Category Archives: Canadian Wines

STONEY RIDGE EXCELLENCE CHARDONNAY 2010, VQA Lincoln Lakeshore, Ontario, Canada

28 Saturday Sep 2013

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Stoney Ridge

Cost: $24.95 (Clearance Price: $20.25)
Grape Variety: Chardonnay
Category: White Wine
Location Bought: LCBO Vintages
Country: Canada
Region: Lincoln Lakeshore
Format: 750 mL
Producer: Stoney Ridge Estates
Alcohol: 13.8% Alcohol/Vol.
Description: Gold in colour with a medium+ intense nose.

This wine teeters on the 90 point scale, but ends up at 89

Positives: The nose is better than the taste. This Chard features medium to medium+ toasted oak, buttered popcorn, pineapple, dill, lemon, baked apple crumble pie and caramel. Full body with good acidity and a long length.

Negatives: Slight heat from the 13.8% alcohol.

Interesting Point: Although this has a lot of oak, I preferred drinking it from the cooler climate smaller Chard glass.

Drink now or over the next 3 years on its own or pair it with snow crab with drawn butter.

Tasted: 15 Sept 2013

Score: 8.5+/10, Value: 8.5/10 (Clearance price: 8.5+/10) Total: 17+/20

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

LCBO: 254243

MAGNOTTA BLANC DE BLANCS 2011 SPARKLING WINE, Traditional Method, VQA Niagara Peninsula, Ontario, Canada

30 Friday Aug 2013

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d_swbldeblanc

Cost: $17.15 ($16.95+deposit)
Grape Variety: Chardonnay
Category: Sparkling Wine
Location Bought: Magnotta Winery
Country: Canada
Region: Niagara Peninsula
Format: 750 mL
Producer: Magnotta Winery
Alcohol: 14.1% Alcohol/Vol.
Description: Bright straw in colour with a medium intense nose and fine mousse.

What a nice surprise to have a quality sparkling wine in the traditional method at under $20

Positives: Full flavoured, well balanced and easy drinking sparkling wine features lemon, green & golden apple, pear, light yeast & brioche and limestone on the finish. Medium+ body with good acidity and a fairly long length.

Negatives: None

Interesting Point: Unusual to see a sparkling with about 14% alcohol.

Drink now or over the next 5 years on its own or pair it with seared scallops on a bed of cooked spinach & mustard greens.

Tasted: 27 Aug 2013

Best Buy

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

Out of 5 stars, I rated this wine: 4.5

LAILEY MERLOT 2010, VQA Niagara Peninsula, Ontario, Canada

26 Monday Aug 2013

Posted by in Canadian Wines, Red Wines

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Lailey

Cost: $25.00 (Clearance: $20.05)
Grape Variety: Merlot
Category: Red Wine
Location Bought: LCBO Vintages
Country: Canada
Region: Niagara Peninsula
Format: 750 mL
Producer: Lailey Vineyards
Alcohol: 13% Alcohol/Vol.
Description: Deep ruby in colour with a medium+ intense nose.

A juicy Merlot of good quality

Positives: This wine features cedar, plums, blackberry, blueberry, raspberry, star anise, cinnamon, forest greens, oregano, sage, and radicchio. Medium+ body with green tannins, good acidity and a long length.

Negatives: Right now a little too green.

Although you can drink this wine now after decanting for an hour, it should mellow over the next 2-5 years. Preference would be to drink this with a rib-eye steak, medium-rare.

Tasted: 25 Aug 2013

Score: 9/10, Value: 8.5+/10 (Clearance price: 9/10) Total: 18/20

Out of 5 stars, I rated this wine: 4

LCBO: 591396

DANIEL LENKO OLD VINES CHARDONNAY 2010, VQA Niagara Peninsula, Ontario, Canada

23 Friday Aug 2013

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Daniel Lenko

Cost: $22.95
Grape Variety: Chardonnay
Category: White Wine
Location Bought: LCBO Vintages
Country: Canada
Region: Niagara Peninsula
Format: 750 mL
Producer: Daniel Lenko
Alcohol: 14% Alcohol/Vol.
Description: Gold in colour with a medium+ intense nose.

Either you’ll love it or hate it. I happen to love it.

Positives: This is not a fruit driven Chard as it features smokey sweet oak spice, buttery toast, butterscotch, toasted marshmallows, lemon, pear, vanilla, cinnamon, coconut and peaches & cream corn. Full body with medium acidity and a very long length.

Negatives: None

Interesting Point: Use the new world large Chardonnay glasses if you have them.

Drink now or over the next 2 years on its own or pair it with snow crab and drawn butter.

Tasted: 22 Aug 2013

Best Buy

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

Out of 5 stars, I rated this wine: 4

LCBO: 352328

BURNING KILN HARVEST PARTY CHARDONNAY 2011, VQA Ontario, Canada

12 Monday Aug 2013

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Burning Kiln

Cost: $14.95
Grape Variety: Chardonnay
Category: White Wine
Location Bought: Winery
Country: Canada
Region: Ontario
Format: 750 mL
Producer: Burning Kiln
Alcohol: 13.2% Alcohol/Vol.
Description: Straw in colour with a medium to low intense nose.

Thank you to my friend Marty for bringing this fairly priced Chard that’s easy to drink.

Positives: Nothing really expresses itself in this mild Chard, instead it has a soft melody of light oak, lemon, peach & apples (red, yellow & green). Medium body with medium acidity and a fairly long length.

Negatives: A slight bitterness on the aftertaste.

