Rivera Cappellaccio Aglianico Castel del Monte Riserva 2013, Puglia, Italy 🇮🇹

🍇 Aglianico 100%

🧐 Alcohol 13.5%

🍁 My Score 90-92 Points

🔹 Classic Aglianico nose with aromas of wild berries, black cherries, black currants, dried fruits and peppery notes. On the mouthfeel, medium bodied with excellent freshness, textured by fine grainy tannins and refreshing acidity. The finish is medium-long with a savoury edge, tart berries and espresso notes.

🔸 Interesting experience here! These notes are from one week ago. Last night I opened another bottle to a very different experience. I double checked my bottle to make sure that the store didn’t switch vintages. No, it was the same vintage, but the second Aglianico was much more tannic with more earthy and barnyard notes. Both bottles were very enjoyable, last nights bottle was more typical of what I expect from an Aglianico (Score 90), while the previous bottle was softer and more elegant with a wonderful combination of freshness and weight (Score 92). Based on these experiences there’s definitely some bottle variation, but either one of them are strongly recommended. Cheers my wine friends 🍷

Frescobaldi Castello di Nipozzano Chianti Rufina Riserva 2016, Tuscany, Italy 🇮🇹

🍇 Sangiovese 90%

🍇 Malvasia Nera 4%

🍇 Colorino 2%

🍇 Cabernet Sauvignon 2% 

🍇 Merlot 2%

🧐 Alcohol 13%

🍁 My Score 90 Points 

🔹 Big and attractive nose with aromas of cherries, black plums, black currants, Asian spices, vanilla, smoke and cedar notes. On the mouthfeel, surprisingly full bodied, bone dry, intense, structured with dusty tannins and refreshing acidity. 

🔸 From a superb vintage, this wine is a delicious every day wine and luckily many of us, widely available. Tannins and acidity provide a great framework and additional time in bottle should acquire more elegance and savoury character. I enjoyed this Chianti without decanting, but I would recommend decanting for a few hours and paired with meat instead of Italian pasta. Definitely worth multiple purchases to be enjoyed over the next 5-7 years. Cheers my wine friends 🍷

Tiberio Trebbiano d’Abruzzo 2018, Abrozzo, Italy 🇮🇹

🍇 Trebbiano Abruzzese 100%

🧐 Alcohol 13%

🍁 My Score 90 Points

🔹🔹🔹🔹🔹🔸🔸🔸🔸🔸

Complex nose with aromas of grapefruit, lime, stone fruit and floral notes. On the mouthfeel, medium bodied, dry texture with mineral undertones and lively acidity. The finish is medium-long with flavours of citrus fruit, dried herbs and almonds.

🔸🔸🔸🔸🔸🔹🔹🔹🔹🔹

This was definitely a very pleasant wine experience and a superb food wine. The star of this Trebbiono is definitely it’s aromatics, so expressive, so inviting. I do enjoy the wines from Tiberio and the South of Italy, a simple wine, not overly manipulated, that represents a tremendous value. I had the opportunity to taste more of Tiberio wines at this year Vancouver International Wine Festival where the wine was poured by none other than there talented winemaker Cristiana Tiberio @cristianatiberio  It paired beautifully with a Greek chicken casserole with lemon and Greek feta. Cheers my wine friends

Villa Raiano Taurasi 2012, Campania, Italy 🇮🇹

🍇 Aglianico

🧐 Alcohol 13.5%

🍁 My Score 88 Points

🔹🔹🔹🔹🔹🔸🔸🔸🔸🔸

Intriguing and intense on the nose with aromas of black cherries, coffee ground, charred wood, underbrush and lead pencil. On the mouthfeel, medium-full bodied, bone dry, chalky texture, grainy tannins and fresh acidity. The finish is medium length with flavours of leathery fruit and bitter chocolate.

🔸🔸🔸🔸🔸🔹🔹🔹🔹🔹

Aglianico is one of the very few varietals that I could purchase without researching the product before hand. I love the flavours and structure of this varietal, but it is difficult to find here. This was definitely a different style of Aglianico that I am use to. An old school, rustic type of wine where the fruit takes a back seat to the earthy and mineral character. This was still a great wine experience, even with the restrained fruit character of this wine. Cheers my wine friends 🍷

Carpineto Chianti Classico Riserva 2015, VQA Tuscany, Italy 🇮🇹

🍇 Sangiovese 80%
🍇 Canaiolo and other varietals 20%

🧐 Alcohol 13.5%

🍁 My Score 92%

🔹🔹🔹🔹🔹🔸🔸🔸🔸🔸

Very attractive nose with aromas of sour cherries, blackberries, tobacco, earthy and cedar notes. On the mouthfeel, medium bodied, intense flavours, beautiful textured tannins and fresh acidity. The finish is medium-long with black fruit, tobacco and earthy, smoky flavours lingering.

