Showing posts with label australia. Show all posts
Showing posts with label australia. Show all posts

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  • Date publishedMonday, October 8, 2012

Oct. 13 LCBO Wine Picks: Australia + Chile

Cover of October 13, 2012 LCBO Vintages Wine Magazine
The next Vintages wine release will be in LCBO outlets across Ontario on . The main feature in this release is on five impressive artisanal wineries from Australia. Four of these wineries have wines among my picks in this release.

Australia is known for its Shiraz. But these four wines show that they are more than capable of producing outstanding wines using other varietals. In white wine, there is a delicious Chardonnay from Yabby Lake in the Mornington Peninsula. In reds, we have a Cabernet Sauvignon from Fraser Gallop in Margaret River, and a Pinot Noir from Oakridge in Yarra Valley. We also have a red blend from Spinifex in Barossa that consists of old vine Grenache, Cinsault and Mataró (a.k.a. Monastrell/Mourvèdre). All four wines will provide pleasure over at least the next 5 years, but I wish none of these start at $29.95.

The secondary feature in this release is on wines from some of Chile's finest vineyards. From Chile's most northern wine region, we have a fabulous Syrah from the Elquí Valley - it's also my top value red from the entire release. There are also two whites worth consideration - a Sauvignon Blanc from the Garuma Vineyard in Leyda Valley, and a Chardonnay from the Atalayas Vineyard in Casablanca Valley.

Among the rest of my wine picks, the Sasso Al Poggio is a blend of 60% Sangiovese, 20% Cabernet, and 20% Merlot. The Guardian Peak is also a red blend, consisting of 60% Syrah, 31% Mourvèdre, and 9% Grenache. The Barolo from Piedmont is 100% Nebbiolo. One final note - don't miss the gorgeous Reif Vidal Icewine! Enjoy my picks for this week!


Red Wine:
  • FALERNIA RESERVA SYRAH 2009 - Elquí Valley, Chile (#208371) (XD) - $16.95
  • SASSO AL POGGIO 2006 - IGT Toscana, Italy (#134809) (XD) - $18.95
  • GUARDIAN PEAK SMG 2009 - WO Stellenbosch, South Africa (#296681) (D) - $19.95
  • CHÂTEAU LAFONT FOURCAT 2010 - AC Bordeaux, France (#295790) (XD) - $15.95
  • SPINIFEX PAPILLON 2010 - Barossa Valley, South Australia (#285205) (XD) - $29.95
  • MARCHESI DI BAROLO BAROLO 2006 - DOCG, Piedmont, Italy (#168179) (D) - $34.95
  • OAKRIDGE PINOT NOIR 2010 - Yarra Valley, Victoria, Australia (#284059) (XD) - $38.95
  • FRASER GALLOP CABERNET SAUVIGNON 2009 - Wilyabrup, Margaret River, Western Australia (#283069) (XD) - $45.95

White Wine:
  • TAWSE SKETCHES OF NIAGARA RIESLING 2010 - VQA Niagara Peninsula, Ontario, Canada (#89029) (D) - $17.95
  • GIESEN THE BROTHERS SAUVIGNON BLANC 2010 - Marlborough, South Island, New Zealand (#247213) (XD) - $19.95
  • WILLY GISSELBRECHT TRADITION GEWURZTRAMINER 2010 - AC Alsace, France (#928390) (M) - $18.95
  • LEYDA SINGLE VINEYARD SAUVIGNON BLANC 2011 - Garuma Vineyard, Leyda Valley, Chile (#99309) (D) - $16.95
  • CASA LAPOSTOLLE CUVÉE ALEXANDRE CHARDONNAY 2011 - Atalayas Vineyard, Casablanca Valley, Chile (#947937) (D) - $24.95
  • YABBY LAKE SINGLE VINEYARD CHARDONNAY 2010 - Mornington Peninsula, Victoria, Australia (#138628) (XD) - $39.95

Icewine:
  • REIF VIDAL ICEWINE 2010 - VQA Niagara River, Ontario, Canada (#544791) (S) (200 mL) - $24.95


The rest of the wines from this release can be found here.


