Dark in color with a nice dark berry nose. On the mid palate at first there’s some nice dark berry fruits that start to come through and then you get whacked almost immediately by firm tannins, edgy acidity, some green notes and some strong black pepper. All these flavors linger in the mouth on a long finish, there’s also some strongly noticeable alcohol. This wine is WAY to young. I would say it needs a minimum of 2 years of aging or perhaps you could try decanting or aerating the wine. The fruit that’s there given some aging will come through, but you will need some patience. For now I would give it an 87+ but there’s potential …

The bottle says it’s 34% Cab Sauv, 25% Malbec, 24% Cab franc and 17% Merlot.

Merlot Blend

750 mL bottle  |   VINTAGES#:  668285$24.95 Check LCBO Stock

A fresh nose with lots of tobacco, cedar, herbs and blackcurrants. Medium to full body, juicy tannins, some pretty acidity and a bright finish. Malbec, cabernet sauvignon, merlot and cabernet franc. Drink now. Score – 91. (James Suckling, jamessuckling.com, April 5, 2018)

PRODUCT DETAILS

Release Date:July 6, 2019Bottle Size:750 mL bottleAlcohol/Vol:14.7%Made In:Patagonia, ArgentinaBy:La Inversora S.A.Sugar Content:5 g/LSweetness Descriptor:XD – Extra DryStyle:Full-bodied & SmoothVarietal:Merlot Blend

Pale in color with a mild nose, some stone fruits. On the mid palate the wine displays some soft stone fruits to patch the nose. Some mild peach along with some nice acidity and minerality. On the medium length finish the wine displays some nice acidity along some palate coating flavors. This is not a wimpy Pinot gris. Super food friendly. I would give it an 88 or so.

750 mL bottle  |   VINTAGES#:  536185$16.95

So refreshing and balanced. This delivers ripe peach and grapefruit, with passion fruit, grass, lime and just a touch of spice. An elegant, characterful wine that will be great with tapas. (Vintages panel, Oct. 2018)

PRODUCT DETAILS

Release Date:July 6, 2019Bottle Size:750 mL bottleAlcohol/Vol:13%Made In:Marlborough, New ZealandBy:Snapper Rock Wines Limited ParSugar Content:7 g/LSweetness Descriptor:D – DryStyle:Aromatic & FlavourfulVarietal:Pinot Gris

I attended the recent Toronto Wine and Spirits festival and these guys were there sampling there non alcoholic craft brewed beer. If your like me, and these guys it seems, you’ve been underwhelmed by the non alcoholic beers. Why would you want a non alcoholic beer? Well maybe you decide to give your liver a break for a day or two but would still enjoy the taste? I’ve tried two of their offerings at this point the Pale which is available at the LCBO and the Blonde which is available at the Beer store. The Pale is a little more hoppy and bitter than the blond at an IBU of 10 while the Pale is 8. I preferred the Pale, just more to my tastes but both are quite flavorful and give no indication your drinking a non alcoholic beer. At only 0.3% alcohol, and only 15 calories there’s a surprising amount of flavor! I tried the get some of the beer at the beer store only to arrive and find out their online stock was wrong. So I gave up and ordered it directly from the brewery They delivered it quickly and right to my door by Canada Post. Obviously if you can get it at your local beerstore then it’s cheaper simply because they don’t have to ship it to your door. Price wise I paid $55 for a 24, so $2.30 a can.

According to Chelsea from Partake brewing it is legal to drink these anywhere you would a soda or a bottle of water! Way cool! This by the way was confirmed by the Alcohol Gaming Commission of Ontario who said ” Any beverage containing over 0.5% alcohol is considered an alcoholic beverage and would not be legal to drink in public without appropriate permits. ”

Inky dark in color with a black berry nose. On the mid palate the wine displays some vibrant black berries to match the nose. On the medium length finish the wine displays some HUGE tannins, smooth palate coating dryness and some mocha notes. This is a BIG tempranillo. Straight out of the bottle the wine displays some green notes that eased quickly, it’s a little young. 6 months would make a HUGE difference. For now I would give it an -88 but with could easily improve to an 88+ …

From the LCBO web site https://www.lcbo.com/lcbo/product/sku/85183.html

Balbás Reserva 2006

750 mL bottle  |   VINTAGES#:  85183$24.95

The 2006 Balbas Reserva has fine delineation on the nose with blackberry and blueberry fruit, the Cabernet Sauvignon (10%) lending an attractive graphite edge. The palate is well defined with good backbone and a vivacious, edgy finish that demonstrates crisp acidity and superb poise. This is aging very well. Drink now-2018+. Score – 91. (Neal Martin, robertparker.com, Feb. 27, 2013)

ADD TO FAVOURITES LIST

PRODUCT DETAILS

Release Date:March 16, 2019Bottle Size:750 mL bottleAlcohol/Vol:14%Made In:Ribera del Duero, SpainBy:Bodegas BalbasSugar Content:2 g/LSweetness Descriptor:XD – Extra DryStyle:Full-bodied & Smooth

Inky dark in color with a nice black berry nose. On the mid palate the wine displays some nice vibrant black fruits to match the nose. On the medium length finish the wine displays some nice dusty tannins and some in balance acidity. The wine straight out of the bottle displayed some noticeable alcohol but this subsided quickly. This is a bigger wine, so be careful what you pair it with . We paired it with striploins and it went very well. I would give it an 88 or so. Quite nice and spot on for this lovely, hearty greek varietal.

From the LCBO web site Check LCBO stock:

750 mL bottle  |   VINTAGES#:  295618$18.95

PRODUCT DETAILS

Release Date:May 11, 2019Bottle Size:750 mL bottleAlcohol/Vol:13.5%Made In:Peloponnese, GreeceBy:Cavino S.A.Sugar Content:4 g/LSweetness Descriptor:XD – Extra DryStyle:Medium-bodied & FruityVarietal:Agiorgitiko

From the back of the bottle: GRANDE RESERVE

protected Designation of Origin NEMEA

Red Wine / Vin Rouge

This amazing full bodied wine is crafted from hand-picked indigenous Agiorgitiko (St George) grapes in ancient Nemea region in Peloponnese. Aged 2 yrs

In French oak barrels and over 3 years in the bottle. It boasts aromas of red fruit

Syrup accented with spices.  Robust yet well-balanced tannic frame supported by

Long after taste of roasted nuts. Cellar for a decade or decant well and serve in a large fine glass at 17C with red meat stews yellow cheese platters, including traditional Greek smoked cheeses from Mestsovo or Vermio.

“it never ceases to amaze me how Cavino can give so much effort, time and patience for so little.” (Michael Godel, Wine Alin 2018)

Imported For: United Stars Corporation, Toronto, ON, Canada

Product of Greece 13.5% alcohol