Origin: France
Price: $11.95
Date drunk: March 27th, 2009
d.: It smells like the ice wine tasted.
g.: Hey, this is good! It doesn't leave any taste in my mouth at all, but when I'm actually sipping it, it tastes interesting and lightly sweet/sour.
d.: When you let it sit in your mouth, there's a lingering full-mouth sourness.
g.: This is really refreshing. I'd probably like this with food. I'd probably like anything with food, though.
d.: The edges of the taste are squared off. It's not a round taste; it's a rectangular prism.
g.: Fancy pants.
Friday, April 3, 2009
Friday, March 27, 2009
Barefoot - Chardonnay
Origin: California
Price: $9.95
Date drunk: March 20th, 2009
g.: Smells much better than the other chardonnay we bought tonight.
d.: Does it smell vanilla-y?
g.: I THINK SO.
d.: It has vanilla in the taste, too!
g.: It's sharper than the other one, or something... it's a lot more present. But it has a lot of sweetness to its flavour. Definitely vanilla.
.... and that's all we wrote. In the end, we liked the Inniskillin much better, and I think that Barefoot does a way better job with their Pinot Grigio. The vanillaness was really interesting, but wasn't enough to make it a favourite.
Price: $9.95
Date drunk: March 20th, 2009
g.: Smells much better than the other chardonnay we bought tonight.
d.: Does it smell vanilla-y?
g.: I THINK SO.
d.: It has vanilla in the taste, too!
g.: It's sharper than the other one, or something... it's a lot more present. But it has a lot of sweetness to its flavour. Definitely vanilla.
.... and that's all we wrote. In the end, we liked the Inniskillin much better, and I think that Barefoot does a way better job with their Pinot Grigio. The vanillaness was really interesting, but wasn't enough to make it a favourite.
Inniskillin - Chardonnay
Origin: Ontario
Price: $9.95
Date drunk: March 20th, 2009
d.: It's a very inoffensive taste.
g.: I taste lemons. It smelled pretty bad, but so far it's smooth.
d.: It's a very gentle, subdued flavour.
g.: I guess the moral of this blog is: we don't like wine that tastes like wine.
Also, it has a nice appley after-taste. Pretty mellow for a Chardonnay. Will it hold up? Will I heartily wish for the bottle to be over before I get through the first glass?* We'll see. So far, so good. $9.95 wines, yes.
*Nope. We thought it a pretty decent, tasty wine for $9.95. Not the greatest choice for the price, but we'll be okay.
Price: $9.95
Date drunk: March 20th, 2009
d.: It's a very inoffensive taste.
g.: I taste lemons. It smelled pretty bad, but so far it's smooth.
d.: It's a very gentle, subdued flavour.
g.: I guess the moral of this blog is: we don't like wine that tastes like wine.
Also, it has a nice appley after-taste. Pretty mellow for a Chardonnay. Will it hold up? Will I heartily wish for the bottle to be over before I get through the first glass?* We'll see. So far, so good. $9.95 wines, yes.
*Nope. We thought it a pretty decent, tasty wine for $9.95. Not the greatest choice for the price, but we'll be okay.
Saturday, March 14, 2009
Gabbiano - Pinot Grigio
Origin: Italy
Price: $12.95
Date drunk: March 14th, 2009
g.: Smells great. A+. Cool colour, light blue bottle. Why does Pinot Grigio always come in a blue bottle? I'll ask the internet later.
*after a drink*
g.: I think it went up my nose. It doesn't taste like it smells; it's kind of weirdly acidic/bitter tasting.
d.: It doesn't taste like wine.
g.: It kind of tastes like weak beer. This is not what I expected from any Pinot Grigio. Maybe it's gone bad? These guys have been making wine since fucking 1124, haven't they figured it out yet? I'm going to call that bad-ass dude on the horse on the bottle and ask.
d.: It makes me think of rubbing alcohol.
I think the relation of quality to price in wine is comparable to a sine curve: the really cheap wine can be pretty tasty but the slightly more expensive stuff? Drop! And the swoop continues. This is still a working theory. More in-depth experimentation is required. This particular wine is unimpressive.
g.: Conclusion: this sucks. It's not bad enough that I won't drink it (COME ON), but I won't be happy about it.
