FLAT ROCK CELLARS RESERVE CHARDONNAY, 2007 VQA Twenty Mile Bench, Ontario

22 Thursday Dec 2011

Posted by in Canadian Wines, Top Picks, Price Not Withstanding, White Wines

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Cost: $35.20
Grape Variety: Chardonnay
Category: White Wine
Appellation: VINTAGES
Country: Canada
Region: Twenty Mile Bench
Format: 750 mL
Producer: Flat Rock Cellars
Alcohol: 13.0% Alcohol/Vol.
Description: Bright gold colour with medium+ intensity on the nose.

Positives: What a nice wine showing lemon/lime, ginger, apple, medium toasted oak, buttery biscuit, roasted marshmallow, mango, pineapple & limestone. Medium to full body, good acidity, long length, balanced & complex. Not your typical Ontario Chard having tropical notes with medium alcohol & I love that.

Negatives: None

Interesting Point: 1. Use the larger Chard glass that would go with California or Australian Chards. I tried it in a cool climate Chard glass & the bitterness really came out. 2. Screw cap. 3. I like the minimalist label.

Drink now or cellar it for another 2-3 years. Drink on its own or pair it with lobster & drawn butter.

Tasted: 21 Dec 11.

Top Pick, Price Not Withstanding

Best Buy on sale price of $24.70.

Score: 9.5/10, Value: 9/10 (sale price 10/10) Total: 18.5/20.

Out of 5 stars, I rated this wine: 4.5

LCBO#: 198812

SANTA RITA RESERVA CABERNET SAUVIGNON, 2009 Maipo Valley, Chile

22 Thursday Dec 2011

Posted by in Best Buys, Red Wines

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Cost: $13.95
Grape Variety: Cabernet-Sauvignon
Category: Red Wine
Appellation: LCBO General List
Country: Chile
Region: Maipo Valley
Format: 750 ml
Producer: Vina Santa Rita
Alcohol: 13.5 %
Description: Medium ruby in colour with medium to medium+ intensity on the nose.

Positives: Classic Cab Sauv notes of cedar, blackberry, anise, cassis, cloves, pencil shavings, leather, turmeric, tamarin & some tobacco leaf on the finish. Well balanced wine, medium+ body & length, good acidity & medium tannins.

Negatives: None

Interesting Things: Santa Rita is a well established winery that consistently produces good wines at all their price points. This one is the second level on their pricing scale of wines found in the LCBO. Best part is they usually have sales a couple times of year. This ones on sale for $11.95 until the beginning of January. Nice thing about this wine is its ready to drink now & it taste as if you’re drinking a bottle double its price.

Drink on its own or pair it with any beef dish.

Tasted: 20 Dec 11

Best Buy (amazing buy at the sale price).

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

Out of 5 stars, I rated this wine: 4.5

LCBO#: 253872

SANDEMAN VAU VINTAGE PORT, 2009, DO Douro, Portugal

20 Tuesday Dec 2011

Posted by in Best Buys, Fortified & Desert Wine

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Sandeman Vau Vintage Port 2000, Doc Douro Bottle

Cost: $19.95
Grape Variety: Port Blend
Category: Fortified Wine
Appellation: LCBO
Country: Portugal
Region: Douro
Format: 750 mL
Producer: Geo. G. Sandeman Sons & Co. Ltd
Alcohol: 20.0% Alcohol/Vol.
Description: Opaque blood red in colour with medium+ intensity on the nose.

Positives: Not a complex Port but very smooth showing dry fig fruit, raisin, plum, licorice & tamarin.

Negatives: None

Drink now & pair it with blue cheese or almonds & dark chocolate.

Tasted: 19 Dec 11

Best Buy

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

Out of 5 stars, I rated this wine: 4

LCBO#: 251090

BODEGAS SHAYA VERDEJO 2009, DO Rueda, Spain

19 Monday Dec 2011

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Bodegas Shaya Verdejo 2009, Do Rueda Bottle

Cost: $17.95
Grape Variety: Verdejo
Category: White Wine
Appellation: VINTAGES
Country: Spain
Region: Rueda
Format: 750 mL
Producer: Bodegas Shaya
Alcohol: 13.5% Alcohol/Vol.
Description: Medium straw colour with medium to medium+ intensity on the nose.

