Notes from a portfolio tasting

These wines were all tasted at an event arranged by one of the better
BC agents – the ones that seek out interesting stuff and take the time
to familiarize their clientele with things they might not otherwise
think of buying.

I apologize in advance for the prices. That isn’t the agent’s fault;
it is this province’s liquor monopoly mark up. Readers from just about
anywhere else in the world will no doubt fall about laughing at what
we are asked to pay for wine that may be available for 50% less in
other markets. Be charitable and pity we poor sinners. These notes
were done ‘on the fly’ in a tasting crammed in between seeing clients,
so he pace was challenging.

Whites:

Jean Milan Champagne Brut Grand Cru Blanc de Blancs Special nv – a
long name for a non-vintage bubbly. Crisp, clean , acidic, fresh and
$68

Egly-Ourlet Grand Cru Brut Tradition nv – better nose on this one in
the sense of showing more complexity and a bit better length – as well
as a price of $102

2006 Pascal Cotat Sancerre La Grande Cote – a nice lime nose here, the
wine a bit light but clean and pleasant. $63

2005 La Soufrandiere Pouilly Vinzelles Les Quarts – I didn’t really
bond with this wine – I thought the nose was in hiding, it had a bit
too much acidity and the price put me off. $66

2005 Mischief and Mayhem Puligny Montrachet – some vanilla in the
nose, a refined wine, not over the top and very much Burgundy with no
hint of the Aussie origin of one of the partners, Michael Twelftree.
Good one. $89

2006 Meyer Family Vineyards Tribute Series Chardonnay – bread dough
nose, good fruit and OK value, although pushing it a bit for a BC
chard.

2006 Radio Coteau Chardonnay Savoy (Anderson Valley) – vanilla nose,
and a very simple wine, decently made but the price of $103 was a bit
of a joke. You can do far better for far less.

2006 Luca Chardonnay (Mendoza) – this Argentinean chard blew the
others away in terms of quality per dollar. At $33 it provided a nice,
middle of the road lightish bodied chard, very pleasant and drinkable
now.

Reds:

2006 Mischief and mayhem Gevrey Chambertin – decent but not huge
fruit. $80

2005 Rene Rostaing Dom. de Puech Noble (C. du Languedoc) – mixed
feeling on this one. I liked the earthy nose with a hint of animal but
it turned others off. $45

2005 Cuvee du Vatican Reserve Sixtine – now we were talking, one of my
favourite CnduPs. Good cherry fruit, lots of tannin at this point, but
will be very good when it mellow out. Too bad about the price jump
over last vintage, to $78

2005 Villa Medoro Rosso del Duca Montepulciano – quite nice if a tad
rough but showing good fruit.

2005 Caprai Outsider Rosso (Umbria) – this Umbrian producer does some
nice stuff and this was one of them. Good bitter cherry fruit, tannic
and balanced. $86

2003 Fanti Brunello – soft and ready to drink, but way light, a
Brunello Beaujolais? Not a keeper. $86

2005 Tua Rita Giusto di Notri (Tuscany) – this IGT had some toast and
good fruit in the nose and was smooth with soft tannin. Nice. $91

2004 Morgante Don Antonia Nero d’Avola (Sicily) – slighty cheesy
funky nose, good acid and length. Liked it. $48

2004 Moccagatta Barbaresco Basarin – light colour, a cherry/leather
nose tasty but light.

2003 Corino Barolo Vigna Giachini – medium colour, not much nose,
developed a bit with time, tight and tannic and only just adequate
fruit. This may develop well, but at $83 one wonders.

2006 Alonso del Yerro Ribera del Duero – ripe sweet nose, forward wine
not a long ager. $48

2005 Artadi Santa Cruz de Artazu (Navarra) – hint of spice in nose,
tsty medium bodied wine with a little sweetness. Not for cellaring.
$56

2005 Mas Doix Salanques (Priorat) – tight sweet, and tannic. Needs (a
lot of) time, but nice wine. $77

2005 Artadi Pagos Viejos Rioja – slightly funky nose, good body and
fresh and full on palate with a nice long finish. Good one. $102

2006 Radio Coteau Pinot Noir La Neblina (Sonoma Coast) – delicious
fruity nose, and good balance and length. Only negative $102

