deVine Thoughts

Author: Dirk Chan

Pinot Noir is one of the greatest grapes of the wine world, capable of producing a sublime wine with a light body yet great aromatics and complexity that can be enjoyed alone or with food. Although Burgundy and Oregon lay claims as clear no. 1 and 2 (and with prices to match), there are other regions producing classic Pinots for a lot less money. Here are a few for your consideration:

Pictured left to right:

2019 Casa Girelli Cembra Pinot Nero (Trentino-Alto Adige, Italy) – $24.99

2019 Matahiwi Estate ME Pinot Noir (Wairarapa, New Zealand) – $24.99

2019 Gilbert & Gaillard Mes Vendanges Bio Pinot Noir (Pays d’Oc, France) – $27.99

2019 Serafini & Vidotto Pinot Nero Colli Trevigiani (Veneto, Italy) – $33.99

2018 Devil’s Corner Pinot Noir (Tasmania, Australia) – $37.99

Other available well-made, well-priced Pinots from around the world:

2020 Weinhaus Ress Pinot Noir (Rheingau, Germany) – $20.99

2018 Manos Negras Pinot Noir (Mendoza, Argentina) – $20.99

2019 Undurraga Sibaris Reserva Pinot Noir (Maipo Valley, Chile) – $20.99

2018 La Playa Tinga Rio Reserve Pinot Noir (Colchagua Valley, Chile) – $21.99

2019 Domaine Faiveley Bourgogne Paulée (Burgundy, France) – $37.99

2019 Le Domaine d’Edouard Bourgogne Côtes d’Auxerre Les Collines de Vaux (France) – $40.99

2018 Stoller Dundee Hills Pinot Noir (Oregon, United States) – $43.99

2019 Cristom Pinot Noir Mt. Jefferson Cuvee (Oregon – Willamette Valley, United States) – $59.99

2015 Louis Jadot Savigny-les-Beaune La Dominode Premier Cru (Burgundy – Cote de Beaune, France) – $73.99

2015 Domaine de la Pousse d’Or Volnay Clos d’Audignac Monopole Premier Cru (Burgundy – Cote de Beaune, France) – $154.99

We also have one half bottle of Pinot Noir from Bulgaria 2018 Edoardo Miroglio Soli Pinot Noir (Thracian Valley, Bulgaria) – 375mL – $12.99

Enjoy everyone!!

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Author: Dirk Chan

Our online feature this week is the 2019 Casa Silva Cool Coast Pinot Noir (Colchagua Valley, Chile) – $24.99, regularly $29.99.

The Silva family pioneered grape growing in the Colchagua Valley with the first vineyards back in 1892. Their cellar is the oldest in the valley, yet they strive to innovate in their vineyards and to pioneer new terroirs in the Colchagua Valley. Since its launch, Casa Silva has become widely regarded as one of Chile’s best and named ‘Winery of the Year’ four times, the latest by Catad’Or Wine Awards, the most important international wine competition in Latin America.

Lovely red fruits on the nose with strawberries, cherries and pomegranate followed by some cinnamon. Juicy and refreshing on the palate, this wine has nice raspberries and wild forest fruits flavors. Its cool coastal origin at Paredones adds a refreshing acidity, soft tannins and elegant long finish. Try with grilled salmon.

2019 Casa Silva Cool Coast Pinor Noir (Colchagua Valley, Chile) – $24.99 (regularly $29.99)

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Author: Dirk Chan

Our online feature this week is the 2020 Weinhaus Ress Pinot Noir (Rheingau, Germany) – $16.99, regularly $20.99.

The Ress family’s success is tied to the town of Hattenheim (45 min drive SW of Frankfurt). For generations a family of butchers, in the late 1800’s Balthasar Ress founded the “Gasthof Ress” Inn on the town’s main street. Balthasar produced house wines for his guests enjoyment so by the mid 1900’s the family would purchase additional land and properties, becoming a full fledged wine estate. By 1947 the estate owned 3 hectares of vineyards of vines. Today the estate has grown to 46 hectares of vineyards, and is managed by Christian Ress, the fifth generation winemaker.

