Hello and welcome back.
The bargains are a lot more plentiful this month, about twice as many as January and there are very good price drops in the $4.00 - $6.00 range on twenty or so wines. This month’s sale lasts until March 2.
There are fifty-five great value wines available this month, including six new Wine Picks and fifteen 90+ point wines. As always, new wine picks are placed at the top of each flavour profile category, previous picks now on sale are next and the Rarer Bird category is listed below that.
Wine Bargains - Let's Get Started
The wine bargains below are independently reviewed by me and most are widely available from B.C. government stores.
For February, the wines chosen are in these styles:
Ripe Fruit Forward Reds (21 wines, 1 new, ) | Savoury Fruit Reds (13 wines, 3 new, ) | Lighter Fruit Reds (2 wines | Medium Bodied Smooth Whites (7 wines, 1 new) | Bigger, Oak Influenced Whites (3 wines) | Crisp Dry Whites (2 wines) | Aromatic Whites (1 wine, 1 new) | Rosé (1 wines) | Sparkling (4 wines)
Pro Wine Tip
Just below, I unlocked an older newsletter containing a Pro Tip article on the role of acidity in wine. Click to view and please enjoy.
TOP 5 VALUE-FOR-PLEASURE WINE PICKS FOR FEBRUARY
Ripe Fruit Forward Reds Style (think ripe cherries)
#5. FINCA LAS MORAS BARREL SELECT TANNAT 2021 - ARGENTINA
$17.99 reduced to 13.99 until March 2 - 750 ml.
Initially some reddish fruit on the nose along with a more austere touch of graphite or tar. As on the nose, rounded red fruits as well as a touch of more somber graphite or prune skins combined with consistent overall floral notes. As it opened the fruit increased nicely and kept the appealing floral/graphite tension. Different and interesting. Great value. Tasted ✓ 88 Points
Find Store Nearest You SKU: 104018
Lighter Fruity Reds (light to medium bodied, savoury or ripe fruit)
#4 DIORA LA PETITE GRACE PINOT NOIR 2020 - MONTEREY, CA., USA
$28.99 Reduced to $22.99 until March 2 - 750 ml.
For pinot lovers, an intriguing combination of savoury fruit elements, dusty clay and more showing here. Baking spices of nutmeg and cinnamon with savoury cherry, an elegant touch of pomegranate molasses and that dusty clay harmonize and complement each other.
Monterey is South of the Bay area and the sunshine hours show in its fruit emphasis but the ventilated valleys and proximity to the ocean also provide some clarifying acidity. The finish is long and echoes with savoury cherry and clay dust. A very interesting, distinct pinot noir at a great, great price this month. Tasted ✓ 89 Points
Find Store Nearest You SKU: 24599
Crisp, Dry Whites (Sauvignon Blanc & Similar)
#3 LEFT FIELD SAUVIGNON BLANC 2022 - NELSON, NEW ZEALAND
$19.99 Reduced to $14.99 until March 2 - 750 ml.
Blended from vineyards across New Zealand, but the usual sauvignon blanc gooseberry notes are milder here, along with a touch of melon rind and some light tropical fruit notes. Overall a gentler version of NZ sauvignon that is all persuasion. Tasted ✓ 88 Points
Find Store Nearest You SKU: 168498
Ripe Fruit Forward Reds (think ripe cherries)
#2 SAN PEDRO 1865 LAS MORADAS SINGLE VINEYARD CARMENERE 2020 - MAULE VALLEY, CHILE
$25.99 reduced to 20.99 until March 2 - 750 ml.
The aroma here is of a lovely, slightly “dusty” red plum skin fruit with some floral notes (lilac). The graceful balance in this wine is apparent even on the first whiff. The taste follows through with rounded, generous, floral tinged berry fruit with a good mouthwatering acidity and very soft, silky tannins. The intensity of flavour here is about medium for a red wine and is not big bodied. Great, great value here, it just seems to slide so easily out of the glass. Highly recommended. Tasted ✓ 90 Points
Find Store Nearest You SKU 771394
Ripe Fruit Forward Reds (think ripe cherries)
#1 MONPAS SYRAH 2019 - CASTILLA, SPAIN 13.5%
$14.99 reduced to 11.99 until March 2 - 750 ml.
A slightly different, pleasing take on syrah from Castilla-La Mancha, a large region which lies South and East of the Spanish capital Madrid. The region has traditionally been known as a source of low-quality bulk wine but the last few decades have brought innovation and experimentation that includes non-traditional grape varieties such as syrah. An organic wine, it's medium weight, with restrained alcohol. The syrah style here leans towards darker fruits, woven with notes of black olives, savoury Mediterranean spices (savory, thyme, oregano...) and desert scrub. A smooth textured glassful with highly managed tannins, it doesn't show the typical pepper and red fruit notes you would find in syrahs from Australia and the Rhone in France but delivers honest flavour at an amazing price. Tasted ✓ 88 Points
Find Store Nearest You SKU: 361051
ALL FEBRUARY MONTHLY BARGAINS
Ripe Fruit Forward Reds (think ripe cherries)
New Wine Picks
STERLING VINTNER'S COLLECTION MERLOT 2021 - CALIFORNIA, USA
$18.99 reduced to $15.99 until March 2 - 750 ml.
Some cherry, apple and wood in its aromas, fairly simple and straight forward. This follows through on the flavours with typical rounded merlot flavours of cherry, red and black plum and other mid-red fruits. It's all mid-palate and shows reasonably good merlot varietal character. Laid back tannins and a slightly soft acidity makes it very easy and sippable. A fine way to get your merlot fix and quite good value at the sale price. Tasted ✓ 88 Points
Find Store Nearest You SKU:643882
Previous Wine Picks Now On Sale
BLACK SAGE VINEYARD CABERNET FRANC 2020 - OKANAGAN VALLEY, CANADA
$32.99 reduced to $28.99 until March 2 - 750 ml.
