Canadian Wine Guy » France

CAVE DE RIBEAUVILLÉ TERROIRS RESERVE PINOT GRIS

John Galea — Tue, 20 Dec 2011 16:06:58 +0000

When I first was offered this wine at my GFs place the first though that crossed my mind was … huh … I didn’t know Alsace did a Pinot Gris? The next though was how curious, a French label that actually means something to the layman? I’ve had some Pinot Gris that are so clear they could be mistaken in the right lighting for water. This one is pale in color with a slightly sweet nose. On the mid pallet this wine displays some slight sweet honey suckle which for me was dead on reminiscent of a Spatlese Riesling. The wine is on the lighter side of medium on the finish with sugar being the dominant taste. This is by no means a terrible wine. But not exactly to my taste either. They call this a terroir wine which would seem accurate cause not far away in Germany there they are making Rieslings. I could easily close my eyes and be convinced I was drinking a Riesling. The one thought that would not come into my mind is wow this is a lovely Pinot Gris But then I am sure you already figured that out! I would give this one an 87. For the money, $19.95 look elsewhere.

Check LCBO stock I have to admit I find myself wondering … is there any point to putting a link to check stock after slagging the wine? Hmmm

Lucien Crochet Sancerre Rouge la Crois du Roy 2008

John Galea — Tue, 06 Dec 2011 14:44:57 +0000

Another one from the Trialto Try and Buy event. I’ve had a number of Sancerre wines but they’ve always been whites. I had to check and sure enough Sancerre Appellation red is a Pinot Noir! Always good to try something new you’ve never had before. This wine is ruby in color with a rustic nose. On the mid pallet this wine is a varietal smooth easy drinking Pinot Noir with some rustic notes and some strawberry coming through. The finish is medium in length with some nice tannins, some slight tartness as well that build nicely in the mouth. This is a lighter, smooth, well made pinot noir that would be very food friendly. I would give this a solid 89-90.

The wine is $37 available on consignment from Trialto by the case.

Ben Hodson is the “Liquid Art Specialist Ontario” on this wine. Feel free to contact him for more information on how to purchase this yummy wine!

2008 J.P. Chenet Pinot Noir

John Galea — Fri, 15 Apr 2011 23:36:37 +0000

I had this one at the iYellow Pinot event. This one has a fancy bottle … woohoo, and it’s from France, must be good no? Ruby in color with an earthy funky nose not uncommon with Pinot Noirs. On the mid pallet this is a mild varietal pinot noir with some rustic flavors. The wine is on the lighter side of medium. This would be a very food friendly wine but for me there is not a lot going on. Now for the price this is not a bad deal. I would give it an 88 or so.

From the LCBO web site:
J.P. CHENET LIMITED RELEASE PINOT NOIR LCBO 142406 | 750 mL bottle Price: $ 11.95
Wine, Red Wine 12.5% Alcohol/Vol.

Sugar Content : 1
Made in: Languedoc, France
By: Les Grands Chais De France

Tasting Note
clear ruby with hints of purple; raspberry and cherry aromas with a touch of spice; medium body, dry; red berry flavour with medium finish

Check LCBO Stock

CHÂTEAU TOUR D’HORABLE 2005

John Galea — Tue, 14 Dec 2010 14:23:18 +0000

When I see a Bordeaux with a reasonable rating from 2005 under $20 I jump at it. This one caught my eye, they had put Natalie’s write up on the wine there. The wine is dark in color with a lovely Bordeaux dark fruit nose. On the mid pallet the wine is a smooth well balanced wine with some edgeyness. It has some spice and a nice dry finish. It’s not too overwhelming on the pucker power. For the price this wine is a good deal. I think Natalie and I agree on this one. I would give it an 89-90. Very nicely done. I can gladly state CHÂTEAU TOUR D’HORABLE is absoloutely not horrible Sorry couldn’t resist

From the LCBO web site:
CHÂTEAU TOUR D’HORABLE 2005 VINTAGES 174656 | 750 mL bottle Price: $ 14.95
Wine, Red Wine 14.6% Alcohol/Vol. Sugar Content : XD

