Wine Archives - Page 13 of 22 - WineCollective Blog

WineWatch tasting experiment

Posted on January 10, 2014 by Wil Knoll

You may remember during our Welcome to Wine blog series, the importance of serving wine at the appropriate temperature. If served too cold the aroma and flavour characteristics of the red or white can be completely concealed, making for a very inaccurate tasting experience.

This past Christmas, WineCollective’s Amber received a WineWatch, which she highlighted as her favourite gift. After bringing it into WC headquarters, this small gadget was not only extremely useful during a tasting, but also proved our top tips on wine temperature.

After refrigerating the Bodegas Artadi 2010 Artazuri Granacha, we wrapped the WineWatch thermometer around the bottle. It gave us a reading of 12° Celsius for our first round of tastings. We then allowed the wine to reach 15° and 17° Celsius before trying it again. Here is what we found!

12°

Eyes: Purple core in colour that trails to ruby red around the edge of the glass.

Nose: Friendly and filled with raspberry fruit, but no other distinction.

Mouth: Cool with high acidity. While refreshing, the fruit characteristics are all muted and impossible to pick apart.

15°

Eyes: No difference in colour.

Nose: What used to be a fruity feminine aroma is now more masculine. Black pepper spice notes along with red fruits.

Mouth: More balanced and rounded with lower acidity. Ripe strawberry and raspberry flavours on the palate. Finish is smooth, but short.

17°

Eyes: Deep garnet with minimal trail to edges

Nose: Stronger spice on the nose woven with dark cherries and nutmeg.

Mouth: Juicy dark cherry and raspberry lushness. Rounded complexity of earthy notes. Long and dry finish.

After our wine tasting experiment, the WineCollective tasters agreed that the Granacha was best at 17° C. While the red wine was refreshing when cold, all of the aromas and flavours were revealed more with some warmth and time in the glass.

You can find the nifty WineWatch at retailers across Canada including The Bay, Home Outfitters and even at Willow Park Wine & Spirits.

Avoid your NYE wine hangover

Posted on December 30, 2013December 30, 2013 by Wil Knoll

New Year’s Eve is the most popular day for drinking in Canada. While WineCollective only promotes safe and non-excessive drinking, we do realize that ringing in 2014 may cause excitement and over-indulgence. Unfortunately, with good times and good wine usually come horrible hangovers that will ruin any day – nevermind the first of the year. So, just in case you are the life of the party, here is what you need to avoid the dreaded wine hangover.

1. Stay hydrated

Forget vino, water should be your best friend tomorrow. Make sure to stay hydrated during the day and through out the night. The wine pros at Wine Folly suggest: “With every glass of wine, drink a glass of water.”

Dehydration has the biggest affect in creating a nasty hangover. Be sure to drink a glass of water before bed, after your night of festivities.

2. Eat food and drink slowly

Starting your evening off with a rich and fatty dinner will most definitely help you out in the long run. Also, drinking a glass of milk prior to drinking can coat your stomach if your hangovers usually involve tummy aches.

Wine should be enjoyed. Don’t chug it, or involve wine in any fast-paced drinking game, unless you want a headache before the night is even over.

3. Choose the right wine

There are a few things that influence wine hangovers including sulphites, tannins and congeners – a natural by-product of alcohol fermentation. In order to stray from morning pains choose a wine that is lower in alcohol content and low in tannins dependent on the grape varietal. Tannins are increased with thick-skinned grapes, so sipping on a Pinot Noir or Gamay may be a better option. However, tannins can also be present due to oak and production methods. If you’re looking to avoid sulphites, choose an organic or higher quality of wine as these producers use reduced levels in production.

While congeners are present in all alcohols, darker fluids tend to cause more trouble. Gin and vodka hold less, while bourbon and red wine carry the most making white wine the safer choice.

4. Vitamins and more

Before the party begins take an all around multivitamin, Aspirin, Vitamin B6 or magnesium supplement. While these may help with body or head pains, they do not reduce alcohol in your system, so you will still experience hangover symptoms. If you’re able to open the childproof container of aspirin when you arrive home, take one before bed.

5. Don’t drink

If you know you experience painful hangovers, stay away from alcohol this NYE, or keep it to a minimum. Enjoy a glass of wine at dinner, and of course one for desert. Toast 2014 with a glass of Champagne and then call it quits. That way, you are guaranteed to enjoy January 1^st from beyond your bedroom / bathroom.

