Category Archives: Best Buys

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

TOASTED HEAD, BARREL AGED, CHARDONNAY, 2010, California

10 Saturday Dec 2011

Posted by in Best Buys, White Wines

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Toasted Head Chardonnay (V) 2009, California Bottle

Cost: $17.95
Grape Variety: Chardonnay
Category: White Wine
Appellation: VINTAGES
Country: United States
Region: California
Format: 750 mL
Producer: R.H. Phillips Vineyard & Winery
Alcohol: 14.5 %
Description: “The name Toasted Head refers to the barrels used to age this wine. Usually, only the barrel walls are charred, but, in this case, the heads are toasted too. The resulting wine is filled with aromas of smoky apple-cinnamon, pear, vanilla and toasty oak. Full bodied with a medium-long finish, it’s a perfect companion to chicken quesadillas, grilled prawns or shrimp stir-fry.” (LCBO)

Light gold in colour with medium to medium+ intensity.

Positives: Toasted Head has come a long way from the days that California Chards , at least in the inexpensive category of under $30, was like gnawing on oak planks. Toasted Head has been consistently good in the past couple of years producing well balanced, medium toasted oak Chards, full body, long length with good acidity. Notes of lemon, apple, butterscotch, coconut cream pie & pineapple dominate both on the nose and palate.

Negatives: High alcohol.

Interesting Things: I like the shape of the bottle & wax stopper on the cork. Makes it stand out from the rest of the California Chards. LCBO usually puts this wine on sale a couple of times throughout the year.

Drink now on its own or have it with lobster & drawn butter.

Tasted: 9 Dec 11

Best Buy

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

Out of 5 stars, I rated this wine: 4

LCBO#: 594341

ABBADIA ARDENGA ROSSO DI MONTALCINO 2007, DOC

08 Thursday Dec 2011

Posted by in Best Buys, Red Wines

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Abbadia Ardenga Rosso Di Montalcino 2007, Doc Bottle

Cost: $15.95
Grape Variety: Sangiovese
Category: Red Wine
Appellation: VINTAGES
Country: Italy
Region: Tuscany
Format: 750 mL
Producer: Abbadia Ardenga
Alcohol: 14.0% Alcohol/Vol.
Description: Medium to light ruby to garnet in colour with medium+ intensity in the nose.

Positives: Classic Sangiovese with sour cherry, wood smoke, cedar, raspberry & truffles. The taste is very smooth & easy to drink with medium tannins, good acidity, medium weight & long length.

Negatives: None

Drink now on its own or pair it with any classic Italian dish with tomato based sauce.

Tasted: 6 Dec 11

Best Buy

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

Out of 5 stars, I rated this wine: 4.5

LCBO#: 184945

KAESLER STONEHORSE SHIRAZ/GRENACHE/MOURVÈDRE 2008, Barossa Valley

04 Sunday Dec 2011

Posted by in Best Buys, Red Wines

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Cost: $22.95
Grape Variety: 62% Shiraz, 28% Grenache, 10& Mourvèdre
Category: Red Wine
Appellation: VINTAGES
Country: Australia
Region: Barossa Valley
Format: 750 mL
Producer: Terravintner
Alcohol: 16.0 %
Description: Inky blood ruby in colour with medium intense nose.

Description: Very Zin like character in both flavour & power. Notes of plums, raisins, mocha, dark chocolate, blueberry, black cherry, blackberry, sweet peppers, Christmas cake, figs, cinnamon & nutmeg. This wine is full body with low tannins, medium acidity & long length.

Negatives: 16% alcohol! That’s getting to close Port.

Interesting Things: Good wine to give those who don’t like tannins or austere red wines & like it a little sweeter. Nice on a cold winter day.

Drink now as a meal of its own or pair it with T-bone steak. This can age for another 3 years.

Tasted: 3 Dec 11

Best Buy

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

Out of 5 stars, I rated this wine: 4.5

LCBO#: 6551

DOMAINE NAPA CHARDONNAY 2008, Napa Valley, California

02 Friday Dec 2011

Posted by in Best Buys, White Wines

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Domaine Napa Chardonnay 2008, Napa Valley (Bronco Wine Company) Bottle

Cost: $23.95
Grape Variety: Chardonnay
Category: White Wine
Appellation: VINTAGES
Country: USA
Region: Napa Valley
Format: 750 mL
Producer: Bronco Wine Company
Alcohol: 14.2% Alcohol/Vol.
Description: Medium straw colour with medium intensity on the nose.

