This Appassimento method red wine impressed us on day one, and it continued to shine 5 days later! Name: La Penna Vintage: 2012 Producer: Cave Spring Vineyard Region/Country: Beamsville Bench, Niagara, Ontario, Canada Grape Varietal(s): Cabernet Franc Alcohol Level: 17% (at this alcohol level, La Penna approaches some fortified wines) Consumed: At home Recommended By: … Read more
A versatile Tempranillo of great value… Name: Anciano Gran Reserva 7 Years Vintage: 2010 Producer: Anciano, Bodegas Navalón Region/Country: Valdepeñas, Spain Grape Varietal(s): Tempranillo Alcohol Level: 13% Consumed: At home Recommended By: At the local liquor board store, the LCBO. Cost: $13.95 CAD If you want a more detailed wine review, read on… Bottle Presentation … Read more
A good Gamay from one of the better regions in Beaujolais (Moulin-à-Vent)… Name: Laurent Perrachon et Fils Moulin-à-Vent Terres Roses Vintage: 2017 Producer: Laurent Perrachon et Fils Region/Country: Appellation Moulin-à-Vent Contrôlée, Moulin-à-Vent, Beaujolais, France Grape Varietal(s): Gamay Alcohol Level: 13% Consumed: At home Recommended By: Picked it off the shelf at the LCBO Vintages section … Read more
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
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
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
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
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
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
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