Author: A Layman's Wine Musings

A lesson Learned

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Earlier this year I had my first experience purchasing a case of wine in a foreign country and having it shipped home. In the past I have often taken advantage of the duty-free laws and brought home a bottle of wine or whisky, but this was the first time I purchased a quantity of wine.

Photo credit: palletonline.co.uk

The purchase of the wine was made at the time I visited a winery in Bordeaux, France.  The six bottles of wine I purchased cost 315 euros plus a shipping fee of 99 euros for a total of 414 euros. Once the exchange rate was applied my total came to $660 CDN.

After my return home I received an email from the shipper advising that they required a copy of the transaction receipt and/or credit card payment confirmation statement verifying the purchase. This information was then forwarded to the Liquor Control Board of Ontario (LCBO) for valuation purposes prior to the delivery of my wine. I was also advised that there would be additional costs associated with importing alcohol that had to be paid prior to the release of my shipment.

The additional costs included a levy of 102.2% which was applied to the total value of the shipment. There was also a brokerage fee of $49.17+HST, duties, taxes and a government filing fee of $12.50 as well. The total import fees ended up being $605. The result was that a bottle of wine sold at a Bordeaux winery with a price tag of $52.50 euros or $83 ended up costing me $184! Lesson learned.

Sláinte mhaith

The 2025 National Wine Awards

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Photo credit: winealign.com

This year Penticton, British Columbia hosted the 25th anniversary of the WineAlign National Wine Awards of Canada (NWAC). The NWAC is the country’s largest competition, involving only 100 percent Canadian-grown and produced wines.

This year a new category was introduced – Library Wines. This classification includes wines that are 5 years or older. These aged wines were not compared against each other but instead, each wine was independently assessed as to where it was in its lifecycle and how well it was ageing and tasting.

The Replacement wines or Crafted in B.C. wines were not included as part of The WineAlign National Wine Awards.

Winery of the Year

The 2025 Winery of the Year is Penticton, British Columbia’s Mission Hill Family Estate. This is the sixth time Anthony von Mandl has been awarded this prestigious honour.

This year, Mission Hill entered 11 top-tier wines, earning two Platinum medals, five Golds and one Silver medal.

The balance of the top 10 wineries are:

  • Laughing Stock Vineyards, Penticton, British Columbia
  • Meyer Family Vineyards, Okanagan Valley, British Columbia
  • SpearHead Winery, Kelowna, British Columbia
  • The Organized Crime Winery, Beamsville, Ontario
  • Quails’ Gate Winery, Kelowna, British Columbia
  • Peller Estates, Niagara-on-the-Lake, Ontario
  • Fielding Estate Winery, Lincoln, Ontario
  • Trius Winery, Niagara-on-the-Lake, Ontario
  • Tantalus Vineyards, Kelowna, British Columbia

Best Performing Small Winery

This year’s Best Performing Small Winery is Penticton, British Columbia’s Laughing Stock Vineyards. Laughing Stock earned eight medals at this year’s event: two Platinum, three Gold, one Silver, and two Bronze. 

When the winery was acquired by Arterra Wines in 2017, some experts had concerns as to whether Laughing Stock would maintain its boutique identity under its new corporate umbrella. However, the winery continues to operate with a small, focused team and remains fully independent in its winemaking approach.

The balance of the top 10 small wineries are:

  • Meyer Family Vineyards, Okanagan Valley, British Columbia
  • SpearHead Winery, Kelowna, British Columbia
  • The Organized Crime Winery, Beamsville, Ontario
  • Tantalus Vineyards, Kelowna, British Columbia
  • Township 7 Vineyards and Winery, Penticton, British Columbia
  • Stag’s Hollow Winery, Okanagan Falls, British Columbia
  • Moon Cruiser Vineyards, Osoyoos, British Columbia
  • Orofino Vineyards, Similkameen Valley, British Columbia
  • Thirty Bench Wine Makers, Beamsville, Ontario

Platinum Awards

A Platinum medal is the highest award possible. Less than 2% of the 1,700 wines and ciders entered received this award.

