City Cellars
May 11, 2022
Taiheizan Honjozo Nigori
Akita Prefecture, Tohoku, Japan
300 ml, $16.99
Kodama Brewing Company started brewing sake in 1913. They are one of the few sake breweries in Japan who is still producing both miso and soy sauce today.
By definition, Nigori means 'cloudy' and this style of sake is thicker and creamier in texture, with a milk-like appearance. The 'cloudiness' comes from the rice sediment which remains in the sake after it has been passed through a special coarse-mesh filter. This unfiltered nigori has a creamy yet drier mouthfeel with a nose of rice, banana and nuts, subtle sweetness, and great acidity with a dry finish. Very food friendly — pair with seafood, fruits and meat — and best enjoyed chilled!
April 27, 2022
Mitolo Jester Vermentino
McLaren Vale, Australia
750 ml, $25.99
Our Wine of the Week is a Vermentino from Australia - Vermentino is a white grape that originally hails from the island of Sardinia, where fresh, textured white wine ideal for the Mediterranean climate is produced. The Mitolo family has winemaking roots in Italy and have brought these typical Italian grapes to their lands in Australia's McLaren Vale. The wine has a fresh, lively acidity that rounds off a tight clean palate with bright citrus tones. Tropical, zesty, and perfect with seafood!
April 20, 2022
Howard Park Miamup Cabernet Sauvignon
Margaret River, Australia
750 ml, $27.99
Howard Park is a pioneering family-owned winery specializing in the region of Margaret River - arguably Australia's premier site for growing classic Cabernet Sauvignon. This 100% Cabernet Sauvignon offers aromas of mint, violets, savoury dry herbs & blackcurrant, along with hints of smoky oak. The palate is fresh & bright, with red berries & plums & a fine acid structure. While its juicy freshness makes this an enjoyable wine to drink young, its good balance between fruit weight, tannin and oak suggests the wine will age gracefully through 2025.
April 13, 2022
Paolo Conterno Bricco Barbera D'Asti
Piemonte, Italy
750 ml, $25.99
It all started way back in 1886, when Paolo Conterno founded the Casa della Ginestra, dedicated to the production of Nebbiolo, Barbera and Dolcetto wines, and continues to make wines of these varietals today. 100% Barbera, the Paolo Conterno Bricco Barbera D'Asti shows finesse and elegance, with appealing hints of spices and fresh red fruit such as cherry and cranberry. Soft and structured on the palate, with the refreshing, tangy acidity that’s typical of Barbera. Enjoy this wine with cold cuts, hot hors-d’oeuvres including slightly spicy, flavoursome appetizers and white meats.
March 30, 2022
Tour de Rieux L'instant Rare Cinsault
Languedoc-Roussillon, France
750 ml, $26.99
From the Tour de Rieux vineyard in France's Languedoc-Roussillon region, an area with perfect altitude, scorching sun & cool soils that offer up wines with elegance, comes this 100% certified organic Cinsault that's perfect for summertime casual dining! The Tour de Rieux l'Instant Rare Cinsault has an intense nose with hint of licorice, cherries, and dried spices. Light on the palate with a hint of raspberry yogurt, along with silky tannins and a crisp finish. Pairs well with chicken and olives, or meat in sauce.
March 23, 2022
Kubota Senjyu Ginjo Sake
Niigata, Japan
720 ml, $39.99
This is a sake that drinks like a wine with similar aromatics - serve in a wine glass and enjoy with a variety of food! Asahi-shuzo Sake Brewing Company always puts quality of their sake first, and their Kubota Senjyu is no exception. Its modest nose and classic melon flavour are the perfect touch to a wide range of cuisine, brightening your taste buds and elevating the food experience. Its moderate aroma precedes a delicately flavoured palate followed by a pleasantly clean and crisp finish. Serve chilled or slightly warmed to enjoy the best expression of layered sake.
March 9, 2022
Sandpoint Chardonnay
Lodi, California
750 ml, $25.99
This Wine of the Week is all about representing that amazing Lodi fruit - we featured their Cabernet Sauvignon a few weeks ago, and now it's time for their Chardonnay! Twin brothers Brad and Randall Lange are fourth generation California winegrape farmers in Lodi, with a commitment to the environment embodied in their expressive, well-made wines. This 100% Chardonnay is layered with smooth tropical fruit and bright apple notes, with a toasty mellowness from oak aging. Rich, buttery, creamy and refreshing with a soft acidity.
