HUNGARIA GRAND CUVEE BRUT, NV, Hungary

01 Thursday Sep 2011

Posted by in Amazing Buys, Sparkling Wine

≈ 1 Comment


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

Posted by in Red Wines

≈ Leave a comment


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

Posted by in Sparkling Wine

≈ Leave a comment


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

Posted by in Sparkling Wine

≈ Leave a comment


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

ROBERT YOUNG CHARDONNAY 2006, Alexander Valley, California

27 Saturday Aug 2011

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

≈ Leave a comment


Cost: $46.95
Grape Variety: Chardonnay
Category: White Wine
Appellation: VINTAGES
Country: United States
Region: Alexander Valley
Format: 750 mL
Producer: Robert Young Estate Winery
Alcohol: 14.3% Alcohol/Vol.
Description: Yellow gold with a medium nose. Medium oak & toast follows lemon candy, creme brûlée, caramel, peach, nectarine, hazelnut, peaches & cream corn, limestone, pineapple, golden & green apples, mangos & orange. The taste follows the nose with the addition of lemon meringue. The taste is dry, medium+ acidity, full body, high alcohol (there’s a lot of heat on this Chard), very long length so much that I ran a mile & still could taste it, lol. The wine is balanced & very smooth even with the heat from the alcohol. This would be a perfect Chard for me if the alcohol wasn’t as noticeable on the taste. Drink on it’s own or with steamed lobster on the beach with drawn butter. Only one word describes this Chard & that’s yummy. Don’t chill it to much or you’ll loose the wines complexity. What’s great about this Chard from LCBO is that I got it for 30% off ($32.95). Drink now or it can cellar for another 1-2 years.

Tasted 26 Aug 11.

Top Pick.

Score: 9.5/10, Value: 8/10 (reg price) or 9.5/10 (sale price), Score: 17.5/20 or 19/20 sale.

Out of 5 stars, I rated this wine: 4.5

LCBO:# 670430

PETALO IL VINO MOSCATO, Italy

25 Thursday Aug 2011

Posted by in Best Buys, Sparkling Wine

≈ Leave a comment


Cost: $13.25
Grape Variety: Muscat
Category: Sparkling Wine
Appellation: LCBO
Country: Italy
Region:
Format: 750 mL
Producer: Distilleria Bottega
Alcohol: 6.5% Alcohol/Vol.
Description: This sweet Moscato comes from Bottega who is a fine producer of Italian wines. Their Prosecco is a best buy & reviewed earlier.

This sparkling is similar to Moscato d’Asti or a lighter, sweeter version of their Prosecco. The colour is medium straw with medium+ intensity with good mousse. Not a complex wine, but it wasn’t meant to be. Easy drinking sparkling wine that has a lot of fresh sweet peaches, some apricots, oranges & some lime. Drink on its own or with Gelatto ice cream. This also paired well with Bruschetta.

Tasted: 22 Aug 11.

Best Buy. Score: 9/10, Value: 9/10, Total: 18/10

Out of 5 stars, I rated this wine: 4

LCBO:# 588780

PIRRAMIMMA CABERNET SAUVIGNON 2008, McLaren Vale, Australia

25 Thursday Aug 2011

Posted by in Best Buys, Red Wines, Top Picks, Price Not Withstanding

≈ Leave a comment


Cost: $24.95
Grape Variety: Cabernet-Sauvignon
Category: Red Wine
Appellation: LCBO Vintages
Country: Australia
Region: McLaren Vale
Format: 750 mL bottle
Producer: Malesco Wine Broker
Alcohol: 14.5 %
Description: I don’t recall ever having a Pirramimma that I didn’t like, and this one keeps the streak alive.

