Lailey 2009 Barrel Aged Chardonnay mini review

Tasted this one at the winery. Pale in color with a nose of flint. I noticed this was common on a number of the chards from Niagara on the Lake on this trip. Sometimes (not this time) it’s so strong I almost thought I smelled sulfur, like a match. The nose was not all that appealing. On the mid pallet this wine has a bit of a fight going on in the mouth between the inherent Niagara on the Lake minerality (read acidity) and some of the sweet from the fruit. The juxtaposition was not intense but for me it just didn’t go nicely in the mouth. Medium in length on the finish. I would give this an 87 or so. Just not to my tastes. $19.95 at the LCBO, $20.20 at the winery.

From the Lailey web site:
2009 Chardonnay VQA: Flavours of pineapple, melon & peach with a rich mouthfeel and balanced by a good core of acidity that carries the wine to a long citrus finish. Gentle oak ageing has left this wine with the perfect balance of vanilla spice and fruit.

Hard to say for sure but I think this is the one in the LCBO Check LCBO stock.

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2010 Lailey Syrah

Picked up this one on our trip to Niagara on the lake at the winery. Inky dark in color with a nice nose of black berries. On the mid pallet this wine has some lovely dark berries, almost to the point of blue berries, almost jammy, almost sweet. On the medium finish the wine has some dry, fine tannins and some spicyness. This is a nice wine. I would give it an 89 or so. It’s 24.95 at the winery, not in the LCBO.

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2006 NUGAN ESTATE MCLAREN PARISH VINEYARD SHIRAZ

I’ve had this one in the cellar since 2008. Dark in color with a lovely nose of black berries. On the mid pallet the wine matches the nose with beautiful black berries coming through. Very classic Aussie shiraz. On the medium length finish there’s some lovely pepper, some acidity, still and some alcohol noticeable. This wine has aged well and still has a good couple years left in it. The fruit is still there. Sadly, it’s my last one 🙁 I would give it a solid 90-91.

From the LCBO web site:
NUGAN ESTATE MCLAREN PARISH VINEYARD SHIRAZ 2006 McLaren Vale, South Australia TASTING NOTE: The 2006 Shiraz “McLaren Parish Vineyard” comes from an 11 hectare vineyard planted by Nugan in 2000. The wine was barrel-fermented and aged for 12 months in 75% new French oak. Purple-colored, the wine delivers an expressive nose of pain grille, pepper, spice box, mocha, blueberry, and blackberry. Velvety-textured, layered, and sweet on the palate, it has excellent concentration, structure, and balance. Give it 5-7 years to blossom and drink it through 2030. Score – 91. (Jay Miller, www.erobertparker.com, Oct. 2007) (D) 750 mL $26.9

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EDNA VALLEY PARAGON CHARDONNAY 2009

Golden in color with a lovely rich chard nose. On the mid pallet this is a bold California style chard with lots of lovely vanilla and some butterscotch coming through. The wine has some lovely buttery and creamyness but not over baked. The finish is medium in length lingering nicely. This is a lovely chard. I would give it a solid 90. Yumm. There seems to be a reasonable amount of this available in the LCBO. I bet it will age nicely too!

From the LCBO web site:
EDNA VALLEY PARAGON CHARDONNAY 2009 VINTAGES 984153 | 750 mL bottle Price: $ 19.95

Made in: California, USA By: E. & J. Gallo Winery

Release Date: Aug 4, 2012
Wine, White Wine 13.9% Alcohol/Vol.
Sugar Content: 5 g/L Sweetness Descriptor: D – Dry

Description
Edna Valley has a cool climate that is ideal for growing balanced and complex Chardonnay. Just a short distance inland from the Pacific Ocean, the valley is traverse (running east/west) and the mountain gap allows cool fogs and breezes to blow in from the ocean.

Tasting Note
… This is a fragrant wine whose powerful aroma leaps out of the glass and takes control of you senses from the very beginning. The flavors abound with big layers of pear, apricot, and pineapple being the most dominate. The finish is suggestive of oak, with vanilla and spice, which continue into a clean lingering aftertaste … This would be a great companion for almost any fish or fowl dish… Score – 90. (Norman Bentley, pineisland-eagle.com, March 9, 2012).