When I worked in a VQA wine store (that sold only B.C. wine) over a period of seven years I got to taste the Black Sage Vineyards red wines regularly. I found that they were literally hit or miss, i.e. a particular vintage might have an outstanding cabernet sauvignon and a sub par merlot. There was never a year that was all hits or all misses. But hit or miss is not all a bad thing because there were hits and this cabernet franc is certainly on the hits list. 2020 is an excellent year for Okanagan wines.
On the nose, typical very "dusty" fruit with sage, Mediterranean herb, preserved cherries, pencil shavings, raspberry, baked red fruit pie. It showed a little tannic grip but had some length and good cabernet franc character. More graceful than forceful, this subtle cab franc has an interesting layered finish, with a supporting acidity that provides interest and frames the fruit well. Reminds me somewhat of a right bank Bordeaux especially St. Emilion.
Cabernet franc is the genetic parent of cabernet sauvignon and is typically lighter and softer. B.C. generally does a great job on cabernet franc. They are well worth trying starting with this one. Tasted ✓ 90 Points
Find Store Nearest You SKU: 593038
BODEGAS LOS TIMOS - VIVANCO PRENSA REAL M CABERNET SAUVIGNON 2020 - SPAIN
$12.99 reduced to $9.99 until March 2 - 750 ml.
Light, red, rounded fruits and a touch of merlot character here. A slight musty tang on the fruit finish but quite drinkable and very affordable. Tasted ✓ 86 Points
Find Store Nearest You SKU: 57106
LA MASCOTA CABERNET FRANC - ARGENTINA
$18.99 reduced to $14.49 until March 2 - 750 ml.
The wine has a very rich, plush nose of savoury plum jam, dried figs and loganberry. This follows through on the flavour with good matching acidity. The tannins are very slightly grippy and it is fairly full bodied with some good fruit intensity. Tasted ✓ 88 Points
Cabernet Sauvignon vs. Cabernet Franc Most wine drinkers are more familiar with cabernet sauvignon than they are with cabernet franc. How do the two grapes and the wines they produce compare?
The two are very closely related as cabernet sauvignon was originally derived from a crossing between cabernet franc and sauvignon blanc.
Cabernet sauvignon is the main grape in most French Bordeaux as well as much California wine, from Napa Valley and elsewhere in the state. It is the most widely planted red grape variety in the world and many countries produce excellent examples including Chile and Australia.
Cabernet sauvignon is a thick-skinned grape producing darker coloured, more tannic wines. At its best it is full bodied with intense dark berry flavours of blackcurrant or blackberry.
Cabernet Franc is thinner skinned and typically produces wines that are slightly lighter, less tannic, more herbal and savoury. There is also often a kind of dry “dustiness” in the fruit finish on cabernet franc wines versus the blackcurrant richness of cabernet sauvignon.
In France, cabernet franc is also a common component in Bordeaux wines and in areas such as St. Emilion can even be the lead grape and many Loire Valley reds are one hundred percent cabernet franc.
In the rest of the world, especially in South America and here in B.C., it is being vinified separately with great results.
Find Store Nearest You SKU 236406
FREI BROTHERS CABERNET SAUVIGNON RESERVE 2020 - ALEXANDER VLY. USA
$29.99 reduced to 26.99 until March 2 - 750 ml.
If you typically drink $20 -$30 Cabernet Sauvignon from California and find that despite individual differences, they seem to be from the same playbook, here is a cabernet that is both very good and a little different. Wine Spectator magazine (one of the biggies) rated it as one of their top ten wine values.
Good intensity with classic blackcurrant and Tennessee cedar, blackberry, vanilla, briarwood, chocolate and cherry notes. Classy with juicy acidity, soft tannins and focused flavours. Well balanced, a lovely glass of cabernet. Now a little more affordable. Tasted ✓ 90+ Points
Find Store Nearest You SKU: 367037
LOS VASCOS CROMAS CABERNET SAUVIGNON 2019 - CHILE
$29.99 reduced to $24.99 until March 2 - 750 ml.
Los Vascos is a property in the Colchagua Valley area of Chile and is owned by the Lafite Rothschild group from the Medoc. Cabernet sauvignon and a touch of syrah in the mix here. Some silkiness, good concentration and clear cabernet sauvignon character. It gives California Cabernets a run for their money. Tasted ✓ 90 Points
Find Store Nearest You SKU: 182055
PETER LEHMANN THE BAROSSAN CABERNET SAUVIGNON - AUSTRALIA
$24.99 reduced to $21.99 until March 2 - 750 ml.
Very much in the Peter Lehman house style with big fruit intensity, fairly low acidity and very smooth, rich tannins. Silky and rich at a good price. Tasted ✓ 88 Points
Find Store Nearest You SKU 156486
THREE FINGER JACK CABERNET SAUVIGNON 2020 - EASTSIDE RIDGE LODI, USA
$24.99 reduced to 21.99 until March 2 - 750 ml.
Fairly dense California cabernet with rich flavours of blackberry, blackcurrant, some earthiness and barrel derived notes of caramel/cedar. What sets this wine apart from many a typical big jammy CA cabernet though is the distinct cabernet character. Full bodied on the palate with some medium tannins, and balancing acidity. If this is your kind of cabernet, well worth trying. Some real intensity and a touch of oak related spiciness in the mix. Can’t help but think of BBQ beef ribs and such to go with this. Tasted ✓ 88 Points
Find Store Nearest You SKU: 83488
PETER LEHMANN CLANCYS CABERNET-SHIRAZ-MERLOT 2021 - AUSTRALIA
$18.49 reduced to 14.99 until March 2 - 750 ml.
