Wine Review – 2017 Temjanika Desire

An outstanding white from North Macedonia that represents tremendous value for the money… Name: Temjanika Desire Vintage: 2017        Producer: Château Sopot Region/Country: Vardar Valley, Central Region (Povardarje), North Macedonia Grape Varietal(s): Temjanika – also knows as Muscat Blanc à Petit Grains Alcohol Level: 13% Consumed: At a dinner party with friends Recommended By: Purchased it … Read more

Wine Review – 2015 Poggio al Tufo Rompicollo

A very good IGT from a spectacular region in Italy… Name: Poggio al Tufo Rompicollo Vintage: 2015        Producer: Poggio al Tufo Region/Country: Maremma Toscana, Tuscany, Italy Grape Varietal(s): Sangiovese (60%) and Cabernet Sauvignon (40%) Alcohol Level: 13% Consumed: At home on a brisk fall evening Recommended By: Picked it off the shelf at the LCBO … Read more

Wine Review – 2011 Numanthia

A big, bold Tempranillo from Toro, Spain… Name: Numanthia Vintage: 2011        Producer: Numanthia Region/Country: Toro, Spain Grape Varietal(s): Tempranillo Alcohol Level: 14.5% Consumed: At home Recommended By: Picked it off the shelf at the Heathrow Airport Duty Free Cost: $69.00 CAD at the LCBO Bottle Presentation: An interesting combination of gothic and Egyptian styles with … Read more

Embraced by a New (Writing) Community

Joining a new community can be a daunting task. From our personal experiences, it can also be fraught with differing viewpoints, personalities, and cultures, some of which are inconspicuous and discovered on the fly. When we first joined the writing community by attending the Writer’s Digest Annual Conference in New York City, our initial foray … Read more

Wine Review – 2009 Castello di Ama Chianti Classico Riserva

A good-to-very good Chianti Classico Riserva from the heart of the Chianti region… We very much looked forward to opening this Chianti Classico Riserva after having cellared it for a number of years. As expected, it offered a gorgeous and vibrant ruby-garnet hue, which caught more than one eye during dinner. Produced in the heart … Read more

Wine Review – 2014 Penfolds Grange

At $50 a taste (yes, for a taste), one would expect nothing short of excellence from one of Australia’s top producers… We had the pleasure of tasting the 2014 Penfolds Grange at their Barossa Valley Cellar Door in Nooriupta, South Australia. The experience proved intriguing, to say the least, especially the meticulous presentation and comprehensive … Read more

Wine Review – 2015 Marchesi di Barolo Peiragal Barbera d’Alba

This outstanding Barbera d’Alba had us at the cork… Everything about this Barbera d’Alba from Piedmont, Italy, exuded class, starting with the patterned cork, which gave off an alluring aroma of pipe tobacco. Balanced, complex, and vivacious, this red wine offered everything you could want in a Barbera. Vibrant red fruit, most notably cherries and … Read more

Wine Review – 2014 Batasiolo Barolo

A decent Barolo… We were excited to try this 2014 Batasiolo Barolo, a wine we previously reviewed on our site, albeit from 2012. To be honest, compared to the 2012 offering, the 2014 vintage came up a little short, especially due to the prominence of alcohol in both the nose and mouth, as well as … Read more

Wine Review – 2011 Cornas Les Arènes

A fantastic Syrah from the Northern Côtes du Rhône region… We thoroughly enjoyed this beautiful Syrah from the Cornas appellation in Northern Côtes du Rhône. It offered black cherries and ripe strawberries in the nose, as well as iron, charred wood, green cedar, and black and red licorice. In the mouth, we enjoyed vibrant, sour, … Read more

Wine Review – 2014 Francis Ford Coppola Director’s Cut

Maybe it’s a little cliché, but this Director’s Cut wine’s a box office hit… This Cabernet Sauvignon from Francis Fort Coppola impressed us with its complexity and structure. Despite the alcohol giving it away as a so-called new world wine, we appreciated its old world style. The nose offered a complex, interesting bouquet, consisting of … Read more