August Vintages

I dove into several of the latest Vintages releases from the KGBO (a.k.a. the LCBO) and there are several wines that I thought I should let you know that I believe are worthy of your consideration…

Kir-Yianni Akakies Rosé – a dry Greek Rose with some structure and character. It’s a bargain at $13. http://www.lcbo.com/lcbo/product/kir-yianni-akakies-rose-2015/71050#.V658ZPkrLIU. Great with food. Great alone.

Troupis Moschofilero 2015 – a mineral forward Greek white wine with complexity. I bought some to age as I think the wine will shine with a few years of bottle time. http://www.lcbo.com/lcbo/product/troupis-moschofilero-2015/463422#.V659EvkrLIU $17. Also consider the general list offering (i.e., ample supply and available online). $16 http://www.lcbo.com/lcbo/product/troupis-fteri-aoc-moschofilero/392936#.V65-SfkrLIU. Not as complex but a really nice white wine.

I bought several bottles of two different reds. These wines would be fine house wines and I believe that both would improve with some cellar time. The tasting notes on the KGBO website are pretty accurate.

One is the $19 2012 Ferruccio Deiana Síleno Cannonau di Sardegna Riserva. http://www.lcbo.com/lcbo/product/ferruccio-deiana-sileno-cannonau-di-sardegna-riserva-2012/455600#.V65_EvkrLIU. Cannonau is what the Sardinians call the Grenache grape. I’m presently intrigued by Sardinian wines. They are good; they are cheap; they work with food; they are hard to find. I’ve drank Cannonau that was 25 years old and it was beautiful. If you like this style of wine then I say that you should buy Sardinian wine when you see it and before it gets discovered.

The other red wine to consider is the Ardal Reserva 2006. It is a ten year old Spanish Tempranillo for $22. http://www.lcbo.com/lcbo/product/ardal-reserva-2006/167700#.V66AZvkrLIU. One of my house reds is the general list Bordon Rioja (http://www.lcbo.com/lcbo/product/rioja-bordon-rioja-gran-reserva/428060#.V66BLfkrLIU) a 10 year old wine that you can buy online for $23. If you like the Bordon then you will like the Ardal. The KGBO also has an Ardal Crianza 2010 as well (http://www.lcbo.com/lcbo/product/ardal-crianza-2010/167601#.V66Bs_krLIU) , which I intend to try. I suspect that it is worth the $19 the KGBO demands.

If Sherry excites you then buy the La Guita Manzanilla (http://www.lcbo.com/lcbo/product/la-guita-manzanilla/337022#.V66CL_krLIU). I love this wine so much I bought a case (it is hard to get Manzanilla from the KGBO). Have a glass with some good olives, charcuterie, nuts…anything salty…the wine is wonderful and a $16 bottle will last a while.

Finally, you’re nuts if you don’t buy the Gardet Cuvée Saint Flavy Brut Tradition Champagne (http://www.lcbo.com/lcbo/product/gardet-cuvee-saint-flavy-brut-tradition-champagne/924654#.V66EJPkrLIU). Nuts I tell you. Nuts. I bought 6 and might buy more. It’s delicious and dry and a Champagne and it costs $43; a rare find in this neck of the woods.

The last Vintage release by the KGBO was exceptional. I looked through the August 20 release this afternoon and, to quote Paul Simon, the wines in that release appear to me “in shades of mediocrity”. There is only one that I intend to buy and try. So, buy the good stuff from the prior releases before those wines disappear.

If you cannot source a wine from your local KGBO nicely ask the Product Consultant to do a store transfer. Some get snotty about it and others jump at the opportunity.

All the best