Edward Rasiulis
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Followers (15)
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Following (2)
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Reviews (900)
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Certified CAPPS Sommelier since 2008. Lived in the Cayman Islands reviewing wines for under $25. Back home in Toronto, started up Twilight Wines to offer wine & spirit consultation, wine reviews, restaurant management, manage wine events and wine & glassware presentations, plus anything else with wines.
For more wine reviews by me please visit my web site at: www.twilightwines.com
Reviews
Borges Reserva 2009
Douro, Portugal$21.95
Full and rich flavour
Description: Deep dark ruby in colour with a medium+ intense nose. This wine features oak, raisins, plums, blackberries, dark chocolate, forest floor, figs, champagne mushrooms and mint. Medium+ body and tannins with good acidity and a long length.
Negatives: None
Interesting Note: As this wine will get better with age, I would suggest decanting for an hour.
Drink now or in the next 15 years on its own or pair it with Duck served with wild mushrooms and fig sauce.
Tasted: 28 Jan 2015
Best Buy
Score: 9/10, Value: 9/10 Total: 18/20
Out of 5 stars, I rated this wine: 4
3.5 Stars
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La Rosa La Capitana Carménere 2009, Cachapoal Valley
Chile$13.95
Opaque ruby in colour medium intensity. On the nose there's cedar, raspberry, mulberry, plum, light coconut & cappuccino. The taste is dry, med+ tannins & acidity with med+ length, med+ body & balanced. The wine shows cedar, raspberry, cherry, plum & cassis. The taste is more expressive than the nose & there's heat from the 14.5% alcohol. Normally I'm not a fan of Carménère as they tend to be linear; however, this is one of the better ones I tasted & if you're a fan of this varietal it's definitely a best buy. Decant it & let it stand for an hour will mellow out the tannins. Goes well with pizza.
Tasted 31 May 2011.
Score: 8.5+, Value: 10/10, Total: 18.5+
Out of 5 stars, I rated this wine: 3.5
3.5 Stars
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Santa Ema Amplus One 2008, Peumo
Cachapoal Valley, Chile$17.75
Deep ruby in colour with an intense nose.
I feel the sale price is the proper price for this wine.
Positives: An intense wine featuring cedar, black currants, peppercorn, cherry, tamarind, leather, tomato leaf, sage & eucalyptus. Medium+ body with medium tannins, good acidity and a long length.
Negatives: A touch hot from the 14% alcohol.
Interesting Notes: Santa Ema is a sustainable winery. Amplus is Latin meaning: important, honourable, eminent, & distinguished.
Drink now on its own or pair it with mustard crusted lamb chops with mint sauce.
Tasted: 1 May 13
Score: 9/10, Value: 8.5 Total: 17.5/20
Out of 5 stars, I rated this wine: 3.5+
3.5 Stars
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Clos Du Bois Calcaire Chardonnay 2010, Russian River Valley, Sonoma County
California, Usa$29.95
Light gold in colour with a medium intense nose.
Positives: Medium toasted oak with buttered popcorn, lemon, peach, green apple, grapefruit, pear, cinnamon, butterscotch & limestone. Medium+ body with good acidity & a long length.
Negatives: A touch too sour in the mid palate.
Interesting Point: Calcaire means limestone or chalk and describes the soil that the grapes come from.
Drink now or over the next 3-5 years on its own or pair it with lobster & drawn butter.
Tasted 24 Nov 12
Score: 8.5+/10, Value: 8.5+/10, Total: 17.5/20
Out of 5 stars, I rated this wine: 3.5+
3.5 Stars
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Mckinley Springs Syrah 2006, Horse Heaven Hills
Washington, Usa$27.95
Description: Opaque in colour with medium+ intense nose
Positives: Simply delicious, one of my favourite Syrah’s in a long time. A complex wine featuring cedar, sizzling bacon, boysenberry, ripe tamarinds, cinnamon, sage, oregano, anise, dark cherry, dark chocolates, prunes, arugula and lots of peppers and peppercorn. Full body with medium to medium+ tannins, good acidity and a long length.
Negatives: A touch hot due to the 14.9% alcohol
Drink now or over the next 5 years and pair it with Brisket.
Tasted: 2 Mar 13
Top Pick
Score: 9.5/10, Value: 9.5/10 Total: 19/20
Out of 5 stars, I rated this wine: 4.5+
3.5 Stars
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Pegasus Bay Estate Pinot Noir 2007, Waipara
Wairarapa, New Zealand$48.95
Medium garnet in colour with a medium+ intense nose.
Reminds me of a cold crisp winter night with wood fireplaces burning their logs.
Positives: A nose that I can immerse myself in and the taste is not far behind. This wine features pine, crisp bacon, pomegranate, sour & dark cherry, violets, strawberry & a touch of earthiness. Medium body with light tannins, good acidity and a long length.
Negatives: None
Drink now or over the next 2 years on its own or pair it with roasted pig.
Tasted: 26 Dec 2013
Top Pick
Score: 9.5/10, Value: 9/10 (Clearance Price: 9.5+) Total: 18.5/20
Out of 5 stars, I rated this wine: 4.5
3.5 Stars
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Treana Marsanne/Viognier 2009, Central Coast
California, Usa$29.95
Description: Deep gold in colour with a medium to medium+ intense nose.
Positives: This is the closest to a Condrieu without being one that I have tasted to date, and I love Condrieu, so it goes without saying why I made this my favourite wine of the tasting event. The wine is oily and smooth as silk, featuring light oak, Ylang Ylang, pineapple, macadamia nuts, lemon, East Indian mangos, peaches and white pepper.
Negatives: None
Interesting Point: This is so good that I could easily drink two bottles in a night. In Vintages now and I’m slowly buying up the stock.
Drink now or over the next 5 years on its own or pair it with seared Chilean sea bass with roasted root vegetables.
Top Pick
Score: 9.5/10, Value: 9.5/10, Total: 19/20
Out of 5 stars, I rated this wine: 4.5+
3.5 Stars
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Gloria Ferrer Sonoma Brut Sparkling, Traditional Method, Sonoma County, California
California, Usa$44.20
Blush in colour with fine mousse & medium to medium+ intensity.
Positives: Simply delicious & easy drinking. Raspberry, lemon tart, pear, light yeast, flan, molasses & ginger. Medium to medium+ body, good acidity & length.
Negatives: None.
Interesting Thing: Made in the traditional method. Drink now on its or or pair it with quail eggs & caviar. This wine was ranked #78 on Wine Spectator's Top 100 list of 2009.
Best Buy
Tasted: 20 Feb 12
Score: 9+/10, Value: 9.5/10, Total: 19/20
Out of 5 stars, I rated this wine: 4.5
3.5 Stars
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Joseph Drouhin Pouilly Fuissé 2012
Burgundy, France$29.95
Not a complex wine, but what it has to offer is very good
Description: Light gold colour with a medium to medium+ intense nose. This wine features light toasted oak with oak spice, green and yellow apple, lemon tart, and limestone. Medium body with good acidity and a long length.
Negatives: None
Drink now or in the next 5 years on its own or pair it with lobster and drawn butter.
Tasted: 5 Aug 2014
Score: 9/10, Value: 9/10 (Clearance price: 10/10) Total: 18/20
Out of 5 stars, I rated this wine: 4
3.5 Stars
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Domaine Portet Fontaine Shiraz/Cabernet/Merlot 2010, Yarra Valley/Heathcote, Victoria
Victoria, Australia$14.75
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+
3.5 Stars
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