Fonseca Bin 27 Reserve Port NV

 

Fonseca Bin 27 Reserve Port NV (SKU 271585, WS90 pts., $25.29 tax included)

This was always my go-to port and I grabbed a couple of bottles when I saw it on sale recently. I discovered that there was a distinct taste to each house that produced port wines and each person would have his/ her favourite. Fonseca was one of the houses that I consistently preferred. Even though there was no vintage on it, the tasting notes from Wine Spectator's 2023 review showed it at 90 points. The plum flavour nose bursted out of the bottle when opened. The tasted was fruity as most port wines with a medium finish. When paired with dessert such as cheesecake or taro cake, it became very enjoyable. This is on sale at $3 off for the rest of November 2023 and there is ample stock in the LDB stores.

Baron Philippe de Rothschild Carmenère Colchagua Valley Escudo Rojo 2021

 

Baron Philippe de Rothschild Carmenère Colchagua Valley Escudo Rojo 2021 (SKU 746321, WS90 pts., $21.84 tax included)

 I was attracted to the name of the winery when I saw this wine. Rothschild meant it was a famous French winery but it looked like they were producing wine in Chile. Carmenère was a one of the Chilean red grapes and tasted more like Merlot. At this price, I could not resist the curiosity to explore this wine. I brought is to a Chinese dinner and the server decanted it. There was a hint of light berries on the nose and palate with a medium body and medium finish. It paired well with most of the meat dishes. The surprising thing was it was rated at 90 points by Wine Spectator (WS) with a drinking window after 2025. It was considered a "Smart Buy" by WS. I would treat it as an economical table wine for general food pairing and near term consumption. At this price, I would not put it in my cellar for too long.

Castillo di Gabbiano Chianti Classico Riserva Cavaliere d'Oro 2018

 

Castillo di Gabbiano Chianti Classico Riserva Cavaliere d'Oro 2018 (SKU 25163, WS93 pts., $22.99 tax included)

I went by the LDB store on 39th and Cambie and saw a Flash Sale (August 3 to 6, 2023). The government liquor stores seemed to get into these promotional events like the other online retailers. I saw this wine on sale for $10 off (that was a 33% discount). When I checked the Wine Spectator rating, I could not believe my eyes. So I quickly grabbed one and opened it at dinner to pair with some Chinese barbeque pork. The nose was full of berries and I did not even bother to decant. The palate was also filled with berries and cherries along with an earthy undertone. The body was full and the finish was long. Wine Spectator indicated that the wine was best from 2023 to 2032, a long drinking window. The blend was Sangiovese and Merlot but it did not taste like the regular Chianti.

 Chianti Classico is sub-region in Chianti and Riserva means the wine was aged for at least 24 months with at least 3 months in the bottle. The rest of the name translates into Golden Knight. This wine is a good candidate for the Wine Spectator Top 100 for this year. With the Flash Sale happening only from August 3 to 6, 2023, I suggest getting a bottle to taste as soon as possible and go back and grab half a dozen bottles if it is to your taste.