Exceptionnellement, l'infolettre SAQ Inspire ne sera pas envoyée cette semaine. Tous les points, rabais et l'échange des points en succursale demeurent en vigueur. Learn more.
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Fans of great wines and Italian know-how, take advantage of this arrival to restock your cellars with the most beautiful jewels of the country. Don't delay, these renowned wines are available exclusively online and are the envy of many collectors; to your carts!
Limited quantity
WA 98 +, WS 97, V 95, JS 100
“Of these new releases from this benchmark estate, the Casanova di Neri 2015 Brunello di Montalcino Cerretalto is my favorite wine. This Riserva is larger than life with ripe fruit, raspberry, cherry, spice, cola, root beer, mesquite and cedar. The wine offers a flashy and generous quality of fruit that unfolds over time with a multifaceted and multi-layered presentation. One thing that stands out here is the acidity that is bracing and tart at first but then succumbs to an important supporting role, rendering lasting freshness and persistence to the finish. With time, you get a flash of cherry and crème de cassis that seals the deal.”
www.robertparker.com
JS 96
"Aromas of blackberry, plum, dark chocolate, mushroom, earth and five spice. Full-bodied with fine tannins. Chewy and structured on the palate with a chalky texture. Balanced, layered and well defined. Long, savory finish."
www.jamessuckling.com
WA 96, WS 93, V 96+, JS 97
"The 2018 Saffredi is a regal, elegant, supremely polished wine. It may very well be the most refined Saffredi I have ever tasted. Silky in its first impression, with striking aromatic presence and exceptional balance, the 2018 is a total knock-out. Sweet red cherry, plum, mocha, licorice and cinnamon accents develop over time, but it is the wine’s overall balance and poise that are so impressive today. The 2018 is an absolutely gorgeous Saffredi. It spent 20 months in French oak barrels, about 65% new. Don’t miss it." www.vinous.com
WA 93, V92, JS 94
"This is one of the most versatile wines to emerge from Italy in recent years. A bread and butter winner for Vietti, the 2017 Barolo Castiglione is sharply contoured and bright, with an excellent quality of fruit that can be described as crisp, tonic and rich. That extra concentration comes in part from the hot vintage; however, the greater Castiglione growing area delivers consistent quality and persistence above all else."
www.robertparker.com
After a winemaking stint in California, Aldo Conterno bought the Favot farm in the 1950s and founded Poderi Aldo Conterno in 1969. His three sons now run the winery.
WS 93, JS 97
“Very focused and classy on the nose with blackberries, currants, mushrooms and dark bark. It’s full-bodied with a tight palate of chewy tannins that give structure and form to the wine. Beautiful center palate of dark fruit and mushrooms. Subtle and strong. Give this at least three or four years to resolve itself.”
www.jamessuckling.com
WA 92, V 92, JS 92
“Sauvignon Blanc is complemented with smaller parts Vermentino and Viognier to produce the 2019 Poggio alle Gazze dell'Ornellaia. This remains one of the great, fresh and easy-drinking whites of the Tuscan Coast, and historically, it has a leg up on most of the newcomer Vermentinos that are so popular now. Indeed, this was the precursor and a direct link to the gastronomy of its birthplace, which is so heavily driven by the catch of the day netted by local fisherman. Floral and exotic fruit tones rise from the pretty bouquet with shadings of green papaya and citrus. About one-half of the total sees some oak aging, and the rest goes into steel vat and cement. The wine is luminous and bright with lots of energy and freshness.”
www.robertparker.com
JS 93
“Plum, currant and fresh-herb aromas follow through to a medium to full body, firm and silky tannins and a long, linear finish. It’s clear and already delicious, but another year or two will improve it.”
www.jamessuckling.com
WA 93, WS 93, V 92, JS 93
“Released to much fanfare amidst growing popularity for this entry-level appellation on the Tuscan coast, the Le Macchiole 2019 Bolgheri Rosso is a beautiful specimen, thanks to its honest simplicity and its charming approach. The wine reveals good fruit complexity with blue and purple berries contrasted against toasted spice and baked earth. But if anything truly stands out here, it is the expert integration and generally seamlessness of the wine's various moving parts. This is a terrific wine to uncork for a fun family meal with pasta and grilled meats around the kitchen table.”
