Gray Fox Chardonnay 2007

November 16th, 2008 Chuck Posted in Chardonnay, USA | No Comments »

I have found my house chardonnay. This vintage has layers of great flavours and aromas, it’s priced well and is readily available.
People who are weary of the heavily oaked, buttery and spiced chardonnays don’t have to tread lightly here, this bottle is nothing of the kind. Drink up.
Tip: balloon glass
At a Glance
Taste apple, citrus, mineral
Smell golden apple, lime, grapefruit
Food roast chicken, pork chops
Sweetness dry
Price $7.95
LCBO# 614271
Score
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Ironstone Old Vine Zinfandel 2005

November 8th, 2008 Chuck Posted in USA, Zinfandel | 1 Comment »

Take the best notes from Cabernet and Shiraz, add some zip, and you have a great Zinfandel. This old vine release from Ironstone has excellent concentrated fruit flavors and incredible depth. The high alcohol is very well balanced and not at all overpowering. Flavours and aromas are big and chewy.
In Ironstone’s case “Old Vine” means the grapes were hand selected from vineyards that are over 45 years old.
Tip: 90% Zinfandel, 10% Petite Sirah
At a Glance
Taste cassis, blackberry, chocolate
Smell cassis, chocolate, oak
Food beef fajitas
Sweetness dry
Price $16.95
LCBO# 951889
Score
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Fish Eye Shiraz 2005

November 1st, 2008 Chuck Posted in Shiraz, USA | No Comments »

Different name, different label, different light green bottle…different thoughts of what shiraz is supposed to be. That said I’m not surprised at what I got: a shiraz with no pop. A proper shiraz should have blackberry, pepper and leather notes to it. But they’re nowhere to be found in this vintage.
Take this for what it is: an easy, medium-light bodied summer sipper. If tasted blind, you’d guess merlot.
Tip: you’ll want to chill this shiraz more than a typical one.
At a Glance
Taste medium berry, cherry, raspberry
Smell medium berry, hint of oak
Food grilled vegetables, sandwiches
Sweetness off dry
Price $9.95
LCBO# 35113
Score
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Gray Fox Merlot 2007

October 25th, 2008 Chuck Posted in Merlot, USA | 2 Comments »

Seems like we’re having a bit of trouble finding a good house merlot. For such a popular varietal, you’d think we’d have more luck…maybe this varietal is suffering from market saturation.
This particular budget merlot has a light-medium body with medium-light fruit content. It didn’t seem very refined and felt rushed out the door.
I much prefer their Gray Fox Cabernet Sauvignon 2006
Tip: balloon glass
At a Glance
Taste cherry, sour berry
Smell cherry, alcohol, geranium
Food club sandwich
Sweetness dry
Price $7.95
LCBO# 527507
Score
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Pillitteri Gewurztraminer Riesling Fusion 2006

October 22nd, 2008 Chuck Posted in Canada, White Blend | No Comments »

An excellent buy that is full of flavour and aroma. In addition to the At a Glance section: the nose also has some spice and flint to it, while the palate is tropical, floral and citrus. How all this character got into this one bottle, I’m not sure but I hope Pillitteri keeps doing what they’re doing.
Blend: 51% Gewürztraminer, 49% Riesling
Tip: balloon glass
At a Glance
Taste grapefruit, pineapple, peach
Smell grapefruit, lychee, floral
Food ham, chinese takeout, chicken salad
Sweetness off dry
Price $12.95
LCBO# 349126
Score
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Ubuntu Shiraz 2006

October 17th, 2008 Chuck Posted in Shiraz, South Africa | No Comments »

I’m trying to work out if this wine is popular to younger buyers due to it’s price point or the high alcohol content…maybe (probably) both. Still, the wine is not a bad buy. It doesn’t however stick to the main characteristics of shiraz and I’m finding that new world wines (especially from South Africa) aren’t a fan of abiding by old (good/proper) standards. 2 stars as the night’s first bottle, 2.5 stars as the night’s second bottle.
What does Ubuntu mean? Ubuntu is an African word meaning ‘Humanity to others’, or ‘I am what I am because of who we all are’.
Tip: tulip glass
At a Glance
Taste black cherry, tangy oak, light spice
Smell raspberry jam, cedar, vanilla
Food bbq ribs
Sweetness dry
Price $9.45
LCBO# 665281
Score
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Pelee Island Merlot Cabernet 2006

October 12th, 2008 Chuck Posted in Canada, Red Blend | No Comments »

This VQA wine has a medium bodied palate with moderate fruit from the merlot, but leans toward the oak barrel with prominent notes of vanilla. The menthol is a nice addition from the cabernet side of the blend.
If you were wondering, the bird on the label is the American Goldfinch.
Tip: tulip glass, room temperature
At a Glance
Taste oak, vanilla, menthol
Smell vanilla, strawberry, violet
Food burgers, hot dogs
Sweetness dry
Price $9.40
LCBO# 619411
Score
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Masi Campofiorin 2004

