Uncorked-Wine and Spirits Appreciation

SteelbackGuy · Post by **SteelbackGuy** » Wed Nov 04, 2009 9:13 am

icemachine wrote:....... its hard to find bad VQA 2007 wines.........

You just need to take a closer look at Pelee Island, and you'll find a never ending supply.

Bytowner · Post by **Bytowner** » Wed Nov 04, 2009 10:05 am

Newman's Port is a nice surprise from Vintages... I'm not sure how long it's been in the system, but I came across it at LCBO Rideau the other day. A really nice, easy-drinking ruby. And a Canadian connection to boot!

Belgian · Post by **Belgian** » Wed Nov 04, 2009 4:58 pm

SteelbackGuy wrote:
Most product consultants order stuff they like. They have bi weekly tastings, and order things that impressed them.
I order stuff I like based on what I've tried or read about. sometimes ( and that is the operative word here) the stuff doesn't sell, and as a result, my manager will mark it down.

Really, different stores will sell certain wines, excluding others simply because of the personal taste of people working there? Without wanting to get too snippy about it, I just thought the Mythical even distribution the LC offers would be more important, but perhaps I misunderstand. I just don't agree with every wine drinker's taste, that's all.

Also - what Len said, it's true that store managers come down hard on employees clearing out a discounted stock, because it appears disadvantageous towards customers who would also have liked the new pricing. Then again the same employee could have a friend grab up the cheaper wines for them so there's really no preventing 'insider buying.'
______________

All this aside:

I bought that (8.95) 2007 Bodegas Castaño ‘La Casona’ Monastrell to try out - from Yecla, Spain.
http://www.winecurrent.com/new-in-lcbo- ... ew-in-lcbo

The Monastrell varietal is generally thought to be Mourvédre. This is a cheap one.

This wine is apparently selling hundreds of cases a day if anyone wants to avoid missing it.

icemachine · Post by **icemachine** » Wed Nov 04, 2009 8:31 pm

icemachine wrote:I think there is some world class Ontario Reds, but you won't necessarily find them in the LCBO. My favourite red has to be Vignoble Rancourt's 2004 Meritage, a blend of Cab Franc, Cab Sauvignon and Merlot. Its $24/bottle and only available from the winery.

We were in NotL last month and Rancourt was trying to clear some space and had this wine at 50% off so we picked up a case, should have grabbed two.

Wine Crystals in the bottle, but they don't bother me, the tannins are nicely rounded, the Cherry and Currant flavours are melding wonderfully while finishing dry, and the mouthfeel is full but not viscous or chewy.

Belgian · Post by **Belgian** » Thu Nov 05, 2009 12:44 pm

icemachine wrote: We were in NotL last month and Rancourt was trying to clear some space and had this wine at 50% off so we picked up a case, should have grabbed two.

Wine Crystals in the bottle, but they don't bother me, the tannins are nicely rounded, the Cherry and Currant flavours are melding wonderfully while finishing dry, and the mouthfeel is full but not viscous or chewy.

Nice! You paid 12 a bottle for a middleweight Bordeaux-style red? Score.

I think 'crystals' (potassium hydrogen tartrate) happen in more traditionally prepared bottlings, and they do occur in the more age-worthy wines. These wines are more natural because they have not been exposed to cold temperatures before bottling to make the crystals 'drop'. Older wines can be decanted to avoid gulping any tartrate crystals (they don't taste bad to me.)

Belgian · Post by **Belgian** » Thu Nov 05, 2009 10:23 pm

Belgian wrote:
I bought that (8.95) 2007 Bodegas Castaño ‘La Casona’ Monastrell to try out - from Yecla, Spain.

Um, I don't get the hype around this 'value' Yecla wine. It tastes kind of raw and cheaply made to me. On with the screw cap, back to the LC it goes - I don't need a "bad wine headache" today. Argentina can make a way better wine for small bucks.

4/5 stars, huh? Better off to buy that pricey Bandol if you want to taste a real solid Mourvédre wine. Bastide Blanche is a good one.

Ukie · Post by **Ukie** » Sat Nov 14, 2009 8:23 pm

I see The LCBO is running some "Beaujolais Nouveau" events this week to coincide with the 2009 release. Is this a big deal anymore, I am referring to Beaujolais Nouveau tasting and then purchasing?

Belgian · Post by **Belgian** » Sun Nov 15, 2009 1:22 pm

Ukie wrote:I see The LCBO is running some "Beaujolais Nouveau" events this week to coincide with the 2009 release. Is this a big deal anymore, I am referring to Beaujolais Nouveau tasting and then purchasing?

I was recently thinking about Beaujolais wine, from my much earlier days in learning wine - there are a couple of decent Beauj Nouveaux out there, but it's honestly mostly swill, and because of all the big deal made ovre them they are not very sportingly priced.