www.robertparker.com
WA 93, WS 93, V 92, JS 93
“Released to much fanfare amidst growing popularity for this entry-level appellation on the Tuscan coast, the Le Macchiole 2019 Bolgheri Rosso is a beautiful specimen, thanks to its honest simplicity and its charming approach. The wine reveals good fruit complexity with blue and purple berries contrasted against toasted spice and baked earth. But if anything truly stands out here, it is the expert integration and generally seamlessness of the wine's various moving parts. This is a terrific wine to uncork for a fun family meal with pasta and grilled meats around the kitchen table.”
www.robertparker.com
WA 94, JS 95
“A blend of Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot, the 2019 Bolgheri Rosso Le Serre Nuove dell'Ornellaia shows a greater degree of focus and detail compared to the previous vintage that I tasted at the same time. This wine reveals the sharp contours and etched character of the Cabernet Franc, especially with black licorice and black pepper. The results are linear and pure. Elegant fruit notes of blackberry and dark currant add to the thick layering of the wine.”
www.robertparker.com
WS 93, JS 97
“Very focused and classy on the nose with blackberries, currants, mushrooms and dark bark. It’s full-bodied with a tight palate of chewy tannins that give structure and form to the wine. Beautiful center palate of dark fruit and mushrooms. Subtle and strong. Give this at least three or four years to resolve itself.”
www.jamessuckling.com
WA 94, WS 91, JS 97
"The flagship wine from Tenuta Sette Ponti is the 2018 Oreno, a blend of Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon and Petit Verdot. This is a dark, concentrated and full-bodied expression that exudes black fruit and blackberry with spicy tobacco and savory spice. Despite the Bordeaux blend in its DNA, the wine is fully Tuscan in character and spirit, with the softness and fullness that comes from fruit cultivated under the golden sunshine of Central Italy."
www.robertparker.com
WA 94, WS 93, V 93, JS 93
"The Marchesi Antinori 2016 Brunello di Montalcino Pian delle Vigne takes us back to a classic profile for the estate in which you perceive an open and approachable bouquet. This is textbook Pian delle Vigne. The wine's foundations are rooted in ripeness with dried cherry and blackberry, and there are earthy notes with some powdery licorice and iron ore. Pian delle Vigne performs nicely in the celebrated 2016 vintage; however, this wine remains far more accessible than its peers, and I suggest a near to medium-term drinking window as a result. It was racked out of barrel and went into glass sooner in order to preserve the aromatic integrity of the vintage. Prioritizing glass over barrel aging is a trend we are seeing across the appellation."
www.robertparker.com
WA 92, JS 96
"Although it is not an official MGA vineyard designation, the Marcenasco vineyard is located directly under the Ratti family winery and is the site most historically linked to the legacy of this estate. The Renato Ratti 2017 Barolo Marcenasco is balanced and fine with a long and polished sensation. Like the other wines in this estate portfolio, the hot vintage is played forward in terms of dried fruit aromas and dusty tannins and not overt jamminess or ripeness."
www.robertparker.com
WA 97+, WS 92, V 96, JS 95
"The Three Graces of Le Macchiole are Messorio, Scrio and Paleo (Merlot, Syrah and Cabernet Franc, respectively). Of these three top-tier releases, my favorite is the 2017 Paleo. This is an upright and direct expression of the grape that carefully sheds some dusty or mineral aromas before opening the way for determined black fruit, charred meat, spice and cured tobacco or cigar. There is quite a bit of oak, but it works beautifully against the natural intensity and rich concentration of the hot vintage. More unexpected are those pretty tones of lilac, blue flower and aniseed that add to the detailed rendering and complexity of the bouquet. This wine won my heart."