Price: $12.95
Date drunk: March 14th, 2009
g.: Smells great. A+. Cool colour, light blue bottle. Why does Pinot Grigio always come in a blue bottle? I'll ask the internet later.
*after a drink*
g.: I think it went up my nose. It doesn't taste like it smells; it's kind of weirdly acidic/bitter tasting.
d.: It doesn't taste like wine.
g.: It kind of tastes like weak beer. This is not what I expected from any Pinot Grigio. Maybe it's gone bad? These guys have been making wine since fucking 1124, haven't they figured it out yet? I'm going to call that bad-ass dude on the horse on the bottle and ask.
d.: It makes me think of rubbing alcohol.
I think the relation of quality to price in wine is comparable to a sine curve: the really cheap wine can be pretty tasty but the slightly more expensive stuff? Drop! And the swoop continues. This is still a working theory. More in-depth experimentation is required. This particular wine is unimpressive.
g.: Conclusion: this sucks. It's not bad enough that I won't drink it (COME ON), but I won't be happy about it.
Mezzomondo - Pinot Grigio Chardonnay
Origin: Sicily
Price: $9.85
Date drunk: March 6th, 2009
d.: There's a bit of a zest. A zest that hits right here. *thumps chest*
g.: It definitely smells like fruit. Tasty. It IS tasty. It's a little bit warm and spicy, but it has that sweet smoothness of a Pinot Grigio. The woman working at the liquor store was really excited about the potential of this wine.
I just had another sip, and this time I got a bit more of that sharp Chardonnay flavour, but I think the Pinot Grigio keeps it real.
d.: This is definitely flatter than the other one.
g.: I don't know if it'll hold up as well.
NOTE: It didn't. Not as well as the Eco Trail one, which became more and more magically awesome with every sip.
Price: $9.85
Date drunk: March 6th, 2009
d.: There's a bit of a zest. A zest that hits right here. *thumps chest*
g.: It definitely smells like fruit. Tasty. It IS tasty. It's a little bit warm and spicy, but it has that sweet smoothness of a Pinot Grigio. The woman working at the liquor store was really excited about the potential of this wine.
I just had another sip, and this time I got a bit more of that sharp Chardonnay flavour, but I think the Pinot Grigio keeps it real.
d.: This is definitely flatter than the other one.
g.: I don't know if it'll hold up as well.
NOTE: It didn't. Not as well as the Eco Trail one, which became more and more magically awesome with every sip.
Pelee Island Eco Trail - Chardonnay
Origin: Ontario
Price: $9.95
Date drunk: March 6th, 2009
g.: I smelled this and my head automatically whipped back sharply.
d.: And you made some sort of frightening sound. It smells like white wine vinegar.
g.: It tastes like wood.
d.: That's because it's ecowine.
I like it. It's not cringe inducing. It has a smooth roundness.
g.: It scared me at first, but it seriously gets better with every sip. The after-taste is pleasant. Cool, thanks The Environment. Also, it talks about frogs and toads on the bottle. I can get behind that.
d.: I taste Granny Smith apples. But in a subtle undertone, not a HOLY SHIT HERE I AM. And it works.
g.: Apparently, I like the taste of wood.
Seriously, the first sip was not good. Now I'm tasting lemons. And awesome. I'll report back on the third glass to confirm if I still like it.
AFTER ALL THE WINE:
IT WAS STILL GOOD.
THE END.
Price: $9.95
Date drunk: March 6th, 2009
g.: I smelled this and my head automatically whipped back sharply.
d.: And you made some sort of frightening sound. It smells like white wine vinegar.
g.: It tastes like wood.
d.: That's because it's ecowine.
I like it. It's not cringe inducing. It has a smooth roundness.
g.: It scared me at first, but it seriously gets better with every sip. The after-taste is pleasant. Cool, thanks The Environment. Also, it talks about frogs and toads on the bottle. I can get behind that.
d.: I taste Granny Smith apples. But in a subtle undertone, not a HOLY SHIT HERE I AM. And it works.
g.: Apparently, I like the taste of wood.
Seriously, the first sip was not good. Now I'm tasting lemons. And awesome. I'll report back on the third glass to confirm if I still like it.
