KEW VINEYARDS OLD VINE CHARDONNAY 2019, VQA Beamsville Bench, Niagara Region, Ontario, Canada

09 Thursday Jun 2022

Posted by in Best Buys, Canadian Wines, Recommended, White Wines

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Cost: $23.95
Grape: Chardonnay
Category: White Wine
Location: LCBO Vintages
Country: Canada
Region: Beamsville Bench, Niagara Region, Ontario
Format: 750 mL
Producer: Kew Vineyards
Alcohol: 14.0% Alcohol/Vol.

Creamy style Chard with both citric & tropical notes. Score: 89/100

Tasting Note: Gold in colour with good acidity, a low intense nose, mild tannin & a long length on the finish. This wine features: Lemon, green & yellow apples, pear, pineapple, mango ginger, limestone, vanilla & oak spice

Negatives: None

Pairings: Drink this now or in 3-5 years on its own or pair it with crab Alfredo

My Opinion: Recommended

Best Buy

Tasted: June 7, 2022

LCBO: 43874

DRUMHELLER CABERNET SAUVIGNON 2018, Columbia Valley, Washington State, United States of America

05 Sunday Jun 2022

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

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Cost: $18.95
Grape: Cabernet Sauvignon
Category: Red Wine
Location: LCBO Vintages
Country: United States of America
Region: Columbia Valley, Washington State
Format: 750 mL
Producer: Drumheller Wines
Alcohol: 13.5% Alcohol/Vol.

Beautifully made with a nice blend of fruits & spice without one overpowering the other, which all leads to a silky-smooth finish. Score: 95/100

Tasting Note: Medium to dark ruby with a garnet tinge in colour with good acidity, a medium intense nose, mild tannin & a long length on the finish. This wine features: Crème de Cassis, ripe blackcurrants, blueberries, plums, tamarind, cola, turmeric, cassis, Allspice & graphite.

Negatives: None

Pairings: Drink this in the next 5-7 years on its own or pair it with braised wild boar shanks with sweet soy sauce & Star Anise.

My Opinion: Highly Recommended

Top Pick & Best Buy

Tasted: June 4, 2022

LCBO: 551473

CAVE SPRING DRY ROSÉ 2020, VQA Niagara Peninsula, Ontario, Canada

04 Saturday Jun 2022

Posted by in Canadian Wines, On The Fence, Rosés

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Cost: $15.95
Grape: Cabernet Franc
Category: Rosé Wine
Location: LCBO General List
Country: Canada
Region: Niagara Peninsula, Ontario
Format: 750 mL
Producer: Cave Spring Vineyard
Alcohol: 13.0% Alcohol/Vol.

Simple wine with lots of sour notes. Score: 86/100

Tasting Note: Light salmon in colour with high acidity, a medium+ intense nose & a fairly long length on the finish. This wine features: Grapefruit, passionfruit, cranberries, mandarin, white pepper & cardamon seed.

Negatives: Too sour for my taste

Pairings: Drink this in the next couple of years on its own, but goes better when you pair it with food such as Strawberry Gazpacho.

My Opinion: On-the-Fence

Tasted: June 3, 2022

LCBO: 295006

FLEUR CHARDONNAY CARNEROS SELECT 2018, Carneros, Sonoma Valley, California, United States of America

31 Tuesday May 2022

Posted by in Best Buys, Highly Recommended, Top Picks, Price Not Withstanding, White Wines

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Cost: $24.95
Grape: Chardonnay
Category: White Wine
Location: LCBO Vintages
Country: United States of America
Region: Carneros, Sonoma Valley, California
Format: 750 mL
Producer: Fleur de California
Alcohol: 13.8% Alcohol/Vol.

Nicely balance between lightly oaked, citric, creaminess & under 14% alcohol with a price that makes this a really great value for the quality. Score: 94/100

Tasting Note: Light gold in colour with good acidity, a medium+ intense nose, soft tannin & a long length on the finish. This wine features: Lemon, Granny Smith apples, pear, pineapple, clementine, dill, ginger, meringue, honeycomb & vanilla.

Negatives: None

Interesting Point: A blend Chardonnays from the estate vineyards with fruit from two other Sonoma Carneros sites. Whole-cluster press, followed by cool fermentation, and six months aging in French oak barrels. Prolonged yeast contact in oak and lees stirring (batonnage) added texture. (Winery notes)

Pairings: Drink this now or in 5 -7 years on its own or pair it with Greek chicken kabobs marinated in olive oil, lemon and tarragon served with Tzatziki and warm pita bread.

My Opinion: Highly Recommended

Top Pick & Best Buy

Tasted: May 30, 2022

LCBO: 311522

VILLA MARIA PRIVATE BIN CHARDONNAY 2020, East Coast, New Zealand

30 Monday May 2022

Posted by in Best Buys, Recommended, White Wines

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Cost: $18.05 (Sale price until June 19, 2022: $16.05)
Grape: Chardonnay
Category: White Wine
Location: LCBO General List
Country: New Zealand
Region: East Coast
Format: 750 mL
Producer: William Maria
Alcohol: 13.5% Alcohol/Vol.

A crispness of citric fruit followed by some creaminess on the finish. Score: 89/100

Tasting Note: Light gold in colour with good acidity, a medium intense nose & a long length on the finish. This wine features: Lemon, green apples, pear, pineapple, yellow pitahaya, ginger, vanilla & some smoke on the nose.

Negatives: None

Pairings: Drink this now or in 3-5 years on its own or pair it with rotisserie chicken.

