Wine Tasting

PROBUS Wine Tasting is the opportunity for fellow Probians to get together and sample 4 to 6 bottles of wine in the comfort of a Probian home. There are currently 5 Wine Tasting Groups typically consisting of 8 (more or less) members who meet once a month at least 8 times a year (excluding July and August). Each member hosts one of the monthly wine tasting sessions with the other members contributing $20 or $25 each to the hosting member to cover the cost of wine (typically ranging between $10 to $20 per bottle), cheese and crackers, etc.
There are currently 5 wine tasting groups which meet monthly - one meets on a Tuesday; two meet on Wednesdays and two meet on Thursdays.

Group 5 - April 18, 2024

The following wines were taste-tested at the home of Joseph Reid, by Applewood Probus Wine Group 5. Your host takes no credit for the wine descriptors which came his way prior to the tasting.

One Pound Per Acre Chardonnay- South Australia; LCBO # 32828; $9.95; fresh and crisp, aromas of tropical fruit; an LCBO best seller, with great customer reviews; winery gets its name from the initial cost per acre to buy the land.                                                                                                                      Group’s average score- 83

Big Head 2022 Chardonnay Stone- NOTL; not available at LCBO; $29.80; deceptively juicy and pleasing; hand picked and whole cluster crushed in mid-October, 2022; fermented in concrete, then cold stabilized in stainless steel.                                                                                                       Group’s average score- 86

Duca di Saragnano Alchymia Primitivo- Puglia; Vintages # 636613; $19.95; fruity and full bodied; ripe but balanced; excellent customer reviews.                                                                                                         Group’s average score- 89.3

Remo Farina Ripasso Valpolicella Classico Superiore 2019- Veneto; Vintages # 999946; $24.95; smoky plum flavour; medium bodied; the dried Amerone grape is fermented (“repassed“) a 2^nd time.
                                                                                                                                Group’s average score- 87.5

Orso Bruno Old Vine Zinvandel- Puglia; LCBO # 31808; $10.95; a surprisingly good wine for the price.
                                                                                                                                Group’s average score- 89.0

Ricasoli Rocca Guicciarda Riserva Chianti Classico- Tuscany; Vintages # 943613; $24.95; ripe and layered with red fruit, chestnut and floral notes; from the oldest winery in Italy, where, in 1872, the blend for Chianti was created.                                                                                                            Group’s average score- 84.2

Joseph Reid

Group 1 - April 2, 2024

5 members of our group met on April 2 at the home of Ken Foxcroft in Oakville; with Mike Read away in Arizona and Alan Lytle away in the UK, joining the group was Justin Foxcroft (Ken’s son who is a wine agent). The theme of this tasting was a “Giro d’Italia.”
This event included tasting wine, cheese and charcuterie from different wine regions in Italy.
The following wines were tasted:
Chliarli Castelvetro (red sparkling/palette teaser) from Emilia Romagene
Fazi Battaglia La Passerine (a light wine from Marche)
Nebbiolo D’alba Brumo (a robust red wine from Piedmont)
Alchymia Primitivo (a red wine from Puglia) **
Nicosia Contrada Monte Gorna (Etna red wine from Sicily)
Falconi Castel Del Monte Ross Riserva ( a light red wine from Abruzzo)
Babbino di Gran Selezione Chianti Classico (the classic red wine of Tuscany)
Frascabaldi Pomino Vin Santo (a sweet dessert wine from Tuscany)
** star of the tasting
Ken Foxcroft

Group 2 - February 28, 2024

On Feb 28 eight of us us met at Ron K's condo on a warm (for February) and cloudy day.

We sampled 6 wines from 6 different countries. All were very drinkable with ratings between 13.9 and 16 out of 20.

The favourite was 2020 Vicente Faria Lisbon by Night ($10.95) from Portugal. It was also the lowest cost wine.

Second was Meiomi Pinot Noir ($23.95), a popular red wine produced in California.

Tied for 3rd were "Wolf Blass Cabernet Sauvignon 2021 (on sale $14.95) from Australia

and Cigar Box Pinot Noir (on sale $12.95) from Chile's famed Casablanca Valley

Chateau Puyfromage Albert Signature 2019 ($34.99 online) from Bordeaux was a disappointing 5th

Chianti Classico Primocolle Villa Cerna 2019 (vintages $19.95) from Italy was ranked lowest

Group 3 - February 21, 2024

Group 3 wine tasting group met on February 21st, hosted by Reg and Alison Perkin in their condo at The Fairways. Present were Jack Doney, Don Steen, Doug Gilpin, Paul Walters, Neil Paget and Marty Wanat. Replacing vacationing Bryce Atkinson was Jim Davidson.

