2015 Vieni Gamay Noir – Vintages 498519 – $17.95 – ****½ – The intensity of everything in this wine will make you want to stand up and applaud it. The nose is rich black cherry and climbs out of the glass with such concentration it feels like an invasion of the senses. The concentration of fruit flavours in the glass feels like great cru Beaujolais. This finishes with nicely balanced acidity and a hint of freshly cracked black pepper on the finish. Gamay is a wine that I usually like keeping around for barbeque, because it is such a great food wine. That being said the depth and concentration of the flavours in this wine need nothing to get in their way.
2016 Wildass Rosé – Vintages 71712 – $16.95 – **** – The Wildass Rosé is aptly named because opening this bottle is definitely the wild card on the shelf of the LCBO. I remember in a previous vintage this wine being almost blood coloured and also a previous vintage that was pale and cotton candy coloured… needless to say don’t let the colour of this wine give you any clue about what you’re about to taste. The fruit is raspberry and strawberry jam… when you take a moment to take in the aromas and flavours will take you back to grade 8 with smells of candied fruit … jolly rancher? Fruit snacks? Your brain will try really hard to tell you this is sweet … but it really isn’t. There is a slight sweetness to the finish but it’s met with great acidity. Versatile with food, but, there is really no reason to not enjoy this on it’s own.
