Fielding 2008 Pinot Gris

A nice balanced wine that I have paired with seafood and roast chicken legs. I am not a big fan of citrusy wines and this one has just the right balance of sweet. Really decent to drink on the porch/dock on a hot summer night. Available at the LCBO. Recommendation: Buy a couple

Peller 2007 Private Reserve Baco Noir

Excellent Baco noir. Excellent fruit that lingers on the palette. Drink it alone or invite a friend to share ... but it you do, make sure your friend has a smaller glass. Not available at the LCBO. Recommendation: Buy a case.

Wayne Gretzky 2007 No. 99 Cabernet/Merlot

He shoots, he scores! This is one of those hidden gems. Excellent wines and this one is no exception. Great fruit, nice body. Drink it alone or pair it with beef. Both are successful. Available at LCBO. Recommendation: Buy it. Yes, you heard me, Buy it.

Peller 2008 Private Reserve Baco Noir

This is what I expect in a Baco Noir. Nice fruit. Great finish. Not available at LCBO. Recommendation: Buy it.

Lift Haus 2008 Cabernet Franc

Another new PEC winery and this one is family owned. The Cab Franc is nothing to write home about, but is drinkable. Give them a few years and they may be creating some really decent offerings. Not available at LCBO. Recommendation: If you like Cab Franc, buy a bottle. The price is right.

Peller 2007 Private Reserve Gewurztraminer

Peller makes good white wines and their Gewurtz are no exception. This wine is excellent to pair with food or even just sip. Nice and crisp. Not available in LCBO. Recommendation: Good to have in your wine cooler

Fielding 2006 Reserve Pinot Noir

This is more like the kind of wine Fielding is capable of making. Lovely body. Old world, but some complexity. Not available in the LCBO. Recommendation: Grab a couple of bottles for a lamb dinner with guests.

Joke of the Day

A crusty old marine Sergeant Major found himself at a gala event hosted by a local liberal arts college. There was no shortage of extremely young idealistic liberal ladies in attendance, one of whom approached the Sergeant Major for conversation.

"Excuse me, Sergeant Major, but you seem to be a very serious man. Is something bothering you?"

"No, ma'am. Just serious by nature."

The young lady looked at his awards and decorations and said, "It looks like you have seen a lot of action."

"Yes, ma'am, a lot of action."

The young lady, tiring of trying to start up a conversation, said, "You know you should lighten up a little. Relax and enjoy yourself."
 
The Sergeant Major just stared at her in his serious manner. Finally the young lady said, "You know, I hope you don't take this the wrong way, but when was the last time you had sex?"

"1955, ma'am."

"Well, there you are. No wonder you're so serious. You really need to chill out and relax! I mean, no sex since 1955! Come with me."

She took his hand and led him to a private room where she proceeded to "relax" him several times. Afterwards, panting for breath, she leaned against his grizzled bare chest and said, "Wow, you sure didn't forget much since 1955."

The Sergeant Major said in his serious voice, after glancing at his watch, I hope not; it's only 2130 now."

Fielding 2007 Red Conception

Not a favourite of mine, but you might like it if you like Old World Reds. Very earthy. Light bodied. Available at the LCBO. Recommendation: Fielding makes some excellent wines, but this isnt one of them. Give it a pass.

Peller 2008 Private Reserve Sauvignon Blanc

Lovely clean white. Fairly long finish. I had it with chicken and it was excellent. Not available at the LCBO Recommendation: Put a couple bottles in your wine cooler. They wont go to waste.

By Chadsey's Cairns 2007 Gamay Noir

A nice little winery in PEC that makes some middle of the road wines. Occasionally they have a small gem, but this wasnt one of them. Light on the fruit side, light bodied. Not available at the LCBO. Recommendation: Save your money

Joke of the Day

At 85 years of age, Wally married Anne, a gorgeous 25 year old. Since her new husband is so old, Anne decides that after their wedding she and Wally should have separate bedrooms, because she is concerned that her new but aged husband may over exert himself if they spend the entire night together.

After the wedding festivities Anne prepares herself for bed and the expected 'knock' on the door. Sure enough the knock comes, the door opens and there is Wally, her 85 year old groom, ready for action. They unite as one. All goes well, Wally takes leave of his bride, and she prepares to go to sleep.