New Years Eve is a night to celebrate with great food, dancing, wine and Champagne! But, above all, the team at WineCollective recommends safe travel tomorrow night. Please have a designated driver or taxi take your home safely regardless of how many glasses of wine, beer, vodka, bourbon etc. you enjoy.

Happy New Year!

Pairing wine with Christmas!

Posted on December 20, 2013December 20, 2013 by Wil Knoll

Christmas is right around the corner. Hopefully by now you have purchased all of your gifts (if not check out our Holiday Gift packages) and are getting prepared for mountains of food and the wonderful company of family and friends.

You may be asking however, what to drink during all of the upcoming holiday festivities. We at WineCollective obviously recommend wine, but more specifically, some of the selections you received this past month in your December packages will make great companions to the Christmas memories you’re about to make.

1.) Decorating the tree

Hanging each ball and piece of tinsel can be time consuming, so why not enjoy a glass of wine during the process. In your December WineCollective package you may have received the 2010 Gouguenheim Merlot. While this wine can make a great pairing to pork tenderloin, it also sits quite nicely by itself considering the fruity aromas and flavours. This Merlot also has touches of sweet chocolate, so bust open that package of Lindor Chocolates and get decorating!

2.) Skating and sledding activities

While most people are mistaken that skating and sledding are for the young and accompanied best by hot cocoa, I would argue that these winter sports are suitable for anyone of the legal drinking age. If you happen to have a wine sippy-cup, fill it up with the light and fruity 2010 Anima Negra MUAC! This wine still carries wonderful aromas and flavours if slightly chilled so you don’t have to worry about it hanging out in the cold for a little while. This wine is bright and juicy with red fruits, which will also make it a great pairing to the traditional Christmas turkey dinner.

3.) Opening presents

When Christmas comes and it’s finally time to open presents, we recommend enjoying a glass of Undurraga Brut, made of Chardonnay and Pinot Noir. Or, if you received the Giolio Cocchi ‘Primosecolo’ Brut, made entirely of Chardonnay, enjoy it instead. Both of these sparkling wines are fresh and bubbly with layers of pink grapefruit and citrus. Regardless of the time, these wines will help ring in Christmas day. Mixing with orange juice is optional.

4.) Building a gingerbread house

Perhaps after opening gifts, your family shares the tradition of building a gingerbread house which typically, does not last for long. This month, we featured the 2012 Jasci & Marchesani Trebbiano. This wine was a rare and unexpected treat when we tried it in our WineCollective headquarters. With aromas of baked apples, nutmeg, graham crackers and caramel, you will nearly think you’re drinking Christmas itself. Even more, it’ll taste great with the gingerbread pieces you keep sneaking into your mouth.

5.) Christmas Dinner

To go along with the feast of the year, we recommend some big food wines including the 2010 El Bonhomme. This vintage is layered with dark fruits and spice that will make it a great pairing to smokey or spicied dishes. So, if your family strays away from turkey, this may be the wine for you. Otherwise, we would recommend the 2011 Tenuta San Guido Guidalberto, a blend of Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot that needs an hour or so to decant before serving. The Guidalberto will work nicely with whatever food spread you enjoy, including rabbit, sausage, ham and even green or root vegetables.

We hope this list helps to guide you through the holidays. Of course many other package editions will carry great wines for any of the upcoming dinners or celebrations you have. Should you need a hand with pairings, feel free to give us a shout and our vino experts will be happy to share all that they know.

To all of our WineCollective members and friends, Merry Christmas and have a wonderful holiday.

Cheers,

The WineCollective Team.

WineCollective’s Wine n’ Wares

Posted on December 11, 2013December 13, 2013 by Wil Knoll

This past Friday, the women of WineCollective transformed the office into a boutique for a festive ladies night. We welcomed friends, family, wine distributors and customers for Wine n’ Wares, an evening combined all of our favourite gifts and personal pampering products into a one stop shop.

Friend of WineCollective, Shelly Bata filled our boardroom with fabulous Stella & Dot jewelry and accessories. While skincare and beauty products from NuCerity and Arbonne were also featured, thanks to consultants Amy Wilford and Amy Protti.

