 (not sweet) (N Pearce) The Food: our sitdown lunch had a wide variety of protein to show off the wines. Service was on small plates, naturally. We began with dungeness crab old bay cakes with the Coccinelles. This was followed by the pork belly bao hoisin, cashews, chili mayo and the Chataigner rose (best combination of the afternoon: what a delight!). Next was a braised beef short rib with the Autrand and the Mas Carlot, followed by some slow cooked lamb with the Chateau D'Orsan Cotes du Rhone Villages Chausclan 2022. The parade ended with a small individual cheese course with the Montfaucon. The Downside: apart from the seminar there was no overall listing of wines, they all had to be hand-selected in writing. The Upside: the set-up was nicely done, with a seminar, walk around, and a lunch. The Contact Person: diane.santerne@sopexa.com; agathe.arollinat@sopexa.com. The Event’s Marketing Effectiveness and Execution (numerical grade): 86. WORLD WINE WATCH TOP WINES AT VINTAGES: under/over $20 for the MAY 25, 2024 release. By DEAN TUDOR, Gothic Epicures Writing deantudor@deantudor.com. My "Wines, Beers and Spirits of the Net", a guide to thousands of news items and RSS feeds, plus references to wines, beers and spirits, has been at https://pages.pathcom.com/~dtudor since 1994. These notes for better or best wines available through LCBO Vintages (on a bi-weekly basis) can always be found at http://www.gothicepicures.blogspot.ca or at https://pages.pathcom.com/~dtudor No winery can buy their way into – or out of – my publication. Scores are a combination of MVC (Modal Varietal Character, e.g. a Southern Rhone would taste like a Southern Rhone) and QPR (Quality/Price Ratio value in the marketplace, above or below its price). I was one of the first to jump on the Robert Parker bandwagon, using numerical indications for my scores in the early 1980s. Why? Because with a database I could rate, rank and order wines in any fashion. It was just so convenient using databases. Unfortunately, the numerical system has been shown to be disgraced by overuse and "inflated numbers"; thus I have quit any ranking by number. From now on, it will just be GOOD, BETTER and BEST, which will give me some wiggle room (e.g. is this wine an 87, 88, 89, or 90? Or all of them...depends on my mood and time of day). With the rigorous standards and lab testing by the LCBO, I can safely say that every single wine at the LCBO is at least GOOD, which I would numerically rank at 75-85 points. For reasons of time and space, I will NOT be listing the GOOD wines. Just the BETTER (86-89) and the BEST (90+ ) wines. This spread of points will relate to SILVER and GOLD medals, with GOOD being BRONZE. This also fits into my scheme for trade tastings. MVC/QPR=BETTER (86-89) MVC/QPR=BEST (90+ ) MAJOR THEME: Online and Flagship Exclusives, available only on LCBO.com and in 16 Flagship stores. No print version, but see pages 25 - 30 in the May 11 Vintages release issue for total listings. Recommended May 25 Wines Under $20 [my basic standard is MVC/QPR=BETTER (86-89)] for online and flagship exclusives: ====================== W+485334 Kew Vineyards Marsanne 2019 VQA Beamsville Bench $19.95 MVC/QPR=BEST (90+ ) W+37154 Mas Paillet Monts du Roi Chardonnay/Viognier 2021 IGP Coteaux d'Enserune Languedoc $17.95. Recommended May 25 Wines Over $20 [my basic standard is MVC/QPR=BETTER (86-89)] for online and flagship exclusives: ====================== Fizz+37269 Cave du Roi Dagobert Prestige Brut Cremant d'Alsace $28.95 MVC/QPR=BEST (90+ ) W+241182 Charles Baker Picone Vineyard Riesling 2021 VQA Vinemount Ridge $44.95 MVC/QPR=BEST (90+ ) W+38056 Albert Bichot Pouilly-Fuisse 2020 Burgundy $42.95 W+33295 Land of Hope Reserve Chenin Blanc 2022 $27.95 R+37741 Dagaz Granito Cabernet Sauvignon 2020 Colchagua Chile $29.95 R+38362 Bachelder Bator 20% whole Cluster Vieille Vignes Gamay Noir Cru 2021 VQA Four Mile Creek $29.95 MVC/QPR=BEST (90+ ) R+714501 Jardin The Long Fuse Cabernet Sauvignon 2021 Stellenbosch South Africa $27.95 R+38362 Taltarni Pyrenees Victoria Shiraz $32.95 R+12198 Chateau Fonreaud 2014 Listrac-Medoc $37.95 R+37914 Chateau Fonreaud 2019 Listrac-Medoc $32.95 R+36428 Marchesi di Barolo d'Alba Michet Nebbiolo 2020 Piedmont $31.95 MVC/QPR=BEST (90+ MAY 2024 LIMITED TIME OFFERS: Some Recommended Wines from the LCBO’s Limited Time Offer selections...these are "better" value...on sale through Sunday May 26...Time is running out for this series: [but SEE BELOW for May-June period] W+43281 Flat Rock Riesling VQA Niagara, now $16.95, save $3. W+958975 Mer Soleil Reserve Chardonnay Monterey County, now $26.95, save $3. W+24133 Thirty Bench Winemaker's Blend Riesling, now $19.95, save $3. R+980482 Cambria Julia's Pinot Noir Santa Barbara, now $39.95 , save $5 R+59311 The Seven Deadly Zins Old Vine Zinfandel Lodi, now $21.95, save $3 R+27516 J. Lohr Los Osos Merlot Paso Robles, now $22.95, save $3. R+590414 Oyster Bay Pinot Noir South Island New Zealand, now $21.95, save $3. R+177295 Rivera Il Falcone Riserva Castel del Monte, now $23.95, save $3. MAY-JUNE 2024 LIMITED TIME OFFERS: Some Recommended Wines from the LCBO’s Limited Time Offer selections...these are "better" value...on sale May 26 through Sunday June 23: W+373373 Pierre Sparr Gewurztraminer, now $17.95, save $2 Fizz+991562 Bailly Lapierre Reserve Brut Cremant de Bourgogne, now $21.95, save $3 W+32567 Cave de Buxy Bourgogne Côte Chalonnaise 'Buissonnier' Chardonnay, now $20.15, save $3 W+215525 La Chablisienne Les Vénérables Vieilles Vignes Chablis, now $29.95, save $3 W+465146 Les Jamelles Sauvignon Blanc Pays D'Oc, now $14.95, save $2 R+22199 Jacob's Creek Double Barrel Shiraz Australia, now $17, save $3 R+149237 The Conspiracy Ripasso Style (Foreign Affairs VQA), now 18.95, save $3 R+155051 Masi Campofiorin IGT Veneto, now $21.90, save $3 R+251876 Wolf Blass Yellow Label Cabernet Sauvignon Australia, now $14.95, save $3 R+426718 Cesari Amarone Classico DOC Veneto, now $38.95, save $6 R+506519 Cesari Mara Valpolicella Ripasso Superiore DOC Veneto, now $16.95, save $4 ** Some New Wines I Tasted Over the Past While --- REPORT ON DRINK CHILE, LATE 2023 The Date and Time: Monday November 20, 2023 1PM - 4:30PM The Event: a trade walk around tasting of Wines of Chile and Prochile wines. The Venue: Windsor Arms Hotel The Target Audience: wine trade, wine media, sommeliers The Availability/Catalogue: the booklet gave a good series of highlights. There were 120 wines from 17 wineries to taste, plus audio tours and tastings every 15 minutes for an overview of Chilean wine styles. There was material on the various wine regions and 18 wine valleys. The Quote/Background: Chile has come a long way towards more diversity and higher quality over the years. Sustainability and innovation have led the way The Wines: I did not taste every wine. **** BEST -- Four Stars (91+ in Quality/Price Rating terms): -Arboleda Brisa Aconcagua, 2021 $49.95 [5 grape varieties] -Las Ninas Traditional Method Brut Chardonnay, 2022 $19.95 (April 2024) -Las Ninas Traditional Method Rose Pinot Noir, 2022 $19.95 (April 2024) -Luis Felipe Edwards LFE900 Red Blend, 2018 [5 varieties] -Santa Rita Floresta Chardonnay, 2021 $27.95 -Sutil Acrux Red 2020 [6 varieties] $48 -Casa del Toqui Gran Reserva Cabernet Sauvignon, 2021 $24.95 -Errazuriz Don Maximiniano, 2018 -Vina Santa Carolina El Pacto Agreement No.2, Carmenere, 2021 -Emiliana Organic Vineyards Novas Stellar Selection, 2021 Red Blend $19.95 -Emiliana Organic Vineyards Coyam, 2020 $34.95 -Montes Alpha Cabernet Sauvingon, 2021 $22.95 -Santa Ema Sparkling Pinot Noir/Chardonnay, $80.95 -Santa Ema Catalina Red, 2019 $111.95 ***1/2 BETTER -- Three and a Half Stars (88 – 90 in Quality/Price Rating terms): -Arboleda Chardonnay, 2022 $18.95 -Marea Grand Reserva Sauvignon Blanc, 2023 $ 17.95 -Santa Ema Sauvignon Blanc Gran Reserve, 2023 $17.95 -Casas del Bosque Gran Reserva Carmenere, 2022 $45 -Undurraga Sauvignon Terroir Hunter, 2021 $30 -Perez Cruz Cabernet Sauvignon Piedra Secca, 2021 -Santa Rita Pewen Carmenere, 2021 $60 -Montes Alpha Chardonnay, 2021 $22.95 -Santa Carolina Reserva Chardonnay, 2022 $14.45 -Terraustral Gold Grand Reserve Chardonnay, 2021 $18 -VSPT Wine Group Leyda Reserva 2022, $16.95 -Concha y Toro Diablo Crystal Sauvignon Blanc, $17.95 -Cono Sur Organic Chardonnay, 2021 $14.95 The Food: for the trade, there were food platters of meats, cheeses, breads, biscuits. The Downside: it got really crowded really fast. The Upside: a chance to catch up with the latest from Chile. The Contact Person: lisa@androscom.com The Event’s Marketing Effectiveness and Execution (numerical grade): 80 WORLD WINE WATCH TOP WINES AT VINTAGES: under/over $20 for the MAY 11, 2024 release. By DEAN TUDOR, Gothic Epicures Writing deantudor@deantudor.com. My "Wines, Beers and Spirits of the Net", a guide to thousands of news items and RSS feeds, plus references to wines, beers and spirits, has been at https://pages.pathcom.com/~dtudor since 1994. These notes for better or best wines available through LCBO Vintages (on a bi-weekly basis) can always be found at http://www.gothicepicures.blogspot.ca or at https://pages.pathcom.com/~dtudor No winery can buy their way into – or out of – my publication. Scores are a combination of MVC (Modal Varietal Character, e.g. a Southern Rhone would taste like a Southern Rhone) and QPR (Quality/Price Ratio value in the marketplace, above or below its price). I was one of the first to jump on the Robert Parker bandwagon, using numerical indications for my scores in the early 1980s. Why? Because with a database I could rate, rank and order wines in any fashion. It was just so convenient using databases. Unfortunately, the numerical system has been shown to be disgraced by overuse and "inflated numbers"; thus I have quit any ranking by number. From now on, it will just be GOOD, BETTER and BEST, which will give me some wiggle room (e.g. is this wine an 87, 88, 89, or 90? Or all of them...depends on my mood and time of day). With the rigorous standards and lab testing by the LCBO, I can safely say that every single wine at the LCBO is at least GOOD, which I would numerically rank at 75-85 points. For reasons of time and space, I will NOT be listing the GOOD wines. Just the BETTER (86-89) and the BEST (90+ ) wines. This spread of points will relate to SILVER and GOLD medals, with GOOD being BRONZE. This also fits into my scheme for trade tastings. MVC/QPR=BETTER (86-89) MVC/QPR=BEST (90+ ) MAJOR THEME: The Wine Pantheon -- Classic European Regions Recommended Wines Under $20 [my basic standard is MVC/QPR=BETTER (86-89)] ======================= Rose+117861 FEATHERSTONE ROSÉ 2023 $16.95 MVC/QPR=BEST (90+ ) W+89011 FEATHERSTONE SAUVIGNON BLANC 2023 VQA NIAGARA $17.95 W+80234 FEATHERSTONE BLACK SHEEP RIESLING VQA NIAGARA $19.95 MVC/QPR=BEST (90+ ) W+389262 ZUCCARDI SERIE A TORRONTÉS 2023 ARGENTINA $17.95 W+36034 BROCHET RÉSERVE SAUVIGNON BLANC 2021 LOIRE $18.95 W+573683 FERZO ABRUZZO PECORINO SUPERIORE 2022 $17.95 MVC/QPR=BEST (90+ ) W+488015 QUINTA DO ESPÍRITO SANTO 2020 PORTUGAL $14.95 MVC/QPR=BEST (90+ ) W+37725 CASTELLO D'ALBA WHITE 2022 PORTUGAL $14.95 R+261891 FABRE MONTMAYOU RESERVA CABERNET SAUVIGNON 2021 ARGENTINA $18.95 R+396481 ZONTE'S FOOTSTEP CHOCOLATE FACTORY SHIRAZ 2020 $19.95 R+994616 TERRA D'ALIGI TATONE MONTEPULCIANO D'ABRUZZO 2021 $17.95 R+37767 MAGUS 6 MESES CRIANZA TEMPRANILLO 2020 $13.95 Recommended Wines Over $20 [my basic standard is MVC/QPR=BETTER (86-89)] ====================== W+57430 MISSION HILL RESERVE SAUVIGNON BLANC 2022 OKANAGAN $24.95 W+424507 WESTCOTT ESTATE CHARDONNAY 2021 VQA NIAGARA $29.95 MVC/QPR=BEST (90+ ) W+466144 J. MOREAU & FILS GLORIE DE CHABLIS 2022 $31.95 MVC/QPR=BEST (90+ ) W+455147 LA CHABLISIENNE EMOTIONS MINERALES BOURGOGNE CHARDONNAY $22.95 R+38301 FEATHERSTONE RESERVE CABERNET FRANC 2021 $29.95 MVC/QPR=BEST (90+ ) R+86363 STRATUS WILDASS RED 2019 $21.95 R+35374 CHÂTEAU GRAND HAUT-MÉDOC 2018 $21.95 R+359810 SÉGLA 2015 $77.95 Rose+319368 CHÂTEAU D'AQUÉRIA TAVEL ROSÉ 2023 $24.95 MVC/QPR=BEST (90+ ) MAY 2024 LIMITED TIME OFFERS: Some Recommended Wines from the LCBO’s Limited Time Offer selections...these are "better" value...on sale April 29 through Sunday May 26... W+43281 Flat Rock Riesling VQA Niagara, now $16.95, save $3. W+958975 Mer Soleil Reserve Chardonnay Monterey County, now $26.95, save $3. W+24133 Thirty Bench Winemaker's Blend Riesling, now $19.95, save $3. R+980482 Cambria Julia's Pinot Noir Santa Barbara, now $39.95 , save $5 R+59311 The Seven Deadly Zins Old Vine Zinfandel Lodi, now $21.95, save $3 R+27516 J. Lohr Los Osos Merlot Paso Robles, now $22.95, save $3. R+590414 Oyster Bay Pinot Noir South Island New Zealand, now $21.95, save $3. R+177295 Rivera Il Falcone Riserva Castel del Monte, now $23.95, save $3. ** Some New Wines I Tasted Over the Past Season --- REPORT ON A TASTING OF WINES FROM ITALY LATE 2023 The Date and Time: Monday, October 30, 2023 10:30A - 5PM The Event: Annual ICE Italian Wine Tasting [its 28th year] The Venue: Roy Thomson Hall The Target Audience: wine media, sommeliers, wine agents. The Availability/Catalogue: online QR code needed The Quote/Background: 86 estates were showing three wines wines or more. John Szabo MS gave a Masterclass in the new-ish geographic precisions of appellations. There is the Menzioni Geographiche Aggiuntive (MGA for Barolo, Barbaresco, Prosecco, Verdicchio, et al)), the Unita Geographiche Aggiuntive (UGA for Chianti Classico, Soave, Nobile di Montepulciano, Etna, et al). There are also CONTRADAS and PIEVES [parishes]. These are all sub-units of no classification or hierarchy. But also: under UGA/MGA, etc., no grapes can be purchased. For example, Soave has 33 UGAs, Etna has 142 Contradas covering 11 communes, Barolo has 181 MGAs covering 11 communes, while Barbaresco haS 66 MGAs covering just 4 communes. Very difficult to memorize it all....Many wineries are looking to "premiumizing" their production via name branding and protecting. Stay tuned... The Wines: I did not taste all the table wines or all the fizzes, and I did not taste any dessert wines nor grappas or amari or even olive oils! **** BEST -- Four Stars (91+ in Quality/Price Rating terms): -Pinot Grigio, Maculan -Etna Bianco, 2021, Cusumano -Chardonnay, Castello Gabbiano -Oro, 2021, Il Drago e La Fornace -Rosso Piceno Superiore, 2018 Sella e Mosca -Chianti Classico Gran Selezione, 2020 Rocca delle Macie -Fiordiligi Grillo Sicilia 2022, Mazara Del Vallo, $22 -Barolo, 2018, Rocche dell Annunziata -Rosso Piceno Superiore, 2020, Velenosi -Etna Rosso Feudo di Mezzo, 2020, Graci -Mane Vino Rosso IGT Toscana, Podere Casanova $14.50 -Vino Nobile de Montepulciano, 2019, Boscarelli -Vino Nobile de Montepulciano DOC, Podere Casanova $24 -Vino Nobile de Montepulciano DOCG, Podere Casanova $42 -Settecento Vino Nobile de Montepulciano DOCG, Podere Casanova $75 -Baciami Vino Spumante Rose Da Uve Mammolo, Piandaccoli -Chianti Classico Vigna del Sorbo, 2020, Fontodi -Barolo Cannubi, 2018 Borgogno -Barolo Sarmassa, 2017, Marchese di Barolo $81.25 licensee -Barolo Cannubi, 2017, Marchese di Barolo $81.5 licensee -Corte Vino Rosso de Montepulciano DOC Podere Casanova, $15.50 -La Cantina del Colli Ripani Fasserina IGT Marche 2022, $20 -Gavi di Gavi, 2021, Marchese di Barolo $25.15 licensee -Donna Angelica Lucido 2021, Assul $29 -Carinda Insolia, Mazara del Vallo 2022, $22 -Barbaresco Gallina, 2019, Oddero -Chardonnay DOC Friuli, Modeana -Chardonnay 2021, Albino Armani $17.95 licensee -Primitivo Since 1913, 2019, $32.35 licensee -Fiano E'Arte, 2022, $14.35 licensee -Primitivo Organic IGP, Agricola Amastuola, 2021, $18.85 licensee -Primitivo Centosassi Organic, Agricola Amastuola, 2018, $28.75 licensee ***1/2 BETTER -- Three and a Half Stars (88 – 90 in Quality/Price Rating terms): -Pecorino, 2022, Cantina Tollo -Pecorino Falerio 2022, La Cantina $21 -Anima Lavica Janare Campania Spumante -Ca del Magro, 2021, Bianco Monte del Fra -Podere Casanova Vini Montepulciano Bianco Toscano Canto 2022 -Falanghina, 2021, la Guardinense -Soave Classico Calvarino, 2021, Pieropan -Ribolitto, 2021, Il Drago e La Fornace -Rubesco Vigna Monticchio, Lungarotti -Syrah Ruggiero, Assuli $22 -Ribolla Gialla Venezia Giulia, Modeano -Pinot Grigio, 2022, Albino Armani, $19.30 licensee -Primitivo Rosato Infintinum 2022, Torrevento SRI, $15.75 licensee -Primitivo E'Arte 2022, Torrevento SRI $14.35 licensee The Food: This year it was catered by Stelvio, a Northern Italian Eatery on Dundas Street. They gave us a Buffet Rustico: polenta Bolognese Sauce, polenta with vegetable sauce caponata, Mortadella sausage, sopresatta prosciutto, chickpea salad, pasta salad, quiche di zucchini, pinzimonio con hummus, pickled green and black olives, a range of cheeses, grisini, flatbread cipolle, giardiniera, four kinds of salumi and five kinds of formaggi, and espresso coffee to finish. The Downside: I had no smartphone, so I could not access all the details of each wine. The Upside: over the afternoon about 1600 people attended. The Contact Person: toronto@ice.it or b.marassi@ice.it or info@stelviotoronto.ca The Event’s Marketing Effectiveness and Execution (numerical grade): 90 WORLD WINE WATCH TOP WINES AT VINTAGES: under/over $20 for the APRIL 27, 2024 release. By DEAN TUDOR, Gothic Epicures Writing deantudor@deantudor.com. My "Wines, Beers and Spirits of the Net", a guide to thousands of news items and RSS feeds, plus references to wines, beers and spirits, has been at https://pages.pathcom.com/~dtudor since 1994. These notes for better or best wines available through LCBO Vintages (on a bi-weekly basis) can always be found at http://www.gothicepicures.blogspot.ca or at https://pages.pathcom.com/~dtudor No winery can buy their way into – or out of – my publication. Scores are a combination of MVC (Modal Varietal Character, e.g. a Southern Rhone would taste like a Southern Rhone) and QPR (Quality/Price Ratio value in the marketplace, above or below its price). I was one of the first to jump on the Robert Parker bandwagon, using numerical indications for my scores in the early 1980s. Why? Because with a database I could rate, rank and order wines in any fashion. It was just so convenient using databases. Unfortunately, the numerical system has been shown to be disgraced by overuse and "inflated numbers"; thus I have quit any ranking by number. From now on, it will just be GOOD, BETTER and BEST, which will give me some wiggle room (e.g. is this wine an 87, 88, 89, or 90? Or all of them...depends on my mood and time of day). With the rigorous standards and lab testing by the LCBO, I can safely say that every single wine at the LCBO is at least GOOD, which I would numerically rank at 75-85 points. For reasons of time and space, I will NOT be listing the GOOD wines. Just the BETTER (86-89) and the BEST (90+ ) wines. This spread of points will relate to SILVER and GOLD medals, with GOOD being BRONZE. This also fits into my scheme for trade tastings. MVC/QPR=BETTER (86-89) MVC/QPR=BEST (90+ ) MAJOR THEME: CALIFORNIA WATCHLIST: Paso Robles Recommended Wines UNDER $20 [my basic standard is MVC/QPR=BETTER (86-89)] ========================= FIZZ+19031 CELENE AMÉTHYSTE BRUT CRÉMANT DE BORDEAUX $17.95 MVC/QPR=BEST (90+ ) W+34245 WALDSCHÜTZ RIED HASEL GRÜNER VELTLINER AUSTRIA 2021 $18.95 CHILE W+303628 SANTA RITA MEDALLA REAL GRAN RESERVA CHARDONNAY CHILE 2021 $17.95 MVC/QPR=BEST (90+ ) W+747600 PIERRE SPARR GRANDE RÉSERVE GEWURZTRAMINER ALSACE 2021 $19.95 MVC/QPR=BEST (90+ ) W+35860 CHÂTEAU ROQUEFORT LES ROCHES BLANCHES SAUVIGNON BLANC BORDEAUX 2022 $15.95 W+557207 FLEURON DE LA REBOURGÈRE SUR LIE MUSCADET-SÈVRE ET MAINE LOIRE $16.95 W+37520 LANDLUST ORGANIC RIESLING MOSEL-SAAR-RUWER 2022 $15.95 W+36000 MEZZACORONA RISERVA CHARDONNAY ITALY 2020 $18.95 W+35951 UMBERTO CESARI LIANO PINOT GRIGIO ABRUZZO 2022 $17.95 W+919514 WITHER HILLS SAUVIGNON BLANC NEW ZEALAND 2023 $19.95 MVC/QPR=BEST (90+ ) R+452029 PIATTELLI LUJÁN DE CUYO RESERVE MALBEC ARGENTINA 2021 $17.95 R+494039 DOMAINE LAFAGE CAYROL VIEILLES VIGNES CARIGNAN 2021 $19.95 R+35375 CHÂTEAU LE CONTE MARQUEY BORDEAUX 2018 $18.95 R+224592 CHÂTEAU LE GRAND RETOUR PLAN DE DIEU CÔTES DU RHÔNE-VILLAGES $16.95 R+642421 VALPANTENA TORRE DEL FALASCO VALPOLICELLA RIPASSO VENETO 2022 $17.95 MVC/QPR=BEST (90+ ) ROSE+177840 PENINSULA RIDGE BEAL VINEYARD CABERNET ROSÉ VQA 2023 $16.95 MVC/QPR=BEST (90+ ) ROSE+498535 MALIVOIRE VIVANT ROSÉ VQA 2023 $19.95 Recommended Wines OVER $20 [my basic standard is MVC/QPR=BETTER (86-89)] ======================== W+566026 CAVE SPRING CSV RIESLING 2022 VQA $34.95 MVC/QPR=BEST (90+ ) W+16059 BACHELDER LES VILLAGES-BENCH CHARDONNAY 2021 VQA $34.95 MVC/QPR=BEST (90+ ) W+11108 UMANI RONCHI CENTOVIE PECORINO ABBRUZO 2020 $26.95 W+232439 CHATEAU STE. MICHELLE CHARDONNAY 2022 WASH STATE $21.95 R+33894 LE CLOS JORDANNE JORDAN VILLAGE PINOT NOIR 2021 VQA $29.95 MVC/QPR=BEST (90+ ) R+36927 CHÂTEAU CAROLINE MOULIS-EN-MÉDOC 2019 $30.95 R+35973 PENTACLE LES TROIS ROUTES CHÂTEAUNEUF-DU-PAPE 2019 $63.95 R+713354 TRAVAGLINI GATTINARA PIEDMONT 2019 $37.95 R+747030 LA VITE LUCENTE 2021 $33.95 R+10704 WESTMOUNT PINOT NOIR OREGON 2021 $33.95 APRIL LIMITED TIME OFFERS: Some Recommended Wines from the LCBO’s Limited Time Offer selections...these are "better" value...on sale Monday April 1 through Sunday April 28...only a few more days to go until the sale ends. W+84988 Beringer Napa Valley Chardonnay, now $29.95, save $3 W+68817 Hidden Bench Estate Organic Chardonnay VQA Beamsville Bench Niagara, now $29.95, save $2 W+13311 Lone Birch Chardonnay Yakima Washington, now $19.95, save $3 W+89037 Tawse Sketches of Niagara Chardonnay VQA, now $19.95, save $2 W+18631 Sebastiani California Chardonnay, now $16.90, save $2 W+350900 Robert Oatley Chardonnay Margaret River, now $19.95, save $2 W+268342 Henry of Pelham Estate Chardonnay VQA, now $17.95, save $2 R+30957 Concha Y Toro Winemaker's Lot 148 Carmenere La Pataguas Vineyard Rapel Chile, now $16.95, save $3 R+274753 Hidden Bench Estate Organic Pinot Noir VQA Beamsville Bench, now $34.94, save $3 R+626390 Kim Crawford Pinot Noir New Zealand, now $19.95, save $3 R+727636 Tenuta Sette Ponti Crognolo 2020 IGT Toscana, now $31.95, save $3 ** Some New Wines I Tasted Over the Past Season --- REPORT ON THE WINES OF GREECE TRADE TASTING TORONTO 2023 The Event: a tasting of the wines of Greece. The Venue: Arcadian Loft The Target Audience: licensees, sommeliers and wine media, wine agents. The Availability/Catalogue: a spiral bound catalogue with many maps and wine/grape descriptions. There were 29 tables with 116 wines, and the wineries were placed mostly by agent to cover a few tables each. There were about four wines per winery, and there were full details about winery contacts (email addrersses) plus agents, the latter with phone numbers. A good resource guide. The Quote/Background: Most of the wineries were repped by a small handful of agents, such as Kolonaki (11 wineries at 11 tables), Dionysus (3 tables), Selections Le Maitre de Chai (3), Asteria Imports (3), and then the others with one or two tables each. The Wines: I did not taste all the wines. **** BEST -- Four Stars (91+ in Quality/Price Rating terms): -Malamatina Winery Filioma Dry Rose 2022 [merlot] -Malamatima Filioma Agiorgitiko 2022 PGI Peloponnese -Alpha Estate Xinomavro Red Single Vineyard Hedgehog 2020 PDO Amyndeon -Alpha Estates Assyrtiko 2021 -Cavino Atelier Mavro Kalavritino-Cabernet Sauvignon 2022 PGI Achaia -Domaine Costa Lazaridi Amethystos Sauvignon Blanc 2022 Drama -Domaine Hatzimichalis Alfega White 2022 [sauvignon blanc, malagousia, robola] -Domaine Hatzimichalis Assyrtiko Alepotrype Vineyard 2022 PGI Atalanti Valley -Ktima Biblia Areti White 2020 PGI Pangeon [assyrtiko] -Ktima Biblia Ovilos White 2022 PGI Pangeon -Ktima Tselepos Amalia Brut NV [moschofilero] -Zoinos Winery Sparkling White Extra Brut 2021 PDO Zitsa [debina] -Kitma Pavlidis Emphasis Assyrtiko 2022 PGI Drama -Kitma Spiropoulos Ode Panos Rose 2020 Brut -Oenops Wines Apla Dry White 2022 -Papagiannakos Winery Salvatiano Old Vines 2022 PGI Markopoulo -Papagiannakos Winery Salvatiano "Vientzi" 2020 PGI Markopoulo -Papagiannakos Winery Kalogeri Malagousia 2022 PGI Attiki -Santo Wines Grand Reserve Santorini Assyrtiko 2020 PDO Santorini [oaked] [fave today] ***1/2 BETTER -- Three and a Half Stars (88 – 90 in Quality/Price Rating terms): -Malamatima Four Angels Red 2022 PGI Peloponnese [syrah/merlot] -Malamatima Four Angels White PGI Peloponnese [chardonnay/malagousia] -Malamatina Winery Filioma Moschofilero 2022 PGI Peloponnese -Boutari Moschofilero 2022 PDO Mantinia -Domaine Skouras Cuvee Prestige White 2022 PGI Peloponnese -Domaine Skouras Assyrtiko Wild Ferment 2022 PGI Peloponnese -Cavino Mega Spileo Cuvee III White 2022 PGI Achaia -Domaine Costa Lazaridi Malagousia 2022 PGI Drama -Domaine Costa Lazaridi Chateau Julia Assyrtiko 2022 PGI Drama -Domaine Hatzimichalis Kapnias Red 2020 [cabernet sauvignon] PGI Atalanti Valley -Ktima Biblia Chora White 2022 PGI Pangeon -Papagiannakos Winery Assyrtiko 2022 PGI Attiki -Santo Wines Santorini Assyrtiko 2022 PDO Santorini -Santo Wines Santorini Nykteri 2022 PDO Santorini The Food: cheese platters with biscuits and breads and fresh fruit; grilled baby octopus with chili crisp; hot apps on platters of chicken, fish, lamb meatballs, fried veggie balls. The highlight for me was the oregano and lemon lamb kleftiko and charred eggplant. The Downside: I had just come from an earlier wine portfolio tasting. The Upside: good exposure to wines that dance in the catalogue. The Contact Person: lisa@androscom.com The Event’s Marketing Effectiveness and Execution (numerical grade): 90. WORLD WINE WATCH TOP WINES AT VINTAGES: under/over $20 for the APRIL 13, 2024 release. By DEAN TUDOR, Gothic Epicures Writing deantudor@deantudor.com. My "Wines, Beers and Spirits of the Net", a guide to thousands of news items and RSS feeds, plus references to wines, beers and spirits, has been at https://pages.pathcom.com/~dtudor since 1994. These notes for better or best wines available through LCBO Vintages (on a bi-weekly basis) can always be found at http://www.gothicepicures.blogspot.ca or at https://pages.pathcom.com/~dtudor No winery can buy their way into – or out of – my publication. Scores are a combination of MVC (Modal Varietal Character, e.g. a Southern Rhone would taste like a Southern Rhone) and QPR (Quality/Price Ratio value in the marketplace, above or below its price). I was one of the first to jump on the Robert Parker bandwagon, using numerical indications for my scores in the early 1980s. Why? Because with a database I could rate, rank and order wines in any fashion. It was just so convenient using databases. Unfortunately, the numerical system has been shown to be disgraced by overuse and "inflated numbers"; thus I have quit any ranking by number. From now on, it will just be GOOD, BETTER and BEST, which will give me some wiggle room (e.g. is this wine an 87, 88, 89, or 90? Or all of them...depends on my mood and time of day). With the rigorous standards and lab testing by the LCBO, I can safely say that every single wine at the LCBO is at least GOOD, which I would numerically rank at 75-85 points. For reasons of time and space, I will NOT be listing the GOOD wines. Just the BETTER (86-89) and the BEST (90+ ) wines. This spread of points will relate to SILVER and GOLD medals, with GOOD being BRONZE. This also fits into my scheme for trade tastings. MVC/QPR=BETTER (86-89) MVC/QPR=BEST (90+ ) MAJOR THEME: PERFECT FOOD-WINE PAIRINGS -- [really?] BUT FIRST -- There are 12 chardonnays being released April 13...here are my recks: *NEW* CHARDONNAYS AT VINTAGES APRIL 13, 2024 RELEASE -- ARGENTINA +918805 CATENA HIGH MOUNTAIN VINES CHARDONNAY 2022 $20.95 MVC/QPR=BEST (90+ ) AUSTRALIA +33566 JIM JIM CHARDONNAY 2021 $17.95 MVC/QPR=BETTER (86-89) ONTARIO +68817 HIDDEN BENCH ESTATE ORGANIC CHARDONNAY 2021 $31.95 MVC/QPR=BEST (90+ ) ONTARIO +256552 CAVE SPRING ESTATE GROWN CHARDONNAY 2020 $21.95 MVC/QPR=BEST (90+ ) ONTARIO +20455 LE CLOS JORDANNE JORDAN VILLAGE CHARDONNAY 2020 $29.95 MVC/QPR=BEST (90+ ) CHILE +17617 ESCUDO ROJO RESERVA CHARDONNAY 2022 $17.95 MVC/QPR=BETTER (86-89) CALIFORNIA +226936 RODNEY STRONG CHARDONNAY 2021 $21.95 MVC/QPR=BETTER (86-89) CALIFORNIA +441089 ROMBAUER CARNEROS CHARDONNAY 2022 $69.95 MVC/QPR=BETTER (86-89) CALIFORNIA +395699 BERINGER LUMINUS CHARDONNAY 2022 $55.95 MVC/QPR=BETTER (86-89) BURGUNDY +42374 DOMAINE LOUIS MOREAU CHABLIS 2022 $31.95 MVC/QPR=BETTER (86-89) BURGUNDY +23988 TERRES SECRÈTES LES PRÉLUDES MÂCON-VILLAGES 2021 $20.95 MVC/QPR=BETTER (86-89) UMBRIA +176792 ANTINORI BRAMÌTO DELLA SALA CHARDONNAY 2022 $32.95 MVC/QPR=BETTER (86-89) Recommended Wines UNDER $20 [my basic standard is MVC/QPR=BETTER (86-89)] ========================== Fizz+536607 EMILIANA AMALUNA ORGANIC BRUT SPARKLING CHILE $18.95 MVC/QPR=BEST (90+ ) AUSTRIA W+37419 ECKER-ECKHOF GRÜNER VON ECKHOF 2022 $19.95 PFALZ W+37824 RUDI RÜTTGER LE TENDRE RIESLING 2022 $16.95 TUSCANY W+36345 VILLA DA VINCI STREDA VERMENTINO 2022 $19.95 MVC/QPR=BEST (90+ ) NEW ZEALAND W+14199 INVIVO SAUVIGNON BLANC 2023 $18.95 PORTUGAL W+37848 FREIRE LOBO VIGNO BRANCO 2021 $17.95 R+36389 AMASTUOLA NEGROAMARO 2020 PUGLIA $17.95 MVC/QPR=BEST (90+ ) R+983742 L.A. CETTO PETITE SIRAH 2021 MEXICO $14.95 ARGENTINA R+114983 H J. FABRE BARREL SELECTION MALBEC 2021 $18.95 LANGUEDOC +35995 CAVE DE ROQUEBRUN SOLEIL DE SCHISTE 2022 $18.95 ABRUZZO +36340 FERROVIERI MONTEPULCIANO D'ABRUZZO 2022 $16.95 MVC/QPR=BEST (90+ ) +36358 CARPINETO CHIANTI CASTALDO 2020 $18.95 Recommended Wines OVER $20 [my basic standard is MVC/QPR=BETTER (86-89)] ======================== Fizz+388603 PIERRE SPARR BRUT RÉSERVE CRÉMANT D'ALSACE $20.95 MVC/QPR=BEST (90+ ) ROSE+279117 SOUTHBROOK TRIOMPHE ORGANIC CABERNET FRANC ROSÉ VQA 2022 $23.95 MVC/QPR=BEST (90+ ) W+183491 HIDDEN BENCH ESTATE ORGANIC RIESLING 2019 VQA $24.95 MVC/QPR=BEST (90+ ) W+431593 TAWSE LIMESTONE RIDGE-NORTH RIESLING 2021 VQA $21.95 W+36546 DOMAINE GÉRARD MILLET SANCERRE 2022 $34.95 OREGON W+36496 CHRISTOPHER MICHAEL PINOT GRIS 2022 $21.95 R+279059 LAURENT GAUTHIER GRAND CRAS VIEILLES VIGNES MORGON 2021 $22.95 R+20422 HIDDEN BENCH ESTATE ORGANIC GAMAY 2021 VQA $29.95 R+274753 HIDDEN BENCH ESTATE ORGANIC PINOT NOIR 2021 VQA $37.95 MVC/QPR=BEST (90+ ) R+117960 CREEKSIDE LAURA'S RED 2018 VQA $25 MVC/QPR=BEST (90+ ) BORDEAUX R+550244 CHÂTEAU LA CARDONNE 2015 $25.95 BURGUNDY R+34247 PASCAL BOUCHARD IRANCY 2018 $32.95 RHONE R+35974 BROTTE LES HAUTS DE BARVILLE 2019 $51.95 MVC/QPR=BEST (90+ ) SPAIN +37272 MARQUÉS DE LA CONCORDIA RESERVA 2018 $16.95 APRIL LIMITED TIME OFFERS: Some Recommended Wines from the LCBO’s Limited Time Offer selections...these are "better" value...on sale Monday April 1 through Sunday April 28... W+84988 Beringer Napa Valley Chardonnay, now $29.95, save $3 W+68817 Hidden Bench Estate Organic Chardonnay VQA Beamsville Bench Niagara, now $29.95, save $2 W+13311 Lone Birch Chardonnay Yakima Washington, now $19.95, save $3 W+89037 Tawse Sketches of Niagara Chardonnay VQA, now $19.95, save $2 W+18631 Sebastiani California Chardonnay, now $16.90, save $2 W+350900 Robert Oatley Chardonnay Margaret River, now $19.95, save $2 W+268342 Henry of Pelham Estate Chardonnay VQA, now $17.95, save $2 R+30957 Concha Y Toro Winemaker's Lot 148 Carmenere La Pataguas Vineyard Rapel Chile, now $16.95, save $3 R+274753 Hidden Bench Estate Organic Pinot Noir VQA Beamsville Bench, now $34.94, save $3 R+626390 Kim Crawford Pinot Noir New Zealand, now $19.95, save $3 R+727636 Tenuta Sette Ponti Crognolo 2020 IGT Toscana, now $31.95, save $3 ** Some New Wines I Tasted Over the Past Season --- REPORT ON THE CGU FINE WINES WINTER PORTFOLIO TRADE TASTING 2023 The Event: CGU Portfolio Tasting The Venue: Terrace Room, Park Hyatt The Target Audience: licensees and wine media, with private collectors later. The Availability/Catalogue: a one-page sheet listed the wines at five tables, with label names, regions, vintage dates, prices, case sizes, and order information. The Wines: I had the opportunity to try most of the wines. Prices are licensee only. **** BEST -- Four Stars (91+ in Quality/Price Rating terms): -Domaine Michel Voarick Pernard-Vergelesses 2021 Aloxe-Corton Rouge $65.76 -Domaine des Ardoissieres Silice Blanc 2022 [biodynamic] $34.12 -Niew Vineyards Eola-Amity Hills Chardonnay 2021 Willamette $111.11 [my second fave] -Chantereves Marsannay Rose 2021 Savigny-les-Beaune $59.35 -Domaine Derey Fixin Les Echalais Marsannay 2021 Rouge $60.86 -Domaine Patrice Rion Nuits-Saint-Georges 1er Cru Les Terre Blanches 2020 $101.76 -Domaine Pierrick Bouley Volnay 1er Champans 2020 Rouge $187.10 -Domaine Boyer-Martenot Boyer de Bar Chardonnay 2021 $30.70 [my fave of the day] -Domaine Boyer-Martenot Puligny-Montrachet Les Reuchaux 2020 $140.89 -Domaine Garcia Nuits-Saint-Georges Les Grandes Vignes 2021 Rouge $160.14 -Thiriet Cote de Nuits Villages aux Montagnes 2021 $136.54 -Domaine Guillemot-Michel Vire-Clesse Quintaine 2021 [biodynamic] $65.87 -Domaine des Terres de Velle Savigny-Les-Beaune 1er Cru Aux Vergelesse [white] $64.71 -Domaine Francois Mikulski Cremant de Bourgogne NV Meursault $38.78 -Laurent Ponsot Meursault 1er Cru Blagny Cuvee du Myosc 2019 $226.84 -Le Chai Duchet Vire-Clesse 2021 $33.86 ***1/2 BETTER -- Three and a Half Stars (88 – 90 in Quality/Price Rating terms): -Reinhard & Beate Knebel Rottgen GG 2021 Mosel [white] $88.75 -Weingut A. Christmann Aus den Lagen Riesling 2021 Pfalz $38.81 -Weingut A.J.Adam Hofberg GG 2022 Mosel $72.81 -Weingut Schloss Lieser Juffer Sonnenuhr Spatlese 2020 Mosel $42.10 -Domaine Michel Voarick Corton-Charlemagne 2021 Grand Cru Aloxe-Corton $328.68 -Clement Lavallee Bourgogne Cotes d'Auxerre Rouge 2020 Ma Pierre $56 -Clement Lavallee Saint-Bris Les Copains d'Abord 2021 $47.07 -Domaine Derey Bourgogne Montre Cul Marsannay 2021 Rouge $40.64 -Armand Heitz Pommard 1er Cru Pezerolles 2020 $150.03 -Domaine Garcia Marsannay Clos du Roy 2021 Rouge $96.09 -Thiriet Bourgogne Aligote au Jardin Comblanchien 2021 $82.61 -Domaine Francois Mikulski Bourgogne Aligote 2021 Meursault $47.91 -Domaine Georges Glantenay Volnay 2020 $77.81 -Laurent Ponsot Bourgogne Blanc Cuvee du Perce-Neige 2019 $61.67 -Le Chai Duchet Macon Blanc 2022 $24.96 The Downside: there was a Greek wine trade show immediately afterwards. The Upside: there were only 35 wines to taste. The Contact Person: info@cgufinewines.com The Event’s Marketing Effectiveness and Execution (numerical grade): 85 WORLD WINE WATCH TOP WINES AT VINTAGES: under/over $20 for the MARCH 30 release. !!!!THIS IS THE BLUE MOON RELEASE!!! By DEAN TUDOR, Gothic Epicures Writing deantudor@deantudor.com. My "Wines, Beers and Spirits of the Net", a guide to thousands of news items and RSS feeds, plus references to wines, beers and spirits, has been at https://pages.pathcom.com/~dtudor since 1994. These notes for good wines available through LCBO Vintages (on a bi-weekly basis) can always be found at http://www.gothicepicures.blogspot.ca or at https://pages.pathcom.com/~dtudor No winery can buy their way into – or out of – this publication. Scores are a combination of MVC (Modal Varietal Character, e.g. a Southern Rhone would taste like a Southern Rhone) and QPR (Quality/Price Ratio value in the marketplace above or below its price). I was one of the first to jump on the Robert Parker bandwagon, using numerical indications for scores. Why? Because with a database I could rate, rank and order wines in any fashion. It was just so convenient using databases. Unfortunately, the numerical system has been shown to be disgraced, so I am quitting any ranking by number. From now on, it will just be GOOD, BETTER and BEST, which will give me some wiggle room (e.g. is this wine an 87, 88, 89, or 90? Or all of them...depends on my mood and time of day). With the rigorous standards and lab testing by the LCBO, I can safely say that every single wine at the LCBO is at least GOOD, which I would numerically rank at 75-85 points. For reasons of time and space, I will NOT be listing GOOD wines. Just the BETTER (86-89) and BEST (90+ ) wines. This spread of points will probably relate to SILVER and GOLD medals, with BRONZE being "GOOD". Significantly, this also fits into my scheme for trade tastings (as noted below). MVC/QPR=BETTER (86-89) MVC/QPR=BEST (90+ ) MAJOR THEME: Cabs Around the World Recommended Wines Under $20 ======================== W+662775 D'ARENBERG THE HERMIT CRAB VIOGNIER/MARSANNE AUSTRALIA 2022 $17.95 MVC/QPR=BETTER (86-89) W+37971 VIENI SAUVIGNON BLANC 2021 VQA $19.95 MVC/QPR=BETTER (86-89) W+391847 THIERRY DELAUNAY TOURAINE SAUVIGNON BLANC LOIRE 2022 $17.95 MVC/QPR=BEST (90+ ) W+465880 RAPAURA SPRINGS SAUVIGNON BLANC 2022 NEW ZEALAND $19.95 MVC/QPR=BETTER (86-89) R+25366 TRIUS DISTINCTION CABERNET SAUVIGNON VQA 2021 $19.95 MVC/QPR=BETTER (86-89) R+27204 VISTAMAR GRAN RESERVA CABERNET SAUVIGNON CHILE 2020 $17.95 MVC/QPR=BETTER (86-89) R+12281 CHÂTEAU DE RIBEBON 2019 BORDEAUX $17.95 MVC/QPR=BEST (90+ ) R+328567 CATHEDRAL CELLAR CABERNET SAUVIGNON SOUTH AFRICA $19.95 MVC/QPR=BEST (90+ ) Rose+172643 TAWSE SKETCHES OF NIAGARA ROSÉ VQA 2022 $18.95 MVC/QPR=BEST (90+ ) Recommended Wines Over $20 ====================== Sherry+542746 SÁNCHEZ ROMATE FINO PERDIDO SHERRY $21.95 MVC/QPR=BEST (90+ ) Fizz+646968 PONGRÁCZ CAP CLASSIQUE ROSÉ SOUTH AFRICA $22.95 MVC/QPR=BEST (90+ ) W+149302 FEATHERSTONE CANADIAN OAK CHARDONNAY 2022 VQA $24.95 MVC/QPR=BEST (90+ ) W+22138 ENRICO SERAFINO GRIFO DEL QUARTARO GAVI DEL COMMUNE DI GAVI ITALY $24.95 MVC/QPR=BEST (90+ ) W+536201 VILLA MARIA WAIRAU VALLEY RESERVE SAUVIGNON BLANC NEW ZEALAND 2022 $20.95 MVC/QPR=BETTER (86-89) R+36232 LUI ÚMILE MALBEC ARGENTINA 2021 $20.95 MVC/QPR=BETTER (86-89) R+522235 PETER LEHMANN THE BAROSSAN SHIRAZ AUSTRALIA $21.95 MVC/QPR=BETTER (86-89) R+323741 ROBERT OATLEY SIGNATURE SERIES CABERNET SAUVIGNON 2019 AUSTRALIA $21.95 MVC/QPR=BETTER (86-89) R+427500 WESTCOTT ESTATE PINOT NOIR VQA 2020 $31.95 MVC/QPR=BEST (90+ ) R+175604 CEDARCREEK ESTATE CABERNET/MERLOT BC-VQA 2020 $29.95 MVC/QPR=BEST (90+ ) R+203364 ERRÁZURIZ ACONCAGUA ALTO CABERNET SAUVIGNON CHILE 2021 $22.95 MVC/QPR=BETTER (86-89) R+172692 VINOSIA SANTANDREA TAURASI CAMPANIA 2017 $30.95 MVC/QPR=BEST (90+ ) R+16448 CASTELLO DI RADDA CHIANTI CLASSICO 2020 490C 12 $22.95 MVC/QPR=BETTER (86-89) LIMITED TIME OFFERS: Some Recommended Wines from the LCBO’s Limited Time Offer selections...these are "better" value...on sale through Sunday March 31...only a few days remain as this newsletter goes out on March 27.... W+35386 Kim Crawford Sauvignon Blanc Marlborough NZ, now $17.95, save $3 W+33298 Paul Cluver Village Chardonnay WO Elgin South Africa, now $20.95, save $3 W+24133 Thirty Bench Winemaker's Blend Riesling VQA Beamsville Bench, now $19.95, save $3 R+650432 Castelgiocondo Brunello di Montalcino Tuscany, now $49.95, save $5 R+337238 Concha y Toro Marques de Casa Concha Cabernet Sauvignon Chile, now $21.95, save $3 R+63891 Emiliana Coyam Organic Red Blend Chile, now $29.95, save $5 R+394718 Erath Pinot Noir Oregon, now $23.95, save $3 R+168716 M. Chapoutier Les Vignes de Bila-Haut Cotes du Roussillon-Villages Midi France, now $14.95, save $3 R+425488 Sella & Mosca Riserva Cannonau di Sardegna Sardinia, now $16.95, save $3 R+149237 The Foreign Affair The Conspiracy VQA Niagara, now $16.95, save $3 R+303800 Trius Red VQA Niagara, now $24.95, save $3 APRIL LIMITED TIME OFFERS: Some Recommended Wines from the LCBO’s Limited Time Offer selections...these are "better" value...on sale Monday April 1 through Sunday April 28... W+84988 Beringer Napa Valley Chardonnay, now $29.95, save $3 W+68817 Hidden Bench Estate Organic Chardonnay VQA Beamsville Bench Niagara, now $29.95, save $2 W+13311 Lone Birch Chardonnay Yakima Washington, now $19.95, save $3 R+30957 Concha Y Toro Winemaker's Lot 148 Carmenere La Pataguas Vineyard Rapel Chile, now $16.95, save $3 R+274753 Hidden Bench Estate Organic Pinot Noir VQA Beamsville Bench, now $34.94, save $3 R+626390 Kim Crawford Pinot Noir New Zealand, now $19.95, save $3 R+727636 Tenuta Sette Ponti Crognolo 2020 IGT Toscana, now $31.95, save $3 ** Some New Wines I Tasted Over the Past Season --- REPORT FROM ROGERS & COMPANY PORTFOLIO TRADE TASTING OCTOBER 2023 The Event: Rogers & Company Portfolio Trade Tasting The Venue: George, Queen Street The Target Audience: wine trade, sommeliers, wine media The Availability/Catalogue: a good paper catalogue with prices, regional descriptions, and space for notes. The Quote/Background: many principals attended the tasting and did most of the pouring. New this year was Arthur de Lencquesaing from Marques de Murrieta, this year's guest of honour. The Wines: There were more than 135 wines to sample; I did not taste all of them. Prices are licensee only. **** BEST -- Four Stars (91+ in Quality/Price Rating terms): -Blue Mountain Brut NV VQA Okanagan $32.99 -Tenuta Cocci Grifoni Tara Falerio Pecorino 2022 Le Marche $18.49 -Grgich Hills Cabernet Sauvignon 2015 Napa $105.99 -Marques de Murrieta Capellania 2018 [white, viura] $125.99 -Marques de Murrieta Dalmau Rioja 2019 $249.99 -Marques de Murrieta Castillo Ygay Gran Reserva Especial 2011 $299.99 -Lis Neris Jusosa Chardonnay 2019 Friuli $52.99 -Lis Neris Confini 2018 Late Harvest Gewurztraminer Friuli $64.99 -Domaine "Luquet Le Pavillon" Macon-Villages 2021 $27.99 -Domaine Huet Vouvray Le Haut Lieu Sec 2022 Loire $50.99 -Olivier Leflaive Freres Les Setilles 2020 Burgundy $47.99 -Chanson Pere et Fils Beaune 1er Cru Clos des Mouches 2020 $139.99 -Champagne Bollinger PNC AY18 NV $141.99 -Champagne Bollinger Special Cuvee NV $85.99 -Champagne Bollinger RD Extra Brut 2008 $389.99 -Peay Vineyards Estate Chardonnay West Sonoma Coast 2021 $96.99 -Shafer Red Shoulder Ranch Chardonnay 2022 $80.99 [my fave of the day] -Shafer "One Point Five" Stag's Leap Cabernet Sauvignon 2021 Napa $159.99 -Shafer Hillside Select Cabernet Sauvignon 2019 Napa $489.99 -WINC Porter & Plot Chardonnay 2020 Central Coast California $22.99 -Chateau Montelena Chardonnay 2020 Napa $98.99 -Faust "The Pact" Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon 2020 $122.99 -Duckhorn Howell Mountain Cabernet Sauvignon 2018 Napa $134.99 -Duckhorn "Three Palms" Vineyard Napa Valley Merlot 2020 $137.99 ***1/2 BETTER -- Three and a Half Stars (88 – 90 in Quality/Price Rating terms): -The Organized Crime Winery Limestone Block Chardonnay 2021 Beamsville Bench $19.71 -Pazo Senorans Albarino Rias Baixas Spain $32.99 -Domaine Henry Pelle Sancere "La Croix au Garde" 2022 Loire $33.99 -Domaine La Meuliere Chablis 2022 $33.99 -Olivier Leflaive Freres Montagny 1er cru Bonneveaux 2019 $76.99 -Champagne Bollinger Rose Brut NV $119.99 -Paul Hobbs CrossBarn Sonoma Coast Chardonnay 2020 $39.99 -Flowers Vineyards Sonoma Coast Chardonnay 2022 $54.99 -Vins Denuziere Cornas 2021 $63.99 -Share a Splash Wine Company Cannonball Chardonnay 2021 California $18.99 -Pavillon de Leoville Poyferre Saint-Julien 2018 $81.99 The Food: there was a cheese platter with appropriate fromages ranging from runny through to hard, plus some blue cheese. I was there only for the first hour and a half, and sampled some of the four hot platters. There was a platter of George burger with a brioche bun slider, a shrimp tempura with white sauce, a mozzarella orancini/arancini, and a chicken satay skewer. The Downside: as always, it got crowded really fast. The Upside: a major opportunity to taste some really fine expensive wines. The Contact Person: s.stoddart@rogcowines.com or j.clarke@rogcowines.com The Event’s Marketing Effectiveness and Execution (numerical grade): 92. WORLD WINE WATCH TOP WINES AT VINTAGES: under/over $20 for the MARCH 16 release. By DEAN TUDOR, Gothic Epicures Writing deantudor@deantudor.com. My "Wines, Beers and Spirits of the Net", a guide to thousands of news items and RSS feeds, plus references to wines, beers and spirits, has been at https://pages.pathcom.com/~dtudor since 1994. These notes for good wines available through LCBO Vintages (on a bi-weekly basis) can always be found at http://www.gothicepicures.blogspot.ca or at https://pages.pathcom.com/~dtudor No winery can buy their way into – or out of – this publication. Scores are a combination of MVC (Modal Varietal Character, e.g. a Southern Rhone would taste like a Southern Rhone) and QPR (Quality/Price Ratio value in the marketplace above or below its price). I was one of the first to jump on the Robert Parker bandwagon, using numerical indications for scores. Why? Because with a database I could rate, rank and order wines in any fashion. It was just so convenient using databases. Unfortunately, the numerical system has been shown to be disgraced, so I am quitting any ranking by number. From now on, it will just be GOOD, BETTER and BEST, which will give me some wiggle room (e.g. is this wine an 87, 88, 89, or 90? Or all of them...depends on my mood and time of day). With the rigorous standards and lab testing by the LCBO, I can safely say that every single wine at the LCBO is at least GOOD, which I would numerically rank at 75-85 points. For reasons of time and space, I will NOT be listing GOOD wines. Just the BETTER (86-89) and BEST (90+ ) wines. This spread of points will probably relate to SILVER and GOLD medals, with BRONZE being "GOOD". Significantly, this also fits into my scheme for trade tastings (as noted below). MVC/QPR=BETTER (86-89) MVC/QPR=BEST (90+ ) MAJOR THEME: Food and Wine Pairing Recommended Wines Under $20 ====================== W+19379 TRIUS DISTINCTION SAUVIGNON BLANC 2021 VQA $19.95 MVC/QPR=BETTER (86-89) W+347740 MATETIC CORRALILLO SAUVIGNON BLANC 2022 CHILE $19.95 MVC/QPR=BETTER (86-89) W+24610 BOUGRIER MUSCADET-SÈVRE ET MAINE 2022 LOIRE $15.95 MVC/QPR=BEST (90+ ) W+350124 LE JADE PICPOUL DE PINET 2022 MIDI $16.95 MVC/QPR=BETTER (86-89) W+698324 DEMORGENZON DMZ SAUVIGNON BLANC 2022 SOUTH AFRICA $18.95 MVC/QPR=BETTER (86-89) R+640854 SALENTEIN RESERVE MALBEC 2021 ARGENTINA $19.95 MVC/QPR=BEST (90+ ) R+166298 LA POSTA PIZZELLA FAMILY MALBEC 2022 ARGENTINA $16.95 MVC/QPR=BETTER (86-89) R+77824 13TH STREET GAMAY 2017 VQA $19.95 MVC/QPR=BETTER (86-89) R+131540 FEATHERSTONE RED TAIL MERLOT 2021 VQA NIAGARA $19.95 MVC/QPR=BEST (90+ ) R+35966 MAS DE DAUMAS GASSAC MOULIN DE GASSAC GUILHEM 2022 LANGUEDOC $15.95 MVC/QPR=BEST (90+ ) R+421024 LAVAU CÔTES DU RHÔNE VILLAGES 2019 $16.95 MVC/QPR=BETTER (86-89) R+278150 NIRO DI CITRA MONTEPULCIANO D'ABRUZZO 2019 $17.95 MVC/QPR=BETTER (86-89) R+396382 ZACCAGNINI TRALCETTO MONTEPULCIANO D'ABRUZZO 2021 $18.95 MVC/QPR=BETTER (86-89) R+35933 12 E MEZZO PRIMITIVO DEL SALENTO 2020 PUGLIA $17.95 MVC/QPR=BEST (90+ ) Recommended Wines Over $20 ====================== FIZZ+401018 LABOURÉ-GONTARD BRUT CRÉMANT DE BOURGOGNE $22.95 MVC/QPR=BETTER (86-89) W+47621 SKUTTLEBUTT SAUVIGNON BLANC/SEMILLON 2022 AUSTRALIA $21.95 MVC/QPR=BETTER (86-89) W+15054 ELDERTON EDEN VALLEY CHARDONNAY 2022 AUSTRALIA $24.95 MVC/QPR=BETTER (86-89) W+573147 MALIVOIRE ESTATE GROWN CHARDONNAY 2022 VQA $21.95 MVC/QPR=BETTER (86-89) W+983395 PIERRE SPARR GRANDE RÉSERVE PINOT GRIS 2021 $20.95 MVC/QPR=BEST (90+ ) W+946848 PIEROPAN SOAVE CLASSICO 2022 VENETO $20.95 MVC/QPR=BETTER (86-89) W+483933 LOLO ALBARIÑO 2022 SPAIN $21.95 MVC/QPR=BEST (90+ ) R+12331 PETER LEHMANN THE BAROSSAN CABERNET SAUVIGNON 2022 AUSTRALIA $22.95 MVC/QPR=BETTER (86-89) R+523001 CAVE SPRING ESTATE GROWN CABERNET FRANC 2021 VQA $20.95 MVC/QPR=BEST (90+ ) R+17239 BACHELDER LES VILLAGES GAMAY NOIR 2021 VQA $26.95 MVC/QPR=BEST (90+ ) R+516765 JEAN-PIERRE MOUEIX BORDEAUX 2019 $18.95 MVC/QPR=BEST (90+ ) R+637835 CHÂTEAU DES TOURS BROUILLY 2021 BEAUJOLAIS $20.95 MVC/QPR=BETTER (86-89) R+573493 CLEMENTE VII GRAN SELEZIONE CHIANTI CLASSICO 2019 TUSCANY $36.95 MVC/QPR=BETTER (86-89) R+171587 FARINA LE PEZZE AMARONE DELLA VALPOLICELLA CLASSICO 2020 $41.95 MVC/QPR=BEST (90+ ) R+446484 DESCENDIENTES DE J. PALACIOS PÉTALOS 2021 SPAIN $28.95 MVC/QPR=BEST (90+ ) R+209148 MARQUÉS DE MURRIETA FINCA YGAY RESERVA 2018 RIOJA $37.95 MVC/QPR=BEST (90+ ) LIMITED TIME OFFERS: Some Recommended Wines from the LCBO’s Limited Time Offer selections...these are "better" value...on sale through Sunday March 31: W+35386 Kim Crawford Sauvignon Blanc Marlborough NZ, now $17.95, save $3 W+33298 Paul Cluver Village Chardonnay WO Elgin South Africa, now $20.95, save $3 W+24133 Thirty Bench Winemaker's Blend Riesling VQA Beamsville Bench, now $19.95, save $3 R+650432 Castelgiocondo Brunello di Montalcino Tuscany, now $49.95, save $5 R+337238 Concha y Toro Marques de Casa Concha Cabernet Sauvignon Chile, now $21.95, save $3 R+63891 Emiliana Coyam Organic Red Blend Chile, now $29.95, save $5 R+394718 Erath Pinot Noir Oregon, now $23.95, save $3 R+168716 M. Chapoutier Les Vignes de Bila-Haut Cotes du Roussillon-Villages Midi France, now $14.95, save $3 R+425488 Sella & Mosca Riserva Cannonau di Sardegna Sardinia, now $16.95, save $3 R+149237 The Foreign Affair The Conspiracy VQA Niagara, now $16.95, save $3 R+303800 Trius Red VQA Niagara, now $24.95, save $3 ** Some New Wines I Tasted Over the Past Season --- REPORT ON PROFILE WINE GROUP PORTFOLIO TASTING...Fall 2023 The Event: Profile Wine Group Portfolio Trade Tasting 2023 The Venue: Liberty Grand (Exhibition Place) The Target Audience: wine media, sommeliers. The Availability/Catalogue: Everything was available via QR code The Quote/Background: Having the food samples from Don Alfonso was a nice touch. The Wines: All prices are retail. **** BEST -- Four Stars (91+ in Quality/Price Rating terms): -Miner Chardonnay Napa $63 -Corezza Spumante Method Traditionale $35.99 -Argyle Vintage Brut Oregon 2018 $43 -Textbook Sonoma Chardonnay 2022 $41 -J. Lohr Arroyo Vista Chardonnay 2021 $43 -Pierre Sparr Cremant Brut Reserva NV $27 -Pierre Sparr Cremant Brut Rose Reserva NV $28 -Deux Roches Pouilly Fuisse Vieilles Vignes 2021 $60 -Deux Roches Pouilly Fuisse Les Crays 2021 $70 -Deux Roches St Veran Rives de Longsault 2021 $45 -Palmaz Chardonnay Amalia 2019 $139 -Palmaz Cedar Knoll Cabernet Sauvignon 2018 $123 -Palmaz NAPA 2018 $277 -Chateau Mailliard Gregory NV $62 -Chateau Mailliard Prestige Blanc de Blanc 2016 $85 ***1/2 BETTER -- Three and a Half Stars (88 – 90 in Quality/Price Rating terms): -Phermento Lambrusco di Sorbana 2021 $34.99 -Borgo Conventi Ribolla Gialla 2022 $30.99 -Borgo Conventi Isonzo Pinto Grigio 2021 $26.99 -Villa Sandi La Rivetta 120 Valdobbiadonme Prosecco NV $35 -Cristom Eola-Amity Hills Chardonnay Willamette Valley 2020 $69 -Solid Ground Chardonnay California 2022 $20 -Dough Chardonnay California 2020 $25 -Markham Chardonnay 2021 $40 -Casale del Giglio Bianco Lazio $24 -Madame Veuve Point Chablis 2022 $44 -Madame Veuve Point Beaune 1er Cru Pimants 2020 $94 -Madame Veuve Point Gevrey Chambertin Rouge 2019 $113 -Chateau Mailliard Alexia Rose NV $75 -Montes Alpha Chardonnay 2021 $25 -Wakefield Jaraman Chardonnay 2021 $25 -Morambo Creek Chardonnay 2021 Australia $35 -Satrco Bianco Chardonnay and Sauvignon Blanc 2022 $26 The Food: platters of sundried tomatoes, a mix of artichoke hearts, pepperettes, capicola, mortadella, ham, parmesan chunks, pickled beets, eggplant, grilled zucchini, marinated mushrooms, mixed olives, whipped gorgonzola, fig syrup, foccacia. As a special treat, Don Alfonso restaurant provided both La Rissiola (cured amberjack, chives, yogurt, fava bean) and Il Raviolo (pheasant, oyster mushrooms, parmesan cheese, black truffle). The Downside: it got crowded really fast. The Upside: a chance to experience some really great wines. The Contact Person: aprodhon@profilewinegroup.com The Event’s Marketing Effectiveness and Execution (numerical grade): 87 WORLD WINE WATCH TOP WINES AT VINTAGES: under/over $20 for the MARCH 2 release. By DEAN TUDOR, Gothic Epicures Writing deantudor@deantudor.com. My "Wines, Beers and Spirits of the Net", a guide to thousands of news items and RSS feeds, plus references to wines, beers and spirits, has been at https://pages.pathcom.com/~dtudor since 1994. These notes for good wines available through LCBO Vintages (on a bi-weekly basis) can always be found at http://www.gothicepicures.blogspot.ca or at https://pages.pathcom.com/~dtudor No winery can buy their way into – or out of – this publication. Scores are a combination of MVC (Modal Varietal Character, e.g. a Southern Rhone would taste like a Southern Rhone) and QPR (Quality/Price Ratio value in the marketplace above or below its price). I was one of the first to jump on the Robert Parker bandwagon, using numerical indications for scores. Why? Because with a database I could rate, rank and order wines in any fashion. It was just so convenient using databases. Unfortunately, the numerical system has been shown to be disgraced, so I am quitting any ranking by number. From now on, it will just be GOOD, BETTER and BEST, which will give me some wiggle room (e.g. is this wine an 87, 88, 89, or 90? Or all of them...depends on my mood and time of day). With the rigorous standards and lab testing by the LCBO, I can safely say that every single wine at the LCBO is at least GOOD, which I would numerically rank at 75-85 points. For reasons of time and space, I will NOT be listing GOOD wines. Just the BETTER (86-89) and BEST (90+ ) wines. This spread of points will probably relate to SILVER and GOLD medals, with BRONZE being "GOOD". Significantly, this also fits into my scheme for trade tastings (as noted below). MVC/QPR: BETTER (86-89) MVC/QPR: BEST (90+ ) MAJOR THEME: Women in Wine -- Italian Taste-Makers Recommended Wines Under $20 ====================== FIZZ+36395 SAN MARTINO CONEGLIANO VALDOBBIADENE EXTRA DRY PROSECCO $18.95 MVC/QPR: BETTER (86-89) W+36181 WAPISA PATAGONIA SAUVIGNON BLANC 2022 $19.95 MVC/QPR: BETTER (86-89) W+31534 DOMÄNE WACHAU TERRASSEN FEDERSPIEL GRÜNER VELTLINER AUSTRIA 2022 $19.95 MVC/QPR: BETTER (86-89) W+387787 LES HAUTS DE LAGARDE BLANC BORDEAUX 2022 $19.95 MVC/QPR: BETTER (86-89) W+910554 ANSELMANN EDESHEIMER ROSENGARTEN SIEGERREBE SPÄTLESE PFALZ 2021 $17.95 MVC/QPR: BETTER (86-89) W+195115 DONNAFUGATA ANTHÌLIA BIANCO SICILY 2022 $19.95 MVC/QPR: BETTER (86-89) R+555466 D.V. CATENA HISTORIC RED BLEND 2021 ARGENTINA $19.95 MVC/QPR: BETTER (86-89) R+478271 SISTER'S RUN OLD TESTAMENT CABERNET SAUVIGNON AUSTRALIA 2021 $18.95 MVC/QPR: BETTER (86-89) R+36545 CHÂTEAU LAMOTHE-VINCENT RÉSERVE MERLOT/CABERNET BORDEAUX 2000 $18 MVC/QPR: BETTER (86-89) R+487868 CHÂTEAU L'ESPÉRANCE 2014 $16.95 MVC/QPR: BETTER (86-89) R+36486 TERRE DI GER MERLOT 2021 FRIULI $18.35 MVC/QPR: BETTER (86-89) R+36320 VELENOSI BIO ROSSO PICENO SUPERIORE MARCHE 2021 $18.95 MVC/QPR: BETTER (86-89) R+37790 COLIO 28 BARRELS RESERVE CABERNET FRANC VQA 2020 $19.95 MVC/QPR: BEST (90+ ) R+668707 MORANDÉ VITIS UNICA CABERNET SAUVIGNON CHILE 2021 $18 MVC/QPR: BEST (90+ ) Recommended Wines Over $20 ====================== W+33565 DE BORTOLI ESTATE VINEYARD CHARDONNAY AUSTRALIA 2019 $24.95 MVC/QPR: BETTER (86-89) W+131169 NORMAN HARDIE RIESLING VQA PEC 2017 $21.20 MVC/QPR: BETTER (86-89) W+461640 WILLIAM FÈVRE CHAMPS ROYAUX CHABLIS 2021 $36.95 MVC/QPR: BETTER (86-89) W+33260 PAPAGIANNAKOS ASSYRTIKO 2022 $24.95 MVC/QPR: BEST (90+ ) W+40642 DEU LA DEU MONÇÃO E MELGAÇO ALVARINHO PORTUGAL 2022 $22.95 MVC/QPR: BETTER (86-89) R+267146 ST. HUBERTUS OAK BAY PINOT NOIR BC VQA 2021 $21.95 MVC/QPR: BETTER (86-89) R+26424 KACABA CABERNET/SYRAH 2020 VQA NIAGARA $24.95 MVC/QPR: BETTER (86-89) R+36166 CASAS DEL BOSQUE GRAN RESERVA CARMENÈRE CHILE 2022 $22.95 MVC/QPR: BETTER (86-89) R+331900 E. GUIGAL GIGONDAS RHONE 2020 $47.95 MVC/QPR: BETTER (86-89) R+35959 DONNAFUGATA DOLCE & GABBANA TANCREDI SICILY 2020 $62.95 MVC/QPR: BETTER (86-89) R+113357 DONATELLA CINELLI COLOMBINI BRUNELLO DI MONTALCINO 2018 $73.95 MVC/QPR: BEST (90+ ) R+174334 GAJA CA'MARCANDA PROMIS 2021 $79.95 MVC/QPR: BEST (90+ ) R+155408 MARCHESI DI BAROLO BARBARESCO $42.95 MVC/QPR: BEST (90+ ) LIMITED TIME OFFERS: Some Recommended Wines from the LCBO’s Limited Time Offer selections...these are "better" value...on sale through Sunday March 31: W+35386 Kim Crawford Sauvignon Blanc Marlborough NZ, now $17.95, save $3 W+33298 Paul Cluver Village Chardonnay WO Elgin South Africa, now $20.95, save $3 W+24133 Thirty Bench Winemaker's Blend Riesling VQA Beamsville Bench, now $19.95, save $3 R+650432 Castelgiocondo Brunello di Montalcino Tuscany, now $49.95, save $5 R+337238 Concha y Toro Marques de Casa Concha Cabernet Sauvignon Chile, now $21.95, save $3 R+63891 Emiliana Coyam Organic Red Blend Chile, now $29.95, save $5 R+394718 Erath Pinot Noir Oregon, now $23.95, save $3 R+168716 M. Chapoutier Les Vignes de Bila-Haut Cotes du Roussillon-Villages Midi France, now $14.95, save $3 R+425488 Sella & Mosca Riserva Cannonau di Sardegna Sardinia, now $16.95, save $3 R+149237 The Foreign Affair The Conspiracy VQA Niagara, now $16.95, save $3 R+303800 Trius Red VQA Niagara, now $24.95, save $3 REPORT ON MARK ANTHONY PORTFOLIO TASTING The Date and Time: Monday September 25, 2023 5P-9P The Event: Mark Anthony's Port to Place Portfolio Tasting The Venue: Second Floor Events King Street west The Target Audience: private buyers, sommeliers, wine media The Availability/Catalogue: There was a paper listing, with label photo, for all of the wines and spirits, and with prices. It was arranged alphabetically (for the most part) by winery or ownership, or by first name. They did a good job for all of the details of all of the products. The Wines: I did not try wines that were available at the LCBO. Nor did I try any fortified wines or spirits or seltzers. Prices are retail, for consignment (con) and private orders (po). **** BEST -- Four Stars (91+ in Quality/Price Rating terms): -Alois Lageder Chardonnay Alto Adige 2022, $20.95 private order -Alois Lageder Porer Pinot Grigio 2022, $33.95 po -Attems Ramato DOC Fruili Rose 2022, $24 con -Bertani Amarone della Valpolicella Valpantena DOCG 2019, $59.95 con -Bertani Soave Original Vintage Edition DOC 2022, +36341 con Dec 2023, $27.25 -Brotte Domaine Barville Red CDP 2018, $60.95 po -Brumont Montus Pacherenc Vich Bihl 2015, $43.95 con -Chateau St Jean Chardonnay 2021, $19.95 po -Chateau St Jean Cinq Cepages Sonoma 2018, $132 con -Henkell Cremant de Loire Brut AOC NV, Vintages, $21.95 -Gloria Ferrer Blanc de Noirs NV $42.25 con -Segura Viudas Heredad Cava NV Vintages December $39.95 -Mission Hill Reserve Sauvignon Blanc 2022, $24.95 con -Checkmate Fool's Mate Chardonnay 2019, $95 -Lanson Black Label Champagne NV, %86.75 -Lanson Rose Champagne NV, $79.95 po -Lanson Le Vintage 2012, $99.95 -Davis Bynum Chardonnay 2021 $34.95 po -Tenuta Luce Brunello di Montalcino DOCG 2018 $165.95 con -Gabbiano Riserva Chianti Classico 2028 $24.65 con -Wynns Black Label Cabernet Sauvignon 2019 Vintages $47.95 ***1/2 BETTER -- Three and a Half Stars (88 – 90 in Quality/Price Rating terms): -Alois Lageder Terra Alpina Pinot Grigio 2022, $21.95 consignment -Arboleda Chardonnay 2021 Chile $19.95 po -Arboleda Sauvignon Blanc 2021, $14.95 po -Brotte Cotes du Rhone Villages Cairanne Creation Grosset 2020, $21.95 po -Brotte Cotes du Rhone Villages Laudun Bord Elegance 2022, $18.95 po -Austin Paso Robles Cabernet Sauvignon 2021, $29.95 con -Martin's Lane Simes Pinot Noir 2019, $99.95 con -Louis Latour Macon Lugny Les Genievres 2020 $29.95 con -Rodney Strong Sonoma Chardonnay 2020 $19.25 con -The Wine Group Kung Fu Girl Riesling 2022 $17.95 con -The Wine Group Band of Roses 2021 $26.95 po -The Wine Group Imagery Sauvignon Blanc 2022 Vintages $23.95 The Food: there were cheese and charcuterie boards loaded with salami, Celtic blue cheese, Beemster cheese, rye crisps, grapes, various fruit sauces (peaches, etc.) The Downside: the food disappeared quickly (but then, this is a wine tasting not a food tasting). The Upside: a chance to evaluate recent vintages The Contact Person: scaputo@markanthonywines.com The Event’s Marketing Effectiveness and Execution (numerical grade): 89 WORLD WINE WATCH TOP WINES AT VINTAGES: under/over $20 for the FEBRUARY 17, 2024 release. By DEAN TUDOR, Gothic Epicures Writing deantudor@deantudor.com. My "Wines, Beers and Spirits of the Net", a guide to thousands of news items and RSS feeds, plus references to wines, beers and spirits, has been at https://pages.pathcom.com/~dtudor since 1994. These notes for good wines available through LCBO Vintages (on a bi-weekly basis) can always be found at http://www.gothicepicures.blogspot.ca or at https://pages.pathcom.com/~dtudor No winery can buy their way into – or out of – this publication. Scores are a combination of MVC (Modal Varietal Character, e.g. a Southern Rhone would taste like a Southern Rhone) and QPR (Quality/Price Ratio value in the marketplace above or below its price). I was one of the first to jump on the Robert Parker bandwagon, using numerical indications for scores. Why? Because with a database I could rate, rank and order wines in any fashion. It was just so convenient using databases. Unfortunately, the numerical system has been shown to be disgraced, so I am quitting any ranking by number. From now on, it will just be GOOD, BETTER and BEST, which will give me some wiggle room (e.g. is this wine an 87, 88, 89, or 90? Or all of them...depends on my mood and time of day). With the rigorous standards and lab testing by the LCBO, I can safely say that every single wine at the LCBO is at least GOOD, which I would numerically rank at 75-85 points. For reasons of time and space, I will NOT be listing GOOD wines. Just the BETTER (86-89) and BEST (90+ ) wines. This spread of points will probably relate to SILVER and GOLD medals, with BRONZE being "GOOD". Significantly, this also fits into my scheme for trade tastings (as noted below). MVC/QPR: BETTER (86-89) MVC/QPR: BEST (90+ ) MAJOR THEME: France Recommended Wines Under $20 ====================== Fizz+16604 CELENE CUVÉE ROYALE ROSÉ CRÉMANT DE BORDEAUX $18.95 MVC/QPR: BETTER (86-89) W+483891 ROCKWAY VINEYARDS UNOAKED CHARDONNAY 2022 VQA $20 MVC/QPR: BETTER (86-89) W+224626 JOSEPH CATTIN GEWURZTRAMINER 2022 ALSACE $19.95 MVC/QPR: BEST(90+ ) W+25713 KOUROS ASSYRTIKO 2022 GREECE $14.95 MVC/QPR: BEST (90+ ) W+36304 CANTINA SAN PAOLO FIANO 2022 CAMPANIA $16.95 MVC/QPR: BETTER (86-89) R+36846 TOMBACCO AGLIANICO DEL BENEVENTANO 2021 CAMPANIA $15.95 MVC/QPR: BETTER (86-89) R+22130 TAGARO MANCINELLO NERO DI TROIA 2021 PUGLIA $18.95 MVC/QPR: BETTER (86-89) R+23259 TOMMASI RAFAÈL VALPOLICELLA CLASSICO SUPERIORE 2021 $19.95 MVC/QPR: BETTER (86-89) R+11152 COUTADA VELHA SIGNATURE RED 2022 PORTUGAL $15.95 MVC/QPR: BETTER (86-89) R+632869 S. SEBASTIÃO TINTA RORIZ/SYRAH 2021 PORTUGAL $14.95 MVC/QPR: BETTER (86-89) Recommended Wines Over $20 ====================== Fizz+224766 CHÂTEAU DES CHARMES BRUT SPARKLING VQA $25.95 MVC/QPR: BEST (90+ ) Fizz+439257 VEUVE AMBAL GRANDE CUVÉE BRUT ROSÉ CRÉMANT DE BOURGOGNE $22.95 MVC/QPR: BETTER (86-89) W+438374 KEW VINEYARDS OLD VINE CHARDONNAY 2020 VQA $23.95 MVC/QPR: BEST (90+ ) W+1552 FLAT ROCK THE RUSTY SHED CHARDONNAY 2020 $34.95 MVC/QPR: BETTER (86-89) W+215525 LA CHABLISIENNE LES VÉNÉRABLES VIEILLES VIGNES CHABLIS $32.95 MVC/QPR: BETTER (86-89) W+10421 ASTROLABE SAUVIGNON BLANC 2022 NEW ZEALAND $24.95 MVC/QPR: BETTER (86-89) R+11581 DOMAINE QUEYLUS TRADITION CABERNET FRANC 2021 $33.70 R+130252 TAWSE SKETCHES CABERNET/MERLOT 2020 VQA $22.95 MVC/QPR: BEST (90+ ) R+534339 VAUCHER PÈRE & FILS FLEURIE 2022 $22.80 MVC/QPR: BETTER (86-89) R+40964 CHÂTEAU DE NAGES HERITAGE COSTIÈRES DE NÎMES 2021 $23.95 MVC/QPR: BETTER (86-89) R+13439 CHÂTEAU DE MONTFAUCON LA CÔTES CÔTES DU RHÔNE 2019 $21.95 MVC/QPR: BETTER (86-89) R+35942 FRANÇOIS VILLARD MAIRLANT SAINT-JOSEPH SYRAH 2020 $50.95 MVC/QPR: BETTER (86-89) R+394650 LAVAU RASTEAU 2020 $23.95 MVC/QPR: BETTER (86-89) R+344416 CASTELGREVE RISERVA CHIANTI CLASSICO 2019 $24.95 MVC/QPR: BETTER (86-89) R+14857 CARPINETO BRUNELLO DI MONTALCINO 2018 $69.95 MVC/QPR: BETTER (86-89) LIMITED TIME OFFERS: Some Recommended Wines from the LCBO’s Limited Time Offers selections...these are "better" value...on sale through Sunday February 25 W+250696 Banfi Principessa Gavia Gavi Piedmont, now $18.95, save $3 W+215525 LA CHABLISIENNE LES VÉNÉRABLES VIEILLES VIGNES CHABLIS now $28.95, save $4 W+38117 Vineland Estates Elevation St. Urban Vineyard Riesling VQA, now $19.95, save $3 R+378257 Banfi Brunello di Montalcino, now $54.95, save $5 R+650796 Chateau Teynac Saint-Julien, now $64.95, save $5 R+926626 Famille Perrin Les Sinards Chateauneuf-du-Pape, now $38.95, save $3 R+314575 Sterling Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon, now $49.95, save $5 R+225086 Umberto Cesari Liano Sangiovese/Cabernet Sauvignon, $24.95, save $5 ** Some New Wines I Tasted Over the Past Season --- REPORT FROM ALSACE ROCKS! IN TORONTO SEPTEMBER 2023 The Event: Tasting Recent Vintages of Alsatian wines The Venue: Second Floor Events, King Street West The Target Audience: wine media, sommeliers The Availability/Catalogue: a QR code at the site or a PDF later in the week, with info on the wines (but no prices) The Quote/Background: Still wines are aromatic, unoaked, dry, complex, balanced, high quality and very food-friendly. 90% of the wines in Alsace are white. Seven main grape varieties (in order of vineyard plantings): Pinot Blanc (22%), Riesling (21%), Gewurztraminer (19%), Pinot Gris (16%), Pinot Noir (11%), Sylvaner (5%) and Muscat d'Alsace (2%). Crémant d'Alsace makes up 27% of total production and is made in the traditional method from Pinot Blanc, Pinot Gris, Riesling, Auxerrois, Pinot Noir (all Crémant d'Alsace Rosés are 100% Pinot Noir) and Chardonnay, the latter only for Crémant production. The AOC Alsace appellation is 70% of total production, Crémant d'Alsace is 27% and AOC Grand Cru is 3% (predominately Riesling, Gewurztraminer, Pinot Gris and Muscat d'Alsace). There were only 12 wineries attending here today which gave all of us a chance to concentrate on the few wines that were at the show. All the gewurztraminers were on one table, as were all the rieslings, the cremants, the pinot noirs, some blends and the older vintages. We had a great opportunity to compare and contrast producers. There were six tables in all. The Wines: I did not taste all the wines **** BEST -- Four Stars (91+ in Quality/Price Rating terms): -Cave Jean Geiler Gewurztraminer Grand Cru 2020 -CAVE JEAN GEILER CRÉMANT D'ALSACE, RIESLING NV -CAVE JEAN GEILER ALSACE, RIESLING, 2021 "INSPIRATION TERROIRS" -CAVE JEAN GEILER ALSACE GRAND CRU FLORIMONT GEWURZTRAMINER, 2020 -DOMAINE WACH ALSACE, RIESLING, 2022 "ANDLAU" not repped -DOMAINE WACH ALSACE GRAND CRU KASTELBERG RIESLING, 2019 not repped -DOMAINE SOHLER PHILIPPE ALSACE, RIESLING, 2022 "HEISSENBERG" not repped -DOMAINE KIRRENBOURG ALSACE GRAND CRU HENGST GEWURZTRAMINER, 2017 -CAVE DE RIBEAUVILLÉ CRÉMANT D'ALSACE "GIERSBERGER", NV -CAVE DE RIBEAUVILLÉ ALSACE, RIESLING, 2021 BIO -CAVE DE RIBEAUVILLÉ ALSACE, GEWURZTRAMINER, 2021 "COLLECTION" -ETIENNE SIMONIS ALSACE, GEWURZTRAMINER, 2021 not repped -ETIENNE SIMONIS ALSACE GRAND CRU MARCKRAIN GEWURZTRAMINER, 2021 not repped -WUNSCH & MANN CRÉMANT D'ALSACE "TRADITION" BIO, NV [my fave fizz] -WUNSCH & MANN ALSACE, GEWURZTRAMINER, 2022 "N°3", BIO -DOPFF AU MOULIN CRÉMANT D'ALSACE "CUVÉE JULIEN", NV -DOPFF AU MOULIN ALSACE GRAND CRU BRAND GEWURZTRAMINER, 2019 -ARTHUR METZ CRÉMANT D'ALSACE LIEU-DIT "SCHIEFERBERG", NV -ARTHUR METZ CRÉMANT D'ALSACE "PRESTIGE", NV -CAVE DES VIGNERONS DE PFAFFENHEIM ALSACE, GEWURZTRAMINER, 2020 ***1/2 BETTER -- Three and a Half Stars (88 – 90 in Quality/Price Rating terms): -ETIENNE SIMONIS CRÉMANT D'ALSACE EXTRA BRUT, NV not repped -ARTHUR METZ ALSACE, RIESLING, 2021 "HORIZON" -Cave Jean Geiler Pinot Gris 2021 Bio -Domaine Charles Frey Riesling 2022 "Granite" not repped in Ontario -DOMAINE KIRRENBOURG ALSACE GRAND CRU SCHLOSSBERG RIESLING, 2020 BIO -Domaine Gruss Riesling Vieilles Vignes 2022 -DOMAINE GRUSS ALSACE GRAND CRU VORBOURG GEWURZTRAMINER, 2019 -CAVE DES VIGNERONS DE PFAFFENHEIM CRÉMANT D'ALSACE EXTRA BRUT, NV -CAVE DES VIGNERONS DE PFAFFENHEIM ALSACE, RIESLING, 2021 "JUPITER" The Food: there was a tapas station with tomato bread, ricotta ndjua on crostini, manchego on bread, chorizo and goat cheese, mussels escabeche. There was also a more traditional cheese/charcuterie platter with duck prosciutto, calabrese, truffled mortadella, Beemster cheese, Celtic blue, truffled Gouda. The Downside: I wanted more riesling and gewurztraminer wines. Price ranges were not listed. The Upside: there were a fair number of off-dry wines. The Contact Person: nperez@sopexa.com The Event's Marketing Effectiveness and Execution (numerical grade): 88 WORLD WINE WATCH TOP WINES AT VINTAGES: under/over $20 for the FEBRUARY 3, 2024 release. By DEAN TUDOR, Gothic Epicures Writing deantudor@deantudor.com. My "Wines, Beers and Spirits of the Net", a guide to thousands of news items and RSS feeds, plus references to wines, beers and spirits, has been at https://pages.pathcom.com/~dtudor since 1994. These notes for good wines available through LCBO Vintages (on a bi-weekly basis) can always be found at http://www.gothicepicures.blogspot.ca or at https://pages.pathcom.com/~dtudor No winery can buy their way into – or out of – this publication. Scores are a combination of MVC (Modal Varietal Character, e.g. a Southern Rhone would taste like a Southern Rhone) and QPR (Quality/Price Ratio value in the marketplace above or below its price). I was one of the first to jump on the Robert Parker bandwagon, using numerical indications for scores. Why? Because with a database I could rate, rank and order wines in any fashion. It was just so convenient using databases. Unfortunately, the numerical system has been shown to be disgraced, so I am quitting any ranking by number. From now on, it will just be GOOD, BETTER and BEST, which will give me some wiggle room (e.g. is this wine an 87, 88, 89, or 90? Or all of them...depends on my mood and time of day). With the rigorous standards and lab testing by the LCBO, I can safely say that every single wine at the LCBO is at least GOOD, which I would numerically rank at 75-85 points. For reasons of time and space, I will NOT be listing GOOD wines. Just the BETTER (86-89) and BEST (90+ ) wines. This spread of points will probably relate to SILVER and GOLD medals, with BRONZE being "GOOD". Significantly, this also fits into my scheme for trade tastings (as noted below). MVC/QPR: BETTER (86-89) MVC/QPR: BEST (90+ ) MAJOR THEME: Chile and Argentina Recommended Wines Under $20 ====================== Fizz+10580 UNDURRAGA PINOT NOIR BRUT ROSÉ SPARKLING Valle del Leyda, Chile (XD - 10 g/L) $14.95 MVC/QPR: BEST (90+ ) Fizz+36065 CASTELL DE SANT PAU CAVA BRUT ROSÉ SPARKLING Spain (XD - 11 g/L) $18.95 MVC/QPR: BETTER (86-89) W+33412 COLIO BUDDING VINES RESERVE PINOT GRIS 2021 VQA Niagara Peninsula (D - 5 g/L) $19.95 MVC/QPR: BEST (90+ ) W+489179 BODEGA EL PORVENIR DE CAFAYATE LABORUM FINCA EL RETIRO TORRONTÉS 2022 Valle de Cafayate, Salta (XD - 2 g/L) $18.95 MVC/QPR: BETTER (86-89) W+36014 TRAPICHE TESORO CHARDONNAY 2022 Valle de Uco, Mendoza (XD - 6 g/L) $15.95 MVC/QPR: BETTER (86-89) W+544213 INDOMITA GRAN RESERVA SAUVIGNON BLANC 2022 Valle de Casablanca (XD - 2 g/L) $15.95 MVC/QPR: BETTER (86-89) W+390203 MONTES ALPHA CHARDONNAY 2021 Aconcagua Cost (XD - 2 g/L) $19.95 MVC/QPR: BEST (90+ ) W+38011 VALLÉE LOIRE TOURAINE SAUVIGNON BLANC 2022 (XD - 0 g/L) $16.95 MVC/QPR: BEST (90+ ) R+31739 COLIO RESERVE MERLOT 2020 VQA Niagara-on-the-Lake (XD - 4 g/L) $19.95 MVC/QPR: BETTER (86-89) R+26508 SKYFALL CABERNET SAUVIGNON 2020 Washington State (XD - 3 g/L) $18.95 MVC/QPR: BETTER (86-89) R+35672 EMILIANA NOVAS STELLAR SELECTION CABERNET SAUVIGNON-SYRAH-CARIGNAN 2021 Vegan. DO Valle del Maule (XD-3 g/L) $17.95 MVC/QPR: BEST (90+) R+35943 LA CROIX DE BEAULIAC CRÉATION CÔTES DU RHONE 2021 (XD - 4 g/L) $14.95 MVC/QPR: BETTER (86-89) R+32685 COLOMBA BIANCA RESILIENCE PERRICONE 2021 DOC Sicilia (XD - 4 g/L) $17.95 MVC/QPR: BETTER (86-89) R+548867 CASA SANTOS LIMA COLOSSAL RESERVA 2019 Vegan, Vinho Regional Lisboa (D - 8 g/L) $14.95 MVC/QPR: BETTER (86-89) R+431262 REDE RESERVA 2018 DOC Douro (XD - 5 g/L) $15.95 MVC/QPR: BETTER (86-89) Recommended Wines Over $20 ====================== Fizz+970970 BERNARD-MASSARD CUVÉE DE L'ÉCUSSON BRUT SPARKLING Traditional method, Luxembourg (XD - 13 g/L) $21.95 MVC/QPR: BETTER (86-89) W+24981 VILLA MARIA EARTH GARDEN SAUVIGNON BLANC 2022 Marlborough, South Island (XD - 4 g/L) $20.95 MVC/QPR: BEST (90+ ) W+17568 ZEPHYR SAUVIGNON BLANC 2022 Vegan, Marlborough, South Island (XD - 5 g/L) $23.95. MVC/QPR: BETTER (86-89) W+35193 TENUTA RAPITALÀ BERNARD DE LA GATINAIS CONTE HUGUES CHARDONNAY 2020 DOC Sicilia (XD - 3 g/L) $48.95 MVC/QPR: BETTER (86-89) R+37411 STRATUS MERLOT 2020 Vegan, sustainable, VQA Niagara-on-the-Lake (XD - 3 g/L) $45.20 MVC/QPR: BEST (90+ ) R+28078 ZUCCARDI Q CABERNET SAUVIGNON 2021 Valle de Uco, Mendoza (XD - 3 g/L) $20.95 MVC/QPR: BEST (90+ ) R+550392 CHÂTEAU MAURAC 2008 AC Haut-Médoc (XD - 2 g/L) $32.95 MVC/QPR: BEST (90+ ) R+635680 PHILIPPE & VINCENT JABOULET NOUVELÈRE CROZES-HERMITAGE 2019 (XD - 3 g/L) $38.95 MVC/QPR: BETTER (86-89) R+36770 CARUS ROBÈO CABERNET SAUVIGNON 2018 IGT Toscana (XD - 2 g/L) $33.95 MVC/QPR: BETTER (86-89) R+928622 LAN GRAN RESERVA 2016 DOCa Rioja (XD - 2 g/L) $34.95 MVC/QPR: BEST (90+ ) R+462788 MERAYO LAS TRES FILAS MENCIA 2020 DO Bierzo (XD - 2 g/L) $20.95 MVC/QPR: BETTER (86-89) LIMITED TIME OFFERS: Some Recommended Wines from the LCBO’s Limited Time Offers selections...these are "better" value...on sale through Sunday February 25. W+250696 Banfi Principessa Gavia Gavi Piedmont, now $18.95, save $3 W+215525 LA CHABLISIENNE LES VÉNÉRABLES VIEILLES VIGNES CHABLIS now $28.95, save $4 W+38117 Vineland Estates Elevation St. Urban Vineyard Riesling VQA, now $19.95, save $3 R+378257 Banfi Brunello di Montalcino, now $54.95, save $5 R+650796 Chateau Teynac Saint-Julien, now $64.95, save $5 R+926626 Famille Perrin Les Sinards Chateauneuf-du-Pape, now $38.95, save $3 R+314575 Sterling Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon, now $49.95, save $5 R+225086 Umberto Cesari Liano Sangiovese/Cabernet Sauvignon, $24.95, save $5 REPORT ON A RELAXING SUMMER SATURDAY AFTERNOON TASTING 2023 I was invited by Giovanni Silvestri of Rome's International Marketing Communications to a small group tasting at Restaurant Deco in Toronto's Junction (Keele and Dundas). Actually, it was a family-style lunch with wine and with kids. Deco was still springing back from the pandemic: they had opened just before covid-19 attacked. There were seven adults here, and we tasted the wines with multiple food courses. For food we had shareable platters of Italian chewy breads with porchetta and olive oils, followed by caprese with fresh local tomatoes and fresh mozzarella. There were two hot courses: one with short pasta and guancale in Roman style, and another with gnocchi bolognese. There were six wines, and the tasting was led by Giovanni who also represents Gambrero Rosso Worldtour. Full disclosure--he's also the brand ambassador for Casale del Giglio wines: **** BEST -- Four Stars (91+ in Quality/Price Rating terms): -Casale del Griglio Bellone 2022 Lazio IGT 13.5% ABV. Bellone as a grape harkens back to Roman times but it has once again risen to its potential in sales with a “juicyfruit” tenderness and a long palate. It had been a major seller at our LCBO, and Giovanni points out that it may be coming back. Bellone is also often found in white wine blends in Lazio and Umbria. -Castello di Gabiano Corte Sauvignon Blanc 2022 Piemonte DOC [organic] 10.50 Euros 13.5% comes from the southern part of Piedmont but still delivers the typical sauvignon blanc herbaceous character so necessary for food wines. -Castello di Gabiano Adornes Barbera d'Asti Superiore 2015 Piedmont DOCG 14% ABV was my fave of the tasting, with its deep richness and satisfying aging. Aged 18 months, at least six in barriques, and more in the bottle before release. Barbera is the principal red grape of Piedmont, although, of course, it is lighter than barbaresco and barolo (both made from nebbiolo, a different but more tannic grape). Cherry-berry complexity makes the wine approachable, especially the older wines. Look also for what are known as “warm spices” or “pumpkin pie” spices with a shot of vanilla as it is aged in wood. ***1/2 BETTER -- Three and a Half Stars (88 – 90 in Quality/Price Rating terms): -Casale del Griglio Satrico 2022 Lazio Bianco +569806 $18.95 6g/L residual sugar, 13% ABV: made up in stainless with a combo of grapes (chardonnay, sauvignon blanc, trebbiano giallo) almost like a field blend. This results in a good grip based on the grapes, such as herbs and grass, orchard fruit, lemons, and an underlying minerality. A good wine to sip on the patio or deck. -Anselmi San Vincenzo 2022 Veneto IGT +948158 $19.95 5g/L residual sugar, 12.5% ABV is much like Soave with its garganega grape blended with chardonnay and sauvignon blanc, exhibiting flowers and plums, even aromas of red currants. It's off-dry and best with food as a first course. -Castello di Gabiano La Bruja Barbera d'Asti 2020 Piedmont DOCG 14.5% ABV was fermented in concrete (60%) and then aged for a year. Expect a variety of red fruits such as sour cherry, strawberry and raspberry. Better years will have a shot of dark fruit such as black cherry or blackberry nuances. The higher acid makes the wine more food-friendly as the wine cuts through the rich creams and sauces. WORLD WINE WATCH TOP WINES AT VINTAGES: under/over $20 for the JANUARY 20, 2024 release. By DEAN TUDOR, Gothic Epicures Writing deantudor@deantudor.com. My "Wines, Beers and Spirits of the Net", a guide to thousands of news items and RSS feeds, plus references to wines, beers and spirits, has been at https://pages.pathcom.com/~dtudor since 1994. These notes for good wines available through LCBO Vintages (on a bi-weekly basis) can always be found at http://www.gothicepicures.blogspot.ca or at https://pages.pathcom.com/~dtudor No winery can buy their way into – or out of – this publication. Scores are a combination of MVC (Modal Varietal Character, e.g. a Southern Rhone would taste like a Southern Rhone) and QPR (Quality/Price Ratio value in the marketplace above or below its price). I was one of the first to jump on the Robert Parker bandwagon, using numerical indications for scores. Why? Because with a database I could rate, rank and order wines in any fashion. It was just so convenient using databases. Unfortunately, the numerical system has been shown to be disgraced, so I am quitting any ranking by number. From now on, it will just be GOOD, BETTER and BEST, which will give me some wiggle room (e.g. is this wine an 87, 88, 89, or 90? Or all of them...depends on my mood and time of day). With the rigorous standards and lab testing by the LCBO, I can safely say that every single wine at the LCBO is at least GOOD, which I would numerically rank at 75-85 points. For reasons of time and space, I will NOT be listing GOOD wines. Just the BETTER (86-89) and BEST (90+ ) wines. This spread of points will probably relate to SILVER and GOLD medals, with BRONZE being "GOOD". Significantly, this also fits into my scheme for trade tastings (as noted below). MVC/QPR: BETTER (86-89) MVC/QPR: BEST (90+ ) Sugar Content is indicated in grams per litre MAJOR THEME: CALIFORNIA'S CENTRAL COAST Recommended Wines Under $20 ====================== W+907683 MARYNISSEN CHARDONNAY 2021 VQA Niagara Peninsula (XD - 4 g/L) $16.95 MVC/QPR: BEST (90+ ) W+686675 SPY VALLEY SAUVIGNON BLANC 2022 Marlborough NZ (XD - 3 g/L) $19.95 MVC/QPR: BETTER (86-89) W+259788 JOSEPH CATTIN RIESLING 2022 AC Alsace (XD - 5 g/L) $16.95 MVC/QPR: BEST (90+ ) R+11851 CREEKSIDE RED TRACTOR CABERNET/MERLOT 2020 VQA Niagara Peninsula (XD - 6 g/L) $17.95 MVC/QPR: BETTER (86-89) R+367318 KEW SOLDIER'S GRANT 2019 [appassimento] VQA Niagara Peninsula (XD - 2 g/L) $19.95 MVC/QPR: BETTER (86-89) R+569988 MASSERIA BORGO DEI TRULLI PRIMITIVO 2022 IGP Salento Italy (D - 12 g/L) $15.95 MVC/QPR: BETTER (86-89) R+68510 ROCCA DELLE MACÌE SASYR SANGIOVESE/SYRAH 2020 IGT Toscana (XD - 8 g/L) $16.95 MVC/QPR: BETTER (86-89) Recommended Wines Over $20 ====================== W+986778 HESS SELECT MONTEREY COUNTY CHARDONNAY 2021 Monterey County (D - 7 g/L) $24.95 MVC/QPR: BETTER (86-89) R+17687 WILLAMETTE VALLEY VINEYARDS WHOLE CLUSTER PINOT NOIR 2022 Willamette Valley Oregon (D - 11 g/L) $31.95 MVC/QPR: BETTER (86-89) R+36760 CHARLES & CHARLES BOLT CABERNET SAUVIGNON 2020 Columbia Valley Washington State (XD - 4 g/L) $25.95 MVC/QPR: BEST (90+ ) R+17014 Chateau Ste. Michelle INTRINSIC RED BLEND 2020 Columbia Valley (XD - 5 g/L) $28.95 MVC/QPR: BETTER (86-89) R+734681 SPY VALLEY PINOT NOIR 2020 Southern Valleys, Marlborough NZ (XD - 2 g/L) $26.95 MVC/QPR: BETTER (86-89) R+318352 LAZZERETTI BRUNELLO DI MONTALCINO 2018 DOCG (XD - 2 g/L) $52.95 MVC/QPR: BEST (90+ ) R+32696 TOMMASI I PIANETI RIPASSO VALPOLICELLA CLASSICO SUPERIORE 2019 DOC (XD - 6 g/L) $22.95 MVC/QPR: BETTER (86-89) LIMITED TIME OFFERS: Some Recommended Wines from the LCBO’s Limited Time Offers selections...these are good value...on sale through Sunday January 28, 2024 [fizz] +32209 Villa Sandi Valdobbiadene Extra Dry Prosecco Superior NV now $16.95, save $2 [rose]+25746 LVE French Rose Languedoc, now $27.95, save $2 R+328567 Cathedral Cellar Cabernet Sauvignon WO Western Cape South Africa now $16.95, save $3 R+258673 G.Marquis The Silver Line Pinot Noir VQA NOTL now $17.95, save $2 R+595280 Porcupine Ridhe Syrah WO Swartland South Africa now $14.95, save $3 R+360222 Seven Falls Cellars Cabernet Sauvignon Columbia Valley Washington State now $20.95, save $3 French Cremant sparkling wines... "Cremant" is a sparkling wine made in eight regions of France (in addition to the six regions below, Cremants are also made in Die and in Savoie). It is produced by the "Traditional Method" or "Methode Champenoise". It is different from Champagne only in that it uses local specified grape varieties, but not necessarily chardonnay/pinot noir/pinot meunier as specified in Champagne. The closest a Cremant can be to Champagne is Cremant de Bourgogne, which uses the same varieties as for Champagne. Cremants represent great value, and here are the latest 27 (some of which are sparkling roses) at the LCBO as of the New Year's 2024 [more different ones may be at the Consignment warehouse or available by private order]: Chateau de Montgueret Cremant de Loire Brut $24.05 Montgueret Cremant De Loire Rose $21.00 Grande Cuvee 1531 De Aimery Cremant De Limoux $23.95 Bailly Lapierre Réserve Brut Crémant de Bourgogne $24.95 Sieur Gaillard Cremant de Bordeaux $23.65 De Chanceny Cremant De Loire Rose Brut $25.80 Veuve Ambal Cremant De Bourgogne Grande Cuvee Brut $25.30 Vitteaut-Alberti Cremant De Bourgogne Blanc Des Blancs $29.25 Domaine Schaeffer Cremant d'Alsace Brut Rose Terroirs 2018 $27.95 Cremant de Loire Brut Nature Leon & Jean $33.70 Cleebourg Clérotstein Auxerrois Crémant d'Alsace $19.95 Domaine Schaeffer Cremant d'Alsace Brut Tradition 2018 $26.05 Viteaut-Alberti Cremant de Bourgogne Blanc de Noirs Brut $28.25 Edition Abtei Himmerod Cremant Riesling Brut $25.95 Montgermont Crémant de Bourgogne Blanc de Noirs Brut Sparkling $28.95 Koenig Brut Crémant d'Alsace KPM $27.95 Henkell Brut Crémant de Loire 2016 $21.95 Crémant de Bourgogne Rosé Brut Perle d'Aurore Louis Bouillot $35.95 Domaine Baud Brut Sauvage Crémant du Jura Brut Sparkling $36.00 Veuve Ambal Grande Cuvée Brut Rosé Crémant de Bourgogne $19.95 Celene Cuvée Royale Rosé Crémant de Bordeaux $19.95 De Chanceny Brut Crémant de Loire $24.95 Louis Bouillot Perle Rare Brut Crémant de Bourgogne 2018 $22.95 Cave de Lugny Brut Blanc de Blancs Crémant de Bourgogne $22.95 Cave de Ribeauvillé Giersberger Brut Crémant d'Alsace $22.95 Louis Bouillot Perle d'Aurore Brut Rosé Crémant de Bourgogne $27.95 Emile Beyer Extra Brut Blanc de Blancs Crémant d'Alsace $23.95 ** Some New Spirits and Beers I Tasted Over the Past Season --- SPIRITUALITY BITTERS NOTES Armagnac-- Bas-Armagnac de Montal Les Hauts de Montrouge 2004 700 mL. +11426 Vintages October 21, 2023 $118: comes in a red wood gift box for the Christmas holidays. There are about 181 producers of Armagnac in Gascony, and many make single vintage bottlings unlike in Cognac. Hence, there are many bottles of older Armagnac brandies (10, 15, 20, 30 year olds) that sell everywhere in the world -- but in small lots. Montal's 2004 was aged a minimum of 19 years in oak. Armagnac sells well in Quebec – they recognize a bargain. 