Posts Tagged ‘New Zealand’
An OK wine but a middling Pinot
Pinot Noir 2010, Marlborough, Yealands Estate ($20.00, 11640521)
100% sustainably farmed Pinot Noir. The estate is also carbonZero-certifed. Contrary to the SAQ’s claim, the grapes are from the Awatere Valley in Marlbourough, not Central Otago. Cold-macerated for about a week, then warmed and inoculated with selected yeasts and fermented fast and hot with regular manual punch-downs. After pressing, the wine was transferred to French oak barrels (30% new). Fined with egg whites before blending and bottling. 13% ABV according to the label; 14% ABV according to SAQ.com.
A little cherry on the nose along with some spice, charred aromas and a whiff of alcohol: it doesn’t pinote. Medium-bodied, the texture a bit glyceriny. Not exuberantly fruity, though the fruit is more apparent than on the nose. There’s a strong undercurrent of acidity and some light tannins. The finish is an odd combination of heat, vanilla and milk chocolate with a bitter streak that outlasts them all. The wine sweetened and gained a licorice note after 30 minutes, the bitterness turning more peppery, the components integrating into a more harmonious whole, so carafe and chill slightly before serving. You’ll then find yourself in the presence of an OK wine but a middling Pinot.
November 4th MWG tasting: report
Notes on 15 wines from the November 4th Cellier release. Prices are in Canadian dollars and include sales taxes.
FLIGHT 1
Mosel 2008, Riesling, Mönchhof ($17.45, 11334920)
Light breezy nose of white flowers, lime and minerals. Off-dry and a little spritzy. Medium acidity, pure fruit, rainwater finish. Pleasant though more grip would be welcome. Vin terrasse. (Buy again? Maybe.)
Pinot Gris 2008, Acrobat, Oregon, King Estate ($17.95, 11333767)
Wax and pear with dried herb and lactic notes. Fluid but unctuous with just-noticeable residual sugar. A little facile, though a mildly mineral/bitter/astringent substrate hints at deeper things. Enough acidity to keep things fresh. Fair finish. (Buy again? Probably not.)
Columbia Valley 2009, Riesling, Evergreen Vineyard, Efesté Wine ($21.50, 11334760)
7-Up and minerals on the nose. Lemon-lime, minerals and herbs on the palate. Nearly dry and what sugar there is is counterbalanced by acidity. Fruity finish. Requires vigorous chewing to show any depth. (Buy again? Probably not when Germans offer more bang for the buck.)
Central Otago 2009, Riesling, Target Gully, Mt. Difficulty ($25.60, 11334778)
Petrol, lime, tarragon and a hint of BO. A mouthful of minerals and yellow citrus with a dollop of residual sugar. Fair length. Could use more oomph, especially more acid, but clearly the most complete and dimensional wine in the flight. (Buy again? Probably not when Germans offer more bang for the buck.)
FLIGHT 2
Chehalem Mountains 2006, Pinot Noir, Carabella Vineyard ($27.65, 11333791)
Sweet red berries, hints of forest floor. Sweet fruity attack, oaky mid-palate and bitter-edged finish. Bright acid. Lacks depth. Not unpleasant but unexceptional. (Buy again? Not when you can find better Burgundies for the same price.)
Willamette Valley 2007, Pinot Noir, 3 Vineyard, Chehalem Wines ($32.75, 11333783)
Not particularly appealing nose of spice, beet and oak. Medium-bodied. Oak-heavy choco-cherry with some herby mid-palate nuance. Hot finish. Yuk! (Buy again? No way.)
Langhe 2007, Nebbiolo, La Spinetta ($28.90, 11337979)
Ink, raspberry, cherry, minerals, tar, Asian spice. Dense but not heavy fruit, mineral underlay. Tight tannins. Fluid texture. Lingering bitter-edged finish. Needs a few years to knit together and smooth out. (Buy again? If looking for a modern-style Nebbiolo, yep.)