2006 Felton Road Pinot Noir Calvert (NZ) – tighter more complex nose,
sweet entry, fairly tannic. I’d buy this all day long ahead of the
radio Coteau. $78

2006 Luca Laborde Double select Syrah (Uco Valley Argentina) – light
pleasant wine, ready now. $33

2005 Bunnel Family Cellar ‘Vif’ (Columbia Valley – this Mourvedre and
syrah blend seemed quite old world with a Rhone nose and a tasty
midpalate. $48

2005 Soul Growers Reserve Shiraz – at 15.5% this showed a sweet ripe
slightly hot nose and warm in the mouth. Not a typical over the top
Aussie shiraz like so many we get in this market, though. $70

2005 De lisio Krystina Shiraz (McLaren Vale) – decent sweet forward
wine, not for aging. $71

2006 Tatiara Cambrian Shiraz – sweet minty nose, typical overblown
fruit, not the style I enjoy. $66

2006 Oliverhill Jimmy Section Shiraz (McLaren Vale) – much more in
line with my taste – dark purple, sweet and tannic, but not
excessively so. Should be good with time. $54

2006 Pax Kobler Family Vineyard Syrah (Russian River Valley) –
unfortunately I liked this a lot. Rhone nose, a bit sweet and quite
tight, and very long. Why unfortunately? $164

In article
>,
"Bill S." > wrote:

