JEAN PAUL BRUN BEAUJOLAIS BLANC 2010, AC Beaujolais, France

18 Saturday May 2013

Posted by in Non LCBO Wine, White Wines

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Jean-Paul_Brun_Beaujolais_Chardonnay_web

Cost: $23.65
Grape Variety: Chardonnay
Category: White Wine
Location Bought: Agent
Country: France
Region: Beaujolais
Format: 750 mL
Producer: Jean Paul Brun
Alcohol: 12.5% Alcohol/Vol.
Description: Bright gold in colour with a medium+ intense nose.

Positives: Lots going on with this Chard from lightly smoked toasted oak with a buttery creaminess, lemon, green apple, persimmon, apple crumble pie, peach and limestone on the finish. Medium to medium+ body with good acidity and a long length.

Negatives: None.

Interesting Notes: I like the old style label. Thank you Carol Ann from WineAlign for the opportunity to taste this wine.

Drink now on or over the next 3 years on its own or pair it with lobster in butter sauce

Tasted: 17 May 13

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

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

GROTH CABERNET SAUVIGNON 2009, Oakville, Napa Valley, California

18 Saturday May 2013

Posted by in Red Wines

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Groth

Cost: $74.95
Grape Variety: Cabernet Sauvignon
Category: Red Wine
Location Bought: LCBO Vintage
Country: United States
Region: Oakville
Format: 750 mL
Producer: Groth Winery
Alcohol: 14.5% Alcohol/Vol.
Description: Deep dark venous red in colour with a medium+ nose.

The nose is to die for. I could just sniff this all day long.

Positives: A complex Cab, and it should be for the money. Featuring cedar, blackcurrants, blackberry, star anise, turmeric, leather, plum, black cherry, blueberry, dark chocolate, mocha, and Allspice. Full body with medium+ tannins, good acidity and a long length.

Negatives: A touch hot from the 14.5% alcohol.

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

Drink now on or over the next 10 years on its own or pair it with grilled tenderloin steak.

Tasted: 17 May 13

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

Out of 5 stars, I rated this wine: 4

LCBO: 606517

14 HANDS HOT TO TROT RED BLEND 2010, Columbia Valley, Washington

18 Saturday May 2013

Posted by in Red Wines

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14 Hands

Cost: $15.15 (Sale price $13.15 until May 26, 2013)
Grape Variety: Merlot, Syrah, Cabernet Sauvignon & Mourvèdre
Category: Red Wine
Location Bought: LCBO General List
Country: United States
Region: Columbia Valley, Washington
Format: 750 mL
Producer: 14 Hands Winery
Alcohol: 13.5% Alcohol/Vol.
Description: Medium+ ruby in colour with a medium to medium+ intense nose.

A generic red blend that will appeal more to those that like a slight sweetness to their reds.

Positives: Although this is slightly sweet it’s not jammy. The wine features light oak, plums, black cherry cola, chocolate & ripe tamarinds. Medium to medium+ body average tannins and acidity with fairly long length.

Negatives: Too sweet for me.

Drink now on its own or pair it with BBQ chips.

Tasted: 15 May 13

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

Out of 5 stars, I rated this wine: 3.5

LCBO: 226522

RAVINE VINEYARD MERITAGE 2010, VQA St. David’s Bench, Ontario, Canada

13 Monday May 2013

Posted by in Canadian Wines, Red Wines

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Ravine

(Picture is of the old bottle, the new one is traditional. Too bad, love this bottle shape)

Cost: $24.95 (Clearance price $20.00)
Grape Variety: Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot
Category: Red Wine Location Bought: LCBO Vintage
Country: Canada Region: St. David’s Bench Format: 750 mL
Producer: Ravine Vineyard
Alcohol: 12.5% Alcohol/Vol.

Description: Medium+ ruby in colour with a medium to medium+ intense nose.

Easy drinking with a slightly sweet taste, but not jammy.

Positives: Light oak with lots of sweet cherry, blackberry, raspberry, mulberry, graphite, mocha, leather, turmeric and lavender. Medium+ body and tannins with good acidity and a fairly long length.

Negatives: None

Drink now on or over the next 4 years on its own or pair it with T-bone steak.

Tasted: 13 May 13

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

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

LCBO: 285627

CAVE SPRING ROSÉ 2012, VQA Niagara Peninsula, Ontario, Canada

13 Monday May 2013

Posted by in Best Buys, Canadian Wines, Rosés

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Cave_Spring_Rose_web

(Old label, new label not yet available)

Cost: $14.95
Grape Variety: Cabernet Franc
Category: Rosé Wine
Location Bought: LCBO Vintage
Country: Canada
Region: Niagara Peninsula
Format: 750 mL
Producer: Cave Spring
Alcohol: 13% Alcohol/Vol.
Description: Light cranberry in colour with a medium intense nose.

Yummy

Positives: This easy drinking wine features strawberry, cranberry & tangerine. 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 Hungarian Salami

Tasted: 8 May 13 (Go Leafs Go!)

Best Buy

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

Out of 5 stars, I rated this wine: 4

LCBO: 295006

GLORIA FERRER VA DE VI ULTRA CUVÉE NV, Méthode Champenoise Sonoma County, California

12 Sunday May 2013

Posted by in Sparkling Wine

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GF-VA-de-VI-new-134x245

Cost: $25.95
Grape Variety: Pinot Noir, Chardonnay with a trace of Muscat
Category: Sparkling Wine
Location Bought: LCBO Vintage
Country: United States
Region: Sonoma County
Format: 750 mL
Producer: Goria Ferrer Winery
Alcohol: 12.5% Alcohol/Vol.
Description: Medium straw with a cooper tinge in colour, full mousse and an intense nose.