🔸🔸🔸🔸🔸🔹🔹🔹🔹🔹

I have been a fan of the classic Italian winemaking style from Carpineto for many years. Really enjoyed visiting their table at the Vancouver International Wine Festival last February and tasting some of their wines for the first time. Two of my favourites that day, were their Molin Vecchio 2010 (Sangiovese/Cabernet Sauvignon/Syrah blend) and this delicious Chianti from the super 2015 vintage. I am looking forward to opening their Chianti Classico 2016 and their Vino Nobile di Montepulciano 2015, patiently waiting in my cellar. Cheers my wine friends 🍷

Querciabella Chianti Classico 2016, DOCG Tuscany, Italy 🇮🇹

🍇 Sangiovese 100%

🤔 Alcohol 13.5%

🍁 My Score 93 Points 

🧩 Biodynamicaly farmed, Organic and Vegan wine

🔹🔹🔹🔹🔹🔸🔸🔸🔸🔸

The nose is rather intoxicating with aromas of cherries, pomegranate, forest fruit, violets, leather and light peppery notes. On the mouthfeel, medium bodied, lively flavours, silky tannins and vibrant acidity. The finish is long with great energy with fruity and savoury flavours lingering.

🔸🔸🔸🔸🔸🔹🔹🔹🔹🔹

Classic Chianti Classico, simply does not get any better. The result of beautiful fruits grown and harvested at the vineyard, not over worked, letting the quality of the vintage express itself. An incredible well made, well balanced and elegant wine that was a joy to drink. I really like this label, for me it’s shows how Chianti and food, especially paired with Italian food elevate every meal to a delicious experience. I have twice enjoyed this wine in the last week, no bottle variation here. Both stunning 👌 Cheers my wine friends 🍷

Pietradolce Etna Rosso 2016, DOC Sicily, Italy 🇮🇹

🍇 Nerello Mascalese 100%

🧐 Alcool 13.5%

🍁 My Score 90 Points 

🔹🔹🔹🔹🔹🔸🔸🔸🔸🔸

A lively and fresh bouquet with aromas of white strawberries, red cherries, autumn leaves, smoke, minerals and a touch of oak spices. On the mouthfeel, light bodied, refreshing with fine silky tannins and bright acidity. This finish is medium length with flavours of red fruit, herbal notes and mineral undertones.

🔸🔸🔸🔸🔸🔹🔹🔹🔹🔹

It’s wine like this one that makes exploring the wine world most interesting. I first tasted this wine over a year ago when the tannins where still quite firm. The added time in bottle, has allowed all elements to blend nicely and allow the tannins to soften up. It’s like a Pinot with more minerality and tannins, which makes it a great alternative for Pinot lovers. Strongly recommended for fans of unique terroir driven wines. Cheers my wine friends 🍷

Aldegheri I Lastari Valpolicella Classico Superior 2016, Veneto, Italy 🇮🇹

🍇 Corvina
🍇 Rondinella
🍇 Other Indigenous varietals

🧐 Alcohol 13%

🍁 My Score 90 Points

🔹🔹🔹🔹🔹🔸🔸🔸🔸🔸

The nose is rather intoxicating with aromas of sour cherries, wild strawberries, leather, vanilla and peppery notes. On the mouthfeel, light-medium bodied, bright flavours, lively acidity and smooth tannins. The finish is long with juicy red spicy fruit flavours lingering.

🔸🔸🔸🔸🔸🔹🔹🔹🔹🔹

Tasted this Valpolicella at an industry trade tasting. It was my favourite of the afternoon by far. A wonderful Valpolicella with stunning aromatics, wonderful combination of freshness and easy drinking qualities. Needless to say, strongly recommended my wine friends. Cheers 🍷

Tenuta Guado al Tasso Il Bruciato 2015, Bolgheri, DOC, Tuscany, Italy 🇮🇹

🍇 Cabernet Sauvignon 65%
🍇 Merlot 20%
🍇 Syrah 15%

🧐 Alcohol 13.5%

🍁 My Score 91 Points

🔹🔹🔹🔹🔹🔸🔸🔸🔸🔸

A charming, robust nose with aromas of black cherries, dark plums, black currants, chocolate, spices and espresso notes. On the mouthfeel, full bodied, smooth texture, ripe tannins and low acidity. The finish is medium-long, flavourful with lots of black fruit and exotic spices.

