September 22, 2006
International Wine Reviews
Bordeaux for Every Palate
There are two Bordeaux camps (and I'm not just talking
left and right bank). There are those who study, search, purchase and cellar
these precious commodities be it for investment or drinking.
Then there's "everyone else".
"Everyone else" trembles at the B-word. Confusion reigns, the word
Château
trembles on their tongue, dollar signs begin swimming in front of their eyes and
the thought that someone might ask a question makes sweat pool in uncomfortable
regions.
The bad news-Bordeaux as a region is not easy to understand (I will not sugar
coat it for you) but the good news is I haven't the space for a boring lesson.
What Wine Diva can do is pass along some
reviews and reassure you that the more you drink the clearer it will
become.
Of course having a rich friend with a superb cellar doesn't hurt...
The following will be released Saturday September 23rd at Marquis
Wine Cellars-1034 Davie Street. The BCLDB will be releasing their
Bordeaux offerings on September 30th.
Starter Bordeaux
Château Pontensac, Médoc Nice intensity of
fruit-black plums and blueberries with chocolate, rich dark earth and tobacco.
Firm, dusty tannins with hints of dried fruits on the finish.
$59.90 Marquis Wine Cellars
Wine Diva tasted-July 26 2006
Château La Lagune, Haut-Medoc, 2003-Delicate red fruit-cassis, with
sweetly ripe blackberries and black cherries. A firm bold entry onto the
palate, masculine flavours of earth, dark chocolate and tobacco with firm dusty
tannins.
$79.90 Marquis Wine Cellars
Wine Diva tasted-July 26 2006
Won’t break the bank Bordeaux
Château Lascombes, Margaux, 2003- Coffee aromas with plums,
blackberries, cocoa beans, earth, wet stone and sweet herbs. Dry and slightly
dusty in the mouth rounding out with smoked meat, cedar box and spices.
$95.90 Marquis Wine Cellars
Wine Diva tasted-July 26 2006
Château Calon-Segur, Saint-Estèphe, 2003-Earthy with soft berry jam and
fresh undergrowth/mushroom aromas. On the palate the Calon-Segur is more austere
than the others with chewy, dusty tannins, spice and tight dark fruit on
the finish.
$99.90 Marquis Wine Cellars
Wine Diva tasted-July 26 2006
Château La Couspaude, St Emilion, 2003-Sweetly spiced nose, cherries,
blackberry and mint-chocolate with soft herbal aromas. Chambord liqueur
and cassis on the palate with a minty fresh finish.
$110.90 Marquis Wine Cellars
Wine Diva tasted-July 26 2006
Investment Bordeaux
Château Palmer, Margaux Sweet cherries in syrup sprinkled in
sweet spices. Prunes, licorice, dark earth and juicy dark berries with a silky
finish. This very feminine Bordeaux is both elegant and refined.
$269.90
Wine Diva tasted-July 26 2006
Okay, just a short lesson...
The 2003 vintage was smokin' hot! Translation: super-ripe grapes
with intensity and richness. Across the board the wines are quite
spectacular, drinking beautifully even as young as they are now. Some believe
this vintage is better than the phenomenal 2000's.
More International Sips
Bubbles that make a Wine Diva bounce!
Niebaum Coppola, Sofia mini's, California- You've
seen them in ads
and probably on a few shelves in private wine stores (or possible read about
them on Wine Diva) The darling
fuchsia cans of sparkling wine that come with a matching bendy straw. Sometimes
I forget how good something is until I get a chance to revisit it and that's
just what I did!
Effusive and fun, candied white fruit, minerals and cheekily bubbly it
is fresh and gently sweet unlike the heavier, toasted aromas of classic
Champagne. This is a fun little sipper that comes in a pink 4-pak!
$9.00 per can approx. 187ml cans (+222547) Private wine stores
Wine Diva tasted-September 20 2006
White
Chapoutier, La Ciboise Blanc, Coteaux du Tricastin France, 2004- Damn,
here I am giving away my secrets again. Seriously this is a gorgeous wine,
filled with stone fruit, floral notes, tropical fruit and cold cream aromas.
The texture is lush and slick with a hot spiced finish.
$14.90 (#296707) UPC #03391181160339
Wine Diva tasted-September 20 2006
Aperitif
Marenco Pineto Brachetto D'Acqui DOCG, Italy 2005-A
brilliant cherry/ruby hued frizzanti wine
with candy floss aromas of cherry and dark flowers.
Sweet on the tongue with red berries and sour cherry with a lovely
fresh acidity on the finish.
$19.78
375ml (+487918) UPC#8010028149102
Wine Diva tasted-September 8 2006
*frizzanti-lightly sparkling
Red
Fess Parker "Frontier Red", Santa Barbara California, 2004- A label
that will certainly draw your attention with its wild west wanted poster
style. The wine itself is black cherry, red berries and chocolate, sweet fresh
red fruit flavors, lushly textured with a spiced vanilla finish. You really
want to track this one down and take it into your custody!
$20.00 approx. (+87635) Private wine stores
Wine Diva tasted-September 20 2006
White
Catena Chardonnay, Mendoza Argentina, 2004-Toasty, buttery
aromas of smoke, roasted pears, minerals and tropical fruit. Creamy
on the palate, herbs, sweet spices and a long vanilla oak finish.
$24.95+ (+427856) Private wine stores
Wine Diva tasted-September 8 2006
Red
Perrin & Fils“Les
Christins” Vacqueyras, Rhone France, 2003
A blend of Grenache and Syrah its sweet red cherry and black plum-y aromas
tossed with dried fruit and dark earth. It caresses the palate like a warm
velvety thought hinting at spiced tobacco, cocoa and cedar box-lingering until
you take the next sip.
