2008 Gourmet Food and Wine Expo

Yet another year at the Expo. Overall I found the wines less exciting than previous years, but there were still some gems. I scored all of these before finding out what the critics’ ratings were, so you can see how my notes and ratings compare.

2004 Cabernet Sauvignon – Clos Pegase
The alcohol came through in the nose along with the barrel toast (vanilla and charred wood). Very ripe plum, cured meat, chocolate, fruity finish, but the heat and dusty wood overwhelm at this point in time. Not as plush as I was hoping. 92 from Wine Enthusiast: ripe currant, cassis, chocolate and licorice flavors, luscious. $50.95 89

2004 Château Le Carillon
At fist whiff there is a dirty diaper like odour that dissipates with some swirling (really not as off-putting as it sounds, honest). Strawberry and cherry, dark stewed fruits, bay leaf, and mineral. Elegant and not too heavy or overdone. 92 from Toronto Life: ripe cherry, plum, leather, mocha, and anise; sweet, elegant and poised, with excellent length. $ 39.95 90

2003 Print Shiraz – Mitchelton
This wine was a nice surprise! The staff who were pouring this one had to convince me to try it, and I wasn’t expecting much as I’d never heard of it before. Rich black fruit laden nose (mulberry, blackberry) with a distinct salty savoury character that reminds me of the 2004 Astralis I had a while back (but this is a fraction of the cost). I find this salty savoury character in a lot of my favourite top end Shirazes, here it reminds me of soy sauce and a sea breeze. Very grippy finish – this will age well. Unbeknownst to me at the time Wine Spectator scored it at the same 92 points. I bought one to cellar for 5 years or so. $44.75 92

2004 Barolo Lazzarito – Vietti
Aromas of faint dried roses, red wine gums, anise, toasted bread. The typical Barolo tar note is here but it seems like a thin, weaker version. Lean and still needs some time, but not something I’ll be adding to the cellar (especially at this price). 93 Wine Advocate: dark fruit, smoke, licorice, tar and sweet toasted oak. 95 International Wine Cellar: minerals, brown spices, Cuban tobacco and menthol. I agree more with the Wine Advocate notes, but not the score based on sample I had. $120 89

2004 Château Climens
This has a nice waxy nose with caramel popcorn, honey, citrus and the mouthfeel is rich and thick with good weight and balance. Good Barsac for sure. 92 from Wine Spectator: “…apricot tart, with hints of candied lemons on the nose. Full-bodied and medium sweet, with lovely concentration and a lemony, spicy, almost flinty aftertaste. Impressive for the vintage.” $129 (750mL) 93

2004 Alion
Alion was started by the legendary Vega Sicilia in Ribera del Duero in 1991. This was more New World than I was expecting with evident oak and the Tempranillo character I like so much was not at the forefront, but will probably become more evident with age. Sweet ripe cherry, cassis, faint cedar and tobacco, and a light floral element lingering in the aftertaste. 96 Wine Advocate. $80.95 91+

2005 Croix de Beaucaillou
This is the second wine of Château Ducru-Beaucaillou, and not a bad one at that. Light and lifted aromas of strawberry cheesecake, raspberry, and light herbs. The wine is pleasantly soft around the edges and finish. It is accessible now and should drink well in the short term. Looks like agree with Robert Parker on this, he scores it 91 as well. $57.95 91

1979 Crême de Tête – Château Gilette
It’s not often that I get to try a Sauternes that is this old, let alone aged in concrete vats. After shelling out $22 for a 1oz sample I was intrigued by what I sipped, but ultimately this is something I would not buy even if it was cheaper. Rich caramel, citrus peel, some smoke. Turns a little sour and oxidized tasting on the finish. There is a definite mineral aspect to it but not the normal vinous kind, more like water that has been stored in a clay vase. Considering how long it is stored in those concrete vats I’m sure it’s more than just suggestion that it smells and tastes of clay pot. Light amber in colour and faint floral and beeswax notes. I think I prefer my Sauternes oak aged. $195 (500ml) 90

1996 Château Calon-Ségur
This came across very green and smoky – I’m having flashbacks of Niagara. Raw bell pepper, cassis and spices, and savoury herbs. A bit lean and tannic. The finish is not that long. The oak is still strong and the amount of astringency this still has suggests that this can still age another 5-8 years. 92 from Wine Access: “The 1996 may not be as profound as I had predicted from cask, but it is an exceptional wine. Dark ruby-colored, with a complex nose of dried herbs, Asian spices, and black cherry jam intermixed with cassis, it possesses outstanding purity, and considerable tannin in the finish. This classic, medium to full-bodied, traditionally made wine improves dramatically with airing, suggesting it will have a very long life”. $167 90

2007 Gourmet Food & Wine Expo

As usual the Vines Fine Wine Tasting Lounge and the Vintages booth were the really the only place to find the most coveted wines, the other exhibitors were only pouring entry level plonk. I did try some nice wines at the Germany booth, but the real draw for me was the high end stuff I would almost never buy a whole bottle of.

