Friday Night with Eden

Getting together with my buddy Eden is always great fun - Eden is a recovering Shiraz-oholic and a blank canvas upon which I can impose my views of the wine world. And he has a particular interest in 'a great value'.

Given his propensity for Shiraz and love of a great value I have over the years tried to guide him towards the South of France, like tonight's 2007 Hecht & Bannier Saint-Chinian (Shiraz, Grenache, Mourvedre). A delightfully wild -dare I say rustic - nose of leather and smoke, meaty black cherries, almonds and some vanilla notes add to the pleasure. A crisp, intriguing, medium bodied wine, pairing nicely with some grilled steaks. Score: 17/20, Price: C$22.95 (LCBO)

Spain is replete with value, but my taste buds were thinking "quality" so I also picked up a bottle of the 2005 Torres "Mas La Plana" Cabernet Sauvignon, a wine enjoyed many times in the past. Another hit tonight - a beautiful grenadine nose, with cedar and lots of violet. Elegant, sophisticated on the palate, incredibly smooth, silky tannins and a long, crisp, sour cherry finish. Wow. Score: 18/20, Price: C$44.95 (LCBO)

To round out this quirky flight I picked up a higher-end Argentinian wine, as Eden is well versed in the great values coming out of Argentina. The 2002 Alpha Crux from Mendoza's O. Fournier is an intriguing blend of Tempranillo, Malbec and Merlot. A powerfully meaty, gamey, nose - you could smell the tannins - allowing only glimpses of the delicate fruit underneath. Perhaps awkward is a better word, with dense grainy tannins tannins biting into the palate...such an incredibly long finish, and after a few hours still hinting at the greatness inside. I nabbed a few bottles to stick in the cellar, it will be very interesting to revisit this one in a few years. Score: 17.5++/20, Price: C$39.95 (LCBO)

Wow, what a night! I guess I need to open some Sassicaia to top that...(stay tuned)

Salon des Vins

Despite my reservations I actually enjoyed myself at this year's Salon des Vins. Kinda odd, as it was exactly what I expected - crowded, overwhelming, and too much "so what, I can get that anywhere" - maybe my expectations were set to such a level that I was bound to have fun...

Yes, it was crowded on a Friday night, but I didn't really have any trouble tasting the wines I wanted to taste (and talking with the Industry folk can be hit and miss anyway). Yes it was overwhelming, but by keeping focused I manged to explore some new stuff...

The highlight of the night was a tasting with Jorge of Catena wines. Readers know I love Catena, from the great price:quality Alamos line, the great value Catena line to the uber-awesome Catena Alta series - Catena's wines consistently meet or exceed the quality of competing wines at similar or even higher prices. There is something to be said for consistency and an addiction to quality!

Jorge first poured for me a cross section of his Malbecs - the Alamos Seleccion, the Catena Malbec, the Catena Alta Malbec, and his latest offering - Catena's ultra high end "Malbec Argentino". The Seleccion is no slouch (see here), the Malbec a house favourite, and the Alta - stupendous! You really need to taste a Catena Alta Malbec to realize that the true potential for serious Argentinian wine based on this grape that is far beyond the fruity $10 offerings most consumers associate with Argentina. And if that wasn't enough, we tried the Catena Alta Cabernet and the Nicolas Catena Zapata. That Nicolas Catena is seriously good stuff, amongst the best "Meritage" wines I have EVER tasted. Note that Jorge will return to Montreal this fall for a tasting at Westmount's Wellhouse (more on Wellhouse in a future post).

We also had a really great time at the Bonny Doon booth. I have always liked Bonny Doon's more rebellious take on California wine - yes, he has playful marketing like so many other wineries, but he also has serious old world tendency in his wines - lower alcohol, more modest fruit, fresh and reserved wines. First we tried an odd Nebbiolo offering, crafted from grapes that were half raisinified (a la Ripassa/Amarone) - an odd nose and just to raisiny for me. The Birchino Malvasia was a delicious find - very floral, flat and flavourful, perhaps an American take on VdP Cotes de Gascogne. But the star was the Le Pousseur - the best Shiraz I have had at this price point (~23$), it will be released at the SAQ in early May - watch for this!

