tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-72063308037493605952024-01-19T01:13:45.927-05:00Taste it Again / Lost & FoundOn occasion, I’ll take a wine I like and put it away in a “special box” for a few years to see how it will age … below you will read happened to those wines. On the other hand, there are wines that get “lost” in my wine cellar with nary a review ever written - some have turned into golden Treasures, others supreme Trash and then there are those that fall somewhere in-between (Tolerable). We’ll look at those here too. (New wines are being added all the time so keep coming back):Michael Pinkushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15968983157077688761noreply@blogger.comBlogger318125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7206330803749360595.post-40177627456471188532014-07-21T16:28:00.001-04:002014-07-21T16:28:14.087-04:00Taste it Again / Lost & Found are Going Home<div style="text-align: justify;">
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The Taste it Again / Lost & Found blog has found a new home on the new <a href="http://michaelpinkuswinereview.com/">MichaelPinkusWineReview.com</a> website</div>
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It’s finally here: now updated and released the NEW Michael Pinkus Wine Review website (formerly OntarioWineReview); has a sleek new look, cool design, and mobile functionality and so we've decided to bring a few of the blogs back into the fold ... this being one of them - be sure to check us out there.</div>
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<a href="http://michaelpinkuswinereview.com/taste-it-again" target="_blank"><b>To see the new website and keep abreast of what’s being Re-tasted and Found - click here. </b></a></div>
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Thanks for reading and we'll see you on the new site. </div>
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Cheers</div>
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Michael Pinkus</div>
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Grape Guy</div>
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Michael Pinkushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15968983157077688761noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7206330803749360595.post-63056168569453380502014-04-04T22:04:00.000-04:002014-06-05T14:17:50.766-04:00The Story of Two 2002 Cabernet Francs<div style="text-align: center;">
<b><i>Thomas & Vaughan 2002 Cabernet Franc:</i></b> Not previously reviewed</div>
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<i><b>Peninsula Ridge 2002 Cabernet Franc:</b></i> <a href="http://ontariowinereview.com/wine-reviews/by-winery/peninsula-ridge/peninsula-ridge-2002-cabernet-franc-" target="_blank">read the original review from May 2005</a> </div>
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or the <a href="http://tasteitagain.blogspot.com/2008/08/peninsula-ridge-2002-cabernet-franc.html" target="_blank">first re-taste: August 2008</a></div>
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This is the story of two bottles of wine ... both from the Bench area of Niagara, both made from the same grape and both made in the same year ... but with serious differences in smell and taste, for one simple reason - let's take a look:</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsolRbriZpc4kSm-ENN5dwiXoTIMxB-j-nMPXSiyuaWUF5ZwxjK_RsCUMxkQ68lxijySriB_rWP0JY7Fgk2Xn3mSnvdNBfPNELkN0vmOMo_rnmWEJXmYRKSsrvcCDSEDKD_jDoKkLIpQCq/s1600/TV+vs+Pen+Ridge+2002.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsolRbriZpc4kSm-ENN5dwiXoTIMxB-j-nMPXSiyuaWUF5ZwxjK_RsCUMxkQ68lxijySriB_rWP0JY7Fgk2Xn3mSnvdNBfPNELkN0vmOMo_rnmWEJXmYRKSsrvcCDSEDKD_jDoKkLIpQCq/s1600/TV+vs+Pen+Ridge+2002.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a></div>
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<b>(Tasted March 2014) -</b> I located this bottle in my wine cellar and immediately became excited, Thomas & Vaughan made some very interesting and exciting wines in their time and even had some older vines, especially of Cabernet Franc, and so this seemed a great bottle to open and reminisce about a long lost piece of Ontario wine history. I knew I was into for a rude awakening the moment I removed the capsule and saw the plastic cork. Crap! But I was determined to give it a fair shake. No too long ago I opened a 6-year-old bottle sealed with a plastic corked that was actually drinkable (not drinkable for long, but drinkable), the problem is this one was double that. It didn't take long for me to realize I was not going to be as lucky. The Thomas & Vaughan had such great promise but was oxidized (slightly at first, but still evident) as time wore on (no more than 30 minutes) it was fully oxidized and undrinkable. <b>Lost & Found Rating:</b> <span style="color: #cc0000;"><b>Trash</b></span></div>
