Vintages End of Bin Sale Feb 27

Posted on February 27, 2010 by CanadianWineGuy

Vintages in store, End of Bins sale is on, if you missed the mailing you can see the list here. Here are my “great buys” suggestions:

KATNOOK ESTATE ODYSSEY CABERNET SAUVIGNON 2003 @ $59.95 (one of Coonawarra’s best, this is a hard to find bottle)
PETALUMA TIERS CHARDONNAY 2004 @ $79.95 (the great Australian Chadonnay from Adelaide Hills)
TORBRECK THE FACTOR 2005 @ $109.95 (David Powell’s great Barossa Vineyard’s ‘Big’ Shiraz)
TWO HANDS HARRY & EDWARD’S GARDEN SHIRAZ 2007 @ $49.95 (if The Factor is a bit steep, this is another top tier Barossa region Shiraz bottler)
DOMAINE LOUIS MICHEL & FILS CHABLIS VAUDÉSIR GRAND CRU 2006 @ $59.95 (we overpay for French wine in Ontario, but this at this price you will be well rewarded)
OJAI THOMPSON VINEYARD SYRAH 2004 @ $44.95 (either Ojai on the end of bins sale will treat you well if you like Californian Syrahs)

There are a few excellent Italian and French higher $$ as well, but the above are my 6 “finds” for this sale. Like usual, you will be limited to searching for them based on location.

Enjoy

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SEBASTIANI CABERNET SAUVIGNON 2006

Posted on February 22, 2010 by John Galea

This one came on my radar as one of the 90 under 20 release. My local product consultant Adil raved about it so I gave it a try. The wine needs some breathing and is a bit on the young side. That breathing (or aging) will be well rewarded. The wine is dark in color with some lovely varietal cab notes on the nose. As the wine went into the decanter there were some lovely smells albeit subdued. On the mid pallet are some lovely varietal California cab flavors coming through. Not particularly fruit forward but yummy none the less. Some cherries and dark fruits. On the finish the wine is on the medium side with some tannins and some alcohol. Breathing helped this quite a bit. I would give this a solid 90. We paired it with some pork spinach sausage finished with chocolate brownies and chocolate truffles and it went well. This is priced knowing the magic 90 for under 20 figure. I enjoyed it! I suspect as little as a year would make a huge difference in this wine!

SEBASTIANI CABERNET SAUVIGNON 2006 VINTAGES 640573 | 750 mL bottle Price: $ 19.95
Wine, Red Wine, 13.5% Alcohol/Vol. Sugar Content : D
Made in: California/Californie, United States By: Sebastiani Vineyards

Release Date: Feb 6, 2010

Tasting Note
…It is clearly one of the best Cabs in this price range and it won its mini blind flight. It opens with a fragrant blend of cinnamon, peppermint, and cedar. On the palate, this wine is medium bodied, well balanced, and very silky. The flavor profile is a very tasty mild black cherry with notes of cinnamon and beet. The finish is very dry and its sticky tannins are present for sometime. This elegant Cab is very food friendly and would pair perfectly with veal parmigianna in the near term … Score – 90. (Ken Hoggins, www.kenswineguide.com, Oct. 16, 2009)
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CASA LAPOSTOLLE SAUVIGNON BLANC 2009

Posted on February 16, 2010 by John Galea

This wine is quite pale in color, grassy on the nose. On the mid pallet are some green pineapple with lots of zest going on. I might even get some grapefruit. On the finish the wine is on the medium side where the tartness lives on. For me this is not a great wine. I’ve had much better Chilean Sauv Blancs. I would give this an 87-88 or so. It did improve a little when it warmed up, but still not great.

