Hello to you - my lovely readers!
I am leaving the blogger.com site for wordpress.com.
You will find my weekly - if not more - blog posts at my new blog address.
I had a few too many comments that you could not follow me easily and you can with the wordpress site.
Girls Go Grape blog is my new blog address and www.girlsgogrape.com will be up and running shortly!
I have just posted my wine Wednesday review so please come on over for a visit of the new site and let me know your thoughts.
Thank you for letting me a part of your day!
There is a direct link to my new address below.
Enjoy!
XO
Christine
Girls Go Grape blog
Wednesday 27 March 2013
Wednesday 20 March 2013
Bollini Pinot Grigio 2011
Hello and happy wine Wednesday! It is the first day of Spring and I could not be more thrilled that the days are longer and the temperature is on the rise. A special note on this happy day - one of my dearest friends is marrying her love in Malibu, California... sending special 'love' vibes down your way, N and D! XO
OK - now for the wine. Do I have a treat for you this week! As Pinot Gris/Grigio was the wine variety voted on by many of you for this months grape variety - some of the comments I received asked for new wines of your favourite grape. Well - you can thank me later!
On the review block this week is non other than Trentino, Italy's Bollini 2011 Pinot Grigio. This winery was started in 1979 by Neil and Maria Empson and is based out of Milan. Coming in under $20 at $18.99 in the BCLS, this is an amazing little wine. Having said that, I only found it in one of the North Shore liquor stores - the Signature store at Park Royal. I checked on line for my 'Islanders' and there are bottles in Port Alberni and quite a few in Vancouver...
In the glass, Bollini's Pinot Grigio is watery pale lemon colour and has a medium aroma intensity with notes of green apple, lemon, stone fruit (white peach) and a bit of minerality.
On the palate, this Pinot Grigio is more complex than many Italian Pinot Grigios' I have tasted. It is dry with medium plus acidity and medium alcohol. The body was medium minus with medium flavour intensity. Sounds kind of like a 'medium' wine, right? Well - trust me - it isn't! In the mouth, the gorgeous combination of lemons and green apple and peach really blend well together and are rounded out by an under layer of limestone minerality.
As I have said before - there seems to be a huge backlash against Pinot Grigio lately. This Italian lovely defies that. Bollini's Pinot Grigio is not a complex wine, but personally, I am not ALWAYS in the mood for a complex wine. Sometimes, I want a fantastic bottle to open up, enjoy with friends and simply enjoy it. Bollini's Pinot Grigio is a fantastic example of what a good Italian Pinot Grigio can taste like - there is more 'going on' in this wine than most Pinot Grigio's I have tasted and it is my new favourite PG from Italy! It gets a solid "Hell Yes" from this girl!
OK - now for the wine. Do I have a treat for you this week! As Pinot Gris/Grigio was the wine variety voted on by many of you for this months grape variety - some of the comments I received asked for new wines of your favourite grape. Well - you can thank me later!
On the review block this week is non other than Trentino, Italy's Bollini 2011 Pinot Grigio. This winery was started in 1979 by Neil and Maria Empson and is based out of Milan. Coming in under $20 at $18.99 in the BCLS, this is an amazing little wine. Having said that, I only found it in one of the North Shore liquor stores - the Signature store at Park Royal. I checked on line for my 'Islanders' and there are bottles in Port Alberni and quite a few in Vancouver...
In the glass, Bollini's Pinot Grigio is watery pale lemon colour and has a medium aroma intensity with notes of green apple, lemon, stone fruit (white peach) and a bit of minerality.
On the palate, this Pinot Grigio is more complex than many Italian Pinot Grigios' I have tasted. It is dry with medium plus acidity and medium alcohol. The body was medium minus with medium flavour intensity. Sounds kind of like a 'medium' wine, right? Well - trust me - it isn't! In the mouth, the gorgeous combination of lemons and green apple and peach really blend well together and are rounded out by an under layer of limestone minerality.
As I have said before - there seems to be a huge backlash against Pinot Grigio lately. This Italian lovely defies that. Bollini's Pinot Grigio is not a complex wine, but personally, I am not ALWAYS in the mood for a complex wine. Sometimes, I want a fantastic bottle to open up, enjoy with friends and simply enjoy it. Bollini's Pinot Grigio is a fantastic example of what a good Italian Pinot Grigio can taste like - there is more 'going on' in this wine than most Pinot Grigio's I have tasted and it is my new favourite PG from Italy! It gets a solid "Hell Yes" from this girl!
- Try this Bollini 2011 if you want a new PG on your list of favourites.
- At $18.99 - this wine is a bargain and a wonderful hostess gift for a spring or summer party!
- Pair with a light green spring salad or a chicken dish with lemon juice.
That is it for today - my lovely readers.
As always, thank you for reading!
Enjoy!
XO
C
Wednesday 13 March 2013
Gray Monk PInot Gris 2011
Hello all and happy Wine Wednesday!
What a week it has been. I was able to hold the first ever GirlsGoGrape - Uncorked event last Friday night with a group of fabulous women. More on this event to come!
My second entry to the Pinot Gris grape variety review is non other than Gray Monk's Pinot Gris. I chose this bottle of wine carefully and a bit as a proud British Columbian... George and Trudy Heiss were the first grape growers to bring the Pinot Gris grape to B.C. in 1972. That was over 40 years ago and some of these vines are still surviving and giving the Gray Monk Pinot Gris some outstanding flavours.
The wine is a lovely pale gold colour and has a medium flavour intensity on the nose. There are definite aromas of grapefruit, citrus, I found some green apple and a bit of minerality. This is a just on this side of off dry with medium plus acidity, medium alcohol, medium - body and a nice medium + flavour intensity on the palate. I tasted the same flavours that were on the nose however there was also now a small note of honey which is delicious.
Gray Monk's Pinot Gris is more of a shout out to the Pinot Gris styles from Alsace than Pinot Grigio's from Italy. It is more complex and there is a nice balance to this wine.
This pale gold beauty falls distinctly into my "Hell Yes" category! At $16.99 - it is an excellent representation of what a good quality B.C. Pinot Gris should taste like when there are so many on the market that kind of flounder to find their way...
There was a discussion panel not too long ago on whether or not B.C. should have a designated 'it' grape like New Zealand does with Sauvignon Blanc. Pinot Gris was the contender for the B.C. grape and the votes tallied at the end did not favour picking just one variety of grape. I am happy with the decision but it is Pinot Gris wines like Gray Monk produces that make happy that the Okanagan Valley has just the right terroir to develop this style of wine in a near perfect way. Thank you, Heiss family!
My second entry to the Pinot Gris grape variety review is non other than Gray Monk's Pinot Gris. I chose this bottle of wine carefully and a bit as a proud British Columbian... George and Trudy Heiss were the first grape growers to bring the Pinot Gris grape to B.C. in 1972. That was over 40 years ago and some of these vines are still surviving and giving the Gray Monk Pinot Gris some outstanding flavours.
The wine is a lovely pale gold colour and has a medium flavour intensity on the nose. There are definite aromas of grapefruit, citrus, I found some green apple and a bit of minerality. This is a just on this side of off dry with medium plus acidity, medium alcohol, medium - body and a nice medium + flavour intensity on the palate. I tasted the same flavours that were on the nose however there was also now a small note of honey which is delicious.
