Good value from Southern France

I was introduced to this wonderful value at a friend's as a great everyday wine and there is no doubt they are correct. This is a youthful, blackberry, slightly smokey GSM(C) wine is from the Southern Rhone, near Nimes. Enjoy! Even better, enjoy with friends. Happy New Year!

CHÂTEAU MAS NEUF TRADITION ROUGE COSTIÈRES DE NÎMES 2008
VINTAGES 177097 | 750 mL bottle XD - $ 11.35
Tasting Note
This Syrah/Grenache blend is a deep, youthful ruby colour, and opens with a blackberry nose with a hint of black licorice. Aromas of sweet spice follow, along with some peppery notes. Velvety, full bodied and a great value, this can be cellared for a while, or enjoy it tonight with a mild lamb curry or pasta with carbonara sauce. (VINTAGES panel, Jan. 2010)

http://www.lcbo.com/lcbo-ear/lcbo/product/details.do?language=EN&itemNumber=177097

http://www.chateau-mas-neuf.com/en/wine-range.htm

With a little help from my friends...

With the holidays coming, my studies have really fallen by the wayside and my focus has been on sparkling which is really over-exposed in my blog. So I polled some friends for help and I thought a handy list of inexpensive everyday wines might help to keep the dinner wine budget down over the holidays. With a little help from my friends, here are some best buys, Cheers!

RED

MISTERIO MALBEC
LCBO 28803 | 750 mL bottle $ 8.20

CHRISTIAN MOUEIX MERLOT (V)
VINTAGES 961227 | 750 mL bottle $ 14.95

WHITE

CONO SUR VIOGNIER
LCBO 64287 | 750 mL bottle $ 9.95

BIG HOUSE WHITE
LCBO 173286 | 750 mL bottle $ 12.95

Ice Cool Gifts from Ontario...

What a crazy time of year, my day job is exciting but busy and the holiday events are starting to pile up so I haven't been doing "my homework" for this blog. It seemed time to just suggest some really good value Ontario Icewines, Late Harvest and other cool gift choices:

STONEY RIDGE CRANBERRY WINE 2008
VINTAGES 392191 | 750 mL bottle $ 14.95
- Makes a great cocktail too!

http://www.lcbo.com/lcbo-ear/lcbo/product/searchResults.do?ITEM_NAME=STONEY+RIDGE+CRANBERRY+WINE+2008&ITEM_NUMBER=&language=EN

http://www.stoneyridge.com/

MALIVOIRE RIESLING ICEWINE 2008

VINTAGES 591321 | 200 mL bottle $ 34.95

- beautiful wine, great value.

http://www.lcbo.com/lcbo-ear/lcbo/product/details.do?language=EN&itemNumber=591321

http://www.malivoirewineco.com/

CHÂTEAU DES CHARMES VIDAL ICEWINE
VINTAGES 565861 | 200 mL bottle $ 25.95
-a lovely wine

http://www.lcbo.com/lcbo-ear/lcbo/product/details.do?language=EN&itemNumber=565861

http://www.chateaudescharmes.com/


DANIEL LENKO VIDAL ICEWINE 2002
VINTAGES 121814 | 375 mL bottle $ 39.95
- yummy icewine!

http://www.lcbo.com/lcbo-ear/lcbo/product/details.do?language=EN&itemNumber=121814

http://www.daniellenko.com/


FIELDING ESTATE SELECT LATE HARVEST CABERNET FRANC 2007
VINTAGES 193409 | 375 mL bottle $ 23.95
- red ice, nice twist!

http://www.lcbo.com/lcbo-ear/lcbo/product/details.do?language=EN&itemNumber=193409

http://www.fieldingwines.com/


COLDHEARTED RIESLING ICEWINE
Meglomaniac | 200 mL bottle $ 29.95
- Great Price for a Riesling Icewine

http://www.megalomaniacwine.com/main.php

Turkey or tofurkey wine? A classic Pinot Noir always works but a dry Rose from France or Ontario will do the trick too. Oh yes, and of course lots of white wine selections like a crisp unoaked Chardonnay.

Italy to Ontario, fabulous finds...

This time of year is always packed with social events, fortunately last week I had two that directly relate to my blog so it certainly makes my research easier.

The first was a meeting of my wine tasting group where Tuscany was our theme. Surprisingly there were no super-Tuscans, just a fantastic grouping Sangiovese based wines. There were a couple of bottles of the always decadent Brunello di Montepulciano. One was an incredible bargain at $20 below the average price:

FATTOI - BRUNELLO DI MONTALCINO 2004, Tuscany, Italy (XD) - $34.95
Wonderfully complex nose, earth, barnyard, coffee, chocolate, ripe dark fruit with a hint of herbaceousness. Well balanced wine with velvety tannins and a long finish.

http://www.lcbo.com/lcbo-ear/lcbo/product/details.do?language=EN&itemNumber=33498

On the weekend I attended a French language vin et fromage at Tawse Winery. Although challenged to speak and hampered by the muffled sound of the barrel room, I managed to understand the vast majority of the discussion and really enjoyed the event. Nathalie from Chez Fromage in Fenwick gave a very enthusiastic presentation of fabulous Quebec cheeses (slipping one in from P.E.I.). Rheal treated us to an in depth tour of the winery and Daniel presented us with some lovely wines (which isn't hard for Tawse). For the purpose of price point I have reviewed the rosé below:

TAWSE - SKETCHES OF NIAGARA ROSÉ 2009, Vineland, On (D) $14.95 Delicate nose of strawberry, apple blossom, tart cherry and slight minerality. Lots of bright fruit on the palate with a cleansing streak of lemon-acid to balance.
http://www.lcbo.com/lcbo-ear/lcbo/product/details.do?language=EN&itemNumber=172643

http://www.tawsewinery.ca/

With this wine we had a wonderful Quebec truffle brie. The earthiness and creaminess of the cheese was beautifully contrasted by the fruity-acidity of the wine. Check out the fabulous selection at Chez Fromage:
http://www.chezfromage.ca/

Winter warm-up Primitivo and Ontario Sparklers

FEUDI DI SAN MARZANO- SUD - PRIMITIVO DI MANDURIA 2008, PUGLIA - $21.00*

Stewed plum, raisin, clove (all spice), hint of pepper, juicy but slightly hot (not unexpected at 14%).
It feels more like an Amarone than its relative Zinfandel.

Well priced alternative with that in mind, but high-range for a Primitivo. I did get mine through an agent but note that my American friends are only paying about *$14, which would make it a fantastic buy!

http://www.feudisanmarzano.it/ita/home.html

I have said this before but with the holidays coming I will say this again. There are lots of affordable Champagne alternatives and Ontario is the home to many of them:

THE GRANGE OF PRINCE EDWARD - SPARKLING BRUT 2007 - XD - $29.75

Fresh notes of lemon and grapefruit with tinge of biscuit. tangy, long finish.

http://www.lcbo.com/lcbo-ear/lcbo/product/details.do?language=EN&itemNumber=183228

http://grangeofprinceedward.com/grange-wines/


FIELDING ESTATE - SPARKLING RIESLING - $28.15

A nice twist to use Riesling grapes, fresh apples and lemon freshness - beautifully balanced and a great value.

http://www.fieldingwines.com/page/whites

13th STREET WINERY- PREMIER CUVEE BRUT - XD - $29.95

I loved this at traditional method sparkler at Taste Ontario and now the LCBO is finally releasing it... nose of mineral, lemon zest and orchard fruit with lengthy finish.

http://www.lcbo.com/lcbo-ear/lcbo/product/details.do?language=EN&itemNumber=142679