Vancouver Playhouse International Wine Festival 2010

So this year at the Vancouver Playhouse International Wine Festival 2010 it was New Zealand and Argentina Showcase! This is some Random Tasting notes, Way to many wine and I went to one day for tasting ah well.

Must say I am starting to like NZ Sauvignon Blancs Again, Riesling pretty good too, and Pinot Gris.  Pinot Noir always fantastic.  Elephant Hill has impressed me two years in a row so that gets abig thumbs up.  Another thing I found out is that I really do enjoy hawkes bay Chardonnays! Really good from a number of producers, stone paddock, and some other one I cant think of


VANCOUVER PLAYHOUSE INTERNATIONAL WINE FESTIVAL - Vancouver Convention Centre [West] (4/22/2010)
Vancouver Playhouse International Wine Festival, Trade Tasting Day 1 [Thursday] Theme this Year New Zealand, Argentina and Rose.

Whites - Light/Med

• 2008 Mount Riley Sauvignon Blanc Savée - New Zealand, South Island, Marlborough, Wairau Valley
  Sparkling Sauv Blanc who knew
  
  Aroma of Green Onions, Taste of Round Tropical Passionfruit, Great Acidity
• 2008 Elephant Hill Sauvignon Blanc Reserve - New Zealand, North Island, Hawkes Bay
  Mineral Nose, A Riper Style of Green Pepper, on the Palate Veg, Round, Flint. Fantastic Really especially since its 100% new Oak (91 pts.)
• 2009 Elephant Hill Viognier Te Awanga Vineyard - New Zealand, North Island, Hawkes Bay
  Nice Fresh Melon, Round Melon on the Palate (87 pts.)
• 2008 Gunderloch Riesling Fritz's - Germany, Rheinhessen
  Green Fruit [nice] Med Sweet, Great Acid Balance, Good Riper Fruit on Palate [Better then Dr Loosen QbA IMO]
• 2008 Gunderloch Jean Baptiste Riesling Kabinett - Germany, Rheinhessen
  Lemon, Goodfruit, Acid Check!
• 2008 Gunderloch Nackenheim Rothenberg Riesling Dry - Germany, Rheinhessen
  Flowers! Great Fruit Med- Body, Peachy Finish Yummay
• 2008 Gunderloch Nackenheim Rothenberg Riesling Spätlese - Germany, Rheinhessen
  Smky/Flinty, Flinty/Chalky. Exotic Fruit Um yeah~
• 2007 Gunderloch Nackenheim Rothenberg Riesling Auslese Goldkapsel - Germany, Rheinhessen
  C: Med Gold
  Taste of Ripe Tropical Fruit Mango/Papaya, Almost Sauternes like Does have some botrytis. Pairs Beautifull with Lemon Herbed Olives (92 pts.)

White - Med/Full [Oaked Maybe]

• 2006 Louis Latour Meursault-Blagny - France, Burgundy, Côte de Beaune, Meursault-Blagny
  Great Acid, Balance Green Apples
• 2006 Louis Latour Corton-Charlemagne - France, Burgundy, Côte de Beaune, Corton-Charlemagne Grand Cru
  A: Clean
  T: Delicate Fruit, Spice [Eggnog] Soft, Lite
  
  Not Worth the Money IMO
• 2008 Stone Paddock Chardonnay - New Zealand, North Island, Hawkes Bay
  Good Fruit Tropical/Stone Fruit Touch of French Oak [8% New]
  
  This wine is really really Super Amazing Awesome, Just good I can still remember it (91 pts.)
• 2009 Elephant Hill Chardonnay - New Zealand, North Island, Hawkes Bay
  Mineral, Flinty on the palate of Oak, Apple, Round Good Balance of Oak tho for sure (88 pts.)
• 2007 M. Chapoutier Hermitage Blanc Chante-Alouette - France, Rhône, Northern Rhône, Hermitage
  Still Thinking about this wine 2 days later, It did have some oak [not my style] but with air it opened up and I think this would be amazing in a cpl years or atleast decanted a bit.
  A: Beautiful Tropical Fruit
  T: Round, Rich Texture, Little Ginger Spiciness! (90 pts.)

