winellama

In Vino Veritas, Viña Eguía, Reserva, Rioja DOCa, Spain, 2007, 13.5% abv, US$10

Posted on January 20, 2016 by winellama

In wine, there is truth. Sometimes too much truth, but that depends on how much of it you drink.

The truth is, this wine punches far above its weight for the price (US$10 at Costco in the States, and more in BC, of course). It has also been aged 18-24 months prior to bottling, and then an additional 18-24 months in bottle prior to release (as per the Reserva label). Quelle deal!

Eguía was established in 1973, but has been owned by Bodegas Muriel since 2010. Located in the tiny town of Elciego in Rioja Alavesa, their wines have ranked consistently well in Wine Advocate (this one received 92) and Stephen Tanzer’s IWC (the Crianza had a 91).

This wine is medium plus ruby red and has an intense nose of vanilla, strawberry, boysenberry, cracked pepper and soft leather.

The palate is dry with medium acidity and perfectly dusty tannins. More berry and pepper show with the kid glove and slight anise seed.

WSET Very Good – delicious.

As the bottle was recycled before I could photograph it, this shot is courtesy of Majestic Wine.

Posted in RED, Spain, Tempranillo | Tagged 2007, Eguía, In Vino Veritas, red wine, Reserva, Rioja DOC, spain, tempranillo, Vina Eguia | Leave a comment

Viognier, Marsanne, The Hermit Crab, D’Arenberg, McLaren Vale, Australia, 2013. 13% abv, C$18.50++

Posted on January 7, 2016 by winellama

From the Osborn family winery, D’Arenberg – located in McLaren Vale and established in 1912 – this is a blend of Viognier and Marsanne made from grapes grown on calcareous, limestone soils.

Fourth generation winemaker, Chester Osborn, is responsible for this beauty. The name came about because the remains of tiny crabs formed the soil, perfect for growing grapes, and it’s a nod as well to the Northern Rhône Valley’s Hermitage AOC where acidic Marsanne is one of the most widely grown white grapes, and is often blended with either Viognier or Roussanne.

Medium lemon in colour with aromas of ripe Meyer lemon, pear, spice and minerals, this wine is dry on the palate and has a juicy acidity that beckons you to take the next sip.

Flavours show full pear and white peach with more ripened citrus, alongside quince and spice laid over wet stones with a solid finish. There’s a tiny touch of toffee as well from the 8 months of oak treatment that is more noticeable as the wine warms.

WSET Good plus and excellent value for money.

Posted in Australia, Marsanne, Viognier, WHITE | Tagged Australia, D'Arenberg, marsanne, McLaren Vale, The Hermit Crab, viognier, white wine | 5 Comments

Pinot Noir, Foxtrot, Erickson Vineyard, Naramata Bench, Okanagan Valley, BC, 2010, 13.6% abv.

Posted on January 2, 2016 by winellama

We visited Foxtrot in 2013 and purchased this bottle plus another Pinot Noir made with grapes from the Foxtrot Vineyard. It wasn’t easy keeping this one until Christmas 2015, but we managed.

A perfect accompaniment to turkey dinner with sausage stuffing made with fresh rosemary, thyme and cranberry, this wine is a translucent garnet with aromas of cherry and high notes of cranberry, dark green moss, pronounced nutmeg, clove and some cedar plank.

The palate is dry with medium plus acidity and muted tannins showing the right amount of soft grip. Flavours of black cherry and pomegranate intersperse with deep five-spice powder and fresh cedar frond.

A long finish complements this balanced and elegant Pinot.

WSET Very Good plus.

Posted in British Columbia, Pinot Noir, RED | Tagged 2010, BC, Erickson Vineyard, Foxtrot, Naramata Bench, Okanagan Valley, pinot noir, red wine, VQA | 4 Comments

Pinot Noir, Le Clos Jordanne, Le Grand Clos, Twenty Mile Bench VQA, Niagara Peninsula, Ontario, 2011, 13.5% abv.

Posted on January 2, 2016 by winellama

When in Ottawa, I walked into the Constellation speciality store and purchased this. Perhaps I should have known better, but hope springs eternal. I thought, “Going to their upper end product may make a difference!”

