79 products
- Sparkling Wine
- Chardonnay, Pinot Noir
- Sustainable, Vegan-Friendly
- Dry
- Medium Bodied
- 750ml
- 12% alc./vol
About the Winery
Champagne Fresne Ducret
Fresne-Ducret is rich in family history and has been rooted in the premier cru village of Villedommange since the mid 1800s. Originally growing grapes for the big champagne houses, it wasn’t until the end of the second world war that the family decided to make their own wine. The tradition carries on today with Pierre Fresne and his wife Daniella (an Oakville ex-pat). Their philosophy is to produce wines that best exemplify the terroir of Villedommange, and they do this with sustainability in mind.
In 2014, Pierre Fresne embarked on a new adventure by creating a limited series of champagnes based on his desire for experimentation. Since then, he has produced one or two of these wines each year. Each are unique, according to his wishes and the profile of the vintage. This unique collection is called Arquémie, the term for alchemy in the Middle Ages. In 2018 Pierre began converting the vineyards to organic viticulture, and 2021 will be their first organic certified vintage.
Press Reviews
Wine Align
95 points - Michael Godel
Hard to believe the age because while this almost certainly achieved an immediately retro toasted and evolved stage in its youth and though 12 years have passed the present day imaginings are dreamed to persist within that very immediate stage. As creamy as it is toasty, the textural body politic in La Grande Hermine is one of great cerebral and figurative impression. You feel, intuit and embrace such honesty and possibility. Drink this vintage dated Champagne all winter long. Its calming presence will preserve you in a state of grace lower than a snowman’s blood pressure. Drink 2020-2028. Tasted September 2020.
- Red Wine
- Nerello Cappuccio, Nerello Mascalese
- Sustainable, Volcanic
- Dry
- Residual Sugar: 2 g/l
- Medium Bodied
- 750ml
- 13.5% alc./vol
About the Winery
Azienda Agricola Tornatore
Out of a Sicilian family heritage that traces back to the 17th century, the Tornatore’s Mount Etna wine ventures began in 1865. Today the family’s operations are headed by Giuseppe Tornatore, a businessman whose expertise led to the acquisition of some of the region’s finest north-facing vineyards in the early 2000’s. That heritage and the Tornatore’s profound respect and understanding of the land is showcased in wines that capture the essence of Etna, deftly balancing concentrated flavors, complexity, freshness and refinement.
The company lies in the northern side of Mount Etna, the highest active volcano in Europe. The soils have volcanic origin and were created through the disintegration of lava, ash and stones from previous volcanic eruptions. The climate on the northern side of the Etna is characterized by mild temperatures, and more rain fall reflecting the influence of the Volcano. The combination of soil, climate and the skill of the winemakers, have made the northern slope of Etna an ideal area for the production of high-quality wines. “Our vineyards and our winery are only a few kilometers from our family home. Our entire family is rooted there. We have the greatest respect for this region, and we believe we have a responsibility to be stewards of Etna and to reflect its distinct character in our wines.” - Giuseppe Tornatore
Press Reviews
James Suckling
96 points
A very graceful, quietly complex red with red berries that are tinged with the mildest of spice. Medium-bodied and super well balanced with a long finish. Don't expect anything dramatic here; it's just beautiful. Enjoy now.
- White Wine
- Chardonnay
- Sustainable
- Dry
- Medium Bodied
- 750ml
- 12.5% alc./vol
About the Winery
Lighthall Vineyards
Lighthall Vineyards is a small, proud, low volume and high quality winery located in enchanting Prince Edward County, Ontario, Canada. All their wines are produced in a non-interventionist manner and fuelled by passion as hearty as our vines. They also make cheese, designed to pair with their wines.- Red Wine
- Carignan, Syrah
- Organic, Sustainable
- Dry
- Residual Sugar: 2.00 g/l
- Medium Bodied
- 750ml
- 13.50% alc./vol
About the Winery
Garage Wine Co.
Garage Wine was literally started in a garage in 2001, by Etobicoke expat Derek Mossman and his wife Pilar Miranda. Since then, the dynamic duo handcraft wines from a series of individual vineyards located in the Maule and Itata Valleys, in the south of Santiago, Chile.
Garage Wine Co makes wines from a series of individual parcels, small lots / bottlings of 8-22 barrels that include a series of dry-farmed field-blends of Carignan, Garnacha, Monastrell, País, Cinsault and Cab Franc grown on pre-phylloxera rootstock with small farmers in the Maule and Itata. Each wine is from a 1-2 hectare parcel in a different place.
Over the years working in the community they have raised a veritable posse of vineyard hands whose skills are working the vineyards the old way / the traditional way– originario. The vineyards are on the old coastal range of mountains closer to the Pacific and have granitic soils with cracks for roots to get deep down into.
