PAINTED TURTLE - SHIRAZ

Last night Julia and I decided to open a bottle that was given to us for Christmas (thank you Jamie and Gordana!). This was certainly a lesson in why wine needs to breathe for a while before drinking. When we first tasted the wine, it tasted very acidic. However, after about 10 minutes it mellowed out and was very pleasant.

This Shiraz has nice legs and hints of vanilla on the nose. I tasted hints of pepper (typical for a Shiraz) as well as cloves and blackberry. It went very nicely with the assortment of chocolates I had received in my Christmas stocking.

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Christmas Tastings

Christmas is a time to enjoy friends and family, and what better way to celebrate the season than with a glass of wine. I've had a few nice wines over the last few days.

CHABLIS 1ER VAILLONS - CHRISTIAN MOREAU CUV GUY MOREAU 2005
For Christmas Eve I decided to try something special to go with the Dungeness Crab that my Dad was preparing. I decided to go with a nice Chablis, a white from Burgundy, which consists of the Chardonnay varietal. It was nicely balanced, quite acidic, and was reminiscent of a Sauvignon Blanc. I felt it lacked finish. Aged in 60/40 stainless/barrel, yet not very oaky.
Chablis known for best value Burgandy white. According to Jancis Robinson, author of How To Taste - A Guide To Enjoying Wine, young Chablis shows high acidity, and then goes through a five or six year period of maturation, afterwhich the beauquet opens up in complexity. I would like to try this same wine in about 2012.

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POACHERS BLEND - ST.HALLETT 2006
When the Chablis ran out, Dad popped open a bottle of Poachers Blend. I had been wanting to try this as it had recently been named best value blended white by Wine Access magazine. Very fruity. Reminded me a bit of champagne.

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SATURNA ISLAND VINEYARDS - PINOT NOIR 2006
Accompanied turkey dinner on Christmas night. Colour of raspberries. Very light, flavour of raspberries and cranberries. Overall, lacked depth.

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Kettle Valley Winery - Pinot Noir 2005
Smokey and earthy. Blackberries, currants. Deep, rich red colour. Solid tannins. Level of acidity to be expected in Pinot Noir. Long finish. Very nice.

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Note: you have probably noticed the new ratings system. I think that the 100 point rating system used by many publications is dumb since they only seem to give ratings over 80 (granted, they tend not to publish any ratings less than 80). One would think that you would want to stay away from anything rated lower than about 75. Furthermore, how can you really tell an 88 from an 89? Therefore, I tried to simplify my ratings to three simple choices. Wines rated one wine glass are ones I would tend to pass over in favour of trying something else. A two wine glass rating is a solid choice. A three wine glass is really great wine that is worthy of cellaring or opening for a special occasion.

SHIRAZ CABERNET SAUVIGNON - WOLF BLASS RED LABEL

A very festive open house at my parents house Sunday with plenty of wine. My Dad loaded up with plenty of nice selections, including a few bottles of Wolf Blass Shiraz Cabernet Sauvignon 2006. Every time I drink a Wolf Blass I understand why it is so popular. This blend was deep and rich, well balanced with just enough tannins. I accompanied it with Camembert and Blue cheeses, giving a great contrast in flavours. Luckily there were a few bottles of other labels left over, so Christmas should be fantastic!

Score: 87
SKU #311795 / UPC #00023859000229

CONO SUR TOCORNAL Chardonnay 2007

I'm back! I took a trip to Thailand, where is wine is sparse and expensive. Unbelievably there is such a thing as Thai wine, and I did sample some. Surprisingly it was decent, and my hands didn't turn purple. One such wine was from Monsoon Valley Wines. I think Thai wines still have a long way to go in establishing any sort of reputation.

Today I tried Cono Sur Tocornal Chardonnay. It comes in a big 1.5 jug and is an excellent value table wine. Fairly simple palate, partly because it is unoaked. Notes of kiwi and grapefruit.

Score: 82
BCL SKU #376855 / UPC #07804320357058

CHATEAU LE MARQUISAT LA PEROUSE 2005

This is the first Bordeaux I have ever bought, and perhaps ever tasted. Fitting, then, that it cost me only ten bucks. I immediately noticed how fragrant this wine is - I felt I could drink it simply by sniffing. There are flavours of cherry and licorice, and a spicy finish. Not as big as expected, but again, I don''t know what is typical for a Bordeaux. Discovered this wine reading Jurgen Gothe's Uncorked column in the Georgia Straight.

