Category Archives: White Wines

BURROWING OWL CHARDONNAY 2010, VQA Okanagan Valley, BC, Canada

18 Tuesday Jun 2013

Posted by in Canadian Wines, Non LCBO Wine, White Wines

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Burrowing Chard

Cost: $24.90
Grape Variety: Chardonnay
Category: White Wine
Location Bought: Burrowing Vineyard Winery
Country: Canada
Region: Okanagan Valley
Format: 750 mL
Producer: Ravine Vineyard Winery
Alcohol: 13.5% Alcohol/Vol.
Description: Medium gold in colour with a medium to medium+ intense nose.

I don’t know if I like it or dislike it? I tried this a day later and I liked it. Needs time to open up.

Positives: Medium+ toasted oak with light butter, lemon, flint, pink grapefruit, peach pit, and limestone. After a day the wine opens up to feature mangos, golden apples, and cantaloupe. Medium body to medium+ with good acidity a long length.

Negatives: None

Drink now on its own or pair it with lobster.

Tasted: 13 June 13

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

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

TAWSE QUARRY ROAD CHARDONNAY 2010, VQA Vinemount Ridge, Ontario, Canada

30 Thursday May 2013

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Tawse

Cost: $34.95 (Clearance Price $24.50)
Grape Variety: Chardonnay
Category: White Wine
Location Bought: LCBO Vintage
Country: Canada
Region: Vinemount Ridge, Ontario
Format: 750 mL
Producer: Tawse Winery
Alcohol: 13.5% Alcohol/Vol.
Description: Medium+ straw in colour with a medium to medium+ nose.

Well balanced & made in the Mâcon style.

Positives: Oak is well integrated and features white roses, mandarin, grapefruit, verbena, fennel, lemon grass, lemon rind, green apples, pear and limestone. Medium body with above average acidity for a Chard and a very long length. Don’t over chill.

Negatives: A touch too sour on the finish for me.

Interesting Notes: I used the large warmer or Meursault style Chard glass and the smaller traditional Chard glass and each one were slightly different and I couldn’t decide which one I liked best.

Drink now on or over the next 5 years on its own or pair it with creamy seafood risotto.

Tasted: 28 May 13

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

Out of 5 stars, I rated this wine: 4

LCBO: 111989

FLOR DE VETUS VERDEJO 2012, DO Rueda, Spain

19 Sunday May 2013

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Flor de Vetus

Cost: $14.95
Grape Variety: Verdejo
Category: White Wine
Location Bought: LCBO Vintage
Country: Spain
Region: Rueda
Format: 750 mL
Producer:  Bodegas Vetus
Alcohol: 12.5% Alcohol/Vol.
Description: Medium straw in colour with an intense nose.

A good alternative to Sancerre at half the price or Oz Sauvignon Blanc at the same price.

Positives: A great summer wine that features a lot of citric and stone fruit with an added minerality at the end. Medium body with refreshing acidity and a fairly long length.

Drink now on its own or pair it with sushi.

Tasted: 17 May 13

Best Buy

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

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

Thanks Carol Ann, from WineAlign, for the opportunity to taste this.

LCBO: 320259

 

JEAN PAUL BRUN BEAUJOLAIS BLANC 2010, AC Beaujolais, France

18 Saturday May 2013

Posted by in Non LCBO Wine, White Wines

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Jean-Paul_Brun_Beaujolais_Chardonnay_web

Cost: $23.65
Grape Variety: Chardonnay
Category: White Wine
Location Bought: Agent
Country: France
Region: Beaujolais
Format: 750 mL
Producer: Jean Paul Brun
Alcohol: 12.5% Alcohol/Vol.
Description: Bright gold in colour with a medium+ intense nose.

Positives: Lots going on with this Chard from lightly smoked toasted oak with a buttery creaminess, lemon, green apple, persimmon, apple crumble pie, peach and limestone on the finish. Medium to medium+ body with good acidity and a long length.

Negatives: None.

Interesting Notes: I like the old style label. Thank you Carol Ann from WineAlign for the opportunity to taste this wine.

Drink now on or over the next 3 years on its own or pair it with lobster in butter sauce

Tasted: 17 May 13

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

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

KENDALL-JACKSON GRAND RESERVE CHARDONNAY 2009, Santa Barbara/Monterey County, California

12 Sunday May 2013

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KJ

Cost: $27.95 (Clearance price $22.40)
Grape Variety: Chardonnay
Category: White Wine
Location Bought: LCBO Vintage
Country: United States
Region: 51% Santa Barbara County, 49& Monterey County
Format: 750 mL
Producer: Kendall-Jackson Winery
Alcohol: 13.5% Alcohol/Vol.
Description: Gold in colour with a medium+ intense nose.

Kendall-Jackson produces solid Chardonnay’s from the entry level to their high end, and is probably one of my top 10 go to Chards.

Positives: Nicely balanced Chard that has medium buttered toasted oak with oak spice, cloves, lemon, crème brûlée, Easter Lilly, butterscotch, marshmallow, pineapple, peach, orange, apple crumble pie and a touch of limestone. Full body with good acidity and a very long length. Nice to see a quality Chard being under 14% alcohol.

Negatives: None

Drink now on or over the next 5 years on its own or pair it with steamed lobster with drawn butter.

