Cellar Collection : December Feature
| Product Name | LCBO# | Region | Score | mL | $/btl. | Qty. Avail. | Qty |
| Argentina |
Pacheco Pereda Legado Organic Malbec 2021
Pacheco Pereda Legado Organic Malbec 2021Paraje Altamira, Valle de Uco, Mendoza 0046670 (XD) 14% Alc./Vol. 750 mL $43.00 TASTING NOTE : 100% Malbec. A sublime perfume of violets, blackberry, black cherry and damson with a dusting of cocoa powder, coffee and soy sauce to enrich and enhance. Fabulously concentrated with a prevailing calcareous Altamira backbone and mouth-watering acidity. Spectacular! Platinum. Score - 97. (Decanter World Wine Awards, 2024)
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0046670
| Mendoza | 97 (DWWA) | 750 | $43.00 | 374 |
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Zuccardi Tito 2022
Zuccardi Tito 2022Paraje Altamira, Valle de Uco, Mendoza 0038176 (XD) 14% Alc./Vol. 750 mL $45.00 TASTING NOTE : This is a seamless co-fermentation of 85% malbec and 15% cabernet franc. Paprika and sweet tobacco leaves with an undertone of dark cherries and blackberries. A touch of dark chocolate, too. Tannins are really fresh, mealy and resolved. Really long and focused. Drink or hold [through 2032+]. Score - 95. (Zekun Shuai, jamessuckling.com, Feb. 7, 2024)
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0038176
| Mendoza | 95 (JS) | 750 | $45.00 | 71 |
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| Australia |
Lou Miranda Heritage 1907 Centenarian Old Vine Shiraz 2018
Lou Miranda Heritage 1907 Centenarian Old Vine Shiraz 2018Barossa Valley, South Australia 0044731 (XD) 14% Alc./Vol. 750 mL $89.00 TASTING NOTE : Part of the Heritage series from the third generation of this well known winemaking family, we have a superb Barossa Shiraz from vines well over the century in age, from one of the great vintages. Just 2,400 bottles made, the wine was aged in American oak. Deep dark red in colour, this is a full-throttle, bold, ripe Barossa Shiraz which will thrill lovers of the style. There are lashings of vanillin oak at this early stage, but integration is well underway. Big black fruit notes, chocolate, licorice and coffee beans. Mocha and cassis too with soft, satiny tannins. Good intensity, excellent length. There is no subtlety here but no one is looking for it. Some might see it as a love-it-or-hate-it style, but most will surely love it - drink over the next ten to fifteen years. Drink by: 2023-2038. Score - 95. (Ken Gargett, winepilot.com, Oct. 2023)
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0044731
| South Australia | 95 | 750 | $89.00 | 0 |
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The Standish Shiraz 2022
The Standish Shiraz 2022Barossa Valley, South Australia 0010531 (XD) 14% Alc./Vol. 750 mL $171.00 TASTING NOTE : The 2022 The Standish Shiraz is again providing me with the opportunity to assess bottles two days apart, and how different they are. The freshly opened bottle, as we would all experience upon our first opening, is tight and fresh, with cracked fennel seed, black peppercorns, cumin and ras el'hanout, then dried blueberries and licorice, hints of arnica and raspberry. It's cool and mineral, with a graphite finish. I cannot overstate how much better the wine tastes after two days. All of the edges smooth out, and it is composed and complete ... what a wine. Balance and harmony in a single swoop. It's savory, though. Super. 14.9% alcohol, sealed under natural cork and foil. Drink date: 2024-2047. Score - 98. (Erin Larkin, robertparker.com, May 9, 2024)
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0010531
| South Australia | 98 (RP) | 750 | $171.00 | 0 |
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Xanadu Chardonnay 2023
Xanadu Chardonnay 2023Margaret River, Western Australia 0027888 (XD) 14% Alc./Vol. 750 mL $39.00 TASTING NOTE : Bright crystalline citrus, peach and white floral notes open. Something more mineral, like crushed stones and chalk dust, comes next, and a whisper of something more lactic below. The palate offers a wonderful zing of vibrant acidity, tamed by some slippery texture. Juicy fruit and gentle spice flavors prickle on the long finish. Delicious now, but still young. There's several decade of life left in this beauty. Score - 95. (Christina Pickard, Wine Enthusiast, March 1, 2025)
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0027888
| Western Australia | 95 (WE) | 750 | $39.00 | 273 |
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| Canada |
13th Street Aesthete 2020
13th Street Aesthete 2020VQA Niagara Peninsula, sustainable 0048748 (XD) 12% Alc./Vol. 750 mL $79.95 TASTING NOTE : The small-batch Aesthete 2020 is the first of 13th Street Winery's new collectable art series and features original artwork by renowned Canadian contemporary artist Joseph Drapell. This complex, expressive blend of 50% Cabernet Franc, 20% Merlot, 15% Syrah, 10% Cabernet Sauvignon and 5% Malbec offers blackberry, raspberry, dark chocolate and earth. It straddles the power versus elegance dynamic with an easy grace.