Positives: As you take your first sip your entire tongue tingles with a plethora of flavours such as: candy coated apples, woodsmoke, marshmallows, egg nog with cinnamon & nutmeg, lemon, orange, mangos, peaches & cream corn, pineapple & some flint. This chard has medium toast & oak with a long finish, good acidity & is medium to full body.

Negatives: Some heat from the alcohol.

Interesting Things: Unusual straw colour for an oaked chard from California. Use the larger Chard glass to get the full flavours on your tongue.

Drink now or cellar for another 3-5 years. Drink on its own or pair it with lobster & drawn butter. Taste more like a $40-50 bottle.

Tasted: 1 Dec 11

Best Buy

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

Out of 5 stars, I rated this wine: 4.5

LCBO:# 244483

MALIVOIRE RED VQA, 2008 Niagara Peninsula

30 Wednesday Nov 2011

Posted by in Best Buys, Canadian Wines, Red Wines

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Malivoire Red 2008, VQA Niagara Peninsula Bottle

Cost: $12.95
Grape Variety: Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon and Gamay
Category: Still Table Wine
Appellation: LCBO General List
Country: Canada
Region: Niagara Peninsula
Format: 750 mL
Producer: Malivoire Wine Co.
Alcohol: 12.5 %
Description: Light ruby in colour with a medium+ intensity on the nose.

Positives: A delightful nose showing floral notes of purple lilac along with cranberry, beets, rhubarb & a dusting of earth notes. If I just rated the nose it would be a 10/10. The taste is delightful but doesn’t compare with the nose. Medium light body, low tannins, good acidity & a long length. Cranberry, rhubarb, sour cherry, herbal notes & earth flavours.

Negatives: A touch too tart which drops it out of the 9/10 scoring.

Interesting Point: Gamay dominates here & the wood age is almost unnoticeable.

Drink now by pairing it with stuff turkey.

Tasted: 29 Nov 11

Best Buy

Score: 8.5+/10, Value: 10/10, Total: 19/20

Out of 5 stars, I rated this wine: 4

LCB0:# 141523

PERRIN & FILS TAVEL ROSÉ 2010, France

30 Wednesday Nov 2011

Posted by in Best Buys, Rosés

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Perrin & Fils Tavel Rosé 2010, Ac Bottle

Cost: $19.95 (Sale Price: $14.05)
Grape Variety: Grenache, Mourvèdre and Cinsaut
Category: Rosé Wine
Appellation: VINTAGES
Country: France
Region: Tavel
Format: 750 mL
Producer: Perrin & Fils
Alcohol: 13.5 %
Description: “Tavel, especially from talented producers such as Perrin, produces some of the richest, yet driest, rosés on the market. They work beautifully as sippers and are quite adaptable to a variety of foods such as grilled chicken, seafood salads, bouillabaisse, pork tenderloin or even grilled lamb chops. The Perrin 2009 is a lovely blend of Grenache, Mourvèdre and Cinsaut.” (LCBO)

Bright pomegranate in colour with a medium nose.

Positives: Classic Tavel with strawberry, cherry, pink grapefruit & raspberries. The taste is refreshing with good acidity, medium minus body & medium+ length.

Negatives: A little tartness on the finish.

Interesting Point: Serve it in a Viognier/Chardonnay glass.

Drink now on its own or pair it with roasted chicken.

Tasted: 27 Nov 11

Best Buy 

Score: 9/10, Value: 9/10 (sale price of $14.05, 10/10), Total: 18/20

Out of 5 stars, I rated this wine: 4

LCBO:# 680801

MONT-MARÇAL BRUT RESERVA CAVA, Catalunya, Spain

27 Sunday Nov 2011

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

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Mont Marçal Brut Reserva Cava, Do Bottle

Cost: $13.95
Grape Variety: Xarello, Macabeu, Chardonnay
Category: Sparkling Wine
Appellation: VINTAGES
Country: Spain
Region: Catalunya
Format: 750 mL
Producer: Mont-Marcal
Alcohol: 11.5 %
Description: Bright gold in colour with fine mousse & medium to medium+ intensity on the nose.

Positives: Fresh & lively best describes this sparkler. Green & red apples with lemon & some ginger dominate. There’s traces of limestone to give it a touch of minerality. The wine is medium body, good acidity, medium + length & delicious.

