Good wine. And more good wine. And there may be some wine.

Getting excited for our latest foray into wine tasting in the Okanagan, which comes in less than two weeks; for now, here are some reviews of what has been in our glasses in the recent past. As always, prices listed below are estimates...with the new rules in BC Liquor Stores, I can't keep track.

I was particularly good today, so my reward as I type this is a 9 year aged Riesling from Australia.

D'Arenberg 2006 The Dry Dam ($30 ish)

Strong aromas of tropical fruit, green apple and slate hit the nose. The flavors follow through on the palate and this excellent example of a dry Riesling finishes long and has very well balanced acidity. Drinking beautifully now. 90.





This is apparently the "week of D'Arenberg" as we had two bottles of wine from this top Aussie winery last night.

d'Arenberg - 2013 The Hermit Crab Viognier/Marsanne, previously reviewed here, and

d'Arenberg - 2009 The Galvo Garage (Cab Sauv/Merlot/Petit Verdot/Cab Franc), reviewed here.

And the theme continues, as we opened this one up a couple of weeks ago:


D'Arenberg 2011 The Footbolt Shiraz ($30ish)

Notes of red fruits and lots of pepper on the nose. An earthy touch as well, which gets more prevalent as it opens. Fruity with some spice on the finish. Acidity is balanced and lively. Probably would have improved with some more aging but was very good now as well. 89.




That's just about it for Australia for now, let's come home to some good BC wine, from one of our favorite wineries, Cedarcreek. We are members of their Platinum Club for a reason. Their Estate level wines are very good and very reasonably priced. Their Platinum wines, while not as cheap, are of excellent quality. And their customer service is off the charts. Oh, and they offer free shipping to their wine club members, which is (I believe) unique to them.

Cedarcreek 2012 Chardonnay ($17.49)

 Some notes of pineapple and citrus on the nose. The pineapple disappears on the palate, leaving behind lots of citrus flavors with just the slightest hint of oak. Very good at this price point. 87.





Cedarcreek 2012 Merlot ($18.99)

Plums, anise, and a touch of mint on the nose. The mint comes from the Cabernets that are mixed in: 7% Franc, 2% Sauv. Blackberries and plums on the palate. Lovely, another example of a wine that over delivers for the price. 88.






Cedarcreek 2012 Platinum Reserve Block 5 Chardonnay ($28.99)

Apples and citrus on the nose. Very little oak. Fruity and full on the palate, with a touch of nuttiness. Lovely. 89.








Cedarcreek 2007 Platinum Reserve Malbec ($? story to follow)

So, I've been told that this originally sold at the winery for around $50. About a year ago, I wandered into the "Liquor Depot" in town and noticed that while most of their wine was crap (Hochtaler, Yellow Tail and Apothic front and centre), they had a couple of interesting aged bottles. One of them was the 2009 Quails' Gate Chardonnay which I bought about a billion of, and have reviewed previously. The other one was this one....which they were selling for $89.99. A bit rich for my blood given that I had no reason to think I'd like it, not being a big Malbec fan. But I was intrigued......

.....Intrigued enough to keep checking it out every time I was in the store. And my intrigue turned to excitement when, about a month ago, they dropped the price to $34.99!! CHA-CHING. I immediately bought a bottle, and Emailed the winery to get some details on it, since it wasn't even listed on their website.

The first Email I got back from their concierge was something along the lines of " OH MY GOD WHERE DID YOU FIND THAT? GO BUY IT ALL! BUY IT ALL!".

I'm paraphrasing, but only a bit. She was pretty excited to hear there was any of this left, as it had been long sold out at the winery. They only make a Platinum Malbec in very special years; in fact, only in 2007 and 2009 to this point, and their winemaker, Darryl Brooker, told me that although they were both good, the 2007 was the best of the two and was drinking  perfectly now. Well, OK then, we cracked it open and it was quite spectacular.

