BUITENVERWACHTING CHARDONNAY 2010, Constantia, South Africa

15 Thursday Mar 2012

Posted by in Best Buys, White Wines

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Buitenverwachting Chardonnay 2010, Wo Constantia Bottle

Cost: $19.95
Grape Variety: Chardonnay
Category: White Wine
Appellation: VINTAGES
Country: South Africa
Region: Constantia
Format: 750 mL
Producer: Buitenverwachting Farm Trust (Pty)
Alcohol: 13.5% Alcohol/Vol.
Description: Light gold with a medium+ intensity on the nose.

Positives: What a nice Chard that has just enough toasted oak as not to over shadow the fruit in this wine. Notes of lemon, crisp apple, caramel, light butter, lemon candy, limestone & tangerine. Medium to medium+ body with good acidity & long length.

Negatives: Some overly tart notes on the finish.

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

Tasted: 14 Mar 12

Best Buy

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

Out of 5 stars, I rated this wine: 4

LCBO#: 269084

RAVENSWOOD SINGLE VINEYARD BELLONI ZINFANDEL 2008, Russian River Valley, California

15 Thursday Mar 2012

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Ravenswood Single Vineyard Belloni Zinfandel 2008, Russian River Valley Bottle

Cost: $44.95
Grape Variety: Zinfandel
Category: Red Wine
Appellation: LCBO Vintages
Country: United States
Region: Russian River Valley
Format: 750 ml
Producer: Constellation Wines
Alcohol: 15.0 %
Description: Medium+ ruby in colour with a medium to medium+ intensity on the nose.

Positives: This is not a jammy Zin that you only taste prunes. This wine is well balanced showing notes of raisins, dark cherry, plums, tobacco leaves, raspberry, blackberry & lots of spice. The nose has a nice smokey note that reminds me of chimney smoke from wood burning in a cold winter’s night. Medium body with medium tannins, good acidity & long length.

Negatives: Lots of heat coming from the 15% alcohol.

Interesting Note: Taste more like a Washington Syrah than a Zin. Drink on its own or pair it with T-bone steak. Drinkable now or over the next 3 years. Decant for an hour & you’ll be rewarded with a smoother taste.

Tasted: 13 Mar 12

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

Out of 5 stars, I rated this wine: 4.5

LCBO#: 672741

BORTHWICK VINEYARD PINOT NOIR 2008, Wairarapa, North Island, New Zealand

15 Thursday Mar 2012

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Borthwick Vineyard Pinot Noir 2008, Wairarapa, North Island Bottle

Cost: $35.95
Grape Variety: Pinot noir
Category: Red Wine
Appellation: VINTAGES
Country: New Zealand
Region: Wairarapa
Format: 750 mL
Producer: Borthwick Vineyard
Alcohol: 14.0 %
Description: “Grown near Masterton, in the Gladstone sub-region, the 2008 vintage is a deeply coloured, attractively perfumed red with vibrant cherry and plum flavours, showing excellent depth, ripeness and suppleness. Youthful, with good, savoury complexity and plenty of muscle, it should mature well. Score: 4 1/2 stars (out of 5) (Michael Cooper, Buyer’s Guide to New Zealand Wine, 2010)” LCBO

Medium minus ruby with a tint of garnet in colour with a medium intense nose.

Positives: A good mix of Old World & New World Pinot in style, meaning not over bearing & having a good balance between fruit & earthy notes. Very smooth Pinot showing pine, rhubarb, cranberry, sour cherry, wooden embers, suede & truffles. Medium minus in body with medium minus tannins, good acidity, long length & the alcohol is well integrated.

Negatives: Slightly over sour on the finish.

Food friendly wine that will go well with duck or turkey. Drink now or over the next 2 years.

