01 Tuesday Jan 2013
Posted in White Wines
The WordPress.com stats helper monkeys prepared a 2012 annual report for this blog.
Here’s an excerpt:
600 people reached the top of Mt. Everest in 2012. This blog got about 9,100 views in 2012. If every person who reached the top of Mt. Everest viewed this blog, it would have taken 15 years to get that many views.
01 Tuesday Jan 2013
Cost: $59 ($27.95 LCBO Price)
Grape Variety: Sangiovese
Category: Red Wine
Location Bought: Pie restaurant, Barrie, Ontario
Country: Italy
Region: Tuscany
Format: 750 mL
Producer: Fattoria Di Magliano
Alcohol: 13.0 %
Description: Deep ruby with medium minus intensity on the nose.
Positives: Interesting wine featuring medium oak, sour cherry, blackberry, spinach, arugula, artichoke, white pepper, sweet peppers & portobello mushrooms. Medium body with medium+ tannins, good acidity & a fairly long length.
Negatives: Some people might get turned off by either the greens or the earthy mushroom flavours of this wine.
Interesting Point: Morellino is an appellation in the southern Tuscan zone of Maremma, where the sangiovese’s are a bit richer and softer than in Chianti.
Drink now on its own or pair it with tomato, basil, Mozzarella, prosciutto & arugula pizza. (Hind Leg Pie from Pie)
Tasted: 27 Dec 12
Score: 8.5+/10, Value: 8.5+/10, Total: 17.5/20
Out of 5 stars, I rated this wine: 3.5+
LCBO#:123596 (Sold out)
26 Wednesday Dec 2012
Posted in Top Picks, Price Not Withstanding, White Wines
Cost: $65.00
Grape Variety: Viognier
Category: White Wine
Location Bought: LCBO Vintages On-Line
Country: France
Region: Condrieu
Format: 750 ml
Producer: M. Chapoutier
Alcohol: 13.5% Alcohol/Vol.
Description: Bright gold in colour with a medium to medium+ intense nose.
Positives: Silky and smooth, this Condrieu features classic notes of apricot, honeysuckle, kiwi, baby arugula, lime, crushed stone and wakame on the finish. Full body with medium acidity and a long length.
Negatives: None
Interesting Note: Condrieu, a small appellation in Northern Rhône, was the drink of blue bloods centuries ago.
Drink now or over the next 2 years, on its own or with Christmas turkey.
Tasted: 25 Dec 12, Merry Christmas Everyone
Top Pick
Score: 9.5/10, Value: 9/10, Total: 18.5/20
Out of 5 stars, I rated this wine: 4.5
LCBO#: 261016
23 Sunday Dec 2012
Posted in White Wines
Cost: $32.90
Grape Variety: Cabernet-Sauvignon & Cabernet Franc
Category: Red Wine
Location Bought: LCBO VINTAGES
Country: USA
Region: Alexander Valley, Sonoma
Format: 750 mL
Producer: Diva California
Alcohol: 14.5% Alcohol/Vol.
Description: Medium+ ruby in colour with a medium+ intense nose.
Positives: An elegant wine featuring cedar, blackberry, blueberry, cassis, green & black peppercorn, turmeric, graphite, cranberry & suede. Medium to medium+ body with medium tannins & acidity and a fairly long length.
Negatives. Some heat from the 14.5% alcohol.
Interesting Point: Pretty bottle.
Drink now on its own or pair it with tenderloin steak.
Tasted: 22 Dec 12
Score: 9/10, Value: 9/10, Total: 18/20
Out of 5 stars, I rated this wine: 4
LCBO#: 261727
23 Sunday Dec 2012
Posted in White Wines
Cost: $34.95
Grape Variety: Chardonnay
Category: White Wine
Location Bought: LCBO VINTAGES
Country: United States
Region: Napa Valley
Format: 750 mL
Producer: Vine Cliff Winery
Alcohol: 14.6 %
Description: Golden in colour with a medium+ intense nose.
Positives: The 2007 is showing nicely with rich creamy buttery texture. Medium toasted oak, vanilla, caramel, crème brûlée, pineapple, lemon meringue pie, nutmeg, marshmallow, limestone & a hint of sarsaparilla on the finish. Full body with good acidity and a long length.
Negatives: There is some heat coming from the 14.6% alcohol. Chill it a little more than usual.
Interesting Point: Use the larger Chard glasses.
Drink now or over the next 3 years on its own or pair it with lobster and drawn butter.
Tasted: 21 Dec 12
Score: 9+/10, Value: 9/10, Total: 18+/20
Out of 5 stars, I rated this wine: 4+
LCBO#: 198903
20 Thursday Dec 2012
Posted in Best Buys, White Wines
Cost: $14.95
Grape Variety: Chardonnay
Category: White Wine
Location Bought: LCBO General List
Country: Greece
Region: Atalanti Valley
Format: 750 mL
Producer: Farma Atalantis Agr S.A.
