Barry McLarnon
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Reviews (177)
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Reviews
Yalumba Gen Organic Chardonnay 2022, South Australia
South Australia, Australia$14.10
Certainly not a cool climate rendition, and it won't make the purists happy, but I like it - it is very fruit-forward with compelling aromatics and a soft and creamy mouthfeel, yet it retains essential varietal characteristics. The "blowsy" descriptor is apt, but it falls well short of "flabby", and the modest 12.5% ABV is a big plus. In short, a user-friendly chard at a nice price. Tasted July 2024.
3.0 Stars
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Flat Rock Cellars Pinot Noir 2009, VQA Twenty Mile Bench, Niagara Peninsula
Ontario, Canada$19.95
I was very impressed with this wine when we tasted it with Ed Madronich at the winery in 2015. Here we are now in January 2018, and it's even better - the fruit remains vibrant, the oak well integrated, and the nose beautifully smoky and distinctively pinot. This is well beyond the drinking window envisioned by the pros, and a great testimony to the ageability of Ontario pinot noir. The trick now is to figure out which recent vintages have this kind of potential.
3.0 Stars
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Miopasso Fiano 2011, Igp Terre Siciliane
Sicily, Italy$14.95
This was my first experience with this particular varietal, and I came away quite impressed, even though whites with 14.5% alcohol aren't usually my cuppa tea. Golden-hued, full and fleshy with vague fruit overtones, with great mouth feel. Clearly a warm climate white that is on the edge of being flabby, but refreshing enough to pull it back from the edge... like a glass of liquid sunshine. In a blind tasting, I likely would have conjured up South African chenin blanc, which is not a bad thing at all.
3.0 Stars
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Citra Sangiovese Terre Di Chieti 2011
Abruzzo, Italy$7.95
I concur with the pros on this one. No great profundity here, but nice fruit with attractive spicy notes, soft tannins, and enough acidity to be food-friendly. Refreshing to see an Italian wine under a screwcap closure too. Hard to beat this one for value!
3.0 Stars
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De Bortoli Gulf Station Pinot Noir 2011, Yarra Valley
Victoria, Australia$19.95
Attractive nose, with some interesting cool-climate floral characteristics, but on the palate it's surprisingly thin and acidic. Seems to me that this wine was better in past vintages... in any case, one can do better at the $20 price point.
3.0 Stars
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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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