Reds - Light/Med

• 2008 M. Chapoutier Tavel Beaurevoir - France, Rhône, Southern Rhône, Tavel
  Nice Nose, Red Tart Fruit (87 pts.)
• 2008 Two Paddocks Pinot Noir Picnic - New Zealand, South Island, Otago, Central Otago
  Tasty Ripe Pinot Fruit, Gammey
• 2007 Two Paddocks Pinot Noir - New Zealand, South Island, Otago, Central Otago
  Lovely Nose, Spice, Herb
  Taste of Good Quality Pinot Fruit. Cherry/Rhubarb
• 2008 Two Paddocks Pinot Noir - New Zealand, South Island, Otago, Central Otago
  Mineral Check, Cherry, Ripe Warm Spice, Med to Med+ Acid
• 2007 Stone Paddock Scarlet - New Zealand, North Island, Hawkes Bay
  37% Merlot, 35% Cab Sauv, 12% Cab Franc [approx]
  
  Nice Fruit, Soft Tannins, Touch of green, enjoyable
• 2008 Elephant Hill Pinot Noir - New Zealand, South Island, Otago, Central Otago
  Richness, Red Fruit, Ripe (89 pts.)
• 2008 Elephant Hill Syrah Reserve - New Zealand, North Island, Hawkes Bay
  Gorgeous Nose, Fruit Check, Dark/Red Ripe, Good Acid, Soft Texture Med Tannins. Enjoyable yes (89 pts.)

Reds - Med/Full [Big Boys]

• 2007 Penfolds Shiraz Thomas Hyland - Australia, South Australia
  Rich, Dark Fruit, Minty
  
  But Amazingly the Body Felt med+
• 2006 Penfolds Shiraz Bin 128 - Australia, South Australia, Limestone Coast, Coonawarra
  Dark Fruit, Acidity Balance Very Nice
• 2005 Penfolds Shiraz St. Henri - Australia, South Australia
  Nice Beautiful Nose of Fruit, Palate Rich, Texture, Blackberry Jam, Dark Chocolate
• 2006 Penfolds Shiraz RWT - Australia, South Australia, Barossa, Barossa Valley
  Rich Dark Fruit, Chocolate, Vanilla, Palate not as big as expected/the nose [good], Good Tannins, Dash of Grape Candy
• 2007 M. Chapoutier Côtes du Rhône Belleruche - France, Rhône, Southern Rhône, Côtes du Rhône
  Have yet to be disappointed by a 2007 CdR
  Fantastic, Soft Strawberry, Dark Chocolate (90 pts.)
• 2007 M. Chapoutier Crozes-Hermitage Les Meysonniers - France, Rhône, Northern Rhône, Crozes-Hermitage
  Bright Ripe Fruit, Strawberry/Cherry, Nice Acid (88 pts.)
• 2007 M. Chapoutier Châteauneuf-du-Pape La Bernardine - France, Rhône, Southern Rhône, Châteauneuf-du-Pape
  A: Ripe Sweet Fruit, Cherry/Strawberry, Med- Acid, Med+ Body, med Tannins.
  
  Not my style but can see why RP likes this style of wine and a lot of others
• 2007 Bodega Renacer Enamore - Argentina, Mendoza
  40% Amarone Style, 60% Reserve Blend
  Good Dark Concentration, but not over Concentrated like most Amarones, Has Fantastic Balance (90 pts.)
• 2009 Bodega Renacer Malbec Punto Final - Argentina, Mendoza
  Creamy! And no Oak! Seriously Eh? Good Stuff

All In All a Great Big Old Tasting lots of Wine, A lot
Posted from CellarTracker
THE 100-POINT RATING SCALE (Robert Parker of the Wine Advocate describes this in more detail.)
• Extraordinary (96-100 points)
• Outstanding (90-95)
• Very Good to Excellent (85-89)
• Good (80-84) • Average (75-79)
• Below average (70-74)
• Avoid (50-70)

Argentina & Chile

This should of been written and posted like 3 weeks ago. That being said now I have some time and motivation.  Both were at the same place here in downtown vancouver at the Sutton Place Hotel, really a nice place in the heart of downtown there room for the event was bigger then what I expected they had in the building. Now to the events

