So what is on the tasting agenda this weekend?

Blah, shopping will take priority for many I guess! I`m in for a Bonterra Muscat for this months Wine Focus, plus a `01 Quinta do Portal Gran Reserva.

How about you?

I am opening a bottle of 2007 Arista Sonoma Coast Pinot Noir this evening to go with salmon.

Speaking of PN, I wish I could find some Domaine Carneros around here...and I wished I had stopped by the château instead of driving right by it a few years ago ...

2010 Lake Breeze Ehrenfelser from BC was being poured downtown this afternoon by my good friend Spike Maynard who has a great wine portfolio. Great white here, medium bodied, lots of structure and big finish. Not too sweet, Spike says look out for the Pinot Blanc.
Also being poured was the new vintage of the Grenache from d`Arenberg, always a top notch effort.

David, echo your comment on the Carneros which has long gone in these parts too!

Friday night, a friend brought to dinner a bottle of a chardonnay from Ontario - 2009 Hidden Bench - and served it to us blind. Nice wine that showed some oak, but with air, it seemed to recede and display light citrus with good acidity. A pleasant surprise.

Just opened a delicious bottle of Fullers Organic Honey Dew (UK). Tad past "drink-by" and as a result not as much honey as I expected (may be a good thing!). 5%, nice looking bottle with bee on label. Golden yellow, not much of a head. Malt, hops on nose, light but forthcoming nose. Creamy biscuit palate entry, light hop bitterness, not a strong beer. I served quite cold, interesting but honey not that noticeable.

Rep was pouring downtown, the 2010 Pine Ridge Chenin Blanc Viognier from Central Coast.
$24 Cdn, 13% alc, apple and citrus nose with some pear. Some sweetness on entry, ripe green apple, melon, refreshing. Has good structure, some oak here? Quite rounded, think will buy a couple.

[Jenise]

Tonight is our annual neighborhood Xmas wine dinner, and it's all about champagne, seven different ones poured in seven layers that lead up to an Italian arancio with something chocolate-orange. I bought the wines. Otherwise, no concrete plans.

Tonight is our annual neighborhood Xmas wine dinner, and it's all about champagne, seven different ones poured in seven layers that lead up to an Italian arancio with something chocolate-orange. I bought the wines. Otherwise, no concrete plans.

A list please!!

[James Roscoe]

I went to a fabulous tasting at Wine Cellars in Annapolis where NV Laurent Perrier Brut Champagne topped the bill and a 1999 Chateau Simard Saint-Emilion and a 2010 J.M. Boillot Montagny Blanc 1er Cru vied for attention. All three found there way into my basket for under $35!!!!! The white Burgundy at $25 might be the steal. I also got a few $12 Dr. L. What's not to like?

[Jenise]

I love Boillot's Montagny, James. Bought a case of the 07, I think for like $11 per on Wine Commune. It's a commune whose wines are atypically taut and lean for White Burgs, so per Kermit Lynch anyway they're a tough sell in the U.S. They're terrific with a few years of age on them.

[Jenise]

Tonight is our annual neighborhood Xmas wine dinner, and it's all about champagne, seven different ones poured in seven layers that lead up to an Italian arancio with something chocolate-orange. I bought the wines. Otherwise, no concrete plans.

A list please!!

Okay, but later!

Toying around with either a Cab S or Merlot to go with marinated flank steak, mashed potatoes, and veggie tonight.

Well this is what we ended up with: 2001 Pahlmeyer, Napa Valley, Merlot ($ gift). Alcohol level: 14.9%. It was decanted through a decanter strainer immediately before dinner.

It gave us dried black fruit, as in black cherries, on the nose and tongue. In the middle it gave us chocolate and some spice. It was a smooth as a baby’s bum and it finished nicely. We didn’t drink it too soon by any means. It was beginning to come apart even though it had been cellared properly, and left unbelievable gunk in the strainer. Thankfully we didn’t get any of the latter. If you have one, drink it immediately if not sooner.

I have a shelf in the wine cellar that I call "Liz's Shelf" On it are wines she can feel free to open anytime but especially if I'm not home. This way, she's not apt to pour the 1983 Ch. Margaux into the spaghetti sauce (that would make good sauce). Well, it was empty this morning so I went out and bought a mixed case of $10 to $15 wines. Tonight's selection, with 3 day old spaghetti sauce is a 2009 Paso A Paso Tempranillo. Six months in French oak so I would guess it's a Joven as opposed to a Crainza or Reserve (no indication on the label).

NV Paul Zinck Cremant d`Alsace. PN, Chardonnay and P Blanc.
Very nice cremant with fine bubbles zingy acidity and medium to long finish. Slightly off dry, has very good mid-palate and excellent structure.

We had a bottle of 2000 Christom, Marjorie vineyard Pinot noir from Oregon that I bought at the winery in 2003 and brought back to Sweden. A lovely fresh nose with strawberries and smoke, showing a fair amount of pinosity Surprisingly youthful in the mouth with a strong acidity and loads of dark fruit, plus tannins and ending with a peppery and rather strong bitterness. It felt rather unbalanced and was surprisingly immature. Hard to say what will become of it, however. The bitterness might eventually overpower the fruit.
Cheers,
Anders

Currently thinking of pulling out a 2007 Antano Rioja Crianza to go with evening meal. Under $20 Cdn and newly arrived on the shelf downtown. Stay tuned!