John S wrote:I haven't posted tasting notes for quite a while as I've been on the road for a while. One part of living somewhere different is finding new wines - some are listed here. Every monopoly in Canada has different wines available.
- 2014 Wynns Coonawarra Estate Cabernet Sauvignon Black Label - Australia, South Australia, Limestone Coast, Coonawarra (2026-01-09)
My previous note stands. A classic black label, concentrated, medium to full bodied black fruits with a hint of mint and leather; still primary but very tasty now. I will try to save my last bottle for 5-10 years to see where it goes. (A-) - 2003 Château de Chamboureau Savennières Cuvée d'Avant Moelleux Clos du Papillon - France, Loire Valley, Anjou-Saumur, Savennières (2026-01-05)
My last bottle, and I seem to be the only person drinking this wine! After about 23 years, this wine is still ticking. A beautiful off dry wine that is rich and textured but balanced with pure stone and tropical fruits. Complex, integrated and will last in its plateau for a while I would guess. (A) - 2016 Cristom Pinot Noir Mt. Jefferson Cuvée - USA, Oregon, Willamette Valley, Eola - Amity Hills (2025-12-27)
Popped this last night, and it was very well integrated, elegant, medium bodied pinot with cherry, strawberry and some earthy notes. This did become a bit bitter after an hour or two, so I think this should be opened now. (A-) - 2009 Ridge Monte Bello - USA, California, Santa Cruz Mountains (2025-12-25)
Didn’t take notes, but this was a concentrated, black fruited powerhouse. Nice complexity, no oak notes, on the beginning of its best self. Wish I had more time with this, but it was a lovely wine. (A) - 2005 Selbach-Oster Zeltinger Himmelreich Riesling Auslese - Germany, Mosel Saar Ruwer (2025-12-08)
Lovely wine in its prime I think. Much drier on the medium palate due to its age; quite elegant, mainly with stone fruit, tropical notes and a great balance - harmonious. (A-/A) - 2012 Majella The Malleea - Australia, South Australia, Limestone Coast, Coonawarra (2025-12-03)
Interesting cab/shiraz blend. Dark in colour with some bricking. Youthful tasting, with healthy but ripe tannins and a mix of black and red fruits. Medium to full bodied: not over the top. Nice structure, balance and texture here. No obvious oak. Ready now but there's no rush. (A-) - NV Doré Champagne Premier Cru Brut Ludes - France, Champagne, Champagne Premier Cru (2025-11-29)
This bottle was a nice version, not as rich as some others. A solid champagne with good QPR at the sale price. Medium bodied, some toast and brioche, slightly coarse mousse. (B+) - NV De Bortoli Old Boys Barrel Aged Tawny 21 Years - Australia, South Eastern (2025-11-15)
Bottled in 2023, pulled from the fridge over 7-10 days. Ruby in colour, the nose explodes with sweet dates, coffee and molasses. Sweet red fruits and nuts on the front palate, but there's a healthy dose of acidity that let's it finish much drier than you'd think. The alcohol is well integrated. An intense wine, sweet but not extremely sweet. An interesting wine, but a little goes a long way. (B+) - 2021 Martin Müllen Kröver Paradies Riesling Kabinett trocken - Germany, Mosel Saar Ruwer (2025-11-15)
Very light gold in colour, the nose and palate had lovely salted lime and mango notes on the dry, light to medium bodied palate. Nice acid as usual in 2021, very refreshing and very mineral driven too. (A-) - 2021 Martin Müllen Kröver Steffensberg Riesling Kabinett - Germany, Mosel Saar Ruwer (2025-11-11)
Very light gold in colour, with a sweet smelling nose of sponti, slate, and a savory note. On the fairly intense, light to medium bodied palate, there is good acidity and a mix of citrus (lime and mandarin) and yellow fruit flavours (pineapple). Nice purity on this just off dry, refreshing wine; great balance of heathy ripe acidity and fruit (and minerality). Went very well with a pan fried pickerel dish. My first wine from this producer and I was impressed. I liked it slightly better than the trocken above. (A-) - 2019 Charles Baker Riesling Picone Vineyard - Canada, Ontario, Niagara Peninsula, Vinemount Ridge VQA (2025-11-10)
Hazy notes from last night. This riesling explodes on the palate with a burst of fruit including lime, orange, lemon, starfruit and mango but then the acidity and minerality kicks in and makes it finish dry or perhaps barely off dry. Nice intensity and complexity. This is usually one of the top Niagara rieslings year in and year out, and this vintage and bottle were impressive. Drink now or wait and see what happens in the future. (A-) - 2022 Peter Lauer Ayler Riesling N°3 - Germany, Mosel Saar Ruwer (2025-11-09)
