GEYSER PEAK CABERNET SAUVIGNON 2008, Alexander Valley, California, United States

30 Friday Aug 2013

Posted by in Best Buys, Red Wines, Top Picks, Price Not Withstanding

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Cost: $19.95
Grape Variety: Cabernet Sauvignon
Category: Red Wine
Location Bought: LCBO Vintages
Country: United States
Region: Alexander Valley
Format: 750 mL
Producer: Geyser Peak Winery
Alcohol: 13.5% Alcohol/Vol.
Description: Dark ruby in colour with a medium+ intense nose.

Now this is what I’m talking about! A quality California Cab that’s yummy and less than 14% alcohol.

Positives: This wine features cedar, pine cones, cloves, blackberry, dark cherry, vanilla, raspberry, strawberry, cinnamon, nutmeg, anise and some leather & pencil shavings on the finish. Medium+ body with medium+ tannins, good acidity and a long length.

Negatives: None

Drink now or over the next 5 years on its own or pair it with rib eye steak.

Tasted: 29 Aug 2013

Best Buy & Top Pick

Score: 9+/10, Value: 9.5 Total: 19/20

Out of 5 stars, I rated this wine: 4.5

LCBO: 343467

MAGNOTTA BLANC DE BLANCS 2011 SPARKLING WINE, Traditional Method, VQA Niagara Peninsula, Ontario, Canada

30 Friday Aug 2013

Posted by in Best Buys, Canadian Wines, Non LCBO Wine, Sparkling Wine

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d_swbldeblanc

Cost: $17.15 ($16.95+deposit)
Grape Variety: Chardonnay
Category: Sparkling Wine
Location Bought: Magnotta Winery
Country: Canada
Region: Niagara Peninsula
Format: 750 mL
Producer: Magnotta Winery
Alcohol: 14.1% Alcohol/Vol.
Description: Bright straw in colour with a medium intense nose and fine mousse.

What a nice surprise to have a quality sparkling wine in the traditional method at under $20

Positives: Full flavoured, well balanced and easy drinking sparkling wine features lemon, green & golden apple, pear, light yeast & brioche and limestone on the finish. Medium+ body with good acidity and a fairly long length.

Negatives: None

Interesting Point: Unusual to see a sparkling with about 14% alcohol.

Drink now or over the next 5 years on its own or pair it with seared scallops on a bed of cooked spinach & mustard greens.

Tasted: 27 Aug 2013

Best Buy

Score: 9+/10, Value: 9.5/10 Total: 19/20

Out of 5 stars, I rated this wine: 4.5

GANN CHARDONNAY 2007, Russian River Valley, California, United States

30 Friday Aug 2013

Posted by in White Wines

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Gann

Cost: $29.95 (Clearance: $22.25)
Grape Variety: Chardonnay
Category: White Wine
Location Bought: LCBO Vintages
Country: United States
Region: Russian River Valley
Format: 750 mL
Producer: Gann Family Cellars
Alcohol: 14% Alcohol/Vol.
Description: Light gold in colour with a medium to medium+ intense nose.

Quality wine that is well balanced at a reasonable price, and a best buy if you can get it at the clearance price.

Positives: This wine features well-integrated oak, mild toast, caramel, lemon, peach, pineapple, vanilla, nutmeg and cinnamon. Medium+ body with good acidity and a long length.

Negatives: A slight burnt sugar taste on the finish.

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

Tasted: 28 Aug2013

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

Out of 5 stars, I rated this wine: 4

LCBO: 311571

LAILEY MERLOT 2010, VQA Niagara Peninsula, Ontario, Canada

26 Monday Aug 2013

Posted by in Canadian Wines, Red Wines

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Lailey

Cost: $25.00 (Clearance: $20.05)
Grape Variety: Merlot
Category: Red Wine
Location Bought: LCBO Vintages
Country: Canada
Region: Niagara Peninsula
Format: 750 mL
Producer: Lailey Vineyards
Alcohol: 13% Alcohol/Vol.
Description: Deep ruby in colour with a medium+ intense nose.

A juicy Merlot of good quality

Positives: This wine features cedar, plums, blackberry, blueberry, raspberry, star anise, cinnamon, forest greens, oregano, sage, and radicchio. Medium+ body with green tannins, good acidity and a long length.

Negatives: Right now a little too green.

Although you can drink this wine now after decanting for an hour, it should mellow over the next 2-5 years. Preference would be to drink this with a rib-eye steak, medium-rare.

Tasted: 25 Aug 2013

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

Out of 5 stars, I rated this wine: 4

LCBO: 591396

SANTA RITA RESERVE CABERNET SAUVIGNON 2010, Maipo Valley, Chile

26 Monday Aug 2013

Posted by in Red Wines

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Santa Rita

Cost: $13.95 (Sale price until Sept 15, 2013: $12.45)
Grape Variety: Cabernet Sauvignon
Category: Red Wine
Location Bought: LCBO Vintages
Country: Chile
Region: Maipo Valley
Format: 750 mL
Producer: Vina Santa Rita
Alcohol: 13.5% Alcohol/Vol.
Description: Medium+ bright ruby in colour with a medium+ intense nose.

Full flavoured wine but one-dimensional. However, you can’t argue with the sale price either.

Positives: Oak and pine mix with blackcurrants, menthol, blackberry, arugula and tobacco leaves. Medium+ body with good acidity and a fairly long length.

Negatives: None

Drink now or over the next 2 years on its own or pair it with beef Wellington.