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ÁLVARO PALACIOS 2009 La Montesa

Another wine from the WineAlign Spanish wine tasting at the Spoke club featuring wines from ÁLVARO PALACIOS. The event was run by David Lawrson and featured the wine maker, Alvaro Palacios, sharing his passion with wine making! Woodman Wines and Spirits carries all of their wines by the case, this one is not in the LCBO.

Dark in color with a mild nose. On the mid pallet the wine has some nice red berries, some fine tannins and some acidity on a med to long finish. It is nice and dry and builds nicely in the mouth. I would give it an 89. Available in cases of 12 for $21 a bottle from Woodman.

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INNISKILLIN MERITAGE 2009 mini review

I was walking out of the grocery store and they were tasting this one. Dark in color with mild nose. On the mid pallet this wine is dominated by BIG acidity and firm tannins and a very long finish. The fruit is totally overwhelmed. There are some black berries there but hard to tell. They had an aerator on the bottle and that should have been a dead give away. This wine needs either to breath significantly or age for a bit. Then maybe you might be able to taste some of the fruit. Wow …

From the Inniskillin web site:
2009 Core Series Meritage VQA Niagara Peninsula

Viticulture/Vinification
Each component of this blend was fermented at warm temperatures in contact with the skins for 14 days to extract colour and tannin followed by full malolactic fermentation to soften the wine’s acidity. The wines were then aged separately in new and older French and American oak barrels for 12 months to enhance its structure and aromatic complexity. The final blend was assembled after ageing.

Vintage Conditions
The 2009 Vintage was characterized by a cool, wet growing season which created a compressed harvest period beginning at the end of September and finishing in early November. The challenge of minimal sunshine reduced warmth but was managed by successfully reducing the fruit load to keep the quality high and achieve ripeness. The cool, wet summer allowed for cool climate grape varieties, including Chardonnay, Riesling and Pinot Grigio, to do well. September brought a welcomed Indian Summer with consistently sunny, warm days and cool evenings during the ripening period. This minimized disease pressure and helped to bring on the fruit and keep the quality high in all varieties. Look for wines from 2009 to reveal terroir, express pure fruit character and display great depth of colour in the reds.

Tasting Notes
Red berry, spice and vanilla are present on the nose of this blend. The palate is medium-full and approachable with red fruit and spice being the dominate flavours. The finish is clean and balanced showing the delicate spice and floral components of the wine.

From the LCBO web site for the 2008:
INNISKILLIN MERITAGE 2008 VINTAGES 91132 | 750 mL bottle Price: $ 15.95

Made in: Ontario, Canada By: Vincor International Inc.
Release Date: Feb 4, 2012

Wine, Red Wine 13.5% Alcohol/Vol.

Sweetness Descriptor: XD – Extra Dry

Tasting Note
Merlot-centred blend with aromas of currants, sour cherry, saddle leather, vanilla bean, spice and a touch of smoke. Dry with plenty of ripe fruit surrounded by gentle tannins and fresh acidity. Medium-full bodied with a lingering, fruity, soft-tannin finish. Can age 2-3 years, but is ready to drink tonight with gourmet sausages, steaks or grilled chicken. (VINTAGES panel, July 2011).

Check LCBO stock for the 2008 vintage.

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PIERRE HENRI MOREL SIGNARGUES CÔTES DU RHÔNE-VILLAGES 2009

France tightly legislates there wine industry. One of the benefits of this is consistency. CÔTES DU RHÔNE is a region in France that has been making wine a long time. Above and beyond there AOC designation they also have a Villages designation. The combination of the two constraints means there is even greater consistency. I have a picture in my mind of what a CÔTES DU RHÔNE Village ought to taste like and sure enough this one fits right in. Dark in color with a mild nose. On the mid pallet the wine displays some classic dark rich berries, even cassis. Slightly sweet with a medium length finish backed by some firm acidity and some nice tannins. This is by no means a easy drinking sipper. There’s lots going in. I would give this an 89 or so. Quite nice for the price.

