todd10

Hamilton Russel Vineyard Pinot Noir 2016

I was surprised that this wine was not too fruity. It's aromas and taste were more like cigar box. Do not get me wrong, I really enjoyed this. Smooth tannins, and nice long finish.
I would say, do not decant this wine. It was nice to taste it evolving. It started mostly cigar box, but after a while the taste of black fruit started to appear. I love when I have a wine that every glass taste a little different.

Tasted May 2020

Amarone Cavolo 2015, Amarone Della Valpolicella Docg

I was getting note's of dried fruit, I am thinking fig. This had nice balance, and smooth tannins. Flavors of cherry and a little leather.
Throughout the evening, I did not find that this wine evolved so I see no reason to decant.
It was a nice wine, but it would have been nice to be a little more complexed as I have tasted in other Amarone's. Tasted December 2021

Dutschke St Jakobi Single Vineyard Shiraz 2016, Barossa Valley, South Australia

The is one of those wines that I would consider delicious. The aroma's that I received were cherry, oak and perhaps raspberry. The flavor is what sold this wine. I found some delicious cherry flavors with a perfect hint of oak in the back ground. Considering that this wine is a shiraz, I did not find the tannins too strong at all. In fact I was happy I was eating cheese with this and not a steak. Beautiful finish.
I did not find this wine evolving throughout the evening so I see no reason to decant.
Tasted November 2021

D'arenberg The Dead Arm Shiraz 2015, Mclaren Vale

I was very excited to try this wine. Sadly, it was not as great as I was hoping for. I was getting aromas of earthy notes and dark fruit. Nice tannins and acidity. Flavours of dark fruit. Seemed to get better the longer it was out, so I would suggest to decant for an hour or so.
Might be best to drink in a few more years.

Tasted June 2020

Masi Costasera Riserva Amarone Della Valpolicella Classico 2015, Docg

This wine had one of the longest finishes that I have had in recent memory. This was a very tasty wine with near perfect balance. The tannins are just enough.
Now, to the aromas. At first, I was getting cassis and leather. This was slowly evolving with different aromas. About an hour after I opened it, I was even getting a wonderful smell of toffee.
If you can drink this over a couple of hours, I would recommend that. Do not decant, just enjoy the ride as this wine evolves into something different with every passing minute.
Tasted Aug 2022

Michele Castellani Cinque Stelle Amarone Della Valpolicella Classico 2016, Collezione Ca' Del Pipa, Docg

When I first opened this wine, I was getting notes of dark fruit. Not just notes, but like my glass was filled with beautifully ripe fruit. I enjoyed how these aromas evolved throughout the evening to notes of oak, vanilla and toffee.
The taste of this wine blew me away. It was a perfectly balanced wine. At first, I tasted cherry. Then I thought...cherry cola. This may sound like an odd description but it worked. I loved it. Later I was getting more oak. The finish had a perfect heat on it.
I am sad this was my only bottle.
Tasted January 2022

Hidden Bench Chardonnay Felseck Vineyard 2017, Beamsville Bench

Aromas that I can best describe as buttery and nutty. This a full bodied wine. Nice long finish. Taste of pear and apple.

Tasted November 2021

San Giorgio Ugolforte Brunello Di Montalcino 2016, D.O.C.G.

The first aromas that I got was cherry cola. It also had vanilla and espresso in the background.
Lovely dark fruit flavors. Tannin level was mouth drying, yet it was a good amount. I did not find the tannins overpowering the flavours. This went well with my salami.
Pleasant heat on the finish.
If you are not a fan of heat on the finish, I would suggest decanting, but overall, I feel this was good right out of the bottle.
Tasted September 2022

Stags' Leap Winery Petite Sirah 2018, Napa Valley

I feel bad giving this at 89 when I see so many great scores. This is a nice tasting wine, but to me it was very typical of a nice red. Good dark, fruit, a little peppery, firm tannins but not too much. It was good. The 89 is because I did not get the complexity that many others did. The wine did not evolve throughout the evening either. I like when I can taste a wine evolve is it breaths.
Still good though.
Tasted June 2023

Le Clos Jordanne Le Grand Clos Chardonnay 2019, VQA Twenty Mile Bench, Niagara Escarpment

I purchased this when I saw that it won Platinum. It was a nice wine with some complexity. I started drinking this wine at 10C. At that temperature, I was getting aromas of butter, with a hint of lemon and stone. Of course while this cooled down it lost some of its complexity, so I would suggest serving this at 10C to 13C.
Nice balanced wine. Medium finish and medium bodied.
Tasted August 2022