Aromas of lavender, spice and violets greet your nose, followed by black cherry, dark chocolate and a touch of spice. The finish is long, and long, and long, and it's still going. My favorite Malbec from any country, by a country mile. We went back and bought the last two bottles and I am just about to start enjoying one right now. 93.

Cedarcreek 2012 Block 4 Pinot Noir ($41.99)

If you have never read my story on our evening at Cedarcreek in late 2013, including tasting the two different Pinots from the same year, same winery, but 100 yards apart, go here to read it first.

The 2012 version, we assume, will be the same. We haven't tried the Block 2 one as of yet, but we opened up the Block 4 earlier this week and it was what we expected, similar to the 2011 vintage: masculine, earthy, and lovely, but honestly we probably cracked it a bit early. This one needs more time in the bottle to fully develop and round itself out. For now, 88. I expect I'll re-review this one next year, and beyond, as we have a few more of them aging.




Cedarcreek 2014 Pinot Noir Rosé ($18.99)

Jam one strawberry up each nostril, and you'll understand this wine. It's freaking lovely. Some cherries come to join the party on your palate. I don't like rosé. Really, I don't. OK I do now. 89.






Now let's cross the bridge into West Kelowna to another one of our very favorite BC wineries:

Quails' Gate 2010 Merlot ($19.99)

Roses, blackberry and blueberry on the nose. The fruit shines through on the palate, joined by a touch of spice and smoke. Can be enjoyed on it's own but definitely improves with food; try it with a big juicy steak. 88.





Quails' Gate 2012 The Boswell Syrah ($?)


One of the special wines produced for the winery's 25th Anniversary Series. Blackberries dominate the nose, with a hint of coffee and spice. Just a touch of cigar box on the finish. Nice, but we opened this one too early; I am looking forward to trying it again at a later date. 88






Not yet sick of wineries who's wine clubs we belong to? Good, because here is another. This one is consistently producing wines of high quality, probably under-priced by about $5/bottle. Just don't tell them that.

Tinhorn Creek 2010 Oldfield Series Pinot Noir ($29.99)

2010 was a "lousy" year for BC wines, but notsomuch for Pinot Noir, which thrives in cooler climates. Expect some plums, currants and cherries on the nose. Just a hint of sage joins in. A bit of toasty oak on the otherwise fruity palate, with just a bit of earth. 88.






Tinhorn Creek 2008 Oldfield Series Syrah ($34.99)

Beautiful nose of black fruits and spice. Fruit and spice dominate the palate and this one finishes long and lovely. 90.








Enough of BC for now, let's check out an old favorite from Germany:

St. Urbans HOF - 2010 Ockfener Bockstein Kabinett Reisling ($34.99)

In the "old days" we loved sweeter Rieslings; since our tastes have changed and we have begun to appreciate much drier Rieslings, would we still love this one? Oh yes. Oh yes.

Lots of honey, pineapple and tropical fruit on the nose and palate. Almost "sweet", but in a lovely way. Diesel aromas just starting to develop. It's just so good on it's own and would pair beautifully with any Asian dishes or spice. 93.



Oh, and before we go, let's head to Argentina for a moment. We were invited to a cabin last weekend where one of the other guests brought us this little beauty:

Bodega Norton 2012 Privada ($18.99 I believe)

A blend of Malbec, Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon.

Lots of ripe fruits, plums and mint on the nose with a touch of smoke. A hint of coffee mixes with the fruit on the palate. The Merlot adds some smoothness. A real nice example of an Argentinian blend that won't break your budget. 88.




There we have it, for the first time since, well, just about forever, I am almost caught up. That will change in about two weeks when we hit the Okanagan and have about a billion more wines to report on. And it will change again in early July when we are going to tour some of the Fraser Valley wineries. So much wine....so little time. Oh well!

Thanks for reading!

Two top BC wineries bring their wares......I like wares....

It's not as much fun as usual writing a wine blog when you have a bad cold and can't taste anything... in other words, I am writing this blog entry sans wine. Boooo.

