Best Sips
Tastings Spring 2010
Posted June 2010
Spring blew in a plethora of visiting wine
folk to Vancouver from around the world. Here are some of the best sips from
Spring 2010!
California
John Lopez, the assistant winemaker to Joseph Wagner at Belle Glos,
stopped in town for a quick visit (Joseph had recently had knee surgery and had
to recuperate) to taste wines from the sibling wineries of Conundrum,
Caymus and Belle Glos and to introduce the new Mer Soleil
packaging.
Belle Glos is named for Joseph Wagner's grandmother Lorna Belle Glos, the
matriarch of the Wagner clan who is 94 years old and the co-founder of Caymus.
Belle Glos produces delicious Pinot Noirs from coastal California vineyards
including Sonoma, Monterey and Santa Barbara.
Mer Soleil's focus is on Chardonnay made in their Monterey winery, Conundrum is
a white blend of California grapes produced in its Napa Valley winery and Caymus'
focus is on Napa Valley reds, notably Cabernet Sauvignon and Zinfandel.
Mer
Soleil Silver Unoaked Chardonnay, 2007 Santa Maria Highlands, California
shows fantastic minerality, fragrant floral and honey aromas layered with
tropical fruit and warm hazelnut tones. Nice complexity and acidity on the
palate with creamy pear and melon flavours highlighted with lemony citrus.
The 2008 in the new ceramic bottle at right (arriving on shelves this
fall) presents impressive mineral aromas with citrus and floral notes. It has a
light, creamy weight and bright acidity with ripe pear and apple flavours, just
a hint of praline lingers on the finish.
$34.99
Conundrum 2008,
California is a blend of white grape varieties including Muscat, Chardonnay,
Sauvignon Blanc and Viognier that is made in Conundrum's Napa Valley winery. It
presents grape-y aromas (from the Muscat) with sweet, exotic spices, tangerine
peel and tropical fruit with honey tones. The palate is off dry but lively as
heck with rich fruit, zippy acidity and a long, potent and spicy finish. Very
tasty!
$27.99
Belle
Glos Clark & Telephone Pinot Noir, 2008 Santa Barbara County California is
made from 38 year old single vineyard vines Santa Maria Valley grapes. It
releases seductive aromas of strawberries and sweet spice, composty/forest floor
and carrot tops. The palate is surprisingly powerful but chic, sweet fruit
dominates followed by hints of herbs and plenty of spice. The finish is long,
smooth and silky...
$50
Belle Glos Los Alturas Pinot Noir, 2008, Monterey County California With
its signature wax dipped capsule (as all but the Meiomi have) and feminine
scrolled font this is an absolutely stunning bottle - inside and out. Harvested
from a single vineyard that rises to 1200 feet above sea level in Santa Lucia
Highlands, this opulent Pinot is bold, spiced and earthy with sun-warmed dark
berry and cherry aromas. The palate is firm with rich dark earth and minerals,
plush fruit and long, sweet tannins.
$60
Caymus Vineyards Cabernet Sauvignon, 2007, Napa Valley California
Generally made from 100% Cabernet, the 2007 releases liberal cassis and
chocolate with tobacco leaf and lifted mint aromas. Brawny and concentrated on
the palate - black fruit and loads of mocha/cocoa, oak spice and vanilla. A
mouth-filling and purposeful wine with a long, sweet chocolaty finish.
Fantastic.
$90
Kendall-Jackson
Kendall-Jackson's Chief Winemaker Randy Ullom is always a welcome sight
in Vancouver. We (unfortunately) don't see him as often as we used to but when
he comes, he never fails to have a big smile, a twinkle in his eye and some
great wines to try.
Kendall-Jackson Jackson Hills
Chardonnay, 2008 Santa Barbara County California is a fantastic
premium Chardonnay made from Los Alamos hillside and Santa Maria Valley
grapes. Tropical fruits and praline aromas, plenty of minerality with sweet
spice and lemon. The palate is very bright with a creamy texture, ripe creamy
fruit flavours and fine spice lingers. Deft use of French and American oak,
mouth-watering and simply delicious!
