Douro & Port Wine Tasting in Toronto

Earlier this week, I attended the IVDP wine tasting event in downtown Toronto. This event featured many Ports and Douros commonly found in the LCBO general list, as well as a few from the Vintages section. Some wines could only be purchase by direct order only. I was excited to find out that some wines (which are currently not available at the LCBO) were being tasted in...

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2008 Flat Rock Chardonnay (Niagara) - Wine Review

Tonight's wine is a lovely offering one of our local wine producers - Flat Rock Cellars. This white wine was purchased from the Special Ontario-only Vintages release on September 10th. FLAT ROCK CHARDONNAY 2008 - VQA Twenty Mile Bench, Niagara Peninsula, Ontario, Canada (#681247) (XD) - $16.95 Tasting Note: A screw-top, so no smelling of the cork. Apple, toasty oak and...

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Wines of Tuscany & Piedmont + Whisky: Oct. 15 Wine Picks

The major feature in the LCBO Vintages release on October 15, 2011 are the wines from the two big powerhouses in Italy - Tuscany and Piedmont. Only one wine from Piedmont/Tuscany made my list. However, I do want to mention a 2nd - the Scopetani Chianti (#164814) - as it appears to be a good crowd-friendly wine to serve when having many guests over for dinner. Another crowd-pleasing...

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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...

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2010 Mission Hill Five Vineyards Rosé (B.C.) - Wine Review

This pretty Rosé wine was purchased this summer as part of the July 23 Vintages Release - and what a gem it is! MISSION HILL FIVE VINEYARDS ROSÉ 2010 - VQA Okanagan Valley, British Columbia, Canada (#229716) (D) - $15.95 Tasting Note: A lot of bubbles that sink to the bottom for a wine that is not a sparkling wine. Aromas of sweet cherries, sandalwood and grapefruit. Candy...

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Syrah & Shiraz Around the World: October 1 Vintages Release

The next Vintages release on October 1 features Syrah and Shiraz from around the world. If you didn't know, these 2 grapes are identical. So, when you see either "Syrah" or "Shiraz" on the bottle, it really is a reflection of the style of wine. Also, Syrahs tend to be from the Old World, while Shirazes tend to be from the New World. I like both Syrahs and Shirazes, so I've...

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2007 Château de Flaugergues (Languedoc) - Wine Review

Purchased this red wine last month as part of the August 20 Vintages Release, the wine label on this bottle would be a top 3 finalist for most boring. However, it's what's inside that counts... CHÂTEAU DE FLAUGERGUES CUVÉE SOMMELIÈRE 2007 - La Méjanelle, AC Coteaux du Languedoc, France (#065896) (XD) - $17.95 Tasting Note: Cork smelled lovely on this one. Delicious aromas...

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