From the LCBO web site:

PIERRE HENRI MOREL SIGNARGUES CÔTES DU RHÔNE-VILLAGES 2009
VINTAGES 277038 | 750 mL bottle Price: $ 15.95

Made in: RhĂ´ne, France By: Ferratonpere&Fils/Pierrehenri Morel
Release Date: May 26, 2012

Wine, Red Wine 13.5% Alcohol/Vol.

Sugar Content: 2 g/L Sweetness Descriptor: D – Dry

Tasting Note
A pure and very silky wine, with a gorgeous mix of damson plum, raspberry, black cherry and plum fruit, laced with graphite and black tea and followed by a long, incense-tinged finish. Drink now through 2012. Score – 90. (James Molesworth, winespectator.com, Oct. 31, 2011).

Check LCBO stock.

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2006 RODNEY STRONG KNOTTY VINES ZINFANDEL

I’ve had this one in the cellar since 2009. Dark inky in color with a pleasant nose (nothing specific jumped out at me). On the mid pallet the wine is still displaying some lovely zinf fruit. This one has kept well. Lots of red/black berries come through. The wine has some lovely fine tannins along with a little hint of acidity on the finish. I would give it a solid 89-90. I paid $26.95 for it. There’s little information on the Rodney Strong website as to whether this is a field blend or not.

The LCBO currently has the 2009 available. From the LCBO web site for the 2009 vintage:
RODNEY STRONG KNOTTY VINES ZINFANDEL 2009 VINTAGES 363358 | 750 mL bottle Price: $ 22.95

Made in: California, USA By: Rodney Strong Vineyards
Release Date: Jul 21, 2012

15.0% Alcohol/Vol. Sugar Content: 7 g/L Sweetness Descriptor: D – Dry

Tasting Note
‘Knotty’ because they’re gnarled, as you would expect of vines more than a hundred years old. They’ve provided grapes for this impressive zinfandel, which carries its weight, intensity and alcohol (15%) well. You’ll find it’s balanced and structured, with consistent fruit from start to finish, and drying, manageable tannins. Drink now through 2016. Score – 4 Stars (out of 5). (Rod Phillips, rodphillipsonwine.com, June 7, 2012).

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2011 MALIVOIRE LADYBUG ROSÉ

I’m not a huge lover of Rose but my GF enjoys them so we grabbed this one. It’s light in color with a mild nose of red berries. On the mid pallet this wine is slightly fruity with red berries and strawberries coming through and some mild sweetness. This wine isn’t sparkling. On the finish the wine is on the lighter side with no tannins. It fades quickly. This is not a bad wine but not a lot too it either. The Hidden Bench Bistro red had a lot more going on in the finish. I would give it an 87-88. We were having scallops for dinner and did some reading and the top three recommendations for pairing were Sauv Blanc, Chard and Rose. I personally didn’t find Rose was a good pairing, although it did go well with Pizza! For me Chard goes the best with scallops!

From the LCBO web site:
MALIVOIRE LADYBUG ROSÉ (V) VINTAGES 559088 | 750 mL bottle Price: $ 15.95

Made in: Ontario, Canada By: Malivoire Wine Co.
Release Date: Apr 18, 2012

Style: Medium-bodied & Dry Wine, RosĂŠ Wine 12.5% Alcohol/Vol.

Sugar Content: 6 g/L Sweetness Descriptor: D – Dry

Description
DID YOU KNOW? Malivoire uses many tools in their sustainable farming toolkit in order to craft quality wines at all price levels. The wine is usually a blend of Cabernet Franc, Gamay and Pinot Noir. FLAVOUR & STYLE: Fresh, vital and zesty. Lots of cherry, raspberry and redcurrant aromas and flavours. FOOD MATCH: Everyday: charcuterie and olives. Take-out: deli hot dogs. Fine Dining: goat cheese crottin on endive.

Check LCBO stock.

