Making The Grade Is Good; Being Consistent Is Better!

 Every year I repeatedly taste certain wines which have adopted a reputation of being excellent in quality and price. How do they do it? Careful planning, vineyard procedures, strict production rules and sustainability with both product and staff are a must. It works. Here are several wines that I tasted during the last week that have not only kept up efforts for an excellent product but in some cases, exceeded what they had already done! Keep in mind the score reflects quality as per price quotient. 

White Wine

OGGI Botter Pinot Grigio IGT 2024  Northern Italy             LCBO General List   $11:00  95/100

Colour: White, clear, light

Nose: Floral Orange Blossom, citrus,  passion fruit, herbal spice, mineral

Palate: Light to medium body, citrus, bitter almond finish

Food: Seafood, shrimp with rice, pork roast 

Comments: Score based on price per quality ratio. Amazing value at this price. Italy makes

a splendid Pinot Grigio and Botter one of the finest! 

Protea Pinot Grigio 2024   Western Cape, South Africa     LCBO General List  $14.95  94/100

Colour: Lemon yellow, clear

Nose: Floral notes, melon, apple, pear, spice

Palate: Light to Medium, well balanced, refreshing acidity with clean finish

Food: Fish, oysters, mussels, cold cuts, cream of mushroom soup

Comments: Available in March, 2025.  Nice wine and value for price.

Jonty's Ducks Pekin White  2021  Paarl South Africa         LCBO Vintages  $18.95   92/100

Colour: Lemon Yellow, clear

Nose: Floral Honey, spice, caramel, citrus, white fruit and mineral

Palate: Medium Body, creamy caramel, fresh clean finish

Food:  Salmon with cream sauce, clams with cream sauce, Oriental/Asian food, Glazed Ham

Comments: July Release. This wine is a blend of mainly Chenin Blanc (85%), Roussanne (5%),  Viognier (3%) and Semillon (2%).. From Avondale Winery.

Bird in Hand Sauvignon Blanc 2024 Adelaide Hills, Australia  LCBO Vintages $17.95  94/100

Colour: White, clear

Nose: Herbal spice, grass, passion fruit, citrus, apple/pear, blossom notes

Palate: Light bodied, fresh acidity, melon, citrus/almond finish

Food: Sea Food (squid, octopus, calamari), shrimp with rice, tossed salad (no vinegar), chicken salad with light cream sauce

Comments: Available in mid July 2025. The price is about $3. cheaper than general market rate. The area is known for its ancient vines! Note: Actual score was 93.5 but rounded off for convenience. 

 

Studdert-Prum Riesling Troken 2023   Mosel, Germany   LCBO Vintages $17.95   91/100

Nose: Elegant, peach, apple, citrus lime, floral

Palate:  Light in body, the wine label says "Trocken" or dry but there is a touch of sugar, pleasant and refreshing. Clean finish!

Food:  Shell fish, oysters, spicy foods, aperitif

Comments: Nice elegant wine with a classy taste! At that price, extremely good value. Similar to many QMP wines with a pedigree! Germany produces some super wine that are very underrated!

Red Wine

OGGI Sangiovese IGT 2024   Puglia, Italy   LCBO General List  $11.00   96/100

Colour: Red 

 Nose: Cherry, strawberry, black berry, plum, earth, smoke, floral rose

Palate: Medium to full body,  velvety softness, nice mouth feel, balanced, some fig in the long finish

Food:   Pasta with light tomato sauce, grilled meat such as lamb, beef, aged cheese

Comment:  Price/quality ratio warrants the 96 mark. Excellent value for a very affordable, everyday wine. Tasted several times with same result. 

Buxy Bourgogne CC Pinot 2022  Cote Chalonnaise, France Vintages Essential  $23.95  97/100

Colour: Light Red

Nose: Plum, Black Cherry, Smoke, dried leaves, earth

Palate:  Medium to full body, mid tannin structure, lengthy finish with touch of pepper

Food: Baked Salmon, steak, roast beef, roast turkey

Comments: Where can one find a good burgundy for a reasonable price these days? This wine has the capacity to age another 5 to 10 years and comes from a cooperative that consistently give great value for a quarter the price. The high score is for a quality versus ratio reason. First time I tasted this wine I awarded it 93/100 points. Consistently excellent, this wine deserves the above mark awarded today! Buy six and try one per year. 

OGGI Primitivo IGT  2024  Puglia, Italy  LCBO General List $11.55  95/100

Colour: Dark Red

Nose: Dark fruit, fig, anise, vanilla, chocolate, 

Palate: Full Bodied, soft tannins, velvety, long fig/anise finish

Food:  Pasta, steak, venison, roast beef

Comments: Tried three times on three separate occasions and always consistent. Primitivo is kissing cousin to California Zinfandel. Genetically the same as the Zinfandel both grapes are  genetically the same as the  Croatian grape called Crljenak Kastelanski; Of course there are local individual differences in taste and style.

Jim Jim Cabernet Sauvignon 2022  McLaren Vale, Australia LCBO Vintages  $18.95  95/100

Colour: Dark Red

Nose: Herbal mint, vegetal, Bell Pepper, black berry, blue berry, smoke, burning leaves, vanilla 

Palate: Full bodied, nice acidity, moderate tannin, pleasant long finish

Food: Deli meat, grilled fare, roast beef, osso buco

Comment: Australia's McLaren Vale produces some first class wine and reasonable prices. Note: Actual score was 94.5 rounded off to 95 for convenience.

Mariposa Alegre Cab Sauvignon 2020   Central Valley, Chile  LCBO Vintages $19.95  97/100

Colour: Ruby Red

Nose: Plum, chocolate, vanilla wood, ripe dark fruit and floral violet, mint

Palate: Full bodied, medium tannin, fresh acidity

Food: Baked Macaroni with meat, Grilled Vegetables, Turkey, Old Cheese

Comments: Nice with with power enough for wild game such as moose, venison but also good for regular fare such as roasts, let of lamb and spare ribs. Note: Actual score was 96.5 rounded off to 97 for convenience.