Oh, by the way, can someone tell me what a green peach tastes like, and perhaps why you would eat one? Sometimes Gord and I are on different pages …

From the LCBO web site:
CASA LAPOSTOLLE SAUVIGNON BLANC 2009 Rapel Valley TASTING NOTE: This entry-level Casa Lapostolle is reliably good year after year. A nose of fig, grapefruit, lime zest and nettles is classic sauvignon. The flavours deliver pineapple, lime, and zingy green peach freshness with toned down acidity. Score – 89. (Gordon Stimmell, The Toronto Star, Oct. 31, 2009) 396994 (D) 750 mL $ 13.95

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DELAS FRÈRES LES LAUNES CROZES-HERMITAGE 2007

Posted on February 15, 2010 by John Galea

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)

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GHOST PINES WINEMAKER’S BLEND CABERNET SAUVIGNON 2006

Posted on February 14, 2010 by John Galea

I love cabs. They are one of my favs and California make some of my favs. This one is dark in color with some lovely dark fruits coming through. On the mid pallet are some flavors to match the nose. On the finish are some lovely tannins, some oak and some alcohol. I recommend breathing this one for about 1/2 hour in a decanter or a wide bowl glass. This passes quickly leaving a lovely cab. Not a fruit forward one but some lovely dryness, some in control tannins and some lovely black fruits. I would give this a 90 meaning I agree with Parker on this one! Woohoo …

From the LCBO web site:
GHOST PINES WINEMAKER’S BLEND CABERNET SAUVIGNON 2006 VINTAGES 135376 | 750 mL bottle Price: $ 19.95
Wine, Red Wine, 13.9% Alcohol/Vol. Sugar Content : D
Made in: California/Californie, United States By: Louis M. Martini Winery
Release Date: Feb 6, 2010

Tasting Note
Another superb value is the 2006 Cabernet Sauvignon. A leafy, autumnal vegetal character provides a subtle complexity to the intense black currant fruit. This full-bodied, dense, nicely textured, silky Cabernet Sauvignon should drink well for 5-7 years. These are all super bargains! Made by the Martini family in conjunction with the Gallos …The Ghost Pines offerings merit serious attention from bargain hunting consumers. Score – 90. (Robert Parker Jr., www.erobertparker.com, Dec. 2008)

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LAMMERSHOEK CHENIN BLANC 2008

Posted on February 13, 2010 by John Galea

I’ve enjoyed this wine in the past so I gave it a try again. The wine is pale in color with a nice semi sweet smell of honey on the nose. On the mid pallet are lovely semi sweet tastes to go along with the bouquet. This wine is great for food pairing. It goes with so many different types of food! On the finish the wine is on the lighted side of medium with the sweetness balanced with a bit of crispness. This is quite a good chenin. I would agree with David an 89. We paired it with Tandoori chicken and it went well, holding it’s own! Alcohols and oak are well under control … Give it a whirl …

From the LCBO web site:
LAMMERSHOEK CHENIN BLANC 2008 WO Swartland TASTING NOTE: From old chenin vines near Paardeberg this is a rich, barrel-aged chenin blanc. The nose is a bit reserved with vague butterscotch, pear and spicy, cedary notes. Palate is medium-full bodied, creamy and smooth with good acidity. The wine’s power and pedigree is found on the finish, with spice, minerality and butterscotch carrying to excellent length. A bit hot and peppery. Score – 89. (David Lawrason, July 6, 2009) 058206 (XD) 750 mL $ 18.95

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FRESCOBALDI CHIANTI

Posted on February 12, 2010 by John Galea

Ah Thursdays at the Keg. Sarah took care of us this week and she enjoys reds and likes this one. I decided I would give this one a try. The wine is dark in color mild on the nose with some oak, smoke and dark fruits. On the mid pallet are some subdued dark fruits to match the nose. Cherries mostly come to mind. On the finish the wine has some lovely dry tartness with some tannins. This is a pretty good Chianti, although the fruit is a little on the subdued side. I would give this a solid 89. It paired well with the steak! I think the one I have listed below is the one … Thanks Sarah!

From the LCBO web site:
FRESCOBALDI CHIANTI LCBO 545319 | 750 mL bottle Price: $ 14.80
Wine, Red Wine, 13.0% Alcohol/Vol. Sugar Content : 1
Made in: Tuscany, Italy By: Marchesi De Frescobaldi

Tasting Note
Deep ruby colour; floral, cherry and dried fruit aromas with hints of leather and wood; dry, medium bodied, good red cherry, apple flavours, silky tannin, lingering finish.

