Downtown wine tasting with 18 participants. All wines tasted were from some of this years participating countries so a fun time was anticipated, mostly ladies present.
1) 2008 Villa Spinosa Jago Valpolicellam Superiore, Veneto Italia.
Ripasso style, very good fruit, ripe, easy to like but $28 Cdn??
2) 2009 Gray Monk Odyssey Merlot, Okanagan BC.
I quite liked this never tasted before. 12 mths oak, medium purple hue, floral/violet nose, chalky ripe tannins, plum, blueberry, long finish. $29 might be hard to sell at this price. Put a RP sticker on it, LOL.
3) 2009 Engelbrecht Ernie Els Big Easy, Stellenbosch, SA.
WOTN for many, flew off the shelf. Decanted 2 hrs, medium ruby, firm tannins. Shiraz, mourvedre, grenache, cab sauv, viognier. Palate more expressive than the nose, big earthy style, asphalt, blackcurrant, meaty, smoke. Goes to show name labels can sell. $28.
4) 2010 Buehler Zinfandel Napa Calif.
Good effort, typical zin, sweet perfume nose, P Sirah here? Nice full-bodied, blueberry. Many like this out there, not a dominant Phelps-style wine!
5) 2009 Chateau de Parnay Clos du Chateau, Loire Valley Fr.
Have some in the cellar $24 Cdn. 100% CF, muted nose, spring/wild flowers. Needs more time but will show soon.
6) 2008 Heartland Director`s Cut Shiraz, Langhorne Creek Aust.
New oak, buttery style, the ladies will like this! Subtle as a boar.
7) Hitacjino Nest Kiuchi Plum Wine, Japan.
Very unusual, white stonefruit-flan nose. Spice, cadomin, exotic. Plum, nectarine, not as sweet as icewine. Interesting end to a great evening.