Barolo 2005, Albe, G. D. Vajra ($35.25, 11337944)
Nail polish, shoe leather, dried roses. Fluid but rich. Pure fruit and background oak. Tight tannins and bright acid. Earthy finish. Seems ready to go. Despite the wine’s interesting qualities, several of us wondered whether our bottle wasn’t defective (ethyl acetate), a disappointment as I’d been looking forward to tasting this bottling from a producer whose other wines I’ve often enjoyed. (Buy again? Another bottle to see if ours was off.)
FLIGHT 3
Etna 2006, Rosso di Verzella, Benanti ($20.65, 11348459)
A blend of Nerello Mascalese and Nerello Cappuccio given about ten months in small casks. Wafting nose of dried black cherry, baked earth, rosemary. Round, smooth and savoury. Medium-bodied. Lively acid gives freshness. Round tannins provide structure. Soft, long finish. A charmer. (Buy again? If only I could…)
Valpolicella Superiore Classico 2007, Ripasso, Pojega, Guerrieri Rizzardi ($22.65, 11331681)
Blend of Corvina, Corvinone, Rondinella and Molinara. Roasted red peppers, spice. Sweet plummy fruit enlivened by acid, underpinned by fine tannins. Rich, smooth and harmonious with a long, savoury finish and lingering impression of warmth (not heat). A winner. (Buy again? Yes.)
Monferrato 2007, Pin, La Spinetta ($49.75, 11337987)
Blend of barrel-aged Nebbiolo (65%) and Barbera (35%). Exuberant nose of spice, leaf mould, wood and black cherry with a floral note. Pure fruit. Dense and plush. Good acid. Quite tannic. Long astringent finish. Needs time. Modern but in a good way. (Buy again? Price is the only thing holding me back.)
FLIGHT 4
Valle de Colchagua 2008, Quatro, MontGras ($17.95, 11331737)
Blend of Cabernet Sauvignon (45%), Carmenère (20%), Malbec (20%) and Syrah (15%). Spent 11 months in casks, 30% new. Nose of bacon, Keds, dried herbs and telltale tomato vine. Smooth on the palate, with ripe fruit and noticeable oak. Cocoa finish. Straightforward, balanced and pleasant if a little facile. Good QPR. (Buy again? Sure, if you like the style.)
Columbia Valley 2007, River’s Red, Three Rivers Winery ($19.90, 11336466)
A dog’s breakfast blend of Syrah, Malbec, Cabernet Franc, Petit Verdot, Cabernet Sauvignon, Carmenère and Trempranillo. Fresh nose: cassis, herbs, green pepper, spice. Clean if somewhat candied fruit, smooth tannins, oaky finish. Simple but fun. (Buy again? Sure, if you like the style.)
Columbia Valley 2007, Cabernet Sauvignon, L’École N° 41 ($37.75, 10707093)
100% Cabernet Sauvignon. Spent 22 months in oak barrels, a third of them new. Cheese grains, cassis. Rich fruit, touch of residual sugar, oak in background. Good acid, light tannins that become more prominent with aeration. Shorter than expected for a wine in this price bracket. In fact, the wine overall seemed a bit one-dimensional and a little disjointed. Needs time? (Buy again? Only out of curiosity to see how it might develop.)
Yakima Valley 2006, Boushey Vineyard, Fidélitas Wines ($58.75, 11335421)
Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon with a little Cabernet Franc. Spent 24 months in casks, half of them new. Cassis, black raspberry and fresh dill. Sweet fruit buttressed by rich tannins, freshened by acidity. Plush texture. Layers of flavour. Long. A complete wine. Quite impressive in its style. (Buy again? If in the market for a full-bore West Coast Bordeaux blend, sure.)
September 30th MWG tasting: report
Most of the wines in this tasting came from the September 30th Cellier release, though not the first flight (the release was whiteless) and not the Pauillac. Prices are in Canadian dollars and include 13% sales tax.
