Category Archives: Red Wines

CASILLERO DEL DIABLO RESERVA PRIVADA CABERNET SAUVIGNON 2017, DO Maipo Valley, Chile

02 Thursday Apr 2020

Posted by in Recommended, Red Wines

≈ Leave a comment


Cost: $19.95 (Sale price until April 26, 2020: $16.25)
Grape: Cabernet Sauvignon
Category: Red Wine
Location: LCBO General List
Country: Chile
Region: Maipo Valley
Format: 750 mL
Producer: Casillero del Diablo
Alcohol:  13.5% Alcohol/Vol.

Classic Chilean style Cab with lots of blackcurrants

Tasting Note: Deep ruby in colour with medium to high tannin, good acidy this wine features blackcurrants, plum, blackberries, spinach leaves, turmeric, cassis, cedar, vanilla & peppermint.

Pairings: Drink now on its own for the next 3-5 years or pair it with Asiago cheese.

My Opinion:  Recommended

Tasted: April 2, 2020

LCBO: 570754

JEAN-LUC COLOMBO LE PAVILLON DES COURTISANES CAIRANNE 2016, AOC Cairanne, France

27 Friday Mar 2020

Posted by in Best Buys, Recommended, Red Wines

≈ Leave a comment


Cost: $21.95
Grape: 80% Grenache, 20% Syrah
Category: Red Wine
Location: LCBO Vintages
Country: France
Region: Cairanne
Format: 750 mL
Producer: Jean-Luc Colombo
Alcohol:  14.0% Alcohol/Vol.

Not a complex wine but it’s rich in flavour & substance, plus it’s priced reasonably

Tasting Note: Medium ruby in colour this wine features bramble fruit, plums, thyme, white pepper, graphite, black tea & violets on the nose. Full body with good acidity and firm but not aggressive tannin.

Pairings: Drink now on its own for the next 3-5 years or pair it with Tomato Sauce Base, Mozzarella, Double Smoked Bacon and Sausage, Topped with Prosciutto and Basil Pizza.

My Opinion: Recommended

Best Buy

Tasted: March 27, 2020

LCBO: 120717

NIAGARA COLLEGE TEACHING WINERY BALANCE MERLOT 2018, VQA Niagara-on-the-Lake, Ontario, Canada

27 Friday Mar 2020

Posted by in Best Buys, Canadian Wines, Niagara College Teaching Winery, Recommended, Red Wines, Winery Review Series

≈ Leave a comment


Cost: $18.95
Grape: Merlot
Category: Red Wine
Location: Winery
Country: Canada
Region: Niagara-on-the-Lake, Ontario
Format: 750 mL
Producer: Niagara College Teaching Winery
Alcohol:  13.0% Alcohol/Vol.

A simple, juicy, easy drinking yet elegant Ontario Merlot with a nice price tag

Tasting Note: Ruby to purple in colour this wine has light tannin and features plum, blackberry, mulberry and vanilla.

Interesting Note: As of this review, this wine is only available pre-release to Wine Club Members.

Pairings: Drink now on its own for the next 3-5 years or pair it with pepperoni, mushroom & tomato pizza.

My Opinion: Recommended

Best Buy

Tasted: March 23, 2020

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

≈ Leave a comment


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

13th STREET WINERY CABERNET MERLOT 2018, VQA Niagara Peninsula, Ontario, Canada

19 Thursday Mar 2020

Posted by in 13th Street Winery, Best Buys, Canadian Wines, Highly Recommended, Non LCBO Wine, Red Wines, Winery Review Series

≈ Leave a comment


Cost: $19.95
Grape: 67% Cabernet Sauvignon, 33% Merlot
Category: Red Wine
Location: Winery
Country: Canada
Region: Niagara Peninsula
Format: 750 mL
Producer: 13th Street Winery
Alcohol:  12.5% Alcohol/Vol.

One of the better Ontario Cab/Merlot blends under $20. Smooth with substance & it makes your mouth dance in a good way

Tasting Note: Medium light ruby in colour, light tannin this wine features raspberry, pomegranate, licorice, sage, rosemary, cloves, cinnamon and light cedar.

Pairings: Drink now on its own for the next 3-5 years or pair it with roasted sherry duck.