Serving Suggestion
Lasagna, pizza, pasta or light meat dishes.
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ZUCCARDI Q TEMPRANILLO 2006

Posted on February 10, 2010 by John Galea

This wine is quite dark in color, mild on the nose. Nothing particularly distinctive jumping out at me. On the mid pallet are some tobacco, so deep dark berry flavors, and the like. On the finish the wine has some dominant alcohol flavors that did not pass with breathing. The wine has lots of pucker power, some strong tannins and some bitterness. This is without doubt a big tempranillo and while not a bad one, it’s not a great one either. I would give it an 88 or so.

From the LCBO web site:
ZUCCARDI Q TEMPRANILLO 2006 Mendoza TASTING NOTE: The 2006 Tempranillo Q was sourced from an estate vineyard planted in 1974. Purple-colored, it displays an enticing bouquet of mineral, blackberry, pepper, and espresso. Medium- to fullbodied, on the palate it is dense, nicely endowed with spicy, savory fruit, and impeccably balanced. It will evolve for 2-3 years and will offer prime drinking from 2011 to 2018. Score – 90. (Jay Miller, www.erobertparker. com, Aug. 2009) 973503 (D) 750 mL $ 18.95

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ALAMOS MALBEC 2008

Posted on February 6, 2010 by John Galea

I’ve had this one for a number of years and it is consistently good. The wine is dark in color mild on the nose with some oak and some dark berry smells. On the mid pallet are some well balanced fruit flavors with deep cassis coming through. On the finish are some pronounced oak, and some mild tannins on the milder side of medium. This is a nice well balanced Malbec. I would give it an 89 or so. Quite good.

From the LCBO web site:
ALAMOS MALBEC 2008 Mendoza (The Wines of Catena) TASTING NOTE: This red has a wonderful dark blackish purple colour. The nose shows ripe black fruits black peppery spice and floral notes. The palate is full yet soft and supple with black raspberry and currant flavors with notes of sweet spice and a touch of leather. The finish is long with soft sweet tannins. Great value. Score – 89. (Bruce Stephen North Shore Outlook (B.C.) June 10 2009) 467951 $13.95
Featured 8/29/2009

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Santa Julia Reserva Chardonnay 2008

Posted on February 4, 2010 by John Galea

A while back I did a write up on a number of Chilean Sauv Blancs that I tasted at the Chilean wine event. At the event I tasted a number of Chards but did not find too many I enjoyed. Bargains were hard to find. I like Chards. I find them a challenging food match but enjoy the variety and complexity of chards. This one is pale in color mild on the nose. The bouquet is varietal chard. On the mid pallet are some lovely varietal chard flavors with some slight butter and creamyness. On the finish the wine has some lovely tartness. The finish is medium in length with oak and alcohols well under control. This is a very good chard and when you factor in the price this is a bargain. I would give this an 89 or so. Give it a try if you like chards!

From the LCBO web site:
SANTA JULIA RESERVA CHARDONNAY 2008 VINTAGES 932368 | 750 mL bottle Price: $ 13.95
Wine, White Wine, 13.5% Alcohol/Vol. Sugar Content : D

Made in: Argentina, Argentina By: Familia Zuccardi

Release Date: Jan 23, 2010

Tasting Note
This is a flavourful and vibrant Chardonnay with a pure fruit profile in perfect harmony with its oak character. The aromas speak of apple, ripe pear, buttered toast and tropical fruit. It’s dry, round and full-bodied with the ripe fruit, toasty oak and buttery flavours kept in line by zippy acidity that enliven the palate and make the taste buds pop. There’s good length on the finish, too, making it the complete package. Serve with grilled prawns, crab legs or herbed chicken. (VINTAGES panel, Nov. 2009)

From winecurrent.com:
Santa Julia Reserva Chardonnay 2008 Mendoza. 13.5% alcohol This is named after owner Don Zuccardis only daughter who was instrumental in the expansion of his export business. Its pale gold bright and aromatic with rich ripe tree fruits vanilla and traces of toasty oak. Flavors of ripe pears sweet apples and honeyed oak are balanced with fresh acidity to create an appealing and vivacious wine. Well balanced the finish is long and buttery. Its paired perfectly with take-out rotisserie chicken. This gained its final ½ star on value. (Susan Desjardins) Fortified Wine (932368) $13.95 Featured 1/23/2010. 4.5/5 stars

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Off To Australia

Posted on February 4, 2010 by CanadianWineGuy

I am off to Australia in a few hours, I will try and get some reviews of Aussie wines up while I am gone.

