A Bevy of Great Wines at À L'Os

Our tasting group got spring off to a great start, raiding our cellars for some great stuff to pair with MY favourite Montreal BYO, À L'Os.

Waiting for the entire crowd to arrive, Mark and I served up some 2007 Pio Cesare Langhe "Oltre" to whet our palates (a surprisingly fruity and accessible Piedmont blend from a terrific winemaker).

Ahh, so many wines tonight so we went with three flights - two Brunellos, then two Bolgheris, then two Nebbiolos...

It was nearly impossible to choose a favourite between Mark's 2000 Casanova di Neri Tenuta Nuova and my 1999 Banfi Poggio all'Oro Riserva. The Casanova di Neri was compote and cedar, with spicy liquorice and flint on the nose - very dry and more awkward on the palate than the Poggio all'Oro, but surreal evolution over the evening - very, very complex and could be a stunner in a few more years... Score: 18+/20. The Poggio all'Oro sported a more 'classic' nose - flint, cherries and chocolate, old leather and dried tobacco leaves - gorgeous, soft velvety tannins and a very, very long tobacco finish, impeccable balance, Score: 18+/20

After those two gems I was worried that the Bolgheris might disappoint, but then I spotted the Ornellaia label (and there was much rejoicing). Pramod's 1999 Ornellaia met my lofty expectations - aromas of green pepper, violets and blackberry, with a dash of oregano, grenadine, meaty white pepper. Minerally and reserved on the palate, beautiful balance and a long, silky finish Score: 18/20. Where Ornellaia sticks to the Bordeaux plot line, Lloyd's 2000 Enrico Santini Montepergoli had a different take on Bolgheri - Merlot, Cab. Sauv, Syrah and Sangiovese. A beautiful nose, with distinctive musty and mushroomy notes, some mint and basil. Bold, crisp cherries with silky tannins holding it together for a decent finish, very drinkable today Score 17.5/20.

The third flight, nebbiolo, was the heaviest - just as palate fatigue was beginning to set in. But a Conteissa?! I must be in heaven... Cam's 2007 La Spinetta Monferrato Rosso "Pin" gave up notes of roses, tar and white cherries. Very crisp, dry, and lengthy, but less polished than the other wines tonight (it was also the youngest), it should soften up with some more time in the cellar Score: 16.5/20. Chris' 1999 Gaja "la Conteissa" was the highlight of this tasting for me...cola, or maybe a Dr. Pepper smell, with fresh cherries and ink. Pretty, complex, with soft silky cherries dancing across the palate - incredibly lengthy but not overbearing, and so super polished (I wouldn't expect less from Gaja) Score 18.5/20.

After so many great wines we should have been finished, but Lloyd had a Quintarelli waiting in the wings. WOW. The 1999 Quintarelli Valpolicella was hot, with a nose of almondy liquer and ripe, raisin fruit, some woodsy and peppery notes. Despite the hot raisins up front, this was a polished offering.

OK, so Chris had a Tokaji for dessert but I'm done writing notes...look at the bottle, it tasted good.

Cheers!

Friday Night with Lloyd

I cannot say that my infrequent updates of this site are directly related to the decreasing frequency of our wine group meetings, but it is hard to ignore the fact that two of my favourite pastimes are falling by the wayside. This is partly due to the increasingly complex logistics of organizing 14 people and six wines for a blinded tasting, so I decided to schedule some smaller events and bring in some newbies for a smaller event, like this one at Lloyd's...

To kick things off Lloyd taunted us with a 1997 Castell'n Villa Reserva, suggesting that this 'starter' wine (to 'awaken' our palates, of course) could be the best of the night, and he wasn't far off - notes of flint and smokey dark cherries, lavender soap, and cocoa powder - surprisingly dense for an older sangiovese, with a long finish and beautiful fuzzy tannins - a wine that I mistakenly thought would not last this long so I drank mine years ago (arrgh). Score: 17.5/20

The theme of the night was "super-Tuscan", and featured some big wines:

On my left was a 2001 Flaccianello, a wine that ranks amongst my favourites of all time, but this particular bottle of wine has not aged well - pruney, cooked fruit and caramel on the nose, just old and tired. Velvety tannins and pruney compote greet the palate - signs of excitement, but this bottle was past its prime - I doubt this bottle is representative, and I have another to prove it someday. Score: 16.5/20

The next bottle on offer was a 1999 Paleo, but it was corked so Lloyd secretly replaced it with a 2003 Flaccianello that I brought to replenish his cellar. The most amazing nose, with fresh and vibrant cherries, signature tobacco notes ... crisp, rich and elegant on the palate with a very lengthy finish - such elegance, poise, I thought it was a Sassicaia. Score: 18/20

Next up was wine from that obscure Tuscan appellation of ... Pomerol? Ok, so the a 1989 Chateau le Gay was not a SuperT, but let me come back to that...

On my far right was a 2005 Sassicaia, another beautiful wine compliments of my buddy Cosme. Rather different on the nose - funky cheesey notes at first (in a good way), load of truffles and black fruit, every whiff a different aroma. Sooooo incredibly silky smooth on the palate that you are surprised when the finish lasts soooo long, it will be very interesting to see how this one develops over time. Score: 18/20

Well, you can't have a wine tasting without dessert, and after Lloyd had raved about this 2007 Konzelmann Vidal Ice Wine my expectations were high for this finisher. Dark goldent amber, with over-ripe apples, pears and hints of orange, caramel and vanilla - very intriguing. Soft, sweet, and luxurious, but not too sticky - a terrific wine, but perhaps lacking some of the crispness and minerality of the German wines that I like. Score: 17/20

Oops, I almost forgot about that 1989 Pomerol - meant to be a "ringer" in a group of SuperT wines, it stood out for a different reason - two of our party, including yours truly, felt the bottle to be corked, while the others disagreed and raved about its merits. I never score a wine that I feel to be corked, but my peers - two of the most respected palates I know - respectfully disagreed, and for what it's worth they LOVED this wine - guys, if you have some notes on this one I'm happy to publish them.

Cheers!

Looking for Piemontese Terroir

Enough talk (1,2) about Barolo and Barbaresco, it is time to tell you how the tasting went.

So, was our group of five tasters, blinded, able to correctly divine the thread of terroir in this small selection of top Piemontese offerings? Well, no. In fact none of our group paired the two Barolos and two Barbarescos together, although two of us put the 1998 and 2000s together. (does vintage trump terroir in Piemonte?)

But there was no disappointment tonight, as we collectively enjoyed some tremendous wines:

On our left was the 2000 Sandrone Barolo Cannubi Boschis. A nose of sour cherries, vanilla and some metallic notes, the fruit turning darker as the wine opened up...but always delicate and light, somewhat reserved vs. other Sandrone Barolos I have tasted. Dry, sour cherries mingled with fine tannins on the palate - delicate and very well balanced, yet with tremendous length and presence. Such elegance could only be the product of Luciano Sandrone.
14.5% alcohol, Score: 18/20

The 1998 Marchesi di Barolo Sarmassa was a revelation. Enjoyed previously, but I didn't expect it to show so well amongst such illustrious peers. A nose of vanilla and black cherries, roses, a dash of black pepper and metallic notes (characteristic of both barolos tonight). Silky smooth with substantial tannins and a beautiful, never-ending finish. Bravo! (I thought it was a Barbaresco)
14.5% alcohol, Score: 18.5/20

Another terrific effort tonight was the 1998 Prunotto Barbaresco Bric Turot. Very flinty on the nose, with vanilla and cinnamon, some tar and black pepper ... late appearing notes of almonds and cooked cherries signalled an older wine. Very dry, with soft velvety tannins and a slight metallic aftertaste. A beautiful long finish, simply gorgeous, and very Barbaresco.
13.5% alcohol, Score: 18/20

The 2000 Moccagatta Barbaresco Bric Balin was the odd wine of the evening, and the only one everyone was completely wrong on. A stark nose - tarry, very tarry in fact, with noticeable oakiness, black earth, tobacco and cheese rind. While the first three wines were tremendously polished, the Moccagatta was tart, tannic and harsh, kinda "in your face". Crisp, with a very, very, long finish - it certainly has the acid and the tannins for aging - I think I will open my other bottle in another 10 years.
14% alcohol, Score: 17.5/20 So we didn't find terroir tonight, as the relative harshness of the Moccagatta screamed "young Barolo" and left everyone looking elsewhere for Barbaresco. Tonight I paired the 1998s and the 2000s together, which made me think that our research would have been better served by removing a variable and pouring wines from the same vintage...