After a few minutes, Anne hears another knock on her bedroom door, and it's Wally. Again he is ready for more 'action.' Somewhat surprised, Anne consents for more coupling. When the newlyweds are done, Wally kisses his bride, bids her a fond goodnight and leaves.

She is set to go to sleep again, but, aha you guessed it..... Wally is back again, rapping on the door, and is as fresh as a 25-year-old, ready for more 'action.' And, once again they enjoy each other.

But as Wally gets set to leave again, his young bride says to him, "I am thoroughly impressed that at your age you can perform so well and so often. I have been with guys less than a third of your age who were only good once. You are truly a great lover, Wally.'"

Wally, somewhat embarrassed, turns to Anne and says: ....... "You mean I've been here already?"

Organized Crime 2006 The Download (Red Blend)

Another blend from this newish small winery, but this one is a miss. 60% Merlot and 40% Cab Franc. Nice hint of fruit but it tastes like someone literally watered it down. Not available at the LCBO Recommendation: Pass it by

Wild Soul Winery, Stanthorpe, Queensland, Australia.

Stanthorpe, in the Granite Belt, is the the wine and apple region of Queensland, Australia. Located about 3 hours southwest of Brisbane, Stanthorpe is home to over 50 wineries, apple orchards, music festivals and beautiful autumn scenery... far from the palm trees of Brisbane. I stumbled upon Wild Soul around 2002 and fell in love with the wines. They only produce a Cabernet Sauvignon, Shiraz and a Merlot. I have had the 2003, 04, 05 Cab Sav and the Merlot and can heartily say that since I bought them by the case, I must have liked them. They can't be bought in wine shops, only at the vineyard.... worth every mile of the trip. The winery started as a chili farm but the owners found out that it was so expensive to ship chili interstate, with all the state fees and precautions one had to make to keep the shipments free from bugs and bacteria, that they turned it into a winery. The Merlot is one of the smoothest I've ever tasted and never left me feeling like I had too much. But I can say that of most any wine! It's slightly fruity flavour gave it a distinct taste on the palette and the oak overtones were just right, not too overwhelming. The Cab Sav was heartier as it should be. The oak a bit more pronounced but didn't take away from the flavour of the prime rib. If you have a friend going to Brisbane, Australia, make sure they bring you back a bottle or three!

http://www.wildsoul.netfirms.com/wildsoul.netfirms.com/Welcome.html
http://www.granitebeltwinecountry.com.au/accom_result1/wild-soul/

Oak Heights 2007 Pinot Noir

A wine with some good promise. Quite drinkable now, but will do well with another couple of years under its belt. Good fruit. Pairs nicely with leg o' lamb (as if it wouldn't.) Not available at LCBO. Recommendation: Buy a couple of bottles and lay them down for 5 or 6 years.

Peller 2007 Private Reserve Gamay Noir

A very nice Gamay. Lots of fruit. Good balance, great colour. A nice wine to have with Pork. Not available at LCBO. Recommendation: A nice wine to have in your cellar. Don't be afraid to buy a couple.

Vineland Estates 2004 St Urban Riesling

Very nice crisp Riesling from a winery known for its German style whites. Excellent with fish, but I didnt find it drank as well without a food pairing. Vinelands seems to be able to turn out these decent Rieslings and Gewurtztraminers at will. If you can't find the '04 don't worry about it. There is bound to be a more recent vintage that will do the trick. Not available at the LCBO. Recommendation: Make sure you have a couple of these Vineland Rieslings in your cellar

Peller 2002 Private Reserve Chardonnay

An excellent chardonnay and one that you would want in your cellar. Pairs well but also drinks well on its own. Better than average. Not available at LCBO. Recommendation: If you find it, buy a couple.

Legends 2006 Reserve Malbec

I have to admit I was shocked to see a Malbec in a Canadian winery. Imagine my surprise when I sampled it and found it to be quite decent! I admit it is not world class, but it has a nice balance and great fruit.Not available in LCBO. Recommendation: Buy a half case. Its a nice wine to have on hand when company comes over.

Unity 2001 Chardonnay

A really decent wine, well worth the premium. Nice colour, good balance. Something you could give as a Christmas present to that friend you forgot on the list. Not available at the LCBO. Recommendation: pick up a couple of bottles if you can find it.