See you in two weeks

CWG

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GEMTREE VINEYARDS TADPOLE SHIRAZ 2008

Posted on February 3, 2010 by John Galea

Sometimes you need to go off the reservation and choose a wine from some rater you’ve never heard of before. That was my though when I grabbed this one. What the heck. The wine is deep in color with a lovely nose of dark fruits. On the mid pallet are some flavors to match the bouquet with blueberries coming through but not at all fruit forward. Just about right for my tastes. On the finish the wine has some lovely tannins, quite a bit of dryness, some pepper and a medium finish. There is a nice bit of complexity to the finish coming off in nice layers of flavors! This is a well made typically Aussie edgy wine with the oaks and alcohol well under control. I would give this a 90!

From the LCBO web site:
GEMTREE VINEYARDS TADPOLE SHIRAZ 2008 VINTAGES 142034 | 750 mL bottle Price: $ 16.95
Wine, Red Wine, 14.5% Alcohol/Vol.
Sugar Content : D

Made in: South Australia, Australia By: Gemtree Vineyards

Release Date: Jan 23, 2010

Tasting Note
… a deep coloured, thick textured wine with lovely richness and generosity to the fruit, as well as good definition and a bit of meaty savouriness. It’s one of those bottles that gets finished pretty quickly because it has that quality of deliciousness. Really superb effort, and I rated it as high as 90/100 for its lovely purity and relative complexity that you don’t normally find at this price point. Buy some now! Score – 90. (Jamie Goode, www.wineanorak.com, Aug. 26, 2009)

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GIORDANO VESPERO 2005

Posted on February 2, 2010 by John Galea

Ratings are a subjective thing. There are raters that I find I align with very well, and raters whose tastes are very different than mine. The key is finding the difference. Gord Stimmel and I taste VERY differently. That’s just one of those things. When I saw this one I thought, heh, give it a try. Every now and then Gord and I like the same wine. I would love to say that was the case, but that just ain’t gonna happen with this one, but I am getting ahead of myself. On the nose the wine has some really distinct wood, and some black fruit. On the mid pallet are some varietal snagiovese flavors but they are quite overwhelmed. On the finish the wine is dominated by wood, and a strong alcohol flavors. The tastes did not improve at all with breathing. Even two days later the wine had not improved. This is one of the first wines in a while I fed to the fish (poured down the drain). I have no idea what Gord tasted, or what appealed to him, but this is the kind of flavors I would expect in an $8 or $9 bottle of wine. If were to give this an 86 I would be out on a limb. I suspect by now you are gathering I won’t be running out to grab more of these and you would be spot on!

From the LCBO web site:
GIORDANO VESPERO 2005 VINTAGES 72421 | 750 mL bottle Price: $ 16.95
Wine, Red Wine, 13.5% Alcohol/Vol. Sugar Content : XD

Made in: Tuscany, Italy By: F. Giordano S.P.A.

Release Date: Jan 9, 2010

Tasting Note
This Tuscan IGT red is 100 per cent sangiovese. Aromas are subtle, with tea leaf, black cherry and exotic spice. The flavours are sumptuously styled, with black cherry, sandalwood and blueberry depth. Food suggestion: Tomato and sausage penne. Score – 90. (Gordon Stimmell, The Toronto Star, Sept. 20, 2008)

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2003 Villa Antinori (Toscana)

Posted on February 1, 2010 by CanadianWineGuy

This little bottle has sat in the CWG wine fridge for almost 3 years, while not expensive originally (~$30) it did however have some cellaring ability that led me to keep it safe and sound. This wine use to be in the Chianti Classico classification but still a super tuscan I was hoping that this modestly priced wine from the huge producer (Antinori) would be a ‘hidden gem’. So what did we get?

