Chateau Saint-Christoly - Medoc 2005

Had a bottle of this when the case first arrived about last year I think or maybe 6 months ago I have no idea. What I do remember is that when I had it, it was totally Off balanced and heavy on the acid. Maybe Bottle Shock? Most Likely. Now having it drinking a lot better, but this wine just about tore off my tongue haha.

The Stats:

Chateau Saint-Christoly

Cru Bougeois 2005

Cabernet Sauvignon - Merlot

13.5%

Medoc

The Eye:

Dark In Colour The Look...it Looks like a big boy.

The Nose:

Pop'n'Pour - Aroma of Good Sweet Dark Blackberry, Cassis, With Vanilla, basically a Vanilla Heavy Sweet Compote

Next Day[Kept half a bottle] - Aroma now has lost all the sweetness of fruit and vanilla and has gone with the more Earthy, notes of Coffee, Eucalyptus bit has a "Syrupyness too it"

The Mouth:

Pop'n'Pour - Good Fruit nothing standing out but dark berries Aciditiy Check, Tannins Double Check, this boy is just tearing off my tongue the tannin structure speaks off good agability but probably won't drink again for another year

Next Day[Kept half a bottle] - Tannins are a lot smoother, but still grinding a bit, acid is present, Fruit has turned down from the "fruit bombyness" of the First Pour more red fruit showing now

Overall/Reflection:

I think this will age well, once the tannins calm down this should be just fine to drnik with a good meal

New Zealand Wine Tasting Part 1 - White....err Sauv Blanc

Part 1 White Wine! Oh who am I kidding its like 99% Sauvignon Blanc and a bunch of them smell and taste like Green Peppers or for the New Zealanders, Capsicums. I think this picking of Sauv Blanc at low brix 21-22 is too much under ripe green pepperness coming through, I like grassiness! not Green pepper damnit

Sauvignon Blanc (The first Bunch were tasted a Room Temp)

Esk Black Label Hawke's bay 2008
I like the Grassy, round, imo could use a touch more acidity. Tho I think if slightly chilled it wouldn't matter

Alexia Wairarapa 08
Aroma of Good tropical Fruit, Taste good fruit apples

Pegasus Bay Sauvignon/Semillon Waipara 08
Aroma was a little dirty, not poppy just dirty

Mt. Difficulty Central Otago 08
Aroma of Green Peppers straight up, taste of Veggies sprinkled with Lemon Juice mmmm tasty =P

Stoneleigh Rapaura Series 08
Oily Nose, Light Taste

Wither Hill Rarangi Single Vineyard 08
A: Green fruit, hint of veggie not over powering in the GP aspect. Taste of Papaya greeness of veggies

Konrad 08
Boring~ yawn

O:TU Single Vineyard 08
A interesting wine, it had the smell of ripe veggies not green peppers something riper. and the taste was of a veggie Dip like veggies with ranch dip or something

Te Mata Estate Cape Crest Hawke's Bay 08
A: Good amount of Mango, Passionfruit, and Griddle Brick (I suppose some people call this minerality) T: Creamy, white peach

Matahiwi Estate Holly 07
all my notes say is "Nice" So I guess I liked it


Auntsfield Estate ( I think I liked everyone of their wines)
Long Cow Sauvignon Blanc 08 - A very good Sauv Blanc not offensive at all I like it
Orchard Hill Chardonnay 08 UnOaked - First of all I don't like Chardonnay Grapes, and not a fan of Oak in white wines. This Chard really good almost reminds me off a Chablis or some Burg wine really good

Kim Crawford SP Waipara Riesling 2005 - A: Petrol, good fruit T: Petrol (minimal) very nice served a little to chilled tho

Waitiri Creek [Central Otago]
Pinot Gris 08 - Fantastic Pinot Gris, and the vines are like 5 or 6 years old. I mean this wine was awesome. Okanagan grows alot of Pinot Gris and this beats all the ones I have had hands down. Tho the price is more then 50% more its worth it ($30Canadian/BCLD)

BC Cold Show 2009 - May 24

Cold Show - To make real looking food by using any method necessary to with stand 8hrs of "Show time". AKA making Fake Food.

Basic Idea, you make a menu design it use whatever you can and glaze it in gelatin to give it a shine, and be able to hold for 8hrs

Also I did not get to help this year. I did not take these photos its with my camera just any bad pictures you can't blame me!

The only way...

The Only way to open bubbly now, thanks you tube for showing me, the best part its so easy. As long as there is a place to shoot the cork aka don't do it inside facing anything breakable

Bloom - Wine Event for BC VQA wines

Bloom is the spring event put on every year by the VQA [Vintners Quality Alliance is Canada's symbol of quality wine] people of British Columbia.

