Notes from a portfolio tasting
These wines were all tasted at an event arranged by one of the better BC agents – the ones that seek out interesting stuff and take the time to familiarize their clientele with things they might not otherwise think of buying.
I apologize in advance for the prices. That isn’t the agent’s fault; it is this province’s liquor monopoly mark up. Readers from just about anywhere else in the world will no doubt fall about laughing at what we are asked to pay for wine that may be available for 50% less in other markets. Be charitable and pity we poor sinners. These notes were done ‘on the fly’ in a tasting crammed in between seeing clients, so he pace was challenging.
Whites:
Jean Milan Champagne Brut Grand Cru Blanc de Blancs Special nv – a long name for a non-vintage bubbly. Crisp, clean , acidic, fresh and $68
Egly-Ourlet Grand Cru Brut Tradition nv – better nose on this one in the sense of showing more complexity and a bit better length – as well as a price of $102
2006 Pascal Cotat Sancerre La Grande Cote – a nice lime nose here, the wine a bit light but clean and pleasant. $63
2005 La Soufrandiere Pouilly Vinzelles Les Quarts – I didn’t really bond with this wine – I thought the nose was in hiding, it had a bit too much acidity and the price put me off. $66
2005 Mischief and Mayhem Puligny Montrachet – some vanilla in the nose, a refined wine, not over the top and very much Burgundy with no hint of the Aussie origin of one of the partners, Michael Twelftree. Good one. $89
2006 Meyer Family Vineyards Tribute Series Chardonnay – bread dough nose, good fruit and OK value, although pushing it a bit for a BC chard.
2006 Radio Coteau Chardonnay Savoy (Anderson Valley) – vanilla nose, and a very simple wine, decently made but the price of $103 was a bit of a joke. You can do far better for far less.
2006 Luca Chardonnay (Mendoza) – this Argentinean chard blew the others away in terms of quality per dollar. At $33 it provided a nice, middle of the road lightish bodied chard, very pleasant and drinkable now.
Reds:
2006 Mischief and Mayhem Gevrey Chambertin – decent but not huge fruit. $80
2005 Rene Rostaing Dom. de Puech Noble (C. du Languedoc) – mixed feeling on this one. I liked the earthy nose with a hint of animal but it turned others off. $45
2005 Cuvee du Vatican Reserve Sixtine – now we were talking, one of my favourite CnduPs. Good cherry fruit, lots of tannin at this point, but will be very good when it mellow out. Too bad about the price jump over last vintage, to $78
2005 Villa Medoro Rosso del Duca Montepulciano – quite nice if a tad rough but showing good fruit.
2005 Caprai Outsider Rosso (Umbria) – this Umbrian producer does some nice stuff and this was one of them. Good bitter cherry fruit, tannic and balanced. $86
2003 Fanti Brunello – soft and ready to drink, but way light, a Brunello Beaujolais? Not a keeper. $86
2005 Tua Rita Giusto di Notri (Tuscany) – this IGT had some toast and good fruit in the nose and was smooth with soft tannin. Nice. $91
2004 Morgante Don Antonia Nero d’Avola (Sicily) – slighty cheesy funky nose, good acid and length. Liked it. $48
2004 Moccagatta Barbaresco Basarin – light colour, a cherry/leather nose tasty but light.
2003 Corino Barolo Vigna Giachini – medium colour, not much nose, developed a bit with time, tight and tannic and only just adequate fruit. This may develop well, but at $83 one wonders.
2006 Alonso del Yerro Ribera del Duero – ripe sweet nose, forward wine not a long ager. $48
2005 Artadi Santa Cruz de Artazu (Navarra) – hint of spice in nose, tsty medium bodied wine with a little sweetness. Not for cellaring. $56
2005 Mas Doix Salanques (Priorat) – tight sweet, and tannic. Needs (a lot of) time, but nice wine. $77
2005 Artadi Pagos Viejos Rioja – slightly funky nose, good body and fresh and full on palate with a nice long finish. Good one. $102
2006 Radio Coteau Pinot Noir La Neblina (Sonoma Coast) – delicious fruity nose, and good balance and length. Only negative $102
2006 Felton Road Pinot Noir Calvert (NZ) – tighter more complex nose, sweet entry, fairly tannic. I’d buy this all day long ahead of the radio Coteau. $78
2006 Luca Laborde Double Select Syrah (Uco Valley Argentina) – light pleasant wine, ready now. $33
2005 Bunnel Family Cellar ‘Vif’ (Columbia Valley) – this Mourvedre and syrah blend seemed quite old world with a Rhone nose and a tasty midpalate. $48
2005 Soul Growers Reserve Shiraz – at 15.5% this showed a sweet ripe slightly hot nose and warm in the mouth. Not a typical over the top Aussie shiraz like so many we get in this market, though. $70
2005 De lisio Krystina Shiraz (McLaren Vale) – decent sweet forward wine, not for aging. $71
2006 Tatiara Cambrian Shiraz – sweet minty nose, typical overblown fruit, not the style I enjoy. $66
2006 Oliverhill Jimmy Section Shiraz (McLaren Vale) – much more in line with my taste – dark purple, sweet and tannic, but not excessively so. Should be good with time. $54
2006 Pax Kobler Family Vineyard Syrah (Russian River Valley) – unfortunately I liked this a lot. Rhone nose, a bit sweet and quite tight, and very long. Why unfortunately? $164
