This wine is from the Naramata bench in BC and was given to us from a friend who brought it back with him. We don’t get a lot of BC wines here in Ontario since a number of them are made in small lots, so I enjoy the opportunity to check them out. BC’s wine industry are doing some great work with some unique results!

This one is a Pinot Gris. The wine is pale in color, mild on the nose with some citrus and sweetness coming through. On the mid pallet are some pronounced citrus and some pear maybe even some melon coming through. The description on the back of the bottle said peach but I don’t get that. The wine was fermented and aged in stainless steel leaving a clean smooth easy drinking wine which would be very food friendly. The wine is on the lighter side of medium on the finish. This wine is not available in the LCBO and is only made in small lots. I would give it an 88 or so. $18.80 at the winery. We paired it with a BBQ pork chop and enjoyed it on the deck at the cottage in Muskoka. Ah what a tough life it is indeed!

Another wine from the Calibrium hosted L’Ecole tasting event where they showcased 8 wines from the Columbia Valley in Washington. None of these wines are available at the LCBO so you will have to buy a case from them

Onto the reds. This wine is a blend of 42% Merlot, 27% Syrah, 22% Cab Sauv, 5% Grenache, 2% Petit Verdot, 2% Cab Franc and the kitchen sink tossed in for good measure. On the nose there are some slightly sweet bouquets with some strawberries coming through. On the mid pallet are some lovely deep rich dark berries with the cab Sauv coming through loud and clear. You can get some of the merlot subtly on the mid pallet as well. On the finish the wine has some lovely firm tannins, that gently coat the pallet and linger nicely. This wine has a beautiful long finish and was one of my favorites for the night. I would give it a 91. Its $29 and available in cases of 12x750ml. Yummy!

Another wine from the Calibrium hosted L’Ecole tasting event where they showcased 8 wines from the Columbia Valley in Washington. None of these wines are available at the LCBO so you will have to buy a case from them

This wine is 81% Merlot, 11% Cab Franc, 5% Petit Verdot, 3% Cab Sauv. On the nose the varietal Merlot comes through with some plum. On the mid pallet is lots of lovely dry pucker power with black fruits dominating. You can really appreciate the cab Franc and cab sauv. The finish has some tannins and slight bit of bitterness but nothing too nasty. I would give it a 90 or so. Quite a nice wine. $36 available in cases of 12x750ml.

Pale in color mild on the nose with some chard smells coming through. On the mid pallet this wine is VERY subtle. When I first tried it I paired it with a pork chop and I must say I was underwhelmed. I suspect it was too cold. As it warmed up some of it’s character came through and it started to build in the mouth. My first though was this is simple sugar water. As it built up I started to appreciate some of the complexities in different layers that came through. In the end the wine had a nice finish, slightly tart. Don’t expect this one to blow your socks off but it is an interesting experience with a lot of patience and the right temperature. I would give it an 88 or so. Won’t be rushing out for more.

LAURENT MIQUEL PERE ET FILS CHARDONNAY LCBO 157909 | 750 mL bottle Price: $ 11.35
Wine, Still Table Wine, White Still Table Wine 13.0% Alcohol/Vol.

Made in: Languedoc, France By: Laurent Miquel

Tasting Note
Pale straw colour; green apple and citrus aromas; matching green apple and lemon flavours for a crisp finish

Calibrium hosted a L’Ecole tasting event where they showcased 8 wines from the Columbia Valley in Washington. None of these wines are available at the LCBO so you will have to buy a case from them The event was nicely run at the Fine Wine Reserve and inlcuded a few cheeses, and finger foods.

This wine was the first wine they served. The wine is 89% Semillion and 11% Sauv Blanc. On the nose the wine is quite sweet in bouquet with pear screaming through and some florals. On the mid pallet this wine has some nice apple flavors with a lovely long green tart apple finish lingering nicely. I was quite impressed with the length of this wine. It is not sweet as the nose would expect. I would easily give this a 90. Quite an impressive wine. $22 and is available in a case of 12x750ml.

This one is quite pale in color mild on the nose with some mild chard smells coming through. On the mid pallet are citrus flavors, slightly tart. This one is more like a sauv blanc would taste than a chard. Not a bad wine, but not a good chard either. The finish was on the lighter side of medium. I would give it an 88 or so simply because I think a chard ought to taste like a chard. I won’t be running out to grab more.

