Flock Mendocino Chardonnay 2008

Velvety smooth with a nice buttery finish. Well balanced with notes of maple and honey. A great bottle to Christen our new Riedel Vinum chardonnay glasses.

QUPÉ SYRAH CENTRAL COAST 2006

Qupé is a winery in Central California that specializes in Rhone style wines and Chardonnay. The Syrah Central Coast has a 2% touch of Grenache and is comprised of grapes from Santa Barbara and San Luis Obispo counties. This inky, mellow wine has a jammy nose and coffee flavours with a peppery finish.

TWENTY ROWS THE GRAPPLER 2005

A wonderfully complex blend of 53% Zinfandel, 32% Syrah, and 15% Cabernet Sauvignon. Cherries, black pepper, and hints of chocolate. Very fruity with a smokey oak finish that lingers.

BENSON FERRY VINYARDS OLD VINE ZINFANDEL 2006

Julia and I stopped at Beacon Hill Wine & Spirits on the way back from a great Malaysian dinner in Boston's Chinatown. We grabbed a bottle of Benson Ferry Vinyards Old Vine Zinfandel 2006 and popped it open when we got home. It was definitely a big, bold, fruity Zin, with juicy notes and a smokey after taste. Not much noticeable on the nose, and a deep cherry red colour. I wasn't overly impressed by this wine given its price ($16.99). I found it too sweet and lacking complexity.

ZIG ZAG ZIN ZINFANDEL 2005

Looking back over my blog posts from the past couple of years, I realized that there are definitely some under-represented wine types and regions. With this in mind, I decided to pick up something different and new when I visited the Vintages section of my local LCBO. As I passed through the California section I was intrigued by the selection of Zinfandels. I spotted one in particular that had only a few bottles remaining - always a good sign.

Zig Zag Zin is delicious! I was struck by its dryness and the strong tannins that give that "fuzzy teeth" sensation. On the nose I detected hay, strawberries, and a hint of rust. On the pallatte, toffee, spice, and licorice. This wine was big, juicy, and oh so tasty. I have never been a big drinker of this quintessential California grape, but now I think I will have it a little more often.

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.

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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.



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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