Tasted: 10 May 13

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

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

LCBO: 59576

PALMIRA LARNER VINEYARDS MALVASIA BIANCA 2010, Santa Ynez Valley, California

12 Sunday May 2013

Posted by in Top Picks, Price Not Withstanding, White Wines

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Malvasia

Cost: $35.95 (Clearance price $28.80)
Grape Variety: Malvasia
Category: White Wine
Location Bought: LCBO Vintage
Country: United States
Region: Santa Ynez Valley
Format: 750 mL
Producer: Palmina Winery
Alcohol: 13% Alcohol/Vol.
Description: Medium straw in colour with an intense floral nose.

Can’t miss wine that one must try. So easy to drink that one can drink 2 bottles in one sitting and not realize it.

Positives: A perfect summer sipper featuring Ylang Ylang, lychee, peach, anise, lemon, orange, pink grapefruit and fennel on the finish. Medium body with good acidity and a long length.

Negatives: None.

Interesting Notes: A cross between Viognier, Muscat and Gewürztraminer. Malvasia is predominantly grown in Italy, but this rare find in California is a gem.

Drink now on or over the next 2 years on its own or pair it with Cayman style Wahoo Ceviche.

Tasted: 11 May 13

Top Pick

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

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

LCBO: 289157

TAWSE SKETCHES OF NIAGARA CHARDONNAY 2009, VQA Niagara Peninsula, Ontario, Canada

21 Sunday Apr 2013

Posted by in Best Buys, Canadian Wines, White Wines

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Tawse Chard

Cost: $19.95
Grape Variety: Chardonnay
Category: White Wine
Location Bought: LCBO Vintage
Country: Canada
Region: Niagara Peninsula
Format: 750 mL
Producer: Tawse Winery
Alcohol: 13% Alcohol/Vol.
Description: Medium straw in colour and medium intense nose.

Always nice to have a good quality Ontario Chardonnay that’s under $20.

Positives: This is a delicate Chard which has several layers featuring light oak, lemon, grapefruit, peat, green apple, wood smoke, limestone and hints of caramel. Medium body, with good acidity and a long length.

Negatives: A little sour on the finish.

Drink now or over the next 2 years on its own or pair it with seared scallops wrapped in bacon served on a bed of wilted spinach with candy tomatoes (my wife’s great recipe).

Tasted: 19 April 13

Best Buy

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

Out of 5 stars, I rated this wine: 4

LCBO: 89037

HESS SELECT CHARDONNAY 2010, Monterey County, California

16 Tuesday Apr 2013

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Hess Chard

Cost: $15.95
Grape Variety: Chardonnay
Category: White Wine
Location Bought: LCBO General List
Country: United States
Region: Monterey
Format: 750 mL
Producer: Hess Winery
Alcohol: 13.5% Alcohol/Vol.
Description: Light bright gold in colour and medium+ intense nose.

A nice easy drinking California Chard that’s not overly oaked has some minerality and is under 14% alcohol.

Positives: Medium oak, lightly toasted, buttery with cream corn, golden apples, dill, mangos, pineapples and a touch of limestone. Medium body, good acidity and a fairly long length.

Negatives: None

Drink now or over the next 2 years on its own or pair it with rotisserie Cornish Hens.

Tasted: 15 April 13

Best Buy

Score: 8.5+/10, Value: 9.5/10 Total: 18+/20

Out of 5 stars, I rated this wine: 4

LCBO: 270074

CHÁTEAUNEUF-DU-PAPE, DOMAINE DE LA CÔTE DE L’ANGE 2010, AOC Côte de Rhône, France

01 Monday Apr 2013

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C de P

Cost: $37.90
Grape Variety: 70% Grenache, 20% Syrah, 10% Mourvèdre
Category: Red Wine
Location Bought: LCBO Vintage
Country: France
Region: Côte de Rhône
Format: 750 mL
Producer: Sari La Côte de L’Ange
Alcohol: 15.5% Alcohol/Vol.
Description: Deep ruby in colour with a medium intense nose.

An elegant Cháteauneuf-de-Pape

Positives: The dominance of Grenache shows up strongly here. This features light oak, mushroom, thyme, sage, black cherry, black currants, raspberry, plums, incense, forest underbrush and leather. Full body with medium to medium+ tannins, good acidity and a long length.

Negatives: A little hot from the 15.5% alcohol.

Interesting Point: Use a Syrah glass if you have one.

Drink now or over the next 7 years on its own or pair it with an aged rib eye steak.

Tasted: 1 Aprl 13

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

Out of 5 stars, I rated this wine: 4

LCBO#: 74856

MISSION HILL FIVE VINEYARDS SAUVIGNON BLANC 2011, Okanagan Valley, British Columbia, Canada

01 Monday Apr 2013

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Mission Hill Sauv Bl

Cost: $15.95
Grape Variety: Sauvignon Blanc
Category: White Wine
Location Bought: LCBO General List
Country: Canada
Region: Okanagan Valley
Format: 750 mL
Producer: Mission Hill Family Estate
Alcohol: 12.5% Alcohol/Vol.
Description: Light straw in colour with a medium+ intense nose

Positives: Classic and not overpowering notes of Sauvignon Blanc, featuring guava, lantana, gooseberry, hay, cucumber and dill. Light body with good acidity and a fairly long length.

Negatives: None

Drink now on its own or pair it with ceviche.

Tasted: 30 Mar 13

Best Buy

Score: 8.5+/10, Value: 9/10 Total: 17.5+/20

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

LCBO#: 145086