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Showing posts from 2018

Akel, a new Chilean red wine that worth the discovery!

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(By Marina La Forgia) Akel, which means red in the Mapuche language, is the name of the new wine from the Chilean winery Montgras that has arrived to the SAQ gondolas. A blend of Syrah, Garnacha and Carignan that surprises and pleases thanks to its pronounced notes of red and black berry fruits, leather and cinnamon. The palate is very unctuous and pleasant. Although it has spent 12 months in the barrels, the oak contribution is gentle, subtle and elegant, respecting the great potential and splendor of these three red varieties that grow and mature so well in the Colchagua Valley. A little advice to enjoy it at its best? Leave it uncorked or poured for about 15 minutes before tasting it ... that way all its pleasant and full bouquet of aromas will blossom! Montgras is one of the wineries in the region that practices sustainable agriculture and its wines have in my humble opinion an excellent price-quality ratio. The new red Akel is another label that could confirm it.

V8 +, a Prosecco with many virtues to discover!

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By Marina La Forgia Icon of the Italian bubbles, the Prosecco continue to gain followers in the world and Quebec is not the exception. A new sparkling wine from the great wine house Genagricola has arrived at the SAQ gondolas with a name that is easy to remember, V8 +. They say that eight minutes is what it takes the sunlight to reach the Earth and the "eight" is also the number that symbolizes infinity ... now it is also the trademark of a new sparkling wine! Made 100% with the traditional Glera grape, this Prosecco DOC Brut and Millesimato is a deliciously fresh and fruity wine, with pleasant notes of green apple, pear and peach. On the palate, this young sparkling wine stands out for its slightly mineral character, not so easy to find in the more traditional Prosecco. A wine of excellent price quality ratio, very easy drinking and with an original label and bottles. In the price point of less than 20 canadian dollars is the ideal “party” ally. (MLF)

The Ladron and the secrets of Mencía

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(By Marina La Forgia) Ladron is a delicious and original red wine of the Mencía variety produced by Casa Rojo. Innovative and avant-garde as only a few in Spain, this winery has been surprising me for all the attractive labels for all the different wines. Mencía is an Iberic variety that has been forgotten for decades and is now beginning to be reborn and to win fans among young winemakers. Some studies relate this grape variety to Cabernet Franc and the best place in the world for it seems to be the Bierzo region. This is where this young red comes from, it has a strong character that expresses the best of this terroir. Made from old vines planted in the area and without any wood aging, Ladron is a very fruity young wine overflowing notes of cherry, raspberry, wild flowers, licorice and mint. In the mouth it surprises by its unctuousness, its pronounced minerality and its fruit intensity. An irreverent and particular wine that shows the particularities of a very Spanish variety that

Mountain Blend Chardonnay: Intense expression of the mountains

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From argentine producer Santa Julia arrives in the Quebec market a new wine that fortunately in my opinion helps to open the door for discovering new flavors and varieties of Mendoza. The grape Chardonnay, the star of the whites in the world, also has a very special terroir in the Uco Valley. This mineral and refreshing white wine, pleasantly surprised me by its delicate aromas of apple, jasmine and peach, and a slight but consistent structure in the mouth. With only 6 months in oak barrels, the wine preserves its fruity character and some flavors that remind me of the stony and alluvial soil so characteristic of the region. A delicious wine perfect for uncorking any of these summer evenings while it rests in the SAQ stores!  (Marina La Forgia)

A Malbec as bright as the stars ...

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"The moon has just come out, tonight the grapes will sleep illuminated by the stars, and tomorrow the sun will bathe the magic vine ..." It is always a pleasure how new variants of great Malbec wines are still born. I have recently had the opportunity to taste this new wine from Viña Las Estrellas, which I have liked very much because of its authentic character, but even more for its elegance and softness. Without ceasing to be perfectly expressive, it is a Malbec that responds to the new trend. A subtle and friendly wine to seduce the palates of the world. With all the typical notes we can expect and coming from Lujan de Cuyo, Mendoza, it offers in the nose a very perfumed bouquet with flowers, some cinnamon and nuts. In the mouth, although it has been for 6 months aging in new barrels, I must emphasize that this contact and influence of the oak is well assembled with the fruit, since it has a fresh, unctuous and balanced character. A Malbec with a delicious expressi