Over the last couple weeks, I've had the opportunity to taste a variety of wines from a couple of BC's top wineries...two wineries that have something very much in common: neither of them grow their own red grapes on their estate (with one exception).

First up, Tantalus Vineyards. A very specialized winery, they basically just make three varietals: Chardonnay, Riesling, and Pinot Noir.

They also have some Syrah grapes planted but they have never been able to get them ripe enough to make an actual Syrah....so they have started using them to make a Syrah icewine!! Didn't get a chance to taste that at this tasting, but we are heading to the Okanagan in a month or so and we will definitely be stopping in to check that out.

Tantalus 2014 Rose ($19.04)

 Powerful aromas of strawberries greet the nose, followed by a touch of herbs. Apples, strawberries and just a tinge of grapefruit on the palate. Really fruity and refreshing. 88.








Tantalus 2014 Riesling ($19.91)

Lemons, oranges and slate on the nose and the palate. Pineapples join in on the palate. Bright, juicy and balanced acidity promise to allow this one to age for a decade or more. I bought one to put into the cellar for a few years. 90.







Tantalus 2012 Pinot Noir ($26.00)

Violets and raspberries on the nose. Just the slightest earthiness. Plums and black fruit on the palate. Lovely and will improve with a little "lay-down" time. 89.








Next up, Gray Monk! Always a reliable winery that usually over delivers for the price. Like Tantalus, they aren't able to grow any "warm weather" grapes on their estate; unlike Tantalus, they still make those varietals, they just have the grapes brought in from warmer locales in the Okanagan.

This will actually be the first winery we experience on our June trip, as we are heading directly from home to the winery's terrific restaurant for lunch.

Gray Monk 2014 Rotberger (Rose) ($14.79)

Raspberries,currants and just a hint of spice on the nose. Cherries dominate the palate with a touch of spice to round it out. A real bargain at this price. 88.










Gray Monk 2014 Pinot Gris ($15.69)


Citrus and herbs on the nose. Peach and lots of pear on the palate. Another example of a wine that over delivers for what it sets you back. 88.







Gray Monk 2011 Odyssey Cabernet Sauvignon ($26.99)

Bell pepper, coffee, smoke and black pepper on the nose. Some olive as well. The palate enjoys some cherries and plums, with a touch of spice. Long finish. 88.








Gray Monk 2011 Odyssey Meritage ($30.49)

Blackberry and a touch of vanilla on the nose and palate. Beautiful texture and juicy acidity, suggesting that this will even improve for many years. It's already very good. 90.








There you go! Starting to get excited about our upcoming trip that will undoubtedly bring on many, many, many more blog entries.

Huge update of some great wine!

My wife and I recently returned from a short 5 day cruise to Alaska. Scenery was gorgeous and the high-end restaurants on the Princess ship were truly amazing. The buffet absolutely sucked, but that's neither here nor there.

The best thing about the specialty restaurants was the wine. We didn't know what kind of wine list they would have so we brought 6 bottles of our own, but we didn't need to. At the Italian restaurant on our first night, we had these two beautiful wines:

The one on the right came from our cellar, my wife's favorite Cabernet Franc. I've previously reviewed it here.

The other wine was a first for us. Oh goodness it won't be the last.

Marchesi de Frescobaldi 2006 Luce della Vite 'Luce' Toscana IGT ($105 USD)

Red berries, blackberry, vanilla, chocolate and licorice will all envelope and delight the nose. Full bodied, intense, and oh so smooth. Simply one of the best red wines we have ever experienced. 96.


If I'm not mistaken I can find this wine in our local government liquor stores for abour $100, so paying $105 in a restaurant (even in USD) is quite good. But that was far from the best deal we found.

Last year on our Napa trip, we picked up a bottle of 2010 Opus One. If memory serves, we paid about $225 for it, and not long after that they raised the price to around $260. On their website, they are currently selling their 2011 vintage for $340.

