winellama

Château d’Anglès, La Clape, Classique, Syrah – Grenache – Mourvèdre, Languedoc, France, 2008, 14% abv, C$19

Posted on January 21, 2013 by winellama

What a deal – what a find! Old eagle eyes found this in the liquor store as I was looking for Ports and Sherries to purchase for tasting.

In September, we bought a case of Château d’Anglès’ La Clape Grand Vin, 2007 which has proved extremely popular and now we were lucky enough to find this (apparently ordered for a buyer who then changed his mind). It’s not normally available in BC.

A GSM blend of equal parts 40% Syrah and Grenache with 20% Mourvèdre, this is delicious wine. It’s clear and bright, a deep shade of garnet, and has quick legs.

The nose is developing and has aromas of ripe blackberries, blackcurrant, a hint of mint, black licorice and some spice from the Syrah.

On the palate, the wine is dry with a juicy medium plus acidity, velvety, smooth tannins and high alcohol. But, despite the 14% abv, the wine doesn’t feel boozy or hot at all. The flavours are intense and show lovely complexity with more ripe blackberry and bramble, deeply ripe and juicy cassis and a small flash of acai. Some minty greenness accompanies this fruit medley. Spices develop as it opens up over the course of a few glasses and the final kicker is the savoury meat.

This is WSET Very Good wine. I’m so glad Eric Fabre left Chateau Lafite-Rothschild with his wife to establish his own wines in the Languedoc. Awesome stuff and made with the least amount of intervention possible (there’s no fining or filtering). Beautifully balanced fresh and layered fruit with complexity, velvety tannins and a great length to the finish. Drink now or save for up to 2-3 more years.

Posted in France, Grenache / Garnacha, Mouvedre, Monastrell, RED, Shiraz / Syrah | Tagged Château d'Anglès, Classique, Eric Fabre, Famille E Fabre, france, grenache, La Clape, Languedoc, mourvedre, syrah | 2 Comments

Cretico, Chardonnay, Cantina Tollo, Terre Di Chieti IGT, Abruzzo, Italia, 2008, 14.5% abv, C$39

Posted on January 18, 2013 by winellama

Well, this one falls under the heading of This-is-why-you-always-go-into-a-wine-store-knowing-more-than-the-kid-professing-to-being-able-to-assist-you.

I’d wanted to buy a Sicilian Chardonnay and thought I was doing so – not knowing where Terre di Chieti was exactly. I believed the guy at Legacy who was quite insistent this is the one I should go home with.

My bad. Terre di Chieti is in Abruzzo, just north of Puglia on the backside of the boot. Beautiful? Undoubtedly – at least according to the internet images I found. This is not what I’d thought it was, but that said I really enjoyed it.

It’s a lovely shade of medium gold with aromas of ripe, canned peach, honey, deep yellow nectarines and nuts. There is definitely oak on this as well.

The palate is dry with average acidity, but the alcohol is waaay high. Flavours include ripe peaches, nectarines, yellow plums, apricots and more honey with some caramel notes, strong almonds and slight vanilla with nutmeg. There’s a definite hit of creamy yoghurt from the MLF too.

Overall, this is a WSET Good wine. The oak is not integrated but the fruit is lovely and fresh and balances with the rich complexity and a reasonably crisp acidity. Drink and enjoy now, don’t age.

Next stop, a different wine store to find a Mount Etna Chard.

Posted in Chardonnay, Italy, WHITE | Tagged Abruzzo, Cantina Tollo, chardonnay, Cretico, italia, Italy, Terre di Chieti IGT, white wine | Leave a comment

Klinker Brick, Old Vine Zinfandel, Lodi, California, 2009, 15.8% abv, C$30

Posted on January 13, 2013 by winellama

When faced with a challenge, what does a Winellama do? Why, rise of course!

So, my friend’s request to taste this California Zinfandel prompted a late Sunday afternoon (in between football games) trip to the liquor store. Besides, who am I to say ‘no’? I am gearing up for a trip to Napa and Sonoma in March, so why not throw in a Lodi Zin for good measure?

Being from Lodi, I do admit to a little wine snobbery here. I usually aim for more premium AVA and sub-AVA wines – Chiles Valley, Russian River, Napa, Sonoma, Alexander Valley, Carneros… Lodi hails from close to the heated powerhouse of the Central Valley, which is better known for asparagus and table grapes. Lodi does have a slightly milder Mediterranean-style climate though, and with that consideration, we will launch open-mindedly into the Klinker Brick Zinfandel.

Clear and bright, the wine is a deeply opaque ruby tinged purple and some heavy duty legs. On the nose, it’s got some good intensity with blackberry jam, cassis, Damson plum and even blueberry. There’s a little herbaceous quality too and a sweet baking spice from the oak treatment.

The palate’s (kinda) dry with good acidity and smooth and soft medium tannins. The alcohol is waaay high – at 15.8% it’s practically Port! The flavours are fruity and fresh though – dark black and ripe fruit including more blackberry, deeply ripe blueberries, boysenberry and some dried prune.

