Merlot

Earthy & Rustic

The construction of Château Plaisance dates back to the 1780s, however its vineyards are much older. Bordering the Margaux appellation, Château Plaisance's vineyards overlooks the Garonne River and counts with ten hectares. 

The soils name 'palues' are mostly composed of clay, with a small percentage of sand. Its particularity is that is is located only a few meters away from the Garonne River. The 'palues' were gained on the river thanks to a draining technique implemented in Bordeaux by the Dutch. The 'palues' contain a large amount of sediments that were before underwater, making it a rich and fertile soil. In the past, wines produced on 'palues' were considered the best of their appellation.

An elegantly matured Bordeaux Superieur with surprising persistence. Named after the limestone soils ('palues') of the vineyards, this blend of 70% Merlot with 20% Cabernet Sauvignon and 10% Petit Verdot is showing lovely earthy, leather and licorice notes along with cherry, raspberry and blackcurrant.

 A stunning value.

Pair with rack of lamb and braised fennel.

Rich & Bold

Finca Aylés is located in the northeast of Spain, near the city of Zaragoza, halfway between Madrid and Barcelona.  The wine project of the Ramón Reula family began its journey in the 1980s and ended with the reunification of various properties that had belonged to the Finca Aylés since the Middle Ages. Today, Aylés is one of the largest private historical farms in Aragón.  

Attractive deep cherry red in colour. The wine displays a pronounced intensity on the nose, well defined, with an extraordinarily complex and wide range of aromas; think dark red fruits, ink, and spices.  On the palate the wine is clearly defined by its elegance and ripe fruit intensity. It's harmonious and well balanced leading to a rich finish. 

It's the perfect wine to pair with rich meats and anything on the BBQ.

Classy & Complex

Château Les Paruades is located in Macau en Médoc, on the foothills of the Margaux appellation and on the edge of the Gironde. The estate covers an area of 3.5 hectares with Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet Franc planted on clayey palus soil.  The vinification process follows the traditional methods of the Médoc, with total destemming and fermentation in stainless steel and concrete vats.

A blend of merlot, cabernet sauvignon and cabernet franc in Pomerol mimic, attractive and edgy when it wants or needs to be. Right Bank stylistic in any case, herbals and amaro welling through with liqueur consistency and fashion. Quite chic and notably concentrated, really credible, with brisk acidity and plenty of toughness keeping the wine safe, elongated and with portents of further potential. Quite a steal actually.

Rich & Fruity

Located 50 km east from Saint-Émilion, the Barouillet family has been growing grapes for at least 8 generations in Pécharment, Monbazillac and Bergerac. Vincent Alexis, who joined his father in 2010, converted the vineyards to organic and is about to obtain the biodynamic certification. 

This is organic and low intervention at its best. Made with Cabernet Sauvignon, Malbec and Merlot, and a hint of Cabernet Franc, the wine is filled with liquorice and ripe red fruit aromas. Notes of blackcurrant reveal a fruity and rich mouthfeel that still maintains freshness. The structure is subtle but very persistent. It will pair perfectly with grilled meats, roasts. It is ideal for friendly occasions with friends.

The freshly harvested grapes are destemmed and lightly crushed before going into stainless steel vats, where they ferment from their indigenous yeasts. This wine is sulphur-free, it is neither filtered nor fined.

Fresh & Juicy

To express their love for great flavours, Winemaker Julien Bonneau (Château Haut Grelot) and Chef Alexandre Lavigne dreamt up their own range of wines and created Cuvée Emma. 

Bunches of Merlot grapes are sourced from the hillsides of St Bonnet sur Gironde in the south of the Charente Maritime, a sub-region near the Ocean, on the outskirts of Bordeaux.

Emma embodies the purity of a natural wine, the commitment to sustainable viticulture, and the importance of the vine balance. Winemaking is naturally done without the use of sulphites. The wine boasts notes of black fruits and candied fruit. It is fruit-forward, full-bodied, with a beautiful length.

Suggested pairing: red meats and umami flavours, such as cacio e pepe or carbonara pastas. 

Rich & Elegant

Château Tour de Gilet is located in Ludon-en-Médoc, just south of Margaux on the Bordeaux left-bank. Prestigious Grand Cru Classé estates, such as Château Cantemerle, scatter around this small village. Built on the foundation of an ancient abbey from the 12th century, Château Tour de Gilet has been well-known for its outstanding value.

