Nicholas Pearce has some great value wines on the LCBO’s Vintages shelves.

Summerhill LCBO

VINTAGES FEATURED RELEASES 

PictureMimi en Provence Grande Réserve Rosé 2015   $18.95
—VINTAGES#: 452573   |   750 mL bottle (Coming September 3rd, 2016)
90 Points, Editors Choice,  Wine Enthusiast Magazine 
“Packed with fruit and spice, this is a great food wine. It is full bodied, rich with raspberry flavors gathered into a structure of light tannins and edgy minerality. The aftertaste brings out a crisper character.” WE   “It possesses a complex nose reminiscent of red berries and fresh ripe white peaches.  A very pleasant wine which embraces one’s palate with a pleasant and harmonious lightness.  Will perfectly accompany an octopus salad with olive oil and balsamic vinegar, grilled rock fish, red mullet and sea bream, as well as a Tagliatelle with Bolognese. It can also be very well appreciated as an aperitif.”

PictureMullineux Kloof Street 2014 WO Swartland Rouge Syrah Blend $19.95
VINTAGES#: 460964   |   750 mL bottle

A shiraz-led blend (86%) with splashes of grenache, carignan, mourvèdre, tinta barocca and cinsault, this ‘entry level’ red from Chris and Andrea Mullineux is an attractively smoky-savoury, well structured, floral, pot pourri-scented wine with lively, vibrant acids and an attractive volatile lift. Fruit is ripe and slightly baked but reeled in nicely, and the length is very good. Very food friendly and balanced all in all, not to mention the great complexity for the money. Nice stuff. Tasted July 2016. Value Rating: *** 90 Point John Szabo, WineAlign
 
“…The purity found here is in an unidentified, free, indirect South African style of modernistic, red blend narrative. Chris and Andrea Mullineux are here represented at ground level with pure, unadulterated red wine joy. Everyone must spend $20 over and over to enjoy what this will offer. Drink 2016-2020. Tasted July 2016.  91 Points Michael Godel, WineAlign

PictureDomaine Autrand Côtes du Rhône 2014 Grenache/Syrah – $13.95
VINTAGES#: 380675   |   750 mL bottle
A fresh Côtes du Rhône with an abundance of character. Offering an authentic experience at a very reasonable price. The peppery and energetic syrah component dominates the flavour profile. Mid-weight with notable “garrigue” and a pleasurable meatiness. More underripe than the norm but this is not unwelcome. Tannins are drying and although the palate does not offer great concentration it is still immensely pleasurable. Tasted June 2016.

Sara D’Amato, WineAlign
The wines of the Côtes du Rhône offer some of the greatest value anywhere. Predominantly Grenache this example will be ripe and juicy, with inviting red berry and spice notes and some underlying earth tones. It’s an easy go-to wine for summer entertaining and will shine with a wide range of foods off of the barbecue, from grilled veggies to burgers to pork ribs.

PictureHubert Brochard Les Carisannes Pinot Noir 2014 Pinot Noir $17.95
VINTAGES#: 450502   |   750 mL bottle
90 Pts Sara D’Amato, WineAlign “A terrifically elegant find with a modern attack and a fully old world palate. Light with nicely balanced acidity but not a pushover. The texture is lightly fleshy, crunchy but not lean. Very refined with fine, well-ripened tannins, delicate acids and exceptional length. Exhibiting pure and expressive fruit along with a little earth. Great regional typicity. Highly enjoyable. Tasted June 2016.”

The name ‘Carisannes’ is a combination of the names of the three sisters who run this estate: CARoline, ISabelle and ANNES-Sophie. Their vineyard is situated in Banny, near Sancerre. Their 2014 Pinot Noir is floral and light, in keeping with the style of Pinot from this part of France, with ripe cherry, spice and earth notes on the nose and palate. This example offers good value, and can be enjoyed tonight with grilled chicken or salmon dishes, but will also reward 3+ years in your cellar. (VINTAGES panel, Oct. 2015)

PictureSchild Estate GMS Grenache/Mourvèdre/Shiraz 2013 Grenache Blend – $19.95
VINTAGES#: 108183   |   750 mL bottle
Score – 94. (James Halliday, Wine Companion, July 27, 2015)

A 47/27/26% blend. The vivid crimson colour sends a message of the equally bright palate with its synergistic and unusually harmonious blend, the gamut of red fruits retaining brightness and shape (and no confection). Exceptional value – one of the bargains of the year.

90 Points Sara D’Amato, Wine Align
An aromatic, voluminous GSM blend from Schild. Great Barossa typicity is noted here. Excellent concentration and impressive complexity for the price. Undeniably full-bodied but nicely defined by ripened tannic presence, some mineral, saline and acidity. Well balanced and widely appealing. Great length. Tasted June 2016.

PictureDomaine des Terrisses Grande Tradition Gaillac 2012 – $17.95
Duras Blend – VINTAGES#: 451922   |   750 mL bottle
91 Points – Best Buy, Wine Enthusiast. “This is a broad, rich blend of Duras and Braucol with a little Syrah thrown in. It is ripe, with black fruits and balanced tannins that give structure but do not dominate. A smoky character from wood aging rounds it out. Drink from 2016.” (Roger Voss, Wine Enthusiast, Aug. 2015)

90 Points John Szabo MS, Best Value. “Duras and braucol may not be household names, but they’re classic south-western French grapes, to which syrah is added to create this nicely balanced, firm and authentic county red. Acids and tannins find harmony, and everything is nicely pitched – this is really fine, complex and lengthy red wine punching far above its price category. Savoury, balanced, food-friendly red for fans of old world balance and firmness; also age worthy.” Tasted June 2016. Value Rating: ***

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