Neil Phillips

Terras Gauda Abadia San Campio Albariño Rias Baixas 2012

White peach and fruit blossoms on the nose.

Flavours of hard white peach, lemon and a crisp mineral finish.

Tasted March 2018.

Marie Duffau Bas Armagnac Napoleon, Armagnac

Inviting nose of caramel and light baking spice, hints of star anise, dried apricot.

Warming and incredibly smooth, almost-burnt caramel, orange & apricot chutney, cracked white pepper. Long unxious finish, mellow and spicy.

Great value for a quality Armagnac in Ontario.

Tasted Febraury 2018.

Domaine Lafage Cuvée Centenaire 2011, Ac Côtes Du Roussillon

Complex nose of ripe stone fruits (white peach, nectarine), honey, Meyer lemon, white grapefruit and a whiff of dried herbs.

Mineral savoury streak stops this short of being "lush", but full and ripe on the palate still. Medium+ length that finishes with a slight zing. A lot going on here.

Tasted January 2019.

Domaine De Vieux Télégraphe Télégramme Châteauneuf Du Pape 2010, Ac

Aromas of horse saddle, stewed red fruits, anise, garrigue, dried flowers.

Chewy tannins. Savoury notes predominates on the palate - more red fruit chutney than jam. Bitter chocolate-covered coffee beans mid-palate. Bramble, spicy long finish.

Will be intriguing to try another bottle in a few years.

Tasted September 2018.

Clos Gebrat C G + 2014

Nice Priorat that's typical of the area.

Dark fruits, spicy notes, savoury mid-palate and long herbal finish. Definitely chewy.

Big, bold, higher in alcohol and drinking well now, but will benefit from a bit of time in bottle.

Pair with robust meat-based dishes.

Tasted November 2016.

Blue Pyrenees Shiraz 2013, Victoria

Kept one to see how it aged - and it fared very well indeed.

Nose of spiced chocolate, resin, black fruit compote, vanilla.

Tannins are almost soft, with medium acidity that's holding the lush fruit in balance.

Paired with smoked ribs - perfect match.

Tasted (recently) May 2020.

Graham Beck Brut Sparkling, Sustainable, Traditional Method, Wo Western Cape, South Africa

Aromas of lime peel, green apple, dough, sweet baking spice, floral notes.

On the palate, citrus notes of lime, green apple, warm cookie dough. Slightly aggressive mousse.

Excellent value for a traditionally-made sparkler. Blend of Chardonnay and Pinot Noir.

Tasted December 2016.

Couly Dutheil Les Gravières D'amador Abbé De Turpenay Chinon 2014, Ac

Medium intensity with nose of raspberry, ripe red cherry, sage, tomato leaf and a dash of white pepper.

On the palate, dry with medium+ acid, featuring crabapple, allspice, cherry and raspberry. A medium+ savoury finish.

A nice medium-bodied savoury cool-climate Cabernet Franc, from the region that specialises. Quite versatile, and an excellent choice when you don't want a fruit or alcohol bomb.

Tasted October 2016.

Boschendal 1685 Chardonnay 2015, Coastal Region

Pale lemon with a hint of green.

Aromas of acacia, golden delicious apple, lemon, light vanilla, buttered popcorn.

Creamy on the palate, fairly good body with flavours of applesauce, almond, juicy pear. Acid holds the tropical fruit nicely. Nice medium+ finish.

This is a very good value Chardonnay that's mid-weight between stainless steel and (heavier) oak. Most versatile.

Tasted October 2016.

Joie Farm Ptg 2014, BC VQA Okanagan Valley

An intriguing blend (Pinot Noir & Gamay) you don't often see outside Beaujolais - and certainly not in Canada. The ever-reliable Joie Farm does this proud, consistently..

Nose of brambles, cherry, sage, dried cranberry, rhubarb, pepper.

Medium in weight this year, with a vibrant acidity and depth of flavour. Bright cherry on the palate, spicy and herbaceous through the finish.

Tasted October 2016.