(Re-Tasted September 2009) ... This is a double medal winning wine - Gold (All C
anadian Wine Championships) and Silver (Ontario Wine Awards) - that signals not bad pedigree for longevity. There is plenty in this wine to make me think it has yet to peak; yet there are other signs that tell me it may be at its plateau and won't get much better. The nose is loaded and complex (so too is the palate) so there are plenty of smells to distinguish: blackberry, oak, licorice, plenty of green pepper, spice, cassis and even a touch of cocoa. The palate also shows complexity: pepper, spice and black currant, there's still good tannin grip on the tongue, but there is also a fair bit of oak tannins here, and green pepper comes through loud and clear unless you decide to decant (I used a Vinturi to smooth it out, little gadget seems to work, though I am still putting it through its paces). Decanting seemed to soften the green-pepper to a dull roar. Finally, there's a nice long finish on this one with hints of gritty-sawdust like tannins left behind on the tongue ... makes me thinl that maybe she hasn't peaked quite yet. As you can tell I am still on the fence about this one, but it is getting close to peak or plateau so now's the time to drink (within a year or 2) - lucky I have one bottle left to test in two years, then I will know for sure. Had I been able to keep the bottle open for 3-hours I think I would have a better handle on it, but alas the bottle was polished off in an hour ... maybe next time.
anadian Wine Championships) and Silver (Ontario Wine Awards) - that signals not bad pedigree for longevity. There is plenty in this wine to make me think it has yet to peak; yet there are other signs that tell me it may be at its plateau and won't get much better. The nose is loaded and complex (so too is the palate) so there are plenty of smells to distinguish: blackberry, oak, licorice, plenty of green pepper, spice, cassis and even a touch of cocoa. The palate also shows complexity: pepper, spice and black currant, there's still good tannin grip on the tongue, but there is also a fair bit of oak tannins here, and green pepper comes through loud and clear unless you decide to decant (I used a Vinturi to smooth it out, little gadget seems to work, though I am still putting it through its paces). Decanting seemed to soften the green-pepper to a dull roar. Finally, there's a nice long finish on this one with hints of gritty-sawdust like tannins left behind on the tongue ... makes me thinl that maybe she hasn't peaked quite yet. As you can tell I am still on the fence about this one, but it is getting close to peak or plateau so now's the time to drink (within a year or 2) - lucky I have one bottle left to test in two years, then I will know for sure. Had I been able to keep the bottle open for 3-hours I think I would have a better handle on it, but alas the bottle was polished off in an hour ... maybe next time.
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