The Foreign Affair Winery The Conspiracy Cabernet Sauvignon 2012 Wine Review

The Foreign Affair Winery The Conspiracy Cabernet Sauvignon 2012

Niagara Peninsula, Ontario VQA, Canada

Community Score:90/100

Community Reviews: 14

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Price: $19.95

Drink: 2013-2016

Bottle size: 750 ml

Alcohol: 12.8%

Sweetness: Extra Dry

Wine Type: Red Wine

Winery: The Foreign Affair

Agent: Epic Wines and Spirits Inc.

Natalie's Score: 88/100

Full-bodied and smooth with dark fruit and a meaty, savoury mid-palate note. Nicely balanced. The winery concentrates the flavour of the cabernet sauvignon grapes by using the ripasso method traditionally used in Veneto, Italy: dried grapes add richness and depth to the wine. Mocha, dark chocolate and toasty oak on the finish. A long, dry finish wraps up this package nicely. V.Q.A.

Cabernet Sauvignon food pairings: hearty meat dishes, hard cheese, pasta, mushroom risotto.

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This The Foreign Affair Winery The Conspiracy Cabernet Sauvignon 2012 was reviewed on July 16, 2014 by Natalie MacLean

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Pricing & Stock Information

LCBO
149237
$19.95
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BCLDB
212520
$15.80
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Reviews and Ratings

Gwen Barton rated this wine as 100/100 with the following review:

Foreign Affair- known for its appassimento style has produced a lovely full-bodied cab sauv . Loads of oakiness on nose and in the mouth- leather, spice, chocolate, smoke ( I could go on). Big chewy tannins and a finish that lingers on for a long long while- 15.8% alcohol leaves you warm down to the top of your toes.... A hunk of blue cheese and a steak would be a great pairing.

Dan Trcka Wine Blogger rated this wine as 91/100 with the following review:

The 2012 Foreign Affair Conspiracy, an appassimento stile wine, is composed of late-in-the-fall harvested Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc and Merlot that were subsequently aged in French, Hungarian and American oaks. It has intense notes of raspberry, cranberry, pomegranate and coconut and vanilla on both the nose and palate. It is a medium to full bodied, extra dry, fruity to integrated wine; with refreshing acidity, refined tannins and a long and smooth finish. It is food friendly, but enjoy on-its-own; drink now – 2020+. My impression: BEAUTIFUL, 91 pts – recommended for both, quality and value. Tasted Mar/14 at Cuvée en Route http://grapeselections.com/cuvee-2014/

See my wine recommendations readily available at the LCBO here:

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Terry Jeans - Certified S rated this wine as 90/100 with the following review:

This is definitely a full-bodied rich wine, done in the appassimento style from Ontario! It has ripe raspberry, blackberry, leather and floral aromas with some pretty heavy tannins and nice acid. It cries out for red meat on the grill. For just under $20 it is a very delicious style of wine.

Jennifer Havers - WSET Level 3 rated this wine as 90/100 with the following review:

This wine has a lot going on but needs to be decanted for a while (at least an hour) in order to help it open up. Aromas include cedar, oak, and spice mingled with currant, raisin, and black cherry with a slightly herbaceous note. Medium to full bodied, with firm tannin and fruit and berry flavours come through with the oak and spice. A fabulous steak wine, enjoy now or for a few years to come.
(Feb 2015)

Heather Wall - CS; WSET Advanced rated this wine as 89/100 with the following review:

This wine is made using the Italian appassimento method of picking ripe grapes then rasinate(dry and shrivel) them traditionally on straw mats. This process concentrates natural sugars and flavours. Foreign Affair Winery is one Ontario producer practicing this style of winemaking.
This wine is a Bordeaux blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Cabernet Franc. Deep ruby with thick legs on the glass the full-bdied juice in the glass. Medium+ aromas of Strawberry, cherry, raspberry, blueberry, raisin, prune, violets, leather, cedar, evergreen.
Palate is dry with grippy,youthful tannins and Medium+ acidity. Full-bodied pronounced flavours of dark red stewed fruit, cranberry, black pepper, smike tar, vanilla. This wine has definite ageing potential. 3-5 years.
Good cuts of meat would be best match. Canadian BBQ hamburger, hearty beef or lamb stew.
Suggest decanting if drinking now. 1 hour plus.
Tasted - July 2014

Matt Steeves - Certified Sommelier rated this wine as 89/100 with the following review:

Foreign Affair Winery is the pioneer in Ontario in making wines in the Appassimento style (naturally drying the grapes, like is commonly done in Northern Italy). The Appassimento winemaking style incorporates an added level of complexity and intrigue in their wines. The Conspiracy is made in a similar fashion to that of Ripasso in Italy. Deep dark ruby, showing dark cherry, black currant, sage, black pepper, with some green pepper. High tannins make this youthful wine a candidate for cellaring and after a 1-2 hour decant it would be an ideal wine to enjoy with a thick rib steak. Enjoy 2015 - 2022. Tasted November 2014. 89+ points. Matt Steeves - @Quercusvino

Sean O'Regan - Certified Sommelier rated this wine as 89/100 with the following review:

Nov 22, 2014: Deep ruby, nose is a bit tight with dark currant, light herb, cedar and oak toast/spice.
Medium full body, black cherry, currant, toasted oak, cedar, spice and hints of green herb on the medium long finish with big gritty tannins. Components for balance are there, but give this another year or two for better integration and for the tannins to soften or an hour decant an hour+ and drink with fatty/salty proteins. 88/89

Douglas McMillan rated this wine as 89/100 with the following review:

This is a wine with some body. Plum, blackberry, smoke, and raisin. Big tannins overwhelm the taste a bit, but after they clear the taste is sweet plum, blackberry, and a bit of vanilla. Very much a wine for red meat.

Nick Onischuk - Accredited Sommelier rated this wine as 89/100 with the following review:

The Foreign Affair Conspiracy Cabernet Sauvignon 2012 is a full bodied wine that is quite enjoyable. It features aromas and flavours of cherry, raspberry and vanilla. Give it a try! (89/100) July 14, 2014

Chris Coughlin - WSET level 3 grad rated this wine as 89/100 with the following review:

This dry, tannic 'Steak' wine has raspberry, blackberry and current leaf notes with decent acidity and alcohol. The nose is subtle but the flavours are there, enjoy!

3 Members would buy this wine again

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The Foreign Affair Winery The Conspiracy Cabernet Sauvignon 2012 Wine Review

Natalie's Score: 88/100

Pricing & Stock Information

Reviews and Ratings