Dan Trcka
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Followers (47)
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Following (5)
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Reviews (1016)
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Updated September 2013.
....Dear reader, allow me to introduce myself, my name is Daniel Trcka and much like yourself, I am a wine enthusiast.
My wine story
....I am inherently curious and have always had the need to figure out how things work – this drive has led me to become as I am today. It is always interesting how passions evolve before they become entities that engulf oneself and become him or herself. My passion began the day when I decided to make my own wine. Thinking that my creation must fare better than the cheapest 1.5L table wine I went ahead and surprisingly achieved it. Naturally, this then led to a simple question “what makes one wine better than another”? The somewhat complicated answer took me on a quest to learn about the complexity and the range of ‘tastes’ – first seeking the answer in a pursuit of knowledge (I highly recommend reading a 926 page book titled WINE by Andre Domine), and then finding it by training my sense of smell (54 scent Les-Nes-Du-Vin kit, also highly recommended) and learning how to listen to it. Subsequently, natural progression (for me) was to share my passion and the newly gained knowledge, and so I started reviewing wines on the WineAlign website, and Natalie MacLean’s site, but these not fully satisfying my need to express myself, I developed this webpage and launched it on July 19th, 2012.
My palate
....Let’s face it, I love red wines and even though I appreciate white wine, I really enjoy reds. My palate is quite varied, meaning that I enjoy all sorts of wines ranging from light bodied aromatic Pinot Noirs, fruity Barberas or tannic Nebbiolos to full-bodied green Carmeneres, refined Cabernets or jammy Malbecs or Shirazes. If I go by the numbers, then in the not-so-distant-past, Rioja’s Tempranillo followed by Piedmont’s Nebbiolo and Tuscan Sangiovese were the most common guests on my dinner table; though recently Ontarian wines (mainly whites) have become quite frequent and welcomed visitors. I enjoy wines that spent some time in oak, acquiring some toasty/woody notes that add to their complexity; prefer mid-aged (integrated) wines, but don’t shy away from youthful and fruitful ones; and I pay attention to the trueness of the grape. I hope that knowing this will help in deciding whether my palate matches yours.
Other than wine, what do I do
....I am fortunate to work in a prestigious research institute, on a fascinating, cutting edge project, for a professor who is one of the smartest men I know and with colleagues that are a friendly, knowledgeable bunch. We are trying to understand what makes stem cells – stem cells; specifically, we convert regular cells into stem cell like cells, using mice and mouse cells as our model. We then use these cells to generate mouse embryos, from which we isolate differentiated embryonic cells and induce them to undergo secondary, synchronized reprogramming into a stem cell like cells. We can study this secondary reprogramming and gain insights that bring us ever closer to personalized medicine in hope that one day we, the mankind, will be able to convert one’s cells into body’s deficient or damaged cells thus restoring health.
My contribution to scientific advancement
– MBNL proteins repress ES-cell-specific alternative splicing and reprogramming.
.. Nature June 13th, 2013.
– A late transition in somatic cell reprogramming requires regulators distinct from the pluripotency network.
.. Cell Stem Cell December 7th, 2012.
– Discoidin domain receptor-1 deficiency attenuates atherosclerotic calcification and smooth muscle cell-mediated mineralization.
.. American Journal of Pathology. November 5th, 2009.
– Collagen stimulates discoidin domain receptor 1 mediated migration of smooth muscle cells through Src.
.. Journal of Cardiovascular Pathology. January 19th, 2010.
– The in vitro real-time oscillation monitoring system identifies potential entrainment factors for circadian clocks.
.. BMC Mol Biol February 16th, 2006.
Contribution Acknowledgement
– Matrix-dependent adhesion of vascular and valvular endothelial cells in microfluidic channels.
.. Lab Chip August 7th, 2006.
– Transcriptional oscillation of canonical clock genes in mouse peripheral tissues.
.. BMC Mol Biol June 16th, 2004.
– Fez1 is layer-specifically expressed in the adult mouse neocortex.
.. European Journal of Neuroscience December 2nd, 2004.
