No Fuss Wine Reviews. Always Under $20
Price: $15.95
Tastes Like:
Honey, Hibiscus, Peach
Serve With:
Pound cake, Fresh berries, Souvlaki
Sean’s Take
Good deal alert! Viognier is one of my personal favourite wines when you want something different than Chard, Sauv Blanc, and Grigio. This one is stellar. Dry and very flavourful. Lots of floral without being overbearing. Clean bright stone fruit, honey, and hints of melon. Get it while quantities last!
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LCBO | Wine Searcher
Price: $15.00
Tastes Like:
Oak, Black Cherry
Sean’s Take
Muddy flavours of cherry, vanilla, and some spice.
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LCBO | Wine Searcher
Shannon Ranch Cabernet Sauvignon 2019
Shannon Ranch Cabernet Sauvignon 2019 Shannon Ranch Cabernet Sauvignon 2019
Shannon Ranch Cabernet Sauvignon 2019
Price: $19.95
Tastes Like:
Currant, Blueberry, Blackberry
Serve With:
Bison burger, Stuffed mushrooms, Blue cheese
Sean’s Take
The fruit is unusually dark for a Cali cab, which is a nice change if you’re into that sort of thing. It’s not as bright as some cabs but still packs a flavour punch. These don’t sound like selling features, but this wine is very good!
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The Y Series Viognier 2021
The Y Series Viognier 2021 The Y Series Viognier 2021
The Y Series Viognier 2021
Price: $14.95
Tastes Like:
White Peach, Floral, Apricot
Serve With:
Goat cheese, Shrimp pasta, Roasted cauliflower
Sean’s Take
Looking for something completely different from the typical chardonnay and sauvignon blanc? Viognier, it’s delicious.
Viognier can appear in different styles from almost tropical to delicate and floral. This one is definitely on the delicate and floral side. It needed a few minutes in the glass to warm up to really shine. Perfect if you’re looking for a light and polite sipping wine.
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Sandbanks Summer White
Sandbanks Summer White Sandbanks Summer White
Sandbanks Summer White
Price: $14.95
Tastes Like:
Papaya, Lychee, Pineapple
Serve With:
Something light and fresh. Nothing salty
Chuck’s Take
A refreshing supper sipper. Medium sweet. Drink cold. Non-vintage.
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Noble Vines Merlot 2018
Noble Vines Merlot 2018 Noble Vines Merlot 2018
Noble Vines Merlot 2018
Price: $19.95
Tastes Like:
Raspberry, Blueberry, Fig
Serve With:
Pesto Pasta, Grilled Chicken, Goat Cheese
Sean’s Take
This Merlot has all the textbook flavours you’d expect. The wine is quite big and bold for a Merlot, undoubtedly due to its California origin (especially Lodi). Despite this, it still has the soft round mouth feel you expect from Merlot and really nice medium finish.
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Tini Sangiovese Romagna 2020
Tini Sangiovese Romagna 2020 Tini Sangiovese Romagna 2020
Tini Sangiovese Romagna 2020
Price: $9.05
Tastes Like:
Red Berry, Strawberry, Oak
Serve With:
Simple Italian
Chuck’s Take
For the price this is a good value Italian table wine. Dry, medium body, flavours not overpowering but tasty at the same time.
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Luccarelli Puglia Bianco 2020
Luccarelli Puglia Bianco 2020 Luccarelli Puglia Bianco 2020
Luccarelli Puglia Bianco 2020
Price: $8.45
Tastes Like:
Lime, Green Apple, Mineral
Chuck’s Take
Crisp and acidic with a slightly sour finish. Light body and dry. Nice sipper. Really enjoyed the lime notes in this wine as it’s not found often.
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Montes Limited Selection Carmenère 2019
Montes Limited Selection Carmenère 2019 Montes Limited Selection Carmenère 2019
Montes Limited Selection Carmenère 2019
Price: $15.95
Tastes Like:
Raisin, Cherry, Licorice
Serve With:
Grlled Steak, BBQ Ribs, Beef Shawarma
Sean’s Take
Montes (a Chilean brand) produces a highly sought-after and very pricey wine called Purple Angel. I have had the good fortune to try this wine and it is VERY GOOD. Purple Angel, like this wine, is also mostly Carmenère (carmen-yare).
This Limited Selection bottle is baby Purple Angel. Now, before you write me emails, let me be clear. It shares the same robust profile, generous fruit, and herb/earthy notes. Of course, at $15.95 it is not the same wine, but for this price, you can’t go wrong.
The fruit is forward and balanced. Lots of cherries and blackberry mixed together with some jam notes. The finish is really pronounced and is where the earthy licorice shows up but in a really nice way. If you want to try something new or just a really good deal for your next BBQ, get this one while it lasts!
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Riunite Lambrusco Frizzante
Riunite Lambrusco Frizzante Riunite Lambrusco Frizzante
Riunite Lambrusco Frizzante
Price: $10.00
Tastes Like:
Red Berry, Dark Plum, Black Cherry, Black Grape Skin
Serve With:
Apps
Chuck’s Take
This was a fun wine to drink that also turned out to be extra delicious. Very reminiscent of old-school wine and ginger ale spritzers. It’s sweet (55g/L) which is why it tastes ginger ale spritzer like to me. Lambrusco is slightly fizzy (frizzante) but not bubbly. This bottle is made from a blend of grapes and is non-vintage. It’s 8% and very drinkable (I’ve had beers stronger). Dark purple in colour. Try one out!
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Baron Pilippe de Rothschild Chardonnay
Baron Pilippe de Rothschild Chardonnay Baron Pilippe de Rothschild Chardonnay
Baron Pilippe de Rothschild Chardonnay
Price: $14.15
Tastes Like:
Honeysuckle, Honeydew, Melons
Serve With:
Tandoori Chicken, Spinach Pie, Lobster Rolls
Sean’s Take
CLASSIC French white table wine. Very drinkable, no one flavour/aroma stands out. Well made, the acid makes for a clean finish, very balanced.
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Wolf Blass Yellow Label Cabernet Sauvignon 2020
Wolf Blass Yellow Label Cabernet Sauvignon 2020 Wolf Blass Yellow Label Cabernet Sauvignon 2020
Wolf Blass Yellow Label Cabernet Sauvignon 2020
Price: $16.95
Tastes Like:
Dark Plum, Blackberry, Oak
Serve With:
Roasted Red Meat
Chuck’s Take
It’s not a bad cabernet at all especially on the scale that they make this stuff. It was hugely popular many years ago so it does have it’s following. It’s alright…but for $17 you can find something more interesting. I wouldn’t avoid it though.