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0048748
| Ontario | | 750 | $79.95 | 126 |
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Hester Creek The Judge 2021
Hester Creek The Judge 2021BC VQA Okanagan Valley 0046545 (XD) 14% Alc./Vol. 750 mL $75.00 TASTING NOTE : This is one of Hester Creek's two flagship red blends. This is 46% Merlot, 26% Cabernet Franc, 22% Cabernet Sauvignon, 5% Petit Verdot and 1% Malbec. The wine was aged 24 months in French oak. The wine is remarkably concentrated, with aromas of sage, dark fruits including plum and cherry which are echoed on the palate. The wine needs to be decanted to coax it to open up. My sample improved continuously over four days. Score - 94. (John Schreiner, johnschreiner.blogspot.com, Jan. 1, 2025)
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0046545
| British Columbia | 94 (JSC) | 750 | $75.00 | 100 |
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On Seven The Devotion Chardonnay 2020
On Seven The Devotion Chardonnay 2020VQA Niagara-on-the-Lake 0024089 (XD) 14% Alc./Vol. 750 mL $68.00 TASTING NOTE : 100% estate fruit, certified Organic by Pro-Cert; mostly Clone 76 planted in 2014, with small percentages of Clone 95 (2015 planting) and Clone 96 (2018 planting). French oak barrels (20% new, 80% neutral) for wild yeast fermentation and 20 months aging. Coarsely filtered and bottled. Classic barrel selection resulted in the crafting of the flagship chardonnay from 2020. The Devotion is looking great at this stage, with some of the creamy character broadcast in The Pursuit, but a richer and harmonious style. More complete. More depth of flavour, too. Promises to age well - I can't wait to see 3, 4, 5 years of development, something I struggle to say about many 2020 whites. Remarkable. Score - 96. (Christopher Waters, medium.com, Aug. 12, 2023)
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0024089
| Ontario | 96 (MDM) | 750 | $68.00 | 97 |
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| Chile |
Clos Apalta Prelude 2022
Clos Apalta Prelude 2022Valle de Colchagua 0047693 (XD) 14% Alc./Vol. 750 mL $54.00 TASTING NOTE : White pepper with hints of black olives, iron and dark chocolate to the racy red and black fruit. Pretty full-bodied with fresh acidity and firm, dusty tannins. Tightly wound and long. 53% carmenere, 36% cabernet sauvignon, 7% merlot and 4% petit verdot. Better from 2026. [This will drink through early 2030s.] Score - 95. (Zekun Shuai, jamessuckling.com, Feb. 11, 2024)
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0047693
| Colchagua Valley | 95 (JS) | 750 | $54.00 | 72 |
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Errázuriz Don Maximiano Founder's Reserve 2022
Errázuriz Don Maximiano Founder's Reserve 2022DO Valle del Aconcagua 0039611 (XD) 14% Alc./Vol. 750 mL $120.00 TASTING NOTE : This is so fresh, with flowers, sliced citrus skin, light spearmint and blackberries. Lemon blossom undertones. Medium-bodied with very punchy tannins that are refined and tight, with a crunchy and intense finish. So much energy here. A blend of 63% cabernet sauvignon, 17% malbec, 11% petit verdot and 9% carmenere. Drink after 2027. Score - 97. (jamessuckling.com, Feb. 12, 2024)
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0039611
| Aconcagua Valley | 97 (JS) | 750 | $120.00 | 38 |
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Errázuriz KAI Carmenère 2022
Errázuriz KAI Carmenère 2022DO Valle del Aconcagua 0022555 (XD) 14% Alc./Vol. 750 mL $120.00 TASTING NOTE : Lots of violets and flowers with some currants, nettles and balsamic. Notes of potpourri and paprika. Medium- to full-bodied with fresh fruit and citrus flavors. Cool and subtle peppermint undertones. Racy at the end with vivid acidity. Sophisticated and elegant. Carmenere with just a touch of syrah. Drink or hold. Score - 97. (jamessuckling.com, Feb. 12, 2024)
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0022555
| Aconcagua Valley | 97 (JS) | 750 | $120.00 | 36 |
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Errázuriz La Cumbre Syrah 2019
