Category Archives: Canadian Wines

EAU VIVRE PINOT NOIR 2008, VQA Similkameen Valley, BC, Canada

11 Thursday Jul 2013

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Pinot

Cost: $24.95 (Clearance price: $20.75)
Grape Variety: Pinot Noir
Category: Red Wine
Location Bought: LCBO Vintages
Country: Canada
Region: Similkameen Valley, BC
Format: 750 mL
Producer: Eau Vivre Winery
Alcohol: 13.3% Alcohol/Vol.
Description: Light garnet in colour with medium to medium+ intense nose.

For under $21 it’s worth to try it.

Positives: This wine shows light pine, fallen leaves, champagne mushrooms, sour cherry, strawberry and lots of pomegranate. Medium minus body and tannins with good acidity a fairly long length.

Negatives: None

Drink now on its own, but pairs better with food such as peppercorn tuna.

Tasted: 11 July 2013

Score: 8.5+/10, Value: 8.5/10 (Clearance price: 9/10) Total: 17/20

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

LCBO: 308353

TOP BENCH ROSÉ 2012, VQA Niagara Peninsula, Ontario, Canada

25 Tuesday Jun 2013

Posted by in Best Buys, Canadian Wines, Rosés

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Top Bench

Cost: $11.95
Grape Variety: Most likely Cabernet Sauvignon
Category: Rosé Wine
Location Bought: LCBO Seasonal
Country: Canada
Region: Niagara Peninsula
Format: 750 mL
Producer: Peninsula Ridge Estate Winery
Alcohol: 13% Alcohol/Vol.
Description: Pomegranate in colour with a medium+ nose.

WARNING: Easy to consume more than 1 bottle in a sitting. One of the best Canadian rosés for 2012.

Positives: This easy drinking rosé features strawberry, cherry, red currants & pink grapefruit on the finish. Medium body with good acidity a surprisingly long length.

Negatives: None

Interesting Notes: I found that this wine excelled in a Riedel Tempranillo wine glass.

Drink now on its own and pair it with Porchetta.

Tasted: 25 June 13

Best Buy

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

Out of 5 stars, I rated this wine: 4

LCBO: 324541

FIVE ROWS PINOT GRIS 2011, VQA St. David’s Bench, Niagara Peninsula, Canada

23 Sunday Jun 2013

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Five Rows

Cost: $ Can’t remember
Grape Variety: Pinto Gris
Category: White Wine
Location Bought: Winery
Country: Canada
Region: St. David’s Bench
Format: 750 mL
Producer: Five Rows
Alcohol: 13% Alcohol/Vol.
Description: Deep straw with a pink tinge (looks like light bronze) in colour and a medium+ nose.

A very nice, crisp Pinot Gris made in the Alscasian style.

Positives: This wine features green apples, pear, almonds and peach. Medium body with high acidity and a good length.

Negatives: None

Interesting Notes: I recommend visiting this small winery at St. David’s as they have a great assortment of cheese and bread to go with their wines.

Drink now on its own or cellar it for another 5 years. Pair it with seared scallops on wilted greens.

Tasted: 23 June 13

Score: 9+/10,

Out of 5 stars, I rated this wine: 4+

SPERLING OLD VINES FOCH 2010, VQA Okanagan Valley, BC, Canada

23 Sunday Jun 2013

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Sperling_Vineyards_Old_Vine_Foch_web

Cost: $26.00
Grape Variety: Marechal Foch
Category: Red Wine
Location Sperling Vineyard Winery
Country: Canada
Region: Okanagan Valley
Format: 750 mL
Producer: Sperling Vineyard Winery
Alcohol: 14.5% Alcohol/Vol.
Description: Medium+ ruby to garnet in colour with a medium to medium+ intense nose.

In comparing this to their reserve Foch, this one is lighter in taste but higher in alcohol. If you had to choose, I would go with the reserve for the extra money.

Positive Notes: A flavorful wine featuring prunes, brambleberry fruit, figs and pastrami. Medium+ body with medium to Medium+ tannins, good acidity & a long length.

Negatives: A touch hot on the taste

Drink now on its own or over the next 3 years and pair it with venison.

Tasted: 13 June 13

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

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

SPERLING RESERVE OLD VINES FOCH 2010, VQA Okanagan Valley, BC, Canada

23 Sunday Jun 2013

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Sperling_Vineyards_Old_Vine_Foch_web

Cost: $32.00
Grape Variety: Marachel Foch
Category: Red Wine
Location Bought: Sperling Vineyard Winery
Country: Canada
Region: Okanagan Valley
Format: 750 mL
Producer: Sperling Vineyard Winery
Alcohol: 14.2% Alcohol/Vol.
Description: Medium+ ruby to garner in colour with a medium+ intense nose.

Unusual try a Fosch from BC rather than Ontario.

Positive Notes: Intense flavours of plums, dark cherry, mulberry, raspberry, pastrami, fennel & pomegranate. Medium+ body with good acidity & length.