Oak Heights 2006 Cabernet Franc

A newish winery well off the beaten path in an area not known for wine production. This Cab is a decent red. A nice weight, decent mouth feel and some good fruit. I drank it with some cheese and fruit and it paired quite nicely. It would likely do well with salmon too. Not available at the LCBO. Recommendation: Buy a couple of bottles.

Featherstone 2003 Canadian Oak Chardonnay

A new wine from a new winery. Although this wine is drinkable, it is nothing special. Not available in LCBO. Recommendation: Go ahead and buy it for an emergency. Don't be afraid of it but dont expect too much.

Harbour Estates 2004 Baco Noir

Nice little winery out of the way in the Niagara Benchs. Very friendly people, but thats the nicest thing I can say. The wine starts off nice and fruity but finishes with the distinct taste of tobacco. - no, not smoke, more like drinking an ashtray. This is definitely something you want to avoid. Not available at the LCBO. Recommendation: If you see this wine, don't make eye contact and run away in the opposite direction.

Beringer 2006 Clear Lake Zinfandel

One of the well known and respected names in California wines. The Zin is very nice and fruity without being jammy, but doesnt have the heat that we all like in the better Zins. Excellent for sipping while sitting in front of the fire (but then again what wine isnt?) Not available at the LCBO. Recommendation: A nice wine to have in your cellar. Buy it

Grange 2003 Trumpours Mill Gamay

At the outset I should admit I am not a great fan of The Grange. I find their wines lacking and have to force myself to buy their wines to lay down. Seriously they are/were almost undrinkable in the year of bottling. I mean I have heard of bottle shock, but really! Anyway, I digress. The Gamay is drinkable after a few years, but isnt good enough to want to buy to lay down and wait for the privilege. This particular wine is not very good, but is not quite a dumper. Not at the LCBO (thank goodness) Recommendation: Pass it by

Mountain Road 2001 Chardonnay

Another of those cool "finds" you get driving down backroads in Niagara. The chardonnay was relatively inexpensive for an Ontario wine even with all the taxes . A nice chardonnay at the price and stood up well to the years in the cellar. This winery also sold cheeses. I havent been back in quite a while, but its on my list for my next Niagara visit. If you find it in the LCBO check your calendar and yes, that is the Twilight Zone music playing in the background. Recommendation: If you find it, go ahead and buy it.

Tawse 2002 Chardonnay

A really nice Chardonnay from a relatively new "gravity feed" winery in Niagara. I visited the week after they opened their wine boutique and took a chance on the Chardonnay. I guess I was either smart or lucky. The winery specializes in whites and has done quite well at the competitions. This wine is not available at the LCBO, but you might be able to get them to part with a bottle or two from their library if you visit them. Recommendation: Buy it if you find it.

Reviewed wines availability at LCBO

Per an email request, I will do my best to include a note whether the wine is currently available at the LCBO.

Joke of the Day

Two great white sharks, swimming in the ocean, spied survivors of a sunken ship. "Follow me, son." the father shark said to the son shark and they swam to the mass of people.

"First we swim around them a few times with just the tip of our fins showing." And they did.

"Well done, son! Now we swim around them a few more times with all of our fins showing." And they did.

"Now we eat everybody." And they did.

When they were both gorged, the son asked, "Dad, why didn't we just eat them all at first? Why did we swim around and around them?

His wise father replied, "Because they taste better without the shit inside!"

Rosewood 2007 Pinot Noir

Old World style Pinot Noir. Very drinkable. You can taste barnyard, but a little light on the fruit. Finishes quickly. Would probably nicely accompany a hearty beef dinner with root vegetables. Open this wine and let it breathe. You wont be disappointed. VERY reasonably priced. A nice find.

Changed tracks

Uh oh, switched to "Love On The Rocks"

An Emo day?

Oddly today seems to be a day to hum Neil Diamond's "Solitary Man" over and over. Is there Emo in the air? I will research this and get back to you.

Norman Hardy 2007 County Pinot Noir

Norman Hardy is one of the new breed of winemaker settling in PEC. He works his land and is involved with every aspect of his winery. His Pinot Noir is destined to be one of the best in Canada. The 2007 is of course quite young and very immature, but has decent potential. This is one of those wines that you may want to pay the extra couple of bucks and lay it down for a few years (5-10.) It would not be one you want to drink with dinner tonight. Recommendation: Buy a couple of bottles and lay them down.

