Would it surprise you to learn that Lebanon has a small but thriving wine industry? In fact, this Middle Eastern country is located in what is considered the world’s first wine growing region. The Phoenicians, who once lived in what is now modern day Lebanon, were trading wine as early as 1500 BC and are credited for bringing wine culture to Europe and North Africa. However, when Lebanon was absorbed into the Ottoman Empire in 1517, Christians were only allowed to produce wine for religious purposes.

The modern Lebanese wine industry was established three centuries later when Jesuit missionaries from France introduced French vine varieties into the country. Demand for these local wines took off between the two world wars under French colonial rule. But production faltered again during the country’s 15-year civil war (1975-1990).

In the last 30 years the wine industry in Lebanon has grown steadily with the country now boasting more than 40 wineries. France still has an outsized influence on the industry: The most commonly planted grapes are still French and French winemakers act as consultants and business partners. However, many of these wineries are looking to differentiate themselves on the world wine scene, which includes making wine with local indigenous grapes.

IXSIR Altitudes White 2020 represents both the modernity and tradition of Lebanese winemaking. It is a blend of the indigenous Obeidy grape (also spelled Obaideh) with Muscat and Viognier. On the palate it is dry with a distinct creamy texture from the Obeidy, complemented by notes of lemon and honey. Find it online at the LCBO.

Visit Ilya and Nadia Senchuk’s tasting room at Leaning Post Wines on Highway 8 in Winona and you will be delighted to discover they have four Chardonnays on offer to try (and buy). All of these wines exemplify Niagara’s celebrated cool-climate Chardonnays, but each bottle also reveals the individual terroir from the vineyards where the grapes were sourced.

One technique the Senchuks use to capture the terroir is to allow the grapes to ferment naturally using the indigenous yeast strains present on the grapes in the vineyard, the way it was done for the first 8,000 years of wine production (before commercial yeasts were available in the 1960s).

Most of the wild yeasts are non-Saccharomyces strains. The primary yeast required to complete fermentation—Saccharomyces Cerevisiae—is found organically in much smaller quantities. As such, for the first few days the more abundant non-Saccharomyces species dominate the fermentation. They start the process of turning the sugar into alcohol while imparting their own interesting and unique flavours and textures into the wine. But, because they can’t tolerate high levels of alcohol, once the alcohol reaches about 4%, most of them die, allowing the smaller populations of Saccharomyces Cerevisiae to finish the process.

The grapes for Leaning Post Chardonnay 2018 - Wismer Foxcroft Vineyard were sourced from mature vines grown in Vinelands’ Twenty Mile Bench. The vineyard terroir is revealed through its delightful round texture balanced by adequate acidity. Succulent stone fruit aromas give way to mineral and tropical fruit notes on the palate. Purchase it by visiting the tasting room or online at leaningpostwines.com.

If you are always on the lookout for the unexpected—a wine that challenges conventions, defies categorization and surprises your palate—then seek out Original Exceptional Harvest 2019 by Bodegas Ximénez-Spínola.

Hailing from Jerez de la Frontera in the Sherry Triangle of Southern Spain, you might expect this wine to be made from the dominant Palomino grape. But instead it is made from 100% Pedro Ximénez. Few wineries nearby Jerez currently grow this ancient white varietal, with most plantings now found in neighbouring Montilla-Moriles.

Since it is single varietal Pedro Ximénez, you also might expect this wine to be a dark coffee colour and sweet like molasses. But on the contrary, it is bright gold and just slightly sweet (about 20g of residual sugar); nothing like the style of PX made famous by the storied Sherry houses of the region.

Bodegas Ximénez-Spínola is a small bodega founded in 1729 that is doing things differently. The current owner, José Antonio Zarzana, represents the ninth generation in his family to vinify Pedro Ximénez wines, but the first to make them in a drier style. When he crafted this wine, before the grapes were hand-picked, Zarzana left them on the vine for 21 days after the usual harvest, which allowed them allowed them to develop their luscious flavours. Then, he carefully controlled the temperature during fermentation to achieve the desired level of residual sugar. Finally, he imparted even more flavour by aging the wine on its own lees (using bâtonnage) for 4 months in American oak barrels. Unsurprisingly, you can find it at Bossanova on Roncy.

If you find yourself frequently grabbing for a bottle of Cabernet Sauvignon at your local wine store, then you are not alone. It’s the world’s most planted wine grape for a reason—some of the most prized wines are crafted from Cabernet.

