All posts tagged cabernet

LCBO Vintages Saturday February 19

by Kato on February 16, 2011 in Vintages Picks, Wine Picks with No comments

LCBO VINTAGES SATURDAY FEB 19

Cabernet is the feature with lots of high priced, highly polished offerings. But as ever, the values are in the regular section of the catalogue.

MY 6 HIGHLIGHTS

rosebubbly#1. ONE OF THE WORLD’S BEST VALUE SPARKLING WINES
Codorniu’s Pink bubbly is back in town. Refreshing with a tease of strawberry flavour, and something earthy. Good fun naturally, but good with food too. Especially anything spicy/hot.
Wine style: Sparkling Dry Rosé
CODORNIU BRUT ROSÉ CAVA, Spain 665372 $16.95


B#2. THE MEDITERRANEAN FEELING FOR ONLY $12.95
Try something different in white wine. Light ‘n refreshing but loaded with bold flavours. Herbs, olives – the Mediterranean feeling. Perfect with a seafood platter. Organic.
Wine-style: Fresh White
PARES BALTA 09 Blanc de Pacs, Penedes, Spain 190603 $12.95

13#3.  A PAIR of LOCAL HEROES – GOOD GAMAY and DELISH SWEET RIESLING
(a) 13th Street is one of the few wineries to take Gamay seriously. This vintage is Italian in spirit. Vibrant, gutsy and big on pucker. Not for the timid, but the perfect partner for a greasy burger or lamb chop. A bit expensive but an exciting local experience.
P.S. 13th Street has moved to beautiful new digs – bright and colourful with an art gallery feeling. The barn next door has been converted into a café with delicious local offerings to eat-in, or take for a picnic. A five star Niagara experience.
Wine style: Rustic Red
13th STREET 08 Gamay, VQA Niagara 177824 $17.95

charmes(b) Late Harvest Riesling is one of the wines that Ontario does best. Hugely concentrated flavours with equal amounts of sweetness and zest are the features in Chateau des Charmes wine. A delicious anytime sipper. Heavenly after an alfresco lunch.
Wine style: Medium-sweet White
CHATEAU DES CHARMES 07 Late Harvest Riesling, VQA Niagara-on-the -Lake 432930 375ml/$21.95

rhone

#4. ONE OF THE WORLD’S BEST VALUES IN RED WINE
What more can I say about Cotes-du-Rhone! This one is delicious and  warmhearted without feeling heavy, and the traditional label suggests a far more expensive wine. A-bottle-a-day drinkers will welcome the handy screw cap. Certain to be one of the buys of the year.
Wine style: Rich Red
LOUIS BERNARD 09 Cotes du Rhone ‘Reserve de Bonpas’, France 194969 $13.95

giorioso

#5. THE SEXY RIOJA THING
A few weeks ago I recommended an everyday Rioja from this winery and now here’s their Saturday night offering. Richer, with more spicy/sweetness and pouring on the charm and seduction. Sip slowly from a big glass.
Wine style: Rich Red
PALACIO GLORIOSO 05 Rioja Reserva, Spain 930164 $19.95

patache#6. WINE SCHOOL – A LESSON IN CABERNET
Meet Cabernet in the raw. The original – unadorned by the sweetness of oak. Lots of vigour, pucker and refreshment. Wine for any Bistro food or mood.

P.S. The catalogue notes by James Suckling (Wine Spectator) are very misleading – he always is.

Wine style: Rustic Red
DOMAINES LAPALU 09 Medoc ‘La Patache’, Bordeaux, France 217307 $14.95

grunerAND A FEW OTHERS…
Leth’s Gruner is a wonderful combination of zest and Spring-like flavours. Imagine a dry Riesling with a little spice and richness. Stock-up for patio lunches.
Wine style: Fresh White
LETH 09 Gruner Veltliner, Austria 207282 $16.95

porcupineGive Chardonnay a rest and explore another style of rich white. A spicy, manly white with a whiskey personality. Cannot wait to have this with summer BBQ’d chicken or pork. A mouthful of a name for a mouthful of a wine.
Wine style: Rich White
BOEKENHOUTSKLOOF 09 Viognier/Grenache Blanc ‘Porcupine Ridge’, South Africa 203893 $16.95

rasteauCotes du Rhone with an extra shot of richness and seduction.
Wine style: Rich Red
CHATEAU GOUDRAY 09 Rasteau, Cotes du Rhone Villages, France 195032 $15.95

luigiRich and plummy in the Merlot style. But not overdone.
Wine style: Rich Red
LUIGI BOSCA 08 Malbec Reserva, Mendoza, Argentina 79293 $17.95

wakefieldWakefield always offers more than Aussie bigness. There’s character too.
Wine style: Rich Red
WAKEFIELD ESTATE 08 Shiraz, Clare Valley, Australia 943787 $17.95

Italian House Reds

by Kato on October 30, 2009 in Wine Picks with No comments

oct30Italy Does Modern

Traditionally Italian wines are labeled by region but there’s a movement to start using grape names, especially well known ones, when the production is aimed at the expert market. Are you ready to try some Merlot, Cabernet and Syrah – Italian style?

