Uncorked-Wine and Spirits Appreciation
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....
* With some cast orin seared Strip Loin from Chopping Block in the Beach! Per la salute....
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^ 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!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.
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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.
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.
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.
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.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.
Nice tip on the FINCA DEL MARQUESAD, wish I knew more about Spanish and Portugese wines because some regions are giving away great values.
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- Beer Superstar
- Posts: 2009
- Joined: Thu Jan 08, 2004 7:00 pm
- Location: Toronto
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.
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.
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- Bar Fly
- Posts: 929
- Joined: Sun Jan 26, 2014 7:55 am
- Location: Guelph
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.
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.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.
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
Four Roses Single Barrel for $45.70
Danfields 21 Year for $44.95
Aberlour 16 Year Old for $89.95
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.
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.
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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.
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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.
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- Torontoblue
- Beer Superstar
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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.