GUNDERLOCH FRITZ'S RIESLING 2007, RHEINHESSEN, GERMANY
Price: $17
UPC: 04022642000749
Score: 89/100
Remarks: 'Tailor-made for barbecued or pull-pork dishes'. Riesling is one of the best west coast summer wines...its fresh, floral, crunchy fruit and juicy citrus flavours can brighten any picnic lunch or patio dinner party. It pairs really well with cheese, which we had with friends a few weeks ago as an aperitif. Delicious.
MIGUEL TORRES SANTA DIGNA CABERNET SAUVIGNON ROSE 2008, VALLE DEL CURICO, CHILE
Price: $14
UPC: 08410113005366
Score: 87/100
Remarks: 'A patio sipper, or serve it with a variety of charcuterie and cheeses'. We have had this a number of times...excellent. For a more detailed description of this wine...I am going to quote a new friend of mine Rick Howie (who I met a couple of weeks ago at the BC Field Ornithologists AGM and Convention, in Clearwater...who obviously is quite a wine lover and connoisseur, [he also is a very accomplished birder]) on this review..."It’s been a warm June so it is time to join the rush for rosé. It is 28 degrees at the time we are enjoying a Miguel Torres Santa Digna 2008 Reserve rose. It is made from Cabernet Sauvignon and is just about the prettiest wine you could have in your glass on a warm day. It gleams a nice raspberry pink or pomegranate hue with fleeting purplish tones although I suppose I could go along with the label notes indicating a cherry colour when in the bottle where the volume is greater and the glass may add some colour. It is surprisingly refreshing despite the 14% alcohol. The acidity perks it right up and it is not heavy at all. The tannins are minimal , which is a good thing. Plums, strawberries and hints of grapefruit on the nose says the label, but none of them are so forward that they dominate. The fresh fruit aromas are apparent with a good deep inhaling with perhaps a nod to the strawberries being a bit more dominant but not overpowering. We enjoyed this wine quite chilled with the balance on the palate just excellent. The flavours are fruity without being “in your face” and so evidently one thing or another that you have to deal with them. Neither are they so bland or neutral that you don’t care. They may even be more black currant in nature but hey are just extremely enjoyable with great acidity to take the edge off of a hot day. This is a dry wine but may taste a bit off dry, but certainly not sweet. The finish is crisp and clean with no bitterness or unpleasant aftertastes. I did not challenge this wine with our rib dinner and in reality, the bottle barely made it to dinner. Torres suggests that it is “sublime” with Chinese food and can be enjoyed with meat, pasta and tomato sauce. I think that the bracing acidity would do fine with all of those items, but if you are the least bit thirsty and start off with this wine as an aperitif, good luck in having enough left for dinner, even if there are only two of you. Those 750 ml bottles just seem to be getting smaller over the years. I don’t know if this wine was fermented in the classic French rose style with a little skin contact and then pressing, or whether it is one of the “modern” rose blends of red and white wines that the French seem to abhor. If it was a blend, I would have thought that the wines would have all been listed. Only the Cabernet is noted so it may be a classic rose in the sense that it is achieved through minimal skin contact with a red wine grape and then a quick pressing. Whatever the technique, it is a good one and I will be picking up a few bottles to have on hand for friends who drop in or just for Carol and I who won’t have any problem enjoying this again. In fact, there are so many rose wines in stock right now, it may be a good idea to buy one of each and do a comparison tasting. Now there in fact, is a good idea. In the mean time, twist the top off of this one and head for the sundeck with a good book or chatty company. You will not be disappointed in the least for $13.99. I am looking at an empty bottle and an empty glass and feel quite disappointed because I did not buy two. I hope that this does not indicate a problem, but I am looking forward to another hot day. Apparently, rosés are hot items at the moment and I can see why". As you can see, Rick really knows how to report on his wine enjoyment...
CLAY STATION VIOGNIER 2007, Lodi,
California
Price: $19
UPC: 5011932008632
Score: 88/100
Remarks: 'Lovely fresh white wine with hints of musk melon and orange blossoms. A more delicate version of this variety without the oily notes. Clean fresh tasty delicate wine with honeysuckle and melon notes. Quite an interesting outcome from the Central Coast. Hard to believe it’s 3.99 at Trader Joe and only 19.00 in British Columbia'. A fabulous wine to go with your BBQ'd chicken this summer...speaking of which, I had better get ours on...
Price: Plus or minus $20 depending where you get it...
UPC: 626990081265
Remarks: 'Smoky, vanilla, cherry, coffee, tobacco, chocolate, menthol, cedar aromas with a spicy, peppery edge. Dry, round, supple palate with light, grainy tannins. Full coffee, cedar, tobacco, peppery, cherry, vanilla, smoky, menthol, mineral, stony flavours. Good solid effort that has the ability to age 2-4 years'. We took a bottle of this to a party a few weeks ago. It was extremely well received by the folks hanging around the wine bar. A delightful change from all the Shiraz and Malbec's. It was delicious with the roast beef dinner (and was OK with the salmon as well)...Thanks Pam and Sandy.
Concannon Petite Sirah Limited Release 2005, Central Coast, California, United States
Price: $19
UPC: 081908635471
Score: 88/100
Remarks: 'Orange peel, black cherry, coffee, spicy, mineral, plum flavours'. My brother Graham and I have been looking for a PS for a while and we had this with Roast Turkey a couple of weeks ago. It was good, but a little tart on the finish. Not my favourite grape, but it was worth the test. It may pair better with stew or something like that.
I haven't heard from many of you for long time...send me a note and let me know how things are going.
Cheers...
