LUZÓN SELECCIÓN 12 MESES CRIANZA 2008

Dark in color with a mild nose. On the mid pallet the wine displays some subtle dark berries. This wine lives in the finish. It shows some firm tannins along with some lovely spiciness and the same dark berries. There’s a bit of acidity to boot. This is not a subtle wine but not a bruiser either. I would give it an 88-89.

From the LCBO web site:
LUZÓN SELECCIÓN 12 MESES CRIANZA 2008 VINTAGES 310219 | 750 mL bottle Price $ 15.95
Made in: Jumilla, Spain By: Bodegas Luzon S.L.
Release Date: Jan 19, 2013
14.0% Alcohol/Vol. Sugar Content: 6 g/L Sweetness Descriptor: XD – Extra Dry

Description
Situated inland in southeastern Spain, Jumilla is a continental semi-desert known for big blockbuster red wines.

Tasting Note
[50% Monastrell, 20% Tempranillo, 20% Cabernet Sauvignon,10% Merlot.] This supple red delivers black cherry, smoke, mineral and licorice flavors that build on the palate through the smoky, meaty finish. The tannins are light but firm in this fresh, lively wine. Drink now through 2016. Special Designation: Smart Buys. Score – 90. (Thomas Matthews, winespectator.com, April 30, 2012)

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FLEUR CHARDONNAY 2010

I picked this one up at the recommendation of the local product specialist. Like any rater you need to find a product specialist who’s taste is similar/in line with yours. With that said I decided to give this one a try in spite of the fact my research had said pass on it. Pale in color with a mild varietal chard nose along with some minerality. On the mid pallet the wine has some creamyness, and some mild vanilla. On the finish the wine displays some bright acidity on a lighter side of medium length finish. This is not a bad chard but frankly at this price I wouldn’t be jumping out to get more. I would give it an 88. Not fabulous, but not horrible either. Somewhat more of a cold climate style wine with minerality present. I paired it with a pan fried pickerel and even this mild fish overwhelmed this wine. I tried warming up the wine that didn’t change it much either. So all in all … yawn. This is all about the style not being what I look for in a chard.

From the LCBO web site:
FLEUR CHARDONNAY 2010 VINTAGES 311522 | 750 mL bottle Price $ 18.95
Made in: California, USA By: Fleur de California
Release Date: Jan 5, 2013
13.8% Alcohol/Vol. Sugar Content: 5 g/L Sweetness Descriptor: XD – Extra Dry

Tasting Note
Ripely fruity yet nicely restrained, this Chard is brimming with tropical fruit, apple, cream and floral notes. Smooth, round and medium bodied with a ribbon of fresh acidity. Firm, dry finish. Pair with pork chops or crab legs. (VINTAGES panel, July 2012)

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SEÑORIO DE RUBIOS ALBARIÑO 2011

Pale in color with a citrus nose. On the mid pallet the wine has some light citrus flavors. Quite subtle and complex at the same time. On the lighter side of medium on the finish this is a very food friendly wine. I would give it an 88-89 or so. I paired it with roasted chicken and it went very well. Yumm …

From the LCBO web site:
SEÑORIO DE RUBIOS ALBARIÑO 2011 VINTAGES 314427 | 750 mL bottle Price $ 17.95
Made in: Rias Baixas, Spain By: Bodegas Coto Redondo
Release Date: Jan 19, 2013
12.5% Alcohol/Vol. Sugar Content: 4 g/L Sweetness Descriptor: XD – Extra Dry

Description
Situated along Spain’s northwestern coast, Rias Baixas is cooled by ocean surf and known for its refreshing white wines.

Tasting Note
A juicy, vibrant Albariño with plenty of lemon, orange, white peach and floral notes joined by a touch of minerality. Light on its feet with tangy mouth-watering acidity giving good focus. Nice length too. A fine partner for grilled fish or shellfish with a squeeze of lemon. (VINTAGES panel, July 2012)

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BORSAO TRES PICOS GARNACHA 2010

Dark in color with a bit of sweetness coming through on the nose. On the mid pallet the wine displays some deep rich fruit forward dark berries. On the finish the wine displays some sharp acidity along with some tanins that almost sting the tongue when sipped in it’s own . After some breathing the fruit forward eases and the acidity definitely dies down. I would say this wine is a little to young. The wine is medium in length lingering in the mouth. I would vie it an 88 or so.

