March Cellar Feature
| Product Name | LCBO# | Region | Score | mL | $/btl. | Qty. Avail. | Qty |
| Canada |
Clos du Soleil Signature 2020
Clos du Soleil Signature 2020BC VQA Similkameen Valley 0015740 (XD) 14% Alc./Vol. 750 mL $65.00 TASTING NOTE : The blend is 34% Merlot, 33% Cabernet Sauvignon, 21% Cabernet Franc, 9% Malbec and 3% Petit Verdot. The grapes, after being gently destemmed, were fermented in concrete tanks with indigenous yeast and then aged in French oak barrels for 16 months. Only the best barrels were selected for this, the flagship red at Clos du Soleil. The wine begins with aromas of cassis, blackberry, raspberry and spice. On the palate, there are flavours of black currant mingled with cherry and raspberry. On the finish, there are hints of spice and minerality. [Drink until 2038.] Score - 94. (John Schreiner, johnschreiner.blogspot.com, June 16, 2023)
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0015740
| British Columbia | 94 (JSC) | 750 | $65.00 | 0 |
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Martin's Lane Dehart Pinot Noir 2019
Martin's Lane Dehart Pinot Noir 2019East Kelowna Slopes, BC VQA British Columbia 0036338 (XD) 13% Alc./Vol. 750 mL $104.00 TASTING NOTE : Set high above Lake Okanagan facing west into the setting sun, Dehart Vineyard in East Kelowna was eleven years old in 2019. It is planted to clone 777 and a smaller amount of 667 that are all co-fermented in concrete with up to 60 percent whole bunches over 32 days. Gentle, gentle, gentle remains the mantra, and while hardly a shy pinot, it is among the most delicate made at Martin's Lane. It tends to be a bit reductive when opened, offering up a mix of earthy floral red blossoms, so give it plenty of time in the decanter if you are drinking it now. It is mouth filling but silky on the palate, offering refinement and polish throughout. 2019 is the first year it is certified organic, resulting in quicker healthy ferments and more complex flavours. At 13.2 percent alcohol, this is a delicious drop of pinot noir that will age well into 2028. Score - 92. (Anthony Gismondi, gismondionwine.com, Dec. 21, 2022)
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0036338
| British Columbia | 92 (GW) | 750 | $104.00 | 25 |
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Martin's Lane Simes Vineyard Pinot Noir 2018
Martin's Lane Simes Vineyard Pinot Noir 2018BC VQA Okanagan Valley 0021219 (XD) 14% Alc./Vol. 750 mL $102.00 TASTING NOTE : The Simes Vineyard is [a] west facing site overlooking the lake close to the winery in South Kelowna. The nose struck me as more savoury and herbal than the other single vineyard pinots in the range, with plenty of forest floor character and distinct, pronounced sour cherry fruit. It is medium-full bodied, fairly rounded and smooth with a real sense of volume, and perhaps a bit more tannin and dry edge than the others. The length is excellent to outstanding. I would age this, best 2025 to 2030+. Tasted August 2022. Score - 93. (David Lawrason, winealign.com)
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0021219
| British Columbia | 93 (WAL) | 750 | $102.00 | 34 |
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Martin's Lane Simes Vineyard Riesling 2022
Martin's Lane Simes Vineyard Riesling 2022BC VQA British Columbia 0036363 (M) 10% Alc./Vol. 750 mL $62.00 TASTING NOTE : Aromas of tangerine peel and freshly picked hyacinth waft from the glass of this firecracker BC Riesling. There's a minimal amount of skin and stem contact, giving the wine a light orange hue and an oily texture on the palate while still retaining the acidic character of the grape. A compelling white that will make an excellent accompaniment to mango salad or spicy butter chicken.
