| Wine Type | Vintage Name Variety Locale | Date Posted Score Helpful Comments More... |
|---|---|---|
| Red |
2019 Pine Ridge Vineyards Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valleymore |
5/15/2024 - Canoehead Likes this wine: 93 pointsTwo successive and succulent bottles. 45-60 minutes initial decant. Pronounced nose of dark red fruits and black liquorice and dried herbs. Nice complexity on the palate with depth of fruit and savoury layers - liquorice, black olive, cedar and dried sage. Refreshing finish with a cleansing zingy acidity. Concentrated yet light on its feet. Went well with simple penne pasta of roasted garlic, diced mixed olives, sundried tomatoes, thinly sliced chilies, Parmigiana Reggiano and olive oil along with fresh baked focaccia. Bravissimo! |
| Red |
2016 Clos des Brusquières Châteauneuf-du-PapeRed Rhone Blend more |
5/16/2024 - Canoehead Likes this wine: 93 pointsIt was worth the cellar time. Clean cork, pop n poured. Crimson with a tawny tint on the rim. Tertiary skewed nose. Baking spice, cinnamon toast, vanilla cream and sweet Black Forest cake on the nose. Medium plus body with sweet, concentrated dark red fruits on mid palate with syrupy spicy red extract of cherries and currants. Maturing acid is stitching everything together - tannins are ripe and softened, alcohol remains submerged and lush. Paired well with Chicken Shwarma and Beef Kebab. |
| Red |
2020 La Frenz Cabernets Rockyfeller VineyardOkanagan Valley Red Blend more |
5/10/2024 - Canoehead Does not like this wine: 86 pointsI echo Mr Schmidt here. This blend is not blended. It’s angular with sour fruit and disarming acidity. Sampled over two evenings with no marked improvement in fact it lurched into tannic territory. Therefore tonight it’s bound for the braising pot for short ribs. Probably one of the first La Frenz products we haven’t been smitten with. Alas, back to the Grand Totals! |
| Red |
2016 Domaine du Pégau Châteauneuf-du-Pape Cuvée RéservéeRed Rhone Blend more |
5/4/2024 - Canoehead Likes this wine: 93 pointsPnPd a 500ml bottle; recent purchase from Grand Vin. Excellent condition. Bright but also savoury. Great depth of fruit but not heavy or cloying. Right in its drinking window. Paired with roast racks of lamb and peas with pancetta & sage. Great combo. |
| Red |
2020 Black Sage Vineyard MerlotOkanagan Valley VQA more |
4/25/2024 - Canoehead Likes this wine: 90 pointsVery good QPR. Impressive depth and breadth for only mid-$20s (on sale). VG weeknight red. |
| Red |
2020 Laughing Stock Vineyards SyrahOkanagan Valley VQA more |
4/19/2024 - Canoehead Likes this wine: 91 pointsPnpd - purple black opaque; sweet and spice aromatics with whiffs of alcohol. In the mouth this is a fleshy meaty beast. It has that cured meat component and cracked black pepper. Alcohol heat dissipated with time in the glass. Evolving from primary fruit. Ripe black cherry and black liquorice after some airtime. Medium plus finish. This should smooth out a little more. The refreshing acidity keeps the wine quenchable. I’d decant future bottles for one hour minimum. |
| Red |
2019 Double Diamond (Schrader) Cabernet SauvignonOakville more |
4/17/2024 - Canoehead Likes this wine: 93 pointsDecanted initially more to warm it up from its cellar chill. Massive sweet dark red fruit aroma with spice and vanilla. Mouth filling and warmth from the high abv of 15.5. Intense, concentrated but just this side of becoming flabby. Acidity is hanging in there. |
| Red |
2016 Phantom Creek Estates Cuvée Phantom Creek VineyardOkanagan Valley VQA Red Bordeaux Blend more |
3/15/2024 - Canoehead Likes this wine: 93 pointsPnPd this after a disappointingly corked Anakota Helena Dakota Cabernet. Fresh and lively bouquet of sweet and ripe dark red and blue fruits. Just enough oak treatment to support this heady blend of Bordeaux varietals plus Syrah. Concentrated without being over-extracted. Well made. |
| Red |
2018 Anakota Cabernet Sauvignon Helena Dakota VineyardKnights Valley more |
3/15/2024 - Canoehead wrote: flawedCorked. There was a delicious wine somewhere underneath the predominant damp cardboard aroma and palate. Such a shame. Plan B was a spectacular 2016 Phantom Creek Vineyard Cuvée. All was not lost of the evening. |
| Red |
2015 Blind Creek Collective ConsensusSimilkameen Valley VQA Red Bordeaux Blend more |
