Paul Forget

Coriole Redstone Shiraz 2007, Mclaren Vale, South Australia

A rich and concentrated nose; dark fruit, cassis, earthy, cedar (lots of it) and licorice. Mouth feel is heavy with too much oak, a bit tart and drying tannins. Finish is long, dry and spicy. Food wine for sure. I would lay this one down for 1-2 years. Was actually much better the next day. Tasted February 2011.

Beaulieu Vineyard Bv Tapestry Reserve 2008, Napa Valley

The benefit of blending and great winemaking is in full display here, starting with great aromatics, this wine opened up with aromas of plumy-black cherry fruit, cassis, cedar, pepper and light liquorice. On the mouthfeel, medium-full bodied, rich ripe California fruit flavours with gentle oak spices, vanilla, fine acidity and silky smooth tannins. Great length, energy and flavours on the finish. What you get from Beaulieu Vineyard Tapestry Reserve 2008 is a very elegant wine, finely textured and very fragrant. Drinking well right now or hold 2-3 years, gorgeous wine.

Altocedro Reserva Malbec 2009, La Consulta Vineyards, Uco Valley, Mendoza

Wow, what an incredible nose on this Malbec with aromas of blackberry, bing cherry, violet, chocolate, black pepper and toasty oak. On the mouthfeel, full bodied, rich and luscious texture, balanced acidity and velvet tannins. This wine’s finish is long, creamy, and smoky with great fruit concentration. A big wine in every sense of the word, lots of toasty oak but well balanced by big, ripe luscious fruit flavours, big alcohol at 15% but well integrated tannins adding structure to the whole package. A real treat, strongly recommended.

Antica Cabernet Sauvignon 2009, Napa Valley

Italy meets California in this wine from Antica, produced through a business venture of the Antinori Family of Italy, in the Napa Valley. This wine is mostly Cabernet Sauvignon with 98.5% with Petit Verdot at 1.5% in a supporting role, maturation in French oak (55% to 65% new oak) and alcohol coming in at 14%.
Beautiful opaque ruby in color, this Cabernet opened up with a robust bouquet of blackberry, black cheery, ripe plum, cassis, tobacco, smoke cedar and exotic spices. On the mouthfeel, full bodied, layered with dark fruit, minerals and smoke with balance acidity and chewy tannins. The finish is long and intensely flavourful. A structured Cabernet Sauvignon that balances black fruit and French oak with real finesse and sophistication. A very enjoyable wine which I paired with a BBQ steak.

Brancaia Tre 2007, Igt Toscana

There is a lot of hype about this wine. Number 10 on Wine Spectator top 100 of 2009. It did not live up to the hype for me. Where is the wow factor? The nose is kind of subdued; dark fruit, leather, burnt toast and earthy. Medium to full body, concentrated flavours, with low acidity and grainy tannins. Rustic old world finish. Could not agreed more with Dan Trcka; first bought this wine in BC in December of 2009, this wine was previously release at the LCBO in May of 2010 than re-release in February of 2011. Had this wine three times all ready and it is just not coming around. And yes what is with the plastic cork.

Ridge Three Valleys 2009, Sonoma County

This wine is a blend of 70% Zinfandel, 15% Carignane, 10% Petit Sirah, 3% Gernache and 2% Mataro with alcohol coming in at a reasonable 14.1%. Not very flashy on the nose for a Zin, with aromas of blackberry/black cherry fruit, licorice, smoke, pencil shaving, tobacco and wood spices. On the mouthfeel, medium-full bodied, dry, with lots of concentrated flavours, balanced acidity and dusty tannins. This wine finish is very long, very smooth with good texture and a lot of detail. I have been following Ridge Three Valleys for quite some time now, very interesting as always, seemingly different from year to year but they always seem to produce a more refined, tasty, savoury style Zin blend. It would certainly be interesting to sit at the same table and be part of the team that blend the final product. Very enjoyable.

Reichsgraf Von Kesselstatt Scharzhofberger Riesling Kabinett 2006, Deutscher Prädikatswein

Craggy Range Gimblett Gravels Merlot 2007

Complex nose; blackberry, blackcurrant, stewed plums, earthy and cedar. Medium to full body. Well balance, smooth mouth feel with long velvet finish. Last bottle tasted December 2010. My four bottles gone already "c'est domage". Love this style of Merlot.

Hewitson Miss Harry 2009, Barossa Valley, South Australia

This is a much lighter style of wine from the Barossa Valley, a Rhône blend of 50% Grenache, 40% Shiraz, 5% Mourvèdre with the balance 2.5% equal portion of Cinsault and Carignan. This wine opens up with aromas of strawberry, blueberry, stewed rhubarb, herb de Provence, white pepper and medicinal notes. The palate has loads of energy and length, light-medium bodied (14% alc.), bright acidity and soft tannins. Medium length with lively red berry flavours on the finish. Enjoyable but not what I was expecting from Barossa.

Summers Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon 2009, Calistoga, Napa Valley

This wine is made with 100% Cabernet Sauvignon fruit and opened up with attractive aromas of cherry, blackberry, black currants, black pepper, smoky and damp forest floor notes. On the mouthfeel, medium bodied, mild acidity, silky tannins with layers of creamy richness. This wines finish is very long and fruit focused with a smooth velvety texture. Another very nice wine from Summers Estate Winery that is true to the style of the house and represented a good value for a rich and juicy Cabernet. Very enjoyable, loved the aromatics, loved the mouthfeel and the finish, enough said, strongly recommended.