Category Archives: Fortified & Desert Wine

Port, Tawny, Colheita, Sherry, Madeira, Marsala, Ice Wine, Tokay Aszu, Trockenbeerenauslese (TBA), Vin Santo, Sauternes, Beaumes-de-Venise, Sélection de Grains Nobles, etc.,

VIENI VIDAL ICE WINE 2011, VQA Vinemount Ridge, Niagara, Ontario, Canada

01 Tuesday Jan 2019

Posted by in Canadian Wines, Fortified & Desert Wine, Highly Recommended, Non LCBO Wine

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Cost: $39.95
Grape: Vidal
Category: Desert Wine
Location: Winery
Country: Canada
Region: Vinemount Ridge, Niagara, Ontario
Format: 375 mL
Producer: Vieni Vineyards
Alcohol: 11.5% Alcohol/Vol.

Classic Vidal Ice Wine

Description: Light amber in colour with a medium+ intense nose. This wine features bee’s wax, peach, apricots, pineapple, mango, walnuts and Easter Lily on the nose. Medium+ body with good acidity and a long length.

Negatives: None

Interesting Note: This is 270 g/l of sugar

Drink now or in the next 10 of years on its own or pair it with White Peach-Rhubarb Crumble.

Tasted: 17 Aug 2017

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

Out of 5 stars, I rated this wine: 4

My Opinion: Highly Recommended

VIENI SPARKLING CABERNET ICE WINE DOUX 2013, Vinemount Ridge, Niagara, Ontario

01 Tuesday Jan 2019

Posted by in Canadian Wines, Fortified & Desert Wine, Non LCBO Wine, Recommended

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Cost: $69.95
Grape: 64% Cabernet Franc, 38% Cabernet Sauvignon
Category: Desert Sparkling Wine
Location: Winery
Country: Canada
Region: Vinemount Ridge, Niagara, Ontario
Format: 375 mL
Producer: Vieni Vineyards
Alcohol: 10% Alcohol/Vol.

Uniqueness, but for a price

Description: Red amber in colour with an intense nose and light mousse. This wine features candy coated red apple, plum, blackberry, candied tamarind and honey on the nose. Full body with good acidity and a long length.

Negatives: None

Interesting Note: This is 260 g/l of sugar

Drink now or in the next 10 of years on its own or pair it with Duck Confit with Apricot Relish.

Tasted: 17 Aug 2017

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

Out of 5 stars, I rated this wine: 4

My Opinion: Recommended

VIENI SPARKLING VIDAL ICE WINE DOUX 2014, VQA Vinemount Ridge, Niagara, Ontario

01 Tuesday Jan 2019

Posted by in Canadian Wines, Fortified & Desert Wine, Highly Recommended, Non LCBO Wine

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Cost: $49.95
Grape: Vidal
Category: Desert Sparkling Wine
Location: Winery
Country: Canada
Region: Vinemount Ridge, Niagara, Ontario
Format: 375 mL
Producer: Vieni Vineyards
Alcohol: 8.5% Alcohol/Vol.

For a different take on Ice Wine this is a winner

Description: Light amber in colour with a medium+ intense nose and light mousse. This wine features bee’s wax, peach, baked apples, apricots, pineapple, mango, walnuts, butterscotch and Orange Blossom on the nose. Full body with good acidity and a long length.

Negatives: None

Interesting Note: This is 290 g/l of sugar

Drink now or in the next 10 of years on its own or pair it with Hazelnut Creme Brulee.

Tasted: 17 Aug 2017

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

Out of 5 stars, I rated this wine: 4

My Opinion: Highly Recommended

VIENI APPASSITO DULCIS 2012, VQA Ontario, Canada

27 Thursday Dec 2018

Posted by in Canadian Wines, Fortified & Desert Wine, Highly Recommended, Non LCBO Wine, Top Picks, Price Not Withstanding

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Cost: $29.95
Grape: 71% Vidal, 16% Gewurztraminer, 13% Riesling
Category: Desert Wine
Location: Winery
Country: Canada
Region: Ontario
Format: 500 mL
Producer: Vieni Vineyards
Alcohol: 13% Alcohol/Vol.

This should appease those that don’t like the high sugar in their desert wines, but want a desert style wine

Description: Deep gold in colour with a medium intense nose. This wine features rosewood, nectarine, pineapple, yellow apple, mango, peach, coconut and vanilla. Medium+ body with good acidity and a long length.

Negatives: None

Interesting Note: This is 98.6 g/l of sugar, compare that to 270 g/l for Vidal Icewine & 35 g/l for Riesling

Drink now or in the next 7-10 of years on its own or pair it with Tangy Cheesecake Tart with Lime-Poached Pears.

Tasted: 17 Aug 2017

Top pick

My Opinion: Highly Recommended

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

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

DELAFORCE QUINTA D CORTE VINTAGE PORT 1995, Doc Douro, Portugal

12 Tuesday Aug 2014

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Port

Cost: $39.95
Grape Variety: Port Blend
Category: Fortified wine
Location Bought: LCBO Vintages
Country: Portugal
Region: Douro
Format: 750 mL
Producer: Delaforce
Alcohol: 20.5% Alcohol/Vol.

Good value for vintage Port that is almost 20yrs old

Description: Dark amber to garnet in colour with an intense nose. This wine features a beautiful nose full of dates, figs, barley sugar, coffee beans and peat moss. Unfortunately, the taste falls well short  predominantly figs, prunes and barley sugar. Full body with good acidity and a long length.

Negatives: The heat from the 20.5% alcohol overwhelms the taste.

Drink now or in the next 5 years on its own or pair it with dark chocolate.

