21 Wednesday Nov 2018
Posted in Best Buys, Recommended, White Wines
Cost: $15.00 (Sale price: $13.00)
Grape: Chardonnay
Category: White Wine
Location: LCBO General List
Country: France
Region: Pays d’Orc
Format: 750 mL
Producer: Calmel & Joseph
Alcohol: 13.5% Alcohol/Vol.
Above average Chard at the sale price
Positives: Lemon, pink grapefruit, tangerine, white peach, McIntosh apples, and honeydew melon.
Negatives: None
Ageability: Drink now or over the next 3-4 of years.
My Opinion: Recommended
Best Buy
Tasted: August 18, 2018
LCBO: 375071
01 Thursday Nov 2018
Cost: $40.00
Grape: Chardonnay with some Semillon
Category: White Wine
Location: Winery
Country: Canada
Region: Four Mile Creek, Niagara Region, Ontario
Format: 750 mL
Producer: Southbrook
Alcohol: 13% Alcohol/Vol.
On the expensive side, but it’s a quality Chard that comes from Southbrook, which is an organic & biodynamic winery. I highly support their effort to live in harmony with the land, and therefore willing to pay more for that.
Positives: Medium body featuring lemon, green apples, Anjou pear, white peach, and limestone.
Negatives: None
Interesting Point: Southbrook is Canada’s first biodynamic winery in Canada, and I highly recommend visiting the winery.
Ageability: Drink now or over the next 5-7 of years.
My Opinion: Highly Recommended
Top Pick
Tasted: November 1, 2018
17 Monday Sep 2018
Cost: $29.95 (Clearance price: $21.00)
Grape: Chardonnay
Category: White Wine
Location: LCBO Vintages
Country: Canada
Region: Short Hills Bench, Niagara Region, Ontario
Format: 750 mL
Producer: Speck Family
Alcohol: 13.5% Alcohol/Vol.
Canadian Chards that rise to the $30 or more price range need to be world class, and the Speck Family Reserve does just that.
Positives: Full body, oak driven but balanced with acidity. Yellow in colour with notes of lemon meringue, green and golden apple, pear, crème brûlée, butter popcorn
Negatives: None
Interesting Point: Normally, these full body, buttery Chards are usually high in alcohol (14% to 14.5&), but this one is does all the beautiful things and stays at 13.5%.
Ageability: Drink now or over the next 5-7 of years.
My Opinion: Highly Recommended
Top Pick
Tasted: August 25, 2018
LCBO: 616466
03 Tuesday Oct 2017
Posted in White Wines
Cost: $18.95 (Clearance price: $13.30)
Grape: 91% Chardonnay, 5% Pinot Gris, 2% Viognier, 2% other white
Category: Chardonnay Wine
Location: LCBO Vintages
Country: United States
Region: Columbia Valley, Washington State
Format: 750 mL
Producer: Columbia Winery
Alcohol: 13.8% Alcohol/Vol.
A nice commercial Chard that will please many
Description: Gold in colour with a medium+ intense nose. This wine features light oak, buttered toast, lemon, peach, pineapple, mango & vanilla. Medium+ body with good acidity and a fairly long length.
Negatives: None
Drink now or in the next 3-4 of years on its own or pair it with Creole Shrimp and Buttered Creamed Corn.
Tasted: 23 September 2017
Best Buy at Clearance Price
Score: 8.5+/10, Value: 8.5+/10 (Clearance price: 9/10) Total: 17.5/20
Out of 5 stars, I rated this wine: 3.5+
LCBO: 462804
03 Tuesday Oct 2017
Posted in Best Buys, Canadian Wines, White Wines
Cost: $17.95
Grape: Chardonnay
Category: White Wine
Location: LCBO General List
Country: Canada
Region: Niagara-On-The-Lake, Niagara, Ontario
Format: 750 mL
Producer: Magnotta Winery
Alcohol: 13% Alcohol/Vol.
Nicely balanced, oak influenced, cool climate Ontario Chard
Description: Light gold in colour with a medium nose. This wine features medium toasted oak, lemon, pear, cantaloupe, ginger and oak spice. Medium body with good acidity and a long length.
Negatives: None
Interesting Note: Similar Niagara Chards of this style sell for $19.95, Magnotta’s G. Marquis winery Chard price is $2 less.
Drink now or in the next 3-5 of years on its own or pair it with chicken breast stuffed with cheddar cheese & broccoli.
Tasted: 24 Aug 2017
Best Buy
Score: 8.5+/10, Value: 9/10 Total: 17.5+/20
Out of 5 stars, I rated this wine: 3.5+
LCBO: 258681
16 Wednesday Aug 2017
Posted in Best Buys, Canadian Wines, White Wines
Cost: $18.95
Grape: Chardonnay
Category: White Wine
Location: LCBO Vintages
Country: Canada
Region: Niagara Peninsula, Ontario
Format: 750 mL
Producer: Peller Estates Winery
Alcohol: 13.3% Alcohol/Vol.
