Vintages New Release Collection – April 26, 2025

Native to the Northern Rhône, the Marsanne grape most often plays an important role in blends. At Kew, in the Great White North, it makes for an intriguing varietal wine.

KEW MARSANNE 2020 6 VQA Beamsville Bench, Niagara Escarpment, Ontario

Marsanne is a variety from the south of France that is a bit of an anomaly in Niagara, but it has survived the vagaries of humidity and winters quite well, to provide us with this nifty example. It captures the exotic, lifted lemon-orange, herbal/minty notions of the grape very well, with a sort of marmalade sweetness and bitterness. It is medium-full bodied, a touch sweet, but balanced by alcohol warmth and bitterness. The length is excellent. This is a total surprise, and at $20 well worth a try. Last tasted Sept 2024. Score: 92 (David Lawrason, winealign.com) Full-bodied & Rich 485334 (XD) 750 mL $19.95 2

Baked Feta with Figs, Dates and Olives, featured in the Travel 2025 issue of Food & Drink magazine. Check out this recipe and thousands of others at LCBO.com/foodanddrink.

COOL, CRISP WHITES White wine and sunshine go together like “patio” and “season.” These crisp wines are a mouth-watering way to beat the heat and are perfect for sipping or enjoying while nibbling on a wide range of foods as you chat.

BRUNCH PAIRING Baked feta with figs, dates and olives DINNER PAIRING Sweet-corn-and-black- bean tacos CHILL TO 10-12°C (fridge: 2-3 hours; ice bucket: 20-30 minutes) LOVE LOCAL? ALSO TRY Closson Chase K.J. Watson Vineyards Pinot Gris 2023 (see page 27)

8 VINTAGES