Shelly was kind enough to offer a free draw prize, which happened to go to our NuCerity representative, Amy. She won a beautiful Stella & Dot turquoise necklace that caught her eye earlier in the evening.

Of course, bottles were popped to pair alongside the snack spread, which even included a very fancy Cabernet Sauvignon cheese. We selected the 2010 Le Roc Blanc, a red wine blend of Syrah, Mouvedre, Grenache and Carignan that was featured in most WineCollective June 2013 packages. While light, this wine is impressively flavourful with notes of blackberries and oak. The vintage is a great companion to food; however, it can easily be enjoyed alone while trying on jewelry or sampling lotions.

We also served the 2009 Palmadina Pinot Grigio for our white wine fans. This vintage is full bodied in its fresh and crisp flavours of grapefruit and peach and also makes a great pairing for appetizers. You may have this Italian charm in part of your November shipment.

All of the ladies that attended Wine n’ Wares were entered in a draw for two bottles of each wine. We hope that our winner, Amanda, enjoys the gift as a thank you for attending! Both the 2010 Le Roc Blanc and 2009 Palmadina Pinot Grigio can be found in our WineCollective store for a member’s only price.

Once again, we would like to thank all attendees and hostesses for a great evening at WineCollective. Ladies, stay tuned for future Wine n’ Wares events!

Discovering Porto wine

Posted on November 29, 2013December 7, 2013 by BlackSquare

Although Porto or Port wine is created in the eastern mountainous range of the Douro Valley in Portugal, its name is in thanks to the city of Oporto, where the wine was originally exported. The first recorded shipments of Porto wine dates back to 1678. For the last several centuries, Port wine has not only put Portugal on the map for fine wine, but also captured the hearts of chocolate and cigar lovers around the world.

Port is a fortified wine, created by adding grape brandy (beneficio) to the wine before fermentation is complete. Made by indigenous grape varieties, Touriga Nacional, Touriga Francesa and Tinta Barroca, the characteristics of Port wine are very true to the outstandingly unique terroir of the Douro.

Traditionally, Port wine was carried down the Douro River from the Valley to Oporto using boats known as barcos rabelos. It was then unloaded into lodges where it would be further aged, bottled and shipped. Port wine is extremely popular in Britain and Scotland. In fact, many Port producers in the Douro are English and Scottish, such as Taylor’s and Croft respectively.

portugal-wine-regions-map-zoom — Map of Portugal wine regions from Cellartours.com

There are various types of Porto wine that are differentiated by their ageing time:

Red Porto

Ruby, Reserve and Late Bottled Vintage (LBV)
Ages for a short time in large oak vats. Ruby is aged for 2-3 years, while LBV is aged for 4-6.
Full bodies and fruity characteristics of cherry, blackberry and black currant

We recommend: Fonseca LBV 2007

One of the largest and most respected Portuguese Porto producers. The vintage is fresh and intense with rich black fruit. Unfiltered, with no fining or filtration.

Tawny Porto

Rich and mellow
Aged in oak casks for 10, 20, 30 and 40 years
Typical nutty flavours with butterscotch and oak wood

We recommend: Quinta de Ventozelo 10 Year Tawny

Average of 10 years in pipas (550-litre casks), made of native oak and chestnut.

White Porto

Made from white grape varieties popular in the Douro region
Aged for 2 or 3 years in vats or stainless steel with no further aging required
Sweet or dry styles

We recommend: Dow’s Fine White Port.

Aged for 3 years at the Quinta do Sol winery, this Porto is semi sweet and can be blended into a cocktail with ice and soda.

Vintage Porto

Made from only the best grapes of a single vintage in years that are “vintage-worthy.”
Aged only for a few years, so it’s best to tuck it away in the cellar

We recommend: Quinta de Ventozelo Vintage 2005

Aged in stainless steel tanks for 2 years, to preserve the maximum purity of the wine. The wine is bottled without filtration at Quinta de Ventozelo.

Porto wine is an excellent addition to any dessert such as fine cheeses or chocolate cake. Better yet, make it a chocolate cheesecake. Or you can easily serve White Port as an aperitif.