From the LCBO web site:
BORSAO TRES PICOS GARNACHA 2010 VINTAGES 273748 | 750 mL bottle Price $ 19.95
Made in: Campo de Borja, Spain By: Bodegas Borsao S.A.
Release Date: Jan 19, 2013

Style: Full-bodied & Smooth Wine, Red Wine 14.5% Alcohol/Vol. Sugar Content: 5 g/L Sweetness Descriptor: XD – Extra Dry

Description
Just south of Rioja and inland from the cooling Ebro River, the heat-soaked little Campo de Borja region is home to robust, ripe wines.

Tasting Note
One of my favorite offerings from the Bodegas Borsao … Made from 100% Garnacha aged in equal parts stainless steel and French oak, this is the Bodegas Borsao’s interpretation of Chateauneuf du Pape. (But when’s the last time you saw a bottle of Chateauneuf du Pape priced at $17 – about 30 years ago?) Deep notes of roasted herbs, sweet black cherries and raspberries, peppers and spice soar from the glass of this dark ruby/purple-tinged wine. Full-bodied, rich, ripe, silky textured, pure and long, this unbelievable value should drink well for 3-4 years. Score – 92. (Robert Parker Jr., erobertparker.com, Oct. 2012)

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PREDATOR OLD VINE ZINFANDEL 2011

Dark in color with a mild nose. On the mid pallet the wine is fruit forward with blackberries coming through. It’s moderately sweet. Somewhat of a varietal Zinf. On the finish the wine has some tannins on a lighter side of medium length finish. I would give it an 88. Not a bad wine, but not a fabulous one either. I wouldn’t be rushing out for more.

From the LCBO web site:
PREDATOR OLD VINE ZINFANDEL 2011 VINTAGES 219485 | 750 mL bottle Price $ 18.95
Made in: California, USA By: Rutherford Wine Company
Release Date: Jan 5, 2013
15.0% Alcohol/Vol. Sugar Content: 14 g/L Sweetness Descriptor: D – Dry

Description
Winner of a Silver Medal at the 2012 New York World Wine and Spirit Competition.

Tasting Note
Tremendous crowd-pleasing Zin with aromas of plum, pine boughs, sour cherry and hickory smoke. Dry to slightly off-dry, this flavourful wine is a must-have for your pizza, burgers, or sausage night. No pretensions, just a good, rich, honest, fun-food wine. (VINTAGES panel, Nov. 2012).

0219485

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2010 Ribl GRÜNER VELTLINER

Slightly golden in color. On the front of the tongue there is a hint of effervescence. On the mid pallet the wine has some mild Riesling like sweetness, some honeysuckle. On the finish the wine has some minerality along with some mild acidity. It’s quite food friendly. Not one of the best GRÜNER VELTLINERs I’ve had but still not bad. I would give it an 88. Not available in the LCBO unfortunately.

The winery’s website says “Fine green pepper and mineral spice flavours, bouquet of fresh fruit with delicate nuances of grass; loess soils.”

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SMALL GULLY MR BLACK’S LITTLE BOOK SHIRAZ 2008

Dark in color with a lovely nose of dark berries. On the mid pallet this wine is fruit forward shiraz with lovely black berries to match the nose. The finish is on the lighter side of medium with moderate tannins. This is a smooth well made elegant Shiraz. Even the pepper is moderate. If your looking for a boisterous big shiraz this ain’t it. Wow this is a lovely wine. I would give it a 90. Yum. Want more!

From the LCBO web site:
SMALL GULLY MR BLACK’S LITTLE BOOK SHIRAZ 2008 VINTAGES 287979 | 750 mL bottle Price $ 17.95
Made in: South Australia, Australia By: Small Gully
Release Date: Jan 5, 2013
15.2% Alcohol/Vol. Sugar Content: 8 g/L Sweetness Descriptor: D – Dry

Tasting Note
Deep garnet colored, the 2008 Mr Black’s Little Book Shiraz gives pronounced notes of nuts, warm chocolate, star anise and blackberry preserves, with nuances of date pudding, figs, black olives and sandalwood. Full-bodied, ripe and rich in the mouth, with crisp acidity to balance and a medium to firm level of grainy tannins to contribute texture, it has a long, dried fruit and savory finish. Drink it now to 2016+. Score – 90+. (Lisa Perrotti-Brown, MW, erobertparker.com, Dec. 2011)

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RUTHERFORD RANCH CABERNET SAUVIGNON 2010

Dark in color with a mild nose. On the mid pallet the wine displays some mild red berries and cherries. On the medium length finish the wine displays come mild acidity and some tannins. It slightly coats the pallets. The wine is mild enough that when we paired it with a red pasta the wine was overwhelmed. I would give it maybe an 88. I wouldn’t be rushing out to get more.

