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Tastings: January 2025
14 January 2025
88PTS
Garzón Marselan Reserva 2022
Garzón, Maldonado, San José, UruguayThis marselan, a unique cross between cabernet sauvignon and grenache, was first bred in 1961 near the French town of Marseillan in the Languedoc's Hérault. Marselan is a wine of promise with its low yielding nature and excellent disease resistance to botrytis, powdery mildew, coulure, and mites. The 2022 vintage, with its alluring wild blackberry, black cherry and black plum exudes bright freshness and youthful tannins, and is a testament to its potential. Like its 2020 counterpart, it carries a hint of minty eucalyptus that weaves through the finish. While it retains a touch of rusticity, it's on the brink of mainstream appeal, best enjoyed with roasted meats or winter vegetable casseroles. It is fermented in 150 HL cement tanks and is aged 6 to 12 months in 50 HL untoasted French oak casks.Prices:| BC | $24.99 | 750ml |
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91PTS
Garzón Pinot Noir Single Vineyard 2022
Garzón, Maldonado, San José, UruguayAlberto Antonini drives the style here but with very soft hands. You don't feel it but surely appreciate this pinot noir when you sip it. The fruit grows on a high mineral content hill facing north that catches the cool Atlantic Ocean breezes. The vines are pruned to meet low yields before being fermented in concrete tulips. Then, it is off to untoasted 5000 litre French oak vats for 12 to 18 months. Dark cherry and earthy blackberry reminds you of New World pinot, but the persistent elegance lets you know it's made by folks who care for it, from vineyard to winery to bottle. A touch of tannins gives it enough structure to age through 2027 with ease. A complex pinot that surprises you every sip.Prices:| CDN | $53.00 | 750ml |
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94PTS
Garzón Petit Clos Tannat Block 212 2022
Garzón, Maldonado, San José, UruguayThe fruit is highly guarded as it ages in large neutral oak casks for about a year. The Petit Clos Block 212’ Tannat is made in tiny quantities from a single vineyard block that produces the pinnacle of tannat At Garzón. It is aged in untoasted French oak barrels and casks for 12 months, and the resulting wine is powerful yet refined, with vibrant fruit, ripe tannins and great concentration. The sweet plums and blackberry are expected, but the polished tannins and subtle styling surprises most people. Yet it is something consultant Antonini and Garzón winemaker Germán Bruzzone, chosen as Winemaker of the Year by Patricio Tapia in the Guía Descorchados 2022, are famous for. This wine will change everything you know or think you know about tannat. Bodega Garzón is a family-owned winery, now over a decade old, located in Maldonado, on the Atlantic coast in southern Uruguay. In 2007, owner Alejandro Bulgheroni invited consultant winemaker Alberto Antonini to visit his 700-hectare olive farm between the small town of Garzón and the beach, and it wasn’t long before Antonini was planting tannat, Uruguay’s flagship variety, and Aalbariño, recognizing apparent similarities between Galicia and Garzón (mainly cooling Atlantic breezes and well-draining granitic soils). Since then, the rolling hillsides have become home to olive groves among 12 grape varieties. The patchwork quilt of 1,150 individual plots, each around 0.2 hectares in size and carefully chosen for a specific variety according to its soil and microclimate, is the genesis for this wine.Prices:| CDN | $53.00 | 750ml |
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92PTS
Garzón Petit Clos Marselan Block 487 2020
Garzón, Maldonado, San José, UruguayThe Petit Clos labels are the top end releases from Garzón, as in the case of this marselan GPS Block 487, which may be the best marselan you will have tasted to date. From its deep red colour, the nose is a mix of wild savoury fruits and exotic forest floor. On the palate, you find red plums mingled with blackberries and black fruits with a splash of California eucalyptus. The style is reserved, the tannins are Alberto Antonini soft and integrated, and the finish is subtle. It is a study of minerals and saline that reflects its position near the cool Atlantic Ocean. The fermentation takes place in concrete 80 HL cement tulips. The final blend spends 12 months in 25 HL neutral French oak casks. A wine to note.Prices:| CDN | $53.00 | 750ml |
