Edward Rasiulis

Terredora Fiano Di Avellino 2009, Docg

Gold in colour with a medium minus intensity on the nose.

Positives: Lemon, touch of honey, melon, macadamia nuts, chalk, grapefruit & chamomile. Medium body with good acidity & medium+ length.

Negatives: None.

Drink now on its own or pair it with snapper ceviche.

Tasted: 12 Jun 12

Best Buy

Score: 9/10, Value: 9/19, Total: 18/20

Out of 5 stars, I rated this wine: 4

Tar & Roses Tempranillo 2011, Heathcote/Alpine Valleys

Medium to light ruby with a touch of garnet in colour with a medium to medium+ intense nose.

A nice surprise having a Tempranillo from Australia that tastes like it was from Spain.

Positives: This wine features cedar, sandalwood, lots of sour cherry, blackberry, licorice, rose petals, cloves, rosemary and sage. Medium body with medium to medium+ tannins, good acidity and a long length.

Negatives: None

Drink now or over the 5 next years on its own or pair it with grilled lamb chops.

Tasted: 6 Sept 2013

Best Buy

Score: 9/10, Value: 9/10 Total: 18/20

Out of 5 stars, I rated this wine: 4

Frei Brothers Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon 2011, Alexander Valley

Medium+ ruby to garnet in colour with a medium+ intense nose.

This smooth & velvety wine shows multiple layers of flavours that are usually found in California Cabs priced over $40

Positives: This complex wine features cedar, black currants, mulberry, anise, cassis, blackberry, dark cherry, turmeric, pencil shavings, cinnamon, cloves, arugula, oregano & leather. Full body with medium+ tannins, good acidity and a long length.

Negatives: There’s some heat from the 14.2% alcohol

Drink now or in the next 5 years on its own or and pair it with grilled rib-eye steak.

Tasted: 5 July 2014

Best Buy & Top Pick

Score: 9.5/10, Value: 9.5/10, Total: 19/20

Out of 5 stars, I rated this wine: 4.5

Hess Collection 19 Block Cuvée 2009, Mount Veeder, Napa Valley

Description: Deep ruby with a medium+ intense nose.

This is an investment wine, meaning it should blossom in 5-7 years

Positives: This complex wine features cedar, cherry, plum, blackberry, blackcurrants, sage, pencil lead, turmeric, cassis, mocha, leather & spinach. Medium+ body with green tannins, good acidity & a long length.

Negatives: There’s some heat from the 14.2% alcohol

Interesting Point: Decant for an hour. This wine is worth the $10 extra over Hess’s Allomi (reviewed earlier)

Drink now or in the next 12 years on its own or pair it with Kansas City Strip steak.

Tasted: 6 May 2014

Score: 9+/10, Value: 8.5+/10, Total: 18/20

Out of 5 stars, I rated this wine: 4+

The Paring Red 2006, Santa Ynez Valley

Opaque inky ruby colour, med+ intensity, I can smell the vapors of alcohol. Cedar, cassis, blackberry, menthol, basil, cigar box. High complexity showing warm climate style. Taste has med+ tannins, med acid, balanced, full body, with high alcohol. Taste is mild compared to the nose. Cedar, black currants, some cranberry, leather notes, twiggy, spinach which gives it a bit of a green bite. Not worth the price. Score: 7, Value: 4, Total: 11/20 After being opened up for 2hrs, the nose is more fragrant with carnations & blueberry pie. On taste it was still linear, but does open up with mulberry & dark cherry. The spinach turns more to artichoke. Long finish. Score improves a bit, 7.5. Nose is 9.5

Meandro Do Vale Meão 2011, Doc Douro

Deep ruby in colour with a medium+ intense nose.

Danger Will Robinson, this is so good that it’s a 2 bottle night

Positives: This complex smooth wine features cedar, plums, dark cherry, raspberry, mulberry, nectarine, licorice, thyme, raisins, mocha, dates and leather. Medium+ body with soft tannins, good acidity & a long length.

Negatives: Some heat from the 14%

Drink now or in the next 5 years on its own or and pair it with Portuguese beef Cacoila.

Tasted: 10 June 2014

Top Pick and Best Buy

Score: 9.5+/10, Value: 9+/10, Total: 19/20

Out of 5 stars, I rated this wine: 4.5+

Domaine Nathalie & Gilles Fèvre Fourchaume Chablis 1er Cru 2008, Ac

Medium straw colour with low intense nose.

Positives: Very easy drinking and good minerality that one would expect from a 1er Cru Chablis that is further enhanced by honeysuckle, lemon, mandarin, stone fruit, granny apple & pink grapefruit. Medium minus body with good acidity & medium+ length.

Negatives: None.

Interesting Point: This wine won silver at the 2010 Concours Vignerons Independants. I was able to pick this wine up for $22.40 which would make it a best buy.

Drink now on its own or pair it with Blue Point oysters.

Tasted: 25 May 12

Score: 9+/10, Value: 9/10, Total: 18.5/20.

Out of 5 stars, I rated this wine: 4.5

Le Clos Jordanne Claystone Terrace Chardonnay 2008

Rich gold in colour with medium to medium+ intensity on the nose.

Positive: A complex wine featuring medium toasted oak, buttery cheddar croissant, lime, musky wood spice, butterscotch, pecans, apricots, quince & limestone. Medium+ body, good acidity, alcohol is well integrated & long length.

Negatives: A little bitterness on the finish.

Interesting Point: I recommend the larger Chard glass as it cuts the bitterness that a smaller glass will accentuate. I lucked out & bought this wine at LCBO for $28.05.

Drink now or over the next 3-5 years on its own or paired with surf & turf.

Tasted: 11 May 12

Score: 9+/10, Value: 8.5/10 (on sale: 9+/10), Score: 18/20

Out of 5 stars, I rated this wine: 4

Saltram Mamre Brook Cabernet Sauvignon 2008, Barossa Valley, South Australia

This is a typical Barossa wine, big & powerful. Visually it's inky, opaque & purple to arterial red in colour. Med intensity on the nose that shows cedar, turmeric, anise, cassis, dark chocolate, plums, blackberry, pencil shavings, raspberry, cigar box. Complex nose. On the palate it's dry, med+ acidity, med+ tannins, full body, long length, there's heat from the 15.5% alcohol. Complexity on the taste. In addition to the notes on the nose, there's dark cherry, leather, tar & spinach. This wine needs to be matched with something just as powerful, try porterhouse on the grill. This will be even better with 3-4 yrs cellaring, even though it's a screw cap. If you drink now I suggest you decant first.

Score 9/10, Value: 9/10, Total: 18/20.

Tasted 29 April 2011.

Out of 5 stars, I rated this wine: 4

Coto De Imaz Reserva 2005, Doca Rioja

Medium minus ruby in colour with a medium intense nose.

A true pleasure to drink and for just over $20.

Positives: This complex wine features cedar, sandalwood, dark cherry, cinnamon, cloves, coconut, vanilla, nutmeg and some leather. Medium body with medium tannins, good acidity and a long length.

Negatives: None

Interesting Point: I like the classic label.

Drink now or over the next 5-7 years on its own or pair it with Crusted Black Pepper and Cinnamon seared Pork Loin served with fried yucca drizzled with garlic butter.

Tasted: 18 Nov 2013

Best Buy

Score: 9+/10, Value: 9+/10 Total: 18.5/20

Out of 5 stars, I rated this wine: 4+