Buyers Guide to Vintages April 11th Release
New Zealand Less Travelled, Conspicuous Can Con, and a rare “Wine of the Month” Alignment
By John Szabo MS, with notes from David Lawrason, Sara d’Amato, and Michael Godel
Predictable New Zealand, impressive Canadian content, and a rare agreement on the Wine of the Month — that about sums up the Vintages April 11 release. There is much love for the wines of New Zealand at WineAlign headquarters, given the country’s genuine green credentials and lively, pure, cool climate-influenced wine styles, though the selection on offer failed to elicit much excitement from the WineAlign Crü this week. Ten of the 14 wines included in the New Zealand thematic hover around the $22 mark, the new $18.95 it seems, with predictable, safe and standardized flavours. Exploring the release will do little to broaden your knowledge of Kiwi wines. Marlborough sauvignon blanc is notably absent from our picks, though we do have a couple of worthy recommendations from other roads less travelled. Back home, Canada plays a strong hand in the release with triple alignment earned by one organic riesling, and four more making the cut, including three chardonnays, Canada’s strongest suit.
The Vintages Wine of the Month — a pay-to-play distinction bestowed in exchange for an advertising “program fee,” in LCBO parlance — scored a rare triple alignment. In this case, quality and price do indeed line up nicely, making the wine worthy of singling out. France, Spain, Italy and Greece all contribute pairs as well. Read on for details.
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New Zealand
As we moved through a handful of correct but not exciting sauvignon blanc samples, David and I stopped to consider an organic pinot gris from Marlborough that stood out for style, quality and price. The names behind the wine will likely be familiar: Kim and Erica Crawford, the couple behind the hugely popular Kim Crawford brand. The Crawfords sold the brand, including the rights to their name, to the wine behemoth Constellation over 20 years ago and are not involved in any way in the wine that bears their name. After their non-competition period was up, they set about building a small, quality-focused operation in the cool Awatere sub-region of Marlborough called, appropriately under the motivational circumstances, Loveblock.
In addition to producing excellent sauvignon blanc, the Crawfords have also made a very fine Pinot Gris, here from the 2023 vintage in the Awatere Valley ($24.95), which David describes as “a lovely, ripe, quite lush NZ example, with generous peach, wildflowers, fine fresh herbs and clover honey.” I focused more on the “sharp, stones-forward, fruit backwards style,” finding plenty of satisfaction.
Sara singles out the Rabbit Ranch Sur Lie Chardonnay 2023 from Central Otago ($29.95) praising it as a “lively minimal-intervention chardonnay, reminiscent of Chablis despite its very delicate oak treatment.” In the deep south of the South Island, Central Otago has built a reputation for excellent pinot noir and chardonnay over the last quarter century, a region which one could liken to the Okanagan Valley with its dry climate and short but intense growing season.
I found fantasy in the Craggy Range Te Kahu Gimblett red blend from Hawke’s Bay in the North Island ($34.95), enjoying its “juicy acids and the ease of drinkability while still being a ‘serious’ wine.” The blend is in the Bordeaux style, composed of merlot, cabernet sauvignon and cabernet franc. These varieties are, unsurprisingly, well suited to the discreet patch of thick greywacke gravels (sandstones) on the Heretaunga Plains that were deposited by the Ngaruroro River and exposed abruptly when it changed course last century in 1867. Thus, the Gimblett Gravels, named after an Englishman from Devon who bought land here in 1904, was born. It was once thought to be a useless, unfarmable strip of stones, and very nearly sold to a mining company to extract them. Then, in 1981, the hopeful Chris Pask of CJ Pask Winery planted the first cabernet sauvignon, merlot and cabernet franc vines, followed by syrah in 1982. The gamble paid off, and the region has since become the premier source of Bordeaux and Rhône-style reds in New Zealand. Craggy Range, established by the Peabody family in 1998, has emerged as one of the quality leaders from the region.
Can Con
Harald Thiel of Hidden bench gets a two-page spread in the Vintages catalogue this month, highlighting his “award-winning organic wines using 100% estate-grown fruit while upholding a deep commitment to environmental protection.” Established in 2005, Hidden Bench has been certified organic since 2013, one of just a handful of Ontario wineries to have the accreditation, and also practices biodynamics. “We make our own compost. We try to reduce the amount of tractor work in the vineyard. We have animals on the vineyard,” says Thiel. The winery uses geothermal energy for heating and cooling and installed solar panels in 2007, all laudable actions and important for us here at WineAlign.
Ultimately, however, the wines must be good, and here Hidden Bench also delivers. We found triple alignment with the 2022 Riesling VQA Beamsville Bench, Niagara Escarpment, in this release ($26.95) generating a couple of exclamation marks rarely found in our tasting notes (“What a classic nose!” – DL; “Such intensity on the nose!” – JSz). Michael appreciates “the wine being released when at its most complex,” while David observes that it’s now maturing and “showing all kinds of petrol, oyster shell, yellow pear/plum, honey, lemon and spice…channeling Alsace more than German, but notably Beamsville as well.” Less descriptively, I stop short at writing “This is a a shockingly good riesling.” Considering that this is Hidden Bench’s “entry-level” riesling, the excitement for value grows further.
Hidden bench also has a 2023 Gamay in the release that also has strong support from the Crü ($29.95).
And look for a pair of chardonnays from the indefatigable Thomas Bachelder, Ontario’s most dedicated terroir researcher with a far-reaching range of single-vineyard vines from across the Niagara Peninsula. Bachelder uses only chardonnay, pinot noir and gamay as his terroir vectors of choice, and in this release, you can compare and contrast his 2023 Les Villages Bench Chardonnay — a blend of vineyards from the Escarpment area, ($34.95) selected by David — and the single site Werner York Vineyard Chardonnay 2023 from St. David’s Bench ($45.00), selected by Michael.
Wine of the Month Triple Alignment
One of the two Wines of the Month for April is the Château Plaisance Bordeaux Supérieure 2019 ($24.95). I can’t remember the last time we found triple alignment on a WOM, a placement usually reserved for more commercial products and producers with the pockets to pay for the placement as well as sufficient volume to supply the large listing, a minimum of a thousand cases.
It’s not the first time we’ve seen this wine; it was first released three years ago, and is ageing more slowly, and better, than I originally anticipated. There’s some idle speculation that it might not be the same bottling, however, perhaps a wine that was kept longer (and fresher) in tank. It’s worth noting that the bottle itself is a different shape to the one it arrived in before, and so there’s every chance it’s not the identical wine. Whatever the case, it’s a fine wine from a fine vintage, and undervalued to be sure, a wine I’d be pouring by the glass in a wine bar to encourage repeat customers. Sara agrees, describing it as a “classic Bordeaux that is holding up impressively well — a testament to an excellent vintage, while David finds “charm, plaisance and Bordeaux authenticity at a very good price,” and suggests enjoying now with some decanter aeration.
And with that, on to the Buyer’s Guide with all of the picks.
Buyer’s Guide Vintages April 11: White Wine
Château Roquefort Les Roches Blanches Sauvignon Blanc 2024, Bordeaux, France
$15.95, Woodman Wines & Spirits
John Szabo – Good, clean, juicy fun here in a ripe and fleshy, regionally accurate Bordeaux Blanc, more Bordeaux than Sauvignon indeed, and with more than respectable depth at the price. Drink over the near term.
Radford Dale Vinum Chenin Blanc 2023, Stellenbosch, South Africa
$19.95, Nicholas Pearce Wines Inc.
Sara d’Amato – Chenin blanc makes me think spring and this incarnation from Radford Dale leans into that with subtle milky richness and real depth. Lemon curd and lofty lees with crème fraiche and hints of guava effortlessly unfold. It’s expansive on the palate, generous rather than showy, with impressive breadth of flavour.
Tselepos Classique Mantinia Moschofilero 2024, Greece
$21.95, Le Maitre de Chai
John Szabo – Slightly pink-gris in colour in the moschophilero varietal fashion (it’s a pink-skinned grape), Tselepos’s 2024 is a satisfyingly fleshy and plump, ripe peach and cherry fruit-inflected wine with honest and respectable depth and length. I like the fragrance and the pleasant bitterness that accompanies the floral side. Drink over the near term to capture the aromatic beauty.
Loveblock Pinot Gris 2023, Marlborough, New Zealand
$23.95, The Vine Agency
John Szabo – Good, sharp, stones-forward, fruit-backwards style of pinot gris from the savvy team of Kim and Erica Crawford, leaders in the Awatere Valley. I find all I need here in this wine.
David Lawrason – Loveblock is the latter-day incarnation of Kim and Erica Crawford. This is a lovely, ripe, quite lush NZ example, with generous peach, wildflowers, fine fresh herbs and clover honey. It is medium weight, fullish in flavour with big fruit, a touch of sweetness and warmth from 13% alcohol.
