David Brodati, DipWSET
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Reviews (619)
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Reviews
Closson Chase Vineyard Chardonnay 2014, VQA Prince Edward County
Ontario, Canada$29.95
This Chard needs time in the glass to open and for a strong reductive sluphur, onion aroma to dissipate. With time a really nice PEC Chard emerges. Notes of apple, pear, citrus, white flower, ginger, honey and minerality emerge. Vibrant acidity and medium bodied creaminess provide structure to the unfolding complexity of aromas. Excellent length seals the deal for a 90 rating. This will get better in the bottle, so if you have a few be patient and save some for three years down the road. Dec. 2016.
4.0 Stars
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Henry Of Pelham Speck Family Reserve Baco Noir 2014, VQA Ontario
Ontario, Canada$24.95
Henry of Pelham does Baco so well and the Family Reserve is a particularly good example. The concentration and purity of fruit from the challenging 2014 vintage is admirable. Fairly complex with dark fruit in the plum, prune, cassis range with cedar, herbs, meat and vanilla. It's medium/full bodied with bright acidity and soft tannin, quite prototypical for Baco. Length is very good to excellent. April 2017.
4.0 Stars
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Stanners Barrel Select Pinot Noir 2014, VQA Prince Edward County
Ontario, Canada$39.00
An excellent County Pinot. Lifted aromas of cran-cherry fruit and subtle well integrated oak spice like nutmeg, cinnamon, licorice and of course there is County minerality. Medium bodied, with juicy acidity, fine tannin and excellent length. July 2017.
4.0 Stars
Stanners Pinot Noir 2014, VQA Prince Edward County
Ontario, Canada$35.00
Stanners continues its elegant finessed style of Pinot with this 2014 County offering. Quite fruit forward with red cherry, red berry, cran fruit, herbs followed by a slight earthy, funky element with typical County minerality. Bright acidity, soft tannin and very good to excellent length. April 2017.
4.0 Stars
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Casas Del Bosque Gran Reserva Cabernet Sauvignon 2014, Maipo Valley
Maipo Valley, Chile$21.25
This Maipo Valley Cab is hitting prime drinking now, but has the stuffing to evolve another 5-7 years. Ruby purple colour. Red and dark, pruney fruit with prominent oak, but staying this side of over-oaked. Complex with cedar, pencil shavings, chocolate, and a green, herbal quality. Medium tannin and full bodied, with medium acidity providing some lift and a touch of elegance to an otherwise big wine. Excellent length. June 2018.
4.0 Stars
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Terra D'uro Finca La Rana 2012, Do Toro
Castilla y León, Spain$18.95
Good value in this red from Toro. Still some ripeness on the fruit, mostly red (cherry, red berry) although I picked up hint of blueberry. Good intensity aromatically, with some floral intertwined with the fruit and oak spice. There's also a medicinal and herbal quality. Definitely complex, but I didn't get a sense of balance, which may come yet with further maturity. Oak is still too dominant for me, with cedar and spice leading the way, and some alcohol burn rather than integrated warmth. That keeps my score below 90. Very good length, and well priced. March 2018.
4.0 Stars
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Norman Hardie Winery & Vineyard Pinot Noir 2015, VQA Niagara Peninsula
Ontario, Canada$45.20
Lithe and elegant. Floral and fruity (cherry, red berry) drawing from the Niagara fruit, with added complexity from secondary notes of baking spice and a hint of cedar. Bright acidity, well balanced and excellent length. Aug. 2017.
4.0 Stars
(0)V
Charles Baker Riesling Ivan Vineyard 2015, Niagara Escarpment
Ontario, Canada$22.25
Here's a really nice Niagara Riesling from the Twenty Mile Bench sub-appellation. Generous aromatic intensity followed by good purity of fruit on the palate, with apple, peach and citrus fruits leading the way. Minerality lurks and is woven into the fruit profile, while acidity and RS play at yin/yang. Excellent length seals the deal. April 2017.
4.0 Stars
(0)V
Domaine Chatelain Les Vignes De Saint Laurent L'abbaye Pouilly Fumé 2015, Ac
Loire, France$11.05
At it's full $25 price tag this excellent Pouilly Fume was good value. It recently went on sale making it a bargain. Now delisted to 60% of its original price, it's an absolute steal! From the warm 2015 vintage, there's ripe and tart predominantly citrus fruit (lemon, blood orange, lime) with the slightest hint of banana, stony minerality and typical SB herbaceous character. It's medium bodied with vibrant acidity, a creamy mouthfeel, a touch warm and bitter on the late palate, and very good to excellent length. Multi-bottle purchase if you can find any left. Drink now to 2020. March 2018.
4.0 Stars
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Muga Reserva 2012
Rioja, Spain$26.95
Muga's 2012 Reserva achieves a nice balance between traditional and modern Rioja. Mostly Tempranillo, with Garnacha warmth and fruit, Graciano acidity, and Mazuela in support. A lifted nose with aromas and flavours of florals, red and dark fruit, dill, balsamic, vanillin and a touch of VA. Good depth, balance, resolved tannin and excellent length. As a Vintages Essential the Reserva often goes on sale and represents great value. Jan. 2018.
4.0 Stars
(0)V