Cost: $15.45 (Sale price until July 21, 2024: $13.45) Grape: Chardonnay Category: White Wine Location: LCBO General Listing Country: Chile Region: Valle de Casablanca Format: 750 ml Producer: Vina del Nuevo Mundo SA Alcohol: 13.5% Alcohol/Vol.
Quality of this wine is double of its price. It’s balanced between acidity, oak & fruits. Score: 94/100.
Tasting Note: Light gold in colour with good acidity, medium+ intense nose & a long length on the finish. This wine features: Lemon, peach, mango, pear, light oak spice, ginger, dill, limestone & fresh cut white flowers on the nose.
Negatives: None
Interesting Note: Certified sustainable/organic
Pairings: Drink this now or in 4 – 6 years on its own or pair it with Pastel de jaiba (Crab pie)
Tasting Note: Gold in colour with good acidity, medium intense nose & a long length on the finish. This wine features: Lemon, pear, green apples, kumquat, ginger, almonds & white lilies on the nose.
Negatives: None
Interesting Note: Vegan & Certified Organic
Winemaker’s Note: “A regional blend of Chardonnay from our Organic grower partners. All lots were gently pressed to yield delicate juice. Slightly settled juice was transferred to 300L neutral French oak barrels for wild fermentation, including malolactic, light oak spice and aged for 10 months.”
Pairings: Drink this now or in 3 – 5 years on its own or pair it with East Coast Lobster
Tasting Note: Gold in colour with good acidity, medium+ intense nose & a long length on the finish. This wine features: Lemon, pear, green apples, kumquat, ginger, dill, almonds, light oak spice & Acacias on the nose.
Negatives: None
Interesting Note: Vegan & Certified Organic
Winemaker’s Note: “A regional blend of Chardonnays from organic growers. Harvested at several dates throughout October 2020. Grapes were whole cluster pressed and fermented in neutral 300L barrels. Malolactic fermentation was followed by 10 months aging before bottling prior to harvest 2021”
Pairings: Drink this now or in 3 – 5 years on its own or pair it with East Coast Lobster
Cost: $37.95 Grape: Chardonnay Category: White Wine Location: Winery Country: Canada Region: Lincoln Lakeshore, Niagara Region, Ontario, Canada Format: 750 ml Producer: Southbrook Vineyards Alcohol: 13.2% Alcohol/Vol.
A simple yet elegant Chard. Score: 90/100.
Tasting Note: Light gold in colour with good acidity, a medium intense nose & a long length on the finish. This wine features: Lemon, pear, green apples, kumquat, ginger & roasted almonds.
Negatives: None
Interesting Note: Vegan & Certified Organic
Winemaker’s Note: “Hand harvested from a mixed clonal block of old vines (25 years old) in the Lincoln Lakeshore sub appellation. Whole clusters were gently pressed using a long and slow press cycle. Settled juice was transferred to French oak barrels (20% new) for fermentation. The wine was aged in barrels for 10 months before a select few were chosen to make this blend.”
Pairings: Drink this now or in 3 – 5 years on its own or pair it with Miso & Soy Chilean Sea Bass
Tasting Note: Bright gold in colour with good acidity, a medium intense nose & a long length on the finish. This wine features: Lemon, peach, pear, honeydew melon, clementine, ginger, dill, honey & limestone.
Negatives: None
Interesting Note: Aslina is the name of Ntsiki’s grandmother.
Pairings: Drink this now or in 3 – 5 years on its own or pair it with snow crabs.
Cost: $69.95 Grape: Chardonnay Category: White Wine Location: LCBO Vintages Country: United States of America Region: Carneros, California Format: 750 ml Producer: Rombauer Vineyards Alcohol: 14.5% Alcohol/Vol.
Rombauer successfully made my favourite Chard even better by having a better balance of acidity, oak, fruit & spiciness. Score: 99/100.
Tasting Note: Bright gold in colour with good acidity, a medium intense nose, silky tannin & a long length on the finish. This wine features: Lemon, mango, peach, pear, honeydew melon, nectarine, clementine, ginger, dill, vanilla bean, chamomile, buttered egg bread & Easter Lily on the nose.
Negatives: None
Interesting Note: 9 months in American and French oak barrels (30% new)
Pairings: Drink this now or in 3 – 5 years on its own or pair it with Lobster Thermador.
