Belje Grasevina 2009 (Croatia) - Wine Review

To celebrate my birthday weekend, I wanted to remind myself that even though I am a year older, it's important to continue to try new things - wine-related or not. Life is too short!

As such, I've chosen an off-dry white wine that originates from Croatia. This will be my first time trying a white wine from Croatia - looking through my database I see that I did taste a red from Croatia back in 2002!

Made using an ancient variety of white grape called 'Grasevina' - which is also known as Welschriesling in Austria and not related to Rhine Riesling - this varietal is notably found in Hungary, Croatia, Austria and Czech Republic. This wine was purchased from the Feb 4. Vintage release.

BELJE GRAŠEVINA 2009 - Suho Vrhunsko, Croatia (#264200) (D) - $16.95

Tasting Note:
Cork smells fresh and infused with sweet syrup. Water cress, wet grass, green apple, and touch of sweet citrus aromas. Buttered popcorn, toffee, dried apricots and some lychee. Weighty white with floral notes on the long finish. Different and yummy. This would go well with a mild cheddar.

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Feb. 18 Wine Picks: Customer Favourites + Tasting Terroir + Kosher Wines

The next Vintages release is nearly upon us and will be in LCBO outlets across Ontario on February 18. The main feature of this release is "22 Customer Favourites" and is quite self-explanatory. I honestly didn't find anything too exciting in this part of the magazine and, so, moved to the sub-feature titled "Tasting Terroir".

The Bachelder series of Chardonnays from 3 different terroirs - Niagara, Oregon, Bourgogne offer a very interesting opportunity to taste the same varietal from 3 different parts of the world crafted by same winemaker, from the same vintage. Each one costs $34.95 - buy all 3 and taste the difference!

White wines in this release impressed me more than the reds. The two that stood out for me were the Mike Weir Riesling and the Tawse Chardonnay, both locally made. Among the red wines is another locally made wine - the Creekside Laura's Red, made using the classic Bordeaux-style blend of Cab Sauv, Cab Franc, Merlot, Malbec and Petit Verdot.

I enjoy trying single vineyard wines because terroir plays such an influential role at the vineyard. As such, the Single Vineyard Chardonnay and Malbec from Xumek (Argentina) are both very interesting wines to try.

In this issue, there's also a premium selection of Kosher-certified certified wines for Purim and Passover. Enjoy my picks for this week!


Red Wine:

• XUMEK SINGLE VINEYARD MALBEC 2009 - Zonda Valley, San Juan, Argentina (#265215) (XD) - $15.95
• CREEKSIDE LAURA’S RED 2007 - VQA Niagara Peninsula, Ontario, Canada (#117960) (XD) - $19.95
• DOMAINES DAMIENS TRADITION MADIRAN 2009 - AC, Southwest, France (#268482) (D) - $16.95
• SARONSBERG ART SPACE SHIRAZ/MOURVÈDRE 2009 - WO Coastal Region, South Africa (#263590) (XD) - $14.95

White Wine:

• MIKE WEIR RIESLING 2008 - VQA Niagara-on-the-Lake, Ontario, Canada (#229286) (MD) - $14.95
• XUMEK SINGLE VINEYARD CHARDONNAY 2010 - Zonda Valley, San Juan, Argentina (#265231) (XD) - $15.95
• TAWSE SKETCHES OF NIAGARA CHARDONNAY 2009 - VQA Niagara Peninsula, Ontario, Canada (#089037) (XD) - $19.95
• VALMIÑOR ALBARIÑO 2010 - O’Rosal, DO Rias Baixas, Spain (#266924) (XD) - $15.95

Sparkling Wine:

• DOMAINE FRANÇOIS SCHWACH BLANC DE BLANCS BRUT CRÉMANT D’ALSACE 2007 - AC, Alsace, France (#268060) (XD) - $18.95

Full list of wines from the February 18th Vintages release can be found here.

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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)

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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Wine Reviews from 2012 Niagara Icewine Festival

During the 2012 Niagara Icewine Festival, I had the opportunity to taste many wines. Most of them were (obviously) sweet, but I was able to taste a few dry table red wines and white wines. Below, you will find  tasting notes of some of the wines I tasted.

The best Icewine of the bunch was, by far, the Chateau des Charmes Riesling Icewine. Among dry wines, I look forward to getting my hands on the Legends Estate Shiraz and serving with goat curry. I'm also looking forward to the GreenLane Cabernet Sauvignon, when it's ready.

CHÂTEAU DES CHARMES ALIGOTÉ 2009 - Estate Btld, VQA (#284950) (XD) - $10.65
Crisp apple, floral, grassy. A tinge of butter. Light, easy drinking white wine reminds me of a cross between Sauvignon Blanc and an unoaked Chardonnay. Quite nice.

