Pizza Wine

I opened two simple wines to go with homemade pizzas:

2001 Nipozzana Riserva Chianti Rufina (Frescobaldi)
2001 Chateau d'Aydie Madiran

While the Nipozzana is an obvious choice (inexpensive, fruity, well structured - a perennial best buy for the price and a PERFECT match for pizza), the Chateau d'Adyie was a little, well, different. After all, who picks a Madiran to go with pizza?

For those of you who have read the posts below, you will see that I am a big fan of Madiran, and more specifically Chateau Montus (both the Cuvee Prestige and the regular). You will also see that Montus has done very well at our tastings (two second places). Even a South American Tannat (see Muy Macho tasting), the grape in Madiran, was a winner. So, while the d'Aydie was not an obvious choice for pizza, it was inevitable I would come up with an excuse to drink it and write about it.

I always think of Tannat as a fantastic steak wine - the big tannins, subtle fruit and gamey aromas complement and enhance a good steak. But pizza? I thought the tannins would complement the tomato sauce well? Anyway, while the Nipozzana was a perfect match the Madiran was a good match.

This was the first time I have tasted the d'Aydie. I bought this wine because I love the Montus so much that I wanted to find a good, but more reasonably priced, Madiran. The d'Aydie clearly displayed the lovely aromas (game, tobacco, undergrowth) of Montus, but was a little less balanced than the Montus, showing a little more acid and a little less fruit and that unbelievable tannin that only Madiran (ok, Barolos have this as well) has.

In summary, for pizza save the $$$ and buy the Nipozzana. For inexpensive Madiran, buy the regular Montus whenever you see it (it always sells out) and sock it away for a night when you have two to four hours for decanting and a lovely steak.

And for those days when you have too much money, buy the Montus Cuvee Prestige, cellar it for a hundred years, decant for four hours...

Steak with Spanish Wine

I am so fond of Bordeaux with steak, that I forget how wonderful some Spanish reds pair with a nice quality, simply prepared steak. For tonight, I brought out two Spanish wines:

2003 Castano Coleccion (Yecla)
2001 Torremilanos Crianza (Ribera del Duero) (Tempranillo)

This was not a good comparison, given the different grapes, but you have to make do with what is ready to go...

The Castano, a blend dominated by Monastrell (aka. Mourvedre, Mataro) with some Cab. Sauv., was younger and fruitier, with stewed fruit and gamey aromas. Very interesting, but a tad rustic. The nose and palate definitely gave away the higher alcohol. I generally love Castano wines (the "Hecula" and simple "Monastrell" are outstanding, and the Dominio Espinal is a great value), but this one was only "good to very good" in my mind. Probably better on its own, without the steak.

The Torremilanos was more tannic and lighter bodied, with good acidity. A classic tempranillo from the Ribera del Duero, this paired very well with the steak. Very powerful, with heavy oak and cherry aromas, it was slightly unbalanced, but that may soften with age.

Overall, tempranillo is a very good match for steak, but I wouldn't say the same for non-tempranillo Spanish wines. Castano is a great house, but maybe not their Coleccion. I will try some more Torremilanos wines before I make up my mind.

Shiraz and Lamb

I love barbeque season - so many new recipes and wine:food matchups to try! After a few successful experiments, I have found Shiraz and BBQ Lamb to be a fabulous combo, and this evening the wine matches were spectatular! To serve with a boneless butterflied leg of lamb (Weber's Big Book of Grilling, pg. 195), I chose the two following wines:

2001 Chateau de Cazeneuve "Le Roc des Mates" Pic Saint-Loup (Languedoc, France)
2000 Elderton Barossa Shiraz (Aussie)

Ok, so I cheated on the Roc des Mates - it was 80% Syrah, 10% Grenache and 10% Mourvedre. Close enough. The Roc des Mates (the second Cazeneuve wine I have tasted) was sumptious and well balanced, with boutiful fruit, a good backbone, and velvety tannins. I suspect that this wine, the younger of the two, will get better, but it will be hard to wait! It was the favourite of my wife and our guests, but I was indifferent between it and the Elderton (in fact, it seemed the more 'Aussie' of the two). I highly recommend this wine. I paid approx. C$27, and I just ran out and bought the 2003 vintage.

