RODNEY STRONG RESERVE, CHARDONNAY, 2007, Russian River Valley

08 Sunday May 2011

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

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210039_web

Cost: $34.95
Grape Variety: Chardonnay
Category: White Wine
Appellation: VINTAGES
Country: United States
Region: California, Sonoma, Russian River Valley
Format: 750 mL
Producer: Rodney Strong Vineyards
Alcohol: 14.5% Alcohol/Vol.
Description: Long long finish. Complexed Chard. Lemon in the middle of the tongue, fortune cookies, lots of butter popcorn, butterscotch, cloves, spiced apple, Italian spices (fresh sage & dried oregano). Tropical fruits of mango, pineapple, peach, apricot & oranges. Nose & taste. High alcohol diminished my score. Goes well with a lot of foods as it’s very broad in tastings due to it’s complexity. Goes well with Italian wedding soup, red snapper, angel hair with garlic oil & sea scallops, grilled garlic pork chops & caesar salad (as long as the dressing is balanced & not over powering with garlic or anchovies)

My Top Pick

Tasted: March, 2011

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

Out of 5 stars, I rated this wine: 4.5

LCBO#: 210039

MIKE WEIR WINE, CHARDONNAY (VQA) 2008, Niagara Peninsula

08 Sunday May 2011

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Grape Variety: Chardonnay
Category: White Wine
Appellation: LCBO
Country: Canada
Region: Niagara Peninsula
Format: White Wine
Producer: Mike Weir Wine
Alcohol: 13.0% Alcohol/Vol.
Description: “All net profits from the sale of Mike Weir’s estate wines go to his foundation (themikeweirfoundation.com), a charity he founded to help children in need. With its layers of pineapple, green apple, tropical fruit and toasty vanilla notes, this full-bodied, harmonious and long-finishing white will perfectly match a grilled chicken breast or salmon steaks. ” LCBO

These are my personal tasting notes:
Crisp chard with granny apples, lemon & dry apricot on the finish. Med complexity on nose & taste. Drink on it’s own or pair with BBQ pork. Bought it for $1 less, which makes better.

Tasted: March, 2011

Score: 8/10, Value: 8.5/10, Total: 16.5/20

Out of 5 stars, I rated this wine: 3

LCBO#: 26

XANADU NEXT OF KIN, SHIRAZ, 2008, Margaret River

08 Sunday May 2011

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212662_web

Cost: $14.95
Grape Variety: Shiraz
Category: Wine
Appellation: LCBO
Country: Australia
Region: Margaret River
Format: 750 mL
Producer: Xanadu Wines Pty Ltd.
Alcohol: 14.0% Alcohol/Vol.
Description: Med+ deep of ruby to purple. Med+ intensity showing lots of berries, such raspberry, blueberry & mulberry. Sweet notes of vanilla bean, raisins,mocha & caramel apple candy, but no jammy over ripe fruit here. The taste is dry, med+ acidity, med tannins, med+ length, balanced & full body. As the nose, lots of berries & shows some white & red pepper. This is a med complex wine that’s easy to drink on it’s own or with food. I paired it with a veal sandwich that had both hot & sweet peppers & it was good. This Ausie Shiraz is part of the new re:invention of wine making happening in Australia, which is going away from flat, sweet, jammy & high alcohol wines. Thank goodness.

Best Buy

Tasted 7 May 2011.

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

Out of 5 stars, I rated this wine: 4

LCBO#: 212662

STAG’S LEAP WINE CELLARS, KARIA, CHARDONNAY 2007, Napa Valley

08 Sunday May 2011

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54585_web

Cost: $37.95
Grape Variety: Chardonnay
Category: White Wine
Appellation: VINTAGES
Country: United States
Region: Napa Valley
Format: 750 mL
Producer: Ste. Michelle Wine Estates Fob
Alcohol: 13.6% Alcohol/Vol.
Description: Now this is a well balanced Chard that I would have guest to be a Montrachet. Light gold in colour with med intensity. Complex nose shows med minus oak & toast, lemon, peach, limestone, Easter Lilly, honeydew melon & cantaloupe The taste is just as complex. Dry, med+ acidity, med body, long length & the alcohol is well checked. No bitterness from over toasting here. Easy drinking wine that shows as the nose with a lot more lemon. This is a food favourite wine that pairs nicely with lobster & drawn butter. Shows nicely now, but can age for another 2-3 years.

Tasted: 6 May 2011.

Score: 9/10 Value: 8.5/10 (I bought it on sale for $26.65 which would give a value of 9.5/10), Total: 17.5/20 (18.5/20 on sale).

Out of 5 stars, I rated this wine: 4

LCBO#: 54585

CARRICK PINOT NOIR 2007, New Zealand

06 Friday May 2011

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919837_web

Cost: $34.95
Grape Variety: Pinot noir
Category: Red Wine
Appellation: VINTAGES
Country: New Zealand
Region: Central Otago
Format: 750 mL
Producer: Carrick Wines
Alcohol: 13.5% Alcohol/Vol.
Description: Medium minus ruby in colour with med intensity on the nose. The nose shows unmistakeable Pinot with light beetroot, rhubarb, cherry, strawberry, lightly smoked bacon, truffles & carnations. Overall med+ complexity on the nose. On the taste it’s dry, med+ acidity, med minus tannins, long length & balanced. Cranberry, pomegranate, sour cherry, rhubarb & tobacco leaf. The nose is a lot nicer than the taste that I felt was too tart & lacked depth. Not a typical Central Otago Pinot, more like Marlborough Pinot.