Ganton & Larsen Prospect Winery 2007 Pinot Noir

Review from Debbie Levy: "Decided it wasn't good enough for salad dressing. Considered window washer, and decided my windows deserved better. Dump." 'Nuff said.

Lacey Estates 2008 Baco Noir

A new family run winery in PEC produces some interesting new wines. Please note the emphasis should be on the "NEW". It will take a few years for them to produce some quality, but for now don't be afraid to pick up some of their Baco Noir. Drinkable, but nothing to take home to introduce to your Mother.

Biale 2007 Black Chicken Zinfandel

Biale makes a many varietals but if you are a Zin lover, you must try the Black Chicken at least once in your life. Black Chicken is my all-time favourite Zinfandel and this vintage does not disappoint. Even this young, it opens up quite quickly. Make sure you visit their website and read the story about the winery history and where the "Black Chicken" name came from. Black Chicken is rationed so its not easy to find. In Canada you will likely have to find a wine agent to get it for you. Once you have it, try to cellar it for 5-10 years if you can. With that much time to develop, it will be awesome. Recommendation: Buy it. You can thank me later.

Organized Crime 2006 Pipe Down (Red Blend)

Organized Crime is a fairly new smaller winery in Niagara. (Ask them to tell you the story about the name.) The "Pipe Down" is a Petit Verdot, Syrah, Cabernet Sauvignon blend. It is drinkable now, but probably needs another couple of years to develop. Its a good start for the winery, as long as they dont bet the farm on this formula. Drinkable but not something you want to give the Boss at Christmas.

Saturday night at the movies

After playing with metadata for a couple of hours, I switched my attention to watching an old movie. Out of respect for Barbara Billingsly who died Saturday, I settled on Airplane! Funny movie. Highly recommended if you havent seen it.

Keeping an eye out for some excellent reviewers

I hope at some point Michael Pinkus, Shari Darling and Tony Aspler will drop by and say hi. :-)

Bringing things up to date

I have just realized that I have 2 years of wine reviews that will never be made up, but I do have 20 or 30 from relatively recent tastings that I can try to post over the next couple of weeks. If you would like to post wine reviews, please let me know and I will set up admin status for you.
Cheers

The Grange 2004 Trumpour's Mill Gamay Noir

The Gamay is drinkable but barely. I would recommend it for sipping while adding to braising liquids. Definitely something that needs a food accompaniment.

Saturday morning

Today ia a new day. I watched "Pillow Talk" last night and poured a mundane Gamay to go with it. Good movie, bad wine.

Enbridge (the gas company) still hasnt shown up to install the natural gas, so I am still without heat. Its 62°F in my bedroom.

I will take the dogs for their big morning run in an hour or so.

Best movie competition

I have determined Operation Petticoat and The Princess Bride are in direct competition as "best.movie.ever". Father Goose gets an honourable mention

missed wine postings

I had given up on blogging for quite a while but have decided to jump back in. Over the next little while, I will make a series of short posts on some of the recent wines I have sampled. Instead of long descriptive reviews, I will make short comments and recommend or not. Let the sipping begin!

An assortment of ramblings

Friday once again and its time to renew prescriptions for me and for my dogs.

Watched a great movie last night. "Operation Petticoat" with Cary Grant and Tony Curtis is one of my all-time favourites.

I noted that Verizon has announced iPad/MIFI bundles available later this month. Hell finally froze over.

----- Joke of the Day -----

A newfie, who had just moved to BC walked into a bar and ordered three mugs of draught beer. He sat in the back of the room, drinking a sip out of each one in turn. When he finished them, he came back to the bar and ordered three more. The bartender approached and told the newfie, "You know, a mug goes flat after I draw it. It would taste better if you bought one at a time."

The newfie replied, "Well, you see, I have two brothers. One is in Alberta, the other is in Manitoba. When we all left our home in Nfld , we promised that we'd drink this way to remember the days when we drank together. So I'm drinking one beer for each of my brothers and one for myself."

The bartender admitted that this was a nice custom, and left it there.

