2/23/2024 - Canoehead Likes this wine:

No 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.

2/10/2024 - rexmerlot wrote:

Dark ruby in colour. Black fruit, tobacco, and dark chocolate. Nice acidity, med body, smooth tannins. This wine did not taste 20 years old. Will age for many more years. This is why I love buying bordeaux wines. 20 years later and never disappoints

2/11/2024 - Canoehead Likes this wine:

One 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!

12/20/2023 - darrenv Likes this wine:

Still needed an hour to two to really open up. Aa Canoehead said, this drinks like some top shelf Bordeaux or Super Tuscan. Like many best of BC wines, this needs at least five years to shine. Fabulous QPR.

7/9/2023 - Canoehead Likes this wine:

Bright Ruby with garnet core. Pronounced nose of extracted black cherries, dried herbs and liquorice. Medium bodied with seamless integration. This is what I expect my Bordeaux reds in the $100 price range to taste like and this Naramata blend is not even half that price. Quite elegant.

12/15/2023 - Canoehead Likes this wine:

Not intended to be part of a Cab bottle fest & dinner. Brought as a birthday gift for the host. But he generously opened it and served without a decant. Wow! this was fresh, massive and long. absolutely delightful. Well done Mr. Eggert. Thanks for sharing, DV!

11/3/2020 - darrenv Likes this wine:

I think this needs a few years. Nice big nose, dark fruits, but the mouthfeel is way out of balance. It's like someone calling you names. On the palate it's burnt assholes wrapped in electrical tape. I do have hope for it in a few years. For the money, it's great with something like pizza.

10/2/2022 - darrenv Likes this wine:

I barely selected 'I like it'. It's thin and not really doing anything for me except that I bought it, opened it (hoping for more than this) and don't feel like dumping down the drain, but don't bother...get ANYTHING else.

7/20/2021 - KillerJones Likes this wine:

A very enjoyable wine, possessing a scent that carries depth.

Cedar, dark fruit & dusty tobacco aromas. After 2-hour decant…firm tannins, showcasing its freshness.

Super dry, with flavors of fig, blueberries & sage with a Bing cherry and splash of coffee finish.

Super interesting wine - patience will be rewarded here.

7/12/2023 - darrenv Likes this wine:

and here I go again....first note.
This was great right out of the bottle. Full bodied, great fruit, good if not a tad heavy acidity. Went so well with a pork/teriyaki noodle dinner.
I'll buy this if I can find it again!

6/12/2023 - Pontifax Likes this wine:

So....what a pleasant surprise after the underwhelming 2015, tasted some months ago.
On nose: present vanilla/ oak, light tobacco and ripe blueberries.
On palate: all above flavour notes firing on all cylinders, clean acidity, ripe tannins , notes of boysenberry, a ghost of soy sauce, and cassis...all displayed on an unabashedly New World frame ....notes of Kona coffee and toasted walnuts show on the finish.
Geeat wine for Carolina BBQ, with all the fixins....drink up not an ager.

6/1/2023 - Pontifax Likes this wine:

A British Columbia Bordeaux- style blend.
On nose: curiously shy, brick dust and light mesquite charcoal.
On palate: above flavour notes present, with faint cassis, very light coffee, subtle tomato plant, and plum skin....delivered on a lightly acidic body , with muted tannins....hmm...for a presumed blend of Cab Sauv, Cab Franc ,and a touch of Merlot , this is very restrained...but no one would, in a blind tasteing think " Bordeaux blend".....not a bad wine....but closer to a German Rossburgunder in body weight ....may not buy again...price is $35.00 in Vancouver.

6/17/2023 - Canoehead Likes this wine:

Almost at its drinking window. Imagine you’re lining up overnight for tickets to Bowie’s Serious Moonlight tour in ‘83. The concert’s months away and you’re not that smitten with the latest album but it’s a chance to see Bowie finally in your home town. This wine needs several more months but the potential and the anticipation is palpable. The quality of the fruit and the enviable structure predicate a mid-term seamless, well-balanced opus of vino proportions. This is the Man Who Sold the World integrated with Ashes to Ashes. Mankind Morality Play meets Melancholic Masterpiece.