When GWCo. speaks of the provenance of these wines they mean more than just the geological terroir. Derek and Pilar think the farming practices that have evolved over generations have as much to do with the wines’ personalities as the soils. All the wines are made by hand with native yeasts in small tanks, punched down manually and pressed out in a small basket press. GWCo is still very much a DIY operation and we still tow much of the crop back to the winery in trailers behind trusty pickup trucks 2,000 kilos at a time.
Press Reviews
Wine Advocate
96+ Points - Luis Gutiérrez
The 2020 Truquilemu Vineyard follows the path of the 2018 and 2019 with even lower alcohol (12.9%) and great freshness and acidity, a pH of 3.36 and 6.4 grams of acidity. The modus operandi was the usual: fermented in open-top vats with indigenous yeasts and manual punch-down with a slow malolactic, which took 10 months to finish, and matured in used barrels over two winters. It contains some 4% Syrah. This has the ethereal quality of this vineyard, powerful but weightless. This place makes fresh wines even in warm vintages like 2020, and you feel that especially in the palate where the wine is vibrant and lively. 5,882 bottles were filled in February 2022.
- White Wine
- Chardonnay
- Sustainable
- Dry
- Medium Bodied
- 750ml
- 12.5% alc./vol
About the Winery
Groupe Bellene
Led by Nicolas Potel in Beaune, Groupe Bellene is composed of the négociant arm Maison Roche de Bellene, the winery arm Domaine de Bellene, and a special back-vintage series under the Collection Bellenum label.
- Maison Roche de Bellene offers a complete range of wines, with an emphasis on individual terroirs from old vines of more than 40 years. All of the growers that Nicolas works with are either organic certified or sustainably farmed.
- Domaine de Bellene represents the wines that are produced and bottled from Nicolas Potel's private vineyard holdings.
- Collection Bellenum is a back vintage series that Nicolas Potel sourced from his friends in the region, offering a magnificent selection of bottled history. The wines have moved only twice in their lives, from the original cellar to Potel's and now to yours!
Nicolas Potel grew up at Volnay's Domaine Pousse d'Or, where his father worked. He trained abroad and returned home in 1996 to build a négociant business and started Maison Nicolas Potel, where he sourced grapes from good parcels, often working with the growers to improve the quality. By 2002, he was making 120 wines from 50 different appellations, and the rest is history!
Press Reviews
Wine Enthusiast
91 points
This rich wine offers ripe yellow fruits and touches of vanilla. Along with its warm feeling and light acidity, it has a perfumed character that makes it exciting as well as drinkable. — ROGER VOSS
Wine Align
90 points - Michael Godel
In the Bellene pantheon Cuvée Réserve takes a half step up from old vines though the plants for this effort are in fact in the 48 year-old range so quite experienced as far as that is concerned. Picked early in the first two weeks of September and though only five per cent new wood is used there is quite a velvet of richness in this wine. Mostly fruit derived in a pulpy to fleshy consort, quite impressive actually and yet acids are no more than of a medium kind. Almost exotic flavours abound, mango and guava come to mind indicating the best years for this wine will be the earliest, beginning straight away. Drink 2023-2025. Tasted January 2023.
- País
- Sustainable
- Dry
- Medium Bodied
- 750ml
- 13% alc./vol
About the Winery
Garage Wine Co.
Garage Wine was literally started in a garage in 2001, by Etobicoke expat Derek Mossman and his wife Pilar Miranda. Since then, the dynamic duo handcraft wines from a series of individual vineyards located in the Maule and Itata Valleys, in the south of Santiago, Chile.
Garage Wine Co makes wines from a series of individual parcels, small lots / bottlings of 8-22 barrels that include a series of dry-farmed field-blends of Carignan, Garnacha, Monastrell, País, Cinsault and Cab Franc grown on pre-phylloxera rootstock with small farmers in the Maule and Itata. Each wine is from a 1-2 hectare parcel in a different place.
Over the years working in the community they have raised a veritable posse of vineyard hands whose skills are working the vineyards the old way / the traditional way– originario. The vineyards are on the old coastal range of mountains closer to the Pacific and have granitic soils with cracks for roots to get deep down into.
When GWCo. speaks of the provenance of these wines they mean more than just the geological terroir. Derek and Pilar think the farming practices that have evolved over generations have as much to do with the wines’ personalities as the soils. All the wines are made by hand with native yeasts in small tanks, punched down manually and pressed out in a small basket press. GWCo is still very much a DIY operation and we still tow much of the crop back to the winery in trailers behind trusty pickup trucks 2,000 kilos at a time.
Press Reviews
WineAlign
91 points - Michael Godel
The 2018 país was, and I quote Garage Wine Company founder (and Oakvillean) Derek Mossman Knapp ”A wine that rose from the 2017 bush fires, quickly having ascended out of the ashes as something resurrected and reinvented.” The method is pressing whole clusters with stems and a co-fermented (2018) collection of país, stacked with carinena, one on top of the other. Now in 2021 it’s all about the mission grape, survivor and revivalist, the stacks of fruit like lyrics, on repeat. If you say the mantra often enough it becomes bible and this grape made in this way is the lifeblood and soul of Chile’s Secano Interior Cauquenes. A very instrumental red wine, comfortable, of relaxed warmth and lack of pressure that you would only expect at home, with people you love. “People can you feel it? Love is everywhere.” Drink 2023-2026. Tasted February 2023.
