Blue Mountain Pinot Noir 2015, Okanagan Valley, British Columbia, Canada 🇨🇦

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🍇 Pinot Noir 100%⁣
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🧐 Alcohol 12.5%⁣
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🍁 My Score 90 Points ⁣
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🧩 -Wild ferment in tank for 20 days⁣
     -Aged in a blend of new to three year old French oak barrels for 16 months.⁣
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Beautiful nose with aromas of cherries, plums, rhubarb, forest floor, savoury herbs and smoky notes. On the mouthfeel, medium bodied, dusty tannins and fresh acidity. The finish is medium length, elegant with flavours of sweet and sour fruit, earthy and smoky notes lingering.⁣
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Quite surprising that in such a hot vintage, Blue Mountain was able to produce such an elegant Pinot. Not that I am that surprised since these are the style of wines I am accustomed to from this winery. This is the reason why I count myself among their loyal fan base. Quite a delicious Pinot experience. Cheers my wine friends 🍷⁣
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Feudo Maccari Olli 2017, Sicily, Italy 🇮🇹

🍇 Grillo 100%

🧐 Alcool 13%

🍁 My Score 90 Points

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Fresh and inviting nose with aromas of lemons, pears, peaches and light floral notes. On the mouthfeel, medium bodied, refreshing with loads of citrus fruit and crisp acidity. The finish is medium length with flavours of citrus and tropical fruits with a salty mineral notes lingering.

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I first tasted this beautiful, refreshing wine @ivsa_drinks  trade tasting  (IVSA Import Vintners & Spirits Association) here, in Victoria, BC. The winery is represented by @trialtowines, an importer in British Columbia. I always look forward to taste wines from this wine agency. Trialto Wines always seem to showcase well priced, interesting and delicious wines. Their portfolio is definitely one of the best. As in this Grillo, a wine with beautiful aromatics, with an almost buttery texture, even if the wine maturation is in stainless steel only. It paired beautifuslly with halibut poached in a slightly spicy tomato sauce. Awesome value 👌Cheers my wine friends.

Jean Loron Domaine des Billards Saint-Amour 2016, Beaujolais, Burgundy, France 🇫🇷

🍇 Gamay 100%

🧐 Alcohol 13.5%

🍁 My Score 92%

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Beautiful, inviting nose with aromas of strawberries, blueberries, plums, sweet spices and light minerality. On the mouthfeel, medium-full bodied, framed with spicy fruit flavours, crisp acidity and grainy tannins. The finish is long, really tasty with those same grainy tannins making a comeback and slightly coating your mouth.

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Hard to find here, Beaujolais from Saint-Amour, the most Northerly of the ten Beaujolais cru. What a gorgeous wine, with great aromatics, beautiful texture and long flavourful finish. A wine that brought a smile to my face the entire evening. A charming, lively Beaujolais full of flavours best served slightly chilled. Strongly recommended, I have to purchase a few more bottles. Cheers my wine friends 🍷

Bartier Bros. Cerqueira Vineyard Cabernet Franc 2016, VQA Okanagan Valley, British Columbia, Canada 🇨🇦

🍇 Cabernet Franc 88%
🍇 Merlot 12%

🧐 Alcohol 13.7%

🍁 My Score 90 Points

🧩 Unfined, native yeast ferment, 12 months in neutral French barrels, production of 505 cases.

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Elegant nose with aromas of wild berries, plums, cassis, violets, dried herbs, tobacco and vanilla notes. On the mouthfeel, medium bodied with a tasty smooth texture, soft tannins and fresh acidity. The finish is medium-long with soft berry flavours, dried sage and bay leaves with undertones of mineral notes.

