TWO HANDS ANGELS’ SHARE SHIRAZ 2009. McLaren Vale

05 Thursday May 2011

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9480_web

Cost: $27.95
Grape Variety: Shiraz
Category: Red Wine
Appellation: VINTAGES
Country: Australia
Region: McLaren Vale
Format: 750 mL
Producer: Two Hands Wines
Alcohol: 14.8% Alcohol/Vol.
Description: Opaque purple/ruby with med+ intensity. Nose shows plum, cinnamon, some sandalwood, dates, spiced apple, cloves. Complexed nose. On the palate, good acidity which is a surprise considering the typical Aussie nose. More raisin than plum, dates & a fair amount of green, which is surprising. The high alcohol is felt at the end deep down the throat. Young tannins, makes this wine more linear. Lacks depth. Needs aging for another 5 yrs.

Tasted: March 2011

Score: 6/10, Value: 5/10, Total: 11/20

Out of 5 stars, I rated this wine: 1.5

LCBO#:9480

PFAFFENHEIM PINOT BLANC, 2008, Alsace

05 Thursday May 2011

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22855_web

Cost: $12.95
Grape Variety: Pinot blanc
Category: White Wine
Appellation: LCBO
Country: France
Region: Alsace
Format: 750 mL
Producer: Cave Vinicole De Pfaffenheim
Alcohol: 12.5% Alcohol/Vol.
Description: Nothing special here, except for the low price. Lots of acid from the citric fruit as lime & grapefruit. A simple wine that goes best with white fish or fried calamari.

Tasted: March 2011

Score: 5/10, Value: 9/10, Total: 14/20

Out of 5 stars, I rated this wine: 1

LCBO: 22855

LOUIS BERNARD CÔTES DU RHÔNE VALLEY, WHITE BLEND, 2008

05 Thursday May 2011

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589432_web

Cost: $11.65
Grape Variety: Grenache Blanc, Viognier, Bourboulenc, Roussane
Category: White Wine
Appellation: LCBO
Country: France
Region: Rhône Valley
Format: 750 mL
Producer: Les Domaines Bernard
Alcohol: 12.5 %
Description:  Golden in colour, med intensity. Crisp, lemon-lime, grapefruit, avocado, limestone, basil with med plus complexity. On the palate, as on the nose, good acidity makes this more food friendly than drinking on it’s own. Pair it with a Capresse salad or chicken with basil linguini. Has a med body with a long length. Can’t argue about the price. A good alternative to riesling or Sauvignon Blanc. You’ll find this in the non-vintage section.

Tasted: April 2011

Score: 7.5/10, Value: 10/10, Total: 17.5/20

Out of 5 stars, I rated this wine: 3

LCBO# 589432

DEINHARD GREEN LABEL, RIESLING, 2009, Mosel Saar Ruwer

05 Thursday May 2011

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Clone_wine_14081_web

Cost: $11.95
Grape Variety: Riesling
Category: White Wine
Appellation: LCBO
Country: Germany
Region: Mosel Saar Ruwer
Format: 750 mL
Producer: Deinhard & Co
Alcohol: 10.5 %
Description: Qualitatswein from Mosel ranks in the middle of the Riesling sweetness scale. Med+ intensity, bright pale yellow, lemon/lime lots of mineral, clementines, melon & carnations. Pleasant nose, Med+ acid, med- weight. A little carbonation on the tongue. Lemon/lime, clementines, melon & grapefruit predominate with a long finish. Not a complexed wine & for the price it’s quite good. You’ll find this in the non-vintage section, and from time to time it’s on sale.

Tasted April 2011

Score: 7.5 Value: 10, Total: 17.5

Out of 5 stars, I rated this wine: 3

LCBO# 8094

SANTA CAROLINA, CHARDONNAY, RESERVA, 2010, Chile

02 Monday May 2011

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Santa_carolina_reserva_chardonnay_screwcap_web

Cost: $11.95
Grape Variety: Chardonnay
Category: White Wine
Appellation: LCBO
Country: Chile
Region: D.O. Valle de Casablanca
Format: 750 mL
Producer: Vina Santa Carolina
Alcohol: 14.0% Alcohol/Vol.
Description: Light gold in colour with med+ intensity. The nose is clean & crisp showing lemon, guava, limestone, green apple & pear. The taste is dry, slight creaminess, med+ acidity, med+ length. Notes are like the nose with guava being the end note. Med complex wine, easy drinking on it’s own or with BBQ shrimp.

Best buy

Tasted 1 May 2011.

