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2007 Burrowing Owl Chardonnay

CanadianWineGuy — Sat, 08 May 2010 21:37:13 +0000

With a hectic month (who am I kidding, let’s just say year+) of travel behind me, not to mention a weekend day full of errands, high winds, cold temperatures (it’s May, enough already), I slumped into my chair at 17:00 and thought “I need a glass of wine”. Not for any reason do I need an excuse for one, but today, I made up a reason. Out came a recently delivered wine from a great Okanagan (British Columbia) winery. Burrowing Owl is often brought up as one of the best BC wineries there is, and as of yet I have not been disappointed. This bottle travel from BC with 11 of it’s friends after one of the winery’s more recent email blasts on new releases (Syrah, Cabernet Sauvignon and Pinot Noir’s also came to visit). On this chilly early May day the 2007 was opened, and here are my thoughts!

Green apple jumps out of this apple juice coloured wine (coincidence?). That nose gives way to a good mixture of fruit (think green pear, nay ‘Vicar of Winkfield’) and undertones of vanilla. While the balance is there, it does linger well enough to not be a pain and to remind you are having more then just some summer toss away white. This wine is actually very full bodied and chewy making is a great addition to any meal you would serve a higher end Burgundy white with. Overall the start to finish was beyond expectations. Well done ‘Owl. While not in the LCBO you can buy this directly from the winery for $25.

The CWGSR is 89 out of 100.

Please note vineyard tasting notes can be found here.

2007 Cattail Creek Reserve Riesling

CanadianWineGuy — Tue, 02 Mar 2010 00:27:33 +0000

You may be shocked to know, but Niagara is very good at Rieslings. Well, okay, you may have already known that. With the similarities to Alsace in it’s growing conditions (is it more Burgundy or more Alsace?) it is not surprising that one of it’s best wine products is in fact ‘Rhine’ Riesling. Alsace, for those unfamiliar, is a small region in the mid-north portion of eastern France that produces wines from basically seven grape types, with Riesling being one of the best. I have wanted to make a concerted effort in 2010 to get drink and review some very small houses (or non typical) from Niagara, Cattail Creek is one of these. In only their second year of producing wines (though almost 40 years of grape growing) the LCBO Vintages bought out all of this vintage (as well as their rose 2007 Serendipity), which needless to say is very impressive. Let’s jump into the tasting shall we?

The nose on this is pure tropic, lime and pineapple. A nice golden colour with no visible residue or cloudiness. The first fews sips with continue with the southern white fruits, pineapple fades to grapefruit. The mineral notes are there, but not overwhelming or truly distinctive. The fruit is consistent, maybe even a tad flowery. The finish is a bit weak to an otherwise well balanced wine. This is a nice bottle, pleasant and definitely made with good fruit, but there are enough gaps to leave you wanting more. Enjoyable, good value at $19.95, but not a walk away winner (like the Canadian Hockey Team!). If you get a few for the summer time you will be able to enjoy a good Riesling.

The CWGSR is 85 out of 100.

Sorry for a 2006 photo, but the bottle has gone to recycling before I could get a snap:

2003 Villa Antinori (Toscana)

CanadianWineGuy — Tue, 02 Feb 2010 02:14:24 +0000

This little bottle has sat in the CWG wine fridge for almost 3 years, while not expensive originally (~$30) it did however have some cellaring ability that led me to keep it safe and sound. This wine use to be in the Chianti Classico classification but still a super tuscan I was hoping that this modestly priced wine from the huge producer (Antinori) would be a ‘hidden gem’. So what did we get?

A super Tuscan blend with an oaky nose and hints of ‘black’ fruit to start is what you get. Take that oak and make it leathery with a sniff of vanilla. The wine is ready to drink. The balance is there, the tannins pronounced but not too overwhelming. The fruit can be a bit subdued, not a bad indication of a wine I left too long. This is a bit surprising as this is only a 2003, young enough that it should still be fruit forward. Shame as almost everything else was spot on. Overall, a nice wine, worth the money and worth having a whirl if you can still get you hand on it. A pleasant surprise from such a large producer (which most know is never a plus for me).

The CWGSR is 88 out of 100. An almost perfect blend of the $$.

