Paul Forget

Deu La Deu Alvarinho Vinho Verde 2010, Doc, Monção E Melgaço

This wine opens up with aromas of lemon, peach, apricot, floral and mineral notes. On the mouthfeel, medium bodied, very smooth and slightly sweet texture and crisp acidity. Medium length, very fresh and off-dry on the finish with ripe tropical fruit, tree fruit and mineral notes lingering. I paired this wine with grilled chicken salad and it work beautifully, it would also be lovely as a summer sipper on the patio. Enjoyed in May 2012.

Tar & Roses Shiraz 2010, Heathcote, Victoria

Awesome nose on this Shiraz with aromas of black cherry, ripe wild berries, black pepper, smoky, chocolate savoury spices, light mineral and floral notes. On the mouthfeel, full bodied, creamy with great structure and style, fresh acidity and dusty tannins. This wine’s finish is rich, creamy, tasty with a very good length. Lots of everything on this Shiraz, but not overdone. Love this wine, very good value, returned to purchase 2 more.

Chàteau De Nages Jt Costiéres De Nîmes 2009

Wow, what a beautiful and powerful wine, all for $21.95. This wine opens up with aromas of blueberry and blackberry fruit, black currants, licorice, bitter chocolate and black pepper notes. On the mouthfeel, full bodied with great energy and flavours, chewy tannins and balance acidity. This Rhône blend finish is long, lively, spicy with fine grained tannins. Very attractive wine with lots of detail and great value.

Whitehaven Sauvignon Blanc 2011, Marlborough

This Sauvignon Blanc is the style of SB that is tailor-made for my palate, citrus and tropical fruit, clean, crisp, refreshing and un-oaked. This wine opens up with aromas of pink grapefruit, lime, gooseberry, pineapple and pine nettle. On the mouthfeel, medium bodied (with alcohol coming in at 13%), a bit edgy, intensely flavourful, with zesty acidity. Clean and refreshing finish with flavours of citrus-passion fruit and a bit of residual sugar coating your mouth. Just as beautiful as when I tasted this SB at the New Zealand Wine Fair here in Ottawa last May. Glad I bought more than one bottle, strongly recommended.

Paolo Conterno Bricco Barbera D'alba 2010, Doc

Deep ruby red in color, this Barbera opens up with aromas of cherry, cranberry, leather, damp earth, clove and cinnamon spices. On the mouthfeel, medium bodied, slightly rustic, smoky texture, zesty acidity and dusty tannins. Medium length on the finish with sour cherry, leathery and smoky character lingering. This Barbera has more smoky oak then I am use to, but that being said, a very enjoyable wine and given the price, a very good value.

Edna Valley Paragon Chardonnay 2009, San Luis Obispo County

This Chardonnay is bright yellow in color and opens up with aromas of peach, pear and pineapple fruit, butter, vanilla, baking spices and caramel. On the mouthfeel, medium-full bodied, tropical fruit flavours, creamy with fresh acidity. The texture is a bit heavy by oak characteristics on the finish with vanilla, spices and caramel notes lingering. Initially nice and creamy but after a while it becomes a bit too sweet with too much oak for me. Not a bad wine (minds you at $20.00 not a great value), I am sure it will appeal too many, but it’s not for me. Tasted August 2012

Quinta De Ventozelo Touriga Nacional 2008

A very interesting wine here, although for me, it doesn’t scream Portugal. I often think of Portuguese wine as being bone dry, slightly rustic which, when done right, I find them to be pretty charming. In a blind tasting, I would have most likely picked a new world country like Argentina, Australia or California as this wine was made in a more “international” style. That being said, it is a well made full bodied wine that is unlikely to disappoint.

This wine is 100% Touriga Nacional, aging took place in oak barrel for 12 months. This wine opened up with aromas of black fruit, prunes, stewed plum, mocha, dried herbs and cedar notes. On the mouthfeel, medium-full bodied (with alcohol coming in at 14%), good weight, concentrated flavours, balance acidity and firm tannins. Very nice chewy tannins on the finish with flavours of dark fruit, cedar and minerals/crushed stone type flavours lingering. This is a flavourful wine that goes down easy, I would be more than happy to drink this again.

La Velona Rosso Di Montalcino 2009

This wine is a pale ruby in color, made with Sangiovese Grosso and opens up with aromas of red berry fruit, sour cherry, red plum, light cedar and floral notes. On the mouthfeel, medium bodied (14.5% alcohol), bone dry, intense, red fruit and spicy flavours, lively acidity and fine dusty tannins. Short to medium length on the finish with red fruit and cedar flavours, slightly tart and those same dusty drying tannins lingering. A definite food wine, very enjoyable with Italian pasta dish but not for sipping on it's own. A more traditional style of Sangiovese, somewhat lacking in complexity, to drink now or over the next 1-2 years.

Summers Cabernet Sauvignon 2008, Knights Valley, Sonoma County

This wine opens up with a classic California Cabernet nose of blackberry, black cherry, black currant, clove, mint, chocolate and cedar notes. On the mouthfeel, this is a full bodied wine with (kudos for the moderate alcohol at 14.2% for California anyway) sweet ripe, rich fruit and creamy oak covering the palate with silky, slightly chewy tannins. Great length on the finish, with generous fruit concentration and beautiful silky tannins adding texture right to the end. For fans of California Cabernet, this rich and juicy wine goes down easy and is unlikely to disappoint, one word to describe this wine would be ...yummy. Strongly recommended.

Evans & Tate Metricup Road Shiraz 2009, Margaret River, Western Australia

This wine is a blend of 90% Shiraz and 10% Merlot, maturation in new and old American and French oak barrique to mature for 12-15 months. This Shiraz opens up with aromas of cherry, plum-blackberry fruit, vanilla and cedar notes. On the mouthfeel, medium-full bodied (with alcohol at 14.5%), loads of energy, bright spicy flavours, crisp acidity and grainy tannins. Very good length on the finish, fresh, spicy and fruit focused. A very enjoyable, elegant and food friendly Shiraz, strongly recommended.