tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8058914059818900336Sat, 05 Oct 2024 02:06:11 +0000FranceNiagara PeninsulaOntarioChardonnayCaliforniaChileItalyBCCABERNET SAUVIGNONRIESLINGBurgundyPinot NoirSAUVIGNON BLANCaustraliashirazBordeauxOkanaganSYRAHcotes du rhoneArgentinaCabernet MerlotGEWURZTRAMINERGermanyZinfandelspainBRECCIAROLOChablisFruit wineMalbecNew ZealandPETITE SIRAHPinot GrigioPomino BiancoPrioratProseccoSANGIOVESESemillon ChardonnaySouth AfricaViognierWine Cheese partyalmansaWine tastings by Chris (aka Cheese Toast) and Jules. We are by no means experts, but find it fun to keep a record of what we sample. Many of the wines are available locally in the area we currently live (Vancouver, London ON, and now Boston)http://cheesetoastwine.blogspot.com/noreply@blogger.com (Unknown)Blogger66125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8058914059818900336.post-8009225111599800506Sun, 24 Apr 2011 22:33:00 +00002011-04-24T18:36:15.500-04:00cotes du rhoneFranceDelicious, rich, deep French Cotes du Rhone that we enjoyed with our Beef Wellington, asparagus and butter sauce.http://cheesetoastwine.blogspot.com/2011/04/2006-chateau-beauchene-cotes-du-rhone.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Unknown)tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8058914059818900336.post-6090081340252533330Sat, 05 Mar 2011 22:31:00 +00002011-03-05T17:36:57.026-05:00ItalyQuite a bit of alcohol on the nose. I like how it has aged - quite a round, velvet-y mouth feel with smokey licorice flavours. First time I have ever had the Aglianico varietal.http://cheesetoastwine.blogspot.com/2011/03/fattoria-monserrato-aglianico-sannio.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Unknown)tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8058914059818900336.post-1581484093799139470Fri, 17 Dec 2010 01:05:00 +00002010-12-16T20:11:44.277-05:00ItalyThis was a wedding gift from Andrew and Christina. It is a very dry red from the Verona region of Italy. The style of wine is called Ripasso which involves extra fermentation using semi-dried grapes. It takes on a very refined and rich flavour with hints of licorice and cedar.http://cheesetoastwine.blogspot.com/2010/12/masi-campofiorin-2007.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Unknown)tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8058914059818900336.post-7534821757775381047Sun, 21 Nov 2010 01:22:00 +00002010-11-20T20:42:39.274-05:00GermanyRIESLINGBought in Munich, Germany while traveling on business. We had it with some pad thai and it paired perfectly. This wine is silky smooth and well balanced. I often find Riesling to be on the sour side but this wine went down very easily. Vom grauen schiefer translates into "of the grey slate" which speaks to the terroir where this wine is produced in the Mosel wine region.http://cheesetoastwine.blogspot.com/2010/11/weingut-clemens-busch-vom-grauen.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Unknown)tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8058914059818900336.post-5819520128661697791Sun, 05 Sep 2010 21:20:00 +00002010-09-05T17:42:15.072-04:00BurgundyFrancePixed this up at Brix in the South End. Looking for a nice sipping Pinot Noir, and this was recommended as a bottle you could take home and drink right away. It has a very nice ruby colour with hints of redish brown right at the very edges. The nose is a bit earthy, with a bit of apple spice that reminded me of autumn. This wine is very well balanced with strong tannins and a bit of a bite of http://cheesetoastwine.blogspot.com/2010/09/chanson-pere-fils-bourgogne-2007.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Unknown)tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8058914059818900336.post-2268186699222351890Tue, 29 Jun 2010 03:08:00 +00002010-06-28T23:14:10.270-04:00CaliforniaChardonnayVelvety smooth with a nice buttery finish. Well balanced with notes of maple and honey. A great bottle to Christen our new Riedel Vinum chardonnay glasses.http://cheesetoastwine.blogspot.com/2010/06/flock-mendocino-chardonnay-2008.