A VINTAGES ESSENTIAL Small Gully's THE FORMULA ROBERT'S SHIRAZ is available year-round in VINTAGES as a Vintages Essential wine. A huge thank you goes out to the Ontario consumers who have supported Small Gully and Kylix Wines. Over the years we have noticed a large following that has grown for The Formula, as well as winemaker Stephen Black's other wines, and we are so grateful to have such passionate and enthusiastic consumers in Ontario. So pick up a bottle (or a case!) at your nearest LCBO Vintages store. Store availability and inventory can be found here.
NOW AVAILABLE AT LCBO VINTAGES
discover a new grape, pick picpoul!
COSTIERES DE POMEROL Beauvignac Picpoul de Pinet 2018 Midi, France $14.95 (VINTAGES# 350124) VINTAGES April 18, 2020 release
100% Picpoul Blanc, a very popular, traditional local variety in Midi, France. This wine comes from vineyards planted on sun-drenched hillsides called "costieres" (coastal region) in the Mediterranean. The colour is a superb pale yellow with bright hues. The nose is elegant, with aromas of fresh fruit and citrus fruit notably grapefruit. The balance is zesty and harmonious with great varietal expression. This wine shows how good Picpoul can be when grown on its favourite terroir! The perfect accompaniment for oysters and other shellfish. "Simple, fresh, appley, easy-drinking picpoul, perfectly serviceable. Chill well and serve for apero hour or with the salad/shellfish starter, or oysters. Solid value. Tasted May 2017. Value Rating: ***" (John Szabo, MS, www.winealign.com)
perfect barbecue red
BYRON & HAROLD First Mark Cabernet Sauvignon Merlot 2018 Great Southern, Western Australia $19.95 (VINTAGES #12912) VINTAGES April 18, 2020 release
A classic blend of Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot sourced from prime vineyard sites across Great Southern, Western Australia. The Cabernet and Merlot were blended and aged in for 10 months in oak prior to bottling.
Deep red with a cherry hue. Lifted aromatics of violets, cherry, cassis, black tea and cardamom spice. A generous and dense palate with flavours of forest fruits, dark chocolate, and bay leaf with hints of dusty oak and a fine tannin structure leading to a long, savoury finish. Perfect pairing for barbecue or braised lamb with root vegetables.
single vineyard chilean cab
OVEJA NEGRA Single Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon 2016 Maule Valley, Chile $19.95 (VINTAGES #13875) VINTAGES April 18, 2020 release
Predominantly Cabernet Sauvignon (93%) with a touch of Cabernet Franc (4%) and Petit Verdot (3%). The grapes were sourced from the estate's San Rafael Vineyard in the Maule Valley 30 km from the Andes Mountains. The soils are of volcanic origin of varying depths which form slopes with different exposures to the sun. The wine is aged 12-16 months in new and used French oak barrels.
Intense cherry-red colour. Aromas of red fruits, blueberries, black pepper, vanilla and hints of tobacco. On the palate, flavours of plum and raspberry, with marked acidity well-balanced by the alcohol. Fresh, concentrated and long in the mouth. Pairs well with barbecued meats and ripe cheeses.
old vine zin from a historic dry creek valley family estate
PEDRONCELLI Mother Clone Zinfandel 2017 Dry Creek Valley, California $27.95 (VINTAGES# 473744) VINTAGES March 7, 2020 release
Pedroncelli’s historic Zinfandel vineyards are located on the hillsides surrounding the winery, on the ranch originally purchased by John Pedroncelli Sr. in 1927 and planted to Zinfandel since 1904. The Zinfandel vines are head-pruned and hand-picked, a second generation vineyard cloned from the original “Mother” vines. The wine was aged in American oak barrels for 13 months. A touch of Petite Sirah (12%) adds depth of color and structure in this Zinfandel. The Mother Clone is a classic Dry Creek Valley Zinfandel with fragrant aromas of ripe berry and black plum with a touch of black pepper spice. Concentrated blackberry and fig flavors are framed by subtle toasted oak with a dusty-spicy finish. Well integrated flavors with round tannins and bright acidity are a hallmark of our style. DOUBLE GOLD at Tasters Guild International Wine Judging and Tasters Guild Consumer Wine Judging 2019
delicious bordeaux that won't break the bank
CHÂTEAU DU BREUIL Haut-Médoc Cru Bourgeois 2014 Haut-Médoc, Bordeaux $24.95 (VINTAGES #633081) VINTAGES February 22, 2020 release
A classic Bordeaux blend of Merlot (54%), Cabernet Sauvignon (43%), and Petit Verdot (3%) sourced from 20 ha of vineyards on the impressive Château du Breuil estate in Haut-Médoc (Left Bank). The wine is aged over a period of 12 months in French and American oak barrels (10% new).