2004 is a blend of colombard, folle blanche, baco, and ugni blanc in a continuous distillation. Extremely aromatic with overtones of roasted nuts, caramel, vanilla, dried fruits (such as apricots), and oak character. Exceptionally smooth on the mid-palate and great soft length on the finish. 40% ABV. There should still be some left at the LCBO. Quality/Price rating is 93 points by Dean Tudor of Gothic Epicures. Originally, I was going to call this review “Better Notes”, but then I thought that was too coy. Bitters are better than they've ever been since they do a nice job of breaking down fried and breaded fats, oil and grease in the old tum-tum. Too many people today eat fried foods (I shudder to think what their digestive system will look like in 50 years), and that includes even some Japanese sushi. More sushi joints are adding tempura for extra crunch and filler, and as a way to keep costs down. Zwack Unicum Bitters (500mL, +364851, $34) has come from Hungary (mostly) since 1790, with some production in other European countries. In 1992 it became a company limited by shares, and now has some involvement with other spirits such as Smirnoff vodka, Cinzano, Baileys, and Schlumberger TM sparkling wine. At 40% ABV it has not changed over the years. It's full of great herb extracts, water, alcohol, and some sugar to ameliorate the finish. Over 40 different herbs and spices are infused and distilled, and then aged for 6 months in oak. It's widely used as a hot toddy. This digestive liqueur allows for indulgence and spicy conditions. It can even be used as an amaro for aperitifs or as a mixer. Underberg Bitters (3 x 20mL in a box, +214809, $8.25) calls itself a “Natural Herbal Digestive”; it's been made in Germany since 1846. In 1949 the company began producing only the small 20mL bottles as a single-shot pacifist for digestive ails. Unlike other bitters and amari, Underberg has no added sugar, but finishes with the texture of palate sweetness from natural fructose. We know that it is gluten-free, and that licorice is one of the principal extracted herbs, and that the herbs come from 43 different countries. 44% ABV but easy to swallow. BEER NOTES Originally I was going to call THIS review “Beer Nuts”, but then I thought that was too coy and punny. I was given four beers from Innis & Gunn (repped by PMA) to write up as the company makes some changes in Ontario at the LCBO. Innis & Gunn was founded in 2003 in Scotland; this is now its 20th anniversary. The company specializes in Scottish ale, also called Scottish red beer, a sort-of milder stout with lower carbonation. My wife likes them for their character and lower carbonation. I usually drink just draught beer but it is pretty hard to tell the difference between draught Innis & Gunn and bottled Innis & Gun – principally because of the carbonation. 1.The Innis & Gunn Lager Beer (473mL cans, +33528, $2.95) now at the LCBO, is made in Ontario, brewed with barley and oats and aromatic hops. It replaces the 500mL can that was imported from Scotland, and the price has been reduced from $3.50 since it is now made locally. The taste remains the same with citrus tones and nuances of the basics of lager beer. 4.6% ABV. Quality/Price rating is 90 points by Dean Tudor of Gothic Epicures. 2.The Innis & Gunn Caribbean Rum Cask Beer (473mL cans, +33526, $3.75 normally, but $3.25 on sale through September 10 as an LTO, saving 50 cents) replaces the bottles and is brewed under license in Toronto. It's a standardized can size, and still 6.8% ABV. Using only barley and low bittering, it's matured in hand-selected rum casks, and this gives it a toffeed dried fruit and off-dry character with some vanilla tones. Matured 51 days in cask. My wife's fave. Quality/Price rating is 93 points by Dean Tudor of Gothic Epicures. 3.The Innis & Gunn Irish Whiskey Cask (500mL cans, +13618, $3.35) usually appears in Ontario in January and February, just ahead of St. Patrick's day. It's a Scottish oatmeal stout, with barley and oats, and it matures for 51 days in Irish whiskey casks coming in at 6.1% ABV. It's actually a “Product of Scotland” made in used Irish whiskey casks, exhibiting vanilla tones with nuances of coffee and chocolate (mocha elements) as do stouts. So it is a Limited Edition, and if you wanted more, then you had better buy more when it first comes out...watch for it next winter!! Quality/Price rating is 92 points by Dean Tudor of Gothic Epicures. 4.The Innis & Gunn Islay Whisky Cask Beer Limited Edition (2 x 330mL bottles in a box, +25082, $12.95) is also a Laphroaig Edition in a double cardboard box. It's another in the Scottish red beer category. It's been double matured in Laphroaig first fill malt cask (10-year old single-malt Laphroaig) AND then in port casks. It's a malty amber ale, coming in at 7.4% ABV, full of peat smoke toffee and tobacco. Well-worth your consideration. Quantities are limited. Quality/Price rating is 94+ points by Dean Tudor of Gothic Epicures. WORLD WINE WATCH TOP WINES AT VINTAGES: under/over $20 for the January 6, 2024 release. By DEAN TUDOR, Gothic Epicures Writing deantudor@deantudor.com. My "Wines, Beers and Spirits of the Net", a guide to thousands of news items and RSS feeds, plus references to wines, beers and spirits, has been at https://pages.pathcom.com/~dtudor since 1994. These notes for good wines available through LCBO Vintages (on a bi-weekly basis) can always be found at http://www.gothicepicures.blogspot.ca or at https://pages.pathcom.com/~dtudor No winery can buy their way into – or out of – this publication. Scores are a combination of MVC (Modal Varietal Character, e.g. a Southern Rhone would taste like a Southern Rhone) and QPR (Quality/Price Ratio value in the marketplace above or below its price). I was one of the first to jump on the Robert Parker bandwagon, using numerical indications for scores. Why? Because with a database I could rate, rank and order wines in any fashion. It was just so convenient using databases. Unfortunately, the numerical system has been shown to be disgraced, so I am quitting any ranking by number. From now on, it will just be GOOD, BETTER and BEST, which will give me some wiggle room (e.g. is this wine an 87, 88, 89, or 90? Or all of them...depends on my mood and time of day). With the rigorous standards and lab testing by the LCBO, I can safely say that every single wine at the LCBO is at least GOOD, which I would numerically rank at 75-85 points. For reasons of time and space, I will NOT be listing GOOD wines. Just the BETTER (86-89) and BEST (90+ ) wines. This spread of points will probably relate to SILVER and GOLD medals, with BRONZE being "GOOD". Significantly, this also fits into my scheme for trade tastings (as noted below). MVC/QPR: BEST (90+ ) MVC/QPR: BETTER (86-89) MAJOR THEME: SMART BUYS 2024 Recommended Wines Under $20 ====================== Fizz+648170 La Fleur de Francois Brut Cremant de Bordeaux, $16.95 MVC/QPR: BEST (90+ ) W+328559 Cathedral Cellar Chardonnay 2021 Western Cape South Africa, $18.95 MVC/QPR: BEST (90+ ) W+599274 Dr. L Riesling 2022 Qualitatswein Mosel, $16.95 MVC/QPR: BEST (90+ ) W+637868 Chateau de la Grange Vieilles Vignes Cotes de Grand Lieu Muscadet 2021 Sur Lie, $13.95 MVC/QPR: BEST (90+ ) R+354134 Chateau Bellevue La Foret Original 2020 Fronton France, $13.95 MVC/QPR: BEST (90+ ) W+34815 Piedra Negra Alta Coleccion Torrontes 2023 Mendoza, $15.95 MVC/QPR: BETTER (86-89) W+35965 Sutil Reserve Sauvignon Blanc 2023 Central Valley Chile, $15.95 MVC/QPR: BETTER (86-89) W+17586 Mission Estate Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc 2022 New Zealand, $17.95 MVC/QPR: BETTER (86-89) W+22984 Mountadam Five-Fifty Chardonnay 2020 Eden Valley South Australia, $17.95 MVC/QPR: BETTER (86-89) W+32555 Yalumba The Y Series Riesling 2021 South Australia, $14.95 MVC/QPR: BETTER (86-89) W+577734 De Angelis Campo di Marte Offida Pecorino 2022 Marche Italy, $16.95 MVC/QPR: BETTER (86-89) R+744235 Wakefield Estate Cabernet Sauvignon 2021 Clare Valley South Australia, $19.95 MVC/QPR: BETTER (86-89) R+35970 Tarapaca Gran Reserva Red Blend 2021 Maipo Chile, $16.95 MVC/QPR: BETTER (86-89) R+446245 Chateau de Marsan 2019 Cadillac Cotes de Bordeaux, $16.95 MVC/QPR: BETTER (86-89) R+18141 Chateau Grand Escalion 2020 Costieres de Nimes, $13.95 MVC/QPR: BETTER (86-89) R+981399 Terra d'Aligi Montepulciano d'Abruzzo 2022, $16.95 MVC/QPR: BETTER (86-89) Recommended Wines Over $20 ====================== Sherry+35204 Gonzalez Byass Nutty Solera Medium Oloroso, $20.95 MVC/QPR: BEST (90+ ) W+34135 Tawse Grower's Blend SauvignonBlanc 2020 VQA Niagara, $26.95 MVC/QPR: BEST (90+ ) R+568741 Bertani Amarone della Valpolicella Valpantena 2020, $57.95 MVC/QPR: BEST (90+ ) W+32955 Chartron et Trebuchet Chablis 2022, $30.95 MVC/QPR: BETTER (86-89) R+421198 Union Wine Company Underwood Pinot Noir 2021 Oregon, $23.95 MVC/QPR: BETTER (86-89) R+494674 La Nerthe Les Cassagnes Cotes du Rhone-Villages 2020, $25.95 MVC/QPR: BETTER (86-89) R+455600 Ferruccio Deiana Sileno Riserva Cannonau de Sardegna 2018 Sardinia, $22.95 MVC/QPR: BETTER (86-89) LIMITED TIME OFFERS: Some Recommended Wines from the LCBO’s Limited Time Offers selections...these are good value...on sale through Sunday January 28, 2024 [fizz] +32209 Villa Sandi Valdobbiadene Extra Dry Prosecco Superior NV now $16.95, save $2 [rose]+25746 LVE French Rose Languedoc, now $27.95, save $2 R+328567 Cathedral Cellar Cabernet Sauvignon WO Western Cape South Africa now $16.95, save $3 R+258673 G.Marquis The Silver Line Pinot Noir VQA NOTL now $17.95, save $2 R+595280 Porcupine Ridhe Syrah WO Swartland South Africa now $14.95, save $3 R+360222 Seven Falls Cellars Cabernet Sauvignon Columbia Valley Washington State now $20.95, save $3 ** Some New Wines I Tasted Over the Past Season --- REPORT FROM THE NATURAL WINES FROM CHILE TRADE TASTING SEPTEMBER The Venue: SIPS Toronto, Maud Street The Target Audience: sommeliers, wine media The Availability/Catalogue: at least two of these wines will be in the Ontario market, perhaps this year. The Quote/Background: ProChile gave us (seminar of 20) local sommelier Heather MacDougall as moderator, and Chilean sommelier Mariana Martinez as principal speaker and discussant. She was on a hookup via the Internet. Natural wines is a large category that mainly includes no human or chemical interference with grapes. Categories include: transparency, sustainable, organic, biodynamic, and the like. Perhaps “orange wine” is where all the principles may intersect. Mariana talked about all of these and the various certification seals used in Chile. She also talked about Pais grapes and their usefulness in natural wine production. Much of the activity of natural wines occur in the Itata and Colchagua valleys. She spoke on details of all five wineries, plus of course she talked on tasting all the five wines with a palate. Discussions ensued on marketing, agents and prices. The Wines: **** BEST -- Four Stars (91+ in Quality/Price Rating terms): -Probulk Wine Buena Vida de Chile Sauvignon Blanc 2023 Leyda and Colchagua, with bought natural grapes. -Vina Antiyal Kuyen 2019 Maipo, berries blue and black (syrah, cab sauv, carmenere, petit verdot), about $50 CDN. ***1/2 BETTER -- Three and a Half Stars (88 – 90 in Quality/Price Rating terms): -Co-op Marga Marga La Zaranda Sauvignon Blanc 2021 ~$40 CDN -Villalobos Silvestre Carignan Colchagua 2019 $28 CDN -Wildmakers Sabatico Maule 2018 Garnacha - Cariñena $20 USD The Food: we had a board with charcuterie (salumi. mortadella), cheese (pecorino, gruyere), empanadas (chicken, beef, veggie), Taralli Pugliese, and some really good bread. The Downside: we only had five wines. I think we needed more, say 8 in all, in order to make comparisons and evaluate different vintages of the same wine to indicate aging possibilities or changes in palate, different winemakers, and stages in “naturalness” viniculture. The Upside: well, despite the above, it was a good exercise in learning about the character of Chilean natural wines. The Contact Person: lisa@androscom.com The Event’s Marketing Effectiveness and Execution (numerical grade): 88. WORLD WINE WATCH TOP WINES AT VINTAGES: under/over $20 for DECEMBER 16, 2023 release. By DEAN TUDOR, Gothic Epicures Writing deantudor@deantudor.com. My "Wines, Beers and Spirits of the Net", a guide to thousands of news items and RSS feeds, plus references to wines, beers and spirits, has been at https://pages.pathcom.com/~dtudor since 1994. These notes for better or best wines available through LCBO Vintages (on a bi-weekly basis) can always be found at http://www.gothicepicures.blogspot.ca or at https://pages.pathcom.com/~dtudor No winery can buy their way into – or out of – this publication. Scores are a combination of MVC (Modal Varietal Character, e.g. a Southern Rhone would taste like a Southern Rhone) and QPR (Quality/Price Ratio value in the marketplace, above or below its price). I was one of the first to jump on the Robert Parker bandwagon, using numerical indications for scores. Why? Because with a database I could rate, rank and order wines in any fashion. It was just so convenient using databases. Unfortunately, the numerical system has been shown to be disgraced by overuse and "inflated numbers", so I am quitting any ranking by number. From now on, it will just be GOOD, BETTER and BEST, which will give me some wiggle room (e.g. is this wine an 87, 88, 89, or 90? Or all of them...depends on my mood and time of day). With the rigorous standards and lab testing by the LCBO, I can safely say that every single wine at the LCBO is at least GOOD, which I would numerically rank at 75-85 points. For reasons of time and space, I will NOT be listing the GOOD wines. Just the BETTER (86-89) and the BEST (90+ ) wines. This spread of points will relate to SILVER and GOLD medals, with BRONZE being "GOOD". Significantly, this also fits into my scheme for trade tastings (as noted below). MVC/QPR: BETTER (86-89) MVC/QPR: BEST (90+ ) MAJOR THEME: Bubbles, Bubbles, Bubbles! Wines Under $20 ========= W+311456 ZONTE'S FOOTSTEP EXCALIBUR SAUVIGNON BLANC 2022 AUSTRALIA $19.95 MVC/QPR: BETTER (86-89) W+251470 TRIUS DISTINCTION BARREL FERMENTED CHARDONNAY 2021 VQA $19.95 MVC/QPR: BEST (90+ ) W+389726 BOYA SAUVIGNON BLANC 2023 CHILE $17.95 MVC/QPR: BETTER (86-89) W+573683 FERZO ABRUZZO PECORINO SUPERIORE 2022 $18.95 MVC/QPR: BEST (90+ ) W+919514 WITHER HILLS SAUVIGNON BLANC 2022 NZ $19.95 MVC/QPR: BETTER (86-89) W+20970 LE BONHEUR CHARDONNAY 2022 SOUTH AFRICA $18.25 MVC/QPR: BEST (90+ ) R+261867 FABRE MONTMAYOU RESERVA MALBEC 2021 ARGENTINA $17.95 MVC/QPR: BETTER (86-89) R+34606 SANTA EMA 60/40 BARREL RESERVE CABERNET SAUVIGNON/CARMENÈRE $19.95 MVC/QPR: BETTER (86-89) R+224915 DOMAINES ANDRÉ AUBERT VISAN CÔTES DU RHÔNE-VILLAGES 2022 $17.95 MVC/QPR: BETTER (86-89) R+908079 BENI DI BATASIOLO NEBBIOLO 2020 $19.95 MVC/QPR: BETTER (86-89) Wines Over $20 ========= Rose+493171 OYSTER BAY ROSÉ 2022 NZ $20.95 MVC/QPR: BETTER (86-89) W+360297 JACKSON-TRIGGS NIAGARA GRAND RESERVE WHITE MERITAGE 2021 $29.95 MVC/QPR: BETTER (86-89) W+685222 LA CHABLISIENNE GRANDE CUVÉE CHABLIS 1ER CRU 2021 $54.95 MVC/QPR: BEST (90+ ) W+82255 ROGER & DIDIER RAIMBAULT SANCERRE 2022 $39.95 MVC/QPR: BEST (90+ ) W+485854 CHÂTEAU DE NAGES JT WHITE 2021 Rhone $29.95 MVC/QPR: BETTER (86-89) R+594002 JACKSON-TRIGGS GRAND RESERVE MERITAGE 2020 VQA $32.95 MVC/QPR: BETTER (86-89) R+35464 LOUIS AINE & FILS MORGON 2022 BEAUJOLAIS $22.95 MVC/QPR: BETTER (86-89) R+13438 CHÂTEAU DE MONTFAUCON BARON LOUIS LIRAC 2018 Rhone $32.95 MVC/QPR: BETTER (86-89) R+16210 CHÂTEAU MAUCOIL PRIVILÈGE CHÂTEAUNEUF-DU-PAPE 2020 $62.95 MVC/QPR: BETTER (86-89) R+994095 ALTESINO BRUNELLO DI MONTALCINO 2018 $64.95 MVC/QPR: BEST (90+ ) R+574251 FANTI POGGIO TORTO ROSSO 2020 Tuscany $23.95 MVC/QPR: BETTER (86-89) FIZZ -- recommended (but not rated) bubbles from the December 16 release... +105353 CA' DEL BOSCO CUVÉE PRESTIGE EXTRA BRUT FRANCIACORTA $46.95 +113035 PELLER ESTATES SIGNATURE SERIES ICE CUVÉE ROSÉ SPARKLING VQA $36.95 +14421 FLAT ROCK TWISTED SPARKLING 2021 VQA $19.95 +520411 VIENI SPARKLING RIESLING VQA $19.95 +284547 PELLER ESTATES SIGNATURE SERIES CLASSIC ICE CUVÉE SPARKLING VQA $35.95 +183624 CAVE DE RIBEAUVILLÉ GIERSBERGER BRUT CRÉMANT D'ALSACE $22.95 +32269 MONTGERMONT CRÉMANT DE BOURGOGNE BLANC DE NOIRS BRUT $28.95 +178137 LOUIS BOUILLOT PERLE RARE BRUT CRÉMANT DE BOURGOGNE 2018 $22.95 +32270 PITARS EXTRA DRY PROSECCO 2021 $25.95 +302752 SANTA MARGHERITA BRUT ROSÉ SPARKLING $21.95 +16836 GRAN BARÓN BRUT RESERVA CAVA 2020 $18.95 LTO -- LIMITED TIME OFFERS: Some Recommended Wines from the LCBO’s Limited Time Offers selections...these are good value...on sale through Sunday December 31 W+250696 Banfi Principessa Gavia Gavi Piedmont now $18.95, save $3 W+350041 Paco & Lola Albarino Rias Baixas Spain now $21.95, save $3 W+38117 Vineland Estates Elevation St. Urban Vineyard Riesling VQA Niagara now $19.95, save $3 R+229781 A to Z Wineworks Pinot Noir Oregon now $26.95, save $3 R+337238 Concha Y Toro Marques de Casa Concha Cabernet Sauvignon Puente Alto Chile now $21.95, save $3 R+259721 E. Guigal Cotes du Rhone $21.95, save $3 R+177345 Muga Reserva Rioja now $24.95, save $4 R+590414 Oyster Bay Pinot Noir Marlborough NZ now $19.95, save $3 R+741769 Rocca delle Macie Chianti Classico Tuscany now $17.95, save $3 R+303800 Trius Red VQA Niagara now $24.95, save $3 R+225086 Umberto Cesari Liano Sangiovese/Cabernet Sauvignon IGT Rubicone, Emilia-Romagna now $24.95, save $5 Fizz+147504 13th Street Cuvee Brut Sparkling Rose Trad. Method VQA Niagara now $28.95, save $3 [splurge]R+433417 Tedeschi Amarone Della Valpolicella Veneto now $46.95, save $3 ** Some New Wines I Tasted Over the Past Season --- REPORT ON TASTING OF WINES FROM CHATEAU D'AIGUEVILLE COTES DU RHONE AND HENRI DE VILLAMONT BEAUNE BURGUNDY The Date and Time: July 27, 12:30 - 3PM The Event: Chateau d'Aigueville and Henri de Villamont wine tasting. The Venue: National Club The Target Audience: wine media The Availability/Catalogue: the wines will mostly be available at LCBO/Vintages over the next little while, before Christmas in most cases. The Quote/Background: Domain Henri de Villamont (Savigny-les-Beaune) is one of the oldest producers in the region, with ten hectares in the Cote de Beaune (Savigny) and Cote de Nuits (Chambolle-Musigny). A wide range of appellations are matured in 4,000 barrels in their cellars. We sampled six different wines. From the organic certified Chateau d'Aigueville in the Southern Rhone (soon to be biodynamic with the 2023 harvest), we sampled six more wines. Both wineries are owned by the Schenk family wine merchants of Switzerland (in all, Schenk harvests 3500 hectares of vineyards world-wide). The Wines: Prices are estimated retail... **** BEST -- Four Stars (91+ in Quality/Price Rating terms): -Chateau d'Aigueville Vin de France La Source Blanc 2021 (mostly clairette) -Henri de Villamont Bourgogne Chardonnay Prestige 2021 ($24) -Henri de Villamont Macon-Villages 2018 ($29) -Henri de Villamont Pouilly-Fuisse Grumes d'Or 2020 ($53) -Henri de Villamont Santenay Les Champs-Claude 2017 ($43) -Henri de Villamont Savigny-Les-Beaune Le Village 2019 ($59) -Chateau d'Aigueville Cotes du Rhone Massif d'Uchaux 2020 ***1/2 BETTER -- Three and a Half Stars (88 – 90 in Quality/Price Rating terms): -Henri de Villamont Bourgogne Pinot Noir Prestige 2021 ($24) -Chateau d'Aigueville Cotes du Rhone Rouge 2021 -Chateau d'Aigueville Cotes du Rhone Blanc 2022 -Chateau d'Aigueville Cotes du Rhone Villages 2019 -Chateau d'Aigueville Vin de France La Rosee Rouge 2022 (all syrah) The Food: iced heritage tomato caprese salad, followed by a large chicken supreme with veggies, and with fresh berries and ice cream for dessert. The Downside: I had to leave early due to a prior engagement. The Upside: it was hot outside but nicely chilled inside. The Contact Person: Tom Noitsis-- sales@eurovintage.com The Event’s Marketing Effectiveness and Execution (numerical grade): 91 WORLD WINE WATCH TOP WINES AT VINTAGES: under/over $20 for the DECEMBER 2, 2023 release. By DEAN TUDOR, Gothic Epicures Writing deantudor@deantudor.com. My "Wines, Beers and Spirits of the Net", a guide to thousands of news items and RSS feeds, plus references to wines, beers and spirits, has been at https://pages.pathcom.com/~dtudor since 1994. These notes for good wines available through LCBO Vintages (on a bi-weekly basis) can always be found at http://www.gothicepicures.blogspot.ca or at https://pages.pathcom.com/~dtudor No winery can buy their way into – or out of – this publication. Scores are a combination of MVC (Modal Varietal Character, e.g. a Southern Rhone would taste like a Southern Rhone) and QPR (Quality/Price Ratio value in the marketplace above or below its price). I was one of the first to jump on the Robert Parker bandwagon, using numerical indications for scores. Why? Because with a database I could rate, rank and order wines in any fashion. It was just so convenient using databases. Unfortunately, the numerical system has been shown to be disgraced, so I am quitting any ranking by number. From now on, it will just be GOOD, BETTER and BEST, which will give me some wiggle room (e.g. is this wine an 87, 88, 89, or 90? Or all of them...depends on my mood and time of day). With the rigorous standards and lab testing by the LCBO, I can safely say that every single wine at the LCBO is at least GOOD, which I would numerically rank at 75-85 points. For reasons of time and space, I will NOT be listing GOOD wines. Just the BETTER (86-89) and BEST (90+ ) wines. This spread of points will probably relate to SILVER and GOLD medals, with BRONZE being "GOOD". Significantly, this also fits into my scheme for trade tastings (as noted below). MVC/QPR: BETTER (86-89) MVC/QPR: BEST (90+ ) THEME: FINE WINES FOR FESTIVE ENTERTAINING Wines Under $20 =============== W+734798 THORNBURY SAUVIGNON BLANC 2022 NZ $18.95 MVC/QPR: BEST (90+ ) W+12679 MATAHIWI ESTATE PINOT GRIS 2022 NZ $19.95 MVC/QPR: BETTER (86-89) W+23254 VIÑA MAYOR VERDEJO 2021 SPAIN $16.95 MVC/QPR: BETTER (86-89) W+461327 BERONIA RUEDA VERDEJO 2022 SPAIN $15.95 MVC/QPR: BETTER (86-89) R+23905 KNAPPSTEIN CLARE VALLEY CABERNET SAUVIGNON 2020 OZ $19.95 MVC/QPR: BETTER (86-89) R+131540 FEATHERSTONE RED TAIL MERLOT 2021 VQA NIAGARA $19.95 MVC/QPR: BEST (90+ ) Wines Over $20 ============== W+32570 PETER LEHMANN WIGAN EDEN VALLEY RIESLING 2016 OZ $29.95 MVC/QPR: BETTER (86-89) W+424507 WESTCOTT ESTATE CHARDONNAY 2021 VQA NIAGARA $29.95 MVC/QPR: BEST (90+ ) W+466144 J. MOREAU & FILS GLORIE DE CHABLIS 2022 $32.95 MVC/QPR: BEST (90+ ) R+484303 CATENA APPELLATION AGRELO CABERNET SAUVIGNON 2020 CHILE $23.95 MVC/QPR: BETTER (86-89) R+50849 KAIKEN ULTRA MALBEC 2020 ARGENTINA $22.95 MVC/QPR: BETTER (86-89) R+84996 WYNNS COONAWARRA ESTATE BLACK LABEL CABERNET SAUVIGNON $47.95 MVC/QPR: BEST (90+ ) R+10138 QUEENSTON MILE PINOT NOIR 2017 VQA NIAGARA $40 MVC/QPR: BEST (90+ ) R+312058 STRATUS RED 2020 VQA NIAGARA $55 MVC/QPR: BEST (90+ ) R+26296 CHÂTEAU GEMEILLAN 2014 BORDEAUX $26.95 MVC/QPR: BETTER (86-89) R+24755 E. GUIGAL CHÂTEAUNEUF-DU-PAPE 2018 $68.95 MVC/QPR: BETTER (86-89) R+261784 PAPALE LINEA ORO PRIMITIVO DI MANDURIA 2019 PUGLIA $26.80 MVC/QPR: BEST (90+ ) R+747030 LA VITE LUCENTE 2021 TUSCANY $34.95 MVC/QPR: BETTER (86-89) FIZZ -- recommended, but not rated +967398 TALTARNI TACHÉ BRUT ROSÉ SPARKLING 2015 OZ $27.55 +528752 BENJAMIN BRIDGE MÉTHODE CLASSIQUE BRUT SPARKLING NOVA SCOTIA $32.95 +234161 JACKSON-TRIGGS ENTOURAGE GRAND RESERVE BRUT SPARKLING 2017 VQA NIAGARA $34.95 +142679 13TH STREET PREMIER CUVÉE SPARKLING 2017 VQA NIAGARA $39.95 +163634 OYSTER BAY BRUT SPARKLING CUVÉE NZ $25.95 LTO -- LIMITED TIME OFFERS: Some Recommended Wines from the LCBO’s Limited Time Offers selections...these are good value...on sale November 27 through Sunday December 31 W+250696 Banfi Principessa Gavia Gavi Piedmont now $18.95, save $3 W+350041 Paco & Lola Albarino Rias Baixas Spain now $21.95, save $3 W+038117 Vineland Estates Elevation St. Urban Vineyard Riesling VQA Niagara now $19.95, save $3 R+229781 A to Z Wineworks Pinot Noir Oregon now $26.95, save $3 R+337238 Concha Y Toro Marques de Casa Concha Cabernet Sauvignon Puente Alto Chile now $21.95, save $3 R+259721 E. Guigal Cotes du Rhone $21.95, save $3 R+177345 Muga Reserva Rioja now $24.95, save $4 R+590414 Oyster Bay Pinot Noir Marlborough NZ now $19.95, save $3 R+741769 Rocca delle Macie Chianti Classico Tuscany now $17.95, save $3 R+303800 Trius Red VQA Niagara now $24.95, save $3 R+225086 Umberto Cesari Liano Sangiovese/Cabernet Sauvignon IGT Rubicone, Emilia-Romagna now $24.95, save $5 Fizz+147504 13th Street Cuvee Brut Sparkling Rose Trad. Method VQA Niagara now $28.95, save $3 [splurge]R+433417 Tedeschi Amarone Della Valpolicella Veneto now $46.95, save $3 REPORT ON THE 16th ANNUAL TASTIN' FRANCE trade show, July 2023... The Date and Time: Monday July 10, 2023 11A - 4PM The Event: Tastin' France: a B2B event with French wine producers seeking representation in Ontario, Quebec, and other provinces. The Venue: Toronto Marriott City Centre Hotel, One Blue Jays Way The Target Audience: wine professionals, buyers, LCBO, some media, etc. The Availability/Catalogue: Ten producers showed their wines in Toronto, with a total of some 80 samples. The catalogue had a full listing of the products, including grapes and percentages. As well, there were names and addresses for each company, production numbers, and a good description of each winery. The Quote/Background: This was the 16th annual trade tasting roadshow in three cities: Toronto, Montreal, Vancouver. Previous Toronto hotel sites have included the Park Plaza Hyatt and the Hotel Ochoa. The Wines: I did not taste every wine. **** BEST -- Four Stars (91+ in Quality/Price Rating terms): -Champagne Esterlin Blanc de Blancs Brut Eclat Champagne -Champagne Esterlin Cleo Blanc de Blancs Brut Champagne 2010 [my fave of the day] -Champagne Esterlin Brut Nature Champagne 2009 -Champagne Esterlin Brut Eclat Champagne -Be Bio Chardonnay 2022 IGP Pays d'Oc -Domaine des Pierettes Eros Rose 2022 [gamay, chenin] Loire -Cave de Ribeauville Cremant Brut Alsace NV [auxerrois, pinot blanc] -Cave de Ribeauville Pinot Gris Collection 2022 Alsace -Cave de Ribeauville Gewurztraminer Collection 2021 Alsace -Claude Leblanc Pouilly-Fuisse 2020 -Claude Leblanc Pouilly-Fuisse 1er cru 2020 -Claude Leblanc Rully 1er cru blanc Les Marissous 2021 -Claude Leblanc Hautes-Cotes-de-Nuits 2020 -Claude Leblanc Santenay 2020 -Claude Leblanc Nuits-Saint-Georges 2019 -Hesiode Pierre Bourree et Fils Gevrey-Chambertin Village 2018 -Hesiode Pierre Bourree et Fils Nuit-Saint-Georges Village 2020 -Hesiode Pierre Bourree et Fils Pernand-Vergelesses Village 2018 -Fonoya Delta L'Homme Chardonnay 2022 IGP Saint-Guilhem-le-Desert -Le Cellier du Pic French Toast Rose 2022 IGP Pays d'Oc -Be Bio Grenache Rose 2022 IGP Pays d'Oc -Domaine du Vistre Mas du Vistre Blanc IGT Gard -Vignobles Vellas Naughty Angel Viognier 2022 Languedoc -Vignobles Vellas Les Silex Fumes Blanc 2022 IGP Saint Guilhem Le Desert -Chateau Les Vergnes Blanc 2022 Bordeaux ***1/2 BETTER -- Three and a Half Stars (88 – 90 in Quality/Price Rating terms): -Champagne Esterlin Ex Solera Champagne NV -Champagne Esterlin Pur Meunier Champagne NV -Domaine des Pierettes Sen'S Sauvignon Blanc 2022 Touraine [organic] -Vignoble Demois L'ane Blanc 2020 Chinon -Vignoble Demois L'ane Rose 2020 Chinon -Cave de Ribeauville Riesling Collection Alsace 2020 -Claude Leblanc Saint-Veran 2022 -Hesiode Le Bois Braud Muscadet Sevre et Maine sur Lie 2021 Loire -Hesiode Laudacious Brut Nature NV Montlouis-sur-Loire -Hesiode Pierre Bourree et Fils Auxey-Duresses Village 2016 -Domaine de Mayal Oplezir Rose 2022 Luberon -Domaine de Mayal Cuvee Classique Blanc 2022 Luberon -Domaine du Vistre Mas du Vistre Rose IGT Gard -Vignobles Vellas Chai d'Oeuvre Sauvignon Blanc 2022 Languedoc -Vignobles Vellas Mrs. Seafood 2021 Languedoc -Vignobles Vellas Poison Rose 2022 Languedoc -Vignobles Vellas Naturellement Pur Orange Wine 2021 Languedoc -Chateau Les Vergnes Rose 2022 Bordeaux -Univitis Grand Theatre Blanc 2022 Bordeaux -Univitis Grand Theatre Rose 2022 Bordeaux The Food: we were given disposable “Bento” boxes of charcuterie, fromages, grapes, nuts, and crackers. Plus unlimited coffee and tea. The Downside: the Marriott was a bit awkward to get to via TTC since it had a separate entrance to the Rogers Centre. Also, inside there was an enormous walk to the extra-spacious and extra-high ballroom where the tasting was held. I felt a lot like Alice. The Upside: a great opportunity to taste some fabulous wines from France that are not currently being listed at the LCBO. The Contact Person: romane.champion.int@businesfrance.fr; rodolphe.desobry@businessfrance.fr The Event’s Marketing Effectiveness and Execution (numerical grade): 87. WORLD WINE WATCH TOP WINES AT VINTAGES: under/over $20 for NOVEMBER 18, 2023 release. By DEAN TUDOR, Gothic Epicures Writing deantudor@deantudor.com. My "Wines, Beers and Spirits of the Net", a guide to thousands of news items and RSS feeds, plus references to wines, beers and spirits, has been at https://pages.pathcom.com/~dtudor since 1994. These notes for good wines available through LCBO Vintages (on a bi-weekly basis) can always be found at http://www.gothicepicures.blogspot.ca or at https://pages.pathcom.com/~dtudor No winery can buy their way into – or out of – this publication. Scores are a combination of MVC (Modal Varietal Character, e.g. a Southern Rhone would taste like a Southern Rhone) and QPR (Quality/Price Ratio value in the marketplace above or below its price). I was one of the first to jump on the Robert Parker bandwagon, using numerical indications for scores. Why? Because with a database I could rate, rank and order wines in any fashion. It was just so convenient using databases. Unfortunately, the numerical system has been shown to be disgraced, so I am quitting any ranking by number. From now on, it will just be GOOD, BETTER and BEST, which will give me some wiggle room (e.g. is this wine an 87, 88, 89, or 90? Or all of them...depends on my mood and time of day). With the rigorous standards and lab testing by the LCBO, I can safely say that every single wine at the LCBO is at least GOOD, which I would numerically rank at 75-85 points. For reasons of time and space, I will NOT be listing GOOD wines. Just the BETTER (86-89) and BEST (90+ ) wines. This spread of points will probably relate to SILVER and GOLD medals, with BRONZE being "GOOD". Significantly, this also fits into my scheme for trade tastings (as noted below). MVC/QPR: BETTER (86-89) MVC/QPR: BEST (90+ ) MAJOR THEME: PREMIUM WINES FOR THE HOLIDAYS Wines Under $20 ========= R+642421 CANTINA VALPANTENA TORRE DEL FALASCO VALPOLICELLA RIPASSO VENETO $18.95 MVC/QPR: BEST (90+ ) FIZZ+281329 JOSEPH CATTIN BRUT CRÉMANT D'ALSACE NV $18.95 MVC/QPR: BEST (90+ ) W+29823 BOECKEL RIESLING 2021 ALSACE $18.95 MVC/QPR: BETTER (86-89) W+33294 IONA SOPHIE TE'BLANCHE 2022 SOUTH AFRICA $19.95 MVC/QPR: BETTER (86-89) R+640854 SALENTEIN RESERVE MALBEC 2021 ARGENTINA $19.95 MVC/QPR: BETTER (86-89) R+19274 SALENTEIN PORTILLO PINOT NOIR 2021 ARGENTINA $17.95 MVC/QPR: BETTER (86-89) R+34814 VINALBA RESERVA MALBEC/SYRAH 2021 ARGENTINA $19.95 MVC/QPR: BETTER (86-89) R+297317 XAVIER VIGNON CÔTES DU RHÔNE 2020 $17.95 MVC/QPR: BETTER (86-89) R+35622 VIA CARITATIS VOX ANGELORUM 2020 RHONE $19.95 MVC/QPR: BETTER (86-89) R+31701 CHÂTEAU LAVAL 2021 RHONE $17.95 MVC/QPR: BETTER (86-89) R+32757 ANTONINI MONTEPULCIANO D'ABRUZZO 2020 $19.95 MVC/QPR: BETTER (86-89) R+983742 L.A. CETTO PETITE SIRAH 2020 MEXICO 519B 12 $14.95 MVC/QPR: BETTER (86-89) R+363168 TOM DE BATON 2021 PORTUGAL $16.95 MVC/QPR: BETTER (86-89) R+31197 SOGEVINUS VEEDHA RED 2020 PORTUGAL $15.95MVC/QPR: BETTER (86-89) FIZZ+632265 VILLA CONCHI BRUT ROSÉ CAVA NV $17.95 MVC/QPR: BETTER (86-89) Wines Over $20 ========= W+256552 CAVE SPRING ESTATE GROWN CHARDONNAY 2019 VQA NIAGARA $21.95 MVC/QPR: BEST (90+ ) W+290296 E. GUIGAL CÔTES DU RHÔNE BLANC 2022 $23.95 MVC/QPR: BEST (90+ ) R+505610 HIDDEN BENCH TERROIR CACHÉ 2019 $44.95 MVC/QPR: BEST (90+ ) FIZZ+15688 BENJAMIN BRIDGE MÉTHODE CLASSIQUE BRUT ROSÉ SPARKLING NV NOVA SCOTIA $34.95 MVC/QPR: BEST (90+ ) W+172338 SOUTHBROOK TRIOMPHE ORGANIC CHARDONNAY 2019 VQA NIAGARA $26.95 MVC/QPR: BETTER (86-89) W+32959 ANDRÉ GOICHOT POUILLY-FUISSÉ 1ER CRU 2021 $49.95 MVC/QPR: BETTER (86-89) W+994012 FALCHINI VIGNA A SOLATÌO VERNACCIA DI SAN GIMIGNANO 2022 TUSCANY $23.95 MVC/QPR: BETTER (86-89) R+333229 WYNNS COONAWARRA ESTATE THE SIDING CABERNET SAUVIGNON 2021 24.95 MVC/QPR: BETTER (86-89) R+32282 HAYWIRE SECREST MOUNTAIN PINOT NOIR 2020 VQA BC $33.95 MVC/QPR: BETTER (86-89) R+21400 ORGANIZED CRIME CABERNET SAUVIGNON 2019 VQA NIAGARA $24.95 MVC/QPR: BETTER (86-89) FIZZ+12619 VILMART ET CIE GRANDE RÉSERVE 1ER CRU CHAMPAGNE NV $82.95 MVC/QPR: BETTER (86-89) [The following LTOs are on sale from Nov 6 through Nov 26]: Fizz+991562 Bailly Lapierre Brut Cremant de Bourgogne, now $21.45, save $3.50 W+958975 Mer Soleil Reserve Chardonnay Monterey, now $26.95, save $3 W+324228 Stoneleigh Latitude Sauvignon Blanc Marlborough NZ, now $19.95, save $3 R+274753 Hidden Bench Pinot Noir Beamsville Bench VQA, now $34.95, save $3 R+36483 Torres Gran Coronas Reserva Cabernet Sauvignon Penedes Spain, $20.95, save $3 Splurge+356220 Tommasi Amarone Della Valpolicella Classico Superiore Veneto, $47.95, save $5 Splurge+650432 Castelgiocondo Brunello de Montalcino Tuscany, $49.95, save $5 ** Some New Wines I Tasted Over the Past Season --- REPORT ON THE ANNUAL LIVING VINE ACID TRIP PORFOLIO TASTING, June 2023... The Date and Time: Sunday June 18, 2023 1P - 5PM The Event: The Annual Living Vine Acid Trip Try-and-Buy Portfolio Tasting The Venue: Society Clubhouse, College Street The Target Audience: wine media, private clients, restaurants. The Availability/Catalogue: everything was available on some 15 tables, with label names, vintage dates, case quantities (6 or 12), and retail/licensee prices for each wine. The Quote/Background: Mark Cuff, who runs The Living Vine, has been a sustainable/green/organic/biodynamic wiz for a couple of decades now. His annual portfolio tasting is one of the best in town, with many new brands and a diversified audience (in attendance, there were as many babies as seniors!). The Wines: I did not taste all the 100 or so wines and ciders. As is my wont, I concentrated on the summery white wines. The ciders from Cidre Fleuri were phenomenal: Piccolino, Joe, Klaus, Willie, Rosie – all in 473ml containers at $7.75 each. There were also 750 ml bottles of cider: Terrain Vague, Niagara Place, Villefranche, and Franconia at $20 each. I did not taste the non-alcoholic wines (“Proxies”) or the kombucha or the spirits. Prices are retail... **** BEST -- Four Stars (91+ in Quality/Price Rating terms): -Chateau Grand Launay Blanc 2022, $27.95 [my fave of the show] -Poggio Piccolo Chianti 2020, $29.95 -Poggio Piccolo Vermentino 2020, $28.95 -Antica Enotria Bianco 2021, $20.95 -Montesecondo 2021, $32.95 -Villa Papiano Strada Corniolo 2020, $39.95 -Cantina Fiorentino Madreterra 2021, $24.95 -Patch Pinot Grigio 2022, $21.95 -Poivre d'Ane White 2021, $26.95 -Texier Chateauneuf du Pape VV 2020, $94.95 -Supernatural Sauvignon Blanc 2020, $32.95 -Smallfry Tangerine Dream 2022, $39.95 -El Bandito Cortez 2022, $59.95 -Rigour and Whimsey Thus Spoke Veruca 2020, $52.95 -Lagasca Viognier 2021, $17.95 -Pomelado Orange Wine 2021, $18.95 [at LCBO} -Badenhorst Secateurs Chenin Blanc 2022 South Africa, $25.95 -JC Wickens Wines Swerwer White 2023 South Africa, $33.95 -Hidden Bench R & D Chardonnay 2020 VQA, $30 ***1/2 BETTER -- Three and a Half Stars (88 – 90 in Quality/Price Rating terms): -Foradori Manzoni Bianco 2021, $43.95 -Dettori Renosu Bianco NV, $38.95 -Domaine Flo Busch Lou Bragalou 2021, $30.95 -Domaine Pinte Chardonnay Arbois 2020, $37.95 -Stephan Rocher Lemon Tree 2022, $31.95 -Mas Goma Cosi Joan Orange NV, $36.95 -Makarounas Aerides 2022, $29.95 -Cam Rd Down the Rabbit Hole 2021, $42.95 -El Bandito Skin 2022, $59.95 -Cellar Credo Volaina Spain 2019, $24.95 -Norte Sur Rosado 2021, $17.95 -Lanzado Orange 2021, $19.95 [at LCBO] -Badenhorst Curator White 2022 South Africa, $23.95 -Hidden Bench Chardonnay Beton 2021 VQA, $27.95 The Food: some to be purchased The Downside: the room was surrounded by mirrors, which made it look much more crowded than it actually was. The Upside: taste and try before you buy The Contact Person: mark@thelivingvine.ca The Event’s Marketing Effectiveness and Execution (numerical grade): 90 WORLD WINE WATCH TOP WINES AT VINTAGES: under/over $20 for NOVEMBER 4, 2023 release. By DEAN TUDOR, Gothic Epicures Writing deantudor@deantudor.com. My "Wines, Beers and Spirits of the Net", a guide to thousands of news items and RSS feeds, plus references to wines, beers and spirits, has been at https://pages.pathcom.com/~dtudor since 1994. These notes for good wines available through LCBO Vintages (on a bi-weekly basis) can always be found at http://www.gothicepicures.blogspot.ca or at https://pages.pathcom.com/~dtudor No winery can buy their way into – or out of – this publication. Scores are a combination of MVC (Modal Varietal Character, e.g. a Southern Rhone would taste like a Southern Rhone) and QPR (Quality/Price Ratio value in the marketplace above or below its price). MAJOR THEME: GIFTING SOLUTIONS Wines Under $20 ========= W+10411 MOUNTADAM EDEN VALLEY CHARDONNAY 2019 AUSTRALIA $19.95 MVC/QPR: 89. W+483834 CREW RIESLING 2020 VQA LENS $16.95 MVC/QPR: 89. W+89029 TAWSE SKETCHES OF NIAGARA RIESLING 2021 $19.95 MVC/QPR: 89. W+747600 PIERRE SPARR GRANDE RÉSERVE GEWURZTRAMINER 2021 ALSACE $19.95 MVC/QPR: 90. W+31168 FAMILLE ARNAUD QUART DU ROI LAUDUN COTES DU RHONE-VILLAGES $19.95 MVC/QPR: 89. W+31380 MADRE BECCO REALE BIO PECORINO 2021 ABRUZZO $19.95 MVC/QPR: 89. W+408146 MARIA PAPOILA LOUREIRO/ALVARINHO 2022 PORTUGAL $17.95 MVC/QPR: 89. W+218354 GARCIARÉVALO FINCA TRES OLMOS LIAS VERDEJO 2021 SPAIN $14.95 MVC/QPR: 88. W+35413 BODEGA DEL ABAD CIMABELLA GODELLO 2021 SPAIN $17.95 MVC/QPR: 88. R+113191 EL ESTECO MALBEC 2021 ARGENTINA $18 MVC/QPR: 88. R+183897 PASCUAL TOSO RESERVE MALBEC 2021 ARGENTINA $19.95 MVC/QPR: 88. R+36231 ROCKWAY RED NV VQA ONTARIO $19.95 MVC/QPR: 89. R+33627 FOGOLAR CABERNET FRANC 2019 VQA NIAGARA $19.95 MVC/QPR: 90. R+542183 RAVANAL GRAN RESERVA CABERNET SAUVIGNON 2019 CHILE $16.95 MVC/QPR: 92. R+320499 BASTIDE MIRAFLORS SYRAH/VIEILLES VIGNES GRENACHE 2020 ROUSSILLON $19.95 MVC/QPR: 89. R+5405 UMBERTO CESARI MOMA ROSSO 2021 EMILIA-ROMAGNA $19.95 MVC/QPR: 88. R+32914 VILLADORIA ARGO LANGHE NEBBIOLO 2020 PIEDMONT $18.95 MVC/QPR: 89. R+17884 BOLLATO DI GUARINI NEGROAMARO/PRIMITIVO 2021 PUGLIA $17.95 MVC/QPR: 88. R+573519 VILLA PUCCINI RISERVA CHIANTI 2019 $16.95 MVC/QPR: 89. R+13448 CASTELFORTE VALPOLICELLA RIPASSO 2020 $19.95 MVC/QPR: 89. R+443721 CHÂTEAU KSARA RÉSERVE DU COUVENT 2020 LEBANON $19.95 MVC/QPR: 89. R+470377 CASA DE CAMBRES RESERVA RED 2017 PORTUGAL $14.95 MVC/QPR: 88. R+33520 VIÑEDOS DEL ALTURA BELOKI RIOJA CRIANZA 2019 $16.95 MVC/QPR: 88. Wines Over $20 ========= FIZZES -- not rated +29704 BARON-FUENTÉ BRUT TRADITION CHAMPAGNE NV $37.95 +36302 STRATUS FIELD BLEND ANCESTRAL SPARKLING WINE 2022 $35.00 +207993 DUFOULEUR PÈRE & FILS BRUT CRÉMANT DE BOURGOGNE 2019 $26.95 +280172 OYSTER BAY ROSÉ SPARKLING CUVÉE NV $23.95 W+35371 ROCKWAY FOXCROFT RIESLING 2022 VQA NIAGARA $21.95 MVC/QPR: 90. W+302083 BACHELDER L'ARDOISE VQA NIAGARA CHARDONNAY 2021 $24.95 MVC/QPR: 91. W+733956 MALLORY & BENJAMIN TALMARD MÂCON-UCHIZY 2022 $20.95 MVC/QPR: 89. W+35198 ALOIS LAGEDER PINOT GRIGIO 2022 ALTO ADIGE $27.95 MVC/QPR: 89. W+75432 ATTEMS CICINIS 2021 FRIULI $36.95 MVC/QPR: 89. W+556340 LA CHABLISIENNE LE FINAGE CHABLIS 2021 $34.95 MVC/QPR: 89. W+17605 PETER NICOLAY BERNKASTELER BADSTUBE RIESLING KABINETT 2021 $26.95 MVC/QPR: 89. R+522342 ZONTE'S FOOTSTEP HILLS ARE ALIVE SHIRAZ 2021 $24.95 MVC/QPR: 89. R+390872 WOLF BLASS GREY LABEL SHIRAZ 2018 $34.95 MVC/QPR: 90. R+86363 STRATUS WILDASS RED 2019 VQA NIAGARA $21.95 MVC/QPR: 90. R+349308 CHÂTEAU PEY LA TOUR RÉSERVE DU CHÂTEAU 2018 $22.95 MVC/QPR: 89. R+48884 COUDOULET DE BEAUCASTEL CÔTES DU RHÔNE 2020 $34.95 MVC/QPR: 89. R+11109 NOZZOLE CHIANTI CLASSICO RISERVA 2019 $24.95 MVC/QPR: 89. R+180067 POGGIO BONELLI CHIANTI CLASSICO RISERVA 2018 $33.95 MVC/QPR: 89. R+23782 ZONTE'S FOOTSTEP SUPER TROOPER SHIRAZ/CABERNET 2019 $21.95 MVC/QPR: 88. LIMITED TIME OFFERS: Some Recommended Wines from the LCBO’s Limited Time Offers selections...these are good value...on sale through Sunday November 5... Fizz+213983 Cave Spring Blanc de Blancs Brut Sparkling VQA Trad Method, now $29.95, save $3 Fizz+395384 Luc Belaire Rare Rose Sparkling France, now $37.95, save $3 W+31667 Alta-Yari Gran Torrontes Mendoza Arg, now $24.95, save $3 W+962886 La Crema Sonoma Coast Chardonnay, now $32.95, save $3 R+352583 Beringer Knights Valley Cabernet Sauvignon Sonoma, now $49.95, save $5 R+177295 Rivera Il Falcone Riserva Castel del Monte Puglia, now $23.95, save $3 R+652883 Belle Glos Clark & Telephone Pinot Noir Santa Barbara, now $54.95, save $5 R+954834 Rodney Strong Estate Russian River Valley Pinot Noir, now $26.95, save $3 R+353201 Ruffino Riserva Ducale Oro Gran Selezione Chianti Classico, now $49.95, save $3 R+303800 Trius Red VQA Niagara, now $24.95, save $3 R+225086 Umberto Cesari Liano Sangiovese/Cab Sauvignon Emilia-Romagna, now $24.95, save $5 [The following LTOs are on sale from Nov 6 through Nov 26]: Fizz+991562 Bailly Lapierre Brut Cremant de Bourgogne, now $21.45, save $3.50 W+958975 Mer Soleil Reserve Chardonnay Monterey, now $26.95, save $3 W+324228 Stoneleigh Latitude Sauvignon Blanc Marlborough NZ, now $19.95, save $3 R+274753 Hidden Bench Pinot Noir Beamsville Bench VQA, now $34.95, save $3 R+36483 Torres Gran Coronas Reserva Cabernet Sauvignon Penedes Spain, $20.95, save $3 Splurge+356220 Tommasi Amarone Della Valpolicella Classico Superiore Veneto, $47.95, save $5 Splurge+650432 Castelgiocondo Brunello de Montalcino Tuscany, $49.95, save $5 ** Some New Wines I Tasted Over the Past Season --- REPORT ON THE VINHO VERDE TASTING trade show, June 2023.... The Event: Vinho Verde Tasting The Venue: Second Floor Events, King Street The Target Audience: wine trade and wine media The Availability/Catalogue: downloaded from the cloud. There were 14 producers and about 70 wines. The Quote/Background: Christopher Sealy led the Masterclass which covered the major aspects of Vinho Verde, complete with Powerpoint and a paper map. The Vinho Verde region covers whites, reds, rose, and fortified wines; it lies between the Douro and the Minho rivers – it's the largest wine region in Portugal, with 1400 wine brands, 9 subregions, and 45 grape varieties. Each bottle is certified (numbered and identified) and forms part of the annual 70 million litres (45% exported) produced. Canada is its sixth largest market. The Wines: I did not sample all the wines. Prices are retail. **** BEST -- Four Stars (91+ in Quality/Price Rating terms): -Quinta da Raza Alvarinho 2022, $22.95 (Christopher Stewart) -Quinta da Raza Alvarinho Trajadura 2022, $21.95 (Christopher Stewart) -Quinta da Raza Rose 2022, $14.95 (Christopher Stewart) -Quintas do Homem Vale do Homem Loureiro Wild Ferment 2022, $19.95 (Kolonaki) -Quintas do Homem Vale do Homem Spumante NV, $38.95 (Kolonaki) -Vercoope Via Latina Grande Reserva 2018 -Guapos Wine Project Castelo Negro 2018 -Quinta das Arcas Alvarinho Reserva 2021 -Casal de Ventozela Prime Selection 2019 (1/3 alvarinho, avesso, loureiro) -Casal de Ventozela Alvarinho 2022 Minho -Aveleda Alvarinho 2022 -Aveleda Solos de Granito 2021 -Aveleda Solos de Xisto 2021 -Quinta d'Amares Pet-Nat NV ***1/2 BETTER -- Three and a Half Stars (88 – 90 in Quality/Price Rating terms): -Quinta da Raza Avesso 2022, $22.95 (Christopher Stewart) -Quinta da Raza Gouveio 2021, $28.95 (Christopher Stewart) -Quintas do Homem Vale do Homem Rose 2022, $16.95 (Kolonaki) -Vercoope Via Latina Seco Rose NV -Quinta d'Amares Vinesa Alvarinho 2018 -Quinta da Lixa Colinas do Avesso 2016 -Adega Ponte de Lima Colheita Selecionnada Loureiro 2022 -Quinta do Ameal Loureiro 2021 Lima -A & D Wines Quinta Santa Teresa Avesso Esculpido 2020 -A & D Wines Quinta Santa Teresa Avesso 2022 -3 Rostos Nativo Reserva 2020 -3 Rostos Flor de Linho Alvarinho 2022 -3 Rostos Barrete Padeiro Rose 2022 -3 Rostos Flor de Linho Azal 2022 -3 Rostos Barrete 2022 The Food: The Masterclass attendees each got a large rice bowl with their choice for veggies (bok choy, squash) and/or smoked chicken; the main tasting had a platter of cold cuts and cheeses and assorted veggies and fruits. The Downside: like the Valpolicella tasting I attended last week, the wines all shared the same broad characteristics with some individual qualities. But after awhile it tended to reduce my palate's effectiveness of discernment. The Masterclass thus had great value for me. Good details are at www.vinhoverde.pt The Upside: good food, good wines, good Masterclass seminar. Thanks to Chris Sealy. The Contact Person: andrea@amcc-inc.com The Event’s Marketing Effectiveness and Execution (numerical grade): 92. WORLD WINE WATCH TOP WINES AT VINTAGES: under/over $20 for OCTOBER 21, 2023 release. By DEAN TUDOR, Gothic Epicures Writing deantudor@deantudor.com. My "Wines, Beers and Spirits of the Net", a guide to thousands of news items and RSS feeds, plus references to wines, beers and spirits, has been at https://pages.pathcom.com/~dtudor since 1994. These notes for good wines available through LCBO Vintages (on a bi-weekly basis) can always be found at http://www.gothicepicures.blogspot.ca or at https://pages.pathcom.com/~dtudor No winery can buy their way into – or out of – this publication. Scores are a combination of MVC (Modal Varietal Character, e.g. a Southern Rhone would taste like a Southern Rhone) and QPR (Quality/Price Ratio value in the marketplace above or below its price). MAJOR THEME: PREMIUM CALIFORNIA/GIFTING Wines Under $20 ========= W+232694 SANTA JULIA ORGANIC TORRONTÉS 2022 Mendoza, Argentina $14.95 MVC/QPR: 90. W+30556 JUNIPER CROSSING ORIGINAL WHITE 2021 Margaret River, Western Australia $18.95 MVC/QPR: 89. W+11679 FOGOLAR CHARDONNAY 2018 VQA Niagara Peninsula $19.95 MVC/QPR: 89. W+434472 ORGANIZED CRIME THE MISCHIEF 2021 VQA Beamsville Bench, Niagara Escarpment $19.95 MVC/QPR: 89. W+485334 KEW VINEYARDS MARSANNE 2020 VQA Beamsville Bench, Niagara Escarpment $19.95 MVC/QPR: 93 W+289553 UMANI RONCHI VELLODORO PECORINO 2022 Abruzzo IGT Terre di Chieti $17.95 MVC/QPR: 91. W+31189 FIUZA VERDELHO 2019 Portugal Tejo Estate bottled $11.95 MVC/QPR: 89. W+646067 AVELEDA LOUREIRO 2021 Douro Vegan, DOC Vinho Verde $14.95 MVC/QPR: 89. W+232439 CHATEAU STE. MICHELLE CHARDONNAY 2021Washington Columbia Valley $19.95 MVC/QPR: 90. W+13338 RADFORD DALE VINUM CHENIN BLANC 2022 South Africa Vegan, WO Stellenbosch $19.95 MVC/QPR: 89. R+224592 CHÂTEAU LE GRAND RETOUR PLAN DE DIEU CÔTES DU RHÔNE-VILLAGES 2020 $17.95 MVC/QPR: 89. R+31976 LAS INVERNADAS CABERNET SAUVIGNON 2021 Argentina DO San Juan $15.95 MVC/QPR: 89. R+618348 NORTON D.O.C. MALBEC 2020 Argentina Mendoza Luján de Cuyo, $16.95 MVC/QPR: 89. R+31965 LUIS CORREAS GRAN RESERVA MALBEC 2017 Estate bottled, Mendoza $19.95 MVC/QPR: 89. R+31694 LA ROSELIÈRE CÔTES DU RHÔNE VILLAGES LAUDUN 2020 $18.95 MVC/QPR: 89. R+34070 SZÁSZI BIRTOK BALATON-FELVIDÉKI CABERNET FRANC 2019 Hungary $19.95 MVC/QPR: 89. R+551473 DRUMHELLER CABERNET SAUVIGNON 2018 Washington Columbia Valley $19.95 MVC/QPR: 89. R+388645 ORESTIADI LUDOVICO RISERVA 2017 Sicily IGT Rosso Terre Siciliane $19.95 MVC/QPR: 89. R+32534 PIETRAME EDIZIONE LIMITATA MONTEPULCIANO D'ABRUZZO 2020 Abruzzo DOP Cantina Tollo $17.95 MVC/QPR: 90. R+25257 GUARDA RIOS RED 2020 Portugal Alentejo Vinho Regional Alentejano Monte da Ravasqueira $12.95 MVC/QPR: 89. R+574780 DEMUERTE 2020 Spain Yecla Vegan, DO $19.95 MVC/QPR: 91. R+26329 CIMAL TEMPRANILLO 2019 DO La Mancha Bodegas Bastida $14.95 MVC/QPR: 89. R+13633 OGV OLD GARNACHA VINES 2019 Spain Calatayud DO Calatayud Virgen de la Sierra $16.95 MVC/QPR: 89. Wines Over $20 ========= R+32536 TEZZA VALPANTENA AMARONE DELLA VALPOLICELLA 2016 Veneto DOCG $48.95 MVC/QPR: 89. R+427500 WESTCOTT ESTATE PINOT NOIR 2019 VQA Niagara Escarpment $31.95 MVC/QPR: 90. R+118695 CROSSBARN NAPA VALLEY CABERNET SAUVIGNON 2019 Napa Valley Paul Hobbs Winery $84.95 MVC/QPR: 92. R+21861 MARCHESI DI BAROLO TRADIZIONE BAROLO AND BARBARESCO 2018 Two bottles in wooden gift box, DOCG, Piedmont 1500ml $124.95 MVC/QPR: 89. R+187369 REMO FARINA AMARONE DELLA VALPOLICELLA CLASSICO 2020 In wooden gift box, DOC, Veneto 1500ml $99.95 MVC/QPR: 89. R+384578 REMO FARINA AMARONE DELLA VALPOLICELLA AND VALPOLICELLA RIPASSO 2020 Two bottles in wooden gift box, Veneto 1500ml $84.95 MVC/QPR: 89. R+668707 MORANDE GRAN RESERVA CABERNET SAUVIGNON 2020 Sustainable, single vineyard, DO Valle del Maipo $21.95 MVC/QPR: 90. R+155408 MARCHESI DI BAROLO BARBARESCO 2019 Piedmont DOCG $39.95 MVC/QPR: 89. R+213132 LA PIEVE BAROLO 2019 Piedmont DOCG $39.95 MVC/QPR: 89. R+216309 CAVALIERE D'ORO RISERVA CHIANTI CLASSICO 2018 Tuscany DOCG Castello di Gabbiano $24.95 MVC/QPR: 89. R+14999 TENUTE FALEZZA VALPOLICELLA RIPASSO SUPERIORE 2019 Veneto DOC $22.95 MVC/QPR: 89. R+903237 GRGICH HILLS ESTATE GROWN ZINFANDEL 2018 Napa Valley $58.95 MVC/QPR: 91. R+71407 GRGICH HILLS ESTATE GROWN CABERNET SAUVIGNON 2018 Napa Valley $109.95 R+119081 PAUL HOBBS RUSSIAN RIVER VALLEY PINOT NOIR 2020 Sonoma County $95.95 MVC/QPR: 91. LIMITED TIME OFFERS: Some Recommended Wines from the LCBO’s Limited Time Offers selections...these are good value...on sale through Sunday November 5: Fizz+213983 Cave Spring Blanc de Blancs Brut Sparkling VQA Trad Method, now $29.95, save $3 Fizz+395384 Luc Belaire Rare Rose Sparkling France, now $37.95, save $3 W+31667 Alta-Yari Gran Torrontes Mendoza Arg, now $24.95, save $3 W+962886 La Crema Sonoma Coast Chardonnay, now $32.95, save $3 R+352583 Beringer Knights Valley Cabernet Sauvignon Sonoma, now $49.95, save $5 R+177295 Rivera Il Falcone Riserva Castel del Monte Puglia, now $23.95, save $3 R+652883 Belle Glos Clark & Telephone Pinot Noir Santa Barbara, now $54.95, save $5 R+954834 Rodney Strong Estate Russian River Valley Pinot Noir, now $26.95, save $3 R+353201 Ruffino Riserva Ducale Oro Gran Selezione Chianti Classico, now $49.95, save $3 R+303800 Trius Red VQA Niagara, now $24.95, save $3 R+225086 Umberto Cesari Liano Sangiovese/Cab Sauvignon Emilia-Romagna, now $24.95, save $5 Fizz Splureg+25903 Gosset Grande Reserve Brut Champagne, now $76.80, save $9 ** Some New Wines I Tasted Over the Past Season --- REPORT ON THE VINI VALPOLICELLA RETURNS trade tasting, June 2023... The Date and Time: Thursday June 15, 2023 1PM to 4PM The Event: Vini Valpolicella Returns The Venue: Chelsea Hotel The Target Audience: wine trade and wine media The Availability/Catalogue: as a small show, it was economical to produce a paper catalogue for 14 wineries and 70 wines. The Quote/Background: Just about every producer here had three levels: superiore and/or classico; ripasso; and amarone and/or recioto. In the region there are 2251 grape growers, six co-ops, and 344 bottlers. 73.6 million bottles happened in 2021 (61% exported), with a quarter of them being Amarone and another half being Ripasso. The Wines: I did not try every wine. I concentrated on Amarone and some Ripassos. I was feeling palate fatigue towards the end because many of these wines were very similar in their approaches. **** BEST -- Four Stars (91+ in Quality/Price Rating terms): -Cantine di Verona Valpolicella DOC Superiore 2015 Brolo dei Giusti 14.5%ABV Majestic -Cantine di Verona Valpolicella Ripasso DOC Valpantena 2019 Ritocco 13.5%ABV Majestic -Casalforte Valpolicella Ripasso DOC 2020 13.5%ABV Azureau -Corte Figaretto Amarone della Valpolicella DOCG Valpantena 2018 Brolo del Figaretto 16.5%ABV Colio Estate -Corte Forte Amarone della Valpolicella DOPCG Classico 2016 Terre de San Zeno 15.5%ABV -Costa Arente Amarone della Valpolicella DICG Valpantena 2017 17%ABV $107 consignment Independent Wine Company Wines -Ilatium Morini Valpolicella DOC Superiore 2017 Prognai 15%ABV -Ilatium Morini Amarone della Valpolicella 2018 DOCG Leon 16.5%ABV -Massimago Amarone della Valpolicella DOCG 2018 Conte Gastone 16%ABV The Living Vine -Rocca Sveva Cadis 1898 Amarone della Valpolicella DOCG Riserva 2016 Rocca Sveva 15%ABV -Sartori di Verona Amarone della Valpolicella DOCG 2019 15%ABV Univins -Sartori di Verona Amarone della Valpolicella DOCG Riserva 2015 15.5%ABV $69.95 LCBO ***1/2 BETTER -- Three and a Half Stars (88 – 90 in Quality/Price Rating terms): -Cantine di Verona Valpolicella Ripasso DOC Superiore 2018 Torre del Falasco 14%ABV -Casalforte Amarone della Valpolicella DOCG 2019 15%ABV $39.95 Azureau -Monte Zovo Famiglia Cottini Amarone della Valpolicella DOCG 2020 Villa Annaberta 15%ABV $40 Dionysus -Rocca Sveva Cadis 1898 Valpolicella Ripasso DOC Superiore 2017 Rocca Sveva 14%ABV -Rocca Sveva Cadis 1898 Amarone della Valpolicella DOCG 2019 Cantina di Illasi 14.5%ABV -Tinazzi Amarone della Valpolicella DOCG 2018 La Bastia Ca' de' Rocchi 15%ABV Vinoluna -Valentina Cubi Valpolicella Ripasso DOC Classico Superiore 2018 Arusnatico 14%ABV -Valentina Cubi Amarone della Valpolicella DOCG 2013 Morar 16%ABV The Food: cheese and biscuits, strawberries. The Downside: it was a small room, and got crowded really fast. The Upside: a chance to taste a range of Valpolicella in its different formats. The Contact Person: judith@townhallbrands.com; lisa@androscom.com The Event’s Marketing Effectiveness and Execution (numerical grade): 89 WORLD WINE WATCH TOP WINES AT VINTAGES: under/over $20 for OCTOBER 7, 2023 release. By DEAN TUDOR, Gothic Epicures Writing deantudor@deantudor.com. My "Wines, Beers and Spirits of the Net", a guide to thousands of news items and RSS feeds, plus references to wines, beers and spirits, has been at https://pages.pathcom.com/~dtudor since 1994. These notes for good wines available through LCBO Vintages (on a bi-weekly basis) can always be found at http://www.gothicepicures.blogspot.ca or at https://pages.pathcom.com/~dtudor No winery can buy their way into – or out of – this publication. Scores are a combination of MVC (Modal Varietal Character, e.g. a Southern Rhone would taste like a Southern Rhone) and QPR (Quality/Price Ratio value in the marketplace above or below its price). MAJOR THEME: CLASSIC EURO WINES Wines Under $20 ========= Fizz+422683 TOMMASI FILODORA BRUT PROSECCO $19.95 MVC/QPR: 89 Fizz+515254 VILARNAU BARCELONA RESERVA BRUT ORGANIC CAVA Penedès Traditional method, DO, Spain $15.95 MVC/QPR: 89 W+89011 FEATHERSTONE SAUVIGNON BLANC 2022 Vegan, VQA Niagara Peninsula $17.95 MVC/QPR: 91 W+32024 COLIO RESERVE CHARDONNAY 2020 Graveyard Vineyard, VQA Niagara Lakeshore $19.95 MVC/QPR: 92 W+35299 VIENI RIESLING 2021 VQA Vinemount Ridge, Niagara Peninsula $17.95 MVC/QPR: 89 R+34258 MASTRONARDI MERLOT CABERNET 2021 VQA Ontario $18.95 MVC/QPR: 89 R+186114 JIP JIP ROCKS SHIRAZ/CABERNET 2021 Single vineyard, Padthaway, South Australia $17.95 MVC/QPR: 89 R+906073 FAMILLE PERRIN LA GILLE GIGONDAS 2020 Rhone $32.95 MVC/QPR: 89 R+143099 MAS DES BRESSADES CUVÉE TRADITION 2020 Rhône Costières de Nîmes $17.95 MVC/QPR: 90 R+561290 LOUIS BERNARD LOUIS CÔTES DU RHÔNE-VILLAGES 2020 Rhône $16.95 MVC/QPR: 89 R+460170 SANTA RITA MEDALLA REAL GRAN RESERVA CABERNET SAUVIGNON 2021 Chile Maipo Valley $18.95 MVC/QPR: 89 Wines Over $20 ========= W+ 369850 KIM CRAWFORD PINOT GRIS 2021 New Zealand Marlborough, South Island $21.95 MVC/QPR: 89 W+415901 CAVE SPRING SELECT LATE HARVEST RIESLING 2017 Estate grown, VQA Lincoln Lakeshore, Niagara Peninsula $24.95 MVC/QPR: 90 W+20455 LE CLOS JORDANNE JORDAN VILLAGE CHARDONNAY 2020 VQA Niagara Peninsula $29.95 MVC/QPR: 91 R+265074 CLOSSON CHASE CHURCHSIDE PINOT NOIR 2021 Vegan, unfiltered, VQA Prince Edward County $45.00 MVC/QPR: 89 R+33994 BACHELDER WISMER-FOXCROFT 33% WHOLE CLUSTER CRU GAMAY NOIR 2020 Single vineyard, VQA Twenty Mile Bench, Niagara Escarpment $29.95 MVC/QPR: 89 R+361246 AUNTSFIELD SINGLE VINEYARD PINOT NOIR 2021 New Zealand Marlborough Southern Valleys, South Island $34.95 MVC/QPR: 89 R+33922 PRÉLUDE À GRAND-PUY DUCASSE 2015 Second wine of Ch. Grand-Puy Ducasse, AC Pauillac $59.95 MVC/QPR: 89 R+33009 GASSIER FLEUR DE SYRAH 2021 Rhône Costières de Nîmes $22.95 MVC/QPR: 89 R+32533 DONNA FUGATA DEA VULCANO 2020 Sicily DOC Etna Rosso $29.95 MVC/QPR: 89 R+503904 CHÂTEAU CLARKE 2016 Listrac-Médoc $54.95 MVC/QPR: 92 R+117960 CREEKSIDE LAURA'S RED 2018 VQA Niagara Peninsula $25 MVC/QPR: 89 R+937128 FORIS ROGUE VALLEY PINOT NOIR 2021 Oregon Estate grown $26.95 MVC/QPR: 89 LIMITED TIME OFFERS: Some Recommended Wines from the LCBO’s Limited Time Offers selections...these are good value...on sale through Sunday October 8... W+250699 Banfi Principessa Gavia Gavi Piedmont, now $19.95, save $3. W+326728 Oyster Bay Chardonnay Marlborough NZ, now $18.95, save $3 W+24133 Thirty Bench Winemaker's Blend Riesling Beamsville VQA, now $18.95, save $3 R+167189 Dandelion Vineyards Lionheart of the Barossa Shiraz, now $20.95, save $3 R+63891 Emiliana Coyam Organic Red Blend Colchagua Chile, now $31.95, save $3 R+322586 Montes Alpha Cabernet Sauvignon Colchagua Chile, now $19.95, save $3 R+590414 Oyster Bay Pinot Noir Marlborough NZ, now $19.95, save $3 Note: The following LTOs are on sale from Oct 9 through Nov 5: Fizz+213983 Cave Spring Blanc de Blancs Brut Sparkling VQA Trad Method, now $29.95, save $3 Fizz+395384 Luc Belaire Rare Rose Sparkling France, now $37.95, save $3 W+31667 Alta-Yari Gran Torrontes Mendoza Arg, now $24.95, save $3 W+962886 La Crema Sonoma Coast Chardonnay, now $32.95, save $3 R+352583 Beringer Knights Valley Cabernet Sauvignon Sonoma, now $49.95, save $5 R+177295 Rivera Il Falcone Riserva Castel del Monte Puglia, now $23.95, save $3 R+652883 Belle Glos Clark & Telephone Pinot Noir Santa Barbara, now $54.95, save $5 R+954834 Rodney Strong Estate Russian River Valley Pinot Noir, now $26.95, save $3 R+353201 Ruffino Riserva Ducale Oro Gran Selezione Chianti Classico, now $49.95, save $3 R+303800 Trius Red VQA Niagara, now $24.95, save $3 R+225086 Umberto Cesari Liano Sangiovese/Cab Sauvignon Emilia-Romagna, now $24.95, save $5 ** Some New Wines I Tasted Over the Past Season --- REPORT ON THE 2023 NORTHWEST WINE EXPEDITION trade tasting [OREGON & WASHINGTON STATE] The Date and Time: Monday June 12 Noon-4P The Event: 2023 Northwest Wine Expedition Trade Tasting: Oregon and Washington The Venue: The Globe and Mail Centre, 17th floor The Target Audience: wine trade and wine media The Availability/Catalogue: paperless through BottleBooks, which listed very few prices beyond a range from “$$ to $$$$$” The Quote/Background: The Wines: I tasted mainly Chardonnays and a few other interesting white, rose and sparkling wines. **** BEST -- Four Stars (91+ in Quality/Price Rating terms): -A to Z Wineworks Bubbles NV -Adelsheim Chardonnay 2020 -Adelsheim Chardonnay Staking Claim 2019 -Angela Vineyards Chardonnay Willamette 2019 -Chateau Ste Michelle Canoe Ridge Estate Horse Heaven Hills 2021 -Citation Oregon Chardonnay 2015 -Cristom Vineyards Eola Amity Hills Chardonnay 2021 $59 -Milbrandt Estates Chardonnay 2019 -Milbrandt Family Chardonnay 2020 -Sokol Blosser Bluebird Cuvee Brut Sparkling 2020 -Traveri Cellars Blanc de Blancs Brut Zero Dosage NV -Traveri Cellars Blanc de Noir Brut NV -Troon Vineyard Biodynamic White Blend Kubli Beach Applegate Valley Oregon 2021 [marsanne, roussanne, vermentino] -Valdemar Estates Columbia Valley Chardonnay 2021 $65 -Valley View Winery Domaine Rogue “Quercia” Chardonnay Applegate Valley 2021 ***1/2 BETTER -- Three and a Half Stars (88 – 90 in Quality/Price Rating terms): -A to Z Wineworks Chardonnay Oregon 2021 -Airfield Estates Chardonnay 2021 -Brittan Vineyards Chardonnay 2021 -Centerstone Willamette Valley Un-Oaked Chardonnay 2018 -Chateau Ste Michelle Columbia Valley Chardonnay 2021 -Domaine Drouhin Oregon Arthur Chardonnay 2021 -Erath Winery Oregon Pinot Noir Rose 2021 -Evolution White 2021 -Evolution Willamette Valley Chardonnay 2021 -Foris Vineyards Chardonnay 2021 -L'Ecole No 41 Chenin Blanc Old Vines Yakima Valley 2022 -Pike Road Willamette Valley Chardonnay 2021 -Pomum Cellars Idilico Albarino 2022 -Rex Hill Seven Soils Chardonnay 2019 -Stoller Family Estate Dundee Hills Chardonnay 2021 -Traveri Cellars Blanc de Blancs NV -Traveri Cellars Rose NV -Valley View Winery Viognier 2019 The Food: there were enormous cheeseboards from the Cheese Boutique with an assortment of salumni and cold cuts, pre-cut cheeses (including a dynamite truffle cheese), strawberries, blackberries, veggie platters (crudites and cooked/pickled/grilled). The Downside: the media room was only available for a few people. The Upside: a good selection of wines and producers, interesting conversations. The Contact Person: kelly@predhomme.ca The Event’s Marketing Effectiveness and Execution (numerical grade): 85 WORLD WINE WATCH TOP WINES AT VINTAGES: under/over $20 for SEPTEMBER 23, 2023 release. By DEAN TUDOR, Gothic Epicures Writing deantudor@deantudor.com. My "Wines, Beers and Spirits of the Net", a guide to thousands of news items and RSS feeds, plus references to wines, beers and spirits, has been at https://pages.pathcom.com/~dtudor since 1994. These notes for good wines available through LCBO Vintages (on a bi-weekly basis) can always be found at http://www.gothicepicures.blogspot.ca or at https://pages.pathcom.com/~dtudor No winery can buy their way into – or out of – this publication. Scores are a combination of MVC (Modal Varietal Character, e.g. a Southern Rhone would taste like a Southern Rhone) and QPR (Quality/Price Ratio value in the marketplace above or below its price). MAJOR THEME: HIGH SCORES & THANKSGIVING WINES Wines Under $20 ========= Fizz+32214 LA GIOIOSA ET AMOROSA BRUT PROSECCO DOC Treviso $16.95, MVC/QPR: 89 W+389262 ZUCCARDI SERIE A TORRONTÉS 2022 Argentina $17.95 MVC/QPR: 89 W+518357 SIDEWOOD SAUVIGNON BLANC 2021 Adelaide Hills, South Australia $18.95 MVC/QPR: 89 W+14031 DOMAINE LES SALICES VIOGNIER 2021 IGP Pays d'Oc $16.95 MVC/QPR: 89 W+30099 CHÂTEAU LA PERRIERE MUSCADET SUR LIE 2021 Loire AC $14.95 MVC/QPR: 90 R+336313 GUADALUPE RED 2020 Vinho Regional Alentejano $14.95 MVC/QPR: 89 R+30586 NAVASCUÉS ENOLOGÍA CUTIO GARNACHA 2019 DO Cariñena $16.95 MVC/QPR: 89 R+30224 OLARRA CERRO AÑÓN CRIANZA 2019 DOCa Rioja $14.95 MVC/QPR: 90 R+35446 CABRAL RESERVA 2020 DOC Douro $14.95 MVC/QPR: 89 R+365973 STONECAP CABERNET SAUVIGNON 2019 Washington Columbia Valley $18.95 MVC/QPR: 89 R+14123 CALITERRA TRIBUTO SYRAH 2021 Colchagua Valley Vegan, single vineyard, DO Valle de Colchagua $17.95 MVC/QPR: 89 R+30994 CONCHA Y TORO CASILLERO DEL DIABLO RESERVA ESPECIAL CABERNET SAUVIGNON 2021 Valle del Maule $17.95 MVC/QPR: 90 R+476002 LUNGAROTTI L'U UMBRIA ROSSO 2020 Umbria IGT $19.95 MVC/QPR: 89 Wines Over $20 Fizz+624775 MONMARTHE SECRET DE FAMILLE 1ER CRU BRUT CHAMPAGNE $52.95 MVC/QPR: 89 Fortified+21813 POÇAS COLHEITA PORT 2010 Douro Aged in cask, DOC $38.95 MVC/QPR: 93 W+663286 AUNTSFIELD SINGLE VINEYARD SAUVIGNON BLANC 2022 Sustainable, Southern Valleys, Marlborough, South Island $22.95 95 MVC/QPR: 89 W+346304 GRGICH HILLS ESTATE GROWN CHARDONNAY 2019 Napa Valley $78.95 MVC/QPR: 91 W+149302 FEATHERSTONE CANADIAN OAK CHARDONNAY 2021 VQA Ontario $24.95 MVC/QPR: 92 R+29831 DOMAINE DE LA BOURONIÈRE FLEURIE 2019 Beaujolais AC Fleurie $21.95 MVC/QPR: 89 R+32520 FILI D'ERBA NERO DI TROIA 2019 IGT Puglia $20.95 MVC/QPR: 89 R+274753 HIDDEN BENCH PINOT NOIR 2021 VQA Beamsville Bench, Niagara Escarpment $37.95 MVC/QPR: 89. R+553313 MISSION HILL RESERVE MERLOT 2021 BC VQA Okanagan Valley $31.95 MVC/QPR: 89 R+973453 FAMILLE PERRIN LES CHRISTINS VACQUEYRAS 2020 Rhône AC $25.95 MVC/QPR: 89 R+643205 CASTELLI DEL GREVEPESA CLEMENTE VII RISERVA CHIANTI CLASSICO 2018 Tuscany Sustainable, DOCG $24.95 MVC/QPR: 89 R+384271 CHÂTEAU MAGNOL 2018 Bordeaux Sustainable, vegan, AC Haut-Médoc $26.95 MVC/QPR: 89 LIMITED TIME OFFERS: Some Recommended Wines from the LCBO’s Limited Time Offers selections...these are good value...on sale through Sunday October 8... W+250699 Banfi Principessa Gavia Gavi Piedmont, now $19.95, save $3. W+326728 Oyster Bay Chardonnay Marlborough NZ, now $18.95, save $3 W+24133 Thirty Bench Winemaker's Blend Riesling Beamsville VQA, now $18.95, save $3 R+167189 Dandelion Vineyards Lionheart of the Barossa Shiraz, now $20.95, save $3 R+63891 Emiliana Coyam Organic Red Blend Colchagua Chile, now $31.95, save $3 R+322586 Montes Alpha Cabernet Sauvignon Colchagua Chile, now $19.95, save $3 R+590414 Oyster Bay Pinot Noir Marlborough NZ, now $19.95, save $3 ** Some New Wines I Tasted Over the Past Season --- REPORT ON THE GAMBERO ROSSO ANNUAL TRE BICHHIERI trade tasting, June, 2023... The Event: Gambero Rosso Annual Tre Bicchieri Walk Around Tasting The Venue: Liberty Grand Entertainment Complex The Target Audience: wine trade and wine media The Availability/Catalogue: once again, the catalogue was up in the cloud and had to be downloaded. The Quote/Background: There was a masterclass from the Consorzio Tutela Vini d'Abruzzo on Cerasuolo Rose, based on Montepulciano d'Abruzzo grapes. We tasted six wines, and the results are noted below. All the wines were under cork, and ranged in price in Italy as 8 – 15 Euros each retail. And they were all small lot bottlings. In the grand hall, 48 wineries in all participated this year in Toronto. The Wines: I did not taste all the wines, going after the sparkling, the whites, and the roses plus some reds. **** BEST -- Four Stars (91+ in Quality/Price Rating terms): -Barone Pizzini Franciacortia Brut Golf 1927 NV -Barone Pizzini Franciacortia Xtra Brut Rose 2018 -Zenato Lugana San Benedetto 2022 -Terzini Cerasuolo d'Abruzzo DOP 2022, hot finish at 14%ABV -Buccicatino Fatt Cerasuolo d'Abruzzo DOP 2022, 13%ABV -Velenosi Cerasuolo d'Abruzzo DOC Prope 2022, 13.5%ABV [my fave, savoury gamey tones] -Tenuta Secolo IX Cerasuolo d'Abruzzo DOC 2022, 13.5%ABV -Planeta Chardonnay 2021 Sicily (Vintages July 8) $54.95 -Terzini Pecorino IGT 2022 Abruzzo -Cusumano Noa 2019 Sicily $31.95 -Allegrini Amarone della Valpolicella Classico 2019 $104 -Masi Amarone della Valpolicella Classico Costasera Riserva 2017 -Lamole di Lamoe Chianti Gran Selezione Vigna Grospoli 2019 -Castello Vichimaggio FSM Vigna Piggarso 2018 $69.85 -Torrevento Castel del Monte Rosso Vigna Pedale Riserva 2016 Puglia -Famiglia Cecchi Chianti Classico Gran Selezione Villa Rosa 2018 -Tenute del Cerro Vino Nobile di Montepulciano 2019 Tuscany -Sorelle Bronca Valdobbiadene Rive di Rua Brut Particella 181 2021 Prosecco -Sorelle Bronca Valdobbiadene Rive di Rua Brut NV Prosecco -Monviert FCO Ribolla Gialla Riserva 2019 Friuli Venezia Giulia -Cantina Tollo Peco IGP Pecorino Terre di Chieti 2022 -Infinitum Primativo Rosada $15.95 -Panizzi Vernacia de San Gimignano DOCG 2017 ***1/2 BETTER -- Three and a Half Stars (88 – 90 in Quality/Price Rating terms): -Sorelle Bronca Valdobbiadene Rive di Rua Brut Rose 2022 -Jasci & Marchesani Cerasuolo d'Abruzzo DOC 2022, 12.5%ABV -Jasci & Marchesani Pecorino IGT 2022 Abruzzo -Famiglia de Cerchio Cerasuolo d'Abruzzo DOC Passo Sacro 2022, 13%ABV -Ferrari Brut -Dievole Chianti Gran Selezione 2018 -San Marzano Edda $27.95 -Fortemasso Barolo Castelletto Riserva 2016 -Castello di Meleto Chianti Classico Gran Selezione V. Poggiarso 2018 $55 -Planeta Maroccoli 2018 Sicily $ 49.95 (Vintages Oct 7) -Tornatore Etna Bianco 2021 Sicily $37.50 (Noble Estates) -Tornatore Etna Rosso 2021 Sicily $33 (Noble Estates) -Italo Cescon Pinot Grigio 2022 -Tenuta Borgo Conventi Collio Bianco Luna di Ponca 2019 Friuli Venezia Giulia The Food: servers came around with