It's only wine but I like it

Kir Yianni Cuvée Villages Xinomavro 2020, P.D.O. Naoussa

Solid, if not an exceptional Xinomavro here from Kir Yianni. Fairly pale red, as one would expect from this variety. with predominantly red fruit (sour cherry, red currant), bright acidity and fairly light tannin. A fairly simple wine, but fine enough stuff for appropriately matched food like tomato-based pasta sauce or pizza. For current consumption. Tasted Oct 2025.

Tombacco Aglianico Del Beneventano 2021, Igt

Love the label and what is inside the bottle is up to the label. Delicious Aglianico from Campania, a bit rustic but not at all overly oxidized. Big ripe fruit, ark cherries, figs, and nice firm tannic structure. Way more wine than one would expect for $15. Should have bought more than one bottle. One of the top values in 2024 at VIntages. Tasted Sep 2024.

Orfée 2020, Ap Corbières

Yeah, I'll go along with the consensus, 89 pts. Delicious southern French wine, at a great price. Tasted Nov 2024.

Firriato Chiaramonte Nero D'avola 2020, Igt Terre Siciliane

Deep and dark, not exactly cheerful yet I would not lean to brooding. Kind of cheerfully brooding sort of red, with dark cherry flavours and savoury notes of mystery meat (I say that in the most favourable way). A wee bit of oxidative fruit on the finish leads me to suggest to drink this sooner than later....but very good Sicilian red here for sure and a fine price I should say. You know, I have never been to Sicily. I should remedy that, Tasted July 2024.

Clos Bagatelle à L'origine 2022, Ap Saint Chinian

DL noted the hashish aromas so I decided just to whiff this wine over the course of a couple of hours without drinking it. As the night progressed, for some reason, I got the munchies.

Eventually tried the wine. Maybe all that hashish aromas might have impaired my judgement, so take this with a grain of salt, but I really liked it, Great value. Buy up! Tasted (and whiffed) Aug 2024.

Il Poggio Sannio Aglianico 2019, Dop

Swarthy, southern Italian red on a cold February night. A perfect remedy to the winter blahs. Love wines like this. No catering to modern tastes, especially this abysmal trend to low/no alcohol wines.
Tasted Feb 2025.

Catena Cabernet Sauvignon High Mountain Vines 2022, Mendoza

A slightly odd combination of richness and cool climate herbal notes. Dark fruit and some oak, which seems well under control. Overall, a good cabernet but not especially compelling. At $18 (post LCBO discount and sans HST), not bad value. For nearer term consumption. Tasted Dec 2024.

Finca Sophenia Altosur Malbec 2023, Uco Valley

Rip and juicy as one would expect from Malbec, but this is also very nicely balanced. Not sure ripe or heavy and the oak is nicely in the background. Complexity is good and this is simply delicious. For drinking in the near(er) term to capture that fruit Great value. Tasted in the evening as the sun was setting, pondering, pondering. what to do?

Château Tanesse 2020, A.C. Côtes De Bordeaux Cadillac

Much like the '18, a bit of oak up front but the plummy fruit dominates the show. Very good concentration and complexity at this price point, with silky tannin on a lingering finish, Really good wine here. The '18 was a stellar value at $22, this '20 is $2 less. Will hold for a few years but also good to go now. Tasted Oct 2025.

Vineland Estates Cabernet Franc 2019, VQA Niagara Peninsula

Medium bodied, a cab fran/can saiv blend from a good if cool vintage. I really like the freshness of this wine, with nicely ripened red fruit and pleasant herbal touches. Very drinkable now, in fact I would drink sooner than later with a mild chill. Nicely done and fairly priced. Tasted Dec 2025.