Canadian Wine Guy

Ok, I should probably start out with I don’t buy or drink a lot of Barolos, they simply are out of the price range I’m willing to pay. This one is ruby in color with a nice dark cherry nose. On the mid palate the wine displays some nice dark cherry notes, but not bright young cherries, more light wilted cherries … But this wine lives mostly in the finish where it displays elegant dusty tannins that build in the mouth and coat the palate. On the medium to long finish the wine displays some nice acidity and the tannins live on long in the mouth. This really is a super tasty wine. Nothing else is quite like a Barolo. Yumm, it is $68.75, sadly, not in the LCBO, available from Burgundy Direct by the case. I would give it a solid 89+. From Burgundy direct’s web site:

Note: Made of organically farmed fruit from commune of Barolo; Coste di Rose, Preda and Monrobiolo vineyards. Destemmed, softly crushed, indigenous yeasts, 30 day maceration-fermentation with frequent pump-overs.
 “Barale’s 2015 Barolo Vendemmia is perfumed, open-knit and inviting. Floral overtones and silky, red berry fruit give this mid-weight Barolo much of its sensuality and overall appeal. Spice, crushed berry and wild flowers develop later adding further shades of nuance. This is such a pretty Barolo from an estate that continues to make important strides.” 91 points, Antonio Galloni, Vinous. November, 2019.

Strawberry in color with a mild nose. On the mid palate there’s some interesting edgy strawberry and cranberry notes along with some firm acidity. There’s some nice red wine notes. It’s quite a nice, complex rose, different from others. It can hold it’s own reasonable well. I’d give it an -88 which for the price is not a bad deal at all!

From the LCBO web site:

Rosé

750 mL bottle  |   VINTAGES#:  668772$14.95VIN88

Pale red-pink. Sweet aromas and flavors of herbs, bubble gum, red cherry and red apple. Also enters slightly sweet, but finishes rather bitter with hints of dried cranberry and flowers. Drink date: 2019-2020. Score – 88. (Ian D’Agata, vinous.com, May 2019)Read Less 

PRODUCT DETAILS

Release Date:September 28, 2019Bottle Size:750 mL bottleAlcohol/Vol:12.5%Made In:Marche, ItalyBy:Az. Vitivinicola Velenosi ErcoleSugar Content:7 g/LSweetness Descriptor:XD – Extra DryStyle:Easygoing & FruityVarietal:Rosé

From the winery’s web site:

PRODUCTION AREA:   Company owned vineyards located in Castel di Lama

VARIETY:   Montepulciano 100%

ALTITUDE:   200-300 m  a.s.l.

SOIL:   Loam soil , tending towards clay.

TRAINING SYSTEM:   Guyot

DENSITY:   5,000 plants per hectare

YIELD PER HECTARE:   about 80 quintals

HARVEST:   Specifically selected grapes for rosé vinification are picked during the first 10 days of September.

VINIFICATION:   Once in the cellar, the grapes are destemmed and conveyed to the press. In order not to lose the main scents, the entire environment is covered with dry ice.  At this point a brief cold maceration is carried out for about 6 hours so as to extract the peak of the scents.  The fermentation is at a temperature of about 14°/15° C.  Upon completion of the fermentation, the wine is kept for some months on thin dregs to enhance its structure.

I’ve been on a bit of binge on Italian wines and one of the ones catching my attention lately is Nero D’Avola … This one is dark in color with a mild cherry nose. On the mid palate the wine displays some lovely vibrant black cherry notes along with some mocha. On the medium length finish the wine displays some nice firm tannins and vibrant acidity, nice and dry. The cherries live on nicely in the mouth. I would give it an 88+ which for the price is a fabulous deal. While this definitely would be awesome with red sauce, we paired it with a striplon and it held itself well. Yummy.

from the LCBO web site: check stock

750 mL bottle  |   VINTAGES#:  12165$14.95

This Nero d’Avola comfortably calls back to the Old World with nose of stewed stone fruit, graphite, and worn leather. Remarkably balanced flavors of dark berries, stewed cherries, and soft anise spice carry over a juicy acidity that seduces the palate. Memorably drinkable. Excellent, Highly Recommended. Score – 91. (Ultimate Wine Challenge, 2019) .

PRODUCT DETAILS

Release Date:January 11, 2020Bottle Size:750 mL bottleAlcohol/Vol:13.4%Made In:Sicily, ItalyBy:Nosio SpaSugar Content:9 g/LSweetness Descriptor:D – DryStyle:Medium-bodied & Fruity

Dark in color with a mild red berry nose. On the mid palate the wine displays some nice red berry notes to match the nose along with some noticeable oak and dried fruit notes. On the medium length finish the wine displays some nice smooth acidity, dryness and tannins. Its a lovely varietal, classic example of Chianti classico done right. I’d give it an 88 or so …

From the LCBO web site: Check stock

750 mL bottle  |   VINTAGES#:  573485$17.95 JS90

Lots of red cherries, herbs, orange rind and cedar on the nose of this pretty Chianti Classico. Medium-bodied with fine tannins and a fresh finish. Drink now. Score – 90. (James Suckling, jamessuckling.com, Oct. 20, 2017)Read More 

PRODUCT DETAILS

Release Date:December 7, 2019Bottle Size:750 mL bottleAlcohol/Vol:13.6%Made In:Tuscany, ItalyBy:Castelli Del GrevepesaSugar Content:4 g/LSweetness Descriptor:XD – Extra DryStyle:Medium-bodied & Fruity

I had the pleasure of attending a Wines of Veneto event, held by the Italian consulate and I learned lots, including how much proseccos can vary. This particular one was my favorite of the three we tasted. So here are the fun facts. Prosecco, by law, like champagne, can only be made in one specific region. It must contain at least 85% Glera (the grape). This particular one is 100%. Some proseccos are NV (Non vintage, like most champagnes, meaning they blend grapes from different years to achieve consistent flavor). Some proseccos (like champagne again) are left on the lees imparting a creamy texture to the prosecco. This one did not have any creamyness to it. And lastly, proseccos can be fined, although the notes on this prosecco do not mention what it was fined with. Fining a wine is the process of adding an agent that binds to large particles in the wine like pieces of stems, seeds etc, these then fall to the bottom leaving a perfectly clear wine. Often when you read a wine is vegan, or vegetarian it refers mostly to the use of non animal based agents. As an FYI, in Canada, there is no process that a winery can follow to “certify” itself as vegan or vegetarian.

Ok, back to this prosecco … pale in color with a nice soft minerally nose. On the mid palate the wine spot on matches the nose with lovely crisp dry minerally, and citrus notes. Without food the wine’s acidity gently coat the palate leaving a lovely lingering dryness, with lively acidity. This is a super food friendly wine, but I found the complexity was best appreciated on it’s own. At 7g/l this is a dry prosecco. I really enjoyed it. I would give it an 88 or so. Sadly, not currently in the LCBO, but available from Kylix wines for $23 a bottle. Yumm.

From the winery’s web site:

Vines cultivated at over 240 metres above sea level produce the grapes used to make this crystal clear sparkling wine with delicate hints of crisp fruit, acacia and wisteria blossoms. It goes well with all dishes, including fish. In the mouth it reveals an uncommon elegance that’s full and luscious. Serve at 10-12 °C.