ANGELS GATE MOUNTVIEW CHARDONNAY, 2008, VQA, Beamsville Bench, Ontario

23 Thursday Jun 2011

Posted by in Canadian Wines, White Wines

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Cost: $18.95
Grape Variety: Chardonnay
Category: White Wine
Appellation: VINTAGES
Country: Canada
Region: Beamsville Bench
Format: 750 mL
Producer: Angels Gate Winery
Alcohol: 13.0 %
Description: Make sure you don’t drink this Chard to cold as it will diminish the nose & taste. Generally Chardonnays should be served around 13 C, which would put it between what a Pinot Noir & a Sauvignon Blanc. The colour is medium minus gold with med intensity. The nose shows med+ oak & toast. It’s balanced with good citric notes of lemon, green apple, pink grapefruit and minerality. The taste is dry, good acidity, med+ length, med body & balanced. The taste is similar to nose with the citric flavours dominating with med oak & toast that gives a slight bitterness on the after taste. Drink now, but will age for another 3-4 years. Pair it with calamari ceviche or fried calamari or maybe with a grilled chicken Caesar salad.

Tasted 22 June 2011.

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

Out of 5 stars, I rated this wine: 3.5

LCBO: #116384

HARDY’S CHRONICLE NO. 3 BUTCHER’S GOLD, SHIRAZ SANGIOVESE, 2008, South Australia

11 Saturday Jun 2011

Posted by in Best Buys, Red Wines

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219139_web

Cost: $14.95
Grape Variety: Shiraz Sangiovese
Category: Wine
Appellation: LCBO Vintages
Country: Australia
Region: South Austalia
Format: 750 mL
Producer: Constellation Wines Australia
Alcohol: 14.5% Alcohol/Vol.
Description: Deep dark ruby. Medium+ intensity on the nose displaying plums, cherry pie, med minus oak, bramble fruit, mocha, cigar box, red & white pepper & light smokey nose. Very pleasant. The taste is dry, med tannins & acidity, full body, balanced with a med+ length. The taste is similar to the nose with the addition of sour cherry. The high alcohol is well hidden & the usual jammy & cooked fruit typical of Australian Shiraz with high alcohol is not present due to the addition if Sangiovese, but still remember it’s 14.5% alcohol. Smart play by Hardy’s gives this wine a Best Buy rating. Good to drink on its own or pair it with roasted red peppers. This is drinkable now but will still age for another year or two.

Tasted 11 June 2011.

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

Out of 5 stars, I rated this wine: 4

LCBO:# 219139

THE LITTLE PENGUIN, 2010, CHARDONNAY, South Eastern Australia

11 Saturday Jun 2011

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Cost: $10.95
Grape Variety: Chardonnay
Category: White Wine
Appellation: General List
Country: Australia
Region: South Eastern Australi
Format: 750 mL
Producer:  Southcrop Wines
Alcohol: 12.5% Alcohol/Vol.

Description: First off, let me say that The Little Penguin has been one of my Best Buy Chardonnays for quiet sometime and it’s nice that the 2010 doesn’t disappoint. You will find this Chard non offensive to those on the extremes, i.e. those that hate oak and those that love oak in their Chards. This is a medium style Chard, that easy to drink and best of all only 12.5% alcohol, which is basically unheard of in an Australian wine, especially a Chard.

Colour is bright gold, and the nose is medium intensity. It shows both on the nose and palate lemon & lemon tart, light oak and toast, golden delicious apple, banana, pineapple, melon & buttery popcorn that shows this wine has gone through malolactic fermentation (a second fermentation in the spring [Australia’s fall] that changes malic acid to the more pleasant and softer lactic acid. The taste is dry, medium acid, well balanced with a medium+ length. Drink on its own or with lobster and drawn butter.

Best Buy wine.