Made in: Bordeaux, France By: J. A. Faytout, Prop.
Release Date: Sep 18, 2010

Tasting Note
A plummy, rich red that’s balanced and full-bodied with delicious dark berries and cassis and smoky long finish. Decant for 1-2 hours. Pair with: beef rib roast. Drink: 2010-2016. Score – 89. (Natalie MacLean, www.nataliemaclean.com, Oct. 2, 2009)

Check LCBO Stock

2008 PHILIPPE DE ROTHCHILD Chardonnay

John Galea — Thu, 09 Dec 2010 13:28:15 +0000

Yellow in color mild on the nose. On the mid pallet are some semi sweet honey suckle flavors with no oak, cream or butter. This is a mild non descript wine 87 or so. It’s not a bad wine, but not a good one either. Save your liver for something more worthy

From the LCBO web site:
PHILIPPE DE ROTHCHILD CHRD LCBO 407528 | 750 mL bottle Price: $ 10.95
Wine, White Wine 13.5% Alcohol/Vol. Sugar Content : 1

Made in: Languedoc, France By: Baron Philippe De Rothschild S.A.

Tasting Note
Pale straw colour; soft apple, stewed pear, melon and vanilla aromas and flavours; dry, light-medium-bodied, with a touch of grapefruit in the finish.

Check LCBO Stock

LES VIGNES DE BILA-HAUT 2008

John Galea — Fri, 03 Dec 2010 18:58:23 +0000

This wine is dark in color with lots of nice dark fruits coming through on the nose. On the mid pallet the wine is a smooth well balanced wine with dark cherries coming through and some nice dry pucker power that builds nicely in the mouth. It has a medium finish with some oak coming through. The alcohol is well under control! It is very food friendly! I quite enjoyed this one. I would give it an 89 or so. A good deal for the price.

From the LCBO web site:

M. CHAPOUTIER LES VIGNES DE BILA-HAUT CÔTES DU ROUSSILLON-VILLAGES 2008
VINTAGES 168716 | 750 mL bottle Price: $ 15.00
Wine, Red Wine 13.5% Alcohol/Vol.

Sugar Content : D

Made in: Roussillon, France By: M. Chapoutier S.A.
Release Date: Jun 26, 2010

Description
This wine was ranked #75 on Wine Spectator’s Top 100 list for 2009.

Tasting Note
A muscular red, with concentrated flavors of dark cherry, plum, raspberry tart and grilled fig. The dense finish of dark chocolate is firm and focused, with smoky notes. Best from 2010 through 2014. Smart Buy. Score – 90. (Kim Marcus, www.winespectator.com, Dec. 15, 2009)

LOUIS JADOT MACON VILLAGES CHARDONNAY 2007

John Galea — Thu, 26 Aug 2010 14:21:47 +0000

The wine is pale in color very mild on the nose. On the mid pallet are some very subtle chard flavors with little to no oak present and alcohol well under control. This is not really a fruit forward wine either. This would be in the milder side of a Chablis style French chard. The finish is on the lighter side with not a whole lot living on in the mouth. I paired it with smoked Salmon and it went ok but not really a good match. I did try the wine it’s own before and after and it did not change my thoughts. I also let it warm up and that also did not change it a whole lot. All in all this is a very mild wine which may or may not be to your tastes. For me there is not enough going on to justify the price. I would give it an 87. I won’t be rushing out for more of this one for sure …

LOUIS JADOT MACON VILLAGES CHARDONNAY LCBO 164145 | 750 mL bottle Price: $ 14.15
Wine, White Wine 13.5% Alcohol/Vol.

Made in: Burgundy, France By: Maison Louis Jadot

Tasting Note
Clear pale yellow colour; inviting aromas of apple, citrus and white nut with floral, vanilla and mineral notes; dry, medium body, well balanced and lively on the palate with refreshing acidity; flavours of pear, apple/citrus fruit, with notes of mineral and nut on the finish.