It didn’t.

Made with Pinot Noir grapes farmed on limestone and silt soils near the town of Jordan on the Niagara Escarpment, I had expected great things from this bottle.

A medium ruby, its nose is deep field berry and cedar with hot alcohol.

Dry with medium plus, scratchy tannins and flavours of berry, cherry and herbaceous greenery, this wine is tart, unbalanced, pedestrian, and poised on a muddy palate.

WSET Acceptable

Posted in Ontario, Pinot Noir, RED | Tagged Le Clos Jordanne, Le Grand Clos, Niagara Peninsula VQA, Ontario, pinot noir, red wine, Twenty Mile Bench | Leave a comment

Socrè, Barbaresco, Dolcetto d’Alba DOC, Cuneo, Italia, 2010, 12.5% abv.

Posted on December 29, 2015 by winellama

This wine comes straight from Piemonte in the northwestern corner of Italy from a vineyard tended to by former architect Marco Piacentino and his family. The vineyard lies directly across the road from Angelo Gaja’s famous Sori Tilden vines.

Piacentino’s side of the road was planted in 1959 by his grandfather. He also has various vineyards dotted throughout Barbaresco and Roero.

Made from Nebbiolo grapes, this wine is a medium ruby with a thick rim of cherry with intense aromas of dried roses, violets, black cherries and herbs.

The body is dry with ripe, slightly green tannins, average body and fresh flavours of more roses and rose hip, cherries, pomegranate, and sage, fennel and fresh thyme on top of freshly turned earth.

Stunning with a great frame and elegance – WSET Very Good plus.

The bottle disappeared prior to photographing; this shot courtesy of the Socre website.

Posted in Italy, Nebbiolo, OTHER, RED | Tagged 2010, barbaresco, Cuneo, Dolcetto d'Alba DOC, italia, Italy, marco piacentino, Piedmont, Piemonte, red wine, Socre | Leave a comment

Cabernet Sauvignon, Don Melchor, Puente Alto, Concha y Toro, Chile, 2007, 14.5% abv.

Posted on December 28, 2015 by winellama

Straight from what is referred to as Chile’s equivalent of a Grand Cru, the Don Melchor is one of giant Concha y Toro’s flagship wines.

Grown on the north bank of the Maipo River at a cool 640m of altitude, this Cabernet Sauvignon (98%) blended with a smattering of Cabernet Franc is densely layered and complex.

Deep garnet, this wine offers intense aromas of plum, black currant and black cherry with notes of sandalwood, mint, cedar and strong minerality.

The palate is dry with medium acidity and seamless, ripe tannins. There is balanced alcohol and intricate flavours of more red and black fruit augmented by eucalyptus and sage with cedar and dried tobacco leaf.

Beautiful to inhale and even better to drink, this WSET Outstanding wine is drinking perfectly (at 8 years) and offers a lingering finish.

Posted in Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon / Blends, Chile, RED | Tagged 2007, cabernet franc, Cabernet Sauvignon, chile, Concha y Toro, Don Melchor, Puente Alto, red wine | Leave a comment

Fino, En Rama, Montilla Moriles DO, Alvear, Spain, 2008, 15% abv. C$25

Posted on December 24, 2015 by winellama

Are you looking for a wine to accompany a charcuterie plate this holiday season? Pick this up some of this Fino.

En Rama sports the palest shade of lemon, so light it’s almost water white. The nose exudes yeasty bread with green olives, brine, and salt with lemon.

Its palate is dry with medium acidity and deep flavours of grapefruit pith, delicate lemon, brine, olive, and almond. There’s a bakery of freshly risen bread on this elegant example as well.

A lingering finish shows off this WSET Very Good wine.

This is technically not Sherry as it’s produced next door to Jerez in Montilla Moriles (just inland and east of Jerez on the coast). Yet, it is virtually the same – and is still one of the greatest deals around – this one is only about $25. It takes years to produce, but is so reasonably priced for the effort and costs of storage incurred at the bodegas while aging in the solera system.

Serve alongside almonds, olives, Iberian ham or prosciutto, manchego or other sheep’s milk cheeses – stunning.

