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
Sigalas Santorini 2008, Aohq
Greece$21.95
'09 vintage
From my favorite island comes a tight, flinty, serious Assyrtiko with a very clean, precise nose. Quite austere but in a refreshing sort of way. Like an angry mating of Pinot Gris and Sauvignon Blanc. Not as much of a crowd-pleaser or sipper as some softer Assyrtikos (like Boutari) but a wine made tailor made for Greek food: grilled squid, eggplant, caviar & garlic dips, lamb souvlaki. Heaven.
3.5 Stars
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Hess Estate Chardonnay 2008, Napa Valley
California, Usa$19.95
Medium-light straw yellow with a tinge of green. Nose initially a bit tight but opens: Green apple, fresh mown grass. Medium full bodied, quite plush on the tongue. Dry. The Alcohol is a bit high for my taste but the acidity and it's weight does balance it out to some extent. Not quite "buttery" but it is an interesting mix of a soft mid-palate and sharp, slightly bitter top end. Good finish. Heady wine.
Did the trick with (and in) my home-made saffron chicken pot pie.
Not sure I'd buy it again though. Something about Hess' regular labels that leaves me wanting.
3.5 Stars
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Mocali Brunello Di Montalcino 2004, Docg
Tuscany, Italy$44.95
This decent BdM is surprisingly lightweight for is type and vintage. Tightish nose opens with some swirling/decanting: prunes/raisins/dried fruit, herbs, vanilla, tobacco. Not much concentration on the palate, though overall it is fairly well balanced. Medium bodied, but a bit thin really.
Honestly it does the name 'Brunello' no favours. Not that this is a bad wine, it's not, it's a good wine. But anyone trying Brunello for the first time (and spending $50 bucks for the "privilege") may be underwhelmed and wonder what all the fuss is about.
3.5 Stars
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Louis Jadot Beaune 1er Cru 1999, Ac
Burgundy, France$44.95
This is a blend from many 1er Cru vineyards, but what it lacks in specific character it makes up in value.
'99 was a good year in Beaune. This would have spent about 12-18 months in wood before bottling so it has around 9 years of age on it.
Pale red with the pretty, telltale bricking of age. Young wines have aromas, aged wines develop a bouquet and even in this modest Burgundy you get a sense of that; sweet strawberries, earthy black truffles, leather...
Very little sediment (was this re-bottled?)
Sweet & savory, well balanced, smooth tannins, good finish.
Well worth the price.
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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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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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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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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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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Domaine Vincent Paris Saint Joseph 2009, Ac
Rhône, France$24.20
Medicinal nose, (bandaids came to mind), mustard, grape popsicle, cheap perfume. Unique and interesting but not really very appetizing. Medium body, thin concentration of earthy, meaty flavours. This got better with several hours of aeration. I love rustic, savory, old-world styles but in the end I felt there was nothing much going here. I would have guessed it was an very inexpensive italian wine.
This came dead last at my wine club's blind Syrah/Shiraz tasting.
3.5 Stars
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