Category Archives: Highly Recommended

REDSTONE VINEYARD CABERNET FRANC 2016, VQA Lincoln Lakeshore, Niagara Region, Ontario, Canada

27 Monday Apr 2020

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

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Cost: $39.95
Grape: Cabernet Franc
Category: Red Wine
Location: Winery
Country: Canada
Region: Lincoln Lakeshore, Niagara Region, Ontario
Format: 750 mL
Producer: Redstone Winery
Alcohol:  13.5% Alcohol/Vol.

Pricey; yes, but this is not your typical Ontario Cab Franc, which is usually simple with a lot of green peppers & twiggy notes. This one is smooth, juicy, complex & balanced

Tasting Note: Light ruby with a touch of garnet in colour with good acidity, a medium intense nose, smooth tannins & a long length on the finish. Wine features ripe redcurrants, plum, strawberry, kirsch, beets, sage & tobacco leaves.

Negatives: None

Interesting Point: Besides the taste, I love the look of the bottle

Pairings: Drink now or over the next 3-5 years on its own or pair it with garlic & rosemary balsamic roasted pork loin.

My Opinion: Highly Recommended

Top Pick

Tasted: April 27, 2020

LOUIS BOUILLOT PERLE D’OR BRUT CRÉMANT BOURGOGNE 2012, Méthode Traditionnelle, Ac Burgundy, France

26 Sunday Apr 2020

Posted by in Best Buys, Highly Recommended, Sparkling Wine, Top Picks, Price Not Withstanding

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Cost: $24.95
Grape: Chardonnay & Pinot Noir
Category: Sparkling Wine
Location: LCBO Vintages
Country: France
Region: Burgundy
Format: 750 mL
Producer: Louis Bouillot
Alcohol:  12.0% Alcohol/Vol.

This has become one of my favourite sparkling wines or Champagnes as this vintage wine (8 yrs old) has a beautiful nose, complexity & is truly a really pleasant sparkling wine to drink for a great price.

Tasting Note: Bright yellow gold in colour with fine mousse, good acidity, a medium intense nose & a long length on the finish. Wine features toasted bread, brioche, Anjou pear, peach, apricots, green apples, Honeycrisp apples, vanilla, & Honeysuckle on the nose.

Negatives: None

Interesting Point: Besides the taste, I love the look of the bottle

Pairings: Drink now or over the next 5-7 years on its own or pair it with strawberry crepes.

My Opinion: Highly Recommended

Best Buy & Top Pick

Tasted: April 26, 2020

LCBO: 51565

E. GUIGAL CÔTES DU RHÔNE BLANC 2018, AC Côtes du Rhône, France

20 Monday Apr 2020

Posted by in Best Buys, Highly Recommended, Top Picks, Price Not Withstanding, White Wines

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Cost: $18.95
Grape: 60% Viognier, 15% Roussanne, 10% Marsanne, 8% Clairette, 5% Bourboulenc, 2% Grenache blanc
Category: White Wine
Location: LCBO Vintages
Country: France
Region: Southern Rhône
Format: 750 mL
Producer: E. Guigal
Alcohol:  14.0% Alcohol/Vol.

Juicy & creamy. This is a baby Condrieu: Condrieu’s are the gold standards of Viognier & priced from $50 & up, thus meaning it’s awesome at this price

Tasting Note: Bright gold in colour with good acidity, an intense nose & a long length on the finish. Wine features juicy peach, apricot, Kent mango & honeysuckle on the nose.

Negatives: None

Pairings: Drink now or over the next 5-7 years on its own or pair it with Conch Ceviche with Scotch Bonnet

My Opinion: Highly Recommended

Best Buy & Top Pick

Tasted: April 20, 2020

LCBO: 290296

STARS BRUT NATURE RESERVA CAVA 2016, DO Cava, Spain

19 Sunday Apr 2020

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Cost: $16.95
Grape: 40% Xarel-lo, 30% Parellada, 30% Macabeu
Category: Sparkling Wine
Location: LCBO Vintages
Country: Spain
Region: Cava
Format: 750 mL
Producer: Castillo Perelada
Alcohol:  11.5% Alcohol/Vol.

My new favourite Cava, so pleasant just makes me smile when I drink it & the price point helps

Tasting Note: Bright straw in colour with good acidity, a medium intense nose, fine mousse & long length on the finish. Wine features yeast, brioche, pear, green apples, lemon rind, orange & limestone.

Negatives: None

Interesting Point: On the back label the have taken out Macabeu & replaced it with Chardonnay. However, on the winery’s website it list Macabeu not Chard.

Pairings: Drink now or over the next 5-7 years on its own or pair it with Maple Syrup flavoured bacon.

My Opinion: Highly Recommended

Top Pick

Best Buy

Tasted: April 19, 2020

LCBO: 515221

PONDVIEW VIOGNIER 2017, VQA Niagara Peninsula, Ontario, Canada

17 Friday Apr 2020

Posted by in Best Buys, Canadian Wines, Highly Recommended, Non LCBO Wine, White Wines

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Cost: $17.95 (Sale price: $13.46)
Grape: Viognier
Category: White Wine
Location: Winery
Country: Canada
Region: Niagara Peninsula, Ontario
Format: 750 mL
Producer: Pondview Estate Winery
Alcohol:  12.5% Alcohol/Vol.

A pleasant drinking white wine that has a nice balance of acidity & tropical fruit

Tasting Note: Bright light gold in colour with good acidity, a light intense nose, & average length on the finish. Wine features apricot, peach, honeydew melon and honey.

Interesting Point: Great value at the sale price.