Tasted: 12 Mar 12

Score: 9/10, Value: 8.5/10, Total: 17.5/20

Out of 5 stars, I rated this wine: 4

LCBO#: 586065

DEUTZ BRUT ROSE CHAMPAGNE 2008, Aÿ, France

15 Thursday Mar 2012

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Deutz Rosé Brut Champagne 2008, Ac Bottle

Cost: $34.95
Grape Variety: Pinot noir
Category: Wine
Appellation: LCBO
Country: Champagne, France
Region: Aÿ
Format: 375 mL bottle
Producer: Champagne Deutz
Alcohol: 12.0 %
Description: Salmon in colour with fine mousse & medium+ intense nose. Positives: Rose petals, strawberry, yeasty, biscotti, ambrosia apples, cherry & mineral notes. Full body with good acidity & a long creamy finish.

Negatives: None.

Interesting Points: Having this for my birthday so cheers! You should always treat yourself on your BD.

Drink on its own or pair it with salmon (sake) sashimi.

Tasted: 12 Mar 12

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

Out of 5 stars, I rated this wine: 4.5

LCBO#: 249391

CHÂTEAU MONTUS 2006, Madarin, Languedoc-Roussillon, France

15 Thursday Mar 2012

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Château Montus 2006 Bottle

Cost: $34.95
Grape Variety: Tannat, Cabernet Sauvignon & Cabernet Franc
Category: Red Wine
Appellation: VINTAGES
Country: France
Region: Languedoc-Roussillon
Format: 750 mL
Producer: Sa Vignobles Brumont
Alcohol: 14.5 %
Description: Deep dark ruby with a hint of garnet on the colour & medium+ intensity on the nose.

Positives: A complex & higher end wine from the South of France. Notes of cedar, blackberry, dark cherry, mulberry, raspberry, macintosh apple, leather, pencil shaving, turmeric, all spice, arugula & radicchio on the finish. Full body, medium+ tannins, good acidity, long length & alcohol is well integrated.

Negatives: A little astringent & thus needs time to age.

If you’re drinking this now, decanter for 2 hours & pair it with medium rare steak.

Tasted: 11 Mar 12

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

Out of 5 stars, I rated this wine: 4

LCBO#: 704718

 

INNISKILLIN OAKED CHARDONNAY CORE SERIES VQA, 2010 Niagara Peninsula

15 Thursday Mar 2012

Posted by in Best Buys, Canadian Wines, White Wines

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Inniskillin Oak Aged Chardonnay Core Series 2010, Niagara Peninsula Bottle

Cost: $14.95 (On sale at some LCBO $10.90)
Grape Variety: Chardonnay
Category: White Wine
Appellation: LCBO
Country: Canada
Region: Niagara Peninsula
Format: 750 mL
Producer: Inniskillin House Wines Inc
Alcohol: 13.5 %
Description: Medium+ straw in colour with medium to medium+ intensity on the nose.

Positives: The nose shows more citric & mineral notes than the taste. Aromas of apple, lemon, grapefruit, limestone &green banana. The taste is surprisingly better showing similar notes as the nose but having some creaminess associated to a mild buttery taste, mild toasted oak, plantain & a kiss of maple, just to add that Canadian touch. Medium+ body with good acidity & medium+ length.

Negatives: A little heat from the alcohol.

Interesting Note: Use the larger Chard glasses as that will bring out more of the creaminess of the wine.

Drink now or over the next to years on its own or match it with snow crab & drawn butter.

Tasted: 10 Mar 12

Best Buy (amazing buy at the sale price).

Score: 8.5+/10, Value: 9.5/10 (10/10 on sale price), Total: 18.5/20

Out of 5 stars, I rated this wine: 4

LCBO#: 317768

D’ARENBERG THE STUMP JUMP GRENACHE SHIRAZ MOURVEDRE 2009, McLaren Vale, Australia

15 Thursday Mar 2012

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D'arenberg The Stump Jump Grenache Shiraz Mourvedre 2009, South Australia Bottle

Cost: $13.95 (sale: $12.95 till April 1)
Grape Variety: Grenache/shiraz/mourvedre
Category: Still Table Wine
Appellation: LCBO
Country: Australia
Region: McLaren Vale
Format: 750 mL
Producer: D’Arenberg Wines
Alcohol: 14.0 %
Description: Medium ruby to garnet in colour with medium to medium+ intensity.