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  • Date publishedWednesday, May 16, 2012

Grant Burge Wine Tasting

Grant Burge Wines logo I had the pleasure of tasting Grant Burge Wines at the Trialto Wines office in Toronto. The tasting was led by Nick Doumanis, Global Sales Director at Grant Burge. Six wines were on the lineup card, but we ended up tasting seven.


GRANT BURGE VINEYARD RANGE SUMMERS CHARDONNAY 2010 - Eden Valley & Adelaide Hills (#269829) (D) - $19.95
Lovely aromas of citrus, oak, nut and hints of spice. One the palate, peach, apple, citrus and oak mingle together with racy acidity and finishing long. Medium-bodied. Tastes and feels more expensive. Excellent summer appertif, but can also be paired with lightly seasoned salmon. This white wine is scheduled to be part of the LCBO General List in about a month. Be ready to pounce.

GRANT BURGE MIAMBA SHIRAZ 2010 - Barossa (#725127) (XD) - $17.95
Smells dense with smoky, dark fruits, vanilla aromas. Blueberry flavours in the glass with hints of mint, lavender and pepper. Medium-bodied with a medium-length finish. Current vintage not available at LCBO.

GRANT BURGE CAMERON VALE CABERNET SAUVIGNON 2009 - Barossa (#937276) (XD) - $15.95
Dark fruit, blackcurrant, vanillan and oak aromas. On the palate there is lots of cassis and blackcurrant in this medium-bodied wine. Evident tannins will reward ageing another 2-3 years. Very good Cab Sauv. Currently not available at the LCBO.

6 wines to taste from Grant Burge

GRANT BURGE THE HOLY TRINITY GRENACHE/SHIRAZ/MOURVÈDRE 2008 - Barossa (#236257) (XD) - $33.95
Holy moly! This blend of 46% Grenache, 39% Shiraz and 15% Mourvèdre offers gorgeous aromas of red fruit, ripe cherries and subtle milk chocolate. Crushed red berries and blueberries with hints of chocolate and mocha on the palate. Medium-full bodied. Could be aged another 5-6 years. Awesome! My favourite wine of the evening.

GRANT BURGE FILSELL OLD VINE SHIRAZ 2010 - Barossa (#987453) (XD) - $29.95
This is a big wine with aromas of ripe dark fruits, blueberry, violet and lavender. Lovely blueberry with hints of coffee and vanilla on the palate. Full-bodied. Drinkable now, but has enough tannic grip to let sit for another 2-3 years. Current vintage not available at LCBO.

GRANT BURGE CORRYTON PARK CABERNET SAUVIGNON 2009 - Barossa (#317834) (XD) - $35.00
Another big wine with blackcurrants, tobacco, smoke, meat and oak aromas. On the palate, there is blackcurrant and red fruits (cranberry and cherry) that are well-integrated with fine tannins. Very smooth. Medium-bodied with a very long finish. Yummy. Available via private order from Trialto Wines.

GRANT BURGE 10 YEAR OLD TAWNY - Barossa (#058388) (S) - $30.95
Made with Grenache, Mataro and Shiraz. Gorgeous aromas of caramel, floral, herbal and touch of earth. Complex palate that begins with candied pecans, followed by burnt orange, and finishes with cocoa. It starts sweet and finishes dry. Lovely! Very few left in stock at the LCBO.

Lineup of the 7 Grant Burge wines tasted



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  • Date publishedSaturday, May 12, 2012

Hardys Winemakers Dinner and Wine Walkthrough

Hardys Logo I had the opportunity to attend a Winemakers Dinner and Wine Walkthrough hosted at the Edward Day Gallery by Bill Hardy, the great grandson of Hardys founder - Thomas Hardy.

I arrived early and had the chance to mingle before the festivities got started. While mingling and waiting for everyone to arrive, we were offered 'The Gamble' Chard Pinot Gris, which ended up being one of my favourites wines of the evening. It was a rather small, intimate crowd (which I enjoyed) that also allowed everyone to meet and chat with Bill for a few moments. Overall, the event was well organized and executed. Quality and portions of both the food and wine were just right!