4/18/2023 - Rudolph Schmidt wrote:

74% Cabernet Sauvignon, 14% Pet Verdot, Cabernet Franc 6%, 5% Malbec, 1% Merlot. 24m in French oak.

Decanted an hour & a half.

Black cherry, blueberry, mint, cocoa powder, a tobacco field after a rain.

12/21/2021 - Francois Le Mouel Likes this wine:

Really good Meritage, with a very clear smoked bacon aroma on the nose with a touch of leather. High alcohol, as it is always the case with Vanessa Vineyard, but it's well integrated. Smooth tannins, not aggressive at all. Drinking very well now, but could be cellared for another 5-7 years.

4/6/2023 - domestic_primate Likes this wine:

Not sure if these are closed down at the moment but I’ve been underwhelmed twice now by this bottling. Fruit seems buried under the tannins right now. Will try to forget about the rest for a couple of years.

2/3/2023 - Dover drunk Likes this wine:

My wife opened this and made me guess
I was close by saying cab sav
I buy a couple every yr and have not been disappointed
It is really good wine
I will continue to buy more

3/22/2023 - Canoehead Likes this wine:

Seriously pop n pour joyousness right now. Got better through the evening. Good concentration and solid integration of tannins, fruit, acid and alcohol.

3/9/2023 - Canoehead Likes this wine:

I had a glass FOUR nights after initial opening - thanks DV. The Cabernet core on this is fabulous. The Merlot half is obviously adding some of the generous fruit from a very good vintage. Possibly worst labeling of any BC wine this side of early Kraze Legz and Ruby Blues. Looks like it was designed by a committee of pedantic municipal tax collectors. The key differentiating designation of "50" is so miniscule and partly hidden by the appellation text that it looks like an afterthought. Simplify the packaging and get these future 50 blends in the hands of BC somms. You're welcome!

2/17/2023 - KillerJones Likes this wine:

Iconic. Pomerol – meet Okanagan. Might easily pass as a Napa blend.

Very peppery, spicy, minty nose with black olive, leather, mineral, licorice & blackberry notes sprinkled with coffee, cassis, carrot top & vanilla aromas.

The attack is dry & round with tight tannins… but with finesse. More black cherry fruit spiked with peppery, licorice, smoky coffee flavors, resin, tobacco, black leather, olive & herbal notes in the finish. Easily 5-10 years of life left.

What is the quote just when I thought I was out? 😉

9/17/2022 - Wolffy Likes this wine:

Just wow! That fruit...🤤 exceptional.
Knife edge balance amongst fruit and tannins, each fighting for dominance ending in perfect harmony. Great tension with brightness leading and tannin and oak coming in to keep all in perfect check. Give me more
Not much room for improvement here.

2/6/2023 - JAP55 Likes this wine:

Medium garnet with medium plus intensity notes of caramel.
Dry, medium acidity and tannin with medium plus body and high alcohol.
Predominately tertiary flavours of stewed fruit coupled with some red cherry to round things out leading to a fairly lengthy finish.
If I knew this was going to be as good as it turned out, I would have bought more.

2/5/2023 - Canoehead Likes this wine:

Part of a 5-bottle BYO @ Heron Rock. Virtually flawless. It was the least expensive and most expressive of the lot. It is unabashedly approachable and effortlessly smashable. Seamless in the bouquet and all pleasure on the palate. It’s a Canadian icon that is scarce (in quantity and retail availability) and fleeting (in successive ownership). AVM & Mark Anthony, take note, you are messing with hallowed ground (read: Blind Creek Vineyard) and should bring back this “Collective” label. It’s a special place.

12/10/2022 - Canoehead Likes this wine:

Ten Years On - 2012 Cabernet Sauvignons (Canoehead Central): Fantastic on the eyes - opaque dark garnet, black core with a touch of crimson on the rim. Pronounced savoury complex nose. Saturate dark red fruits with vanilla spice, tobacco and cocoa powder. This was unctuous on the palate – full-bodied, massive ripe red fruit core with liquorice and mocha. Some evoked blasphemous terms. A bit grippy still but it would pair well with quality protein and a bit of fat. Won the bronze but great effort.

5/22/2022 - Jochems Likes this wine:

In excellent shape right now, but make sure you give it plenty of time to breath befor drinking. These notes where eventually taken over one and a half day after opening the bottle.