Posted in FORTIFIED WINE, Pedro Ximenez / Pedro Gimenez, Sherry, Spain, WHITE | Tagged 15% abv, Alvear, En Rama, Fino, flor, Montilla Moriles DO, sherry, spain | Leave a comment

Pinot Noir, Reserve, Mission Hill, Okanagan VQA, BC, 2012, 13% abv.

Posted on December 22, 2015 by winellama

Drinking this, one should almost exclaim, “We’re not in Kansas anymore,” because it’s ruby red, as in ‘Dorothy’s-shoes-were-here,’ ruby red.

With its deep aromas of Okanagan cherry, moss and cedar frond, this wine is characteristically BC; the green moss gets me every time.

The palate is dry with scraped tannins and medium acidity and the body is a little lighter than anticipated at medium minus. Flavours are medium and extend more of the nose with cherry, ripe purple plum, more green moss, cedar strips, some nutmeg and a good finish.

And yes, this would go great with Christmas dinner.

WSET Good

Posted in British Columbia, Pinot Noir, RED | Tagged BC, Mission Hill, Okanagan VQA, pinot noir, red wine, Reserve | Leave a comment

Viña Gravonia, White Crianza, López de Heredia, Rioja DOC, Spain, 2004, 12.5% abv.

Posted on December 17, 2015 by winellama

Oh dear followers, this is my favourite kind of wine. I just love these classics – few wines are made in this traditional fashion. Why? They’re challenging, different, unique, unusual. I’ve opened up a 2000 version of this in the past.

This bottle was opened at 11 years old in 2015. As a white Rioja, it’s made of Viura grapes, but in this classic style, it’s extremely Chenin-like. A deep shade of pale lemon, it has intense aromas of beeswax, lanolin, Meyer lemon and loads of sherry-like flor.

Dry on the palate, it shows refreshing acidity, medium body and flavours of sherry, lanolin and wet wool, bruised apple, almond and yellow plum.

While the nose is intense, the palate is somewhat muted, but the elegance and complexity make up for any perceived imbalance.

It’s always a treat to open a Lopez de Heredia. Let me take this opportunity to thank you for following Winellama! WSET Very Good plus

Posted in Spain, Viura / White Rioja, WHITE | Tagged 2004, Lopez de Heredia, Rioja DOC, spain, vina gravonia, viura, White Crianza, white wine | Leave a comment

Bella, Gamay Noir, Sparkling Rosé , Naramata Bench, Okanagan Valley VQA, BC, 2013, 11.4% abv.

Posted on December 14, 2015 by winellama

Bella is run by husband and wife team, Jay Drysdale and Wendy Rose – and named after their dearly beloved, but departed dog, Bella. They specialize in sparkling wines and are proud of staying true to the traditional method.

Their wines are crafted unlike most in that they show off single vintages from single vineyards and use only one varietal. There are no bicycle pumps or CO2 hoses to be found around these wines.

The Bella property is quirky and cool – and their tasting room, unique. In this day and age, everyone tries, but it’s hard to be quantifiably different. Yet, they have managed to be so, for example by allowing guests to choose their own glasses, all of which are fabulous and old bubble stemware and appear to have been selected from someone’s kitchen cupboard.

We visited in August, 2015 and ran into Jay while he was harvesting grapes closer to Penticton (yes, you read that correctly – harvesting in August on the Naramata Bench – 2015 was an early and warm vintage). He let Wendy know we were on our way.

This rosé sparkler is made from Gamay Noir grapes, has a medium pink salmon colour with a finely beaded mousse, and is slightly cloudy.

There are light aromas of strawberry and fresh bread on the dry palate. Acidity is great as well and is balanced with the medium plus flavours of strawberry compote and red pepper, french bread and dried tarragon that combine beautifully with blue cheese.

WSET Very Good, highly recommended.

Posted in British Columbia, Gamay, ROSE, Sparkling Wine | Tagged BC, Bella, bubbles, Gamay Noir, Naramata Bench, okanagan valley vqa, pink wine, rose, sparkling, Sparkling Rose, traditional method | Leave a comment