Andrew Hunter
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Reviews (319)
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Andrew Hunter is a musician and composer. He abandoned his career in film and television to raise his kids, make music and drink wine.
My love of wine started with underage sips at the family dinner table. In college I fancied myself a sophisticate as I drank Chianti with pizza, back when Chianti still came in wicker 'fiasco' bottles. (I miss those, great candle holders.) I admit to still having a soft spot for Mateus. Cheap, sweet wine in a chubby bottle was just fine. Back then all I knew about wine was that there was red, white and pink (and girls really liked that white zinfandel!). It was years later, when I started to frequent some of Toronto's finer restaurants, that vinous epiphanies began to occur. Sips of wine that caused quiet pause and an exclamation of, "oh...wow."
I began to read everything I could about wine. I built a cellar and started collecting bottles. My taste evolved from sweet, easy-drinking, fruit-forward wines to the more old-world styles of France and Italy. I tend to prefer wines that are understated and complex over the super-extracted fruit-bombs which seem to be increasingly fashionable. I'll generally take Bordeaux over Napa and Tuscany over Australia. But there are always exceptions!
I'm a huge fan of sweet wines. I rarely meet an ice wine or Sauternes that I don't like. I also get along very well with Port.
Riesling is my favorite white, along with Viognier, Gerwurztraminer and Santorini Assyrtiko. Chardonnay is my least favorite. No matter how much I spend or how great the pedigree, I have yet to be blown away. Somewhere out there is a really delicious Chardonnay. I'm still looking for it.
My busy life leaves little time for blogging but at the very least I review every wine I taste.
There's nothing more subjective than art...Except perhaps wine. At our wine club I'm always pleased when someone prefers the $12 wine to the $50 wine (unfortunately it never seems to be me). For all it's pretentiousness and hype wine is a just a drink, either you like it or you don't. There is no right or wrong. It's all about discovering what you like!
In my wine reviews I try to describe the wine in a simple, unpretentious way. My aim is to help the reader decide if it's a wine they might like or want to avoid.
Of course, I'll tell you if I like it or not, but also, unlike many professional critics, I write with the clear assumption that what you like and what I like may very well be opposite. It doesn't matter. I'll tell you if a wine is sweet and fruit-forward and or dry, tannic and savory and let you decide.
http://torontowineguy.blogspot.com/
Reviews
Fattoria La Lecciaia Brunello Di Montalcino 2004
Tuscany, Italy$54.00
Full size bottle, still tight.
Some concentration of dark fruit. Plenty of fine tannin and oak.
A tangy, rustic B.D.M.
Not bad, but for the price, you can find better.
3.0 Stars
(0)A
Château Tour D'horable 2005, Ac Côtes De Castillon
Bordeaux, France$14.95
This obscure Cotes De Castillon is a good value. Merlot with some Cabernet Franc. Smaller Chateaus like this in lesser years tend to be a bit green, but the fruit here has good ripeness (which one would expect for an '05). 14% alcohol is a bit high for my liking but that's the price one must often pay for well ripened grapes. Purple-red with aromas of blackberry, plums, oak and herbs. Medium-full body. Dry & savory with good fruit and acidity to balance the alcohol and rustic tannin. Decant or give it a few more years in the cellar.
3.0 Stars
(0)V
Grant Burge The Holy Trinity Grenache/Shriaz/Mourvèdre 2005, Barossa Valley, South Australia
South Australia, Australia$29.95
Smokey, sweet, bright berries. Full bodied but not as dense and extracted as some aussie wines are prone (which is a good thing if you ask me). A quality wine. Well balanced tannins, good finish.
A bit overpriced really, but this Rhone-style Aussie won't disappoint anyone at the table.
3.0 Stars
(0)V
Mezzomondo Negroamaro Salento 2009, Puglia
Puglia, Italy$8.95
Loads of burnt rubber and prunes on the nose upon opening. The rubber blew off in time leaving dark stewed prunes and herbal notes. Medium body, savoury, high toned, rustic, flavourful but not very dense. A steal for sure but I can't imagine this getting better with time. If anything I suspect the fruit will dry out and it will become even more rustic. Better to drink it now while it has some fruit to go along with it's vigour.
3.0 Stars
(0)G
Ornellaia Le Volte 2008, Igt Toscana
Tuscany, Italy$29.95
51% Sangiovese, 34% Merlot, 15% Cabernet Sauvignon.
Tight nose, some fruit and herbs, some oak. Medium bodied. Not bad, but it has a distinct green-pepper, vegetal flavour (probably due to less than ripe Cabernet Sauvignon). If it we're $20 I'd be underwhelmed. At almost $30 it's disappointing, especially for a wine from Ornellaia even if it is their bottom shelf label.
3.0 Stars
(0)V
Clos Du Val Zinfandel 2008, Napa Valley
California, Usa$31.95
84
Oh Clos Du Val, you and your mood swings. From greatness to mediocrity and all with the same pretty brown labels.
This is simply not that good. Sharp, hot nose. Sweet and hot on the palate, as Zins are often meant to be, but in this case it just tasted out of balance. Drinkable, but unremarkable on all levels and certainly over priced. Buy a Ravenswood or an old vine Cline instead. they're cheaper and better.
3.0 Stars
(0)V
Domaine La Fourmone Trésor Du Poète Vacqueyras 2007, Ap
Rhône, France$24.95
Lot's of tar on the nose. Full bodied and heady. Reminds me of the '08 Cheateau De Beaucastel only more rugged, less refined. Dark fruit, leather, herbs, a bit medicinal. A kick in the face wine for sure. Interesting but not really my style and certainly not something I could drink on it's own. Maybe with some uber-hearty, savoury food like a bold beef stew.
3.0 Stars
(0)V
Baglio Di Pianetto Y Nero D'avola 2008, Igt Sicilia
Sicily, Italy$14.95
Nose: Floral, slightly rubbery even a bit tarry.
Medium, almost full body, quite dry. Good fruit, some wood, plenty of tannin and acidty.
Good value and a good all-round Italian wine.
3.0 Stars
(0)V
Yealands Estate Pinot Noir 2008, Central Otago, South Island
New Zealand$14.95
Nose: Sweet raspberry and alcohol fight for domination.
This is also reflected on the palate: Medium-light bodied, plenty of raspberry flavour and some herbal/earthy notes but it's all knocked slightly out of balance by a touch too much alcoholic heat. This would have been better had they kept the booze down to around 13-13.5%.
Decent Pinot, but not much of a value.
3.0 Stars
(0)V
Neirano Barolo 2005, Docg
Piedmont, Italy$25.95
Well it's certainly nebbiolo but I'm not sure it's very Barolo. Floral nose but it's missing the tarry guts one expects. Medium body (light for a Barolo) and some decent fruit Plenty of tannin though I wouldn't necessarily cellar this much. I think this it ready to go. I quite liked it. Of course it would cut though a rich steak but this would be outstanding with a plate of Italian meats; Bresaola, Prosciutto etc. A tad overpriced.
3.0 Stars
(0)V