Reg decided to explore the world of MALBEC, a red wine associated primarily with Argentina. Argentina is a large country in the southern hemisphere, long in the north/south direction; so the north part closer to the Equator is warm , including some desert, and the southern part is colder. Malbec grapes are grown in all the regions of Argentina and the grapes and the wines they produce reflect the differences in the climate.

Five of the six Malbec wines tasted were from Argentina and one from France. They were, in order:

No.	Wine	Rank
1	Malbec Canale Patagonia Est Intimo (Hum) LCBO 144725	6
2	Vida Organico Malbec LCBO 17753	4
3	Pineraie Cahors (Ch. Pineraie) Malbec - France LCBO 78725	5
4	Nieto Senetiner Malbec LCBO 32145	2
5	Tapiz Alta Collection Malbec LCBO 450155	3
6	El Esteco Malbec LCBO 113191	1

Commentary: Our tasters were very pleased with the quality of the Malbec wines we tasted, and the prices were very reasonable, all in the $15 - $20 range. The top rated # 1,2,3 Malbec wines were all from the central region of Argentina. The # 6 rated wine was from the colder south of the country.

Reg Perkin

Group 3 - Jan 17, 2024

Probus Winetasting Group 3 met on January 17, 2024, hosted by Doug Gilpin.
Six red wines of different varieties were sampled and are listed below in order of the group's preferences:

No.	Wine	Score	Price
1	Luigi Bosca Malbec, Argentina	121.5	$19.95
2	Seven Falls Merlot, Washington	120.0	$22.95
3	Irving Spring Hill Sheraz, Australia	115.5	$19.25
4	Pound Cake Cabernet Sauvignon, California	115.5	$19.95
5	Roux Pere et Fils Pinot Noir, France	107.5	$19.05
6	Falesco Valpolicella Ripossa, Italy	104.5	$18.95

The tasting, attended by the regular members Marty Wanat, Reg Perkin, Jack Doney, and the host, enjoyed the pleasure of guests Richard Kitney, Paul Moore, Mile Preston, and Jim Christie.

Doug Gilpin

Group 2 - November 22, 2023

Wine Group 2 was hosted this month by Bob Weese at the Chartwell Grenadier in Bloor West Village. The group turned out in full strength and tasted Syrah/Shiraz wines from several countries. The original home of Syrah is the Rhone Valley in the south of France but the wine has spread to many places around the world including Australia where it’s called Shiraz. The six wines tasted were at a variety of price points, from $9.95 to $38.95.

Wits End Luna Shiraz, Australia -- $15.95
Caliterra Tributo Syrah, Chile -- $18.95
Vidal Reserve Hawkes Bay Syrah, New Zealand -- $29.95
One Pound Per Acre Shiraz, Australia -- $9.95
St. Joseph Rouge (Louis Bernard), France -- $38.95
Cathedral Cellar Shiraz, South Africa -- $17.95

The wines were all very drinkable but our group again demonstrated its expertise by ranking the cheapest wine in first place and the most expensive in last place!!!

Group 3 - November 15, 2023

Our group met at my home on the afternoon of November 15th. Neil Paget was warmly welcomed back to our gathering after many weeks of radiation treatment. Reg Perkin, Bryce Atkinson and Paul Walters were unable to participate, however Peter Crawford and John Spence were very willing spares and excellent contributors to our tasting.

Six Cabernet Sauvignon wines from different areas were selected and their respective rankings are enclosed. The individual scoring results were extremely close and the winning wine was Chateau Pey La Tour from France.

Everyone enjoyed a great afternoon!

Commentary: Our tasters were very pleased with the quality of the Malbec wines we tasted, and the prices were very reasonable, all in the $15-20 range

The top rated # 1,2,3 Malbec wines were all from the central region of Argentina. The # 6 rated wine was from the colder south of the country.

Reg Perkin

Group 2 - November 23 2023

Wine Group 2 was hosted this month by Bob Weese on Nov 23/23 at the Chartwell Grenadier in Bloor West Village. The group turned out in full strength and tasted Syrah/Shiraz wines from several countries. The original home of Syrah is the Rhone Valley in the south of France but the wine has spread to many places around the world including Australia where it’s called Shiraz. The six wines tasted were at a variety of price points, from $9.95 to $38.95.

