Château Bel Orme Winemaker's Dinner (2019)

On a fine Thursday evening in September, I had the pleasure of attending a winemaker's dinner at The National Club in downtown Toronto. We enjoyed the wines from Bordeaux's Château Bel Orme with Winemaker/Vigneron Anne Françoise Quié in attendance. After enjoying a glass of Louis Pommery Brut from California during the reception, which is made by French producer Champagne...

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San Gregorio Manga del Brujo 2006 (Spain) - Wine Review

Tonight's wine review is something I pulled out from my cellar that was purchased more than 10 years ago from the May 2, 2009 LCBO VINTAGES Release. The tasting note that was published in magazine suggested this would drink well to 2020, so here we are, in 2019. Let's see how this Spanish red wine is tasting tonight... Tasting Note: SAN GREGORIO MANGA DEL BRUJO 2006 -...

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McWilliam's Mount Pleasant Elizabeth Semillon 2006 (Australia) - Wine Review

Something really special, tonight's wine review is an aged Hunter Valley Semillon that was purchased from an LCBO VINTAGES Release 4 years ago. Hunter Valley (in Australia, just north of Sydney) is known for producing outstanding Semillon that can be enjoyed young or admired when allowed to age gracefully. Let's see how this is tasting tonight! Tasting Note: MCWILLIAM'S...

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Legends Estates Vidal Icewine 2006 (Ontario) - Wine Review

Tonight's wine was opened upon the insistence of my wife, as she wanted to enjoy some Icewine in celebration of the holidays. This Icewine was purchased at the winery in January earlier this year when we visited Niagara to partake in Icewine Festivities. It's rare to see older vintages still available for purchase, so I was surprised when we were offered a tasting of this...

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Niagara Icewine Festival Review 2017 - Day 2 of 2

On Saturday, January 28, I visited Niagara for the second weekend in a row to partake in Icewine and food pairings during the Niagara Icewine Festival. All of the wineries visited on this day were located in Twenty Valley. You can read all about my visit to Niagara Wine Country from the previous weekend here. The first stop on this day was at Legends Estates Winery for...

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Zuccardi Q Cabernet Sauvignon 2006 (Argentina) - Wine Review

This savoury, earthy red wine was purchased more than 6 years ago from the November 7, 2009 LCBO VINTAGES Release, well before I starting blogging about wine. It's unfortunate that after the 2006 vintage there were only two vintages that were released through VINTAGES at the LCBO. Tasting Note: ZUCCARDI Q CABERNET SAUVIGNON 2006 - Mendoza, Argentina (#140855) (XD) - $19.95 Destroyed...

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Rioja Bordón Gran Reserva Vertical Wine Tasting

Back in October, I was invited to a very nice vertical tasting of Rioja Bordón Gran Reserva wines dating back to 1982. These red wines are produced by Bodegas Franco-Españolas, a winery that was founded in 1890 in Logrono, Spain, in the aftermath of the French wine industry's most devastating incidents - the phylloxera plague. Bordeaux winemakers affected by the plague...

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Reichsgraf von Kesselstat Kaseler Nies'chen Riesling Kabinett 2006 (Mosel) - Wine Review

Opened up this beautiful white wine last night. It was purchased from a VINTAGES release last August. For sweet wine lovers, stay tuned for future vintages as this is a consistently great wine! REICHSGRAF VON KESSELSTAT KASELER NIES'CHEN RIESLING KABINETT 2006 - Pradikätswein, Mosel, Germany (#940809) (M) - $19.95 Tasting Note: Orange citrus and peach aromas from...

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Remhoogte Estate Wine 2006 (South Africa) - Wine Review

I thought it would be appropriate to finally open this wine last night as a tribute to Nelson Mandela, on the day of his memorial. Ironically, this winery began its new life when current owners Murray and Juliet Boustred purchased the land in 1994, the year that apartheid ended in South Africa. This red wine was purchased earlier this year from the February 2nd LCBO Vintages...

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Strewn Vidal Icewine 2006 (Ontario) - Wine Review

This was a spur-of-the-moment purchase while we were in Muskoka last weekend and wanted something sweet to finish off our Saturday night. This Icewine was the last bottle of its kind on the shelf and it showed when I opened the cork as some crust had developed. There was also some crust at the bottom of the bottle - not exactly sure how that would've happened. STREWN VIDAL...

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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...

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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,...

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Kruger-Rumpf Riesling Spätlese 2006 (Germany) - Review

Purchased this beaut back in January. KRUGER-RUMPF RIESLING SPÄTLESE 2006 - QmP, Münsterer Dautenpflänzer, Nahe, Germany (MD) (#189662) - $16.95 Tasting Note: Petrol, slate, mineral aromas. Delicious melon, peach, citrus flavours. Smooth and refreshing. Off-dry. If you like off-dry Reislings, this is definitely one to try today or in 10 years. Not sure what I'll be having...

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2006 Nativa Gran Reserva Cabernet Sauvignon, Chile - Review

I'm a big fan of Chilean wines, so tonight's wine is an Organic version from Nativa. Purchased only last month as part of the April 30th Vintages Release. NATIVA SINGLE VINEYARD GRAN RESERVA CABERNET SAUVIGNON 2006 - Organically Grown, Maipo Valley, Chile (#975359) - $19.95 Tasting Note: Gorgeous herbs (eucalyptus), pepper/spice, earth aromas. Raspberry, blackberry,...

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