We picked up a 2009 on the cruise for under $200. UNDER $200.

It was actually our intention to open it at the Cajun steakhouse on board, but my wife wasn't feeling up to it so we took it home and put it into our cellar.

The wine going into the cellar. Good bye, dear dear friend. We'll see you in a few years.

As I type this, I can't figure out why we only bought one bottle!

Anyway, we have enjoyed lots more good wine before and since the cruise, so here are some more reviews!

Freemark Abbey 2010 Cabernet Sauvignon ($44 USD from winery)

Aromas of oak, vanilla, forest floor and currant. Full-bodied, ripe and luscious. Blackberry, oak some herb on the palate. Finishes long. Very nice. 91.









Trapiche 2010 Gran Medalla Cabernet Sauvignon ($19.99)

The first Cab Sauv I have ever tasted from Argentina, and it won't be the last. Plum, vanilla and blackberry on the nose. Cassis, blackberry, cloves and herbs on the palate. Very nice and an excellent buy at this price. 90.






Thorn-Clark 2011 Shotfire Quartage ($32.99)

Cabernet Sauvignon - 52%, Cabernet Franc 20%, Malbec 13%, Petit Verdot 15%

Blackcurrant, forest floor and violets on the nose. Blackberries and a touch of spice on the palate. Finishes long. 90.






d'Arenberg 2011 the Olive Grove Chardonnay ($32.99)

White flowers, nectarines and tropical fruit on the nose. Nutty and fruity on the palate and on the finish. 89.








Fairview Cellars 2011 The Madcap Red ($18.99)

Hints of cherry, plum and licorice on the nose and palate. Some cocoa on the long finish. 88.










Le Vieux Pin 2014 Vaila Rosé ($24.90)

Lots of strawberry and a bit of pink grapefruit. Refreshing and fruity. Dry, but not too dry. 90.







Pfaff 2012 Gewurztraminer ($19.99)

Traditional Alsatian Gewurztraminer bursting with lychee, spice and roses. Slightly off-dry. Perfect pairing with any spicy dishes. 89.








Domaine Rabasse-Charavin 2001 Cotes du Rhone Villages ($39.99)

Fragrant and peppery nose. Shows the characteristics you might expect from a 14 year old wine; some hints of smoked meat, vanilla and spice. It's not easy to find a wine this good and this old for under $40, but this is available today at several Liberty Wines locations around Vancouver. A traditional French GSM (Grenache, Syrah, Mouvedre) 90.

Speaking of lovely teenage wines..........................

Faustino I 2001 Gran Reserva ($34.99)

85% Tempranillo, 10% Graciano, 5% Mazuelo

Was named the "Best wine of 2013" from Decanter magazine.

Rich and intense notes of plum, black cherry, tobacco and spice. Well balanced acidity and a super long finish. If you are a fan of aged tempranillo, RUN out and go get some. Easy to find in most BC Liquor stores. Fabulous. 93.


Well that's it for today, that doesn't completely catch me up but it's pretty close. More to come!

Recent tastings of some great BC wine including some special ones

Catching up on a couple tastings at my usual haunt, Sardis Park VQA.

A couple weeks ago, Church & State was in the house; being members of their wine club, we had already tasted and rated most of what they were pouring, but there were a couple that I had not yet sampled:



Church & State 2014 Lost Inhibitions White ($19.99)

Nectarines and peaches on the nose with a floral touch. Intense citrus notes on the palate. Rich and fruity with some citrus as well. 86.








Church & State 2013 Sauvignon Blanc ($20.00)

Lemony notes dominate the nose, with some grassy tinges as well. Citrus and guava on the palate. Long finish. This is the winery's first attempt at this varietal and it is very promising indeed. 85.






Yesterday, they were pouring a bunch of random wines that are not available in the store; only available to their special Club SPW wine club. Some really nice stuff!