If cellaring your Port, store bottles on their sides in a cool place (12ºC to 14ºC) away from direct light. Drink when released if you like young fruity Ports. Good vintages will develop for 15-20 years; in exceptional years, up to a century. Once open, drink within 1 day (old Ports) or 1 week (young Ports).

If you have yet to give Porto a try, we strongly suggest that you do. Tannic members have an exclusive on some of the Port featured. If you aren’t a member, sign up today! Or if you would like to share your favourite Port wines, we would love to hear your recommendations.

WineCollective + Carnivore Club

Posted on November 25, 2013November 25, 2013 by BlackSquare

A few weeks ago, we discovered Carnivore Club, and for those of you that follow us on Twitter and Facebook, you have probably already seen our adoration. Like WineCollective, Carnivore Club curates and delivers premium product on a monthly basis. We recently received our first package and we decided to share it with you!

What do you pair with charcuterie? Quite simply, one might think that meat = red wine, but that is not taking into account all of the variables in seasoning, body and textures, from salami to pâté.

We decided to select some of our favourite Canadian wines and match them up with the November Carnivore Club shipment. Each package comes with your own “Meat-Eaters” handbook, explaining the flavours and uniqueness of each selection. This guide is very helpful when looking for your charcuterie wine pairing.

Here is what we received:

Iberico Chorizo – Produceed from the black Iberian pig. Seasoned with paprika, peppers, garlic, and wine.
Culatello – Produced from the rear leg muscle of the pig. Aged for 12 months in 500 year old caves in Parma, Italy.
Bresaola – Salt cured, air dried beef. Seasoned with cinnamon, nutmeg, juniper, pepper, bay leaf, cloves, thyme oregano, rosemary.
Pâté de Champage – A traditional Quebecois pâté from pork. Seasoned with pepper, wild mushrooms, white wine.
Pata Negra – Cured ham from Iberico, Spain. Free range Iberico pigs feast on grass, herbs, nuts and truffles in an ecological reserve of oaks, conifers and cork.
Toscana Salami a Finocchio – Traditional sausage made with pork. Seasoned with fennel seeds.

The common trend among cured meats is the astounding and delicious amount of fat and salt. If you were to pair one wine with all the above, go for a dry and crisp sparkling wine like a Prosecco or Cava. The acidity and freshness will be able to cut through the fats. Alternatively, sherry is also traditionally paired with cured meats and a great way to keep warm over the holidays! We decided to open a white, a red and a fortified wine, here are our thoughts:

Sperling Vineyards Gewürztraminer

The Gewürztraminer paired well with some of the lighter cuts and the pâté, but was too delicate for the chorizo and salami. The florals and honey notes were great with the pâté. An alternate white that could stand up to these meats would be a new-world Riesling with crisp acidity and light residual sweetness. You can order this wine directly from Sperling Vineyards and see what you think!

Kalala Zweigelt

This is a unique varietal from Austria, where a lot of the diet contains cured meats. Although we loved this wine, and it also paired well with the Bresaola and pâté, a spicier red like a Washington Syrah or Cab Franc would not be overshadowed by the seasoning of the Chorizo and Salami. You can find out more about Kalala and even order this wine directly from their wine club!

Southbrook Whimsey! The Anniversary

A fortified wine can be hit or miss depending on who you are serving. This is a great alternative to a common pairing with a still wine. The Anniversary offers great spice, texture and fruit, plus a slight sweetness that lightly coats the palate. You can also buy this online from Southbrook’s wine club.

Here are a couple quick guidelines when pairing wine with charcuterie:

When in doubt, choose sparkling!
Excess of salt requires great acidity and some residual sugar
Pâté and terrine can be paired with whites like Rieslings, and reds like Zinfandel
Spicy meats should be paired with spicier wines, like Syrah
Great bread is always necessary and helps to cleanse your palate when sampling a selection like charcuterie (ours came from our own in-house developer/baker, Tim)

We think that you should check out Carnivore Club, it is the perfect gift to compliment your Holiday Package or subscription. WineCollective members can use the promo code “WC10” to receive $10 off the first delivery.

We are giving away one of the Carnivore Club packages to a WineCollective member. Tell us your favourite charcuterie pairing by commenting on this blog, writing to us on Twitter or Facebook by December 1. We will randomly draw from everyone who submitted a pairing suggestion!

