Category Archives: RED

Monastrell, Goru, Organic, Vino Ecologico, Jumilla DO, Spain, 2014, 14% abv. C$20

This is a red wine made from 100% Monastrell in the Jumilla DO southeast of Madrid between the Castile-La Mancha region and the Spanish Mediterranean coast. Monastrell is also known as Mourvèdre (in France) and Mataro (in Australia) and 85% … Continue reading

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Brio, Glenterra Vineyards, Cobble Hill, Vancouver Island, British Columbia, Canada, 2014, 13% abv. C$25

Kudos.  Serious kudos. You’ve got to give Glenterra credit.  Dry farming grapes in Cobble Hill on Vancouver Island in a sustainable manner is no easy feat and can’t be for the faint of heart.  They’re located in a tiny micro-climate, … Continue reading

Posted in Agria, British Columbia, Cabernet Franc, Dornfelder, Dunkelfelder, Fruhburgunder, Helfensteiner, Heroldrebe, Hungarian Blue, Lemberger, Merlot, OTHER, Pinot Meunier, RED, Samtrot, Zweigelt | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Pinot Noir, Haywire, Secrest Mountain Vineyard, Okanagan Valley VQA, BC, 2015, 13.5% abv.

Another delicious wine from Haywire.  Why are they so consistently good?  Less is literally more – quality fruit, careful harvesting, and minimal intervention during the winemaking process allows the wine to speak for itself.  Translucent ruby with aromas of black … Continue reading

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Pinot Noir, Ayoub Estate Vineyard, Dundee Hills, Willamette Valley AVA, Oregon, US, 2013, 12.8% abv.

Talk about tiny – there is no tasting room at the Ayoub Estate Vineyard located just outside of McMinnville in Oregon’s Willamette Valley, but they’re more than happy to make you an appointment to come to the kitchen to taste. … Continue reading

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Cabernet Sauvignon, Caymus Vineyards, Rutherford, Napa Valley, California, 1 litre, 2014, 14.8% abv, US$90

It doesn’t get much better or more stereotypical Napa Valley red than this! Caymus is an entrenched Napa brand.  Big time rich, deep, and larger than life, their wines are those one thinks of when lusting after one the luscious … Continue reading

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Pinot Noir, La Forge de Tart, Premier Cru, Morey-Saint-Denis AC, Côte-d’Or, Bourgogne, France, 2007, 13.5% abv.

Sylvain Pithiot, the winemaker at this famous house, originally arrived in Burgundy as a map maker – he’s the person who created the incredibly detailed terroir maps of the Côte d’Or.  It wasn’t until later that he decided to make … Continue reading

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Bordeaux, Château Malartic Lagravière, Grand Cru Classé, Graves, Pessac-Léognan AC, France, 2010, 14.5% abv, C$100

I often find the names of Bordeaux wineries to be, well, kind of unusual.  This one is no exception.  After a little digging, I learned it started off as Domaine de Lagravière and in the late 1700s was owned by … Continue reading

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GSM, Lafage, Tessellae, Old Vines, Côtes du Roussillon AC, France, 15% abv, 2013, C$23

There are so few really delicious wines available at the BCLB, that finding this one makes it a treasure at the end of that rainbow.  And I’m always hunting for these – GSMs are my desert island wines.  On the … Continue reading

Posted in France, Grenache / Garnacha, Mouvedre, Monastrell, RED, Shiraz / Syrah | Tagged , , , , , | 2 Comments

Barolo, Riserva, Bel Colle Montvigliero, Barolo DOCG, Italia, 2004, 14% abv

We opened this wine at 12 years old on November 2016, at the end of its recommended drinking window (2010-2016). Although initially worried we’d missed the boat, we were relieved to find an elegantly developed drink. Winner of a bronze … Continue reading

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Anaperenna, Ben Glaetzer, Barossa Valley, Australia, 2006, 15% abv.

Australian winemaker Ben Glaetzer, descendant of German immigrants to the Barossa and Clare Valleys, has had a long list of wine awards come his way including  New World Winemaker of the Year (2006), 12 awards at MUNDUSVini 2007, being chosen … Continue reading

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