Category Archives: White Wines

WENTE MORNING FOG ESTATE GROWN CHARDONNAY 2013, Livermore Valley, San Francisco Bay, California, United States

25 Wednesday Feb 2015

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2013_Morning_Fog_DOBS_150dpi

Cost: $17.95
Grape Variety: Chardonnay
Category: White Wine
Location LCBO General List
Country: United States
Region: Livermore Valley, San Francisco Bay, California
Format: 750 mL
Producer: Wente Vineyards
Alcohol: 13.5% Alcohol/Vol.

Creamy, not overly oaky Chard with tropical fruit to make it yummy, and it’s under $20

Description: Light bright gold in colour with a medium+ intense nose. This wine features neutral toasted oak, lemon meringue, pink grapefruit, honeydew melon, kiwi, dill, Macintosh apple, pineapple, vanilla, a touch of coconut and limestone. Medium+ body with good acidity and a long length.

Negatives: None

Interesting Notes: “Fermentation: 50% of this wine was barrel fermented in neutral French, American and Eastern European oak. The other 50% was fermented in stainless steel tanks in order to preserve the natural fruit flavors inherent in this Chardonnay. Aging: The barrel fermented portion was aged sur lie for 7 months. Bâtonnage, the art of stirring the barrels, was performed monthly. This adds a creamy note to the wine and greatly enhances the texture. From the remaining 50% of the stainless steel portion, half was aged on lees for 7 months while the other half was racked clean to preserve the fresh fruit characters.” http://www.Wentevineyards.com

Drink now or in the next 5 years on its own or pair it with Coconut Crusted Scallops drizzled with Pineapple Rum Sauce.

Tasted: 22 Feb 2015

Best Buy

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

Out of 5 stars, I rated this wine: 4

LCBO: 175430

QUAILS’ GATE CHARDONNAY 2012, VQA Okanaga Valley, British Columbia, Canada

15 Sunday Feb 2015

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Quails Gate

Cost: $21.95 (Clearance: $15.75)
Grape Variety: Chardonnay
Category: White Wine
Location LCBO Vintages
Country: Canada
Region: Okanagan Valley, British Columbia
Format: 750 mL
Producer: Quails’ Gate
Alcohol: 13.5% Alcohol/Vol.

One of my favourite Canadian Chards, and probably the best for under $22

Description: Light gold to straw in colour with a medium+ intense nose. This wine features medium toasted oak, lemon, pink grapefruit, honeydew melon, kiwi, dill, ginger, pineapple, hazelnuts, crème brûlée, flint and limestone. Medium body with good acidity and a fairly long length.

Negatives: None

Interesting Notes: Don’t over chill, as you’ll loose the essence of this wine.

Drink now or in the next 7 years on its own or pair it with Tuna Tartare on a bed of Avocado Brunoise, drizzled in Sweet & Sour Sauce, WhiteTruffle Oil and Red Caviar

Tasted: 14 Feb 2015

Best Buy

Score: 9/10, Value: 9.5/10 (Clearance price: 10/10) Total: 18.5/20

Out of 5 stars, I rated this wine: 4+

LCBO: 377770

KEINT-HE VOYAGEUR CHARDONNAY 2012, VQA Niagara Peninsula, Ontario, Canada

07 Saturday Feb 2015

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Keint

Cost: $16.00
Grape Variety: Chardonnay
Category: White Wine
Location LCBO Vintages
Country: Canada
Region: Niagara Peninsula, Ontario
Format: 750 mL
Producer: Keint-He Winery
Alcohol: 13% Alcohol/Vol.

A versatile chard that shows good balance between oak, fruit and minerality

Description: Bright gold in colour with a medium intense nose. This wine features medium toasted oak, lemon, pink grapefruit, honeydew melon, butterscotch and limestone. Medium body with good acidity and a fairly long length.

Negatives: There’s heat from the 13% alcohol

Interesting Notes: Don’t over chill, as the underlying flavours such as butterscotch don’t come up when it’s too cold, and use the larger New World or Montrachet Chard glasses. In addition, I like the aged parchment label.

Drink now or in the next 2 years on its own or pair it with grilled shrimp in grapefruit BBQ sauce.