Finally, I should mention the 2001 Pio Cesare Barbera "Fides" that served as our "starter wine" tonight, beautiful, as always (1,2).

Revisiting Chateauneuf du Pape

Our tasting group has not dedicated an evening to Chateuneuf du Pape since...April of 2005? You might think we hate the stuff! Yet most of the group has a decent collection of these...sounds like a Grand Tasting!

Once again, a colossal flight of wines, blinded and rank ordered by our capable panel of tasters:

Clearly the oldest, and nearly unanimously rated number one, was Lloyd's 1990 Château de Beaucastel. Surprising, as this wine almost didn't make it into the tasting lineup - Lloyd's first bottle was corked and this second bottle had a funky nose that was only starting to blow off as we went into the tasting - very fortunate. This perfectly aged CDP makes my short list of "best ever" wines - sour cherries meet pencil shavings on the nose, blanketed in roses and blackberries, some truffles, leather and tea...even figs in a supporting role. Incredibly polished, flavourful, and complex - silky smooth tannins deliver crisp fruit to the palate and directly into the cerebrum....so, so, good. Score: 19/20

Second, third and fourth place were very close, but Cam's 2004 Domaine du Pégau Cuvée Réservée edged out the rest with a nose of cooked fruit and grenadine, dried meat and some interesting mustiness. Very dry, with big, gripping tannins, it was a touch unbalanced at first taste but it had such a tremendous finish that sufficiently sorted itself out by the end of the night. Score: 18+/20

Third was the 2003 Domaine de St-Paul, continuing Ash's string of strong showings. Not a house I knew before tonight, it was showing its age - musty cooked fruit, mushrooms and old leather on the nose...balanced and tasty, just a bit old and flat on the palate. Past its prime, probably better in its past? Score: 17.5/20

Fourth place went to the "other" Beaucastel, Pramod's 1995 Château de Beaucastel. Pramod was disappointed with the showing, but it was "controversial" wine, with a bunch of high ratings pulled down by two last place ratings. Tarry cherries and liquorice on the nose, a powerful wine of tremendous length on the palate, dry velvety tannins, crisp fruit and spicy oak. This house is restoring my faith in CDP. Score: 18.5/20

In fifth was Cosme's 2005 Domaine de la Janasse Chaupin, another controversial wine with high and low rankings. Notably younger and fruitier on the nose, with ripe cherries and vanilla in the foreground, a hint of violets as well. Silky smooth, nicely balanced with dense velvety tannins, a great wine but stylistically away from where my palate is these days. Score: 17.5/20

Sixth place was a three way tie between my 2001 Domaine du Pégau Cuvée Réservée, Lloyd's backup wine, the 2001 Usseglio Cuvée de mon Aïeul and Chris' 2006 Domaine de la Vieille Julienne. My older Pegau smelled old, with compote, tar and almonds on the nose, fruity and well balanced on the palate but needs some more time in the cellar Score: 17/20. The Usseglio was just .... bland? Leather, fruit and vanilla on the nose, fruity with modest tannins Score: 16.5/20. Chris' Vieille Julienne was violets and venison on the nose, heavy fruit up front, this gave way to a better wine than that I first encountered. A very long finish, drinking well now Score: 17/20.

So...Beaucastel was not a house I had tasted frequently (maybe never?), yet two different vintages scored first and second for me. And that 1990 Beaucastel ranks with the best wines I have ever tasted (thanks Lloyd!)...I smell a shopping trip.

Many thanks to our host, Cosme, and to the gang for raiding their cellars for these treasures.

Cheers!

You Say Shiraz, I Say Syrah: A Tasting with Marcus and Friends

Marcus was one of the first wine bloggers I ever exchanged comments with, all those years ago....but Marcus has moved off the blogosphere and onto Facebook, so I see less of him around these parts. No matter - instead of sharing electronic wine commentary we get together regularly (1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9) and share a glass of the real stuff!

To celebrate moving into his new apartment Marcus invited a few friends over for Syrah/Shiraz tasting. It was a diverse group of tasters, a wide range of wine experience, and an ecclectic collection of wines, but tonight this combined with a casual, laugh-out-loud, wine-tasting atmosphere that was simply a ton of fun.

So how did we get six Shirazes and not a single Aussie wine?! Strange, but it gave us a chance to try a few South African Syrahs...here we go.

First Flight:

Our first wine was the 2008 Errazuriz Estate Shira , a very modern-styled Syrah that could easily have passed for entry-level Oz Shiraz. Chocolate, sulfur, and medicinal notes, some violets and tar. Big fruit, soft and smooth, with delicate tannins and a short finish. Nothing fancy, but actually very nice at this price - it could easily compete with some of the more famous entry-level Aussie Shirazes. Score: 15.5/20

The 2006 Tardieu-Laurent "Les Grands Augustins" was very French. Stark, with grenadine and flint, meaty, cheesy and minerally, some tar as well. Very elegant, very polished on the palate, with wet gravel binding the crisp cherry fruit tightly. A tremendous finish, a vin de garde (for a modest price), and (ever-so-slightly) my favourite of the evening. Score: 17.5/20*

The 2005 Bellingham "The Maverick" Syrah was a very good wine. Cherries and herbs, wet black earth, a can of stale cola with spicy oak overpowering all. Heavy, tannic, brooding, getting jammy over the evening, but keeping its velvet spiciness. A bit too heavy on the oak, but deliciously complex nonetheless...Score: 17/20

Second Flight:

Not a bad wine, but the 2004 Graham Beck Shiraz didn't stand out either. A pretty nose, cherry, cheese and wet dog (yes, wet dog can be pretty...). Jammy and chocolatey on the palate, a decent finish. Score: 16/20

Wow! Surprise, surprise. Knowing there was a Canadian Shiraz I automatically assumed it would suck, so this wine taught me a valuable lesson. And I didn't think it would suck because it was Canadian, I just thought Mission Hill sucked - I was wrong (at least with this wine)... The 2006 Mission Hill Reserve Shiraz was stunning - spicy sausage and black fruit mix with violets and green tannins on the nose. Light, fresh, a touch bitter on the palate, but delicious fruit. Very much like the Tardieu-Laurent, but with better fruit. Score: 17.5/20

My contribution of the evening was a very unimpressive bottle of Cornas, even more disappointing as I have tasted this bottle before and I thought it was a shoe-in for the gold medal. The 2003 Delas Chante-Perdrix Cornas was easily the priciest wine of the night, embarassingly so. A nose unlike anything else - cream soda, some jammy fruit, but otherwise rather uninteresting. A soft, vanishing palate with no acidity - not offensive, just ... boring. Could this bottle be dead? I hang my head in shame...Score: 14.5/20

So, chalk one up for Mission Hill and a big thanks to Marcus. If you are a member of Facebook, check out Marcus' photos and notes here.

White Burgundy Blues

One thing that drives me crazy about my wine group is just how difficult it is to get them to sit down and taste white wines. After twisting their arms I finally got them to agree to a white wine evening and it was fabulous. Despite this, it has taken me two years to get the gang to agree to another white tasting and unfortunately this was less successful...

