E. Guigal 2005 Cotes du Rhone (France)

Got home tonight and felt like some E ... that would be Etienne Guigal (for those thinking I was getting into some designer drug), better known E. Guigal.  I was working in a cellar all day and the guy had quite a few bottles from Monsieur Guigal, so I figured it was only fair that I sample something I have from this Rhone based house. The last bottle of 2005 I had was fairly lean, I think it was a bad bottle because I don't remember it being that lean - and very disappointing ... the good news is that I remember it like I had it tonight.  The nose is loaded with spice, pepper and black fruit.  Palate follows suit, and this wine has fantastic acidity that would make this a perfect pairing with something protein-based (say, steak); but alas, it is too late in the evening to fire up the BBQ - in fact, the BBQ isn't even built yet - that's a weekend project at the new house this Saturday (you'll find me cursing in the garage) - for now, all I can do is sip and enjoy, and dream of a hunk of beef and taste that white pepper and spicy finish ...

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Coyote's Chardonnay Last Night - Beer Tonight (Ontario)

Last night I failed to let you all in on my vinous choice: a 2008 Black Paw Vineyard Chardonnay - awesome wine (that assessment comes from a none Chardonnay drinker).  Couldn't locate my Chardonnay glasses so I had to drink it out of a Bordeaux glass - it still tasted good.  Tonight I had a simple BBQ chicken sandwich, but I was too hot to consider a wine so I twisted the top on a Rickard's Red ... now that went down very easily too.  Tomorrow I think it's back to vino, but it sure is nice to slum it sometimes.  Cheers.

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Bolla 2008 Valpolicella (Italy)

First official night in the new house ... I am surrounded by boxes and thoughts of where things are going to go boggle the mind ... what is one to do?  Where does one begin?  Do I dive into those boxes head first and start unpacking?  No, I find something to eat and a bottle of wine to celebrate.  Pizza seemed the simplest thing to have, especially because there is still some left over from moving day.  Then I went fishing for a bottle, and the first thing I came up with was a bottle of Valpolicella - a perfect accompaniment.  This one has lovely fruit with hints of herbs and spice ... very nice.  Tomorrow night I think I am going to crack something Canadian - considering I live down in Niagara now it seems only fair that I pop the cork or twist a cap on something really local ... I think I will go white, it's suppose to be stinking hot ... until tomorrow, ciao.

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RH Phillips Vineyard Toasted Head 2003 Cabernet Sauvignon (California)

It's the last night in my current abode, tomorrow the move to the new place begins.  So as you can well imagine I have nothing to cook in the place, nothing good anyway.  So it was a jaunt over to my parent's place for supper.  I had left this bottle unpacked for just this occasion - not sure why I chose this, it has no significance of meaning for me it just grabbed my attention while wrapping up my bottles; so it accompanied me to dinner.  The wine proved to be a nice match to the Korean BBQ ribs my father fired on the Bar-B, but on it's own it just kind of laid there - nothing that jumped out of the glass saying "wow that's a fantastic wine", but then nothing to say "you should have drank this one years ago".  It was pleasant, accompanied the food well and it was my last unpacked bottle ... what more is there to say.  The next time I talk with you I will be surrounded by boxes that need unpacking and putting away and I will be dying for a drink - wonder what I will unpack first?

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Henry of Pelham 2005 Cabernet Franc (Ontario)

Check out this beauty I cracked open tonight (actually I pulled the cork out, no cracking noise was heard), you can find the complete note on my Taste it Again blog.

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Redbank 2002 'The Fugitive' Cabernet Sauvignon (Australia)

Steak was on the menu so I figured a big old Cab would do the trick, and boy did it ever.  The wine was big on pepper and plum with hints of vanilla and cinnamon, but biggest of all was the dried blackberry that appear both on the nose and the taste.  Went well with the T-bone.

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Haart to Heart 2002 Riesling (Germany)

I'm sure it has been said many times many ways, the Germans sure know how to make a good Riesling; and this is just another fine example of that fact.  Here it is, an 8 year old Riesling and it has a freshness about it that makes you want to jump in.  The nose and mouth followed suit with apple, lemonade and honey smells and tastes; if you really looked for it there was some petrol but it was more like a subtle seasoning than a main component.  Interesting to note the dry finish that tasted like buckwheat honey - paired beautifully with the Chinese food we consumed this evening.

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