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2003 BALGOWNIE ESTATE SHIRAZ

I’ve had this one in my cellar since March 2007 and have pulled a few out earlier and been impressed with how well it is aging. When young it required a good hours worth of breathing to take away some harsh acidity notes on the finish. Inky dark in color with a lovely rich nose of black berries. On the mid pallet this lives up to the nose and has a lovely rich blueberry flavor. Not sweet, but slightly jammy. On the finish right out of the bottle there still is some of the firm acidity that was present when it was young but way died down. And this passed quickly. There’s some nice tannins as well on the medium finish. The pepper on the finish had also mostly died down, common for a shiraz as it ages. This wine has kept very well. Sadly this was my last one. We paired it with a striploin and it held up beautifully complimenting the food. I have to say this is a fine example of an excellent Aussie style shiraz! I would give this a solid 91 and it was well worth the wait! I originally paid $27.95. Sadly not currently available in the LCBO. One of the reasons I like keeping a cellar …

From the LCBO web site at the time of purchase (good notes are very valueable in managing a cellar!):
BALGOWNIE ESTATE SHIRAZ 2003 Bendigo, Victoria This wine also received 90 points from Robert Parker Jr. (www.erobertparker.com, Oct. 2005). Tasting Note: Bright ruby. Smoked meat, bacon fat, mulberry, dried violet, dark cherry and roasted coffee aromas. Serious, structured wine, with juicy flavors of bitter cherry, sweet tobacco and licorice. Smoky, vibrant and intense on the finish, which displays dense, powerful, dusty tannins. Score – 90(+?). (Josh Raynolds, International Wine Cellar, July/Aug 2005) 024646 (D) 750 mL $27.95 Wine Spectator (US) Issue: 94 pts “The wine is a deep red/purple color and offers blackberry, licorice and spice on the nose with a hint of eucalypt and pepper. The palate is full bodied with sweet blackberry and spice flavors with fine lingering tannins. A wine which shows both structure and excellent ageing potential. $30US.” Featured 3/17/2007.

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2010 Palatine Neufield Chardonnay mini review

I tasted this at the iYellow Niagara on the Lake tasting event.
Pale in color with a lovely mild varietal chard nose. Nice mid pallet displaying some nice chard fruits. Limited vanilla or oak. It’s medium in length with some minerality. I would give it an 87-88. Not available at the LCBO, but $22.95 at the winery.

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TRAVAGLINI NEBBIOLO 2010

I last wrote about the 2006 UMBERTO FIORE BARBARESCO. They are made from the Nebbiolo grape. I was impressed with the wine especially for the price, so when I saw this one I thought I’d give it a whirl. Garnet in color mild on the nose. On the mid pallet the wine displays some red berries with some slight tartness on the back of the mouth. On the finish the wine has some nice dryness that builds backed by some firm acidity. The pucker power in the mouth (as well as the acidity) lingers for quite a while. This is not a bad wine but not a fabulous one either. I’d give it an 88 or so.

From the LCBO web site:
TRAVAGLINI NEBBIOLO 2010 VINTAGES 30353 | 750 mL bottle Price: $ 17.95

Made in: Piedmont, Italy By: Travaglini Giancarlo Societa Ag.

Release Date: May 26, 2012

Wine, Red Wine 13.0% Alcohol/Vol.

Sugar Content: 3 g/L Sweetness Descriptor: D – Dry

Description
Travaglini’s home base is the little-known DOC Coste della Sesia, located near Gattinara. Here, they create a more fruit-forward wine using the legendary Piedmont grape, Nebbiolo. Whereas Barolo, Barbaresco and Gattinara are well-known for their ability to mature gracefully in a cellar for a long period of time, this version gives you an excellent opportunity to try this great grape, in a drinkable style, at a value price. An excellent match for gourmet sausages or grilled steaks.

Check LCBO stock.

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2008 Joseph Estates Chenin Blanc

I tasted this at the iYellow Niagara on the Lake tasting event.
Very pale in color, with a mild nose. On the mid pallet the wine is semi sweet, varietal chenin blanc. Some light peach flavors. This is a good patio wine. Easy sipping. It builds quite nicely in the mouth. The complexity for the price is quite good. I would give it an 88. $13.15 at the winery.