Kendall-Jackson Jackson Hills Cabernet Sauvignon, 2007, Knight's Valley
California This sumptuous 100% Cabernet oozes juicy black currents and sweet
spice aromas with layers of chocolate earth and mocha. It is seductive on the
palate, supple and yet powerful with big, ripe tannins. Fantastic now but will
be even better with a couple years in the cellar.
Read about my visit to Kendall-Jackson in Sonoma
here
Australia
Penfolds Chief
Winemaker Peter Gago makes annual visits to Canada and he especially enjoys his
stops in Vancouver and the west coast. Peter is one of the best winemakers to
speak on his trade, that I have ever met. So much so, I included him in a story
I did in Vines Magazine last
fall about the more recent appeal of "Celebrity Vintners" and their growing star
status' around the world.
Peter was in town recently to present new releases of the Penfolds Luxury
Portfolio.
Yattarna Chardonnay, Australia, 2006 - although the new release 2007 had
not shown up for the tasting in Vancouver, I was able to sample the gorgeous
2006 made from Tasmania, Adelaide Hills and Victoria grapes. Minerals, praline
and citrus notes with vibrant apple, pear, melon and hints of vanilla. The
palate is laden with sweet fruit, spice and vanilla - pristine citrus
flavours and a creamy texture culminate in a long crisp finish.
$110
Penfolds Bin 707 South Australia, 2007 Perhaps my favorite of the
tasting, this 100% Cabernet is made of fruit from Padthaway, Barossa and
Coonawarra. It shows glorious lifted fruit – cassis with a whiff of blueberry
and obvious minty, herbal tones. The plate presents juicy layers of cassis,
mocha and sweet spices with a slight mineral salinity and savoury flavours. It
has a long firm finish.
$150
Penfolds St.Henri Shiraz, South Australia, 2006 Considered to be the best
value of Penfolds luxury wine portfolio the St.Henri is 89% Shiraz with 11%
Cabernet Sauvignon from Barossa, McLaren Vale and Robe. It features wonderful
ripe berry and spice aromas with chocolates hazelnuts. The palate is lovely as
well – a silky texture layered with mineral, mixed berry fruit, chocolate and
espresso. It has fantastic length and fine tannins clinging to the finish.
$65
Penfolds Grange, South Australia, 2005 The Penfolds icon collector's wine
is predominantly Shiraz with four percent Cabernet Sauvignon made of fruit from
Barossa, McLaren Vale and Coonawarra. Winemaker Peter Gago thinks this is a more
“typical’ Grange despite the vintage being more challenging then the previous
2004, which received great accolades. The newly released 2005 vintage offers
aromas of chocolate covered cherries and velvety red berries, rich savoury tones
and sweet licorice notes. It has a gorgeous supple weight on the tongue with a
creamy texture and flavours of red fruit and spiced cocoa with just a hint of
char on the finish. It is nicely balanced with firm tannins. Cellar now and
drink through 2030.
$425
Read about my visit to Penfolds and the Magill Estate with Peter Gago
here
Skillogalee
Read about Skillogalee and my visit
here
Skillogalee Basket Pressed Shiraz, Clare Valley Australia, 2006 There is
a lovely consistency between the 2006 and 2007 Basket Pressed Shiraz.
Both have gobs of ripe purple fruit and sweet spice with lifted eucalyptus
notes, but the 2006 is earthier with a bit more of a savoury edge and slightly
richer mouth-feel (read my 2006 review on WineDiva.ca
here).
The Skillogalee Basket Pressed Shiraz, Clare
Valley Australia, 2007 is very bright and juicy with ripe purple fruit,
sweet spice and eucalypt but it also has a very peppery lilt to it and a bit
more grip on the finish.
All in all, a delicious Shiraz from this cooler-climate Aussie region.
McWilliams
I met Scott McWilliams briefly during my stop at the McWilliams Mount Pleasant
winery in the Hunter Valley.
It was harvest time and he happened through the tasting room where I was
sampling some of the diverse portfolio of McWilliams wines.
Fortunately, this time I was able to sit down with him in Vancouver recently,
while he was on his own whirlwind tour across Canada and the USA.
