Cost: $15.95 Grape: Trincadeira, Aragonez and Cabernet Sauvignon Category: Red Wine Location: LCBO Vintages Country: Portugal Region: Alentejo Format: 750 ml Producer: Ravasqueira Alcohol: 13.0% Alcohol/Vol.
A nice easy, juicy dark fruits followed by spiciness. Score: 89/100.
Tasting Note: Medium ruby in colour with good acidity, medium+ intense nose, light tannin & a long length on the finish. This wine features: Plum, ripe tamarind, blackberries, mushrooms, truffles, cloves, Allspice & suede.
Negatives: None
Interesting Point: Lightly chill to 14 – 16C
Pairings: Drink this now or in the next 3-5 years on its own or pair it with Ensopado de borrego (Lamb Stew)
Cost: $14.95 Grape: Tempranillo Category: Red Wine Location: LCBO Vintages Country: Spain Region: Rioja Format: 750 ml Producer: Bodegas de Familia Burgo Viejo, S.L Alfaro Alcohol: 13.5% Alcohol/Vol.
Outstanding value for this delicious Crianza. Score: 92/100.
Tasting Note: Medium ruby in colour with good acidity, low to medium intense nose, dry tannin & a long length on the finish. This wine features: Cherry, plum, mulberry, vanilla & sandalwood.
Negatives: None
Interesting Point: Combination of stainless-steel vats & American oak barrels for 12 months
Pairings: Drink this now or in the next 5-7 years on its own or pair it with Catalan Coca.
Cost: $24.95 (Clearance price: $20.25) Grape: 60% Syrah, 20% Grenache, 20% Mourvedre Category: Red Wine Location: LCBO Vintages Country: France Region: Saint-Chinian-Roquebrun Format: 750 ml Producer: Saint-Chinian-Roquebrun Alcohol: 14.0% Alcohol/Vol.
This complex wine has everything: fruit, spice & earthiness. Score: 94/100.
Tasting Note: Medium ruby in colour with good acidity, medium intense nose, dusty tannin & a long length on the finish. This wine features: Black cherry, raspberry, plum, black olives, Allspice, portobello mushrooms cocoa, white pepper, shale & leather.
Negatives: None
Pairings: Drink this now or in the next 3-5 years on its own or pair it with Roast Fillet of Beef with Sage and Mushroom stuffing.
Cost: $14.95 Grape: 65% Merlot, 20% Cabernet Sauvignon, 15% Cabernet Franc Category: Red Wine Location: LCBO Vintages Country: France Region: Bordeaux Format: 750 ml Producer: Château Haut-Mazières Alcohol: 13.5% Alcohol/Vol.
Nicely made, expressive with lots of fruits & spice. Score: 92/100.
Tasting Note: Medium ruby in colour with good acidity, medium+ intense nose, round tannin & a long length on the finish. This wine features: Cherry, strawberry, plum, mulberry, Allspice, turmeric, graphite & leather.
Negatives: None
Interesting Point: Spent 12 months in oak barrels.
Pairings: Drink this now or in 4-6 years on its own or pair it with Mongolian Beef.
Cost: $17.95 Grape: Gamay Category: Red Wine Location: LCBO Vintages Country: France Region: Fleurie, Beaujolais Format: 750 ml Producer: Vaucher Père & Fils Alcohol: 12.5% Alcohol/Vol.
Smooth like silk, now this is what Gamay is supposed to taste like & all at an amazing price. Score: 98/100.
Tasting Note: Light to medium ruby in colour with good acidity, light tannin, medium intense nose & a long length on the finish. This wine features: Bing cherries, strawberry, raspberry, nectarines,
Negatives: None
Interesting Point: Chill the wine to 15C & use a balloon style glassware. Fleurie is named after a Roman general, Floricum, rather than for any floral traits in the wine.
Pairings: Drink this now or in 2-4 years on its own or pair it with escargot.
Cost: $12.40 (Sale price until July 17, 2022: $10.40) Grape: Grenache, Syrah, Mourvèdre and Carignan Category: Red Wine Location: LCBO General List Country: France Region: Ventoux, Southern Rhône Format: 750 mL Producer: Bonpas Alcohol: 14.0% Alcohol/Vol.
Best under $13 red I’ve tried to date. Smooth, elegant, light to medium body, nice balance of fruit & light spice. Score: 93/100.
Tasting Note: Light to medium ruby in colour with good acidity & medium intense nose, soft tannin & a good length on the finish. This wine features: Black cherry, raspberry, mulberry, black olives, thyme, baby spinach & vanilla.
