STERLING VINTER”S CHARDONNAY 2010, Central Coast, California

23 Sunday Sep 2012

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Sterling Vintner's Collection Chardonnay 2010, Central Coast, California Bottle

Cost: $15.95
Grape Variety: Chardonnay
Category: White Wine
Location Bought: LCBO General List
Country: United States
Region: Central Coast
Format: 750 mL
Producer: Sterling Vineyards
Alcohol: 13.5 %
Description: Medium gold in colour a medium intense nose.

Positives: A well made inexpensive Chard from California, a goal that I try to search out because I do favour their well made Chards. This wine features light toasted oak, lemon zest, juicy apple, cinnamon, pineapple, peach, lemon custard, guava, apricot & limestone. Medium bodily with good acidity & length.

Negatives: Slightly sour on the taste.

Interesting Point: Use the larger Chard glass & look for LCBO to have specials on this wine throughout the year.

Drink now on its own or pair it with garlic buttered escargot.

Tasted: 19 Sept 12

Best Buy

Score: 8.5+/10, Value: 9.5/10, Total: 18/20

Out of 5 stars, I rated this wine: 4

LCBO#: 669242

QUAILS’ GATE CHARDONNAY 2010, VQA Okanagan Valley, BC

20 Thursday Sep 2012

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Quails' Gate Chardonnay 2010, VQA Okanagan Valley Bottle

Cost: $21.95
Grape Variety: Chardonnay
Category: White Wine
Location Bought: LCBO VINTAGES
Country: Canada
Region: Alexander Valley
Format: 750 mL
Producer: Quails’ Gate Vyds. Estate Winery
Alcohol: 14.0 %
Description: Deep gold in colour with a medium+ intensity on the nose.

Positives: This is an improvement over the 2008 vintage that I reviewed awhile ago. This is a nice balanced Chard that features medium toasted oak, butter popcorn, lemon meringue, clementines, spiced apple cider, guava, pineapple & peach. Medium+ body with good acidity & a fairly long length.

Negatives: None.

Interesting point: Use the larger Chard glasses. I have put my review of the 2008 vintage below so you can compare.

Drink now or over the next 3-4 years, on its own or pair it with snow crab & drawn butter.

Tasted: 18 Sept 12

Best Buy

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

Out of 5 stars, I rated this wine: 4

LCBO#: 377770

PREVIOUS 2008 VINTAGE REVIEW

Light gold in colour with medium+ intensity.

Positives: Beautiful Chard nose with lemon meringue, apples, medium oak & toast. This Chard has a long taste with a medium body.

Negatives: Although it has a nice long finish, part of it is bitter.

Drink now or cellar it for another 3-5 years. Drink on its own or pair it with roasted chicken.

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

STONESTREET ALEXANDER MOUNTAIN ESTATE CABERNET SAUVIGNON 2006, Alexander Valley, California

20 Thursday Sep 2012

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Stonestreet Alexander Mountain Estate Cabernet Sauvignon 2006, Alexander Valley, Sonoma County Bottle

Cost: $29.95
Grape Variety: Cabernet-Sauvignon
Category: Red Wine
Location Bought: LCBO VINTAGES
Country: United States
Region: Alexander Valley
Format: 750 mL
Producer: Jackson Wine Estates International
Alcohol: 14.5% Alcohol/Vol.
Description: Deep ruby in colour with a medium+ intensity on the nose.

Positives: Cedar, black currents, blackberries, cassis, plums, graphite, black tea, sweet basil, thyme, red peppers, pencil shavings & leather. Medium to full body with medium+ tannins, good acidity & fairly long length.

Negatives: Somewhat astringent.

Interesting Points: Decant this puppy for at least an hour in order to soften the tannins plus you’ll find sediment at the bottom of the bottle. This wine may improve, ie soften the tannins, over the next 5 years.

Pair it with T-bone steak.