Positives: A slightly sweet dosage makes this an easy drinking sparkling wine from premier California sparkling producer features baked apple, lemon, Asian pear, peach and pink grapefruit on the finish. Medium body with good acidity and a fairly long length.

Negatives: None

Drink now on or over the next 2 years on its own or pair it with spicy pork sausage.

Tasted: 12 May 13

Score: 8.5+/10, Value: 8.5/10 (Clearance price 9/10) Total: 17+/20

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

LCBO: 200790

KENDALL-JACKSON GRAND RESERVE CHARDONNAY 2009, Santa Barbara/Monterey County, California

12 Sunday May 2013

Posted by in White Wines

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KJ

Cost: $27.95 (Clearance price $22.40)
Grape Variety: Chardonnay
Category: White Wine
Location Bought: LCBO Vintage
Country: United States
Region: 51% Santa Barbara County, 49& Monterey County
Format: 750 mL
Producer: Kendall-Jackson Winery
Alcohol: 13.5% Alcohol/Vol.
Description: Gold in colour with a medium+ intense nose.

Kendall-Jackson produces solid Chardonnay’s from the entry level to their high end, and is probably one of my top 10 go to Chards.

Positives: Nicely balanced Chard that has medium buttered toasted oak with oak spice, cloves, lemon, crème brûlée, Easter Lilly, butterscotch, marshmallow, pineapple, peach, orange, apple crumble pie and a touch of limestone. Full body with good acidity and a very long length. Nice to see a quality Chard being under 14% alcohol.

Negatives: None

Drink now on or over the next 5 years on its own or pair it with steamed lobster with drawn butter.

Tasted: 10 May 13

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

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

LCBO: 59576

PALMIRA LARNER VINEYARDS MALVASIA BIANCA 2010, Santa Ynez Valley, California

12 Sunday May 2013

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

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Malvasia

Cost: $35.95 (Clearance price $28.80)
Grape Variety: Malvasia
Category: White Wine
Location Bought: LCBO Vintage
Country: United States
Region: Santa Ynez Valley
Format: 750 mL
Producer: Palmina Winery
Alcohol: 13% Alcohol/Vol.
Description: Medium straw in colour with an intense floral nose.

Can’t miss wine that one must try. So easy to drink that one can drink 2 bottles in one sitting and not realize it.

Positives: A perfect summer sipper featuring Ylang Ylang, lychee, peach, anise, lemon, orange, pink grapefruit and fennel on the finish. Medium body with good acidity and a long length.

Negatives: None.

Interesting Notes: A cross between Viognier, Muscat and Gewürztraminer. Malvasia is predominantly grown in Italy, but this rare find in California is a gem.

Drink now on or over the next 2 years on its own or pair it with Cayman style Wahoo Ceviche.

Tasted: 11 May 13

Top Pick

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

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

LCBO: 289157

MUGA RESERVA 2008, DOC Rioja, Spain

08 Wednesday May 2013

Posted by in Best Buys, Red Wines

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Muga

Cost: $23.95 (Sale price $21.45 until 26 May 2013)
Grape Variety: 70% Tempranillo, 20% Garnacha, 10% Oraciano & Mazuelo
Category: Red Wine
Location Bought: LCBO Vintage
Country: Spain
Region: Rioja
Format: 750 mL
Producer: Bodegas Muga
Alcohol: 13.5% Alcohol/Vol.
Description: Medium ruby with a garnet tinge in colour with a medium intense nose.

A solid wine

Positives: This easy drinking wine features cedar, sour cherry, cigar box, tobacco leaf, pimientos, roasted red peppers with Radicchio & pomegranate on the finish. Medium body with medium+ tannins, good acidity and a long length.

Negatives: Detected some heat on the finish.

Interesting Notes: Aged 24 months in French & American oak casks. Serve between 16°C and 18° C

Drink now or over the next 7 years on its own or pair it with meat stuffed red peppers – Pimientos Rellenos de Carne.

Tasted: 6 May 13 (Go Leafs Go!)

Best Buy

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

Out of 5 stars, I rated this wine: 4

LCBO: 177345

TARRAS THE CANYON PINOT NOIR 2008, Central Otago, New Zealand

04 Saturday May 2013

Posted by in Red Wines

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Tarras

Cost: $38.50 (Clearance price $30.85)
Grape Variety: Pinot Noir
Category: Red Wine
Location Bought: LCBO Vintage
Country: New Zealand
Region: Central Otago
Format: 750 mL
Producer: Tarras Vineyards
Alcohol: 14% Alcohol/Vol.
Description: Medium minus garnet to ruby in colour with a medium intense nose.

Not a typical Central Otago due to its muted flavours, and I would have preferred this wine to be under $25.

Positives: Pine notes give to cranberry, pomegranate, cherry, mulberry, blackberry and earthly notes of forest underbrush & smoked ambers. Medium+ body with medium+ tannins, good acidity and a long length.

Negatives: None

Interesting Notes: Decant for an hour and chill it to 15C.

Drink now on its own or pair it with seared tuna with tomato, scallop & chilly pepper couscous.

Tasted: 2 May 13

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

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

LCBO: 287219