Thalia Sauvignon Blanc - Vilana 2014 (Greece) - Wine Review

Another summery-type of day calls for a summery-type of wine. Tonight, it's yet another wine from Greece that is a white wine blend of Sauvignon Blanc and the local varietal Vilana.

Vilana is mainly found on Greek's largest island - Crete. And even though Crete is dominated by red grapes, Vilana is the most planted white grape on the island. This varietal is quite difficult to grow and produces wines that are thirst-quenching and easy to drink. It is also good for food pairing, especially when your meal contains a wide range of contrasting dishes. Tonight, I will be sipping on this with tomato and onion tiger shrimps, followed by dal bhat (rice).

This wine is available at the LCBO as part of General List and is readily available throughout the province of Ontario.

THALIA SAUVIGNON BLANC - VILANA 2014 - PGI Crete, Greece (#273490) - $9.95

Tasting Note:
Screw cap. Citrus, melon, pineapple and herbally aromas from the glass with much of the same character on the palate. It's light-weighted with a fleshy mouthfeel and some richness. Freshness shines through on mid-palate. Dry, lingering finish. Serve well-chilled. Score: 86 pts

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Eradus Sauvignon Blanc 2014 (New Zealand) - Wine Review

It's a fine spring day here in Toronto and calls for a nice, spring-like wine. Tonight's wine is this lovely Sauvignon Blanc that hails from the Awatere (Aw-wah-tree) Valley within the Marlborough region, located on the South Island of New Zealand. This is the latest vintage of this wine and will be available in the next VINTAGES release - May 16th.

ERADUS SAUVIGNON BLANC 2014 - Awatere Valley, Marlborough, South Island, New Zealand (#225557) (XD) - $18.95

Tasting Note:
Screw cap. Quite aromatic with crisp citrus, guava, kiwi and hints of gooseberry. On the palate, it's juicy with crisp, balanced acids and a flavour profile filled with pleasing aroma replays and hints of fresh cut grass. Dry, well-balanced with a fine mineral streak on the medium-long finish. Recommended buy. Score: 88+ pts

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Creekside Estate Winery Wine Tasting

I received these delicious wine samples from Creekside Estate Winery recently and opened them up a couple of weeks ago on a crisp, Fall Saturday.

Creekside has been making premium wine since 1997, when owner Laura McCain pursued a passion for wine by purchasing a 15-acre vineyard and winery on Fourth Avenue in Jordan. The darlings of their portfolio at the time were Sauvignon Blanc and Shiraz - neither grape particularly known for doing well in Niagara during this period.

The year 1999 marked the first of several major face lifts to the site, including the addition of shiny new stainless steel tanks with temperature control jackets, a brand new crush pad, and a pneumatic press. In 2000, an underground barrel cellar for fermentation and aging was added to the site.

Growing consumer demand meant more grapes were required to produce more wine. Creekside purchased a 50-acre vineyard site on St. David's Bench and named it the Queenston Road Vineyard (QRV). This site now produces some of their best wines, including their award-winning Syrah that I tasted at the winery in September.

Due to growing popularity over the years, a brand new retail store and covered outdoor deck was built in 2008. During this time, new labels, packaging and website were all face-lifted and are the current look-and-feel that you see today.

Creekside's slogan is "Serious wine from an irreverent bunch". After visiting them last month and my wine reviews below, I can agree that their wines are serious.


Tasting Notes:
CREEKSIDE PINOT GRIGIO 2012 - VQA Niagara Peninsula, Ontario, Canada (#083196) (XD) - $14.95
Screw cap. Medium+ intensity aromas with lime, peach, apple and leesy notes. Dry, medium-bodied palate with crisp, lively acids and pleasing aroma replays. Crisp, medium-length finish that is slightly bitter and tart. LCBO General List and widely available. Score: 87 pts

CREEKSIDE SAUVIGNON BLANC 2013 - VQA Niagara Peninsula, Ontario, Canada (#620724) (XD) - $13.95
Screw cap. Elegant, medium intensity nose showing gooseberry, kiwi, guava and lime aromas. It's medium-weighted and echos the aromas, along with some greenness on the flavour profile. Balanced acids. Tropical fruit & lime flavours on the medium+ length on the finish. Well balanced overall. LCBO General List and widely available. Score: 88 pts

ICONOCLAST SAUVIGNON BLANC 2013 - VQA Creek Shores, Ontario, Canada (#) (XD) - $17.95
Screw cap. Nose seems somewhat closed but shows mandarine orange, guava, kiwi and some earthy aromas. Medium+ bodied and fleshy palate with lemon/lime, green leaf and mineral flavours. Has a fine seam of acidity that dances on the long, dry finish. Score: 88 pts