A super Tuscan blend with an oaky nose and hints of ‘black’ fruit to start is what you get. Take that oak and make it leathery with a sniff of vanilla. The wine is ready to drink. The balance is there, the tannins pronounced but not too overwhelming. The fruit can be a bit subdued, not a bad indication of a wine I left too long. This is a bit surprising as this is only a 2003, young enough that it should still be fruit forward. Shame as almost everything else was spot on. Overall, a nice wine, worth the money and worth having a whirl if you can still get you hand on it. A pleasant surprise from such a large producer (which most know is never a plus for me).

The CWGSR is 88 out of 100. An almost perfect blend of the $$.

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Sunday Night Read

Posted on January 31, 2010 by CanadianWineGuy

Hope everyone is well, making homemade Pizza and sipping some white wine.

Here is a nice little read on a GTA-Golden Horseshoe scammer that hits home. Feel free to pass it on.

Enjoy your Sunday, we will get a review up tomorrow.

-CWG

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Castillo de Almansa Tempranillo

Posted on January 29, 2010 by John Galea

Tried this one at the Keg last night. The wine is quite deep in color mild on the nose with the typical black fruits coming through and a hint of oak. On the mid pallet are some very nice fruits to match the bouquet. Some blueberries and the like. Not too sweet just right. On the finish the wine has some nice complexity, some subtle tannins and a medium finish. I quite enjoyed this one and paired it with a filet mignon and it went very well. This turned out to be a good choice. I would give this an 89-90. If your at the Keg and enjoy Tempranillo’s be sure and give this one a try …

From the LCBO web site:

CASTILLO DE ALMANSA RESERVA LCBO 270363 | 750 mL bottle
Price: $ 10.95 Limited Time Offer Was: $ 11.95
Until Jun 20, 2010

Wine, Red Wine 13.5% Alcohol/Vol.

Made in: Almansa, Spain By: Bodegas Piqueras

Tasting Note
Deep ruby colour; aromas of black cherry, licorice, vanilla and oak; dry, medium-bodied, with balanced acidity, fine tannins and a soft plummy fruit finish.

Serving Suggestion
Grilled pork chops and mixed vegetables; spicy rice pilaf.

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2008 Cypress Vineyards Sauvignon Blanc

Posted on January 28, 2010 by John Galea

We had this wine at Politica last night. Pale in color, varietal on the nose there are some well under control bouquets of lemon and grass but quite subtle. On the mid pallet the tastes match the bouquet this is a smooth well made Sauv Blanc with grassyness and lemon dominant but not overpowering. This is a very food friendly wine. The wine is on the lighter side of medium. The alcohol is well under control. I would give it an 89 or so. Very nice wine. I paired it with a pasta dish with steam and shrimp in a red sauce and it went quite well. All in all, a lovely meal complemented by this very nice wine! Not surprising that this is a J Lohr. I find I really enjoy all there wines. Unfortunately, not available in the LCBO.


Winery write up

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FISH HOEK SAUVIGNON BLANC

Posted on January 27, 2010 by John Galea

I was wandering in an LCBO store and they were sampling this wine so I said why not. I was thoroughly surprised by it, and bought a bottle. They also were sampling the shiraz but I didn’t care for it. This wine is quite pale in color and has a lovely lemony, grassy bouquet. On the mid pallet the wine is quite varietal in flavor for a sauv blac with lots of lemon and grass to go with the bouquet. The wine is quite zesty with a medium finish. All in all this is a reasonably well made tasty sauv blanc. Nice and dry. I would give it an 88-89 or so. I paired it with pan fried steak and kidney and it went well, holding it’s own. Give it a try you might be surprised!

From the LCBO web site:
FISH HOEK SAUVIGNON BLANC LCBO 129726 | 750 mL bottle Price: $ 9.95
Wine, White Wine, 12.0% Alcohol/Vol. Sugar Content : 1

Made in: South Africa, South Africa By: Western Wines Ltd.

Tasting Note
Pale straw yellow colour; aromas of lime, green fruit and herb with a slight rustic note; dry, medium bodied, spritzy with pleasant nettle and herb flavours; good acidity on the finish.