Camping and good wines

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(By Marina La Forgia)  A new summer season begins and going on camping is one of the most beautiful and accessible activities that I found myself to enjoy the magic of nature. With friends or family, there is nothing more pleasant than sitting around the fire and enjoying pleasant sunsets and picnics outdoors. It does not take a big budget to have a good time. Here 3 wine proposals that were my perfect allies this weekend in the Mont Orford National Park. Aufkellereien One of the classic grocery wines, the white Aufkellereien is a fruity, refreshing and unpretentious German wine, that indeed very pleasant. It is the ideal appetizer, since it seduces all palates. Sea Ridge Merlot A good choice of light red wine, with pleasant notes of red fruits and very easy to drink. The palate also has soft spicy notes that give to the wine a nice freshness and a good finish on the palate. Good price-quality ratio. Château Lamartine Exclusively for the gondolas of th

Valdemar Blanco: a refreshing Rioja breeze

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Conde Valdemar White 2017 Bodegas Valdemar DOC Rioja (Alavesa) - Spain SAQ price: $ 15.10 (By Marina La Forgia) Much is said about Rioja's classic reds, but whites are also great wines to discover. Such is the case of Valdemar Blanco, a winery that keeps the elegance of traditional wines but is also one of the most innovative of the region. One of its modern style wines is this excellent fresh and unctuous white made from 4 grape varieties: 70% of the native Viura, 15% of Verdejo, 10% of Sauvignon Blanc and 5% of Tempranillo Blanco. This interesting blend can only give a wine overflowing plenty of very nice aromas but the tropical fruits notes stand out. On the palate, however, I liked it for its mineral character and its refreshing acidity. A great and affordable wine, it is an excellent option to marry the delicious Spanish food. I have paired it with a homemade seafood paella and together they have expressed wonderfully!

How to be modern and revolutionary, without losing the essence

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Rhone to the Bones  Ravoire & Fils  AOP Cotes du Rhône - France 65% Grenache - 35% Syrah SAQ Price: $ 15.85 (By Marina La Forgia) In my personal opinion, the Rhone Valley is one of those wine regions from France that offers modern and revolutionary wines without losing the essence of its terroir. This is one of them. The Rhone to the Bones by Ravoire & Fils producer is a classical blend of Syrah and Grenache with a rebellious image and a remarkable intensity. On the nose, it has the typical aromas of red fruits, but it also offers nice smoky notes. The palate is round and unctuous. The fruit is complemented by spicy notes that make it tasty and pleasant. Syrah and Grenache grapes are both here generous and delicious. For lovers of intense wines, the price-quality ratio of this one is excellent. And for the best expression, I advise to oxygenate it for about 15 minutes before drinking. Available in the SAQ gondolas for just over 15 dollars, it is the ideal wine

Tenuta Argentiera and its great Bolgheri wines

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(By Marina La Forgia) From beautiful and renowned Tuscany, the specific region of Bolgheri is one of the most prestigious and vibrant. Although it is one of the smallest, it is one of the most active and important in the wine map today. And it is the birth place of great, elegant and stylish wines of Tenuta Argentiera, a relatively young winery that has been producing great wines year after year, and thus seduced the palate of Quebec consumers. Already well stablished in this market, I had the opportunity to attend a guided press tasting with Tenuta’s Marketing Director, Massimo Basile, and thanks to some specific vertical tastings, I had the chance to feel and taste the aging potential and the constant quality of all wines, in all ranges and styles. It is important to note that its great high-end wines are absolutely sublime. But I would like to emphasize that both entry level brand (Poggio ai Ginepri) and medium range brand (Villa Donoratico), have an excellent price-quality ra

Villebois Pouilly-Fumé: fresh and elegant white for any special occasion

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Pouilly-Fumé 2016 J. de Villebois - Grands Vins de Val de Loire AOC Pouilly-Fumé - France 100% Sauvignon Blanc SAQ price: $ 25.00 (By Marina La Forgia) Today, let's unveiled this  refreshing and elegant classic Pouilly-Fumé. The white wines coming from this prestigious Loire Valley appellation are particularly attractive and delicate. It is in this French wine region where the Sauvignon Blanc variety keeps its pure and genuine essence, but with a subtlety of aromas and flavors that make it one of the best exponents of the typicity in the world. Thanks to its excellence and quality, the Pouilly Fumé 2016 by J. de Villebois stands out for its pleasant and accentuated herbaceous and citrus aromas. In the mouth, it surprised me by the smoothness and roundness. While still fresh and fruity, it has a good body and structure,  which makes it a great white wine to accompany plenty of seafood dishes and grilled fish. A real delight that gives value to the offer of excellent

