Andrew Hunter
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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
Villa Maria Private Bin Sauvignon Blanc 2009, Marlborough
New Zealand$16.95
pink grapefruit, tangy. nice finish.
3.5 Stars
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Beringer Cabernet Sauvignon 2008, Knights Valley, Sonoma County
California, Usa$39.95
Typical Cali crowd pleaser. Totally new world, very fruit forward but not at all over-ripe or over-extracted as many so often are. Rich, full bodied fruit flavours, well balanced alcohol, acidity, and tannin. Not particularly complex or even that interesting really, but it is a well made above average bottle of wine that will likely be enjoyed by everyone at the table. Drink it while it's still a bit young an vigorous.
You may find a better value in a Mission Hill Reserve, I'd be curious to taste them together, I think this might be a bit better.
3.5 Stars
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Dante Rivetti Bricco Riserva Barbaresco 2004, Docg
Piedmont, Italy$38.35
90-91
This wine is evolving quickly, it shows a lot of bricking for a Barbaresco that's only been in the bottle for about 4 years.
Nice nose too: Dried fruit, slightly floral, some anise, a bit woody.
Medium-full bodied. Tannin already softening but still plenty of it. Good fruit concentration; tight at first but the flavours and complexity really come out with some mouth sloshing. Savory with some sweetness. Good long finish.
Drinking well now but will certainly hold for a few more years.
A fine wine though not exactly worth the price.
3.5 Stars
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Bodegas Lan Viña Lanciano Reserva 2004, Doc Rioja
Spain$28.95
90+
Big bold wine, lot's of flavour: dense smokey fruit, greek oregano. Well balanced concentration of fruit, alcohol and tannin.
3.5 Stars
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Vecchia Cantina Vino Nobile Di Montepulciano 2007
Tuscany, Italy$18.95
Nice maturing deep red colour, just starting to brown. This is evolving quickly.
Initially tight nose opened to a warm, savory bouquet of olive, fresh herbs and leather. Very little fruit on the nose or palate. This is very much a rustic, old-world style. Dense flavours but medium bodied, good acidity. Plenty of drying tannin. Excellent food wine.
This has life left in it but I'd say it's drinking at it's prime now to a couple years from now. I suspect this will become increasingly dusty as what fruit it has dries out.
3.5 Stars
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Tokaj Kereskedöház Aszú 4 Puttonyos Tokaji 2003, Tokaj, Hungary (500ml)
Hungary$23.95
88+
I'm a sucker for sweet wines...even average ones.
This is a decent, if unremarkable, Tokaji Aszu. Aromas of Greek honey, fresh white mushrooms and the classic, slightly stinky, waft of botrytis fungus. Mid-weight, mid-sweetness, mid-everything. But a perfectly enjoyable after-dinner dessert wine. It's certainly no Royal Tokaji, and Sauternes and icewine lovers may be underwhelmed at it's relative lack of depth. But I guarantee if you serve a glass of this to everyone after dinner, or with some blue cheese, no one (except perhaps experienced Tokaji aficionados) will complain.
3.5 Stars
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Chapillon Cuvée Harmonie Petit Verdot/Tannat 2006, Do Aragón
Spain$14.95
Really interesting wine. I went into this with my mind wide open...but not expecting much.
A bit bardyardy/bretty on the nose at first but it blew off quickly. Strong savory nose of herbs and leather. Full bodied and packed with flavour: stewed berries, anise, quite smokey. Smooth, ripe tannin and good acidity, very well balanced. Left bank meets northern Rhone (in a rustic Spanish style!) is what came to mind. Long, flavour filled, finish.
Full of depth, complexity and real character (which is very rare at this price), not for everyone, but a steal if you like it.
Outstanding value.
3.5 Stars
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Château Rouquette Sur Mer Cuvée Amarante 2007, Ac Côteaux Du Languedoc La Clape
Languedoc, France$17.95
Lovey dark red wine.
Dried fruit and herbal nose with a slightly floral hint.
Medium bodied, but concentrated. Very dry and savory. Very French. Plenty of fine, ripe tannin.
An honest, dry, old world style wine that's not out to impress critics with over-extraction, too much oak or sweetness.
Not necessarily a friendly sipper though, this really ought to be drunk with big, savory foods....red meat, spicy pasta etc.
My kind of wine.
This gal will certainly cellar for at least 5 years, it will likely soften and develop a more complex bouquet.
But it's good to go now.
3.5 Stars
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Castelgiocondo Lamaione 2007
Tuscany, Italy$63.95
90+
Still very young and tight, but it is clear that this will evolve into a really good wine. Lots of ripe tannin, plenty of classic fruity Merlot flavours. New-World-forward in style but also plenty of savory flavours as well which keeps if from being cloying.
Pointless opening this for at least 3 more years. 5-7 even.
I liked this but I'm not sure this is worth $64.
3.5 Stars
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