March 2, 2022
Feudi di San Gregorio Primitivo
Campania, Italy
750 ml, $22.99
Over the past 20 years or more, Feudi di San Gregorio, in southern Italy’s Campania region, has played a leading role in fostering a winemaking revolution that extends across southern Italy, and has led to a remarkable resurgence of regional wine industries. Throughout its short yet prolific history, the estate’s proprietors have cultivated Campania & Apulia’s finest vineyards and worked closely with some of Italy’s best enologists. The results have been remarkable — the wines of Feudi di San Gregorio meet time and again with stellar reviews and consistently garner international critical acclaim.
Feudi di San Gregorio Primitivo (same grape as Zinfandel) taps into the enormous potential of local, ancient varieties in an effort to bring prestige and recognition to these treasures of the south. Serve this Primitivo with red meats, richly flavored pastas and risottos, casseroles, stews and a wide range of hard and semi-hard cheeses.
February 23, 2022
Sandpoint Cabernet Sauvignon
Lodi, California
750 ml, $25.99
This wine of the week is all about representing that amazing Lodi fruit! Twin brothers Brad and Randall Lange are fourth generation California winegrape farmers in Lodi, with a commitment to the environment embodied in their expressive, well-made wines. This 100% Cabernet Sauvignon has notes of upfront plum, candied berries and cassis, supported by a smooth texture and spicy oak note. Pair with grilled lamb or aged cheeses!
February 16, 2022
Los Haroldos Estate Bonarda
Mendoza, Argentina
750 ml, $18.99
Bodega Los Haroldos is owned by 'Familia Falasco' who have over 70 years of experience producing fine wines. This red wine is made from 100% Bonardo, which is actually the second most planted grape in Argentina after Malbec but is significantly less known. The perfect steak wine, it's elegant and fruit forward with notes of red fruit, black fruit, chocolate and tobacco.
February 9, 2022
Piteira Tinto Premium
Alentejo DOC, Portugal
750 ml, $17.99
This Wine of the Week is another great value wine, this time a red wine from Portugal! This wine is a blend of Aragonês, Moreto, Trincadeira, Alfrocheiro and Alicante Bouschet from old vines located on the left bank of the Guadiana River. Aged 1 year in bottle before release, it has notes of well-ripened red fruit and spices, along with intense flavour, good acidity, soft tannins and a long finish. Pairs well with grilled red meats!
February 2, 2022
Herència Altés Garnatxa Negra
Terra Alta DO, Catalonia, Spain
750 ml, $19.99
We love great value wine where you get the most bang for your buck at low price points - like this Herència Altés Garnatxa Negra from Terra Alta DO in Catalonia, Spain. The Altés family have cultivated vines in the vicinity of the village of Batea for generations, and their influence in the community has convinced many to become certified organic like themselves. This 100% Garnatxa Negra is from certified organic, 40-100 year old vines. It is expressive with notes of red fruits and minerals that leap from the glass, with plenty of fruit on the palate along with a touch of complexity and sweet tannins. A lighter, more Pinot-like expression of this grape that pairs well with grilled meats.
January 26, 2022
Zuccardi Q Tempranillo
Mendoza, Argentina
750 ml, $26.49
Zuccardi winery highlights the diversity of Argentina's different climates and soils with their range of regional wines. This 100% Tempranillo comes from Mendoza's Uco Valley and is intense ruby red in colour, with figs, cherries, plums and spice on the nose. Soft entry on the palate with firm tannins, balanced acidity and a persistent finish.
January 19, 2022
Quail's Gate Chardonnay
Okanagan Valley, Canada
750 ml, $24.99
Quail's Gate is one of the most popular wineries in the Okanagan Valley, and for good reason - they first planted Chardonnay vines over 30 years ago and have since cultivated one of the oldest and most sought-after Chardonnay blocks in the region. Their entry-level Chardonnay has aromas of lemon, yellow flower, peach, beeswax & vanilla. On the palate, it has medium acidity with vibrant tastings of pear , lemon meringue crust & lime zest with a long, creamy finish. Pair with lemon roasted chicken, rich seafood risotto, or creamy butternut squash soup.
