Category Archives: White Wines

FLAT ROCK CELLARS CHARDONNAY 2021, VQA Niagara Peninsula, Ontario, Canada

07 Sunday Aug 2022

Posted by in Best Buys, Canadian Wines, Highly Recommended, White Wines

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Cost: $19.95 (Sale price until Aug 14, 2022: $17.95)
Grape: Chardonnay
Category: White Wine
Location: LCBO Vintages
Country: Canada
Region: Niagara Peninsula, Ontario
Format: 750 ml
Producer: Flat Rock Cellars
Alcohol: 12.5% Alcohol/Vol.

Consistently one of the best Ontario Chards under $20 that is balanced with citric, spice, oak for a rich & full body wine. Score: 92/100.

Tasting Note: Light gold in colour with good acidity, medium intense nose, light tannin & a long length on the finish. This wine features: Lemon, yellow plum, Golden delicious apples, kumquat, lemon custard, toffee, ginger, oak spice, honey & vanilla.

Negatives: None

Interesting Point: I like the new label for the 2021 vintage

Pairings: Drink this now or in 4-6 years on its own or pair it with snow crabs

My Opinion: Highly Recommended

Best Buy

Tasted: August 6, 2022

LCBO: 286278

WOLFTRAP VIOGNIER CHENIN BLANC GRENACHE BLANC 2021, South Africa

29 Friday Jul 2022

Posted by in Amazing Buys, Best Buys, Highly Recommended, White Wines

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Cost: $14.00 (Sale Price until Aug 14, 2022: $12.00)
Grape: 39% Viognier, 38% Chenin Blanc, 23% Grenache Blanc
Category: White Wine
Location: LCBO General List
Country: South Africa
Region: Franschhoek
Format: 750 ml
Producer: Boekenhoutskloof
Alcohol: 13.0% Alcohol/Vol.

For an inexpensive wine, this has a lot of complexity & a steel at the price. Score: 93/100.

Tasting Note: Straw in colour with good acidity, medium intense nose & a long length on the finish. This wine features: Lemon custard, yellow plum, Jonagold apples, gooseberry, white peach, pineapple, ginger, lemongrass, clove & verbena on the nose.

Negatives: None

Pairings: Drink this now or in 2-4 years on its own or pair it with Sushi.

My Opinion: Highly Recommended

Amazing & Best Buy

Tasted: July 27, 2022

LCBO: 292532

LES VINS DE VIENNE JEANRAUDE LIEU-DIT CONDRIEU 2019, AOC Condrieu, France

22 Friday Jul 2022

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

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Cost: $82.00
Grape: Viognier
Category: White Wine
Location: LCBO Vintages
Country: France
Region: Condrieu, Northern Rhône
Format: 750 mL
Producer: Les Vins de Vienne
Alcohol: 14.5% Alcohol/Vol.
Smooth, powerful yet elegant & delicious. Score: 98/100.

Tasting Note: Bright light gold in colour with good acidity, light to medium intense nose, soft tannin & a long length on the finish. This wine features: Apricot, peach, honeydew melon, Jonagold apples, Anjou pear, star fruit (Carambola), vanilla, & acacia & honeysuckle on the nose.

Negatives: None

Interesting Point: Ageing: 9 months on lees in French oak barrels and tuns.

Pairings: Drink this now or in 6-7 years on its own or pair it with pike quenelles in Crayfish sauce.

My Opinion: Highly Recommended

Top Pick

Tasted: July 20, 2022

LCBO: 21406

PEDRONCELLI CHARDONNAY 2017, Dry Creek Valley, Sonoma County, California, United States of America

28 Tuesday Jun 2022

Posted by in Best Buys, Highly Recommended, Non LCBO Wine, Top Picks, Price Not Withstanding, White Wines

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Cost: $18.99 CI
Grape: Chardonnay
Category: White Wine
Location: Jacques Scott, Cayman Islands
Country: United States of America
Region: Dry Creek Valley, Sonoma County, California
Format: 750 mL
Producer: Pedroncelli
Alcohol: 13.9% Alcohol/Vol.

Probably the smoothest, beautifully Cali made Chard I’ve ever tried, & this is not a complex wine nor a high-end Chard. Lastly, it’s under 14% alcohol. Score: 97/100

Tasting Note: Gold in colour with good acidity, medium nose & a long length on the finish. This wine features: Lemon meringue, mango, Honey Crisp apple, clementine, peach, honeydew melon, dill, nutmeg, light oak spice, vanilla, honeycomb & Easter Lily on the nose.

Negatives: None

Interesting Point: I find that Dry Creek Valley wines are one of my favourite with white or red wines.

Pairings: Drink this now or in 3-4 years on its own or pair it with New England Lobster Dip

My Opinion: Highly Recommended

Top Pick & Best Buy

Tasted: June 27, 2022 & April 3, 2023

DECOY CHARDONNAY 2018, California, United States of America

27 Monday Jun 2022

Posted by in Non LCBO Wine, Recommended, White Wines

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Cost: $27.99 CI
Grape: Chardonnay
Category: White Wine
Location: Jacques Scott, Cayman Islands
Country: United States of America
Region: California
Format: 750 mL
Producer: Decoy Wines
Alcohol: 13.8% Alcohol/Vol.

Balanced Cali Chard. Score: 88/100

Tasting Note: Gold in colour with good acidity, medium+ nose & a good length on the finish. This wine features: Lemon, kumquat, Mandarin orange, pineapple, golden apple, pear, butterscotch, vanilla, wet stone & lemon zest on the nose.

