Edward Rasiulis

Raventós I Blanc L'hereu Reserva Brut Cava 2007, Do Penedès

Sale price: $14.05 Light gold in colour with fine mousse & medium+ intensity. The nose is pleasant showing baked apples, light yeast, biscotti, lemon, peach, pear & limestone. The taste is dry, good acidity, medium length, medium body & balanced. This easy drinking Cava has similar tasting notes as the nose with more pear than peach. High quality Cava for a very reasonable price. This is one if the better Cava's I've tasted. As such I'm putting this in the best by category.

Tasted 4 Sept 11.

Score: 9+/10, Value: 9/10 (10/10 sale price), Total: 18+/20.

Out of 5 stars, I rated this wine: 4

Foxglove Chardonnay 2009, Central Coast

Medium+ straw colour with medium intensity nose.

Positives: This is an easy drinking unoaked Chard featuring peach, honeydew melon, honeysuckle, lemon, apple, chalk minerality & a light creamy finish. Medium body with good acidity & long length.

Negatives None.

Drink now on its own or pair it with raw oysters.

Tasted: 15 Feb 12

Best Buy

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

Out of 5 stars, I rated this wine: 4

Spinifex Papillon Grenache/Cinsault/Carignan/Shiraz 2010, Barossa Valley, South Australia

Medium ruby in colour with a slight cloudiness and a medium+ intense nose.

Full flavour wine that is truly enjoyable. Best Buy at the clearance price.

Positives: The wine is complex featuring cedar, plums, white & red peppers, strawberry, raspberry, cassis, cloves, cinnamon, basil, sage, dried leaves and mushrooms. Medium body and medium tannins with good acidity and a long length.

Negatives: None

Drink now or over the next 3 years on its own or pair it with tenderloin grilled steak.

Tasted: 4 Oct 2013

Score: 9+/10, Value: 9/10 (Clearance price: 9.5/10) Total: 18+/20

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

Trius Brut, VQA Niagara Peninsula

Pale gold in colour with medium to medium+ intense nose and fine mousse.

A solid Ontario sparkling wine.

Positives: This sparkling features lemon/lime, brioche, baked apples, pear, toasted almonds & grapefruit. Medium body with good acidity a good length.

Negatives: None

Drink now on its own or pair it with squash or pumpkin soup.

Tasted: 11 July 2013 (Happy Birthday Mom)

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

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

Burrowing Owl Chardonnay 2010, VQA Okanagan Valley

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

I don’t know if I like it or dislike it? I tried this a day later and I liked it. Needs time to open up.

Positives: Medium+ toasted oak with light butter, lemon, flint, pink grapefruit, peach pit, and limestone. After a day the wine opens up to feature mangos, golden apples, and cantaloupe. Medium body to medium+ with good acidity a long length.

Negatives: None

Drink now on its own or pair it with lobster.

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+

Pedro Martínez Alesanco Reserva 2006, Doca Rioja

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

Positives: Notes of cedar, sandalwood, cherry covered with black dark chocolate, raspberry and rosemary. Medium body with medium to medium+ tannins, good acidity a fairly long length.

Negatives: None

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

Tasted: 21 Nov 12

Score: 8.5+/10, Value: 9/10, Total: 17.5+/20

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

Kenneth Volk Santa Maria Cuvée Chardonnay 2009, Santa Maria Valley, Santa Barbara

Deep gold in colour with a medium+ intense nose.

Too much oak and not enough fruit to balance it

Positives: This wine features medium+ toasted oak, marzipan, resin, baked apple & butterscotch. Full body and with good acidity & a fairly long length.

Negatives: A lot of bitterness and lack of fruit

Interesting Point: It’s a screw cap which is unusual for California Chards.

Drink now and pair it with spicy crawfish gumbo.

Tasted: 13 February 2014

Score: 8.5/10, Value: 8/10 (Clearance price: 8.5/10) Total: 16.5/20

Out of 5 stars, I rated this wine: 3.5

Gallo Family Laguna Vineyard Chardonnay 2008, Russian River Valley, Sonoma County

Description: Gold in colour with medium+ intensity on the nose.

Positives: Slightly creamy with medium toasted oak, buttery, pineapple, mango, oranges, caramel, lemon, apple, limestone and butterscotch. Medium to full body, good acidity and long length.

Negatives: Slight sourness on the finish.

Drink now or over the next 2-3 years on its own or with lobster and drawn butter.

Tasted: 25 Feb 12

Score: 8.5+/10, Value: 8/10, Total: 16.5/20

Out of 5 stars, I rated this wine: 4

Quinta Dos Carvalhais 2008, Doc Dão

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

Positives: Oak, cherry, rhubarb, blackberry, sage, plums & turn tamarind. Medium+ body & tannins with good acidity & length.

Negatives: A little green to have on its own.

Drink within the next 2 years & match it with ribeye steak.

Tasted: 13 June 12

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

Out of 5 stars, I rated this wine: 3.5

Dr. Hermann Erdener Treppchen Kabinett Riesling 2008, Pradikätswein

Description: Medium+ straw in colour with high intensity on the nose.

Positives: Petrol nose featuring lime, peach, slate, pineapple, apple and honey. Off dry with medium body, good acidity and medium+ length.

Negatives: None

This wine is starting to come of age but you will be rewarded for cellaring this wine for another 10 years. Drink on its own or it will pair nicely with BBQ pork ribs.

Tasted: 21 Feb 12

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

Out of 5 stars, I rated this wine: 4