- 2005 Weingut Salomon Undhof Grüner Veltliner Reserve Lindberg - Austria, Niederösterreich, Kremstal (2021-11-04)
I might have waited a bit too long with this one. Still quite nice, with a lovely golden colour and a nose and light to medium bodied palate with fresh peas, lime, apricots and red apple. But I got the feeling this was in a slow decline, as it could have used more intensity and concentration. Drink up. (B+) - 2017 Little Farm Orange Pied de Cuve Mulberry Tree Vineyard - Canada, British Columbia, Similkameen Valley (2021-10-29)
Didn’t take notes, but I really enjoyed this orange (and natural) wine. The colour is neon orange, quite striking, but thankfully it was not as extreme on the cloudy palate. A little mousiness, but the tannins were relatively tame and the flavours were stonefruit and texture from the skins. One of the most ‘orangey’ of BC orange wines, but not OTT and quite enjoyable. (B+/A-) - 2004 Quinta do Crasto Douro Reserva Old Vines - Portugal, Douro (2021-10-23)
Wasn't expecting much, as the last bottle I tried was OTT. Still very deeply purple/black coloured, there's a nice nose of tar, black fruits and a slight herbal and floral note. Still a big, ripe, rich wine on a full bodied palate, with similar flavours, and a mouth coating texture, ripe tannins and a lengthy finish. This showed much better than the previous bottle, and should last quite a while. (B+/A-) - 2013 Rustenberg John X Merriman - South Africa, Coastal Region, Stellenbosch (2021-10-20)
This was a nice surprise that exceeded my expectations. Deep brick in colour, with a nice nose of blackfruits, chocolate, black plums, cedar, tar and scorched earth. Similar flavours on the medium to full bodied palate; a New World, ripe wine, but nicely balanced with good tannins, some complexity and not overdone. Still not at peak yet. (A-) - 2017 Domaine Drouhin Oregon Pinot Noir - USA, Oregon, Willamette Valley, Dundee Hills (2021-10-15)
Had this last night. Didn't take notes, but this was a lovely, young Oregon pinot. Nice mix of fruit (cherry, red plum) and savory (e.g., earth, spice) notes. Good intensity, medium bodied, elegant, nothing out of place. I think this needs time still, but nice with some air now. (B+/A-) - 2017 Leaning Post Wines Pinot Noir Lowrey Vineyards - Canada, Ontario, Niagara Peninsula, St. David's Bench VQA (2021-10-08)
Agree with the first note. Very pale in colour, almost rose like. Has some intensity on the light palate, but these come from acidity and tannin more than fruit. There are some cherry, raspberry and pomegranate notes and a bit of earth, but the balance is lacking. (C-) - 2017 Drouhin Oregon Roserock Pinot Noir - USA, Oregon, Willamette Valley, Eola - Amity Hills (2021-10-01)
Decanted for an hour, this medium ruby coloured wine had a mixture of red fruits and savory notes on the nose. There was a similar mix on the medium bodied palate, with cherry, red plum and strawberry notes, along with a lovely purity and smooth texture. Good concentration intensity to the flavours too. This Eola Hills wine is more elegant and brighter than the Dundee Hills version. This should last many years, but is drinking well now after getting some air. (A-) - 2012 Majella Cabernet Sauvignon - Australia, South Australia, Limestone Coast, Coonawarra (2021-09-28)
Had this over two nights a few days ago. A solid cabernet, with deep blackfruits and a bit of black olive as well; a hint of herbal notes too. Not complex, but it is starting to integrate well - nothing sticks out and its well balanced, not OTT. This should last a while. (B+) - 2011 Sineann Pinot Noir Resonance Vineyard - USA, Oregon, Willamette Valley, Yamhill-Carlton (2021-09-23)
This was the penultimate vintage from the Resonance vineyard by Sineann. The cool 2011 vintage seemed to merge well with this warm site: after about 10 years, there are cherries, raspberries, sandalwood, cinnamon and cloves on the nose and the medium bodied palate. Tannins help lift the wine, and there is a purity to the fruit and great balance that make it memorable. It almost had a liqueur type texture. Very impressive, and just starting to come into the zone. It should last many years - no hurry. (A-) - 2010 Domaine Brusset Gigondas Tradition Le Grand Montmirail - France, Rhône, Southern Rhône, Gigondas (2021-09-21)
Hazy impressions from a few days ago. This was a relatively refreshing Gigondas, not weighed down with over ripeness, oak or alcohol. There were mainly redfruits and a hint of game on the medium bodied palate, and still a healthy dose of tannins to give it structure. Not a lot of complexity or character here, though. A solid but somewhat pedestrian Gigondas. (B+) - 2016 Painted Rock Merlot - Canada, British Columbia, Okanagan Valley, Okanagan Valley VQA (2021-09-16)
This is a cab lovers merlot: a big, rich, ripe style. There's mainly black fruits and black plums on the nose, with some herbal notes, tar and coffee as well. Similar flavours on the rich, tannic palate: it's more on the black (and blue) fruit than red fruit spectrum. Not shy at a stated 15.1%, but there is no heat or alcohol showing on the palate. Better on the cool side now and with some decanter time; some additional aging might help tame the wine a bit. Impressive in its style, somewhat Washington State-like. (B+/A-)