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0036363
| British Columbia | | 750 | $62.00 | 0 |
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| Chile |
Aresti Family Collection Assemblage 2018
Aresti Family Collection Assemblage 2018Valle de Curicó 0028594 (XD) 14% Alc./Vol. 750 mL $40.00 TASTING NOTE : 70% Cabernet Sauvignon, 10% Merlot, 10% Syrah. It's a beast of a wine, brooding and intriguing! Pronounced and inviting aromas of rich cassis, dark cherry, creamy tones, and earthy leather. The fine-textured palate delivers rich blackberry fruits with milk chocolate, cacao, and cloves. A very impressive wine. Score - 96. (Decanter World Wine Awards, 2022)
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0028594
| Curicó Valley | 96 (DWWA) | 750 | $40.00 | 6 |
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| France |
Albert Morot Beaune Teurons 1er Cru 2020
Albert Morot Beaune Teurons 1er Cru 2020AC 0674481 (XD) 12% Alc./Vol. 750 mL $113.00 TASTING NOTE : This is a decadently forward, fruity expression of Beaune Teurons, one of Beaune's most acclaimed premier-cru vineyards. Powerful and sun drenched, the wine offers concentrated and rich black-plum and cassis flavors. A firm strike of acidity and ripe but densely packed tannins lend a taut, upright feel to the finish. It's best to approach from 2024. The wine should gain complexity well through 2035. Score - 94. (Anna Lee C. Iijima, Wine Enthusiast, July 1, 2022)
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0674481
| Burgundy | 94 (WE) | 750 | $113.00 | 0 |
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Château La Croix-Toulifaut 2010
Château La Croix-Toulifaut 2010AC Pomerol 0037434 (XD) 13% Alc./Vol. 375 mL $39.00 TASTING NOTE : (Translated from the French) At the head of this château is one of the many Corrèze families that have become key players in the Libournais winegrowing area. The estate is named after an ancient cross along the Pilgrim's Way to Santiago de Compostela known in Occitan as tot li falt, which means 'all succumb'. The many hikers who still walk these roads today can also succumb to the charms of this deep ruby 2010, rich in oaky aromas with spicy and cocoa accents. The palate reveals a firm yet fine structure with strong but stylish oakiness that will soften with two or three years of cellaring. Score - 1 Stars (out of 3). (Guide Hachette, 2014)
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0037434
| Bordeaux | 1 (GH) | 375 | $39.00 | 24 |
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| Italy |
Jermann Capo Martino 2020
Jermann Capo Martino 2020IGT Venezia Giulia 0020998 (XD) 13% Alc./Vol. 750 mL $100.00 TASTING NOTE : The 2020 Capo Martino is sweetly herbal, with mint and sage nuances giving way to crushed apples and chamomile. This envelops the palate with silky, nearly oily textures complemented by a lovely inner sweetness and then further complicated by zesty green citrus. This finishes remarkably fresh and mouthwatering with traces of candied lime. I'm enjoying the balance of acidity and residual sugar here in this Friuli Bianco. Drinking window: 2023-2028. Score - 91. (Eric Guido, vinous.com, April 18, 2023)
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0020998
| Friuli | 91 (VIN) | 750 | $100.00 | 0 |
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Jermann Red Angel on the Moonlight Pinot Nero 2020
Jermann Red Angel on the Moonlight Pinot Nero 2020IGT Venezia Giulia 0029104 (XD) 14% Alc./Vol. 750 mL $45.00 TASTING NOTE : The 2020 Pinot Nero Red Angel captivates with a dusty and floral mix of peppery wild strawberries, sage and lavender. This is soft textured with a pretty inner sweetness complementing ripe cherries and inner rose tones. It finishes classically dry and fresh with gently grippy tannins as a licorice note fades under an air of violet inner florals. Drinking window: 2023-2028. Score - 91. (Eric Guido, vinous.com, April 18, 2023)
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0029104
| Friuli | 91 (VIN) | 750 | $45.00 | 0 |
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Jermann Vintage Tunina 2021