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<b>(Re-Tasted March 2014) -</b> While I waited on the T&V wine to see what would happen to it I thought I'd pull out a "back-up" and found this bottle of Peninsula Ridge 2002 Cabernet Franc, sealed with a natural cork. I broke the cork halfway through the opening so I struggled a little to get the remaining piece out and managed to remove it with a minimal amount of cork bits getting into the wine. This was a marked improvement from the T&V wine right out of the bottle: smoky with dried blackberry and cassis, sweet dried raspberry, tobacco leaf, and a long smoky finish with a certain smoothness as the tannins have mellowed. It continued to evolve through the evening, and as the Thomas & Vaughan was dying a slow cruel death this one was rising like a pheonix to take over the void on my palate the T&V was leaving behind.</div>
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Michael Pinkushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15968983157077688761noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7206330803749360595.post-31899735208477112082014-03-28T04:09:00.000-04:002014-06-05T04:11:49.958-04:00Couple of Wines from the Cellar: Henry of Pelham & Thirty Bench<div style="text-align: center;">
<i><b>Henry of Pelham: </b></i> Not previously reviewed</div>
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<i><b>Thirty Bench:</b></i> <a href="http://ontariowinereview.com/wine-reviews/by-winery/thirty-bench/thirty-bench-2009-red-" target="_blank">Click here to read the original review from September 11, 2012</a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdlB82UOsN5b72HyWl6ZLcN-hp8-INQjOfzh_TvyOdEw5R367q-5KXhk8mGclU8ZTCKwaXOaj8X5dsUo_SWK3olTVw3zCbY54ApJlb11rhkRw5V_4eJxsiXInAYUpMK57m4GydD2hyphenhyphenFrkS/s1600/HoP+2004+Off+Dry+Riesling.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdlB82UOsN5b72HyWl6ZLcN-hp8-INQjOfzh_TvyOdEw5R367q-5KXhk8mGclU8ZTCKwaXOaj8X5dsUo_SWK3olTVw3zCbY54ApJlb11rhkRw5V_4eJxsiXInAYUpMK57m4GydD2hyphenhyphenFrkS/s1600/HoP+2004+Off+Dry+Riesling.jpg" height="200" width="150" /></a></div>
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<b>(Tasted March 2014) ... </b>Tonight I pulled a couple of wines out of the cellar from a couple of cooler vintages. Started off with the Henry of Pelham 2004 Off-Dry Riesling, which proved it still had plenty of life left in it. Nose of peach, apricot and apple seed (with no sign of petrol what-so-ever). Palate was a show of balance between the sweet and the acidity: apricot, peach pit, touch of green apple along with a bit of Mac, there was even some lilac and honey notes that came into play ... What impressed me the most about this wine was that it kept its sweetness but with good acidity to keeping it from being cloying plus it had a long dried apricot linger to the finish. Obviously, 2004 was a great vintage for Riesling. <b>Lost & Found Rating:</b> <span style="color: #38761d;"><b>Treasure</b></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuUpMLKkVjqtBUIn6RVf_UwW5R0Ot7SP0A9mxjDn1eOJtoIkmNOrXPDqwrFkSL2GXCLLY8lGLOxZ2Rm0JoKEeaGxh7cw4P4YCQxO8eb7Zhane1xyo5_OAwhFlOq7Q30rNlt6Rzq-IAJQgO/s1600/Thirty+Bench+2009+Red.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuUpMLKkVjqtBUIn6RVf_UwW5R0Ot7SP0A9mxjDn1eOJtoIkmNOrXPDqwrFkSL2GXCLLY8lGLOxZ2Rm0JoKEeaGxh7cw4P4YCQxO8eb7Zhane1xyo5_OAwhFlOq7Q30rNlt6Rzq-IAJQgO/s1600/Thirty+Bench+2009+Red.jpg" /></a></div>
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<b>(Re-Tasted March 2014) ...</b> After that enjoyable feast of the senses I decided to move along to another cool vintage, but this time a little more recent, with a bottle of Thirty Bench 2009 Red. In no sense of the imagination would anyone call the 2009 vintage in Ontario a great red vintage, but Thirty Bench managed to coax something special into their Red. Now, some 5 years from vintage and 2 years from my last tasting of the wine I found the nose to be lacking of fruit but still appealing with its anise, oak, vanilla and spice; this continues on the palate, lots of vanilla and spice, but adds a hint of cassis to the background. The wine is smoothing out nicely with silky tannins and sweet oak, but should not be held too much longer as fruit will start to fade even further. Right now it is a real pleasant drinker for BBQ fare.</div>
