Edward Rasiulis

Sperling Vineyards Old Vine Foch 2010, Okanagan Valley

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

In comparing this to their reserve Foch, this one is lighter in taste but higher in alcohol. If you had to choose, I would go with the reserve for the extra money.

Positive Notes: A flavorful wine featuring prunes, brambleberry fruit, figs and pastrami. Medium+ body with medium to Medium+ tannins, good acidity & a long length.

Negatives: A touch hot on the taste

Drink now on its own or over the next 3 years and pair it with venison.

Tasted: 13 June 13

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

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

Artesa Chardonnay 2010, Carneros

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

Positives: This is not a big blockbuster California Chard, but there's a lot to it, rich, creamy & one of the longest tasting in length for a Chardonnay I've tasted. Lightly toasted oak featuring lemon, green apples, mangos, pineapple, peach, marshmallow, custard, limestone, orange, crème brûlée & a slight peppery note. Medium to full body, good acidity & a very long length.

Negatives: None.

Interesting Point: One of the best Chards that I tasted that should appease those that like big Chards & those that like Chablis style.

Drink now or over the next 5 years. Can be drank on its own, but this was one of the best Chards I've tasted for pairing with crustaceans and drawn butter.

Tasted: 31 Aug 12

Best Buy & Top Pick

Score: 9.5/10, Value: 10/10, Total: 19.5/20

Out of 5 stars, I rated this wine: 5

Gabriel Meffre Laurus Gigondas 2009

Medium+ ruby in colour and a medium+ nose.

Selecting the correct wine glass is critical to getting the positives out of this wine. I sampled the wine in several different types of glasses and found it either lacking or hot due to the alcohol. The Sommelier Riedel Syrah glass was the perfect match.

Positives: The wine features cedar, lots of pepper and peppercorns, blackberry, bramble fruit, light tar, espresso, lavender, mushrooms and chalk. Medium+ body with medium+ tannins, good acidity and a good length.

Negatives: A little hot from the 14.5% alcohol.

Drink now on its own or cellar it for another 5 years. Pair it with Veal Marsala.

Tasted: 23 June 13

Score: 8.5+/10, Value: 8.5/10 (Clearance: 9/10)

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

Domaine Portet Fontaine Shiraz/Cabernet/Merlot 2010, Yarra Valley/Heathcote, Victoria

Description: Medium+ ruby in colour with a medium intense nose.

How nice is it to find an Aussie wine under $20 that is under 14% alcohol and doesn't taste like I just ate toasted bread with grape jelly.

Positives: There's a lot going on in this easy drinking wine. Light cedar, boysenberry, blueberry, blackberry, cassis, cinnamon, cloves, raspberry, cherry and speck, just to name a few. Medium+ body with medium tannins, good acidity and a long length.

Negatives: None

Drink now or in the next 2 years on its own or pair it with venison

Tasted: 7 March 2013

Best Buy

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

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

Firestone Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon 2010, Santa Ynez Valley

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

It’s so nice, nay great to find a quality California Cab for under $20 in the LCBO general list. And what makes this even better, for a short time its $2 off. Can’t go wrong with this wine.

Positives: This Cab features cedar, cassis, blackberry, ripe tamarinds, boysenberry, dill, chocolate, turmeric, plums, graphite, peppercorn, cinnamon, arugula and some leather on the finish. Full body with medium to medium+ tannins, good acidity and a long length.

Negatives: A touch of heat on the finish from the 14% alcohol, which makes me think it may be higher.

Interesting Point: Like the classy label.

Drink now or over the next 3 years on its own or pair it with T-Bone steak.

Tasted: 9 March 2013

Best Buy

Score: 9+/10, Value: 9.5+/10 (10/10 sale price), Total: 19/20

Out of 5 stars, I rated this wine: 4.5

Flowers Sonoma Coast Chardonnay 2010, Sonoma Coast

Bright gold in colour with a medium+ intense nose.

Premier price for a premier wine

Positives: This complex wine features medium light toasted oak, Easter Lilly, lemon, lemon meringue, orange, pineapple, mango, peach, light caramel, ginger, dill, vanilla and some limestone on the finish. Full body with good acidity & a very long length.

Negatives: None

Interesting Point: The winery uses gravity to move the flow of the grapes and its juice.

Drink now or in the next 10 years on its own or pair it with lobster cooked on a beach.

Tasted: 23 May 2014

Top Pick

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

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

Burrowing Owl Merlot 2010, VQA Okanagan Valley

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

Positive Notes: This merlot has nice juicy flavor featuring raspberry, plums, dark chocolate, thyme, sweet basil and vanilla. Full body with medium to Medium+ tannins, good acidity & a long length.

Negatives: A touch hot on the taste

Drink now on its own or over the next 5 years and pair it with beef Bourguignon.

Tasted: 13 June 13

Score: 9/10, Value: 8.5/10 Total: 7.5/20

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

Stags' Leap Winery Viognier 2011, Napa Valley

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

Positives: A nice Viognier that reminds me more of the Argentine Torrontes. This wine features peach, nectarine, tangerine peel, lemon, grapefruit, limestone and a touch of rosemary. Medium body with good acidity and a fairly long length.

Negatives: None

Drink now or over the next 3 years, on its own or pair it with deviled eggs.

Tasted: 10 Dec 12

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

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

Mayu Reserva Carmenère 2009, Elqui Valley

Dark ruby with a medium+ intense nose.

Positives: I'm not usually a Carmenere fan because a lot out there is boring. Well this is anything but featuring cedar, bramble fruit pie, tobacco, dried fig, mesquite, spiced apple, peppers (red, black & white), truffles, plums & ripe tamarind. Full body with medium tannins, good acidity & long length.

Negatives: There's heat coming from the 15% alcohol.

Drink now or in the next 5 years on its own as a meal or pair it with venison.

Tasted: 16 June 12

Best Buy

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

Out of 5 stars, I rated this wine: 4.5

Fernández De Piérola Reserva 2004

Medium minus ruby with a garnet rim in colour with a highly intense nose.

Positives: Elegant Reserva featuring sandalwood, cedar, cigar box, plums, dried cherry, incense, cloves, rosemary, leather, blackberry, hickory & earthy notes. Lots of complexity going here. Medium body, medium minus tannins, good acidity, long length & the wine is nicely balanced with only 13% alcohol.

Negatives: None.

Interesting Point: Decant this wine as there will be sediment at the bottom of the bottle. I like the classic Spanish label.

Drink now on its own or pair it with rack of lamb.

Tasted: 14 July 12

Top Pick

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

Out of 5 stars, I rated this wine: 4.5