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!
Purchased this Alsatian Pinot Gris just last month from the Made in France Vintages release. I always enjoy off-dry offerings from Alsace, and this one should be no exception. This white wine was opened Sunday night and went over very well among my guests.
JOSEPH CATTIN HATSCHBOURG PINOT GRIS 2009 - AC Alsace Grand Cru, France (#260240) (M) - $19.95
Tasting Note:
Aromas of peach, mineral with touches honey and mushroom. Rich, and flavourful with gorgeous peach and honey on the palate, with a light seam of acidity. Finishes a bit spicy. Full-bodied, smooth and very tasty. Enjoyed this with spicy chicken pakoras and chicken masala meatballs in curry. Highly recommended.
Joseph Cattin is an excellent producer of Pinot Gris. You can find my review of their 2008 Pinot Gris here.
Tasting Note:
Aromas of candied oranges, honey and peach from cork. Soft toasted honey notes, slight citrusy aromas in the glass.Honey, peach, nutmeg and orange flavours on the palate. Light texture. Very sweet for a late harvest. Delicious, but doesn't quite match up to the sweetness of this Cadbury Creme Egg that I'm enjoying.
This wine is no longer available from the LCBO. However, you can purchase a similar, newer vintage wine directly from the winery.
The next LCBO Vintages release is on , and just in time to restock after Easter and Passover holidays. Titled Heat of the Moment, the major focus in this release is on wines from Argentina.
While the overall release is rather weak, there does seem to be many more wines in the sub-$20 category. From Argentina, we have two intense reds in the CarinaE Malbec and Fabre Cab Sauv. We also have the Grenache-blended Brotte from Rhône, and an Italian Old Vines Primitivo (a.k.a. Zinfandel) who are the masters of this grape varietal.
The secondary feature is on Eco-Friendly wines, and while each region is adopting their own set of best practices, more and more wineries are trending towards making eco-friendly wines. You can read more about this subject on page 19 and 20. The Zuccardi Malbec Rosé is an organic wine, while the Herdade Penedo Gordo is a sustainable product - and both are worth a look.
As with many Vintages products, it's important to buy the day the wine is released, because you may not find it on shelves again until the next vintage (i.e. next year). Enjoy my picks and let me know if you liked any of these!
Tonight's red wine was received back in February, courtesy of Sandals St. Lucia. I am not expecting much, but, as always, keeping an open mind and was quite pleasantly surprised. I suspect this is the same wine that can be purchased from the LCBO for $13.95.
BERINGER STONE CELLARS MERLOT - California, USA (#462473) (D) - $13.95
Tasting Note:
Slippery cork was pulled out rather easily. Cork aromas of crushed red berries and some prune. In the glass, aromas of ripe red berries, raspberry, plum, licorice, and some earthy elements. Lots of blackberry notes on the palate, mulberry, some spice, and hints of milk chocolate. Sweet core, medium-bodied with chewy ripe tannins. Finishes somewhat hot - alcohol seems higher than the 13.5% on the label. Easy drinking.
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.
Monday, April 16, 2012
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