8/14/2022 - Wine Ratings wrote:

Tasty! No formal notes here, but I'd had some back vintage Cave Spring before that turned out to be great value so I tucked this away in the cellar to see what it would do. It's not going to knock your socks off if you're looking for that tightrope Mosel balance of sweetness and acidity, but showing really well at this point.

2/1/2022 - Wine Ratings Likes this wine:

Pure magic, plain and simple. I wish I had an endless supply of these, because the level of enjoyment they provide outstrips nearly all other wines I've been lucky enough to enjoy. It's a flawless wine, as far as I'm concerned - seriously precise and focused, yet utterly hedonistic at the same time. I'm sure this can live for many, many decades, but damn it's a joy to indulge...

2/10/2022 - Wine Ratings wrote:

It's fine - this has often been touted to me as THE Bordeaux blend to have from the Okanagan, but I still think it misses the mark for the most part. It shows the unfortunately typical heavy handed oak masking a fairly hollow mid-palate and less than exciting finish. Give me Daydreamer Jasper or Echo Bay Synoptic over this any day.

2/13/2022 - Wine Ratings wrote:

Corked.

2/15/2022 - Wine Ratings wrote:

Notably reductive on both nose and palate, despite the decant - still noticeable on day 2 though it does blow off to a certain extent. This still feels fairly tight, a far cry from his utterly generous '16 Bourgogne Les Grands Chaillots. It's tasty, no doubt, but I think a few more years would do this some good.

2/6/2021 - Wine Ratings wrote:

corked

2/6/2021 - Wine Ratings wrote:

flawed

11/20/2020 - Wine Ratings Likes this wine:

Astonishing in every way. It took several years of requests to get an allocation of Peter’s Ság - damn, was it ever worth the wait! Dazzling from the get-go, it drinks like great white Burgundy with extra splashes of happiness throughout. It’s a field blend of sorts from a vineyard on the side of an ancient volcanic hill that climbs unexpectedly out of the Hungarian plains; the vines here are primarily Olazrizling (Welschriesling), with a handful of other interplanted varieties in the mix. The wine strikes a wonderful balance of fresh and indulgent, enticing you at both ends of the spectrum. It’s awash with floral tones, green/yellow fruit (ripe lime, pear, golden apple, honeydew, kiwi), and savoury elements (cinnamon, mint, zest, fennel), all buoyed by stony minerality. Those truly indulgent notes, however, come through with some time: apple crisp, white chocolate, and a long honeyed-cereal finish. Unreal.

11/8/2020 - Wine Ratings Likes this wine:

Save the Western Swamp Tortoise! That’s the aim of Dormilona winemaker Josephine Perry with her ‘Yokel’ line - luckily for us she gives us the opportunity to help this critically endangered Aussie reptile through wildly delicious wines in similarly awesome packaging. For every one of these wines sold, Jo donates a dollar to a group working to protect the tortoise; the vines for these wines, all in Swan Valley, date back to the 1920s, so naturally the bottle mascot is garbed appropriately. As for the wine - damn, this stuff is full on! This is certainly no bottle-for-the-sake-of-charity kind of thing, but an absolute thrill for the senses. Juicy, spicy, bold; well structured and utterly drinkable. It carries crazy amounts of ripe fruit without feeling overextracted, balancing things out with a substantial kick of black licorice, woodspice, paprika, spearmint, and green tobacco. Tannins sneak up after a glass, making me think this bottle may have more legs than its initial juiciness would imply - tough to keep your hands off something this crushable though.

9/29/2020 - Wine Ratings Likes this wine:

Lively and bursting with flavour, along the same vein as their Love Red but more...Pfeffery. The wine scientists are still somewhat undecided on Cabernet Pfeffer’s origins, but this much is true - there isn’t a whole lot of it (approx 12 acres worldwide in 2019, all of it in California relatively near the Bay Area). What they do know, owing partially just to the name, is that wines from the variety tend to be pepper bombs (Pfeffer being pepper in German, of course). Maybe that expectation had me surprised at the juicy, smooth nature of Broc’s offering, the result of the carbonic fermentation they used specifically to counter some of that typically high-tannin, spicy nature. The results are undoubtedly excellent - yes, the tannin and pepper are there, but the wine is so much more. Ripe currents, cranberry juice, red/black plums, and loads of wild berries burst forth immediately, flavours coming in faster than I could even note. Savoury elements - licorice root, mint/thyme, cedar forest, graphite - were plentiful as well. The wine carried a whimsical but pleasant cherry/grape koolaid feel with a licorice finish. Lip-smackingly delicious but with the sneaky structure that could make this a stellar BBQ wine (though frankly quite gulpable on its own).

