Category Archives: White Wines

CATHEDRAL CELLAR CHARDONNAY 2012, Western Cape, South Africa

17 Saturday Aug 2013

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Cathedral

Cost: $14.95
Grape Variety: Chardonnay
Category: White Wine
Location Bought: LCBO Vintages
Country: South Africa
Region: Western Cape
Format: 750 mL
Producer: KWV
Alcohol: 13.5% Alcohol/Vol.
Description: Light gold in colour with a medium to medium+ intense nose.

A simple Chard and not as good as their 2011 vintage

Positives: Lots of lemon, lime, grapefruit with limestone. Medium body with high acidity and an average length.

Negatives: A touch too sour for me.

Drink now on its own or pair it with Kentucky Fried Chicken.

Tasted: 16 Dec 2013

Score: 8+/10, Value: 8.5/10 Total: 16.5+/20

Out of 5 stars, I rated this wine: 3+

LCBO: 328559

RUSTENBERG STELLENBOSCH CHARDONNAY 2011, Stellenbosch, South Africa

17 Saturday Aug 2013

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Chard

Cost: $22.95
Grape Variety: Chardonnay
Category: White Wine
Location Bought: LCBO Vintages
Country: South Africa
Region: Stellenbosch
Format: 750 mL
Producer: Rustenberg
Alcohol: 14% Alcohol/Vol.
Description: Light gold in colour with a medium to medium+ intense nose.

A quality Chard that is under $25.

Positives: This wine features well-integrated oak, lightly buttered toast, lemon, peach, pineapple, vanilla, nutmeg and cinnamon. Full body with good acidity and a long length.

Negatives: None

Interesting Point: Use the larger new World Chardonnay glass.

Drink now or over the next 5 years on its own or pair it with seared scallops wrapped in bacon.

Tasted: 15 Aug 2013

Best Buy

Score: 9+/10, Value: 9+/10 Total: 18.5/20

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

LCBO: 598631

BURNING KILN HARVEST PARTY CHARDONNAY 2011, VQA Ontario, Canada

12 Monday Aug 2013

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Burning Kiln

Cost: $14.95
Grape Variety: Chardonnay
Category: White Wine
Location Bought: Winery
Country: Canada
Region: Ontario
Format: 750 mL
Producer: Burning Kiln
Alcohol: 13.2% Alcohol/Vol.
Description: Straw in colour with a medium to low intense nose.

Thank you to my friend Marty for bringing this fairly priced Chard that’s easy to drink.

Positives: Nothing really expresses itself in this mild Chard, instead it has a soft melody of light oak, lemon, peach & apples (red, yellow & green). Medium body with medium acidity and a fairly long length.

Negatives: A slight bitterness on the aftertaste.

Drink now on its own or pair it with Chilean sea bass.

Tasted: 12 Aug 2013

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

Out of 5 stars, I rated this wine: 3.5

THOMAS FOGARTY CHARDONNAY 2008, Santa Cruz Mountain, California

05 Monday Aug 2013

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thomas-fogarty-santa-cruz-mountains-estate-chardonnay-santa-cruz-county-usa-10141285_web

Cost: $18.95 (Clearance: $15.95 with a further clearance $12.80)
Grape Variety: Chardonnay
Category: White Wine
Location Bought: LCBO Vintages
Country: United States
Region: Santa Cruz Mountain
Format: 750 mL
Producer: Thomas Fogarty
Alcohol: 14.1% Alcohol/Vol.
Description: Deep gold in colour with medium+ intense nose.

Taste is better than the nose

Positives: The taste is rich and creamy featuring medium+ toasted oak, buttered popcorn, apple crumble pie, pear & peach. Full body with good acidity and a fairly long length.

Negatives: Didn’t like the powerful wood resin/smoky peat nose.

Drink now on its own or pair it with Camembert.

Tasted: 5 August 2013

Score: 8+/10, Value: 8+/10 (Clearance price: 8.5/10) Total: 16.5/20

Out of 5 stars, I rated this wine: 3+

LCBO: 269746

CLOS JORDANNE VILLAGE RESERVE CHARDONNAY 2010, VQA Niagara Peninsula, Ontario, Canada

31 Wednesday Jul 2013

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Clos Chardonnay

Cost: $30.00 (Clearance: $21.05)
Grape Variety: Chardonnay
Category: White Wine
Location Bought: LCBO Vintages
Country: Canada
Region: Niagara Peninsula
Format: 750 mL
Producer: Clos Jordanne (Constellation Brands Inc)
Alcohol: 13.5% Alcohol/Vol.
Description: Gold in colour with a medium to medium+ intense nose.

Quality wine that is well balanced at a reasonable price, and a best buy if you can get it at the clearance price.

Positives: This wine features well-integrated oak, mild toast, maple, lemon, peach, pineapple, vanilla, nutmeg and cinnamon. Medium+ body with good acidity and a fairly long length.

Negatives: None

Interesting Point: I tried this wine in several different Riedel style Chardonnay glasses and found the larger new world style to be the best.

Drink now or over the next year on its own or pair it with seared scallops with a hint of nutmeg and cracked pepper over angel hair pasta tossed in olive oil with basil and grape tomatoes.