Wits End Luna Shiraz, Australia -- $15.95
Caliterra Tributo Syrah, Chile -- $18.95
Vidal Reserve Hawkes Bay Syrah, New Zealand -- $29.95
One Pound Per Acre Shiraz, Australia -- $9.95
St. Joseph Rouge (Louis Bernard), France -- $38.95
Cathedral Cellar Shiraz, South Africa -- $17.95

The wines were all very drinkable but our group again demonstrated its expertise by ranking the cheapest wine in first place and the most expensive in last place!!!

Group 2 - October 2023

Wine Tasting Group 2 met on October 25^th with 6 attendees: Jim Christie, Bob Weese, Bob Ewart, Hugh Turner, Peter Crawford and Victor Fornasier.

The tasting consisted of 5 Pinot Noir wines from 5 different countries and one non-Pinot just to confuse everyone. Only one participant was able to identify the non-pinot, well done Hugh!

As usual the cheapest wine, Cigar Box Pinot from Chile was rated the best… or it could be because it was the last one tasted?

Tasting	Name	Country	Price	Group Rating
1	Oyster Bay Pinot Noir Marlborough 2021	New Zealand	$22.95	14.5
2	Mirassou Pinot Noir 2021	USA california	$17.95	13.5
3	Henry of Pelham Pinot Noir VQA 2021	Canada Niagara	$17.95	15.0
4	Planeta Frappato Sicilian Vittoria 2021	Italy	$24.95	14.8
5	Philippe De Rothschild Pinot Noir Pays 2021	Southern France	!15.55	15.2
6	Cigar Box Pinot Noir 2022	Chile	$14.96	16.5

Group 5 - October 2023

We came together in full force in October for what turned out to be a spirited tasting. The host added in two white wines, one from Croatia and one from South Africa and a blockbuster of a Zinfandel from Lodi, augmenting the stunning array of bold red wines put forth by Bob from our aborted attempt at holding a September event. We debated the merits of a more structured, Robert Parker inspired sensory analysis and scoring system, but rejected it for something a lot less involved and a lot more fun.

Group discussion centred around the horrific current events and the chaotic state of the world. All acknowledged that the hatred and mistrust demonstrated of late, is just too difficult to understand and does not bode well for the future of the world.
The theme of the tasting was Classical styles vs. winemaker intervened Newer World styles. Predictably, the tasters preferred the bolder, more flavoured styles by 2 to 1.

Below are the wines we tasted, from most popular to least popular.

1. 7 Deadly Zins 2018 - Zinfandel - 15% ABV Michael David Wines, Lodi California $24.95
2. Robert Mondavi Private Selection - Bourbon Barrel-Aged Cabernet Sauvignon 2021
14.5%ABV Robert Mondavi Wines - Central Coast California $22.95
3. Pietra Pura Mandus - Primitivo Di Manduria 2021 14.5% ABV Rocco del Macie, Tuscany Italy $18.95
4. Boschendal Sommelier Selection Chenin Blanc - 2021 13% ABV Boschendal Winery -
Western Cape, South Africa $19.95
5. Arboleda Cabernet Sauvignon 2020 - 14.5% ABV Eduardo Chadwick & Robert Mondavi producers - Aconcagua Valley, Chile $19.95
6. Stina Cuvee White 2021 12.5% ABV 70% Posip, 20% Vugava, 10% Chardonnay
Bol, Croatia Central & South Dalmatia $21.95

David Litner

Group 5 - October 2023

Five of us and guest, Jim Gola, enjoyed a leisurely rainy afternoon on Oct 26.

We sampled Australian wines: Several Cab Sauvs and one Shiraz.

Overall the favourite was #6, with the inexpensive Shiraz #5 a close second, though all the wines were deemed "good" by those present.

WINE TASTING - AUSTRALIA

Wakefield Promised Land Cabernet Sauvignon 2020 Medium ruby; floral, cassis and cedar aromas; these reappear on the palate along with black cherry and a hint of juniper on the smooth finish. $14.95

Victoria Park Cabernet Sauvignon 2021 This deeply-coloured wine hails from South Australia, and takes its name from a park honouring Princess Victoria, before she became Queen. Expect the fruit character of warm climate cabernet sauvignon; prune and floral aromas and flavours, with notes of smoke, mint and black olive. Pair with grilled burgers or ribs. $14.95

Zonte's Footstep Blackberry Patch Cabernet 2019 Bright, purple wine, Joven in style with a lifted estery spicy raspberry bouquet and a light, nicely textured, palate lifted with dark fruit flavours. Score - 96. (Winestate, July/Aug. 2021) $19.95

