Archive for June, 2018

In the past few weeks, we’ve had the opportunity to try a couple of wines from Troon Vineyard that were new to us and made mostly from Italian varieties. As reported previously, this southern Oregon winery is producing exciting bottlings using varieties that you might not expect in that neck of the woods, so we were only too eager to try them and see what they have to offer. We invited our good friends Shar Douglas and Ken Hebenstreit to sample them with us, and Shar offered to make dinner, so we were set to go and in like Flynn.

2016 Troon Vineyard Montepulciano Applegate Valley Kubli Bench Estate Bottled, 11.5% alc., $25: Clean dark garnet color, with a spicy black cherry nose that carries over on to the palate with a decidedly earthy base. Full bodied and structured for five years or more in the cellar, and while it’s good now with lamb kabobs and rice, it’ll be even better in a few years. Shar added an impression of smoke on the nose; this smoky character does set tone to the wine’s character as it opens, and that’s a good thing. 146 cases produced. Find this wine

2016 Troon Vineyard Sangiovese, Applegate Valley, Kubli Bench Estate Bottled, 12.5% alc., $25: Clean, dark color, with earthy dried cherry and black cherry flavors and aromas. Medium-medium-full bodied, and like the Montepulciano, structured for a good five years or more in the cellar. It opens nicely with a little air, some spicy notes add interest and appeal, and it too makes a good match for the lamb kabobs and rice. “It’s more spicy than the Montepulciano, with less smoke,” adds Shar, and I would agree completely. 194 cases produced. Find this wine

Neither of these two fine reds “wowed” us like several of the French varieties from Troon that we’ve tried, and they aren’t meant to. General Manager Craig Camp describes a “unique touch of bitterness that makes them come alive when paired with a wonderful meal,” as the main reason he’s been enamored with Italian reds for decades, and these both have a bit of that bitterness. Both come off more “Italian” as they continue to open; they are very nice with the meal Shar served and they’re fairly priced for what’s in the bottles. I’m pretty sure that’s exactly what Troon crafted them to do.

Here’s a little background info on these two, as provided by Craig Camp: “Both of these wines are produced from mature vines in our estate vineyards here in the Applegate Valley from the warm 2016 vintage. Both are co-fermented with a small percentage of syrah, which we like to include for a bit of structure and to enhance aromatics. All of the fruit is from our LIVE and Salmon Safe Certified vineyard. Our goal is to achieve our biodynamic certification by 2020.

Each was crafted followed by our established winemaking philosophy, which means crushing by foot followed by native yeast fermentation and hand punch downs in 1 ton fermenters. No acids, sugar, enzymes or additives are used. After fermentation the wines were pressed into mature French Oak Burgundy barrels where they matured for twelve months. No new oak barrels are used.”

Reporting from Day-twah,
Bastardo

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Unfortunately, I do not have a lot of notes to report on from this release of June 23rd. The board shipped the usual quantity of wines to taste, but most were from the upcoming release scheduled for July 7th. Nonetheless, with due diligence, I offer my thoughts on several of the wines to hit the shelves this coming weekend.

677476 JIM BARRY THE COVER DRIVE CABERNET SAUVIGNON 2014 Coonawarra, South Australia $19.95
Heaps of dark fruit and sweet spice, backed up with earthy and mineral notes, a touch of lead pencil and tobacco. A lovely roundness on the palate, concentrated flavours of Cassis, sleek, slender and well balanced. Find this wine

377036 WAKEFIELD JARAMAN SHIRAZ 2016 McLaren Vale/Clare Valley, South Australia $24.95
Lots of dark sweet fruit, cake spice, sweet chocolate and cracked black pepper. The palate is chunky and globby, but the acidity does its job to mellow it out. A little over the top for me; the coconut is bold, but good dark fruit flavours do shine on the finish. Find this wine

