Over the next two nights it will be the tale of two wines ... two wines from the same producer ... same exact label ... two different years. Tonight it's the Silver Label 2004 Monastrell from Juan Gil. I first learned about Juan Gil in Michigan where I was visiting with my buddy Dave from Champane Wine Cellars, and he told me it was great value for under $15 ... this is one of the bottles I picked up from Dave - I know because it has the telltale red pricing sticker, I bought it for $11.99 - remember drinking it that very same night I bought it and ran back for more (the next day). Since then I have always looked for and enjoyed the wines of this producer. When I came across the two bottles that I will be having over the next two nights (the 2004 and the 2005) I was excited to try them side-by-side, but then I thought one might go to waste as it is only me partaking in this experiment - and Lord knows I we wouldn't want to waste good wine. And it turns out this one still is. Lots of dark fruit and spice both on the nose and palate, and as the wine aerates it develops licorice and peppery notes - something along the cracked black pepper line; there's even a slight nuance of dried blackberry and strawberry developing in the background .... the finish is a dry and cedary with plenty of acidity. Still a nice wine 8 years on, and tomorrow we'll see how much difference a year makes.
Friday, April 13, 2012
Thursday, April 12, 2012
Torres 2004 Atrium Merlot (Spain)
So much for a soft, fruity Merlot - especially if you wait 8 years to drink it. This Spanish offering - not a place you see a lot of Merlot from was all dried blackberry and a touch earthy on the nose ... but I have no problem with that ... I also didn't have a problem with the spiced dried dark fruit that went across the mid-palate or the dry cedary notes that appeared on the finish. I have to admit though, I found the funky cigarette ash linger in the throat almost a bit repulsive ... sad part is I got used to it - anything so that a bottle of wine does not go to waste.
Monday, April 9, 2012
Gray Monk 2004 Pinot Noir (British Columbia)
Having just sat through (and mostly enjoyed) a BC wine tasting, I thought it would be interesting to open something that I had sitting around from the West Coast of Canada. I was surprised to see I had an eight year old Pinot. Now in truth, as much as I enjoy the red blends and Cabs from out there I was not that thrilled with the Pinot Noirs - though there were a few that sparked my interest. So I opened this bottle with a little trepidation. The nose was dried cranberry with a touch of wood and a nice cinnamon overlay ... pretty simple. The palate on the other hand was quite complex offering up a mix of dried and sour fruits. First came some craisin and dried raspberry, then a freeze-dried-type of strawberry flavour, some cinnamon wood, gentle spice and as the wine opened up there almost seemed to be a element of fresh raspberry that sneaked through every third sip. This wine still had an air of elegance to it. Very nice.
Sunday, April 8, 2012
Borsao 2006 Tres Picos Garnacha (Spain)
Over the next week or two I will be pulling out quite a few Spanish wines from a box of wine I have been aging ... seems I put down at least four from that country into one box - usually I find that I have a high number of Ontario, California or Australian wines to get through ... but this box must have been laid down at a time when I was experimenting with Spanish finds, and why not. Spain has some of the best wine values around. Like this Tres Picos for instance. I have a notation that I picked it up in the US for 12.99 on the recommendation of my buddy Dave at Champane Wine Cellars - Dave has never steered me wrong on a bottle of hooch yet and again he proved his mettle here. Now I am sure that I have reviewed this before, when it was much younger, but now that it has some age on it it's still a beauty lots of dark fruit with just the right amount of spice to make it complete - a beauty to sit and sip or a great companion to burgers (which was dinner this evening).
Friday, April 6, 2012
Concha y Toro 2009 Marques de Casa Concha Cabernet Sauvignon (Chile)
The night started with a pretty so-so kosher wine by Renatti (a Shiraz that tasted more like grape juice with booze in it), but ended with the delightful and always impressive Concha y Toro on the table. I am a fan of what comes out of this Chilean behemoth of a winery - even though they are large they have quality wines coming out the door, at least in the over $15 range. The Marques de Casa Concha Cab sits around the twenty dollar mark and delivers excellent value for the money. Lots of lovely dark fruit with a hint of mint and a chunk of bittersweet chocolate on the finish.
Thursday, April 5, 2012
Lucky Country 2006 Shiraz (Australia)
Lucky Country wines used to be a label of Two Hands, but they have split off into their own off-shoot. It certainly isn't the first time a popular wine label has pulled this trick, and it certainly won't be the last. A famous example is Conundrum, which used to be a label for Caymus, but now if you look at their back label it says it is produced by "Conundrum Winery". As for the wine, it's still a wonderful fruity and spicy version of Shiraz - with lots of dark fruit and pepperyness; just what you expect from a Shiraz ... and even with some age on it (6 years) it's still drinking beautifully, which means the label has changed but the wine inside is still a quality product.
Tuesday, April 3, 2012
La Posta 2010 Cocina Tinto (Argentina)
I remember buying this wine a couple years ago when it was called Cocina Blend (kitchen blend) because it included every grape from the La Posta kitchen (Malbec,Syrah and Bonarda) - it was delicious then and now with a shortened name it is delicious still. Just released onto the general list at the LCBO in Ontario at a steal of a price of $12.95. The nose is cassis/kirsch-like with vanilla, cinnamon and blackberry ... as the wine opens it seems that a mix of red and dark fruit starts to shine through - though I have to admit it didn't stay in my glass very long. The palate is dark fruit with cocoa like flavours especially on the finish. Good tannin backbone keeps you from chug-a-lugging it - otherwise it is so tasty you might do just that.
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