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Tuesday, May 31, 2011

Reichsgraf Von Kesselstatt Riesling Kabinett 2007, Mosel, Germany


I am well overdue to review a white wine and with hot and humid weather settling in, it is a perfect time to uncork a white wine, and not just any white, but my favourite grape, a Riesling. I have always been a fan of German Rieslings, and this one is an absolute beauty with aromas of pink grapefruit, pear, wet stone and petrol. The mouthfeel is oily, with delicate sweetness and lively acidity. The finish is long with sweet fruit and a touch of honey. With alcohol at only 8.5% this is a perfect wine to sip on the patio or with a slightly spicy dish. A Riesling of this quality, and fine vintage (2007) could age for many more years and is a great value at this price. (The level of sweetness of this Riesling is medium sweet)

This wine was purchased on January 8, 2011 LCBO New Release at $19.95.

Monday, May 30, 2011

Isole E Olena Chianti Classico 2007, Tuscany, Italy


The 2007 Chianti Classico is absolutely delicious and very aromatic with plums, sour cherry, violet and cedar on the nose. This wine is light to medium body with refreshing acidity and drying tannins. The finish is long, spicy with a sweet and sour excitement, which I love about Sangiovese. A Chianti Classico with aging potential from a great vintage and a superb food companion.
This wine was purchased on February 5, 2011 LCBO New Release at $26.95

Freemark Abbey Cabernet Sauvignon 2002, Napa Valley, California


This product has just been released in our provincial wine stores (LCBO).  As an older vintage wine, I was curious as to what this 2002 Cabernet would taste like. The nose was very subdued; old wood and pencil shaving. The palate is a bit rustic with low acidity and smooth tannins. The finish is earthy with no fruit to speak of. This wine, most likely, would have been better 2 or 3 years ago, but right now this Cabernet Sauvignon is past its prime. Not recommended.

This wine was purchased on May 28, 2011 LCBO New Release at $29.95

Thursday, May 26, 2011

Paul Picks from the LCBO New Release of May 28, 2011 - California Dreaming and Chenin Blanc

Hello to all my wine friends,

Looking at this New Release (NR) , if California is your wine of choice, you are in luck. Another feature of this segment of the NR is Alsace wines from France. Here is a quote from John Szabo's , one of three of this countries Master of Wine, reviewing for WineAlign said , "One of the world's most distinctive wine regions, Alsace has a unique identity...says the LCBO catalogue. Agreed to be sure, it's just that Alsace's most unique wines will emphatically not be released on May 28th. I suppose the uncommonly challenging task to triangulating producer willingness, availability, price, agent competence and timing has eliminated all but a handful of rather mediocre Alsatian wines. Nobody said it was easy to buy for 10 million people, and there's no question consumers are suffering because of it." I have been saying this for a while now, too many mediocre wines are finding there way onto Vintages shelves. When consumers venture into the Vintages section, they should only find very good bottles of wine. I believe there are too many New Release events (the machine must be fed, like 24hr news shows), one per month would be enough and should eliminate many of those mediocre products from finding there way into our shelves for whatever reasons.

