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Uncorked-Wine and Spirits Appreciation

Discuss beer or anything else that comes to mind in here.

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Belgian
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Post by Belgian »

Louis Robin Vosgros Chablis 1er Cru 2013 Chardonnay (Burgundy)

Nine dollars off the regular 31.95, so hey, I need to educate my palate. A full-structured white (it's been aged nearly 3 years) with loads of pale orchard fruit, nice tartness, a bit of lactic acidity, some lemony and mineral nuances and a creamy palate. Pure class, although I didn't cool the bottle yet.

Later, cooled down a bit it knits together the structure with a nice acidity and there's still a full fruit body to it. Great although I generally avoid Chardonnay. Having some new potatoes with this.
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Post by Belgian »

Maison Roche de Bellene Chassagne-Montrachet Vieilles Vignes 2011 white Burgundy (Chardonnay)

Got this about a year ago, a serious Chard aged in French oak (one-thirds new.) Very sexy fruit and acid profile, framed neatly by the vanillin and light tannins of the oak applied in just the right amount (classic French style oaking, not a toasty butter bomb.) Bright lemon and pale/green orchard fruit and melon, some pineapple, really interesting. Some light minerality and lactic acidity, hint of toast and butter, umami hints of nuts and browned mushrooms. I will let this get colder and breathe a bit, but what a pretty little monster this is here, flawless and I think worth the fifty bucks.

This is a wine that encourages me to seek out the really good stuff. Enjoying with a Maple Dale 5 Year Old white cheddar. It seems more crumbly than the 5 year orange MD cheddar I picked up more recently, but this cheese maker is an Ontario classic (reasonably priced at Reid's Dairy, Belleville.)
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Post by Belgian »

Domaine Bousquet Reserve Malbec 2012, red from Argentina

I guess this reserve was a big deal with reviewers. On opening it seems a bit simp,e sweet and fruity for me, it might need some air, and some cooling down. I'm like, where are the tannins, where's the cassis acidity? Maybe it's not for me. But always good to try new ones...

There's another Malbec from Cahors, France I think might be good, the De Gadou cuvée particuliére they're selling for $25.95, I was happy with the regular edition that I seem to recall was pretty cheap! The overlords of alcohol tax are always onto us if something is too good to be true...
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Post by Belgian »

I also saw this today, an extra-special 'Old Vines' Madiran made of the powerful, long-aging Tannat grape and already pre-cellared ten years.

Château Bouscassé Vieilles Vignes Madiran 2006

It seems the bargain that used to be Madiran has also gotten the respect it deserves in the marketplace. There are lesser Madirans for cheaper, but I suspect this one is more old-school and a heavyweight, hence double what some good Madirans used to cost. I still might grab a few to break out with the prime rib, this is an excellent wine house.

* edit * Further research indicates the bottles are variable - some might stink, some might be great according to some fairly objective side-by-side assessments. Sketchy ratings from other reviewers, funny for some reason I wondered why the 95pt rating was from 2012, and suspected it was being 'dumped' on our market.
Last edited by Belgian on Tue Aug 02, 2016 8:56 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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Craig
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Post by Craig »

Boy, that one's tempting. I really ought to be trying to drink down the cellar though...

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Post by Belgian »

Belgian wrote:Drinking AYDIE L'ORIGINE 2010 Madiran from Southwest France - this is a good example of a big juicy Madiran with enough berry to offset the big tannins of the Tannat grape (which usually needs more ageing.)

Before regulations, wines of Cahors, Bergerac and Madiran were routinely blended into Bordelais wines to meet the demand for credible 'Bordeaux/Claret' wines elsewhere in Europe...
Having a 2012 of this now, it behaves like a decent Bordeaux (crossed with southern Rhone) showing blackberry and cherry fruit. Silky and bold, pleasing flavors made with 70% Tannat and 30% Cabernet Franc, and it's extremely good with the braised Choucroute with pork sausage.

^ I updated the link, there are still a few bottles around & I expect the 2013 will roll around during winter. It's a steal.
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Post by Belgian »

Domaine Saint-Roch Vacqueyras 2014
A nice round Rhône red, with lots of ripe red berry and fullness. Mostly Grenache grape in the blend but with the roundness spice and warmth you might think more Syrah. Not amazingly distinctive but good.

It's a warm day for red wine! This goes in the fridge for a bit. It's hard to go very wrong with Rhône wines at Vintages. Braised collards with Chorizo, good to eat your greens this time of year.
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Post by Belgian »

Château Haut Philippon 2014 (Bordeaux) Sauvignon Blanc/Semillon

This is a great lighter-bodied (but flavorful) white with all kinds of layers going on - sun-ripe gooseberry, petrol, cat pee, muscat and tropical fruit, funky herbals. Good acidity and minerality, aroma is very well put together & leaps from the glass.

