Category Archives: Top Picks, Price Not Withstanding

In addition to Best Buys, these are my top picks with no consideration to price

STARS BRUT NATURE RESERVA CAVA 2016, DO Cava, Spain

19 Sunday Apr 2020

Posted by in Best Buys, Highly Recommended, Sparkling Wine, Top Picks, Price Not Withstanding

≈ Leave a comment


Cost: $16.95
Grape: 40% Xarel-lo, 30% Parellada, 30% Macabeu
Category: Sparkling Wine
Location: LCBO Vintages
Country: Spain
Region: Cava
Format: 750 mL
Producer: Castillo Perelada
Alcohol:  11.5% Alcohol/Vol.

My new favourite Cava, so pleasant just makes me smile when I drink it & the price point helps

Tasting Note: Bright straw in colour with good acidity, a medium intense nose, fine mousse & long length on the finish. Wine features yeast, brioche, pear, green apples, lemon rind, orange & limestone.

Negatives: None

Interesting Point: On the back label the have taken out Macabeu & replaced it with Chardonnay. However, on the winery’s website it list Macabeu not Chard.

Pairings: Drink now or over the next 5-7 years on its own or pair it with Maple Syrup flavoured bacon.

My Opinion: Highly Recommended

Top Pick

Best Buy

Tasted: April 19, 2020

LCBO: 515221

PONDVIEW CABERNET MERLOT RESERVE 2016, VQA Niagara Peninsula, Ontario, Canada

16 Thursday Apr 2020

Posted by in Best Buys, Canadian Wines, Highly Recommended, Non LCBO Wine, Red Wines, Top Picks, Price Not Withstanding

≈ Leave a comment


Cost: $24.95 (Sale price: $18.71)
Grape: Cabernet Sauvignon & Merlot
Category: Red Wine
Location: Winery
Country: Canada
Region: Niagara Peninsula, Ontario
Format: 750 mL
Producer: Pondview Estate Winery
Alcohol:  14.0% Alcohol/Vol.

Quality Ontario red wine that is smooth, delicious & has a beautiful smoked flowery bouquet/aroma

Tasting Note: Light ruby in colour with good acidity, a medium intense nose, smooth tannin & average length finish. Wine features cherry, blackberry, raspberry, mulberry, plum, cedar, vanilla, and violets & smoke on the nose.

Interesting Point: Great value at the sale price.

Pairings: Drink now or over the next 2-3 years on its own or pair it with Mongolian Beef

My Opinion:  Highly Recommended

Best Buy & Top Pick

Tasted: April 16, 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

KEW BARREL AGED BLANC DE BLANC 2014, Méthode Traditionnelle, VQA Beamsville Bench, Niagara Region, Ontario, Canada

22 Sunday Mar 2020

Posted by in Canadian Wines, Highly Recommended, Sparkling Wine, Top Picks, Price Not Withstanding

≈ Leave a comment


Cost: $29.95 (Clearance Price: $24.00)
Grape: Chardonnay
Category: Sparkling Wine
Location: LCBO Vintages
Country: Canada
Region: Beamsville Bench, Niagara Region, Ontario
Format: 750 mL
Producer: Kew Vineyards
Alcohol:  12.0% Alcohol/Vol.

A rich vintage Blanc de Blanc Champagne style at a quarter of the price of those made in Champagne

Tasting Note: Yellow gold in colour with fine mousse this wine features buttered toast, brioche, yeast, lemon tart, cooked apples, Anjou pear, peach, roasted almonds and ginger.

Interesting Point: I saw this sparkling wine at Toronto LCBO at the clearance price and grabbed all 4 bottles.

Pairings: Drink now on its own for the next 8-10 years or pair it with crispy octopus.

My Opinion: Highly Recommended

Top Pick

Tasted: March 22, 2020

LCBO: 438994

GHOST PINES CHARDONNAY 2018, 36% Monterey County, 33% Napa Valley, 31% Sonoma County, California, United States of America

17 Tuesday Mar 2020

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

≈ Leave a comment


Cost: $21.95 (Sale price: 19.95 until March 29, 2020)
Grape: Chardonnay
Category: White Wine
Location: LCBO Vintages
Country: United States
Region: 36% Monterey County, 33% Napa Valley, 31% Sonoma County
Format: 750 mL
Producer: Louis M. Martini
Alcohol:  14.5% Alcohol/Vol.

This Chard is the exception to my rule of not buying high alcohol wines (above 14.1% alcohol) due to the fact it is so bloody good.

Tasting Note: Bright gold in colour this wine features lemon, baked apples, pineapples, yellow plums, peach, crème brûlée, lemon meringue pie, vanilla, light oak spice, ginger, dill and limestone.

Interesting Point: As my viewers know, I am anti high alcohol (above 14.1%), and although this one is 14.5%, the alcohol is well integrated, and the wine is too good not to buy just because of the high alcohol.

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

My Opinion: Highly Recommended

Best Buy & Top Pick

Tasted: March 17, 2020

LCBO: 308122

NIAGARA COLLEGE TEACHING WINERY BALANCE CABERNET SAUVIGNON 2018, VQA Niagara-on-the-Lake, Niagara Peninsula, Ontario, Canada

07 Saturday Mar 2020

Posted by in Best Buys, Canadian Wines, Highly Recommended, Niagara College Teaching Winery, Non LCBO Wine, Top Picks, Price Not Withstanding, Winery Review Series

≈ Leave a comment


 

Cost: $24.95
Grape: Cabernet Sauvignon
Category: Red Wine
Location: Winery
Country: Canada
Region: Niagara-on-the-Lake, Niagara Peninsula, Ontario
Format: 750 mL
Producer: Niagara College Teaching Winery
Alcohol:  14% Alcohol/Vol.