Dark almost opaque ruby in colour intensity with high intense nose. The nose shows a lot Zin characteristics such as raisin, prunes, dates, figs, mocha, cherry tobacco pipe smoke, cedar, vanilla, blackcurrants, white pepper, violets & eucalyptus. The taste is as complex as the nose. The taste is more skewed to what a Cab is. It’s dry, medium+ tannins & acidity, full body & powerful with long length, high alcohol but balanced. Notes show cedar, raisins, plum, dark cherry, blackcurrants, dates, mocha, turmeric, leather, vanilla, black & white pepper, eucalyptus & some pencil shavings. This is a smooth wine with a velvet touch on your tongue. Love this wine. There are only 2 negatives. 1) Even though I love the nose, I want my Cab to smell like a Cab, and 2) The high alcohol. Drink now on it’s own or with grilled steak. Tasted 24 Aug 11. Best Buy & Top Pick. Score: 9.5/10, Value: 10/10, Total: 9.5/10

Out of 5 stars, I rated this wine: 4.5

LCBO:# 730374

TOP BENCH RED, 2009, VQA Niagara Peninsula

25 Thursday Aug 2011

Posted by in Canadian Wines, Red Wines

≈ Leave a comment


 

TOP BENCH RED VQA

Cost: $13.95
Grape Variety: Merlot, Syrah, Cab Sauvignon & Pinot Noir
Category: Wine
Appellation: LCBO
Country: Canada
Region: Niagara Peninsula
Format: 750 mL
Producer: Peninsula Ridge Estates Winery
Alcohol: 12.5% Alcohol/Vol.
Description: Peninsula Ridge Winery has blended Merlot, Syrah, Cab Sauvignon & Pinot Noir. Pinot seems to dominate on site, nose & taste. I had a guest at Go Cooking (Hamilton Spectator), which I served this wine, and she said it so precisely describing this wine as “a lot going on, but it doesn’t know what direction it wants to go.” But she agreed that this is a good wine for the value.

The colour is medium minus ruby to garnet & medium+ intensity on the nose. The nose shows light cedar, cherry, rhubarb, cranberry, black pepper, forest with hints if a smoldering campfire. Taste is dry, medium minus tannins, medium acidity, medium minus body, medium+ length & balanced. The taste shows notes of cherry, rhubarb, cranberry, leather, pepper, light cedar, blueberry, plum & slate. This wine is easy drinking on it’s own or pair it with roasted duck.

Tasted 21 Aug 11.

Score: 8/10, Value: 9.5/10, Total: 17.5/20.

Out of 5 stars, I rated this wine: 3

LCBO: #226811

TOP BENCH WHITE 2009, VQA Niagara Peninsula

25 Thursday Aug 2011

Posted by in Best Buys, Canadian Wines, White Wines

≈ Leave a comment


Top Bench White 2009, VQA Bottle

Cost: $13.95
Grape Variety: Sauvignon Blanc, Chardonnay & 10% gewürztraminer
Category: Wine
Appellation: LCBO
Country: Canada
Region: Niagara Peninsula
Format: 750 mL
Producer: Peninsula Ridge Estates Winery
Alcohol: 13.0% Alcohol/Vol.
Description: A blend of Sauvignon Blanc, Chardonnay & 10% gewürztraminer with the Chard part aged sur lie in French & American for a year. Medium straw in colour with medium intensity. Gooseberry, light oak, lemon/lime, some fresh cut grass notes, apple, peach & melon. The taste is dry, medium acidity, medium minus body, medium length & balanced. The taste is more expressive than the nose elevating its notes to a higher level. Drink now on its own or with edamame.

Tasted 20 Aug 11.

Best Buy.

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

Out of 5 stars, I rated this wine: 4

LCBO:# 226803

EMILIANA WINEMAKER’S SELECTION SYRAH 2009, D.O. Casablanca Valley, Chile

25 Thursday Aug 2011

Posted by in Best Buys, Red Wines

≈ Leave a comment


Cost: $18.95
Grape Variety: Syrah
Category: Red Wine
Appellation: VINTAGES
Country: Chile
Region: Casablanca Valley
Format: 750 mL
Producer: Vinedos Emiliana S.A.
Alcohol: 14.0% Alcohol/Vol.
Description: Not impressed. Nothing negative, but nothing positive. That was what I thought when I first opened it 18 Aug 2011. I put the cork in the bottle & decided to open it the next day. The nose was like wooden fire in a clear cold snowy night with cherry kirsh, cola, blackberry, raspberry tea & chocolate mocha. The taste was just as good. It went from a score of 7/10 to 9+/10. Value: 9/10, Total: 18+/20.

Best Buy

Out of 5 stars, I rated this wine: 4.5

LCBO:# 212407