Tasted: 10 June 2011

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

Out of 5 stars, I rated this wine 4

LCBO#598904

YALUMBA Y SERIES, SHIRAZ VIOGNIER, 2009, South Australia

08 Wednesday Jun 2011

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Yshirazviognier_web

Cost: $14.95
Grape Variety: Shiraz/viognier
Category: Red Wine
Appellation: LCBO
Country: Australia
Region: South Australia
Format: 750 mL
Producer: Yabby Lake International Pty.L
Alcohol: 13.5% Alcohol/Vol.
Description: Medium to medium minus ruby in colour. The wine is less intense in colour than normally is seen in an Australian Shiraz/Viognier. The med+ intensity is governed by the flowery aromas from the Viognier. In addition, there’s plum, raisins, red & white pepper, fig, mocha, dark cherry, light oak, cassis & blackberry. Overall a complex nose for an inexpensive wine. Dry, medium minus tannins, med acidity, med length, balanced & med to med minus weight. The taste is smooth having similar notes as the nose, but with a little smokiness, some earth tones classic to it’s varietal & carmel apple. Pleasantly surprising having only 13.5% alcohol & not exhibiting the cooked fruit normally exhibited by inexpensive Shiraz from Australia. Easy to drink on its own & a good wine to bring to socials.

Best Buy

Tasted 7 June 2011. Score: 8.5/10, Value: 10/10 Total: 18.5/20

Out of 5 stars, I rated this wine: 3.5

LCBO#: 624494

LENSWOOD HILLS, PINOT NOIR, 2010, Adelaide Hills, Australia

05 Sunday Jun 2011

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Cost: $17.15
Grape Variety: Pinot noir
Category: Red Wine
Appellation: LCBO
Country: Australia
Region: Adelaide Hills
Format: 750 mL
Producer: Pikes Vintners Wines
Alcohol: 14.0% Alcohol/Vol.
Description: Light garnet with Ruby tones. Medium + intensity showing classic Burgundian notes of rhubarb, violets, oyster mushrooms, cranberry, cherry, strawberries & earth tones. Lets add a classic Pine needles from Oregon style Pinots too. The taste is dry, med- tannins, med acidity, long length, med- body & well balanced. The taste is wonderful. The red berry notes from the nose are rich on the taste, and there is some spiciness on the finish that gives the wine some more complexity on the taste. The 14% alcohol is well integrated. This Pinot taste more like a $40 bottle of wine, not the usual Australian Pinot. Lightly chill this & enjoy with roasted duck.

Best Buy

Tasted 4 June 2011

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

Out of 5 stars, I rated this wine: 4

LCBO#: 215095

BOTTEGA ILL VINO DEI POETI PROSECCO, 2010, Treviso, Italy

05 Sunday Jun 2011

Posted by in Best Buys, Sparkling Wine

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Cost: $13.35 (on sale $12.35 until 19 June 2011)
Grape Variety: Prosecco
Category: Sparkling Wine
Appellation: General List
Country: Italy
Region: Treviso
Format: 750 mL
Producer: Bottega
Alcohol: 11% Alcohol/Vol.

Description: Light straw in colour with fine mousse. The nose has high intensity with bright green apple, pear, lemon and honeydew melon. The taste is dry to medium dry as there is a light sweetness from the honeydew melon, good acidy, med length, balanced and medium- weight. The palate shows as the nose. This sparkling is not complex but as such it’s easy to drink on its own, especially on a hot summer day on the patio or by the lake, or pair it with grilled pork chops. Best Buy.

Tasted: 3 June 2011

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

Out of 5 stars, I rated this wine 4

LCBO#897702

STREWN THREE TERROIR, 2006, Niagara Lakeshore VQA

02 Thursday Jun 2011

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

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Cost: $28.75
Grape Variety: 48% Cab Sauvignon, 48% Merlot & 4% Cab Franc
Category: Wine
Appellation:
Country: Ontario, Canada
Region: Niagara Lakeshore, Ontario, Canada
Format: 750 mL bottle
Producer: Strewn Inc.
Alcohol: 12.8%
Description: Medium minus garnet to ruby in colour. Med+ intensity. The nose is simply delightful. Med oak with cherry pipe tobacco smoke, dill, black olives, strawberries & oyster mushrooms. The taste is dry, med+ tannins & acidity, balanced, long length & med body. On the palate there’s med oak, Bing cherries, strawberries, raspberry, dill, Macintosh apple, pencil shavings, leather, steamed artichoke & slate. This wine is simply marvelous & I especially like that it’s under 13% alcohol, which is good on it’s own or with tenderloin steak.

