Top Picks - Vintages Release Saturday May 26th

Hey Fellow Wino's 

There is another vintages release today and I've picked a few fabulous finds I think you'll love. 

1. 2016 Krone Borealis, Vintage Cuvee Brut Sparkling, South Africa at $18.95
I love South Africa for many reasons, primarily it's an incredible value! This traditional method sparkling wine is made from 90% Chardonnay, 9% Pinot Noir and 1% Pinot Blanc. Expect a fresh mineral note such as oyster shells or limestone followed by tropical fruit flavours like Pineapple, fresh yellow apple, salted caramel and a baked pie crust leezyness says Tim Atkin, MW. Perhaps try this with some spicy Thai food and live a little on the wild side. How can you afford to not drink this?

2. 2015 Stephane Aviron, Vieilles Vignes, Moulin a Vent, Beaujolais, France at $23.95

The 2015 vintage was a warm one in France and most of Europe, so expect the fruit flavours to be a tad bigger than usual with hints of the new world in this very old world region. Pair with perhaps Pot-au-feu, or something more appropriate for the warmer weather, homemade burgers with perhaps some gruyere and bacon or grilled red peppers. Moulin a Vent is considered the best of the 10 cru's in Beaujolais. This is my addiction! 

Roger Voss from Wine Enthusiast magazine describes this wine as "A firm and structured cru wine from 100-year-old vines that has layers of firm fruits and tannins. It is a wine that is likely to mature well, with its wood ageing and a dry core. A blend from four parcels, it is concentrated and with a rich black-cherry character."  

3. 2014 Pellegrino Gazzerotta, Nero d'Avola, Sicily, Italy at $15.95

I like a good Nero D'Avola from Sicily, often described as the Syrah of Sicily. It's not too often we have a chance to drink this stuff from the LCBO so when I see it, I go for it. Will this blow your mind, hardly, but toss in a decanter and pair with some meat on the grill I say go for it because I certainly will. 

The LCBO Vintages panel says "This wine's name, Gazzerotta, refers to the black-and-white magpies that fly over the neighbouring fields in autumn. There's nice dark cherry, plum, chocolate, anise and a touch of bacon in this complex little Nero d'Avola. Pour it with pasta carbonara or bacon-wrapped chicken skewers for a pairing worth crowing about." 

4. 2016 Featherstone, Cabernet Franc, VQA Niagara Peninsula, Canada at $19.95

I am starting to really love Cabernet Franc, the almost middle child of Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot. This middle child, often overlooked, really is starting to come back in style as more and more people leave the comforts of the all mighty, Cabernet Sauvignon. 2016 was a hot vintage in Ontario so expect a pretty fruit forward wine, all things considered. Cabernet Franc has a sage/green pepper note to it so any meat on the grill with a salsa verde type dressing on top is a solid option! Alternatively, stuffed green pepper on the BBQ...oh my! 

5. 2017 Mas des Bressades Cuvee Tradition Rose, AP Costiere de Nimes, Southern Rhone, France at $16.95

I love a good Rose, not a sweet Rose, a good dry Rose. If you are like me, this is where it is at. The southern Rhone Valley has garrigue (wild french herbs) growing everywhere like ravenous dandelions and a good winemaker know's how to coax those flavours out of their grapes, such as this bottle. You could pair any Mediterranean food with wine from a nice fresh Salade niçoise to fresh seafood like grilled calamari or even lighter poultry options as well. We can't all afford to vacation in the south of France, but it doesn't mean you can't make your dinner table or better yet, backyard patio, feel like it. Pairs well with laidback french accordion music on a sunny afternoon. 

6. 2010 Lungarotti Monticcho Rubesco Torgiano Rosso Riserva, Umbria, Italy at $46.95

It's not too often we find wine from Umbria, let alone premium wine. This is quite a sophisticated wine (from landlocked central Italy) The food pairings call for premium fillets with pepper and Japanese mustard or roast beef with wasabi...perhaps for us old school folks some nice aged Proscuitto and cheeses. 

This wine is described on their website as "An elegant wine with solid structure, deep ruby colour and complex aroma that recalls marasca cherries and blackberries, followed by notes of violet, light mentholated hints and a spicy finish. A wine of great concentration, fruity and slightly balsamic, it has soft and velvety tannins with a long, lingering finish." 