So here are my notes comments or just dropping of names of wines I like with over 40 tables and each table pouring 4 wines. Lets just say I didn't taste everything, and the fact that I didn't like some I am only going to put on the list what I liked or wierd comments

Meyer Family (Naramata) All 100% Chardonnay Wines. Let me firstly say I have been finding that I don't like Chardonnays Unless they are in champagne or for some reason some burgundy's I have had. Maybe its the fact that they get to big and...only way I can put it is "Raisony" over ripe, and the Oak probably doesn't help for me haha.

So the Meyer Wine I have no idea if they are good or not I just don't like Chardonnay, I tried them the lady pouring asked what I thought I said Im sorry I just don't think I like Chardonnays.

8th Generation Vineyard.
Pinot Meunier Rose 2008. Fantastic I think the best Rose here at the event Taste like Strawberry Rhubarb Pie with the right balance of acidity.

Burrowing Owl
2006 Cab. Franc excellent
2007 Pinot Noir. Ok, not overly complex tho

Calona Vineyards
Sovereign Opal, I grape variety Apprently one I have never heard of when I was smelling it as the person pouring was explaining I thought it smelled like a Muscat with its Floral/Sugariness. Tho the taste was Sweet and Watery...Winemaking? or thats what we have never heard of the grape har!

Desert Hills Estate Winery
Gamay Noir. There best wine and probably one of the best Gamays coming out of BC
Gewurztraminer. Taste of Burnt Orange Peel (Good thing)

Gray Monk Odyssey Merlot 2004 Taste of Red fruit lots of acidity, would like to have tried this decanted, might of appelled to me more.

Hester Creek Trebbiano had aromas of Cheese

Jackson Triggs Sunrock Shiraz 2006. This wine the vintage prior won a bunch of awards and I could not find it to try it, so at the tasting they had their next vintage and I was not impressed.

Mission Hill
Reserver Riesling 2007, Surprisingly Good

Mt. Boucherie Estate Gewurztraminer 2007 really good hint of sweetness

Poplar Grove Legacy 2005
I had this at the naramata bench Tasting, and this was showing way better here, mainly because it was decanted for 1.5hrs it was fuller not lean and acidity drnikable yes, and a big boy.

Sumac Ridge Sparkling Pinnacle 2002 [100% Pinot Noir] Earthy, little fruit, tasted like an old world pinot noir except in bubbly form

Tantalus, Now last year I tried to find the old vines 2006 for the wine restaurant winelist and it was sold out and that stuff was amazing.
The Riesling 2008 was good, lots of acidity just nice
Old Vines 2007 not as acidic, alot fuller wine, I perfer the 2008 to it, and the 06 Old vines.


That is all.

Sometimes

Dinner and Wine (No Pics Sry)

Sometimes you just need to buy a bottle of wine.

So I have my own collection so to speak my mini wine fridge is full with 30 bottles, plus more off site, but yet I wanted to buy a bottle of wine. So First I went to granville Island to do some shopping, Charcuterie, Spices all the fancy stuff (and expensive from granville island) and my last stop was Liberty Wine Merchants. My plan was to walk, shop then buy my wine by then I should know what I wanted. Well that didn't really work out to well walked into the Wine story (By the Way Liberty on Granville Island is my favourite Wine Store In Vancouver, Staff is well educated, they treat you like a normal person since they deal with so many tourist they make you feel wanted without feeling like a wine idiot).

I walk in was asked if I needed some help said not right now still trying to figure out what I needed, then after couple mins of wandering another guy asked I decided I wanted a value red play. Pointed out a Cotes du Rhone (Very interseting) but Ended up with a Argentina Cab. Sauv. from Mendoza. "Circus 2007" Good choice Since it made up my mind whats for dinner.

Dinner.

Sous-Vide Steak in butter @ 55F [From all my test 55 is the best temperature] 56 just a little to much also it was in the water for less then hour. I had some Lamb Sausage I picked up from the Local who's who of Charcuterie of Vancouver [Oyamo Meats] and had Cabbage at home [I live cabbage, raw in a coleslaw, or even brasied like today]. Removed the Sausage meat and sauteed it with some Garlic, hint of ginger, deglazed with Cab. Sauv Vinegar, Chicken stock and threw in the Cabbage thinly sliced of course!. Then finished with butter, and sliced sous-vide steak.

The Wine Info Now.

The Stats:
Circus 2007
Cabernet Sauvignon
13.5% Alc
Mendoza, Argentina


The Eye:
A nice Dark Colour not to dark tho, with a red cherry tint rim

The Nose:
Little bit of Tar, Dark Ripe Fruit, Cocoa

The Mouth:
The first thing you notice is how soft this wine is right out of the bottle especially being a 07 and a Cab even the colour too you'd think there would be more tannins but I guess not. Good amount of Fruit, not over the top just right IMO. Smoother and Almost Creamy yet there is no distiction of any Oak use. Also some nice Dark Cocoa in the background not to dark tho.


