COLANERI, STELLUCHA, RIESLING, VQA 2009, Niagara Peninsula

20 Thursday Oct 2011

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Coraggioso

Cost: $15.95

Grape Variety: Riesling
Category: White Wine
Appellation: Winery
Country: Canada
Region: Niagara Peninsula
Format: 750 mL
Producer:  Colaneri Winery
Alcohol: 12% Alcohol/Vol.

Description: Light gold colour with medium intensity on the nose. 

Positives: Very clean, smooth and a touch of creaminess. Notes of lemon/lime, peach, tangerine and a hint of grapefruit and minerality. This is a medium body wine with long length and good acidity. On the Riesling sweetness scale (not to be confused with the sugar content of wines) I would put this in the middle. Very pleasant to drink on its own or pair it with grilled shrimp on the BBQ. 

Negatives: None 

Interesting Points:

  • This is Tara’s wine that won gold medal at the Ottawa Wine Challenge (should have won diamond, if they had that category)
  • The wine is barrel aged in new and old oak for 9 months
  • Stellucha means little star in Italian. Tara’s mom gave her that nickname when she was little. Tara competes in Latin dance & the picture is of her pose in the dance. On the upper right corner is a silhouette of her mother looking down from heaven to her Stellucha. Tara’s mother had passed away 2 years ago.  

Best Buy 

Tasted: 7 Oct 2011 

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

Out of 5 stars, I rated this wine 4

COLANERI, CAVALLONE, PINOT GRIGIO, VQA 2010, Niagara Peninsula

20 Thursday Oct 2011

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Coraggioso

Cost: $25.00

Grape Variety: Pinot Grigio
Category: White Wine
Appellation: Winery
Country: Canada
Region: Niagara Peninsula
Format: 750 mL
Producer:  Colaneri Winery
Alcohol: 13.9% Alcohol/Vol.

Description: A beautiful copper colour with medium intensity on the nose. 

Positives: This is in the Alsatian style with honeysuckle, orange rind, grapefruit, pear and peach on the nose. The taste has a wonderful oiliness to it along with peach, pear, orange, pink grapefruit, limestone and apples.  

Negatives: None 

Interesting Points:

  • This wine won gold at Intervin
  • This is Tara’s mom’s wine (Angiolina)
  • The wine is barrel aged in new and old oak for 9 months Appassimento style
  • Cavallone means horse in Italian. Tara’s grandmother gave her mother that nickname when she was little, which meant in Italian that they were strong and free spirited. The little children on the horse is Tara holding onto her mother not to let to go, and her brother, Michael, pointing to the sky telling her that she is in heaven but saying that she is with them here. The rock on the lower right hand corner represents Tara’s father, who is the rock. 

Best Buy

Tasted: 7 Oct 2011 

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

Out of 5 stars, I rated this wine 4.5

COLANERI, UNITA, VQA 2009, Niagara Peninsula

20 Thursday Oct 2011

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Coraggioso

Cost: $25.00

Grape Variety: Cabernet Franc
Category: Red Wine
Appellation: Winery
Country: Canada
Region: Niagara Peninsula
Format: 750 mL
Producer:  Colaneri Winery
Alcohol: 14.1% Alcohol/Vol.

Description: Medium ruby to garnet in colour with medium+ intensity on the nose. 

Positives: Complex wine showing cherry, blackberries, black olives, dill, basil, mocha, tobacco leaves and raspberry.  This wine is full body with a long length.  

Negatives: Needs to age as it is still a little green on the taste.  

Interesting Points:

  • This wine is in 50% Appassimento style
  • The wine is barrel aged in new and old oak for 13months
  • Carposo means full body in Italian.
  • The label means Unity. This is Michael’s label (Tara’s brother), which represents happy times at the dinner table with his family.  

Best Buy

Tasted: 7 Oct 2011

Score: 9/10, Value: 910, Total: 18/20

Out of 5 stars, I rated this wine 4

COLANERI CORPOSO VQA 2009, Niagara Peninsula

20 Thursday Oct 2011

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Coraggioso

Cost: $18.95

Grape Variety: 60% Cabernet Franc, 40% Cabernet Sauvigon
Category: Red Wine
Appellation: Winery
Country: Canada
Region: Niagara Peninsula
Format: 750 mL
Producer:  Colaneri Winery
Alcohol: 13.1% Alcohol/Vol.

Description: Medium ruby to garnet in colour with medium+  intensity on the nose. 

Positives: There is a lot going on in this wine. Cherry pie, blackberries, black olives, dill and basil predominate on the nose. Similar to the nose with the addition of some tobacco leaves and raspberry.  The wine has a Medium+ body with a long length. Easy to drink on its own or pair it pizza. 

Negatives: None 

Interesting Points:

  • This wine is in a Ripasso style
  • The label is of Tara’s grandfather pressing the grapes in the traditional Italian method “torchio”
  • The wine is barrel aged in new and old oak for 13months
  • Carposo means full body in Italian.  

Best Buy

Tasted: 7 Oct 2011

Score: 9/10, Value: 910, Total: 18/20

Out of 5 stars, I rated this wine 4

THE PARING, THE HILT, CHARDONNAY 2008, Santa Barbara County, California

20 Thursday Oct 2011

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Cost: $32.95 (sale price of $23.15)
Grape Variety: Chardonnay
Category: White Wine
Appellation: VINTAGES
Country: United States
Region: Santa Barbara County
Format: 750 mL
Producer: Cool Hand Vineyards Llc
Alcohol: 14.1% Alcohol/Vol.
Description: Golden in colour, medium intensity on the nose.

Positives: Classic Burgundian Chard with lemon, apple, limestone, light butter & touch of toasted oak. Medium body, good acidity & long length. The big surprise is there’s no excessive heat from the high alcohol. I describe this Chard as non-offensive, meaning those that like un-oaked to those that like heavy Chards will enjoy it. They may not love it, but should agree with my scoring.

Negatives: None.

Interesting Points: Not worth the original price, but I can live with the sale price.

Drink now on its own or pair with any chicken dish. Make sure you don’t chill it to much so the flavours come out.

Tasted 19 Oct 11.

Score: 8.5+/20, Value: 7.5/10 (sale price: 8.5/10), Total: 17/20

Out of 5 stars, I rated this wine: 3.5

LCBO: 221176

ELDERTON SHIRAZ 2007, Barossa, Australia

18 Tuesday Oct 2011

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Cost: $32.95 (Sale price: $23.15)
Grape Variety: Shiraz
Category: Red Wine
Appellation: VINTAGES
Country: Australia
Region: Barossa
Format: 750 mL
Producer: Ashmead Family
Alcohol: 14.5% Alcohol/Vol.
Description: Dark ruby to purple in colour with high intensity on the nose.

Positives: Lots of red & black currents, mocha, spiciness, sweet plums & earth tones in both the nose & taste. There is a lot going on in this wine. Full body, medium tannin, good acidity & long length.

Negatives: Lots of heat coming from the high alcohol.

Interesting Points: This is a typical well made Shiraz from Barossa that’s a meal in itself. Drink now on its own or pair it with a rich spicy Italian dish.

Best Buy on the sale price.

Tasted: 17 Oct 11,

Score: 9+/10, 8/10 (sale price: 9.5/10), Total: 17.5/20

Out of 5 stars, I rated this wine: 4

LCBO#: 713024

BELLINGHAM DRAGON’S LAIR 2006, South Africa

18 Tuesday Oct 2011

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Bellingham Dragon's Lair 2006, Wo Coastal Region Bottle

Cost: $16.90 (Sale price: $11.70)
Grape Variety: Shiraz 84%, Mourvèdre 11%, Viognier 5%
Category: Red Wine
Appellation: VINTAGES
Country: South Africa
Region:
Format: 750 mL
Producer: Dgb-Bellingham
Alcohol: 14.5% Alcohol/Vol.
Description: Dark garnet to ruby in colour with medium intensity on the nose.

Positives: Earth notes dominate the nose & taste. Medium tannin, good acidity, full body with medium+ length.

Negatives: There’s quiet a bit of heat coming the high alcohol. Mid palate shows some pungency.

Interesting points: I believe the wine is past it’s prime & on the downside. Still palatable, but don’t expect too much. Sale price helps. Try it with pizza.

Tasted: 17 Oct 11.

Score: 7.5+/10, Value: 6/10 (sale price: 8/10), Total: 14/20

Out of 5 stars, I rated this wine: 2.5

LCBO#: 68692

GALIL MOUNTAIN SHIRAZ/CABERNET SAUVIGNON KP 2009, Galilee Israel

16 Sunday Oct 2011

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Galil Mountain Shiraz/Cabernet Sauvignon 2007, Upper Galilee Bottle

Cost: $24.95 (Sale price $17.55)
Grape Variety: Shiraz/cabernet-sauvignon
Category: Red Wine
Appellation: VINTAGES
Country: Israel
Region: Galilee
Format: 750 mL
Producer: Galil Mountain Winery
Alcohol: 15.0% Alcohol/Vol.
Description: Opaque ruby to purple in colour with a medium intense nose.

Positives: A light Shiraz/Cabernet compared with the usual massive ones from Aussie land. Smooth, low tannin with medium acidity & medium length. Some nice red & blackberries with wood spice, black and white pepper & celery.

Negatives: Although this is a light Shiraz/Cab it has the heat from the high alcohol & somewhat of a watery finish.

Tasted: 16 Oct 11

Score: 8/10, Value: 7/10 (sale price: 8+/10), Total: 15/20

Out of 5 stars, I rated this wine: 3

LCBO#: 156570

BENZIGER CHARDONNAY 2008, Carneros California

14 Friday Oct 2011

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Benziger

Cost: $24.95 (Sale price: $17.55)
Grape Variety: Chardonnay
Category: White Wine
Appellation: VINTAGES
Country: United States
Region: Carneros, California
Format: 750 mL
Producer: Azienda Agraria Communali
Alcohol: 13.5% Alcohol/Vol.
Description: Bright clear gold in colour with medium+ intensity in the nose.

Positives: Distinct Chard nose with medium toasted oak. The nose shows notes of lemon meringue pie, vanilla, caramelized apple & light minerality. More citric notes on the taste with lemon & orange notes, green apples, vanilla & butterscotch. Medium toasted oak with good acidity, medium to full body, medium+ length & not high in alcohol, which is a nice surprise for a mid level Californian Chard.

Negatives: Some bitterness detected.

Interesting Points:

  • Use the larger new world Chard glass vs the smaller old world.
  • Benziger is an organic winery.

Drink now on its own or pair it with seared sea bass glazed in Chardonnay.

Tasted 13 Oct 11.

Best buy on sale price.

Score: 8.5+/10, Value: 8.5+/10 (sale price would be 9.5/10), Total: 17.5/20

Out of 5 stars, I rated this wine: 3.5

LCBO#: 34777

PELEE ISLAND LIGHTHOUSE MERLOT, 2009 VQA Ontario

14 Friday Oct 2011

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Pelee Island Merlot 2009, Ontario VQA Bottle

Cost: $12.95
Grape Variety: Merlot
Category: Red Wine
Appellation: LCBO General Listing
Country: Canada
Region: Ontario
Format: 750 mL
Producer: Pelee Island Vineyard Inc.
Alcohol: 13.0 %
Description: Medium ruby in colour with medium+ intensity on the nose.

Positives: Beautiful nose full of bramble fruit pie, cherry & with a light touch pine & cloves. The nose reminds me of wine gummy berries. The taste is similar to the nose but without the sweet pie notes. Nicely balanced, medium tannins, medium body, good acidity & medium+ length.

Negatives: None for the price.

Interesting things: This vintage label is a lot nicer than their old one.

Drink now on its own or pair it with ham & pineapple.

Best Buy.

Tasted: 11 Oct 11

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

Out of 5 stars, I rated this wine: 3.5

LCBO#: 612622