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Happy Weekend

No review, but this is the night. Enjoy your weekend!

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PAOLO CONTERNO BAROLO GINESTRA 2001

A while back my Dad asked for a recommendation for a Christmas present to give my brother in law who is quite the Barolo lover. I did some research and came up with recommendation for him, this wine. My Dad surprised me by giving me one! I’ve been carefully cellaring this wine since 2006 waiting for just the right moment. I did a Barolo tasting with the Toronto Vintner’s club and it pointed out to me this wine is probably ready. If you need some help with your cellar Check out my cellar services to see if I can help you.

Dark in color with a mild nose of dried fruits. On the mid pallet this wine is still displaying some beautiful rich Barolo flavors, some nice dried fruits, black cherries. On the finish this wine is long in the mouth with some lovely fine tannins, some nice dryness and some mild acidity. This is still 11 years later a big wine. Very nice and well made. The wine went for $59 in 2006, the current vintage in the LCBO a 2006 is going for $64. I would give this a solid 91. What a glass of yum.

Thanks Dad!

Check LCBO stock for the currently available vintage (not the one here)

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2010 Hidden Bench Felseck Vineyard GewĂźrztraminer

Fast review of Hidden Bench’s 2010 GewĂźrztraminer. This single vineyard white was much more than I was expecting, and I have to admit I am not a Gewurtz fan.

If it is even possible to call a drink this, this wine is a very good looking wine. A soothing yellow with a fragrant nose greets you and all I could think was “this is going to be good.” Tropic fruit and hints of vanilla are distinctively present. The first sips produces pineapple and orange. The acidity is not sharp and you could almost say the wine envelops your tongue as it lingers to the finish. The fruit is not consuming and you get hints of that vanilla and even a touch of floral notes. A single word comes to my mind as I write this: rich. The wine tastes and feels ‘rich’ in my mouth. Even with this I would say the wine is softer than expected, and while this surprised me, it also raises concerns for the second bottle in the cellar and how that will taste when it is eventually consumed. While this offering is well balanced, decently priced ($29 at time of purchase), and overall pleasing; it is not, however, great. ‘Good’ will have to be enough for tonight.

The CWG Subjective Rating is 87 out of 100.

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2010 Villa Maria Sauv Blanc

Pale in color with a nice smooth grassy nose. On the mid pallet this wine has some nice grassy flavours to go along with the nose along with some mild citrus flavours. The wine is on the lighter side of medium finish with some mild sweetness. The flavours build nicely in the mouth. A smooth well made albeit lighter New Zealand Sauv Blanc. This is a very food friendly wine. I would give it an 88-89.

From the LCBO web site:
VILLA MARIA PRIVATE BIN SAUVIGNON BLANC MARLBOROUGH LCBO 426601 750 mL bottle Price: $ 15.95

Made in: Marlborough, New Zealand By: Villa Maria Estates Ltd.

Style: Light & Crisp Wine, White Wine 12.7% Alcohol/Vol.

Sugar Content: 6 g/L Sweetness Descriptor: XD – Extra Dry

Tasting Note
Pale straw colour; intense aromas of gooseberry, lime, grass and asparagus; dry, medium bodied, crisp acidity, and flavours of bell pepper, gooseberry citrus; clean, crisp finish.

Check LCBO stock.

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2007 Stratus Red

I am a bit time constraint but I wanted to get out review of another 2007 Niagara Bordeaux style blend. With four recent reviews from the same vintage it would be a disservice to the readers not to cover the finer points of this bottle from Stratus Vineyards. This wine falls into a very similar price point of 3 of the 4 recent wines at $44; while this seems normal it should be noted that I find Stratus wines to be consistently overpriced. Take away the fancy cellar door and very slick labeling/marketing and I still find these well crafted wines to be 10-20% higher then similar peers. This wine however is considered their “signature” red wine, so the price when compared to other “top end” wines is not truly out of whack. I know, I was just a bit wishy washy about price, if I had been talking to you in person I would simply shrug my shoulders at this stage and quickly change the subject!

