MARLEY FARM WINERY - KIWI SOLERA

This past summer Julia and I visited Marley Farm Winery near Victoria as part of a wine slash bike trip. This winery is reputed to be owned by a relative of Bob Marley. Indeed, when we arrived we could hear "I shot the sheriff" piped over the stereo.

Marley Farm Winery produces a selection of traditional grape wine as well as a variety of fruit wines. After sampling a few, I decided to buy a bottle of Kiwi Solera. It reminded me of sherry and had a great complexity.

Last night we decided to open it. On the nose it had a very aromatic, pleasant bouquet. To the taste, prevalent flavours of honey, pears, and apples. It indeed reminded me of sweet sherry.


Score:

CABERNET SAUVIGNON - SANTA RITA RESERVA 2005

This cabernet from Chile's Maipo Valley is representative of how great Chilean wines are. It is as good a red as you will find for a decent price. If you regularly read this blog you already know that I am particular to Santa Rita wines, and this one simply reinforces my fondness for them.

On the nose, blueberries and vanilla. The color is a deep crimson that barely lets the light through. The taste is timid at first, but then really opens up with nice tannins and a hint of oak. A hint of sweet chillies.




Score:

FISHEYE SHIRAZ 2005

I opened a bottle of FishEye Shiraz to go with my left-over risotto - not the ideal pairing I know, but it worked. This wine has a very intriguing nose with notes of cherry and red berries. I was quite surprised by the lack of spice; I characterize Shiraz by its spiciness. Also, the tannins were unremarkable. This is a simple wine, with a fragrant nose and big, bold flavour. This would be good with a pizza.

Score:

FRESCOBALDI POMINO BIANCO 2006

Quick fact: Pomino is an Italian Denominazione di Origine Controllata (DOC) within Tuscany. Pomino Bianco is a blend of Chardonnay and Pinot Bianco.

I bought this white to go with a mushroom risotto I made, and it complemented the meal perfectly. The wine is nicely balanced; I enjoyed the lack of tightness and acidity that I usually taste in most whites. It had good fruit flavours and noticeable minerals. An excellent wine.

Score:

HESS SELECT CABERNET SAUVIGNON 2003

I bought a bottle of Hess Select Cabernet Sauvignon last summer after trying it at a local restaurant. I enjoyed the smooth complexity and wanted it again.

This cabernet gives blackberry pie on the nose. It has great legs and a nice ruby, tawny color. Flavours include prunes and allspice. Well balanced tannins, and a long lingering finish. Excellent.



Score:

SANTA RITA PINOT NOIR RESERVA 2006

Chalk full of flavour, this Pinot Noir is a very tasty wine. High alcohol on the nose, tastes of berry, and the slightest hint of oak. I've still got two bottles sitting on my rack that I look forward to opening. Santa Rita Pinot Noir Reserva is from the Leyda Valley region of Chile.

I have been very impressed by the consistency of Santa Rita wines. I think the Floresta I had back in September was some of the best wine I have ever tasted. In addition to the two Pinot Noir Reservas, my wine rack includes a bottle of Cab Sav Reserva 2005. The ultimate would be a bottle of the Cabernet Sauvignon Casa Real, a mere $60 at the BC Liquor Store. One day...

Score:

YALUMBA Y SERIES VIOGNIER 2006

We received a bottle of Yalumba Y Series Viognier from Aunt Jan this Christmas. On the nose, it had interesting notes of celery, and dare I say, canned salmon! Prominent flavours of unripe grapefruit. Reminded me of Chardonnay.

A delicious wine!

Score:

PIQUERAS CASTILLO DE ALMANSA TINTO RESERVA 2003

I have read from many sources that Spanish wine offers excellent value, so I picked up a bottle of Castillo de Almansa Reserva for New Years Eve. The wine is produced by Bodegas Piqueras in the Almansa region of Spain. It is a blend of Tempranillo, Monastrell, and Garnacha grapes, giving it a nice complexity. It is aged 12 months in oak barrels.

I couldn't detect much on the nose, however the flavour opened up and was long on the finish. There were notes of blueberries and vanilla. The oak was detectable but was balanced enough to let the fruit flavours come through. A great wine at a great price (about $14).

Score: