Paul Forget
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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
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
(0)V
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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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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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
(0)V
Villa Mt. Eden Grand Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon 2006, Napa Valley
California, Usa$24.95
An elegant wine, ready to drink or short term cellar with great flavour and texture that over delivers at this sale price. The nose is sophisticated with dark fruits, cedar, currants, soft leather and dried herbs. Medium to full body, with every element of this wine in harmony, ripe fruit but not jammy, balanced acidity and noticeable, but well integrated tannins. This Cabernet Sauvignon finish is long savoury and complex. Great wine making at play here, lovely wine.
3.5 Stars
(0)V
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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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
(0)V
Domaine De La Tour Chablis Monts Main 1er Cru 2008, Ac
Burgundy, France$29.95
This wine's elegance and sophistication is a perfect example why Chablis is one of my favourite white wines. This Chardonnay opens with aromas of pear, citrus, dried apple, hazelnut and fresh baked bread. The mouthfeel is smooth, creamy and buttery with fine acidity. This Chablis medium length finish is clean with ripe pears and hazelnut flavours lingering. I prefer my Chablis with a little more minerality, but that being said, this was a superb wine.
3.5 Stars
(0)V
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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