The newfie became a regular in the bar, and always drank the same way. He ordered three mugs and drank them in turn. One day, he came in and only ordered two mugs. All the regulars took notice and fell silent. When he came back to the bar for the second round, the bartender said softly, "I don't want to intrude on your grief, but I wanted to offer my condolences on your loss."

The newfie looked quite puzzled for a moment, then a light dawned in his eyes and he laughed. "Oh, no, everybody's just fine," he explained, "It's just that my wife and I joined the Baptist Church and I had to quit drinking. ... Hasn't affected my brothers though."

Peller Estates 2004 Heritage Series Baco Noir

Beautiful deep ruby colour. Medium body. Black fruits and plums. Cocoa powder, some hazelnut. No tobacco or spices.

Birchwood Estates 2002 Cabernet Franc

Nice deep ruby colour. Almost nothing on the nose. Medium bodied. Spice up front, some leather, and cedar. Some black fruits. A decent wine at a terrific price.

Black Prince 2003 Chambourcin

Light bodied. Ruby red. Almost nothing on the nose, followed by very light strawberry/cherry. It will remind you of a watery pre-sweetened kool-aid. It might be okay slightly chilled at a summer picnic or bbq.

Cornerstone Select Blend Red

All spice on the nose. Medium body, ruby red. Lots of spice up front. Cloves and allspice. Some leather and cedar. Fruit is well hidden but some cherry comes through on the long finish.

(added Oct 16/2010) Of the 4 bottles I bought, 3 were corked. Very low quality cork was used after bottling. Buyer beware.

Puddicombe 2004 Reisling Reserve

I was hoping for a repeat of the 2003 Reisling, but this one is farmore citrus with very little of the tart granny apple that dominated the previous vintage. Very pale colour. Light body. No viscosity. Lots of citrus (lemon, grapefruit) and a little tart apple.

Peller Estates 2003 Gamay Noir Private Reserve

Ruby red but almost nothing on the nose. Medium body. Red berries, cherry and currant. Some cedar/oak/tobacco. Clean quick finish, with a touch of toabacco on the palate.

Stoney Ridge 2003 Baco Noir Barrel Select

Beautiful deep purple colour. Medium bodied. Quite jammy. Very fruit forward featuring red fruits especially raspberry. Some plum. A little tobacco on the finish.

Quail's Gate 2004 Pinot Noir Family Reserve

Fairly complex. Dark fruits, plum and cherry. Chocolate and coffee. Fairly silky after a couple of hours in the decanter. Definitely needs another couple of years in the cellar.

Lakeview 2002 Cabernet Franc

I nice medium body that leads with black fruit, plum and cedar. Some spice on the finish.

Lakeview 2002 Pinot Noir Reserve

Light bodied. Black cherries with some raspberry. Very fruit forward with a touch of spice on the finish.

Malviore 2004 Gamay

Estate bottled, organic. Light bodied with a lovely cherry taste. Big strawberry comes through right after. Some light floral notes.

Thomas & Vaughan 2002 Cabernet Franc

A nice medium body. Lots of black fruit. Plums, black cherry. A touch of cranberry balanced with some spice and cedar. Excellent value.

Carmella Estates 2005 Cabernet

This is an interesting blend of 60% Cab Sauv and 40% Cab Franc. 10 months in french oak. Some nice black fruits (cassis, blackberry and black cherry) with a touch of leather on the finish. Some hints of licorice. The tasting notes suggest vanilla, but it wasnt there for me.

Carmella Estates 2003 Gamay

I tried this one while visiting Sunday. It is much lighter than one would expect from the beautiful dark ruby colour. Definitely a light-medium body. Lots of sour cherry and a hint of rhubarb. It might be okay on the patio in summer for people who like reds, but not really enough body to match with many foods.

Huff Estates 2005 Gamay

They opened the winery for me on Sunday in the middle of a snow storm. I rather think they didnt expect anyone was stupid enough to brave the snowstorm. All they were offering was the Gamay and an Icewine, so I decided to try the Gamay. I have tried their Gamays in the past and really wasnt expecting much but this wine was quite nice. Sour black cherry, some floral, and some spices. An earthiness on the finish and some tobacco. I also got just a touch of chocolate.

