Paul Forget
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Followers (13)
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Following (7)
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Reviews (370)
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I was born into a French Canadian family and started tasting wine early with food. My love of wine and food goes hand in hand, when you have a perfect pairing, it is one of those great pleasures in life.
I have recently returned to Ontario, after living in Victoria, BC for the last four years. I worked part-time for the Mark Anthony Group which allowed me to attend many industry tastings, including numerous Import Vintners and Spirits Association tastings.
Before moving to Victoria, in December of 2006, I graduated with a Sommelier Certification from Algonquin College in Ottawa.
What I look for in a wine, above all, is aromatics. The nose should draw you in, not to much alcohol with good acidity, rich and concentrated flavour. For me, great wines are about subtlety, complexity and finesse. A bottle of wine should tell a story, should have a sense of place, terroir, where the grapes where grown. The use of oak should be handled with care.
I love everything about wine and recognize I have a great deal to learn. I enjoyed a great deal of BC wines and I am eager to get more familiar with Ontario wines.
Reviews
Domaine Tournon Shay's Flat Vineyard Shiraz 2010, Pyrenees
Victoria, Australia$37.95
This wine opened up with aromas of blackberry, exotic spices, forest floor, saddle leather and gamey notes. On the mouthfeel, medium-full bodied with layered dark fruit and peppery flavours, rich almost creamy texture, fresh acidity and light tannins. Excellent depth of flavours on the finish with loads of dark fruit with leathery, earthy and peppery notes lingering. This is a flavourful and complex cool climate Aussie Shiraz, closer in style to a northern Rhône Syrah. Quite compelling, love the texture of this Shiraz.
3.5 Stars
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Marc Brédif Classic Vouvray 2010, Ac
Loire, France$19.95
This wine is 100% Chenin Blanc grapes with fermentation in stainless steel tanks and alcohol coming in at 13%. This wine is light gold in color and opened up with aromas of apple peals, lemon, pears, honeysuckle and light floral notes. On the mouthfeel, medium bodied, off-dry with a rich texture and bright zippy acidity. Very good length on the finish, almost creamy with loads of energy and honey coated lemon flavours lingering.
Chenin Blanc may be well loved by sommelier and connoisseurs but almost unknown otherwise, is well worth seeking out for its endless pairing possibilities (linguini in a cream sauce, seafood and roast chicken) and age ability. A classic and very enjoyable Chenin Blanc, strongly recommended. Enjoyed on January 18, 2013.
3.5 Stars
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Château De Chatelard Les Vieux Granits Fleurie 2009, Ac
Beaujolais, France$17.95
What a charming wine here, full of character and flavour. The blueberry, raspberries and strawberry aromas are very inviting. This light to medium body wine is framed with concentrated fruit flavours, lively acidity and velvety tannins. Serve slightly chilled will make this a refreshing wine with excellent value for money.
3.5 Stars
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Marchesi Mazzei Zisola Nero D'avola 2009, Igt Sicilia
Sicily, Italy$21.95
This wine opened up with aromas of red fruit, rhubarb, orange zest, beets, violets and herbal notes. On the mouthfeel, medium bodied, juicy with flavours of sweet berry fruit, spices with an underlying minerality, balanced acidity and well integrated tannins. This wine’s finish is short but intense and tangy with herbal notes lingering. This wine is corrected technically, but the flavours are slightly at odds for me, and at $25.95 does not represent a good value.
3.5 Stars
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Wynns Coonawarra Estate Shiraz 2008, Coonawarra, South Australia
Australia$22.95
This deep colour Shiraz mix power with elegance and smoothness. Very intense aromatics with cherry, ripe plums, crush raspberry, black pepper and licorice. Medium to full body, rich and concentrated flavours, balanced acidity and fully rounded tannins. Long, spicy, crushed berries and cedar on the finish. A very enjoyable wine to enjoy now, but will hold at lease five years. Strongly recommended.
3.5 Stars
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Pikes Eastside Shiraz 2008, Clare Valley, South Australia
Australia$23.95
This delicious Shiraz is deep purple colour, almost black. The nose is a little muted, with dark fruit, menthol and cedar aromas. The mouthfeel is rich and generous with loads of fruit, crisp acidity and chewy tannins. The finish of this wine is long with fine grained tannins, toasty oak characteristics and slightly hot finish (14.5% Alcohol). What it lacks in elegance it more than makes up in power. Nice drinking wine right now, but patience will be rewarded.
3.5 Stars
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Tenuta Sette Ponti Crognolo 2007, Igt Toscana
Tuscany, Italy$29.95
There is a more modern feel and texture to this Super Tuscan but still truly Italian. On the nose the Sangiovese is coming through with aromas of dried cherry, dark plum, blackberry, soft leather, spice box and earthy notes. On the mouthfeel, full bodied with alcohol coming in at 14.5% , balanced acidity, dusty tannins with good balance between ripe fruit and oak derived characteristics. Clean finish with excellent depth of flavours and a mild tannin finish. This wine is a blend of 80% Sangiovese and 10% each of Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon with ageing of 14 months in French oak, 50% new oak and 50% in one year old barrels. A very good value red blend here, and strongly deserving of its number 30 on Wine Spectator top 100 of 2009.
3.5 Stars
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Penfolds Bin 128 Shiraz 2008, Coonawarra
South Australia, Australia$34.95
I love the sophisticated nose here; with aromas of blackberry, dark plums, cassis, black olives tapenade, smoky and savoury notes. The palate reveals a Shiraz with fresh acidity, silky tannins with savoury, rich and concentrated flavours. Very good length on the finish, with savoury, smoky notes, white pepper and a solid core of ripe dark fruit lingering. The 2008 Bin 128 Shiraz was aged 12 months in French oak hogsheads, with alcohol coming in at 14.5%. A lovely wine to smell with a robust structure yet very approachable right now. Strongly recommended.
3.5 Stars
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Poliziano Vino Nobile Di Montepulciano 2009, Docg
Tuscany, Italy$29.95
This wine pours a beautifully dark ruby in color and opened up with aromas of black cherry, dark plums, blackcurrants, forest floor, sandalwood, tobacco and vanilla notes. On the mouthfeel, medium-full bodied, great flavours, beautifully structured, harmonious with fresh acidity and fined grained tannins. A great deal of finesse and elegance on the finish, with nice sweet and sour fruit flavours and savoury spices lingering. I love the seductive fruit and savoury personality of this Poliziano Vino Nobile and the great mouthfeel, well handled use of barrel fermentation, should age quite nicely over the next three to four years. Gorgeous wine, strongly recommended.
3.5 Stars
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Casanova Di Neri Sant'antimo Rosso 2008
Tuscany, Italy$23.95
The Casanova Di Neri Sant'antimo Rosso 2008 is a blend of 90% Sangiovese and 10% Colorino with the alcohol coming in at 14.5%. The first impression is a great one, the nose is awesome, very vibrant, it really draws you in with aromas of blackberry, sour cherry, plum, cedar, violet and spicy notes. The palate has loads of energy, spicy fruit flavours, fresh acidity and silky tannins. Long sweet and sour edged flavours of berries, cherry and plums with dusty tannins on the finish. A gorgeous wine, really enjoyable and at a great value. Strongly recommended
3.5 Stars
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