Tasted: 26 Aug 2013

Score: 8.5+/10, Value: 8.5+/10 (Sale price: 9/10) Total: 17.5/20

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

LCBO: 253872

CHAPEL HILL SHIRAZ 2010, McLaren Vale, Australia

25 Sunday Aug 2013

Posted by in Red Wines

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Chapel Hill Shiraz

Cost: $26.95 (Clearance: $21.60)
Grape Variety: Shiraz
Category: Red Wine
Location Bought: LCBO Vintages
Country: Australia
Region: McLaren Vale
Format: 750 mL
Producer: Chapel Hill Winery
Alcohol: 14.5% Alcohol/Vol.
Description: Dark ruby in colour with a medium+ intense nose.

Quality wine that is well balanced at a reasonable price, and a best buy if you can get it at the clearance price.

Positives: This wine features well-integrated oak, plums, red & black pepper, blackberry, cinnamon, vanilla, fruitcake, espresso & licorice. Full body with medium+ tannins, good acidity and a long length.

Negatives: Holy hot Batman! The 14.5% alcohol feels hotter than that.

Drink now or over the next 7 years on its own or pair it with peppercorn steak.

Tasted: 24 Aug 2013

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

Out of 5 stars, I rated this wine: 4

LCBO: 743989

LANDMARK OVERLOOK CHARDONNAY 2010, Sonoma County, California, United States

23 Friday Aug 2013

Posted by in White Wines

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Landmark

Cost: $37.95 (Clearance: $28.25)
Grape Variety: Chardonnay
Category: White Wine
Location Bought: LCBO Vintages
Country: United States
Region: Sonoma County
Format: 750 mL
Producer: Landmark Vineyards
Alcohol: 14.2% Alcohol/Vol.
Description: Bright gold in colour with a medium+ intense nose.

A solid Chard with good complexity.

Positives: Lots of tropical fruit that blends well with the integrated oak. In addition, there’s sweet spice, some nuttiness, creaminess and minerality on the finish. Full body with good acidity and a long length.

Negatives: Slight heat from the 14.2% alcohol

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

Tasted: 23 Aug 2013

Score: 9/10, Value: 8.5/10 (Clearance price: 8.5+/10) Total: 17.5/20

Out of 5 stars, I rated this wine: 4

LCBO: 356501

DOMAINE EDEN CHARDONNAY 2009, Santa Cruz Mountains, California, United States

23 Friday Aug 2013

Posted by in White Wines

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Domaine Eden

Cost: $27.95 (Clearance: $20.75)
Grape Variety: Chardonnay
Category: White Wine
Location Bought: LCBO Vintages
Country: United States
Region: Santa Cruz Mountains
Format: 750 mL
Producer: Mount Eden Vineyards
Alcohol: 13.8% Alcohol/Vol.
Description: Bright gold in colour with a medium+ intense nose.

Even at the clearance price it’s still over priced for the quality.

Positives: This wine features medium toasted oak, lemon, apricots, peach and limestone Medium+ body with good acidity and a long length.

Negatives: Burnt butter and overly fermented citrus notes.

Interesting Point: I like the colonial style label.

Drink now or over the next year on its own or pair it with seared garlic and butter scampi.

Tasted: 23 Aug 2013

Score: 8.5/10, Value: 8/10 (Clearance price: 8.5/10) Total: 16.5/20

Out of 5 stars, I rated this wine: 3.5

LCBO: 296145

DANIEL LENKO OLD VINES CHARDONNAY 2010, VQA Niagara Peninsula, Ontario, Canada

23 Friday Aug 2013

Posted by in Best Buys, Canadian Wines, White Wines

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Daniel Lenko

Cost: $22.95
Grape Variety: Chardonnay
Category: White Wine
Location Bought: LCBO Vintages
Country: Canada
Region: Niagara Peninsula
Format: 750 mL
Producer: Daniel Lenko
Alcohol: 14% Alcohol/Vol.
Description: Gold in colour with a medium+ intense nose.

Either you’ll love it or hate it. I happen to love it.

Positives: This is not a fruit driven Chard as it features smokey sweet oak spice, buttery toast, butterscotch, toasted marshmallows, lemon, pear, vanilla, cinnamon, coconut and peaches & cream corn. Full body with medium acidity and a very long length.

Negatives: None

Interesting Point: Use the new world large Chardonnay glasses if you have them.

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

Tasted: 22 Aug 2013

Best Buy

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

Out of 5 stars, I rated this wine: 4

LCBO: 352328

BERONIA RESERVA 2008, DOC Rioja, Spain

21 Wednesday Aug 2013

Posted by in Best Buys, Red Wines

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Beronia

Cost: $18.95
Grape Variety: Tempranillo, Graciano, Mazuelo
Category: Red Wine
Location Bought: LCBO Vintages
Country: Spain
Region: Rioja
Format: 750 mL
Producer: Gonzalez Byass & Co.
Alcohol: 14.5% Alcohol/Vol.
Description: Deep ruby in colour with a medium+ intense nose.

This is not a gentle wine as the wood & fruits explode in your mouth, and I like it.

Positives: Full flavour wine featuring lots of cedar, vanilla, sandalwood, cherry pipe tobacco, dark cherry, chocolate, mocha, bramble fruit, cloves and licorice. Full body with medium+ to high tannins, good acidity and a long length.

Negatives: Touch high on the heat due to the 14.5% alcohol.

Interesting Point: Decant for 30 min to ease the tannins.

Drink now or over the next 5 years on its own or pair it with grilled lamb chops.

Tasted: 20 Aug 2013

Best Buy

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

Out of 5 stars, I rated this wine: 4

LCBO: 50203