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
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
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
Big, bold, and Italian all the way… This Amarone from Remo Farina, a bold, brazen, and charismatic red blend, lived up to its billing and did justice to Amarone’s Appassimento wine-making style. The alcohol content, a whopping 15.5%, which is probably an under-estimate, paralleled the robust flavours in terms of presence. Made from a combination … Read more
An outstanding Barolo from Ascheri… Although we don’t typically jump at the appearance of a wine bottle, the classy, elegant, and, at the same time, modern label caught our eye, distinguishing it from the other vini piemontesi on the shelf. In many ways, the presentation reflected the excellent quality of the wine. Made from 100% … Read more
A tale of two wines in one bottle… We previously rated this wine in 2016, so this review represents a sequel of sorts, to see how the wine could have evolved. In short, we experienced two quite distinctive wines in this single offering. Straight out of the fridge, this white wine showed characteristics of Pinot … Read more