Another great find was the Constantia Glen "Saddle", a Cab Sauv/Cab Franc/Merlot blend - the only wine that made it home with me tonight.

A couple of oddities - a Rosso Gaglioppo, for example - and a serious disappointment at the Marc Anthony booth where I paid serious $$$ for a pour from a cooked bottle of the Falesco Montiano - when I complained he said it just needed to breathe. I'll remember that as I go to stock my cellar next time...

My main regret was not having more time to scope out some quirkier wines, but I think I'd need a few hours on my own to really poke around the show and taste quirkier things (I tend to drive people - i.e. my wife - crazy with my "intensity" at these events).

That's all to report, two more years to go....

Exploring the Reds of St-Chinian

St-Chinian is the 4th largest Languedoc appellation, with 3300 hectares under vine. The reds, approximately 90% of production, are fashioned from the grapes Grenache, Syrah, Mourvèdre, Carignan, Cinsault and Lledoner Pelut grown in hillside vineyards trapped between the Mediterranean and the mountains. While the climate and grapes point towards big, heavy wines, tonight's offerings were surprisingly light - only one had 14% alcohol.

My brother-in-law picked up this 2007 Le Secret des Capitelles in Ontario, a blend of Grenache and Shiraz. A terrific nose of peppery cooked meat, leather and blackberries, violets and sour cherry, some wildflowers, rubber and ink - very complex for a wine at this price. Hot and peppery with a lengthy finish, it softened up as it aired out, but it was not as balanced as the Hecht et Bannier below. But what a great price! I may have to cross the border to get a few more bottles.
cork. 14% alcohol
Score: 16.5/20
Cost: C$14.95 (LCBO)

The 2006 Les Fiefs d' Aupenac sported a "Decanter" sticker on the bottle, which was good enough to entice me into an experiment. This wine was a "St-Chinian-Roquebrun", from the village of Roquebrun in the St-Chinian region. Mostly (60%) Syrah, with some Grenache and Mourvedre, it was less complex than the others. Deeper, darker, with peppery meat and leathery notes, some blackberries, creme brulee and violets to follow. Softer, hotter (cherry liqueur came to mind), with a good, fruity finish.
cork. 13% alcohol
Score: 16/20
Price: C$19.95 (SAQ)

I loved this 2006 Hecht et Bannier, a négociant-éleveur specializing in the Langueoc-Rousillon offerings. The nose starts off slowly - nice, but subtle. A little air and it opens beautifully, showing minerally black earth, peppered meat, vanilla and grenadine. Probably the smoothest and best balanced, with a soft velvety touch, yet tight and minerally at the same time. A plum and blackberry finish that felt lower alcohol than the others. Did I say very very very well balanced? Drink now.
cork. 13.5% alcohol
Score: 17/20
Price: C$24 (SAQ)

It was a perfect blind tonight, as all were random selections and never tasted before this evening. Be forewarned, as my preference for the H&B not shared by the others who preferred the fruitier Aupenac.

Key take away? A fairly random sample of St-Chinian shows wines that recognize the big fruit available, but the winemakers have deftly crafted this fruit into more balanced wines than I have seen in other Languedoc appellations - give these a try!

2008 Moulin de Gassac "Elise"

"Un Vin Comme Autrefois" declares the label of the 2008 Moulin de Gassac "Elise" Vielles Vignes, a Merlot-Syrah blend from the Vin de Pays de l'Hérault appellation. A mouthwatering nose of ripe blackberries enveloped by a distinct, green earthiness, with some vanilla and new leather added later on. Soft and grainy, with a smokey, flinty finish. A terrific wine for decanting, the oxygen helped this open very nicely over the evening - blinded this wine could fool many into thinking they were drinking a much more expensive wine.
Cork. 13% alcohol
Score: 16/20
Price: C$15.45 (SAQ)

2007 Brazilio Syrah Cabernet

Another surprise from my brother in law, a Brazilian wine. Brazil?!

