Michael Loken

Road 13 Vineyards 5th Element 2012, Okanagan Valley

Henry Of Pelham Speck Family Reserve Baco Noir 2014, VQA Ontario

This might be the best bottle of Ontario wine I have ever tasted. It was superbly deep and complex with earthy, blackberry overtones. The length was excellent, and all around the table fought over the last drops in the bottle.

Potente 2016, Do Montsant

Wynns Coonawarra Estate Shiraz 2016, Coonawarra

Barossa Valley Estate Ebenezer Shiraz 2008, Barossa Valley, South Australia

A couple more years seems to have smoothed out this bottle a bit. It was still powerful and deep - as you would expect from Barossa - but was also pretty silky on the tongue. Black currants, mineral, oak spice and enough tannins to ago for a while more.

La Dame De Malescot 2009, Ac Margaux, 2nd Wine Of Château Malescot St Exupéry

When first tasted it had not opened up enough and was really tannic. After another hour or two, the wine opened right up and showed sweet cherry flavours and a medium dry, smooth finish.

Lavau Vacqueyras 2012, Ac

Le Fonti Di Panzano Chianti Classico Riserva 2011, Docg

Deep, balanced and quite refined. A beautiful bottle of chianti to pair with food.

Rustenberg Merlot 2010, Wo Stellenbosch

I thought this was an excellent wine. Presenting the kind of value you look for when buying a South African wine, this was big and complex. This tasted like a bordeaux with really nice tobacco, leather, sage and cedar notes. The wine opened up over time and presented a very long finish.

Quinta Das Carvalhas Touriga Nacional 2011, Doc Douro

Lovely and full wine with aromas of vanilla, lavender and black fruit. Soft on the palette with a very long finish. This wine will be even better in a few years, but is very enjoyable right now.