WineCollective weather advisory

Posted on November 19, 2013 by Wil Knoll

It’s time to bundle up; mittens, toques and scarves are now necessary to keep us all from the stone cold temperatures across Canada.

While our WineCollective shipping boxes are secure and safe for travel, they do not include built-in parkas for bottles, meaning your wine may be in risk of freezing should temperatures drop. Wine can freeze at -10°C, which is not uncommon in most Canadian cities.

For this reason, WineCollective has implemented a policy, delaying the the delivery of your wine should the weather not permit. If the weather is forecast to remain below – 20 degrees Celsius for an extended period of time, we will delay delivery until we feel it is safe to ship. As we aim to provide our club members with quality, convenience and experience, we do not want compromise the integrity of your wine.

With cold temperatures, wine has the ability to expand as it freezes forcing the cork seal to pop out, or screw cap to deform. With the airtight seal breached, the taste and quality of the wine can be altered.

Should your wine freeze without causing damage to the bottle it should still be drinkable. Try to thaw the wine at room temperature and consume it immediately, once it reaches your desired temperature. Unfortunately, with the freeze, the wine will no longer be able to maintain its usual cellaring potential. While frozen wine is sometimes welcomed for ice wine, slushy drinks or popsicles, typically it is best enjoyed in liquid form.

If shipping is delayed due to poor weather, you can expect an email notification from us. Please feel free to contact WineCollective today if you have any questions about our policy or frozen wine.

Stay warm!

Terralsole at Briggs Kitchen and Bar in Calgary

Posted on November 15, 2013November 19, 2013 by BlackSquare

WineCollective and Tannic were invited to lunch by Fluid Imports, and we are excited to share all the details with you! We met with the Fluid crew at Briggs Kitchen and Bar to taste the new vintages from Terralsole. The kicker, we were hosted by the proprietor himself, Mario Bollag.

Willowpark 019 — Mario Bollag at the Willow Park Wine and Spirits Auction 2011. Photo from City Style Magazine.

What you should know about Mr. Mario Bollag:

He is Swiss
He can call his wines “girly”, and in his accent it sounds amazing (we may say feminine)
He is incredibly philanthropic; raising money for his charity Tè Solèy in Haiti (Mario lived in Haiti)
He is an animal lover, and it sounds like his dog is very spoiled
He is supportive of the arts; did you know he previously owned an art gallery?
He has a great love for music
His love and dedication to his family are apparent from the first time you meet him
He is a pescatarian! See, you can be vegetarian and appreciate red wine!
He visits Canada yearly, and is a great supporter of Canadian art and culture. The 2007 Brunello Riserva features a painting by Whitsler artist Lisa Geddes

Photo from Terralsole website of the Estate’s vineyards.

winery — Photo from the Terralsole website of the Estate’s house and Cantina.

Why are Terralsole wines amazing?

Mario does not confine Terralsole to convention, he is ground-breaking with his winemaking philosophy (he planted Cab Franc in Montalcino!)
Mario’s wife, Athena Tergis Bollag, plays her violin in the vineyards (that must make for elegant and sophisticated wines!)
Mario’s understanding of Sangiovese Grosso and his terroir is replicated in the wines he produces

Photo from Brigg’s website of the private dining room with a prime view of the kitchen.

Lunch at Briggs was a buffet of everything from the gnocchi and flatbread to the short ribs and 48oz tomahawk steak. Barely a crumb was leftover, not because the portions were small, but because Chef Xavier Lacave and his team produce nothing but the best! (check out the menu)

Tannic has featured Terralsole and have received great feedback. Here is what we tasted:

2008 Terralsole Rosso di Montalcino D.O.C
2008 Terralsole Brunello di Montalcino D.O.C.G.
2007 Terralsole Brunello di Montalcino Riserva D.O.C.G.
2006 Terralsole Coldoro Merlot I.G.T
2006 Terralsole Solista Syrah I.G.T.
2006 Terralsol Pasticcio I.G.T.

Join Tannic to be first in line to receive offerings of Terralsole’s new vintages!

Executive gifts at Madison & PAGE

Posted on November 8, 2013November 8, 2013 by Wil Knoll

Just a few days ago, WineCollective stumbled across Madison and PAGE, a gift shop located inside Fifth Avenue Place in Calgary’s downtown core.

