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Welcome to this not-for-profit paywall-free resource database & website created by Michael Vaughan PhD
An Award-Winning weekly columnist for Canada's top newspapers including the National Post, Globe& Mail and Financial Times
Thursday June 12, 2025

About Vintage Assessments
our roots - check it out here
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PREVIEW THE JUNE 21 VINTAGES RELEASE
see our exclusive linked summary for all 106 release items
with agent links and number of cases for each item
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SEE OUR SUPPORTER EXCLUSIVE
LINKED JUNE 7 VINTAGES CATALOGUE


See our June 7 Buyers Guide
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Current Tasting at Toronto Store 149
see 32-item list updated June 7 tasting bar list now until June14
A great Flagship store on Bloor West just east of Royal York

TASTE THE NEW DISCOVERIES

NOW BEING POURED AT STORE 149
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STUNNING PORTUGUESE VALUE

Cabral Reserva Douro 2023

Vintages #35446 - $13.95 - 89-points
This bright, crisp, very well-made bargain from northern Portugal has a medium-light straw colour with exhilarating, intense, gently complex, mineral-driven, white-peach-wintermelon-lemon nose. Dry, medium bodied and nicely textured, the somewhat chalky, harmonious, white peach, melon, lemon-apple-pear flavours are followed up by a lingering bright finish. This versatile blend of indigenous Gouveio, Arinto Viosinho and Rabigato has 13.5% and 2 g/L residual sugar. It was aged for 9 months in previously used oak casks and would be perfect with seafood. Agent: Wine Lovers
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New Best Buy Ontario White

Norman Hardie Calaire 2022
NEW LCBO RELEASE - #10441 - $25.20
Bright, Ripe, Well Textured *** (91-points)
This just-released LCBO direct store order has a light yellow colour and a lovely, bright, slightly spicy, fairly complex nose showing mineral-driven ripe lemon-apple meringue. Dry medium-plus bodied, gently citrusy, lemon-apple meringue flavours with a lingering, mineral-tinged, lifted, floral finish. An inspired blend of 78% Riesling, 12% Sauvignon Blanc, 4% Gewurztraminer, 3% Pinot Gris, 2% Muscat Blanc and 1% Chardonnay with 11.5% alcohol, 3 g/L residual sugar and 8 g/L total acidity with a screwcap closure.


WELCOME TO OUR PAYWALL-FREE DATABASE
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73,000+ LINKED SCORES/NOTES
click here to SEARCH releases

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Vintages 2025 Buyers Guide
unpaid-for non-advertorial reviews

2025 VINTAGES BUYERS GUIDE TO JUNE 7
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BEST BUY ONTARIO SPARKLERS
TOP SCORING BEST BUYS - EXPERTS BLIND TASTING
33 Ontario sparkling wines - June 5 annual COVII event

click here to see details of this excellent tasting

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JUNE VINTAGES CHILE $18.95 BEST BUY

Santa Carolina El Pacto Agreement
No. 1 Limited Production
Cabernet Sauvignon 2022

Ripe, Bright, Damson-Plum-Cassis *** (90-points) - #35673

This brand new wonderfully flavoured 2022 Cabernet Sauvignon has a very deep purple red colour and a youthful, cassis-driven, Damson plum nose with some gently cedary, faintly herbal notes. Dry, medium plus bodied, bright, ripe, Damson-plum-cassis-black-cherry flavours followed up a lingering, nicely textured, gently toasty finish. At peak - it is showing very well now. It has 14% alcohol and 2 g/L residual sugar with lot number L5030 on the lower part of the glass bottle. Agent: Charton Hobbs
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A TRULY CLASSIC CHIANTI

Antinori Badia a Passignano Gran Selezione Chianti Classico 2021
JUNE 7 VINTAGES RELEASE - 384552 - $78.95
Intense, Harmonious, Ripe ***/***+ (94-points)
This 100% Sangiovese has a deep intense red colour. Intense, complex, gently earthy, youthful, Damson plum nose with some faint herbal notes. Dry, medium-full bodied, fairly extracty, well structured, intense, ripe, expansive, Damson-plum-red-cherry flavours with a lingering, complex, gently cedary, cassis-tinged finish. Has 14.5% alcohol and 2 g/L residual sugar.
Agent: Halpern Enterprises
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Copyright Michael Vaughan 2025
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