Some Gems from Mark Anthony Wine Merchants for You

I really do enjoy finding wines that excite me, and I think you will also like. I’ve been to a Mark Anthony Brands Portfolio tasting and really enjoyed it. There were wines from all price points, and styles from red, white, dessert, fortified and bubbles. So when I was invited to their latest Portfolio tasting, I couldn’t wait.

White Wine and Bubbles

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  Lanson Black Label Brut Champagne NV, France ($59.99). Light pinkish gold colour.  Toast and apple aromas.  Medium bubble and medium body.  High acidity with red apple flavour throughout and crab apples on the finish. Medium length.

• Rodney Strong Charlotte’s Home Sauvignon Blanc 2009, California.  Watery lemon in colour. Light asparagus nose.  Medium body, round with medium acidity.  Nice jalapeno pepper flavour.  An elegant Sauvignon Blanc. Besides this wine, I found many other Rodney Strong wines during this tasting which I really enjoyed.  You can’t go wrong with Rodney Strong.
• Gunderloch Fritz’s Riesling 2009, Germany ($14.99). I was told that this is a special wine specifically made for the Canadian market. Medium lemon in the glass. Nice lime aroma with a hint of petrol.  Off-dry with petrol, lemon and honey flavours.  Lower acidity makes it an easy sipper.
• Rodney Strong Chalk Hill Chardonnay 2009, California ($26.99). Pale lemon in colour.  Light citrus nose.  Nice caramel, vanilla and nutmeg flavours.  Medium plus acidity.
• Rodney Strong Reserve Chardonnay 2008, California ($65.99). Light greenish yellow in the glass. Perfumy nose, with baby powder and vanilla. Medium body and acidity, with oak, vanilla, and butterscotch flavours.

Red Wine

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  Louis Latour Bourgogne Pinot Noir 2009, France ($22.99). This is an entry level Pinot Noir for Louis Latour, but should not be overlooked.  This wine was pale garnet in colour.  Light cherry nose.  Raspberry, brambleberry and vanilla flavours.  Medium tannins and high acidity.  Cherry flavours show up in the mid palate.  Nice wine.

• Louis Latour Domaine de Valmoissine 2009, France ($22.99). Medium garnet colour with a light mint and cherry nose. Medium body, dry with medium tannins.  Cherries and strawberry flavours. This is an elegant (Pinot Noir) wine.
• Henry Fessy Julienas 2009, France ($25.99). If you like lighter bodied reds, such as from Pinot Noir, you may also like this wine, which is made from the Gamay grape. Nice medium ruby colour. Light cherry nose.  Medium body with light tannins and medium acidity. Cherry flavours. Easy to enjoy.  Serve this wine slightly chilled.
• Rutherford Hill Merlot 2006, Calif0rnia ($35.99). Medium garnet colour with a dark core. Vanilla and ripe fruit nose. Medium plus body with dry tannins and medium acidity.  Kirsch cherry and vanilla flavours. A quality wine.
• Brotte CNP Comaine Barville 2008, France ($49.99). This is one of my favourite wines of the tasting. It is a Southern Rhone blend of Grenache , Syrah , and Mourvedre.  Dark garnet in the glass with a ripe cherry nose.  Full body with medium acidity. Licorice, spice and dark cherries with a dry finish.
• Prats & Symington Prazo de Roriz 2006, Portugal ($13.97). A wonderful price for a wine made in part by the famous Port maker, Symington. It is made with the Port grapes Touriga Nacional, Tinta Roriz, Touriga Franca, and Tinta Francisca. Opaque garnet colour with nice aromas of black cherries and vanilla. Very reminiscent of port. Full body, round mouthfeel with medium tannins and acidity.  Dark cherry flavour.

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  Rodney Strong Alexander Valley Estate Cabernet Sauvignon 2008, California ($29.99). Opaque ruby in colour. Cassis, ripe dark fruit and vanilla aromas. Full body, but suprising light mouthfeel (very nice). Cinnamon, cherries and vanilla flavour.  Ripe fruit flavour on the finish. Not all Cabernets have to be heavy to be high quality and a delight on the palate.

• Antinori Peppoli Chianti Classico DOCG 2008, Italy ($26.99).  Here is another light bodied wine that I noted as a tasting favorite! This is a wine made from the Sangiovese grape. This wine was medium garnet in colour with a light strawberry nose. Light body with strawberries and red cherry flavours.  Lower tannins.  A hint of licorice on the mid-palate.
• Tenuta Sant’ Antonio Monti Garbi Ripasso Valpolicella 2008, Italy ($24.99). This Valpolicella from the Verona area of Italy is made from the Corvina, Corvinone, Rondinella, Croatina and Oseleta grapes. Ripasso is a style of wine, where the leftover grape skins and seeds from the fermentation of Recioto and Amarone are added to the grapes for the Valpolicella to add additional flavour, colour and complexity. This wine was medium garnet in the glass.  Light flowery, cherry nose.  Light body with low tannins.  Ripe cherries with vanilla and slight capsicum. Dry with medium length.  A nice wine.

So those are the gems from this tasting.  I hope you find one or more wines that you would like to try.

If you are interested in having a wine tasting at your home or for your business, please consider contacting MyWinePal. MyWinePal Wine Tasting info here. Enjoy!