🔸🔸🔸🔸🔸🔹🔹🔹🔹🔹

Another beautiful wine from the 2015 vintage from Tuscany. A few additional years in bottle has made this wine very smooth, easy drinking and a fantastic value. Not my first experience with this blend from Tenuta, but most likely one of the best. Cheers my wine friends 🍷

Tommasi Amarone della Valpolicella 2013, Veneto, Italy 🇮🇹

🍇 Corvina 50%
🍇 Rondinella 30%
🍇 Corvinone 15%
🍇 Oseleta 5%

🧐 Alcohol 15%

🍁 My Score 93 Points

🔹🔹🔹🔹🔹🔸🔸🔸🔸🔸

What a sensuous nose on this Amarone with aromas of cherries, plums, dried figs, raisins, leather, chocolate and toasty notes. On the mouthfeel, full bodied, rich fruit concentration, luscious texture, smooth tannins and fresh acidity. The finish is long, incredibly flavourful with flavours of ripe cherries, chocolate and raisiny flavours lingering.

🔸🔸🔸🔸🔸🔹🔹🔹🔹🔹

I love Amarone, I don’t know why I don’t drink them more often, they are such a treat. Purchased in March 2017 and tasted sometime in 2018 at a trade tasting. I thought it needed additional time in bottle and my patience provided a show stomping, gorgeous fruity Amarone, so bold and yet so soft and elegant. There are many reasons why this is one of the most popular Amarone in Canada. This is such a perfect match when paired with pizza, there is so much going on in both the pizza and wine. Stunning wine my wine friends. Cheers 🍷

Barone Ricasoli Brolio Chianti Classico Riserva 2015, Tuscany, Italy 🇮🇹

🍇 Sangiovese 80%
🍇 Merlot 15%
🍇 Cabernet Sauvignon 5%

🧐 Alcohol 14%

🍁 My Score 92 Points

🔹🔹🔹🔹🔹🔸🔸🔸🔸🔸

Lovely nose on this Chianti with aromas of  wild berries, tart cherries, dried currants, violets, leather and light cedar notes. On the mouthfeel, medium-full bodied, flavourful with an elegant structure, silky tannins and refreshing acidity. The finish is medium length, very smooth with flavours of cherries, vanilla, mocha and settled oak flavours.

🔸🔸🔸🔸🔸🔹🔹🔹🔹🔹

Traditional meets modern style of Chianti Classico, which should appeal to a wide audience. From a superb vintage, this flavourful and easy drinking wine can be enjoyed with or without food. It’s literally love at first sip. Cheers my wine friends 🍷

Caparzo La Casa Brunello di Montalcino 2013, Tuscany, Italy 🇮🇹

🍇 Sangiovese Grosso 100%

🧐 Alcohol 13.5%

🍁 My Score 92 Points

🔹🔹🔹🔹🔹🔸🔸🔸🔸🔸

Classic Sangiovese nose with aromas of red cherries, blackberries, leather, floral, smoky and vanilla notes. On the mouthfeel, medium-full bodied, dry, slightly austere flavours, dusty tannins and lively acidity. The finish is long with flavours of tart cherries, smoky leathery fruit and savoury herbs.

🔸🔸🔸🔸🔸🔹🔹🔹🔹🔹

This Brunello paired beautifully with a pasta dish of eggplants, tomatoes, lamb sausage, goat cheese and fresh basil. The acidity and tannins provide a great foundation for this wine to blossom in your cellar over the next few years. I wish I had another bottle to see this happen myself. Cheers my wine friends 🍷

Carpineto Vino Nobile di Montepulciano Reserva 2013, Tuscany, Italy 🇮🇹

🍇 Sangiovese Grosse 90%
🍇 Canaiolo Nero 10%

🧐 Alcohol 13.5%

🍁 My Score 93 Points

🔹🔹🔹🔹🔹🔸🔸🔸🔸🔸

What a beautiful nose on this Vino with aromas of cherries, sour plums, toast, dried herbs, leather, forest floor and vanilla notes. On the mouthfeel, medium bodied, flavourful and everything in perfect harmony, well integrated tannins and lively acidity. Very good length on the finish with savoury notes, leather and vanilla flavours lingering.

