Mike de Maria

Réserve Des Vignerons Saumur Champigny 2010, Ac

Peppery with mild red fruits and herbs, fairly complex, refreshing acidity, but far too 'green'. Tannins are a little aggressive, and this doesn't seem to have enough fruit to wait for the tannins to soften.

Caparzo Brunello Di Montalcino 2007

This is a nice "lighter" styled Brunello that's ready to drink right away. I was surprised by how mature the wine was for a 2007, having tasted some 2004s and 2006s that still seem young by these standards.

It certainly on the elegant/feminine side of things, but still with lots of flavour and complexity.

I drank this with beef and found that the pairing really brought out the savoury notes in the wine.

Overall a very nice bottle of wine that didn't dissapoint, although would have probably liked it more if it was sub-$40.

Emiliana Novas Gran Reserva Carmenere/Cabernet Sauvignon 2010, Valle De Colchagua

Dark plums, blueberries, with some of that herbaceous note typical of Carmenere (I like the tomato leaf idea previously mentioned). Very rich and dense on the palate. Just enough tannin to give some structure, and low acidity. The finish is substantial with dark fruits and a hint of pencil lead at the end. Solid fruit forward wine, very enjoyable.

The wine shows much better with a slight chill (around 16 degrees). Over 20 degrees and the fruit is masked by overtly savoury and bitter notes, so keep that in mind.

Donnachiara Irpinia Aglianico 2008, Doc

This is certainly on the savoury side of things. I didn't find the nose to be 'flagrantly' aromatic relative to other wines, but not having tasted many Aglianicos, perhaps this qualifies as flagrant for the varietal. Quite closed at first, it took a while to open up (a good hour). Leathery and floral notes dominate, dark fruits, meat and a hint of juniper on the nose. It tastes fruitier than the nose, with black fruits (currants) dominating with fennel, leather, and meaty tastes adding complexity. The finish gives you some oak complexities with some caramel on the end.

Domaine Terlato & Chapoutier Shiraz/Viognier 2011, Victoria

I thought this was excellent. Could easily be mistaken for a Pinot Noir. It is quite complex with cherry, rhubarb, plum, and savoury/pencil shaving like notes. Medium bodied, with a silky mouthfeel, fresh and balanced acidity, and the 13% alcohol is a nice change. A highly drinkable wine.

Vignerons De Gigondas La Font Des Grières Gigondas 2007, Ac

Drank a while ago. Wasn't very impressed. Alcohol was very dominant.

D'angelo Aglianico Del Vulture 2009, Doc Basilicata

This is definitely a "food" wine. It doesn't do well as just a sipper. It also got better as the night went on, so I'd recommend decanting and letting it breathe for an hour before serving. Aromas and tastes mainly of plum and cherry, with some earthy/meaty notes as well. Don't let the "lightly raisined" descriptions fool you. It may have the flavours of raisins/dried fruit, but it's not thick and powerful like an Amarone. It's more on the elegant/rustic side. Medium bodied with palate cleansing acidity that makes it a lot better with food. For $17, this is not bad, but not great.

Château De Fontenelles Cuvée Notre Dame Corbières 2008, Ac

I'd agree with the positive reviews listed below (and above), but I found that the acidity wasn't well integrated and a little harsh on the way down. Could have been a slightly off bottle, or I just wasn't open to receiving the wine that day. But there was lots of good things going on with this wine.

Tawse Growers Blend Pinot Noir 2010, VQA Niagara Peninsula

I found this bottle to be quite open and fragrant after a 30 minute decant, and it continued to open up in the glass. There was really strong, elegant flavour intensity, despite the light bodied feel. Paired with pan seared duck breast with a strawberry port sauce, it was magnificent.

Gérard Bertrand Terroir Minervois Syrah/Carignan 2009, Ac

Great bang for the buck. It's a nice blend of black fruits (blackberry) with some nice complex spice and earthy flavours. The thing that stands out most about this wine is the texture. It's feels like a "fruit-bomb" crowd pleasing shiraz from Australia, but maintains it's "class" (as John Szabo puts it). All around a nice wine, and very good value.