November Cellar Feature
| Product Name | LCBO# | Region | Score | mL | $/btl. | Qty. Avail. | Qty |
| Argentina |
Cuvelier Los Andes Grand Vin 2018
Cuvelier Los Andes Grand Vin 2018Valle de Uco, Mendoza 0037203 (XD) 15% Alc./Vol. 750 mL $62.00 TASTING NOTE : This is really classy with deep blackberry, violet and blueberry aromas and flavors. It's full-bodied and super refined with integrated tannins that spread across the palate. So polished and refined. 69% malbec, 19% cabernet sauvignon, 5% petit verdot, 4% merlot and 3% syrah. Goes on for minutes. Drink or hold. Score - 95. (jamessuckling.com, Feb. 3, 2022)
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0037203
| Mendoza | 95 (JS) | 750 | $62.00 | 86 |
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Cuvelier Los Andes Grand Vin 2019
Cuvelier Los Andes Grand Vin 2019Valle de Uco, Mendoza 0149831 (XD) 16% Alc./Vol. 750 mL $58.00 TASTING NOTE : This has a perfumed and complex nose of sandalwood, tobacco, blackberries, black cherries, violets and spice box. Polished and deep, with a full body and firm, fine-grained tannins. Long and classy. Keeps going. Drink from 2024 [until 2034+]. Score - 95. (jamessuckling.com, Nov. 29, 2023)
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0149831
| Mendoza | 95 (JS) | 750 | $58.00 | 192 |
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Doña Paula Alluvia Vineyard Selección de Bodega Malbec 2019
Doña Paula Alluvia Vineyard Selección de Bodega Malbec 2019Gualtallary, Tupungato, Valle de Uco, Mendoza 0075036 (XD) 14% Alc./Vol. 750 mL $43.00 TASTING NOTE : Savory and complex with blackberries and blueberries, some violets, new leather, graphite and hints of mint, cocoa powder and tobacco leaves. Full-bodied, but elegant and supple with a fresh core of dark fruit. So poised, soft-spoken and long. Drink or hold [through late 2020s+]. Score - 94. (jamessuckling.com, May 3, 2022)
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0075036
| Mendoza | 94 (JS) | 750 | $43.00 | 0 |
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Durigutti Proyecto Las Compuertas 5 Suelos Malbec 2022
Durigutti Proyecto Las Compuertas 5 Suelos Malbec 2022Luján de Cuyo, Mendoza 0037146 (XD) 14% Alc./Vol. 750 mL $38.00 TASTING NOTE : Organically farmed and sourced from five different soil types on Durigutti's Las Compuertas estate, this superb unoaked Malbec is the antidote to the ripe, blockbuster style. Juicy, floral, refined and intense, it has plum and blackberry fruit flavours, silky tannins, lots of zip and minerality and a sappy, poised, tapering finish. 2024-30. Score - 95. (timatkin.com, Argentina Special Report 2023)
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0037146
| Mendoza | 95 (TAT) | 750 | $38.00 | 79 |
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Gen del Alma Otra Piel Chardonnay 2021
Gen del Alma Otra Piel Chardonnay 2021Valle de Uco, Mendoza 0033527 (XD) 13% Alc./Vol. 750 mL $45.00 TASTING NOTE : The 2021 Otra Piel Chardonnay had a 48-hour skin contact and fermented in concrete and matured in used barrels. It has a controlled reduction and a nose of wet chalk, smoke and white pepper. It's a classical Chardonnay with oak, but it has a twist with an Argentinean accent, the aromatic herbs from Gualtallary and the chalkiness. It has 13.6% alcohol, very good freshness and acidity and is medium-bodied, textured and somewhat Burgundian. I found it delicious. It was bottled in August 2022. Drink date: 2023-2027. Score - 94. (Luis Gutiérrez, robertparker.com, Nov. 30, 2022)
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0033527
| Mendoza | 94 (RP) | 750 | $45.00 | 304 |
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Otronia Block 1 Pinot Noir 2020
Otronia Block 1 Pinot Noir 2020Chubut, Patagonia 0023048 (XD) 12% Alc./Vol. 750 mL $100.00 TASTING NOTE : From 12-year-old vineyards in the Sarmiento area, very close to Lake Musters, about 1,900 kilometers south of Mendoza, Otronia's vineyards have shown that they can offer a good opportunity to make great whites as well as great reds. The pinot noir in particular has shown rich flavors and character as the vines have taken root on those sandy soils, in this case, with deep clay. In this pinot, intriguing notes of earth and mushrooms are mixed with spicy and floral tones. The fruits appear in the background, but gain prominence in the mouth, accompanied by firm, sharp tannins that are projected until the end. It's tense, refreshing, and full of nuances and little details of herbs, spices, and mushroom notes. A little Patagonian concert using the pinot as the principal instrument. Score - 96. (Patricio Tapia, guiadescorchados.cl, 2023)
