What’s all the fuzion about?

2008 Fuzion Shiraz/Malbec, Mendoza, Argentina $7.45 LCBO #83188

There is something to be said for not following the heard. The 2008 Fuzion Shiraz/Malbec is apparently one of the hottest wines currently being sold at the LCBO. It literally has been flying off the shelves.

At $7.45 we know that it is cheap, but the question remains…is it any good? Well my friends…I took one for the team this week. This wine sucks! You would think that Shiraz and Malbec would give you sweet flavours of black fruit and plums. Unfortunately, the 2008 Fuzion smells good, but taste like black cherries under a blanket of wet cardboard. Not the type of flavours that you want in a wine.

Sorry to disappoint all of you value seekers, but there are much better wines out there at similar prices. I urge you to take a pass on this wine…but that’s just my opinion. Let me know what you think.

 

In the words of Rainier Wolfcastle (a.k.a. McBain)…MENDOZA!!!!

2007 Argento Malbec, Mendoza, Argentina $10.10 LCBO #591693

It seems that today no matter where you turn, you can’t escape the news that our economy is falling apart. Makes you want to drown your sorrows in wine. Unfortunately, as the stock market continues to free fall, we might want to think twice about buying the expensive stuff.

This is where I can help! The 2007 Argento Malbec from Argentina is a great red that tastes like a $30 wine but costs a lot less. At only $10.10, this amazing value is packed with flavours of raspberries, cherries, fresh herbs, and a hint of milk chocolate. It has soft tannins and medium body that makes it very easy to drink. The Argento Malbec would pair well with a roasted chicken, pork chops and grilled vegetables.

I highly recommend that you head down to the LCBO and pick up a couple of bottles of this wine. It’s nice to know that no matter what your current financial position might be, you will always be able to drink well…but that’s just my opinion. Let me know what you think.

 

Argentina…more than just Malbec!

2007 Vinecol Torrontes, Mendoza, Argentina $13.95 LCBO #032748

This week’s wine is a winner on two levels. First, the 2007 Vinceol Torrontes is a winner because trying this wine will take you off the beaten path and introduce you to a grape that I think you are going to love. Second, it’s one of the most amazing values I have seen in a while!

Before we get into that let’s have a quick chat about organic wine. Over the past few years there has been a trend in the wine industry towards the production of organic wines. “Organic wine” means that the grapes that went into the wine were grown organically (without the use of herbicides and pesticides and in accordance with recognized organic practices). The 2007 Vinecol Torrontes is such a wine.

Torrontes is for Argentinean white wine what Malbec is for red – a superstar grape. The Torrontes grape, which is indigenous to the country, is only now getting international exposure. The 2007 Vinecol is a great example of Torrontes with flavours of apricot, lime, lemon, oranges, and a fresh acidity that holds the wine together. This is the prefect wine for Chinese, Thai, or even Indian food.

The fact that is wine is only $13.95 is almost criminal! So get down to the LCBO today and get a couple bottles. Seriously…run, bike, drive, carjack, whatever…just get on this wine before it’s too late…but that’s just my opinion. Let me know what you think.

 

A real mountain wine from Argentina

2007 Finca Flichman Gestos Malbec, Mendoza, Argentina $15.95 LCBO #068999

This week’s wine tastes great and has a really interesting story behind how it was made. The 2007 Finca Flichman Gestos is a red wine from Argentina made from the Malbec grape. What makes this particular wine interesting is that it was made from a blend of Malbec grapes grown at two different altitudes. 50% of this wine came from grapes grown at 700 metres while the remaining 50% came from grapes grown at 1,100 metres. This blend delivers wonderful aromas of blackberries, chocolate and leather that carry through into the flavour of the wine. It also has great tannins and would go amazingly well with steak.

At $15.95, this wine is an absolute steal. If you have never tried a Malbec before, this is definitely a fantastic one to get initiated on…but that’s just my opinion. Let me know what you think.