Cabernet Sauvignons are often benchmarked back to the great wines of Bordeaux, near to where oenologists believe the grape originated. However, excellent examples of Cabernet Sauvignon also hail from other world-renowned wine regions. Tasting through a selection of these Cabs is a fun way to explore this iconic wine in all its various styles. And when you get to Australia, be sure to seek out a bottle from Coonawarra.

Coonawarra, located on South Australia’s Limestone Coast, has a cool Mediterranean climate somewhat similar to Bordeaux. But its ‘Terra Rossa,’ a 2km wide by 25 km long cigar shaped strip of red, fertile soil, is what has put this region on the map as a destination for world-class Cabernet. Latin for red earth, terra rossa is a loamy soil that sits on top of chalky limestone. Underneath lies calcareous clay and then a reservoir of pure, fresh water. The red loamy soils are loaded with nutrients that ensure the berries ripen to their full flavour potential. The limestone below provides excellent drainage for the roots.

This Petaluma White Label Cabernet Sauvignon 2019, true to varietal typicity, exudes aromas and flavours of luscious black fruit, cassis, mocha, and mint. Throw some lamb chops on the barbie and, like an Aussie, enjoy a glass with your mates. Limited quantities left at the LCBO.

1961 was the year they built the Berlin wall and sent the first person into space. It was also the year Queen Elizabeth made the world’s first overseas phone call to Prime Minister John Diefenbaker, and John F. Kennedy advised Americans to build bomb shelters. And in Italy, Guido Berlucchi introduced what would eventually become one of Italy’s most sought-after sparkling wines: Franciacorta.

People in the Northern Italian region of Franciacorta in Lombardy have been making wine for centuries. Its mild microclimate influenced by nearby Lake Iseo and breezes from the Camonica Valley, combined with the morainic soils, provide the ideal environment for landowners like Guido Berluchi to grow vines and make outstanding wine.

In 1955, seeking to further improve his wines, in 1955 Berlucchi approached Franco Zilani, a winemaking consultant, looking for advice. Zilani recommended he try making sparkling wines using the same methods as the French in Champagne. After several failed vintages, they finally achieved success in 1961, and they named their first wine “Pinot di Franciacorta.”

Only six short years later, as other winemakers followed Berlucchi’s lead and began making sparkling wines, the region was awarded DOC status. In the following decades international critics and wine buyers shouted praises about the quality of wine made in Franciacorta. This recognition prompted the region to be granted DOCG status in 1995, the highest classification in Italy. Berlucchi '61 Brut Franciacorta is named after that first successful vintage in 1961. Made from 90% Chardonnay and 10% Pinot Nero, it is gently frothy and exudes aromas and flavours of ripe stone fruit, caramel, and fresh flowers. Find it online at the LCBO.

Few subjects are discussed more fervently than the weather. It determines what we wear, where we go and what we do on any given day. All those engaged in viticulture have more than an average interest in meteorological conditions. But those who make highly prized botrytized sweet wines, are especially dependent on the elements.

Botrytized wines are made from white grapes that have been affected by a fungus known as Botrytis Cinerea. This fungus can be disastrous for vineyards, affecting both yield and grape quality. However, under the right weather conditions, it can also make exceptionally complex sweet wines.

Unwanted botrytis in the vineyard is referred to as ‘grey rot’, whereas the benevolent form is called ‘noble rot’. For noble rot to appear on the grapes, the weather has to cooperate. First, in the autumn months, warm early morning mists must be present in the vineyard. However, these misty mornings must then be followed by warm afternoons with enough sunshine to dry out the grapes and restrain excessive fungal development. If and only if these conditions persist up until harvest, the farmer is rewarded with concentrated grapes that have shriveled on the vine, full of sweetness and flavour.

In the Utiel-Requena DO of southeastern Spain, favourable weather conditions in 2016 allowed Finca San Blas to use botrytized grapes to craft an especially delightful ‘vino dulce’. A blend of 50% Merseguera and 50% Chardonnay, this unctuous wine boasts complex flavours of honey, flowers, citrus and dried apricots. Finca San Blas Dulce Utiel Requena 2016 can be purchased online at the LCBO.

If buying a bottle from the Burgundy section of your local wine store requires so many decisions you are tempted to grab something else, don’t despair. You don’t need a diploma in wine to find a good bottle of Burgundy. You just need a little knowledge about the region’s classification system.

