Dear Arthur’s Cellar Wine Club Member:

Enfin! The LCBO has finally opened a French-centric booze boutique in its 275 Rideau Street liquor emporium in Ottawa (sixteen other types of destination stores preceded it!).

This means that those of you living in the vicinity of the nation’s capital or visiting it can now purchase our 2015 ‘La Soif’ Rosé, Forget-Brimont Brut 1er Cru and Rosé Brut 1er Cru at the LCBO Rideau Street store by the bottle. James Potyka is the manager of this French Boutique and is looking forward to meeting you. He can be reached at 613-789-5226 if you have any questions or would like additional information about his exciting venture.

DESTINATION FRANCE: LCBO OPENS NEW “PRODUCTS OF THE WORLD” STORE, 275 RIDEAU STREET, OTTAWA, ONTARIO - July 13, 2017

Thursday, July 13th, 2017 marked the opening of LCBO’s newest Products of the World specialty store, Destination France. The destination boutique at the LCBO near the Byward Market in Ottawa offers approximately 590 wines and spirits from France, including over 200 products that are only available in-store at this location. This selection is one of the best single-store assortments of French wines and spirits available in North America.

Many of the products are from LCBO’s Consignment Program, which means this is the first time they have been available for customers to purchase in LCBO stores. Previously, the products would have only been available in bars and licensed restaurants.

Products have been chosen to appeal to a wide range of tastes and budgets and will be regularly updated to keep the assortment interesting. The store is staffed with knowledgeable customer service representatives and product consultants who can offer expert advice on these new offerings.

With the opening of the France boutique, LCBO’s Products of the World specialty store program now boasts 17 destination stores, including Italy, East Asia and Germany. For more information and to see a full list of Products of the World stores, click here.

For the latest news from LCBO, follow them on Twitter @LCBOnews or in French @infoLCBO

Also Available On-line (Six-bottle Cases):
If you would like assistance ordering, please get in touch with me.

Champagne Forget-Brimont Brut 1^er Cru – 12.0% Alc./Vol.   LCBO Product # 926617                 $47.70/$286.20 for 6

Believe me, this is a great wine at a great price. The grape composition is 40% Pinot Noir, 40% Pinot Meunier and 20% Chardonnay (all Premier and Grand Cru). A pale golden colour with a delicate nose of fresh green apples, white flowers and hazelnuts, it has a very fresh, deep structure and is well-balanced with good length. What a great way to start any party and also a wonderful accompaniment for white meats.

Here’s what Alison Napjus said about it in the December 31, 2012 edition of the ‘Wine Spectator’ – “Firm and focused by racy acidity, this is lightly chalky in texture, offering tightly knit flavors of ripe Gala apple, anise, black currant candy, fresh ginger and biscuit. Fine balance. $63 (wow, note the price – US$!!) – 91/100”. Robert Parker rated it a 90!

Champagne Forget-Brimont Rosé Brut 1^er Cru - 12.0% Alc./Vol.   LCBO Product # 926633         $52.80/$316.80 for 6

This is the Champagne for those most festive occasions. It is also an ideal apéritif. Its rose colour comes from adding a touch of red wine from Brouzy to the Forget-Brimont reserve cuvée. The grape composition is 40% Pinot Noir, 40% Pinot Meunier and 20% Chardonnay (Premier and Grand Cru grapes only!). In the glass, the beautiful light salmon colour provides an ideal backdrop for its steady stream of tiny bubbles.

Alison Napjus had this to say about it in the November 15, 2012 edition of the ‘Wine Spectator’ – “This offers lovely balance, a finely detailed texture and delicate acidity that focuses the subtle flavors of ripe plum, wild strawberries, and melon fruit. A hint of almond-tinged financier and mineral notes add complexity. $67 (note the price in US$!!) - 91/100”