The 2007 Brazilio, a blend of Syrah and Cabernet, started smooth, quite tasty, but I sensed it would fall apart like so many inexpensive wines do after they get some air. An earthy and rustic nose, adding cedar, leather and black cherry notes over the evening. A smooth, dark berry finish - nothing flashy, but it didn't fall apart either. Surprisingly good, and a steal at this price.
cork. 13% alcohol
Score: 15.5/20
Price: C$13.25 (SAQ)

2008 Gemtree Bloodstone Shiraz Viognier

It is rare that my buddy Eden sends me a frantic wine email screaming "you've got to try this!", so I couldn't ignore his plea...

The first thing that leaps out at you is just how very, very smooth this 2008 Gemtree Vineyards "Bloodstone" Shiraz Viognier is. Big, classic, violet and blackberry on the nose, notes of allspice, butterscotch, and freshly cut wood as well. Smooth, soft, and beautifully textured, with silky tannins and a light, fresh finish (only a touch hot). Perhaps I simply have an affinity to the McLaren Vale? I thought it was just d'Arenberg...
Screwcap. 14.5% alcohol
Score: 16.5/20
Price: C$17.95 (LCBO)

Great catch Eden! This wine just made it into my house wine rotation.

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.

2007 Terra di Corsica Nielluccio-Syrah

Nielluccio? Ok, I thought I had discovered something new, but this is in fact the Corsican name for Sangiovese. Maybe the wine will be a more exciting discovery?

The 2007 Terra di Corsica Nielluccio-Syrah was another quirky gift from my brother-in-law. Leathery, earthy, dark berry fruit on the nose, some pepper and chalk...pretty good. Rather undistinguished on the palate, with a finish that lasted nanoseconds, but nothing wrong with this - I'd recommend you pick up the Gabbiano instead for a Sangiovese fix (same price).
cork. 12.5% alcohol
Score: 15.5/20
Price: C$14.60 (SAQ) for the 2008

Seaview Sparkling Shiraz

Ok, what the heck is this? Yes, I know sparkling Shiraz is not NEW. Could it be that Joe is so un-cool that he never tried one or these, or could it be that I am so horribly snobbish that I would never buy a sparkling Shiraz? I will not answer that question right now, but I still want to know: what the heck did they do to my Shiraz?!

The Seaview Sparkling Shiraz was a tantalizing purple-y colour with a pinkish foam, but there was no doubt on the nose that this wine was a Shiraz - Aussie Shiraz. But those vanilla, dark berry and violet notes were no preparation for the shocking interaction of big fruit, big tannins and foam on the palate. Big, soft, fruity bubbles, a surprisingly fine tannic structure - I couldn't decide whether I wanted the bubbles to disappear and the wine to warm to reveal the Shiraz, or the tannins and big fruit to disappear and reveal a bubbly. No need to decide - the bubbles faded fast and it became a regular Shiraz, tasty but modest. A clever novelty from the marketing department.
cork. 13% alchol
Score: 14/20
Price: gift

2006 Tait "The Ball Buster"

Gimmicky names are a turn off for me, so when I was gifted this 2006 Tait "The Ball Buster" I kinda stuck it away in the cellar and forgot about it. A mistake, actually. This Barossa (78% Shiraz, 12% Cab, 10% Merlot) lived up to its name, with a big nose of blackberries, violets, leafy tobacco, some slate and very toasty oak. A big wallop of very spicy, smokey, big cherry fruit, but with some complexity and velvety tannins that held it together quite nicely - even that massive alcohol level was not overly obtrusive. Not everyone's cup of tea, but a thoroughly well-made, modern-styled, Aussie Shiraz if that is what you seek.
screw top. 15.7% alcohol
Score: 17/20 Price: gift