Negatives: None

Pairings: Drink this now or in 3-5 years on its own or pair it with jerk chicken

My Opinion: Recommended

Tasted: June 26, 2022

JOSEPH DROUHIN MÂCON-LUGNY LES CRAYS, AOC Mâcon-Lugny, Burgundy, France

21 Tuesday Jun 2022

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Cost: $18.99 CI
Grape: Chardonnay
Category: White Wine
Location: Jacques Scott, Cayman Islands
Country: France
Region: Mâcon-Lugny, Burgundy
Format: 750 mL
Producer: Maison Joseph Drouhin
Alcohol: 13.0% Alcohol/Vol.

Fresh and light with a very pleasant aftertaste. Score: 90/100

Tasting Note: Gold in colour with good acidity, medium+ nose & a good length on the finish. This wine features: Lemon, peach, red apples, ginger, limestone & white flowers on the nose.

Negatives: None

Interesting Point: Aged in stainless steel vats for 6-8 months. Normally I would use a Chablis style glass, but I found that the Montrachet style worked better as it didn’t have a bitter peach pit taste.

Pairings: Drink this now or in 2-3 years on its own or pair it with vegetable & prawn wok

My Opinion: Recommended

Best Buy

Tasted: June 18, 2022

CHÂTEAU FUISSÉ SAINT-VÉRAN 2108, AC Saint-Véran, Mâconnais, Burgundy, France

14 Tuesday Jun 2022

Posted by in Non LCBO Wine, Recommended, White Wines

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Cost: $26.99 CI
Grape: Chardonnay
Category: White Wine
Location: Jacques Scott, Cayman Islands
Country: France
Region: Saint-Véran, Mâconnais, Burgundy
Format: 750 mL
Producer: Château-Fuissé
Alcohol: 13.0% Alcohol/Vol.

Citric tropical notes followed by sour notes. Score: 88/100

Tasting Note: Light old gold in colour with good acidity, a medium+ intense nose & a long length on the finish. This wine features: Lemon, peach pit, pear, acacia, orange peel, hazelnut, sour dough, honey, vanilla & smoked notes on the nose.

Interesting Point:

Pairings: Drink this now or in 3-5 years on its own or pair it with trout with lemon, dill & butter.

My Opinion: Recommended

Tasted: June 13, 2022

WAKEFIELD ESTATE LABEL CHARDONNAY 2021, Padthaway, Clare Valley, Australia

11 Saturday Jun 2022

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Cost: $16.95
Grape: Chardonnay
Category: White Wine
Location: LCBO Vintages
Country: Australia
Region: Padthaway, Clare Valley
Format: 750 mL
Producer: Wakefield
Alcohol: 13.5% Alcohol/Vol.

Nice balance between unoaked & oaked Chard with a price that hard to beat for the quality. Score: 92/100

Tasting Note: Light gold in colour with good acidity, a medium+ intense nose & a long length on the finish. This wine features: Lemon-limes, green apples, peach, pear, pineapple, mango, orange peel, dill & vanilla.

Negatives: None

Interesting Point: I like the temperature gage on the back label that helps people to get the correct temperature to drink this wine. 1st time I’ve seen that on a wine label.

Pairings: Drink this now or in 3-5 years on its own or pair it with butternut squash soup.

My Opinion: Highly Recommended

Best Buy

Tasted: June 9, 2022

LCBO: 711556

KEW VINEYARDS OLD VINE CHARDONNAY 2019, VQA Beamsville Bench, Niagara Region, Ontario, Canada

09 Thursday Jun 2022

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Cost: $23.95
Grape: Chardonnay
Category: White Wine
Location: LCBO Vintages
Country: Canada
Region: Beamsville Bench, Niagara Region, Ontario
Format: 750 mL
Producer: Kew Vineyards
Alcohol: 14.0% Alcohol/Vol.

Creamy style Chard with both citric & tropical notes. Score: 89/100

Tasting Note: Gold in colour with good acidity, a low intense nose, mild tannin & a long length on the finish. This wine features: Lemon, green & yellow apples, pear, pineapple, mango ginger, limestone, vanilla & oak spice

Negatives: None

Pairings: Drink this now or in 3-5 years on its own or pair it with crab Alfredo

My Opinion: Recommended

Best Buy

Tasted: June 7, 2022

LCBO: 43874

FLEUR CHARDONNAY CARNEROS SELECT 2018, Carneros, Sonoma Valley, California, United States of America

31 Tuesday May 2022

Posted by in Best Buys, Highly Recommended, Top Picks, Price Not Withstanding, White Wines

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Cost: $24.95
Grape: Chardonnay
Category: White Wine
Location: LCBO Vintages
Country: United States of America
Region: Carneros, Sonoma Valley, California
Format: 750 mL
Producer: Fleur de California
Alcohol: 13.8% Alcohol/Vol.

Nicely balance between lightly oaked, citric, creaminess & under 14% alcohol with a price that makes this a really great value for the quality. Score: 94/100

Tasting Note: Light gold in colour with good acidity, a medium+ intense nose, soft tannin & a long length on the finish. This wine features: Lemon, Granny Smith apples, pear, pineapple, clementine, dill, ginger, meringue, honeycomb & vanilla.

Negatives: None

Interesting Point: A blend Chardonnays from the estate vineyards with fruit from two other Sonoma Carneros sites. Whole-cluster press, followed by cool fermentation, and six months aging in French oak barrels. Prolonged yeast contact in oak and lees stirring (batonnage) added texture. (Winery notes)

Pairings: Drink this now or in 5 -7 years on its own or pair it with Greek chicken kabobs marinated in olive oil, lemon and tarragon served with Tzatziki and warm pita bread.

My Opinion: Highly Recommended

Top Pick & Best Buy

Tasted: May 30, 2022

LCBO: 311522