platters of diverse appetizers, including lamb and veggies, beef, meatballs, bruschetta, mushroom pizza, arancini. The Contact Person: gamberorossocanada@sogood.it The Event’s Marketing Effectiveness and Execution (numerical grade): 89 WORLD WINE WATCH TOP WINES AT VINTAGES: under/over $20 for SEPTEMBER 9, 2023 release. By DEAN TUDOR, Gothic Epicures Writing deantudor@deantudor.com. My "Wines, Beers and Spirits of the Net", a guide to thousands of news items and RSS feeds, plus references to wines, beers and spirits, has been at https://pages.pathcom.com/~dtudor since 1994. These notes for good wines available through LCBO Vintages (on a bi-weekly basis) can always be found at http://www.gothicepicures.blogspot.ca or at https://pages.pathcom.com/~dtudor No winery can buy their way into – or out of – this publication. Scores are a combination of MVC (Modal Varietal Character, e.g. a Southern Rhone would taste like a Southern Rhone) and QPR (Quality/Price Ratio value in the marketplace above or below its price). MAJOR THEME: Ontario Wines Wines Under $20 Rose+117861 FEATHERSTONE ROSÉ 2022 VQA Niagara Peninsula $16.95 MVC/QPR: 91 W+388363 HÃHÃ SAUVIGNON BLANC 2022 New Zealand Marlborough, South Island $19.95 MVC/QPR: 89 W+17703 LITORALE VAL DELLE ROSE VERMENTINO 2022 Italy Tuscany DOC Maremma Toscana $18.95 MVC/QPR: 89 R+492470 VINEDRESSERS CABERNET SAUVIGNON/PETIT VERDOT 2016 VQA South Islands, Lake Erie North Shore $19.95 MVC/QPR: 88 R+443374 RUSTENBERG STELLENBOSCH CABERNET SAUVIGNON 2019 South Africa WO Stellenbosch $19.95 MVC/QPR: 89 R+30134 CHÂTEAU DE GOURGAZAUD CUVÉE MORGANE MINERVOIS 2020 Languedoc AP $14.95 MVC/QPR: 89. Wines Over $20 Fizz+28978 KEW VINEYARDS CHARDONNAY CUVÉE SPARKLING 2016 Traditional method, VQA Niagara Peninsula, Ontario $23.95 MVC/QPR: 94 [my FAVE, best choice] Fizz+175588 GRAHAM BECK MÉTHODE CAP CLASSIQUE BRUT PINOT NOIR/CHARDONNAY ROSÉ SPARKLING South Africa Traditional method, WO Western Cape, $24.95 MVC/QPR: 89 Fizz+32212 GARDET BRUT RÉSERVE 1ER CRU CHAMPAGNE $54.95 MVC/QPR: 90 W+669531 MICHEL GASSIER EMBRUNS DE VIOGNIER 2022 Languedoc IGP Pays d'Oc $21.95 MVC/QPR: 89 W+183491 HIDDEN BENCH ESTATE RIESLING 2019 VQA Beamsville Bench, Niagara Escarpment $24.95 MVC/QPR: 91 W+269258 A TO Z WINEWORKS CHARDONNAY 2022 Oregon $24.95 MVC/QPR: 89 W+38117 VINELAND ESTATES ELEVATION ST. URBAN VINEYARD RIESLING St. Urban Vineyard, VQA Niagara Escarpment $22.95 MVC/QPR: 89 R+33894 LE CLOS JORDANNE JORDAN VILLAGE PINOT NOIR 2020 VQA Niagara Peninsula $29.95 MVC/QPR: 89 R+523001 CAVE SPRING ESTATE GROWN CABERNET FRANC 2021 Cave Spring Vineyard, VQA Beamsville Bench, Niagara Escarpment $20.95 MVC/QPR: 89 R+634881 NEDERBURG THE BREW MASTER 2019 South Africa WO Western Cape $26.95 MVC/QPR: 90 R+32491 PIO CESARE NEBBIOLO 2020 Italy Piedmont DOC Langhe $44.95 MVC/QPR: 89 R+586388 MICHELE CHIARLO TORTONIANO BAROLO 2018 Piedmont DOCG $49.95 MVC/QPR: 89 R+10360 FRESCOBALDI TENUTA PERANO CHIANTI CLASSICO 2018 Tuscany DOCG $24.95 MVC/QPR: 89 R+922054 TENUTE SILVIO NARDI BRUNELLO DI MONTALCINO 2017 Tuscany DOCG $52.95 MVC/QPR: 89. LIMITED TIME OFFERS: Some Recommended Wines from the LCBO's Limited Time Offers selections...these  are good value...on sale  Sept 10 through Saturday October 7.: W+250699 Banfi Principessa Gavia Gavi Piedmont, now $19.95, save $3. W+326728 Oyster Bay Chardonnay Marlborough NZ, now $18.95, save $3 W+24133 Thirty Bench Winemaker's Blend Riesling Beamsville VQA, now $18.95, save $3 R+167189 Dandelion Vineyards Lionheart of the Barossa Shiraz, now $20.95, save $3 R+63891 Emiliana Coyam Organic Red Blend Colchagua Chile, now $31.95, save $3 R+322586 Montes Alpha Cabernet Sauvignon Colchagua Chile, now $19.95, save $3 R+590414 Oyster Bay Pinot Noir Marlborough NZ, now $19.95, save $3 ** Some New Wines I Tasted Over the Past Season --- REPORT ON THE WINES OF PORTUGAL trade show, June 2023... The Event: Wines of Portugal: food & wine experience in Toronto The Venue: ROM The Target Audience: wine trade The Availability/Catalogue: it was a full book of some 60 pages, containing 32 wineries and over 300 wines. There was a description of the ten most widely used grape varieties (out of 250 grape varieties in total) plus some indices. The table numbers ran in accord with the page numbers of the producers in the book. Each entry had full contact deets of addresses, phone numbers, agents, local names, and the like (plus a small map indicating regions). Each wine was listed by name, with year, region, and grapes. Prices were not available. The Quote/Background: the book was excellent, except for the lack of prices. The Wines: I did not taste all the wines, missing most of the reds. Agents are listed in parentheses. **** BEST -- Four Stars (91+ in Quality/Price Rating terms): -Vicente Faria Vinhos Animus 2022 Vinho Verde -Soito Encruzado Reserva 2021 -Niepoort Redoma Reserva Branco 2021 Douro $61 (Le Sommelier) -Azores Wine Co. Arinto dos Acores 2018 and 2021 $60 (Le Sommelier) -Sao Luiz Winemakers Collection Folgazao & Rabigato Branco 2018 Douro (Wineworld) -Sogevinus Veedha 2020 Red Douro +31197 LCBO $15.95 (Amethyst) -FitaPreta Palpite Branco Reserva 2021 $44 VR Alentejano (Le Sommelier) -Macanita Vinhos Tinto Reserva 2020 $45 Douro (Le Sommelier) -Quinta do Mondego Branco 2019 -Quinta do Mondego Munda Encruzado Branco 2020 -J.Portugal Ramos Family Duorum Colheita Branco 2021 (Sylvestre) -Cartuxa EA Bio 2021 (FWP Trading) -Casa Relvas Herdade Sao Miguel Colheita Seleccionada Branco 2022 -Casa Relvas DOC Vidigueira Branco 2022 -Boas Quintas Opta Dao Encurzado 2022 -Adega de Cantanhede Marques de Marialva Arinto Branco Reserva 2021 -Adega de Cantanhede Marques de Marialva Colheita Seleccionada Branco 2021 -Adega de Cantanhede Marques de Marialva Baga Blanc de Noir Cuvee Brut 2014 [my fave] ***1/2 BETTER -- Three and a Half Stars (88 – 90 in Quality/Price Rating terms): -Obra Prime 2022 Vinho Verde (Perigon beverage) -Soito Espumante Blanc de Noirs 2019 -Adega de Cantanhede Marques de Marialva Baga Blanc de Noirs Brut NV -Adega de Cantanhede Marques de Marialva Blanc de Blancs Brut NV -Adega de Cantanhede Marques de Marialva Baga Rose Brut NV -Enoport Caves Velhas Romeira Chardonnay 2020 Lisboa -Enoport Cabeca de Toiro Reserva 2022 Tejo -Quinta do Casal Branco Falcoaria Colheita Tardia 2016 Tejo [late harvest] -Sao Luiz Branco 2022 Douro (Wineworld) -Sao Luiz Reserva Branco 2021 Douro (Wineworld) -Dialogo Branco Snow 2021 Douro, $19 (Le Sommelier) -Dialogo Tinto 2021 Douro, $21 (Le Sommelier) -NAT'Cool! Primata 2021 Douro $29 1 litre (Le Sommelier) -Drink Me Nat'Cool Dao 2020 Red $23 l litre (Le Sommelier) -Fresh from Amphora Nat Cool Branco 2022 (Azureau) -Falua Reserva Branco 2020 -Churchills Estates Grafite Douro Branco 2021 -Casa Santos Lima Blend Portugal Branco 2022 Lisboa -Boas Quintas Gandarada Encurzado Branco 2022 -Boas Quintas Fonte do Ouro Branco 2022 The Food: there was a paid event coming up in the evening starting at 6, so we were treated to some awesome food in the afternoon – Four chefs provided excellent samples, in addition to the charcuterie (nice to have smoked duck breast back again) and cheese platters. -Chef Manuel Vilela (Chiado) gave us some fresh pan-seared cod and porcini, on a bed of lemon risotto; -Chef Dave Junek (Salt) gave us a large wagyu slider with chimichurri aioli with a side manchego-jambon croquette; -Chef Martine Bauer (Restaurant Pompette) presented us with a chicken and duxelles vol- au-vent AND a salmon citrus gravlax. -Chef Rafael Covarrubias (Hexagon in Oakville) gave us a scallop crudo with buttermilk, melon and tarragon and jalapeno, PLUS a salted cod empanada, preserved tomato, nduja, and preserved lemon. The Downside: it got crowded really fast after the masterclass finished, further antagonized by low lighting from the ceiling. The Upside: quality food matching quality wine samples. The Contact Person: www.winesofportugal.com; marketing@viniportugal.pt; Lumir JARDAK The Event’s Marketing Effectiveness and Execution (numerical grade): 94 WORLD WINE WATCH TOP WINES AT VINTAGES: under/over $20 for AUGUST 19, 2023 release. By DEAN TUDOR, Gothic Epicures Writing deantudor@deantudor.com. My "Wines, Beers and Spirits of the Net", a guide to thousands of news items and RSS feeds, plus references to wines, beers and spirits, has been at https://pages.pathcom.com/~dtudor since 1994. These notes for good wines available through LCBO Vintages (on a bi-weekly basis) can always be found at http://www.gothicepicures.blogspot.ca or at https://pages.pathcom.com/~dtudor No winery can buy their way into – or out of – this publication. Scores are a combination of MVC (Modal Varietal Character, e.g. a Southern Rhone would taste like a Southern Rhone) and QPR (Quality/Price Ratio value in the marketplace above or below its price). MAJOR THEME: SMART SUMMER BUYS (the August version of the first January release) Wines Under $20 =============== Rose+172643 Tawse Sketches of Niagara Rose 2022 VQA Niagara $18.95 MVC/QPR: 90. W+519025 Featherstone Phoenix 2022 VQA Niagara $18.95 MVC/QPR: 90. W+370098 Paul Mas Single Vineyard Reserve Viognier 2021 Languedoc $16.95 MVC/QPR: 89. W+499509 Famille Perrin Reserve Cotes du Rhone Blanc 2022 $17.95 MVC/QPR: 89. W+10020 HaHa Hawke's Bay Chardonnay 2021 New Zealand $19.95 MVC/QPR: 89. W+958736 Muga Barrel Fermented White 2021 Rioja $19.95 MVC/QPR: 89. W+31664 Tilia Chardonnay 2022 Argentina $15.95 MVC/QPR: 88. R+403345 Tapiz Alta San Pablo Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon 2020 Argentina $19.95 MVC/QPR: 89. R+11851 Creekside Red Tractor Cabernet/Merlot 2020 VQA Niagara $17.95 MVC/QPR: 89. R+648477 Cave du Chateau de Chenas Coeur de Granit Moulin-a-Vent 2020 $19.95 MVC/QPR: 89. Wines Over $20 ============== Fizz+401018 Laboure-Gontard Brut Cremant de Bourgogne NV $21.95 MVC/QPR: 91. W+523845 Charles Baker B-Side Riesling 2020 VQA Niagara $24.95 MVC/QPR: 91. W+33226 Santo Wines 1911 Santorini Nykteri 2021 Greece $39.95 MVC/QPR: 90. W+544312 Foris Pinot Gris 2021 Oregon $22.95 MVC/QPR: 90. W+29829 Terres Secretes Les Sentinelles Macon-Villages 2020 $21.95 MVC/QPR: 89. W+667212 Nederburg The Anchorman Chenin Blanc 2021 South Africa $24.95 MVC/QPR: 89. R+261784 Papale Linea Oro Primitivo di Manduria 2019 Puglia $25.95 MVC/QPR: 91. R+28837 Clarence Dillon Clarendelle Red 2016 Bordeaux $23.95 MVC/QPR: 90. R+239277 Montecillo Gran Reserva 2011 Rioja $29.95 MVC/QPR: 90. R+566844 Famille Perrin Les Cornudes Vinsobres 2020 Rhone $21.95 MVC/QPR: 89. LIMITED TIME OFFERS: Some Recommended Wines from the LCBO’s Limited Time Offers selections...these are good value...on sale through Sunday September 10... Rose+325076 Whispering Angel Rose (Caves D'Esclans) Provence save $2.00, now $27.95 Fizz+991562 Cremant De Bourgogne Brut Reserve (Bailly Lapierre) save $3.50, $21.45 W+324228 Stoneleigh Latitude Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc NZ save $3.00, now $19.95 W+326090 Oyster Bay Pinot Grigio Hawke's Bay NZ save $3.00, now $18.95 W+367698 Boschendal 1685 Chardonnay South Africa, save $2.00, now $16.95 [A FAVE] W+958975 Mer Soleil Reserve Chardonnay Monterey, save $3.00, now $26.95 [A BEST FAVE] W+43281 Flat Rock Cellars Estate Riesling VQA, save $3.00, now $16.95 R+50203 Beronia Reserva (Gonzales Byass) Rioja save $3.00, now $19.95. R+145920 Tenuta Frescobaldi Di Castiglioni Toscana save $3.00, now $21.95. R+425488 Cannonau Riserva Sardinia (Sella& Mosca) save $2.50, now $17.45 R+337238 Marques De Casa Concha Cabernet Sauvignon Chile, save $3.00, now $21.95 R+595280 Porcupine Ridge Syrah South Africa $18.95, save $3.00, now $15.95 Splurge+314575 Sterling Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon, save $5.00, $46.95 Splurge+996405 Stags' Leap Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon, save $5.00, now $66.95 ** Some New Wines I Tasted Over the Past While --- REPORT ON THE CRU WINE MERCHANTS PORTFOLIO TASTING 2023 The Venue: Constantine Toronto The Target Audience: sommeliers, wine media, wine trade The Availability/Catalogue: a good looking catalogue laid out by country and then producer, with details on pricing for licensees. The Quote/Background: there were 64 wine producers showing anywhere from one wine to a dozen wines each. The Wines: I could not taste every wine, most notably many of the reds. Prices are licensee net in most cases. **** BEST -- Four Stars (91+ in Quality/Price Rating terms): -Versado Reserva Malbec 2010 Mendoza (+316984 Vintages, $78 retail) -Charles Baker Wines Riesling Ivan Vineyard 2020 VQA Niagara Peninsula, $25.49 -Charles Baker Wines Riesling Picone Vineyard 2013 VQA Vinemount Ridge, $39.03 -Charles Baker Wines Riesling Blanc de Blanc Cuvee du Boulanger 2020 VQA Niagara Peninsula, $31.67 [my fave fizz of the day] -Stratus White 2021 VQA NOTL $25.49 -Stratus Skin Contact Viognier 2021 VQA NOTL $27.88 -Stratus Red 2017 VQA NOTL $39.03 -Wiston Estate Sparkling Rose Brut NV Sussex $69.95 -Champagne Monmarthe Secret de Famille Brut NV $49.95 -Jeaunaux-Robin Fil de Brume Brut NV $69.95 -Domaine Albert Mann Gewurztraminer 2020 Alsace $38.95 -Domaine Albert Mann Cremant Extra Brut 2018 $47.95 -Domaine Oudin Vaugirault 1er cru Chablis 2021 $59.95 -Domaine Francois Gay et Fils Beaune 1er cru Les Teurons Blanc 2018 $89.95 -Barth Charta Riesling 2019 Rheingau $30.95 -Sorelle Bronca Difetto Perfetto Sur Lie Prosecco 2021 Conegliano Valdobbiadene $28.95 -Agricola Molino Moscato d'Asti Mistral 2022 Trersio $24.95 -Vina Costeira Lua Jazz Brut Treixadura Sparkling NV Rias Baixas [not yet priced] -Raventos Blanc de Blanc Brut 2020 $27 Penedes -Can Sumoi Ancestral Sparkling 2018 $31.95 Penedes -Bethel Heights Estate Chardonnay 2019 Oregon $54.95 -Kongsgaard Chardonnay 2019 Napa $230 -San Felo Tuscany Le Stoppie Vermentino [not yet priced] ***1/2 BETTER -- Three and a Half Stars (88 – 90 in Quality/Price Rating terms): -Versado Malbec 2018 Mendoza (+317008 Vintages, $21.25 retail) -Stratus Chardonnay 2020 VQA NOTL $39.03 -Stratus Field Blend Ancestral 2022 $27.88 -Jeaunaux-Robin Le Dessous de la Cabane Rose NV $74.95 -Domaine Oudin Chablis 2021 $37.95 -Domaine Oudin Les Serres Chablis 2021 $47.95 -Sorelle Bronca Modi Brut Prosecco NV $21.95 -Vini Bossanova Pet Nat Montepulciano d'Abruzzo 2021 $41.95 -Rippon Sauvignon Blanc Lake Wanaka 2021 $39.95 -Kleinood Tamboerskloof Viognier Stellenbosch 2022 $33.95 -Favia-Erickson Carbone Chardonnay 2020 Combsville $79.95 -Hudson Chardonnay 2021 Napa $124.95 -Precision Wine Co. Introvert White 2020 California AVA $21.95 -Brokenwood Hunter Valley Australia Semillon 2022 [not yet priced] The Food: from Constantine's menu – a variety of flatbreads, including a pomodoro pizza and a mushroom pizza, along with bites of cheese and pate mousse on breads. The charcuterie platter included more cheese, pate, sausages, and salami as well as sundried tomatoes. The Downside: many wines were physically collated together but split apart by the catalogue listing; this meant a lot of to-ing and fro-ing through the booklet. The Upside: a great opportunity to taste great wines. The Contact Person: kasiakoziara@cruwinemerchants.com; Charles Baker The Event's Marketing Effectiveness and Execution (numerical grade): 92 WORLD WINE WATCH TOP WINES AT VINTAGES: under/over $20 for AUGUST 5, 2023 release. By DEAN TUDOR, Gothic Epicures Writing deantudor@deantudor.com. My "Wines, Beers and Spirits of the Net", a guide to thousands of news items and RSS feeds, plus references to wines, beers and spirits, has been at https://pages.pathcom.com/~dtudor since 1994. These notes for good wines available through LCBO Vintages (on a bi-weekly basis) can always be found at http://www.gothicepicures.blogspot.ca or at https://pages.pathcom.com/~dtudor No winery can buy their way into – or out of – this publication. Scores are a combination of MVC (Modal Varietal Character, e.g. a Southern Rhone would taste like a Southern Rhone) and QPR (Quality/Price Ratio value in the marketplace above or below its price). MAJOR THEME: ONLINE at lcbo.com, AND FLAGSHIP STORE AVAILABILITY ONLY [no printed magazine catalogue] ~39 wines Wines Under $20 ========= W+13000 Gerard Bertrand Terroir Picpoul de Pinet 2022 Languedoc, $19.95 MVC/QPR: 88. Wines Over $20 R+272146 Kacaba Cabernet Franc 2019 VQA, $33.15, MVC/QPR: 90 W+48892 Chateau de Beaucastel Coudoulet Blanc 2021, $34.95, MVC/QPR: 90 R+31698 Xavier Vignon Gigondas 2019 Rhone, $44.95, MVC/QPR: 89 W+639641 Quail's Gate Stewart Family Reserve Chardonnay 2020 BCVQA, $48.95, MVC/QPR: 89 R+639658 Quail's Gate Stewart Family Reserve Pinot Noir 2020 BCVQA, $59.95, MVC/QPR: 89 W+33552 Hidden Bench Beton Sauvignon Blanc 2021, $27.95, MVC/QPR: 91 W+33163 Domaine Sigalas Santorini Assyrtiko 2021 Greece, $67.95, MVC/QPR: 90 W+32073 Domaine Drouhin Oregon La Maisonnette Chardonnay 2020, $46.95, MVC/QPR: 90 W+16093 Cloudsley Twenty Mile Bench Chardonnay 2020 VQA, $34.95, MVC/QPR: 89. LIMITED TIME OFFERS: Some Recommended Wines from the LCBO’s Limited Time Offers selections...these are good value...on sale through August 13... Rose+552562 Speck Bros. Three Hearts Rose VQA, $17.95, save $2 Fizz+256289 Benjamin Bridge Nova 7 Sparkling Nova Scotia, now $23.95, save $2 W+392597 Chloe Chardonnay Monterey California, now $16.95, save $3 W+350041 Paco & Lola Albarino Rias Baixas Spain, now $22.95, save $2 W+316570 Oyster Bay Sauvignon Blanc Marlborough, now $18.95, save $3 R+408658 Santa Carolina Reserva de Familia Cabernet Sauvignon Maipo Chile, now $20.95, save $3 [splurge]R+ 300012 Brigaldara Amarone della Valpolicella Classico, now $74.95, save $4 ** Some New Wines I Tasted Over the Past While --- The Event: Vino Nobile di Montepulciano Walkaround Tasting The Venue: Aria Ristorante The Target Audience: wine trade, agents, media, sommeliers The Availability/Catalogue: The proprietors of the eight Vino Nobile di Montepulciano featured wineries were in attendance; two were looking for agents (Manvi, Podere Casanova). The Quote/Background: This appellation of Tuscany is between Siena and Rome, just south of Chianti, and was famous for its light red wines based on sangiovese. The walkaround featured pressure-less pourings from Cantina Crociani (Cavinona Wine Agency), Carpineto (Univins and Spirits), Fattoria del Cerro (Cavinona Wine Agency), Fattoria Svetoni (Tre Amici), Il Molinaccio (United Stars), Manvi (looking for agent), Podere Casanova (looking for agent) and Vecchia Cantina di Montepulciano (Tre Amici). The Wines: I did not taste all the wines. I skipped a white wine and a vinsanto, and a few Rossos di Montepulciano.... **** BEST -- Four Stars (91+ in Quality/Price Rating terms): -Crociani Vino Noble di Montepulciano Riserva Toscana -Podere Casanova Vino Noble di Montepulciano Settecento -Manvi Ojas Vino Noble di Montepulciano Riserva 2019 -Fattoria Svetoni Vino Noble di Montepulciano 2019 $25 -Vecchia Cantina di Montepulciano Vino Noble di Montepulciano 2017 -Vecchia Cantina di Montepulciano Vino Noble di Montepulciano Riserva 2016 -Fattoria del Cerro Vino Noble di Montepulciano 2019 -Fattoria del Cerro Vino Noble di Montepulciano Riserva 2017 -Il Molinaccio di Montepulciano Vino Noble di Montepulciano Riserva La Poiana 2019 [organic] $86.95 -Carpineto Vino Noble di Montepulciano Riserva DOCG 2019 -Carpineto Appodiato di Montepulciano Poggio Sant'Enrico 2012 Vino Noble di Montepulciano DOCG ***1/2 BETTER -- Three and a Half Stars (88 – 90 in Quality/Price Rating terms): -Podere Casanova Vino Noble di Montepulciano DOCG -Podere Casanova Corte Vino Rosso di Montepulciano DOC -Podere Casanova Irripetibile IGT Toscana -Manvi Myra Rosso di Montepulciano DOC -Manvi Arya Vino Noble di Montepulciano -Crociani Vino Noble di Montepulciano -Fattoria Svetoni Rosso Noble di Montepulciano 2021 -Fattoria Svetoni Vino Noble di Montepulciano 2020 $25 -Vecchia Cantina di Montepulciano Vino Corbaio Rosso Toscana 2018 -Vecchia Cantina di Montepulciano Vino Campaltino Toscana Rosso IGT -Vecchia Cantina di Montepulciano Vino Rosso di Montepulciano 2021 -Fattoria del Cerro Antica Chilesi -Il Molinaccio di Montepulciano Vino Noble di Montepulciano La Spinosa 2019 [organic] $63.95 -Carpineto Rosso di Montepulciano DOC 2020 -Carpineto Farnito Cabernet Sauvignon IGT 2020 The Food: Aria provided an enormous Italian buffet selection which included multiple cold cut platters of first rate salumi (nothing hot), caprese salad, pizza, roast potatoes, roast chicken, roast porchetta, asparagus risotto, gnocchi, a wheel of parmigiano reggiano, biscotti. The Downside: nothing really – the weather co-operated for those of us who wanted to be outdoors. The Upside: good listing of Vino Nobile wines, which I have not seen in the same room in Ontario for quite some time. The Contact Person: b.marassi@ice.it The Event’s Marketing Effectiveness and Execution (numerical grade): 96 WORLD WINE WATCH TOP WINES AT VINTAGES: under/over $20 for JULY 22, 2023 release. By DEAN TUDOR, Gothic Epicures Writing deantudor@deantudor.com. My "Wines, Beers and Spirits of the Net", a guide to thousands of news items and RSS feeds, plus references to wines, beers and spirits, has been at https://pages.pathcom.com/~dtudor since 1994. These notes for good wines available through LCBO Vintages (on a bi-weekly basis) can always be found at http://www.gothicepicures.blogspot.ca or at https://pages.pathcom.com/~dtudor No winery can buy their way into – or out of – this publication. Scores are a combination of MVC (Modal Varietal Character, e.g. a Southern Rhone would taste like a Southern Rhone) and QPR (Quality/Price Ratio value in the marketplace above or below its price). MAJOR THEME: USA WINES Wines Under $20 Fizz+29948 Faustino Brut Reserva Cava [trad method] Spain, $17.95, MVC/QPR: 89 W+20599 Featherstone Pinot Grigio 2022 VQA, $17.95, MVC/QPR: 90 W+ 224642 Joseph Cattin Pinot Blanc 2021 Alsace, $16.95, MVC/QPR: 89 W+599274 Dr. L Riesling 2021 Mosel, $16.95, MVC/QPR: 89 W+573683 Ferzo Abruzzo Pecorino Superiore 2021, $17.95, MVC/QPR: 89 W+711556 Wakefield Estate Label Chardonnay 2021 South Australia, $17.95, MVC/QPR: 89 W+21151 Alvi's Drift Signature Chardonnay 2021 Western Cape SA, $14.95, MVC/QPR: 89 W+19635 Albino Armani Corvara Pinot Grigio 2022 Veneto, $19.95, MVC/QPR: 90 Rose+20359 13th Street Expression Series Cabernet Franc Rose 2022 VQA, $17.95, MVC/QPR: 89 Rose+71712 Wildass Rose 2022 VQA, $19.95, MVC/QPR: 90 Rose+24747 La Posta Malbec Rose 2022 Mendoza, $16.95, MVC/QPR: 89 Rose+24746 Boschendal Chardonnay/Pinot Noir Rose 2022 South Africa, $18.95, MVC/QPR: 89 Rose+30445 Cabriz Rose 2022 Dao, $14.95, MVC/QPR: 88 R+Monasterio de las Vinas Reserva Garnacha/Tempranillo/Carinena 2018 Sp., $17.95, MVC/QPR: 89 R+30525 Skyfall Red Blend 2020 Washington State, $18.95, MVC/QPR: 89 R+Ponte Pellegrino Aglianico 2018 Campania, $15.95, MVC/QPR: 89 R+270306 Masserie Pisari Primitivo 2021 Puglia, $16.95, MVC/QPR: 89 Wines Over $20 ========= W+70631 Dr. Konstantin Frank Dry Riesling 2021 Finger Lakes, $29.95, MVC/QPR: 89 R+284570 Tawse Growers Blend Cabernet Franc 2020 VQA, $29.95, MVC/QPR: 89 R+269357 Chateau Ste. Michelle Cabernet Sauvignon 2019 Washington State, $21.95, MVC/QPR: 90 R+28574 E. Guigal Crozes-Hermitage 2019, $41, MVC/QPR: 89 R+331900 E. Guigal Gigondas 2019, $47.95, MVC/QPR: 89 R+508655 Planeta Frappato 2021 Sicily, $24.95, MVC/QPR: 89 R+483412 Le Macchiole Bolgheri Rosso 2020, $41.95, MVC/QPR: 89 R+31408 Heredis Nebbiolo 2021 Langhe Italy, $27.95,MVC/QPR: 89 ***LIMITED TIME OFFERS: Some Recommended Wines from the LCBO’s Limited Time Offers selections...these are good value...on sale through Sunday August 13... Rose+552562 Speck Bros. Three Hearts Rose VQA, $17.95, save $2 Fizz+256289 Benjamin Bridge Nova 7 Sparkling Nova Scotia, now $23.95, save $2 W+350041 Paco & Lola Albarino Rias Baixas Spain, now $22.95, save $2 W+316570 Oyster Bay Sauvignon Blanc Marlborough, now $18.95, save $3 W+392597 Chloe Chardonnay Monterey California, now $16.95, save $3 W+13293 Villa Maria Chardonnay East Coast NZ, now $16, save $2 R+408658 Santa Carolina Reserva de Familia Cabernet Sauvignon Maipo Chile, now $20.95, save $3 [splurge]R+ 300012 Brigaldara Amarone della Valpolicella Classico, now $74.95, save $4 ** Some New Wines I Tasted Over the Past While (about 20 of them) --- 1.Featherstone Estate Winery Four Feathers 2022 VQA Niagara Peninsula $14.95 +341586 (their first general list wine at the LCBO, to be released in June): a summer social sipper or quaffer, combining 41.6% riesling and 40.7% chardonnay with 15.9% sauvignon blanc and balance pinot grigio – all highly aromatic grapes. The percentages change from vintage to vintage depending on vineyard conditions. Stainless steel fermentation. Typical fruit flavours to be found include pineapple, melon, lemon, some mango, and some sweet parts of citric tones near the finish. A popular seller with 2501 cases. Incredibly fresh and fruity tones for summer. Vegan friendly. 15g/L residual sugar. 12.9% ABV. Quality/Price rating is 90 points by Dean Tudor of Gothic Epicures. 2.Featherstone Estate Winery Black Sheep Riesling 2021 VQA Niagara Peninsula $19.95 +80234 Vintages Essential: more in the Mosel mode than Rhine wine, this delicious all Riesling sipper is loaded with a nose of citrus highlights (lemon, plentiful lime, grapefruit) evolving to Ontario orchard fruit on the mid-palate with some minerality and a long finish which also makes it nifty food wine for many Asiatic dishes. Medium body, off-dry. Suitable for aging (to get that “petrol” character). 1429 cases made. 9.5% ABV. Consistent vintage RS 21 g/L. Vegan friendly. Quality/Price rating is 91 points by Dean Tudor of Gothic Epicures. 3.Featherstone Estate Winery Sauvignon Blanc 2022 VQA Niagara Peninsula $17.95 +89011 Vintages October 7: 20% of this wine went into neutral Canadian oak barrel for fermentation, leaving 80% for stainless steel. That contributed to the softness and to the muted tones of grassiness. Tropical flowers are accented rather than tropical fruit, and this too adds to its dryness culminating with ending citrus notes for a long finish. It's a great wine for savvy lovers who go for complexity rather than just herbs. At the same time, this allows for more food choices. Only 408 cases. Vegan friendly. 5 g/L residual sugar, 12.7% ABV. Quality/Price rating is 92 points by Dean Tudor of Gothic Epicures. 4.Featherstone Estate Winery Canadian Oak Chardonnay 2021 VQA Niagara Peninsula $24.95 +149302 Vintages September 23: one of my faves. Over the years it has simply gotten better as the grapevines matured. Wild indigenous yeast is used. Good mid-tone oaky component (it is very easy to say it is mid-way between French and US oak) from the use of nearby Canadian oak trees. 10% new oak, 90% 1 to 5 year old. Terrific ripe orchard fruit aromas and palate. Plus vanillin and cream after the mid-palate leading to citric food-friendly finish. Needs more time for balancing, but then at that moment it will be awesome. Vegan friendly. 328 cases. 12.5% ABV. 1.2 g/L residual sugar. Quality/Price rating is 93 points by Dean Tudor of Gothic Epicures. 5.Featherstone Estate Winery Pinot Grigio 2022 VQA Niagara Peninsula $17.95 +20599 Vintages July 22: this is a highly competitive category, but Featherstone goes up very well against the other PGs in Ontario, especially with its slight yellow colour. Its colour and even its taste can slot it into the rose category, or even the “orange” wine area. Typical nuances include off-dry orchard fruit (peach, pear, apple) with some aromatic melon-ish overtones. It is refreshing on the mid-palate, finishing with slightly bitter citric notes. That makes it both a sipper and a food wine, suitable as a pre-prandial in the summer. There is some Ontario cranberry tartness and some melon sweetness, but also with some peach notes. Stainless steel all the way, with half being pressed immediately and half left to soak on skins before pressing. Vegan friendly. 10g/L residual sugar. 12% ABV. Quality/Price rating is 90 points by Dean Tudor of Gothic Epicures. 6.Featherstone Estate Winery Phoenix 2022 VQA Niagara Peninsula $18.95 +519025 Vintages August 19: Gewurztraminer done up in stainless steel, very Alsatian in style, with concentrated fruit, off-dry on the mid-palate, spicy with a tad of bitter on the finish, great with Asiatic foods or any spicy foods. Or wonderful as an aperitif by the deck/patio/pool/terrace/balcony. Capable of improvement over the next few years. Vegan friendly. Strictly limited at 75 cases total production. 10 g/L residual sugar. 12.3% ABV. Quality/Price rating is 90 points by Dean Tudor of Gothic Epicures. 7.Featherstone Estate Winery Frostbite Select Late Harvest Gewurztraminer 2022 VQA Niagara Peninsula [half-bottle] $29.95 at winery retail store: On the nose, very aromatic with major tropical tones of melons and lychees, very much in the fruity Alsatian style of "tardif" gewurztraminer. Yum. Cool fermentation in stainless steel, with typical concentrated gewurztraminer modes of lychees, spices, limes, some roses on the mid-palate. Best as a desert wine by the deck or porch or pool, or with fragrant cheeses, spicy and/or creamy dessert foods, with a tad of bitter on the finish. Great with Asiatic foods. Vegan friendly. 112 cases. 14% ABV. Residual sugar is 66g/L. Quality/Price rating is 92 points by Dean Tudor of Gothic Epicures. 8.Featherstone Estate Winery Rose 2022 VQA Niagara Peninsula $16.95 +117861 Vintages May 27: over the years, this rose has had varying amounts of grape varieties – all dependent on what wily winemaker David Johnson sees as the best possible blend. In the past it has had pinot noir and cabernet sauvignon, as well as gamay noir, merlot, chardonnay, and cabernet franc. This latest vintage (2022) has cabernet sauvignon 49%, cabernet franc 18.7%, gamay noir 18.7%, and pinot noir 13.7%. It's an extremely useful wine for any event, any occasion, with any food, or just alone as a sipper on the beach/patio/deck/terrace/backyard/porch/balcony – even in front of a roaring fireplace (as I did just this week when the temperature dropped). Expect plenty of red fruit tones in its deliciousness. Great price. Vegan friendly. 1148 cases. 11.8g/L residual sugar, 12.8% ABV. Quality/Price rating is 90 points by Dean Tudor of Gothic Epicures. 9.Featherstone Estate Winery Cabernet Franc 2021 VQA Niagara Peninsula $21.95 +64618 Vintages Essential: a consistent blend of 95% cabernet franc and 5% merlot. All US oak was used – 25% new barrels for 10 months. Full malolactic fermentation. Medium-bodied with an assortment of tastes of cherry-berries and plums, some leafy qualities. Black pepper. Long, long finish showing tart-ish food-loving acid balances. Should go well with BBQ veggies. Keep for another few years (I tasted one bottle over a week). Vegan friendly. 2067 cases. 1.7 g/L residual sugar. 12.2% ABV. Quality/Price rating is 92 points by Dean Tudor of Gothic Epicures. 10.Featherstone Estate Winery Red Tail Merlot 2021 VQA Niagara Peninsula $19.95 Vintages +131540: Merlot is still recovering from its dissing by Pinot Noir in the movie “Sideways”. But a lot of wineries still enjoy making it. David Johnson the winemaker has here produced a delightfully fruity but dryish drop that is also affordable. Aged 10 months in French oak (25% new), 100% malolactic fermentation. Expect black fruit cherry-berry complexity, headed by cassis. Both a patio sipper and a food wine, and ready now for current drinking and accompanying any kind of comfort food. Vegan friendly. 499 cases made. RS 2.3 g/L 13% ABV. Quality/Price rating is 92 points by Dean Tudor of Gothic Epicures. 11.Featherstone Estate Winery Gamay Noir 2021 VQA Niagara Peninsula $18.95 winery retail store: medium-full-bodied, suggestive of lighter Beaujolais wines such as Fleurie. Dark cherry-berry flavours dominate, but there is added spicing and even some nuances of earthiness and eucalyptus (the wine is oaked for ten months in US barrels). Good with BBQ, cheese, or something substantial, but a tannic/tart structure of refreshing cranberies is present to carry through a whole meal. 348 cases produced. Vegan friendly. 11.5% ABV, Residual sugar 1.3g/L. Quality/Price rating is 91 points by Dean Tudor of Gothic Epicures. 12.Springs Road Kangaroo Island Shiraz 2017 Estate Grown, Vintages +30753, $32.95: a very nicely aged shiraz, bottled in August 2018 after 12 months in French oak, 30% new. Aromatics include plenty of riper black fruit tones (blackberry, black cherry) plus some mint and anise. A full-bodied wine but with soft tannins and some jamminess. Some saline notes detected (from the sea?) matched by black pepper and leather tones. The mid-palate has developed mocha notes, while the finish picks up some oaking. While the weather was wet in both winter and spring and the harvest was four weeks late, the resulting yield was very much reduced but with concentrated fruit. It shows well. Tasted over a few days with no real loss of flavours. 14.5% ABV. Quality/Price rating is 92 points by Dean Tudor of Gothic Epicures. 13.At the LCBO, you can currently find 332 coolers. Of course, no store carries them all. But the LCBO's website (www.lcbo.com) does list them all. The largest sub-category is “coolers and cocktails” with 180 products, followed by “seltzers and sodas” with 105. “Teas and Caesars” take up the rest. Typical size is about a 355 mL can or a 473 mL can (size will vary) with 5.5% ABV and priced under $3. Sugar content varies wildly. I thought that I would drop a line or two about one of the newest, from the Aloette restaurant group. They've already launched “Espresso Martini Fizz” ($2.45, 473 mL can) and now they are back for a second launch: Southside Fizz ($2.95, 355 mL can, 5.5%ABV). It's a pre-made or pre-fab version of the basic Cucumber Mint Gimlet aka Eastside (or Southside) Cocktail aka Cucumber Gin and (if fizzy) Tonic. So it's got London Dry Gin, mint, cucumber juice, lime juice, sugar, and seltzer water. I'm a wine guy so I passed it over to my wife who's a gin aficionado. This cooler is light and citrusy on the palate, and would be more enjoyable if you deeply chill it and serve it on the rocks: it is the start of the patio season. And now, quite a quartet set of wines, released by Chateau des Charmes (at winery and online) -- 14.CHATEAU DE CHARMES EQUULEUS 2020 Paul Bosc Estate Vineyard, VQA St. David's Bench. +319525, $60 at winery and online: made from a traditional blend of Cabernet Sauvignon (50%), Cabernet Franc (25%) and Merlot (25%), but only made in good years (earlier vintages had all three grapes at varying levels such as, at one time, 53% cab sauv/34% cab franc/13% merlot and other blends; all was dependent on the harvest). The last vintage I tasted was 2010. The 2020 spent 16 months in small French oak, with each variety aged separately. After blending it is aged further in French oak casks for several months. Tons of concentrated Bordeaux flavours, all the dark black berries and mocha, but some years away from mellowing well. It's a Meritage wine in that Bordeaux-style blend, with plenty of black fruit and some smoke. Cellar this wine another 5 years, or else do a double decant (maybe even more) to accelerate the aging process. Tasted over a number of days – and it kept getting better. A good meaty wine for strong-flavoured grilled meats. Residual sugar 0.4 g/L. 13% ABV. Quality/Price rating is 94 points by Dean Tudor of Gothic Epicures. 15.CHATEAU DES CHARMES CABERNET FRANC 2020 St. David's Bench Vineyard, VQA St. David's Bench, +453415 $44.95 at winery and online: it has been some years since I last tasted their St. David's Bench Cabernet Franc; they have a continual winner of a brooding wine that could have been diverted to Equuleus. It has some over-the-top full-bodied black spicy fruit while still retaining some cranberries and bell peppers, slightly augmented with a herby edge of pine/cedar/tobacco leaf tones. Aged for a year in 1 – 2 year-old toasted French oak. Sip as a meditative drink or with red meat/cheese (the winery suggests any herb-encrusted meats). Cork closure. I opened my bottle and did a double-decant followed by several days of open bottle sampling. Residual sugar at 0.5 g/L. 12% ABV. Quality/Price rating is 92 points by Dean Tudor of Gothic Epicures. 16.CHATEAU DES CHARMES CABERNET SAUVIGNON 2020 St. David's Bench Vineyard, VQA St. David's Bench, +935957 $44.95 at winery and online: this is the only single variety Cabernet Sauvignon that Chateau des Charmes makes, and not every year. Aged in small 1 – 2 year old French oak for 12 months. Loaded with dark choco-berry and mocha tones, and smooth all over, good balance between fruit-acid-wood. Ready now but will benefit from a cellaring of up to five years. This is Bordeaux quality as a food wine – upfront cassis, tobacco leaf, mocha. Should be great with shanks (lamb, veal, pork, drumsticks) or oxtail, even necks or cheeks. Residual sugar at 0.3 g/L. 13% ABV. Quality/Price rating is 92 points by Dean Tudor of Gothic Epicures. 17.CHATEAU DES CHARMES MERLOT 2020 St David's Bench Vineyard, VQA St David's Bench, +453431, $44.95 at winery and online: made only in the best years, 2012 was the last vintage I had tasted. Rich and ripe cassis, cherry, cedar tones from one year barrel aging in French oak. As is typical with Merlot, you'll get a velvet soft finish with enjoyable finishing tannins. Give it two or more years, or do double-decanting. Residual sugar at 0.5 g/L. 13% ABV. Quality/Price rating is 91 points by Dean Tudor of Gothic Epicures. 18.Lacey Estates Paradise Sparkling Rose [formerly Paradise Petit Petillant Rose] 2021 Prince Edward County $24. A delightful drink made from pinot noir grapes, very fruity and off-dry in a cream soda mode (raspberries, strawberries, creamy texture) with some watermelon and a lemon-lime-grassiness complexity at the finish. A good aperitif, or with a late course such as a cheese board with dried fruit or a fresh fruit dessert. Crown cap makes it easy to open. 12% ABV. Quality/Price rating is 90 points by Dean Tudor of Gothic Epicures. 19.Wending Home Estate Vineyards & Winery Pinot Gris VQA Creek Shores 2020 $27.95. I'm not a fan of pinot grigio, but I adore pinot gris. It's the same grape, but it is produced differently, like syrah and shiraz are produced differently. In both cases it's a question of terroir and winemaking skills. Here the pinot gris has more colour and more body: some of Wending Home is late picked and has that nose of melons and orchard fruit, not to mention unctuousnes on the palate. Cool fementation in stainless steel gives this a rich and ripe sensibility, with minerality and some pear drops on the length which seems to have a higher acid finish very suitable for a wide range of food. Very well done in that Alsatian pinot gris style. 13% ABV. 2g/L residual sugar. 223 cases made. Quality/Price rating is 90 points by Dean Tudor of Gothic Epicures. 20.Konzelmann Estate Winery Chardonnay Barrel Aged 2020 Reserve Series VQA Niagara Peninsula $19.95. Konzelmann has been making this style of barrel-aged chardonnay (in French oak barrels) since the last century. It has some plush fruit with some modest oak tones of vanilla and cream. Expect a combination of caramel, green apple, under-ripe peaches – smooth all the way through the finish. A basic crowd pleaser as an aperitif or as a first-course wine. Do not overchill. 12% ABV. Quality/Price rating is 89 points by Dean Tudor of Gothic Epicures. WORLD WINE WATCH TOP WINES AT VINTAGES: under/over $20 for JULY 8, 2023 release. By DEAN TUDOR, Gothic Epicures Writing deantudor@deantudor.com. My "Wines, Beers and Spirits of the Net", a guide to thousands of news items and RSS feeds, plus references to wines, beers and spirits, has been at https://pages.pathcom.com/~dtudor since 1994. These notes for good wines available through LCBO Vintages (on a bi-weekly basis) can always be found at http://www.gothicepicures.blogspot.ca or at https://pages.pathcom.com/~dtudor No winery can buy their way into – or out of – this publication. Scores are a combination of MVC (Modal Varietal Character, e.g. a Southern Rhone would taste like a Southern Rhone) and QPR (Quality/Price Ratio value in the marketplace above or below its price). MAJOR THEME: ONLINE AND FLAGSHIP STORE AVAILABILITY ONLY [no printed magazine catalogue] ~50 wines in total Wines Under $20 ========= W+415604 Kew Vineyards Fume Blanc 2020 VQA, $20.95 [my artistic license] MVC/QPR: 90. W+471300 Nortico Alvarinho 2021 Portugal, $16.95 MVC/QPR: 89. Wines Over $20 =========== W+33161 Lantides Abyss Assyrtiko 2020 Greece, $36.95 MVC/QPR: 89. W+241182 Charels Baker Picone Vineyard Riesling 2020 VQA, $44.95 MVC/QPR: 92. W+22776 Domaine Yvon&Laurent Vocoret Fourchaume Chablis 1erCru 2021, $52.95 MVC/QPR:89. W+485102 Planeta Chardonnay 2021 Sicily, $54.95 MVC/QPR: 90. W+458158 Rex Hill Seven Soils Chardonnay 2019 Oregon, $39.95 MVC/QPR: 90. R+275735 Rex Hill Pinot Noir 2019 Oregon, $45.95 MVC/QPR: 89. R+541136 Montes Outer Limits CGM 2021 Chile, $29.95 MVC/QPR: 89. R+31184 Quinta do Pinto Reserva Touriga Nacional 2017 Portugal, $28.95 MVC/QPR: 89. LIMITED TIME OFFERS: Some Recommended Wines from the LCBO’s Limited Time Offers selections...these are good value...on sale through Sunday July 16 W+35386 Kim Crawford Sauvignon Blanc New Zealand, now $19.95, save $3. W+326728 Oyster Bay Chardonnay New Zealand, now $18.95, save $3. W+24133 Thirty Bench Winemaker's Blend VQA, now $19.95, save $3. R+597237 Benziger Cabernet Sauvignon Sonoma 2019, now $24.45, save $3.50. R+50203 Beronia Reserva Rioja, now $19.95, save $3. R+322586 Montes Alpha Cabernet Sauvignon Chile, now $18.95, save $3. Splurge+95910 Remo Farina Amarone della Valpolicella, now $39.95, save $3. Fizz+147504 13th Street Cuvee Brut Sparkling Rose Trad Method VQA, now $28.95, save $3. ** Some New Wines I Tasted Over the Past While --- The Date and Time: Wednesday, May 3, 2023, 12PM – 3:30 PM The Event: Santorini Volcanic Terroir PDO tasting The Venue: George The Target Audience: wine trade, wine media The Availability/Catalogue: Four wineries presented their wines that were available in Ontario – Estate Argyros, Domaine Sigalas, Gaia Wines and Santo Wines. The Quote/Background: This was a walk around tasting concerned with the wines of PDO Santorini Greece. It was a great chance to explore the wine labels of a small slice of Greece. Both the still wines of assyrtiko grapes and vinsanto were poured. The Wines: There were 14 wines in all (including four vinsanto) **** BEST -- Four Stars (91+ in Quality/Price Rating terms): -Estate Agryos Monsignori 2020, 14.5% -Gaia Thalassitis 2021, 13.8% $42 -Assyrtiko by Gaia Wild Ferment 2021, 14%, $50 -Gaia Nykteri 2020, 14% -Santo Nykteri 2021, 14.1%, $43 -Domaine Sigalas Santorini Barrel 2021, 14.5%, $67.98 ***1/2 BETTER -- Three and a Half Stars (88 – 90 in Quality/Price Rating terms): -Estate Agryos Santorini Assyrtiko 2021, 14.4% -Santo Santorini Assyrtiko 2022, 13.2% -Domaine Sigalas Santorini AA 2022, 13.4%, $34.95 -Domaine Sigalas Santorini 2022, 14.5%, $53.95 VINSANTO – -Estate Agryos Santorini Vansanto First Release 2015, 13.1%, $79.95 Rated: 92 pts. -Estate Agryos Santorini Vansanto First Release 2002, 13.28%, $150 Rated: 93 pts. -Gaia Vinsanto 2012, 10.9% Rated: 90 pts. -Santo Vinsanto 2016, 11.2% $37 Rated: 89 pts. The Food: George produced some delicious bites from PDO Santorini food products, including PDO Santorini fava bean, PDO Santorini tomato fondant with goat cheese, potato wrapped tuna, shrimp tempura, lemon thyme pettole, chicken satay, heirloom carrot and potato, oysters and lemons, chocolate beignets, tartlet of nuts and dried fruit. The Downside: I had just come from a huge Australian wine marketing trade show. The Upside: a chance to focus on the Santorini wines The Contact Person: contact@johnszabo.com The Event’s Marketing Effectiveness and Execution (numerical grade): 93 WORLD WINE WATCH TOP WINES AT VINTAGES: under/over $20 for JUNE 24, 2023 release. By DEAN TUDOR, Gothic Epicures Writing deantudor@deantudor.com. My "Wines, Beers and Spirits of the Net", a guide to thousands of news items and RSS feeds, plus references to wines, beers and spirits, has been at https://pages.pathcom.com/~dtudor since 1994. These notes for good wines available through LCBO Vintages (on a bi-weekly basis) can always be found at http://www.gothicepicures.blogspot.ca or at https://pages.pathcom.com/~dtudor No winery can buy their way into – or out of – this publication. Scores are a combination of MVC (Modal Varietal Character, e.g. a Southern Rhone would taste like a Southern Rhone) and QPR (Quality/Price Ratio value in the marketplace above or below its price). MAJOR THEME: SUMMERY WINES Wines Under $20 ========= Fizz+16611 Pitars Millesimato Extra Dry Prosecco 2021, $15.95 MVC/QPR: 89. Fizz+Pomgracz Brut Cap Classique Sparkling Chardonnay/Pinot Noir NV South Africa, $17.95 MVC/QPR: 91. W+25707 Kir-Yianni Le Nord Assyrtiko 2022 Greece, $19.95 MVC/QPR: 89. W+408146 Maria Papoila Loureiro/Alvarinho 2022 Vinho Verde, $18.95 MVC/QPR: 89. W+389726 Boya Sauvignon Blanc 2022 Leyda Chile, $17.95 MVC/QPR: 89. W+14199 Invivo Sauvignon Blanc 2022 New Zealand, $19.95 MVC/QPR: 89. Rose+21457 Vineland Estate Rose 2021 VQA, $16.95 MVC/QPR: 89. R+24606 Corryton Burge Shiraz 2018 Barossa, $16.95 MVC/QPR: 89. R+30997 Boya Syrah 2019 Chile, $19.95 MVC/QPR: 89. R+539916 Roc des Templiers Plan de Dieu Cotes du Rhone Villages 2021, $16.95 MVC/QPR: 89. Wines Over $20 ========= W+196667 Jean-Max Roger Cuvee Marnes et Caillottes Sancere 2021 Loire, $38.95 MVC/QPR: 89. W+Cantine di Dolianova Prendas Vermentino di Sardegna 2021, $23.95 MVC/QPR: 89. W+225375 J. Lohr October Night Chardonnay 2021 Monterey, $34.95 MVC/QPR: 89. W+172338 Southbrook Triomphe Organic Chardonnay 2018 VQA, $24.95 MVC/QPR: 92 R+73817 Rutherford Ranch Cabernet Sauvignon 2019 Napa, $49.95 MVC/QPR: ** Some Recommended Wines from the LCBO’s Limited Time Offers selections...these are good value...on sale through Monday July 17.... W+35386 Kim Crawford Sauvignon Blanc New Zealand, now $19.95, save $3. W+326728 Oyster Bay Chardonnay New Zealand, now $18.95, save $3. W+24133 Thirty Bench Winemaker's Blend VQA, now $19.95, save $3. R+597237 Benziger Cabernet Sauvignon Sonoma 2019, now $24.45, save $3.50. R+50203 Beronia Reserva Rioja, now $19.95, save $3. R+322586 Montes Alpha Cabernet Sauvignon Chile, now $18.95, save $3. Splurge+95910 Remo Farina Amarone della Valpolicella, now $39.95, save $3. Fizz+147504 13th Street Cuvee Brut Sparkling Rose Trad Method VQA, now $28.95, save $3. ** Some New Wines I Tasted Over the Past Month --- DATE: Wednesday, May 3, 2023, from noon – 2 PM The Event: New to Market Tasting Toronto, wines from Australia The Venue: Peter Pan Bistro, Queen Street The Target Audience: wine agents and media The Availability/Catalogue: there was a nice booklet listing the various wine regions of Australia, with maps, and sorting the producers alphabetically, with contact names, email addresses, websites and a listing of two or more wines from each of the 13 wineries which had participated. The Quote/Background: Brown Brothers are back! The Wines: I did not taste every wine. Prices are AUD. **** BEST -- Four Stars (91+ in Quality/Price Rating terms): -Bremerton Wines Special Release No Added Preservatives Langhorne Creek Shiraz 2022, 14.5%, $57.50 FOB six pack -Brown Brothers Origins Series Dry Rose Victoria Shiraz Dolcetto 2022, 12.5%, $48.90 FOB six pack -Hart of the Barossa Vine Vale Barossa Valley Mataro 2021, 13.7%, organic, $78 FOB six pack -Hart of the Barossa Ye Brave Barossa Valley Shiraz 2021, 14.8%, organic, $78 FOB six pack -Jo Irvine Levrier Wines Brut Rose Adelaide Hills Petit Meslier NV, 11.5%, $159.60 FOB for six pack -Jo Irvine Mosaic Collection Barossa Valley Merlot 2028, 14.5%, $134 FOB for six pack -Organic Hill Founders Release McLaren Vale Cabernet Sauvignon 2021, 13.8%, biodynamic, $90 FOB for case of 12. -Organic Hill Founders Release McLaren Vale Shiraz 2021, 13.8%, biodynamic, $90 FOB for case of 12. -Teusner Weines Gentleman Barossa Cabernet Sauvignon 2021, 14.5%, $65 FOB for six pack ***1/2 BETTER -- Three and a Half Stars (88 – 90 in Quality/Price Rating terms): -Bremerton Wines Tamblyn Langhorne Creek Cabernet Shiraz Malbec 2020, 14%, $90 FOB for case of 12 -Brown Family Innocent Bystander King Valley Pinot Gris 2022, 13.5% ABV, $54.90 FOB for six pack -Burge Family Wine Estates Corryton Burge Barossa Shiraz 2020, 14.5%, $60 FOB for six pack. -Burge Family Wine Estates Corryton Burge Barossa Grenache 2022, 14%, $60 FOB for six pack. -Eight at the Gate Wines Single Vineyard Wrattonbully Cabernet Sauvignon Shiraz 2019, 14.5%, $52 FOB for six pack -Eight at the Gate Wines Single Vineyard Wrattonbully Chardonnay 2021, 12.9%, $48 FOB for six pack -Lou Miranda Estate Fierce III Barossa Valley Sagrantino 2019, 14.5%, $90 FOB for six pack -Lou Miranda Estate Fierce III Barossa Grenache Mataro Shiraz 2019, 14.5%, $90 FOB for six pack -Pindarie Rosedale Road Barossa Sangiovese 2022, 12%, $96 FOB for six pack -Pindarie TSS Mediterranean Blend Barossa Tempranillo Sangiovese Shiraz 2021, $13.5%, $120 FOB for case of 12 -Project Wine Angas & Bremer The Creek Langhorne Creek Grenache Graciano Malbec, Shiraz, Touriga 2021, 14.5%, $65 FOB case of 12 -Project Wine Angas & Bremer Langhorne Creek Shiraz 2021, 14.8%, $85 FOB case of 12 -Sevenhills Cellars Inigo Clare Valley Grenache 2021, 14%, $45 FOB for six pack -Sevenhills Cellars Quarry Road Clare Valley Cabernet Sauvignon Malbec 2019, 13.5%, $76 FOB for six pack -Teusner Wines Bilmore Barossa Valley Shiraz 2021, 14.5%, $65 FOB for six pack -The Pawn Langhorne Creek Fiano 2022, 13%, $125 for case of 12 -The Pawn Adelaide Hills Tempranillo 2021, 14%, $125 FOB for case of 12 The Food: a good collection for a relaxed stand-up lunch and wine tasting – sliders (beef, chicken), grilled cheese small sandwiches, cheese twist pastries, a charcuterie platter, a cheese platter, and a veggie platter, all with assorted breads and crackers and root crisps. The Downside: it got crowded really fast. The Upside: a good chance to taste wines new to the Ontario market. The Contact Person: annie.dingwall@wineaustralia.com The Event’s Marketing Effectiveness and Execution (numerical grade): 91 WORLD WINE WATCH TOP WINES AT VINTAGES: under/over $20 for JUNE 10, 2023 release. By DEAN TUDOR, Gothic Epicures Writing deantudor@deantudor.com. My "Wines, Beers and Spirits of the Net", a guide to thousands of news items and RSS feeds, plus references to wines, beers and spirits, has been at http://www.deantudor.com since 1994. These notes for good wines available through LCBO Vintages (on a bi-weekly basis) can always be found at http://www.gothicepicures.blogspot.ca or at http://www.deantudor.com No winery can buy their way into – or out of – this publication. Scores are a combination of MVC (Modal Varietal Character, e.g. a Southern Rhone would taste like a Southern Rhone) and QPR (Quality/Price Ratio value in the marketplace above or below its price). Currently, the wine media have no access to the tasting samples usually provided to us in the LCBO lab on a fortnightly basis. This will go on for some time. HOWEVER, the wine media will still have access to the advance spreadsheet of the wines to be released. So I know what is to be released and when. SOME (but not many) of these 100 or so biweekly released wines I have recently tasted since January 2020 or so, and I can comfortably recommend them based on this prior sampling. ** Some New Wines I Tasted Over the Past Month --- DATE: Monday April 17th from 1pm-4pm The Event: Boldly New York – Toronto Trade Tasting The Venue: Peter Pan Bistro The Target Audience: wine media and sommeliers The Availability/Catalogue: the paperless catalogue was available via a downloadable cloud file. The Quote/Background: There are 144 wineries in New York state, which embraces the Finger Lakes regions, Long Island, and Hudson Valley. New York is the third largest wine-producing area in the US after California and Washington state. Ten producers and their principals attended to pour 80+ wines: Boundary Breaks - Paul Mozeley; Dr. Konstantin Frank - Eric Baist; Element Winery - Christopher Bates; Forge Cellars - Richard Rainy; Hermann J. Wiemer - Oskar Bynke; Heron Hill - Jordan Harris; Living Roots - Colleen Hardy; Mazza Chautauqua - Kevin Faehndrich; Ravines Wine Cellars - Lisa and Morten Hallgren; and Wagner Vineyards - Alex Jankowski. The Wines: I only tasted white wines (except for an expensive red) – there were 8 chardonnays and 24 rieslings plus an assortment of sauvignon blancs and gruners. Where possible I added the name of the agent. Prices varied from the initial catalogue, so many of them may be inaccurate but within that range. **** BEST -- Four Stars (91+ in Quality/Price Rating terms): -Channing Daughters Scuttlehole Chardonnay 2020 Long Island CA$20 -Element Winery Syrah 2016 Finger Lakes CA$195 -Forge Cellars Riesling Caywood Vineyard 2020 Finger Lakes CA$38 -Forge Cellars Riesling Willow Vineyard 2020 Finger Lakes CA$38 -Hermann J. Wiemer Vineyard Riesling Dry 2021 Finger Lakes CA$30.12 Living Vine agency -Heron Hill Winery Heron Hill Ingle Vineyard Riesling 2020 Finger Lakes $42 Le Savoir-Boire agency -Heron Hill Winery Reserve Riesling 2020 Finger Lakes $34 -Lamoreaux Landing Wine Cellars Chardonnay 2020 Finger Lakes CA$25.00 -Lamoreaux Landing Wine Cellars Unoaked Chardonnay 2021 Finger Lakes CA$24.95 July 22 Vintages Release -Wölffer Estate Summer In A Bottle Rosé 2022 Lake Ontario [Merlot, Chardonnay, Gewürztraminer, Sauvignon Blanc, Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon, Pinot Meunier, Pinot Blanc] -Wölffer Estate Vineyard Summer In A Bottle White 2021 New York [Chardonnay, Gewürztraminer, Sauvignon Blanc, Riesling, Pinot Blanc] -Wagner Vineyards Estate Winery Caywood East Dry Riesling 2021 Finger Lakes CA$38.95 -Wagner Vineyards Estate Winery Riesling Select 2021 Finger Lakes CA$32.95 [35 year old vines] ***1/2 BETTER -- Three and a Half Stars (88 – 90 in Quality/Price Rating terms): -Boundary Breaks #239 Dry Riesling 2021 Finger Lakes CA$30.62 -Brotherhood Chardonnay 2019 Finger Lakes CA$23 Epic Wine agency -Dr. Konstantin Frank Winery Dry Riesling 2021 Finger Lakes -Dr. Konstantin Frank Winery Grüner Veltliner 2019 Finger Lakes -Forge Cell-ars Dry Riesling Classique 2020 Finger Lakes CA$32 -Hermann J. Wiemer Vineyard Riesling HJW Vineyard 2020 Finger Lakes CA$61.61 Living Vine agency -Heron Hill Winery Reserve Chardonnay 2021 Finger Lakes Le Savoir-Boire agency -Lamoreaux Landing Wine Cellars Dry Riesling 2020 Finger Lakes CA$25 -Lieb Cellars Estate Chardonnay 2021 North Fork of Long Island CA$37.95 -Mazza Chautauqua Cellars Riesling Nutt Road 2017 Finger Lakes CA$16.00 -Ravines Wine Cellars Ravines Dry Riesling 2020 Finger Lakes -Ravines Wine Cellars Dry Riesling Argetsinger Vineyard 2019 Finger Lakes -Ravines Wine Cellars Dry Riesling White Springs Vineyard 2020 Finger Lakes -Wagner Vineyards Estate Winery Chardonnay Unoaked 2021 Finger Lakes CA$27.95 -Wagner Vineyards Estate Winery Dry Riesling 2021 Finger Lakes CA$32.95 -Wagner Vineyards Estate Winery Riesling Semi Dry 2021 Finger Lakes CA$32.95 -Wölffer Estate Vineyard Wolffer Sauvignon Blanc 2021 New York -Wölffer Estate Vineyard Wölffer Estate Chardonnay 2021 Long Island The Food: a grazing assortment of flatbreads and root veggie crisps, dips, hummus, raw veggies, puff pastry twists, cheeses (blue, smoked), olives. Good comfort foods. The Downside: very noisy crowd (hard surfaces), my concern about prices. The Upside: a rare opportunity to taste New York state wines. The Contact Person: melissa@amcc-inc.com The Event’s Marketing Effectiveness and Execution (numerical grade): 85 ** Some Recommended Wines from the LCBO’s Limited Time Offers selections...these are good value...on sale through Sunday June 18... [red] Faustino I Gran Reserva Rioja +976662, now $28.95, save $3. [red] Ricasoli Rocca Guicciarda Riserva Chianti Classico, +943613, now $20.95, save $4. [red] Rivera Il Falcone Riserva Castel de Monte Puglia, +177295, $23.95, save $3. [red] The Foreign Affair The Conspiracy VQA +149237, now $16.95, save $3. [white] Banfi Principessa Gavia Gavi Piedmont +250696, now $16.95, save $3. [white] Tawse Quarry Road Organic Riesling VWQA +198853, now $21.95, save $3. [fizz] Louis Bouillot Perle d'Aurore Brut Rose Cremant de Bourgogne, +48793, now $25.95, save $2. [splurge] Tommasi Amarone Della Valpolicella Classico +356220, now $44.95, save $5. [splurge] Chamisal Santa Rita Hills Chardonnay Santa Barbara 2016 +16025, now $35.95, save $4. MAJOR THEME: Online LCBO.com Purchases and In Store Discoveries at the Ten Flagship Stores (40+ wines). Sorry, no printed catalogues.... Wines Under $20 ========= W+33169 Tawse Skin Fermented White 2021 VQA $16.95 MVC/QPR: 89 Wines Over $20 ========= W+30933 Salomon Undhof Gelber Wildrosen Traminer 2019 Kremstal Austria $29.95 MVC/QPR: 89. W+417774 Domaine Queylus Tradition Chardonnay 2019 VQA $29.95 MVC/QPR: 89. W+31185 Tres Bagos Reserva White 2021 Douro Portugal $22.95 MVC/QPR: 89. R+127712 Ferraton Pere et Fils La Matiniere Crozes-Hermitage 2020 Rhone $33.95 MVC/QPR: 89. R+14985 Famille Perrin L'Argnee Vieilles Vignes Gigondas 2020 Rhone $66.95 MVC/QPR: 89. R+30117 Librandi Megonio 2020 IGT Calabria $24.95 MVC/QPR: 89 R+30753 Spring Roads Shiraz Kangaroo Island South Australia 2017 $32.95 MVC/QPR: 92. Fizz+32030 Ken Forrester Sparklehorse Sparkling Chenin Blanc 2019 Traditional Method WO Stellenbosch $32.95 MVC/QPR: 89 WORLD WINE WATCH TOP WINES AT VINTAGES: under/over $20 for May 27, 2023 release. By DEAN TUDOR, Gothic Epicures Writing deantudor@deantudor.com. My "Wines, Beers and Spirits of the Net", a guide to thousands of news items and RSS feeds, plus references to wines, beers and spirits, has been at http://www.deantudor.com since 1994. These notes for good wines available through LCBO Vintages (on a bi-weekly basis) can always be found at http://www.gothicepicures.blogspot.ca or at http://www.deantudor.com No winery can buy their way into – or out of – this publication. Scores are a combination of MVC (Modal Varietal Character, e.g. a Southern Rhone would taste like a Southern Rhone) and QPR (Quality/Price Ratio value in the marketplace above or below its price). Currently, the wine media have no access to the tasting samples usually provided to us in the LCBO lab on a fortnightly basis. This will go on for some time. HOWEVER, the wine media will still have access to the advance spreadsheet of the wines to be released. So I know what is to be released and when. SOME (but not many) of these 100 or so biweekly released wines I have recently tasted since January 2020 or so, and I can comfortably recommend them based on this prior sampling. ** Some New Wines I Tasted Over the Past Month or so --- TASTE ONTARIO ! TORONTO The Date and Time: Wednesday April 12, 2023 11A to 5PM The Event: TASTE ONTARIO ! TORONTO The Venue: Park Hyatt The Target Audience: wine media, agents, and sommeliers The Availability/Catalogue: The paper catalogue was replete with data and info on each wine, plus an overview of the Ontario VQA wine industry. Prices listed were both for licensees and for retail sales. Contacts were listed for each winery. The Quote/Background: 62 wineries participated from the Lake Erie North Shore, Niagara Peninsula, Prince Edward County, and Emerging Regions. All of the 300+ wines featured are available to order. The Wines: I did not taste all the wines; I was focused on chardonnays and sparklers. I divided my time between the media room (where I could sit down) and the trade show floor (where I could stand up). Prices are retail. **** BEST -- Four Stars (91+ in Quality/Price Rating terms): -Tawse Winery Robyn's Block Chardonnay 2020 $47.15 [MY FAVE] -Adamo Estate Winery Growers Series Oaked Chardonnay 2019 $19.95 -Colio Reserve Chardonnay 2020 $19.95 -Closson Chase Vineyards Churchside Chardonnay PEC 2019 $50 -Lighthall Vineyards Estate Chardonnay PEC 2020 $37.85 -2027 Cellars Wismer Vineyard Foxcroft Block Chardonnay 2020 $30 -Bachelder Wismer Vineyard Foxcroft “Nord” Chardonnay 2020 -Bachelder Les Villages Chardonnay 2021 $35 -Cave Spring Vineyard Chardonnay CSV 2020 $34.95 -Domaine Queylus Chardonnay Signature 2018 -Flat Rock Cellars Rusty Shed Chardonnay 2020 $34.95 -Hidden Bench Bistro Chardonnay 2019 -Le Clos Jordanne Le Grand Clos Chardonnay 2020 $54.95 -Le Clos Jordanne Claystone Terrace Chardonnay 2020 $39.95 -Westcott Vineyards Estate Chardonnay 2020 $29.99 -Inniskillin Montague Vineyard Chardonnay 2021 $30.95 -Jackson Triggs Grand Reserve Chardonnay 2020 $27.95 -Southbrook Organic Vineyard Triomphe Chardonnay 2019 $26.95 -Ravine Vineyard Estate Limited Edition Vintage Brut 2011 $135 [300 bottles] [MY FAVE] -Drea's Wine Co. Small Batch Blanc de Blanc 2020 $59.50 -Stratus Blanc de Blanc 2015 -Charles Baker Wines Cuvee du Boulanger Blanc de Blancs 2020 $39.95 -Rockway Vineyards Limited Edition Brut Cuvee Sparkling NV $90 -Trius Sparkling Brut NV $29.95 -Trius Sparkling Brut Rose NV $29.95 -Trius Showcase Brut Nature Sparkling NV $54.95 -Lighthall Vineyards Culmination Blanc de Blancs Sparkling PEC 2019 $39.95 -13th Street Winery Blanc de Blanc NV $29.95 -Two Sisters Blanc de Franc 2019 -Jackson Triggs Grand Reserve Entourage Blanc de Blanc 2017 $27.95 -Jackson Triggs Grand Reserve Entourage Sparkling Brut 2017 $49.95 -Henry of Pelham Family Cuvee Catherine Estate Blanc de Blanc Carte Blanche 2017 $49.95 ***1/2 BETTER -- Three and a Half Stars (88 – 90 in Quality/Price Rating terms): -Adamo Estate Winery Sogno Unoaked Chardonnay 2021 $19.95 -KIN Vineyards Carp Ridge Chardonnay 2019 $32 -Pelee Island Winery Vinedressers Chardonnay 2021 $19.95 -Broken Stone Winery Chardonnay PEC 2020 -Closson Chase Vineytard Chardonnay PEC 2020 $35 -Lighthall Vineyards Fondation Chardonnay PEC 2021 $24.95 -Norman Hardie Chardonnay PEC 2020 $59.20 -Rosehall JCR Chardonnay Rosehall Vineyard PEC 2019 $36 -Bachelder Mineralite Chardonnay 2021 $25 -Calamus Estate Barrel Kissed Chardonnay 2021 $21.95 -Henry of Pelham Family Estate Chardonnay 2020 $19.95 -Le Clos Jordanne Jordan Village Chardonnay 2020 $29.95 -Leaning Post The Fifty Chardonnay 2020 $25.20 -Legends Estates Chardonnay Reserve 2017 $21 -Meldville Chardonnay 2019 $20 -Meldville Chardonnay Barrel Select 2019 $26 -Reif Chardonnay 2020 $19.15 -Two Sisters Vineyards Unoaked Chardonnay 2019 $39 -Westcott Vineyards Violette Sparkling Brut 2021 $29.99 -The Foreign Affair Winery Sparkling Rose Brut NV $24.95 -Bella Terra Vineyards Sparkling Brut $24.95 *** GOOD -- Three Stars (85 – 87 in Quality/Price Rating terms): -KIN Vineyards Carp Ridge Skin Fermented Chardonnay 2021 $26 -Bonnie Vivant Chardonnay 2021 $34.04 -Cooper's Hawk Vineyards Unoaked Chardonnay 2020 $15.15 -Casa-Dea Estates Winery Unoaked Chardonnay PEC 2021 $20.95 -Trail Estate County Chardonnay Vintage 3 PEC 2019 $50 -Vineland Estates Winery Un-oaked Chardonnay 2021 $15.95 The Food: there were several charcuterie boards, with cheeses and meats and veggies and fruit, plus breads and dips. The Downside: it was jam packed, which made it awkward to move about from table to table. The Upside: I had a great opportunity to taste many chardonnays and sparklers. It was peaceful in the media room. The Contact Person: lauren.garrard@wmao.ca The Event’s Marketing Effectiveness and Execution (numerical grade): 90. ** Some Recommended Wines from the LCBO’s Limited Time Offers selections...these are good value...on sale through Sunday June 18... [red] Faustino I Gran Reserva Rioja +976662, now $28.95, save $3. [red] Ricasoli Rocca Guicciarda Riserva Chianti Classico, +943613, now $20.95, save $4. [red] Rivera Il Falcone Riserva Castel de Monte Puglia, +177295, $23.95, save $3. [red] The Foreign Affair The Conspiracy VQA +149237, now $16.95, save $3. [white] Banfi Principessa Gavia Gavi Piedmont +250696, now $16.95, save $3. [white] Tawse Quarry Road Organic Riesling VQA +198853, now $21.95, save $3. [fizz] Louis Bouillot Perle d'Aurore Brut Rose Cremant de Bourgogne, +48793, now $25.95, save $2. [splurge] Tommasi Amarone Della Valpolicella Classico +356220, now $44.95, save $5. [splurge] Chamisal Santa Rita Hills Chardonnay Santa Barbara 2016 +16025, now $35.95, save $4. MAJOR THEME: Rose – charming, light and fruity, simple vinosity with enough depth to accompany appetizers..Here are my choices from FRANCE [best] and ONTARIO [local] – and a few others that struck my fancy...all unrated... French Roses -- +32074 DOM BRIAL LE POT ROSÉ 2022 $15.95 +667337 HAMPTON WATER ROSÉ 2022 $29.95 +556209 GÉRARD BERTRAND PERLES DE GRENACHE ROSÉ 2022 $19.95 +20012 LE BIJOU DE SOPHIE VALROSE ROSÉ 2022 $17.95 +491027 CAVES D'ESCLANS ROCK ANGEL ROSÉ 2021 $49.95 +701318 DOMAINE MABY LA FORCADIÈRE TAVEL ROSÉ 2022 $23.95 +719062 FAMILLE PERRIN RÉSERVE ROSÉ 2022 $17.95 Ontario Roses -- +177840 PENINSULA RIDGE BEAL VINEYARD CABERNET ROSÉ VQA 2022 $16.95 +32902 DOMAINE QUEYLUS ROSÉ VQA 2021 $24.95 +649863 CREW RED SKY AT NIGHT ROSÉ VQA 2022 $17.95 +117861 FEATHERSTONE ROSÉ VQA 2022 $16.95 +16454 MARYNISSEN ESTATES ROSÉ VQA 2021 $16.95 +559088 MALIVOIRE LADYBUG ROSÉ 2021 $17.95 +552562 SPECK BROS. THREE OF HEARTS ROSÉ 2021 $19.95 Other roses -- +32026 SUSANA BALBO CRIOS ROSÉ OF MALBEC 2022 ARGENTINA $17.95 +19846 CONFIDENCIAL RESERVA ROSÉ 2022 PORTUGAL $16.95 Wines Under $20 [regular release] ==================== W+959361 PIERRE SPARR GRANDE RÉSERVE RIESLING 2020 ALSACE $18.95 MVC/QPR: 89. W+196956 JOSEPH CATTIN PINOT GRIS 2021 ALSACE $16.95 MVC/QPR: 89. W+484139 DOMAINE TARIQUET SAUVIGNON BLANC MIDI 2022 $16.95 MVC/QPR: 89. W+30120 ROCCA DELLE MACÌE CAMPO MACCIONE VERMENTINO 2021 ITALY $17.95 MVC/QPR: 89. W+31123 CAPE POINT VINEYARDS NOORDHOEK SAUVIGNON BLANC 2022 SOUTH AFRICA $18.95 MVC/QPR: 89. W+12119 POMELADO ORANGE WINE 2021 SPAIN $18.95 MVC/QPR: 89. W+30344 LANZADO ORGANIC ORANGE WINE 2021 SPAIN $18.95 MVC/QPR: 89. Wines Over $20 [regular release] =================== W+417774 QUEYLUS TRADITION CHARDONNAY 2019 VQA $29.95 MVC/QPR: 89. W+256552 CAVE SPRING ESTATE GROWN CHARDONNAY 2019 VQA $21.95 MVC/QPR: 91. R+390872 WOLF BLASS GREY LABEL SHIRAZ 2018 AUSTRALIA $34.95 MVC/QPR: 89. R+471797 CREEKSIDE ICONOCLAST SYRAH 2020 VQA $25 MVC/QPR: 89. R+30145 SOUTHBROOK TRIOMPHE ORGANIC PINOT NOIR 2021 VQA $29.95 MVC/QPR: 89. R+78725 CHÂTEAU PINERAIE CAHORS 2020 $22.95 MVC/QPR: 90. R+29817 FARINA AMARONE DELLA VALPOLICELLA CLASSICO 2016 $63.95 MVC/QPR: 89. WORLD WINE WATCH TOP WINES AT VINTAGES: for the May 13, 2023 release. By DEAN TUDOR, Gothic Epicures Writing deantudor@deantudor.com. My "Wines, Beers and Spirits of the Net", a guide to thousands of news items and RSS feeds, plus references to wines, beers and spirits, has been at http://www.deantudor.com since 1994. These notes for good wines available through LCBO Vintages (on a bi-weekly basis) can always be found at http://www.gothicepicures.blogspot.ca or at http://www.deantudor.com No winery can buy their way into – or out of – this publication. Scores are a combination of MVC (Modal Varietal Character, e.g. a Southern Rhone would taste like a Southern Rhone) and QPR (Quality/Price Ratio value in the marketplace above or below its price). Currently, the wine media have no access to the tasting samples usually provided to us in the LCBO lab on a fortnightly basis. This will go on for some time. HOWEVER, the wine media will still have access to the advance spreadsheet of the wines to be released. So I know what is to be released and when. SOME (but not many) of these 100 or so biweekly released wines I have recently tasted since January 2020 or so, and I can comfortably recommend them based on this prior sampling. ** Some New Wines I Tasted Over the Past Month or so --- LOIRE VALLEY WINES TORONTO! The Date and Time: Tuesday March 28 2PM - 6PM The Event: A tasting of some 40 wines from the Loire Valley The Venue: Second Floor Events, King Street West The Target Audience: wine trade and wine press The Availability/Catalogue: the catalogue was available online The Quote/Background: there were ten principals/wineries, and some were looking for representation in Ontario. Some had agents pouring, some wines were available in Quebec only, at the SAQ. Loire wines are almost a semi-rarity in Ontario. There is the popular Muscadet, the sauvignon blancs of Touraine, the chenin blancs and roses of Anjou, the occasional Pinot Noir, Cabernet Franc and Chardonnay, plus Sancerre and Pouilly Fume. We did not see many high end wines today. The Wines: I did not taste all the wines, but there were about 40+ wines available. **** BEST -- Four Stars (91+ in Quality/Price Rating terms): -Amirault Saint-Nicolas De Bourgueil Les Quarterons Rouge 2020 +28249 $36.95 French Wine Destination Store in Ottawa -Amirault Saint-Nicolas De Bourgueil Les Gravilices 2019 +28250 $36.35 French Wine Destination Store in Ottawa -Lacheteau Sauvignon Blanc Haut Poitou Les Cimes +10632 $17.95 2022 -Lacheteau Muscadet Chateau de Cleray 2022 -Domaine des Tilleuls Essentielle Muscadet Sèvre et Maine sur lie 2021 SAQ 13589133 $20.50 -Château Soucherie Savennières Blanc Clos des Perrières 2020 SAQ 13591102 $47.75 -Château Soucherie Anjou Blanc Ivoire 2022 SAQ 14221576 $25 -Famille Bougrier Confidences Vouvray Sec AOP 2021 +28239 $20.45 -Bernard Fouquet Vouvray Brut Methode Traditional NV -La Seigneurie Saumur Fines Bulles Brut Zero 2016 -Famille Bougrier Domaine Guenault 1885 Touraine Sauvignon Blanc 2022 ***1/2 BETTER -- Three and a Half Stars (88 – 90 in Quality/Price Rating terms): -Lacheteau Cabernet Franc Montagueret -Lecheteau Muscadet Heritage de Cleray 2022 -Bernard Fouquet Domaine des Aubuisières Vouvray Cuvée Silex Sec 2021 -Bernard Fouquet Bonnes Blanches Sec Chenin Blanc Anjou 2020 -Lionel Gosseaume Les Sauterelles Touraine Sauvignon 2022 -La Seigneurie Saumur Blanc Les Pentes 2021 -La Seigneurie Saumur Mademoiselle La Seigneurie 2022 Rose -Domaine Des Tilleuls Sauvignon Blanc La Petite Chapelle 2022 -Domaine Des Tilleuls Chardonnay La Petite Chapelle 2022 -Chateau Soucherie Rose Pivoine 2022 -Famille Bougrier Rose d'Anjou 2022 -Famille Bougrier Vouvray Chenin Blanc Doulce 2021 +253229 $19.05 -Famille Bougrier Confidences Menetou Salon 2020 +313576 $24.10 The Food: there were servers with platters of onion custard tarts and mushroom tarts. There was a cheese platter with brie, Avonlea cheddar, Balsamic onion cheddar, Fontina, and Beemster [best cheese]. Meats included chicken liver mousse, Sacy pork sausage, and Serano ham. There were excellent fresh blackberries on the plates. The Downside: there was very little information since the catalogue was online; my request for a PDF was stalled and it arrived at the end of April (hence, the lateness of this review) The Upside: The chance to be at a regional wine tasting. The Contact Person: info@loirevalleywine.com or https://www.vinsvaldeloire.fr/en The Event’s Marketing Effectiveness and Execution (numerical grade): 84. ** Some Recommended Wines from the LCBO’s Limited Time Offers selections...these are good value...on sale through Sunday May 21... [white] +43281 Flat Rock Riesling VQA save $2, LTO price $17.95 [white] +711556 Wakefield Estate Chardonnay Padthaway South Australia save $2, LTO price $15.95 [red] +30163 Cesari Bosan Ripasso Valpolicella Superiore save $4, LTO price $29.95 [red] +681643 Chateau Argadens Bordeaux Superieur save $3, LTO price $16.95 [red] +226944 Rodney Strong Sonoma County Cabernet Sauvignon save $3, LTO price $26.95 [red] +59311 Seven Deadly Zins Old Vines Zinfandel Lodi save $3, LTO price $21.95 [red] +419770 C. Smith Wines of Substance Cabernet Sauvignon Washington State save $3, LTO price $21.95. [splurge] +996405 Stag's Leap Winery Cabernet Sauvignon Napa save $5, LTO price $66.95 [fizz] +12619 Vilmart Grand Reserve 1er Cru Champagne save $5, LTO price $68.95 MAJOR THEME: Order through LCBO.COM ONLINE and/or one of the Ten Flagship Stores Wines Under $20 ========= W+485334 Kew Marsanne 2019 VQA Beamville Bench Niagara $19.95 MVC/QPR: 90 W+32811 Rockway Pinot Gris 2021 VQA Lincoln Lakeshore Niagara $20 MVC/QPR: 89 Wines Over $20 ========= W+298240 Meyer Family McLean Creek Road Chardonnay 2021 BC VQA Okanagan Valley $47.95 MVC/QPR: 89. W+667758 Roger et Didier Raimbault Vieilles Vignes Sancerre 2018 AC Loire $43.95 MVC/QPR: 89. Fizz+21463 Blomidon Cuvee L'Acadie Brut Sparkling Traditional Method Annapolis Valley NS $43.95 MVC/QPR: 91 THIS IS THE THIRD BLUE MOON RELEASE FOR APRIL 2023... WORLD WINE WATCH TOP WINES AT VINTAGES: under/over $20 for April 29, 2023 release. By DEAN TUDOR, Gothic Epicures Writing deantudor@deantudor.com. My "Wines, Beers and Spirits of the Net", a guide to thousands of news items and RSS feeds, plus references to wines, beers and spirits, has been at http://www.deantudor.com since 1994. These notes for good wines available through LCBO Vintages (on a bi-weekly basis) can always be found at http://www.gothicepicures.blogspot.ca or at http://www.deantudor.com No winery can buy their way into – or out of – this publication. Scores are a combination of MVC (Modal Varietal Character, e.g. a Southern Rhone would taste like a Southern Rhone) and QPR (Quality/Price Ratio value in the marketplace above or below its price). Currently, the wine media have no access to the tasting samples usually provided to us in the LCBO lab on a fortnightly basis. This will go on for some time. HOWEVER, the wine media will still have access to the advance spreadsheet of the wines to be released. So I know what is to be released and when. SOME (but not many) of these 100 or so biweekly released wines I have recently tasted since January 2020 or so, and I can comfortably recommend them based on this prior sampling. ** Some New Wines I Had Tasted --- The Event: A tasting of Conegliano Valdobbiadene: the heart of Prosecco Superiore DOCG The Venue: SIPS, Maud Street The Target Audience: wine media and sommeliers (over two dozen in all) The Availability/Catalogue: this was a masterclass of higher-end Prosecco wines. These wines were generally not yet available for sale in Ontario, except as specified. The Quote/Background: Jennifer Huether, MS, was our speaker today, and she ran over the basics of what this Italian region was all about. The hills of CV are a UNESCO World Heritage Site. All of the wine made in this DOCG is white; 93% of the wine made here is sparkling. Two sub-regions produce the best Prosecco – Rive and Cartizze. The Martinotti Method (a variation of Charmat) is prescibed. While not every farmed area is organic, glyphosate has been totally banned and growers are moving toward a green sustainability. The overall top quality Proseccos come from these two regions of Conegliano and Valdobbiadene, both located between Venice and the Dolomites...and these are at the DOCG level. 