DR. HERMANN RIESLING KABINETT 2008,Qmp, Erdener Treppchen, Mosel, Germany

04 Sunday Mar 2012

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Dr. Hermann Riesling Kabinett 2008, Qmp, Erdener Treppchen Bottle

Cost: $16.95
Grape Variety: Riesling
Category: White Wine
Appellation: VINTAGES
Country: Germany
Region: Mosel
Format: 750 mL
Producer: Weingut Dr. Hermann
Alcohol: 7.5% Alcohol/Vol.
Description: Medium+ straw in colour with high intensity on the nose.

Positives: Petrol nose featuring lime, peach, slate, pineapple, apple and honey.  Off dry with medium body, good acidity and medium+ length.

Negatives: None

This wine is starting to come of age but you will be rewarded for cellaring this wine for another 10 years. Drink on its own or it will pair nicely with BBQ pork ribs.

Tasted: 21 Feb 12

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

Out of 5 stars, I rated this wine: 4

LCBO#: 189647

DR. LOOSEN BLUE SLATE RIESLING KABINETT 2010,Prädikatswein, Mosel, Germany

04 Sunday Mar 2012

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Dr. Loosen Blue Slate Riesling Kabinett 2010, Prädikatswein Bottle

Cost: $19.95
Grape Variety: Riesling
Category: White Wine
Appellation: VINTAGES
Country: Germany
Region: Mosel
Format: 750 mL
Producer: Weingut Dr Loosen
Alcohol: 7.5% Alcohol/Vol.
Description: Wine & Spirits magazine, in their December 2008 issue, also gave this wine a score of 90.p

Description: Medium+ straw in colour with high intensity on the nose.

Positives: Sweet peach, lime and honey. Off dry, ibody with high acidity and medium+ length.

Negatives: Lots of sulphur and closed nit. Not worth drinking now.

Cellar it for at least 5 years, and hope that the petrol notes come out and the acidity will smooth out bring out the fruit.

Tasted: 22 Feb 11

Score: 8/10, Value: 8/10, Score: 16/20

Out of 5 stars, I rated this wine: 2.5

LCBO#: 160846

NORMAN HARDIE UNFILTERED CHARDONNAY 2008 VQA Ontario

21 Tuesday Feb 2012

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Norman Hardie Unfiltered Chardonnay 2008, VQA Prince Edward County Bottle

Cost: $35.00 (sale $24.55)
Grape Variety: Chardonnay
Category: White Wine
Appellation: VINTAGES
Country: Canada
Region: Ontario
Format: 750 mL
Producer: Hardie Wines
Alcohol: 11.9% Alcohol/Vol.
Description: Bright gold in colour with medium+ nose.

Rich, smooth & complex wine whose taste come in waves. Medium toasty oak with buttery popcorn, lemon zest, tangarine, pineapple, limestone, nectarine, apricot, ginger, dill & butterscotch. Medium+ body, good acidity, extremely long length & unusual low alcohol for a chard of such richness.

Negatives: None.

Interesting Point: Use the smaller chard glasses to capture the complexity of this wine & be careful not to over chill it.

Drink now or over the next 2-3 years on its own or with white tail tuna sashimi.

Tasted: 20 Feb 12

Score: 9+/10, Value: 8.5+ (sale price 10/10 & a Best Buy), Total: 18/20

Out of 5 stars, I rated this wine: 4.5

LCBO:# 184432

GLORIA FERRER SONOMA BRUT SPARKLING WINE, Sonoma County, California

21 Tuesday Feb 2012

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Gloria Ferrer Sonoma Brut Sparkling Wine, Sonoma County, California, Méthode Champenoise Bottle

Cost: $21.95
Grape Variety: Chardonnay & Pinot Noir
Category: Sparkling Wine
Appellation: VINTAGES
Country: United States
Region: Sonoma County
Format: 750 mL
Producer: Gloria Ferrer
Alcohol: 12.5% Alcohol/Vol.
Description: Blush in colour with fine mousse & medium to medium+ intensity.