An old standby, very consistent, biggish alcohol, big bodied red flavours of plums and cherry. There’s a slight tarry tang at the end but it is easily abided amidst all the juicy fresh fruit. On great sale this month. Fire up the barbie… Tasted ✓ 88 Points
Find Store Nearest You SKU: 611467
BARON PHILIPPE DE ROTHSCHILD ESCUDO ROJO CARMENERE 2021 - CHILE
$18.99 reduced to 15.99 until March 2 - 750 ml.
The carmenere grape may not be as familiar to you as cabernet sauvignon or malebec but if you like a fruit forward red, you will enjoy this. There’s a lot going on here from Baron Philippe de Rothchild of Bordeaux fame.
The scents here are a of slightly floral red raspberry/red currant/red plum jam. The fruit flavours are similar led by red plum with a smooth silky texture that slides into the soft tannins producing an elegant finish. Well balanced with a little dusty burr of carmenere character at the very end. It has elevated fruit intensity and is medium bodied but there’s also an overall refinement to the wine that might have something to do with the Bordeaux influence? Could be my imagination. Anyway, outstanding value at this sale price. Tasted ✓ 90 Points
Find Store Nearest You SKU: 746321
SAN PEDRO 1865 LAS MORADAS SINGLE VINEYARD CARMENERE 2020 - MAULE VALLEY, CHILE
$25.99 reduced to 20.99 until March 2 - 750 ml.
The aroma here is of a lovely, slightly “dusty” red plum skin fruit with some floral notes (lilac). The graceful balance in this wine is apparent even on the first whiff. The taste follows through with rounded, generous, floral tinged berry fruit with a good mouthwatering acidity and very soft, silky tannins. The intensity of flavour here is about medium for a red wine and is not big bodied. Great, great value here, it just seems to slide so easily out of the glass. Highly recommended. Tasted ✓ 90 Points
Find Store Nearest You SKU 771394
MONPAS SYRAH 2019 - CASTILLA, SPAIN 13.5%
$14.99 reduced to 11.99 until March 2 - 750 ml.
A slightly different, pleasing take on syrah from Castilla-La Mancha, a large region which lies South and East of the Spanish capital Madrid. The region has traditionally been known as a source of low-quality bulk wine but the last few decades have brought innovation and experimentation that includes non-traditional grape varieties such as syrah. An organic wine, it's medium weight, with restrained alcohol. The syrah style here leans towards darker fruits, woven with notes of black olives, savoury Mediterranean spices (savory, thyme, oregano...) and desert scrub. A smooth textured glassful with highly managed tannins, it doesn't show the typical pepper and red fruit notes you would find in syrahs from Australia and the Rhone in France but delivers honest flavour at an amazing price. Tasted ✓ 88 Points
Find Store Nearest You SKU: 361051
CLOS DE LOS SIETE 2019 - MENDOZA, ARGENTINA
$29.99 reduced to $24.99 until March 2 - 750 ml.
This is a very well crafted blend of mostly malbec with merlot, syrah and cabernet sauvignon. A very consistent wine that is both full and appealingly elegant, it treads the line between fruit forward and savoury fruit. A lot of quality here for the money. Great to see it on sale. Tasted ✓ 90 Points
Find Store Nearest You SKU: 128710
CANTINA TOLLO PIETRAME LTD. EDITION MONTEPULCIANO D'ABRUZZO 2020 - ITALY
$14.99 reduced to 12.99 until March 2 - 750 ml.
Here again is a crossover wine from what might be expected to be a savoury red to to the fruit forward category. On the nose plummy, ripe cherry, touch of tar. The flavours are similar. Relatively simple overall but a restrained alcohol level combined with lower acidity, vinification in stainless steel only and good intensity makes this a winner. Great, great deal. Tasted ✓ 87 Points
Find Store Nearest You SKU: 480205
ROMEO & JULIET PASSIMENTO ROSSO 2021 - IGT VENETO, ITALY
$18.99 reduced to 14.99 until March 2 - 750 ml.
Appassimento is the Italian term used for the process of drying picked grapes indoors for a time. The partially dried grapes are then crushed and vinified. When the grapes lose water it concentrates the sugar and other compounds in the grapes. The resulting wine tastes more concentrated and rich but tends to lower the acidity. The appassimento method is used in Valpolicalla to make wines labeled ripasso that are also found on B.C. liquor store shelves.
This wine has the typical appassimento method flavour elements including a concentrated richness with touches of licorice, raisin and chocolate notes and very soft acidity. Although different in the flavour specifics, it has a similar style to the warm climate big California fruit red style i.e. big alcohol, big fruit, low acidity. This combination makes it very easy drinking, so it has proven to be an Italian wine that has been very appealing to North American wine drinkers who go for this style. The price advantage here versus the California versions is excellent. Tasted ✓ 88 Points
Find Store Nearest You SKU: 690420
CIGAR BOX PINOT NOIR - CHILE
$16.99 reduced to $12.99 until March 2 - 750 ml.
Pinot noir under $20.00 that is lighter, supple, balanced and has good pinot noir fruit character is a rarity. Chile usually gets closest to clearing the bar and this one certainly achieves it. It is well named as the pinot noir fruit is a little spicy with notes of chocolate, tobacco leaf and baking spices (cloves, cinnamon). Although it is not my personal favourite pinot noir style, it is very enjoyable, interesting, balanced pinot noir, has no adverse flavours and is fair value at the regular price. It is an outstanding bargain at the deeply discounted price this month. Tasted ✓ 87 Points
Find Store Nearest You SKU 234901
SEE YA LATER RANCH PING MERITAGE 2020 - OKANAGAN VLY. , CANADA
$26.99 reduced to $23.99 until March 2 - 750 ml.