Happy Sipping, 

Ryan 

1 Year Anniversary #30MinuteRule

Hey Fellow Wino's

I'd like to send a big thank you to all of my readers be they regular, or occasional, on my one year anniversary of starting my blog, Ryans Wine Picks. I started this blog because I wanted to share my passion for wine by educating and suggesting some great wines available to you.

To continue on my path towards helping guide you onwards and upwards, I'd like to offer you a helpful tip which I call the "30-Minute Rule."

What is my "30-Minute Rule"?

Take any red wine, toss it in the freezer for 15 minutes, take that same red wine and place it in your glass and other guests and let it sit for 15 minutes. I then also suggest you swirl your glass for 30 seconds just prior to smelling and sipping. This will help take that warm edge off of your condo/home/car/TTC warm red wine and bring it down to a more appropriate 15-18C. The swirl is like a quick stretch before a 100M dash. It is very important to stretch I.E. oxygenate the wine and help bring it to life! Red wine should be served at room temprature, but that is based on 18th century french stone castles, not your central heat west facing glass condo :P

To further help simplify, an older big red should be served closer to 18C like a Bordeaux and decanted much longer while a younger smaller wine like a Beaujolais, which can be served a tad cooler around 16C and decanted less, if at all. This is a simple general rule to help you on your way.

Check out this video below

#TableTopSwirl

Here is what I was sipping this past long weekend :P

Happy Sipping and stay tuned for what my second year has in store for you!

Ryan Sullivan

Top 5 Vintages Release Saturday, May 12th

Hey Fellow Wino's 

Saturday, May 12th, there are a few nice wines from Bordeaux and elsewhere I feel you should know about. Some of these wines, like Purple Angel, will be a "Start the Car" type moment as hoards of people elbow each-other for a bottle or two which is why I'm sending this out a week early. Grab your running shoes, helmet, elbow pads and prepare for battle. 

Bordeaux red wines as you know are almost always blends, Cabernet Sauvignon based on the left bank and Merlot or Cabernet Franc-based on the right bank. These grapes are grown all over Bordeaux, both left and right bank, it is just over time Vignerons have found based on the local Terroir, that certain grapes produce better wine in certain locations. For instance, Cabernet Sauvignon doesn't like too much water, so the gravel based soils on the left bank are perfect because they provide good drainage. Merlot, however, can handle a bit more water, so the clay and sandy soils of the right bank are simply better suited, as clay will hold more water than looser gravel. There is a multitude of factors from heat retention of clay vs limestone to microclimate effects, but that's the "2 cents" version. 

In Bordeaux vintage is essential. Vintage meaning, the year the grapes were grown. The perfect vintage is one where the grapes bud early, have a long growing season into September/October filled with moderate/warm days and cooler nights with the perfect amount of rainfall. If it was a hotter vintage, the left bank is your best bet while a cooler one, the right bank. Too much rain, go left bank where there is good drainage, too little, go right bank where the clay and sand help to retain water. See where I am going with this? 

The 2010 vintage was stunning, tannic, powerful, structured and rich, the best wines need 15-20 or more years to develop. I have several fabulous bottles from 2010 I am still holding onto. 

The 2015 vintage is truly an incredible vintage for Right Bank wines. Perhaps, not quite at the level of 2009, but close. Pomerol and Saint Emilion are just stunning! Rich, ripe, fleshy, opulent and even decadent, the wines taste and feel great! The Merlot on the clay soils is the highlight of the vintage, but the Cabernet Franc performed almost as well. The left bank Cabernet-based blends performed well and should last a very long time. 

The 2014 vintage, for instance, was a warm but rainy one, leaving the left bank Cabernet-based wines holding up well, but the right bank merlots were punished with rain. Depending on where in Bordeaux you were, 2014 was either great or good. 

The 2013 vintage was awful, the coldest and rainiest summer in nearly 40 years meant the grapes didn't grow to their full potential. The wine, like a waterlogged shoe. 

So, what does this mean to you, my valued readers? 

Some fabulous 2010 and 2015 Bordeaux's are out and just in time for some fillets on the barbecue! 