Positives: Simply delicious & easy drinking. Raspberry, lemon tart, pear, light yeast, flan, molasses & ginger. Medium to medium+ body, good acidity & length.

Negatives: None.

Interesting Thing: Made in the traditional method. Drink now on its or or pair it with quail eggs & caviar. This wine was ranked #78 on Wine Spectator’s Top 100 list of 2009.

Best Buy

Tasted: 20 Feb 12

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

Out of 5 stars, I rated this wine: 4.5

LCBO#: 192898

STAG’S LEAP WINE CELLARS ARCADIA VINEYARD CHARDONNAY 2007, Napa Valley, California

20 Monday Feb 2012

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Stag's Leap Wine Cellars Arcadia Chardonnay 2007, Napa Valley Bottle

Cost: $54.95 (sale price $34.55)
Grape Variety: Chardonnay
Category: White Wine
Appellation: VINTAGES
Country: USA
Region: Napa Valley
Format: 750 mL
Producer: Ste. Michelle Wine Estates Fob
Alcohol: 13.2% Alcohol/Vol.
Description: Light gold in colour with medium intensity nose.

Positives: Lemon zest, green apple, celery, kiwi & limestone. Medium body with good acidity & medium+ length.

Negatives: There is nothing wrong with this chard, but I just expected more at this price.

Drink now in its own or pair it with rotisserie chicken.

Tasted: 19 Feb 12

Score: 8.5/10, Value: 7/10, Total: 15.5/20

Out of 5 stars, I rated this wine: 3.5

LCBO#: 225359

GRAND SUD MERLOT, 2010 Vin de Pays d’Oc, France

20 Monday Feb 2012

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Grand Sud Merlot 1000ml 2010, Vin De Pays D'oc Bottle

Cost: $9.95
Grape Variety: Merlot
Category: Red Wine
Appellation: LCBO General Listing
Country: France
Region: Languedoc Roussillon (Midi)
Format: 1000 mL
Producer: Les Grands Chais De France Sa
Alcohol: 13.0% Alcohol/Vol.
Description: Deep dark blood ruby in colour with medium to medium+ intensity.

Positives: What a beautiful nose with notes of cigar box, tobacco, cloves, plums, cherry, pine cones, red candy & a touch of vanilla. The taste isn’t as sweet as the nose, which is a good thing. The taste shows blackberry, mulberry, blackcurrant, blueberry, nutmeg, anise, dark cherry, cocoa bean & cloves. Medium to full body, medium minus tannins, good acidity & medium+ length.

Negatives: None.

Interesting Things: I love the elliptical shape of the bottle & the bevelled coat of arms. Lastly, my mom loves it. Oh & last to the lastly, it’s under $10!

Drink now on its own or pair it with veal cutlet.

Tasted: 19 Feb 12

Amazing Buy

Best Buy

Score: 8.5+/10, Value: 10/10, Score: 19/20

Out of 5 stars, I rated this wine: 4

LCBO: 171314

GRAHAM BECK CHARDONNAY – VIOGNIER 2009, Western Cape, South Africa

20 Monday Feb 2012

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Graham Beck Chardonnay Viognier 2009 Bottle

Cost: $9.80
Grape Variety: Chardonnay & Viognier
Category: White Wine
Appellation: LCBO
Country: South Africa
Region: Western Cape
Format: 750ml
Producer: Graham Beck Wines
Alcohol: 14.0% Alcohol/Vol.
Description: Medium+ straw colour with medium to medium+ intensity on the nose.

Positives: A nice easy drinking wine featuring lemon meringue, peach, white flower, honeydew melon, pear & limestone. Medium to medium+ body, good acidity with medium+ length.

Negatives: None

Interesting Thing: Unfortunately this is product is discontinued, but you can still pick up some bottles now.

Drink now on its own or it with chicken dishes.

