May 10th, 2010 Chuck Posted in Canada, White Zinfandel No Comments »
March 21st, 2010 Sean Posted in Italy, Pinot Grigio 7 Comments »
| We eat with our eyes, and shop with them too. A lot of fuss has been made online about the shape of this bottle. Well the bottle is cute, and reminds me of VOSS Water from Norway, which if you like trends than this is right up your alley. However, I’m more interested in what is in the bottle, as you should be too. I had major issues with this wine, so much so that I had to pickup a second bottle and recruit two regular wine drinkers (thanks Dana & Lauren) to provide a second opinion. |
| Seeing as the bottle is very non-traditional, I was surprised to find a stopper in it. This was just the beginning of what was becoming an awkward experience. The next item at issue was the smell. Pinot Grigio is known for a subtle, slightly floral or citrus leaf scent. The key to that last sentence was the word ’subtle’. I was greeted by an aggressive burnt wood scent, which seemed to be competing with Lemon Pledge. My volunteer tasters both noted the strange aroma, and were somewhat baffled by it. Finally we tasted. The first sip was, shall we say…unpleasant. But, this is where things begun to change. The second and third sips improved to the point where the wine became enjoyable. To describe the first sip, we settled on comparing it to the aftertaste of eating a sour candy, which to some isn’t always a bad thing.
We are careful when we encounter a wine that doesn’t live up to our expectations, especially those receiving a lot of media attention, but this just isn’t a winner in our books. Especially for the price.
Your thoughts and comments on this wine are much appreciated! |
| Tip: chill well |
| Taste |
green apple, lemon, citric acid |
| Smell |
burnt wood, chemical |
| Food |
seafood |
| Sweetness |
off dry |
| Price |
$13.50 |
| LCBO# |
669226 |
| Score |
1.5   |
|
 |
February 17th, 2010 Chuck Posted in Italy, Sangiovese No Comments »
January 17th, 2010 Chuck Posted in Canada, Merlot No Comments »
November 29th, 2009 Chuck Posted in France, Shiraz 1 Comment »
| At first sip you can tell this is a french wine without even trying. The LCBO gave this wine a nice writeup but I’ll disagree with it. They saw plenty of blackberry, fruit and spice, I didn’t. They also mention it’s ‘very drinkable tonight’, while I’d cellar it for 2 years. |
| At least it’s 13.5% Alcohol/Vol. |
| Tip: If your buying syrah/shiraz, go Aussie (Penfolds), then Californian (Cline) |
| Taste |
oak, heat, red berry |
| Smell |
oak, resin, greens |
| Food |
well done grilled red meat |
| Sweetness |
extra dry |
| Price |
$14.95 |
| LCBO# |
104752 |
| Score |
2 |
|
 |
October 31st, 2009 Chuck Posted in Red Blend, USA 3 Comments »
| Everyone loves choices, with this wine you can choose to buy it in a: bottle, large format bottle, funny jug with a ring handle and even a box. America #$@% YEAH! |
| This wine conjures up memories of a previous review: Charles Shaw Merlot 2007 |
| Tip: price listed is for the 1.5L bottle, don’t buy what you can’t drink within 2 days. |
| Taste |
cherry, plum, vanilla |
| Smell |
vanilla, cherry, plum |
| Food |
cold cuts |
| Sweetness |
off dry |
| Price |
$13.45 |
| LCBO# |
00070813 |
| Score |
2.5 |
|
 |
October 10th, 2009 Sean Posted in Merlot, USA No Comments »
| Only in America? This merlot came to us for $1.99. Often called two-buck-chuck, this wine is mostly found at Trader Joe’s in the United States. One thing is certain, we have never encountered two-dollar wine in Canada…god bless America. |
| First thing is the colour, yeah thats right I spelled it with a “u”. Get over it. Great dark purple, with light edges. We were actually surprised as this wine is not offensive, easy drinking and generally “not bad”. Does that make it a California Cab? Hell no. But, if your having a group over or making large quantities of Sangria. |
| Tip: chill slightly |
| Taste |
cherry, strawberry, berry jam |
| Smell |
vanilla, strawberry, cherry cola |
| Food |
cheese nachos, cheddar, cold cuts |
| Sweetness |
off dry |
| Price |
$1.99 |
| LCBO# |
0 |
| Score |
3 |
|
 |
August 16th, 2009 Chuck Posted in Canada, Chardonnay No Comments »
| This crisp, fruit forward chardonnay from Prince Edward County is a good choice for a Sunday lunch |
| Varietal Composition: 59% Chardonnay; 41% Chardonnay Musqué |
| Release Date: March 1, 2009 |
| Taste |
golden apple, floral, light oak |
| Smell |
white grapefruit, golden apple, pear |
| Food |
fish, salad, goat cheese |
| Sweetness |
dry |
| Price |
$17.95 |
| LCBO# |
132928 |
| Score |
4 |
|
 |
June 21st, 2009 Chuck Posted in Italy, Sangiovese No Comments »