Errázuriz La Cumbre Syrah 2019DO Valle del Aconcagua 0022560 (XD) 14% Alc./Vol. 750 mL $90.00 TASTING NOTE : Errázuriz was one of the first wineries in Chile to experiment with syrah. That was back in the early 1990s, and it has come a long way since then. They made the first vintage of La Cumbre, its most ambitious syrah, in 2001. It has also changed a lot in recent years, from thicker and riper versions to vintages like this one that, despite coming from a very warm year, shows radiantly fresh red fruits, and the earlier harvests that the winery team has opted for in the past five years has a lot to do with this. It has resulted in more vivacity in all their wines in general, and this one in particular also has tannins with more grip that help shore up the wine on the palate and gives it structure in addition to the refreshing and flavorful fruit. This syrah has 4% viognier in the blend. Score - 95. (Patricio Tapia, guiadescorchados.cl, 2022)
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0022560
| Aconcagua Valley | 95 (GD) | 750 | $90.00 | 55 |
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Errázuriz Las Pizarras Chardonnay 2023
Errázuriz Las Pizarras Chardonnay 2023DO Aconcagua Costa 0022567 (XD) 13% Alc./Vol. 750 mL $110.00 TASTING NOTE : At the western end of the Aconcagua Valley, about 12 kilometers in a straight line from the Pacific Ocean, Errázuriz obtains its best pinot noir and its best chardonnay for the Las Pizarras line, which has been in production since 2014. These are slate soils that deliver wines with a lot of character. Here, the fruit and mineral notes are there in the foreground, and in the background, some herbs. The palate is intense, dense, and deep in notes of citrus fruits, but at the same time it has acidity capable of building a structure, of causing tension and, above all, of offering a delicious freshness that makes your mouth water. One of the great versions of what we consider one of the great whites of South America. Score - 98. (Patricio Tapia, guiadescorchados.cl, 2025)
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0022567
| Aconcagua Costa | 98 (GD) | 750 | $110.00 | 52 |
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Garage Bagual Vineyard Cariñena/Garnacha/Monastrell 2019
Garage Bagual Vineyard Cariñena/Garnacha/Monastrell 2019DO Valle del Maipo 0045688 (XD) 14% Alc./Vol. 750 mL $38.00 TASTING NOTE : They say the 2019 Bagual Vineyard Cariñena Garnacha Monastrell is a tribute to the resilience of the plowmen farmers of the Maule who have been stewards of the vines of Caliboro since colonial times. It's marked as lot #106, as it's the 106th wine they have bottled since 2001. I left this wine in the glass for a long time, and it didn't stop changing and improving. At first, it felt a little rougher than the 2018, but it opened up and cleaned in the glass, and in the end it was as good (and perhaps better!). It reveals the more floral side of Cariñena, with low alcohol (13.5%) and notable acidity (6.33 in tartaric) and freshness (pH 3.25!), vibrant and long. These are intellectual wines that require time but are deeply satisfying. I have to say that I kept changing my mind (and my scores!) as the wines developed in the glass; they are not to be assessed quickly. They are a moving target! I think there's more complexity here than in the pure Garnacha... Drink date: 2021-2029. Score - 95+-. (Luis Gutiérrez, robertparker.com, Aug. 31, 2021)
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0045688
| Maule Valley | 95+- (RP) | 750 | $38.00 | 0 |
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Massoc Frères Grand País 2020
Massoc Frères Grand País 2020DO Valle de Itata 0047692 (XD) 14% Alc./Vol. 750 mL $43.00 TASTING NOTE : Some ripe, baked berry fruit and a hint of cherry liquor with wild herbs, spices, lifted flowers and potpourri on the nose. A pretty full and quite structured pais that shows gravity with its densely packed, chalky tannins. Juicy, ripe and very structured. Serious and concentrated, but not hefty. Drink now or hold [into the mid-2030s]. Score - 94. (Zekun Shuai, jamessuckling.com, Jan. 31, 2023)
