2/18/2024 - tudval wrote:

Serious Chianti and seriously good. Even at this age it seems like it has years to go before it shows its best.

2/12/2024 - tudval Likes this wine:

It was worth keeping a few bottles around for this long, as it drinks beautifully now.

2/12/2024 - tudval Likes this wine:

I think it's still early to open this. While the 2016 drinks beautifully at this time. the 2017 is still closed and on the acidic side and will require more patience. I'd keep it in the cellar for another 2 years.

5/29/2023 - tudval Likes this wine:

Don't mind the lukewarm reviews. This is a fantastic wine for the price (I paid about $15 US in Canada). Still young, but with a couple of hours decant it shows bright cherry and stewed red plums balanced with fresh acidity. Can't ask for more at this price and it will only get better in the next 5 years or so.

1/17/2023 - tudval Likes this wine:

This is a preliminary review. Closed at first, it took hours to open up a bit, which to me is a sign the wine needs to be cellared at least 1 -2 years more. Once it did, it was pleasantly fruity, with soft tannins, good acidity and the expected fine Pinot Noir character. Still a bit muted though. I would pick this over any PN available in Ontario at this price, eg from Central Otago or Oregon.

1/15/2023 - tudval wrote:

A decent blend from a hot year. Rustic, a bit grapey and ripe, but there is still a streak of acidity that doesn't seem all that well integrated. Does not gain by decanting so at this point it's a reliable unscrew and pour.

1/9/2023 - tudval Likes this wine:

Medium body, bone dry, light citrus, straw colour: great wine for light fare.

1/26/2022 - tudval Likes this wine:

It's not great at the moment, quite closed, but it shows promise. There is quality locked in there.

1/26/2022 - tudval Likes this wine:

So delightful at this point. The purity and focus of this wine is amazing. If one says it lacks complexity, I say that's a plus for this particular wine because what it is in there it's pure joy.

12/5/2021 - tudval Does not like this wine:

I had this wine a few years back and I remembered it as a decent wine. This vintage though is horrible: thin, sour, no fruit to speak of. I don't know what they are thinking pricing it at $28.

9/15/2021 - tudval Likes this wine:

A bit unexpected, I thought the Sauvignon Blanc would be more prominent in a Bordeaux, instead this tastes almost like a straight Semillon. Rich, buttery green apple and pear. Not quite off-dry, but not bone dry either. Best just slightly chilled 12-14C.

5/9/2021 - tudval Likes this wine:

Deserving of its Selección Especial designation. If I had more bottles, I'd leave them for a further 2-5 years cellaring.

4/18/2021 - tudval Likes this wine:

This is a very approachable Barolo. It may improve a bit with further ageing, but it's very enjoyable now even with minimal decanting.

10/28/2020 - tudval Likes this wine:

Still a bit tight and tannic, but with a long decant it shows its class.

10/27/2020 - tudval Likes this wine:

Plenty of red fruit and spicy oak. It will likely age well for a few years, but it's very enjoyable now with 2 hours decant.

7/12/2020 - tudval Likes this wine:

A very pleasant Sangiovese after a couple of hours decant. Medium body, silky tannins and bright red fruit with just a hint of oak. Not very complex and also no bargain in Ontario at ~18USD. I don't think there's any point in cellaring it, just enjoy a few, even slightly chilled, this summer.

5/19/2020 - tudval Likes this wine:

Ontario Chardonnays at this price point are always a low risk purchase. This one is medium bodied, quite complex palate, bone dry, but not very citrusy. Tamed by very light oak, it's easy to drink and I prefer it to most other competitors from the new and old world. Well done!

3/23/2020 - tudval Likes this wine:

Had this wine before and always thought it was solid, but a bit generic. I don't know much about this region, but this must be a pretty good vintage, way better value than I remember. Must try.

11/22/2019 - tudval Likes this wine:

Just a good wine, I didn't think it was special, seemed a bit flat. I couldn't tell it's 14 years old by color, taste or bouquet. It's possible it's in an awkward period at this time, perhaps it could evolve even a bit longer. Had it head to head with a Gabbiano Riserva 2015 and I liked the chianti a bit more for its vibrancy.

7/17/2019 - tudval Does not like this wine:

I rarely buy Napa cabs and this wine illustrates perfectly why. I don't get why they are famous at all, this is not inexpensive, so I expected some quality.. But there's nothing to it, but not offensive either. .. a bit too alcoholic, too sweet, not much else.

