2006 Year End Wines
Over the 2006 Christmas season I had a few nice wines which I’ll share in this post. Nothing too over the top here, just tasty decently priced wines.
2004 'Bushvine' Grenache – Yalumba
At first I get lovely aromas of strawberry and a little raspberry with some spicy elements of vanilla bean and cloves. Nice firm tannins and a long finish with a touch of chocolate. After some time in the glass the spicy accents come out more, as well as some gamey/bacon hints. 91 from Wine Spectator. A sturdy wine for hearty meals. $19.95 90
2005 Pinot Gris – Grove Mill
This was a little riper than I would have liked, but still quite expressive. Some pear/melon that you might expect, but tropical aromas of passion fruit and ripe peach dominate the nose. There is a little spice and acid to balance it somewhat. Some people enjoyed this, but it wasn’t my preference. $19.95 87
2002 Cabernet Sauvignon Reserve - Raymond
Very well executed; great balance! Very ripe plum and black cherries, caramel and a hint of pepper from the barrel toasting. It reminds me of Black Forest cake. Very fine polished tannins add to the gulpability of this wine. It could stand up to Cabs that are more expensive; I would go as far as to say the 2003 Ornellaia which retails at $139.95 isn’t that much better. It was rated 90 by Wine Enthusiast, which I think is rather conservative. $31.95 92
2005 Sauvignon Blanc – Dog Point
It is very crisp and zippy with gooseberry, passion fruit, and a little orange note in there too. Exactly what you’d expect from a good NZ Sauv. Passion fruit dominates the palate with the excellent acidity begging for some food. I agree with the Wine Spectator rating of 91. $19.95 91
2003 ‘Cosecha’ Crianza – Condado de Haza
This tasty wine comes from the Ribera del Duero region of Spain. It has a distinctly Spanish Old World character to it with a medicinal slightly cherry, sour plum, and cedar/sandalwood profile. Rugged tannins with woody chocolate accents add depth. International Wine Cellar gives it a 90, which is fair but the description makes it sound like something it’s not (at least to me). $24.95 89+
2004 Gewürztraminer Reserve – Pelee Island Winery
This Gewürz is clean with good weight, and a little mineral with rose petal and lychee nut on the nose. The lychee is more like longan (a fruit related to lychee) in taste with Turkish Delight candy. A good example of this varietal in Ontario. $14.95 89
2002 Cahors – Château de Haute-Serre
Rich nose of ripe red fruit, vanilla, chocolate and a hint of cedar. A very gulpable Malbec in an almost more New World style. approx. $18 89
2002 Saint-Emillion – Christian Moueix
Lighter in body than I was expecting, with sour cherry, plum, slight mineral, and a nice bay leaf accent. Healthy tannins and finish, but definitely not in the same style as the Cahors above. 4/5 from Wine Access. $11.45 for 375mL 88
2004 'Bushvine' Grenache – Yalumba
At first I get lovely aromas of strawberry and a little raspberry with some spicy elements of vanilla bean and cloves. Nice firm tannins and a long finish with a touch of chocolate. After some time in the glass the spicy accents come out more, as well as some gamey/bacon hints. 91 from Wine Spectator. A sturdy wine for hearty meals. $19.95 90
2005 Pinot Gris – Grove Mill
This was a little riper than I would have liked, but still quite expressive. Some pear/melon that you might expect, but tropical aromas of passion fruit and ripe peach dominate the nose. There is a little spice and acid to balance it somewhat. Some people enjoyed this, but it wasn’t my preference. $19.95 87
2002 Cabernet Sauvignon Reserve - Raymond
Very well executed; great balance! Very ripe plum and black cherries, caramel and a hint of pepper from the barrel toasting. It reminds me of Black Forest cake. Very fine polished tannins add to the gulpability of this wine. It could stand up to Cabs that are more expensive; I would go as far as to say the 2003 Ornellaia which retails at $139.95 isn’t that much better. It was rated 90 by Wine Enthusiast, which I think is rather conservative. $31.95 92
2005 Sauvignon Blanc – Dog Point
It is very crisp and zippy with gooseberry, passion fruit, and a little orange note in there too. Exactly what you’d expect from a good NZ Sauv. Passion fruit dominates the palate with the excellent acidity begging for some food. I agree with the Wine Spectator rating of 91. $19.95 91
2003 ‘Cosecha’ Crianza – Condado de Haza
This tasty wine comes from the Ribera del Duero region of Spain. It has a distinctly Spanish Old World character to it with a medicinal slightly cherry, sour plum, and cedar/sandalwood profile. Rugged tannins with woody chocolate accents add depth. International Wine Cellar gives it a 90, which is fair but the description makes it sound like something it’s not (at least to me). $24.95 89+
2004 Gewürztraminer Reserve – Pelee Island Winery
This Gewürz is clean with good weight, and a little mineral with rose petal and lychee nut on the nose. The lychee is more like longan (a fruit related to lychee) in taste with Turkish Delight candy. A good example of this varietal in Ontario. $14.95 89
2002 Cahors – Château de Haute-Serre
Rich nose of ripe red fruit, vanilla, chocolate and a hint of cedar. A very gulpable Malbec in an almost more New World style. approx. $18 89
2002 Saint-Emillion – Christian Moueix
Lighter in body than I was expecting, with sour cherry, plum, slight mineral, and a nice bay leaf accent. Healthy tannins and finish, but definitely not in the same style as the Cahors above. 4/5 from Wine Access. $11.45 for 375mL 88
Labels: Bordeaux, Cabernet Sauvignon, Cahors, Grenache, Napa Valley, Peele Island, Sauvignon Blanc, Spain
posted by Jason Zacarias | 2:57 a.m.
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