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0047692
| Itata Valley | 94 (JS) | 750 | $43.00 | 97 |
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Montes Alpha M 2021
Montes Alpha M 2021Apalta Single Estate, Santa Cruz, Valle de Colchagua 0914580 (XD) 14% Alc./Vol. 750 mL $90.00 TASTING NOTE : The finesse and complexity is impressive here, with blackcurrants, lavender and sandalwood, not to mention violets and white roses. Just a hint of tar. Medium- to full-bodied with round yet tight tannins that build on the palate. The most elegant yet structured M I have tasted. Best ever? Better in three or four years. Try after 2027. Score - 98. (jamessuckling.com, Feb. 12, 2024)
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0914580
| Colchagua Valley | 98 (JS) | 750 | $90.00 | 145 |
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Undurraga Founder's Collection Cabernet Sauvignon 2022
Undurraga Founder's Collection Cabernet Sauvignon 2022Valle del Maipo 0726646 (XD) 14% Alc./Vol. 750 mL $45.00 TASTING NOTE : Founder's Collection is a selection of vineyards in Alto Maipo, all made up of vines that are more than 40 years old. The wine was aged for 14 months in barrels, a quarter of which were new oak. This is a very young red, still with some touches of oak on the front, but be aware that there is a long way to go here. The strength of the fruit is evident, the wine has concentration, and the tannins are firm and sharp. One for the cellar. Score - 95. (Patricio Tapia, guiadescorchados.cl, 2025)
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0726646
| Maipo Valley | 95 (GD) | 750 | $45.00 | 146 |
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VIK 2021
VIK 2021Valle del Cachapoal 0047672 (XD) 14% Alc./Vol. 750 mL $263.00 TASTING NOTE : Intense graphite with fresh lavender, thyme, rosemary and blackcurrant notes. Hints of decadence. Iodine and mussel undertones. Full-bodied with superb intensity and silky tannins that grow on the palate, showing great length that goes on for minutes. Truly great depth. 77% cabernet franc and 23% cabernet sauvignon. Best ever. 4,800 cases made. This needs five to seven years to come together. Drink from 2029. Score - 100. (jamessuckling.com, Feb. 20, 2024)
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0047672
| Cachapoal Valley | 100 (JS) | 750 | $263.00 | 58 |
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| France |
Bollinger Special Cuvée Brut Champagne
Bollinger Special Cuvée Brut ChampagneAOC, France 0490482 (XD) 12% Alc./Vol. 1500 mL $248.00 TASTING NOTE : If it's good enough for James Bond, it's good enough for you. Bollinger Champagne has made a number of cameos in James Bond films over the year. This non-vintage Special Cuvée is an example of a classic Champagne done well. Notes of marzipan on the nose and the palate give toastiness and leesy notes, specifically sourdough. It's classic for a reason and would only elevate any table it finds itself on. Drinking window: [Now]-2032. Score - 95. (Brianne Cohen, decanter.com, Feb. 15, 2023)
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0490482
| Champagne | 95 (DEC) | 1500 | $248.00 | 31 |
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Bollinger Special Cuvée Brut Champagne
Bollinger Special Cuvée Brut ChampagneAOC, France 0020002 (XD) 12% Alc./Vol. 3000 mL $525.00 TASTING NOTE : If it's good enough for James Bond, it's good enough for you. Bollinger Champagne has made a number of cameos in James Bond films over the year. This non-vintage Special Cuvée is an example of a classic Champagne done well. Notes of marzipan on the nose and the palate give toastiness and leesy notes, specifically sourdough. It's classic for a reason and would only elevate any table it finds itself on. Drinking window: [Now]-2032. Score - 95. (Brianne Cohen, decanter.com, Feb. 15, 2023)
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0020002
| Champagne | 95 (DEC) | 3000 | $525.00 | 0 |
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