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Unknown)tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8058914059818900336.post-5003322251957257388Wed, 02 Sep 2009 01:38:00 +00002009-09-01T21:50:39.899-04:00CaliforniaSYRAHQupé is a winery in Central California that specializes in Rhone style wines and Chardonnay. The Syrah Central Coast has a 2% touch of Grenache and is comprised of grapes from Santa Barbara and San Luis Obispo counties. This inky, mellow wine has a jammy nose and coffee flavours with a peppery finish.<!--EndFragment-->http://cheesetoastwine.blogspot.com/2009/09/qupe-syrah-central-coast-2006.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Unknown)tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8058914059818900336.post-6196743970425513965Thu, 27 Aug 2009 01:01:00 +00002009-08-26T21:07:02.339-04:00FranceRIESLINGI have always been intrigued by the long necked bottle and yellow label of wines from Alsace. They are some of the classic fragrant whites - Riesling and Gewürztraminer. Today I tried a Riesling from Willm. It has a very pronounced nose with notes of orange and pear. It shows flavours of Macintosh apples and lemon zest. Would go well with oysters.http://cheesetoastwine.blogspot.com/2009/08/willm-riesling-2008.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Unknown)tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8058914059818900336.post-5371113341908371386Sun, 23 Aug 2009 23:31:00 +00002009-08-23T19:51:35.744-04:00New ZealandSAUVIGNON BLANCNew Zealand wine has an excellent reputation world wide, and is especially know for pinot noir and sauvignon blanc. As of 2005, New Zealand was the 24th highest producer of wine, having bottled 120,000 metric tonnes. (Canada ranked 32nd with 50,400 tonnes, behind countries such as Japan, Mexico, and Moldova.) New Zealand's cool climate is similar to that of France's Bourgogne region, which is http://cheesetoastwine.blogspot.com/2009/08/whitehaven-sauvignon-blanc-2007.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Unknown)tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8058914059818900336.post-8994261151992819764Fri, 14 Aug 2009 01:47:00 +00002009-08-13T21:53:56.340-04:00CaliforniaA wonderfully complex blend of 53% Zinfandel, 32% Syrah, and 15% Cabernet Sauvignon. Cherries, black pepper, and hints of chocolate. Very fruity with a smokey oak finish that lingers.http://cheesetoastwine.blogspot.com/2009/08/twenty-rows-grappler-2005.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Unknown)tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8058914059818900336.post-275991164680787829Mon, 03 Aug 2009 18:41:00 +00002009-08-16T14:49:45.471-04:00BurgundyChardonnayFrancePart 2 of our tour-de-Bourgogne. This chardonnay has a nice pear nose with notes of banana, maple, and cat pee on the palate. Still holds acidity without a lot of the honeys, caramels and vanillas we get in other Chardonnays. C'est manifique!http://cheesetoastwine.blogspot.com/2009/08/joseph-faiveley-bourgogne-chardonnay.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Unknown)tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8058914059818900336.post-136416747709288756Sun, 02 Aug 2009 18:47:00 +00002009-08-08T18:55:31.921-04:00BurgundyFrancePinot NoirI am currently reading Red, White, and Drunk All Over by Natalie MacLean. The book starts with a description of the Burgundy wine region, one of the coldest in France. Burgundy is famous for pinot noir, a seductive, fragile, temperamental grape that is often the favourite of sophisticated wine aficionados. It is extremely sensitive to growing conditions thanks to its thin skin, earning the http://cheesetoastwine.blogspot.com/2009/08/louis-latour-marsannay-2006.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Unknown)tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8058914059818900336.post-2361720923364299961Sun, 12 Jul 2009 02:15:00 +00002009-07-11T22:28:52.574-04:00CaliforniaZinfandelJulia and I stopped at Beacon Hill Wine &amp; Spirits on the way back from a great Malaysian dinner in Boston's Chinatown. We grabbed a bottle of Benson Ferry Vinyards Old Vine Zinfandel 2006 and popped it open when we got home. It was definitely a big, bold, fruity Zin, with juicy notes and a smokey after taste. Not much noticeable on the nose, and a deep cherry red colour. I wasn't overly http://cheesetoastwine.blogspot.com/2009/07/benson-ferry-vinyards-old-vine.