On the Road with the Grape Guy
The Stem Wine Group Wine Tasting 2024
05 Mar 2025- Details
- Category: On the Road with the Grape Guy
(October 2024) … So many wines, so little time – but I did my best to try most of the wines in the room. These were the wines that impressed the most, starting with the four-plus-star wines and moving to those that offer up good quality and flavour. Price does not come into play when rating these wines, though I have given the price in this report from the Stem catalogue. All wines are available through Stem Wine Group – unless otherwise noted with an LCBO number.
Let’s get to it …
FOUR PLUS Stars
Castell D’Or NV Cava Brut ($17.95 - #32639) 
- this 12 months on lees sparkling wine has lovely apple and pear notes with good acidity – this is pretty and worth the price (worth it at twice the price). Great value. And is available at the LCBO. A great, inexpensive bottle for your next gathering or celebration.
Corte Aura NV Franciacorta Pas Dose ($47.99)
- four years on lees and 80% Chardonnay, this very dry sparkler with notes of lemon curd and jumpy acid is pretty wonderful on the palate.
La Manufacture 2023 Forets – Chablis Premier Cru ($62.99)
- creamy-vanilla, white stone fruit, floral –this is pleasant and fruity with a beauty long finish.
Tome Wines 2020 Red Stake – Cabernet Sauvignon ($34.99)
- a Washinigton State Cab that is fresh and elegant with lots of fruit and super easy to drink. It has the same score as four other wines, but this was my favourite red of the show. This quality of Cab, out of Napa, would be double, if not triple, the price. Worth picking up.
FOUR Stars
Anno Domini 2021 Le Argille Cabernet di Cabernet ($62.99)
- late harvested Franc and Sauv that spends 12-18 months in concrete: this fruit forward wine has a black and red fruit core with a silky mouth feel and long finish.
Braida 2021 Montebruna Barbera d’Asti ($46.99) 
- from 30-year-old vines; this dark, rich Barbera is full of blackberry and cassis.
Biaida 2020 Bricco dell’Uccellone Barbera d’Asti ($139.99)
- now with 66+ year old vines, this wine is big, bold and spicy; very much unlike Barbera, which is a welcome and fun change.
Ca’ del Baio 2023 Paolina Barbera D’Alba ($23.99)
- fresh, fruity and easy with pleasant cherry and raspberry fruit at its core.
Castell D’or NV Brut Rosat ($18.95)
- a twelve month on lees bubble: lovely cherry, raspberry with acidity that sings - easy and supple to drink.
Chateau du Val D’Or 2020 Saint-Emilion Grand Cru ($39.99)
- nice richness with good balance; lots of dark fruit, anise and even a drop of vanilla.
Corte Aura NV Franciacorta Brut ($39.99)
- mostly Chardonnay with a hint (10%) of Pinot Noir and 30+ months on lees; crisp with notes of lemon, lime and punchy acidity
Feudi di San Gregorio 2015 Serpico – Irpinia Aglianico ($109.99)
- smoky tobacco yet with juicy black fruit at the core; well-balanced wine with lots going for it.
Gaja 2021 Magari ($109.99)
- good balance of acidity, oak and dark fruit
Monteti 2018 Monteti Toscana ($69.99)
- nice and silky with smoky and black fruited notes, including black cherry and vanilla.
Precision Wine 2020 Windstorm Cabernet Sauvignon ($18.99)
- a character driven wine with concentrated dark fruit, vanilla, and cedar; a medium length acidity, pretty and pleasant.
Ronco del Gelso 2022 Siet Vignis Chardonnay ($36.99) 
- lovely freshness is derived from using older oak and large barrels with one year on lees. Pretty, lively and fresh – a nice interpretation of Chardonnay from Italy.
Vina Chocalan 2022 Cabernet Sauvignon Reserva ($16.99)
- juicy and fruit forward black fruit leads with a lovely finish and good value.
Three-and-a-Half / Three-and-a-Half Plus Stars
(wines on this list are in alphabetical order)
Andeluna 2019 Pasionada Cuatro Cepas ($64.99)
+ Anno Domini NV Diamond Spumante Rosato ($19.99)
+ Anno Domini NV Moscato IGT ($14.99)
+ Argiolas 2020 Is Solinas – Carignano de Sulcis ($30.99)
+ Argiolas 2020 Korem – Isola dei Nuraghi ($64.99)
+ Arnaldo Rivera 2020 Rocche di Castiglione Barolo
+ Arnaldo Rivera 2019 Cannubi Barolo ($179.99)
+ Atkins Farm 2020 Shiraz – McLaren Vale ($22.99)
+ Ca’ del Baio 2021 Asili Barbaresco ($69.99)
Casina Bric 2017 Barolo ($59.99)
+ Chateau Les 5 Cles 2021 Bordeaux ($19.99)
+ Collemattoni 2019 Brunello di Montalcino ($84.99)
+ Collemattoni 2018 Vigna Fontelontano Brunello di Montalcino Riserva ($159.99)
+ Coppi 2020 Siniscalco Primitivo ($21.99)
+ Corte Aura NV Franciacorta Rose ($47.99)
Crowded House 2023 Sauvignon Blanc ($20.99)
Deltetto 2023 Daivej Roero Arneis ($24.99)
Deltetto 2022 I Lioni Nebbiolo D’Alba ($27.99)
+ Domaine de L’Amandine 2021 Seguret – Cotes du Rhone Villages ($24.99) 
Feudi di San Gregorio 2023 Ros’Aura Irpinia Rosato ($19.99)
+ Feudi di San Gregorio 2022 Falanghina del Sannio ($20.99)
+ Feudi di San Gregorio 2019 Taurasi ($51.99)
Forchir 2023 Rosadis Pinot Grigio ($19.99)
+ Gaja 2021 Idda Etna Rosso ($79.99)
Giulia Negri 2022 Pian delle Mole Langhe Nebbiolo ($46.99)
Giulia Negri 2020 Serradenari Barolo ($129.99)
+ Il Borro 2020 Pian di Nova Toscana Rosso ($37.99)
Il Borro 2019 Polissena Valdarno di Sopra ($64.99)
La Manufacture 2022 Chablis ($46.99)
La Manufacture 2022 Blanchot – Chablis Grand Cru ($139.99)
+ Masciarelli 2022 Montepulciano d’Abruzzo ($20.99)
+ Masciarelli 2018 Villa Gemma Montepulciano d’Abruzzo Riserva ($109.99)
+ Grand Napa Vineyards 2020 Oakville Cabernet Sauvignon ($144.99)
+ Precision Wine 2018 Hill & Blade Zinfandel ($19.99)
+ Ronco del Gelso 2022 Sottomonte Sauvignon ($39.99)
Sartarelli 2023 Verdicchio dei Castelli di Jesi - Classico ($18.99)
+ Siro Pacenti 2022 Rosso di Montalcino ($56.99)
Tenuta Decugnano dei Barbi 2021 Battito Umbria Rosso ($24.99)
Tenuta Monteti 2018 Caburnio Toscana ($32.99)
+ Villa a Sesta 2019 Il Palei Chianti Classico ($29.99) 
+ Villabella 2020 Ripasso della Valpolicella Classico Superiore ($32.99)
+ Villabella 2013 Fracastoro Riserva Amarone della Valpolicella Classico ($89.99)
+ Woolshed 2022 Shiraz ($14.99)
Zyme 2020 Kairos IGP ($132.99)