My Opinion: Highly Recommended

Best Buy

Tasted: March 19, 2020

DOMAINE DES VALS 2017, AOP Corbières, France

10 Tuesday Mar 2020

Posted by in Best Buys, Recommended, Red Wines

≈ Leave a comment


Cost: $14.95
Grape: Syrah & Grenache
Category: Red Wine
Location: LCBO Vintages
Country: France
Region: Corbières
Format: 750 mL
Producer: Cellier des Demoiselles
Alcohol:  14% Alcohol/Vol.

A simple yet elegant red wine

Positives: Dark purple to ruby in colour this wine features cherry, blackberry, mulberry, black & white peppers and soft tannins.

Interesting Point: The Cellier des Demoiselles was created in 1914, just before the First World War. The name is a tribute to the women of the village who, in the absence of their men, strove to preserve our wines and our Terroir.

Pairings: Drink now on its own for the next 3-5 years or pair it with Manchego cheese

My Opinion: Recommended

Best Buy

Tasted: March 10, 2020

LCBO: 12981

MURIEL FINCAS DE LA RESERVA 2014, Rioja, Spain

09 Monday Mar 2020

Posted by in Recommended, Red Wines

≈ Leave a comment


Cost: $19.95
Grape: Tempranillo
Category: Red Wine
Location: LCBO Vintages
Country: Spain
Region: Roja
Format: 750 mL
Producer: Bodegas Muriel
Alcohol:  13.5% Alcohol/Vol.

A simple Reserva, but still good

Positives: Medium purple to garnet in colour this wine features cherry, pomegranate, sandalwood, Allspice and leather.

Pairings: Drink now on its own for the next 5-7 years or pair it with chicken and chorizo rice pot.

My Opinion: Recommended

Tasted: March 9, 2020

LCBO: 276030

THE AUDACITY OF THOMAS G. BRIGHT MERLOT-CABERNET SAUVIGNON 2018, VQA Niagara Peninsula, Ontario, Canada

02 Monday Mar 2020

Posted by in Canadian Wines, Not Recommended, Red Wines

≈ Leave a comment


Cost: $17.95 (Sale price until March 1, 2020: $15.95)
Grape: Merlot & Cabernet Sauvignon
Category: Red Wine
Location: LCBO General List
Country: Canada
Region: Niagara Peninsula
Format: 750 mL
Producer: Arterra Wines
Alcohol:  13.5% Alcohol/Vol.

I enjoyed their Chard, but this red, not so much as it flabby & a lot of sweet notes like strawberry rhubarb pie, milk chocolate covered prunes. Those that prefer the sweet California wines will like this one.

My Opinion: Not Recommended

Tasted: March 2, 2020

LCBO: 11564

MAGNOTTA INTERNATIONAL SELECT SERIES SYARH GRENACHE NV, France

11 Tuesday Feb 2020

Posted by in On The Fence, Red Wines

≈ 1 Comment


Cost: $14.15 (Sale price Feb 2020: $13.15)
Grape: Syrah-Grenache
Category: Red Wine
Location: Magnotta Winery
Country: France & Canada
Region:
Format: 750 mL
Producer: Magnotta
Alcohol:  13% Alcohol/Vol.

Simple and not half bad

Positives: Dark ruby in colour this wine features plum, cherry, red apples, white pepper with light tannins.

Negatives: None

Ageability: Drink now on its own or pair it with stewed meats.

My Opinion: On the fence

Tasted: February 11, 2020

RCABERNET CABERNET SAUVIGNON 2017, California

10 Monday Feb 2020

Posted by in On The Fence, Red Wines

≈ Leave a comment


Cost: $19.95
Grape: Cabernet Sauvignon
Category: Red Wine
Location: LCBO Vintages
Country: United States of America
Region: California
Format: 750 mL
Producer: V Vines
Alcohol:  13.5% Alcohol/Vol.

For a generic California Cab, there’s lots of positives, such as the alcohol is under 14% & it isn’t flabby or sweet, but it doesn’t encourage me to buy it again at this price.

Positives: Ruby to purple in colour, this wine features dark cherry chocolate, mocha, blackberry, plum, baking spice, turmeric and graphite.

Negatives: None

Interesting Note: The wine didn’t hold up with steak as it made it flabby. It can’t take the protein in red meats.

Ageability: Drink now or in the next 3 years on its own or pair it with Country Style Potato Salad drizzled with Bourbon BBQ Sauce.

My Opinion: On the fence

Tasted: February 10, 2020

LCBO: 13181