Tasted: 6 Aug 2014

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

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

LCBO: 180836

NOVAL TAWNY PORT, Douro, Portugal

28 Thursday Nov 2013

Posted by in Best Buys, Fortified & Desert Wine

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Noval Port

Cost: $17.70 (Sale: $15.70 until 1 Dec 2013)
Grape Variety: Port variety
Category: Fortified Wine
Location Bought: LCBO General List
Country: Portugal
Region: Douro
Format: 750 mL
Producer: Noval
Alcohol: 19.5% Alcohol/Vol.
Description: Medium to dark ruby in colour with a medium+ intense nose.

A well balanced & smooth Tawny/port for under $20 that you can describe as either a lighter style port or a more red fruit tawny

Positives: This wine features dried figs, Christmas cake, maraschino cherry in dark chocolate, Kirsch and roasted almonds. Full body with low tannins, good acidity and a fairly long length.

Negatives: None

Drink now or cellar it for 5 years and drink on its own or pair it with Chris De La Rosa’s, via Go Cooking, Guinness Ice Cream.

Tasted: 26 Nov 2013

Best Buy

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

Out of 5 stars, I rated this wine: 4

LCBO: 309765

2007 VINTAGE PORT BORGES DOC Douro, Portugal

25 Friday Jan 2013

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Borges Vintage Port 2007, Doc Douro, Btld. 2009 Bottle

Cost: $29.95
Grape Variety: Touriga-Nacional, Touriga-Franca and Tinta-Roriz from the Quinta da Soalheira
Category: Fortified Wine
Location Bought: LCBO VINTAGES
Country: Portugal
Region: Douro
Format: 750 mL
Producer: Sociedade Dos Vinhos Borges & Irmao
Alcohol: 20.0% Alcohol/Vol.
Description: Opaque ruby to purple in colour with medium intense nose.

Positives: I challenge anyone to bring me a vintage Port of good quality for under $30 let alone for under $50, but Borges succeeds. This Port is silky smooth and not like your typical vintage Ports that are heavy, sweet, and deep in the dates and nut flavour profile. This one has a lot of California Pinot qualities such as Pine, rhubarb, dark cherry, violets, cinnamon & raspberry. In addition, cloves, nutmeg, anise, plums and graphite. Full body with good acidity and a long length.

Negatives: None.

Interesting Point: The presentation is second to none,  the bottle is swathed in white tissue paper and encased in a beautiful box. Perfect to give as a gift.

Drink now or over the next 15 years as an apéritif or digestif.

Tasted: 24 Jan 13

Top Pick

Score: 9.5/10, Value:10/10, Total: 19.5/10

Out of 5 stars, I rated this wine: 4.5

LCBO#: 250639

CÁLEM COLHEITA SINGLE VINTAGE TAWNY PORT 1998, DOC Douro, Portugal

24 Thursday May 2012

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Cálem Colheita Single Vintage Tawny Port 1998, Doc Douro, Btld. 2011 Bottle

Cost: $25.95
Grape Variety: Red Blend
Category: Fortifieds
Appellation: VINTAGES
Country: Portugal
Region: Douro
Format: 750 mL
Producer: Sogevinus Fine Wine
Alcohol: 20.0% Alcohol/Vol.
Description: Deep amber colour with high intense nose.

Positives: Its been a long time since I tasted such a beautiful complex & yet smooth Colheita. Plums, raisins, dates, nuts (macadamia, almonds & pecan), sandalwood, good acidity with a long finish.

Negatives: None.

Interesting Point: Tawnies are usually a minimum of 7 years in oak cask before bottling. This one spent 13 years.

Drink now & pair it with dark chocolates with almonds.

Tasted: 20 May 12

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

Out of 5 stars, I rated this wine: 5

LCBO#: 264259

WARRE’S OTIMA 10 YEAR OLD TAWNY, Duoro Valley, Portugal

11 Sunday Mar 2012

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Warre’s 10 Year Old Otima Port, Douro Valley Bottle

Cost: $21.95
Grape Variety: Blend
Category: Port
Appellation: LCBO General List
Country: Portugal
Region: Duoro
Format: 500 mL
Producer: Vintage And Fine Wine International
Alcohol: 20.0 %
Description: A beautiful amber in colour with a highly intense nose.

Positives: Lots of dried figs, dates, raisins, cedar, apricots, orange rind, pecan pie & almonds. Sweet, good acidity, a lot of heat from the high alcohol & long length.

Negatives: None.

Interesting Notes: Consistent year after year & easily accessible as its on LCBO general list. This tawny is in a 500 ml bottle.

Drink now with almonds & dark chocolate. You can lightly chill it or have it at room temperature of 18 degrees.

Tasted: 10 Mar 12

Best Buy

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

Out of 5 stars, I rated this wine: 4.5

LCBO#: 566174

SANDEMAN VAU VINTAGE PORT, 2009, DO Douro, Portugal

20 Tuesday Dec 2011

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Sandeman Vau Vintage Port 2000, Doc Douro Bottle

Cost: $19.95
Grape Variety: Port Blend
Category: Fortified Wine
Appellation: LCBO
Country: Portugal
Region: Douro
Format: 750 mL
Producer: Geo. G. Sandeman Sons & Co. Ltd
Alcohol: 20.0% Alcohol/Vol.
Description: Opaque blood red in colour with medium+ intensity on the nose.

Positives: Not a complex Port but very smooth showing dry fig fruit, raisin, plum, licorice & tamarin.

Negatives: None

Drink now & pair it with blue cheese or almonds & dark chocolate.

Tasted: 19 Dec 11

Best Buy

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

Out of 5 stars, I rated this wine: 4

LCBO#: 251090