Pairings: Drink now or over the next 2-3 years on its own or pair it with Coquilles St. Jacques

My Opinion:  Highly Recommended

Best Buy & Amazing Buy at the sale price

Tasted: April 17, 2020

PONDVIEW CABERNET MERLOT RESERVE 2016, VQA Niagara Peninsula, Ontario, Canada

16 Thursday Apr 2020

Posted by in Best Buys, Canadian Wines, Highly Recommended, Non LCBO Wine, Red Wines, Top Picks, Price Not Withstanding

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Cost: $24.95 (Sale price: $18.71)
Grape: Cabernet Sauvignon & Merlot
Category: Red Wine
Location: Winery
Country: Canada
Region: Niagara Peninsula, Ontario
Format: 750 mL
Producer: Pondview Estate Winery
Alcohol:  14.0% Alcohol/Vol.

Quality Ontario red wine that is smooth, delicious & has a beautiful smoked flowery bouquet/aroma

Tasting Note: Light ruby in colour with good acidity, a medium intense nose, smooth tannin & average length finish. Wine features cherry, blackberry, raspberry, mulberry, plum, cedar, vanilla, and violets & smoke on the nose.

Interesting Point: Great value at the sale price.

Pairings: Drink now or over the next 2-3 years on its own or pair it with Mongolian Beef

My Opinion:  Highly Recommended

Best Buy & Top Pick

Tasted: April 16, 2020

GUILLAUME AURÈLE VIOGNIER 2018, IGP Pay D’OC, France

29 Sunday Mar 2020

Posted by in Best Buys, Highly Recommended, White Wines

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Cost: $14.95 (Clearance price: $12.00)
Grape: Viognier
Category: White Wine
Location: LCBO Vintages
Country: France
Region: Southern France
Format: 750 mL
Producer: Alma Cersius
Alcohol:  13.5% Alcohol/Vol.

Not complex but an excellent valued Viognier showing bright fruits & just pleasant drinking

Tasting Note: Bright gold in colour this wine features apricot, peach and honey.

Pairings: Drink now on its own for the next 3-5 years or pair it with Bouillabaisse & Rouille.

My Opinion: Highly Recommended

Amazing Buy at the clearance price

Best Buy

Tasted: March 29, 2020

LCBO: 380741

NIAGARA COLLEGE TEACHING WINERY LES MARMITONS GASTRONOMY UNFILTERED PINOT NOIR 2017, VQA Vinemount Ridge, Niagara Region, Ontario, Canada

26 Thursday Mar 2020

Posted by in Best Buys, Canadian Wines, Highly Recommended, Niagara College Teaching Winery, Non LCBO Wine, Red Wines, Top Picks, Price Not Withstanding, Winery Review Series

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Cost: $24.95
Grape: Pinot Noir
Category: Red Wine
Location: Winery
Country: Canada
Region: Vinemount Ridge, Niagara Region, Ontario
Format: 750 mL
Producer: Niagara College Teaching Winery
Alcohol:  13.0% Alcohol/Vol.

Elegance & taste at its Best. Styled in the classical Burgundian Pinot. Currently, one of the best Canadian Pinot Noir I’ve tasted & all this for under $25.

Tasting Note: Light garnet in colour this wine features cherry, fraise du bois (wild strawberry), mulberry, Champagne mushrooms, earthy, tobacco leaves, All Spice and peat moss on the nose.

Interesting Point: The fruit for this wine was sourced from the Westcott Vineyard on Vinemount Ridge, a blend of the Burgundy clones 777 and 667. The fruit was allowed to ferment spontaneously, aged for 14 months in French oak barrels, then bottled by hand with no fining or filtration.

Pairings: Drink now on its own for the next 5-7 years or pair it with seared duck with blueberry.

My Opinion: Highly Recommended

Best Buy and Top Pick

Tasted: March 26, 2020

KEW BARREL AGED BLANC DE BLANC 2014, Méthode Traditionnelle, VQA Beamsville Bench, Niagara Region, Ontario, Canada

22 Sunday Mar 2020

Posted by in Canadian Wines, Highly Recommended, Sparkling Wine, Top Picks, Price Not Withstanding

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Cost: $29.95 (Clearance Price: $24.00)
Grape: Chardonnay
Category: Sparkling Wine
Location: LCBO Vintages
Country: Canada
Region: Beamsville Bench, Niagara Region, Ontario
Format: 750 mL
Producer: Kew Vineyards
Alcohol:  12.0% Alcohol/Vol.

A rich vintage Blanc de Blanc Champagne style at a quarter of the price of those made in Champagne

Tasting Note: Yellow gold in colour with fine mousse this wine features buttered toast, brioche, yeast, lemon tart, cooked apples, Anjou pear, peach, roasted almonds and ginger.

Interesting Point: I saw this sparkling wine at Toronto LCBO at the clearance price and grabbed all 4 bottles.

Pairings: Drink now on its own for the next 8-10 years or pair it with crispy octopus.

My Opinion: Highly Recommended

Top Pick

Tasted: March 22, 2020

LCBO: 438994

DELTA ESTATE CHARDONNAY 2017, Marlborough, New Zealand

20 Friday Mar 2020

Posted by in Best Buys, Highly Recommended, White Wines

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Cost: $19.95 (Clearance Price: $16.00)
Grape: Chardonnay
Category: White Wine
Location: LCBO Vintages
Country: New Zealand
Region: Marlborough
Format: 750 mL
Producer: Delta Estate
Alcohol:  13.5% Alcohol/Vol.

Nice balances between tropical fruit, citric fruit, oak & creaminess

Tasting Note: Bright gold in colour this wine features lemon, peach, pineapple, mangos, kiwi, dill, ginger, light oak spice and caramel.

Pairings: Drink now on its own for the next 3-5 years or pair it with shrimp and scallop Oscar.

My Opinion: Highly Recommended

Best Buy

Tasted: March 20, 2020

LCBO: 149542