Canadian Wine Guy

November 18th 2008 was my first post on CanadianWineGuy, Brett gave me some space to blog! Seven years later, it’s been a wild ride. I’m having a ball, learning lots, tasting lots and sharing with all of you. Looking forward to many more posts in the future. Thanks to Brett for giving me this space and thanks to all of you for stopping by and reading. And now … on with the wine!

Pale in color with a mild nose of apple/pear. On the mid palate the wine displays some nice rich bold chard notes including vanilla and some butterscotch along with some nice pear to match the nose. On the medium length finish the wine displays some nice lively acidity and a hint of pepper. A very nice complex chard. I would give it an 89+.

From the LCBO web site:
Napa Cellars Chardonnay 2013 — VINTAGES#: 225342
STYLE – Full-bodied & Rich
Full-bodied and generous Californian Chardonnay, with toasted almond, peach and pear notes. Finishes with peach and vanilla smoke. Produced by Folie à Deux, this robust Napa Chardonnay offers layers of tropical tree fruit aromas and freshly baked bread. Perfect for roast chicken or lobster in melted butter. Pair with: lobster with melted butter, barbecued pork, turkey burgers, beef bourguignon, linguine with clams and fennel. Drink: [now]-2018. Score – 90. (Natalie MacLean, nataliemaclean.com, Sept. 2014) $23.95

Release Date:October 17, 2015
Alcohol/Vol 14.1% Made in: California, USA By: Sutter Home Winery Sugar Content:7 g/L Style:Full-bodied & Rich

Dark in color with a mild red cherry nose. On the mid palate the wine displays some nice rich dark red cherries to match the nose along with some nice herbacious notes. On the medium length finish the wine displays some nice dryness and mild tannins. The wine is a bit young and fresh out of the bottle the wine displays some very noticeable alcohol and heat. It passed quickly.

From the LCBO web site:
Paso Creek Cabernet Sauvignon 2013 — VINTAGES#: 161141
STYLE – Full-bodied & Smooth $19.95
Release Date:October 31, 2015
Alcohol/Vol 13.5% Made in: California, USA By:Constellation Brands Inc. (Us) Sugar Content:2 g/L Sweetness Descriptor: XD – Extra Dry Style:Full-bodied & Smooth
Description: Paso Robles experiences wide diurnal variation: the variance between hot day temperatures and cool overnight conditions. This allows winemakers to craft intensely flavoured wines with plenty of sunny and ripe fruit character without sacrificing freshness and elegance. This Cab Sauv will offer an impressive array of dark fruit with sweet oak accents. Look for a balanced and structured wine that will pair magnificently with grilled steak or roast lamb.

Dark in color with a mild nose. On the mid palate the wine displays some nice rich red berries backed by firm acidity. On the medium length finish the wine displays some nice super dry notes along with some nice tannins. 
http://www.lcbo.ca/lcbo/product/bonterra-cabernet-sauvignon/342428#.Vil_VRlZTqA
Big and bold 89

From the LCBO web site:
Cabernet Sauvignon — VINTAGES#: 342428
Style – Full-bodied & Smooth  › $19.95

Release Date:
April 1, 2015 Alcohol/Vol 12.09% Made in: California, USA By: Fetzer Vineyards Sugar Content: 8 g/L Sweetness Descriptor: XD – Extra Dry Style: Full-bodied & Smooth
Description
Bonterra has been crafting organic wines for 20+ years. This focused Cab shows blackberry, cassis, mocha, dried herbs and toasty oak flavours. Pair with grilled portobello mushroom burgers or organic rare steaks with roasted potatoes.

Pale in color with a mild nose of apple and pear. On the mid palate the wine delivers on the nose with nice pear and apple. On the medium length finish the wine displays some lovely vanilla and buttery notes. This is a well made, not over oaked California style chard. Not as deep and complex and some but not as over baked as others. Very nice. I would give it an 89 or so. Very food friendly. This one isn’t too sensitive to being too cold. Serve it as you like it!

From the LCBO web site:
Stonehedge Reserve Chardonnay 2013 — VINTAGES#: 311548
Style – Full-bodied & Rich  ›

Buttery and tropical on the nose. The palate is easy-drinking, buttery and filled with sweet-edged tropical fruit. This crowd-pleasing customer favourite shows all the power and ripeness of the vintage and will be perfect with turkey dinner. (VINTAGES panel, Jan. 2015) $22.95

Release Date: October 17, 2015 Alcohol/Vol 13.9% Made in: California, USA By: Stonehedge Winery Sugar Content: 7 g/L Sweetness Descriptor: D – Dry Style: Full-bodied & Rich

Pale in color with a nose of honey suckle (think Riesling) and a hint of sweetness. On the mid palate the wine displays some very mild honey suckle notes that match the nose along with some nice floral notes. On the medium length finish the wine displays some nice crisp dryness and lively acidity. There is not a hint of sweetness that was in the nose. The wine builds nicely in the mouth. Quite a nice Viognier 88-89, which for the price is not a bad deal at all!