The award process involves a minimum of eight judges, three or four in the first round, and five or six in the second round. Each wine must have achieved an aggregate score of 93 points by five of those judges. 93 points or better is considered entering the realm of “outstanding.” Thus, not every judging category had a Platinum recipient.

This year’s Platinum Award winners are listed below:

Library Wines

  • Moon Curser 2020 Malbec, Okanagan Valley, British Columbia

Red Blends

  • Black Hills 2023 Bona Fide, Okanagan Valley, British Columbia
  • Laughing Stock 2022 Blind Trust Red, Okanagan Valley, British Columbia
  • Nomad at Hinterbrook Winery 2021 Wanderlust, Niagara Lakeshore, Niagara Peninsula, Ontario
  • Palatine Hills Ramblers 2024 Schmoozer Cabernet Merlot, Niagara Lakeshore, Niagara Peninsula, Ontario
  • The Organized Crime 2022 The Download, Beamsville Bench, Niagara Peninsula, Ontario
  • Trius 2022 Grand Red, Niagara-on-the-Lake, Niagara Peninsula, Ontario

Pinot Noir

  • 1 Mill Road 2022 Pinot Noir Home Block, Naramata Bench, Okanagan Valley, British Columbia
  • Lightning Rock Winery 2022 Pinot Noir Canyonview Vineyard, Okanagan Valley, British Columbia
  • Meyer 2022 Old Block Pinot Noir   McLean Creek Road Vineyard, Okanagan Falls, Okanagan Valley, British Columbia
  • SpearHead 2022 Okanagan Valley Pinot Noir, Okanagan Valley, British Columbia
  • SpearHead 2022 Pommard Clone Pinot Noir, Okanagan Valley, British Columbia

Chardonnay

  • 1 Mill Road 2023 Chardonnay, Naramata Bench, Okanagan Valley, British Columbia
  • Meyer 2022 Chardonnay McLean Creek Road Vineyard, Okanagan Falls, Okanagan Valley, British Columbia
  • Mission Hill Family Estate 2022 Perpetua, Okanagan Valley, British Columbia
  • Quails’ Gate Winery 2022 Rosemary’s Block Chardonnay, Okanagan Valley, British Columbia

Syrah

  • Laughing Stock 2022 Syrah, Okanagan Valley, British Columbia
  • Sandhill 2022 Syrah Terroir Driven Wine, British Columbia
  • Stag’s Hollow 2022 Syrah, Okanagan Valley, British Columbia

Riesling

  • CedarCreek 2022 Aspect Collection Riesling, Okanagan Valley, British Columbia
  • Peller Estates 2023 Signature Series Riesling, Niagara Peninsula, Ontario
  • Thirty Bench 2022 Small Lot Riesling, Triangle Vineyard, Beamsville Bench, Niagara Peninsula, Ontario Trius 2023 Showcase Riesling, Ghost Creek, Four Mile Creek, Niagara Peninsula, Ontario

Icewine and Late Harvest

  • Inniskillin 2023 Riesling Icewine Niagara Estate, Niagara Peninsula, Ontario
  • Byland 2023 Riesling Icewine, Niagara-on-the-Lake, Niagara Peninsula, Ontario

Cabernet Franc

  • Black Bank Hill 2022 Cabernet Franc, Lincoln Lakeshore, Niagara Peninsula, Ontario
  • Fielding 2023 Cabernet Franc, Niagara Peninsula, Ontario
  • Kismet 2022 Cabernet Franc Reserve, Okanagan Valley, British Columbia
  • Mission Hill Family Estate 2022 Terroir Cabernet Franc, Okanagan Valley, British Columbia
  • Niagara College Teaching Winery 2022 Dean’s List Cabernet Franc, St. David’s Bench, Niagara Peninsula, Ontario
  • Tinhorn Creek 2022 Cabernet Franc, Okanagan Valley, British Columbia
  • Merlot

The complete list of award winners can be found at www.winealign/awards.

Sláinte mhaith

Speyburn 10 Scotch Whisky

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For the second year in a row, I had the opportunity to enjoy Speyburn 16 while traveling through France. Upon returning home, I once again searched Ontario’s liquor stores to see if it was possible to acquire a bottle, but to no avail.