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92PTS
Garzón Single Vineyard Tannat 2022
Garzón, Maldonado, San José, UruguayThis single vineyard tannat comes off one of the cooler blocks on the Garzón estate, boasting steep slopes and thin soils with excellent drainage. This tannat, clocking in at 14.5%, is aged 12 - 18 months on lees in French oak barrels and casks. Like the entire Garzón lineup, the SV Tannat opens with graphite and minerals mixed with rich black fruit. The tannins are dense, sweet, rich and balanced. You can drink this most sophisticated version of this grape, but there is no rush. The structure and styling suggest this wine is easily an 8-10 year proposition and likely beyond.Prices:| QC | $41.50 | 750ml |
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90PTS
Garzón Tannat Reserva 2022
Garzón, Maldonado, San José, UruguayTannat has a reputation for being big, rugged, and tannic if used in anything but small amounts. At Bodega Garzón, in Uruguay, consulting winemaker Alberto Antonini has used the tannat to make something unique. Uruguay has succeeded with tannat for some time, but none have been as elegant and equally structured as the Garzón labels. With 1000 separate blocks to choose from, Antonini and winemaker German Bruzzone have crafted wines of amazing grace while unfolding the power of tannat and its famous full flavours. The proximity to the cold Atlantic Ocean helps promote bright red fruit characters that offset the apparent black fruit. Picked when the seeds are fully lignified but fresh, Garzón has unveiled the black plums over blackcurrants and black raspberries over blackberries. The tannin and the texture are beautifully balanced. No chemicals are used here, no over-extraction, and no egos; only untoasted large French vats are used for the fermentation. The aging is done in concrete for six months. Antonini is among the world's most intelligent and sensitive wine consultants, and his work at Garzón on wines like this only enhances his reputation.Prices:| BC | $22.99 | 750ml |
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10 January 2025
89PTS
Nk'Mip Cellars Dreamcatcher 2022
Okanagan Valley, British Columbia, CanadaThe '22 Dreamcatcher got a favourable high silver rating at the 2024 WineAlign National Wine Awards. It has a pleasing fruit salad harmony, pitching orchard fruits and grapefruit acidity, almonds, and minerality. A summer sipper, if ever there was, and is ready to drink.Prices:| BC | $26.99 | 750ml |
| AB | $23.95 | 750ml |
| ON | $23.50 | 750ml |
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92PTS
Vina Ane Centenaria Blanco 2021
Rioja, SpainAttention, wine freaks. Centenaria is a white Rioja certified under the Rioja Qualified Denomination of Origin by the husband and wife team of Eduardo Monge and Lorena Garbati at the family-run bodega, Bodegas del Monge Garbati. This wine is made with nine grape varieties in Rioja Alta, which belongs to a unique vineyard that is one hundred years old. The blend is a tour of white grapes, including 40% viura, 25% malvasía, 7% chardonnay, 7% sauvignon blanc, 5% turruntés, 4% garnacha blanca, 4% verdejo, 4% tempranillo blanco and 4% maturana, all grown over clay and calcareous soils. Post ferment it spends a short four months in a mix of French, Hungarian, and American oak barrels. Expect a pale yellow colour with slightly deeper hues at the edge. The nose is bright with a blend of florals, citrus, and fresh baked pie crust. There are more stone and mineral undertones on the palate, with a bit of citrus, a slippery, silky texture, and a salty saline finish. The locals suggest this intriguing wine be served with a mushroom or asparagus risotto. In 2020, Centenaria Blanco was voted the white wine of the year in Rioja, and we can see why.Prices:| BC | $44.99 | 750ml |
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88PTS
Harvey and Harriet White Blend 2022