8/6/2020 - Wine Ratings wrote:

Wacky! (but I knew that would be the case going in). Lightly fruited, wildly savoury, super oxidative; a wine I’d definitely categorize more as intriguing than outright delicious. Plenty of floral character (rosewater?) combined with subtle strawberry and tangerine up front, before the fun really begins by way of waxiness/seed oil, white pepper, and loadsa herbs (as Jamie Oliver would say). A certain nuttiness hangs about, as one would expect with an oxidative style. Touches of watermelon and honeydew yogurt find their way through, while the finish is all spearmint (nothing like finishing off each sip with some fresh teeth...). I spent much of the evening trying to figure out whether I actually liked it or not - perhaps not a conundrum many people desire in a bottle of wine, but something I genuinely appreciate given the right context. After many years of curiousity, it was great to get to try it! A wine of legendary status for a fraction of the price you’ll see it for on the secondary market.

6/9/2020 - Wine Ratings Likes this wine:

Both inspirational and apt, this name; Craig’s ‘entry-level’ Chenin provides punchy acidity in spades! Entry-level is certainly a bit of a mis-nomer here, being that fruit is sourced from his oldest Chenin vines (planted in 1972) and this wine has the structure to go for many years in the cellar. Joining that sharp yet precise acid are bold citrus notes, green apple, and a wicked streak of crushed stone/saline. It definitely leans towards Savienneres on the Chenin-style spectrum with its prominent savoury side. With some time in air the wine does flush out a bit, but this is a young pup and still pretty tight. It’s hard not to get a sense of the quality packed in here though, and even though I talk about future promise that’s certainly not to say it isn’t delicious now! A brilliant food wine, I should add...

6/13/2020 - Wine Ratings Likes this wine:

The 2019 is full of floral tones joined by sweet strawberry, blood orange, and (guiltily) delicious hints of cotton candy. With a bit of time in the glass, white pepper, dry stone, and a mint/basil quality develop; the watermelon jolly rancher finish only encourages the smile that’s already on my face. It’s a lovely, perfectly balanced sip - a brilliant orange wine. Destemmed, six days on skins, aged in neutral puncheon. Craven never ceases to impress!

6/29/2020 - Wine Ratings Likes this wine:

Ryan strikes again, this time under his Los Chuchaquis label created along with pal Andrew Nelson. A Quechua word, chuchaqui translates to ‘without legs’ or in a more colloquial manner, ‘he/she who is perpetually hungover’. Seems fitting, especially considering how unquestionably crushable the wines they make under the name are. In the case of this vibrant pet-nat, low yields of Albariño grapes are harvested from the Santa Ynez Valley. The result is a brilliant balance between liveliness and super concentrated fruit; think loads of citrus and green apple complimented by honeysuckle and a serious savoury streak of white pepper, mint, and fennel. Dangerously refreshing and gulpable.

5/9/2020 - Wine Ratings Likes this wine:

Holy hell. My head might explode before I get through this write-up, much like this wine absolutely exploded forth from the very first sip. It just screamed to be gulped greedily, and I can tell you firsthand it was a difficult request to ignore. To use a widely accepted, wholly professional wine term - this wine was bonkers. Gushing with juicy fruit (currants, ripe raspberry, wild cherry) - countered by prominent herbs and spice (cinnamon hearts, clove, mint/sage, cedar/balsam) each sip was a very inviting assault on the senses. I wish I could say you should go out and buy a bunch of these (especially given the QPR) but they sold out a while ago - whoops. Brendon and Kirstyn keep outdoing themselves with wild and wonderful wines, and I want every part of it. Already can’t wait for the next shipment!

5/17/2020 - Wine Ratings Likes this wine:

There are times a wine speaks for itself in such volumes that any attempt to describe it through superlatives seems hollow, if not entirely redundant. Laurent Saillard’s wines always seem evoke that same sense in me; that feeling that sometimes the greatest way to say something is to say nothing at all (cough...........thanks JT). I suppose that wouldn’t make for much of a write up though, now would it? His wines are, invariably, equal parts playful and elegant, strong in character but not overbearing. We receive a (very) small amount of them each year, and each year they prove to be consistently clean, precise, and humbly beautiful. If you were to meet Laurent, watch him work, and see the modest rural surroundings these wines orginate from, you wouldn’t even need to question why the wines are the way they are. Lucky You is an 80/20 blend of Sauv Blanc and Chardonnay, a perfect balance of racy freshness up front with a riper, softer element on the back end. It’s everything you’d hope for out of a more classic French-style SB rounded out with creamy stone fruit from the chard - gorgeous stuff and utterly delicious. Now, enough with words.

4/29/2020 - Wine Ratings Likes this wine:

Crisp, ripe, savoury, complex - ask and you shall receive! This wine has it all (unless, of course, you’re looking for high alcohol, heavily oaked Cali styled Chard...though in that case my posts are probably not high on your viewing list anyway). Jordan and Tyler are making stellar wines from their vineyards in and around Summerland (including an amazing lineup of serious bubbles!) and we were lucky enough to get a sneak peak of this one last year before release. Needless to say, there was a giddy response and a period of impatience until that release date...but good things come to those who wait. It was open for business immediately upon opening, putting forth waves of lively citrus fruit (and limeade!) and green apples followed by white pepper, mint, and crushed stone. Sweet vanilla and toast joined in the mix; it does see 30% new oak during aging, but it integrates seamlessly into the fold and serves only to enhance, not overwhelm. While maintaining ample freshness, the wine’s complexity continued to build over time, providing lusher stone/tropical fruit as well as touches of saline, cardamom, and honey on the finish. Just so much going on throughout, and amazing to have such a balance of beauty, precision and unabashed crushability! More please.