Hidden Bench Riesling 2022, Ontario, Canada
$26.95, Mark Anthony Wines & Spirits
John Szabo – Such intensity on the nose! This is a shockingly good riesling, with broad and dense palate, mostly dry, or so it seems, with a seam of acidity streaking through and a level of sapidity that defies and draws saliva. Considering that this is Hidden Bench’s “entry” riesling, the excitement for value grows further.
Michael Godel – Amenable riesling, now coming into a period of transition. Less sear, more pulp, lower heart rate, increased texture. Truly appreciate the wine being released when at its most complex.
David Lawrason – What a classic nose! And what presence. Now maturing, it is showing all kinds of petrol, oyster shell, yellow pear/plum, honey, lemon and spice. It is medium weight (but only 11% ABV), dry, warming and very intense, with riveting acidity. This is full-on, dry riesling, channeling Alsace more than German, but notably Beamsville as well. The length is outstanding.
Rabbit Ranch Sur Lie Chardonnay 2023, Central Otago, New Zealand
$29.95, Connexion Oenophilia
Sara d’Amato – A lively minimal-intervention chardonnay, reminiscent of Chablis despite its very delicate oak treatment. Light on its feet with just under 13% alcohol, leesy but not overtly creamy. A pleasant mineral tack beneath airy notes of lemon and stone fruit.
Bachelder Les Villages Bench Chardonnay 2023, Ontario, Canada
$34.95, Lifford Wine & Spirits (Select Wine Merchants)
David Lawrason – Bachelder’s Les Villages wines are blends of barrels that did not go into the single vineyard wines. It’s complex, elegant and detailed with aromas of poached pear, lemon, custard, hazelnut/marzipan, barrel toast and sourdough leesiness. There is a certain slimness on the palate with juicy, taut and mineral acidity. Simple elegance.
Culmina Dilemma Chardonay 2022, British Columbia, Canada
$39.95, Arterra Wines Canada
John Szabo – Clearly serious wine here from Culmina — ambitious, with generous concentration and wood ageing weighing in with its influence, also creamy lees-attentive winemaking to be sure. Save this for special moments at the table.
Bachelder Werner York Vineyard Chardonnay 2023, Ontario, Canada
$45.00, Lifford Wine & Spirits (Select Wine Merchants)
Michael Godel – Gets neither fuller nor more beautiful in terms of fruit quality in this most accessibly luxurious of Bachelder’s 13 strong chardonnay portfolio.
Buyer’s Guide Vintages April 11: Red Wines
Stonehaven Stepping Stone Cabernet Sauvignon 2021, South Australia, Australia
$16.95, Nicholas Pearce Wines Inc.
Sara d’Amato – A cabernet sauvignon with momentum, born on the Limestone Coast, it channels that terroir into a dense, tightly wound core of licorice and graphite — like a spring storing potential energy. Rich but controlled, it delivers surprising elegance, suave and polish, and exists very much in its varietal lane.
Monasterio De Las Viñas Reserva 2022, Cariñena, Spain
$17.95, Noble Estates Wines & Spirits Inc.
Michael Godel – Amazing thing about the wines from Monasterio de las Viñas, finding their early way to a place of pleasant maturity and then hovering in the beautiful Cariñena ether, sometimes for a decade or more.
Oxley Syrah 2021, Ontario, Canada
$18.95, Oxley Estate Winery
David Lawrason – Here’s an obscure and commendable syrah for under 20 freaking dollars. I purchased on a whim, so this was not reviewed by others. I am not commending this on weight and richness. But I admire the lifted, classic bouquet of olive, pepper, cured meat and currant fruit. It is medium weight, lean and a bit green, but it speaks to classic northern Rhone syrah.
Terrazas De Los Andes Reserva Malbec 2023, Mendoza, Argentina
$18.95, Charton Hobbs
Michael Godel – Well-made malbec, of dark fruit and barrel aging to beef up the mouthfeel and spice. Plenty of fruit layers in a dry red that gives and then gives some more.
Lafage Cayrol Vieilles Vignes Carignan 2023, Roussillon, France
$19.95, Glencairn Wine Merchants
John Szabo – Parcels of 60-year-old vine carignan from the stony, schist-derived soils of the Roussillon make their way into Lafage’s Cayrol 2023 — a beauty of a wine at the price, a liqueur-like essence with terrific acids, succulent and vibrant, and silky-firm tannins. Sharp, sharp value.
Sara d’Amato – A real treat – this old-vine Catalan carignan is in a sweet spot right now. Polished, inviting and ready to pour, it offers warmth but is lifted by a streak of mineral salinity, juicy red fruit, plenty of white pepper spice, a hit of botanicals and sleek tannins. Satisfying and well-priced.