But it SHOULD have been a success - a bunch of winos with reasonable wine budgets were tasked to find some White Burgundies (my idea), but somewhere between idea and execution it flopped.

This was absolutely no fault of the host - Chris put on a tremendous spread of aquatic delicacies, so incredible that we saw very little of him that evening as he was continuously shuttling between the bbq and the table, serving up steamed fish and grilled seafood - truly stunning, over the top decadent, actually.

But the disappointment was the wine, a rarity in my group tastings. There were simply no "wow" moments, as wine after wine went from pretty good to ho-hum...

Interestingly, tonight's flight of wines included two of EXACTLY the same wine, and two of the same wine but different vintages - here are my notes:

The crowd favourite was Ash's 2005 Domaine Cordier Juliette la Grande from Pouilly-Fuise, definitely not the appellation I expected to win. Crisp apples, white flowers, pear and a hint of limes on the nose, flavourful and crisp, minerally and focused on the palate. Score: 17.5/20

Ok, so I threw in a non-Burgundy "surprise", and my 2005 Chateau Montelena Chardonnay ranked a surprising second place in this flight of pricey Burgundies. Woody, citrussy and a some cheesey notes, but absolutely impeccable on the palate, with acid, minerals and fruit in near perfect harmony. Great balance, a tremendous finish, this wine is sooo underpriced. Score: 18/20

Saving our tasters from embarrassment, the third and fourth place wines (brought by Cam and Chris) were in fact the same and scored nearly identically by most tasters. The 2006 Bouchard Pere et Fils Meursault "Le Porusot" was buttery apples, white flowers and a subtle "green-ness" on the nose, soft and creamy on the palate with good acidity, nearly perfect balance. This was the kind of wine I thought we'd see more of tonight. Score: 17/20

Sticking to the theme, my other wine was a Chablis. But my 2006 Moreau et Fils Chablis Grand Cru Vaudesir underperformed where I thought it would show. Citrus and flowers with some expected apple notes, incredibly finessed and well structured - firm, minerally, but with nice fruit and a very long finish. More controversial (scores all over the place), but my style of Chablis. Score: 17.5/20

Next was Pramod's 2003 Louis Jadot Meursault Genevrières - it started ok, with pretty caramel apples and green grass, but it was awkward and flat on the palate - tasty on another evening, but surrounded by too many great wines today. Score: 16.5/20

Interestingly, the last place wine was the 2002 Domaine Cordier Juliette la Grande, an older vintage of our first place wine. Very intriguing on the nose - almost Sauternes-like, with caramel and cooked fruit, dried apricots and floral notes. Unfortunately it had faded on the palate and was soft and unfocused - very different from the other wines. A wine that seemed past its prime, but it struck me as a wine that was probably VERY good in its prime. Score: 16/20

Personally, my disappointment was with the concentration of the wines amongst a few vineyards - I just don't feel like we captured the essence of white Burgundy today. But even more disappointing is the knowledge that it could be a VERY long time before I get the gang to agree to another white wine tasting.

Uber IGTs: A Tour of Italy's Most Expensive "Table Wine"

Eden's night of Tuscan wines was a prelude to a show-stopping, Uber-Tuscan night of over-the-top wines: Masseto, Sassicaia, Ornellaia....

Yes, our first IGT (Italian "table wines") night delivered an impressive slate of wines (even if the best wines were not IGT...) but what I really liked about this evening was the narrow score distribution - I think the group would agree that this may have been the narrowest distribution of scores in one of our grand tastings, which led to lots of debate and no consistency in the rank orders. But out of this disorder I managed to glean the following notes:

Well, it wasn't even close - with four first place and two second place rankings Cosme's 2001 Ornellaia (65% Cab Sauv, 30% Merlot, Cab Franc) was the clear winner. But wait, it's not an IGT? No one complained, as this 'Bolgheri DOC Superiore' wowed with an beautiful and exquisitely complex nose - clearly Bordeaux-like, with spicy oak and dark fruit, layers and layers of aromas...violets and roses, sour cherries and white pepper, leather and cloves with some underlying green pepper and vegetal notes. Soft and silky on the palate, very easy to enjoy today but I felt it was touch flabbier and unstructured vs. the others, and that became more evident as the evening progressed. Score: 18/20

Cosme took the silver as well, bringing a 1999 Sassicaia (85% Cab Sauv, Cab Franc) that ranked close behind the Ornellaia, but got there very differently. Another Bolgheri (didn't somebody tell him it was IGT night?), I did NOT like the way this one started out from the decanter - a heavy dose of sulphury oak at first sniff, it took a while to blow off and reveal some sour cherries, old leather, later some green pepper and notes of cheese rind. Powerfully built, pounding the palate with dense tannins and a finish that lasted all night. All power and no finesse today, but this is still in its youth and I predict great things when this bottle finally sorts itself out. Score: 18.5/20

We had a tie for third place, so I will start with what was probably the greatest value of the night. Cam's 2000 Ghiaie della Furba (Sangiovese, Merlot, Syrah), at C$41, was half the price of the next cheapest wine, yet was probably the softest, silkiest, and best balanced of the night, a combination of great winemaking and optimal bottle age coming together perfectly. Less complex than the others, and all ready peaking, but at this price? Score: 18.5/20 (one of my Top Cellar Picks)

Pramod's 2000 Flaccianello was deceptively good, and I wonder if another few hours in the decanter would have put it in first place instead of third. Classic Sangiovese tobacco notes mingled with sour cherries and spearmint, liquorice and black pepper, some vegetal notes. Tangy and spicy with an incredibly long finish, I am so glad I have a cellar full of this stuff. Score: 18/20

Lloyd brought a legendeary wine from a less than than legendary vintage, the 2002 Masseto. Fashioned from 100% Merlot, it delivered a nose of violets, ripe strawberry compote, and some smokey vanilla. Crisp and full-bodied, but not overbearing, with velvety tannins and a flavourful, long finish. I expected from one of the worlds most expensive merlot bottlings to be kinder, gentler...but the score kept creeping up over the evening. Score: 18/20

My 2000 Serpico, made from the Aglianico grape, was easy to spot - clearly not Cabernet or Sangiovese, but my "nekulturny" friends did not like this so you can take my notes with a grain of salt. To be fair the nose was simple - flinty prunes and some floral notes - but luxurious, tangy tannins and a very long finish made this a joy for me. Maybe I won't share my Aglianico any more...Score 18/20

Many thanks to Pramod and Sofia, perfectly setting up these wines with a spread fit for kings (including a rather tasty, but ominously named fatty meat called "lardo"), and to the gang for really digging deep into the cellar for a creative flight of wine.

Cheers!

A Grand Tasting of California Cabernets

Looking back over the past few years of tastings it is hard to believe that I have been the "ringleader" for our wine group - I mean, I never EVER win these tastings. Remember the old saying "even a blind squirrel sometimes finds a nut"? Well, in our blinded tastings my wines have been road kill.

Well, that's not really true - my Cesare Ornato was the best at the November tasting - at least I thought so, but I was unblinded so my self-proclaimed victory was hollow. But tonight was extra special because it was the real deal - a blinded, head to head cab-fest featuring some truly legendary California wines...and I won!

