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| Saturday, 11 April 2009 00:00 | |
Vintages Release: May, 2009  Keltie Brook Merlot 2004 North Coast, California $23.95 (104141) 13.5% alcohol This is a gorgeous Merlot from MacRostie Winery and Vineyards. This wine has a big fruit nose with layers of musty earth and a touch of spice. It’s silky smooth on the palate with a medium body and flavours of chocolate and blackberry jam. There are still tannins to spare, if you want to cellar this for a few more years, but the tannins are beautifully integrated making this wine ready to drink right now. Enjoy it with a medium-rare pepper steak. (DI)  Cuvaison Chardonnay 2007 Carneros, Napa Valley, California $25.95 (988261) 14.5% alcohol Here’s an attractive Chardonnay from one of the cooler climate regions of California. This wine has a predominant nose of smoked oyster with layers of tropical fruit. It’s clean and crisp on the palate with a medium body, good acidity for balance and flavours of apple and pineapple. Try this wine with grilled Cornish hen. (DI) Cuvaison Pinot Noir 2006 Carneros, Napa Valley, California $42.95 (714519) 14.5% alcohol This wine hits you right away with a big nose of cherry and spice with an added touch of dry leaves and barnyard. It’s a bit more reserved on the palate with red jammy flavours supported by a medium body, medium acidity, and medium tannin. You could put this in the cellar for a year or two, but why not pull it out this fall and have it with your Thanksgiving turkey. (DI) Vintages Release: June, 2009  Clay Station Viognier 2007 Lodi, California $17.95 (25411) This is a stand-out among Viogniers tasted and was a double-gold winner at the 2008 California State Fair. It has a very expressive nose of nectar, honeysuckle, pear and peach. On the palate it’s medium bodied with crisp acidity and loads of fruit flavour. All this flavour and value is partially explained by their free-draining soils, sustainable viticulture practices and unique terroir—set high above the valley floor with cooling evening breezes. Enjoy with steamed white fish with a mango salsa. (DI) Gnarly Head ‘Old Vines’ Zinfandel 2007 Lodi, California $17.95 (678698) 14.5% alcohol The old "gnarly" vines that grow the fruit for this wine are free standing and head-trained (as opposed to growing on a trellis) and must therefore be harvested by hand. This helps deliver a wine with a complex nose of musty earth, dry leaves, smoke and vanilla. On the palate it has a full body, lots of fruit, tart acidity and alcohol. It's a real mouthful that leaves a long lingering pie cherry finish. A great BBQ wine that is also great value. (DI) Vintages Release: July, 2009 Ravenswood ‘Lodi’ Zinfandel 2006 Lodi, California $22.95 14.5% alcohol This wine is part of Ravenswood’s "County Series" and is 84% Zinfandel with Petite Sirah making up the bulk of the difference. It gives off muted smoke, cedar with spicy notes on the nose exploding with sour cherry in the mouth. The medium tannins and medium length finish make this a very approachable wine that would be well matched with peppered meat loaf. (DI) DeLoach ‘Russian River Valley’ Pinot Noir 2007 Russian River Valley, California $29.95 14.5% alcohol This is a nicely structured light-bodied Pinot with a light raspberry nose. You’ll find medium tannin and tart acidity. Flavours of cherry and raspberry linger in a pleasantly mouthwatering long finish. The fruit was hand picked then fermented in small open-top wooden vats and aged in French oak. Enjoy with pork tenderloin or duck. (DI) Cline 'los carneros' Viognier 2007 Carneros, California $14.95 14% alcohol This wine has a very pleasant nose of orange blossoms, honey and pear. The pear continues right through to the finish, and is balanced by a dry and crisp acidity and a medium-to-full body. The grapes were handpicked and de-stemmed without being crushed and the wine is unoaked—all showcasing the pure fruit flavours. Enjoy with Asian dishes such as Thai green curry. (DI) Vintages Release: Summer, 2009 Loredona Syrah Rosé 2007 California $TBD This is a definite summer-sipper, but without the cloying sweetness of some California rosés. Instead, you get lots of strawberry on the nose and the palate, a medium-to-light body, crisp acidity and just a hint of sweetness. Drink this on the back deck with some savoury hors d'oeuvres while firing up the grill at your summer BBQ party. (DI) Z52 'Agnes Vineyard Old Vines’ Zinfandel 2005 Lodi, California $28.95 14.9% alcohol This wine is big! There’s an expressive nose of plum and blackberry with hints of spice. On the palate the acidity starts low giving you the full impact of the big chewy fruit and the full bodied style. It then turns it on to lead you to a balanced tart finish. Ever present and underneath is the big alcohol that simply cannot be ignored. Enjoy it with a slab-sized serving of BBQ ribs. (DI) |
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| Last Updated ( Thursday, 09 April 2009 16:28 ) |