Mini Vertical #11: Vieux Telegraphes

It is interesting to see what a few years in the cellar can do for a wine. Two years ago I was not highly complimentary of the 1998 Domaine du Vieux Telegraphe "La Crau", yet time has done wonders for this bottle (tasted blind vs. its younger sibling, below). Starker, crisper, with scents of damp campfire embers, old leather, old cherries...spicy and cheesy, wet stones also compliment this gorgeous nose. On the palate it seemed older, more distinguished, focused, with soft velvety tannins, good acidity and a deceptively long finish. Nicely done.
cork. 14% alcohol
Score: 18/20
Price: C$67 (SAQ)

Despite being three years younger, the 2001 Domaine du Vieux Telegraphe "La Crau" showed more "bricking" at the edges, which mistakenly led me to believe this was the older bottle. More prunes and cooked fruit on the nose as well - perhaps this bottle was not as well treated as the '98 above? Beautiful aromas of wild flowers and meaty truffles, definitely the fruitier, jammier wine. Soft and oily at first, but a monster tannic presence and a long finish. Much hotter and less balanced, the three of us just didn't like it as much as the '98 above.
cork. 14.8% alcohol
Score: 17/20
Price: C$59 (SAQ)

2006 Dan Aykroyd Cabernet Shiraz

Anybody can crack one good joke, so it stands to reason that a comedian could accidentally make one good wine. Following a recent success with a Dan Aykroyd Cabernet Merlot I decided to try his Cabernet Shiraz to see if Dan got lucky, or if he is really on to something.

The 2006 Dan Aykroyd Cabernet Shiraz was deeper purple and fruitier than the cab/merlot, but with nice vegetal notes, some blackberries, flint and a hint of cocoa...leathery notes appearing later in the evening. Equally pleasing on the palate - smooth and well balanced, perhaps lacking the length and structure of the greats, but this was a 15$ wine! I probably liked the cabernet/merolot better, but this wine is another winner. Nicely done Dan, and very impressive at this price point.
cork. 13% alcohol
Score: 16/20
Price: C$ (LCBO)

Footnote:
Pondering Dan's wines, I wondered - is Dan deliberately trying to avoid the New World fruit bomb (neither of his wines were jammy fruit bombs or high in alcohol), or has the Canadian climate and a young vineyard prevented him from going that route? Only time will tell, but I hope that Dan keeps this more reserved style of winemaking in the years to come.

Obscure Wine Regions: Vinsobres

You know it is an "Obscure Wine Region" when information is sparse. Looking for details on the appellation of Vinsobres in the Côtes du Rhône I checked my trusty "The Oxford Companion to Wine" and found one short paragraph, while my other wine book simply mentions it in a list of Côtes du Rhône Cru villages. Not surprising, as the village of Vinsobres was first rewarded appellation status in 2005 and annual production is a small 26,000 hectolitres. Vinsobres is like most of the villages in the Côtes du Rhône, with the wines (only reds from this appellation) made from Grenache (min. 50%) and Syrah and/or Mourvedre 25%, with other varieties (mainly Carignan and Cinsault) allowed up to 25% maximum.

This village is amongst the most northerly villages in the Côtes du Rhône, and this seems to come through in tonight's wine, the 2005 Jerome Quiot Vinsobres rouge. Fashioned from Grenache and Shiraz, it was a stark, brooding wine - lighter-bodied but with dark, meaty/leathery notes, I was thinking southwest France - maybe a good dose of Carignan (I did not read up on Vinsobres before I drank the wine) - but it also reminded me of some Northern Rhône offerings. A pleasing finish, nice balance, no jam here. Very enjoyable but not as complex as the Rhône wines from top appellations. No surprise I liked this so, as the Quiot family also owns the Vieux Lazaret that I have been raving about (1,2,3). No scoring, just drinking tonight, but probably 16.5-17 points here.
cork. 14% alcohol
Price: C$20 (SAQ)

La Colombe: Sauternes and Foie Gras

My last trip to La Colombe was stunning - fantastic food and a trio of stunning wines. But for tonight's meal my good friend Andreas put a bit more thought into the wine pairings, reviewing the menu before we went and bringing wines he thought would work well.