Score: 85
SKU #871103 / UPC #00820633153764

La Bastide Vin de Pays l’Herault 2006

Fairly average wine. Simple, and without noticeable flavours. High alcohol on the nose. I couldn't find much info about this wine on the Internet - that can't be a good sign. Decent wine for the money. Vin de Pays l’Herault means "country wine" from the Herault region. According to French wine labeling laws, Vin de Pays is of lower quality than AOC and VDQS wines, but can still include the region and grape varietals on the label.

Score: 80
SKU #587196 / UPC #03382100000751

SANDHILL - CABERNET MERLOT 04/05

A nice gift from our friend Pam who wasn't able to attend our little soiree last week. The oak is very apparent - not surprising considering it spent 16 months in American and French oak. We both detected blackberry flavours. The Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, and Cabernet Franc all contribute to the beautiful dark red colour. Delicious and bold!

Score: 88
SKU #541144 / UPC #00058976360260

Côtes du Rhône - Mommessin Les Epices 2004

The Côtes du Rhône "Les Epices" is a delicious blend of Grenache, Carignan, Cinsault,and Syrah grape varieties. It is quite complex and well balanced, with plum on the nose. It has nice tannin notes that aren't overpowering. Mommessin is a French winery founded in 1865 in Burgundy, and is now located in the Beaujolais region. I loved this wine!

Score: 90

TWO OCEANS SEMILLON CHARDONNAY

Jules asked me to pick up a bottle of Chardonnay that she could add to the fish stew she was preparing. I grabbed a bottle of Two Oceans Semillon Chardonnay 2006, Western Cape, South Africa. It was quite tart and had hints of grapefruit and pineapple. Not overly fruity, and still a bit sour on the finish. Still, it had interesting flavours and worked well with the fish stew.

Score: 84
SKU #462416 / UPC #06001497600647

Wine and Cheese

Jules and I invited some friends over to share some wine along with some snacks like camembert and dark chocolate. Jules had created fancy invitations with her Mac, and decided to include the blog's address. I sure took a ribbing from some of our guests, especially Steve, who has only really known me in an inebriated state at the bar. He said he could virtually hear my voice in a Thurston Howell III style accent. Alex checked out the blog too, and said we are real nerds. But hey, I bet they'll keep reading the blog, and may even buy a recommended bottle.

The beauty of having a party like this is that we get to try a bunch of different wines. Everyone brought a different type; the wines ranged from Chardonnay to Merlot to Blackberry dessert wine. For the event, Jules bought a bottle of Cat's Pee on a Gooseberry Bush Sauvignon Blanc 2006, Coopers Creek Vineyard, New Zealand. I had recently read that New Zealand has an ideal geography and climate for growing Sauvignon Blanc, so I was quite eager to try it despite the name. I was pleased with this wine because of its full body and nice balance. I don't really know what gooseberry tastes like, but I did detect lemon and grapefruit. I would definitely recommend this wine.

Score: 86
SKU #353938 / UPC #09403112300203

Jeff and Emily arrived and presented a bottle of Qwam Qwmt Merlot 2004, Nk'Mip Cellars, Okanagan Valley. Delicious! It had a very full body with deep, complex flavours, and a smokey finish from being aged 18 months in 80% French and 20% American oak barrels. Jeff told us that some Okanagan vintages had been affected by the 2003 Okanagan Mountain Park Fire, but I'm not sure if this was one of them. Regardless, it was a really popular wine amongst our guests.

Score: 89
SKU #206672 / UPC #00836909911426

Steve and Amanda arrived with a bottle of "1er Cru" home brew red (I forget which variety) and a Jackson-Triggs Proprietors' Selection Pinot Grigio. Steve's red was quite tasty, and apparently was free of sulphates which may have affected the taste. By the time I got around to the J-T Pinot Grigio I was admittedly not in a state to properly evaluate it, but from what I remember it was quite good.

Trevor, a self-professed "cork dork", arrived with a bottle of Blue Mountain Pinot Noir 2002, Okanagan Valley. I had never heard of Blue Mountain before, but if their other wines are anywhere close to this one, they are a pretty darned good winery. Trevor said he had kept this bottle for a couple of years, so I felt quite honoured that he would share it with us. Emily was the first to remark that it had mushroom flavours. I suggested she call it "hints of truffle" to make it sound like one of the wine critics I've been reading. (I don't even know what truffle tastes like). It was a delicious Pinot Noir.