4/9/2020 - Wine Ratings Likes this wine:

Exotic expression and nuns aren’t generally associated with one another, but I suppose there’s an exception to every rule. This gem comes to us from the Sisters of the Cistercian who, with the help of much-heralded winemaker/consultant Giampiero Bea, make a trio of beautiful wines from the vines they tend at their monastery in Vitorchiano, Lazio. All are produced in small quantities, but the Benedic is on a particularly minute scale - only a handful of cases made it to Alberta. A blend of Sangiovese and Ciliegiolo (and new for 2018 apparently, a splash of Merlot), the wine is light in stature but heavy on charm. Floral, earthy, and wildly seductive, both the nose and palate brim with rosewater, strawberry, chokecherry, exotic spices and orange bitters. It carries a palpable sense of woodiness/forest floor. Day 2 brings loads of the freshest, ripest cranberry juice you can imagine. There’s something so undeniably compelling about this wine - it absolutely begs you to sip over and over again, and you’ll be all too happy to oblige until every last drop is gone.

10/14/2019 - Wine Ratings Likes this wine:

Freshness, intensity, and depth wrapped up in one delicious package! Even at 7 years, this absolutely exploded out of the bottle and didn’t relent until the last drop was gone. That’s not to say it was heavy or overbearing, mind you; far from it, particularly at a very reasonable 13.7%. The wine combines the wicked savouriness of the Rocks district (Oregon side of Walla Walla) with pure, sweet red fruit from Minick Vineyard further north in the Columbia Valley. A perfect balance - silky smooth with just enough acid for extreme drinkability. Intense and complex, yes, but in no way difficult. This was a bottle packed full of all the blueberry, red/black cherry, herbs, salty olives, smoked bacon, and mossy forest one could imagine, providing a long, tantalizing lead-up to the rootbeer/black pepper/szechuan finishing touch.

3/7/2020 - Wine Ratings Likes this wine:

Bright, fresh and 11% - this is a crusher if there ever was one! The ‘2017’ version of Rét (grassland, in Hungarian) is actually a Zweigelt/Sankt Laurent mix blended over two vintages by the lovely Alex and Maria Koppitsch in Burgenland. Equal parts fruity and savoury, it puts forth waves of tangy red fruit entwined with sage, green peppercorn, and slate. An entire vegetable garden lurks within: vine tomatoes (leaves and all), arugula, beets, mixed herbs. With a bit of air, the nose develops an irresistable raspberry coulis character combined with a touch of black tea on the finish. Delicious! (and healthy, I presume, given all of those notes...)

2/26/2020 - Wine Ratings Likes this wine:

The Gneisz és Csillám (Gneisz and Mica Schist, the soil types in the associated vineyards) is driven by Syrah and Zweigelt with splashes of Kékfrankos and Merlot to round things out - Franz strives to showcase local varieties, but still makes good use of the international varieties his father planted back in the day. Close your eyes, and at times this beauty drinks like the Northern Rhône; other times, you’d swear you were in an exotic spice market next to the paprika (Hungarian placebo effect? You tell me). It’s an absolute QPR juggernaut - certainly the best value in our portfolio, and, bias aside, probably the best I’ve ever come across.

3/6/2020 - Wine Ratings Likes this wine:

It’s challenging to pick a favourite Gut Oggau wine - each possesses a beautiful character that speaks to me in its own way - but if push came to shove, I think it would have to be Emmeram. Represented by the beloved, globetrotting uncle figure of the GO family tree, this joy in a bottle is a result of fruit from low-yielding 40yr old Gewuztraminer vines vinified in neutral barrels. It astonishes both on the nose and with each sip, sending forth waves of the purest fruit and zesty elements that linger long on the mind: juicy mandarin, ginger passionfruit, lime leaf, spicy papaya salad, orange tea. It pairs with just about anything you can throw at it food-wise, but time and time again I find myself turning greedy - not even dinner gets to share in this indulgence.

3/21/2020 - Wine Ratings Likes this wine:

New look, same deliciousness! The 2018 vintage of Love Red doubles down on the purist of pure fruit - holy heck, is it ever juicy and tangy in all the right ways. As always though, the wine holds on to its sage/foresty quality to keep things in balance while dolling out a heap of mouthwatering Cherry Blasters on the finish. There’s simply no denying how fun this is to drink, yet it still maintains enough character for more thoughtful sipping and great food pairings. This vintage is a little more Carignan driven at 77%, up from 50% last year, with Valdiguié (15%) and Syrah (8%) completing the blend. Love Red remains an absolute staple for us, with good reason.

