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Win's Wines, Toronto, ON (2025)

01/26/2024

Did you watch Better Call Saul? If you didn't, I promise there are no spoilers here. If you did, you may remember a scene in the final season when Gus walks into a wine bar and discusses a very wine with a sommelier, a bottle of Côte Rôtie. The somm describes waking up in the village of Ampuis as "paradise, " and how the incredibly steep slopes and soil make the wine so exceptional.

The following are a selection of E. Guigal wines, now available at the Liberty Village LCBO and on Vintagesshoponline.com, some from Ampuis itself.

The Saint-Joseph 2019 ($48) offers spice-tinged blue fruits, showing fine delineation and mineral lift. This wine overdelivers and drinks wonderfully even now, but will also evolve over a decade.

The Hermitage 2019 ($109) is representative of the Hermitage appellation, the southern diode of the region. This is rich and full bodied, with chewy tannins, concentrated fruit, and a healthy amount of new oak - this wine will appeal to drinkers of new world Cabernets as well French wine lovers.

The Château d'Ampuis Côte Rôtie 2019 ($199) is made from 7 sites within the heart of Côte Rôtie, located at the northern extreme of the Rhone valley. Here the wines are more elegant and perfumed, partially owing to the smaller addition of Viognier (a white grape) which is allowed. Jeb Dunnuck describes: "beautiful, layered, incredibly impressive wine. Ripe darker fruits, smoked meats, tapenade, and ground pepper all define the bouquet." He predicts that this will be a 97 point wine.

The La Turque Côte Rôtie 2019 ($635) is one of the La-las, (along with La Mouline and La Landonne) making it perhaps the most famous and prestigious Syrah-based wine in the entire world. All the fruit comes from one slope, and it sits between the two other La-las in terms of body vs aromatics. Jeb Dunnuck: "smoky, meaty...tons of mid-palate depth and concentration...remarkable purity, flawless balance, and a great finish. [98 points now, perhaps 100 in 10-15 years.]"

01/24/2024

We don't see enough wine from British Columbia in Ontario, it's a shame as they have a certain strengths in growing Cabernet Sauvignon and Syrah that comes from their climate, which is slightly warmer than our own. All the more reason to buy up some of the smaller production bottles while you can.

Haywire, the kind of stuff they used to use for baling hay, tended to tangle and be unpredictable. An apt way to describe Christine Coletta and Steve Lornie’s impromptu decision to forgo retirement and journey into wine making, ceating brands such as Haywire and Free Form.

The Haywire Secrest Mountain Pinot Noir 2020 ($32.95) resoundingly supports the reputed quality of the 2020 vintage. With 50% whole cluster fruit and ageing largely in concrete for 10 months, this is made to be a Pinot Noir of aromatics and elegance. Ripe strawberry, roses, and hints of peppercorn and fresh coconut lead to wine structed by generous but smooth tannin and refreshing acidity. This new-world number knits together nicely.

01/23/2024

New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc has been on fire for a long time, now becoming one the of the world's most popular white wines. Of course that means that the cool kids don't like it anymore. Too bad for them; more for me!

Although only founded in 2000, Clos Henri is headed by members of the famous winegrowing Bourgeois family from Sancerre, which is currently in it's tenth generation of winemaking. Their estate sits on both Otira glacial stones and Waimanuga clay, and it produces 100% of the wine that goes into this, their entry level cuvée.

The Clos Henri Estate Sauvignon Blanc 2022 ($25.95) has an upfront flinty-matchstick quality that enhances the wine's complex flavours of mango, orange, green apple, and guava - quite the fruit salad - with many other notes of stone, flowers, and herbs. The acidity on this is quite high, which helps to balance the exuberant palate. Perfect with spanakopita or a seafood linguine.

01/22/2024

On a cold January evening, there's nothing better than a lovely wine that won't much lighten the wallet. How does 15 dollars sound?

Nerlleo Mascalese is a grape that is indigenous to eastern Sicily and is most famous for making complex and structured wines on the volcanic slopes of Moutn Etna. Here it displays such excellent structure, minerality, and aromatic complexity that it is often compared to Burgundian Pinot Noir.

Although it doesn't reach the heights of Etna wine, the Tenute Orestiadi Molino a Vento Nerello Mascalese 2022 ($14.95) provides a value proposition that justifies the hommage to Moulin-à-Vent, the premier Beaujolais cru. Juicy black cherry and mirabelle plum, this really feels like biting straight into the fruit with the resulting fresh acid defining the palate. This has got a punch of flavour that is hard to find at this price. Pair with saucy fried chicken or blueberry-glazed salmon.

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01/19/2024

At one time, German Pinot Noir was a rarity as it could only barely ripen in the southern most extremes of the country. Climate change has made Germany much more suitable to growing the varietal, and plantings have increased to meet growing worldwide demand for Pinot Noir.

The Shepherd Red Pinot Noir 2018 ($26.95) is made in the Pfalz, located north of Alsace on the left bank of the Rhine. The latitude and elevation make this the frontier for Pinot Noir but is still has good concentration and admirable freshness. Roses, juicy cherry, and some fresh herbs make this so tasty but chalky tannins give this just enough grip to make you want to sip rather than glug this wine.

