Edward Rasiulis

Daniel Lenko Old Vines Chardonnay 2010, VQA Niagara Peninsula, American Oak

Gold in colour with a medium+ intense nose.

Either you’ll love it or hate it. I happen to love it.

Positives: This is not a fruit driven Chard as it features smokey sweet oak spice, buttery toast, butterscotch, toasted marshmallows, lemon, pear, vanilla, cinnamon, coconut and peaches & cream corn. Full body with medium acidity and a very long length.

Negatives: None

Interesting Point: Use the new world large Chardonnay glasses if you have them.

Drink now or over the next 2 years on its own or pair it with snow crab and drawn butter.

Tasted: 22 Aug 2013

Best Buy

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

Out of 5 stars, I rated this wine: 4

Rémy Pannier Rosé D’anjou 2012, Loire Valley, France

Bright salmon in colour with a medium intense nose.

A versatile food friendly rosé that pairs well with Indian or Thai food.

Positives: This wine features strawberry, lime, honeydew melon cantaloupe and maraschino cherry. Medium body with good acidity and a fairly long length.

Negatives: None

Interesting Point: Grolleau, a native grape in Loire Valley is low in alcohol and high in acidity.

Drink now on its own or pair it with My Thai’s Restaurant’s, via Go Cooking, Pad Thai.

Tasted: 19 Nov 2013

Best Buy

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

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

Château Pouyanne 2009, Ac Graves

A simple Bordeaux wine that reminds me of a Nouveau Beaujolai

Description: Medium ruby in colour with a medium intense nose. This wine features bubble gum and bandaid on the nose sweet cherry and blackberry. Medium body with average acidity and length.

Negatives: A little volatile and watery

Drink now on its own or and pair it with steak and cheese sandwich.

Tasted: 29 July 2014

Score: 8/10, Value: 8/10 Total: 16/20

Out of 5 stars, I rated this wine: 3

Liberty School Chardonnay 2012, Central Coast

A smooth, simple Chard that’s not bad, just wish it was a few dollars less

Description: Bright medium gold in colour with a medium to medium+ intense nose. This wine features light toasted oak, lemon rind, pineapple, young mango, green and red apples. Medium+ body with fairly good acidity and an average length.

Negatives: For a dollar more you get a better Chard from Napa at Beringer’s

Drink now or in the next 2 years on its own or pair it with crab Alfredo.

Tasted: 6 Aug 2014

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

Out of 5 stars, I rated this wine: 3.5

Francis Coppola Diamond Collection Gold Label Chardonnay 2013, Monterey County

Maybe at $10 it might be worth it

Description: Bright gold in colour with a medium+ intense nose. This wine features medium toasted oak, lemon tart, grapefruit, green apples and pear. Medium body with good acidity and a fairly long length.

Negatives: Too sour

Drink now or in the next 2 years on its own or pair it with fish tacos with blood orange sauce.

Tasted: 15 Jan 2015

Score: 7.5+/10, Value: 6+/10 Total: 14/20

Out of 5 stars, I rated this wine: 2.5

Kaiken Terroir Series Corte Cabernet Sauvignon 2011

This will please those that like sweeter style red wines like the basic Aussy Reds but not as flabby

Description: Dark ruby in colour with a medium+ intense nose. This wine features prunes, raisins, milk chocolate, mocha and blueberry pie. Full body with medium tannins, good acidity, a long length and the alcohol is well integrated.

Negatives: Too sweet for my taste

Drink now on its own or pair it with BBQ pulled pork sliders.

Tasted: 23 Oct 2014

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

Out of 5 stars, I rated this wine: 3+

Casa Dea Estates Cabernet Franc Reserve 2009, Prince Edward County

Juicy, fruity & earthy

Description: Medium-light ruby to garnet in colour with a medium+ intense nose. This wine features oak, blackberry, mulberry, raspberry, tamarind, graphite, champagne mushrooms and peat moss on the nose. Medium+ body with medium tannin, good acidity and a long length.

Negatives: None

Interesting Note: Sediment and tartrate crystals found in the bottle

Drink now on its own or pair it with Steak Frites.

Tasted: 26 August 2016

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

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

William Hill Napa Valley Chardonnay 2012

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

A luxurious Napa Chard that’s under $30.

Positives: This complex wine features medium toasted oak, butterscotch, orange, peach, pineapple, lemon meringue pie, mango and Easter lily on the nose. Full body with good acidity and a long length.

Negatives: None

Interesting Point: Use the larger Chard glass and don’t over chill this wine.

Drink now or over the next 6 years on its own or pair it with garlic shrimp scampi on a bed of angel hair.

Tasted: 12 Nov 2013

Top Pick

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

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

Michel Haury Grenache Petite Edition 2013, Vin De France

Well isn’t this a pleasant surprise for a French table wine for under $13 & 100% Grenache. It’s delicate, easy drinking yet brimming with flavour

Description: Medium light ruby to garnet in colour with a medium to low intense nose. What the nose doesn’t show, the taste certainly does. This wine features cherry, strawberry, cinnamon, pomegranate, orange peel, cloves and some leather on the finish. Medium to light body and tannins with good acidity and an average length.

Negatives: None

Interesting Note: Works best in a smaller wine glasses such as Chianti or Zinfandel, and have it cellar temperature or even slightly below.

Drink now or in the next year on its own or pair it with nachos supreme

Tasted: 18 April 2015

Best Buy

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

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

Caymus Cabernet Sauvignon 2013, Napa Valley

Oh my! This is decadent

Description: Opaque ruby in colour with a medium+ intense nose. This complex wine features layers of flavours starting with cedar/sandalwood, dark cherry, plum, blueberry pie, tamarind, raspberry, chocolate, cherry tobacco, espresso, dates, vanilla, clove, cinnamon, and purple lilacs & peat moss on the nose. Full body with medium to medium+ tannins, good acidity, a long length and the alcohol is well integrated.

Negatives: 14.9% alcohol, but what they hay!

Interesting Note: This is so smooth and delicious I could easily drink bottles of this, but then I would be broke, oh well, you only live once (that one remembers?)

Drink now or in the next 10 years on its own or pair it with Spice-Crusted Strip Steak with Tamarind Sauce.

Tasted: 8 March 2016

Top Pick

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

Out of 5 stars, I rated this wine: 4.5