Category Archives: Best Buys

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

ROBERT OATLEY SIGNATURE SERIES CHARDONNAY 2017, Margaret River, Australia

30 Wednesday Dec 2020

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

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Cost: $19.95 (Sale price until Jan 3, 2021: $17.95)
Grape: Chardonnay
Category: White Wine
Location: LCBO Vintages
Country: Australia
Region: Margaret River
Format: 750 mL
Producer: Robert Oatley
Alcohol:  12.5% Alcohol/Vol.

One of the best under $20 Chard that I’ve tasted in a long time. It’s a nice clean, balanced Chard that should please both those that like their Chards either unoaked or oaked. Score: 91/100

Tasting Note: Light bright gold in colour with good acidity, a medium intense nose & a long length on the finish. Wine features lemon, kiwi, peach, pear, kumquat, apple, oak spice & limestone. 

Negatives: None

Pairings: Drink this now or in the next 3-5 years & pair it with Crab Legs Boiled in Garlic Butter and Herbs

My Opinion: Highly Recommended

Best Buy & Top Pick

Tasted: December 29, 2020

LCBO: 350900

DOMAINE DE ROCHEBIN MÂCON AZÉ VILLAGES 2018, AC Mâcon Azé, Burgundy, France

28 Monday Dec 2020

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Cost: $19.95
Grape: Chardonnay
Category: White Wine
Location: LCBO Vintages
Country: France
Region: Mâcon Azé, Burgundy
Format: 750 mL
Producer: Domaine de Rochebin
Alcohol:  14.0% Alcohol/Vol.

Lots of yellow & orange fruit followed by flint/smoke taste. The flint/smoke notes may not be liked by some wine drinkers that like either crisp unoaked chard or buttery chard style.  Score: 88/100

Tasting Note: Light bright gold in colour with good acidity, a light to medium intense nose & a long length on the finish. Wine features lemon, peach, nectarine, kumquat, Golden apple, orange zest, flint, smoke, light oak spice & limestone. 

Negatives: None

Interesting Point: On a blind taste, I would have thought this was a Pouilly-Fumé.

Pairings: Drink this now or in the next 3-5 years & pair it with Spicy Crispy Pan Roasted Chicken Thighs.

My Opinion: Recommended

Best Buy

Tasted: December 28, 2020

LCBO: 156943

ROBERTSON WINERY CHENIN BLANC 2020, South Africa

22 Tuesday Dec 2020

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

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Cost: $9.45
Grape: Chenin Blanc
Category: White Wine
Location: LCBO General List
Country: South Africa
Region: Roberston, Western Cape
Format: 750 mL
Producer: Robertson Winery
Alcohol:  13.0% Alcohol/Vol.

Mon Dieu: An amazing, brilliant, beautiful & gorgeous white wine & all for under $10?! I must be dreaming, but I’m not.  Score: 94/100. This is my highest rating wine so far for anything under $20.

Tasting Note: Light gold in colour with good acidity, a medium+ intense nose & a long length on the finish. Wine features lemon-lime, Fuji apples, Granny Smith apples, peach, pear, pink grapefruit, beeswax, lanolin & Jasmin on the nose.  

Negatives: None

Interesting Point: My thanks Carolyn Evans Hammond the contributing columnist for the Toronto Star in her review of this wine on December 17, 2020, that drew me to try it and review for you.

Pairings: Drink this now or in the next 3-5 years & pair it with conch ceviche, especially from the George Town Yacht Club on Grand Cayman & add their famous Fritters to this pairing.

My Opinion: Highly Recommended

Amazing Pick, Best Buy & Top Pick

Tasted: December 18, 2020

LCBO: 495507

JOSH CELLARS CHARDONNAY 2019, California, United States of America

15 Tuesday Dec 2020

Posted by in Best Buys, Recommended, White Wines

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Cost: $18.95 (Sale Price until Jan 3, 2021: $16.95
Grape: Chardonnay
Category: White Wine
Location: LCBO General List
Country: United States of America
Region:  California
Format: 750 mL
Producer: Josh Cellars
Alcohol:  13.5% Alcohol/Vol.

