WHISPERING TREE CHARDONNAY 2008, Columbia Valley, Washington, United States

09 Sunday Mar 2014

Posted by in Best Buys, Non LCBO Wine, White Wines

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Whispering Tree

Cost: $15.99 Cayman Islands
Grape Variety: Chardonnay
Category: Red wine
Location Bought: Jacques Scott, Cayman Islands
Country: United States
Region: Columbia Valley, Washington
Format: 750 mL
Producer: Mahluke Wine Company
Alcohol: 13.9% Alcohol/Vol.
Description: Light gold in colour with a medium+ intense nose.

Not for the Chard purist, but I like it

Positives: This wine features oak, buttered popcorn, butterscotch, wakame, summer squash, apple crumble pie, lemon candy & malolactic fermentation. Full body with medium acidity & a fairly long length.

Negatives: Lacks fruit & crispness

Drink now on its own or pair it with Cornish hen & butternut squash.

Tasted: 9 March 2014

Best Buy

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

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

BERINGER PINOT NOIR 2008, Napa Valley, California, United States

08 Saturday Mar 2014

Posted by in Red Wines

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Beringer Pinot

Cost: $39.95 ($22.25 Clearance)
Grape Variety: Pinot Noir
Category: Red wine
Location Bought: LCBO Vintages
Country: United States
Region: Napa Valley
Format: 750 mL
Producer: Beringer
Alcohol: 14.3% Alcohol/Vol.
Description: Medium minus ruby colour with a medium+ intense nose.

Disappointing

Positives: This wine features oak, cherry, raspberry, chocolate & licorice. Light to Medium body with good acidity & a fairly long length.

Negatives: Sweet baked cherry pie and heat on the finish from the 14.3% alcohol

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

Tasted: 3 March 2014

Score: 7.5/10, Value: 5/10, Total: 12.5/20

Out of 5 stars, I rated this wine: 2.5

LCBO: 718668

FREIXENET CORDON NEGRGO BRUT CAVA NV, Méthodo Tradicional, Spain

08 Saturday Mar 2014

Posted by in Best Buys, Sparkling Wine

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Cava

Cost: $13.95
Grape Variety: Macabeo, Xarel-lo & Parellada
Category: Sparkling wine
Location Bought: LCBO General List
Country: Spain
Region: Penedes
Format: 750 mL
Producer: Freixenet
Alcohol: 11.5% Alcohol/Vol.
Description: Straw in colour with a medium intense nose and fine mousse.

A quality sparkling wine at bargain basement price

Positives: This wine features light yeast, green apple, grapefruit, almond butter, pear, peach, honeydew melon, lemon, green olives & limestone. Light to Medium body with good acidity & a fairly long length.

Negatives: None

Interesting Note: Grapes are hand picked and harvest starts in August with Macabeo and ends at the beginning of October with Parellada. Second fermentation takes place in the bottle.

Drink now or in the next 3-5 years on its own or pair it with hickory smoked peppered bacon.

Tasted: 2 March 2014

Best Buy

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

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

LCBO: 216945

MONASTERIO DE LAS VIÑAS GRAND RESERVA 2005, DOC Cariñena, Spain

03 Monday Mar 2014

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Monasterio

Cost: $16.95
Grape Variety: 60% Garnacha, 30& Tempranillo, 10% Cariñena
Category: Red wine
Location Bought: LCBO Vintages
Country: Spain
Region: Cariñena
Format: 750 mL
Producer: San Josè de Aguaròn
Alcohol: 13% Alcohol/Vol.
Description: Dark purple to ruby in colour with a medium intense nose.

A rustic wine that will please a discerning palate

Positives: This wine features sandalwood, sour cherry, pine needles, graphite, forest floor, dry herbs, coconut, black currants, leather, arugula, cocoa & allspice. Medium body with dry tannins, good acidity & a fairly long length.

Negatives: A touch watery on the finish.

Interesting Point: I prefer the 2006 vintage that is $2 cheaper. See my review 9 July 2013.

Drink now or in the next 5 years on its own or pair it with arugula & prosciutto pizza.

Tasted: 24 February 2014

Best Buy

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

Out of 5 stars, I rated this wine: 4

LCBO: 82024

FINCA VILLACRECES PRUNO 2011, Do Ribera Del Duero, Spain

03 Monday Mar 2014

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Pruno

Cost: $19.95 (Clearance: 17.75)
Grape Variety: 90% Tempranillo, 10% Cabernet Sauvignon
Category: Red wine
Location Bought: LCBO Vintages
Country: Spain
Region: Ribera Del Duero
Format: 750 mL
Producer: Finca Villacreces
Alcohol: 14% Alcohol/Vol.
Description: Dark ruby in colour with a medium intense nose.

Smooth, juicy, crisp and yummy

Positives: This wine features cedar, prunes, blackberry, mulberry, raspberry, leather, licorice sour cherry, espresso, thyme & mustard seed. Full body with medium+ tannins with good acidity & a long length.

Negatives: A little heat from the 14% alcohol

Interesting Note: Decant for an hour before serving

Drink now or in the next 7-10 years on its own or pair it with grilled Rosemary/Dijon crusted lamp chops.

