Neil Phillips

Flat Rock Sparkling Brut 2007, VQA Twenty Mile Bench

Don't let the crown cap fool you - this is a serious traditional method sparkling from Ontario.

Medium-golden colour, to be expected at this age.

Lots of fresh dough on the nose, with golden delicious apple, pear, lemon zest.

A fine mouse, with a much more creamy mouthfeel than you'd expect: this has stuffing. Loads of apple, lemon, hint of over-ripe gooseberry.

Finish is long and persistent.

Tasted May 2014

Christian Drouin Coeur De Lion Sélection Calvados, Ac, France (700ml)

Beautiful aromas of tart apple, light caramel, slight tree resin.

On the palate, creamy texture and subtle apple flavours; spice comes through on the mid-palate and lingers through the smooth finish, long and not overly hot.

Excellent quality for an AOP Calvados.

Lustau Solera Reserva Dry Amontillado Los Arcos

Medium in intensiry on the nose, this is a great dry Sherry for those who want a little less bracing notes than a Fino.

Toasted hazelnut, orange zest, brioche, butterscotch, tobacco and a hint of leather.

Dry with caramel and walnut on the palate, unsweetened orange marmalade, old wood notes linger through the medium+ finish.

Amazing value.

See Ya Later Ranch Rover 2008, VQA Okanagan Valley

A Northern Rhone blend, but much more Southern Rhone in style - with added fruit of the New World.

Rich nose of red and black fruit jam, mocha, espresso, vanilla, balsamic, geraniums.

On the palate, lots of fruit (but not jammy). Long finish, with herbal nots (thyme, sage) coming through on the mid-palate. Slight spice, but subdued: a sprinkle of white pepper.

(Re)Tasted August 2018 - this has aged well.

Stratus White 2007, VQA Niagara On The Lake

Clear, straw gold with a green tint.

Nose of ripe melon, honey, lilacs, hint of fairy floss.

Gooseberry and honey major on the palate, citrus (more lime than lemon) - there's a fair bit going on here as you contemplate. Medium acid, well structured. A delight.

Frescobaldi Castelgiocondo Brunello Di Montalcino 2004

Nose of vanilla, charred cedar, spiced dark cherries, dried sage, mushrooms, Cherry Bols, and a hint of floral (muted after more than a decade, but still there).

Meaty on the palate, with the fruit mingling in a subdued way with herbs. This is a complex old-world wine, with an earthy note that finishes long. Acid is beautifully in check, and tannins, while medium+, hold all together but aren't chewy. While 100% Sangiovese - this is a long way from Chianti.

Begs for braised meats, truffle pasta.

Tasted May 2015.

Louis Roederer Collection Brut Premier Champagne, Ac, France

Complex aromas of golden delicious apple, grapefruit, sultanas, blossom and rising bread dough.

On the palate, bruised apple, honey, nutmeg and biscuits. More austere than forward.

Creamy mouthfeel with nice acid and a fine mousse.

Tasted November 2016.

Thirty Bench Riesling 2014, VQA Beamsville Bench, Niagara Peninsula

Thirty Bench Riesling is always a delight.

Great citrus lemon nose, mandarin zest, mineral notes.

On the palate, great acidity through a long finish. Citrus abounds, with white grapefruit playing a role. Love the complex mineral notes.

Tasted November 2015.

Joie Farm A Noble Blend 2014, BC VQA Okanagan Valley

This wine is consistently a delight.

Made in the Alsace Edelzwicker or “noble blend” style, it’s an amalgam of Gewurztraminer, Riesling, Pinot Blanc, Pinot Auxerrois and Schoenberger. While those first three can make stunning single-varietal wines, this blend is a stunner.

Nose of honey, white flowers, chamomile, white pepper, star anise, lychee, luscious pear.

On the palate, almond and spicy minerality run through the fruit-laden mid-palate. Unctuous mouth-feel, with a slightly oily long finish. Complex.

I’d like to see how this might develop in a few years - but always finish my stock!

Blue Mountain Gold Label Brut Sparkling, Traditional Method, Okanagan Valley, British Columbia

One of Canada's finest - and consistent - sparklers.

This recent tasting was the 2010, disgorged March 2013.

Great persistent bubbles, not quite fine in size. Light golden yellow colour.

On the nose, heaps of apple with wild strawberry and a hint of lime.

On the palate, apple remains, a dance of both green apple and red delicious - the latter lending a "sweet" perception to this dry wine. The citrus is there too, with great acidic balance. Yeasty notes were faint.

Finish is medium-plus in length, and mousse never stopped. Great value!