Quercus Vino

Here are my top picks from the August 22 Vintages release.

Rutherford Ranch Chardonnay – Vintages $22.95

Crisp and creamy, an uber value priced Chardonnay from Napa Valley that over delivers on taste. Tropical fruit, melon, pineapple, and yellow apple on the nose and palate. Creamy and delicious, highly recommend enjoying this with roast poultry, fish and chips, fresh corn on the cob, or pop corn and a nice movie. Tasted August 2015. 90+ points. Matt Steeves – http://www.quercusvino.ca

Featherstone’s Four Feathers – Vintages $14.95

Sweet orchard fruit, honeydew melon, wild flower honey, and lychee on this super small production Ontario white blend. Delicious on its own and would complement any spicy Asian dish, fish tacos, or BBQ lemon chicken. Tasted August 2015. 90 points. Matt Steeves – http://www.quercusvino.ca

Charles Baker Picone Vineyard Riesling – Vintages $35.20

Charles Baker’s 2012 Riesling from their Picone Vineryard, shows intense notes of petrol, flinty minerality, stone fruit, bees wax, and floral blossoms. Crisp acidity with great mineral salinity, this is a fine Riesling to enjoy with spicy Asian dishes or rich German cuisine. Tasted August 2015. 92 points. Matt Steeves – http://www.quercusvino.ca

ROBERT YOUNG ALEXANDER VALLEY CHARDONNAY 2012 – Vintages $29.95

A great Sonoma Chardonnay. Well structured, full bodied, with terrific tropical fruit on the nose and palate. Enjoy chilled with creamy summer pasta salads, roast chicken, quail, and scalloped potatoes. Tasted August 2015. 90+ points. Matt Steeves – http://www.quercusvino.ca

LA CREMA MONTEREY PINOT NOIR 2013 – Vintages $29.95

Yum! A terrific California Pinot Noir! Super delicious and smoky with fresh cran-cherry notes, it would be ideal with Big Green Egg smoked poultry or gourmet burgers. Tasted August 2015. 91 points. Matt Steeves – http://www.quercusvino.ca

Featherstone Onyx 2010 – Vintages $29.95

Award winning winery, Featherstone, produces premium small production wines, and their 2010 Onyx is a fantastic example of that. Only 392 cases of this impressive Cab Franc-Merlot blend were produced. It delivers terrific fruit concentration with excellent structure. Dark berries, fig, raisin, plum, cedar, and herbs on the nose. The palate is velvety smooth initially wtih a refreshing finish. The tannins kick-in to remind you that this is a serious wine that can stand-up to some of the richest dishes you can imagine. Osso Buco comes to mind followed by herb and pepper crusted Prime Rib roast. Tasted August 2015. 91 points. Matt Steeves – http://www.quercusvino.ca

Kabang Red 2012 – Vintages $19.95

Kabang Red from the renowned Stratus winery, is a blend of Merlot, Cab Franc, Cab Sauv, Syrah, Petit Verdot, Malbec, Gamay, and Tannat. Pretty much every big red varietal they could get their hands on and the result is a very complex, interesting, big Canadian red. Nose shows cedar, vanilla, berry compote, sweet spice and herbs. Big on the palate, this is a full bodied wine that delivers on taste, quality, and value. Big Kabang for the buck! Decant for an hour prior to service and enjoy with hearty beef dishes, BBQ meats, or rich cheese platters. 90 points. Tasted August 2015. Matt Steeves – http://www.quercusvino.ca

J & J VINEYARDS RIVERS LANE RESERVE SHIRAZ 2011 – Vintages $33.95

Big dark berries, black pepper, smokey fruit, fig, plum, and herbs on the nose and palate. A beautifully balanced wine that will continue to age for 20+ years. Enjoy with premium cuts of beef. Tasted August 2015. 92 points. Matt Steeves – http://www.quercusvino.ca

HERDADE DO ROCIM RED 2011 – Vintages $17.95

A unique blend of Aragonez, Touriga Nacional, Alicante Bouschet, and Syrah, from the south of Portugal. The nose and palate display layers of sweet and rich dried fruits balanced with charcoal and leather notes. Chewy and delicious, this is a stellar wine that is sure to put a smile on your face! Very food friendly, yet this would be a great wine to enjoy on its own too. Recommend buying by the case. Incredible value. Drink 2015-2025. Tasted August 2015. 91+ points. Matt Steeves – http://www.quercusvino.ca

DELAFORCE TOURIGA NACIONAL 2013 – Vintages $20.95

Delaforce’s 2013 Touriga Nacional from Portugal’s Douro region is a great example of Portugal’s famous grape variety that’s so commonly used in the production of sweet Port but is becoming increasingly popular in dry table wine. This wine is bone dry and super smooth. Opaque with a purple hue, the nose shows blackberry, charcoal, graphite, and black pepper. The palate is layered and delicious, with dark berries, black liquorice, and so velvety smooth. A big wine that will continue evolve over the next 10 years. Great with braised beef dishes. Tasted August 2015. 90 points. Matt Steeves – http://www.quercusvino.ca

LA FERME DU MONT LE PONNANT CÔTES DU RHÔNE-VILLAGES 2012 – Vintages $18.95

Yummy! A great value priced GSM (Grenache, Syrah, Mourvedre) blend from the sunny south of France. Plum, fig, and dried fruit on the nose and palate, the wine is rich and well structured with refreshing acidity and big tannins that will complement just about any hearty dish you can imagine. My recommendation, spicy sausages with all the fixins. Tasted August 2015. 91 points. Matt Steeves – http://www.quercusvino.ca

MADISON’S RANCH RESERVE CABERNET SAUVIGNON 2011 – Vintages $29.95

Opaque with a purple hue, the nose shows dark berries, plum, and baking spice. Repeat on the delicious and velvty smooth palate. Wow! Lovely wine. Tasted August 2015. 92 points. Matt Steeves – http://www.quercusvino.ca

VIÑA MAIPO GRAN DEVOCIÓN CARMENÈRE/SYRAH 2012 – Vintages $17.95

Deep ruby almost black in colour, the nose of this beautiful Chilean blend shows anise, plum, blackberries, black pepper, menthol, sage, and sweet baking spices. Fresh and vibrant fruit coat the medium-full bodied palate. Terrific value in red blend. Tasted August 2015. 90 points. Matt Steeves – http://www.quercusvino.ca

And a bonus wine that’s on Limited Time Offer…

RIVERLORE SAUVIGNON BLANC MARLBOROUGH – $13.90 via LCBO

New to the LCBO, the Riverlore Sauvignon Blanc shows characteristically exotic Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc citrus fruit, gooseberry, herbaceousness, with refreshing minerality. On the palate, crisp tropical and orchard fruits with well balanced acidity make this a great wine to enjoy with summer salads, grilled fruit and veggies, or simply on its own chilled in the company of a good friend. An impressive and very consumer friendly Sauvignon Blanc that I’d highly recommend enjoying this summer. Tasted July 2015. 90 points. Matt Steeves – http://www.quercusvino.ca