1. 2010 Château Godard Bellevue, Côtes de Bordeaux, Francs, Bordeaux, France at $14.95
The first thing I did, was a double take...2010 for under $15? Qu'est ce que fuck? The Côtes de Bordeaux - Francs appellation sits on the Right Bank and is where this blend of 65% Merlot, 20% Cabernet Franc and 15% Cabernet Sauvignon was grown. The wine is maturing nicely and showing fresh plum and cherry, tobacco, leather, and cedar, with spicy and meaty notes. This is an outstanding value from the great 2010 vintage. Because this wine is Merlot-based and from the 2010 vintage, expect a rather soft/plush mouthfeel. It won't be as concentrated as some other producers and may not be the best wine for a fine aged cut of meat, but to pair with homemade burgers, I say buy two! 

2. 2010 Château Pierre de Montignac, Medoc, Bordeaux, France at $24.95
This wine is a little more my speed, 52% Cabernet Sauvignon, 46% Merlot and 2% Petit Verdot from the Médoc (Left Bank) in Bordeaux from the famed 2010 vintage for $25. With rich fruit that is balanced by tight acidity, this shows both the structure and the fragrant red and black berry flavour of the vintage. The acids cut through the wine to shape its freshness, highlighting its dark tannins. I would decant this and pair with two nice steaks for you and a loved one, perfect date night in as this bottle at a restaurant would probably sell for $100 or more. 

3. 2010 Domaine de Viaud, Lalande-de-Pomerol, Bordeaux, France at $32.95
This blend of 85% Merlot and 15% Cabernet Franc is perfect to sip by itself, perhaps after dinner and the sun has set. Beautiful 2010 vintage of deep colour with a lot of structure, predominantly red and blackcurrant with undergrowth, robust, ample, and a beautiful persistence. I find an aged Merlot-based wine such as this one, so plush on the palate, that while some fine French cuisine would always be nice, it's not required.  

There are quite a few other 2010's and 2015's from Bordeaux that vintages are releasing, and honestly, I encourage you give them a try. I feel however I've picked three that offer a good quality-to-price ratio, the foundation of my wine consumption philosophy. 

4. 2014 Camparrón Crianza, Toro, Castilla y León, Spain at $18.95

Spanish wine is ohh so much more than classic Rioja. This 100 % Tinta de Toro (Tempranillo) from 40-plus year old vines is from the Toro wine region. Look for dark cherry, tobacco leaf and dark chocolate on this savoury, dry red. The thing I like about wine from Toro is something I like to call the "Earth Factor" you'll understand once you have a sip, perfect for people who love to garden. All seriousness though, lamb on the barbecue, friends and family over, gypsy kings or flamenco music on the stereo and a few bottles of this wine, you'll thank me later. 

5. 2015 Montes Purple Angel, Colchagua Valley, Chile at $62.95

Step aside Kia Rio and Toyota Corolla drivers, this wine is for the big girls and big boys only, you need not apply. Purple Angel is the wine from Montes in Chile, a truly stunning example of what Chile can produce. If this wine came from Bordeaux, Barolo or Napa I wouldn't be able to afford to drink it because it would be 3 times the price or more. James Suckling, a respected wine critic gave this wine a very high point rating and claimed "This is perhaps the greatest Purple Angel ever. Full body, tight and compressed with an amazing texture and density. Fantastic fine tannins that are silky and polished. I love the energy and intensity. A blend of 92% Carmenere and 8% petit verdot. One for the cellar but I can't wait to drink it again."

 I personally don't ever write the score a wine received in my blog because to me wine is more than numbers, but trust me, this wine is highly regarded. Purple Angel will sell out within 48 hours of release if not sooner so if you think it's too expensive, I understand, but then you wouldn't understand either! I have two 2014's in my mini cellar and can't wait to adopt this new baby angel into my little wine family. If it were socially acceptable, I would take my 2-2014's and soon to be 2-2015's in a stroller to the local coffee shop and park, showing them off like all of the other proud parents.

Did you know that the cellar room in at Montes Winery is staged in a theatre like fashion and plays Gregorian Chants (choir music) to the aging barrels of wine? Now that is some serious Fengh Shui. 