CHÂTEAU DES CHARMES RIESLING 2008 - Estate Btld, VQA (#061499) (D) - $12.55
Lovely floral aromas. Mineral, slate and petrol on the palate. Crisp acidity allows it to be paired with meals. Off-dry and delicious.

CHÂTEAU DES CHARMES GENERATION SEVEN WHITE - VQA (#197988) (D) - $13.95

Soft, easy drinking white wine featuring aromas and flavours of kiwi, grapefruit and floral notes. Good "food wine" with balanced acidity.

CHÂTEAU  DES CHARMES GAMAY NOIR 2008 - Estate Btld, VQA (#057349) (XD) - $12.55

Smoke, dark fruits, white pepper, herbal aromas with a touch of cherry. All follow through on palate, with dark fruits dominating; pepper on the mid-palate. Medium-bodied red wine.

CHÂTEAU DES CHARMES 'OLD VINES' CABERNET-MERLOT 2006 - Estate Btld, VQA (#222372) (XD) - $19.95
Notes of currant, cassis, mint, oak and chocolate. Smooth and silky tannins make their presence felt. Tastes expensive.

CHÂTEAU DES CHARMES RIESLING ICEWINE 2007 - VQA, Paul Bosc Estate Vineyard (S) (375 mL) - $65.00

Seductive aromas of honey and apricot that follow through on the palate. Very good acidity that will allow this Icewine to be paired with a meal. Outstanding offering that is excellent right now, and could rested for up to 5 years. Buy online

CATTAIL CREEK SELECT LATE HARVEST VIDAL 2008 - VQA Ontario (MS) (375 mL) - $20.95
Mild honey, apricot, petrol aromas and flavours. Acidity a touch strong, providing harsh experience.

PONDVIEW VIDAL ICEWINE 2010 - VQA (S) (200 mL) - $25.15

Strong burnt honey aromas and flavours leaving tingling sensation in mouth. Some apricot notes. Strong acidity. Serve with mild blue cheese.

PONDVIEW CABERNET FRANC ICEWINE 2009 - VQA (S) (200 mL) - $35.10
Strong nose of red berries - strawberry and raspberry dipped in sugar. Pairs well with chocolate and acidity strong enough for meal pairing. Buy here

RIVERVIEW CABERNET FRANC ICEWINE 2010 - VQA (S) (375 mL) - $59.95

Full of strawberry and honey notes. Not too sweet; serve with milk chocolate or light cheese. Buy direct

JACKSON-TRIGGS GRAND RESERVE CABERNET FRANC ICEWINE 2007 - VQA (#264325) (S) (200 mL) - $19.95 (from JT website)

Aromas of raspberry. Intense flavours of sweet red berries interplay with some raisin and fig notes. A deal at $20.

PELLER ESTATES VIDAL and OAK AGED VIDAL ICEWINE - VQA (S)

Both were outstanding - delicious honey, apricots, mineral/petrol, with the Oak Aged having more peppery, spicy notes.

GREENLANE RIESLING ICEWINE 2008 - VQA (S) (200 mL) - $29.95

Honey, citrus and candied lime aromas. Lovely honey and candied fruits on the palate. Balanced wine that pairs well with (blue) cheese.

GREENLANE GREETINGS CABERNET MERLOT 2007 - VQA (#256271) (XD) - $12.95
Cassis, herbal, spicy notes. Ripe, round wine that has some tannin grip, but is easy drinking. Would match well with a wide variety of foods.

GREENLANE GREETINGS CABERNET SAUVIGNON 2007 - VQA (XD) - $23.95
Dark fruit, spice and hints of chocolate. Very tannic and needs more time to develop, but has excellent potential.

LEGENDS ESTATES SHIRAZ RESERVE 2006 - VQA (XD) - $19.95
Lots of smoky, pepper notes. Full bodied. Beautiful Shiraz made for lamb. Buy here

LEGENDS ESTATES VIDAL ICEWINE 2006 - VQA (S) (375 mL) - $39.95
Thick and syrupy with the usual honey, apricot aromas and flavours. A little low on sweetness for my taste.

MAGNOTTA VIDAL HARVEST MOON 2010 - VQA (MS) (750 mL) - $9.95
Medium-sweet wine with orange and tangerine on the nose. Passionfruit and apple on the palate. Tangy. Buy here

MAGNOTTA CANADIAN PASSITO VIDAL 2006 - VQA (MS) (375 mL) - $14.95
Another medium-sweet offering with melon, apricot, honey, floral and some raisin notes. Pair with cheese.

MAGNOTTA VIDAL ICEWINE 2008 - VQA (#587154) (S) (375 mL) - $29.95
Fabulous Icewine with honey, toffee, apricots and peach. Suitable for cheese and desserts. Great value!