On the Elderton, I have never been disappointed with the Elderton Shiraz, or any Elderton wine for that matter (the CSM is stunning). This wine was extremely elegant and well balanced, but (surprisingly) not as 'fruit-forward' as the French wine. I found the elegance of this wine made it a better foil for the lamb, while 'the Roc' was a better drinking wine. Note that this Elderton is now peaking, while 'the Roc' still has a few more years to go. I paid approx. C$29. I can't find this anywhere, but I will keep looking...

It should have ended there, but we had a friend drop by for wine after dinner, and we opened two more wines:

2001 Domaine Clavel "Les Garrigues" Coteaux du Languedoc
2000 Santa Duc "Les Garancieres" Gigondas

Overall, I was disappointed with the Gigondas - ratings of that wine are high, and it seemed a little unbalanced to my taste. The tannins were very firm - perhaps they will soften up over time - I will open my other bottle in two years. The Clavel was a great drinking wine, my last bottle of the 'Garrigues'. This is always a well-rated, inexpensive wine and worth seeking out.

Okanagan Valley - Summer 2006

Before I give a lengthy review of my recent trip to Canada's Okanagan Valley, here are the key wine 'finds' of the trip:

2004 Quail's Gate Pinot Noir Limited Release
A really great Pinot Noir at an affordable (for Pinot Noir) price. Visually it appeared a lightweight, but on the palate it was full bodied, well balanced with some complexity.
2004 Quail's Gate Merlot Limited Release
Powerful, full bodied, oaky, fruity and well balanced. Will probably improve, but very drinkable now. Reasonably price for the quality.
2005 Mission Hill Five Vineyards Pinot Griggio
Inexpensive, lightweight patio quaffer - very competitive with any Italian Pinot Griggio.
2004 Sandhill Cabernet Franc
This was a very interesting wine, and the first time I have tasted a Canadian version of this Loire valley red varietal. Oaky, with dark berry aromas, with a somewhat 'wild-gamey' aroma, as I recall. Very full, with tannins that will give this wine a few more years.

But you want to hear more about my 'family vacation', of course! Here are some details on the wineries visited and BC wines tasted:

Winery Visits:

Mission Hill Winery
Architecturally, this is a stunning winery - the web site should give you a sense of the grandeur and beauty of this winery. Clearly, someone has a lot of money to spend! A definite must see if you are in the area.

Unfortunately, my tasting was interrupted by the screams of a 2 year old falling off a water fountain, but before the mishap I had a chance to taste the 2005 Five Vineyards Pinot Griggio, a 2004 Reserve Chardonnay and a 2004 Reserve Pinot Noir. I already mentioned the Pinot Griggio above, the Chardonnay was a dry, rich, and not over oaked (better than the Quail's Gate), and the Pinot Noir was uninspiring. Note to self - never bring a 2 year old to a wine tasting...

Quail's Gate
Quail's Gate is a 'cute', rustic, winery - more modest than Mission Hill (ok, everything is more modest than Mission Hill). I had quick sips of a wide number of wines, so it is hard to collect my thoughts. As mentioned above, the Pinot Noir (Limited Release) was wonderful. The Family Reserve Pinot was also nice, but pricey - almost double the price of the Limited Release. This was a disappointment, as I have had an older vintage of the Family Reserve that was spectacular (see my oldest Pinot Noir tasting below). The Merlot was also wonderful - a very rich, fruity, well-balanced wine - worth seeking out. I was not as impressed with the Old Vines Foch Limited Release (a very rare grape, apparently for good reason, but I have heard that the Family Reserve is amazing). I tried a few of the whites, the Chardonnay was not that great, but I loved the Chenin Blanc.

Sandhill
This winery is downtown Kelowna, so it doesn't have the country charm of Quail's Gate or Mission Hill. They make up for this by making great wine, and they are clearly experimenting with their terroirs - they grow Malbec, Sangiovese, Barbera, Petit Verdot. Their 2004 Cabernet Franc is spectacular, and the 2003 Sangiovese (Canadian Sangiovese?!) "Small Lots" was quite nice and competitive to other Sangiovese at that price ($27). I also tasted their Small Lots wine called "Three" (Barbera, CabSauv, Sangiovese, Merlot) - a very interesting wine. I purchased their Barbera (and the Cab Franc) but I have not yet tasted it - I will update you at a later date. I did not taste the whites on this visit (my wife thought I was at the gas station - I had to hurry), but I have tried their Pinot Gris in the past and it was great. Overall, this is a winery to visit - definitely innovative and focused on quality, and I suspect the wines will get even better as the plantings get older.