NV Candor Merlot Lot 2

CanadianWineGuy — Thu, 21 Jan 2010 01:07:36 +0000

This is in fact going to be a short and sweet review, as I am swamped in paperwork and other work related stuff. This wine was presented to the Canadian Wine Guy as a potential wine to review, and it would not be fair to accept the wine and not review it, now would it? Candor is part of the Hope Family Wines that produces Treana, Austin Hope and Liberty School (probably the most familiar of the labels for the average Canadian consumer). Candor is the newest of the group which is focusing on Merlots and Zinfandels. While their labels and naming (Lot 1, Lot 2) are interesting, I am still perplexed that any winery in this day and age would market a Merlot (or Zin for that matter) as non-vintage. Going over press materials and websites I am cannot get a true feel for this choice, my only hope was the wine would leave that question moot. On to the tasting!

‘Ripe strawberries’ fill your nose on the decant. The first few swirls skirt that fruit and replaces it with a flowery bouquet, odd, but the nose does not lie. The initial sips actually do not do this wine much justice, the initial reaction was ‘ho hum’, a bit lively at the beginning, half decent fruit and a dull finish. BUT, that was the start, this wine grows quickly on you, it becomes more balanced and more respectful in terms of the palate. Plum and come forward with a good hint of earthiness mixed in. A good pairing for this is the standard bold red meal, lamb, steak au poivre or a hard roast. This wine is not going to win awards, it will not wow your Merlot friends, but it is a good value and a decent table wine. Lot 1′s are still around and selling for under $20 so expect the same for Lot 2, you can do much worse for your twenty dollars then this wine.

The CWGSR is 84 out of 100.

2006 Lost Canyon Pinot Noir (Russian River Valley)

CanadianWineGuy — Wed, 20 Jan 2010 00:30:19 +0000

If I were to say Lost Canyon Winery the first thing that may come to the more educated oenophile is “Garage Winery!”. While not entirely true, Lost Canyon does have a fair history behind it with said Garage and wine crafting. Fact is this urban winery is now making it’s name as a single-lot Pinot (and Syrah) specialist. Lost Canyon belongs to the East Bay Vintner’s Alliance a small collection of San Francisco ‘East Bay’ wine makers, and thus the urban reference. Only producing commercially since 2001 this winery has done a solid job in earning it’s name as a maker of good consistent quality Pinot’s. I purchased this wine in question in early 2009 on one of my trek’s through San Francisco, so without further blabbing what did we find?

As the cork was removed this wine oozed subtlety. A light hint of strawberry and a tad bit of toasty oak hit the nose. A light coloured pinot once poured into the glass, vanilla starts to take over your nose with an almost candied smell that will get you later as you move into the bottle. A few good slurps later and you are finding a wine that is forward on the palate but lingers at the end. Tannins are small and you could almost say this wine is a tad too smooth. If you enjoy 1er Cru Burgundy’s you may find this too tame for your liking. Also if you were to pair this with a spicy or forceful dish you would expect it to disappear. Overall it is a pleasant drinking wine but for the price ($42US) you would expect a bit more. As we worked through the wine it simply never jumped out in any sense. Pleasant is the best way to describe it, if not for the price I would recommend it for a regular drinking wine.

The CWGSR is 85 out of 100. (might have been higher if the price was lower, but bang for buck meter dropped the rating)

2005 Michel Séral Château Grand-Champs (Grand Vin de Bordeaux)

CanadianWineGuy — Tue, 19 Jan 2010 00:54:58 +0000

Decided to pull a Bordeaux for dinner tonight, nothing very expensive but on the other hand something I figured would be ready. This offering came from an Yvon Mau wooden box set a few holiday seasons back that the LCBO offered (similar to this one). Yvon Mau is a Bordeaux and wine marketing and producing company. With the merger in 2001 of Yvon Mau and Freixenet, the new entity is the world’s ninth largest wine producer, and a great part of this comes from marketing/producing little estates like Michel Séral’s. When bundled together you tend to get 4 to 6 bottles of small-house wine from Bordeaux that can generally impress you for the price. Averaging out to be $15-20 you can consider this a good bargain with the added bonus of the complete unknown. Let’s jump to the tasting notes shall we?

