Holiday wine ideas for early shoppers

Even before we’ve had time to put away the Halloween decorations, merchants are preparing for Christmas, and the LCBO is no exception. The November 4 Vintages catalogue is entitled “Gifts For All”, a theme it will reinforce for the remainder of the year.

Those who get out early will have the best selection… and unlike most retailers, you aren’t going to find any last-minute mark-downs at the LCBO.

That isn’t to say that you can’t find bargains, whether at the regular price or wines on clearance. Frequently, a store needing shelf space may drop the price on the remaining few bottles of a particular wine; if you keep your eyes open, you may find a pleasant surprise.

Every month, the LCBO has “Deals” as well, with selected product both in Vintages and on the regular shelves marked down, usually between 10 and 15 %.

One interesting wine in Vintages is the Josh Cellars Reserve Paso Robles Cabernet Sauvignon, normally $24.95, but until November 26 on sale for $21.95. This has more structure than the regular list example ($19.95) and also is less fruit-forward, as one should expect with the Reserve. It has reviews in the 88-91 range and is noted for creamy cherry and dark berry fruit, along with savoury elements such as olive and mocha, finishing with an earthy effect.

On the regular list for November, you can find the Cigar Box Pinot Noir from Chile. This old vine example is $2 off at $12.95. The wine is true to type for Pinot Noir with a silky texture with plum and cherry fruit and herb leading to vanilla notes on the finish.

Marked down is the Underwood Artist Series 2022 Rosé, now $19.75. The blend is predominantly Pinot Gris, with the fruit coming from various regions in Oregon. The flavours are reminiscent of stone fruit such as peach but also carry herbal notes such as the wild thyme you might expect on wines from the south of France. Towards the end, the suggestion of grapefruit makes its impression.

The LCBO isn’t alone in offering values. The Wine Rack stores at Rome’s and the Churchill Plaza Metro have a flash sale the weekend of American Thanksgiving, November 24-27, featuring a wine from each of their two top producers. The Inniskillin Reserve Pinot Gris will be $3 off at $21.95, and the Jackson-Triggs Grand Reserve Pinot Noir is reduced $4 at $25.95.

Pinot Gris is the same grape as Pinot Grigio, but the treatment differs and results in a white wine with more emphasis on rich fruit and spicy flavour, as opposed to the lighter and crisp effect we associate with Pinot Grigio. The Inniskillin Pinot Gris will show aromas that suggest peach. The body is medium to full with a smooth, well-rounded texture.

The Grand Reserve Pinot Noir is top-of-the-line for Jackson-Triggs The winemaker suggests that “the fruit-forward palate is lush with generous ripe red cherry and strawberry, accentuated with firm tannins, well-integrated oak and a lingering, balanced finish.” I can see this wine serving well with the Christmas Turkey, and be just as effective with roasted salmon.

At the Wine Racks stores, you can also find the Sandbanks Reserve Marquette, $19.95, from Ontario’s Prince Edward County. Marquette is a hybrid developed by the University of Minnesota to withstand colder temperatures.

When first opened, the impact can seem a bit sharp with a kind of cranberry impression coming to the fore; however, given a chance to breathe for an hour or so – decanting works! – the evolution is amazing.  The impact is smooth, lush, and seamless, with ample warm plum-like fruit carrying throughout. So very good, so delicious.

This holiday is a good time to check out the wines of Thomas Bachelder. The latest Decanter magazine from Britain had articles on Ontario Chardonnay and on pinot noirs from all of North and South America.

Thomas was referred to as a terroiriste, one who pays great attention to the particular characteristics of vineyard sites. His skill in this is abundantly clear, when we note that of the top 20 Ontario chardonnays identified, he has crafted three of them. Likewise of all the Pinot Noirs made in the Americas, Thomas is responsible for three of the top 33, including one in the top three.

In addition to his own Bachelder wines, Thomas is a winemaker for Le Clos Jordanne, the top wines in the Arterra portfolio which includes Inniskillin and Jackson-Triggs. You can search out his wines at bachelderniagara.com. As well, a number are still available at the Great Northern Road store.

Both Le Clos Jordanne Le Grand Clos Chardonnay and Pinot Noir appear to be available at the Great Northern Road store, each at $49.95. Decanter described the Chardonnay as “impressive and showy…with lashings of creamy, toasty oak over rich praline and dried peach, cut through with a bite of lemon.” – 91.

The 2021 Grand Clos Pinot Noir offers gently fragrant cherries, raspberries, plums and a note of cassis. Slender and crunchy with juicy fruit. Spicy complexity leads to a refreshing finish.” – 92

Bachelder’s own Les Villages Bench Pinot Noir 2021, $34.95, and his Ardoise Niagara Chardonnay 2021, $24.95 are also available. His skill and passion are applied every bit as much in these wines as in the ones in the $50 range. The difference? Location, location, location, or…terroir!

Here are some “big red’ gift suggestions from the November 4 and 18 releases. Quantities are limited, but the quality matches the price. The first three are here now, with the others available on the 18th

Duckhorn Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon 2020, $94.95. The site, “Into Wine” explains that “this has nice tight tannins and acidity to make the fruit work well for aging long-term. The dusty fruit of blackberry, black cherry, blueberry and huckleberry gives way to light vanilla from the oak influence and slight cocoa notes. If you’re looking for classic old-school Cabernet from a trusted producer, this is your wine.” – 93.

Currently $5 off is the very popular California blend, The Prisoner, $52.95, which combines Zinfandel, Cabernet Sauvignon and Petite Sirah among others. Writer Jim Gordon calls it “delicious and generous” with a “slighty grippy texture that counters its richness and ripeness.” He identifies sensations of cocoa and cinnamon to accompany flavours of blackberries and black cherries.– 91.

Oreno 2021, $99.95 is a super Tuscan from the Tenuta Sette Ponti winery. The Wine Enthusiast tells us that “fruity, floral aromas of dried cherries, raspberries and violets on the nose open up into more savoury notes… before a palate of more mixed berries rolls over savoury, earthy notes, with a hint of orange pith adding astringency through a long, umami-rich finish.” – 94.

Le Serre Nuove dell'Ornellaia 2021, $75.95, is yet another IGT Toscana, this one with multiple scores of 93 and 94.  “Masses of dark fruit, bittersweet chocolate, leather, licorice and cloves saturate the palate [with] sheer power and sombre intensity, but the balance is there, especially with aeration – this is a wine to lay down for few years.

Montes Purple Angel 2020, $96.95, is an iconic Carmenére from Chile. The “angel” is a reference to the Gregorian Chant which is played in the cellars where the wine matures. Critic James Suckling suggests it is a “consistent Purple Angel that really delivers the carmenere’s plushness when ripened well. Dark olives, blackberries and red chilli chocolate with a splash of spice and cigar box. Fleshy and concentrated with plenty of fine-grained tannins that extend to a very creamy finish. 92% carmenere with 8% petit verdot. Better from 2025. – 98!

Are you ready to shop?