"This wine comes from an estate surrounding an impressive castle. The estate itself was created in the 6th century and is under the same ownership as neighboring Château Cissac. The wine is dark colored with intense flavor. It's sourced from old vines and carries Petit Verdot in the blend. It has the weight and the richness to age well. Drink from 2022." Editors' Choice. Score - 92. (Roger Voss, Wine Enthusiast, April 1, 2017)
discover great southern in western australia
ROCKCLIFFE Third Reef Shiraz 2017 Great Southern, Western Australia $19.95 (VINTAGES #453209 ) VINTAGES March 7, 2020 release
Fruit was sourced from select blocks in Mt Barker and Frankland in the Great Southern region of Western Australia. The Mt Barker fruit brings finesse while the Frankland fruit provides texture. The wine was aged for 15 months in 100% French oak, 40% of which was new oak. The palate show dense fruit concentration of plum and dark berries. The ripe and juicy fruit combine with long fine tannins and lingering spice.
"There is a looser tannic weave compared to the firmer, more tactile tannins of the single site wine and yet this is every bit as appealing, especially to drink on the mid-term to earlier scale. The lilac florals and dried seaweed varietal DNA is more apparent. Less oak, but this facilitates a transparent stream of fruit, pepper grind and a finish that is as long if not a little less dense; more balletic and kinetic, rather than tightly coiled. Drink by: 2025." Special Value. Score - 95. (Ned Goodwin, winecompanion.com.au, Aug. 1, 2019)
chilean cab from vines planted in 1945
CLOS DE LUZ Massal 1945 Cabernet Sauvignon 2016 Almahue Valley, Chile $21.95 (VINTAGES #12675) VINTAGES January 11, 2020 release
Almahue is a small valley that belongs to DO Cachapoal Valley consisting of just 360 ha of vines. Although small in size, some of Chile's oldest vineyards are located here. Clos de Luz is a family estate consisting of 33 ha in a prime location on the valley's hillside. In 1933, their ancestors planted French grape varieties such as Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot - which was later discovered to be Carménère.
The vineyards at Clos de Luz are traditional massal selection vineyards with various varietals and clones mixed among the rows. Among the vines they discovered a number of Malbec vines which make up 15% of the blend in this Cabernet. Fermentation is done with indigenous yeast and the wine is stabilized naturally thanks to the low temperatures in the valley during winter. The wine is aged for 12 months in French oak barrels of which 6% is aged in new French oak Sylvain 400L barrels.
Intense ruby red colour. Deep and dense nose full of floral and red fruit aromas. Pure and elegant on the palate with sarsaparilla, plum and cherry flavours complemented by toast and liquorice on the finish. The palate is very concentrated but not heavy with an intense tannic structure and a round mouthfeel. The finish is long and persistent.
riesling from alsace's oldest, largest and most famous grand cru
MARTIN SCHAETZEL BY KIRRENBOURG Schlossberg Grand Cru Riesling 2016 Alsace, France $85.00 (VINTAGES #667139) * LIMITED QUANTITIES AVAILABLE*
Kirrenbourg is a lieu-dit -or location that has been given a name- within the Grand Cru Schlossberg area, which is the oldest, largest and most famous Grand Cru in Alsace. Led by Marc Rinaldi in partnership with Jean Schaetzel and Christophe Ehrhart, the estate aims to gather the best patches of land, the most talented and committed winegrowers -especially to biodynamic farming-, as well as dedicated and demanding fine wine lovers, around the idea of making and ageing the best possible wines, while bringing out the distinguished and specific character of each and every terroir. This is an intense and complex Riesling with a fruity, herbal bouquet, great volume, marked minerality on the mid-palate and a delicious, long-lasting finish. It's ready to drink now but will reward those who are patient and willing to keep this one in the cellar until 2025. 97 POINTS - Decanter World Wine Awards
LIMITED QUANTITIES AVAILABLE in select stores. See store inventory here.