January 12, 2022
Tsimpidis Monemvasia Voltes
Lakonia, Greece
750 ml, $19.99
This week's Wine of the Week is a light and fresh white wine from Lakonia, Greece. Monemvasia Winery was founded in 1997 by the Tsimpidis family, with over 300 acres of organic vines. The Monemvasia Voltes is made from 50% Roditis and 50% Moschofilero grapes — Moschofilero gives its intense and delicious aromatic character and Roditis gives it structure. Fresh aromas of white flowers, apple and pear, and dry on the palate with a light and lively taste and a crisp, long finish. Pair with seafood and white sauced dishes!
January 5, 2022
Bodega De Moya Justina Bobal
Valencia, Spain
750 ml, $17.99
Bobal is a Spanish grape and this wine comes from the mountains of Valencia. Named for the winemaker's youngest daughter, the De Moya Justina Bobal has aromas of ripe red fruits, prunes, figs, walnuts and vanilla. Full-bodied and fresh, the ripe fruit notes and hints of roasted aromas combine with well-integrated tannins to create a long, soft finish. This wine is the perfect accompaniment to pasta dishes with a meat-based sauce and lasagna!
December 29, 2021
Recaredo “Terrers” Gran Reserva Brut Nature
Penedès, Spain
750 ml, $54.99
For almost a century, Recaredo has maintained a firm commitment: to produce terroir wines that reflect the landscapes of the Alt Penedès (Barcelona) as honestly and transparently as possible. They make only vintage brut nature sparkling wines with a distinctive character marked by long ageing. This wine is made from Macabeu (58%) with Xarel-lo (39%) and Parellada (3%) from multiple vineyards in the Val del Bitlles. Aromas of lemon curd, peach, green apple, with hints of brioche, walnut, ginger on the nose. Rich and weighty with a creamy mousse, ripe fruit & yeast, fresh acidity, savoury, lovely saline mineral finish.
December 22, 2021
Gerard Bertrand Orange Gold
Languedoc-Roussillon
750 ml, $31.99
Orange Gold pays tribute to the first orange wines of Georgia 4500 years ago. Made using an ancient winemaking technique, the white grapes are vinified and fermented in whole bunches in the same way as red wines. This maceration with the stalks and skins gives a remarkable orange colour with golden reflections and a very singular tannicity. It has a c omplex nose with an explosion of white flower, candied fruit and white pepper notes. On the palate, a very flattering aromatic freshness, with precise flavours and a beautiful balance to which the structure gives body and spirit.
December 15, 2021
Viñedos de Contino Reserva
Rioja, Spain
750 ml, $51.99
From the first "chateau" in Rioja, the Viñedos de Contino Reserva was first produced in 1973 and is the greatest ambassador for the winery. Its wines are produced exclusively from the vineyards situated on its 62-hectare estate.
The Contino Reserva is made from 85% Tempranillo, 10% Graciano, and 5% Mazuelo & Garnacha, and is aged 2 years in oak (40% American, 60% French) followed by further aging in bottle prior to its release. Mature red fruit on the nose with floral and balsamic notes that add freshness paired with toasted notes from its time in barrel, and a persistent palate with a long finish.
December 8, 2021
Domane Wachau Gruner Veltliner Smaragd Terrassen
Niederosterreich, Austria
750 ml, $26.99
This is a Gruner Veltliner from Austria's Domane Wachau. Smaragd wines are dry, full-bodied, and complex wines with plenty of finesse and great aging potential. For this wine, grapes were harvested late and vinified dry. On the nose, ripe yellow apple & white pepper underlined by delicate citrus peels with a touch of smoky tobacco. On the palate it's well-balanced with crisp acidity, resulting in an elegant & powerful body, juicy exotic fruit flavours, spices & dry herbs with a long and full finish. Serve well-chilled directly from the fridge, this wine pairs well with Mediterranean dishes or Asian cuisine!