LIBERTY SCHOOL ROSÉ, California

06 Thursday Jun 2013

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Liberty Rose

Cost: $16.95 É
Grape Variety: Grenache, Syrah & Mourvèdre
Category: Rosé Wine
Location Bought: LCBO Vintage
Country: United States
Region: California
Format: 750 mL
Producer: Hope Family
Alcohol: 13.5% Alcohol/Vol.
Description: Robin red in colour with a medium nose.

My favourite red blend (GSM), but Hope Family misses the mark on this rosé.

Positives: A simple rosé featuring strawberry, raspberry & cherry. Medium body with average acidity and length.

Negatives: It’s a touch hot, unusual for a rosé.

Interesting Notes: There are better rosés at lower prices. Check my favourites.

Drink now on its own and it paired excellently with Porchetta.

Tasted: 4 June 13

Score: 8.5/10, Value: 7.5/10 Total: 16/20

Out of 5 stars, I rated this wine: 3.5

LCBO: 276667

MUGA ROSÉ 2012, DOCA Rioja, Spain

06 Thursday Jun 2013

Posted by in Amazing Buys, Rosés

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muga-rose

Cost: $12.95
Grape Variety: Garnacha, Tempranillo & Viura
Category: Rosé Wine
Location Bought: LCBO Vintage
Country: Spain
Region: Rioja
Format: 750 mL
Producer: Bodegas Muga
Alcohol: 13% Alcohol/Vol.
Description: Pale salmon in colour with a medium+ nose.

WARNING: Easy to consume more than 1 bottle in a sitting. One of the best light style rosé I’ve ever had.

Positives: This easy drinking rosé features lavender, sweet strawberry, watermelon, juicy apple and pink grapefruit on the finish. Lighter+ body with good acidity a very length.

Negatives: None

Interesting Notes: I compared this wine in different style glasses and the Tempranillo style came way out ahead of the others.

Drink now on its own and it paired excellently with sweet & spicy BBQ pork chops.

Tasted: 1 June 13

Amazing Buy

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

Out of 5 stars, I rated this wine: 4.5

LCBO: 603795

EOS ESTATE PETITE SIRAH 2009, Paso Robles, California

06 Thursday Jun 2013

Posted by in Best Buys, Red Wines

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eos

Cost: $19.95
Grape Variety: Petit Syrah
Category: Red Wine
Location Bought: LCBO Vintage
Country: United States
Region: Paso Robles
Format: 750 mL
Producer: Foley Family Winery
Alcohol: 19.5% Alcohol/Vol.
Description: Medium+ ruby in colour with a medium+ nose.

Lots of juicy fruit with a balance of wood.

Positives: An expressive wine featuring cedar, plum, mocha, blackberry, dark cherry, peach, wood smoke and a touch leathery on the finish. Medium+ body with medium to medium+ tannins, good acidity and an average length.

Negatives: None

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

Tasted: 29 May 13

Best Buy

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

Out of 5 stars, I rated this wine: 4

LCBO: 317677

TAWSE QUARRY ROAD CHARDONNAY 2010, VQA Vinemount Ridge, Ontario, Canada

30 Thursday May 2013

Posted by in Canadian Wines, White Wines

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Tawse

Cost: $34.95 (Clearance Price $24.50)
Grape Variety: Chardonnay
Category: White Wine
Location Bought: LCBO Vintage
Country: Canada
Region: Vinemount Ridge, Ontario
Format: 750 mL
Producer: Tawse Winery
Alcohol: 13.5% Alcohol/Vol.
Description: Medium+ straw in colour with a medium to medium+ nose.

Well balanced & made in the Mâcon style.

Positives: Oak is well integrated and features white roses, mandarin, grapefruit, verbena, fennel, lemon grass, lemon rind, green apples, pear and limestone. Medium body with above average acidity for a Chard and a very long length. Don’t over chill.

Negatives: A touch too sour on the finish for me.

Interesting Notes: I used the large warmer or Meursault style Chard glass and the smaller traditional Chard glass and each one were slightly different and I couldn’t decide which one I liked best.

Drink now on or over the next 5 years on its own or pair it with creamy seafood risotto.

Tasted: 28 May 13

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

Out of 5 stars, I rated this wine: 4

LCBO: 111989

CHÂTEAU PIERRE DE MONTIGNAC, MÉDOC 2009, AC Médoc, France

27 Monday May 2013

Posted by in Best Buys, Red Wines

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PM

Cost: $21.95
Grape Variety: Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Franc & Petit Verdot
Category: Red Wine
Location Bought: LCBO Vintage
Country: France
Region: Médoc
Format: 750 mL
Producer: Famille Sallette
Alcohol: 13% Alcohol/Vol.
Description: Dark ruby in colour with a medium to medium+ nose.

A nice mid level Boudreaux from Médoc at a moderate price.

Positives: Cedar, cassis, blackcurrants, turmeric, pencil shavings, cherry, arugula and leather. Medium+ body with medium+ tannins, good acidity and a long length.

Negatives: None

This is more of a food friendly wine than for drinking on its own so pair with prime rib. Drink now on or over the next 3 years.

