Often when our friend C comes to our house for a party, he brings the Chardongay. This wine wears a delightful rainbow flag label, and it looks so lovely I have always wanted to try it. Tonight, since it was my birthday party, I finally worked up the nerve to ask C to let me try some, and he of course kindly obliged. He describes this as his stand-by wine, and his party constant. It is $19.95 a bottle at the LCBO, but $1 from each bottle goes towards AIDS research, and so C pointed out it makes him feel better about splurging for a special occassion, since some of the money goes to a good cause. A wine that both tastes good and makes you feel good!
C- This wine is delicious. At $19 a bottle, it is not my every day wine, but I feel that it is worth it for a special occasion. It is a very fruity chardonnay, which I appreciate, because I am not such a fan of the oakier heavier onew. I usually drink whites, so this fits in with my normal wine choices. I prefer chardonnays, and sauvignon blancs because I like fruitier more fun wines. This wine fits that taste. It is fruitier and lighter as a wine and is not at all dry and acidic.
A - This wine smells like watermelon and melony fruits, so fruity but light. It is really juicy and almost tart when you drink it, like pineapples and lychess, but these are not overwhelmingly tart, and still just delightful and fruity. It is a nice light and smooth white wine, it is very delivious and widely appealing, so I agree with C, that knowing how good this wine is I would not feel bad at all splurging on this bottle. We both noticed that this wine is very clear. It is easy to drink as well. Perhaps, too easy...
Sunday, 26 May 2013
Thursday, 16 May 2013
Black Tower Rivaner
I joined my friend P for a night of good company and great fun. Tonight we drank his favourite wine. Black Tower is available in the LCBO in three different sizes, 750ml, 1 litre, and 1.5 litre bottles, ranging from $8.95 to $17.95. It is Peter's favourite wine for a night in because it is sweeter than many cheap wines, but is still cheap. I was apprehensive at first because it's bottle is cool and big, and cool bottles sometimes do not contain good wine, but it was acutally quite tasty.
P -This wine has no real smell to it. It does, however, have a VERY cool bottle, that is half black, half clear. It had a kind of sour taste that makes my tongue really salivate. It has a peachy undertone. It tastes like a bellini from Milestones, but it's more like a wine-lini. It also has a hint of the taste of McGuiness' Melon liquor.
A - This wine is light with a sweet-ish smell. It has a fuzzy peach taste and is very sweet and juicy. It is maybe a little melony, perhaps like a cantelope or a watermelon. It is very drinkable, perhaps dangerously so. It would bring this to a party or a large dinner because it is a not obnoxious wine and would appeal I think to most non-wine drinkers. Dry wines tend to be more of a turn-off and at this price point, a sweet wine is appealing.
P -This wine has no real smell to it. It does, however, have a VERY cool bottle, that is half black, half clear. It had a kind of sour taste that makes my tongue really salivate. It has a peachy undertone. It tastes like a bellini from Milestones, but it's more like a wine-lini. It also has a hint of the taste of McGuiness' Melon liquor.
A - This wine is light with a sweet-ish smell. It has a fuzzy peach taste and is very sweet and juicy. It is maybe a little melony, perhaps like a cantelope or a watermelon. It is very drinkable, perhaps dangerously so. It would bring this to a party or a large dinner because it is a not obnoxious wine and would appeal I think to most non-wine drinkers. Dry wines tend to be more of a turn-off and at this price point, a sweet wine is appealing.
Wednesday, 15 May 2013
2007 Late Harvest Cabernet "Snow Angel", VQA
At $15.95, it's not our usual price point but we had a sweet hook-up to score this Cab and another dessert wine from Angel's Gate Winery in Beamsville, ON. If you ever have the chance to wander down to Angel's Gate, do it. They have a beautiful estate and delicious kitchen, so you can really make a trip out of it. On to the review!
M: Smells sweet but appetizing, like apple. It definitely tastes like strawberry, tastes like someone strained an apple-strawberry sauce and bottled it. I'm not really down with sweet wines, and neither is A, so this might be a bit biased. I would serve this with perhaps snack foods but not dinner. It could be a dessert all on its own.
A has acquired an injury that might be impairing her tasting abilities but she's playing through the pain, just for you readers, just for you.
A: Doesn't smell as strong as I suspected, smells like strawberry, syrupy and a little fizzy. Surprisingly alchohol-y for a 12% wine, probably due to the higher sugar concentration. It has all the worst features of a rosé with none of the good parts. A wine to chug, not because it's so smooth but because the less amount of time it spends in your mouth, the better. For real though, when you drink it quick you get strawberry and peach which is nice. But for the record, I don't think you're supposed to drink wine quickly. I think if you enjoy Wild Vines this could be for you.
