Ross Estate, Single Vineyard Shiraz 2006, Barossa Valley, South Australia

This wine was released less than two weeks ago and I thought I should try this Shiraz before they disappear from the shelves of my local LCBO.  A deep colour with a bouquet of black fruit, blueberry, blackcurrant, damp earth, smoke and fruit cake spices. The mouthfeel is rich with loads of fruit , yet not jammy , smooth texture with velvet tannins. The finish is long, fresh, smoky with excellent depth of flavour. An absolute beauty that is drinking well right now and is a real comfort wine. I will make sure to pick up a few more bottles.

This wine was purchased on August 20, 2011 LCBO New Release at $30.95

Morgan Syrah 2007, Monterey County, California, USA

This very interesting Syrah originates from a cooler region of California, almost middle ground between a meaty Rhône Syrah and a more fruit forward Australian Shiraz. This deep color wine has aromas  that reveal ripe cherry and blackberry, earthy, black pepper, clove and vanilla. The mouthfeel has rich concentrated flavours, balance acidity and dusty tannins. This wine finish is a bit hot (14.4 % alcohol), velvety with mouth coating sweetness and loads of flavours. Very nice

This wine was purchased August 20, 2011 LCBO New Release at $24.95

Fattorie Melini La Selvanella Chianti Classico 2005, Tuscany, Italy

A very traditional style of Chianti, very dry and complex aromatics of sour cherry, plums, cedar, licorice and leather. This medium bodied wine is well balanced with crisp acidity, dusty tannins and well managed alcohol at 13%. The finish is medium, dry with sour cherry,earthy, cedar and rustic. A definite food wine, but a very enjoyable one.

This bottle was a gift from very good friends, thank you Joanne and Antonio (Tony) .

Giacomo Borgogno Barbera d'Alba 2009, Piedmont, Italy

This deep ruby colour Barbara is a product of the warm 2009 vintage. The nose reveals very ripe berry fruit, plums, cedar, sweet spices. Medium to full body, with a huge 14.5% alcohol content, especially for a Barbera, with fresh acidity, smooth tannins and rich mouthfeel.The finish is long, with white pepper, sweet and sour fruit. A more robust body than is characteristic of a Barbera, however it has enough acidity and tannins to balance all that fruit. All and all, very enjoyable. Recommended.

This wine was purchased at the SAQ on June 11, 2011 at $18.40.

Mission Hill Select Lot Collection Syrah 2007, Okanagan Valley, British Columbia

I have fond memories of the Mission Hill SLC Syrah 2004 and 2006, which I believe has to be some of the best BC Syrah I have ever tasted. Now, how does the 2007 compare? On the nose, a very rich aromatic wine with black fruit, sage, coffee, smoky and meaty. Full bodied mouthfeel, with a well managed alcohol at 14%, with more dark fruit savoury spices, cedar, pepper, balance acidity and dusty tannins. The finish is long, rich and muscular. I did enjoy this Syrah, but it did not compare to the more elegance and finesse of the 2004 and 2006 vintage. I little too much oak for my palate but a very solid performer.  If a number had to be assigned (for easy comparison), I would rate this at a 89 out of 100.

This wine was purchase at the Artisan Wine Shop in Victoria BC on July 18, 2011 at $36.99

The Adventure and Thrill of "The Find"

When I travel, I am constantly on the lookout for wine shops. I am hopelessly addicted, searching for wines I can rarely taste or have only read about. Some shops are small and charming, others may have a tasting bar with interesting wines to sample.

The stores in my province of Ontario all look the same, some are smaller and some are much bigger but they all look alike. Privately owned stores are interesting and have personality that embody the passion of the owner. 

This was my approach last summer while seeking wine shops in Berlin, Stockholm and Amsterdam and then this summer in Rome, Tuscany, Barcelona and Ajaccio on the island of Corsica in France.