California Dreaming (Indeed); There are always takers for California (CA) Wines, no matter the prices. The sales of CA wines have gone through the roof in Canada, including the province of Québec, with sales of US wines in Ontario up by 21.5% over the past year to almost $71 millions dollars overtaking both France and Italy. The state of California is producing world-class wine, needed less time in the cellar with fruit forward style which appeal to a vast segment of the wine buying public. A lot of my friends, a steak and a big California Cabernet Sauvignon would make for a very enjoyable evening. Wines from CA are not always synonymous with value, as cost of making wine and real estate are certainly more expensive then say, Chile, Argentina or South Africa. There are exceptions of course, for example Grove Street Cabernet Sauvignon 2008 at $15.00 from NR of April 16, 2011 still available and great value for the money. Now in this release, here are a few of those California gems; Ridge Lytton Springs 2008 (982413) at $43.95 - blend of Zinfandel, Petit Syrah and Carignan and a wine I have been drinking for many vintages now, with a review of the 2007 vintage on my blog (April post), Duckhorn Merlot 2008 (992529) at $54.95, you try this wine once and you will be hooked, trust me, Gamble Family Vineyards Paramount 2005 (221143) at $59.95 a Bordeaux blend from Napa Valley, Villa Mt. Eden Grand Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon 2006 (706275) at $24.95 now here is a wine which should have a wide appeal, and finally Fess Parker Rodney's Vineyard Syrah 2007(232546) at $39.95 . A funny story here; I have enjoyed the last two vintages of this wine which was purchased in BC and I have read a lot of great reviews of this wine. Well, there is always an exception, I have a friend that works as a Product Consultant with the LCBO. He recently described a tasting held for all Product Consultants before this release. Their reaction to this wine was all the same, a very stinky wine. One PC referred to it as "les fesses de Parker" (ask a french speaking friend for the translation). Well, this won't deter me fron purchasing this, they could have simply had a bad bottle. When I open it and should the Bret be out of control (which is most likely due to a fault in the wine), I will definitely return it to the LCBO for a full refund or exchange.

Chenin Blanc; Which grape is the most planted in South Africa (SA)? Well, from SA Wine Industry Statistics, for the last year period ending in 2009, the answer is Chenin Blanc also referred to as Steen in SA, with a total of 282,206 tons, close second is another white grape, Colombar with 272 439 tons and a distant third is Cabernet Sauvignon at 93 852 tons. Have you ever tried a glass of Chenin Blanc? Most likely not. This is the flavour profile of Chenin Blanc; soft texture, light bodied, high-acid grape and produces dry to semisweet wines with flavour of apples, pear, guava, pineapple, honey and minerals. It is not usually meant to be aged. The Chenin Blanc grape also makes a great wine from the appelation of Vouvray in la Loire region of France. There are three Chenin Blanc up for release this week; 1-The Winery of Good Hope Bush Vine Chenin Blanc 2009 (158121) at $11.95 2-Graham Beck Bowed Head Chenin Blanc 2009 (231357) $17.95 and 3-Ken Forrester Chenin Blanc 2009 (231282) at $17.95. My recommendation if you want to expand your wine horizons, try a Chenin Blanc from Ken Forrester Chenin Blanc 2009.

My top three wines from this release;
1-Duckhorn Merlot 2008 from California at $54.95
2-Gamble Family Vineyards Paramount 2005 from California at $59.95
3-Ruffino Greppone Mazzi Brunello Di Montalcino 2004 from Italy at $49.95

My top three wines for there value;
1-Winery of Good Hope Bush Vine Chenin Blanc 2009 from South Africa at $11.95
2-Plunkett Fowles Stone Dwellers Merlot 2008 from Australia at $19.95
3-Villa Mt. Eden Grand Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon 2006 from California at $24.95

These wines did not make my shopping list but are worth considering;

Red Wines;
1-Ridge Lytton Springs 2008 from California at $43.95
2-Gamble Family Vineyards Paramount 2005 from California at $59.95
3-Ruffino Greppone Mazzi Brunello Di Montalcino 2004 from Italy at $49.95
4-Ardal Crianza 2005, Ribera Del Duero, Spain at $16.95

White Wines;
1-Sanford Chardonnay 2008 from California at $26.95
2-Graham Beck Bowed Head Chenin Blanc 2009 at $17.95

Sparkling Wine;
1-Mumm Napa Rosé from California at $29.95

My team and I will be back for the next New Release of June 11, 2011, where there are usually some great wines release before Fathers Day.