AFTER ALL THE WINE:
IT WAS STILL GOOD.
THE END.
Friday, March 6, 2009
Henry of Pelham Estates - Ice Wine Riesling
Origin: Ontario
Price: $54.95 (375 ml)
Date drunk: March 3rd, 2009
This is some high rolling shit, right here. We were celebrating; don't judge. We've always wanted to try this mysterious ice wine.
g.: It is VERY YELLOW, and very thick. Even when pouring it you can tell how syrupy it is. Wow.
... and WHOA. It's SO SWEET.
d.: It tastes just like really, really sweet grapes.
g.: If you ever wanted to know what ice wine tastes like, I guess this is it. Thick, syrupy, grape juice concentrate. Definitely a dessert wine. It's unbelievable. I can't believe there's booze in here.
d.: It's a very heavy sweetness. It just sinks to the bottom of your belly and sloshes there. Like this: slosh. slosh slosh. slosh slosh sloosh.
g.: It tastes like yellow.
We determined that this is the kind of thing you want to have one tiny glass of and call it a night. Even splitting a little 375 ml bottle was too intense.
Price: $54.95 (375 ml)
Date drunk: March 3rd, 2009
This is some high rolling shit, right here. We were celebrating; don't judge. We've always wanted to try this mysterious ice wine.
g.: It is VERY YELLOW, and very thick. Even when pouring it you can tell how syrupy it is. Wow.
... and WHOA. It's SO SWEET.
d.: It tastes just like really, really sweet grapes.
g.: If you ever wanted to know what ice wine tastes like, I guess this is it. Thick, syrupy, grape juice concentrate. Definitely a dessert wine. It's unbelievable. I can't believe there's booze in here.
d.: It's a very heavy sweetness. It just sinks to the bottom of your belly and sloshes there. Like this: slosh. slosh slosh. slosh slosh sloosh.
g.: It tastes like yellow.
We determined that this is the kind of thing you want to have one tiny glass of and call it a night. Even splitting a little 375 ml bottle was too intense.
Fetzer - Pinot Grigio
Origin: California
Price: $12ish
Date drunk: February 28th, 2009
NOTE: We really like drinking Pinot Grigio, I guess.
g.: It smells delicious. The bottle wasn't lying when it said there was a "bouquet of wildflowers." It was serious business.
On first sip, I actually said, "Yum." It tastes very floral—kind of like green tea.
d.: I like it; it has a very winey wine taste—it's a wine that's not afraid to taste like wine.
After a few glasses:
g.: Okay, this is actually DELIGHTFUL. I can swoosh it around in my mouth and enjoy the flavours, instead of crying and gulping it back as if it were a shot of vodka. Or Great White*
*I do not remember writing this.
Price: $12ish
Date drunk: February 28th, 2009
NOTE: We really like drinking Pinot Grigio, I guess.
g.: It smells delicious. The bottle wasn't lying when it said there was a "bouquet of wildflowers." It was serious business.
On first sip, I actually said, "Yum." It tastes very floral—kind of like green tea.
d.: I like it; it has a very winey wine taste—it's a wine that's not afraid to taste like wine.
After a few glasses:
g.: Okay, this is actually DELIGHTFUL. I can swoosh it around in my mouth and enjoy the flavours, instead of crying and gulping it back as if it were a shot of vodka. Or Great White*
*I do not remember writing this.
Jackson Triggs - Pinot Grigio
Origin: Ontario
Price: $9.95ish
Date drunk: February 28th, 2009
d.: It tastes like water with a bad flavour. It's a very thin taste—it's not very "there."
g.: I know we bought this before, probably at least in the past year, and I know I didn't mind this wine then. Now that we're reviewing it and actually thinking about it, it tastes kind of off. Although in REAL LIFE, I would totally call this drinkable and not bad for under $10.
In Wine Review Land, though, it's kind of bland and uninteresting. Like d. said, it's as if someone poured some wine into a vat of water and called it Jackson Triggs. Don't hate me, JT. You're my fall-back wine. But I could probably find something tastier if I really tried.