This Bordeaux Supérieur is a Merlot-dominated blend with 30% Cabernet Sauvignon. The nose is intense and elegant, rich in black fruit, blackcurrant and blackberry, and a vibrant sweet spice aroma, completed with pastry and floral nuances. The palate is supple, generous and round, supported by fine and silky tannins, well-integrated oak and excellent balance.

This bold wine goes very well with roasted meats. Our favourite pairing? Delicious burgers with blue cheese!

Led by wine and cheesemaker Glenn Symons, Lighthall Vineyards is proud to make products that reflect the unique qualities of Prince Edward County. The winery specializes in low-intervention winemaking using grapes grown from their 63 acres of limestone-rich vineyards. They are known for high-quality chardonnay, pinot noir, and exceptional sparkling wines.

Discover Lighthall Vineyards and Prince Edward County through this mixed case, which includes one bottles of each wine:

1 bottle x Lighthall Vineyards
Progression VQA Prince Edward County 2023.
A delicious expression of County sparkling wine. Fresh with buoyant acidity, this wine is made from our own Vidal grapes and has had a second fermentation using the Charmat method. The nose is loaded with white grapefruit and green apple peel. Well paired with anything from a hot sunny patio to pizza to oysters, or served well chilled as an aperitif.

1 bottle x Lighthall Vineyards
Riesling VQA Prince Edward County 2022.
One of Lighthall's most aromatic wines, this off-dry Riesling is bursting with kiwi, starfruit, nectarine, and a lovely bouquet of white flowers. The classic Jolly-Rancher and crisp green apple punch follows through on the palate with vivacious acidity. Pairs excellently with spicy south-Asian cuisine, curries, and tacos.

1 bottle x Lighthall Vineyards
Pinot Gris VQA Prince Edward County 2022.
True to Lighthall's style, this County Pinot Gris is both mineral driven and rich. Partially fermented in neutral French Oak with an Alsatian-sourced yeast strain, the classic notes of cantaloupe, pear, and nutmeg are all present. A waxy tone of salted apple-flambé and confit honeycomb bring a perception of sweetness to a delightfully bone-dry wine.

1 bottle x Lighthall Vineyards
Chardonnay VQA Prince Edward County 2021.
As typically found in County Chardonnay, this wine starts with aromas of flinty minerality, Asian pear, and salted caramel. A round palate is filled with flavours of golden delicious apple, baking spices, and a hint of lemon. Put together, it’s like an apple crumble before it’s been baked! The smooth texture and long finish leave you satiating for more.

1 bottle x Lighthall Vineyards
Pinot Noir VQA Prince Edward County 2022.
A cooler vintage brings freshness to one of the county’s best varieties. Strawberry, red currant, candied cherry, and a savoury garrigue all burst from the glass. Tones of sumac, cedar, bittersweet chocolate and cinnamon bark bring a discerning finish to this elegant grape. The classic pairing of seared duck breast and mushroom risotto are a must-have.

1 bottle x Lighthall Vineyards
Merlot VQA Prince Edward County 2021.
Cool-climate Merlot at its best. This wine is loaded with all things blue and moody: damson plums, violet, fig, blue-acai, and chocolate-covered blueberry. Rich oak tones of vanilla, chocolate, and marshmallow balance out the fruit intensity and leave a long yet distinguished finish.

Delivery timeline: It requires four full cases of each wine in order for us to build and fulfill four mixed cases. This process usually takes about 7-10 business days but may vary.

Transform your winter evenings with "Warming Reds To Fix the January Blues." This carefully curated case of rich, velvety red wines is designed to uplift your spirits and cozy up those chilly nights. Each bottle is a celebration of bold flavors and warming aromas, perfect for intimate gatherings or quiet nights by the fireplace. Embrace the season and sip your way to warmth and cheer—let our warming reds banish the January blues and become your go-to comfort companion!

Every mixed case includes 3 bottles of each wine.

3 bottles x Paulo Laureano Vinhas Velhas Tinto 2020 (Alentejo, Portugal)
Red | Alicante Bouschet, Aragonez, Trincadeira

Paulo Laureano is one of the most respected Portuguese winemakers and a reference for wines in the Alentejo region. Agronomist and oenologist, trained between Portugal, Australia, and Spain, after teaching at the University of Évora for 10 years, he decided to dedicate himself exclusively to what has moved him since 2003, making wine.

