Einaudi Dolcetto Dogliani
$39.99
Dolcettos are a good value for those who love Italian wines. They're the gentler, softer cousins to Piedmont's better-known (at least in Canada) and pricier Barberas and Barolos. Just like Barolo and Barbera, though, Dolcetto makes great food wines. Luigi Einaudi is the producer behind this label; he has a solid international reputation for high-quality, easy-to-drink red wines.
Burgos Porta Mas Sinen Coster
$78.99
Mas Sinen is the name of the 15 hectares of organic vineyards and winery run by Poboleda native Salvador Burgos, a man of incredible energy and enthusiasm. Situated on a steep hillside outside the village, where only mules, not machines, work the land, Mas Sinen produces 4 wines, some from rare pre-phylloxera grapes which yield tiny quantities of juice. His friend, Sergi Mendez shows us around, explaining the mineral-rich content of the water that trickles down the hills through the llicorella soil is potable. “We try to put our terroir into the bottle,” says Burgos. The yield is so tiny, that 2 vines yield no more than a glass of wine. The grey stone-faced winery is small but old, boasting of basket-presses ranged alongside steel tanks. In the tasting room, we taste the 2018 Mas Sinen. It is still a baby, Burgos declares, “It will be ready in 2021, after 6 months in barrel.” Burgos’ wines are ageworthy, but he shrugs this away with “Yes, it can age. But wine is made to be enjoyed, and because Priorat production is so small, its wines are rarely aged. They are drunk very quickly.”
Benvolio Prosecco
$23.99
Benvolio Prosecco is an excellent expression of both the variety and the terroir. This wine is a sharp golden straw color with bubbles that are finely textured and persistent. The nose shows fresh citrus with slight hints of honey and fresh flowers. Vibrant on the palate, the crisp acidity acts as a counterpoint to the flavors of ripe citrus, fresh peaches, lemon, green apples, and grapefruit. The finish is light, refreshing, and crisp. Perfect to pair with fresh seafood, soft cheese and to sip on its own,
Mouchao Dom Rafael Red
$27.99
In the early 1890s, John Reynolds (son of Robert) built the family house and agricultural buildings at Mouchão. He and his brother, Rafael, married two sisters, Isabel and Cristina Andrade Bastos. In 1901, the “new” Mouchão winery was built. Wines were sold in bulk until 1949, when Albert “Bouncer” Reynolds (son of Rafael) bottled the first wine at Mouchão. The 1954 harvest marked the debut of the “Mouchão” label and was also the first to receive recognition in the capital. Today this Alentejo winery is considered an iconic estate and among the best in the country.
Chateau Beychevelle 2022
$221.99
The 2022 Beychevelle has a succinct bouquet with wonderful precision and focus, pure black fruit, black olive compote and subtle tobacco scents. It unfurls with aeration yet doesn't want to give too much away. The palate is medium-bodied with very fine tannins. There is a newfound sense of clarity that lifts this 2022 above recent vintages. This is unequivocally one of the most elegant Beychevelles on the finish, and it lingers temptingly in the mouth. It’s a benchmark wine for this Saint-Julien.
Neal Martin (Vinous): 95-97/100 ("Satin-like in texture... one not to be overlooked").
Lopez de Heredia Todonia Reserva
$94.99
Lopez de Heredia is a family-run Spanish producer based in Rioja and regarded as one of the world’s greatest wine estates. It was founded in 1877 by Don Rafael Lopez de Heredia y Landeta. Four generations of the Lopez de Heredia family have devoted themselves to upholding their 140-year tradition of producing exceptional wines.
Tondonia, the winery’s most famous vineyard and product, was established between 1913 and 1914. It extends over 250 acres on the right bank of the River Ebro. In addition to Tondonia, the estate owns three vineyards (Cubillo, Bosconia, and Zaconia) covering a total area of 420 hectares. The soil is alluvial clay with a high proportion of limestone. Lopez de Heredia winery is the oldest in Haro and one of the first three houses in the Rioja region. They use completely natural and traditional methods of winemaking and their grapes are sourced exclusively from their own vineyards. They use typical Rioja varieties to produce the best wines: Tempranillo, Garnacha, Graciano and Mazuelo for reds, Viura and Malvasia for whites. The winery’s commitment to tradition is evident in their 131-year history of using American oak. They continue to have their own cooperage, making them the only bodega in Spain to hand-craft all the barrels used to age their wines.
Mayu Pedro Ximenez
$19.99
This may be the only Pedro Ximenez grown in Chile, and it's unclear if it's the same PX as in Spain (responsible for the sweet style of Sherry). The vines are grown on decomposed granite, quartz-rich soils, and might be the highest vineyard in Chile. Unlike the Spanish versions, the wine is fermented fully dry, and the wines tend to keep good freshness and moderate alcohol. It offers appealing floral and fruit aromas, with flavours balanced by fresh acidity, minerality and a long finish. It would be great with shellfish, paella and other seafood.
Marie Courtin Cuvee Le Blanc Du Tremble
$119.99
100% Pinot Noir, fermented and bottled as a white still wine. From the one vineyard parcel.
The champagnes from Marie-Courtin are truly something special. An ultra-fine, floating style with total fineness. Just delicate and so chic, yet absolutely unique in style thanks to uncompromising biodynamics. All her wines grow in a single plot of 2.5 hectares, which is also the total size of the domain that Marie Courtin founded in 2000. Because all her wines come from a single vineyard, she has decided to emphasize the differences in champagnes through vinification. There are wines matured in wood, amphorae, enamel tanks and one without sulphur. All come from the 2.5 hectares of single vineyard on the Kimmeridge marl soil of the Soden, on the Côte des Bar. Winemaker Dominique Moreau, who named the estate after her grandmother, is a master of purism. Her champagnes, yesterday's entry, so to speak, are flooded with light, delicate and elegant, they always possess a suppleness and a high degree of drinking pleasure.
Haritz Blanco Viura
$24.99
Benetakoa Winery was founded in 1985 by Carlos Martínez de Cañas in Villabuena de Álava. Viticulture has been a centuries-old tradition in their family, and for several generations, they have dedicated themselves to pampering and learning from the land and the vine. In 1997, they expanded their facilities and moved to a new winery built in the upper part of Villabuena. They preserved the tradition and the artisan concept that was incorporated into the first winery, and continued with innovation as the basis of their wines. Since 2001, Gorka Martínez de Cañas, son of the winery’s founder, has taken charge of the family project.