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!
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.
Purchased this white wine from the 'Smart Buys' release back in January. This Riesling is made in an off-dry style and is definitely a smart buy if you like wines on the sweet side.
Tasting Note:
Screw-top. Aromas: tropical fruit, lemon citrus, stone fruits, mineral and petrol. Tropical fruit, lemon-citrus, slightly tangy on the palate. Finishes with honey and some mineral notes. Deliciously medium-dry. Very good wine to sip on its own or pair with mild-cheeses.
The next LCBO Vintages release is on and there are lots of great buys. I am big fan of French wines, and the major feature in this release focuses on 13 benchmark-setting grapes from wines Made in France.
Of the French wines that made my list, the Moulin-à-Vent is made using the Gamay grape, which you see quite commonly planted here in Ontario, but is actually not planted widely anywhere else. The Crozes-Hermitage is a fabulous Rhône-style Syrah (a.k.a Shiraz), while the Vacqueyras is a blend of mostly Grenache and some Syrah.
The secondary wine feature of this release is on a grape varietal that is a favourite of mine - Carmenère. Chile does this grape better than anyone else and two wines emerged from this release that are worth tasting: Concha y Toro Terrunyo Block 27 Carmenère 2008 (#562892, $29.95) and the Misiones de Rengo Gran Reserva Cuvée Carmenère 2010 (#264937, $19.95).
Also featured in this release, and just in time for , are a selection of fine Irish Whiskies which you can peruse at your leisure from the magazine here. Enjoy my picks for this week!
Red Wine:
DELAS FRÈRES LES LAUNES CROZES-HERMITAGE 2009 - AC, Rhône, France (#701359) (XD) - $20.95
DOMAINE DES AILES MOULIN-À-VENT 2010 - AC, Beaujolais, France (#183442) (XD) - $16.95
PERRIN & FILS LES CHRISTINS VACQUEYRAS 2009 - AC, Rhône, France (#973453) (XD) - $23.95
CHÂTEAU LA BRIE PRESTIGE 2009 - AC Bergerac, Southwest, France (#061994) (XD) - $13.95
THE WATCHER SHIRAZ 2008 - Barossa Valley, South Australia (#219196) (XD) - $19.95
THE GRINDER PINOTAGE 2010 - WO Swartland, South Africa (#269076) (XD) - $14.95
White Wine:
JOSEPH CATTIN HATSCHBOURG PINOT GRIS 2009 - AC Alsace Grand Cru, France (#260240) (M) - $19.95
CHÂTEAU PERRON BLANC 2009 - AC Graves, Bordeaux, France (#226126) (XD) - $17.95
GRAY MONK RIESLING 2009 - VQA Okanagan Valley, British Columbia, Canada (#273466) (D) - $18.95
Tonight's red wine was purchased from the October 29 Vintages release and opened tonight with the idea that it would still evolve and taste pretty good on the second day. Why the second day? Because the food pairing on Sunday night will match better than what's on the menu tonight, coupled with the fact that I haven't had a sip of wine since Tuesday. :)
CONCHA Y TORO WINEMAKER’S LOT 54 SYRAH 2008 - Los Brujos Vineyard, San Javier Valley, Maule Valley, Chile (#227496) (XD) - $16.95
Tasting Note:
Aromas of mulberry and black pepper from cork. Ripe blackberry, pepper, earth, bacon and touch of mocha aromas in the glass. Mulberry, ripe red fruits on the palate. Full-bodied. Alcohol comes to fore at mid-palate of long finish. Ripe tannins. Will reward ageing another 2-3 years, but definitely enjoyable now.
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 !
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 .
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.
Tuesday, March 13, 2012
Tasting Note:
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