Our Wines
“Summer’s here and the time is right
For dancin’ in the streets.”
Is it just me, or do you always picture Martha and the Vandellas with glasses of white wine in their hands?.
Just me? O.K.
If one grape is meant to be consumed on summer’s streets then it is Sauvignon Blanc. The home of Sauvignon Blanc is the Eastern Loire Valley in both Pouilly Fumé and Sancerre. We are proud to say that we now have both from a wonderful producer.
Welcome to the wines of Joseph Mellot.
The Joseph Mellot Sancerre dynasty has been around since 1513. In 1698 César Mellot advised King Louis XIV on his choice of wines. That’s the Sun King people!
Today Catherine Corbeau Mellot is the driving force of the winery. She is involved in every aspect of production and is constantly improving vinification techniques.
Joseph Mellot is the only estate that owns vineyards in all the appellations of the region including Sancerre, Pouilly-Fumé, Quincy, Reuilly, the Coteaux du Giennois and Menetou-Salon. They also work with growers in the Touraine region of the Loire, where they source a lovely Chinon.
Joseph Mellot Sancerre 'La Chatellenie'
$33.95 per bottle in cases of 6
La Chatellenie' refers to the jurisdiction of the castle. Now you know.
After cold static settling, only a small portion of the press wine is selected. This is followed by fermentation in stainless steel vats at a low temperature.
The vineyard soil in Sancerre where this Sauvignon Blanc grows is composed of geological formations dating back to the Cretaceous period. The soil is said to lend a characteristic hint of gunflint. I concur, as far as I can tell. It is to be hoped that none of you have ever tasted gunflint in its pure form. Either way, this is a lovely, balanced, mineral-laden, crisp, dry white with lots of subtle fruit.
Joseph Mellot Pouilly Fumé 'Le Troncsec'
$29.95 per bottle in cases of 6
The Dry Trunk’
This Sauvignon Blanc wonderfully expresses its terroir and comes from predominantly Kimmeridgian soil, in Saint Laurent l'Abbaye.
This also exhibits those gunflint notes I mentioned.
It has a central palate of citrus fruit and a crisp mineral finish. It doesn’t have quite the finesse of the Sancerre, but then Martha didn’t have quite the finesse of Diana Ross. I still thought she could sing!
Weird trivia:
According to Wikipedia (so it must be true): Among the Amharic speakers of North Central Ethiopia, a vandella is one of several types of ghost-walking or dream-invading demons/vampires, somewhat similar to a succubus…
You always learn a little something here.
Don't forget to sign up for Fete de Pinot Noir.
Tickets are moving fast.
Wednesday, September 8
6:30 PM - 9:00 PM
St. Lawrence Hall, 157 King Street East (King & Jarvis)
Tickets: $150
So call 416-440-4101.
A fundraising event in support of Delisle Youth Services.
Eat, drink & support the Blue Jays.
Many of my clients live in apartments with no backyards and no barbeques. When summer comes around I cry a little for their otherwise pleasant lives as they suffer from a paucity of charred flavours in their meat.
I like to grill and I hunt out wines that work with grilled meats. I also like wines that lend a little elegance and charm to the table.
That’s just how I roll. 
Based in Castiglione Falletto, the heart of the Barolo area, Gigi Rosso makes wine from four vineyards owned by the family in Piemonte.
Maurizio Rosso has been coming to Ontario for years and is one of Italy’s great wine scholars. In fact he will be here in October to launch his recently republished classic on the wines of Barolo. Besides, Tony Aspler taught Maurizio and me the rules of baseball at a Jays game, so I think we have a bond. Why I let an Englishman teach me about baseball is another matter entirely.
Barbera is the most representative Piedmontese grape. It works beautifully with the robust and meat-driven local cuisine and is soft enough for early drinking. In fact, whether eating or not, it is a glass of Barbera that you are most likely to see in the hands of the locals when they gather with friends.
