Robert Kischuk

Tawse Cherry Avenue Pinot Noir 2009, Twenty Mile Bench VQA

JS covers the nuances. Still young, but delicious already.
Tawse is doing so many things so very well it's almost hard to fathom.
Biodiversity/organic/terroir-driven/gravitational systems etc...maker Paul Pender is certainly doing heavy lifting....but never mind all that.
His wines are amazing!
This is a 'buy a case and try 2 bottles every year from 2014-2019' wine.

Fattoria Dei Barbi Brunello Di Montalcino 2006

Hot, nasty, brutish, and short. (with apologies to Thomas Hobbes).
OK for $20 (theoretically), but I can't find value in the $42 it actually costs.
The fruit is limited, with alcohol dominating the palate; doubt aging will help.

Bodegas Lan Reserva 2007, Doca Rioja

A Rioja to make believers out of non-Rioja drinkers.
Pro descriptions sound right; I enjoyed this, esp for the price!

Bachelder Niagara Chardonnay 2010, VQA Niagara Peninsula

Buttery in a good way..full malo done apparently. A whiff of oak rather than a baseball bat.

Creamy, flavorful, balanced goodness. This is a Chard that the ABC crowd should visit.

Coyote's Run Black Paw Vineyard Pinot Noir 2009, VQA Four Mile Creek, Niagara Peninsula

Typical sour cherry PN nose, nice acidity, easy drinking, great value.

Tannins are 'there' but not dominant...JS suggests age-worthy...I'm liking it now :)

Lailey Pinot Noir 2009, VQA Niagara Peninsula

Agree w DL. The fruit and acid are very nice, but the woody tannins still dominate the mid to late palate. The other two I have will go to cellar for 2+ years.

Trius Riesling Dry 2010, VQA Niagara Peninsula

2011 sampled; will assume broadly similar to 2010:

Extra point for value.
Agree with comments re crisp acidity. Lots of fruitiness adds an 'off dry' feel, despite the 'dry' label.
A very good value for a house riesling.

Seresin Sauvignon Blanc 2010, Marlborough, South Island

'Horizontally' tasted beside the 2011 Astrolabe (a favorite). Citrus is more muted; the overall taste is less robust, drier, and with a less refreshing finish. There is an almost twiggy bitterness to the finish which really stands out compared with the Astrolabe (although the acidity of the Seresin offers some balance).

On its own is an OK SB, but less crowd-pleasing than its tasting 'rivals'.

I'm not 'sorry' that I have a few of these around, but would happily trade them in for Astrolabe or Whitehaven.

Lingenfelder Freinsheimer Musikantenbuckel Riesling Kabinett 2010, Deutscher Prädikatswein

Easy drinking Riesling, a touch sweet for a Kabinett; was selected by our group leader to illustrate residual sugar.. Good value.

Château Pipeau 2008, Ac St émilion Grand Cru

Smoky, oaky, tannic, yet a pleasure with a mid-week steak.
Definitely would suggest letting it sit for a few years, although the muted fruit makes me wonder....

OK value.