deVine Thoughts

Author: Dirk Chan
The upcoming July 1 is not only Canada Day, but a landmark day with all pandemic restrictions lifted. It is time to celebrate and everyone should open some bubbles to congratulate ourselves for having lived through Covid for well over a year. It is time to celebrate ourselves, friends and relatives for persistence and perseverance through this difficult period in our lives. Although we believe we must still be vigilant, we can for once indulge and celebrate this momentous day.

Below are our recommendations to mark this momentous day! Please remember to drink responsibly.

First, pictured (left to right):
NV Henry of Pelham Cuvee Catharine Brut Rose (Ontario – Niagara, Canada) – $44.99
NV Billecart-Salmon Blanc de Blancs Grand Cru (Champagne, France) – $149.99
NV Krug Rosé (Champagne, France) – $419.99
2010 Moet & Chandon Dom Pérignon Brut (Champagne, France) – $299.99

Sparkling
2020 Benjamin Bridge Pet Nat (Nova Scotia, Canada) – 250mL Can – $13.49
NV Pago de Tharsys Dominio de Tharsys Cava Brut Rosado (Valencia, Spain) – $19.99
NV Bodegues Sumarroca True Colours Brut Cava (Penedès, Spain) – $22.99
NV Fernridge Winery Haha Brut Cuvee (Hawke’s Bay, New Zealand) – $24.99
NV Mission Hill Estate Grown Reserve Brut (BC – Okanagan, Canada) – $29.99
2019 Huber Gruner Veltliner Blanc de Blancs Brut (Traisental, Austria) – $39.99

Champagne recommendations:
NV Champagne Baron-Fuente Grande Reserve Brut (Champagne, France) – $52.99
NV Champagne Andre Clouet Grande Reserve Brut (Champagne, France) – $59.99
NV Pierre Peters Cuvée de Reserve Grand Cru Blanc de Blancs (Champagne, France) – $76.99
NV Champagne Jacquesson Extra Brut Cuvee No. 743 (Champagne, France) – $86.99
2014 Taittinger Brut Millesime (Champagne, France) – $104.99
2016 Bereche et Fils Campania Remensis Brut Rosé (Champagne, France) – $114.99
NV Ruinart Blanc de Blancs Brut (Champagne, France) – $127.99
NV Billecart-Salmon Brut Rosé (Champagne, France) – $129.99

For those of you who want to go all out! :
1999 Champagne Ployez-Jacquemart Brut Liesse d’Harbonville (Champagne, France) – $224.99
2009 Pol Roger Cuvée Sir Winston Churchill Brut (Champagne, France) – $274.99
2004 Bollinger R.D. Extra Brut (Champagne, France) – $359.99
2000 Krug Brut (Champagne, France) – $399.99 
2002 Moet & Chandon Dom Perignon Plenitude P2 (Champagne, France) – $649.99 

We are open Thursday, July 1 from noon to 5pm. Happy Canada Day everyone!

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Author: Dirk Chan

Our special this week is the 2019 Le Grand Verdu Blanc & 2018 Le Grand Verdu Rouge – both $17.49 (regularly $21.99)

The vineyards of Château Le Grand Verdus is situated in the heart of a preserved hilly landscape, in the AOC of Bordeaux Supérieur area, between the Médoc, Graves and Saint-Emilion, at the gateway to the Entre-Deux-Mers region (between the Garonne and Dordogne rivers), 20 km east of Bordeaux city.

This fine country 16th-century Renaissance residence has been in the hands of the same family since 1810, with four generations of the Le Grix de la Salle family, all fired by the same passion for making wine that reflect its terroir.

First, the intense white with its white flowers, pear and citrus fruit nose. The rich aromatic palette has mouth-watering acidity, bright and fresh, finishing with minerality – ideal for accompanying seafood and poultry. 60% Sauvignon blanc, 30% Sémillon, 10% Muscadelle.

Then treat yourself to the delicate and rounded Rouge, 80% Merlot and 20% Cabernet Sauvignon – this is a luscious, fruity wine with the aromas of fresh fruit, spices and liquorice. Supple palate and instantly pleasurable, this wine will improve over five years. Great with some roasted lamb at the family table. Enjoy everyone!

2019 Château Le Grand Verdus Blanc (Bordeaux, France)- $17.49 (regularly $21.99)

2018 Château Le Grand Verdus Merlot Cabernet Sauvignon Bordeaux Superieur (Bordeaux – Entre-Deux-Mers, France) – $17.49 (regularly $21.99)

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Author: Dirk Chan

Our feature this week is the 2017 Villa Medoro Montepulciano d’Abruzzo – $18.49 (regularly $23.49)

Villa Medoro is owned by the Della Loggia-Morricone Family. In 1966, Federica Morricone’s grandfather, Mr. Luigi Della Loggia, bought property in Medoro, a small village located near the city of Atri in Abruzzo. The estate now encompasses over 250 hectares, 107 of which are currently planted with vines. Set in the beautiful area of the Teramo hills and overlooking the green Adriatic Sea, this area is very suited to prime viticulture and wine growing, particularly the Montepulciano grape.

The vineyards of Medoro, Fontanelle and Fonte Corvo, which are around 200 metres high and cultivated with great passion and newly planted in the 1990s, enjoy a traditional pergola education and are more reminiscent of pretty gardens than of agricultural land.