Young and lively, those are the first impressions! After a couple of years on it’s side the sediment was visible and required decanting producing a solid nose of deep cherry and caramel with a ruby red colour. The first few swirls and slurps led to vanilla taking over from the caramel and cherry remaining evident with hints of plum. As the wine opened up the cherry yielded entirely to plum, tabacco and cedar, quite a change from the initial spectrum. The wine is decently balanced, may weighed a tad heavier on the front end, and with a shorter finish then was expected. Overall the wine is a professional offering that does not detract from a meal or hinder drinking it on it’s own. On the other hand it is by no stretch of the imagination anything more then a run of the mill Grand Vin. You get what you pay for in this bottle, decent French winemaking but not outstanding or memorable.

The CWGSR is 84 out of 100

2007 Thirty Bench Small Lot Chardonnay

CanadianWineGuy — Wed, 13 Jan 2010 01:31:55 +0000

A good spot to start off with for this review is to state that Thirty Bench is a winery that is owned by the same group that owns Hillebrand, Trius and Peller Estates, Andrew Peller Ltd. Despite the fear that a big operation the size of Peller might corrupt or ruin the feel of a small specialty vineyard, they have done neither with Thirty Bench. In fact the opposite is true, this little gem is turning out to be a top 5 Canadian Winery. Initially dedicated to Rieslings (and still their primary focus and strength), they have started to turn out a fantastic Chardonnay as well as a Red blend and Pinot Noir. Their small lot mentality has very much grasped the idea that terroir and small (but well tended to) yields can produce remarkable wines. The 2006 Small Lot Chardonnay received a great deal of praise and with the 2007 vintage being considered one of the best of all time in Niagara it was with great anticipation that this bottle (plus a few more) was purchased. On to the tasting!

This barrel fermented Chardonnay was aged sur lie before being bottled. With it’s honey colour capturing the eye, you instandly get a nice caramel toasty smell. A few good sniffs and you are getting more of that and a bit of vanilla with underlying peach. The first few sips will give your mouth a nice crisp sensation with a polished ‘velvety’ feel. This is rather surprising as many Chardonnays achieve this through malolactic fermentation (that buttery taste/feel) which this wine has not gone through. The balance of acidity, fruit and smooth oak work well and the winemaker Natalie Reynolds has done a great job in bringing a Burgundy style to her wine. The fruit is understated throughout but still evident, with hints of peaches and pears running on your tongue. Overall this is a very good offering, in fact when we went to the winery to do tastings I was pleasantly surprised by it, figuring, as I often do, that I knew what I was going to purchase well in advance (and a Chardonnay was not in the ‘plan’). This wine has the structure and taste that allows me to recommend grabbing 6 bottles and putting them away. Two to three years minimum will really make this go from very good to great in my humble opinion. As it is now, for $30 (from the vineyard) you will richly reward if you drink it now or put it down. A great Canadian wine.

Please note, while I was pleased overall with the entire experience at Thirty Bench (and yes this is nitpicking) I was rather shocked that a $10 tasting charge was added to a wine purchase totaling well over $250. This is the first time in my wine tasting life, anywhere, that a tasting charge was actually added to a purchase bill. I fully understand that a charge needs to be applied to the free wine slurp hounds that jump from winery to winery looking for free stuff with no purchases, but when you buy significant wines I have always found the fee to be waved. I know, petty, still Thirty Bench when you read this, you can do better then that.

The CWGSR is 90 out of 100.

Mrs CWG states

Tasty!

2004 Fattoria Monte Chianti Rufina Reserva

CanadianWineGuy — Fri, 26 Jun 2009 00:55:58 +0000

This was a recent Vintages release (June 6th) that I stumbled upon in my local store a week or so ago. A Chianti Rùfina (Reserva no less) priced at $20 is always a good potential bargain so I leaped in and grabbed one. On our recent trip to Tuscany, Mrs CWG and I actually avoided the Chianti region and as such our collection is rather lacking. The Rùfina region is the north-eastern most area of the modern Chianti region, with the historic Fattoria Monte being only a stones throw east of Florence. The Bellini family owns the vineyard and members of the family still run it while producing around one million bottles per year. This sangiovese based wine is Chianti Rùfina d.o.c.g. On to the tasting!

With a deep crimson colour this wine had a good cherry nose right off the start. Hints of licorice and a hint of vanilla were the compliments to red cherries on our first few sips. The tannins were normal for a chianti, medium to strong. The finish was rather short for a wine that exhibited such a full body on the first few sips. The fruit remained as we made our way through the bottle with hints of spices and more licorice poking their heads up amongst it. Overall, this wine as decent, but nothing special. The price makes this a good enough value to bring to a dinner party and not be embarrassed, but by no means would I recommend grabbing 3 or 4 for your cellar.

