Category Archives: Best Buys

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

MAGNOTTA SPECIAL RESERVE CABERNET FRANC 2011, VQA Niagara Peninsula, Ontario, Canada

19 Thursday Jun 2014

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Cab and Franc

Cost: $14.15
Grape Variety: Cabernet Franc
Category: Red wine
Location Bought: Magnotta
Country: Canada
Region: Niagara Peninsula, Ontario
Format: 750 mL
Producer: Magnotta Winery
Alcohol: 13.4% Alcohol/Vol.
Description: Deep dark ruby in colour with a medium+ intense nose.

Reminds me of a pepperoni, tomato & green pepper pizza. Smooth & delicious

Positives: This wine features cedar, grilled green peppers, white pepper, mixed olives, dark chocolate, mocha and tomato leaf. Medium+ body with medium tannins, good acidity & a fairly long length.

Negatives: None

Interesting Point: Normally an overt Cab Franc featuring bell peppers is a negative note, but with everything else that goes into this wine, it translates to a positive.

Drink now or in the next couple of years on its own or and pair it with tapas.

Tasted: 18 June 2014

Best Buy

Score: 9/10, Value: 9+/10, Total: 18+/20

Out of 5 stars, I rated this wine: 4

MAGNOTTA LIMITED EDITION CHARDONNAY 2013, VQA Niagara Peninsula, Ontario, Canada

19 Thursday Jun 2014

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Magnotta Limited

Cost: $17.15
Grape Variety: Chardonnay
Category: White wine
Location Bought: Magnotta
Country: Canada
Region: Niagara Peninsula
Format: 750 mL
Producer: Magnotta Winery
Alcohol: 12.7% Alcohol/Vol.
Description: Light straw in colour with a medium to medium+ intense nose.

An Interesting wine, in a good way

Positives: This wine features lemon, green apple, grapefruit, pear, passion fruit and limestone. Medium+ body with good acidity & a long length.

Negatives: None

Interesting Note: The best glass was the Viognier/Chard style followed by the Montrachet. What’s interesting is that this wine is barrel fermented, sur lie and had malolactic fermentation, which means it should be buttery and creamy, yet this wine is anything but. One would conclude that being a 2013 vintage it hasn’t had time to achieve those results. Yet the crispness and juicy fruit right now makes this wine really good. On a blind I would have guessed it as a Premier Cru Chablis. Need to cellar several bottles and bring them out one year at a time to see where the apex is.

Drink now or in the next 5 years on its own or and pair it with oyster Rockefeller.

Tasted: 18 June 2014

Best Buy

Score: 9/10, Value: 9.5/10, Total: 18.5/20

Out of 5 stars, I rated this wine: 4+

MAGNOTTA SPECIAL RESERVE BARREL AGED CHARDONNAY 2011, VQA Niagara Peninsula, Ontario, Canada

18 Wednesday Jun 2014

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Magnotta Chard

Cost: $13.15
Grape Variety: Chardonnay
Category: White wine
Location Bought: Magnotta
Country: Canada
Region: Niagara Peninsula
Format: 750 mL
Producer: Magnotta Winery
Alcohol: 13.1% Alcohol/Vol.
Description: Bright gold in colour with a medium intense nose.

Impressive on the quality for the price

Positives: This wine features light toasted oak, mild creamy butter with lemon/lime, pineapple, peach, melon and grapefruit. Medium+ body with good acidity & a fairly long length.

Negatives: None

Interesting Note: Tried with the larger new world Chard glass, which had a sour note in the back of the tongue, but the smaller cooler climate Chard glass didn’t which provided a better drinking experience

Drink now or in the next couple of years on its own or and pair it with lobster and drawn butter.

Tasted: 17 June 2014

Best Buy

Score: 8.5+/10, Value: 9/10, Total: 18/20

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

BUENA VISTA CHARDONNAY 2011, Carneros, California, United States

17 Tuesday Jun 2014

Posted by in Best Buys, White Wines

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Buena Vista

Cost: $23.95
Grape Variety: Chardonnay
Category: White wine
Location Bought: LCBO
Country: United States
Region: Carneros, California
Format: 750 mL
Producer: Buena Vista
Alcohol: 13.5% Alcohol/Vol.
Description: Bright gold in colour with a medium intense nose.