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0023048
| Patagonia | 96 (GD) | 750 | $100.00 | 50 |
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Otronia Chardonnay 2021
Otronia Chardonnay 2021Chubut, Patagonia 0041154 (XD) 13% Alc./Vol. 750 mL $100.00 TASTING NOTE : Flowers and white fruits, but especially flowers, along with a bit of herbs, in a wine that has depth and freshness at the same time, the acidity seems sharp, the flavors are citrus and herbal. It has a generous body, built from acidity and tannins, an athlete's body, one of those who run long distances. This chardonnay is the most ambitious of the Otronia whites and comes from blocks III and VI, from clonal selections from Burgundy planted in 2010 on soils with a layer of sand (it's a very windy area) and a subsoil from a lake bottom rich in clays. It was fermented in 6,500-liter vats and then aged for 20 months in foudres. Score - 98. (Patricio Tapia, guiadescorchados.cl, 2024)
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0041154
| Patagonia | 98 (GD) | 750 | $100.00 | 44 |
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| Australia |
Clarendon Hills Liandra Syrah 2020
Clarendon Hills Liandra Syrah 2020Blewitt Springs, McLaren Vale, South Australia 0702332 (XD) 14% Alc./Vol. 750 mL $66.00 TASTING NOTE : This wine comes from a single vineyard, with 25-year-old vines. Very pretty nose! The 2020 Liandra Syrah shows hints of bergamot and black tea, floral and fennel spice. This is a gorgeous wine - supple, excellent. I love the tannins, which are pliable and flexible. This is the Eden Valley Shiraz of McLaren Vale: mineral, dark and thrilling. It is stylistically quite different from the other Clarendon Hills wines, and I love it for that. Drink date: 2022-2037. Score - 96. (Erin Larkin, robertparker.com, Sept. 15, 2022)
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0702332
| South Australia | 96 (RP) | 750 | $66.00 | 0 |
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Domaine Clarendon Syrah 2020
Domaine Clarendon Syrah 2020McLaren Vale, South Australia 0024043 (XD) 14% Alc./Vol. 750 mL $47.00 TASTING NOTE : Deep aromas of lead pencil and black fruits with some bacon. Full-bodied with round and velvety tannins. Sweet pipe tobacco and bark. Juicy, very structured and tannin driven. Really impressive. Drink after 2026 [through 2032+]. Score - 97. (jamessuckling.com, Nov. 7, 2022)
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0024043
| South Australia | 97 (JS) | 750 | $47.00 | 0 |
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Jim Barry The Armagh Shiraz 2018
Jim Barry The Armagh Shiraz 2018Clare Valley, South Australia 0424077 (XD) 15% Alc./Vol. 750 mL $513.00 TASTING NOTE : A meaty, savoury, spiced nose, something so welcoming about it, warm and friendly with a touch of perfume, dark chocolate, cinnamon and pink peppercorn to the blackcurrant, damsons and plums. Rich, ample and generous, yet delivered with such supple and velvety-soft tannins. This has an elegance to it, a cool sophistication in terms of the profile - neat and tidy, quite linear right now, brimming with energy, not yet fully expansive or loose, but quietly controlled and calm. It's confident though with invigorating acidity and I love the focus, detail and the purity of fruit. Sweet red fruits - strawberries, raspberries and red cherries with a slight balsamic, pomegranate edge that is so delicious. Juicy, crunchy, succulent and ripe but with an effortless edge to it. Supremely drinkable and likeable - what a gorgeous wine! A quality vintage and excellent winemaking skill on show. Ageing 18 months in French oak. Drinking window: 2025-2045. Score - 100. (Georgina Hindle, decanter.com, Dec. 30, 2022)
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0424077
| South Australia | 100 (DEC) | 750 | $513.00 | 6 |
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Kay Brothers Amery Vineyard Block 6 Shiraz 2020