Carmella Estates 2005 Chardonnay Sur Lie

I tried this on the weekend and it was a bit of a shocker. Absolutely outstanding on the nose. Buttered popcorn, some caramel, the flavours burst out of the glass. The actual taste was quite different. Pretty much a light citrus taste and virtually nothing more. No finish at all. Quite a disappointment.

Hillebrand 2004 Muscat Reserve

Pale straw in colour. Definite notes of Honeydew melon. Some hints of lime and pineapple.

Creekside Signature 2000 Cabernet Sauvignon

Black fruits on the nose. Deep garnet colour. Black fruits (blackberry, boysenberry, etc.) Some acidity followed by earthy spice notes. Lingering finish.

Maleta 2002 Shiraz

I opened this to have with a nice venison steak. The wine is a deep ruby and is medium bodied. Tart cherry taste, and didnt really want to open up even though it was allowed to breathe for a couple of hours. A little spice, but not much here.

Peninsula Ridge 2004 Viognier

I bought this on my first trip to this winery. The tasting bar was packed with a bus tour and I bought the Viognier without tasting it ... big mistake. The wine is pale in colour and tastes of citrus. There is a hint of honeydew on the finish, but it is brief and doesnt really balance the acidity. All in all a disappointment.

Maleta 2002 Gamay

Another surprise. This is a small winery that is just a little off the beaten path. The winery is a pretty ruby and is medium bodied. Lots of sour cherry, with a hit of chocolate on the finish. A decent wine.

Wine clubs in Ontario

When I was in Niagara, I decided to join a few more wine clubs. In addition to Peller, I am now looking forward to monthly selections from Puddicombe, Fielding and Vinelands Estates. Thanks to Lindsay (at Puddicombe), Joe (at Vinelands) and Heidi (at Fieldings.)

EastDell Estates 2002 Red Cab

I allowed this wine to breathe for 2 hours before sampling. This is a blend of cab Franc and Gamay. I think the winemaker was drinking a different wine - based on his notes versus my experience. The wine is medium bodied (at best.) While the winemaker 's notes suggest blueberry and raspberry, I did get some raspberry, but lots of unpleasant acidity and no blueberry. I also had earthiness and harshness, rather than "soft and supple." This isnt something you would pour out, but you really wouldnt want to cellar it.

Peller Estates 2002 Cabernet Sauvignon Signature Series

I went to Peller on Saturday and had dinner at the restaurant. I have always liked the '02 Cab Sauv and decided to have a glass (or two) of the Signature series with dinner. Full-bodied. Black berries and plums on the nose. Deep reddish-purple. Tastes of plum, black cherries. A wonderful accompaniment with the venison.

Coyote Run 2004 Off-Dry Reisling

I bought this on my first extended weekend trip to Niagara. This was the first stop and the winery's boutique had only been open for a week. I decided to buy this wine blind - with a thought that I would return later.

Nice clean pale straw colour. Tropical fruits on the nose. Grapefruit comes through with some pineapple. Crisp and a bit too much acidity. The notes claim lychee, but it didn't happen for me. A reasonable first attempt.

Fielding 2005 Pinot Gris

Absolutely gorgeous colur. A lovely amber with just a touch of blush. Terrific balance of sweetness and tartness. Grapefruit/tangerine comes through and quickly balanced with peach and melon. If you can find it, buy it.

Cornerstone Estate 2004 Select Blend Red

A blend of Gamay and Pinot Noir. Medium bodied. There seems to be more Gamay than Pinot to my taste. Lots of earthiness and cloves. Some cherry in the background, but slightly overwhelmed by the tabacco and earth. A bit of a long finish that isnt unpleasant. Inexpensive, but not something you want keep in your cellar.

Birchwood Estates 2002 Pinot Noir

I wasnt hoping for much, but this wine was a very pleasant surprise. Light to Medium bodied. Definite sweet cherry, with some red tart fruit that balances extremely well. A definite keeper.

Lang Vineyards 2005 Viognier

The "Soaring Eagle" Limited Edition. "limited"? maybe that's for the best. Very pale colour. The nose promises peach, but the wine fails to deliver. Very light citrus taste with lots of acidity, but no sweetness to balance. The citrus is hard to describe. Its a bit like lemon water. Pass it by.

