Southbrook 2002 Cabernet Sauvignon – Gonzalez Byass Nectar (Ontario / Spain)

Night two of the Pine Island excursion (in Lake Nipissing) could not have turned out better … yes the Aussie wines went over very well … but the best part was the after party with dinner and a few wines on the table to go with it.  While people feasted and sipped on steak and Australian wine, I open a bottle of Southbrook 2002 Triomphe Cabernet Sauvignon – a subtler and much older version of the grape than what most had been accustomed to over the past couple of hours.  You can read about the wine on my Lost & Found Blog. 

For dessert another wine that most people shunned until they tried it.  In a room of 19 people you mention Sherry and 2/3 of them will shy away for you quicker than they would from a floating piece of poo in the pool.  But some stuck around look enough for a taste of a delicious Pedro Ximenez grapes (read: sweet) Gonzalez Byass Nectar Dolce sweet Sherry – the best way to describe it is the innards of pecan or raisin pie.  Of the 7 who tasted a sip, 6 took a glass or two and thanked me at the end of the evening for the experience.  Gotta love those open to new vinous experiences. 

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6 Bottles, Mixed Results (Germany / New York / Spain / France)

Friends came over for a dinner of Pulled Pork with all the fixins (coleslaw, buns, potatoes, etc.) ... minus Zinfandel, which would have made an awesome pairing.  Instead I picked out a big Spanish red called Cellar Acustic 2008 Acustic, a blend of Grenache and Samso (Carignan) that was full of fruit and spice ... which made for a perfect pairing.  But before we got onto that we started with a bottle of German Sekt (be careful how you ask for this kind of wine, you could get slapped) ... a Riesling Sekt by Fitz was a great starter because it was fresh and fruity with great Riesling qualities to it, and bubbles; what could be wrong with that?  Next up, a bottle of Freedom Run 2007 Pinot Noir from New York ... this was a hit and miss bottle for me, the nose was inviting while the palate left something to be desired.  This was the bottle brought over by friends and they said they thought it good but better from barrel, which is where they tasted it for the very first time.  Light on fruit but passable.  The Acustic was a hit and then we moved onto a former favourite of mine: Sauvion 2008 Les Bosquets Vouvray ... this one has a plastic cork, which shows a total lack of respect for the consumer from the winery, if you make a fantastic wine like this and then seal it in plastic you might as well be serving it in a paper Dixie cup.  This wine could have aged and been great but now I have to drink my bottles quickly and hear comments like, "this has a funny after-taste of cheese and a lack of acidity."  Amazing what 6 months can do to a wine sealed under plastic, this used to be a fresh, fruity wine with balanced acidity and a hint of sweetness, now look at it, a shadow of its former self.  For dessert a bottle of PX Sherry from Alvear (1927 solera) - to die for is all I can say about this one.  Finally, sitting in the living room the masses cried out for one more, and I obliged them with the always popular 2005 Bodegas Castano Hecula, good fruit, pepper, spice and still going strong 5 years from vintage date.  Perfect end to a delightful evening.

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Gonzalez Byass Solera 1847 (Spain)

I apologize in advance to you Sherry purist out there, but I like my Sherry on the sweet side, which is why I like Cream Sherries, Pedro Ximinez based Sherries and ones like this Gonzalez Byass 1847. The story behind this sherry is that the original Solera was started in 1847. For those who understand the way that sherry is made I'll wait while you 1) read that again and 2) whistle your amazement. Anyway, the theory is that somewhere in this beverage is some sherry from 1847 ... by now we're talking a very minuscule amount, but it theoretically should be in there. It makes interesting talk around the table, but by the time you are ready to drink this I would suggest you find a nice cozy couch and curl up with a glass. The nose is candied orange peel, roasted almonds and burnt caramel; the palate is just as intriguing with honey roasted almonds, a nuts and raisins trail mix of sorts, all soaked in a caramel-booze base, and of course there's a great long finish ... this is one to sip and savour.

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Lustau Deluxe Cream Capataz Andres Sherry NV (Spain)

Just finished tasting one of my "lost" bottles of Ontario wine (Pelee Island 2003 Vinedressers Cabernet Sauvignon) and thought I'd like to add a little European flair to my evening, but it's a little late to open another bottle. In fact I would like something sweet; but instead of reaching for my usual bottle of Port I decided on a little something different - I opted for a tipple of Sherry. This is a "blend of Oloroso and Pedro Ximinez" which means they added a little sweet to the dry. Sweet wins out, naturally, but it's a pleasant sweetness, not the over the top sickeningly syrupy kind. The nose deals out some of the greatest aromas: candied orange peel, buttered pecans, honey roasted almonds and chocolate liqueur. On the palate you've got your sweet candied almonds and pecans, along with alcohol soaked orange peel and/or infused marmalade. It went great with some bittersweet 70-85% dark chocolate, even better with almonds.

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