Cost: $34.95 (Clearance Price $28.00)
Grape Variety: Pinot Noir
Category: Red Wine
Location Bought: LCBO Vintage
Country: United States
Region: Santa Barbara County
Format: 750 mL
Producer: Hartley Ostini
Alcohol: 14.2% Alcohol/Vol.
Description: Medium minus ruby in colour with a medium+ nose.

A solid Pinot, but a touch more expensive than it should be. The clearance price is more appropriate.

Positives: A flavorful Pinot exhibiting wood smoke and purple lilacs on the nose, and on the taste pine, cherry pie, sour cherry, cranberry, strawberry and dried rosemary. Medium minus body with medium to medium+ tannins, good acidity and a very long length.

Negatives: A touch hot from the 14.2% alcohol, and a touch overtly tart.

Interesting Notes: The movie Sideways brought The Hitching Post into mainstream.

Drink now on or over the next 3 years on its own or pair it with quail.

Tasted: 26 May 13

Score: 8.5+/10, Value: 8.5/10 Total: 18/20

Out of 5 stars, I rated this wine: 3.5+

LCBO: 179812

Cost: $26.95 (Clearance $18.90)
Grape Variety: Tempranillo
Category: Red Wine
Location Bought: LCBO Vintage
Country: Spain
Region: Ribera Del Duero
Format: 750 mL
Producer:  Bodegas Alejandro Fernandez
Alcohol: 14% Alcohol/Vol.
Description: Deep ruby in colour with a medium intense nose.

This will only please a discernable few.

Positives: Heavy into the tertiary tasting field with oak, mushroom, underbrush, espresso, thyme, with black olives, dark cherry, sour cherry & black currants. Full body with medium+ tannins, good acidity and a long length.

Negatives: A touch hot from the 14% alcohol.

Interesting Note: I like the Spanish bottle and label.

Drink now or over the next 5 years with food such as the Spanish dish Pringá.

Tasted: 20 May 13

Score: 8.5+/10, Value: 8.5/10 (Clearance price 8.5+/10) Total: 17+/20

Out of 5 stars, I rated this wine: 3.5

LCBO: 341461

Cost: $15.95
Grape Variety: 85% Sangiovese, 10% Cabernet Sauvignon, 5% Merlot
Category: Red Wine
Location Bought: LCBO Vintage
Country: Italy
Region: Tuscany
Format: 750 mL
Producer: Empson & Co. S.R.L.
Alcohol: 13% Alcohol/Vol.
Description: Medium to medium+ ruby to garnet in colour with an intense nose.

A simple easy drinking Italian wine that still retains some ruggedness.

Positives: Cedar, plum, dark & sour cherry, sage, red licorice & leather. Medium to medium+ body and tannins, with good acidity and an average length.

Negatives: Nose is better than the taste.

Drink now on or over the next 2 years on its own or pair it with pizza.

Tasted: 19 May 13

Score: 8.5/10, Value: 8.5+/10 Total: 17+/20

Out of 5 stars, I rated this wine: 3.5

Thanks to Carol Ann, from WineAlign, for the opportunity to taste this.

LCBO: 69377

Cost: $15.95
Grape Variety: Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot
Category: Red Wine
Location Bought: LCBO General List
Country: France
Region: Bordeaux
Format: 750 mL
Producer: Yvon Mau Et Fils
Alcohol: 13% Alcohol/Vol.
Description: Medium+ ruby in colour with a medium+ intense nose.

A simple entry level Bordeaux wine.

Positives: Light cedar, blackcurrants, cherry, anise, pencil shavings & spinach. Medium to medium+ body and tannins, with average acidity and length.

Negatives: Slightly green in its finish.

Drink now on its own but it would pair better with food such as hamburgers and meatloaf.

Tasted: 19 May 13

Score: 8.5/10, Value: 8.5/10 Total: 17/20

Out of 5 stars, I rated this wine: 3.5

Thanks to Carol Ann, from WineAlign, for the opportunity to taste this.

LCBO: 255067