The wine, yes enough blabber, the wine looks almost exactly like the past four Bordeaux-esque wines we have reviewed, inky red with good purple to it. The nose is muted, or better put the nose is nothing overwhelming. The first few sips yield a softer than expected wine with medium tannins and a quick finish. The fruit is a tad muted and overall the wine is nice but not overwhelming. After experiencing their Petit Verdot I was expecting much more of everything: longer finish, bold fruit, and strong tannins. This is a drink now wine and if you have only one do not wait or forget about it or else you may find it disappearing on you.

The CWG Subjective Rating is 86 out 100.

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2007 Calamus Meritage

Having subconsciously slipped into a 2007 Niagara Meritage drinking spree I thought there was no time like the present to continue this whirlwind tour of that fantastic vintage of Bordeaux style blends. Calamus Estate Winery has been covered a few times before but it bears repeating that this husband and wife team are a Niagara hidden gem. Tough to find and with little to no fan fare they are proving that the love of wine can produce some excellent product. This is one of those.

The 2007 vintage has a chance to go down as the best single year ever for Niagara wine making, with the reds especially being blessed. This one is no different then the past few Meritage reviews with it’s deep dark red colour and red tree fruit nose. The wine yields red berries and vanilla on the first few sips with young firm tannins gripping your tongue easily. As you settle into the drinking experience you will start to get an abundance of cassis with a smattering of pepper on your palate. All the while this wine will stay with you as the finish is long and smooth. No doubt this can continue to rest for 2 to 5 years and improve. Drinking now or laying down this is a tremendous value at $27.

The CWG Subjective Rating is 88 out of 100.

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Do not be a snob towards Niagara wines when you know NOTHING about them (and other rants, well not really)

If I had a dollar for every single person that tells me they are wine collectors/lovers in Toronto who know NOTHING about the Niagara wine region that is a mere hour south of them, I’d be a rich, very rich man. Instead I am simply a very disappointed person living in Toronto…

So let’s start with some good to great wines everyone should try before spending a random $45-$60 on a Burgundy or overpriced Napa at the LCBO simply to say they are drinking a wine from one of those regions. All of these wines should still be around somewhere; I removed the vintage year as it is easy to say get a XXXX but if they are no longer selling it then it is useless. As well, you may see some repeats of vineyards, it happens as we have some tremendous wineries that simply do quite a few things very well.


Bordeaux Style Blends:

Chateau des Charmes Equuleus
Trius Grand Red
Trius Red
Fielding Estates Meritage
Stratus Red
Calamus Meritage
Henry of Pelham Cabernet-Merlot

Pinot Noirs:
Hidden Bench (Estate/Felseck/Locust Lane, it does not matter)
Tawse (like Hidden Bench, does not matter)
Lailey Vineyard (Brickyard or Old Vines)
Malivoire
Coyote’s Run
Thirty Bench

Other Reds:
Peller Estates Andrew Peller Signature Series Merlot
Tawse Cabernet Franc
Chateau des Charmes Cabernet Sauvignon (St David’s Bench)
Kacaba Proprieter’s Syrah
Fielding Estates Cabernet Sauvignon
Henry of Pelham Baco Noir Reserve
Ravine Vineyards Cabernet Sauvignon

Chardonnays:
Tawse (all their Chards are outstanding, but Robyn’s Block is unbelievable)
Hidden Bench
Lailey
Coyote’s Run
Hillebrand Showcase Series
Ravine Vineyards
Chateau des Charmes
Clos Jordanne
Henry of Pelham Speck Family Reserve

Other Whites:
Thirty Bench Rieslings (single vineyard)
Hidden Bench Rieslings
Tawse Rieslings
Trius Brut (hard pressed to beat the value this classic method wine holds)
Stratus White
Cave Spring Rieslings

Now go off, try some, immerse yourself in a wine region that takes less time to get to than your cottage, weekend rental in the Kawarthas or the Richmond Hill, you will not regret it.