Gregorian Chants from Assisi

Who knows, maybe after a bottle you may start seeing angles? 

Happy Sipping, 

Ryan Sullivan 

Top 4 - LCBO Vintages Release Saturday, April 28th

Hey, fellow wino’s I’ve chosen 4 terrific wines that you can pick up in store or order online today, and I suggest you give at least one of these a try. 

• 2016 Hidden Bench Estate Riesling, Niagara Escarpment, Canada at $23.95 “Hidden Bench places the purity of the fruit and the clarity of the expression of place first and foremost. To this end, they employ a non-interventionist approach to their winemaking, which includes the use of geothermal cooling and heating and natural yeasts. Since 2015/2016, the majority of the wines crafted at Hidden Bench, including this Riesling, are vegan-friendly and certified organic by Pro-Cert. Look for a zesty, mineral-rich wine with bright citrus, peach, and apple fruit.” Pair with Choucroute Garnie. 

• 2012 Château-Thébaud,Melon de Bourgogne,“Muscadet” Loire Valley, France at $24.95 “A smoky character on the nose, magnified by notes of white peach and salty minerals with intriguing hints of almond paste and white flowers. It has a richly textured, beautifully integrated palate with a rewarding zip of lychee and stone fruit. There is a lifted acid freshness with a satisfying, lingering finish; a very precise wine.” Pair with freshly shucked oysters or other shellfish. 

• 2014 Xanadu Chardonnay, Margaret River, Australia at $39.95 “Predominantly estate-grown on the Stevens Road and Lagan Vineyards, Gingin clone, hand-picked, whole bunch-pressed, and wild yeast-fermented in French oak (21% new), matured and stirred for 9 months. There is an inevitability about the very high quality of the Xanadu wines these days; thus this very intense and powerful, yet perfectly delineated and balanced wine is no surprise, nor is its extreme length.” Perfect for perhaps a Sunday roasted chicken. 

• 2013 Ramirez de la Piscina Crianza,Tempranillo, Rioja, Spain at $16.95 “Fresh and vibrant forest leaves and ripe berry fruits. The palate has a smooth, elegant and plush texture with cassis and black cherry fruit flavours.” Perfect for BBQ meats from hamburgers to steak.  

Happy Sipping, 

Ryan Sullivan 

4 wines under $20 - Vintages Release Saturday April14th

Hey Fellow Wino's

Spring is here...ok who are we kidding, it's rainy, cool and miserable outside with a chance of freezing rain over the next several days.

Miserable weather = Indoor dinner parties, if possible, by the fireplace with lots of wine.

2015 Viognier, I.G.P. Pays d'Oc (South of France) at $14.95 
This pleasantly floral wine will offer a rich smooth honeycomb/waxy texture to its ripe peaches, mango and applesauce flavors. You should chill and pair with taco's, pulled pork sandwiches or if I was pairing this, Hawaiian pizza! Viognier is famous from Condrieu in the Northern Rhone, and while this wine will not be as complex and well structured, it's great Taco/Pizza wine at a great price!

#SommTrick = The ripe tropical fruit notes in the wine will match, wait for it, tropical fruit.

2015 Syrah, South of France at $17.95

Syrah or Shiraz, same thing! Well, Shiraz is the term the Aussie's use down-under for their peppered fruit forward wines and the French use the term Syrah, more earth and harmonized fruit with pepper flavors. Shiraz is a loud motorcycle on a quiet neighborhood street and Syrah is like a Porsche on the old streets of Montreal...somehow it just works better. 97% Syrah, 3% Grenache with half aged in large concrete eggs and the other half in French barrels for 9 months. This is not Cote Rotie or Hermitage from the Northern Rhone (best place for Syrah), but for the price, I say turn up the BBQ, toss on some ribs and slurp up some warmth in a glass.

#SommTrick the pepper nuances of the Syrah grape will match the bold, spicy BBQ sauce. 

2015 Fleurie, Beaujolais at $19.95

Fleurie is one the 10 Cru's of Beaujolais and with this being from the legendary 2015 vintage, surely a great deal. What separates basic Beaujolais from one of the 10 Cru's (10 plots of land) is that these wines are more structured (acid, alcohol, body)  and age-worthy than simple generic level Beaujolais. This wine made from the Gamay grape should be violet colored with notes of violets, ripe red fruit and possibly some dark fruit as well. I would pair this with Coq Au Vin or Boeuf Bourguignon and a fireplace, or at a minimum, the fireplace channel on Netflix. 

