Edward Rasiulis

Muga Reserva 2008, Doc Rioja

Medium ruby with a garnet tinge in colour with a medium intense nose.

A solid wine

Positives: This easy drinking wine features cedar, sour cherry, cigar box, tobacco leaf, pimientos, roasted red peppers with Radicchio & pomegranate on the finish. Medium body with medium+ tannins, good acidity and a long length.

Negatives: Detected some heat on the finish.

Interesting Notes: Aged 24 months in French & American oak casks. Serve between 16°C and 18° C

Drink now or over the next 7 years on its own or pair it with meat stuffed red peppers - Pimientos Rellenos de Carne.

Tasted: 6 May 13 (Go Leafs Go!)

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

Pirramimma Cabernet Sauvignon 2008, Mclaren Vale

I don't recall ever having a Pirramimma that I didn't like, and this one keeps the streak alive.

Dark almost opaque ruby in colour intensity with high intense nose. The nose shows a lot Zin characteristics such as raisin, prunes, dates, figs, mocha, cherry tobacco pipe smoke, cedar, vanilla, blackcurrants, white pepper, violets & eucalyptus. The taste is as complex as the nose. The taste is more skewed to what a Cab is. It's dry, medium+ tannins & acidity, full body & powerful with long length, high alcohol but balanced. Notes show cedar, raisins, plum, dark cherry, blackcurrants, dates, mocha, turmeric, leather, vanilla, black & white pepper, eucalyptus & some pencil shavings. This is a smooth wine with a velvet touch on your tongue. Love this wine. There are only 2 negatives. 1) Even though I love the nose, I want my Cab to smell like a Cab, and 2) The high alcohol. Drink now on it's own or with grilled steak. Tasted 24 Aug 11. Best Buy & Top Pick. Score: 9.5/10, Value: 10/10, Total: 9.5/10

Out of 5 stars, I rated this wine: 4.5

Henry Of Pelham Cuvée Catharine Brut, VQA Niagara Peninsula

Light straw in colour with fine mousse & medium to medium+ intensity on the nose.

Positives: If my best buy category was for under $30, this sparkling would definitely be one. Side note: Some LCBOs have this in clearance for $24.95, which does make it a best buy. This sparkling is easy to drink & features brioche, yeast, baked apples, lemon custard & stone fruit. Medium to medium minus in body with good acidity & medium+ length.

Negatives: None.

Drink now on its own or pair it with red Lumpfish caviar.

Tasted: 7 Sept 12

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

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

Domaine Napa Chardonnay 2008, Napa Valley (Bronco Wine Company)

Medium straw colour with medium intensity on the nose.

Positives: As you take your first sip your entire tongue tingles with a plethora of flavours such as: candy coated apples, woodsmoke, marshmallows, egg nog with cinnamon & nutmeg, lemon, orange, mangos, peaches & cream corn, pineapple & some flint. This chard has medium toast & oak with a long finish, good acidity & is medium to full body.

Negatives: Some heat from the alcohol.

Interesting Things: Unusual straw colour for an oaked chard from California. Use the larger Chard glass to get the full flavours on your tongue.

Drink now or cellar for another 3-5 years. Drink on its own or pair it with lobster & drawn butter. Taste more like a $40-50 bottle.

Tasted: 1 Dec 11

Best Buy

Score: 9+/10, Value: 9.5/10, Total: 19/20.

Out of 5 stars, I rated this wine: 4.5

Kenneth Volk Santa Maria Cuvée Pinot Noir 2008, Santa Maria Valley, Santa Barbara County

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

Positives: What a beautiful Pinot that is smooth & complex featuring pine, beets, cherry, strawberry, rhubarb, pomegranate, and burning leaves of the fall foliage. Medium to medium minus body with good acidity, a fairly long length & the alcohol is well integrated.

Negatives: None

Interesting Point: My best wine award at the Wine Tasting Challenge held in Toronto on 26 Nov 12.

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

Tasted: 26 Nov 12

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

Out of 5 stars, I rated this wine: 4.5

Pirramimma Petit Verdot 2010, Mclaren Vale

Dark ruby in colour with a medium+ intense nose.

Positives: Lots of good stuff happening here. Cedar, blackberries, Kirsch cherries, violets, pomegranate, cranberry, raspberries, roasted red peppers & musk. Medium+ body, medium tannins, good acidity & a long length.

Negatives: None.

Interesting Point: Pirramimma consistently has Best Buy wines in their lines.

Drink now or over the next 5 years, on its own or this will pair with a variety of different food groups from game fowl to steak.

Tasted: 14 Dec 12

Best Buy

Score: 9+/10, Value: 9.5/10, Total: 19/20

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

Mas Des Restanques Vacqueyras 2009, Ac, Vendanges Manuelles

Description: Medium ruby in colour with medium intensity in the nose.

Positives: Lots of cherry, crabapple, raspberry, some earthiness & spruce. This wine is easy going with medium tannins & acidity making this a food friendly wine, such as pairing with rack of lamb or to drink on its own.

Negatives: As with its sister wine (Gigondas, reviewed by me), it has a high alcohol level and feel to it. Similarly, I found this wine a little watery. Not as earthy as other Vacqueryas'. Same thought as the modernist label as the Gigondas.

Interesting Notes: I compared the two wines & found this one far better & less expensive. I recommend this one. It just falls outside my Best Buy by $2.95.

Tasted: 27 Sept 11.

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

Out of 5 stars, I rated this wine: 4

Sandeman Vau Vintage Port 2000

Opaque blood red in colour with medium+ intensity on the nose.

Positives: Not a complex Port but very smooth showing dry fig fruit, raisin, plum, licorice & tamarin.

Negatives: None

Drink now & pair it with blue cheese or almonds & dark chocolate.

Tasted: 19 Dec 11

Best Buy

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

Out of 5 stars, I rated this wine: 4

Miner Wild Yeast Chardonnay 2007, Napa Valley

Deep gold in colour with medium+ intensity on the nose.

Positives: Big & bold are the best descriptors of this Chard. Medium to medium+ toasted oak, with notes of buttery popcorn, lemon, red candy apples, caramel, cinnamon, vanilla & oak spice. Full body, good acidity & long length.

Negatives: Holy alcohol batman.

Interesting Thing: They use wild yeast or natural grown yeast in their wine making which adds complexity but there's an unknown factor on how these yeast will act in wine processing.

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

Tasted: 4 Feb 12

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

Out of 5 stars, I rated this wine: 4

Barone Ricasoli Rocca Guicciarda Chianti Classico Riserva 2007

Dark ruby in colour with a medium intense nose.

Positives: Classic Chianti with sour cherry, cedar, dried herbs, blackberry, Conifer spice, red & black pepper. This wine has medium+ tannins with good acidity, medium body & medium+ length.

Negatives: None.

Pair this wine with traditional Italian tomato based dishes.

Tasted: 29 Oct 11

Best Buy

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

Out of 5 stars, I rated this wine: 4