2/22/2020 - Wine Ratings Likes this wine:

Freshness, intensity, and depth wrapped up in one delicious package! Even at 7 years, this absolutely exploded out of the bottle and didn’t relent until the last drop was gone. That’s not to say it was heavy or overbearing, mind you; far from it, particularly at a very reasonable 13.7%. The wine combines the wicked savouriness of the Rocks district (Oregon side of Walla Walla) with pure, sweet red fruit from Minick Vineyard further north in the Columbia Valley. A perfect balance - silky smooth with just enough acid for extreme drinkability. Intense and complex, yes, but in no way difficult. This was a bottle packed full of all the blueberry, red/black cherry, herbs, salty olives, smoked bacon, and mossy forest one could imagine, providing a long, tantalizing lead-up to the rootbeer/black pepper/szechuan finishing touch.

3/8/2020 - Wine Ratings Likes this wine:

Testalonga is great. Craven is great. Collaboration between the two? Sign me up 12/10 times! Fortunately enough we get to experience the magic of this alliance through our new friend Clint, a blend of single Pinotage barrels made by each party. It’s varietally correct, certainly, but a far cry from those poorly made chewing tobacco/tire fire versions out there; instead, this wine bursts forward with loads of juicy red fruit, tangy tangerine, and a perfectly pleasant level of that expected smoky character. The midpalate is awash with tandoori spices and cedar/resin, while the finish hints at watermelon candy and green peppercorn. A seriously delicious treat! For those who insist they don’t like Pinotage, I dare you to try this and tell me you don’t enjoy the heck out of it.

8/6/2019 - Wine Ratings Likes this wine:

Lovely, just lovely! Broc really nailed this 2018 vintage - not that previous vintages haven’t also been delicious, but the concentration and depth of flavour, the silky lush mouthfeel here at just 12% is simply astonishing. There’s no lack of freshness, mind you; though tropical notes dominate, the wine still carries plenty of crisp apple, green melon, and white pepper notes combined with perfect acidity to keep things balanced. Ginger, honey, cinnamon, and herbal tea all made appearances throughout tasting; some sips conjured up childhood memories of eating delicious canned peaches/mandarins. The fun with this wine didn’t stop over two days - it was rocking the whole time. No doubt about it, the QPR with this is outstanding!

6/21/2019 - Wine Ratings wrote:

Another in a line of Saint-Joseph bottlings that offer amazing representation of the northern Rhône at good value (relatively speaking, of course - $58 may not strike some as a great deal, but considering prices of the more prestigious producers/appellations in the region, it’s reasonable enough). The wine showed wicked typicity of both variety and place - wild, gamey, meaty, spicy, all the while providing balance through classic violet and black raspberry notes. A notable herbal character (thyme, rosemary, sage, mint) persisted throughout; on the back end, the wine showed touches of rosewater, crushed stone, licorice root, and indulgent bacon-wrapped dates. The mouthfeel was silky smooth - strong though not too powerful with evident but rounded tannins. Overall, it was a delicious sip albeit still a tad mild on complexity at the moment. The signs are all there that this wine had plenty of time to go, and that the reward will be worth the wait!

7/4/2019 - Wine Ratings Likes this wine:

As far as fun auction bottles go, this ‘09 Wetzel Pinot hit the mark - nicely aged, great condition, great price! This was a tasty treat giving a strongly red-fruited nose (strawberry, ripe red plum) with a palate leaning more towards an intriguing savoury side (dry soil, licorice root, cocoa). The mid-palate did seem a bit hollow for a while, but with time the wine did come around to provide a mouthfilling experience all the way through. Upon opening up, notes of cinnamon/woodspice, red nibs (delicious!), and black cherry emerged; oak was present, but certainly well integrated at this point. Nothing particularly tertiary jumped out suggesting there is still time for this bottle, though it seems to be in a good place at the moment - I did snag another bottle so maybe I’ll take a chance on further progression. Not mindblowing but most definitely worth the price - a great auction selection!

2/18/2019 - Wine Ratings Likes this wine:

A lively, captivating offering from the volcanic slopes of Somló. Peter’s wines comtinue to impress year after year, which I suppose shouldn’t be surprising given his dedication to the cause. Grapes for this wine are foot-crushed and whole cluster pressed using his ancient hand-cranked basket press; he is nothing if not the idyllic romantic notion of an old-world winemaker. The wine is open right out of the gate with plenty of citrus, mint, and minerality - it doesn’t take long to hit full stride, showcasing riper golden apple, pineapple, pear, and honeydew. A streak of pine/juniper runs through the palate, joined by touches of flint and white pepper. A sense of candied lemon and lime zest carries through the finish. Vibrant acidity balances ripeness and keeps the wine eminently refreshing - each sip begs for another! I’m biased, of course, but the QPR here is outstanding.