Gray Monk's Pinot Gris is more of a shout out to the Pinot Gris styles from Alsace than Pinot Grigio's from Italy. It is more complex and there is a nice balance to this wine.
This pale gold beauty falls distinctly into my "Hell Yes" category! At $16.99 - it is an excellent representation of what a good quality B.C. Pinot Gris should taste like when there are so many on the market that kind of flounder to find their way...
There was a discussion panel not too long ago on whether or not B.C. should have a designated 'it' grape like New Zealand does with Sauvignon Blanc. Pinot Gris was the contender for the B.C. grape and the votes tallied at the end did not favour picking just one variety of grape. I am happy with the decision but it is Pinot Gris wines like Gray Monk produces that make happy that the Okanagan Valley has just the right terroir to develop this style of wine in a near perfect way. Thank you, Heiss family!
- An excellent example of a good quality Pinot Gris from B.C.
- An excellent value at $16.99
- Pair with white fish, chicken in a light sauce or hard Italian cheeses.
- Note to self - Keep 2 or 3 bottle of this little lovely in your cellar as sunshine and good weather are just around the corner!
As always, thank you so much for reading! I will be moving my blog address to my own webpage but it is not all up and ready yet and will let you know when it is.
I value your feedback and input!
Next week - an Italian Pinot Grigio is up on the review block!
Enjoy!
XO
C
Wednesday 6 March 2013
Zinck 2010 Pinot Gris
Happy wine Wednesday everyone! I hope it has been an outstanding week for you!
Well - the readers' choice was clearly Pinot Gris for my March grape variety reviews! Pinot Gris is, hands down, my 'go to' grape. I don't think I have met a bottle that I really did not like.
Pinot Gris has received a bit of a bad rap lately and some backlash from the more 'refined' palates out there. I recall my first class in WSET Level 1. We were asked to say what our favourite grape variety was and what we have been drinking. I answered honestly - it was Pinot Gris, mostly B.C. wines and I really enjoyed them. The teacher ( who is not at the school anymore ) almost scoffed at me. She said something to the fact that Pinot Gris is a wine for the underdeveloped palate. Of course I took issue with what she said but I also wanted to understand what she meant by that statement. Today, I am pretty sure I know where she was going with that comment but I disagree with her perspective entirely!
Pinot Gris is a French grape variety. It really started to shine in the 13th Century in Burgundy but it didn't survive in a successful way and was damaged more often than not so it was planted less and less. Pinot Gris is genetically related to Pinot Noir. Pinot Gris is a happy mutation that happened much to the delight of many!
Alsace is the region of France that Pinot Gris really shines. It is one of the 'noble' grape varieties in this region and this type of Pinot Gris tastes quite different from Pinot Gris elsewhere in the world due to its northerly location and close proximity to Germany along with volcanic soils. Alsatian Pinot Gris wines are fuller in body and much more complex than many New World wines.
My first review is Zinck Pinot Gris 2010 from Alsace, France. It is very easy to tell an Alsatian wine because of its flute shape bottle - it is a legal requirement in Alsace to bottle in this type of bottle and Alsace is also able to label their wines with the grape variety, i.e. 'Pinot Gris' 'Riesling'. This is different than most everywhere else in France where, due to France's history of wine making, it is assumed that everyone just knows that a red Burgundy wine is a Pinot Noir. But I digress...
Back to the wine of the week - Zinck Pinot Gris retails for $18.99 in the B.C. Liquor Stores. It is clear, pale lemon with medium + flavour intensity on the nose with aromas of beautiful ripe stone fruit such as peach, apricot, nectarine and ripe red apple. There was also a hint of minerality and a whiff of clay.
On the palate, Zinck's Pinot Gris was off dry which means that there was some residual sugar left in the wine. It is a bit sweet, and I mean just a bit. It offered medium acidity and medium + alcohol and medium body. It was profoundly flavoured and tasted like very juicy ripe stone fruits and ripe red apples. I was able to taste the clay aroma I smelled and it was a nice, complex balance in the mouth. It has a medium + finish and was unlike any Pinot Gris I have tasted before. It was a 'Hell Yes' and 'If you are in the mood' kind of wine.
Well - the readers' choice was clearly Pinot Gris for my March grape variety reviews! Pinot Gris is, hands down, my 'go to' grape. I don't think I have met a bottle that I really did not like.
Pinot Gris has received a bit of a bad rap lately and some backlash from the more 'refined' palates out there. I recall my first class in WSET Level 1. We were asked to say what our favourite grape variety was and what we have been drinking. I answered honestly - it was Pinot Gris, mostly B.C. wines and I really enjoyed them. The teacher ( who is not at the school anymore ) almost scoffed at me. She said something to the fact that Pinot Gris is a wine for the underdeveloped palate. Of course I took issue with what she said but I also wanted to understand what she meant by that statement. Today, I am pretty sure I know where she was going with that comment but I disagree with her perspective entirely!
Alsace is the region of France that Pinot Gris really shines. It is one of the 'noble' grape varieties in this region and this type of Pinot Gris tastes quite different from Pinot Gris elsewhere in the world due to its northerly location and close proximity to Germany along with volcanic soils. Alsatian Pinot Gris wines are fuller in body and much more complex than many New World wines.
 |
| Alsatian Flute Bottle Shape |
Back to the wine of the week - Zinck Pinot Gris retails for $18.99 in the B.C. Liquor Stores. It is clear, pale lemon with medium + flavour intensity on the nose with aromas of beautiful ripe stone fruit such as peach, apricot, nectarine and ripe red apple. There was also a hint of minerality and a whiff of clay.
On the palate, Zinck's Pinot Gris was off dry which means that there was some residual sugar left in the wine. It is a bit sweet, and I mean just a bit. It offered medium acidity and medium + alcohol and medium body. It was profoundly flavoured and tasted like very juicy ripe stone fruits and ripe red apples. I was able to taste the clay aroma I smelled and it was a nice, complex balance in the mouth. It has a medium + finish and was unlike any Pinot Gris I have tasted before. It was a 'Hell Yes' and 'If you are in the mood' kind of wine.
- Looking to expand your Pinot Gris experience - give this a try!
- Really juicy tasting with a nice balance of minerality.
- Pair with roasted chicken, paté or something with a bit of fat.
- This is off-dry and fuller bodied than most Pinot Gris.
I think what my instructor was attempting to say was that there are a lot of British Columbians who flock to Pinot Gris and we tend to only drink B.C. Pinot Gris. It is my hope that she was trying to suggest that there are other presentations of this grape variety that are good to know and experience. She just didn't put this sentiment into so many words! This is an interesting wine and I really did enjoy it.
As always, my lovelies, thank you for reading!
Enjoy!
XO
C
Monday 4 March 2013
Lanson Champagne Vertical Tasting VIWF 2013
Have I mentioned how much I LOVE champagne? I did a month of sparkling wine reviews in December and enjoyed every sip!
Champagne, however, is THE King, Queen, Princess and Prince of the sparkling category. Nothing can touch it - although Spanish Cava and French Crémant can come within striking distance...
I had the pleasure of attending Lanson Champagne's vertical tasting last Friday evening at the Vancouver International Wine Festival. Lanson was started in 1760 and was the 1st champagne to be given the Royal Warrant by Queen Victoria that they still hold today. They have had the same winemaker, Jean-Paul Gandon, for over 40 years which is quite unheard of. Everything I heard made me incredibly excited to tour their champagne house when I go to Champagne in July this year.
