Uncorked-Wine and Spirits Appreciation

Belgian · Post by **Belgian** » Fri Jan 02, 2015 9:11 pm

Ascheri Barbera d'Alba (2010) a nice berry-cherry toned Italian 'workhorse' red wine that for me has better structure and tastes cleaner than country-plonk Sangiovese wines but is still very reasonable. I'd say it's a decent deal if you like the basic style of this reliable Barbera grape vinified in the Piedmont growing regions for which it is most appreciated (Alba, Asti and sometimes Monferrato.)

* With some cast orin seared Strip Loin from Chopping Block in the Beach! Per la salute....

Belgian · Post by **Belgian** » Fri Jan 02, 2015 9:17 pm

Belgian wrote:Moillard Tradition Pinot Noir Bourgogne 2012 "old world Pinot Noir" red.
- dominant cranberry sourness Would be GREAT for beef stew. Or a refund.

^ My local LCBO hsa a pile of this stuff for a month while IMO better wines have come and gone quickly. Guess I called it!

Craig · Post by **Craig** » Tue Jan 06, 2015 1:00 pm

Hey Belgian,

In the latest LCBO magazine they picked out a 2011 Laplace Madiran (a region I've been drinking some of lately thanks to you) as a best value, coming in at 17 bucks. It got a good review from wine enthusiast, who suggested aging it until 2017 at least. Have any insight? I'm considering a couple bottles for the cellar.

Craig · Post by **Craig** » Tue Jan 06, 2015 1:03 pm

There's also a Finca Del Marquesado 2004 Rioja Gran Reserva coming too that sounds right up my alley. I truly do love Riojas for the ability to get a bottle with 10 years on it for under 20 bucks.

Belgian · Post by **Belgian** » Tue Jan 06, 2015 8:59 pm

Craig wrote:Hey Belgian, In the latest LCBO magazine they picked out a 2011 Laplace Madiran I'm considering a couple bottles for the cellar.

It's cool you checked out Madiran - wines from there that have a higher percentage of Tannat grape are the more 'traditional' style (some newer-style ones are more blended-down and softer for earlier drinking.) As you say you can get a lot out of keeping them even a very long time - a cheap cellar investment.

Nice tip on the FINCA DEL MARQUESAD, wish I knew more about Spanish and Portugese wines because some regions are giving away great values.

midlife crisis · Post by **midlife crisis** » Sat Jan 10, 2015 1:18 pm

Four Roses Small Batch significantly marked down at the 'BO -- $31.95 from $39.95. There were a couple of cases left at Leaside this morning. They also had about a dozen bottles of Sazerac Rye (not marked down). Two great whiskies.

liamt07 · Post by **liamt07** » Sun Jan 11, 2015 1:28 pm

Had the opportunity to try the Sazerac 18 Yr, George T. Stagg and Pappy 12 Yr last night.

Sazerac 18 Year is likely one of the finest spirits I've ever tasted.

Belgian · Post by **Belgian** » Mon Jan 26, 2015 9:53 pm

Blaignan Medoc 2010, the 'Cru Bourgeois' tag puts these next in line only to the classified growth (number-ranked) 'Cru' Bordeaux wines, and sometimes the baby Cru's compete with their big brothers rather unfairly in quality.

This one? Easy-going yet solid, refined, decent value. A nicely-structured red showing the 60/40 Cab-Merlot blend really well with some gentle oak, and I really like it. May age a few if I can keep my hands off them; the tannins are already approachable.

sofakingdrunk · Post by **sofakingdrunk** » Sun Feb 08, 2015 9:58 pm

http://www.lcbo.com/lcbo/product/new-ho ... NgiKi6KUxI

Anybody have any insight into this? I'm not a bourbon fan, generally, but this sounds interesting.

biegaman · Post by **biegaman** » Tue Feb 10, 2015 11:19 pm

sofakingdrunk wrote:http://www.lcbo.com/lcbo/product/new-ho ... NgiKi6KUxI

Anybody have any insight into this? I'm not a bourbon fan, generally, but this sounds interesting.

Haven't tried it yet myself, also waiting for others' feedback. But wanted to mention I have seen this marked down 30% at a few stores throughout the GTA (can't remember exactly which, sorry). But those curious to try it might want to keep their eyes peeled for the sale; it wasn't a huge mover, my guess is more and more stores will mark it down in the coming weeks/months.

biegaman · Post by **biegaman** » Tue Feb 10, 2015 11:25 pm

A few goodies back as part of the current whiskey promo...

Four Roses Single Barrel for $45.70

Danfields 21 Year for $44.95

Aberlour 16 Year Old for $89.95

Belgian · Post by **Belgian** » Sat Feb 14, 2015 12:59 am

Cossart Gordon 5 year old Bual Madeira, a nice drinker - smooth but fairly deep with some meaty-mushroomy notes to accompany the tart-sweet and raisiny fruit depth. Really nice long sweet & apricot-acid finish with amazing old oak barrel, and cellar/mushroom repeats. I could definitely tip this into a glass after or before dinner, or into a saucepan with some veal scallopini or sautéd pears (the ultimate hot morning cereal topper - pears not veal, duh.)

This is the kind of thing I like to have around for saucy braising recipes like coq au vin or carbonnade, adding a dash for a bit of hard-to-place complexity. For cooking it will last a long time, and even to just drink will hold up 3-4 months. Madeira is very, well, Madeirized (heated and oxidized in a specific method) so not much can change it. Nice value for 24.95 / 750ml.

Belgian · Post by **Belgian** » Wed Mar 18, 2015 7:53 pm

Le Sughere di Frassinello 2011 (Sangiovese Blend) - I'm guessing (correctly as it turns out) this is one of the Super Tuscans - classical Italian variety grapes blended with eg. French Bordeaux varietals (Cab Sauv and Merlot equally make up 50% of the Cepage in this case) - and for the category it's reasonably priced. The payoff is decent but underwhelming, a pretty harmonized wine but not nearly as dense complex and interesting as a truly old-world wine might be, trading this off too cheaply for easy rounded sweet flavors and fruit. A typical elementary twelve-dollar LCBO wine masquerading as a $25 cultural boon. Sip it or skip it, your call. I'd save up for good Barbaresco wines instead, or spare ten bucks and get a lean-and-mean Barbera D'asti.

Belgian · Post by **Belgian** » Fri Mar 20, 2015 8:31 pm

Gérard Bertrand Saint Chinian Syrah/Mourvèdre 2011 - something completely different. The prominent Mourvédre part of the blend (a Rhône grape that's usually less represented) lends this comforting full red wine a brooding and dark quality with some initial wooly and herbal tones that give way to nice mineral, black fruit and acidic flavors - this is very pure, terroir-expression stuff and I recommend this for its good depth for under twenty bucks. Good lightly chilled without aeration/decanting. Gonna go buy more, this here is my schtick.

Torontoblue · Post by **Torontoblue** » Sat Mar 21, 2015 4:39 am

Jonas, I should be impartial here, but Gerard puts out some good quality wines at a great price point. It's difficult sorting through his large portfolio, but this one is a definite winner from his stock.

The Bar Towel

Uncorked-Wine and Spirits Appreciation

wine buzz word - "Cru Bourgeois"