7/13/2019 - Wine Ratings Likes this wine:

Lively! Juicy! Purple!! 130+ year old own-rooted vines (!!) provide a wine with flavour concentration bordering on astonishing at just 12.5%. Whole clusters undergo partial carbonic and aging takes place in concrete to showcase that intense, vibrant fruit. The wine is a wildly intriguing balance of ripe (red/black currant, plum, blackberry), dried (currant, cherry), and savoury (thyme, clove, pine forest, cocoa) notes. A floral character hangs throughout; at times the wine gives an appealing sense somewhere between Dr. Pepper and jerk spice, before dialing back to a finish of pine and rosewater. It’s already firing on all cylinders, so no need to wait - though if you have a bit of patience you’ll no doubt also be properly rewarded!

5/23/2019 - Wine Ratings Likes this wine:

Despite a love for Chinon, I’ve realized that I don’t actually sip on it all that often (perhaps due to a relative lack of diversity for it on our market, but still). Needless to say, when a handful of these 2007s from Loire legend Olga Raffault (and from the highly renowned Les Picasses site, no less) came up at auction I jumped at the opportunity. I was not disappointed; with 12 years on it, this wine was everything I had hoped! Cranberry, dried flowers, and sundried tomato led the way, but the wine was ultimately driven by umami flavours and savoury as hell. Loads of black pepper, pine/juniper, licorice root, and cigar/campfire came through; petricor, wet soil, rain-soaked forest, evoking memories of damp fall days. Tannins have softened and balance perfectly with moderate acidity, giving the wine an easy-sipping feel. Olga may sadly be gone, but her granddaughter Sylvie has taken the reins to keep the tradition of these beautiful wines intact. Such an excellent representation of aged Chinon, and you’d be hardpressed to find better value anywhere.

6/21/2019 - Wine Ratings Likes this wine:

Always a portfolio favourite, the latest vintage of Meinklang’s Graupert Pinot Gris stays on trend; the 2018 is wildly tropical and lively as hell! Those wild vines (as noted before, Graupert is local dialect for ‘unkempt’) keep doing their thing, and along with 10 days on skins, provide fresh yet super concentrated aromas and flavours: blood orange, ripe stone fruit, passionfruit, papaya, watermelon, mint, fennel, green tomato, orange tea (to name but a few...). This stuff is like fruity V8 juice! The wine also carries some of the familiar briny/pickled character that helps to balance out the ripe fruit (though a little less forward than 2017). On day 3, it is ALL ruby grapefruit. Lovely, intruiging, fun, crushable.

11/19/2018 - Wine Ratings Likes this wine:

Fresh and juicy, with plenty of red fruit and a serious savoury kick! Testalonga’s Mourvedre and that of the Dirty & Rowdy Familiar are cut from somewhat the same cloth, making use of whole-cluster fermentation to drive exceptionable drinkability at reasonable alcohol levels (without sacrificing complexity). But where the Familiar showcases bright fruit and sweet spice, Craig’s take on the variety leans more to fuller fruit and pleasantly pungent spices - so much so that at just 12.5% it was still the perfect foil for steak. Who needs a big bruiser when you have that?? One could argue that a few years in the cellar to develop wouldn’t hurt, but there’s certainly no lack of enjoyment in sipping right away!

6/5/2019 - Wine Ratings Likes this wine:

Leitz is not a name that needs much in the way of introduction, at least as far as Riesling is concerned - the family has winemaking history dating back to 1744, with plenty of experience in the top Rüdeshiem vineyards. Situated in the Western Rheingau, Berg Schlossberg is considered among its most prestigeous for dry wines; at 45% grade it is the steepesh vineyard in the region, producing wines of notible structure and minerality from quartzite and slate soils. The palate on this was an absolute mouthfilling rush of fruit: it danced from lemon, to pineapple, to bruised apple, and back around to delicate stone fruit. That minerality showed through intense stone/chalky character, while white pepper, steel, and dill all made an impression. The wine the wine had notable weight and creaminess to it; acidity is well rounded but nontheless potent, keeping things well balanced and very drinkable. With time, notes of spiced pear, clove, and honey/brioche developed, providing pleasants signs of age. No shortage of years to go on this bottle, certainly, but I was pleasantly surprised by its current state!

4/26/2019 - Wine Ratings wrote:

Beautuful nose, muted palate - loads of potential here, but it definitey feels like I jumped the gun. I gave this plenty of time and air to come around; it just never really seemed to get out of second gear. Alexandrine Roy is the 4th generation winemaker at the domaine, with a reputation as a dedicated farmer and absolute perfectionist. She prefers the route of minimal intervention/extraction, resulting in very elegant and thoughtful wines. Her Cuvée Alexandrine is a special offering is made using only millerandage grapes (‘shot berries’, or small but highly concentrated grapes); that concentration was certainly evident on the nose through intense red plum, ripe raspberry, licorice root, tobacco and cedar forest. Wave after wave of spice rolled through - nutmeg, tajin, allspice, tumeric - while the wine carried an overall floral/potpourri character. Some of this carried over to the palate, but generally it was tamer, tarter red fruit and subtler spiciness. This certainly seems to have all the makings of an excellent sip, and a great value wine - it’s just not quite there yet.

