PONDVIEW BELLA TERRA PINOT NOIR 2014, VQA Four Mile Creek, Niagara, Ontario, Canada

01 Sunday Sep 2019

Posted by in Canadian Wines, Non LCBO Wine, On The Fence, Red Wines

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Cost: $50.20
Grape: Pinot Noir
Category: Red Wine
Location: Winery
Country: Canada
Region: Four Mile Creek, Niagara, Ontario
Format: 750 mL
Producer: Pondview Estate Winery
Alcohol:  12.5% Alcohol/Vol.

Lot of tart on the taste, which mostly goes away when it opens up. Nice Pinot but the price is to too high for what you’re getting

Positives: Pale garnet in colour featuring cranberry, pomegranate, cherry and light tobacco on the nose.

Negatives: Too expensive

Interesting Point: Let it open out or else it will be too tart, and lightly chill it.

Ageability: Drink now or over the next 5-7 years on its own or pair it with smoked oysters.

My Opinion: On the fence

Tasted: September 1, 2019

HENRY OF PELHAM CUVÉE CATHARINE CARTE BLANCHE ESTATE BLANC DE BLANC 2013, Traditional Method, VQA Short Hills, Niagara Region, Ontario, Canada

25 Sunday Aug 2019

Posted by in Canadian Wines, Highly Recommended, Sparkling Wine, Top Picks, Price Not Withstanding

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Cost: $49.95
Grape: Chardonnay
Category: Sparkling Wine
Location: LCBO Vintages
Country: Canada
Region: Short Hills Bench, Niagara, Ontario
Format: 750 mL
Producer: Henry of Pelham
Alcohol:  12.5% Alcohol/Vol.

A high-quality Canadian Blanc de Blanc in a Champagne style with a Champagne price

Positives: Golden apple in colour with a fine mousse. The wine features brioche, toast, lemon, apple pie, pear, honey, hazelnut, limestone with an oxidative nose.

Negatives: None

Interesting Point: Picked by hand on the estate and matured in the bottle on the lees for 60 months.

Ageability: Drink now or over the next 10 years on its own or pair it with caviar.

My Opinion: Highly Recommended

Top Pick

Tasted: August 25, 2019

LCBO: 315200

KRONE ROSÉ BRUT 2017, Méthode Cap Classique, Tulbagh, Western Cape, South Africa

18 Sunday Aug 2019

Posted by in Best Buys, Highly Recommended, Rosés, Sparkling Wine

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Cost: $19.95
Grape: 85% Pinot Noir, 15% Chardonnay
Category: Sparkling Wine
Location: LCBO Vintages
Country: South Africa
Region: Tulbagh, Western Cape
Format: 750 mL
Producer: Twee Jonge Gezellen
Alcohol:  11.0 % Alcohol/Vol.

For those that like vintage Champagne rosés but cost 75% less

Positives: Dark salmon to rust in colour with a fine mousse. Wine features yeast, toasted hazelnut, brioche, strawberry, cherry, nectarine and red apples.

Negatives: None

Interesting Point: The historic Twee Jonge Gezellen farm in Tulbagh is the home of Krone, a collection of notable, vintage-only South African Méthode Cap Classiques made from grapes grown and night-harvested in this distinctive terroir.

Ageability: Drink now or over the next 10 years on its own or pair it with maple flavoured bacon.

My Opinion: Highly Recommended

Best Buy

Tasted: August 18, 2019

LCBO: 130047

KIM CRAWFORD ROSÉ 2018, Hawke’s Bay, New Zealand

15 Thursday Aug 2019

Posted by in Best Buys, Highly Recommended, Rosés

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Cost: $17.95 (Sale price: $15.95 until Aug 18, 2019)
Grape: Merlot & Malbec
Category: Rosé Wine
Location: LCBO Vintages
Country: New Zealand
Region: Hawke’s Bay
Format: 750 mL
Producer: Kim Crawford Winery
Alcohol: 13.0 % Alcohol/Vol.

Love this wine as it’s easy drinking, dry yet juicy

Positives: This salmon colour rosé features strawberry, watermelon, nectarine, Honeycrisp apple and peaches.

Negatives: None

Ageability: Drink now or over the next couple of years on its own or pair it with grilled pork chops

My Opinion: Highly Recommended

Best Buy

Tasted: August 15, 2019

LCBO: 650325

KACABA ESCARPMENT CABERNET/SYRAH 2016, VQA Niagara Peninsula, Ontario, Canada

13 Tuesday Aug 2019

Posted by in Canadian Wines, Kacaba Vineyards & Winery, Non LCBO Wine, Recommended, Red Wines, Winery Review Series

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Cost: $30.15
Grape: 44% Cabernet Sauvignon, 45% Syrah, 11% Cabernet Franc
Category: Red Wine
Location: Winery
Country: Canada
Region: Niagara Peninsula, Ontario
Format: 750 mL
Producer: Kacaba Vineyards & Winery
Alcohol: 13.5 % Alcohol/Vol.

Lots of red fruit, spice with firm tannin gives this Ontario Cab/Syrah complexity

Positives: This wine features cherry, strawberry, pomegranate, blackberry, black & white pepper, turmeric, pencil shavings, leather, cinnamon with a smoked oak nose.