Burgundy is divided into five major sub regions that grow primarily (but not exclusively) two grapes: Pinot Noir and Chardonnay. Within these sub regions, there are over 100 appellations (official wine growing areas) classified into four quality tiers.

A mere 1% of the most coveted (and expensive) wines are classified as ‘Grand Cru’. These wines come from one of only 33 Grand Cru vineyard plots (called climats) where the absolute best grapes are grown.

For something a little less pricey, look for ‘Premier Cru’ on the label, like this one from Maison Chanzy. Premier Cru wines are also grown in excellent climats, sometimes only a few feet from the Grand Cru vines. The label usually names the specific vineyard (like ‘Clos de Roy’) along with the village (like ‘Mercurey’).

Almost 90% of total Burgundy wine is classified either as a regional or village wine. Village wines name one of 44 grape-growing villages or communes, and the labels of regional wines simply state ‘Bourgogne’ (Burgundy).

With juicy flavours of cherries, red berries and a hint of dried herbs and baking spices, this Chanzy Mercurey Clos du Roy 1er Cru 2018 is a charming and affordable choice from Burgundy. Find it online at the LCBO.

Take a quick look at your wine collection and estimate how many bottles were made by women? While women make up about 50% of the population, it is unlikely your wine rack reflects that ratio. As consumers, we have the power to ensure more women make wine simply by choosing it at the shelf. And nowadays with more female winemakers crafting excellent wines, our palates won’t suffer as a result.

A good place to look for quality wine by women is the Chile aisle of your local wine store. In an industry dominated by large, traditionally male-owned, family businesses, today sisters and daughters are gradually claiming their rightful roles. But 50 years ago, there was only one Chilean woman in wine: Maria Luz Marin.

Marin started her career in 1973 making mostly commercial wine, first for Viña San Pedro, before quickly rising through the industry ranks. Then, in 2000, she became the first woman in Chile to start her own winery. She purchased a plot of land south of Valparaiso in the cool-climate region of the San Antonio Valley, just a few kilometers from the frigid waters of the Pacific Ocean.

Her Casa Marin fine wines were the first, and are still considered among the best, cool-climate wines in the country. This Casa Marin Casona Vineyard Gewurztraminer is a classic cool-climate Gewurz. Subtle yet lush and exotic, it exudes aromas of stone and tropical fruit, along with the scent of freshly-picked roses. Find it in the Chile Destination Collection of the LCBO.

As Do you like to drink wines made from autochthonous grape varieties? Don’t feel bad if you don’t know what that means — it’s a mouthful. Autochthonous is a synonym for indigenous. They are grapes that evolved naturally in the wild and have been growing in a particular region for eons, making them ideally suited to the local terroir. But they also tend to be less commercially successful than the widespread international varieties, such as Cabernet Sauvignon and Chardonnay, that have been planted more recently.

Nowadays autochthonous grapes are having a renaissance as growers seek to preserve their viticultural heritage and consumers choose to support local traditions. Refoschi (the plural form of Refosco) is an ancient closely related group of such autochthonous grapes. These dark-skinned varieties originated and continue to thrive in modern day northern Italy (Friuli-Venezia Giulia), western Slovenia and parts of Croatia.

Refosco dal Peduncolo Rosso — which means Refosco of the red stems — is considered to be the best of the Refoschi grapes, with the best wines being grown in Colli Orientali del Friuli, a DOC located in the Italian wine region of Friuli-Venezia Giulia. Refoschi make big wines with as much character as the people who grow them: dark, dense, and flavourful with elevated acid and tannins.

In the glass, this Perusini Ronchi di Gramogliano Refosco dal Peduncolo Rosso Colli Orientali del Friuli 2017 is bright ruby with aromas of plums, cherries, and marzipan. The palate shows similar flavours, firm tannins, and a prominent acidity. Find it at Blue Door Wine Shop and enjoy it with a plate of prosciutto.

As the wine geek in the group, have you ever been charged with choosing the wine when dining out with friends? The pressure to select the right wine is real, especially if your companions are ordering diverse dishes. If you find yourself in this situation, there are a couple of versatile grapes you need to get to know—starting with Chenin Blanc.

Chenin Blanc is best known in its homeland in the Loire Valley region of France. When scanning a menu, look for Loire Chenin wines from Anjou, Saumur, Montlouis, Vouvray, and Savennières. Excellent Chenin wines are also found in the New World, especially South Africa, Australia, and California.