However, unlike when I searched last year, I discovered that this year Speyburn 10 was available. Eager to try it, I immediately ordered a bottle. When it arrived a few days later, I was excited to see how well it compared to the Speyburn 16; though I expected it to be somewhat less impressive given the 16 had the benefit of six additional years of aging.

I was pleasantly surprised to find how good the 10 year is. Speyburn 10 is matured in a combination of American oak and ex-sherry casks. Its colour is pale gold with amber highlights and the flavour contains notes of fresh citrus fruit with hints of toffee, butterscotch and vanilla. The palate is medium bodied with a smooth, long finish. Given its younger age, Speyburn 10 is surprisingly deep, complex and well-balanced.

After tasting Speyburn 10, I was not surprised to learn that it was a Gold medal winner at both the 2022 and 2023 San Francisco World Spirits Competition, as well as the 2021 New York International Spirits Competition.

After trying the Speyside 10 I quickly ordered a second bottle while it is still available in Ontario. At a price of $72.75 it can’t be beat.

Sláinte mhaith

Food and Wine Pairings – Yes or No?

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I have written my share of posts over the years suggesting certain wines be served with specific foods as the wine will highlight and compliment the flavours and characteristics of a particular food. However, I recently read an article that suggested that too much focus is placed on paring wine with specific foods. The author made several thought-provoking points as to why the practice is not always useful.

Photo credit: google.com

For one thing, everyone’s palate is not the same. Some people have a more sensitive palate than others. What one person finds to be a good pairing; another person may not. Taste is a very personal thing. What one individual enjoys another may not. For example, not everyone enjoys spicy food.

People’s ability to taste and smell varies for a wide assortment of reasons. The tongue has taste receptors that enable us to identify saltiness, sweetness, sourness, bitterness and umami, which is a   savory, rich taste that is often described as “meaty” or “brothy”. In addition to the approximate 35 receptors on the tongue, it has been discovered that there are additional receptors in the brain, stomach, and even in the muscles.

For the sense of taste to be totally effective, an individual must also have a good sense of smell. This requires good use of about 400 aroma receptors.

Emotions can play a big part in what tastes good and what does not. When depressed, angry, or in pain, chances are that your wine will taste rather off, being much less enjoyable than it otherwise would. The atmosphere and surroundings can have a significant psychological impact on how you feel about the wine and the food you are eating.

What all this illustrates is that the sense of taste is very complex, leaving each of us with varying degrees of flavour interpretation that can fluctuate greatly depending on our mood and circumstances. Thus, there are not only many opinions on what wine and food combinations go well together, but also that what pairs well may be based on a multitude of unidentified external factors. We humans can be very complicated beings and thus, we may have wide ranging opinions as to what wine and food combinations go well together.

Wine and food pairings are standards and suggestions but not a hard and fast rule. The bottom line is, you should match your food and wine in a manner that is most pleasurable to you and makes your meal enjoyable. I will continue to periodically write about suggested wine and food pairings but remember, these are only recommendations, not hard and fast rules.

Sláinte mhaith

Wine with BBQ

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Photo credit: saq.com

The standard guidelines for pairing wine with food will apply when searching for the ideal wine to enjoy with your barbeque creations. When considering the wine options, consider the type of meat and veggies you are grilling, as well as any sauce or marinade you are going to apply.

As a general guideline, when serving red meats like steak or hamburgers, a full-bodied red wine goes well.  Cabernet Sauvignon, Zinfandel or Malbec would all be good choices. For meats like chicken or pork, lighter reds such as Pinot Noir or Gamay, Rosé or a crisp white such as Sauvignon Blanc will make a good pairing. A sweet or spicy sauce or marinade can be balanced by a slightly sweet wine like Riesling or Zinfandel.