October 2nd, 2008 Chuck Posted in Italy, Valpolicella | No Comments »

This is the 34th vintage of this supervenetian comprised of: 70% Corvina, 25% Rondinella and 5% Molinara. This wine is made using the appasimento technique (double fermentation) and the result is a full bodied wine with soft tannins. There are hints of the following: resin, jam, violet and a tangy finish.
This wine will pair very well with a variety of foods including: red meat, sharp cheeses, osso bucco, wild mushroom risotto and veal parm.
Tip: tulip glass
At a Glance
Taste black cherry, oak, prune
Smell raisin, mulberry, light oak
Food red meat, steak, sharp cheese, veal
Sweetness dry
Price $17.45
LCBO# 155051
Score
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$3 Wine?!?

September 28th, 2008 Sean Posted in Special Features | No Comments »

While on business in Chicago last week I encountered the much talked about “Three Buck Chuck”. Living in a highly controlled and highly taxed part of the world where wine is concerned you can imagine I almost fainted at the site of wine at $2.99. After my colleague convinced me that I wouldn’t be able to carry the 70 cases I was protecting like a rabid dog on a bone, snarling and growling at passers by I picked up just one bottle.

The wine was a Cabernet Sauvignon from California produced under the brand Charles Shaw. As this wine isn’t available in Ontario I had to try a bottle and report back to nosnob.com readers.

I didn’t get my hopes up thinking I discovered Chateau Petrus for $3.00. But I was surprised that it wasn’t just alcoholic purple water. It had many Cab Sauv characteristics, smelled okay and tasted okay. While nothing really stood out about this wine, it was a novelty at $2.99. If you’re having a big party, making Sangria or boiling pasta in wine this will do in a pinch.

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Trumpour’s Mill Pinot Gris 2006

September 20th, 2008 Chuck Posted in Canada, Pinot Grigio | No Comments »

Newly available at the LCBO, The Grange of Price Edward has issued this very Canadian / New World pinot gris. This is a little more than I would usually be caught paying for a grigio but I wanted to be part of this wine’s grand entrance.
With a fairly rich and full mouthfeel, this white will go very well with a spicy Asian dish or takeout.
Tip: tulip glass
At a Glance
Taste tart apple, straw, citrus
Smell golden apple, apricot, peach
Food spicy asian
Sweetness off dry
Price $17.00
LCBO# 69336
Score
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Eastdell Estates Black Cab 2006

September 12th, 2008 Chuck Posted in Canada, Red Blend | No Comments »

Probably the most interesting meritage I’ve ever tried, this VQA wine from Beamsville is a blend of Cabernet Franc, Baco Noir and Cabernet Sauvignon. People taking notes will notice that the Merlot has been swapped out for the Baco Noir, which is no doubt what gives this wine it’s funky edge.
Medium bodied, oak aging and the baco give this wine a really interesting, almost sweet and sour taste that keeps you guessing.
Tip: tulip glass
At a Glance
Taste vanilla, oak, tart blackberry
Smell sweet blackberry, sweet cherry, smoky
Food stir fry
Sweetness dry
Price $12.95
LCBO# 609875
Score
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Corte Zovo Sa’ Solin Ripasso Della Valpolicella 2004

September 6th, 2008 Chuck Posted in Italy, Valpolicella | No Comments »

This DOC bottle comes all the way from the birthplace of ripasso, Veneto, Italy. It’s a tannic, medium to full bodied wine that would go very well with heavy beef dishes.
Hats off any winemaker that can achieve such smoothness while having an alcohol content of 14.5%, learn from my experience…drink slowly. The price jump of 2 dollars from the 2003 vintage was sad to see, in Ontario: c’est la vie.
Tip: tulip glass
At a Glance
Taste rasin, cherry, black licorice
Smell blackberry, cherry, coffee
Food beef dishes, sheppards pie
Sweetness extra dry
Price $17.95
LCBO# 650713
Score
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Canaletto Nero d’Avola / Merlot 2007

September 1st, 2008 Chuck Posted in Nero d'Avola, Red Blend | No Comments »

This Sicilian red is a pretty good IGT find. It’s a medium bodied wine through and through with medium fruit tannins with a respectable length.
I learned something new when the winemakers comments read: each grape variety is vinified separately.
Tip: the nose outshone the palate, which nearly made it a 2.5
At a Glance
Taste plum, tea, menthol
Smell dark cherry, blackberry, strawberry
Food cannelloni
Sweetness dry
Price $13.55
LCBO# 29421
Score
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Pasqua Volto Primitivo 2006

August 28th, 2008 Chuck Posted in Italy, Zinfandel | No Comments »

