Paul Forget

Mitchell Mcnicol Shiraz 2003, Clare Valley

This wine opens up with aromas of sweet berry fruit, dark plum, coco powder, baking spices, eucalyptus and light cedar notes. On the mouthfeel, medium-full bodied (alcohol comes in at 14.5%), soft seductive fruit, mild acidity and silky tannins. Very good length and smooth on the finish. This is a wine with lots of detail, fine texture and harmony with oak well integrated. This mature Shiraz is a real treat, strongly recommended.

Norman Hardie County Unfiltered Pinot Noir 2010, VQA Prince Edward County

This excellent pale ruby coloured Pinot Noir County opened up with aromas of cranberry, plum, strawberry, cinnamon, spicy and mineral notes. On the mouthfeel, light bodied with alcohol coming in at 11.9%, youthful, fresh with bright acidity and light tannins. Very good length on the finish with spicy red fruit flavours and great energy. Great balance with this Pinot, love the low alcohol and ripe red fruit flavours, strongly recommended for fans of lighter Pinot Noir.

Pasquale Petrera Fatalone Primitivo 2006, Doc Gioia Del Colle

Here is an interesting mature wine, everything from its color, intriguing aromatics and mouthfeel with no resemblance to its sibling in California. This wine opens up with aromas of sour cherry, blueberry, dried fruit, soft leather, nutty and mineral notes. On the mouthfeel, medium-full bodied (alcohol coming in at 15%), low acidity and fine dusty tannins. Medium length on the finish, very smooth with flavours of sour cherry, dried fruit and spices lingering. This Primitivo tasted like a Tawny Port without the 40% alcohol. An off the beaten path wine that is worth the detour.

Verbena Brunello Di Montalcino 2007, Docg

Here is a sophisticated, very elegant style of Brunello with gorgeous aromatics. This wine opens up with aromas of cherry, plum, tobacco, exotic spices, violet, cedar wood and earthy notes. On the mouthfeel, full bodied (alcohol coming in at 14%), dry, rich texture, good energy in the mouth, fresh acidity and grainy, chewy tannins. Beautifully robust, complex finish with great flavours, mixing power (tannins) with elegance. Drinking nicely now (after 1 hour in decanter), should age brilliantly over the next 3 to 5 years. This wines strength for me is its aromatics and finish, very enjoyable and strongly recommended, went back and purchase another bottle.

Summers Ranch Reserve Merlot 2008, Knights Valley, Sonoma County

This Merlot opened up with aromas of black cherry, black currants, prune, roasted coffee, chocolate and smoky cedar notes. On the mouthfeel, medium-full bodied with alcohol at 14%, juicy, ripe and rich flavours, low acidity and rounded tannins. Not especially complex but the flavours and texture are very nice. You definitely get the California sunshine in this bottle. This is a flavourful Merlot that goes down, almost too easy. Strongly recommended for people who like this rich style of Merlot.

Artezin Zinfandel 2010, Mendocino County

In a blind tasting this wine would be easily recognizable as a Zinfandel, from its medium ruby colour, but don’t let that light colour fool you. The nose is very expressive with a rich and fruity mouthfeel and a explosive flavourful finish, classic Zin. This wine is a blend of mostly Zinfandel at 89% with Petite Sirah at 10% an Carignan at 1%, maturation took place in 100% French oak (second and third fill).
This wine opened up with aromas of ripe berries, plum, fresh herbs, black pepper, vanilla and cinnamon notes. On the mouthfeel, medium-full bodied with delicious forward fruit flavours, crisp acidity and silky tannins. This Zin finish is very long, spicy, fruit focused with light tannins and a bit of heat from the 14.9% alcohol. Just a beautiful and well made juicy red here with great purity of fruit and carefully restrained oak, strongly recommended.

Luca Malbec 2009, Uco Valley, Mendoza

Very attractive nose on this Malbec with aromas of black cherry, ripe berries, chocolate, smoky and gentle wood spices. On the mouthfeel, full bodied, very tasty with a solid core of ripe fruit, fresh acidity and silky tannins. Very good length on the finish, slightly creamy with flavours of ripe wild berries savoury spices and chocolate lingering. This is a very rich and well structured Malbec where the oak treatment is noticeable but not overdone. Strongly recommended.

Seghesio Sonoma Zinfandel 2010, Sonoma County

What beautiful, sensuous aromatics on this Zin, with aromas of wild berry/blueberry fruit, tobacco, black pepper, smoky and exotic spices notes. On the mouthfeel, medium-full bodied, savoury, spicy, bright forward ripe fruit, balance acidity and velvet tannins. Very good weight and length on the finish, layered by delicious forward fruit, raisins and pepper, slightly sweet with alcohol appearing at the end. Again, awesome Zinfandel from Seghesio, almost as outstanding has their 2007 vintage. Strongly recommended.

Altamira De Los Andes Reserve Malbec 2009, Uco Valley, Mendoza

This wine opened up with a very expressive bouquet of blueberry/blackberry fruit, violet, vanilla, tobacco and slightly meaty notes. On the mouthfeel, full bodied, off-dry, rich concentration of fruit, lively acidity and firm tannins. The finish is very long, fruit focussed with a masculine texture. The high alcohol is surprisingly well integrated; this is a big wine in every sense of the word, big flavours, textured and concentration. This Malbec really needs additional cellar time to fully appreciate the quality of wine that it could be; all those big flavours and tannins needs time to integrate. I would say 2-3 more years will do the job, strongly recommended, score 90 points.

Chateau Montelena Cabernet Sauvignon 2009, Calistoga, Napa Valley

This wine is a blend of 85% Cabernet Sauvignon, 13% Merlot and 2% Cabernet Franc, maturation taking place in French and Eastern European oak (14%) and alcohol coming in at a reasonable 13.8%.

This wine opened up with aromas of black cherry, plum, clove/vanilla spice, leather, smoky and espresso notes. On the mouthfeel, full bodied, rich and concentrated flavours and texture yet well balanced by good acidity and firm but not overbearing tannins. The length is very good on the finish with dark fruit flavours, spicy, smoky and silky tannins lingering. In a cool vintage, this 2009 managed to achieve both power and elegance, a solid, robust Cabernet yet approachable in its youth or cellar 4-5 years. More French in its style than California, very enjoyable, enjoyed on October 28, 2012.