Barry McLarnon
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Reviews (176)
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Reviews
Albino Piona Bardolino 2016, Doc
Veneto, Italy$12.75
The hefty bottle belies the lightness and freshness of the wine within. This is a beguiling Bardo with enticing floral and herbal notes, along with food-friendly acidity. Spring in a glass.
3.5 Stars
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Mojo Cabernet Sauvignon 2013, Coonawarra
South Australia, Australia$17.95
Love the restraint and elegance here - the deep colour has you expecting an Aussie fruit bomb, but that's not at all the case. I'm guessing that the iconic Wynn's Coonawarra Cab Sauv has a bit more richness and complexity, but it's hard to say for sure without a side-by-side comparison. Nice wine at a nice price.
3.5 Stars
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Thirty Bench Red 2007, VQA Beamsville Bench, Niagara Peninsula
Ontario, Canada$24.00
Our last bottle of the 2007... still very deep color, with no signs of fading. Lots of fruit on the nose and palate, and the tannins have mellowed to the point where they are almost unnoticeable. Drinking well now, but my sense is that it will not improve further and is poised to start falling apart - indeed, it's probably a bit past its prime already. Ultimately, just a tad disappointing, as I wanted a bit more complexity and a longer finish for a 2007 Niagara red at this price point.
3.5 Stars
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Thirty Bench Red 2012, VQA Beamsville Bench, Niagara Peninsula
Ontario, Canada$24.00
I've been buying TB Red for many years, and it nearly always impresses, but this is the best yet. It would be an excellent wine to serve to a naysayer who claims that it's foolhardy to grow these Bordeaux grape varieties in Niagara. To be sure, vintage is all-important, and this was a warm one, but that's true in Bordeaux as well. Just now starting to enter its prime in 2018, the 2012 is rich and satisfying, and a bargain at the price.
3.5 Stars
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Niepoort Dão Rótulo Red 2013, Doc Dão
Dão, Portugal$15.25
This wine certainly bears little resemblance to the inexpensive Daos I was drinking back in the 70s and 80s (Terras Altas comes to mind). This one is all about freshness, and instead of oak, comes with a bracing dollop of minerality. As intended, very food-friendly, even with lighter fare such as roast chicken.
3.5 Stars
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Stoneleigh Pinot Noir Marlborough 2018
New Zealand$19.95
This is a compelling pinot that punches well above its $20 price point - it has luscious cherry fruit, a touch of spice, and a lovely smoky note. It's in its prime right now, but should be just fine for a couple more years. Best of all, it's still available (though I haven't verified that it's the 2018 vintage currently on offer), so although I already stocked up a few months ago, I'll be heading back for more soon.
3.5 Stars
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Le Clos Jordanne Village Reserve Pinot Noir 2011, VQA Niagara Peninsula
Ontario, Canada$30.00
This one is certainly aging gracefully, with no signs of fading. It has an enticing savory nose with intriguing herbal notes, and remarkably deep color for this cool vintage. The price to be paid for this level of extraction shows up on the palate, with mouth-drying tannins and a bitter edge in the finish. A good Pinot for the vintage, but likely could have been even better if made in a more delicate style. May 2017 update: last bottle. Still in decent shape, but starting the downhill slide, with fruit fading into beetroot and leathery notes, furry tannins. Farewell, LCJ!
3.5 Stars
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Mission Hill Reserve Chardonnay 2018, Okanagan Valley
British Columbia, Canada$24.95
A fresh and clean chardonnay with pleasant citrus-y fruitiness and more than a dash of oak spice. Ultimately, however, I found it a bit underwhelming, lacking sufficient body and mouth feel to balance those other components. At the $25 price point, there are better values available, from South Africa and Ontario, among other regions.
3.5 Stars
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Ruppertsberger Imperial Pinot Noir Trocken 2021, Sustainable, Pfalz
Pfalz, Germany$20.95
I really wanted to like this pinot, but it failed to impress. It started well enough, with a low key but inviting fruity nose accented by oak spice, but it slid downhill from there... I found it quite tight and a little rough on the palate, and the finish was relatively short, with a bitter edge. Even at this fairly modest price point, there are quite a few better choices.
3.5 Stars
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Reva Dolcetto D'alba 2022, D.O.C.
Piedmont, Italy$25.95
Lovely - I haven't crossed paths with Dolcetto much in recent years, but this one is a delight to sip, and also very food-friendly. I intend to track down a few more bottles before they vanish from the shelves at local LCBO emporia. Tasted November 2023.
3.5 Stars
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