478271 SISTER’S RUN OLD TESTAMENT CABERNET SAUVIGNON 2016 Coonawarra, South Australia $16.95
An interesting meld of plum, cherry and blackberry with hints of clay, mint, shoe polish, iron and even a bloody note. The fully expressed palate has a creamy texture and features Bounty candy bar, pure dark fruit, vibrant acidity and a long and tasty finish. A good value summer quaffer. Find this wine

562892 CONCHA Y TORO TERRUNYO PEUMO VINEYARD BLOCK 27 CARMENÈRE 2016 Peumo, Cachapoal Valley $34.95
A delightful wine loaded with heady aromas of red fruit, black raspberry, plum, and cedar. There is a backdrop of wet earth, lead pencil and potato peel. The palate is silky, showing off delightful flavours of blackberry, currant and eucalyptus. Find this wine

060020 SEQUOIA GROVE CABERNET SAUVIGNON 2014 Napa Valley $69.95
The aromas of black raspberry, currant and mint are enhanced by a touch of star anise and clove. The ripe palate is focused on blackcurrant, some tannins make their presence known and vanilla pops up on the finish. Find this wine

054841R. STUART & CO. BIG FIRE PINOT NOIR 2014 Willamette Valley $27.95
From the get go, this wine throws off really odd medicinal aromas, a strong herbaceous note, red apple and funk. Its palate is redolent of flat cola with coffee grounds and dried fruit. To me it is simply awful, but James Suckling touts this wine and as it garnered 93 points. Not sure we had the same wine here! Find this wine

446401 ROGER & DIDIER RAIMBAULT SANCERRE ROUGE 2015 $31.95
Pinot as cooler climate Pinot should be. Raspberry and bright cherry notes appear alongside mineral, wet soil, dried herbs and Szechwan peppercorns. It has a lightly structured palate, but well balanced, lots of plum and raspberry notes, milky chocolate and gentle tannins. Not a bargain basement price, but still a decent wine. Find this wine

487090 TORNATORE NERELLO MASCALESE/NERELLO CAPPUCCIO 2015 Etna Rosso $22.95
Although this blend from Sicily (95% Nerello Mascalese and 5% Nerello Cappuccio) has a very light robe, underneath there’s a fair bit going on. Dark cherry, cola, caramel and balsa lead to dry palate of stewed fruit. Some dusty tannins and decent acidity. Find this wine

716266 SAN FELICE IL GRIGIO CHIANTI CLASSICO RISERVA 2014 $28.95
Bright and gutsy, laden with raspberry anise and sweet cherry aromas. Pretty full bodied, showing good structure, whilst at this juncture, the tannin is in control. Nevertheless, the trodden notes of red fruit, sweet spice and promise good things to come. Find this wine

Cheers,
CZ

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Milestone Moments is the theme for June the 9th. Vintages is releasing wines that have changed the direction of the wine world. It’s an odd choice, but nonetheless, here are my thoughts on some of the wines available.

ONTARIO

068825 HIDDEN BENCH FUMÉ BLANC 2016 Rosomel Vineyard, Beamsville Bench, Niagara Escarpment$29.95
Hidden Bench is clearly one of the top producers in the Niagara region. Their barrel-fermented Sauvignon Blanc, AKA Fume Blanc, gives up aromas of tangerine, grapefruit, melon and honey. The palate has bench deep mineral flavours along with lime leaf, lemon Thyme, citrus and vanilla. It is beautifully balanced with good length on the finish. Find this wine

USA

046342 PAUL DOLAN ZINFANDEL 2015 Mendocino County $29.95
A mix of clay, mineral, dried herbs, plum, blueberry, red currant and spicy Szechwan peppercorn. Its palate is tight, but the fruit is there and will be released once the tannin subsides. Lovely plum and toffee notes on the finish. Find this wine

