Category Archives: Best Buys

Recommended wines considering the price, usually under $25, where it’s from, the winery and the varietal.

PONGRÁCZ BRUT PINOT NOIR/CHARDONNAY CAP CLASSIQUE, NV, W.O. Western Cape, South Africa

19 Sunday Sep 2021

Posted by in Best Buys, Highly Recommended, Sparkling Wine, Top Picks, Price Not Withstanding

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Cost: $16.95
Grape: 60% Pinot Noir, 40% Chardonnay
Category: Sparkling Wine
Location: LCBO Vintages
Country: South Africa
Region: W.O. Western Cape
Format: 750 mL
Producer: Caves de Pongrácz
Alcohol:  12.5% Alcohol/Vol.

Quality, complexity & delicious to drink all at an amazing price. Score: 93/100.

Tasting Note: Straw in colour with fine mousse, good acidity, medium+ intense nose & a long length on the finish. This wine features: Baked apples, light yeast, brioche, green apples, kumquat, kiwi & honeycomb & limestone.  

Negatives: None

Interesting Point: In my opinion Pongrácz produces the best sparkling, in the traditional method, at an amazing price, bar none. Check out my review of their rosé sparkling wine. In addition, I love the shape of their bottles.

Pairings: Drink this now or in next 8-10 years on its own or pair it with red onion vinaigrette.

My Opinion: Highly Recommended

Top Pick & Best Buy

Tasted: Sept 19, 2021

LCBO: 404111

GRAN FEUDO RESERVA 2016, DO Navarra, Spain

03 Friday Sep 2021

Posted by in Best Buys, Recommended, Red Wines

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Cost: $18.95 (Sale Price until Sept 12, 2021: $16.95)
Grape: 37% Cabernet Sauvignon, 33% Merlot, 30% Tempranillo
Category: Red Wine
Location: LCBO Vintages
Country: Spain
Region: Navarra
Format: 750 mL
Producer: Gran Feudo
Alcohol:  13.5% Alcohol/Vol.

Clean, lighter style, not a complex blend of Cab/Merlot/Tempranillo which is pleasant to drink. Score: 88/100.

Tasting Note: Medium ruby in colour with good acidity, medium intense+ nose, mild tannin & a good length on the finish. This wine features: Cherry, blackberry, raspberry, plum, mulberry, turmeric & leather.

Negatives: None

Interesting Point: My preference is using a Tempranillo style glassware as this isn’t a bold wine

Pairings: Drink this now or in next 3-4 years on its own or pair it with lamb chops with pesto sauce.

My Opinion: Recommended

Best Buy

Tasted: Sept 3, 2021

LCBO: 479014

NIAGARA COLLEGE TEACHING WINERY BALANCE DRY RIESLING 2020, VQA Lincoln Lakeshore, Niagara Region, Ontario, Canada

31 Tuesday Aug 2021

Posted by in Best Buys, Canadian Wines, Niagara College Teaching Winery, Non LCBO Wine, Recommended, White Wines, Winery Review Series

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Cost: $16.95
Grape: Riesling
Category: White Wine
Location: Winery
Country: Canada
Region: Lincoln Lakeshore, Niagara Region
Format: 750 mL
Producer: Niagara College Teaching Winery,
Alcohol:  12.5% Alcohol/Vol.

Crisp, clean, dry & not complex but has quality. Score: 88/100.

Tasting Note: Light straw in colour with high acidity, medium intense+ nose & a long length on the finish. This wine features: Lime, kiwi, pear, green apples & limestone.

Negatives: None

Pairings: Drink this now or in next 10+ years on its own or pair it with sweet chilli wings

My Opinion: Recommended

Best Buy

Tasted: Aug 31, 2021

PIERRE JOURDAN BELLE ROSE SPARKLING WINE, NV, Méthode Cap Classique, Western Cape, South Africa

26 Thursday Aug 2021

Posted by in Best Buys, Recommended, Sparkling Wine

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Cost: $19.95
Grape: Pinot Noir
Category: Sparkling Wine
Location: LCBO Vintages
Country: South Africa
Region: Western Cape
Format: 750 mL
Producer: Haute Cabrière, Franschhoek
Alcohol:  12.0% Alcohol/Vol.

