Tasting Notes - Nov. 4, 2009

I've finally recovered from Hallowe'en. You know what's not spooky - wine! Well, depends on what kind of wine we're talking about. There have been some wines that made me want to scream in fright. Maybe next year I'll celebrate October 31st dressed up as a grape. Or better yet, a French oak barrel. :)

Here are some nice picks that I've recently had. Hopefully they'll provide you with a ghoulish delight!

Beronia Reserva 2005 $17.95
From Rioja, Spain, this wine will warm you up in these cooler months. This is a great quality wine for the money. It has all those typical flavours and aromas that are associated with Rioja wines like black fruit, vanilla, mocha and spice. Made from the Tempranillo grape (a native grape variety of Spain), this wine has seen some extra aging (the word Reserva indicates that the wine has seen a specific amount of aging).
Enjoy this wine for a few more years! It's got a lot of life and love to give.




Belle Glos Meiomi Pinot Noir 2007 $27.95
Wow! This is my favourite wine of the week. It's just delicious. This is a Pinot Noir from the Sonoma Coast, California. It's like drinking silk...if silk were a liquid. It has wonderful aromas of red berries and spice. The flavour is full with that great earthy taste that is often associated with fine wines from Burgundy. This wine is simply easy to drink (could be a dangerous thing!) and has a very nice finish. It is a bit on the high side for price, but it's well worth the money. Normally I find a lot of California Pinots to be too fruity. This one is more my style. It's a great balance between earth and fruit.



Domaine De Nerleux Brut Crémant de Loire $18.95
I just love Crémants. They're sparkling wines from France made in the Champagne style (which is also known as the traditional method). Because this wine isn't from Champagne, it can't be called Champagne. This one comes from the Loire region of France. This wine is great as an aperitif. It's quite dry (the word Brut means dry) with good fruit and very bubbly. Champagne taste on a Crémant budget! Great value.


Simi Chardonnay 2008 $19.95
This wine comes from the Sonoma region of California. It's an easy going wine that's ready to drink now. It's a nice California Chardonnay for just under $20.









Event Alert!
The Gourmet Food & Wine Expo is coming up in a few weeks here in Toronto. It's always a lot of fun. Sadly, I won't be pouring wines this year. I'll be on the floor tasting! :)
For more information: http://www.foodandwineexpo.ca

Purchase VIP tickets with the iYellow Wine Club and save money on the VIP evening:
http://www.iyellowwineclub.com/2009/10/gfwe-iyellow-vip-green-room.html

This year, the wines of Portugal will be featured. See you there!

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