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

Feb 15 Vintages Release

see our just-posted reviews

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A Best Buy Canadian Pinot Noir


Le Clos Jordanne
Jordan Village Pinot Noir 2021

VINTAGES -33894 - NOW ONLY $26.60
Elegant, Bright, Ripe, Plum-Cherry-Cassis *** (92-points)

Normally $30, this now-available February 15th award-winning Valentine Day release is just $26.60 until Saturday. Garnet red colour, it has very bright, slightly spicy, perfumed, ripe, plum-cherry-cassis fruit aromas with some refined cedary notes. Dry, medium bodied, nicely structured, gently complex, intense, ripe, plum-cherry-cassis flavours with a crisp, lingering, gentle cedar-tinged finish. Aged for 20 months in premium French oak barrels (20% new), this 2021 is one of the best yet with a screwcap closure.

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My 2025 Best Buy Australian White

Tahbilk Marsanne 2023
VINTAGES - 117945 - NOW ONLY $15.60
Bright, Fresh, Ripe, Gently Spicy *** (90-points)
RETURNING TO $19.95 on February 16, this wine scored 95-points in the Wine Companion tasting last August Bright medium straw colour. Gently spicy, mineral-tinged, floral, honeysuckle, bright, ripe, orange-lemon-citrus nose. Dry, medium bodied, slightly spicy, fresh, ripe, citrusy-melon-apricot-apple flavours with a mineral-tinged, refreshingly crisp finish. This well-balanced, crowd-pleaser is perfect with oysters/seafood, as well as spicy dishes and sushi.
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Coming up on February 26
Biagio's 35th Anniversary Celebratory Wine Tasting Dinner
Hosted by icons Michael Vaughan‚ Donald Ziraldo and Biagio Vinci
Enjoy this one-of-kind event featuring two of Canada's top wine personalities. First, Michael Vaughan reveals his winetaster's secrets. Then Donald Ziraldo, who launched Inniskillin winery 50-years ago in 1975, shares his now-sold-out limited edition of Ziraldo Icewine. Four of Italy's TOP wine values will be featured PLUS an exclusive tasting of an amazing one-of-a-kind 40+ year-old mystery red from Michael Vaughan's personal cellar.
For detailed event wine updates email mbv@uniserve.com

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An Italian February 1 Tuscany Release

La Braccesca Vino Nobile di Montepulciano 2019
VINTAGES - 566216 - NOW ONLY $28.60
Elegant, Bright, Ripe *** (91-points)
Fairly deep ruby colour with an attractive, fairly intense, very slightly spicy, bright, ripe, strawberry-plum fruit on the nose with some gentle cedar-sandalwood notes. Dry, medium bodied, still youthful, bright, ripe, plum-crancherry flavours with an elegant, lingering, gently cedary, very faintly savoury, cassis-tinged finish. This tasty accessible blend of Prugnolo Gentile (aka Sangiovese) with a touch of Merlot has 14% alcohol and 2 g/L residual sugar with lot number L1137 on the back label. The price goes up to $32.95 on Feb 16.


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Vintages 2025 Buyers Guide
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LINKED 2025 VINTAGES BUYERS GUIDE
includes October 2024 to new February reviews
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FEB 1st VINTAGES RELEASE

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March 1 Vintages Release
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A VALENTINE BEST BUY ROSE
Lafage Miraflors Rose 2023

VINTAGES ESSENTIAL - 367375 - NOW $17.70
Fresh, Bright, Youthful **+ (89 points)
This just retasted VINTAGES ESSENTIAL release of Lafage's 2023 classic southern French Rose is perfect for Valentines. It comes in a very attractive, designer bottle with a convenient recyclable glass stopper. Bright very pale pink colour, it has fresh, gently spicy, floral, ripe, melon-apple-pear aromatics. Dry, medium to medium-light bodied, youthful, slightly spicy, fresh, honeycrisp apple flavours and a lingering bright finish. A tasty blend of 50% Mourvedre, 30% Grenache Gris and 20% Grenache with 12.5% alcohol. Versatile and ready-to-enjoy - save $2.25 today.
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A REMARKABLE BEST BUY
Small Gully Winery
The Formula Robert's Shiraz 2019

VINTAGES ESSENTIAL - 142935 - NOW $17.75
Cedary, Rich, Ripe, Fruit-Driven *** (90 points)
This 2019 Vintages Essential has a deep intense purple-red colour. Attractive, slightly spicy, bright, ripe plum, raspberry, black-cherry-cassis nose with lots of toasty-cedary notes. Dry, medium-plus bodied, nicely structured, ripe, fruit-driven, raspberry-cassis-cherry flavours with a lingering, rather cedary, well balanced, mouhfilling, bright finish. Delicious and crowd-pleasing, normally $19.95 this South Australia Shiraz is a $17.65 bargain until February 16.
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