Meritage, pronounced like heritage is a name created by a group of American vintners as a name for new world wines blends containing some or all of the standard Bordeaux grape varieties i.e. cabernet sauvignon, merlot, cabernet franc, malbec and petit verdot. A number of B.C. wineries have opted to us this term for some of their red blends. The word was selected from more than 6,000 contest entries. The term combines "merit” with "heritage”.
This wine won a gold medal at the 2022 All Canadian Wine Championships.
The wine is well balanced with approachable tannins has a lovely complexity and structure. Currently priced at a fraction of what an equivalent Bordeaux would cost. British Columbia wineries have been very successful with Bordeaux style blends and this is a great example. Tasted ✓ 89 Points
Find Store Nearest You SKU: 220145
FOURTH WAVE LITTLE GIANT SHIRAZ 2022 - BAROSSA, AUSTRALIA
$29.99 reduced to 24.99 until March 2 - 750 ml.
A lot in the glass, including intense berry fruit, some alcohol heat, stewed plums, black pepper, smoke, floral notes, and tobacco. On the flavour, light bodied for a shiraz, more like a grenache really, but packed with shiraz savour. Initially slightly bitter on the edges but with a rounded and pleasant long aftertaste. After fifteen minutes in the glass it developed more floral notes including lilac, grew more silky in texture and lost the tart edge. A medley of engaging flavours of mulberry, tobacco, lilac and plum jam, with an undercurrent of light graphite/bark/plum skin that melded with the other flavours and provided counterbalance with the long dense fruit. Overall, excellent balance here too with flavourful tannins and well matched acidity that kept the flavours fresh before ending with a lingering finish. All in all a very persuasive wine. Tasted ✓ 91 Points
Find Store Nearest You SKU: 128023
PETER LEHMANN THE BAROSSAN 2018 - SHIRAZ - AUSTRALIA
$24.99 reduced to 21.99 until March 2 - 750 ml.
Big intense concentrated berry fruit. Dense and rich but with soft rich tannins. A lot of wine for the money. Tasted ✓ 88 Points
Find Store Nearest You SKU: 144937
QUARISA JOHNNY Q - SHIRAZ/ VIOGNIER 2018 - AUSTRALIA
$15.99 Reduced to $12.99 until March 2 - 750 ml.
Shiraz & viognier, red and white wine blended? Sounds odd but it is following the style of a traditional blend from the Rhone Valley in France. The viognier element is small but adds to the overall complexity. Fairly straight forward slightly jammy, biggish syrah. Simple, full and pleasing. Tasted ✓ 88 Points
Find Store Nearest You SKU: 340075
FINCA LAS MORAS BARREL SELECT TANNAT 2021 - ARGENTINA
$17.99 reduced to 13.99 until March 2 - 750 ml.
Initially some reddish fruit on the nose along with a more austere touch of graphite or tar. As on the nose, rounded red fruits as well as a touch of more somber graphite or prune skins combined with consistent overall floral notes. As it opened the fruit increased nicely and kept the appealing floral/graphite tension. Different and interesting. Great value. Tasted ✓ 88 Points
Find Store Nearest You SKU: 104018
Savoury Fruit Reds (think fruit tea, cranberry, tomato sauce, fruit leather)
New Wine Picks
ERA COSTANA RIOJA RESERVA 2018 - RIOJA, SPAIN
$29.99 reduced to 22.99 until March 2 - 750 ml.
The style of Rioja reds has certainly fanned out from the classic and traditional that originally involved time in American oak and was a blend of grapes usually led by Tempranillo. The well made versions of those wines were light to medium in body and though austere, grew extremely elegant as they aged.
That classic style would now seem to be more in the minority. The emphasis on oak in general has been reduced and winemakers are also using a mixture of French and American oak. Most noticeably, the fruit component has changed to include fresher and/or more intense fruit in the mix. This has made Rioja reds more accessible to New World tastes.
Here is a great example of a modern Rioja. On the nose, lightly fresh and savoury cherry fruit, with rich notes of chocolate, raisins and caramel. It's a mid-weight wine following the nose with cherries and some richer lovely berry fruits in the second half so it's definitely a little richer than your typical older style Rioja.
The flavours open out to include some velvety texture with loganberry mulberry and graphite. The silky rich, red fruit has above medium intensity with restrained alcohol and a cushioned acidity that matches the fruit. The finish lingers with juicy berry notes. A long way from classic but a really lovely wine. Well worth investigating. Great price drop here this month. Tasted ✓ 90 Points
Find Store Nearest You SKU: 305902
TORMARESCA TRENTANGELI 2018 ORGANIC - CASTEL DEL MONTE, PUGLIA, ITALY
$29.99 reduced to 27.49 until March 2 - 750 ml. SKU:
Castel del Monte is a DOC in the Puglia area of Italy, near the "heel of the boot". Its range of allowable grapes for red wine makes for an interesting range of flavours and styles depending on the grape mix. The blend here is 70% aglianico, 20% cabernet sauvignon and 10% syrah.
The wine took some time to open in the glass so you might want to decant it to fully appreciate what it has to offer.
On the nose, intriguing drifts of leather, savoury cherry, licorice, and Seville orange rind. Once it opened up, it was very smooth and silky. To begin with the flavours were much the same as on the aromas. The body and intensity were both this side of medium, similar to pinot noir.