Reviews
Taylor Fladgate Vintage Port 2011
Douro, Portugal$130.00
The 2011 Taylor Fladgate Vintage Port has intense aromas of cooked sour cherry, ripe dates, blackberry and vanilla. It is a full to thick bodied, fruity, fortified wine; with good acidity and a medium finish. Drink as an aperitif; drink now – 2020+. My impression: NICE to BEAUTIFUL, 91+ pts. Tasted in September 2013 at iYellow's Taylor Fladgate Port Party http://grapeselections.com/port-and-werewolves/
See my wine recommendations readily available at the LCBO here:
http://grapeselections.com/grapeselections
or here @
http://www.winealign.com/wino/dantrcka/recommended-wines-you-can-still-buy
5.0 Stars
(0)V
Col D'orcia Brunello Di Montalcino 1997
Tuscany, Italy$145.00
The 1997 Col D'Orcia Brunello Di Montalcino, aged in oak for 36 months, has powerful bouquet of violets, aged wood and pine on the nose and pomegranate, sour cherry and clove on the palate. The wine is light to medium bodied, extra-dry, aged; BALANCED with good acidity, refined tannins and a long, smooth and silky finish. Drink now – 2020. My impression: BEAUTIFUL, 93 pts – recommended for its quality. Tasted Mar/14 http://grapeselections.com/benvenuto-brunello/
See my wine recommendations readily available at the LCBO here:
http://grapeselections.com/grapeselections
or here @
http://www.winealign.com/wino/dantrcka/recommended-wines-you-can-still-buy
5.0 Stars
Taylor Fladgate Tawny 30 Ans, Porto
Portugal$183.00
The Taylor Fladgate 30 Year Old Tawny Port has intense aromas of slightly stewed cherry, raisin and pecan. It is a full bodied, integrated fortified wine; tad on the acidic and sweet side without body support, thought the finish is long. Drink as a desert or with raspberry/strawberry ice-cream; drink now – 2020. My impression: BEAUTIFUL, 92 pts. Tasted in September 2013 at iYellow's Taylor Fladgate Port Party http://grapeselections.com/port-and-werewolves/
See my wine recommendations readily available at the LCBO here:
http://grapeselections.com/grapeselections
or here @
http://www.winealign.com/wino/dantrcka/recommended-wines-you-can-still-buy
5.0 Stars
(0)V
Ornellaia 2007, Doc Bolgheri Superiore
Tuscany, Italy$195.95
The 2007 Ornellaia - a high end wine, which LCBO expected to vanish within days, but which has been sitting on the shelves since October 2nd without finding a home. You can purchase it for 'mere' $180 (monthly wage in Vietnam, where I recently visited) or since it is now available for sampling at the Queens Quay LCBO, you can try it for yourself, which is what I did. It is medium bodied with intense aromas of integrated red and black currants, emerging leather, subtle green pepper and mellow oak. Tannins are refined (decant for at least 30 minutes, but don't stop there) and the finish is long, smooth and expressing mild minerality. It will definitely benefit from aging for at least couple of years (still a bit closed), but it can be drunk now - drinking range 2012 to beyond 2020. My impression: BEAUTIFUL, 94 pts - tasted Nov/10. I would recommend to try this wine, but I don't think it is worth the price, perhaps $50-70.
If you would like to see wines I recommend and that are still available at the LCBO, please visit this link (listed in my profile):
http://www.winealign.com/wino/dantrcka/recomended-wines-you-can-still-buy
5.0 Stars
(0)V
Huber Grüner Veltliner Berg 2007, Traisental
Austria$39.00
The 2010 Huber Grüner Veltliner Berg is a medium bodied wine with intense aromas of lemon, honey, honeydew melon and green apple. It has a nice acidity and a long, mineral finish. My impression: BEAUTIFUL, 90 pts. Tasted Sept/12.