90 points - Megha Jandhyala
Born during the pandemic, the Garage Wine Company’s old-vine project is devoted to reviving previously-neglected old vines and supporting local farming communities. Founded by Mossman Knapp and Pilar Miranda, it is based in Maule, home to many dry-farmed, family-owned, old vineyards. Only about 5000 bottles of this old-vine país were made using traditional methods, including traditional dry-farming and hand-harvesting in the vineyards, and manual punchdowns and native yeast in the winery. It is a fresh, light, cheerfully fruity, wine, clean and uncluttered, with a down-to-earth, guileless charm. Red berries and herbs are joined by notes of pepper and wildflowers. The palate is medium-bodied and soft, with fine tannins, tart acids, and very good length.
- White Wine
- Chenin Blanc
- Sustainable, Vegan-Friendly
- Dry
- Residual Sugar: 2.00 g/l
- Medium Bodied
- 750ml
- 13.00% alc./vol
About the Winery
Mullineux & Leeu Family Wines
Mullineux Family Wines, established in 2007 in the Swartland region of South Africa, is owned and managed by Chris and Andrea Mullineux. Since its inception the winery has established itself as one of South Africa’s most celebrated wine brands, both locally and internationally. Originally from Northern California, Winemaker Andrea Mullineux studied Viticulture and Oenology at UC-Davis before working in Stellenbosch and meeting Chris at a wine festival in Champagne. Chris is the Viticulturist in charge of the vineyards on their farm on Kasteelberg Mountain as well as fruit sourcing for their value Kloof Street wines.
To add to their acclaim, Andrea Mullineux was named Wine Enthusiast’s Winemaker of the Year in 2016 and in 2016 Chris & Andrea were Tim Atkin’s South African Winemakers of the Year. . By focusing on producing handcrafted wines from the granite and shale based soils of the Swartland and it is quickly becoming South Africa's wine frontier. Located an hour's drive away from Stellenbosch, the Swartland is rolling hills of wheat and jagged outcrops of old vines.
Press Reviews
WineAlign
90 Points-David Lawrason
Great Heart is a brand wholly owned by employees who work for the Mullineux and Leeu families - leading producers in the Swartland region. This is a very fine, bright, balanced and delicious chenin with generous aromas of lemon, spiced pear, and elderflower. It is medium-full bodied, smooth yet fresh and lively with somewhat elevated lemony acidity creating a tart finish and somewhat brittle texture. The length is excellent.
- White Wine
- Chardonnay
- Sustainable
- Dry
- Residual Sugar: 2.00 g/l
- Medium Bodied
- 750ml
- 13.00% alc./vol
Press Reviews
Decanter World Wine Awards (DWWA)
97 Points
An enrapturing sea breeze freshness cascades over a purity of ripe peach, zingy pineapple and lemon curd with a persistent tension of racy acidity. Unapologetically youthful and spirited with a moreish lemongrass infused finish. Exceptional.
- Red Wine
- Grenache, Tempranillo
- Sustainable
- Dry
- Medium Bodied
- 750ml
- 14.5% alc./vol
About the Winery
Bodegas Exopto
Exopto is Latin for “to long for” or “to desire greatly” and it is the dream of Frenchman Tom Puyaubert and his family to endeavor to craft and assemble wines where the whole adds up to more than the sum of their parts. Tom relocated from France to Rioja in 2000 after falling in love with the region and working for the French cooperage Saury as its Spain representative.
When Tom began Exopto, he wanted to do a project that produced wines within this historical context of Rioja - combining both worlds in a unique way. His idea is to remain true to the blending of the principle grape varieties and to do so from the best terroirs/villages for those varieties crossing sub-regions of Rioja. Each wine though, has a majority of a different principle grape – showcasing that variety specifically within the context of a blend. The viticulture and winemaking model is that of the “vigneron” days – small plots of vines in the extremes, wild yeast fermentation in concrete or old oak vats and then aging in a way to showcase the fruit, minerality and terroir not the wood or aged flavours that people often associate with Rioja.
Press Reviews
Robert Parker
92 points
The very young red 2021 Bozeto de Exopto mixes Tempranillo from Ábalos and Mediterranean Garnacha from Alfaro (with 10% Graciano), and it seems very balanced, with good ripeness (14.5%), showing the Garnacha and the more austere Graciano with nice fruit and freshness. It's serious and has complexity and depth beyond its price point. It matured in a combination of concrete and oak containers for some six months. Excellent value in one of the finest vintages for this wine. 70,000 bottles produced. It was bottled in April 2022.