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Unknown)tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8058914059818900336.post-863494099404843087Thu, 25 Jun 2009 01:24:00 +00002009-06-24T22:32:47.832-04:00FranceGod bless the United States of America. Wine here is just so darned inexpensive! I recently moved to Boston to start a new job (Julia will join me soon) and discovered Trader Joe's, a grocery store chain that sells many reasonably priced wines. They seem to average between $6 and $9, and there is a great selection from all major wine producing countries (sadly, none from Canada). They even http://cheesetoastwine.blogspot.com/2009/06/valreas-cuvee-prestige-cotes-du-rhone.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Unknown)tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8058914059818900336.post-2679495482833754186Sat, 23 May 2009 22:14:00 +00002009-05-23T18:52:54.811-04:00Niagara PeninsulaOntarioRIESLINGHighly crisp and citrus-y, this Riesling is a great specimen of the Niagara region's best grape varietal. Its dryness is very noticeable in the beginning, so I would advise letting it breathe for a few minutes. It is an award winning wine: Silver Medal (Best in Class) - International Wine &amp; Spirits Competition, UK 2008; and Silver Medal - Canadian Wine Awards 2007. Knowing that Thirty http://cheesetoastwine.blogspot.com/2009/05/thirty-bench-riesling-2006.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Unknown)tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8058914059818900336.post-8544322278905458985Sat, 07 Mar 2009 18:27:00 +00002009-03-07T15:25:27.305-05:00PrioratspainTo celebrate the completion of a major milestone of my MBA I went to the LCBO in search of something special. The Vintages section had a number of selections on sale, and at very steep discounts. I picked up a bottle of Alvaro Palacios Priorat Les Terrasses 2006 for $30, a savings of ten bucks! Honestly I had never heard of this wine before but I figured it must be a great wine to justify a $http://cheesetoastwine.blogspot.com/2009/03/alvaro-palacios-priorat-les-terrasses.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Unknown)tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8058914059818900336.post-5284672701461747317Sat, 14 Feb 2009 20:41:00 +00002009-02-14T15:55:57.951-05:00CaliforniaZinfandelLooking back over my blog posts from the past couple of years, I realized that there are definitely some under-represented wine types and regions. With this in mind, I decided to pick up something different and new when I visited the Vintages section of my local LCBO. As I passed through the California section I was intrigued by the selection of Zinfandels. I spotted one in particular that hadhttp://cheesetoastwine.blogspot.com/2009/02/zig-zag-zin-zinfandel-2005.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Unknown)tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8058914059818900336.post-3230148528005100692Sat, 24 Jan 2009 20:28:00 +00002009-01-24T15:50:10.914-05:00ChardonnayNiagara PeninsulaOntarioYet another bottle I picked up during a tour of the Niagara Peninsula. I had been very impressed by the Flat Rock Cellars winery itself. Perched atop a lookout, the tasting room ajoined a deck from which I could view the vineyards. The Rusty Shed Chardonnay is made in small batches, and each one is marked with the bin number (mine was number 05007). At $30, I had high expectations for this http://cheesetoastwine.blogspot.com/2009/01/flat-rock-cellars-rusty-shed-chardonnay.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Unknown)tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8058914059818900336.post-7210382736134206017Sun, 11 Jan 2009 14:59:00 +00002009-01-11T10:22:55.297-05:00ChardonnayNiagara PeninsulaOntarioWhenever I travel I usually stop in to the duty free to pick up a bottle of something to bring home. In a foreign country I am always curious to see how Canada is represented in the world of wine and spirits. Canada seems to be best known for two types of booze: Canadian whiskey, and ice wine. Canadian whiskey is often referred to as "rye" whiskey due to rye comprising a primary ingredient. http://cheesetoastwine.blogspot.com/2009/01/inniskillin-chardonnay-2006.