- NV Callejuela Manzanilla de Sanlúcar de Barrameda Origen Callejuela - Spain, Andalucía, Manzanilla de Sanlúcar de Barrameda (2024-08-07)
Another nice bottle, very dry, salty, good intensity, gets the tastebuds flowing! (B+/A-) - 2019 2027 Cellars Riesling Wismer Vineyard, Foxcroft Block - Canada, Ontario, Niagara Peninsula, Twenty Mile Bench VQA (2024-08-05)
A very nice Niagara riesling. Mainly citrus on the nose with some minerality, and more of the same in the medium bodied, refreshing wine; a mix of citrus and stonefruit and again with lots of chalky minerality on the dry finish. drinking well now but will last a good while. (A-) - 2021 Pietradolce Etna Rosso - Italy, Sicily, Etna DOC (2024-07-30)
Light ruby in colour, pinot-like as usual from this region and variety. Medium bodied palate with lots of pure cherries with nice acidity, healthy tannins and that petrichor-like taste that helps define this region: a slightly burnt/smoky, lava soil note. A nice example of an Etna Rosso wine. (A-) - 2015 Weingut Max Ferd. Richter Wehlener Sonnenuhr Riesling Kabinett - Germany, Mosel Saar Ruwer (2024-07-28)
Hazy notes. This was a bit more open than the last bottle. Very similar notes: excellent balance is the key, with mainly ripe stonefruit and minerality on display. This has a great future, but the present isn't bad either! (A-) - 2015 Domaine Brusset Gigondas Tradition Le Grand Montmirail - France, Rhône, Southern Rhône, Gigondas (2024-07-25)
Hazy notes from last night. The last wine of the night, it seemed in a good place now. Certainly a big, rich Rhone wine, as usual, but it wasn't too ripe or boozy. A solid if unspectacular Gigondas. (B+) - 2011 Canonica a Cerreto Chianti Classico Riserva - Italy, Tuscany, Chianti, Chianti Classico DOCG (2024-07-25)
Drinking very well now. It was very smooth, little tannins, medium bodied, with redfruits, tobacco and herbs. Great with food or solo sipping. Should last a while yet, but in a good place now. (A-) - 2015 J.M. Gobillard et Fils Champagne Cuvée Prestige Millésimé Brut - France, Champagne (2024-07-24)
The nose was better than the palate for this bottle. Rather rustic in style, a little coarse, just an OK wine (L81501 F2A). (B+) - 2019 Kitsch Riesling Maria’s Block - Canada, British Columbia, Okanagan Valley (2024-07-22)
Light yellow in colour, with mainly minerality and some pears, apples and dried mango on the nose. Nice ripe acidity on the medium palate, with lemon, lime apples, pear and more minerality on a dry finish. Mouthfilling wine, with good weight and very moreish. Wish I had moreish! (A-) - 2014 François Chidaine Les Argiles - France, Loire Valley, Vin de France (2024-07-17)
Light gold in colour, with apples, pears and yellow flowers. Similar flavours, along with honey and lanolin in a medium bodied, dry, complex wine. This is very, very tasty wine with weight, elegance and beauty just coming into the zone. (A-/A) - 2018 Le Clos Jordanne Chardonnay Le Grand Clos - Canada, Ontario, Niagara Peninsula, Niagara Peninsula VQA (2024-07-03)
This bottle was more open than my previous bottle. This is really a nice chardonnay, dare I say Burgundian in style, with a good balance of mainly stonefruit spectrum fruit and a good lashing of quality oak and spice; this has more concentration, richness and class than the previous bottle; it seems to be coming into it's own, but it has many years left. Really a high quality chardonnay, one of the top Canadian versions I have had. (A-) - 2018 Greystone / Grey's Peak Pinot Noir - New Zealand, South Island, Canterbury, Waipara (2024-07-03)
Same results as my other two notes. A great QPR for our market, a nicely balanced pinot with fruit and savory notes and a lift from the acidity. (A-) - 2011 Château de la Roulerie Coteaux du Layon - France, Loire Valley, Anjou-Saumur, Coteaux du Layon (2024-06-15)
There hasn't been a note on this wine since 2015, but this wine (at least this bottle) is still going strong. Quite bright orange in colour - very striking. A lovely nose full of a melange of stonefruit, some tropical notes and honey, together with the wooly, waxy notes from chenin. Similar fairly complex flavours on the medium-full bodied palate, with the thick texture of chenin coming through as well. More off dry than a dessert style. I don't see this declining anytime soon, but certainly ready now. Great QPR and performed above expectations. (A-) - 2018 La Frenz Riesling Clone 49 Rockyfeller Vineyard - Canada, British Columbia, Okanagan Valley, Naramata Bench (2024-06-13)
After six years, this wine is still in great shape. Good to know in a wine region that is still a baby (relatively speaking). This was a nice, brisk riesling, medium bodied on a crisp palate, but with good concentration and a mix of citrus and stonefruit flavours (lots of lime and nectarine) and finishing just barely off dry. Yet another well made, very nice wine for this high quality Okanagan producer. Drink now or hold - this is in no danger of old age. Very good QPR. (B+/A-)