PRÀ 2017 SOAVE OTTO

VENETO, ITALY

 “Soave” is a white wine producing appellation in the Veneto region of Italy. Wines that come from this area must be made from at least 70% of a grape variety called Garganega. This particular wine is made from 100% Garganega and the vines vary from 30 - 60 years old. Prà is an organically farmed, family run winery and they are universally regarded as one of only a handful of world-class producers in Soave who have revitalized the region.

As mentioned on the back of the bottle, the name for this particular wine comes from the family’s beloved Border Collie. Sadly, Otto has now passed on, but his memory will live forever through this delicious wine.

This fairly light bodied wine has lively acidity and is fresh and flinty with notes of nectarine, pink grapefruit, Golden Delicious apple, fresh ginger and tart lemon.

The 2017 Prà Soave Otto was recognized by Wine Spectator as one of the Top 100 Wines of 2018!

HALOS DE JUPITER 2017 VIN DE FRANCE BLANC

RHÔNE VALLEY, FRANCE

“According to poets, Jupiter (aka Zeus) is the father, the king of all gods and humans. He rules on Mount Olympus & his power is such that he can shake the entire universe by a simple nod of the head. He also represents the spiritual world, organizes the exterior world & is the god of all physical, moral & social rules. According to Eliade, he is the archetypical head of a patriarchal family. Jupiter is also the biggest planet of our solar system & its Halo is the closest of the three rings that surround the planet. For me, Grenache is the king of all grapes & the natural leader of all Rhône varietals. The Halo symbolizes the appellations that best express its personality.” -Phillippe Cambie

Of course, Cambie is referring to Grenache Noir, but Grenache Blanc is simply a mutation of its red relative. Grenache Blanc and Roussanne are the best of friends and no where is that more apparent than in this delicious, full bodied blend. The addition of 10% Colomard gives the wine beautiful, mouthwatering acidity. The wine spends 3 months on lees, adding lovely texture and weight to the palate. Notes of honey dew melon and lime pith are complimented by aromas of almond and wildflowers.

DE MARTINO 2017 GALLARDÍA CINSAULT

ITATA VALLEY, CHILE

The Itata Valley is located in South Central Chile, and vines were first planted here by the Spanish conquistadors in 1551. These vines are believed to have been the very first vines planted in all of Chile! With the Itata’s proximity to the Bay of Concepción (a large shipping port), the wines were distributed throughout the world. By the 1800’s though, the French started to settle in Chile and production started to move further North. Sadly, in the 1980’s Itata fell out of fashion, with most producers focusing on quantity over quality. Not all producers though, a small handful (such as the De Martino family) recognized just how special the region really is!

These vines were planted in 1982. This project is a labour of love for the De Martino’s and they strive to make the wine with as little intervention as possible. The grapes are vinified in stainless steel to preserve freshness. The nose has aromas of cherry and smoke. The palate is electric with flavours of cherry Tootsie Pops, Chai tea, pink peppercorn, and a touch of funk.

KEN WRIGHT CELLARS 2015 PINOT NOIR

WILLAMETTE VALLEY, OREGON

Ken Wright is a legend. He fell in love with wine at an early age while serving tables in Kentucky; and from there he enrolled in the prestigious viticulture program at California’s UC Davis. However, after just one visit to Oregon in 1976 he was convinced that this is where he needed to be. Ken felt that Oregon was where North America’s very best expressions of Pinot Noir would come from, so he packed up his family and moved. He was a pioneer in championing single vineyards in Oregon and now produces 13 different wines from single sites.

This stunner is a blend of those sites.

"I craft the blend to be extremely enjoyable right off the bat, it's lush and full of pure Pinot fruit, reflecting that it's a blend of grapes from blocks of our best single vineyard sites, rather than from a single vineyard alone." – Ken Wright

A classic expression of Oregon Pinot, this bright wine has notes of spiced cherry pie filling, tart cranberry, cola and earthy notes of mushroom, potting soil and smoky camp fire.

A SUNDAY IN AUGUST 2017 CABERNET MERLOT

SIMILKAMEEN VALLEY, B.C.

A Sunday in August is a passion project through and through. Michael Shindler and his fiancée Sam Milbrath make small-batch, minimal intervention wines, using only organically farmed grapes. These particular grapes (50% Merlot, 25% Cabernet Franc & 25% Cabernet Sauvignon) came from a single vineyard on the Middle Bench near the town of Keremeos. Michael picks based on acidity and flavour instead of sugar levels, these grapes were harvested in mid-October of 2017.

“Before this, I played in a band & I still do. I think making wine & making music are quite similar. They’re both very subjective, people either like it or they don’t. Both are kind of creative and emotionally crazy as well.” – Michael Shindler

Aromas of juicy raspberries, dried herbs and leather jump from the glass. The palate is velvety and just a touch lighter than you’d expect. The wine is neither fined nor filtered and is slightly cloudy with great texture. Decant for ½ an hour to an hour.

FINCA ALLENDE 2010 RIOJA

RIOJA ALTA, SPAIN

Winemaker Miguel Ángel de Gregorio’s interest in the world of wine was inherited from his father when they moved to Rioja. It was at an early age that Miguel Ángel started to become aware of the first-rate qualities of the land and his desire to “squash grapes”, as he calls it. Finca Allende, located in the Riojan town of Briones, is where he started his personal wine venture, he is able to freely and explicitly put into practice his own particular philosophy. The word ‘Allende’ means “to go a step further” in Spanish, a motto which he sticks to without exception.

Made from 100% Tempranillo this vintage boasts an impressive 94 points from Decanter. 2010 is also regarded as one of the very best vintages in Rioja in the past 25 years! Fermented in stainless steel to maintain freshness and then finished for 14 months in French oak barrels, this beauty is brimming with aromas of blackberries, dried plums and anise with a hint of vanilla and tobacco. The palate is harmonious with lush, supple tannins.

-Erin Loader