Michael Loken

Fetzer Shaly Loam Gewürztraminer 2012, Mendocino County

This was a really nice surprise. It is on the sweeter side, but contains it in a nice way. There are lovely citrus and floral notes and the flavour is quite concentrated. In a blind tasting flight of 6 Gewürztraminers, this one was the majority favourite as it paired well with a number of foods - particularly Asian cuisine. A bargain at less than $12.

Tasted blind at a Beefsteak & Burgundy Club event, September 2015.

Mike Weir The Underdog Red 2012, VQA Niagara Peninsula

How can you go wrong for $6.45 when this wine got discontinued? It is a reasonably well balanced red that shows a nice dark purple colour in the glass. The flavour profile is not overly complex, but does have some smoky/earthy and plum notes that make it pair well with BBQ food..

Chateau St. Michelle Sauvignon Blanc 2012, Columbia Valley

This wine showed a little tart fruit on the nose with a nice clean flavour. Not an exceptional example, but not a bad one either.

Citra Trebbiano D'abruzzo 2013

The Grinder Pinotage 2013

This is a very rustic wine, with bold, unrestrained flavours. There is mocha, chocolate, tobacco, dark fruits and a bit of burlap. Overall, the wine is quite enjoyable; but (in my extremely limited experience) this grape seems to make a better blend with Shiraz then when on its own.

Rib Shack Red 2013

This is a big brute of a wine. Powerful aromas of charred wood, smoke, burlap and fruit make a distinct first impression. The taste is definitely new world shiraz with tons of flavour up front and pepper on the tongue. This would be a great wine with Bbq meats as it has a fatty, charred quality about it. Definitely not something I would buy a case of - but interesting nonetheless.

Trapiche Astica Merlot Malbec 2014, Cuyo

Ruby red in colour, the wine has a mild aroma of wood and leather. Although not an incredibly complex wine, it is more complex than the $8 price tag suggests.

Domaine Puig Parahÿ Georges 2011

I was quite disappointed with this wine. It seemed to have all the ingredients for a great bottle, but something just wasn’t there. The nose had notes of dark fruits and cassis, but was too subdued. The taste had a moderate finish, but was a bit too dry; it just didn’t come together.

Pierre Laplace Madiran 2011, Ac

This wine is not suited to all tastes, but was very surprising. The flavour is tight and controlled, full of blackberries and black pepper with a dry, earthy quality to it. It is moderately dry with a long finish and paired very well with fatty foods thanks to the generous oak. A great first experience with the Tannat grape, but it does need to breathe. We opened this bottle 2 hours before drinking.

Peninsula Ridge A.J. Lepp Vineyards Reserve Merlot 2012, VQA Niagara Lakeshore

This is quite a nice wine, and was better than expected for an Ontario merlot. Fruit forward with soft tannins and a rounded mouth feel.