Chenin Blanc’s versatility for pairing with food is a result of its natural high level of acidity. Tart wines pair particularly well with tomato or citrus based foods that are also somewhat acidic. The acidity will also make creamy food seem less rich and soften the taste of salty foods.

The acid in Chenin Blanc also allows winemakers to make it in a range of styles from dry or off dry to sweet, while still maintaining overall balance. A touch of sweetness helps make a wine even more food friendly— especially if the chef is inclined to amp up the heat with some chilies.

This François Chidaine Montlouis Les Tuffeaux 2018 will please everyone in your party. With flavours of papaya, yellow plum, and honeysuckle, it's an off-dry wine in perfect balance. Find it at Henry's Restaurant & Wine Bar on Queen Street and pair it with their lychee ceviche or the heirloom tomato salad.

𝘞𝘪𝘯𝘦 𝘎𝘳𝘢𝘱𝘦𝘴, a hefty manual for wine geeks that describes 1,368 wine varieties, does not include Petite Sirah—at least not under that name. That’s because while California growers have been calling it Petite Sirah since the end of the 19th century, its true name is Durif.

Durif was named after Dr. Francois Durif, a botanist and grape breeder in Southern France. In the 1860s he grew the grape from the seed of a now almost extinct French variety called Peloursin. Immigrants first brought Durif to California in 1884, but it wasn’t until 1996 that researchers at UC Davis used DNA technology to identify its French origins. They also determined that the pollinator was Syrah. Now more than 90% of global Petite Sirah plantings are in California (with virtually none in France).

Despite its relative obscurity on the world grape scene, Petite Sirah may be one of the only grapes to have a dedicated website. 𝘗𝘚𝘐𝘭𝘰𝘷𝘦𝘺𝘰𝘶.𝘰𝘳𝘨 was created by a group of California growers who want to share their love of this delightful grape with the world and protect it as a part of California’s viticultural heritage.

Petite Sirah, with its small berries, is prized for its firm tannins, deep colour and high acidity. It makes full-bodied and well-structured wines that have good aging potential. With its bold, but well-integrated tannins, and with its flavours of ripe blackberries, vanilla, and dried herbs, the Girard Petite Sirah 2018 is everything you want in a quality Petite Sirah. Find in the California destination collection at the Weston Road LCBO.

You know how in every class there is one overlooked kid? She’s the one who silently does her work while another kid soaks up the light, basking in endless praise. If Italy were a school and Piedmont were a classroom, the first kid would be Barbera and the second would be Nebbiolo.

Barbera is the most planted grape in Piedmont and the wine of choice for the locals—who love that it pairs well with their cuisine, is easy-to-drink, is full of red and black fruit flavours, and has enough spicy, earthy notes to taste like the terroir of home. However, outside of Piedmont it lives in the shadows of Nebbiolos like Barolo and Barbaresco and seldom gets as much admiration as it deserves.

This Barbera is from the region of Alba where vineyards are found nestled in hills that have been designated as a UNESCO world heritage site. The Réva winery was established in 2011 by a group of passionate winemakers who believe in respecting biodiversity in their vineyards. Over the past decade they have garnered praise for highlighting the unique characteristics of each variety in their wines.

Next time you plan to serve a simple pasta dish, first pick up a bottle of Réva Barbera d’Alba Superiore 2019. With aromas and flavours of cherries and wild blueberries, it will elevate your meal to something special. Because sometimes the quietest kid in the room turns out to be the most delightful—once you get to know her. Same with wine. Find it at Bossanova on Roncy.

There is no better way to educate yourself about wine than examining a wine label, and then researching every word. Take this label of Graham Beck Ultra Brut Cap Classique 2016, for instance.

Start by looking up Graham Beck on Wikipedia. You will quickly learn that the late Mr. Beck was once one of the richest people in South Africa and is credited for pioneering that country’s sparkling wine industry. If you dig a little deeper into the source material, you will be impressed to discover that his wines were served at the inaugurations of both Nelson Mandela and Obama.

If you are not familiar with the words “Methode Cap Classique”, look up the Glass of Bubbly Blog (glassofbubbly.com). There they explain that it is the South African terminology for “Traditional Method'', meaning that they make their wines bubbly using the same practices as the Champenois.