Like Sauternes and Foie Gras? Apparently a miracle pairing, but I rarely take part in either - I HAVE been missing out! The 2001 Château Bastor-Lamontagne was a very nice Sauternes - peaches and cream, tangy grapefruit, and a hint of sweet spice on the nose. Soft with tangy peaches on the palate, minerally and green - a magical pairing with a "foie gras poêlé" Score: 17/20

For my next course I ordered the snails in a mild blue cheese sauce, which I paired with a Kim Crawford Sauvignon Blanc - the dish and the wine were independently delicious, but these did not work together very well (any thoughts on what to pair with this one?).

My contribution for the evening was a 2002 Yalumba "Hand Picked" Shiraz+Viognier, which I attempted to pair with a large duck breast with a berry sauce on top. With a nose of plummy lavender, vanilla, peppery blackberries, smokey leather and slate it seemed a good match, and it was, but it was not as balanced as I had hoped - a touch more awkward on the palate than I recall from one year ago..., Score: 17.5/20

Andreas contributed a main course wine as well, the 2003 Morgante Don Antonio Nero d'Avola, which was a logical choice for the gamey comfort food featured at La Colombe. Notes of basil, tobacco and cedary plums on the nose, and plum, plum, plummy on the palate. Light and grainy in texture, but a touch hot and slightly unbalanced. You are unlikely to find a finer, more elegant, example of Nero ... another great match, for venison. Score: 17/20

With dessert wine for an appetizer, what do we do for dessert? Icewine! A hometown wine that I picked up last summer, the 2004 Taillefer Lafon Icewine delivered earthy, appley "Werther's" candy on the nose and spicy, tangy caramel apples on the palate. Very flavourful, some cripsness but bit cloying, Score: 16.5/20

I highly recommend, once again, a visit to La Colombe - a top notch BYO Restaurant in Montreal. And if you haven't tried Sauternes and Foie Gras, you just don't know what you are missing...

2004 Chateau St. Thomas

A fellow Montrealer, Fadi, connects with me once in a while. Recently, in response to my post on the Chateau Kefraya "Comte de M", he suggested another pricey Lebanese wine:

The 2004 Chateau St. Thomas starts with leathery, black earth and ripe, dark cherries (rather characteristic for the Lebanese wines I have tasted), but remained closed for some time. A healthy dose of oxygen liberated some additional aromas later that evening: gamey meat, violets and fresh cut wild flowers, some compote and pencil shavings - very compelling. Heavy on the palate at first, very dense dark fruit with nice, green tannins and very long finish that hints at further development (but drinking well now). One sentence? Kinda like someone poured a ripe vintage Northern Rhone into my Bordeaux. Those "medals" adorning the bottle seem well-deserved -very impressive, thanks Fadi.
cork. 14% alcohol
Score: 17/20
Price: C$24.20 (SAQ)

Endnote: my wife has a four point rating system for wine:

(1) "Oh, I don't like this"
(2) No comment
(3) "Yes" (when prompted "do you like this?"), and
(4) "Oooooh, I LIKE this..." (unprompted)

Based on this we have a four-pointer tonight.

Tyrrell's Brokenback Shiraz 2005 (Syncro Tasting)

Amongst wine bloggers Ed is probably the closest to my views and ideas about wine. Perhaps as science guys we both take an objective, calculating approach to our passions, but it is our quest to just plain taste more and challenge our palates that makes us of similar minds. Ed would be a perfect tasting buddy but for the 18,000 kilometres separating us...