Lakeview Cellars 2002 Baco Noir Reserve

I decided to make a moose stew and wanted to use a Baco with the stock. I chose this wine assuming it had matured enough over the past 4 years. The best I can say about the wine is that it has a beautiful deep dark red. Tastes of cranberries and tobacco with some earthiness and a hint of chocolate. After 3 hours of breathing it was still tart - almost as though it hadn't been decanted. A disappointment.

La Frenz 2005 Alexandria

I bought this blind when I was in BC and have been looking forward to it for months. Its a Viognier blend and lives up to the winemakers reputation. Very pale colour but lots of legs - even a bit viscous. Tastes of honeydew melon, orange and some grapefruit. A hint of honey. definitely on the sweet side and very little acidity. Lovely clean honey/orange finish. If you are a Viognier fan, you are going to love this one.

Gray Monk 2005 Pinot Gris

A beautiful amber colour with tones of peach/rose. Absolutely stunning to look at. Tastes of grapefruit and peach with a hint of pear. A nice balance of sweetness with the sour, but a tad acid. Nice clean finish.

RidgePoint Wines 2002 Merlot

Ridgepoint is one of the newer wineries in Niagara. The 02 Merlot is almost invisible on the nose (hints of plum and spice), but lots of red fruit and pepper to taste. The finish is quite long. It probably needs some more time in the cellar.

Lakeview Cellars 2002 Pinot Noir Reserve

Coming soon

Thomas & Vaughan 2002 Cabernet Franc

Coming soon

Lakeview Cellars 2000 Marechal Foch

Coming soon

Stoney Ridge Estate Winery 2002 Pinot Noir

Light-bodied. A bit jammy with tastes of tobaccco, leather and black cherry. I bit of a lingering tobacco finish. Probably needs a couple of years for the tannins to develop more completely.

Peller Estates 2002 Cabernet Franc Private Reserve

Beautiful deep purple colur. Lots of sweet black fruits (plums, currants, etc.) Some spice. Medium body. A nice lingering finish.

Jackson-Triggs 2002 Cabernet Sauvignon Proprieters Reserve

A beautiful deep purple colour and lots of legs. Hints of black cherry and plum with notes of chocolate and tobacco. Some pepper. Nice clean finish.

Puddicombe Estate 2001 Pinot Noir

Coming soon ...

Peller Estates 2002 Cabernet Sauvignon Private Reserve

Pretty garnet colour and decent legs. Medium bodied with tastes of boysenberry and other red fruits. A little chocolate on the finish.

Mountain Road 2000 Gamay

I had Russian food again for dinner and decided to open the Gamay for a nice change. I bought this wine on a whim, knowing that was probably not going to set my world on fire. I was right.

The wine is not very complex but it has a nice deep red colour and does exhibit some legs. Tastes of sour cherry and some earthy tones, but not much else. The sour cherry follows through the finish, which is long and not completely pleasant. A bit too much acidity and nothing to balance.

Pillitteri 1999 Cabernet Franc Family Reserve

What to choose after a 3 hour car ride, 5 hours of work and a 3 hour return ride. The cabernet virtually jumped out of the winerack.

Nce deep colour, decent legs and a lovely first impression. Black cherry, pepper, chocolate and even some coffee. A beautiful clean finish. Definitely recommended

Ridgepoint Wines 2002 Pinot Nior

I found a new Russian kitchen in the city and bought some things that looked great or they recommended (most I couldnt pronounce other than the borscht.) When I got home I had to decide which wine to open. I have been looking for an opportunity to try this Pinot Noir, so I took the chance.

The wine is a nice colour, exhibits some legs and tastes of cherry and some earthy notes. While the tasting notes suggest hints of licorice and eucalyptus, they werent present for me. This is a very easy wine to drink and has a very pleasant lingering finish.

Jackson-Triggs 2002 Proprieters Reserve Merlot

I went to the butchers after I left the office and found a lovely thick rib eye steak, so a Merlot was a natural wine selection. As I searched through the wine racks, I chanced upon the J-T '02 Merlot. This particular bottle was a Christmas gift from Judy. She swears she bought it just because it was from BC and it had my initials (JT) on the foil.

The wine is everything that you would want in a Merlot. A beautiful deep colour and big legs. Hints of black cherry and plum with notes of chocolate and tobacco. Very clean finish. Definitely a keeper.

