WTN - Even more recent wines

Had many wine in the Niagara region on my recent trip there, but these are mainly wines I tried from my cellar lately-ish:

• 2000 Le Vieux Donjon Châteauneuf-du-Pape - France, Rhône, Southern Rhône, Châteauneuf-du-Pape (2019-01-04)
  Still fairly dark in colour, with some bricking evident. Not too expressive on the nose, but there is leather, plums, cherries and a hint of garrigue. Medium bodied on the palate, this is definitely old school CDP. More plums, earthy cherries and leather, and nice acidity; a little tannin structure is still left. Not the greatest vintage, and that shows, but this 18 year old CDP is still showing well in an elegant, balanced way, and reflects (13.5 alcohol) the era. I would drink this soon-ish. (A-)
• 2000 Chateau Dereszla Tokaji Aszú 5 Puttonyos - Hungary, Tokaji (2018-12-31)
  Same impressions as the first bottle I had in 2005, but I thought this was starting to get a little long in the tooth. But this was still very tasteful, with lots of botrytis, a nice texture, honey, tobacco, etc. on a drier finish than I remember from 2005. (A-)
• 2016 Bellingham Chenin Blanc The Bernard Series Old Vine - South Africa, Western Cape (2018-12-30)
  This is a regular purchase, a very solid SA chenin blanc at a good price. This vintage retains the consistency of this wine. This lightly wooded style starts with a light golden colour, and funky pineapples, pears and a hint of oak on the nose. Medium bodied on a plush, slightly waxy palate, with more pineapple, funky chenin flavours of wool and tropical fruit. A touch of oak adds texture and interest. (B+)
• 2012 13th Street Premier Cuvée - Canada, Ontario, Niagara Peninsula, Niagara Peninsula VQA (2018-12-28)
  This was one of the best Canadian sparklers I have tried. A nice mousse, great balance, a little toast and good concentration, richness and acidity. Low to middling dosage. Well worth a try, and good QPR. (B+/A-)
• 2002 Château de Chamboureau Savennières Roche aux Moines Cuvée d'Avant - France, Loire Valley, Anjou-Saumur, Savennières Roche aux Moines (2018-12-21)
  The colour was very golden, almost bronze, and my fears were realized: there was some oxidation here. But old chenin is a funny thing, and the oxidized note lessened as it got more air. What was left after about an hour was a nose with oxidation, nuts, yellow fruit, quince and wool. The palate was medium to full bodied, with the 14.5% alcohol making its presence felt, but not too overtly. Rotten fruit, wool, minerals, nuts and oxidative notes all make an appearance. Is it over the hill or in a phase? Who knows? That's what is frustrating about these wines. But they are singular, not mistakable for anything else. I remain a fan! But I'll get to my last bottle soon. (B+)
• 2014 Chapel Hill Grenache Bush Vine - Australia, South Australia, Fleurieu, McLaren Vale (2018-11-30)
  Hazy notes from last night. A really wonderful nose with mainly red fruits and spice notes. There's a medium bodied palate with more red fruits and more spicy notes and some tar; nice smooth tannins enter at the end. This was impressive - a spicy, not OTT grenache that should last a while. (A-)
• 2010 L'Ecole No. 41 Red Wine Candy Mountain Vineyard - USA, Washington, Columbia Valley (2018-11-25)
  This tasted more like Medicinal Mountain than Candy Mountain. There was a horrible aftertaste to this wine, and I could only have a sip. Instead of dumping it, I tried it the next day, and it improved somewhat, but still seemed off in some way. Something bacterial? NR (flawed)
• 2003 Charles Joguet Chinon Les Varennes du Grand Clos - France, Loire Valley, Touraine, Chinon (2018-11-23)
  This was singing after 2 hours of air. deep ruby in colour, with a bit of bricking. Classic Loire cab franc nose, with blackfruits, minerals, green olives, iron and earthy herbal notes. Similar flavours on the medium bodied palate with wonderful tannins. There was no hint of overripeness here: this 2003 is outstanding and classic Loire cab franc. This shows no signs of slowing down. (A-)
• 2012 Torii Mor Pinot Noir Reserve Deux Verres - USA, Oregon, Willamette Valley (2018-11-19)
  Hazy notes from last week. This was a nice OR pinot, but nothing more. Fresh, fairly light-medium in flavour and in the palate, with cherries, strawberries and a hint of spice. (B)
• 2014 Bodega Colomé Malbec Auténtico - Argentina, Salta, Calchaquies (2018-11-18)
  Very dark in colour, with an interesting and powerful nose of gamey notes, iron, violets and blackfruits. The palate has a wonderfully silky texture, big concentration and a long finish with powdery tannins. Very mouthfilling, but with great balance. I would never have guessed malbec. I'm not a huge malbec fan, but this was an impressive wine, and its interesting to note that only concrete tanks were used, which I think helps create the freshness here;the old vines provide the power, purity and concentration I would guess. Not great QPR in my neck of the woods, but it is one of the nicer Argentinian malbecs I have tried . Better on the second night, as it was tighter and more closed at first. (A-)
• 2008 L'Ecole No. 41 Apogée Pepper Bridge Vineyard - USA, Washington, Columbia Valley, Walla Walla Valley (2018-11-10)
  Hazy notes from last week. This was in a good spot, and seems to have aged better than most WA Bordeaux blends I've tried lately. I didn't sense a lot of development, but there is a nice blend of red and black fruits, healthy tannins that provide structure, and a nice texture and finish. It should last a while yet. (B+/A-)
• 2010 Famille Perrin / Perrin & Fils Rasteau L'Andéol - France, Rhône, Southern Rhône, Rasteau (2018-11-04)
  A fairly round, plush texture to this wine, with plums, cherries and garrigue. A nice vin de table wine that should be drank fairly soon. (B)
• 2010 Maison Bleue Grenache Le Midi Boushey Vineyard - USA, Washington, Columbia Valley, Yakima Valley (2018-11-04)
  I could only drink a glass of this - there was some kind of off-putting taste here. I don't think it was Brett, as it wasn't barnyard-like, but it was nasty. It doesn't seem to be mentioned in other notes, so I assume it was flawed in some way. NR (flawed)
• 2000 Château Faizeau Sélection Vieilles Vignes - France, Bordeaux, Libournais, Montagne-St. Émilion (2018-10-31)
  There's mainly red fruits and a hint of chocolate and cedar on the nose. Medium bodied, noticeable but not extreme tannins and similar flavours on the palate. Better on the second night. A nice mid-week wine that should last a little while yet. (B+)
• 2005 Domaine du Pégau Châteauneuf-du-Pape Cuvée Réservée - France, Rhône, Southern Rhône, Châteauneuf-du-Pape (2018-10-28)
  Had this from a 500ml bottle. I thought this would be ready, but it was still very tight, and needed a longer decant than I gave it. Quite structured at the moment, with the normal funky Pegau flavours on show. This will be an impressive wine, but not yet(B+).