For more specific pairings here are some suggestions:

For Poultry

  • Grilled Chicken – Pinot Noir, Sauvignon Blanc or Rosé
  • Lightly Seasoned Chicken – Sauvignon Blanc
  • Chicken with Creamy Sauces – Chardonnay

For Beef or Pork

  • Steak – Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Malbec or Shiraz
  • Hamburgers– Zinfandel, Cabernet Sauvignon, lighter-bodied Merlot or Grenache blends such as a French Côtes du Rhône
  • Ribs – Zinfandel, Merlot or Syrah
  • Beef Brisket – Zinfandel, Cabernet Sauvignon or Shiraz
  • Sausages – Tempranillo, Gamay or Pinot Noir
  • Roast Pork – Pinot Noir, Valpolicella or Riesling
  • Pork chops – Valpolicella, Barbera, Riesling dry Rosé
  • Lamb – Syrah, Grenache or Cabernet Sauvignon.

Other BBQ Dishes

  • Grilled Vegetables: Pinot Noir, Rosé, or a crisp white like Sauvignon Blanc
  • Salmon: Rosé Champagne, Pinot Gris or chilled Pinot Noir

Most importantly, having a barbecue should be fun so don’t get stressed out over trying to match the meat, sauce and sides to the perfect wine. Whatever wine you decide on will work fine.

Sláinte mhaith

The 2025 All Canadian Wine Championships

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The All Canadian Wine Championships (ACWC) is open to all Canadian licensed wineries, cideries and meaderies and content must normally be grown and made in Canada. However, for this year, a new section was added, the international “Cellared in Canada” segment. These wines contain imported grapes or juice. The “Cellared in Canada” program was introduced in 2024 in response to the environmental disasters that severely impacted many British Columbia vineyards. No trophies were awarded for this special category.

As with previous years, the judges come from across Canada and include wine writers, sommeliers, and professional wine judges from the Wine Judges of Ontario. Some judges have been with the competition for more than twenty years.

Awards are presented for Gold, Silver and Bronze winners but the top scoring wine in each category is awarded Double Gold.

This year there were a total of 911 wines entered from 163 wineries.

The Trophy and Double Gold winners for grape wines are presented below. For the complete listing of award winners, visit the ACWC website at www.allcanadianwinechampionships.com/acwc-2025-results/. All prices are expressed in Canadian dollars.

The 2025 Trophy Awards were presented to:

Best Sparkling Wine of the Year

Time Family of Wines, British Columbia – 2018 Evolve Brut Nature – $49.99

Best Red Wine of the Year

Creekside Estate Winery (Diamond Estate Wines and Spirits), Ontario – 2020 Shiraz – $15.95

Best White Wine of the Year

Solvero Wines, British Columbia – 2022 Chardonnay – $40.25

Best Dessert Wine of the Year

Pillitteri Estates Winery Inc., Ontario – 2019 Racina Riesling Icewine – $40.00

Best Rosé Wine of the Year

Keint-he Winery and Vineyards Ltd., Ontario – 2023 Portage Rosé – $24.80

Best Fruit Wine of the Year

Maan Farms Estate Winery, British Columbia – N/V Strawberry Dessert – $29.41

Best Cider of the Year

Archibald Orchards & Winery, Ontario – N/V Hard Ginger – $13.80

Best Mead of the Year

Miel Nature Inc., Quebec – N/V Pomme et miel – $20.00

The 2025 Double Gold medal winners were the following:

Sparkling Wine-Traditional Method

Time Family of Wines, British Columbia – 2018 Evolve Brut Rosé – $49.99

Sparkling Wine–Charmat Method

Monte Creek Winery, British Columbia – 2022 Living Land Sparkling – $27.59

Sparkling Wine–Frizzante Method

Cherry Point Estate Wines, British Columbia – 2024 Spritzy Rosé – $33.40

Chardonnay, Unoaked

Strewn, Ontario – 2023 Distinctive Small Lot Chardonnay Musque – $24.92

Chardonnay Under $35.00

Deep Roots Winery, British Columbia – 2023 Reserve Chardonnay – $34.90

Chardonnay Over $35.00

Solvero Wines, British Columbia – 2022 Chardonnay – $40.25 “Best White Wine of the Year”