3/9/2024 - Canoehead Likes this wine: 95 pointsSpeechless, humbled and squirming with delight. One of our favourites (and we have two in our cellar) so we were excited when a dear friend brought over a bottle for dinner and cribbage. This wine is beguilingly good for a Canadian red or any New World region in fact. The Blind Creek fruit must be extraordinary quality. The aromatics burst out of the glass. Maturing dark red and black fruits (blackcurrants, mission figs, amarena cherries) with layers of seamless savoury elements (cocoa, tapenade, roast portobello, dried beef, espresso). All this breadth and depth continues on the palate. Medium-plus body. Long concentrated finish. Solid integration. One of the best wines of 2024 so far. Thanks K! PnPd no decant necessary, just be mindful of some sediment at the bottom. |
| Red |
2019 Betz Family Cabernet Sauvignon Père de FamilleColumbia Valley more |
3/9/2024 - Canoehead Likes this wine: 91 pointsstill a toddler, getting its balance and a bit wobbly on its legs. All the main components are there but needs time to stitch together. There's rich fruit on the nose but muted and smothered by tannin and alcohol. I'd lay down bottles for another couple fo years and still decant for an hour or so. |
| Red |
2017 Burrowing Owl AtheneOkanagan Valley VQA Red Blend more |
3/6/2024 - Canoehead wrote: 88 pointsPnPd, a bit restrained in the fruit department. This was mostly acid and tannins for the first glasses. Decant may be wise. Some fruit surfaced later but not an impressive or expressive wine. |
| Red |
2016 Black Swift Vineyards Syrah Hans EstateOkanagan Valley VQA more |
2/28/2024 - Canoehead Likes this wine: 95 pointsIs there anything more to add to other recent TNs. This is a phenomenal Syrah with all elements present and very well integrated. Haven’t had any of the more recent vintages but this 2016 is a classic. Well made wine. |
| Red |
1994 Caymus Cabernet Sauvignon Special SelectionNapa Valley more |
2/25/2024 - Canoehead Likes this wine: 94 pointsUsed the Durand on extra long cork that was susceptible to dryness. Gentle decant off the residue. Deep crimson with tawny orange rim. Elegant, mature nose. All tertiary fruit. Medium plus body. This is declining but definitely still drinkable. Served with osso buco & parmesan risotto. |
| Red |
2018 Patterson Cellars Cabernet SauvignonRed Mountain more |
2/23/2024 - Canoehead Likes this wine: 93 pointsBrief decant prior to BYO @ Heron Rock Bistro. Sweet, dark red fruits bouquet. Some baking spice and mocha as well. On the palate this is broad and deep. Expansive dark red fruit with the slightest tannic grip on the finish. Perfect bistro wine. Paired well with mussels, steak frites and mushroom pappardelle. Thanks for sharing, DV! |
| Red |
2018 Anakota Cabernet Sauvignon Helena Dakota VineyardKnights Valley more |
2/23/2024 - Canoehead Likes this wine: 94 pointsNo need to decant. The previous TNs are correct. This is seamless, silky and poised for palate pleasure. Gorgeous nose of cocoa, fresh espresso, Black Forest cake, and crème de cassis. Repeat on the palate with layers of rewarding fruit. Alcohol is in check here along with superfine tannins and barely perceptible but refreshing acidity. Medium plus body and longish finish. Pretty damn good Knights Valley product. BYO @ Heron Rock Bistro. Went well with mussels and steak frites. 2 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comments (1) |
| Red |
2014 Black Hills Estate SyrahOkanagan Valley VQA more |
2/20/2024 - Canoehead Likes this wine: 90 pointsDefinitely near the end of the drinking window. Acid and fruit are barely hanging on. Time to pop n pour. |
| Red |
2016 La Frenz Grand Total ReserveOkanagan Valley Red Bordeaux Blend more |
2/13/2024 - Canoehead Likes this wine: 92 pointsDecided to conduct a side by side of the 2016 GTR vs the Grand Total Single Barrel Lot from the same year. All over a roasted rack of lamb dinner with rice pilaf and sauteed peas with pancetta. While the Single Barrel Lot was hard to beat, this publicly available GTR held its own very well. I echo both darrenv and VinoLoco recent TNs. Great balance and depth here. Definitely in its drinking window but has the structure for another 4-6 years. Well made. |
| Red |
2016 La Frenz Grand Total Single Barrel LotOkanagan Valley Red Bordeaux Blend more |