This light-coloured Cab is a unique Canadian Cab that has complexity & more so when it really opens up. For all that this Cab has to offer without going over 14% alcohol, it  truly is Canadian gem.

Positives: Light purple to garnet in colour, this wine features Bing Cherries, tamarind, blackberries, blueberries, mulberries, cinnamon, cloves, leather, cocoa, black peppers & Harissa.

Interesting Point: A special thanks to the Teaching Winery manager; Chetan, for his customer service to the wine club members. Makes me feel special.

Pairings: Drink now on its own for the next 5-7 years or pair it with foods infused with dark chocolate.

My Opinion: Highly Recommended

Best Buy & Top Pick

Tasted: March 7, 2020

MONMARTHE SECRET DE FAMILLE BRUT CHAMPAGNE NV, Premier Cru, Ac Ludes, Montagne de Reims, France

23 Sunday Feb 2020

Posted by in Champagne, Highly Recommended, Top Picks, Price Not Withstanding

≈ Leave a comment


Cost: $47.95
Grape: 40% Pinot Noir, 40% Pinot Meunier, 20% Chardonnay
Category: Champagne
Location: LCBO Vintages
Country: France
Region: Ludes, Montagne de Reims
Format: 750 mL
Producer: Monmarthe
Alcohol:  12.5% Alcohol/Vol.

Classic Champagne but from an Independent Winegrower that is priced well under top Champagne houses with the same quality.

Positives: Deep gold in colour with a copper tinge. This wine has a fine mousse and features yeast, brioche, finely oxidative, green apples, Anjou pear, lemons, peach, ginger, nutmeg and crushed limestone.

Negatives: None

Interesting Point: This Champagne was bought as a birthday present from my daughter, but today we drink in her honour in getting into her Masters program.

Ageability: Drink now or in the next 10-15 of years on its own or pair it with New York style Parmesan, garlic & herb pits chips.

My Opinion: Highly Recommended

Top Pick

Tasted: February 22, 2020

LCBO: 624775

SOUTHBROOK ESTATE ORGANIC WILD FERMENT CHARDONNAY 2017, VQA Niagara Escarpment, Ontario Canada

14 Friday Feb 2020

Posted by in Canadian Wines, Highly Recommended, Top Picks, Price Not Withstanding, White Wines

≈ Leave a comment


Cost: $35.00 (Clearance Price: $24.55)
Grape: Chardonnay
Category: White Wine
Location: LCBO Vintages
Country: Canada
Region: Ontario, Niagara Escarpment
Format: 750 mL
Producer: Southbrook
Alcohol:  13% Alcohol/Vol.

One of the top Canadian Chards, elegant, full body, rich & complex, all this and they did it with only 13% alcohol vs California Chards at 14% plus to gain what Southbrook has done

Positives: Rich golf in colour this wine features lemon, peach, green & yellow apples, pear, tangerine, honeydew melon, sweet potato skin, ginger, dill, oak spice and toasted marshmallows

Negatives: None

Interesting Point: Organic and Vegan friendly. Also, reviewed the 2016 vintage which was $5 more than this vintage and this vintage is better and correctly priced, which makes the clearance price a steal.

Ageability: Drink now or in the next 5-7 of years on its own or pair it with Lobster Thermidor.

My Opinion: Highly Recommended

Top Pick

Tasted: February 14, 2020

LCBO: 644625

PANTOCRATOR 2005, DOC Rioja Alta, Spain

03 Monday Feb 2020

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

≈ 2 Comments


Cost: $37.95 (Clearance price: $30.40)
Grape: 90% Tempranillo, 10% Mazuelo
Category: Red Wine
Location: LCBO Vintages
Country: Spain
Region: Rioja Alta
Format: 750 mL
Producer: Bodegas Tarón
Alcohol:  13.5% Alcohol/Vol.

A rich, complex & powerful aged Tempranillo

Positives: Ruby to garnet in colour, this wine features cherry, raisin, Allspice, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, liquorice, black pepper, peppermint, leather and smoked wood.

Negatives: None

Interesting Point: Traditional winemaking that entails ageing the two varieties separately in American oak barrels for twelve months. The wines are then blended and returned to the barrels, where they spend another six months. After ageing, the wine is left for 12 months in steel tanks, where it is further refined, and then it is ready for bottling.

Ageability: Drink now or in the next 10 years on its own or pair it with rack of lamb, medium rare.

My Opinion: Highly Recommended

Top Pick

Tasted: February 3, 2020

LCBO: 12181

COLOMBA BIANCA INSOLIA RESILIENCE 2018, DOC Sicilia, Italy

24 Friday Jan 2020

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

≈ Leave a comment


Cost: $16.95
Grape: Insolia
Category: White Wine
Location: LCBO Vintages
Country: Italy
Region: Sicilia
Format: 750 mL
Producer: Colomba Bianca
Alcohol:  13% Alcohol/Vol.

Spring in a bottle

Positives: Straw yellow in colour, this wine features lemon rind, guava, honeydew melon, limestone and orange blossom with honeysuckle on the nose.

Negatives: None

Interesting Point: The grapes are harvested by hand in small baskets and processed quickly to respect the unique characteristics of these grapes, respecting the territorial origins.

Ageability: Drink now or in the next 3-5 years on its own or pair it with Brussels sprouts roasted in lemon and Agave.

My Opinion: Highly Recommended

Best Buy & Top Pick

Tasted: January 24, 2020

LCBO: 10952