Tasted: 5 May 2011.

Score: 7.5 Value: 7/10, Total; 14.5/20

Out of 5 stars, I rated this wine: 2.5

LCBO#: 919837

PELEE ISLAND CHARDONNAY VQA 2009, Ontario

05 Thursday May 2011

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Cost: $10.95
Grape Variety: Chardonnay
Category: White Wine
Appellation: LCBO
Country: Canada
Region: Ontario
Format: 750 mL
Producer: Pelee Island Vineyard Inc.
Alcohol: 13.0% Alcohol/Vol.
Description: Not a complexed chard, and it’s non-oaked. It has good flavors of peach, melon, lemon, slight grapefruit & green apples. Non-oak, good acidity & well balanced. Food friendly & easy to drink. Crisp & clean. Went well with escargot & crab Alfredo. You can find this in non-vintage.

Best Buy

Score: 8.5/10, Value: 10/10, Total: 18.5/20

Out of 5 stars, I rated this wine: 3

LCBO#: 136044

MILCAMPOS TEMPRANILLO RIBERA DEL DUERO 2008, Spain

05 Thursday May 2011

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Milcampos_tempranillo_2006_web

Cost: $9.95
Grape Variety: Tempranillo
Category: Still Table Wine
Appellation: LCBO
Country: Spain
Region: Ribera Del Duero
Format: 750 mL
Producer: S.C. La Milagrosa
Alcohol: 14.0% Alcohol/Vol.
Description: Nice nose, sandalwood, cherry nose, smokey bacon, black currents & black berries. On the taste all green & twigs. Very austere. I thing after 10 yrs it might age, but I wouldn’t bet on it. Can’t drink on it’s own & needs something salty like speck.

Tasted: March 2011

Score: 5/10, Value: 8/10, Total: 13/20

Out of 5 stars, I rated this wine: 1

LCBO#: 173625

TERREDORA CAMPORE FIANO DI AVELLINO, 2008, Italy

05 Thursday May 2011

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Cost: $28.95
Grape Variety: Fiano Di Avellino
Category: White Wine
Appellation: VINTAGES
Country: Italy
Region: Campania
Format: 750 mL
Producer: Terre Dora Di Paulo S.S.
Alcohol: 13.0% Alcohol/Vol.
Description: ‘Terredora is a relatively young property founded in 1994 by Walter Mastroberardino and his family. The estate farms over 150 hectares of vineyards in Campania, making it one of the larger producers in the region. The top wines are rich, flavorful and loaded with character.'(Antonio Galloni, www.erobertparker.com, Feb. 2008)

I’m a big fan of Fiano. This has macadamia nut on palate & taste. Full body, med+ intensity, tropical fruits good mineralogy in limestone. Some orange rind & peach. Good acidity makes it food friendly such as crab with butter or by itself. Truly a treasure.

Tasted: March 2011

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

Out of 5 stars, I rated this wine: 4.5

LCBO#: 905596

BERSANO COSTALUNGA BARBERA D’ASTI 2008, Italy

05 Thursday May 2011

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348680_web

Cost: $12.00
Grape Variety: Barbera
Category: Red Wine
Appellation: Barbera d’Asti
Country: Italy
Region: Piemont
Format: Red Wine
Producer: Bersano-Antico Podere
Alcohol: 12.5% Alcohol/Vol.
Description: Med ruby color with med+ intensity. Sour cherry, smokey, cherry licorice mixed with earth tones on the nose. On the palate true Italian notes of sour cherry, red apple, some cherry licorice, red currants & pomegranate. Med body with a long finish. Med tannins, med+ acidity, balanced. Medium complexity. Drink now, on it’s own or with a veal sandwich. 

Best buy

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

Out of 5 stars, I rated this wine: 4

LCBO#: 348680

MACMURRAY RANCH PINOT NOIR 2007, Sonoma Coast

05 Thursday May 2011

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48207_web

Cost: $19.95
Grape Variety: Pinot Noir
Category: Red Wine
Appellation: VINTAGES
Country: United States
Region: California, Sonoma Coast
Format: 750 mL
Producer: E. & J. Gallo Winery
Alcohol: 13.5% Alcohol/Vol.
Description: Actor Fred MacMurray, from My 3 Sons, purchased the ranch in 1940’s. This Pinot grows on me. Med+ intensity, med- garnet. Nose shows black olives, cranberry, smoked bacon, light earth tones & light butterscotch. On the palate, med- body, med acidity, low tannins. Wine seems higher in alcohol than it is (13.5%). Cranberry, strawberry, cherry, bacon. Even though there’s a slight sweet note on the nose, there’s non on the palate. More complexed on the nose than palate. Drink on it’s own or with grilled pork chops. It wants to be a Burgundian Pinot, but falls short, still not bad considering the price.

Tasted: March 2011

Score: 8+/10, Value: 9/10, Total: 18+/20

Out of 5 stars, I rated this wine: 3

LCBO#: 48207