Wine Align
91 points - John Szabo
A blend of garnacha, tempranillo and graciano grown at around 500m in the Sierra de Cantabria, this is aged exclusively in concrete and thus a long way from what many would consider the 'traditional' style of Rioja. I like the freshness and vibrancy allied at the same time to ripe, plush fruit spanning both the red and black spectrum. Tannins are supple and acids balanced and creamy, leading into a long, gently saline finish. Concentration and depth, as well as complexity overall, far exceed expectations in the category. Well made wine from an evidently superior vineyard, delicious now, or hold 3-4 years. Tasted January 2024.
91 points - Megha Jandhyala
This is a charming Rioja, a blend of garnacha, tempranillo, and a small amount of graciano. I like the bright, supple red fruit here and the pretty floral and savoury herbal notes. The palate is lively and supple, with fine-grained tannins and juicy acids. Fresh, streamlined, and with a sense of lightness that is appealing, this wine is ready to drink, though it can also be cellared for a couple of years. Tasted January 2024.
- White Wine
- Sauvignon Blanc
- Sustainable
- Dry
- Residual Sugar: 3.00 g/l
- Medium Bodied
- 750ml
- 13.00% alc./vol
Press Reviews
James Suckling
91 Points
Aromas of apples, grapefruit peel, acacia flowers and stones. Medium-bodied with tangy acidity and vivid fruit character. Textured and mineral with a flavourful finish. Sustainable.
- Red Wine
- Merlot
- Sustainable
- Dry
- Medium Bodied
- 750ml
- 12% alc./vol
About the Winery
Lighthall Vineyards
Lighthall Vineyards is a small, proud, low volume and high quality winery located in enchanting Prince Edward County, Ontario, Canada. All their wines are produced in a non-interventionist manner and fuelled by passion as hearty as our vines. They also make cheese, designed to pair with their wines.- Red Wine
- Cabernet Franc
- Sustainable
- Dry
- Medium Bodied
- 750ml
- 12% alc./vol
About the Winery
Lighthall Vineyards
Lighthall Vineyards is a small, proud, low volume and high quality winery located in enchanting Prince Edward County, Ontario, Canada. All their wines are produced in a non-interventionist manner and fuelled by passion as hearty as our vines. They also make cheese, designed to pair with their wines.- Red Wine
- Cabernet Sauvignon
- Sustainable, Vegan-Friendly
- Dry
- Medium Bodied
- 750ml
- 13.63% alc./vol
About the Winery
Ramsay
Since its modest beginnings, the Kent Rasmussen Winery has evolved into one of the most important Pinot Noir producers in the Carneros region, but Kent was always keen to focus on other varietals and other AVAs. So, starting in 1989, Kent and Celia Rasmussen launched a second brand, Ramsay, which focuses on Sonoma, North Coast and Napa Valley. Kent chooses grapes and blends with great care to achieve stylistic continuity, year in, year out and to create high-value, finely crafted wines.Press Reviews
Wine Enthusiast
91 points - Wine Enthusiast
This wine offers plush and supple aromas of blackberry jam, blueberry and pepperjam. Other notes waft through, including boysenberry, toffee, star anise, chinese five spice and toasty oak. Layers of sweet cigar, dried black cherry and bittersweet chocolate bring it all together for a mouthwatering finish. Best Buy. —T.P.
Tasting Panel Magazine
91 points
Plush tannins and ripe boysenberry are surrounded by mocha-coffee and dried brush. Well balanced, with woodsy tones on the chewy finish.
- White Wine
- Chardonnay
- Sustainable, Vegan-Friendly
- Dry
- Residual Sugar: 2 g/l
- Medium Bodied
- 750ml
- 13.00% alc./vol
About the Winery
Domaine Baud Père et Fils
The history of Domaine Baud dates back to 1742, and it wasn't until 1950 when René Baud, the 7th generation, rebuilt the vineyard which had suffered from the phylloxera crisis and two World Wars.
Starting with only 4 hectares, the vineyard progressively expanded to 20 hectares with the help of successive generations. Now, managed by siblings Clémentine and Bastien, the 9th generation, the estate continues to flourish and grow, with a strong commitment to sustainable viticulture and preserving the traditions and style that makes the wines of the Jura so unique and incredible.
The estate achieved the Terra Vitis certification in 2014 for its eco-friendly work and environmental preservation.
Press Reviews
Wine Anorak
94 points - Jamie Goode
Powerful, lively and spicy with concentrated tangy citrus and pear fruit with some saline notes and tangy apple and lemon on the finish. Lovely intensity here with some crystalline citrus fruit.
Wine Align
93 points - David Lawrason
This is not your everyday chardonnay! In the Jura region of east-central France in the lower foothills of the Alps, there is tradition of oxidative winemaking, some under a layer of flor, as occurs in some Spanish sherry. As a result of the advance maturation this pours medium gold. The nose is dominated by classic hazelnut, honey, barley sugar sourdough and anise, around the ripe tropical fruit. It is medium weight, very smooth, well balanced and focused, with excellent length. More lithe lemon notes enliven the finish. There is a touch of tannin. Tasted December 2022.