5/23/2019 - Wine Ratings Likes this wine:

Beautifully ripe, yet so fresh and vibrant - like Southern Rhone white with a kick zesty kick. This is the first vintage of the Familiar Blanc we’ve received, and damn has it ever been worth the wait! The Blanc is quite the intriguing blend: 55% Semillon, 16% Chenin, 15% Pinot Blanc, 10% Viognier, 3% Muscat, 1% Marsanne. Because why not? It’s plenty open right up front, giving a sense of spring blossoms backed by green melon, yellow plum/apple, citrus peel, and a touch of honey. With time (especially on day 2), it becomes more and more wildly aromatic/flavourful - pineapple, kiwi, orange tea, and bell pepper all come out to play; the wine also carries a petrichor character throughout. At the end of the second day, the finish is full of delicious key lime and coconut. What a treat! No words of mine, however, can match those of Hardy himself, who describes the wine as...Snow Leopards. He adds ‘citrus oils, frozen banana, and life-affirming gin & tonics’ - who am I to argue?

6/19/2019 - Wine Ratings Likes this wine:

Another auction win, I have to say - great quality back-vintage Cali Syrah for a relative steal! Even just from Coravin, this was open from the get-go, showcasing plenty of beautifully ripe fruit and woodiness (as one might expect from Cali, moreso than intense salinity or meatiness). Fruit for the Hillside bottling is sourced from near-30 year old vines planted exclusively for Qupé in Z-Block of the well renowned Bien Nacido vineyard. The wine, while still strong in stature, is perfectly smooth and balanced; it wears its 14% ABV well. Dried flowers, red/black cherry, licorice, gravel, and cigar all come forth on the nose while the palate adds dried cranberry, plum, woodspice, mint, and bacon wrapped dates. Touches of steak spice and smoky BBQ hang on the finish. Though showing a good amount of complexity already, I’d anticipate even more where that came from upon full opening - very much looking forward to that! This bottle is well developed and seems at peak - there are certainly some tertiary notes but nothing to indicate this wouldn’t have at least several more years to go before decline. Amazing QPR!

4/24/2019 - Wine Ratings Likes this wine:

Okanagan Syrah vinified hands-off in terracotta amphorae for 8 months, skins and all - right off the hop you know you’re in for something a little different! This fourth iteration of LFNG’s amphora project (the first three vintages used white grapes) is delicious and well rounded - juicy, savoury, spicy, even if it could use a little more structural backbone. It’s a big wine, no doubt, with a full body carrying the weight of 14.9%, but no less enjoyable for it. The extended, slow extraction time has given the wine exceptional expressiveness and depth of flavour; loads of ripe blue/red/black berries join cherries, black pepper, and a strong herbacious streak on both nose and palate to start. Spicy plum, wet slate, and hickory add to the mix, with cedar, black olive, and earthy mushroom making appearances with time. Touches of sweet spice, red licorice, and chocolate peek through as well, leaving the finish a touch sweet despite the wine’s intense savoury side. I wouldn’t exactly call this a refreshing sip or an every-night wine, but a very pleasurable one nonetheless (and a cool project taking place in our proverbial backyard, which is always a plus!).

4/24/2019 - Wine Ratings Likes this wine:

The beauty of southern Rhône gets a dose of Washington brashness - and we’re all better off for it! This bottle was firing on all cylinders, displaying wicked herbaciousness and meaty, spicy character right out of the gate before delving into deeper notes of ripe cherries and plums. The blend is driven by Grenache (66% - red currant, red cherry, exotic spice), emboldened with a solid serving of Mourvèdre (23% - dark fruit, herbs, gravel), and accented with small amounts of Syrah/Cinsault. The wine works from that spicy, peppery beginning through waves of both red and black fruit, carrying through a finish of nutmeg, anise, and rum balls. Acidity is moderate but suitable; the mouthfeel is well rounded but far from flabby, and 13.8% isn’t going to knock you around despite the full flavours. Tertiary notes were limited; it sure seems like this wine could develop for time yet, but that’s tough to consider when it’s drinking so unbelievably well right now!

