Author Archives: winellama

About winellama

I love wine...and finally decided to do something about it.

Gaston Chiquet, Tradition Brut, Premier Cru, Dizy, Champagne, France, RM, 12.5% abv, NV (Magnum) @ Marquis Wine Cellars

Posted on June 3, 2015 by winellama

A grower-producer from the cool named, Dizy located just north of Épernay, the Chiquet family has been growing vines and making Champagne for generations. The current crop of Chiquets include brothers Antoine and Nicolas with Antoine’s daughter Marion. Their 23 ha … Continue reading →

Posted in Champagne, Chardonnay, France, Pinot Meunier, Pinot Noir | Tagged 12.5% abv, champagne, chardonnay, Dizy, france, Gaston Chiquet, Magnum, marquis wine cellars, nv, pinot meunier, pinot noir, Premier Cru, RM, Tradition Brut | Leave a comment

Pietradolce, Nerello Mascalese, Etna Rosso DOC, Sicilia, Italia, 2012, 14.5% abv.

Posted on June 1, 2015 by winellama

Here is a stunner straight from the north facing slopes of Sicily’s Mount Etna. Grown on bush trained vines at 600m above sea level, the name of the winery is a direct acknowledgment of the volcanic soil the vines are rooted in – … Continue reading →

Posted in Italy, RED | Tagged Empson, Etna Rosso DOC, italia, Italy, Mount Etna, Nerello Mascalese, Pietradolce, red wine, Sicilia, Sicily, volcanic soils | Leave a comment

Da Mata, Cachaça, Santa Teresa, Brazil, 48% abv.

Posted on May 27, 2015 by winellama

Meet cachaça, the most popular distilled alcoholic drink available in Brazil. Seriously everyone drinks it and it’s available just about everywhere in either a water white, unaged version (like this one) or an aged, golden toned drink. This example is a … Continue reading →

Posted in Brazil, Cachaça, SPIRITS | Tagged Brazil, Cachaca, Da Mata, Espirito Santo, Santa Teresa, Spirit | Leave a comment

Cachaça Envelhecida, Reserva do Gerente, Brazil, 42% abv, C$18

Posted on May 25, 2015 by winellama

Here is a drink you don’t see every day. In fact, in our market on Canada’s west coast, there is only one cachaça available – and it’s not this one. What exactly is cachaça? Is it rum? Well, not … Continue reading →

Posted in Brazil, Cachaça, OTHER, SPIRITS | Tagged Brazil, Cachaça Envelhecida, Reserva do Gerente | 2 Comments

Lammershoek, Lam, White, Paardeberg, WO Swartland, South Africa, 2012, 10.5% abv.

Posted on May 20, 2015 by winellama

This was an awesome South African addition to The Drinking Group‘s afternoon get together. The bottle got us all excited just for starters being a Lillet lookalike. Lammershoek dry farms some 40+ year old bush-trained vines on granitic soils. The 2012 vintage … Continue reading →

Posted in Chardonnay, Chenin Blanc, OTHER, South Africa, Viognier, WHITE | Tagged chardonnay, chenin blanc, Lam, Lammershoek, Paardeberg, South Africa, Swartland, viognier, white wine | Leave a comment

Nelin, Clos Mogador, Gratallops, Priorat DOQ, Spain, 2012, 15% abv, 30€

Posted on May 15, 2015 by winellama

I made the arrangement for a tour and tasting at world renowned Clos Mogador several months prior to our January 2015 arrival in tiny Gratallops, population a mere 260. As we walked through the gate, I wondered aloud, “Do you … Continue reading →

Posted in Escanyavelles, Macabeu, Spain, Viura / White Rioja, WHITE, White Grenache / Garnacha / Garnaxa | Tagged Clos Mogador, Escanyavelles, gratallops, Grenache blanc, Isabelle Meyer, llicorella, Macabeo, macabeu, Nelin, priorat doq, Rene Barbier, spain, white garnacha, White Garnaxa, White Grenache, white wine, wine | 2 Comments

Domaine Serene, Pinot Noir, Two Barns Vineyard, Dundee Hills AVA, Willamette Valley, Oregon, 2010, 13.7% abv, US$85

Posted on May 13, 2015 by winellama

The usual course of action in Oregon’s wine country has been for some of Burgundy’s most renowned winemakers to pick up and put down stakes in the (now) famous Willamette Valley. Take for example the Drouhin family and their 1980s move to the … Continue reading →

Posted in Oregon, OTHER, Pinot Noir, RED | Tagged Domaine Serene, Dundee Hills AVA, oregon, pinot noir, Two Barns Vineyard, Willamette Valley | Leave a comment

La Guita, Manzanilla, Hijos de Rainera Pérez Marín Bodega, Sanlúcar de Barrameda DO, Spain, 15% abv, C$23

Posted on May 12, 2015 by winellama

This Sherry comes with a little string draped across the neck of the bottle – apparently signifying a guitar string and hence the name, La Guita. It’s aged under a thick layer of flor (or yeast) near the coast at the … Continue reading →

Posted in FORTIFIED WINE, OTHER, Sherry, Spain | Tagged flor, Hijos de Rainera Pérez Marín Bodega, Jerez, La Guita, Manzanilla, Sanlucar de Barrameda, sherry, solera aged, spain | Leave a comment

Graham Beck, Cabernet Sauvignon, The Game Reserve, W.O. Western Cape, South Africa, 2011, 14.5% abv, C$19

Posted on May 7, 2015 by winellama

The Western Cape is a very large geographical unit that encompasses most of the eastern wine lands of South Africa – including the Breede River Valley, the Coastal Region, Klein Karoo and Olifants River. It’s massive. Enormous. And there’s a lot … Continue reading →

Posted in cabernet sauvignon, Cabernet Sauvignon / Blends, OTHER, RED, South Africa | Tagged Cabernet Sauvignon, Graham Beck, red wine, South Africa, The game reserve, Western Cape | Leave a comment

Old Vines Riesling, Sperling Vineyards, Kelowna, Okanagan Valley, BC, 2012, C$32

Posted on May 6, 2015 by winellama

In June 2014 we were in Normandy and spent a day with Emmanuel Camut, one of three Camut brothers and the sixth generation of their family making premium Adrien Camut Calvados on land they’ve owned since the 1800s. Emmanuel was intrigued by … Continue reading →

Posted in BC, OTHER, Riesling, WHITE | Tagged Ann Sperling, BC wine, Casorso family, Kelowna, Okanagan Valley, old vines, riesling, Sperling Vineyards, white wine | Leave a comment