Paul Forget

Poggiotondo Brunello Di Montalcino 2006

It was strongly recommended to decant this Brunello, which I did for 1 ½ hour. Wow, what exquisite aromatics from this Brunello with aromas of ripe plum, sour cherry, dried violet, cedar, vanilla and slightly earthy and spicy. On the mouthfeel, medium bodied with alcohol at 14%, dry with sour-edged flavours of cherry and plum, spicy with crisp acidity and fine silky tannins. This Sangiovese based wines finish is long with soft seductive fruit, spicy with fine tannin grip lingering. This is a good example why I like Sangiovese so much, it makes a very pleasant food wine. Poggiotondo Brunello Di Montalcino 2006 is a more feminine style of Brunello, very polished and elegant, strongly recommended.

Reichsgraf Von Kesselstatt Ockfener Bockstein Riesling Kabinett 2008, Prädikatswein

This wine opens up with aromas of pears, ripe apple, citrus fruit, honey, minerals and kerosene notes. On the mouthfeel, light bodied (with alcohol coming in at 7.5%) off-dry, with luscious fruit flavours, lively stony minerality and crisp acidity. This Riesling has a clean, refreshing finish with excellent depth of flavours and a touch of honey covering the palate. This was a very aromatic, elegant and delicious Riesling, served as an aperitif on a hot summer day and enjoyed by all five of us who shared this wine. Terrific value at $16.95 and strongly recommended. .

Les Halos De Jupiter Côtes Du Rhône 2010, Ac

This wine opened up with aromas of plumy-wild berry fruit, licorice, incense, toasty and black pepper notes. On the mouthfeel, dry, medium-full bodied and smooth with concentrated flavours, savoury, mild acidity and firm tannins. The finish is medium length with flavours of black fruit, savoury herbs and spicy. This is exactly what I expect from a nice Côtes du Rhône, easy drinking with great flavours, and at this price, a great buy. Strongly recommended

Canonica A Cerreto Chianti Classico 2008, Docg

Beautiful ruby in colour, this wine opened up with aromas of red cherry, plum, sweet spices, licorice, light cedar and savoury notes. On the mouthfeel, medium bodied, juicy with good energy, lively acidity and dusty tannins. Good length on the finish with savoury and slightly spicy flavours lingering.
I enjoyed this wineries Chianti Classico Riserva 2007, but I think I preferred this wine better. With a more restrained use of oak, you get a purer expression of Sangiovese very flavourful and ready to drink.

Castello Di Bossi C. Berardenga Chianti Classico 2009, Docg

This wine opened up with aromas of red berries, plum, cedar, spices and light herbal note. On the mouthfeel, medium-bodied (with alcohol coming in at 13.5%) with a moderate structure, bright flavours, vibrant acidity and fine dusty tannins. This Chianti finish is medium length with good energy with a nice blend of sweet and sour fruit and spicy. Great wine at the table, excellent fruit-acid balance with carefully restrained oak maturation. My expectations were more than met here, delicious.

Les Vignes Bila Haut Côtes Du Roussillon Villages 2010, Ac

This wine opens up with aromas of blackberry/plumy fruit, licorice, smoke, pencil shavings, black pepper, Asian spices and gamey. On the mouthfeel, medium-full bodied, very rustic, highly concentrated flavours, low acidity and firm tannins. This blend finish is medium length, slightly tart with dark fruit, pencil shaving texture lingering. There is nothing wrong with this wine, but it failed to excite me. I would have prefer more forward fruit, less rustic flavours, less extraction and a more easy drinking wine for this price. Not a wine I would buy again.

Artemis Karamolegos Santorini 2010, Pdo Santorini, Aegean Islands

This wine opened up with aromas of ripe peach, pear, citrus fruit, spices, light honey and minerals notes. On the mouthfeel, medium bodied, low acidity with flavours of ripe tropical and citrus fruit and a touch of honey. This finish is long, slightly creamy with luscious tropical fruit lingering. Interesting wine and a great value, I would like to try this wine with a BBQ pork tenderloin with a spicy tropical fruit salsa.

Eradus Sauvignon Blanc 2011, Awatere Valley, Marlborough, South Island

Musella Vigne Nuove Valpolicella Superiore 2009, Docg

I seldom purchase Valpolicella, I find them light and a bit pedestrian with little flavour or structure, but this little over-achiever blew me away. On the nose such exquisite aromatics with flavours of red cherry, plum, rhubarb, vanilla, slightly spicy with light cedar notes. On the mouthfeel, medium bodied, fresh ripe fruit, spicy with crisp acidity and fine silky tannins. The finish is very refreshing with a good mixture of sweet and sour fruit, ending with fine silky tannins, adding weight and structure to the whole package. This is an easy drinking wine, unpretentious, of great value and delicious. Strongly recommended.

Fassati Pasiteo Vino Nobile Di Montepulciano 2009, Docg

This wine poured much lighter than I expected, a pale ruby with an interesting bouquet of red fruit, soft leather, red liquorice, herbal and floral notes. On the mouthfeel, light to medium bodied, soft in texture with lively acidity and dusty tannins. Medium length on the finish, not especially concentrated but the flavours were very nice. Initially I didn’t quite like this wine, but after about one hour, it really grew on me. My recommendation is to served lightly chilled after an hour in the decanter.