Initially it showed dense dark fruit but also some unpleasant barnyard and nail polish aroma’s. These blew off after about 8 hours. But the bottle realy began to sing a day after opening.

Medium dark ruby color with very little sings of ageing yet. Dense aromas of blackcurrant, cherry and some leather and milk chocolate and hints of herbs and licorice. Full bodied with chewy-smooth tannins, balanced fresh acidity and some ripe fruit. The finish is very long, it keeps lingering for ever, and has a slightly bitter twist to it.
This bottle seems to have aged very well. But considering experience with presious vintages this wine might have a much longer life ahead still. Perhaps even devlop some more tertiary aromas.
Drink now - 2029.

11/12/2022 - Canoehead Does not like this wine:

Possibly flawed. Wasn’t corked and wasn’t oxidized but this was sour from the outset. I don’t know why some “premium” wine producers insist on naked bottlings (read: no capsule seal over the cork). I also don’t know why these same producers insist on “hooch” style bottle forms that make cellaring a challenge due to lack of bottle conformity. Decided to decant for a couple of hours hoping for the best but this plonk remained unsalvageable. A real disappointment @ CAD80. I’ll take Skaha Merlot @ $25-30/btl everyday of the week over this pretentious ferment.

10/14/2022 - KillerJones Does not like this wine:

Executive Summary: Dry - but disappointing finish with tannins that are wood hewn & ample.

This wine strikes you over the head, abducts you blindfolded & drops you off in the Sahara. In a fit of amnesia, the dryness redeems what this experience otherwise lacks in flavor.

However, that finish brings you back to the nasty realization that you are slowly wrinkling under the sun…much like the grapes used for its making.

9/29/2022 - Vino Loco Likes this wine:

Yes it’s young, but it’s already delicious. Dark fruits, cherries, subtle oak - mid bodied. It doesn’t have the same level of greenness that Eighteen is still hitting you with. Another excellent wine from the fine folks at Lariana.

9/19/2022 - Canoehead Does not like this wine:

We popped and aggressively decanted the ‘19 5th Element I bought earlier in the week @ Superstore for $49.49 Cdn plus taxes. So, first night, the wine was quite primary in fruit and sweet vanilla from the oak. Still a bit grippy in the tannin department and acid was in the mid-palate. No real alcohol heat which surprised me. Put the wine under vacuum seal overnight. Tonight it was a tad smoother but still out of balance on the acid and tannins. The fruit had got a little more acidic, like Grape Soda. As the flagship red this wine lacks complexity, concentration and balance. Nothing like the 5th Elements of 2016 or earlier. Is Von Mandl taking all the great Road 13 fruit for his Mission Hill premium price reds?

6/26/2022 - Vino Loco Likes this wine:

While it’s young, received my club order and wanted to try one to see what to expect. You don’t notice the youth - very drinkable now and will only get better with a few more years on it.

Mid colour and tannin, dark fruits, bramble notes (maybe from the Cab Franc), overall a very well made and enjoyable wine that provides solid QPR.

9/30/2022 - KillerJones Likes this wine:

King of Tuscany - Meet the king of Bordeaux – like two tigers in a cage! What a show for your palate…

Slightly earthy with aromas of chocolate, raisins, nutmeg, vanilla, cherry, leather, & tobacco.

Palate? Full-bodied with slight tannins & acidity, aromas develop well with a mild decanting. Your palate will be dancing trying to keep up.

Nicest wine I have had in a while.

10/2/2022 - Vino Loco Likes this wine:

A solid BC cab at a relatively reasonable price point. Nicely integrated tannins, oak is in check - fruit shines through. The finish is short, but for what it is it’s a well made wine.

9/25/2022 - darrenv Likes this wine:

Three hour decant. Had with filet mignon. Some spice, anise, so fragrant and velvety on the palate. Beautiful.

8/27/2022 - Vino Loco Likes this wine:

Lariana "Thirteen" to "Eighteen" Vertical, and some BC Rosés: Had as part of a "Thirteen" to "Eighteen" vertical (I didn't have the foresight to keep any "Twelve").

Nicest nose, best overall balance and finish. Dark fruits, pyrazines nicely in check versus other years.