The Abruzzo province is the ‘outlet store’ for Italian red wines. Rock bottom prices for good quality, traditional wines. Now it’s doing the same with international grape varieties.

Arancio’s Syrah strikes a perfect balance between traditional and modern expression. It would work for either camp. Solid, house wine feeling. A bit reserved at first, but the Italian spirit comes out with food.

Casal Thaulero’s wine delivers Merlot plumminess, Cabernet solidness and a rustic Italian feeling. Richness and gusto – the Italian way. For hearty foods and folks. Why pay more?

Best times: fall or winter house wines.

wine style: RICH RED
Arancio 07 Syrah, Sicily 621730 $12.75

wine style: RICH RED
Casal Thaulero 08 Merlot/Cabernet, Abruzzo, Italy 621953 $6.95

LCBO Vintages September 26, 2009

by Kato on September 23, 2009 in Vintages Picks, Wine Picks with No comments

Vintages, Saturday Sept 26

THE LOW DOWN: Three novel Italian whites are the hits of this release. All under $15. In reds, you’ll make a lot of people happy with my Côtes du Rhône or Napa Cab picks. I don’t usually recommend forty-five dollar wines but Foreign Affair Pinot is both novel and wonderfully satisfying if you enjoy traditional style red wine.

riffWHITES
ALOIS LAGEDER 08 Pinot Grigio ‘Riff’, Alto Adige, Italy 66415 $13.95
style: nice & easy white
Pinot grigio with zingy, mineral freshess and a little richness. Very pure with an elegant feeling, Classy white for a nice dinner.

pecoroniCANTINA TOLLO 08 Pecorino, Abruzzo, Italy 134510 $14.95
style: nice & easy white
Pecorino is a lesser known Italian grape that produces really good, general purpose white wine. Not too light not too rich – more herbal than fruity, and best of all – something different.

stocooSTOCCO 08 Friulano, Friuli, Italy 135525 $14.95
style: fresh white
Friulano is a zesty Sauv Blanc-style white produced in Italy’s Friuli region. There’s also some fullness but the overall feeling is high-spirited and refreshing. A lovely pure, spring day experience. Have with appetizers.


cardinREDS
TERRES d’AVIGNON 07 Côtes du Rhône ‘Cardinalices’, France 130294 $13.95
style: rich red
Super-rich and yummy – with dangerous drinkability. Charming and gentle so it works equally well with white or red meats.

avalonAVALON 06 Cabernet Sauvignon, Napa Valley, California 684399 $22.95
style: rich red
Solid Californian red that’s found a middle ground between heft and drinkabiltiy. Rich, but not overpowering. Steak wine that will let the meat and company shine.

beaverTHE FOREIGN AFFAIR 07 Pinot Noir, VQA Niagara 127332 $44.00
style: rich red
Foreign Affair is a new Niagara winery producing wines by the Appassimento technique (dried grapes as in Amarone) – hence the high cost of this wine. I’m recommending the Pinot because it delivers the goods – a really interesting red with some of the richness of Amarone and a lot of the earthy quality of Barolo. Feeling and flavours of the fall, the forest, the farm…all things woodsy. Quite refreshing and very together without trying too hard. Could be called the anti-wine in this era where smoothness rules. Have with simply roasted red meats or game – don’t forget to try and create your own farmhouse feeling.

Back to Basics – Cab & Merlot

by Kato on June 28, 2009 in Wine Picks with No comments

medocCabernet and Merlot originated in France, and they’re still going strong in the Bordeaux region. A cool climate and French wine culture produces a somewhat light and lean edition of these grapes – very different from the Aussie or Chilean efforts. The Bordeaux expression refreshes and invigorates the palate – what’s known as the bistro style. Great with food, but not a lot of fun for party gulping. Especially if you have a low tolerance for dryness.

I enjoy Bordeaux (most are a blend of Cabernet and Merlot) in the summer for the refreshing nature and moderate alcohol levels. The rustic bite also appeals to me – gives the wine a sense of place. Try the following.

CALVET 06 Medoc, Bordeaux  38208 $13.95
Gutsy, invigorating, traditional French wine. Modest alcohol. An elbows on the table, let’s-get-eating feeling. And bring on the second bottle. Offers a refreshing break from today’s world of super smooth rich reds.

Wow Wines

by Billy on April 11, 2009 in Wine Picks with No comments

Here’s ten locals that I’d take to my hideaway island.

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