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

Out of 5 stars, I rated this wine: 4

LCBO# 304022

Marchesi De’ Frescobaldi Tenuta Di Castiglioni 2008, Igt Toscana

01 Sunday May 2011

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Marchesi_web

Cost: $21.95
Grape Variety: Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Franc & Sangiovese
Category: Red Wine
Appellation: VINTAGES
Country: Italy
Region: Tuscani
Format: 750 mL
Producer: Marchesi De Frescobaldi
Alcohol: 13.5% Alcohol/Vol.
Description: Dark ruby in colour with medium minus intensity, but what intensity it has it is quite wonderful. Cedar, black & blueberries, wild strawberry, cherry & anise dominate. The taste isn’t as nice as the nose. High acidity with med+ tannins makes this wine a little astringent. Med body, med length that shows cedar, leather, sour cherry & pomegranate. This wine should soften in the next 3-5 yrs. Decant & let it stand for an hour before drinking.

Tasted 30 April 2011

Score: 8/10, Value: 8/10, Total: 16/10.

Out of 5 stars, I rated this wine: 3.5

LCBO# 145920

Saltram Mamre Brook Cabernet Sauvignon 2008, Barossa Valley, South Australia

30 Saturday Apr 2011

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48579_web

Cost: $24.95
Grape Variety: Cabernet-Sauvignon
Category: Red Wine
Appellation: VINTAGES
Country: Australia
Region: Barossa
Format: 750 mL
Producer: Treasury Wine Estates
Alcohol: 15.5% Alcohol/Vol.
Description: This is a typical Barossa wine, big & powerful. Visually it’s inky, opaque & purple to arterial red in colour. Med intensity on the nose that shows cedar, turmeric, anise, cassis, dark chocolate, plums, blackberry, pencil shavings, raspberry, cigar box. Complex nose. On the palate it’s dry, med+ acidity, med+ tannins, full body, long length, there’s heat from the 15.5% alcohol. Complexity on the taste. In addition to the notes on the nose, there’s dark cherry, leather, tar & spinach. This wine needs to be matched with something just as powerful, try porterhouse on the grill. This will be even better with 3-4 yrs cellaring, even though it’s a screw cap. If you drink now I suggest you decant first.

Tasted 29 April 2011.

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

Out of 5 stars, I rated this wine: 4

LCBO# 48579

Stratus WILDASS WHITE, VQA, 2006, Niagara Peninsula

29 Friday Apr 2011

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2488_web

Cost: $19.95
Grape Variety: Chardonnay, Semillion, Sauvignon Blanc, Gewürztraminer and Riesling
Category: White Wine
Appellation: VINTAGES
Country: Canada
Region: Niagara Peninsula
Format: 750 mL
Producer: Stratus Vineyards
Alcohol: 12.5% Alcohol/Vol.
Description:  Bright gold colour with med+ intensity. Beautiful nose showing lots of dill, Easter Lilly, honeysuckle, wet stone, ginger, orange marmalade & nectarines. The taste is dry with med acidity, med+ length, med alcohol & med minus weight. Dill dominates with Papaya, orange marmalade, nectarine, lemon, ginger, slate & light oak & butteriness. Nice to drink on it’s own or to have with snow crab & drawn butter.

Best Buy

Tasted 28 April 2011.

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

Out of 5 stars, I rated this wine: 4.5

LCBO#85100

EIKENDAL VINEYARDS RESERVE CHARDONNAY 2008, Wo Stellenbosch

27 Wednesday Apr 2011

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984773_web

Cost: $15.75
Grape Variety: Chardonnay
Category: White Wine
Appellation: Vintages
Country: South Africa
Region: Stellenbosch
Format: 750 mL
Producer:  Eikendal
Alcohol: 14% Alcohol/Vol.

Description: Light gold in colour with medium+ intensity. On the nose I got clove, guava, lemon tart, caramelized sugar, pineapple, peach, pear and light minerality. On the taste, dry, good acidity, balanced, very long length (I stopped timing after 2 minutes) & full body. I tasted guava, lemon meringue, peach, caramelized sugar (slightly burnt), pineapple, limestone, med toast and butter. Overall a medium+ complex wine and an amazing value.

This is a Best Buy wine.

Tasted: 26 April 2011

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

Out of 5 stars, I rated this wine 4

LCBO#984773

The WATCHER 2008, Barossa Valley, South Australia

26 Tuesday Apr 2011

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219196_web

Cost: $19.95
Grape Variety: Shiraz
Category: Red Wine
Appellation: Vintages
Country: Australia
Region: Barossa
Format: 750 mL
Producer:  Fetish Wines
Alcohol: 14.5% Alcohol/Vol.

Description: Traditional Barossa Shiraz, big big & big, without the structure. This wine is inky purple to ruby & dark in colour. Nose is med+ intensity, showing stewed plums, black currents, mocha, vanilla bean, raspberry jam, white pepper and nutmeg. On the palate this a full body wine showing medium minus acidity and tannins, and hence lacking in structure. The high alcohol on the after taste lends itself to some heat, but it also has a fairly long length to it. The notes on the palate are the same as on the nose. This wine is medium complex that pairs well with roasted peppers, but will challenge most foods due to the high alcohol and lack of structure, so enjoy it on a summer night by the fire.

Tasted: 24 April 2011

Score: 8/10, Value: 8/10, Total: 16/20

Out of 5 stars, I rated this wine 3.5

LCBO#219196