So while this wine wasn't for us in terms of consumption, we need to note the absolutely beautiful effect of the wine in the bottle. Because of higher concentrations of sugar, the wine get 'flakes' in it and when you turn the sealed bottle upside down it works just like a snow globe. How magical! It's too bad the taste isn't so enchanting...
M: Smells sweet but appetizing, like apple. It definitely tastes like strawberry, tastes like someone strained an apple-strawberry sauce and bottled it. I'm not really down with sweet wines, and neither is A, so this might be a bit biased. I would serve this with perhaps snack foods but not dinner. It could be a dessert all on its own.
A has acquired an injury that might be impairing her tasting abilities but she's playing through the pain, just for you readers, just for you.
A: Doesn't smell as strong as I suspected, smells like strawberry, syrupy and a little fizzy. Surprisingly alchohol-y for a 12% wine, probably due to the higher sugar concentration. It has all the worst features of a rosé with none of the good parts. A wine to chug, not because it's so smooth but because the less amount of time it spends in your mouth, the better. For real though, when you drink it quick you get strawberry and peach which is nice. But for the record, I don't think you're supposed to drink wine quickly. I think if you enjoy Wild Vines this could be for you.
So while this wine wasn't for us in terms of consumption, we need to note the absolutely beautiful effect of the wine in the bottle. Because of higher concentrations of sugar, the wine get 'flakes' in it and when you turn the sealed bottle upside down it works just like a snow globe. How magical! It's too bad the taste isn't so enchanting...
Sunday, 12 May 2013
Sumac Ridge Gewurtzraminer
I have wanted to try more wines from British Columbia for a while, so when this one came on sale for $8.95 at the LCBO I snapped it up. I like Gewurtztraminers, and had heard from a friend of a friend that BC's Gewurtztraminers were very good, so I bought it. I went over to my good friend P's house to enjoy a night of reviewing, and as always we had good wine and good times. Here is what we thought.
P - It is a very yellow looking wine. It smells really nice as well. It is a very pleasant wine, it has a very distinct taste to it, kind of like melons. It is a very crisp wine but is very light for a Gewurtztraminer. It has a bit of a bitter aftertaste. I would drink this wine again. I am really enjoying it and give it a very postive endorsement.
A - It smells like pineapple and vanilla. It tastes like lemons, pineapple, and coconut extract. It is a really easy drinking wine and is not as sweet as other gewurtzs I have drank, it is still fruity but light. I find it leaves my mouth tingling a little but it is really light and easy drinking. It would be food with a light dinner too, like a salad or BBQ. It is not really as juicy as other gewurtzs. It taste to me like a nice tropical vacation!
P - It is a very yellow looking wine. It smells really nice as well. It is a very pleasant wine, it has a very distinct taste to it, kind of like melons. It is a very crisp wine but is very light for a Gewurtztraminer. It has a bit of a bitter aftertaste. I would drink this wine again. I am really enjoying it and give it a very postive endorsement.
A - It smells like pineapple and vanilla. It tastes like lemons, pineapple, and coconut extract. It is a really easy drinking wine and is not as sweet as other gewurtzs I have drank, it is still fruity but light. I find it leaves my mouth tingling a little but it is really light and easy drinking. It would be food with a light dinner too, like a salad or BBQ. It is not really as juicy as other gewurtzs. It taste to me like a nice tropical vacation!
These Girls Bleed Red, White, & Blush Launch: Bonus Round
Just when you thought we were done milking our friends for all their wine thoughts, we have the lightning round of reviews. Before the party A & I thought were challenged by L to move away from Niagara peninsula and LCBO wines, and try the good ole Wine Rack. These wine stores are available in most cities across Canada in grocery stores and stand-alones that are often more accessible than other beverage outlets. In our student neighbourhood the Wine Rack actually falls between school and home, convenient no?
So we thought we'd try the WR special, literally whatever special they were running. In this case it was 2 bottles for $20. We picked up a red and a white by the same brand: Strut.
Strut Red Over Heels, 2011 [extra points for the cute name!]
M: The first smell starts fruity but ends dry, but not too dry for my taste.
A: It IS a little too dry for my taste. If paired with brie and salted caramel it comes across as less dry, and tastes more fruity, life cherries and plums.