High five to all the tree-huggers out there, this is my first bottle of wine in a PET (plastic) bottle, and surprisingly I didn’t hate it as much as I would have thought. Although I wouldn’t feel good about bringing a PET bottle as a hostess present, my favourite aspect of it was the smaller and lighter size of the bottle, while remaining to hold 750ml.
I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again, although primitivo is genetically the same as zinfandel, it is not styled the same and doesn’t hold a candle to a California Zin. Maybe this skewed my option a bit due to the fact that I would love to find such a value priced zin, regardless, I found myself at a table with two others who thought the wine was quite nice.
Tip: tulip glass
At a Glance
Taste tart plum, sour cherry
Smell mulberry, blackberry
Food mushroom and parmesan pasta
Sweetness dry
Price $11.95
LCBO# 64121
Score
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Spinelli Chardonnay Terre di Chieti

August 23rd, 2008 Chuck Posted in Chardonnay, Italy | No Comments »

So far, Spinelli wines have offered good value for their almost unbeatable prices (by LCBO standards anyways). Here we have an unoaked chardonnay that is crisp and acidic. If you like chardonnay but find it too heavy, give this Italian a try as it doesn’t show any hints of oak, butter or vanilla - tell-tale signs that your wine is drowning in wood.
Sean mentioned that this vintage reminded him of the hard cider named Strongbow. I guess my taste and aroma notes are right on.
Tip: balloon glass
At a Glance
Taste apple, lime, citrus
Smell pear, golden apple
Food antipasto
Sweetness dry
Price $6.95
LCBO# 474239
Score
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Kittling Ridge White Zinfanel Vidal

August 18th, 2008 Chuck Posted in Canada, White Zinfandel | No Comments »

Although I don’t keep white zin on hand, this white does make a pretty good summer sipper. Yes, I was surprised…the varietal I usually call ’sugar wine’ was sweet but not tooth-decay sweet or syrupy.
I would choose this bottle over the Woodbridge by Robert Mondavi. It’s much more flavourful and expressive.
Tip: chill well
At a Glance
Taste strawberry, kiwi, melon
Smell strawberry, watermelon, bananna
Food apertif, fresh fruit
Sweetness medium sweet
Price $9.25
LCBO# 534693
Score
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Cline Zinfandel 2006

August 12th, 2008 Chuck Posted in USA, Zinfandel | No Comments »

This best zinfandels come from California, so it’s no surprise that this Californian delivers. What is surprising is that Cline has done it’s customers such a favour by making this bottle so affordable. This is the second time Cline has released an overachiever at a great price, see their Syrah here.
This zin has a full mouthfeel, smooth tannins, lots of dark fruit and finishes with subtle spice and vanilla. Exactly what you should expect from a zinfandel.
Tip: grab a few bottles as this can be cellared for up to 4 years
At a Glance
Taste black cherry, spice, vanilla
Smell black cherry, raspberry, vanilla
Food pork ribs, pepperoni calzone
Sweetness dry
Price $12.90
LCBO# 489278
Score
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Pasqua Soave 2007

August 9th, 2008 Chuck Posted in Italy, Soave | No Comments »

Here’s a lesson to everyone, when shopping for a wine, just because it has a classification written on the label, doesn’t mean it’s a ‘good’ wine. Click here to learn what makes a wine good. So VQA, DOC, VDQS, AOC, etc.. just means the wine passed regulations. Regulations that have no account for taste.
If you’re served this wine, use it to make a spritzer
Tip: serve ice cold, and possibly in some sprite.
At a Glance
Taste lemon, citrus
Smell lemon, pineapple, honeydew
Food mix green salad
Sweetness dry
Price $9.90
LCBO# 171074
Score
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Casal Thaulero Sangiovese 2007

August 5th, 2008 Chuck Posted in Italy, Sangiovese | No Comments »

Cruising the isles looking for another IGT overachiever, I bought this bottle. While I wouldn’t make it a favourite, it was worth the $7.10 I paid for it. It was a medium wine all the way from mouthfeel to tannins.
This wine is good, but if you’re looking for sangiovese; be sure to try the nosnob favourite by: Farnese
Tip: tulip glass
At a Glance
Taste sour cherry, red berries,
Smell cherry, berry, espresso
Food hard cheeses
Sweetness dry
Price $7.10
LCBO# 588996
Score
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Misterio Malbec 2007

August 2nd, 2008 Chuck Posted in Argentina, Malbec | No Comments »

The destination (Argentina) was right, but this wine wasn’t really what I was expecting. The heavy violet aroma and tastes were overkill and not very characteristic, they also tell us the grapes could have used more time to ripen.
The plum and oak notes were nice but the bitter floral finish put me off.
Tip: tulip glass, slightly chilled
At a Glance
Taste violet (bitter floral), black plum, oak
Smell violet, black plum, oak
Food bbq red meat
Sweetness extra dry
Price $9.90
LCBO# 28803
Score
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