My first time with a Peter Lauer riesling, and I enjoyed it very much. Very light in colour, with sponti, melon, lime and apple notes on the nice nose. Similar flavours on the dry, medium bodied palate (9% alc), with significant mineral notes as well. Very refreshing and moreish wine; the bottle was finished in no time. More time would add complexity of course, but there is no harm in drinking it now either. (A-) - 2009 Schloss Gobelsburg Grüner Veltliner 1ÖTW Reserve Renner - Austria, Niederösterreich, Kamptal (2025-11-02)
I noticed a slightly elevated cork on one of the two bottles I have, so cracked it open. It didn't seem to be damaged in any way. It was a nice, pure Gruner with the classic pea green notes. The medium bodied palate had a lovely oily texture, a concentrated blend of fruit and minerals and solid acidity. Very good intensity to this Gruner. Drinking well now, but I will keep my last bottle for a while in the cellar, as I enjoy an aged gruner. (A-) - 2006 Domaine William Fèvre Chablis 1er Cru Fourchaume - France, Burgundy, Chablis, Chablis 1er Cru (2025-10-30)
Drank this over two nights: a non-Domaine bottle. Upon opening, the colour wasn't too deep, a good sign. However, it did gain a deeper gold colour soon. Slight butterscotch and minerals on the light nose. It's developed that rotten fruit note that I find in all older Chablis. But an oxidised note did seem to develop over time; present but not overwhelming. On the second night, the oxidised note has disappeared and the wine shone. Tons of limestone, good acidity and some deep yellow fruit (pear, apple, quince). A slightly puzzling, moving target kind of bottle, but it was an excellent aged Chablis on the second night. Good now, but will last for a while in a cool cellar. (A-) - 2015 Castello dei Rampolla Sammarco Toscana IGT - Italy, Tuscany, Toscana IGT (2025-10-03)
Double decanted 2-3 hours before tasting. A fairly big Super Tuscan, lots of black fruits and some tannins and nice acidity. Continued to become smoother and more integrated as the day went on. Good with some air now, but needs a few years to really shine. (A-) - NV Williams & Humbert Jerez-Xérès-Sherry Jalifa Amontillado Solera Especial 30 Años Jalifa - Spain, Andalucía, Jerez-Xérès-Sherry (2025-09-06)
Didn't take notes, but the intensity of this very dry Amontillado was off the charts. Beautiful sherry, complex, bracing with a long finish. (A-/A) - 2010 C.V.N.E. (Compañía Vinícola del Norte de España) Rioja Cune Gran Reserva - Spain, La Rioja, La Rioja Alta, Rioja (2025-09-04)
Hazy notes. This was an elegant gran reserva that is drinking well now. Medium bodied, red fruited, no dill notes, nicely balanced. (A-) - 2022 Phantom Creek Estates Riesling - Canada, British Columbia, Okanagan Valley, Okanagan Valley VQA (2025-08-30)
Hazy notes from last night. This was an impressive, fairly rich but balanced riesling. The fruit notes were mainly in the stonefruit and citrus realms, with a rich texture and fruit weight and a slight mineral note at the end. A very good Okanagan riesling, overseen by Oliver Humbrecht in Alsace. Again, the balance was very good, and the bottle didn't last long! (A-) - 2019 Misha's Vineyard Wines Riesling Limelight - New Zealand, South Island, Otago, Central Otago (2025-08-28)
My second and last bottle was a little better than the first, which might have been in an awkward stage. This was more open, but with similar flavours, richness and off dry nature. Nice pure, concentrated riesling with a relatively low acid. (B+/A-) - 2008 Domaine des Baumard Savennières Clos du Papillon - France, Loire Valley, Anjou-Saumur, Savennières (2025-08-24)
My last of four bottles of this excellent wine, with the stelvin closure allowing a long development without the risk of oxidation that plagued Savennières in the past. The fruit seemed to be slowly dissipating, with less wooly and fruit notes and more mineral/saline notes in a medium bodied, powerful wine. It is a beacon of a steely, dry Savennières that packs a pure mineral punch. Different than in the past, but still very nice. (A-) - 2016 Weingut Max Ferd. Richter Erdener Treppchen Riesling Spätlese - Germany, Mosel Saar Ruwer (2025-07-23)