Jermann Vintage Tunina 2021IGT Venezia Giulia 0011271 (XD) 13% Alc./Vol. 750 mL $91.00 TASTING NOTE : This has a very fresh and polished character with sliced pears, white nectarines, crushed stones and citrus leaf. Lots of floral undertones, too. Medium- to full-bodied. Sleek textural mouthfeel and steady acidity gives freshness to the fruit and beautifully highlights its mineral backbone. Drink or hold [until 2028]. Score - 96. (jamessuckling.com, Nov. 28, 2023)
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0011271
| Friuli | 96 (JS) | 750 | $91.00 | 0 |
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Jermann Where Dreams have no end 2021
Jermann Where Dreams have no end 2021IGT Venezia Giulia 0011272 (XD) 13% Alc./Vol. 750 mL $90.00 TASTING NOTE : This is attractive and fresh with notes of glazed lemons and apples as well as young hazelnuts, spicy herbs and custard. Some spices, too. Full-bodied and layered with steady acidity that gives shape to every detail of the fruit. Some attractive savory nuances here before a mineral finish. It's complex but a very approachable wine, and already beautiful to drink, yet can hold too. [Drink until 2027.] Score - 96. (jamessuckling.com, Aug. 7, 2023)
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0011272
| Friuli | 96 (JS) | 750 | $90.00 | 0 |
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Mauro Molino Bricco Luciani Barolo 2019
Mauro Molino Bricco Luciani Barolo 2019DOCG 0011685 (XD) 14% Alc./Vol. 750 mL $97.00 TASTING NOTE : My personal favorite of the wines presented, the 2019 Barolo Bricco Luciani comes from a vineyard planted in 1971 that sits just outside the winery, with a southeast exposure and calcareous and sandy soils. This wine delivers a gorgeous mineral lift, with notes of wet stone, fresh rose petals, blood orange, and apricot, and it has an outstanding arch through an incredibly long finish, with incense, Asian spice, grenadine, and a savory, mouthwatering finish. Its elegant intensity makes for a stunning wine with a sense of place. Drink date: 2025-2045. Score - 98. (Audrey Frick, jebdunnuck.com, May 4, 2023)
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0011685
| Piedmont | 98 (JD) | 750 | $97.00 | 0 |
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San Leonardo 2018
San Leonardo 2018IGT Vigneti delle Dolomiti 0032474 (XD) 13% Alc./Vol. 750 mL $132.00 TASTING NOTE : 'In July, we finally saw a brilliant sun, whose welcome heat warmed a season that was quite wet up to that point and with below-average temperatures,' said Anselmo Guerrieri Gonzaga of the 2018 vintage. The newest release of this standout northern Italian red offers complex scents of tobacco, spices, earth and rich, wood-imbued black berries. In the mouth it combines intense concentration with freshness in a vertical sensation of poise and sapidity. Dark, plummy, spicy hedgerow berries are perfectly balanced by bright, moreish acidity and ripe, grainy tannins, with spicy cedar, dried currants and a touch of balsam in depth. Still has so much to give. Drinking window: 2023-2040. Score - 95. (James Button, decanter.com, May 29, 2023)
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0032474
| Trentino | 95 (DEC) | 750 | $132.00 | 0 |
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| Spain |
Marqués de Cáceres Gran Reserva 1991
Marqués de Cáceres Gran Reserva 1991DOCa Rioja 0033332 (XD) 12% Alc./Vol. 750 mL $167.00 TASTING NOTE : There are still 1,500 bottles of this beauty in the bodega, so call in to buy some if you happen to be passing Cenicero. Still fresh and lively, it has aromas of truffle, forest floor and cinnamon, engaging energy and acidity and sweet dill and strawberry flavours. Drink date: 2023-2030. Score - 95. (timatkin.com, Rioja Special Report 2023)
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0033332
| Rioja | 95 (TAT) | 750 | $167.00 | 0 |
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| USA |
Airfield Founders Series H. Lloyd Miller 2020