8th Generation 2013 Integrity Frizzante ($23.99)

Pear and citrus on the nose, with hints of toast. Pineapple, citrus and honeysuckle on the palate. A pretty darn good effort. 85.









Fort Berens 2014 Pinot Gris ($19.99)

Pear and a bit of flint on the nose. Tropical fruit on the palate in this medium bodied wine. Quite nice. 86.








Poplar Grove 2011 Reserve Chardonnay ($29.99)

You read that right, a new release Chardonnay from 2011. Tropical fruit, toast and butterscotch on the nose. Pineapple and buttery notes on the palate. Just beautiful, I took two bottles of this home and already drank one! 90.







Sandhill 2012 Small Lots Syrah ($44.99)

Black cherry and blueberry dominates the nose, with a touch of smoke. Big plums on the palate. Finishes long and lovely. 88.








Hester Creek 2011 Reserve Cabernet Franc ($33.99)

Plum, raspberry, strawberry and pepper on the nose. Plums and strawberry on the palate with a touch of peppery notes on the finish. Nice now but made to age for up to a decade. 87.

Today, Stag's Hollow came to town to taste their wares:

First up was a Riesling that I previously reviewed here.



Stag's Hollow 2013 Tragically Vidal ($19.99)

Citrus and guava on the nose and palate. Papaya also joins in on the palate. Full, rich mouthfeel. 85.







Stag's Hollow 2012 Cabernet Franc ($29.99)

Aromas of bell pepper and red fruits, particularly raspberry. Some smoke as well. A touch of tobacco and smoke on the palate. Very nice now but should age gracefully for a few more years. 88.







Stag's Hollow 2013 Grenache ($34.99)

Plush red fruits with some smoky and floral notes. Blueberry and strawberry flavors on the palate. The only single-varietal Grenache in BC as far as I know; reminiscent of the 2001 Cotes du Rhone we opened up last week. 89.







Stag's Hollow 2011 Syrah ($28.99)

Blackberries and white pepper dominate the nose and palate. Smoked meats and earthy tannins. A very nice example of a Rhone-style Syrah, particularly impressive given the cooler vintage. 90.

Brunch and lots of extras

Last Sunday we were fortunate enough to be invited over to the home of some new friends, also wine-rs, for brunch.

The food was universally excellent, as they served the sort of stuff you might expect at brunch. Oh, and there was bacon.

So.

Much.

Bacon.

Six days later I am still not totally recovered from the bacon coma.

So we brought some wine along, and they had some nice stuff as well.

But what DO you bring to brunch? We started at 11 AM. Who drinks wine at 11 AM?

Well, we do. Now at least.

It reminds me of something I recently saw on Facebook; one of those road signs outside a bar that read:

"Go ahead and have a drink at 9 AM, because the Beastie Boys fought for that sort of thing".

Amen.

So a few years ago, we were touring the Okanagan and came across Arrowleaf Cellars, and tasted their Late Harvest Vidal. We were told by the very knowledgeable guide that the perfect pairing for that wine was Belgian Waffles.
Wine with Belgian Waffles?

So since we were going for brunch, we brought that. We didn't expect them to actually serve Belgian Waffles, but it seemed appropriate.

2013 Arrowleaf Late Harvest Vidal ($24.95)

Intense notes of honey, apricot and caramel. Sweet but not icewine-sweet, with very balanced acidity.

We originally sampled this with the pancakes with maple syrup (lovely), then with some pineapple (still nice, but totally different) and then with some semi-sweet chocolate with maple syrup (also nice, but my least favorite of the three). Anyway, it was very good and paired beautifully with brunch. 89.



We consumed so much wine I am not sure I can even remember exactly what we had, but below are some notes on what I can remember.

2012 The View Distraction Frizzante ($19.90)

Aromas of cranberry and strawberry. Lots of strawberry and pomegranate on the palate. Frizzante is not always my thing, but this was a lovely way to start the day. 86.








