Author Archives: winellama
Viña Gravonia, Crianza, López de Heredia, Rioja Alta, Spain, 2000, 12% abv, C$42 BCLB
It was a sad day for the unusual wines of Rioja, Spain; Pedro Lopez de Heredia passed away today. This called for the raising of a special glass in his honour and memory. Enter the Viña Gravonia, Crianza 2000. Several years ago … Continue reading
L’Ermitage, Roederer, Brut 2003, Anderson Valley, Sonoma, California, 12% abv US$47 (+C$17 tax at border)
Oh to be back on holiday in the Anderson Valley. How I miss it so. With good friends over tonight it was a reasonable enough excuse to pull out my special bottle of L’Ermitage, Roederer Brut 2003 from said valley … Continue reading
Sondraia, Bolgheri DOC, Poggio al Tesoro, Bolgheri, Italy, 2008, 14.5% abv, C$62.00
This wine hails from the Bolgheri DOC in Italy. There is a Bolgheri DOC and a Bolgheri Sassicaia DOC in Tuscany, but I didn’t know that Bolgheri wines don’t list the varietals on the label because of course, they are … Continue reading
Rosemary’s Block, Zinfandel, Chiles Valley, Napa Valley, Brown Estate, 2011, 14.9% abv.
The Queen must have showed up tonight. I did mention in my Brown Estate review that she would have to be here for me to open this bottle. She was definitely here, figuratively speaking. Liz may have have shown up, … Continue reading
Zinfandel, Rosemary’s Block, Brown Estate, Chiles Valley, Napa Valley, California, 2011, 14.9% abv.
The Queen must have showed up tonight. I did mention on March 24th in my Brown Estate review that she would have to be here for me to open this bottle. She was definitely here, figuratively speaking. Liz may have … Continue reading
Gewürztraminer, Navarro Winery, Anderson Valley, Mendocino, California, 2011, 13.5% abv
This was the second winery we visited on our recent tour of Sonoma in the Anderson Valley AVA. Driving in over the late afternoon hills and through the sage and oak meadows then into the adorable hamlet of Philo was … Continue reading
Cabernet Sauvignon, La Gauche, Rollingdale Winery, Okanagan Valley, 2008, 13.5% abv, C$39.90
In 2010, Rollingdale Winery was recognized by the website Organic Wine Review as one of only two wineries in BC as being fully organic. Usually renowned for their ice wines, Rollingdale even beat out Willamette Valley’s Sokol Blosser Winery for … Continue reading
Riesling Lab, Hard Pressings, Tantalus, Okanagan Valley VQA, Kelowna, BC 2011, 12% abv
When Jancis Robinson declared earlier this year that the 2008 Old Vines Tantalus Riesling was the best white wine in Canada, hundreds of wine geeks including ‘yours truly’ called them in Kelowna, BC that same morning to plead and grovel … Continue reading
Flying Trout, Deep River Red, Columbia Valley, NV, Washington, USA 14.8%, US$30
I like fish, trout to be specific. I like this wine too, but now it’s all gone and I realize it took us more time to taste the wines in Ashley Trout’s tasting room than it did to drink the … Continue reading
Monmousseau Cuvée JM, Brut 2007, Blanc des Blancs, Touraine AC, France, 12% abv, C$19.99
With the WSET Sparkling Wines of the World Diploma exam on the horizon, this bottle was sacrificed for a study session. A tradition in the Loire Valley since 1886, this sparkling wine is 100% Chenin Blanc and produced in the traditional … Continue reading
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