Château Plaisance Bordeaux Supérieur 2019, Bordeaux, France
$26.95, Nicholas Pearce Wines Inc.
John Szabo – This is a wine I’d be pouring by the glass in a wine bar or restaurant to encourage repeat customers, one that far outshines its humble appellation and reasonable price, and is showing even better than it was when first tasted three years ago (and is ageing more slowly, and better, than I originally anticipated, if this is indeed the same bottling; it’s worth noting that the bottle itself is a different shape and so there’s every chance it’s not the identical wine). In any case, a fine wine from a fine vintage, and undervalued to be sure.
Sara d’Amato – A classic Bordeaux that is holding up impressively well — a testament to an excellent vintage. Tannins are just beginning to loosen their grip, and this high-value find should continue to evolve gracefully over the next couple of years.
David Lawrason – This offers some charm, plaisance and Bordeaux authenticity at a very good price. Expect lifted blackcurrant, dried pine needles, pencil eraser, violet and wood spice. It is medium weight, quite elegant and smooth, yet juicy and warm at its core. Tannins are a touch green and drying but not aggressive. Enjoy now with some decanter aeration.
Cune Reserva 2020, Rioja, Spain
$25.95, Family Wine Merchants
John Szabo – A classic Rioja from the storied house of CVNE here, with ripe-silky tannins and abundant fresh and lightly dried red fruit adjacent to notable but seamless sandalwood-cedar American oak-derived flavours. Representative, authentic. Drink or hold mid-term.
David Lawrason – This is an even, complex, maturing, traditional Rioja made with barrel notes very present. Along with ripe almost dried cherry and fig/date fruit. Lovely cedary spice, cigar and dried herbs as well. It is medium bodied, quite elegant and bit juicy, with fresh acidity.
Allegrini Palazzo Della Torre 2022, Veneto, Italy
$24.95, Select Wine Merchants
Sara d’Amato – A “baby Amarone” in style — same Veronese DNA just with a little less broody drama. A blend of the usual suspects (corvina, corvinone, rondinella and even a surprising splash of sangiovese) that get added intensity from 30% of dried fruit in the ferment, contributing a signature richness without the typical bitterness associated with Ripasso. It’s brimming with licorice and violets and a hint of oak spice. Youthful, with plenty of widely appealing, easy charm.
David Lawrason – This is a partial appassimento red. Seventy percent is fermented normally, while 30% is later fermented in the ripasso method with the addition of dried grapes. I love the lifted, pure scented rosemary, red cherry/raspberry and roasted aromas. It is smooth and almost glossy with juicy acidity, balanced alcohol and slightly firm, burry tannin. The length excellent.
San Felice Il Grigio Riserva Chianti Classico 2022, Tuscany, Italy
$29.95, Connexion Oenophilia
Michael Godel – Ideal example of juicy cherry red sangiovese with a kiss of fresh leather, kick of spice and verticality. Truly well made.
Craggy Range Te Kahu Cabernet/Merlot/Cabernet Franc 2022, Hawke’s Bay, New Zealand
$32.95, Select Wine Merchants
John Szabo – A lovely merlot-cabernet franc-cabernet-sauvignon blend from the famed patch of alluvial stones called the “Gimblett Gravels” in Hawke’s Bay, so well suited to the Bordeaux varieties, produced here by its most notorious producer, Craggy Range. I like the juicy acids and the ease of drinkability while still being a “serious” wine overall. Drink or hold 2–4 years.
Kir Yianni Ramnista Single Vineyard Xinomavro 2020, Naoussa, Greece
$39.95, The Kolonaki Group Inc.
John Szabo – The late Yianni Boutari, founder of the Kir-Yianni estate was undoubtedly a pioneer and key figure in reviving and promoting the fortunes of the Naoussa appellation of northern Greece, and especially its protagonist red variety xinomavro, clearly one of the country’s best. I’ve had 20+ year old bottles from this single vineyard and I can report that it ages magnificently, and I can also say that more current vintages, like this 2020, are even superior, with son Stelios Boutari at the helm. Top notch kit, worth buying multiple bottles of to follow over the next 10 to 20 years.
Michael Godel – Xinomavro single of nature, vineyard and style. At peak five years in.
That’s all for this report, see you ’round the next bottle.
John Szabo, MS
Use these quick links for access to all of our April 11th Top Picks in the New Release. Non-premium members can select from all release dates 60 days prior.
John’s Top Picks – April 11th
Lawrason’s Take – April 11th
Michael’s Mix – April 11th
Sara’s Selections – April 11th
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