Finally, the words “Ultra Brut” could send you down a rabbit hole. On the Graham Beck website you will learn they used to call their driest style of sparkling wines “zero dosage”. But in 2015 they changed their terminology because too many people misunderstood their intended meaning of the word “zero”. Therefore, “Ultra Brut” wines fall into the driest category of sparkling wines whereby no sugar (dosage) is added, similar to what the French call “Brut Nature”.

Once you’ve read all about this wine and how it is made, open a bottle, make a toast to yourself and your newfound knowledge, and savour its fresh vibrancy, creamy texture and intense flavours of stone fruits and almonds.

You know that motivational mantra about success tasting sweeter after a challenge? Well, seems that adage also holds true in winemaking: Vines that are forced to struggle produce top quality grapes and craft incredible wines. Knowing this, a new crew of Chilean winemakers are challenging themselves, and their vines, by seeking out extreme conditions to grow their grapes.

Chile is blessed with some of the best winemaking terroir in the world and Chileans have been growing grapes and making wine since colonizing the country. But for those first 500 years, most viticulture was done around the city of Santiago, in the Central Valley between the Andes mountains and the Coastal range. Its Mediterranean climate and fertile soils make growing grapes easy.

Now, with climate change and a better understanding of cool-climate viticulture, winemakers are finding new frontiers in the Austral region of southern Chile. In 2006, the Silva family planted vines, first Pinot Noir and Sauvignon Blanc and later Riesling, on the shores of Lake Ranco, 900 km south of Santiago. That made Casa Silva the first Chilean winery to produce DO Austral wines from their own vineyards.

The influence of Lake Ranco has been essential to their success as it helps regulate the temperature. Silva also planted his vines on a hillside facing north-northwest for best sun exposure and to alleviate frost problems. The result is the quintessential cool-climate Riesling—light but intensely concentrated with mouthwatering acidity and pleasing notes of lime juice, tart apples, and crushed stones.

Do you find wine tastes better on certain days? Well, turns out the location of the moon could be playing a role. According to the philosophy of biodynamics, the moon influences everything from when the farmer plants, tends, and harvests the grapes right through to which days are best for you to enjoy the wine.

Austrian philosopher Rudolf Steiner conceived the ideas behind biodynamic agriculture in the 1920s. One part of his complex philosophy includes the importance of the lunar calendar. While other biodynamic practices can be scientifically verified, the role of the moon remains controversial—because it is hard to prove.

Basically the lunar calendar consists of four days (flower, fruit, leaf, and root) based on the position of the moon vis-à-vis the various constellations. Each day is favourable for different procedures. For example, it’s best to harvest carrots on a root day (when the moon in an earth sign like Taurus or Virgo) because carrots are root vegetables. Following that logic, it is best to drink wine on a fruit day, since wine is made from grapes and grapes are fruit.

Whether you believe in this philosophy or not, there is no denying that biodynamically certified farmers are making delicious wines, including this one from Domaine de Montcy in Cheverny (a Loire Valley AOC). A blend of Pinot Noir, Gamay and Côt, it is easy-drinking with juicy red flavours of cherries and raspberries and an earthy minerality. Find it at Le Baratin on Dundas and drink it next Wednesday.

What style of wine do you turn to for summer refreshment? Do you love a little bubbly when the weather turns warm? Then why not pick up one of the many Pét-nats you see showing up on the shelves of your neighbourhood wine stores this time of year?

Pét-nat is an abbreviation for the French term “pétillant naturel.” This means that unlike Champagne or most other sparkling wines, Pét-nats are “naturally effervescent,” and the bubbles come from using the “méthode ancestrale” (ancestral method).

And what does that mean? During the alcohol fermentation process of any wine, still or sparkling, when the yeasts eat the sugars in the grapes they create two by-products: alcohol and carbon dioxide. Non-fizzy (or still) wines are fully fermented before they are bottled. Pét-nats, however, are bottled while still undergoing fermentation and sealed with a crown cap. Because the fermentation then continues in the bottle, the C02 remains trapped inside, creating bubbles.

While the French have been making Pét-nats for ages, nowadays winemakers across the world are embracing this ancient wine style. Alpamanta 2021 Mendoza Breva Pet-Nat is a deep pink fizzy wine made by three European expat winemakers in Argentina. They used 100% Criolla Grande—a local, pink-skinned cross between the Mission and Muscat of Alexandria that is beloved in Argentina but seldom seen outside its borders.