It also has the ability to ripen well in all weather conditions, so it is readily available each year.
Gigi Rosso Barbera d'Alba Rocca-Giovino 2007
for $18.99 per bottle in cases of 12
What does it taste like?
As a young wine, it shows fresh fruit and a refreshing bite of almonds; after one or two years of bottle aging it shows more complexity and the maturity of its full robust character with black cherry and tar. I quite often get a hint of dark chocolate too.
Why?
These Barbera grapes are grown on a gently rolling hill in Altavilla d’Alba, in the heart of the Langhe facing the renowned hill of Barbaresco. Nice views and nice wine. I am just as likely to get some of this in the winter months, when I order pizza or braise some lamb shanks, but for now I’ll have a steak with it.
For those who like a little carbohydrate with their flame-grilled animal here is a great polenta recipe I stole from them. It works really well with the Barbera.
Polenta Grassa - Rich polenta
Estratto da "Il Grande libro della cucina Albese"
Ingredients for 6 people: 500g. corn-meal flour
150g. butter
200g. fontina cheese
& Salt
Half fill a saucepan with lightly salted water. Bring to a boil and add 50g butter. Stir until it has completely melted. Add the sifted flour all at once and stir vigorously until all the lumps have been eliminated.
In the last 5 minutes of cooking time, increase the heat; the polenta is ready when it comes away easily from the stirring stick.
Lightly grease an oven proof dish and pour in a layer of polenta.
Cover with butter and thin slices of fontina.
Add another layer of polenta and continue until all the ingredients have been used.
This can be garnished with slices of cooked salami. Heat thoroughly before serving.
Place your orders today
Lifford Wine Agency
nick@liffordwine.com
Phone: 416-440-4101
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Go West!
It is silly to say that we represent the best wines the world has to offer unless we are able to make that claim more locally. Recently we were very excited to start working with Malivoire, who make some of Ontario’s very best wines. (There will be more on that in coming weeks.) In British Columbia, our portfolio includes Portfolio (the stunning Bordeaux blend from Laughing Stock) and we have had joy from Joie Farm giving us their confidence (and their Rosé and their Riesling and their Noble Blend…).
“Why stop there?” I hear you ask.
We didn’t.
I am honoured to be able to offer the wonderful range of wines from
Jane and Ian Mavety purchased this magical and secluded estate in 1971 when Ian finished his Agriculture degree. The neighbouring lake and surrounding wilderness and mountains have created a unique climate that allows Alsace varietals and Pinot Noir and Chardonnay to flourish.
“This is the most beautiful place in the entire Okanagan, and you can quote me on that.” - Adam Lowy.
The second generation is now a vital part of the team, with both Matt and Christie Mavety involved in the estate.
A quick ‘Google’ search will reveal the reputation of this estate. Of course, as a good Canadian, you already knew all about them, and it is just me playing catch up. Right?
I have to pick one wine to write about. I choose…
Blue Mountain Chardonnay 2008
for $34.95 per bottle in cases of 12
This wine is normally sold out upon release in B.C. This is not surprising, and the quality in the bottle shines through. We are lucky to have a small allocation.
With vines approaching 20 years of age, this wine is now coming into its own. Minimal handling occurs to ensure the delicate flavours are preserved for the final wine.
40% is barrel fermented and aged for 7 months in French oak barrels (new to 4 year old). 60% is stainless steel tank fermented.
The wine displays complex flavours of citrus and toast with a fresh, yet rich, lemon and grapefruit character and anise notes on the finish. The structure of the wine will allow it to age beautifully for 4 or more years.
This is a Chardonnay worthy of international attention. It is elegant and subtle (like all Canadians) and a worthy addition to your cellar and table.
Quickly, while the weather lasts.
Other wines worth noting and available:
Blue Mountain Brut NV Sparkling for $34.95 per bottle in cases of 12.
Blue Mountain Pinot Gris 2008 for $29.95 per bottle in cases of 12.