award-winning napa cab - one place, one grape, one clone
SILVERADO VINEYARDS SOLO Cabernet Sauvignon 2014 Napa Valley, California $160.00 (VINTAGES #89482) *LIMITED QUANTITIES AVAILABLE*
In 1968, Silverado’s estate vineyard became the third planted to Cabernet Sauvignon in the Stags Leap District, now world renowned for its Cabernet Sauvignon. Over the next two decades, through careful observation and meticulous field selection, an entirely new clone of Cabernet Sauvignon emerged. The vines had adapted to Silverado Vineyard’s steep, shale soils to produce fruit with intense plum, red currant and cassis characters. The University of California at Davis acknowledged this unique vine with a ‘Heritage’ designation. It is one of only three Cabernet Sauvignons to attain this status – and the only one from Stags Leap District. Each year, we honour this achievement with our limited release SOLO Cabernet Sauvignon, lovingly crafted from this single, extraordinary clone. Smooth and elegant, the 2013 SOLO Cabernet Sauvignon offers bold aromas of cherry and raspberry that carry over onto the palate. Sweet black fruit flavours with a layer of lightly toasted oak and cola. This is a full bodied Cabernet with an exquisite core of lush flavour. 94 POINTS - Wine & Spirits 93 POINTS - Decanter 93 POINTS - Vinous (Antonio Galloni) 93 POINTS - Jame Suckling 91 POINTS - Wine Enthusiast
LIMITED QUANTITIES AVAILABLE in select stores. See store inventory here.
CORISON Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon 2014 Napa Valley, California $172.00 (VINTAGES #569707) *EXTREMELYLIMITED QUANTITIES AVAILABLE*
With tenacity and determination, Cathy Corison has forged a life of wine that has spanned more than three decades, transcended formidable challenges and surpassed her wildest dreams. Cathy's Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignons are hand crafted, without compromise, from some of the finest vineyards in the Napa Valley. These benchland vineyards are located between Rutherford and St. Helena, where deep, stony alluvial soils provide ideal growing conditions for the Cabernet vine. These vines regularly produce some of the most concentrated and superbly ripened fruit anywhere. Cathy's philosophy is to make complex wines that walk the fine line between power and elegance, employing time-honoured winemaking techniques, using only small French oak barrels sourced from several forests for complexity. Her hands-off approach to winemaking allows the vineyards to speak for themselves. 95 POINTS - Decanter(William Kelley, September 2017) 95 POINTS - International Wine Report (April 2017) 92 POINTS - Vinous, Antonio Galloni (vinous.com, December 2016) 93 POINTS - James Suckling(January 2017) 93 POINTS - Wine & Spirits (August 2017) 92 POINTS - Jeb Dunnuck (jebdunnuck.com, December 2017)
COMING SOON...
BODEGAS JUAN GIL Honoro Vera Monastrell 2018 Jumilla, Spain $13.95 (LCBO# 167684) VINTAGES August 22, 2020 release
The Gil family has been making wine for 100 years spanning four generations. This wine is made with Monastrell grapes grown in dry limestone vineyards, resulting in big aromatic intensity and flavour concentration. Its pleasing nose reveals notes of underbrush, mineral, and blueberry leading to a savory, spicy, nicely balanced medium-bodied wine. Drink it over the next 2-3 years. This extremely versatile wine is a great sipper on its own or can be paired with just about anything: rice, pasta, (noodles, spaghetti, macaroni), vegetables, mushroom, stewed meat, sausage, pork, roast meat, red and/or white meat with sauces, grilled meat, short or medium cheeses. At $13.95, this is a wine that OVER-DELIVERS for the price. Be sure to stock up while quantities last! 89 POINTS - Guia Peñin