708982 STAG’S LEAP WINE CELLARS ARTEMIS CABERNET SAUVIGNON 2015 Napa Valley $84.95
This blend of 94% Cabernet Sauvignon, 5% Merlot and 1% Petit Verdot has pure Cassis/Ribena essence that is supported with layers of Fry’s chocolate cream and raspberry ripple. However, there is far more to this wine than the shop floor of a candy factory. It also shows notes of mocha, espresso, plum and Asian spice. Tannins are gentle allowing the dark fruit to shine; the sweetness is balanced by perfect acidity. Find this wine

269357 CHATEAU STE. MICHELLE CABERNET SAUVIGNON 2015 Columbia Valley $21.95
Dark fruit, leather, forest floor and sweet spice aromas carry through to a palate of chewy chocolate, currant and plum. Find this wine

715979 RAYMOND RESERVE SELECTION CABERNET SAUVIGNON 2015 Napa Valley $44.95
Warm blackcurrant, touch of clay and mineral, solid palate, chunky, but full of creamy dark fruit, cocoa and gentle tannins. Find this wine

NEW ZEALAND

063941 MAHI SAUVIGNON BLANC 2015 Marlborough, South Island $20.95
All the usual suspects, gooseberry, kiwi and grapefruit line up. The palate is a little fat, but carries nice flavours of candied lime, tree fruit and melon. This is worth chilling and popping the cork for an opener to a summer barbecue. Find this wine

SOUTH AFRICA

556365 L’AVENIR FAR & NEAR CHENIN BLANC 2017 Stellenbosch $15.95
An interesting quaffer, laden with notes of honey, lime and pineapple leading to a high acid palate of guava, ripe pear and grapefruit. Find this wine

129353 THE CHOCOLATE BLOCK 2016 Swartland $39.95
This ripe and polished blend of Syrah with Grenache, Cabernet Sauvignon, Cinsaut and Viognier is brimming with notes of blackberry, olive, blackcurrant, flint, mineral and chalk. Its palate is leathery, somewhat harsh, full of dark fruit and black pepper, but once this baby settles down, it will deliver much pleasure for sure. Find this wine

FRANCE

363101 CHÂTEAU DES LANDES CUVÉE PRESTIGE 2014 Lussac-Saint-Émilion $25.95
An interesting nose showing plum, currant, black raspberry, lead pencil and lavender. There is pleasing red fruit on the palate, but it is still so tannic and very astringent on the finish. Its future, who knows! Find this wine

711317 CHÂTEAU DE BEAUCASTEL CHÂTEAUNEUF-DU-PAPE 2015 $93.95
Layers of plum and black raspberry are pushed up by notes of tar, coal dust, juniper, dried cherry, black tea and Dutch licorice. Plenty of silky dark fruit on the palate, lively acidity, but the tannins are threatening and will soon shut this wine down. As usual, it will take time for it to rest and show its best. Find this wine

069518 DOMAINE POULLEAU PÈRE & FILS LES MONDES RONDES 2013 Côtes de Beaune $38.95
Floral and perfumed, lots of red fruit, macerated cherry, licorice root and earthy beet. As unique as the nose is, the palate shows overly mature fruit with cola flavours and sadly, the finish drops off way to soon. Find this wine

ITALY & SPAIN

216457 PIETRA PURA MANDUS PRIMITIVO DI MANDURIA 2016 $18.95
Bold and revealing, whiffs of plum, blueberry, cake spice, lavender and Licorice Allsorts. It is quite sweet, but the creaminess and decent level of acidity tones it down. It is chunky, fun to drink and it finishes with notes of anise and burnt sugar. Find this wine

606921 MASI GRANDARELLA REFOSCO 2013 Refosco delle Venezie $28.95
Levels of dried fruit are high, but the notes of marshmallow, lavender, cake spice, and dried flowers stimulate interest. It has a silky palate featuring cherry brandy, strawberry coulis, dark fruit and balsa. Find this wine

209148 MARQUÉS DE MURRIETA FINCA YGAY RESERVA 2014 Rioja $34.95
Dark fruit, Chinese dried mushrooms, cherry liqueur and mocha on the nose. A ripe, but dusty palate with plenty of tannins powdery cocoa and bright acidity. Find this wine

FLAGSHIP WINES

Flagship wines are now not just for those residing in Ontario’s uppity neighbourhoods. Now these wines are available through the LCBO’s online ordering system.

