When you buy wine in a BC Liquor store, you don’t think about how the wine was selected for the shelves. Behind the scenes are many wine agencies that search for wines from around the world, to build their portfolio, and have some of their portfolio sold through BC Liquor stores with the remaining wines, usually specialty wines, sold in private wine shops or restaurants.
I recently attended the Charton Hobbs Inc. portfolio tasting. It is a family-run business formed through the Basil D Hobbs agency founded in 1925 and Herdt & Charton Inc founded in 1923. Charton Hobbs is one of the longest-standing Canadian wine and spirit agencies and one of the largest privately owned national sales and marketing companies delivering premium alcoholic beverages to Canadians.
There definitely were many premium wines in this portfolio tasting, so I had to limit my list to the best of the best, in my opinion. Even this list is quite long (33 wines!). I classified the wines according to country of origin to help you seek out the wines that may be of the most interest to you.
My Wine Tasting Notes
France
Jacques Dumont Val de Loire Sauvignon Blanc 2023 – A light green fruit and gooseberry nose with more on the palate. This wine is dry and smooth with medium-plus acidity. Tasty. 
Henri Bourgeois Petit Bourgeois Sauvignon Blanc 2023 – A very light green fruit and herbal nose. Dry, round and soft mouthfeel. Medium acidity. Green fruit and herbal flavours. 
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Henri Bourgeois Sancerre “Les Baronnes” 2023 – A light green fruit nose. Dry, with a soft and smooth mouthfeel. Light green fruit and minerality on the palate. A subtle wine. –
Henri Bourgeois La Demoiselle de Bourgeois Pouilly Fume 2019 – It has a light toasty nose. Dry with medium body. A firm mouthfeel. Light toast and subtle citrus flavours. –
Domaines Paul Mas Astelia Grand Vin 2019 – A very aromatic nose with cedar and red fruit aromas. Dry, medium body. Sweet red cherries, butter and a hint of cedar on the palate. A finer tannic finish.
Famille Perrin Luberon Blanc 2023 – Light stone fruit and honey aromas. Dry, medium-plus body with a round mouthfeel. Stone fruit and stony minerality on the palate.
Famille Perrin Reserve Cotes du Rhone Rouge 2021 – Meaty, buttery, cherry and raspberry aromas. Dry with a medium body. Red fruit flavours. Medium tannins. An easy to enjoy wine. –
Famille Perrin Nature Cotes du Rhone Rouge 2022 – Light berry nose. Juicy berries and sweet spice flavours. Medium tannins and acidity.
Famille Perrin Chateauneuf-du-Pape Rouge “Les Sinards” 2021 – A ripe raspberry nose. Dry with a medium-plus body and a smooth, lean mouthfeel. Ripe berries and nutmeg flavours. Medium tannins. Yum.
Chateau de Beaucastel Coudoulet de Beaucastel Cotes du Rhone Rouge 2021 – Meaty and red fruit aromas. This wine is dry with a lean mouthfeel. Red and black fruits, cherries and some pepperiness on the palate.
Chateau de Beaucastel Chateauneuf-du-Pape Rouge 2022 – This wine has a light red cherry nose. Dry, medium-plus body with a smooth mouthfeel. Ripe black fruit flavours. Medium tannins and acidity. A firm tannic finish.
Italy
FIOL Prosecco Extra Dry – It has a light, fresh stone fruit nose. Dry with higher acidity. Fruity flavours. Medium-minus-sized bubbles. Some tartness. –
FIOL Prosecco Rosé Extra Sec – Light red fruit and toast on the nose. Off-dry with a medium-plus body. Medium-sized creamy bubbles. Fresh stone fruit flavours. Medium-plus acidity. –
Caposaldo Pinot Grigio 2023 – It has a nice fresh stone fruit nose. Dry with a smooth, round, thicker mouthfeel. Green fruit and stone fruit flavours.
Luigi Cecchi Torrebona Vernaccia di San Gimignano 2023 – A light stone fruit nose. Dry with a soft, lean mouthfeel. Citrus and stone fruit flavours. Nice.