Cedar Creek
I did not visit this Cedar Creek during this trip, but I did a winery tour on my last trip through the Okanagan. I found their Alsace/German style whites (Ehrenfelser, Gewurtz, Riesling) to be very good wines. I cannot comment on their reds.

Other Wines Tasted on the Trip:

I also purchased a number of local wines to drink while we were there. Here are some comments on those that I remember...

Tinhorn Creek
I bought bottles of their Merlot and Cabernet Franc to try. I thought both were good wines. While the Merlot was not as good as the Quail's Gate and the Cab Franc was not as good as the Sandhill, I recall the prices for the Tinhorn wines were more reasonable. Good wines, good prices...

Sumac Ridge
I occasionally like roses during the summer, but I have never tried a Canadian Rose. This was a great Rose - dry, crisp, flavourful and dirt cheap C$11.

Overall, I have not tasted Canadian wines extensively (I have virtually no experience with Niagara wines), but I believe the Okanagan has potential greatness in both red and white. Clearly the Alsace/Germanic style whites do well here, and I am impressed by the Pinot Noir and Merlot. While Sandhill is having some success with unusual (for Canada) grapes like Barbera, Malbec, Sangiovese, only time will tell if those varietals are established in the valley.

The overall quality level is high, with easy-drinking well-balanced wines at good prices. I don't think the wines have yet reached the kind of complexity that would put them in the "outstanding" category (key caveat - I have not extensively tasted the hyper-expensive luxury cuvees of those wineries that have them, but the ones I did taste are not quite up to their lofty prices), but they are getting very close...it will be interesting to watch these wineries over the next few years.

2003 Vrai Canon Bouche

For Father's Day my wife bought some nice steaks. Naturally (for me), I reached for a Bordeaux, which I find pairs very well with lightly marinated grilled beef. However, I was interested in a more 'modest' (i.e. price) Bordeaux this evening. I recently received my 2003 Bordeaux futures (more on 'futures' in a future post...) and found a perfect wine. The 2003 Chateau Vrai Canon Bouche (AOC Canon-Fronsac) was absolutely wonderful. I had reservations that this wine would be too young, but I was wrong. While the nose matched the modest price of this wine (pleasant, but not terribly interesting), the flavour screamed "Drink Me Now!" Note, I decanted (more on decanting in a future post) this 30min before dinner - a good thing, as the sediment was substantial. Overall, while the length was modest, this young Bordeaux was very well balanced, with a nose that hinted of summer fruit. Excellent wine, an excellent match for steak, and at C$25 an excellent value.

Thank you, Wine Away

I can't count the number of times Wine Away has saved a tablecloth or favourite shirt.

Getting started

Why a wine blog? Buying wine is a crapshoot - if someone you know and trust has tried a wine and liked it, that honest opinion is invaluable. I am no Robert Parker, but I have tasted hundreds of wines in all grapes, regions, price ranges, so I hope you find this web log helpful in your vinuous journeys. Please feel free to make constructive comments and/or suggestions. Most importantly, I would love to hear about your personal wine finds!

Open Wallet Brunello Tasting

Our latest get-together was a blinded tasting featuring high-end Brunellos. This evening we cranked up the quality (and price) vs. our last Brunello tasting, as our expanded tasting group opened up their wallets for a tremendous flight of wines. Here are the results:

First Place: 1999 Salvioni Brunello
Cosme’s Salvioni was the winner, placing just ahead of the wine below. While it was not a unanimous victory, the Salvioni was ranked first by four of us and second by three, with only one third place ranking.

According to my notes, the wine was very aromatic with a terrific nose, with a high quality berry fruit enhanced by oak, earthiness, spices (cloves?) and a hint of vanilla. On the palate, I think I gave one of my highest scores ever for this well balanced, full bodied, hearty wine with silky tannins. To quote my notes, “Fabulous. Great, and getting better”.