What Winecurrent.com had to say:
12.5% alcohol Alluring aromas of honeyed fruit floral notes and wisps of green apple roll of this deftly balanced crisp and refreshing number. Its medium bodied with a nice mouth feel and a persistent and focused stream of racy flavourölemon zest and white grapefruitöthat improves as it warms in the glass. It finishes lengthy and luxurious in a blaze of pineapple tropical fruit and yellow plum. This punches well above its price offering good value. (Vic Harradine) (164145) $14.95 Featured 7/10/2010. 4/5 stars
Check LCBO stock

DOMAINE BOUDAU LE CLOS 2008

John Galea — Tue, 10 Aug 2010 13:11:16 +0000

A friend gave me this wine as a gift. The wine is dark in color with lots of deep dark fruits coming through on the nose as well as some alcohol. On the mid pallet are flavors to match the bouquet. Deep rich dark fruits abound with some oak. On the finish the wine is quite complex with layers of flavors living on in a long finish with tannins but well under control. There are also hints of spice and pepper on the finish which comes from the syrah in the blend. The alcohol is quite high on this one, and it is noticeable. I suspect I should have let this breath but I was concerned it would loose it’s complexity in the process. I suspect what this really needs is some aging. I quite enjoyed this wine in spite of the alcohol and would have no trouble going out and getting some more. For the price this wine is a good deal. I would give it an 90. We paired it with a bbq steak and while it went well, the food overwhelmed the wine a bit and it lost it’s complexity. I encourage you to try it on it’s own without food first.

From the LCBO web site:
DOMAINE BOUDAU LE CLOS 2008 VINTAGES 149989 | 750 mL bottle Price: $ 16.95
Wine, Red Wine 15.2% Alcohol/Vol.
Sugar Content : XD

Made in: Roussillon, France By: Véronique et Pierre Boudau, Vign.-Récolt.

Release Date: Apr 17, 2010

Description
A Gold Medal winner at the 2009 Concours des Vins des Vignerons Indépendants.

Tasting Note
This is a very attractive red blend of 80% grenache and 20% syrah. Look for good complexity in the flavours and a nice balance that produces an edgy, slightly tangy texture. The flavours are solid and well extracted but not dominant, and this is an excellent choice for grilled lamb and other red meats. Score – 4 1/2 Stars (out of 5). (Rod Phillips, www.rodphillipsonwine.com, Feb. 3, 2010).

Check LCBO stock

LAURENT MIQUEL PERE ET FILS CHARDONNAY

John Galea — Tue, 20 Jul 2010 13:04:31 +0000

Pale in color mild on the nose with some chard smells coming through. On the mid pallet this wine is VERY subtle. When I first tried it I paired it with a pork chop and I must say I was underwhelmed. I suspect it was too cold. As it warmed up some of it’s character came through and it started to build in the mouth. My first though was this is simple sugar water. As it built up I started to appreciate some of the complexities in different layers that came through. In the end the wine had a nice finish, slightly tart. Don’t expect this one to blow your socks off but it is an interesting experience with a lot of patience and the right temperature. I would give it an 88 or so. Won’t be rushing out for more.

LAURENT MIQUEL PERE ET FILS CHARDONNAY LCBO 157909 | 750 mL bottle Price: $ 11.35
Wine, Still Table Wine, White Still Table Wine 13.0% Alcohol/Vol.

Made in: Languedoc, France By: Laurent Miquel

Tasting Note
Pale straw colour; green apple and citrus aromas; matching green apple and lemon flavours for a crisp finish

PHILIPPE DE ROTHCHILD SAUV BLANC 2009

John Galea — Thu, 17 Jun 2010 13:25:15 +0000

The wine is pale in color, with a varietal Sauv blanc nose, albeit on the milder side. There’s the usual lemon, citris and grass coming through. On the mid pallet the flavors are spot on and match the bouquet. Again, citris, lemon and grass all there, present but on the milder side. The finish is on the lighter side of medium. This is a well made, middle of the road Sauv Blanc. It is VERY food friendly. I must say I quite enjoyed this one. It would go very well and would be quite refreshing on a patio on a hot summer day! Give it a try, it’s in the regular section …

From the LCBO web site:
PHILIPPE DE ROTHCHILD SAUV BLC LCBO 407536 | 750 mL bottle
Price: $ 10.95 Wine, White Wine 12.5% Alcohol/Vol.