10 tasters - ranked 1 of 6 (by a solid margin).

9/3/2022 - Canoehead Likes this wine:

Napa Cab Afternoon (DV Central): The TUB* at the end of a Napa Cabs tasting - decanted ~30 mins
Possibly the best Cab Franc I've ever tasted. Dark garnet with crimson rim. There is a spiciness to the nose where Cab Franc has had the time to mature and lose its green pepper properties and become and savoury cherry and plum tart. Medium plus body and very well balanced. I expect acid in my CFs and this was in check with the generous fruit, alcohol and fine tannins. I want a case of this!
* TUB = Totally Unnecessary Bottle

9/3/2022 - Canoehead Likes this wine:

Napa Cab Afternoon (DV Central): Black sheep entry for a Napa Cabs tasting double-decanted blind
Host discretion/perogative paid off with this excellent showing. It was the last official bottle poured (a Wandering Star Cab Franc showed up on the table shortly thereafter). Dark crimson with black core. Intense nose of baked cherry tart with cocoa and espresso a bit of herbs de provence. Medium plus body, well-integrated tannins for such a young Dunn effort. Very good aging potential.

9/3/2022 - Canoehead Likes this wine:

Napa Cab Afternoon (DV Central): Part of a Napa Cabs tasting double-decanted and blind
Purple Black. Restrained nose at first eve nafter a few swirls. Indicative of a younger wine and this was young Napa on offer. On the palate it was primary, ripe dk red fruit with higher acidity and grippy tannins. Medium plus body and medium plus finish. Very good potential. Open your next in a couple of years with a long decant. Open a '13 version which is a rockstar right now.

9/3/2022 - Canoehead Likes this wine:

Napa Cab Afternoon (DV Central): Part of a Napa Cabs tasting double-decanted and blind.
Inky purple black. Intense nose that almost made one think this was a Cote Rotie with the macerated berries, roasted meat and florals. But any similarity to Syrah was quickly eradicated on the palate. This was squarely premium Cabernet with black currants, amarena cherries, baking spice (mace and vanilla?), rosemary and mint. Fullest body of any of the wines poured. 30sec+ finish. Well made. Thanks CW. Three way tie for WOTN.

9/3/2022 - Canoehead Likes this wine:

Napa Cab Afternoon (DV Central): Part of a Napa Cab Tasting double decanted blind
Bright Dark Red in colour. Kirsch-y cherry on the nose. Black cherry, cassis, plum jelly with sweet woods (cedar and humidor).
Acidity was a little high but great weight and freshened the palate on a long finish. Good concentration.

7/11/2022 - AAW_RightWine Likes this wine:

Absolutely beautiful wine ... decanted for 45 minutes ... deep rich flavor just unbelievably delicious

6/30/2022 - Francois Le Mouel Likes this wine:

Absolutely stunning! A concentrated version of cassis and spices. Very structured, but with highly polished tannins. This can be cellared for another 10 years without any trouble. Unfortunately selling at a not very healthy price:)

5/26/2022 - Clark W Griswold Likes this wine:

Double decant. Red and black fruits. Vanilla. Floral. Meaty. Incredibly Rich and concentrated. Drying finish. Better on day two. Might this be the best MCK yet? Not sure, it’s always good. Please find me a wine under $30 as complex and delicious.

5/23/2022 - Vino Loco Does not like this wine:

When I first started buying wine to cellar about 10 years ago, this was one of the first bottles I purchased. I paid $90 of my hard earned dollars for it, which for me at the time was a lot of money. I thought if I invested wisely, it would pay dividends down the road. Much like Bre-X or Nortel, this investment didn't work out as planned.

Once you crack through the ridiculous wax that makes a mess on your floor and counter, you're greeted by a cork that shattered into pieces (this wine was cellar stored at 58 f). The positive - the wine has a beautiful colour and a nose of vanilla with a hint of smoke. And that's where the happy story ends. The wine is so sour it is borderline undrinkable. It has no body or structure. And for a wine with sub 14% abv, it exudes alcohol. I had a bottle of someone's homemade wine a few weeks ago that was surprisingly similar.

Cassini Cellars has entered the penalty box and probably won't make its way out anytime soon.