Riesling Dry

Three Sisters Winery, British Columbia – 2023 Riesling – $28.75

Riesling Off Dry

Huff Estates Winery, Ontario – 2023 Day Tripping Riesling – $20.00

Sauvignon Blanc

Featherstone Winery, Ontario – 2024 Sauvignon Blanc – $17.95

Gewürztraminer

Baillie-Grohman Estate Winery, British Columbia – 2023 Gewürztraminer – $26.00

Pinot Gris Style

Alderlea Vineyards, British Columbia – 2024 Pinot Gris – $26.45

Pinot Grigio Style

Volcanic Hills Estate Winery, British Columbia – 2024 Pinot Gris – $28.74

Viognier

Rainmaker Wines, British Columbia – 2022 Viognier Rainmaker – $30.00

Other Single Vitis Vinifera Whites

Chaberton Estate Winery, British Columbia – 2024 Estate Grown Siegerrebe – $19.95

White Vitis Vinifera Blends

Alderlea Vineyards, British Columbia – 2024 Valerie – $26.45

Single White Hybrids

Magnetic Hill Winery, New Brunswick – 2024 The OC Osceola by the Sea – $20.00

White Hybrid Blends

Bear River Vineyards, Nova Scotia – 2024 Greater Yellowlegs – $25.00

Orange Wines

The Good Earth Food and Wine Co., Ontario – 2023 Chardonnay Musque Orange – $23.80

Rosé Dry

Keint-he Winery and Vineyards Ltd., Ontario – 2023 Portage Rosé – $24.80 “Best Rosé of the Year”

Rosé Off Dry

Kismet Estate Winery, British Columbia – 2024 Phulkari Rosé – $29.89

Cabernet Sauvignon $35 and Under

Black Sage Vineyard, British Columbia – 2022 Cabernet Sauvignon – $32.99

Cabernet Sauvignon Over $35.00

Laughing Stock Vineyards, British Columbia – 2022 Market Darling – $60.00

Merlot $35 and Under

Bordertown Vineyard & Estate Winery, British Columbia – 2020 Merlot – $25.00

Merlot Over $35.00

Pillitteri Estates Winery Inc., Ontario – 2020 Exclamation Merlot – $60.00

Pinot Noir $35 and Under

Keint-he Winery and Vineyards Ltd., Ontario – 2022 Portage Pinot Noir – $24.80

Pinot Noir Over $35.00

16 Mile Cellar, Ontario – 2022 Tenacity Pinot Noir – $59.80

Cabernet Franc $35 and Under

Pillitteri Estates Winery Inc., Ontario – 2020 Carretto Cabernet Franc – $28.00

Cabernet Franc Over $35.00

Bella Terra Vineyards, Ontario – 2022 Cabernet Franc – $49.72

Bordeaux Blends $35 and Under

Magnotta Winery, Ontario – 2019 Magnotta Meritage Gran Riserva VQA – $31.95

Bordeaux Blends Over $35.00

Dirty Laundry Winery, British Columbia – 2020 Bordello – $44.99

Syrah/Shiraz $35 and Under

Creekside Estate Winery (Diamond Estate Wines and Spirits), Ontario – 2020 Shiraz – $15.95 “Best Red Wine of the Year”

Syrah/Shiraz Over $35.00

Moraine Estate Winery, British Columbia – 2022 Syrah – $39.00

Single Red Hybrids

Magnetic Hill Winery, New Brunswick, – N/V Terroir Generator New World Cali Style – $30.00

Red Hybrid Blends

Planters Ridge Winery, Nova Scotia – 2022 Quintessence Red – $25.36

Other Single Red Vitis Vinifera

Colchester Ridge Estate Winery, Ontario – 2022 Petit Verdot – $39.95

Other Red Vitis Vinifera Blends

Nk’Mip Cellars   British Columbia, – 2022 Winemakers Talon – $32.99

Marechal Foch

Alderlea Vineyards, British Columbia – 2023 Clarinet – $27.60

Malbec

Rainmaker Wines, British Columbia – 2022 Malbec – $40.00

Gamay

Hillside Winery & Bistro, British Columbia – 2021 Founder’s Block Gamay Noir – $45.00

Appassimento Style

Sprucewood Shores Estate Winery, Ontario – 2023 Appassimento Cabernet Franc Hawks Flight Reserve – $44.80

NEW SEGMENT FOR 2025 – INTERNATIONAL “CELLARED IN CANADA”