Positives: Very nice aromas of lemon/lime, carnations, cinnamon, pear, apple & limestone. The taste is not as beautiful as the nose but still nice showing lemon, orange, pear, limestone & grapefruit. The wine is medium body with good acidity & medium length.

Negatives: A touch too much grapefruit on the finish. Drink now on its own or pair it with oysters.

Interesting Note: If you like Rueda wines, try the Pedro Escudero 2009 Fuente for $13.95, which is a Best Buy that I reviewed in November 2011.

Tasted: 18 Dec 11

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

Out of 5 stars, I rated this wine: 3

LCBO#: 241554

CHÂTEAU LE MONTEIL D’ARSAC 2006, AC Haut-Médoc, France

18 Sunday Dec 2011

Posted by in Red Wines

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Le Monteil D'arsac 2006, Ac Médoc Bottle

Cost: $16.95
Grape Variety: Bordeaux Blend
Category: Red Wine
Appellation: VINTAGES
Country: France
Region: Haut-Médoc
Format: 750 mL
Producer: Yvon Mau Et Fils
Alcohol: 13.0% Alcohol/Vol.
Description: Medium+ ruby in colour intensity with a medium intense nose.

Positives: Pleasant aromas featuring mulberry, cherry, mushroom, oak, oregano, cassis, turmeric & leather. Taste is pleasant with similar notes. The wine is medium body with medium tannins, acidity & length.

Negatives: Some spinach on the finish giving a touch of bitterness.

Drink now on its own or pair it with grilled pork chops.

Tasted 17 Dec 11

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

Out of 5 stars, I rated this wine: 3.5

LCBO#: 226142

CHÂTEAU PUECH-HAUT PRESTIGE SAINT-DRÉZÉRY 2009, AC Coteaux-Du-Languedoc, France

18 Sunday Dec 2011

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Château Puech Haut Prestige 2009, Ac Coteaux Du Languedoc Bottle

Cost: $26.95
Grape Variety: 55% Grenache, 35% Syrah, 10% Carignan
Category: Red Wine
Appellation: VINTAGES
Country: France
Region: Coteaux-Du-Languedoc
Format: 750 mL
Producer: Domaines Bru
Alcohol: 14.5 %
Description: Dark ruby in colour with medium intense nose.

Positives: Plums, dark chocolate, bramble fruit, blueberry, cassis, oak, tobacco leaf, radicchio, dark cherry & earthy minerality. This wine is medium to full body, very long length, good acidity & high tannins.

Negatives: There’s a lot of heat coming from the alcohol, as well I found this wine too austere with bitter notes.

Interesting Notes: I tried this wine 24 hours later hoping that the wine would mellow out somewhat, but it was the same as I had it before.

Drink with medium-rare steak

Tasted: 16 Dec 11.

Score: 8/10, Value: 6.5/10, Total: 14.5/20

Out of 5 stars, I rated this wine: 2.5

LCBO#: 237289

TOASTED HEAD, BARREL AGED, CHARDONNAY, 2010, California

10 Saturday Dec 2011

Posted by in Best Buys, White Wines

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Toasted Head Chardonnay (V) 2009, California Bottle

Cost: $17.95
Grape Variety: Chardonnay
Category: White Wine
Appellation: VINTAGES
Country: United States
Region: California
Format: 750 mL
Producer: R.H. Phillips Vineyard & Winery
Alcohol: 14.5 %
Description: “The name Toasted Head refers to the barrels used to age this wine. Usually, only the barrel walls are charred, but, in this case, the heads are toasted too. The resulting wine is filled with aromas of smoky apple-cinnamon, pear, vanilla and toasty oak. Full bodied with a medium-long finish, it’s a perfect companion to chicken quesadillas, grilled prawns or shrimp stir-fry.” (LCBO)

Light gold in colour with medium to medium+ intensity.