Kay Brothers Amery Vineyard Block 6 Shiraz 2020McLaren Vale, South Australia 0598870 (XD) 14% Alc./Vol. 750 mL $122.00 TASTING NOTE : This release represents a profound change at this address from a culture of rich wines hewn of old vines and traditional winemaking, at least in an Australian sense, to one of earlier harvesting and a grasp for freshness. Sure, the ancient vines remain. Yet despite the palpable intensity and drive, there is a twiggy dryness, a paucity of amplitude and a generosity that is synergistic with an early harvest window. Olive and dark fruits, sure. Time may bestow further beauty. I score with the benefit of the doubt in mind. Drink from: 2022. Drink by: 2030. Score - 95. (Ned Goodwin, MW, winecompanion.com.au, July 6, 2023)
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0598870
| South Australia | 95 (AWC) | 750 | $122.00 | 96 |
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Sons of Eden Remus Old Vine Shiraz 2020
Sons of Eden Remus Old Vine Shiraz 2020Eden Valley, South Australia 0020182 (XD) 14% Alc./Vol. 750 mL $79.00 TASTING NOTE : 100% Shiraz. A striking harmony of dried thyme, oregano and mace with sublime aromatic undertones of red fruit and liquorice. Rich and powerful with plenty of fleshy sweet fruit tumbling through to the long spicy finish. A great future ahead. Platinum. Score - 97. (Decanter World Wine Awards, 2023)
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0020182
| South Australia | 97 (DWWA) | 750 | $79.00 | 0 |
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St. Hallett Old Block Shiraz 2017
St. Hallett Old Block Shiraz 2017Barossa Valley 0728477 (XD) 14% Alc./Vol. 750 mL $148.00 TASTING NOTE : Medium-deep crimson. Attractive espresso, dark cherry, blackberry aromas with praline/ mocha/ roasted chestnut notes. Smooth, supple and refined with dark cherry, blackberry, dried plum, red currant fruits, persistent fine graphite-like tannins, inky richness and underlying roasted coffee, mocha, chestnut, hint tobacco leaf notes. Finishes chocolaty/ chewy firm with plenty of mineral length. Multi-layered but medium-powered wine with lovely fruit complexity and integration. A classic Barossa Shiraz showing the enduring hallmarks of extended oak maturation. Will keep for years. Now-2038+. Score - 97. (Andrew Caillard, MW & Angus Hughson, The Vintage Journal, 2022)
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0728477
| South Australia | 97 (TVJ) | 750 | $148.00 | 59 |
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Torbreck Les Amis Grenache 2020
Torbreck Les Amis Grenache 2020Barossa Valley, South Australia 0037980 (XD) 15% Alc./Vol. 750 mL $250.00 TASTING NOTE : The fruit for the Les Amis Grenache is from the Slade vineyard, planted in the 1960s. The wine was matured for 24 months in French barriques (40% new). The 2020 Les Amis Grenache is savory, resinous, structural and firm. The core of red fruit remains protected, but it is clear that there is a long future for this wine that is obvious from now, and it will only evolve over time. Clove bud through the finish leaves a cooling, mineral feel in the mouth. This is very big, but very good. It is polished, and the tannins have a gritty chew to them, which is very attractive. Drink date: 2023-2038. Score - 95. (Erin Larkin, robertparker.com, April 6, 2023)
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0037980
| South Australia | 95 (RP) | 750 | $250.00 | 11 |
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Two Hands Coach House Block Single Vineyard Shiraz 2021
Two Hands Coach House Block Single Vineyard Shiraz 2021Seppeltsfield Road, Greenock, Barossa Valley, South Australia 0009563 (XD) 16% Alc./Vol. 750 mL $123.00 TASTING NOTE : The 2021 Coach House Block Seppeltsfield Road Greenock Shiraz is huge, firm and savory. The fruit speaks of blueberries and licorice, the tannins are earthy and unyielding, and the finish is minty - like spearmint oil spritzed onto roasted black berries. It also has notes of cracked fennel seeds and roast beef crust. It's a lovely wine. (Coming back to this again, at the end of the tasting, this is the most complete, concentrated and balanced wine of the lot. I can't help but think that these wines just need so much treatment: decanting, aeration, etc., for them to come alive. My points have come up from the original score.) 14.3% alcohol, sealed under Diam. Drink date: 2023-2033. Score - 95. (Erin Larkin, robertparker.com, Aug. 24, 2023)
