WTN - Recent wines from the cellar

• 2019 Pyramid Valley Pinot Noir North Canterbury - New Zealand, South Island, Canterbury, North Canterbury (2024-12-21)
  Too bad I only bought one bottle. This was a beautiful pinot, medium bodied, with excellent balance and a great mix of redfruits (cherry, plums) and savory and spicy notes. Complex and excellent pinot at a very good price. (A-/A)
• 2019 Blue Mountain Pinot Noir Gravel Force Block 14 - Canada, British Columbia, Okanagan Valley (2024-12-19)
  This was an interesting cool climate pinot. Less ripe and rich than Oregon pinots. Medium bodied, but with very good intensity. Mainly red fruits (cherry, raspberry) as well as an earthy note and some ripe tannins. The acidity is a key attribute, making it rather lithe and electric. I think this will improve with some age: it seems quite young and not fully integrated yet. (A-)
• NV Piper-Heidsieck Champagne Cuvée Brut - France, Champagne (2024-12-14)
  This bottle had about 2 years in the cellar (L2210529) and it seems to have improved this NV wine. A bit deeper and richer than previous bottles, with great balance of fruit and acidity, toasty notes and a nice mousse. (A-)
• 2004 Domaine du Pégau Châteauneuf-du-Pape Cuvée Réservée - France, Rhône, Southern Rhône, Châteauneuf-du-Pape (2024-11-28)
  This last bottle (500ml) is still in the zone and classic Pegau. The gamy and feral notes are up front, but the rich fruit of red and black fruits are there too. Not too heavy or overripe, its a well balanced, magnificent CDP that is great now but has a long future no doubt. I've been off Southern Rhones for quite some time, but this is an outstanding example. (A)
• 2016 Domaine des Terres Dorées (Jean-Paul Brun) Moulin-à-Vent - France, Burgundy, Beaujolais, Moulin-à-Vent (2024-11-27)
  Hazy notes from a few days ago. Mainly red fruits on the medium bodied palate, with some slight tannins still and good balance overall. Good now and should last a while yet. A solid 'mid-week' wine. (B+)
• 2018 Charles Baker Riesling Picone Vineyard - Canada, Ontario, Niagara Peninsula, Vinemount Ridge VQA (2024-11-11)
  This was a very crisp, dry, refreshing riesling. Fairly different from my last bottle (when first released). Lovely acidity with lots of minerality as well: these are the main two aspects of this wine. The fruit is mainly citrus (lemon and orange), with crispy apple and slight peach notes too. The pitch perfect acidity - rather than the fruit - really defines this lovely dry Niagara riesling right now. The should last quite a while but beautifully lithe now. (A-)
• 2001 Domenico Clerico Barolo Ciabot Mentin Ginestra - Italy, Piedmont, Langhe, Barolo (2024-11-07)
  Even after a 4 hour decant, this was still fiercely tannic and not fun to drink right now. I would leave it for another 7+ years.
• 2019 Domaine Drouhin Oregon Pinot Noir - USA, Oregon, Willamette Valley, Dundee Hills (2024-11-04)
  Hazy notes from last night. The is was a little ponderous last night: a little heavier and richer than I would like. The high-ish alcohol (13.9) contributed to this too. (B+)
• 2021 Seppeltsfield Riesling Watervale - Australia, South Australia, Mount Lofty Ranges, Watervale (2024-10-27)
  Similar notes as the last bottle. Not quite as dry and steely as many other Clare Valley rieslings, but still a nice dry riesling that very well with a spiced lentil soup. (B+/A-)
• 2022 La Frenz Riesling Clone 21B - Canada, British Columbia, Okanagan Valley (2024-09-26)
  Hazy notes from last night. Very nice riesling. The front palate explodes with stonefruit flavours (peaches, nectarines, apricots) but at the end it finished just barely off dry, with some minerality on show too. Nice intensity and balance. Still young, this should integrate and improve with time. (B+/A-)
• 2010 Domaine Filliatreau Saumur-Champigny Vieilles Vignes - France, Loire Valley, Anjou-Saumur, Saumur-Champigny (2024-09-25)
  Light to medium ruby in colour. Mainly red fruits on the nose and palate; fairly retrained and linear, with cranberry and cherry notes on the light-medium bodied palate. Aged tannins still provide a bit of structure and furry texture in the back end of the wine. Similar over two days. Nice enough, but not great. (B+)
• 2020 Cuvee Eva Élevé en Fût de Chêne - France, Bordeaux (2024-09-22)
  Hazy notes. Another nice bottle. Good QPR. Classic Bordeaux blend, with both the sauvignon and semillon making an appearance; the oak gives it a roundness and depth. (B+)
• 2009 Mount Pleasant Wines Sémillon Elizabeth - Australia, New South Wales, Hunter Valley (2024-09-22)
  Slightly golden in colour, this bottle has good intensity on the nose and palate. Still tasting young, there is some toast and honeysuckle, yellow flowers, good acidity, some roundness on the medium bodied palate and a herbal note at the end. Enjoyed very much by all who tried it last night. Drinking very well now, but no rush to open. Impressive Hunter Valley semillon. (A-)
• 2019 Reif Estate Vidal Icewine - Canada, Ontario, Niagara Peninsula, Niagara River VQA (2024-09-12)
  Great QPR Niagara ice wine. Golden colour, with a nose of honey and apricots. More apricots, honey, ginger, pear syrup and citrus on the intense, viscous palate. Nice acidity to balance all the sweetness. This should last a while yet, but drinking well now too. (B+/A-)
• 2015 Domaine Drouhin Oregon Pinot Noir Laurène - USA, Oregon, Willamette Valley, Dundee Hills (2024-09-03)
  Didn't take notes, but this seemed to be more concentrated and a little riper than the first level pinot. Mainly rich red fruit driven, a little bit of savory notes as well (earth, herbs); medium bodied. Pretty well open for business at pop and pour; this should last a considerable amount of time but no danger in opening now. (A-)

Thanks John. Always interested in your notes from Canadian wineries.