Here are my full reviews of the wine and food pairings:

Label photo of Hardys Chronicles 'The Gamble' Chardonnay Pinot Gris 2011HARDYS CHRONICLES 'THE GAMBLE' CHARDONNAY PINOT GRIS 2011 - South Australia (#219147) (D) - $15.05
Served to open the evening as people walked in and played the part very well with very smooth with apple, pear, citrus notes, mingling with peach aromas and flavours. Some earthy notes. Medium bodied wine with a medium-length finish that would make a very good appetizer wine. Yummy. Part of the LCBO General List and always available.


HARDYS HRB CHARDONNAY D648 2009 - Pemberton & Adelaide Hills (XD) - $29.95
Lots of butter, apple, citrus with some oak notes. Smooth, full bodied with fine seam of acidity. Long finish. Tasty.

Paired quite nicely with seared scallops, braised leeks, fricasse of baby spring vegetables and saffron cream. Coming to VINTAGES in .

Label photo of Hardys HRB Chardonnay D648 2009 from Pemberton & Adelaide Hills

EILEEN HARDY CHARDONNAY 2009 - Tasmania (#500991) (XD) - $59.95
Nutty, hazelnut, earth, oak aromas and flavours with touch of barnyard on the finish. Extremely smooth, medium-bodied with a very long finish. Excellent.

Paired with lobster poached in lemongrass consommé, Napa cabbage, orange-ruby grapefruit salad and toasted hazelnuts. This pairing was exquisite as the toasted hazelnuts really brought out the nutty flavours of this white wine. Unfortunately not currently available.

Lobster poached in lemongrass consomméLabel photo of Eileen Hardy Chardonnay 2009 from Tasmania

HARDYS CHRONICLES 'BUTCHERS GOLD' SHIRAZ SANGIOVESE 2008 - South Australia (#219139) (XD) - $15.05
Aromas of plum, raisin, currant, oak, sour cherry with nuances of mint. Plum, fruit forward with ripe fruit on the palate. Ripe tannins for drinking now. I would serve this slightly chilled.

HARDYS HRB SHIRAZ D641 2007 - McLaren Vale & Clare Valley (XD) - $34.95
Bright and minty, licorice, pepper with red fruit aromas. Dark fruits and herbal pepper notes on the palate balanced by oak. Good amount of tannin for ageing another 3-5 years. Full-bodied with a long finish. Yum.

The above two red wines were paired with a lamb duo of roasted loin and braised shank, cherry-infused lamb jus, whipped mash potatoes, and baby carrot. I thought the Shiraz Sangiovese was a bit weak for the gamey lamb flavours, while the HRB Shiraz, with it's full body and integrated tannins was well suited. The Shiraz Sangiovese is always available as in LCBO General List, while the HRB Shiraz will be coming to VINTAGES on .

Lamb Duo and Hardys Chronicles 'Butchers Gold' Shiraz Sangiovese 2008 from South AustraliaLabel photo of Hardys HRB Shiraz D641 2007 from McLaren Vale & Clare Valley

EILEEN HARDY SHIRAZ 2005 - McLaren Vale (#461368) (XD) - $89.95
Big, Australian fruit bomb with an explosion of red and black fruit aromas and flavours. Some mintyness arrives towards the finish. Still evident tannins will reward another 2-3 years ageing, or decant prior to serving today.

Served with a cheese plate featuring cheddar, melted brie(?) and a too-salty blue cheese. I would've preferred this wine with a chicken dish, as opposed to a cheese plate. If you like big, fruit bombs, you will enjoy this one.

Cheese plateLabel photo of Eileen Hardy Shiraz 2005 from McLaren Vale

HARDYS WHISKER'S BLAKE TAWNY - Australia (S)
Peach, caramel, nuts, raisin and plum aromas. Dried raisin, caramel and peach flavours on the palate. Medium-viscosity. Should be served well-chilled to tone down the alcohol. Quite nice.

This Fortified wine is not available in Ontario (and possibly Canada), so it was a real treat to taste this with Pear Beignet, espresso-chocolate sauce, and hazelnut-sun dried cherry praline.