Pinot Grigio at its best

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Santa Margherita Pinot Grigio 2016 Valdadige DOC - Trentino Alto-Adige - Italy SAQ price: 17.95 (By Marina La Forgia) The arrival of spring and the warmer temperatures is the ideal occasion to get seduced by the white wines from all over the world. The chosen one today is this Pinot Grigio from the prestigious Santa Margherita winery, a classic of the SAQ gondolas! Coming from the north of Italy, the region of Trentino Alto-Adige is the cradle of great white wines and the Pinot Grigio grape reaches its best expression in this area. This fresh and lively wine gives us perfumed aromas of peach, pear, melon and some mineral characteristic notes that   make it very refreshing, especially in the mouth. An authentic Italian Pinot Grigio, simple and delicious, very easy drinking and absolutely enjoyable. Give it a try!

Italian, white, authentic and organic

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(By Marina La Forgia) If you are looking for good certified organic white Italian wines, here are three excellent proposals. Three different styles from north to south!   Alois Lageder Gaun Chardonnay 2016 Trentino Alto Adige - Italy SAQ price: $ 27.50 The nose is very attractive, with pleasant fruity and floral notes. In the mouth it preserves its elegance, a nice Chardonnay with the characteristics that remind us of white fruits, but coming from a different terroir which makes it more aromatic and less creamy. This Italian wine region always amazes me for the delicacy of its wines, they are very perfumed and seductive, and particularly the whites. Pratello Lugana Catulliano 2016 Lombardy - Italy SAQ price: $ 20,50 It’s been a while that I feel the Lugana appellation deserves to be discovered. It offers such elegant and floral white wines, above all. The Pratello is 100% Trebbiano di Lugana, a very aromatic autochthonous variety. In the mouth, it is easy to dr

Prosecco Santa Margherita: those elegant Italian bubbles ...

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Santa Margherita Valdobbiadene Prosecco Superiore  Santa Margherita SPA DOCG Conegliano Valdobbiadene Prosecco - Italy 100% Glera SAQ Price: $ 18.60 (By Marina La Forgia) I must confess that I am a faithful consumer of sparkling wines from all over the world. And if it’s time to mention some good ones, this Prosecco stands out! From one of the DOCG par excellence, Conegliano Valdobbiadene, the guarantee of quality is always assured. Like all the wines produced for this type, it is 100% made with autochthonous Glera grape and elaborated under the Charmat or Italian method. Light and attractive golden color and with delicate and vibrant bubbles, on the nose it has seduced me by its pleasant aromas of apple, pear, roses and honey. In the mouth, the bubbles are refreshing, enveloping and very pleasant. An authentic and very easy-to-drink Prosecco Brut that shows off now in the Quebec market with a new and beautiful label that reflects reminiscences of the region's medieva

Viñas Viejas Garnacha: a wine with history, “terroir” and a lot of expression

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Viñas Viejas Garnacha 2012 Bodegas Paniza Do Cariñena - Spain SAQ price: $ 15.50 (For Marina La Forgia) I continue with my pleasant crusade of discovering wines of excellent quality and price virtues and enough diversity in order to fulfill all your different palates!  Today let me introduce you the Viñas Viejas 2012 of Bodegas Paniza, a mature, rich and complex Spanish wine. A great “terroir” wine made from historic vineyards that cannot be more than a delight in the glass! With the rusticity of the Garnacha grape cultivated in high altitude of Cariñena region, this wine presents on the nose nice aromas of caramelized black fruits, cinnamon, coffee, earthy notes of evolution, some leather and mushrooms. The palate is very kind, intense, tasty and round. A red wine with a good tannic structure that gives it body and unctuousness. The finale is long and persistent. This Garnacha is in my opinion at its best point of evolution. A good quality/price ratio wine from this Spani