Simple yet elegant brut rosé sparkling wine. Score: 90/100.

Tasting Note: Pale copper in colour with good acidity with fine mousse, medium+ intense nose & a long length on the finish. This wine features: Strawberry, cherry & red apples.

Negatives: None

Interesting Point: “Beautiful Rose!” said the grandmother of our Cellar Master when she saw the colour.

South Africa is producing the best rosé sparkling wines at great prices

Pairings: Drink this now or in next 5-7 years on its own or pair it with whipped Ricotta cherry crostini.

My Opinion: Recommended

Best Buy

Tasted: Aug 15, 2021

LCBO: 18569

PAUL MAS RÉSERVE NICOLE VINEYARD VIOGNIER 2019, Pays D’Oc, France

23 Monday Aug 2021

Posted by in Best Buys, Recommended, White Wines

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Cost: $14.95
Grape: Viognier
Category: White Wine
Location: LCBO Vintages
Country: France
Region: Languedoc
Format: 750 mL
Producer: Paul Mas
Alcohol:  13.5% Alcohol/Vol.

Crisp, clean, full of orchard fruits. ‘Luxe rural’ (simple luxury). Score: 89/100.

Tasting Note: Straw to gold in colour with good acidity, medium intense nose & a long length on the finish. This wine features: Lemon-lime, peach, apricot, pear, limestone & honey.

Negatives: None

Pairings: Drink this now or in next 4-6 years on its own or pair it with Caprese Salad

My Opinion: Recommended

Best Buy

Tasted: Aug 22, 2021

LCBO: 370098

HIDALGO TRADICIÒN H RESERVA 2015, DOC Rioja, Spain

21 Saturday Aug 2021

Posted by in Best Buys, Recommended, Red Wines

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Cost: $19.95
Grape: Tempranillo
Category: Red Wine
Location: LCBO Vintages
Country: Spain
Region: Rioja
Format: 750 mL
Producer: Vinicola Hidalgo
Alcohol:  13.5% Alcohol/Vol.

Classic Rioja Tempranillo. Score: 90/100.

Tasting Note: Medium ruby in colour with good acidity, medium+ intense nose, round tannin & a long length on the finish. This wine features: Plum, dark cherry, raspberry, cassis, star anise, sage, tobacco, espresso, arugula, vanilla, baking spice, leather & sandalwood on the nose.

Negatives: None

Pairings: Drink this now or in next 5-7 years on its own or pair it with grilled lamb chops

My Opinion: Recommended

Best Buy

Tasted: Aug 20, 2021

LCBO: 18933

MONTEMAJOR EQUINOX LIMITED EDITION 2017, IGT Campania, Italy

03 Tuesday Aug 2021

Posted by in Best Buys, Highly Recommended, Red Wines, Top Picks, Price Not Withstanding

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Cost: $24.95
Grape: Aglianico and Piedirosso
Category: Red Wine
Location: LCBO Vintages
Country: Italy
Region: Campania
Format: 750 mL
Producer: Montemajor
Alcohol:  13.5% Alcohol/Vol.

A delicious wine that is fresh, smooth with lots of fruits & spiciness. Score: 95/100.

Tasting Note: Medium ruby in colour with good acidity, medium intense nose, soft tannin & a long length on the finish. This wine features: Blackberry, cherry, raspberry, strawberry, aged balsamic, licorice, cinnamon, Allspice & vanilla.

Negatives: None

Interesting Point: “The name Equinox, comes from the Latin aequa-nox which literally means equal night, as this is one of the two solely days in which night and day have the same length. EQUINOX recalls the period of harvest of this wine, when summer ends letting autumn taking its course. The grapes were harvested during the Fall Equinox on 21 September 2017.

Although I enjoyed this wine in a variety of wine glasses, the Sangiovese/Riesling glassware won out.

