Edward Rasiulis

Fess Parker Viognier 2010, Santa Barbara County

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

This wine straddles between very good and excellent.

Positives: Light oak with a creamy texture featuring lemon, peach, apricot, honeysuckle, honey, wildflower, pineapple, pear, peach pits, & lemon grass. Medium body with good acidity and a long finish.

Negatives: A touch bitter on the finish, and a little hot from the 14.5% alcohol.

Interesting Point: “ His name may be fading into the past, but in the ’50s and ’60s, Fess Parker was hugely famous for playing Davy Crockett and Daniel Boone on television. He turned his earnings on shows like that and others into this highly successful winery. He died in 2010.” LCBO

Drink now or over the next year on its own or pair it with French cut pork chops stuffed with cheese and sundried tomatoes.

Tasted: 3 March 2013

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

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

Domaine Eden Chardonnay 2009, Santa Cruz Mountains

Bright gold in colour with a medium+ intense nose.

Even at the clearance price it’s still over priced for the quality.

Positives: This wine features medium toasted oak, lemon, apricots, peach and limestone Medium+ body with good acidity and a long length.

Negatives: Burnt butter and overly fermented citrus notes.

Interesting Point: I like the colonial style label.

Drink now or over the next year on its own or pair it with seared garlic and butter scampi.

Tasted: 23 Aug 2013

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

Ribera Del Duero Crianza - Pesquera 2009

Deep ruby in colour with a medium intense nose.

This will only please a discernable few.

Positives: Heavy into the tertiary tasting field with oak, mushroom, underbrush, espresso, thyme, with black olives, dark cherry, sour cherry & black currants. Full body with medium+ tannins, good acidity and a long length.

Negatives: A touch hot from the 14% alcohol.

Interesting Note: I like the Spanish bottle and label.

Drink now or over the next 5 years with food such as the Spanish dish Pringá.

Tasted: 20 May 13

Score: 8.5+/10, Value: 8.5/10 (Clearance price 8.5+/10) Total: 17+/20

Out of 5 stars, I rated this wine: 3.5

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+

Noval Fine Tawny Port

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

A well balanced & smooth Tawny/port for under $20 that you can describe as either a lighter style port or a more red fruit tawny

Positives: This wine features dried figs, Christmas cake, maraschino cherry in dark chocolate, Kirsch and roasted almonds. Full body with low tannins, good acidity and a fairly long length.

Negatives: None

Drink now or cellar it for 5 years and drink on its own or pair it with Chris De La Rosa’s, via Go Cooking, Guinness Ice Cream.

Tasted: 26 Nov 2013

Best Buy

Score: 8.5+/10, Value: 9.5/10 Total: 18+/20

Out of 5 stars, I rated this wine: 4

Gann Chardonnay 2007, Russian River Valley, Sonoma County

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

Quality wine that is well balanced at a reasonable price, and a best buy if you can get it at the clearance price.

Positives: This wine features well-integrated oak, mild toast, caramel, lemon, peach, pineapple, vanilla, nutmeg and cinnamon. Medium+ body with good acidity and a long length.

Negatives: A slight burnt sugar taste on the finish.

Drink now or over the next year on its own or pair it with lobster with drawn butter.

Tasted: 28 Aug2013

Score: 9/10, Value: 8.5+/10 (Clearance price: 9/10) Total: 18/20

Out of 5 stars, I rated this wine: 4

Château La Fleur Jonquet 2009, Ac Graves

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

Juicy and smooth, drink on its own or pair it with food. Best Buy especially at the clearance price.

Positives: This wine features well-integrated oak, smoked meat, blackberry, mulberry, dark cherry, blueberry, oregano, turmeric, leather and graphite. Medium to medium+ body and tannin's with good acidity and a long length.

Negatives: None

Drink now or over the next 2 years on its own or pair it with rib eye steak.

Tasted: 3 Aug 2013

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

Out of 5 stars, I rated this wine: 4

Hill-smith Estate Chardonnay 2010, Eden Valley, South Australia

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

A nice cool climate Chard from Aussy land that has the right balance of fruit, oak, alcohol and price

Positives: This wine features light oak, lemon-lime, honeydew melon, pear, green apple, & limestone. Medium minus body and with good acidity & a long length.

Negatives: None

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

Interesting Point: I like seeing an Aussy Chard fermented in oak, but have only 13% alcohol.

Tasted: 5 February 2014

Best Buy

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

Out of 5 stars, I rated this wine: 4

Treana Red 2009, Paso Robles

Description: Medium to medium+ ruby in colour with medium+ intensity.

Positives: You’re getting true value for your money in this wine. A delicious wine featuring oak, black cherry, plums, anise, black and white pepper, turmeric, graphite, pipe tobacco and sage. Medium body with medium+ tannins, good acidity and a long length.

Negatives: A little heat from the 15% alcohol.

Interesting Points: 1. Treana is Latin meaning the 3 elements of water, sun & soil. 2. I like the early Californian Spanish American label, and what’s interesting Méliza reports that the British aren’t too fancy about it. 3. In Vintages now.

Drink now or over the next 5 years on its own or pair it with a T-bone steak, medium rare.

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

Out of 5 Stars I rated this wine: 4

Henry Of Pelham Estate Chardonnay 2011, VQA Short Hills Bench, Niagara Peninsula

Cool climate chard that's a touch too oaky

Description: Bright gold in colour with a medium to medium+ intense nose. This wine features oak spice, lime, sour orange, green apples, lemon rind and limestone. Medium+ body with good acidity and a fairly long length.

Negatives: A touch too sour on the finish

Drink now or in the next 5 years on its own or pair it with Kimchi with braised short ribs

Tasted: 23 April 2015

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

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