Barry McLarnon
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Reviews (172)
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Reviews
Graffigna Centenario Malbec Reserve 2011
San Juan, Argentina$13.95
We tasted this wine at the winery in early 2013 (a great place to visit BTW, with a fascinating museum). We were impressed then, and happy to see it available locally at such a reasonable price. Smooth and fruity with soft tannins, it's a real crowd pleaser... we put this to the test by taking some to a family Christmas gathering, and it passed with flying colors.
3.0 Stars
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Gray Monk Pinot Noir 2011, VQA Okanagan Valley
British Columbia, Canada$19.95
I'm a big fan of Gray Monk's aromatic whites, but I must admit I was a bit taken aback by this pinot noir. Unlike most BC pinots that I've tried, this one is more akin to a pinot from Prince Edward County in a cooler vintage. Of course, the winery is in the northern end of the Okanagan Valley, so I suppose it shouldn't have come as a great surprise. Although I appreciated its cool climate delicacy, my expectations got in the way, and I ultimately found it to be rather thin and sour. Not a sipper, and not easy to match with food either, but possibly a real winner in warmer vintages.
3.0 Stars
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Wither Hills Wairau Valley Sauvignon Blanc 2012
Marlborough, New Zealand$19.95
Though I've been a fan of most Wither Hills offerings in the past, this one struck me as well off the mark, veering way too far into the herbaceous side of the Savvy spectrum for my taste. Very lean and grassy, with a nose that suggests canned peas. Disappointing.
3.0 Stars
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Featherstone Four Feathers 2011, Niagara Peninsula
Ontario, Canada$14.95
Vague aromatics, and rather bland on the palatte, lacking the zippy acidity I would expect from a riesling-dominated blend, especially from the cooler 2011 vintage. Drinkable, but seems composed of leftovers... for 15 bucks, you can do much better elsewhere.
3.0 Stars
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Tini Sangiovese Di Romagna 2012, Emilia Romagna
Emilia Romagna, Italy$7.75
Nothing profound here, but a clean, fresh and eminently quaffable wine at a great price. Nice to see a decent Italian wine at any price under screwcap, and at only 12% alcohol to boot.
3.0 Stars
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Henry Of Pelham Estate Pinot Noir 2010, VQA Short Hills Bench, Niagara Peninsula
Ontario, Canada$24.95
Drinkable, but only just. This wine is well past its prime, and fading rapidly. What fruit remains is in the pruney spectrum, and there is a volatile vinyl note in the nose that isn't pleasant (my wife insists that the bottle is corked, but it doesn't smell like TCA to me). From a warm vintage like 2010, I would expect more stuffing and balance for the long haul, but this one missed the mark. I've always found HoP pinot noirs to be hit and miss in terms of quality, and this is yet another illustration that they are not quite in the top ranks of Niagara producers of that finicky variety.
3.0 Stars
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La Posta Armando Bonarda 2013
Mendoza, Argentina$15.95
An exuberantly fruity wine with a touch of oak spice, but little discernable tannin. No great profundity here, but eminently quaffable, and nice to see the alcohol at under 14% for a change. The screwcap closure is a big plus in my books, too.
3.0 Stars
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Momo Pinot Noir 2013, Marlborough, South Island
Marlborough, New Zealand$19.95
I'm a fan of Seresin in general, but this offering didn't bowl me over. An attractive enough cranberry-floral nose, but on the palate, I found it very tart and puckery. There are better pinots available at the same or lower price points, even from Ontario (e.g., the 2013 Flat Rock, which has been going for $17.95 lately).
3.0 Stars
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Calamus Steely Chardonnay 2013, VQA Niagara Peninsula
Ontario, Canada$15.10
Though not in the top tier of Niagara wineries, Calamus consistently cranks out good value. A particular strength of their winemaking is the way they can coax out attractive aromatics, aided and abetted by the use of screwcap closures to avoid any whiff of cork taint. Unoaked chards are oftimes insipid, but this one has a compelling floral/fruity nose and soft, round mouth feel.
3.0 Stars
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Chateau Des Charmes Aligoté 2014, VQA Niagara On The Lake
Ontario, Canada$15.95
I remember drinking early editions of this wine, maybe 30 years ago. I just checked, and CdC has been growing aligote since 1978. Kudos to them for not pulling out the vines and replacing them with a trendier variety. This edition is clean, fresh and food-friendly, and even in this relatively cool vintage, has very good body and length, putting me in mind of chenin blanc. The screwcap closure is a wise move too. Well done!
3.0 Stars
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