Long Dog Winery 2002 Pinot Noir

I was really hoping for more from this winery. The winery itself is quite new, but the vineyard is known for producing some excellent crops of grapes. Unfortunately, the result of this crop is quite disappointing. The wine is weak in all regards - weak colour, weak body and weak taste. As I recall, it was over-priced as well. The best that can be said about it is that it does finish quite cleanly. Pass it by.

Ridgepoint Wines 2002 Nebbiolo

Nebbiolo is known as a very difficult grape, but Ridgepoint has done an admirable job. The wine is a beautiful deep burgundy colour, has decent legs and has the body of a pinot. But the most noticeable is the floral tones. The violet is immediate on the nose and follows to the mouth. A nice long finish.

I understand Ridgepoint have limited Nebbiolo vines. Lets hope the weather cooperates and they have some decent crops. Apparently Ridgepoint wants to make a name for themselves with Nebbiolo. They may very well do it if they can stay on this track.

Tinhorn Creek 2005 Oldfield's Collection

A Bucket of Wine and a Pail of Oysters

I am really a red wine fan, but I have discovered a white wine that I really love. Tinhorn Creek, Oldfield's Collection, "2 Bench" 2005. This is a complex blend from grapes grown on both benches in the South Okanagan-the eastern Black Sage Bench and the western Golden Mile Bench. This is a refreshing, lip smacking blend of Semillon 47%, Chardonnay 25%, Sauvignon Blanc 21% and Gewurztraminer 7%. Aromas of pears, tropical fruits and citrus notes with light pineapple flavors. The finish is clean. This wine will only get better with age. Now off to the back yard with my bucket of wine and my pail of oysters. Oh, did I mention that this is the perfect wine with Pacific, BC oysters?

Burrowing Owl 2004 Syrah

Burrowing Owl Estate Winery, 2004 Syrah

Now this is Syrah the way it should be. I had to stand in line for this one and even at that it was only one bottle per customer. A deep ruby red in color with purple edges. An aroma of dark plums and flavors of ripe black cherries, cola, licorice and just a hint of spice. A nice lingering finish. This is a great food wine. Ready to drink now or hold onto for a couple of years. Hmmm, I know Jim has a couple of bottles in his wine cellar. Shall we head over there for one of those famous Bar-B-Ques that he's always bragging about?

Vineland Estates 2002 Reserve Meritage

A white meritage? Whodda thunk it? A beautifully crafted wine. Light amber in colour and great legs. Loads of tropical fruits - especially pineapple. A nice smooth finish. Definitely a winner.

Wine bottle deposit/refund announced

This weekend the Premier of Ontario announced that Ontario would implement a wine/liquor bottle deposit/refund system in February of 2007. Apparently, the bottles are to be returned to the beer store. Government cash grab or publicity stunt before a by-election ... you be the judge.

In any case, I guess I am going to save my empty wine bottles until February and turn them in then instead of recycling them now. I may have to hire Brinks to carry the money home.

Kacaba 2000 Cabernet Sauvignon

As cheap as I am, I am always looking for a little hidden gem and I was hoping to find something special here. Beautiful dark red colour, but little legs. Some decent red fruits and a bit of a long-ish finish. Drinkable but not very memorable.

Willow Heights 1998 Chardonnay Reserve

This chardonnay is a wine you would be happy to serve guests ... and even happier to squirrel away for yourself. A beautiful gold colour. Buttery with nice oak. Taste of pear and melon. A lovely clean finish.

Willow Heights 2002 Cabernet Sauvignon

I was really looking forward to this wine. A decent winery, and an excellent year for Cabs in Niagara. Nice colour but virtually no legs. Some red fruits, but washed out with no complexity. A clean finish but a real disappointment overall.

Ridgepoint Wines 2001 Cabernet Sauvignon

Okay, I know this is a young winery and I assume they have very young vines so I have tempered the review to be fair. I chose this wine to have with venison, corn-on-the-cob and brussel sprouts (all on the bbq) and stilton. Nice deep ruby colour, but less body than one would expect. Sour cherry flavour and not much complexity. A decent attempt, but needs work. Hopefully their '02s will be better. Stay tuned.