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CHÂTEAU SAINT-NICOLAS 2006

Posted on January 26, 2010 by John Galea

This wine caught my attention as a Bordeaux under $20 with a good write up. The prices on Bordeaux’s are really continuing to creep up there. The wine is quite dark in color with a note of oak and black fruit on the nose. On the mid pallet there are some very distinct sharp flavors coming from deep cherries and the like. Then comes the finish. If you like your wines smooth and easy drinking … this so is not a wine for you! This is a big bruiser. Wimps need not apply. The finish is dominated by some lovely thick pallet sticking tannings and some puckering dryness. This is a bold Bordeaux. The finish seems to me to be dominated by Cab Franc (although I am not sure there is any in it). There is a hint of alcohol on the finish but nothing too overwhelming. The wine is quite complex as well with lots of layers of flavors going on in your mouth and on the long finish. Wow, very nice 90-91 in my boat. Yum … Be sure and try this without food and pair it with something milder to totally appreciate this wine to it’s fullest! We paired it with a pork chop and it was a good combination albeit not the best. The dessert was a chocolate brownie and again it went ok but not fabulous.

From the LBCO web site:
CHÂTEAU SAINT-NICOLAS 2006 VINTAGES 138602 | 750 mL bottle Price: $ 18.95
Wine, Red Wine, 12.5% Alcohol/Vol.

Sugar Content : XD

Made in: Bordeaux, France By: Diva Sarl

Release Date: Jan 23, 2010

Description
A Gold Medal winner at the 2008 Concours de Bordeaux – Vins d’Aquitaine.

Tasting Note
This is principally Merlot, and the aromas and flavours ably bear that out. Cherry, plum, oak and berries dominate. Dry and rather lush with supple tannins for balance. This medium-bodied wine will please both admirers of the European or New World style of wine. Enjoy it with roast beef or veal tenderloin. (VINTAGES panel, May 2009)

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2005 Sportoletti Assisi Rosso

Posted on January 25, 2010 by CanadianWineGuy

Fast note on this Italian red since I am a tad short on time but wanted to share.

Fruity nose, medium tannins, soft finish. This is not a home run but a solid double-triple (mid winter baseball reference there for you). A tad rough to start but polishes out evenly. You will get cherries and raspberries, a tad smokey. you can still find bottles at the LCBO. Enjoy.

CWGSR is 87 out of 100

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ORTAS TRADITION RASTEAU 2008

Posted on January 24, 2010 by John Galea

I expect a certain amount of discipline and elegance to a Rhone Village wine. This wine is quite dark in color with some dark fruits coming through on the nose. On the mid pallet the wine displays some fruit forward sweetness with some dark fruits coming through. On the finish on opening the 14% alcohol comes through fairly prominently. Off to the decanter for this one. The finish is fairly dry with some tannins. While not a terrible wine it is by no means a great wine. After an hour in the decanter the alcohol was still the prominent taste in this wine. I would give it an 88 or so. I won’t be running out to grab more that’s for sure.

From the LCBO web site:
ORTAS TRADITION RASTEAU 2008 VINTAGES 998716 | 750 mL bottle Price: $ 15.00
Wine, Red Wine, 14.0% Alcohol/Vol.
Sugar Content : D

Made in: Rhone, France By: Cave de Rasteau

Release Date: Jan 9, 2010

Description
A Gold Medal winner at the 2009 Concours des Grands Vins de France in Mâcon.

Tasting Note
This blend of Grenache, Syrah and Mourvèdre displays an attractive nose of wild berries, black fruit, pepper and a hint of tar. This dry, soft-textured, medium-bodied wine features juicy black fruit and hints of leather and pepper. Very pleasant match indeed for comfort foods like lamb stew, shepherd’s pie or beef casserole. (VINTAGES panel, Aug. 2009)

What winecurrent.com had to say about this wine:
14.0% alcohol Another French gold medal winner this wine wears a bright cherry robe with hints of purple. The nose is redolent of petits fruits—blackberries and raspberries—along with the wonderful herbs producing garrigue. With flavors consistent with the aromas its a dry medium-bodied wine that has a seam of refreshing acidity and perceptible tannins. A hint of berry tartness and pepper linger on the warm finish. A hearty winter stew will do. (Susan Desjardins) (998716) $15.00 Rating 4.5/5.