See my wine recommendations readily available at the LCBO here:
www.GrapeSelections.com
or here @
http://www.winealign.com/wino/dantrcka/recommended-wines-you-can-still-buy
5.0 Stars
Taylor Fladgate 20 Year Old Tawny Port, Douro Valley
Douro, Portugal$63.70
The Taylor Fladgate 20 Year Old Tawny Port has intense aromas of prune, butter scotch and pecans. It is a full bodied, sweet, aged port; with good acidity, subtle tannins (no need for decanting) and a long, slightly warm finish. Drink as a desert; drink now – 2020. My impression: BEAUTIFUL to DIVINE, 93 pts – recommended for its quality. Tasted in September 2013 at iYellow's Taylor Fladgate Port Party http://grapeselections.com/port-and-werewolves/
See my wine recommendations readily available at the LCBO here:
http://grapeselections.com/grapeselections
or here @
http://www.winealign.com/wino/dantrcka/recommended-wines-you-can-still-buy
4.5 Stars
(1000+)E
Wolf Blass Black Label Shiraz/Cabernet Sauvignon/Malbec 2004, South Australia
Australia$99.95
The Black Label Cabernet/Shiraz/Malbec 2005 was medium bodied with elegant, integrated aromas of raspberry, black currant and cedar/pine. The acidity was nicely balanced, tannins were refined (decant for 1 hr or more) and the finish was nice and long. Good to drink now, aging may impede its quality. My impression: BEAUTIFUL, 90 pts. Tasted June23/10 at Wine Align Wolf Blass Premium Wine Tasting event.
If you would like to see wines I recommend and that are still available at the LCBO, please visit this link (listed in my profile):
http://www.winealign.com/wino/dantrcka/recomended-wines-you-can-still-buy
4.5 Stars
(0)V
Descendientes De J. Palacios Corullón Las Lamas 2009
Galicia, Spain$116.00
The 2009 Descendientes De J. Palacios Corullón Las Lamas is a medium to full bodied, fruity wine, with intense aromas of chocolate, violets and cedar on the nose and blackberry and vanilla on the palate. It has a nice structure with refined tannins and a long finish. Though ready to drink now, it can be gracefully aged for the next 5-10 years. My impression: BEAUTIFUL, 92 pts..
Tasted during 'The Wines of Alvaro Palacios' tasting organized by WineAlign on March 19th, 2012.
If you would like to see wines I recommend and that are still available at the LCBO, please visit this link (listed in my profile):
http://www.winealign.com/wino/dantrcka/recommended-wines-you-can-still-buy
4.5 Stars
Taylor Fladgate Tawny 40 Ans, Porto
Portugal$245.00
The Taylor Fladgate 40 Year Old Tawny Port has a captivating bouquet of dried prune, figs, caramel, clove, cinnamon and subdued walnuts. It is a full bodied, aged port; with good acidity and a long finish. Drink as a desert or with aged, dry or smoked cheeses; drink now – 2018+. My impression: BEAUTIFUL to DIVINE, 95+ pts – recommended for its quality. Tasted in September 2013 at iYellow's Taylor Fladgate Port Party http://grapeselections.com/port-and-werewolves/
See my wine recommendations readily available at the LCBO here:
http://grapeselections.com/grapeselections
or here @
http://www.winealign.com/wino/dantrcka/recommended-wines-you-can-still-buy
4.5 Stars
(0)V
Col D'orcia Poggio Al Vento Brunello Di Montalcino Riserva 2006
Tuscany, Italy$79.25
The 2006 Col D'Orcia Poggio Al Vento Riserva Brunello Di Montalcino that was aged in oak for 48 months, has intense aromas of dried cherry, cranberry, cigar box, wood and clove. The wine is light to medium bodied, extra-dry, integrated; with forward acidity, dusty tannins and a long finish. Drink now – 2024. My impression: BEAUTIFUL, 91-92 pts - recommended for its quality. Tasted Mar/14 http://grapeselections.com/benvenuto-brunello/
See my wine recommendations readily available at the LCBO here:
http://grapeselections.com/grapeselections
or here @
http://www.winealign.com/wino/dantrcka/recommended-wines-you-can-still-buy
4.5 Stars
(0)