This racy and gently tannic frothy wine will charm you with its notes of fresh cranberries, tart raspberries, and wild blackberries. Find it at Sunnyside Provisions on Roncy and serve it alongside empanadas from Bar Bacan.

When you buy wine, how important are its accolades? Displaying high numbers on shelf may encourage apprehensive wine drinkers to buy a new bottle, but in reality, these scores alone can’t predict whether they will enjoy the wine inside.

One critic who has had an outsized influence on consumer wine preferences is Robert M. Parker Jr. (now retired). Parker is credited for standardizing the system countless critics continue to use today: He published a newsletter with his reviews, wrote tasting notes for each wine, and then awarded scores (out of 100). But as coveted as the elusive ‘perfect score’ from Robert Parker became to both producers and consumers alike, even Parker himself acknowledged that:

“…𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘳𝘦 𝘤𝘢𝘯 𝘯𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘳 𝘣𝘦 𝘢𝘯𝘺 𝘴𝘶𝘣𝘴𝘵𝘪𝘵𝘶𝘵𝘦 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘺𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘰𝘸𝘯 𝘱𝘢𝘭𝘢𝘵𝘦 𝘯𝘰𝘳 𝘢𝘯𝘺 𝘣𝘦𝘵𝘵𝘦𝘳 𝘦𝘥𝘶𝘤𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘯 𝘵𝘢𝘴𝘵𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘸𝘪𝘯𝘦 𝘺𝘰𝘶𝘳𝘴𝘦𝘭𝘧.”

Nevertheless, producers and even entire wine regions are at the whims of the critics and their accolades. One region that benefited from Robert Parker’s praise was DO Monterrei, a small and relatively new appellation in Northern Spain. In 2008 Robert Parker’s organization awarded four Monterrei wines with scores of 100. Less than a year later, consumers around the world began seeking out Monterrei wine and exports rose from 10 to 37% of total sales.

Benito Santos Mencia 2019 is a charming Monterrei that has not (yet) received its share of recognition. However, if you like medium-bodied, refreshingly vibrant and elegantly balanced wines with notes of cherry and spice, then this wine might merit 100 from you.

Wine quality today is better than ever before. Oenologists around the world are continuously improving their skills, employing innovative technologies and techniques. But modern vintners not only look forward to the future, they also look back to times past to understand and revive ancient winemaking practices.

When Pablo Calatayud of Cellar del Roure in the Valencia DOP of southeastern Spain makes his ‘Cullerot’ white blend, he uses indigenous varieties like Macabeo, Malvasía, Pedro Ximénez, and the almost extinct Verdil. After growing in the region for centuries, these heirloom grapes are perfectly adapted to the region’s hot Mediterranean climate.

But beyond his choice of local grapes, Calatayud is also resurrecting an ancient Spanish winemaking tradition. When he purchased his property, he discovered one hundred 17th century egg-shaped clay amphorae (locally known as “tinajas”) buried in his cellar and salvaged about twenty of them. Sixty percent of the Cullerot blend is fermented in these amphorae (the other forty percent see stainless steel tanks). Then, the amphorae are also used to age the wine on its lees for an additional six months.

Because clay is porous, the wine inside is in contact with oxygen, taking on added complexity and richness similar to when wine is aged in oak barrels. However, unlike oak, clay is a neutral substance, so rather than imparting additional flavours, the grapes maintain their freshness. With flavours of ripe tangerines, sweet spices, and citrus, the 2021 Cullerot is a wine to experience.

How much do you know about sweet wines? As a category, dessert wines are often overlooked and undervalued, despite being amongst the world’s most complex wines. So if you have yet to discover the wines of the Jurançon region of southwest France, you are not alone.

Most people who avoid sweet wines do so because of their high sugar levels. But at approximately 40 – 60g/L of residual sugar, sweet Jurançon wines are on the lower end of the syrupiness scale. However, like all of the world’s most celebrated sweet wines, sugar is not what makes them special. Their defining characteristic is a zippy acidity. The acid balances out the sugar and creates a bright and refreshing wine.

Jurançon wines achieve this desired acidity because they are made with the local Gros Manseng and Petit Manseng grapes (unrelated). These thick-skinned grapes are prized because they ripen late, giving them more time to develop sweetness, but still retaining their acidity. In fact every autumn at Lapeyre Winery, winemakers keep some of their Petit Manseng on the vine until the dry hot winds from Spain start blowing. The dry air causes the grapes to lose some of their moisture and become raisined on the vines, concentrating the flavours.

