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
Altaïr Sideral 2005, Rapel Valley
Chile$21.85
Complex aromatics, with blackcurrant, black cherries, tobacco leaf, burnt toast and savoury spices. Full bodied. Well balance with concentrated flavour, crisp acidity and dusty tannins. A rich and intense wine, which would benefit from 3-4 years in your cellar. This wine as the potential to score 91-92 in 3 to 4 years. Would strongly recommend.
3.5 Stars
(0)V
Cambria Julia's Vineyard Pinot Noir 2008, Central Coast, Santa Maria Valley
California, Usa$29.95
This lovely medium ruby in color Pinot Noir opens up with sweet and sour cherry, plums, strawberry, cola, cinnamon and sweet oak. The mouthfeel is lively with fresh acidity, generous alcohol at 14.5% and silky smooth tannins. The finish is medium length with flavours of vanilla, sweet oak and crush strawberry. A Pinot Noir that is lacking finesse and complexity at this price, but the aromatics and mouthfeel are very pleasant. Enjoyable but not memorable.
3.5 Stars
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Santa Carolina Dry Farming Carignan 2008, Cauquenes Valley
Chile$17.95
This full body gem opens up with cherry, blueberry, plums, vanilla, violet and cedar. The palate is rich with loads of concentrated fruit flavour, currant, balance acidity and muscular tannins. This Carignan finish is long, smooth, juicy and peppery. This is worth multiple purchases as price vs quality tips well in your favour. Robust wine yet approchable
3.5 Stars
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Bindella Vino Nobile Di Montepulciano 2006, Docg
Tuscany, Italy$22.95
Wow! This is what I like about Italian wines and the Sangiovese grape. The nose is just incredible and complex; sour cherry, blackberry, plums, earthy and soft leather. The palate as, lively sweet and sour flavours, crisp acidity and dusty tannins. This is not a wine for everyone, as it is not very fruity with noticeable acidity, but served with food, especially a tomato based pasta dish. it is very enjoyable.
3.5 Stars
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Castello Di Gabbiano Chianti Classico Riserva 2007, Docg
Tuscany, Italy$22.95
This wine is a blend of 95% Sangiovese and 5% Merlot with alcohol coming in at 14%. This wine opens up with an attractive and exotic nose cherry-plum fruit, prune, chocolate, Asian spices, cedar and underbrush notes. On the mouthfeel, medium-full bodied, rich and concentrated flavours of sour cherry, cedar and savoury spices, fresh acidity and dusty tannins. Very good length on the finish with nice savoury notes, dark fruit, cedar plus a nice tannic grip making their presence felt till the end. A textbook Sangiovese wine with its nice sweet and sour flavours, oak is starting to integrate with the wine and lose some of its grip. Best in 1-2 year, a wine with lots of flavour, very enjoyable. Enjoy in June 2012.
3.5 Stars
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Carlos Serres Gran Reserva 2001, Doca Rioja
Rioja, Spain$23.20
This Rioja is very aromatic with plums, vanilla, cinnamon and minerals on the nose. The palate is smooth, elegant with well integrated tannins. The finish as medium length with light berries, vanilla and sweet spices. Definitely a mature wine which has started to lose some of its fruit and structure and should be drank over the next year. Enjoyable when paired with the right food.
3.5 Stars
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Baron De Ley Reserva 2005, Doca Rioja
Spain$21.95
Just by smelling this wine, I got excited. With complex aromas of cherry, black currant, dried figs, leather and tobacco leaf. On the palate, this wine is medium bodied, fruity with good acidity and dusty tannins. The finish is smoky and smooth with ripe tannins. Very elegant and aromatic wine. Strongly recommended.
3.5 Stars
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Balthasar Ress Riesling Spätlese 1998, Qmp, Hattenheim Nussbrunnen
Rheingau, Germany$33.00
A wonderful example of a fully mature Riesling Spätlese, with a bright yellow gold colour and aromas of Peach, apricot, honey and petrol. This full body, medium sweet white, coats your mouth with ripe tree fruit and baked apple, noticeable minerality and fresh natural acidity to balance all that sweetness with low alcohol at 8.5%. The finish is long with honey and Asian spice. Pair with spicy food or with a dessert like fruit flan, crème brulée or crème caramel. A wonderful wine and a real treat.
3.5 Stars
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Morgan Syrah 2007, Monterey County
California, Usa$24.95
This deep color wine has aromas that reveal ripe cherry and blackberry, earthy, black pepper, clove and vanilla. The mouthfeel has rich concentrated flavours, balance acidity and dusty tannins. This wine finish is a bit hot (14.4 % alcohol), velvety with mouth coating sweetness and loads of flavours. Very nice
3.5 Stars
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Chalone Monterey County Chardonnay 2009, Monterey County
California, Usa$25.25
For my palate, this Chardonnay was able to strike the right balance of oak, to give it a nice creamy buttery texture, good fruit and acidity. This flavourful Chardonnay opens up with citrus fruit, pear, butter and roasted nuts. The mouthfeel is rich, creamy/buttery with citrus and apple flavours and crisp acidity with a finish that is long, buttery texture with smoke and pears lingering. Highly recommended.
3.5 Stars
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