Ranked 1st or 2nd by two-thirds of the tasters, the 2003 Cardinale (86% Cabernet, Merlot) was obviously chosen by a sophisticated oenophile with a superior palate. A subtle nose, quite closed at first, later opening to reveal beautifully balanced violet, black pepper, leather and blackberries. But the nose was a pretty accessory to an astonishing palate - nice dense fruit and a very fine, velvety, long, long finish. It didn't jump out at us so much as it crept up and enveloped the group with incredible complexity and finesse. Did I mention that I won? Score: 18.5/20

There was considerable enthusiasm for Ash's 2002 Heitz Cellar Trailside Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon, (100% Cabernet, organic) Ash adding to his string of successes since rejoining our wine group last year. A more interesting nose than the Cardinale, with flinty eucalyptus, violets, currants and black cherries, but just a touch jammy at the end of the night which pushed it into second place for me. Delicate, classy, and showing some age on the palate, a beautiful wine. Score: 18.5/20

There was little separation amongst the top 3 wines, with Lloyd's 1997 Joseph Phelps Insignia (83% Cab, 14% Merlot, Petit Verdot) close behind the Cardinale and Heitz in the rankings. Black cherries and mushrooms on the nose, earthy/flinty notes as well, some mint - pretty, maybe simpler than some of the others. Very nicely balanced with a very, very long finish...elegance. Score: 18/20

Further back was Cam's 2003 Juslyn Vineyards Cabernet Sauvignon Spring Mountain Estate (85% Cabernet, 8% Cabernet Franc, 5% Merlot, Petit Verdot). Quite different from the others, with a lovely meaty nose, wet stones as well, a touch jammy and hot as the night wore on. A nice lengthy, meaty finish on the palate. Score: 17.5/20

Tied for fifth and sixth were Pramod's 2001 Chateau Montelena Estate Cabernet Sauvignon and Cosme's 2004 Peter Michael "Les Pavots". I quite liked the Montelena (Score: 17.5/20) - rubbery liquorice, black earth and white pepper on the nose, crisp cherry fruit and silky tannins on the palate, just a shorter finish than the greats above pushing it down a notch for me, but I liked it more than most the gang (I always love Chateau Montelena). The surprising result for me was the near last place finish for the Peter Michael (Score: 17/20), as the "Les Pavots" consistently wins accolades. Gobs of ripe, dark fruit on the nose, vanilla and violets as well. A very nice, long finish with dense tannins, just too fruity and too jammy for our group.

Unfortunately Chris' 2003 Neal Family Cabernet Sauvignon Howell Mountain Estate was corked - a shame, as there was such a nice velvety texture to the wine. I think each and every one of us has had a corker now.

So, if any of you start "Google-ing" these wines you will find that they are, for the most part, expensive and rare - a true who's who of California and a terrific flight to really get a sense of what it's like at the top ends of the price/quality spectra.

A terrific night! Many thanks to our hosts, Cosme and Rebecca (the tenderloin was a smashing idea).

Next up, IGT-fest!

Fourth Annual BYO at A L'Os

My tasting group has been the cornerstone of this blog, pushing the envelope on wine prices and styles and in the process educating my palate in ways a wine class could never achieve. But the reason our group has continued for more than five years is that this is first and foremost a group of friends.

This friendship, and wine, brought us together for our Fourth Annual "grand tasting" at a BYO Restaurant, Montreal's À l'Os. No scoresheets tonight - just great food, conversations and vinous treasures from our respective cellars:

1988 Château Branaire-Ducru (Saint-Julien)
1999 Pio Cesare Barolo "Ornato"
2001 Beringer Private Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon (Napa)
2002 Domaine Chevalier Père & Fils Corton "Le Rognet"
2003 The Standish (Barossa)
2004 Domaine l'Aiguelière Côte Rousse (Coteaux du Languedoc)
2004 no. 2/3 Trio Infernal (Spain)
2004 René Rostaing Côte Rôtie "La Landonne"

But before I get to the wine, I want to say a few words about what was the most impressive Montreal BYO I have ever had the chance to dine in. Very French in style, but what impressed me was an obsession with balance - of flavours and textures - that signify a chef with complete dedication to his trade. An impressive soup of cauliflower and watercress to start - beautiful creamy texture and balance. This was followed by a blood pudding that was insanely light and fluffy, served on a bed of cooked apples and a dab of cream on top (it looked like a dessert) - Wow! The main of filet mignon with seared foie gras (an error - I asked for the mushrooms - but I didn't complain about the freebie) - simply flavourful and stunningly textured, surely the greatest steak (and foie gras) I have ever had. And I couldn't pass on a dessert of fresh figs and balsamic vinegar ice cream. All with impeccable service (despite a rowdy crowd). This was, without a doubt, THE best table to pair with your cellar that I have dined in in Montreal (but noticeably pricier). A hearty shout out to the chef!

Oops, nearly forgot the wine:

Our first pour was Pramod's 2001 Beringer Cabernet Sauvignon Private Reserve (Napa). Rather predictably high-end Napa on the nose, with spicy vanilla, violets, dark berry fruit, white pepper and gobs of oak. Somewhat atypical on the palate - a big tannic wallop up front, but rather lighter and more elegant than the nose suggested - should soften up nicely with cellaring. Great, but I don't remember a lot of discussion around this one.

Next up was Lloyd's ancient 1988 Chateau Branaire-Ducru (Saint-Julien), a fourth-growth that is showing very well as it enters its third decade. It didn't go over well at first - some cellar stank I guess - but that blew off to reveal a sublime blend of mushrooms and prunes, cedar and old leather, black earth and vegetal notes. Elegant, light and earthy on the palate with crisp fruit and spicy oak - for me it was the most memorable, and most food-friendly, of the evening...ahhh, old Bordeaux....

Next up was Cosme's 2003 The Standish (Barossa), one of Australia's top shirazes. Meaty blueberries, tar and liquorice, flinty vanilla, violet and cherries on the nose. Luscious and well balanced with big, velvety tannins and a never-ending finish, but a touch fruitier and more extracted than my current preferences. I, and most of my peers, were rather ho-hum on this one tonight.

A wine that did generate a lot of discussion was Ash's 2004 Domaine l'Aiguelière Côte Rousse (Coteaux du Languedoc) - big stinky cheese notes (in a good way), spicy new leather, and slate on the nose, a delicious velvety texture with crisp fruit and a lengthy finish. I would say "Bordeaux-esque", but perhaps less polished (in my opinion) than some of the other wines tonight. I expect that will be resolved with some cellar time...

Next up was another controversial wine, Cam's 2004 no. 2/3 trio infernal (Priorat). Made from 100% carignan, this modern-styled wine showed leathery dark berries, tar, and minty alcohol. Lighter-bodied with a modest finish, I found the alcohol just too hot, but otherwise no rough edges. I have to agree with David's QPR comments on this one. Drink now.

Since nobody was scoring I declare my 1999 Pio Cesare Barolo "Ornato" the "winner" - hah, I finally won! A gorgeous nose of tar and rose petal, black pepper, and flinty blackberries. Muscular - an elegant muscular - with a very long finish, it was the first decanter emptied.

As if that weren't enough we poured Chris' 2004 René Rostaing Côte Rôtie "La Landonne" for the finale. Candy and flowers on the nose, tea and wet stones as well. Elegant, with crisp fruit and a minerally palate - a deceptively long finish, will be amazing in a few years.

I forgot to mention the 2002 Chevalier Corton, a wine that showed up hidden under Cosme's chair (insurance in case no one brought a Burgundy, I suppose - Barry could sympathize). He relented and shared with all, but I didn't take notes as I thought this was the 2005 we had recently.

I won't cover Chris' Hungarian dessert wine - it was DRY! Sorry, that's like salami for dessert. It may have been good, but I was SO not in the mood for that.

Whew! Did I say this was a great evening?

(BYO 2007 at Yoyo, BYO 2006 at Bistro l'Entrepont)

Taking on the Northern Rhone

Our tasting group, the inspiration for this blog, has been meeting for five years now. Over nearly 40 formal tastings we have torn apart and dissected most of the world's key wine regions and grapes in blinded, theme-based tastings, but we have never critiqued the syrah-based reds of the northern Rhône. This glaring omission was corrected tonight, with eight tasters taking on six of the region's greats.