Airfield Founders Series H. Lloyd Miller 2020Estate grown, Yakima Valley 0036379 (XD) 14% Alc./Vol. 750 mL $89.00 TASTING NOTE : This is a balanced blend of 60% Cabernet Sauvignon, 22% Merlot, 16% Cabernet Franc, and 2% Petit Verdot. The wine's aromas of sweet blackberry and violets play against earthy oregano, worn leather and tobacco notes. Blueberries coated with dark chocolate are joined by vanilla and pine nuts on the palate. Oak and tannins are integrating nicely. Editors' Choice. Score - 94. (Michael Alberty, Wine Enthusiast, Sept. 1, 2023)
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0036379
| Washington | 94 (WE) | 750 | $89.00 | 49 |
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Argot Bennett Valley Chardonnay 2019
Argot Bennett Valley Chardonnay 2019Bennett Valley, Sonoma County 0036899 (XD) 14% Alc./Vol. 750 mL $55.00 TASTING NOTE : The 2019 Chardonnay Bennett Valley waltzes out with alluring notes of fresh apricots, honeydew melon, and grapefruit, with hints of orange blossom and powdered ginger. The medium-bodied palate is tight-knit and elegant, with a seamless backbone and loads of savory nuances to accent the stone fruit layers, finishing long with a spicy kick. Score - 95. (Lisa Perrotti-Brown, MW, thewineindependent.com, April 13, 2023)
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0036899
| California | 95 | 750 | $55.00 | 0 |
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Argot Pinot Noir 2020
Argot Pinot Noir 2020Sonoma Mountain, Sonoma County 0036949 (XD) 14% Alc./Vol. 750 mL $56.00 TASTING NOTE : Pale to medium ruby-purple in color, the 2020 Pinot Noir soars from the glass with bright notes of Morello cherries, raspberry preserves, and spice cake, with hints of cinnamon toast and potpourri. The medium to full-bodied palate is lively and intense, with vibrant red berry flavors and a savory finish. Score - 94. (Lisa Perrotti-Brown, MW, thewineindependent.com, July 18, 2023)
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0036949
| California | 94 | 750 | $56.00 | 0 |
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Chateau Ste Michelle Red Mountain Cabernet Sauvignon 2016
Chateau Ste Michelle Red Mountain Cabernet Sauvignon 2016Red Mountain, Yakima Valley 0036378 (XD) 14% Alc./Vol. 750 mL $60.00 TASTING NOTE : The first release of this wine, 80% sourced from Heart of the Hill Vineyard. There's a very plush and rich feel to this with attractive purple fruit that's delivered in supple and approachable mode. Holds the finish well. Really impressive. 98% cabernet sauvignon and 2% syrah. Drink or hold [until 2030+]. Score - 94. (jamessuckling.com, July 5, 2019)
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0036378
| Washington | 94 (JS) | 750 | $60.00 | 0 |
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Domaine Drouhin Oregon Pinot Noir 2021
Domaine Drouhin Oregon Pinot Noir 2021Dundee Hills, Willamette Valley 0961284 (XD) 14% Alc./Vol. 750 mL $60.00 TASTING NOTE : Moving to the Domaine Drouhin Oregon lineup from the Dundee Hills, the 2021 Pinot Noir Dundee Hills is ripe with ripe black cherry, fresh licorice, and dark stone. Lush and inviting, with ripe structure and broad shoulders, it is flush with a ripe, meaty texture and warming spice. Allow it another couple of years in the cellar. This is an age-worthy wine to drink 2025-2037. Score - 96. (Audrey Frick, jebdunnuck.com, Sept. 19, 2023)
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0961284
| Oregon | 96 (JD) | 750 | $60.00 | 0 |
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Inglenook Blancaneaux 2021
Inglenook Blancaneaux 2021Rutherford, Napa Valley 0024258 (XD) 14% Alc./Vol. 750 mL $100.00 TASTING NOTE : This is a fantastic white with white peaches, honeysuckle, crushed stone, and mustard flower. Full and fresh with beautiful fruit and firm phenolics that give excellent texture. Some acacia. Lemon rind. Dried fruits at the end. 43% viognier, 27% marsanne, and 30% roussanne. Drink or hold [until 2028]. Score - 95. (jamessuckling.com, April 4, 2023)
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0024258
| California | 95 (JS) | 750 | $100.00 | 0 |
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