This wine is made from 100% Montepulciano d’Abruzzo grapes and is vinified with maceration on the skins and stainless steel fermentation for 20 days. Malolactic fermentation takes place completely in stainless steel tanks with refinement in bottle for 4-6 months before release.

A lively and bright ruby red color with black cherry, red fruit, earth, leather and spices on the nose. It sees no oak and shows bright red and black cherry flavors with a hint of spice and smooth tannins. Forest fruits, garlic and mushrooms show up on the palate. Great food wine and a Tre bicchieri award winner.

2017 Villa Medoro Montepulciano d’Abruzzo (Abruzzi, Italy) – $18.49 (regularly $23.49)

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Author: Dirk Chan
For only the 2nd time ever, Bordeaux has had a trio of great years – 2018, 2019 and now 2020. The last and only other time this occurred was 1988, 89 and 1990. Thus, we are announcing there will be a Futures Campaign for the 2020, the so-called “Covid Vintage”.

How does Futures work you ask – well at its most basic level, you’re purchasing unfinished wine – you pay for it in full now, and in two years time, they arrive and you have some great Bordeaux to cellar for some time before enjoying the fruits of your patience. The wines when bottled will be 10-15% higher so you get a price break. Nowadays, you buy futures so you can get your hands on a bottle or two of something great and rare. Bordeaux being one of the great wines in the world – at the top end, demand far out strips availability and Futures may be the only way of ensuring you get your hands on some illustrious houses.

2020 appears to be a Right Bank vintage, so the Merlot dominant appellations of St. Emilion and Pomerol will be highly sought after while Margaux and Haut-Medoc’s with high percentage of Merlot are also popular.

The pricing appears to be an increase of a few percent to 15%, thus a little more expensive than the giveaway pricing from last year, but still quite a bit cheaper than 2018. However, given that yields were down in general 20%, we are receiving less quantity than normal.

As usual, items offered will be sold on a first-come first served basis and in some cases maximums applied. In many cases we won’t be able to go back for more of something once it sells out and if we do, price will be second tranche (release) pricing.

All purchases have now been offered and the campaign will end on Sunday, July 18th, so please purchase your bottles online asap. If you require assistance in choosing, please don’t hesitate to drop us an email or come into the store and we’d be happy to help.

Check out all available wines here..

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Author: Dirk Chan

The Produttori del Barbaresco Cooperative is one of the most successful cooperatives in the world of winemaking. The winery is one of the stars of the Barbaresco region in the Piedmont region in Northern Italy. Established in 1958, there are now 51 growers who contribute their Nebbiolo grapes to the cooperative. The region covers over 100 hectares of premium nebbiolo grapes. In 1967, they were amongst the first wineries to produce single vineyard Barbaresco’s – there are nine different Cru Riservas produced only in exceptional vintages like 2016, one of the greatest vintages ever for Barbaresco’s.

We are pre-selling eight of their 2016 Single Vineyard Riservas that are spectacular for the money and those in the know will no doubt stock up. You pay for them now and the wines are schedule to arrive in late June, early July timeframe. Verticals going back 40 years have shown how great these wines can be. Superbly located – Gaja (6 min away) and Giacosa (13 min away) are neighbours whose wines sell for 4 to 7 times this price.

A must in every connoisseur’s cellar, a bargain in the expensive world of Nebbiolo not to be missed!! Barolo’s with this kind of scores sell for double this price. Quantities are very limited and sold on a first come first served basis. The number of available bottles will be counted down as they are purchased. No additional back-orders are available on this, once they’re gone, they are gone..

2016 Produttori del Barbaresco Barbaresco Riserva Rabaja (Piedmont, Italy) – $104.99

2016 Produttori del Barbaresco Barbaresco Riserva Pora (Piedmont, Italy) – $104.99

2016 Produttori del Barbaresco Barbaresco Riserva Paje (Piedmont, Italy)- $104.99

2016 Produttori del Barbaresco Barbaresco Riserva Muncagota (Piedmont, Italy) – $104.99

2016 Produttori del Barbaresco Barbaresco Riserva Ovello (Piedmont, Italy) – $104.99

2016 Produttori del Barbaresco Barbaresco Riserva Montestefano (Piedmont, Italy) – $104.99

2016 Produttori del Barbaresco Barbaresco Riserva Montefico (Piedmont, Italy) – $104.99

2016 Produttori del Barbaresco Barbaresco Riserva Asili (Piedmont, Italy) – $104.99

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Our special this week is the 2018 Vina Cobos Felino Malbec – $21.49 (regularly $26.99)

Viña Cobos makes wines that are authentic expressions of the terroir from which they come. Paul Hobbs, founding partner and winemaker at Viña Cobos and famous for his namesake estate in Napa, has worked since 1988 in the exploration of the different terroirs of Mendoza, Argentina looking for the most distinguished regions in Luján de Cuyo and the Valle de Uco, to produce wines that uniquely express their origins.

With the inaugural vintage of Cobos Malbec in 1999, Viña Cobos marked a milestone in viticulture, defying existing standards and firmly positioned Malbec and Argentina on the international wine scene. Since then, these prestigious wines have been recognized around the globe by critics and consumers alike, imparting distinct fruit profiles to their wines.

Deep red color with violet and blue tones. Aromas of white flowers and black fruits along with notes of white pepper and cloves. Elegant and balanced, presents hints of licorice and chocolate. Broad and smooth with firm tannins that lead to a persistent finish.

2018 Vina Cobos El Felino Malbec (Mendoza, Argentina) – $21.49 (regularly $26.99)

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