Category Archives: White Wines

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

Posted by in Non LCBO Wine, White Wines

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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

BYRON 2010 CHARDONNAY, Santa Maria Valley, California

28 Friday Jun 2013

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Byron Chard

Cost: $28.59 (Cayman Islands)
Grape Variety: Chardonnay
Category: White Wine
Location Bought: Blackbeard’s Cayman Islands
Country: United States
Region: Santa Maria Valley
Format: 750 mL
Producer: Byron Estate Winery
Alcohol: 14.9% Alcohol/Vol.
Description: Bright gold in colour with a medium to medium+ nose.

Positives: Medium toasted oak featuring light butter, lemon meringue, tangerines, pineapples, and nutmeg. Full body with good acidity a long length and the alcohol is well integrated.

Negatives: None

Drink now on its own or cellar it for another 5 years and pair it with angel hair pasta with pepper scallops.

Tasted: 28 June 13

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

Out of 5 stars, I rated this wine: 4

FIVE ROWS PINOT GRIS 2011, VQA St. David’s Bench, Niagara Peninsula, Canada

23 Sunday Jun 2013

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Five Rows

Cost: $ Can’t remember
Grape Variety: Pinto Gris
Category: White Wine
Location Bought: Winery
Country: Canada
Region: St. David’s Bench
Format: 750 mL
Producer: Five Rows
Alcohol: 13% Alcohol/Vol.
Description: Deep straw with a pink tinge (looks like light bronze) in colour and a medium+ nose.

A very nice, crisp Pinot Gris made in the Alscasian style.

Positives: This wine features green apples, pear, almonds and peach. Medium body with high acidity and a good length.

Negatives: None

Interesting Notes: I recommend visiting this small winery at St. David’s as they have a great assortment of cheese and bread to go with their wines.

Drink now on its own or cellar it for another 5 years. Pair it with seared scallops on wilted greens.

Tasted: 23 June 13

Score: 9+/10,

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

RAVINE VINEYARD RESERVE CHARDONNAY 2010, VQA Niagara Peninsula, Canada

23 Sunday Jun 2013

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Ravine Chard

Cost: $24.00
Grape Variety: Chardonnay
Category: White Wine
Location Bought: Ravine Vineyard Winery
Country: Canada
Region: Niagara Peninsula
Format: 750 mL
Producer: Ravine Vineyard Winery
Alcohol: 13.5% Alcohol/Vol.
Description: Light gold in colour with a medium intense nose.

The taste is more expressive than the nose.

Positives: A well-integrated Chard balancing the oak, fruit & minerality. Medium toasted oak, light butter with lemon, green & golden apples, pink grapefruit, melon and limestone. Medium body to medium+ with good acidity and a very long length.

Negatives: None

Drink now on its own or pair it with lemon/pepper grilled tilapia.

Tasted: 13 June 13

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

Out of 5 stars, I rated this wine: 4

SEGUIN-MANUEL CHASSAGNE-MONTRACHET “VIEILLES VIGNES” 2010, AC Beaune, Côte-d’Or, France

23 Sunday Jun 2013

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Seguin_Manuel_Chassagne_Montrachet_web

Cost: $57.95
Grape Variety: Chardonnay
Category: White Wine
Location Bought: LCBO Vintage
Country: France
Region: Chassagne-Montrachet
Format: 750 mL
Producer: Sequin-Manuel
Alcohol: 13% Alcohol/Vol.
Description: Straw with light gold in colour with a medium to medium+ intense nose.

Positives: An expressive wine featuring lemon, peach, pineapple, flint, green apple, grapefruit and limestone. Medium body with high acidity a long length.

Negatives: A touch too sour on the finish

Interesting Notes: Coming to LCBO July 6

Drink now and suggest pairing this with wahoo escovitch.

Tasted: 13 June 13

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

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

LCBO: 330209