Tasted: 29 July 2013

Score: 9/10, Value: 8.5+/10 (Clearance price: 9.5/10) Total: 18/20

Out of 5 stars, I rated this wine: 4

LCBO: 33936

PENINSULA RIDGE RESERVE VIOGNIER 2007, VQA Niagara Peninsula, Ontario, Canada

23 Tuesday Jul 2013

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Viognier

Cost: $14.95
Grape Variety: Viognier
Category: White Wine
Location Bought: Winery
Country: Canada
Region: Niagara Peninsula
Format: 750 mL
Producer: Peninsula Ridge Estates Winery
Alcohol: 12.5% Alcohol/Vol.
Description: Straw in colour with medium+ intense nose.

This is one of the better Canadian Viogniers I have tasted to date.

Positives: This wine has a good balance between fruit and acidity showing apricot, peach, lemon, grapefruit & white pepper. Medium body and tannins with medium+ acidity a fairly long length.

Negatives: None

Drink now on its own or pair it with apricot glazed pork.

Tasted: 23 July 2013

Best Buy

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

Out of 5 stars, I rated this wine: 4

TOASTED HEAD BARREL AGED CHARDONNAY 2011, California, United States

09 Tuesday Jul 2013

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Toasted Head

Cost: $17.95 (Sale price until 21 July 13: $15.95)
Grape Variety: Chardonnay
Category: White Wine
Location Bought: LCBO Vintages
Country: California
Region: California
Format: 750 mL
Producer: R.H. Phillips Vineyard & Winery
Alcohol: 14% Alcohol/Vol.
Description: Gold in colour with medium+ intense nose.

A good 2nd bottle to have on hand when you don’t want to open something expensive.

Positives: A simple Chard that’s easy to drink featuring medium oak with a mild toasting, lemon meringue, smoky apple cinnamon, peaches & cream corn, and buttery popcorn. Medium+ body with good acidity an average length.

Negatives: None

Interesting Notes: LCBO puts this wine on sale a couple times a year, which makes it worth buying.

Drink now on its own or pair it with chicken Alfredo.

Tasted: 7 July 2013

Score: 8.5/10, Value: 8.5+/10 (Sale price 9/10) Total: 17+/20

Out of 5 stars, I rated this wine: 3.5

LCBO: 594341

LAPOSTOLLE CUVÉE ALEXANDRE CHARDONNAY 2011 ATALAYAS VINEYARD, Casablanca Valley, Chile

07 Sunday Jul 2013

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Cuvee Alexandre Chard

Cost: $20.75
Grape Variety: Chardonnay
Category: White Wine
Location Bought: LCBO Vintages
Country: Chile
Region: Casablanca Valley
Format: 750 mL
Producer: Lapostolle
Alcohol: 14% Alcohol/Vol.
Description: Light gold in colour with medium+ intense nose.

A nice balance between oak, fruit and minerality.

Positives: Light to medium toasted oak featuring lemon drops, pears, peach, buttered popcorn, a touch of honey and limestone. Full body with good acidity and a fairly long length.

Negatives: None

Drink now on its own or cellar it for another 5 years. Pair it with roasted turkey.

Tasted: 11 June 2013

Best Buy

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

Out of 5 stars, I rated this wine: 4

LCBO: 947937

CHATEAU DE SANCERRE 2011, AC Loire Valley, France

07 Sunday Jul 2013

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Chateau de Sancerre

Cost: $23.95
Grape Variety: Sauvignon Blanc
Category: White Wine
Location Bought: Trialto
Country: France
Region: Sancerre, Loire Valley
Format: 750 mL
Producer: Lapostolle
Alcohol: 13% Alcohol/Vol.
Description: Straw in colour with medium to medium+ intense nose.

Positives: A powerful Sancerre showing tropical fruits and minerality. Medium body with high acidity a long length.

Negatives: None

Drink now or cellar it for another 5 years. Due to the high acidity this wine needs food to be paired with food such as Julian salad.

Tasted: 11 June 2013

Score: 8.5+/10, Value: 8.5/10 Total: 19/20

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

LAPOSTOLLE CASA SAUVIGNON BLANC 2012, Rapel Valley, Chile

07 Sunday Jul 2013

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L Casa Sauvignon Blanc

Cost: $14.95
Grape Variety: 90% Sauvignon Blanc, 8% Semillon, 2% Sauvignon Gris
Category: White Wine
Location Bought: LCBO Vintages
Country: Chile
Region: Rapel Valley
Format: 750 mL
Producer: Lapostolle
Alcohol: 13.5% Alcohol/Vol.
Description: Straw in colour with medium+ intense nose.

A nice change from the typical New Zealand Sauvignon Blancs

Positives: This easy drinking wine features pear, lemon, with some gooseberry & limestone. Medium body with good acidity a long length.

Negatives: None

Drink now on its own or cellar it for another 2 years. Pair it with red snapper ceviche.

Tasted: 11 June 2013

Best Buy

Score: 8.5+/10, Value: 9/10 Total: 19/20

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

LCBO: 321554