LCBO Releases for December 2023

Dec. 6

Just in time for the holidays, we have two very special Champagne Gosset vintage releases, gifting-ready in their own box. We also have a library release old vine Spanish Garnacha, and two striking new Santorini wines to cover off all your festivities this month.

Read below for more details about these new wines, along with the links to purchase them.

**Champagne Gosset Celebris Rosé Brut 2008 *gift box**

This vintage is only the fourth edition of Gosset Celebris Rosé in the past twenty-five years. It is a limited edition of 15,000 bottles. This blends 72% Chardonnay and 28% Pinot Noir (8% is red wine). The grapes came from Ambonnay, Avize, Aÿ, Bouzy, Cramant, Cuis, Cumières, Trépail, Vertus, Villers-Marmery. After 12 years in the cellars, it was disgorged in April 2021, with 6.5 g/L.

"Offering up aromas of honeycomb, warm biscuits, red berries and spices, the just-released 2008 Extra Brut Celebris Rosé is full-bodied, ample and layered, with a concentrated, even expansive mid-palate; but if this Celebris Rosé leads with its voluminous core of fruit, it's its tangy spine of acidity and taut structure that dominate the bone-dry finish. That structure will demand a bit of patience, but this is an impressive effort from Gosset. Drink date: 2023-2040." 94+ points, William Kelley, robertparker.com

Read more about Champagne Gosset here.

Appellation : AOC Champagne
Country : France
Grape(s) : Chardonnay, Pinot Noir
Price : $333.95
LCBO : 13824

**Champagne Gosset Celebris Extra Brut 2008 *gift box**

This Vintage is only the eighth edition of Gosset Celebris Vintage in the past 34 years. It is a limited edition of 15,000 bottles. A blend of 54% Chardonnay and 46% Pinot Noir, from Ambonnay, Avenay, Avize, Aÿ, Bouzy, Cramant, Cuis, Cumières, Trépail, Vertus, and Le Mesnil-sur-Oger, this spent 12 years in the cellars prior to release, with 4.8 g/L dosage.

"The 2008 Extra-Brut Celebris offers up hints of apricot, brioche, baked apple tart, white pepper, chamomile and dried flowers. Extended time on the lees yields a Champagne with terrific flavor and textural complexity. This is an especially deep, vinous Champagne from Gosset. I would prefer to drink it at the dinner table, as it is a very serious wine. Drinking window: 2023-2038." 96 points, Antonio Galloni, Vinous

Read more about Champagne Gosset here.

Appellation : AOC Champagne
Country : France
Grape(s) : Chardonnay, Pinot Noir
Price : $245
LCBO : 344952

Las Moradas de San Martin Libro Once. Las Luces

"Las Moradas de San Martin sits at a height of 870m above sea level, on the fringes of the Sierra de Gredos, in the unique landscape of San Martín de Valdeiglesias to the south-east of Madrid. Twenty-one hectares of vineyards surround the winery. From old vine (most over 100 years), high altitude garnacha located at 900m in the windy Madrilenian slope, these organically farmed vines are rooted in the estate's granitic sandy soils. Winemaker Isabel Galindo is very hands-off in the winery, respecting the vines and farming, and according to her, this is her masterpiece, made only in exceptional years. This garnacha comes off La Centenera plot, 100+ years old, covering an area of 3.25 hectares on a granitic mountain plateau (900m) in the Madrilenian slope of the Sierra de Gredos. Destemmed grapes were native fermented in new, 500L French oak, where it remained for 18 months prior to bottling without fining or filtration. Strikingly savoury and surprisingly knit, laced by salinity and woven with dark and dried cherry, black plum, dried dark florals, black tea leaves, dried tobacco, pen ink, crushed granite on a plush palate. Acidity is mountainous and lofty, and tannins are fine and grippy, supporting the cushy fruit into its well-worked frame. The stony saline finish lingers forever. A wine of gravitas, drinking now, but with years ahead. enjoy with a slight chill. 7950 bottles produced." 94 points, Gismondionwine.com

Appellation : DO Vinos de Madrid
Country : Spain
Grape(s) : Garnacha
Price : $66.95
LCBO : 33384

Artemis Karamolegos Terra Nera White 2022

Artemis Karamolegos is one of the most dynamic wineries on the unique island of Santorini. Led by his grandfather, who started making wine and cultivating vines as a hobby in the 1950s, Artemis founded the winery in 2004. They own just over 3ha of vineyards (some over 100 years old) across Pyrgos, Megalorchori, Exo Gonia, Akrotiri and Fira, and have long term contracts to farm another 5 hectares. This 'entry level' Assyrtiko comes from relatively young vines, averaging only 50 years, from lower altitude vineyards. It was fermented and aged in stainless, on lees, for 6 months.

Read more about Artemis Karamolegos here.

Appellation : PGI Cyclades
Region : Santorini
Country : Greece
Grape(s) : Assyrtiko
Price : $33.95
LCBO : 35866

Artemis Karamolegos Terra Nera Red 2022

Artemis Karamolegos is one of the most dynamic wineries on the unique island of Santorini. Led by his grandfather, who started making wine and cultivating vines as a hobby in the 1950s, Artemis founded the winery in 2004. They own just over 3ha of vineyards (some over 100 years old) across Pyrgos, Megalorchori, Exo Gonia, Akrotiri and Fira, and have long term contracts to farm another 5 hectares. This entry level red comes from older Mandilaria and Mavrotragano (60 years average) vines, with a short maceration prior to ferment in stainless for 9 months, with a small proportion seeing time in oak. Soft and fragrant with wild plum, cherry, raspberry across a shorter, stony, lactic palate, finishing with a dusting of spices and salinity. A lighter hued, lighter bodied red, ready for cracking now

Read more about Artemis Karamolegos here.

Appellation : PGI Cyclades
Region : Santorini
Country : Greece
Grape(s) : Mandilaria, Mavrotragano
Price : $27.95
LCBO : 35867

Most of our producers are small, independently owned and operated businesses, like ours. You can view our complete portfolio here. Thank you for letting us share these producers and wines with you.

Cheers,