FULL PRESS CHARDONNAY, NV Canadian & International Blend

08 Friday Jun 2012

Posted by in White Wines

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Full Press Chardonnay Bottle

Cost: $7.20
Grape Variety: Chardonnay
Category: White Wine
Appellation: LCBO General List
Country: Canada
Region:
Format: 750 mL
Producer: Vincor International Inc.
Alcohol: 12.5% Alcohol/Vol.
Description: Light gold in colour with a medium minus intensity in this nose.

Positives: Considering this is a multi country blend, it’s not that bad. Nothing fancy or complex showing light butterscotch, apple, lemon & melon. Medium body with medium acidity & medium+ length.

Negatives: Some sourness on the finish. There’s some heat coming from the moderate alcohol.

Interesting Point: This wine will go nicely if you’re drunk & need another bottle that’s not disgusting & it’s only $7.20; or you’re just looking for another bottle to open after you drank the good stuff; or you have people over that don’t have taste buds and you don’t want to open a good bottle of wine, but you need to drink something that doesn’t taste that bad. Keep it well chilled & use a larger Chard glass.

Drink now on its own or pair it with Camembert cheese.

Tasted: 8 Jun 12

Score: 8+/10, Value: 9.5/10, Total: 18/20

Out of 5 stars, I rated this wine: 3

LCBO#: 219923

13TH STREET PINK PALETTE ROSÉ 2011, VQA Niagara Peninsula , Ontario

08 Friday Jun 2012

Posted by in 13th Street Winery, Best Buys, Canadian Wines, Rosés, Winery Review Series

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13th Street Pink Palette Rosé 2011, VQA Niagara Peninsula Bottle

Cost: $14.95
Grape Variety: Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon, Pinot Noir, Riesling
Category: Rosé Wine
Appellation: VINTAGES
Country: Canada
Region: Niagara Peninsula
Format: 750 mL
Producer: Thirteenth Street Wine Corp.
Alcohol: 12.5 %
Description: A beautiful rich pomegranate colour with a medium+ intensity on the nose.

Positives: Probably the best rosé I have tasted from Canada. Features strawberry, pomegranate, watermelon, cranberry, Bing & sour cherry. Medium body with good acidity & medium+ length.

Negatives: None.

Interesting Point: I used the Viognier glass which brought out the best in this wine.

Drink now on its own or pair it with pork chops with a sweet & spicy rub.

Tasted: 7 Jun 12

Best Buy

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

Out of 5 stars, I rated this wine: 4

LCBO#: 275834

PORCA DE MURÇA RESERVA TINTO 2008, DOC Douro, Portugal

07 Thursday Jun 2012

Posted by in Red Wines

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Porca De Murça Reserva Tinto 2008, Doc Douro Bottle

Cost: $16.95
Grape Variety: Red blend
Category: Red Wine
Appellation: VINTAGES
Country: Portugal
Region: Douro
Format: 750 mL
Producer: Real Companhia Velha
Alcohol: 13.5% Alcohol/Vol.
Description: Medium+ ruby in colour with a medium+ intensity on the nose.

Positives: Easy to drink featuring notes of pine needles, blackberry, raspberry, truffles, cloves, blackcurrant, cassis & radicchio. Medium+ body with medium tannins, good acidity & medium+ length.

Negatives: Has some bitterness (mustard greens) & a touch watery. Nose is better than the taste. Drink now on its own or pair it with tenderloin steak.

Tasted: 6 June 12

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

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

LCBO#: 684753

RAYMOND FAMILY CLASSIC CABERNET SAUVIGNON 2010, North Coast, California

03 Sunday Jun 2012

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Raymond Family Classic Cabernet Sauvignon 2010, North Coast Bottle

Cost: $18.95
Grape Variety: Cabernet-Sauvignon
Category: Red Wine
Appellation: VINTAGES
Country: USA
Region: North Coast
Format: 750 mL
Producer: Raymond Vineyard & Cellar
Alcohol: 13.5 %
Description: Medium+ ruby in colour with a medium+ intensity on the nose.

Positives: Mild cedar with ripe blackberry, dark chocolate, mesquite, leather, some pencil shavings & celery on the finish. Medium+ weight & tannins with good acidity & a fairly long length.

Negatives: A little too much celery & not enough berry fruit.

Interesting Point: For my sommelier friend Roberto in the Cayman Islands, Blackbeard’s:  this wine goes with artichokes!

Drink now or over the next 2 years on its own or pair it grilled steak with steamed artichokes with olive oil & steak sauce spice.

Tasted: 2 Jun 12

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

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

LCBO#: 269761

SMALL GULLY THE FORMULA HELEN’S HARMONY VIOGNIER 2008, Barossa Valley, Australia

01 Friday Jun 2012

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Small Gully The Formula Helen's Harmony Viognier 2008, Barossa Valley, South Australia Bottle

Cost: $19.95
Grape Variety: Viognier
Category: White Wine
Appellation: LCBO VINTAGES
Country: Australia
Region: Barossa Valley
Format: 750 mL
Producer: Small Gully
Alcohol: 13.5% Alcohol/Vol.
Description: Medium+ straw colour with a medium intense nose.

Positives: Lots of fruit explosion in the mouth featuring dried apricot, peach, peach pit, guava, orange rind & white pepper. Medium body with good acidity & medium+ length.

Negatives: Slight oxidative note.

Drink now on its own or pair it with orange roughy.

