Tasting Notes - Oct.19, 2009

Tenuta Di Capraia Chianti Classico 2006 $19.95
Not too much going in terms of complexity but it is enjoyable. A nice Chianti for just under $20. This wine is simple yet tasty and may be further aged for another 2-4 years. Some earth, cedar and fruit aromas and on the palate it is dry and full-bodied. What is Chianti you ask? Chianti is the classic wine of Tuscany. Chianti Classico is a region of Tuscany, Italy (you'll also find other regions such as Chianti Rufina, Chianti Colli Senesi). Other classic wines of Italy that you may have heard of are Barolo and Amarone. The main grape variety to make a Chianti is Sangiovese although small percentages of other grape varieties may be blended into the wine (Sangiovese must remain the dominant grape variety in the final wine). This wine is 90% Sangiovese, 5% Cabernet Sauvignon, 5% Merlot. Drink this with roast leg of lamb, steak, beef stews or rich pasta sauces. Mmm! Mama Mia!

Thorn-Clarke Terra Barossa Single Vineyard Riesling 2008 $14.95
This wine is from the Eden Valley located in South-Eastern Australia. The Eden Valley is a cooler region and is known for Riesling. This wine is crisp and refreshing. It has lots of fruit with citrus and lime flavour with some floral aromas. I enjoyed this Riesling and for the money, it's a good value.

Dog Point Sauvignon Blanc 08

Happy Thanksgiving to you all! (gobble gobble)
I am very thankful for all the great wines out there. I'm also thankful to all the hardworking people that work so hard with dedication and passion to make these wines that we enjoy so much. This will be a very short post as I'm working off the effects of tryptophan. I recently tried a delicious Sauvignon Blanc from New Zealand. Sauvingnon Blanc and New Zealand go together like Shiraz and Australia...or Chardonnay and California...or like turkey and gravy (to keep in the spirit of the holiday).

Dog Point Vineyard Sauvignon Blanc 2008 $19.95

What a nice wine for $20. It has that aromatic grass smell, typical of a Sauvignon Blanc. This wine has a nice citrus flavour with some hints of tropical fruits. It's fresh and fruity. Good acidity and length on the finish. A wonderful example of how delicious Sauvignon Blancs from New Zealand can be. Drink this wine while young (the wine, not you) in order to catch that youthful fruitiness. This wine comes from the Marlborough region in New Zealand where Sauvignon Blanc is king.

http://www.dogpoint.co.nz
http://www.wine-marlborough.co.nz

Tasting Notes - Sept. 24, 2009

It's a quiet Thursday evening. It's nice to have those once in a while. Now, if it were an exciting TV night, I wouldn't be typing this. I've tried some interesting wines this week. The following wines are from Ontario, except for the last, with it being from Spain.

Oak Heights 2007 Chardonnay $14.95
I've never heard of this winery before so I was curious. I was pleasantly surprised! The picture here is of the 2006 vintage. I tried the 2007. This is a small boutique winery called Oak Heights Estate Winery located in Northumberland County in Ontario (approx. 1 hour East of Toronto). This wine had subtle oak flavour and the fruit is actually sourced from the Niagara region. Interestingly enough, this winery uses Canadian oak only for their oak-aged wines. For the money, this is a nice wine.



Malivoire 2007 Gamay $17.95
I always enjoy the Gamay from Malivoire. The winemaker's name is Shiraz (yes, that's his real name). He's a nice guy (with good taste in music, well, likes my kind of music) and his wines are delicious. This Gamay won't disappoint. Serve it slightly chilled for maximum enjoyment. If I'm ever out on the town and see this wine on the menu, I order it.






Hidden Bench 2007 Chardonnay $35.20
A bit on the pricer side of the scale, this Chardonnay packs a big oak y punch. If you like your Chardonnays in a more California style, with big oak flavour, then you'll enjoy this wine.





Mas Estela Quindals 2005 $19.95
Sorry for the small picture! This is one of the "Wines of the Month" at the LCBO. It comes from the Empordà region of Spain. This wine is a blend of 90% Grenache (Garnacha in Spanish), 5% Syrah and 5% Carignan (Carinena in Spanish). Aged in French oak for a year, this wine has good fruit and body with spicy flavours. It says in the tasting notes that the wine will still open up for another 2-3 years and drink well into 2020! Now that $20 will go a long way.

I try not to get hung up on scores because what may be one person's 90, may be another person's 80. I find myself sometimes saying "Wow, 90+...should be great", only to be disapointed because my palate is different than the person who scored the wine. We can all agree upon which wines have fault or which wines may have more fruit or even perhaps complexity but when it comes to something you like or don't like - each person is different. Things would get pretty boring if we all loved and disliked the same wines. Before getting caught up in the hype, try one bottle and see if you like it. If you have the chance to try before you buy (for example, Summerhill LCBO Tasting Tour), even better. That's my little rant for the evening. Time for Seinfeld.