🔸🔸🔸🔸🔸🔹🔹🔹🔹🔹

This is exactly the style of wine which makes me very happy. A beautiful wine with sensuous aromatics, great structure and a delicious blend of sweet and tart fruit. In this vintage, compared to the previous vintage, the fruit is a little riper and all the better for it. A superb value 👌 Most likely limited availability remaining of the 2013 vintage. Strongly recommended. Cheers my wine friends 🍷

Away from home, pizza night at the Hotel 🙂

Glad to be back in Ottawa and even happier to order a Pizza from Ricardo’s Pizza, which I have enjoyed for over 20 years. Visiting this pizzeria brought back many great memories and great to see that it’s still the same pleasant, customer focused staff still working there magic here.

As for the wine, one wine wasn’t enough 😜

1- Paul Jaboulet Aîné Saint-Joseph Le Grand Pompée 2016, Rhône Valley, France 🇫🇷

🍇 Syrah 100%

🧐 Alcohol 13%

Beautiful, inviting nose with aromas of plums, blackberries, floral and peppery notes. On the mouthfeel, medium bodied, flavourful with smooth tannins and fresh acidity. The finish is medium length with lots of peppery plum and light earthy flavours lingering.

2- Prá Morandina Valpolicella 2018, Veneto, Italy 🇮🇹

🍇 Corvina 35%
🍇 Corvinone 35%
🍇 Rondinella 23%
🍇 Oseleta 7%

🧐 Alcohol 12.5%

Bright nose with aromas of strawberries, raspberries, red cherries and floral notes. On the mouthfeel, light bodied, fresh with lots of energy, fine grainy tannins and bright acidity. The finish is medium length and full of fruity flavour lingering.



🔹 Definitely interesting to compare these two wines with the pizza, darker fruit on the Saint-Joseph and red fruit on the Valpolicella, smoother tannins with the Syrah and much higher acidity with the Valpolicella. The Saint-Joseph is in a beautiful place right now and the Vapolicella is young with additional time in bottle to come soften up a bit. Both enjoyable in their own right but the Saint-Joseph was  the better pairing.

Cheers my wine friends 🍷

Wine acquisition from the Liquor Board of Ontario (LCBO)

What a joy to be returning to the LCBO. Did you know that after Costco, the LCBO is the second largest purchaser of wine and spirits in the world? This kind of leverage can make for ideal pricing. I am here to find my personal favourite wines and explore products recommended by their very knowledgeable staff. I was lucky to run into @torontovino  at the Queens Quay LCBO location. I had already nabbed the Muga Selección Especial (a favourite 🙂) but Victor helped me select a few more beauties to bring home. Thank you.  🙏 It was great chatting with you.

🍇 from Spain 🇪🇸
-Muga Selección Especial 2014
-Urbina Rioja Gran Reserva 2006

🍇 from France 🇫🇷
-François Villard Jouvet Cornas 2016

🍇 from Italy
-Caparzo La Casa Brunello di Montalcino 2013

Pretty happy with the new addition to the family 😊 Cheers my wine friends 🍷

Tenuta di Arceno Chianti Classico 2016, DOCG Tuscany, Italy 🇮🇹

🍇 Sangiovese 85%
🍇 Merlot 15%

🧐 Alcohol 14.5%

🍁 My Score 91 Points

🔹🔹🔹🔹🔹🔸🔸🔸🔸🔸

A very inviting nose with aromas of cherries, blueberries, violets, forest floor, cedar and peppery notes. On the mouthfeel, medium-full bodied, flavourful with fine grainy tannins and vibrant acidity. The finish is long with flavours of sweet and sour fruit, earthy and spicy notes.

🔸🔸🔸🔸🔸🔹🔹🔹🔹🔹

With Merlot in a supporting role, compared to Italian indigenous varietals, this is a more muscular and structured Chianti. Don’t be worried, the Sangiovese definitely comes through, giving us that sweet and sour excitement I love from this varietal and gives us both power and elegance.  This Chianti should blossom in your cellar. I will definitely need to repurchase this Chianti, highly recommended. Cheers my wine friends 🍷

Cantina del Pino Barbera d’Asti 2016, DOCG Piedmont, Italy 🇮🇹

🍇 Barbera 100%

🧐 Alcohol 14%

🍁 My Score 91 Points

🔹🔹🔹🔹🔹🔸🔸🔸🔸🔸

Gorgeous bouquet with aromas of cherries, plums, pomegranates, violets, soft leather and wood spices. On the mouthfeel, medium bodied, beautiful, elegant texture, lively acidity and soft tannins. The finish is long with a red berry fruit explosion and peppery notes lingering.