This is a top pick & an excellent representation of Niagara wine.

Tasted 1 June 2011.

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

Out of 5 stars, I rated this wine: 4.5

LCBO#: 468918

LA ROSA LA CAPITANA, CARMÉNÈRE, 2009, Cachapoal Valley, Chile

01 Wednesday Jun 2011

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Cost: $15.80
Grape Variety: Carmenere
Category: Red Wine
Appellation: VINTAGES
Country: Chile
Region: Cachapoal Valley
Format: 750 mL
Producer: Vina La Rosa
Alcohol: 14.5% Alcohol/Vol.
Description:Opaque ruby in colour medium intensity. On the nose there’s cedar, raspberry, mulberry, plum, light coconut & cappuccino. The taste is dry, med+ tannins & acidity with med+ length, med+ body & balanced. The wine shows cedar, raspberry, cherry, plum & cassis. The taste is more expressive than the nose & there’s heat from the 14.5% alcohol. Normally I’m not a fan of Carménère as they tend to be linear; however, this is one of the better ones I tasted & if you’re a fan of this varietal it’s definitely a best buy. Decant it & let it stand for an hour will mellow out the tannins. Goes well with pizza.

Tasted 31 May 2011.

Score: 8.5+, Value: 10/10, Total: 18.5+

Out of 5 stars, I rated this wine: 3.5

LCBO#: 169896

PAUL DELANE CREMANT DE BOURGOGNE, NV, FRANCE

29 Sunday May 2011

Posted by in Best Buys, Sparkling Wine

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Cost: $17.95
Grape Variety: Pinot Noir, Gamay, Chardonnay & Aligoté
Category: Sparkling Wine
Appellation: Vintages
Country: France
Region: Northern Burgundy
Format: 750 mL
Producer:  Caves De Bailly
Alcohol: 12% Alcohol/Vol.

Description: Medium straw in colour with medium+ intensity and fine mousse. This sparkling shows toasty yeast, brioche, apple, lemon, pear and limestone. The taste is dry, with good acidity, balanced, medium body with a long length. True crémant (traditional method) flavours which are as shown on the nose. This sparkling is easy to drink and very refreshing. Drink on it’s own after a hard days work or pair it with rotisserie hens.

Best Buy

Tasted: 28 May 2011

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

Out of 5 stars, I rated this wine 4

LCBO#214981



EMERI PINK MOSCATO, NV, SPARKLING WINE, AUSTRALIA

26 Thursday May 2011

Posted by in Sparkling Wine, Top Picks, Price Not Withstanding

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222190_web

Cost: $14.95
Grape Variety: Moscato
Category: Sparkling Wine
Appellation: LCBO
Country: Australia   
Region:
Format: 750 mL
Producer: De Bortoli
Alcohol: 8.0% Alcohol/Vol.

Description: Pale pink in colour with high intensity in the nose, this wine is off-dry sparkling wine that shows vibrant fruits of strawberry, raspberry, and fruit cocktail. A little bit of lemon gives nice acidity on the finish that rounds off this sparkling with a clean finish. With only 8% alcohol this wine is easy to drink by itself or with breaded calamari. This wine is similar to a rosé prosecco, but with more body and less alcohol. Priced accordingly, I put this sparkling wine in my top pick.

Tasted: 18 May 2011

Score: 9.5/10, Value: 8/10, Total: 1.5/20

Out of 5 stars, I rated this wine: 4.5

LCBO#222190