Overall/Reflection:
for 15.99 Canadian this is a fantastic deal. [11.99 to Licensees means a good deal for restaurants by the glass make some money and have people leave happy] Way to Go Argentina on the Cab, I think I might have to order more Cab from Argentina, as long as they are not over oaked.
Also it paired with the food so well

Blue Mountain Pinot Noir STRIPE LABEL 2006!

Blue Mountain Vineyards, Considered a Cult Winery of the Okanagan. They make a really mean NV Sparkling Love it. I just recently joined their mailing list, and they had a release for their vintage bubbly and it was sold out within 24hrs. You can not go wrong with that. So I decided from that point once the Pinot Noir Stripe label was released Im buying a case no matter what.

Why The Pinot Noir your asking and not their stripe Chardonnay or Pinot Gris? First of all the Stripe Label is there top label. Ok that being said I've heard a lot of good, and have tried their regular Pinot Noir and its good.

The Stats:
Blue Mountain Vineyard and Cellars Ltd.
Pinot Noir 2006 Reserve [Stripe Label]
13.5% Alc
Okanagan Falls, Okanagan
100% Pinot Noir [17-22 yr/old vines]
yielding 45-50 hl/ha [2.8ton/acre aprox~]
750 Cases Produced for Mailing List and Local Restaurants (Already Sold out on website)
11 Months Maloactic Fermentation In Oak (Doesn't say if new or old)
$38.50 (Mailing List) more like 40-50 at private store 70-90 restaurant

The Look:
Pale Red Colour, Looking like a pinot noir, and they say on their wine makers notes that it was on skin for 15-20 days.

The Nose:
On the Nose you definitely get that old world gamey/fungal action hint of raspberries. but more leaning towards the game/fungal action.

The Taste:
In the mouth smooth but not silky but smooth, The Acid is at a good level that you know will go with food, The first taste is of Dried Sour Cherries, that sweetness you get from dried fruits. The opens up into more fruit of regular cherries and less sour-cherry brand.

Overall/Reflection:
I was much pleased with this wine, I received the tasting notes first and was concerned about 11months in Oak without knowing if they were new or old. Definitely don't get any over oakiness. Not Overly Complex but coming from a young wine region this is definitely one of the best Pinots from Okanagan I have tried to date. I like this, and if your into supporting the Okanagan Wine Region this is one you need to find and try.

Random Kitchen Photo's

Here are some Random Kitchen Photos with New and Old Camera

German Wine Tasting Event

Wines of Germany Tasting Event

Riesling Riesling Riesling

Ok So first thing first I came to this tasting not being a huge Riesling fan, don’t get me wrong I like the stuff heck I was at fuel restaurant in Vancouver had the 6 course tasting menu and had the sommelier / part owner (Who loves Riesling) pair the meal with 3 Riesling Awesome! Especially the 1993 (don’t know the name). But the sugar bothers me and even from the tasting it really coats your palette I could see drinking a glass but after that its way too much.

Lots of good balanced Auslese / Spätlese 2007/2008s Kabinett nice anything under Kabinett really not worth buying IMO.

Sylvaner grape compared to Riesling at the event seemed flat

Pinot Gris was round a buttery, almost flat like and I like Pinot Gris drink some nice ones here in British Columbia.

Gewurztraminer Oily compared t o Riesling and close to being matching but Riesling still wins

So here is a list of wines I liked anything I didn’t find above average I didn’t even write about, the problem was the room was super crowded and really hot, that I did not get a lot of flavour notes, just had no concentration though I did get a feel of good balance verse off balance.

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2007 Wurzburger Stein “Hagemann” Very Different Almost Green, apparently this is a “Grand Cru” vineyard in Germany. Not your typical Riesling

Weingut-Kruger-Rumpf, Nahe,

2007 Kabinett, Munstereer Kapellenberg

2007 Erben Auslese (Langguth wine and spirits)

Dr. Loosen all very good and you can see why they are a world brand leader

2007 Spätlese and Auslese were especially good “Urzigner Wurzgarten” Good Fruit, Good Acid, Good Balance

2007 Auslese Moselland Insignum bergkastel-kueser Kardinalsberg

Weingut Max Ferd Richter

2007 Spätlese, A Delicate Spätlese very good but catches you off guard compared to all the “heavier” Spätlese’ really nice though

Auslese not Delicate thumbs up

Weingut St. Urbans-Hof

2007 Auslese Piesporter Goldtropfchen. Nice fruit Sugar Acid Good Balance

Weinguter Graf Von Schonburn

2007 Spätlese/Jubilaum Hattenheim Pfaffenberg

2007 Spätlese Erbach Maroobrunn

Weingut Johannishof/Eser: 2007 Kabinett Johannisberger “V” Aroma of being at the Hair Salon, that cut hair plus burnt hair really interesting, I smelt this and kinda of giggled and the guy kinda of gave me this look thinking I was some sort of Drunk hah!