A 'Cheap' Bottle of Wine

So I am doing this dinner for 6 people, and the one course the main has Grass Fed Northern BC Beef which I am pariing with a red wine sauce. So I need a bottle of red wine, went to the Booze Store to grab a cheapy but something that wasn't terrible. Finally decied I was going to go Argentina since there beef is Grass Fed. Don David Cabernet Sauvignon 16$ [Inexpensive by Canadian Standards so like 6-10$ American]. I must say I opened the bottle for the sauce tasted and kept half the bottle for myself and used a half bottle of my 2005 Bordeaux I had to make up the full bottle.

Also going to post in the next couple of days my experience from the Chile and Argentina Wine tasting, hopfully Sonoma if I can find my notes



Blogging Format Tasting Notes

The Stats:
Michel Torino
Don David Reserve
2007
Cabernet Sauvignon
Cafayate, Argentina
100% New Oak

The Eye:
Dark in Colour

The Nose:
A hint of Greenness / Coffee on the Nose, and some good fruit

The Mouth:
Coffee, Good ripe red fruit, Good Tannins and Acidity Structure. The Oak was very balanced and not becoming that over oaked "saltiness" that I get with most over oaked wines


Overall/Reflection:
Score: 88

THE 100-POINT RATING SCALE (Robert Parker of the Wine Advocate describes this in more detail.)
• Extraordinary (96-100 points)
• Outstanding (90-95)
• Very Good to Excellent (85-89)
• Good (80-84)
• Average (75-79)
• Below average (70-74)
• Avoid (50-70)

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

Lesser Known Grape Variety: BONARDA

Well I opened a bottle of Bonarda from Argentina, to say the least this wine is interesting, apparently it is from Italy. The facts about it is a red wine that makes a sweet medium body wine with a wash of acidity [my translation of the facts!]

I am one to try and expand my palette as long as its not to crazy [AKA smelling those veal kidneys which were apparently "fresh" and smelled like piss isn't something I'm going to eat no thanks~]

The Stats:
Cerro Azul 2006 (Bodegas La Guarda)
100% Bonarda (approx 40 year old vines, oldies!)
13.8% Alc
San Juan, Argentina, South America, Earth
17$ [CAN]

The Look:
Dark Red, tinge of Purple

The Nose:
I was tring to figure out what this nose smelled like, at First I was going with Sweet Medicine. Then It hit me it has a Molasses smell Sulfur esque, Almost gives you a headache on how strong it is but yet mild. Then I was picking up Black Liquorice [The Real stuff]. Then I was getting Pumpernickel Bread. And yeah some cherry

The Taste:
Medium body, some cherry, Liquorice, Lots of acidity almost candy-esque cherry/raspberry combo. And sweet

Overall/Reflection:
Crazy changing for sip to sip but back and forth between the fruit and the Liquorice. And sweet I found it interesting and different which means its something I would bring to a wine tasting party, or open for someone who wanted something "Different"

Torrontes

First of all Don't worry about the picture of the bottle having wine in it it was finished the same day it was opened. Its like the scene from Arrested Development once the a bottle of vodka is opened it has to be finished the same day, ahh how I love arrested development.

The Stats:
Sergio Traverso (From Opimian Wine Club)
Argentina (Mendoza)
13% Alc.
100% Torrontes

The Look:
Lite Golden, Lite being the clear word of choice.
Very Pale

The Nose:
When I first smelled it, it automatically made me love this wine it has those aromatic qualities of Gewurztraminer and Viognier have that I just love Floral, White Peaches, Tropical Fruit (Gooseberry, Papaya). Just Thumbs up from me.

The Taste:
Creamy lime zest with the small touch of vanilla bean and the acidity to win me over just awesome (I like my Acid) Medium mouth feel.

Conclusion:
I love this wine, I could drink this all my itself which I did for most of the bottle while I was preparing dinner. This is a perfect summer wine [Meanwhile Im drinking this in the middle of a snow storm.]

Then again it is nice and cozy in here like a warm beach mmm minus the humidity.