Drink now on its own or pair it with Chilean sea bass.

Tasted: 12 Aug 2013

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

Out of 5 stars, I rated this wine: 3.5

CLOS JORDANNE VILLAGE RESERVE CHARDONNAY 2010, VQA Niagara Peninsula, Ontario, Canada

31 Wednesday Jul 2013

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Clos Chardonnay

Cost: $30.00 (Clearance: $21.05)
Grape Variety: Chardonnay
Category: White Wine
Location Bought: LCBO Vintages
Country: Canada
Region: Niagara Peninsula
Format: 750 mL
Producer: Clos Jordanne (Constellation Brands Inc)
Alcohol: 13.5% Alcohol/Vol.
Description: Gold in colour with a medium to medium+ intense nose.

Quality wine that is well balanced at a reasonable price, and a best buy if you can get it at the clearance price.

Positives: This wine features well-integrated oak, mild toast, maple, lemon, peach, pineapple, vanilla, nutmeg and cinnamon. Medium+ body with good acidity and a fairly long length.

Negatives: None

Interesting Point: I tried this wine in several different Riedel style Chardonnay glasses and found the larger new world style to be the best.

Drink now or over the next year on its own or pair it with seared scallops with a hint of nutmeg and cracked pepper over angel hair pasta tossed in olive oil with basil and grape tomatoes.

Tasted: 29 July 2013

Score: 9/10, Value: 8.5+/10 (Clearance price: 9.5/10) Total: 18/20

Out of 5 stars, I rated this wine: 4

LCBO: 33936

PENINSULA RIDGE RESERVE SYRAH 2010, VQA Niagara Peninsula, Ontario, Canada

26 Friday Jul 2013

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Peninsula Syrah

Cost: $24.95
Grape Variety: Syrah
Category: Red Wine
Location Bought: Winery
Country: Canada
Region: Niagara Peninsula
Format: 750 mL
Producer: Peninsula Ridge Estates Winery
Alcohol: 12.5% Alcohol/Vol.
Description: Medium to medium+ ruby in colour with medium+ intense nose.

This is one of the better Canadian Syrah I have tasted to date.

Positives: This easy drinking wine has a beautiful smoky-violet/sandalwood nose combining on the taste with pepper, rhubarb, cured meats, tobacco leaf, forest greens & sour cherry. Medium body with medium minus tannins, medium acidity and a fairly long length.

Negatives: Surprisingly I get some heat from the 12.5% alcohol.

Drink now on its own or pair it with Peninsula Ridge’s Antipasto Platter consistent of House smoked duck, Pingue’s prosciutto, Mennonite summer sausage, rabbit rillette,citrus marinated olives and grilled vegetable salad.

Tasted: 26 July 2013

Best Buy

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

Out of 5 stars, I rated this wine: 4

LCBO: 230896

TRIUS BRUT NV, Méthode Classique, VQA Niagara Peninsula, Canada

24 Wednesday Jul 2013

Posted by in Canadian Wines, Sparkling Wine

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Trius Brut

Cost: $24.95
Grape Variety: Chardonnay & Pinot Noir
Category: Sparkling Wine
Location Bought: LCBO
Country: Canada
Region: Niagara-on-the-Lake
Format: 750 mL
Producer: Andre Wines
Alcohol: 12.5% Alcohol/Vol.
Description: Pale gold in colour with medium to medium+ intense nose and fine mousse.

A solid Ontario sparkling wine.

Positives: This sparkling features lemon/lime, brioche, baked apples, pear, toasted almonds & grapefruit. Medium body with good acidity a good length.

Negatives: None

Drink now on its own or pair it with squash or pumpkin soup.

Tasted: 11 July 2013  (Happy Birthday Mom)

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

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

LCBO: 284539

TRIUS ROSÉ 2011, VQA Niagara-on-the-Lake, Ontario, Canada

24 Wednesday Jul 2013

Posted by in Canadian Wines, Non LCBO Wine, Rosés

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trius rose

Cost: $15.95
Grape Variety: 56% Syrah, 31% Merlot and 13% Cabernet Franc
Category: Rosé Wine
Location Bought: Winery or The Wine Store
Country: Canada
Region: Niagara-on-the-Lake
Format: 750 mL
Producer: Andre Wines Ltd
Alcohol: 12% Alcohol/Vol.
Description: Bright cherry in colour with medium+ intense nose.

Positives: This dry rosé features cranberry, strawberry, sour cherry and pink grapefruit. Medium body with good acidity an average length.

Negatives: A little tart on the finish.

Drink now on its own or pair it with seafood paella.

Tasted: 11 July 2013

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

Out of 5 stars, I rated this wine: 3.5

PENINSULA RIDGE RESERVE VIOGNIER 2007, VQA Niagara Peninsula, Ontario, Canada

23 Tuesday Jul 2013

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Viognier

Cost: $14.95
Grape Variety: Viognier
Category: White Wine
Location Bought: Winery
Country: Canada
Region: Niagara Peninsula
Format: 750 mL
Producer: Peninsula Ridge Estates Winery
Alcohol: 12.5% Alcohol/Vol.
Description: Straw in colour with medium+ intense nose.

This is one of the better Canadian Viogniers I have tasted to date.

Positives: This wine has a good balance between fruit and acidity showing apricot, peach, lemon, grapefruit & white pepper. Medium body and tannins with medium+ acidity a fairly long length.

Negatives: None

Drink now on its own or pair it with apricot glazed pork.

Tasted: 23 July 2013

Best Buy

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

Out of 5 stars, I rated this wine: 4