Toronto Wine Guy is back...here's a few recent reviews, see links for LCBO availability:
Tuscany, Italy
$179.95 Supertuscan superstar. Yeah this is a pretty great wine...and a price to match.
Super-ripe, very concentrated, uber-complex, endless finish.
Nose is still a bit tight; spicy, woody, coffee, a bit flowery and smoky, (almost like a a tar and roses Barolo thing!).
Full bodied....lots going on here, like a perfect after dinner course: cherries jubilee, espresso, cognac, cigar. In this case all mixed together!
You can taste it the next day.
A tad hot at 14.5%., in Bordeaux this would be more like 13.5% (blame the Tuscan sun!) but that's nitpicking, the density of everything else holds it in check just fine.
A big wine but also quite subtle.
$179.95 Supertuscan superstar. Yeah this is a pretty great wine...and a price to match.
Super-ripe, very concentrated, uber-complex, endless finish.
Nose is still a bit tight; spicy, woody, coffee, a bit flowery and smoky, (almost like a a tar and roses Barolo thing!).
Full bodied....lots going on here, like a perfect after dinner course: cherries jubilee, espresso, cognac, cigar. In this case all mixed together!
You can taste it the next day.
A tad hot at 14.5%., in Bordeaux this would be more like 13.5% (blame the Tuscan sun!) but that's nitpicking, the density of everything else holds it in check just fine.
A big wine but also quite subtle.
Red Hill Estate Pinot Noir 2007, Mornington Peninsula
90Australia
$19.95 This is one of the better Pinot noirs I've had at this price range. In fact it's as good as many I've had at double the price. (I'm looking at you Clos Jordan)
Clear bright red, fresh nose of cranberry & mint. Medium-light body, sweet/tart raspberry on the palate, bright acidity, smooth tannin. Not especially concentrated but well balanced.
It'll keep for a couple of years but there's no point in cellaring this wine, it will only lose it's freshness. A fine drink that's good to go. Was great with Thanksgiving dinner.
$19.95 This is one of the better Pinot noirs I've had at this price range. In fact it's as good as many I've had at double the price. (I'm looking at you Clos Jordan)
Clear bright red, fresh nose of cranberry & mint. Medium-light body, sweet/tart raspberry on the palate, bright acidity, smooth tannin. Not especially concentrated but well balanced.
It'll keep for a couple of years but there's no point in cellaring this wine, it will only lose it's freshness. A fine drink that's good to go. Was great with Thanksgiving dinner.
Bodegas Lan Reserva 2004, Doca Rioja
88-89Spain
$19.95 Good wine, well made, but not as good as I had hoped. It's medium body was lighter than I expected.
Has an olivey, briney thing going on. A bit of anise-floral-tar (which reminded me almost like a hint of barolo...ok...neat.)
A bit of heat and wood on the finish...slightly sour.
Yeah this was pretty good, but not a "stunning value". If this cost $40, I'd be annoyed.
"good", "nice"...yeah...not great.
$20 for an "89" ain't saying that much these days.
$19.95 Good wine, well made, but not as good as I had hoped. It's medium body was lighter than I expected.
Has an olivey, briney thing going on. A bit of anise-floral-tar (which reminded me almost like a hint of barolo...ok...neat.)
A bit of heat and wood on the finish...slightly sour.
Yeah this was pretty good, but not a "stunning value". If this cost $40, I'd be annoyed.
"good", "nice"...yeah...not great.
$20 for an "89" ain't saying that much these days.
Château Larose Trintaudon 2006, Ac Haut Médoc
88Bordeaux, France
$26.95 Not bad, not great, but not bad.
Nice nose; earthy, herbal, fruity.
Tastes ok too: medium body, decent concentration of fruit, pretty good balance especially for a fairly young haut-medoc which are often quite austere. Certainly no fruit-bomb but a bit of a modern touch here.
i won't be rushing out to buy a case but it's a good all-round Bordeaux, if overpriced. At this level you really are paying an extra $5-$10 for the region name alone, in this case "haut medoc".