105 million bottles are produced every year. Each bottle should have wine that is 85% Glera grape at a minimum, with 15% maximum allowable for other grapes such as pinot nero, chardonnay, and any of some four local varieties. Pronunciation was basically straightforward: val-doh-bee-ahhh-deh-ne The Wines: There were 9 wines, and in general I really enjoyed the dryer ones. Each wine had about 11.5% ABV. **** BEST -- Four Stars (91+ in Quality/Price Rating terms): -L'Antica Quercia Conegliano Valdobbiadene Prosecco Superiore DOCG Brut Nature Sui Lieviti “A” 2020 [organic wine, on lees, bone dry at 0g/L residual sugar] -Frassinelli Conegliano Valdobbiadene Prosecco Superiore DOCG Extra Brut Rive di Santa Maria di Feletto 2021 [1.5g/L residual sugar, modest finish] -Canevel Valdobbiadene Prosecco Superiore DOCG Brut Biologico Campofalco Monfalcon Vineyard 2021 [90% glera, 10% verdiso, extended Charmat storage] -Bottega Conegliano Valdobbiadene Prosecco Superiore DOCG Extra Dry “Il Vino dei Poeti” [16-18 g/L RS, Noble Estates agency] -Col Vetoraz Valdobbiadene Prosecco Superiore DOCG Extra Dry [16g/L RS, finishes drier, savoury] ***1/2 BETTER -- Three and a Half Stars (88 – 90 in Quality/Price Rating terms): -Sommariva Conegliano Valdobbiadene Prosecco Superiore DOCG Brut [9g/L RS, jes peachy with some lemon peel] -Ruggeri Valdobbiadene Prosecco Superiore DOCG Brut Quartese [9g/L RS] -Perlage Valdobbiadene Prosecco Superiore DOCG Extra Dry Col di Manza [16g/L RS] -Marsuret Valdobbiadene Prosecco Superiore DOCG Extra Dry Il Soller [16g/L RS] The Food: water biscuits and water The Contact Person: lisa@androscom.com The Event’s Marketing Effectiveness and Execution (numerical grade): 90 ** Some Recommended Wines from the LCBO’s Limited Time Offers selections...these are good value...on sale through Sunday May 21... [white] +43281 Flat Rock Riesling VQA save $2, LTO price $17.95 [white] +711556 Wakefield Estate Chardonnay Padthaway South Australia save $2, LTO price $15.95 [red] +30163 Cesari Bosan Ripasso Valpolicella Superiore save $4, LTO price $29.95 [red] +681643 Chateau Argadens Bordeaux Superieur save $3, LTO price $16.95 [red] +226944 Rodney Strong Sonoma County Cabernet Sauvignon save $3, LTO price $26.95 [red] +59311 Seven Deadly Zins Old Vines Zinfandel Lodi save $3, LTO price $21.95 [red] +419770 C. Smith Wines of Substance Cabernet Sauvignon Washington State save $3, LTO price $21.95. [splurge] +996405 Stag's Leap Winery Cabernet Sauvignon Napa save $5, LTO price $66.95 [fizz] +12619 Vilmart Grand Reserve 1er Cru Champagne save $5, LTO price $68.95 MAJOR THEME: SMART SUMMER BUYS Wines Under $20 ========= FIZZ+16602 ALBINO ARMANI EXTRA DRY CONEGLIANO VALDOBBIADENE PROSECCO $18.95 MVC/QPR: 92. W+186346 SIDEWOOD CHARDONNAY 2019 AUSTRALIA $18.95 MVC/QPR: 89. W+89029 TAWSE SKETCHES OF NIAGARA RIESLING 2021 VQA $19.95 MVC/QPR: 89. W+99309 LEYDA GARUMA SINGLE VINEYARD SAUVIGNON BLANC 2021 CHILE $17.95 MVC/QPR: 89. W+31090 ROUTE 62 SAUVIGNON BLANC 2022 SOUTH AFRICA $15.95 MVC/QPR: 89. R+444687 LA POSTA FAZZIO MALBEC 2020 ARGENTINA $18.95 MVC/QPR: 89. R+28081 VIÑALBA PATAGONIA RESERVA MALBEC 2020 $19.95 MVC/QPR: 89. R+523001 CAVE SPRING ESTATE GROWN CABERNET FRANC 2020 VQA $19.95 MVC/QPR: 92. R+29978 DOMAINE DES TERRES DORÉES LE RONSAY BEAUJOLAIS 2021 $19.95 MVC/QPR: 89. R+24495 CHÂTEAU MAISON NOBLE SAINT MARTIN 2019 BORDEAUX $16.95 MVC/QPR: 89. R+396382 ZACCAGNINI TRALCETTO MONTEPULCIANO D'ABRUZZO 2020 $16.95 MVC/QPR: 89. Wines Over $20 ========= FIZZ+19346 THE FOREIGN AFFAIR BRUT ROSÉ SPARKLING VQA $24.95 MVC/QPR: 89. FIZZ+499442 DOMAINE STE. MICHELLE BRUT ROSÉ SPARKLING $24.95 MVC/QPR: 89. W+483875 THE TRAGICALLY HIP AHEAD BY A CENTURY CHARDONNAY VQA 2021 $21.95 MVC/QPR: 89. R+633628 MISSION HILL FAMILY ESTATE RESERVE MERITAGE 2020 BCVQA $31.95 MVC/QPR: 89. R+17239 BACHELDER LES VILLAGES GAMAY NOIR 2020 VQA $25.95 MVC/QPR: 89. R+33894 LE CLOS JORDANNE JORDAN VILLAGE PINOT NOIR 2020 VQA $29.95 MVC/QPR: 89. R+86363 WILDASS RED 2018 VQA $21.95 MVC/QPR: 89. R+632984 PIERRE LURTON BORDEAUX 2016 $21.95 MVC/QPR: 89. R+579094 CAPARZO BRUNELLO DI MONTALCINO 2017 $51.95 MVC/QPR: 89. THIS IS THE SECOND OF THREE BLUE MOON RELEASES FOR APRIL 2023... WORLD WINE WATCH TOP WINES AT VINTAGES: under/over $20 for APRIL 15, 2023 release. By DEAN TUDOR, Gothic Epicures Writing deantudor@deantudor.com. My "Wines, Beers and Spirits of the Net", a guide to thousands of news items and RSS feeds, plus references to wines, beers and spirits, has been at http://www.deantudor.com since 1994. These notes for good wines available through LCBO Vintages (on a bi-weekly basis) can always be found at http://www.gothicepicures.blogspot.ca or at http://www.deantudor.com No winery can buy their way into – or out of – this publication. Scores are a combination of MVC (Modal Varietal Character, e.g. a Southern Rhone would taste like a Southern Rhone) and QPR (Quality/Price Ratio value in the marketplace above or below its price). Currently, the wine media have no access to the tasting samples usually provided to us in the LCBO lab on a fortnightly basis. This will go on for some time. HOWEVER, the wine media will still have access to the advance spreadsheet of the wines to be released. So I know what is to be released and when. SOME (but not many) of these 100 or so biweekly released wines I have recently tasted since January 2020 or so, and I can comfortably recommend them based on this prior sampling. ** Some New Wines I Tasted Over the Past Season --- The Event: Icons of the Okanagan Valley Walk Around Tasting late November 2022 The Venue: Modus Ristorante The Target Audience: private customers, wine media The Availability/Catalogue: all these VQA wines were available for sale by the bottle that night. This was followed by a chance to buy the wines at the LCBO via the Internet. Private Collectors is a sub-group of high end wines within the Mark Anthony Wine and Spirits portfolio. The wineries are owned by Anthony von Mandl. My personal contact was Kirsty from Mark Anthony; she had extended my invitation. The Quote/Background: Checkmate had New World Chardonnay and Merlot, with old world elegance. Martin's Lane had stylish small lot Pinot Noir and Riesling. Shane Munn, the winemaker at Martin's Lane, was available for talk and discussion. The best part of the evening was tasting only a few wines (just seven) and talking about them with friends and sales help, especially contrasting the two merlots and the two chardonnays. The Wines: **** BEST -- Four Stars (91+ in Quality/Price Rating terms): -Checkmate Winery Queen Taken Chardonnay 2018 VQA $111.95 -Checkmate Winery Fools Mate Chardonnay 2018 VQA $95.95 -Checkmate Winery Silent Bishop Merlot 2018 VQA $95.95 -Checkmate Winery End Game Merlot 2018 VQA $95.95 ***1/2 BETTER -- Three and a Half Stars (88 – 90 in Quality/Price Rating terms): -Martin's Lane Winery Naramata Riesling 2018 VQA $54 -Martin's Lane Winery Simes Pinot Noir 2017 VQA $96 -Martin's Lane Winery Naramata Pinot Noir 2017 VQA $96 The Food: canapes The Contact Person: privatecollectors@markanthony.com The Event's Marketing Effectiveness and Execution (numerical grade): 88. ** Some Recommended Wines from the LCBO’s Limited Time Offers selections...these are good value...on sale through Sunday April 23 -- White+24133 ANDREW PELLER RIESLING THIRTY BENCH, save $3 LTO price $19.95 White+326728 OYSTER BAY CHARDONNAY MARLBOROUGH, save $3 LTO price $16.95 White+258699 J. LOHR RIVERSTONE CHARDONNAY, save $2 LTO price $17.95 [load up] Red+394783 DONA PAULA ESTATE MALBEC, save $3 LTO price $13.10 Red+50203 BERONIA RESERVA RIOJA, save $3 LTO price $18.95 SPLURGE Red+352583 BERINGER KNIGHT'S VALLEY CABERNET SAUVIGNON, save $5 LTO price $41.95 FIZZ Rose+365205 CONO SUR SPARKLING ROSÉ, save $3 LTO price $15.45 [buy a case] MAJOR THEME: CALIFORNIA CABERNETS Wines Under $20 ========= Fortified+274456 SPAIN: LUSTAU MANZANILLA PAPIRUSA SOLERA FAMILIAR VERY DRY $16.95 MVC/QPR: 89 W+89011 ONTARIO: FEATHERSTONE SAUVIGNON BLANC 2022 VQA $17.95 MVC/QPR: 89 W+224626 ALSACE: JOSEPH CATTIN GEWURZTRAMINER 2021 $18.95 MVC/QPR: 89 W+928580 CHILE: SANTA CAROLINA GRAN RESERVA CHARDONNAY 2020 $18.95 MVC/QPR: 91 W+540823 CHILE: SECRETO DE VIU MANENT GRAN RESERVA SAUVIGNON BLANC 2022 $15.95 MVC/QPR: 89 W+31668 ARGENTINA: DOMAINE BOUSQUET CHARDONNAY 2021 $17.95 MVC/QPR: 89 R+28078 ARGENTINA: ZUCCARDI Q CABERNET SAUVIGNON 2019 $19.95 MVC/QPR: 89 Wines Over $20 ========= Fortified+515817 SPAIN: EMILIO LUSTAU ALMACENISTA FINO DEL PUERTO OBREGÓN SHERRY $26.95 MVC/QPR: 89 W+566026 ONTARIO: CAVE SPRING CSV RIESLING 2019 VQA $31.95 MVC/QPR: 90 W+181289 BURGUNDY: DOMAINE LE VERGER CHABLIS 2020 $31.95 MVC/QPR: 89 W+29601 BURGUNDY: VIGNOBLE ROTISSON TRADITION CHARDONNAY 2021 $21.95 MVC/QPR: 89 W+65573 LOIRE: JEAN-MAX ROGER CUVÉE LES CAILLOTTES SANCERRE 2020 $35.95 MVC/QPR: 89 W+189126 LOIRE: JEAN-MAX ROGER CUVÉE GENÈSE SANCERRE 2021 $37.95 MVC/QPR: 89 R+327387 AUSTRALIA: ROBERT OATLEY SIGNATURE SERIES SHIRAZ 2019 $20.95 MVC/QPR: 89 R+681981 BURGUNDY: CHARTRON ET TREBUCHET SANTENAY 2018 $41.95 MVC/QPR: 89 R+661306 VENETO: MASI SEREGO ALIGHIERI MONTE PIAZZO VALPOLICELLA CLASSICO $32.95 MVC/QPR: 89 R+904565 CALIFORNIA: BOGLE VINEYARDS CABERNET SAUVIGNON 2020 $22.95 MVC/QPR: 89 R+597237 SONOMA: BENZIGER CABERNET SAUVIGNON [biodynamic] 2019 $27.95 MVC/QPR: 90 R+70581 WASHINGTON STATE: CHATEAU STE. MICHELLE CANOE RIDGE MERLOT 2018 $43.95 MVC/QPR: 89 Rose+172643 ONTARIO: TAWSE SKETCHES OF NIAGARA ROSÉ 2021 VQA $18.95 MVC/QPR: 91 THIS IS THE FIRST BLUE MOON RELEASE OF THE YEAR: three issues this month of April !! WORLD WINE WATCH TOP WINES AT VINTAGES: under/over $20 for APRIL 1, 2023 release. By DEAN TUDOR, Gothic Epicures Writing deantudor@deantudor.com. My "Wines, Beers and Spirits of the Net", a guide to thousands of news items and RSS feeds, plus references to wines, beers and spirits, has been at http://www.deantudor.com since 1994. These notes for good wines available through LCBO Vintages (on a bi-weekly basis) can always be found at http://www.gothicepicures.blogspot.ca or at http://www.deantudor.com No winery can buy their way into – or out of – this publication. Scores are a combination of MVC (Modal Varietal Character, e.g. a Southern Rhone would taste like a Southern Rhone) and QPR (Quality/Price Ratio value in the marketplace above or below its price). Currently, the wine media have no access to the tasting samples usually provided to us in the LCBO lab on a fortnightly basis. This will go on for some time. HOWEVER, the wine media will still have access to the advance spreadsheet of the wines to be released. So I know what is to be released and when. SOME (but not many) of these 100 or so biweekly released wines I have recently tasted since January 2020 or so, and I can comfortably recommend them based on this prior sampling. ** Some New Wines I Tasted Over the Past Season -- The Event: Drink Chile wine trade show of November 2022 The Venue: Arcadian Lofts The Target Audience: wine trade, wine writers, agents The Availability/Catalogue: the catalogue was actually printed, not electronic, in view of the general public coming in at 6:30PM. There were 16 pages of text on the wines and grapes and valleys, plus descriptions of the wines and some prices. The Quote/Background: There was a masterclass (with a large turnout) at 11:30, specializing in four categories of wine: new wave whites, Mediterranean-style reds, red Bordeaux-style blends, and a cabernet sauvignon terroir tour. The Wines: I did not taste every every wine-–there were about 120 from 16 different wineries. **** BEST -- Four Stars (91+ in Quality/Price Rating terms): -Anakena Alwa Cabernet Sauvignon Blend Colchagua & Maipo 2017, $64.95 Bacchus Group -Anakena Ona Red Blend (Shiraz,CabSauv,Carm) Cachapoal 2019 $27.95 Bacchus Group -Aresti Trisquel Gran Reserva Cabernet Sauvignon Maipo 2020 Lexellent -Aresti Trisquel Series Vichuquen Costa Chardonnay Curico 2021 Lexcellent -Casas del Bosque Gran Reserva Cabernet Sauvignon Maipo 2019 $21.25 +353086 -Santa Carolina Gran Reserva Chardonnay 2020 Iata $18.95 LCBO -Cono Sur 20 Barrels Chardonnay 2020 Casablanca $30 Vintages n/a -Carmen Delanz Alto Jahuel Estate Blend Maipo 2020 Icon Fine Wines -Concha y Toro Marques de Casa Concha Cabernet Sauvignon Maipo $23.95 +337238 -San Pedro 1865 Old Vines Cabernet Sauvignon 2019 Curico $34.95 +27202 Vintages -Cono Sur Organic Cabernet Sauvignon Reserva Colchagua 2019 Authentic Wine -Montes Alpha M Colchagua 2020 Profile -Montes Akpha Special Cuvee Cabernet Sauvignon 2020 Colchagua Profile -Santa Carolina Gran Reserva Cabernet Sauvignon Cauquenes 2020 Charton Hobbs -Santa Carolina Reserva Familia Cabernet Sauvignon Maipo 2020 Charton Hobbs ***1/2 BETTER -- Three and a Half Stars (88 – 90 in Quality/Price Rating terms): -Montes Wings Colchagua 2019 Colchagua Profile -Espiritu de Chile Rose Grenache Desert 2020 Curico Trayvino -Espiritu de Chile Explorador Gran Reserva Maipo 2020 Trayvino -Santa Rita Medalla Real Gran Reserva Syrah Limari 2021 Icon Fine Wines -Carmen Gran Reserva Sauvignon Blanc Casablanca 2022 Icon Fine Wines -Amayna Sauvignon Blanc Leyda $28.95 Marentette -Las Veletas Estate Viognier 2022 Maule Heritage Cellars -Miguel Torres Cordillera Cabernet Sauvignon 2019 Maipo Andes $22.95 Vintages -Montes Purple Angel 2020 Colchagua Profile -Anakena Nuna Chardonnay Cachapoal 2020 $18.95 Bacchus Group -Casas del Bosque Botanic Series La Cantera Sauvignon Blanc Casablanca $19.95 +28583 -Aresti Trisquel Series Semillon 2020 Curico Lexcellent -Garces Silva Catalino Pais 2019 Maule $19.95 Internet Exclusive Marentette -Las Veletas Almaule Pais 2021 Maule -Montes Outer Limits Cinsault 2021 Iata -Perez Cruz Grenache 2020 Maipo $21.95 Vintages -Emiliana Coyam 2019 Colchagua $29.95 +63891 -Miguel Torres Gran Reserva Andica Caberent Sauvignon 2020 Iata $17.95 -Veramonte Primus The Blend 2019 Colchagua $19.95 +712463 Vintages The Food: a variety of cheeses with dried fruit and breads; mini-empanadas; salmon canapes, and more... The Downside: it got crowded really fast. The Upside: there was a media room where writers could contemplate their tasting samples. The Contact Person: lisa@androscom.com The Event's Marketing Effectiveness and Execution (numerical grade): 84 ** Some Recommended Wines from the LCBO’s Limited Time Offers selections...these are good value...on sale through Sunday April 23 -- White+24133 ANDREW PELLER RIESLING THIRTY BENCH, save $3 LTO price $19.95 White+326728 OYSTER BAY CHARDONNAY MARLBOROUGH, save $3 LTO price $16.95 White+258699 J. LOHR RIVERSTONE CHARDONNAY, save $2 LTO price $17.95 Red+394783 DONA PAULA ESTATE MALBEC, save $3 LTO price $13.10 Red+50203 BERONIA RESERVA RIOJA, save $3 LTO price $18.95 SPLURGE Red+352583 BERINGER KNIGHT'S VALLEY CABERNET SAUVIGNON, save $5 LTO price $41.95 FIZZ Rose+365205 CONO SUR SPARKLING ROSÉ, save $3 LTO price $15.45 [buy a case] MAJOR THEME: PERFECT EASTER FOOD PAIRINGS: New World vs. European Wines Under $20 ========= W+356873 FLAT ROCK GOOD KHARMA CHARDONNAY 2021 VQA $17.95 MVC/QPR: 89 W+745349 DOMAINE JACKY MARTEAU SAUVIGNON TOURAINE 2021 LOIRE $16.95 MVC/QPR: 89 R+131540 FEATHERSTONE RED TAIL MERLOT 2020 VQA $19.95 MVC/QPR: 89 R+981175 DOMAINE DE LA MADONE LE PERRÉON BEAUJOLAIS-VILLAGES 2021 $18.95 MVC/QPR: 89 R+28545 DOMAINE FOND CROZE LE SERRE DE LA GARDE CÔTES DU RHÔNE 2020 Org $16.95 MVC/QPR: 89 R+981399 TERRA D'ALIGI MONTEPULCIANO D'ABRUZZO 2018 $16.95 MVC/QPR: 89 R+488007 PERIQUITA RESERVA 2020 PORTUGAL $18.95 MVC/QPR: 89 Rose+498535 MALIVOIRE VIVANT ROSÉ 2021 VQA$19.95 MVC/QPR: 89 Wines Over $20 ========= W+22985 TYRRELL'S HUNTER VALLEY CHARDONNAY 2019 AUSTRALIA $24.95 MVC/QPR: 89 W+20455 LE CLOS JORDANNE JORDAN VILLAGE CHARDONNAY 2020 VQA $29.95 MVC/QPR: 90 W+30158 MUDDY WATER GROWERS' SERIES SAUVIGNON BLANC 2021 NEW ZEALAND $24.95 MVC/QPR: 89 R+29937 DOUDET-NAUDIN BOURGOGNE PINOT NOIR 2020 $34.95 MVC/QPR: 89 WORLD WINE WATCH TOP WINES AT VINTAGES: under/over $20 for MARCH 18, 2023 release. By DEAN TUDOR, Gothic Epicures Writing deantudor@deantudor.com. My "Wines, Beers and Spirits of the Net", a guide to thousands of news items and RSS feeds, plus references to wines, beers and spirits, has been at http://www.deantudor.com since 1994. These notes for good wines available through LCBO Vintages (on a bi-weekly basis) can always be found at http://www.gothicepicures.blogspot.ca or at http://www.deantudor.com No winery can buy their way into – or out of – this publication. Scores are a combination of MVC (Modal Varietal Character, e.g. a Southern Rhone would taste like a Southern Rhone) and QPR (Quality/Price Ratio value in the marketplace above or below its price). Currently, the wine media have no access to the tasting samples usually provided to us in the LCBO lab on a fortnightly basis. This will go on for some time. HOWEVER, the wine media will still have access to the advance spreadsheet of the wines to be released. So I know what is to be released and when. SOME (but not many) of these 100 or so biweekly released wines I have recently tasted since January 2020 or so, and I can comfortably recommend them based on this prior sampling. ** Some New Wines I Tasted -- The Event: Mediterranean Aperitivo The Venue: EATALY Bloor and Bay The Target Audience: wine and food writers The Availability/Catalogue: in this context, only the specific Vermouth di Torino was available in Ontario. Dan Rabinovitch of Azureau Wines spoke on behalf of the vermouths. The Quote/Background: MAP (Mediterranean Aperitivo) is an information campaign on PGI and PDO, EU terms for protecting names and geographic origins. Here the seminar was on Vermouth di Torino (PGI), Pecorino Toscano (PDO), Amalfi Lemons (PGI), and Greek olives. The PDO (Protected Designation of Origin) is a higher standard than PGI(Protected Geographic Indication). The Wines: **** BEST -- Four Stars (91+ in Quality/Price Rating terms): -Cocchi Vermouth di Torino Extra Dry Ricetta Piemontese 500mL 17%ABV $40 consignment Azureau ***1/2 BETTER -- Three and a Half Stars (88 – 90 in Quality/Price Rating terms): -Cocchi Storico Vermouth di Torino Ricetta Originale 16%ABV $30 consignment Azureau [moscato & botanicals] off-dry -Bordiga Storica Ricetta 15%ABV +14771076 [nebbiolo] -Berto Antico Opificio Rosso Vermouth di Torino 17%ABV [traditional style with white wine, spices, sugar and added alcohol] The Food: pecorino toscano, amalfi lemon peel, olives The Downside: there was a zoom connection of simultaneous tasting with NYC, but it eventually degraded and we cut out. The Upside: Dan filled in with tasting notes on the vermouths. The Contact Person: www.mediterraneanaperitivo.com dan@azureau.com The Event’s Marketing Effectiveness and Execution (numerical grade): 80  *** Some Recommended Wines from the LCBO’s Limited Time Offers selections...these are good value...on sale through Sunday March 26th...... R+660241 Bonanza California Cabernet Sauvignon, normally $27.95, save $3.00, LTO sale $24.95 R+595280 Porcupine Ridge Syrah, normally $16.95, save $3.00, LTO sale $13.95 R+954834 Rodney Strong Pinot Noir Russian River, normally $29.95, save $3.00, LTO sale $26.95 W+608653 Sonoma-Cutrer Chardonnay Russian River Ranches, normally $29.95, save $5.00, LTO sale $24.95 W+38117 Vineland Riesling Elevation St Urban VQA, normally $22.95, save $3, LTO sale $19.95 Fizz+215814 Codorniu Brut Clasico Cava, normally $15.45, save $2.50, LTO sale $12.95 MARCH 18 MAJOR THEME: Pinot Noir from Around the World Wines Under $20 ========= W+446088 NOMAD SAUVIGNON BLANC 2021 VQA Niagara Lakeshore, Niagara Peninsula Hinterbrook Estate Winery $17.95 MVC/QPR: 89 W+190454 MUD HOUSE SAUVIGNON BLANC 2022 New Zealand Marlborough Sustainable, Marlborough, South Island $19.95 MVC/QPR: 89 R+983742 L.A. CETTO PETITE SIRAH 2020 Mexico Baja California Guadalupe Valley, Baja California $14.95 MVC/QPR: 89 R+28086 ALTA-YARÍ RESERVA MALBEC 2020 Argentina Mendoza Gualtallary, Valle de Uco, Mendoza $18.95 MVC/QPR: 89 R+12281 CHÂTEAU DE RIBEBON 2019 AC Bordeaux Supérieur Alain Aubert, prop. $16.95 MVC/QPR: 91 R+548560 ALICE VIEIRA DE SOUSA RESERVE RED 2020 Douro DOC $18.95 MVC/QPR: 90 Fortified+515965 BODEGAS BARBADILLO PASTORA MANZANILLA PASADA Sanlucar de Barrameda Unfiltered, DO Manzanilla $16.95 MVC/QPR: 89 Wines Over $20 ========== W+16059 BACHELDER LES VILLAGES-BENCH CHARDONNAY 2020 VQA Niagara Escarpment $34.95 MVC/QPR: 89. W+82255 ROGER & DIDIER RAIMBAULT SANCERRE 2021 Loire $34.95 MVC/QPR: 90 W+149302 FEATHERSTONE CANADIAN OAK CHARDONNAY 2021 VQA Ontario $24.95 MVC/QPR: 90 W+733501 ALAIN GEOFFROY BEAUROY CHABLIS 1ER CRU 2020 $39.95 MVC/QPR: 89. R+427500 WESTCOTT ESTATE PINOT NOIR 2019 VQA Vinemount Ridge, Niagara Peninsula $31.95 MVC/QPR: 90 R+4564 LE CLOS JORDANNE LE GRAND CLOS PINOT NOIR 2020 QA Twenty Mile Bench, Niagara Escarpment $49.95 MVC/QPR: 89. R+22977 DOMAINE QUEYLUS RÉSERVE DU DOMAINE PINOT NOIR 2018 VQA Niagara Peninsula $49.95 MVC/QPR: 89. Fizz+206326 BLUE MOUNTAIN GOLD LABEL BRUT SPARKLING Traditional method, Okanagan Valley, British Columbia BCVQA $34.95 MVC/QPR: 90 Fizz+31538 GRUET SAUVAGE SPARKLING ROSÉ New Mexico Traditional method $29.95 MVC/QPR: 89. Fizz+369066 BAILLY-LAPIERRE CHARDONNAY BRUT CRÉMANT DE BOURGOGNE Traditional method, AC, Burgundy, France $24.95 MVC/QPR: 89 WORLD WINE WATCH TOP WINES AT VINTAGES: under/over $20 for MARCH 4, 2023 release. By DEAN TUDOR, Gothic Epicures Writing deantudor@deantudor.com. My "Wines, Beers and Spirits of the Net", a guide to thousands of news items and RSS feeds, plus references to wines, beers and spirits, has been at http://www.deantudor.com since 1994. NOTE: The cost of wine, beer, and spirits is rising across Canada. A Canadian liquor tax hike of 6.3% IS coming in April... As of April 1, 2023, a federal excise tax will raise the cost of alcohol across Canada by 6.3%. The tax was introduced in 2017 by then finance minister Bill Morneau. It's colloquially called the alcohol escalator tax, as it automatically adjusts every April 1, based on the Consumer Price Index. When inflation hangs out around the 3% benchmark targeted by the Bank of Canada, the alcohol tax isn't particularly noteworthy. But throw the white-hot inflation rates of 2021 and 2022 into the mix, and you've got a tax hike akin to sprinkling salt in an open wound. (CP) +++++++++++++++++++++++++++ These notes for good wines available through LCBO Vintages (on a bi-weekly basis) can always be found at http://www.gothicepicures.blogspot.ca or at http://www.deantudor.com No winery can buy their way into – or out of – this publication. Scores are a combination of MVC (Modal Varietal Character, e.g. a Southern Rhone would taste like a Southern Rhone) and QPR (Quality/Price Ratio value in the marketplace above or below its price). Currently, the wine media have no access to the tasting samples usually provided to us in the LCBO lab on a fortnightly basis. This will go on for some time. HOWEVER, the wine media will still have access to the advance spreadsheet of the wines to be released. So I know what is to be released and when. SOME (but not many) of these 100 or so biweekly released wines I have recently tasted since January 2020 or so, and I can comfortably recommend them based on this prior sampling. ** Some New Wines I Tasted Over the Past Fortnight --- Exceptional NEW Kacaba Red wines reviewed -- Just recently released by the winery ... KACABA Vineyards Proprietor's Block Syrah VQA Niagara Escarpment 2019 Escarpment Series $35.15 at winery and kacaba.com: this syrah is still a young wine, three years old, and with a lot to resolve among the complexities of toasty smoke, vanillins, raspberry and black fruit, pepper and other spices.  10% of Kacaba viognier was added, in true Northern Rhone style. I've tasted various Kacaba syrahs back to 2000 with the Wine Writers' Circle of Canada. You'll get a whiff of anise, rosemary, and red fruit, and with the viognier fruit it is a bit refreshing. Storage was in both French and US oak for 17 months. Definitely a red meat wine. What I usually do is a double-decant, taste, and then leave it in sealed bottle for a week, with daily tastings. If you do this, then you can taste the progress of the wine to its maturity. The grapes come from the youngest syrah plantings at Kacaba. Currently it is plummy but could turn jammy with age. Very good balanced finish emphasizes smooth tannins with a juicy length. Multiple wine award winner (Gold at Ontario Wine Awards 2022, Gold at the All Canadians 2022, and Silver at the National Wine Awards 2022). 13.8% ABV. 3g/L residual sugar. 547 cases produced.  Quality/Price rating is 91 - 92 points by Dean Tudor of Gothic Epicures. KACABA Vineyards Silver Bridge Syrah VQA Niagara Escarpment 2019 Escarpment Series $35.15 at winery and kacaba.com: the fruit here comes from the Silver Bridge vineyard, the oldest (1997) of the three syrah plantings at Kacaba. In true Rhone style, there was a 10% addition of estate viognier. The major expression is that of black cherry-berry tones, mocha, and pepperish.  It's way too young to consume without double-decanting or other aeration.  This is one for the cellar, tight and still developing. Try in a few years as the tannins need a bit more time to smooth out. It is well worth waiting for that delicious syrah intensity: more leaning to a deft Euro style with peppery spices, some leather, smoke, vanilla, red fruit. It has been in French and US oak for 17 months. Expect black fruit and berries, coffee and chocolate tones. It is a big plummy wine: dark, deep, and rich, cedary and jammy. Double-decanting a necessity at this point for that "Rhone tone". Silver medalist at the National Wine Awards of Canada 2022. 14% abv. 3g/L residual sugar. 280 cases produced. Quality/Price rating is 90 points by Dean Tudor of Gothic Epicures. KACABA Meritage Reserve VQA Niagara Escarpment 2020 Escarpment Series $60.15 at the winery or kacaba.com: this blend has changed over time (the last Reserve Meritage was in 2015); here, it is cabernet franc 35%, cabernet sauvignon 40% and merlot 25%. Everything was vinified separately in older French and US oak for 20 months, and the final blend was determined (from only second-fill barrels), put into stainless, and then bottled. This is a value wine driven by black fruit (black currants, blackberries, plums, dark cherries), still tannic and with nuances of smoke and spices. I usually do a double-decant, taste, and then put it in a bottle with a cork for a week or so, with daily tastings. If you don't do this, then you will miss the evolution of the wine. The wine will be ready 2025-2028. 14.8% ABV. 3.1 g/L residual sugar. Umami food pairings will be best, with strong cured meats, older cheeses, even vegan mushroom risottos. 294 cases made. Quality/Price rating is 93 points by Dean Tudor of Gothic Epicures. KACABA Cabernet Franc Reserve VQA Niagara Escarpment 2020 Escarpment Series $60.15 at the winery or kacaba.com: this is one of Kacaba's ultra-premium  black label wine-line. Very reminiscent of Right Bank (St Emilion) cabs but without the stuffing of, say, Cheval Blanc. It is just as hard but durable at this young age. It's been aged in a combo of French and US oak for 19 months, and then minimally filtered. Currently it is mute until tasted later after aeration. What I usually do is a double-decant, taste, and then leave it in a sealed bottle for a week or so, with daily tastings. If you don't do this, then you will miss the evolution of the wine. The wine will be ready in six years. Complex aromas begin to ascend and descend as the week rolls on. First some cherries. Mostly red, but later also black. Some herbs and vanilla smoke, spiciness, even coffee and chocolate (that'll please the millennials). Strong (aged or game) red meat is called for food pairing. But then again, what your best food to eat will depend on the age of the wine at whatever point over the next decade. Long lingering finish. 287 cases made. 14.9% ABV. 3.3 g/L residual sugar. Quality/Price rating is 92 points by Dean Tudor of Gothic Epicures.  *** Some Recommended Wines from the LCBO’s Limited Time Offers selections...these are good value...on sale through Monday February 27th - Sunday March 26th Red+660241 Bonanza California Cabernet Sauvignon, normally $27.95, save $3.00, LTO sale $24.95 Red+595280 Porcupine Ridge Syrah, normally $16.95, save $3.00, LTO sale $13.95 Red+954834 Rodney Strong Pinot Noir Russian River, normally $29.95, save $3.00, LTO sale $26.95 White+608653 Sonoma-Cutrer Chardonnay Russian River Ranches, normally $29.95, save $5.00, LTO sale $24.95 White+38117 Vineland Riesling Elevation St Urban VQA, normally $22.95, save $3.00, LTO sale $19.95 Fizz+215814 Codorniu Brut Clasico Cava, normally $15.45, save $2.50, LTO sale $12.95 MAJOR THEME: ITALY – off the beaten path... Wines Under $20 -- ========= R+487140 TRENEL BEAUJOLAIS-VILLAGES 2021 Beaujolais AP $18.95 MVC/QPR: 89. R+13113 FINCA SOPHENIA ALTOSUR MALBEC 2021 Gualtallary, Tupungato, Valle de Uco, Mendoza $17.00 MVC/QPR: 89. R+561290 LOUIS BERNARD LOUIS CÔTES DU RHÔNE-VILLAGES 2020 AP $16.95 MVC/QPR: 89. Wines Over $20 -- Fizz+29945 MANDOIS VICTOR VIEILLES VIGNES BRUT CHAMPAGNE 2012 $79.00 MVC/QPR: 89. W+32021 STONEY RIDGE SMALL LOT CHARDONNAY 2019 VQA Niagara Peninsula $24.95 MVC/QPR: 93. W+25647 SOUTHBROOK TRIOMPHE ORGANIC RIESLING 2021 Ontario Vegan, VQA Niagara Peninsula $22.95 MVC/QPR: 89. W+57430 MISSION HILL RESERVE SAUVIGNON BLANC 2021 British Columbia VQA Okanagan Valley $24.95 MVC/QPR: 89. R+17674 MCMANIS MERLOT 2021 Sustainable, estate grown, Lodi $21.95 MVC/QPR: 89. R+172692 VINOSIA SANTANDREA TAURASI 2014 Campania DOCG $24.95 MVC/QPR: 90. WORLD WINE WATCH TOP WINES AT VINTAGES: under/over $20 for FEBRUARY 18, 2023 release. By DEAN TUDOR, Gothic Epicures Writing deantudor@deantudor.com. My "Wines, Beers and Spirits of the Net", a guide to thousands of news items and RSS feeds, plus references to wines, beers and spirits, has been at http://www.deantudor.com since 1994. These notes for good wines available through LCBO Vintages (on a bi-weekly basis) can always be found at http://www.gothicepicures.blogspot.ca or at http://www.deantudor.com No winery can buy their way into – or out of – this publication. Scores are a combination of MVC (Modal Varietal Character, e.g. a Southern Rhone would taste like a Southern Rhone) and QPR (Quality/Price Ratio value in the marketplace above or below its price). Currently, the wine media have no access to the tasting samples usually provided to us in the LCBO lab on a fortnightly basis. This will go on for some time. HOWEVER, the wine media will still have access to the advance spreadsheet of the wines to be released. So I know what is to be released and when. SOME (but not many) of these 100 or so biweekly released wines I have recently tasted since January 2020 or so, and I can comfortably recommend them based on this prior sampling. After that post-holiday glow begins to disappear, you might want to consider some low- or no-alcohol beverages, as concocted by Maureen Petrosky... ZERO PROOF DRINKS & MORE; 100 recipes for mocktails & low-alcohol cocktails (Robert Rose, 2021, 224 pages, ISBN 978-0-7788-0675-2, $29.95 soft covers) is by Maureen Petrosky, an entertainment and lifestyle writer currently living in Pennsylvania. These are mindful concoctions devoted to socially-distanced happy hours at home. While Spring is the official season of the mocktail, it reminds us of better times. Lo-al (low-ABV) drinks are the obvious choices for the hotter climate of summer and the harshness of winter. As she says, "Today's zero-proof cocktails are complex and nuanced, worlds away from their sugar-saturated predeccors such as the Shirley Temple. She's got the basic preps for syrups, shrubs, aperitifs, and spritzers. No real extra set-ups are needed since most kitchens/bars have the basics anyway to handle alcohol. Mocktails are best as a day drink followed by lo-al happy hours. She's also got thirty pages of punches and pitcher drinks for that high volume party -- fourteen great recipes including spicy margaritas by the pitcher, sparkling peach punch, strawberry cucumber tonic, and jalapeno and honeydew sangria. Anything that reduces our alcohol consumption is a good necessity, such as the Michelada from Mexico. Most drinks can be tweaked upwards or downwards in quantities of add-ons. And every mocktail can have as much alcohol (if you need it) as you can pour into it – simply by topping up with a bland white wine. Key bottles of lo-al include Campari, Aperol, elderflower, Pimm's No.1, Amaretto, vermouth, and sherry. This is an infinitely expandable book once you have assimilated the basics. She's got easy ways to mix up flavours. Trendy titles include Bloody M, Rosemary Pear Bellini, Grilled Pineapple Mint Mojito, Lemongrass Cilantro Highball, and Grapefruit Radler. Certainly much better than a premixed non-al pretender bottle such as a gin clone, a bourbon clone, a tequila clone, which retail for $40 or more. Just use stuff like juniper berries and rum flavouring at home. Preparations have their ingredients listed in both metric and avoirdupois measurements. Apart from the punches and pitchers, drinks are for one person. Quality/price rating by Dean Tudor of Gothic Epicures Writing: 91 ** Some Recommended Wines from the LCBO’s Limited Time Offers selections...these are good value...on sale through Sunday February 26... [red] +168716 Les Vignes De Bila-Haut (Chapoutier) $16.95, save $3.00, now $13.95 [red] +322586 Montes Alpha Cabernet Sauvignon $20.95, save $3.00, now $17.95 [white] +286278 Flat Rock Cellars Chardonnay $19.95, save $2.00, now $17.95 [splurge] +314575 Sterling Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon $49.95, save, $5.00 now $44.95 [sweetie] +388306 Vidal Icewine VQA (Inniskillin) 375ml. $49.95, save $5.00, now $44.95 MAJOR THEME: FRANCE Wines Under $20 ========= Fizz+20579 COLLALBRIGO EXTRA DRY CONEGLIANO-VALDOBBIADENE PROSECCO SUPERIORE Veneto DOCG $17.95 MVC/QPR: 89 W+19379 TRIUS DISTINCTION SAUVIGNON BLANC 2020 VQA Niagara-on-the-Lake $19.95 MVC/QPR: 89 W+251470 TRIUS DISTINCTION BARREL FERMENTED CHARDONNAY 2020 VQA Niagara Peninsula $19.95 MVC/QPR: 89 W+328559 CATHEDRAL CELLAR CHARDONNAY 2021 Western Cape WO $17.95 MVC/QPR: 91 W+392092 HENRI EHRHART RÉSERVE PARTICULIÈRE PINOT GRIS 2020 Alsace AC $18.95 MVC/QPR: 89 W+28608 JOÃO PORTUGAL RAMOS LOUREIRO VINHO VERDE 2021 Vinho Verde DOC $13.95 MVC/QPR: 89 R+548867 CASA SANTOS LIMA COLOSSAL RESERVA 2018 Lisboa Vinho Regional Lisboa $16.95 MVC/QPR: 90 Wines Over $20 ========= W+701219 DOMAINE DES MALANDES VAU DE VEY CHABLIS 1ER CRU 2020 Burgundy AC $51.95 MVC/QPR: 89. R+230896 PENINSULA RIDGE RESERVE SYRAH 2016 VQA Niagara Peninsula $39.95 MVC/QPR: 89 R+174334 GAJA CA'MARCANDA PROMIS 2020 IGP Toscana $64.95 MVC/QPR: 89. Sherry+748798 LUSTAU PALO CORTADO PENINSULA SOLERA FAMILIAR DRY SHERRY Jerez DO, Spain $38.40 MVC/QPR: 89 WORLD WINE WATCH TOP WINES AT VINTAGES: under/over $20 for the FEBRUARY 4, 2023 release. By DEAN TUDOR, Gothic Epicures Writing deantudor@deantudor.com. My "Wines, Beers and Spirits of the Net", a guide to thousands of news items and RSS feeds, plus references to wines, beers and spirits, has been at http://www.deantudor.com since 1994. These notes for good wines available through LCBO Vintages (on a bi-weekly basis) can always be found at http://www.gothicepicures.blogspot.ca or at http://www.deantudor.com No winery can buy their way into – or out of – this publication. Scores are a combination of MVC (Modal Varietal Character, e.g. a Southern Rhone would taste like a Southern Rhone) and QPR (Quality/Price Ratio value in the marketplace above or below its price). Currently, the wine media have no access to the tasting samples usually provided to us in the LCBO lab on a fortnightly basis. This will go on for some time. HOWEVER, the wine media will still have access to the advance spreadsheet of the wines to be released. So I know what is to be released and when. SOME (but not many) of these 100 or so biweekly released wines I have recently tasted since January 2020 or so, and I can comfortably recommend them based on this prior sampling. ** Some New Wines I Tasted Over the Past While --- NEWLY RELEASED KACABA VQA NIAGARA WINES... KACABA Vineyards & Winery Premium Series Cabernet/Syrah 2020 VQA Niagara Escarpment $24.95 518 cases now available at winery and online at kacaba.com: this is a blend of cabernet franc (60%) with syrah (40%), the latter being the oldest planting in Ontario. Sustainably grown. At one time it was a blend of cabernet/merlot/syrah, but this changes every year depending on the grapes available and the harvest conditions. Matured in French and American oak barrels for 13 months or so. You'll get a whiff of anise and red fruit, and with the franc it is a bit savoury. Definitely a red meat wine. What I usually do is make a double-decant, taste, and then leave it in a re-sealed bottle for a week or so, with daily tastings. The wine itself will be at its peak in a few more years. Expect dark fruit such as cassis and some red fruit like Ontario cherries. 3g/L residual sugar. 13% ABV. Quality/Price rating is 91 points by Dean Tudor of Gothic Epicures. KACABA Vineyards & Winery Premium Series Cabernet Franc 2019 VQA Niagara Escarpment $33.15 525 cases available at winery and online at kacaba.com in January 2023: this is one of Kacaba's new Premium Series, an upscale label line of wine. Very reminiscent of Right Bank (St Emilion) cabs but without the stuffing of, say, Cheval Blanc. It is just as durable at this young age. Currently it is mute until tasted later after aeration. What I usually do is a double-decant, taste, and then leave it in a sealed bottle for a week or so, with daily tastings. If you don't do this, then the wine will be ready in six to ten years. Complex aromas begin to ascend and descend as the week rolls on. First some cherries -- mostly red with Ontario cranberry, but later also black. Some vanilla smoke, savoury herby spiciness, even coffee and chocolate (that'll please the millennials). Again, strong (aged or gamey) red meat is called for food pairing. 3g/L residual sugar.  13% ABV. Quality/Price rating is 92 - 93 points by Dean Tudor of Gothic Epicures. ** Some Recommended Wines from the LCBO’s Limited Time Offers selections...these are good value...on sale through Sunday February 26... [red] +168716 Les Vignes De Bila-Haut (Chapoutier) $16.95, save $3.00, now $13.95 [red] +322586 Montes Alpha Cabernet Sauvignon $20.95, save $3.00, now $17.95 [white] +286278 Flat Rock Cellars Chardonnay $19.95, save $2.00, now $17.95 [splurge] +314575 Sterling Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon $49.95, save, $5.00 now $44.95 [sweetie] +388306 Vidal Icewine VQA (Inniskillin) 375ml. $49.95, save $5.00, now $44.95 MAJOR THEME: Southern Hemisphere Wines Under $20 ========= Fizz+16836 GRAN BARÓN BRUT RESERVA CAVA Vegan, traditional method, DO, Spain $18.95 MVC/QPR: 89. W+14037 DOMAINE LA DÉCELLE RESERVE VALRÉAS CÔTES DU RHÔNE-VILLAGES BLANC 2021 AC $17.90 MVC/QPR: 89. W+31651 PENINSULA RIDGE BEAL VINEYARD RIESLING 2019 VQA Beamsville Bench, Niagara Escarpment $18.95 MVC/QPR: 89. W+119099 VIÑA COBOS FELINO CHARDONNAY 2021 Unfined and unfiltered, Mendoza $19.95 MVC/QPR: 89. W+231282 KEN FORRESTER OLD VINE RESERVE CHENIN BLANC WO Stellenbosch $18.95 MVC/QPR: 89. W+391847 THIERRY DELAUNAY TOURAINE SAUVIGNON BLANC 2021 AP $16.95 MVC/QPR: 90. R+516765 JEAN-PIERRE MOUEIX BORDEAUX 2018 AC $17.95 MVC/QPR: 89. R+25237 VINELAND CABERNET FRANC/CABERNET SAUVIGNON 2017 VQA Twenty Mile Bench, Niagara Escarpment $19.95 MVC/QPR: 89. R+28079 LUI RESERVA CABERNET FRANC 2020 Singe vineyard, Mendoza $19.95 MVC/QPR: 89. R+132365 VIÑA COBOS FELINO CABERNET SAUVIGNON 2020 Unfined, Mendoza $19.95 MVC/QPR: 89. R+371112 MORANDÉ GRAN RESERVA CARMENÈRE 2020 Sustainable, single vineyard, DO Valle del Maipo $18.95 MVC/QPR: 89. Wines Over $20 Fizz+113035 PELLER ESTATES SIGNATURE SERIES ICE CUVÉE SPARKLING ROSÉ Traditional method, Icewine dosage, VQA Niagara Peninsula, Ontario $36.95 MVC/QPR: 91. Fizz+20945 HENRI CHAMPLIAU BRUT ROSÉ CRÉMANT DE BOURGOGNE Traditional method, AC, Burgundy, France $24.95 MVC/QPR: 89. W+31650 MARYNISSEN HERITAGE COLLECTION RIESLING 2020 VQA Niagara Peninsula $22.95 MVC/QPR: 89. WORLD WINE WATCH TOP WINES AT VINTAGES: under/over $20 for JANUARY 21, 2023 release. By DEAN TUDOR, Gothic Epicures Writing deantudor@deantudor.com. My "Wines, Beers and Spirits of the Net", a guide to thousands of news items and RSS feeds, plus references to wines, beers and spirits, has been at http://www.deantudor.com since 1994. These notes for good wines available through LCBO Vintages (on a bi-weekly basis) can always be found at http://www.gothicepicures.blogspot.ca or at http://www.deantudor.com No winery can buy their way into – or out of – this publication. Scores are a combination of MVC (Modal Varietal Character, e.g. a Southern Rhone would taste like a Southern Rhone) and QPR (Quality/Price Ratio value in the marketplace above or below its price). Currently, the wine media have no access to the tasting samples usually provided to us in the LCBO lab on a fortnightly basis. This will go on for some time. HOWEVER, the wine media will still have access to the advance spreadsheet of the wines to be released. So I know what is to be released and when. SOME (but not many) of these 100 or so biweekly released wines I have recently tasted since January 2020 or so, and I can comfortably recommend them based on this prior sampling. ** Some Proseccos I Tasted Over the Past While --- ONE -- The Date and Time: Tuesday October 11, 2022 10:30AM - 4PM The Event: Milano Wine Week International Masterclass Program The Venue: Aria Ristorante, 25 York Street The Target Audience: sommeliers, wine agents, wine media The Availability/Catalogue: There were two wineries involved, one with an Ontario agent – VALDO (Wine Online) and MASSOTINA. The Quote/Background: The first seminar was a web show presentation seminar from Italy, “From Veneto to Friuli: exploring different terroirs and wine styles” by VALDO winery (a Bolla company) with various speakers such as their chief winemaker Gianfranco Zanon and Matteo Bolla. The second seminar was a blind tasting of six MASOTTINA wines, in “Exploring Prosecco styles and terroir”. It too was a web show, but with participation in Milan, London, New York and Toronto. Both seminars had simultaneous translations when needed. Cristina Mercuri with Filippo Bartolotta spoke on the wines, with emphasis on: Brut/Extra Dry is just a question of dosage and taste? The Wines: The six Masottina Proseccos were two different samples (Brut and Extra Dry) of three wine levels: Rive di Ogliano, Contrada Granda, and Calmaggiore, all Glera. But with different terroirs **** BEST -- Four Stars (91+ in Quality/Price Rating terms): -Valdo Cuvee 1926 Prosecco Valdobbiadene DOCG Extra Dry 16g/L RS, 90Glera/10Chardonnay -Valdo Elevantum Rose Prosecco DOC Brut 11.5g/L RS, 90Glera/10PinotNoir [MY FAVE] -Masottina Collezione RDO Conegliano Valdobbiadene Prosecco Superiore Rive di Ogliano DOCG Levante Extra Dry Millesimato. 13.5g/L all Glera [ANOTHER MY FAVE] -Masottina Collezione Contrada Granda Conegliano Valdobbiadene Prosecco Superiore DOCG Brut 10g/L all Glera -Masottina Collezione Contrada Granda Conegliano Valdobbiadene Prosecco Superiore DOCG Extra Dry 14g/L all Glera -Masottina Collezione Calmaggiore Prosecco DOC Treviso Brut 10g/L all Glera ***1/2 BETTER -- Three and a Half Stars (88 – 90 in Quality/Price Rating terms): -Valdo Amor Soli Prosecco Valdobbiadene DOCG Bio Brut 2021 10g/L RS, all Glera -Valdo Tenuta La Maredana Prosecco DOC Brut 9g/L RS, 85Glera/15PinotNoir $21.99 -Valdo Prosecco Cuvee I Magredi Extra Dry DOC Extra Dry 15g/L RS, all Glera $18.99 -Masottina Collezione RDO Conegliano Valdobbiadene Prosecco Superiore Rive di Ogliano DOCG Ponente Brut Millesimato. 6G/L all Glera -Masottina Collezione Calmaggiore Prosecco DOC Treviso Extra Dry 14g/L all Glera The Contact Person: Benedetta Marassi b.marassi@ice.it TWO -- The Date and Time: Monday November 21, 2022 10:30A to noon The Event: A tasting of Conegliano Valdobbiadene: the heart of Prosecco Superiore DOCG The Venue: SIPS, Maud Street The Target Audience: wine media and sommeliers (over two dozen in all) The Availability/Catalogue: this was a masterclass of higher-end Prosecco wines. These wines were generally not yet available for sale in Ontario, except as specified. The Quote/Background: Jennifer Huether, MS, was our speaker today, and she ran over the basics of what this Italian region was all about. The hills of CV are a UNESCO World Heritage Site. All of the wine made in this DOCG is white; 93% of the wine made here is sparkling. Two sub-regions produce the best Prosecco – Rive and Cartizze. The Martinotti Method (a variation of Charmat) is prescibed. While not every farmed area is organic, glyphosate has been totally banned and growers are moving toward a green sustainability. The overall top quality Proseccos come from these two regions of Conegliano and Valdobbiadene, both located between Venice and the Dolomites...and these are at the DOCG level. 105 million bottles are produced every year. Each bottle should have wine that is 85% Glera grape at a minimum, with 15% maximum allowable for other grapes such as pinot nero, chardonnay, and any of some four local varieties. Pronunciation was basically straightforward: val-doh-bee-ahhh-deh-ne The Wines: There were 9 wines, and in general I really enjoyed the dryer ones. Each wine had about 11.5% ABV. **** BEST -- Four Stars (91+ in Quality/Price Rating terms): -L'Antica Quercia Conegliano Valdobbiadene Prosecco Superiore DOCG Brut Nature Sui Lieviti “A” 2020 [organic wine, on lees, bone dry at 0g/L residual sugar] -Frassinelli Conegliano Valdobbiadene Prosecco Superiore DOCG Extra Brut Rive di Santa Maria di Feletto 2021 [1.5g/L residual sugar, modest finish] -Canevel Valdobbiadene Prosecco Superiore DOCG Brut Biologico Campofalco Monfalcon Vineyard 2021 [90% glera, 10% verdiso, extended Charmat storage] -Bottega Conegliano Valdobbiadene Prosecco Superiore DOCG Extra Dry “Il Vino dei Poeti” [16-18 g/L RS, Noble Estates agency] -Col Vetoraz Valdobbiadene Prosecco Superiore DOCG Extra Dry [16g/L RS, finishes drier, savoury] ***1/2 BETTER -- Three and a Half Stars (88 – 90 in Quality/Price Rating terms): -Sommariva Conegliano Valdobbiadene Prosecco Superiore DOCG Brut [9g/L RS, jes peachy with some lemon peel] -Ruggeri Valdobbiadene Prosecco Superiore DOCG Brut Quartese [9g/L RS] -Perlage Valdobbiadene Prosecco Superiore DOCG Extra Dry Col di Manza [16g/L RS] -Marsuret Valdobbiadene Prosecco Superiore DOCG Extra Dry Il Soller [16g/L RS] The Contact Person: lisa@androscom.com ** Some Recommended Wines from the LCBO’s Limited Time Offers selections...these are good value...on sale now through Sunday January 29... W+258681 G. Marquis Chardonnay VQA The Silver Line $18.95 now $17.20 – save $1.75 W+462846 Columbia Crest Grand Estates Chardonnay Wash. State $18.95 now $16.95 -- save $2 R+30957 Concha Y Toro Winemaker's Lot 148 Carmenere Chile $19.95 now $16.95 -- save $3 R+360222 Ste Michelle Seven Falls Cabernet Sauvignon Wash. State $23.95 now $20.95-- save $3 R+258673 G. Marquis Pinot Noir VQA The Silver Line $19.95 now $17.95 – save $2 R+328567 Cathedral Cellar Cabernet Sauvignon South Africa $18.95 now $16.95 -- save $2 MAJOR THEME: California's Key Regions Wines Under $20 ========= W+492462 PELEE ISLAND WINERY VINEDRESSERS CHARDONNAY 2017 Ontario Vegan, sustainable, VQA South Islands, Lake Erie North Shore $17.95 MVC/QPR: 92. W+27626 FONTANAFREDDA CHARDONNAY 2021 Piedmont Vegan, sustainable, DOC Langhe $18.95 MVC/QPR: 89. R+273672 STORIA ANTICA SUPERIORE VALPOLICELLA RIPASSO 2020 Veneto DOC $18.95 MVC/QPR: 89. R+488015 QUINTA DO ESPÍRITO SANTO 2018 Lisboa Vinho Regional Lisboa $14.95 MVC/QPR: 89. Wines Over $20 ========= R+213132 LA PIEVE BAROLO 2018 Piedmont DOCG $39.95 MVC/QPR: 89. R+328385 COLCHESTER RIDGE CREW CABERNET SAUVIGNON 2019 Ontario VQA Lake Erie North Shore $24.95 MVC/QPR: 89. R+26094 DELHEIM GRAND RESERVE 2017 Stellenbosch WO Stellenbosch $29.95 MVC/QPR: 89. Fizz+294181 ROEDERER ESTATE BRUT SPARKLING Anderson Valley, Mendocino, California $44.95 MVC/QPR: 90 Sherry+28617 LUSTAU RIO VIEJO OLOROSO Jerez DO, Spain $25.70 MVC/QPR: 90 Dean Tudor, Prof Emeritus T'karonto Metropolitan University (formerly Ryerson) School of Journalism Treasurer of Wine Writers' Circle of Canada http://www.deantudor.com http://gothicepicures.blogspot.com https://twitter.com/gothicepicures WORLD WINE WATCH TOP WINES AT VINTAGES: under/over $20 for JAN 7, 2023 release. By DEAN TUDOR, Gothic Epicures Writing deantudor@deantudor.com. My "Wines, Beers and Spirits of the Net", a guide to thousands of news items and RSS feeds, plus references to wines, beers and spirits, has been at http://www.deantudor.com since 1994. These notes for good wines available through LCBO Vintages (on a bi-weekly basis) can always be found at http://www.gothicepicures.blogspot.ca or at http://www.deantudor.com No winery can buy their way into – or out of – this publication. Scores are a combination of MVC (Modal Varietal Character, e.g. a Southern Rhone would taste like a Southern Rhone) and QPR (Quality/Price Ratio value in the marketplace above or below its price). Currently, the wine media have no access to the tasting samples usually provided to us in the LCBO lab on a fortnightly basis. This will go on for some time. HOWEVER, the wine media will still have access to the advance spreadsheet of the wines to be released. So I know what is to be released and when. SOME (but not many) of these 100 or so biweekly released wines I have recently tasted since January 2020 or so, and I can comfortably recommend them based on this prior sampling. ** Some New Wines I Tasted Over the Past Season --- RECENT AND DECENT TASTING NOTES FOR SOME PAYS D'OC IGP WINES... 1.Gerard Bertrand Perles de Grenache Rose 2021 Pays D'Oc IGP Vintages 556209 $18.95: fresh, very fragrant with fruity elegance. The pale salmon colour was phenomenal, and very typical of South of France roses. All grenache grapes. Scored highly by the Wine Writers' Circle of Canada (over 90 points). Very dry, with residual sugar at 2 g/L. On the palate, strawberries dominate. A very good quaffer for parties, or for a wine pairing with fish and broiled foods. 12.5% ABV. Quality/Price rating is 91 points by Dean Tudor of Gothic Epicures. 2.Domaine de La Baume Elisabeth Viognier 2021 Pays D'Oc IGP Vintages 438796 $18.95: fresh stone fruit tones abound with peaches and apricots leading to a citric long finish. Cold fermentation done up in steel, with peachy aromas. We had it with squash soup and a roast (both poultry and pork). Dee-licious. But also good as an aperitif. 2g/L residual sugar. 14.5% ABV. Quality/Price rating is 92 points by Dean Tudor of Gothic Epicures. 3.Gabriel Meffre Le Fat Bastard Chardonnay 2021 Pays D'Oc IGP LCBO 563130 $15: a very satisfying and easy-breezy quaff on the LCBO's general wine list. Nutty butters on palate, some pear decadence, nuances of vanilla bean from a partial oak aging. No malolactic fermentation. Elegant balanced finish with good food depth. 2g/L residual sugar. 13% ABV. Quality/Price rating is 89 points by Dean Tudor of Gothic Epicures. 4.Fortant Terroir d'Altitude Cabernet Sauvignon 2020 Pays D'Oc IGP LCBO 17535 $15.45: made from hillside grapevines (250 – 600 metres). Complex cassis and pumpkin spices, along with forest floor mushrooms and some garrigue. Black fruit and long finish dominates. Aged four months in French oak. Perhaps best with grilled or broiled foods. 2g/L residual sugar. Quality/Price rating is 91 points by Dean Tudor of Gothic Epicures. 5.Sarl Le Loup Blanc Soif du Loup Rouge 2019 Pays D'Oc IGP Vintages 20955 $19.95: a combo of cabernet sauvignon and syrah, but extra-dry (unlike the Oz combo of cabernet and shiraz). “Soif du Loup” in English means “thirst of the wolf”. Here there are 35-year old vines, and red fruit with spices and minerality dominates. This is an organic wine, great as an all-purpose food red. 2 g/L residual sugar. 13.5% ABV. Quality/Price rating is 91 points by Dean Tudor of Gothic Epicures. SOME NEW WINES FROM THE LOIRE VALLEY IN FRANCE..... 1.Chateau de Montgueret Cremant de Loire NV AOC Brut. LCBO +217760 $20.95: this has long been one of my fave French Cremants, done up in the same traditional method as Champagne. Not only has it been a gold medalist in Europe, but it has also been rated just as highly at the annual Wine Writers' Circle of Canada Christmas tastings. It uses chenin blanc, chardonnay and some cabernet grapes. Hand-picked, as a condition of its Cremant status. Very fine, persistent bubbles, with 1g/L residual sugar, aged 15-18 months, smooth and well-balanced. Expect to find a generous mix of green herbs, honey, citrus, with some orchard fruit on the back end before a lime finish. 12.5% ABV. Quality/Price rating is 92 points by Dean Tudor of Gothic Epicures. 2.Domaine Bouchaud Pont Caffino Chateau Thebaud Muscadet Sevre et Maine Sure Lie 2014 +24613 $25.95 Internet Order Online: a rare find – an over-the-top higher acid Muscadet that pairs with ANY style of seafood. Despite its age, it is still in that light and crisp and fresh category. Made from 80-year-old vines which emphasize citrus tones on the mid-palate. Most fruit is citric but there are also some crisp melons lurking there. Ripe, dry, clean finish. 12% ABV, 2g/L residual sugar. Top flight luxury packaging plus a cork closure. Quality/Price rating is 90 points by Dean Tudor of Gothic Epicures. 3.Famille Bougrier Vouvray Chenin Blanc 2020 LCBO +253229 $15.55: Vouvrays can be dry or off-sweet; this one is in the latter category and serves nicely as an aperitif with food or as a first course wine with some appropriate creamy dish. Pale in colour, unoaked. It's a nicely done affordable typical Vouvray, with an off-dry complexity in the honeyed finish. The fruit bowl contains quince aromas, pear and orchard/stone fruit such as apricots and peaches. My sample went very well with salted nuts (cashews and pistachios) and smoked gorgonzola cheese. 12% ABV, 36g/L residual sugar. Screwcap twist-off closure. Quality/Price rating is 89 points by Dean Tudor of Gothic Epicures. NEW WINES FROM ALSACE IN FRANCE... 1.Domaine Alliman-Laugner Cremant d'Alsace Brut NV +30593 Vintages $23.95: this is an elegant aperitif wine beginning with aromatic florals on the nose and continuing with apples and lemons on the mid-palate, and with a refreshingly tart length to the finish. For what it is worth, it costs more in the USA (nationally at retail). The grape blend is pinot blanc, pinot gris, and riesling. The lemon zest at the finish also makes it very useful as a first course wine. Under the new Alsatian rules, it is labelled “sec”, or dry. 6g/L residual sugar. 12.5% ABV. Quality/Price rating is 90 points by Dean Tudor of Gothic Epicures. 2.Wilm Riesling 2020 Reserve Alsace +11452 Vintages Essential $19.95 [on sale until Jan 1 @ $18.45]: This is a “welcome back” wine as Alsatian wine makes a comeback from being over-the-top sweet whites due to climate change. At 5g/L residual sugar it is virtually dry, noted “sec” on the back label. Its big body is citric and floral with some juniper, even some nuances of anise. Compelling with sushi, shellfish, fish, and poultry. 12.5% ABV. Twist-off closure. Quality/Price rating is 92 points by Dean Tudor of Gothic Epicures. 3.Pierre Sparr Gewurztraminer 2020 Grand Reserve Alsace +747600 Vintages $20.95: this wine gives a big bang for the buck: rose petals, tropicality, pear unctuousness, with “sweetness and spice on finish”. Remarkable with sushi, spicy dishes, foie gras and/or terrines. With such a great body, it should be more intense and flavourful after five more years. “Grande Reserve” indeed. With 16g/L residual sugar, this wine is at the low end of “moelleux” (12 – 45 g/L). 14% ABV. Tasted chilled over several days. Quality/Price rating is 91 points by Dean Tudor of Gothic Epicures. ** Some Recommended Wines from the LCBO’s Limited Time Offers selections...these are good value...on sale now through Sunday January 29... W+258681 G. Marquis Chardonnay VQA The Silver Line $18.95 now $17.20 – save $1.75 W+462846 Columbia Crest Grand Estates Chardonnay Wash. State $18.95 now $16.95 -- save $2 R+30957 Concha Y Toro Winemaker's Lot 148 Carmenere Chile $19.95 now $16.95 -- save $3 R+360222 Ste Michelle Seven Falls Cabernet Sauvignon Wash. State $23.95 now $20.95-- save $3 R+258673 G. Marquis Pinot Noir VQA The Silver Line $19.95 now $17.95 – save $2 R+328567 Cathedral Cellar Cabernet Sauvignon South Africa $18.95 now $16.95 -- save $2 MAJOR THEME: Smart Buys ========= W+645770 VITESE GRILLO 2020 Sicily DOC Sicilia $14.95 MVC/QPR: 89 R+25639 VIÑA SIEGEL GRAN RESERVA CARMENÈRE 2019 Valle de Colchagua $15.95 MVC/QPR: 89 R+471854 RIOJA VEGA CRIANZA 2019 Vegan, DOCa Rioja $15.95 MVC/QPR: 89 R+492470 VINEDRESSERS CABERNET SAUVIGNON/PETIT VERDOT 2016 Ontario Vegan, sustainable, VQA South Islands, Lake Erie North Shore $19.95 MVC/QPR: 89 R+27207 CONO SUR ORGANIC GRAN RESERVA CABERNET SAUVIGNON 2019 Vegan, carbon neutral, DO Valle de Colchagua $18.95 MVC/QPR: 89 Wines Over $20 ========= R+496414 CASALFORTE AMARONE DELLA VALPOLICELLA 2018 Veneto DOCG $39.95 MVC/QPR: 89 WORLD WINE WATCH TOP WINES AT VINTAGES: under/over $20 for DECEMBER 17, 2022 release. By DEAN TUDOR, Gothic Epicures Writing deantudor@deantudor.com. My "Wines, Beers and Spirits of the Net", a guide to thousands of news items and RSS feeds, plus references to wines, beers and spirits, has been at http://www.deantudor.com since 1994. These notes for good wines available through LCBO Vintages (on a bi-weekly basis) can always be found at http://www.gothicepicures.blogspot.ca or at http://www.deantudor.com No winery can buy their way into – or out of – this publication. Scores are a combination of MVC (Modal Varietal Character, e.g. a Southern Rhone would taste like a Southern Rhone) and QPR (Quality/Price Ratio value in the marketplace above or below its price). Currently, the wine media have no access to the tasting samples usually provided to us in the LCBO lab on a fortnightly basis. This will go on for some time. HOWEVER, the wine media will still have access to the advance spreadsheet of the wines to be released. So I know what is to be released and when. SOME (but not many) of these 100 or so biweekly released wines I have recently tasted since January 2020 or so, and I can comfortably recommend them based on this prior sampling. ** Some New Wines I Tasted Over the Past Month or so --- The Date and Time: Wednesday October 19 2022 2P - 9P The Event: STEM Wine Group Family of Wines Portfolio Tasting 2022 (Toronto) The Venue: Globe and Mail Centre 17th Floor The Target Audience: private clients, restaurants, wine media The Availability/Catalogue: everything was available by the case. There were over 250 wines, beers and spirits from 60 producers, 40 of them from Italy. Each had a page describing the attributes of their winery, and a page or so of illustrated labels with grape and vineyard designations, and prices per bottle. Over 40 suppliers sent representatives to show off their wines and guide tasters from behind their tables. The Quote/Background: For two years in a row, Stem Wine Group has been the number one Consignment Agency in Ontario. The wine tasting was extremely popular and got very crowded very early. I arrived at 2PM and stayed for two hours. The Wines: I did not (could not) taste every wine. What follows are highly recommended wines arrived at by my eclectic wanderings. I did not try beers or spirits. **** BEST -- Four Stars (91+ in Quality/Price Rating terms): -Tombacco Pecorino IGT Terre di Chieti Abruzzo 2020 $15.99 -Villabella Amarone della Valpolicella Classico DOCG 2017 $64.99 -Villabella Fracastoro Riserva Amarone della Valpolicella Classico DOCG 2012 $74.99 -Zyme Amarone della Valpolicella Classico DOCG 2017 $189.99 -Corteaura Franciacorta Brut DOCG $37.99 -Corteaura Franciacorta Rose DOCG $42.99 -Corteaura Franciacorta Pas Dose DOCG $46.99 [my fave fizz of the day] -Ronco del Gelso Siet Vignis Chardonnay DOC 2020 Friuli Isonzo $32.99 -460 Casina Bric Sparkling Nebbiolo d'Alba Brut Rose $33.99 -460 Casina Bric Nebbiolo d'Alba Spumante Brut Rose Magnum Metodo Classico 1.5 litre bottle $144.99 -Gaja Rossj Bass Langhe DOP 2021 $119.99 -Gaja Barbaresco DOC 2019 $369.99 -Camarcanda Bolgheri DOP 2019 $269.99 -Masciarelli Marina Cvetic Cabernet Swauvignon 2017 Colline Teatine IGT Abruzzo $84.99 -Mandrarossa Passito di Pantelleria DOC 2020 $59.99 -Daniel Chotard Sancerre Blanc AOC 2020 $33.99 -La Manufacture “Blanchat” Chablis Grand Cru AOP 2019 $139.99 -Cassetania Cava Brut Reserva $21.99 -Citation Cornerstone Un-Oaked Chardonnay Willamette Valley OR 2017 $24.99 -Citation Pinot Noir Oregon 2006 $119.99 -Citation Chardonnay Oregon 2015 $59.99 -Precision Adorn Chardonnay California 2019 $16.99 -Grand Napa Oakville Cabernet Sauvignon 2018 $114.99 -Grand Napa Heir Apparent Oakville Cabernet Sauvignon 2018 $159.99 -Grand Napa Heir Apparent Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon 2018 $139.99 -Husic Chardonnay Sonoma Coast 2018 $99.99 -Husic Palm Terrace Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley 2016 $139.99 -Husic Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley 2016 $199.99 -Bella Terra Fume Blanc Corus Vineyard VQA Niagara-on-the-Lake $34.95 -Bella Terra Barrel Fermented Chardonnay Four Mile Creek 2018 VQA Niagara-on-the-Lake $39.95 ***1/2 BETTER -- Three and a Half Stars (88 – 90 in Quality/Price Rating terms): -Anno Domini Diamond Vino Spumante Rosato Bio Vegan $18.99 -Anno Domini Moscato IGT Veneto Frizzante $15.99 -Delibori Amarone della Valpolicella Classico Superiore DOCG 2017 $42.99 -Forchir Famiglia Bianchini Ribolla Gialla IGT 2021 $21.99 -Azienda Agricola Inama Vin Soave Classico DOC $24.99 -Ca' del Baio Autinbej Barbaresco DOCG 2019 $49.99 -Il Borro Toscana Lamelle Chardonnay IGT 2021 $34.99 -Feudi di San Gregorio Taurasi DOCG 2017 $54.99 -Daniel Chotard Sancerre Rouge AOC 2020 $44.99 -La Manufacture Petit Chablis AOP 2020 $34.99 -La Manufacture “Forets” Chablis Premier Cru AOP 2020 $59.99 -Vina Bujanda Petra de Valpiedra DO Rioja 2018 $79.99 -Cassetania Cava Gran Reserva 2018 $29.99 -Precision Calculated Chardonnay California 2021 $18.99 -Grand Napa Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon 2018 $84.99 -Husic Palm Terrace Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley 2017 $139.99 -Bella Terra Sparkling Brut VQA Niagara Peninsula 2020 $24.95 -Bella Terra Sauvignon Blanc Corus Vineyard VQA Niagara Peninsula 2021 $19.95 -Bella Terra Wild Ferment Riesling Four Mile Creek 2019 VQA Niagara-on-the-Lake $24.95 The Food: In the tasting room itself there was a scooped-out half-wheel of Parmigiano Reggiano with chunks of cheese. Outside, there were four stations: Grano Duro pasta by hand with elbow rigatoni ragu and polenta-filled twisted bows (culurgiones); Tutto Pronto with eggplant parmigiano and mozzarella sliders, truffled sauteed mushrooms on grilled crostini, and artichoke crostini with lemon ricotta; Mattachioni supplied a brilliant porchetta bun with pepperoncini; Francobello did a butternut squash risotto with peas and mushrooms. Rufino Espresso provided the coffee, while GP8 provided the bottled oxygen water. The Downside: lots of people, lots of chatter, and the 160 page catalogue was enormously heavy to play with (but useful, of course!). The Upside: a chance to re-connect with Stem and some of its producers who I have not seen for three years. The Contact Person: tania@stemwinegroup.com The Event’s Marketing Effectiveness and Execution (numerical grade): 93. ** Some Recommended Wines from the LCBO’s Limited Time Offers selections...these are good value...on sale now through Sunday January 1, 2023 -- Fizz+224766 Chateau des Charmes Brut Methode Traditionelle normally $25.95 now $21.95 save $4 Fizz+48793 L.Bouillot Perle D'Aurore Rose Cremant Bourg normally $23.95 now $21.95 save $2 Fizz+370361 Tawse Riesling Sparkling Limestone Ridge VQA normally $21.95 now $19.95 save $2 Fizz+147504 13th Street Cuvee Rose Brut VQA normally $29.95 now $26.95 save $3 Fizz+687582 S. Margherita Prosecco Di Valdobbiadene Brut normally $20.95 now $18.95 save $2 White+608653 Sonoma-Cutrer Chardonnay Russian River Ranches normally $29.95 now $26.95 save $3 Red+413179 Zenato Amarone Classico Valpolicella normally $54.95 now $49.95 save $5 Red+149237 The Foreign Affair The Conspiracy Ripasso Style VQA normally $19.95 now $16.95 save $3 Splurge+708982 Stag's Leap Artemis Cabernet Sauvignon normally $89.95 now $84.95 save $5 Splurge+996405 Stags' Leap Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon normally $69.95 now $64.95 save $5 MAJOR THEME: Pop, sparkle, sip: Celebration Wines Wines Under $20 [of what I tasted, none to recommend] ========= Wines Over $20 ========= W+707950 ATTEMS PINOT GRIGIO 2021 DOC Friuli $20.95 MVC/QPR: 89 R+638312 FONTANAFREDDA LANGHE NEBBIOLO 2020 Piedmont DOC $20.95 MVC/QPR: 90 R+426833 COLCHESTER RIDGE CREW MERITAGE 2018 VQA Lake Erie North Shore $21.95 MVC/QPR: 89 R+73817 RUTHERFORD RANCH CABERNET SAUVIGNON 2019 Napa Valley $43.95 MVC/QPR: 89 Fizz+53215 BELCANTO DI BELLUSSI SPECIAL CUVÉE EXTRA DRY PROSECCO DI VALDOBBIADENE SUPERIORE Veneto DOCG $21.95 MVC/QPR: 89 Fizz+18133 CHARLES MIGNON CUVÉE COMTE DE MARNE BRUT GRAND CRU CHAMPAGNE $69.95 MVC/QPR: 89 Fizz+15688 BENJAMIN BRIDGE MÉTHODE CLASSIQUE BRUT SPARKLING ROSÉ Nova Scotia Traditional method $34.95 MVC/QPR: 89 Fizz+234161 JACKSON-TRIGGS ENTOURAGE GRAND RESERVE BRUT SPARKLING 2017 Traditional method, VQA Niagara Peninsula $29.95 MVC/QPR: 91 Fizz+142679 13TH STREET PREMIER CUVÉE SPARKLING 2015 Traditional method, VQA Niagara Peninsula $39.95 MVC/QPR: 89 WORLD WINE WATCH TOP WINES AT VINTAGES: under/over $20 for DEC 3, 2022 release. By DEAN TUDOR, Gothic Epicures Writing deantudor@deantudor.com. My "Wines, Beers and Spirits of the Net", a guide to thousands of news items and RSS feeds, plus references to wines, beers and spirits, has been at http://www.deantudor.com since 1994. These notes for good wines available through LCBO Vintages (on a bi-weekly basis) can always be found at http://www.gothicepicures.blogspot.ca or at http://www.deantudor.com No winery can buy their way into – or out of – this publication. Scores are a combination of MVC (Modal Varietal Character, e.g. a Southern Rhone would taste like a Southern Rhone) and QPR (Quality/Price Ratio value in the marketplace above or below its price). Currently, the wine media have no access to the tasting samples usually provided to us in the LCBO lab on a fortnightly basis. This will go on for some time. HOWEVER, the wine media will still have access to the advance spreadsheet of the wines to be released. So I know what is to be released and when. SOME (but not many) of these 100 or so biweekly released wines I have recently tasted since January 2020 or so, and I can comfortably recommend them based on this prior sampling. ** Some New Wines I Tasted Over the Past While --- NEW RELEASES FROM CHATEAU DES CHARMES, NOTL VQA: 1.Chateau des Charmes Rose Sparkling Traditional Method 2017 VQA NOTL winery and online $34.95: [I last sampled the 2016 vintage at same price] here half chardonnay and half pinot noir (blanc des noirs) from vines planted as early as 1991, very pretty colour from the pinot dosage, reminiscent of strawberry blush, 2 years lees contact and then re-fermented in the bottle. Full, rich, ripe yeasty biscuit complexity. Citric finish, best with food such as appetizers. Strawb fruit dominates. Recently disgorged. 10 g/L residual sugar. 12.5% ABV. Stunning. 250 cases available. Quality/Price rating is 93 points by Dean Tudor of Gothic Epicures. 2.Chateau des Charmes Brut Sparkling Methode Traditionelle NV Niagara-On-The-Lake VQA, +224766, $25.95: this Brut is a mix of about half each of chardonnay and pinot noir from vines planted as early as 1991 (and from at least four vineyards), exhibiting apple and orchard tones with citrus and toast. Some creamy texture. All wine mostly from the same vintage, and “Recently Hand Disgorged” after a year on lees, 12% ABV. Base wine for bubblies from both grapes is the same: just the skin contact varies. 9g/L residual sugar. 2877 cases. Quality/Price rating is 92 points by Dean Tudor of Gothic Epicures. 3.Chateau des Charmes Riesling “Old Vines” 2016 Estate Bottled VQA Niagara-On-The-Lake, $18.95: made from vines largely planted in 1978, so it is now a very mature vineyard. 12.5% ABV. Succulent, but off-dry Alsatian character (citric tones, spices), with now almost six years of aging. A beaut with spicy or higher acidic foods – lush and plush. Lots of orchard fruit character and some minerality. Best with Asiatic food. Twist top. 8.1 gm/L. 928 cases. Quality/price rating 91 points by Dean Tudor of Gothic Epicures. 4.Chateau des Charmes Gewurztraminer 2021 St.David’s Bench VQA, $21.95 winery and online: from older vines (26 years) in the St. David's Bench vineyards, done up in stainless steel. Alsatian in style, with concentrated fruit, off-dry on the mid-palate, spicy with a tad of bitter on the finish, great with Asiatic foods or any spicy foods. Or wonderful as a sipper/aperitif by the deck/patio/pool/terrace/balcony. Cork finish, and it should improve over the next five years. 4.6 gm/L residual sugar. 13.1% ABV. 318 cases produced. Quality/price rating 91 points by Dean Tudor. 5.Chateau des Charmes Pinot Noir 2017 Paul Bosc Estate Vineyard, VQA St.David's Bench, $44.95 at winery and online: Quite a powerful wine from the 60-acre vineyard, lots of stylish Burgundian forest floor (mushrooms, earth) to complement the red berry fruit. It was last produced in 2016. Currently, this vintage is 16 months in new French oak barrels. Still needs some time, maybe two more years. 13.5% ABV. It will also show better with food such as Asian salmon preps or veal or lamb. Cork closure. Residual sugar is 1.3g/L. 13.5% ABV. 1234 cases produced. Quality/Price rating is 92 points by Dean Tudor of Gothic Epicures. 6.Chateau des Charmes Gamay Noir “Droit” 2020 St. David's Bench Vineyard, VQA St. David’s Bench, $21.95 [winery and online]: medium-full-bodied, suggestive of Beaujolais grand cru wines such as Morgon or Moulin a Vent in the Droit's capacity for aging. Dark cherry-berry flavours dominate, but there is added spicing and even some nuances of earthiness and eucalyptus, although the wine is unoaked. “Gamey gamay” is probably the phrase! Cork finish. Good with BBQ, cheese, or something substantial, but some tannic structure is present to carry through a whole meal. Chateau des Charmes is the only winery in the world using this particular gamay clone. 1g/L residual sugar. 12.5% ABV. Earlier vintages were gold medal winners in Canada. 492 cases produced. Quality/Price rating is 91 points by Dean Tudor of Gothic Epicures. The Date and Time: Tuesday October 11, 2022 10:30AM - 4PM The Event: Milano Wine Week International Masterclass Program The Venue: Aria Ristorante, 25 York Street The Target Audience: sommeliers, wine agents, wine media The Availability/Catalogue: There were two wineries involved, each with Ontario agents –- VALDO (Wine Online) and FIAMBERTI (Cottonwood Agency). The Quote/Background: The first seminar was a web show presentation seminar from Italy, “From Veneto to Friuli: exploring different terroirs and wine styles” by VALDO winery (a Bolla company) with various speakers such as their chief winemaker Gianfranco Zanon and Matteo Bolla. They introduced the region's I Magredi winery's still wines. Both seminars had simultaneous translations when needed. Fiamberti's Buttafuoco range uses mainly the indigenous grapes Croatina (about 2/3), followed by Barbera, Uva Rare and Ughetta di Canneto. Giulio Flamberti spoke to us via the web show, and answered all questions. The Wines: **** BEST -- Four Stars (91+ in Quality/Price Rating terms): -Fiamberti Caristoro Metodo Classico DOCG Rose Brut NV 3g/L [pinot noir] $40 -Fiamberti Il Cavaliere Pinot Nero Vinificato In Bianco 2021 [frizzante white wine] $32 -Fiamberti Buttafuoco Storico Vigna Solenga DOC 2017 Oltrepo Pavese $88 -I Magredi Divinotello Trevenezie IGT 2017 [Bordeaux blended style] ***1/2 BETTER -- Three and a Half Stars (88 – 90 in Quality/Price Rating terms): -Fiamberti Buttafuoco Storico Vigna Sacca del Prete DOC 2017 Oltrepo Pavese $84 -Fiamberti Buttafuoco Storico Il Cacciatore DOC 2020 Oltrepo Pavese $44 -I Magredi Cabernet Sauvignon Friuli DOC Grave 2021 -I Magredi Pinot Grigio Friuli DOC Grave 2021 $16.99 The Food: Aria gave is a food box: inside there was a main course of roast chicken breast with excellent quinoa pilaff, followed by goat cheese cheddar from Lindsay Ontario accompanied by gluten-free crackers. Desserts included barreti al cioccolato (chocolate cake, salted caramel mousse, chocolate shell) and biscotti with orange zest and star anise. The Downside: it was a long day of watching a big video screen. The Upside: we tasted some unusual wines from two wineries in two different wine regions. The Contact Person: Benedetta Marassi b.marassi@ice.it The Event’s Marketing Effectiveness and Execution (numerical grade): 89. ** Some Recommended Wines from the LCBO’s Limited Time Offers selections...these are good value...on sale now through Sunday January 1, 2023 -- Fizz+224766 Chateau des Charmes Brut Methode Traditionelle normally $25.95 now $21.95 save $4 Fizz+48793 L.Bouillot Perle D'Aurore Rose Cremant Bourg normally $23.95 now $21.95 save $2 Fizz+370361 Tawse Riesling Sparkling Limestone Ridge VQA normally $21.95 now $19.95 save $2 Fizz+147504 13th Street Cuvee Rose Brut VQA normally $29.95 now $26.95 save $3 Fizz+687582 S. Margherita Prosecco Di Valdobbiadene Brut normally $20.95 now $18.95 save $2 White+608653 Sonoma-Cutrer Chardonnay Russian River Ranches normally $29.95 now $26.95 save $3 Red+413179 Zenato Amarone Classico Valpolicella normally $54.95 now $49.95 save $5 Red+149237 The Foreign Affair The Conspiracy Ripasso Style VQA normally $19.95 now $16.95 save $3 Splurge+708982 Stag's Leap Artemis Cabernet Sauvignon normally $89.95 now $84.95 save $5 Splurge+996405 Stags' Leap Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon normally $69.95 now $64.95 save $5 MAJOR THEME: Gifts to celebrate Wines Under $20 ========= W+28583 CASAS DEL BOSQUE LA CANTERA BOTANIC SERIES SAUVIGNON BLANC 2021 Sustainable, Valle de Casablanca $19.95 MVC/QPR: 89 R+523001 CAVE SPRING ESTATE GROWN CABERNET FRANC 2020 VQA Beamsville Bench, Niagara Escarpment $19.95 MVC/QPR: 90 Wines Over $20 ========= W+424507 WESTCOTT ESTATE CHARDONNAY 2020 VQA Niagara Escarpment $29.95 MVC/QPR: 90 W+172338 SOUTHBROOK TRIOMPHE ORGANIC CHARDONNAY 2018 Vegan, VQA Niagara Peninsula $24.95 MVC/QPR: 89 R+28362 TENUTE SILVO NARDI 43° IGT Toscana Rosso $21.95 MVC/QPR: 89 R+427500 WESTCOTT ESTATE PINOT NOIR 2018 VQA Vinemount Ridge, Niagara Peninsula $31.95 MVC/QPR: 90 Fizz+310334 FEATHERSTONE JOY PREMIUM CUVÉE BRUT SPARKLING 2016 Traditional method, VQA Niagara Peninsula, Ontario $34.95 MVC/QPR: 89 Fizz+51565 LOUIS BOUILLOT PERLE D'OR BRUT CRÉMANT DE BOURGOGNE 2012 Traditional method, AC, Burgundy, France $26.95 MVC/QPR: 89 WORLD WINE WATCH TOP WINES AT VINTAGES: under/over $20 for NOV 19, 2022 release. By DEAN TUDOR, Gothic Epicures Writing deantudor@deantudor.com. My "Wines, Beers and Spirits of the Net", a guide to thousands of news items and RSS feeds, plus references to wines, beers and spirits, has been at http://www.deantudor.com since 1994. These notes for good wines available through LCBO Vintages (on a bi-weekly basis) can always be found at http://www.gothicepicures.blogspot.ca or at http://www.deantudor.com No winery can buy their way into – or out of – this publication. Scores are a combination of MVC (Modal Varietal Character, e.g. a Southern Rhone would taste like a Southern Rhone) and QPR (Quality/Price Ratio value in the marketplace above or below its price). Currently, the wine media have no access to the tasting samples usually provided to us in the LCBO lab on a fortnightly basis. This will go on for some time. HOWEVER, the wine media will still have access to the advance spreadsheet of the wines to be released. So I know what is to be released and when. SOME (but not many) of these 100 or so biweekly released wines I have recently tasted since January 2020 or so, and I can comfortably recommend them based on this prior sampling. ** Some New Wines I Tasted Over the Past Month --- The Date and Time: Tuesday October 11, 2022 10:30AM - 4PM The Event: Milano Wine Week International Masterclass Program The Venue: Aria Ristorante, 25 York Street The Target Audience: sommeliers, wine agents, wine media The Availability/Catalogue: There were two wineries involved, each with Ontario agents – VALDO (Wine Online) and MASSOTINA (n/a) The Quote/Background: The first seminar was a web show presentation seminar from Italy, “From Veneto to Friuli: exploring different terroirs and wine styles” by VALDO winery (a Bolla company) with various speakers such as their chief winemaker Gianfranco Zanon and Matteo Bolla. The second seminar was a blind tasting of six MASOTTINA wines, in “Exploring Prosecco styles and terroir”. It too was a web show, but with participation in Milan, London, New York and Toronto. Both seminars had simultaneous translations when needed. Cristina Mercuri with Filippo Bartolotta spoke on the wines, with emphasis on: Brut/Extra Dry is just a question of dosage and taste? The Wines: The six Masottina Proseccos were two different samples (Brut and Extra Dry) of three wine levels: Rive di Ogliano, Contrada Granda, and Calmaggiore, all Glera. But with different terroirs **** BEST -- Four Stars (91+ in Quality/Price Rating terms): -Valdo Cuvee 1926 Prosecco Valdobbiadene DOCG Extra Dry 16g/L RS, 90Glera/10Chardonnay -Valdo Elevantum Rose Prosecco DOC Brut 11.5g/L RS, 90Glera/10PinotNoir [MY FAVE] -Masottina Collezione RDO Conegliano Valdobbiadene Prosecco Superiore Rive di Ogliano DOCG Levante Extra Dry Millesimato. 