Price: $9.95ish
Date drunk: February 28th, 2009
d.: It tastes like water with a bad flavour. It's a very thin taste—it's not very "there."
g.: I know we bought this before, probably at least in the past year, and I know I didn't mind this wine then. Now that we're reviewing it and actually thinking about it, it tastes kind of off. Although in REAL LIFE, I would totally call this drinkable and not bad for under $10.
In Wine Review Land, though, it's kind of bland and uninteresting. Like d. said, it's as if someone poured some wine into a vat of water and called it Jackson Triggs. Don't hate me, JT. You're my fall-back wine. But I could probably find something tastier if I really tried.
Saturday, February 28, 2009
Little Penguin - Chardonnay
Origin: South Eastern Australia
Price: $10ish.
Date drunk: February 21st, 2009
We probably bought this because there's a bird on the bottle. There's a disappointing amount of wildlife discussion on the back of the bottle, though.
g.: This smells way better than the last chardonnay.
Okay, I can't really figure out what this tastes like, but it's not bad. As you swallow, the taste changes dramatically, but it doesn't linger at all. That's pretty nice. It's a little spicier, but the finish is really smooth.
d.: It's a little bit sweeter than the last one, too. I think I might like the other one more.
g.: There's something just not right with this one. Maybe just too sweet.
d.: It's a cloying sweetness.
It was. It got worse. I think we got sick of this after a glass and a half. We'll stick with warm climate birds next time, thanks.
Price: $10ish.
Date drunk: February 21st, 2009
We probably bought this because there's a bird on the bottle. There's a disappointing amount of wildlife discussion on the back of the bottle, though.
g.: This smells way better than the last chardonnay.
Okay, I can't really figure out what this tastes like, but it's not bad. As you swallow, the taste changes dramatically, but it doesn't linger at all. That's pretty nice. It's a little spicier, but the finish is really smooth.
d.: It's a little bit sweeter than the last one, too. I think I might like the other one more.
g.: There's something just not right with this one. Maybe just too sweet.
d.: It's a cloying sweetness.
It was. It got worse. I think we got sick of this after a glass and a half. We'll stick with warm climate birds next time, thanks.
Two Oceans - Chardonnay
Origin: South Africa
Price: $9.75
Date drunk: February 21st, 2009
d.: It's a weird ball of taste.
g.: I thought it was fine on the first sip, but I think I just threw it back like a shot. Nice. Anyway, I kind of shuddered on the second sip.
d.: There's kind of a smoky sourness.
g.: Oh my god, it smells like something that I know but I don't know what it is [wow]. I think it's cat food. Or maybe something rotting.
d.: I agree about the cat food.
g.: I don't know about this one. Maybe it's just been awhile since I had a chardonnay, but it seems weird.
d.: I think I like it, despite it being smoky sour cork rotting cat food wine. It's a good sipping wine.
g.: I'll see how it tastes by the third glass.*
* Not rotting, and not like cat food. Pleasantly surprised. It held up well.
Price: $9.75
Date drunk: February 21st, 2009
d.: It's a weird ball of taste.
g.: I thought it was fine on the first sip, but I think I just threw it back like a shot. Nice. Anyway, I kind of shuddered on the second sip.
d.: There's kind of a smoky sourness.
g.: Oh my god, it smells like something that I know but I don't know what it is [wow]. I think it's cat food. Or maybe something rotting.
d.: I agree about the cat food.
g.: I don't know about this one. Maybe it's just been awhile since I had a chardonnay, but it seems weird.
d.: I think I like it, despite it being smoky sour cork rotting cat food wine. It's a good sipping wine.
g.: I'll see how it tastes by the third glass.*
* Not rotting, and not like cat food. Pleasantly surprised. It held up well.
Wednesday, February 18, 2009
Pelee Island Winery - Shiraz Cabernet (blend)
Origin: Ontario
Price: $9.95
Date Drunk: February 18th, 2009
To begin with, I feel I have to mention that this is the first night of solo wine talk; g.'s tackling the white and, as she doesn't enjoy them, I get to take care of the red. To be honest, I find this a bit strange—I think my favourite part of this wine-blogging is the union of it—the sense of communion over a shared bottle of wine: criticising it, laughing over it, yelling sour grapes at it and, of course, drinking it. Together. This method—a bottle each—strips the process of much of that togetherness, that shared moment when we react to the first sip of the shared bottle of wine, see the reaction in each other's eyes. The social aspect of it is lacking tonight; as a result, I imagine I'll not often be drinking red wine. It just feels sort of lonely to each be at our respective computers, typing away, drinking away. There. Now that that's out of the way, I'll get on with it.
