Category Archives: Best Buys

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

CHÂTEAU CROIX DE THOMAS 2008, St. Georges, St. Emilion

29 Saturday Oct 2011

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Château Croix De Thomas 2008, Ac St Georges St émilion Bottle

Cost: $21.95
Grape Variety: 80% Merlot 20% Cabernet Sauvignon
Category: Red Wine
Appellation: VINTAGES
Country: France
Region: St. George, St. Émilion
Format: 750 mL
Producer: Bonnet-Gapenne
Alcohol: 13.5 %
Description: Dark ruby colour with medium+ intensity on the nose.

Positives: Very nicely balanced wine. Red & black fruits intertwined with earth notes, medium+ tannins & good acidity. Some spice notes are detected in the middle during its long length. Easy drinking wine.

Negatives: Slightly watery finish.

Interesting Things: If you can’t afford the higher end Right bank Bordeaux, this is a very good entry level.

Drink now or cellar for 2-4 years. Pairs nicely with grilled lamb & squash.

Tasted 28 Oct 11

Best Buy.

Score: 8.5+/10, Value: 9.5/10, Total: 18.5/20.

Out of 5 stars, I rated this wine: 4

LCBO#: 244053

COLANERI, STELLUCHA, RIESLING, VQA 2009, Niagara Peninsula

20 Thursday Oct 2011

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Coraggioso

Cost: $15.95

Grape Variety: Riesling
Category: White Wine
Appellation: Winery
Country: Canada
Region: Niagara Peninsula
Format: 750 mL
Producer:  Colaneri Winery
Alcohol: 12% Alcohol/Vol.

Description: Light gold colour with medium intensity on the nose. 

Positives: Very clean, smooth and a touch of creaminess. Notes of lemon/lime, peach, tangerine and a hint of grapefruit and minerality. This is a medium body wine with long length and good acidity. On the Riesling sweetness scale (not to be confused with the sugar content of wines) I would put this in the middle. Very pleasant to drink on its own or pair it with grilled shrimp on the BBQ. 

Negatives: None 

Interesting Points:

  • This is Tara’s wine that won gold medal at the Ottawa Wine Challenge (should have won diamond, if they had that category)
  • The wine is barrel aged in new and old oak for 9 months
  • Stellucha means little star in Italian. Tara’s mom gave her that nickname when she was little. Tara competes in Latin dance & the picture is of her pose in the dance. On the upper right corner is a silhouette of her mother looking down from heaven to her Stellucha. Tara’s mother had passed away 2 years ago.  

Best Buy 

Tasted: 7 Oct 2011 

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

Out of 5 stars, I rated this wine 4

COLANERI, CAVALLONE, PINOT GRIGIO, VQA 2010, Niagara Peninsula

20 Thursday Oct 2011

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Coraggioso

Cost: $25.00

Grape Variety: Pinot Grigio
Category: White Wine
Appellation: Winery
Country: Canada
Region: Niagara Peninsula
Format: 750 mL
Producer:  Colaneri Winery
Alcohol: 13.9% Alcohol/Vol.

Description: A beautiful copper colour with medium intensity on the nose. 

Positives: This is in the Alsatian style with honeysuckle, orange rind, grapefruit, pear and peach on the nose. The taste has a wonderful oiliness to it along with peach, pear, orange, pink grapefruit, limestone and apples.  

Negatives: None 

Interesting Points:

  • This wine won gold at Intervin
  • This is Tara’s mom’s wine (Angiolina)
  • The wine is barrel aged in new and old oak for 9 months Appassimento style
  • Cavallone means horse in Italian. Tara’s grandmother gave her mother that nickname when she was little, which meant in Italian that they were strong and free spirited. The little children on the horse is Tara holding onto her mother not to let to go, and her brother, Michael, pointing to the sky telling her that she is in heaven but saying that she is with them here. The rock on the lower right hand corner represents Tara’s father, who is the rock. 