Positives: Toasted Head has come a long way from the days that California Chards , at least in the inexpensive category of under $30, was like gnawing on oak planks. Toasted Head has been consistently good in the past couple of years producing well balanced, medium toasted oak Chards, full body, long length with good acidity. Notes of lemon, apple, butterscotch, coconut cream pie & pineapple dominate both on the nose and palate.

Negatives: High alcohol.

Interesting Things: I like the shape of the bottle & wax stopper on the cork. Makes it stand out from the rest of the California Chards. LCBO usually puts this wine on sale a couple of times throughout the year.

Drink now on its own or have it with lobster & drawn butter.

Tasted: 9 Dec 11

Best Buy

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

Out of 5 stars, I rated this wine: 4

LCBO#: 594341

POST HOUSE PENNY BLACK 2008, Stellenbosch, South Africa

08 Thursday Dec 2011

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Post House Penny Black 2008, Wo Stellenbosch Bottle

Cost: $19.95
Grape Variety: Shiraz, Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, Petit Verdot & Chenin Blanc
Category: Red Wine
Appellation: VINTAGES
Country: South Africa
Region: Stellenbosch
Format: 750 mL
Producer: Robinson & Sinclair S.A.
Alcohol: 15.0% Alcohol/Vol.
Description: Dark ruby in colour with medium+ intensity on the nose.

Positives: Cedar, mesquite, blackberry, cassis, dark chocolate, leather, pencil shavings, turmeric, plum, black & red peppers on the nose. Medium+ tannins, good acidity, long length & full body. Surprisingly the high alcohol is well integrated.

Negatives: A little austere.

Interesting Point: Use a Shiraz style glassware as I found other glassware accentuated the austerity. After an hour the wine had more Cab notes.

Tasted: 7 Dec 11

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

Out of 5 stars, I rated this wine: 4

LCBO#: 148619

ABBADIA ARDENGA ROSSO DI MONTALCINO 2007, DOC

08 Thursday Dec 2011

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Abbadia Ardenga Rosso Di Montalcino 2007, Doc Bottle

Cost: $15.95
Grape Variety: Sangiovese
Category: Red Wine
Appellation: VINTAGES
Country: Italy
Region: Tuscany
Format: 750 mL
Producer: Abbadia Ardenga
Alcohol: 14.0% Alcohol/Vol.
Description: Medium to light ruby to garnet in colour with medium+ intensity in the nose.

Positives: Classic Sangiovese with sour cherry, wood smoke, cedar, raspberry & truffles. The taste is very smooth & easy to drink with medium tannins, good acidity, medium weight & long length.

Negatives: None

Drink now on its own or pair it with any classic Italian dish with tomato based sauce.

Tasted: 6 Dec 11

Best Buy

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

Out of 5 stars, I rated this wine: 4.5

LCBO#: 184945

AMANI CHARDONNAY 2009, Stellenbosch, South Africa

05 Monday Dec 2011

Posted by in White Wines

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Amani Chardonnay 2009, Wo Stellenbosch Bottle

Cost: $17.95
Grape Variety: Chardonnay
Category: White Wine
Appellation: VINTAGES
Country: South Africa
Region: Stellenbosh
Format: 750 mL
Producer: Amani Vineyards
Alcohol: 14.0 %
Description: Gold in colour with medium+ intensity on the nose.

Positives: This wine shows a beautiful Chard aromas and bouguet of medium toasted oak, butter, lemon & butterscotch ice cream. The taste is creamy with medium tasted oak, lemon, peach, pineapple, orange rind, & green apple. The wine is medium to full body, a very long length & good acidity.

Negatives: There’s a little too much tartness on the taste.

Interesting Point: Use the large Chard glass as smaller glassware will accentuate the tartness. This wine is not for everyone, only for die hard Chard lovers.

Drink now with rich foods such as crab with drawn butter which will help dissipate the bitterness.

Tasted: 4 Dec 11

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

Out of 5 stars, I rated this wine: 4

LCBO#: 6877442