Light gold in colour, with a lovely nose with a intoxicating panoply of stonefruit (apricot, peach, apple) and tropical (mango, pineapple, lychee) fruits. Slightly creamy on the medium to full bodied palate, and fairly rich and sweet, but by the time it hits the back palate, the acidity and minerality give it a good lift; it ends much drier than the front palate would suggest. A decadent, powerful and very delicious wine - outstanding! Great now after 9 years, but this will last and improve for a long time. (A-/A) - 2019 Trimbach Riesling Sélection Vieilles Vignes - France, Alsace (2025-07-07)
Hazy notes from last night. A powerful riesling that has significant concentration and weight on the medium-full bodied, dry, balanced palate. Trimbach delivers again. Different, but quite compelling, this should last a while. (A-) - 2018 Foreau Domaine du Clos Naudin Vouvray Demi-Sec - France, Loire Valley, Touraine, Vouvray (2025-06-02)
Pale golden in colour. A lovely, intense nose with apples, wooly notes, rotten fruit and pears. The medium bodied, viscous palate has similar flavours (adding a little cinnamon and an orange botrytis note) and ends in a long finish with sweet fruit notes, but there is enough balance to keep it from being cloying. Richer and heavier than most Huet demi secs, but vive la difference! A striking, tasty and complex wine that is drinking well now but of course will last a long time. (A-/A) - 2020 Blue Mountain Chardonnay Blossom Slope - Block 17 - Canada, British Columbia, Okanagan Valley (2025-05-30)
This wine has improved since I last tasted: it seemed more open right from the start. 'Elegant' is the main characteristic of this wine. Beautifully balanced, nice fruit, a little oak, nice acid, and good concentration from the 2020 vintage. Well made chardonnay that is nice now but will last several years easy. (A-) - 2015 Michelle Philipon Côte de Beaune Villages - France, Burgundy, Côte de Beaune, Côte de Beaune Villages (2025-05-26)
This has improved over the years! Drinking really well now, this is a concentrated, structured pinot with a very earthy nose and palate, with cherry, raspberry and herbal notes as well. As Jenise noted in her CT note, this doesn't really scream 'pinot' and has gamay like qualities. It has a masculine texture, but above all it is a very tasty wine that reaches above its village status. A lovely surprise, surpassing my expectations. This should last a while, given the concentration and lovely ripe, silky tannins that still exist! (A-) - 2021 Kellerei Nals-Margreid Sauvignon Blanc Stein - Italy, Trentino-Alto Adige, Alto Adige, Alto Adige - Südtirol (2025-04-28)
Same as previous note, this was an unusual sauvignon blanc that had funky, earthy savory notes at the fore, and so didn't really scream (or whisper) SB, but it was a very nice wine with intense flavours and great balance. (B+/A-) - 2005 Domaine Philippe Delesvaux Coteaux du Layon Saint-Aubin - France, Loire Valley, Anjou-Saumur, Coteaux du Layon Saint-Aubin (2025-04-27)
This was shocking bronze in colour, but there was no oxidation at all. More off dry now than dessert-like sweetness, and there are stone fruit and tropical fruit flavours on a nice long finish. Great acidity keeps it fresh and lifted. Probably at its peak now: but it's an amazing example of how Chenin Blanc can age. Great QPR. (A-) - 2018 Pewsey Vale Vineyard Eden Valley Riesling - Australia, South Australia, Barossa, Eden Valley (2025-04-27)
Drinking well now, with classic Eden Valley very dry riesling, with mainly citrus fruits on show. Great acid, very crisp and dry, and quite refreshing. This should last for many years with the screwcap. (A-) - 2022 Lariana Cellars Viognier - Canada, British Columbia, Okanagan Valley, Okanagan Valley VQA (2025-04-27)
As others (including Jenise) have noted, this was a very crisp and refreshing viognier, a mix of citrus and stone fruit flavours, along with some minerality. Good intensity and great balance too, wish I had more! (A-)
What a fun read--all kinds of wines from all kinds of places, which is definitely my wheelhouse.
That Wynn's black label--oh the days of that for $9.99/bottle. Not sure I've ever seen anything with that kind of QPR since; last time I saw it, it was $30+. Cristom, wish I'd been buying that all along, it's totally my type of OR pinot. Loved the Jessie you opened last week.
Finally time for the Philippon? Glad you agree on the gamay-ishness. I still have one bottle left. Pewsey Vale...have you had the 1961? I have some, and no idea what to expect but it's probably close to immortal.
Yes, it's an adventure selecting wines when away from home. Hope--for all concerned--that this is over for you soon.