Tasted: 27 Jan 2015

Best Buy

Score: 8.5+/10, Value: 9+/10 Total: 16/20

Out of 5 stars, I rated this wine: 3.5+

LCBO: 389544

FRANCIS COPPOLA DIAMOND COLLECTION CHARDONNAY 2013, Monterey County, California, United States

17 Saturday Jan 2015

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coppola

Cost: $19.95
Grape Variety: Chardonnay
Category: White Wine
Location LCBO Vintages
Country: United States
Region: Monterey County, California
Format: 750 mL
Producer: Francis Coppola
Alcohol: 13.5% Alcohol/Vol.

Maybe at $10 it might be worth it

Description: Bright gold in colour with a medium+ intense nose. This wine features medium toasted oak, lemon tart, grapefruit, green apples and pear. Medium body with good acidity and a fairly long length.

Negatives: Too sour

Drink now or in the next 2 years on its own or pair it with fish tacos with blood orange sauce.

Tasted: 15 Jan 2015

Score: 7.5+/10, Value: 6+/10 Total: 14/20

Out of 5 stars, I rated this wine: 2.5

LCBO: 708305

DOMAINE LES VIEUX MURS POUILLY-FUISSÉ 2012, Ac Pouilly-Fuissé, Burgundy, France

17 Saturday Jan 2015

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Domaine

Cost: $26.95
Grape Variety: Chardonnay
Category: White Wine
Location LCBO Vintages
Country: France
Region: Pouilly-Fuissé, Burgundy
Format: 750 mL
Producer: Les Vieux Murs
Alcohol: 13.4% Alcohol/Vol.

Smooth, easy drinking balanced act between fruit & oak

Description: Light bright gold in colour with a medium to medium+ intense nose. This wine features light toasted oak, lemon, pink grapefruit, granny & golden apples, pineapple, honeydew melon and limestone. Medium body with good acidity and a fairly long length.

Negatives: None

Interesting Note: Works well with both style of Chard glasses, Chablis and Montrachet, but I would give the nod to Monty

Drink now or in the next 2 years on its own or pair it with Chicken Waldorf Salad.

Tasted: 12 Jan 2015

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

Out of 5 stars, I rated this wine: 3.5+

LCBO: 241117

RAVINE VINEYARD CHARDONNAY 2012, VQA Niagara Peninsula, Ontario, Canada

12 Monday Jan 2015

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No Unauthorized Reproduction @Jason Dziver

Cost: $24.00
Grape Variety: Chardonnay
Category: White Wine
Location Winery
Country: Canada
Region: Niagara Peninsula, Canada
Format: 750 mL
Producer: Ravine Vineyard
Alcohol: 13% Alcohol/Vol.

Beyond the nose, this is a very nice, smooth Chard

Description: Light bright gold in colour with medium+ intense nose. This wine features light toasted oak, lemon, green and yellow apples, papaya, pear, and light oak spice. Medium+ body with good acidity and a long length.

Negatives: Acetic notes on the nose

Interesting Note: Works with both New and Old World style Chard glasses, but I give the edge to the New World, which gives it more creaminess.

Drink now or in the next 5 years on its own.  Pairs amazingly well with with green papaya chicken curry cooked over a wood stove.

Tasted: 6 Jan 2015

Score: 8.5+/10, Value: 8.5+/10 Total: 17+/20

Out of 5 stars, I rated this wine: 3.5+

SONOMA-CUTRER RUSSIAN RIVER RANCHES CHARDONNAY 2013, Russian River, Sonoma County, California, United States

29 Monday Dec 2014

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Sonoma Cutrer

Cost: $26.95 (Sale price until Jan 4, 2015: $21.95)
Grape Variety: Chardonnay
Category: White Wine
Location LCBO Vintages
Country: United States
Region: Russian River, Sonoma County, California
Format: 750 mL
Producer: Sonoma-Cutrer Vineyards
Alcohol: 14.2% Alcohol/Vol.

An elegant cool climate Chard that should please those that don’t like woody Chards

Description: Bright light gold in colour with a medium to medium+ intense nose. This wine features medium light oak, lemon, pink grapefruit, nutmeg, Fuji apple, nectarine, oak spice and wet stone. Medium body with good acidity and a long length.

Negatives: None

Interesting Note: I found the 2013 vintage nicer than the previous vintage, reviewed here April 2014. The winery sells the wine for $28 US, so good buy, especially at the sale price for LCBO

Drink now or in the next 5 years on its own or pair it with pan-roasted stilton chicken with apple ginger sauce.