Cheers,

Paul YWG

Tuesday, May 24, 2011

Hogue Genesis Merlot 2006, Columbia Valley, Washington State



The first thing that really excited me about this wine is the aromatics; black cherry, blackcurrant, fruit cake, vanilla and cedar. This Merlot is full bodied (generous alcohol at 14.9%), but still well balanced with rich concentrated flavours, velvet texture, lively acidity and well integrated tannins. The finish is long, savoury, and sweet with cedar and rich chocolate. This is about the fourth or fifth time I have enjoyed this wine that was part of the New Release of July 24, 2010, priced at $19.95. This particular bottle was purchased at the SAQ in Quebec; I was browsing the store and noticed the Genesis Merlot 2006, I couldn’t believe my luck. This well made Merlot is slightly more expensive in Quebec, but still a good value.
This wine was purchased on May 7, 2011 at the SAQ for $21.85.

Monday, May 23, 2011

Quinta Dos Aciprestes Reserva 2007, Douro, Portugal


Rich and aromatic, complex nose of ripe cherry fruit, raisins, vanilla and exotic spices. This wine is medium to full body with good moderating acidity and grainy tannins. The texture is fresh and velvety. This is a modern version of Portuguese wine, which should appeal to New World wine fans. Very enjoyable.

This wine was purchased on September 18, 2010 LCBO New Release at $21.95

Tuesday, May 17, 2011

Senorio De Cuzcurrita 2005, Rioja, Spain



The2005 Senorio De Cuzcurrita is 100% Tempranillo aged for 24 months in French oak. This wine has intense aromas of dark cherries, plums, cedar, violet and earthy spices has a nice rich mouth feel, concentrated fruit, toasty oak, balanced acidity and drying tannins. It is already developing into a elegant and rich Rioja, but is no where near its peak and could easily cellar for another 4-5 years. If you own one in your cellar, I say be patient and you will be rewarded.
This wine was purchase through the LCBO Vintages Classics Collection of February 2001 at $35.00

Charles Cimicky The Autograph Shiraz 2004, Barrossa Valley, South Australia


The Autograph is a 100% Shiraz from 45 years old vines in Barossa, aged 18 months in new American oak as well as a small quantity of French oak. This wine has generous aromatics and mature aromas; fruit cake, dark plums, date and cinnamon. It is full bodied, has silky tannins with every component well integrated. Nice to see a mature Australian Shiraz on the LCBO shelf. Very good value for a Shiraz of this quality.

This wine was October 16, 2010 LCBO New Release at $39.95

Sunday, May 15, 2011

Australia’s First Families of Wine, May 5, 2011 in Ottawa, Ontario

I attended this taste and buy event last week at the Château Laurier in Ottawa, Ontario.
Australia’s First Families of Wines was launched in 2009 and is a collective of multi-generational family owned wine producers. They represent 16 regions across four states and have more than 1200 years of winemaking experience. The oldest being Yalumba wines established in 1849. The 11 Families of Wine participating in this event;

Campbells (Victoria)
D’Arenberg (South Australia)
De Bortoli (New South Whales)        
Henschke (South Australia)
Howard Park (Western Australia)
Jim Barry (South Australia)
McWilliams (New South Whales)
Tahbilk (Victoria)
Tyrrell’s (New South Whales)
Wakefield (South Australia)
Yalumba (South Australia)



With 65 wines available for tasting (and to buy), I needed a plan of action. First I wanted to taste all six Chardonnay’s available at this tasting; De Bortoli Gulf Station Chardonnay 2010, Howard Park Chardonnay 2008, Madfish Gold Turtle Chardonnay 2007, Tyrrell’s Vat 47 Hunter Valley Chardonnay 2008, Wakefield St. Andrews Chardonnay 2008 and Wakefield Chardonnay 2009.
Not a Château Home Depot in sight, quite a transformation from big oaky Chardonnay’s of the 80’s and 90’s to a better and more restrained use of oak. My favourite was Howard Park Chardonnay 2008 located in Western Australia and here are my notes; very aromatic, white grapefruit, tree fruit, vanilla and some minerality, light to medium body, crisp acidity and complex mouth feel, long elegant and refreshing finish. I also enjoyed both of the Wakefield Chardonnay’s.

