The Bar Towel

Garthicus V. Esprit Cage match. Two men enter one man leaves. Any beer left over I get.

Avoid Peter's products if you like but you're basically turning your back on one of the best portfolios of beers in the city. Perhaps the Pyrrhic victory of slamming each other here will suffice.

Jon Walker wrote:Garthicus V. Esprit Cage match. Two men enter one man leaves. Any beer left over I get.

Avoid Peter's products if you like but you're basically turning your back on one of the best portfolios of beers in the city. Perhaps the Pyrrhic victory of slamming each other here will suffice.

for the love of god, let it not be a sumo match. i don't think i could stand to see either one of 'em in a loin cloth.

tuqueboy wrote:

Jon Walker wrote:Garthicus V. Esprit Cage match. Two men enter one man leaves. Any beer left over I get.

for the love of god, let it not be a sumo match. i don't think i could stand to see either one of 'em in a loin cloth.

Peter has insisted. To protest the oppression of Chinese people who make all our clothes!

Jon Walker wrote:Garthicus V. Esprit Cage match. Two men enter one man leaves. Any beer left over I get.

Avoid Peter's products if you like but you're basically turning your back on one of the best portfolios of beers in the city. Perhaps the Pyrrhic victory of slamming each other here will suffice.

Garthicus post was from weeks ago, and Peter dug up the dead horse. I hope we can just stop talking about this and get back to the wine.......reee beer.

Chateau Bonnet Reserve 2005- $16.95 general list LCBO- A recommendation from my new manager.

It's a 50/50 mix of Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot.

A good balance of fruit and acid. Subtle tannins. I get a load of blackberry, mild oak, a bit of spice. Quite good, drinking well now.

BODEGAS ATECA ATTECA OLD VINES 2006
VINTAGES 103473 | 750 mL bottle
$ 22.95 Made in: Spain By: Bodegas Ateca

Tasting Note
The 2006 Atteca is 100% Garnacha old-vines ranging from 80-120 years. Dark ruby-colored, it delivers an alluring bouquet of Asian spices, wild black cherry, and blueberry. Layered and sweetly-fruited, the wine is nicely balanced and lengthy. It has enough stuffing to evolve for 1-2 years but can be enjoyed now. It is a superb value. Score - 91. (Jay Miller, www.erobertparker.com, Feb. 2008)

It opened a bit rich and (to me) lightly-structured, in the way of some new-world Shiraz and Petitt Syrahs. But then it slowly opens up to be a Grenache with unusual density for what is typically a high-yield varietal. The vines are really REALLY old, with a mean age of 100 years !The acidity is actually pretty good and there comes forth an elegant structuire - the Atteca actually seems to get drier after some good aeration. It gets really stylish in about an hour. This wine could have rested for 2-3 years, but it's pretty impressive once giving it some air, and it drinks like no other Grenache I've ever had. Hardly a recession-buster however the one bottle was well worth a try, it's still in stores.

This has been a Steelback - Belgian Wine Bulletin, LOL...

TOnight I am having a bottle of Concha Y Toro Marques de Casa Concha. It's a 2006 cab. I haven't had anything disappointing from this producer yet, so I was excited to give it a try.

Absolutely fantastic. An interesting nose of both black and red currant, a bit of oak, lots of interesting stewed pit fruit and a teriyaki sauce like intensity that works with the fruit. The flavours are the same. This wine is dangerously balanced, with soft tannins, and a hearty fruity finish. The best from this producer yet.

I have always liked this Chiléan producer Concha Y Toro, and your 19.95 Cabernet sounds like an affordable powerhouse of flavors. How will I keep up with all the wine I have to drink on top of beer? This wine is always a 90 or better on Wine Spectator.

This has been a good week for wine.

Tonight I am enjoying Ring Bolt Cabernet Sauvignon. This is normally $19.95, but was on LTO for $18.45, so I thought I'd give it a try at the slightly reduced price. It is a 2007. Margaret river.


Lots of chocolate and berries in this one. Some creme de cassis. The tannins are subdued, but are structured well enough to round out the fruit. at 14.5%, I was expecting a bit more weight, but they have this nicely balanced.

SteelbackGuy wrote:This has been a good week for wine.

Tonight I am enjoying Ring Bolt Cabernet Sauvignon.

That one is very well spoken of. I could not really get into the particular 'new world' style, but Margaret River region is supposed to be exceptional Australian wine, and good value for cost.

It's always worth trying new wines with all the frequent Vintages releases. If somebody were keen on knowing about wine, the vintages website announces the special releases in advance, so before buying them you can read up on google which ones are great (or just ask the in-store 'wine guy' for the scoop.)

I am drinking Fuzion Chenin Blanc-Chardonnay, it is a pretty incredible wine for 7.45 and this stuff might be all gone by Saturday.

Why? Fuzion name is overhyped, but also unlike the red this white wine is GOOD. 89 points.

There's also a Fuzion Rosé which has arrived in much smaller quantities, and if you blink you will miss it thanks to the Shiraz-Malbec zombies buying cases of anything that says FUZION. A good 87 points, so don't expect Tavel but it's wayyy less geld. (Buy Val de Joanis if you want spectacular $15 French Rosé.)

I am relieved some of Fuzion's wines are actually good! The 2007 Red was supposed to be excellent regardless of price. Chin chin, Argentina!

Belgian wrote:I am drinking Fuzion Chenin Blanc-Chardonnay, it is a pretty incredible wine for 7.45 and this stuff might be all gone by Saturday.

Why? Fuzion name is overhyped, but also unlike the red this white wine is GOOD. 89 points.

There's also a Fuzion Rosé which has arrived in much smaller quantities, and if you blink you will miss it thanks to the Shiraz-Malbec zombies buying cases of anything that says FUZION. A good 87 points, so don't expect Tavel but it's wayyy less geld. (Buy Val de Joanis if you want spectacular $15 French Rosé.)

I am relieved some of Fuzion's wines are actually good! The 2007 Red was supposed to be excellent regardless of price. Chin chin, Argentina!

Hey, it is pretty good, that white fuzion. I got more of the Chenin out of it than the chard, but that is fine with me, as I am not a huge chard fan anyway (unless we talk about the undisputed king of unoaked chards, chablis), but that is another story for another day.

Don't get me started, there is about one affordable Chard I've ever liked (Bodega Norton, Argentina - Gen List) so for any price I am floored what this 7-dollar white can offer.

The Fuzion Rosé is pleasant with a berryish (strawberry) flavor and some pleasing light acidity, not real complex but very cleanly made and dangerously quaffable. BBQ wine, Nice cheap thrill for 7.25 + deposit, IF you run outdoors right this very minute you may find a bottle.

i had the fuzion 2008 red tonight. it was good but not as good as the sunrise cab i had the other night. that was fuckin mind blowing and for $9.95 ive found my new red.

matt7215 wrote:i had the fuzion 2008 red tonight. it was good but not as good as the sunrise cab i had the other night. that was fuckin mind blowing and for $9.95 ive found my new red.

Nice one Matt.

Concha Y Toro is a great producer, and for $9.95 for the sunrise, you've got a real bargain on your hands. Try their Diablo series (which is a pretty serious line actually), and if you like the changes, go for the Marques de Casa Concha line.
They all come highly recommended. if you can grab some Toro stuff, then do so. Ignore the Cono Sur reds in the general list (but try the viognier for $9.95, it is a perfumey delight). Some Santa Carolina stuff is ok, but stick with Toro, and you'll be ok.