5/23/2022 - Francois Le Mouel Likes this wine:

Lovely discovery from the Cowichan Valley. Enjoyed it several time this week with lunch (by the glass). Very Burgundian in style, it's just well made and so refreshing. Red cherries, strawberries and notes of oak. Enjoy now.

1/4/2022 - TB_tothemax Likes this wine:

My first public note be kind lol. Tasted over 3 days starting the night of the 2nd. Way too young and the wine is disjointed with strong tannins and bitter flavor overwhelming even with an overnight decant. Even though the flavors were masked by the alcohol and tannin it was smooth and you could tell this wine is well made it just needs time. On the 3rd day the fruit really came through, blackberry, blueberry and plum. I'm sure given many more years in the cellar (5 or more) those secondary flavors will be more distinct and enjoyable. The parts are all there just not ready to shine yet even with a long decant. 96 given on its potential

5/21/2022 - Vino Loco Does not like this wine:

The BC $10 - $20 - $30 - $40 Challenge (T&F's on Blueback): Had blind - second flight - wine "C" of A to D.

Mid colour. Musty earth on the nose. No real fruit was coming through. A sour finish. Overpowering alcohol. This was my least favourite wine of the flight, although for what's its worth I didn't enjoy a single wine from the flight.

Overall, this was the most disappointing wine of the evening for me.

5/23/2022 - Francois Le Mouel Likes this wine:

Decanted for 5 hours...and the end result was fantastic. The second I put my nose in the glass, I knew it would be a memorable experience. Served at 16C, it was close to perfection. Extremely fragrant and very complex on the nose with explosions of cassis, blueberries, incense, cedar, aromatic herbs and dark chocolate...it was just fantastic. The palate is almost as impressive with a deep, layered, structured, but velvety mouthfeel. Even though this is a BIG wine, the acidity and the fruit perfectly balance the beast. The finish is also quite impressive...its so looong. First experience with Cardinale, but hopefully not my last one. Enjoy now or cellar for another 10-15 years.

3/26/2021 - The Drunken Cyclist Likes this wine:

Retail $35. Big Ass Bottle. 98% Cabernet Sauvignon, 2% Petit Verdot. 18 months in 85% New American Oak. The Aquilini family is changing the status quo on Red Mountain. A few years ago, they shocked the local community by purchasing, essentially, every last available acre in the tiny appellation (670 acres in total). While that ruffled a few feathers (there were several groups trying to pool their cash together to buy different parcels within that 670 acre total). This is (as far as I can tell) the eighth brand from the Aquilini's extensive purchases in the Columbia Valley (the 670 acres on Red Mountain are just a fraction of their recent acquisitions). This wine? Yes. Finally. And close to a whoa. Plum, blackberry, cassis, black pepper, vanilla, I could go on about the nose, but that would be pretentious (and I avoid pretention at [almost] all costs). The palate is rich and layered, unctuous, delicious, and balanced. Yeah, I dig this wine. While, like the red blend, this might need a bit more time (there are some chunky tannins on the finish), it is fantastic now and more than worthy of the tariff.

http://www.thedrunkencyclist.com

5/13/2022 - Vino Loco wrote:

Bait and switched at a restaurant - 2018 advertised, 2019 delivered and didn’t have energy to turn it down and start over.

The wine is simply not ready - so it’s likely unfair to judge it too much at this time. It opened as being super juicy, reminded me of Oceanspray Cran-Blackberry. The alcohol was in check, and the oak didn’t stand out in either a good or bad way. Low to mid tannin. While it slightly improved over dinner, it just made no sense to be drinking it at this stage, particularly at its price point.

2/20/2022 - Canoehead Likes this wine:

One of three bottles for a Sunday afternoon assessment of WA Bordeaux-blend reds. Clean cork. Initially muted nose at decanting. Decanted for 2 hours prior to tasting. Materially evolved. Pronounced nose of black cherry and creme de cassis. Hints of menthol and iron. Savoury, sweet fruits carry through on the palate. Bit of tannic grip and acid - definitely a protein partner - went really well with maple smoked salmon fillet. This continued to gain complexity and elegance over two more hours. Great structure - easily a 10-15 year cellar tenant. Thanks for the tasting DV!