David Brodati, DipWSET
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Reviews (621)
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Reviews
Barossa Valley Estate Ebenezer Shiraz 2007, Barossa Valley, South Australia
South Australia, Australia$39.95
Beautiful, bountiful, bold Barossa big boy. Full, rich, dense yet with a refined flow to its gait, rather than an agressive swagger. A wonderfully complex and enticing nose. Flavours of concentrated fruit, eucalyptus, judiciously integrated oak influences. Tannins are manageable and there's balanced acidity and excellent to outstanding length. It's an amped but stylish Shiraz that is drinking well now but also has the stuffing to last another 7-10 years. Dec. 2014.
4.5 Stars
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Mullineux Old Vines White 2016, Unfiltered & Unfined, Wo Swartland
Swartland, South Africa$37.95
Chenin led blend includes Rhone white varieties. Very complex aromas and flavours. Wide spectrum of citrus with lemon, lime and tangerine, some tropical notes of pineapple and banana, and of course apple. Spicy white pepper and minerality. Chenin brings it with elevated acidity, but there's also a creamy mouthfeel (lees stirring?). Excellent length. This will cellar for 10 more years easily. May 2019.
4.5 Stars
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Hidden Bench Fume Blanc Rosomel Vineyard 2016, Niagara Peninsula
Ontario, Canada$29.95
All the inputs are there: excellent vintage, organic viticulture, single vineyard, hand harvested. Then the wine making style gives direction, with indigenous yeast and judicious use of oak in combo with stainless steel. A Fume style that is restrained on the oak with attention to texture. Sauv. Blanc typicity shows, but complexity from oak and a creamy rounder mouthfeel take centre stage. Yet balance and structure is achieved with supporting acidity and 13% abv. Very well done. Sept. 2018.
4.5 Stars
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Ramsay Petite Sirah 2015, North Coast
California, Usa$24.25
Beautiful Petite Sirah. Very Californian. Modern style, concentrated ripe dark fruit of blackberry, blueberry, brambly and concentrated. The fruit is starting to move to a prune-like stage. Violet florals too. Smokey, nicely integrated oak and some minerality peaks in like a hint of the scent of gravel after a rain shower. Decent acidity and plush tannin provide some structure holding it up and keeping the wine from being flabby. Excellent to outstanding length. Drinking nicely now, don't hold for too long. May 2020.
4.5 Stars
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Foxen John Sebastiano Vineyard Pinot Noir 2015, Santa Rita Hills, Santa Barbara County
California, Usa$45.75
Fairly intense aromas and flavours of cherry and raspberry, with baking spice, an herbal note and earthiness. It shows integrated oak, smooth ripe tannins and a vibrant tartness to balance the ripe forward fruit. Quintessential Cali Pinot. Scores on length, balance, intensity and typicity. Oct. 2020.
4.5 Stars
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Klipfel Clos Zisser Kirchberg De Barr Grand Cru Gewurztraminer 2010, Ac Alsace Grand Cru
Alsace, France$28.75
Beautiful, complex aged Grand Cru. Classic Gewurz notes of lychee, ginger, rosewater, peach, apricot, honey, spice and florality. Still drinking quite nicely despite 9 years of ageing. Off-dry with medium plus body (13.6% abv), a slightly viscous mouthfeel and medium minus acidity. Excellent length. The few remaining bottles at the LCBO have been discounted making this a steal if you can find it. Enjoyed it with a chicken curry. March 2019.
4.5 Stars
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Domaine Terlato & Chapoutier Lieu Dit Malakoff Shiraz 2010, Pyrenees
Victoria, Australia$35.25
Such an interesting wine, not your typical Aussie Shiraz. Clearly Chapoutier's influence and unique terroir from this lieu dit in the Pyranees has resulted in a rich, savoury complex wine. Quite intense aromatics with depth and concentration but the flavour profile is less about the fruit and much more about the savoury. At almost eight years it will shift more in that direction. Umami rich soy, teriyaki, mushroom, earth and raw meat. Medium plus acidity provides balance and lift. It's big (14% ABV) and rich, but it carries a certain elegance. Excellent length. Drinking nicely now. Dec. 2017.
4.5 Stars
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Le Clos Jordanne Le Grand Clos Chardonnay 2017, VQA Niagara Peninsula
Ontario, Canada$44.95
Thomas Bachelder shows what cool climate chardonnay can aspire to in Niagara. And this wine is certainly aspirational. There's intensity of aroma and flavour, with green fruit and some citrus, spice, honey, butter, toast, white flower and minerality, so in a word: complex. Oak is integrated and judicious. The balance is impeccable with acidity providing a structural spine. The length is excellent to outstanding. But it's the texture that is so compelling. MLF, lees stirring or whatever, but the mouthfeel is beautiful, rich, creamy, spicy, weighty yet all very fresh. Nicely done. Oct. 2020.
4.5 Stars
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Brokenwood Hunter Valley Sémillon 2018
New South Wales, Australia$27.95
I love the pronounce flavour/aroma intensity and complexity. Acacia flower, candle wax, apple, lemon, lime, honey and a petrol-like note not dissimilar to an aging Riesling. Very texturally pleasing too. Excellent length. Will no doubt gain interest as it ages as quality Hunter Valley Semillons tend to do. Aug. 2021.
4.5 Stars
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Greystone Pinot Noir 2018, Waipara Valley, North Canterbury
Waipara, New Zealand$43.95
A lovely Canterbury Pinot showing a complexity of flavours including sour cherry, cranberry, raspberry, baking spice (nutmeg, cinnamon), black pepper, an herbal sage-like note and minerality. Medium plus acidity keeps things vibrant and the tannins are on the soft side, typical for Pinot. Length is excellent. Drinking nicely now and has the acidity and concentration to show well for another few years. Dec. 2023.
4.5 Stars