91 points - John Szabo, MS
A pure chardonnay made in the traditional, oxidative Jura style under flor, not unlike fino sherry, but here the oxidation is more pronounced. Expect bruised apple and cold Orange Pekoe tea, cold wheat toast with honey, lemon pith and zest, and much more in an unusual but complex expression. The palate is mid-weight, showing more fruit and less oxidative qualities than the nose, succulent acids, and good to very good length. I must say, I like the salinity and savoury aspects, the lingering flavours and authentic but unimpeachable winemaking. There's fantasy here; be sure to decant before serving; best now-2026. Tasted December 2022.
91 points - Michael Godel
Clémentine Baud took over the family estate with her brother six years ago. The first father to daughter transition and with many to follow. The estate dates back to 1742, started by Jean-François. They farm 25 hectares, Clémentine’s father started with five and grew to 19 hectares when he retired. Picking for Sparkling now seems to happen in August, save for the difficult 2021 vintage. In 2017 70 per cent of the harvest was lost to the frosts, 50 in 2019 and 80 in 2021. "We have over 40 old varieties in the Jura, important for diversity, including those not allowed under the rules of the AOC," tells Clém. The fruit for Cuvée Flor is grown at a latitude of 46.73 North and though very much a cool climate place for chardonnay the threats of warmer winters and seasonal frosts has wreaked havoc over the past 10 years. A chardonnay of remarkable lustre, concentration and purity, worked by way of oxidative aging, low alcohol expectation starting at 12 and finishing no higher than 14 to 14.5. A floral chardonnay, not one related to yeast and surely a pretty in Jura wine. From the younger vines, phenolic and hinting towards though remaining clear of emerging boozy. Filled with flavour, hazelnut and praline, peach and yellow plum. A world of its own. Drink 2022-2025. Tasted July 2022.
- Sparkling Wine
- Sustainable
- Medium Bodied
- 750ml
- 12% alc./vol
About the Winery
Lighthall Vineyards
Lighthall Vineyards is a small, proud, low volume and high quality winery located in enchanting Prince Edward County, Ontario, Canada. All their wines are produced in a non-interventionist manner and fuelled by passion as hearty as our vines. They also make cheese, designed to pair with their wines.- White Wine
- Pinot Gris
- Sustainable
- Dry
- Medium Bodied
- 750ml
- 13% alc./vol
About the Winery
Lighthall Vineyards
Lighthall Vineyards is a small, proud, low volume and high quality winery located in enchanting Prince Edward County, Ontario, Canada. All their wines are produced in a non-interventionist manner and fuelled by passion as hearty as our vines. They also make cheese, designed to pair with their wines.Press Reviews
Wine Align
91 points - Michael Godel
Lighthall’s pinot gris not only indicates but clearly demonstrates more richness and flesh than most varietal PEC iterations that have come before. Of course it never fully drifts away or leaves its PEC reality behind but the texture and radiance are at a high level in Glenn Symons’ 2021. Also the ever, if maybe even omnipresent chèvre waft that Lighthall’s last few vintages seem to possess, Loire like if you think about it and even pinot gris gets the messaging. When pinot gris shows character and individuality we must take notice. Drink 2022-2025. Tasted May 2022.
Featured in Vine Routes
From vineyards located within a warmer micro-territory (called South Bay) in the cooler Prince Edward County appellation, this pinot gris is refreshingly lighter on the ABV (12%/vol.) with a quite noticeably creamy and rich texture to it – largely attributed to malolactic fermentation and cold-stabilization methods. The winemaking team also uses an Alsatian yeast strain and fermented one quarter of the juice in neutral French oak, with the other 75 percent in steel tank. The result is a complex wine, with an intriguing flavour profile, including ripening pear and a freshened mineral characteristic that really sets this apart. I even get the hint of nutmeg that I’m being told to look for in this. Will develop further with a bit more time in bottle, that I am certain of.
- Red Wine
- Pinot Noir
- Sustainable
- Dry
- Medium Bodied
- 750ml
- 12% alc./vol
About the Winery
Lighthall Vineyards
Lighthall Vineyards is a small, proud, low volume and high quality winery located in enchanting Prince Edward County, Ontario, Canada. All their wines are produced in a non-interventionist manner and fuelled by passion as hearty as our vines. They also make cheese, designed to pair with their wines.- White Wine
- Chardonnay
- Sustainable
- Dry
- Medium Bodied
- 750ml
- 12.5% alc./vol
About the Winery
Lighthall Vineyards
Lighthall Vineyards is a small, proud, low volume and high quality winery located in enchanting Prince Edward County, Ontario, Canada. All their wines are produced in a non-interventionist manner and fuelled by passion as hearty as our vines. They also make cheese, designed to pair with their wines.- Red Wine
- Gamay
- Biodynamic, Sustainable, Vegan-Friendly, Volcanic
- Dry
- Medium Bodied
- 750ml
- 13% alc./vol
About the Winery
Stéphane Aviron
Stéphane Aviron can be considered a pioneer in his approach to winemaking in Beaujolais, however he would just tell you that he’s simply returning to the traditional practices that have always made fantastic Gamay wines. Sustainable viticulture, extremely old vines and classic Burgundian techniques. He focuses on the Beaujolais village crus, all but forgotten gems of vineyards when the nouveau craze took over, which are the best sites for unique, expressive and terroir driven wines. All of the fruit is sourced from old vines (40+ years), so seeing Vieilles Vignes on the label is a rite of passage, not a privilege. Authenticity and a distinctly Beaujolais style of winemaking is what sets Stéphane apart from the rest.
