Barry McLarnon
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Reviews (180)
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Reviews
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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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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Flat Rock Cellars Pinot Noir 2013, VQA Niagara Peninsula
Ontario, Canada$22.95
This one really captures the essence of "feminine" pinot noir - an excellent value, especially at the recent discounted price of $17.95. Ed Madronich is clearly making great strides in his aim of making world-class pinot at affordable prices.
3.5 Stars
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Mayschoss 140 Jahre Jubiläumswein Trocken Pinot Noir 2013, Qualitätswein, Ahr
Germany$21.95
Discovered this one hiding in the cellar, purchased exactly two years ago today. The additional aging time has no doubt been beneficial - this is a very impressive wine, with great balance and fruit, coupled with enticing savoury notes. It is perhaps the best pinot I've encountered from Germany, and puts me in mind of Central Otago at its best. Alas, only the one lonely bottle in the cellar, but I'll be on the watch for pinots from the Ahr Valley in the future.
3.5 Stars
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Anselmann Edesheimer Ordensgut Weissburgunder Kabinett Trocken 2012, Pradikätswein
Pfalz, Germany$13.95
I'm with David on this one... a compelling pinot gris-like nose with added floral notes, very clean, fresh and lemon-zesty on the palate. Just the thing for spring sipping, food-friendly, and at 11.5% alcohol, very light on its feet - what's not to like?
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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Domaine Les Grands Bois Cuvée Les Trois Soeurs Côtes Du Rhône 2010, Ac
Rhône, France$16.95
I haven't had many bum steers from Mr. Szabo, but this wine struck a very strong discordant note with me. The name "Grands Bois" seems appropriate, as the wine is predominantly woody, astringent and redolent of iodine. Sure, there is some dark fruit in there, but the woody notes predominate. This heavy-handed wine may have "tremendous appeal" as JS says, but it sure doesn't appeal to me.
3.5 Stars
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Tawse Cherry Avenue Pinot Noir 2009, Twenty Mile Bench VQA
Ontario, Canada$57.95
A lovely pinot, now in its prime, very Burgundian in nature. I tried the "entry level" 2009 Grower's Blend a couple of years ago, and it was quite disappointing - it seemed quite thin and acidic, so the pedigree of this premium bottling really shines through. It's well out of my normal price range, but I'm glad I splurged for a couple of bottles when I visited the winery back in 2011.
3.5 Stars
Saintsbury Pinot Noir 2009, Carneros
California, Usa$34.95
I've been a fan of this wine since I first encountered the 1985 vintage. Apparently I'm not alone in my admiration, as Jancis Robinson chose Saintsbury P.N. to illustrate the aging qualities of California P.N. in her 1989 book, Vintage Timecharts. It appears sporadically at the LCBO, and I usually pick up a bottle or two when a new vintage appears, though the price is now getting well outside my comfort level. The 2009 edition is true to form, warm and inviting, with lush fruit, a touch of smoke, and spice from the French oak. That said, the value equation is becoming questionable.
3.5 Stars
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Seresin Leah Pinot Noir 2009, Marlborough, South Island
Marlborough, New Zealand$39.95
I first encountered 'Leah' when I tasted the 2004 vintage at the winery in 2006. It was a standout then, and it remains a favorite of mine today. The 2009 is drinking beautifully (alas, this was my last bottle), with gorgeous fruit and a compelling smoky/spicy character. A slightly idiosyncratic pinot, but in the best possible way.
3.5 Stars
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