Now for the reds, I wanted to concentrate my time on premium reds. I tasted 15 wines, mostly Shiraz, Cabernet Sauvignon, some Blends and one Grenache. Here are the highlights;

Henschke; This winery was established in 1868 and is located in Barossa Valley, South Australia. I tasted 4 of their 5 reds here; Keyneton Estate Euphonium Shiraz 2008, Mount Edelstone Shiraz 2007, Johann’s Garden GMS 2007 and Hill of Grace 2002 I feel privileged to have been able to taste the Hill of Grace 2002. It’s not every day that you have the opportunity to taste such an iconic wine ($899.00). A fantastic wine to be sure, and with this price tag, it is out of reach for most of us. The Keyneton Estate Euphonium Shiraz 2008 at $49.95 and Johann’s Garden GMS 2007 at $54.95 represent much better value. All four wines here were very good.

Howard Park: Tasted The Scotsdale Shiraz 2008 blew me over, talk about different style of Shiraz from Barossa and Western Australia. A beautiful deep violet colour, fruity and spicy aromas, medium body, well structured with plums and white pepper on the finish. A wine with great finesse. Western Australia is not known for their Shiraz, they are traditionally known for their Cabernet Sauvignon, but after tasting such a fantastic Shiraz, I could easily be a fan. I will have the opportunity to revisit this wine, once my order arrives.

Jim Barry: This winery was establish in 1959 and is located in Claire Valley, South Australia. I tasted 3 of their 5 reds here. I must admit I have been a fan of their wines for some time now and have been following the last 5 or 6 vintage of The McRae Wood Shiraz

An opportunity to meet 
Winemaker Peter Barry.

The McRae Wood Shiraz 2006; I was very happy to try this new vintage since I have 2 bottles in my cellar dating back to November of 2010. On the nose mint, chocolate, blueberry and Asian spice, full bodied, rich mouth feel and muscular tannins, patience will be key here with this one opening in 4-5 years.
From there Museum Release, The McRae Wood Shiraz 1999; Now, not only were there some great wines to be tasted at this event but you can also see how well a full bodied Australian Red can develop when given time in the bottle. This 1999 vintage of the McRae Wood Shiraz is an absolute beauty. Full bodied, great mouth feel, tannins in a support role after 10 plus years in bottle and nice acidity which give it a nice kick on the finish. A smooth and elegant wine. I also tasted, the Armagh Shiraz 2006, a definite candidate for your cellar 8-10 years.


  

Wakefield:  This winery was establish in 1969 and is located in Claire Valley, South Australia. I tasted 2 of their 3 reds. I had never before, seen or tasted their St Andrew range of premium wines. With great anticipation, I tasted these two wines;
Wakefield St Andrews Cabernet Sauvignon 2005; full body, complex aromatics, layered texture. The Cabernet still needs time in the cellar for all the elements to come together, but everything is here to get a great wine in 5-10 years.
Wakefield St Andrews Shiraz 2004; With complex aromatics; berry fruits, plums, spices and vanilla. This wine has rich and elegant mouth feel, balanced acidity, ripe tannins with flavours of blackberry, cedar and spices. The finish is long, warm and sensuous. Talking about my palate now, the clear winner is the Shiraz. Order two of these, it was truly great

Yalumba:  This winery was establish in 1849 and is located in the Barossa Valley, South Australia. My favourites from this winery are The Barossa Signature Cabernet/Shiraz (Not available to taste at this show) and the best wine I have enjoyed from them was The Octavius Old Vines Shiraz 2001. I was able to taste 3 of 4 reds here.
Hand Picked Single Site Habermenn Vineyard Grenache 2005; very interesting aromas of cherry, berries, red liquorice, good acidity, well integrated tannins and spicy finish (14.5% Alc.
The Reserve Cabernet/Shiraz 2004; a big muscular wine with great aromatics that needs 5 to 10 years in your cellar to be enjoyed at it’s best.
Hand Picked Single Site Swingbridge Vineyard Craneford Shiraz 2005; the aromatics didn’t do it for me here, with menthol and a bit medicinal. But the mouth feel was so rich and smooth, medium to full body with silky tannins, yummy. Again, I ordered this Shiraz.