Press Reviews
Wine Align
93 points - David Lawrason
Chenas is one of the smallest appellations of Beaujolais, situated astride more famous Fleurie. Both villages tend to make gamays with both richness and elegance. This sports a ripe nose of cherry/strawberry jam, peony and subtle pepper. It is medium bodied, smooth, firm and refined with gentle tannin. And the length is excellent. Very easy to enjoy now and should hold through 2028. Tasted June 2022
92 points - Megha Jandhyala
This is a fetching gamay with buoyant fruit notes of cherries and raspberries accompanied by aromas of candied violets, rosemary, and snapped twigs. The palate echoes these flavours with subtle notes of cured meat joining the chorus. Tannins are satin smooth and acids are tart. Length is excellent with a delightful fruity finale. Best 2022-2027. Tasted June 2022 by Critic Understudy Megha Jandhyala.
91 points - John Szabo, MS
This is a pleasantly twiggy-herbal-stemmy expression of Chenas with plenty of joyful fruit underpinning the ensemble. I like the fleshy dark cherry fruit on the palate, the silky-firm tannins, and the excellent length in the category. A superior cru; drink or hold late into the decade. Tasted June 2022.
91 points - Michael Godel
Chénas by Aviron is the cru that takes what the Villages offers and simply gives more. By home and vineyard the extrapolation and extension is natural, seamless and duly noted, from dancing fruit, happy palate and now, something viably more. Salumi and wet stone, a modicum of structure, violets in perfume and furthered texture. A positive thickening that stays with the palate, lingers and gracefully moves on. This is gamay to pour for people ready to get it and get at it. Drink 2022-2026. Tasted June 2022.
90 points - Sara d'Amato
An intriguing mix of ripe and jammy along with stemmy and herbal from the warm 2020 vintage. Juicy on the palate with flavours of cherry, bramble, wet leaf and a hint of carbonic. Mouthfilling and fleshy overall with plush red fruit on the finish of very good length. Tasted June 2022.
- Sparkling Wine
- Sustainable, Vegan-Friendly
- Dry
- Medium Bodied
- 750ml
About the Winery
Leaning Post
A leaning post is what you find at the beginning of a row of grapes, anchoring the wires that are the frame-work for growing grapevines. It is the beginning of an obsession to translate a time and place into liquid. Leaning Post wines take you to that beginning by finding small, unique plots of land in Niagara and putting them in bottle. Because after stripping away all the fancy buildings and high-tech equipment you are left with a place on this earth that grows wine unlike any other. When you taste that in a glass you just know it. Nadia and Ilya have had to rely on the support of family, friends and financial institutions to make the dream of owning a winery a reality. Leaning Post began as a virtual winery and is so proud to now have the quaint tasting room at 1491 Hwy 8 on their home property in Winona, Ontario.
Ilya and Nadia are the brains and passion behind Leaning Post Wines. It started with a dream to take unique, interesting single vineyard blocks in Niagara and turn them into distinctive, terroir driven wines. Nadia and Ilya first met in their hometown of Winnipeg, MB where their passion for wine and each other was born.
Ilya has been a winemaker in the Niagara Region for the last 17 vintages working at Daniel Lenko Estate Winery, Foreign Affair and now at Leaning Post Wines. Ilya is also a consulting winemaker at the Good Earth Winery. Ilya’s true passion in life is to make world renowned wines from Niagara that really showcase the distinct terroir that Niagara offers.
- Red Wine
- Bobal
- Sustainable, Vegan-Friendly
- Dry
- Medium Bodied
- 750ml
- 14% alc./vol
About the Winery
Agrícolas de Vinos La Higuera
Agrícola de Vinos La Higuera’ is a small project founded in 2017 by two friends, Javier del Blanco and Jorge Navascues, to join their knowledge in the wine industry while working separately with top Estates from different regions all over Spain.
The aim is to nurture and craft honest wines that will honor their origins, with great value and genuine quality, expressing the purity of the grape variety and the environment they are grown in.
Press Reviews
WineAlign
90 points - Michael Godel
A varietal bobal from Utiel-Requena where 34,000 hectares in Valencia between the two neighbouring towns of Utiel and Requena are mostly concerned with this unique variety. Here is a firm and medium-bodied example with a plenary meeting of root-earthy fruit and exemplary acidity. Not exactly tannic but structured in its own parochial way to live non-plussed for a few years. This is quite a youthful example with more getable juiciness than many. Drink 2023-2025. Tasted February 2023.