The CWG-SR is 86 out of 100.

Mrs CWG & Bacchus say

Ho Hum.

2005 Hartford Court Lands Edge Pinot Noir

CanadianWineGuy — Wed, 10 Jun 2009 00:25:15 +0000

This is one of those wines I picked up at the little wine shop in SFO (San Francisco airport) a year or so ago on a whim. I remember somewhere, at sometime, possibly reading about Hartford Family Wines and figured maybe that tidbit I read was a good write up and as such bought their pinot noir I am about to review. Heck what is $40 bucks on a bottle with no knowledge at all? So as I looked into what I bought the next day I was quite pleased to see that this bottle in particular had been fawned over by all those types that are suppose to matter. As someone who writes reviews, I take them all with a grain of salt (and sometimes cheese), and as such I often times find ratings to be misleading. If you are a regular reader here you will well know I am tough on wines. With the bulk being rated by the CWG-SR system in the 80s. Generally I will rate based on my own overall experience and not hover in, or pin point one reason or another why I did or did not rate a wine well, maybe that is why I call it the CWG ‘subjective rating’. With that small detour we bring ourselves back to this Sonoma Coast pinot, and instead of going into detail about the winery (you can read that on their site) I am going to dive into the tasting notes.

We decanted this out of habit and while the aeration in the end helped the wine a tad, it will not be necessary if you are using the correct stemware as the bowl of a pinot glass will give it more then enough. Intense cherry with hints of wood will hit your nose immediately. Swirl it a few more times and then settle in for a few sips. That cherry will stay consistent but casis and vanilla will creep in. This is a nice firm, chewy pinot noir. Good balance, even finish and firm tannins yield a wine that even a Burgundy hound would love. I was pleasantly surprised as a great many of the Californian pinot noirs I have had recently have disappointed. As we progressed through the bottle the flavours and quality remained, there was no fading or disappearing, a good sign for a great wine. This wine will go well with most entrees with pork tenderloin, marinara pasta or veal coming to mind. While I paid $40US for this, the 2006 vintage is on sale for $33 at the LCBO, which is odd, as even the vineyard has the the 2006 listed for $45. While this review is for the 2005, if the 2006 is even half the wine, the LCBO price will be worth the purchase. If you can get your hands on the 2005, I highly recommend buying at least 6 as this wine will age, most probably for the better. I have to say, for once I agree with the lofty reviews, this wine is one of the better wines to have been released from the region recently!

The CWG SR is 92 out of 100.

Mrs CWG & Bacchus say

I hope we have another of these!

NV Bethany Old Quarry Tawny Port

CanadianWineGuy — Thu, 04 Jun 2009 01:20:33 +0000

I thought I’d talk/write about a port today. We picked this up in the fall of 2008 during our trip through Australian wine country. Bethany is a small village in South Australia (SA), in the heart of the Barossa Valley. As part of our trek from winery to restaurant to winery (it was rough, trust me) we constantly asked the same question “In Barossa, can you give us a few smaller wineries to visit that produce top quality wines”. Without fail a few names kept coming up and one of those was Bethany Wines. The day we went there was a typical SA day, dry and hot, and by the time we rolled into the winery it was stop number four. Old, steeped in family tradition, Bethany reeked of small town, place next door. The lady at the tasting bar would probably have looked more at home at a quilting bee then a winery. We tried the whole range of Bethany wines that day and walked away with their Gr9 Shiraz, an Old Quarry Fronti white port and of course the non-vintage (NV) Old Quarry Tawny Port we are reviewing today.

Unlike most reviews this will not get a rating or detailed tasting notes, but more of an opinion. I love port and all sorts, deeper chewier ones, single vintage specialties, true tawnies and simply just interesting thrown together ones. Generally with a port you will get something that compliments nuts and stronger pungent cheeses and is sure to please the palate after a nice dinner and a few glasses of wine. This tawny is enjoyable, nutty with hints of raisins. With an even body and good flavour it is sure to please but will not overwhelm. We grabbed one of these as we enjoyed it at the tasting bar, and for the price it was hard to top (roughly $19aus if I remember correctly). Will this blow away a Madeira? No, but it will none the less satisfy any lover of fortified wine.

I am off traveling again tomorrow, I will probably be absent for the next few days, till I return, sip well!