From the LCBO web site: NOTE HALF BOTTLE
RUTHERFORD RANCH CABERNET SAUVIGNON 2010 VINTAGES 191700 | 375 mL bottle Price $ 11.95
Made in: California, USA By: Rutherford Wine Company
Release Date: Jan 5, 2013
13.5% Alcohol/Vol. Sweetness Descriptor: D – Dry

Description: Double Gold winner at the 2012 New York International Wine Competition.

Tasting Note
Medium-deep ruby colour with a youthful purple edge. Aromas suggest cassis, raspberry, blueberry preserves, woodsmoke and cherry. This dry, flavourful wine is an impeccably poised, well-constructed and streamlined Napa Cab. A definite worthy candidate for cellar consideration (3-4+ years). If you want to enjoy it tonight, a rare steak with mushrooms should be on the menu. (VINTAGES panel, Nov. 2012).

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2010 Inniskillin Three Vineyards Winemakers Cab Franc

Dark in color with a mild nose. On the mid pallet are some light varietal cab franc flavors with some red cherry flavors. On the lighter side of medium finish the wine displays some subtle tannins and some nice dryness. This is a lighter, gentler cab franc typical of Niagara on the Lake cab francs. I would give it an 88 or so. Not available in the LCBO $22.95 at the winery. We paired it with a BBQ salmon and it went quite well. We bought this at their wine store and it seems it’s so new it isn’t even listed on their website.

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2010 Pyrenees Ridge Red Shiraz mini review

Inky dark in color with a rose of black berries. On the mid pallet the wine displays some lovely rich black berries. A nice fruit forward flavor. On the medium length finish the wine displays some firm acidity. I would give the wine an 88 or so.

From the LCBO web site (For a different year)
PYRENEES RIDGE SHIRAZ 2009 VINTAGES 661918 | 750 mL bottle Price $ 20.95
Made in: Victoria, Australia By: Pyrenees Ridge Winery Pty. Ltd
Release Date: Jul 21, 2012

14.3% Alcohol/Vol. Sugar Content: 8 g/L Sweetness Descriptor: D – Dry

Tasting Note
Strong crimson-purple; a complex and powerful mainframe for this deeply flavoured shiraz, with its blackberry, plum cake, spice and licorice palate. Still very youthful and needs a minimum of five years to settle down, but will do so as the toasty oak integrates. Drink by 2024. Score – 93. (James Halliday, winecompanion.com.au, Aug. 2011)

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2010 Calvet Reserve Red Merlot/Cab Sauv

Dark in color with a mild nose. On the mid pallet the wine is dominant with plums consistent with with a merlot and some black berries. Where this wine shines is all on the finish where it displays a ton of complexity with lots of layers of flavors. There’s some beautiful dryness, some nice tartness and even some peppery spiceyness. Given the price the wine is quite impressive.I would give it an 89.

From the LCBO web site:
CALVET RESERVE RED LCBO 44032 | 750 mL bottle Price $ 15.25

Made in: Bordeaux, France By: J. Calvet & Cie – Bordeaux
Style: Full-bodied & Smooth Wine, Red Wine 12.0% Alcohol/Vol.

Sugar Content: 4 g/L Sweetness Descriptor: XD – Extra Dry

Tasting Note
Bright ruby/red; aromas and flavours are bursting with cassis, plummy fruit and earthy undertones; dry, medium-full bodied, with ripe fruit supported by moderate tannins, balanced acidity and a vanilla/oaky backbone; light coffee/smoke on finish; good length.