Tasted: 17 Sept 12

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

Out of 5 stars, I rated this wine: 3.5

LCBO#: 4002

MAISON ROCHE DE BELLENE VOLNAY LES PITURES 1ER CRU 2008, AC Volnay, France

20 Thursday Sep 2012

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Roche De Bellene Volnay Les Pitures 1er Cru 2008, Ac Bottle

Cost: $29.95
Grape Variety: Pinot noir
Category: Red Wine
Location Bought: LCBO VINTAGES
Country: France
Region: Volnay, Burgundy, France
Format: 750 mL
Producer: Maison Roche De Bellene
Alcohol: 13.0 %
Description: Medium ruby in colour with a medium intense nose.

Positives: An elegant Pinot showing some spruce, cranberry, sour cherry, raspberry, rhubarb & light earthiness. Light to medium body, medium minus tannins, good acidity & medium+ length.

Negatives: A touch too sour on the finish.

Drink now & a very food friendly wine that you can match with game fowl.

Tasted: 16 Sept 12

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

Out of 5 stars, I rated this wine: 3.5

LCBO#: 241083

DOMAINE FRANÇOIS SCHWACH BLANC DE BLANCS BRUT CRÉMANT D’ALSACE 2007, Méthod Traditionnelle, AC Alsace, France

20 Thursday Sep 2012

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François Schwach Le Crémant Blanc De Blancs 2007, Ac Alsace Bottle

Cost: $18.95
Grape Variety: Pinot Blanc, Auxerrois, Pinot Gris and Chardonnay
Category: Sparkling Wine
Location Bought: LCBO VINTAGES
Country: France
Region: Alsace
Format: 750 mL
Producer: Domaine Francois Schwach
Alcohol: 12.5% Alcohol/Vol.
Description: Light straw in colour with medium mousse & medium to medium+ intensity on the nose.

Positives: Not a complex sparkling, but very pleasant & easy going that will benefit  those that don’t like the yeasty, heavier champagne style. The wine features peach, honeydew melon, apple, lemon zest & nectarines. Lighter style with medium+ acidity & medium length.

Negatives: A touch watery.

Drink now on its own or pair it with eggs Benedict.

Tasted: 16 Sept 12

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

Out of 5 stars, I rated this wine: 3

LCBO#: 268060

RUTHERFORD RANCH ZINFANDEL 2008, Napa Valley, California

16 Sunday Sep 2012

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Rutherford Ranch Zinfandel 2008, Napa Valley Bottle

Cost: $19.95
Grape Variety: Zinfandel
Category: Red Wine
Location Bought: LCBO VINTAGES
Country: USA
Region: Napa Valley
Format: 750 mL
Producer: Rutherford Wine Company
Alcohol: 16.0 %
Description: Medium light ruby in colour with a medium+ intense nose.

This is an intense Zinn without any jammy qualities. Cedar, pine nuts, vanilla bean, menthol, smoked hickory, cassis, cloves, blueberry, nectarines, boysenberry, dark chocolate, cherry cola & mocha. Medium body with medium tannins, good acidity & a long length.

Negatives: Holy 16% alcohol Batman! Lots of heat coming from it. Good medicine. If it wasn’t for the high alcohol this would be an exceptional Zinn.

Interesting Point: Rutherford Ranch is a consistent producer of good wines.

Drink now on its own or pair it with BBQ pork ribs based in an Italian tomato style sauce.

Tasted: 15 Sept 12

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

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

LCBO#: 279828

OBIKWA CABERNET SAUVIGNON, 2011, Western Cape, South Africa

16 Sunday Sep 2012

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Obikwa Cabernet Sauvignon 2011 Bottle

Cost: $9.45
Grape Variety: Cabernet-Sauvignon
Category: Red Wine
Location Bought: LCBO General List
Country: South Africa
Region: Western Cape
Format: 750 mL
Producer: Distillers Corporation Limited
Alcohol: 13.5% Alcohol/Vol.
Description: Pretty medium ruby in colour with a medium+ intense nose.