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GROVE STREET CABERNET SAUVIGNON 2006

Posted on January 23, 2010 by John Galea

The wine is deep inky in color, mild on the nose. On the mid pallet this wine has some deep fruit flavors but this is by no means a fruit forward or a sweet wine. This wine is all about the finish. The finish displays some slightly sharp tannins, some oak, some nice complexity and some nice dryness, all packaged in a long finish. This is one well made cab. The 14.5% alcohol is well under control. I suspect it will age well too. For the money this is a good deal. I would give it a 91. Yumm …

From the LCBO web site:
GROVE STREET CABERNET SAUVIGNON 2006 VINTAGES 161190 | 750 mL bottle Price: $ 17.95
Wine, Red Wine, 14.5% Alcohol/Vol. Sugar Content : D

Made in: California/Californie, United States By: Girard Winery

Release Date: Jan 9, 2010

Description
Grove Street Winery has been producing superb wines for over twenty years in the picturesque town of Healsburg, in the heart of Sonoma.

Tasting Note
This is truly an exceptional value for Cabernet from Sonoma. Opaque ruby in colour, it’s bursting with layered aromas of ripe cassis, raspberry, plum, cocoa and vanilla. It’s dry, with ample body and intense black fruit and spicy oak flavours supported by supple tannins, all culminating in a long, smooth finish. Very easy to love. (VINTAGES panel, Aug. 2009)

Here’s what winecurrent.com had to say about it:
14.5% alcohol A deep red this wine offers a plethora of aromas—black currant attractive leafiness cedar and hints of eucalyptus. Its beautifully structured and well integrated with tangy acidity and silky drying tannins. Loads of lush dark fruit rush across the palate and carry through on the lingering finish that teases with hints of toasty oak and cocoa. (Susan Desjardins) (161190) $17.95 Rating 4.5/5

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The Stop Food and Wine event and Thirteenth St Wines

Posted on January 22, 2010 by John Galea

We went to a food and wine charity event last night at The Stop. The event was coordinated by Danielle with funds being used to run their projects. Thirteenth St wines were served during the event with Peter from 13th along to enthusiastically talk to us a bit about the wines and the winery. The Stop has a greenhouse that provides all the herbs and some of the vegetables used for the evening. The food was prepared by a volunteer crew who were attentive and very friendly throughout the evening. The event was well done. Here was the menu for the evening:

Menu
Various Hors d’œuvre were served along with THIRTEENTH STREET JUNE’S VINEYARD CABERNET ROSÉ 2008 . I didn’t really think much of this wine. It wasn’t terrible, but not to my tastes. I’m really not a rose person, and a bubbly Rose is even less to my tastes.

· Braised rapini with a poached mini egg over a pickled garlic sauce
13TH STREET PREMIER CUVÉE BRUT 2004. I quite enjoyed this Brut which is made in the traditional champagne style. Lots of Chard flavors, just the right amount of bubbles. I’m not a big Champagne person but I enjoyed this one and would have it again. I would give it a 89 or so.

· Elk ‘PHO’ – Carpaccio of elk over braised cabbage with raw mushrooms and horseradish surrounded by spicy broth
Funk Vineyard Riesling 2007 (Not available in the LCBO right now). This is a quite nice semi sweet Riesling with a good varietal structure to the wine, some honey, some apricot. The sweetness was about right for a food friendly wine.

· Juniper scented risotto with hot ricotta and smoked prawns
Gamay Noir Sandstone Old Vines 2007 (Not available in the LCBO). This was quite an interesting wine. It was quite a fruit forward Gamay with some tannins and structure on the finish. There’s a fair bit of sweetness to the wine so one would need to be careful with the food pairing. This particular pairing was not bad but frankly I would have reversed the Riesling and the Gamay. I would give this one an 89-90. I quite enjoyed it.

· Crispy duck breast over celery root puree and mulled wine sauce
Meritage 2006. I must admit I am not a big fan of Meritage blends. This one was not bad displaying only a little of that “Niagara terroir” to it. I would give it an 87 or so. The fruit in it was fairly well done and the Niagara tannins were well under control. Medium in finish the wine seemed to go Ok with the duck.

· ‘Smores’ shooter

· Lemon almond cream cake with mascarpone mousse and a warm sage emulsion sauce
13 Degrees Below Zero Riesling 2008. I have to admit again, I am not a big fan of Ice wines. This one was pretty good to my tastes. It was not as sweet or syruppy as some. They were well under control. It made a nice finish to the evening.