Cost: $20.95 (Clearance Price: $16.80) Grape: Chardonnay Category: White Wine Location: LCBO Vintages Country: United States of America Region: Washington Format: 750 ml Producer: Christopher Michael Alcohol: 13.0% Alcohol/Vol.
Medium body, lightly oaked Chard that shows a lot of flavour. Score: 90/100.
Tasting Note: Yellow gold in colour with good acidity, a medium intense nose, & a long length on the finish. This wine features: Lemon, kumquat, pear, peach, tangerine, honeydew melon, ginger, oak spice
Negatives: None
Pairings: Drink this now or in 3 – 5 years on its own or pair it with Kumquat Chicken.
Cost: $19.95 (Sale Price until April 28, 2024: $17.95) Grape: Chardonnay Category: White Wine Location: LCBO Vintages Country: Canada Region: Short Hills Bench, Niagara Region, Ontario Format: 750 ml Producer: Henry of Pelham Estate Alcohol: 13.0% Alcohol/Vol.
My new favourite Canadian Chard under $20. Excellent balance between oak, fruit & acidity. Score: 94/100.
Tasting Note: Bright gold in colour with good acidity, a medium intense nose, soft tannin & a long length on the finish. This wine features: Lemon, green & yellow apples, pear, peach, quince, dill, ginger, oak spice, vanilla, roasted almonds & jasmine on the nose.
Negatives: None
Interesting Note: I reviewed 2019 vintage, and was not too crazy about it, and it was selling for $21.95. Now, now only is it $2 less, but the quality is exceptional.
Pairings: Drink this now or in 4 – 6 years on its own or pair it with steamed lobster.
Cost: $29.95 (Clearance Price: $24.75) Grape: Chardonnay Category: White Wine Location: LCBO Vintages Country: United States of America Region: California Format: 750 ml Producer: Joel Gott Alcohol: 14.3% Alcohol/Vol.
Styled in the traditional Napa Valley Chard but keeping the alcohol below 14.4% alcohol & nicely balanced between the oak & fruit. Score: 90/100.
Tasting Note: Bright in colour with good acidity, a medium intense nose, soft tannin & a long length on the finish. This wine features: Lemon, green & yellow apples, pear, peach, kumquat, ginger, baking spice, dill & honeysuckle.
Negatives: None
Winemaker’s Note: “After harvest, the fruit was fermented in 50% new French oak barrels and 50% one & two-year-old French oak barrels for 6–8 months to add complexity to the wine.” Winery
Pairings: Drink this now or in 2 – 4 years on its own or pair it with Lobster Thermador.
Cost: $26.95 (Clearance Price: $21.75) Grape: Chardonnay Category: White Wine Location: LCBO Vintages Country: Canada Region: Okanagan Valley, British Columbia Format: 750 ml Producer: Mission Hill Family Estate Alcohol: 12.9% Alcohol/Vol.
An elegant Chard that is well balanced between fruit, acidity, minerality & oak. Score: 94/100.
Tasting Note: Light bright gold in colour with good acidity, a medium intense nose & a long length on the finish. This wine features: Lemon, pineapple, green & yellow apples, pear, peach, ginger, dill & Easter Lily on the nose.
Negatives: None
Maturation: Fermented and aged in barriques and puncheons (93%), 6% Foudre and 1% concrete egg
Pairings: Drink this now or in 5 – 7 years on its own or pair it with Fettuccine with creamy dill sauce with shrimp, bay scallops and sea leg crab.
Cost: $29.95 (Clearance Price: $23.75) Grape: Chardonnay Category: White Wine Location: LCBO Vintages Country: New Zealand Region: Hawkes Bay Format: 750 ml Producer: Villa Maria Alcohol: 13.5% Alcohol/Vol.
Beautifully made having balance between the oak, tropical fruit, acidity & spiciness. Score: 95/100.
Tasting Note: Gold in colour with good acidity, a medium+ intense nose & a good length on the finish. This wine features: Lemon, peach, clementine, pineapple, green mango, Granny apples, white cranberry, ginger, dill, oak & baking spice, limestone, light toasty wood & Easter Lily on the nose.
Negatives: None
Winemaker’s Note:
Pairings: Drink this now or in 5 – 7 years on its own or pair it with lobster Thermador.
Twilight Wines 