I've had mixed feelings about Colio Estates.

On one hand, it's counterintuive for Ontario wine -- creating a little excitement for an area near Lake Erie that's been ignored. This also reminds me of the fact that there are a lot of wineries just on the other side of the lake, in Pennsylvania. It's a little known fact that there are wineries in every state in the US, and even more surprising is that PA ranks somewhere around fourth overall due to the favorable climate & soil around the shores of Lake Erie. As I recall, the order is something like: California, Oregon, New York, Pennsylvania. Pretty cool!

So, I like things that surprise me (and other people).

That being said, Colio Estates has exaggerated the virtues of some of its product, and has overpriced some of it relative to equally-good Ontario competitors. And they're showing up on too many shelves in the Vintages area of the liquor store if you ask me. Maybe we're getting ahead of ourselves.

To the bottle we go: 12.4% alcohol. A note on the label about an unusually cool summer and warm fall, or something like that. A late harvest offering interesting flavors.

This wine has a magnificent color & bouquet. It lives up to what it's supposed to do, providing a dry, light companion to food. Good with salmon, the experts say. I found the bite a little too bitey though. The complex fruit flavor (hints of caramel, apple) has a bit of a bitter acidic finish, making you respect this wine even more, however I'm not sure if I'm supposed to be enjoying that slightly metallic note. 8.5 and definitely a keeper. Sure to delight guests.

I think I'll be launching a wine blog shortly, so I'm trying an inaugural post here in the obscurosphere.

A lot of my posts will take on the real life flavor of a semi-educated wine drinker who has consumed a mid-priced wine (usually one that's been recommended somewhere or featured in the liquor store), who is reflecting on his own real-life take on it, from his living room.

So first we have TerraMater Zinfandel Shiraz 2003, a Chilean. (If you're expecting me to post about fully aged wines you may be disappointed, unless the wine folks start sending me bottles, which would be great. I'm pretty much going to drink whatever I bring home.)

This claims to combine the "spicy, smoky oak of Shiraz with the ripe, sweet fruit of Zinfandel.... wonderfully well-balanced with a long rich finish." I stumbled on it as it was featured in my store of choice, the Kingsway LCBO.

Can't say as I disagree. The smokiness and overall dryness and heavy body is in line with what I like. There are some unusual elements (an interesting pruniness) that go with the generally balanced feel, so on my poor-man's scale, it rates a 9.

The label says "Contains Sulphites." More research clearly required.

I've found the Chileans to offer great value for the semi-expert cheapskate like me.

14% alcohol. I think it was around $13 Canadian.