Best Buy

Tasted: 7 Oct 2011 

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

Out of 5 stars, I rated this wine 4.5

COLANERI, UNITA, VQA 2009, Niagara Peninsula

20 Thursday Oct 2011

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Coraggioso

Cost: $25.00

Grape Variety: Cabernet Franc
Category: Red Wine
Appellation: Winery
Country: Canada
Region: Niagara Peninsula
Format: 750 mL
Producer:  Colaneri Winery
Alcohol: 14.1% Alcohol/Vol.

Description: Medium ruby to garnet in colour with medium+ intensity on the nose. 

Positives: Complex wine showing cherry, blackberries, black olives, dill, basil, mocha, tobacco leaves and raspberry.  This wine is full body with a long length.  

Negatives: Needs to age as it is still a little green on the taste.  

Interesting Points:

  • This wine is in 50% Appassimento style
  • The wine is barrel aged in new and old oak for 13months
  • Carposo means full body in Italian.
  • The label means Unity. This is Michael’s label (Tara’s brother), which represents happy times at the dinner table with his family.  

Best Buy

Tasted: 7 Oct 2011

Score: 9/10, Value: 910, Total: 18/20

Out of 5 stars, I rated this wine 4

COLANERI CORPOSO VQA 2009, Niagara Peninsula

20 Thursday Oct 2011

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Coraggioso

Cost: $18.95

Grape Variety: 60% Cabernet Franc, 40% Cabernet Sauvigon
Category: Red Wine
Appellation: Winery
Country: Canada
Region: Niagara Peninsula
Format: 750 mL
Producer:  Colaneri Winery
Alcohol: 13.1% Alcohol/Vol.

Description: Medium ruby to garnet in colour with medium+  intensity on the nose. 

Positives: There is a lot going on in this wine. Cherry pie, blackberries, black olives, dill and basil predominate on the nose. Similar to the nose with the addition of some tobacco leaves and raspberry.  The wine has a Medium+ body with a long length. Easy to drink on its own or pair it pizza. 

Negatives: None 

Interesting Points:

  • This wine is in a Ripasso style
  • The label is of Tara’s grandfather pressing the grapes in the traditional Italian method “torchio”
  • The wine is barrel aged in new and old oak for 13months
  • Carposo means full body in Italian.  

Best Buy

Tasted: 7 Oct 2011

Score: 9/10, Value: 910, Total: 18/20

Out of 5 stars, I rated this wine 4

ELDERTON SHIRAZ 2007, Barossa, Australia

18 Tuesday Oct 2011

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Cost: $32.95 (Sale price: $23.15)
Grape Variety: Shiraz
Category: Red Wine
Appellation: VINTAGES
Country: Australia
Region: Barossa
Format: 750 mL
Producer: Ashmead Family
Alcohol: 14.5% Alcohol/Vol.
Description: Dark ruby to purple in colour with high intensity on the nose.

Positives: Lots of red & black currents, mocha, spiciness, sweet plums & earth tones in both the nose & taste. There is a lot going on in this wine. Full body, medium tannin, good acidity & long length.

Negatives: Lots of heat coming from the high alcohol.

Interesting Points: This is a typical well made Shiraz from Barossa that’s a meal in itself. Drink now on its own or pair it with a rich spicy Italian dish.

Best Buy on the sale price.

Tasted: 17 Oct 11,

Score: 9+/10, 8/10 (sale price: 9.5/10), Total: 17.5/20

Out of 5 stars, I rated this wine: 4

LCBO#: 713024

PELEE ISLAND LIGHTHOUSE MERLOT, 2009 VQA Ontario

14 Friday Oct 2011

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Pelee Island Merlot 2009, Ontario VQA Bottle

Cost: $12.95
Grape Variety: Merlot
Category: Red Wine
Appellation: LCBO General Listing
Country: Canada
Region: Ontario
Format: 750 mL
Producer: Pelee Island Vineyard Inc.
Alcohol: 13.0 %
Description: Medium ruby in colour with medium+ intensity on the nose.

Positives: Beautiful nose full of bramble fruit pie, cherry & with a light touch pine & cloves. The nose reminds me of wine gummy berries. The taste is similar to the nose but without the sweet pie notes. Nicely balanced, medium tannins, medium body, good acidity & medium+ length.

Negatives: None for the price.

