Seriously Cool Cinsault
Waterkloof, Stellenbosch, South Africa
750 ml, $24.99
This wine is fruity, soft and delicate, with bright cherry notes, a fresh cranberry texture, taut acidity and a long finish. Made from 100% Cinsault, a grape native to France - particularly in Minervois and Corbieres where it is used as a blender for its aromatics and juicy fruit. With lower yields it makes lovely, elegant, fruit forward and perfumed wines such as this. A little chill heightens the acidity and makes for a delicious and bright glass of wine with lots of juiciness and pretty aromatics. Pair it with a plate of spicy charcuterie. The winery is also one of the few in the Cape to have biodynamic status!
Little Engine Silver Chardonnay
Naramata Bench, Okanagan Valley BC VQA
750 ml, $42.99
Support local - well, as local as you can get with grape-based wine in Alberta - with the Silver Chardonnay from Little Engine. This small producer in the Okanagan Valley's Naramata Bench is named for the "little engine that could" and the obstacles we overcome in life.
This entry into their chardonnay series was produced with both used oak and stainless steel tanks, leading to subtle oak flavours. It has a fresh acidity with a crisp lingering finish. It has a nose of blososms, jasmine, honey, pear and pineapple, with a palate of subtle spice, citrus and pear. Pair this wine with a rich fish like tuna or salmon - and keep it hyper-local by sourcing the fish from BC as well!
Viña Tondonia Red Reserva
Rioja, Spain
750 ml, $67.99
This red Reserva is made from 75% Tempranillo, 15% Garnacho, and 10% Graciano and Mazuelo, all grown in the López de Heredia Tondonia vineyard on the banks of the Ebro River. It was aged in American oak barrels for six years, which were crafted on-site in the López de Heredia coopery - unique in the region, as most wineries purchase oak barrels from other sources. This wine is rich yet very dry, with firm and well-balanced tannins. It has a light, fresh texture with notes of dried berries and vanilla. It can be cellared for 10 years if kept at a constant temperature and humidity. This versatile wine goes well with any meat dishes, no matter how they’re prepared!
Klinker Brick Rosé
Lodi, California
750 ml, $25.99
The Klinker Brick Rosé is from Lodi, California, a region less famous than Napa or Sonoma but no less important. The winery got its name from "klinker bricks", which are highly prized bricks that grace many of Lodi's historical buildings, including the winery owner's home. This rosé's mouthwatering acidity, crisp and refreshing texture, and notes of strawberry and white peach make for a perfect wine for a hot summer's day. Pair it with a classic Mediterannean-French dish like tuna nicoise and you have yourself the perfect summer meal!
Pfeiffer Rutherglen Topaque
Rutherglen, Australia
500 ml, $25.99
100% Muscadelle from the historic Rutherglen region of Australia, this fortified wine has a nose of honey, caramel and malt, with flavours of apricot and toffee. With a silky, luscious palate, along with well-balanced sweetness and acidity, this is a truly unique wine. While it's sweet, it makes for a great dessert on its own, or pour it over vanilla ice cream.
Pago Casa Gran - Casa Benasal White
Les Alcusses, Spain
750 ml, $24.99
This organic wine from southeastern Spain (near Valencia) comes from a vineyard with over 300 years of winemaking and cellaring history. Though made from Gewurtzraminer and Muscat grapes, this wine is less sweet than expected! It has a dry, refreshing and supple fruit finish with aromas of honey, flowers and lychee. Pair it with sushi, crudo or ceviche. Through their sustainability practices, Pago Casa Gran aims to "work with nature, not against her", so this wine not only tastes good - it feels good too.
Carmen Gran Reserva Carignan
Maule Valley, Chile
750 ml, $26.95
Bold, full-bodied with medium tannins, this 100% Carignan from Chile's first and oldest winery has dark fruit and berry flavours along with dried herbs and savoury spice. Pair it with grilled steaks or a traditional Chilean dish like Cazuela de Vacuno (beef stew).
Valserrano Crianza
Rioja, Spain
750 ml, $17.95
The Valserrano Crianza is 90% Tempranillo and 10% Mazuelo (aka Carignan) with 16 months aging in a blend of French and American oak. This wine exhibits the red berries and cinnamon spice characteristic of the style with a palate that is fresh, juicy and structured. It pairs great with a barbecued steak or other grilled meats - great for a backyard barbecue!
Churchill's Estate Rosé
Douro, Portugal
750 ml, $21.99
Made with 100% Touriga Nacional grapes planted on the steep hillsides of the Douro Valley's Cima Corgo sub-region. Strawberry, cherry and white flowers on the nose and palate, with a dry and fruity finish along with refreshing acidity. The structure of this wine is a perfect pairing for crab cakes, cod fritters or pasta salad.
If you are feeling ambitious, you can re-create the taste of Portugal at home with this recipe for this traditional Pasteis de Bacalhau:
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Viña Muriel Reserva Blanco
DOCa Rioja
750 ml
Viña Muriel is Muriel's top of the range wines. This Reserva Blanco is made from 100% Viura grapes grown in the Elciego area's top quality enclave. It is fermented in French oak, followed by 8 months of oak aging and a further 18 months minimum aging in the bottle. Pale yellow with gold flecks, it has aromas of citrus and white flowers along with fine and roasted spices from the aging in French oak. On the palate, the wine is fresh and soft, with a long finish. Fantastic with cream soups, fish, chicken or seafood pasta, and soft cheeses.