Tasted: 18 Feb 12

Best Buy

Score: 8.5+, Value:10/10, Total: 19/20

Out of 5 stars, I rated this wine: 4

LCBO#: 140608 (Discontinued)

INNISKILLIN BRAE BLANC RESERVE VQA Niagara Peninsula, Ontario

19 Sunday Feb 2012

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Inniskillin Brae Blanc 2009 Bottle

Cost: $11.70
Grape Variety: 42 % Gewurztraminer, 40% Chardonnay and 18% Riesling
Category: White Wine
Appellation: LCBO
Country: Canada
Region: Niagara Peninsula
Format: 750 mL
Producer: Jackson-Triggs Winery
Alcohol: 13,5% Alcohol/Vol.
Description: Light straw colour with medium+ intensity on the nose.

Positives: Light and crisp despite the wood aging and 13% alcohol. Notes of green apple, lemon, lychee, wet stone, white peach and floral notes. Medium to medium minus body, good acidity and medium+ length.

Negatives: None

Interesting Point: “The wines used in the blend were fermented separately and blended after ageing. The Gewurztraminer and Riesling were cool fermented in stainless steel. Following fermentation, nearly 30% of this wine was aged for 3 months in new French Oak barrels. The Chardonnay used in this wine was barrel fermented in new and used French and American oak. The chardonnay underwent partial malolactic fermentation and was aged for 6 months in the same barrels.” (Inniskillin Winery). Product is de-listed from LCBO but you can still find this wine.

Drink now on its own or pair it with plain potato chips.

Tasted: 18 Feb 12

Score: 8.5+, Value: 10/10, Total: 19/20

Out of 5 stars, I rated this wine: 3.5

LCBO:# 109975 (Product being discontinued)

FOXGLOVE CHARDONNAY 2009, Central Coast, California

19 Sunday Feb 2012

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Foxglove Chardonnay 2009, Central Coast Bottle

Cost: $19.95
Grape Variety: Chardonnay
Category: White Wine
Appellation: VINTAGES
Country: USA
Region: Central Coast
Format: 750 mL
Producer: Park Wine Co.Inc. Dba Varner
Alcohol: 13.9% Alcohol/Vol.
Description: Medium+ straw colour with medium intensity nose.

Positives: This is an easy drinking unoaked Chard featuring peach, honeydew melon, honeysuckle, lemon, apple, chalk minerality & a light creamy finish. Medium body with good acidity & long length.

Negatives None.

Drink now on its own or pair it with raw oysters.

Tasted: 15 Feb 12

Best Buy

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

Out of 5 stars, I rated this wine: 4

LCBO#: 262022

KUMEU RIVER MATÉ’S VINEYARD CHARDONNAY 2008, Kumeu, New Zealand

15 Wednesday Feb 2012

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Kumeu River Maté's Vineyard Chardonnay 2008, Auckland, North Island Bottle

Cost: $44.95
Grape Variety: Chardonnay
Category: White Wine
Appellation: VINTAGES
Country: New Zealand
Region: Kumeu
Format: 750 mL
Producer: Kumeu River Wines Limited
Alcohol: 13.5% Alcohol/Vol.
Description: Bright gold in colour with medium+ nose.

Positives: Firstly, I like to point out that this is a big complex chard with 13.5% alcohol. This is not a typo, yes 13.5%, not 14.5% or 15.5%. Still can’t believe it & thank you Brajkovich family. On with the notes. Classic chard notes tilting more toward citric flavours with minerality & don’t expect it to be really buttery. Pity. Medium to medium+ body, good acidity with long length.

Negatives: Too much alcohol. Oh wait wrong wine lol.

Interesting Point: Don’t over chill it as you’ll loose all the complexity that this wine has to offer.

Drink now on its own or cellar it for up to 5 years. Pair it with my wife’s saffron seared scallops. Really you should try it.

Tasted: 12 Feb 12

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

Out of 5 stars, I rated this wine: 4.5

LCBO#: 204032