todd10

Morambro Creek Cabernet Sauvignon 2015, Padthaway

The first aroma I had I was thinking some kind of meat roast. I went through my herbs and realized my wife makes my roast with rosemary. I have read "hints of rosemary" before but this easy to detect for us not professionals. I highly recommend those that want to experience other things besides dark fruit and oak to give this a try.
Flavors of dark fruit and rosemary. Nice tannins (but not to powerful) that can hold up to a a nice beef dinner.

Throughout the evening, it did not evolve much, so no need to decant.

Tasted September 2020

Dog Point Sauvignon Blanc 2019

Aromas of grapefruit hit me first. That was followed by aromas of cut grass and dill. I was surprised that this wine did not have the crisp acidity that I was expecting. I was disappointed at first that it was not the crisp wine I wanted but then I began to love the nice tropical fruit flavors with a refreshing lime finish.
Tasted February 2021

Westcott Estate Chardonnay 2019, VQA Niagara Escarpment, Ontario

This wine has aroma's of chalk and lime zest. It is medium bodied. Nice length. I also detected a pleasant buttery flavor on the finish. I was happy with the the acidity too.
I would suggest to make sure not to have this wine too cold or else any character that this wine has will quickly dissipate. 12C was the best temperature for me for this wine.
Tasted Feb 2022.

Henry Of Pelham Baco Noir Old Vines 2019

When I first opened this wine, I was getting notes of cherry. Good balance of acidity and tannins. Nice finish with a very tasty flavor of dark fruit. About 20 minutes later, this wine opened up with some aromas of oak and and flavors of oak as well. Sadly, that was a short window because about 20 minutes later, that oak that I mentioned dissipated. Overall, this wine was very tasty. if that oak stayed with the wine throughout the evening, I would have given this even a higher score.
Tasted September 2021

Megalomaniac To Be Frank Cabernet Franc 2018, Twenty Mile Bench

Aromas of lack fruit and oak. This wine has firm tannins and a nice heat on the finish. Speaking of finish, this wine does have a long finish.
Tasted July 2022

Trius Red The Icon 2018, VQA Niagara Peninsula

A spicy nose with aromas of green bell pepper. Nice tannins, acidity and long finish. The flavors of black fruit with a little oak. I can say, as the night progressed, I found the flavors to be a little more distinctive. I would suggest to decant.
Tasted May 2021.

Anthonij Rupert Cape Of Good Hope Altima Sauvignon Blanc 2018, Wo Elandskloof, Western Cape

Excellent character. The nose had both tropical fruit and herbal aromas. I am sure many of you could point out in greater detail the exact aromas, and I bet their would be many. The taste did not have the zippy crispness of what you would find in a New Zealand Sauvignon blanc but nice more complexed flavors.
The wine was great throughout the evening as long as you keep it around 7 or 9C, It dipped to cold and too warm for me a couple of times and then its quality went down rapidly.
Tasted January 2021

Villa Maria Private Bin Sauvignon Blanc 2020, Marlborough

This wine had very nice citrus aromas. I narrowed it down to grapefruit and some lime. Great flavors of citrus with a nice touch of acidity. Good length.
Tasted September 2021

Montes Alpha Cabernet Sauvignon 2018, Colchagua Valley

I see that I loved and rated the 2017 vintage a 91. 2018 did not dazzle me so much. I did enjoy the raspberry that was on the nose, but the tannins were so strong that my mouth dried out on one sip. With that said, the tannins did smooth out as the night progressed, so I would recommend to decant to calm those tannins. A long finish with taste of dark fruit. It is an okay wine, but nothing too special (unlike the 2017 vintage that I was very happy with).
Tasted April 2021

Ontañón Reserva 2011, Doca Rioja

This wine had aromas of tabacco and oak. I was hoping for more complexity for a wine that is 10 years old. This wine did have a nice long finish. I found the wine had a nice balance.
Over the few hours that the wine was opened, I did not find any improvement so I see no reason to decant.
Nice wine but I was expecting more complexity.
Tasted February 2021