With parallel minds we decided once again to taste the same wine and share notes. But despite sharing with Ed the sacred spreadsheet that details my cellar contents, we were unable to locate an identical wine in both of our caves, so we had to go shopping for tonight's "synchronized tasting":

The 2005 Tyrrell's Brokenback Shiraz hails from Australia's Hunter Valley. Meaty cherries, damp moss, leather and violets - and some late appearing spearmint, hay and truffles on the nose - missing those big peppery notes of a Barossa Shiraz. Crisp, fresh and noticeably lighter-bodied than a Barossa shiraz, some roughness around the edges disappearing over the evening. A nice, minerally texture but a modest finish, this food-friendly Shiraz is ready now. If this wine is representative of the region I will have to drink more Hunter Valley Shiraz.
Screwcap. 13.5% alcohol
Score: 17/20
Price: $24.20 (SAQ)

Ed's Notes Here, note the very different labels

PS - (1) I would never, ever, spit a wine (ok, almost never). (2) I shook it all right, to the rhythmic sounds of the Soul Cellar...

Aussie Shiraz, Spanish Syrah

My good friend Ash, a founding member of our tasting group, stopped by on a Friday night for some wine and conversation. I had a Bordeaux standing up in the cellar for this occasion, but Ash arrived with Spanish Syrah, forcing a last minute change in plans...

When I wrote my post on palate drift a few weeks ago it was Aussie Shiraz that was most on my mind, so I opened this 2004 Torbreck "The Struie" with some trepidation. Very aromatic, it grabbed my nose and smacked me over the head with gobs of smokey toasty oak, blackberry, and violet...later unveiling notes of liquorice, cinnamon and wet coffee grounds. "Oh crap, not again, soft and jammy" I thought, but not this time. A tremendous palate full of contradiction: brawny yet elegant, robust and flavourful yet fine, luxurious velvety tannins but not definitely not 'soft' - all a prelude to an incredibly long finish. Drink after a decant today, but I recommend more time in the cellar. Yes, this blew away my expectations, but I remain disappointed - so close to perfect if Torbreck would just tone down that oak ...
cork. 14.5% alcohol
Score: 18/20
Price: C$52 (SAQ)

Ash pulled out a surprise for me, spoiling me with a Spanish Syrah that I had meaning to buy. You see, this wine is made by the same winery that provided a rather intriguing single varietal Petit Verdot for last year's "Oddities Tasting". The 2003 Marqués de Griñón Syrah had an equally interesting, but more subdued, primal nose - meaty and pruney notes mingle with liquorice and black pepper, some rubber and ripe black cherries arrive later in the evening. The palate was crisp, gripping, and a touch more awkward, the tannins softened to velvet over the evening. An incredibly long finish, this wine needs time...
cork. 14.5% alcohol
Score: 17/20
Price: C$37.25 (SAQ)

2007 Borsao, White and Red

I made a number of suggestions for party wine in a recent post, but you could do much worse than these inexpensive, widely available, Spanish offerings:

The white, the 2007 Borsao Seleccion Joven, hails from the Campo de Borja appellation, a Spanish appellation best known for Garnacha but with many authorized varietals including Tempranillo, Mazuela, Cabernet, Merlot, Syrah, Macabeo, Chardonnay and Moscatel - this white was 100% Macabeo (Viura). Very creamy, with some white flower and green, earthy notes. Very smooth, luscious, and balanced with no rough edges, impressive at this price.
plastic cork. 13% alcohol
Score: 13.5/20
Price: C$13.15 (SAQ)

The red, a 2007 Borsao (Campo de Borja) is a blend of Grenache (70%), Syrah (20%) and Tempranillo. A nose of dark berry fruit, tart and cedary, with some smokey and leathery notes. Light bodied, with mild tannins and oaky crisp fruit, but not overoaked. A bit awkward and unbalanced at first but it softened over evening. Enjoyable, but not memorable, a decent pour at this price. I wonder how this would stack up to these Portuguese treasures (1,2) in a blind tasting?
plastic cork. 13.5% alcohol
Score: 13/20
Price: C$11.65 (SAQ)

Both of these were simple, but simple is not a criticism - at this price point what I really look for is a wine that is flourful with no"rough edges", and these delivered. Great for a party!

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)