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Michael Pinkushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15968983157077688761noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7206330803749360595.post-21199626625780152432014-03-23T21:30:00.000-04:002014-04-22T17:40:53.650-04:00Chateau des Charmes 2006 Chardonnay Musque<br />
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<a href="http://ontariowinereview.com/wine-reviews/by-winery/chateau-des-charmes/chateau-des-charmes-2006-chardonnay-musque-" target="_blank">Click here to read the original review from June 20, 2008 Weekly Wine Note</a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPedLm_tzIKKFxuTSuQOLM0-UnhfPeKnjEHGwLEilZyEMDl3I-0ksXgMaEOQ9MyDr339rN4SbNNr0BPJDjGDrZzToEeEjx3HATmxjF5lvTO8XgzFvtKUL6rB1FmIRMXrwmkqBn4PcTeCZw/s1600/C+des+C+2006+Musque.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPedLm_tzIKKFxuTSuQOLM0-UnhfPeKnjEHGwLEilZyEMDl3I-0ksXgMaEOQ9MyDr339rN4SbNNr0BPJDjGDrZzToEeEjx3HATmxjF5lvTO8XgzFvtKUL6rB1FmIRMXrwmkqBn4PcTeCZw/s1600/C+des+C+2006+Musque.jpg" height="200" width="150" /></a></div>
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<b>(Re-Tasted March 2014) ...</b> Buoyed by the finding of a <a href="http://owrlostandfound.blogspot.ca/2014/02/fielding-estate-2006-chardonnay-musque.html" target="_blank">Fielding Chardonnay Musque</a> from the same year, I decided to open this bottle of Chateau des Charmes Musque to see how it had fared. Alas, not too well. I have to admit I really didn't expect much from it, it was a wine that literally had gotten misplaced in my cellar and I was surprised to find it. But considering the Fielding had turned out so well I thought it a great opportunity to see how a wine from a different part of Niagara turned out. Chardonnay Musque is an unoaked wine and not really known for it longevity, so the fact that it was even drinkable at all is testament to the wine maker. The nose was very Musqu-esque with floral and perfumed apple notes, but the palate had a bitter mid and finish and an odd, almost sour, aftertaste ... not very appealing at all. So the moral of this bottle is that if you think that a wine is not meant to age put it somewhere where you will remember to drink it sooner.</div>
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Michael Pinkushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15968983157077688761noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7206330803749360595.post-84023424523569434232014-03-20T22:00:00.000-04:002014-04-21T17:29:12.264-04:00Coyote’s Run 2005 Cabernet Franc<div style="text-align: center;">
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<a href="http://ontariowinereviews.blogspot.ca/2007/05/being-animal-lover-i-have-always-been.html" target="_blank">Click here to read the original review from May 22, 2007 Weekly Wine Note</a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6-Cq2g_IjdchcAqGxVAqkk6tB85Z7-jp5V40V_WX_ZPTVk21L_GoXfnCD7duq5CvrxA2Cu-a79OLKgFzvZwJKONmqedKHKqUxmr04wqzWTy2HUrFxE7KytS1wCXHUYFs1ybAogaHgzias/s1600/Coyotes+Run+2005+CF.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6-Cq2g_IjdchcAqGxVAqkk6tB85Z7-jp5V40V_WX_ZPTVk21L_GoXfnCD7duq5CvrxA2Cu-a79OLKgFzvZwJKONmqedKHKqUxmr04wqzWTy2HUrFxE7KytS1wCXHUYFs1ybAogaHgzias/s1600/Coyotes+Run+2005+CF.jpg" height="200" width="150" /></a></div>
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<b>(Re-Tasted March 2014) ...</b> I make no bones about it, I am a fan of Cabernet Franc, and some of these older ones from Ontario are really beginning to impress. Coyote's Run is known for making Pinot Noir and Chardonnay, but they also grow some Cabernet Franc on the property - and henceforth they make it into a single varietal wine. 2005 was a hot year in Ontario and so I had high hopes for this one when I opened the bottle. Nose had definite sour cherry, raspberry and white pepper notes while the palate had hints of anise and white smoke from the get go. Left open in the glass and aerated it began to develop those typical Cab Franc characteristics of tobacco (on the light side) along with some dried cherry. The pepper from the nose came in on the finish and managed to wrangled it's way in between the dried fruit and the good acidity. Turns out that those high hopes I had for this wine were not misplaced. For those of you with a few bottles left, now would be the time start thinking of drinking, though there's no real rush, this should keep another few years.</div>