Simple but elegant
Description: Gold in colour with a medium intense nose. This wine features light oak, lemon, green & red apples, almonds, dill and white flowers on the nose. Medium body with good acidity and a long length.
Negatives: None
Drink now or in the next 2-4 of years on its own or pair it with Spiced Sea Bass with Caramelized Fennel.
Tasted: 12 Aug 2017
Best Buy
Score: 8.5+/10, Value: 8.5+/10 Total: 17.5/20
Out of 5 stars, I rated this wine: 3.5+
LCBO: 383109
12 Saturday Aug 2017
Posted in Amazing Buys, Best Buys, White Wines
Cost: $13.95 (Clearance price: $11.20)
Grape: Chardonnay
Category: White Wine
Location: LCBO
Country: France
Region: Saint Hilaire, France
Format: 750 mL
Producer: Les Demaines Paul Mas
Alcohol: 13% Alcohol/Vol.
Impressive Chard, even more impressive that’s it’s inexpensive
Description: Gold in colour with a medium to medium+ intense nose. This wine features mild oak, lemon/lime, mango, pineapple, Spy apples, white peach, coconut crème pie, vanilla and Ylang Ylang on the nose. Medium+ body with good acidity and a long length.
Negatives: None
Interesting Note: Try using the Montrachet style glassware
Drink now or in the next 3-5 of years on its own or pair it with Quail Roasted with Honey, Cumin and Orange Juice.
Tasted: 4 Aug 2017
Best & Amazing Buy
Score: 9/10, Value: 9.5/10 (Clearance price: 10/10) Total: 17.5/20
Out of 5 stars, I rated this wine: 4+
LCBO: 469999
27 Thursday Jul 2017
Posted in Best Buys, Canadian Wines, White Wines
Cost: $14.75
Grape: Chardonnay
Category: White Wine
Location: LCBO Vintages
Country: Canada
Region: Beamsville Bench, Ontario
Format: 750 mL
Producer: Organized Crime
Alcohol: 12.5% Alcohol/Vol.
A nice rich, creamy Chard Ontario Chard that’s not high in alcohol & under $15
Description: Gold in colour with a medium to medium+ intense nose. This wine features medium oak, butter toast, lemon, mango, pineapple, peach, Fuji Apples, cream corn, vanilla and buttered popcorn on the nose. Medium+ body with light average acidity and a good length.
Negatives: None
Interesting Note: Use the larger Montrachet glassware
Drink now or in the next 3-5 of years on its own or pair it with.
Tasted: 13 July 2017
Score: 8.5+/10, Value: 9/10 Total: 18/20
Best Buy
Out of 5 stars, I rated this wine: 3.5+
LCBO: 408435
23 Sunday Jul 2017
Posted in Best Buys, White Wines
Cost: $14.15 (On sale until 16 July 2017: $12.15)
Grape: Chardonnay
Category: White Wine
Location: LCBO General List
Country: United States
Region: California
Format: 750 mL
Producer: E.J Gallo Winery
Alcohol: 13.5 % Alcohol/Vol.
This is comfort Chardonnay
Description: Gold in colour with a medium+ intense nose. This wine features toasted oak, lemon meringue, baked apples, peach, mango, pineapple, orange, oak spice, butterscotch, vanilla and Easter Lily on the nose. Medium+ body with average acidity and a good length.
Negatives: None
Drink now or in the next couple of years on its own or pair it with Orange Honey BBQ Chicken.
Tasted: 20 June 2017
Best Buy
Score: 8.5+/10, Value: 8.5+/10 (Sale price: 9/10) Total: 17.5/20
Out of 5 stars, I rated this wine: 3.5+
LCBO: 428854
20 Thursday Jul 2017
Posted in Best Buys, Top Picks, Price Not Withstanding, White Wines
Cost: $18.95 (Clearance price: $15.20)
Grape: Viognier
Category: White Wine
Location: LCBO Vintages
Country: United States
Region: Columbia Valley, Washington State
Format: 750 mL
Producer: Badger Mountain Winery
Alcohol: 12.5% Alcohol/Vol.
Deliciously expressing the Viognier grape at an excellent price
Description: Medium straw in colour with a medium to medium+ intense nose. This wine features peach, pear, lemon tart, apricot, Fuji apples, Honeydew melon, clementine, honey and peach pit on the finish. Medium+ body and tannin with good acidity and a good length.
Interesting Note: Don’t over chill this wine or you’ll loose its complexity.
Drink now or in the next 5-7 of years on its own or pair it with Veal Piccata with Parsley and Capers.
Tasted: 7 July 2017
Score: 9+/10, Value: 9+/10 (Clearance price: 9.5/10) Total: 18.5/20
Best Buy & Top Pick
Out of 5 stars, I rated this wine: 4+
LCBO: 486993
Twilight Wines 