San Luis Obispo County, Central Coast, California, United StatesThe latest Harvey & Harriet label is an exotic tropical white blend of pineapple, tangerine, honeydew, and more that wafts out of the glass and streaks the palate from front to back. The attack is luscious with a creamy, oaky underside, more pineapple, and sweet melon with just enough mineral, spice, and leesy notes to keep it from being cloying. Ready to drink and seemingly well suited to chicken or pasta dishes. The blend of grapes grown at San Luis Obispo County is chardonnay/albariño/viognier/pinot grigio. Clean, rich, and creamy, you can drink this now.Prices:| BC | $28.99 | 750ml |
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88PTS
Van Westen Vineyards Vivacious 2023
Naramata Bench, Okanagan Valley, British Columbia, CanadaVivacious is just that most years. It’s a pinot blanc with a dash of viognier, the latter softening the acidity and adding a touch of mid-palate weight and sweetness. Otherwise, this simple, straightforward white can take on various foods and entertain a patio crowd. It is a pear and lime affair on the palate with some support from orchard florals, a dash of orange, and a mineral finish. Clean and ready to drink.Prices:| BC | $22.50 | 750ml |
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09 January 2025
88PTS
Harvey and Harriet Red Blend 2021
San Luis Obispo County, Central Coast, California, United StatesThis is very much for the big red crowd with sweet fruit, sweet oak, and a soft, easy frame that is still full-bodied. It is dry, unlike many in the competitive set, but this still feels very much made, with disjointed acidity that marks the shortish finish.Prices:| BC | $31.99 | 750ml |
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90PTS
Castello di Bolgheri Varvara 2020
Tuscany, ItalyHeavy bottle. This is a surprisingly juicy Bolgheri and, indeed, the winery says, "this wine was born from the desire to develop a more immediate product." A blend of 60% cabernet sauvignon, 28% merlot, and 12% cabernet franc, this shows sappy black currant, wild berries, sandalwood, and leather on a frame of dusty tannins and brisk acidity. It's calling for tomato-based pasta dishes to bring it all into balance, but, no doubt, you can enjoy this now. Nice concentration.Prices:| BC | $39.99 | 750ml |
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90PTS
Road 13 Fifth Element Red 2020
Okanagan Valley, British Columbia, CanadaExtremely heavy bottle (interestingly with a short cork). From 36 barrels, this unspecified blend oozes South Okanagan character, with lush, macerated dark fruits layered with desert shrubs, alongside generous oak (a combination of French and American, though it tastes like it leans more towards the latter). It's a big, muscular wine, still brooding and youthful, but one that will benefit from another 5-7 years in bottle.Prices:| BC | $65.00 | 750ml |
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89PTS
Ruby Blues Cabernet Merlot 2022
Naramata Bench, Okanagan Valley, British Columbia, CanadaThis mid-valley red blend is made with grapes from a quartet of vineyards located north to south on the Naramata Bench. The 2022 growing season was good, and obtaining phenolic ripeness was not a problem mid-valley. The Cabernet Merlot is a blend of two cabs, 37.5% cabernet sauvignon and 37.5% cabernet franc, with 25% merlot. The nose is aromatic, offering ripe black and blue fruit, with a touch of desert scrub and cedar. The wine is clean and fresh, with a medium to full-bodied weight on the palate, ripe plum, and jammy blackcurrant. The finish is long and persistent, with some sticky tannins yet to be dispersed.Prices:| BC | $47.90 | 750ml |
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90PTS
Culmina Family Estate Hypothesis 2018
Golden Mile Bench, Oliver, Okanagan Valley, British Columbia, CanadaThis south Okanagan red gets the early morning sun and avoids the harsh late day sun as it drops behind Mt. Kobau to the west. Hypothesis is a long distance runner, so six years old is only the beginning for this wine. The nose has cherry and leather with a touch of bandaid. On the palate, it opens with a rush of earthy red and black fruit and refreshing acidity that fuel a run of complex flavours, including cassis, licorice, spice and cedar. The finish is balanced, the tannins are fine grained with a silky texture, and a final note of minerality. The 2018 Hypothesis is a 32/31/25/6.5/5.5 mix of cabernet franc, cabernet sauvignon, merlot, petit verdot, and malbec grown on the Golden Mile Bench estate’s Arise and Stan’s Benches. The finished wine is aged in French Oak that is 35% new, 20% 1 year old, and 45% neutral.Prices:| BC | $50.00 | 750ml |