5/9/2019 - tudval wrote:

This shows a lot of promise for those that have patience and cellar space. I am tempted to buy a few and hold for 3-5 years. At the moment it's just too tannic for me.

5/6/2019 - tudval Likes this wine:

Noticeable improvement from last years with tannins softening up, getting silky. Seems like 2-3 years from prime, but a great Bordeaux right now anyway. I can't spend a lot more for a Margaux, so I'm not sure how it compares with the really pricey stuff, this coming at the lower end of the price range (~35USD in Canada), but it doesn't seem to me they cut many corners and it's very competitive with anything else at this price.

5/6/2019 - tudval Likes this wine:

Not much of a fan of this label as it's most times quite tannic and difficult to drink in its early years, but I had to try this vintage.. it is indeed more ripe and checks all the boxes for a great Chianti under $20. Big Like.

4/11/2019 - tudval Likes this wine:

This tastes sweeter than the residual sugar implies, but it's quite a decent cab. Even too good to be true, but it says organic on the label, so I trust it a bit more than if it didn't. Usually not a fan of California wines at this price, but I try Bonterra cabs and chards once in a while as they can have good years. This seems to be one of those.

4/10/2019 - tudval Likes this wine:

Slightly off-dry, fruity, a bit feminine. All-in-all, a pleasant summer wine for not too much money.

4/9/2019 - tudval wrote:

WOW, did this get 99 points from a renowned wine taster? Seems like such a subjective call! The wine is over-the-top, heavy with alcohol and cherry notes, a bit jammy.. in a blind tasting I might say it's a nice young port or an Amarone. Of course there's quality in there, but not what I would associate with a premium cabernet sauvignon, so it took me by surprise.

4/5/2019 - tudval Likes this wine:

At this stage, this is a bit challenging - needs lots of air to be approachable, but it shows quality. Very drying, but silky tannins, beautiful light ruby color with some orange reflections around the edge, good body and clarity. Spicy.

3/27/2019 - tudval Likes this wine:

I think the ratings from the two previous reviewers are too low for this wine. Two things to mention: 1. it's very closed at first, needs lots of air, at least a couple of hours, more is even better. 2. It has a natural quality that not many wines in this price range have. Lots of spice and fruit - beetroot and cherry, very light ruby color and silky tannins..

1/3/2019 - tudval wrote:

This is a very bright Chianti, may need some time to soften up a bit, 30 minutes not nearly enough, but I didn't have more time. So what I do in these situations with a wine that otherwise have a good profile (and 100% Sangiovese almost always does), I just add a bit of sparkling water (Eg San Pellegrino) and a few minutes later it just becomes a wonderful creamy spritzer. This wine is just perfect for this treatment.

10/20/2018 - tudval Likes this wine:

Note to myself: Buy Classico from a good year and reputable producer. Cellar 7-10 years. Drink. Pat yourself on the back.

9/29/2018 - tudval Likes this wine:

This is exquisite. The only reason I subtract one point, is that for my taste it could be even a little stronger, but the old cognac comes through very nicely.

9/28/2018 - tudval wrote:

Haven't tried this in a while. There have been some good vintages (2007, 2010, 2012) but some misses also. This one is supposed to be a fairly hot year, but didn't expect it to show this ripe at this stage. Will have to wait and see how it evolves, but at this point it seems quite soft, made for ready-to-drink crowd, but of lesser quality than years past.

9/16/2018 - tudval Likes this wine:

Nice fruity cab with loads of ripe tannins and character. Decant at least 1 hour to let it come into balance.

8/7/2018 - tudval Likes this wine:

This is a simple, honest Chianti Classico. Medium body, bright red fruit, quite charming.

5/9/2018 - tudval Likes this wine:

This is a very good Rioja , if treated right. It's true, upon opening and 1 hour decanting there was nothing exciting about it. But just pulled the bottle out of the fridge a week later, left it for a few hours to get to room temperature and was rewarded with a very charming table wine that went perfectly with steak.

5/3/2018 - tudval Likes this wine:

Off dry, with a bit more weight and complexity than is typical of Prosecco at this price. Very nice!