No pricing was disclosed as Cosme bought this in Italy, but I could find an internet price of about US$95 for a case of 6. In my opinion, this wine is why we have cellars – a true collectible. I’d buy it (yes Lloyd, even a cheapskate like me!) if I could find it…(RP-95, D. Thomases)

Second Place: 1997 Sassetti Pertimali
Lloyd’s Sassetti (Pertimali) was just behind the Salvioni, garnering three first place rankings, three second place, one third place and one fourth place ranking. While Cosme blamed my fourth place ranking of the Sassetti for its second place finish, ranking it third or second would not have placed it ahead of the Salvioni. Close, but still second place…

Given my below-consensus ranking of the wine, my notes are not reflective of the group. However, it was not all negative. I praised this wine for its “stunning” nose, incredibly beautiful and interesting. It was my highest 'olfactory evaluation' score. However, the taste did not (in my mind) live up to the nose - I described it as "disappointing" (vs. the smell) and somewhat unbalanced. But hey, who am I to argue with three first place and three second place rankings - at a local price of C$125 (internet price of US$72) you Sassetti lovers can go buy it for yourselves! (RP-96)

Third Place: 1999 Antinori "Pian Delle Vigne"
Our third wine was my "Pian Delle Vigne". Ratings were fairly consistent - the wine garnered one first (that was you, Lloyd), one second, four third, one fourth and one fifth place ranking. According to my notes, this wine also had a lovely nose, with many subtle but wonderful aromas. Like the Sassetti, I felt the taste did not live up to the nose, but I this is a wine that will should get better. Note the price - at C$67.50 it was not a steal, but it does make this wine the "best value" for the night. (RP-93, D. Thomases)

Fourth Place: 1997 Campogiovanni Riserva
Taster ratings were consistent for this wine as well - one second (me), three thirds and four fourth place scores. My notes really focused on this wine's balance, with good fruit and a very enjoyable style, with a pleasant (but less interesting) nose. I can only guess at what the rest of you disliked about this wine. I don't have a price for this one.

Fifth Place: 1998 Altesino "Montosoli"
Cam's Altesino was corked. For obvious reasons, seven out of eight tasters rated this last place.

Editorial comments:
This was easily our most expensive tasting. It was probably the best as well. These are complex, powerful wines, and I found I kept second-guessing myself, constantly changing my scores right up until the end. It is important to note that the score differential between my first and fourth place wines was very small, perhaps the smallest ever. They were all winners, so price should be a deciding factor. In that case, the Antinori was a hands-down Value Champ.

Aussie Shiraz Night - Feb 2006

A departure from our previous tastings, this one was guest hosted by a real sommelier. The theme for the night was Aussie Shiraz, as chosen by the sommelier (except for one wine that was generously donated by a couple returning from Oz). In addition to the tasting, our sommelier was kind enough to give us some instruction, and carefully selected a variety of unheralded wines from different Oz regions. Here are the results:

First Place - 2001 McWilliam's Shiraz, Coonawarra
On the nose I described this wine as subtle and restrained, a wine that smelled like it had more age than the others. Tasty and well balanced, nine out of eleven tasters ranked it first or second. A very reasonable price of C$30.

Second Place - 2002 Jeanneret Shiraz 'Denis', Clare Valley
Very different, very interesting. Scents of truffle, mint, dark fruit. I almost thought it was a Cabernet. Well balanced despite the high (15%) alcohol. A lot of high scores, with six tasters rating it first or second. In my mind, this was the most memorable. I recently had a chance to taste the Jeanneret Grenache at a restaurant in Toronto, and the quality was also very high. An up and coming winery to watch?

Third Place - 2002 KilliBinBin Shiraz, Longhorne Creek
I thought this wine had a lovely smell - oak, butter, mint, coffee - and velvety tannins. Very representative of Aussie Shiraz, but the alcohol seemed to dominate on the nose and the tongue. Also note that this was the most expensive bottle at C$42.

Fourth Place - 2002 Brokenwood Shiraz, S.E. Australia
A very interesting nose for an inexpensive wine - oaky, blueberry, raspberry, buttery, mint? Unfortunately, this wine was lighter bodied than the others, and very light for a Shiraz. A decent value at C$24?

Fifth Place - 2002 Graham Beck "The Joshua", S. Africa
A South African surprise - a Shiraz with a touch of Viognier. I described this as very tannic, 'hot', and bitter - surprising, as I would have thought the Viognier would soften it up. C$30.

Sixth Place - 2003 Voyager Estate Shiraz, Margaret River
This western Australian Shiraz was brought back from Australia and generously shared with the group. I described this as having very interesting spice aromas on the nose, but I thought the wine was thin and diluted. A$30, if you can find it.

Note that our host also shared an inexpensive Argentinian Shiraz , the 2001 Gentile Collins Prestigio, at the end of the night. This was not an enjoyable wine, and was very atypical of Shiraz.