Negatives: None

Drink now on its own or over the next 3 years and pair it with venison.

Tasted: 13 June 13

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

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

BURROWING OWL MERLOT 2010, VQA Okanaga Valley, BC, Canada

23 Sunday Jun 2013

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Burrowing Owl Merlot

Cost: $30.00
Grape Variety: Merlot
Category: Red Wine
Location Bought: Burrowing Owl Vineyard Winery
Country: Canada
Region: Okanagan Valley
Format: 750 mL
Producer: Burrowing Vineyard Winery
Alcohol: 14% Alcohol/Vol.
Description: Medium+ ruby in colour with a medium to medium+ intense nose.

Positive Notes: This merlot has nice juicy flavor featuring raspberry, plums, dark chocolate, thyme, sweet basil and vanilla. Full body with medium to Medium+ tannins, good acidity & a long length.

Negatives: A touch hot on the taste

Drink now on its own or over the next 5 years and pair it with beef Bourguignon.

Tasted: 13 June 13

Score: 9/10, Value: 8.5/10 Total: 7.5/20

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

THERAPY VINEYARDS PINOT NOIR 2011, VQA Okanagan Valley, BC, Canada

23 Sunday Jun 2013

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Therapy Pinot

Cost: $21.99
Grape Variety: Pinot Noir
Category: Red Wine
Location Bought: Therapy Vineyard Winery
Country: Canada
Region: Okanagan Valley
Format: 750 mL
Producer: Therapy Vineyard Winery
Alcohol: 11.7% Alcohol/Vol.
Description: Medium ruby in colour with a medium+ intense nose.

This doesn’t taste like a Pinot Noir, more like a cheap California wine that you can buy for $5. I believe Therapy needs therapy on this one!

Notes: Strawberry jam, cherry pie and milk chocolate. Medium body with average acidity & length.

Negatives: Too many to name.

Drink now on its own or pair it with BBQ pork ribs.

Tasted: 13 June 13

Score: 8/10, Value: 6/10 Total: 14/20

Out of 5 stars, I rated this wine: 3

RAVINE VINEYARD RESERVE CHARDONNAY 2010, VQA Niagara Peninsula, Canada

23 Sunday Jun 2013

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Ravine Chard

Cost: $24.00
Grape Variety: Chardonnay
Category: White Wine
Location Bought: Ravine Vineyard Winery
Country: Canada
Region: Niagara Peninsula
Format: 750 mL
Producer: Ravine Vineyard Winery
Alcohol: 13.5% Alcohol/Vol.
Description: Light gold in colour with a medium intense nose.

The taste is more expressive than the nose.

Positives: A well-integrated Chard balancing the oak, fruit & minerality. Medium toasted oak, light butter with lemon, green & golden apples, pink grapefruit, melon and limestone. Medium body to medium+ with good acidity and a very long length.

Negatives: None

Drink now on its own or pair it with lemon/pepper grilled tilapia.

Tasted: 13 June 13

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

Out of 5 stars, I rated this wine: 4

BURROWING OWL CHARDONNAY 2010, VQA Okanagan Valley, BC, Canada

18 Tuesday Jun 2013

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Burrowing Chard

Cost: $24.90
Grape Variety: Chardonnay
Category: White Wine
Location Bought: Burrowing Vineyard Winery
Country: Canada
Region: Okanagan Valley
Format: 750 mL
Producer: Ravine Vineyard Winery
Alcohol: 13.5% Alcohol/Vol.
Description: Medium gold in colour with a medium to medium+ intense nose.

I don’t know if I like it or dislike it? I tried this a day later and I liked it. Needs time to open up.

Positives: Medium+ toasted oak with light butter, lemon, flint, pink grapefruit, peach pit, and limestone. After a day the wine opens up to feature mangos, golden apples, and cantaloupe. Medium body to medium+ with good acidity a long length.

Negatives: None

Drink now on its own or pair it with lobster.

Tasted: 13 June 13

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

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

MAGNOTTA BRUT 2011, Charmat Method, VQA, Ontario, Canada

18 Tuesday Jun 2013

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Magnotta Brut

Cost: $11.15
Grape Variety: Chardonnay
Category: Sparkling Wine
Location Bought: Winery or Magnotta Stores
Country: Canada
Region: Ontario
Format: 750 mL
Producer: Magnotta Winery
Alcohol: 12.9% Alcohol/Vol.
Description: Straw in colour with fine mousse and a medium intense nose.

If you’re looking for an easy drinking sparkling wine but don’t like the yeasty/baked apples of Champagne, yet want more flavor than a Prosecco, then you should really like/love this sparkling.

Positives: This simple sparkling wine features a nice mix of apple, light lemon, pear and honeydew melon. Medium body with good acidity an average length.

Negatives: None

Drink now on its own or pair it with an omelet that has some spice in it.

Tasted: 10 June 13

Best Buy

Score: 8.5+/10, Value: 9.5/10 Total: 18+/20

Out of 5 stars, I rated this wine: 4