From the LCBO web site:
GRAHAM BECK CHARDONNAY 2008 VINTAGES 593475 | 750 mL bottle Price: $ 14.95
Wine, White Wine 13.5% Alcohol/Vol. Sugar Content : D

Made in: South Africa, South Africa By: Graham Beck Wines
Release Date: Jun 12, 2010

Tasting Note
Citrus-, peach-, apple-, toast and mango-scented Chardonnay with a lovely round and ripe texture on the palate. Mid-palate acids come in to bring a fine balance. It’s fairly full bodied and has a long fruity/oaky finish. Try it with grilled chicken with a wild mushroom sauce. (VINTAGES panel, July 2009)
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I’m not a fan of Pinot Grigio’s. Generally I find them thin, with not a lot going on. They can be great on a patio in the heat. Light refreshing and can hit the spot. So given the latest heat wave I bought this one. I quite enjoy theiir Chianit which I have previously written up so I thought I would give this one a try. Pale in color mild on the nose. The mid pallet is quite non-descript, thin with not a lot going on. The finish is on the lighter side of medium and is dominated by a green apple tartness. Not strong, not overwhelming but dominant. I was disappointed by this wine and would not buy it again. I would give it an 87 or so.

From the LCBO web site:
GABBIANO PINOT GRIGIO LCBO 77990 | 750 mL bottle Price: $ 12.85
Wine, White Wine 12.5% Alcohol/Vol.

Made in: Venezie, Italy By: Castello Di Gabbiano

Tasting Note
Pale yellow colour; aromas of ripe pear, citrus with tropical notes; dry, light bodied, with citrus, mineral and apple flavours; medium long finish.

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My regular readers know I am hung up on a narrow definition of what I think a Merlot ought to taste like. Sometimes I am able to decouple from that and just enjoy the wine. To enjoy this one you are going to have to do that. The wine bears no resemblance to a Merlot for me. Not on the nose, mid pallet or the finish. Now that we have that ought of the way … the wine is deep in color. On the nose are some reasonably nice cab like smells. Black fruits, some cherries etc. On the mid pallet are some nice rich black fruits to match the nose and again some cherries. On the finish the wine has some nice tannins, some pucker power and a dryness that builds in the mouth. I would even go so far as to say chaulkyness. It was pointed out by one of the folks I was chatting with while tasting it, and she was right. Thanks Ellie. All in all this is an interesting wine. I enjoyed it. I would give it an 88-89 or so. Unfortunately it is not in the LCBO so a trip out to the winery will have to be endured!

Jackson Triggs web site

Another wine from the Sip and Savour wine event this wine is light in color mild on the nose. On the mid pallet are some subtle chard flavors. This is a smooth well balanced middle of the road chard. It won’t overwhelm you and would be very food friendly. It’s on the lighter side of medium on the finish. I would give this one an 88, another great patio wine. Now, for the price ($35) I think there are much better wines out there, but it is a tasty Chard …

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Henry of Pelham winery

I’ve been on a roll with great Chilean Sauv blancs. Sadly this one breaks the role. The wine is pale in color very mild on the nose. The wine has some strong green flavors and some tartness (not quite bitter) on the finish. This wine is not horrible, but not to my tastes. There are better wines with more complex flavors and a better finish. The wine is reasonably food friendly but the flavor is just not there. I bought this one on a flyer with no research. I would give it an 86 or so. For me they missed the mark.

From the LCBO web site:
MONTES CLASSIC SERIES SAUVIGNON BLANC LCBO 159954 | 750 mL bottle Price: $ 12.95
Wine 13.5% Alcohol/Vol.
Made in: Chile, Chile By: Montes S.A.

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Another wine from the Sip and Savour event. The grape is a clone of the Gamay Noir. The wine is dark in color (darker than you would expect) with an earty/herb nose. The nose was more like a Pinot Noir. On the mid pallet are some nice dark fruits coming through. More going on than a typical Gamay. There are some nice cherry, a little bit of sweetness on the mid pallet. It’s slightly dry on the medium finish. I would give it an 88-89. I think I will try and find a bottle of this one for a more in depth tasting. I enjoyed it. One of the highlights of the evening’s wines!