Positives: Lots of spice going on here along with violets, plums, maple, nectarines, blackberries, dark cherries, tobacco leaves, cigar box & champagne mushrooms. Medium+ body with medium tannins, good acidity & long length.

Negatives: A touch of heat from the alcohol & some tartness on the finish.

Interesting Note: This GSM is more in line with Cotê du Rhone as I didn’t detect the usual jammy notes associated to Australian wines. Use Shiraz/Syrah wine glass if you have them. Finally, from time to time LCBO has this wine on sale.

Drink now on its own or pair it with Chinese dish of beef, mushrooms & broccoli.

Tasted: 7 Mar 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#: 173294

WARRE’S OTIMA 10 YEAR OLD TAWNY, Duoro Valley, Portugal

11 Sunday Mar 2012

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Warre’s 10 Year Old Otima Port, Douro Valley Bottle

Cost: $21.95
Grape Variety: Blend
Category: Port
Appellation: LCBO General List
Country: Portugal
Region: Duoro
Format: 500 mL
Producer: Vintage And Fine Wine International
Alcohol: 20.0 %
Description: A beautiful amber in colour with a highly intense nose.

Positives: Lots of dried figs, dates, raisins, cedar, apricots, orange rind, pecan pie & almonds. Sweet, good acidity, a lot of heat from the high alcohol & long length.

Negatives: None.

Interesting Notes: Consistent year after year & easily accessible as its on LCBO general list. This tawny is in a 500 ml bottle.

Drink now with almonds & dark chocolate. You can lightly chill it or have it at room temperature of 18 degrees.

Tasted: 10 Mar 12

Best Buy

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

Out of 5 stars, I rated this wine: 4.5

LCBO#: 566174

JUST CHARDONNAY 2009, Pays D’Oc, France

07 Wednesday Mar 2012

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Just Chardonnay, Vin De Pays D'oc Bottle

Cost: $7.65
Grape Variety: Chardonnay
Category: Still Table Wine
Appellation: LCBO
Country: France
Region: Languedoc-Roussillon
Format: 750 mL
Producer: Paul Sapin Sa
Alcohol: 13.0% Alcohol/Vol.
Description: Medium+ straw in colour with medium to medium+ intensity on the nose.

Positives: This is an unpretentious chard that, by its own label, is just Chardonnay. A delightful easy drinking wine that you can take to parties or open as an apéritif. Lightly oaked with lemon, pineapple, honeydew melon, cantaloupe, apple & some limestone. Medium body with good acidity & medium length.

Negatives: Just a slight tartness on the finish.

Interesting Note: Good news bad news. Good news is that this wine for $7.65 is a best buy. Bad news is that it’s on sale for that price as the LCBO is discontinuing it, so get it where you can.

Tasted: 6 Mar 12

Best Buy

Score: 8.5, Value: 10/10, Score: 18.5/20

Out of 5 stars, I rated this wine: 3.5

LCBO#: 161232

CHÂTEAU SAINT-ROCH DE LAURENS FAUGÈRES, Faugères, Languedoc-Roussillon, France

06 Tuesday Mar 2012

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Cost: $18.95
Grape Variety: Syrah, Mourvèdre & Grenache
Category: Red Wine
Appellation: VINTAGES
Country: France
Region: Faugères
Format: 750 mL
Producer: Terroirs D’Occitanie
Alcohol: 13.0% Alcohol/Vol.
Description: Dark ruby in colour with medium+ intensity on the nose.

Positives: Classic Faugères notes of cassis, licorice & leather. But it doesn’t stop there. You’ll also find tamarind, raspberry, plum, cherry, red currants & arugula. Medium+ body, tannins & acidity with a very long finish.

Negatives: Found it a little watery.

Interesting Note: Hard to find Faugères at the LCBO.

Drink now on its own or enjoy it with rack of lamb.

Tasted: 5 Mar 12

Best Buy

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

Out of 5 stars, I rated this wine: 4.5

LCBO#: 223685