90 points - Sarah d'Amato
A fruity, juicy red smartly packaged with a modern-utilitarian label from the Valencian sub-appellation of Utiel Requena where the bobal variety dominates in both red and rosé forms. Mid-weight, supple and easy-drinking with white pepper spice, and bramble along with wafting notes of botanicals and mint. Lightly reduced in a very pleasant fashion. Would benefit from a slight chill. Engaging and convivial with plenty of food pairing potential. Ready to drink. Tasted February 2023.
90 points - Megha Jandhyala
This 100% bobal was sourced from a single vineyard called La Pinada planted in 1958 in the Valencian sub-appellation of Utiel-Requena. It has a sense of freshness, candour, and authenticity that is appealing. I like the ripe red fruit flavours including plump and juicy strawberries, raspberries, and cherries, accompanied by notes of savoury herbs and earthy tones. The palate is medium-bodied and fresh, with juicy acids and fine tannins, while alcohol is well-integrated (13.5%, per the label). Ready to drink, this bobal is best enjoyed lightly chilled. Tasted February 2023 by Critic Understudy Megha Jandhyala.
- White Wine
- Sauvignon Blanc
- Organic, Sustainable, Vegan-Friendly, Volcanic
- Medium Bodied
- 750ml
- 12.5% alc./vol
About the Winery
Gilvesy Pincészet
Hungarian expat Róbert Gilvesy moved back to his homeland from Canada, and began building the Gilvesy winemaking empire on the former Esterházy estate on Szent György Hill. Thanks to years of hard work, the Hegymagas-based facility now includes a modern building complex and about 13 hectares of vineyards, in addition to being the home of the family. The area is shaped by 6 million years old volcanoes, where indigenous and international varieties grow organically.
Robert’s absolute admiration for nature and the terroir translates into an immense respect for the environment. By farming using organic practices, the soils and the vines stay healthy. In the winery, by letting nature take its course without controlling the processes, and using local resources, such as Hungarian oak barrels, Gilvesy promotes and protects the Balaton region.
Press Reviews
Wine Align
92 points - Michael Godel
Single vineyard on the north side of Saint George Mountain for a varietal wine but what the world needs to know about Robert Gilvesy’s sauvignon blanc is that it tastes nothing like any other. Matured in Hungarian wood, luxe, mature, rich and just plain exceptional. Full and layered with elderflower that creeps in and out with ascent that distracts while enhancing the yellow fruit. Must be tasted to be understood how unique this truly is and how it celebrates this volcanic hill. Drink 2023-2028. Tasted July 2023.
- Red Wine
- Pinot Noir
- Sustainable
- Dry
- Residual Sugar: 2.00 g/l
- Medium Bodied
- 750ml
- 13.50% alc./vol
Press Reviews
Cameron Douglas, MS
95 Points
Aromas of a complex wine with a stony mineral led quality followed by scents of dark cherry and baked plum then sweetness of barrel and a fine smoky wood quality. Dark rose and clove, plum and vanilla, there’s a fine silica and saline quality to the sense of place this wine carries as well. On the palate - taut and youthful, salivating and texture, complex and fine. A delicious wine with velvet textured tannin, plenty of acidity and a core flavours of red berries, plum then wood spices and sense of place with a earthy mineral quality. Lengthy finish with charm and cmplexity. Best drinking from 2023 through 2033.
- Sparkling Wine
- Chardonnay, Pinot Noir
- Sustainable, Vegan-Friendly
- Dry
- Medium Bodied
- 750ml
- 12% alc./vol
About the Winery
Leaning Post
A leaning post is what you find at the beginning of a row of grapes, anchoring the wires that are the frame-work for growing grapevines. It is the beginning of an obsession to translate a time and place into liquid. Leaning Post wines take you to that beginning by finding small, unique plots of land in Niagara and putting them in bottle. Because after stripping away all the fancy buildings and high-tech equipment you are left with a place on this earth that grows wine unlike any other. When you taste that in a glass you just know it. Nadia and Ilya have had to rely on the support of family, friends and financial institutions to make the dream of owning a winery a reality. Leaning Post began as a virtual winery and is so proud to now have the quaint tasting room at 1491 Hwy 8 on their home property in Winona, Ontario.
Ilya and Nadia are the brains and passion behind Leaning Post Wines. It started with a dream to take unique, interesting single vineyard blocks in Niagara and turn them into distinctive, terroir driven wines. Nadia and Ilya first met in their hometown of Winnipeg, MB where their passion for wine and each other was born.
Ilya has been a winemaker in the Niagara Region for the last 17 vintages working at Daniel Lenko Estate Winery, Foreign Affair and now at Leaning Post Wines. Ilya is also a consulting winemaker at the Good Earth Winery. Ilya’s true passion in life is to make world renowned wines from Niagara that really showcase the distinct terroir that Niagara offers.