> Notes from a portfolio tasting
>
> These wines were all tasted at an event arranged by one of the better
> BC agents * the ones that seek out interesting stuff and take the time
> to familiarize their clientele with things they might not otherwise
> think of buying.
>
> I apologize in advance for the prices. That isn¹t the agent¹s fault;
> it is this province¹s liquor monopoly mark up. Readers from just about
> anywhere else in the world will no doubt fall about laughing at what
> we are asked to pay for wine that may be available for 50% less in
> other markets. Be charitable and pity we poor sinners. These notes
> were done Œon the fly¹ in a tasting crammed in between seeing clients,
> so he pace was challenging.
>
> Whites:
>
> Jean Milan Champagne Brut Grand Cru Blanc de Blancs Special nv * a
> long name for a non-vintage bubbly. Crisp, clean , acidic, fresh and
> $68
>
> Egly-Ourlet Grand Cru Brut Tradition nv * better nose on this one in
> the sense of showing more complexity and a bit better length * as well
> as a price of $102
>
> 2006 Pascal Cotat Sancerre La Grande Cote * a nice lime nose here, the
> wine a bit light but clean and pleasant. $63
>
> 2005 La Soufrandiere Pouilly Vinzelles Les Quarts * I didn¹t really
> bond with this wine * I thought the nose was in hiding, it had a bit
> too much acidity and the price put me off. $66
>
> 2005 Mischief and Mayhem Puligny Montrachet * some vanilla in the
> nose, a refined wine, not over the top and very much Burgundy with no
> hint of the Aussie origin of one of the partners, Michael Twelftree.
> Good one. $89
>
> 2006 Meyer Family Vineyards Tribute Series Chardonnay * bread dough
> nose, good fruit and OK value, although pushing it a bit for a BC
> chard.
>
> 2006 Radio Coteau Chardonnay Savoy (Anderson Valley) * vanilla nose,
> and a very simple wine, decently made but the price of $103 was a bit
> of a joke. You can do far better for far less.
>
> 2006 Luca Chardonnay (Mendoza) * this Argentinean chard blew the
> others away in terms of quality per dollar. At $33 it provided a nice,
> middle of the road lightish bodied chard, very pleasant and drinkable
> now.
>
> Reds:
>
> 2006 Mischief and mayhem Gevrey Chambertin * decent but not huge
> fruit. $80
>
> 2005 Rene Rostaing Dom. de Puech Noble (C. du Languedoc) * mixed
> feeling on this one. I liked the earthy nose with a hint of animal but
> it turned others off. $45
>
> 2005 Cuvee du Vatican Reserve Sixtine * now we were talking, one of my
> favourite CnduPs. Good cherry fruit, lots of tannin at this point, but
> will be very good when it mellow out. Too bad about the price jump
> over last vintage, to $78
>
> 2005 Villa Medoro Rosso del Duca Montepulciano * quite nice if a tad
> rough but showing good fruit.
>
> 2005 Caprai Outsider Rosso (Umbria) * this Umbrian producer does some
> nice stuff and this was one of them. Good bitter cherry fruit, tannic
> and balanced. $86
>
> 2003 Fanti Brunello * soft and ready to drink, but way light, a
> Brunello Beaujolais? Not a keeper. $86
>
> 2005 Tua Rita Giusto di Notri (Tuscany) * this IGT had some toast and
> good fruit in the nose and was smooth with soft tannin. Nice. $91
>
> 2004 Morgante Don Antonia Nero d¹Avola (Sicily) * slighty cheesy
> funky nose, good acid and length. Liked it. $48
>
> 2004 Moccagatta Barbaresco Basarin * light colour, a cherry/leather
> nose tasty but light.
>
> 2003 Corino Barolo Vigna Giachini * medium colour, not much nose,
> developed a bit with time, tight and tannic and only just adequate
> fruit. This may develop well, but at $83 one wonders.
>
> 2006 Alonso del Yerro Ribera del Duero * ripe sweet nose, forward wine
> not a long ager. $48
>
> 2005 Artadi Santa Cruz de Artazu (Navarra) * hint of spice in nose,
> tsty medium bodied wine with a little sweetness. Not for cellaring.
> $56
>
> 2005 Mas Doix Salanques (Priorat) * tight sweet, and tannic. Needs (a
> lot of) time, but nice wine. $77
>
> 2005 Artadi Pagos Viejos Rioja * slightly funky nose, good body and
> fresh and full on palate with a nice long finish. Good one. $102
>
> 2006 Radio Coteau Pinot Noir La Neblina (Sonoma Coast) * delicious
> fruity nose, and good balance and length. Only negative $102
>
> 2006 Felton Road Pinot Noir Calvert (NZ) * tighter more complex nose,
> sweet entry, fairly tannic. I¹d buy this all day long ahead of the
> radio Coteau. $78
>
> 2006 Luca Laborde Double select Syrah (Uco Valley Argentina) * light
> pleasant wine, ready now. $33
>
> 2005 Bunnel Family Cellar ŒVif¹ (Columbia Valley * this Mourvedre and
> syrah blend seemed quite old world with a Rhone nose and a tasty
> midpalate. $48
>
> 2005 Soul Growers Reserve Shiraz * at 15.5% this showed a sweet ripe
> slightly hot nose and warm in the mouth. Not a typical over the top
> Aussie shiraz like so many we get in this market, though. $70
>
> 2005 De lisio Krystina Shiraz (McLaren Vale) * decent sweet forward
> wine, not for aging. $71
>
> 2006 Tatiara Cambrian Shiraz * sweet minty nose, typical overblown
> fruit, not the style I enjoy. $66
>
> 2006 Oliverhill Jimmy Section Shiraz (McLaren Vale) * much more in
> line with my taste * dark purple, sweet and tannic, but not
> excessively so. Should be good with time. $54
>
> 2006 Pax Kobler Family Vineyard Syrah (Russian River Valley) *
> unfortunately I liked this a lot. Rhone nose, a bit sweet and quite
> tight, and very long. Why unfortunately? $164

Nice notes Bill. Looks like price inflation has reared its ugly head.

.. Be charitable and pity we poor sinners.


Bloody hell Bill, and I thought the UK was expensive, I suppose its a good
earner for BC coffers

Having just seen the Nikkei drop 9% and the FTSE opening down ynder 4000, it
may be hair shirt time.

What will happen to 2007 claret prices?

JT.

John T wrote:

> Having just seen the Nikkei drop 9% and the FTSE opening down ynder 4000, it
> may be hair shirt time.
>
> What will happen to 2007 claret prices?

My prediction: 1ers, Superseconds and garagistes will continue to
increase in price, as they are now officially "luxury goods" and so
immune to the vicissitudes of the economy. Other classed growths will
"hold the line" and Cru Bourgeois and satellite appellations will have
problems selling their products and perhaps have to lower prices -- at
least until the next "vintage of the century."

Mark Lipton

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