Made in: Languedoc, France By: Baron Philippe De Rothschild S.A.

Tasting Note
Straw colour; grassy, citrus, herbaceous nose; medium body and crisp acidity, clean finish

Serving Suggestion
Great with light lunches, grilled seafood & light cheeses

If you are reading this review on any website other than Canadianwineguy.com the web site is using our content without our permission.

CHÂTEAU DES CHABERTS CUVÉE PRESTIGE 2007

John Galea — Sat, 24 Apr 2010 12:21:03 +0000

Another one from the Churchill Cellars portfolio tasting. The wine is dark in color mild on the nose. In the mid pallet the wine has some of the varietal Provence sweet red berry flavors but not over the top. Some cassis and dried fruits. The wine is medium in finish with some dry pucker power and some nice tannins. All in all a pleasant experience. I would give it an 89. Not a bad deal for the money.

From the LCBO web site:
CHÂTEAU DES CHABERTS CUVÉE PRESTIGE 2007 VINTAGES 151001 | 750 mL bottle Price: $ 18.95
Wine, Red Wine 14.0% Alcohol/Vol.

Sugar Content : XD

Made in: Provence, France By: Chateau Des Chaberts

Release Date: Feb 20, 2010

Description
This award-winning wine is a blend of Syrah, Cabernet Sauvignon and Mourvèdre. Provence is not the place one thinks of for Syrah-focused wines, but if this is the result, they should keep it up. The aromas suggest blackberry, cassis, cedar and garrigue. Dry and flavourful, age this one 2-4 years, or enjoy it tonight with grilled lamb chops or winter-barbecued steaks.

Check LCBO Stock

CHATEAU DE GOURGAZAUD AC MINERVOIS

John Galea — Fri, 23 Apr 2010 13:23:00 +0000

Another one from the Churchhill wine cellars annual tasting event. This wine is dark in color mild on the nose. On the mid pallet are some very nice dark fruits cherries/blueberries and the like. The wine is medium in finish with a nice bit of dryness and some tannins. This wine is a good bargain! I would give it an 88-89 or so …

CHATEAU DE GOURGAZAUD AC MINERVOIS LCBO 22384 | 750 mL bottle Price: $ 12.95
Wine, Red Wine 13.0% Alcohol/Vol.

Made in: Languedoc, France By: Chateau Du Gourgazaud

Tasting Note
Deep ruby colour with purple hints; complex nose of cassis, cedar, spice & earth; smooth and velvety with soft tannins and a long finish

Serving Suggestion
Serve with grilled lamb chops, roasts, or Roquefort cheese

Check LCBO stock

DELAS FRÈRES LES LAUNES CROZES-HERMITAGE 2007

John Galea — Tue, 16 Feb 2010 00:36:04 +0000

This wine presented me with some challenges for how to write it up. The initial thought was to put yuk and leave it at that. Then the thought crossed my mind, that perhaps, that might not be helpful. So I will try and see what I can do here. Ok, Yuk. Now that we have that out of the way … The wine is quite dark in color. On the nose are some black fruits and some wood. On the mid pallet are some of that deep cassis, currant flavors there for a brief instant. Then that becomes quickly overwhelmed by a strong dominance of alcohol, wood and some firm tannins. I did not enjoy this wine at all. And breathing helped little. All in all this is not a well made wine at all. I would be hard pressed to give this an 86. I have to apologize to the fish and pour it down the drain. It’s a pity it isn’t corked so I could take it back and say there is something wrong with it. There isn’t. But for some reason Yuk is not an acceptable reason to return something to the LCBO … Who knew Did I mention Yuk? Odd, I generally gel well with James Molesworth’s tastes.