After warming up our palates with some fine Burgundies we turned our attention to these northern Rhône treasures: four Hermitages, one Côte-Rôtie and one Cornas, ranging from 3 to 19 years of age. We even had a Parker 100-point wine at the table...

Some nights our group can be quite consensual, but other times our individual rankings are all over the map - tonight was one of those nights:

The winner of tonight's tasting was the youngster, Ash's 2005 Delas Frères Côte-Rôtie 'Seigneur de Maugiron', a wine ranked amongst the top 3 for most tasters. A youthful nose of spicy fresh berries, white pepper, violets and a flinty earthiness. The palate was a velvety carpet of dark berry fruit - fruitier than most of tonights offerings - but with a pleasing long finish and a nice minerally, acidic backbone. My third choice amongst this impressive flight of wines. I wonder if you threw this into an Aussie tasting, would anyone call it out as French? Score: 18/20

Consistently ranked first or second amongst the men, but last place rankings from the ladies resulted in a second place showing for Pramod's 1999 Ferraton Ermitage 'Le Méal'. It took a while to open up, ultimately revealing pretty floral, nutmeg, and old leather notes, earthy blackberries, flint, vanilla, and much more. Very, very elegant on the palate, perfectly balanced with supple tannins and a fine seam of acidity. Polished, with a never ending finish, very easy to enjoy today after a lengthy decant but I think it could be a decade or longer before we see the full potential. My second place, bravo! Score: 18.5/20

Third place (but my favourite of the evening) was Lloyd's 1989 Paul Jaboulet Hermitage 'La Chapelle'. Cam insisted on the scent of 'vomit' on the nose, but I was thinking cooked plums and dark berry fruit, violets and blackberries, leather, fern, hazelnut and flint. A great nose, but it was near perfection on the palate that separated this one for me - silky smooth tannins and fresh acidity held it all together, and despite nearly twenty years in the bottle it was still fresh. An extremely long finish, this has the stuffing to go at least another decade or two in the cellar. An absolute joy to taste one of Hermitage's legendary bottlings, perfectly aged. Score: 18.5/20

Fourth was an impressive showing for my inexpensive (in this crowd) Cornas, the 2003 Delas Frères 'Chante-Perdrix'. Someone suggested a nose of post-coital sweat, but I preferred fruit candy and flowers (pre-coital?), hay and earthy/mushroomy notes. Fresh, balanced, but simpler than the others with a shorter finish. Score: 17/20

Fifth was Cam's 1999 Ferraton Ermitage 'Les Dionnieres'. Meaty and ashen on the nose, firm gripping tannins but a touch hot on the palate. Rather awkward, could soften up and sort itself out with some cellar time. Score: 17.5/20

The biggest story of the night has to be the last place finish (first place amongst the ladies) for the 2003 Jean-Louis Chave Hermitage, a wine Parker rated 100 points. What?! Actually a pretty good nose of ripe (overripe?) blueberries, blackberries, orange, cardamom and tea, liquorice and hazelnut...and LOTS of heat. The palate presented big juicy fruit and firm gripping tannins...and heat. So fruity and awkward, it just didn't show well tonight. I concede that it may simply be 'closed', but I doubt this will ever present a perfect score in my books. All of tonight's wines were 13% alcohol except for this one, which clocked in at a very noticeable 15%. Score: 17/20

Editorial:

For me there were many sides to this evening: a wine that was expected to be compelling (the La Chapelle), a pleasant surprise (the le Meal), an overacheiver (the Chante-Perdrix) and a surpising downside (the Chave).

That Chave surprise was not just ours - Larry Meehan over at Gang of Pour expressed shock at this wine, and Parker's link to Neal Martin's view was an 88 - in line with my 17.

So why were the men and women so diametrically opposite the men on the le Meal and Chave? I'm not going to touch that one.

PS - for my Montreal friends, that le Meal is being cleared out by the SAQ, on sale for C$71. Not cheap, but you rarely get a chance to get such a compelling, aged Hermitage for this price - I think the critics missed this one.

A Tantalizing Taste of Some Grand Crus of Burgundy

Ok, so I teased everyone with a photo of some pretty amazing wines last week. And yes, it has been a few days since my last post, but I have a very good excuse - some major changes in my life (all good) are eating up a huge chunk of time. But the real delay in writing this post has been a nagging doubt: How do I write up what was probably the best evening of wine I have ever experienced?

Once again our tasting group raised the ante, bringing a terrific selection of wine to our first ever Burgundy-only tasting, but the late arrival of a DRC Richebourg the icing on the cake...

The top wine in the blinded part of our tasting was the 1999 Taupenot-Merme Charmes Chambertin Grand Cru, so it was fortunate that we had two bottles (Chris and Pramod). An absolutely terrific nose - musty and barnyardy, wet fur, damp undergrowth, adding delightful notes of truffley fruit as it aired out. On the palate it was extremely elegant - flavourful, but not overpowering, with acid, fruit and tannin in perfect harmony and a long finish that hints of many more years of joy. Note the prices, one bottle was purchased for $89 in 2003, while the second was fresh from the SAQ – C$161! It pays to have a cellar.

cork. 13.5% alcohol
Score: 18.5/20
Price: C$89 (SAQ), or C$161

Following very closely behind was Lloyd's terrific 2002 Bouchard Pere et Fils Le Corton Grand Cru, a wine that showed similarly well in December. Cola notes at first, fresh berries, leafy, earthy and tobacco aromas as well, nearly perfect on the palate with fresh, not overripe, fruit in perfect harmony with the acid and minerality. If the bottle had lasted another half an hour it could have been the best of the evening. Apparently this is US$61 on line - a tremendous value for a Burgundy of this quality.

cork. 13.5% alcohol
Score: 18/20
Price: C$80 (SAQ)

Cam braved the wrath of his partners by not bringing a Grand Cru, but his 2005 Denis Mortet Gevrey-Chambertin "Mes Cinq Terroirs" was not a lightweight. Sweeter and fruitier on the nose (dare I say "jammy"), smokey cocoa – a rather atypical, modern-styled wine. Softer and juicier than any of the others, but with decent acidity that held it together. It evolved and gained complexity over the evening, but it was so different from the others...
cork. 13% alcohol
Score: 17.5/20
Price: C$108 (SAQ)

Once again I find myself in last place with a 2002 Prince Florent de Merode Corton Les Bressandes Grand Cru. Flinty, green and weedy on the nose, with a curious scent of ginger (much prettier than that sounds). A touch awkward on the palate, with hints of Bouchard Corton above, but not as well integrated as that Corton. Lloyd opined that in five years this could be the best bottle of the night, and there is some underlying power that hints to that effect –I have one more bottle of both 2002 Cortons, with a rematch scheduled for 2013.
cork. 13% alcohol
Score: 16.5/20
Price: C$85 (LCBO)

So, how does one taste, evaluate, score and enjoy a tantalizing 3 oz pour of a Burgundian legend? While worthy of a separate post (I may yet do that), tasting a Domaine Romanee-Conti in the context of so many great Burgundy wines is an even better story. Served unblinded, I approached Cosme's 1996 Domaine Romanée-Conti Richebourg with some trepidation, as a number of the world's greats have disappointed when paired with my lofty expectations. No need to worry tonight: a precious nose of earth and mushrooms, nutty and very green, it was coy at first, but some air (it had a very short decant) teased out pretty white flowers, black pepper and subtle raspberry fruit. Surprisingly viscous, with soft silky tannins and tremendous length (minutes), the soft and pleasing palate is toying with you – the wine is not ready yet, and despite the pleasure it gives you today you will be rewarded by another decade or more in the cellar (if you ever get a hold of one...)

cork.
Score: 19/20
Price: $$$ (Lavinia)

So there it is - thanks to my good friend Cosme I have tasted a DRC. Was it impressive? Yes, very. But in the presence of so many great wines you get that nagging doubt about price...unfortunately, those precious 3 ounces will have to do. 