CREEKSIDE CABERNET SHIRAZ 2012 - VQA Niagara Peninsula, Ontario, Canada (#305300) (XD)  - $16.95
Comprised of 66% Cabernet Sauvignon and 34% Shiraz. Screw cap. Lifted nose featuring smoky, meaty, peppercorn and cassis aromas, Some distinct barnyard notes as it opens up in the glass. Medium-full bodied palate with dark, brooding tannins and mouth-watering acids. Flavours of blackberry, black cherry, raspberry, black pepper, vanillan oak and cocoa. Drinkable now and can be enjoyed over the next 3-4 years. LCBO General List and widely available. Score: 88+ pts

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Southbrook Vineyards Organic Wine Tasting

I received these wines to celebrate Southbrook Vineyards' recent inclusion into the high-quality prepared food section of distinguished British retailer Marks & Spencer. Southbrook is now the sole Canadian vintner to be found in this section. This is also Southbrook's first foray into the U.K. market with Demeter-certified biodynamic wine.

"We are thrilled and honoured with the Marks & Spencer designation," says Bill Redelmeier, co-owner of Southbrook Vineyards.

"Our focus is on the importance of organic and biodynamic viticulture in the production of great wine, something which places us on the leading edge of winemaking globally. It is a wonderful opportunity for us to partner with one of the world's great retailers in one of the world's great wine markets."

All three of the wines below are certified organic, while the two Cabernets are also certified biodynamic. Furthermore, all three of these of wines are available (or will be available soon) in the LCBO Vintages section.


Tasting Notes:
SOUTHBROOK TRIOMPHE SAUVIGNON BLANC 2013 - VQA Niagara Peninsula, Ontario, Canada (#117556) (D) - $21.95
Stelvin screw cap. Medium intensity, elegant lime and mineral nose with hints of lychee, floral and citrus coming from the 5% (Reimer Vineyard) Gewürztraminer that adds some interesting complexity. Honeyed fruits with floral tones lead the way on medium-bodied palate. Also notable pink grapefruit flavours. Bright acids are nicely balanced, while finish long and honeyed. Slightly off-dry. 95% Laundry Vineyard Sauvignon Blanc. Certified organic and vegan-friendly. Will be in September 27 Vintages release. Not your typical Savvy, but tasty nonetheless. Recommended. Score: 89 pts

SOUTHBROOK TRIOMPHE CABERNET SAUVIGNON 2012 - VQA Niagara-on-the-Lake, Ontario, Canada (#193573) (XD) - $22.95
Stelvin screw cap. Slightly closed nose with red currants, hints of violet, and smoky cassis undertones. On the medium-bodied palate, it has flavours of blackberry, red currants and oak spice. Tannins integrating nicely. Finish is medium in length. Vintages Essentials product and always available. Score: 87 pts

SOUTHBROOK TRIOMPHE CABERNET FRANC 2012 - VQA Niagara-on-the-Lake, Ontario, Canada (#275958) (XD) - $21.95
Stelvin screw cap. Contains 12.4% Merlot. Medium+ intensity aromas with barnyard, earthy notes dominating, layered with black cherry, black currants, and fresh cedar oak. Palate is medium+ bodied with firm tannins and a flavour profile consisting of blackberry, black cherry, sweet vanillan oak, and slight meaty character. Mouth-watering acids and medium-length finish. Enjoy over the next 2-4 years. Just released in the upcoming September 13 Vintages release. Recommended. Score: 89 pts

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Wine Reviews - August 16th Birthday Party

Here are wine reviews of some of the wines we enjoyed yesterday at my 1-year-old daughter's 1st birthday party. The big winners among guests were definitely the Minervois and the Crianza as I received lots of positive comments about both of those red wines.

Tasting Notes:
KÖNIGSCHAFFHAUSER VULKANFELSEN PINOT NOIR ROSÉ TROCKEN 2013 - Qualitätswein, Baden, Germany (#168237) (D) - $13.95
From the June 7 Vintages release and quite a few remain in stock depending on which LCBO is nearest to you. Fresh aromas of medium+ intensity with a nose of strawberry, rose, cherry and grapefruit. It's light-to-medium bodied and off-dry on the palate with more grapefruit, cherry and hints of honey flavours. Very fresh mouthfeel with zippy, refreshing acids. Good length on the finish. Score: 88 pts

ERRÁZURIZ MAX RESERVA SAUVIGNON BLANC 2013 - Aconcagua Costa, Chile (#273342) (XD) - $15.95
First tasted at the Errázuriz winemaker tasting last September. Highly aromatic gooseberry, cat pee, and herbal aromas from the glass. Light-to-medium bodied on the palate along with a slightly creamy texture. Balanced aroma replays, plus green pepper, lime peel notes on the palate. Has lively acidity and a lengthy finish. Classic Sauvignon Blanc. LCBO General List and on sale at select LCBO outlets. Score: 89 pts

