Providing a Unique & Affordable Selection of High Quality Red Wines and White Wines for Your Enjoyment. Also featured: Rosé, Port, Icewine, Champagne and Sparkling Wine for Special Occasions. Cheers!
Ordering a glass of house wine at a restaurant? Almost unheard of for me, and rarely would I recommend it. However, I really enjoyed a glass of this red wine recently at Mideastro in Vaughan.
Tasting Note:
Aromas of black cherry, fig, pepper and earth. Ripe, dark fruits on the palate with juicy, ripe tannins. Light bodied red wine. It wasn't the ideal to be enjoyed with Panko-crusted Chilean Sea Bass, but wasn't entirely over-bearing either. It did pair well with the double-cut Lamb Chops. Definitely a very good house wine, and the restaurant is top-notch! Wasn't my first time there, and won't be my last.
The next release of wines from LCBO Vintages is on the and the main feature in this release is on food-friendly wines that go well with feasts.
Among these wines, the Auntsfield Sauvignon Blanc will pair nicely with seafood and light salads, while the off-dry Riesling Spätlese will pair nicely with spicy Asian dishes.
In reds, there are three French wines that are worth a look, with the Grenache-blended Hecht & Bannier that offers impeccable value and is my top pick from the entire release. Also from France, we have two Bordeaux blends - from the great 2009 vintage is the Haut-Surget, and the 2008 La Bourrée. From Australia, we have the Salmagundi which is blended with more than half Shiraz, followed by 4 other grapes.
If you're looking for something sweet, then you will enjoy the Elysium Muscat from California. Want to pop something sweet for a celebration? Go for the sweet Moscato d'Asti, which typically goes over quite well in my circles. A very nice summer patio sipper is the Rosé from our local Tawse Winery. Enjoy my picks for the week!
Purchased this white wine from the Holiday Cheer release back in December as I am big fan of Alsatian Pinot Gris, which is typically made in an off-dry style.
ANNE BOECKLIN PINOT GRIS RÉSERVE 2008 - AC Alsace, France (#106831) (D) - $18.95
Tasting Note:
Cork aromas of orange marmalade and honey. In the glass, more lovely aromas of orange marmalade, plus peach, earth and honey. Lots of peach and honey notes on the palate, with a slight spicy finish. Starts off-dry, but the sweetness dies off at mid-palate and finishes dry with some bitterness. Good acidity. Will pair nicely with the chili chicken and steamed white rice that's on the menu tonight.
Received this red wine in a gift pack along with the Sauvignon Blanc back in December and I am quite impressed with the high QPR (Quality-to-Price Ratio) of this Shiraz from South Africa. From the LCBO general list, this is always available.
TWO OCEANS SHIRAZ 2010 - WO Western Cape, South Africa (#699249) (D) - $9.95
Tasting Note:
Screw cap. Nose seems closed with ripe red fruits, pepper and oak with more of the same on the palate. Some sweet overtones. Medium-full bodied with crunchy, ripe tannins. Quite nice. A great value at $9.95 and a notch higher than the Yellow Tail Shiraz. Would go well with lamb chops or BBQ chicken with mint chutney.
Today I understand minerality in wine by going directly to the source. What does chalk, river stone and slate actually taste like? Learn the definition of minerality in wine and see if wine sommeliers and wine experts are full of... chalk.
Slate is commonly associated with riesling and I feel this to be very true when actually licking a slate rock. I encourage you all to lick slate, it’s delicious! Be sure to boil it to remove all the dangerous microbes. I don’t recommend making yourself sick.
Chalk Minerality in Wine
Chalk is feels like licking a hard sponge that sucks all the moisture out of your mouth. The flavor of chalk reminds me mildly of a very dry Champagne or Brut Zero (a Champagne with no added dosage..aka sugar). However the drying sensation reminds me more of Italian Wines with very strong tannins such as Barolo, Barbaresco and Chianti.
River Stone Minerality in Wine
River stone is supposed to remind people of chenin blanc, chardonnay, sauvignon blanc and pinot noir. The flavor of a river stone is so gross and offensive I don’t feel comfortable talking about it. Please don’t make me try it again. Oh! And! In case you’re curious... You too can buy a bag of rocks for only $6 on amazon.com.
Getting Serious About the Definition of Minerality in Wine
Minerality is neither a single compound or the vines ability to “suck the minerals out of the soil.” It is in fact a combination of all of many different aspects including esters, trace minerals, acidity level and a wines’ alcohol level. To define minerality is like trying to define why someone is tall, there’s too many genes at play that affect someone’s height. So, when wine writers write “Minerality” they are trying to put a name on a multi-faceted characteristic that science doesn’t have a definition for. Instead, as a wine drinker focus more on what you like about a wine in particular and observe the following list of wines that are known for their mineral-like character.
