Cost: $35.00 (sale $24.55)
Grape Variety: Chardonnay
Category: White Wine
Appellation: VINTAGES
Country: Canada
Region: Ontario
Format: 750 mL
Producer: Hardie Wines
Alcohol: 11.9% Alcohol/Vol.
Description: Bright gold in colour with medium+ nose.

Rich, smooth & complex wine whose taste come in waves. Medium toasty oak with buttery popcorn, lemon zest, tangarine, pineapple, limestone, nectarine, apricot, ginger, dill & butterscotch. Medium+ body, good acidity, extremely long length & unusual low alcohol for a chard of such richness.

Negatives: None.

Interesting Point: Use the smaller chard glasses to capture the complexity of this wine & be careful not to over chill it.

Drink now or over the next 2-3 years on its own or with white tail tuna sashimi.

Tasted: 20 Feb 12

Score: 9+/10, Value: 8.5+ (sale price 10/10 & a Best Buy), Total: 18/20

Out of 5 stars, I rated this wine: 4.5

LCBO:# 184432

Cost: $11.70
Grape Variety: 42 % Gewurztraminer, 40% Chardonnay and 18% Riesling
Category: White Wine
Appellation: LCBO
Country: Canada
Region: Niagara Peninsula
Format: 750 mL
Producer: Jackson-Triggs Winery
Alcohol: 13,5% Alcohol/Vol.
Description: Light straw colour with medium+ intensity on the nose.

Positives: Light and crisp despite the wood aging and 13% alcohol. Notes of green apple, lemon, lychee, wet stone, white peach and floral notes. Medium to medium minus body, good acidity and medium+ length.

Negatives: None

Interesting Point: “The wines used in the blend were fermented separately and blended after ageing. The Gewurztraminer and Riesling were cool fermented in stainless steel. Following fermentation, nearly 30% of this wine was aged for 3 months in new French Oak barrels. The Chardonnay used in this wine was barrel fermented in new and used French and American oak. The chardonnay underwent partial malolactic fermentation and was aged for 6 months in the same barrels.” (Inniskillin Winery). Product is de-listed from LCBO but you can still find this wine.

Drink now on its own or pair it with plain potato chips.

Tasted: 18 Feb 12

Score: 8.5+, Value: 10/10, Total: 19/20

Out of 5 stars, I rated this wine: 3.5

LCBO:# 109975 (Product being discontinued)

Cost: $13.95
Grape Variety: Riesling, Chardonnay & Gewürztraminer
Category: Still Table Wine
Appellation: LCBO General List
Country: Canada
Region: Niagara Peninsula
Format: 750 mL
Producer: Henry Of Pelham Family Est. Winery
Alcohol: 12.0% Alcohol/Vol.
Description: Medium+ straw in colour with medium to medium+ intensity on the nose.

Positives: Lychee, peach, pear & apricot on the nose. The taste is similar as the nose with additions of pink grapefruit, lemon & limestone. Medium body, high acidity & medium+ length.

Negatives: Too much tartness on the taste.

Interesting Thing: Don’t over chill this wine as it will dull the aromatic notes.

Drink now & pair it with spinach salad with raspberry dressing. Good palate cleanser.

Tasted: 3 Jan 12

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

Out of 5 stars, I rated this wine: 3

LCB0#: 126144

Cost: $14.95
Grape Variety: Vidal
Category: Wine
Appellation: LCBO General List
Country: Canada
Region: Ontario
Format: 750 mL
Producer: Southbrook Farms Winery
Alcohol: 9.6% Alcohol/Vol.
Description: Medium straw in colour with medium+ intensity on the nose.

Positives: Peach, pineapple, hay, lemon & grapefruits predominate. Taste is off dry but it has good acidity to go with food. Medium minus body with a medium finish & low alcohol.

Negatives: A little too much tartness on the finish.

Interesting Point: It’s organic.

Drink now & serve with squash soup.

Tasted: 29 Nov 11

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

Out of 5 stars, I rated this wine: 3

LCBO#: 249078