My Opinion: Recommended

Best Buy

Tasted: May 29, 2022

LCBO: 13293

BABU RESERVA 2018, Portugal

29 Sunday May 2022

Posted by in On The Fence, Red Wines

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Cost: $14.95
Grape: Touriga Nacional, Alicante Bouschet
Category: Red Wine
Location: LCBO Vintages
Country: Portugal
Region:
Format: 750 mL
Producer: Babu
Alcohol: 13.5% Alcohol/Vol.

Straddles the jammy sweet side to full ripe berry notes. Luckily the price is palatable. Score: 87/100

Tasting Note: Light to medium ruby in colour with good acidity, a medium, soft tannin, medium intense nose & a long length on the finish. This wine features: Black cherry, ripe blackberry, plum, cloves, cinnamon & vanilla.

Negatives: None

Interesting Point: I recommend using the smaller Tempranillo glassware vs the larger Cab as the larger glassware brought more jammy sweet notes to the wine.

Pairings: Drink this now or in 3-5 years on its own or pair it with Leitão da bairrada

My Opinion: On the Fence

Tasted: May 28, 2022

LCBO: 617175

HENRY OF PELHAM ESTATE CHARDONNAY 2019, VQA Short Hills Bench, Niagara Region, Ontario, Canada

28 Saturday May 2022

Posted by in Canadian Wines, On The Fence, White Wines

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Cost: $21.95 (Sale price until June 19, 2022: $18.95)
Grape: Chardonnay
Category: White Wine
Location: LCBO Vintages
Country: Canada
Region: Short Hills Bench, Niagara Region, Ontario
Format: 750 mL
Producer: Henry of Pelham Family Estate Winery
Alcohol: 12.8% Alcohol/Vol.

I can’t figure this one out; either I like, or I don’t. Score: 87/100

Tasting Note: Light gold in colour with high acidity, a medium+ intense nose & a long length on the finish. This wine features: Lemon, green apples, pear, ginger, dill, marzipan, pear, mandarin, caramel & vanilla.

Negatives: Not crazy about marzipan

Interesting Point: Wouldn’t buy it at the regular price, but at the sale price; maybe.

Pairings: Drink this now or in 4-6 years on its own or pair it with crisp fried chicken wings

My Opinion: On the Fence

Tasted: May 27, 2022

LCBO: 268342

WILLIAM HILL NORTH COAST CHARDONNAY 2020, North Coast, California, United States of America

27 Friday May 2022

Posted by in Not Recommended, White Wines

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Cost: $19.95
Grape: Chardonnay
Category: White Wine
Location: LCBO Vintages
Country: United States of America
Region: North Coast
Format: 750 mL
Producer: William Hill Estate Winery
Alcohol: 13.8% Alcohol/Vol.

Disappointed at this Cali Chard as it’s flabby & one dimensional. Typical commercial Cali Cab under $20. Score: Below 80/100

Tasting Note: Gold in colour with below average acidity, a medium+ intense nose & an average length on the finish. This wine features: Lemon curd, golden apples, pineapples, butterscotch & vanilla.

Negatives: To sweet and flabby.

My Opinion: Not Recommended

Tasted: May 25, 2022

LCBO: 288555

FREI BROTHERS RESERVE CHARDONNAY 2019, Russian River Valley, Sonoma County, California, United States of America

26 Thursday May 2022

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Cost: $26.95
Grape: Chardonnay
Category: White Wine
Location: LCBO Vintages
Country: United States of America
Region: Russian River Valley, Sonoma County, California
Format: 750 mL
Producer: Frei Brothers
Alcohol: 13.9% Alcohol/Vol.

Nice to see a Russian River Valley Chard that has complexity yet under 14.5% alcohol. Score: 89/100.

Tasting Note: Light gold in colour with good acidity, a medium+ intense nose, mild tannin & a long length on the finish. This wine features: Lemon meringue, green & yellow apples, pear, pineapple, cantaloupe, orange, ginger, buttered toast, butterscotch, vanilla & honeycomb

Negatives: None

Interesting Point: This may have gone by the commercially typical Cali Chard; flabby & one dimensional, but the cool winds in the Valley also bring out the citric notes which balances the warm climate & oak notes.

Pairings: Drink this now or in 3-5 years on its own or pair it with Moroccan Olive Oil & Orange Chicken.

My Opinion: Recommended

Tasted: May 25, 2022

LCBO: 317891

JOSÉ MARIA DE FONSECA DOMINI 2018, DOC Douro, Portugal

25 Wednesday May 2022

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

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Cost: $17.95
Grape: Touriga Nacional, Tinta Roriz (Tempranillo) and Touriga Francesa
Category: Red Wine
Location: LCBO Vintages
Country: Portugal
Region: Douro
Format: 750 mL
Producer: José Maria da Fonseca
Alcohol: 13.5% Alcohol/Vol.

Juicy, spicy with earthy notes. Quality wine at a great price. 94/100.

Tasting Note: Medium ruby in colour with good acidity, a medium intense nose & a long length on the finish. This wine features: Cherry, blackberry, mulberry, red currants, black & red peppers, Shitake mushrooms, basil, cassis, licorice & leather.

Negatives: None

Interesting Point: This is the entry level Domini to José Maria’s premium wine Domini Plus, which is one of my favourite red wines.

Pairings: Drink this now or in 5-7 years on its own or pair it with Chanfana

My Opinion: Highly Recommended

Top Pick & Best Buy

Tasted: May 23, 2022

LCBO: 452730