4/12/2019 - Wine Ratings Likes this wine:

Lance is indeed sending us down a rabbit hole here - 6 months of skin and another 20 in neutral oak generating flavours and textures galore. Simply put: tropical sunshine in a bottle. Loads of tangy grapefruit, yellow apple/plum, and nectarine are backed up with a wicked savoury streak that continues to develop throughout the evening. Citrus pith, white pepper, bay/sage, fennel, and saline are just a start. The wine opens to passionfruit and honey, while also showing a notable chalky, mineral side. Brisk acidity pairs well with those tropical fruits; amazing to get this intense depth of flavour at just 11.5% ABV. So very crushable! (Also...tough not to love that label)

4/6/2019 - Wine Ratings Likes this wine:

My love of BK is no secret, nor is my love for trying anything a little (or a lot) off the beaten path. That said, skin-contact Savagnin isn’t entirely obscure, but rather a complex and delicious traditional style with roots in the Jura (no matter how childishly some mainstream critics may lash out about it....*cough* RP). Winemaker Brendon Keys has transported this style brilliantly to Adelaide Hills, employing one month on skins and eight months of neutral oak aging for a result both wildly fresh and deeply intriguing. Both nose and palate strike immediately with tangy lemon, saline, and crushed stone backed by brisk acidity. Straw and white pepper join in, along with touches of celery salt. Soon the wine softens, with fuller notes of yellow plum, bruised apple, and brown sugar; eventually the finish gives plenty of brown bread and honeycomb. It may seem challenging at first, but I can assure you that opening your mind and taking the time to contemplate/appreciate this wine is fully rewarding. Either that, or just pop it open and crush away!

5/3/2019 - Wine Ratings Likes this wine:

This is some serious Pinot right here - wildly aromatic and immediately open for business, the wine holds a tight balance between perfectly ripened fruit and seductive spiciness. Fermentation takes place in open-top redwood fermenters, a return to California winemaking traditions of decades past which Ryan seeks to implement wherever possible. The redwood really does seem to put its own unique stamp on the wine, even if it’s a bit difficult to put exactly what that is into words. The results are undeniably delicious (as with all of his wines, frankly...bias aside). Ripe strawberry, plum, and cherry join loads of woody spice on the nose; pomegranate, tobacco, dry leaves, and menthol join in the fun with each sip. Despite the richness of flavours, the wine remains plenty drinkable through fresh acidity and sweet tannins. This is a young bottle - easily enjoyable now, but the promise of future beauty is unquestionable!

3/4/2019 - Wine Ratings Likes this wine:

Legend is as legend does (and 400 years of winemaking certainly doesn’t hurt the cause)! Trimbach considers the Frédéric Emile to be their signature wine, and for good reason; fruit is sourced from the Grand Cru vineyards of Geisberg and Osterberg that overlook the winery, located in the heart of Ribeauvillé. The winegrowing history of Maison Trimbach dates back to 1626 - Pierre Trimbach marks the 12th generation of winemakers in this prestigious Alsatian wine family - so it’s safe to say they know a thing or two. The wine provides a brilliant representation of what classic Alsatian Riesling is all about, exhibiting both laser focus and an underlying softness, captivating and always leaving one wanting more. The nose gives fairly ripe and fuller fruir notes of gala apple, melon, and pineapple while the palate stays lean theough lemon, green apple, and honeydew. Honey and touches of anise make appearances, but the wine combines saline and petrol with prominent acidity to form its powerful backbone. With time, a subtle sense of creaminess manages to break through - the finish carries a pleasant toastiness accentuated by white chocolate and pistacios. Brilliant stuff!! It’s hard not to let the mind wander to the future promise of such a wine (and the curse of not having another few bottles in my cellar!!).

3/19/2019 - Wine Ratings Likes this wine:

Well this sure is an adventure for the senses! 75% Syrah, 25% Pinot, and 100% serious fun from our friend Lance down in NZ. After a quick burst of juicy red fruit, the wine rolls into wave after wave of herbs, spice, and forest tones. Notes of peppercorn, paprika, licorice root, slate, earth, and cedar all come forth in varying amounts. Hickory, tajin, jerk, asian dry rub - name the cuisine and its in there! This thing is just so wickedly savoury and spicy. The finish holds character through cloves and cinnamon sticks, but does offer riper touches of cherry and blueberry. At just 12.0%, it won’t knock you off your feet either despite the depth of flavour. It’s most definitely a tough wine to put down, whether out of intrigue or sheer deliciousness!

4/11/2019 - Wine Ratings Likes this wine:

A well balanced, well developed Cru Bourgeois (Supérieur) that is drinking extremely well right now - tough to beat that quality for value at $30! Sitting far downsteam on the banks of the Gironde as it approaches the Atlantic, the Chateau is one of the oldest Cru Bourgeois properties having been built in the 17th century. The vineyards are comprised of clay, limestone, and the classic Garonne gravel; vines benefit from sea breezes that help with evaporation and concentration of fruit. The majority of the blend is comprised of Merlot and Cab Sauv, with minor amounts of Cab Franc/Malbec blended in - winemaking takes place in stainless/concrete, followed by barrel aging (30% new). The result is a wine with a smooth, rounded feel, with tannins that have now softened and notable but pleasant weight. Currants, plum, and sweet spice are immediately evident, with touches of black pepper, cigar, and black licorice not far behind. The palate carries plenty of hickory and dried leaves; a fall forest sense lingers throughout. A more herbal feel develops with time; hints of that Cab green pepper eventually make an appearance as well. The finish provides savoury cedar and mushroom notes. This isn’t a bottle that will knock you socks off - particularly in comparison to more distinguished Bordeaux offerings - but the QPR here is undeniable. It’s definitely worth having a few of these hanging around in the cellar for when you have that casual Bordeaux craving but don’t want to break the bank!

