Cost: $19.95
Grape Variety: Chardonnay
Category: White Wine
Appellation: VINTAGES
Country: USA
Region: Russian River Valley
Format: 750 mL
Producer: Mirimar Estate
Alcohol: 14.2 %
Description: Old gold in colour with high intensity on the nose.

Positives: medium+ oak & toast with lemon, caramel apple & lots of spice. Full body with good acidity & long length.

Negatives: One dimensional, over toasted oak, too much fermented orange & a lot of heat coming from the alcohol. I would lay this one down for another 2 years to see if it mellows.

Hard to pair this one due to the powerful toasted oak & fermentation.

Tasted: 6 Mar 12

Score: 7.5/10, Value: 7.5/10, Total: 15/20

Out of 5 stars, I rated this wine: 2

LCBO#: 270090

Cost: $34.95
Grape Variety: Chardonnay
Category: White Wine
Appellation: VINTAGES
Country: United States
Region: Napa Valley
Format: 750 mL
Producer: Treasury Wine Estates
Alcohol: 14.1 %
Description: “This well-structured Chardonnay is crafted in a crisp and refreshing style, which is wonderfully atypical for Napa. It features green apple and floral aromas followed by a very dry, full body with more apple and mineral flavours and a vivacious backbone of acidity. Pair this with king crab legs or cellar it 3-5+ years.” LCBO

Light gold in colour with a medium+ intense nose.

Positives: Good balance between creamy & minerality. The wine features light toasted oak with lemon, pineapple, green & yellow apple, vanilla & limestone. Medium to full bodily with good acidity, long length & the alcohol is well integrated.

Negatives: None.

Interesting Point: This will appease a good cross section of Chard drinkers.

Drink now or over the next 3 years on its own or pair it with scallops in angel hair.

Tasted: 27 June 12

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

Out of 5 stars, I rated this wine: 4

LCBO#: 655381

Cost: $24.95
Grape Variety: Viognier
Category: White Wine
Appellation: Yalumba
Country: South Australia, Australia
Region: Eden Valley
Format: 750 mL bottle
Producer: Negociants International
Alcohol: 13.5 %
Description: Bright gold in colour with a medium intense nose.

Positives: Lots going on here with apricots, nectarines, lemon, green olives, jasmine, clove, walnut & a touch of honey. Medium to full body with good medium+ acidity & long length.

Negatives: A little bitterness on the finish.

Interesting Point: Yalumba is consistently one of the best producers of Viognier outside Condrieu, Northern Rhone in France.

Drink now or over the next 3 years on its own or pair it with Cornish hen.

Tasted: 29 June 12

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

Out of 5 stars, I rated this wine: 4

LCBO#: 954644

Cost: $12.00
Grape Variety: Viognier, Grenache Blanc, Rousanne
Category: White Wine
Appellation: LCBO General List
Country: South Africa
Region: Western Cape
Format: 750 mL
Producer: Fairview Trust
Alcohol: 13.5 %
Description: Medium straw colour with medium+ intensity.

Positives: Lemon, peach pit, pear, pineapple & apricots. Medium minus body with high acidity & a fairly long length.

Negatives: A little too tart.

Drink now with lemon-pepper catfish.

Tasted: 19 June 12

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

Out of 5 stars, I rated this wine: 3.5

LCBO#: 237313

Cost: $19.95
Grape Variety: Chardonnay
Category: White Wine
Appellation: VINTAGES
Country: USA
Region: River Junction
Format: 750 mL
Producer: Mcmanis Family Vineyards
Alcohol: 13.5 %
Description: Light gold with a medium+ intense nose.

Positives: Easy drinking Chard featuring light oak, lemon, apricot, red & golden apples & cantaloupe. Medium body with good acidity & fairly long length.

Negatives: Slight sourness on the finish.

Interesting Point: Use the larger Chard glass.

Drink on its on now or over the next 2 years and pair it with lemon chicken.

Tasted: 17 June 12

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

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

LCBO#: 265983

Cost: $7.20
Grape Variety: Chardonnay
Category: White Wine
Appellation: LCBO General List
Country: Canada
Region:
Format: 750 mL
Producer: Vincor International Inc.
Alcohol: 12.5% Alcohol/Vol.
Description: Light gold in colour with a medium minus intensity in this nose.

Positives: Considering this is a multi country blend, it’s not that bad. Nothing fancy or complex showing light butterscotch, apple, lemon & melon. Medium body with medium acidity & medium+ length.

Negatives: Some sourness on the finish. There’s some heat coming from the moderate alcohol.

Interesting Point: This wine will go nicely if you’re drunk & need another bottle that’s not disgusting & it’s only $7.20; or you’re just looking for another bottle to open after you drank the good stuff; or you have people over that don’t have taste buds and you don’t want to open a good bottle of wine, but you need to drink something that doesn’t taste that bad. Keep it well chilled & use a larger Chard glass.

Drink now on its own or pair it with Camembert cheese.

Tasted: 8 Jun 12

Score: 8+/10, Value: 9.5/10, Total: 18/20

Out of 5 stars, I rated this wine: 3

LCBO#: 219923

Cost: $19.95
Grape Variety: Viognier
Category: White Wine
Appellation: LCBO VINTAGES
Country: Australia
Region: Barossa Valley
Format: 750 mL
Producer: Small Gully
Alcohol: 13.5% Alcohol/Vol.
Description: Medium+ straw colour with a medium intense nose.

Positives: Lots of fruit explosion in the mouth featuring dried apricot, peach, peach pit, guava, orange rind & white pepper. Medium body with good acidity & medium+ length.

Negatives: Slight oxidative note.

Drink now on its own or pair it with orange roughy.

Tasted: 31 May 12

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

Out of 5 stars, I rated this wine: 3.5

LCBO#: 269332

Cost: $8.95
Grape Variety: Torrentes, Pinot Grigio
Category: White Wine
Appellation: LCBO General List
Country: Argentina
Region: Mendoza
Format: 750 mL
Producer: Familia Zuccardi
Alcohol: 13.5% Alcohol/Vol.
Description: Medium straw colour with medium+ intensity on the nose.

Positives: Beautiful floral nose featuring jasmine, lemon, apple, pineapple, peach & apricot. The taste shows guava, peach pit, chalk, lemon, grapefruit & green apple.

Negatives: Taste falls short in comparison to what the nose has to offer. Lots of sourness on the taste.

Drink now & pair it with mild white fish.

Tasted: 29 May 2012

Score: 8+/10, Value: 8.5/10, Total: 17/20

Out of 5 stars, I rated this wine: 3

LCBO#: 168419