Ski in Okanagan valley with Le Vieux Pin winemakers.

A bit jetlagged

Le vieux pin sauvignon blanc 2012
Blind tasting. Clear hue. Nice nose of veirvena, elderflower and blackcurrant-tree bud. Mouth very fresh, lively and concentrated with a sustained acidity, mineral and keeping thoses floral aromas. Some acurate tasters found some rawsberry juice. A style close to Dagueneau's Silex. Very very well made. 91. I'm shure easy improvement could be done on the texture to make it more chalky : white pepper and minerality. Or perhaps time will improve the elegance.

Chateau Yvonne Saumur 2011
Blind tasting. Golden hue. Nose of honey, prunes eau-de-vie, light baked apples. Mouth oaked, fresh, slightly oxydised, globaly mineral. Medium concentration and lenght, but well balanced. Oak not to present. Saumur Appelation guessed, thanks to the unperceptible minthy end, typical. Very good. A good approach to Breze parcel. 88

La Folette Chardonnay Manchester Ridge 2011
Blind tasting. Close nose, some kiwi perhaps. Mouth very oaky, buttery up to the knees, supported by a nice acidity. Good extraction. Seductiv with strenght and technique. Excellent but no surprise. Why would I refuse his one night shot ? 90

Yann Chave hermitage 2007
Blind tasting. decanted one hour. Very nice expression of a pure and feminin syrrah. Dark hue. Mouth fresh, crunchy red fruits, spices, violet. An elegant style. Excellent. But not as the nobleness and complexity level of Jean Louis Chave, his father. 90

Fairview Cellars two hoots 2008
Blind tasting. Dark hue. An easy to guess Bordeaux blend, close to the left bank style. But the structure is lacking tannins, making this wine seductive for beginners and fast-wine drinkers. Some one would talk about elegance. I don't. Still, it is very well made, and really appreciable. It does teach me a lot of what this Okanagan Valley can reach. Interesting expression of Cabernet.88

Bonitas Winery artist series merlot 2009
Blind tasting. Very dark hue. I am the only one who have been seduced: nice complex nose of new oak, underwood, caramel and sap. Mouth concentrated, full bodied, with acidity and oak. I thought it was a Zinfandel. (sorry). Very young 89-91. Label shoking for north american puritans.

NK Mip riesling Ice wine QwAM QwMT
Blind tasting. Thick hue. Nose fresh and sweat of pineapple jam, green apple juice, lime, but with a slighlty disturbing volatile plastic touch, the one of a new baby doll. Mouth fresh, sweat as a vendange tardive, not more, with a sustained acidity. Medium concentration for an ice wine, rather close to a vendange tardive. But more aerial. Excellent 91. And to expensiv.

• 2012 Le Vieux Pin Sauvignon Blanc 91 Points

  Canada, British Columbia, Okanagan Valley

  Blind tasting. Clear hue. Nice nose of veirvena, elderflower and blackcurrant-tree bud. Mouth very fresh, lively and concentrated with a sustained acidity, mineral and keeping thoses floral aromas. Some acurate tasters found some rawsberry juice. A style close to Dagueneau's Silex. Very very well made. 91. I'm shure easy improvement could be done on the texture to make it more chalky : white pepper and minerality. Or perhaps time will improve the elegance. wine of the trip

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• 2011 Château Yvonne Saumur Blanc

  France, Loire Valley, Anjou-Saumur, Saumur

  Blind tasting. Golden hue. Nose of honey, prunes eau-de-vie, light baked apples. Mouth oaked, fresh, slightly oxydised, globaly mineral. Medium concentration and lenght, but well balanced. Oak not to present. Saumur Appelation guessed, thanks to the unperceptible minthy end, typical. Very good. A good approach to Breze parcel. 88

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• 2011 La Follette Chardonnay Manchester Ridge Vineyard 90 Points

  USA, California, North Coast, Mendocino Ridge

  Blind tasting. Close nose, some kiwi perhaps. Mouth very oaky, buttery up to the knees, supported by a nice acidity. Good extraction. Seductiv with strenght and technique. Excellent but no surprise. Why would I refuse his one night shot ?

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• 2007 Yann Chave Hermitage 90 Points

  France, Rhône, Northern Rhône, Hermitage

  Blind tasting. decanted one hour. Very nice expression of a pure and feminin syrrah. Dark hue. Mouth fresh, crunchy red fruits, spices, violet. An elegant style. Excellent. But not as the nobleness and complexity level of Jean Louis Chave. 90

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• 2008 Fairview Cellars Cabernet/Merlot "Two Hoots" 88 Points

  Canada, British Columbia, Okanagan Valley, Okanagan Valley VQA

  Blind tasting. Dark hue. An easy to guess Bordeaux blend, close to the left bank style. But the structure is lacking tannins, making this wine seductive for beginners and fast-wine drinkers. Some one would talk about elegance. I don't. Still, it is very well made, and really appreciable. It does teach me a lot of what this Okanagan Valley can reach. Interesting expression of Cabernet.

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• 2009 Bonitas Winery Merlot Artist Series

  Canada, British Columbia, Okanagan Valley

  Blind tasting. Very dark hue. I am the only one who have been seduced: nice complex nose of new oak, underwood, caramel and sap. Mouth concentrated, full bodied, with acidity and oak. I thought it was a Zinfandel. (sorry). Very young 89-91. Label shoking for north american puritans.

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• 2012 Nk'mip Cellars Riesling Icewine Qwam Qwmt 91 Points

  Canada, British Columbia, Okanagan Valley, Okanagan Valley VQA

  Blind tasting. Thick hue. Nose fresh and sweat of pineapple jam, green apple juice, lime, but with a slighlty disturbing volatile plastic touch, the one of a new baby doll. Mouth fresh, sweat as a vendange tardive, not more, with a sustained acidity. Medium concentration for an ice wine, rather close to a vendange tardive. But more aerial. Excellent 91. And to expensiv.

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