Category Archives: White Wines

CHATEAU DES CHARMES CHARDONNAY BARREL FERMENTED 2010, VQA Niagara-on-the-Lake, Ontario

25 Friday Jan 2013

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Château Des Charmes Chardonnay Barrel Fermented 2010, VQA Niagara-On-The-Lake Bottle

Cost: $13.95 (Clearance price of $11.20)
Grape Variety: Chardonnay
Category: White Wine
Location Bought: LCBO General List
Country: Canada
Region: Niagara-on-the-Lake
Format: 750 mL
Producer: Chateau Des Charmes
Alcohol: 13.0 %
Description: Light gold in colour with a medium+ nose.

Positives: What a nice balanced Chard that is only $13.95, or even better at the clearance price of $11.20, which you really can’t beat. This wine features a mild oak spice, lemon, melon, clementine, MacIntosh apple & limestone. Medium body with good acidity and a fairly long length.

Negatives: None

Interesting Point: I can just see myself on a nice summer day drinking this Chard at my favourite golf course patio after just posting a 62, then realizing that I did that only on the front nine. Oh well, I’ll have another bottle please. Drink from the smaller Chardonnay glass. FYI it’s -25 C with windchill right now!

Drink now on its own, as above, or pair it with chicken parmigiana.

Tasted: 24 Jan 13

Best Buy

Score: 8.5+/10, Value:10/10, Total: 18.5+/20

Out of 5 stars, I rated this wine: 4

LCBO#: 81653

THREE RIVERS CHARDONNAY 2008, Columbia Valley, Washington

23 Wednesday Jan 2013

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Three Rivers Chardonnay 2008, Columbia Valley Bottle

Cost: $19.95 (clearance price of $14)
Grape Variety: Chardonnay
Category: White Wine
Location Bought: LCBO VINTAGES
Country: USA
Region: Columbia Valley
Format: 750 mL
Producer: Foley Family Wines Inc.
Alcohol: 14.3% Alcohol/Vol.
Description: Rich gold with a medium to medium+ intensity on the nose.

Positives: Yummy! I would rate this a two bottle per person to drink in a day/night, (three if you start in the morning). This may not have a balanced fruit to mineral ratio to make it a high scoring Chard, but if you just want to enjoy a wine, not care about the technical scores and just get hammered, this one’s for you. Medium+ oak with a medium toast, Paula Deen buttery delight, butterscotch, toffee, coconut, lemon meringue pie and roasted marshmallows. Full body with good acidity and a very long length.

Negatives: Some heat coming from the 14.3% alcohol.

Interesting Point: Use the large Chard glasses and don’t chill it too much.

Drink now on its own or pair with lobster and drawn butter, or surf and turf.

Tasted: 22 Jan 13

Best Buy

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

Out of 5 stars, I rated this wine: 4.5

LCBO#: 233445

COORALOOK PINOT GRIS 2008, Strathbogie Ranges (90%) Mornington Peninsula (10%), Australia

20 Sunday Jan 2013

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Cooralook Pinot Gris 2008 Bottle

Cost: $14.90
Grape Variety: Pinot gris
Category: White Wine
Location Bought: LCBO General List
Country: Australia
Region: Strathbodie Ranges & Mornington Peninsula
Format: 750 mL
Producer: Yabby Lake International Pty.L
Alcohol: 14.0% Alcohol/Vol.
Description: Bright gold in colour with a medium to medium+ intense nose.

Positives: An easy drinking Pinot Gris styled between the Italian Pinot Grigio and Alsace Pinot Gris. This wine is crisp with lemon, honeysuckle, pink grapefruit and pineapple. Medium body with good acidity and a fairly long length.

Negatives: None

Interesting Point: The 2008 is on sale now for $11.95, which is a great deal.

Drink now on its own or pair it with Chinese food.

Tasted: 19 Jan 13

Best Buy

Score: 8.5+/10, Value:10/10, Total: 18.5+/20

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

LCBO#: 212712

ROBERT MONDAVI PINOT NOIR CARNEROS, 2007, Carneros, California

14 Monday Jan 2013

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Robert Mondavi Pinot Noir 2008, Carneros, Napa Valley Bottle

Cost: $27.95 (Cayman Islands)
Grape Variety: Pinot Noir
Category: Red Wine
Location Bought: Jacques Scott, Cayman Islands
Country: United States
Region: Carneros
Format: 750 mL
Producer: Robert Mondavi Winery
Alcohol: 14.5% Alcohol/Vol.
Description: Medium ruby to garnet in colour with a medium intense nose.

A simple Pinot that shouldn’t offend anyone but disappointing considering it comes from Carneros.

The wine features rhubarb, cranberry, pine, cola and sour cherry.

Drink now on its own or pair it with rabbit.

Tasted: 13 Jan 13

Score: 8.5/10, Value: 7.5/10, Total: 16/20

Out of 5 stars, I rated this wine: 3.5

SCOTT FAMILY ESTATE DIJON CLONE CHARDONNAY 2011, Arroyo Seco, Monterey County, California

09 Wednesday Jan 2013

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Scott Family Estate Dijon Clone Chardonnay 2011, Arroyo Seco, Monterey County Bottle

Cost: $23.95
Grape Variety: Chardonnay
Category: White Wine
Location Bought: LCBO VINTAGES
Country: USA
Region: Arroyo Seco, Monterey County
Format: 750 mL
Producer: Rutherford Wine Company
Alcohol: 13.5% Alcohol/Vol.
Description: Bright gold in colour with a medium to medium+ intensity on the nose.

Positives: A pleasant wine featuring lightly toasted oak, green apple, lemon meringue and butterscotch on the finish. Medium+ body, with good acidity and medium length.

Negatives: None

Drink now or over the next 3 years on its own or pair it with rotisserie chicken.

Tasted: 8 Jan 13

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

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

LCBO#: 99051

CATHEDRAL CELLAR CHARDONNAY 2011, Western Cape, South Africa

04 Friday Jan 2013

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Cathedral Cellar Chardonnay 2011, Wo Western Cape Bottle

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: 13.0 %
Description: Light gold in colour with a medium to medium+ intense nose.

Positives: Easy drinking & balanced Chard that features light toasted oak, melon, pineapple, lemon, all-spice, green apple, lemon drops & limestone. Medium body with good acidity and a long length, unusual for a white wine under $15.

Interesting Point: Drink from the larger Chard glass as this will bring out the tropical fruits.

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

Tasted: 3 Jan 13

Best Buy

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

Out of 5 stars, I rated this wine: 4

LCBO#: 328559

2012 IN REVIEW, ANOTHER GREAT YEAR, THANKS TO EVERYONE WHO VISITED MY SITE

01 Tuesday Jan 2013

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The WordPress.com stats helper monkeys prepared a 2012 annual report for this blog.

Here’s an excerpt:

600 people reached the top of Mt. Everest in 2012. This blog got about 9,100 views in 2012. If every person who reached the top of Mt. Everest viewed this blog, it would have taken 15 years to get that many views.

Click here to see the complete report.

M. CHAPOUTIER INVITARE CONDRIEU 2009, AC Condrieu, France

26 Wednesday Dec 2012

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

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label

Cost: $65.00
Grape Variety: Viognier
Category: White Wine
Location Bought: LCBO Vintages On-Line
Country: France
Region: Condrieu
Format: 750 ml
Producer: M. Chapoutier
Alcohol: 13.5% Alcohol/Vol.
Description: Bright gold in colour with a medium to medium+ intense nose.

Positives: Silky and smooth, this Condrieu features classic notes of apricot, honeysuckle, kiwi, baby arugula, lime, crushed stone and wakame on the finish. Full body with medium acidity and a long length.

Negatives: None

Interesting Note: Condrieu, a small appellation in Northern Rhône, was the drink of blue bloods centuries ago.

Drink now or over the next 2 years, on its own or with Christmas turkey.

Tasted: 25 Dec 12, Merry Christmas Everyone

Top Pick

Score: 9.5/10, Value: 9/10, Total: 18.5/20

Out of 5 stars, I rated this wine: 4.5

LCBO#: 261016

BLUE ROCK BABY BLUE PROPRIETARY RED 2008, Alexander Valley, California

23 Sunday Dec 2012

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Blue Rock Baby Blue Proprietary Red 2008, Alexander Valley, Sonoma Bottle

Cost: $32.90
Grape Variety: Cabernet-Sauvignon & Cabernet Franc
Category: Red Wine
Location Bought: LCBO VINTAGES
Country: USA
Region: Alexander Valley, Sonoma
Format: 750 mL
Producer: Diva California
Alcohol: 14.5% Alcohol/Vol.
Description: Medium+ ruby in colour with a medium+ intense nose.

Positives: An elegant wine featuring cedar, blackberry, blueberry, cassis, green & black peppercorn, turmeric, graphite, cranberry & suede. Medium to medium+ body with medium tannins & acidity and a fairly long length.

Negatives. Some heat from the 14.5% alcohol.

Interesting Point: Pretty bottle.

Drink now on its own or pair it with tenderloin steak.

Tasted: 22 Dec 12

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

Out of 5 stars, I rated this wine: 4

LCBO#: 261727

VINE CLIFF PROPRIETRESS RESERVE CHARDONNAY 2007, Los Carneros, Napa Valley, California

23 Sunday Dec 2012

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Vine Cliff Proprietress Reserve Chardonnay 2007, Los Carneros, Napa Valley Bottle

Cost: $34.95
Grape Variety: Chardonnay
Category: White Wine
Location Bought: LCBO VINTAGES
Country: United States
Region: Napa Valley
Format: 750 mL
Producer: Vine Cliff Winery
Alcohol: 14.6 %
Description: Golden in colour with a medium+ intense nose.

Positives: The 2007 is showing nicely with rich creamy buttery texture. Medium toasted oak, vanilla, caramel, crème brûlée, pineapple, lemon meringue pie, nutmeg, marshmallow, limestone & a hint of sarsaparilla on the finish. Full body with good acidity and a long length.

Negatives: There is some heat coming from the 14.6% alcohol. Chill it a little more than usual.

Interesting Point: Use the larger Chard glasses.

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

Tasted: 21 Dec 12

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

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

LCBO#: 198903