Score: 89
Available direct from winery.

We got to try the Wild Horse Canyon Chardonnay, 2005, West Coast Appellation courtesy of Jamie and Gordana. This wine has been highlighted by Wine Access as an excellent value. I enjoyed its balanced acidity and fruit flavours.

Score: 86
SKU #916502 / UPC #00776545999184


A real treat was the Starling Lane Wild Blackberry Dessert Wine 2006, brought over by Derek and Zoe. From what I remember of the conversation, Derek's mom had visited the winery in Saanich and brought this back (along with a few bottles for herself I'm sure). According to the Starling Lane website, "this wine was produced from wild blackberries picked in Brentwood Bay on the Saanich Peninsula," and won a Gold medal at the 2006 All Canadian Wine Championships. It was delicious.





We also got to try a home brew bottle of ice wine that Alex brought. It was also very delicious, and went well with the cheese and chocolate we were serving. Thanks for the great wine glasses Alex!









For fun, Julia and I decided to set up a little contest that would test the taster's ability to discern varieties of wine. For one red and one white, the taster would try to guess the variety from five choices. The white varieties were Sauvignon Blanc, Chardonnay, Pinot Grigio, Riesling, and Semillon. The reds were Shiraz, Cabernet Sauvignon, Pinot Noir, Merlot, and Sangiovese. The results were tallied at the end of the night and only two people got one right: Derek and Gordana both guess Shiraz. Neither guessed the white, so they were asked to guess again. Neither guessed right the second time! Julia and I were left scrambling to find another tie breaker, and finally asked both contestants whether they thought Gewürztraminer was red or white. Gordana answered white and won a carafe and glass set. The red turned out to be the Wally's Hut Nugan Estate Shiraz, 2006, Australia. I really liked its spiciness. I didn't like the white very much though. It was a Painted Turtle Pinot Grigio. Perhaps no one could guess what it was because it was tasteless!

All in all it was a great evening. Unfortunately I wasn't able to properly rate all of the wines but I definitely enjoyed them!

TOSCANA SANGIOVESE - IL BASTARDO 2006

A fantastic Sangiovese from Tuscany. This was a light wine with hints of caramel on the nose. Both Jules and I noticed fruit right away, and I decided it reminded me of dried fruit like raisins or apricots. Finished with the slightest hint of tannins. Probably one of the coolest name for a wine I have seen.

Score: 85

SKU #102483 / UPC #00875734003777

PINOT GRIGIO - BAREFOOT CELLARS

This Pinot Grigio from California is a good everyday wine. Quite a simple flavour, with hints of apple, orange, and cantaloupe. I don't normally buy Californian wines because they tend to be a bit pricey, but this wine is very inexpensive and is a great value.

Score: 85
BCL SKU #921304 / UPC #00085000014448

ROSSO PICENO SUPERIORE - VELENOSI BRECCIAROLO 2003

This delicious Italian red is a blend of Montepulciano and Sangiovese. I tasted cherry and Julia tasted vanilla. It seemed dry although the sweetness code is 01. Tannins are not too strong. We both really liked this wine.

Score: 88
SKU #98319 / UPC #00666056000090

MULLER BISHOP OF RIESLING 2006

RIESLING QBA BERNKASTEL - MULLER BISHOP OF RIESLING
A sweet wine with hints of honey and pear. Very flavourful with sour notes at the end. Julia appreciated the lack of oak. I noticed that the wine had some bubbles, possibly an indication of the presence of carbon dioxide left over from fermentation, according to Rodney Strong Vineyards. Would go well with Asian food.

Score: 84

BCL SKU #36111 / UPC #04006542053654

SANTA RITA FLORESTA PETITE SIRAH SYRAH 2003

I bought this as a birthday present for myself. Julia and I enjoyed it immensely as we sat on our hotel patio in Whistler gazing up at the mountains.

If you have ever heard someone say that only cheap red wine leaves your mouth red, don't believe them. This wine was expensive and delicious, and it left our mouths a deep purple. It may have been a result of the high juice concentration - this wine had legs! As I swirled my glass, I could see it slowly drip down the sides.

The Floresta had flavours of plum and leather, with spicy notes. It was very dry, so much so that Julia said her mouth was like a desert. She also called it a man's wine, and was able to pick out the oak (I didn't until I read the label). It was definitely an indulgence and worth the price.