www.robertparker.com
WA 94, JS 95
“A blend of Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot, the 2019 Bolgheri Rosso Le Serre Nuove dell'Ornellaia shows a greater degree of focus and detail compared to the previous vintage that I tasted at the same time. This wine reveals the sharp contours and etched character of the Cabernet Franc, especially with black licorice and black pepper. The results are linear and pure. Elegant fruit notes of blackberry and dark currant add to the thick layering of the wine.”
www.robertparker.com
WA 94+, WS 94, V 91, JS 95
"La Fortuna's 2015 Brunello di Montalcino draws its fruit primarily from the estate's 13-hectare plot near the winery with clay galestro and rocky tufo soils. The wine opens to a dark ruby color with pretty intensity on the bouquet. It offers cherry and plum, with spice, toasted almond and cola. That beautiful feeling of intensity continues to the palate, where the wine is vivid, bright and full of energy."
www.robertparker.com
This mythical estate is one of the greatest ambassadors of Piedmont wines, possibly even of Italy. Today helped by his three children, Angelo Gaja continues to craft deep, elegant and balanced wines that surely make up the elite of Italian wine. Born from vines bought by the Gaja from the Gromis family in 1995 set on two of the best Barolo crus, this cuvee is all about finesse and imposing backbone. Licorice, pot-pourri and cherry make up the now close mouth, but showing undeniable potential of at least 12 years.
WA 94, WS 92, JS 95
“The 2016 Brunello di Montalcino offers clean and pristine fruit and otherwise delivers a textbook interpretation of the vintage. Given the large extension of vineyards farmed by this estate, which is located on the southern side of the appellation, and the deft technological approach employed in the winery, you can count on Castello Banfi to offer an authentic read of any of their wines about to hit the market or that have been aged at the back of your cellar. Indeed, the Banfi library of wines acts as an institutional memory of modern Brunello. This edition shows sharp and focused fruit with leather, potting soil and balsam herb. For a straight-up classic Brunello, this wine delivers the goods.”
www.robertparker.com
WS 94, V 93, JS 95
“The 2018 Chianti Classico Gran Selezione Badia a Passignano is creamy and sensual from start to finish. In 2018, the Badia shows its typically dark profile but with less heaviness than has been present in some previous vintages. Silky and supple, the 2018 has a ton to offer.”
www.vinous.com
WA 94, WS 96, JS 95
"The 2013 Barolo Riserva Cannubi 1752 opens a wider window onto one of the most applauded and balanced vintages in recent years. The 2013 growing season was long and had cool nights going into harvest. These conditions helped to develop the aromatic intensity and precision of the bouquet and the linear tendencies of the mouthfeel. Made with a special selection of fruit from the Cannubi vineyard, this Riserva shows dark cherry, cassis, iron ore, licorice and camphor ash. The wine has aged enough to give you an idea of where it's going, and the best bet is to let it continue its journey."
www.robertparker.com
WS 94
“This red is intense, featuring incisive aromas of macerated cherry and plum, leather, earth and juniper flavors. A tad rustic, burly tannins line the finish, yet stay fresh and anchored on the fruit component. Shows excellent length.”
www.winespectator.com
WA 96+ , WS 95, V 95, JS 94
“The remarkably pretty 2016 Brunello di Montalcino shows a pure bouquet full of wild strawberries, woodland berries and herbs with a hint of crushed stone. It’s soft and enveloping, displaying fleshy red fruits, savory spice and salty minerals, while vibrant acids maintain wonderful freshness. It’s only at the very end that its youthful structure comes forward, grippy and classically drying, yet under an air of red licorice and inner rose. There’s a beautiful harmony to this vintage of Le Potazzine, which should provide a long and wide drinking window.”
www.vinous.com
WA 94, WS 93, V 93+, JS 96
“The 2018 Ornellaia Bianco is mostly Sauvignon Blanc with a complementary 15% addition of Viognier for added structure and textural support. This vintage shows the usual understated or slightly reserved character that we've seen in past editions. With a little prodding and swirling, the bouquet opens gradually to reveal a pretty assortment of d'Anjou pear, white peach, honeysuckle and toasted almond. The wine is fermented in oak, but malolactic fermentation does not occur. There are pretty dustings of saffron and crushed stone that hint at the evolution and elegance to come with extra time in the bottle.”