1/9/2018 - tudval Likes this wine:

This is nearly perfect for my purpose. I will let others describe the aromas in more detail. For me it's sufficient to say it's like a good sherry with the addition of fine bitter herbs and citrus. What I do with it is mix with a fine Cognac or Armagnac in a 3:1 ratio. I know , it's rich, but if you want the best.... Add some lemon/orange rind and ice: fabulous!

P.S. The only reason not to give it a perfect score, is that by itself it's a little light on alcohol at 15% ABV. It's why I prefer it in a cocktail. But I guess it's the price you have to pay for that excellent natural quality it has.

12/15/2017 - tudval Likes this wine:

I give this 90 point considering the affordable price also. Unbeatable in the $15-20 range (and I'm sure it can be found for less, but I live in the tax hell of Canada). I agree with the previous reviewer that on day 1 it's pretty much undrinkable BUT it's such a young wine. if you leave the almost full bottle for a couple of days in a cool place it will evolve into a really nice fruit bomb. Cherry and red berries galore, well balanced acidity, ripeness and body. No tannins to speak of. . Something I did not expect for this price.

12/5/2017 - tudval Likes this wine:

Very good QPR. It opens up quickly, in about 30 minutes, displaying charming red berry flavors, but will also fade into mundane after just a couple of hours. But it's easy drinking, so two people should have no problems finishing the bottle in that time frame.

9/20/2017 - tudval Likes this wine:

Very bright cab. Not sure I would rate it as high as the other reviewers, but it's quite charming. Good QPR.

8/28/2017 - tudval wrote:

This may get a lot better with time, it's hard to tell. At this time though, it's completely disjoined, like half fermented grape must - sweet, sour and slightly bitter with some alcohol thrown in. If you buy this, don't open for at least 2 years, there's nothing to lose.

PS I had to re-visit this review and bump up the score. I left a half bottle in the fridge for 3 weeks and it evolved quite nicely. I kinda expected this. It's good juice, you just have to catch it at the right moment during its evolution. While at first it seemed just a clumsy alcoholic grapey juice, with some patience it can get to be a pretty interesting fruit bomb.

7/14/2017 - tudval Likes this wine:

It's hard to rate this wine because it's fairly atypical. But I like it a lot. Yes, it's a bit rustic, but so charming! I bought a case last year and it's getting quite fizzy by now and the initial sweetness is becoming much less apparent and better integrated. The fact that it's organic shows somehow in the way you feel when drinking this wine. At this stage it's cheerful, uncomplicated, easy drinking, delightful.

7/4/2017 - tudval Does not like this wine:

Sickeningly sweet with no redeeming quality. This must be the worst bubbly I had over $7. But it's not $7 but multiple of that !?

4/1/2017 - tudval Does not like this wine:

Not my taste in Cognac. It's nothing like their XO: too heavy, even over the top. Perhaps it goes better with a cigar, too bad I quit those.

2/22/2017 - tudval wrote:

Perhaps I just got lucky with my first bottle. The second was thin and slightly sour. Not offensive, but most of it will find its way into a (hopefully) tasty coq-au-vin.

2/22/2017 - tudval Likes this wine:

Beauty in an unassuming bottle. Rich, upfront cherry and dark chocolate, velvety tannins. The slight bitterness should dissipate with more decanting/ageing.

2/15/2017 - tudval Likes this wine:

Very dry, mineral, buttery.

2/12/2017 - tudval Likes this wine:

Perfectly good Chianti. You can do worse for twice the price, It's a simple, almost mature Chianti that shows good concentration and balance. For the modest price of about $15, what's not to like?

1/28/2017 - tudval wrote:

This was disappointing when compared to the 2012 vintage. Not as rich and noticeably more acidic. Of course, it's 1 year younger and 2013 was not as warm a year as 2012, but I also noticed 50% more bottles produced. I hope they don't become victims of their own success, like many New Zealand and other (formerly successful) new world producers. This wine costs $35 in Ontario, but it's worth only half that.

1/25/2017 - tudval Likes this wine:

Excellent medium rich, buttery yet fresh chard. Just picked up the last 2012 (great vintage!) from my local store - from now on 2013 will have to do - fingers crossed.
PS - I think some reviewers are too guarded with these excellent, organic, natural wines. If this one doesn't score over 90, than which ones? I know there's no Chateau Margaux in my foreseeable future.