Inniskillin 2008 Discovery Series Sangiovese

Previously reviewed here.

Gehringer Brothers 2013 Desert Sun ($13.99)

An odd blend of just about every variety of white wine you could grow in BC. Lots of fruit like gooseberry, strawberry and pears. Citrus notes join in on the end. A very versatile white which goes with anything and is a real steal at this price. 86.







Tinhorn Creek 2013 Chardonnay ($16.99)

Fruity and crisp, spending just enough time in oak to give it a touch of a buttery flavor without overwhelming the fruit. A bargain at that price. 87.








Church & State Lost Inhibitions Red ($22.99)

If you don`t know the story behind this wine yet, here is an interesting article about it.

Last year this was called `Trebella Red`and although they slightly changed the blend, it`s the same basic wine. Fruity and delicious. Finishes long and smooth. 87.


Brunch (and wine) was so good we were there for hours. It almost turned into Dinner. Nice to spend some time with people who enjoy wine like we do.

On the way home, since we had clearly not enjoyed enough wine, we stopped at our usual haunt as they were tasting a handful of new releases.

Arrowleaf 2014 Bacchus ($15.95)

Notes of flowers, lemon, grapefruit and peach. Citrus dominates the palate. Off-dry but not sweet. Always a big seller. Another really good value. 86.

My wife would undoubtedly give it a bump of a point or two, she is a bigger fan than I am.





Quails' Gate 2014 Chasselas Pinot Blanc Pinot Gris ($19.99)

Slightly off-dry (IMO, very slightly), featuring aromas of pear and citrus. Apple and lemon on the palate with fresh minerality. This is the winery's best selling wine, which is saying something given the other wines they produce. 89.

My wife had been fairly unimpressed with this wine in the past, but she loved this one. Finally she is letting me buy some :-)





50th Parallel 2014 Pinot Noir Rose ($19.99)

Some strawberry and a lot of grapefruit on the nose and palate. Very crisp and very dry. A little more grapefruit than I like but if you are a fan of grapefuity wines, you will probably enjoy this. 83.

This winery is one to watch, as Grant Stanley of Quails' Gate fame is heavily involved which almost guarantees quality.




Sandhill 2012 Small Lots One ($38.99)

Cherry, plums and a hint of vanilla on the nose. Finishes long and smooth. It's still young and I'd be interested to taste it after a long decant or a few years of aging. This, along with their "TWO" and "THREE" releases, is a well-received wine but it has not knocked me over yet. It's not bad, but maybe it just needs time to really develop. 87-89.

Tasting of a favorite BC winery

Yesterday was a tasting of some new stuff from Summerhill Pyramid Winery, one that I've visited many times and usually been quite impressed with. Let's see how this lineup shook out.

Summerhill 2014 Organic Riesling ($20.99)

Green apple dominates the nose and palate, to it's detriment IMO. This is a brand new wine, just bottled. so the overwhelming tartness should dissipate as it settles into the bottle. It's not undrinkable now by any stretch, but not the style of Riesling I prefer at this point. I will definitely try this again at a later date. 84.






Summerhill 2013 Ehrenfelser ($19.99)

Orange blossom, honeysuckle, peach and apricot on the nose and palate. Off-dry and lovely, this is a reliable varietal if you like slightly sweet whites to enjoy on a nice patio day. 88.








Summerhill 2012 Merlot ($26.99)

Another brand new release that needs some time but is showing a lot of promise. Black cherry, vanilla and plum on the nose. Finishes long and luscious. A ton of potential once it ages appropriately, and it's drinkable now too. 88-90.


They also tasted the 2011 Pinot Noir which I thought was so bad I couldn't even drink it, which is surprising because I have enjoyed this varietal in the past. I'll give it another chance when we visit the winery later this summer, I'm sure it will be better.

Updates, updates, updates......

One of these days I am actually going to catch up on everything, but for now, here are some reviews of wine recently enjoyed.