I would love to have this with a hot turkey sandwich or chicken paprikash. (What a perfect cold weather meal!)

01/19/2024

Look, I know that some people love California Chardonnay. The more oak and butter and body the better. That's fine for the, but I'm not one of those people. So I get excited I come across an example that I happen to not mind, or even enjoy.

The Blue Canyon Chardonnay 2021 ($25.95) is definitely an oaky wine, and that structures the palate and the texture, but it's got quality fruit to stand up to it. And it has that secret ingredient, acidity, to balance the ripe peach, mango, and lactic flavours while retaining a delightfully creamy mouthfeel.

This is traditional California Chardonnay done the right way, and it will go well with a croque monsieur or a falafel pita with plenty of hummus.

01/17/2024

Tenute Setti Ponte is named for the seven medieval bridges that cross the Arno River on the road from Arezzo to Florence, winding through the heart of the Chianti region. One of these bridges is even depicted in the background of the Mona Lisa!

Although the winery is much newer, having produced its first wine in 1998, it has quickly made a name for itself with its dedication to quality. Its top wine is the incredible Oreno (of which four bottles of the 2021 Vintage are still available at the Liberty Village LCBO for $99.95), but for a more affordable option, consider their "second" wine.

The Crognolo 2020 ($34.95) is 90% Sangiovese with the rest Merlot, and reflects some of the best qualities of the so-called "Super Tuscans." Ripe, dry and dense with the notable influence of quality oak, the flavours of plum and spices are complex and the inherent acidity of the variety provides lift and balance. The value is superb, and would perfectly complement Korean short ribs or a Beef Wellington.

01/16/2024

The region around Venice is known for producing some of Italy's best known wines such as Valipolicella, including the ripasso and amarone styles, and Prosecco. It also produces great still white wines, such as those of Lugana and Soave, and the producer Zenato has examples of both of these in the Vintages section right now!

The Zenato Colombara Soave Classico 2022 ($16.95) is 70% Garganega, a native Italian grape, and 30% Chardonnay. Soave used to produce mostly characterless bulk wines, but the average quality has increased significantly, and this is reflected in this incredible value bottle. Very peachy with pretty florals and even some minerality, this easy drinker dropped on the LCBO shelves a week ago and won't last long at this price.

The Zenato San Benedetto Lugana 2022 ($20.95) is made from Turbiana grapes grown to the south of Lake Garda. It has excellent lime-like acidity that is balanced by a creamy mid-palate texture and weight and accompanied by saline minerality and orchard fruit. This Vintage is essential is always worth checking out.

01/16/2024

Love Pinot Noir but don't love Pinot Noir prices? May I present the underrated and fairly priced category of Beaujolais Crus!

These 10 appellations located just south of the Burgundian village of Macon create wines from the Gamay Noir grape that compare favourably with their more famous (and expensive!) Pinot Noir-based neighbours to the north. Chénas is one of the lesser known crus, but it makes wine very comparable to Moulin-à-Vent in terms of body, structure, and ageability.

The Cave du Château de Chénas Coeur de Granit 2022 ($22.95) is loaded with volets, black cherry, and black pepper on the nose. Concentrated and full bodied for a Beaujolais, the plush tannins will hold up to a wide array of dishes, although my choice would be tandoori chicken or a reuben.

01/16/2024

All wines get better with time...right?

WRONG!

Most of the wines on the shelves of the LCBO are meant to drink now, so will not get better with time. Only few wines which have enough tannins, acid, concentration of flavour, and sometimes sugar will actually improve in bottle over a decade or more. And many people don't even enjoy the taste of an aged wine, as it becomes less fruity and more complex.

So if you want to try and aged wine but you don't to hold onto a bottle for 10 years, I've got a solution. Château Coufran 2010 ($43.95) is an exceptional bottle of Bordeaux which has aged beautifully, displaying the dried fruit and leather characteristics typical of mature wine. A core or reed fruit remains not yet faded but accompanied anise, stony-gravel, and wet leaves with a lovely satiny texture. Drink now or hold to 2026.

I want to drink this by a wood stove, with some top notch charcuterie and comté cheese.

01/16/2024

Semillon is an unfairly overlooked varietal. Native to the Bordeaux region where it is used in the great dry white wines of Pessac-Leognan, as well as in arguably the world's great sweet wine appellation, Sauternes. Its best quality is its ability to evolve gracefully with age.

This is evident in the Tyrrell's Hunter Valley Semillon 2022 ($27.95). Currently, this wine is about fresh herbs, lemon-lime, and green apple with marked stony minerality and steely acidity - absolutely vivacious. But this wine absolutely has the potential to age 5 - 10. The longer you wait, the more the wine will develop nutty, honeyed, and spicy flavours along with a hint of waxiness.

Nowhere outside of Bordeaux will you get a chance to experience a Semillon of this caliber, and really at quite a good price for the quality that it provides. This will be so good with butter-slathered seafood or a basil pesto pasta. Highly recommended!

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