Vintages Release: September 4, 2021

• The following 2018 J. Bookwalter ‘Readers’ Cabernet Sauvignon was sourced from premium grapes hand-picked as well as machine harvested that were grown on some of the estate’s best vineyards—76% from Columbia Valley from our older blocks of pristine fruit from Conner Lee and Dionysus Vineyards and 24% from Yakima Valley from our Elephant Mountain and Diamond Back Ridge Vineyards. The final blend for this wine is 76% cabernet sauvignon/16% syrah/8% malbec that was matured in 100% French oak with 10% new. 30% were puncheons and 70% smaller barriques.

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J. Bookwalter ‘Readers’ Cabernet Sauvignon 2018
Columbia Valley, Washington State $34.95 (13238) 14.8% alcohol
Exotic spice and incense mingle with dark cherry/berry aromas and notions of black licorice and sandalwood. It envelops the palate with rich, luscious flavours of boysenberry, mulberry and crème de cassis. This flaunts its balanced-on-a-pin, rich, luscious, aromas and flavours from twist top to last drop. It’s medium-plus bodied with excellent depth and a lengthy finish and aftertaste. Versatile at the table, give this a go with wild game or roast turkey. (Vic Harradine)

Vintages Release: September 18, 2021

• The following 2017 Waterkloof ‘Circle of Life’ White Blend is sourced from three white grapes—69% chenin blanc/24% sauvignon blanc/7% sémillon that tell the story of Waterkloof Wines. This was a winery with great potential, and once taken over by Paul Boutinet it became a living breathing entity of organic and bio-dynamic methods. They do not fight nature, they harness it. They rely on organoleptic practises to first determine ripeness of the fruit flavours seed ripeness and state of the tannin rather than working solely off lab results. After a very long fermentation process—seven months—using autochthonous yeasts, the wine was produced as naturally as possible with no additions of acids or enzymes. There’s good value here.

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Waterkloof ‘Circle of Life’ White Blend 2017
WO Stellenbosch, South Africa $21.95 (284588) 12.5% alcohol
Aromas of honeydew melon, piquant spice and citrussy notes provide segue to a medium bodied, well-textured mouthful of tang and acidity delivered through palate flavours of Key lime and Meyer lemon along with hints of green apple and mineral notes. This is well balanced with excellent purity of fruit, thirst-quenching acidity and plenty of pizzazz. The finish and aftertaste linger. Pour alongside gourmet sushi or pan-seared, line-caught, freshwater fish. (Vic Harradine)

• The following 2019 Famille Abeille-Fabre ‘Réserve – Mont –Redon’ Blanc was sourced from the Southern Rhône valley with its varied soils covered with stones and pebbles or sand. The grapes were harvested at perfect maturity. Fruit—mainly viognier/grenache blanc/roussanne—is brought to the winery where it’s whole-cluster pressed then vinified at constant low temperature without allowing any malolactic fermentation. It matured on its lees for a few months then was bottled in February 2020.

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Famille Abeille-Fabre ‘Réserve – Mont –Redon’ Blanc 2019
AOC Côtes Du Rhône, France $17.95 (18602)
Alluring aromas of exotic incense, pit fruit and citrus abound on the nose. It dishes up a delightful tang-laden surge of palate flavours—lemon-lime, peel marmalade and blood orange that coalesce with a medium-bodied weight and texture, good acidity and persistent purity of fruit to, and through, the finish and aftertaste. Pour with all manner of pan-seared fish and seafood or olive-oiled arugula topped with crumbled chèvre. (Vic Harradine)

• The following 2019 Ferraton Père et Fils ‘Samorëns’ is a blend of 85% grenache/10% syrah/5% cinsault sourced from the left bank of the Rhône with a mix of alluvial and gravely soil. Grapes are brought to the winery where they are destemmed and vinified in vats. Punch downs of the cap ensure good tannin extraction while maceration takes approximately 15 days.

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Ferraton Père et Fils ‘Samorëns’ 2019
AOP Côtes du Rhône $16.95 (168708) 14.5% alcohol
Lifted aromas of dark berry fruit—black currant and mulberry--interweave with piquant peppery spice and savoury herbs on the nose of this exceptionally priced red blend—85% grenache noir/10% syrah/5% cinsault. It’s medium-bodied with good concentration of flavours on the palate, primarily red fruit—pie cherry, currant and pomegranate robed in tang and pizzazz on the palate and underpinned by ripe tannin through the lingering finish and aftertaste. Pour with lasagna, spaghetti Bolognese or red-sauce pizza with your favourite toppings. (Vic Harradine)

• The following 2016 Tenuta Presti e Pegni ‘Cusumano Noà’ is sourced from 40% nero d’avola/30% merlot/30% cabernet sauvignon. The average age of the vines is twenty years and the fruit is manually harvested in the first two weeks of September. Each grape varietal is aged on oak for 12 months with nero d’avola going into 30 hectolitre barrels and the merlot and cabernet sauvignon ageing in barriques. This winery is accredited sustainable by two separate bodies who are both approved by the Italian Ministry of Agriculture and Environment.