2002 Château des Charmes Equuleus (Paul Bosc Estate Vineyard)

CanadianWineGuy — Wed, 03 Jun 2009 01:34:00 +0000

Equuleus is a constellation better known as ‘little horse’ or ‘foal’. Small and faint, this grouping of stars is no representation for the wine bearing it’s name. Paul Bosc and family at Château des Charmes might consider this their special child, only produced during quality fruit years it is most often the wine that will be presented when visiting as ‘special’. I have often times said that I admire and respect the Boscs for their attention to detail. Some dozen years ago I was blessed to have sat, talked and sipped with Madame Bosc one evening as she recounted the days of setting up the winery and the stories still remain with me. She is a wonderful storyteller and if you can ever get her alone for a few minutes she will surely educate and amuse you at the same time. It was during this one particular session that I truly understood how detail oriented and meticulous the family was and it is those qualities which have led them to be one of the foremost wine-makers in Canadian history. The Equuleus label is a Bordeaux style blend all sourced from the Paul Bosc Estate Vineyard. It is comprised of Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc and Merlot in a 50/25/25 percent amounts. When I first tasted this a few years back I was not actually a fan, it was young and all over the place, but at the recommendation of several people I choose to buy two bottles none the less and put them away. Today it was deemed time to open the first, so on to the tasting!

We decanted this wine and it had quite a bit of sediment. The nose was intensely berry, cherry, black and raspberries grabbed the attention. The first few sips added to the berry sensation. Tannins were evident but not overwhelming. As we sank into it black cherry, strawberry, chocolate with hints of oak and cinnamon danced around our palate. This is a sophisticated red, well balanced, enjoyable fruit, slight oak, it really is a winner. While the tannins are still quite evident, I would not leave this cellared for any more then 2 to 4 more years, as I think anything longer then that will take away from this outstanding wine. Without a doubt this is one of the top three wines I have had this year.

The CWG Subjective Rating is 92 out of 100.

Mrs CWG and Bacchus say

Wow this is enjoyable, love this wine!

2003 Wolf Blass Gold Label Shiraz

CanadianWineGuy — Wed, 27 May 2009 01:14:41 +0000

This wine, given to us a gift, falls into the class of wines I’d simply not buy in a store or restaurant. Wolf Blass to me is synonymous with LARGE producer and some of the wines are to be kind, plonkish! That said, the Gold Label seems to be well received by many reviewers and normal drinkers alike. This wine hails from Barossa, land of the Shiraz, and having visited the region just recently I can truly say I am much more of a fan now then I was some five years back. The dry hot climate, the vineyards, the love of wine showed through on our visit. Amazing harmony exudes from the valley where behemoth vintners mingle with small boutique style wineries. If you are ever looking for a wine vacation I highly recommend the Adelaide area which gives you access to Adelaide Hills (Chardonnays), Coonawarra (Cabernet Sauvignon), Clare Valley (Cab Sauv/Shiraz) and of course Barossa (I only listed the predominate grapes grown). While Wolf Blass may have flooded foreign countries with it’s famous ‘Yellow Label’ it has done some great things as a vintner and for Australian Wines. Marketing, quality and resilience have made this one of the world’s most recognizable vineyards and for that it deserves props. Anyways, enough blabber, on to the tasting!

We decided to decant this wine and give it some air as I figure this could cellar for at least 5 to 10 more just from the knowledge of Barossa reds. It is a good thing we did as it had considerable sediment and our filtration funnel caught some odds and ends. The ruby red colour led to a very good fruit nose with predominately strawberries making themselves known. A few swirls and initial sips brought the strawberry forward even more, that plus some vanilla and cherry licorice. What a great many Australian Shiraz bring to the table is high alcohol content and this one is no different ringing in at a hefty 15% though it does not adversely affect the wine. The balance and finish are both pleasant and overall this wine is quite a treat. I am not sure I’d lay it down much more as it truly is ready to drink now, and while a good wine I am afraid it may start to fade the longer it stays in the bottle. Like all Gold Label wines, this one has a twist top (which continues to grow on me). For mid to high twenties (link is for 2005 vintage, closest I could get sorry) this is well priced for the quality you will get and I have no issues recommending it.

The CWG Subjective rating is 89 out of 100.

Mrs CWG says

I would not be embarrassed showing up with this, it was very enjoyable.