Madison and PAGE holds a collection of accessories, leather bags and wallets, stationary and is also one of two stores in Calgary where you can find first-class pens and collectables. If you are looking for the perfect gift, you can find something for everyone at Madison and PAGE. Online, Madison and PAGE also offers Canada wide shipping, making it easy to send a great gift to family and friends across the country.

The shop was first opened in 1989 and began to fill the void in Calgary for stationary and office goods. From there, owner Anna Mandelkau says the store “organically developed based on client wants,” adding in leather goods, seasonal products and desk accessories.

Decanters and wine aerators can also be found at Madison and PAGE. What especially caught our eye was the five piece wine accessory set. A bottle shaped tool kit that includes a corkscrew bottle opener, drip stop ring, stopper, foil cutter and wine pourer. The store also carries Moleskin Wine Journals that will help you keep track of all the great wines WineCollective sends each month.

Branding is also available at the boutique. By engraving or monogramming, you can personalize a pen or iPhone case for a deserving employee. Because of its location, Madison and PAGE is readily prepared for corporate gifting.

Stop by Madison and PAGE today to pick up a gift or two for the upcoming holiday season, and of course, a little something for yourself.

2nd Level, Fifth Avenue Place
230, 425 1st St. SW
Calgary, AB.

Deloitte wine tasting in support of United Way

Posted on November 4, 2013November 5, 2013 by Wil Knoll

This past month, WineCollective joined Deloitte at their offices in downtown Calgary to host a wine tasting fundraiser for United Way.

Deloitte is a leading accounting firm in Canada that provides tax and financial consulting since being founded 1845. Apart from their professional services, Deloitte is a great supporter of United Way as they set up an array of events and fundraisers for the non-profit organization. Over the past 13 years, Deloitte’s worldwide group and staff have raised over $194 million for United Way. Deloitte’s Calgary offices have done numerous fundraisers for United Way this year including a chilli cook-off and throwing pie at one another’s faces.

Fortunately for WineCollective, many of Deloitte’s Canadian staff are club members. So when Senior Manager, Matt McMillan asked us to help with their wine tasting event, we were happy to take part!

WineCollective’s Amber brought 10 wines to the tasting, which she arranged in specific order for easy tasting (light to full body). From there, the Deloitte staff was free to sample the wines! Amber and I were available for any questions about the wine and WineCollective tasting cards were supplied for tasters to follow along.

The following wines were brought to the tasting.

2011 Benjamin Bridge Nova 7
2012 Monte da Ravaqueria Serrana
2011 Colle dei Venti Pecorino
2010 Recuerdo Torrontes
2008 Deep Sea Chardonnay
2010 Le Roc Blanc
2010 Brusco dei Barbi
2010 Versado Malbec
2010 Casa Viva Carmenere
2011 Suiker Bossie Pinotage

Deloitte’s staff favourited the Suiker Bossie Pinotage, as well as Benjamin Bridge’s Nova 7 and Le Roc Blanc.

We were happy to share our support of United Way with Deloitte and hope the participating staff enjoyed every wine! In all, Deloitte raised roughly $1,700 through the tasting. You can call WineCollective today for more details on your own wine tasting event or fundraiser.

Cured and couriered from Carnivore Club

Posted on October 29, 2013November 4, 2013 by Wil Knoll

We are very excited to introduce a new monthly club in Canada that may just be the perfect gift for any man in your life – unless he’s a vegetarian.

Carnivore Club is a monthly subscription that provides exclusive meat to club members. Each month, members receive 4 to 6 selections of “unique charcuterie, exotic terrines and artisan crafted jerky’s from around the world.”

The team at Carnivore Club ensures that you receive fresh and top quality selections that cannot be found at your local grocery store or butcher shop. Their partners are small producers because CC believes that they provide the furthest care and attention to their products.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v7DzvI560QU#t=45

What’s great about Carnivore Club is each month, delivered right to your front door, comes a perfect wine pairing. They are also very generous in providing WineCollective members with $10 off their first shipment when you use the promo code WC10 at checkout.

The WineCollective team has already ordered our first shipment and it’s headed straight for our office. We plan on creating a perfect pairing between Carnivore Club and WineCollective selections. You can look forward to an upcoming blog post on what the office foodies cook up, recipe and wine pairing included!