Ultimately, it is a very lovely wine producing a fine wave of elegant flavors including red currant, bitter almond, savoury cherry and some gaminess. There's a pleasant tension between the fruit, tannins and acidity. A long finish featuring an alliance of savoury red fruits, very fine balancing tannins, bitter almond and a drift marmalade orange rind was very winning. Tasted ✓ 91 Points
Find Store Nearest You SKU: 675843
FRESCOBALDI NIPOZZANO RISERVA CHIANTI RUFINA 2020 - TUSCANY, ITALY
$26.99 reduced to 22.99 until March 2 - 750 ml.
The somewhat condensed fruit showing here on the nose and flavour is very appealing with dark red savoury berry notes of overripe cherry, dark red plum, chocolate and some herbal touches. Modulated tannins, moderate alcohol and an active but discrete acidity help create a favorable overall balance, so it is medium bodied with some richness but is no fruit bomb. The flavours land like a mid-weight cabernet sauvignon or merlot so fans of that style will be comfortable here. Tasted ✓ 88 Points
Find Store Nearest You SKU:107276
Previous Wine Picks Now On Sale
CHATEAU DAVIAUD 2019 - BORDEAUX, FRANCE
$19.99 reduced to 17.99 until March 2 - 750 ml.
You want affordable Bordeaux? This is it.
Simple, rounded, balanced with “dusty” fruit and a touch of floral cherry wood on the nose and flavour, with approachable tannins. Not grand, but a good true example of Bordeaux’s charms. Tasted ✓ 88 Points
Find Store Nearest You SKU: 401073
JEAN PIERRE MOUEIX ROUGE 2018 - BORDEAUX, FRANCE
$19.99 reduced to 17.99 until March 2 - 750 ml.
Initially some pleasing drifts of oak with beguiling cherry fruit ambling around underneath. The grapes here are merlot and cabernet franc.
A steady, medium intensity cherry/loganberry fruit flavour is its calling card along with a harmony of its other elements. There's a touch of tar too with very smooth tannins, great balance and rounded fruit that showed more depth of flavour, a fairly lengthy finish and some poise as it opened up in the glass. Best value Bordeaux under $20 right now especially at this month’s sale price. Tasted ✓ 89 Points
Find Store Nearest You SKU: 30472
CORTE OTTONE RISERVA 2019 - BRINDISI, ITALY
$21.99 reduced to 19.99 until March 2 - 750 ml.
The grape here is negroamaro, one of the many Italian grapes you probably have never heard of. This is not very surprising since astonishingly, Italy currently makes commercially available wines from over 800 different grape varities. The vast majority we have never heard of of course but I wouldn’t like to work for the Negroamaro Marketing Board if there is one. The name in reference to an ancient wine style for negroamaro means “dark, bitter”, so it might be a bit of a tough sell.
Fortunately, the more modern styles of negroamaro are delicious and often great value. You will find a few wines labeled “negroamaro” and it is the main grape in Salice Salentino wines. This one from Brindisi is a cut above. The fruit is savoury but on the rich and ripe side, slightly smoky with sweet spices, chocolate, tobacco and cherry notes and all done with only 13% alcohol. Lovely and interesting. Tasted ✓ 89 Points
Find Store Nearest You SKU: 475988
MONASTERIO DE LAS VINAS CARINENA RESERVA 2017 - SPAIN
$15.99 reduced to 13.99 until March 2 - 750 ml.
Dry, savoury fruit, medium-bodied, nicely balanced, fairly smooth with plum, dried herbs leathery and smoky flavours on the palate. Incredible value week in and week out and now on further sale. Note there are two other levels of this wine also on the shelf besides this “Reserva” wine, a junior level labeled “Crianza” and a senior level labeled “Gran Reserva” Don’t confuse. This one is the best value. Tasted ✓ 88 Points
Find Store Nearest You SKU: 642785
CHAPOUTIER BELLERUCHE CÔTES-DU-RHONE 2021, FRANCE
$22.99 reduced to 18.99 until - 750 ml.
The main grapes here are grenache and syrah. Rich liquorice notes with preserved red plums and some white pepper on the aroma and the taste. The wine shows good Côtes-du-Rhone character. The intensity and body here are both medium. The finish is long and stays focused, riding on soft approachable tannins. This wine is fairly robust. So if you enjoy a bigger California cabernet, you might want to see what the same style tastes like using different grapes. Good value and very consistent. Tasted ✓ 89 Points
Find Store Nearest You SKU: 476846
CHAPOUTIER MEYSONNIERS 2020 - CROZES-HERMITAGE, FRANCE
$29.99 reduced to 25.99 until March 2 - 750 ml.
Crozes-Hermitage is an appellation near the great Hermitage area of the Northern Rhone. This organic wine is very elegant, containing 100% syrah grapes here with cherry and blackberry flavors and fine, supple tannins. A step up from typical Cotes du Rhone reds. Decant to open it up fully. A Rhone Valley red that is the next level up. Amazing value. Tasted ✓ 90 Points
Find Store Nearest You SKU: 131078
GRAO VASCO - DAO, PORTUGAL
$10.99 reduced to 8.99 until March 2 - 750 ml.
With wines under $12.00 or so, wine drinkers have to be realistic. You are very unlikely to find something grand, complex or fascinating under the cork at that price level.
When assessing very economically priced wines, I find it more realistic and useful to look for what’s NOT there. No factory wine taste, no medicinal tang, no candied fruit flavours, no watered down taste, no mouth puckering tannins or bracing acidity. Each to their own but any smug satisfaction I may enjoy drinking a wine costing as little as one figure, the party is definitely spoiled if the wine has something negative that I have to put up with.
It’s ultimately about value for money not just price, so as the list of absentee negatives (medicinal tang, candied fruit…) grows, I think, so does the wine’s relative worth.