$25.99 (+585315) UPC #00631470000247
Wine Diva tasted-September 20 2006
Kestral Vintners 'Platinum' 2nd Edition, Columbia Valley Wa.-
Unlike its seductive red
sister Lady in Red, this rare blue bottle has a buxom
Varga-esque blond. The cheeky platinum blond perfectly suits the wine's
sweet smoky spice, rose petals, white fruit and vanilla aromas. She is zippy,
clean and refreshing on the palate with a long, lush and warm finish.
60% Gewurztraminer 40% Viognier
$28.95 (+299420) Private wine
stores very limited
Wine Diva tasted-September 11 2006
Red
Kestrel Vintners 'Lady in Red' 4th Edition, Columbia Valley Wa.-
You
may recognize these lovely bottles with their hand painted
Varga-esque labels. A blend of 38% Merlot, 3% Syrah and 57% Cabernet
this wine is as smooth as the lady on the label.
She’s bubbling over with juicy red berries, plums and cherries with licorice,
tobacco and sweet spice on the finish.
$29.95+ (+152934) Private wine stores
Wine Diva tasted-September
11 2006
Red
Andrew Rich Cuvee B Pinot Noir, Willamette Oregon, 2004-Brimming
with in-your-face sweet berries, smoked meat, leather, cedar and herbs. Good
fresh fruit, lush texture and well balanced acidity This is a little sister to
the stunning Andrew Rich Reserve Pinot Noir and is worthy of the price point.
$33.95+ (CSPC+287557)
limited availability
Wine Diva tasted-September 11 2006
White
Joseph Drouhin Mâcon-Villages,
Burgundy France, 2005- A smokey, flinty and chalky Chardonnay to make you
appreciate the old world style. Crisp white fruit-snappy apple and pear aromas
followed on the palate by zesty sour lemon and more smokey minerality. To
impress your guests and to appreciate a fine wine made for food.
Wine Diva tasted-September 15 2006
Red
Tamarack Cellars 'Firehouse Red', Columbia Valley
Washington, 2003-Earthy dried fruit, dark fruit, leather,
tobacco and herbs. A delicious well-made red wine blended from, 49%
Cabernet, 23% Syrah, 15% Merlot, 9% Cabernet Franc, 2% Carmenere and
2% Sangiovese
$37.95 (+28472)
Wine Diva tasted-September 11 2006
Red
Isenhower Cellars 'Red Paintbrush' Merlot, Columbia Valley
Washington, 2003-This is one of Wine Diva's favorite Merlots. Lush, juicy and fresh, with
velvety plum, sweet berry, vanilla, spice and a fine, smooth finish.
The addition of 20% Cabernet for structure and 5%
Syrah for finesse perhaps makes this wine a bit of a meritage?
$40.95+ (+141119) Private wine stores Very
limited
Wine Diva tasted-September 11 2006
Red
Soos Creek Cabernet, Columbia Valley Wa, 2002-A gorgeous
Cabernet brimming with ripe blackberry and sweet juicy blueberry
aromas. Velvety smooth on the palate with milk chocolate, tobacco
and vanilla. 2% Cabernet Franc rounds out this Cabernet Sauvignon.
$48.95 (+57737) Private wine stores
Wine Diva tasted-September 11 2006
Red
Deponte Pinot Noir, Dundee Oregon, 2004-A new product to BC the
Deponte will be a welcome addition to local pinot-philes.
Sour cherry, earth, mushroom and herbs with tart rhubarb, dusty
cocoa and spice. A bold sexy pinot made in an old world style.
$49.95
(+795989) at
select BCLDB stores
Wine Diva tasted-September 11 2006
Bubbles
Louis Roederer Brut Premier,
Champagne France, NV- Pour it into a flute; watch the light reflect
off of its liquid gold-ness and see how the bubbles dance merrily up the glass.
Here is your special occasion! Crisp and clean with mouth-watering apple, creamy
lemon and white flowers with underlying tones of toasted brioche. Elegant!
$61.95 (+268771) UPC #03114080016053
Wine Diva tasted-September 18 2006
Bubbles
Taittinger Prestige Rose, Champagne France, NV-Beautiful Salmon hued with
brilliant berry aromas, soft earth, citrus rind and minerals. Mouth-filling
mousse, persistent fine bubbles with light toast and great zippy citrus
flavours.
$67.00 approx. (+372367) Private wine stores
Wine Diva tasted-September 20 2006
White
Kistler Chardonnay, Sonoma Coast California, 2004-
Baked and buttered pear,
oak, fresh baguette and smoke on the nose. In the mouth, crisp citrus, mineral
and orchard fruit flavours. A serious combo of new meets old world style
that will be a nice addition to any cellar.$92.95 (+33191)
Wine Diva tasted-September 11 2006
Red
Darioush Winery Cabernet Sauvignon, Napa Valley California, 2003-As
big and bold as the bottle it calls home. WD loves the Darioush wines because of their
no-holds-barred flavours. This 'Signature Series' Cabernet is
blueberry compote and spice, velvety smooth sweetly spiced with
vanilla and herbs.
$119.95 (+634964)
Wine Diva tasted-September 11 2006
Cover Story
(What's your wine personality?)
BC Wine Reviews
International Sips
(The Bordeaux are coming...)
Taste Bites
(Beyond)
Wine Diva-isms
(Stemware for klutzes, Urban Diner, Rachael Ray)