Single Red Vitus Vinifera

Devonian Coast Wineries, Nova Scotia – N/V Ducks Crossing Cabernet Sauvignon – $13.67

Sparkling

Moraine Estate Winery, British Columbia – 2024 Shipuchka Frizzante – $28.00

Single White Vitus Vinifera

See ya Later Ranch, British Columbia – 2024 Pinot Gris – $19.99

White Vitus Vinifera Blends

Sunnybrae Vineyards & Winery, British Columbia – 2024 Twisted Path Washington – $24.73

Rosé

Arterra Wines Canada, British Columbia – 2024 Saintly Rosé – $20.99

DESSERT WINES

Late Harvests

Vignoble Rivière du Chêne, Quebec – 2024 Cuvée Glacée des Laurentides – $28.05

White Icewines (Riesling, Vidal, Other)

Pillitteri Estates Winery Inc., Ontario – 2019 Racina Riesling Icewine – $40.00 “Best Dessert Wine of the Year”

Red Icewines

Magnotta Winery, Ontario – 2019 Magnotta Cabernet Franc Icewine Limited Edition VQA – $44.95

Grape Fortifieds

Moraine Estate Winery, British Columbia – 2022 O’port – $47.00

Next up on the championship list will be the National Wine Awards. The results should be released around mid-July.

Sláinte mhaith

Smoky Scotch for Summer

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To me, Scotch whisky, especially a heavily peated one, is a beverage best enjoyed in the cool, damp spring and fall months or while cozied up next to a warm fire during the depths of winter. So, when Islay distiller Ardbeg began promoting their whisky offerings as a good summertime drink, I was skeptical to say the least. At best I saw it as a gutsy marketing plan by their promoters.

Photo credit: ardbeg.com

When it comes to peated whisky, people generally have strong opinions. The flavours used to describe such whisky include medicinal, campfire smoke, iodine, tire fire and seaweed. You either love the taste or hate it. Ardbeg’s offering of single malts capture all of these characteristics but there’s much more to it than just peat.

The French mega-giant parent company JVMH owns both the Ardbeg and Glenmorangie distilleries. Glenmorangie is located in the Highlands whisky region at Tain, Ross-shire, Scotland.

There’s a long history behind Ardbeg, but it’s only been operating in its present capacity since the late 1990s. Nevertheless, it has managed to make a big impact on the world of heavily peated single malt scotch under the direction of master distiller and whisky expert, Dr. Bill Lumsden and more recently, master blender and head of whisky creation Gillian Macdonald.

It was Macdonald who came up with the notion that you can and should enjoy smoky scotch during the hot summer months. She based her idea on the fact that Ardbeg’s complex flavours include hints of baked pineapple and banana, as well as the surprising level of sweetness.

Bartenders are using Ardbeg as a base in their cocktails as they claim that it works well with a variety of ingredients. Included in the list of cocktails is Whisky Sour, Scotch Margarita, Highball, Negroni and Expresso Martini.

Who would ever have thought such a smoky Scotch whisky would be popular in the sunny warm weather? Certainly not me. Bring on the summer!

Sláinte mhaith

Bordeaux’s Sauternes Region

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The final Bordeaux winery visit on our recent trip to France was to Château La Tour Blanche in the Sauternes region. The Sauternes Appellation d’Origine Contrôlée covers approximately 2,000 hectares and includes five communes: Barsac, Bommes, Fargues, Preignac and Sauternes.

La Tour Blanche estate, like most of the Crus Classés of the appellation, is located on a ridge elevating It 60 meters above sea level. This provides good exposure of the vines and better drainage of the land. The terroir provides a gravelly surface and a clay-limestone subsoil, which give a particular character to the wines produced.

The three traditional white grape varieties of the Sauternes Appellation d’Origine Contrôlée vineyard are Sémillon, Sauvignon Blanc and Muscadelle. Château La Tour Blanche grows 83% Sémillon, 12% Sauvignon Blanc and 5% Muscadelle.