Blue Mountain Pinot Noir 2008 for $43.50 per bottle in cases of 12.
Jim Clendenen has been making wine for 32 years and in that time has tutored and mentored many of California’s leading lights. Over these years he has remained true to himself and his vision of what Chardonnay and Pinot Noir should be. Like an oasis in a desert of over-ripe, unbalanced wine, Jim pursues elegance and focus and hits the mark vintage after vintage with unerring accuracy.
Au Bon Climat is famed throughout the world and has made Pinot Noir a cornerstone of Santa Barbara wine production. Au Bon Climat means "a well exposed vineyard" and the name clearly indicates where Jim turns for inspiration. Since he began Au Bon Climat in 1982, both Jim and the winery have received a barrage of plaudits and praise.
“The fast-talking, super-enthusiastic Jim Clendenen is fashioning some of the most dazzling wines in California.” – Robert Parker
Au Bon Climat Chardonnay Santa Barbara County 2008
$33.95 per bottle in cases of 12
This wine is consistently a high water mark for Chardonnay lovers and it is easy to see why.
Guys: Think Sophie Marceau in The World Is Not Enough (not Denise Richards).
The already complex aromas are of peaches and pears, citrus and biscuit. This has a zippy crispness and offers a complete fruit bowl worth of flavours, all counterbalanced by a buttery richness.
Au Bon Climat Pinot Noir Santa Barbara County 2008
$36.95 per bottle in cases of 12
Making a rich wine is never difficult in Bien Nacido. That is not the challenge. Pinot Noir will ripen in most parts of the world. The challenge is to pick it when it is ready and make a wine that is soft and silky and great with food. This is it. It will not be the kind of wine that the critics gush over. It isn’t obvious enough. It will be the kind where you want a second (and a third) glass.
Girls: Think George Clooney instead of Matthew McConaughey.
The nose is all sweet berries and fruitcake (cloves?). The raspberry fruit sits lightly on the palate with a brightness that refreshes and asks for seared tuna or spareribs. It has a lingering finish. [That’s a good thing.]
SA World Cup Wines
As you can tell from my last name, I come from a Dutch family. The fact that I am an Australian living in Canada has not diluted my pleasure in seeing the boys in orange do so well. Whichever way things go today, I have to say that it has been an amazing world cup (unless you are Italian French, Argentine or Brazilian).
As a tribute to the great show they have put on in South Africa, I thought we’d do a Wine of the Week entirely devoted to South African wines. This will give us lots of good stuff to choose from!
Springfield Estate is based in a region that is little known outside of SA, but Robertson in the Western Cape Province is the source of that country’s finest Sauvignon Blanc and some of the best cool-climate Cabernet. Abrie Bruwer is the regional leader for top quality winemaking and is respected throughout the country for his dedication and the quality of his wines.
Springfield Estate Life From Stone Sauvignon Blanc Robertson 2009
$ 28.95 per bottle in cases of six
This is minerally (very stony soil), pure and elegant. Loads of green fruit and a crisp finish. This is a perfect summer wine.
Springfield Estate Whole Berry Cabernet Sauvignon Robertson 2008
$ 37.95 per bottle in cases of six
30 year old vines. The grapes were harvested by hand, carried to the cellar in baskets and placed uncrushed into open tanks to ferment with natural yeasts into wine. The final wine is velvety and smooth with a great tannin structure and strong fruit worthy of the cellar. This has at least 5 years in it, but drinks well now.
Meerlust Estate has been in the same family for 250 years. Hannes Myburgh is now the eighth generation to have worked this land. Cellarmaster Chris Williams has worked with legends such as Michel Rolland and is a great talent. The wines of Meerlust need little introduction as they are synonymous with South African quality. If you haven’t tried them, you don’t understand South African wine.