A vertical tasting is when a winery/champagne house/distillery/etc. provide samples of their products. This type of tasting gives you the opportunity to try a wine or champagne that you would normally never have the opportunity to. Often, they bring out their reserve selections along with some wines that most of us could never afford to purchase. The room was set up seminar style and it was 90 minutes of heaven. ( I would suggest that I am better suited for a 90 minute vertical tasting than a 90 minute Bikram yoga class but I do both with very different levels of excitement!)
OMG. From the moment I stepped into the room and was handed a beautiful White Label champagne cocktail with fresh raspberries, I knew this champagne house had me with the first sip. Lanson has recently launched their White Label champagne which is slightly sweeter than their other champagne making it an incredible 'any time of day' option! Definitely add an orange rind, fresh raspberry, mint leaf and you are in for a lovely experience. Brunch, anyone?
We were led through our tasting by Enguerrand Baijot who is the Managing Director of Lanson Champagne. Our tasting included Lanson's Black Label Champagne Brut that was given a score of 90 points from Wine Spectator. This is their 'entry' level champagne with a $64.99 price tag. It was light and crisp with loads of citrus fruit and a lovely colour. This champagne house does not use malolactic fermentation in their winemaking which lets the fruit flavours and acidity of the wine shine through -uninterrupted.
Next up was the Lanson Extra Age Champagne Brut that received 92 points. It consists of 60% Pinot Noir and 40% Chardonnay from only Grand Cru and Premier Cru sites. This lovely aged for 8 years before it was bottled. It had some of the same flavours as the Black Label but the complexity was outstanding. It is a full bodied champagne with extra aromas of honey and pear. Simply stunning.
Many women LOVE their pink champagne - Lanson was one of the first champagne houses to introduce rosé champagne as a way to encourage women to partake. Mission accomplished! Their lovely Rosé Label Champagne Brut again scored 90 points. It is a beautiful salmon colour and tastes like fully ripe and fresh summer berries. It had a surprisingly long finish and was glorious and delicate.
Lanson created another stunning pink lady in their Extra Age Rosé Champagne Brut. Scoring 91 points, it is made up of 65% Pinot Noir and 35% Chardonnay. Their Extra Age Rosé was aged for 7 years in the cellar developing beautiful strawberry jam flavours amazing complexity. Incredible.
I didn't think it could get any better - but it did. Lanson's Gold Label 2002 Champagne Brut was next up and oh my goodness...I was in utter champagne drinkers heaven. This divine offering is made up of 53% Pinot Noir and 47% Chardonnay and aged for 10 years! 2002 was a phenomenal year in Champagne and this Gold Label proves it as only 100% Grand Cru sites were used. This is a powerful champagne that is also elegant and delicate. The bubbles from this champagne were persistent and beautiful to watch. It boasted aromas of grape jam, candied fruit and honey. Utterly fabulous. Did I mention it received 93 points? Wow.
Finally, something I doubt I will ever have the pleasure to experience again, we were given a tasting of Lanson's 1976 Vintage Champagne Brut. This beauty was gold in colour and again, as Lanson does not use malolactic fermentation, this 1976 bottle of champagne still had citrus and lime notes with bold complexity. We learned that you can order a vintage champagne from Lanson and they will disgorge the wine for you right then. It is 100% Grand Cru of 60% Chardonnay and 40% Pinot Noir which is the first and only time Lanson has had Chardonnay as the majority of the blend. It is rich, powerful and a bit mind blowing!
Whew - what a night. I was there with my lovely WSET pal Brooke and her hubby. I was amazed at the vibrancy of the aged champagnes and purchased a bottle of the Black Label Extra Age at the VIWF liquor store the following night for $84.99.
As always, thank you for reading!
Enjoy!
XO
C
Champagne, however, is THE King, Queen, Princess and Prince of the sparkling category. Nothing can touch it - although Spanish Cava and French Crémant can come within striking distance...
I had the pleasure of attending Lanson Champagne's vertical tasting last Friday evening at the Vancouver International Wine Festival. Lanson was started in 1760 and was the 1st champagne to be given the Royal Warrant by Queen Victoria that they still hold today. They have had the same winemaker, Jean-Paul Gandon, for over 40 years which is quite unheard of. Everything I heard made me incredibly excited to tour their champagne house when I go to Champagne in July this year.
OMG. From the moment I stepped into the room and was handed a beautiful White Label champagne cocktail with fresh raspberries, I knew this champagne house had me with the first sip. Lanson has recently launched their White Label champagne which is slightly sweeter than their other champagne making it an incredible 'any time of day' option! Definitely add an orange rind, fresh raspberry, mint leaf and you are in for a lovely experience. Brunch, anyone?
We were led through our tasting by Enguerrand Baijot who is the Managing Director of Lanson Champagne. Our tasting included Lanson's Black Label Champagne Brut that was given a score of 90 points from Wine Spectator. This is their 'entry' level champagne with a $64.99 price tag. It was light and crisp with loads of citrus fruit and a lovely colour. This champagne house does not use malolactic fermentation in their winemaking which lets the fruit flavours and acidity of the wine shine through -uninterrupted.
Lanson created another stunning pink lady in their Extra Age Rosé Champagne Brut. Scoring 91 points, it is made up of 65% Pinot Noir and 35% Chardonnay. Their Extra Age Rosé was aged for 7 years in the cellar developing beautiful strawberry jam flavours amazing complexity. Incredible.
Finally, something I doubt I will ever have the pleasure to experience again, we were given a tasting of Lanson's 1976 Vintage Champagne Brut. This beauty was gold in colour and again, as Lanson does not use malolactic fermentation, this 1976 bottle of champagne still had citrus and lime notes with bold complexity. We learned that you can order a vintage champagne from Lanson and they will disgorge the wine for you right then. It is 100% Grand Cru of 60% Chardonnay and 40% Pinot Noir which is the first and only time Lanson has had Chardonnay as the majority of the blend. It is rich, powerful and a bit mind blowing!
As always, thank you for reading!
Enjoy!
XO
C
Wednesday 27 February 2013
Last Rosé Review for February - Vina Chocalan Syrah and Petit Verdot Rosé
Hello and happy wine Wednesday to my lovely readers! I hope your week has been fantastic and full of new things, new wine and relaxation...
Rosé, to me, is a great example of a wine to relax with. The colour is beautiful, the tastes are full of fresh red berries and it almost has the power to have you think you are sitting on a deck on a hot summer day when it is the middle of February in Canada!
Let's get down to the good stuff, and this weeks entry is damn fine!
Vina Chocalan 2011 Rosé is a fantastic, thirst quenching wine made for enjoying anytime of the year. This stunning pink wine hails from the Maipo Valley in Chile. The Maipo Valley is a premium growing location for grapes and this region has been delivering some excellent valued wines - such as this rosé.
Vina Chocalan is made up of 80% Syrah and 20% Petit Verdot. It is such a fantastic blend for rosé! I cannot begin to tell you how much I enjoyed this wine and, the brilliant part? It is ONLY $12.99! What? It is $1.00 below my usual review 'price' but I had never tried a rosé from Chile nor had I heard of this wine so it was a gamble that paid off beautifully!
