Gary Killops

Concha Y Toro Winemaker's Lot 115 Cabernet Sauvignon 2008, Palo Santo Vineyard, Rapel Valley

Cabernet Sauvignons from Chile are always a hot or miss with me. More often a miss with the odd taste that is uniquely Chilean.

This one is a hit on my palate. Loaded with black fruit notes, balanced with oak and smoke and a lingering finish. A night treat at a very reasonable price.

(Tasted December 2011)

Tetramythos Roditis 2010, Pdo Patras, Peloponnese

It's always fun to taste a grape that you have never tasted before. Those in my wine class know how much I like Assyrtiko from Greece. Well here is another wine from Greece made for a grape called Roditis [ Ro dee' tees]

Roditis is a pink coloured grape popular in Attica, Macedonia, Thessaly and Peloponnese where it is cultivated for the production of AOC Patra wines.

Lots of acidity in this wine, Citrus notes and a long finish. Very much like Assyrtiko with less complexity.

Wine discovery is so much fun!

Kuehn Florimont Riesling 2009, Ac Alsace Grand Cru

Citrus flavours, fresh and clean. Dry with a good balance of acidity. A "New World" wine style riesling.

(Tasted April 2012)

Calvet Reserve Merlot Cabernet Sauvignon 2010

I like it when I don't have to spend a lot for a good bottle of wine. This Bordeaux blend, normally $13.95 here in Ontario is a dollar off until April 29th which makes it even a better deal!

Wines in this price range often deliver, perhaps because I am not expecting too much?

Full body, rip fruits, hints of cedar and decent balance and finish. Good Burger and Bordeaux pairing.

(Tasted April 2012)

Wine Men Of Gotham Shiraz/Grenache 2008, South Australia

Love the label, it is what got me to pick up the bottle, so much so I had to give it a try.

Fruit forward but not very complex. I enjoyed a glass but I became weary of the wine quickly. While many will enjoy this style of wine, I look for a little more balance and some secondary notes to give it some depth. Good price for an Australian Shiraz / Grenache blend.

(tasted April 2012)

Jackson Triggs Proprietors' Grand Reserve Meritage 2005, VQA Niagara Peninsula

I had this sitting in my cellar for a while now. Spring is here and I wanted to celebrate so I picked this one out.

This is one fine Meritage. Perfect balance. Cherry, black berries, leather, oak, and vanilla with a wonderful mouth feel. I wish I had a few more bottles of this wine around.

Tribal Sauvignon Blanc Colombard 2006, Western Cape

(Tasting 2009 Vintage - 5 Feb 2010)

Good balance of acidity and sweetness. Citrus (lemon) taste. Short finish.

Colio Girls' Night Out Chardonnay 2007, Ontario VQA

OK, I admit I am becoming a bit of a wine snob and have resisted adding Colio’s “Girls Night Out” wines to Essex Wine Review. But wth very few no local wine releases lately I was running out of new wines to add to the site so on a recent visit at a local LCBO I finally decided it was time to give it a taste test.

Colio Esate Winery has created a brand that appears to be a very successful marketing plan.

The “Girls’ Night Out” brand target buyer is women. What guy (except me) is going to walk out of a local LCBO with a bottle of this wine? Marketed as a wine that is perfect for a group of ladies to share while on a night out on the town. No cork screw needed as they have twist off tops.

Colio originally introduce 3 wines under the “Girl’s Night Out” label and due to the success will soon add two more wines.

The marketing campaign has been successful enough to make is a best seller for Colio but is the wine good enough to get repeast customers?

The wine is very light in colour. The bouquet is fruity and promised to be a nice chardonnay. Unfortunately it did not live up to this promise as I found the taste to be very mild and light, almost seemed to be watered down. Missing was the mouthfeel, and buttery taste of many good local chardonnays. The finish was also very short.

Wanda and I sampled this wine together and she shared my comments. She stated that the wine didn’t taste bad, but at the same time it just didn’t have a lot of taste.

There are better local chardonnay’s out there but currently there are none that have been marketed like this one. The success of this wine will not be becasue it is the best chardonny out there and will be because of the successful marketing efforts.

Other local wineries could learn alot Colio Estate Winery. Find a niche, create a product for them, brand it and it will sell. 5 out of 5 stars for Successful marketing 101.

Colio Girls' Night Out Merlot 2006, Ontario VQA

This wasn’t an easy wine to review. First taste it was ok, but not something I raved about. Just before trying this wine I had some old, strong white cheddar cheese and I believe that may be interfering with the taste.

So I gave it an day and tried this merlot again.

It’s not bad, its good. Lacks some of the body of other local merlots but the price point is so forgiving.

Some oak in the wine, and I wonder if more would have helped. Perhaps because this wine target buyers are females the oak was carefully limited.

Some plum, and leather taste up front followed by a blackberry fruit finish.

Toasted Head Chardonnay 2006, California

A not so good, over oaked chardonnay.

Oak can add a lot of character to wine, over oaking can kill it. This one died.