Canadian Wine Guy

If you’ve never had the pleasure of trying a Nero d’Avola it’s worth a try. It’s a bit of a more rustic grape, less refined or elegant than some. This wine is dark in color with a mild red berry nose. On the mid palate the wine displays firm black cherries along with some mild dark chocolate. On the medium length finish the wine packs a good punch with strong black pepper, firm palate coating tannins and acidity, nice and dry. This wine definitely lives in the finish and is edgy, but honestly, this is a softer Nero d’Avola than some. I would consider this a drink now wine, it may soften some, but honestly I like the unique character of the wine. We paired it with lasagna and it went well, but be careful what you serve it with. Red sauce based pasta, pizza are good choices. Steak would also be good. This wine is a general list product and is a bargain … Oddly I could not find the year of the wine on the bottle. I would give it a solid -88 or so … from the LCBO web site, check stock:

$12.70 LCBO#: 31797

Product Details

An elegant organic wine produced in the sunny hills of Sicily, it is matured in stainless steel tanks with minimal oak, preserving its fruit freshness. Intriguing aromas of currant, pomegranate and cherry lead to rich and soft flavours on the palate with fresh fruit and velvety tannins. Pair with pizza and pasta.

• Organic

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• Alcohol/Vol 13.5%
• Made In Sicily, Italy
• Sugar Content 4 g/L
• Varietal Nero d’Avola

Dark in color with a mild nose. On the mid palate the wine displays some vibrant, fruit forward red and black cherry notes along with some nice mocha. On the medium length finish the wine display some vibrant acidity, firm tannins and bold peppery notes. It’s quite complex, and nice and dry. I quite enjoyed it, I would give it an -88, yumm … From the LCBO web site, check stock:

$22.95 VINTAGES#: 36314

Product Details

Equal parts Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet Franc from San Patricio del Chañar in Northern Patagonia, the 2021 Cabernet-Cabernet Saurus Select aged 12 months in French and American oak. Notes of candied black fruit, marmalade and cassis unfurl over a toasty, ashen layer of oak. Dry and rich on the palate, well-calibrated acidity provides lift to the fine-grained tannins, leading to a flavorful mouthfeel. This tasty Patagonian red lingers on its fruit notes. Drinking window: 2023-2031. Score – 91. (Joaquín Hidalgo, vinous.com, Feb. 20, 2024)

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• Release Date October 19, 2024
• Alcohol/Vol 14%
• Made In Patagonia, Argentina
• Sugar Content 4 g/L
• Varietal Cabernet Sauvignon/Cabernet Franc

I enjoy Agiorgitiko wines so when I saw this one in the LCBO, and on clearance I grabbed one. Quite pale salmon in color with a mild minerally nose, but this is another one that benefits from being not too cold. On the mid palate the wine packs some lively citrus notes, with vibrant acidity that dances on the tongue. There’s some mild hints of red fruits coming through and this wine is by no means edgy, but not watery or weak either. On the medium length finish the citrus notes and minerality live on in the mouth, nice and dry. We paired it with chicken legs and it went nicely holding it’s own and cutting through the fat of the chicken legs. To my tastes this leans more towards a white than a rose … I would give it an 87-88 which even for the original price is a good deal, but on clearance it was 30% off! From the Kolonaki web site:

Agiorgitiko 70% & Moschofilero 30%, grown on over 20-year-old vines at altitudes of over 750m and fermented in stainless steel tanks with no malolactic fermentation and short ageing on fine lees. The colour is bright with pink hues. Fresh and clean on the nose, with aromas of ripe cherries, raspberries, and floral notes. Full & complex on the palate with flavours of ripe cherries and raspberries. Medium-bodied with medium to high acidity.

From the LCBO web site, check stock:

$13.25 VINTAGES#: 25745

Product Details

Keen Vintages customers will notice the continued presence of the Skouras name on our shelves. They are one of the best purveyors of both classic Greek wine styles and modern applications of traditional Greek grapes. This rosé blend shows fresh red berry flavours with an abundance of floral aromas like rose petal, acacia and honeysuckle.

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• Release Date July 6, 2024
• Alcohol/Vol 12.5%
• Made In Peloponnese, Greece
• Sugar Content 4 g/L
• Varietal Rosé

Garnet in color with a nice bright red berry nose. On the mid palate the displays some nice vibrant raspberries and red cherries. On the medium length finish the varietal rustic notes dance on the tongue and the firm tannins and acidity linger nicely … nice and dry. This is a lovely pinot that punches well above it’s price point, definitely a yummy wine! From the LCBO site, check stock:

$22.95 VINTAGES#: 12627

Product Details

Sweetly fruited and immediately appealing, the wine shows ripe cherry, raspberry, floral and mixed spice aromas, leading to a juicy palate that’s smooth and supple. Beautifully rounded and elegantly flavoursome with a lingering silky finish. At its best: now to 2024. Score – 91. (Sam Kim, wineorbit.co.nz, May 2022)

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• Release Date September 21, 2024
• Alcohol/Vol 13.2%
• Made In Marlborough, New Zealand
• By Vintages Front Line Release
• Sugar Content 2 g/L
• Varietal Pinot Noir

Château La Roque de By 2019

Inky dark in color with a nice black berry nose. On the mid palate the wine displays varietal black fruits, along with some mild dark chocolate and mocha notes. On the medium length finish the wine displays lively acidity and tannins. Not a bad wine, and if you prefer your wines more smooth, then aging or breathing is needed, it’s definitely got more of an edgy sharp finish to it, nice and dry. Not bitter, but not wimpy either. Somewhere in between. I would give it a -88. We paired it it with rack of lamb and honestly, the lamb kinda out did the wine … From the LCBO web site, check stock:

$21.95 VINTAGES#: 38234

Product Details

Situated close to the Gironde estuary, this 24-acre vineyard has produced a ripe, impressively structured wine. With dark tannins and juicy blackberry flavors, the wine is generous and has potential. Drink from 2025 [until 2034]. Best Buy. Score – 93. (Roger Voss, Wine Enthusiast, July 1, 2022)

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• Release Date September 21, 2024
• Made In Bordeaux,
• Varietal Bordeaux