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MULDERBOSCH SAUVIGNON BLANC 2011

I last tasted the 2010 vintage of this wine and was impressed. Pale in color with a lovely grassy nose. On the mid pallet the wine displays grassy notes consistent with the nose and along with some citrus notes. The wine is medium in length. It is a VERY food friendly wine. I would give it an 88-89.

From the LCBO web site:
MULDERBOSCH SAUVIGNON BLANC 2011 VINTAGES 933424 | 750 mL bottle Price $ 18.95
Made in: Western Cape, South Africa By: Mulderbosch
Release Date: Nov 24, 2012

13.5% Alcohol/Vol. Sugar Content: 3 g/L Sweetness Descriptor: XD – Extra Dry

Tasting Note
A perrenial customer favourite, this Savvy brings crisp aromas and flavours of apple, citrus, garden herbs and freshly cut grass. Position this in your mind somewhere between the Loire and New Zealand style. Zippy and dry with a medium body, it’s brilliantly refreshing. Quite food-flexible, this will shine alongside roast chicken, tuna steaks, herbed prawns or mild green curries. (VINTAGES panel, March 2012).

0933424

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Chardonnay

Chardonnay is one of the grapes that can be heavily crafted and as a consumer this means it can be a confusing and challenging to find ones you like. I was chatting with a colleague about this the other day and thought I would write a post on the subject. Hopefully you find it helpful. Let’s start off with some tid bits:

Champagne comes mostly from Chardonnay. If you see the term Brut, traditional method etc it means Chard.
Chablis from France is 100% Chardonnay.
Some chards can age well. (note the word some)

Chardonnay’s can be VERY sensitive to the temperature it is served at. Serve it too cold and sometimes (not always) you can totally miss the complexities of the wine. If your finding a particular chard thin and bland, leave it out for a bit and try it much warmer. It may help. Or, it just not be a good chard 🙂 This can be problematic at wine tastings and wine shows because more often than not they are served WAY too cold!

Now onto chard wine making processes. One of the most commonly used process is simple barrel ageing. There are lots of unoaked Chards out there and what this does is allow the chard fruit to come through more prominently. Unoaked will more often be more minerally, sometimes more tart.

Oaking often adds that caramel, and vanilla flavor. The type of barrel, size of barrel, length of time in the barrel and age of the barrel all determine how much flavor this adds to the wine. Barrels are also rated as to how “toasty” they are. This refers to charring from heat during the barrel making process. The more toasty the barrel is the more it can impart additional flavors.

Fermentation is the process whereby sugar is converted to alcohol. In some/most cases yeast is added to trigger this process. Sometimes natural yeast that is present is enough. The yeast basically “dies” as a part of this process. One of the processes used in Chards is called Sur lie, which is where they leave the wine in contact with this dead yeast called lees. This can impart that creamy flavor and texture a chard can have.

Lastly another of the common processes is called Malolactic fermentation (also called secondary fermentation). This process can lead to a buttery flavor.

With this knowledge you can glean from the wine makers notes and anticipate what a chard ought to taste like!

Some of my favorite chards are:
Sterling Vintners Reserve
Chateau St Jean
J Lohr Riverstone.

My personal preference is for oaked chards with vanilla, and some buttery/creamyness to them. Most of the ones I like are from California, but there are a few from Niagara that are good as well.

I hope you’ve found this helpful!

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DUTSCHKE WILLOW BEND SHIRAZ/CABERNET/MERLOT 2009 mini review

Dark in color with a mild nose. On the mid pallet the wine displays some nice black berries, varietal for a Shiraz. A little on the milder side, likely softened by the Cab/Merlot. The wine is on the lighter side of medium in length along with some tannins coming through. I would give it an 88-89.

From the LCBO web site:
DUTSCHKE WILLOW BEND SHIRAZ/CABERNET/MERLOT 2009 VINTAGES 285445 | 750 mL bottle Price $ 21.95
Made in: South Australia, Australia By: Dutschke Wines
Release Date: Nov 24, 2012
14.3% Alcohol/Vol. Sugar Content: 5 g/L Sweetness Descriptor: D – Dry

Tasting Note
Good healthy colour; a blend with a 20-year history, uncommon in the Barossa Valley; the bouquet is fragrant, the palate smooth and supple, both with small berry red fruits adding spice; fine tannins to conclude. Drink [until] 2019. Score – 91. (James Halliday, winecompanion.com.au, Aug. 11, 2011).