Alcohol: 13.5 %
Description: Medium gold with a medium to medium+ intense nose.
Positives: A nice easy drinking Chard featuring light oak, lemon/lime, lemon curd, dill, green & yellow apples and limestone. Medium body with good acidity & a fairly long length.
Negatives: A tad sour on the finish.
Drink now on its own or pair it with lemon pepper catfish.
Tasted: 19 Dec 12
Best Buy
Score: 8.5+/10, Value: 9/10, Total: 18/20
Out of 5 stars, I rated this wine: 4
LCBO#: 269654
17 Monday Dec 2012
Posted in Best Buys, White Wines
Cost: $17.95 (clearance price $12.65)
Grape Variety: Viognier
Category: White Wine
Location Bought: LCBO VINTAGES
Country: New Zealand
Region: Gisborne
Format: 750 mL
Producer: Cooper’S Creek Vineyard Ltd.
Alcohol: 14.0% Alcohol/Vol.
Description: Bright gold in colour with a medium+ intense nose.
Good news, bad news. Good news: This is the best Viognier for under $20 & it’s on clearance at LCBO for $12.65. Bad news: I bought the last bottles, so you’ll have to wait until LCBO restock it stores, hopefully next year.
This wine features peach, pear, apricot, jasmine on the nose, white pepper, orange rind, mandarin & ginger. Medium+ body with good acidity & a fairly long length.
Negatives: All sold out at LCBO.
Drink now on its own or pair it with wahoo ceviche.
Tasted: 15 Dec 12
Best Buy
Score: 9+/10, Value: 10/10, Total: 19+/20
Out of 5 stars, I rated this wine: 4.5
LCBO#: 61416
15 Saturday Dec 2012
Cost: $26.95
Grape Variety: Petit verdot
Category: Red Wine
Location Bought: LCBO VINTAGES
Country: Australia
Region: MacLaren Vale
Format: 750 mL
Producer: Malesco Wine Broker
Alcohol: 14.5% Alcohol/Vol.
“Over a century ago, winery founder and McLaren Vale pioneer Alexander Campbell Johnson chose the name ‘pirramimma,’ an aboriginal word meaning ‘the moon and the stars.'” LCBO
Description: Dark ruby in colour with a medium+ intense nose.
Positives: Lots of good stuff happening here. Cedar, blackberries, Kirsch cherries, violets, pomegranate, cranberry, raspberries, roasted red peppers & musk. Medium+ body, medium tannins, good acidity & a long length.
Negatives: None.
Interesting Point: Pirramimma consistently has Best Buy wines in their lines.
Drink now or over the next 5 years, on its own or this will pair with a variety of different food groups from game fowl to steak.
Tasted: 14 Dec 12
Best Buy
Score: 9+/10, Value: 9.5/10, Total: 19/20
Out of 5 stars, I rated this wine: 4+
LCBO#: 986752
15 Saturday Dec 2012
Posted in Red Wines
Cost: $24.95
Grape Variety: Pinot noir
Category: Red Wine
Location Bought: LCBO VINTAGES
Country: United States
Region:
Format: 750 mL
Producer: Caymus Vyds
Alcohol: 13.9 %
Description: Deep ruby in colour with a medium to medium+ intensity on the nose.
Well this was a disappointment. Belle Glos makes some wonderful Pinot’s in their higher end wines, but this entry wine for them has very little Pinot qualities & a lot of jammy sweet notes, more reminiscent of cheap California Cabernet Sauvignon wines.
Tasted: 14 Dec 12
Score: 7.5/10, Value: 5/10, Total: 13/20
Out of 5 stars, I rated this wine: 2
LCBO#: 130138
12 Wednesday Dec 2012
Posted in White Wines
Cost: $34.95
Grape Variety: Viognier
Category: White Wine
Location Bought: LCBO VINTAGES
Country: United States
Region: Napa Valley
Format: 750 mL
Producer: Foster’S Wine Estates Americas
Alcohol: 14.1 %
Description: Light gold in colour with a medium to medium+ intensity on the nose.
Positives: A nice Viognier that reminds me more of the Argentine Torrontes. This wine features peach, nectarine, tangerine peel, lemon, grapefruit, limestone and a touch of rosemary. Medium body with good acidity and a fairly long length.
Negatives: None
Drink now or over the next 3 years, on its own or pair it with deviled eggs.
Tasted: 10 Dec 12
Score: 8.5+/10, Value: 8.5+/10, Total: 17.5/20
Out of 5 stars, I rated this wine: 3.5+
LCBO#: 597369