- White Wine
- Sauvignon Blanc
- Natural, Sustainable, Vegan-Friendly
- Dry
- Medium Bodied
- 750ml
About the Winery
Grains d'Estuaire
Julien Bonneau, (Château Haut Grelot in the Blayais), and his friend Alexandre Lavigne, restaurateur in Saint-Palais-sur-Mer, created in 2014 a range of wines, Grains d'Estuaire, from 'a 10 ha vineyard located in Saint-Bonnet-sur-Gironde, in the south of Charente-Maritime.
- White Wine
- Garnacha Blanca
- Natural, Sustainable, Vegan-Friendly
- Dry
- Medium Bodied
- 750ml
- 14.2% alc./vol
About the Winery
Bodegas Puiggròs
Since 1843, the Puiggros family has been producing wines from their own vines in the Odena region of Catalunya for the family and close friends. Over generations they had come to realize that their vineyards and techniques were something worth sharing with the world. A sincere dedication to the terroir in their zone and the indigenous varieties that grow there, allows them to constantly discover ways to unlock all of the magic that lies within their land.
Starting with conscious and clean farming in the vineyard, they hand-harvest only the best fruit for their production, and ferment each vineyard separately in varying vessels to accentuate what the vines have to show; some in stainless steel, and many in clay amphora of differing sizes. All the while seeing very little sulfur use (if any) until bottling. Puiggros is pushing the quality of northeastern Spain's wines forward, and doing so in a clean and unique way.
Press Reviews
Wine Align
92 points - John Szabo
A very pretty, floral, clean and fresh example of white grenache, indeed much fresher and brighter than many in the amphora-aged genre, a future classic. I love the gentle white and yellow-fleshed fruit, the green apple freshness, the lemon blossom and meadow flowers. Acids are bright and crunchy, and 14.2% alcohol comes across as more like 12.5. The finish lingers terrifically on sapid, saline freshness. A sheer joy to drink; best now-2024. Tasted January 2021.
92 points - Michael Godel
A warm and generous white grenache with alcohol reflecting ripeness ans style, from a family growing grapes forDrink 177 years but only producing commercially for the past dozen. In this case their local Catalonian garnatxa blanca is raised at heights (600m) on limestone and clay, then sent t0 800L sized clay amphora. Comes away clean, spirited, juicy and pure as white garnatxa driven snow. Just pink enough to vin gris it up while in delivery of the natural and curated amphora experience. Just bloody delicious. Drink 2021-2025. Tasted January 2021.
- Red Wine
- Gamay
- Natural, Sustainable, Vegan-Friendly
- Dry
- Medium Bodied
- 750ml
- 12% alc./vol
About the Winery
Leaning Post
A leaning post is what you find at the beginning of a row of grapes, anchoring the wires that are the frame-work for growing grapevines. It is the beginning of an obsession to translate a time and place into liquid. Leaning Post wines take you to that beginning by finding small, unique plots of land in Niagara and putting them in bottle. Because after stripping away all the fancy buildings and high-tech equipment you are left with a place on this earth that grows wine unlike any other. When you taste that in a glass you just know it. Nadia and Ilya have had to rely on the support of family, friends and financial institutions to make the dream of owning a winery a reality. Leaning Post began as a virtual winery and is so proud to now have the quaint tasting room at 1491 Hwy 8 on their home property in Winona, Ontario.
Ilya and Nadia are the brains and passion behind Leaning Post Wines. It started with a dream to take unique, interesting single vineyard blocks in Niagara and turn them into distinctive, terroir driven wines. Nadia and Ilya first met in their hometown of Winnipeg, MB where their passion for wine and each other was born.
Ilya has been a winemaker in the Niagara Region for the last 17 vintages working at Daniel Lenko Estate Winery, Foreign Affair and now at Leaning Post Wines. Ilya is also a consulting winemaker at the Good Earth Winery. Ilya’s true passion in life is to make world renowned wines from Niagara that really showcase the distinct terroir that Niagara offers.
- White Wine
- Torrontés
- Sustainable, Vegan-Friendly
- Dry
- Medium Bodied
- 750ml
- 12.5% alc./vol
About the Winery
Matías Riccitelli
Matías Riccitelli was born in Cafayete, Salta. He identifies as a traveler and a tireless dreamer. After countless harvests throughout the world, he decided to combine everything he has learned and dedicate himself to exploring the excellent terroirs of Mendoza and the teachings of his mentor, and father, Jorge Riccitelli.Matías started his boutique winery in 2009, located in Las Compuertas at 1100 meters above sea level. It is the highest area of Lujan de Cuyo, and here he tends 20 hectares of ungrafted old vineyards. Matías also works with small, independent growers that own their lands at the bottom of the Andes halfway between 1000 and 1700 meters above sea level - in Gualtallary, Chacayes, Altamira and La Carrera.
All harvests are conducted by hand and fermentation takes place in small concrete vats and concrete eggs. Purity and delicacy in winemaking are prized by Matías and great care is taken in preserving the fruit’s singularity in order to obtain vibrant wines.