Convento de Mortagua Red
Dão, Portugal
750 ml
This red wine is made from Touriga Nacional, Jaen, and Alfochero grapes grown on the banks of the Dao River in northern Portugal. Convento de Mortagua is medium-bodied, has a ruby red colour, aromas of ripe fruit, and a characteristic balance of acidity, ripe tannins and soft fruity tones. The company was founded in 1943 by Adriano Henriquez. Today, the winery is managed by a representative of the fourth generation of the family. Pair it with pork and beef, grilled meat, game and roasted poultry.
Quails' Gate Pinot Noir
Okanagan Valley
750 ml
Classic cool climate Pinot Noir with aromas of cherry, plum, wild strawberry and violets. Medium in body, the palate shows more of those red fruits with a touch of clove, dried herbs and cocoa. Fine yet firm tannins lead to an elegant savoury cherry finish. An ideal match for late season mushroom or squash risotto, seared game meats or roasted pork with wild rice and root vegetables.
Michael David Ancient Vine Cinsaut
Lodi, California
750 ml
Planted in 1886 by Joseph Spenker, Michael David Ancient Vine Cinsaut comes from Lodi’s oldest producing vineyard and one of the world’s oldest Cinsaut plantings. Farmed by Michael’s son, Kevin Phillips, this vineyard is head trained and dry farmed just like it was when it was when planted well over 100 years ago. Brick red in color from Lodi’s warm summer months, the Ancient Vine Cinsaut combines aromas of bright fresh red fruits, cranberry, white pepper and graham cracker crust. Elegant and light-bodied, showing pure, crisp flavors of raspberry and pomegranate with just a hint of vanilla throughout the brisk, lively finish.
Voyager Estates Chardonnay
Margaret River, Australia
750 ml, $45.99
Attractive aromas of citrus fruit and pear mingle with delicate floral nuances and underlying flinty notes. The tightly wound palate displays layers of vibrant sweet citrus fruits and dried pear with subtle hints of spice. The wine displays exceptional purity with a fine texture and an attractive savoury element, which contributes complexity to the palate, finishing with a clean saline mineral edge.
Flower and the Bee White
Ribeiro, Spain
750 ml, $25.99
Made with the Treixadura grape, this organic white wine is a great introduction to native Galacian grapes from the Ribeiro appellation in Spain. Powerful flavours of herbs, pears and white peach, with some apricot and spice notes. Real presence, but not at all heavy. Just lovely fruit intensity, and amazing freshness.
Sherwood Estate Stratum Pinot Noir
Waipara Valley, New Zealand
750 ml, $23.99
Located in the Waipara Valley on New Zealand's South Island, Sherwood Estates' Stratum vineyards are grown in gravelly soil formed by an ancient glacial river bed. The vineyards are sheltered on both sides by limestone-derived clay hills providing the grapes with long, warm autumns to ripen. This rich Pinot Noir is red-purple in colour with juicy berry aromas. The oak-maturation provides a soft and smooth finish with hints of spice.
Turley Bechthold Vineyard Cinsault
Lodi, California
750 ml, $50.99
Planted in 1886, this Cinsault vineyard is the oldest of its kind in the United States and perhaps even beyond. The vines are gnarly with age, trained without the use of wires (called the head-trained method), and planted on their own roots - a noteworthy feature as most European grapevines are grafted onto sturdy American rootstock for pest control. As for the wine itself, it is light-bodied, tart, perfumed, and extremely well balanced. Turley Wine Cellars makes forty-seven wines from over fifty vineyards, the vast majority of which are single vineyard designate Zinfandels and Petite Syrahs. By focusing on old vine vineyards in particular, Turley aims to both create and preserve California’s unique winemaking culture. All of their vineyards are either certified organic by California Certified Organic Farmers or somewhere in the process, and they use all-natural yeasts in the fermentations.
Tyrrell's Vat 1 Semillon
Hunter Valley, Australia
750 ml, $71.99
Tyrrell’s Wines Vat 1 Semillon is one of Australia’s most awarded white wines. The grapes are entirely picked from their Short Flat vineyard which features sandy free-draining soil along with some vines that are almost 100 years old. Expect zingy, bright, juicy aromas and flavours of lemon and lime along with the first hints of toasty, honeyed flavours that will continue to develop over the next dozen years. Completely unoaked, the unique flavour profile of Vat 1 comes solely from these special grapes. Limited production with only a tiny amount shipped to Alberta, we were VERY lucky to receive one case of this Aussie icon. Semillon from Hunter Valley has a particular affinity to age. At six years old, this wine is still a baby and while a delicious treat now (oysters, yes please!) it will age gracefully for another 10+ years. The acidity will mellow and the complexity will only increase. The current release 2014 was a great vintage and has been called a “classic in the making” - but sadly, don’t expect to see a 2020 vintage, as Tyrrell’s Wines have lost 80% of their grapes this year to smoke taint from Australia’s raging bushfires. All of production will likely stay onshore and you'll have to travel to the Hunter to find some. Currently only five bottle left, reserve yours today!
Kozaemon House Junmai Goddess of Sake
Gifu Prefecture, Japan
720 ml
Brewed in the mountainous region of Gifu, Japan, Kozaemon Goddess of Sake has a red bean and cocoa aroma with intense funky, earthy umami flavours like mushroom & parmesan, along with warm spices like cinnamon and cloves. It's brewed from nishiki rice, and has a rice polish rate of 70% meaning 30% of the grain was polished away, leaving 70% of the grain remaining. This house junmai was aged for a year resulting in a flavourful, unique sake experience you need to try!
Lopez de Heredia Vina Tondonia
Rioja, Spain
750 ml, $66.99
This Spanish red is rich, very dry, smooth, and developed. Firm tannins and good balance. It's made from 75% Tempranillo, 15% Garnacho, with Graciano and Mazuelo making up the rest. Try it with any meat dish, but especially lamb!