This rosé is a bright medium pink colour and is medium- in aroma intensity. This wine does not hit you over the head - it is subtle, refreshing and crisp - full of red cherries, red currant, plum and strawberry aromas...YUM. It also had a subtle aroma of stone and minerality that I am coming to love.
On the palate, Vina Chocalan is refreshingly dry with medium + acid. It is medium in body and alcohol and flavour intensity. All the fresh red fruit aromas are present on the palate as well as the hint of wet stone...quite delicious!
This is solidly in my "Hell Yes" category.
Rosé, to me, is a great example of a wine to relax with. The colour is beautiful, the tastes are full of fresh red berries and it almost has the power to have you think you are sitting on a deck on a hot summer day when it is the middle of February in Canada!
Let's get down to the good stuff, and this weeks entry is damn fine!
Vina Chocalan 2011 Rosé is a fantastic, thirst quenching wine made for enjoying anytime of the year. This stunning pink wine hails from the Maipo Valley in Chile. The Maipo Valley is a premium growing location for grapes and this region has been delivering some excellent valued wines - such as this rosé.
Vina Chocalan is made up of 80% Syrah and 20% Petit Verdot. It is such a fantastic blend for rosé! I cannot begin to tell you how much I enjoyed this wine and, the brilliant part? It is ONLY $12.99! What? It is $1.00 below my usual review 'price' but I had never tried a rosé from Chile nor had I heard of this wine so it was a gamble that paid off beautifully!
This rosé is a bright medium pink colour and is medium- in aroma intensity. This wine does not hit you over the head - it is subtle, refreshing and crisp - full of red cherries, red currant, plum and strawberry aromas...YUM. It also had a subtle aroma of stone and minerality that I am coming to love.
On the palate, Vina Chocalan is refreshingly dry with medium + acid. It is medium in body and alcohol and flavour intensity. All the fresh red fruit aromas are present on the palate as well as the hint of wet stone...quite delicious!
This is solidly in my "Hell Yes" category.
- Beautiful fresh red fruit flavours on the palate.
- Nice and crisp and refreshing
- An excellent value at $12.99!
- Pair with omelettes, frittata, or hard Italian cheeses.
This wine has made me completely excited for the arrival of summertime and sitting on my deck. I hope you go out and pick up a bottle of this gorgeous rosé for $12.99 and indulge in a little bit of pink heaven.
Enjoy!
XO
C
Friday 22 February 2013
To my Lovely Readers - help me choose the grape variety for March reviews...
Hello my lovelies...
I hope you are keeping wonderful and well.
This is a short, but sweet little post asking for your feedback and input on what type of grape variety would you like me to review for the month of March...?
Please leave a comment or send me a tweet @girlsgogrape or a message on Facebook and I will tally the votes and have my March blog posts dedicated to your top choice!
I would like it to be a grape variety and here are a few of the noble grapes out there in the world to choose from:
I hope you are keeping wonderful and well.
This is a short, but sweet little post asking for your feedback and input on what type of grape variety would you like me to review for the month of March...?
Please leave a comment or send me a tweet @girlsgogrape or a message on Facebook and I will tally the votes and have my March blog posts dedicated to your top choice!
I would like it to be a grape variety and here are a few of the noble grapes out there in the world to choose from:
- Cabernet Sauvignon
- Merlot
- Pinot Noir
- Syrah/Shiraz - same grape called different names 'Old World' vs 'New World'
- Grenache
- Sauvignon Blanc
- Riesling
- Chardonnay
- Gewürztraminer
- Pinot Gris
These are all classic French grapes and it is my current focus at school right now so would love to focus on any of the above.
Thank you SO MUCH for your continued support and readership! Looking very forward to the results and going wine shopping for my March GGG blog posts!
Enjoy!
XO
C
Wednesday 20 February 2013
Domaine de Nizas Rosé 2011 Languedoc AOC, France
Hello and Happy Wine Wednesday! I hope your week has been exceptional....
My choice of reviewing rosé wines this month has helped me with the grey February skies Vancouver, B.C. gets this time of year... We have actually been blessed with a few sunny days and blue skies which makes me hopeful that Spring is around the corner and then Summer - where rosé drinking is mandatory!
My review this week is on Domaine de Nizas Rosé 2011. This beauty comes form the gorgeous region of France called the Languedoc where I was fortunate to visit in 2009. This area of France is quite well knows for its' rosé production and moderately priced rosé options.
Domaine de Nizas's Rosé is a stunning blush/pale salmon colour in the glass. On the nose, it had a medium intensity and aromas full of freshly picked strawberry, raspberry, red cherry along with a slight violet note.
On the palate, this blush beauty was dry with medium acidity and was light bodied. The flavours on the nose showed up again on the palate - absolutely freshly picked strawberries and red fruits but this time there was a hint of 'minerality' which was divine. This rosé had a medium finish and tasted nicely balanced and bright in the mouth.
Rosé's from France tend to be made up of a blend of grape varieties. Domaine de Nizas's has 40% Syrah, 40% Grenache and 20% Mourvèdre. Each variety adds a different component to the overall taste and flavour profile of the wine and these vines are all 15 years old. Syrah and Grenache are the two black grape varieties that do very well in hotter, southern France climates. Mourvèdre can ONLY ripen in hot weather and is used as a blending grape to add colour, complexity and richness. I love learning what different grape varieties contribute to a given wine for desired results...fascinating!
Rosé is made with black grapes but has a very short window of time with the skins - hence the lovely shades of pink and salmon. This rosé had skin contact between 6 and 12 hours only and was fermented in stainless steel tanks to keep the fruit flavour bright and noticeable.
So, my lovely readers - Domaine de Nizas Rosé is a "Hell Yes" for me. I picked up this bottle at Everything Wine for $22.99. I am giving it 8 grapes out of 10.
My choice of reviewing rosé wines this month has helped me with the grey February skies Vancouver, B.C. gets this time of year... We have actually been blessed with a few sunny days and blue skies which makes me hopeful that Spring is around the corner and then Summer - where rosé drinking is mandatory!
My review this week is on Domaine de Nizas Rosé 2011. This beauty comes form the gorgeous region of France called the Languedoc where I was fortunate to visit in 2009. This area of France is quite well knows for its' rosé production and moderately priced rosé options.
On the palate, this blush beauty was dry with medium acidity and was light bodied. The flavours on the nose showed up again on the palate - absolutely freshly picked strawberries and red fruits but this time there was a hint of 'minerality' which was divine. This rosé had a medium finish and tasted nicely balanced and bright in the mouth.
Rosé's from France tend to be made up of a blend of grape varieties. Domaine de Nizas's has 40% Syrah, 40% Grenache and 20% Mourvèdre. Each variety adds a different component to the overall taste and flavour profile of the wine and these vines are all 15 years old. Syrah and Grenache are the two black grape varieties that do very well in hotter, southern France climates. Mourvèdre can ONLY ripen in hot weather and is used as a blending grape to add colour, complexity and richness. I love learning what different grape varieties contribute to a given wine for desired results...fascinating!
Rosé is made with black grapes but has a very short window of time with the skins - hence the lovely shades of pink and salmon. This rosé had skin contact between 6 and 12 hours only and was fermented in stainless steel tanks to keep the fruit flavour bright and noticeable.
So, my lovely readers - Domaine de Nizas Rosé is a "Hell Yes" for me. I picked up this bottle at Everything Wine for $22.99. I am giving it 8 grapes out of 10.
- A fantastic summer sipping wine!
- Great value and great colour!
- Wonderful to pair with any Mediterranean or Asian food.
- Tastes exceptionally bright and crisp in the mouth.
Thanks you again, and as always, for reading!
Enjoy!
XO
C
Wednesday 13 February 2013
Marqués de Cáceres 2011 Rioja Rosado
Hello and happy Valentine's Day week to you! I hope it has been filled with love and laughter and wine of course!
Thank you for your positive feedback on Girls Go Grape! Your input, suggestions and comments mean to the world to me.
This week, my review is on a Spanish Rioja Rosado from Marqués de Cáceres 2011. It is a blend of 85% Tempranillo and 15% Grenache. Both grapes are indigenous to Spain and the Rioja region. This was one of the earliest harvests that the winery has ever had due to the hot summer...and it comes out in the wine showing up as a bit restrained. Almost like the heat got too hot and the freshness potential was a bit lost.
I picked this bottle up at Everything Wine for $16.99. It was pale salmon/coral in colour and looked lovely in the glass. This rosado had a medium minus intensity on the nose and was full of aromas of raspberries, strawberries, red currant and roses. It had a slightly herbaceous note as well.
On the palate, the wine was dry with medium acidity. It was truly a medium all around wine - medium body, medium alcohol, medium flavour intensity on the palate - again full of red fresh fruit and roses. This is a simple wine. It comes in at the low end of my price category and truthfully, I enjoyed the Monster 2011 Rosé a bit better. I would rate this as a good wine but not a "Hell Yes". It is one of those "Hmm, I am in the mood for something different and interestingly refreshing that isn't going to blow my mind but I want to experience something new..." This is your rosado! So - it is firmly in the GGG category of "If you are in the mood."
Also, a shout out to LM for suggesting I do a Girls Go Grape Un-corked evening! Looking forward to sharing the information and knowledge I have gained so far with anyone wanting to know a bit more about their favourite wine.
That is it for me today...
Happy 'almost' Valentine's Day!
Enjoy!
XO
C
Thank you for your positive feedback on Girls Go Grape! Your input, suggestions and comments mean to the world to me.
This week, my review is on a Spanish Rioja Rosado from Marqués de Cáceres 2011. It is a blend of 85% Tempranillo and 15% Grenache. Both grapes are indigenous to Spain and the Rioja region. This was one of the earliest harvests that the winery has ever had due to the hot summer...and it comes out in the wine showing up as a bit restrained. Almost like the heat got too hot and the freshness potential was a bit lost.
I picked this bottle up at Everything Wine for $16.99. It was pale salmon/coral in colour and looked lovely in the glass. This rosado had a medium minus intensity on the nose and was full of aromas of raspberries, strawberries, red currant and roses. It had a slightly herbaceous note as well.
On the palate, the wine was dry with medium acidity. It was truly a medium all around wine - medium body, medium alcohol, medium flavour intensity on the palate - again full of red fresh fruit and roses. This is a simple wine. It comes in at the low end of my price category and truthfully, I enjoyed the Monster 2011 Rosé a bit better. I would rate this as a good wine but not a "Hell Yes". It is one of those "Hmm, I am in the mood for something different and interestingly refreshing that isn't going to blow my mind but I want to experience something new..." This is your rosado! So - it is firmly in the GGG category of "If you are in the mood."
Also, a shout out to LM for suggesting I do a Girls Go Grape Un-corked evening! Looking forward to sharing the information and knowledge I have gained so far with anyone wanting to know a bit more about their favourite wine.
That is it for me today...
Happy 'almost' Valentine's Day!
Enjoy!
XO
C
Wednesday 6 February 2013
Monster Vineyard's Rosé 2011
Ahhh, February - the month of red hearts and Valentine's Day cards. I could not help but choose rosé as my wine selection for this month. In my opinion, rosé is often times forgotten as an option. My love affair with this rosés started in 2009 in the glorious city of Carcassonne, France. My husband and I were still footloose and fancy-free (read childless) and we travelled quite a bit. We did a jam packed 2 week trip through the south of France and completed our tour in this fine, medieval walled city.
It was August and the day we arrived in Carcassonne registered somewhere around 38 degrees C. Holy hotness...It didn't stop us from walking around the castle walls, up narrow staircases with archways built for people that stood no taller than 5'4". At the end of our day, we stumbled into a tiny bistro that was set within a courtyard. We asked the waitress what she suggested in regards to a wine selection. She looked at us almost incredulously. "Rosé, of course!." And so it began...
My first rosé on the review block is none other than Poplar Groves' Monster Vineyard's Rosé. I went to the Village VQA in Edgemont Village for my B.C. pick and the fellow behind the desk suggested it. At $16, it just sneaked its' way into my price category and I am VERY happy it made it! I had no idea that Poplar Grove, whose wines I love, had a second label in the market!
As you can tell by the photo, this lovely bottle stood out on the shelves. I didn't quite know what I was looking at but I could see its' beautiful colour inside!
Monster Rosé 2011 is a medium pink colour with medium intensity on the nose with aromas of fresh red fruit - red cherries, red strawberries and cranberries. On the palate, it was dry with medium + acidity and it was incredibly refreshing. This rosé tasted as it smelled with those wonderful red juicy berries along with some gorgeous red grapefruit flavours. It was nicely balanced - not complex but a great drinking wine for $16.00! It had a medium finish and tasted great. It is a youthful wine, so nothing to cellar here - just get down to enjoying it!
An interesting note - you want to serve your rosé cold - 7 - 13 degrees C. This wine surprised me though - it was lovely nice and cold but it was actually quite wonderful when it came up to room temperature which made it an even better value. This could be a brilliant patio drinking wine to gulp down happily in the summer heat or something new and different to try during a colder month for its uniqueness and refreshing taste.
So, my lovelies - Monster Rosé 2011 is a 'Hell Yes' wine. I had a great suggestion from one of my charming male readers (TS) who suggested I do a quick synopsis at the end of my review as to the highlights of the wine. Great idea. Done!
Here's to February and all things pink!
Enjoy!
XO
C
It was August and the day we arrived in Carcassonne registered somewhere around 38 degrees C. Holy hotness...It didn't stop us from walking around the castle walls, up narrow staircases with archways built for people that stood no taller than 5'4". At the end of our day, we stumbled into a tiny bistro that was set within a courtyard. We asked the waitress what she suggested in regards to a wine selection. She looked at us almost incredulously. "Rosé, of course!." And so it began...
My first rosé on the review block is none other than Poplar Groves' Monster Vineyard's Rosé. I went to the Village VQA in Edgemont Village for my B.C. pick and the fellow behind the desk suggested it. At $16, it just sneaked its' way into my price category and I am VERY happy it made it! I had no idea that Poplar Grove, whose wines I love, had a second label in the market!
Monster Rosé 2011 is a medium pink colour with medium intensity on the nose with aromas of fresh red fruit - red cherries, red strawberries and cranberries. On the palate, it was dry with medium + acidity and it was incredibly refreshing. This rosé tasted as it smelled with those wonderful red juicy berries along with some gorgeous red grapefruit flavours. It was nicely balanced - not complex but a great drinking wine for $16.00! It had a medium finish and tasted great. It is a youthful wine, so nothing to cellar here - just get down to enjoying it!