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91PTS
Chronos Carpo 2022
Oliver, Okanagan Valley, British Columbia, CanadaCarpo gets its name from the Greek goddess of fruitfulness, but it gets its style from winemaker Lynzee Schatz, who selects the grapes for the blend at peak ripeness. Considering the vintage vagaries, the cuvée is blended after a rigourous barrel selection. In 2022, it worked out to be a 30/25/20/15/10 mix of cabernet sauvignon, merlot, syrah, cabernet franc, and malbec. Schatz is known for her light hands in the winery, leaving her wines to express their origins, not their maker. Look for an attractive red that opens with black cherry compote and raspberry jam. The palate is round and soft, and the tannins are rich but with no rough edges. The finish is medium long and dry in an excellent young red wine. No rush to drink this before 2027 and beyond. Good value.Prices:| BC | $34.99 | 750ml |
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91PTS
Guado al Tasso Il Bruciato 2020
Bolgheri, Tuscany, ItalyBruciato is the little brother of Guado Al Tasso, although that description could be misleading. In 2020, the Bolgheri blend of cabernet sauvignon, merlot, and syrah will be an opulent ode to coastal Tuscany. The attack is a rich swirl of black cherries and dark baking chocolate with streaks of smoke and toasted oak. The palate is super silky with a savoury dried herb underside that tames the sweet, ripe fruit. You can drink this now, but it will be fine in the cellar through 2028 and beyond.Prices:| BC | $46.99 | 750ml |
| AB | $33.00 | 750ml |
| MB | $44.00 | 750ml |
| ON | $35.00 | 750ml |
| QC | $32.00 | 750ml |
| NB | $37.00 | 750ml |
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90PTS
Harvey and Harriet Red Blend 2021
San Luis Obispo County, Central Coast, California, United StatesA blend of 57% cabernet sauvignon, 13% petit verdot, 12% syrah, 7% petite sirah, 7% malbec, 2% grenache, and 2% cabernet franc, this Californian red offers delicate aromas for a CS-dominant blend, with florals, dried herbs, toasty oak spices, black olives, raspberries, and blackberries. The palate balances juicy red and black fruits with tight acidity and fine-grained tannins. A polished, nuanced take on a Californian red blend.Prices:| BC | $31.99 | 750ml |
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91PTS
Castello di Bolgheri Varvara 2020
Tuscany, ItalyA BDX blend of 60% cabernet sauvignon, 20% merlot, 17% cabernet franc, and 3% petit verdot from Bolgheri, this wine exudes the richness of dark plum and blackberry mingled with Mediterranean herbs, potpourri, iodine, and earthy, shelly minerality. While warm at 14.5%, as expected from the region, it maintains balance with refreshing acidity and dusty, well-structured tannins, delivering a complex and savoury profile.Prices:| BC | $39.99 | 750ml |
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93PTS
Castello di Bolgheri Rosso 2020
Tuscany, ItalyThe nose is Bolgheri intense pitching cassis, scented earth, with black olives, spice, and a strong mineral undertow. It expands with red and primarily black fruits on the palate, with savoury balsamic scents enhanced by toasted oak. It is young, and the tannins youthful, but everything is in balance, and frankly, for the money, this wine overdelivers versus its big brother neighbours. The ripeness of the fruit is counterbalanced in the finish by that slightly bitter Italian ending. There is no rush to drink this wine, as it will age easily through 2040. Castello di Bolgheri is sourced from 20 year old vineyards facing the Tyrrhenian Sea in Bolgheri. The blend is a 75/18/7 mix of cabernet sauvignon, cabernet franc, and merlot picked from late August through mid-September. Portions are fermented in stainless steel, large oak vats, and 500 litre barrels. It aged for 20 months in wood: the first 12 months was in 500-litre barrels; and for the following 8 months, once blended, the wine completed its aging in large 35-hectolitre oak barrels. Vineyards sit on hillsides 70m above sea level with full sun exposure from morning to early evening. The vineyard rows in question sit alongside Sassicaia’s and Ornellaia’s vines.Prices:| BC | $115.00 | 750ml |
| AB | $99.00 | 750ml |
| QC | $121.99 | 750ml |
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91PTS