And many thanks to the entire wine group for another great event, and to my wife for some killer grilled mushrooms, jambon de canard, and a selection of cheeses and pate that worked extremely well with the wines. 

American Cabs and steaks on the grill, a patio party for our next tasting...Cheers!

Red Wine from "Other" France

Cam hosted our third "Boys Only" (previous 1,2) formal tasting with an "Other France" theme - red wine from France, but no Rhone, Burgundy or Bordeaux. You would think that the creative juices would be flowing but it was a Languedoc-heavy night, featuring two from Pic St-Loup and one from Corbieres. I brought the only Loire red, nothing from Southwest France...too bad.

The crowd favourite was the host's 2004 Ollieux Romanis Cuvee Or (30% carignan/30% grenache/30% mourvedre/10% syrah), a wine Cam picked up at the Salon des Vins. Dark chocolate and leathery dark blackberries on the nose, some vanilla and oak as well. So elegant on the palate - very smooth, soft and juicy, but this modern-styled wine had a very short finish and was lacking in complexity vs. the others - my third place wine.
14% alcohol, Score: 17/20, Price: C$37 (SDV).

A very close second (and my favourite) was Chris' 2001 Chateau de Lascaux "Les Secrets" a 50:50 grenache/syrah from Pic St-Loup, my favourite Languedoc appellation. A beguiling nose of black cherries and violets, tar and wet stones, black pepper and liquorice as well. Acid, tannin and fruit in harmony, a very long finish, this should benefit from a few more years in the cellar.
15.4% alcohol, Score: 17.5/20, Price: C$46 (SAQ)

Third was my Loire red, the 2003 Domaine des Roches Neuves "La Marginale", a cabernet franc from Samur-Champigny. On the nose one of my partners said this wine "smells like a joint", but unfamiliar with the term I preferred "vegetal and leafy green"..., with smokey blackcurrant and floral scents. Velvety smooth tea-like tannins, very elegant and well balanced, it stood out like a sore thumb amongst these hot climate grenache/shiraz wines and held its own, pairing particularly well with the venison terrine. Beautifully textured and the longest finish, this needs to sit for a few more years.
13% alcohol, Score: 17.5/20, Price: C$38 (SAQ)

A near consensus last place was Pramod's 2001 Chateau Cazeneuve "Roc des Mates", a syrah (80%) with the balance grenache/mourvedre from Pic St-Loup. Rather tired on the nose - plummy cooked fruit, earthy, with some pepper and smoke, another taster described it as canned tomato sauce (Chef Boyardee to be exact). Smooth, but uncomplex and a touch hot on the palate. A disappointment, as I supplied this to Pramod and have had good success in the past - must have peaked two years ago, or I have a storage problem...
14% alcohol, Score: 15/20, Price: C$27 (SAQ)

All wines were blinded and decanted prior to the start. I had tasted three of these wines before so I wasn't completely blinded, but time does play tricks with the memory and I got the two Pic St-Loup wines mixed up.

Oops, almost forgot the dessert! The 2002 Cave de l'Abbe Rous Helyos (Banyuls) was a dessert wine made from 100% grenache. Meaty dark fruit and almonds on the nose, beautiful texture - luxurious soft and velvety tannins and dark berry fruit - a worthy competitor to a fine port.

16.5% alcohol, Score: 17.5/20, Price: C$51 (SAQ)

Cheers!

Barolo vs. Barbaresco: Looking For Piemontese Terroir

In stark contrast to my Twelve Under $12 series was a towering wine tasting featuring some of the greatest, and priciest, wines of Piemonte. Our wine group went deep into our cellars to deliver the following, a mind blowing list of wines for Nebbiolo fans:

1996 Gaja Barbaresco
1996 Sandrone Cannubi Boschis
1997 Giuseppe Cortese Barbaresco Rabajà
1998 Prunotto Barbaresco Bric Turot
1998 Marchesi di Barolo Cannubi
1999 Sandrone Barolo Le Vigne
1999 Pio Cesare Barolo
2000 Paitin Barbaresco Sorì Paitin

Just to set the stage, our group's themes have rotated through the world's wine grapes and regions, but with a good basic command of the world's wines I now want to go deeper, really focusing on technique and terroir. With this in mind I "strongly suggested" that our next tasting dive deeper into a specific region, resulting in this high-end nebbiolo tasting to compare and contrast the wines of Barolo and Barbaresco.

Now, before I go into my review I want to highlight that it was extremely difficult to properly assess the wines - with 14 tasters, 10 decanters, 12 different wines (yes, there are eight above, but like all great athletes we needed to "warm up" for the big event and "cool down" afterwards) and 100 glasses (including water glasses) pressed into service, this was more of a wine party than a structured tasting, the assessment further complicated by one ounce pours of wines that needed hours to develop. In that context I reluctantly publish both my scores and the overall ranking by the group - here are my notes:

My two highest scores were for Cosme's 1996 Sandrone (fifth place) and the 2000 Paitin Barbaresco (seventh), both scoring 19/20. Once again, a Sandrone Cannubi Boschis wowed me with extraordinary depth and complexity - first showing a modern-styled nose of creamy cola notes, then bursting forth with classic cedar, musk, truffle, dark earth and rose. So soft and velvety smooth with dry dusty tannins, reserved fruit and seemingly infinite length. I was nearly alone in my praise for the Paitin Barbaresco - musk, leather, nutmeg, flowers and a late developing nutty smell were the olfactory foundation for a complex and beautifully textured wine, the very long finish hinting of many pleasurable years to come.

My next two highest scores were for Ash's Sandrone Barolo Le Vigne (first) and Chris' Giuseppe Cortese Barbaresco (eighth), both scoring 18.5/20. The Sandrone Le Vigne was very different, with inky vanilla and spicy nutmeg and cloves, but the highlight was a fine, well structured palate with silky tannins and gorgeous mouthfeel - the crowd favourite by a wide margin. The Cortese Barbaresco was another wine loved by Joe but disliked by the rest of the gang - very tarry on the nose, with nice secondary aromas from aging, hints of cumin, truffle, leather, venison, coffee and prunes. Very elegant, wrapping the palate in soft velvet and a never-ending finish...no idea why I was the only one who liked this.

My notes have three wines scoring 17.5/20: Cosme's Gaja Barbaresco (third), Lloyd's Prunotto Barbaresco Bric Turot (second), and my Marchesi di Barolo Cannubi (fourth). My Gaja rating probably stands out given the legend surrounding this estate, but this is the second Gaja Barbaresco that left me kind of flat. More floral on the nose, with musk, pepper, tar and cola notes. Elegant and balanced on the palate, with dry dusty tannins lengthy finish, but a bit thin and "hot". The Prunotto was tarry and flinty, with hints of cola and liquorice, but with less length and complexity vs. the other wines - very smooth and elegant, though. My Marchesi Cannubi was perhaps a touch less polished but more interesting than the two above - meaty prunes, cherry fruit, rose, truffle, leather and an odd industrial note that I couldn't quite place. Edgy, but interesting.

I scored Cam's Pio Cesare Barolo (sixth) last, score: 17/20. Pale cola and vanilla notes, but not much else on the nose. Edgy on the palate, to quote: "modern, simple, easy drinking".

Editorial:

(1) While not quite addressing my personal objective to define more clearly for me the difference between a Barolo and a Barbaresco, it was a fantastic, once-in-a-lifetime (I hope not!) flight of wines that paired perfectly with a great group of tasters and a decadent spread of regional cheeses, sausage and foie gras. A terrific evening - many thanks to Cosme and Rebecca.

(2) The quality level was so high that most tasters protested having to rank order their least- to most-favourite wines. These dissident tasters quickly flagged their best and worst, but were sloppy with their middling rankings. As these wines were all very good wines I am not sure that the ranking (or my scores) is helpful.