Pear Beignet with Espresso-Chocolate SauceLabel photo of Hardys Whisker's Blake Tawny

Bill Hardy and myself


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  • Date publishedTuesday, March 13, 2012

Jip Jip Rocks Shiraz 2009 (Australia) - Wine Review

This red wine was my first purchase of 2012. Acquired from the 'Smart Buys' release in January, this multi-award winner offers great value.

JIP JIP ROCKS SHIRAZ 2009 - Padthaway, South Australia, Australia (#673897) (D) - $16.95

Label photo of 2009 Jip Jip Rocks Shiraz from Australia
Tasting Note:
Screw top. Ripe red fruits, blackberry and currants aromas with touch of barnyard. Uncomplicated and quite straightforward with currant and blackberry flavours on the palate. Fresh tasting with very nicely integrated oak, not your typical big Aussie Shiraz. Doesn't have the legs to stand up to spicy goat curry, but would work well mildly-spiced rack of lamb. A good, everyday, house-style of Shiraz.


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  • Date publishedSunday, February 12, 2012

Red Knot Shiraz 2008 (Australia) - Wine Review

Received this one last November and was surprised to see the unique cap. Very interesting top with a string-like wrap that you peel off before you simply pull out the re-sealable plastic cork. I've never seen a cap like this!

RED KNOT SHIRAZ 2008 - South Australia, Australia (#619395) - $15.95 (on sale now)

Red Knot Shiraz capRed Knot Shiraz 2008

Tasting Note:
Interesting resin cork. Ripe raspberry, herbal spice aromas. Straightforward and uncomplicated Shiraz with gobs of red berries, along with cedar oak flavours. Chewy, ripe tannins. Medium-bodied. Good, easy-drinking AU Shiraz that I'll be enjoying with chicken meatballs in masala curry sauce.


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  • Date publishedSunday, November 6, 2011

2006 Yalumba Shiraz/Viognier (Australia) - Wine Review

Purchased this fine Shiraz/Viognier almost 2 years ago to the day from the Vintages release that was titled "Celebrate for less! 20 party wines under $20."

YALUMBA SHIRAZ/VIOGNIER 2006 - Barossa, South Australia, Australia (#524926) (XD) - $19.95

Tasting Note:
This red wine has fresh blueberries, blackberries, white pepper, herbal aromas that follow through on the palate. Finishing with dark chocolate on the medium-long finish. Fine tannins. Well-integrated wine. Aged well and could have been aged another 2-3 years, but is definitely ready to drink now. No decanting necessary. Will be enjoying this with "Limri (curry leaves) Chicken" - sorry could not find a recipe for it. :)


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  • Date publishedMonday, October 31, 2011

2008 Nugan McLaren Parish Shiraz (Australia) - Wine Review

Tasted this Decanter Award Winner over the weekend.

NUGAN ESTATE MCLAREN PARISH VINEYARD SHIRAZ 2008 - McLaren Vale, South Australia, Australia (#072603) (D) - $24.95

Tasting Note:
Cassis, blackberry, pepper and herb aromas follow through on the palate, finishing with dark chocolate notes. Perfectly ripe tannins. Enjoyed it with chicken lababdar and butter chicken. If it meets your budget, this is highly recommended.


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  • Date publishedThursday, October 6, 2011

2009 Thorn-Clarke Terra Barossa Shiraz (Australia) - Wine Review

Purchased this red wine over the weekend from the most recent Vintages Release.

THORN-CLARKE TERRA BAROSSA SHIRAZ 2009 - Barossa, South Australia, Australia (#595306) (XD) - $16.95
Tasting Note:
Big aromas of lush blackberry, blueberry, earth, mint and pepper. Dark fruit flavours, dark chocolate, turning a bit spicy at mid-palate. Full-bodied, chewy. Dry. Ageable, but ready to drink now. Well-made Shiraz, but is bit too bitter for my taste.


