Edward Rasiulis

Montecillo Reserva 2005, Rioja

Description: Med ruby with a slight garnet colour. Nose & taste are classic Rioja Reserva, with med+ intensity of sandalwood, smoked meat, dark cherries, sweet basil & carnations. On the palate, good acidity, med tannins, balanced, med body, long length. Like the nose, sandalwood, smoked meat, sweet basil, cedar, black currants, dark & sour cherry. Overall med+ complexity that you can drink now or age for another 3-5yrs. Best with food such as smoked sausages or grilled lamb. Score: 8.5/10, Value: 10/10, Total: 18.5/20. For the price this a best buy. Solid wine from a solid winery.

Tasted 11 April 2011

Out of 5 stars, I rated this wine: 3.5

Provins Valais Dole 2007

Light garnet in colour. High intensity on nose. Love the aromas of cherry, cranberry, rhubarb, light milk chocolate mousse, earth tones with roses. On taste med- body, med+ length, low tannins & med acidity leads to a well balanced & excellent priced Pinot. Flavours as with the nose with addition of pomegranates & juicy red apples. I like the fact that this wine is not high in alcohol. Very food friendly, pairs well with Quail, lamb, pork & tuna. Also very pleasant on it's own. Bought it on sale for $13.35, but even regular price still a Best Buy.

Score: 9+/10 Value: 10/10, Total: 19+/20. One of the best light Pinot's I've tried for under $20.

Tasted 17 April 2011.

Out of 5 stars, I rated this wine: 4.5

Weingut Soellner Toni Grüner Veltliner 2009

Description: Gold in the colour, with medium+ intensity. The nose shows citric flavours, grapefruit, melon, tangerines, light smokiness and some pepperness. The taste is dry, good acidy, med length, medium minus body and balanced. The taste is expressive, showing the same notes as the nose. This organically grown wine is a good representative of what a Grüner is and at the price it’s a Best Buy. This is a great wine to sip on a patio during the summer or to have with Sushi.

Best Buy wine.

Tasted: 26 June 2011

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

Out of 5 stars, I rated this wine 4

Rodney Strong Estate Pinot Noir 2009, Russian River Valley, Sonoma County

Always one of my favourite Pinot’s, but this one is not as good as previous vintages. The colour is medium minus garnet, with medium + intensity. The nose shows light cherry wood, rhubarb, slight jammy raspberry, cola cherry, smoked Montreal meat & some mushrooms to give it that earthy Pinot smell and taste. The taste is dry, med minus tannins, med minus body, good acidity, balanced, with long length. The taste is similar to the nose, but you will notice the hot finish due to the 14.5% alcohol. Drink on its own or pair with traditional Pinot dishes like roast duck. Normally this would be a best buy, and for the sale price that I got it for it is, but not for the regular price. Still I enjoyed the wine. Drink now.

Tasted: 22 May 2011

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

Out of 5 stars, I rated this wine: 4

Toasted Head Chardonnay 2009, California

Light gold in colour with medium to medium+ intensity.

Positives: Toasted Head has come a long way from the days that California Chards , at least in the inexpensive category of under $30, was like gnawing on oak planks. Toasted Head has been consistently good in the past couple of years producing well balanced, medium toasted oak Chards, full body, long length with good acidity. Notes of lemon, apple, butterscotch, coconut cream pie & pineapple dominate both on the nose and palate.

Negatives: High alcohol.

Interesting Things: I like the shape of the bottle & wax stopper on the cork. Makes it stand out from the rest of the California Chards. LCBO usually puts this wine on sale a couple of times throughout the year.

Drink now on its own or have it with lobster & drawn butter.

Tasted: 9 Dec 11

Best Buy

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

Out of 5 stars, I rated this wine: 4

Rosewood Estates Merlot 2008, Renaceau Vineyard, VQA Beamsville Bench, Niagara Peninsula

Description: Medium dark ruby with a medium intense nose. Pleasant nose with no notes that over state the others. Light oak with raspberry, wild flowers, coco, vanilla notes, sweet cherry and Christmas cake. The taste is dry, medium tannins and acid, medium length, medium to light body and well balanced. Taste is similar to the nose. This wine is easy drinking and can be paired with an array of different food due to the easiness of the fruits, medium tannins and medium acidity. This wine is nice to drink beside the pool and enjoy during the summer days or night. For the sale price it’s a best buy, for regular price it’s a good buy. If it's sold out at the LCBO, please visit the winery.

Tasted: 29 June 2011

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

Out of 5 stars, I rated this wine 3.5

Lenz Moser Prestige Grüner Veltliner 2009, Niederösterreich

Med straw colour with a slight green tinge. The nose has med+ intensity, and shows green apple, key-lime, grapefruit, limestone, white pepper, thyme and cucumber. On the taste, dry, good acidity, med- body, med+ complex with medium length and well balanced. Taste is like what’s on the nose with the addition of honeydew melon. Very nice drinking GV. Drink on its own (on a nice spring or summer day by the pool) or with food. Pairs well with Seared Sea Scallops made by Chef Tobias from Red Canoe Bistro in Burlington.

Best Buy

Tasted: 19 April 2011

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

Out of 5 stars, I rated this wine: 4.5

The Crossings Pinot Noir 2009, Awatere, Marlborough, South Island

For the price it's a best buy. Old world styling with beetroot and rhubarb & earth tones. Light in colour and in body, needs to open up a bit as it has residual bitterness in the throat. Went nicely with roasted Cornish hen with olives and tomatoes. It paired nicely with green olives.

Kwv Cathedral Cellar Triptych 2007, Wo Coastal Region

Dark ruby colour, with med+ intensity. True cab Sauvignon notes of cedar, turmeric, blackberry, plum, smokey notes, earth tones, high complexity on nose. Truly a beautiful nose. Taste is medium tannins with medium acid. Full body, easy to drink with or without food. Taste shows anise, blueberry, cassis, raspberry, plums, bacon & some earth tones like leather. Med+ length. KWV consistently produced excellent value wines & this doesn't disappoint.

Score: 9.5, Value: 10, total: 19.5

Tasted: April 2011

Out of 5 stars, I rated this wine: 4.5

Fog Head Highlands Reserve Chardonnay 2009, Monterey County

Medium minus gold in colour with medium+ intensity. On the nose there’s medium minus oak and toast, lemon tart, meringue, apricot, apple, peaches & cream corn, wet stone and light nutmeg. The taste is dry, med+ acidity, med to full body, med+ length and balanced. The taste is similar to the nose. The alcohol is well hidden considering it’s 14.5%. This chard is smooth, with no bitter after taste. Drink on it’s own or with snow crab with drawn butter.
This is a Best Buy wine.
Tasted: 19 May 2011
Score: 9.5/10, Value: 9.5/10, Total: 19/20
Out of 5 stars, I rated this wine 4.5