From the LCBO web site:
Bonterra Viognier 2013 — VINTAGES#: 128900
STYLE – Full-bodied & Rich
Bonterra, a label established by Fetzer in 1990, prides itself on making wine exclusively from organic grapes. Indeed, according to the California Sustainable Winemaking Alliance, it’s the number one selling brand made from organic grapes. This 2013 Viognier helps explain why. Very floral, with a Muscat-like nuance even, it conveys stone fruit character without being heavy and is buttressed by vigorous acidity. Try it as an aperitif or with highly flavored food. Score – 90. (Michael Apstein, apsteinonwine.com, Dec. 23, 2014) $19.95
Release Date:September 19, 2015 Alcohol/Vol 13.9% Made in:California, USA By:Fetzer Vineyards Sugar Content:7 g/L Sweetness Descriptor:D – Dry Style:Full-bodied & Rich

From the winerys website:
Aromas of peaches and cream, citrus blossom and apricot greet you at the glass. Peaches and cream are a sensory signature of this wine. Fruit favors of apricot and peach are accented with spice. The wine is crisp and rich with beautiful elegance and a very long finish. The Mediterranean climate we enjoy on the North Coast, combined with careful selection of the right rootstocks (101-14, 5C, 110R) and particularly the aromatic Viognier Clone 642 that does well in the gravelly, loamy soils in the region brings us exceptional Viognier fruit even in challenging growing seasons. Following an established Bonterra custom, we’ve layered a little Muscat into the blend, adding to the exciting aroma of this wine. We followed our usual style of fermenting in both stainless (70%) and barrel (30%), with no malolactic fermentation. The wine is in oak for 6 months to gain a note of vanilla. The increasing use of stainless and cold fermentation provides ever fresher and decidedly forward fruit that leaps from the glass.

Aromas of peaches and cream, citrus blossom and apricot greet you at the glass. Peaches and cream are a sensory signature of this wine. Fruit favors of apricot and peach are accented with spice. The wine is crisp and rich with beautiful elegance and a very long finish.

This product is a LCBO vintages essential. Essentials are kept in many LCBO stores over a longer period of time than the every two week releases, sometimes even year after year which means you should be able to get your hands on this wine pretty easily.

Pale in color with a mild varietal nose with some nice apple and pear coming through. On the mid palate the wine displays some nice vanilla/apple and pear. On the medium length finish the wine displays some nice crisp acidity and a slight pepper/spicy note. It builds nicely in the mouth. Quite an impressive chard for the price, and not too over baked. I would give it an 88-89. My kinda Chard! Apparently it will go on the limited time offer for $2 off in November! I would imagine it will easily keep 1-2 years. Buy lots 🙂

From the LCBO web site:
Bonterra Chardonnay — VINTAGES#: 342436
STYLE – Aromatic & Flavourful $19.95
Release Date:April 1, 2015
Alcohol/Vol 13.6% Made in:California, USA By: Fetzer Vineyards Sugar Content:6 g/L Sweetness Descriptor:D – Dry Style: Aromatic & Flavourful Varietal:Chardonnay
Description: Tropical notes of pineapple and banana plus buttercream, caramel and smoke. This is a smooth, creamy Chardonnay. Bonterra’s organic practices help express the vibrancy of the fruit. Pair with grilled shrimp, chicken tourtière or lobster with butter sauce.

From Bonterras web site:
Aromas of honey and lightly toasted almonds, followed by tropical aromas of pineapple, citrusy lemon and crème brulee. The wine is refreshing on the palate, with a minerality that is both bright and clean, drawing you into a vibrant tartness and lemon zest that is absolutely, positively Bonterra Chardonnay, vintage after vintage. Our organic fruit from Mendocino off­ers the characteristic flavors of green apples, pears, and citrus to our chardonnay. We ferment 70% of the juice in a combination of French and American oak, which is allowed to
undergo malolactic fermentation to create a rich, creamy wine with just a touch of new oak spice. The remaining 30% is fermented in stainless steel to preserve the crisp fresh fruit favors. We age most of the wine using previously-used or neutral oak in order for these fresh fruit characteristics to shine through. New oak was used for just 16% of the wine to give this chardonnay a nice vanilla note. An initial impression of rich, buttery cream quickly turns to aromas of honey and lightly toasted almonds, followed by tropical aromas of pineapple, citrusy lemon and crème brulee. The wine is refreshing on the palate, with a minerality that is both bright and clean, drawing you into a vibrant tartness
and lemon zest that is absolutely, positively Bonterra Chardonnay.