Hola! (Hello!): A Cava Rosé that brings color to the terrace

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¡Hola! Cava Brut Pink 2015 Barcelona Brands - Spain 50% Macabeo / 25% Xarel-lo / 25% Pinot Noir SAQ price: $ 17.30 (By Marina La Forgia) If we talk about sparkling wines, the Spanish Cavas always have a place among my favorites. And today I’d like to bring you this Catalan wine that has seduced me firstly for its packaging, but of course then for its great content: Hola! is a rosé Cava Brut attractive, unctuous and different. Made as a blend of Macabeo, Xarel-lo and Pinot Noir, this sparkling rosé has everything that needs to be a nice wine. It has an attractive color and fine and dancing bubbles, then on the nose it is very expressive with a predominance of wild berries and lemon aromas. On the palate, these bubbles become a delicate foam, giving this Cava special unctuousness and creaminess. The nose notes return as elegant flavors and it has a fresh and enveloping finish. A perfect Cava to inaugurate the season of Quebec’s terraces: let’s say finally Hello! (Hola!) to th

Champs de Florence, a nice Rosé from Quebec lands

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Champs de Florence 2017 Domaine du Ridge – Quebec – Canada 100% Seyval Noir SAQ Price: $14,55 (By Marina La Forgia) Nothing better than receiving the first spring sun with a glass of good Rosé from Quebec! The Champs de Florence by Domaine du Ridge is personally a pleasant discovery of what the humble local terroir can offer. I have had occasion a few months ago to visit and taste several wines from this winery and I really believe that almost all of them have an exceptional quality. Here the new 2017 vintage of its acclaimed rosé which is already on the market! Made from the native variety Seyval Noir, it seduces on the nose for its elegant citrus and floral notes, such as grapefruit, pineapple and jasmine. The palate is friendly, fruity, fresh, a true delight to enjoy without feeling guilty. Thanks to its good price-quality ratio, this rosé is one of those wines from Quebec that I have decided with conviction to adopt and spread the word. Santé!

This Merlot knows how to seduce the Quebec palates

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Lalande Bellevue 2015 100% Merlot Vignerons de Tutiac Appellation Blaye Côtes de Bordeaux - France SAQ price: $ 13.60 (By Marina La Forgia) Fifteen years in the Quebec market is a merit that only few wines can be proud of. Here, one of them, the Lalande Bellevue, a classic that I usually enjoy vintage after vintage and that never disappoints me. A wine produced by the prestigious Vignerons de Tutiac cooperative, is always true to its style: a 100% Merlot from the Blaye Côtes de Bordeaux appellation, with pronounced spicy and herbaceous notes on the nose, while in the mouth gives us its ripe black fruits, some mineral character but mostly a great unctuousness that envelops the palate. Persistent, intense, round and generous, it is one of my favorite Bordeaux for less than 14 dollars. A detail that few people may know about this wine is that it is also a "vegan”, produced respecting the environment and giving priority to the use of herbal products during winemaking process

Let’s pour sun and life into our glasses with these excellent four quality-price ratio organic whites!

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By Marina La Forgia Many of you already know that one of my most fervent missions in this world of wines is to be able to discover and advise the ones that respond to my two main criteria: high quality and accessible to the public. Now I have added the crusade that these wines should be as natural, genuine and organic as possible. Here I share with you a nice selection of delicious, refreshing, well-made white wines, from my beloved Argentina, Spain and Romania. Thus, there are no excuses to not go to procure some bottles, available of course, at the SAQ gondolas. Bodega Piedra Negra Pinot Gris 2017 Francois Lurton - Mendoza - Argentina SAQ price: $ 14.60 A wine perfumed with aromas of the Andes terroir: cooked white fruits, jasmine and some mineral notes that remind us of its soil. The palate is friendly, with a slight acidity that makes it refreshing and alive. The Pinot Grigio Lurton in Argentina is one of those white classics that people adopt for their elegance, s

Under the charm of Muscadet ...