Meerlust Estate Chardonnay Stellenbosch 2007
$ 31.50 per bottle in cases of six
(Only 2 sixpacks available)
- Sourced from 2 vineyards on the Estate planted in 1991
- This is full bodied & generous and balanced by crisp acidity. There is ripe tropical fruit and creaminess balanced by a pure minerality.
$ 34.95 per bottle in cases of six
(Only 8 sixpacks available)
- 25 year old vines
- 86% Merlot and 14% Cabernet Franc
- This bursts with juicy plum and mulberry fruit, lifted spiciness and hints of dark chocolate.
De Toren. Emil den Dulk is of the old school
when it comes to quality and tradition. That hasn’t stopped him from employing every piece of modern technology to make the best wines he can. Everything from clonal selection to aerial infrared photography has been used to make the best of the best.
De Toren Z Stellenbosch 2007
$ 37.95 per bottle in cases of six
Merlot 47%
Cabernet Sauvignon 10%
Cabernet Franc 29%
Malbec 8%
Petit Verdot 6%
They use American oak for the Malbec and French for everything else and it spends 12 months in barrel before blending.
De Toren Fusion V Stellenbosch 2007
$ 57.95 per bottle in cases of six
5 sixpacks available
This is the best South African Bordeaux blend I have ever had. That is a big compliment.
Cabernet Sauvignon 55%
Cabernet Franc 15%
Malbec 15%
Merlot 10%
Petit Verdot 5%
Look for ripe, black fruits along with cherries, liquorice and cedar. Please decant this an hour before drinking if you are having it soon.
If you are looking to taste without spending on the big guns, then have a look at this. Napier winery was established in 1989 on land in Wellington farmed since the late 1600’s.
Napier Winery Cabernet Sauvignon Wellington 2007
$ 19.99 per bottle in cases of 12
This offers great Cabernet character with a strongh sense of the land from which it comes. Fresh ripe blackberry and raspberry flavours on the nose. The earthy character that I associate so strongly with SA Cab combines with hints of nutmeg and other spices.
Go Netherlands!
See you at Boy’s Night Out on Thursday!.
I have a dirty little secret. Talenti is one of the finest producers of Brunello di Montalcino. They are in high demand and with a great pedigree and history, why wouldn't they be? Although their Brunello's are unquestionably stunning, the wine I consistently buy for my house is their $23.50 house blend. The fact that it is in six-packs doesn’t hurt either.
Pierluigi Talenti was one of the giants of the region and helped to establish the prominence of Il Poggione with his decades of inspired wine making. He brought this ethos to his family enterprise in 1980 and it has been upheld by the generations that followed. Grandson Ricardo is now in charge of operations and the wines have never been better.
Talenti Trefolo IGT 2008
$23.50 per bottle in cases of 6
What does it taste like?
The intensity of this wine is the thing that keeps bringing me back. It has no right to have such a flavour punch at this price point. It is distinctively Italian with red and black fruit and an earthy undertone that speaks of good Sangiovese. It is well balanced with bright acid that means it plays well with or without food. I would not bother cellaring although I’m sure you can keep it for a couple of years if your liver needs a rest.
Why?
This is a Sangiovese dominated blend that changes from year to year. Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot have both been used. This year Cannailo (a traditional Chianti grape) and Syrah make up the blend. The wine spends 6 months in old French oak to mellow.
What’s Happening at Vintages?
This Saturday sees the release of the 2007 Craggy Range Gimblett Gravels Merlot for $22.95 per bottle (LCBO No. 685560). If you have ever enjoyed a Merlot, if you are familiar with the brilliance of Steve Smith MW or if you have ever wanted to try something different and wonderful, then check this out. I have only the highest praise for this man and his work at Craggy Range. Hawkes Bay, New Zealand is a fantastic wine region and the consistently excellent range of wines at Craggy Range are a force to be reckoned with in the years ahead.
Place your orders today
Lifford Wine Agency
nick@liffordwine.com
Phone: 416-440-4101