| Here’s a great example of a Super Tuscan done right. This IGT wine is only IGT because it bent the rules slightly but it was worth it. A very close cousin to chianti, this bottle will pair well with any Italian food or bbq’d red meat. Overall it’s nice and round, medium to full bodied with smooth tannins. |
| Blend is: 60% sangiovese, 25% merlot and 15% syrah |
| Tip: tulip glass |
| Taste |
dark cherry, chocolate, cigar box |
| Smell |
plum, cherry, warm spice |
| Food |
grilled red meat, ravioli |
| Sweetness |
dry |
| Price |
$19.80 |
| LCBO# |
27797 |
| Score |
4 |
|
 |
May 3rd, 2009 Chuck Posted in Italy, Red Blend 1 Comment »
| At first glance this bottle looks like something shampoo would come it, but once on the table with the cap off, it feels kind of futuristic. Overall this is a pretty good wine, a little bit more than the lower end reds but it’s worth the extra 3.50. Overall it’s a dry, medium bodied wine with soft acidity and ripe tannins. |
| 4-Way Blend (quatto means four in Italian): Merlot, Shiraz, Pinot Noir and Cabernet. Surprisingly, the pinot really does shine through. |
| Tip: tulip glass |
| Taste |
strawberry, spice, light oak |
| Smell |
red berry, raspberry, white pepper |
| Food |
veal marsala |
| Sweetness |
dry |
| Price |
$13.95 |
| LCBO# |
78048 |
| Score |
4 |
|
 |
April 2nd, 2009 Chuck Posted in USA, Zinfandel No Comments »
| When I tried their 2005 Cabernet I made a mental note to remember the name Liberty School. I’m glad I did. |
| Their label sums it up nicely: “fruit-driven, soft and approachable”. The tannins are present but not overpowering which lets the drinker enjoy it on it’s own or paired with food. |
| Tip: Released on Jan 17, 2009 |
| Taste |
dark ripe berry, warm spice, vanilla |
| Smell |
dark ripe berry, warm spice, cherry |
| Food |
beef, steak, sausage |
| Sweetness |
dry |
| Price |
$17.95 |
| LCBO# |
41095 |
| Score |
5 |
|
 |
March 22nd, 2009 Chuck Posted in Canada, Red Blend 1 Comment »
| After seeing this bottle time and time again in the LCBO magazine I decided to give it a taste. It’s a fairly typical blend, nothing stands out too much. You’ll find it Medium-bodied with soft, drying tannins and moderate acidity. |
| A blend of three classic grape varieties: 52% Cabernet Franc, 45% Merlot, and 3% Cabernet Sauvignon, which undergo traditional red wine making. |
| Tip: tulip glass |
| Taste |
ripe berry, leather, spice |
| Smell |
black cherry, strawberry, vanilla |
| Food |
pasta, bbq |
| Sweetness |
dry |
| Price |
$12.95 |
| LCBO# |
56390 |
| Score |
3 |
|
 |
March 16th, 2009 Sean Posted in Australia, White Blend No Comments »
| The thermometer broke the 0 mark this weekend, which means its time to get ready for summer by chilling some white wine. Wanting to ease in to the white wine season I picked a blend hoping for something easy going and well rounded. This wine certainly achieved this. Like it’s name, it did jump out of the glass, but in a good way. |
| Comprised of 62% Riesling, 18% Sauvignon Blanc, 8% Marsanne, 6% Viognier and 6% Chardonnay |
| Tip: Chill Well |
| Taste |
mixed citrus, lemon, light oak |
| Smell |
gooseberry, pear |
| Food |
cashews, tart fruit |
| Sweetness |
dry |
| Price |
$14.95 |
| LCBO# |
922203 |
| Score |
4 |
|
 |
March 1st, 2009 Chuck Posted in Italy, Valpolicella 1 Comment »
| This DOC Italian ripasso was received very well by everyone at the table. The re-passing (ripasso) technique involves a second fermentaion on the leftover grape skins of Amarone giving it a deeper colour, fuller body, aroma and flavour. Also watch for hints of perrer and ginger. |
| Grapes used: Corvina 65%, Rondinella 20%, Molinara 5%, altri vitigni (others) 10% |
| Tip: Release Date - Nov 8, 2008 |
| Taste |
black cherry, anise, light oak |
| Smell |
black cherry, plum, tar |
| Food |
red meat, cheese, portobello mushrooms |
| Sweetness |
dry |
| Price |
$16.95 |
| LCBO# |
999946 |
| Score |
5 |
|
 |
February 26th, 2009 Chuck Posted in France, Red Blend 2 Comments »
| Here is a nice example of an easy drinking French ‘Vin de Table’. It’s: non-vintage, very smooth, mild tannin, not complex, very drinkable and very affordable. |
|
Blend consists of: Grenache, Cinsault, Carignan, Syrah
|
| Tip: comes in a 1L bottle |
| Taste |
soft berry, tart raspberry, light toasted oak |
| Smell |
soft berry, strawberry |
| Food |
red meat, medium cheese |
| Sweetness |
dry |
| Price |
$9.95 |
| LCBO# |
130674 |
| Score |
3.5 |
|
 |
February 19th, 2009 Chuck Posted in Spain, Tempranillo No Comments »
| This Spanish tempranillo is what I’d imagine you’d find on most people’s table in Spain, it’s good table wine and the price is just right. |
| Although the wine is not very complex, I do like the firm tannins in play. |
| Tip: tulip glass |
| Taste |
blackberry, oak, tea |
| Smell |
blackberry, vanilla, spice |
| Food |
lamb, stew, sausages |
| Sweetness |
dry |
| Price |
$8.95 |
| LCBO# |
343434 |
| Score |
3.5 |
|
 |