13.5g/L all Glera [ANOTHER MY FAVE] -Masottina Collezione Contrada Granda Conegliano Valdobbiadene Prosecco Superiore DOCG Brut 10g/L all Glera -Masottina Collezione Contrada Granda Conegliano Valdobbiadene Prosecco Superiore DOCG Extra Dry 14g/L all Glera -Masottina Collezione Calmaggiore Prosecco DOC Treviso Brut 10g/L all Glera ***1/2 BETTER -- Three and a Half Stars (88 – 90 in Quality/Price Rating terms): -Valdo Amor Soli Prosecco Valdobbiadene DOCG Bio Brut 2021 10g/L RS, all Glera -Valdo Tenuta La Maredana Prosecco DOC Brut 9g/L RS, 85Glera/15PinotNoir $21.99 -Valdo Prosecco Cuvee I Magredi Extra Dry DOC Extra Dry 15g/L RS, all Glera $18.99 -Masottina Collezione RDO Conegliano Valdobbiadene Prosecco Superiore Rive di Ogliano DOCG Ponente Brut Millesimato. 6G/L all Glera -Masottina Collezione Calmaggiore Prosecco DOC Treviso Extra Dry 14g/L all Glera The Food: Aria gave is a food box: inside there was a main course of roast chicken breast with excellent quinoa pilaff, followed by goat cheese cheddar from Lindsay Ontario accompanied by gluten-free crackers. Desserts included barreti al cioccolato (chocolate cake, salted caramel mousse, chocolate shell) and biscotti with orange zest and star anise. The Contact Person: Benedetta Marassi b.marassi@ice.it The Event’s Marketing Effectiveness and Execution (numerical grade): 89. ** Some Recommended Wines from the LCBO’s Limited Time Offers selections...these are good value...on sale now through Sunday November 27: +149047 20 Year Old Tawny Port (Taylor Fladgate) 750ml normally $69.95, now $62.95, save $7. +43281 Flat Rock Riesling VQA normally $19.95, now $16.95, save $3. +976662 Faustino I Gran Reserve Rioja normally $32.95, now $28.95, save $4 +64618 Featherstone Cabernet Franc VQA normally $21.95, now $19.95, save $2. +177345 Muga Reserva Rioja (Bodegas Muga) normally $27.95, now $23.95, save $4 +71943 La Crema Sonoma Coast Pinot Noir normally $35, now $32, save $3. +324228 Stoneleigh Latitude Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc normally $21.95, now $18.95, save $3 +104299 The Prisoner Red Blend normally $54.95, now $49.95, save $5 MAJOR THEME: GIFTS to celebrate, finest holiday wines, Wines Under $20 ========= W+ 256552 CAVE SPRING ESTATE CHARDONNAY 2019 VQA $19.95 MVC/QPR: 90. W+5259788 JOSEPH CATTIN RIESLING 2020 Alsace $15.95 MVC/QPR: 90 W+454785 TOI TOI SAUVIGNON BLANC 2021 New Zealand $17.95 MVC/QPR: 89. W+28124 ELEMENTI ORGANIC TREBBIANO ORANGE WINE 2021 Italy $18.95 MVC/QPR: 89 R+661892 BLEASDALE MULBERRY TREE LANGHORNE CREEK CABERNET SAUVIGNON 2019 $19.95 MVC/QPR: 89. R+421388 CASTELLI DEL GREVEPESA CLEMENTE VII CHIANTI CLASSICO 2018 $18.95 MVC/QPR: 89. Wines Over $20 =========== Fizz+383315 FLAT ROCK RIDDLED SPARKLING 2020 VQA $34.95 MVC/QPR: 89. Fizz+528752 BENJAMIN BRIDGE MÉTHODE CLASSIQUE BRUT SPARKLING NV Gaspareau NS $34.95 MVC/QPR: 90 R+20757 J. LOHR HILLTOP CABERNET SAUVIGNON 2020 $24.95 MVC/QPR: 89. R+317008 VERSADO MALBEC Mendoza 2018 $24.95 MVC/QPR: 91. R+25640 CHOCALAN VITRUM BLEND Maipo 2019 $25.95 MVC/QPR: 90. +378919 VALDESPINO INOCENTE SINGLE VINEYARD FINO DRY SHERRY $29.95 MVC/QPR: 92 +25721 HOLDVÖLGY TOKAJ SIGNATURE 6 PUTTONYOS 2007 $47.95 MVC/QPR: 90 WORLD WINE WATCH TOP WINES AT VINTAGES: under/over $20 for NOVMBER 5, 2022 release. By DEAN TUDOR, Gothic Epicures Writing deantudor@deantudor.com. My "Wines, Beers and Spirits of the Net", a guide to thousands of news items and RSS feeds, plus references to wines, beers and spirits, has been at http://www.deantudor.com since 1994. These notes for good wines available through LCBO Vintages (on a bi-weekly basis) can always be found at http://www.gothicepicures.blogspot.ca or at http://www.deantudor.com No winery can buy their way into – or out of – this publication. Scores are a combination of MVC (Modal Varietal Character, e.g. a Southern Rhone would taste like a Southern Rhone) and QPR (Quality/Price Ratio value in the marketplace above or below its price). Currently, the wine media have no access to the tasting samples usually provided to us in the LCBO lab on a fortnightly basis. This will go on for some time. HOWEVER, the wine media will still have access to the advance spreadsheet of the wines to be released. So I know what is to be released and when. SOME (but not many) of these 100 or so biweekly released wines I have recently tasted since January 2020 or so, and I can comfortably recommend them based on this prior sampling. ** Some New Wines I Tasted Over the Past Few Weeks --- The Date and Time: Thursday September 8, 2022 11AM - 5PM The Event: Grandi Marchi, Italy's Top Wineries Guided & Walk Around Tasting The Venue: Windsor Arms Hotel The Target Audience: wine trade (sommeliers, agents, LCBO, media) The Availability/Catalogue: it was an online catalogue, and some of the wines were not available in Ontario. The Quote/Background: There was a master class at 11AM for 80 attendees with 14 principals such as Helena Lageder, Alberto Chiarlo, Niccolo Antinori, Alberto Tasca, Piero Mastroberardino. Each spoke about their company and one of their wines, moderated by Michael Fagan. The slide show was also very informative. The Wines: We had one prosecco, three white wines, nine red wines, plus one sweetie. There were some 60+ walk around wines in the main show; I did not try them all. **** BEST -- Four Stars (91+ in Quality/Price Rating terms): -Umani Ronchi Centovie Pecorino Colli Aprutini IGT Abruzzo 2020 organic 13% ABV -Jermann Vintage Tunina Venezia Giulia IGT 2020 13.5% “great finish” from 5 varietals -Alois Lageder Cason Bianco Viognier-Petit Manseng Delle Dolomiti IGT 2019 Alto Adige biodynamic 13% ABV -Michele Chiarlo Tortoniano Barolo DOCG 2018 14% ABV -Marchese Antinori Guado al Tasso Bolgheri DOC Superiore 2019 Toscano 14.5% ABV -Ambrogio e Giovanni Folonari Tenute Cabreo il Borgo Toscana IGT 2018 15% ABV -Col d'Orcia Poggio al Vento Brunello di Montalcino DOCG Riserva 2013 organic 14.5% ABV -Mastroberardino Radici Taurasi DOCG Riserva 2015 Campania 13.5% ABV -Masi Riserva di Costasera Amarone Della Valpolicella Classico DOCG 2016 Veneto 15.5% -Donnafugata Ben Rye Passito di Pantelleria DOC 2020 Sicily 14.27% ABV -Carpene Malvolti 1868 Prosecco Superiore NV Conegliano Valdobbiadene DOCG Veneto 11% -Lungarotti Torre di Giano Vermentino/Grechetto/Trebbiano 2021 Umbria -Jermann Bianco Where Dreams Have No End Chardonnay IGT 2020 ***1/2 BETTER -- Three and a Half Stars (88 – 90 in Quality/Price Rating terms): -Carpene Malvolti 1924 Prosecco Superiore NV Conegliano Valdobbiadene DOCG Veneto 11% -Carpene Malvolti Prosecco Rose Brut 2020 DOCG Veneto 11% ABV -Lungarotti Montefalco Sagrantino DOCG 2018 Umbria organic 15.5% ABV -Rivera Il Falcone Castel del Monte Rosso Riserva DOCG 2016 Apulia 13.5% ABV -Tasca d'Almerita Rosso del Conte Rosso Contea di Sclafani DOC 2016 Sicily 14% ABV -Umani Ronchi Casal di Serra Verdicchio dei Castelli di Jesi Classico Superior 2020 -Alois Lageder Porer Pinot Grigio 2020 Alto Adige -Antinori Bramito della Sala Chardonnay 2021 Umbria -Jermann Vinnae Ribolla Giulia Venezia Giulia 2021 The Food: we had tomato & bocconcini skewers; rice paper vegetable salad rolls and dip; roast beef tortilla pinwheel with peppers, creamy horseradish, arugula, goat cheese mini quiche; mushroom risotto (my fave); vegan sliders; salumi platter; cheeses; breads. The Downside: there were the inevitable sound problems that needed to be straightened out, and then later during the walk around it was announced that Elizabeth II had passed. The Upside: a chance to taste some rare and expensive wines, plus speak with winemakers and producers. The Contact Persons: info@ieemusa.com; b.marassi@ice.it The Event’s Marketing Effectiveness and Execution (numerical grade): 90. ** Some Recommended Wines from the LCBO’s Limited Time Offers selections...these are good value...on sale through Sunday November 6 – ACT SOON!! [red] Columbia Crest H3 Cabernet Sauvignon Horse Heaven Hills Columbia Valley Washington State Vintages +210047 normally $19.95, now $17.95, save $2. [red] Trius Red VQA Niagara Peninsula Vintages +303800, normally $24.95, now $21.95, save $3 [red] Porcupine Ridge Syrah WO Swartland South Africa Vintages +595280 normally $16.95, now $13.95, save $3. [white] La Crema Sonoma Coast Chardonnay California Vintages +963886, normally $30, now $28, save $2. [splurge] Beringer Knights Valley Cabernet Sauvignon Sonoma County California Vintages +352583, normally $46.95, now $41.95, save $5 ** And the next batch of Recommended Wines from the LCBO’s Limited Time Offers selections...these are good value...on sale from Monday November 7 through Sunday November 27: +149047 20 Year Old Tawny Port (Taylor Fladgate) 750ml normally $69.95, now $62.95, save $7. +43281 Flat Rock Riesling VQA normally $19.95, now $16.95, save $3. +976662 Faustino I Gran Reserve Rioja normally $32.95, now $28.95, save $4 +64618 Featherstone Cabernet Franc VQA normally $21.95, now $19.95, save $2. +177345 Muga Reserva Rioja (Bodegas Muga) normally $27.95, now $23.95, save $4 +71943 La Crema Sonoma Coast Pinot Noir normally $35, now $32, save $3. +324228 Stoneleigh Latitude Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc normally $21.95, now $18.95, save $3 +104299 The Prisoner Red Blend normally $54.95, now $49.95, save $5 MAJOR THEME: Gifts to Celebrate Wines Under $20 ========= W+341586 FEATHERSTONE FOUR FEATHERS 2021 VQA Ontario $14.95 MVC/QPR:90 W+389726 BOYA SAUVIGNON BLANC 2022 Sustainable, Coast Zone, DO Valle de Leyda $15.95 MVC/QPR: 89 R+131540 FEATHERSTONE RED TAIL MERLOT 2020 Vegan, VQA Niagara Peninsula $19.95 MVC/QPR: 90 R+63537 CHÂTEAU HYOT 2019 AC Castillon Côtes de Bordeaux $16.95 MVC/QPR: 89 Fizz+16602 ALBINO ARMANI EXTRA DRY CONEGLIANO VALDOBBIADENE PROSECCO SUPERIORE DOCG, Friuli, Italy $18.95 MVC/QPR: 89 Wines Over $20 ========= W+241182 CHARLES BAKER PICONE VINEYARD RIESLING 2018 VQA Vinemount Ridge, Niagara Peninsula $39.95 MVC/QPR: 90 W+469023 CUDDY BY TAWSE CHARDONNAY 2016 VQA Niagara Peninsula $27.95 MVC/QPR: 90 R+418830 SOUTHBROOK TRIOMPHE MERLOT 2018 Vegan, VQA Niagara Peninsula $24.95 MVC/QPR: 89 R+30145 SOUTHBROOK TRIOMPHE PINOT NOIR 2019 $29.95 MVC/QPR: 89 Fizz+15687 GRUET SAUVAGE BLANC DE BLANCS SPARKLING Zero dosage, traditional method, USA $29.95 MVC/QPR: 89 Fizz+593483 GRAHAM BECK BRUT SPARKLING Traditional method, WO Western Cape, South Africa $22.95 MVC/QPR: 89 WORLD WINE WATCH TOP WINES AT VINTAGES: under/over $20 for OCTOBER 22, 2022 release. By DEAN TUDOR, Gothic Epicures Writing deantudor@deantudor.com. My "Wines, Beers and Spirits of the Net", a guide to thousands of news items and RSS feeds, plus references to wines, beers and spirits, has been at http://www.deantudor.com since 1994. These notes for good wines available through LCBO Vintages (on a bi-weekly basis) can always be found at http://www.gothicepicures.blogspot.ca or at http://www.deantudor.com No winery can buy their way into – or out of – this publication. Scores are a combination of MVC (Modal Varietal Character, e.g. a Southern Rhone would taste like a Southern Rhone) and QPR (Quality/Price Ratio value in the marketplace above or below its price). Currently, the wine media have no access to the tasting samples usually provided to us in the LCBO lab on a fortnightly basis. This will go on for some time. HOWEVER, the wine media will still have access to the advance spreadsheet of the wines to be released. So I know what is to be released and when. SOME (but not many) of these 100 or so biweekly released wines I have recently tasted since January 2020 or so, and I can comfortably recommend them based on this prior sampling. ** Some New Drinks I Tasted Over the Past Fortnight --- The Date and Time: August 16, 2022 3:30PM - 8PM The Event: Travel South USA Media Event The Venue: Malaparte TIFF The Target Audience: travel writers and spirits writers The Availability/Catalogue: we had three bourbons set before us as a tasting (see below), led by a very capable Mike McLean of MixxIT Canada By Beam Suntory. This was the major presentation from Kentucky, and, of course, the main reason for my attending. The Quote/Background: The Travel South USA states represented in Canada included Alabama, Arkansas, Kentucky, Mississippi, Missouri, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee and West Virginia. There was also a rep from New Orleans and one from Atlanta. It was a trade fam tour to entice travel writers to explore the American south. There were many regional foods to be sampled (see below) and many cocktails to be tasted. The best appeared to be the Kentucky Bourbon Cocktail of Jim Beam Bourbon 1.5 oz, lime juice [no sugar] 1 oz., and topped up over ice with Gosling's no-al ginger beer. Dynamite. Hors d'oeuvre were passed while the reps were available for short talks with the travel writers. And then it was on to the bourbon tasting and thence to the BBQ buffet dinner. The Bourbons: **** BEST -- Four Stars (91+ in Quality/Price Rating terms): -Maker's Mark Kentucky Bourbon $45.45 LCBO +103747, 45ABV – very smooth, 70% corn and 30% red winter wheat. One of my personal faves. ***1/2 BETTER -- Three and a Half Stars (88 – 90 in Quality/Price Rating terms): -Basil Hayden Kentucky Bourbon $55.95 (on sale at LCBO at $50.95 until Sept 12) LCBO +326025, 40% ABV – 63% corn and 37% rye, and thereby introduces savoury herby rye notes finishing with some grassiness. -Jim Beam White Label Bourbon $30.95 (on sale at LCBO at $29.20 until Sept 12) LCBO +21378, 40% ABV – 77% corn The Food: Oliver and Bonacini did the catering, beginning with the multiple hors d'oeuvre platters: tuna salad on a lettuce leaf; BBQ short rib on polenta; shrimp and hot sausage; lightly battered fried okra; fried chicken drumettes; and cheddar cheese tarts with carmelized onions and piped goat cheese cream. Each came on a bed of a different sauce: these 5 BBQ sauces are available online (Carolina Gold Classic - South Carolina, Rendezvous Mild Barbecue Sauce - Memphis, Alabama White BBQ Sauce – Alabama, Sam Jones Vinegar Sauce – North Carolina, Fiorella’s Jack Stack BBQ Original – Kansas City). These sauces were also put out for the buffet, and were easily available for mixing and matching and savouring. So the major food of the evening was a small buffet of fried chicken and corn bread waffle with scallions, short ribs and grits with collard greens, and smoked brisket and potato bun slider with macaroni. To top it off, there was a variety at the dessert table: southern pies (key lime, coconut cream, blueberry) and peach cobbler. The Downside: music was too loud, and interfered with Mike's bourbon tasting seminar. The Upside: A chance to do wide tasting and nibbling around a variety of southern cuisine dishes. The Contact Person: katie@reachglobal.ca or ashton@reachglobal.ca The Event’s Marketing Effectiveness and Execution (numerical grade): 93. ** Some Recommended Wines from the LCBO’s Limited Time Offers selections...these are good value...on sale through Sunday November 6: [red] Columbia Crest H3 Cabernet Sauvignon Horse Heaven Hills Columbia Valley Washington State Vintages +210047 normally $19.95, now $17.95, save $2. [red] Trius Red VQA Niagara Peninsula Vintages +303800, normally $24.95, now $21.95, save $3 [red] Porcupine Ridge Syrah WO Swartland South Africa Vintages +595280 normally $16.95, now $13.95, save $3. [white] La Crema Sonoma Coast Chardonnay California Vintages +963886, normally $30, now $28, save $2. [splurge] Beringer Knights Valley Cabernet Sauvignon Sonoma County California Vintages +352583, normally $46.95, now $41.95, save $5 MAJOR THEME: California Gold – plus GIFT Wines in time for Christmas, etc. Wines Under $20 ========= W+20373 CHARLES BAKER RIESLING 2019 VQA Niagara Peninsula $19.95 MVC/QPR: 89. W+398966 REDSTONE CHARDONNAY 2020 VQA Niagara Peninsula $19.95 MVC/QPR: 89. W+928580 SANTA CAROLINA GRAN RESERVA CHARDONNAY 2019 Sustainable, carbon neutral, DO Valle de Itata $19.95 MVC/QPR: 91. W+95802 PETER ZEMMER PINOT GRIGIO 2020 DOC Alto Adige $17.95 MVC/QPR: 89 R+83295 ODFJELL ARMADOR ORGANIC CARMENÈRE 2019 Central Valley $18.95 MVC/QPR: 89. R+300004 AMASTUOLA PRIMITIVO 2019 IGP Puglia $15.95 MVC/QPR: 90. R+25638 GARCÉS SILVA CATALINO PAÍS 2019 Coronel de Maule, DO Secano Interior, Valle del Maule $19.95 MVC/QPR: 89. Wines Over $20 Sparkling+421032 CHARLES MIGNON PREMIUM RÉSERVE BRUT CHAMPAGNE $47.95 MVC/QPR: 91. Sparkling+21858 BOTTEGA PINK GOLD ROSÉ PROSECCO Charmat method, DOC, Italy $29.95 MVC/QPR: 89. R+645218 SELVAPIANA BUCERCHIALE RISERVA CHIANTI RÙFINA 2018 DOCG $39.95 MVC/QPR: 89. R+60525 RUTHERFORD RANCH RESERVE CABERNET SAUVIGNON 2018 Sustainable, Napa Valley $79.95 MVC/QPR: 90. R+155408 MARCHESI DI BAROLO BARBARESCO 2018 DOCG $39.95 MVC/QPR: 89. R+113357 DONATELLA CINELLI COLOMBINI BRUNELLO DI MONTALCINO 2016 DOCG $69.95 MVC/QPR: 89. RECOMMENDED GIFT BOTTLES (not tasted this week) +27485 NIEPOORT VINTAGE PORT 2019 DOP, Portugal $135.95 [in-store discovery, online exclusive] +21861 MARCHESI DI BAROLO TRADIZIONE BAROLO & BARBARESCO 2017 Two bottles in wooden gift box, DOCG, Piedmont, Italy $109.95 +384578 REMO FARINA AMARONE DELLA VALPOLICELLA & VALPOLICELLA RIPASSO Two bottles in wooden gift box, Veneto, Italy $79.95 +581561 TAYLOR FLADGATE HISTORIC LIMITED EDITION RESERVE TAWNY PORT DOP, Portugal $51.95 WORLD WINE WATCH TOP WINES AT VINTAGES: under/over $20 for OCTOBER 8, 2022 release. By DEAN TUDOR, Gothic Epicures Writing deantudor@deantudor.com. My "Wines, Beers and Spirits of the Net", a guide to thousands of news items and RSS feeds, plus references to wines, beers and spirits, has been at http://www.deantudor.com since 1994. These notes for good wines available through LCBO Vintages (on a bi-weekly basis) can always be found at http://www.gothicepicures.blogspot.ca or at http://www.deantudor.com No winery can buy their way into – or out of – this publication. Scores are a combination of MVC (Modal Varietal Character, e.g. a Southern Rhone would taste like a Southern Rhone) and QPR (Quality/Price Ratio value in the marketplace above or below its price). Currently, the wine media have no access to the tasting samples usually provided to us in the LCBO lab on a fortnightly basis. This will go on for some time. HOWEVER, the wine media will still have access to the advance spreadsheet of the wines to be released. So I know what is to be released and when. SOME (but not many) of these 100 or so biweekly released wines I have recently tasted since January 2020 or so, and I can comfortably recommend them based on this prior sampling. ** Some New Wines I Tasted Over the Past While --- The Date and Time: Thursday June 23, 2020 1PM - 5PM The Event: Gambrero Rosso Tre Bicchieri Summer Edition The Venue: Liberty Grand The Target Audience: wine trade, sommeliers, wine media The Availability/Catalogue: one needed a QR code to access the catalogue which contained details for ordering wine. The Wines: I tasted mostly whites, roses, and sparkling (hey, it was summer!) and a few reds of my interests. **** BEST -- Four Stars (91+ in Quality/Price Rating terms): -Tenute Tomasella Pros-ecco Prosecco Treviso DOC -Cantina Tollo Roccaventosa 2020 Montepulciano d'Abruzzo DOP -Cantina Tollo Mo' 2018 Montepulciano d'Abruzzo Riserva DOP -Monte del Fra Valpolicella Classico Superiore Ripasso Lena di Mezzo Estate DOC, $24.95 (Vintages) Signature Agency -Monte del Fra Ca' del Magro Custoza Superiore DOC 2019 -Varvaglione Vigne & Vini Papale Linea Oro Primtivo di Manduria 2019 DOP (Vintages) -Umani Ronchi Centoric Plenio Riserva 2018 -Francesco Tornatore Etna Bianco Pietrarizzo 2021 -Tenute Tomasella Friuli Furiliana 2021 -Bruni Marememma Toscana Vermentini Plinio 2021 -Varvaglione Vigne & Vini Salice Salentino 2019 -Varvaglione Vigne & Vini 12 e Mezzo Primtivo di Manduria 2020 DOP -Ferrari Brut MT Trento -Ferrari Brut Rose MT Trento [60chard/40pinot noir] -Tentiment CIVA Sauvignon Blanc 2020 Vigneto Bellazoia -Montenidoli Vernaccia di San Gimignano Carato 2019 -Cantine Lunae Bosoni et Grigia Colli de Luni Vermentino 2021 -Offida Pecorino Reve 2020 Single Vineyard -Casale del Giglio Anthium Bellone 2021 Lazio IGT -Casale del Griglio Satrico 2021 Lazio IGT -Tenute Borgo Conventi Sauvignon Blanc 2019 Collio ***1/2 BETTER -- Three and a Half Stars (88 – 90 in Quality/Price Rating terms): -Umani Ronchi Centoric Pecorino Colli Aprutini 2020 -Umani Ronchi Centoric Verdicchio 2018 -Francesco Tornatore Etna Bianco 2021 -Tenute Tomasella Prosecco NV [twist top, low Al -Tentiment CIVA Ribolla Giallo Friuli NV Extra Brut -Tentiment CIVA Ribolla Giallo Friuli 2021 -Montenidoli Vernaccia di San Gimignano Fiore 2020 -Montenidoli Vernaccia di San Gimignano Traditionale 2020 -Cantine Lunae Bosoni et Grigia Vermentino 2021 -Cantine Lunae Bosoni et Grigia La Bianca 2021 The Food: Catered by the Liberty Grand Entertainment Group....platters of food included pesto panini, mozzarella and tomatoes, polenta topped with crispy mushrooms, meat skewers with veggies, flatbread/focaccia with creamy Gorgonzola and arugula, rotini ragu with grilled cherry tomatoes, prosciutto-wrapped breadsticks, arancini, and tiramisu and cannoli for dessert. The Downside: I did not have a cell phone The Upside: just about all the wines were white, rose, sparkling or light reds from Northern or Central Italy, a great tasting in view of the sunny summer weather. The Contact Person: Benedetta The Event’s Marketing Effectiveness and Execution (numerical grade): 90. ** Some Recommended Wines from the LCBO’s Limited Time Offers selections...these are good value...on sale from Monday October 10 through Sunday November 6... W+286278 Flat Rock Cellars Chardonnay normal $19.95 save $2.00 now $17.95 R+964221 Le Volte Dell'Ornellaia Igt Toscana normal $29.95 save $2.00 now $27.95 R302018 Pipeau St. Emilion(Ch. Pipeau) normal $43.95 save $3.00 now $40.95 [splurge]R+352583 Beringer Knight's Valley Cabernet Sauvignon normal $46.95 save $5.00 now $41.95 R+595280 Porcupine Ridge Syrah normal $16.95 save $3.00 now $13.95 R+303800 Trius Vqa Red (Andres Wines Ltd) normal $24.95 save $3.00 now $21.95 MAJOR THEME: Magnifico! Italian Wines Wines Under $20 ========= W+89011 FEATHERSTONE SAUVIGNON BLANC 2021 VQA Niagara Peninsula $17.95 MVC/QPR: 90 Sparkler +19031 CELENE BORDEAUX AMÉTHYSTE BRUT CRÉMANT DE BORDEAUX Traditional method, AP, France $16.95 MVC/QPR: 89 W+13429 SIEGEL SPECIAL RESERVE VIOGNIER 2021 Sustainable, DO Valle de Colchagua $15.95 MVC/QPR: 89 W+24245 THELEMA SAUVIGNON BLANC 2020 Estate grown, WO Stellenbosch, South Africa $16.95 MVC/QPR: 89 Wines Over $20 ========= Sparkling+28978 KEW VINEYARDS CUVÉE SPARKLING CHARDONNAY 2016 Traditional method, VQA Niagara Peninsula, Ontario $23.95 MVC/QPR: 89 W+149302 FEATHERSTONE CANADIAN OAK CHARDONNAY 2020 VQA Niagara Peninsula $24.95 MVC/QPR: 92 R+18008 HASELGROVE FIRST CUT CABERNET SAUVIGNON 2019 McLaren Vale, South Australia $24.95 MVC/QPR: 89 WORLD WINE WATCH TOP WINES AT VINTAGES: under/over $20 for SEPTEMBER 24, 2022 release. By DEAN TUDOR, Gothic Epicures Writing deantudor@deantudor.com. My "Wines, Beers and Spirits of the Net", a guide to thousands of news items and RSS feeds, plus references to wines, beers and spirits, has been at http://www.deantudor.com since 1994. These notes for good wines available through LCBO Vintages (on a bi-weekly basis) can always be found at http://www.gothicepicures.blogspot.ca or at http://www.deantudor.com No winery can buy their way into – or out of – this publication. Scores are a combination of MVC (Modal Varietal Character, e.g. a Southern Rhone would taste like a Southern Rhone) and QPR (Quality/Price Ratio value in the marketplace above or below its price). Currently, the wine media have no access to the tasting samples usually provided to us in the LCBO lab on a fortnightly basis. This will go on for some time. HOWEVER, the wine media will still have access to the advance spreadsheet of the wines to be released. So I know what is to be released and when. SOME (but not many) of these 100 or so biweekly released wines I have recently tasted since January 2020 or so, and I can comfortably recommend them based on this prior sampling. ** Some New Wines I Tasted Over the Past Weeks --- --Bas-Armagnac de Montal Les Hauts de Montrouge 2003 700 mL. +11426 Vintages October 29, 2022 $109.60: comes in a red wood gift box for the Christmas holidays. There are about 181 producers of Armagnac in Gascony, and many make single vintage bottlings unlike in Cognac. Hence, there are many bottles of older Armagnac brandies (10, 15, 20, 30 year olds) that sell everywhere in the world -- but in small lots. Montal's 2003 was aged a minimum of 19.5 years in oak. Armagnac sells well in Quebec – they recognize a bargain. Extremely aromatic with overtones of roasted nuts, caramel, vanilla, dried fruits, and oak character. Exceptionally smooth on the mid-palate and great soft length on the finish. 40% ABV. Apparently, this 20-year old will be making its 23rd anniversary in the LCBO's Holiday release. Quality/Price rating is 93 points by Dean Tudor of Gothic Epicures. --Redtail Vineyards Gamay Rose 2021 VQA Niagara Peninsula Although Redtail is in Prince Edward County, their Gamay Rose comes from Niagara grapes. Pretty pink fruit suggestive of watermelons and cut strawberries, both visually and gustatory. Redtail Rose exhibits the typical Gamay character of red berries on the palate, with aromatics of violets, tea and some rhubarb minerality. It is a light and balanced easy drinking wine for the patio/deck. Indeed, it can be an all-purpose free-standing social drink or aperitif or first-course wine. The Gamay grape is very, very food friendly. Screw cap, drink now. 10.3% ABV. Quality/Price rating is 89 points by Dean Tudor of Gothic Epicures. --Byland Estate Winery Rose 2020 VQA Niagara This wine is pale but bright pink from the Pinot Noir grape, which had been harvested in Niagara-on-the-Lake. Lots of red fruit, such as cherry and sweet pomegranate. Fresh tones, a citric finish. While useful as an outdoors sipper, it could also double as a very interesting first course wine with finger food or white meats. That's the Pinot Noir talking. Gold Medalist at the All Canadian Wine Championships. 9g/L residual sugar. 12.5% ABV. Quality/Price rating is 90 points by Dean Tudor of Gothic Epicures. --Nomad at Hinterbrook Winery Sparkling Firefly Rose 2021 VQA Ontario Produced using the Charmat Method (secondary fermentation in a tank), this sparkler is loaded with strawberry tones from the Cabernet Franc grapes used. The pale colour comes from the 2021 vintage (and it is rare that Charmat wines are vintage dated). Expect some intense cherry-berry fresh fruits as a summer or fall patio/terrace/deck social party wine. Or an in-house aperitif before the main event. 13% ABV. It's a good Ontario sparkler for under $20. Quality/Price rating is 91 points by Dean Tudor of Gothic Epicures. The Date and Time: Wednesday June 15, 2022 2:30P to 5:30P The Event: Rendez-Vous Beaujolais Walk-Around Trade Tasting The Venue: St Andrew's Hall & Lounge, 150 King Street Wes The Target Audience: wine trade and wine media, sommeliers The Availability/Catalogue: There were four agents with presentations, while four other wineries were looking for representation. The catalogue was an interactive PDF file which allowed for more consistency. There was a description of each wine. The Quote/Background: It has been a decade or so since the last major Beaujolais tasting in Toronto. In that time, sales of Nouveau have flattened and the availability of wines from the number of villages (communes) had fallen off. It was a chance to re-discover the 12 appellations and 10 crus of Beaujolais. The Wines: Some wines did not arrive. I counted 42 wines at the show, and I tried to taste most of them in the limited time I had available. **** BEST -- Four Stars (91+ in Quality/Price Rating terms): -VINESCIENCE Beaujolais Blanc Signature 2021 Rogers & Co -VINESCIENCE Morgon Climats Grand Cras 2021 Rogers & Co -DOMAINE DE BOISCHAMPT Beaujolais Villages White 2020 [seeking] -DOMAINE DE BOISCHAMPT Beaujolais Morgon 2019 [seeking] -DOMAINE LATHUILIÈRE-GRAVALLON Beaujolais Morgon Corcelette 2020 [seeking] -LES VINS J.M. AUJOUX Collection Aujoux en Beaujolais-Villages Blanc 2021 [seeking] -LES VINS J.M. AUJOUX Collection Aujoux en Morgon 2021 – HVE 3 [seeking] -LES VINS J.M. AUJOUX Côte de Brouilly Douze Perles 2020 -LES VINS GEORGES DUBOEUF Domaine du Riaz Côte de Brouilly 2020 PDandurand -LES VINS GEORGES DUBOEUF Domaine des 4 vents Fleurie 2019 PDandurand -LES VINS GEORGES DUBOEUF Brouilly 2020 PDandurand -LES VINS GEORGES DUBOEUF Morgon 2018 PDandurand -DOMAINE THIVOLLE Morgon Charmeur 2020 [seeking] -ALLIANCE DE VIGNERONS BOURGOGNE BEAUJOLAIS Moulin-à-Vent Coeur de Granit 2020 Vinexx ***1/2 BETTER -- Three and a Half Stars (88 – 90 in Quality/Price Rating terms): -VINESCIENCE Beaujolais Rosé Signature 2021 Rogers & Co -VINESCIENCE Chiroubles Les Clochers du Beaujolais 2021 Rogers & Co -VINESCIENCE St-Amour Les Clochers 2021 Rogers & Co -DOMAINE DE BOISCHAMPT Beaujolais Chénas 2019 [seeking] -DOMAINE DE BOISCHAMPT Beaujolais Fleurie Charbonnière 2019 [seeking] -DOMAINE DE BOISCHAMPT Beaujolais Juliénas 4 Cerisiers 2019 [seeking] -DOMAINE DE BOISCHAMPT Beaujolais Juliénas Beauvernay 2019 [seeking] -DOMAINE DE BOISCHAMPT Beaujolais Juliénas Vayolette 2019 [seeking] -DOMAINE DE BOISCHAMPT Beaujolais St-Amour 2019 [seeking] -DOMAINE LATHUILIÈRE-GRAVALLON Beaujolais Blanc Roche Noire 2021 [seeking] -DOMAINES CHERMETTE Brouilly Pierreux 2021 [selection du maitre de chai PQ] -DOMAINES CHERMETTE Fleurie Poncié 2021 [selection du maitre de chai PQ] -DOMAINES CHERMETTE Moulin-à-Vent Les Trois Roches 2021[selection du maitre de chai PQ] -ALLIANCE DE VIGNERONS BOURGOGNE BEAUJOLAIS Chénas Coeur de Granit 2020 Vinexx -ALLIANCE DE VIGNERONS BOURGOGNE BEAUJOLAIS Beaujolais Villages 3 Madones 2021 Noble -ALLIANCE DE VIGNERONS BOURGOGNE BEAUJOLAIS Brouilly 3 Madones 2021 Noble The Food: There were two components – one was a combined fromage and charcuterie board, about two feet wide and six feet in length. Spectacular, to say the least. There were two of these. The boards also had crisps, breads, dried fruit, fresh fruit, and mustards. The only thing missing were the typical sausages. The other component were the individual platters of gamay smoked roasted salmon, beaujolais pork rillettes, rose smoked duck with stone fruit, and chardonnay crab and citrus salad. The Downside: I had to leave early. The Upside: the great fromage/charcuterie board! The Contact Person: liz@lluzzapr.com The Event’s Marketing Effectiveness and Execution (numerical grade): 91. ** Some Recommended Wines from the LCBO’s Limited Time Offers selections...these are good value...on sale through Sunday October 9... [red] 7 Deadly Zins Old Vine Zinfandel Lodi, +59311, now $18.95, regularly $21.95, save $3 [red] Umberto Cesari Liano Sangiovese/Cabernet Sauvignon Rubicone Emilia-Romagna, +225086, now $23.95, regularly $28.95, save $5 (buy a case, save $60) [white] Beringer Napa Valley Chardonnay, +84988, now $25.95, regularly $28.95, save $3 [splurge] Banfi Brunello di Montalcino Tuscany, +378257, now $52.95, regularly $57.95, save $5 MAJOR THEME: Score! 20 90+ wines; Local Talent Thanksgiving Wines Wines Under $20 ========= Rose+117861 FEATHERSTONE ROSÉ 2021 VQA $15.95 MVC/QPR: 90 W+18794 FABRÈGUES SÉLECTION PICPOUL DE PINET 2021 LANGUEDOC $16.95 MVC/QPR: 89. W+356873 FLAT ROCK GOOD KHARMA CHARDONNAY 2021 VQA $16.95 MVC/QPR: 89. W+485334 KEW MARSANNE/VIOGNIER 2018 VQA $19.97 MVC/QPR: 89. R+981175 DOMAINE DE LA MADONE LE PERRÉON BEAUJOLAIS-VILLAGES 2020 $17.95 MVC/QPR: 89. Wines Over $20 ========= W+359794 CHARLES BAKER IVAN VINEYARD RIESLING 2019 VQA $29.95 MVC/QPR: 90 R+191700 RUTHERFORD RANCH CABERNET SAUVIGNON 2017 NAPA $26.95 375ml MVC/QPR: 90 WORLD WINE WATCH TOP WINES AT VINTAGES: under/over $20 for SEPTEMBER 10, 2022 release. By DEAN TUDOR, Gothic Epicures Writing deantudor@deantudor.com. My "Wines, Beers and Spirits of the Net", a guide to thousands of news items and RSS feeds, plus references to wines, beers and spirits, has been at http://www.deantudor.com since 1994. These notes for good wines available through LCBO Vintages (on a bi-weekly basis) can always be found at http://www.gothicepicures.blogspot.ca or at http://www.deantudor.com No winery can buy their way into – or out of – this publication. Scores are a combination of MVC (Modal Varietal Character, e.g. a Southern Rhone would taste like a Southern Rhone) and QPR (Quality/Price Ratio value in the marketplace above or below its price). Currently, the wine media have no access to the tasting samples usually provided to us in the LCBO lab on a fortnightly basis. This will go on for some time. HOWEVER, the wine media will still have access to the advance spreadsheet of the wines to be released. So I know what is to be released and when. SOME (but not many) of these 100 or so biweekly released wines I have recently tasted since January 2020 or so, and I can comfortably recommend them based on this prior sampling. ** Some New Wines I Tasted Over the Past Weeks --- REPORT FROM The Living Vine Acid Trip: portfolio tasting & try-and-buy, June 15, 2022 The Date and Time: Wednesday June 15, 2022 11AM to 3PM for trade The Event: The Living Vine Acid Trip: portfolio tasting & try-and-buy The Venue: Birreria Volo, College Street The Target Audience: sommeliers, wine media The Availability/Catalogue: all wines are in stock. There was a two page order list, divided by country (France, Italy, Spain, New World, Hidden Bench). The Quote/Background: It was a great weather day, so all the tables were set up outside Volo in the street patio area, with umbrellas for shade. The Wines: There were 66 wines, ciders and no-al; I did not taste all of them. Prices are licensee. Delivery is free in Toronto, $6 a case outside Toronto. Wines listed are either 6 packs or 12 packs. **** BEST -- Four Stars (91+ in Quality/Price Rating terms): -Clos Roussely L'Escale Sauvignon Blanc 2020, $20.66 -Terres Dorees Beaujolais Le Ronsay, $17.96 -Fattoria Sardi Pet-Nat [sparkler], $23.36 -Massimago Garangega 2021, $26.96 -Raimones Orange NV Spain, $31.46 -Alta Alella Pet-Nat Rose 2021, $27.86 -Portal del Priorat Luno Montsant 2020, $23.36 -Bodegas Comenge Biberius 2020, $19.76 -Nikolaihof Terrassen Gruner Veltliner 2019, $25.16 -Mouflon Muscat 2021 [partial skin contact], $24.98 -Mouflon Pinot Gris+Riesling 2021 [orange], $26.79 -Mouflon Viognier60+Chardonnay20+Marsanne20 [orange, magnum], $56.35 -Bordlet Sidre Brut Tendre [France], $17.96 -Cambridge Road Peche Naturalist 2021 New Zealand, $33.36 -Folklore Chardonnay 2019 Western Australia, $15.99 [Vintages +19905 $17.95 retail] -Hidden Bench Bistro Riesling 2017 VQA, $15.05 -Hidden Bench Bistro Chardonnay 2019 VQA, $19.71 ***1/2 BETTER -- Three and a Half Stars (88 – 90 in Quality/Price Rating terms): -Langelier Polaris Muscadet 2020, $18.86 -Terres Dorees Bourgogne Pinot 2020, $26.96 -Orsogna Lunaria Ramoro Pinot Grigio, $19.76 -Cirelli Cerasuolo d'Abruzzo Rose 2021, $23.36 -Antica Enotria Bianco 2020, $18.86 -Finca Fabian Sparkling NV [sauvignon blanc, viognier, chardonnay], $15.26 -Alta Alella GX Garnacha 2020, $20.66 -Meinklang Gruner Veltliner, $22.46 -Decideret Hip Hop Cider [dry hopped], $31.46 -Folklore Shiraz Western Australia, $17.65 -Jumpin' Juice Sunset [orange] NV, $33.26 -Jumpin' Juice Riesling NV, $33.26 -Alpamanta Breva Pais Pet-Nat Criolla 2021 Mendoza, $29.66 -Hidden Bench Bistro Pinot Noir 2019 VQA, $20.71 -Hidden Bench Locust Lane Rose 2021 VQA, $19,71 -Hidden Bench Nocturne Rose 2021 VQA, $19.71 -Hidden Bench Sauvignon Blanc Beton Methode 2021 VQA [concrete egg], $22.10 -Rachis & Derma Chardonnay 2020 VQA, $27.88 The Food: no food, but there was water. The Downside: no food (bread cubes would have helped) The Upside: "taste and try before you buy" – as the song says... The Contact Person: mark@thelivingvine.ca or danielle@thelivingvine.ca The Event's Marketing Effectiveness and Execution (numerical grade): 89 From Sopexa === ==M.Chapoutier Belleruche Blanc Cote du Rhone 2021, +245340 LCBO, $17.55 NOW on sale at $14.55 (save $3 a bottle) until September 11: "Belleruche" is French for "beautiful beehive". Chapoutier's company, which follows biodynamic principles such as night harvesting, has many beehives scattered throughout their sustainable properties in the Cote du Rhone. This is one of my fave white wines; my wife loves Belleruche Rouge with its grenache noir and syrah, also at the LCBO. The white uses grenache blanc, roussanne, viognier (with some light skin maceration), clairette and bourboulenc grapes, with the first two varieties dominating its vinous character. The nosing is strong, with botrytis-inflected bouquets of voluptuous flowers and aromas of grapefruit, pear, and melon leading to a mid-palate tasting of red fruit and honey (those bees!). On the nose, it seems sweet, but the residual sugar is a low 2 grams per litre. There is a modest acidity but some intense flavours from the wine being aged on its lees for half a year – just perfectly right for a refreshment on a hot summer day on the patio/deck/balcony/terrace/porch/beach etc. Also, some anise on the finish makes this a compelling accompaniment to grilled or poached fish. But do not overchill. It's one of the better values at the LCBO, and made even more so with its temporary price reduction of $3 a bottle. It is certainly worth buying by the case. 14% ABV. Quality/Price rating is 93 points by Dean Tudor of Gothic Epicures. ==Vinho Verde from Portugal... Adega Ponte de Lima Grande Escolha Vinho Verde DOC 2021: this is a terrific vinho verde from a co-op that rises above the usual FFLLCC designation (Fresh and Fruity, Light and Lively, Crisp and Citrusy). It is all that and more, coming in at a reasonable 12% ABV with only 5 grams of residual sugar per litre. As an aromatic balanced blend of loureiro and alvarinho grape varieties, the latter contributes more than its share of complexity of tropical fruit, pear, and linden. The addition of alvarinho is a definite upgrade. The loureiro is from the Lima River valley while the alvarinho is from the Lima River slopes. Initial aromas are floral and citric, followed on the mid-palate with some passion fruit, and a long finish with some pear and lemon tones. Very refreshing for that patio/deck/terrace affair, or with light finger food such as sushi or shrimp, white meat skewered kebabs, or cold pasta salads. It's a winner. Quality/Price rating is 91 points by Dean Tudor of Gothic Epicures. ** Some Recommended Wines from the LCBO’s Limited Time Offers selections...these are good value...on sale through Sunday September 11, 2022... [red] Concha y Toro Marques de Casa Concha Cabernet Sauvignon Maipo +337238, regularly $23.95, now $20.95, save $3. [rose] Tawse Sketches of Niagara Rose VQA Niagara Peninsula +172643, regularly $18.95, now $16.95, save $2. [white] Flat Rock Riesling VQA Twenty Mile Bench +43281, regularly $19.95, now $16.95, save $3. [fizz] MARTINI PROSECCO DOC +384651, regularly $15.95, now $13.95, save $2. [splurge] Sterling Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon +314575, regularly $46.95, now $41.95, save $5. MAJOR THEME: Ontario Wines Note: This is what I call a New Moon release...A once-a-month release of physical wines to the LCBO shelves, unlike the Blue Moon releases of three-a-month...I'll cover mostly the in-store wines since the “Online Curated Assortment” has only small quantities...If I do mention an online order wine, then it will have OCA initials and a date in front of it. Wines Under $20 ========= W+483834 CREW Riesling 2019 VQA Lake Erie North Shore $16.95 MVC/QPR: 89 W+82461 Pierre-Luc Bouchaud Sur Lie Muscadet Sèvre et Maine 2020 AC $15.95 MVC/QPR: 89 W+485532 Château Saint-Nabor Côtes du Rhone Blanc 2020 AC $15.95 MVC/QPR: 89 W+25249 Valcatrina by Santos Lima 2020 Vinho Regional Alentejano $15.95 MVC/QPR: 90 Wines Over $20 W+20455 Le Clos Jordanne Jordan Village Chardonnay 2019 VQA Niagara Peninsula $27.95 MVC/QPR: 89 W+155382 Marchesi di Barolo Gavi del Comune di Gavi 2020 DOCG $23.95 MVC/QPR: 89 R+157347 Enrico Serafino Sanavento Barbaresco 2019 DOCG $29.95 MVC/QPR: 89 R+922054 Tenute Silvio Nardi Brunello di Montalcino 2016 DOCG $49.95 MVC/QPR: 89 R+14002 Biscardo Amarone della Valpolicella Classico 2016 DOCG $43.95 MVC/QPR: 90 R+133033 Mas Estela Quindals 2016 DO Empordà $21.95 MVC/QPR: 89 WORLD WINE WATCH TOP WINES AT VINTAGES: under/over $20 for AUGUST 13, 2022 release. By DEAN TUDOR, Gothic Epicures Writing deantudor@deantudor.com. My "Wines, Beers and Spirits of the Net", a guide to thousands of news items and RSS feeds, plus references to wines, beers and spirits, has been at http://www.deantudor.com since 1994. These notes for good wines available through LCBO Vintages (on a bi-weekly basis) can always be found at http://www.gothicepicures.blogspot.ca or at http://www.deantudor.com No winery can buy their way into – or out of – this publication. Scores are a combination of MVC (Modal Varietal Character, e.g. a Southern Rhone would taste like a Southern Rhone) and QPR (Quality/Price Ratio value in the marketplace above or below its price). Currently, the wine media have no access to the tasting samples usually provided to us in the LCBO lab on a fortnightly basis. This will go on for some time. HOWEVER, the wine media will still have access to the advance spreadsheet of the wines to be released. So I know what is to be released and when. SOME (but not many) of these 100 or so biweekly released wines I have recently tasted since January 2020 or so, and I can comfortably recommend them based on this prior sampling. ** Some New Wines I Tasted Over the Past Little While --- --REPORT FROM THE NORTHWEST WINE EXPEDITION TRADE SHOW JUNE 6 2022 The Date and Time: Monday June 6 Noon to 4PM The Event: Northwest Wine Expedition Trade Show The Venue: Steam Whistle Brewing, Locomotive Hall, Bremner Blvd The Target Audience: wine media, sommeliers, agents The Availability/Catalogue: The BottleBooks catalogue of 192 products was online and accessible by mobile. Information was provided on the name of the product, AVA, types of grapes used, suggested pricing, and the like. The Quote/Background: The potential usefulness of BottleBooks was shown by the host information on the event and making connections digitally. The Wines: There were 192 wines (plus or minus, as there were last minute additions and subtractions). Many wineries were seeking representation in Ontario. Few had tech/sales sheets. I only tasted Chardonnays and Sparkling wines. Among the latter, I certainly enjoyed: Treveri Cellars Blanc de Blancs (Chardonnay) NV Four Stars 91+ Treveri Cellars Blanc de Noir (Pinot Noir) NV Four Stars 91+ Treveri Cellars Brut Zero (Chardonnay) NV Four Stars 91+ Sokol Blosser Bluebird Cuvee Sparkling 2019 (Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, Riesling, Müller- Thurgau, Muscat) Three and a half Stars 88 – 90 **** BEST -- Four Stars (91+ in Quality/Price Rating terms): -Revana Vineyards Alexana Chardonnay Terroir Series 2020 $46 retail Le Sommelier. -A to Z Wineworks REX HILL Seven Soils Chardonnay 2019 -Adelsheim Vineyard Staking Claim Chardonnay 2018 -Chateau Ste Michelle Canoe Ridge Chardonnay 2018 -Milbrandt Estates Chardonnay 2018 -Milbrandt Family Chardonnay 2020 -Centerstone Willamette Valley Un-Oaked Chardonnay 2017 -Citation Oregon Chardonnay Cristom Vineyards 2015 -Eola-Amity Hills Chardonnay 2020 -Domaine Drouhin Oregon Roserock Chardonnay 2018 $26.95 -Foris Vineyards and Winery Chardonnay 2019 $23.95 DB Wine and Spirits -Phelps Creek Lynette Chardonnay 2018 -Sokol Blosser Estate Dundee Hills Chardonnay 2019 -Stoller Family Estate DUNDEE HILLS CHARDONNAY 2020 -The Eyrie Vineyards Chardonnay "The Eyrie" 2018 -Chateau Bianca Wetzel Estate Chardonnay 2019 ***1/2 BETTER -- Three and a Half Stars (88 – 90 in Quality/Price Rating terms): -A to Z Wineworks Oregon Chardonnay 2021 -Adelsheim Vineyard 2019 Willamette Valley -Chateau Ste Michelle Chardonnay 2020 -J. Bookwalter Readers Chardonnay 2020 (Chardonnay, 24% Viognier) -K Vintners Substance 'Ch' Chardonnay 2020 -Woodward Canyon Washington State Chardonnay 2020 -Division Chardonnay Un 2020 -Phelps Creek Chardonnay Columbia Gorge 2019 -Elk Cove Vineyards Pike Road Willamette Valley Chardonnay 2019 -Westmount Wine Co Westmount Chardonnay 2020 The Food: The Food Dudes provided many samples of hors d'oeuvre, such as reuben sliders, halloumi flatbreads with pears, chimichurri shrimp, tomato toasts with ricotta, prime steak tartare, seed crusted tuna, and avocados with veggies. Some food was provided by Pacific Northwest suppliers looking for agents. But no one seemed to have any bread or other platform to display the large number of sauces and dips and preserves. Overall, my favourite was Cardamon Hills Chutney which had a variety of chutneys that included apricot, apple-ginger, tomato, mango and quince. Laurel Brand had a great series of hazelnut spreads, macadamia butter, and hazel nut chocolates. The Downside: BottleBooks was affectionately known as BottleNecks by the Luddites The Upside: it was a large space and there was plenty of room for elbowing. The Contact Person: kelly@predhomme.ca and events@thefooddudes.com The Event’s Marketing Effectiveness and Execution (numerical grade): 92 --Case-Wine.com is... ... a new online platform connecting Ontario VQA boutique wineries to new customers. They've asked me to review some of the VQA wine bottle products they have listed on their website, and to let people know about the availability of these wines through Case-Wine.com. I earn no money from the reviews listed below. They are not resellers but a platform that provides a service to both the local VQA craft wineries and the customers as an intermediary. This should have great appeal to Ontario residents, especially for those who have ever wanted to buy VQA boutique wines (about 17 wineries are currently listed for Niagara, 2 for Prince Edward County, and Lake Erie North Shore will be listed soon), but cannot or don't feel like travelling to the individual wineries (such as myself, with no car). Here is their URL: https://www.case-wine.com/index --Konzelmann Estate Winery Gewurztraminer Late Harvest 2019 VQA Niagara Peninsula. Very aromatic with some tropical tones of melons and lychees, very much in the fruity Alsatian style of gewurztraminer. Yum. Cool fermentation in stainless steel, with typical concentrated gewurztraminer tones of spices, limes, some roses on the mid-palate. Best as an off-dry aperitif by the deck or porch or pool, or with fragrant cheeses, spicy and/or creamy foods, with a tad of bitter on the finish. Great with Asiatic foods. Twist-off closure. 11.5% ABV. Quality/Price rating is 92 points by Dean Tudor of Gothic Epicures. --Strewn Premium Riesling Lively 2020 VQA Niagara Peninsula. Here is a basic, all purpose semi-dry Ontario riesling that is lightly acidic with a smooth sweet tone on the mid-palate, and with some zestiness coming off the tongue. It's got all the elements of stone fruit (peaches, apricots, nectarines) plus the “lively” character of the lime-citrus mineral complex. 11.7% ABV. Residual sugar is 11.6 g/L. Probably best with all manner of light and white food such as white-fleshed fish, cooked pork roast, chicken. And, of course, extremely useful as a drink on the deck/patio/balcony/terrace/pool. Quality/Price rating is 89 points by Dean Tudor of Gothic Epicures. --Icellars Estate Rose 2020 VQA Niagara Peninsula. The current blend contains 9 different unspecified grape varieties from the Niagara Peninsula, which gives the producer much leeway in crafting a final blend. The label says strawberries and burnt sugar, and when I first opened the bottle I was immediately hit with the overpowering aromas of strawberries. Wow. Each of the grape varieties contributes distinctive fruit to the mix. So – depending on the vintage and the grapes available, the blend can change over the years. Very aromatic, emphasizing cherry-berry and orchard fruit layered under a tart bone dry cranberry-ish finish-length. A nice cheese wine from a very hot and dry vintage year. 13.1% ABV. Residual sugar is 5.9g/L. 100 cases made. Quality/Price rating is 89 points by Dean Tudor of Gothic Epicures. --2027 Cellars Gamay Rose 2021 VQA Twenty Mile Bench. [$22] This wine (all Gamay Noir) comes from the Foxcroft Block of the Wismer Vineyard on the Twenty-Mile Bench. It has undergone a cold fermentation to complete dryness, and exhibits the typical red Gamay character of red berries on the palate, with some aromatics of violets, black tea and some earthy rhubarb minerality. It is a light and balanced easy drinking wine for the patio/deck. Indeed, it can be an all-purpose free-standing social drink or aperitif or first-course wine. 394 cases. 12.5% ABV. Quality/Price rating is 89 points by Dean Tudor of Gothic Epicures. --Leaning Post Rose 2021 VQA Niagara-on-the-Lake. [$22] A first-time production for Leaning Post, and using all Pinot Noir: an immediately overwhelming sensation of strawberries and raspberries on the nose. Almost made me want to douse myself with this “perfume”. Undertones of orange and lemons. Some sweetness on the mid-palate. Fermentation was begun in stainless steel before 43% of the wine was transferred to concrete for finishing and roundness (emulating the fired-clay vessels of early winemaking). The porous nature of the storage added to the length of the minerality, and also suggested some sour tart cherries on the finish. An excellent wine for socializing. Personally, I loved it. Vegan-friendly. 5.5 g/L residual sugar. 12% ABV. Quality/Price rating is 92 points by Dean Tudor of Gothic Epicures. --Nomad at Hinterbrook Winery Garden Rose 2021 VQA Niagara Lakeshore. [$17.95] Amazingly enough, this wine comes with a cork finish – very unusual in a sea of Ontario roses that use twisttops/screwcaps for what is basically a fresh quaffing wine. This suggests that aging is ok and might be a possibility, changing the aromatics to bouquets and promoting change to the wine's structure. I only had one bottle, so I might never know for sure. My first sense on tasting was the presence of some petillance, not enough to affect the nosing but enough to suggest that any light carbonation could actually enhance its ageability potential. The prickliness enhanced the cherry-berry basket of fruit flavours, and provided some refreshing melon tones to my palate. A very good wine for the patio/deck. 12.5% ABV. Quality/Price rating is 90 points by Dean Tudor of Gothic Epicures. ** Some Recommended Wines from the LCBO’s Limited Time Offers selections...these are good value...on sale through Sunday August 14-- [red] Rodney Strong Sonoma County Cabernet Sauvignon +226944, regularly $27.95, now $24.95, save $3 [red] Santa Carolina Reserva de Familia Cabernet Sauvignon Maipo Valley Chile +408658, regularly $19.95, now $16.95, save $3 [white] Flat Rock Chardonnay VQA Niagara Peninsula +286278, regularly $19.95, now $17.95, save $2 [rose] JULIET PROSECCO ROSE DOC Italy +20979 regularly $14.95, NOW $12.95, SAVE $2 [splurge] La Crema Sonoma Coast Chardonnay +962886, regularly $29.95, now $27.95, save $2 [splurge] Zenato Amarone Della Valpolicella Classico DOC Veneto +413179, regularly $52.95, now $49.95, save $3 AUGUST 13 MAJOR THEME: White Wine Magic Note: This is what I call a New Moon release...A once-a-month release of physical wines to the LCBO shelves, unlike the Blue Moon releases of three-a-month...I'll cover mostly the in-store wines since the “Online Curated Assortment” has only small quantities...If I do mention an online order wine, then it will have OCA initials and a date in front of it. OCA July 30, 2022 Sparkling+514323 BERLUCCHI '61 BRUT FRANCIACORTA DOCG Lombardy Italy 49 cases $39.95. MVC/QPR: 91. Wines Under $20 ========= W+20599 FEATHERSTONE PINOT GRIGIO Vegan, VQA Niagara Peninsula 2021 $17.95 MVC/QPR: 90 W+25613 MARTIN CODAX MARA MARTIN GODELLO Vegan, DO Monterrei 2020 $17.95 MVC/QPR: 89 Rose+333260 CHÂTEAU DES CHARMES CUVÉE D'ANDRÉE ROSÉ VQA Niagara-on-the-Lake 2021 $18.95 MVC/QPR: 91 R+15763 BON COURAGE ESTATE CABERNET SAUVIGNON WO Robertson 2017 $15.95 MVC/QPR: 89 R+134544 MONTE DEL FRÁ BARDOLINO DOC 2020 $16.95 MVC/QPR: 89 R+424960 CANTINA DI VERONA RIPASSO VALPOLICELLA SUPERIORE DOC 2019 $17.95 MVC/QPR: 89 Wines Over $20 ========= Sparkling+421032 CHARLES MIGNON PREMIUM RÉSERVE BRUT CHAMPAGNE $47.95 MVC/QPR: 89 R+973214 DI MAJO NORANTE RAMITELLO DOP Biferno Rosso 2016 $25.95 MVC/QPR: 89 R+261784 PAPALE LINEA ORO PRIMITIVO DI MANDURIA DOP Varvaglione Vigne & Vini 2017 $21.95 MVC/QPR: 90 R+353201 RUFFINO RISERVA DUCALE ORO GRAN SELEZIONE CHIANTI CLASSICO DOCG 2017 $49.95 MVC/QPR: 89 WORLD WINE WATCH TOP WINES AT VINTAGES: under/over $20 for JULY 16, 2022 release. By DEAN TUDOR, Gothic Epicures Writing deantudor@deantudor.com. My "Wines, Beers and Spirits of the Net", a guide to thousands of news items and RSS feeds, plus references to wines, beers and spirits, has been at http://www.deantudor.com since 1994. These notes for good wines available through LCBO Vintages (on a bi-weekly basis) can always be found at http://www.gothicepicures.blogspot.ca or at http://www.deantudor.com No winery can buy their way into – or out of – this publication. Scores are a combination of MVC (Modal Varietal Character, e.g. a Southern Rhone would taste like a Southern Rhone) and QPR (Quality/Price Ratio value in the marketplace above or below its price). Currently, the wine media have no access to the tasting samples usually provided to us in the LCBO lab on a fortnightly basis. This will go on or some time. HOWEVER, the wine media will still have access to the advance spreadsheet of the wines to be released. So I know what is to be released and when. SOME (but not many) of these 100 or so biweekly released wines I have recently tasted since January 2020 or so, and I can comfortably recommend them based on this prior sampling. ** Some New Wines I Tasted Over the Past Fortnight --- Varvaglione 12E MEZZO Primitivo del Salento 2020 IGT Puglia, $14.95 +395053: This full-bodied red has a dried herbal character, and also shows its warm ripe fruit (plums, cherries) and spicy mocha vanilla tones from three months in US oak barriques. It is very smooth in that over-the-top California zinfandel manner, very BBQ friendly. Sip or drink with red-based food such as pasta and pizza, or anything BBQ. Very affordable price. 12.5% ABV. Quality/Price rating is 91 points by Dean Tudor of Gothic Epicures. KACABA Rebecca Rose VQA Niagara Peninsula 2021+227025 July 16 Vintages, $20.15: a nicely pale-coloured gamay wine (formerly a blend of cabernets), coming in at 11.7% ABV. Dry (3g/L residual sugar) style red fruits: strawbs, red currant, sweet cherries, cranberry (hey, it's Ontario) with a touch of pink watermelon for added complexity. Stainless steel used for storage. Goes with just about everything. A nicely balanced rose which reminded me of Provence. And it gets high scores at the Wine Writer's Circle of Canada rose tastings. 60 cases at the LCBO, more at the winery. Quality/Price rating is 91 points by Dean Tudor of Gothic Epicures. KACABA Susan's Sauvignon Blanc VQA Niagara Peninsula 2021 winery and online at kacaba.com, $20.15: another summer series wine, quaffable in its tropicality and lowered zesty herbaceousness. Good mouthfeel, nice dry finish for appetizers on the patio/deck/balcony/porch. Stainless steel storage. No malolactic fermentation, thus the crispness and freshness has been preserved. It has Good Memories of Sauvignon Blanc, making it another social wine for the patio or with first-course food. 3g/L residual sugar. 10.5% ABV. Quality/Price rating is 89 points by Dean Tudor of Gothic Epicures. Available through Case-Wine.COM -- 1.Southbrook Triomphe Chardonnay Organic 2018 VQA Niagara Peninsula, $25: fruit is from two contracted growers, all barrel fermented in oak (2d and 3rd year barrels). Wild fermentation, wild malolactic fermentation, lees aging one year, all vegan friendly. Very soft and engaging, much like the 2016 in its youth, some toast but a longish length. Showing some orchard fruit (such as pears) on the mid-palate. Burgundian in style with citric zest in the mid-palate, long finish. Best tasted in contemplation, underpriced. Do not overchill. Twist top. Try with creamy cow's milk (Brie, Camembert) or Alpine Gruyere; also, simple roasted chicken. 12.7% ABV. Quality/Price rating is 92 points by Dean Tudor of Gothic Epicures. 2.King's Court Estate Winery Sauvignon Blanc 2017 VQA Niagara Peninsula, $20.95: there are many different fruit profiles for savvies in the world, ranging from the kiwi herbal zestiness to blowsy fruit-forward flavours. This one is a bit more open and approachable, showing some green orchard fruit, some stone fruits, citric tones on the finish, and a crispness that needs food. It is well-within the range of North American sauvignon blanc wines. But do not overchill when you serve it on the patio/deck/terrace. Try with BBQ, creamy pasta, or grilled sandwiches. 12.5% ABV. Twist top. Quality/Price rating is 88 points by Dean Tudor of Gothic Epicures. 3.Waupoos Estate Winery Riesling 2021 VQA Prince Edward County {$19.95]: with grapes planted in 2015, still young and fresh, somewhat crisp and dry at this point. Light bodied, with a stainless steel ferment. Various aromatics abound from a young riesling on the green side: fresh apples, lime, nuances of lemongrass. Crisp food finish, but also good for those hot summery days as an aperitif for the deck/patio/balcony. Very food-worthy with assorted seafood (shrimp on the barbee?), light but not spicy pork, chicken in different styles. 5 g/L residual sugar, very dry. 11.5% ABV. Quality/Price rating is 89 points by Dean Tudor of Gothic Epicures. 4.Nomad at Hinterbrook Winery Sauvignon Blanc 2021 VQA Niagara Lakeshore [$17.95]: bone-dry, light aromas of tropicality such as pineapple, some gooseberry, even grassy or herbaceous. Stainless steel fermentation. Grapefruit and other citric tones on the mid-palate. Apples, finishing with lemons. Great with all manner of veggies, especially green ones. 300 cases made. 12% ABV. Quality/Price rating is 90 points by Dean Tudor of Gothic Epicures. REPORT ON THE 2022 CHIANTI CLASSICO ESPERIENZE, MAY 30, 2022 -- The Date and Time: Monday May 30, 2022  Noon - 4PM The Event: 2022 Chianti Classico Esperienze The Venue: The Globe and Mail Centre, King Street The Target Audience: wine trade, wine writers, sommeliers. The Availability/Catalogue: as with all the current wine shows in Toronto, there was no print catalogue – it was all virtual for specific data about terroir, history, DOC coverage, production, etc. (facts and figures). Prices were available but from the sgents in attendance. The Quote/Background: There were 35 wineries promoting Chianti Classico at three or so levels (regular, reserve, and gran selezione. Also, there were dedicated tables for Vin Santo DOC (12 of them) plus Olive Oil DOP (14 of them). The tables were arranged by the 11 appellations. The Wines: I did not try every wine, although I did try at least one wine per winery.   **** BEST -- Four Stars (91+ in Quality/Price Rating terms): -Castello di Gabbiano Chianti Classico Gran Selezione Bellezza Cavaliere d'Oro San Casciano 2015 -Colli Fiorentini Chianti Classico San Casciano3 Riserva La Verita 2014 -Villa Mangiacane Chianti Classico San Casciano Riserva 2017 -Villa Mangiacane Chianti Classico San Casciano Gran Selezione 2016 -Carpineto Chianti Classico Greve Gran Selezione 2016 -Castello di Querceto Chianti Classico Gran Selezione Il Picchio Greve 2018 -Castello Vicchiomaggio Chianti Classico Gtan Selezione La Prima Greve 2018 -Castello di Verrazzano Chianti Classico Gran Selezione Sassello Montefioralle 2016 -Fontodi Chianti Classico Gran Selezione Vigna del Sorbo Panzano 2018 -Il Molino di Grace Chianti Classico Riserva Panzano 2018  $29 Le Sommelier Licensee -Il Molino di Grace Chianti Classico Gran Selezione Il Margone Panzano 2016  $49 Le Sommelier Licensee -Tenuta Carobbio Chianti Classico Riserva Panzano 2015 -Arillo in Terrabianca Chianti Classico Riserva Poggio Croce Radda 2019 -Badia a Coltibuono Chianti Classico Gaiole 2019 -Badia a Coltibuono Chianti Classico Riserva Gaiole 2017 -Badia a Coltibuono Chianti Classico Riserva Cultus Gaiole 2017 -Castello di Cacchiano Chianti Classico Gran Selezione Millennio Gaiole 2015 -Fèlsina Chianti Classico Gran Selezione Colonia Rancia Castelnuovo Berardenga 2018 -Lecci e Brocchi Chianti Classico Riserva Il Chiorba Castelnuovo Berardenga 2018 -Lecci e Brocchi Chianti Classico Gran Selezione Celerarium Castelnuovo Berardenga 2015 -San Felice Chianti Classico Riserva Il Grigio Castelnuovo Berardenga 2018 -San Felice Chianti Classico Gran Selezione Il Grigio Castelnuovo Berardenga 2017 -Borgo Scopeto Chianti Classico Gran Selezione Vagliagli 2016 -Dievole Chianti Classico Gran Selezione Vigna di Sessina Vagliagli 2016 -Casale dello Sparviero Chianti Classico Gran Selezione Castellina 2018 -Castello di Fonterutoli Chianti Classico Riserva Ser Lapo Castellina 2019 -Castello di Fonterutoli Chianti Classico Gran Selezione Ser Lapo Castellina 2018 -Cecchi Chianti Classico Gran Selezione Valore di Famiglia Castellina 2016 -Rocca delle Macìe Chianti Classico Gran Selezione Sergio Zingarelli Sergioveto Castellina 2016 -Tenuta Villa Trasqua Chianti Classico Gran Selezione Nerento Castellina 2016 -Isole e Olena Chianti Classico Gran Selezione San Donato in Poggio 2015     ***1/2 BETTER -- Three and a Half Stars (88 – 90 in Quality/Price Rating terms): -Isole e Olena Chianti Classico San Donato in Poggio 2019 -Tenuta Villa Trasqua Chianti Classico Riserva Fanatico Castellina 2017 -Rocca delle Macìe Chianti Classico Riserva Sergioveto Castellina 2018 -Lornano Chianti Classico Riserva Le Bandite Castellina 2017 -Lornano Chianti Classico Gran Selezione Castellina 2015 -Casale dello Sparviero Chianti Classico Riserva Castellina 2018 -Cecchi Chianti Classico Villa Cerna Primocolle Castellina 2017 -Fattoria della Aiola Chianti Classico Gran Selezione Cancello Rosso 2017 -Dievole Chianti Classico Riserva Novecento Vagliagli 2018 -Borgo Scopeto Chianti Classico Riserva Vigna Misciano Vagliagli 2018 -Tolaini Chianti Classico Gran Selezione Vigna Montebello Sette Castelnuovo Berardenga 2018 -Tenuta Casenuove Chianti Classico Riserva Panzano 2017 -Capannelle Chianti Classico Gran Selezione Gaiole 2016 -Il Molino di Grace Chianti Classico Panzano 2019  $22 Le Sommelier Licensee -Lamole di Lamole Chianti Classico Riserva Lamole 2017 -Castello di Cacchiano Chianti Classico Riserva Gaiole 2018 -Fèlsina Chianti Classico Riserva Rancia Castelnuovo Berardenga 2018 -Conti Capponi - Villa Calcinaia Chianti Classico Gran Selezione Vigna Bastignano Montefioralle 2016 -Fontodi Chianti Classico Filetta di Lamole Panzano 2019 -Castello di Verrazzano Chianti Classico Riserva Montefioralle 2017 -Vecchie Terre di Montefili Chianti Classico Gran Selezione Panzano 2017 -Querciabella Chianti Classico Riserva Greve 2017 -Castelli del Grevepesa Chianti Classico Riserva San Casciano Clemente VII 2018 -Castelli del Grevepesa Chianti Classico Gran Selezione San Casciano Clemente VII 2016 -Castello di Gabbiano Chianti Classico Riserva d'Oro San Casciano 2016 -Carpineto Chianti Classico Greve Riserva 2017 -Lanciola Chianti Classico Gran Selezione Le Masse di Greve 2016 -Castello di Querceto Chianti Classico Greve Riserva 2018 -Castello Vicchiomaggio Chianti Classico Riserva Agostino Petri Greve 2018 -Lanciola Chianti Classico Riserva Le Masse di Greve 2016     The Food: Catering was by the always excellent Ascari – -Crostini neri (chicken liver and fried sage on toast) -Farinata – rosemary and chickpea pancake, whipped ricotta, sundried olives -Funghi pizza slices – cremini mushroom, gorgonzola DOP, garlic, chives -Ribolita – kale and white bean stew on sourdough toast -Coccoli prosciutto & stracchino – cheese-filled fried dough ball covered with cured ham. Plus coffee... The Downside: I had no time to try the vin santo DOCs on offer, nor the olio DOP The Upside: there was a media room with all the bottles, and there were chairs. So it was relatively easy to taste and appraise. The Contact Person: kelly@predhomme.ca or amanda@predhomme.ca The Event’s Marketing Effectiveness and Execution (numerical grade): 93   ** Some Recommended Wines from the LCBO’s Limited Time Offers selections...these are good value...on sale through Sunday July 17... [red] Montes Alpha Cabernet Sauvignon Colchagua Valley Chile +322586, regularly $19.95, now $16.95, save $3. [rose] 13th Street Cuvee Brut Sparkling Rose Trad Method VQA Niagara Peninsula +147504, regularly $29.95, now $26.95, save $3. [white] Quail's Gate Chardonnay VQA Okanagan Valley British Columbia +377770, regularly $26.95, now $23.95, save $3. [fizz] Chateau des Charmes Brut Sparkling Trad Method VQA NOTL +224766, regularly $25.95, now $21.95, save $4. [splurge] Beringer Knights Valley Cabernet Sauvignon Sonoma +352583, regularly $46.95, now $41.95, save $5. MAJOR THEME: Sunny Mediterranean Wines Note: This is what I call a New Moon release...A once-a-month release of physical wines to the LCBO shelves, unlike the Blue Moon releases of three-a-month...I'll cover mostly the in-store wines since the “Online Curated Assortment” has only small quantities...If I do mention an online order wine, then it will have OCA initials and a date in front of it. Wines Under $20 ========= W+225557 ERADUS SAUVIGNON BLANC Awatere Valley, Marlborough, South Island 2021 $19.95 MVC/QPR: 89 W+391987 MIDDLE-EARTH SAUVIGNON BLANC Vegan, sustainable, Nelson, South Island 2021 $18.95 MVC/QPR: 89 W+315119 JEAN GEILER PINOT GRIS AC Alsace 2019 $17.95 MVC/QPR: 90 W+390625 DOMAINE LA HAUTE FÉVRIE SUR LIE MUSCADET SÈVRE ET MAINE AC 2020 $15.95 MVC/QPR: 89 W+25703 ORSOGNA ZEROPURO CLOROFILLAE MALVASIA ORANGE Vegan, IGP Terre di Chieti 2020 $18.95 MVC/QPR: 89. Rose+515288 RIVAROSE BRUT PRESTIGE SPARKLING ROSÉ Salon de Provence, IGP Mediterranean, Provence, France $19.95 MVC/QPR: 89. R+642421 VALPANTENA TORRE DEL FALASCO VALPOLICELLA RIPASSO DOC 2020 $18.95 MVC/QPR: 89. R+450155 TAPIZ ALTA COLLECTION MALBEC Mendoza 2019 $19.95 MVC/QPR: 89. R+273672 STORIA ANTICA SUPERIORE VALPOLICELLA RIPASSO DOC 2019 $18.95 MVC/QPR: 90. R+668780 BISCARDO ROSAPASSO IGT Veneto 2021 $15.95 MVC/QPR: 90 Wines Over $20 ========= W+20899 CLOSSON CHASE THE BROCK CHARDONNAY VQA Niagara River, Niagara-on-the-Lake 2019 $24.95 MVC/QPR: 90. W+238642 INNISKILLIN MONTAGUE VINEYARD CHARDONNAY Single vineyard, VQA Four Mile Creek, Niagara-on-the-Lake 2020 $25.95 MVC/QPR: 89. Rose+668426 VILLA AIX EN PROVENCE ROSÉ AP Coteaux d'Aix-en-Provence 2021 $20.95 MVC/QPR: 89. Rose+279117 SOUTHBROOK TRIOMPHE ORGANIC CABERNET FRANC ROSÉ Vegan, VQA Niagara Peninsula 2021 $20.95 MVC/QPR: 89 Rose+227025 KACABA SUMMER SERIES REBECCA ROSÉ VQA Niagara Peninsula 2021 $20.15 MVC/QPR: 90 R+73817 RUTHERFORD RANCH CABERNET SAUVIGNON Napa Valley, California 2018 $42.95 MVC/QPR: 90. OCA June 30 R+25678 TUA RITA ROSSO DEI NOTRI IGT Toscana 2019 $29.95 MVC/QPR: 90 WORLD WINE WATCH TOP WINES AT VINTAGES: under/over $20 for JUNE 18, 2022 release. By DEAN TUDOR, Gothic Epicures Writing deantudor@deantudor.com. My "Wines, Beers and Spirits of the Net", a guide to thousands of news items and RSS feeds, plus references to wines, beers and spirits, has been at http://www.deantudor.com since 1994. Note: This is what I call the New Moon release...A once a month release of physical wines to the LCBO shelves, unlike April's Blue Moon releases (three !!). These notes for good wines available through LCBO Vintages (on a bi-weekly basis) can always be found at http://www.gothicepicures.blogspot.ca or at http://www.deantudor.com No winery can buy their way into – or out of – this publication. Scores are a combination of MVC (Modal Varietal Character, e.g. a Southern Rhone would taste like a Southern Rhone) and QPR (Quality/Price Ratio value in the marketplace above or below its price). Currently, the wine media have no access to the tasting samples usually provided to us in the LCBO lab on a fortnightly basis. This will go on or some time. HOWEVER, the wine media will still have access to the advance spreadsheet of the wines to be released. So I know what is to be released and when. SOME (but not many) of these 100 or so biweekly released wines I have recently tasted since January 2020 or so, and I can comfortably recommend them based on this prior sampling. ** Some New Wines I Tasted Over the Past Month --- 1.Cantina Goccia 3Q Rosso 2018 Umbria IGT $16.95 LCBO +22878: a basic entry level “SuperUmbrian” wine made with unoaked sangiovese, cabernet and merlot grapes. So there is some red and black fruit and some dark chocolate, augmented at 2 g/L residual sugar. It is available only in a recycled paperboard bottle; there are instructions on the Frugalpac bottle on how to recycle if you are not bringing it back to The Beer Store for a deposit return. It's a great idea, first launched in Italy in June 2020. And it's a more sustainable form of packaging [packaging and transportation is more than half of the wine carbon footprint]. Frugalpac bottles are 94% recycled paper, and are used (with a separate liner) for wines, spirits and olive oils. 13.5% ABV. Quality/Price rating is 91 points by Dean Tudor of Gothic Epicures. 2.SUNDAY SAIL SAUVIGNON BLANC    Marlborough, South Island    2021  +22850  $19.95 Vintages: this is an exceptionally fresh savvy just loaded with citrus peel zest character (think lime, grapefruit, lemon) and that distinctive Kiwi herbal taste base. Just released at Vintages, and perfect for summer patio/deck/bbq/outdoors imbibing. Make sure you get some before they run out! Try as a refreshing sipper or (because of its long finish)  with first course foods. I had mine with an herbal salad of microgreens and piquant leaves, chopped hard boiled eggs, and some squash soup with house made croutons. 13% ABV. Quality/Price rating is 90 points by Dean Tudor of Gothic Epicures. 3.Chateau des Charmes Rose Cuvee d’Andree 2021 Estate Grown VQA NOTL, $18.95 +333260 at winery, online, and LCBO: this fresh and vibrant rose (named after Madame Andree Bosc) continues to please year over year as I have said before. It is still 100% pinot noir, dry “old style” as in Europe, but loaded with Ontario cranberry, red fruit strawberry, and some discreet black cherry tones from the hot summer, coming in at 12.2% ABV. Stainless steel fermentation of course, and twist top. Refreshing. A previous Ontario Wine Awards Gold Winner in 2016. 4.2g/L residual sugar. Vegan friendly: no animal products used in filtering. 675 cases produced. Quality/Price rating is 92 points by Dean Tudor of Gothic Epicures. 4.Chateau des Charmes Pinot Noir 2017 Paul Bosc Estate Vineyard VQA St.David's Bench, +332858, $44.95 at winery and online: Quite a powerful wine, lots of stylish Burgundian forest floor (mushrooms, earth) to complement the red berry fruit. It was last produced in 2016. Needs some time, maybe three more years. 13.5% ABV. It will also show better with food such as Asian salmon preps or veal or lamb. Cork closure. Residual sugar is 1.2g/L. 1200 cases produced. Quality/Price rating is 92 points by Dean Tudor of Gothic Epicures. 5.Chateau des Charmes Chardonnay 2020 Paul Bosc Estate Vineyard VQA St David's Bench, +287268, $34.95 (online and winery): one of several chardonnays at different price points from Chateau des Charmes. My last vintage tasted was the 2016. Barrel fermented and barrel aged in French oak for almost a year, with lees stirring. 30-year old vines. Expect soft balance with nuances of minerality and some muted tropicality, served up with orchard fruit and melons. Cork closure. Long finish. One of my fave chards, but do not serve overchilled. 474 cases. 0.4g/L residual sugar. 12.2% ABV. Quality/Price rating is 93 points by Dean Tudor of Gothic Epicures. 6.KACABA IRRESISTIBLE SPARKLING 2019, $30.15 winery and online: [also known as Joanne's Blend, formulated for Joanne Kacaba herself] an amazingly “irresistible” sparkling rose with fresh aromas of strawberries and summer peaches. The blend is 66% chardonnay, 20% pinot noir, and 14% pinot meunier, fermented separately and blended in stainless steel for 22 months. Then it was transferred to a Charmat tank for two months, aging on its lees. A great aperitif for the patio/deck/balcony/terrace/boat, or paired with light cheeses (especially a baked brie). Off-dry complexity. 12% ABV. Quality/Price rating is 90 points by Dean Tudor of Gothic Epicures. 7.KACABA Rebecca Rose VQA Niagara Peninsula 2021+227025 July 16 Vintages, $20.15: a nicely pale-coloured gamay wine (formerly a blend of cabernets), coming in at 11.7% ABV. Dry (3g/L residual sugar) style red fruits: strawbs, red currant, sweet cherries, cranberry (hey, it's Ontario) with a touch of pink watermelon for added complexity. Stainless steel used for storage. Goes with just about everything. A nicely balanced rose which reminded me of Provence. And it gets high scores at the Wine Writer's Circle of Canada rose tastings. 60 cases at the LCBO, more at the winery. Quality/Price rating is 91 points by Dean Tudor of Gothic Epicures. 8.KACABA Susan's Sauvignon Blanc VQA Niagara Peninsula 2021 winery and online at kacaba.com, $20.15: another summer series wine, quaffable in its tropicality and lowered zesty herbaceousness. Good mouthfeel, nice dry finish for appetizers on the patio/deck/balcony/porch. Stainless steel storage. No malolactic fermentation, thus the crispness and freshness has been preserved. It has Good Memories of Sauvignon Blanc, making it another social wine for the patio or with first-course food. 3g/L residual sugar. 