A note on the prices I've listed; as I'm sure most of you are aware, April 1st brought many changes to the BC Liquor system, and one of those changes was the removal of taxes from the shelf price of wine; so take the prices below with a grain of salt. Some of them were purchased at the "old" prices and some of them at the "new" prices.


d'Arenberg - 2013 The Hermit Crab Viognier/Marsanne ($24.99)

Enticing aromas of pineapple and stone fruits. Luscious notes of peach, nectarine and citrus on the palate. Just a touch of spice on the finish. 89.

After my wife loved this at the WineFest, we went in search of it, and finally found it at Liberty Wines on Granville Island, where we picked up three. Not sure they will last long.




d'Arenberg - 2008 The Love Grass Shiraz ($24.99)

This was one of the first bottles I bought to put away and age. It was recommended to me by a knowledgeable clerk at Liberty Wines in Park Royal, so I bought one and put it into our offsite storage to keep for a while. At the WineFest, the d'Arenberg rep suggested that, since 2008 was a fairly cool vintage, it might be close to peaking; so we pulled it out of storage and cracked that baby open last night, enjoying it was some filet mignon.

Notes of leather, blueberry and cigar box greet the nose. A complex palate of black olive, blackberry and raspberry. Finishes very long. I can't say for sure if it has peaked, but it's tough to imagine it would improve a whole lot. 92.


d'Arenberg - 2009 The Last Ditch Viognier ($34.99)

Floral notes and minerality dominate the muted nose. Stone fruits very noticeable on the palate, with more minerality that expected and some hints of peach and apricots. 87.







Anciano - 2004 Gran Reserva Tempranillo ($17.99)

I previously reviewed the 2003 vintage and I still consider this a "best buy" at this price. Cherry, strawberry and leather on the nose and palate. Finishes beautifully. A really ridiculous price for this wine that is easy to find in any BC Liquor Store. I highly recommend picking a few of these up. I think it is even better than the '03. 89.






Cedarcreek - 2012 Shiraz Cabernet ($22.95)

Another reliable entry from a reliable winery. Some notes of cedar, cherry, pepper and herbs. Pairs beautifully with grilled meats. 87.








Cedarcreek - 2012 Meritage ($21.65)

46% Merlot, 21% Cab. Sauv., 20% Malbec, 9% Cab. Franc, 4% Petit Verdot

I don't claim to be an expert but 20% Malbec seems extraordinarily high in a blend like this. Not being a big Malbec guy I was skeptical, but I was also very, very wrong. This is delicious. Lots of black currant and blueberry on the nose. Currant and plums on the palate. Very juicy and fruit-forward. 89.




Church & State - 2012 Coyote Bowl Meritage ($34.99)

I have said before, in speaking about the 2008 and 2009 vintages, that this is the best $35 wine I have ever tasted. The 2012 is no exception. Very limited, wine-club only (I believe), so good luck finding it; but if you do, pick up a case. And call me and get me a case too!!! One bottle arrived in our recent Club Q shipment and we opened it this week. After aerating and decanting it, as it's still rather young, we found it absolutely fabulous. Strawberry and raspberry aromas and flavors explode. Just a hint of spice on the long, lovely finish. This will improve with age, but it doesn't have very far to go. 92.


Pine Ridge - 2012 Chenin Blanc/Viognier 

Very similar to the 2013 vintage which I have previously reviewed. Some peach and flowers on the nose. Hints of pineapple and a touch of grapefruit on the palate. Well balanced acidity. 89.







Hartford Court - 2012 Four Hearts Vineyard Chardonnay ($60)

Wet stone, currant and citrus on the nose and palate. Air brought out some floral notes. Some nectarine and ginger flavors. Lacks the buttery notes we like in a Chardonnay and the fruit is a tad muted. It's good, but not superb like some other Hartford Chardonnays we have enjoyed. 86.






Thanks for reading! Hope you enjoyed the reviews.