Edward Rasiulis

Errazuriz Max Reserva Cabernet Sauvignon 2009, Aconcagua Valley

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

Positives: Beautiful ripe, but not cooked Cab aromas featuring cedar, cassis, menthol, nutmeg, cinnamon & cloves followed by some bramble fruit. The taste is just as wonderful. This is a medium to full body wine with a long finish and a good balance of tannis and acidity making the wine feel round and not linear or austere. As with the nose there is a lot going on. The taste is similar as the nose.

Negatives: none

Interesting Things: The Max Reserva Cab is consistently year in & year out a best buy.

Drink on its own or pair it with classic grilled tenderloin steak. The wine is drinkable now, but can cellar for another 3-4 years.

Best Buy

Tasted: 4 Oct 11

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

Out of 5 stars, I rated this wine: 4.5

Beronia Tempranillo 2007, Rioja

Medium bright ruby in colour with medium+ intensity in the nose.

Positives: Sandalwood, strawberry, bacon, basil & cherry notes on the nose & taste. The wine is dry, medium to low tannins, medium acidity, medium body & medium length.

Negatives: Slight wateriness detected on the taste.

Interesting Things: This is one of the best inexpensive & consistent year to year Tempranillo’s. Usually the LCBO will put this on sale for a $1 off.

Drink now on its own or with lamb chops.

Best Buy

Tasted: 17 Nov 11

Score: 8.5+/10, Value: 10/10, Total: 19/20

J. Laurens Le Moulin Brut Blanquette De Limoux, Traditional Method, Ap, Midi, France

Nice easy drinking original Champagne with lots of flavour

Description: Medium straw in colour with a low to medium intense nose and fine mousse. This wine features light toasted oak, biscuit, lemon/lime, honeydew melon, Granny Apples, pear, honey and limestone. Medium body with good acidity and a good length.

Negatives: None

Drink now or in the next 7 of years on its own or pair it with Spicy Linguine with Clam Sauce.

Tasted: 11 June 2017

Best Buy

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

Out of 5 stars, I rated this wine: 4

Inniskillin Winemaker's Series Montague Vineyard Chardonnay 2012, VQA Four Mile Creek, Niagara Peninsula

A solid Chard that won't disappoint Chard lovers of oak influence

Description: Bright gold in colour with a medium to medium+ intense nose. This wine features medium toasted oak, lemon, cream corn, pineapple, mango, ginger, light oak spice, butterscotch, crème brûlée and dill. Full body with good acidity and a long length.

Negatives: Some heat from the 14% alcohol and a touch sour on the finish

Drink now or in the next 5 years on its own or pair it with Cornish Hen

Tasted: 22 Dec 2014

Score: 8.5+/10, Value: 8.5+ (Clearance price: 9/10) Total: 17.5/20

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

Borthwick Vineyard Pinot Noir 2008, Wairarapa, North Island

Medium minus ruby with a tint of garnet in colour with a medium intense nose.

Positives: A good mix of Old World & New World Pinot in style, meaning not over bearing & having a good balance between fruit & earthy notes. Very smooth Pinot showing pine, rhubarb, cranberry, sour cherry, wooden embers, suede & truffles. Medium minus in body with medium minus tannins, good acidity, long length & the alcohol is well integrated.

Negatives: Slightly over sour on the finish.

Food friendly wine that will go well with duck or turkey. Drink now or over the next 2 years.

Tasted: 12 Mar 12

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

Out of 5 stars, I rated this wine: 4

Raymond Classic Chardonnay 2010, North Coast, California

Light gold in colour with medium intensity on the nose.

Positives: A very pleasant drinking wine featuring light oak, pineapple, lemon, toffee, orange, banana & apple pie. Medium+ body with good acidity, but still creamy & a long length.

Negatives: Surprising, a little heat coming from the 13.5% alcohol.

Interesting Point: Use the larger Chard glass.

Tasted: 15 June 12

Best Buy

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

Out of 5 stars, I rated this wine: 4

Stoneleigh Chardonnay 2009, Marlborough

Bright gold in colour with medium intensity. Light oak & toast with lemon, apple, light honeysuckle, lemon grass & limestone. The taste is dry, good acidity, med body, long length & well balanced. Similar to the nose with a slight creaminess. Shows all signs of a cool climate weather Chard & could be confused with a mid level Burgundian wine. Pleasant surprise from New Zealand. Drink now, goes well with snow crab & drawn butter.

Tasted 15 July 2011.

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

Beringer Knights Valley Cabernet Sauvignon 2010, Sonoma County

Dark, almost opaque ruby in colour with a medium+ intense nose.

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

Negatives: A touch hot from the high alcohol.

Interesting Points: See my review of the 2009 Knights Valley on 23 May 12 and compare the two.

Drink now or cellar it for another 7 years, and pair it with grilled tenderloin steak.

Tasted: 5 Jan 13

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

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

Keint He Voyageur Chardonnay 2012, VQA Niagara Peninsula

A versatile chard that shows good balance between oak, fruit and minerality

Description: Bright gold in colour with a medium intense nose. This wine features medium toasted oak, lemon, pink grapefruit, honeydew melon, butterscotch and limestone. Medium body with good acidity and a fairly long length.

Negatives: There’s heat from the 13% alcohol

Interesting Notes: Don’t over chill, as the underlying flavours such as butterscotch don’t come up when it’s too cold, and use the larger New World or Montrachet Chard glasses. In addition, I like the aged parchment label.

Drink now or in the next 2 years on its own or pair it with grilled shrimp in grapefruit BBQ sauce.

Tasted: 27 Jan 2015

Best Buy

Score: 8.5+/10, Value: 9+/10 Total: 16/20

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

Coyote's Run Black Paw Vineyard Chardonnay 2009, VQA Four Mile Creek, Niagara Peninsula

Light gold in colour with medium minus nose.

Positives: What a nice, easy drinking Chard under $20 & it's from Ontario. The nose is closed, but the palate brims with spiced oak, lemon, crisp apple, honeydew melon, pear, limestone, tangerine, medium minus toasted oak & a light creaminess on the finish. Nice Old World style Chard. Medium body with good acidity, a long length & moderate alcohol. Nowadays 12.5% alcohol for a Chard is low.

Negatives: None.

Interesting Thing: You can use both the smaller glass Chard or the larger one, but I give the nod to the smaller Chard glassware.

Drink now or cellar it for another 5 years. Drinks well on its own or pair it with pasta in an Alfredo sauce.

Tasted: 5 Feb 12

Best Buy

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

Out of 5 stars, I rated this wine: 4