Barry McLarnon
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Reviews (172)
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Reviews
Le Clos Jordanne Le Grand Clos Chardonnay 2017, VQA Niagara Peninsula
Ontario, Canada$44.95
Lovely! We had this wine on a special occasion, and it did not disappoint... it's pretty much everything you could want in a cool-climate chard: enticing aroma with butterscotch and peaty notes, smooth palate with just enough acidity for food-friendliness, and a lingering finish. The screwcap closure was also a pleasant surprise - bravo for taking that leap of faith! One wonders if Bachelder was in agreement with that decision, given his predilection for cork...
4.5 Stars
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Wynns Coonawarra Estate Cabernet Sauvignon 2008, Coonawarra, South Australia, 53rd Vintage
South Australia, Australia$27.95
Loved it. This wine pushes all the right buttons for me... lovely purity of fruit, great balance, nicely integrated oak. Drinking beautifully in early 2014, but seems destined to sail on gracefully for years to come. So, tell me again... why do so many winemakers still insist on inferior cork closures for their reds?
4.0 Stars
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Rosewood Estates Natural Fermentation Reserve Pinot Noir 2009, VQA Twenty Mile Bench, Niagara Peninsula
Ontario, Canada$39.95
This wine has matured beautifully - tasted blind, I would have difficulty placing it in Niagara, as it strikes me as a marriage of California-style richness and old world elegance. In any case, it is velvety, smooth, and compelling, and will surely drink well for several more years. Alas, this was my only bottle.
4.0 Stars
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Delta Pinot Noir 2017, Marlborough, South Island
Marlborough, New Zealand$27.95
I'm fully onboard with David's assessment... I've seldom met a pinot from NZ that I didn't like, but this one is several notches above average. The elegance and complexity of this wine makes it worth those extra few bucks. Canadians in general are rightfully envious of NZ's superior response to the COVID-19 pandemic, but our winemakers might just have a bit of additional 'pinot envy'!
4.0 Stars
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Framingham Sauvignon Blanc 2020, Marlborough
Marlborough, New Zealand$24.95
This is a sophisticated savvy with a European flair. Most of the usual varietal markers are present here, with value-added nuances such as intriguing minerality and supple mouth fill. Several notches above the mean, and good value. Alas, even the 2021 vintage is now unavailable in my area, but hopefully the 2022 vintage will appear at some point. Last tasted December 2023.
4.0 Stars
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Eastdell Pinot Grigio 2021, Niagara Peninsula
Ontario, Canada$14.95
My taste in pinot gris/grigio tends towards the lusher gris end of the spectrum, such as those from NZ. That said, this wine is a great value at this price point... not a fruit bomb, but an impeccably balanced and food-friendly amalgam of fruit and minerality with a European flair. What is even more remarkable is that, 3-4 months after it garnered those platinum plaudits at CWA, it remains widely available at the LCBO. Last tasted October 2023.
4.0 Stars
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Markus Molitor Riesling Spätlese 2008, Qmp, ürziger Würzgarten
Mosel, Germany$24.95
A terrific wine, showing why Germany, and especially Mosel, still sets the standard for Riesling. Great balance and aromatics, sending you back for sip after sip, and at 7.5% alcohol, why not? In perfect shape at six years of age, and while probably not immortal, it should sail through another three or four years with no problems... but why wait?
4.0 Stars
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Flat Rock The Rusty Shed Chardonnay 2013, VQA Twenty Mile Bench, Niagara Peninsula
Ontario, Canada$26.95
John Szabo's review nails it, so I'll just add that I encountered an early edition of Rusty Shed while visiting the winery in 2007, and it impressed even then. I've kept an eye open for it since then, and buy a few bottles when I see it. The stunning 2013 edition is a stellar example of world class chardonnay making in Ontario.
4.0 Stars
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Henry Of Pelham Pinot Grigio 2023, VQA Niagara Peninsula
Ontario, Canada$15.95
Henry of Pelham is one of Niagara's pioneering wineries, and over the years they've forged an enviable reputation for delivering high quality and good value over a wide spectrum of varietals and tiers. This fruit-forward and well balanced pinot grigio is an excellent example - the value proposition is outstanding at the regular price, and it's currently discounted to a mere $13.95. It would be difficult to find a better value pg sourced from anywhere in the world, let alone from Ontario. Last tasted August 2024.
4.0 Stars
(1000+)G+(29)O
Le Clos Jordanne La Petite Colline Vineyard Pinot Noir 2007, VQA Niagara Peninsula, Twenty Mile Bench
Ontario, Canada$40.00
Wow, very impressive for a Niagara pinot... in fact, impressive no matter what it's origin. Clearly in its prime now, but has the stuffing to hold for a number of years yet. Quite deep color with an expressive nose of dried cherries, smokiness, hints of spice and beetroot, and some floral notes. I'm no expert, but in a blind tasting, I would likely be thinking New Zealand. Though it's from an unusually warm vintage, some deft winemaking has preserved those desirable cool climate characteristics - well done!
4.0 Stars
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