Unfussy Wine Enthusiasts | Wine Reviews & Articles

So our posting habits are sorely lacking these days.  We have been doing a lot more social media posting than we have blogging.  Some of that is no time to sit and write and some of that is pure laziness.  Either way if you follow this Blog we apologize for the lack of action. On to the wine... We love the value that Chilean wines bring to the table.  Great wines at great price points.  Carménère, Sauvignon Blanc, Cabs, and Chards are all good from Chile.  Chile has a number of wine regions in the country and this wine hails from the Cachapoal Valley which is a region we are not that familiar with.  Regardless, this is a great wine. The wine is very bright purple in the glass.  Reminiscent of Carménère in colour there is a very slow journey of the legs rolling down the glass.  This makes you think that it would be syrupy but it really isn't.  The interesting visual is a clear halo around the edge of the glass.  A very ...

Our good friends at Ora TV brought this episode to our attention. We have been following the Brown Bag Wine Tasting series regularly. William Shatner is a Canadian legend/hero/genius and on and on it goes and for him to do a wine tasting series in this format is amazing. So awesome and if you only watch the episode below you are really missing out. One of the unique parts of the show is he asks guests to describe wines without using wine lingo and using words from the guests area of expertise. You'll see what we mean in the episode. His guest below Ray Isle  is the Executive Wine Editor for Food & Wine  and also the co-host of a PBS show that we REALLY loved called  Vine Talk .  If you've never watched THAT series you are also missing out. Ray co-hosted with Stanley Tucci and it is a really cool look at wine and wine tasting with some famous guests (but that's another post for another day). Other than being an entertaining episode in general, Ray talks about...

Adam at CorrChilled  (a kitchen and catering equipment company in the UK) sent us this infographic and we thought it was worth sharing. We always love having easy to reference pairing information available to folks trying to decide what wine might go best with dinner. So enjoy and we hope it helps... Source -  https://www.corrchilled.co.uk Keep on tasting! Chris & Shannon

We had this wine many years ago when we lived in the US and we remember enjoying it.  From Bodegas Borsao  and the Campo de Borja region, this is a 60% Garnacha, 20% Tempranillo, and 20% Cabernet Sauvignon blend which has been aged in oak for at least 8 months and then bottle aged for an additional 14 months.  It is this patience before going to market that makes this such a good wine. A medium bodied wine with deep purple colouring it certainly is showing it's age with some nice mahogany edges.  It looks really great and cascades down the glass in a sheet.  Extremely nice looking wine especially after a swirl. Chocolate AND vanilla bean hit you immediately when you stick your nose right in there.  That is quickly followed by plums and some toasty oak notes. A solid bouquet that makes one think the wine is earthier than it is but very nice. There are cherries and a recurrence of the chocolate on the palate but thi...

Courtesy IMDB.com This movie has been on our radar for a long time.  It originally came out in 2012 on the festival circuit in the US.  Nearly immediately it gained a cult following from wine enthusiasts for a couple of reasons.  First, there are few really strong documentaries about tasting wine out there.  Second, the reputation and mystery surrounding the Court of Master Sommelier exam and how hard it actually is. If you've never heard of this exam this movie will get you up to speed fast and it delivers a strong explanation of the requirements to take the tests and what it means to truly prepare for all aspects but especially the dreaded/beloved Tasting Exam.  The shear volume of information that needs to be consumed and remembered is astounding.  The theory test covers wine, spirits, beers, and cigars from around the World. There is the tasting exam and finally a formal dinner service to go through. If you have an interest in tasting wine and h...

Benjamin Bridge just launched the 2013 vintage of their Nova 7 and we thought it was time we get this review out.  The popularity and hype around Nova 7 is well deserved as it is a great wine year after year.  It certainly isn't for everyone but it does have a wide appeal with its slight effervescence and off-dry nature.  It's the aromatics of the Muscat that make this wine stand out.  It is a great cool climate white wine and is consistently a well made wine. The 2012 has a very reddish golden hue and it starts bordering on Rose in terms of colour.  As expected it has a slight sparkle to it and feels a little bit syrupy on the swirl.  Quite interesting in the glass. That all too familiar lychee fruit nose stands out but has some other notes under the covers as well.  Pears, peaches, and even mint make an appearance which is wonderful.  Another stand out smelling Nova 7. While not our normal style of wine or pref...

New Zealand was the first table we visited at the 2014 NSLC Port of Wines Festival so our palates were fresh.  We have had good luck with Stoneleigh Wines and this one truly delivers.  The price point for Kiwi wines was a bit higher than in previous years but the quality of wines were very high.  Both the whites and the reds were very solid across the board.  This wine however, was a stand out among them.  It is not a typical NZ Pinot Noir in many respects but holds true to the region in others.  The one adjective that stands out for this wine overall is "Elegance".  There is a refinement that other Pinot Noirs just don't have. In the glass the most noticeable variance from typical is that the wine, though ‎still quite light, is a much darker purple on the colour wheel.  The wine remains watery and this looking as one might expect but if the picture does it any justice at all it should the purple that you can...