Category Archives: Non LCBO Wine

SANTA ANA SPARKLING EXTRA BRUT NV, Maipú, Argentina

11 Saturday Aug 2012

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Cost: $17.99 (Cayman Islands)
Grape Variety: 80% Chardonnay 20% Pinot Noir
Category: Sparkling Wine
Location Bought: Cayman Islands (Blackbeard’s)
Country: Argentina
Region: Cruz de Piedra, Maipú, Mendoza.
Format: 750 mL
Producer: Bodegas Santa Ana
Alcohol: 13% Alcohol/Vol.
Description: Yellow in colour with fine mousse & a medium intense nose.

Positives: A delightful sparkling wine featuring lemon, apple, brioche, ginger, English cucumber and pineapple. Medium body, good acidity and a medium length.

Negatives: A slight wateriness is detected.

Interesting Things: A very good sparkling made in the Charmat method & 120 days under sur lie.

Drink now on its own or pair it with cheddar cheese flavoured sourdough hard pretzels.

Tasted: 11 Aug 12

Best Buy

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

Out of 5 stars, I rated this wine 4+

VILAFONTÉ SERIES M 2004, Paarl, South Africa

08 Wednesday Aug 2012

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

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Cost: $48.85 (Cayman Islands)
Grape Variety: 36% Cabernet Sauvignon, 31% Merlot, 25% Malbec, 8% Cabernet Franc
Category: Red Wine
Location Bought: Cayman Islands
Country: South Africa
Region: Paarl
Format: 750 mL
Producer: Vilafonté
Alcohol: 14.5% Alcohol/Vol.
Description: Deep dark ruby in colour with a medium+ intense nose.

Positives: A rich complex wine featuring cedar, plums, bramble fruit, blueberry pie, cloves, anise, fennel, brett, dried sage, ripe papaya, espresso, cocoa, vanilla bean, tobacco leaves, bacon, black cherry & Christmas cake on the finish. Full body, good acidity and a very long length.

Negatives: A little heat from the 14.5% alcohol.

Interesting Things: Decant for an hour and the 2004 is showing better than the 2006. (See my earlier review on the 2006)

Drink now on its own or pair it with rosemary & garlic seasoned rack of lamb.

Tasted: 7 Aug 12

Top Pick

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

Out of 5 stars, I rated this wine 4.5

TSARINE PREMIER CRU 2002,

05 Sunday Aug 2012

Posted by in Champagne, Non LCBO Wine, Top Picks, Price Not Withstanding

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Cost: $71.50 (Cayman)
Grape Variety: 78% Pinot Noir & 22% Chardonnay
Category: Champagne
Location Bought: Cayman Islands
Country: France
Region: À Reims
Format: 750 mL
Producer: Chanoine
Alcohol: 12% Alcohol/Vol.
Description: Light yellow with a green ting in colour with a fine mousse & a medium minus intense nose.

Positives: A very smooth Champagne in which grapefruit dominates along with butter notes, rose petals, cloves, light brioche, limestone, baked apples, cinnamon stick & pepper. Medium+ body, good acidity and a fairly long length.

Negatives: None

Interesting Things: Tortuga had this champagne at 50% off, which is a steal. I love the bottle and the history of this Champagne house:

History:

The French language echoes through the palace corridors in Saint Petersburg, Parisian fashion is all the rage, interesting discussions take place on the major works of the age of enlightenment. At this period, Russian high society took a liking to French culture, and especially to its finest illsutration: champagne.

Introduced to the court of the Empress Anna Ivanovna, it quickly became the guest of honour at all banquets, especially at the table of Catherine the Great and the highest nobility in the Empire.

It is to pay tribute to this period in Russian history that Maison Chanoine, founded in 1730, created Tsarine Champagne.

Its exclusively designed, long, curved bottle bears certain similarities to the architecture of the great Russian monuments. Its emblematic colours, its rounded label and its evocative name are all redolent of the period of the great Russian dynasties.

Drink now on its own or pair it with cheese, mushroom, tomato, shallots & red pepper omelette.