The McWilliams wines offer excellent value for everyday drinking (notably
Hanwood Estate) but I was able to taste a rare McWilliams Steniford's Reserve
Shiraz, 2002 from Coonawarra -
Steniford's was planted in 1893 and is the oldest producing vineyard in
Coonawarra. Normally you expect to taste Cabernet from this appellation but this
fantastic, earthy and minerally Shiraz presented layers of juicy red
fruit, cedar and tobacco leaf with spicebox notes. It is maturing nicely, it's
elegant and still vibrant with a long smooth, finely spiced finish.
A treat to taste.
McWilliams Hanwood Estate Pinot Grigio, 2009 read review
here
Read about my trip to McWilliams and Hunter Valley, NSW
here
Chile
Cono Sur is an impressive force
in organic and biodynamic viticulture not only in Chile, but worldwide. The
wines are widely recognized for exceptional quality for the price and clean,
well-made wines for everyday drinking.
Chief Winemaker and Managing Director Adolfo Hurtado
(right)
was in Vancouver recently to introduce the new vintage labels
for Cono Sur's now certified organic wines. These wines have been
under a "Transition to Organic" label during the three year transition
from conventional to organically certified vineyards. Not all of their vineyards
are organic but Cono Sur currently has 400 hectares of certified organic
vineyards and a new project of 100 hectares in Aconcagua where they are planting
biodynamic vineyards with rarer (for Chile) varietals such as Alicante Bouschet,
Grenache, Petit Verdot and Petite Syrah...
Cono Sur Organic Sauvignon Blanc, San Antonio Chile, 2009
Really, a fantastically bright and juicy Sauvignon Blanc lifted with citrus,
white blossoms and white peach, verdant cut grass and herbal notes. The palate
is crisp and clean but with a satisfying creamy edge to it. Vibrant fruit and
citrus reappear on the palate with soft peach flavours. Very nice!
$14 - not available yet
Cono Sur 20 Barrels Chardonnay, Casablanca Valley Chile, 2009 This
Chardonnay is harvested from a vineyards only 7 kilometers from the Pacific on
the western portion of Casablanca. It is ripe and creamy with gentle tropical
fruit, honey and orange blossoms. It is spicy with mouth-watering acidity and a
very long, fresh finish. Very deft use of oak - just to round this wine out, not
overwhelm the delicate fruit...
$25 - not available in BC yet
Cono Sur 20 Barrels Pinot Noir, Casablanca Valley Chile, 2008 The
grapes for this Pinot Noir come from the first vines planted in the Casablanca
Valley back in 1989. Expect aromas of saddle leather and forest floor, plenty of
spice and crushed floral notes lifted with lively red fruit. The palate is sweet
and spicy with very nice acidity and smooth tannins.
Not currently available in BC - was $29
To read about my trip to Chile link
here
France
Dourthe La Grand Cuvee Sauvignon Blanc, Bordeaux France, 2009 this
pristine Sauvignon Blanc offers white fruit and mineral aromas, honey and citrus
with floral undertones. The palate is bright and lively with crisp fruit and
herbal (almost peppery) notes and a long clean finish. Very good!
$17
Chateau Belgrave Grand Cru Classe, Haut Medoc, Bordeau France
2004 - Made from almost equal parts Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot, often
with just a pinch of both Petit Verdot and Cabernet Franc the 2004 offers fresh
mineral and juicy dark berry aromas - the palate echoes those firm and juicy
blackcurrent notes with pepper, cigarbox and sweet fine spices. Firm and smooth
with a long finish.
2005 - Made from almost equal parts Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot often
with just a pinch of both Petit Verdot and Cabernet Franc the 2005 is an
expressive vintage showing liberal juicy cassis with layers of rich chocolate,
toasted oak, tobacco leaf and coffee flavours. The finish is long and firm.
2006 - Made from almost equal parts Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot often
with just a pinch of both Petit Verdot and Cabernet Franc the 2006 is still very
youthful. Bright cassis and violet notes that translate onto the palate. Fine
grained and tightly wound but very juicy on the palate.