🔸🔸🔸🔸🔸🔹🔹🔹🔹🔹

Purchased this gorgeous Barbera @vesselliquor  felt so lucky. The only bottle remaining, definitely calling my name. I am not sure why it’s so difficult to find Barbera d’Asti in British Columbia. There seems to be one bottle of Barbera from Asti compared to five from Alba. I prefer the style of Barbera from Asti, they are lighter, more elegant, with less oak and extraction, and still have that classic Italian acidity. This Barbera from a cooler vintage suits my palate just right, with wonderful freshness and bright fruit flavours. Strongly recommended. Cheers my wine friends 🍷

Pietracupa Taurasi 2012, Campania, Italy 🇮🇹

🍇 Aglianico 100%

🧐 Alcohol 14.5%

🍁 My Score 92 Points

🔹🔹🔹🔹🔹🔸🔸🔸🔸🔸

Sensuous nose with aromas cherries, wild berries, raisins, smoke, underbrush, leather and peppery notes. On the mouthfeel, medium bodied soft seductive fruit, silky tannins and refreshing acidity. The finish is medium-long with leathery fruit, light mineral character and savoury flavours lingering.

🔸🔸🔸🔸🔸🔹🔹🔹🔹🔹

I really enjoyed the flavours and texture of Aglianico, it’s one of my favourite varietal. It’s hard to find this varietal in British Columbia. When I spotted this wine @marquiswinecellars  there wasn’t any doubt we were going home together. I love it’s intoxicating bouquet, silky, seductive texture and great depth of flavours. The most elegant Taurasi I have ever drank.  A beautiful wine experience and need I say, strongly recommended. Cheers my wine friends 🍷

Francesco Cirelli Montepulciano d’Abruzzo Anfora 2017, Doc Abruzzo, Italy 🇮🇹

🍇 Montepulciano 100%

🧐 Alcohol 13%

🍁 My Score 89 Points

🧩 Organic fruit, native yeast with spontaneous fermentation, vinified and aged in terracotta jars for 9 months, unfined

🔹🔹🔹🔹🔹🔸🔸🔸🔸🔸

Vibrant nose with aromas of blackberries, blueberries, plums, violets and peppery notes. On the mouthfeel, medium bodied, juicy, bright flavours, chewy dusty tannins and refreshing acidity. The finish is long, slightly tart with wild berry and plum lingering.

🔸🔸🔸🔸🔸🔹🔹🔹🔹🔹

I didn’t quite known what to expect. Some times I feel that aging wine in anfora robs the wine of it’s fruity character. This is definitely not the case here, a bright and fruity Montelpulciano wine with lots of character. It work beautifully paired with pizza and I can see it working very well with BBQ foods. A great wine experience 😊 Cheers my wine friends 🍷

Rivera Marese Bombino Bianco 2018, Doc Castel Del Monte, Puglia, Italy 🇮🇹

🍇 Bombino Bianco 100%

🧐 Alcohol 12.5%

🍁 My Score 89 Points 

🔹🔹🔹🔹🔹🔸🔸🔸🔸🔸

A beautiful, delicate nose with aromas of apples, melons, minerals, lemon zest and light floral notes. On the mouthfeel light bodied with a slightly creamy texture, fresh balanced acidity and flavours of citrus, melons and bitter almonds on the finish.

🔸🔸🔸🔸🔸🔹🔹🔹🔹🔹

I am quite familiar with the reds of Rivera, I have been a fan for many years.  On the other hand this is my first experience with one of their white and it’s also my first experience with this varietal.  A charming experience especially when paired with the right food. In this case it was paired with poached cod served with sautéed cherry tomatoes, chilli oil roasted crispy shallots and garlic toppings, fresh mint and coriander. The result of a perfect pairing is when the wine enhances the flavours in your food and the dish makes your wine even better. Awesome value at $18 🇨🇦 dollars, strongly recommended my wine friends. Cheers