Tasting at the club - January 2006

In a departure from our previous tastings, Pramod decided to host this one at "the club" with a selection from their cellar. As usual, we were all blinded. This was one of our biggest tastings, as all 11 of us gathered in the tasting room at the club. The tasting was loosely structured as a California vs. France thing, but mostly just a fun tasting. The final score was as follows:

First - 1999 Steltzner Cabernet
This wine was very consistent - six first place, four second place and one third place (me) ranking. I loved this wine, but the scores were fairly close between my first to third. I think what put this in third place for me was not the taste (very agreeable), but complexity - interesting, but less so than the next two. Very hard to find, but the web site lists the 2003 for US$36 - very reasonable.

Fourth - 1999 Chateau Pichon-Longueville Baron
A very nice Bordeaux from a less celebrated vintage and Chateau. Scores were all over the map, but two firsts and three seconds and let it squeak by our third place finisher. I was one who ranked it first, describing it as "Classy" and "Fabulous", with beautiful woodsy scents (ok, truffle, and pencil shavings - first time I have ever smelled those shavings!) and perfect balance. (RP-89)

Third - 1994 Ridge Geyserville
The score was very close to the wine above. Surprisingly, not everyone was able to pick out this was a Zinfandel... Anyway, I found it to be very fruity and drinkable, but lacking in complexity (All I could smell was fruit and alcohol) and slightly off balance. What do I know? (RP-92, but best before 2005...)

Fourth - 1999 Chateau Lynch Bages
Note that the scores for second to fourth place were very close... I rated this second (I must like Bordeaux) - I found the nose bursting with various spice aromas. Moreover, I found it elegant and set to improve. (RP-90)

Fifth - 1994 Chateau Clinet
After our first bottle was corked, the sommelier was kind enough to open a second. It didn't help. According to my notes, not a lot going on (on the nose), unbalanced - "Not Pleasant", to quote. May get better. (RP-92, go figure)

Editorial:
1) Kudos to Pramod for choosing the Falesco Vitiano as the starter wine!
2) This is the second time I have tasted the Steltzner. This is not a wine that is frequently/highly rated by the critics, but I love it.
3) I didn't do a statistical analysis, but it looks like the the females rated the Californians highly and the Bordeaux low. The men were the opposite. While this could be related to sexual differences, it may also be "groupthink", as the girls gathered at one end and the boys at the other.

"Muy Macho", A South American Tasting

We decided to host a guys only tasting, but most of the "men" were unable to get the free pass. How appropriate, then, that the wines were "macho" wines from South America. We had an interesting selection of wines - no single varietal wines and three different countries were represented. However, the real surprise of the evening was not that Cam finally won a tasting, but HOW he won, with a shocking, unheralded, unranked, and unknown wine of dubious origin.

First: 2001 Pisano Arretxea
The Arretxea was ranked first by all three of us. Note that this wine was decanted up to 2 hours before we started tasting. Anyway, the score differential between the three wines was large, and this was a clear winner. This blend of Cab. Sauv., Merlot, and Tannat showed a very nice bouquet, with strong scents of chocolate, tobacco, leather - "beautiful and interesting". However, this wine was anything but a wallflower - a full-bodied red with firm tannins, I described it as "Powerful, hearty, interesting." A great wine that will get better. I bought up every last bottle in town.

Second: 1999 Casa Lapostolle Clos Apalta
I was so sure that the winner was my Clos Apalta. This celebrated, consistently highly ranked, expensive Chilean red, a blend of Carmenère (35%), Merlot (30%), Cab. Sauv. (22%) and Malbec (13%), should have been a winner. On the nose, it was more subtle than the first place wine, with very interesting smells. The taste was very nice, full-bodied and balanced, but to quote "Robust, flavorful, rough around the edges." This had a very long finish, and I suspect that this wine is set to improve over time. Note that after we had scored, the Clos Apalta continued to improve and the gap with the first wine became smaller and smaller. (RP-91, WS-92)

Third: 2002 Norton Privada
Always a favorite everyday wine of mine, this wine scored well with WS as well (91). A great value, but not in the league of the wines above. I described it as very drinkable, but not terribly interesting. Don't let these comments fool you - this wine was half price the mystery wine and less than a third of the price of the Clos Apalta. I still recommend it.