Tasted: 31 May 12

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

Out of 5 stars, I rated this wine: 3.5

LCBO#: 269332

PENFOLDS KOONUNGA HILL CABERNET SAUVIGNON 2009, South Australia

31 Thursday May 2012

Posted by in Best Buys, Red Wines

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Penfolds Koonunga Hill Cabernet Sauvignon 2009, South Australia Bottle

Cost: $13.65
Grape Variety: Cabernet-Sauvignon
Category: Red Wine
Appellation: LCBO General List
Country: Australia
Region: South Australia
Format: 750 mL
Producer: Penfolds Wines Pty. Ltd.
Alcohol: 13.5 %
Description: Medium+ ruby in colour with a medium+ intensity on the nose.

Positives: Classic Cab notes while being restraint from going to jammy in a lot of inexpensive Australian Cabs & the alcohol being under 14%. Wine shows cedar, cassis, blackberry, cloves, leather, turmeric, pencil shavings, ripe tamarind & a touch of eucalyptus. Medium to full body with medium+ tannins, good acidity & a fairly long length.

Negatives: None.

Interesting Point: GET IT WHILE IT’S AVAILABLE. Now that I got your attention, LCBO has this wine on sale for $13.65.

Drink now or over the next 2 years on its own or pair it with T-Bone steak.

Tasted: 30 May 12

Best Buy

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

Out of 5 stars, I rated this wine: 4

LCBO#: 45625

FUZION ALTA TORRONTES PINOT GRIGIO, 2011 Mendoza, Argentina

31 Thursday May 2012

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Fuzion Alta Torrontés Pinot Grigio 2010, Mendoza Bottle

Cost: $8.95
Grape Variety: Torrentes, Pinot Grigio
Category: White Wine
Appellation: LCBO General List
Country: Argentina
Region: Mendoza
Format: 750 mL
Producer: Familia Zuccardi
Alcohol: 13.5% Alcohol/Vol.
Description: Medium straw colour with medium+ intensity on the nose.

Positives: Beautiful floral nose featuring jasmine, lemon, apple, pineapple, peach & apricot. The taste shows guava, peach pit, chalk, lemon, grapefruit & green apple.

Negatives: Taste falls short in comparison to what the nose has to offer. Lots of sourness on the taste.

Drink now & pair it with mild white fish.

Tasted: 29 May 2012

Score: 8+/10, Value: 8.5/10, Total: 17/20

Out of 5 stars, I rated this wine: 3

LCBO#: 168419

PELEE ISLAND GAMAY NOIR ZWEIGELT 2009, VQA Ontario

31 Thursday May 2012

Posted by in Best Buys, Canadian Wines, Red Wines

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Pelee Island Gamay Noir Zweigelt 2009, Ontario VQA Bottle

Cost: $10.95
Grape Variety: Gamay Noir, Zweigelt
Category: Red Wine
Appellation: LCBO General List
Country: Canada
Region: Ontario
Format: 750 mL
Producer: Pelee Island Vineyard Inc.
Alcohol: 13.0 %
Description: Medium minus ruby in colour a medium+ intensity on the nose.

Positives: Smokey nose featuring blackberries, mulberries, raspberry, cherry, lime & peppers. The taste shows similar notes. Medium minus body with low tannins, good acidity & medium+ length.

Negatives: None.

Interesting Point: Have this wine slightly chilled.

Drink now on its own or pair it with hummus.

Tasted: 29 May 12

Best Buy

Score: 8.5+/10, Value: 9.5/10, Total: 18.5/20

Out of 5 stars, I rated this wine: 4

LCBO#: 216028

YELLOW TAIL BUBBLES ROSE, NV Australia

31 Thursday May 2012

Posted by in Sparkling Wine

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yt bubbles rose

Cost: $13.95
Grape Variety: Semillon, Traminer, Shiraz, Frontignac
Category: Sparkling Wine
Appellation: LCBO General List
Country: Australia
Region:
Format: 750 mL
Producer: Casella Wines
Alcohol: 11.5% Alcohol/Vol.
Description: Salmon colour with light mousse with medium+ nose.

Positives: Guava, grapefruit, lemon/lime & sour cherry. Medium minus body with good acidity & medium+ length.

Negatives: A little tartness on the finish.

Interesting Point: Simple & clean sparkler, just don’t expect more.

Drink now on its own or pair it with coconut covered scallops.

Tasted: 29 March 2012

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

Out of 5 stars, I rated this wine: 3.5

LCBO#: 229047

ANDREW RICH CUVÉE B PINOT NOIR 2008, Willamette Valley, Oregon

27 Sunday May 2012

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

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Andrew Rich Cuvée B Pinot Noir 2008, Willamette Valley Bottle

Cost: $29.95
Grape Variety: Pinot noir
Category: Red Wine
Appellation: VINTAGES
Country: United States
Region: Willamette Valley
Format: 750 mL
Producer: Andrew Rich Wines
Alcohol: 13.5 %
Description: Medium minus ruby colour with medium+ intensity on the nose.

Positives: A very elegant wine whose style is between old world & new world Pinot. Notes feature pine, cherry, cranberry, rhubarb, cinnamon, nutmeg, pistachio, earth tones & suede. Medium minus body with low tannins, medium+ acidity and long length.

Negatives: None.

Drink slightly chilled on its own or pair it with squash soup & roasted duck.

Tasted: 26 May 12

Top Pick

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

Out of 5 stars, I rated this wine: 4.5

LCBO#: 127043