2000 Feudi di San Gregorio "Serpico"

This Aglianico bottling ranks among my favourite wines of all time - always a treat to open one of these, and it was especially enjoyable to try this blind on some of my wine buds.

The 2000 Feudi di San Gregorio "Serpico" was very minerally on the nose, cooked dark berries, meaty and inky, later some hints of lavender - reminiscent of my prior Serpico tastings it coughs up its olfactory secrets slowly, but your patience is well rewarded.

Very, very, very, dry, tongue puckering dry, gobs of silky, silky, tannins ... such an incredibly long finish. Opened for some after dinner sipping, but it merited a pairing of roast meat (rack of lamb, perhaps?).
Cork. 14% alcohol
Score: 18/20
Price: C$89 (SAQ)

2008 Clos de Gat Har'el Merlot

Such a terrific nose on this 2008 Clos de Gat Har'el Merlot - sweet cocoa, ripe black cherries, cooked meat, black pepper, and a hint of green pepper... later pencil shavings and damp earth. Crisp cherries and crushed velvet tannins envelop the palate and linger for an impressive finish. Incredibly balanced, flavourful, and complex - a little more acidity would have held it together perfectly, but still the nicest Merlot I've had in ages. Bravo!
Cork. 14.5% alcohol
Score: 17/20
Price: C$29 (LCBO)

Aussie Petit Verdot by Pirramimma

Petit Verdot is a rare grape, and even rarer to find in a "single varietal" wine, so I happily grabbed a bottle of the 2003 Pirramimma Petit Verdot (McLaren Vale) and stuck it away in my cellar. Two years later my bro-in-law thought the same thing and brought me a 2005 - noticeably disappointed when I said "I already got one", but he cheered up when he was on the receiving end of a "mini-vertical".

The 2003 Pirramimma Petit Verdot was very earthy - black earth and lead pencil on the nose, but not much else. Sour cherries and substantial, silky tannins on the palate (crisper and lighter than the colour and nose would indicate). Rather tannat/nebbiolo-ish, with a lengthy finish and more acidity than the '05. Score: 16.5/20

The 2005 Pirramimma Petit Verdot was also rather simple on the nose, leather and black currants but revealing little else. Silky, ample tannins, modest acidity, with more black cherry fruit on the palate than the '03, it softened up nicely over 2 hours. Score: 16.5/20, C$23.80 (SAQ)

Neither wine was particularly aromatic, and both took time in the decanter to soften up and show their stuff, but they are worth the wait if you have a decanter and patience! I really should try some other wines from this house...

Bonville Prestige Brut Grand Cru Blanc de Blancs

Sometimes you have to stop waiting for that "special occasion" and just open your bottle of bubbly! No special occasion tonight, just an opportunity to taste this tantalizing gift of grower champagne. The Bonville Prestige Brut Grand Cru Blanc de Blancs was a delightful detour from 'still' wines -yeasty, lemon drop and hints of caramel on the nose, a palate of fine mousse, toasty lemons and good minerality. Nice gift!
Cork. 12.5% alcohol
Score: 16.5/20
Gift