You can buy a top-grade Cru de Beaujolais (one of ten controlled "AOC" growths) for almost the same price and then you have a much more special style of Gamay: Chiroubles, Fleurie, Cotes-de Brouilly, Julienás... really good low-tannin Reds with lively berry flavors & distinct regional character. Find it in the BURGUNDY section of VINTAGES.

Even some 'regular' Beaujolais Superior, or better still a decent Beaujolais Villages, is a far nicer drop and may cost LESS than a rushed-to-market Nouveau.

Why?

Geoges DuBoeuf (bless him for putting a lot of good Beauj out there) has made a global hype-fest out of what used to be a nice little local tradition in France. This of course makes DuBoeuf (and everyone else) a shipload of cash that is far out of whack with the sweet juicy mess of immature wine you get in your glass. But people have fun with it so let 'em party...

Your friends might enjoy a Cru or Villages Beauj just as much if not more. And you CAN trust DuBoeuf as well as some others in that area!

Sarge · Post by **Sarge** » Thu Nov 26, 2009 2:52 pm

Does anyone know what happened to the Tomintoul Scotch ? It was in that LCBO food and wine magazine a while ago with a number -140814 but I can find no trace of it.
Cheers!

SteelbackGuy · Post by **SteelbackGuy** » Sat Dec 12, 2009 1:01 am

Sarge wrote:Does anyone know what happened to the Tomintoul Scotch ? It was in that LCBO food and wine magazine a while ago with a number -140814 but I can find no trace of it.
Cheers!

It is done as far as I know.

SteelbackGuy · Post by **SteelbackGuy** » Sat Dec 12, 2009 1:05 am

Tonight I am sampling Lillet. An apertif drink from France. It is a white wine with botanicals and citrus added. Quite good if a bit sweet. But at $13.95 a bottle, this is an absolute must try for any lover of beverage alcohol. Nice citrusy nose, grassy, floral, very pretty. Flavours match the aroma, with a huge citrus hit, sweet honey, tropical fruit, lavender. Fucking gorgeous this stuff is.

Belgian · Post by **Belgian** » Sun Dec 13, 2009 2:32 pm

I tried a 2005 Monbazillac I picked up a year ago - 375 ml bottle was cheap - far better-tasting than the Cadillac I tried, another AOC from the 'close to Sauternes Bordeaux' regions making dense, white sweet wines.

I'd still opt for real Sauternes, which has more "Noble Rot" character in the apricot-like flavors. Good cheap wine though!

Belgian · Post by **Belgian** » Wed Jan 06, 2010 12:10 am

Southwest France:

Just finished off a 2003 De Rhodes Gaillac, and am now sipping a 2006 Barradis Bergerac.

Both really good wines. The Gaillac is really excellent for an 18 dollar wine, showing so many flavors including currant and chocolate. The Bergerac is also very nice - a Bordeaux-style red, certainly enough going on, although I am very sure some earlier vintages showed a much more challenging amount of cedar and flinty stone, which I think has been tamed back a bit in the past 5-7 years. I loved the flint and cedar but this is still amazing value for 14 bucks!

You can probably still get the Bergerac right now, but the Gaillac wines seem to be few and infrequent (got the bottle around March '09).

Belgian · Post by **Belgian** » Wed Jan 06, 2010 11:02 am

Another I will have to try shortly is the Henry of Pelham Cuvee Catherine, a real Ontario rave wine. It is a sparkling produced in the 100% correct Méthode Champenoise, including a full three years' aging on the lees (the dead yeast cell sediment.)

All true Champagne is aged at least 12 months on lees, and the full 36 months aging the Catherine gets is more like what they do with an extra-premium "Vintage" (ie. single-year) champagne. The 29.95 Catherine is supposed to be amazing quality. We'll see!

On January 9th Vintages release watch for Chateau Salmoniére Muscadet Sévre & Maine 2008, a really nice lees-aged dry Muscat wine for 13.95. A still wine but might be lightly sparkling? Anyways! Heck of a nice wine with steamed mussels etc.

SteelbackGuy · Post by **SteelbackGuy** » Wed Jan 06, 2010 10:51 pm

Belgian wrote:Another I will have to try shortly is the Henry of Pelham Cuvee Catherine, a real Ontario rave wine. It is a sparkling produced in the 100% correct Méthode Champenoise, including a full three years' aging on the lees (the dead yeast cell sediment.)

All true Champagne is aged at least 12 months on lees, and the full 36 months aging the Catherine gets is more like what they do with an extra-premium "Vintage" (ie. single-year) champagne. The 29.95 Catherine is supposed to be amazing quality. We'll see!

On January 9th Vintages release watch for Chateau Salmoniére Muscadet Sévre & Maine 2008, a really nice lees-aged dry Muscat wine for 13.95. A still wine but might be lightly sparkling? Anyways! Heck of a nice wine with steamed mussels etc.

I've enjoyed the Pelham Catherine. One that I recommend to those who want Champagne quality, but cannot afford the price. And I believe it is pinot noir as well. I sampled it last year, and it was quite dry, assertive bubbles with a creamy finish. Lots of strawberry and cherry.