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Love the purity of fruit in this Cab Franc. It’s hard to say what I like most, it’s beautiful complex aromatics to it’s silky texture and tasty, intriguing finish. It’s almost like an extension of la Loire right here in British Columbia 🇨🇦. Congratulations to Winemaker Michael Bartier 👌 Needless to say, strongly recommended. Cheers my wine friends 🍷

CVNE Cune Reserva 2014, Rioja, Spain 🇪🇸

🍇 Tempranillo 85%
🍇 Graciano, Garnacha & Mazuelo 15%

🧐 Alcohol 13.5%

🍁 My Score 91 Points

🧩 18 months in French and American oak with racking every six months. The final wine spent an additional 12 months in bottle before being released.

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Sensuous bouquet with aromas of cherries, plums, exotic spices, underbrush, exotic spices and light vanilla notes. On the mouthfeel, medium bodied, tasty smooth texture, silky tannins and fresh acidity. The finish is medium length, dry, sweet and sour fruit and a beautiful savoury edge.

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This wine was drinking well but should improve with a further 2-3 years in bottle. The best is yet to come. Another delicious and tasty Spanish Rioja and strongly recommended. Cheers my wine friends 🍷

 

Garofoli Sangiovese “Monte Real” 2016, Igt Marche, Italy 🇮🇹

🍇 Sangiovese 100%

🧐 Alcohol 12%

🍁 My Score 89%

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Very fresh and expressive nose with aromas of red cherries, strawberries, floral, peppery and light herbal notes. On the mouthfeel, light bodied with lovely flavours, refreshing acidity and silky tannins. The finish is medium length, dry with fruity and spicy flavours lingering.

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Quite a delicious, juicy and cheerful lighter wine here with great aromatics, fruity flavours thanks to maturation in stainless steel tanks only, which preserves the fruity and refreshing character of the varietal. Great summer red, serve slightly chilled. Fantastic value and strongly recommended. Cheers my wine friends 🍷

C.C. Jentsch Cellars Syrah 2015, VQA Okanagan Valley, British Columbia, Canada 🇨🇦

🍇 Syrah 98%
🍇 Viognier 2%

🧐 Alcohol 14.9%

🍁 My Score 88 Points

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Very expressive nose with aromas of blackberries, black cherries, bitter sweet chocolate, black currants, vanilla, cedar and peppery notes. On the mouthfeel, full bodied, ripe fruit concentration, velvet tannins and mild acidity. The finish is long, with flavours of black fruit, stewed plums and cedar notes lingering.

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I am somewhat conflicted with this Syrah, a big, bold and flavourful wine, but I would have enjoyed it even more if there was less alcohol and better acidity. It is from a very hot vintage with many forest fires in the region. The technical data from the winery noted the alcohol at 15.1% but the label says 14.9%. Regardless of alcohol level, this Syrah is quite tasty with more opportunities to enjoy with BBQ season in full swing. The winery recently released the 2016 Syrah and the 2016 vintage is a very good one with a more moderate climate and alcohol coming in at 14.1%, which should definitely appeal to me. Cheers my wine friends 🍷

Salcheto Vino Nobile Di Montepulciano 2015, Docg Tuscany, Italy

🍇 Prugnolo Gentile (Sangiovese) 100%

🧐 Alcohol 13.5%

🍁 My Score 94 Points 

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A very enticing nose with aromas of sour cherries, plums, strawberries, wild herbs, violets, underbrush and light leather notes. On the mouthfeel, medium bodied, dry, tasty elegant texture, fine dusty tannins and fresh acidity. The finish is medium-long with a savoury flavours and sweet and sour fruit flavours lingering.

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I have been a fan of this producer for a very long time reviewing many of their Vino Nobile and their Rosso.  Unfortunately I had not seen this wine here in British Columbia until Lone Tree Cellars started distributing it here. A big thank you for that, I am very grateful. This was exactly what I expected from Sangiovese and much more. Starting with beautiful, stunning aromatics, elegant texture and great flavours. An incredible value and fantastic pairing with pizza. This producer was on the leading edge of sustainable farming. Now I just need to repurchase this superb vintage and put away for a few years and hoping I can exercise restraint 😉 Strongly recommended my wine friends. Cheers 🍷