(3) I ignored a Barbaresco and Barolo that started us off, as well as the two late arrivals - I will add those details (and a photo) as soon as I get those.

(4) I tasted a 1990 Gaja Barbaresco a few years back and I found the 1996 tonight similar - very polished, but lacking the emotion and complexity I look for at this price point. Given that the Gaja sells at multiples of this extremely pricey flight of wine, I fail to see the excitement. This is not a comment against Gaja per se - I loved the Gaja Bruenello recently (I even named Gaja a deity), loved the Gaja Darmagi, but I just can't get my head around the Barbaresco.

(5) I CAN get my head around Luciano Sandrone, everything, love them all - Dolcetto, Barbera, Nebbiolo, Barolos...

(6) For those who need to know, all the wines were sealed with cork and cost 6-15 times that of my $12 cheapos...

Next up, we go back to Burgundy...

Cheers!

Corks!

Thought I'd post this photo of champagne corks from our recent tasting. Notice how the '88 Vintage cork (far right) has shrunk considerably, the '98 Vintage corks (just to the left) are a touch thicker, and the Brut NV corks are standard champagne corks. I never knew champagne corks shrunk so dramatically over a time (see the discussion here) ...

Such dramatic shrinkage could lead to a flat wine. Fortunately for us that was not the case - the 1988 was the best of the night!

Champagne!

On Saturday I previewed our first-ever romp through Champagne. Funny, I can't say that our group thought it was the "best" tasting, but it was probably the most "fun"... could it be all those bubbles? The wines were as follows (in order of service, unblinded):

NV Veuve Clicquot Ponsardin Brut
1998 Moët et Chandon Cuvée Dom Pérignon
1988 Veuve Clicquot Ponsardin "Rare Vintage"
1998 Pol Roger Brut Rosé
NV Billecart-Salmon Brut Rosé
NV Bruno Paillard Rosé Première Cuvée

The favourite of the evening was Lloyd's 1988 Veuve Clicquot Ponsardin "Rare Vintage", a gift to Lloyd. Twenty year old champagne? Yes! Very nice, and showing great complexity on the nose from the time in the bottle, but still fresh and vibrant on the palate. Creamy caramel, with notes of pear, grapefruit, earthy - smokey and minerally as well. Soft tiny bubbles, harmonious on the palate, a stunning wine - even more so considering that it is available online in the U.S. for ~US$70-80. Bravo!
cork. 12% alcohol
Score: 19/20
Price: C$109 (LCBO)

While it was my fourth place, the group ranked Pramod's 1998 Moët et Chandon Cuvée Dom Pérignon second place. Shiny gold in the glass with a nice, fine mousse, it was rather simple on the nose - toast/yeasty/smokey, some limes, lemon rind and white flowers. Minerally and focused, a competent effort but emotionally bland in my opinion. I find it hard to believe Pramod got it for this price - at Costco?!
cork. 12% alcohol
Score: 17.5/20
Price: US$120 (Costco)

The top rose and the third favourite (Joe's second favourite) was Chris' NV Bruno Paillard Rosé Première Cuvée. Light salmon-coloured with a very fine mousse, it was perfumey and sublime - rose petals, lime and cherry/kirsch aromas. Harmonious, with a soft mousse and a nice touch of fruit, it was a beautifully textured, seductive champagne. Tough to find, but worth the catch.
cork. 12% alcohol
Score: 18/20
Price: C$77 (SAQ)

Cam's 1998 Pol Roger Brut Rosé edged out my wine for fourth place. A light pink - the deepest pink of the three rosés - it was gooseberries, minerals, tar, and some floral notes. The palate was minerally, toasty, and more aggressive, with larger bubbles than the rest. Nicely done and a great wine on any other night. Cam was suspicious of the very large display - given the QPR he was right to be suspicious.
cork. 12% alcohol
Score: 17/20
Price: C$91 (SAQ)

Once again, Joe places near the bottom of the pack, as my NV Billecart-Salmon Brut Rosé failed to impress this tough crowd. A pale salmon hue in the glass, it was pine woodsy at first, later lemon-lime, raspberry, yeast and liquorice - toasty but not buttery. Minerally, focused and beautiful - a "manly" pink wine.
cork. 12% alcohol
Score: 18/20
Price C$84.95 (LCBO)

Last to show up for the tasting, and last in the rankings, was Cosme's NV Veuve Clicquot Ponsardin Brut. Pale gold in the glass, showing apples, hay, green grass and toast on the nose. Green and crisp with a mousse that was not quite up to the others. A nice champagne, but why bother with so many other great champs around? Hard to believe this was from the same house as the 1988 above.
cork. 12% alcohol
Score: 17/20
Price: C$66 (SAQ)

While the rankings may give the illusion of a close race it was really a case of the top three, and then the rest. Hats off to the smaller producer, Paillard, for the best Rose, and the 1998 Veuve Clicquot for a balanced, complex champagne for a tremendous price. And chalk up another win for Lloyd - Joe is going to have to get serious now...

Next up - Cosme tasks us to compare Barolo and Barbaresco blind, next month...

Preview: Our First Champagne Tasting

Champagne! The word dances off the tongue...light, airy and magical, capturing the essence of the region. It is this magic that our tasting group hopes to capture tonight at our first ever Champagne tasting.

Despite the legendary name and its status as the spiritual home of sparkling wine, Champagne accounts for less than 10% of worldwide sparkling wine production. The region covers 34,000 hectares in the north of France, with approximately 29,000 hectares under vine. When you consider that the 34,000 ha number includes area covered by homes, roads and schools, it is obvious that virtually all of the suitable land is under vine (a topic addressed here).

There are three major grapes in Champagne: Pinot Noir (~38%), Pinot Meunier (~35%) and Chardonnay (~27%). According to The Oxford Companion to Wine there is also some Petit Meslier, but I don't have any stats on that one. Most of the wine is a blend of grapes and different vintages, with 80% of the wine being non-vintage (NV). Vintage champage comes from particularly good years, on average 4 or 5 times per decade. Most champagne is a white wine, but there are also rosés (generally made by adding still red wine), "blanc de blancs" (white, but only Chardonnay) and "blanc de noirs" (white champagne from the black grapes). There are also limited quantities of still red, white and rosés. Champagne is the only major wine region in France with just one appellation, and the only appellation where producers are permitted to omit "appellation d'origine contrôlée" (or AOC) from the label.

Approximately 70% of production comes from the 7 big champagne houses, with the balance coming from growers and co-ops. (see Brooklynguy for great comments and reviews of "grower" champagne). There are nearly 20,000 growers in Champagne, with the vast majority (~14,000) selling their grapes to the big houses. It is interesting to note that 2/3rd of champagne is sold in France. For those of us residing outside of France over 90% of champagne comes from the major brands, but within France the grower and co-op champagne accounts for 50% of sales.

What will make tonight's tasting interesting is that no one in our group seriously collects or tastes champagne on a regular basis - I bet half the group doesn't even like the stuff! (all in the quest for knowledge...) Combine limited cellar selections with a competitive spirit and I expect we'll see some last minute shopping, likely to be focused on the global houses (whites and rosés). While Neil has made a strong case for "grower champagne", with a limited selection available on short notice I doubt any of these will make an appearance - Neil and I will have a rematch someday...

Unfortunately, I don't know how we are going to blind the event, and given our lack of knowledge I think we will stick to an unblinded format, as per our first large white tasting last September. Stay tuned for the results!

PS - my brief stop in Champagne last summer...

Yoyo, a Resto, it's BYO

Our tasting group now has a new annual event, the Christmas BYO dinner. Last year it was Bistro l'Entrepont and the year before it was Les Infidèles, so when La Colombe (wisely) rejected us, Yoyo happily took us in. The only theme this year was NOT EXTREME - bring anything you want, but not the stupid-priced stuff we had last year.