An interesting note - you want to serve your rosé cold - 7 - 13 degrees C. This wine surprised me though - it was lovely nice and cold but it was actually quite wonderful when it came up to room temperature which made it an even better value. This could be a brilliant patio drinking wine to gulp down happily in the summer heat or something new and different to try during a colder month for its uniqueness and refreshing taste.
So, my lovelies - Monster Rosé 2011 is a 'Hell Yes' wine. I had a great suggestion from one of my charming male readers (TS) who suggested I do a quick synopsis at the end of my review as to the highlights of the wine. Great idea. Done!
- Very refreshing and great for a hot summer day or when you are feeling in the mood for a little pink! (Who doesn't like pink??)
- A fantastic pairing for tapas, grilled tuna or salad.
- For $16 - this wine delivers some great bang for the buck!
- I am rating this 8 grapes out of 10 for value and refreshing appeal.
Here's to February and all things pink!
Enjoy!
XO
C
Wednesday 30 January 2013
Taste B.C. Review - some great B.C. finds!
Hello and Happy Wine Wednesday!
I hope you have had a wonderful week full of great wine, great friends and great conversation!
This week, I am changing it up a bit...I am going to do a quick review of some of the fantastic wines I tasted at Taste B.C. This fabulous event is held once a year and all the proceeds benefit B.C. Children's Hospital Foundation. Tasting wine and helping a worthwhile charity? Hello - sign me up every year, please!
On January15th, I met some amazing people - wine makers, winery owners, reps...you name it...this is a great evening out in Vancouver. I attended Taste B.C. with one of my BFF's Natalie Reynolds. We did a circuit of the room and focused on whites first then did some reds on the second go around.
In no specific order, here are some of the wines I really enjoyed and will be seeking out in the local wine store shortly:
As you can tell, I had a wonderful time and truly enjoyed meeting all of these passionate people.
Next time you are in the B.C. liquor store or a VQA store - be sure to pick up one of theses selections.
Coming up for the next two weeks, I will be reviewing Rosé wines as we count down to Valentine's Day...
As always, thank you for reading!
Enjoy!
XO
C
I hope you have had a wonderful week full of great wine, great friends and great conversation!
This week, I am changing it up a bit...I am going to do a quick review of some of the fantastic wines I tasted at Taste B.C. This fabulous event is held once a year and all the proceeds benefit B.C. Children's Hospital Foundation. Tasting wine and helping a worthwhile charity? Hello - sign me up every year, please!
On January15th, I met some amazing people - wine makers, winery owners, reps...you name it...this is a great evening out in Vancouver. I attended Taste B.C. with one of my BFF's Natalie Reynolds. We did a circuit of the room and focused on whites first then did some reds on the second go around.
In no specific order, here are some of the wines I really enjoyed and will be seeking out in the local wine store shortly:
- Wild Goose Winery - both their Stoney Slope Riesling VQA 2011 and the Mystic River Pinot Gris VQA 2011 were outstanding! The GM Roland Kruger was most enjoyable to meet.
- Calliope Wine's Figure Eight White 2011 was a very nice blend and their Viognier 2011 was very tasty.
- Misconduct Wine Co's Richard da Silva was passionate about his wines and they delivered some wonderful tastes. Namely, their Suspect Series Pinot Noir 2009.
- Stoneboat Vineyards 2011 Pinot Gris and their 2010 Pinot Noir were fantastic.
- Tinhorn Creek Oldfield Series 2Bench Red 2009 was very good.
- Poplar Grove Winery's 2011 Pinot Gris was terrific as usual and one of my favourites.
- Painted Rock Estate Winery's 2011 Chardonnay was wonderful.
- Liquidity Wine's 2010 Pinot Noir was lovely and fruit forward and their 2009 Pinot Noir was truly outstanding!
- Blue Mountain Winery 2011 Chardonnay was fruit forward with a nice citrus taste and medium body - lovely! Also, their Gold Label Brut N/V is always a winner in my book!
 |
| Roland Kruger of Wild Goose Vineyards |
 |
| Richard da Silva of Misconduct |
 |
| Peter Hunt Victoria Spirits |
Thank you to all of the wineries that participated in this event! It is a success because of the amazing B.C. product we have so much to be thankful for!
One other company I would like to mention is Victoria Spirits. They make an absolutely glorious Gin and the Master Distiller, Peter Hunt, was at the event. The process of distilling spirits is quite fascinating, as is making wine, and I was pleased that they were on site to sample their fantastic product. If you are a Gin drinker, give this local company a try - you will NOT be disappointed.
As you can tell, I had a wonderful time and truly enjoyed meeting all of these passionate people.
Next time you are in the B.C. liquor store or a VQA store - be sure to pick up one of theses selections.
Coming up for the next two weeks, I will be reviewing Rosé wines as we count down to Valentine's Day...
As always, thank you for reading!
Enjoy!
XO
C
Wednesday 23 January 2013
B.C.'s Tantalus Pinot Noir 2010
Hello and Happy Wednesday!
Here in Vancouver our regular rain has returned and it actually feels good! Vancouver is gorgeous in the sunshine and I trust everyone got outside as often as my family did...
In my wine education news - I have successfully earned my certificate in WSET Level 2. My results were mailed to me yesterday and I am VERY pleased with my mark. Whoo hoo! I celebrated with a bottle of Burrowing Owl 2011 Pinot Gris at Cactus Club Park Royal Village last night. Lovely...
Now - for the good stuff...
This week I tried Tantalus Vineyards' Pinot Noir 2010. I picked it up at the Village VQA Wine Store in Edgemont Village. Mary, the owner, is an amazing wealth of knowledge and assisted me with my selection. It was $29.99 which fit perfectly with the other price points of the Pinot Noir's I have selected for this month.
It was a medium ruby colour and looked quite pretty in the glass. It had a medium intensity on the nose with aromas of red cherry, red berries, sweet spice and violets. It was refreshingly dry with a medium plus and medium fine grained tannins that balanced each other nicely. It was medium bodied and had a quite pronounced flavour intensity.
This wine was nicely complex with just enough going on. There was a nice long finish to this Pinot Noir that I really enjoyed. I think this lovely B.C. Pinot Noir from Tantalus Vineyard falls into my "Hell Yes" category. It is a nice expression of the grape variety enjoying a cooler climate and this comes out in the wine. I would call this Pinot Noir 'Very Good'.
Tantalus's Pinot Noir 2010 can be enjoyed now but has potential for ageing. This Pinot Noir comes from both German and French plantings:
Here's to another fantastic wine from another fantastic B.C. winery!
Enjoy!
XO
C
Here in Vancouver our regular rain has returned and it actually feels good! Vancouver is gorgeous in the sunshine and I trust everyone got outside as often as my family did...
In my wine education news - I have successfully earned my certificate in WSET Level 2. My results were mailed to me yesterday and I am VERY pleased with my mark. Whoo hoo! I celebrated with a bottle of Burrowing Owl 2011 Pinot Gris at Cactus Club Park Royal Village last night. Lovely...
Now - for the good stuff...
This week I tried Tantalus Vineyards' Pinot Noir 2010. I picked it up at the Village VQA Wine Store in Edgemont Village. Mary, the owner, is an amazing wealth of knowledge and assisted me with my selection. It was $29.99 which fit perfectly with the other price points of the Pinot Noir's I have selected for this month.