With notes of stone fruits, white flowers, delicate herbs, and a touch of honey, this Clos Lapeyre Jurançon Moelleux 2020 is an excellent example of a fine Jurançon. It’s sweet enough to enjoy with or as dessert, but equally delicious as an afternoon sipper or an aperitif.

Winemaking is not a profession for people who want to get rich. The cost of operating a winery is substantial and margins earned on wine are meager. Winemaking is a labour of love and Loveblock is a love story.

The story starts when a research scientist from South Africa named Erica married Kim, a winemaker from New Zealand. Together they dreamed of opening a winery, but lacked the vast sums of money required for such an endeavour. So in 1996, using their life savings, they started a ‘virtual winery’. Kim purchased grapes from local Marlborough growers and leased the necessary equipment to make the wine. Erica created the brand.

Thanks to Kim’s talent as a vintner and Erica’s skill as a businesswoman, they were a staggering success. Seven years later they sold the brand to a major Canadian wine company and walked away wealthy. Instead of spending the proceeds to live a life of luxury, Kim and Erica followed their dream; they bought land and planted a vineyard which they lovingly referred to as their ‘love block.’

Nowadays Erica and Kim own significant vineyard holdings throughout New Zealand. Loveblock Wines honours the land by expressing the terroir of the region. 90% of the grapes in this Pinot Noir come from their family-owned estate in Central Otago. The remaining 10% hail from the Loveblock Farm back in Marlborough. With flavours of ripe plums, cherries, and sweet berries married with hints of violet and earth, you will taste the love in this 2020 Pinot Noir.

Savvy wine drinkers know that ‘Chablis’ on a label means the wine is 100% Chardonnay. They also expect a racy and flinty style of Chardonnay—high in acid, with mineral flavours more dominant than fruit flavours. This is because the Chablis, located in Northern France, has a cool climate. The shorter growing season compared to the rest of southern Burgundy doesn’t give the grapes enough time to develop the fruitier flavours often found in riper Chardonnays.

But beyond the weather, any discussion about Chablis must address its unique soil. Chablis vineyards are planted on soils that are over 180 million years old, from the Upper Jurassic age, also called the Kimméridgien era. The Chablis area lies on one side of the ‘Paris basin’, with the English village of Kimmeridge on the other side. Because the whole area was once under the sea, the soil is made up of fossilized oyster and other ancient shells. Chablis’ unique flavour characteristics are largely attributed to this special soil.

However, the soil type also determines the wine’s classification. Premier and grand cru vineyards are planted on Kimméridgien soil, whereas Petit Chablis wines are grown on Portlandien soil, which is similar in makeup but does not impart as much finesse to the wine.

With classic floral and mineral notes found in quality Chablis, this 2019 Chablis Premier Cru Beauroy Domaine Hamelin will have you savouring flavours of seashells, stones, acacia, and citrus. Enjoy it now or cellar it and watch it evolve over the next ten years. Find it online at the LCBO.

Picture yourself perched on the side of a hill gazing out at the vast sea. As the heat of the summer sun beats down, the fresh breeze from the ocean keeps you cool. Does this ‘maritime climate’ sound like your kind of happy place? Well, turns out wine grapes thrive when cultivated near the sea too.

A maritime climate is characterized by warm (but not hot) summers and cool (but not cold) winters. When temperatures rise in the summer, large bodies of water warm up more slowly than the land, keeping the air cool and protecting the grapes from the full heat of the sun. They also hold on to their warmth into the fall and winter, providing a longer growing season for the vines and safeguarding them from frost.

Some of the world’s most famous growing regions have maritime climates including Bordeaux, New Zealand, and certain parts of Chile. But did you know that excellent wines, like La Fanfarria from Dominio del Urogallo, are also grown in the maritime climate of northern Spain?

‘La Fanfarria’ is a bright and pretty blend of local Mencía and Albarín grapes from the Asturias region. Located next to the Bay of Biscay, farmers had been growing vines in Asturias for centuries. But then in the 1900s many wine growers abandoned their vineyards when they were hit by various diseases and natural disasters. Nowadays, enterprising Asturian vintners like Fran Asencio of Dominio del Urogallo are demonstrating the region’s potential with their fresh and fruit-forward maritime wines. Find it at Bossanova on Roncy.