10.5% ABV. Quality/Price rating is 89 points by Dean Tudor of Gothic Epicures. ** Some Recommended Wines from the LCBO’s Limited Time Offers selections...these are good value...on sale through Sunday June 19 (just a day away!) [red]WOLF BLASS YELLOW LABEL CABERNET SAUVIGNON LCBO 251876 WAS: $ 17.05 | NOW: $ 14.05 | SAVE: $ 3.00 [white]VILLA MARIA PRIVATE BIN CHARDONNAY EAST COAST New Zealand LCBO 13293 WAS: $ 18.05 | NOW: $ 16.05 | SAVE: $ 2.00 [domestic white]ROSEHALL RUN CHARDONNAY VQA Rosehall Run Vineyards LCBO 303776 WAS: $ 15.95 | NOW: $ 13.95 | SAVE: $ 2.00 [rose]SAINTLY ROSÉ VQA LCBO 14882 WAS: $ 19.00 | NOW: $ 17.00 | SAVE: $ 2.00 [fizz]TRIUS BRUT VQA LCBO 284539 Was: $ 29.95 Now: $ 26.95 Save: $ 3.00 Until June 19, 2022 MAJOR THEME: Southern Hemisphere Wines Under $20 ========= W+734798 THORNBURY SAUVIGNON BLANC Marlborough, South Island 2021 $18.95 MVC/QPR: 89 W+328559 CATHEDRAL CELLAR CHARDONNAY WO Western Cape 2020 $17.95 MVC/QPR: 91 W+23098 FILAREE ITALIA RIBOLLA GIALLA IGT Venezia Giulia 2020 $14.95 MVC/QPR: 92 Rose+650655 REDSTONE ROSÉ VQA Niagara Peninsula 2021 $17.95 MVC/QPR: 89 Wines Over $20 ========= W+20455 LE CLOS JORDANNE JORDAN VILLAGE CHARDONNAY VQA Niagara Peninsula 2019 $24.95 MVC/QPR: 89 W+172338 SOUTHBROOK TRIOMPHE ORGANIC CHARDONNAY Vegan, VQA Niagara Peninsula 2018 $24.95 MVC/QPR: 92 R+155408 MARCHESI DI BAROLO BARBARESCO DOCG 2018 $38.95 MVC/QPR: 89 R+216309 CASTELLO DI GABBIANO RISERVA CHIANTI CLASSICO DOCG 2016 $24.95 MVC/QPR: 89 R+438580 QUERCECCHIO BRUNELLO DI MONTALCINO DOCG 2017 $32.95 MVC/QPR:89 WORLD WINE WATCH TOP WINES AT VINTAGES: under/over $20 for MAY 21, 2022 release. The New Moon LCBO release of wines -- By DEAN TUDOR, Gothic Epicures Writing deantudor@deantudor.com. My "Wines, Beers and Spirits of the Net", a guide to thousands of news items and RSS feeds, plus references to wines, beers and spirits, has been at http://www.deantudor.com since 1994. These notes for good wines available through LCBO Vintages (on a bi-weekly basis) can always be found at http://www.gothicepicures.blogspot.ca or at http://www.deantudor.com No winery can buy their way into – or out of – this publication. Scores are a combination of MVC (Modal Varietal Character, e.g. a Southern Rhone would taste like a Southern Rhone) and QPR (Quality/Price Ratio value in the marketplace above or below its price). Currently, the wine media have no access to the tasting samples usually provided to us in the LCBO lab on a fortnightly basis. This will go on or some time. HOWEVER, the wine media will still have access to the advance spreadsheet of the wines to be released. So I know what is to be released and when. SOME (but not many) of these 100 or so biweekly released wines I have recently tasted since January 2020 or so, and I can comfortably recommend them based on this prior sampling. ** Some New Wines I Tasted Over the Past Fortnight --- 1.Featherstone Estate Winery Four Feathers 2021 VQA Niagara Peninsula $14.95 +341586 Vintages on May 21 and again on November 19: a summer social sipper or quaffer (and for Thanksgiving too), combining 54% riesling and 18% chardonnay with 15% pinot grigio and 13% gewurztraminer – all highly aromatic grapes. The percentages change from vintage to vintage depending on vineyard conditions. Stainless steel fermentation. Typical fruit flavours to be found include pineapple, melon, lemon, some mango, and some sweet parts of citric tones near the finish. A popular seller with 1282 cases. Incredibly fresh and fruity tones for summer. 14g/L residual sugar. 12% ABV. Quality/Price rating is 90 points by Dean Tudor of Gothic Epicures. 2.Featherstone Estate Winery Rose 2021 VQA Niagara Peninsula $15.95 +117861 Vintages May 21 and again on September 10: over the years, this rose has had different and varying amounts of grape varieties – all dependent on what wily winemaker David Johnson sees as the best possible blend. In the past it has had pinot noir and cabernet sauvignon, as well as gamay noir, merlot, chardonnay, and cabernet franc. This latest vintage (2021) has cabernet sauvignon 33.3%, gamay noir 60%, and pinot noir 6.7%. It's extremely useful for any event, any occasion, with any food, or just alone as a sipper on the beach/patio/deck/terrace/backyard/porch/balcony – even in front of a roaring fireplace (as I did just this week when the snow dropped in High Park North a few days before Earth Day). Expect plenty of red fruit tones in its deliciousness. Great price. 1662 cases. 7g/L residual sugar, 13% ABV. Quality/Price rating is 90 points by Dean Tudor of Gothic Epicures. 3.KACABA CABERNET/SYRAH 2017 +26424 Vintages May 21, $30.15 also at winery and online: this is a blend of cabernet franc and cabernet sauvignon (27% each) with syrah (46%), the latter being the oldest planting in Ontario. At one time it was a blend of cabernet/merlot/syrah, but this changes every year depending on the grapes available and the harvest conditions. Matured in French and American oak barrels for 13 months or so. You'll get a whiff of anise and red fruit, and with the franc it is a bit savoury. Definitely a red meat wine. What I usually do is make a double-decant, taste, and then leave it in a re-sealed bottle for a week or so, with daily tastings. The wine itself will be at its peak in a few more years. 5.4 g/L residual sugar. 12.8% ABV. Quality/Price rating is 91 points by Dean Tudor of Gothic Epicures. ** Some Recommended Wines from the LCBO’s Limited Time Offers selections...these are good value...on sale through Sunday May 22...better get them now! [red]CHÂTEAU DES CHARMES GAMAY NOIR VQA LCBO +57349 WAS: $ 15.95 | NOW: $14.45 SAVE: $ 1.50. [rose]CAVE SPRING DRY ROSÉ VQA LCBO +295006 WAS: $ 15.95 | NOW: $ 13.95 | SAVE: $ 2.00 [white] PENINSULA RIDGE INOX CHARDONNAY VQA LCBO +594200 | WAS: $ 15.95 | NOW: $ 13.95 | SAVE: $ 2.00 MAJOR THEME: ROSE Note: This is what I call the New Moon release...A once a month release of physical wines to the LCBO shelves, unlike April's Blue Moon releases (three last month!!)...I'll cover mostly the in-store wines since the “Online Curated Assortment” has only small quantities...If I do mention an online order wine, then it will have OCA initials and date in front of it. Wines Under $20 ========= W+341586 FEATHERSTONE FOUR FEATHERS VQA Niagara Peninsula 2021 $14.95 MVC/QPR: 90. W+389726 BOYA SAUVIGNON BLANC Sustainable, Coast Zone, DO Valle de Leyda Garcés Silva 2021 $14.95 MVC/QPR: 89. Rose+177840 PENINSULA RIDGE BEAL VINEYARD CABERNET ROSÉ VQA Beamsville Bench, Niagara Escarpment 2021 $15.95 MVC/QPR: 90 Rose+16250 THE TRAGICALLY HIP FLAMENCO ROSÉ VQA Niagara Peninsula Stoney Ridge Estate Winery 2021 $19.95 MVC/QPR: 89 Rose+117861 FEATHERSTONE ROSÉ VQA Niagara Peninsula 2021 $15.95 MVC/QPR: 90 Rose+19846 CONFIDENCIAL RESERVA ROSÉ Vinho Regional Lisboa 2021 $15.95 MVC/QPR: 89 R+ 542183 RAVANAL GRAN RESERVA CABERNET SAUVIGNON Valle de Colchagua 2019 $15.95 MVC/QPR: 89. R+395053 12 E MEZZO PRIMITIVO DEL SALENTO IGP Varvaglione 2020 $15.95 MVC/QPR: 89 Wines Over $20 OCA May 14 - +19618 MUDDY WATER CHARDONNAY Waipara, South Island 2018 $39.95 OCA May 14 - +19622 MUDDY WATER PINOT NOIR Waipara, South Island 2018 $39.95 OCA May 14 - +24613 CHÂTEAU THÉBAUD SUR LIE MUSCADET SÈVRE ET MAINE AC, Loire, France Domaine Pierre-Luc et Valérie Bouchaud 2014 $25.95 W+181289 DOMAINE LE VERGER CHABLIS AC Alain Geoffroy, prop.-vitic. 2019 $26.95 MVC/QPR: 89 R+26503 SOUTHBROOK TRIOMPHE GAMAY Vegan, VQA Niagara Peninsula 2019 $27.95 MVC/QPR: 89 R+213132 LA PIEVE BAROLO DOCG 2018 $39.95 MVC/QPR: 89. Hey, it's the BLUE MOON release at the LCBO....!!!! WORLD WINE WATCH TOP WINES AT VINTAGES: under/over $20 for APRIL 30, 2022 release. By DEAN TUDOR, Gothic Epicures Writing deantudor@deantudor.com. My "Wines, Beers and Spirits of the Net", a guide to thousands of news items and RSS feeds, plus references to wines, beers and spirits, has been at http://www.deantudor.com since 1994. These notes for good wines available through LCBO Vintages (on a bi-weekly basis) can always be found at http://www.gothicepicures.blogspot.ca or at http://www.deantudor.com No winery can buy their way into – or out of – this publication. Scores are a combination of MVC (Modal Varietal Character, e.g. a Southern Rhone would taste like a Southern Rhone) and QPR (Quality/Price Ratio value in the marketplace above or below its price). Currently, the wine media have no access to the tasting samples usually provided to us in the LCBO lab on a fortnightly basis. This will go on or some time. HOWEVER, the wine media will still have access to the advance spreadsheet of the wines to be released. So I know what is to be released and when. SOME (but not many) of these 100 or so biweekly released wines I have recently tasted since January 2020 or so, and I can comfortably recommend them based on this prior sampling. **Some recently reviewed wine bottles, from Featherstone (all available NOW at LCBO and winery) -- 1.Featherstone Estate Winery Sauvignon Blanc 2021 VQA Niagara Peninsula $17.95 +89011 Vintages April 30 and and again on October 8: 20% of this wine went into neutral Canadian oak barrel fermentation, leaving 80% for stainless steel. That contributed to the softness and to the muted tones of grassiness. Tropical flowers are accented rather than tropical fruit, and this too adds to its dryness culminating with ending citrus notes for a long finish. It's a great wine for savvy lovers who go for complexity rather than just herbs. At the same time, this allows for more food choices. Only 542 cases. 4g/L residual sugar, 12% ABV. Quality/Price rating is 92 points by Dean Tudor of Gothic Epicures. 2.Featherstone Estate Winery Black Sheep Riesling 2020 VQA Niagara Peninsula $18.95 +80234 Vintages Essential: more in the Mosel mode than Rhine wine, this delicious sipper is loaded with a nose of citrus highlights (lemon, plentiful lime, grapefruit) evolving to Ontario orchard fruit on the mid-palate with some minerality and a long lean-ish finish which also makes it nifty food wine for many Asiatic dishes. Medium body, off-dry. Suitable for aging, to get that “petrol” character. 2573 cases made. 10.5% ABV. RS 20.7g/L. Quality/Price rating is 91 points by Dean Tudor of Gothic Epicures. 3.Featherstone Estate Winery Sauvignon Blanc 2021 VQA Niagara Peninsula $17.95 +89011 Vintages April 30 and and again on October 8: 20% of this wine went into neutral Canadian oak barrel fermentation, leaving 80% for stainless steel. That contributed to the softness and to the muted tones of grassiness. Tropical flowers are accented rather than tropical fruit, and this too adds to its dryness culminating with ending citrus notes for a long finish. It's a great wine for savvy lovers who go for complexity rather than just herbs. At the same time, this allows for more food choices. Only 542 cases. 4g/L residual sugar, 12% ABV. Quality/Price rating is 92 points by Dean Tudor of Gothic Epicures. 4.Featherstone Estate Winery Cabernet Franc 2020 VQA Niagara Peninsula $19.95 +64618 Vintages Essential: a blend of 95% cabernet franc and 5% merlot. All US oak was used – 25% new, balance into 1 to 4 year old barrels. Full malolactic fermentation. Medium-bodied with an assortment of tastes of cherry-berries and plums, leafy qualities. Black pepper. Long, long finish showing tart-ish food-loving acid balances. Vegan. Should go well with BBQ veggies. Keep for another few years (I tasted one bottle over a week). 2106 cases. 2.59g/L residual sugar. 12.5% ABV. Quality/Price rating is 92 points by Dean Tudor of Gothic Epicures. 5.Featherstone Estate Winery Red Tail Merlot 2020 VQA Niagara Peninsula $19.95 +131540 Vintages April 30 and again on Nov 5: Merlot is still recovering from its dissing by Pinot Noir in the movie “Sideways”. But a lot of wineries are still making it. David Johnson the winemaker has here produced a delightfully fruity but dryish (RS 2g/L) drop that is also affordable. Aged 10 months in French oak, 100% malolactic fermentation. Expect black fruit cherry-berry complexity, headed by cassis. Both a patio sipper and a food wine, and ready now for current drinking and accompanying any kind of comfort food. 12.5% ABV. Quality/Price rating is 92 points by Dean Tudor of Gothic Epicures. ** Some Recommended Wines from the LCBO’s Limited Time Offers selections...these are good value...on sale through Sunday May 22 -- [red]CHÂTEAU DES CHARMES GAMAY NOIR VQA LCBO +57349 WAS: $ 15.95 | NOW: $14.45 SAVE: $ 1.50. [rose]CAVE SPRING DRY ROSÉ VQA LCBO +295006 WAS: $ 15.95 | NOW: $ 13.95 | SAVE: $ 2.00 [white] PENINSULA RIDGE INOX CHARDONNAY VQA LCBO +594200 | WAS: $ 15.95 | NOW: $ 13.95 | SAVE: $ 2.00 From the Vintages Catalogue -- Rose+559088 Malivoire Ladybug Rose $15.95, normally $17.95, save $2. Fizz+213983 Cave Spring Blanc de Blancs Brut Sparkling $29.95, normally $32.95, save $3. FizzyRose+48793 Louis Bouillot Perle d'Aurore Brut Rosé Crémant de Bourgogne $20.95, normally $22.95, save $2. MAJOR THEME: CLASSIC EUROPEAN REGIONS Wines Under $20 ========= W+89011 FEATHERSTONE SAUVIGNON BLANC VQA Niagara Peninsula 2021 $17.95 MVC/QPR: 92. R+131540 FEATHERSTONE RED TAIL MERLOT VQA Niagara Peninsula 2019 $19.95 MVC/QPR: 92. R+64618 FEATHERSTONE CABERNET FRANC Vegan, VQA Niagara Peninsula 2020 $19.95 MVC/QPR: 92. R+14667 CHÂTEAU HYOT RÉSERVE AC Castillon Côtes de Bordeaux 2018 $17.95 MVC/QPR: 89. R+24210 PELLEGRINO CASALLAIA IGT Toscana 2018 $17.95 MVC/QPR: 89. R+548867 CASA SANTOS LIMA COLOSSAL RESERVA Vinho Regional Lisboa 2018 $16.95 MVC/QPR: 89. Wines Over $20 ========= W+49302 FEATHERSTONE CANADIAN OAK CHARDONNAY VQA Niagara Peninsula 2019 $24.95 MVC/QPR: 92. W+184549 LE CLOS JORDANNE LE GRAND CLOS CHARDONNAY VQA Twenty Mile Bench, Niagara Escarpment 2019 $44.95 MVC/QPR: 90. R+573451 CAPRAIA EFFE 55 GRAN SELEZIONE CHIANTI CLASSICO DOCG 2016 $43.95 MVC/QPR: 89. R+165662 MONTE DEL FRÀ LENA DI MEZZO VALPOLICELLA RIPASSO CLASSICO SUPERIORE DOC 2018 Veneto $24.95 MVC/QPR: 89. Fizz+460832 WOLFBERGER BRUT CRÉMANT D'ALSACE Traditional method, AC, Alsace, $20.95 MVC/QPR: 89. WORLD WINE WATCH TOP WINES AT VINTAGES: under/over $20 for APRIL 16, 2022 release. By DEAN TUDOR, Gothic Epicures Writing deantudor@deantudor.com. My "Wines, Beers and Spirits of the Net", a guide to thousands of news items and RSS feeds, plus references to wines, beers and spirits, has been at http://www.deantudor.com since 1994. These notes for good wines available through LCBO Vintages (on a bi-weekly basis) can always be found at http://www.gothicepicures.blogspot.ca or at http://www.deantudor.com No winery can buy their way into – or out of – this publication. Scores are a combination of MVC (Modal Varietal Character, e.g. a Southern Rhone would taste like a Southern Rhone) and QPR (Quality/Price Ratio value in the marketplace above or below its price). Currently, the wine media have no access to the tasting samples usually provided to us in the LCBO lab on a fortnightly basis. This will go on or some time. HOWEVER, the wine media will still have access to the advance spreadsheet of the wines to be released. So I know what is to be released and when. SOME (but not many) of these 100 or so biweekly released wines I have recently tasted since January 2020 or so, and I can comfortably recommend them based on this prior sampling. ** Some Recent Drink Books I Reviewed --- 1.THE CURIOUS BARTENDER'S GUIDE TO RUM (Ryland, Peters & Small, 2017, 2020, 160 pages, $19.95 hardbound) is by Tristan Stephenson. It was originally part of a much larger work in 2017, and now it has been abridged with an expanded Directory of Distilleries. So: there is material on the history of rum, how rum is made, and some recipes for rum cocktails – plus a glossary. Thumbnail sketches all the way and a bargain for under $20. Quality/price rating: 88. 2.WINTER DRINKS (Ryland Peters & Small, 2020, 144 pages, $19.95 hardbound) has been pulled together by Julia Charles. It's a publisher's package of previous preps by several food and drink writers, most notably Louise Pickford with 17 and Julia herself with 16. Eleven other writers also contributed. So here are 75 recipes to warm our hearts, with hot drinks, toddies, part cocktails, and mocktails. Included also are hot chocolates, warm milks, coffee drinks and teas, as well as restorative mulls, revivers and soothers. My fave is the sparkling cocktails. My wife likes the sparkling mocktails. Chacun a son gout. Quality/price rating: 89 3.SUMMER DRINKS; over 100 refreshing recipes to enjoy in the sunshine (Ryland Peters & Small, 2021, 144 pages, $20 hardbound) is an other publisher's project for Ryland Peters & Small. Here 15 UK chefs and food writers give us all the preps (with proper attribution found at the back of the book). The most prolific are Ben Reed (24, a quarter of the total) and Laura Gladwin (20). Julia Charles was the editorial director on this one, and she contributes 13 preps. Arrangement is by style: aperitifs, cocktails, spritzes, coolers, slushies, floats, punches, pitchers, mocktails and juices. More than enough preps for three months of summer! Quality/price rating: 89 ** Some Recommended Wines from the LCBO’s Limited Time Offers selections...these are good value...on sale through Sunday April 24... [red] +274753 Hidden Bench Estate Organic Pinot Noir $34.95, now $31.95, save $3 [rose] +14882 Arterra Saintly Rose VQA $18, now $15, save $3 [white] +84988 Beringer Napa Valley Chardonnay $26.95, now $23.95, save $3 [fizz] +20979 Juliet Prosecco Rose DOC $14.95, now $12.95, save $2 [splurge] +650432 Castelgiocondo Brunello di Montalcino $53.95, now $48.95, save $5 Wines Under $20 ========= W+928580 SANTA CAROLINA GRAN RESERVA CHARDONNAY Sustainable, carbon neutral, DO Valle del Itata 2019 $18.95 MVC/QPR: 92 W+22498 MARIETA ALBARIÑO DO Rías Baixas 2020 $18.95 MVC/QPR: 89 R+516765 JEAN-PIERRE MOUEIX BORDEAUX AC 2018 $17.95 MVC/QPR: 89 R+354134 CHÂTEAU BELLEVUE LA FORÊT AP Fronton 2019 $14.95 MVC/QPR: 89 R+573519 VILLA PUCCINI RISERVA CHIANTI DOCG 2016 $15.95 MVC/QPR: 89 Wines Over $20 ========= W+466144 J. MOREAU & FILS CHABLIS AC 2020 $24.95 MVC/QPR: 89 W+23728 DOMAINE JOEL DELAUNAY CASCA VIN ORANGE SAUVIGNON BLANC France 2020 $23.95 MVC/QPR: 89 Fizz+183764 CAVE DE LUGNY CUVÉE MILLÉSIMÉE BRUT CRÉMANT DE BOURGOGNE Sustainable, traditional method, AC, Burgundy, France 2016 $24.95 MVC/QPR: 89 R+209148 MARQUÉS DE MURRIETA FINCA YGAY RESERVA DOCa Rioja 2016 $32.95 MVC/QPR: 89 R+33894 LE CLOS JORDANNE VILLAGE PINOT NOIR VQA Niagara Peninsula 2019 $24.95 MVC/QPR: 89 R+395855 HENRY OF PELHAM ESTATE CABERNET/MERLOT VQA Short Hills Bench, Niagara Escarpment 2019 $24.95 MVC/QPR: 89 WORLD WINE WATCH TOP WINES AT VINTAGES: under/over $20 for APRIL 2, 2022 release. By DEAN TUDOR, Gothic Epicures Writing deantudor@deantudor.com. My "Wines, Beers and Spirits of the Net", a guide to thousands of news items and RSS feeds, plus references to wines, beers and spirits, has been at http://www.deantudor.com since 1994. These notes for good wines available through LCBO Vintages (on a bi-weekly basis) can always be found at http://www.gothicepicures.blogspot.ca or at http://www.deantudor.com No winery can buy their way into – or out of – this publication. Scores are a combination of MVC (Modal Varietal Character, e.g. a Southern Rhone would taste like a Southern Rhone) and QPR (Quality/Price Ratio value in the marketplace above or below its price). Currently, the wine media have no access to the tasting samples usually provided to us in the LCBO lab on a fortnightly basis. This will go on or some time. HOWEVER, the wine media will still have access to the advance spreadsheet of the wines to be released. So I know what is to be released and when. SOME (but not many) of these 100 or so biweekly released wines I have recently tasted since January 2020 or so, and I can comfortably recommend them based on this prior sampling. ** Some New Wines I Tasted Over the Past Fortnight, from the agency Majestic Wine Cellars, and all available via consignment --- 1.Sensi 1890 Collezione Pinot Grigio dell Venezie 2020 AOC High Volume Consignment - $ 15.95: relatively full-bodied for an Italian style pinot grigio, with the emphasis on “yellow”: yellow colour, yellow fruit, yellow honey. Full of citric zest, good with food beyond the first course – think peaches and lemons and apples, with some serious tones on the mid-palate. Commingling is back, with citric undertones. Flavours of stone fruit but with some yellow pear drops, rich, mid-palate crispness. Clean citric finish with minerality. Food or appetizer. 12.5% ABV. Quality/Price rating is 90 points by Dean Tudor of Gothic Epicures. 2.Rutherford Ranch Morgan Bay Cellars Chardonnay California 2019 High Volume Consignment - $17.95: cork disc closure, well-rounded texture meant to appeal to the American taste palate. There were lemons and pear, but also the softness and taste of a creamy caramel augmented by a Meyer lemon off-sweet mandarin quality. But there is also enough finishing acid for a first course. Otherwise, sip away. 13.5% ABV. Quality/Price rating is 91 points by Dean Tudor of Gothic Epicures. 3.Morgan Bay Cellars Cabernet Sauvignon California 2019 High Volume Consignment - $ 17.95: a great wallop of black fruit (black cherries, blackberries) begins the aromatics and dominates right through to the finish in typical Cali-style. The emphasis is on darkness, with plenty of black fruit and butterscotch tones, with some black pepper spices, and a softish finish to a medium body. Very useful as an everyday cab at a great price point. 13% ABV. Quality/Price rating is 90 points by Dean Tudor of Gothic Epicures. 4.Albino Armani 1607 Tenuta di Sequals Sauvignon Friuli-Grave 2020 DOC Consignment - $20.95: very intense aromas, fruity from green fruit and herby but with a medium-body and not like Kiwi Savvy. Citric finish, very useful as a first course white wine. Good with asparagus or smoked fish. 12.5% ABV. Quality/Price rating is 89 points by Dean Tudor of Gothic Epicures. 5.Javier Sanz Vmalcorta Verdejo Rueda 2019 Consignment - $33.95: top-rated at a pre-pandemic Rueda wine trade show in Toronto at 91+ points: higher acid food wine, floral and citric, emphasizing the brighter side of aromatic Spanish verdejo. Very well made with an exceptional, lingering finish. Perhaps best with shellfish such as oysters or mussels, clams. White flesh fish would also be appropriate. 13% ABV. Quality/Price rating is 91+ points by Dean Tudor of Gothic Epicures. 6.Amastuola Primitivo Organic Puglia IGP 2019 Consignment - $20.95: this is a preferred choice from among the basic primitivos in Ontario simply because it is made with organic grapes. Expect that dense, over-the-top zinfandel-type flavour of jamminess from plums, cherry-berry fruit, with a cinnamon spicy kick. 14%ABV. Quality/Price rating is 89 points by Dean Tudor of Gothic Epicures. 7.Sensi 1890 Collezione Merlot Terre Siciliane IGT 2019 Consignment - $ 15.95: This shows aromatic herbs on the nose, red fruit (raspberries) and spice, great North American appeal in that merlot is recognizable, modest tannins, balanced on the mid-palate, okay by itself or with food as a first course red. Velvet smooth finish. 13% ABV. Quality/Price rating is 90 points by Dean Tudor of Gothic Epicures. 8.Biscardo Neropasso Rosso Veneto IGT 2019 Consignment - $ 19.95: bright red fruit dominate both its texture and its palate, evoking some minerality that cuts through the balanced fruity cherry tones. Some forest floor; some mocha tones. Intense jammy concentration of dark fruit including plums. Grape pressings are added just before spring, to give it the second fermentation oompf. Great as a sipper or with food or both, ready now at almost three years after the vintage. It was done up in stainless steel fermentation to which malolactic fermentation was employed. And then the second fermentation of ripasso began on the unpressed skins of the leftovers. Food or sip. The company's series includes Rosapasso (pinot noir rose apassimento) and Oropasso (white), all trading off on the “-passo” usage. Good price. 13.5% ABV. Quality/Price rating is 91 points by Dean Tudor of Gothic Epicures. 9.And, from another agent, +22850 SUNDAY SAIL SAUVIGNON BLANC Marlborough, South Island 2021 $19.95 is being released April 2 at Vintages....this is an exceptionally fresh savvy just loaded with citrus peel zest character (think lime, grapefruit, lemon) and that distinctive Kiwi herbal taste. Just released at Vintages, and perfect for summer patio/deck/bbq/outdoors imbibing. Make sure you get some before they run out! Try as a refreshing sipper or (because of its long finish) with first course foods. I had mine with an herbal salad of microgreens and piquant leaves, chopped hard boiled eggs, and some squash soup with house made croutons. 13% ABV. Quality/Price rating is 90 points by Dean Tudor of Gothic Epicures. ** Some Recommended Wines from the LCBO’s Limited Time Offers selections...these are good value...on sale through Sunday April 24... [red] +274753 Hidden Bench Estate Organic Pinot Noir $34.95, now $31.95, save $3 [rose] +14882 Arterra Saintly Rose VQA $18, now $15, save $3 [white] +84988 Beringer Napa Valley Chardonnay $26.95, now $23.95, save $3 [fizz] +20979 Juliet Prosecco Rose DOC $14.95, now $12.95, save $2 [splurge] +650432 Castelgiocondo Brunello di Montalcino $53.95, now $48.95, save $5 Wines Under $20 ========= W+395228 HENRY OF PELHAM SPECIAL SELECT LATE HARVEST VIDAL Sustainable, VQA Ontario 2019 $19.95 MVC/QPR: 89 Fizz+646968 PONGRÁCZ CAP CLASSIQUE ROSÉ Traditional method, WO Western Cape, South Africa $18.95 MVC/QPR: 89. W+22850 SUNDAY SAIL SAUVIGNON BLANC Marlborough, South Island 2021 $19.95 MVC/QPR: 91 Rose+559088 MALIVOIRE LADYBUG ROSÉ VQA Niagara Peninsula $16.95 MVC/QPR: 89 W+391847 THIERRY DELAUNAY TOURAINE SAUVIGNON BLANC AP 2020 $16.95 MVC/QPR: 89 W+469593 THIERRY DELAUNAY LE GRAND BALLON SAUVIGNON BLANC IGP Val de Loire 2020 $13.95 MVC/QPR: 89. Wines Over $20 ========= W+25647 SOUTHBROOK TRIOMPHE ORGANIC RIESLING Vegan, VQA Niagara Peninsula 2019 $22.95 MVC/QPR: 89. W+82255 ROGER & DIDIER RAIMBAULT SANCERRE AC 2019 $31.95 MVC/QPR: 89 W+424507 WESTCOTT ESTATE CHARDONNAY VQA Niagara Escarpment 2020 $29.95 MVC/QPR: 91 W+28845 CLARENCE DILLON CLARENDELLE BLANC Inspired by Haut-Brion, AC Bordeaux 2020 $24.95 MVC/QPR: 89 W+140525 DOMAINE BONNARD SANCERRE AC 2020 $26.95 MVC/QPR: 89. R+427500 WESTCOTT ESTATE PINOT NOIR VQA Vinemount Ridge, Niagara Peninsula 2017 $29.95 MVC/QPR: 90 R+157347 ENRICO SERAFINO SANAVENTO BARBARESCO DOCG 2018 $29.95 MVC/QPR: 89. Fizz+227009 ANGELS GATE ARCHANGEL BRUT SPARKLING CHARDONNAY Traditional method, VQA Beamsville Bench, Niagara Escarpment, Ontario 2014 $29.95 MVC/QPR: 89 Port+642058 POÇAS JR. LBV PORT DOP, Portugal 2015 $25.95 MVC/QPR: 89 WORLD WINE WATCH TOP WINES AT VINTAGES: under/over $20 for MARCH 19, 2022 release. By DEAN TUDOR, Gothic Epicures Writing deantudor@deantudor.com. My "Wines, Beers and Spirits of the Net", a guide to thousands of news items and RSS feeds, plus references to wines, beers and spirits, has been at http://www.deantudor.com since 1994. These notes for good wines available through LCBO Vintages (on a bi-weekly basis) can always be found at http://www.gothicepicures.blogspot.ca or at http://www.deantudor.com No winery can buy their way into – or out of – this publication. Scores are a combination of MVC (Modal Varietal Character, e.g. a Southern Rhone would taste like a Southern Rhone) and QPR (Quality/Price Ratio value in the marketplace above or below its price). Currently, the wine media have no access to the tasting samples usually provided to us in the LCBO lab on a fortnightly basis. This will go on or some time. HOWEVER, the wine media will still have access to the advance spreadsheet of the wines to be released. So I know what is to be released and when. SOME (but not many) of these 100 or so biweekly released wines I have recently tasted since January 2020 or so, and I can comfortably recommend them based on this prior sampling. ** SOME NEW WINES REVIEWED: 1.Cantina Goccia 3Q Rosso 2018 Umbria IGT $16.95 LCBO +22878: a basic entry level “SuperUmbrian” wine made with unoaked sangiovese, cabernet and merlot grapes. So there is some red and black fruit and some dark chocolate, augmented at 2 g/L residual sugar. It is available only in a recycled paperboard bottle; there are instructions on the Frugalpac bottle on how to recycle if you are not bringing it back to The Beer Store for a deposit return. It's a great idea, first launched in Italy in June 2020. And it's a more sustainable form of packaging [packaging and transportation is more than half of the wine carbon footprint]. Frugalpac bottles are 94% recycled paper, and are used (with a separate liner) for wines, spirits and olive oils. 13.5% ABV. Quality/Price rating is 91 points by Dean Tudor of Gothic Epicures. 2.Windrush Estate Hockley Valley Jim Warren Classic Chardonnay 2018 Foxcroft Vineyard VQA Beamsville Bench $65 at winery, only 80 cases made [2019 is $49.95]: these are indeed the latest Jim Warren Classic Chardonnays available for sale. His chardonnays embrace both an opening aromatic nose and a terrific mid-palate taste of what he is known for: rich stone fruit, some tropicality and orchard fruit, a judicious use of oak, ending with a citric minerality for a strong food wine. Bearing in mind what you get from California and Europe that costs much more, this is a great price for value. 3g/L residual sugar. 14% ABV. Quality/Price rating is 94 points by Dean Tudor of Gothic Epicures. 3.Colli Vicentini Romeo Prosecco DOC Extra Dry LCBO # 21434 - $14.95 (on LTO to March 27 $1 off): this is a cute pairing (see also below), with the regular prosecco as Romeo and the rose prosecco as Juliet from the appropriate Italian region. Off-dry, frizzante style, aperitif or party wine. 100% fruity Glera grapes used, promotes an intense rich floral scent of citric tones and apples. 11.5% ABV. Quality/Price rating is 90 points by Dean Tudor of Gothic Epicures. 4.Colli Vicentini Juliet Prosecco Rose 2020 DOC Extra Dry LCBO # 20979 - $14.95: the rose version has the minimum 85% fruity Glera content to allow for 15% addition of pinot nero (noir), and it is vintage dated. Lovely rose colour after a short maceration period. Here we have floral orchard fruits such as peaches, apples, and some pinot quality raspberry tones. Excellent as an aperitif or first course wine with seafood or fish. 11.5% ABV. Quality/Price rating is 91 points by Dean Tudor of Gothic Epicures. 5.Sensi 1890 Collezione Chianti DOCG 2020 LCBO # 20060 - $12.25: About 70% sangiovese grapes with %30 other varieties as allowed by the DOCG rules; these can be balanced in different vintage years. Aged in steel and on its lees for six months, using the micro-oxygenation technique. No wood. Fresh red cherries (slightly sour), spices, useful as a basic entry level wine at this price. Youthful – reminds me of the fiasco di vino that once was used. 13% ABV. Quality/Price rating is 89 points by Dean Tudor of Gothic Epicures. 6.Passion of Chile Cabernet Sauvignon/Merlot Reserva 2020 LCBO # 20904 - $9.95: opening notes of blueberry, strawberry, caramel. Long finish, great with succulent stew meat dishes. Still needs time to resolve, a hefty thick wine that dominates. Do a decant to open it up. Best for carnivores? You decide. 13% ABV. Quality/Price rating is 89 points by Dean Tudor of Gothic Epicures. 7.Cantine Carlo Pellegrino Marsala Superiore Garibaldi DOC LCBO # 16180 - $13.80: just that right touch of carmelized alcohol for a dessert wine full of baked vanilla and figs. Works well with creamy chocolate, eggs zabaglione, shortcakes, ice cream. 18% ABV. Quality/Price rating is 91 points by Dean Tudor of Gothic Epicures. ** Some Recommended Wines from the LCBO’s Limited Time Offers selections...these are good value for price...on sale through Sunday March 27: [red] +149237 The Foreign Affair The Conspiracy VQA normally $19.95, now $16.95, save $3. [white] +608653 Sonoma-Cutrer Russian River Ranches Chardonnay normally $27.95, now $24.95, save $3. [splurge] +995910 Remo Farina Amarone della Valpolicella Classico normally $39.95, now $37.95, save $2. [rose]+12641 REMY PANNIER ROSE D'ANJOU AOC normally $ 15.05, now $14.05, save $1. [fizz] +21434 Romeo PROSECCO Veneto, normally $14.95, now $13.95, save $1. Featured this month – GREAT CABS FROM AROUND THE WORLD Wines Under $20 ========= W+389262 ZUCCARDI SERIE A TORRONTÉS IP Salta 2020 $16.95 MVC/QPR: 89 W+599274 DR. L RIESLING Qualitätswein 2020 $15.95 MVC/QPR: 89 Fizz+311738 VALLDOSERA BRUT NATURE CAVA Traditional method, DO, Spain $19.95 MVC/QPR: 89 R+328567 CATHEDRAL CELLAR CABERNET SAUVIGNON WO Western Cape $18.95 MVC/QPR: 89 R+337238 CONCHA Y TORO MARQUES DE CASA CONCHA CABERNET SAUVIGNON Puente Alto $19.95 MVC/QPR: 89 R+209874 COLUMBIA CREST H3 MERLOT Horse Heaven Hills, Columbia Valley 2018 MVC/QPR: 89 R+999946 REMO FARINA RIPASSO VALPOLICELLA CLASSICO SUPERIORE DOC 2019 $18.95 MVC/QPR: 91. Wines Over $20 ========= W+461640 WILLIAM FÈVRE CHAMPS ROYAUX CHABLIS AC 2019 $30.95 MVC/QPR: 89. R+261784 PAPALE LINEA ORO PRIMITIVO DI MANDURIA DOP 2017 $21.95 MVC/QPR: 90 R+616433 HENRY OF PELHAM SPECK FAMILY RESERVE CABERNET/MERLOT VQA Short Hills Bench, Niagara Escarpment 2019 $39.95 MVC/QPR: 89 R+353201 RUFFINO RISERVA DUCALE ORO GRAN SELEZIONE CHIANTI CLASSICO DOCG 2017 $49.95 MVC/QPR: 89 WORLD WINE WATCH TOP WINES AT VINTAGES: under/over $20 for MARCH 5, 2022 release. By DEAN TUDOR, Gothic Epicures Writing deantudor@deantudor.com. My "Wines, Beers and Spirits of the Net", a guide to thousands of news items and RSS feeds, plus references to wines, beers and spirits, has been at http://www.deantudor.com since 1994. These notes for good wines available through LCBO Vintages (on a bi-weekly basis) can always be found at http://www.gothicepicures.blogspot.ca or at http://www.deantudor.com No winery can buy their way into – or out of – this publication. Scores are a combination of MVC (Modal Varietal Character, e.g. a Southern Rhone would taste like a Southern Rhone) and QPR (Quality/Price Ratio value in the marketplace above or below its price). Currently, the wine media have no access to the tasting samples usually provided to us in the LCBO lab on a fortnightly basis. This will go on or some time. HOWEVER, the wine media will still have access to the advance spreadsheet of the wines to be released. So I know what is to be released and when. SOME (but not many) of these 100 or so biweekly released wines I have recently tasted since January 2020 or so, and I can comfortably recommend them based on this prior sampling. ** Some New Wines I Tasted Over the Past Fortnight --- I've been tasting a whack of Chardonnays for the past two years, and I have found some good quality wines for under $20. These are on General List or they are available on a Rolling Release basis. Check to see which LCBO locations have them. Vintage dates do not seem to matter; their style is mainly some nuances of oak, vanilla, orchard fruit, and tropicality with a long citrus finish. Sometimes they go on LTO sale (at $2 off). In order of current price -- -Spier Signature Chardonnay [South Africa] 2g/L residual sugar +487181 $13.05 QPR 89 pts -Calmel & Joseph Villa Blanche Chardonnay [France] 5g/L RS +375071 $16.40 QPR 89 pts -Boschendal 1685 Chardonnay [South Africa] 2g/L RS +367698 $16.95 QPR 92 pts -Cathedral Cellar Chardonnay [South Africa] 2g/L RS +328559 $17.95 QPR 92 pts -Santa Carolina Gran Reserva Chardonnay [Chile] 4g/L RS +928580 $18.95 QPR 90 pts -J. Lohr Riverstone Chardonnay [California] 5g/L RS +258699 $19.95 QPR 91 pts There is one consignment Chardonnay that I have made my house white wine: Darling Cellars Reserve “Quercus Gold” Chardonnay [South Africa; 100% bush vine chardonnay, left on lees for 3 months for fuller mouth feel and complexity] $14.60 per bottle, minimum one case: $175.20 cash or cheque, free delivery in Toronto. For queries and orders, email lamprechtinternational@gmail.com. ** Some Recommended Wines from the LCBO’s Limited Time Offers selections...these are good value for price...on sale through Sunday March 27: [red] +149237 The Foreign Affair The Conspiracy VQA normally $19.95, now $16.95, save $3. [white] +608653 Sonoma-Cutrer Russian River Ranches Chardonnay normally $27.95, now $24.95, save $3. [splurge] +995910 Remo Farina Amarone della Valpolicella Classico normally $39.95, now $37.95, save $2. [rose]+12641 REMY PANNIER ROSE D'ANJOU AOC normally $ 15.05, now $14.05, save $1. [fizz] +21434 Romeo PROSECCO Veneto, normally $14.95, now $13.95, save $1. Featured this release: TUSCAN wines Wines Under $20 ========= W+21984 ATAMISQUE SERBAL VIOGNIER Tupungato, Mendoza 2019 $16.95 MVC/QPR: 89 W+225557 ERADUS SAUVIGNON BLANC Awatere Valley, Marlborough, South Island 2020 $19.95 MVC/QPR: 89 W+107128 DOMAINE DU PRÉ BARON TOURAINE SAUVIGNON BLANC Sustainable, AC 2020 $18.95 MVC/QPR: 89 W+484139 DOMAINE DU TARIQUET SAUVIGNON BLANC Vegan, sustainable, IGP Côtes de Gascogne 2020 $13.95 MVC/QPR: 89 W+311563 CANNONBALL CHARDONNAY California 2020 $19.95 MVC/QPR: 89. Wines Over $20 ========= R+17704 CANTINA DI MONTALCINO BRUNELLO DI MONTALCINO DOCG 2016 $39.95 MVC/QPR: 89. R+48884 COUDOULET DE BEAUCASTEL CÔTES DU RHÔNE AC 2019 $29.95 MVC/QPR: 89. WORLD WINE WATCH TOP WINES AT VINTAGES: under/over $20 for FEBRUARY 19, 2022 By DEAN TUDOR, Gothic Epicures Writing deantudor@deantudor.com. My "Wines, Beers and Spirits of the Net", a guide to thousands of news items and RSS feeds, plus references to wines, beers and spirits, has been at http://www.deantudor.com since 1994. These notes for good wines available through LCBO Vintages (on a bi-weekly basis) can always be found at http://www.gothicepicures.blogspot.ca or at http://www.deantudor.com No winery can buy their way into – or out of – this publication. Scores are a combination of MVC (Modal Varietal Character, e.g. a Southern Rhone would taste like a Southern Rhone) and QPR (Quality/Price Ratio value in the marketplace above or below its price). Currently, the wine media have no access to the tasting samples usually provided to us in the LCBO lab on a fortnightly basis. This will go on or some time. HOWEVER, the wine media will still have access to the advance spreadsheet of the wines to be released. So I know what is to be released and when. SOME (but not many) of these 100 or so biweekly released wines I have recently tasted since January 2020 or so, and I can comfortably recommend them based on this prior sampling. ** Some Recent Food and Wine Notes Reported --- Report on Valentine's Day dinners from Hooked -- Part One -- Valentine Dinner catered from http://www.hookedinc.ca -Cioppino broth, PEI mussels, cold smoked Norwegian skrei cod, sourdough croutons. AND then a second course of -Seared hokkaido sea scallops, potato puree, sauteed wild mushrooms with walnut and winter herb vinaigrette, potato crisps. My wife Ann said "Kristin, you have outdid yourself! By 2:50 we were tucking in to the cioppino! Great broth—just enough heat. The smoked cod was unbelievable and it lent its smoke to the broth as well. We each had half a glass of bubbly while the broth was heating, and another half-glass while we devoured the mussels and cod.   Then we took a small break while our glass-top stove, not known for its speed, heated up the burners for the potato puree, the mushrooms, and the scallops. (Our 40-year-old Garland commercial gas range died last year—long story—so we now have a fancy-schmancy KitchenAid electric. Bit of a learning curve.) Your instructions are always so clear I had no trouble putting the meal together. What gorgeous scallops (and I won't forget your technique of caramelizing one oiled side before adding the butter and flipping them. Perfect.).  Great combination of flavours; the mushrooms were an elegant touch. And, because I am half-Irish, you had me at mashed potatoes."   The bubbly was Crémant d'Alsace Domaine Frey-Sohler 2012 (LCBO +185511, $31.45), all riesling and Extra Brut at 3.9 g/L residual sugar and 12.1% ABV. It sat for 9 (NINE!) years of aging on fine lees. It can be an aperitif or first course wine with bivalves. It had a riesling austerity that emphasized minerality, orchard fruit and lemons. Quality/Price rating is 93 points by Dean Tudor of Gothic Epicures. Part Two -- More Valentine Dinner from www.hookedinc.ca (the next day) Stuffed sea bream (Mediterranean) sustainable, tied with three strings, butterflied (bones out, head on). Stuffing can vary depending on what is at hand; for example: ginger, scallion, filled to the brim with a beautiful stuffing of pine nuts, walnuts, quinoa, warm spices, dried cranberries and apricots, preserved lemon and kale. With a lemon and herb vinaigrette for drizzling Accompanied by my fave rose, the Cono Sur Pinot Noir Rose Sparkling Wine $14.95 at LCBO...Just the right amount of bubbles and just the right amount of pale pink, as well as terrific watermelon flavours. QPR: 92. And hovering in the background was a sample of the delightful Palet D'or chocolate cake with creme anglaise, accompanied by Taylor Fladgate 20-Year Old Tawny Port (left from Christmas). We'll need more dining stuff from Hooked as this year evolves... [PS: we paid for our own meals and wines, except for the Alsatian trade sample] ** Some Recommended Wines from the LCBO’s Limited Time Offers selections...these are good value...on sale through Sunday February 27, 2022. [red] +499384 Kacaba Vineyards & Winery Cabernet 2020 VQA Niagara Peninsula, LCBO & Grocery: normally $15.95, now $13.95, save $2. [white] +11452 Willm Réserve Riesling Alsace: normally $19.95, now $ 17.95, save $2. [rose][fizz] +20995 BOTTEGA PROSECCO ROSE DOC SPUMANTE BRUT, VENETO: normally $17.65, now $15.65, save $2. Buy a case ! Major Feature: FRANCE Wines Under $20 ========= W+119099 VIÑA COBOS FELINO CHARDONNAY Mendoza 2019 $19.95 MVC/QPR: 89. Fizz+39016 PIERRE SPARR BRUT ROSÉ CRÉMANT D'ALSACE Traditional method, AC, Alsace, France $19.95 MVC/QPR: 89. R+20920 GEORGE DUBOEUF SÉLECTION JULIÉNAS AC 2019 $19.95 MVC/QPR: 89. R+642421 VALPANTENA TORRE DEL FALASCO VALPOLICELLA RIPASSO DOC 2019 $18.95 MVC/QPR: 89. R+12281 CHÂTEAU DE RIBEBON AC Bordeaux Supérieur 2018 $16.95 MVC/QPR: 89. Wines Over $20 ========= Fizz+385104 GARDET 1ER CRU BLANC DE NOIRS BRUT CHAMPAGNE $52.95 MVC/QPR: 89 Fizz+402362 MARIE-PIERRE MANCIAT BRUT CRÉMANT DE BOURGOGNE Traditional method, AC, Burgundy, France $24.95 MVC/QPR: 89. W+593996 JACKSON-TRIGGS NIAGARA ESTATE GRAND RESERVE CHARDONNAY VQA Niagara Peninsula 2019 $20.95 MVC/QPR: 90. WORLD WINE WATCH TOP WINES AT VINTAGES: under/over $20 for FEBRUARY 5, 2022 By DEAN TUDOR, Gothic Epicures Writing deantudor@deantudor.com. My "Wines, Beers and Spirits of the Net", a guide to thousands of news items and RSS feeds, plus references to wines, beers and spirits, has been at http://www.deantudor.com since 1994. These notes for good wines available through LCBO Vintages (on a bi-weekly basis) can always be found at http://www.gothicepicures.blogspot.ca or at http://www.deantudor.com No winery can buy their way into – or out of – this publication. Scores are a combination of MVC (Modal Varietal Character, e.g. a Southern Rhone would taste like a Southern Rhone) and QPR (Quality/Price Ratio value in the marketplace above or below its price). Currently, the wine media have no access to the tasting samples usually provided to us in the LCBO lab on a fortnightly basis. This will go on or some time. HOWEVER, the wine media will still have access to the advance spreadsheet of the wines to be released. So I know what is to be released and when. SOME (but not many) of these 100 or so biweekly released wines I have recently tasted since January 2020 or so, and I can comfortably recommend them based on this prior sampling. ** Some Recent Books about Gin that I reviewed --- --LET THE FUN BE GIN; cocktail recipes & coasters for the happiest hours (Castle Point Books, St. Martin's Press, 2021, boards and coasters kit in book form, $24.99) is a collection of stylized 10 pop-out coasters and 10 cocktail recipes, designed to jazz any celebration with colour and with clever sayings. It's your own Algonquin Hotel (but without New York). Coasters are easy to save and to re-use. The 10 recipes include the Aviation: citric tones, herbaceousness, floral notes. Full instructions given! --THE MARTINI; perfection in a glass (Artisan, 2021, 150 pages, $22.65 hardbound) is by Matt Hranek, who also wrote the definitive THE NEGRONI. It's a great basic guide, covering gin, vermouth, bitters, garnish – and even vodka (if need be). All the gin preps here can easily become vodka preps. It all depends on how much juniper-forward tastes you would enjoy. There's a cultural history of the drink, barware and glassware, various techniques (stirred, shaken, et al), and a whole pile of over 30 variations to try out. The martini is the consummate cocktail: writers, actors, politicians. You could start with the Martinez from 1849, but it's a lot sweeter since it uses sweet vermouth. It's more like a gin Manhattan without the bourbon. The concluding section has a listing of appropriate snacks, an espresso martini, and a listing of global places to savour this drink. --NEGRONI (Ryland Peters & Small, 2021, 64 pages, $13.85 hardbound) is by David T. Smith and Keli Rivers. Here are more than 30 classic and modern recipes for Italy's iconic cocktail. Variations make use of dry and aged vermouths, along with ports and sherries and white bitters. One for the cocktail friends. Quality/Price rating: 90. --THE NEGRONI; a love affair with a classic cocktail (Artisan, 2021, 160 pages, $22.95 hardbound) is by Matt Hranek, who has done major research in this area. The Negroni is a great Euro-cocktail with its botanicals from the bitters, the vermouth, and the gin. The best ones have a balance of bitter and sweet. This current book comes well-endorsed by Chef Michael Ruhlman: “This is one of the best books devoted to a single cocktail I've read.” Hranek begins with the components of Italian bitters (I think Campari has a stranglehold here), moving on to Italian red vermouth (Antica Formula Carpano or Punt e mes) and then gin. Garnishes, ice, and equipment come next, followed by 31 recipes for the drink and 11 food snacks. Terrific illustrations, mostly posters. He's even got a list of the best places in Europe to enjoy the Negroni! Quality/Price Rating: 93 --STRANGER GINS; 50 things to drink while you watch TV (Dog 'n' Bone, 2021, 64 pages, $13.99 hardbound) has been compiled by Carol Hilker, a Chicago-based food writer. All of the shows are “series” and include old and new. Thus, there's Twin Peaks (recommended drink: Jacoby's Coconut). Fleabag (Hot Priest), Mad Men (Dirty Don Martini), and Seinfeld (Festivus)...But no Sopranos. She's got recipes and reasons for each show. PS: I'm not ashamed to admit having seen all of these shows but drinking just wine when I watched them. Quality/Price Rating:87 ** Some Recommended Wines from the LCBO’s Limited Time Offers selections...these are good value...on sale January 31 through Sunday February 27 -- [red] +499384 Kacaba Vineyards & Winery Cabernet 2020 VQA Niagara Peninsula, LCBO & Grocery: normally $15.95, now $13.95, save $2. [rose][fizz] +20995 BOTTEGA PROSECCO ROSE DOC SPUMANTE BRUT, VENETO: normally $17.65, now $15.65, save $2. [white] +11452 Willm Réserve Riesling Alsace: normally $19.95, now $ 17.95, save $2. Major Theme for Feb 5/22 – ARGENTINA Wines Under $20 ========= W+492462 PELEE ISLAND WINERY VINEDRESSER CHARDONNAY VQA South Islands, Lake Erie North Shore 2017 $17.95 R+128629 LUIGI BOSCA CABERNET SAUVIGNON Mendoza 2019 $18.95 MVC/QPR: 89 R+273672 STORIA ANTICA SUPERIORE VALPOLICELLA RIPASSO DOC 2019 $18.95 MVC/QPR: 89 Wines Over $20 ========= Fizz+21172 GRUET BRUT SPARKLING Traditional method, New Mexico $26.95 MVC/QPR: 89 W+565861 CHÂTEAU DES CHARMES VIDAL ICEWINE VQA Niagara-on-the-Lake, Ontario $28.95 MVC/QPR: 89 W+238642 INNISKILLIN MONTAGUE VINEYARD CHARDONNAY Single vineyard, VQA Four Mile Creek, Niagara-on-the-Lake 2019 $25.95 MVC/QPR: 89 R+317008 VERSADO MALBEC Luján de Cuyo, Mendoza 2017 $24.95 MVC/QPR: 89 R+316984 VERSADO ANCIENT RESERVA MALBEC Mendoza 2014 $58.95 MVC/QPR: 89 WORLD WINE WATCH TOP WINES AT VINTAGES: under/over $20 for JANUARY 22, 2022 By DEAN TUDOR, Gothic Epicures Writing deantudor@deantudor.com. My "Wines, Beers and Spirits of the Net", a guide to thousands of news items and RSS feeds, plus references to wines, beers and spirits, has been at http://www.deantudor.com since 1994. These notes for good wines available through LCBO Vintages (on a bi-weekly basis) can always be found at http://www.gothicepicures.blogspot.ca or at http://www.deantudor.com No winery can buy their way into – or out of – this publication. Scores are a combination of MVC (Modal Varietal Character, e.g. a Southern Rhone would taste like a Southern Rhone) and QPR (Quality/Price Ratio value in the marketplace above or below its price). Currently, the wine media have no access to the tasting samples usually provided to us in the LCBO lab on a fortnightly basis. This will go on or some time. HOWEVER, the wine media will still have access to the advance spreadsheet of the wines to be released. So I know what is to be released and when. SOME (but not many) of these 100 or so biweekly released wines I have recently tasted since January 2020 or so, and I can comfortably recommend them based on this prior sampling. ** Some New Wines I Tasted Over the Past Fortnight --- REPORT ON RED WINES FROM RIBERA DEL DUERO SPAIN – Spain’s Ribera del Duero is home to the most Spanish iconic wine estates—- Vega Sicilia and Tinto Pesquera. Both have defined the taste and style of Ribera del Duero. This region has more great wines than any other in Spain. -Hermanos Penez Pascuas El Pedrosal Crianza 2016 Ribera del Duero, LCBO +540070 $18.95: a basic entry level wine at a good price for Ribera wines. Actually, it is rare to find Ribera del Duero for under $20 in Canada. This is all tempranillo from 20 year old vines, aged 12 months in a mix of French and American oak barrels. There's a lot of wine packed into this bottle. Although medium-bodied, it is warm and spicy, floral, with toasted ripe fruit and oak tones. Charcuterie and cheese boards work very well here as food pairings. 14.5% ABV, 4 g/L residual sugar. Quality/Price rating is 91 points by Dean Tudor of Gothic Epicures. -Legon Premium Vina Vilano 2018 Pedrosa Ribera del Duero, LCBO +270645 $29.95: 100% tempranillo, aged two years in French oak. Vineyards are 90 years old (on average) with some at 100 years plus. Rich nose, “pumpkin pie” spices, cooked plums, berries. Long wooded tannins with some olive complexity and a slightly bitterish finish. Should be great with all manner of roasts. Dryish, dense rich and plush on the mid-palate. 14% ABV, 2 g/L residual sugar. Quality/Price rating is 92 points by Dean Tudor of Gothic Epicures. -Real Sitio de Ventosilla Pradorey Finca la Mina Reserva 2015, LCBO +995191 $36.95: 95% tempranillo, 3% cabernet sauvignon and 2% merlot, from a single vineyard. 18 months in French oak, six months in Nevers oak vats. Very savoury in tone (the cab and merlot seem to contribute nuances of eucalyptus), yummy fruit which just gets better as it aerates (do a double decant). Classic complex wine for Ribera del Duero at the median price point: black and red baked fruit (cherries, plums, berries) and even some garrigue in its herbs and smokey spices. Finish is smooth and velvety. Tasted over several days. 14.5% ABV, 2 g/L residual sugar. Quality/Price rating is 93 points by Dean Tudor of Gothic Epicures. -Penafiel Silencio de Miros 2015 Raphael Vineyard Ribera del Duero, LCBO +21214 $86: 100% tempranillo grown at 1000 metres, aged in new French oak barrels. Fruity aromatic compounds are extracted: red currants, plums, forest floor nuances, raisinated grapes, mocha, spices, new oak tones, even a touch of sherry. At the end, everything comes together with a melding of flavours, in an extremely long finish. Tasted over several days. Probably even better after some aging, say a decade more in bottle through 2032. This vintage was rated at 96 points by Decanter in 2018. 14.5% ABV, 2 g/L residual sugar. Quality/Price rating is 94+ points by Dean Tudor of Gothic Epicures. ** Some Recommended Wines from the LCBO’s Limited Time Offers selections...these are good value...on sale through Sunday January 30... [red]+168716 M. Chapoutier Les Vignes de Bila-Haut Côtes du Roussillon-Villages was $13.95 LTO for $11.95 Save $2 until Jan 30 [buy a case!] [rose]+279661 L'ORANGERAIE ROSE PAYS D'OC Sas Vignobles Lorgeril WAS: $ 11.80 LTO for $ 9.80 SAVE: $ 2 Until Jan 30 [buy a case!] [white]+286377 Cave Spring Estate Riesling regularly $19.95, LTO for $17.95 Save $2 until Jan 30 [splurge fizz] +462432 PIPER HEIDSIECK BRUT CHAMPAGNE WAS: $ 60.30 LTO NOW: $ 55.30 SAVE: $ 5.00 Until Jan 30 – great for St. Valentine's Day Jan 22 Wines Under $20 ========= W+389726 BOYA SAUVIGNON BLANC Sustainable, Coast Zone, DO Valle de Leyda 2020 $14.95 MVC/QPR: 89. R+160226 MONTE DEL FRÁ LENA DI MEZZO VALPOLICELLA CLASSICO DOC 2019 $18.95 MVC/QPR: 89. R+488015 QUINTA DO ESPÍRITO SANTO Vinho Regional Lisboa 2017 $13.95 MVC/QPR: 89 Jan 22 Wines Over $20 ========= Fizz+23971 JACQUES BRUÉRE CAP CLASSIQUE BLANC DE BLANCS SPARKLING Traditional method, WO Robertson, South Africa 2011 $25.95 MVC/QPR: 89. Fizz+113035 PELLER ESTATES SIGNATURE SERIES ICE CUVÉE SPARKLING ROSÉ Traditional method, Icewine dosage, VQA Niagara Peninsula, Ontario $36.95 MVC/QPR: 89 R+638445 MORANDÉ ADVENTURE VIGNO VIGNADORES OLD VINES DRY-FARMED CARIGNAN Valle del Maule 2018 $28.95 MVC/QPR: 89. R+12736 ENRICO SERAFINO PICOTENER NEBBIOLO DOC Langhe 2018 $41.95 MVC/QPR: 89. R+342824 CANNONBALL MERLOT California 2019 $22.95 MVC/QPR: 89. WORLD WINE WATCH TOP WINES AT VINTAGES: under/over $20 for JANUARY 8, 2022 ======================================= “SMART BUYS FEATURE" [modestly priced wines] By DEAN TUDOR, Gothic Epicures Writing deantudor@deantudor.com. My "Wines, Beers and Spirits of the Net", a guide to thousands of news items and RSS feeds, plus references to wines, beers and spirits, has been at http://www.deantudor.com since 1994. These notes for good wines available through LCBO Vintages (on a bi-weekly basis) can always be found at http://www.gothicepicures.blogspot.ca or at http://www.deantudor.com No winery can buy their way into – or out of – this publication. Scores are a combination of MVC (Modal Varietal Character, e.g. a Southern Rhone would taste like a Southern Rhone) and QPR (Quality/Price Ratio value in the marketplace above or below its price). Currently, the wine media have no access to the tasting samples usually provided to us in the LCBO lab on a fortnightly basis. This will go on or some time. HOWEVER, the wine media will still have access to the advance spreadsheet of the wines to be released. So I know what is to be released and when. SOME (but not many) of these 100 or so biweekly released wines I have recently tasted since January 2020 or so, and I can comfortably recommend them based on this prior sampling. ** Some New Wines I Tasted Over the Past Fortnight --- REPORT FROM ALSATIAN WHITE WINES Dec 14, 2021 – I was given a half dozen bottles of Alsatian wine via Sopexa, to try pairing against a variety of Asian foods. Of course I shared the meal with my wife... We started with Crémant d’Alsace Brut Dirler-Cadé 2016 and then Crémant d’Alsace Domaine Frey-Sohler 2012. Both were totally different. The Crémant d’Alsace Brut Dirler-Cadé 2016 (LCBO +184357, $41) was Brut Nature (bone dry) with 60% pinot gris, 30% auxerrois, and 10% riesling, coming in at 12.4% ABV and 0.66 g/L residual sugar. Average age of the vines: 35 years. The wine has been certified by ECOCERT as biodynamic since the 2012 vintage. It was aged 24 – 32 months on lees, no dosage. The taste was compellingly dry and lemony, being driven by the auxerrois, with a soupcon of riesling on the mid-palate. The finish was lip smacking and appetite provoking. A very good first wine. Quality/Price rating is 92 points by Dean Tudor of Gothic Epicures. The Crémant d’Alsace Domaine Frey-Sohler 2012 (LCBO +185511, $31.45) was all riesling and Extra Brut at 3.9 g/L residual sugar and 12.1% ABV. It sat for 9 (NINE!) years of aging on fine lees. It can be an aperitif or first course wine with bivalves. It had a riesling austerity that emphasized minerality, orchard fruit and lemons. Quality/Price rating is 93 points by Dean Tudor of Gothic Epicures. The food Sopexa sent came from local chef Alex Pivnick; it included -- -Ontario salad leaves with terrific sesame miso vinaigrette, julienned daikon and carrot, -Explosive spicy Thai sesame peanut noodles with vegetables and green onion, -Smacked spicy cucumber salad, chiliflakes and shoyu, and -good fatty Duck rillette. Ending with underripe/tartish fruits: cactus pear, passion fruit, kiwi, and apricot. The main condiment was chili crisp with peanut pieces. With the food, we began with Pinot Blanc Joseph Cattin 2019 (LCBO +226642, $14.95) which was a bargain in a sea of pinot grigio from other countries. Pinot blanc has value in its unctuousness and thicker body. Residual sugar was 7 g/L and there was 12% ABV. On the palate, there was orchard fruit, especially white peaches, along with a yeast and citrus complexity. It certainly went with tasting samples of all the courses. Quality/Price rating is 89 points by Dean Tudor of Gothic Epicures. Other wines included Wilm Riesling Réserve 2019 (LCBO +11452, $19.95) just a tad dry with 2.4 g/L residual sugar and 12.55% ABV from the minerality of the terroir. Tangy citric tones with an underlying raciness on the mid-palate. I loved it with the duck rillete; it cut through the fat content. Should also do well with cream-sauced based seafood. Quality/Price rating is 90 points by Dean Tudor of Gothic Epicures. Then we had a chance to compare different styles of gewurztraminer. First up was the Pierre Sparr Gewurztraminer 2020 (LCBO +373373, $17.95) with its 13.5% ABV and 14.9 g/L of residual sugar. It seemed to be totally lychee and peaches, exceedingly ripe fruit, long bitterish finish. Good with all manner of Asian foods. Quality/Price rating is 90 points by Dean Tudor of Gothic Epicures. The last wine was the Willm Gewurztraminer Réserve 2019 (LCBO +269852, $17.95) with its 13.31% ABV and 18.39 g/L of residual sugar: it's all about tropical fruit, flowers and spices, from lychees to pineapples, to roses, to cinnamon. Everything lingers, and it is hard to beat at this price. Great with all manner of Asian foods. Terrific value. Quality/Price rating is 93 points by Dean Tudor of Gothic Epicures. ** Some Recommended Wines from the LCBO’s Limited Time Offer selections...these are good value...on sale now through Sunday January 30. [red]+168716 M. Chapoutier Les Vignes de Bila-Haut Côtes du Roussillon-Villages was $13.95 LTO for $11.95 Save $2 until Jan 30 [buy a case!] [rose]+279661 L'ORANGERAIE ROSE PAYS D'OC Sas Vignobles Lorgeril WAS: $ 11.80 LTO for $ 9.80 SAVE: $ 2 Until Jan 30 [buy a case!] [white]+286377 Cave Spring Estate Riesling regularly $19.95, LTO for $17.95 Save $2 until Jan 30 [splurge fizz] +462432 PIPER HEIDSIECK BRUT CHAMPAGNE WAS: $ 60.30 LTO NOW: $ 55.30 SAVE: $ 5.00 Until Jan 30. Wines Under $20 ========= W+196956 JOSEPH CATTIN PINOT GRIS AC Alsace 2019 $15.95 MVC/QPR: 89 W+23972 PONDVIEW BELLA TERRA CHARDONNAY Sur lie, VQA Niagara-on-the-Lake 2020 $19.95 MVC/QPR: 89 R+258673 G. MARQUIS THE SILVER LINE PINOT NOIR VQA Niagara-on-the-Lake $19.95 MVC/QPR: 89 R+64618 FEATHERSTONE CABERNET FRANC VQA Niagara Peninsula $19.95 MVC/QPR: 89 R+20949 CHÂTEAU COURAC LAUDUN COTES DU RHÔNE-VILLAGES AP 2017 $18.95 MVC/QPR: 89 R+21282 CHÂTEAU LA COMMANDERIE DU BARDELET AC Bordeaux 2019 $15.95 MVC/QPR: 89 R+548560 ALICE VIEIRA DE SOUSA RESERVE RED DOC Douro 2019 $16.95 MVC/QPR: 89 R+492561 FARINA VALPOLICELLA DOC 2020 $15.95 MVC/QPR: 89 R+21087 CHÂTEAU LA PIROUETTE Cru Bourgeois, AC Médoc 2016 $18.95 MVC/QPR: 89 Wines Over $20 ========= R+461699 HENRY OF PELHAM SPECK FAMILY RESERVE BACO NOIR VQA Ontario $24.95 MVC/QPR: 90 WORLD WINE WATCH TOP WINES AT VINTAGES: under/over $20 for DECEMBER 11, 2021 By DEAN TUDOR, Gothic Epicures Writing deantudor@deantudor.com. My "Wines, Beers and Spirits of the Net", a guide to thousands of news items and RSS feeds, plus references to wines, beers and spirits, has been at http://www.deantudor.com since 1994. These notes for good wines available through LCBO Vintages (on a bi-weekly basis) can always be found at http://www.gothicepicures.blogspot.ca or at http://www.deantudor.com No winery can buy their way into – or out of – this publication. Scores are a combination of MVC (Modal Varietal Character, e.g. a Southern Rhone would taste like a Southern Rhone) and QPR (Quality/Price Ratio value in the marketplace above or below its price). Currently, the wine media have no access to the tasting samples usually provided to us in the LCBO lab on a fortnightly basis. This will go on or some time. HOWEVER, the wine media will still have access to the advance spreadsheet of the wines to be released. So I know what is to be released and when. SOME (but not many) of these 100 or so biweekly released wines I have recently tasted since January 2020 or so, and I can comfortably recommend them based on this prior sampling. ** Some New Wines I Tasted Over the Past Fortnight --- REPORT FROM GAMBERO ROSSO TRE-BICCHIERI 2021 TORONTO LIBERTY GRAND NOVEMBER 22, 2021 -- The Date and Time: Monday November 22, 2021 1PM to 6PM The Event: This was the big tasting – Gambero Rosso Trebicchieri award winners and other Italian wines. The Venue: The Liberty Grand, CNE grounds The Target Audience: wine media, sommeliers, agents The Availability/Catalogue: the catalogue was available via QR Code, or, if you did not have a smartphone, on special request for the PDF. It was more a brochure, with a table listing by alphabetical agent and then name of the wine. Specifics were addressed at each tasting table (price, availability channels, etc.). The Quote/Background: Gambero Rosso was back in Canada to present an exclusive selection of Tre Bicchieri rated wines, awarded in the large Vini d'Italia Guide ($30). There were a number of masterclasses (about five), running every hour on different regions of Italy, from North to South. I did not attend, preferring to spend my time at the tasting tables – especially before the crowds surged at 3PM The Wines: I tasted what I could, but there were so many wines – I gave preference to sparklers and white wines, with some older, more expensive reds. Wines are listed by my rating points, followed by an agency name. **** BEST -- Four Stars (91+ in Quality/Price Rating terms): -Val d'Oca Valdobbiadene Rive di Santo Stefano Extra Brut 2019 [ALLIED WINE GROUP] -Masi Amarone della Valpolicella Cl. Costasera Riserva 2015 [AUTHENTIC] -Masi Lugana Lunatio 2020 [AUTHENTIC] -Masi Amarone della Valpolicella Classico Mazzano 2012 [AUTHENTIC] -Varvaglione 12 e Mezzo Primitivo 2020 [CALIBER] -Varvaglione Primitivo di Manduria Papale Oro 2019 [CALIBER] -Collezione Privata Cosimo Varvaglione Old Vines Negroamaro 2019 [CALIBER] -Sorelle Bronca Valdobbiadene Frizzante Sui Lieviti Difetto Perfetto 2019 MID$30 [CRU] -Sorelle Bronca Valdobbiadene Rive di Rua Brut Particella 181 2020 [CRU] -Sorelle Bronca Valdobbiadene Brut $20.95 [CRU] -Franciacorta Brut Cuvée N. 7 - Lo Sparviere [EPIC] -Enrico Serafino Barbaresco Sanavento 2018 [MAJESTIC] -Enrico Serafino Barolo Monclivio 2016 [MAJESTIC] -Cantine di Verona Valpolicella Sup. Brolo dei Giusti 2015 [MAJESTIC] -Cantine di Verona Amarone della Valpolicella Torre del Falasco 2017 [MAJESTIC] -Francesco Tornatore Etna Bianco Pietrarizzo 2020 [NICHOLAS PEARCE] -Panizzi Vernaccia di San Gimignano Riserva 2016 [WINE LOVERS AGENCY] -Toblino Trentino Nosiola Largiller 2013 [LCBO CLASSICS, $65] -Toblino Trentino Gewürztraminer 2020 -Toblino Trentino Chardonnay Foll 2018 -Tenuta Mara Vermentino di Gallura Petrizza 2020 - Masone Mannu -Poggio Le Volpi Frascati Sup. Epos Riserva 2018 [WINE LOVERS AGENCY INC.] -Velenosi Offida Pecorino Bio 2020 [PROFILE WINE GROUP] ***1/2 BETTER -- Three and a Half Stars (88 – 90 in Quality/Price Rating terms): -Santa Margherita Valdobbiadene Brut Brut Rosé [DANDURAND] -Tenuta di Angoris Collio Bianco Langor Giulio Locatelli Riserva 2019[ARGENTUM WINE IMPORTS] -Tenuta di Angoris FCO Ribolla Gialla 2020 [ARGENTUM WINE IMPORTS] -Famiglia Cecchi Maremma Toscana Vermentino Litorale Val delle Rose 2020[CHARTON HOBBS] -Enrico Serafino Gavi del Comune di Gavi Grifo del Quartaro 2020 [MAJESTIC] -Enrico SerafinoLanghe Nebbiolo Picotener 2019 [MAJESTIC] -Toblino Trentino Lagrein Las 2018 -Scuderia-Italia Amarone della Valpolicella DOCG 2015 -Scuderia-Italia Brunello di Montalcino DOCG 2015 -Scuderia-Italia Valpolicella Ripasso Superiore DOC 2016 -Val d'Oca Valdobbiadene Dry Uvaggio Storico [ALLIED] -Canevel Spumanti Prosecco Brut Rosé 2020 [AUTHENTIC] -Canevel Valdobbiadene Brut Setage 2020 [AUTHENTIC] -Canevel Valdobbiadene Brut Campofalco 2020 Organic [AUTHENTIC] The Food: in common with other trade tastings of late in this era of covid-19, all foods were on platters carried by wait staff. These included copious amounts of pesto panini with cheese and meat, arancini and cheese balls with tomato dipping sauce, prosciutto wrapped bread-sticks, polenta and mushrooms, tomato caprese salad, pizza (cheese and herbs), pasta with a light fresh sauce, cold skewers of veggies and mushrooms, followed by desserts of cannoli and tiramisu. The Downside: the desserts came out too soon, and there was just one half table with coffee. Also, the catalogue was a bit short on details. The Upside: the show was nicely orchestrated with agency tables close to hand, and the flow of traffic was well-paced. The Contact Person: Giovanni Silvestri The Event’s Marketing Effectiveness and Execution (numerical grade): 89. ** Some Recommended Wines from the LCBO’s Limited Time Offers selections...these are good value...on sale through Sunday January 2, 2022: [red] LOUIS M. MARTINI NAPA VALLEY CABERNET SAUVIGNON VINTAGES 232371 WAS: $ 44.95 | NOW: $ 39.95 | SAVE: $ 5.00 through January 2, 2022. [rose] CONO SUR SPARKLING PINOT NOIR ROSÉ Chile LCBO 365205 WAS: $ 14.95 | NOW: $ 12.95 | SAVE: $ 2.00 through January 2, 2022. Buy a case. [white] JOSH CELLARS CHARDONNAY California LCBO 561100 WAS: $ 18.95 | NOW: $ 16.95 SAVE: $ 2.00 through January 2, 2022. [fizz] CAVE SPRING BLANC DE BLANCS BRUT SPARKLING VQA VINTAGES 213983 WAS: $ 29.95 | NOW: $ 26.95 | SAVE: $ 3.00 through January 2, 2022. [splurge for NYEve] CHAMPAGNE VICTOIRE BRUT PRESTIGE LCBO 190025 WAS: $ 42.95 | NOW: $ 39.95 |SAVE: $ 3.00 through January 2, 2022. Dec 11/21 Wines Under $20 ========= Fizz+21049 MASI MODELLO MILLESIMATO BRUT ROSÉ PROSECCO DOC, Italy 2020 $19.95 MVC/QPR: 89 W+341586 FEATHERSTONE FOUR FEATHERS VQA Niagara Peninsula 2020 $14.95 MVC/QPR: 90 W+231282 KEN FORRESTER OLD VINE RESERVE CHENIN BLANC WO Stellenbosch 2020 MVC/QPR: 90 R+523001 CAVE SPRING CABERNET FRANC VQA Beamsville Bench, Niagara Escarpment, Ontario 2019 $17.95 MVC/QPR: 89. R+999946 REMO FARINA RIPASSO VALPOLICELLA CLASSICO SUPERIORE DOC, Veneto, Italy 2019 $18.95 MVC/QPR: 89. R+354134 CHÂTEAU BELLEVUE LA FORÊT AP Fronton 2018 $14.95 MVC/QPR: 89 Dec 11/21 Wines Over $20 ========= R+395855 HENRY OF PELHAM ESTATE CABERNET/MERLOT VQA Short Hills Bench, Niagara Escarpment 2019 $24.95 MVC/QPR: 90 R+213132 LA PIEVE BAROLO DOCG 2018 $39.95 MVC/QPR: 89 R+438572 CASALE DEL BOSCO BRUNELLO DI MONTALCINO DOCG 2016 $51.95 MVC/QPR: 89. R+73817 RUTHERFORD RANCH CABERNET SAUVIGNON Napa Valley, California 2018 $42.95 MVC/QPR: 90 R+642496 BARÓN DE LEY GRAN RESERVA DOCa Rioja, Spain 2014 $29.95 MVC/QPR: 92 R+269357 CHATEAU STE. MICHELLE CABERNET SAUVIGNON Columbia Valley 2018 $21.95 MVC/QPR: 89 R+597476 MASI MAZZANO AMARONE DELLA VALPOLICELLA CLASSICO DOCG 2012 $134.95 MVC/QPR: 91 WORLD WINE WATCH TOP WINES AT VINTAGES: under/over $20 for NOVEMBER 27, 2021 By DEAN TUDOR, Gothic Epicures Writing deantudor@deantudor.com. My "Wines, Beers and Spirits of the Net", a guide to thousands of news items and RSS feeds, plus references to wines, beers and spirits, has been at http://www.deantudor.com since 1994. These notes for good wines available through LCBO Vintages (on a bi-weekly basis) can always be found at http://www.gothicepicures.blogspot.ca or at http://www.deantudor.com No winery can buy their way into – or out of – this publication. Scores are a combination of MVC (Modal Varietal Character, e.g. a Southern Rhone would taste like a Southern Rhone) and QPR (Quality/Price Ratio value in the marketplace above or below its price). Currently, the wine media have no access to the tasting samples usually provided to us in the LCBO lab on a fortnightly basis. This will go on or some time. HOWEVER, the wine media will still have access to the advance spreadsheet of the wines to be released. So I know what is to be released and when. SOME (but not many) of these 100 or so biweekly released wines I have recently tasted since January 2020 or so, and I can comfortably recommend them based on this prior sampling. ** Some New Wines I Tasted Over the Past Fortnight --- Chateau des Charmes Gewurztraminer 2018 St.David’s Bench VQA, $21.95 Vintages +453472 (also at winery and online): from older vines (22 years) in the St. David's Bench vineyards, done up in stainless steel. Alsatian in style, with concentrated fruit, off-dry on the mid-palate, spicy with a tad of bitter on the finish, great with Asiatic foods. Or wonderful as a sipper/aperitif by the deck/patio/pool/terrace/balcony. Cork finish, and it should improve over the next five years. 6 gm/L residual sugar. 12.6% ABV. 229 cases produced. Quality/price rating 91 points by Dean Tudor. Chateau des Charmes Blanc de Blancs Sparkling Wine Methode Traditionnelle 2017 VQA Niagara on the Lake, $34.95 +423111 Vintages [also at winery and online]: one of Ontario's top-rated MT sparklers, nicely aged at four years. 100% chardonnay. Bottle aged on the lees for at least 2 years, with orchard fruit notes, some buttercream, citrus aromas, fresh bread, excellent mousse. Vintage dated from the 2017 harvest. 550 cases. 1.35g/L residual sugar. 12.7% ABV. The wine is still young and could use more time for resolution. Quality/Price rating is 93 points by Dean Tudor of Gothic Epicures. REPORT FROM ABRUZZO [ITALY] WINE TASTING AT CASA LOMA NOVEMBER 15 2021 -- The Date and Time: Monday November 15, 2021 1PM – 5:30PM The Event: Tasting of Abruzzo wines via The Charming Taste of Europe campaign. The Venue: Casa Loma The Target Audience: wine writers, sommeliers, wine trade agents The Availability/Catalogue: wines are available through the LCBO, or by consignment, or by arrangement with an agent. Some wineries were looking for Ontario agents. The catalogue listed all full values: name of wine, varietal, vintage, number of bottles annually, percentage composition, winemaking process, aging process, colour, bouquet, palate, ABV, food pairings, retail price on the market. Best catalogue layout I have seen in quite some time. The Quote/Background: Seventeen wineries participated. We did not wear masks when tasting, although the agents and pourers usually did. Note: minor conflict of interest – my maternal grandparents immigrated to Ontario from Abruzzo. The region has about 6,000 grape producers, 35 co-ops, and over 250 wineries. The Wines: I decided to taste white wines and aged reds. The red wines are largely montepulciano d'abruzzo, the whites pecorino and trebbiano d'abruzzo. Some agents are listed after their wine. **** BEST -- Four Stars (91+ in Quality/Price Rating terms): -Cantina Tollo Mo Montepulciano d'Abruzzo 2016 $19.95 Jan 2022 Vintages Eurovintage -Ciavolich Divus Montepulciano d'Abruzzo 2017 $29.95 Tifa Wine Inc -Ciavolich Aries Colline Pescaresi Pecorino 2020 $28.95 Tifa Wine Inc -Collefrisio In & Out Montepulciano d'Abruzzo 2015 30E -Collefrisio Semis Montepulciano d'Abruzzo 2013 30E -Jasci & Marchesani Rudhir Montepulciano d'Abruzzo 2018 $45 SI, LCBO -Fattoria la Valentina Spelt Montepulciano d'Abruzzo Riserva 2017 $40 – 45 Mondo Vino -Masciarelli Villa Gemme Montepulciano d'Abruzzo Riserva 2015 $100 STEM Group -Nic Tartaglia Colline Pescaresi Pecorino 2020 $30 Oikades -Tenuta Secolo IX Moscatello Passito Colline Pescaresi Passito 2015 7.9E ***1/2 BETTER -- Three and a Half Stars (88 – 90 in Quality/Price Rating terms): -Biagi Rerum Cerasuolo d'Abruzzo 2020 Rose -Biagi Pecorino Colli Aprutini 2020 $25 – 30 -Bosco Nestore Pan Montepulciano d'Abruzzo 2017 $24.95 EPIC -Bosco Nestore Lnea Classico Colline Pescaresi Pecorino 2020 $12 EPIC -Cantina Tollo Pietrame Terre di Chieti 2020 $12.95 Rurovintage -Ciavolich Fosso d'Abruzzo Trebbiano d'Abruzzo 2015 $49.95 Tifa Wine Inc -Ettore Galasso Corno Grande Premium Montepulciano d'Abruzzo 2017 -Masciarelli Castello Di Semivicoli Trebbiano d'Abruzzo 2018 $33 STEM Group -Masciarelli Marina Cvetic Montepulciano d'Abruzzo Riserva 2017 $40 STEM Group -Nic Tartaglia Montepulciano d'Abruzzo 2017 $30 Oikades -Novaripa Rocky Marciano Montepulciano d'Abruzzo 2014 $24.95 March 5 Vintages -Novaripa Monaric Amber Terra di Chieti Pinot Grigio 2029 $19 -Orlandi Contucci Ponno Abruzzo Pecorino Superiore 2020 $24.95 EPIC -Orlandi Contucci Ponno Colle dellecorte Trebbiano d'Abruzzo Superiore 2020 $21.59 EPIC -Paride d'Angelo Montepulciano d'Abruzzo Riserva Organic 2016 $21.50 -Tenuta Secolo IX Fonte Grotta Colline Pescaresi Bianco 2020 7.9E -Tenuta Terraviva Mario's 46 Trebbiano d'Abruzzo 2018 20E Alta Wines -Tenuta Terraviva Giusi Rose Corasuolo d'Abruzzo 2020 15E Alta Wines The Food: all of the food was brought to us via platters: individual servings of eggplant parmigiana, cheese risotto arancini, shrimp tempura, porketta sliders. All four were outstanding. Each table had a platter of I Bibanesi's “gusto pizza”: pizza flavoured breadsticks with EVOO, cheese, tomato, and oregano. Addictive!! The Downside: Casa Loma is not easy to get to via walking: you either go up the Baldwin steps or you walk down from St. Clair. The Upside: a great chance to re-connect with old friends at ICE, and to taste wines not commonly found in Ontario. The Contact Person: b.marassi@ice.it The Event’s Marketing Effectiveness and Execution (numerical grade): 93 ** Some Recommended Wines from the LCBO’s Limited Time Offers selections (Vintages Essential)...these are good value...on sale through Sunday Nov 28... [red] M. CHAPOUTIER LES VIGNES DE BILA-HAUT CÔTES DU ROUSSILLON-VILLAGES AC, Midi, +168716 (XD) 750 mL $15.95 regular NOW $13.95 Save $2.00 through Nov 28 [white] HIDDEN BENCH ESTATE CHARDONNAY VQA Beamsville Bench, Niagara Escarpment, +68817 (XD) 750 mL regular $29.95 NOW $27.95 Save $2.00 through Nov 28 [fizz] LAURENT-PERRIER CUVÉE BRUT ROSÉ CHAMPAGNE AC, Champagne +158550 (D) 750 mL $102.95 regular NOW $92.95 Save $10.00 through Nov 28 [splurge] STERLING NAPA VALLEY CABERNET SAUVIGNON Napa Valley +314575 (D) 750 mL $44.95 regular NOW $39.95 Save $5.00 through Nov 28 Wines Under $20 ========= Fizz+53215 BELCANTO DI BELLUSSI EXTRA DRY PROSECCO DI VALDOBBIADENE SUPERIORE DOCG, Veneto, Italy $19.95 MVC/QPR: 89. W+232439 CHATEAU STE. MICHELLE CHARDONNAY Columbia Valley 2020 $19.95 MVC/QPR: 89. W+214460 LAWSON'S DRY HILLS SAUVIGNON BLANC Vegan, sustainable, Marlborough, South Island 2020 $19.95 MVC/QPR: 89 W+485656 LES VIGNES DE BILA-HAUT CÔTES DU ROUSSILLON BLANC AP 2020 $15.95 MVC/QPR: 89. W+147975 GÉRARD BERTRAND RÉSERVE SPÉCIALE VIOGNIER IGP Pays d'Oc 2020 $14.95 MVC/QPR: 89. R+413245 GÉRARD BERTRAND GRAND TERROIR LES ASPRES SYRAH/MOURVÈDRE/GRENACHE AP Côtes du Roussillon Les Aspres 2018 $19.95 MVC/QPR: 89 R+131540 FEATHERSTONE RED TAIL MERLOT VQA Niagara Peninsula 2018 $19.95 MVC/QPR: 90 R+21117 CHÂTEAU LANBERSAC AC Puisseguin-Saint-Émilion 2018 $17.95 MVC/QPR: 89 Wines Over $20 ============= Fizz+593483 GRAHAM BECK BRUT SPARKLING Traditional method, WO Western Cape, South Africa $22.95 MVC/QPR: 89. Fizz+363655 MEGALOMANIAC BUBBLEHEAD SPARKLING ROSÉ Traditional method, VQA Niagara Peninsula, Ontario $34.95 MVC/QPR: 89. Fizz+315200 HENRY OF PELHAM CUVÉE CATHARINE CARTE BLANCHE ESTATE BLANC DE BLANC Traditional method, VQA Short Hills Bench, Niagara Escarpment, Ontario 2016 $49.95 MVC/QPR: 90. Fizz+528752 BENAJMIN BRIDGE MÉTHODE CLASSIQUE BRUT SPARKLING Traditional method, Nova Scotia $32.95 MVC/QPR: 89. W+643361 HENRY OF PELHAM SPECK FAMILY RESERVE RIESLING Sustainable, VQA Short Hills Bench, Niagara Escarpment 2019 $27.95 MVC/QPR: 89. W+424507 WESTCOTT ESTATE CHARDONNAY VQA Vinemount Ridge, Niagara Peninsula 2020 $29.95 MVC/QPR: 91 W+22138 ENRICO SERAFINO GRIFO DEL QUARTARO GAVI DEL COMMUNE DI GAVI DOC 2020 $24.95 MVC/QPR: 89. R+657874 HENRY OF PELHAM SPECK FAMILY RESERVE PINOT NOIR VQA Short Hills Bench, Niagara Escarpment 2019 $34.95 MVC/QPR: 89. WORLD WINE WATCH TOP WINES AT VINTAGES: under/over $20 for NOVEMBER 13, 2021 By DEAN TUDOR, Gothic Epicures Writing deantudor@deantudor.com. My "Wines, Beers and Spirits of the Net", a guide to thousands of news items and RSS feeds, plus references to wines, beers and spirits, has been at http://www.deantudor.com since 1994. These notes for good wines available through LCBO Vintages (on a bi-weekly basis) can always be found at http://www.gothicepicures.blogspot.ca or at http://www.deantudor.com No winery can buy their way into – or out of – this publication. Scores are a combination of MVC (Modal Varietal Character, e.g. a Southern Rhone would taste like a Southern Rhone) and QPR (Quality/Price Ratio value in the marketplace above or below its price). Currently, the wine media have no access to the tasting samples usually provided to us in the LCBO lab on a fortnightly basis. This will go on or some time. HOWEVER, the wine media will still have access to the advance spreadsheet of the wines to be released. So I know what is to be released and when. SOME (but not many) of these 100 or so biweekly released wines I have recently tasted since January 2020 or so, and I can comfortably recommend them based on this prior sampling. ** Some New Wines I Tasted Over the Past Fortnight --- REPORT FROM DRINK CHILE WINE EXPO 2021 CANADA The Date and Time: Wednesday November 3, 2021 11AM – 1PM – 3PM - 5PM The Event: Drink Chile Wine Expo 2021 Canada, Toronto Trade Show The Venue: Arcadian Lofts The Target Audience: wine media, agents, sommeliers The Availability/Catalogue: It was a mix of wines already at the LCBO, or coming to the LCBO, and some “maybes”. 