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2008 Sebastiani Cab Sauv mini review

Dark in color with a nice nose of black berries. On the mid pallet this wine displays some lovely bold, rich complex flavors of black berries matching the nose. This is a fruit forward California cab. On the mid pallet the wine displays some nice dryness and some smooth tannins. I would give it a 89+ It’s suppose to be released Feb 2nd 2013 release for $17.95.

From the LCBO web site for a different year:
SEBASTIANI CABERNET SAUVIGNON 2007 VINTAGES 640573 | 750 mL bottle Price $ 19.95
Made in: California, USA By: Sebastiani Vineyards
13.5% Alcohol/Vol. Sugar Content: 7 g/L Sweetness Descriptor: D – Dry

Tasting Note
This gorgeous Cabernet includes splashes of Malbec, Merlot, Petite Sirah and Petit Verdot. The result is a deliciously aromatic wine that offers a great depth of dark cherry, blackberry, cassis, chocolate and oak notes. The palate is dry and medium bodied with a wonderful mouthfeel. Very persistent fruit replays and sweet oak notes. Good balance and structure throughout, with well-integrated tannins and a tasty medium-long finish. Try with a an old fashioned beef stew with winter vegetables. (VINTAGES panel, May 2011).

0640573

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2004 Five Oaks Cab Sauv mini review

Dark in color with a mild nose. On the mid pallet the wine displays some lovely deep rich dark cherries. The wine is medium in length finish with some very nice smooth tannins. I would give this an 89-90. A typical California rich cab! A great deal for the money!

From the LCBO web site:
FIVE OAKS CABERNET SAUVIGNON 2004 VINTAGES 280214 | 750 mL bottle Price $ 19.95
Made in: Victoria, Australia By: Five Oaks Vineyards Pty Ltd
Release Date: Jul 21, 2012
12.7% Alcohol/Vol. Sugar Content: 4 g/L Sweetness Descriptor: XD – Extra Dry

Tasting Note
A wonderful example that shows off the merits of maturing Aussie red wines. Aromas of smoked meat, old leather, dried fruit, smoke and game. For lovers of aged wines, this is at a peak stage of development. The plentiful mature aromas and flavours still co-exist alongside the fresh blackberry character of its youth. The soft, resolved tannins and a hint of fresh acidity are still on display here. Enjoy it now with grilled steak or portobello mushroom. (VINTAGES panel, May 2012)

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FIELDING PINOT GRIS 2011

I tasted this one at the winery. Pale in color with a light nose of minerality. On the mid pallet the wine displays some lovely minerality to match the nose some mild peach and some lime. The wine is medium in length that builds nicely in the mouth. I’m not normally a pinot gris lover but this is a pretty good one with some nice complexity. I would give 88-89.

From the LCBO web site:
FIELDING PINOT GRIS 2011 VINTAGES 251108 | 750 mL bottle Price $ 21.95
Made in: Ontario, Canada By: Fielding Estate Winery
Release Date: Aug 18, 2012
12.0% Alcohol/Vol. Sugar Content: 10 g/L Sweetness Descriptor: D – Dry

Tasting Note
Complex, structured and brimming with finesse and charm, this is balanced, food friendly and lip-smacking good. It’s slightly bronze/pink hued and nicely perfumed with sexy aromas of honeysuckle, musky spice and honeydew melon. Fully flavoured and textured, nicely balanced and silky smooth, a persistent wash of soft tropical fruit flavours, key lime and grapefruit pith ends crisp, tangy and refreshing. Score – 4 1/2 Stars (out of 5). (Vic Harradine, winecurrent.com, April 28, 2012)

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2009 Cupcake Cellars Chardonnay

We stopped by Spice Route one of my favourite restaurants in Toronto. My good friend Jason took me here to celebrate my birthday. I’m so milking this year! By the way, their Cantonese chow mein is to die for! I digress. Now that never happens 🙂

Pale in color with a mild varietal chard nose with some minerality coming through. On the mid pallet this is a smooth well made minerally chard with some vanilla coming through. One the lighter side of medium on the finish the wine builds nicely in the mouth. This paired perfectly with Asian food. I would give it a solid 89. Yumm. Thanks Jason!

On behalf of CWG and I Seasons greetings, and if you celebrate it, Merry Christmas and Happy New year to all. Be safe!

