- 2020 Orofino Vineyards Riesling Wild Ferment Old Vines - Canada, British Columbia, Similkameen Valley (2023-08-06)
This bottle was a marked improvement from my first bottle. Off dry, but well balanced with a real mouth coating texture that created a long finish. Fruit was citrus and some stonefruit, with a herbal, earthy note and some minerality. Nice intensity. Lovely riesling. (A-) - 2007 Le Vieux Donjon Châteauneuf-du-Pape - France, Rhône, Southern Rhône, Châteauneuf-du-Pape (2023-07-31)
My first 2007 VD - I've been wondering about this wine given the comments of some people about the 2007 vintage in CDP. Most comments are very positive in CT, while other reviews are much less positive about the 2007 vintage in general and the 2007 VD specifically. I had hoped VD had dealt well with the very warm 2007 vintage. Over two nights, the good news there was no heat, but the fruit was very overripe, going into prune territory. Medium bodied, low acid, dead fruit, and very dull/limpid for a VD. I have one more bottle, but I am not looking forward to it, as I suspect this can not and will not improve. I'm afraid I am a hater rather than a lover of this vintage of Vieux Donjon. (C-) - 2014 Wynns Coonawarra Estate Cabernet Sauvignon Black Label - Australia, South Australia, Limestone Coast, Coonawarra (2023-07-29)
Open for business right after a pop and pour. It didn't really change over two night. Very New World, lots of fruit but not over the top; lots of blackfruits along with a bit of mint and tomato leaf. Classic Coonawarra cab with a nice smooth texture and just enough tannins to give some structure. Seems quite young still, with few secondary notes yet. Not all that complex, but certainly quite tasty and ready now. This has a long future ahead of it. (A-) - NV Doré Champagne Premier Cru Brut Ludes - France, Champagne, Champagne Premier Cru (2023-07-22)
Biggie nailed the description of this wine (same lot number). A lovely nose and a rich, weighty style. It is almost too rich, but if you like the style, it’s a great QPR. Ready now and over the next few years - not a long term wine. (B+) - 2017 Stratus White - Canada, Ontario, Niagara Peninsula, Niagara-on-the-Lake VQA (2023-05-26)
This didn’t quite do it for me. An interesting and unusual white blend - not a Rhone blend - from a winery who focus on blending, whose top wines are blends. The Chardonnay was there providing depth, but the Sauvignon blanc fought witht it and didn’t create a harmonic whole. The oak was there, but again didn’t quite fit with the higher acid varieties. Interesting, but not quite cohesive. (B) - 2003 Bouchard Aîné et Fils Chambolle-Musigny Les Cras - France, Burgundy, Côte de Nuits, Chambolle-Musigny (2023-05-22)
Fairly deep in colour, with ripe red fruits on the nice nose. It shows the vintage with rich red fruits on the medium bodied, plush palate, but it doesn't display any over-ripeness. Quite fruity and bold for a Chambolle-Musigny and with nice concentration; light tannins also show up. Rather Oregon-like. The back label suggested to cellar up to 15 years, but it is still going strong after 20 years. (B+/A-) - 2017 Marcel Lapierre Morgon - France, Burgundy, Beaujolais, Morgon (2023-05-17)
A fairly deep ruby in colour, with a blast of red fruit (mainly cherry) and some baking spices on the comforting nose. Another blast of red cherries on the medium bodied, smooth palate, with some earthy/mushroom notes and spices as well. Fairly low acid, but still balanced, and with with a few ripe tannins too. Not the most complex wine, but high on the tasty scale. (A-) - 2019 Bachelder Gamay Noir 22% Whole Cluster Wismer Foxcroft Vineyard - Canada, Ontario, Niagara Peninsula, Twenty Mile Bench VQA (2023-05-02)
Very pale in colour, quite pinot-like. There is pomegranate and light cherry on the nose. These continue on the palate, which is light to medium but intense due to the high acidity. Lots of spices (pepper, cinnamon, cloves) on the finish. The acidity is a bit too much for me and battles with the fruit. it is certainly an interesting and unique wine, but doesn't taste anything like Beaujolais (not that that's a bad thing). I don't think this was flawed, but it was somewhat disjointed and unbalanced. - 2015 Domaine de Longue Toque Vacqueyras - France, Rhône, Southern Rhône, Vacqueyras (2023-04-29)