Riesling from Germany as “Flinty or Slatey”
Chardonnay from Chablis as “Chalky”
Sangiovese from Italy (aka Chianti, Brunello di Montalcino, Barolo) as “Clay” or “Brick”
Assyrtiko from Greece as “Gritty” or “Concrete”
Red Bordeaux from France as “Gravelly”
Pinot Noir from Burgundy as “Rustic” “Barnyard” or “Forest-floor”
Author of this post: Madeline Puckette of WineFolly
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
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.
The next Vintages wine release is on and is titled "Flavour Fiesta", featuring Spanish wines. I am a big fan of Spanish wines and four of them made my list of wine picks.
The first is the Monastrell (with 10% Garnacha) at $13.95 offers great value and will pair nicely with chicken or lamb curry dishes. Second pick is the dry white Verdejo, known for it's aromatics and bright acidity, this will pair nicely with seafood dishes and tomato-based dishes. Third pick is also a dry white, the Peciña is made with the Viura grape (a.k.a. Macabeo) and reminds me of a Chardonnay, but with more floral notes. This one can be aged a few years. The fourth and final pick from Spain is the Adoremus Tinta de Toro, made with the classic Spanish grape - Tempranillo. A great wine that will pair nicely with rack of lamb.
I'm not a big fan of Sparkling wines, or "bubbly" as it's sometimes called, and the secondary feature in this release was not terribly interesting for me. However, the Brut Rosé sparkler from Burgundy is intriguing.
From the rest of the release, the 2009 St. Hallett Shiraz (#535104) is a standout, but will set you back $29.95. Also, if you like sweet wine, try the Sauternes 2005 Le Dauphin de Guiraud (#190496, $24.95) or the Botrytis Semillon (below) - I think you will enjoy it!
Here are the rest of my picks from this release. Cheers!
Red Wine:
COLUMBIA CREST H3 CABERNET SAUVIGNON 2009 - Horse Heaven Hills, Washington, USA (#210047) (XD) - $19.95
OLIVARES ALTOS DE LA HOYA MONASTRELL 2009 - DO Jumilla, Spain (#163154) (XD) - $13.95
WAKEFIELD SHIRAZ 2009 - Clare Valley, South Australia (#943787) (XD) - $17.95
MAS D’AUZIERÈS LES ÉCLATS 2009 - AC Coteaux du Languedoc, Midi, France (#271742) (XD) - $16.95
VEGA SAUCO ADOREMUS TINTA DE TORO 2004 - DO Toro, Spain (#268813) (XD) - $19.95
XUMEK SINGLE VINEYARD SYRAH 2009 - Zonda Valley, San Juan, Argentina (#265223) (XD) - $15.95
White Wine:
ALKOOMI RIESLING 2009 - Frankland River, Western Australia, Australia (#269290) (XD) - $16.95
SEÑORIO DE P. PECIÑA CHOBEO DE PECIÑA 2009 - DOCa Rioja, Spain (#266866) (XD) - $17.95
CATHEDRAL CELLAR CHARDONNAY 2010 - WO Western Cape, South Africa (#328559) (XD) - $14.95
FLAT ROCK THE RUSTY SHED CHARDONNAY 2010 - VQA Twenty Mile Bench, Niagara Peninsula, Ontario, Canada (#001552) (XD) - $24.95
Ordered this red wine back in February 2006, in lots of 3 bottles from the Vintages Bordeaux Futures program and arrived at my doorstep in March of 2008. The intent was to experience the evolution of a wine at various stages as it ages in the bottle. The 2005 Bordeaux's were remarked as possibly greatest vintage ever!
The first bottle was, ironically, opened on my wife's birthday in June of 2010 and based on my notes it looks like I did enjoy it. The second bottle was opened this evening, and here is my review...
CHÂTEAU AMPÉLIA 2005 - Côtes de Castillon, Bordeaux, France (#500330) (XD) - $20
Tasting Note:
Some oak resin aromas from cork. Earthy, cedar, dark fruit, and some plum aromas. Fairly straightforward on the palate with dark and red fruits, finishing with pepper and some mocha notes. Full bodied wine. Tannins integrating nicely, but still need more time. This should drink well for at least another 4-5 years. Will be enjoying this with homemade Chicken Enchiladas.
Saturday, March 31, 2012
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