And here are five addition to my cellar from this summer's wine;
-Chateau les Ormes de Pez 1999, Saint-Estèphe, Bordeaux, France
-Chateau Haut-Marbuzet 2002, Saint-Estèphe, Bordeaux, France
(Both bought in Ajaccio at a beautiful shop call Caviar-Volga)

-La Rioja Alta S.A., Grand Reserva Cosecha 1998, Rioja, Spain (Bought in Barcelona)
-Bolgueri Sassicaia 2008, Tuscany, Italy (bought in San Gimignano)
-Varramista Ottopioppi 2007, Tuscany, Italy
A blend of Sangiovese and Grenache bought in small shop in Volterra, Italy.

Cantine Leonardo da Vinci Merlot Degli Artisti 2005, Tuscany, Italy

While in Rome I had the opportunity to visit Naumachia Ristorante & Wine Bar in Rome (Via Celimontana 7) for dinner, just a few blocks from the Colosseum. I was quite impressed with the wine list and excited to see that both red and white wines were stored in there respective temperature controlled wine cellars. I was truly excited to try wines which I have never set my eyes upon prior to this.  I was looking for a red wine which would work well with our three meals, and I settled on a Cantine Leonardo da Vinci Merlot Degli Artisti 2005. I was a bit hesitant that a 2005 Merlot may be past its prime but was assured that it was drinking beautifully right now and... it sure was.

This Merlot posessed a great of deal aromatics of wild berries, cherries, plums, red currants, vanilla and cloves. On the palate, balance acidity, well integrated tannins with a rich and velvet mouthfeel. The finish was long, smooth and oh so enjoyable. I have tasted from this winery, their Chianti Classico before. but not their Merlot. I would most definitely buy this wine again.

We all were very happy with our visit at this restaurant, the food was very good and well priced, the service was excellent and my dessert  of Creme Caramel, was possibly the best I have ever had. 

Villa Poggio Salvi Brunello di Montalcino 2001, Tuscany, Italy

Ordering a bottle of wine in any restaurant can be a challenge, huge wine lists can make it even more of a daunting task. What about ordering a bottle in a foreign language?  I had a pretty interesting experience ordering a bottle at a restaurant in Rome, Il Tempio di Minerva, no wine list. The waiter brings a couple bottles to the table of his liking, this drove me to walk around the establishment and look at the bottles spread around the restaurant on different shelves. I picked up three of my favourites and brought them back to the table for further consideration. My preference was a Brunello, the two others were a Chianti Classico and another wine which escapes my quickly fading memory. Now we negotiate, (like buying a car) I ask for prices in Euros for each of the wines.  Our server threw up his arms and left in search of a higher authority, perhaps the manager and returned with a price of 90 Euros for the Brunello, too much and I moved on to the other two. After some back on forth, I settled for the Brunello, but at a reduced price of 60 Euros. After some cooling in bucket of ice and water, it was time for our party of three to enjoy this wine.

A lovely brick red colour with aromas of vanilla, church wood, soft leather, sweet spices. The mouthfeel is so smooth with plumy and strawberry fruit, silky tannins and refreshing acidity. And finally, the finish is medium length, elegant and oh so enjoyable. It is always a great pleasure to experience such a beautiful wine that as aged this well.

Castello Di Ama 2007 Chianti Classico, Tuscany, Italy

Before embarking on the Celebrity Silhouette, I purchased three bottles of wines in Rome (all Italian wines) to enjoy while cruising and dining on the ship, they we're;

-Casanova Di Neri 2003 Brunello di Montalcino Tenuta Nuave
-Castello Di Ama 2007 Chianti Classico
-Prunetto 2008 Barbera D’Alba 

Many people believe that you are not allowed to bring wines on a cruise ship. I have found most ships  allow you to bring wine aboard (they don't encourage it) and then charge a corkage fee when you present it at one of their restaurants, fees vary depending on the cruise line.  If you enjoy the wine in your cabin, you are all good.

Castello Di Ama 2007 Chianti Classico
I have enjoyed the Chianti of this vineyard in the past, a very good producer. Beautiful deep ruby red, aromas of ripe wild berries, earthy and spicy. The mouthfeel is well balanced with generous fruit concentrations, fresh acidity, moderate alcohol at 13% and fine grain tannins. The Chianti finish is long, rich and powerful.