From the LCBO web site:
CH DES CHARMES GAMAY NOIR DROIT VQA LCBO 582353 | 750 mL bottle Price: $ 16.95
Wine, Red Wine 13.5% Alcohol/Vol. Sugar Content : 1 This is a VQA wine

Made in: Ontario, Canada By: Chateau Des Charmes

Tasting Note
Medium deep red violet colour; aromas of crushed berries, mineral and cocoa; dry, light to medium bodied, fresh black cherry and cranberry, refreshing acidity; a great food wine.

Ok, I have to admit it, I don’t like celebrity wines. I’ve ranted about this once or twice and will digress again. Having a celebrity put his or her name on a product is a throw back to the past IMHO. That said I gave this one a try. Creekside use to make the wines for Mike Weir, the person serving this at the Sip and Savour wine event last night tells me that Chateau des Charmes now makes wines for them. Interstingly enough Chateau des Charmes St David Bench Sauv Blanc is one of my favorite Niagara Sauv Blanc. This one from Mike Weir displays some similar tastes. All the usual suspects are present and accounted for, some nice lemon, grass and citrus. The wine is well made with a nice smooth finish. The price on the Mike Weir interestingly enough is exactly the same as the Chateau des Charmes one. So to be honest, I’m not sure why I would bother with the Mike Weir knowing this. None the less I would give it an 88. Very food friendly, refreshing, perfect for the patio!

From the LCBO web site:
MIKE WEIR SAUVIGNON BLANC 2008 VINTAGES 686972 | 750 mL bottle
Price: $ 15.95
Wine, White Wine 12.5% Alcohol/Vol. Sugar Content : XD

Made in: Ontario, Canada By: Mike Weir Wine Release Date: Nov 21, 2009

Description
This homegrown Savvy features concentrated aromas of mineral, lemon, and grapefruit with clean grassy notes. Refreshing, with hints of ripe tropical and citrus fruit flavours and a racy, crisp finish. Enjoy it as an aperitif or pair it with fish pan-fried in lemon butter.

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The wine is pale in color, with a varietal Sauv blanc nose, albeit on the milder side. There’s the usual lemon, citris and grass coming through. On the mid pallet the flavors are spot on and match the bouquet. Again, citris, lemon and grass all there, present but on the milder side. The finish is on the lighter side of medium. This is a well made, middle of the road Sauv Blanc. It is VERY food friendly. I must say I quite enjoyed this one. It would go very well and would be quite refreshing on a patio on a hot summer day! Give it a try, it’s in the regular section …

From the LCBO web site:
PHILIPPE DE ROTHCHILD SAUV BLC LCBO 407536 | 750 mL bottle
Price: $ 10.95 Wine, White Wine 12.5% Alcohol/Vol.

Made in: Languedoc, France By: Baron Philippe De Rothschild S.A.

Tasting Note
Straw colour; grassy, citrus, herbaceous nose; medium body and crisp acidity, clean finish

Serving Suggestion
Great with light lunches, grilled seafood & light cheeses

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I enjoy Sauv blancs. They have a lovely bouquet and are very food friendly. They pair well with fatty, spicy, and asian dishes as well as fish. Very versatile. Previous posts have pointed out a number of inexpensive Chilean sauv blancs This is another wine from the iYellow 44 wine event on May 26th. The wine is pale in color with a lovely varietal nose of lemon, and grass. On the mid pallet the wine is bang on with lemon and grassy flavors to match the beautiful nose. On the finish the wine has a lovely bit of crispness to it with a finish on the lighter side of medium. Very well done. I would give it an 89-90 or so … It is not in the LCBO but goes for $30 at the winery. Pricey but quite good!

Peller estates link

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This is another wine from the iYellow 44 wine event on May 26th. As frequent readers know I have issues with finding a Merlot that tastes like I think a Merlot ought to taste. So I approach them with skepticism. The wine is dark in color with a nice Merlot bouquet, some plum and a bit of sweetness coming through. On the mid pallet the wine reveals itself nicely as a smooth, well balanced, fruit forward merlot with some plums and dark fruits coming through. On the finish the wine is on the lighter side of medium with no tannins or pepperyness to it at all. There are some oak flavors but they are mild. This is for me a varietal merlot! I would give it a solid 89. It is not in the LCBO but goes for $34 at the winery. Pricey but quite good!

Ravine Vineyard link

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