Mission Hill Oculus 2005, Okanagan Valley, British Columbia, Canada

Today, I thought I would open one of Canada's best Bordeaux inspired wine, in celebration of her 144th birthday today. Mission Hill Oculus 2005 is a blend of 42% Merlot, 28% Cabernet Sauvignon, 20% Cabernet Franc and 10% Petit Verdot, the fruit is hand harvested from their Osoyoos & Oliver Vineyard in BC. Each grape is aged separately in 100% French oak barrels for 13 months. This blend is lovely to smell, with rich and complex aromas of blackberry, cherry, dark plum, green pepper. tobacco and cedar. The palate is rich and concentrated, with balanced acidity and still noticeable tannins at this point. The finish is long and powerful with grainy tannins. A very serious and delicious wine which still has a lot of life left, will wait to open my last remaining bottle in a year or two.

To all Canadians, wherever you are, Happy Canada Day, bonne fête du Canada mes amis.

This wine was purchased upon release in September of 2008 and sold in this country anywhere from $60 to $80, but has long been sold out.

Quinta Do Crasto Old Vines Reserva 2007, Douro, Portugal

I was introduced to this wine when they captured the number three spot on Wine Spectator top 100 of 2008 (for there 2005 vintage).Which means that this is the third vintage of this wine that I have enjoyed. The Quinta Do Crasto Reserva 2007 was made from mixed varietal planting of 70 year old low yielding old vines from a single vineyard, then spent 16 months ageing in French and American oak barrels. This wine opens up with a solid core of ripe blueberry, blackberry, black cherry, spices and vanilla. This full bodied red has rich mouthfeel, balance acidity and integrated tannins. The finish is long, tasty and savoury. But this wine sure has gone up in price over the last three years since their top 100 moment, not the great value it use to be, but a very good wine none the less.

This wine was purchased September 18, 2010 LCBO New Release at $34.95.

Perrin & Fils La Gille Gigondas 2007, Rhône, France

From the superb 2007 Rhône vintage, this Gigondas is a blend of 80% Grenache and 20% Syrah. Complex nose of raspberry, black cherry, black currants, plums, cedar, sweet spices and Herbs de Provence. On the palate, this medium to full body wine has well integrated flavours, smooth texture, fresh acidity and drying tannins. This Gigondas finish is savoury with grainy tannins. I enjoyed this wine with BBQ Lamb, and it matched beautifully.

This wine was purchased January 22, 2011 LCBO New Release at $29.95

Elderton Ode to Lorraine 2006, Barossa Valley, South Australia

Elderton is a small family owned winery located in the Barossa Valley. The Elderton vineyard which was planted in 1894 by Samuel Elderton Tolley, was purchased by the Ashmead family in the late 1970's. All this to tell you that that Ode to Lorraine, was created to honour the co-founder Lorraine Ashmead and the 2006 vintage his a blend of 54% Cabernet Sauvignon, 34% Shiraz and 12% Merlot, maturation took place over a period of 18 months in new French and American oak and alcohol register at 14.5% . The nose is so nice, I could inhale this all day; ripe red fruits, sweet blackberry, cassis and savoury spices. I love the structure of this blend; concentrated fruit flavours, lively acidity and well integrated tannins buried under all that rich ripe fruit. the finish is long with sweet fruit, spicy and velvet texture. This wine truly honours it's co-founder and is a real treat, one which I have previously tasted last summer in Copenhagen, Denmark.  I have enjoyed their 2008 vintage and still have another in my cellar. My only negative comment; Why tame the pink on the label of the 2008 vintage? I like it, it makes the wine stand out from the multitude of wines in our stores. Enough said, I loved it.

This wine was purchased March 30, 2011 at Liberty Wine Merchants in Vancouver, BC at $54.99.

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

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

Quinta Nova Pomares 2008, Douro, Portugal

The nose alone, let's you know you are into old world territory.  This wine's complex aromatics; cherries, plums, raspberrys, sweet spices, church wood and soft leather.  The mouth feel is well structured with balanced acidity and grainy tannins. Long berry with refreshing acidity on the finish.  A truly enjoyable and charming wine.  I enjoyed this wine with Vietnamese food.
Wine was purchased March 19, 2011.  LCBO New Release at $16.95.

Mission Hill Compendium 2007, Okanagan Valley,British Columbia, Canada

Compendium is Mission Hill second label to Oculus, and is made to be drank sooner and requiring less cellar time than Oculus. The 2007 Compendium is a blend of 50% Cabernet Sauvignon, 24% Cabernet Franc, 21% Merlot and 5% Petit Verdot, and aged in French oak.

The wine is muscular and concentrated; the nose is very aromatic and inviting; black cherries, blackberries, red currants, sage, black olive, smoke and cedar. Full body with good acidity and silky tannins, everything is well balance here. Long smoky, cedar and pepper finish. Nice wine now, but with 1-2 years in your cellar it will shed some of its oak making it much smoother and more elegant.