Pairings: Drink this now or in next 5-7 years on its own or pair it with Mussels Marinara with Linguine

My Opinion: Highly Recommended

Top Pick & Best Buy

Tasted: July 31, 2021

LCBO: 19027

CHEVALIER MONOPOLE DRY ROSÉ SPARKLING WINE, NV, Méthode Traditionnelle, France

25 Sunday Jul 2021

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Cost: $16.95
Grape: White & Red Grapes
Category: Sparkling Wine
Location: LCBO Vintages
Country: France
Region:
Format: 750 mL
Producer: Maison Chevalier
Alcohol:  12.0% Alcohol/Vol.

A pleasant, easy drinking off-dry rosé sparkling wine with substance & a nice flowery nose. Score: 90/100.

Tasting Note: Salmon in colour with fine mousse, good acidity, medium intense nose & a long length on the finish. This wine features: Strawberries, Fuji apples, raspberry, sweet cherries, cranberries & roses on the nose.   

Negatives: None

Interesting Point: Natural fermentation in VAT with an aging of 3 months.

Pairings: Drink this now or in next 3 – 4 years on its own or pair it with baked Brie with raspberries.

My Opinion: Highly Recommended

Best Buy

Tasted: July 25, 2021

LCBO: 485920

CELENE AMÉTHYSTE BRUT BLANC DE NOIRS, Méthode Traditionnelle, NV, AOP Crémant de Bordeau, France

21 Wednesday Jul 2021

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Cost: $17.95
Grape: Cabernet Franc & Merlot
Category: Sparkling Wine
Location: LCBO Vintages
Country: France
Region: Bordeaux
Format: 750 mL
Producer: Celene Bordeaux
Alcohol:  12.0% Alcohol/Vol.

A creamy dry sparkling wine that shows a lot considering this wine is under $18 & made in the traditional method. Score: 90/100.

Tasting Note: Straw in colour with fine mousse, good acidity, low intense nose & a long length on the finish. This wine features: Lemon, brioche, yeast, green apples, pears, redcurrants, clementine, kiwi & limestone.

Negatives: None

Interesting Point: Celene’s sparkling wine bottles are stored in underground cellars dug in the 18th century in the limestone rock of the Right Bank of the Garonne. In these galleries, which are naturally thermoregulated at 13°C, the second fermentation in the bottle will then begin, which corresponds to the foaming process. This stage is crucial : the fineness of the bubble depends on its success. The foaming lasts about 6 weeks during which the still wine is transformed into sparkling wine to reach up to 6 bars of pressure in the bottles.

Pairings: Drink this now or in next 3 – 4 years on its own or pair it with escargot in garlic butter & shredded cheese.

My Opinion: Recommended

Best Buy

Tasted: July 18, 2021

LCBO: 19031

TERRA D’ALIGI TATONE MONTEPULCIANO D’ABRUZZO 2016, DOC Montepulciano d’Abruzzo, Abruzzo, Italy

08 Thursday Jul 2021

Posted by in Best Buys, Highly Recommended, Red Wines, Top Picks, Price Not Withstanding

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Cost: $16.95
Grape: Montepulciano d’Abruzzo
Category: Red Wine
Location: LCBO Vintages
Country: Italy
Region: Montepulciano d’Abruzzo, Abruzzo
Format: 750 mL
Producer: Terra D’Aligi
Alcohol:  14.0% Alcohol/Vol.

If you want a full body Italian red wine that is delicious, has a lot to offer, ready to drink now or cellar & yet inexpensive; this wine is it. Score: 94/100.

Tasting Note: Medium ruby in colour with good acidity, a medium+ intense nose, dusty tannin & a long length on the finish. This wine features: Black cherries, plum, blackberry, raspberry, oregano, sage, peppercorn, cardamon & leather,

Negatives: None

Interesting Point: Tatone is a nickname for grandfather. This wine as aged 24 months in big barrels made of oak of Slavonia and 3 months in bottle.

Pairings: Drink this now or in the next 5-7 years on its own or pair it with wood oven Margarita Pizza

My Opinion: Highly Recommended

Top Pick & Best Buy

Tasted: July 6, 2021

LCBO: 994616