Yoyo was an incredible BYO so I will start with the food. Serving up a diverse menu of French comfort food, the menu had unusual creations and well-loved classics, with the most diverse set of appys and entrees I have yet seen at a Montreal BYO. Slightly larger than the city's other BYOs, it was probably a bit less romantic, but more appropriate for our large-ish group. The only criticisms I can think of are that it was a bit out of the way and the freakish heating system rapidly alternated between Havana and Baffin Island, but that's nitpicking.

I took advantage of the unusual menu to try some things you don't get every day - a blood sausage appetizer and a "sweetbread" stuffed with sweet goat cheese for the main course. Both were impeccably prepared, and tasty enough to convert the vast majority of you who just vomited under their computer desks.

Of course there was wine involved. Enjoyed, but not intensely scrutinized, here are some notes:

2001 Chateau Lagrezette Cuvee Dame Honneur: My contribution had beautiful violet aromas were framed by leather. tobacco, earthy wet stones, pencil shaving, minerals and and copious dark fruit - very intriguing, and the favourite of a few diners. A bruiser on the palate, with tough tannins and a bit hot, but with nice leathery fruit. A wine to sip and ponder, it only started to open up late in the eveing. Needs time. cork, 15% alcohol

2002 d'Arenberg Dead Arm Shiraz: Pramod's Dead Arm showed big jammy cherries and fresh wild berries, later some mint, pepper and flinty notes, it continued to evolve right up to the last drop. Despite its youth it tasted more delicate, yet powerful at the same time. Very tannic, but with juicy fresh fruit and good acidity. It softened over the evening, but I just don't think this is ready yet. Sock it away. cork. 14.5% alcohol

2003 d'Arenberg Ironstone Pressings: I generally think of d'Arenberg as more old world style than other Aussie makers, but it is really specific bottlings that seem that way - the Ironstone Pressings is one of them. Cam's wine was Rhone-like: meaty, earthy and cedary up front, with some vegetal, black cherry, and a touch minty. Velvety tannins, I found it more interesting than The Dead Arm, but perhaps a big more rough around the edges on the palate. Fine now, but should improve over time. Probably the wallflower of the evening - nobody's favourite, but enjoyable for all. cork. 15% alcohol

2000 Marchesi di Gresy Martinenga Barbaresco: A beautiful nose of berries, licorice and undergrowth, and even more amazing on the palate - crisp strawberry fruit, silky tannins and very nice length - this was the most elegant and drinkable of the evening, and probably tied with the Burgundy below for the crowd favourite. cork. 13.5% alcohol

2004 Ghislaine Barthod Chambolle-Musigny 1er Cru Les Cras: Peanuts? Yes, peanuts on the nose - almost peanut butter - never had that before. Also, truffles, tea and cocoa, pepper, cedar, rose, and minerals. Smooth and elegant, light to medium bodied, with dusty tannin and a short finish, but very well balanced and drinking well today. Overall it started odd, but flowered throughout the evening (and everyone noticed). Drinking well now. cork. 13% alcohol

This was a very diverse set of wines and all were excellent. Hard to call a favourite, but I think the Burgundy and the Barbaresco both crowd favourites (interesting that these were the subtle, lowest alcohol, wines). I liked the Burgundy with my blood sausage, while the Barbaresco (my favourite of the evening) paired best with my sweetbread.

When in Montreal you definitely need to check out Yoyo with a Gresy Barbaresco - highly recommended.

Oddities Night...or Freakshow?

Our tasting group took the challenge of finding an oddity to heart, raiding their cellars and using incredible creativity to find odd - even freakish - wines. This grouping, probably gathering dust at the back of your local wine shop, was tremendously entertaining and a great learning experience, as our intrepid group of seven dove into the darkest corners of the wine world:

1998 Chateau Musar (Lebanon)
2001 Wunderlich Viktoria Cuvee (Hungary)
2002 Cava Amethystos (Greece)
2002 Grover Vineyards La Reserve (India)
2003 Marques de Grinon Petit Verdot (Spain)

There was no doubt that the legendary Chateau Musar was the crowd favourite. Located in the Bekaa Valley, Chateau Musar is probably Lebanon's most famous estate, weathering years of war to produce arguably the finest, most ageworthy, wines from the Middle East. Every year the winery uses a different blend of Cabernet, Cinsault, and Carignan. Visually, Cam's 1998 Chateau Musar was the lightest-coloured wine of the bunch, a pale ruby red in the glass, but it was anything but a lightweight. At first the nose smelled of very toasted oak, which dissipated over the evening to reveal notes of green pepper, liquorice, truffles, roses and a pleasing earthiness. Crisp raspberry fruit with oaky tannins, it softened beautifully over the evening. Despite its age, it still had finish that should allow this to go for a few more years.
cork. 13.5% alcohol
Score: 17.5/20, five first place rankings
Price: C$51 (SAQ)

Second place was my Spanish Petit Verdot. Like 2GrandCru, this was an impulse - Spanish? Petit Verdot? The 2003 Marques de Grinon Petit Verdot comes from the Dominio de Valdepusa appellation of Spain, and is 100% Petit Verdot. Most of you recognize this as a grape frequently used in Bordeaux-styled blends, but almost always at very low percentages. Insanely dark purple, it was impossible to see through this glass, all light, space and time vanishing into its blackness. (note - do NOT serve with white linens) Grapey and sweet at first, it had a funky rubbery smell that turned some off the wine, but later revealed nice leathery and minty aromas. On the palate was a big shag carpet of tannins that not only coated the back of the tongue, but puckered up the roof of your mouth as well. Medium-bodied, juicy, with a nice loooong finish and dry cherry fruit, it opened up over the evening and was beautiful drinking for those of us who got over the smell. Despite a whopping 15% alcohol it was not particularly 'hot'. I have one more bottle - it will be interesting to see if time will tame this beast.
cork. 15% alcohol
Score: 17.5/20, two first place (and one last as well)
Price: C$40 (SAQ)

Third place was a very competent wine that Chris brought from India, the 2002 Grover Vineyards "La Reserve". A blend of Cabernet and Shiraz grown on the hills near Bangalore, and if an Indian wine is not "odd" enough, Michel Rolland is the consulting winemaker! This wine was quite musty at first, but that gave way to leafy, cooked fruit, smoke and vanilla aromas. Pleasant, but thin and short, a good effort.
cork. 12% alcohol
Score: 15.5/20
Price: ~US$30

Fourth was Pramod's Greek wine, the 2002 Cava Amethystos, a Vin de Pays de Drama (I just learned an appellation!) by Domaine Costa Lazaridi. A blend Cabernet Sauvignon and some Merlot and Limnio. Not very complex on the nose - flint, cherry, and cinnamon - but velvety tannins, nice balance and a medium finish. I liked it more than the rest of the group.
cork. 13% alcohol
Score: 16/20
Price: C$48 (SAQ)

Lloyd's Hungarian wine, a Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc and Merlot blend, was dead last. The 2001 Wunderlich Viktoria Cuvee was all Banana smoothie, with some leafy and floral notes, juicy with no length or structure, really never had anything like this. Could the bottle be off? Odd, indeed. Nobody finished their glass.
cork.
Score: 12/20
Price: ~US$30

So, the Indian hated the Indian, the Greek hated the Greek, and everyone hated the Hungarian (Lloyd promises never, ever, to bring such a terrible wine to a tasting).

It is interesting to note that we were truly blind - no one had tasted the wine that they brought prior to this tasting.

Overall, the quality level rapidly deteriorated after the first two or three wines, and even the top wines were not really up to the level of wines we typically crack open, but it was a terrific "learning" tasting, and as my readers know I am always on the hunt for something unusual.

Cheers!