So, for starters, of course, we need to get the description of the bottle's animal out of the way:
I really like the colour of this wine: it's a deep almost-purple-red, which light doesn't seem to like penetrating; I'm not going to say it's some sort of impenetrable wine-fortress or anything like that; it just looks good.
The scent of this is that typical slightly nose-stinging red wine scent.
The first gulp elicited no shivers or any such adverse reactions: a good start. The taste is fairly smooth, with a bit of a tang at swallow-time, but with an overarching sense of good almost tastelessness—like water, but with something richer lurking in the shadows, something insinuating sourness, with maybe an almost cherry hint sneaking around in the taste's backyard. A lightly fruited wine that works its magic through subtle flavourings that become more pronounced the more I drink it.
I think I'm a fan.
Price: $9.95
Date Drunk: February 18th, 2009
To begin with, I feel I have to mention that this is the first night of solo wine talk; g.'s tackling the white and, as she doesn't enjoy them, I get to take care of the red. To be honest, I find this a bit strange—I think my favourite part of this wine-blogging is the union of it—the sense of communion over a shared bottle of wine: criticising it, laughing over it, yelling sour grapes at it and, of course, drinking it. Together. This method—a bottle each—strips the process of much of that togetherness, that shared moment when we react to the first sip of the shared bottle of wine, see the reaction in each other's eyes. The social aspect of it is lacking tonight; as a result, I imagine I'll not often be drinking red wine. It just feels sort of lonely to each be at our respective computers, typing away, drinking away. There. Now that that's out of the way, I'll get on with it.
So, for starters, of course, we need to get the description of the bottle's animal out of the way:
The Indigo Bunting often graces the grassy woodland edges, shrubby roadsides and open brushy fields of Pelee Island with its excited warble and evening flight song. Usually seen as a black silhouette, the bird relies on brilliant sunlight to transform its dark plumage into the bright turqoise-blue for which it is named. The Indigo Bunting is the only small North American finch which can boast this distinctive colouration.
I really like the colour of this wine: it's a deep almost-purple-red, which light doesn't seem to like penetrating; I'm not going to say it's some sort of impenetrable wine-fortress or anything like that; it just looks good.
The scent of this is that typical slightly nose-stinging red wine scent.
The first gulp elicited no shivers or any such adverse reactions: a good start. The taste is fairly smooth, with a bit of a tang at swallow-time, but with an overarching sense of good almost tastelessness—like water, but with something richer lurking in the shadows, something insinuating sourness, with maybe an almost cherry hint sneaking around in the taste's backyard. A lightly fruited wine that works its magic through subtle flavourings that become more pronounced the more I drink it.
I think I'm a fan.
Barefoot - Pinot Grigio
Origin: California
Price: $9.95
Date drunk: February 18th, 2009
This California Pinot Grigio caught my eye in the Australian section of the LCBO--not because it was misplaced, but because there was a big card printed in Comic Sans saying that it won some award from the Toronto Star: Best Wine Under $12. It got 89 points. I have no idea what that means, but 89% is totally an A and that's fine with me.
I picked this because I wanted to have a point of reference. Some other dude thinks this is a pretty decent cheap wine; do I have such refined tastes? I'm going to guess.... probably not. However, I DID like that wine selected by Dan Akroyd. Cred.
Okay, firstly:
- It's not cold enough yet, but I'm impatient.
- I just ate some cheddar goldfish to get rid of toothpaste aftertaste, so my mouth is kind of tainted.
I can get behind this wine. It even conquers those handicaps I ended up creating for it, and it's a seriously tough game to beat toothpaste. It's a lot bolder/stronger than other pinot grigios I've had (which are usually really mild and closer to water than wine), and is really warm and full. There's kind of a grassy/lemony taste on top of the regular sweetness. Like other pinot grigios (I think?), it isn't sharp, bitter, or dry, but I definitely keep going back to "stronger." Full bodied? Or some other wine-jargon I know nothing about.