FLIGHT 1
Grüner Veltliner 2009, Kamptal, Domæne Gobelsburg ($15.30, 10790317)
Chalk, sand and white grapefruit peel with whiffs of white pepper. Clean and bright. Zesty, even tingly attack. Good balance between acidity and substance. Fast-fade finish. (Buy again? Yes.)
Grüner Veltliner 2009, Terrassen, Federspiel, Domäne Wachau ($19.50, 10769420)
Lemon peel (a bit candied), wet quartz and a not unpleasant hint of soap or vinyl. Richer than the Gobelsburg and, initially, a bit flatter. Gained dimension as it breathed. Long, with an acid bite on the finish. (Buy again? Maybe.)
Grüner Veltliner 2009, Kamptaler Terrassen, Bründlmayer ($21.25, 10707069)
Still rounder and smoother. The acidity is there but more like a slow-moving underground river than a gurgling surface stream. Rainwatery at first but becoming white-fruity and layered over the course of an hour. Long. (Buy again? Sure.)
Grüner Veltliner 1999, Schenkenbichl, Jurtschitsch ($38 in 2002)
Richer looking: golden (in contrast to the other wines’ silver) and oilier. Complex nose dominated by honey, quince, mineral and subtle white pepper aromas. Off-dry and unctuous but enlivened by acidity. Initially shallow-seeming – I wondered whether it wasn’t a little over the hill – but gaining presence, amplitude and depth through the end of the tasting (nearly three hours). Very long. While Jancis Robinson notes that, with time in the bottle, GV “can start to taste positively Burgundian,” in this case I’d say the French analogue is more a late-harvest Pinot Gris or a sec-tendre Chenin Blanc. Not everyone was a fan but I found it gorgeous. (Buy again? Wish I could.)
FLIGHT 2
Morgon 2009, La Voûte Saint-Vincent, Louis-Claude Desvignes ($19.45, 11299415)
Red berries, vine sap, spice and hints of alcohol and, quoting another taster, “night soil.” Noticeable tannins, bright acid, lots of stuffing, somewhat muted fruit. A little introverted and disjointed though improving with time in the glass. (Buy again? Maybe a bottle or two to revisit in a couple of years.)
Moulin-à-Vent 2009, Domaine des Vignes du Tremblay, Paul Janin et Fils ($19.90, 11305141)
Red berries and vine sap, a little footy. Smoother, rounder, suaver than the Morgon but with a similar concentration and richness. Inky finish. Shut down as it breathed. (Buy again? Sure – a bottle or two to revisit in a couple of years.)
Chénas 2009, Vieilles vignes, Hubert Lapierre ($19.90, 11299239)
Appealing nose of red fruit, graphite and dried wood. Rich and balanced, structured with fruit-cloaked tannins. Kirschy finish. (Buy again? Maybe.)
Côte-de-Brouilly 2009, Cuvée Les Griottes, Château Thivin ($21, 11305088)
The least expressive nose of the bunch: cherry, spice and funk. Rich and fruity on the palate. Silkier, brighter and somehow purer than the others but also less tannic and deep. Good length. Probably not an ager. (Buy again? Sure.)
FLIGHT 3
Buzet 2006, La Tuque de Gueyze, Les Vignerons de Buzet ($16.80, 11305563)
Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot. Dusty cassis, green pepper and a whiff of alcohol. Cedary and plummy on the palate, fluid and balanced but lacking depth – a bit one-dimensional in fact. Still, not bad for a sub-$17 Bordeaux clone. (Buy again? Probably not, when $3-5 more can get you a genuinely appealing Bordeaux blend.)
Don Reca 2007, Valle del Cachapoal, Viña La Rosa ($21.75, 11305619)
Merlot (52%), Cabernet Sauvignon (25%), Syrah (18%) and Carmenère (5%). Screaming green pepper along with green tobacco, earth and ink. Big, tannic, coarse. Green pepper and cassis flavours dominate with rubber droning in the background. Sawdusty finish. Unevolving even after vigorous aeration. How could anyone (looking at you, Wine Advocate) award this clunker 90+ points? (Buy again? Nope.)