As the name indicates, this wine is made with old vines of Portuguese native varieties such as Aragonez, Trincadeira and Alicante Bouschet. The grapes ferment in stainless steel vats and aged for 12 months in new and used French oak barrels. It shows a generous, rounded nose of brambly/blackberry jam, perfumed florality, some oak vanilla and nutmeg. It is medium-full bodied, soft, genteel and warming with fine chalk tannin. Some minerality on the finish. The length is excellent.

3 bottles x Cantine Paradiso Sant'Andrea Nero di Troia / Primitivo 2023 (Puglia, Italy)
Red | Primitivo

Cantine Paradiso is located is the South of Italy, in the region of Puglia. Angelo Paradiso, the third generation of winemakers in the family, manages the vineyards and the winery. This wine is a blend of Nero di Troia and Primitivo, two native grapes to Puglia. It has an intense purple colour in the glass. On the nose, it delivers pronounced notes of ripe dark fruit, hints of spices and some floral notes. The palate is juicy with soft tannins and a really nice acidity. It is a very easy-drinking and enjoyable wine.

This wine pairs perfectly with tomato-based dishes: pasta bolognese, veal parmigiana, pizza... But would also be a great pairing with curries and spicy barbecue dishes too!

3 bottles x Château Les Paruades Macau en Médoc Bordeaux Supérieur 2020 (Bordeaux, France)
Red | Primitivo

Château Les Paruades is located in Macau en Médoc, on the foothills of the Margaux appellation and on the edge of the Gironde. The estate covers an area of 3.5 hectares with Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet Franc planted on clayey palus soil.  The vinification process follows the traditional methods of the Médoc, with total destemming and fermentation in stainless steel and concrete vats.

A blend of merlot, cabernet sauvignon and cabernet franc in Pomerol mimic, attractive and edgy when it wants or needs to be. Right Bank stylistic in any case, herbals and amaro welling through with liqueur consistency and fashion. Quite chic and notably concentrated, really credible, with brisk acidity and plenty of toughness keeping the wine safe, elongated and with portents of further potential. Quite a steal actually.

3 bottles x Clos del Rey Le Sabina Rouge AOC Maurey Sec 2021 (Roussillon, France)
Red | Grenache, Samso, Syrah

Established in 2001 by Julien Montagné and his family. Clos del Rey is located in the heart of the Maury appellation in the Roussillon. Although Maury is best known for its sweet, port-like wines, Clos del Rey only produces dry red wines now produced as AOC Maury Sec.

Le Sabina is an old bush vine cuvée of grenache, carignan and syrah grown on very stony, black schist soils. This engaging red is a concentrated, aromatic, flavourful wine, with a pure essence of blackberry and blueberry fruit, sweet and resinous wild herbs, scorched earth and liquorice. A highly satisfying and bold ensemble. Tannins are abundant but coated and softened by highly intense fruit extract. Great length as noted by Master Sommelier John Szabo. 

This wine is great with BBQ meats, lamb, beef, you name it.

 

Floral & Fruity

Lighthall Vineyards is a small, proud, low volume and high quality winery located in enchanting Prince Edward County, Ontario, Canada. All their wines are produced in a non-interventionist manner and fuelled by passion as hearty as our vines. They also make cheese, designed to pair with their wines.

Cool-climate Merlot at its best. This wine is loaded with all things blue and moody: damson plums, violet, fig, blue-acai, and chocolate-covered blueberry. Rich oak tones of vanilla, chocolate, and marshmallow balance out the fruit intensity and leave a long yet distinguished finish.

Fatty, high protein foods are recommended to bind with the high tannin and balance the acidity. Roasted leg of lamb with Saskatoon berry compote, coffee-rubbed steak, seared duck breast, creole jambalaya, pork loin with roasted plums, and blue cheeses all go
great.

Spiced & Round

Husband and wife duo Ilya and Nadia started Leaning Post winery in Niagara over 10 years ago. Initially a virtual set up, the winery now located on Highway 8, has become a reference producer in Niagara.

This blended wine (61% Merlot, 39& Cabernet Franc) always over-delivers massively for the price. Blackberry, cassis, raspberry and mulberry instantly appear on the nose, with lilac, cracked white pepper, licorice and pancetta following closely behind. On the palate, the warmth and weight of the 2020 vintage is immediately evident, with a very broad and weighty mid-palate featuring plum, wild-blueberry, and strawberry layered over dark- chocolate and graphite with wisps of herbs-de-provence and black olive fading in and out.

The powerful but soft tannins make it satisfying to drink now with a good decant, but it will certainly age well over the next 5-8 years. Great with burgers, cured meat, and hard cheese.