2/13/2024 - Canoehead Likes this wine: 94 pointsDecided to conduct a side by side of the 2016 GTR vs this Single Barrel Lot from the same year. All over a roasted rack of lamb dinner with rice pilaf and sauteed peas with pancetta. While the GTR was delicious as usual will great balance and medium plus palate and finish, this beast was cranked to 11! Massive nose of rich black cherry and creme de cassis and layers of savoury components. The palates around the table were picking up dark chocolate. mocha truffle, ground coffee (on the nose), tapenade, cedarwood, and portobello mushroom. Great concentration and complexity. Big brother was giving shade to little brother GTR. Thanks for the generous gift, K&L! |
| Red |
2015 Vanessa Vineyard Meritage Similkameen ValleyRed Bordeaux Blend more |
2/11/2024 - Canoehead Likes this wine: 94 pointsLast bottle opened late in the game, just in time for overtime. After three different 2006 Bordeaux style blends (BC, WA & CA) this was a stunner! Similar to recent TNs. Pronounced nose, rich palate, refreshingly long finish. Thanks for the contribution DV! |
| Red |
2006 Côte Bonneville DuBrul VineyardYakima Valley Red Bordeaux Blend more |
2/11/2024 - Canoehead wrote: NROne of three very different 2006 wines opened for DV’s Super Bowl party. Decanted prior to kickoff. Glistening purple black. Maturing dark red fruit on the nose with layers of spice, liquorice and cocoa. Broad and deep palate. Great rich fruit layers but the fine tannins and lively acid kept everything in check. No alcohol heat. Long finish. Probably the best of the three ‘06s on offer. The Mirage was definitely heading out the door and the Monte Bello was roused from its hibernating slumber. This was about to take WOTN until a late game opening of a 2015 Vanessa Meritage that wowed the crowd. Great party, great wines. Thanks D & T! |
| Red |
2006 Ridge Monte BelloSanta Cruz Mountains Red Bordeaux Blend more |
2/11/2024 - Canoehead Likes this wine: 92 pointsOne of three different 2006 wines opened for DV’s Super Bowl party. Decanted a couple of hours before kickoff. Massive sweet ripe cassis nose in the decanter. Beautiful garnet black in the glass. Promising aromatics but there is a lot of angularity here with all the right components but not integrated and complete as of yet. The tannins and the acidity are battling out alpha status right now resulting in a sour finish. The fruit layers are subdued. This wine will eventually rock - it needs another 4-5 years at least. Thanks for opening this rough cut diamond and it was a fun party, DV! |
| Red |
2006 Desert Hills Estate Winery MirageOkanagan Valley VQA Red Bordeaux Blend more |
2/11/2024 - Canoehead Likes this wine: 93 pointsOne of three different 2006 wines opened for DV’s Super Bowl party. Used a Durand to extract the cork - a bit dry on top but clean and intact. Poured with a dark garnet crimson core and tawny brick rim. Initially smelled old with advanced fruit and savoury elements. Nice mouth filling richness. Balance was still there. Revisits over next couple of hours got better and better. Pretty impressive for Canadian fruit grown in a desert. Held its own to the Monte Bello and the Cote Bonneville. However a late game opening of a 2015 Vanessa Meritage pushed everyone else off the winner’s podium. If you have a DH ‘06 Mirage I recommend opening it (carefully) and decant in a narrow-necked vessel. Caution - there will be sediment. Thanks for the party, DV! 2 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comments (1) |
| Red |
2015 Vanessa Vineyard Meritage Similkameen ValleyRed Bordeaux Blend more |
2/6/2024 - Canoehead Likes this wine: 94 pointsPnPd for a weeknight whatever. Blew our minds. The nose was revelatory. Think cold espresso and stewed black cherries. The palate ran with those aromatic elements and added layers of mocha, burnt sage, and tapenade. Medium plus body and very good balance. Medium plus finish with a grippy little bite, just a tad of misbehaving acid and tannin. Freaky good with penne carbonara with smoky bacon and fresh basil. QPR is off the charts. |
| Red |
2019 Le Vieux Donjon Châteauneuf-du-PapeRed Rhone Blend more |
2/3/2024 - Canoehead Likes this wine: 93 pointsTwo seamless bottles of balance and concentration. PnPd successively over a dinner of roast pork tenderloin with a blackberry reduction (plus hassleback spuds, sautéed broccoli w toasted almonds and braised carrots). Crowd pleaser across geeks and novices alike. In its early part of its drinking window. |
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- Tasting notes: 757 notes on 550 wines