Cam's first victory proves that no one should let me help them choose a wine for a comeptitive tasting.

Another Pinot Noir Tasting (Fall 2005)

Domaine Carneros, USA

This was our group's second, but most rigorous, pinot noir tasting. We had a selection of top Burgundies and North American Pinot to contrast. Here are the results:

First: 2002 Domaine Carneros "The Famous Gate"
This wine placed garnered six first place and three second place scores from our ten tasters. I loved the earthy nose, with subtle scents of truffle, undergrowth and spices. This wine was delicate, but very well balanced, with potential for improvement. Chris says this cost him US$50 - a good deal (once you read about the wines below...). For those of you claiming victory for California over France, Domaine Carneros is owned by Tattinger...

Second: 1997 Calera Mills Vineyard
Lloyd’s Calera was the oldest of the bunch. This wine garnered four first place and two second place scores. According to my notes, this wine had a great nose and lots of interesting aromas (mint, prunes, oak, grapefruit, cloves) - to quote "smells like dessert"! The taste was only slightly disappointing vs. the smell for me. At C$70, I'd pick the wine above. (RP-90)

Third: 1999 Domaine Gros Frères et Soeurs Richebourg
While Cosme's wine did collect 3 second place scores, it still finished well behind the first two wines - especially disappointing given its price of 90 Euros. I scored the wine reasonably well. According to my notes, this wine was "nice, elegant, drink now". From my notes I can only assume that the complexity of this wine was below that of the first two wines.

Fourth: 2000 Louis Jadot Gevrey Chambertin "Lavaux St-Jacques"
My Burgundy did not show very well, despite the C$82 price, garnering only two second place scores. My notes were reasonably complimentary, describing the wine as "elegant" on both the nose and palate. Again, I think the complexity of the wine was not that of the first two. Ready to drink now.

Fifth: 2002 Thornhaven Barrel Reserve
Ok, who brought the Canadian wine? Pramod's Thornhaven had an interesting nose, but on the palate I described it as "boring, overextracted, no structure". Ouch. This was my last place, so to be fair I have to mention that a number of you liked this wine a lot better than I did. If your palates are more refined than mine, this could be the best value (C$27).

Sixth: 2000 Louis Jadot Gevrey Chambertin "Clos St-Jacques"
Brought by Cam, this was a big disappointment given the C$84 price - it was ranked last by most tasters. The nose was ok, very earthy, very subtle. On the palate I described it as very light, with good balance but uninteresting.

Editorial comments:
1) Considering the hefty prices of these wines, I was disappointed overall. Even if these were cheap I think I would have been disappointed. I have yet to have that magical "Pinot Noir moment" that turns me into a lifelong fan. I'll keep trying, but avoiding these should save me some money in the short run.
2) Despite the "Sideways" impact on Pinot prices, California pinots are good values (relative to Burgundy).
3) Cam should never let me help him pick out wine.

Age Matters: A Barolo Tasting

This tasting was less 'consensual' than many of our tastings, but there was a clear line between the three older wines and the two younger ones. The final tally was as follows:

First: 1990 Marchesi di Barolo Brunate
Pramod's wine was very consistent - six first place, four second place and one third place (me) ranking. I liked this wine, but I preferred the next two slightly better. On the nose the wine was pleasing, with scents of violet, pear, cherry, cedar, mushroom and tea. This medium-bodied Barolo was tannic, harsh and slightly unbalanced, and not as interesting on the palate as it was in the glass. In my mind the wine had peaked and is unlikely to improve, although it should drink well for a few more years. What lowered the score for me was not the taste, but the complexity - interesting, but less so (in my opinion) than the next two. Pramod claims C$86, putting it in the middle of the range.

Second: 1993 Giacomo Conterno Barolo "Cascina Francia"
This wine was VERY close to the wine above in overall ranking, and it was my favourite. A lovely, interesting nose of violets, cherry, vanilla, leather, hazelnuts, almonds and prunes. Medium- to full-bodied with firm tannins, it was very well balanced. Fruity, I described this as a more 'modern' Barolo, with potential for further improvement, despite the age. The most expensive of the evening at ~C$100. (RP-91)