VINELAND ESTATES SEMI-DRY RIESLING 2012 - VQA Niagara Peninsula, Ontario, Canada (#232033) (D) - $13.95
LCBO General List product. Medium-high aromas that show lemon, pear, tropical fruit and hint of petrol. Slight spritz on the off-dry palate with lively acids, lemon, mineral, and touch of honeyed fruit flavours. Finish is lengthy, with sweetness tapering off to a dry finish. Even though designated as "semi-dry", was not as sweet as I expected. Score: 88+ pts

CHÂTEAU DE GOURGAZAUD CUVÉE MATHILDE MINERVOIS 2011 - AC, Midi, France (#958629) (XD) - $14.95
From this weekend's Vintages release. Blend of Syrah and Mourvèdre. Medium+ aroma intensity with blackberry, blackcherry and hints of violet. On the palate, it's medium-full bodied with round tannins that are nicely integrated. Pleasing aroma replays, along with black pepper and red cherry notes. Acids are well-balanced. Finish is long and smooth. Score: 88 pts

ABAD DOM BUENO CRIANZA 2006 - DO Bierzo, Spain (#244699) (XD) - $14.95
From the July 19 Vintages release and virtually sold out. Made using the Mencía grape and highly fragrant with sinewy black fruits, violets, smoky oak and hint of barnyard from the glass. On the palate, it's full-bodied with very nice aroma replays, earthy and elegant oak spice. Big, smooth tannins are still full and integrating nicely. Very good acids and length. Ageing gracefully at 8 years old, will reward further 4-5 years in cellar. Expect some sediment. Reminds me of a Brunello. Amazing value. Score: 90 pts

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South African Wines

I'm taking a break from reviewing German Wines to review a couple of South African wine samples that landed on my desk after our Ice Storm.

The Sauvignon Blanc is from Nederburg Wines, an award-winning winery that first established its roots back in 1791. I wouldn't hesitate to recommend this white wine at all, as it's a steal at $11.45.

Both of these wines are from the Western Cape, which includes the legislative capital (and famous) city of Cape Town. From the LCBO's General List, both of these wines are readily available for purchase today.

Tasting Notes:
NEDERBURG WINEMASTER'S RESERVE SAUVIGNON BLANC 2012 - WO Western Cape, South Africa (#382713) (XD) - $11.45
Screw cap. Medium-high intense aromas which are complex featuring an intriguing mix of lemon peel, herbal, gooseberry, asparagus, and hints of butter. Medium bodied with a slightly oily viscosity, and crisp, mouthwatering acids on the palate. Pleasant lime and gooseberry flavours with hints of melon on the medium-long finish. Nicely balanced throughout. Recommended buy. Score: 88 pts

OBIKWA CABERNET SAUVIGNON 2012 - WO Western Cape, South Africa (#665323) (D) - $9.45
Screw cap. Closed nose of sweet, ripe red cherries, blackberry, and fresh oak barrels. This red wine is medium-bodied with dusty oak and slightly sweet aroma replays on the palate. Has balanced acidity and slightly dusty tannins. Medium-length finish. Drink now or hold up to 2 years. Score: 86 pts

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2011 Two Oceans Sauvignon Blanc (South Africa) - Wine Review

Received this white wine as a gift over the holidays. Typically, Sauvignon Blancs are meant to be opened while still young, and this one is no exception.

TWO OCEANS SAUVIGNON BLANC 2011 - WO Western Cape, South Africa (#340380) (D) - $9.95

Tasting Note:
Screw-top cap (which doesn't necessarily mean cheap or low quality). Classic gooseberry, grass, nettle aromas, with a touch of mineral, petrol and melon. Gooseberry, kiwi, lemon/lime citrus on the palate. Off-dry and quite the nice sipper. Provides really good value at this price point. Will be enjoying this with spinach and potatoes (similar recipe) because the saltiness of this dish should pair well with the grippy, lip-smacking quality of Savvy's.

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2009 Jules Taylor Sauvignon Blanc, New Zealand - Review

Purchased this one back in April as part of the New Zealand / Easter release.

JULES TAYLOR SAUVIGNON BLANC 2009 - Marlborough, South Island, New Zealand (#224428) - $18.95

Tasting Note:
Classic gooseberry, nettle, some grass, and tinge of orange blossom aromas. Palate: Citrus with touch of honey. Flavourful. Dry. Long finish. Quite nice on this fine spring evening. Having this with vegetable lasagne.

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