Category Archives: White Wines

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

21 Sunday Apr 2013

Posted by in Best Buys, Canadian Wines, White Wines

≈ Leave a comment


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

Posted by in Best Buys, White Wines

≈ Leave a comment


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

Posted by in White Wines

≈ Leave a comment


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

Posted by in Best Buys, Canadian Wines, White Wines

≈ Leave a comment


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

CHATEAU ST. JEAN CHARDONNAY 2011, Sonoma County, California

29 Friday Mar 2013

Posted by in White Wines

≈ Leave a comment


CHATEAU_ST._JEAN_CHARDONNAY_web

Cost: $18.95 (on sale $16.95 until 1 April 2013)
Grape Variety: Chardonnay
Category: White Wine
Location Bought: LCBO General List
Country: United States
Region: Sonoma County
Format: 750 mL
Producer: Chateau St. Jean Winery
Alcohol: 13.4% Alcohol/Vol.
Description: Light gold in colour with medium to medium+ intense nose.

I like this Chard, but the list price should be the sale price.

Positives: Light oak with lemon rind, pineapple, apricot yogurt, baked apples and limestone. Medium body with good acidity and a surprisingly long length considering this is an entry level Chard.

Negatives: A little sour on the finish.

Drink now on its own or pair it with lemon, pepper grilled catfish.

Tasted: 29 Mar 13

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

Out of 5 stars, I rated this wine: 3.5

LCBO#: 269738

SCHUG CHARDONNAY 2008, Sonoma County, California

18 Monday Mar 2013

Posted by in Non LCBO Wine, White Wines

≈ Leave a comment


Cost: $28.99 CI
Grape Variety: Chardonnay
Category: White Wine
Location Bought: Tortuga Cayman Islands
Country: United States
Region: Sonoma County
Format: 750 mL
Producer: Schug Family
Alcohol: 13.5 %
Description: Light gold in colour with a medium+ intensity on the nose.

Positives: Lighter style Chard featuring medium minus toasted oak, pineapple, grapefruit, lemon,  pear and limestone. Medium to medium+ body with good acidity and, medium+ length.

Negatives: A little sourness on the finish. It appears that this may be past its prime as the fruit is some what muted.

Drink now on its own or match it Chinese roast chicken.

Tasted: 8 April 12

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

Out of 5 stars, I rated this wine: 3.5

Retested: 18 March 2013

This one was better than the last tasting I did in April 2012. The only negative in this tasting was a little sour on the finish.

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

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

Retested 7 Dec 2014

Same as tested in March 2013

CLOS DU VAL CHARDONNAY 2009, Carneros, California

17 Sunday Mar 2013

Posted by in Non LCBO Wine, Top Picks, Price Not Withstanding, White Wines

≈ Leave a comment


Clos du val chard

Cost: $28.99 (Cayman)
Grape Variety: Chardonnay
Category: White Wine
Location Bought: Tortuga Cayman Islands
Country: United States
Region: Carneros
Format: 750 mL
Producer: Clos du Val
Alcohol: 13.5% Alcohol/Vol.
Description: Gold in colour with a medium to medium+ intense nose.

Ding ding ding; we have a winner. A Chard that is buttery, medium oak, tropical fruit, citric fruit with minerality and not over 14% alcohol.

Positives: Lots of flavour going on here. Easter Lily, lemon, green and golden apple, pineapple, nutmeg, dill, caramel, creamed corn, crème brulee, toasted coconut, vanilla, mandarin, beeswax, limestone and pink grapefruit on the finish.

Negatives: None

Drink now on or over the next 3 years on its own or pair it with seasoned beef brisket.

Tasted: 17 Mar 13

Top Pick

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

Out of 5 stars, I rated this wine: 4.5

GHOST PINES CHARDONNAY WINEMAKER’S BLEND 2010, 61% Sonoma, 22% Napa County, 17% Monterey County, California

13 Wednesday Mar 2013

Posted by in Best Buys, White Wines

≈ Leave a comment


Ghost Pines
 
Cost: $19.95 (on sale for $17.95 until April 1, 2013)
Grape Variety: Chardonnay
Category: White Wine
Location Bought: LCBO General List
Country: USA
Region: Sonoma Napa & Monterey County
Format: 750 mL
Producer: Louis M. Martini Winery
Alcohol: 14.0 %

Description: Light gold in colour with a medium to medium+ intensity.

Really nice to drink, not too creamy, not too citric, and not too oaky, just right, and being under $20, priced just right. Actually better than just right as I would pick this as a $30-$40 Chard.

Positives: Medium toasted oak, with vanilla, lemon, green & MacIntosh apples, slight apple pie, pear, cashews, pineapple, cantaloupe, sweet corn & limestone. Full body with good acidity and a long length.

Negatives: None

Interesting Point: Louis P. Martin is the son of Napa pioneer Louis M. Martin.

Drink now or over the next 3 years on its own or pair it with snow crab legs and drawn butter.

Tasted: 11 March 2013

Best Buy

Score: 9+/10, Value: 9+/10 (sale: 10/10), Total: 18.5/20

Out of 5 stars, I rated this wine: 4.5

LCBO#: 308122

ROBERT MONDAVI CHARDONNAY NAPA VALLEY 2010, Napa Valley, California

11 Monday Mar 2013

Posted by in White Wines

≈ Leave a comment


 
RM 1
 
Cost: $25.95 (on sale for $23.95 until March 31, 2013)
Grape Variety: Chardonnay
Category: White Wine
Location Bought: LCBO General List
Country: USA
Region: Napa Valley
Format: 750 mL
Producer: Robert Mondavi Winery
Alcohol: 13.5 %

Description: Light gold in colour with a medium intense nose.

Overall I was disappointed in this Chard because its just an okay wine from a good winery, a really good appellation and it tastes more like a $15 wine.

Positives: No new wood detected. Chard features lemon/lime, unripe pineapple, green apples, honeydew melon and limestone. Medium body with good acidity and average length.

Negatives: Not much here, good crispiness but lacks fruit.

Interesting Point: Don’t over chill in order to maximize the fruit that is present.

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

Tasted: 7 March 2013

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

Out of 5 stars, I rated this wine: 3.5

LCBO#: 310409

RAYMOND RESERVE SELECTION CHARDONNAY 2010, Napa Valley, California

08 Friday Mar 2013

Posted by in Best Buys, White Wines

≈ Leave a comment


Cost: $22.95
Grape Variety: Chardonnay
Category: White Wine
Location Bought: LCBO VINTAGES
Country: USA
Region: Napa Valley
Format: 750 mL
Producer: Raymond Vineyard & Cellar
Alcohol: 14.5 %
Description: Bright gold in colour with a medium+ intensity on the nose.
 
Positives: Easy drinking & delicious Chard, some would say soft, is not overly complex, but has lots of mango, pineapple, peach, toffee, creme brûlée and a limestone finish. The wood is nicely integrated. Full body with good acidity & a long length.
 
Negatives: The 14.5% alcohol gives it a little bit of heat on the finish.
 
Interesting Point: Worth the $5 extra to buy this over Raymond’s entry level Chard that I reviewed on June 16, 2012.

Drink now or over the next 2 years on its own or pair it with lobster and drawn butter.

Tasted: 7 March 2013

Best Buy

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

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

LCBO#:716928