A good value Cali Chard that’s under 14% alcohol, full body with lots of spice & tropical fruit.  Score: 88/100

Tasting Note: Bright yellow gold in colour with good acidity, a medium to low intensity nose & a long length on the finish. Wine features lemon, yellow apples, peach, mandarin, cantaloupe, dry fig, clove, oak spice & vanilla.

Negatives: None

Pairings: Drink this now or in the next 3-6 years & pair it with Roasted Squash stuffed with barley, sausage, mushrooms, onions, and mozzarella seasoned with thyme and a pinch of cinnamon.

My Opinion: Recommended

Best Buy

Tasted: December 14, 2020

LCBO: 561100

NIAGARA COLLEGE TEACHING WINERY BALANCE BARREL FERMENTED CHARDONNAY 2015, VQA St. David’s Bench, Niagara Region, Ontario, Canada

13 Sunday Dec 2020

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

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Cost: $18.95 (Sale:15% off for the month of December)
Grape: Chardonnay
Category: White Wine
Location: Winery
Country: Canada
Region:  St. David’s Bench, Niagara Region, Ontario
Format: 750 mL
Producer: Niagara College Teaching Winery
Alcohol:  12.0% Alcohol/Vol.

I think this is the nicest Chard with oak influence at only 12% alcohol that I’ve tasted. As the name suggest, nice balance between the fruit, oak & acidity.  Score: 90/100

Tasting Note: Bright gold in colour with good acidity, a medium intense nose & a long length on the finish. Wine features lemon, green apples, peach, pear, clementine, honeydew melon, meringue, oak spice & vanilla.

Negatives: None

Pairings: Drink this now or in the next 4-6 years & pair it with Roasted Chicken With Apples and Leeks.

My Opinion: Highly Recommended

Best Buy

Tasted: December 12, 2020

KEN FORRESTER OLD VINE RESERVE CHENIN BLANC 2019, Helderberg, Stellenbosch, South Africa

11 Friday Dec 2020

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Cost: $17.95
Grape: Chenin Blanc
Category: White Wine
Location: LCBO Vintages
Country: South Africa
Region:  Helderberg, Stellenbosch
Format: 750 mL
Producer: Ken Forrester Vineyards
Alcohol:  14.0% Alcohol/Vol.

Consistently a great wine from vintage to vintage, & at under $20 it’s an amazing value. The wine will only get better with aging.  Score: 92/100

Tasting Note: Bright gold in colour with good acidity, a medium intense nose & a long length on the finish. Wine features lemon, green apples, peach, pear, clementine, honeydew melon, tart apple pie with cinnamon, limestone & honeysuckle on the nose.

Negatives: None

Pairings: Drink this now or in the next 7-10 years & pair it with .

My Opinion: Highly Recommended

Best Buy & Top Pick

Tasted: December 10, 2020

LCBO: 231282

GHOST PINES WINEMAKER’S BLEND CHARDONNAY 2019, 53% Sonoma, 27% Napa, 20% Mendocino Counties, California, United States of America

10 Thursday Dec 2020

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Cost: $21.95 (Sale price: $19.95 until Jan 3, 2021)
Grape: Chardonnay
Category: White Wine
Location: LCBO Vintages
Country: United States of America
Region: 53% Sonoma, 27% Napa, 20% Mendocino Counties
Format: 750 mL
Producer: Ghost Pines
Alcohol:  14.5% Alcohol/Vol.

Consistently a really good Cali Chard, so not surprisingly it sells out when the LCBO puts in on sale a few times each year. This wine has a nice balance, smooth & just pleasant to drink. Score: 89/100

Tasting Note: Bright gold in colour with good acidity, a medium intense nose & a fairly long length on the finish. Wine features lemon, green & yellow apples, peach, pineapple, pear, honeydew melon, butter, vanilla, light oak spice, ginger & honeysuckle on the nose.