496646 CHÂTEAU BROWN 2010 Pessac-Léognan, Bordeaux, France $66.95
Bordeaux as Bordeaux should be, juicy blackcurrant, blackberry and plum reinforced by layers of wet earth, tar, leather and Maltesers. Its construction is solid, the fruit shines, but tannins are still powerful. Best to give this wine some time as it does has great potential. Find this wine

337048 MARCHESI DI BAROLO SARMASSA BAROLO 2013 Piedmont, Italy $77.95
Notes of caramel, cedar, plum, dark roasted coffee beans and mineral with a chewy palate full of blackberry, cinnamon, Moroccan spice and mocha flavours. . Indeed, it is a lovely wine, or it will be as the tannins grip tightly. It too will need years to show its best. Find this wine

327452 GLENMORANGIE SIGNET HIGHLAND SINGLE MALT Scotland $337.95
I wish I could drink Scotch. Due to an incident in my teens, I can’t tolerate. I always try it and I really love the aromatics this Scotch shows, dried orange peel, tangerine, candied citrus and treacle. The palate is where it goes pear shaped. I just can’t handle the heat! Scotch lovers will find much pleasure with this bottle.

Cheers,
CZ

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I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again; rosé isn’t just a warm weather libation here at Adams-Heritier & Associates, because we drink the stuff the whole year round. Spring IS the time of year when many producers, importers and distributors like to roll out their fresh pink products, and that makes good business sense. We received a nice package from our friends at Tablas Creek Vineyard a few weeks ago, and the hot Memorial Day weekend seemed like the perfect time to twist the Stelvins off of their two rosés and taste what they have to offer. Not surprisingly (we’ve tried several successive vintages now), they did not disappoint in the least.

2017 Tablas Creek Vineyard Patelin de Tablas Rosé Paso Robles, 64% Grenache, 29% Mourvedre, 5% Syrah, 2% Counoise, 13.0% alc., $25.00: Not too pale, and peachy pink in color, with with attractive strawberry and sea air aromatics; straightforward strawberry watermelon flavors shaded with some chalky mineral. Medium bodied, but not lightweight, with good acids and length, and there’s a subtle creamy undertone here in character and texture. Hits all the right buttons for this taster when it comes to dry rosé, so let’s have another glass! 3770 cases produced. Find this wine

2017 Tablas Creek Vineyard Dianthus Paso Robles, 49% Mourvedre, 39% Grenache, 12% Counoise, 14.1% alc., $30.00: This shows an intense strawberry pink color, and while it’s not as generous aromatically as the Patelin, it’s more fruit forward than the paler selection. It’s also a little thicker and more dense than the Patelin; rich and intense, with raspberry, strawberry and cherry characteristics, laced with some mineral. Medium bodied, and maybe a little more, with ample acids and good length. Bold, baby, bold. 1625 cases produced. Find this wine

True to form with previous vintages, the Patelin is more Euro in style, while the Dianthus is more new world, and while I slightly prefer the first for those reasons, both offer plenty of pleasurable drinking. We enjoyed them while reminiscing fondly about our 2010 visit with Jason Haas at Tablas Creek. As we were finishing up our lunch that day, Jason called his father Bob over from an adjacent table and we had a pleasant chat with the venerable founder of Vineyard Brands and co-founder of Tablas Creek. Robert Haas passed away on March 18 at his home in Paso Robles. We drank a toast to his life, his illustrious career and his many achievements.

Reporting from Day-twah,
Bastardo