3/9/2019 - Wine Ratings Likes this wine:

Another stellar vintage of Forks & Knives from the ever intriguing Milan Nestarec, this year making the switch from Grüner to Müller Thurgau for his white. The wine spent several days on skins before resting undisturbed in tank for 10 months - the result is a fascinating balance of tart/tangy with a pleasant richness. It exhibits everything from bright citrus to ripe stone/tropical fruits, pickled veggies, and a fun note reminiscent of fried plantains that develops with time. Essentially, it feels a lot like vacation (minus the veggies, perhaps...). Hints of cardamon, cinnamon, and almond/amaretto further that notion; on day two, the finish is awash with pineapple juice and ketchup chips. All backed with lively acidity, this wine is a veritable amusement park for the taste buds - let your senses roam free! Can’t wait to see what the 2017 has in store for us...

3/6/2019 - Wine Ratings Likes this wine:

Bright yellow fruit and serious zest - this is raw, expressive NZ Skin Sauv Blanc at its prime! The second of two wines we received from Theo this year, it, much like Pinot, has left us beyond eager for more. Fermentation took place on skins for a month to increase the aromatic profile and phenolic structure (with ample success, I have to say). I have no idea how he manages to acheive this much expression and complexity in an 11.5% package; I guess that’s why he makes the wines and we’re just the importers (/drinkers). Lemon, tamgerine, starfruit, and bruised apple mingle with yellow pepper, tangy tea, field greens, and a hint of honey on the nose; the palate stays true to form, adding white pepper and orange peel to the mix. Riper aromas of apricot and passionfruit develop with time, and the wine conjures up fond, whimsical memories of childhood orangeade type drinks. Just loads of fun all around without compromising quality and intrigue - absolutely can’t wait for more!

3/13/2019 - Wine Ratings wrote:

Cuvee Violette, 3 years on - I tasted the 2014 vintage back in 2016, noting that it had the right elements but needed some time to sort itself out. Here at three years later I can report...something similar? I’ll certainly give the wine due credit - both nose and palate have filled out nicely, full of currants, ripe plum, blackberry, black pepper, thyme, smoke, and pine forest. With air and time (particularly on day 2) the structure came well into balance, while complexity continues to develop through violets, dried cherry, sweet spice, and wet stone. This was no slouch of a sip, certainly. There are, however, some question marks - it did at times carry a bit of an alcoholic burn on the finish as well as a somewhat odd buttery sense. The general lack of tertiary notes and still robust structure would suggest this bottle still has some legs though; I’d trust that notion and give it a shot in a few years to see if the pieces really gave all fallen in place. If they have - whoa, the QPR on this will have been outrageous!

3/18/2019 - Wine Ratings Likes this wine:

Deliciously tropical, yet wildly savoury - wines don’t get much fresher than Lance’s Rose of Venus (and yes, rose, not rosé - though it is in fact a rosé)! This is one heck of a blend: Pinot Noir 70%, Chardonnay 12%, Riesling 10%, Pinot Gris 5%, Pinot Meunier 3%, naturally made with fermentation in barrel and four months’ stainless conditioning. The wine is a wealth of fruit - tangerine, strawberry, ruby grapefruit, passionfruit, among others; the palate adds an intriguing blend of herbs and spices. Mint/bay leaves, fennel, white pepper and tangy tagín all come forward, while stone and saline provide a suitable backbone. The wine carries an almost mojito-like character with its lively lime/mint notes, and gives a pleasant touch of effervescence. Just loads of fun all around. This was a brilliant pairing with shawarma - that classic duo of NZ natty rosé and middle eastern cuisine!

3/14/2019 - Wine Ratings Likes this wine:

A beautiful Burgundian sip from what some consider to be a largely underappreciated domaine. This SLB Premier Cru offering, as one might expect, is a wine of both finesse and fortitude, combining rustic elements with supple fruit and a subtle helping of woodspice. Ripe strawberry, plum, and cherry dominate the fruit notes, balanced by savoury licorice root, cedar, and mint/menthol. A gravelly, forest floor sense is present throughout; hints of meat/barnyard are starting to appear, though the wine is still in a relatively moderate stage of tertiary development. The menthol hangs with touches of chocolate on the back end for a pleasing finish. This seems to be drinking in a prime spot right now - fruit is perfectly integrated with developing tertiary characteristics. Tannins are still notably grippy, but not imposing; rather they lend ideal structure to the now-softened palate. This bottle still has some legs, but there’s certainly no need to wait depending on your tastes. Bize winemaking history dates back to 1880 and carries on through three generations of Simons before Patrick Bize took the helm in 1972. He sadly passed away in 2013, but a handful of family members are carrying on the legacy of this excellent yet somewhat under-the-radar producer. Definitely worth seeking out!