LAILEY MERLOT 2010, VQA Niagara Peninsula, Ontario, Canada

26 Monday Aug 2013

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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

CHATEAU DE LANDIRAS 2010, AC Graves, France

18 Sunday Aug 2013

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Chateau Landira

Cost: $21.95
Grape Variety: Red Bordeaux Blend
Category: Red Wine
Location Bought: LCBO Vintages
Country: France
Region: Graves
Format: 750 mL
Producer: Michel Pelissie
Alcohol: 13.5% Alcohol/Vol.
Description: Dark garnet to ruby in colour with a medium to medium+ intense nose.

A juicy & delicious wine from the Graves region.

Positives: Nothing shy about this wine which features cedar, blackcurrants, cinnamon, dark chocolate, Kahlua, raspberry, cigar box, turmeric, graphite, and spinach leaves. Full body with medium to medium+ tannins, good acidity and a long length.

Negatives: None

Interesting Point:  ‘In 1173, William the Knight Templar, Archbishop of Bordeaux, bought the land of Landiras and the fortress previously built by the lords of Landiras. In 1306, the castle of Landiras was rebuilt on the ruins of the fortress. This château gave its name to the estate, Château de Landiras. Today, a magnificent barbican stands as a testimony of the past fame of Château de Landiras. During the 17th century, the Château used to be the residence of the most important owner of all times, Saint Jeanne de Lestonnac, founder of the order The Company of Mary Our Lady. This is the reason why the Château is still a place for pilgrimage.’ (Chateau Landiras)

Drink now or over the next 5 year on its own or pair it with Roquefort cheese

Tasted: 17 Aug 2013

Best Buy

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

Out of 5 stars, I rated this wine: 4

LCBO: 324673

CATHEDRAL CELLAR CHARDONNAY 2012, Western Cape, South Africa

17 Saturday Aug 2013

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Cathedral

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: 13.5% Alcohol/Vol.
Description: Light gold in colour with a medium to medium+ intense nose.

A simple Chard and not as good as their 2011 vintage

Positives: Lots of lemon, lime, grapefruit with limestone. Medium body with high acidity and an average length.

Negatives: A touch too sour for me.

Drink now on its own or pair it with Kentucky Fried Chicken.

Tasted: 16 Dec 2013

Score: 8+/10, Value: 8.5/10 Total: 16.5+/20

Out of 5 stars, I rated this wine: 3+

LCBO: 328559

RUSTENBERG STELLENBOSCH CHARDONNAY 2011, Stellenbosch, South Africa

17 Saturday Aug 2013

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Chard

Cost: $22.95
Grape Variety: Chardonnay
Category: White Wine
Location Bought: LCBO Vintages
Country: South Africa
Region: Stellenbosch
Format: 750 mL
Producer: Rustenberg
Alcohol: 14% Alcohol/Vol.
Description: Light gold in colour with a medium to medium+ intense nose.

A quality Chard that is under $25.

Positives: This wine features well-integrated oak, lightly buttered toast, lemon, peach, pineapple, vanilla, nutmeg and cinnamon. Full body with good acidity and a long length.

Negatives: None

Interesting Point: Use the larger new World Chardonnay glass.

Drink now or over the next 5 years on its own or pair it with seared scallops wrapped in bacon.

Tasted: 15 Aug 2013

Best Buy

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

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

LCBO: 598631