It was a medium ruby colour and looked quite pretty in the glass. It had a medium intensity on the nose with aromas of red cherry, red berries, sweet spice and violets. It was refreshingly dry with a medium plus and medium fine grained tannins that balanced each other nicely. It was medium bodied and had a quite pronounced flavour intensity.
This wine was nicely complex with just enough going on. There was a nice long finish to this Pinot Noir that I really enjoyed. I think this lovely B.C. Pinot Noir from Tantalus Vineyard falls into my "Hell Yes" category. It is a nice expression of the grape variety enjoying a cooler climate and this comes out in the wine. I would call this Pinot Noir 'Very Good'.
Tantalus's Pinot Noir 2010 can be enjoyed now but has potential for ageing. This Pinot Noir comes from both German and French plantings:
This wine was produced from 2005 and 2006 Dijon plantings and 1985 Spatburgunder plantings. It was aged in a combination of new and old French barrique for 12 months.At $29.99 - I consider this wine to be a great addition to your cellar. It would be beautifully enjoyed with a fresh B.C. salmon dish.
Here's to another fantastic wine from another fantastic B.C. winery!
Enjoy!
XO
C
Wednesday 16 January 2013
Red Burgundy - Louis Latour's Pinot Noir
Hello and Happy Wine Wednesday!
I hope your week is going exceptionally well...
Last night I attended Taste B.C. at the Pan Pacific Hotel in Vancouver with my dear friend Natalie Reynolds. All proceeds of the event go to the B.C. Children's Hospital Foundation. I was thrilled to be a part of this well run event - it was an amazing success that showcased all of the talented winemakers, wineries, craft breweries and local distilleries B.C. has to offer. I will be writing a blog post on this event at the end of the month...stay tuned!
Continuing with my Pinot Noir reviews this month, I travel to Beaune, France in the Côte D'Or. This appellation in Burgundy is Pinot Noir's classic home. The soil type, climate and location of Beaune is where Pinot Noir reaches it apex. This grape variety is NOT for the faint of heart. Pinot Noir has been compared to 'sex in a glass' as well as being the work of the devil...hmmm. Not sure that I am on board with either of these descriptions but it is obviously a grape variety of interest and intrigue to be sure!
I selected Louis Latour's 2011 Pinot Noir as my wine for the week. I wanted a very 'classic' representation of the grape in its' classic home. I picked it up at the B.C. Liquor store for $22.99 and I was very pleased with what was inside.
This Pinot Noir was a clear pale ruby colour. It had a medium intensity on the nose and smelled of red currant, strawberry, red cherry, earth, white pepper and blackcurrant leaf - YUM! I could not wait to take a sip. This wine was dry with medium acidity and fine grained tannins. There was a medium - alcohol and it was medium - in body as well. The flavours matched those on the nose yet I tasted less pepper on the palate. It was a nice, balanced wine.
This was a good bottle of wine for the price. It really tastes like the region...it is a great example of what a mid-priced Pinot Noir from Côte D'Or taste like. Louis Latour's Pinot Noir tastes like a $30 bottle of wine to me which makes it a great value. It is a VERY food friendly wine because it is not heavy. This lovely red compliments food as opposed to being a stand alone. This Pinot Noir would pair beautifully with smoked cheese, tuna, salmon or even pizza.
Louis Latour's 2011 Pinot Noir is a "Hell Yes!" wine...it is delicate but complex. It is very easy to drink and because it is so food friendly and a great value - it will become one of my 'house' wines.
I wish you a wonderful day.
Thanks again and always for reading!
XO
C
I hope your week is going exceptionally well...
Last night I attended Taste B.C. at the Pan Pacific Hotel in Vancouver with my dear friend Natalie Reynolds. All proceeds of the event go to the B.C. Children's Hospital Foundation. I was thrilled to be a part of this well run event - it was an amazing success that showcased all of the talented winemakers, wineries, craft breweries and local distilleries B.C. has to offer. I will be writing a blog post on this event at the end of the month...stay tuned!
Continuing with my Pinot Noir reviews this month, I travel to Beaune, France in the Côte D'Or. This appellation in Burgundy is Pinot Noir's classic home. The soil type, climate and location of Beaune is where Pinot Noir reaches it apex. This grape variety is NOT for the faint of heart. Pinot Noir has been compared to 'sex in a glass' as well as being the work of the devil...hmmm. Not sure that I am on board with either of these descriptions but it is obviously a grape variety of interest and intrigue to be sure!
I selected Louis Latour's 2011 Pinot Noir as my wine for the week. I wanted a very 'classic' representation of the grape in its' classic home. I picked it up at the B.C. Liquor store for $22.99 and I was very pleased with what was inside.
This was a good bottle of wine for the price. It really tastes like the region...it is a great example of what a mid-priced Pinot Noir from Côte D'Or taste like. Louis Latour's Pinot Noir tastes like a $30 bottle of wine to me which makes it a great value. It is a VERY food friendly wine because it is not heavy. This lovely red compliments food as opposed to being a stand alone. This Pinot Noir would pair beautifully with smoked cheese, tuna, salmon or even pizza.
Louis Latour's 2011 Pinot Noir is a "Hell Yes!" wine...it is delicate but complex. It is very easy to drink and because it is so food friendly and a great value - it will become one of my 'house' wines.
I wish you a wonderful day.
Thanks again and always for reading!
XO
C
Wednesday 9 January 2013
Spy Valley Pinot Noir - New Zealand
Hello and happy Wednesday!
Today is a good day. My Level 3 WSET class starts up again tonight - very much looking forward to continuing my education in my favourite subject - wine! I can talk about wine for hours and I am thankful for all of the people in my life who share this passion with me. A HUGE thank you to all of you reading my blog...I may not know you but I am writing to you. I hope that I can turn you onto a new wine or grape varietal that you haven't uncovered yet. Thank you for reading. Thank you for passing along my blog site to your friends, and so on... You really have made the start of 2013 fantastic!
Continuing along my Pinot Noir tastings for the month of January, Spy Valley Pinot Noir 2011 from New Zealand was my choice this week. I was at Granville Island and went into the Liberty Wine Merchant shop across from the market. I like their selections of wine and most often, I can find something unique to try.
New Zealand and specifically the Marlborough area of NZ is known for its' Pinot Noir grapes. New Zealand is actually becoming the second 'classic' region for Pinot Noir behind Burgundy in France. The soils are quite similar as are the climates so the wines have a similar style to them and this is described best as an 'elegant' style.
Spy Valley's Pinot Noir was a bit pricier at $31.99 at the Liberty Wine store. It had a clear garnet colour and looked quite light in the glass as a Pinot Noir should. On the nose there were aromas of raspberry, plum, dirt, chocolate and a bit of coffee. On the palate, I tasted more herbaceous flavours of grass and violet as well as the raspberry and plum. I found it had a bitter almond taste to it as well as some black pepper and liquorice notes. It was a dry wine with medium high acidity. The tannins were low and it was light in body. Spy Valley's Pinot Noir 2011 is a complex tasting wine. It had a medium plus finish and I would rate it as a very good quality wine.