2004 Burrowing Owl Meritage

CanadianWineGuy — Fri, 22 May 2009 21:52:02 +0000

A few years back a colleague of mine bought six of these and shared them with myself and his brother. Having heard many great things about the Burrowing Owl Estate Winery and knowing that the 2002 Meritage had produced some decent medals, it was with great pleasure to shell out the ninety dollars for two bottles. This winery is located in the heart of the Okanagan Valley of British Columbia. With just over ten years of history behind them they have managed to build one of the more prestigious reputations for the region and as such anything they produce is often sold out or limited quickly. It is a good idea to sign up for email alerts to get a shot at new releases and they do ship outside of B.C. This wine is actually blended with all five traditional grapes in a ‘Bordeaux’ style wine, the two Cabernets (Sauvignon and Franc), Merlot, Petit Verdot and Malbec, making it extremely unique for a Canadian Meritage. Merlot is the predominate grape though at around 65% of the mixture. The tasting notes of the winemaker are as follows below with my tasting notes below it.

The 2004 growing season at Burrownig Owl Estate was characterized by generous early spring rains, leading to an early bud-break and excellent fruit set. The season was typified by consistent sunshine and stable, warm temperatures throughout the critical summer months. Early autumn showers helped to slow the ripening process, which enhanced the development of complex flavours and the near optimal expression of the unique terroir of the Burrowing Owl vineyards.

Decanting this wine led to a dark, deep purple colour with a dull nose at first. As the wine swished and our noses inhaled plums and oak came at us. The first sip exposed more of the plum and some black berries. The oak faded and more berries came out as the wine opened up and our palates relaxed. The wine is still young and the tannins very firm making this a chewy wine. My view of this vintage changed as the glass emptied, instead of the initial roughness it seemed to enjoy the air and soften enough to be considered evenly balanced with a long finish. At $45 dollars this is very much overpriced, not uncommon for Canadian wines. This wine compares well in style, structure and quality to a good many Bordeaux in the $20 to $40 range. Overall I was slightly disapointed, but mostly because I expected great things while being delivered ‘only’ a good wine.

The CWG Subjective Rating is 88 out of 100.

Mrs CWG says:

Not worth the $45 but I enjoyed it none the less

Fast Hello from Yakutsk, Russia

CanadianWineGuy — Tue, 07 Apr 2009 01:37:50 +0000

With John picking up all the slack with posts, there is a reason why. I have just spent the past 3 days travelling from Canada to get to Yakutsk. I would talk about the wine if I would dare drink it, so let’s say it is vodka for me, stick with what they know!

Chat soon, till then see entry #8 on this list!

2005 Lussac-Saint-Émilion La Combe Rouge

CanadianWineGuy — Wed, 01 Apr 2009 13:25:34 +0000

So we decided to continue to delve into the wines brought back from France a few years ago with this inexpensive red. Lussac-Saint-Émilion is part of the Bordeaux region and a sub appellation of the Saint-Émilion. Most of the producers in here still remain family operations and the price on the wines remains some of the real bargains from Bordeaux. This wine is primarily Merlot but is blended with some Cab (I believe Franc if my taste buds are worth anything) but in reality that is just a guess as trying to find any information on this vintage was impossible (oh google why do you let me down?). One interesting note before I get into the tasting was the fact that the cork was covered (see the picture below) with Tartrate crystals, something which is uncommon but happens in wines. These clear crystals do not alter the taste (at least that I have found) and do not represent a ‘corked’ wine either. Tartaric Acid is the culprit for this interesting formation which is better represented by this picture here. Anyways, on to the tasting!

Decanting this wine showed off the interesting tartrates and a nice purple colour with heavy raspberry nose. Several swirls of the glass brought out more berry and a tad bit of oak with a hint of vanilla. The first couple of sips showed good fruit with solid tannins. Black cherry (a common aroma for this style) with heavy raspberry and blackberry came out in this fruit forward wine. The finish was long and smooth and as the wine opened up cinnamon and light spiciness came out. Overall the wine was very well balanced and for the price this wine tasted above and beyond expectations. With the firm tannins and solid fruit I would hazard to guess this could be cellared for 2 to 7 years longer and you will notice changes that should be positive, though it is ready to drink now if you are so fortunate to have one or two stashed away.

The CWG Subjective Rating for this wine is 89 out of 100.

Mrs CWG says

What a great bargain, I am glad we still have another bottle!