Cost: $14.95
Grape Variety: Pinot noir
Category: Red Wine
Appellation: VINTAGES
Country: New Zealand
Region: Awatere Valley, Marlborough
Format: 750 mL
Producer: Ager Sectus Company Limited
Alcohol: 14.0% Alcohol/Vol.
Description: Light garnet in colour with a medium intense nose.

Positives: True Pinot nose of pine, barnyard, cranberry, rhubarb & cherry. Some nice dill with cranberry, rhubarb & cherry on the taste. Good length & acidity with light tannins.

Negatives: The taste is subdued compared to the nose. Slightly prickly.

Interesting Points: This Pinot is light body & easy to drink on its own or pair it with a BLT or turkey sandwich.

Good value Pinot

Tasted: 5 Oct 11. Score: 8.5/10, Value: 10/10, Score: 18.5/20

Out of 5 stars, I rated this wine: 3.5

LCBO#: 694471

Cost: $26.95
Grape Variety: Grenache blend
Category: Red Wine
Appellation: LCBO Vintages
Country: France
Region: Vacqueyras
Format: 750 ml
Producer: Mas Des Restanques
Alcohol: 14.0% Alcohol/Vol.
Description: Medium ruby in colour with medium intensity in the nose.

Positives: Lots of cherry, crabapple, raspberry, some earthiness & spruce. This wine is easy going with medium tannins & acidity making this a food friendly wine, such as pairing with rack of lamb or to drink on its own.

Negatives: As with its sister wine (Gigondas, reviewed by me), it has a high alcohol level and feel to it. Similarly, I found this wine a little watery. Not as earthy as other Vacqueryas’. Same thought as the modernist label as the Gigondas.

Interesting Notes: I compared the two wines & found this one far better & less expensive. I recommend this one. It just falls outside my Best Buy by $2.95.

Tasted: 27 Sept 11.

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

Out of 5 stars, I rated this wine: 4

LCBO#: 245597

Cost: $29.95
Grape Variety: 75% Grenache, 25% Syrah
Category: Red Wine
Appellation: LCBO Vintages
Country: France
Region: Gigondas, Southern Rhone
Format: 750 ml
Producer: Mas Des Restanques
Alcohol: 14.0% Alcohol/Vol.
Description: Medium+ ruby in colour with medium+ intensity on the nose.

Positives: Nice red fruits on the nose & taste with some sandalwood & Macintosh apples.

Negatives: A little austere right now with noticeable heat from the high alcohol. I found it a little watery.

Interesting Notes: Has elegant potential so lay it down for another 5 years. Interesting modern label to try to appease the nouveau wine drinker. Too bad I’m somewhat of a traditionalist.

Tasted: 26 Sept 11.

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

Out of 5 stars, I rated this wine: 3

LCBO#: 245662

Cost: $19.95
Grape Variety: Cabernet-Sauvignon
Category: Red Wine
Appellation: VINTAGES
Country: Argentina
Region: Mendoza
Format: 750 mL
Producer: Vina Cobos S.A.
Alcohol: 15.0 %
Description: “Hot on the heels of the recently released 2007 comes the 2008 vintage of this well-crafted Cab. Sourced from high-altitude vineyards in both the Luján de Cuyo and Maipú sub-regions of Mendoza, it’s aged in French and American oak barrels for 8 months. This rich and complex Cab puts its emphasis on pure fruit flavours so look for loads of cassis and ripe blackcurrant as well as layers of earthy minerality, sweet tobacco and coffee notes culminating in a lingering finish.” (LCBO)

Positives: Despite it’s high alcohol, this wine is not jammy or overtly hot. The nose is very pleasant with classic Sauvignon notes of cedar, black currants, black cherry, turmeric, pencil shavings, leather & mocha. The taste is similar to the nose but not as pronounced.

Negatives: High alcohol, which is a pet peeve of mine. On the taste I found a slight watery feel to it which may be the result of a less than stellar crop. I also detected spinach leaf.

Interesting Notes: Light tannins with good acidity makes this wine ready to drink on its on pair it with T-bone steak on the grill.

Tasted: 25 Sept 11.

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

Out of 5 stars, I rated this wine: 3

LCBO#: 132365

Cost: $22.95
Grape Variety: Tempranillo
Category: Red Wine
Appellation: VINTAGES
Country: Spain
Region: Rioja
Format: 750 mL
Producer: Bodegas Olarra
Alcohol: 13.5 %
Description: Medium minus garnet in colour with a medium intense nose.

Positives: This is an easy drinking wine that has soft tannins, but still has enough acidity not to make it flabby. Has nice spices of rosemary & oregano. You can drink on its own or pair it with BBQ lamb chops. Drink now.

Negatives: I believe it’s past it prime. I would have liked to have tasted it a year or two ago. A little oxidative now.

Tasted: 12 Sept 11

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

Out of 5 stars, I rated this wine: 3.5

LCBO:# 190827

Tasted 10 Sept 11.

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

Out of 5 stars, I rated this wine: 3

LCBO:# 25122