From the LCBO web site:
CUPCAKE CHARDONNAY LCBO 230821 | 750 mL bottle Price $ 14.95
Made in: California, USA By: Cupcake Vineyards
Style: Aromatic & Flavourful Wine, White Wine 13.5% Alcohol/Vol.
Sugar Content: 9 g/L Sweetness Descriptor: D – Dry

Tasting Note
Golden yellow colour; aromas of apple, citrus and vanilla; ripe, full-bodied with a soft mouthfeel and balanced acidity; vanilla oak spice notes, citrus and tropical fruit flavours leading to a medium-long, balanced finish.

2009 cupcake chardonnay

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2010 Smoking Loon Old Vines Zinfandel

I first briefly tasted this at the Wine and Food show and decided it was worth a a more in depth tasting. Deep in color with a fruit forward nose of black berries. Straight out of the bottle the wine has some harsh green flavors and some tartness on the finish. Be sure and let this breath to properly appreciate this wine. On the mid pallet the wine has some lovely fruit forward black and blue berries. On the finish the wine has some strong peppery notes, some tannins and some firm acidity. All this mellows as it breaths. It indicates to me this is WAY to young to be approached now (without decanting). I would give it an 88. At $14.90 for an Old Vines Zinf this is a not too bad deal.

From the LCBO web site:
SMOKING LOON OLD VINE ZINFANDEL LCBO 272393 | 750 mL bottle Price $ 14.90
Made in: USA By: Don Sebastiani & Sons
13.9% Alcohol/Vol. Sugar Content: 8 g/L Sweetness Descriptor: D – Dry

Tasting Note
Ruby red colour; blackberry, blueberry and cedar aromas; full bodied and dry, with blackberry and blackcherry flavours mingling with smoky notes leading to a soft finish.

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2010 Fielding Fireside red

Dark in color with a red berry nose. On the mid pallet the wine displays some classic albeit mild pinot noir flavors with red berries and some rustic notes coming through. The wine is a blen of 9% cab sauv, 41% pinot noir and 50% merlot. On the medium length finish the wine displays some nice mild tannins and some earth notes typical of pinot noir. For $15.95 a bottle at the winery it’s a pretty good deal. Very food friendly! We paired it with a Maltese baked macaroni and it went very well!

From the Winery’s web site
Winemaking Notes
Grapes underwent a short cold soak, and were fermented in stainless steel with a temperature-controlled maceration. Gently pressed, with malo-lactic fermentation completed in barrel. Each of the varieties were vinified separately and then combined after they were aged on their lees for one year in barrel.

Technical Details
Cooperage: French (80%) and American (20%) Oak barriques, hogsheads and puncheons.
Harvest Dates: September 14 to October 27, 2011

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2009 Hidden Bench Felseck Vineyard Chard

I like my chards California in style, nice butter, cream and vanilla. The 2008 vintage of this wine was one of my all time favorite Niagara chards. So I popped down to the winery to pick up this years for Christmas presents. Niagara wines can vary quite significantly. 2009 it turns out was a cool year (in comparison to 2008). Pale in color with a minerally nose. On the mid pallet this wine hits you in the face with firm bright acidity. For me it was tart grapefruit. The wine is long in finish with the minerality building in the mouth and coating the pallet. For me this was a big disappointment. This is so not my style of chard. I would give it an 88 or so. If you like your chards minerally you may prefer this one. $38 a bottle at the winery, not in the LCBO.

From the winery’s web site:
Winemaker’s Comments
Enticing lemon gold colour with aromas of baked pear and honey blossom on the nose. On the palate, typical Felseck Vineyard mineral layers, fresh green apple and citrus bring complexity while the fresh acidity gives balance to this rich and creamy, age-worthy Chardonnay.

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2009 Kacaba Pinot Noir

I stopped by Kacaba yesterday as part of a Christmas present run. Shhh don’t tell anyone. Otherwise they will know what they are getting … I actually stopped by to pick up 2008 Cab/Syrah but they were all sold out 🙁 They were however barrel tasting the 2011 Cab/Syrah which this time they’ve added some cab franc to the blend. I was impressed with how well this is showing even only 3 days out of the barrel! I’ve also previously reviewed the 2008 Pinot Noir. They were also barrel tasting a new offering a 2011 Sauv Blanc which was also good showing lovely grassy flavors and some citrus. I’ve always wondered by the escarpment area doesn’t do Sauv Blanc. I look forward to trying both of these once they are in the bottle. Both are small lots so likely won’t last long.