Tasted: 5 Aug 12

Top Pick

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

Out of 5 stars, I rated this wine 4.5+

RUSTRIDGE RACEHORSE RED 2005, Napa Valley, California

04 Saturday Aug 2012

Posted by in Non LCBO Wine, Red Wines

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Cost: $29.88 (Cayman)
Grape Variety: 66% Cabernet Sauvignon 34% Zinfandel
Category: Red Wine
Location Bought: Cayman Islands
Country: United States
Region: Chiles Valley, Napa Valley
Format: 750 mL
Producer: RustRidge
Alcohol: 14.1% Alcohol/Vol.
Description: Deep dark ruby in colour with a medium+ intense nose.

Positives: Plum, dark cherry, tobacco leaf, leather, pencil shavings and blackberries. Medium+ body and tannins with good acidity and a fairly long length.

Negatives: This might be past its prime as the green notes dominate over the fruit.

Drink now and pair it with a heavy protein meal like steak.

Tasted: 2 Aug 12

Score: 8+/10, Value: 8/10, Total: 16+/20

Out of 5 stars, I rated this wine 3

CHATEAU FONTENIL 2000, Fronsac, France

03 Friday Aug 2012

Posted by in Non LCBO Wine, Red Wines

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Château Fontenil 2006, Ac Fronsac Bottle

Cost: $51.70 (Cayman)
Grape Variety: Bordeaux Right Bank Blend
Category: Red Wine
Location Bought: Cayman Islands
Country: France
Region: Fronsac, Bordeaux RightBank
Format: 750 ml
Producer: M. et D. Rolland
Alcohol: 13.5%

Description: Deep ruby in colour with a medium+ intense nose.

Positives: Lots of blueberry followed by liquorice, blackberry, dark cherry, cloves, nutmeg, leather, bramble fruit, pipe tobacco and tobacco leaves. Medium+ body with medium tannins, good acidity and a long length.

Negatives: None

Interesting Things: LCBO has the 2006 vintage (567404) in stock now.

Drink now on its own or pair it with grilled tenderloin steak.

Tasted: 1 Aug 12

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

Out of 5 stars, I rated this wine 4+

TAITTINGER CHAMPAGNE BRUT PRESTIGE ROSÉ NV, Reims, France

28 Saturday Jul 2012

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Cost:  $68.99 (KYD)
Grape Variety: Pinot Noir, Chardonnay
Category:  Champagne
Appellation:  Cayman Islands
Country:  France
Region: Reims
Format: 750 ml
Producer: Taittinger
Alcohol: 12%

Description: A beautiful rose gold colour with fine mousse and medium minus intensity on the nose.

Positives: Strawberries, lime, papaya, mandarin and limestone. Medium body with good acidity and medium+length.

Negatives: None

Drink now on its own or pair with it cured meat.

Tasted: 26 July 12

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

Out of 5 stars, I rated this wine 4.5

PAUL HOBBS RUSSIAN RIVER VALLEY CHARDONNAY 2007, Russian River Valley, California

28 Saturday Jul 2012

Posted by in Non LCBO Wine, Top Picks, Price Not Withstanding, White Wines

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Cost: $51.99 (KYD)
Grape Variety: Chardonnay
Category:  White Wines
Appellation:  Cayman Islands
Country:  California
Region:  Russian River Valley
Format: 750 ml
Producer: Paul Hobbs
Alcohol: 14.7%

Description: Deep gold in colour with medium+ intensity on the nose.

Positives: I love this wine which features medium toasted oak, buttery, cream corn, marshmallows, lemon meringue pie, white flowers, peach, pear, lemon and limestone. Full body with good acidity, long length and the alcohol is well integrated considering it’s 14.7%.

Negatives: The high alcohol

Interesting Things: Paul Hobbs consistently produces good quality Chards at different price points. Please note this is 2007 vintage and not available at LCBO. However, the 2008 is available at LCBO Vintages.

Drink now on its own or pair it with snow crabs and drawn butter.

