Let the WineAlign Critics help you find the Right Wine
for the Right Price, Right Now!
Top 5 Brunello (Sangiovese) at the LCBO
If I Could Buy Only One – February 15th Vintages Release
We asked our writers, “If you could buy only one wine from the February 15th release, which one would it be and why?” Tierra Sagrada Vigno Carignan 2020, Maule Valley, Chile$21.95, Charton HobbsSara d’Amato – This week, I’m sold on a sleek and sophisticated gem from a standout collab aimed at championing old vine Carignan […] More
Buyer’s Guide to Vintages February 15th Release
Trump Drives a Wedge into the Canada-U.S. Wine FriendshipBy David Lawrason, with notes John Szabo and Sara d’Amato WineAlign will continue to review American wines while they are sold through the LCBO. We are unanimous on this. Our job is to review available wines no matter where they come from. It is then up to […] More
If I Could Buy Only One – February 1st Vintages Release
We asked our writers, “If you could buy only one wine from the February 1st release, which one would it be and why?” Jean Max Roger Cuvée Genèse Sancerre 2022, Loire, France $34.25, Connexion OenophiliaSara d’Amato – If the chill of winter has you feeling down, this bright, zesty white is sure to shake away […] More
National Wine Awards of Canada
Canada's premier wine awards. In 2022, 24 judges tasted over 1,900 wines from 250 wineries across the country to identify Canada's top wines.
National Wine Awards of CanadaExchange Wine Club Subscription
The Exchange delivers an exclusive curated, mixed case of top quality wines directly to your door once a quarter. Mixed, All Red and All White options.
Exchange Wine Club Subscription
Brunello di Montalcino is one of the most prestigious appellations in Italy, born in the 19th Century in its present form thanks to the efforts of the Biondi-Santi family, who defined its rules and have largely guided it to the present day. The wines are made from 100% Sangiovese grape, in particular from a clone called Sangiovese Grosso, or also as Brunello - hence the appellation's name. Traditionally, the wine goes through an extended maceration period where color, tannins and flavour are extracted from the skins. Following fermentation the wine is then aged in oak. Traditionally, the wines are aged 3 years or more in "botti" - large Slovenian oak casks that impart little oak flavour and generally produce more austere wines. Some winemakers will use small French barrels which impart a more pronounced vanilla oak flavour and add a certain fruitiness to the wine. Whatever the approach, wines must be aged for for years (with a minimum of two years in barrel) before being released, according to appellation rules.
