Barry McLarnon
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Reviews (165)
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Reviews
Redwood Pass Pinot Noir 2011, Marlborough, South Island
Marlborough, New Zealand$14.75
A mild-mannered Marlborough pinot with attractive purity. Restrained cherry/berry fruit with a touch of cola on the nose and palate, this wine would be easily overpowered by strong flavored food, but it's a very pleasant sipper with those desirable cool climate pinot characteristics.
3.0 Stars
(0)V
Tawse Sketches Of Niagara Riesling 2012, VQA Niagara Peninsula
Ontario, Canada$17.95
It's gratifying to see how Niagara winemakers have learned how to handle riesling in the warmer vintages. In 2007, most of them were all cooked lemon and petrol, more reminiscent of riesling from Australia than cool-climate Ontario. The tide seems to have turned in the warm 2010 and 2012 vintages, and this is a great example: lime, green apple, grapefruit, wrapped up in mouth-watering acidity. Tasty and refreshing, as riesling should be.
3.0 Stars
(0)V
Lawson's Dry Hills Pinot Noir 2010, Marlborough, South Island
Marlborough, New Zealand$19.75
Very attractive smoky raspberry-cherry fruit, with soft, smooth tannins and a touch of cola and spice. This pinot is dangerously drinkable now, and should hold well for another couple of years.
3.0 Stars
(0)V
Inniskillin Reserve Series Pinot Noir 2011, Niagara On The Lake
Ontario, Canada$24.95
Kirsch-like nose with leathery notes that I don't normally associate with pinot. This wine seems to be maturing rapidly, and is already past its prime. The astringency referred to by John Szabo has not smoothed out, and the finish is thus quite rough. There were some notable successes with pinot in the cool 2011 vintage in Niagara, but for my money, this wasn't one of them.
3.0 Stars
Graham Beck The Game Reserve Chardonnay 2010, Wo Robertson
Robertson, South Africa$16.95
A well-made and fairly-priced chardonnay to be sure, but I was a bit taken aback by the pronounced minerality, which to my nose, conjured up visions of wet concrete. This attribute will certainly have its fans, but it's not really my cuppa tea... err, wine.
3.0 Stars
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Devil's Corner Pinot Noir 2012, Tamar Ridge, Tasmania
Australia$23.95
John Szabo seems to have a nose for rubber, but David Lawrason's review is spot on. This is a surprisingly delicate and charming pinot with attractive strawberry/cherry notes and a bit of rhubarb-like astringency. Both food-friendly and a pleasant sipper on its own.
3.0 Stars
(0)V
Castle Rock Pinot Noir 2011, Willamette Valley
Oregon, Usa$19.95
Very fruity at first sniff, in the strawberry-cherry-rhubarb spectrum. More of the same on the palate, but with airing it developed some stemmy, herbaceous notes that reminded me more of gamay than pinot. A bit unusual, which is not necessarily a bad thing, but it doesn't quite hit the bulls-eye for me... there are better choices at the $20 price point.
3.0 Stars
(0)V
Stoneleigh Pinot Noir 2013
Marlborough, New Zealand$18.95
Nice to see a pinot of this quality as a general listing, and at a reasonable price too. Not hugely complex, but a compelling sipper with cherry, cola, and floral notes. For me, it strikes the right balance between cool climate delicacy and in-your-face warm climate abundant fruitiness and high alcohol.
3.0 Stars
(0)G
Henry Of Pelham Reserve Baco Noir 2012, VQA Ontario
Ontario, Canada$24.95
I'm in agreement with David Lawrason's assessment of this wine - very impressive indeed. However, I have reservations about the aging potential. I tasted the 2010 edition alongside this one, and the difference was night and day. Though similar to the 2012 in its youth, the 2010 has now become excessively woody and redolent of iodine, overwhelming the fruit. I ascribe this to the use of American oak, which seems to show well early in the maturation process, but then rapidly turns obtrusive and nasty with further aging. I'm taking no chances, and will drink my remaining 2012 soon!
3.0 Stars
(0)V
Fielding Estate Bottled Pinot Gris 2013, VQA Niagara Peninsula
Ontario, Canada$17.75
The critics seem to be a bit split on this one... I'll line up with Szabo. Clean and refreshing, with an attractive "fruit salad" nose. But the price is a bit on the steep side, and there are better options, such as the Malivoire PG for a couple of bucks less.
3.0 Stars
(0)V