Category Archives: Best Buys

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

LENZ MOSER PRESTIGE GRÜNER VELTLINER 2009

21 Thursday Apr 2011

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

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71233_web

Cost: $14.95
Grape Variety: Grüner Veltliner
Category: White Wine
Appellation: LCBO
Country: Austria      
Region: Niederösterreich  
Format: 750 mL
Producer:  Lenz Moser Gesselschaft M.B.H.
Alcohol: 12.5% Alcohol/Vol.

Description:Med straw colour with a slight green tinge. The nose has med+ intensity, and shows green apple, key-lime, grapefruit, limestone, white pepper, thyme and cucumber. On the taste, dry, good acidity, med- body, med+ complex with medium length and well balanced. Taste is like what’s on the nose with the addition of honeydew melon.  Very nice drinking GV. Drink on its own (on a nice spring or summer day by the pool) or with food. Pairs well with Seared Sea Scallops made by Chef Tobias from Red Canoe Bistro in Burlington.

Best Buy

Tasted: 19 April 2011

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

Out of 5 stars, I rated this wine: 4.5

LCBO#71233

QUADY ESSENSIA ORANGE MUSCAT 2007

21 Thursday Apr 2011

Posted by in Best Buys, Fortified & Desert Wine

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299552_web

Cost: $13.95
Grape Variety: Muscat
Category: Desert Wine
Appellation: LCBO
Country: California
Region:  
Format: 375 mL
Producer:  Quady Winery
Alcohol: 15% Alcohol/Vol.

Description: Ripe apricot colour, high intensity nose showing apricots, fermented tangerine, butterscotch, ginger and vanilla. On the taste, good acidity, full body desert wine that shows as the nose does. On the sweetness scale it’s not as sweet as Ice Wine on the palate, so pare it well with deserts that are not overly sweet such as Maple Citrus Tart made by Chef Tobias from Red Canoe Bistro in Burlington.

For the price this is a Best Buy.

Tasted: 19 April 2011

Score: 8/10, Value: 10/10, Total: 18/20

Out of 5 stars, I rated this wine: 3.5

LCBO#299552

CATHEDRAL CELLAR, TRIPTYCH, 2007

18 Monday Apr 2011

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

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53124_web

Cost: $16.95
Grape Variety:
Category: Red Wine
Appellation: VINTAGES
Country: South Africa
Region:
Format: 750 mL
Producer: KWV
Alcohol: 14.0% Alcohol/Vol.
Description: Dark ruby colour, with med+ intensity. True cab Sauvignon notes of cedar, turmeric, blackberry, plum, smokey notes, earth tones, high complexity on nose. Truly a beautiful nose. Taste is medium tannins with medium acid. Full body, easy to drink with or without food. Taste shows anise, blueberry, cassis, raspberry, plums, bacon & some earth tones like leather. Med+ length. KWV consistently produced excellent value wines & this doesn’t disappoint.

Score: 9.5, Value: 10, total: 19.5

Best Buy

Tasted: April 2011

Out of 5 stars, I rated this wine: 4.5

DÔLE DU VALAIS 2007, Swiss Valley. Pinot Noir & Gamay

18 Monday Apr 2011

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

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160697_web

Cost: $18.95
Grape Variety: Pinot noir
Category: Red Wine
Appellation: VINTAGES
Country: Switzerland
Region: Swiss Valley
Format: 750 mL
Producer: Provins
Alcohol: 13.0% Alcohol/Vol.
Description: Light garnet in colour. High intensity on nose. Love the aromas of cherry, cranberry, rhubarb, light milk chocolate mousse, earth tones with roses. On taste med- body, med+ length, low tannins & med acidity leads to a well balanced & excellent priced Pinot. Flavours as with the nose with addition of pomegranates & juicy red apples. I like the fact that this wine is not high in alcohol. Very food friendly, pairs well with Quail, lamb, pork & tuna. Also very pleasant on it’s own. Bought it on sale for $13.35, but even regular price still a Best Buy. Drink now.

Score: 9+/10 Value: 10/10, Total: 19+/20. One of the best light Pinot’s I’ve tried for under $20.

Tasted 17 April 2011.

Out of 5 stars, I rated this wine: 4.5

LCBO#160697

SEAVIEW BRUT, Sparkling Wine

15 Friday Apr 2011

Posted by in Best Buys, Sparkling Wine

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216333_web

Cost: $13.95
Grape Variety:
Category: Sparkling Wine
Appellation: LCBO
Country: Australia
Region: South Eastern Australia
Format: 750 mL
Producer: Seaview Winery
Alcohol: 11.1% Alcohol/Vol.
Description: NV sparkling wine made from typical champagne blend of three grapes – Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, and Pinot Meunier. Deep bright gold colour, lots of mousse with light yeasty nose and taste. On the nose, baked apple, apricot, pear & lemon. Good balance and acidity on the taste. Med+ weight & length. Med complex. Easy to drink. Taste is similar to nose. Went well with Speck or garlic cheese spread.

For the price this a Best Buy. Score: 8.5/10, Value: 10/10, Total: 18.5/20

Tasted 14 April 2011

Out of 5 stars, I rated this wine: 4

LCBO# 216333

CHATEAU HAUT BERNASSE MONBAZILLAC, 2003

12 Tuesday Apr 2011

Posted by in Best Buys, Fortified & Desert Wine, Top Picks, Price Not Withstanding

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 Château Haut-Bernasse

Cost: $24.95
Grape Variety:
Category: White Wine
Appellation: VINTAGES
Country: France
Region: Southwest France
Format: 500 mL
Producer: Jules Et Marie Villette
Alcohol: 13.0% Alcohol/Vol.
Description: TASTING NOTE: This sweetie won a Silver Medal at Concours Général Agricole de Paris, 2010. Bright, deep yellow-gold in the glass, with gorgeous aromas of peach purée, ripe mango, dried apricot, honeycomb and floral. It’s sweet, with a pretty seam of acidity keeping things lively. Full body, and a decadent, unctuous texture. Simply scrumptious. Ready to drink now, expect it to show well for 15+ years. Savour with (or as) dessert, or with milder aged cheeses. (VINTAGES panel, Sept. 2010)

Out of 5 stars, I rated this wine: 4.5

These are my personal tasting notes:
Colour is bright old gold. What a beautiful nose, with ripe peach, apricot, cinnamon, nutmeg, mango, orange rind & roses. Taste is sweet, but not overtly. Good acidity, long length & balanced. Taste as nose. Pairs well with chocolate orange mousse. Best Buy.

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

Tasted 11 April 2011.

LCBO# 194225

Luca Chardonnay, 2008

11 Monday Apr 2011

Posted by in Best Buys, White Wines

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Cost: $28.95
Grape Variety: Chardonnay
Category: White Wine
Appellation: VINTAGES
Country: Argentina
Region: Uco Valley, Mendoza
Format: 750 mL
Producer: Puerto Ancona Sa/Luca
Alcohol: 14.0 %

LCBO#: 167338

Tasted: 9 April 2011
Description: Bright gold colour, med+ intensity with lemon tarts, vanilla, pineapple, mango, white lilies & limestone. Med+ complexity on the nose. On the taste good acidity, full body, some heat in the after taste, long length & balanced. Creamy buttery mouth feel, vanilla, lemon meringue, pineapple, cantaloupe, mango, orange, limestone. More complex on the taste than the nose. Medium oak on nose & taste. Easy drinking Chard from a reliable producer.

Highly recommend.

Score: 9.5/10, Value: 8.5/10, Total: 18/20. I got it on sale for $23.15, which raised the value to 9.5/10

Out of 5 stars, I rated this wine: 4.5