#SommTrick - Not all red wines should be served at "room temperature" 15C-18C. This wine could be served closer to 15C i.e. a tinge of cool. Side Rant - never serve any wine at 21C or whatever your home temperature is! #15MinFridge 

2015 Barbera d'Asti, Piedmont at $19.95

Piedmont Italy is home to Barolo and Barbaresco, legendary, amazing, long-lived seductive and tannic beautiful wines that can haunt your soul for days. The problem is that those wines come with a price, which leads most people who live in Piedmont to drink Barbera, this one from the town of Asti.  Is this the finest example, no, but Barbera to me is not a show horse, it's a workhorse, as it is the most widely planted varietal in Piedmont. Perfect for a rich northern Italian stew, roast, pasta or pizza...but not a Bianco pizza, surely! 

#SommTrick - 2015 was a hot vintage, so try and see if you can taste the slightly lowered acid in the wine and riper/overripe fruit notes such as plum, soft blackberry, blueberry. 

Browse some classic recipes like Coq Au Vin and plan a romantic meal with you and a loved one over a nice bottle of wine. 

Happy Sipping 

Ryan 

4 Wines under $20 - Vintages Release Saturday March 3rd

Hey Fellow Wino's

I've chosen four wines under 20$ I recommend you check out in tomorrow's Vintages release.

1. 2015 Chateau La Rose Sarron, AC Graves, Bordeaux, France at $17.95
This white blend of 50% Semillon, 40% Sauvignon Blanc and 10% Muscadelle will be a nice rich almost "waxy mouthful" wine perfect for poached fish. We have all had Sauvignon Blanc from New Zealand with it's intense fresh cut grass, gooseberry and some have have described as "cat pee" aromas. This will be a medium to fuller body white with similar characteristic notes to a strict Sauvignon Blanc, but, with more muted green and gooseberry notes offset by more honeycomb and Meyer lemon. The Semillon grape will certainly add the lanolin, honeycomb, waxiness to the wine to smooth out the sharper Sauvignon Blanc. I would pair this with perhaps a poached salmon in a dill sauce, perfection! #SommTrick = The green notes of grass from the Sauvignon Blanc will match the green dill and the waxy/oily Semillon will match the smooth buttery fish.

2. 2016 Kellerei St. Magdalena, Pinot Grigio, Alto Adige, Italy at $17.95
This Pinot Grigio grown at over 1,000 feet into the northern Italian mountains, in Alto Adige, will certainly peak your palate especially that it is priced under $20. Expect some ripe fruit like Asian pear and granny smith apple with a tiny bit of blanched almonds and crushed rock or wet stone minerality. The acidity in this wine should be quite present due to it's higher elevation allowing for warm days and cool nights creating quite the diurnal temperature shift, perfect for acidity preservation. I would pair with a nice roasted chicken, Swiss Chalet anyone? #SommTrick = While the acidity will be quite present, the tinge of blanched almonds will add a slight soft feel to your palate, perfect for a succulent richer tasting roasted chicken.

3. 2015 Bastide Miraflors Syrah, Veilles Vignes Grenache, AP Cotes du Roussillon, France at $19.95
This 70% Syrah (Shiraz) and 30% Grenache blend from the south of France should offer a warmer climate, purple coloured rich red wine perfect to pair with richer BBQ'd meats. There is no oak in this wine so instead of baking spices and/or leather that you would get from oak, expect a more pure expression of the grape and the Terroir. I love sipping wine from the south of France because it's bottles like these under $20 that make it all worth while. I would pair this with a nice homemade burger, perhaps topped with peppercorn crusted bacon and pepper-jack cheese. #SommTrick = The natural spice from the Syrah grapes should match well with the peppercorn bacon.

