Sandbanks Rose, 2011, VQA Ontario

This is quite a sweet Rose, definitely meant for summer sipping, but hey November is kind of like summer (well, except that it is -17 with the wind chill...), right? When your road is under construction, sometimes it can still feel like summer in Kingston! We girls plus one of our roommates popped this bottle, which is available "seasonally" at the LCBO for $12.95 a bottle (whatever that means, it is at most locations as we speak).  However, if you are in Kingston in the summer (or November) a detour to this winery in Prince Edward County is WELL worth your time. They sometimes even feed you!

A

A slightly sparkling fizz to my tongue makes for a delightful start. It has a slightly off-dry kick to it, but I think it is good because it really balances the sweet strawberry and cotton candy taste that could otherwise be kind of cloying and over-bearing. I really like Sandbanks as a winery because they’ve always been polite and nice to us, even when we aren’t investing serious wine-buying dollars.

M

As mentioned before, I am usually not a fan of roses, however, this wine was an enjoyable, not too sweet blend. It is very fruity, I would consider it to be the wine equivalent of Strongbow. A good introductory wine for those not ready for a too intense drink, but still with some complexity. A really good hostess gift for when you are unsure of your host’s wine level. Generally, a crowd pleaser!

K

This wine can kind of burn your throat if you drink it too quickly, but for a girls night, it makes for good sipping. It’s good, I don’t hate it, and for a non-wine-drinker I would totally buy it again. As a really picky non-wine-drinker, this is good news! Sandbanks has really good samples, even shrimp!

Ridge Road Estate Winery 2011 Baco Noir

Advertised as Hamilton, Ontario's only estate winery (even though it is technically in Stoney Creek), this wine felt like a great way to celebrate a long week of dissertation research (seeing as A studies that region). After one wine fail (that is soon to become a sangria success!) this wine really hit the spot.

It's another VQA wine this time, seeing as we seem to like it local. It is not available yet at the LCBO, but Ridge Road has begun rolling out select vintages, so look for it soon, or pick it up on your next trip to the Hammer! This winery is full of friendly people and it often hosts special events during the summer that include free snacks (yay free! like chocolate-covered bacon). It has a gorgeous view and is biking distance from Hamilton, for those ambitious souls who are into that.

M- I like that this wine has a really full appealing scent, that just makes one say, "Ya, I wanna drink this!" It has a more sophisticated finish, without that mouth pucker that can come from TOO sophisticated finishes. Besides being a really enjoyable red, I adore the sassy bottle. It not only gives you encouragement to drink the whole thing, but congratulates you when you get there. Definitely worth the drive! At 14.95$ this is not made for frat parties, but definitely an affordable way to impress friends!

A- I friggin' love this stuff. Whether it is the juicy start, or the oaky, smokey, awesome end, I just cannot think of enough positive adjectives for it. I have only had good luck with the reds from this winery, I am happy to report. It almost has a bit of spice to it, but I am not sophisticated enough to say what. I would say this is like a library full of fine leather volumes. Lots of substance, but nice to look at even if you aren't in a sophisticated mood.

Verdict: Perhaps the best so far?

Pelee Island Winery - Baco Noir 2011

Another VQA - this time obtained through the LCBO rather than a winery store. On sale. Because that's the way we roll.

A was gone to England for a week so M had to drink alone. A says she has not much good news from England to report on the wine front, the selections she tried tasted mainly like vinegar or acid, so maybe not worth reporting on. M drank pre-mixed pina coladas to console her loneliness, to little avail. Ok to much avail, but it's hard not to win at the drinking game.

A: This is a very purple-y wine, regal just like the Queen! Tastes like black cherries, sort of like that old PC pop that was black cherry but alcohol. A slight taste of coffee is present. Maybe something else that is rich as well, but I'm not classy enough to get tobacco or mineral from it. I would drink the whole bottle, thank goodness for M.

M: According to the bottle, this is "best enjoyed with Roast Poultry, Veal, Meat Stews, Hamburger and Pasta with a red sauce." The upper-case is not my own, and frankly does not make me trust their scholarly opinion, or English skills. However, this wine is very drinkable. It's rich without being too dry or in-your-face. Definitely nice to drink alone but also works well with heavier supper items. Honestly, we had it with store-bought tortiere and it held up very nicely.

Hopefully unlike our wine for tonight, the election does not go red! Cheers!

Freixenet Carta Nevada Sparkling

On October 6th, we were lucky enough to see some good friends get married. Mr & Mrs. AB received a whole case of Freixenet Carta Nevada Sparkling wine. They drank some straight from the bottle in their mirrored jacuzzi tub, so you know, not a bad time. This week we've asked them to share their experience (regarding the wine, of course) with us, along with a bottle of the bubbly.

Mrs. AB: I like it! I normally don't enjoy wine, but it's similar to Alexander Keith's Apple Cider, so that's a good thing.  It dances on your palette and finishes nicely, no bitter after-taste. You could serve it with cheese for a cocktail hour.

Mr AB: It's sweet with a tart aftertaste and dry finishing notes. A solid wine for watching Jersey Shore. Also makes a great sangria when mixed with cranberrry juice, berries, and oranges. Smells spicy, rugged like the Canadian Shield on a crisp winter day.

A: I found this wine to be effervescent. Sparkling, bright, one minute it's there, the next its gone. It is pretty citrusy on the palate, I got a bit of lemon off the top. It perhaps tasted a bit nutty, but that might have been the after-taste from the coconut on my frozen yogurt. I would drink this with cheesy appetizers, maybe involving asparagus or black olives?

M: A nice wine, not exactly an everyday, snuggle on the couch vintage, but good for celebrating with friends, whether that be an engagement-type celebration or a made-it-to-the-weekend-type. The bottle is frosted with a beautiful gold wrap, and would be a great gift without much more embellishment. As for price, there's nothing more budget than free.

Cat Tail Creek - Serendipity Rosé 2010

Made in Four Mile Creek, a VQA or Vintners Quality Alliance aka the peeps that make sure wine is a. made in Canada and b. not from a bath tub.

A says: This is a fruit-forward wine, with heavy raspberry, strawberry and cranberry tastes at the front. Almost a cotton candy sweetness while keeping a certain dryness that prevents it from being annoying. While not sparkling wine, it leaves a delightful sparkle on the tongue. It did not pair well with all-dressed Crispers but was a terrific match for chocolate-covered coconut balls from your local bulk food store.

M says: Rosés are not my go-to variety, but this one is great. A  really easy-drinking wine that's between sweet and dry (precise no?). It would be good to drink by itself, especially on a girl's night, or with a sweet treat. Basically a classy version of strawberry Wild Vines, need I say more?

A New Vintage

Here at Casa de Grad Student we believe that wine should be enjoyed by everyone, frequently. Not just by people who can afford fancy cheeses or Dom Pérignon, but by everyday hardworking, can-barely-afford-mac-n-cheese (grad student) people. So with that in mind, pick up your discounted bulk bin snack my friends and let's have a drink!