Located in the Rheingau, one of Germany’s well known and most productive wine regions. The vineyards sit on south facing slopes on the banks of the rivers Rhine and Main either side of Wiesbaden . The climate is perfect for growing Riesling and Pinot Noir, and this light and juicy Pinot Noir has lots of concentrated red fruit flavours with some delicate spice notes all backed up with an elegant body and a raspberry and curranty finish. It’s a deliciously, moreish example of the modern German take on Pinot Noir, more substance than the normal Spatsburgunder.

2020 Weinhaus Ress Pinot Noir (Rheingau, Germany) – $16.99 (regularly $20.99)

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Author: Dirk Chan

Sometimes, you just want a non-alcoholic drink and in the past, its not been the best tasting. Well times they are a’changing, we’re seeing some beers that are very good, and the same with wine as well. And the price is right on most of these. Give it a try, you may be surprised!

Pictured left to right:

NV Benjamin Bridge Piquette Zero (Nova Scotia, Canada) – $4.99

New Level Brewing Mocktail Mule Kicker Craft Soda (Alberta, Canada) – $2.99

NV Leitz Eins Zwei Zero Riesling (Non-Alcoholic) (Rheingau, Germany) – $16.99

SYC Brewing Company Phantom Buzz 0.5% Pale Ale (Alberta, Canada) – $3.49

Partake Brewing Non-Alcoholic IPA (Alberta, Canada) – $9.99

Other available non-alcoholic products:

Sheringham Lumette! London Dry Non-Alcoholic Gin (BC, Canada) – $34.99

Svaneke Organic Non-Alcoholic Pale Ale (Denmark)- $3.99

Erdinger Alkoholfrei Wiesbier (Germany)- $3.49

NV Leitz Eins Zwei Zero Sparkling Riesling (Non-Alcoholic) (Rheingau, Germany) – $19.99

Big Drop Brewing Co. Paradiso IPA (Ontario, Canada) – $3.99

Royal Jamaican Ginger Beer Soda (Jamaica) – $2.49

Maisel’s Weisse Alkoholfrei (Germany) – $4.49

Happy shopping everyone!!

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Author: Dirk Chan

Our online feature this week is the 2020 Colle Corviano Pecorino (Abruzzi, Italy) – $17.99, regularly $22.99.

The Abruzzo region needs to be discovered: Intact and unknown, it offers unique characteristics blending Nature, Art and History. Firstly Nature: The Sea, the beaches, the mountains and national parks position the region on the pinnacle for green vacationing, retirement destinations.

Located only 2.5 hours NE of Rome and 300m above sea level, Colle Corviano has been growing grapes there since 1973. Each of the 15 hectares in total are divided into estate-vineyard blocks and are vinified individually and traced throughout the production process. Each vineyard block has been farmed based on the accumulated knowledge of soil profile and chemistry, aspect (orientation to the sun), slope (vertical degree impacting potential for drainage), and overall climate.

Not to be confused with the popular cheese by the same name (although they make a great pairing with the saltiness and nuttiness.) Pecorino is a light-skinned wine grape used in Italy‘s eastern coastal regions, particularly in the wine region of Abruzzo. Cultivated for hundreds of years, its low yields saw it replaced by more-productive grape varieties like Trebbiano until almost extinct. Now there’s a conscientious rebirth going on and that is a very good thing – we love Pecorino. The grape is so called supposedly because it was a favorite treat for flocks of sheep driven to lower pastures.

The Colle Corviano Pecorino is a brilliant pale straw in color then opens up with a bouquet of white pulp fruit. On the palate, explosive flavors of ripe pear, Renetta apples, Ginestra flowers and jasmine. On the palate, gentle and refreshing acidity. Try this with grilled fish, vegetable tempura, oysters. You’ll want to have multiple bottles hanging around.

2020 Colle Corviano Pecorino (Abruzzi, Italy) – $17.99 (regularly $22.99)

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Author: Dirk Chan

Valentines is coming up fast, so here are a few recommendations to treat your loved one for this special occasion. Included are some rec’s for pink bubbles, some craft beer, chocolate pairing and some aptly named love related wines. Much more options are available, just drop in the store this week or send us an email for personal assistance.