Positives: There’s a lot going on for a Cab that’s priced at under $10. Cedar, lots of peppers (red, black & white), black currants, cinnamon spiced apples, nutmeg, blueberry pie, plums & oregano. Medium body with medium tannins, acidity & length.

Negatives: None.

Interesting Item: New Eco-friendly lightweight bottle. This is a great bottle to have as a second bottle to open during the day, evening, or to bring a couple (heck for $9.95 you can bring several bottles) over to a friends place for BBQ.

Drink now on its own or pair it with anything on the BBQ. I would even try it with fish on the BBQ due to its lower tannin level.

Tasted: 12 Sept 12

Amazing Buy

Best Buy

Score: 8.5+/10, Value: 10/10, Total: 18.5+/20.

Out of 5 stars, I rated this wine: 4

LCBO#: 665323

DOMAINE MARGUERITE DUPASQUIER LES CAILLOUX RULLY 2009

10 Monday Sep 2012

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Domaine Marguerite Dupasquier Rully 2009, Ac Bottle

Cost: $17.95
Grape Variety: Chardonnay
Category: White Wine
Appellation: VINTAGES
Country: France
Region: Rully
Format: 750 mL
Producer: Moillard
Alcohol: 13.0 %
Description: Gold in colour & a medium intense nose.

Positives: Lots of citric fruit featuring lemon, lime, pink grapefruit & a slight touch of guava. The oak is barely noticeable with just a touch of creaminess. Medium body with medium+ acidity & medium length.

Negatives: A little too citric for me.

Interesting Point: Use the smaller Chard glass as I found it to be too sour & low in fruit in the larger glass. Interesting that the French are starting to use screw caps for their wines.

Drink now on its own or pair it with seared scallops.

Tasted: 10 Sept 12, Score: 8.5/10, Value: 8.5+/10, Total: 17+/20

Out of 5 stars, I rated this wine: 3

LCBO#: 265066

EDNA VALLEY PARAGON CHARDONNAY, 2009, San Luis Obispo County, California

10 Monday Sep 2012

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Edna Valley Paragon Chardonnay 2009, San Luis Obispo County Bottle

Cost: $19.95
Grape Variety: Chardonnay
Category: White Wines
Location Bought: LCBO VINTAGES
Country: USA
Region: San Luis Obispo County
Format: 750 mL
Producer: E. & J. Gallo Winery
Alcohol: 14.0 %
Description: Light gold in colour with a medium to medium+ intensity on the nose.

Positives: A simple Chard featuring lemon, lime candy, white pepper, All-Spice, Braeburn apples, golden delicious apple, limestone & a peach finish. Medium body with good acidity & a fairly long length.

Negatives: A touch hot from the 14% alcohol.

Drink now on its own or pair it with chicken Kiev.

Tasted: 9 Sept 12

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

Out of 5 stars, I rated this wine: 3.5

LCBO#: 984153

GIRARD CHARDONNAY 2010, Russian River Valley, California

09 Sunday Sep 2012

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Girard Chardonnay 2010, Russian River Valley, Sonoma County Bottle

Cost: $24.95
Grape Variety: Chardonnay
Category: White Wine
Location Bought: LCBO VINTAGES
Country: USA
Region: Russian Valley River
Format: 750 mL
Producer: Vintage Wine Estates
Alcohol: 13.9% Alcohol/Vol.
Description: Light gold in colour with a medium+ intensity on the nose.

Positives: A nice easy drinking Chard that has a nice balance between the oak, fruit & minerarilty. This Chard has nice creamy butteriness, lightly to medium toasted oak, lemon, juicy apples, pineapple, honeydew melon, limestone, peach, tangerines & some coconut. Medium+ body with good acidity & a fairly long length.

Negatives: A little sour on the finish.

Interesting Points: I like the minimalist label.  Use the larger Chard glass.

Drink now or cellar it over the next 3 years. Drink on its own or pair it with lobster & drawn butter.

Tasted: 8 Sept 12

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

Out of 5 stars, I rated this wine: 4

LCBO#: 276675