Negatives: None

Ageability: Drink now or over the next 5-7 years on its own or pair it with grilled marinated leg of lamb

My Opinion: Recommended

Tasted: August 13, 2019

HENRY OF PELHAM SPECK FAMILY RESERVE CHARDONNAY 2017, VQA Short Hills Bench, Niagara Region, Ontario, Canada

08 Thursday Aug 2019

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

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Cost: $29.95 (Clearance Price $21.00)
Grape: Chardonnay
Category: White Wine
Location: LCBO Vintages
Country: Canada
Region: Short Hills Bench, Niagara Region, Ontario
Format: 750 mL
Producer: Henry of Pelham
Alcohol: 13.3 % Alcohol/Vol.

Steady as she goes; one of the top Canadian Chards

Positives: This wine features lemon, green apples, yellow plums, pineapple, peach, pear, vanilla, oak spice, ginger and dill all with a long finish.

Negatives: None

Ageability: Drink now or over the next 5-7 of years on its own or pair it with Lobster Thermidor

My Opinion: Highly Recommended

Best Buy at Clearance Price & Top Pick

Tasted: August 2, 2019

LCBO: 616466

HENRY OF PELHAM ROSÉ 2018, VQA Niagara Peninsula, Ontario, Canada

07 Wednesday Aug 2019

Posted by in Best Buys, Canadian Wines, Highly Recommended, Rosés

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Cost: $14.95 (Sale Price: 12.95 until Aug 18)
Grape: Pinot Noir, Gamay Noir, Riesling, Pinot Gris
Category: Rosé Wine
Location: LCBO General List
Country: Canada
Region: Niagara Peninsula, Ontario
Format: 750 mL
Producer: Henry of Pelham
Alcohol: 11 % Alcohol/Vol.

A Provence style rosé that’s nice, easy drinking, crisp but juicy

Positives: This wine features strawberry, cherry, cranberry, Honeycrisp apple and rose pedals on the nose.

Negatives: None

Ageability: Drink now or over the next couple of years on its own or pair it with BBQ pork ribs

My Opinion: Highly Recommended

Best Buy and Amazing buy at the sale price

Tasted: August 7, 2019

LCBO: 613471

SONOMA-CUTRER RUSSIAN RIVER RANCHES CHARDONNAY 2016, Sonoma County, California, United States of America

03 Saturday Aug 2019

Posted by in Recommended, White Wines

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Cost: $27.95 (Sale price until Aug 18, 2019: $24.95)
Grape: Chardonnay
Category: White Wine
Location: LCBO Vintages
Country: United States
Region: Sonoma Coast, Californian
Format: 750 mL
Producer: Sonoma-Cutrer
Alcohol: 14.2 % Alcohol/Vol.

An elegant cool climate style Chard from Sonoma

Positives: This wine features lemon-lime, Honeycrisp & green apples, Bosc pear, nougat, hazelnut, oak spice, ginger and dill.

Negatives: None

Ageability: Drink now or over the next 5-7 of years on its own or pair it with Pan Seared scallops with Cauliflower puree.

My Opinion: Recommended

Tasted: August 3, 2019

LCBO: 608653

GEYSER PEAK WALKING TREE CABERNET SAUVIGNON 2015, Alexander Valle, Sonoma County, California, United States of America

02 Friday Aug 2019

Posted by in On The Fence, Red Wines

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Cost: $29.95
Grape: Cabernet Sauvignon
Category: Red Wine
Location: LCBO Vintages
Country: United States
Region: Alexander Valle, Sonoma County, California
Format: 750 mL
Producer: Geyser Peak Winery
Alcohol: 14.5 % Alcohol/Vol.

Disappointing showing of a wine I use to love

Positives: This wine features plum, dark cherry, blackberry, black figs, mocha, turmeric, leather and vanilla.

Negatives: Lots of heat from the 14.5% alcohol

Interesting Point: Vintages 2008 & 2007 that I wrote reviews in 2013 & 2012 respectively, the price was $19.95 and the alcohol was great at 13.5%. Taste was just wonderful, unfortunately it seems Geyser Peak has decided to join the rest of the California clan to make sure their wines, red & white are 14.5% alcohol or higher, and raised their prices by $10. So sad.

Ageability: Drink now or over the next 5-7 of years on its own or pair it with rib-eye steak.

My Opinion: On the Fence

Tasted: August 2, 2019

LCBO: 161323

THREE THIEVES CHARDONNAY 2017, California Republic, United States of America

29 Monday Jul 2019

Posted by in Best Buys, Recommended, White Wines

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Cost: $15.80 (Sale price until July 21, 2019)
Grape: Chardonnay
Category: White Wine
Location: LCBO General List
Country: United States
Region: California Republic
Format: 750 mL
Producer: Rebel Wine
Alcohol: 13.5 % Alcohol/Vol.

Great value Chard that delivers tons of flavour for the price & it’s not your typical commercial, mass produced California Chard

Positives: This soft, rich and creamy wine features toasted butter, lemon, peach, mango, oak spice, ginger and dill.

Negatives: None

Ageability: Drink now or over the next 2-4 of years on its own or pair it with Jerk chicken.

My Opinion: Recommended

Best Buy

Tasted: July 29, 2019

LCBO: 633560