Edward Rasiulis

Château Pierre De Montignac 2009, Cru Bourgeois, Ap Médoc

Dark ruby in colour with a medium to medium+ nose.

A nice mid level Boudreaux from Médoc at a moderate price.

Positives: Cedar, cassis, blackcurrants, turmeric, pencil shavings, cherry, arugula and leather. Medium+ body with medium+ tannins, good acidity and a long length.

Negatives: None

This is more of a food friendly wine than for drinking on its own so pair with prime rib. Drink now on or over the next 3 years.

Tasted: 27 May 13 (Happy Memorial Day to our American cousins)

Best Buy

Score: 8.5+/10, Value: 9/10 Total: 18/20

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

Kendall Jackson Grand Reserve Chardonnay 2010, Santa Barbara County 54%/Monterey County 46%

Gold in colour with a medium+ intense nose.

Kendall-Jackson produces solid Chardonnay’s from the entry level to their high end, and is probably one of my top 10 go to Chards.

Positives: Nicely balanced Chard that has medium buttered toasted oak with oak spice, cloves, lemon, crème brûlée, Easter Lilly, butterscotch, marshmallow, pineapple, peach, orange, apple crumble pie and a touch of limestone. Full body with good acidity and a very long length. Nice to see a quality Chard being under 14% alcohol.

Negatives: None

Drink now on or over the next 5 years on its own or pair it with steamed lobster with drawn butter.

Tasted: 10 May 13

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

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

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

Lykos Kratistos Agiorgitiko 2008, Nemea

Dark ruby to garnet in colour with a medium+ intense nose.

A unique wine that’s a mix of Sambuca, a well aged rum and port.

Positives: This easy drinking wine features lots of pine, sandalwood, anise, sugar cane, dark cherry, dates, raisins, Rosemary and basil. Medium+ body with medium minus tannins, good acidity and a long length.

Negatives: None

Drink now or over the next 2 years on its own or pair it with white chocolate.

Tasted: 17 Oct 2013

Best Buy

Score: 8.5+/10, Value: 9/10 Total: 18/20

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

Terrazas De Los Andes Reserva Malbec 2010, Mendoza

Opaque ruby in colour with a medium to medium+ nose.

There are too many Malbec’s that are simple and just don’t meet the quality vs price ratio, however this one does.

Positives: Very tasty Malbec featuring oak, mulberry, plum, smoked Montreal meat, tobacco leaves and a touch of leather. Full body with medium to medium+ tannins, good acidity and a long length.

Negatives: A touch hot from the 14.5% alcohol.

Interesting Notes: Thanks Carol Ann, from WineAlign, for the opportunity to taste this.

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

Tasted: 17 May 13

Best Buy

Score: 8.5+/10, Value: 9+/10 Total: 18/20

Out of 5 stars, I rated this wine: 4

Château Cissac 2008, Ac Haut Médoc

Deep ruby in colour with a medium intense nose.

An elegant wine from Bordeaux that you would expect to pay $50 for.

Positives: The wine features cedar, dark cherry, blackcurrant, star anise, pencil shavings, turmeric, sage, plum, arugula and cigar box. Medium+ body and tannins with good acidity and a long length.

Negatives: None

Drink now or over the next 8-10 years on its own or pair it with Beef Bourguignon.

Tasted: 25 Oct 2013

Best Buy

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

Out of 5 stars, I rated this wine: 4

Les Grandes Serres La Rose D'aimée Tavel 2012, Ac

Deep salmon in colour with a low intense nose.

The high alcohol overwhelms the flavours of this wine

Positives: This wine features strawberry, rose petals & mint. Medium body with average acidity & a fairly long length.

Negatives: Lots of heat from the 14.5% alcohol

Drink now on its own or pair it with grilled pork chops.

Tasted: 22 March 2014

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

Out of 5 stars, I rated this wine: 3.5

Truchard Chardonnay 2011, Carneros, Napa Valley

Bright gold in colour with a medium+ intense nose.

The taste comes in layers with a good balance of fruit & oak

Positives: This complex wine features medium smoked toasted oak with lemon meringue, golden apple, clementine, pineapples, ginger, caramel, dill and Allspice. Full body with good acidity & a long length.

Negatives: None

Drink now or in the next 5 years on its own or and pair it with Coquille St. Jacques.

Tasted: 1 July 2014, Happy Canada Day

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

Out of 5 stars, I rated this wine: 4

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+

Capezzana Barco Reale Di Carmignano 2010

Deep ruby in colour with a medium minus intense nose.

My new favourite wine to pair with pizza

Positives: This wine features cedar, sour cherry, Bing cherry, oregano, sage, rosemary, raspberry, leather, graphite & fresh cut carnations. Medium body with medium+ tannins, good acidity & a long length.

Negatives: None

Drink now or over the next 5 years on its own or pair it with pizza.

Interesting Point: Tasted the wine from the smaller Chianti/Zinfandel wine glass & the larger Cabernet Sauvignon glass; in the Cab glass it was dull & muted, while shined in the Chianti glass.

Tasted: 17 January 2014

Best Buy

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

Out of 5 stars, I rated this wine: 4