It’s complemented by a hint of sweet black licorice and some light green undergrowth. The oak lends some sweetness as well as clove and nutmeg to this wine. I wonder though – is it actually dry? The finish is average.

WSET Good – the intense alcohol and sweetness preclude it from being rated any higher. It’s unbalanced, but the fruit is full and ripe and there is a pleasant complexity with some secondary aspects shining through. Drink now, or may be kept for 1-3 years.

Photo credit: Mike Woods Photography

Posted in RED, Zinfandel | Tagged california, Klinker Brick, Lodi, Old Vine Zinfandel, red wine, zinfandel | 1 Comment

Castillo de Monséran, Garnacha Old Vines, Cariñena DO, Spain, 2007, 13% abv, C$16

Posted on January 12, 2013 by winellama

Thankfully, it’s Friday which means it’s time to sit on the couch and drink red wine.

From some massive vineyards (21,500 ha) in the northeastern hills of Aragon, west of Catalunya, this Garnaxa based Spanish wine is made from 50 year old vines grown between 350-700m and and aged for 6 months in new oak barrels prior to bottling.

The wine is clear and bright with a deep garnet core and quick legs with intense aromas of jammy black currant and blackberry and plum. Add in some black licorice, tar and baking spice and you have yourself a modern crowd pleaser.

On the palate, it’s dry with medium acidity, soft, ripe tannins, average alcohol and flavour characteristics of the same black fruit from the nose (ripe blackberries, cassis and Damson plums), but turning ever-so-slightly to prunes and raisins. There are hints of chocolate and even a little green cedar. The finish is medium.

A solid WSET Good wine – drink now.

Posted in Grenache / Garnacha, RED, Spain | Tagged Bodegas San Valero, Cariñena, garnacha, garnaxa, Monséran, Old Vine, red wine | Leave a comment

Torre del Falasco, Ripasso, Cantina Valpentena, Valpolicella DOC, Italia, 2010, 13.5% abv, C$20

Posted on January 6, 2013 by winellama

I must drink more Italian wines to prepare the parental units for their upcoming trip. It’s such an onerous duty.

This time we’re visiting Veneto and trying a Valpolicella made in the ripasso style. To improve the depth and complexity of the Valpolicella wines, winemakers have developed various techniques. The ripasso one essentially involves ‘re-passing’ or re-fermenting the passito grapes (the dried out ones) with standard Valpolicella wine.

The wines tend to be fruity and aromatic and this is no exception. Clear and bright, this is a lighter shade of garnet with quick legs and aromas of ripe red cherry with a cola fragrance.

Dry with medium plus acidity and slightly astringent medium tannins. The medium bodied flavours offer more red berries, cranberries and sour cherries alongside ginger, hot spice and a medium finish.

A WSET Good wine, ever so slightly out of balance between the high’ish alcohol and fruit. Nevertheless, it’s delicious and simple and will go well with spaghetti tonight.

Posted in Corvina, Italy, RED | Tagged Cantina Valpantena, italia, Italy, red wine, Ripasso, Torre del Falasco, Valpolicella | Leave a comment

St Innocent, Pinot Noir, Temperance Hill Vineyard, Eola-Amity Hills AVA, Willamette Valley, Oregon, 2010, 13% abv.

Posted on January 4, 2013 by winellama

Oh second Christmas, we love you. With Alison and Lauren here for our belated Christmas celebration, we needed a Pinot Noir to accompany the salmon fillets encrusted with pistachios, curry and maple syrup.

The Eola-Amity Hills AVA is close to Salem and with a trip on the horizon, I had to try this out in advance. How fortuitous there’s one sitting in the cellar.

Clear and bright, the St. Innocent is on the pale end of garnet with quick legs. Its nose shows aromas of ripe red plums, dark cherries and toasty oak.

On the dry palate, there’s good acidity and light, silky tannins with flavours of more ripe, red fruit – plum, pomegranate – and black cherries with some black currant. Some light moss and undergrowth with a hint of savoury mushroom topped off by a medium plus finish.

A WSET Very Good wine. Elegant and fruity but with undertones that will age beautifully if you can be patient. I couldn’t wait.

Posted in Oregon, Pinot Noir, RED | Tagged Eola-Amity Hills, oregon, pinot noir, red wine, St Innocent, Temperance Hill Vineyard, Willamette Valley | Leave a comment

Miopasso, Nero D’Avola, Sicilia IGT, Italia, 13.5% abv, C$25

Posted on December 29, 2012 by winellama

So, when the parental units tell you they are spending even more of your inheritance and will soon jet off to Sicily and other exotic locales, what do you do?

Well, I use it as an excuse to go purchase Sicilian wine. This falls squarely under the heading, if you can’t beat ’em…

Since they’ll be spending considerable time in Sicily, we chose a Nero D’Avola, aka Calabrese, the most widely planted varietal on the island. For centuries used primarily as a blender to add colour and body to lesser reds on the mainland, now it is common to find pure Nero D’Avola wines. There are also many Nero D’Avola- Syrah blends these days and both grapes do well in the dry Mediterranean climate.