Interesting things: This vintage label is a lot nicer than their old one.

Drink now on its own or pair it with ham & pineapple.

Best Buy.

Tasted: 11 Oct 11

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

Out of 5 stars, I rated this wine: 3.5

LCBO#: 612622

KATNOOK FOUNDER’S BLOCK SHIRAZ 2006, Coonawarra

10 Monday Oct 2011

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Katnook Founder's Block Shiraz 2006, Coonawarra, South Australia Bottle

Cost: $17.95
Grape Variety: Shiraz
Category: Red Wine
Appellation: VINTAGES
Country: Australia
Region: Coonawarra
Format: 750 mL
Producer: Wingara Wine Group
Alcohol: 13.5% Alcohol/Vol.
Description: Medium ruby going towards garnet in colour with medium+ intensity on the nose.

Positives: Lower alcohol than your average Australian Shiraz. The nose & taste show a lot of spiciness with white, black & red peppers, eucalyptus, pimento, cedar, plum, blackcurrants, raspberry, leather, tobacco leaves & some slate. There is a lot of complexity for a wine that is under $20. This wine is medium body with mild tannins, good acidity & a long finish.

Negatives: None.

Interesting Notes: Screw cap

Drink now on its own or pair it with grilled lamb chops.

Best Buy.

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

Out of 5 stars, I rated this wine: 4

LCBO:# 108167

STREWN CHARDONNAY BARREL-AGED, 2010 VQA Niagara Peninsula

10 Monday Oct 2011

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Strewn Chardonnay Barrel Aged 2009, Niagara On The Lake VQA Bottle

Cost: $12.95
Grape Variety: Chardonnay
Category: White Wine
Appellation: LCBO General List
Country: Canada
Region: Niagara Peninsula
Format: 750 mL
Producer: Strewn Inc.
Alcohol: 12.5 %
Description: Medium gold in colour with a medium+ intensity on the nose.

Positives: A very nice Chard nose showing light oak & toast, buttery popcorn, lemon & golden apple. The taste is similar to the nose with a some added spice on the medium+ finish. The taste is smooth & creamy and still maintains good acidity. This medium body Chard is easy to drink on its own or pair it with rotisserie chicken.

Negatives: None.

Interesting Points: Use an old world or cool climate style Chard glass.

Best Buy.

Tasted 6 Oct 11.

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

Out of 5 stars, I rated this wine: 4

LCBO#: 522730

13th STREET WINERY WHITE PALETTE 2010, VQA Niagara Peninsula, Ontario

06 Thursday Oct 2011

Posted by in 13th Street Winery, Best Buys, Canadian Wines, White Wines

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Cost: $14.95

Grape Variety: Riesling, Gewurztraminer, Chardonnay Musqué,
Category: White Wine
Appellation: Winery & LCBO Vintages
Country: Canada
Region: Niagara Peninsula
Format: 750 mL
Producer:  13th Street Winery
Alcohol: 12% Alcohol/Vol.

Description: Light straw in colour with medium+ intensity on the nose. 

Positives: I love the nose on this wine. It reminds me of late spring with all the flowers in bloom and freshly cut grass. Not surprising as the 3 major grape varietals are all very aromatic. The taste is just as wonderful with a myriad of layers from lychee, to peach & pear to grassy. This wine has a nice long length.  

Negatives: Found a slight bitterness and heat like radicchio & radish on the finish. 

Interesting Things: This is a blend of 6 grapes and they all seem to come out in this wine one way or another, either through the nose or taste. The Chardonnay Musqué is an aromatic clone of Chardonnay also known as Wente. (Yes same as the California Winery. Rumour has it they are credited with the clone). The varietal are: 32.4% Riesling, 24.8% Gewurztraminer, 21.6% Musqué, 7.7% Semillon, 7.7% Pinot Gris & 5.8 % Sauvignon Blanc. 

Drink now on its own or pair it with angel hair with olive oil, cracked pepper and Parmigiano Reggiano. 

Best Buy 

Tasted: 30 Sept 2011

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

Out of 5 stars, I rated this wine 4

LCBO#: 207340