Tasted: 1 March 2014

Best Buy

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

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

LCBO: 312140

COYOTE’S RUN BLACK PAW VINEYARD CABERNET FRANC 2010, VQA Four Mile Creek, Ontario, Canada

03 Monday Mar 2014

Posted by in Canadian Wines, Red Wines

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Coyote's Run

Cost: $24.95 (Clearance: 20.25)
Grape Variety: Cabernet Franc
Category: Red wine
Location Bought: LCBO Vintages
Country: Canada
Region: Four Mile Creek, Ontario
Format: 750 mL
Producer: Coyote’s Run
Alcohol: 13% Alcohol/Vol.
Description: Medium+ ruby in colour with a medium to medium+ intense nose.

I wish the taste was as good as its aromas/bouquet

Positives: This wine features pine, strawberry, cranberry, pomegranate, wood smoke, green peppers, twigs, leather & cocoa. Medium body with medium+ tannins good acidity & a fairly long length.

Negatives: A little too tart

Interesting Point: The LCBO that I bought this wine discounted on the clearance 30%, so I only paid $14.25

Drink now or in the next 3 years on its own or pair it with meat lasagna.

Tasted: 26 February 2014

Score: 8.5/10, Value: 8/10 (Clearance price 8.5, and at what I paid 8.5+/10) Total: 16.5/20

Out of 5 stars, I rated this wine: 3.5

LCBO: 50450

DASHWOOD CHARDONNAY 2011, Marlborough, New Zealand

21 Friday Feb 2014

Posted by in Best Buys, White Wines

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Dashwood

Cost: $19.95 (Clearance $15.75)
Grape Variety: Chardonnay
Category: Wine wine
Location Bought: LCBO Vintages
Country: New Zealand
Region: Marlborough
Format: 750 mL
Producer: Dashwood Winery
Alcohol: 13% Alcohol/Vol.
Description: Bright gold in colour with a medium+ intense nose.

A balanced Chard that should please a lot of people

Positives: This wine features light oak and toast with lemon, peach, pineapple, coconut, green apples and limestone. Medium body and with good acidity & a fairly long length.

Negatives: None

Drink now or in the next 2 years on its own or pair it with rotisserie chicken.

Tasted: 19 February 2014

Best Buy

Score: 8.5+/10, Value: 9/10 (Clearance price: 9.5/10)Total: 18/20

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

LCBO: 312942

CHÂTEAU DES LANDES CUVÉE TRADITION 2009, Ac Lussac Saint-Émilion, Bordeaux, France

21 Friday Feb 2014

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Chateau des Landes

Cost: $19.95
Grape Variety: 80% Merlot, 15% Cabernet Sauvignon, 5% Cabernet Franc
Category: Red wine
Location Bought: LCBO Vintages
Country: France
Region: Lussac Saint-Émilion
Format: 750 mL
Producer: Château des Landes
Alcohol: 14% Alcohol/Vol.
Description: Deep ruby in colour with a medium to medium+ intense nose.

A nice French Right Bank Bordeaux that’s fairly priced

Positives: This wine features cedar, dark cherry, plums, mulberry, cigar box, radicchio, leather, iodine, dry herbs & spinach. Medium+ body and with good acidity & a fairly long length.

Negatives: A little bitterness & heat on the finish.

Interesting Point: Decant for an hour

Drink now or in the next 3 years on its own or pair it with grilled steak.

Tasted: 21 February 2014

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

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

LCBO: 363101

REDWOOD PASS PINOT NOIR 2011, Awatere Valley, Marlborough, New Zealand

19 Wednesday Feb 2014

Posted by in Best Buys, Red Wines

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Redwood Pass

Cost: $18.95 (Clearance price: $14.75)
Grape Variety: Pinot Noir
Category: Red wine
Location Bought: LCBO Vintages
Country: New Zealand
Region: Awatere Valley, Marlborough
Format: 750 mL
Producer: Vavasour
Alcohol: 14% Alcohol/Vol.
Description: Light garnet with some ruby in colour with a medium intense nose.

One of the best Pinots for under $20, and can’t think of one that’s better at the clearance price

Positives: Not a complex wine but full of flavour. This wine features cherry, strawberry, raspberry, light cranberry, rubbed sage & lilac. Medium to light body and with light tannins, good acidity & fairly long length.

Negatives: None

Drink now or over the next 2 years on its own or pair it with smoked oysters.

Tasted: 10 February 2014

Best Buy

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

Out of 5 stars, I rated this wine: 4

LCBO: 326041

INCOGNITO WHITE 2011, Lodi, California, United States

19 Wednesday Feb 2014

Posted by in Best Buys, White Wines

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Incognito

Cost: $16.75
Grape Variety: Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc, Semillon, Viognier & Rousanne
Category: Wine wine
Location Bought: LCBO Vintages
Country: United States
Region: Lodi, California
Format: 750 mL
Producer: Michael David Winery
Alcohol: 13.5% Alcohol/Vol.
Description: Deep gold in colour with a medium+ intense nose.

Smelling this wine reminds me of spring flowers blossoming

Positives: This wine features lots of floral aromas such as jasmine, Easter Lilly & white Paeonia. The taste has lemon/lime, honeydew melon, tangerine, green mango & peach. Medium+ body and with good acidity & a fairly long length.

Negatives: Slight bitterness on the aftertaste

Interesting Point: This winery not only has great wines but the coolest names

Drink now or in the next 2 years on its own or pair it with conch ceviche.

Tasted: 13 February 2014

Best Buy

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

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

LCBO: 339465