2003 La Chapelle Hermitage – Paul Jaboulet
Ridiculously tight at the moment, but with some vigorous swirling the nose opened up revealing ripe black, slightly raisiny fruit. I got notes of ripe plum, faint caramel, savoury black olive (typical of most big Syrah for me), cedar, burnt underbrush, maybe a bit ferric/bloody. Spicy finish, like Grains of Paradise (floral and peppery). It was very closed and tannic on the palate, but shows great potential to age. I’d give it 5 years at least. Wine Spectator 96: blackberry, boysenberry, black currant, mocha, mineral and tar. International Wine Cellar 91-95: blackberry, blueberry, licorice and camphor, along with a suggestion of exotic spices. Wine Access 95: creme de cassis, crushed flowers, truffles, and licorice. $159 94+

2003 Château d’Yquem
Wow! This was the wine of the show for me. It had been open for a day but showed no sign of fading, if anything it probably helped open it up. The nose explodes with seductively smoky beeswax, guava paste, coconut, apricot – it smells rich and fat if that’s possible. So unctuous, it coats your mouth and then infuses it with its essence. The finish goes on and on. Like a caramel candy in the aftertaste, but much better. Little citrus rind and a subtle greenness in there too Wine Spectator 98: lemon rind, vanilla cream and dried pineapple. Wine Access 94-96. $250 for 375 mL 97

2002 E&E Black Pepper Shiraz – Barossa Valley Estate
This has some fruity and medicinal elements that I enjoy: iodine, blackberry and plum. Loads of black pepper, just as the name suggests, with some black olive, floral (violets), cedar, and blueberry. Great acid, demands some hearty food to go with it. Barrel toast is evident and the pepper is a bit aggressive. This is more floral than La Chapelle, but overall it doesn’t have the same structure and balance. I think the 97 Wine Spectator rating is overly generous, especially when comparing this to La Chapelle. 90 from Wine Enthusiast. $ 99.95 92+

2003 Riesling Spätlese Rüdesheimer Berg Rottland - Balthasar Ress
From a vineyard near Rüdesheimer mountain in the Rheingau this late harvest wine has great balancing acidity and distinct mineral/slate elements. Mild almond, custard, green apple, and white peach with a refreshing finish. This won gold at a competition I can’t remember (Ottawa?). $26.95 91

2003 Keyneton Estate The Euphonium – Henschke
This was initially good at first sip but for some reason became less impressive the more we drank. Lots of spicy toasty oak, cassis, black and red fruit, and thyme. The balance is nice but the finish is average. International Wine Cellar 91: fruitcake, molasses, anise and dark chocolate, smoky, musky tobacco and cured meat notes, sweet blackberry and blackcurrant flavours. I can’t say I noted most of those elements in my tasting other than the blackcurrant, sounds like he had a richer wine. $51.95 90

2004 Clos Apalta – Casa Lapostolle
This was a bit of a disappointment for me because I have wanted to try this wine for a while and expected a little more for the price and reputation. Tobacco, refined spices (cloves, cinnamon, pepper), sweet fruit (black cherry and strawberry), vanilla, and a hint of sage. Not easy to put my finger on, but it did remind me of Carmenere I’ve had before (especially that sweet fruit and tobacco aspect). 86% Carmenere with the rest being Merlot. 91 Wine Acess: pain grille, spice box, blueberry, and blackberry liqueur. $96 90

1999 Brute Rosé Champagne – Pol Roger
I’m far from being an expert when it comes to champagne but I was not fond of this at all. Lemon zest, cranberry and an unpleasant sharp sulfite smell which I’m told is the style. I don’t think the small tasting portion helped either because I find I need a larger portion to evaluate sparkling wines as the carbon dioxide tends to mute the nose. Either way I thought it was poor value. 90 Wine Spectator: candied berry and lemon meringue. $88.95 85

2006 Gourmet Food & Wine Expo

My main reason for attending the expo was to try wines that I wouldn’t usually be able to taste or afford. There are also cooking seminars and all kinds of food, but the main draw for me has got to be the wine. Overall I was quite satisfied with the expo; my only gripe was that some of the tastings were overpriced (e.g. $8 to get a 2 oz. tasting of a wine costing $60, with around 12 two ounce servings in a bottle that works out to $96 each). In most cases they were making a mint on tastings, which I think defeats the spirit of the whole thing.

Note: Due to some confusion over my old rating system I am switching over to the more intuitive 50-100 point scale starting with this posting. My rating will always follow the price.

The Vintages booth:
Most of the fine wines I wanted to try were here so I basically camped out there for a good hour or two and chatted with the friendly and knowledgeable staff.

