XOXO Wine

XOXO SHIRAZ CABERNET

• 750 mL bottle
• Red Wine
• 13% Alcohol/Vol.
• Sugar Content : 1 (Dry)
• Body: medium bodied
• Made in: Ontario, Canada
• Price: $ 9.95
• Shiraz and Cabernet grapes share a rich embrace of luscious berry flavours with a hint of spice, aromas of plum and currant, and a touch of oak. This full-bodies red pairs wonderfully with grilled steak, burgers and BBQ ribs.
  

The reason I decide to try this wine is the price (less than $10) and the silvery purple colour label. Well... This is not a very good way to pick a wine in LCBO, but this wine didn't disappoint me. It's in fact pretty good. It's easy to drink and the price is good.
I like the fruity finish of this wine.

Wine Reviews

Some review on wines that I've drank before...
PELEE ISLAND MERLOT 2008

• 750 mL bottle
• Red Wine
• Made in: Ontario, Canada
• 12.2% Alcohol/Vol.
• Sugar Content : 1 (Dry)
  
• Body: light-bodied
• Price: $ 9.95
• Its dark ruby appearance, distinctive black current and cherry flavours are complemented by a smooth lingering finish.
• Serving suggestions: barbecues and most pasta dishes
  

This wine is ok. Nothing exciting.
I prefer medium to full bodied wine.


PELEE ISLAND MONARCH 2008

• 750 mL bottle
• Red Wine
• 12.5% Alcohol/Vol.
• Sugar Content : 1 (Dry)
• Body: medium bodied
• Made in: Ontario, Canada
• Price: $ 9.95
• Pelee Island Monarch Red is a fun and lively red wine with ripe and jammy fruits flavours. A welcoming aroma of cherry and violets give away to a balanced finish with robust tannins.
  
• Serving suggestions: grilled red meats and full flavoured cheeses.
  

Monarch consists of 3 wines: Zweigelt 33%, Baco Noir 34%, Marchel Foch 33%

This wine is good. It's definitely better than the Merlot.
Based on the price, it's not something that I would be very excited about.
Don't get me wrong... It's a good wine...
but I can find similar quality wine at a cheaper price...



CESARI MERLOT 2008

• 750 mL bottle
• Red Wine
• 12.0% Alcohol/Vol.
• Sugar Content : 1 (Dry)
• Body: light to medium bodied
• Made in: Venezie, Italy
• Price: $ 7.45
• This red wine comes from grapes selected in and around the Veneto Region. It has a good bouquet and a full bodied flavour making this wine a great accompaniment to many dishes, specially meat and pasta.

This is a good merlot for the price.
I used to like Merlot a lot, but I recently found Merlot to have no character.
May be my taste has changed over time... So, this wine is not really an exciting wine for me, but the price is good.

Casal Thaulero Sangiovese

I am interested in wines that are under $10 and Casal Thaulero Sangiovese is one of them. For $6.95, this is a very good wine. Of course, you cannot compare this to some of the $15+ wines, but this wine stands out. It is actually better than some of the $10-$15 Ontario VGA wines.

CASAL THAULERO SANGIOVESE 2008

• 750 mL bottle
• Red Wine
• 13.0% Alcohol/Vol.
• Made in: Abruzzo, Italy
• Sugar Content : 1 (Dry)
• Body: Medium bodied
• This delicious wine is produced and estate bottled in Abruzzo - one of the most beautiful region in Italy. The Sangiovese grapes grown on this estate are of highest quality, creating a dry wine with fresh aromas and well-balanced flavours. Casal Thaulero Sangiovese is excellent alone or with many dishes, especially roasts, cheese and pasta. Serve at room temperature.
  
• Taste: Medium to deep ruby colour with cherry flavours

Updates on 2010-01-21:
Toronto Life has put this wine as best red under $15.
http://www.torontolife.com/features/bottle-service/

Misterio Malbec

About 2 months ago, I discovered this red wine.... Misterio Malbec
I am not really a fan of Malbec because of their spicy taste. However, this one is not bad.
Misterio is a good wine with a little bitter finish.
That's not a problem for me, but it might not be for everyone.
I like dry red wine.
Putting the price ($7.95) into consideration... Misterio is actually a very good wine.

Yesterday, I went to LCBO to get more bottles of this wine. Misterio is out of stock. :(
I guess other people like this wine too! ;)
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MISTERIO MALBEC

Wine: Red Wine
Price: $ 7.95
Bottle: 750 ml
Alcohol/Vol.: 14.2%
Made in: Argentina
Sweetness: dry

Taste:
Dark ruby in colour, the nose shows aromas of dark berry, toasted vanilla and oak spices. It is medium-bodied, fruity and toasty.
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