Third: 1996 Paolo Scavino "Bric del Fiasc"
Scores for Lloyd's wine were very close to the previous wines, it was my second favourite. The nose was very aromatic, elegant and interesting, and earthy (cedar, truffles, mushrooms), with additional scents of leather, vanilla, tea and smoke. On the palate I described the wine as austere, with firm tannins and very well balanced, very Barolo. Lots of potential for further improvement, very nice. While the Conterno was my favourite, I would buy this one if I could find it, as the C$85 price seemed appropriate for such a nice young Barolo with so much potential. (RP-91 to 94)

Fourth: 1999 Marchesi di Barolo
Fairly consistently ranked fourth, myself included, although my tasting note sounds like this was the best wine of the night! The nose was elegant and pleasing, with a wide variety of subtle aromas - white flowers, cherry, mint, hay, mushrooms, leather, vanilla and smoke - I scored it highest for the nose. On the palate this medium-bodied Barolo had supple tannins, a smooth glyceriney texture and was very well balanced with a long finish. "Great now, and may get better. Lovely." Hmmm.

Fifth: 1997 Batasiolo Corda della Briccolina
Bringing up the rear was my Batasiolo. Thinking that the Barolos in my cellar are not yet ready, I decided to pick something up at the shop. Big mistake - pretty much everybody's least favourite, including my own! On the nose it was "Very hard to get past the alcohol and tannins". Scents of iodine, fuel. You get the picture. On the palate I described it as harsh, not well integrated, but will improve. Do you want to wait?

Comments:

1) Age Matters! It was a near linear relationship between age and ranking.
2) Note that those first three wines were ranked very close, while these last two were WELL behind. I believe if we did a rematch, any of the first three could have won.

It was nice to have a tasting away from my house - thank you to Reb and Cosme for hosting this tasting. Overall, a great (expensive) night - I look forward to the next one?

Cabs of the World

It has been nearly two years since our wine group's first tasting. And while that first tasting was a Cabernet tasting, it was nothing like this. This was also our first tasting away from my house - many thanks to the hosts for laying out such a fine spread!

In addition to a feast that would make a Roman emperor blush, the wines were extraordinary - even the 'warm-up wine' was over the top! On the whole, everyone's ratings were very consistent - not quite consensus, but perhaps the closest ever. And California dominated this grape tonight:

First: 1996 BV Georges de Latour
Cosme's Beaulieu was a clear winner - eight first place and two second place rankings. I loved this wine, but I was off consensus with my second place ranking. I felt that the pleasant nose hat lots of interesting, subtle aromas - violet, strawberry, some mint and spice, with a subtle gaminess. Very nice. I was (slightly) disappointed by the taste - I expected that the lovely nose of this wine would translate to WOW in my mouth, but I was disappointed with the taste - very agreeable, but not WOW, and maybe a bit off balance in my opinion (splitting hairs). It may be hard to find this wine, but I found it for US$70 on the web.

Second: 2001 Staglin Cabernet Sauvignon
Lloyd's Staglin was very consistent as well - two firsts and eight second place rankings. I was one of those ranking it first - I described the nose as "absolutely lovely", bursting with aromas of violet, mint, dark berries, oak, truffles, and animal/earthy smells. And the taste did not disappoint - dry, with firm tannins, and medium to full bodied. The only defect I found was that it was a bit 'hot', with the alcohol showing a bit too much (a frequent problem with Californian and Australian wines...). This will get better, and I would pay a princely sum to taste this again - I found it on the internet for US$115.

Third: 1998 'Paleo' Bolgheri Rossi Superiore (Le Macchiole)
Lloyd's Italian Cabernet also scored well - one second place, four third place, three fourth place and one fifth place ranking. I was more generous than most of you - I described the nose as pleasant, earthy and quite interesting, with scents of pine, truffle, leather, tea, hazelnut and a bit pruney. Tasted great, well balanced, this one is peaking. Drink now. $80

Fourth: 2001 Catena Alta Cabernet Sauvignon
Cam brought this Argentinian (with a little help from me) cab from a very well regarded winery. Unfortunately, my rating is off consensus - I rated it last. I described the nose as pleasant but not complex, and I found it very harsh. I wrote that it needs more time in the cellar to soften up, but it won't get much better. Only C$49.

Fifth: 1999 Yalumba "The Menzies"
Despite a decent Parker rating, Pramod's "The Menzies" did not fare well. Pramod and Rebecca liked this best, and I ranked it fourth. Anyway, on the nose it was interesting but not complex. I found it a little unbalanced - heavy on the oak. It seemed to have some potential - maybe a few more years in the bottle? C$44

Sixth: 1999 Concha y Toro "Don Melchor"
While there was some debate, this bottle was likely corked (I noted a strong odour of ammonia!). WS rated this a 92 and RP rated it a 93, so it should have shown better. I have two more bottles in my cellar - I will retaste in the future.