DELAS FRÈRES LES LAUNES CROZES-HERMITAGE 2007 VINTAGES 701359 | 750 mL bottle Price: $ 19.95
Wine, Red Wine, 12.8% Alcohol/Vol. Sugar Content : XD

Made in: Rhone, France By: Delas Vins A St Jean De Muzols

Release Date: Feb 6, 2010

Tasting Note
Round and fleshy, with a delicious core of red currant, red licorice and crushed plum fruit backed by hints of fruitcake and mineral on the lively finish. Drink now through 2011. Score – 90. (James Molesworth, www.winespectator.com, July 31, 2009)

Trimbach Riesling Alsace 2007

John Galea — Tue, 29 Dec 2009 12:16:12 +0000

Another wine from the Wine Spectator top 100 of 2009 it came in at #55 and they gave it a 91 for $18US. The wine is quite pale in color, mild on the nose with some varietal Riesling bouquet. On the front of the tongue are the hints of some sweet flavors, apricots come to mind. On the finish the sweet is immediately matched with some nice tart almost Sauv Blanc like flavors. The two tastes went okay today and all in all it was an alright experience. The wine was medium in finish with oaks and alcohol under control. I would give this one an 89 or so. Not the best Riesling I’ve had but always good to try something new.

From the lcbo web site:
TRIMBACH RIESLING 2007 VINTAGES 734517 | 750 mL bottle Price: $ 19.95
Wine, White Wine, 13.0% Alcohol/Vol.

Sugar Content : XD

Made in: Alsace, France By: F.E. Trimbach
Release Date: Nov 7, 2009

Tasting Note
This subtle version offers a finely woven mix of white peach and crushed pine needle flavors, with hints of brine and smoke. There’s racy acidity, but it’s well-meshed, and a mineral note lingers on the delicate finish. Drink now through 2015. Smart Buys. Score – 91. (Alison Napjus, www.winespectator.com, Nov. 15, 2009)

Check LCBO Stock

CHATEAU PECH-REDON L’EPERVIER 2004

John Galea — Fri, 09 Oct 2009 13:51:21 +0000

I hate to say this, but I actually agree with Parker again! Who knew. This wine is deep in color. exceptionally mild on the nose. But that’s where the mild stops. On the mid pallet are some lovely fruit flavors. A beautiful wine with lots of herbaceous notes. On the finish this wine is on the longer side of medium with quite a dry pucker on the mouth and tongue. This is a well done wine! It is not as complex for me as some but excellent none the less. And for the price it’s a good one. I would give it a 90 or so.

From the LCBO web site:
CHATEAU PECH-REDON L’EPERVIER 2004 AC Coteaux du Languedoc La Clape TASTING NOTE: Pech Redon’s 2004 Coteaux du Languedoc La Clape L’Epervier represents a blend of equal parts Grenache and Syrah with 20% Carignan. A lovely nose of kirsch-macerated dried cherries black currants and walnuts leads to ripe yet beautifully-delineated and not at all superficially sweet black fruits wreathed with herbs tinged with nut oils and a pungent sweet note like buckwheat honey and underlain by chalk. Here is a good example of small barrels used to frame the fruit a slight firmness of tannin not being at all obtrusive. An outstanding value like its stable mate I would suggest holding this impeccably-balanced cuvee for another several years. Score – 90. (David Schildknecht www.erobertparker.com Oct. 2007) 129965 $19.95 Featured 9/12/2009

DOMAINE GALEVAN PAROLES DE FEMME COTES DU RHONE 2007

John Galea — Fri, 19 Jun 2009 19:33:00 +0000

I picked this one up last night and tried it straight off. The wine is a smack on varietal Cotes du Rhone. A good value for the money. The tastes are the typical, slightly sweet, cassis flavors with a medium finish. There was a hint of bitterness on opening. My LCBO product specialist said buy a case. I wouldn’t go that far but it definitely is a good deal, especially if you like Cotes du Rhones. For $15 kinda hard to find a fault. I would say the 89-90 is accurate (for my tastes).