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0009563
| South Australia | 95 (RP) | 750 | $123.00 | 39 |
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Utopos Shiraz 2017
Utopos Shiraz 2017Barossa Valley, South Australia 0020169 (XD) 14% Alc./Vol. 750 mL $59.00 TASTING NOTE : The fragrant bouquet serves notice that this is no ordinary wine. There is a vibrant elegance to its array of red and black fruits and a slinky, juicy mouthfeel to the very long palate. A totally seductive wine of rare quality and style. Drink by: 2037. Special Value. Score - 97. (James Halliday, winecompanion.com.au, June 21, 2021)
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0020169
| South Australia | 97 (AWC) | 750 | $59.00 | 0 |
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| Canada |
Tawse Robyn's Block Chardonnay 2021
Tawse Robyn's Block Chardonnay 2021VQA Twenty Mile Bench, Niagara Escarpment 0416321 (XD) 12% Alc./Vol. 750 mL $47.15 TASTING NOTE : 100% Chardonnay. Shy nose with pear-quince fruit emerging, toasty and nutty undertones. Silky and elegant style, with fresh acidity and long finish. Score - 94. (Decanter World Wine Awards, 2024)
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0416321
| Ontario | 94 (DWWA) | 750 | $47.15 | 62 |
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Two Sisters Blanc de Franc Sparkling 2020
Two Sisters Blanc de Franc Sparkling 2020VQA Niagara River, Niagara-on-the-Lake, traditional method 0030135 (XD) 13% Alc./Vol. 750 mL $64.00 TASTING NOTE : This first disgorgement begins a new iteration of the Blanc de Franc. It's made the same way as the version above, but with 24 months of lees aging. It's waiting on labels. It's more subtle and elegant on the nose with a vigorous bubble in the glass, fresh berries, red currants, subtle herbs, lemon/citrus, and brioche accents. It's fresh on the palate with lively bubbles and notes of apple, red currants, subtle creamy/brioche notes, lemon oil, raspberries, lovely texture and finessed through the bright finish. Can cellar to 2030. Score - 93. (Rick VanSickle, winesinniagara.com, April 18, 2024)
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0030135
| Ontario | 93 (WN) | 750 | $64.00 | 0 |
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| Chile |
Almaviva 2021
Almaviva 2021Puente Alto, Valle del Maipo 0037693 (XD) 14% Alc./Vol. 750 mL $370.00 TASTING NOTE : A fresh and discreet Almaviva with subtle pencil shavings and cigar box to the cassis and hints of chili chocolate and peppermint. Nuanced and subtle on the nose. This is medium-bodied and subtle on the palate with silky tannins in the seamless finish. Very long. 71% cabernet sauvignon, 22% carmenere, 5% cabernet franc and 2% petit verdot. Drinkable now, but it will take its time to deliver complexity. Score - 98. (Zekun Shuai, jamessuckling.com, Dec. 8, 2023)
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0037693
| Maipo Valley | 98 (JS) | 750 | $370.00 | 48 |
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| China |
Ao Yun 2020
Ao Yun 2020Yunnan, China 0039472 (XD) 14% Alc./Vol. 750 mL $596.00 TASTING NOTE : Super classy, fragrant nose that immediately brings demureness with its currants, graphite, paprika, cigar box, tobacco leaves and a touch of cocoa powder. This is a juicier expression of Ao Yun on the palate, with lots of brightness and probably a little less weight and opulence than 2019, but certainly more agility, firmness, tension and freshness. Refined, layered, long and silky, but the tannins are fresh and present. Extremely long and nervy. The best Ao Yun to date that zeroes in on balance. 60% cabernet sauvignon, 19% cabernet franc, 10% merlot, 6% syrah and 5% petit verdot. 30% new barrels, 30% old barrels and 40% stoneware jars from Sichuan. Drink from 2025, and the wine should age beautifully for the next two decades, if not longer. Score - 99. (Zekun Shuai, jamessuckling.com, May 3, 2024)
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0039472
| | 99 (JS) | 750 | $596.00 | 8 |
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