Viewed through that lens, here is a great value wine. Grao Vasco has the advantage of being based mainly on a couple of indigenous grapes - touriga nacional and tinto roriz that are inherently flavourful and rich. The wine also seems to be non-vintage so they are able to blend multiple vintages to create a consistent wine.
The wine is very simple with cherry, wood and a touch of tar as well as tobacco on the nose. Likewise on the flavour, dry and savoury with some plum as well. For under $10.00, you have enjoyable, cheap and cheerful, complementary accompaniment for pizza or lasagna. Save money and enjoy. Tasted ✓ 86 Points
Find Store Nearest You SKU: 14977
PAUL MAS MALBEC PAYS D'OC, FRANCE
$16.99 reduced to 14.99 until March 2 - 750 ml.
France is the original home of malbec and it is one of the allowable grape varieties in Bordeaux wines. Most people know the Argentinian versions which tend to be round, jammy and a little tannic. As is often the case, this Old World (meaning basically Europe) version has leaner, more savoury fruit and lower alcohol. It is from a single vineyard which tends toward (but doesn’t guarantee) a higher quality wine. Great value and very consistent. Try tasting side-by-side with a malbec from Argentina to experience the difference in the two styles. Tasted ✓ 89 Points
Find Store Nearest You SKU: 644336
FONTANAFREDDA BARBERA BRICCOTONDO 2021 - ITALY
$19.99 Reduced to $15.99 until March 2 - 750 ml.
Drinks surprisingly like a decent merlot, very plummy, pretty silky and rounded with very soft tannins and just a light note of licorice on the end. Although it is in the Savoury Fruit style here, it is oh-so-close to the Ripe Fruit Forward style. I could well mistake this for a merlot if I was tasting it blind. I can’t think of a better way to ease into appreciating Italian red wine. A lovely wine for the price. Tasted ✓ 88 Points
Find Store Nearest You SKU: 898718
Rarer Birds
QUINTA DAS CARVALHAS 2018 - DOURO, PORTUGAL
$26.99 Reduced to $23.99 until March 2 - 750 ml.
A striking nose of plum, cherries, raspberry smoky wood and dreamy, intense, floral, berry fruit and licorice. On the palate, the tannins and wood notes are uppermost but are very well integrated with the concentrated fruit. It drinks very much like a rich, fulsome port, except dry instead of sweet. There is a silky texture, touched by wood and it possesses big intensity and body. The finish is very long, supported by good background acidity. Tasted ✓ 93 Points
Find Store Nearest You SKU: 466709
Lighter Fruity Reds (light to medium bodied, savoury or ripe fruit)
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MONTE DEL FRA BARDOLINO 2021 - ITALY
$18.99 Reduced to $16.99 until March 2 - 750 ml.
This Bardolino is a blend of three Italian grapes you may likely have never heard of, corvina, rondinella, and molinara. Bardolino is always on the lighter and easier side but this one also has some real balance and interest. It is very pinot noir-like in body and intensity, but with fruit that has a touch of pomegranate in it and is a little more herbal. It’s fuller flavoured than many Bardolinos. With a beautiful balance and a longish finish, this wine is another great introduction to Italian wine. They are not all dry and unapproachable. Excellent value. Tasted ✓ 88 Points
Find Store Nearest You SKU: 283648
DIORA LA PETITE GRACE PINOT NOIR 2020 - MONTEREY, CA., USA
$28.99 Reduced to $22.99 until March 2 - 750 ml.
For pinot lovers, an intriguing combination of savoury fruit elements, dusty clay and more showing here. Baking spices of nutmeg and cinnamon with savoury cherry, an elegant touch of pomegranate molasses and that dusty clay harmonize and complement each other.
Monterey is South of the Bay area and the sunshine hours show in its fruit emphasis but the ventilated valleys and proximity to the ocean also provide some clarifying acidity. The finish is long and echoes with savoury cherry and clay dust. A very interesting, distinct pinot noir at a great, great price this month. Tasted ✓ 89 Points
Find Store Nearest You SKU: 24599
Medium Bodied, Smooth Whites (little/no oak, easy drinking, various grapes)
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ANTINORI LE MORTELLE VIVIA 2021 - MAREMMA TOSCANA, ITALY
$29.99 Reduced to $26.99 until March 2 - 750 ml.
A delicate perfume of very light, melon, citrus and tree fruit flowers. The flavours too are fleeting, elegant, superbly balanced with notes of citrus and melon but the most interesting element is the mix of distinguishable grape flavours and a fine, very subtle, murmuring texture.
An interesting, detailed wine to listen to, taste and enjoy. The grapes here are vermentino, ansonica and viognier, all typical varieties found in Maremma Toscana a small area in Tuscany where this wine is made.
It finishes with a last shimmying grace note of white grape skin contact, likely coming from the naturally tannic ansonica grape in the mix.
Tasted ✓ 90 Points
Find Store Nearest You SKU: 72020
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PAUL MAS VIOGNIER 2021 - PAYS D'OC, FRANCE $16.99 Reduced to $14.99 until March 2 - 750 ml.
Light but with persistent flavors of peach, tangerine, spring flowers and fruit blossom aromas. This is one of the most consistent white value for pleasure wine deals in the province, especially when it goes on sale. Tasted ✓ 89 Points
Find Store Nearest You SKU 151100
CHAPOUTIER BILA HAUT BLANC 2021 - ROUSSILLON, FRANCE
$19.99 Reduced to $16.99 until March 2 - 750 ml.