Tasted: 25 July 12

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

Out of 5 stars, I rated this wine 4.5

MULDERBOSCH FAITHFUL HOUND 2008, Stellenbosch, South Africa

26 Thursday Jul 2012

Posted by in Non LCBO Wine, Red Wines

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Cost:  $25.99 (KYD)
Grape Variety: 47% Cabernet Sauvignon, 23% Merlot, 13% Petit Verdot, 9% Cabernet Franc, 8% Malbec
Category:  Red Wine
Appellation:  Cayman Islands
Country:  South Africa
Region: Stellenbosch
Format: 750 ml
Producer: Mulderbosch
Alcohol: 13.5%

Description: Deep dark ruby in colour with medium+ intensity on the nose.

Positives: Complex wine featuring incense, coffee, plums, red and blackcurrants, elderberry, hickory smoked bacon, all spice, leather, turmeric and cassis.

Negatives: None

Interesting Things:  “THE STORY OF THE FAITHFUL HOUND: Soon after Dr. Larry Jacobs and winemaker Mike Dobrovic founded Mulderbosch in 1989, they discovered an abandoned dog living on the farm. Because of the creature’s scraggly, unkempt appearance, they called him “Boes,” which means “bushy” in Afrikaans.

Boes spent most of his time perched beneath a large oak tree, gazing off into the distance. Often he would wander about the farm during the day, observing the vineyard activity. But he dutifully returned to his lookout point each evening, where he patiently awaited his beloved master’s return. Night after night, through all kinds of weather, he never failed to keep his vigil. So it was that he earned himself the nickname “Faithful Hound.”

Eventually it was revealed that his owner, a farmhand on the property before the Mulderbosch days, had been killed in a car accident. After three years of devotedly watching and waiting for his best friend, the Faithful Hound passed away beneath the old oak tree, just beside the cottage where he and his master had lived.

Shortly thereafter, Mike Dobrovic decided to create a Bordeaux blend as a tribute to Boes; the maiden 1994 vintage of Mulderbosch Faithful Hound was released in 1995. The dog is buried beneath the oak tree, near the very spot where he dutifully kept his vigil. And many vintages later, his namesake wine continues to celebrate his undying loyalty, unwavering dedication, and inspiring determination.

Faithful Hound’s final resting place – the oak tree where he kept his three year vigil, next to the cottage where his master lived. “ (www.capeclassics.com)

Drink now on its own or pair it with spaghetti bolognese.

Tasted: 24 July 12

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

Out of 5 stars, I rated this wine 4

GLORIA FERRER CARNEROS PINOT NOIR 2006, Carneros, California

24 Tuesday Jul 2012

Posted by in Non LCBO Wine, Red Wines

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Cost:  $26.99 (KYD: Cayman Islands)
Grape Variety: Pinot Noir
Category:  Red Wine
Appellation: Cayman Islands
Country: United States
Region: Carneros
Format: 750 ml
Producer: Gloria Ferrer
Alcohol: 13.5 %

Description: Medium ruby to garnet in colour with a medium+ intense nose.

Positives: Light cedar, blackcurrants, green peppers, raisins, plum & cigar box. Medium body with low tannins, high acidity and medium+ length.

Negatives: Too acidic with not enough fruit to balance it.

Drink now and pair it with food, such as grilled lamb chops with sweet mint sauce.

Tasted: 23 July 2012

Score: 8.5 /10, Value:  8/10, Total:  16.5 /20

Out of 5 stars, I rated this wine 3

CLOSSON CHASE VINEYARD CHARDONNAY 2008, VQA Prince Edward County, Ontario

11 Wednesday Jul 2012

Posted by in Canadian Wines, Non LCBO Wine, White Wines

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https://i0.wp.com/www.clossonchase.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/08/2009CCV-Chard-VQAPEC.jpg

Cost:  $29.95
Grape Variety: Chardonnay
Category:  White Wine
Appellation: Winery
Country:  Canada
Region:  Prince Edward County
Format: 750 ml
Producer:   Closson Chase Vineyard
Alcohol: 12.6

Description: Deep gold in colour with medium+ intensity on the nose.

Positives: Rich & creamy featuring medium+ toasted oak, butter, yellow plums, lemon, nutmeg, creme brulee, & limestone. Full body with good acidity and long length.

Negatives: A touch bitter from the toasted oak.

Interesting Things: I believe the 2008 & 2009 are sold out at the winery. 

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

Tasted: 10 July 12

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

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