Clos du Soleil mixed wines package now for sale!

Posted on October 23, 2013October 24, 2013 by Wil Knoll

Together with one of our most favourite wineries, Clos du Soleil, WineCollective has put together a mixed wines selection now available through our online store. This package includes one bottle of the 2012 Rose, two bottles of the 2011 Celestial and one bottle of the 2010 Signature.

Why love Clos du Soleil?

First of all, Clos du Soleil is a small artisan and Canadian winery! Located in the Similkameen Valley, Clos du Soleil is placed on the highest elevations of the Okanagan. Being 1300 feet higher than everyone else gives Clos du Soleil vineyards much cooler evenings, yet the hot desert heat of the Okanagan summer still reaches the upper Similkameen Valley. This area is also recognized as one of the newest wine appellations in the world.

Clos du Soleil is focused on super-premium quality wines, produced with a Bordeaux style. The winery says they are “where Old World elegance meets with a little New World/Canadian oomph.” Clos du Soleil wines are very rare with limited distribution to select restaurants and stores in Alberta and B.C. If you live in Canada’s central, east and north destinations, this is your chance to taste the wines of Clos du Soleil.

Canadian winemaker, Ann Sperling takes part in the Clos du Soleil team as winemaker and viticulturist. Her 30 years of experience that began at Sperling Vineyards has taken her around the world with her latest project, Versado in Mendoza, Argentina.

Mixed Wines Package

2010 Clos du Soleil Signature [1]

Varietals: 41% Merlot, 28% Cabernet Franc, 20% Cabernet Sauvignon, 7% Petit Verdot, 4% Malbec. Alcohol: 14.2%. Production: 275 cases.

From the producer: “This superb blend is a true contender for B.C.’s place on the world stage of premium red wine. Unfiltered and unfined, there are notes of cassis and blackberry that greet the nose. They are echoed on the palate with a soft note of oak that complements the dark berry fruit balanced with good acidity and black plum freshness. Decanting this wine opens up multiple layers of ripe black fruits in addition to darker essences of cocoa and espresso. The finish is long and leaves you pondering the complexity of this very structured wine”

92 points – WineScores | 91 points – John Schreiner

2012 Clos du Soleil Rosé [1]

Varietals: 100% Cabernet Sauvignon. Alcohol: 12.2%. Production: 550 cases.

From the producer: “This rosé, made of 100% Cabernet Sauvignon grapes from 15 year-old vines, is a perfect everyday wine. The nose begins with sun kissed fresh strawberry, cranberry and vanilla bean. On the palate the sweet fruit continues with the addition of raspberries. A full mouth feel and long length make this a perfect food wine. It is summer in a bottle.”

92 points | John Schreiner

“This wine puts Clos du Soleil in the top tier of Rosé producers in British Columbia.” – The best Rosé 2013. Okanagan Spring Wine Festival

2011 Clos du Soleil Celestial [2]

Varietals: 52% Cabernet Sauvignon, 39% Merlot, 9% Petit Verdot. Alcohol: 14%. Production: 250 cases

From the producer: “The 18 months spent in French oak barriques gives it structure and a glimmer of spice. It opens up to bright notes of strawberry and sweet red cherries, with rich hints of espresso and chocolate. In the mouth it’s plummy, full and round; nicely framed by well-integrated, grainy tannins and weight. There is a long finish, and although very good today, it will reward patience in the cellar.”

“The wine begins with aromas of red fruit and vanilla. On the generous palate, there are flavours of cherries, plum, chocolate and tobacco, with long ripe tannins.”

90 points – John Schreiner

We also invite you to visit their Soleil 160 Wine Club to purchase more exclusive wines at a discount. The Soleil 160 Club offers members exceptional wines beyond the Signature, Celestial and Rosé at exceptional prices, as well as opportunities only available to their club subscribers.

We are eager for WineCollective members to get a glance of all that Clos du Soleil has to offer. Retail price for this selection is over $140, but for WineCollective members, we are happy to discount the Clos du Soleil package for $116.49. This package will also include tasting notes on the three wines. If not for yourself, the Clos du Soleil package makes a great gift for the upcoming holiday season. Call us today to arrange your order as a gift purchase.

Sign on and check out the WineCollective store today!