I like pinot grigio a bit more understated, but this is definitely good and interesting. Nothing about it makes me cringe, and that's always a good sign--if I can get a non-cringer for $9.95, I think that's pretty swell.
I will definitely buy this again. Thank you, Toronto Star, for both your sensationalist reporting and your taste in wine.
Price: $9.95
Date drunk: February 18th, 2009
This California Pinot Grigio caught my eye in the Australian section of the LCBO--not because it was misplaced, but because there was a big card printed in Comic Sans saying that it won some award from the Toronto Star: Best Wine Under $12. It got 89 points. I have no idea what that means, but 89% is totally an A and that's fine with me.
I picked this because I wanted to have a point of reference. Some other dude thinks this is a pretty decent cheap wine; do I have such refined tastes? I'm going to guess.... probably not. However, I DID like that wine selected by Dan Akroyd. Cred.
Okay, firstly:
- It's not cold enough yet, but I'm impatient.
- I just ate some cheddar goldfish to get rid of toothpaste aftertaste, so my mouth is kind of tainted.
I can get behind this wine. It even conquers those handicaps I ended up creating for it, and it's a seriously tough game to beat toothpaste. It's a lot bolder/stronger than other pinot grigios I've had (which are usually really mild and closer to water than wine), and is really warm and full. There's kind of a grassy/lemony taste on top of the regular sweetness. Like other pinot grigios (I think?), it isn't sharp, bitter, or dry, but I definitely keep going back to "stronger." Full bodied? Or some other wine-jargon I know nothing about.
I like pinot grigio a bit more understated, but this is definitely good and interesting. Nothing about it makes me cringe, and that's always a good sign--if I can get a non-cringer for $9.95, I think that's pretty swell.
I will definitely buy this again. Thank you, Toronto Star, for both your sensationalist reporting and your taste in wine.
Friday, February 13, 2009
Deinhard Green Label - Riesling
Origin: Germany
Price: $10
Date drunk: February 7th, 2009
g.: It smells delicious. We also really like the frosted bottle. I think d. wanted this because it's German.
d. + g.: It's fizzy.
d.: Is that bad?
g.: I don't know. I don't think I care. It's good. I think.
d.: It has a snarl to it at the start, at the penultimate moment before swallowing, but then it softens.
g.: It tastes like pop. Wine-pop. Grape coca-cola that has fermented. The bottle says that this is a 5 on the scale of 1 (dry) and 10 (sweet). I think it's at least a 17.
This post was brought to you by: an elevated blood alcohol level.
We drank these bottles last week and got a little too tipsy to actually put them online. This week, we've opted for rum and coke. Until next week. Or tomorrow.
Price: $10
Date drunk: February 7th, 2009
g.: It smells delicious. We also really like the frosted bottle. I think d. wanted this because it's German.
d. + g.: It's fizzy.
d.: Is that bad?
g.: I don't know. I don't think I care. It's good. I think.
d.: It has a snarl to it at the start, at the penultimate moment before swallowing, but then it softens.
g.: It tastes like pop. Wine-pop. Grape coca-cola that has fermented. The bottle says that this is a 5 on the scale of 1 (dry) and 10 (sweet). I think it's at least a 17.
This post was brought to you by: an elevated blood alcohol level.
We drank these bottles last week and got a little too tipsy to actually put them online. This week, we've opted for rum and coke. Until next week. Or tomorrow.
Masi - Soave
Origin: Italy
Price: $13ish
Date drunk: February 7th, 2009
g.: The first sip was terrifying. It got better after I swallowed it. I have no idea what this tastes like, besides crazy.
d.: It has a weirdly bitter after-taste that just sits and accumulates.
g.: It's really tingly.
(This is the first time we've tried a Soave. It may or may not be the last.)
We can't find the words to describe this wine. Sorry.
Price: $13ish
Date drunk: February 7th, 2009
g.: The first sip was terrifying. It got better after I swallowed it. I have no idea what this tastes like, besides crazy.
d.: It has a weirdly bitter after-taste that just sits and accumulates.
g.: It's really tingly.
(This is the first time we've tried a Soave. It may or may not be the last.)
We can't find the words to describe this wine. Sorry.
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