The first VQA red on offer for this official Olympic wine brand still offers pretty good value at the price point and gives $1.25 from each bottle purchased towards our Olympic athletes. The wine was tasted in conjunction with a small tasting panel of 4 people so as to remove what may be perceived as my potential bias. The nose is very nice, with cherries and blackberries, along with woodsy notes and a hint of vanilla. In the mouth, the vanilla disappears, leaving behinds black fruit, herbs and heavy oak-tannins. Quite a dry finish here. I believe this one needs a little more time in the bottle to integrate more fully. Currently, it’s “decent, but not a showstopper” one of the panel members said. “The nose is very nice, the taste does not fulfill the promise”. Give it 6 months and it should be drinking much better. Price: $13.85