Score: 93

BCLS: SKU #24513 / UPC #00686586000445

P.S. Gismondi on Wine reviewed this wine recently and gave it the same score. Maybe I have a new career in reviewing wine! (Oct 8 '07)

KETTLE VALLEY CHARDONNAY 2004

We had this wine in Whistler at a very fancy restaurant called Araxi. Of course when you go to a restaurant like that there is always an uncomfortable awkwardness when the Sommelier (or wine specialist) pops open the cork. He hands you the cork and expects you to take a sniff. Then he pours a small portion of wine to taste to make sure the bottle has not gone sour. Now, imagine if they did this with your food.

So after the big production, we went on to actually drink the wine. We had both ordered seafood and it complemented the food very well. I believe I tasted apples and peach notes in the wine. It truly screamed "I am from the Okanagan"

This wine is not in BCLS

http://www.kettlevalleywinery.com/

MARCUS JAMES CHARDONNAY 2006

Not my favorite wine!

This is what the website says about there wine:

This 2005 Chardonnay from Mendoza is light yellow with hues of green. The tropical aromas are of pineapple and banana with notes of citrus. These evolve into forward and round white peach flavors. The finish is clean and lasting.

I found this wine to be watery and lack complex flavours. We bought it because it was cheap.


BCLS SKU #372672 / UPC #00082100109449

MARTINI & ROSSI PROSECCO FRIZZANTE

For a special occasion we had a sparkling wine called prosecco. This wine is produced from Prosecco grapes grown in the hills of the Veneto Region. It is described as having a fresh fruity aroma with a crisp taste. This wine was acutually the original ingredient in a Bellini. I personally prefer this sparkling wine to champange because it is slightly sweeter and has a lighter taste. The wine has notes of apple and melon. Another benefit is that it is cheaper which means you can drink it more often. Produced in the Veneto region of Italy, Martini & Rossi Prosecco comes in a deep green bottle with a glossy finish and a hand-tied string over the cork, 10.5%

Score: 86

BCL SKU #639310 $14.99

GATO NEGRO CABERNET SAUVIGNON 2006

The inaugural red of this blog is Gato Negro. I was served this wine at a Greek restaurant, and they must have kept the bottle near the kitchen because the wine was warm! I think this was a blessing in disguise because it forced me to wait and let the wine breath. Right out of the bottle it tasted watery and acidic, but after ten minutes it mellowed out.

The Gato Negro Cab Sav has a nice spicinesses with cherry and plum flavours. The tannins are still quite prominent so I expect that aging it a couple of years would be beneficial. I liked this wine, but didn't love it.

Score: 84
BCL SKU #188193 / UPC #07804300010638

SANTA RITA 120 SAUVIGNON BLANC 2007

Today's selection is an excellent value wine that came recommended from a few wine reviews I have recently read. It is another Chilean white, this time from Santa Rita, "one of Chile's most admired and innovative whine estates" (according to the label).

Julia thought the bouquet smelled of peaches and apples. I found hints of these flavours, as well as celery and lemon. Goes well with fish, fresh fruit or a light dessert. Overall we agreed that it was a very complex and delicious Sauvignon Blanc. At $9.99, Santa Rita 120 is an excellent value.

Score: 89
BCL SKU #275586 / UPC #00089419007091

CONO SUR GEWURZTRAMINER 2006

Hello and welcome to Cheese Toast's Wine Reviews. My name is Chris, and along with my girlfriend Julia we intend to post reviews of various wines that we happen to sample. We are by no means wine experts, but we appreciate a good glass and want to develop our palates. Hopefully people reading this will be able to use our reviews to help find a decent bottle. Since we live in North Vancouver, our main source of wines is the BC Liquor Store. We will post a BCL SKU whenever possible.

Our inaugural wine is a 2006 Gewürztraminer from Chile called Cono Sur. Julia and I both really like Gewürztraminer, especially accompanying any Asian or Indian cuisine. The slightly sweeter and stronger flavour holds its own against the spiciness. Unfortunately this particular vintage was a little disappointing. It seems this wine was a perhaps a bit young, but in any event, it tasted sour. Not many flavours came through for me. Julia agreed that it had quite a sour note, was acidic, and was not complex enough.


Score: 75
BCL SKU #494708 / UPC #07804320753904