RAVENTÓS I BLANC L’HEREU RESERVA BRUT CAVA 2007, Spain

04 Sunday Sep 2011

Posted by in Best Buys, Sparkling Wine

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Cost: $19.95
Grape Variety: Macabeu 60%, Parellada 20%, Xarello 20%
Category: Sparkling Wine
Appellation: VINTAGES
Country: Spain
Region:
Format: 750 mL
Producer: Raventos I Blanc
Alcohol: 12% Alcohol/Vol.
Description:  Sale price: $14.05 Light gold in colour with fine mousse & medium+ intensity. The nose is pleasant showing baked apples, light yeast, biscotti, lemon, peach, pear & limestone. The taste is dry, good acidity, medium length, medium body & balanced. This easy drinking Cava has similar tasting notes as the nose with more pear than peach. High quality Cava for a very reasonable price. This is one if the better Cava’s I’ve tasted. As such I’m putting this in the best by category.

Tasted 4 Sept 11.

Score: 9+/10, Value: 9/10 (10/10 sale price), Total: 18+/20.

Out of 5 stars, I rated this wine: 4

LCBO: #221796

DVERI-PAX TRAMINEC (Traminer), 2007 Slovania

04 Sunday Sep 2011

Posted by in Best Buys, White Wines

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Cost: $9.95
Grape Variety:
Category: White Wine
Appellation: VINTAGES
Country: Slovenia
Region:
Format: 750 mL
Producer: Dveri-Pax
Alcohol: 12.0% Alcohol/Vol.
Description: “Someone once described good Traminer as giving you a palate paved with flowers, and this one, from this respected Slovenian winery, does just that. Violets, magnolia blossom and rose petals, plus a bit of lychee all vie for your attention here. Just off-dry, this flavourful wine is quite lovely and would be a worthy partner for spicy Eastern European dishes.” LCBO

Best Buy

Tasted: 1 Sept 11 Score: 8.5+, Value: 10/10, Total: 18.5/20

Out of 5 stars, I rated this wine: 4

LCBO:# 179184

THIRTY BENCH TRIANGLE RIESLING 2008, VQA Beamsville Bench

04 Sunday Sep 2011

Posted by in Canadian Wines, White Wines

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Cost: $30.00
Grape Variety: Riesling
Category: White Wine
Appellation: VINTAGES
Country: Canada
Region: Beamsville Bench
Format: 750 mL
Producer: Andrew Peller Limited
Alcohol: 11.3% Alcohol/Vol.
Description: Sale price $21.05.

Shows petrol & lemon rind. Needs time to age as it’s too linear now.

Tasted: 31 Aug 11

Score: 8/10, Value: 7/10, Total: 15/20

Out of 5 stars, I rated this wine: 3

LCBO:# 25031

GEORGES DUBOEUF BEAUJOLAIS, BROUILLY, 2008, Brouilly, France,

04 Sunday Sep 2011

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VinGo Image

Cost: $17.05
Grape Variety: Gamay
Category: Red Wine
Appellation: LCBO General List
Country: France
Region: Brouilly
Format: 750 mL
Producer: George Duboeuf
Alcohol: 12.7% Alcohol/Vol.
Description: Medium minus ruby with a slight purple note. Medium+ intensity showing classic Beaujolais notes of cherry, raspberry & bubble gum. The taste is dry, light tannins, medium minus body, medium acid, medium length and balanced.  The taste is as the nose. This wine is an upgrade to the Beaujolais village and should be drank now. Drink slightly chilled on its own or pair with BLT sandwich.

Tasted: 30 Aug 11

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

LCBO:# 70540

 

Out of 5 stars, I rated this wine: 3.5

FONSECA WHITE PORT NV, Douro, Portugal

01 Thursday Sep 2011

Posted by in Best Buys, Fortified & Desert Wine

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Cost: $14.95
Grape Variety: White Port
Category: Fortified Wine
Appellation: LCBO General Listings
Country: Portugal      
Region: Douro
Format: 750 mL
Producer: Fonseca Guimaraens Vinhos Sa
Alcohol: 20% Alcohol/Vol.

Description: This is a unique experience to try something different, something that taste good, and not expensive. Light gold in colour, with a medium+ nose intensity. Light toasted almonds, baked apples, some honey, raisins, and caraway scent giving that Sherry note. The taste is sweet, but not overly which pairs nicely with fruit and gelato. There is good acidity, long length and body.  The alcohol is not overly heavy. Taste is similar to the nose with the addition of ginger which cleanses the palate nicely. Make sure you chill this to about 10-12 °C

Best Buy

Tasted: 23 Aug 11

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

Out of 5 stars, I rated this wine: 4

LCBO#: 276816

HUTCHESON COLHEITA PORT 1999. DOC Douro, Portugal

01 Thursday Sep 2011

Posted by in Fortified & Desert Wine, Top Picks, Price Not Withstanding

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Hutcheson Colheita Port 1999, Doc Douro, Matured In Wood, Btld. 2010 Bottle

Cost: $29.95
Grape Variety: Port Blend
Category: Port
Appellation: VINTAGES
Country: Portugal
Region: Douro
Format: 750 mL
Producer: Sogevinus Fine Wine
Alcohol: 20.0% Alcohol/Vol.
Description: This is pure unadulterated pleasure, and one of my highiest rated wines. Vibrant golden brown with garnet, light+ intensity. Figs, dates, almonds, toffy & raisins predominate on the nose. Silky smooth taste. Dates, mocha, chocolate, wood spice, almonds, some orange peel & figs on taste, as well as woodspice and toffy. I love having this with chilled black chocolate with almonds. For under $30 for 12 yr old is very nice & makes it a Top Pick. Good complexity on nose & taste.

Top Pick

Tasted: 27 Aug 11

Score: 9.5+/10, Value: 10/10, Total: 19.5+/10

Out of 5 stars, I rated this wine: 4.5

LCBO#: 196832

HUNGARIA GRAND CUVEE BRUT, NV, Hungary

01 Thursday Sep 2011

Posted by in Amazing Buys, Sparkling Wine

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Hungaria Grande Cuvée Brut, Hungary Bottle

Cost: $11.95
Grape Variety: Chardonnay blended with native grapes
Category: Sparkling Wine
Appellation: LCBO General Listings
Country: Hungary      
Region:  
Format: 750 mL
Producer: Torley Pezsgopinceszet Kft
Alcohol: 12% Alcohol/Vol.

Description: Let me start by stating that because of this wine I started a new category; Amazing Buy. Why not just put it in Best Buys? The price range for Best Buys is broad, and goes up to $25. Amazing price are those that are $12 and under. So why is this Amazing Buy? It has some light characteristics of Champagne or higher end Sparkling Wines, but for a fraction of the cost, and most importantly, it taste good. The wine was fermented in a bottle for a year and shows some complexity, which is unusual at this price.

Straw in colour with a medium intensity on the nose and good amount of mousse. The nose shows pear, peach, some yeast, apples and lemon. The taste is dry but refreshing with good acidity, medium length and medium body. The sparkling is easy to drink on its own or pair it with a cheese omelet, or French fries.  If you ever wanted to take a bath in Champagne but couldn’t afford the amount of Champagne to use, try this one as it’s only $11.95.

Amazing Pick

Tasted: 30 Aug 11

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

Out of 5 stars, I rated this wine: 4

LCBO#270363

LA VALENTINA SPELT MONTEPULCIANO D’ABRUZZO 2005, Aburzzo, Italy

01 Thursday Sep 2011

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Cost: $28.95
Grape Variety: Montepulciano
Category: Red Wine
Appellation: VINTAGES
Country: Italy
Region: Abruzzo
Format: 750 mL
Producer: Fattoria La Valentina
Alcohol: 13.5 %
Description: Medium minus intensity of garnet to ruby in colour with medium intensity in the nose. The nose shows light oak, sour cherry, mushroom, figs, expresso & light carnations. The taste is dry, medium+ tannins & acidity with medium length. The taste shows as nose with addition of cranberry, blueberry & blackberry. This wine needs food such as lasagna, but it worked well with beef tenderloin. Drink now. Tasted: 31 Aug 11

Score: 8.5/10, Value: 7/10, Score: 16.5/20.

Out of 5 stars, I rated this wine: 3.5

LCBO:# 19349

DISTILLERIA BOTTEGA VINO DEI POETI PROSECCO SUPERIORE, Veneto, Italy

28 Sunday Aug 2011

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Bottega Vino Dei Poeti Prosecco Conegliano Valdobbiadene, Docg Bottle

Cost: $16.95
Grape Variety: Proecco
Category: Sparkling Wine
Appellation: VINTAGES
Country: Italy
Region: Veneto
Format: 750 mL
Producer: Distilleria Bottega
Alcohol: 11.0% Alcohol/Vol.
Description: Light straw in colour with a good amount of mousse & medium intensity. Nose shows peach, pears, green apples, lime & minerality. Taste is dry, medium+ acidity, medium+ length, medium minus body & balanced. This Prosecco is drier than your average Prosecco & more complex. It taste like a lighter Cava. Notes on the palate are as the nose with the lime being more dominant in the back of the throat. Drink now on its own or pair it with a cheese & tomato omelet.

Tasted 28 Aug 11.

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

Out of 5 stars, I rated this wine: 3.5

LCBO:# 235044

‘DE CHANCENY’ CREMANT DE LOIRE ROSE BRUT, NV

28 Sunday Aug 2011

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De Chanceny Rose Brut, Cremant De Loire, Loire Valley Bottle

Cost: $17.45
Grape Variety: Cabernet franc
Category: Sparkling Wine
Appellation: LCBO General Listings
Country: France
Region: Loire Valley
Format: 750 mL
Producer: Alliance Loire
Alcohol: 12.5% Alcohol/Vol.
Description: Lovely pink colour with fine mousse, but not over abundant. The nose doesn’t show a lot, but it has raspberry, strawberry, a little yeast, bread & Some citric while minerality lingers. The taste is dry, good acidity, medium body & length. This sparking is not complex, but balanced. It shows strawberry, cranberry, limestone & some rhubarb. Nice sparking to drink on it’s own or pair it with Caprese salad.

Tasted 27 Aug 11.

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

Out of 5 stars, I rated this wine: 3.5

LCBO:# 211466