deVine Thoughts

Author: Dirk Chan

Our online feature this week is the 2016 La Playa Tinga Rio Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon (Colchagua Valley, Chile) – $16.99, regularly $21.99.

La Playa (the Beach) is a family-owned winery with sustainable certification producing artfully crafted, estate bottled wines of Chile. TINGA is what the native people of Chile called the loud river that brought life to their land. Today, water from the TINGuiriricA river runs through the vineyards and nourishes specifically selected vines to create the line of Tinga Reserve wines.

Sustainable grapes yield the cleanest and most pure varietals, and there is no use of chemicals. They employ water-saving irrigation practices and use only native yeast strains and no genetically modified organisms.

The Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon hails from vines of 24 years of age, cropped at 4.0 tons per acre, aged 12 months in French & American oak with a production of 2800 cases.

An intense ruby red colored wine with notes of ripe strawberry and raspberry that is well structured and giving. Drinking well now with volume and well-rounded tannins. Not huge like American wine, but true to the varietal. Enjoy!

2016 La Playa Tinga Rio Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon (Colchagua Valley, Chile) – $16.99 (regularly $21.99)

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Author: Dirk Chan

Our online feature this week is the 2018 Bodega y Vinedos Mi Terruno Expresion Malbec (Mendoza, Argentina) – $17.99, regularly $22.49.

The Baigorria family has been involved in Mendoza’s wine industry since 1960; first with the purchase of their own vineyards and later, in 2004, with their own winery. Located in the picturesque town of San Roque, Maipu, the winery was retrofitted from an old glass tile factory – combining new technology with traditional wine making techniques.

In the High Mendoza River Area they have sites in Lujan de Cuyo and Maipu where vineyards are irrigated by the snow melts of the Andes from the Mendoza River. Here the average daily temperature is just 15 degrees C and with a large diurnal temperature change the grapes benefit from a long growing season permitting Malbec and Cabernet Sauvignon of fine quality and character. They also have vineyard sites in the Uco Valley where the grapes have a good acidity and produce wines of great freshness with plenty of ageing potential.

Mi Terruño, meaning “my terroir” presents a red of full ruby red color with violet hues. Black raspberry, toasted tobacco, chocolate and violet aromas are perfectly combined with strong dark fruit and elegant tannins. Very good persistence. Ideal to pair with red meats and hard cheeses, extremely good example of the emblematic red variety from Argentina.

Malbec World Day is coming up in a couple of weeks, so enjoy a bottle this month.

2018 Bodega y Vinedos Mi Terruno Expresion Malbec (Mendoza, Argentina) – $17.99 (regularly $22.49)

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Author: Dirk Chan

The 2018 Bordeaux vintage is the first of a trio of legendary vintages, with 2019 arriving next year, and 2020 the year after that. Only one other time has Bordeaux had a trio of great vintages – it was 1988, 1989 and 1990. Many of you purchased futures for the 2018, 2019 and 2020 trio and it will serve you well down the road – what an intriguing theme it will be to taste these 3 vintages in a single evening.. Here is our first release of the high end Grand Cru Classe for your consideration..

Pictured left to right:

2018 Château Marquis d’Alesme (Bordeaux – Margaux, France) – $109.99
2018 Château Berliquet (Bordeaux – St. Emilion, France) – $114.99
2018 Château Pavie Grand Cru Classé A (Bordeaux – St. Emilion, France) – $949.99
2018 Château Feytit-Clinet (Bordeaux – Pomerol, France) – $169.99
2018 Château Giscours (Bordeaux – Margaux, France) – $155.99

2018 Left Bank Wines

2018 Right Bank Wines

Quantities are very limited so purchase early to avoid disappointment.

Happy shopping everyone!!

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Author: Dirk Chan

Our online feature this week is the NV Fernridge Winery Haha Brut Cuvee (Hawke’s Bay, New Zealand) – $19.99, regularly $24.99.

Launched in 2009, FernRidge Wines is a family owned wine company named after the iconic silver fern overlooking sun-swathed vineyards. Their range of wines are produced in a beautiful fruit-forward style with complexity, texture and elegance.

In Maori, Hã hã means savoury and luscious, and once you’ve tried this sparkling wine, you’ll agree. Made from sustainable vineyards from the renowned Marlborough and Hawke’s Bay regions of New Zealand, this is a delicious blend of two classic champagne grapes – 50/50 Chardonnay and Pinot Noir aged on lees for up to five years. Perfect for every occasion, this has a lovely complexity and is delightfully drinkable. On the palate, a creamy peach ripeness combines with brioche, nutty notes, peaches and lemon, and is beautifully balanced.

Delicious as an apertif, and very versatile for pairing with food. Perfect with cheese, seafood, smoked salmon and fish.

NV Fernridge Winery Haha Brut Cuvee (Hawke’s Bay, New Zealand) – $19.99 (regularly $24.99)

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Author: Dirk Chan

Our online feature this week is the 2017 Clos Montblanc Proyecto Cu4tro Red (Catalonia, Spain) – $16.99, regularly $21.99.