www.robertparker.com
V 95, JS 97
“Brancaia's 2018 Il Blu is stellar. Dark, layered and enveloping, the 2018 is wonderfully expressive from the outset. Black cherry, mocha, espresso, licorice, cloves and new leather fill out the layers effortlessly. The 2018 balances power with energy, all with plenty of the style that has long made this Merlot-based blend one of the top wines in Tuscany.”
www.vinous.com
WA 98, WS 96, V 100, JS 95
“The 2018 Flaccianello della Pieve is another stellar wine from Fontodi. It is the richest Flaccianello ever made (in terms of dry extract), with elevated acidity that trails the 2016 by just a touch, but it does not taste like that at all. Dark cherry, violet, lavender, spice, mocha and graphite build with a bit of time in the glass. Like the Sorbo, the 2018 Flaccianello is not a wine of size, as in most previous years, but rather a wine that exudes vibrancy, energy and class from start to finish. I absolutely loved it.”
www.vinous.com
WA 98, WS 96, V 100, JS 95
“The 2018 Flaccianello della Pieve is another stellar wine from Fontodi. It is the richest Flaccianello ever made (in terms of dry extract), with elevated acidity that trails the 2016 by just a touch, but it does not taste like that at all. Dark cherry, violet, lavender, spice, mocha and graphite build with a bit of time in the glass. Like the Sorbo, the 2018 Flaccianello is not a wine of size, as in most previous years, but rather a wine that exudes vibrancy, energy and class from start to finish. I absolutely loved it.”
www.vinous.com
WS 93
“Very polished yet wild. Ripe and decadent, with spice, meat and fruit. Full-bodied, with thick, velvety tannins and a long, flavorful finish. A full-throttle red. Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Syrah.”
www.winespectator.com
WA 95, WS 95, V 97, JS 97
"So aromatic and complex with blackcurrants, blueberries, fresh violets and lavender on the nose. Some graphite and iodine, too. Medium to full body with firm, chewy tannins that are polished and refined, yet the palate is so long and refined. This is an Ornellaia with strength in elegance."
www.jamessuckling.com
WA 95, WS 95, V 97, JS 97
"So aromatic and complex with blackcurrants, blueberries, fresh violets and lavender on the nose. Some graphite and iodine, too. Medium to full body with firm, chewy tannins that are polished and refined, yet the palate is so long and refined. This is an Ornellaia with strength in elegance."
www.jamessuckling.com
WA 95, WS 95, V 97, JS 97
"So aromatic and complex with blackcurrants, blueberries, fresh violets and lavender on the nose. Some graphite and iodine, too. Medium to full body with firm, chewy tannins that are polished and refined, yet the palate is so long and refined. This is an Ornellaia with strength in elegance."
www.jamessuckling.com
WA 97+, WS 96, V 97, JS 97
"The growing season started off cool and wet but turned to warm and dry conditions comfortably before the harvest. Cabernet Sauvignon with Cabernet Franc in a supporting role deliver a graceful mid-weight texture that holds back style-wise in terms of phenolic density. The wine's careful balance is achieved thanks to the nuanced character of the fruit, the present acidity, the well-managed structure and the contained alcohol. The palate is lifted and bright, the finish is polished and long, and the wine skips over any heaviness on the mid-palate. The bouquet is especially intriguing with a very lively plummy fruit element that is enhanced by baker's chocolate, pepper spice, iron ore, caramel and pie crust. There is also a green character that adds positively to the bouquet with aniseed, tea leaf, soya, menthol rub and black olive. The fruit maturity is spot-on with no elements that feel over or underripe."