Photo credit: tour-blanche.com

The Sémillon grapes provide the structure, give the wine its beautiful Golden colour and its aromas of dried fruits, candied fruits and honey. Sauvignon Blanc produces a very fine, full-bodied, and aromatic wine and creates the beautiful freshness in the blend. The Muscadelle adds to the unique style of the wines, bringing additional aromatic complexity thanks to its delicate scent of muscat grain and its spicy notes.

Like many of the wineries in Bordeaux, Château La Tour Blanche has already taken numerous steps to improve its environmental performance. They have imposed demanding specifications on sustainable development. In recent years, they have introduced waste reprocessing and confined spraying. Château La Tour Blanche is HVE 3 certified (High Environmental Values) and is a member of the first association for the Environmental Management System (EMS) of Bordeaux Wine certified ISO 14001.

The grapes arriving at the winery are botrytized (see my post, Dessert Wines from April 18, 2020), full of sugar. Once selected on the sorting table and pressed, the grapes produce musts in which the action of Noble Rot will have produced a reduction in acidity as well as an increase in sugar content. The average yield does not exceed 10 to 15 hectoliters per hectare at the La Tour Blanche estate, due to strict selection.

Only musts reaching an average of between 20 and 22 degrees of potential alcohol are selected for the 1er Cru Classé. The slightly less concentrated juices will be used to produce the second or third wines.

Unfortunately, I was unable to attend and sample any of the wines that day because of an unexpected visit to see a Bordeaux ophthalmologist as a result of a torn retina, which is now repaired. I may have to make a return trip to the region to experience what I missed.

Sláinte mhaith

The Left Bank’s Margaux Appellation

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On my recent excursion to Bordeaux, France, I travelled to the Left Bank’s Margaux appellation where I visited Château Dauzac, which is a Margaux Grand Cru Classé according to the 1855 classification. Their vineyards span 49 hectares.

All the wines utilize gravity-flow vatting. Fermentation takes place in wooden vats with transparent double staves. The wine was aged in 100% French oak barrels (including 65% new barrels) for 15 months with racking based on tasting results.

Dedicated to the expression of terroir and dominated by Cabernet Sauvignon, Château Dauzac reveals a nicely complex bouquet that slowly unfolds during aeration. On the palate, it strikes a subtle balance between the richness of its tannins and the aromatic diversity of its supple fruits, emblematic of great wines for ageing.

Cabernet Sauvignon dominates with its complexity, elegance and minerality, while Merlot adds roundness and silkiness. Always deep in colour, Château Dauzac expresses a subtle balance where fruits, flowers and spices are combined, with a complex body and tannins ensuring an emotional tasting experience.

Like many of the wineries in the region, Château Dauzac is committed to reducing its carbon footprint. They have formed a partnership with Bioboon Agrology. Together they are working toward the ecological transition of agricultural activities that promote plant health while preserving the surrounding biodiversity.

They have also planted bamboo on the estate. The bamboo acts as an essential carbon sequestration mechanism, offsetting the residual emissions of their carbon-neutral wine. This initiative reduces the environmental impact of the winery’s activities.

Château Dauzac is also investing in research and development to fight against mildew. The aim is to use natural products free of heavy metals to preserve the health of their vines and the balance of the surrounding ecosystem.

The terroir is a clay-based soil that contains deep gravel outcrops. The vines have an average age of 35 to 40 years. The grape varietals consist of 69% Cabernet Sauvignon, 29% Merlot and 2% Petit-Verdot. The grapes are harvested by hand in small crates and sorted on tables before and after de-stemming.

The first wine that I sampled at Château Dauzac was the 2021 “Aurore de Dauzac Margaux”, which is a blend of 62% Cabernet Sauvignon, 37% Merlot and 1% Petit Verdot. It is bright red with ruby hues and a nose of red fruit with a slightly floral expression. The flavour displays a pleasant concentration with notes of black fruit.

The second wine I tasted was the 2019 Margaux Grande Cru Classé. Château Dauzac 2019 is a wine that expresses exceptional fruit vibrancy. It is very well-balanced and composed of dense tannins that exhibit finesse and elegance. It consists of a blend of 73% Cabernet Sauvignon and 27% Merlot.