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Muscadet Sèvre et Maine Cru Clisson 2014 AOC Muscadet - France 100% Melon de Bourgogne (Muscadet) SAQ Price: $ 23.90 The Muscadet gives us endless and different sensations than perhaps other French white wines. They have a strong personality, well defined notes and very particular flavors. They are generally very elegant wines, but they can also awaken our senses of smell and taste very intensely. This is what has happened to me tasting the 2014 Clisson. Made by the Lieubeau family, from the Loire Valley, which for two years has been making its wines under organic agriculture, this Muscadet is a very delicate white wine, but with pleasant and marked smoky, floral and mineral notes. The nose is clean, fresh, friendly. In the mouth, its subtle acidity and its smoky character make it an unctuous and enveloping wine, with such good presence. The almost 4 years in the bottle have helped in defining and rounding it, for sure. The Clisson has a long final, with a definite charac

Glen Carlou Pinot Noir: one of the many facets of this attractive grape variety

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Glen Carlou Pinot Noir 2015 Paarl – South Africa SAQ Price: $ 19,30 10 months in oak barrels South African wines have a very particular character for me, something in the components of their somewhereness (terroir) that awakens my senses in a different way from the rest. This Pinot Noir has not been the exception to this feeling, but rather the rule of those explosive red wines, generous and enveloping in aromas and flavors. I particularly liked this wine for its intense notes on the nose of anis, complemented by aromas of cinnamon, raspberry, vanilla and menthol. In the mouth, those flavors of young red fruits return and a pronounced acidity reinforces its refreshing character. Gentle and with persistent finish, it is a delicious and original wine, which confirms the versatility and diversity of the Pinot Noir grape variety, according to the place of the world where it comes from. This one comes from Paarl, an important wine region also known for having the largest granit

Yalumba and its overflowing GSM red ...

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Yalumba The Strapper GSM - Barossa Valley - Australia Yalumba is one of those Australian wineries in the Barossa Valley that represent what is for me the authenticity of modern wines. It is a producer that captivates me with the constant and indisputable quality of its delicious Viognier, one of the white wines that I consume frequently. Now, the winery delights me with this red blend GSM wine (Garnacha, Shiraz and Mataro) that overflows and seduces by its generosity of flavors, aromas and texture. I have recently tasted the 2014 vintage and in the nose shows off notes of spices, menthol, ripe berries and coffee roasting. In the mouth I liked the unctuous fruity and spicy flavors, but I was surprised by the amalgamated but crunchy tannins given by the Mataro, which is another name for the well-known Monastrell. A wine that surprises by its marked textures, deliciousness and generosity, who represents to my understanding the Australian lovely style: versatile, extroverted, genuine,

Vinexpo New York enjoys successful 2018 launch, announces 2019 return

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Bordeaux, March 8 th 2018 - This week’s Vinexpo New York wine and spirits tradeshow, held March 5-6, showcased 500 exhibitors from 23 countries, drawing a total attendance of 3,446. Given the extraordinary success of the 2018 event, the organizers will return to the Javits Center with an expanded show on March 4-5, 2019. Registration will open September 2018. Highlights of Vinexpo New York 2018 included a press conference and tasting with Wine Origins Alliance – which works to ensure wine region names are protected, and not abused or miscommunicated, to consumers worldwide – and an appearance by Martha Stewart, who was meeting with suppliers to her direct-to-consumer wine service and scouting for new producers. Attendees packed into the numerous educational conferences and master classes, addressing such topics as the shifting patterns of consumption and production, the effects of climate change, the purchasing power of millennials, and the rise of e-commerce. The complimentar

Villa Yustina Red Blend 2016, the taste of Bulgaria in a glass

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For you, wine lover of classic and international grapes, but coming from a wine region which is not yet widespread but absolutely interesting to discover. Today I would like to introduce you this Bulgarian red wine from the Thracian Valley made by the prestigious local producer Villa Yustina. The varieties of this blend are well known: Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Merlot and Pinot Noir. The uniqueness of the historic and emblematic terroir of Eastern Europe makes to this wine something different. Intense notes of black fruit, but also a lot of complexity, with earthy notes and very pleasant forest flavors. Available in Quebec only in private import. Price: 19 Canadian dollars. (www.balkanwines.ca) MLF

French, tasty and affordable...what else?

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Let's get out of the comfort zone! Why not to marry this Paul Jaboulet AOC Ventoux with Mexican home made tacos. Actually this is a delicate but powerful French red wine that can perfectly accompany any tasty food. 100% recommended. I really loved it and in addition, it has an affordable price . Available in many SAQ stores: $14,55 Give it a try, you will get seduced by this versatile and modern french wine! (MLF)