17 wineries were at the show, with over 100 wines total. The catalogue was typical, with lots of text on the various grapes and appellation valleys. The wines were sorted by wineries, about 4 – 6 each, with a brief description but no prices. The Quote/Background: There was a masterclass but I decided not to attend. In the organization of the event, we were all seated six feet apart with no masks, while our masked servers and winery principals asked us what we wanted and then delivered it. The Wines: Very few of the principals had order forms with Ontario prices, but I did manage to nab a few quotes. There was a mix of wines already at the LCBO and others in transit or here on spec. I did not taste every wine. **** BEST -- Four Stars (91+ in Quality/Price Rating terms): -Vina Arboleda Cabernet Sauvignon Aconcagua 2019 -Aresti Trisquel Series Vichuquen Costa Chardonnay Curico Valley 2020 $24.95 -Vina Chocalan Reserva Cabernet Sauvignon Maipo Valley 2019, $15.99 retail Cons. STEM -Cono Sur 20 Barrels Chardonnay Casablanca 2019 -Cono Sur Sparkling Rose Pinot Noir Bio Bio -Vina Errazuriz Villa Don Maximiano 2017 Aconcagua -Vina Errazuriz Don Maximiano 2017 Aconcagua -Vina Errazuriz Don Maximiano 2018 Aconcagua -Vina Errazuriz Don Maximiano 2012 Aconcagua -Garces Silva Family Boya Sauvignon Blanc Leyda 2020 -Garces Silva Family Catalino Pais Cauquenes-Conde de Maule 2019 -Montes Cabernet Sauvignon Reserva Colchagua 2020 -Montes Alpha Cabernet Sauvignon Colchagua 2019 -Vina Perez Cruz Cabernet Sauvignon Reserva Maipo Andes 2019 -Vina Perez Cruz Cabernet Sauvignon Limited Edition Maipo Andes 2019 -Vina Santa Carolina Gran Reserva Chardonnay Itata 2018 -Vina Santa Carolina Reserva de Familia Cabernet Sauvignon Maipo 2018 -Siegel Family Unique Selection Colchagua 2018 -Siegel Family 1234 Red Blend Colchagua 2019 ***1/2 BETTER -- Three and a Half Stars (88 – 90 in Quality/Price Rating terms): -Vina Arboleda Chardonnay Aconcagua Costa 2019 -Aresti Trisquel Gran Reserva Sauvignon Blanc Leyda Valley 2020 $19.95 -Aresti Trisquel Gran Reserva Cabernet Sauvignon Maipo Valley 2019 $19.95 -Aresti Trisquel Gran Reserva Carmenere Curico Valley 2019 $19.95 -Vina Chocalan Reserva Chardonnay Maipo Valley 2019 $15.99 retail Consignment STEM -Vina Chocalan Gran Reserva Origen Cabernet Sauvignon Maipo Valley 2018 $19.99 +21467V -Cono Sur Organic Chardonnay San Antonio 2021 -Cono Sur Bicicleta Rose Pinot Noir -Garces Silva Family Amayna Sauvignon Blanc Leyda 2020 -Garces Silva Family Boya Pinot Noir Leyda 2019 -Garces Silva Family Boya Rose Pinot Noir – Garnacha Leyda 2020 -Miguel Torres La Mulas Cabernet Sauvignon Central Valley 2021 -Miguel Torres Andiva Gran Reserva Cabernet Sauvignon Itata 2019 -Miguel Torres Cordillera Cabernet Sauvignon Maipo 2019 -Montes Alpha Chardonnay Sauvignon Aconcagua Costa 2019 -Vina Santa Carolina Reserva Chardonnay Casablanca 2020 -Siegel Family Single Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon Colchagua 2018 -Siegel Family Gran Reserva Sauvignon Blanc Leyda 2021 -Siegel Family Gran Reserva Viognier Colchagua 2021 The Food: mine was a Bento box of creamy cheese, sliced strawberries, grapes, crostini, and water biscuits. Just right, and just enough. We ate while we tasted. The Downside: we were asked to get there early for check-in, but almost nobody was there except check-in staff. We still had to wait until 11AM to gain admission to the show, which started late. I managed to get a catalogue so I could at least check off what I wanted to taste while waiting for the trade show to start. The Upside: sitting down and tasting and comparing wines at my leisure. Let's have more of this!! It was very much like being a wine judge... The Contact Person: lisa@androscom.com The Event’s Marketing Effectiveness and Execution (numerical grade): 91. ** Some Recommended Wines from the LCBO’s Limited Time Offers selections (Vintages Essential)...these are good value...on sale from Nov 13 through Sunday Nov 28... [red] M. CHAPOUTIER LES VIGNES DE BILA-HAUT CÔTES DU ROUSSILLON-VILLAGES AC, Midi, +168716 (XD) 750 mL $15.95 regular NOW $13.95 Save $2.00 through Nov 28 [white] HIDDEN BENCH ESTATE CHARDONNAY VQA Beamsville Bench, Niagara Escarpment, +68817 (XD) 750 mL regular $29.95 NOW $27.95 Save $2.00 through Nov 28 [fizz] LAURENT-PERRIER CUVÉE BRUT ROSÉ CHAMPAGNE AC, Champagne +158550 (D) 750 mL $102.95 regular NOW $92.95 Save $10.00 through Nov 28 [splurge] STERLING NAPA VALLEY CABERNET SAUVIGNON Napa Valley +314575 (D) 750 mL $44.95 regular NOW $39.95 Save $5.00 through Nov 28 Wines Under $20 ========= W+328559 CATHEDRAL CELLAR CHARDONNAY Western Cape 2020 $17.95 MVC/QPR: 90 W+471284 CURVOS LOUREIRO DOC Vinho Verde 2020 $13.95 MVC/QPR: 89 R+516765 JEAN-PIERRE MOUEIX BORDEAUX AC, France 2016 $17.95 MVC/QPR: 89 R+17232 CHOMBART & SPECK CAVE MYSTÈRE MERLOT AC Bordeaux 2018 $19.95 MVC/QPR: 90 Wines Over $20 ========= W+149302 FEATHERSTONE CANADIAN OAK CHARDONNAY VQA Niagara Peninsula 2019 $22.95 MVC/QPR: 91. W+142240 LOIMER GRÜNER VELTLINER DAC Kamptal 2019 $22.95 MVC/QPR: 89 R+21812 POÇAS RESERVA RED DOP Douro 2016 $29.95 MVC/QPR: 89 R+172692 VINOSIA SANTANDREA TAURASI DOCG 2014 $27.95 MVC/QPR: 89. R+155408 MARCHESI DI BAROLO BARBARESCO DOCG 2017 $39.95 MVC/QPR: 89 R+922054 TENUTE SILVIO NARDI BRUNELLO DI MONTALCINO DOCG 2015 $52.95 MVC/QPR: 89. R+13421 HENRY OF PELHAM LOST BOYS LIMITED EDITION BIN 106 BACO NOIR Sustainable, VQA Ontario 2020 $34.95 MVC/QPR: 89 Fizz+234161 JACKSON-TRIGGS ENTOURAGE GRAND RESERVE BRUT SPARKLING Traditional method, VQA Niagara Peninsula, Ontario 2016 $29.95 MVC/QPR: 92. Port+21813 POÇAS COLHEITA PORT Aged in cask, DOC, Portugal 2008 $36.95 MVC/QPR: 89 WORLD WINE WATCH TOP WINES AT VINTAGES: under/over $20 for OCTOBER 30, 2021 By DEAN TUDOR, Gothic Epicures Writing deantudor@deantudor.com. My "Wines, Beers and Spirits of the Net", a guide to thousands of news items and RSS feeds, plus references to wines, beers and spirits, has been at http://www.deantudor.com since 1994. These notes for good wines available through LCBO Vintages (on a bi-weekly basis) can always be found at http://www.gothicepicures.blogspot.ca or at http://www.deantudor.com No winery can buy their way into – or out of – this publication. Scores are a combination of MVC (Modal Varietal Character, e.g. a Southern Rhone would taste like a Southern Rhone) and QPR (Quality/Price Ratio value in the marketplace above or below its price). Currently, the wine media have no access to the tasting samples usually provided to us in the LCBO lab on a fortnightly basis. This will go on or some time. HOWEVER, the wine media will still have access to the advance spreadsheet of the wines to be released. So I know what is to be released and when. SOME (but not many) of these 100 or so biweekly released wines I have recently tasted since January 2020 or so, and I can comfortably recommend them based on this prior sampling. ** Some New Wines I Tasted Over the Past Fortnight or so --- The Date and Time:  Wednesday September 21, 2021  11AM – 12:30PM The Event: 2021 Northwest Wine Expedition The Venue: The Globe and Mail Centre The Target Audience: wine media, sommeliers, wine agents. The Availability/Catalogue: most wines were available or will be. The event was also a feature for acquiring new agents. The catalogue contained the basics of estate name, website, and Twitter address. There was no agency name, even if the winery had an Ontario agent. Name of the wine was followed by the vintage date and a space for notes. Opening text was confined to photos, maps, climate bar graphs, vineyards, and quality. 75% of Oregon wineries produce fewer than 5,000 cases per year. Similar information appeared for Washington, except that here 90% of all Washington wineries produced under 5,000 cases per year. The Quote/Background: October 2 was the release date for a highly touted Washington-Oregon spotlight in the Vintages catalogue. Unfortunately, of the seven wineries with wines in the release, only two wineries were in this trade show: Del Rio Vineyards and Chateau Ste. Michelle. So I had no chance at this show to taste any Northwest wines being released on October 2. The show was originally to be held in the spring of 2020 but it was shut down on March 17 along with everything else, to reduce the spread of covid-19. The wines were already in Toronto, so what we tasted this morning were wines principally from 2016-2018, with a few from 2019 and 2020, and some from 2015 as well. I went to the show to taste on1y chardonnays. There were 23 of them from Oregon, and I managed to taste 16 (one wine did not turn up). There six from Washington but I was only allowed to taste one of them. In the organization of the event, we were all seated six feet apart with no masks, while our masked servers and winery principals asked us what we wanted and then delivered it. Halfway through the tasting the show administration decided that we could not taste by varietal but by winery. At that point I had tasted most of the chardonnays, and I did not want anything else. The Wines: All the chardonnays were remarkably good; we were not given many prices (I guess we had to ask but I had no time to wait for a winery rep). So my ratings are based on taste alone, without consideration for prices and value. Wines in each tier are listed alphabetically by winery name.   **** BEST -- Four Stars (91+ in Quality Rating terms): -A to Z Wineworks Oregon Chardonnay 2018 [$22.95CAD price volunteered] -Angela Estate Vineyard Willamette Valley Chardonnay 2017 -Foris Vineyards and Winery Chardonnay 2018 [$23CAD volunteered] -Sokol Blosser Winery Estate Dundee Hills Chardonnay 2018 [Nov. Vintages $28] -Trisaetum Coast Range Estate Chardonnay 2017 [$52CAD price volunteered] -Trisaetum Coast Willamette Valley Chardonnay 2019 [$39CAD price volunteered] -Barnard Griffin Washington State Chardonnay 2018   ***1/2 BETTER -- Three and a Half Stars (88 – 90 in Quality Rating terms): -A to Z Wineworks Rex Hill Seven Soils Chardonnay 2017 [$44.95CAD volunteered] -Adelsheim Vineyard Willamette Valley Chardonnay 2019 -Adelsheim Vineyard Staking Claim Chardonnay 2018 -Angela Estate Vineyard Chardonnay 2017 -Chateau Bianca Wetzel Estate Chardonnay 2017 -Citation Centerstone Willamette Valley Un-Oaked Chardonnay 2017 -Cristom Vineyards Eola-Amity Hills Chardonnay 2019 -Domaine Drouhin Oregon Roserock Chardonnay 2018 -Sokol Blosser Winery Evolution Willamette Valley Chardonnay 2019 [Nov. Vintages] -Winderlea Winery Chardonnay 2017   The Food: we each got a bento box from Salon by Alo Yorkville. I shared it with my wife when I got home. Coffee came from Hot Black, Queen Street west. The bento box had torched Norwegian salmon, heirloom cherry tomato with burrata, beef tartare and charred eggplant, and a cheesecake dessert. A Northwest cheese course would have been preferable. The Downside: we were not supposed to taste by grape variety but rather by winery, which limited my interest. I cannot leap from pinot noir to pinot gris to syrah to riesling to chardonnay – and back – within four to eight bottles at a time. The Upside: this was my first trade show in 19 months; I may have been a little rusty. The Contact Person: Nicholas Pearce Wines – www.npwines.com or np@npwines.com The Event's Marketing Effectiveness and Execution (numerical grade): very good – 92.   ** Some recommended wines from the LCBO’s Limited Time Offers selections...these are good value (see below)...on sale through Sunday November 7... [red] +59311 7 Deadly Zins Old Vine Zinfandel was $24.95, now $21.95, save $3 to Nov 7. [red splurge] CHÂTEAU PIPEAU SAINT-ÉMILION GRAND CRU VINTAGES +302018 WAS: $43.95 | NOW: $ 39.95 | SAVE: $ 4.00 to Nov 7. [white] FLAT ROCK RIESLING Niagara VQA VINTAGES +43281 WAS: $ 17.95 | NOW: $ 15.95 | SAVE: $ 2.00 to Nov 7. [Christmas port] TAYLOR FLADGATE 20-YEAR-OLD TAWNY PORT Portugal VINTAGES +149047 | WAS: $ 69.95 | NOW: $ 62.95 | SAVE: $ 7.00 to Nov 7 This is the October Blue Moon Release for Best Wines Under $20 =========================================== W+256552 CAVE SPRING ESTATE CHARDONNAY Cave Spring Vineyard, VQA Beamsville Bench, Niagara Escarpment 2018 $19.95 MVC/QPR: 90 W+599274 LOOSEN BROS. DR. L RIESLING Qualitätswein 2020 $15.95 MVC/QPR: 89. W+391847 THIERRY DELAUNAY TOURAINE SAUVIGNON BLANC AP 2020 $16.95 MVC/QPR: 89. W+19399 NIETO SENETINER SEMILLON Valle de Uco, Mendoza 2019 $15.95 MVC/QPR: 89. W+928580 SANTA CAROLINA GRAN RESERVA CHARDONNAY Sustainable, DO Valle del Itata 2018 $18.95 MVC/QPR: 91 R+81588 CRASTO DOC Douro 2019 $18.95 MVC/QPR: 89. This is the October Blue Moon Release for Best Wines Over $20 ============================================ W+431593 TAWSE LIMESTONE RIDGE-NORTH ESTATE BOTTLED RIESLING VQA Twenty Mile Bench, Niagara Escarpment 2018 $21.95 MVC/QPR: 89. W+346304 GRGICH HILLS ESTATE GROWN CHARDONNAY Napa Valley 2017 $67.95 MVC/QPR: 90. R+22977 DOMAINE QUEYLUS RÉSERVE DU DOMAINE PINOT NOIR VQA Lincoln Lakeshore, Niagara Peninsula 2016 $45.00 MVC/QPR: 89. R+959627 CHÂTEAU MONT-REDON CHÂTEAUNEUF-DU-PAPE 2017 $53.95 MVC/QPR: 90. R+427500 WESTCOTT ESTATE PINOT NOIR VQA Vinemount Ridge, Niagara Peninsula 2017 $29.95 MVC/QPR: 91. Dessert+94110 HENRY OF PELHAM RED, VIDAL & RIESLING ICEWINE Three-bottle gift set, VQA Niagara Peninsula, Ontario $99.95 MVC/QPR: 89 Fizz Splurge+490482 BOLLINGER SPECIAL CUVÉE BRUT CHAMPAGNE AC, France $204.95 MVC/QPR: 93. WORLD WINE WATCH TOP WINES AT VINTAGES: under/over $20 for OCTOBER 16, 2021 By DEAN TUDOR, Gothic Epicures Writing deantudor@deantudor.com. My "Wines, Beers and Spirits of the Net", a guide to thousands of news items and RSS feeds, plus references to wines, beers and spirits, has been at http://www.deantudor.com since 1994. These notes for good wines available through LCBO Vintages (on a bi-weekly basis) can always be found at http://www.gothicepicures.blogspot.ca or at http://www.deantudor.com No winery can buy their way into – or out of – this publication. Scores are a combination of MVC (Modal Varietal Character, e.g. a Southern Rhone would taste like a Southern Rhone) and QPR (Quality/Price Ratio value in the marketplace above or below its price). Currently, the wine media have no access to the tasting samples usually provided to us in the LCBO lab on a fortnightly basis. This will go on or some time. HOWEVER, the wine media will still have access to the advance spreadsheet of the wines to be released. So I know what is to be released and when. SOME (but not many) of these 100 or so biweekly released wines I have recently tasted since January 2020 or so, and I can comfortably recommend them based on this prior sampling. ** Some New Wines I Tasted Over the Past Fortnight --- Chateau des Charmes Pinot Noir Estate Bottled Old Vines 2017 VQA NOTL, +256834, $24.95 (at winery and online): I think that this is the first de Charmes' “Old Vines” Pinot in some time (maybe 2012?). Quite a powerful wine (the 2007 was a Cuvee winner), lots of forest floor (mushrooms, earth) to complement the dynamic red berry fruit. Grapes come from their St David's Bench block, the oldest vineyard they have. It could still use some time(I tasted at home over a few days). High acidity but low tannins. 1.7 g/L residual sugar. 13% ABV. Quality/Price rating is 92 points by Dean Tudor of Gothic Epicures. Jackson-Triggs White Meritage Grand Reserve 2020 VQA Niagara Peninsula, +360297, $25.95 Vintages, online, Wine Rack, winery: this is the classic Bordeaux blend of sauvignon blanc (80%) and semillon (20%). It is almost never made in Ontario, but it has been made occasionally at Jackson-Triggs, when the circumstances were right. Previous vintages I have enjoyed included the 2017 and the 2012. But in 2012, the blend was 70% sauvignon blanc (with 10% of the savvy being barrel fermented in French oak) and 30% semillon, and the price was a dollar less. This time (2020) all of the semillon went into older French oak after extended skin contact. Herbs and honey dominate the flavour profiles, with stone fruit and grapefruit accents augmenting some tropicality. It will also reveal longer depth after more bottle aging of a year or so. Best with seafood – indeed, I had it with a Hooked stuffed sea bream and fishcuterie plate of a half dozen denizens. Long finish. Residual sugar is a low 3g/L. 13% ABV. Quality/Price rating is 93 points by Dean Tudor of Gothic Epicures. ** A Recent Wine Book I Reviewed --- WINE FROM ANOTHER GALAXY (Quadrille, 2020, 354 pages, $65 hardbound) is by Dan Keeling and Mark Andrew, MW, co-founders of Noble Rot magazine and restaurants in Bloomsbury and Soho. They also own a wine importer, Keeling Andrew & Co. It's an unusual wine book, based on their writings in Noble Rot magazine. Part one is the “Shrine to the Vine” with primer-like detail on how wine is made, noble grapes, how wine ages, wine cellars, desert island wine lists. How to serve wine, how to order wine in a restaurant, even a hilarious alternative wine aroma wheel. Part two is the road trip travel through Europe – the people and places behind their fave wines: France, Hibernia, Italy, Germany, Greece, ending with English sparklers. And it ends with a listing of their top wines, about 99% of which are from France (who knew?). An interesting book for the millennial wine lover. Quality/Price rating is 91 points by Dean Tudor of Gothic Epicures. ** Some recommended wines from the LCBO’s Limited Time Offers selections...these are good value (see below)...on sale through Sunday November 7... [red] +59311 7 Deadly Zins Old Vine Zinfandel was $24.95, now $21.95, save $4 to Nov 7. [red splurge] CHÂTEAU PIPEAU SAINT-ÉMILION GRAND CRU VINTAGES +302018 WAS: $43.95 | NOW: $ 39.95 | SAVE: $ 4.00 to Nov 7. [white] FLAT ROCK RIESLING Niagara VQA VINTAGES +43281 WAS: $ 17.95 | NOW: $ 15.95 | SAVE: $ 2.00 to Nov 7. [Christmas port] TAYLOR FLADGATE 20-YEAR-OLD TAWNY PORT Portugal VINTAGES +149047 | WAS: $ 69.95 | NOW: $ 62.95 | SAVE: $ 7.00 to Nov 7 Wines Under $20 ========= W+22275 MIGUEL TORRES VIÑA SOL ORIGINAL DO Catalunya 2019 $11.95 MVC/QPR: 89. Fizz+48801 LOUIS BOUILLOT PERLE D'IVOIRE BRUT BLANC DE BLANCS CRÉMANT DE BOURGOGNE Traditional method, AC, Burgundy, France $19.95 MVC/QPR: 93. Rose+11234 GÉRARD BERTRAND CÔTE DES ROSES ROSÉ AP Languedoc, France 2020 $10.95 half-bottle MVC/QPR: 90. W+68015 FLAT ROCK UNPLUGGED UNOAKED CHARDONNAY Sustainable, VQA Niagara Peninsula 2020 $17.95 MVC/QPR: 89. R+371112 MORANDÉ GRAN RESERVA CARMENÈRE Single vineyard, Valle del Maipo 2019 $16.95 MVC/QPR: 89. R+272575 GÉRARD BERTRAND GRAND TERROIR TAUTAVEL AP Côtes du Roussillon-Villages 2018 $19.95 MVC/QPR: 90. R+574780 DEMUERTE DO Yecla 2018 $19.95 MVC/QPR: 91. Wines Over $20 ========= Fizz+924654 GARDET CUVÉE TRADITION SAINT FLAVY BRUT CHAMPAGNE Chigny-les-Roses, AC, France $46.95 MVC/QPR: 90. Fizz+15687 GRUET SAUVAGE BLANC DE BLANCS SPARKLING Zero dosage, traditional method, USA $28.95 MVC/QPR: 89, W+264945 PASCAL JOLIVET SANCERRE AC 2020 $39.95 MVC/QPR: 91. R+187369 REMO FARINA AMARONE DELLA VALPOLICELLA CLASSICO In wooden gift box, DOC, Veneto, Italy 2018 $92.95 MVC/QPR: 89. R+384578 REMO FARINA AMARONE DELLA VALPOLICELLA & VALPOLICELLA RIPASSO Two bottles in wooden gift box, Veneto, Italy 2018 $74.95 MVC/QPR: 89. R+390872 WOLF BLASS GREY LABEL SHIRAZ McLaren Vale, South Australia 2018 $34.95 MVC/QPR: 89. R+616433 HENRY OF PELHAM SPECK FAMILY RESERVE CABERNET/MERLOT VQA Short Hills Bench, Niagara Escarpment 2019 $39.95 MVC/QPR: 90. R+570267 FAUSTINO I GRAN RESERVA DOCa Rioja 2009 $39.95 MVC/QPR: 89. R+707323 RUSTENBERG JOHN X MERRIMAN WO Stellenbosch 2019 $24.95 MVC/QPR: 89. R+21861 MARCHESI DI BAROLO TRADIZIONE BAROLO DUO Two bottles in wooden gift box, DOCG, Veneto, Italy 2016 $109.95 MVC/QPR: 90 WORLD WINE WATCH TOP WINES AT VINTAGES: under/over $20 for OCTOBER 2, 2021 By DEAN TUDOR, Gothic Epicures Writing deantudor@deantudor.com. My "Wines, Beers and Spirits of the Net", a guide to thousands of news items and RSS feeds, plus references to wines, beers and spirits, has been at http://www.deantudor.com since 1994. These notes for good wines available through LCBO Vintages (on a bi-weekly basis) can always be found at http://www.gothicepicures.blogspot.ca or at http://www.deantudor.com No winery can buy their way into – or out of – this publication. Scores are a combination of MVC (Modal Varietal Character, e.g. a Southern Rhone would taste like a Southern Rhone) and QPR (Quality/Price Ratio value in the marketplace above or below its price). Currently, the wine media have no access to the tasting samples usually provided to us in the LCBO lab on a fortnightly basis. This will go on or some time. HOWEVER, the wine media will still have access to the advance spreadsheet of the wines to be released. So I know what is to be released and when. SOME (but not many) of these 100 or so biweekly released wines I have recently tasted since January 2020 or so, and I can comfortably recommend them based on this prior sampling. Some New Wines Tasted Over the Past Fortnight --- The Date and Time: Friday September 10, 2021 Noon – 2:30 PM The Event: A tasting of Vignobles de Larose wines along with a discussion on the new Classification of Crus Bourgeois. The Venue: Boehmer, Ossington Avenue. The Availability/Catalogue: Marchands des Ameriques is the agency (see below). Differing vintages are currently available; others will come in periodically. The Quote/Background: Franck Bijon, the General Manager and Chief Winemaker of Vignobles de la Rose made the presentation, commenting on the company's history. It's got three major Chateaux in the Haut-Medoc: Chateau LaRose Trintaudon (huge seller in the USA), Chateau LaRose Perganson, and Chateau Arnauld, plus Chateau Tour de Pez in St. Estephe, which they bought in 2019. Area is 255 hectares of vines, production is 1.3 million bottles a year, and exports are 30% of the company totals. The company began its first rehabilitation in 1963, followed by another in 2000 to get numerous environmental certifications (and again in 2020). Franck also discussed the details on applying for classification. Crus Bourgeois were classified in 2003 and then again in 2020. Re-validation is every five years (e.g., 2025, 2030, etc.). Eligibility is mostly by blind tasting. There are 247 chateaux with three levels. The first is a basic entry, followed by “superior” and then “exceptional”. He then went on to describe his own company's wines. LaRose's barrel program includes 3600 barrels (of which 900 are new) for the Trintaudon, 400 barrels (of which 140 are new) for the Perganson (superior), and 35 all-new barrels for the Arnauld (exceptional). M.Bijon then went on to taste and describe the wines he brought with him. Wines are mostly equal merlot and cabernet sauvignon, with some petit verdot. The St Estephe does have some cabernet franc, as most St Estephe wines do have. The Wines: Kenneth Gunn of the Marchands des Vins agency has the Haut-Medoc wines for sale...but, on September 18 at Vintages, Chateau LaRose-Trintaudon Sustainable, Cru Bourgeois, AC Haut-Médoc 2014 $28.95 +297945 went on sale in Ontario (only 400 cases available). **** BEST -- Four Stars (91+ in Quality/Price Rating terms): -Chateau LaRose Trintaudon 2014 [juicy and racy] -Chateau LaRose Perganson 2008 [my fave of the day, nicely aged, longer finish] -Chateau Arnauld 2012 [another fave, still young, very juicy] close to Margaux ***1/2 BETTER -- Three and a Half Stars (88 – 90 in Quality/Price Rating terms): -Chateau LaRose Trintaudon 2018 [intense nose, very fresh] -Chateau Arnauld 2018 [soft on the mid-palate] A new wine of 6700 bottles has been introduced: L'Experience Sans Sulfites Ajoutes 2019, from sustainable old vines (70% cabernet sauvignon and 30% merlot). Other availability: Château Arnauld Cru Bourgeois Haut Médoc 2015 – LCBO Vintages Classics #21928 $68.00 release date : December 02 2021   - 80 cases  Consignment (currently out of stock but available soon): Château Larose Trintaudon 2011 - $30.00 (before tax and deposit) Château Larose Perganson 2008 - $37.00 (before tax and deposit) The Food at the tasting: Bordeaux friendly food, such as a selection of meats (beef and lamb) atop lentils de puy, and wild mushrooms on richly buttered crostini. The main dish was classic tournedos with a wine sauce, potato puree, and grilled asparagus. The Contact Person: kenneth@marchandsdesameriques.com I can recommend one red, one rose, one white and one fizz wine from the LCBO’s Limited Time Offers selections...some are good values (see below)...on sale through Sunday October 10: [red] Montes Alpha Cabernet Sauvignon Chile, +322586, on sale to October 10, now $16.95, down from $19.95. Buy a case. [rose] Cave Spring Dry Rose VQA Niagara, +295006, on sale to October 10, now $13.95, down from $15.95. Buy a case. [white] Flat Rock Cellars Twisted White VQA Niagara Peninsula, +1578, on sale to October 10 , now $14.95, down from $17.95. Buy a case. [fizz] Cono Sur Sparkling Pinot Noir Rose Chile, +365205, on sale to October 10, now $12.95, down from $14.95. Buy two cases. Wines Under $20 ========= W+542746 SÁNCHEZ ROMATE FINO PERDIDO SHERRY DO, Spain $18.95 MVC/QPR: 90 W+89011 FEATHERSTONE SAUVIGNON BLANC VQA Niagara Peninsula 2020 $17.95 MVC/QPR: 89. W+83287 MORANDÉ GRAN RESERVA CHARDONNAY DO Valle de Casablanca 2019 $19.95 MVC/QPR: 92. R+642421 VALPANTENA TORRE DEL FALASCO VALPOLICELLA RIPASSO DOC 2019 $18.95 MVC/QPR: 89. Wines Over $20 ========= W+360297 JACKSON-TRIGGS NIAGARA GRAND RESERVE WHITE MERITAGE VQA Niagara Peninsula 2020 $25.95 MVC/QPR: 93. W+415901 CAVE SPRING INDIAN SUMMER SELECT LATE HARVEST RIESLING Estate grown, VQA Lincoln Lakeshore, Niagara Peninsula, Ontario 2017 $24.95 MVC/QPR: 89. R+268391 HENRY OF PELHAM ESTATE PINOT NOIR Sustainable, VQA Short Hills Bench, Niagara Escarpment 2019 $24.95 MVC/QPR: 89. R+356337 R. LÓPEZ DE HEREDIA VIÑA TONDONIA RESERVA DOCa Rioja 2009 $63.95 MVC/QPR: 89. R+261784 PAPALE LINEA ORO PRIMITIVO DI MANDURIA DOP 2016 $22.95 MVC/QPR: 89. R+353201 RUFFINO RISERVA DUCALE ORO GRAN SELEZIONE CHIANTI CLASSICO DOCG 2016 $49.95 MVC/QPR: 89. R+157347 ENRICO SERAFINO SANAVENTO BARBARESCO DOCG 2017 $29.95 MVC/QPR: 89. R+18593 POÇAS JUNIOR VINTAGE PORT DOP, Portugal 2017 $36.95 MVC/QPR: 89. WASHINGTON + OREGON SPOTLIGHT [not tasted, not rated, just listed] White Wine 17031 ERATH PINOT GRIS Dundee Hills, Willamette Valley 2019 $23.95 PHILIPPE DANDURAND WINES LTD. 16996 WINES OF SUBSTANCE CHARDONNAY Columbia Valley 2019 $23.95 AUTHENTIC WINE & SPIRITS Red Wine 546366 DEL RIO VINEYARDS PINOT NOIR Rogue Valley 2019 $24.95 NICHOLAS PEARCE WINES INC 17686 CARDWELL HILL ESTATE BOTTLED PINOT NOIR Sustainable, Willamette Valley 2016 $22.95 VINOLUNA 408864 CHATEAU STE. MICHELLE INDIAN WELLS MERLOT Columbia Valley 2017 $26.95 PHILIPPE DANDURAND WINES LTD. 551473 DRUMHELLER CABERNET SAUVIGNON Columbia Valley 2018 $18.95 PHILIPPE DANDURAND WINES LTD. 20491 HEDGES CMS Columbia Valley 2018 $29.95 NOBLE ESTATES WINES & SPIRITS INC. WORLD WINE WATCH TOP WINES AT VINTAGES: under/over $20 for SEPTEMBER 18, 2021 By DEAN TUDOR, Gothic Epicures Writing deantudor@deantudor.com. My "Wines, Beers and Spirits of the Net", a guide to thousands of news items and RSS feeds, plus references to wines, beers and spirits, has been at http://www.deantudor.com since 1994. These notes for good wines available through LCBO Vintages (on a bi-weekly basis) can always be found at http://www.gothicepicures.blogspot.ca or at http://www.deantudor.com No winery can buy their way into – or out of – this publication. Scores are a combination of MVC (Modal Varietal Character, e.g. a Southern Rhone would taste like a Southern Rhone) and QPR (Quality/Price Ratio value in the marketplace above or below its price). Currently, the wine media have no access to the tasting samples usually provided to us in the LCBO lab on a fortnightly basis. This will go on or some time. HOWEVER, the wine media will still have access to the advance spreadsheet of the wines to be released. So I know what is to be released and when. SOME (but not many) of these 100 or so biweekly released wines I have recently tasted since January 2020 or so, and I can comfortably recommend them based on this prior sampling. Some recent wines and spirits books I have reviewed --- 1.THE SCIENCE OF WINE; from vine to glass. 3rd ed.(University of California Press, 2005, 2012, 2021, 224 pages, ISBN 978-0-520-37950-3, $48.38 CAD hard covers) is by Jamie Goode, UK wine writer and columnist. The first edition in 2005 was the Glenfiddich Drink Book of the Year. It's a great introduction to the scientific and technical innovations applied to grape-growing and winemaking. He explains how the practical applications of science affects the quality, flavour and perception of wine. In addition, there is also some material on Mother Nature such as the newly re-written climate change and global warming chapter, and how this is affecting wine production and styles. As the book is about the “science” of wine, he also covers biodynamics, health benefits, and screw cap closures. About half the book is totally new or extensively re-written and updated to this third edition (published nine years after the second edition): a discussion of “when things go wrong”, vine immunity and breeding for resistance, yeasts and bacteria, non-saccharomyces, phenolics, extraction and maceration, whole cluster and carbonic maceration, wine faults, evolution of élevage, flotation, and sweet wine. This is an immensely accessible book, written for the lay person, and with a glossary and bibliography at the end. Quality/price rating: 92. 2.WINE TIME; 70+ recipes for simple bites that pair perfectly with wine (Chronicle Books, 2021, 192 pages, ISBN 978-1-4521-8186-8 $32.95 hardbound) is by Barbara Scott-Goodman, a food book author. The book's title is a bit of a misnomer since wine is not discussed. As she says, “Almost all food goes well with wine...what matters most is that you enjoy the wine you buy and drink.” With that in mind, she goes ahead and makes recommendations for wine types based on grape varieties. With black bean, mushroom and cheese quesadillas, she suggests Zinfandel. With roasted cauliflower, try a Vernaccia. With zucchini fritters, perhaps a Sauvignon Blanc. She does have a whole section on wine cocktails, including: Champagne pom fizz, Kir Royale, Autumn Bellini, Prosecco and ginger spritz, and a half dozen other fizzy drinks (including a white wine, orange and mint sangria). Arrangement is by food categories: snacks and bites (such as orange-scented olives & feta cheese), dips and spreads (such as tuna tapenade), cheese and cheese boards, veggies, bruschetta and toasts (such as chicken livers with red onion sauce), seafood (crudo, ceviche), meat (charcuterie, sliders, deviled ham), sauces and condiments. The book could have been improved if it had also used more metric in the recipes, or at least had a metric conversion chart. Quality/price rating: 90 3,STRANGER GINS; 50 things to drink while you watch TV (Dog 'n' Bone, 2021, 64 pages, $13.99 hardbound) has been compiled by Carol Hilker, a Chicago-based food writer. All of the shows are “series” and include old and new. Thus, there's Twin Peaks (recommended drink: Jacoby's Coconut). Fleabag (Hot Priest), Mad Men (Dirty Don Martini), and Seinfeld (Festivus)...But no Sopranos. She's got recipes and reasons for each show. PS: I'm not ashamed to admit having seen all of these shows but drinking just wine. Quality/price rating: 87 4.THE CURIOUS BARTENDER: Cocktails at Home (Ryland Peters & Small, 2021, 208 pages, $42.99 hardcovers) is by Tristan Stephenson, not only a drinks writer and author but also a brand ambassador and consultant in the UK world of cocktails. This work covers malt, bourbon and rye types of whiskey, gin, vodka, rum, tequila, brandy, sherry, wine and amari with histories, an exploration of the barrel-aging process, and a trip to major distilleries throughout the world (but principally the UK and the US). All the 75 recipes have been previously published in prior Curious Bartender books, but have been collated for this new volume. So there is the primer which deals with equipment, glassware and kitchen ingredients, followed by a collection of 7 distilled alcohol bottles and 6 alcohol add-ons (triple sec, maraschino, amari, vermouth, amontillado sherry, and absinthe). Under “Making a Drink” there are good notes on shaking, stirring, building, and blending. If you have his other books, then you might not need this one. He's got some classic and iconic preps for cocktails, such as the Boilermaker. His notes follow the rising tide of brown spirits that has returned after many years of clear spirits. There are lots of colour photos and a description of each business (along with tasting notes) including what to watch out for. Typical are sherry cobblers, champagne cocktail, Americano, sidecar, pisco sour, margarita, et al. At the end there is a bibliography (including his previous 11 books) for further reading. The book could have been improved if it also used more metric in the recipes, or at least had a metric conversion chart. Quality/price rating: 89. New Wines Tasted Over the Past Fortnight --- 1.Paso Creek Cabernet Sauvignon 2020 Paso Robles AVA, +161141 LCBO General List, $18.95: from the Monterey Wine Company, this wine of 100% cabernet sauvignon shows rich dark berry components (currants, plums, blackberries) exhibiting a fruity audacious palate. It's a bit blowsy at the aroma stage but softens into ripe black fruit on the mid-palate, ending with California vanilla tones from oaking. Some finishing tannins and enough acid to accompany meaty foods. Opened and then tasted over several days. Well-enjoyed. Residual sugar is 5g/L, 13.5% ABV. MVC/QPR: 90. 2.Chateau LaRose-Trintaudon Sustainable, Cru Bourgeois, AC Haut-Médoc 2014 $28.95 +297945 Sept 18 Vintages: dark colour dominated by deep black fruit (cassis, blackberry, plum) tones. Very filling on the mid-palate with the beginning of tannins near the end, leading to a long length with finishing acid. Best with food, of course, particularly meat such as beef and lamb. The blend always ranges around 45% cabernet sauvignon and 55% merlot and some added petit verdot to flesh it out. Peppery finish. This is a perennial favourite in North America, a brand that many are familiar (and comfortable) with. MVC/QPR: 92 I can recommend one red, one rose, one white and one fizz wine from the LCBO’s Limited Time Offers selections...some are good values (see below)...on sale through Sunday October 10... [red] Montes Alpha Cabernet Sauvignon Chile, +322586, on sale to October 10, now $16.95, down from $19.95. Buy a case. [rose] Cave Spring Dry Rose VQA Niagara, +295006, on sale to October 10, now $13.95, down from $15.95. Buy a case. [white] Flat Rock Cellars Twisted White VQA Niagara Peninsula, +1578, on sale to October 10 , now $14.95, down from $17.95. Buy a case. [fizz] Cono Sur Sparkling Pinot Noir Rose Chile, +365205, on sale to October 10, now $12.95, down from $14.95. Buy a case. Wines Under $20 ========= W+246579 CAVE SPRING ESTATE CHARDONNAY MUSQUÉ Cave Spring Vineyard, VQA Beamsville Bench, Niagara Escarpment $17.95 MVC/QPR: 89 W+17742 PETER ZEMMER CHARDONNAY DOC Alto Adige 2018 $17.95 MVC/QPR: 89 W+573683 FERZO ABRUZZO PECORINO SUPERIORE DOP 2020 $17.95 MVC/QPR: 89 R+13434 ESCUDO ROJO RESERVA CABERNET SAUVIGNON Sustainable, Valle del Maipo 2019 $17.95 MVC/QPR: 89 R+18667 SPECK BROS. FAMILY TREE THE PADRÉ CABERNET/MERLOT Sustainable, VQA Niagara Peninsula 2019 $19.95 MVC/QPR: 89 R+952804 GÉRARD BERTRAND MINERVOIS SYRAH/CARIGNAN AC Minervois 2017 $17.95 MVC/QPR: 89 Wines Over $20 ========= W+241182 CHARLES BAKER PICONE VINEYARD RIESLING VQA Vinemount Ridge, Niagara Peninsula 2017 $38.95 MVC/QPR: 90 W+593996 JACKSON-TRIGGS NIAGARA ESTATE GRAND RESERVE CHARDONNAY VQA Niagara Peninsula 2018 $20.95 MVC/QPR: 89 Fizz+175588 GRAHAM BECK MÉTHODE CAP CLASSIQUE BRUT SPARKLING ROSÉ PINOT NOIR/CHARDONNAY Traditional method, WO Western Cape, South Africa $22.95MVC/QPR: 89 R+297945 CHÂTEAU LAROSE-TRINTAUDON Sustainable, Cru Bourgeois, AC Haut-Médoc 2014 $28.95 MVC/QPR: 92 WORLD WINE WATCH TOP WINES AT VINTAGES: under/over $20 for SEPTEMBER 4, 2021 By DEAN TUDOR, Gothic Epicures Writing deantudor@deantudor.com. My "Wines, Beers and Spirits of the Net", a guide to thousands of news items and RSS feeds, plus references to wines, beers and spirits, has been at http://www.deantudor.com since 1994. These notes for good wines available through LCBO Vintages (on a bi-weekly basis) can always be found at http://www.gothicepicures.blogspot.ca or at http://www.deantudor.com No winery can buy their way into – or out of – this publication. Scores are a combination of MVC (Modal Varietal Character, e.g. a Southern Rhone would taste like a Southern Rhone) and QPR (Quality/Price Ratio value in the marketplace above or below its price). Currently, the wine media have no access to the tasting samples usually provided to us in the LCBO lab on a fortnightly basis. This will go on or some time. HOWEVER, the wine media will still have access to the advance spreadsheet of the wines to be released. So I know what is to be released and when. SOME (but not many) of these 100 or so biweekly released wines I have recently tasted since January 2020 or so, and I can comfortably recommend them based on this prior sampling. Some recent spirits I have tasted -- 1.Dun Bheagan Single Malt Islay +576397 $54.90 750mL.: extremely intense, bottled straight from the cask. Small batch. Eight years old. Some herbal complexity with strong floral notes makes this a real treat. Smokey peaty all the way...could be challenging for some. 43% ABV. Good value. Quality/Price rating is 92 points by Dean Tudor of Gothic Epicures. 2..Bas-Armagnac de Montal Les Hauts de Montrouge X.O. 700 mL. +21564 Vintages October 2021 $112: comes in a wooden gift box (it's that time of year again). From the producers of the finest Armagnac in the region. Armagnac has only 10% of the production of Cognac; it has a single distillation only. Uses all four grape varieties allowed. Comprised of about 12 years-old distillates, deep nose of roasted nuts, full fruity flavours with a soft peachy off-dry finish. Some mocha is evident. 40% ABV. A steal at this price. Quality/Price rating is 93 points by Dean Tudor of Gothic Epicures. 3.Bas-Armagnac de Montal Les Hauts de Montrouge 2002 700 mL. +11426 Vintages October 23 2021 $99.95: comes in a red gift box for the Christmas holidays. There are about 181 producers, and many make single vintage bottlings (unlike in Cognac). Hence, there are many bottles of older Armagnac brandies (10, 15, 20, 30 year olds) that sell everywhere in the world -- but in small lots. Montal's 2002 was aged a minimum of 19.5 years in oak. Armagnac sells well in Quebec – they recognize a bargain. Extremely aromatic with overtones of caramel, vanilla, dried fruits, and oak character. 40% ABV. Quality/Price rating is 92 points by Dean Tudor of Gothic Epicures. 4.Antica Valle Francescana Limoncino 500 mL. +17161 October 23, 2021, $45. 30% ABV, with a 2% infusion of lemon peels: decanter comes with two glasses and a gift box. Exceedingly fresh flavours with that citrus tang of sharpness from the essential oils. Largely hand-peeled in Umbria. Terrific as an ice cream topping (which is how I had my 40 mL sample). Sales of lemoncello or limoncino in total make it the number two liqueur in Italy, after Campari. Quality/Price rating is 91 points by Dean Tudor of Gothic Epicures. I will also try to recommend one red, one rose, one white and one fizz wine from the LCBO’s Limited Time Offers selections...some are good values (see below)...on sale through Sunday September 12... [red] Gran Feudo Reserva DO Navarra Spain +479014, on sale to September 12 , now $16.95, down from $18.95 [save $2] [white] Susana Balbo Crios Torrontes Argentina Dominio del Plata +1834, on sale to September 12, now $12.95, down from $14.95 [save $2} [rose] Muga Rose DOCa Rioja Spain +603795, on sale to September 12, now $13.95, down from $15.95. Buy a case [save $24]. [fizz] Louis Bouillot Perle D'Aurore Brut Rose Cremant de Bourgogne Traditional Method Burgundy +48793, on sale to September 12, now $20.95, down from $22.95 [save $2] Wines Under $20 ========= Fizz+746479 CRISTINA ASCHERI MOSCATO D'ASTI DOCG, Piedmont, Italy 2019 $19.95 MVC/QPR: 90 Rose+117861 FEATHERSTONE ROSÉ VQA Niagara Peninsula 2020 $15.95 MVC/QPR: 90 W+557165 HENRY OF PELHAM ESTATE RIESLING Sustainable, VQA Short Hills Bench, Niagara Escarpment 2019 $19.95 MVC/QPR: 90 W+616466 HENRY OF PELHAM SPECK FAMILY RESERVE CHARDONNAY Sustainable, VQA Short Hills Bench, Niagara Escarpment 2019 $29.95 MVC/QPR: 90 W+18566 LACHETEAU HAUT-POITOU SAUVIGNON BLANC AC 2020 $16.95 MVC/QPR: 90 W+95802 PETER ZEMMER PINOT GRIGIO DOC Alto Adige 2019 $18.95 MVC/QPR: 89 W+21538 POCAS RESERVA WHITE DOP 2019 $19.95 MVC/QPR: 90 R+12281 CHÂTEAU DE RIBEBON AC Bordeaux Supérieur, Bordeaux, France 2017 $15.95 MVC/QPR: 89 R+14391 DOMAINE LA DÉCELLE RÉSERVE VALRÉAS AC Côtes du Rhône-Villages, Rhône, France 2017 $16.95 MVC/QPR: 89 R+78725 CHÂTEAU PINERAIE CAHORS AC 2017 $19.95 MVC/QPR: 90 R+56267 REMO FARINA MONTECORNA RIPASSO VALPOLICELLA CLASSICO SUPERIORE DOC 2018 $19.95 MVC/QPR: 90 Wines Over $20 ========= W+68817 HIDDEN BENCH ESTATE CHARDONNAY VQA Beamsville Bench, Niagara Escarpment $29.95 MVC/QPR: 90 W+469023 CUDDY BY TAWSE CHARDONNAY VQA Niagara Peninsula 2016 $25.95 MVC/QPR: 90 R+213132 LA PIEVE BAROLO DOCG 2017 $39.95 MVC/QPR: 90 R+113357 DONATELLA CINELLI COLOMBINI BRUNELLO DI MONTALCINO DOCG 2015 $65.95 MVC/QPR: 89. WORLD WINE WATCH TOP WINES AT VINTAGES: under/over $20 for AUGUST 21, 2021 By DEAN TUDOR, Gothic Epicures Writing deantudor@deantudor.com. My "Wines, Beers and Spirits of the Net", a guide to thousands of news items and RSS feeds, plus references to wines, beers and spirits, has been at http://www.deantudor.com since 1994. These notes for good wines available through LCBO Vintages (on a bi-weekly basis) can always be found at http://www.gothicepicures.blogspot.ca or at http://www.deantudor.com No winery can buy their way into – or out of – this publication. Scores are a combination of MVC (Modal Varietal Character, e.g. a Southern Rhone would taste like a Southern Rhone) and QPR (Quality/Price Ratio value in the marketplace above or below its price). Currently, the wine media have no access to the tasting samples usually provided to us in the LCBO lab on a fortnightly basis. This will go on or some time. HOWEVER, the wine media will still have access to the advance spreadsheet of the wines to be released. So I know what is to be released and when. SOME (but not many) of these 100 or so biweekly released wines I have recently tasted since January 2020 or so, and I can comfortably recommend them based on this prior sampling. Some New Wines Tasted Over the Past Fortnight --- 1.Domaine Martin Cotes du Rhone 2018, +18642 Vintages, $17.95: 80% grenache and 20% syrah. Typical density of southern Rhone with a preponderance of grenache tones followed by syrah flavours: spices, anise, some burnt caramel, ripe, but a long penetrating finish, some tannic tightness in the structure. Mouthfilling. Ripe, fresh and fruity with black berry and cherry plumminess. Not filtered. 13.5% ABV, 2g/L residual sugar. A top-scoring wine at the Decanter World Wine Awards. Quality/Price rating is 92 points by Dean Tudor of Gothic Epicures. 2.Chateau Pesquie Terrasses AOC Ventoux Rouge 2019 +577196 $21.95: I first ran into wines from Ventoux when I was at a tasting in Edinburgh – they were being promoted as a lighter-styled Cotes du Rhone wine. I have not followed them since that time but obviously climate change has impacted the wine: Ventoux are heavier now. Pesquie has 60% grenache and 40% syrah, certified organic and vegan, with biodynamic practices. The cool climate of Mont Ventoux appears to be lessened, which now puts the wines into competition with regular southern Rhone wines. Expect an aromatic nose of spices and garrigue and lots of red berries mainly from the grenache. Fresh all the way, not aged at all, with a long, long floral bone-dry finish. 14% ABV. Quality/Price rating is 90 points by Dean Tudor of Gothic Epicures. 3.Michel Gassier Nostre Pais AOC Costieres de Nimes Rouge 2018 +295410 $23.95: complete with an assortment of local red grape varieties -- 50% grenache, 20% syrah, 20% mourvedre, and 5% both carignan and cinsault. Their version of the popular GSM wines. About 43% of the wine from the region is red, and 41% of the region's total wines are exported. Gassier has certified organic farming. 12 month barrel aging in used French oak for half the wine, the other other half in concrete tanks. It's a dark wine, emphasizing the black fruits (cherry, blackberries, plums) with mocha tones and anise garrigue. Tannins will be resolved with another year of aging. Good value. 3g/L residual sugar, 15% ABV. Quality/Price rating is 91 points by Dean Tudor of Gothic Epicures. I can also recommend one red, one rose, one white wine, and one fizz from the LCBO’s Limited Time Offers selections...some are good values (see below)...on sale through Sunday September 12, 2021... [red] Gran Feudo Reserva DO Navarra Spain +479014, on sale to September 12 , now $16.95, down from $18.95 [save $2] [white] Susana Balbo Crios Torrontes Argentina Dominio del Plata +1834, on sale to September 12, now $12.95, down from $14.95 [save $2} [rose] Muga Rose DOCa Rioja Spain +603795, on sale to September 12, now $13.95, down from $15.95. Buy a case [save $24]. [fizz] Louis Bouillot Perle D'Aurore Brut Rose Cremant de Bourgogne Traditional Method Burgundy +48793, on sale to September 12, now $20.95, down from $22.95 [save $2] Aug 21 wines Under $20 ========= W+669531 MICHEL GASSIER EMBRUNS DE VIOGNIER IGP Pays d'Oc 2020 $18.95 MVC/QPR: 89. W+958736 MUGA BARREL FERMENTED WHITE DOCa Rioja 2020 $17.95 MVC/QPR: 89. W+20599 FEATHERSTONE PINOT GRIGIO VQA Niagara Peninsula 2020 $17.95 MVC/QPR: 89. W+19635 ALBINO ARMANI CORVARA PINOT GRIGIO DOC Valdadige 2020 $17.95 MVC/QPR: 89. R+999946 REMO FARINA RIPASSO VALPOLICELLA CLASSICO SUPERIORE DOC 2019 $18.95 MVC/QPR: 89. Aug 21 wines Over $20 ========= R+161398 LANDER-JENKINS CABERNET SAUVIGNON Sustainable, California 2019 $21.95 MVC/QPR: 90. WORLD WINE WATCH TOP WINES AT VINTAGES: under/over $20 for AUGUST 7, 2021 By DEAN TUDOR, Gothic Epicures Writing deantudor@deantudor.com. My "Wines, Beers and Spirits of the Net", a guide to thousands of news items and RSS feeds, plus references to wines, beers and spirits, has been at http://www.deantudor.com since 1994. These notes for good wines available through LCBO Vintages (on a bi-weekly basis) can always be found at http://www.gothicepicures.blogspot.ca or at http://www.deantudor.com No winery can buy their way into – or out of – this publication. Scores are a combination of MVC (Modal Varietal Character, e.g. a Southern Rhone would taste like a Southern Rhone) and QPR (Quality/Price Ratio value in the marketplace above or below its price). Currently, the wine media have no access to the tasting samples usually provided to us in the LCBO lab on a fortnightly basis. This will go on or some time. HOWEVER, the wine media will still have access to the advance spreadsheet of the wines to be released. So I know what is to be released and when. SOME (but not many) of these 100 or so biweekly released wines I have recently tasted since January 2020 or so, and I can comfortably recommend them based on this prior sampling. Some New Wines Tasted Over the Past Fortnight --- 1.Lacheteau Parlez-Vous Sauvignon Blanc 2019 IGP Val de Loire +647099 LCBO General List $11.75: a good value savvy, with nods to tropical fruit and grass, but very easy going and very tasty, almost a savvy for beginners. A good way to get into the grape. 12.5% ABV, 4g/L residual sugar. Pairs very well with goat cheese e.g. paillot de chevre. Quality/Price rating is 90 points by Dean Tudor of Gothic Epicures. 2.Chateau de la Grange Muscadet Cotes de Grand Lieu Vieilles Vignes 2018 +637868 Vintages $13.95: minerally driven from 40 year old vines, and reflecting melon, orchard fruit, and ending with a long citrus clean finish. 11.7% ABV, 2gL residual sugar. Do not serve too chilled. Good with a variety of seafood and poultry. Quality/Price rating is 91 points by Dean Tudor of Gothic Epicures. 3.Thierry Delaunay La Salamandre Sauvignon Blanc 2020 Touraine +391847 Vintages $16.95: Touraine is my fave go to region for sauvignon blanc, principally because it is so value-driven. You get a lot of bang for your buck: freshness, ripe peaches and melons, some cut grass (but not too zesty as in Kiwi land). Good finishing citrus acidity. This was the freshest wine of the tasting pack of six. 12% ABV, 4g/L residual sugar. Great with a cheese platter and/or sushi. Quality/Price rating is 92 points by Dean Tudor of Gothic Epicures. 4.Barton & Guestier Les Petites Parcelles Chenin Blanc 2019 Vouvray +232264 Vintages $16.95: tons of fruit aromas, both orchard and tropical. Good aperitif social wine, could be best with Asiatic spicy food, or a creamy cheese platter. It was useful with the pork rillette and the grand crème cheese. 12% ABV, 23g/L residual sugar. Quality/Price rating is 89 points by Dean Tudor of Gothic Epicures. 5.Jean-Max Roger Cuvee Genese 2019 Sancerre +189126 Vintages $33.95: an organic wine with cold fermentation, natural yeasts, some aging on heavy lees. Ripe fruit flavours and some zest from the sauvignon blanc, but not as nervy as the Antipodean style. Freshness has been retained by its minerality. 12.5% ABV, 2g/L residual sugar. Can be aged for a few years to show more complexity. Goes very well with all kinds of seafoods. Quality/Price rating is 91 points by Dean Tudor of Gothic Epicures. 6.Patrice Moreux Corty Artisan La Loge Aux Moines 2017 Pouilly-Fume +18493 Vintages $48: some organic principles are followed, but mainly for fertilizing and limited intervention and then, only when necessary (the producer also follows the lunar cycle during the vinification process). Taste: a juicy palate throughout with citrus tones evidenced on the mid-palate before resolving to more fruitiness and finishing with a minerality that makes it all food-worthy. It's very complementary to richly grilled fish, saucy scallops, creamy poultry, and fresh cheese platters. 13.5% ABV, 2g/L residual sugar. Can be aged another 5 years or so. Don't serve too cold. Quality/Price rating is 93 points by Dean Tudor of Gothic Epicures. I also recommend one red, one rose and one white wine from the LCBO’s Limited Time Offers selections...some are good values (see below)...now on sale through Sunday August 15 ... [red] BERONIA RESERVA Rioja +50203 on sale to August 15, now $19.95, down from $21.95. [white] Boschendal 1685 Chardonnay WO Western Cape South Africa +367698 on sale to August 15, now $14.95, down from $16.95. Buy a case. [rose] GERARD BERTRAND GRIS BLANC ROSE +14673 on sale to August 15, now $13.75, down from $15.75. Buy a case. [fizz] LILY SPARKLING ROSÉ VQA +536565 on sale to August 15, now $16.95, down from $17.95. Under $20 ========= W+341586 FEATHERSTONE FOUR FEATHERS VQA Niagara Peninsula 2020 $14.95 MVC/QPR: 90. W+439554 AVONDALE JONTY'S DUCKS PEKIN WHITE WO Paarl 2018 $16.95 MVC/QPR: 89. Rose+950576 MAS DES BRESSADES CUVÉE TRADITION ROSÉ AP Costières de Nîmes 2020 $17.95 MVC/QPR: 89. R+209874 COLUMBIA CREST H3 MERLOT Horse Heaven Hills, Columbia Valley 2018 $19.95 MVC/QPR: 89. R+18653 CHÂTEAU LE GARDERA AC Bordeaux Supérieur 2017 $15.95 MVC/QPR: 89. Over $20 ========= W+70946 SCHLOSS SCHÖNBORN HATTENHEIMER PFAFFENBERG RIESLING KABINETT Prädikatswein 2018 $24.95 MVC/QPR: 89. W+628065 SOUTHBROOK VIDAL SKIN FERMENTED WHITE ORANGE WINE Estate grown, VQA Ontario 2019 $29.95 MVC/QPR: 90. W+196667 JEAN-MAX ROGER CUVÉE MARNES ET CAILLOTTES SANCERRE AC 2019 $32.95 MVC/QPR: 89. Rose+490813 JEAN-MAX ROGER LA GRANGE DÎMIÈRE SANCERRE ROSÉ AC 2020 $27.95 MVC/QPR: 89. R+317933 PELEE ISLAND VINEDRESSERS MERITAGE VQA South Islands 2016 $24.95 MVC/QPR: 89. R+24430 CHÂTEAU CANTENAC AC Saint-Émilion Grand Cru 2016 $34.95 MVC/QPR: 89. WORLD WINE WATCH TOP WINES AT VINTAGES: under/over $20 for JULY 24, 2021 By DEAN TUDOR, Gothic Epicures Writing deantudor@deantudor.com. My "Wines, Beers and Spirits of the Net", a guide to thousands of news items and RSS feeds, plus references to wines, beers and spirits, has been at http://www.deantudor.com since 1994. These notes for good wines available through LCBO Vintages (on a bi-weekly basis) can always be found at http://www.gothicepicures.blogspot.ca or at http://www.deantudor.com No winery can buy their way into – or out of – this publication. Scores are a combination of MVC (Modal Varietal Character, e.g. a Southern Rhone would taste like a Southern Rhone) and QPR (Quality/Price Ratio value in the marketplace above or below its price). Currently, the wine media have no access to the tasting samples usually provided to us in the LCBO lab on a fortnightly basis. This will go on or some time. HOWEVER, the wine media will still have access to the advance spreadsheet of the wines to be released. So I know what is to be released and when. SOME (but not many) of these 100 or so biweekly released wines I have recently tasted since January 2020 or so, and I can comfortably recommend them based on this prior sampling. Some New Wines Tasted Over the Past Fortnight --- 1.Speck Brothers Three of Hearts Pinot Grigio 2020 VQA Niagara Peninsula $19.95 +20374 Vintages July 24, 2021: this is a highly competitive category, and Three of Hearts goes up very well against the other grigios in Ontario, especially with its slight yellow colour. Typical nuances include off-dry orchard fruit (peach, pear, apple) with some aromatic melon-ish overtones. It is refreshing on the mid-palate, finishing with slightly bitter citric notes. That makes it both a sipper and a food wine, suitable for a pre-prandial in the summer. There is some Ontario cranberry tartness and some melon sweetness, but also with some peach notes. Stainless steel all the way. Part of a team with Three of Hearts Rose (same bottle shape, same cork closure). 12.5% ABV. Is a sparkling pinot grigio coming? Quality/Price rating is 89 points by Dean Tudor of Gothic Epicures. 2.Speck Brothers Three of Hearts Rose 2020 VQA Niagara Peninsula +552562 now at winery, $19.95: the original of this “Heart” series, and a major competitor in the annual Wine Writers' Circle of Canada Rose tasting – with high scores. The composition changes from vintage to vintage (e.g. 2017 and 2018 were both 88% pinot noir, balance pinot gris; the 2019 was 60% pinot noir and 40% pinot gris). The 2020 is apparently mostly pinot noir with pinot gris and gamay noir. No skin contact, cold fermentation in stainless. Loaded with apricot/almond tones and that Ontario cran-raspberry complexity. With its minerality and citrus finish, it is better as a food wine than as a sipper. 12% ABV; residual sugar of 7.1 g/L. Quality/Price rating is 89 points by Dean Tudor of Gothic Epicures. 3.Gerard Bertrand Hampton Water 2020 Languedoc AOP +667337, Vintages $29.95: a joint effort with rocker Jon Bon Jovi, his son Jesse, and footballer Bertrand. It's a terrific marketing device to ask you to dive into Hampton Water rose. Some French oak aging for roundness but otherwise it is cool temperature all the way from the pressing through fermentation. The principal grape is grenache, followed by cinsault and mourvedre. Early bottling ensures freshness and fruitiness. Expect the scrubby herbs of the dry Mediterranean, some lavender, minerality from the low sugars and high acid. Definitely a refreshing wine, more of a food wine with its red fruit spiciness and and citrus tones on the finish. 13.5% ABV; 2 g/L residual sugar. Quality/Price rating is 91 points by Dean Tudor of Gothic Epicures. 4.Cusumano Merlot 2019 Terre Siciliane IGT +9779 LCBO General List $12.95: one of Cusumano's international single varietal series, coming in at 13% ABV. It is an interesting addition to the LCBO general list program. The average age of the vines here is 17 years. Cold maceration and cool fermentation in stainless steel, followed by malolactic fermentation in stainless. It sits on its lees for a minimum of 5 months and then is lightly filtered for bottle aging. No oak, but plenty of red and black berries. Value-driven. Quality/Price rating is 88 points by Dean Tudor of Gothic Epicures. 5.Domaine Martin Cotes du Rhone 2018, +18642 Vintages, $17.95: 80% grenache and 20% syrah. Typical density of southern Rhone with a preponderance of grenache tones followed by syrah flavours: spices, anise, some burnt caramel, ripe, but a long penetrating finish, some tannic tightness in the structure. Mouthfilling. Ripe, fresh and fruity with black berry and cherry plumminess. Not filtered. 13.5% ABV, 2g/L residual sugar. A top-scoring wine at the Decanter World Wine Awards. Quality/Price rating is 92 points by Dean Tudor of Gothic Epicures. I will also try to recommend one red, one rose and one white wine from the LCBO’s Limited Time Offers selections...some are good values (see below)...now on sale through Sunday August 15 ... [red] BERONIA RESERVA Rioja +50203 on sale to August 15, now $19.95, down from $21.95. [white] Boschendal 1685 Chardonnay WO Western Cape South Africa +367698 on sale to August 15, now $14.95, down from $16.95. Buy a case. [rose] GERARD BERTRAND GRIS BLANC ROSE +14673 on sale to August 15, now $13.75, down from $15.75. Buy a case. [fizz] LILY SPARKLING ROSÉ VQA +536565 on sale to August 15, now $16.95, down from $17.95. Under $20 ========= W+20373 CHARLES BAKER RIESLING VQA Twenty Mile Bench, Niagara Escarpment 2019 $19.95 MVC/QPR: 89. W+20374 SPECK BROTHERS THREE OF HEARTS TROIS COEURS PINOT GRIGIO Sustainable, VQA Niagara Peninsula 2020 $19.95 MVC/QPR: 89. W+230599 SU PUDDU VERMENTINO DI SARDEGNA DOC 2019 $17.95 MVC/QPR: 89. R+582882 BISCARDO NEROPASSO IGT Rosso del Veronese 2018 $18.95 MVC/QPR: 89. R+638338 MARZIANO ABBONA I DUE RICU DOCG Langhe Rosso 2017 $19.95 MVC/QPR: 89. R+74229 FERRATON PÈRE & FILS PLAN DE DIEU CÔTES DU RHÔNE-VILLAGES AC 2019 $19.95 MVC/QPR: 89. Vermouth+18529 BIOMIO ORGANIC RED VERMOUTH Aragón, Spain $16.95 MVC/QPR: 89. Over $20 ========= W+20899 CLOSSON CHASE THE BROCK CHARDONNAY VQA Niagara River, Niagara-on-the-Lake 2018 $24.95 MVC/QPR: 90. Rose+562595 THE PALM BY WHISPERING ANGEL AC Côteaux d'Aix-en-Provence 2020 $24.95 MVC/QPR: 90. Rose+278861 BERNE INSPIRATION ROSÉ AP Côtes de Provence 2020 $23.95 MVC/QPR: 89. R+17704 CANTINA DI MONTALCINO BRUNELLO DI MONTALCINO DOCG 2015 $39.95 MVC/QPR: 89. Chimo! www.deantudor.com WORLD WINE WATCH TOP WINES AT VINTAGES: under/over $20 for JULY 10, 2021 By DEAN TUDOR, Gothic Epicures Writing deantudor@deantudor.com. My "Wines, Beers and Spirits of the Net", a guide to thousands of news items and RSS feeds, plus references to wines, beers and spirits, has been at http://www.deantudor.com since 1994. These notes for good wines available through LCBO Vintages (on a bi-weekly basis) can always be found at http://www.gothicepicures.blogspot.ca or at http://www.deantudor.com No winery can buy their way into – or out of – this publication. Scores are a combination of MVC (Modal Varietal Character, e.g. a Southern Rhone would taste like a Southern Rhone) and QPR (Quality/Price Ratio value in the marketplace above or below its price). Currently, the wine media have no access to the tasting samples usually provided to us in the LCBO lab on a fortnightly basis. This will go on or some time. HOWEVER, the wine media will still have access to the advance spreadsheet of the wines to be released. So I know what is to be released and when. SOME (but not many) of these 100 or so biweekly released wines I have recently tasted since January 2020 or so, and I can comfortably recommend them based on this prior sampling. Some New Wines Tasted Over the Past Fortnight --- 1.Kacaba Vineyards & Winery Unoaked Chardonnay 2020 VQA Niagara Peninsula, LCBO & Grocery +326975, $15.95: fruit-driven aromatics come from the bouquet of orchard fruit which clearly shows on the mid-palate, finishing off with a slight citrus tang, thus making it perfectly adaptable to a first course food offering such as seafood or light salad. It can also be used as a social drink for the patio/deck/terrace/balcony or party. The balanced fruit-acid here is very nicely placed. Stainless steel cold aging [no oak]. Also available in 60 grocery stores. 13.5% ABV. 7 g/L residual sugar. Twist top. Good value price. Quality/Price rating is 90 points by Dean Tudor of Gothic Epicures. 2.Kacaba Vineyards & Winery Cabernet 2020 VQA Niagara Peninsula, LCBO & Grocery +499384, $15.95: a blend of 71% cabernet franc and 29% cabernet sauvignon. The ratio of the cabernets can change from vintage year to vintage year. There is a melange of both red and black fruit, such as cherries, raspberries, cranberries followed by cassis and blackberries. From the short wood aging comes some vanilla, coffee-toffee, and woody spices. Medium in mouthfeel and well-balanced all the way, just what you want from a party red wine that can also extend through to the cheese course. 13.5% ABV. 14 g/L residual sugar. Capable of aging for a few years. Tasted over several days after a double-decanting. Twist top. Also available in 60 grocery stores. Quality/Price rating is 89 points by Dean Tudor of Gothic Epicures. 3.Kacaba Vineyards & Winery Jennifer's Pinot Gris 2020 VQA Niagara Peninsula winery and online only, $19.95: one of the “summer series” and also more Alsatian in its complexity with orchard fruit (pear, peach, apple) and no oaking. Some melon notes too. Medium weight and finishes dry, but can be used either as a social drink or with first-course food such as chicken or seafood. Grapes come from a vineyard located on the Lincoln Lakeshore. 12.9% ABV. 5.4 g/L residual sugar. Made in stainless steel. Twist top. 400 cases produced. Quality/Price rating is 89 points by Dean Tudor of Gothic Epicures. 4.Kacaba Vineyards & Winery Pinot Noir 2019 VQA Niagara Peninsula $32.95 at winery & online: and here we enter the realm of upscale Ontario pinot noir. Kacaba has been making it for decades – Winemaker Jim Warren worked with pinot noir for Kacaba as early as 1999. This time, 300 cases were produced after aging 14 months in new and old French oak (88%) and acacia barrels (12%). A savoury wine (aromas of forest floor) loaded with red fruit such as tart red currants, Ontario cranberries, strawberries, and woodsy complexity from the oak and acacia suggestive of cedar spices and even some tobacco leafiness. Double-decanted and tasted over several days to simulate aging. The producer suggests white meats such as chicken, veal or pork, or sip on its own. Cork closure. 13% ABV. 3 g/L residual sugar. Quality/Price rating is 92 points by Dean Tudor of Gothic Epicures. I will also try to recommend one red, one rose, one white wine and one sparkler on the LCBO’s Limited Time Offers selections...these are good wine values...on sale through Sunday July 18...   [red wine]  CONCHA TORO CASILLERO DEL DIABLO RESERVA PRIVADA CABERNET SAUVIGNON  Chile LCBO 570754 WAS: $ 18.95 | NOW: $ 15.95 | SAVE: $ 3.00. Buy a case of 12. [white]  ANGELS GATE SUSSRESERVE RIESLING VQA LCBO 620104 WAS: $ 13.95 | NOW: $ 11.95 | SAVE: $ 2.00 [rose]  HENRY OF PELHAM ROSÉ VQA LCBO 613471 WAS: $ 14.95 | NOW: $ 12.95 | SAVE: $ 2.00 [sparkling] COLIO LILY SPARKLING WINE VQA LCBO 418657 WAS: $ 17.95 | NOW: $ 15.95 | SAVE: $ 2.00 [SPLURGEWORTHY] PIPER HEIDSIECK BRUT CHAMPAGNE LCBO 462432 WAS: $ 59.80 | NOW: $ 54.80 | SAVE: $ 5.00 Under $20 ========= W+286278 FLAT ROCK CHARDONNAY VQA Twenty Mile Bench, Niagara Escarpment $19.95 MVC/QPR: 90 W+203877 SUTHERLAND SAUVIGNON BLANC WO Elgin 2019 $14.95 MVC/QPR: 89 R+370262 GÉRARD BERTRAND GRAND TERROIR LA CLAPE SYRAH/CARIGNAN/MOURVÈDRE AP 2017 $19.95 MVC/QPR: 90 Rose+85126 MEGALOMANIAC PINK SLIP ROSÉ VQA Niagara Peninsula 2020 $19.95 MVC/QPR: 89 Rose+668426 VILLA AIX EN PROVENCE ROSÉ AP Coteaux d'Aix en Provence 2020 $19.95 MVC/QPR: 89 Over $20 ========= W+417774 QUEYLUS TRADITION CHARDONNAY VQA Niagara Peninsula 2018 $29.95 MVC/QPR: 89 W+20455 LE CLOS JORDANNE JORDAN VILLAGE CHARDONNAY VQA Niagara Peninsula 2019 $24.95 MVC/QPR: 89 W+377770 QUAILS' GATE CHARDONNAY BC VQA Okanagan Valley $24.95 MVC/QPR: 89 Rose+667337 HAMPTON WATER ROSÉ AP Languedoc 2020 $29.95 MVC/QPR: 89 R+395855 HENRY OF PELHAM ESTATE CABERNET/MERLOT VQA Short Hills Bench, Niagara Escarpment 2016 $24.95 MVC/QPR: 91 R+73817 RUTHERFORD RANCH CABERNET SAUVIGNON Napa Valley 2018 $42.95 MVC/QPR: 89 Port+18459 VIEIRA DE SOUSA VINTAGE PORT DOP, Portugal 2016 $59.95 MVC/QPR: 89 WORLD WINE WATCH TOP WINES AT VINTAGES: under/over $20 for JUNE 26, 2021 By DEAN TUDOR, Gothic Epicures Writing deantudor@deantudor.com. My "Wines, Beers and Spirits of the Net", a guide to thousands of news items and RSS feeds, plus references to wines, beers and spirits, has been at http://www.deantudor.com since 1994. These notes for good wines available through LCBO Vintages (on a bi-weekly basis) can always be found at http://www.gothicepicures.blogspot.ca or at http://www.deantudor.com No winery can buy their way into – or out of – this publication. Scores are a combination of MVC (Modal Varietal Character, e.g. a Southern Rhone would taste like a Southern Rhone) and QPR (Quality/Price Ratio value in the marketplace above or below its price). Currently, the wine media have no access to the tasting samples usually provided to us in the LCBO lab on a fortnightly basis. This will go on or some time. HOWEVER, the wine media will still have access to the advance spreadsheet of the wines to be released. So I know what is to be released and when. SOME (but not many) of these 100 or so biweekly released wines I have recently tasted since January 2020 or so, and I can comfortably recommend them based on this prior sampling. Some New Wines Tasted Over the Past Fortnight --- 1.Chateau des Charmes Aligote 2019 Cuvee Michele VQA Niagara-on-the-Lake, $15.95, +296848 LCBO: made from the rare French vinifera grape (seldom seen outside Burgundy) that Paul Bosc has cultivated since 1978, loaded with lean orchard fruit (green apples and unripe pears) and ending with a finishing crisp acidity suggesting food more than sipping. It was often used in Burgundy as the white wine base for Kir; in North America now almost any dry white is used for a Kir. Aligote is refreshing for summer, and has no oak. Named for the late Michele Bosc. 3g/L residual sugar. 12.5% ABV. Quality/Price rating is 89 points by Dean Tudor of Gothic Epicures. 2.Chateau des Charmes Chardonnay 2017 Paul Bosc Estate Vineyard VQA St David's Bench, +287268, $24.95 at winery and online: one of several chardonnays at different price points from Chateau des Charmes. My last vintage tasted was the 2016. Barrel fermented and barrel aged in French oak for a year, with lees stirring. Almost 30-year old vines. Expect soft balance with nuances of minerality and some muted tropicality, served up with orchard fruit. Cork closure. Long citric finish in Euro mode. One of my fave chards, but do not serve overchilled. 513 cases. No residual sugar. 13.7% ABV. Quality/Price rating is 91 points by Dean Tudor of Gothic Epicures. 3.Chateau des Charmes Rose Sparkling Traditional Method 2016 NOTL VQA, +78055 Vintages TBD, available at winery and online now for $34.95: [I last sampled the 2014 vintage at that same price] here 50.9% chardonnay and 49.1% pinot noir (blanc des noirs) from vines planted as early as 1991, very pretty colour from the pinot dosage, reminiscent of strawberry blush, almost 2 years lees contact and fermented in the bottle. Full, rich, ripe yeasty biscuit complexity. Citric finish, best with food such as appetizers. Strawb fruit dominates. Recently disgorged. 7.9 g/L residual sugar. 11.5% ABV. Stunning. 330 cases available. Quality/Price rating is 93 points by Dean Tudor of Gothic Epicures. 4.Huff Estates Getaway Rose 2020 VQA Ontario +63982 $20 [online and at winery]: made totally from cabernet franc with 12 hours of skin contact during fermentation. Lovely pale colour, aromatics and first palate of strawberries and then the typical cranberry textures and finish for an Ontario wine. Light herbaceous suggests food (including salads) on the patio or some first course app. Seems to be a perfect all-purpose beach wine. 3.2g/L 12.8% ABV. 1500 cases. Quality/Price rating is 89 points by Dean Tudor of Gothic Epicures. 5.Huff Estates Buried Vine Pinot Gris 2020 VQA Prince Edward County $22 at winery and online: a good little aperitif (or first course) wine made in Alsatian style with more body texture and colour. Pears are evident, perhaps more ripe than the wine's green apple tones. 3g/L residual sugar for a bit of roundness. 850 cases, 12.5% ABV. Quality/Price rating is 89 points by Dean Tudor of Gothic Epicures. 6.Huff Estates Four Acre Merlot 2019 South Bay Vineyard VQA Prince Edward County, $30 at winery or online: very fruity, maybe fruit gone wild, but tempered with 15 months in French oak (30% new). Typically bright red and black fruit style, cassis, cherry-berry even. Some herbaceousness on the nose. Slightly tannic finish at this point, expected to smooth out over the next year or so. One of the better merlot wines in Ontario. I suggest a double decant before drinking. 225 cases produced. Charcuterie and/or cheese platters. 2.6g/L residual sugar. 13% ABV. Quality/Price rating is 90 points by Dean Tudor of Gothic Epicures. 7.Huff Estates Catharine's Chardonnay South Bay Vineyards 2019 VQA Prince Edward County, $35 at winery and online: 14 months in French oak (30% new; 40% older) plus 30% in stainless steel tank. Slightly smokey, citric tones and some minerality, good balance and nuances between the elements. Barrel flavours, baked fruit, orchard fruit and nuts. Long toasty finish, needs buttery food. Not really a sipper, and don't overchill. In the past, this wine has been a multiple award winner. 1.3g/L residual sugar. 365 cases produced. 13% ABV. Quality/Price rating is 91 points by Dean Tudor of Gothic Epicures. 8.Huff Estates Old Vines Cabernet Franc 2019 South Bay Vineyard VQA Prince Edward County $35 winery and online: herby red fruit dominates, but also plums and cherries with a dash of cassis. 16 months French oak, 30% new. Some tannins need to resolve on the finish, so double decant or leave open for a long time. Good with almost anything that needs a bracing red, such as spicy sausages or lamb or boar dishes. Tasted over a few days. 400 cases produced. 3 g/L residual sugar. 12.5% ABV. Quality/Price rating is 91 points by Dean Tudor of Gothic Epicures. 9.Huff Estates County Roads Pinot Noir Rose 2020 VQA Prince Edward County $25 online/winery: on the nose, crisp and clear red fruit with a tang of orange and some cranberry. Redolent with that PEC minerality, 1.3g/L residual sugar. 100% pinot noir done up in stainless steel, with 18 hours on the skins. Good as aperitif, but also with snacks such as pates, cheeses, or (as the winery suggests) grilled veggie skewers. Long long length to the finish. Incredibly fresh food wine. 400 cases. 12% ABV. Quality/Price rating is 91 points by Dean Tudor of Gothic Epicures. I will also try to recommend one red, one rose and one white wine on the LCBO’s Limited Time Offers selections...these are good values...on sale through Sunday July 18... [red wine] CONCHA TORO CASILLERO DEL DIABLO RESERVA PRIVADA CABERNET SAUVIGNON Chile LCBO 570754 WAS: $ 18.95 | NOW: $ 15.95 | SAVE: $ 3.00 [white] ANGELS GATE SUSSRESERVE RIESLING VQA LCBO 620104 WAS: $ 13.95 | NOW: $ 11.95 | SAVE: $ 2.00 [rose] HENRY OF PELHAM ROSÉ VQA LCBO 613471 WAS: $ 14.95 | NOW: $ 12.95 | SAVE: $ 2.00 [sparkling] COLIO LILY SPARKLING WINE VQA LCBO 418657 WAS: $ 17.95 | NOW: $ 15.95 | SAVE: $ 2.00 [SPLURGEWORTHY] PIPER HEIDSIECK BRUT CHAMPAGNE LCBO 462432 WAS: $ 59.80 | NOW: $ 54.80 | SAVE: $ 5.00 Under $20 ======== Sparkling+515254 VILARNAU BARCELONA RESERVA BRUT CAVA Traditional method, DO, Spain $15.95 MVC/QPR: 89. W+231282 KEN FORRESTER OLD VINE RESERVE CHENIN BLANC WO Stellenbosch 2020 $17.95 MVC/QPR: 89. W+734798 THORNBURY SAUVIGNON BLANC Marlborough, South Island 2020 $18.95 MVC/QPR: 89. Rose+19852 ALBINO ARMANI ROSÉ IGT Vallagarina 2020 $14.95 MVC/QPR: 89. Rose+15277 CASAS DEL BOSQUE PINOT NOIR ROSÉ Sustainable, Casablanca Valley 2020 $15.95 MVC/QPR: 89. Over $20 ========= Champagne+384529 BOLLINGER SPECIAL CUVÉE BRUT CHAMPAGNE AC, France $92.95 MVC/QPR: 91. Sparkling+234161 JACKSON-TRIGGS ENTOURAGE GRAND RESERVE BRUT SPARKLING Traditional method, VQA Niagara Peninsula, Ontario 2016 $29.95 MVC/QPR: 91. Sparkling+256289 BENJAMIN BRIDGE NOVA 7 SPARKLING Nova Scotia 2020 $24.95 MVC/QPR: 89. W+155382 MARCHESI DI BAROLO GAVI DEL COMUNE DI GAVI DOCG 2019 $22.95 MVC/QPR: 89. W+28845 CLARENCE DILLON CLARENDELLE BLANC Inspired by Haut-Brion, AC Bordeaux 2019 $25.95 MVC/QPR: 89. R+28837 CLARENCE DILLON CLARENDELLE RED Inspired by Haut-Brion, AC Bordeaux 2015 $24.95 MVC/QPR: 89. Chimo! www.deantudor.com WORLD WINE WATCH TOP WINES AT VINTAGES: under/over $20 for JUNE 12, 2021 By DEAN TUDOR, Gothic Epicures Writing deantudor@deantudor.com. My "Wines, Beers and Spirits of the Net", a guide to thousands of news items and RSS feeds, plus references to wines, beers and spirits, has been at http://www.deantudor.com since 1994. These notes for good wines available through LCBO Vintages (on a bi-weekly basis) can always be found at http://www.gothicepicures.blogspot.ca or at http://www.deantudor.com No winery can buy their way into – or out of – this publication. Scores are a combination of MVC (Modal Varietal Character, e.g. a Southern Rhone would taste like a Southern Rhone) and QPR (Quality/Price Ratio value in the marketplace above or below its price). Currently, the wine media have no access to the tasting samples usually provided to us in the LCBO lab on a fortnightly basis. This will go on or some time. HOWEVER, the wine media will still have access to the advance spreadsheet of the wines to be released. So I know what is to be released and when. SOME (but not many) of these 100 or so biweekly released wines I have recently tasted since January 2020 or so, and I can comfortably recommend them based on this prior sampling. Some New Wines Tasted Over the Past Fortnight --- 1.Westcott Vineyards Temperance Red 2020 VQA Vinemount Ridge $19.99 at winery and online: this is a Burgundian passtoutgrain-styled wine which is very popular in France, made from 50% Gamay Noir and 50% Pinot Noir grapes. There is a 30-day maceration, with a stainless steel all wild ferment and malo-lactic fermentation. Very soft, fleshy, fruity, good for the patio/terrace/balcony/porch/deck. It would be excellent with all kinds of soups. 11.5% ABV. Screwcap Closure. Quality/Price rating is 89 points by Dean Tudor of Gothic Epicures. 