Category Archives: Red Wines

VAUCHER PÈRE & FILS FLEURIE 2020, AC Fleurie, Beaujolais, France

03 Wednesday Aug 2022

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

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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: 95/100.

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.

My Opinion: Highly Recommended

Top Pick & Best Buy

Tasted: August 1, 2022

LCBO: 534339

VENTOUX GRANDE RÉSERVE DES CHALLIÈRES 2020, AOC Ventoux, Southern Rhône, France

19 Tuesday Jul 2022

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

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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.

My Opinion: Highly Recommended

Amazing Buy, Top Pick & Best Buy

Tasted: July 18, 2022

LCBO: 20865

CHÂTEAU DE VAUGELAS LE PRIEURÉ 2019, AOP Corbières, France

10 Sunday Jul 2022

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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.

My Opinion: Highly Recommended

Top Pick & Best Buy

Tasted: July 9, 2022

LCBO: 154617

NIAGARA COLLEGE TEACHING WINERY GASTRONOMY UNFILTERED SHIRAZ 2020, VQA Niagara-on-the-Lake, Ontario Canada

08 Friday Jul 2022

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: 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.

My Opinion: Highly Recommended

Top Pick & Best Buy

Tasted: July 7, 2022

DRUMHELLER CABERNET SAUVIGNON 2018, Columbia Valley, Washington State, United States of America

05 Sunday Jun 2022

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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.

My Opinion: Highly Recommended

Top Pick & Best Buy

Tasted: June 4, 2022

LCBO: 551473

BABU RESERVA 2018, Portugal

29 Sunday May 2022

Posted by in On The Fence, Red Wines

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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

My Opinion: On the Fence

Tasted: May 28, 2022

LCBO: 617175

JOSÉ MARIA DE FONSECA DOMINI 2018, DOC Douro, Portugal

25 Wednesday May 2022

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Cost: $17.95
Grape: Touriga Nacional, Tinta Roriz (Tempranillo) and Touriga Francesa
Category: Red Wine
Location: LCBO Vintages
Country: Portugal
Region: Douro
Format: 750 mL
Producer: José Maria da Fonseca
Alcohol: 13.5% Alcohol/Vol.

Juicy, spicy with earthy notes. Quality wine at a great price. 94/100.

Tasting Note: Medium ruby in colour with good acidity, a medium intense nose & a long length on the finish. This wine features: Cherry, blackberry, mulberry, red currants, black & red peppers, Shitake mushrooms, basil, cassis, licorice & leather.

Negatives: None

Interesting Point: This is the entry level Domini to José Maria’s premium wine Domini Plus, which is one of my favourite red wines.

Pairings: Drink this now or in 5-7 years on its own or pair it with Chanfana

My Opinion: Highly Recommended

Top Pick & Best Buy

Tasted: May 23, 2022

LCBO: 452730

QUADRUS RED 2015, DOC Douro, Portugal

21 Saturday May 2022

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Cost: $22.95
Grape: 55% Touriga Nacional, 30% Tinta Roriz, 15% Sousão
Category: Red Wine
Location: LCBO Vintages
Country: Portugal
Region: Douro
Format: 750 mL
Producer: Quadrus
Alcohol: 14.0 % Alcohol/Vol.

Beautifully made with bramble fruit & spiciness. 91/100.

Tasting Note: Medium+ ruby in colour with good acidity, a medium+ intense nose, soft tannin & a long length on the finish. This wine features: Black cherry, raspberry, loganberry, blackberry, licorice, nutmeg, black peppercorn & cedar.

Negatives: None

Pairings: Drink this now or in 5-7 years on its own or pair it with smoked brisket

My Opinion: Highly Recommended

Best Buy

Tasted: May 18, 2022

LCBO: 15663

COELHO ATRAÇÃO PINOT NOIR 2019, Willamette Valley, Oregon, United States of America

19 Thursday May 2022

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Cost: $25.95
Grape: Pinot Noir
Category: Red Wine
Location: LCBO Vintages
Country: United States of America
Region: Willamette Valley, Oregon
Format: 750 mL
Producer: Coelho Winery
Alcohol: 13.3 % Alcohol/Vol.

Typical Willamette Valley Pinot, tart, barnyard, graceful all to which I enjoyed: 91/100.

Tasting Note: Medium ruby in colour with some cloudiness good acidity, a medium intense nose, soft tannin & a long length on the finish. This wine features: Sour cherry, pomegranate, redcurrants, pickle beets, rhubarb, cloves, cinnamon, mushrooms, peatmoss & smoked cedar.

Negatives: None

Pairings: Drink this now or in 5-7 years on its own or pair it with smoked brisket

My Opinion: Highly Recommended

Best Buy

Tasted: May 18, 2022

LCBO: 15663

CHÂTEAU HYOT RÉSERVE 2018, AC Castillon, Côtes de Bordeaux, France

18 Wednesday May 2022

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Cost: $17.95
Grape: Merlot/Cabernet Sauvignon/Cabernet Franc
Category: Red Wine
Location: LCBO Vintages
Country: France
Region: Castillon, Côtes de Bordeaux
Format: 750 mL
Producer: Chateau Hyot
Alcohol: 14.5 % Alcohol/Vol.

Fruit forward Bordeaux blend that ready to drink now: 89/100.

Tasting Note: Medium ruby in colour with good acidity, a medium intense nose, soft tannin & a long length on the finish. This wine features: Black cherry, blackberry, raspberry, plum, blackcurrant, nutmeg, vanilla, turmeric, pencil shavings & leather.

Negatives: Heat from the 14.5% alcohol

Interesting Point:

Pairings: Drink this now or in 5-7 years on its own or pair it with Pork Loin seasoned and seared with light rub of cinnamon and pepper and sliced and served in thyme and shallot au jus.

My Opinion: Recommended

Best Buy

Tasted: May 17, 2022

LCBO: 14667