Negatives: None

Interesting Point: This is one of if not my favorite Cava that I have tasted. Traditional Method.

Drink now on its own or have it with Chinese food.

Best Buy & Top Pick

Tasted: 26 Nov 11

Score: 9.5/10, Value: 10/10, Total: 19.5/20.

Out of 5 stars, I rated this wine: 4.5

LCBO#: 229021

PEDRO ESCUDERO FUENTE ELVIRA VERDEJO 2009, DO Rueda Spain

27 Sunday Nov 2011

Posted by in Best Buys, White Wines

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Cost: $13.95
Grape Variety: Verdejo
Category: White Wine
Appellation: VINTAGES
Country: Spain
Region: Rueda
Format: 750 mL
Producer: Pedro Escudero
Alcohol: 13.0 %
Description: Bright gold in colour with medium+ intensity on the nose.

Positives: Very refreshing wine. Pink grapefruit dominates with supporting roles from apples, orange rind, green tea, gooseberry & limestone. Medium minus body, good acidity & medium+ length.

Negatives: None

Interesting Things: A yellow synthetic cork. I suggest drinking this wine from glassware used for cool climate Chardonnay or Viognier. I tried it in a Sauvignon Blanc glass & it turned the pink grapefruit to regular grapefruit that I would need sugar to cut through the tartness.

Drink now on its own or with Kung Pao chicken.

Best Buy

Tasted: 21 Nov 11

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

Out of 5 stars, I rated this wine: 4.5

LCBO#: 218313

SKN CABERNET SAUVIGNON, 2007 Napa Valley, California

27 Sunday Nov 2011

Posted by in Best Buys, Red Wines

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S K N Cabernet Sauvignon 2007, Napa Valley, California Bottle

Cost: $16.95
Grape Variety: Cabernet-Sauvignon
Category: Wine
Appellation: LCBO General List
Country: USA
Region: Napa Valley
Format: 750 mL
Producer: Don Sebastiani & Sons
Alcohol: 13.5% Alcohol/Vol.
Description: Medium+ purple to ruby in colour with medium+ intensity on the nose.

Positives: The nose shows sweet oak, cloves, strawberry, pepperoni, cinnamon, mocha, & cherry pipe tobacco. The taste is smooth having medium tannins & acidity, medium+ length, medium+ body and the alcohol is under 14% alcohol. The taste is like the nose with addition to plums & chocolate.

Negatives: None

Interesting Things: Firstly, I have to thank my wife, Kerri, for introducing this to me a couple years ago in the Cayman Islands. Well it’s finally arrived here in Ontario & at a bargain price for Napa. Now this isn’t comparable to the mid to higher end Napa, but should please the palate of the masses as well as those with acute taste, like my wife. Secondly, SKN stands for Screw Kappa Napa because it’s a screw top, finally, if you like Zinfandel without the high alcohol, you should like this as it has many of the same properties to it.

Drink on its own or pair it with beef stew.

Best Buy

Tasted: 20 Nov 11

Score:9/10, Value: 10/10. Total: 19/20

Out of 5 stars, I rated this wine: 4

LCBO#: 218834

AMITY VINEYARDS PINOT NOIR, 2008, Willamette Valley Oregon

27 Sunday Nov 2011

Posted by in Best Buys, Red Wines

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Amity Pinot Noir 2008, Willamette Valley, Oregon Bottle

Cost: $24.95
Grape Variety: Pinot noir
Category: Red Wine
Appellation: LCBO General List
Country: United States
Region: Willamette Valley, Oregon
Format: 750 mL
Producer: Amity Vineyards
Alcohol: 13.0 %
Description: Light to medium garnet with some ruby in colour with a medium minus intensity on the nose.

Positives: This is not a big Pinot, but it’s also not from California. Very smooth & very easy to drink a bottle or two in one sitting. Low tannins, medium alcohol & medium acidity makes this wine really easy to drink on its own or pair it with duck. The notes show floral notes of violets, roses, cloves & pine. The earth notes are well integrated with cherry & raspberry. Light to medium body & medium+ length. Simply delicious.

Negatives: None

Best Buy

Tasted: 19 Nov 11. Score: 9.5/10, Value: 9+/10, Total: 19/20

Out of 5 stars, I rated this wine: 4.5

LCBO#: 124594