Barry McLarnon
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Reviews (172)
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Reviews
Demorgenzon Dmz Sauvignon Blanc 2022, Wo Stellenbosch
Stellenbosch, South Africa$16.25
Very nice indeed... clean, fresh, with oodles of varietal appeal and a touch of South African herbal flair. It puts me in mind of some of the better, more restrained NZ savvys, but without the premium price. Very good value here. Tasted May 2024.
3.5 Stars
(102)V
Organized Crime Riesling 2008, VQA Beamsville Bench, Niagara Peninsula
Ontario, Canada$21.20
2008 was a terrific vintage for riesling in Niagara, and here's another example. It features a near-perfect balance of refreshing acidity and limey fruit with a touch of sweetness. If you're lucky enough to have some left in your cellar (alas, I do not), be advised that it's just hitting its stride, and it should hold well for several years to come.
3.0 Stars
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Mike Weir Riesling 2008, VQA Niagara On The Lake
Ontario, Canada$18.25
This riesling was very impressive and a great bargain when released, as the reviews from 2011 attest, but I had my doubts about how it would fare over the longer haul. More than four years later, all doubts have been erased. The bottle I just opened (my last, unfortunately) still displayed attractive honey and dried fruit aromas, perhaps a bit more petrol than previously, lime/mineral notes, and crisp acidity. I tasted it alongside a very fine 2008 Reichsgraf Von Kesselstatt RK riesling, and it more than held its own. Another good example of the potential for making fine riesling in Ontario.
3.0 Stars
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Coyote's Run Red Paw Vineyard Pinot Noir 2010, VQA Four Mile Creek, Niagara Peninsula
Ontario, Canada$24.95
This wine has aged quite gracefully, and is remarkably full and brawny for a Niagara pinot noir, with plenty of fruit and wood spice - the winemaker obviously leveraged this warmer vintage for all it was worth. In a blind tasting, I'd probably peg it as coming from New Zealand - in fact, I tasted it along aside a NZ pinot (Julicher 99 Rows), and the resemblance was quite striking. The ethereal delicacy of good cool-climate pinot is lacking here, but nonetheless, this is an impressive effort.
3.0 Stars
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La Puerta Reserva Bonarda 2009, Famatina Valley
Argentina$18.95
Soft, berryish fruit with a touch of spice, very little noticeable tannin... a bit soupy in fact, reminiscent of a lot of Aussie shiraz. This would be a hit around the BBQ, no doubt, but I'd like to see a little more complexity and edginess.
3.0 Stars
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Angels Gate Pinot Gris 2011, VQA Beamsville Bench, Niagara Peninsula
Ontario, Canada$14.95
Certainly an interesting take on pinot gris, and a lot of complexity here for the price. That said, I'm not really sold on the idea of oak-aging this particular varietal. For me, sipping it conjured up an absurdly fruity oaked chardonnay. I often think of pinot gris/grigio as a kind of fruit salad in a glass, and the oak doesn't seem to complement that abundant fruitiness overly well. Chardonnay, on the other hand, is less overtly fruity and has other characteristics that the oak can meld with beautifully. To each his own!
3.0 Stars
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Creekside Laura's Red 2010, VQA Niagara Peninsula
Ontario, Canada$19.95
So dark and brooding! Obviously lots of stuffing there, but I found it rather tight and tannic at this juncture. I've enjoyed this blend in past vintages, but it failed to charm me this time around. Perhaps with another year or two of bottle age it would open up and start to sing...
3.0 Stars
(0)V
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
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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
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