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  • Date publishedTuesday, August 23, 2011

2008 Penfolds Koonunga Hill Shiraz Cabernet (Australia) - Wine Review

Life outside of wine has been keeping me busy, hence the long time between wine reviews. Tonight's wine is from the general LCBO listing and was recently gifted to us.

PENFOLDS KOONUNGA HILL CABERNET/SHIRAZ 2008 - South Australia, Australia (#285544) (D) - $16.55

Tasting Note:
Red berries, touch of earth aromas. Gentle ripe fruit, currants and light oak on the palate. Medium-full bodied. Chalky tannins really get onto your teeth - will definitely have to brush well tonight! Not big and uncomplicated. Good, everyday wine that will go well with many simple meat dishes, including curries and pastas.


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  • Date publishedThursday, August 11, 2011

2008 Heartland Shiraz (Australia) - Wine Review

It's time for another wine review. This one was purchase only a few days ago from the latest Vintages Release.

HEARTLAND SHIRAZ 2008 - Langhorne Creek/Limestone Coast, South Australia, Australia (#661934) (D) - $19.95

Tasting Note:
Warm aromas of mint, eucalyptus, wet earth. Flavours of sweet red fruits (raspberry and cherry), herbs, pepper. Medium-bodied. Screw-top. Very uncomplicated. A good wine, but probably doesn't warrant the rating of 91 points given by Campbell Mattinson & Gary Walsh of the The Big Red Wine Book. Will be having this with one of my favs - simple rice and lentils dish with chaas (yogurt mixed with water, salt & cumin) called khichdi.


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  • Date publishedTuesday, July 12, 2011

2006 The Garden Path Shiraz/Cabernet (Australia) - Wine Review

Purchased this one back in November of 2010, and could have cellared it for a couple more years, but felt like opening it tonight.

THE GARDEN PATH SHIRAZ/CABERNET 2006 - Langhorne Creek, South Australia, Australia (#199539) (XD) - $17.95

Tasting Note:
Mint, cassis, black currant, oak, earth/barnyard aromas. Black currant and blueberries on the palate. Ripe tannins. Fleshy, medium-bodied. Tasty. I think it will go well with the Chicken Biryani we're having tonight!


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  • Date publishedSunday, May 15, 2011

2008 Oscar's Estate Vineyard Shiraz, Barossa (Australia) - Review

Purchased this one back in April as part of the New Zealand + Easter Vintages Release.

OSCAR'S ESTATE VINEYARD SHIRAZ 2008 - Barossa Valley, South Australia, Australia (#225631) - $15.95

Tasting Note:
Pepper, mint, herbal, blackberry, light oak/smoke aromas. On the palate, it opens with surprising gobs of sweet mulberry. Settles down with ripe blackberry fruits and cocoa. Easy drinking and fruit forward. It should pair nicely with the Chicken Lasagne we're having tonight!


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  • Date publishedWednesday, February 16, 2011

Review: Cat Amongst the Pigeons Alley Cat Shiraz/Grenache 2008

Wasn't feeling too well the last few days, so I was staying away from the wine and drinking warm Brandy with honey. Yummy. Feeling much better today, so here's what I am drinking tonight:

CAT AMONGST THE PIGEONS ALLEY CAT SHIRAZ/GRENACHE 2008 - Barossa Valley, South Australia, Australia  (#127621) - $15.95


Tasting Note:
Minty blackberry, raspberry, basil aromas. All follow through on the palate. Finishes with earth notes. Chewy, ripe fruit. Smooth tannins. Not a big wine. Smooth and easy drinking with a medium-long finish.


  • Date publishedSunday, January 16, 2011

Review - Yellow Tail Shiraz 2009

I am sure many of you have tried this one before, so I was hesitant to include a review of this bottle that I just opened a few minutes ago.

YELLOW TAIL SHIRAZ 2009 - South Australia, Australia (#624544)

Review:
Dark ruby purple colour. Mulberry, violet aromas and flavours. Plus blackberry and ripe fruit centre. Medium-full bodied.

Overall impression: Smooth and goes down easy. Quite nice and very drinkable, but lacks a bit of body and structure for my taste. A good wine that appeals to many and great for get-togethers.


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