Tasted: 27 May 13 (Happy Memorial Day to our American cousins)

Best Buy

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

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

LCBO: 307041

HARTLEY OSTINI HITCHING POST, CORK DANCER, PINOT NOIR 2009, Santa Barbara County, California

26 Sunday May 2013

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Hitching Post

Cost: $34.95 (Clearance Price $28.00)
Grape Variety: Pinot Noir
Category: Red Wine
Location Bought: LCBO Vintage
Country: United States
Region: Santa Barbara County
Format: 750 mL
Producer: Hartley Ostini
Alcohol: 14.2% Alcohol/Vol.
Description: Medium minus ruby in colour with a medium+ nose.

A solid Pinot, but a touch more expensive than it should be. The clearance price is more appropriate.

Positives: A flavorful Pinot exhibiting wood smoke and purple lilacs on the nose, and on the taste pine, cherry pie, sour cherry, cranberry, strawberry and dried rosemary. Medium minus body with medium to medium+ tannins, good acidity and a very long length.

Negatives: A touch hot from the 14.2% alcohol, and a touch overtly tart.

Interesting Notes: The movie Sideways brought The Hitching Post into mainstream.

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

Tasted: 26 May 13

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

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

LCBO: 179812

TINTO PESQUERA 2009, DO Ribera Del Duero, Spain

25 Saturday May 2013

Posted by in Red Wines

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Pesquera

Cost: $26.95 (Clearance $18.90)
Grape Variety: Tempranillo
Category: Red Wine
Location Bought: LCBO Vintage
Country: Spain
Region: Ribera Del Duero
Format: 750 mL
Producer:  Bodegas Alejandro Fernandez
Alcohol: 14% Alcohol/Vol.
Description: Deep ruby in colour with a medium intense nose.

This will only please a discernable few.

Positives: Heavy into the tertiary tasting field with oak, mushroom, underbrush, espresso, thyme, with black olives, dark cherry, sour cherry & black currants. Full body with medium+ tannins, good acidity and a long length.

Negatives: A touch hot from the 14% alcohol.

Interesting Note: I like the Spanish bottle and label.

Drink now or over the next 5 years with food such as the Spanish dish Pringá.

Tasted: 20 May 13

Score: 8.5+/10, Value: 8.5/10 (Clearance price 8.5+/10) Total: 17+/20

Out of 5 stars, I rated this wine: 3.5

LCBO: 341461

CAMPO VIEJO TEMPRANILLO ROSÉ 2012, DO Rioja, Spain

25 Saturday May 2013

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Rose

Cost: $11.95
Grape Variety: Tempranillo
Category: Rosé Wine
Location Bought: LCBO Vintage
Country: Spain
Region: Rioja
Format: 750 mL
Producer:  Bodegas Campo Viejo
Alcohol: 13.5% Alcohol/Vol.
Description: Light cranberry in colour with a medium to medium+ intense nose.

Please note I love Tempranillo rosés so my review may be skewed.

Positives: Full flavoured wine featuring juicy peach, watermelon  strawberry, raspberry, cherry, cranberry, pink grapefruit & roses on the nose. Medium+ body with good acidity and a fairly long length.

Negatives: None

Drink now or over the next year on its own or pair it with Tapas.

Tasted: 20 May 13

Best Buy & Amazing Buy

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

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

LCBO: 175620

MONTE ANTICO 2009 RED BLEND, IGT Tuscany, Italy

20 Monday May 2013

Posted by in Red Wines

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Monte Antico

Cost: $15.95
Grape Variety: 85% Sangiovese, 10% Cabernet Sauvignon, 5% Merlot
Category: Red Wine
Location Bought: LCBO Vintage
Country: Italy
Region: Tuscany
Format: 750 mL
Producer: Empson & Co. S.R.L.
Alcohol: 13% Alcohol/Vol.
Description: Medium to medium+ ruby to garnet in colour with an intense nose.

A simple easy drinking Italian wine that still retains some ruggedness.

Positives: Cedar, plum, dark & sour cherry, sage, red licorice & leather. Medium to medium+ body and tannins, with good acidity and an average length.

Negatives: Nose is better than the taste.

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

Tasted: 19 May 13

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

Out of 5 stars, I rated this wine: 3.5

Thanks to Carol Ann, from WineAlign, for the opportunity to taste this.

LCBO: 69377

CHATEAU DUCLA BORDEAUX SUPÉRIEUR 2010, Bordeaux, France

20 Monday May 2013

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Chateau Ducla

Cost: $15.95
Grape Variety: Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot
Category: Red Wine
Location Bought: LCBO General List
Country: France
Region: Bordeaux
Format: 750 mL
Producer: Yvon Mau Et Fils
Alcohol: 13% Alcohol/Vol.
Description: Medium+ ruby in colour with a medium+ intense nose.

A simple entry level Bordeaux wine.

Positives: Light cedar, blackcurrants, cherry, anise, pencil shavings & spinach. Medium to medium+ body and tannins, with average acidity and length.

Negatives: Slightly green in its finish.

Drink now on its own but it would pair better with food such as hamburgers and meatloaf.

Tasted: 19 May 13

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

Out of 5 stars, I rated this wine: 3.5

Thanks to Carol Ann, from WineAlign, for the opportunity to taste this.

LCBO: 255067