Pale gold in colour. On the nose slightly candied lemon and lemon pith and a touch of Parmesan rind. The taste is similar with some silkiness, and good intensity. It lingers in the finish very pleasantly with lemon notes and a touch of green olive and some citrus zing. The grapes here may not be that familiar here including grenache blanc, marsanne, rousanne and macabeu but the result is delightful. A rose by any other name. Tasted ✓ 88 Points
Find Store Nearest You SKU: 175042
MENADE VERDEJO 2021 - RUEDA, SPAIN
$23.99 reduced to 21.99 until March 2 - 750 ml.
Clear and bright in the glass, a very appealing, lush, rounded, balanced lemon aroma. This lemon follows through nicely on the taste. With medium body and intensity there is also a touch of passionfruit, Reggiano rind and some citrus pith that add contrast and interest. All of this is perfectly balanced and this would match with all manner of seafood and chicken recipes. Really splendid. Tasted ✓ 90 Points
Find Store Nearest You SKU: 28100
RAPITALA ORGANIC GRILLO 2021 SICILIA, ITALY
$17.99 reduced to $13.99 until March 2 - 750 ml.
Light-bodied, fresh and tangy with green olive and citrus zest notes. The wine is well balanced, unpretentious and enjoyable. Very, very good value here. Tasted ✓ 87 Points
Find Store Nearest You SKU: 68516
DOMAINE DE LA CHAISE CHENONCEAUX BLANC 2020 - TOURAINE, FRANCE
$29.99 reduced to $25.99 until March 2 - 750 ml.
This comes from Chenonceaux on the Cher river, a tributary of the Loire river in France. The grape here is sauvignon blanc but the style is much different than those from New Zealand or farther up the Loire at Sancerre or Pouilly Fume.
On the nose a beautiful combination of creamy lemon, pineapple and passion fruit with silky undertones of kiwi and gooseberry. On the taste, the fruit changes are seamless and fascinating to follow, with guava and gooseberry in the very long balanced finish. The texture is very classy, balanced, silky/creamy. A very interesting and lovely wine. Tasted ✓ 90 Points
Find Store Nearest You SKU: 15350
Rarer Birds
TEDESCHI CAPITEL TENDA 2020 - SOAVE CLASSICO, ITALY
$24.99 reduced to 21.99 until March 2 - 750 ml.
Pale lemon in colour with a touch of gold. On the nose, a bouquet of citrusy lemon effects including lemon flower and lemon oil. The lemon flavours definitely follow the nose but there is also tart pineapple. Very smooth, almost creamy texture. The grape variety here is garganega. Very clean flavours with a finish of crisp pineapple acidity. Tasted ✓ 89 Points
Find Store Nearest You SKU: 252335
Richer, Oak Influenced Whites (fuller, buttery, citrus, vanilla, tropical fruit…)
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BONTERRA CHARDONNAY ORGANIC 2021 - MENDOCINO,CA, USA
$23.99 reduced to 20.99 until March 2 - 750 ml.
The bouquet is mostly oak and lemon wrapped together that upstages some of the other subtleties here. This is a pretty slick oaky California chardonnay model but a well made one. The flavours are as on nose, not much complexity or subtlety but finishes clean and balanced with some silky chardonnay fruit. The finish is a little short on fruit but has attractive, lithe oak that lingers in the ending. Tasted ✓ 90 Points
Find Store Nearest You SKU: 342436
STERLING CHARDONNAY VINTNER'S COLLECTION 2021 - CALIFORNIA,USA
$18.99 reduced to 15.99 until March 2 - 750 ml.
Pale lemon in colour with overlapping aromas of lemon/vanilla/oak confected pineapple, pears and more. This follows through on the forward flavours led by pears, then lemon, vanilla and pineapple. It finishes slightly tart pineapple. Some creaminess and smoothness too coming from some hefty alcohol. Fairly prominent barrel derived notes of coconut, pineapple styled wood. All in all, fairly typical oaky California chardonnay, with not a lot of lees influence. Lees are expired yeast cells left after fermentation that settle on the bottom of the barrel or tank used to make the wine. Lightly filtered and attentively used they can aid the winemaking and contribute complexity and texture to the finished wine. The wine finishes very clean and overall is a balanced version of oakier chardonnay. If you like this style, here is a good value one to try. Tasted ✓ 88 Points
Find Store Nearest You SKU:643874
CHARDONNAY - TOASTED HEAD 2020 - USA
$19.99 reduced to $15.99 until March 2 - 750 ml.
If you ever wanted to know how oaky and buttery chardonnay can get, this is pretty much it. One whiff took me back nostalgically to California chardonnays of the 70s when this style was predominant. 'Toasted Head' refers to this winery's practice of toasting the barrel ends (as well as the rest of the inside of the barrel) with fire before barrel-fermentation. The result is a wine with aromas and flavours of toasted coconut, vanilla, smoke, bourbon and tropical fruit. Sounds like a jumble but it hangs together and is still a dry, balanced and very drinkable wine just...anything but subtle and kind of fun in a way. Tasted ✓ 88 Points
Find Store Nearest You SKU: 594341
Crisp, Dry Whites (Sauvignon Blanc & Similar)
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LEFT FIELD SAUVIGNON BLANC 2022 - NELSON, NEW ZEALAND
$19.99 Reduced to $14.99 until March 2 - 750 ml.
Blended from vineyards across New Zealand, but the usual sauvignon blanc gooseberry notes are milder here, along with a touch of melon rind and some light tropical fruit notes. Overall a gentler version of NZ sauvignon that is all persuasion. Tasted ✓ 88 Points
Find Store Nearest You SKU: 168498
BICO AMARELO 2022 - VINHO VERDE, PORTUGAL 11.5%
$15.99 Reduced to $14.99 until March 2 - 750 ml.
