Edward Rasiulis

Tawse Sketches Of Niagara Chardonnay 2009, VQA Niagara Peninsula

Medium straw in colour and medium intense nose.

Always nice to have a good quality Ontario Chardonnay that’s under $20.

Positives: This is a delicate Chard which has several layers featuring light oak, lemon, grapefruit, peat, green apple, wood smoke, limestone and hints of caramel. Medium body, with good acidity and a long length.

Negatives: A little sour on the finish.

Drink now or over the next 2 years on its own or pair it with seared scallops wrapped in bacon served on a bed of wilted spinach with candy tomatoes (my wife’s great recipe).

Tasted: 19 April 13

Best Buy

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

Out of 5 stars, I rated this wine: 4

Post House Penny Black 2008, Wo Stellenbosch

Dark ruby in colour with medium+ intensity on the nose.

Positives: Cedar, mesquite, blackberry, cassis, dark chocolate, leather, pencil shavings, turmeric, plum, black & red peppers on the nose. Medium+ tannins, good acidity, long length & full body. Surprisingly the high alcohol is well integrated.

Negatives: A little austere.

Interesting Point: Use a Shiraz style glassware as I found other glassware accentuated the austerity. After an hour the wine had more Cab notes.

Tasted: 7 Dec 11

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

Out of 5 stars, I rated this wine: 4

Luigi Bosca Reserva Cabernet Sauvignon 2008, Maipú, Mendoza

Beautiful medium+ ruby in colour with medium+ intensity on the nose.

Positives: Cedar, turmeric, pencil shavings, leather, sour cherry, blueberry, nutmeg, tobacco leaves & spinach. Medium+ body, tannins, acidity & length.

Negatives: A little too green & not enough fruit or earth notes to make this a pleasurable wine to drink now.

Needs to age another 5 years. If you are to drink now pair it with medium rare steak.

Tasted: 30 Oct 11

Score: 8.5/10, Value: 8.5/10, Total: 17/20

Out of 5 stars, I rated this wine: 3

William Fèvre Champs Royaux Chablis 2010, Burgundy

Light straw colour with a hint of green & medium to medium+ intensity on the nose.

Positives: Refreshing wine with lots of minerality, lemon, green apples, pink grapefruit, steely, grassy notes & honeydew melon. Medium minus body, good acidity, long length & balanced.

Negatives: None.

Interesting Things: This wine is a good alternative for anyone wanting an alternative to Sauvignon Blanc.

Drink now on its own or pair it with my favourite oysters, Raspberry Point from PEI.

Tasted: 7 Jan 12

Score: 8.5+/10, Value: 8.5/10, Total: 17.5/20

Out of 5 stars, I rated this wine: 3.5

Stonestreet Alexander Mountain Estate Cabernet Sauvignon 2006, Alexander Valley, Sonoma County

Deep ruby in colour with a medium+ intensity on the nose.

Positives: Cedar, black currents, blackberries, cassis, plums, graphite, black tea, sweet basil, thyme, red peppers, pencil shavings & leather. Medium to full body with medium+ tannins, good acidity & fairly long length.

Negatives: Somewhat astringent.

Interesting Points: Decant this puppy for at least an hour in order to soften the tannins plus you'll find sediment at the bottom of the bottle. This wine may improve, ie soften the tannins, over the next 5 years.

Pair it with T-bone steak.

Tasted: 17 Sept 12

Score: 8.5+/10, Value: 8.5/10, Total: 17+/20

Out of 5 stars, I rated this wine: 3.5

Luca Laborde Double Select Syrah 2009, Uco Valley, Mendoza

Opaque ruby with a purple tinge in colour with a medium intense nose.

A solid Syrah for under $25

Positives: This wine features cedar, dark cherry, plums, black and red peppers, sage, thyme, cloves, cinnamon and some menthol on the finish. Full body with medium+ tannins, good acidity and a long length.

Negatives: There’s some heat coming from this wine that I suspect may be higher alcohol than the stated 14%.

Interesting Point: The wine comes from Syrah vines from France over a century ago.

Drink now or in the next 5 years on its own or pair it with Patagonian Lomo Asado

Tasted: 20 Nov 2013

Score: 8.5+/10, Value: 8.5+/10 Total: 17.5/20

Out of 5 stars, I rated this wine: 3.5+

Ravenswood Single Vineyard Belloni Zinfandel 2008, Russian River Valley

Medium+ ruby in colour with a medium to medium+ intensity on the nose.

Positives: This is not a jammy Zin that you only taste prunes. This wine is well balanced showing notes of raisins, dark cherry, plums, tobacco leaves, raspberry, blackberry & lots of spice. The nose has a nice smokey note that reminds me of chimney smoke from wood burning in a cold winter's night. Medium body with medium tannins, good acidity & long length.

Negatives: Lots of heat coming from the 15% alcohol.

Interesting Note: Taste more like a Washington Syrah than a Zin. Drink on its own or pair it with T-bone steak. Drinkable now or over the next 3 years. Decant for an hour & you'll be rewarded with a smoother taste.

Tasted: 13 Mar 12

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

Out of 5 stars, I rated this wine: 4.5

Beringer Knights Valley Cabernet Sauvignon 2009

Medium ruby in colour with an intense nose.

Positives: Lots of flavour on both the nose & taste showing cedar, cassis, plums, cloves, blueberries, blackberries, vanilla, leather, pencil shavings & turmeric. Full body, medium tannins, good acidity & long length.

Negatives: A touch hot from the high alcohol.

Interesting Points: A quality consistent wine that is easy to drink on its own or to pair it with food & it taste more like a $50 wine. LCBO usually has this on sale a couple of times throughout the year. I love the black label with the silver detailing.

Drink now or cellar it for another 5 years. Pair it with beef Wellington.

Tasted: 23 May 12

Top Pick

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

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

Hitching Post Hometown Pinot Noir 2008, Santa Barbara County

Light garnet in colour with a medium+ intensity on the nose.

Positives: Unmistakable Pinot featuring spruce, potpourri, rhubarb, sour cherry, cranberry, pesto, suede & earthy notes. Medium minus in body, light tannins, good acidity with long length & alcohol well integrated.

Negatives: A little too much sourness on the finish.

Interesting Point: If you've seen the movie Sideways, you'll recognize this winery, Hitching Post. Remember to lightly chill this Pinot.

Drink now on its own or pair with duck.

Tasted: 15 Mar 12

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

Out of 5 stars, I rated this wine: 4

Cambria Julia's Vineyard Pinot Noir 2009, Central Coast, Santa Maria Valley

Medium to light garnet in colour and medium+ intense nose.

Positives: A typical California Pinot, in a good way, featuring pine, cherry, strawberry, rhubarb, cinnamon, pomegranate and an underlying note of smoke reminiscent of autumn leaves on an open fire. Medium to medium minus body, light tannins, medium+ acidity and a long length.

Negatives: None

Interesting Point: Remember to slightly chill a Pinot.

Drink now or over the next 4 years on its own or pair it with peppercorn glazed pork pâte.

Tasted: 13 April 13

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

Out of 5 stars, I rated this wine: 4