Edward Rasiulis

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+

Maison Roche De Bellène Rully Les Clous 1er Cru 2011, Ac

Bright gold in colour with a medium to medium+ intense nose.

If you want to impress at a dinner party, but not break the bank, this wine will do it

Positives: This complex wine features medium toasted oak with lemon, mandarin, pineapple, peach, apple, caramel, ginger, nutmeg and orange rind on the finish. Medium+ body with good acidity & a long length.

Negatives: None

Drink now or in the next 5 years on its own or pair it with Lobster Thermidor.

Tasted: 29 April 2014

Best Buy

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

Out of 5 stars, I rated this wine: 4

Andrew Rich Cuvée B Pinot Noir 2008, Willamette Valley

Medium minus ruby colour with medium+ intensity on the nose.

Positives: A very elegant wine whose style is between old world & new world Pinot. Notes feature pine, cherry, cranberry, rhubarb, cinnamon, nutmeg, pistachio, earth tones & suede. Medium minus body with low tannins, medium+ acidity and long length.

Negatives: None.

Drink slightly chilled on its own or pair it with squash soup & roasted duck.

Tasted: 26 May 12

Top Pick

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

Out of 5 stars, I rated this wine: 4.5

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

Clos Du Bois Marlstone 2010, Alexander Valley

A solid well balanced California Bordeaux style wine

Description: Deep ruby in colour with a medium+ intense nose. This complex wine features cedar, blackberry, dark cherry, eucalyptus, blackcurrant, licorice, anise, cassis, plums, cocoa, dates, leather, arugula and tobacco leaf. Full body with medium+ tannins, good acidity and a long length.

Negatives: A little heat from the 14.5% alcohol.

Interesting Point: I confess I bought the wine because I liked the sophisticated label. Looked expensive and at $24.95, I figured why not. Yes, the store had confused the lesser Clos Du Bois Sonoma Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon that was priced at $24.95 with the Marlstone. Their loss my gain. Decanting for 30 min will smooth the wine out.

Drink now or in the next 10 years on its own or and pair it with Bison.

Tasted: 22 July 2014

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

Out of 5 stars, I rated this wine: 4

Cooralook Pinot Gris 2008

Bright gold in colour with a medium to medium+ intense nose.

Positives: An easy drinking Pinot Gris styled between the Italian Pinot Grigio and Alsace Pinot Gris. This wine is crisp with lemon, honeysuckle, pink grapefruit and pineapple. Medium body with good acidity and a fairly long length.

Negatives: None

Interesting Point: The 2008 is on sale now for $11.95, which is a great deal.

Drink now on its own or pair it with Chinese food.

Tasted: 19 Jan 13

Best Buy

Score: 8.5+/10, Value:10/10, Total: 18.5+/20

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

Hartley Ostini Hitching Post Cork Dancer Pinot Noir 2009, Santa Barbara County

Medium minus ruby in colour with a medium+ nose.

A solid Pinot, but a touch more expensive than it should be. The clearance price is more appropriate.

Positives: A flavorful Pinot exhibiting wood smoke and purple lilacs on the nose, and on the taste pine, cherry pie, sour cherry, cranberry, strawberry and dried rosemary. Medium minus body with medium to medium+ tannins, good acidity and a very long length.

Negatives: A touch hot from the 14.2% alcohol, and a touch overtly tart.

Interesting Notes: The movie Sideways brought The Hitching Post into mainstream.

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

Tasted: 26 May 13

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

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

Clos De Gat Ayalon Valley 2007, Judean Hills, Unfined & Unfiltered

Funky nose but the taste delivers

Description: Medium garnet in colour with a medium+ intense nose. This wine features oak, plum, blackcurrants, anise, Portobello mushrooms, soy sauce, dried thyme, leather, tomato leaves and burnt rubber on the nose. Full body with medium+ tannin, good acidity and a long length.

Negatives: None

Interesting Note: Wine is unfined and unfiltered. I Would definitely try this wine again but in a younger vintage.

Drink now as it’s past its prime. Drink on its own or pair it with Wild Mushroom Pizza with Rosemary and Caramelized Onions.

Tasted: 3 April 2017

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

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

Benmarco Malbec 2012

Deep ruby to purple in colour with a medium+ intense nose.

The taste is full, juicy, delicious & all for under $20

Positives: This wine features light oak, blackberry, prunes, dates, licorice, mocha and mesquite. Full body with medium+ tannins, good acidity & a fairly long length.

Negatives: The nose is somewhat mute and watery

Drink now or in the next 3 years on its own or pair it with grilled lamb chops.

Tasted: 28 April 2014

Best Buy

Score: 9/10, Value: 9.5/10, Total: 18.5/20

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