www.robertparker.com
WA 97+, WS 96, V 97, JS 97
"The growing season started off cool and wet but turned to warm and dry conditions comfortably before the harvest. Cabernet Sauvignon with Cabernet Franc in a supporting role deliver a graceful mid-weight texture that holds back style-wise in terms of phenolic density. The wine's careful balance is achieved thanks to the nuanced character of the fruit, the present acidity, the well-managed structure and the contained alcohol. The palate is lifted and bright, the finish is polished and long, and the wine skips over any heaviness on the mid-palate. The bouquet is especially intriguing with a very lively plummy fruit element that is enhanced by baker's chocolate, pepper spice, iron ore, caramel and pie crust. There is also a green character that adds positively to the bouquet with aniseed, tea leaf, soya, menthol rub and black olive. The fruit maturity is spot-on with no elements that feel over or underripe."
www.robertparker.com
WA 97+, WS 96, V 97, JS 97
"The growing season started off cool and wet but turned to warm and dry conditions comfortably before the harvest. Cabernet Sauvignon with Cabernet Franc in a supporting role deliver a graceful mid-weight texture that holds back style-wise in terms of phenolic density. The wine's careful balance is achieved thanks to the nuanced character of the fruit, the present acidity, the well-managed structure and the contained alcohol. The palate is lifted and bright, the finish is polished and long, and the wine skips over any heaviness on the mid-palate. The bouquet is especially intriguing with a very lively plummy fruit element that is enhanced by baker's chocolate, pepper spice, iron ore, caramel and pie crust. There is also a green character that adds positively to the bouquet with aniseed, tea leaf, soya, menthol rub and black olive. The fruit maturity is spot-on with no elements that feel over or underripe."
www.robertparker.com
JS 96
"Blackberries, spice, walnuts and currants on the nose, following through to a full bodied, tight and dense palate, yet it’s agile and linear at the finish. Firm, layered tannins. This needs time to come around in the bottle."
www.jamessuckling.com
JS 96
"Blackberries, spice, walnuts and currants on the nose, following through to a full bodied, tight and dense palate, yet it’s agile and linear at the finish. Firm, layered tannins. This needs time to come around in the bottle."
www.jamessuckling.com
WA 98, V98, JS 96
"The 2018 vintage offers a deconstructed Tignanello upon first inspection because you can clearly make out the varietal typicity of the grapes, especially the green spice and white pepper of the two Cabernets, along with aromas of crushed limestone that recall the white rocks carefully placed in the vineyards to protect the rows. The wine's fruit weight is contained and polished, and there are no exaggerations, excesses or loose ends. The results are calculated and exacting, especially if you consider the tannic management (with aging in both new and used Hungarian and French oak for up to 16 months) and the quality of the elegant mouthfeel. With time in the glass, those deconstructed elements converge to create unity and balance."
www.robertparker.com
WA 98, V98, JS 96
"The 2018 vintage offers a deconstructed Tignanello upon first inspection because you can clearly make out the varietal typicity of the grapes, especially the green spice and white pepper of the two Cabernets, along with aromas of crushed limestone that recall the white rocks carefully placed in the vineyards to protect the rows. The wine's fruit weight is contained and polished, and there are no exaggerations, excesses or loose ends. The results are calculated and exacting, especially if you consider the tannic management (with aging in both new and used Hungarian and French oak for up to 16 months) and the quality of the elegant mouthfeel. With time in the glass, those deconstructed elements converge to create unity and balance."
www.robertparker.com
WA 98, V98, JS 96
"The 2018 vintage offers a deconstructed Tignanello upon first inspection because you can clearly make out the varietal typicity of the grapes, especially the green spice and white pepper of the two Cabernets, along with aromas of crushed limestone that recall the white rocks carefully placed in the vineyards to protect the rows. The wine's fruit weight is contained and polished, and there are no exaggerations, excesses or loose ends. The results are calculated and exacting, especially if you consider the tannic management (with aging in both new and used Hungarian and French oak for up to 16 months) and the quality of the elegant mouthfeel. With time in the glass, those deconstructed elements converge to create unity and balance."
www.robertparker.com