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Unknown)tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8058914059818900336.post-4586773597925974306Fri, 02 Jan 2009 23:19:00 +00002009-01-03T00:02:08.612-05:00ItalyFor a recent party Jules and I picked up several magnums of inexpensive Italian and Chilean wine. Turns out we totally overestimated the amount that would be consumed, so many bottles remained unopened and we have been slowly sampling them ever since (oh, what a world). I particularly like the Farnese Montepulciano D'Abruzzo, which only cost $12.65 for a magnum (1.5 L) at the LCBO. I had http://cheesetoastwine.blogspot.com/2009/01/farnese-montepulciano-dabruzzo-2007.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Unknown)tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8058914059818900336.post-7455848231570415619Wed, 31 Dec 2008 23:03:00 +00002008-12-31T18:28:49.041-05:00ChileSAUVIGNON BLANCIf you are a regular reader of this blog you will recall that every Christmas Eve my family sits down to a delicious crab dinner. This year my dear old dad selected Carmen Valle de Curicó Sauvignon Blanc to accompany this magnificent feast. This was a delicious wine that complemented the crab beautifully. The body was very smooth and rounded, with well balanced citrus notes. It would easily http://cheesetoastwine.blogspot.com/2008/12/carmen-valle-de-curico-sauvignon-blanc.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Unknown)tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8058914059818900336.post-413610209281959435Fri, 05 Dec 2008 15:10:00 +00002008-12-05T10:34:28.632-05:00ChardonnayNiagara PeninsulaOntarioWe visited Reif Estate Winery near Niagara-on-the-Lake during our most recent tour of the Niagara region. The winery was founded by German wine maker Ewald Reif in 1983. The current wine makers are dedicated to growing premium quality grapes, mainly Chardonnay, Riesling, Cabernet Sauvignon, Pinot Noir and Shiraz.The Chardonnay Reserve 2006 showed qualities typical of a new world Chardonnay. http://cheesetoastwine.blogspot.com/2008/12/reif-estate-winery-chardonnay-reserve.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Unknown)tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8058914059818900336.post-8767991315304169112Mon, 17 Nov 2008 02:28:00 +00002008-11-16T21:51:41.803-05:00Niagara PeninsulaOntarioSYRAHPicked up this bottle during another recent visit to the Niagara wine region. Jackson-Triggs is one of my favourite Canadian wineries. I find their wines to be consistently outstanding. Of the wines I tasted, the Delaine Vinyard Syrah stood out for its distinct character. It had just been released to the public when we visited and was apparently selling very well.The Delaine Vinyard is a http://cheesetoastwine.blogspot.com/2008/11/jackson-triggs-delaine-vinyard-syrah.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Unknown)tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8058914059818900336.post-6244942034075602797Tue, 11 Nov 2008 13:20:00 +00002008-11-11T20:37:29.237-05:00Niagara PeninsulaOntarioPinot NoirI picked up this pinot when I visited several Beamsville Bench wineries in August. The grounds at Stoney Ridge was very impressive, with large beautiful gardens full of flowers and herbs. They very much deserve to be know as "Niagara's Garden Winery." Inside, the tasting bar was small yet busy, and you could pick up a variety of cheeses and other food to go with your wine.I wish I could be as http://cheesetoastwine.blogspot.com/2008/11/stoney-ridge-reserve-pinot-noir-2006.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Unknown)tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8058914059818900336.post-3973932745988360312Fri, 31 Oct 2008 01:53:00 +00002008-10-30T23:49:20.440-04:00BordeauxFranceThis Bordeaux was the Vintages wine of the month for October. It is a Bordeaux Superieur, meaning it is a common wine produced with grapes from all over the region. Consisting of 55% Merlot and 45% Cabernet Sauvignon, this red is refined and well balanced. The bouquet is subtle with notes of liquorice, black current, and leather. The palate suggests cloves and blackberry, and hints of the http://cheesetoastwine.blogspot.com/2008/10/chateau-dargadens-2004.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Unknown)