I have to say, every time I go to Kacab I enjoy myself. The staff are friendly, accommodating, knowledgeable and approachable. We were welcomed and treated very well. They were even serving a delicious salmon/cream cheese nibbly as well as a lovely mystery spice encrusted shrimp! If your in the Niagara area be sure and stop by. Leave lots of time there are a lot of wines to sample and their list just keep growing. I hope they don’t get themselves spread out too thin …

This one has been a consistently good wine and good value. Garnet in color with a lovely varietal strawberry nose. On the mid pallet red berries and strawberries come through. Spot on varietal. On the finish the wine displays some lovely earthy notes and hint of typical barnyard notes. The tannins are on the lighters side with a smooth finish. This is a lighter, fruit forward pinot and should be very food friendly. I would give it an 89 or so. $22.95 a bottle so not a bad deal on a difficult grape. Keep up the good work!

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1999 Filsell Shiraz

A little while ago the Society for American wines did a tasting comparing well aged Shiraz to a Syrah. It was amazing how as they aged the Shiraz lost some of the pepper, and spicy finish and moved a lot more towards a Syrah. As you may know, the Shiraz and Syrah are made the same grape, the only difference is style in the made it is made. Trialto held an event with wine maker Grant Burge the winemaker and his wife Helen for us to taste a number of their well aged wines and this was one of them. They had us taste the oldest first. That way we could experience the difference. This wine is still quite dark in color with a lovely nose of dark berries. On the mid pallet the wine matches the nose with dark berries coming through. The wine is on the lighter side of medium with most of the pepper and tannins smoothed out. This truly was approaching a Syrah in style. A lovely wine albeit lighter on the finish. Very food friendly. I would give it a 90. Available in cases of 6 for $50 a bottle from Trialto.

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COLUMBIA CREST GRAND ESTATES CHARDONNAY 2009

Pale in color with a mild nose. On the mid pallet this is a smooth light chard with some varietal chard fruit some oak and some vanilla. The wine builds nicely in the mouth. Not a bad deal for $14.95. I would give it 88-89.

From the LCBO web site:
COLUMBIA CREST GRAND ESTATES CHARDONNAY 2009 VINTAGES 366542 | 750 mL bottle Price $ 14.95
Made in: Washington State, USA By: Chat Ste Michelle
Release Date: Nov 24, 2012
13.5% Alcohol/Vol. Sugar Content: 6 g/L Sweetness Descriptor: D – Dry

Tasting Note
Light in texture, playing caramel and tobacco flavors against lime and green apple fruit, mingling effectively on the lively finish. Drink now through 2014. Score – 88. (Harvey Steiman, winespectator.com, Aug. 2011).

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Murphy Goode Cab Sauv mini review

We stopped by Earl’s last night and the person beside me had a glass of this wine and it was so fragrant I got the waitress to bring a little over for me to try. Dark in color with a bold nose of red berries. On the mid pallet the wine displays classic California style fruit forward cab with lovely cherries coming through and a bit of sweetness. Almost jammy. On the medium length finish the wine displays some lovely dryness as well as fine tannins. This is a well made wine. I unfortunately didn’t take note of the year of the wine I would guess 2010. I would give it an 89-90. To my tastes this is not a cab sauv that will age long. I wouldn’t say more than 1-2 years. You’d just loose the bold fruit. Unfortunately not available in the LCBO. $15 a bottle at the winery or from the local rep Robert Groh and they list it for $22.95 in cases of 12. If your at Earls be sure and give it a try!

THOUGHTS FROM WINEMAKER DAVID READY, JR.
“The 2010 Cabernet Sauvignon is a wonderful expression of the
many appellations from which it is derived. Aromas and flavors
of blackberry and cherry with hints of th yme are expressed.
Merlot was folded into the blend to add depth and complexity.”

TECHNICAL GOODES
APPELLATION California
VARIETALS 80% Cabernet Sauvignon, 20% Merlot
TA 5.6 g/L PH 3.66 ALCOHOL 13.5%

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