Category Archives: Canadian Wines

HENRY OF PELHAM ESTATE CHARDONNAY 2012, VQA Niagara Peninsula, Ontario, Canada

16 Wednesday Jul 2014

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Henry of Pelham Chard

Cost: $19.95
Grape Variety: Chardonnay
Category: White wine
Location Bought: LCBO Vintages
Country: Canada
Region: Niagara Peninsula, Ontario
Format: 750 mL
Producer: Wente Vineyards
Alcohol: 13.5% Alcohol/Vol.

A symbiotic quartet is created from the harmonious combination of oak, fruit, acidity and creaminess.

Description: Bright gold in colour with a medium to medium+ intense nose. This creamy wine features light oak, lemon, Bosc pear, apple, honeydew melon, honeysuckle, ginger and nutmeg. Medium+ body with good acidity and a long length.

Negatives: None

Interesting Point: Use the cooler climate Chard glass.

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

Tasted: 16 July 2014

Best Buy

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

Out of 5 stars, I rated this wine: 4

LCBO: 26842

MAGNOTTA BLANC DE NOIRS NV, Méthode Classique, VQA Niagara Peninsula, Ontario, Canada

13 Sunday Jul 2014

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d_swbldenoir

Cost: $21.15
Grape Variety: Pinot Noir with a dosage of Cabernet Franc Icewine
Category: Sparkling wine
Location Bought: Magnotta
Country: Canada
Region: Niagara Peninsula
Format: 750 mL
Producer: Magnotta Wines
Alcohol: 13.6% Alcohol/Vol.
Description: Salmon in colour with a medium intense nose and fine mousse.

A simple sparkling with nice flavours & easy to drink

Positives: This wine features MacIntosh apples, strawberry, raspberry, cantaloupe and a hint of honey. Full body with good acidity and a fairly long length

Negatives: None

Interesting Point: 1. It was better in a wider base Champagne/Sparkling glass than the slimmer style. 2. Made with a touch of icewine.

Drink now or in the next 10 years on its own or and pair it with bacon wrapped seared scallops served on a bed of cantaloupe with caramelized shallots.

Tasted: 13 July 2014, Congrats to Germany on their World Cup Win!

Best Buy

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

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

MAGNOTTA LIMITED EDITION CHARDONNAY 2012, VQA Niagara Peninsula, Ontario, Canada

26 Thursday Jun 2014

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Magnotta Chard

Cost: $17.15
Grape Variety: Chardonnay
Category: White wine
Location Bought: Magnotta
Country: Canada
Region: Niagara Peninsula
Format: 750 mL
Producer: Magnotta Winery
Alcohol: 12.9% Alcohol/Vol.
Description: Deep light gold in colour with a medium intense nose.

Hard to find vintage, but worth it if you find it

Positives: This wine features light oak, oak spice, lemon, papaya, nectarine, honeydew melon and limestone. Medium body with good acidity & a fairly long length.

Negatives: None

Interesting Note: Use the smaller cool climate Chard glass.

Drink now or in the next 5 years on its own or pair it with Caprese Salad.

Tasted: 25 June 2014

Best Buy

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

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

MAGNOTTA EQUUS SERIES PINOT NOIR ROSÉ 2013, VQA Niagara Peninsula, Ontario, Canada

22 Sunday Jun 2014

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rose_eq_pinotnoirrose

 

Cost: $9.15 (on sale for June 2014: $8.65)
Grape Variety: Pinot Noir
Category: Rosé wine ROSÉ
Location Bought: Magnotta
Country: Canada
Region: Niagara Peninsula
Format: 750 mL
Producer: Magnotta Winery
Alcohol: 13.3% Alcohol/Vol.
Description: Bright salmon in colour with a medium+ intense nose.

A simple wine that’s delicious, dry yet smooth. Best under $10 rosé this year.

Positives: This wine features cherry, cranberry, strawberry with a light smoked note. Medium body with light tannins, good acidity & a fairly long length.

Negatives: None

Interesting Note: I found the best glassware to showcase this wine was a traditional Pinot glass.

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

Tasted: 21 June 2014

Amazing & Best Buy

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

Out of 5 stars, I rated this wine: 4

 

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+

STELLER’S JAY 2008 BRUT, Méthode Classique VQA Okanagan Valley, British Columbia, Canada

13 Friday Jun 2014

Posted by in Canadian Wines, Sparkling Wine

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Steller's Jay
Cost: $25.95
Grape Variety: Pinot Blanc, Pinot Noir & Chardonnay
Category: Sparkling wine
Location Bought: LCBO
Country: Canada
Region: Okanagan Valley, British Columbia
Format: 750 mL
Producer: Sumac Ridge, Constellation Brands
Alcohol: 13% Alcohol/Vol.
Description: Straw in colour with a medium to medium+ intense nose and fine mousse. 

A lighter vintage style Champagne that’s easy to drink and it’s good

Positives: This creamy sparkling wine features light toast, brioche, Anjou pear, baked apple, pink grapefruit and lemon filling. Medium body with good acidity & a long length.

Negatives: None

Interesting Point: Aged en triage for a minimum 3 years, then hand riddled and disgorged.

Drink now or in the next 7 years on its own or and pair it with oyster Rockefeller.

Tasted: 8 June 2014

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

Out of 5 stars, I rated this wine: 4

LCBO: 264879

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

TAWSE SKETCHES ROSÉ 2012, VQA Niagara Peninsula, Ontario, Canada

06 Tuesday May 2014

Posted by in Canadian Wines, Rosés

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Sketches

Cost: $15.95
Grape Variety: Predominantly Cabernet Franc
Category: Rosé wine
Location Bought: LCBO Vintages
Country: Canada
Region: Niagara Peninsula
Format: 750 mL
Producer: Tawse Winery
Alcohol: 12.5% Alcohol/Vol.
Description: Salmon in colour with a medium to medium+ intense nose.

There are some elements of this wine that I like and others that I don’t care for.

Positives: This wine features rhubarb, cranberry, strawberry and plum. Medium body with good acidity & a fairly long length.

Negatives: Some sulphur dioxide

Drink now on its own or pair it with sweet potato Burritos.

Tasted: 3 May 2014

Score: 8.5/10, Value: 8.5/10, Total: 17/20

Out of 5 stars, I rated this wine: 3.5

LCBO: 172643