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Tenuta Presti e Pegni ‘Cusumano Noà’ 2016
DOC Sicilia, Italy $31.95 (109512) 15.0% alcohol
Lifted aromas of piquant peppery spice, red and black cherry/berry and wisps of medicinal notes. A rich, bold stream of flavours blanket the palate with black currant jam, red and black cherry and a local rendition of herbs and spices on scrubland. This showcases persistent purity of fruit, deft balance, creamy smooth on the palate and an extended finish and aftertaste. This is unique, stylish and distinguished. Pour with grilled red meat or roast turkey with stuffing, cranberry jelly and all the fixings. (Vic Harradine)

• The following 2016 Plume Cabernet Sauvignon is a blend of 87% cabernet sauvignon/5% malbec/4% petit verdot/3% merlot/1% cabernet franc sourced from the wineries two top vineyards. It was matured for 12 months in 25% French oak.

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Plume Cabernet Sauvignon 2016
Alexander Valley, Sonoma County $39.95 (287367) 14.5% alcohol
Aromas of bramble berry and crème de cassis interweave with piquant spice and hints of vanilla on the nose. It blankets the palate with a full-bodied, full-Monty surge of elegant fruit flavours with black currant jam and cherry clafoutie to the fore. This is stylish and bursting with flavour that’s interlaced with tang and acidity and a supple ripe tannin underpinning. The finish lingers and replays of palate flavours fill the aftertaste. Give this a go with grilled, medium-rare striploin along with grilled Portobello mushrooms. (Vic Harradine

• The following 2016 Dievole ‘Podere Brizio’ Rosso di Montalcino is from vineyards located in the southwest of Montalcino at an altitude of 330-350 meters above sea level facing the sea and the Maremma. This is Montalcino’s hottest area. Here the soil consists of sandstone and rocky marl which allows the production of well-structured, mineral wines. Rosso di Montalcino is traditionally made with 100% sangiovese with a spontaneous fermentation using native yeast. The wine is aged in 54 HL untoasted French oak barrel for 12 months and refined in bottle for 3 months minimum before release.

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Dievole ‘Podere Brizio’ Rosso di Montalcino 2016
DOC Rosso di Montalcino, Italy $24.95 (17858) 13.5% alcohol
Aromas of savoury herbs, wet-stone minerality and red cherry/berry fruit precede a racy, nerve and verve flow over the palate decorated with a linear line of racy acidity expressed as passionfruit and pie cherry galore. It broadens out mid-palate with juicy cranberry and blueberry flavours. It’s lightly-hued in the glass and crisp and refreshing on the palate. Give this a go with red-sauce pizza adorned with pepperoni and mushrooms or prawn and chorizo paella. (Vic Harradine)

• The following 2019 Speck Brothers ‘Family Tree – The Padré’ Cabernet-Merlot is sustainably grown and sourced from a cabernet franc/cabernet sauvignon/merlot blend that is named in honour of the Speck brothers’ father who was a Padré before starting his winery with his three sons. The wine has been matured for a period of 16 months in 60% French and 40% American oak barrels with a mixture of new and pre-loved oak.

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Speck Brothers ‘Family Tree – The Padré’ Cabernet-Merlot 2019

VQA Niagara Peninsula $19.95 (18667) 13.0% alcohol

Heavenly aromas rise from the glass—red and black cherry/berry fruit, dark plum and grilled savoury herbs. It’s sourced from the holy trinity of the Bordeaux blend—cabernet franc/cabernet sauvignon/merlot. Flavours of black bramble berry and juicy Bing cherry are joined on the mid-palate with lively tang and pizzazz. It’s medium-plus bodied with good balance and excellent mouthfeel and lingering finish; it’s so much more than the psalm of its parts. Pick up a case or so and rejoice over the next year and even longer and pour with roast turkey and all the fixings. (Vic Harradine)

Vintages Release: October 2, 2021

• The following 2019 Henry of Pelham ‘Estate’ Pinot Noir was hand harvested, and sustainably grown and certified by SWO. After being gently de-stemmed and mechanically sorted, grapes were then carefully moved by gravity. Grapes are de-seeded then seeds added back judiciously to control the tannin structure of the wine. Fruit was fermented in stainless steel using pulse-air with hand punch downs to gently manage the cap. The price-quality balance tips in your favour.

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Henry of Pelham ‘Estate’ Pinot Noir 2019

VQA Short Hills Bench $24.95 (268391) 13.0% alcohol

Gamy notes mingle with aromas of barnyard, piquant spice and savoury herbs on the nose. A stream of red cherry and black currant flavours envelop the palate adorned with plenty of tang-infused passionfruit and hints of soft, ripe manageable tannin. It’s medium bodied with pleasant mouthfeel, good balance and plenty to like. Give this a try with smoked duck breasts or roast turkey. It’s very good value and very enjoyable drinking now; as it will continue to be over the next three or four years. (Vic Harradine)