Garnet in color with a mild rustic nose. On the mid palate the wine displays some lovely rustic notes to match the nose along with some soft red berries. On the medium length finish the wine has some lovely dryness, smooth tannins, crisp acidity and a hint of pepper. The rustic notes linger nicely in the mouth. A very nice bigger pinot. Washington are doing some great stuff and this is one of them. I would give it an 89. Yumm

From the LCBO web site:
Red Hill Estate Pinot Noir 2013 — VINTAGES#: 58073
Style – Medium-bodied & Fruity  ›

The Mornington perfume, distinct, ethereal, lifted, elevated, fresh with a bit sauvage, not of musk, but of a wild road less trodden. A step beyond fresh, into learned territory and also above crisp, into crunchy. Very interesting and complex Pinot Noir, so obvious as anything but, yet unique, tart, striking and long. This should have many consumer fans and expand horizons for broad appeal, but also be a friend to the discerning taster. Most impressive. Score – 90. (Michael Godel, winealign.com, Dec. 5, 2014) $23.95

Release Date: October 17, 2015 Alcohol/Vol 12.6% Made in: Victoria, Australia By: Cheviot Wine Group Pty Ltd Sugar Content: 6 g/L
Sweetness Descriptor: XD – Extra Dry Style: Medium-bodied & Fruity

Inky dark in color with a nose of red cherries and maybe a little plum. On the mid palate the wine displays mostly red cherries to match the nose along with a hint of plum but I am reaching here. On the medium length finish the wine displays some nice dry complexity and some velvety tannins. This wine is surprisingly complex for the price. To my tastes this is more of a cab than a Merlot, but a nice wine none the less. I would give it an 88 or so.

From the LCBO web site:
Barton Merlot 2012 — VINTAGES#: 424143
STYLE – Full-bodied & Smooth
A complex and pretty nose of dark berry and cherry, crushed berry and plum. Well made and balanced with chewy tannins and excellent fruit. A tasty wine that delivers good value. (VINTAGES panel, Jan. 2015) $16.95

Release Date:September 19, 2015
Alcohol/Vol 14.0% Made in: Walker Bay, South Africa By:Barton Farm (Pty) Ltd Sugar Content:6 g/L Sweetness Descriptor: XD – Extra Dry Style:Full-bodied & Smooth

Dark color with a nice cherry nose. On the mid palate the wine displays some nice dark cherries to match the nose. On the medium length finish the wine displays some noticeable alcohol and some tannins and dryness. The wine is a bit green, a little young I would suspect. This is definitely a fruit forward drink now style cab. I would give it an 88 or so.

From LCBO web site:
Murphy-Goode Cabernet Sauvignon 2012 — VINTAGES#: 427542
Style – Full-bodied & Smooth  ›

Smooth, clean and juicy with bright plum and racy acidity; fresh, balanced and long. 86% Cabernet Sauvignon, 10% Petit Verdot, 4% Merlot. Score – 88. (Anthony Dias Blue, tastingpanelmag.com, Feb. 2015) $19.95

Release Date: September 19, 2015 Alcohol/Vol 13.5% Made in: California, USA By: Jackson Wine Estates International Sugar Content: 10 g/L Sweetness Descriptor: XD – Extra Dry Style: Full-bodied & Smooth

Description: Following back to back difficult years, 2012 brought California’s winegrowers a long, sunny year that produced magnificent grapes.

Dark in color with a mild nose of red berries and oak. On the mid palate the wine displays lovely rich bold dark cherries. On the med length finish the wine displays noticeable alcohol and firm acidity and tannins. I think the wine is a little young. It’s quite firm. I would give it an 88 or so. Age or decant and it will be lovely.

From the LCBO web site:
Sagelands Cabernet Sauvignon 2013 — VINTAGES#: 420810
Style – Medium-bodied & Fruity  ›
Established in 1984, Sagelands aims to make fine wines at fair prices. This Cabernet delivers juicy cassis and mulberry fruit with notions of mocha, vanilla, herbs and woodsmoke with supple, silky tannins and some firmness on the finish. Enjoy it with beef or mushroom burgers. (VINTAGES panel, Feb. 2015) $18.95

Release Date: September 5, 2015 Alcohol/Vol 13.3% Made in:
Washington, USA By: Precept Sugar Content: 8 g/L Sweetness Descriptor: XD – Extra Dry Style: Medium-bodied & Fruity