Casanova Di Neri 2003 Brunello di Montalcino Tenuta Nuave  (No photo unfortunately)
This wine colour was much lighter than I expected for a Brunello. The nose is very complex and aromatic with cherry, plum, old wood, earthy and spicy. The mouthfeel is full on flavour, bright acidity, well integrated tannins with plums and spicy finish. This is not a blockbuster of a Brunello, but a wine with lots of finesse and complexity.

Prunetto 2008 Barbera D’Alba (No photo unfortunately)
I have enjoyed Prunetto Barbera when living in British Columbia, but I have never seen it the LCBO (Ontario). This medium bodied Barbara has varietal characteristic flavours of sweet and sour fruit, violet and spicy oak. The palate is fresh, light on its feet, with soft tannins. To enjoy with or without food.

Tuscan Countryside - Volterra & San Gimignano and lunch at Fattoria San Donato Farm & Winery

I have recently returned from a few weeks in Europe and had the opportunity to sail on Celebrity Cruise Lines newest ship, the Silhouette. The first port of call was Laspezia, Italy, with several options of destinations to choose from, including; Florence, Pisa and my travel choice of San Gimignano and Volterra. I have always wanted to see the Tuscan countryside and the medieval towns of San Gimignano. After a two hour drive through the rolling hills and beautiful surrounding valleys we arrived in Volterra and visited this medieval and ancient city, its beautiful town square Piazza dei Priori, Cathedral of Santa Maria Assunta, with ruins of the Roman Theatre dating back to the 1st century BC. and the Estrucan walls.

We then travelled through the countryside towards San Gimignano with a stop for lunch at Fattoria San Donato Farm & Winery. A very charming, organic estate which produces several wines, olive oil, cheese, harvest farro and chickpeas. The lunch included simple but delicious food with fresh ingredient, including salads, cured meat and cheese, pasta and fresh fruit. We were offered some of their wines, a white wine, Italian native grape Vernaccia di San Gimignano 2010, for red wine their Chianti Colli Senesi 2008 and finally with biscotti, Vin Santo San Donato.
The white grape Vernaccia produces a dry wine with crisp acidity and ripe, leafy, citrus fruit.  This Vernaccia was my favourite of the three wine, aromas and flavours of tree fruit like pear and peaches with crisp acidity and dry.
The Fattoria San Donato Chianti Colli Senesi 2008, sour cherry and earthy on the nose, light fruit and dusty tannins which was served at room temperature and a bit too warm. A very young wine which still needs time in the bottle to age.
And finally, Vin Santo San Donato to dip your biscotti into, a very nice sweet wine with lots of honey and bright acidity.
A very enjoyable time spent at Fattoria San Donato, with great hospitality where everyone on the tour had a good time and enjoyed a great lunch.

We then drove to the small walled medieval hill town of San Gimignano, where you can see the village towers from miles around. The towers of San Gimignano are actually the backdrop on the wine label of Antinori Badia a Passignano Chianti Classico Riserva. San Gimignano served as the setting for many of the scenes for the movie Tea with Mussolini. Again another beautiful old town with great looking churches and town squares and need a say, great gelato.

Many thanks to our tour guide, Jonathon Hunter of Tuscany Kangaroos. You can reach Jonathon at info@lenzi.pisa.it or www.lenzi.pisa.it

Paul Picks from the LCBO New Release of August 20, 2011 - Blue Chips Australian Reds and Viognier

Hello to all my wine friends,

I am back from my vacation in Europe, and I am looking forward to posting a few reviews of some of the wines I enjoyed during this trip including some information on the destinations visited. This New Release (NR) selection may not be as exciting as the NR I missed (August 6, 2011) while on vacation, but I still see about two dozen wines worth looking into. Make sure to check out my top three picks for the last NR 06 Aug 11 (listed below). So let’s get started.