That being said, I, personally, did not really enjoy it. I could not put my finger on what it was but I felt like there was something missing. And, for $31.99 a bottle, I was disappointed. I did have a glass the next day and I felt that the wine evolved and opened up nicely overnight. You can cellar this wine for 3 - 5 years and maybe that is what it needed. I would put this into the "If you are in the mood" category. Maybe you want to taste what an 'elegant' Pinot Noir tastes like - this is not a bad choice but I am sure I can find another elegant style to review that is in the $20 range...
With that being said, I am off to search for my next selection of Pinot Noir!
Enjoy and thanks again for reading!
If you have a wine you would like me to review - just leave a comment for me.
XO
C
Today is a good day. My Level 3 WSET class starts up again tonight - very much looking forward to continuing my education in my favourite subject - wine! I can talk about wine for hours and I am thankful for all of the people in my life who share this passion with me. A HUGE thank you to all of you reading my blog...I may not know you but I am writing to you. I hope that I can turn you onto a new wine or grape varietal that you haven't uncovered yet. Thank you for reading. Thank you for passing along my blog site to your friends, and so on... You really have made the start of 2013 fantastic!
Continuing along my Pinot Noir tastings for the month of January, Spy Valley Pinot Noir 2011 from New Zealand was my choice this week. I was at Granville Island and went into the Liberty Wine Merchant shop across from the market. I like their selections of wine and most often, I can find something unique to try.
New Zealand and specifically the Marlborough area of NZ is known for its' Pinot Noir grapes. New Zealand is actually becoming the second 'classic' region for Pinot Noir behind Burgundy in France. The soils are quite similar as are the climates so the wines have a similar style to them and this is described best as an 'elegant' style.
Spy Valley's Pinot Noir was a bit pricier at $31.99 at the Liberty Wine store. It had a clear garnet colour and looked quite light in the glass as a Pinot Noir should. On the nose there were aromas of raspberry, plum, dirt, chocolate and a bit of coffee. On the palate, I tasted more herbaceous flavours of grass and violet as well as the raspberry and plum. I found it had a bitter almond taste to it as well as some black pepper and liquorice notes. It was a dry wine with medium high acidity. The tannins were low and it was light in body. Spy Valley's Pinot Noir 2011 is a complex tasting wine. It had a medium plus finish and I would rate it as a very good quality wine.
That being said, I, personally, did not really enjoy it. I could not put my finger on what it was but I felt like there was something missing. And, for $31.99 a bottle, I was disappointed. I did have a glass the next day and I felt that the wine evolved and opened up nicely overnight. You can cellar this wine for 3 - 5 years and maybe that is what it needed. I would put this into the "If you are in the mood" category. Maybe you want to taste what an 'elegant' Pinot Noir tastes like - this is not a bad choice but I am sure I can find another elegant style to review that is in the $20 range...
With that being said, I am off to search for my next selection of Pinot Noir!
Enjoy and thanks again for reading!
If you have a wine you would like me to review - just leave a comment for me.
XO
C
Wednesday 2 January 2013
Happy New Year - A Month of Pinot Noir
Happy New Year to you! I hope you had a wonderful time with family and friends. New Year's Eve is one of my favourite nights of the year. I love what it means and what a new year can bring. 2012 was a big year for me full of personal changes and dedication and enrolment at the Wine College for my WSET education. I made the choice to stay at home with our daughter and that has been a true gift and a big shift for me personally. This blog brings me an incredible amount of joy and it brings me closer to who I am and want to be. Thank you for being a part of my journey.
Now, for the good stuff...
I really enjoyed focusing on the sparkling wine category for the weeks leading up to NYE. So, I have decided that, going forward, I am going to choose a grape varietal and focus on it for a month and move around the world reviewing how the grape is expressed in different countries and climates. My grape of choice to start off the New Year is none other than the temperamental and moody Pinot Noir.
Pinot Noir's classic home is the Burgundy region of France. It is here that the cool climate really delivers complex and noteworthy Pinot Noir wines. The Côte d'Or is 'the' celebrated area within Burgundy that produces what many call the best wines in the world.
My review this week is on La Crema's Sonoma Coast 2009 Pinot Noir. Typically, you don't consider California to be an ideal location for this cool weather loving grape. However, the Russian River that runs throughout Sonoma Valley along with the cool Pacific coastal breezes makes for an ideal environment for this delightful Pinot Noir. La Crema winery has been in business for over 30 years and has a brilliant Canadian female Winemaker, Elizabeth Grant-Douglas, at the helm.
La Crema's Pinot Noir was a gorgeous ruby colour - I was surprised at how 'pretty' the wine looked in the glass. This wine had medium + intensity on the nose. I smelled red cherry, red plum, raspberry, vanilla, a hint of chocolate along with rose petals. This wine tasted like velvet in a glass - the fruit, sweet spices and chocolate were all tasted on the palate. This Pinot Noir is aged for 6.5 months in French Oak barrels which gives this lovely wine is smooth and rich texture. What was the wonderful surprise to this beauty was how beautifully balanced this Pinot Noir was. It was high in acidity but was balanced perfectly with strong tannins which made for a complex, plush, yummy glass of wine!
I purchased this bottle at the B.C. Liquor Stores for $29.99. I found it at Everything Wine for $28.99. This is a bottle to keep aside for a beautiful dinner with your loved one. It is a very good 'Hell Yes' full bodied Pinot Noir that is PERFECT for a cold, rainy evening.
Here's to 2013!
Enjoy!
XO
C
Now, for the good stuff...
I really enjoyed focusing on the sparkling wine category for the weeks leading up to NYE. So, I have decided that, going forward, I am going to choose a grape varietal and focus on it for a month and move around the world reviewing how the grape is expressed in different countries and climates. My grape of choice to start off the New Year is none other than the temperamental and moody Pinot Noir.
Pinot Noir's classic home is the Burgundy region of France. It is here that the cool climate really delivers complex and noteworthy Pinot Noir wines. The Côte d'Or is 'the' celebrated area within Burgundy that produces what many call the best wines in the world.
My review this week is on La Crema's Sonoma Coast 2009 Pinot Noir. Typically, you don't consider California to be an ideal location for this cool weather loving grape. However, the Russian River that runs throughout Sonoma Valley along with the cool Pacific coastal breezes makes for an ideal environment for this delightful Pinot Noir. La Crema winery has been in business for over 30 years and has a brilliant Canadian female Winemaker, Elizabeth Grant-Douglas, at the helm.
La Crema's Pinot Noir was a gorgeous ruby colour - I was surprised at how 'pretty' the wine looked in the glass. This wine had medium + intensity on the nose. I smelled red cherry, red plum, raspberry, vanilla, a hint of chocolate along with rose petals. This wine tasted like velvet in a glass - the fruit, sweet spices and chocolate were all tasted on the palate. This Pinot Noir is aged for 6.5 months in French Oak barrels which gives this lovely wine is smooth and rich texture. What was the wonderful surprise to this beauty was how beautifully balanced this Pinot Noir was. It was high in acidity but was balanced perfectly with strong tannins which made for a complex, plush, yummy glass of wine!
I purchased this bottle at the B.C. Liquor Stores for $29.99. I found it at Everything Wine for $28.99. This is a bottle to keep aside for a beautiful dinner with your loved one. It is a very good 'Hell Yes' full bodied Pinot Noir that is PERFECT for a cold, rainy evening.
Here's to 2013!
Enjoy!
XO
C
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)