An exceptional 14.95 white wine from France, making it one you can affordably guzzle at the cottage.
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Post by Belgian »

Bosio Barbera d'Asti 2014

This is a very distinct value red from Italy - Piedmont pedigree, this Barbera wine ripens in the bottle faster than Nebbiolo wines from the general region (Barolo, Barbaresco that are grown on the preferred plots.) I also feel it has nothing in common with Tuscany reds and Sangiovese (Chianti) or Montepulciano wines, again this is to my liking. Clean lines while being fairly full, and plenty of deep intense supple fruit while offering some nice structure (gentle tannins, good acidity) under it. Intense color.
Barbera is a winner from Alba and Asti, and sometimes just branded Monferrato, and it's worth getting to know a few of these varietal wines from their place of origin.
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Post by Belgian »

Belgian wrote:
Belgian wrote:Boutari Grande Reserve Naoussa 2008 - nice grippy tannins and acidity, good layers of fruit under the assertive tart-dry palate, herbs and stony mineral. A runaway hit vintage for this winemaker, good to drink or cellar...
This one again, no regrets! The minerality of this wine against the tannins and acidity, so nice...
Still a great vintage, there is a 2010 available now but the 2008 is a wonderful dry, faintly leathery old-world character wine (made from Xinomavro) often compared to Piedmont superstars Barolo and Barbaresco (made from Nebbiolo). Brick red color showing maturity. Again this makes my gums sing with acidity and tannins competing harmoniously above the stewed and sour cherry, this is unreal value for 18.95 and I'm even curious to try the less well-received 2010. Wow.

There are online exclusives for Xinomavro Reserve wines from Naoussa (Greece/Macedonia) aged in oak, I'm tempted to see if these are an ultimate answer for my wine craving...
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Post by Belgian »

Kir Yianni Kali Riza 2013
This... is damn nice, and showing the 'feminine side of Xinomavro' that can be expressed from this grape, with a certain amount of smoothness and yet really solid palate-puckering cherry and berry tartness and some decently dry tannins, in all it is ready to enjoy now but could hold up a few years in the cellar.

Will be back to buy more Xino, this is great. I'd like to find a slightly beefier style one as well.
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Post by Belgian »

Kokkinos Xinomavro 2010 (Greece/Macedonia)

This is perhaps the best-rated Xinomavro in its price point, and it's very good with some smoky and leather qualities setting off the cassis dryness and some black fruit fullness. So far the Boutari Reserve '08 may still be my fave (it was a killer vintage so maybe that's unfair) possibly this one is a hint lighter in body ('elegant') but it's equally complex. Oh yeah the pepper... nice, I really can't fault this, it plays in the territory of decent Bordeaux and Barbaresco, which of course all vary in intensity and weight. I love the high-toned black fruit and cherry tartness & the sweet / dry overplays (compared to Barbaresco - Not The Only Sour Cherry On The Fruit Stand*.) I'm keeping the other three bottles to drink in the next year.

^ From Broadview-Danforth store, where they host a 'Consignment' area for individual bottles of Greek wines you normally must privately order a case of.
Might try the 2011 Kir Rianni as well (not even listed but in store). These Xinos are far from a chore to drink.

The Boutari GR 2010 has mixed reviews but might be interesting too. The Boutari 1879 Legacy 2007 is supposed to be great, I will open one pretty soon. I have a feeling this type and region of wine is a superstar in its infancy.

* Here's The Kills reference if you like to hear something cool.
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Post by DeMarco »

portwood wrote: Bookers is excellent, I would put it ahead of Eagle Rare.

Note: if you go for Blanton's take the "original" (brown label) not the single barrel (green label)

Note 2: you may want to keep back ~$35. Old Weller Antique is rumored to be coming in October. Difficult to find even in the USA, I've been waiting 3 years to get a bottle to compare to the WL Weller 12yo (which may also make an annual appearance around the same time)

Just picked up a bottle of old weller! Thanks for that!

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lister
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Post by lister »

That was rather annoying trying to get a *SINGLE* bottle of the Old Weller.

First Canadian was showing 12 bottles throughout the week. This morning *POOF* before they're open at 10am.

Went to RBC Plaza which reported two bottles. Reserved for a guy. *grumble*

Refreshed the stock and King & Spadina was now showing stock (didn't before this morning.) Went just before lunch and none of it was out. LCBO dude said they're all in the office and grumbled something about this being a mess. He asked how many I wanted. ONE! Not a problem.

I really hate that reservations are allowed for limited items. :evil:
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Post by DeMarco »

lister wrote:That was rather annoying trying to get a *SINGLE* bottle of the Old Weller.

First Canadian was showing 12 bottles throughout the week. This morning *POOF* before they're open at 10am.

Went to RBC Plaza which reported two bottles. Reserved for a guy. *grumble*

Refreshed the stock and King & Spadina was now showing stock (didn't before this morning.) Went just before lunch and none of it was out. LCBO dude said they're all in the office and grumbled something about this being a mess. He asked how many I wanted. ONE! Not a problem.

I really hate that reservations are allowed for limited items. :evil:
That's a bummer, but I have a feeling that's the downtown life. I did have to ask for mine because it was locked behind glass in the vintages section at ellesmere and Vic Park. 6 bottles left.

I did have some last night, and I don't drink bourbon very often, but this was fantastic.

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