[David M. Bueker]

They sell the 500 ml bottles of Pegau in Canada?

Thanks for the Donjon note. I have one left.

[Jenise]

I was startled by the 500 ml too; have never seen a red Rhone in that size bottle let alone Pegau.

John, bad luck with the WA wines lately. Can't say I've run into anything quite like what you describe in either bottle--unfortunate. Btw, Candy Mountain? That's a new one. A general comment on L'Ecole--I've lived here for almost 16 years now and I still can't get into that winery. The wines are generally delicious and promising young, they taste like they'll become what I'd want them to be. But seldom do they evolve that way, judging by the few older bottles I've had.

They used to sell the 500ml Pegau bottles here, for a short period of time, but I haven't seen them for quite a while. I think the Donjon is at or close to peak, but I don't see it falling off a cliff anytime soon. It was actually younger tasting than I expected and more in a secondary as oppposed to tertiary phase.

Yes, I think a lot (not all) WA wines are best consumed at a relatively young stage. Age hasn't seemed to improve the wines in any major way.

[Jenise]

True. Delilles age well, and I've had some magical old Woodward Canyons, Col Solares, Matthews and a pretty good Andrew Will Sorella. We had an amazing '80's David Lake not long ago. Others don't evolve, they just fade, while wines like L'Ecole can be very hit and miss. And many of the wineries (and vineyards) are just too new to know. L'Ecole was only the 6th winery in this state to go commercial--and that was only 1986. Not much track record.

I have 2004 Pegau in 500 ml but I haven't seen that size for some years (my dear wife dropped one of the 500 ml bottles when we were moving and out of the thousands we moved that day, that was the only one broken, so I remember the wine!)

[Jenise]

Only one with all the wine you had to move? Lucky guy!

Only one with all the wine you had to move? Lucky guy!

Luck, plus I insisted on having rug laid with extra thick underlay for just that eventuality. You could drop a bottle from 5" up and it would bounce. Never understood the people that have wine cellars built with stone floors. I'd rather have a 'working' cellar than a show cellar!

[Jenise]

Bill, you got the best of both worlds with exactly what you built--perfect. And you have a major 'show' door! After that, nothing more needed. But I get it--we lined our concrete floor with rubber mat tiles made for industrial shops. A bottle would break if it encountered another bottle, but we've never lost one to mere dropsies.