2.Westcott Vineyards Brilliant Traditional Sparkling 2017 VQA Vinemount Ridge $39.99 at winery and online: this is a still-fresh terrific sparkler done up in the traditional style of long lees contact (three years here), hand riddling, and disgorgement for a secondary fermentation in the bottle. 2250 bottles were produced of this pinot noir (66%) and chardonnay (33%) blend from their own estate in Vinemount Ridge. It's got a complex basket of flavours, ranging from orchard fruit through to citrus, with the lightness of the chardonnay being balanced off against the heavier tones of the pinot noir. It stays this way right from the entry through to the long finish, and the latter makes this a pretty good food wine too. You'll need to put some down for 2025-2027. 12.5% ABV. 8.4g/L residual sugar. Quality/Price rating is 92 points by Dean Tudor of Gothic Epicures. 3.Westcott Vineyards Lillias Unoaked Chardonnay 2020 VQA Niagara Escarpment $24.99 at winery and online: a bright and fresh Chardonnay (two clones used) reflective of the vintage. Stainless tank fermentation and storage with half MLF to soften, and six months lees contact. No oak. Slightly off-dry feel despite 3g/L residual sugar, but a rounded mid-palate. Very stylish with a light lingering finish, great as a non-appetite-provoking aperitif, which makes it a fab cocktail party white wine. Emphasis is on fresh orchard fruit (apples, pears, peaches): it could change over the next two years, which would make it more versatile in being also a first course wine. 13.5% ABV. Quality/Price rating is 90 points by Dean Tudor of Gothic Epicures. 4.Westcott Vineyards Riesling Butler's Grant 2019 VQA Twenty Mile Bench $18.99 at winery or online: a devilishly competent 11% ABV Mosel style and light, formerly offered just to their Wine Club members. Now 550 cases are available to all. Parts of the vineyard were planted in 1980. Perfectly attuned to summer -- this was delicious in that Germanic style, ready for consumption now. And certainly affordable for an “old vines” wine. 8.2g/L residual sugar. Quality/Price rating is 90 points by Dean Tudor of Gothic Epicures. 5.Westcott Vineyards Delphine Rose 2020 VQA Twenty Mile Bench $18.99 at winery and online: a refreshing blend of cabernet franc (53%) and pinot noir (47%), pressed for six hours skin maceration and then complete malolactic fermentation. Early picking gave it that zesty complexity of red fruit such as strawberries and raspberries and cranberries (aka sunshine in a glass). Screwcap closure. 12% ABV. 8.5g/L residual sugar. A very good wine as an aperitif on the balcony/deck/terrace, etc. And as a first course wine with a spread board (charcuterie, smoked fish, cheese, dried fruits, nuts, et al). Quality/Price rating is 89 points by Dean Tudor of Gothic Epicures. 6.Westcott Vineyards Pinot Noir Rose 2020 VQA Vinemount Ridge $23.99 at winery and online: two clones of pinot noir (667 and 777) ere used from the fabulous Vinemount Ridge vineyard. The fruit, while awesome, is tempered by the higher alcohol of 13.5% ABV and lowered grape sugar of 3g/L. Ontario cranberries are noted as well as raspberries on the nose, followed by a hefty taste sensation on the mid-palate, ending with a rush of balanced tannins on the finish – good for first, second, and third courses. Quality/Price rating is 91 points by Dean Tudor of Gothic Epicures. 7.Chateau des Charmes Blanc de Blancs Sparkling Wine Methode Traditionnelle 2016 VQA Niagara on the Lake, $34.95 Vintages June 12 [also at winery and online]: one of Ontario's top-rated MT sparklers, nicely aged at almost five years. 100% chardonnay. Bottle aged on the lees for at least 2 years, with buttercream notes, citrus aromas, fresh bread, excellent mousse. 250 cases. 5g/L residual sugar. 12.7% ABV. Quality/Price rating is 92 points by Dean Tudor of Gothic Epicures. 8.Chateau des Charmes Gamay Noir “Droit” 2018 St. David's Bench Vineyard VQA St. David’s Bench, +346742 Vintages June 12, $19.95 [also at winery and online]: medium-full-bodied, suggestive of Beaujolais grand cru wines such as Morgon or Moulin a Vent in the Droit's capacity for aging. Dark cherry-berry flavours dominate, but there is added spicing and even some nuances of earthiness and eucalyptus, although the wine is unoaked. Cork finish. Good with BBQ, cheese, or something substantial, but some tannic structure is present to carry through a whole meal. Chateau des Charmes is the only winery in the world using this particular gamay clone. 2Gm/L residual sugar. 12.5% ABV, lower than previous years. Earlier vintages were gold medal winners in Canada. 1100 cases produced. Quality/Price rating is 91 points by Dean Tudor of Gothic Epicures. 9.STEL+MAR Cabernet Sauvignon 2019 Lodi, +20808 $17.95 LCBO: from sandy loam soils. A great wallop of cherries begins the aromatics and dominates right through to the finish in typical Cali-style from Lodi. Long rich tones of cassis, toffee, mocha, and ending with toasty vanilla notes. Soft, juicy, almost like a Merlot and finishes with delicate tannins. Best enjoyed as a social sipper drink with good companions. Tasted over a few days with repeated flavours. 8g/L residual sugar. 13.7% ABV. Cork closure. Label artwork by Stephanie Cheng of Toronto! 10,000 cases. Quality/Price rating is 90 points by Dean Tudor of Gothic Epicures. I will also try to recommend one red, one rose and one white wine on the LCBO’s Limited Time Offers selections...these are good values... [red wine[ Sella & Mosca Riserva Cannonau di Sardegna on sale to June 20, $15.95, down from $18.45. Buy a case. [white] Villa Maria Private Bin Chardonnay East Coast New Zealand on sale to June 20, $15.70, down from $17.70. Buy a case. [rose] Tawse Sketches of Niagara Rose on sale to June 20, $15.95, down from $17.95. Buy a case. Under $20 ========= W+392092 HENRI EHRHART RÉSERVE PARTICULIÈRE PINOT GRIS AC Alsace 2019 $18.95 MVC/QPR: 89 W+328559 CATHEDRAL CELLAR CHARDONNAY WO Western Cape 2019 $17.95 MVC/QPR: 93 W+1847 THIERRY DELAUNAY TOURAINE SAUVIGNON BLANC AP 2020 $16.95 MVC/QPR: 89 W+89011 FEATHERSTONE SAUVIGNON BLANC VQA Niagara Peninsula 2020 $17.95 MVC/QPR: 90 W+148429 PENCARROW SAUVIGNON BLANC Martinborough, North Island 2019 $18.95 MVC/QPR: 89 R+346742 CHÂTEAU DES CHARMES ST. DAVID'S BENCH VINEYARD GAMAY NOIR DROIT VQA St. David's Bench, Niagara-on-the-Lake 2018 $19.95 MVC/QPR: 91 R+983742 L.A. CETTO PETITE SIRAH Guadalupe Valley, Baja California 2017 $13.95 MVC/QPR: 89 R+403683 GÉRARD BERTRAND FITOU GRENACHE/CARIGNAN AP 2018 $17.95 MVC/QPR: 89 R+668780 BISCARDO ROSAPASSO IGT Veneto 2019 $15.95 MVC/QPR: 89 Rose+19846 CONFIDENCIAL RESERVA ROSÉ Vegan, Vinho Regional Lisboa 2020 $15.95 MVC/QPR: 89 Over $20 ========= W+643361 HENRY OF PELHAM SPECK FAMILY RESERVE RIESLING Sustainable, VQA Short Hills Bench, Niagara Escarpment 2019 $27.95 MVC/QPR: 90 R+18686 QUINTA VALE DE FORNOS RESERVA TOURIGA NACIONAL DOC Tejo 2015 $24.95 MVC/QPR: 89 R+19286 FINCA RÍO NEGRO COGOLLUDO GUADALAJARA Vino de la Tierra de Castilla 2015 $20.95 MVC/QPR:89 Sparkling+15686 GRUET BRUT SPARKLING ROSÉ Traditional method, New Mexico $25.95 MVC/QPR: 89 Sparkling+423111 CHÂTEAU DES CHARMES BLANC DE BLANCS SPARKLING Traditional method, VQA Niagara-on-the-Lake, Ontario 2016 $34.95 MVC/QPR: 92 Sparkling224766 CHÂTEAU DES CHARMES BRUT SPARKLING Traditional method, VQA Niagara-on-the-Lake $25.95 MVC/QPR: 91 WORLD WINE WATCH TOP WINES AT VINTAGES: under/over $20 for MAY 29, 2021 AKA THE BLUE MOON RELEASE!!! By DEAN TUDOR, Gothic Epicures Writing deantudor@deantudor.com. My "Wines, Beers and Spirits of the Net", a guide to thousands of news items and RSS feeds, plus references to wines, beers and spirits, has been at http://www.deantudor.com since 1994. These notes for good wines available through LCBO Vintages (on a bi-weekly basis) can always be found at http://www.gothicepicures.blogspot.ca or at http://www.deantudor.com No winery can buy their way into – or out of – this publication. Scores are a combination of MVC (Modal Varietal Character, e.g. a Southern Rhone would taste like a Southern Rhone) and QPR (Quality/Price Ratio value in the marketplace above or below its price). Currently, the wine media have no access to the tasting samples usually provided to us in the LCBO lab on a fortnightly basis. This will go on or some time. HOWEVER, the wine media will still have access to the advance spreadsheet of the wines to be released. So I know what is to be released and when. SOME (but not many) of these 100 or so biweekly released wines I have recently tasted since January 2020 or so, and I can comfortably recommend them based on this prior sampling. Some New Wines Tasted Over the Past Fortnight --- 1.Peninsula Ridge Estates Winery Sauvignon Blanc 2019 VQA Niagara Peninsula, LCBO and Grocery +53678 $15.95 [LTO $13.95 May 23-June 19]: this is a no brainer choice – a classic savvy that's been made since the winery opened, excellent quality from the renowned A.J. Lepp vineyard (39.5%), Wismer vineyard (20.4%), balance from three others. No oak, of course, with cold fermentation in stainless tanks. Typical MVC aromas of gooseberry and some grass, lemons and long length. This has been a huge seller for Peninsula Ridge, and it goes very well with grilled white meats and grilled veggies. 12% ABV, <3g/L residual sugar. Quality/Price rating is 91 points by Dean Tudor of Gothic Epicures. 2.Peninsula Ridge Estates Winery Beal Vineyard Cabernet Rose 2020 VQA Beamsville Bench, Vintages +177840 $15.95 May 15 release: the Wine Writers' Circle of Canada has had eight annual tastings of Ontario rose wines, and this one from Peninsula Ridge has always been selected in the “Best” category (90+ points) except for one year. So it has a great track record with wine writers. It's all Cabernet Franc, with short skin contact and long fermentation at low temperatures – always in stainless steel tanks. Red fruit, of course, dominates in a juicy style (but with only 4g/L residual sugar). Typical MVC for Ontario strawberries, red cherries, and cranberries (for that crisp long finish). Best served with decks/terraces/balconies/patios/backyards and sunshine, or with grilled seafood. (Their 2013 vintage rose sold for $11.95). Quality/Price rating is 90 points by Dean Tudor of Gothic Epicures. 3.Rutherford Ranch Chardonnay 2018 Napa $29.95 Consignment from Majestic Wine Cellars: a soft wine full of orchard fruit (baked apple, pear), creamy, bright, some vanilla but a little toasted French and American oak (and lees) with spices. Best with sauced seafood. 14.5% ABV. Very dry finish. Quality/Price rating is 91 points by Dean Tudor of Gothic Epicures. 4.Cantina Valpantena Veneto Chardonnay Alfabeto IGP 2019 $14.95 Consignment Majestic Wine Cellars: It's a definite antipasto or pre-prandial wine since it was light lemons with lively acidity, some tart apples, 12% ABV, and a longer finish than I was expecting. Quite pleasant. Under composition cork. Quality/Price rating is 88 points by Dean Tudor of Gothic Epicures. 5.Cantina Armani Albino Armani 1607 Chardonnay Capitel 2019 Trentino DOC, $21.95 consignment Majestic Wine Cellars. From the Adige Valley region, it's a mellow, rounder wine with less acid but a long honeyed finish in the mouth. Composition cork, and it too had sweet apples, limes and citrus, and a bright freshness from the stainless steel. 12.5% ABV. Quality/Price rating is 89 points by Dean Tudor of Gothic Epicures. 6.Cantina Mabis Biscardo Oropasso Originale 2019 IGT Veneto $18.95 consignment from Majestic Wine Cellars: made from about 60% early harvest garganega [also known as malvasia de manresa in Spain](basis of soave) and 40% late harvest chardonnay juice. No oak, just stainless steel for freshness. But a longer fermentation than usual, and five months on the lees. Results? An engaging floral, off-sweet bouquet leading to nuts and tropical fruits on the palate with citrus running in the background. A good seam of acidity through to the spicy finish. Best with food, but possible also as a sipper. A very nice riff on Soave. The company's series includes Rosapasso (pinot noir rose) and Neropasso (red), all trading off on the “oro-” gold usage. 13% ABV. Good value. Quality/Price rating is 92 points by Dean Tudor of Gothic Epicures. 7.Rutherford Ranch Morgan Bay Cellars Chardonnay 2018 California appellation $16.95 Majestic Wine Cellars Consignment: cork disc closure, well-rounded texture meant to appeal to the US palate. There were lemons and green apples, but also the softness and taste of a creamy caramel. But there is also enough finishing acid for a first course. Otherwise, sip away. 12.5% ABV. Quality/Price rating is 90 points by Dean Tudor of Gothic Epicures. Under $20 ========= W+17644 OMRAH CROSSINGS CHARDONNAY Great Southern, Western Australia 2019 18.95 MVC/QPR: 89 W+256552 CAVE SPRING ESTATE CHARDONNAY Cave Spring Vineyard, VQA Beamsville Bench, Niagara Escarpment 2018 19.95 MVC/QPR: 89 W+262782 THATCHED HUT SAUVIGNON BLANC Marlborough, South Island 2020 19.95 MVC/QPR: 89 R+17455 LUI RESERVA MALBEC Single Vineyard, Uco Valley, Mendoza 2018 19.95 MVC/QPR: 89 R+723452 ONDARRE RESERVA DOCa Rioja 2016 19.95 MVC/QPR: 89 R+548560 ALICE VIEIRA DE SOUSA RESERVE RED DOC Douro 2018 16.95 MVC/QPR: 89 Over $20 ========= W+68106 DOMAINE DU CHARDONNAY MONTMAINS CHABLIS 1ER CRU AC 2017 43.95 MVC/QPR: 89 W+181289 DOMAINE LE VERGER CHABLIS AC 2018 27.95 MVC/QPR: 89 R+417659 CUNE RESERVA Rioja Alta, DOCa Rioja 2015 21.95 MVC/QPR: 89 R+19675 CARIONE BRUNELLO DI MONTALCINO DOCG 2015 34.95 MVC/QPR: 89 Rose+491027 CAVES D'ESCLANS ROCK ANGEL ROSÉ AC Côtes de Provence 2019 49.95 MVC/QPR: 90 WORLD WINE WATCH TOP WINES AT VINTAGES: under/over $20 for MAY 15, 2021 By DEAN TUDOR, Gothic Epicures Writing deantudor@deantudor.com. My "Wines, Beers and Spirits of the Net", a guide to thousands of news items and RSS feeds, plus references to wines, beers and spirits, has been at http://www.deantudor.com since 1994. These notes for good wines available through LCBO Vintages (on a bi-weekly basis) can always be found at http://www.gothicepicures.blogspot.ca or at http://www.deantudor.com No winery can buy their way into – or out of – this publication. Scores are a combination of MVC (Modal Varietal Character, e.g. a Southern Rhone would taste like a Southern Rhone) and QPR (Quality/Price Ratio value in the marketplace above or below its price). Currently, the wine media have no access to the tasting samples usually provided to us in the LCBO lab on a fortnightly basis. This will go on or some time. HOWEVER, the wine media will still have access to the advance spreadsheet of the wines to be released. So I know what is to be released and when. SOME (but not many) of these 100 or so biweekly released wines I have recently tasted since January 2020 or so, and I can comfortably recommend them based on this prior sampling. Some New Wines Tasted Over the Past Fortnight --- 1.Featherstone Estate Winery Red Tail Merlot 2018 VQA Niagara Peninsula $19.95 +131540 Vintages May 15: Merlot is still recovering from its dissing by Pinot Noir in the movie “Sideways”. But a lot of wineries are still making it. David Johnson the winemaker has here produced a delightfully fruity but dryish (RS 1.4 g/L) drop that is also affordable. Aged 10 months in French oak, 100% malolactic fermentation. Expect black fruit cherry-berry complexity, headed by black currant. Both a patio sipper and a food wine, and ready now for current drinking and accompanying any kind of comfort food. 12.4% ABV. Quality/Price rating is 92 points by Dean Tudor of Gothic Epicures. 2.Featherstone Estate Winery Four Feathers 2020 VQA Niagara Peninsula $14.95 +341586 April 17 and August: a summer social sipper or quaffer, combining 62% riesling and 3% chardonnay with 20% sauvignon blanc and 15% gewurztraminer – all highly aromatic grapes. The percentages change from vintage to vintage depending on vineyard conditions. Stainless steel fermentation. Typical fruit flavours to be found include pineapple, melon, lemon, some mango, and some sweet parts of citric tones near the finish. A popular seller with 1999 cases. Incredibly fresh and fruity tones for summer. 12g/L residual sugar. 12.3% ABV. Quality/Price rating is 90 points by Dean Tudor of Gothic Epicures. 3.Featherstone Estate Winery Black Sheep Riesling 2019 VQA Niagara Peninsula $18.95 +80234 Vintages Essential: more in the Mosel mode than Rhine wine, this delicious sipper is loaded with a nose of citrus highlights (lemon, lime, grapefruit) evolving to Ontario orchard fruit on the mid-palate with some minerality and a long lean-ish finish which also makes it nifty food wine for many Asiatic dishes. Medium body, off-dry . Suitable for aging, to get that “petrol” character. 1429 cases made. 10.6% ABV. RS 22.4 g/L. Quality/Price rating is 90 points by Dean Tudor of Gothic Epicures. 4.Featherstone Estate Winery Cabernet Franc 2019 VQA Niagara Peninsula $19.95 +64618 Vintages Essential: a blend of 95% cabernet franc and 5% merlot. All US oak was used – 25% new, balance into 1 to 4 year old barrels. Full malolactic fermentation. Medium-bodied with an assortment of tastes of berries, plums and cherries. Long, long finish showing tart-ish food-loving acid balances. Should go well with BBQ or other fatty meats. Keep for another few years (I tasted one bottle daily for a week). 2408 cases. 3 g/L residual sugar. 12.5% ABV. Quality/Price rating is 91 points by Dean Tudor of Gothic Epicures. 5.Featherstone Estate Winery Sauvignon Blanc 2020 VQA Niagara Peninsula $17.95 +89011 Vintages June 12 and October: 20% of this wine went into barrel fermentation, leaving 80% for stainless steel. That contributed to the softness and to the muted tones of grassiness. Tropical flowers are accented rather than tropical fruit, and this too adds to its dryness culminating with ending citrus notes for a long finish. It's a great wine for savvy lovers who go for complexity rather than just herbs. At the same time, this allows for more food choices. Only 293 cases. 5.5g/L residual sugar, 13.5% ABV. Quality/Price rating is 92 points by Dean Tudor of Gothic Epicures. 6.Featherstone Estate Winery Rose 2020 VQA Niagara Peninsula $15.95 +117861 Vintages (and again on September 4): over the years, this rose has had different and varying amounts of grape varieties – all dependent on what wily winemaker David Johnson sees as the best possible blend. In the past it has had pinot noir and cabernet sauvignon, as well as gamay noir, merlot, and cabernet franc: the latter three are in the 2019. This latest vintage (2020) has cabernet sauvignon 50%, gamay noir 30%, merlot 7%, and chardonnay 13%. It's extremely useful for any event, any occasion, with any food, or just alone as a sipper on the beach/patio/deck/terrace/balcony – even in front of a roaring fireplace in winter (as I did just this week when the sub-zero snow dropped in High Park North the day before Earth Day). Expect plenty of red fruit tones in its deliciousness. Great price. 1359 cases. 6.59g/L residual sugar, 13.5% ABV. Quality/Price rating is 91 points by Dean Tudor of Gothic Epicures. Under $20 ========= W+519025 FEATHERSTONE PHOENIX VQA Niagara Peninsula 2020 $18.95 MVC/QPR: 89 W+80234 FEATHERSTONE BLACK SHEEP RIESLING 2019 VQA Niagara Peninsula $17.95 MVC/QPR: 90 W+17575 IVORY & BURT CHARDONNAY Lodi 2019 $19.95 MVC/QPR: 89 W+ 928580 SANTA CAROLINA GRAN RESERVA CHARDONNAY Sustainable, DO Itata Valley 2018 $18.95 MVC/QPR: 89 W+17563 SACRED HILL HAWKE'S BAY CHARDONNAY Sustainable, Hawke's Bay, North Island 2019 $18.95 MVC/QPR: 89 R+64618 FEATHERSTONE CABERNET FRANC VQA Niagara Peninsula 2019 $19.95 MVC/QPR: 91 R+131540 FEATHERSTONE RED TAIL MERLOT VQA Niagara Peninsula 2018 $19.95 MVC/QPR: 92 R+548867 CASA SANTOS LIMA COLOSSAL RESERVA Vinho Regional Lisboa 2017 $15.95 MVC/QPR: 89 R+348292 CHÂTEAU VRAI CAILLOU AC Bordeaux Supérieur 2016 $16.95 MVC/QPR: 89 Over $20 ========= W+566026 CAVE SPRING CSV RIESLING Cave Spring Vineyard, VQA Beamsville Bench, Niagara Escarpment 2018 $29.95 MVC/QPR: 89 R +672923 CONTINO RESERVA Single vineyard, DOCa Rioja 2016 $29.95 MVC/QPR: 89 R+60525 RUTHERFORD RANCH RESERVE CABERNET SAUVIGNON Napa Valley 2017 $49.95 MVC/QPR: 89 WORLD WINE WATCH TOP WINES AT VINTAGES: under/over $20 for MAY 1, 2021 By DEAN TUDOR, Gothic Epicures Writing deantudor@deantudor.com. My "Wines, Beers and Spirits of the Net", a guide to thousands of news items and RSS feeds, plus references to wines, beers and spirits, has been at http://www.deantudor.com since 1994. These notes for good wines available through LCBO Vintages (on a bi-weekly basis) can always be found at http://www.gothicepicures.blogspot.ca or at http://www.deantudor.com No winery can buy their way into – or out of – this publication. Scores are a combination of MVC (Modal Varietal Character, e.g. a Southern Rhone would taste like a Southern Rhone) and QPR (Quality/Price Ratio value in the marketplace above or below its price). Currently, the wine media have no access to the tasting samples usually provided to us in the LCBO lab on a fortnightly basis. This will go on or some time. HOWEVER, the wine media will still have access to the advance spreadsheet of the wines to be released. So I know what is to be released and when. SOME (but not many) of these 100 or so biweekly released wines I have recently tasted since January 2020 or so, and I can comfortably recommend them based on this prior sampling. Some New Wines Tasted Over the Past Fortnight --- 1.Chateau des Charmes Chardonnay 2016 St. David's Bench Vineyard VQA St David's Bench, +430991, $24.95 Vintages May 1: one of their several chardonnays at different price points, from Chateau des Charmes. My last vintage tasted was the 2014 (which was $5 less). Barrel-fermented and barrel-aged in French oak for a year, with lees stirring. 27-year old vines. Expect full-bodied balance with nuances of minerality and some muted tropicality, served up with orchard fruit and a buttery consistency with some slight smokey spices. Cork closure. Long finish. One of my fave chards, but do not serve overchilled. Very age worthy, should see us through (and after) the pandemic period. 500 cases. 13.3% ABV. Residual sugar 3g/L. Quality/Price rating is 92 points by Dean Tudor of Gothic Epicures. 2.Chateau des Charmes Cabernet-Merlot Old Vines 2017 VQA Niagara-On-The-Lake, $24.95 +222372 at winery and online: a substantial wine made from plots planted beginning in 1983-1985 and then again in 1992-1996 (in all four of their vineyards) – about a third each of cabernet franc, cabernet sauvignon, and merlot, coming in at 12.6% ABV after 15 months time in French oak. Expect some intricacy with its medium mocha, cedar, vanilla and cassis, but double-decant the bottle before serving. The extra airing will help soften it and give it a longer length from the older vines. Tasted successfully over a number of days. 485 cases. Residual sugar 1g/L. It should outlast the pandemic. Quality/Price rating is 93 points by Dean Tudor of Gothic Epicures. 3.Le Bijou de Sophie Valrose Rose 2020 IGP Coteaux de Beziers (Languedoc) +20012 $16.95 Vintages May 15: this is a super-value rose from the Deep South of France, comprised of all red grapes: cinsault (45%), grenache (40%), syrah (5%) and caladoc (10%). The latter is an interesting cross between grenache and malbec, useful for its high resistance to disease, tannins and aromatic quality. The mostly bush vines are 25 – 50 years old. Each variety separately undergoes a long and cool fermentation before blending together. In colour, the wine is extremely pale. The aromatics exhibit plentiful floral and berry notes, continuing on through the mid-palate before resolution with the finishing acids – great with foods such as appetizers or first courses, even salads. Sophie Larose was a late 19th century vine handpicker who fought for women's rights in the vineyards. See the back label. This wine is suitable for vegans. RS is 4g/L; ABV is 12.5%. Quality/Price rating is 92 points by Dean Tudor of Gothic Epicures. 4.Three of Hearts Pinot Grigio 2020 VQA Niagara Peninsula $19.95 +20374 Vintages July 24, 2021 [currently at winery]: this is a highly competitive category, and Three of Hearts goes up very well against the other grigios in Ontario, especially with its slight yellow colour. Typical nuances include off-dry orchard fruit (peach, pear, apple) with some aromatic melon-ish overtones. It is refreshing on the mid-palate, finishing with slightly bitter citric notes. That makes it both a sipper and a food wine, suitable for a pre-prandial in the summer. There is some Ontario cranberry tartness and some melon sweetness, but also with some peach notes. Stainless steel all the way. Part of a team with Three of Hearts Rose (same bottle shape, same cork closure). 12.5% ABV. Is a sparkling pinot grigio coming? Quality/Price rating is 89 points by Dean Tudor of Gothic Epicures. Under $20 White+18705 STRANDVELD FIRST SIGHTING SAUVIGNON BLANC WO Cape South Coast 2020 $14.95 MVC/QPR: 89 Rose+117861 FEATHERSTONE ROSÉ VQA Niagara Peninsula 2020 $15.95 MVC/QPR: 89 Rose+719062 FAMILLE PERRIN RÉSERVE ROSÉ AC Côtes du Rhône 2020 $15.95 MVC/QPR: 89 Red+999946 REMO FARINA RIPASSO VALPOLICELLA CLASSICO SUPERIORE DOC 2018 $18.95 MVC/QPR: 89 R+377481 HACIENDA LÓPEZ DE HARO CRIANZA DOCa Rioja 2017 $16.95 MVC/QPR: 89. Over $20 ========= Sparkling+19346 THE FOREIGN AFFAIR BRUT SPARKLING ROSÉ Charmat method, VQA Ontario 2019 $25.95 MVC/QPR: 89 W+17553 TE AWANGA SAUVIGNON BLANC Hawke's Bay, North Island 2019 $23.95 MVC/QPR: 89 W+616466 HENRY OF PELHAM SPECK FAMILY RESERVE CHARDONNAY Sustainable, VQA Short Hills Bench, Niagara Escarpment 2019 $29.95 MVC/QPR: 91 W+430991 CHÂTEAU DES CHARMES ST. DAVID'S BENCH VINEYARD CHARDONNAY VQA St. David's Bench, Niagara-on-the-Lake 2016 $24.95 MVC/QPR: 92 W+541557 LAKE SONOMA CHARDONNAY Russian River Valley, Sonoma County 2018 $26.95 MVC/QPR: 89 R+261784 PAPALE LINEA ORO PRIMITIVO DI MANDURIA DOP 2016 $23.95 MVC/QPR: 89 R+165662 MONTE DEL FRÀ LENA DI MEZZO VALPOLICELLA RIPASSO CLASSICO SUPERIORE DOC 2018 $24.95 MVC/QPR: 89 R+130252 TAWSE SKETCHES CABERNET/MERLOT VQA Niagara Peninsula 2018 $21.95 MVC/QPR: 89 Sparkling+993113 TAITTINGER PRESTIGE BRUT ROSÉ CHAMPAGNE AC $79.95 MVC/QPR: 89 Port+87551 FONSECA LATE BOTTLED VINTAGE PORT Unfiltered, DOP, Portugal 2015 $23.95 MVC/QPR: 89 WORLD WINE WATCH TOP WINES AT VINTAGES: under/over $20 for APRIL 17, 2021 By DEAN TUDOR, Gothic Epicures Writing deantudor@deantudor.com. My "Wines, Beers and Spirits of the Net", a guide to thousands of news items and RSS feeds, plus references to wines, beers and spirits, has been at http://www.deantudor.com since 1994. These notes for good wines available through LCBO Vintages (on a bi-weekly basis) can always be found at http://www.gothicepicures.blogspot.ca or at http://www.deantudor.com No winery can buy their way into – or out of – this publication. Scores are a combination of MVC (Modal Varietal Character, e.g. a Southern Rhone would taste like a Southern Rhone) and QPR (Quality/Price Ratio value in the marketplace above or below its price). Currently, the wine media have no access to the tasting samples usually provided to us in the LCBO lab on a fortnightly basis. This will go on or some time. HOWEVER, the wine media will still have access to the advance spreadsheet of the wines to be released. So I know what is to be released and when. SOME (but not many) of these 100 or so biweekly released wines I have recently tasted since January 2020 or so, and I can comfortably recommend them based on this prior sampling. Some New Wines Tasted Over the Past Fortnight --- 1.Gerard Bertrand Terroir An806 Corbieres 2018 $17.95 +394288 Vintages: In this Terroir Corbieres (from the Narbonne), Bertrand uses traditional fermentation for the grenache, syrah, and mourvedre. It is an appealing Rhonish G-S-M, with one-third of the blended wine aging in wood for nine months before bottling. Very firm with some very dark fruit leading on to the very full and ripe finish. Needs hearty food. 14.5% ABV. Quality/Price rating is 91 points by Dean Tudor of Gothic Epicures. 2.Parker Station Cabernet Sauvignon 2017 Paso Robles $24.95 +17684 Vintages [wine of the month for April 17, 2021]: an affordable Cali-Cab, but only 5,000 cases made. Part of the Fess Parker winery unit, the US SRP is $17. Aged six months in all French oak resulting in typical cabby spicy mocha flavours, blackberry/plummy fruit (and with a leathery hint suggestive of syrah), vanilla finish. My wife said “yum”, which is her description for a juicy palate. Changed for better complexity over time with stoppered exposure and a double decant. Smooth but dry with a long lingering finish: great with food. 14% ABV. Quality/Price rating is 91 points by Dean Tudor of Gothic Epicures. 3.Lazzara Rosato Secco NV VQA Ontario $17.95 +18248 LCBO Seasonal Rose April 1 release: this is the Speck Brothers' rose version of the Lazzara Bianco Secco, which was made in the style of prosecco. It has the palest of pale “rose” colour and is incredibly fresh at this point. Off-dry but barely, with enough stuffing to wow my wife who loved it. Typical melange of cherry-berry flavours. Very well-priced. Stainless steel, Charmat process (but with very tiny mousse bubbles). 12% ABV. Quality/Price rating is 90-91 points by Dean Tudor of Gothic Epicures. 4..Chateau des Charmes Cabernet-Merlot Old Vines 2017 VQA Niagara-On-The-Lake, $24.95 +222372 at winery and online: a substantial wine made from plots planted beginning in 1983-1985 and then again in 1992-1996 (in all four of their vineyards) – about a third each of cabernet franc, cabernet sauvignon, and merlot, coming in at 12.6% ABV after 15 months time in French oak. Expect some intricacy with its medium mocha, cedar, vanilla and cassis, but double-decant the bottle before serving. The extra airing will help soften it and give it a longer length from the older vines. Tasted successfully over a number of days. 485 cases. Residual sugar 1g/L. It should outlast the pandemic. Quality/Price rating is 93 points by Dean Tudor of Gothic Epicures. Under $20 ========= W+286377 CAVE SPRING ESTATE RIESLING VQA Beamsville Bench, Niagara Escarpment $19.95 MVC/QPR: 89 W+17658 LA GIUSTINIANA TERRE ANTICHE GAVI DI GAVI DOCG 2019 $17.95 MVC/QPR: 89 W+341586 FEATHERSTONE FOUR FEATHERS VQA Niagara Peninsula 2020 $14.95 MVC/QPR: 90 W+458687 NOBLE VINES COLLECTION 446 CHARDONNAY Monterey County 2018 $18.95 MVC/QPR: 89 Rose+19509 CAVES D'ESCLANS WHISPERING ANGEL ROSÉ AC Côtes de Provence 2020 $17.95 MVC/QPR: 89 R+19903 HENRY OF PELHAM ESTATE GAMAY Sustainable, VQA Short Hills Bench, Niagara Escarpment 2019 $19.95 MVC/QPR: 90 R+39925 CUNE CRIANZA Vegan, DOCa Rioja 2017 $15.95 MVC/QPR: 89 R+394288 GÉRARD BERTRAND GRENACHE/SYRAH/MOURVÈDRE AP Corbières 2018 $17.95 MVC/QPR: 91 Over $20 ======== Sparkling+213983 CAVE SPRING BLANC DE BLANCS BRUT SPARKLING Traditional method, VQA Niagara Escarpment, Ontario $29.95 MVC/QPR: 89 W+184549 LE CLOS JORDANNE LE GRAND CLOS CHARDONNAY VQA Niagara Peninsula 2017 $44.95 MVC/QPR: 89 W+368050 PLUME CHARDONNAY Napa Valley 2018 $29.95 MVC/QPR: 89 R+17684 PARKER STATION CABERNET SAUVIGNON Paso Robles 2017 $24.95 MVC/QPR: 91 WORLD WINE WATCH TOP WINES AT VINTAGES: under/over $20 for APRIL 3, 2021 By DEAN TUDOR, Gothic Epicures Writing deantudor@deantudor.com. My "Wines, Beers and Spirits of the Net", a guide to thousands of news items and RSS feeds, plus references to wines, beers and spirits, has been at http://www.deantudor.com since 1994. These notes for good wines available through LCBO Vintages (on a bi-weekly basis) can always be found at http://www.gothicepicures.blogspot.ca or at http://www.deantudor.com No winery can buy their way into – or out of – this publication. Scores are a combination of MVC (Modal Varietal Character, e.g. a Southern Rhone would taste like a Southern Rhone) and QPR (Quality/Price Ratio value in the marketplace above or below its price). Currently, the wine media have no access to the tasting samples usually provided to us in the LCBO lab on a fortnightly basis. This will go on or some time. HOWEVER, the wine media will still have access to the advance spreadsheet of the wines to be released. So I know what is to be released and when. SOME (but not many) of these 100 or so biweekly released wines I have recently tasted since January 2020 or so, and I can comfortably recommend them based on this prior sampling. Some New Wines Tasted Over the Past Fortnight --- 1.Kacaba Vineyards & Winery Sauvignon Blanc 2019 VQA Niagara Escarpment, Vintages, +19899 April 3, $19.95 [only 30 cases available, sold out at the winery]: very light and pale in colour, but full of flavours such as an herbed-induced introduction to Ontario fruit (gooseberries, nectarines) and florals. A very nicely developed bone dry drink for late spring and Easter. Cold stainless steel fermentation accentuates the dried tropical fruit component. 12.1% ABV, 3 g/L residual sugar. A good little savvy that will take you all the way through from the table's first courses to the fresh cheeses. Twist top. Quality/Price rating is 90 points by Dean Tudor of Gothic Epicures. 2.Kacaba Vineyards & Winery Rebecca Rose 2019 VQA Niagara Peninsula, Winery Only [320 cases], $19.95: I have really enjoyed previous vintages of this wine. The grape here is gamay, as in light and fruity Beaujolais. So it's a typical light, refreshing, and fruity drink with low alcohol and low tannins. Cold stainless fermentation helps it retain the strawb and rasp berry nature of the grape, as well as some of that typical Ontario cranberry taste. Best on its own as a patio/terrace/deck party drink or with a light platter of first course foods. 12.3% ABV. Twist top. Quality/Price rating is 91 points by Dean Tudor of Gothic Epicures. 3.Abeille-Fabre Chateau Mont-Redon Chateauneuf-du-Pape 2017, +959627, $53.95 Vintages April 3, 2021: the 2016 was here in September 2020; the 2017 is still too young to consume unless you double-decant and drink it over a few days. Half of the wine was made in Burgundian 228-litre-barrels, the other half in vats. A selection of the better barrels is made with the vatted wine into a single blend, and after 18 months together they are bottled. It will be nicely well-aged after another 10 years. Of the 13 permitted varieties, grenache, syrah, and mourvedre are dominant, with cinsault, counoise, muscardin, and vaccarese also used. Still tight but plenty of black fruits and spices. 14.5% ABV. Quality/Price rating is 90-91 points by Dean Tudor of Gothic Epicures. 4.Sacred Hill Whitecliff Hawkes Bay Rose 2020 New Zealand, $14.95, +13297 April 1 LCBO Seasonal Rose Program: this Kiwi wine has been here before, with great sales and tasting success. The previous (2019) vintage was 91+ points in my scoring of roses from the Wine Writers' Circle of Canada Seventh Annual Rose tasting held last June, 2020. Expect some intense cherry-berry fresh fruits as a summer patio/terrace/deck social party wine. Or an in-house aperitif before the main event. 13% ABV. Quality/Price rating is 91-93 points by Dean Tudor of Gothic Epicures. 5.Lazzara Rosato Secco NV VQA Ontario $17.95 +18248 LCBO Seasonal Rose April 1 release: this is the Speck Brothers' rose version of the Lazzara Bianco Secco, which was made in the style of prosecco. It has the palest of pale “rose” colour and is incredibly fresh at this point. Off-dry but barely, with enough stuffing to wow my wife who loved it. Typical melange of cherry-berry flavours. Very well-priced. Stainless steel, Charmat process (but with very tiny mousse bubbles). 12% ABV. Quality/Price rating is 90-91 points by Dean Tudor of Gothic Epicures. Under $20 ========= W+278333 BON COURAGE PRESTIGE CUVÉE CHARDONNAY WO Robertson 2019 $15.95 MVC/QPR: 92 19899 KACABA SUMMER SERIES SUSAN'S SAUVIGNON BLANC VQA Niagara Escarpment 2019 $19.95 MVC/QPR: 90 R+17529 PAOLOLEO AGRICOLO VINO BIOLOGICO PRIMITIVO IGP Salento 2018 $17.95 MVC/QPR: 89 R+748277 MARCHESI DI BAROLO MARAIA BARBERA DEL MONFERRATO DOC 2017 $19.95 MVC/QPR: 89 R+18691 CHÂTEAU BOURDIEU NO.1 AC Blaye Cotes de Bordeaux 2016 $19.95 MVC/QPR: 89 Over $20 ========= W+441089 ROMBAUER CARNEROS CHARDONNAY Carneros 2019 $63.95 MVC/QPR: 89 R+585760 QUAILS' GATE PINOT NOIR BC VQA Okanagan Valley 2019 $34.95 MVC/QPR: 89 R+959627 CHÂTEAU MONT-REDON CHÂTEAUNEUF-DU-PAPE AC 2017 $53.95 MVC/QPR: 91 R+639658 QUAILS' GATE STEWART FAMILY RESERVE PINOT NOIR BC VQA Okanagan Valley 2018 $59.95 MVC/QPR: 89 WORLD WINE WATCH TOP WINES AT VINTAGES: under/over $20 for MARCH 20, 2021 By DEAN TUDOR, Gothic Epicures Writing deantudor@deantudor.com. My "Wines, Beers and Spirits of the Net", a guide to thousands of news items and RSS feeds, plus references to wines, beers and spirits, has been at http://www.deantudor.com since 1994. These notes for good wines available through LCBO Vintages (on a bi-weekly basis) can always be found at http://www.gothicepicures.blogspot.ca or at http://www.deantudor.com No winery can buy their way into – or out of – this publication. Scores are a combination of MVC (Modal Varietal Character, e.g. a Southern Rhone would taste like a Southern Rhone) and QPR (Quality/Price Ratio value in the marketplace above or below its price). Currently, the wine media have no access to the tasting samples usually provided to us in the LCBO lab on a fortnightly basis. This will go on or some time. HOWEVER, the wine media will still have access to the advance spreadsheet of the wines to be released. So I know what is to be released and when. SOME (but not many) of these 100 or so biweekly released wines I have recently tasted since January 2020 or so, and I can comfortably recommend them based on this prior sampling. Some New Wines Tasted Over the Past Fortnight --- 1.Gerard Bertrand Terroir An806 Corbieres 2018 $17.95 +394288 Vintages: In this Terroir Corbieres (from the Narbonne), Bertrand uses traditional fermentation for the grenache, syrah, and mourvedre. It is an appealing Rhonish G-S-M, with one-third of the blended wine aging in wood for nine months before bottling. Very firm with some very dark fruit leading on to the very full and ripe finish. Needs hearty food. 14.5% ABV. Quality/Price rating is 91 points by Dean Tudor of Gothic Epicures. 2.Parker Station Cabernet Sauvignon 2017 Paso Robles $24.95 +17684 Vintages [wine of the month for April 17, 2021]: an affordable Cali-Cab, but only 5,000 cases made. Part of the Fess Parker winery unit, the US SRP is $17. Aged six months in all French oak resulting in typical cabby spicy mocha flavours, blackberry/plummy fruit (and with a leathery hint suggestive of syrah), vanilla finish. My wife said “yum”, which is her description for a juicy palate. Changed for better complexity over time with stoppered exposure and a double decant. Smooth but dry with a long lingering finish: great with food. 14% ABV. Quality/Price rating is 91 points by Dean Tudor of Gothic Epicures. 3.Lazzara Rosato Secco NV VQA Ontario $17.95 +18248 LCBO Seasonal Rose April 1 release: this is the Speck Brothers' rose version of the Lazzara Bianco Secco, which was made in the style of prosecco. It has the palest of pale “rose” colour and is incredibly fresh at this point. Off-dry but barely, with enough stuffing to wow my wife who loved it. Typical melange of cherry-berry flavours. Very well-priced. Stainless steel, Charmat process (but with very tiny mousse bubbles). 12% ABV. Quality/Price rating is 90-91 points by Dean Tudor of Gothic Epicures. 4.Three of Hearts Pinot Grigio 2020 VQA Niagara Peninsula $19.95 +20374 Vintages July 24, 2021 [currently at winery]: this is a highly competitive category, and Three of Hearts goes up very well against the other grigios in Ontario, especially with its slight yellow colour. Typical nuances include off-dry orchard fruit (peach, pear, apple) with some aromatic melon-ish overtones. It is refreshing on the mid-palate, finishing with slightly bitter citric notes. That makes it both a sipper and a food wine, suitable for a pre-prandial in the summer. There is some Ontario cranberry tartness and some melon sweetness, but also with some peach notes. Stainless steel all the way. Part of a team with Three of Hearts Rose (same bottle shape, same cork closure). 12.5% ABV. Is a sparkling pinot grigio coming? Quality/Price rating is 89 points by Dean Tudor of Gothic Epicures. Under $20 Sherry+542746 SÁNCHEZ ROMATE FINO PERDIDO SHERRY Spain $18.95 MVC/QPR: 91 Sparkler+485920 CHEVALIER MONOPOLE BRUT ROSÉ SPARKLING Traditional method, Burgundy $16.95 MVC/QPR: 89 W+557165 HENRY OF PELHAM ESTATE RIESLING Sustainable, VQA Short Hills Bench, Niagara Escarpment 2019 $19.95 MVC/QPR: 91 W+206714 CHÂTEAU LA GRAVE D'ARZAC BLANC AC Graves 2019 $15.95 MVC/QPR: 89 W+18252 GREEN LEAF ORGANIC RIESLING Qualitätswein 2019 $14.95 MVC/QPR: 89 R+17264 LAPIS LUNA ZINFANDEL Pauli Ranch, Mendocino, North Coast 2018 $19.95 MVC/QPR: 90 R+17534 FERROCINTO MAGLIOCCO TERRE DI COSENZA POLLINO DOC 2018 $19.95 MVC/QPR: 89 R+723742 DI MAJO NORANTE CABERNET IGT Terra degli Osci 2018 $17.95 MVC/QPR: 89 Over $20 Sparkler+256289 BENJAMIN BRIDGE NOVA 7 SPARKLING Nova Scotia 2020 $24.95 MVC/QPR: 89 W+149302 FEATHERSTONE CANADIAN OAK CHARDONNAY VQA Niagara Peninsula 2018 $21.95 MVC/QPR: 91 W+733501 ALAIN GEOFFROY BEAUROY CHABLIS 1ER CRU AC 2018 $40.95 MVC/QPR: 89 W+639641 QUAILS' GATE STEWART FAMILY RESERVE CHARDONNAY BC VQA Okanagan Valley 2017 $44.95 MVC/QPR: 89 WORLD WINE WATCH TOP WINES AT VINTAGES: under/over $20 for MARCH 6, 2021 By DEAN TUDOR, Gothic Epicures Writing deantudor@deantudor.com. My "Wines, Beers and Spirits of the Net", a guide to thousands of news items and RSS feeds, plus references to wines, beers and spirits, has been at http://www.deantudor.com since 1994. These notes for good wines available through LCBO Vintages (on a bi-weekly basis) can always be found at http://www.gothicepicures.blogspot.ca or at http://www.deantudor.com No winery can buy their way into – or out of – this publication. Scores are a combination of MVC (Modal Varietal Character, e.g. a Southern Rhone would taste like a Southern Rhone) and QPR (Quality/Price Ratio value in the marketplace above or below its price). Currently, the wine media have no access to the tasting samples usually provided to us in the LCBO lab on a fortnightly basis. This will go on or some time. HOWEVER, the wine media will still have access to the advance spreadsheet of the wines to be released. So I know what is to be released and when. SOME (but not many) of these 100 or so biweekly released wines I have recently tasted since January 2020 or so, and I can comfortably recommend them based on this prior sampling. Some New Wines Tasted Over the Past Fortnight --- 1.Abeille-Fabre Chateau Mont-Redon Chateauneuf-du-Pape 2017, +959627, $53.95 Vintages April 3, 2021: the 2016 was here in September 2020; the 2017 is still too young to consume unless you double-decant and drink it over a few days. Half of the wine was made in Burgundian 228-litre-barrels, the other half in vats. A selection of the better barrels is made with the vatted wine into a single blend, and after 18 months together they are bottled. It will be nicely well-aged after another 10 years. Of the 13 permitted varieties, grenache, syrah, and mourvedre are dominant, with cinsault, counoise, muscardin, and vaccarese also used. Still tight but plenty of black fruits and spices. 14.5% ABV. Quality/Price rating is 90-91 points by Dean Tudor of Gothic Epicures. 2.Henry of Pelham Rose 2020 VQA Niagara Peninsula, +613471, $14.95 at the winery: it has been awhile since I've actually written a review about this nifty rose; the price at that time for the 2015 vintage was just a dollar less. The current blend is pinot noir, riesling, and gamay noir, with each variety contributing distinctive fruit to the mix. Other earlier vintages also contained merlot, cabernet sauvignon and cabernet franc, and/or pinot gris. So – depending on the vintage and the grapes available, the blend can change. Very aromatic, emphasizing cherry-berry and orchard fruit layered under a tart cranberry finish-length. A nice cheese wine. 11.5 %ABV; 6.2g/L residual sugar. Quality/Price rating is 89 points by Dean Tudor of Gothic Epicures. 3.Sacred Hill Whitecliff Hawkes Bay Rose 2020 New Zealand, $14.95, +13297 April 1 LCBO Seasonal Rose Program: this Kiwi wine has been here before, with great sales and tasting success. The previous (2019) vintage was 91+ points in my scoring of roses from the Wine Writers' Circle of Canada Seventh Annual Rose tasting held last June, 2020. Expect some intense cherry-berry fresh fruits as a summer patio/terrace/deck social party wine. Or an in-house aperitif before the main event. 13% ABV. Quality/Price rating is 91-93 points by Dean Tudor of Gothic Epicures. Under $20 Sparkling+53215 BELCANTO DI BELLUSSI EXTRA DRY PROSECCO DI VALDOBBIADENE SUPERIORE DOCG, Italy $19.95 MVC/QPR: 89. Rose+224964 DELAS SAINT-ESPRIT CÔTES DU RHÔNE ROSÉ AC 2019 $16.95 MVC/QPR: 89. W+18160 GUSTAVE LORENTZ RÉSERVE SYLVANER AC Alsace 2019 $16.95 MVC/QPR: 91. W+647388 TROUPIS FTERI MOSCHOFILERO PGI Peloponnese 2019 $14.95 MVC/QPR: 92. W+17552 OHAU WOVEN STONE SINGLE VINEYARD SAUVIGNON BLANC Sustainable, Ohau, North Island 2019 $17.95 MVC/QPR: 89. R+18681 PERDEBERG THE VINEYARD COLLECTION CINSAULT WO Coastal Region 2018 $17.95 MVC/QPR: 91 Over $20 Sparkling+558825 SEGURA VIUDAS HEREDAD RESERVA BRUT CAVA Traditional method, DO, Spain $32.95 MVC/QPR: 89. W+18364 ROPITEAU FRÈRES MÂCON-IGÉ SOUS LA ROCHE AC 2019 $22.95 MVC/QPR: 89. R+995910 REMO FARINA AMARONE DELLA VALPOLICELLA CLASSICO DOCG 2017 $42.95 MVC/QPR: 89. R+539114 BUENA VISTA THE SHERIFF Sonoma County 2017 $49.95 MVC/QPR: 91. R+392738 DOMAINE QUEYLUS TRADITION PINOT NOIR VQA Niagara Peninsula 2017 $31.95 MVC/QPR: 89. R+72439 TENUTA SAN GUIDO GUIDALBERTO IGT Toscana 2018 $67.95 MVC/QPR: 89. WORLD WINE WATCH TOP WINES AT VINTAGES: under/over $20 for FEBRUARY 20, 2021 By DEAN TUDOR, Gothic Epicures Writing deantudor@deantudor.com. My "Wines, Beers and Spirits of the Net", a guide to thousands of news items and RSS feeds, plus references to wines, beers and spirits, has been at http://www.deantudor.com since 1994. These notes for good wines available through LCBO Vintages (on a bi-weekly basis) can always be found at http://www.gothicepicures.blogspot.ca or at http://www.deantudor.com No winery can buy their way into – or out of – this publication. Scores are a combination of MVC (Modal Varietal Character, e.g. a Southern Rhone would taste like a Southern Rhone) and QPR (Quality/Price Ratio value in the marketplace above or below its price). Currently, the wine media have no access to the tasting samples usually provided to us in the LCBO lab on a fortnightly basis. This will go on or some time. HOWEVER, the wine media will still have access to the advance spreadsheet of the wines to be released. So I know what is to be released and when. SOME (but not many) of these 100 or so biweekly released wines I have recently tasted since January 2020 or so, and I can comfortably recommend them based on this prior sampling. Some New Wines Tasted Over the Past Fortnight --- 1.Kacaba Vineyards & Winery Unoaked Chardonnay 2019 VQA Niagara Peninsula, LCBO & Grocery +326975, $15.95: fruit-driven aromatics come from the bouquet of orchard fruit which clearly shows on the mid-palate, finishing off with a slight citrus tang (thus making it perfectly adaptable to a first course food offering such as seafood or light salad). As a social drink for the patio/deck/terrace or party, the balanced fruit-acid of the wine is very nicely placed. Stainless steel cold aging [no oak]. Also available in 60 grocery stores. 13.5% ABV. Twist top. Good value price. Quality/Price rating is 90 points by Dean Tudor of Gothic Epicures. 2.Kacaba Vineyards & Winery Cabernet 2019 VQA Niagara Peninsula, LCBO & Grocery +499384, $15.95: a blend of 51% cab sauvignon and 49% cab franc, although in taste and performance it seems as if there is more franc in the mix. There is a melange of both red and black fruit, such as cherries, raspberries, cranberries followed by cassis and blackberries. From the short wood aging comes some vanilla, coffee-toffee, and woody spices. Medium in mouthfeel and well-balanced all the way, just what you want from a party red wine that can also extend through to the cheese course. 12.8% ABV. Capable of aging for a few years. Tasted over several days after a double-decanting. Twist top. Also available in 60 grocery stores. Quality/Price rating is 89 points by Dean Tudor of Gothic Epicures. 3.Kacaba Vineyards & Winery Sauvignon Blanc 2019 VQA Niagara Escarpment, Vintages, +19899 April 3, $19.95 [only 30 cases available, sold out at the winery]: very light and pale in colour, but full of flavours such as an herbed-induced introduction to Ontario fruit (gooseberries, nectarines) and florals. A very nicely developed bone dry drink for late spring and Easter. Cold stainless steel fermentation accentuates the dried tropical fruit component. 12.1% ABV, 3 g/L residual sugar. A good little savvy that will take you all the way through from the table's first courses to the fresh cheeses. Twist top. Quality/Price rating is 90 points by Dean Tudor of Gothic Epicures. 4.Kacaba Vineyards & Winery Rebecca Rose 2019 VQA Niagara Peninsula, Winery Only [320 cases], $19.95: I have really enjoyed previous vintages of this wine. The grape here is gamay, as in light and fruity Beaujolais. So it's a typical light, refreshing, and fruity drink with low alcohol and low tannins. Cold stainless fermentation helps it retain the strawb and rasp berry nature of the grape, as well as some of that typical Ontario cranberry taste. Best on its own as a patio/terrace/deck party drink or with a light platter of first course foods. 12.3% ABV. Twist top. Quality/Price rating is 91 points by Dean Tudor of Gothic Epicures. Under $20 ========= W+225557 ERADUS SAUVIGNON BLANC Awatere Valley, Marlborough, South Island 2020 $19.95 MVC/QPR: 90 R+18173 DOMAINE DE LA PLAIGNE RÉGNIÉ AP 2017 $18.95 MVC/QPR: 89 R+273672 STORIA ANTICA SUPERIORE VALPOLICELLA RIPASSO DOC 2018 $18.95 MVC/QPR: 90 Over $20 ========= W+490326 SACRED HILL RESERVE SAUVIGNON BLANC Marlborough, South Island 2018 $21.95 MVC/QPR: 90 R+268391 HENRY OF PELHAM ESTATE PINOT NOIR Sustainable, VQA Short Hills Bench, Niagara Escarpment 2019 $24.95 MVC/QPR: 91 R+157347 ENRICO SERAFINO SANAVENTO BARBARESCO DOCG 2017 $30.95 MVC/QPR: 89 R+438580 QUERCECCHIO BRUNELLO DI MONTALCINO DOCG 2015 $34.95 MVC/QPR: 89 WORLD WINE WATCH TOP WINES AT VINTAGES: under/over $20 for FEBRUARY 6, 2021 By DEAN TUDOR, Gothic Epicures Writing deantudor@deantudor.com. My "Wines, Beers and Spirits of the Net", a guide to thousands of news items and RSS feeds, plus references to wines, beers and spirits, has been at http://www.deantudor.com since 1994. These notes for good wines available through LCBO Vintages (on a bi-weekly basis) can always be found at http://www.gothicepicures.blogspot.ca or at http://www.deantudor.com No winery can buy their way into – or out of – this publication. Scores are a combination of MVC (Modal Varietal Character, e.g. a Southern Rhone would taste like a Southern Rhone) and QPR (Quality/Price Ratio value in the marketplace above or below its price). Currently, the wine media have no access to the tasting samples usually provided to us in the LCBO lab on a fortnightly basis. This will go on or some time. HOWEVER, the wine media will still have access to the advance spreadsheet of the wines to be released. So I know what is to be released and when. SOME (but not many) of these 100 or so biweekly released wines I have recently tasted since January 2020 or so, and I can comfortably recommend them based on this prior sampling. Some New Wines Tasted Over the Past Fortnight --- 1.Troupis Fteri Moschofilero 2019 Greece, +647388 $14.95 Vintages March 20: flower aromatics and some grape tones (much like muscat) and with a deceptive citric finish. So: starts out floral, rises to fat perfume, and then descends to crispness for the food as a first course wine, paired with white meats. 12% ABV. Price dropped $2 since the 2017 vintage was in Ontario. Quality/Price rating is 90 points by Dean Tudor of Gothic Epicures. 2.Henry of Pelham Pinot Noir Estate 2019 VQA Short Hills Bench Niagara, +268391 Vintages, February 20, $24.95: Here is a deft Burgundian-character pinot noir wine, with cherry-berry tones, some toast, mildly opulent style, not totally cool climate at all. Fermented in stainless and aged in oak. Ready in a year or two. Dependable. And also available in Denmark, Hungary, Japan, USA and Czech Republic. Needs time; try a double decant. 13% ABV. Quality/Price rating is 89 points by Dean Tudor of Gothic Epicures. 3.Henry of Pelham Speck Family Reserve Chardonnay 2019 VQA Short Hills Bench +616466, $29.95 [currently at winery] Vintages May 1: Grapes come from their oldest estate vineyards (beginning 1988), hand-picked. Barrel fermented in French oak with a portion in 3000L foudres, and then barrel aged for 8 – 10 months in a mix of new and older barrels. This continues the tradition of Burgundian elegance. Expect some ripeness, balance of oaking and fruit, integrated style in place. Wood integration produces some creaminess in the finish. 12.8% ABV, cork closure. Definitely needs another year – or more – in bottle in order to bring out the nuances. Quality/Price rating is 91 points by Dean Tudor of Gothic Epicures. 4.Henry of Pelham Estate Riesling 2019 VQA Short Hills Bench, +557165, $19.95 Vintages March 20: intense riesling in a Rhine style of cool fermentation, with very off-dry palate but dry finish (good acid levels on the finish) – broad grapefruit and lemons on the mid-palate, sip (mainly) or food. 9.8% ABV, 19.5 g/L RS, twist top, from HOP's oldest Estate riesling vineyards (planted 1984). Should also age well. Try with fish that live in water but die in wine. Quality/Price rating is 91 points by Dean Tudor of Gothic Epicures. 5.Buena Vista The Sheriff Sonoma County 2017 +539114, $49.95 Vintages March 6: well, here was a surprise – a really good wine from 10 different red grape varieties, a sort-of California Chateauneuf-du-Pape. For the record, this 2017 vintage has petite sirah (28%), petit verdot (21%), cabernet sauvignon (16%), carignan (9%), grenache (9%), syrah (7%), malbec (4%), cabernet franc (2%), merlot (2%), and mission (2%). The proportions can vary from vintage to vintage. All grapes were grown on different parcels in Sonoma. One of California's first sheriffs, Agoston Haraszthy was elected Sheriff of San Diego County in 1850. He built the first jail. This is a full and firm field blend type of wine, with aromas/palates of every good thing you could find in the “kitchen sink”: black fruit cassis, cherries, blackberries, plums, red raspberries – and then drifting off to mocha, followed by savouries such as black pepper and tobacco leaf. Oak aging was 10 months, with 15% new oak. The rich tannins need time, so put it away for a few years. If necessary, do a double decant and taste over several days. 15% ABV. Serve with rich game stews or tomahawk steaks. Quality/Price rating is 91-92 points by Dean Tudor of Gothic Epicures. 6.Perdeberg The Vineyard Collection Cinsault 2018 Paarl South Africa +18618, $17.95 Vintages March 6: this is a broad basic, entry-level wine from a grape imported to South Africa via Languedoc and South Rhone. Indeed, cinsault is one of the parents of “pinotage” (the other is pinot noir). Until recently, it had the largest acreage planted in South Africa (cabernet sauvignon now has the largest number of plantings). This particular vineyard in 2018 had 30 year old cinsault vineyards. Expect some heady fruity ripeness aromas, a slight sweetness despite 3.8 g/L residual sugar, with a pronounced peppery backspin, much like grenache. Needs tomato sauce dishes, with veal-beef-pork meats. Cork closure. Ready now. Quality/Price rating is 89 points by Dean Tudor of Gothic Epicures. 7.Gustave Lorentz Sylvaner Reserve 2019 +18160, $16.95, Vintages March 6: sylvaner is the workhorse wine of Alsace. It turns up everywhere by itself or as a zwicker wine. It is light and delicate, somewhat reminiscent of the pinot grigio style and mood. Indeed, it could have been marketed the same way. It's an uncomplicated fresh wine stressing lemons and citric attack with a dry finish. Aperitif wine or first course (seafood/fish). A good entry level wine with lots more body than the pinot grigio style. [a wine colleague of mine had accidentally left a car-trunk full of Alsatian white wines to freeze in the cold – only the sylvaner survived] 13.5% ABV, 1.8 g/L residual sugar. Quality/Price rating is 88 points by Dean Tudor of Gothic Epicures. February 6 -- Under $20 ========= W+18222 TRITTENHEIMER ALTÄRCHEN RIESLING KABINETT TROCKEN Prädikatswein 2018 $16.95 MVC/QPR: 89 W+17443 STELLENBOSCH MANOR BARREL FERMENTED CHENIN BLANC WO Stellenbosch 2018 $19.95 MVC/QPR: 89 R+610303 POÇAS JUNIOR VALE DE CAVALOS RED DOC Douro 2018 $19.95 MVC/QPR: 89 R+523001 CAVE SPRING CABERNET FRANC VQA Niagara Escarpment 2018 $17.95 February 6 -- Over $20 ========= W+10338 ROPITEAU CHABLIS AC 2018 $25.95 MVC/QPR: 89 W+492900 LOUIS MAX BEAUCHARME BOURGOGNE CHARDONNAY AC 2018 $22.95 MVC/QPR: 89 W+18161 TRÉSORS DE LOIRE POUILLY-FUMÉ IGP Val de Loire 2019 $23.95 MVC/QPR: 89 R+16565 DURANT & BOOTH CABERNET SAUVIGNON Napa Valley 2018 $34.95 MVC/QPR: 91 R+171587 FARINA LE PEZZE AMARONE DELLA VALPOLICELLA CLASSICO DOCG 2017 $36.95 MVC/QPR: 92 R+12736 ENRICO SERAFINO PICOTENER NEBBIOLO DOC Langhe 2018 $39.95 MVC/QPR: 89 R+25221 SIMI CABERNET SAUVIGNON Alexander Valley, Sonoma County 2017 $29.95 MVC/QPR: 89 WORLD WINE WATCH TOP WINES AT VINTAGES: under/over $20 for JANUARY 23, 2021 By DEAN TUDOR, Gothic Epicures Writing deantudor@deantudor.com. My "Wines, Beers and Spirits of the Net", a guide to thousands of news items and RSS feeds, plus references to wines, beers and spirits, has been at http://www.deantudor.com since 1994. These notes for good wines available through LCBO Vintages (on a bi-weekly basis) can always be found at http://www.gothicepicures.blogspot.ca or at http://www.deantudor.com No winery can buy their way into – or out of – this publication. Scores are a combination of MVC (Modal Varietal Character, e.g. a Southern Rhone would taste like a Southern Rhone) and QPR (Quality/Price Ratio value in the marketplace above or below its price). Currently, the wine media have no access to the tasting samples usually provided to us in the LCBO lab on a fortnightly basis. This will go on or some time. HOWEVER, the wine media will still have access to the advance spreadsheet of the wines to be released. So I know what is to be released and when. SOME (but not many) of these 100 or so biweekly released wines I have recently tasted since January 2020 or so, and I can comfortably recommend them based on this prior sampling. Some New Wines Tasted Over the Past Fortnight --- 1.Henry of Pelham Estate Gamay 2019 VQA Ontario, +19903, $19.95 Vintages April 2021: [currently at winery] Aromatic black and red fruit (cherries, raspberries, blueberries), augmented by oak tones with vanilla cake spices, not as lean or Euro as Beaujolais. Fermented in stainless and aged in a mix of US and French oak for about 10 months before bottling. Medium-bodied, good for patio drinking (sangria too), parties, BBQ. Ready now, but with some tannic structure to carry through a whole meal. Hey, summer weather is coming! 13% ABV. Quality/Price rating is 89 points by Dean Tudor of Gothic Epicures. 1.Henry of Pelham Riesling Speck Family Reserve 2019 VQA Short Hills Bench, +643361 $27.95 [now available online and at winery]: absolutely delicious MVC intense riesling in a Mosel style (and using a Mosel clone), with an off-dry palate but a dry finish (good acid levels on the finish); broad fruity strokes of peaches and flowers on the mid-palate; quite a blazing riesling with intense pleasure, sip or food. Residual sugar is 15.4g/L, 9.8% ABV, cork closure, from HOP's oldest Estate vineyards (35+ year old riesling vines, handpicked, stainless steel fermentation). Try with rich bivalve dishes or porchetta. Should improve in the bottle over the years. Quality/Price rating is 91 points by Dean Tudor of Gothic Epicures. 3.Sacred Hill Sauvignon Blanc Reserve 2018 Marlborough, +490326, $21.95 Vintages February 20: a dry summer led to a fruity harvest. The tropical fruit intensity leads to a citric lemony finish for food, typically white fish or seafood. Some creaminess in the texture (60% was fermented in older French oak barrels, and 15% new oak was also used). If you lay it down, it should be even better next year! 12.5% ABV, twist top. Residual sugar 4g/L. Quality/Price rating is 90 points by Dean Tudor of Gothic Epicures. 4.Lapis Luna Zinfandel 2018 North Coast AVA, +17264, $19.95 Vintages February 20, 2021: [cheese and rice, where do they come up with these labels? 400-year-old copperplate engravings]. Anyway, something to look at and something to read while you consume and meditate on the niftiness of the blend (80% zinfandel, 20% sangiovese) done up in 10% new French and US oak for 10 months. The rich zin has been curbed and lightened by the sour cherries of the sangiovese. Think of a variety of flavours: cedar, jammy black fruit (plums, blackberry, blueberry), spicy florets. Dark and bold flavours. 14.3% ABV. Quality/Price rating is 88 points by Dean Tudor of Gothic Epicures. 5.Durant & Booth Cabernet Sauvignon 2018 Napa Valley, $34.95, +16565, Vintages February 6, 2021: The blend is cabernet sauvignon (87%), petit verdot (6%), merlot (5%), and petite sirah (2%). Chock full of some lightly floating red fruit (think cherries, strawbs, red mulberry) and then some plateaus of darker elements (plum, blueberry, mocha tones). Really good balance, but better after a year more in the bottle. There's some muscle here after 10 months in 25% new French oak. Do a double decant or taste it over a few days as I did. 14.5% ABV. Quality/Price rating is 91 points by Dean Tudor of Gothic Epicures. 6.Monte del Fra Bardolino DOC 2019 Veneto, +134544, $15.95 Vintages, January 23, 2021: Bardolinos in Ontario are very rare these days, but this brand (purchased by the LCBO as a “direct” for the past six years) continues to come back year after year. It's awfully good value since the Veronese grape blend is similar to Valpolicella (here, %65 corvina, 30% rondinella, and 5% molinara). Basically, it is the corvina which provides the stuffing, and here it is only 65% unlike Valpolicella which has about 80% corvina. Bardolino is thus usually considered a lighter wine than Valpolicella and has probably reached its comparable price point this way. Expect red fruit and dark spices. Quality/Price rating is 90 points by Dean Tudor of Gothic Epicures. 7.Stel+Mar California Rose 2019, $16.95 LCBO March 2021: this is a multi-blended wine from central California and from a vintage that produced lowered grape sugars. Hence, the lack of typical off-dry California sunshine. Instead, the innovative Stel+Mar team (they produce wine in cans, Tetra paks, and bottles) came up with a drink that looks a lot like and tastes a lot like higher priced roses from southern France. The blend includes grapes such as barbera, petite sirah, and syrah, principally from the Central Coast. Sugar levels are at 7g/L and the acidity is up at 5.6g/L. The colour and palate is definitely food worthy. The mid-palate is attractive with overtones of stonefruit, with a slightly herby bitter finish which makes you want to eat something savoury: it was also my wine of choice for the Canadian Thanksgiving Turkey. They nailed it with this one, at that price. 12.8% ABV. Quality/Price rating is 93 points by Dean Tudor of Gothic Epicures. 8.Lamothe de Haux Chombart & Speck Cave Mystere Merlot 2018 Bordeaux AOC, +17232, $18.95 Vintages: This is a collaborative wine effort by Henry of Pelham (Speck family) and Chateau Lamothe de Haux in Bordeaux (Chambart family) using rich, ripe pre-selected merlot grapes from the Cadillac region, part of Entre-deux-Mers. It's very Mid-Atlantic in style (New World flash, Old World elegance). Cultivated on limestone soils. Supple, with red cherry-berry and mocha notes and fine balanced tannins. It's on the lighter side of medium-bodied after being in French oak barrels for 18 months. Ready soonish. 14.5% ABV. Residual sugar is just 1 g/L. Tasted over several days. Quality/Price rating is 90 points by Dean Tudor of Gothic Epicures. 9.Paradise Vineyards Joliesse Cabernet Sauvignon 2018 California, +16564, $17 Vintages: another modest cabby from California (mostly Lodi). Good basic black fruit (cassis, black cherry, spices) – but with a medium body detailed by oak tones of vanilla. Long finish, warm tannins. Tasted over a few days. 13.5% ABV. Quality/Price rating is 89 points by Dean Tudor of Gothic Epicures. 10.Taittinger Domaine Carneros Brut Vintage Cuvee 2016, +301655 $49.95 Vintages: Cool climate Carneros fruit is perfectly adaptable to sparkling wine done up in the traditional method of double fermentation in the bottle. This is the signature wine of the company's California holdings – with three years of bottle age before release. Content is chardonnay 51%, pinot noir 47%, and pinot gris 2%. Expect a typical yeasty nose from sitting on the lees, moving on to baked spicy fruit and ending with citric tones. It's jumped in price since last year ($42 in June 2019 Vintages) and the vintage has jumped three years as well. The company encourages “food friendly” for those bright, white appetizers of soft cheeses and shellfish. 12% ABV. Quality/Price rating is 92 points by Dean Tudor of Gothic Epicures. 11.Henry of Pelham Special Select Late Harvest Vidal 2019 VQA Ontario +395228 Vintages, $19.95 for 375 mL: SSLH are my fave sweet wines. They are affordable and not as cloying as some other sweeties; I think that they are also more versatile since they can be paired with savoury apps (nuts, cheeses) or a cheese/dessert course, followed by an extra sip or two on their own. Henry of Pelham's has that honeyed ripe flavour of apricot and fig tones, with a citric background to the finish. These are frozen grapes, picked and then fermented and aged in stainless. It's the only one at the LCBO; this bottle is a newer vintage and tastes really fresh. 10% ABV, 136 g/L RS (down from 2018's 149 g/L). Quality/Price rating is 92 points by Dean Tudor of Gothic Epicures. THIS MONTH'S SPECIAL FINDS -- Under $20 ========= Sparkling+16604 CELENE CUVÉE ROYALE ROSÉ CRÉMANT DE BORDEAUX Traditional method, AC, Bordeaux, France $17.95 MVC/QPR: 89 Rose+552562 SPECK BROS. THREE OF HEARTS ROSÉ VQA Niagara Peninsula $19.95 MVC/QPR: 89 W+10765 IN SITU RESERVA CHARDONNAY Aconcagua Valley 2019 $14.95 MVC/QPR: 89 W+308312 QUAILS' GATE DRY RIESLING BC VQA Okanagan Valley 2019 $19.95 MVC/QPR: 91 R+310532 CREW MERLOT VQA Lake Erie North Shore 2017 $17.95 MVC/QPR: 89 R+642421 VALPANTENA TORRE DEL FALASCO VALPOLICELLA RIPASSO DOC 2018 $18.95 MVC/QPR: 90 R+542183 RAVANAL GRAN RESERVA CABERNET SAUVIGNON Colchagua Valley 2017 $15.95 MVC/QPR: 89 R+90035 MAYU APPASSIMENTO GRAN RESERVA CARMENÈRE Elquí Valley 2017 $18.95 MVC/QPR: 89 R+134544 MONTE DEL FRÁ BARDOLINO DOC 2019 $16.95 MVC/QPR: 90 Over $20 ========= W+268342 HENRY OF PELHAM ESTATE CHARDONNAY VQA Short Hills Bench, Niagara Escarpment $21.95 MVC/QPR: 90 W+377770 QUAILS' GATE CHARDONNAY BC VQA Okanagan Valley $24.95 MVC/QPR: 91 W+430561 HENRY OF PELHAM RIESLING ICEWINE VQA Niagara Peninsula, Ontario $49.95 MVC/QPR: 89 R+461699 HENRY OF PELHAM SPECK FAMILY RESERVE BACO NOIR VQA Ontario $24.95 MVC/QPR: 89 R+70607 WATERBROOK SYRAH Columbia Valley 2018 $21.95 MVC/QPR: 89 R+213132 LA PIEVE BAROLO DOCG 2016 $39.95 MVC/QPR: 89 R+65995 DOMAINE BONNARD SANCERRE RED AC 2017 $27.95 MVC/QPR: 89 R+17139 ZORZAL EGGO FRANCO CABERNET FRANC Tupungato, Uco Valley, Mendoza 2018 $29.95 MVC/QPR: 89 WORLD WINE WATCH TOP WINES AT VINTAGES: under $20 for JANUARY 9, 2020 (annual “value” release) -- By DEAN TUDOR, Gothic Epicures Writing deantudor@deantudor.com. My "Wines, Beers and Spirits of the Net", a guide to thousands of news items and RSS feeds, plus references to wines, beers and spirits, has been at http://www.deantudor.com since 1994. These notes for good wines available through LCBO Vintages (on a bi-weekly basis) can always be found at http://www.gothicepicures.blogspot.ca or at http://www.deantudor.com No winery can buy their way into – or out of – this publication. Scores are a combination of MVC (Modal Varietal Character, e.g. a Southern Rhone would taste like a Southern Rhone) and QPR (Quality/Price Ratio value in the marketplace above or below its price). Currently, the wine media have no access to the tasting samples usually provided to us in the LCBO lab on a fortnightly basis. This will go on or some time. HOWEVER, the wine media will still have access to the advance spreadsheet of the wines to be released. So I know what is to be released and when. SOME (but not many) of these 100 or so biweekly released wines I have recently tasted since January 2020 or so, and I can comfortably recommend them based on this prior sampling. Some New Wines Tasted Over the Past Little While --- 1.Buena Vista Winery Cabernet Sauvignon 2018 North Coast, $19.95 +254458 Vintages January 9, 2021: Buena Vista has been continuing with its historic-looking wine labels (the winery was founded in 1857). It's a nifty blend of cabs from Fountaingrove, Sonoma Mountain, and Alexander Valley (all part of the North Coast appellation). After 11 months in 10% new French oak it was racked. The emphasis is on darkness, with plenty of black fruit (cassis, black cherry) and butterscotch tones with black pepper spices, softish finish. Still needs time, another year. Do a double decant or leave it open for a day to get a taste of its potential. 14.5% ABV. Quality/Price rating is 90 points by Dean Tudor of Gothic Epicures. 2.Monte del Fra Lena di Mezzo Valpolicella Classico DOC 2018 Veneto, +160226, $18.95 Vintages: a fairly basic but inviting Veronese wine full of red cherry-berry fruit, a bit jammy on the finish, ready now. Typical forest floor elements as well. Pretty well goes with everything, good as a sipper and as a food paired wine. 12.5% ABV. Quality/Price rating is 90 points by Dean Tudor of Gothic Epicures. 3.Monte del Fra Lena di Mezzo Valpolicella Classico Superiore DOC Ripasso 2017 Veneto, +165662, $24.95 Vintages: bright red fruit dominate both its texture and its palate, evoking some minerality that cuts through the balanced fruity cherry tones. Some forest floor; some mocha tones. Amarone grape pressings are added just before spring, to give it the second fermentation oompf. Great as a sipper or with food or both, ready now at three years after the vintage. It has been aged in large French oak for 18 months. This is a collaborative brand with the LCBO, and there will be a new release in May 2021. The grapes used are corvina veronese and corvinone (80%) with rondinella added. 14% ABV. Quality/Price rating is 91 points by Dean Tudor of Gothic Epicures. 4.Westcott Vineyards Estate Chardonnay 2019 VQA Niagara Escarpment, +424507, $29.95 Vintages: This Estate wine has had full MLF, 100% wild yeast, barrel fermentation, and French oak aging for 9 months (50% one fill, 50% neutral). Two different clones were used (95 and 96), and the results show a typical Westcott feature of orchard fruit with some tropicality concentrated notes contributed by the oak aging leading to a slight citric finish. Still too young, lay it down – or taste it (as I did) over a stretch of time. A good first course wine since the oak appears in the background as grace notes (it's lighter in toast tones than the 2018). Do not overchill. 13% ABV. Quality/Price rating is 92 points by Dean Tudor of Gothic Epicures. 5.Westcott Vineyards Estate Pinot Noir 2017 VQA Vinemount Ridge, +424500, $29.95 Vintages: This Estate Pinot Noir (clones 115, 667, 777) has been barrel aqed in French oak (15% new) for 23 months. Overall it is harmoniously silky in a cool climate way, with red cherry-berry fruit and nuances of mocha. Good acid levels and soft tannins highlight an herbal consistency. Definitely a food wine that should appeal to all, especially with simply prepared meats and poultry. A slight chilling can enhance its performance with fish such as salmon or trout. It is still too young, so do a double decant or taste over several days as I did. Quality/Price rating is 91 points by Dean Tudor of Gothic Epicures. 6.Henry of Pelham Family Estate Chardonnay 2019 VQA Short Hills Bench, $21.95, +268342 Vintages Essential: this bottling continues the tres elegante Burgundian character of earlier years. Some ripeness, pleasant balance of oaking and fruit, integrated style in place, wood integration produces some creaminess in the finish. Overall balance of fruit and wood, vanilla, modest spices. 12.8% ABV, cork closure, barrel fermentation in French oak, barrel aging (some in 3K litre foudres for 8 months. Quality/Price rating is 91 points by Dean Tudor of Gothic Epicures. 7.Henry of Pelham Pinot Noir Speck Family Reserve 2019 VQA Short Hills Bench, +657874 Vintages, $34.95: fruit-forward with enough black/dark tones of cherry-berry capable of long cellar aging. The winery says Clones 667 on Block 100 were used for 250 cases. Tank fermentation with 10 months European oak barrel aging (30% new), finishing as blended in an oak tank. Very, very food friendly. 13% ABV. Steady pricing at this level for some years now. Quality/Price rating is 91 points by Dean Tudor of Gothic Epicures. 8.Pencarrow Chardonnay Martinborough NZ, +16028 Vintages, $21.95: one of the nicest balanced fresh chardonnays to come past my palate in quite some time, full of that old style oaking (not too toasty but at least noticeable). Golden hue and golden tastes, stressing a nuttiness from the French oak (20% new) and the wild yeast fermentation (50%). Aged on the stirred lees for 10 months. Plenty of stonefruit nuances. 13% ABV. The buttery finish lingers and nicely accompanies many complex first course dishes. Quality/Price rating is 93 points by Dean Tudor of Gothic Epicures. 9.Quails' Gate Pinot Noir 2018 BC Okanagan VQA, +585760 Vintages, $32.95: typical cool climate approach to pinot noir, emphasizing its savouriness: yellow flower aromatic notes, candied red fruit, sweet green herbals and black pepper on the medium- soft juicy-citric finish. 93% Pinot Noir, 7% Gamay (although this varies from year to year, usually within a percentage point). Aged in French oak barrels for 10 months. Astounding residual sweetness of 0.28 g/L. 13.5% ABV. Tasted over several days. Probably best with any Christmas fowl. Quality/Price rating is 91+ points by Dean Tudor of Gothic Epicures. 10.Quails' Gate Dry Riesling 2018 BC VQA Okanagan +308312 Vintages $19.95: this particular wine benefits from both an early and a late picked harvest, with the early contributing fresh acid and the later nectarine and citric orange tones. It's very crisp and dry (4.7 g/L RS) and full of orchard fruit (apples, pears, apricots, nectarines, peaches) and sweeter citric fruit such as tangerines and mandarins. There's lots going on here. Best with spiced or vinegared seafood. 12.5% ABV. Quality/Price rating is 90 points by Dean Tudor of Gothic Epicures. Under $20 [this is the annual “value” release, post-Christmas/New Year, hence few wines are over $20] ========= W+147975 GÉRARD BERTRAND RÉSERVE SPÉCIALE VIOGNIER IGP Pays d'Oc 2018 $14.95 MVC/QPR: 92 W+488981 FOLLAS NOVAS ALBARIÑO DO Rías Baixas 2019 $17.95 MVC/QPR: 89 W+458810 TOM GORE CHARDONNAY California 2018 $19.95 MVC/QPR: 89 W+328559 CATHEDRAL CELLAR CHARDONNAY WO Western Cape 2019 $17.95 MVC/QPR: 91 R+631820 DESQUICIADO MALBEC Tupungato, Uco Valley, Mendoza 2017 $16.95MVC/QPR: 89 R+254458 BUENA VISTA CABERNET SAUVIGNON North Coast 2018 $19.95MVC/QPR: 91 R+488015 QUINTA DO ESPÍRITO SANTO Vinho Regional Lisboa 2017 $14.95 MVC/QPR: 89 Over $20 [sorry, I have not tasted any from Jan 9 release at this price level] ========