4. 2015 Carmen Gran Reserva Carmenere, Colchagua Valley, Chile at $17.95
I love a good Carmenere from Chile, even though it's native land was Bordeaux before phylloxera wiped it out. Fuller bodied, blend of flavours from blackberries to plum, touch of green like bell pepper and complex smokiness and spices from aging in oak, delicious. I would pair this with a steak, grilled meats or a heavy lentil stew for the vegetarians. To really impress your guests, grill a nice steak served with some Chilean Pebre (salsa) on top. I have had this bottle before and while it may not be "Purple Angel", for less than $20 all I have to say is "Sold!" #SommTrick = The green cilantro in the Pebre will match the slight green note in the Carmenere

This weekend looks like a cool, but sunny one, perfect for cracking the BBQ open. 

Happy Sipping,

Ryan Sullivan

TGIF Top 4 - Vintages February 17th Release

Hi Fellow Wino's

The weekend is nearly upon us and there is a brand new vintages release on Saturday, February 17th to help kick off some fun. Psst...some LCBO stores place them out early so I managed to pick up my favorites already and you should too.

Let's jump right in, shall we?

1. 2013 Lornano, Chianti Classico, Italy $17.95
This Italian red wine made from 100% Sangiovese grapes, aged 12 months in oak, is the perfect accompaniment to a charcuterie board, aged firm cheeses and, of course, a nice pasta or pizza. For the price, this wine promises to be pretty darn good with a balance between red fruit and earthy wood characters. I would pour this guilt-free, anytime I just about pleased, served at 16C. #PizzaWine

2. 2013 Brancaia, Chianti Classico Riserva at $36.95
This Italian red wine made from 80% Sangiovese and 20% Merlot grapes, aged 16 months in oak, will surely be a special treat. I would save this particular wine for a nice homemade meat lasagna, pasta bolognese or even a Sunday style pot roast. This wine will offer brighter cherry fruit (merlot) than the Lornano previous, and much more rustic earthy, leather, fig notes overall, served at 18C. If you want to really taste the difference between good wine quality and impressive, taste these two back to back and you'll see what money really can buy. Don't forget to decant this at least 30 minutes (1 hour recommended), it both needs it and deserves it!

3. 2013 Redstone, Chardonnay, Niagara Peninsula at $25.70
Redstone Winery is the latest venture by Moray Tawse (Tawse Winery) and his award-winning winemaking team, named for its red clay soil and large stones. This Chardonnay promises to be balanced between its fruit (green apple & pear), oak (toast) and minerals (smoke, crushed rock). This wine saw 12 months in neutral French oak (means the barrel has been used for several vintages already, imparting little wood flavour) barrel fermented (not like the usual stainless steel ferment first, then oak aged) and selected from parcels of land throughout Niagara. The thing that makes this special is that they used indigenous yeasts as opposed to commercial yeasts, to ferment the wine. The primary difference is that while with commercial yeasts you can pick specific strains to bring out specific flavors you want, it can sometimes taste a bit too fake like candied apple or candied fruit. Using indigenous yeasts does bring a greater challenge, but in my opinion, brings out the soil, the minerals, and the grapes with a more natural and harmonious flavor. Pair with shellfish or seafood in a simple white wine sauce or bump it up to chicken pot pie or pork chops while served at 11C. This wine will sell out fast as this is a very limited release!

4.2015 Chateau Senejac, Haut-Médoc, Bordeaux at $29.95
The 2015 Vintage in Bordeaux was excellent and this red blended wine from Bordeaux should deliver! The blend is 51% Cabernet Sauvignon, 37% Merlot, 8% Cabernet Franc and 4% Petit Verdot. You should know that the Cabernet Sauvignon will give you the black fruit (blackberries, black cherries, plums etc) and the Merlot will give you the red fruit (raspberries, red cherry etc) the 8% Cabernet Franc and 4% Petit Verdot are added not so much for flavor, but for structure. Since 2015 was such a warm year, the grapes ripened quicker than normal which means their acid levels were slightly lower. To counter this perhaps adding some early picked (more acidic) Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot would have certainly helped level that out. Now, I'd have to speak with the winemaker to confirm my above statement but as long as you understand some grapes are added in not always for flavor, but for structure. Decant 1 hour and serve at 18C with a filet mignon and fingerling potatoes...or simply poured in two glasses by the fire. 

Happy Sipping #TGIF 

Ryan