It's only wine but I like it

Raats Family Wines Dolomite Cabernet Franc 2012

The 2012 vintage of the Red Jasper bottling from Raats (not the Dolomite) :

81% Cab Franc (along with Malbec, Cab Sauv, PV and Merlot), this is a perfectly ripened red, with notes of dark cherries, tobacco, mellowing tannin and perfectly judged oak (no new oak used at all). A wine of great finish and harmony. Remarkably delicious. Picked up at Premier wines in Buffalo for US$16.99, a steal for a wine of this quality. Seriously good stuff. Tasted Oct 2017.

Puklus Pincészet Tokaji Aszú 3 Puttonyos 2012, Tokaj Hegyalja (500ml)

Golden yellow, this pours with plenty of viscosity. Sweet apricots, dried mango and honey flavours linger nicely on the palate. Enough acidity to balance the sweetness. The mid-level of sweetness makes this a versatile after-dinner wine, matching with many desserts. Superb value indeed. tasted Dec 2016.

Domaine Saint Gayan Gigondas 2009, Ac

A very ripe Gigondas, that verges on but does not quite stray into overripeness. A near Amarone-like 15% goes, for the most part, unnoticed (on the palate, that is, I'm sure you'd feel it by the third glass). Flavours are typical of the region, with dark berry fruit, hints of black pepper and notes of local herbs. Tannin Is quite silky, lending this to enjoyable current consumption (thought I'm sure it can hold a more years). Nicely done indeed. Tasted March 2015.

Campigli Vallone 'terre Nere' Brunello Di Montalcino 2006, Docg

Highly aromatic, this is a decidedly old-fashioned Brunello, with no catering to the more modern heavily extracted, and French-oaked appraoch that some producers have taken. Sour cherries, dried fruit, hints of leather and earth mark this Tuscan beauty. Quite evolved for an '06, this will still keep for several years but this is a lovely wine to drink now and a good value (by Brunello standards). Yum!. Tasted August 2013.

Hecht & Bannier Côtes Du Roussillon Villages 2008, Ac

Ripe, concentrated, classic southern French red. Dark fruits, with notes of pepper, and local herbs. Very good value. For drinking now and over the next few years. Yum! Tasted Feb 2013.

Marziano Abbona Terlo Ravera Barolo 2005, Docg

Wonderfully floral fragrance, as one might expect from Nebbiolo. Initially a bit of sweet vanilla flavours from the oak (this sees 12months in 500L French oak before going into large barrels). but this quickly fades. More prominent after this is tart cherry fruit and note of earth, with the high acidity expected of Barolo. Tannin is still firm, so I'd suggestion holding off until 2015. Should keep through 2020 with ease. Tasted April 2013.

Montirius Garrigues Vacqueyras 2010, Ac

A solid, well-made Vacqueyras, significantly better than the '09 I tried last week, which must have been an off-bottle. Dominated by smooth ripe red fruit (grenache), this red is actually quite approachable and at its peak right now. It doesn't seem to have as much of that South Rhone character (garrigue, black pepper) as other reds from the region (or even from their own Le Clos bottling) nor the depth of the best wines in the region (hence the sub-90 pt score), yet the wine is certainly very delicious. Drink now or over the next couple of years. Tasted Nov 14/14.

Planeta Frappato Vittoria 2015

Translucent pale red. Fragrant red fruits with hints of pepper. On the palate, flavours of cranberry and beetroot, with a notes of smoke. Quite light-bodied and low tannin, this reminds me most of pinot noir (perhaps a little Loire Valley Cab Franc thrown in as well). An interesting and enjoyable find, well worth trying, especially if you enjoy lighter reds. Tasted Sept 2017.

Pearl Morissette Cuvée Dix Neuvième Chardonnay 2014, VQA Twenty Mile Bench, Niagara Escarpment

A silky, complex Chardonnay here from Pearl Morissette. Certainly not your everyday chard, this has some oxidative, honeyed notes along side some citrus fruit and peaches. Long and lingering, not at all heavy. Fine wine for current consumption and should easily keep several years. Tasted Nov 2018.

Domaine La Fourmone Le Poète Vacqueyras 2013, Ap

A fine Vacqueyras here, with all of the ripe fruit, local herbs and spice that make CdR reds so appealing. Oak is invisible (since it is aged 100% in tanks, no oak at all). Still firm but not astringent tannin and some crisp acidity on the finish. Picked up on sale for $21.75 and that was a steal. Drinking now, but I think even better in another year or so and should hold into the early '20s. Tasted April 2018.