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LES HAUTS DE MONTFORT LES MÉGALITHES 2009

Dark in color with a mild nose. On the mid pallet the wine has some mild fruit flavors, cassis and some earthy flavors. On the finish the wine has some nice dryness and tannins well in check. For the price this wine is quite complex. It builds nicely in the mouth! I would give it an 88-89. For the money a very nice wine.

From the LCBO web site:
LES HAUTS DE MONTFORT LES MÉGALITHES 2009 VINTAGES 279554 | 750 mL bottle Price: $ 13.95

Made in: Midi, France By: Pointe De Collection
Release Date: May 26, 2012
13.5% Alcohol/Vol.

Sugar Content: 4 g/L
Sweetness Descriptor: D – Dry

Tasting Note
Firm nose of red fruit pastilles. A charming and drinkable, light, aromatic style with fine supporting tannins. Good flavoursome stuff with freshness and character. Nice substantial wine. Score – 4 Stars (out of 5). (decanter.com, Feb. 24, 2012).
Check LCBO stock,

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2007 Henry of Pelham Speck Family Reserve Cabernet- Merlot

Another night, another 2007 Niagara Bordeaux blend and another concise review.

Henry of Pelham’s Gold Medal Winner from the 2009 International Food & Beverage Forum Wine Awards is a quietly great wine. It is a dark inky wine with a very subtle nose. The first few sips reveal a solid amount of red fruit as well as a good amount of tannins. As the wine settles and you get further into it the complexity the long finish and good fruit will keep you entranced. At $45 this is starting to get up there in terms of price and it may be a reason to look at alternatives. Still this is a very good wine son enjoy it now or leave it cellared for two to five years.

The CWG Subjective Rating is 89 out of 100.

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2007 Chateau des Charmes Equuleus

A quick review today, the first of at least 4 consecutive Canadian Bordeaux style blends. This is the Chateau des Charmes flagship red, the Equuleus (if you want my take on the 2002 click here).

First of 6 out of the cellar, this wine is still big and strong. Solid tannins, a well-balanced and hardy Bordeaux style blend with a long finish. Fruit is still very apparent with cassis and blackberry evident; while spices like vanilla and chocolate make their appearance.

Overall this is a tremendous wine and you would be hard pressed to put this next to a solid Bordeaux Grand Cru or Napa institution without ranking it high on your list. At $40 (the usual price for the Equuleus) it is a steal.

The CWG Subjective Rating is 91 out of 100.

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2008 Haynes Barns Cab/Merlot

I last reviewed the 2009 that I tasted at Big White Ski resort and was impressed. Okanogan wines have a very distinctive taste. This wine is dark in color with a mild nose. Right out of the bottle this wine has some strong acidity and overly firm tannins. This passes quickly with a little breathing. Once a bit of time has lapsed this wine has a deep lovely mid pallet dominated by dark berries. On the finish the wine has some lovely firm tannins and nice dryness. This is a big wine, very typical of Okanogan wines. I really enjoyed this wine. I paired it with Elk sausage. It held up but didn’t pair well, largely because the sausage was dominated by pepper and spices. I would give this wine a solid 89. Yumm. The LCBO are clearing this out so if you find it grab a few. It will easily keep a good couple years!

From the LCBO web site:
PROSPECT WINERY HAYNES BARN MERLOT CABERNET VQA LCBO 145144 | 750 mL bottle Price: $ 15.95
Wine, Red Wine 13.0% Alcohol/Vol.
Sugar Content : 1

Made in: British Columbia, Canada By: Artisan Wine Co.

Tasting Note
clear deep ruby colour; cherry, raspberry and plum with toasty oak notes in aroma; dry, medium body; black fruit and oak spice on palate, balanced acidity and medium tannins to finish.

Check LCBO stock.

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Ontario wine tasting events in Toronto

There are two great Ontario wine tasting events here in Toronto. Be sure and check them out! They are a great opportunity to checkout a lot of different Ontario wineries! Taste Ontario (an LCBO event) is on Sept 28th and Sip and Savour on Oct 3rd. It’s a great way to plan your next trip to the wineries!

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