Lagone 2007, IGT Toscana, Aia Vecchia ($20.45, 11305635)
Merlot (60%), Cabernet Sauvignon (35%) and Cabernet Franc (5%). Cassis syrup and sandalwood. Suaver than the Don Reca though initially quite tannic and a little disjointed. Smoothed out with exposure to air, showing good balance and length. Well made and true to type but also anonymous, with little sense of place. (Buy again? If looking for a $20 internationalized Bordeaux blend, maybe.)
Finca Libertad 2006, Mendoza, Bodega Benegas ($24.95, 11305934)
Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Cabernet Franc. Spent 18 months in new French oak casks. Smokey, peppery, meaty nose: grilled sausage, pimentón, raw beef with hints of cassis and mint. Mouth-filling but not heavy, fruit-forward but not fatiguing. Tannins and oak kept in check. Velvety texture. Long, fragrant finish. Cries out for a charcoal-grilled steak. (Buy again? If charcoal-grilling steaks, maybe.)
FLIGHT 4
Capaia 2007, Philadelphia (Western Cape), Capaia Estate ($33.25, 11307825)
Cabernet Sauvignon (37%), Merlot (26%), Petit Verdot (18%) and Cabernet Franc (19%). Spent 15 months in new French oak barriques. Leather, cassis, ink and menthol. A wine of considerable heft, though nimble and fluid. Structuring tannins and acid are clad in fleshy fruit. Long savoury finish. (Buy again? Maybe, if in the mood for a New World Bordeaux blend.)
Sophia 2007, Gimblett Gravels Vineyard, Hawkes Bay, Craggy Range Winery ($58, 11305491)
Merlot (81%), Cabernet Franc (10%), Cabernet Sauvignon (7%) and Malbec (2%). Spent 18 months in 50% new French oak casks. Pomegranate juice, vanilla and chocolate with hints of humus and ground coffee. The proverbial iron fist in a velvet glove: a mass of tannins wrapped in a mass of pure fruit. Big but poised and finely balanced. Plush, layered and long. Needs at least a couple more years in the bottle. Internationally styled but with undeniable class: would make a excellent ringer in a flight of new wave St-Émilions and Pomerols. (Buy again? Probably not, but then I’m not a Merlot fan.)
Don Melchor 1995, Valle del Maipo, Concha y Toro ($87.95, 10755941)
100% Cabernet Sauvignon, aged 12 months in French oak casks. To the eye, nose and palate, obviously an aged wine. Pale rimmed, muted red-brown. Tertiary aromas and flavours: leather, sweat, dried wood, aged tobacco, old tomato plants, compost, earth (you have to dig to find the core of sweet fruit). Tannins fully resolved, the tightly wound velvet of youth now an unfurling skein of silk. Our bottle was uncorked two hours before the flight and decanted just before serving. As the wine only improved in the glass, decanting earlier might have been advisable. Interesting and impressive in its way, but not a wine that knocked anyone’s socks off. Probably done a disservice by being served after so many vibrant young wines and just before a fine old Bordeaux. Alone in the spotlight, it would likely show better. (Buy again? Not at that price.)
Pauillac 1994, Château Pontet-Canet ($33 in 1996)
Cabernet Sauvignon (63%), Merlot (32%) and Cabernet Franc (5%). Some fading at the rim but very little bricking. Complex only-in-Médoc bouquet that doesn’t need to yell to get your attention: cigar box, graphite, cassis, plum, tar, smoke, a hint of caramel. Austere but graceful and lithe, the tannins mostly resolved. In contrast to the preceding wines, the fruit is lean, dry, less dominating, more a unifying element in a spectrum of savoury flavours. The fruit fades on the long finish as cedar and minerals intertwine over a faint tannic astringency. Not particularly deep yet a wine that doesn’t reveal itself fully with the first sip or even – to judge by how it evolved in the few minutes after opening – the first glass. This is in a good place now and probably won’t get better; drink up in the next two or three years. (Buy again? Sure would if I didn’t already have a few bottles stashed away.)