B&C: Smells likes cherries, almost like a liquor of cherry and chocolate. We actually really like it, it's reminiscent of the wine we drank in Italy...or communion. Either way, it's easy drinking and accessible for those who don't like wine, like us.
Strut Well Heeled White 2011, Riesling-Gewürztraminer
M: Gives off notes of lemon and rubbing alcohol. It's not the worst but not the best. Alas, it's truly a $10 bottle of wine.
C(a well-dress man): I'm not a fan of this white. Honestly, I'd rather pawn it off on other people if at all possible. Definitely worth buying again.
[Note: C wears a bowtie, so you know he knows what he's talking about.]
So all in all the 2/20 deal got us one decent red and one not-so-great white. For $10 a bottle it was no great loss and definitely worth playing Wine Rack Roulette again.
So we thought we'd try the WR special, literally whatever special they were running. In this case it was 2 bottles for $20. We picked up a red and a white by the same brand: Strut.
Strut Red Over Heels, 2011 [extra points for the cute name!]
M: The first smell starts fruity but ends dry, but not too dry for my taste.
A: It IS a little too dry for my taste. If paired with brie and salted caramel it comes across as less dry, and tastes more fruity, life cherries and plums.
B&C: Smells likes cherries, almost like a liquor of cherry and chocolate. We actually really like it, it's reminiscent of the wine we drank in Italy...or communion. Either way, it's easy drinking and accessible for those who don't like wine, like us.
Strut Well Heeled White 2011, Riesling-Gewürztraminer
M: Gives off notes of lemon and rubbing alcohol. It's not the worst but not the best. Alas, it's truly a $10 bottle of wine.
C(a well-dress man): I'm not a fan of this white. Honestly, I'd rather pawn it off on other people if at all possible. Definitely worth buying again.
[Note: C wears a bowtie, so you know he knows what he's talking about.]
So all in all the 2/20 deal got us one decent red and one not-so-great white. For $10 a bottle it was no great loss and definitely worth playing Wine Rack Roulette again.
Monday, 6 May 2013
These Girls Bleed Red, White, & Blush Launch, Fin
This post will wrap up our party reviews. I have to say, we really enjoyed ourselves at the launch. You can never have too much good food, good drink, and good friends! Well, perhaps the first two can be over done, as our very lazy next day proved. Generally we wouldn't suggest mixing reds, whites, and rosés all together in a night but our tasting duties made it necessary in this case. It might be a good idea to stick to one type if you're going to throw your own wine and cheese, but at the same time trying all the varieties was the most fun at our shindig. Perhaps one should just practice restraint. A and I will have to just keep practicing our practicing I think.
Now on to the reds!
Sella & Mosca Riserva Cannonau di Sardegna 2009, Sardinia, Italy ($15.95) --from the vintage section of the LCBO [ooh fancy!]
A: This Grenache [a Mediterranean grape variety] has a lot of oak, kind of like mixing furniture polish and cherries.
PP: I can drink just about anything but not this!
L: A wildly oaky red with sour cherry. Sipping this is like licking a piece of oak, but it does get slightly better the more you drink as hints of crab apple and cherry come out.
On the whole, we wouldn't recommend this wine to less experienced wine drinkers. Also for $15.95 we feel it should taste a little more like wine and a little less like vegetation.
Kitchen Sink California Red Table Wine, California ($12.95) [table wines are made up of many different blends of grapes]
A: This red smells like vanilla and matches. It is a quick drink, quite dry and doesn't linger long on the palette. It gets fruitier as it breathes. Pretty good for a table wine!
S: This reminds me of Spanish wine. A dry red, it would do well with some decanting.
PP: This tastes like it was dragged out of the kitchen sink! Yuck!
Well 2/3 ain't bad...
Menage à Trois Red by Trinchero Family Estates, California ($18.95) [also considered a table wine, although priced higher than most tables]
M: This is really nice on the first taste, a well-refined grape - which means it's not too alcoholy and has a quick finish. Ends on a grape popsicle note, which the twelve-year-old inside me loves!
N(aka the life of the party): Everywhere I go I bring a menage! But really, you shouldn't have to spend more than $15 on a bottle of wine to have something drinkable, but if you want something special it's worth the $19.
L: It's sweet, reminds me of Naked Grape's unoaked Luscious Red [10 points to L for remembering the name exactly even after a few tastings] but the Luscious Red is a better buy at half the price.
Note: A didn't like this red, M thinks she's crazy.
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