I was surprised to see how much my wife enjoyed this wine as she usually prefers the Right Bank Merlot concentrated wines over the Left Bank Cabernet Sauvignon dominant wines. In fact, she enjoyed it so much that we decided to have some shipped home. When making the shipping arrangements we were told that the 2022 vintage would be more superior to the 2019, given the climate conditions that existed that year. The only caveat was that the 2022 would not reach its full potential for another 10 years.

We then decided that we would purchase some of the 2022 vintage as well to ship home. The 2022 wine consists of 63% Cabernet Sauvignon and 37 % Merlot. The overall yield was small due to the lack of water but the remarkable quality will make the 2022 vintage one of the greatest ever experienced in Bordeaux.

I was pleased to learn that Château Dauzac wines are occasionally available in Ontario liquor stores. I will be eagerly awaiting the next vintage to appear on store shelves.

Sláinte mhaith

The Blaye Côtes de Bordeaux Appellation

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On the Right Bank, near the village of Bourg, I had the opportunity to visit Chateau Monconseil-Gazin, a third-generation family preserved estate winery owned by the Baudet family. The wines produced are part of the Blaye Côtes de Bordeaux appellation.

The vineyard’s hilly terrain benefits from a microclimate caused by the proximity of the estuary and the Atlantic Ocean. The clay-limestone soils rest on a soft rock substrate that is very favorable to the roots of the vines and perfect for drainage.

The 35 hectares of gentle slopes facing south and southwest predominantly grow the Merlot grape variety, complemented by Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc and Malbec.

The first wine that I tasted was the 2023 “Blaye Côtes De Bordeaux”, a white Sauvignon. The vines are cultivated according to the sustainable agriculture charter for the development and protection of the terroir. No chemical fertilizers are used.

The wine consists of 100% Sauvignon Blanc that is aged on fine lees, which are the smaller, more gradual sediment that settles at the bottom of a fermentation vessel after winemaking. The fine lees age with the wine, adding complexity, texture, and flavour. The wine is bottled at the Château.

The terroir is a clay-limestone on stony subsoil, providing excellent drainage and deep roots. The slopes face south-southwest, ensuring optimal maturity of the grapes.

This wine’s aroma contains notes of citrus and flowers and has a smooth crisp palate. The finish is long, fresh and fruity.

The second wine I had was the “Blaye Côtes De Bordeaux – Blanc Prestige”, made of 80% Sauvignon Blanc and 20% Sémillon. This wine releases an elegant nose of lychee and citrus fruit complemented by a light oakiness. The palate is dense and smooth, with a freshness that lingers through to the finish.

The third wine I sampled was the 2020 “Blaye Côtes De Bordeaux” red. Once again, the vines are cultivated according to the sustainable agriculture charter for the development and protection of the terroir, using no chemical fertilizers.

The wine is produced from 70% Merlot, 20% Cabernet Sauvignon and 10% Malbec grapes. It is aged in French oak barrels for 12 months, then blended and lightly filtered before being bottled at the Château.

The terroir is clay-limestone hillsides on a stony subsoil, excellent for drainage and rooting.  The vineyard slopes are south/southwest facing, ensuring optimal maturity of the grapes.

The flavour has hints of woody and toasty accents accompanied by notes of violet, blackberry, crème de cassis, tobacco leaf and sage. There is an abundance of young fruit with tannins and acidity.

This wine has had more than twenty years of recognition by the most prestigious competitions in France and internationally: Mâcon, Paris, Aquitaine, Challenge International du Vin, Brussels and London.

The last wine I tasted was the 2019 “Grande Réserve”, which is made from 50% Merlot, 20% Cabernet Sauvignon, 20% Malbec and 10% Cabernet Franc. The wine was matured in French oak barrels (50% new) for 18 months, blended and lightly filtered and then bottled at the Château.

This wine offers ripe fruit and notes of mocha, toast and vanilla. The tannins are tight and the flavours are full.

This wine has been recognized by the most prestigious competitions and specialist magazines such as the HACHETTE Guide, the Revue des Vins de France, Decanter and In Vino Veritas.

My wife and I enjoyed this one enough that we purchased a bottle to drink after our day’s explorations. Unfortunately, Chateau Monconseil Gazin wines are not currently available in Ontario liquor stores.

Sláinte mhaith