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

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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

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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

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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

MAGNOTTA IL CACCIATORE GRAND RISERVA 2008,

26 Saturday May 2012

Posted by in Canadian Wines, Non LCBO Wine, Red Wines

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Cost: $26
Grape Variety: Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Carmenère

Category: White Wine
Appellation: Magnotta
Country: Unknown
Region: 

Format: 750 mL
Producer:  Magnotta Winery
Alcohol: 14.5% Alcohol/Vol.

Description: Medium minus garnet with a medium+ intensity on the nose.

Positives: Cedar, cassis, plum, blackberry, black cherry, chocolate, blackcurrant, mesquite and tamarind on the finish. Medium+ body with medium tannins, good acidity and a fairly long length.

Negatives: A little heat coming from the 14.5% alcohol.

Interesting Things: A nice looking bottle with artist Follente’s work on the label. A collector’s addition.

Tasted: 26 May 12

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

Out of 5 stars, I rated this wine 4


DOMAINE NATHALIE & GILLES FÈVRE FOURCHAUME CHABLIS 1ER CRU 2008, Chablis, France

26 Saturday May 2012

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Domaine Nathalie & Gilles Fèvre Fourchaume Chablis 1er Cru 2008, Ac Bottle

Cost: $31.95
Grape Variety: Chardonnay
Category: White Wine
Appellation: VINTAGES
Country: France
Region: Chablis
Format: 750 mL
Producer: Nathalie And Gilles Fevre
Alcohol: 13.0 %
Description: Medium straw colour with low intense nose.

Positives: Very easy drinking and good minerality that one would expect from a 1er Cru Chablis that is further enhanced by honeysuckle, lemon, mandarin, stone fruit, granny apple & pink grapefruit. Medium minus body with good acidity & medium+ length.

Negatives: None.

Interesting Point: This wine won silver at the 2010 Concours Vignerons Independants. I was able to pick this wine up for $22.40 which would make it a best buy.

Drink now on its own or pair it with Blue Point oysters.

Tasted: 25 May 12

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

Out of 5 stars, I rated this wine: 4.5

LCBO#: 210856

BOUGRIER VOUVRAY CHENIN BLANC AOC, Vouvray, Loire Valley, France

25 Friday May 2012

Posted by in Best Buys, White Wines

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Cost: $13.40
Grape Variety: Chenin blanc
Category: White Wine
Appellation: LCBO General List
Country: France
Region: Loire Valley
Format: 750 mL
Producer: Bougrier
Alcohol: 12.0% Alcohol/Vol.
Description: Medium+ straw colour with a medium intensity.

Positives: Sweet peach, nectarine, quince, honey, pink grapefruit & red apricot. Medium minus body, verging on off dry with good acidity & medium length.

Negatives: None.

Interesting Point: LCBO puts this wine on sale a couple of times throughout the year.

Drink now on its own or pair it with dishes containing pesto or sage.

Tasted: 24 May 12

Best Buy

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

Out of 5 stars, I rated this wine: 4.5

LCBO#: 253229