An excellent Carneros Chard under $24 that’s not flabby or high in alcohol

Positives: This wine features medium toasted oak with light butter, lemon, pineapple, peach, Allspice, ginger, turn mangos and green apple. Full body with light tannins, good acidity & a long length.

Negatives: Some heat from the 13.5% alcohol

Interesting Note: This wine has some tannin, and they have revamped the labels to make the bottle more appealing.

Drink now or in the next 5 years on its own or and pair it with crab Alfredo.

Tasted: 11 June 2014

Best Buy

Score: 9/10, Value: 9/10, Total: 18/20

Out of 5 stars, I rated this wine: 4

LCBO: 67405

MEANDRO DO VALE MEÃO 2011, DOC Douro, Portugal

13 Friday Jun 2014

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

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Meandro

Cost: $24.95
Grape Variety: 35% Touriga Nacional, 30% Touriga Franca, 27% Tinta Roriz, 3% Sousão, 3% Tinta Barroca, and 2% Tinta Cão
Category: Red wine
Location Bought: LCBO
Country: Portugal
Region: Douro
Format: 750 mL
Producer: F. Olazabal & Filhos
Alcohol: 14% Alcohol/Vol.
Description: Deep ruby in colour with a medium+ intense nose.

Danger Will Robinson, this is so good that it’s a 2 bottle night

Positives: This complex smooth wine features cedar, plums, dark cherry, raspberry, mulberry, nectarine, licorice, thyme, raisins, mocha, dates and leather. Medium+ body with soft tannins, good acidity & a long length.

Negatives: Some heat from the 14%

Drink now or in the next 5 years on its own or and pair it with Portuguese beef Cacoila.

Tasted: 10 June 2014

Top Pick and Best Buy

Score: 9.5+/10, Value: 9+/10, Total: 19/20

Out of 5 stars, I rated this wine: 4.5+

LCBO: 244731

BV BEAUROUGE 2010, Napa Valley, California, United States

13 Friday Jun 2014

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BV

Cost: $24.95
Grape Variety: Cabernet Sauvignon, Zinfandel, Syrah, Merlot, Petit Syrah, Touriga National, Tempranillo & Charbono (Bonarda)
Category: Red wine
Location Bought: LCBO
Country: United States
Region: Napa Valley
Format: 750 mL
Producer: Beaulieu Vineyard
Alcohol: 14.5% Alcohol/Vol.
Description: Deep ruby in colour with a medium+ intense nose.

Smooth as silk with a plethora of flavours

Positives: This complex wine features cedar, plums, dark cherry, bramble fruit, licorice, anise, cassis, sage, dates, fennel, coffee, figs and leather. Medium+ body with smooth tannins, good acidity & a long length.

Negatives: Lots of heat from the 14.5% alcohol

Interesting Point: Despite the high alcohol this wine is not jammy

Drink now or in the next 5 years on its own or and pair it with coffee crusted pork tenderloin.

Tasted: 7 June 2014

Best Buy

Score: 9+/10, Value: 9/10, Total: 18+/20

Out of 5 stars, I rated this wine: 4+

LCBO: 363531

FOLIE À DEUX CHARDONNAY 2009, Napa Valley, California, United States

26 Monday May 2014

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Folie a deux

Cost: $18.99 Cayman ($10.99 Sale until end of May 2014)
Grape Variety: Chardonnay
Category: White wine
Location Bought: Jacques Scott, Grand Cayman
Country: United States
Region: Napa Valley
Format: 750 mL
Producer: Folie à Deux
Alcohol: 14.2% Alcohol/Vol.
Description: Gold in colour with a medium to medium+ intense nose.

A nice non aggressive Napa Chard and for $11 you can’t lose

Positives: This wine features light oak, lemon, green apple, dill and toffee. Medium to medium+ body with soft tannins, good acidity & a fairly long length.

