shasta

Grgich Hills Estate Grown Cabernet Sauvignon 2005, Napa Valley

winemaker's notes:
The long, cool growing season produced an elegant wine with aromas of black fruit and licorice with a touch of black pepper on the finish. Nicely balanced between acid, fruit and tannin, this wine is the perfect partner with roasted beef, cured ham or creamy cheeses. All of the grapes were grown at our estate vineyards, which were farmed using organic and Biodynamic principles.

Varietal blend: 93% Cabernet Sauvignon, 2% Merlot, 3% Cabernet Franc, 2% Petit Verdot.

critical acclaim:
"Savory herb and ripe currant, berry and plum aromas are firm and intense. Full-bodied and well-structured, with the tannins gaining traction on the finish. Rustic but balanced. Best from 2010 through 2016. "
92 Points
Wine Spectator

Stratus White 2007, VQA Niagara On The Lake

Charles Baker Picone Vineyard Riesling 2010

Charles Baker Picone Vineyard Riesling 2010 ($35, at Stratus or website now, Vintages in October, 91 points) — The grapes for this Riesling were picked late despite the heat of the vintage but is finished with less residual sugar (14 grams per litre compared to 27 g/l for the 2009). It shows ripe grapefruit, green apple, floral and mineral notes on the nose (I noted some subtle white pepper aromas on retrying the wine this week). It’s technically less dry on the palate but the fruits are riper, giving it a rounder feel in the mouth. Baker says aside from a little less residual sugar the wine is made virtually the same. “It’s just vintage variation, pure and simple.” I love the texture in Baker’s Rieslings and even though it’s from a warmer vintage it still shows classic tension and acidity through the finish. I sense the 2009s and 2008s will outlast the 2010 vintage in the cellar, but this is a beauty for drinking nowor two or three years down the road. A must for that CB vertical.

Osoyoos Le Grand Vin 2008, BC VQA Okanagan Valley

Church & State Coyote Bowl Series Syrah 2011, BC VQA Okanagan Valley

GIFT FROM BRENT WOOD