Penfolds Koonunga Hill Shiraz/Cabernet 2019 First crafted in 1976, this classic Australian blend of Shiraz and Cabernet has always been a favourite. Supple and concentrated, with toast, cedar, black plum, vanilla and herbal tones, it's a wine with broad appeal. It will be superb with pepper steak or grilled ribs. $17.45

McGuigan Black Label Shiraz 2021 Black cherry red colour; lifted aromas of red berry and fruit, touches of mint, toast and blood orange; dry, medium bodied, rich and rounded with ripe red berry and fruit, hints of herbs and a soft pleasant finish. $9,95

Wolf Blass Yellow Label Cabernet Sauvignon 2020 Attention to detail creates the quality and consistency that Wolf Blass wines are known for. Yellow Label Cab is made with fruit from Australia's Langhorne Creek and McLaren Vale regions. Enjoy flavours of coffee, smoky oak, black plum along with floral and wild honey notes. A superb pairing for roast lamb with rosemary. $18.00

Group 2 - September 2023

Wine tasting group 2 met on September 27th to sample white wines.
Those attending were Mike Preston, Jim Christie, Bob Weese, Bob Ewart, Hugh Turner and Peter Crawford.

Wines tasted:

Mare do Siena Pinot Grigio, Italy at $9:95
Santiago Sortesele Pinot Grigio Italy at $18:95
Oyster Bay Sauvignon Blanc, Marlborough NZ at $21:95
Te Henga Sauvignon Blanc, Marlborough NZ at $15:95
Cave Springs Riesling, Ontario at $14:95
Willm Riesling, Alsace France at $22:95

As a group we generally found it more difficult to distinguish the appearance and aroma of these three different white wines, but in terms of taste and overall impressions the Rieslings and Sauvignon were preferred. Top choice was the Alsace Riesling.

The group had a lively discussion on the state of the nation and were able to consume a fair amount of cheese. A good time was had by all.

Peter Crawford

Group 5 - September 2023

Group 5 July 2023 Wine tasting.
Our theme for this tasting was wines of the Southern Hemisphere. We didn’t try to compare wines since there were three varieties. Instead, each was judged on its own merit and whether we enjoyed the wine. The white wines had a lower score than the reds. This may have been because one of the group is not a big fan of whites and rated them lower, thus lowering the overall score for them.   Overall, the wines rated fairly well.
1 Santa Rita Secret Reserve Sauvignon Blanc   LCBO#: 16189 OUR SCORE 83.6
Flavours Herbal, Grapefruit, Gooseberry Alcohol/Vol 13% Maipo Valley, ChileSugar Content 2 g/L Price $15.8
An elegant sauvignon blanc from the Casablanca Valley, one of Chile's cool-climate areas devoted to producing high-quality white wine. A crisp, zesty palate follows the intense aroma of citrus, passion fruit and herbal tones with flavours of tropical fruit, lime and green fruit. Enjoy on its own or with shellfish.
2 Whitehaven Sauvignon Blanc   LCBO#: 308288 OUR SCORE 85.0
Flavours Herbal, Kiwi, Citrus Alcohol/Vol 13% New Zealand Sugar Content 3 g/L     Price $20

Pale straw colour; pronounced grassy and gooseberry aromas with white peach and citrus notes; dry and crisp with grassy and citrus flavours with a zesty lime finish.
3 Bodega Toro Centenario Malbec   LCBO#: 12452   OUR SCORE 88.2
Flavours Red Fruit, Juniper, Berry             Alcohol/Vol 13% Mendoza, Argentina
Sugar Content 6 g/L             Price: $12

An approachable and flavourful malbec from the famous Mendoza region. Expect aromas and flavours of ripe red fruit, juniper, mixed berries and plums with notes of herbs. Rich, smooth palate with balanced acidity and notes of red fruit, berries, juniper and herbs on the finish. Great with grilled or bbq lamb, beef or ribs.

4 Trapiche Pure Malbec LCBO# 370924   OUR SCORE 86.6
Flavours Floral, Berry, Bread                       Alcohol/Vol 14% Argentina
Sugar Content 4 g/L                       Price: $19

Trapiche is Argentina's leading exporter of wine. This malbec shows a commitment to pure fruit flavours. An opaque, deep ruby with purple hues; upfront aromas of berry melange, rye bread crust, red fruit, plus hints of bloor orange. The palate is dry, finely textured and brimming with flavours of plum, blackberry and spice.