Drinking well now, this is a typical ripe, rich, medium to full bodied wine that has earthy cherries, garrigue, pepper and plums with a nice smooth texture. Not over the top at all, this is a well balanced and satisfying Vacqueyras. (B+/A-) - 2012 Piper-Heidsieck Champagne Brut Millésimé - France, Champagne (2023-04-20)
Brought this to a tasting. It was enjoyed by all. Moderate toasty notes, elegant but with some richness and power, and a lovely creamy texture right at the end of the medium bodied palate. Great balance here. This is in a good spot now, but should last a few years too. (A-) - 2020 Daschbosch Chenin Blanc Mossiedrift Steen - South Africa, Breede River Valley, Breedekloof (2023-04-14)
I agree with the previous note writers, this is an impressive SA old vine chenin that is great QPR here in BC, especially at the sale price. There are concentrated, rich stonefruit flavours, well judged oak and some woolly notes - a well crafted and well balanced wine indeed. Will get more! (A-) - 2019 Mendel Sémillon - Argentina, Mendoza, Valle de Uco (2023-04-14)
I was impressed by this wine last night, as were the other two tasters. I didn't take notes, but this was an interesting, different wine. Medium bodied, with fruit mainly in the stonefruit spectrum, some oak, but not too much, enough acidity to keep it fresh, a well made wine. Balanced, elegant, and unique. Certainly not in the Hunter Valley style, this is richer and has oak notes. Too bad there are no more bottles available in our market. (A-) - 2018 Nichol Vineyard Syrah Old Vines Naramata - Canada, British Columbia, Okanagan Valley (2023-04-12)
I tasted this over two nights. Both nights this showed little fruit and high acid and tannins. Some interesting iron notes on the nose, but rather basic and lean on the red fruited light to medium bodied palate. Probably better with food, perhaps more aging too, but this was a little too cool climate and lean for me (B). - 2011 Domaine de la Taille aux Loups Montlouis-sur-Loire Sec Les Dix Arpents - France, Loire Valley, Touraine, Montlouis-sur-Loire (2023-04-10)
Horribly oxidized. Bah! NR (flawed) - 2019 Bachelder Chardonnay Foxcroft Nord Wismer Foxcroft Vineyard - Canada, Ontario, Niagara Peninsula, Twenty Mile Bench VQA (2023-04-07)
I had this last night. The reviews suggested citrus notes and minerality, but that didn't describe my bottle. It had that popcorn note on the nose that you sometimes get in old world chardonnays; The oak was also noticed in the medium bodied palate, more than I expected. But there were nice stonefruit notes and enough acidity and a touch of minerality that created a balanced, fairly rich, quite interesting wine. I think a few more years in the cellar will be helpful, though nice to try now too. (A-) - 2018 Sperling Vineyards Dry Riesling - Canada, British Columbia, Okanagan Valley, Okanagan Valley VQA (2023-04-02)
Hazy notes from last night. This opened up after an hour and delivered a medium bodied, dry riesling that had mainly citrus fruits (lemon, lime) and some crisp apple notes. Nice concentration and balance. Drinking well now but no rush. (B+/A-) - 2016 Undurraga Cabernet Sauvignon T.H. - Chile, Maule Valley, Cauquenes (2023-03-25)
Had this a few days ago. It was a fairly big, rich style of cabernet, but not over the top. There are ripe but rather angry tannins that really leave an impression, even on the second day open. Full bodied, lots of blackfruits, mouth filling with a nice texture but with considerable structure in the back palate still. I have one bottle left, and will hope the tannins will integrate better in another few years. (B+) - 2012 Rockburn Pinot Noir - New Zealand, South Island, Otago, Central Otago (2023-03-12)
Hazy notes from a few days ago. Quite a lovely nose, with the medium-full bodied palate richer in fruit flavours than the nose suggested. Still has time to improve. The Pegasus Bay 2012 Pinot had more pinosity than this bottle and was a little less rich, but both were drinking very well now. (A-)