Negatives: None
Interesting Point: “The south-facing slopes of Mont Ventoux in the Vaucluse, which rises to 1,912 meters covering almost 6,700 hectares. The terroir is made of Limestone and marly scree.” Winery
Pairings: Drink this now or in 3-5 years on its own or pair it with wooden oven pizza.
Cost: $15.95 Grape: 40% Grenache, 30% Syrah, 25% Carignan, 5% Mourvedre Category: Red Wine Location: LCBO Vintages Country: France Region: Corbières Format: 750 mL Producer: Bonfils Vins & Château Alcohol: 13.5% Alcohol/Vol.
Top notch Corbières; fruity & spicy. Score: 95/100
Tasting Note: Medium ruby in colour with good acidity, medium+ intense nose, soft tannin & a long length on the finish. This wine features: Cherry, blueberry, mulberry, plum, licorice, black & white pepper, fennel, olives, leather & violets on the nose.
Negatives: None
Interesting Point: New label for my favourite Corbières, although I prefer the previous one as it was more classic. See my review of their 2016 vintage.
Pairings: Drink this now or in 4-6 years on its own or pair it with PENNE ALLA VODKA Sautéed prosciutto with caramelized onions and tossed in a rosé sauce from Fat Cat Pizza restaurant St. Catharines.
Cost: $24.95 Grape: Syrah Category: Red Wine Location: Winery Country: Canada Region: Niagara-on-the-Lake, Ontario Format: 750 mL Producer: Niagara College Teaching Winery Alcohol: 13.5% Alcohol/Vol.
Not complex but well-made wine at a great price that features dark fruit & spiciness. Score: 95/100
Tasting Note: Medium ruby in colour with foaminess around the perimeter, good acidity, medium+ intense nose, round tannin & a long length on the finish. This wine features: Mulberry, plum, tamarind, black & white pepper, vanilla,
Negatives: Should be labelled Syrah not Shiraz as it’s not styled in the Australian way.
Interesting Point: The foaminess, which looks like soap, doesn’t seem to affect the wine & expect it’s due to the wine being Unfiltered. From Dr. Vinny from Wine Spectator: “Foam, and bubbles in general, are caused when the surface tension of water is decreased, which is how soap creates so many bubbles. Let’s assume that there isn’t soap in your decanter (but you should be sure you are rinsing them out thoroughly, just to be certain). That means there is something in the wine itself that is affecting the surface tension of the wine or the rinsing water.
There are two sources of surface-tension reduction in wine. The first is a protein that’s present in tannins. I tend to notice the foam phenomenon much more often in red wines than in whites, and there are more tannins in reds. Alcohol (ethanol) also has an effect on surface tension. So, you can expect a tannic, high-alcohol wine to yield the most foam among still wines.”
Pairings: Drink this now or in 4-6 years on its own or pair it with Ribeye Steak.
Cost: $18.95 Grape: Cabernet Sauvignon Category: Red Wine Location: LCBO Vintages Country: United States of America Region: Columbia Valley, Washington State Format: 750 mL Producer: Drumheller Wines Alcohol: 13.5% Alcohol/Vol.
Beautifully made with a nice blend of fruits & spice without one overpowering the other, which all leads to a silky-smooth finish. Score: 95/100
Tasting Note: Medium to dark ruby with a garnet tinge in colour with good acidity, a medium intense nose, mild tannin & a long length on the finish. This wine features: Crème de Cassis, ripe blackcurrants, blueberries, plums, tamarind, cola, turmeric, cassis, Allspice & graphite.
Negatives: None
Pairings: Drink this in the next 5-7 years on its own or pair it with braised wild boar shanks with sweet soy sauce & Star Anise.
Cost: $14.95 Grape: Touriga Nacional, Alicante Bouschet Category: Red Wine Location: LCBO Vintages Country: Portugal Region: Format: 750 mL Producer: Babu Alcohol: 13.5% Alcohol/Vol.
Straddles the jammy sweet side to full ripe berry notes. Luckily the price is palatable. Score: 87/100
Tasting Note: Light to medium ruby in colour with good acidity, a medium, soft tannin, medium intense nose & a long length on the finish. This wine features: Black cherry, ripe blackberry, plum, cloves, cinnamon & vanilla.
Negatives: None
Interesting Point: I recommend using the smaller Tempranillo glassware vs the larger Cab as the larger glassware brought more jammy sweet notes to the wine.
Pairings: Drink this now or in 3-5 years on its own or pair it with Leitão da bairrada
Twilight Wines 