Negatives: None

Interesting Points: 1. This wine is better after decanting as it brings out more of the tertiary aromas such as toffee. 2. Last year Folie à Deux made Napa Valley Chard. Their 2010 comes from Sonoma with a new label.

Drink now or in the next 3 years on its own or pair it with sweet and sour cucumber salad.

Tasted: 26 May 2014

Best Buy

Score: 8.5+/10, Value: 8.5+/10 (sale price $10/10), Total: 17.5/20

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

 

CATTAIL CREEK CHARDONNAY 2010, VQA Four Mile Creek, Ontario, Canada

26 Monday May 2014

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Cattail Creek

Cost: $20.25
Grape Variety: Chardonnay
Category: White wine
Location Bought: LCBO Vintages
Country: Canada
Region: Four Mile Creek
Format: 750 mL
Producer: Cattail Creek Family Estate Winery
Alcohol: 13.5% Alcohol/Vol.
Description: Bright gold in colour with a medium to medium+ intense nose.

An easy drinking and quality Chard from a small Ontario winery

Positives: This wine features light buttered toasted oak, pineapple, lemon, dill, mandarin and peach pit. Medium+ body with good acidity & a fairly long length.

Negatives: There’s some heat from the 13.5% alcohol

Interesting Point: I like their new labels

Drink now or in the next 3 years on its own or pair it with Chicken Milano.

Tasted: 20 May 2014

Best Buy

Score: 8.5+/10, Value: 9/10, Total: 17.5+/20

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

LCBO: 348987

BORGO BELLO 2010, DOC Bolgheri, Italy

26 Monday May 2014

Posted by in Best Buys, Red Wines

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Borgo Bello

Cost: $18.80 (Clearance price: $15.10)
Grape Variety: Cabernet Sauvignon, Sangiovese, Merlot
Category: Red wine
Location Bought: LCBO Vintages
Country: Italy
Region: Bolgheri
Format: 750 mL
Producer: Borgo Bello
Alcohol: 14% Alcohol/Vol.
Description: Medium ruby in colour with a medium to medium+ intense nose.

Smooth, easy drinking and delicious

Positives: This wine features light oak, cherry, plum, champagne mushrooms, umami, rosemary and cappuccino. Medium body and tannins with good acidity & a fairly long length.

Negatives: There’s some heat from the 14% alcohol

Interesting Point: Decant for 30 minutes

Drink now or in the next 5 years on its own or pair it with stuffed red peppers.

Tasted: 22 May 2014

Best Buy

Score: 8.5+/10, Value: 9/10 (Clearance price: 9.5/10), Total: 17.5+/20

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

LCBO: 341123

CINQUEPASSI VENETO ROSSO 2010, IGT Veneto, Italy

26 Monday May 2014

Posted by in Best Buys, Non LCBO Wine, Red Wines

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CinquePassi-500x500 (1)

Cost: $16.00 Cayman
Grape Variety: 60% Merlot, 30% Ancillota, 10% Cabernet Sauvignon
Category: Red wine
Location Bought: The Tasting Room, Grand Cayman
Country: Italy
Region: Veneto
Format: 750 mL
Producer: Villa Almadi
Alcohol: 13.5% Alcohol/Vol.
Description: Deep ruby in colour with a medium to medium+ intense nose.

Retasted 4 June 2015, and there are some different notes now but the score is the same. This wine features plums, prune pit, flan, espresso, bramble, rhubarb and tobacco leaf.

An easy drinking everyday wine that has good quality

Positives: This wine features dark cherry, plum, blackberry, oyster mushrooms and some leather. Medium to medium+ body with soft tannins, good acidity & a fairly long length.

Negatives: None

Interesting Point: No producer.

Drink now or in the next 3 years on its own or pair it with pasta with beef and tomato pasta.

Tasted: 25 May 2014

Best Buy

Score: 8.5+/10, Value: 9/10, Total: 17.5+/20

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