5 Yellow Tail Cabernet Sauvignon LCBO#: 621623 OUR SCORE 89.0
Flavours: Floral, Prune, Candy                   Alcohol/Vol 13.5%                   Australia
Sugar Content 10 g/L                     Price: $13

Deep purple with intense aromas of prune and candy/vanilla. The palate is rich with confectionary black fruit, black olive and wood spice. The finish is rich and mellow.

6 Angus The Bull Cabernet Sauvignon LCBO: 605615   OUR SCORE 89.6
Flavours Chocolate, Cedar, Plum            Alcohol/Vol 14%                        Australia
Sugar Content 2 g/L                   Price: $20

The philosophy behind this Australian cabernet sauvignon was to create the perfect pairing for beef. They succeeded! Deep ruby colour, with aromas and flavours of chocolate, cedar, black plum, floral and herbal notes. Medium to full-bodied and smooth, with a long finish, this is made for grilled steak and roasted potatoes

Group 5 - May 2023

With the absence of some traveling members, Group 5 met May 18th at the home of Don Hare to sample a variety of well received wines including one white (2nd favourite) and the favourite a Meiomi Pinot Noir. They were -

- Meiomi Pinot Noir (California) Vintages#: 130138 Unit Price: $23.95
- Speck Bros. Family Tree 'The Goat Lady' Chardonnay VQA (Ont) LCBO#: 16792 Price: $16.95
- Louis Jadot Bourgogne Pinot Noir (France,Burgundy) Vintages #:162073 Price: $30.95
- Josh Cellars Cabernet Sauvignon (California - Mendocino, Napa, Sonoma counties) LCBO#: 461053 Price: $19.95
- McManis Merlot 2021 (California) Vintages #: 17674 Price: $21.95

A side selection of cheeses included St Albert Brie, St Agur Blue, Smoked Applewood Ilchester Cheddar, Kassagio Gouda and Danish Havarti with
assorted crackers, pumpernickel, almonds, and cashews

Don Hare

Group 3 - May 2023

Group 3 Wine Tasting met on May 17th at The Fairways Condominium of Reg and Alison Perkin. We had 100% attendance: Bryce Atkinson, Jack Doney, Doug Gilpin, Neil Paget, Don Steen, Paul Walters, and Marty Wanat. Reg had chosen two Malbec, two Shiraz and two Syrah. Four countries were represented: Argentina, Australia, Chile and South Africa. All six wines received high marks with the winner being a 19 Shiraz Signature Series from Australia. The others in descending order were 20 Syrah Alpha (Chile), 20 La Posta Fazzio Malbec (Argentina), Kilkanoon Shiraz (Australia), Alamos Malbec (Argentina) and Porcupine Ridge Syrah (South Africa) . Our final wine tasting for the current Probus year will be hosted by Jack and Marie Doney at The Fairways on the 3rd Wednesday in June.

Reg Perkin

Group 5 - April 2023

Group 5 met at the home of Joe Reid on April 20, 2023 to try an eclectic assortment of red wines, along with an extensive variety of cheeses. In order
of ratings from highest to lowest, we got the following results:

- 2019 Vivaldi Valpolicella Ripasso from Veneto , Italy $19.95 Vintages # 16222
- McGuigan Black Label Shiraz from Australia $12.95 LCBO # 325787
- Monte Antico Tuscano from Tuscany, Italy $16.95 Vintages # 69377
- Doppio Passo Botter Primitivo from Puglia, Italy $13.50 LCBO # 255190
- 2020 Blend de Extremos Malbec from Argentina $18.95 Vintages # 24863
- 2019 Tesellae Old Vines Grenache/Syrah/Mourvedre $19.95 Vintages# 343517
From Cotes du Roussillon, France

Joe Reid

Group 2 - April 2023

Wine session undertook the assessment of additional processes intended to improve the quality of wine.
Using Valpolicella three grades (Classico, Superiore and Ripasso) and three Primitivo grades (Classico, Passo Doppio and Appassimento) the attendees rated the effect or benefit of the supplementary manipulations. Collating the voting on AMS graphs the consensus was that these processes had a mild beneficial effect on the Valpolicella but little benefit on the Primitivo.
Group enjoyed selected cheeses (Cambusola, Cheddar. Swiss Emmenthal and Boursin). Mortadella wrapped breadticks were a definite favourite. Coffee and Mrs. Fornasier's ANZEC cookies closed the session.Host

Victor Fornasier