From the LCBO web site:
DOMAINE GALEVAN PAROLES DE FEMME COTES DU RHONE 2007 AC (Jean-Pierre & Coralie Goumarre Vigns.) TASTING NOTE: The 2007 Cotes du Rhone Paroles de Femme (meaning “words of a woman”). This sexy deep ripe full-bodied effort is a blend of 60% Grenache 20% Mourvedre and the rest equal parts Cinsault and Carignan. Its deep ruby/purple color is accompanied by abundant amounts of Provencal typicity as well as roasted herb meat juice kirsch and black raspberry fruit notes. Enjoy it over the next 2-3 years. Score – (89-90). (Robert Parker Jr. www.erobertparker.com Oct. 2008) 125930 $15.00

Check LCBO Stock

2007 Pierre Sparr Gewürztraminer (Alsace)

CanadianWineGuy — Sat, 23 May 2009 22:19:22 +0000

Wines do not have to be expensive, well marketed or reviewed to be enjoyable. So many times a snooty wine reviewer will pass over the low priced mass produced wine because they simply will not lower themselves. More so you find this in the blogsphere then anywhere else. One of the nicest things that John Galea has brought to this site is his willingness to try and review anything which means he covers up a great deal of slack that I leave. If you have a chance to go back and read many of his reviews you will see some great bottles of wine and then you will get to see some schlock that you may have thought about but were afraid to try. Tonight I will be reviewing one of those wines that I often have avoided. The region of Alsace is a wine region that grows and produces mostly white wines from Germanic descent grape varieties. The area hugs the Rhine river and is most often known for it’s dry Rieslings and of course it’s Gewürztraminers. La Maison Pierre Sparr is one of the largest producers in the region and this wine is one their pedestrian releases. Without going to much more into the wines from the region, as this is to be a shorter post, if you like good quality whites and enjoy Rhine varietals then dive into Alsace with both feet, you will most often then not be tickled with your choice. As for this wine, on to the tasting!

This is a stainless steel fermented to bottle Gewürztraminer. It has been made to allow for just a bit of sweetness and would be either a 1 or 2 on the sweetness scale (vintner says 2, I say 1, so let it be your call). The wine has a nice clean straw yellow colour to it. On the nose you will get flowers and citrus (as it warms up these will decrease and you will actually get more of an acid sense to your nostrils). The first sip will bring a sharp bite with good fruit. The acid is pronounced and despite some good marketing attempt by Pierre Sparr this wine is not overly balanced. The citrus remains throughout the tasting with grapefruit being most pronounced while a hint of lemon works it’s way through. The flowery nature to the nose is subtle during drinking though I get a bit of spring flowers. Overall, despite the acidity, this is a pleasant wine, easily drinkable on a warm summers day. I’d advise not allowing the temperature to rise much above 12 degrees celsius as the wine starts to disapear. For $16 dollars this is neither overpriced nor cheap (if that makes any sense) and if you are looking for a drier Gewürztraminer then give it a try.

The CWG Subjective Rating is 85 out of 100.

Mrs CWG says

Enjoyable, crisp, refreshing!

CHATEAU SAINT-ROCH CHIMERES 2006

John Galea — Sat, 25 Apr 2009 00:43:02 +0000

The rating makes on this wine caught my eye, it looks like a bargain. The wine is 65% Grenache Noir, 30% Syrah, 10% Carignan. As usual I find Parker is high in his rating. I believe this one really deserves more like an 89-90. But given the price this is not bad at all. Not one of the best wines I’ve had but it is quite good. The finish is mild/medium. There is a slight bitterness to the wine. Another 1-2 years aging will help. I will probably grab a few more of these …

From the LCBO web site:
CHATEAU SAINT-ROCH CHIMERES 2006 AC Cotes du Roussillon-Villages TASTING NOTE: … Plum preserves lily cocoa powder white pepper and a whiff of smoke emanate from the glass. In the mouth this displays creamy richness of texture uncannily combined with elegance and brightness and an almost tactile sense of underlying stony and ore-like minerality (which is difficult to describe!) … Enjoy this 2006 over the coming 3-4 years and possibly it will prove worth holding longer … Hurrah for this talented and visionary vintner! Score – 92. (David Schildknecht www.erobertparker.com Aug. 2008) 119354 $19.95 Featured 4/11/2009 Check LCBO stock