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Henry of Pelham Reserve Off-Dry Riesling 2009 (Ontario) - Wine Review

This off-dry white wine is a perennial favourite of mine, as I've purchased the 2007 vintage 3 times (twice in 2008, once in 2009) and enjoyed it each and every time. Purchased recently from the Jan 21 LCBO Vintages release, this promises to be just as good...

HENRY OF PELHAM RESERVE OFF-DRY RIESLING 2009 - VQA Short Hills Bench, Niagara Peninsula, Ontario, Canada (#557165) (MD) - $15.95

Tasting Note:
Candied lime, citrus, mineral, wax and petrol aromas. Tangy citrus, lime, with a slight touch of sweetness on the palate. Bright seam of acidity cuts through the middle. Off-dry. Could be cellared a few more years, but is definitely delicious now. Recommended if you like wines that are slightly sweet. Will be enjoying this with spinach & potatoes.

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California Cabs + Greek Revival: Feb. 4 LCBO Vintages Wine Picks

The next LCBO Vintages release is on Saturday, February 4th and the major feature in this release is titled "California Cabs". I find most Cabernets Sauvignons from California to be relatively high-priced and don't provide high QPR (quality-price ratio). However, the Sebastiani Cab Sauv did make my list of top wine picks.

Secondary feature of this release focuses on popular varietals from Greece. I've always enjoyed Greek wines and believe you will too! Some grape varietals to discover are the white Assyrtiko and Moschofilero (see Tselopos below), and the red grape Agiorgitiko.

With Valentine's Day fast approaching, some sweet wine that won't break the bank would be nice. I've chosen two such wines that will satisfy you and/or your partner's sweet tooth.

The rest of the release features a few quality wines, including the 'Wine of the Month' Plunkett Fowles Shiraz. Jip Jip Rocks also made my list of wine picks for the second time in three releases.

If you try any of these, send me a note or post a comment and tell me what you thought. Enjoy my picks for this week! Cheers!


Red Wine:

• PLUNKETT FOWLES STONE DWELLERS SHIRAZ 2008 - Strathbogie Ranges, Victoria, Australia (#265967) (XD) - $19.95
• MAETIERRA DOMINUM QUATRO PAGOS 2005 - DOCa Rioja, Spain (#246660) (XD) - $19.95
• JIP JIP ROCKS SHIRAZ/CABERNET 2009 - Padthaway, South Australia, Australia (#186114) (D) - $16.95
• LA POSTA ANGEL PAULUCCI VINEYARD MALBEC 2008 - Mendoza, Argentina (#075515) (XD) - $15.95
• ALBINO ARMANI EGLE RIPASSO VALPOLICELLA SUPERIORE 2008 - DOCG, Veneto, Italy (#247916) (XD) - $15.95
• SEBASTIANI CABERNET SAUVIGNON 2007 - Sonoma County, California, USA (#640573) (D) - $19.95

White Wine:

• BELJE GRAŠEVINA 2009 - Suho Vrhunsko, Croatia (#264200) (D) - $16.95
• JOSEPH CATTIN RIESLING 2010 - AC, Alsace, France (#259788) (XD) - $14.95
• SMALL GULLY THE FORMULA HELEN’S HARMONY VIOGNIER 2008 - Barossa Valley, South Australia, Australia (#269332) (XD) - $19.95
• TSELEPOS MOSCHOFILERO MANTINIA 2010 - PDO, Greece (#724583) (D) - $16.95

Icewine:

• FLOURISH VIDAL ICEWINE 2008 - VQA Niagara Peninsula, Ontario, Canada (#222356) (S) (200 mL) - $17.95

Dessert Wine:

• COTNARI GRASA DE COTNARI 2009 - DOCC, Romania (#073205) (MS) - $12.95

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

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2007 Concha y Toro Winemaker's Lot 148 Carmenère (Chile) - Review

It's chicken fajita night. To celebrate, I turned to one of my favourite grapes: Carmenère. This little-known varietal is making its trademark in Chile and gaining popularity. Purchased in August, 2009 from the "Chile's Brilliant Showstoppers" release, it needed to be aged to soften the tannins and is now ready for primetime.

CONCHA Y TORO WINEMAKER'S LOT 148 CARMENÈRE 2007 - Las Pataguas Vineyard, Rapel Valley, Chile (#030957) (XD) - $16.95

Tasting Note:
Cork smells of plums, dark fruit and hints of raisin. Inky, smoky, chocolate, cassis, pomegranate and hints of mocha aromas from the glass. Cassis, herbal, white pepper, mocha, milk chocolate notes on the palate. Full bodied red with ripe tannins. Could be aged another 1-2 years, but can be savoured today. Recommended.

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