I thought that my tasting was done, when I was handed a glass of desert wine as a night cap.  Rutherglen Muscat from Campbells is a vineyard in Rutherglen, Victoria, South Australia. To think that I had almost left without having this treat. It is a light dessert wine with such subtle aromatics; orange peel, Asian spice, tea and brown sugar, with great complexity and elegance. It’s always nice to have some interesting products in your cellar. This dessert wine is definitely one of those wines.

The perception in the market place is that Australia produces only cheap and jammy commercial wines, made by multinational corporations, such as Constellation Wines and Foster’s. I believe that Shiraz is still an Australian signature grape. They should embrace their strengths and rich history. Australia is a big country with several different micro climates with warmer and cooler climate vineyards. With the exception of the US market, the trend is for a Shiraz with more elegance, less alcohol, more savoury flavours less jammy fruit and fine grained tannins. This style is better suited to match with food. I have always enjoyed Shiraz from Claire Valley, but would like to see more from regions like Western Australia and Southern locations like, Yarra Valley, Heathcote and Langhorne Creek.

My top five wines from this show;
1-Jim Barry The McRae Wood Shiraz 1999
2-Howard Park Scotsdale Shiraz 2008
3-Wakefield St. Andrews Shiraz 2004
4-Henschke Johann’s Garden Grenache/Mourvedre/Shiraz 2007
5-Howard Park Chardonnay 2008
 
 My top three wines for your cellar;
1-Wakefield St. Andrews Cabernet Sauvignon 2005
2-Yalumba The Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon/Shiraz 2004
3-Jim Barry The Armagh Shiraz 2006

Cheers
Paul YWG

P.S. The food at this event was a fantastic match for the wines.  The room could have been larger.


Friday, May 13, 2011

Paul Picks from the LCBO New Release of May 14, 2011 - Value Reds for BBQ Season and Unoaked Chardonnay

Hello to all my wine friends,

This New Release opens with the superb 2009 vintage from the Rhône Valley in France (just the beginning, standby for more), a dozen rosé and 60 wines total under $20.00. So let me point you in the right direction for value and quality.

Value Reds for BBQ Season;  This is the season where we fire up the BBQ with our friends, co-workers and families. As many of you have told me, we are all looking for good value wines (from $15.00 to $20.00) that are easy drinking but still packing lots of flavour with good structure. Here are a few suggestions; from France Rhône region, Domaine Le Grand Retour Plan De Dieu 2009 (224592) at 13.95 and La Coterie Séguret 2009 (219428) at $ 15.95. From Chile, Mayu Reserva Estate Bottle Carmenere 2007 (090035) at $14.95 and Santa Carolina Dry Farming Carignan 2008 (213520) at 16.95. I would not want to forget mentioning Zinfandel, a fantastic partner with the BBQ, try Cline Sonoma Zinfandel 2007 (213504) at $18.95.