$26.95 Not bad, not great, but not bad.
Nice nose; earthy, herbal, fruity.
Tastes ok too: medium body, decent concentration of fruit, pretty good balance especially for a fairly young haut-medoc which are often quite austere. Certainly no fruit-bomb but a bit of a modern touch here.
i won't be rushing out to buy a case but it's a good all-round Bordeaux, if overpriced. At this level you really are paying an extra $5-$10 for the region name alone, in this case "haut medoc".
Bordeaux, France
$24.95 Yet another mediocre no-name Bordeaux.
A good, if typical, nose. Medium body. On the palate: Fruit is there but a bit thin, dark berries, a bit woody, some minerality, not too much tannin.
decent, but why bother...
$25 bucks should buy you more than average.
That's about it for now....oh wait, new releases of the following wines are out now, I've really enjoyed previous vintages so it might be worthwhile checking them out, these are my eviews from previous years...
'07 is out now..this is my review of the '06
$19.95 90
A darn fine Chianti.
Not quite "full" bodied, but almost. Dense, dark (but fading fast) fruits, nice fine tannin. Savory, with a slightly sweet, fruity undertone.
Not much life left though I fear...the tannins are holding strong while the fruit lays underneath. If the fruit can survive a year or two in the cellar this could evolve spendidly. Not sure it has the stuffing...the tannins might be too strong and the fruit may already be fading. Drink now. But worth a shot at 1 or 2 years aging. You might even find some cute little half bottles.
$24.95 Yet another mediocre no-name Bordeaux.
A good, if typical, nose. Medium body. On the palate: Fruit is there but a bit thin, dark berries, a bit woody, some minerality, not too much tannin.
decent, but why bother...
$25 bucks should buy you more than average.
That's about it for now....oh wait, new releases of the following wines are out now, I've really enjoyed previous vintages so it might be worthwhile checking them out, these are my eviews from previous years...
Antinori Pèppoli Chianti Classico 2006, Docg
Tuscany, Italy$19.95 90
A darn fine Chianti.
Not quite "full" bodied, but almost. Dense, dark (but fading fast) fruits, nice fine tannin. Savory, with a slightly sweet, fruity undertone.
Not much life left though I fear...the tannins are holding strong while the fruit lays underneath. If the fruit can survive a year or two in the cellar this could evolve spendidly. Not sure it has the stuffing...the tannins might be too strong and the fruit may already be fading. Drink now. But worth a shot at 1 or 2 years aging. You might even find some cute little half bottles.
'07s are out now...reviews on this are mixed but the price is right...worth a shot.
Abruzzo, Italy
$13.95 Jam and pepper. Sweet and spicy. Thick and juicy with some heat. (Welches grape juice & vodka jello shooters?) Reminds me of some Cali Zins I've had only thicker. I loved this. My wife? Not so much, though she enjoyed it more the next day. Great Price to quality ratio.
ok so that's it for now....gourmet wine show coming up, i think I've snagged free tickets to the VIP opening night, I hope so. Though this time I'll be drinking alone, I'll drag Mimi along but with another bun in the oven she'll have to settle for appreciating some fine bouquets.
$13.95 Jam and pepper. Sweet and spicy. Thick and juicy with some heat. (Welches grape juice & vodka jello shooters?) Reminds me of some Cali Zins I've had only thicker. I loved this. My wife? Not so much, though she enjoyed it more the next day. Great Price to quality ratio.
ok so that's it for now....gourmet wine show coming up, i think I've snagged free tickets to the VIP opening night, I hope so. Though this time I'll be drinking alone, I'll drag Mimi along but with another bun in the oven she'll have to settle for appreciating some fine bouquets.
Haha! Love that image of the baby in-utero. Might steal it for FB.
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