Pictured left to right:

2 Crows Brewing Together Wild Ale with Rice (Nova Scotia, Canada) – 375mL Bottle – $12.99

2020 Botter Gran Passione Rosso (Veneto, Italy) – $21.99

2018 Guignier St. Amour Amethystes (Beaujolais, France) – $33.99

2017 Mollydooker Carnival of Love Shiraz (McLaren Vale, Australia) – $114.99

Champagne/Sparkling Rose Wine:

NV Pago de Tharsys Dominio de Tharsys Cava Brut Rosado (Valencia, Spain) – $19.99

NV Champagne Andre Clouet Brut Rose No. 3 (Champagne, France) – $74.99

NV Piper-Heidsieck Brut Lipstick Edition (Champagne, France) – $87.99

NV Taittinger Brut Les Folies de la Marquetterie (Champagne, France) – $114.99

NV Champagne Gardet 120th Anniversary Brut Cuvee (Champagne, France) – $119.99

NV Krug Rosé (Champagne, France) – $419.99

Special Whites & Rosé:

2020 R. Stuart & Co. Love, Oregon Pinot Noir Rosé (Oregon – Willamette Valley, United States) – $33.99

2020 Muga Rioja Blanco (Rioja, Spain) – $23.49

2020 Langlois-Chateau Chateau de Fontaine-Audon Sancerre (Loire Valley, France) – $37.99

2020 Mullineux Old Vines White (Swartland, South Africa) – $41.99

2020 Vincent Girardin Chassagne Montrachet Premier Cru Morgeot (Burgundy – Cote de Beaune, France) – $107.99

Special Reds:

2019 Cantina Barbera Lu Cori Nero d’Avola (Sicily, Italy) – $26.99

2017 d’Arenberg The Love Grass Shiraz (McLaren Vale, Australia) – $27.99

2017 Whitehall Lane Merlot (California – Napa Valley, United States) – $52.99

2013 Louis Jadot Gevrey-Chambertin Premier Cru La Petite Chapelle (Burgundy – Cote de Nuits, France) – $95.99

2005 Château La Providence (Bordeaux – Pomerol, France) – $339.99

Chocolates & Dessert:

NV Quinta Das Carvalhas Reserva Tawny Port (Douro, Portugal) – $36.99

2020 Vietti Moscato d’Asti (Piedmont, Italy) – $39.99

2016 Château Guiraud (Bordeaux – Sauternes, France) – 375mL – $59.99

2018 Domaine Huet Clos du Bourg Moelleux Première Trie (Vouvray, France) – $94.99

1979 Kopke Colheita (Douro, Portugal) – $189.99

1983 Fonseca Vintage Port (Douro, Portugal) – $269.99

Happy Valentine’s everyone!

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Author: Dirk Chan

Our online feature this week is the 2018 Torre Zambra Idi di Marzo Family Selection Montepulciano d’Abruzzi (Abruzzi, Italy) – $20.49, regularly $25.99.

In 1910, grandpa Vincenzo set off for Naples in his dogcart. He was going to finalize negotiations for the purchase of a plot of about 20 hectares of land, set around a lookout tower. The land belonged to the Zambra family, and the tower, named after them, was known as “Torre Zambra”. On that parcel grandpa Vincenzo planted his first Montepulciano and Trebbiano vine and grew them for about 30 years, until they were destroyed during the Second World War, leaving the family in poverty.

During the War Laurentino De Cerchio, Vincenzo’s son-in-law, was captured by the Nazi army and imprisoned in Germany; he succeeded in returning to Villamagna only in 1947. Back to the small village he took over the farm and began his constant activity of wine grower, re-planting the old vines destroyed and starting to build the winery. And that’s how, in 1961, the first “Torre Zambra” harvest was bottled.

Being one of the most historic Abruzzo wineries that puts great value on the native vines, such as Montepulciano, Pecorino, Passerina and Trebbiano. This great little Montepulciano carries all the varietal typicality we love about Montepulciano d’Abruzzo. Deep black colour, with ruby glints. The nose is intense, with wild berriesaromas and notes of tobacco, coffee, black pepper and cocoa powder on the finish. This is a complex, supple and round red to be enjoyed as an everyday drinker.

2018 Torre Zambra Idi di Marzo Family Selection Montepulciano d’Abruzzi (Abruzzi, Italy) – $20.49 (regularly $25.99)

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