Luigi Cecchi La Mora Toscana 2022 – Red fruit and red cherry aromas in the glass. Dry, medium body with a smooth mouthfeel. Candied cherries on the palate.
Luigi Cecchi Storia di Famiglia Chianti Classico 2021 – Rich red fruit aromas. Dry, medium-minus body with a lean mouthfeel. Red fruit flavours. Firm tannins. –
ColleMassari Melacce Vermentino 2023 – Light minty aromas that continue to the palate. Medium body with a soft, round mouthfeel. Stoney minerality and stone fruit flavours. –
ColleMassari Rigoleto Montecucco Sangiovese 2022 – Light red fruit and sausage aromas. Dry with medium body. Firmer tannins and medium acidity. Red fruit flavours. Buy and hold for a few years before enjoying so that the tannins soften. –
Beni di Batasiolo Barbaresco 2019 – Light red fruit and oak nose. Red fruit with lifted flavours. Firm tannins. –
Beni di Batasiolo Barolo 2020 – Cedar and red fruit aromas. Dry with medium-plus body. Ripe black fruit flavours. Firm tannins. –
Beni di Batasiolo Barolo Riserva 2014 – Ripe, dark fruit and oak aromas. Medium-plus body. Candied cherries and butter on the palate. Medium-plus tannins and medium acidity. – 
USA
Foley Chalk Hill Sonoma Coast Chardonnay 2022 – Nice butterscotch and apple aromas. Medium body with a smooth, lean mouthfeel. Butterscotch, apple, and toast flavours. Elegant.
King Estate Willamette Valley Pinot Gris 2022 – King Estate is an organic and biodynamic winery. This wine has a light stone fruit and vanilla nose. Dry. Medium-intensity fresh stone fruit flavours. Medium acidity. Tasty.
St. Francis Sonoma Chardonnay 2022 – Light stone fruit and vanilla nose. Dry, light body with a smooth, soft mouthfeel. Light apple flavour. Medium acidity. –
Cakebread Cellars Napa Chardonnay 2022 – This wine has a nice vanilla, apple, and butterscotch nose. Dry, medium-plus body with a smooth, thicker mouthfeel. Apple and butterscotch on the palate along with touches of toast and pepperiness. Buttery texture. –
King Estate Willamette Valley Pinot Noir 2021 – A nice, light red fruit aroma. Red fruit, floral, buttery flavours plus a touch of cedar. Very peppery. An intriguing wine.
St. Francis Sonoma Cabernet Sauvignon 2021 – A rich, red cherry nose. Dry, medium-plus body with a round mouthfeel. Red cherries, butteriness and peppery on the palate. Medium acidity and tannins.
Sequoia Grove Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley 2019 – A rich, red fruit nose along with cedar aromas. These aromas carry to the palate. You can also add red cherry flavours. A smooth wine with a buttery, light mouthfeel. Medium acidity and fine tannins. Elegant.
Tablas Creek Vineyard Patelin de Tablas Blanc 2023 – Very light aromas of apple and honey. Dry and smooth with medium acidity. Apple flavour with a touch of oak. –
Tablas Creek Vineyard Patelin de Tablas Rouge 2023 – Cedar, butter and a rich red cherry nose. Dry, medium-minus body. Red fruits with a touch of floral on the palate. Medium acidity and light tannins. –
Tablas Creek Vineyard Esprit de Tablas 2023 – A light red fruit nose. Dry, light body with soft mouthfeel. Red fruit flavour. Light tannins and acidity. –
Chile
Vina Don Melchor Cabernet Sauvignon 2019 – Cedar, butter and black fruit aromas. This wine is dry with a medium-plus body. Medium acidity and tannins. Rich, ripe black fruits, butter and pepperiness on the palate. Medium intensity tannins.
Thank you to Charton Hobbs for inviting me to this fantastic tasting. I did not check where each of these wines are available for purchase. So, if you find one that you would like to buy, please check BCL and private wine shops’ online websites. Cheers.
