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
Cave Spring Csv Estate Bottled Chardonnay 2008, VQA Beamsville Bench, Niagara Peninsula
Ontario, Canada$29.95
The 2008 Cave Spring Csv Estate Bottled Chardonnay has lightly oxidized notes upon opening that quickly dissipate and intense aromas of quince, pear, light honey, vanilla and oak. It is a medium bodied, dry, fruity wine, with good acidity and a long, vanilla based finish. It is food friendly; drink now – 2017. My impression: NICE, 88 pts. Tasted at International Cool Climate Chardonnay – i4C event July/13.
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
3.5 Stars
(0)V
Château Des Charmes Chardonnay Musqué 2010, VQA Niagara On The Lake
Ontario, Canada$13.75
The 2010 Château Des Charmes Chardonnay Musque, made with highly perfumed Chardonnay clone #809, has intense aromas of citrus, light floral/honey notes and subtle slate minerality. It is a medium bodied, extra-dry, fruity to integrated wine, with forward acidity and a medium to long, slightly woody/stemy finish. It is food friendly or can be enjoyed on its own; drink now – 2015. My impression: NICE, 88 pts – I recommend drinking it around 10-16°C as the aromatics come more forth. Won a Gold Medal winner at the 2012 Ontario Wine Awards. Tasted June/13.
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
3.5 Stars
(0)V
Marques De Valcarlos Tempranillo/Cabernet Reserva 2000, Do Navarra
Spain$17.95
I reviewed this wine before, see below. CAUTION, cork of this wine has mould growing on the top, but it hasn’t penetrated into the bottle and has no effect on the quality of the wine, if washed off prior to opening. Last night, I decided to try this wine alongside Marques de Valcarlos Crianza 2005 (Feb 20/10 release, 146191) for comparison. This very aromatic, medium bodied, aged wine has pronounced cedar on the palate and scents of light fruit (integrated red currant, cherry and raspberry) together with black currant, violets and leather. It is smooth with refined tannins (needs 15-30 min to open) and has a long finish. This wine will hopefully last for another 5 years (the fungus worries me, otherwise for sure it would). Impression: BEAUTIFUL. Tasted Mar/10.
To me, these days wine from Navarra region has better QPR than wine from its famous neighbour Rioja. Bodegas Valcarlos managed to win two gold medals with its 1999 grand reserva and with this 2000 reserva they managed to turn not so good vintage into an excellent wine. This wine is pleasantly complex with a nice finish, though much lighter than its older sibling. This wine is a MUST TRY, guaranteed to satisfy even the snobbiest of vinos. My rating 89-90.
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
3.0 Stars
(0)V
Taja Gran Reserva 2001, Do Jumilla
Spain$18.95
Taja Gran Reserva 2001 is a nicely aromatic, light to medium bodied wine, which has integrated notes of raspberry, red currant, coffee, chocolate and cedar. Tannins are refined to tannic (decant for 30 min) and the finish is medium to long. It should last for another 5 or more years, but is at its best now till about 2013. My impression: BEAUTIFUL, 91 pts - would highly recommended it if it was still available. I am just kicking myself for not buying the whole case when I had that chance and only settled for 6 bottles. You must be a real connoisseur to fully appreciate this wine. Tasted July/10.
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
3.0 Stars
(0)V
Felix Solis Los Molinos Gran Reserva 1999, Valdepeñas
Spain$8.95
Los Molinos 2002 vintage is being discontinued by the LCBO and I would highly recommend getting it before it is all out. The wine is light to medium bodied with INTEGRATED to aged notes of cherry cola, cedar, coconut and vanilla. Tannins are refined to tannic (decant for 30 min) and the finish is medium to long. It should be drunk now, but can last for another year or two. My impression NICE TO BEAUTIFUL, 88.5 pts - recommended buy. Tasted June/10.
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
3.0 Stars
(0)V
Terredora Lacryma Christi Del Vesuvio Rosso 2005, Doc
Italy$18.95
I am not sure if it is a mistake or not, but the wine I tried was a 2007 vintage. LCBO has not carried 2005 even though they post it, nonetheless I am reviewing the 2007 vintage. This light bodied wine has integrated notes of cherry and vanilla. Tannins are refined to tannic (decant for 1 hr or longer) and the finish is medium to long. It has the potential to evolve for a few more years at least. My impression: very NICE. Tasted Mar/10.
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
3.0 Stars
(0)V
Fattoria La Ripa Riserva Chianti Classico 2006, Docg, Produced With Organic Grapes
Tuscany, Italy$25.95
The 2006 Fattoria La Ripa Riserva Chianti Classico is nicely aromatic, light to medium bodied, integrated wine. On the nose, violets, oak, smoke and abundant vanilla can be noted, whereas the palate displays cherry and more vanilla. It is well balanced, with nice acidity and tannins that are refined to tannic (decant for 30 min). The finish is medium to long and a bit chalky. I would recommend to drink this wine now or in the short term, as despite the cork being >5 cm long, it was wet almost the whole way (could have been just this bottle). My impression: BEAUTIFUL, 90.5 pts - a recommended buy especially that it is on $5 off. Noteworthy is its Bronze at Los Angeles International Wine & Spirits competition 2008 award. Tasted August/11.
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
3.0 Stars
(0)V
Finca Flichman Expresiones Reserve Shiraz/Cabernet Sauvignon 2007, Mendoza
Argentina$15.95
This full bodied wine is nicely aromatic with sweet notes of blackberry, black cherry, rose, oak and smoke. It is smooth, fruit is integrated and the tannins are refined (needs 30 min to 1 hr to open). It is ready to drink now and surely will benefit from further aging for up to 10 years. The finish is medium and my impression is: BEAUTIFUL. I am glad I was able to get my hands on a case. Tasted few times, reviewed Dec/09.
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
3.0 Stars
(0)V
Poggio Nibbiale Morellino Di Scansano 2006, Doc
Tuscany, Italy$19.95
This medium bodied, nicely aromatic wine has notes of pine, oak, black cherry, vanilla and blueberry. The fruit is somewhere between fruity and integrated, the wine is smooth with pronounced tannins that go away after about 1 hour of decanting, and a nice long finish. This wine will benefit from aging for at least a year (to reduce the tannins) and should age nicely for at least 10 years. My impression: very NICE to BEAUTIFUL. Tasted Mar/10. I think this is a great buy for the price.
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
3.0 Stars
(0)V
Villalta Ripasso Valpolicella 2006, Doc
Veneto, Italy$14.95
This very full bodied wine is dominated by black cherry, with hints of almond, prune, cut hay, oak and vanilla. It is still young and hence fruity, should be best in 2012 or after. The tannins are refined, so the wine only needs about 20 minutes to open, and the finish is medium to long. My impression: NICE. Tasted Feb/10.
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
3.0 Stars
(0)V