Blue Chips Australian Reds: For those of you who enjoy a full body new world red, what stands out in this release for me are four reds from South Australia. Three of these wines are from producers who consistently deliver quality wines in the $25 to $40 range. Starting with Shiraz, from Penfolds iconic winemaker Peter Gago and cooler climate Coonawarra, is Penfolds Bin 128 Shiraz 2008 (509919) at $34.95, a big wine for the BBQ session. Next the always rich and concentrated Pirramimma Cabernet Sauvignon 2008 (730374) at $24.95, a cellar candidate or to enjoy now with lamb or steak. I have enjoyed the last two or three vintages of this next wine from Grant Burge, ’The Holy Trinity’, Grenache/Shiraz/Mourvèdre or GSM 2007 (236257) at $33.95, always incredibly complex from old vines ranging in age from 50-120 years old. Finally, a winery that has received fantastic reviews, from the Barossa Valley (new to me), is Ross Shiraz 2006 (233825) at $30.95. I am always willing to try something new, specially when the reviews are this good.


Viognier: Not a very common grape, Viognier is a white grape mostly grown in the Rhone Valley of France (Condrieu) and South France (Langedoc, Provence and Roussillon), California, Australia and even Canada. Many people in the 80's were looking for an alternative to big oaky Chardonnay, and the full bodied Viognier with its incredible aromatics of flowers, peaches, apricots, citrus, candied peels and spices seems to be the answer. Not well know outside of France, the commercial planting of Viognier started popping up in Australia and California. Sometimes blended with Shiraz in Australia and Syrah in France. Viognier is better suited for food and can be enjoyed with a variety of foods like; salmon, lobster, pork and my favourite roast chicken with rosemary and lemons or oranges. If you have never tried this grape, a good bottle to start and at a very good price is Gérard Bertrand Réserve Spéciale Viognier 2009 from France (1479975) at $14.95.

My top three wines of this release:

1-Penfolds Bin 128 Shiraz 2008 from Australia (509919) at $34.95

2-Louis M. Martini Cabernet Sauvignon 2007 from California (232371) at $29.95

3-Morgan Syrah 2007 from California (673764) at $24.95

My top three wines for value:

1-Gérard Bertrand Réserve Spéciale Viognier 2009 from France (1479975) at $14.95

2-Chalone Monterey County Chardonnay 2009 from California (080226) at $16.95

3-Villa Medoro Montepulciano D’Abruzzo 2008 from Italy (242321) at $15.95

My top three wines from last NR of August 6, 2011:

1-Montes Purple Angel 2007 from Chile (062364) at $49.95

2-Concha Y Toro Terrunyo Block 27 Carmenère 2007 from Chile (562892) at $29.95

3-Salcheto Vino Nobile Di Montepulciano 2005 from Italy (685180) at $24.95

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

Red Wines:

1-Domaine De Bila-Haut Occultum Lapidem 2008 from France (643239) at $21.95

2-L’Argentier Vieilles Vignes de Carignan 2007 from France (250712) at $19.95

3-Organic Product Ampelos Gamma Syrah 2006 from California (239459) at $27.95

4-Stratus Petit Verdot 2007 from Ontario (142638) at $38.20

5-Grant Burge The Holy Trinity Grenache/Shiraz/Mourvèdre 2007 from Australia (236257) at $33.95

6-Pirramimma Cabernet Sauvignon 2008 from Australia (730374) at $24.95

7-Dauvergne Ranvier Vin Rare Gigondas 2007 from France (226928) at $31.95

8-Michele Castellani Colle Cristi Amarone Della Valpolicella 2007 from Italy (222109) at $39.95

9-Quinta De Ventozelo Touriga National 2007 from Portugal (657452) at $19.95

White Wines:

1-Joseph Cattin Pinot Blanc 2009 from France (224642) at $13.95

2-Domaine des Fines Caillottes Pouilly-Fumé 2009 from France (695908) at $22.95

My team and I will be back for next New Release of September 3, 2011.

Cheers

Paul YWG