Editorial:

You get what you pay for? Price followed our ratings very closely. The closest thing to a 'value' was Cam's Catena. Interesting that no one tried to sneak in a Bordeaux...

Smackdown!

On June 10th we held a blinded, all-comers “Smackdown” - no theme, bring any red wine you like. A fantastic evening for our tasting group, and our first tasting that was not structured around a theme.

The six wines were as follows:

First: 2000 Avignonesi Desiderio Merlot
The 2000 Avignonesi Desiderio Merlot. Seven first place and two third place rankings – impressive! While this was not the most expensive, it certainly wasn’t the cheapest – this cost me C$60 in March (LCBO). According to my notes (and my memory), this was an elegant wine with an incredible nose. While this wine may improve with time, I didn’t expect much improvement – this is very drinkable now! While I normally rush out and buy the winners from our tastings, I have the good fortune of having two more bottles of this gem in my cellar. (RP 90-91, WS 90)

Second: 1998 Chateau Montus Cuvée Prestige
My first experience with Tannat, the Montus was brought by Chris and Marie-Lise. It placed second, and was a little more polarizing – two first place rankings (hmmmm - Chris and Marie-Lise – maybe you have tasted this before?), five second place rankings, a fourth and a sixth. This reminds me a lot of the wine Chris brought to the Tuscan tasting – clearly a BIG, high quality wine, but with a few rustic edges that may have nudged it into second place for many. According to my notes, this seven year old wine still needed more time in the bottle and should get better. I loved it, and bought eight bottles of a different vintage as proof! According to Chris, this wine was only C$36, which makes it the best value. The key caveat is that other vintages of Chateau Montus Cuvee Prestige are much more expensive. Did you secretly switch price tags at the store, Chris? For shame…

Third: 1997 Camigliano Brunello di Montalcino Riserva
The overall ranking for Pramod and Sofia’s Brunello was very close to the Chateau Montus. The wine garnered one first place, four second place, a third, fourth, fifth and sixth place ranking. My notes were different from the rest of you, as many of you liked it but I thought it was light in the nose and a little unbalanced. I also recall it being atypical for a Brunello. We really should redo a Brunello tasting one of these days… Note that the price on this one was steep. (RP 85, WS 90)

Fourth: 2002 d’Arenberg “The Footbolt” Shiraz
Eden’s 2002 d’Arenberg “The Footbolt” is also a winner, in my mind, because it ranked so close to the second and third place wines. It was a very strong finish given the price (C$20!). Five tasters ranked it second or third, and none ranked it last! While the pros always rave about d’Arenberg wines, it was nice to see it in a blinded fashion against such illustrious competitors. Looking at my notes, I raved about the subtle but very interesting nose. I also noted that this wine has peaked – drink now. This outperformance in a strong crowd should send everyone running to buy a case. (RP 88, WS 88)

Fifth: 2001 Falesco Montiano
My other Merlot, the 2001 Falesco Montiano, did not perform as well as the pro ratings might have indicated. No one ranked it first or last, but very consistent third and fourth place rankings. This may have been a case of vinuous infanticide. My notes were very complimentary of the nose, but I commented that it should improve with more time in the bottle. WS agrees, and says to wait until after 2006 to drink. At C$51 (SAQ), it was a disappointment. (RP 93, WS 90)

Sixth: 1999 Yalumba “The Menzies”
Cam’s 1999 Yalumba “The Menzies” Coonawarra Cabernet Sauvignon was a great disappointment for me, personally. First, I suggested that Cam buy the wine. Second, I have three bottles in my cellar. Aargh. Five people ranked it dead last. At C$43.75, not a great deal. Could Parker have steered Cam and I so wrong? (RP 90, WS 87)

Editorial:
1) In case you were wondering why I entered two expensive Merlots, it was to teach a lesson to a friend who claimed he hates Merlot! My contrarian nature will now force me to buy Merlots while the rest of the wine world hunts down California Pinot Noir. Thank you, Sideways.
2) The key problem with this tasting, of course, was the comparison of very different grapes/regions/producers/vintages. It was meant to be fun, and I think our rankings should be taken with a grain of salt. All very nice wines.