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

Cost: $18.95
Grape Variety: Chardonnay
Category: White wine
Location Bought: LCBO Vintages
Country: United States
Region: Russian River Valley, Sonoma, California
Format: 750 mL
Producer: Truett-Hurst
Alcohol: 14.5% Alcohol/Vol.

Cool bottle, great region, love the wine, enough said

Description: Bright light gold in colour with a medium intense nose. This wine features light oak, lemon, peach, clementine, yellow apple, pineapple, pear, oak spice and clove. Medium+ body with good acidity, a fairly long length and the alcohol is well integrated.

Negatives: None

Interesting Point: One would think that a Californian Chard with 14.5% alcohol would drink best in a new world style Chard glass, but you would be wrong, at least I was as it was nicely balanced in a cooler style (smaller style) Chard glass. The best glass was the Riedel Chard/Viognier glass. In the new world glass I would rate this wine at 88, but in the smaller glass the rating goes up to 90.

Ok I admit I bought this Chard because of the cool bottle that’s reminiscent of the California in the mid to late 1800s. In addition, it’s from the Russian River Valley, which is where some of my favourite Chards come from. Lucky for me the taste was equally appealing.

Drink now or in the next 3 years on its own or pair it with grilled quail with pepper jelly glaze.

Tasted: 21 Oct 2014

Best Buy

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

Out of 5 stars, I rated this wine: 4

LCBO: 356717

Cost: $10.95
Grape Variety: Chardonnay
Category: White wine
Location Bought: LCBO General List
Country: Australia
Region: South Eastern Australia
Format: 750 mL
Producer: Little Penguin Winery
Alcohol: 12% Alcohol/Vol.

Nothing complicated here, just some nice easy drinking Chard that has both creamy buttery notes balanced with citric notes

Description: Deep gold in colour with a medium+ intense nose. This wine features mild toast, lemons, pineapple, green apple, tangerines, cream corn and vanilla. Medium to medium+ body with good acidity and an average length.

Negatives: None

Drink now or in the next year on its own or pair it with Chef Ken Lefebour from Nellie James Gourmet Food to Go farm fresh baked squash with Ontario Brie, pears and sage on a bed of Arugula

Thanks to Go Cooking for the event with Chef Ken Lefebour

Tasted: 6 Oct 2014

Best Buy

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

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

LCBO: 598904