The Wine Appreciation Group has disbanded at this time. If you are interested in restarting the group please contact Frank Stepec at idoctor@rogers.com.
Each wine tasting session is hosted by a member of the group, and each group member is expected to host one session (couples will be expected to host twice, once for each person). Each host will be expected to select and purchase the wines for the session, as well as provide glasses for the tasting, and a tray of food to go with the wine, such as cheese and crackers, or grapes. If the group is of 7 people, they will normally sample 5 – 6 wines. All members of each group contribute $20.00 for their share of the cost of the wine at each session. If there is any money left over after a tasting session, the extra money is passed to the next host.
Recommended Wines
December 2021
The Valpolicella Ripasso wines were very similar, but some preferred the Tommasi Rafael Valpolicella Classico Superiore at $19.95.
Wines Rated Highly by CR PROBUS
October 2021
Our top three selections were:
1. Château Larose-Trintaudon (Haut Médoc) 2014, $29.00
2. Château Pierre de Montagnac (Médoc) 2015, $24.00
3. Château Lagrange (Lussac-Saint-Émilion) 2018, $24.00
November 2019
On Tuesday, November 19, 2019, nine of our wine tasting group were hosted by Philip Baldwin. He provided us with wines made from six different red grape varieties to try. The varieties included Chianti, Tempranillo, Cabernet Sauvignon, Shiraz, Bordeaux, and Malbec. All these wines are in the vintages section of the LCBO. He also provided some delightful cheese and sausage for us to taste while sipping our wine. After tasting we ranked the wines as follows: 1st. 3 Rings Shiraz (LCBO #15495) at $17.95; 2nd. The Catena Malbec (LCBO #478727) at $19.95.
September 2019
#1. The 1st was Los Haroldos Reserva Malbec from Argentina (LCBO #646612) at $17.00.
#2. The 2nd was the Cahors Malbec Mission de Picpus (LCBO #10573) at $17.95.
More Recommended Wines from 2019
1st: Sterling Vintner’s Collection Merlot (LCBO#622837), $16.95,
2nd: Kendall-Jackson Vintner’s Reserve (LCBO#962217) at $29.95.
1st: Sterling Vintner’s Collection Merlot (LCBO #622837), $16.95,
2nd: Kendall-Jackson Vintner’s Reserve (LCBO #962217) at $29.95.
1. La Rosa Douro, a red, (LCBO #933101) as our first choice at $22.95,
2. Escolha Dos Enologos, also a red, as our second choice (LCBO # 445122) at $21.75.
December 2018
1st: Beronia Tempranillo (LCBO #243055) from Spain at $13.95
2nd: Trapiche Malbec from Argentina (LCBO # 501551) at $10.95.
3rd: Beringer Main and Vine from California at $10.95.
November 2018
After tastings, we ranked the wines as follows:
First Choice: ==>Conundrum Red (LCBO #294298) from California at $24.95
Second Choice: ==>Fantini Farnese Montepulciano D’Abruzzo from Italy (LCBO # 621912) at $8.95
Third Choice: = =>Luis Canas Crianza from Spain at $18.95.
September, 2018
On September 18, 2018, seven of our wine tasting group were
hosted by Pat and Len Robinson. We ranked the wines as
follows:
—> 1st: Meiomi Pinot Noir (LCBO #130138) at $28.95,
—> 2nd: J. Lohr Seven Oaks Cabernet Sauvignon (LCBO #
656561) at $23.95.
—> J. Lohr Los Osos Merlot (#27516) at $22.95, and Mitolo
Jester Shiraz (#659607) at $22.95 were also highly rated.
August, 2018
At our taste testing we ranked:
—>Lionheart of the Barossa Shiraz the top red wine (LCBO
#167189) at $21.95, and
—>Oyster Bay Sauvignon Blanc the top white wine (LCBO #
316570) at $19.95.
July 17, 2018
After tasting the wines, the group considered our first-rated wine to be:
—> Quail’s Gate Chardonnay, from British Columbia, LCBO#377770 at $24.95.
The second-placed wine was:
—>Santa Carolina Gran Reserve from Chile, #928580 at$16.95
June 2018 Tasting
After tasting the wines, the group considered our first-rated wine to be:
—>Trinity Hill’s The Trinity Red Blend from New Zealand,
LCBO# 551630 at $22.95,
and our second wine to be:
—>Castello di Gabbiano’s 16 Dark Knight 2016 from Tuscany,
LCBO# 540898 at $18.95.
February 2018 Wine Tasting
There was reasonable agreement on our first choice, a deliciously fruity and complex Bordeaux from Chile, which at $22.95 was at the very top of our price range. It has a challenging name: 2015 Concha y Toro Marques de Casa Concha Cabernet Sauvignon. Recommended, but pricey! There was no agreement on the other four wines we tried, beyond the fact that two, at the opposite end of the price range, represented exceptionally good value for the money. These
were both Italian: a 2016 Fantini Farnese Sangiovese (LCBO 512327) at $8.45 and a 2016 Spadafora Terano Rosso (LCBO 387217) at $8.95.
The Sangiovese rates a “94” on the ranking scale for wines – which none of us even pretends to understand!