Unoaked Chardonnay; The unoaked style of Chardonnay's was born by demands from consumers, tired of the big oaky Chardonnays's from the 80's and 90's and early 2000's, which I refer too as Château Home-Depot (tongue meet cheek). You probably tasted that style before, like sipping on a two by four. Chardonnay is not naturally a very aromatic grape, but its natural affinity with the flavour of oak,  it is easy to grow pretty much anywhere in the word and its capacity to to bear a lot fruit is good for wineries bottom line. When used in moderation, the use of oak barrels can make a very nice buttery, creamy, caramel, vanilla type Chardonnay. The problem is the use of oak got out of control, especially from Australia and California. Now to respond to demand from consumers, winemakers started making Chardonnay, fermented in stainless steel tanks. The results is a lighter, more refreshing white wine with flavours of apple, lemon, pear and melon. Great for hot summer days. Now most of you are familiar with New Zealand Kim Crawford Sauvignon Blanc but how about Kim Crawford Unoaked Chardonnay 2009 (991950) at $17.95 is being released this week. This wine should have a great appeal and is worth getting yourself a few. I am happy to say that this wine is also available for my friends in Québec SAQ (10669470) for a loonie more at $18.95.
 
My top three wines from this release;
1-Penfold Bin 389 Cabernet/Shiraz 2007 from Australia at $37.95
2-Avignonesi Vino Nobile Di Montepulciano 2007 from Italy at $29.95
3-La Bastide Saint Dominique Châteauneuf-Du-Pape 2009 from France at $42.95

My top three wines for there value;
1-La Coterie Séguret 2009 from France at $15.95
2-Santa Carolina Dry Farming Carignan 2008 from Chile at $16.95
3-Cline Sonoma Zinfandel from California at $18.95

These wines did not make my shopping list but are worth considering;

Red Wines;
1-La Bastide Saint Dominique Châteauneuf-Du-Pape 2009 from France at $42.95
2-Borrowing Owl Merlot 2008 from British Columbia at $39.95
3-Freeman Pinot Noir 2007 from California at $44.95
4-Mayu Reserva Estate Bottled Carmenere 2007 from Chile at $14.95
4-Penfold Bin 389 Cabernet/Shiraz 2007 from Australia at $37.95
5-Pallazzo Brunello Di Montalcino 2004 from Italy at $49.95

White Wines;
1-E. Guigal Côtes Du Rhône Blanc 2009 from France at $15.95
2-Quails' Gate Chardonnay 2008 from British Columbia at $19.95

My team and I will be back for the next New Release May 28, 2011, a brief article about Australia's First Families of Wine event should be posted in the next few days.

Cheers,

Paul YWG

Tokara Director’s Reserve Red 2006, Stellenbosch, South Africa




This Bordeaux blend from South Africa (Cabernet Sauvignon 82%, Petit Verdot 10%and Merlot 8%) has incredible aromatics. Just inhalingthis wine I knew this would be something special. On the nose I get blackberry, black currant, cassis, cedar and Christmas cake spices. The aromas follow through beautifully onto the palate, full body, balance acidity and well integrated tannins. The finish is long with freshly roasted coffee, earthy and classic cedar notes. Stylish and very classy wine here.
This wine was purchased on October 16, 2010 LCBO New Release at $ 26.95.

Vilafonté Series M 2006, Paarl, South Africa




This Bordeaux blend from South Africa (Cabernet Sauvignon 43%, Merlot 39%, Malbec 15% and Cabernet Franc 3%) opens up with blueberry, cherry, black currant and tobacco on the nose. I get smooth Merlot on the nose even if there is slightly more Cabernet Sauvignon. Powerful and rich flavours on the palate, this full body wine has lively acidity and muscular tannins. The finish is long, with roasted coffee, savoury flavours and grainy tannins. What I like the most about this South African wine is the mouth feel, its big, rich and smooth almost California texture but with better acidity. Very enjoyable wine.
This wine was purchased on April 2, 2011 LCBO New Release at $39.95

Wednesday, May 4, 2011

Carrick Pinot Noir 2007, Central Otago New Zealand


This Pinot as a sophisticated bouquet of cherry, plums, savoury, violet and slight earthiness. On the palate, medium body with fresh acidity well integrated tannins and cherry, chocolate and cedar flavours on the mouth feel. The finish is long with spicy cocoa. Very enjoyable and intense Pinot here, well done.
This wine was purchased on April 16, 2011 LCBO New Release at $34.95