Are you someone whose interests lean to the obscure? If studying unusual grapes is your thing, perhaps you spend evenings flipping through Jancis Robison and colleagues’ 𝘞𝘪𝘯𝘦 𝘎𝘳𝘢𝘱𝘦𝘴: 𝘈 𝘊𝘰𝘮𝘱𝘭𝘦𝘵𝘦 𝘎𝘶𝘪𝘥𝘦 𝘵𝘰 1,368 𝘝𝘪𝘯𝘦 𝘝𝘢𝘳𝘪𝘦𝘵𝘪𝘦𝘴, 𝘐𝘯𝘤𝘭𝘶𝘥𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘛𝘩𝘦𝘪𝘳 𝘖𝘳𝘪𝘨𝘪𝘯𝘴 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘍𝘭𝘢𝘷𝘰𝘶𝘳𝘴 in search of new wines to discover. If you geek out when you discover a wine made with a rare grape variety, then this is a wine for you.

Cotarella Ferentano 2016 is made from the Roscetto grape, a grape so obscure it is only grown in the central Italian region of Lazio. But even in Lazio it is mostly used as a blending grape. It has never been popular with growers because of its low yields.

When Ricardo and Renzo Cotarella founded their winery in 1979, they saw promise for this local grape. In an effort to showcase its full potential to the world, they spent decades experimenting with varietal Roscetto wines. They discovered that if they froze the grapes during the fermentation process, a technique called cryo maceration, they could extract as much as 50% more flavour, tannin, and pigment from the grapes than if they used a conventional process. This is because the sub zero temperature creates slow-forming ice crystals in the grapes. The crystals weaken the cellular structure of the skins where those critical flavour components are found.

The result is their Cotarella Ferentano 2016, a rich and full-bodied wine with assertive aromas and flavours of tropical fruits, vegetal notes and hints of vanilla. You can find it online at the LCBO.

Does the word ‘Tuscany’ evoke images of verdant rolling hills bathed in sunshine, and vineyards interspersed with cypress tree-lined country roads? Well, for wine drinkers, Tuscany is more than a romantic holiday spot, it is also home to the famed Chianti wines.

Few wines have more storied traditions than Chianti. Fine wines hailing from the Chianti villages between Florence and Sienna are mentioned in documents as early as the Renaissance (14th century). But it wasn’t until 1716 that Florence nobility demarcated the official Chianti wine producing zone.

Over the next two centuries, demand for Chianti wines became so great that production extended far beyond that original zone. By the 1970s, vineyard plantings in less than ideal locations led to inferior quality, damaging the entire region’s reputation. As a result, in 1996 the original Chianti zone, Chianti Classico, separated from the broader Chianti region and was granted DOCG status—the highest level of wine classification in Italy.

So, when choosing a Chianti, watch for the ‘Chianti Classico’ symbol—the black rooster—on the label. These wines are considered to be the finest among Chianti wines. And if you see the word ‘Riserva’, that indicates the wine was aged for 24 months before release. The Viticcio Riserva 2017 Chianti Classico is an excellent example. It’s a full-bodied Sangiovese with a touch of Merlot and Syrah. You will find aromas and flavours of dark ripe cherries, baking spice and a hint of pepper, balanced by a bright acidity and structured tannins. Find it online at the LCBO.

You likely already know that the word ‘Crémant’ on a label means the wine was made in one of nine sparkling wine appellations in France or Luxembourg. And you probably appreciate that winemakers in all of these regions employ the same ‘traditional method’ used in Champagne to make their wines sparkle. But sadly, most must sell them for prices significantly lower than what their colleagues in that more famous appellation can command.

The quality and value found in all of these crémant appellations make the wines worth discovering. However, seeking sparklers from Limoux, a region located in the foothills of the Pyrenees, should be a priority. Historians claim Limoux is the birthplace of the bubbly. The story says Limoux locals were crafting fizzy wines a few centuries before the Champagne region made this wine style the drink of choice for celebrations around the world.

When selecting a sparkler from this DOP, look for the name ‘Blanquette de Limoux’. Like so many sparkling wine regions around the world, Chardonnay is quickly becoming the dominant grape. However, some of the best producers continue to use the traditional grape indigenous to the region called Mauzac Blanc (known as Blanquette locally). Mauzac Blanc creates a crisp and vibrant wine that, with its signature flavour of apple peel, can be somewhat reminiscent of a refreshing apple cider.

What a treat to find J. Laurens Le Moulin Brut Blanquette de Limoux at the LCBO— and at a price only slightly higher than a run of the mill Prosecco.