Half an hours drive north of Tarragona, in the northeast of the Iberian Peninsula, to the south of the Pyrenees mountain range lies the Clos Montblanc winery. This Catalonia producer is one of the references in the DO Conca de Barberà wine region. This is owing not only to the amount of wine and Cava it produces on a yearly basis (around 900,000 bottles), but also to the quality of its white and red wines as well, 90% of which are exported.

40 hectares of the winery’s own vineyard as well as from an additional 160 hectares belonging to other vine growers that the winery accesses and supervises throughout the year. The wines reflect the character of the landscape and soil (clayey, calcareous, slaty…). In addition to the different altitudes of the vineyards, which gives the wine a coveted richness, the winery prioritises the variety and the fruit with the aim of producing wines that are easy to drink and that attract a wide range of customers.

2017 Clos Montblanc Proyecto Cu4tro Red (Catalonia, Spain) – $16.99 (regularly $21.99)

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Author: Dirk Chan

Given the world-wide continued delays in shipping, we are offering already the Canella Family Sparkling Advent Calender – $195.99 from Empson Canada for Christmas 2022 now. Purchase yours before the deadline date of April 4th to ensure you have it for the Xmas season.

The Canella winery was founded in 1947 after World War II by Luciano Canella. His parents owned a small, family-style restaurant in San Donà di Piave in Venice. Having to survive the difficult wartime after his Dad’s passing, Luciano began to search the surrounding areas for the best wines to match his mother’s cuisine when he thought about creating his own wine. He put this idea into action and set up a state-of-the-art winery specializing in Prosecco.

Since then, the Canellas have become Prosecco pioneers and through hard work, the brand and family of Canella demonstrate what can be achieved in the Conegliano appellation and have become almost synonymous with Prosecco itself.

This festive Advent Calendar collection on pre-sale contains 24 bottles of 200ml sparkling wines from the Canella family including their five different Proseccos and their families premium Brut Rosé. All will be laid out at random within the box with a pop open tab for each day leading up to Christmas. Cases are shipped in a plain protective outer carton.

Contents (4x each of the following 6 wines in 200ml format):

1) Prosecco Superiore Brut DOCG – 100% Glera. Canella Prosecco Superiore Valdobbiadene Brut “Millesimato” DOCG is light straw yellow with fine perlage, the nose is fruity and crisp with mellow floral flavors. Rich on the palate with silky-smooth texture.

2) Prosecco Superiore Extra Dry DOCG – 100% Glera. Canella Prosecco Superiore Valdobbiadene Extra Dry “Millesimato” DOCG is brilliant straw yellow. The nose has fruity aromas of peach, apple, pear and citrus fruit. The palate gracefully balances zingy acidity and a subtle hint of sweetness, richness, and silky-smooth texture.

3) Processo Brut DOC – 100% Glera. Canella Prosecco Brut DOC is straw yellow with lively perlage, the bouquet is fresh, fruity and aromatic. On the palate, it characteristically combines softness and freshness thanks to perfectly balanced acidity and sugar.

4) NEW Lido Prosecco Brut DOC – The Lido Brut (black label) doesn’t have tasting/tech sheets yet as it’s just being finished for this package!!

5) Lido Prosecco Rosé Brut DOC – 85% Glera grape and 15% Pinot Noir. Canella Prosecco Rosé “Lido” DOC is a lovely shade of pink with fine and persistent perlage, the nose features fruity notes of cherry, wild berries and delicate flowers. On the palate, it is fresh, vivacious and pleasingly dry, with excellent persistence.

6) Canella Rosé Brut Marinotti – 100% Pinot Nero. Canella Pinot Noir Brut Rosé is a delightful, brilliant pink color with lively perlage, fragrant, fruity bouquet and a fresh, flavorful palate with gobs of character.

View large postcard here..

2022 Canella Sparkling Advent Calendar (Veneto, Italy) – $195.99

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Author: Dirk Chan

Our online feature this week is the Unduragga T. H. Puemo Carmenere (Cachapoal Valley, Chile) – $25.99, regularly $31.99.

Peumo is a Chilean city and commune in Cachapoal Province – a couple hours drive SW of Santiago, and its location is considered a prime region for growing Carmenere. Carmenere of course is one of the main grapes of Chile that almost became extinct as most people thought it was Merlot. Brought over by settlers from Bordeaux (where it is now getting pretty rare although some are starting to replanting it). It has similar characteristics to Merlot but with a spicier and peppery edge.

Undurraga was established in 1885 and their Terroir Hunter (T.H.) range of low-intervention wines is emblematic of the producer’s desire to show off the wonderful terroir which Chile has to offer.

With dark hue and a full-bodied palate that showcases the pencil shavings and mineral edge (similar to a Pessac Graves red Bordeaux) that is especially beguiling. The fact that it is made from ungrafted vines on deep red clay soil over a granite subsoil, aged in french oak barrels for 12 months only adds even more complexity. No under-ripe bell pepper here, it is a beautifully made red for everyone to try. Only 5,430 cases made

Undurraga T.H. Carmenere (Cachapoal Valley, Chile) – $25.99 (regularly $31.99)

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