The region here is Vinho Verde, which translates as “green wine” and the native grapes used are loureiro, alvarinho and avesso. It begins with lightly floral cantaloupe husk, melon and lightly acidic pineapple aromas. In the glass, the flavours are shy also with light quince, ginger, pear, applepear and slightly underripe pineapple. There’s some silkiness to the mouthfeel with a light, bright acidity. Light, lovely and balanced with a long finish. Tasted ✓ 89 Points
Find Store Nearest You SKU: 63572
Aromatic Whites (dry or off dry, smell sweeter than they taste - honey, peaches, fragrant floral notes, more…)
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PFAFF PFAFFENHEIM GEWURZTRAMINER 2021 - ALSACE, FRANCE
$24.99 Reduced to $22.99 until March 2 - 750 ml.
Generally, Alsatian pinot gris differs in style to those typically seen at the wine store. Even the dry version like this one, is slightly fuller than Italian pinot grigios and is not as crisp and juicy as many British Columbia versions. It's lovely in a different way, is reasonably priced and is well worth trying.
Lightly floral with dried apricot and very slightly smoky notes. Well balanced with a long arc of slippery, just off dry, smoke touched stone fruit that maintains it's intensity well into the finish. A great match for sushi and other Asian foods or apricot chicken. Tasted ✓ 89 Points
Find Store Nearest You SKU: 612119
Rosé (crisp, fresh flavours & fruit nuances, dry to off dry)
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SIERRA SALINAS BOBAL ROSADO 2021 - SPAIN
$11.99 Reduced to $10.49 until July 30 - 750 ml
This is the value rosé of the moment folks. It delivers all the basics of a good Summer rosé with notes of citrus, watermelon, light strawberry and more with no off putting tang or bitterness to spoil the party. Well balanced with good acidity and the price is unbeatable. Widely available. Tasted ✓ 87 Points
Find Store Nearest You SKU: 102866
Sparkling (dry to off dry, citrusy, toasty, peach, pear, tropical, more…)
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LOUIS BOUILLOT - CRÉMANT DE BOURGOGNE ROSE PERLE D'AURORE - BURGUNDY, FRANCE
$29.99 reduced to 27.99 until March 2 - 750 ml.
Crémant is a type of sparkling wine very similar to Champagne and one that you might want to get acquainted with. It is a category of French sparkling wine similar to Champagne but made outside of the Champagne region. Champagne bottle prices begin in B.C. around the $60.00 mark and then go into the stratosphere whereas Crémant sells for about half that price. It is made identically to Champagne i.e. with the bubbles being created by the second fermentation in the bottle. It can come from one of eight areas other than Champagne.
Besides the area that it comes from, the other factor that differentiates it from Champagne, is that it will be comprised of grapes from its region of origin rather than pinot noir, chardonnay and pinot meunier grapes that must go into Champagne.
Because of regional styles and the different grape varieties that may be used, the flavour style of Crémant can vary but I have never had a Crémant that was boring or unremarkable. This wine is from Bourgogne (Burgundy) but when you are in the sparkling section of the liquor store, currently you might see Crémant from Burgundy, the Loire, Jura, Limoux or Savoie.
This Crémant rosé from Bourgogne is delicious, balanced, fruity and crisp. Champagne is still king but for the price of a mid-range New Zealand sauvignon blanc you could be having a beautiful, elegant glass of bubbly. Give it a whirl. Tasted ✓ 89 Points
Find Store Nearest You SKU: 494856
CLOS DE LA CHAPELLE - ECRIN BRUT RESERVE - CHAMPAGNE, FRANCE
$59.99 reduced to $51.99 until March 2 - 750 ml.
Champagne is outside the price range of wines usually covered in this newsletter but Summer and weddings and other special events are always in the offing and you might want to have a bottle handy, especially at this price. This is currently the lowest priced 750 ml. bottle of genuine Champagne available in B.C. Liquor Stores shelves. In fact, it is lower priced than the half-bottles of some of the better known Champagne brands.
It is slightly off dry, which gives it a soft finish. It is more on the fruity side than the “biscuity” side but is delicious, with strings of bubbles that go on and on. Coincidentally, it was one of the wines at my son’s wedding and it was thoroughly enjoyed by all. Unusually for a non-vintage Champagne it is aged for four years before release, giving ample time for its components to also, uhh…marry. Tasted ✓ 89 Points
Find Store Nearest You SKU: 446818
FRIND WINERY - BRUT - OKANAGAN VALLEY CANADA
$26.99 reduced to 24.49 until March 2 - 750 ml.
Frind Estate is a relatively new winery located in West Kelowna. This lakefront property was the home of former B.C. Premier, Bill Bennett.
The wine maker here, Eric von Krosigk, joined Summerhill Pyramid Winery in its early days and was particularly successful with their sparkling wines including a top ten finish in a world sparkling competition.
Slightly off dry, there are notes of citrus peel, melon and apple. It is similar on the flavour with some pear and applepear as well. The bubble is just right, a clean straight forward well balanced sparkler and great value. Made with 76% riesling and 24% chardonnay. Tasted ✓ 88 Points
Find Store Nearest You SKU: 40736
STELLER’S JAY - BRUT 2017 OKANAGAN VALLEY, CANADA
$24.99 Reduced to $22.99 until March 2 - 750 ml.
A very dependable great value sparkling wine made with Chardonnay, Pinot Blanc, and Pinot Noir grapes. Made using the same traditional French “Methode Classique” used in Champagne, it is typically not released until three years after the vintage. The current vintage is 2017. Crisp and complex with a creamy, floral finish. Tasted ✓ 89 Points
Find Store Nearest You SKU: 264879
This newsletter is about finding value for money wines at every price point but please take a few moments to look at the poll below and indicate what price range of wines you are most interested in. Thanks. Until next time.