Tasted: 27 Dec 2014

Best Buy at sale price

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

Out of 5 stars, I rated this wine: 4

LCBO: 608653

INNISKILLIN MONTAGUE VINEYARD CHARDONNAY 2012, VQA Four Mile Creek, Ontario, Canada

26 Friday Dec 2014

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inniskillin

Cost: $24.95 (Clearance price: $20.00)
Grape Variety: Chardonnay
Category: White Wine
Location LCBO Vintages
Country: Canada
Region: Foul Mile Creek, Ontario
Format: 750 mL
Producer: Inniskillin
Alcohol: 14% Alcohol/Vol.

A solid Chard that won’t disappoint Chard lovers of oak influence

Description: Bright gold in colour with a medium to medium+ intense nose. This wine features medium toasted oak, lemon, cream corn, pineapple, mango, ginger, light oak spice, butterscotch, crème brûlée and dill. Full body with good acidity and a long length.

Negatives: Some heat from the 14% alcohol and a touch sour on the finish

Drink now or in the next 5 years on its own or pair it with Cornish Hen

Tasted: 22 Dec 2014

Score: 8.5+/10, Value: 8.5+ (Clearance price: 9/10) Total: 17.5/20

Out of 5 stars, I rated this wine: 3.5+

LCBO: 586347

GHOST PINES WINEMAKER’S BLEND CHARDONNAY 2013, Monterey, Sonoma & Napa Counties, California, United States

16 Tuesday Dec 2014

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Ghost Pines Chard

Cost: $19.95 ($17.95 Sale until Nov 30, 2014)
Grape Variety: Chardonnay
Category: White wine
Location Bought: LCBO General List
Country: United States
Region: 38% Monterey County, 33% Sonoma County, 29% Napa County
Format: 750 mL
Producer: Louis M. Martini Winery
Alcohol: 14% Alcohol/Vol.

“Danger Will Robinson” this is so good that it’s easy to drink 2 bottles, maybe even 3 if you’re still standing

Description: Bright light gold in colour with a medium intense nose. This complex wine features light to medium toasted oak, Easter Lily, lemon meringue, Gala apples, pineapple, mango, kiwi, oak spice, dill, ginger and vanilla. Full body with good acidity and a long length.

Negatives: None

Interesting Note: There hasn’t been a vintage that I haven’t liked, but I believe the 2013 is the best that I’ve tried.

Drink now or in the next 7 years on its own or pair it with Lobster Thermidor

Tasted: 26 Nov 2014 (Happy 65th anniversary to my mom and dad)

Top Pick and Best Buy

Score: 9.5/10, Value: 9.5+/10 (Sale price 10/10), Total: 19+/20

Out of 5 stars, I rated this wine: 4.5

LCBO: 308122

IL TEMPLARE MONTENIDOLI 2009, IGT Toscana, Italy

10 Wednesday Dec 2014

Posted by in Best Buys, Non LCBO Wine, Sono Montenidoli di Maria Elisabetta Fagiuoli, White Wines

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Montenidol

Cost: $9.70 Euros
Grape Variety: 70% Vernaccia, 20% Trebbiano Gentile, 10% Malvasia Bianca
Category: White Wine
Location Winery
Country: Italy
Region: Tuscany
Format: 750 mL
Producer: Sono Montenidoli
Alcohol: 13.5% Alcohol/Vol.

Versatile, diverse, interesting, complex and yes yummy

Description: Deep old gold in colour with a medium+ intense nose. This slightly oxidative wine features Lily on the nose followed by lemon tarts, honey, ginger, orange and guava. Medium+ body with good acidity and a very long length.

Negatives: None

Interesting Note: I tried every white wine glass and the results were the same, delicious.

Winemaker; Elisabetta Fagiuoli started a non-profit foundation, Sergio Il Patriarca Onlus, that helps troubled children and elderly people in need. Please visit both the winemaker’s website: www.montenidoli.com, and her foundation; http://www.sergiothepatriarch.org

Drink now or in the next 5 years on its own or pair it with goat cheese, avocado salad

Tasted: 8 Dec 2014

Best Buy and Top Pick

Score: 9.5/10, Value: 9.5/10 Total: 19/20

Out of 5 stars, I rated this wine: 4.5