Negatives: 14.5% alcohol

Interesting Point: The 2018 vintage was somewhat better than this recent 2019 vintage.

Pairings: Drink this now or in the next 4-6 years & pair it with Butter Chicken with Garlic-Ginger Masala.

My Opinion: Highly Recommended

Best Buy

Tasted: December 9, 2020

LCBO: 308122

TOM CORE CABERNET SAUVIGNON 2018, California, United States of America

05 Saturday Dec 2020

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

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Cost: $19.95 (Sale price: $17.95 until Jan 3, 2021)
Grape: Grenache & Viognier
Category: Rosé Wine
Location: LCBO General List
Country: United States of America
Region: California
Format: 750 mL
Producer: Tom Gore Vineyards
Alcohol:  13.5% Alcohol/Vol.

A pleasant drinking Cali Cab whose grapes are sourced from Central & North Coast. This surprisingly complex wine has nice dark fruit, without the sweetness & high alcohol associated with too many of the Cali Cabs, along with a nice balance from the oak. Score: 91/100

Tasting Note: Opaque ruby in colour with good acidity, a medium intense nose, round tannin & a long length on the finish. Wine features cherry, plum, blackberry, blackcurrants, mocha, dark chocolate, cinnamon, cloves, tobacco leaves, turmeric, leather, pencil shavings & dried sage.

Negatives: Some heat coming from the 13.5% alcohol.

Pairings: Drink this now or in the next 3 – 4 years & pair it with Garlic and Herb crusted Roasted Rack of Lamb. 

My Opinion: Highly Recommended

Best Buy & Top Pick

Tasted: December 5, 2020

LCBO: 451336

KEN FORRESTER PETIT ROSÉ 2019, Western Cape, South Africa

02 Wednesday Dec 2020

Posted by in Best Buys, Recommended, Rosés

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Cost: $13.95
Grape: Grenache & Viognier
Category: Rosé Wine
Location: LCBO Vintages
Country: South Africa
Region: Western Cape
Format: 750 mL
Producer: Ken Forrester Wines
Alcohol:  12.0% Alcohol/Vol.

A pleasant, inexpensive rosé which has a nice sour/tart finish. Score: 88/100

Tasting Note: Light copper in colour with high acidity, a medium intense nose & a long length on the finish. Wine features strawberry, sour cherries, raspberry, dragon fruit & granite.

Negatives: None

Pairings: Drink this now or in the next couple of years & pair it with Dong Po Pork [Traditional Braised Pork Belly] especially from Ma Chinese restaurant in St. Catharines.

My Opinion: Recommended

Best Buy

Tasted: December 2, 2020

LCBO: 553040

JOSH CELLARS CABERNET SAUVIGNON 2018, California, United States of America

27 Friday Nov 2020

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Cost: $19.95 (Sale price until Nov 29, 2020)
Grape: Cabernet Sauvignon
Category: Red Wine
Location: LCBO General List
Country: United States of America
Region: California
Format: 750 mL
Producer: Josh Cellars
Alcohol:  13.5% Alcohol/Vol.

Unusually a lot of spice to go with the fruit for this Cali Cab that’s under $20, which is a good thing. Score: 89/100

Tasting Note: Dark ruby in colour with good acidity, a medium intense nose, round tannin & a fairly long length on the finish. Wine features dark cherry, plum, raspberry, blackberry, tamarind, Allspice, cloves, cinnamon, turmeric, pencil shavings, vanilla & leather.

Negatives: None

Interesting Point: This vintage is a lot better than the 2014 vintage that I reviewed in 2016.

Pairings: Drink this now or in the next 5-7 years & pair it with Thai Fried Beef in Tamarind Sauce. 

My Opinion: Recommended

Best Buy

Tasted: November 26, 2020

LCBO: 461053