1999 ‘Riserva gli Angeli’ Brunello Di Montalcino – La Gerla
Earth and truffle hints and lovely ripe red fruits (strawberry and raspberry) please the senses. It has good grip and weight while remaining carefully poised with pomegranate on the long finish. The fine acidity demands a pairing with some hearty Italian fair. 94 from Wine Spectator. $89 92

2000 Barolo ‘Vigna Dei Pola’ – Ascheri
Dried flowers and faint vanilla with light loam. More of a modern style. Decent but not as concentrated as I’d like for a Barolo. $39.95 88

2003 ‘La Grand Vin’ – Osoyoos Larose
This is the third vintage of this premium meritage from British Colombia. There is quite a bit of new oak (with a light toast), slightly herbaceous (dill), smoked meat, good extract. Good but not what I typically go for (a lot of other people were quite impressed with this wine). $40 90

2001 ‘Badia a Passignano’ Chianti Classico Riserva – Antinori
Vanilla, a little pepper, good acid and red fruit. I rushed past this wine to try others so my observations are not in depth. Good but not outstanding though it got a 92 from Wine Advocate. $39.95 89

2003 Crozes-Hermitage – E.Guigal
There is a raisiny sweetness and blueberry/cassis at the top with some whiffs of barnyard underneath (maybe what Parker refers to as tapenade). Nice mouthfeel and finish. Could age much longer, but it’s drinking well now. 91-94 Wine Advocate. 90-92 International Wine Cellar. Decent value. $25.95 91

2003 Ornellaia - Tenuta dell’Ornellaia
I’ve never had the chance to try this famous Super Tuscan before so I was quite excited. Smooth and damn complex! Well integrated oak (vanilla notes) with a coffee and toffee like sweetness. Great mouthfeel and length. There is a green tea like hint in there too. Is it worth the price? Not quite for me. 92 Wine Spectator; 94 from Gordon Stimmel of The Star. $139.95 94


2000 ‘Mazzano’ Amarone Della Valpolicella Classico- Masi
I thought some of the other wines were pretty great but this wine stands out to me as one of the most enjoyable of the day – and this is after the Ornellaia and La Gerla! It has slight mineral at the top of the nose followed by some straw and spicy raisin/fig. All fine and good, but as soon as I sip it I get a stupid grin on my face – it’s so concentrated and almost evaporates leaving a vapour of all the flavours. Wow, top Amarone. I would not be surprised if it scored a 92+ when it is rated. $89.95 95 Favourite Wine of the show

2002 Vinedo Chadwick – Vina Errazuriz
Previous vintages of this wine have stacked up quite well against the coveted first growths of Bordeaux so I decided to give it taste. Light smoky oak that is well integrated and a light earthiness. Well balanced, but overall lacking a certain punch to distinguish it from the previous wines. Perhaps it would get even better with some air. 92 Wine Spectator $79 90


Vines Fine Wine area:
The other fine wine hot spot, but some tastings were ridiculously overpriced ($10/2oz to taste the Tignanello!) This was the spot for Barolo.

2001 ‘I Classici’ Barolo – Marchesi di Barolo
There is a light perfume reminiscent of earthy truffle, crushed pomegranate, and the sweet edge of new oak. I also notice faint Cedar/sandalwood and rubber notes. The elements seem to be there but it is a bit watery and sour for a Barolo. Not quite cutting it for me. $49.95 88

2001 Barolo Ginestra – Paolo Conterno
When you have this next to the Marchesi it is obviously better. There’s a sweet caramel coating surrounding red fruits, dried flowers/leaves and big gripping tannins. There are hints of the characteristic Barolo fruity tar notes, but not as much as I like. Good, but the 1995 was better. $59.95 91

2001 Barolo – Massolino
This has the most extract of the 3 Barolo’s so far. Healthy tannins, ripe strawberry/cherry, exotic perfumed spice, and just a touch of tar. Well structured I think. Wine Spectator noted that it was outstanding if slightly one-dimensional and gave it a 92. Decently priced for a Barolo. $49.95 93

Wines of California Booth
Didn’t notice too many exciting wines here, but took the opportunity to try the Ravenswood Zin.

(Vintage?) ‘Vintners Blend’ Zinfandel – Ravenswood
Some blackberry jam notes, but not much balance or extraction. It’s too sweet for my taste, a little over ripe. I think I like the Rosenblum 2004 blend more (which was previously reviewed here April 2006). $19.95 87

Wines of Germany
After tiring out my palate with huge red wines it was time for some lovely German white wines.

2003 Bachracher Wolfshoehle Riesling Spätelse - Mades
This wine from the Mittelrhein displays a distinctive oily petrol nose with citrus (orange/grapefruit) notes. Touch of sweetness and freshness. Just what I needed. $21.95 90

2004 Bereich Bingen Auslese – Schmitt Söhne
A perfumed nose of peach and floral elements (rose petals) greets the nose immediately. Delicate with very low acidity, maybe a touch flabby though. Wicked value. $10.40 88

2003 Niersteiner Findling Siegerrebe Auslese – Eugen Wehrheim
Siegerrebe is a cross of a Gewürztraminer and a red table grape. This wine was released at Vintages Nov 25, 2006. Major lychee fruit (you can’t miss it) courtesy of the Gewürztraminer not doubt. Although Nat Decants gives it a 90 I found it rather one dimensional. Low acidity, as you would expect with an auslese, but with a clean finish. $20.95 87

----More reviews to come over the holiday wine and food fest (i.e. family dinners).