This IGT example has no vintage and is made in a modern style, so the wine is quite juicy and fruity. About 30% of the grapes were allowed to dry prior to pressing (appassimento).

Clear and bright, the Miopasso is medium plus ruby red with quick and light legs. The nose shows aromas of red fruit including plums, cherries, raspberries.

Dry with medium plus acidity and medium but soft tannins, the wine has flavours of juicy red plums, raspberries, acai and a hint of dark chocolate. We expected it to be full of raisins and dried fruit, but it wasn’t and was deliciously fresh.

A simple yet WSET Good juicy, fruity wine which is meant to be enjoyed now. It was perfect with our lunch – tourtière, curried chickpea salad, and saffron rice with barberries and fresh pistachios.

Posted in Nero D'Avola, RED | Tagged Italy, Miopasso, Nero D'avola, red wine, Sicilia, Sicily, Sicily IGT | Leave a comment

Kumeu River, Estate Chardonnay, New Zealand, 2007, 13.5% abv.

Posted on December 29, 2012 by winellama

Christmas leftovers call for a toasty Chardonnay and this is just the one.

From their winery located 20 minutes north of Auckland on the North Island, Kumeu River’s Estate wines have quite the following and I know why – they’re ubiquitously lovely.

This gem is clear and bright, a shade of light gold with good legs. On the youthful nose, it’s clean with solidly intense aromas of lemon and grapefruit citrus, floral elements and oak tones.

Dry with crisp acidity and average alcohol, this Kumeu River shows flavours of lemon zest and Bergamot lime with green melon, elderflowers and the lightest toasty, nutty oak followed by a medium plus finish.

Beautifully balanced and elegant; drink now and don’t age any further. Juicy fruit in harmony with acidity and judicious oak makes this a WSET Good plus wine. Enjoy often.

Posted in Chardonnay, New Zealand, WHITE | Tagged chardonnay, Kumeu River, Kumeu River Estate Chardonnay, New Zealand, North Island, white wine | Leave a comment

Côte du Py, Jean Foillard, Morgon AC, France, 2010, 13% abv.

Posted on December 27, 2012 by winellama

Technically, Beaujolais is part of Burgundy. So, while I considered it when thinking about what wine to serve with the turkey and cranberry sauce this Christmas, it wasn’t as much of a front runner as Pinot Noir was for this special meal.

Glad I ran into this Gamay though. Morgon’s Côte du Py is the premier slope in the appellation and is renowned for producing some of the best Beaujolais around on its famed granite and schist soils. And when you compound that with Jean Foillard’s organic and carefully constructed handiwork, you’re dealing with an outstanding wine.

First though, how to help it escape from the red wax seal? Initially I tried to pry it off with my Laguiole with no luck. A quick google search solved our dilemma. In case you’re ever in this quandary, now you know all you need do is hold the top of the bottle for about a minute with your hand and then the corkscrew will pull out the cork without any trouble and almost no wax in your wine (thankfully).

The next challenge was making sure Grampa did not devour the entire bottle prior to the turkey’s appearance. That was harder to do than removing the cork. He knows a good thing when he tastes it.

The Jean Foillard is ruby red with quick legs. On the nose, it’s clean and developing with medium plus intense aromas of sour cherry, raspberry, cranberry, and slight spice.

The palate is dry with rewarding acidity and light, velvety tannins. Average alcohol with an elegant body, the flavours include pomegranate, sour cherry, cranberry, red plum, strawberry, dried herbs and moss with a slightly smokey quality. Long finish.

Unfiltered and grown organically, this wine shines with beautifully integrated juicy fruit, a light touch of tannin and great acidity. WSET Outstanding – drink now, but may be held for at least 5 more years.

Posted in France, Gamay, RED | Tagged Beaujolais, Côte du Py, france, gamay, Jean Foillard, Morgon AC, red wine | Leave a comment

Bernard Brémont, Millésime, Brut, Grand Cru, Ambonnay, Champagne, France, 12% abv, 2002, C$68

Posted on December 27, 2012 by winellama

Our Boxing Day post-Christmas lunchtime spread called for a bubbly. Out came this delicious Bernard Brémont.

A grower champagne made in the traditional method in the Marne’s Ambonnay at the Champagne house of Bernard Brémont, this champagne is made from 60% Pinot Noir and 40% Chardonnay.

Clear and bright and a shade of pale lemon with clear legs, the Brémont has a feathery, long-lasting mousse.

It’s clean with well-constructed aromas of Granny Smith apples, lime custard, white peach and brioche.

Brut dry with better than average acidity, this champagne has expressive flavours of lime and lemon zest, apple, apricot, ginger and fresh bread with a strong finish.

WSET Very Good quality held in balance by complementary acidity and fruit. Drink now, or may be kept for several years, if you can resist drinking this vintage beauty (we opened it at 10 years).

Posted in Champagne, Chardonnay, France, Pinot Noir, Sparkling Wine | Tagged Ambonnay, Bernard Bremont, brut, champagne, chardonnay, france, Grand Cru, pinot meunier, pinot noir | Leave a comment