Phantom Creek Estates Petite Cuvée 2020
Osoyoos, Okanagan Valley, British Columbia, CanadaPetite Cuvée leads with a classic cedar, desert scrub, and black fruit nose shouting the south Okanagan Valley. The blend, a 43/33/16/4/2/2 mix of cabernet franc, cabernet sauvignon, merlot, petit verdot, syrah, and malbec, results in a well rounded, mouth-filling red with moderate tannins and an easy drinkability. Winemaker Mark Beringer likens it to the style of red wine he made in Knight’s Valley between Napa and Sonoma. Drak cherries and dark plums lead the fruit parade, while a savoury balsamic note represents the desert scrub landscape. Given the quality we have experienced from the 2020 vintage and the fact that grapes for this cuvée were fully ripe and picked before the mid-October cold snap hit most Okanagan vineyards, this wine has a bright future. Good value.Prices:| BC | $37.99 | 750ml |
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07 January 2025
89PTS
Red Barn at Jagged Rock Stand Apart Chenin Blanc 2023
Oliver, Okanagan Valley, British Columbia, CanadaThe latest of Anthony Von Mandl's projects, Jagged Rock comes off the Black Sage Bench in the southern Okanagan. Crisp and bright, with gooseberry, white peach, crunchy green pear over a light bed of lees, finishing with a white grapefruit twist. With the fullness of the southern Okanagan, bright chenin acidity, and a delicate shaping hand, this is a highlight of the new Red Barn releases.Prices:| BC | $55.00 | 750ml |
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90PTS
Fred Sigonneau Blanc de Chenin 2022
Chinon, Touraine, Loire, FranceThis chenin blanc comes from the AOC Chinon, where only a small percentage of grapes are white, hence the cheekily named Blanc de Chenin. From the region's clay and limestone, this spent 1 year in tank, preserving its crisp fruit. Quince, white peach, and crystalline lemon glide along the bright palate, helped with a slick of lees and a buzzy limestone underlay. A lovely, pure, and shining example of the grape, well suited to the dinner table.Prices:| BC | $36.00 | 750ml |
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90PTS
Testalonga Stay Brave 2023
Swartland, Coastal Region, South AfricaOne of the stars of South Africa's New Wave wine renaissance, Testalonga is Craig and Carla Hawkins' personal project, dedicated to experimental wines and rescued grapes, often from old vineyards. They were the first of the Swartland Revolution collective to start their own vineyard project, back in 2015, when they moved to a farm in the northern reaches of the Swartland, nestled into the Olifantsberg mountain, called Banditskloof. With 10 days maceration, this Chenin is the introduction to Testalonga’s skin contact wines. Sourced from koffieklip over granite soils outside of Paardeberg, this deeper golden hued wine was destemmed and native fermented on skins for 2 weeks in 1500L vats before being pressed off into a 3300L and 1500L foudre. A wee amount of SO2 was added before bottling. Wild melon, apricot skin, perfumed white grapefruit, crunchy Asian pear skips along a slight 11.5% palate, finishing with a tangerine twist. A new view of chenin for many.Prices:| BC | $50.00 | 750ml |
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91PTS
Testalonga Keep on Punching 2023
Swartland, Coastal Region, South AfricaOne of the stars of South Africa's New Wave wine renaissance, Testalonga is Craig and Carla Hawkins' personal project, dedicated to experimental wines and rescued grapes, often from old vineyards. They were the first of the Swartland Revolution collective to start their own vineyard project, back in 2015, when they moved to a farm in the northern reaches of the Swartland, nestled into the Olifantsberg mountain, called Banditskloof. This organic Chenin Blanc is from Pieketberg sandstone, planted 1961. This was whole bunch pressed and native fermented in 3500L foudre and 2000L stainless tanks where it remained until bottling, with minimal SO2. Meadow grass, musk melon, crunchy Asian pear glide along the sleek palate, lit with bright acidity, and lined with a fine slick of earthy lees. Bright, slight, and pure, don't serve this too chilled. This is a lovely aperitif wine to get the mouth watering.Prices:| BC | $50.00 | 750ml |
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