All in all it was a nice evening, very well done by the whole crew at The Stop and Peter did a great job of giving us just enough information about the wines and the winery! He was very enthusiastic about what he does, was very knowledgeable and stopped by each of the tables during the evening to discuss the wines, the winery and anything else that might have been on our minds!

About The Stop Community Food Centre:
Located in the Davenport West neighbourhood in Toronto, The Stop works to increase people’s access to healthy food in a manner that maintains dignity, builds community and challenges inequality.

The Stop’s Green Barn is a satellite site of The Stop located in the Artscape Wychwood Barns at St. Clair & Christie. It includes a year round greenhouse, sheltered garden, bake oven, compost demonstration project, community kitchen, a classroom and a weekly farmers’ market.

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THIRTY BENCH RIESLING 2008

Posted on January 21, 2010 by John Galea

Generally speaking I love going down to the Niagara wineries, with one exception. Thirty Bench. I find their staff arrogant and pretentious, the only winery down there that I have found like that. Odd. No idea why. Their web site says it all “Premium wines”. Alright enough of that onto the wine. My sister gave me this one for Christmas along with the Organized Crime I previously blogged about. The wine is quite pale in color with a mild typical Riesling bouquet. Rieslings really can vary a lot but there are some Niagara ones that are fabulous. On the mid pallet the wine is quite nice and crisp. The wine is medium on the finish with a nice tartness and minerality to it. I would give this one a 90. Smack on varietal Niagara Riesling, and just the way I like them. I paired it with pan fried sea scallops and it went well.

From the LCBO web site THIRTY BENCH RIESLING 2008 VINTAGES 24133 | 750 mL bottle Price: $ 18.70
Wine, White Wine, 11.0% Alcohol/Vol. Sugar Content : D This is a VQA wine

Made in: Ontario, Canada By: Andrew Peller Limited
Release Date: Oct 10, 2009

Description
Thirty Bench is a Riesling specialist. The 2007 vintage of this wine won a Gold Medal for Best Dry Riesling at the 2009 Ontario Wine Awards.

Tasting Note
This is the entry level Riesling from the estate, a blend from the vineyards, in a house style. An attractive nose of lime-citrus and subtle mineral notes. It has zippy acidity on the palate to go with refreshing citrus fruits in a dry style. Score – 3 1/2 Stars (out of 5). (Rick VanSickle, www.stcatharinesstandard.ca, June 18, 2009)

Thirty Bench

Check LCBO stock

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NV Candor Merlot Lot 2

Posted on January 20, 2010 by CanadianWineGuy

This is in fact going to be a short and sweet review, as I am swamped in paperwork and other work related stuff. This wine was presented to the Canadian Wine Guy as a potential wine to review, and it would not be fair to accept the wine and not review it, now would it? Candor is part of the Hope Family Wines that produces Treana, Austin Hope and Liberty School (probably the most familiar of the labels for the average Canadian consumer). Candor is the newest of the group which is focusing on Merlots and Zinfandels. While their labels and naming (Lot 1, Lot 2) are interesting, I am still perplexed that any winery in this day and age would market a Merlot (or Zin for that matter) as non-vintage. Going over press materials and websites I am cannot get a true feel for this choice, my only hope was the wine would leave that question moot. On to the tasting!

‘Ripe strawberries’ fill your nose on the decant. The first few swirls skirt that fruit and replaces it with a flowery bouquet, odd, but the nose does not lie. The initial sips actually do not do this wine much justice, the initial reaction was ‘ho hum’, a bit lively at the beginning, half decent fruit and a dull finish. BUT, that was the start, this wine grows quickly on you, it becomes more balanced and more respectful in terms of the palate. Plum and come forward with a good hint of earthiness mixed in. A good pairing for this is the standard bold red meal, lamb, steak au poivre or a hard roast. This wine is not going to win awards, it will not wow your Merlot friends, but it is a good value and a decent table wine. Lot 1’s are still around and selling for under $20 so expect the same for Lot 2, you can do much worse for your twenty dollars then this wine.

The CWGSR is 84 out of 100.

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