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Michael Pinkushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15968983157077688761noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7206330803749360595.post-83107111694273321672014-03-17T15:21:00.000-04:002014-04-21T16:45:29.961-04:00Angels Gate 2008 Gamay<div style="text-align: center;">
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<a href="http://ontariowinereview.com/wine-reviews/by-varietal/gamay-noir/angels-gate-2008-gamay-" target="_blank"><b>Click here to read the original review from July 2011</b></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRQQ-sKSELOJTmoI0w-dHkrVGnfyUTpFnTmpZ5Bc3zQbkCfVXVneie6gOKJAmZ5axdXfDFpAq5mdgb4uGSTXhmOuiEMwXbh-xbLnvTLhb6UJXCXG_nh-oyNfyEKbTcXjHsRMdQQkpxhMlB/s1600/angels+gate+2008+gamay.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRQQ-sKSELOJTmoI0w-dHkrVGnfyUTpFnTmpZ5Bc3zQbkCfVXVneie6gOKJAmZ5axdXfDFpAq5mdgb4uGSTXhmOuiEMwXbh-xbLnvTLhb6UJXCXG_nh-oyNfyEKbTcXjHsRMdQQkpxhMlB/s1600/angels+gate+2008+gamay.jpg" height="200" width="150" /></a></div>
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<b>(Re-Tasted March 2014) ...</b> When I first tried this wine is was already 3 years from vintage date, now another three years have passed, how would this light fruity Gamay be? I found a bottle down in the cellar and decided to give it an hour worth of chill and enjoy it with a nice piece of salmon. I can safely report that this wine is still holding its own ... the big berry bowl of fruit is gone, but there is still quite a bit of sour black cherry on the palate, a gentle spice that carries through to the finish and some good acidity that acts as backbone ... I can't complain one bit about this one, it's still a delicious wine. This is my last bottle, but I think if you have some in your cellar you still have a couple of years to enjoy it.</div>
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<br />Michael Pinkushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15968983157077688761noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7206330803749360595.post-47430597628205514342014-03-14T11:00:00.000-04:002014-06-03T11:25:00.951-04:00Del-Gatto 2007 Bella Vigne Leon Millot / Foch<br /><div style="text-align: center;"><b>Found February 2014</b></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDgr8mRh5s3BUlMgB9QxOaj9LJQz8PR7otfwiccINXk71AAKk51TgZPRVDP2_ABROp1QLXsixNdIX05eVH1PLGd2Y7SUbXUHi_udJTfVQQovv9B8BYu6viyBT0nojvwJrtFc9WAwPAX3sI/s1600/Bella+Vigne+2007.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDgr8mRh5s3BUlMgB9QxOaj9LJQz8PR7otfwiccINXk71AAKk51TgZPRVDP2_ABROp1QLXsixNdIX05eVH1PLGd2Y7SUbXUHi_udJTfVQQovv9B8BYu6viyBT0nojvwJrtFc9WAwPAX3sI/s1600/Bella+Vigne+2007.jpg" height="200" width="150" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Talk about an odd find in the cellar ... I had no idea it was down there or how it got there. I hate to say it, it was probably a wine that was sent to me by the winemaker and by the time it got into the rotation it was sold out; so I lay it down to see what happened. The last one I have a notes of is the 2006 which made my <a href="http://ontariowinereviews.blogspot.ca/2008/01/bella-vigne-2006-leon-millot-foch-1595.html" target="_blank">Weekly Wine Note back in January 2008</a>. After finding this wine I decided to take it into my wine class to see what they thought of this aged hybrids blend from this Prince Edward County winery. Here I think they got more than they bargained for as this wine seemed to go against every convention. First on the nose there's a blood orange aroma which seems to mix with tomato and / or clamato juice, plus there's an herbal sensation. Moving on to the palate that herbal and orange mixture comes across and adds a spiced rum cola note that is very very interesting ... all told it was a much better sip than expected, some even asked for seconds. <span style="color: #e69138;"> <b>Lost and Found Rating: Tolerable</b></span></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.ontariowinereview.com/" target="_blank"><b><i>For more wine reviews and related articles go to www.ontariowinereview.com, </i></b></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.ontariowinereview.com/" target="_blank"><b><i>while there sign up for Michael's free bi-weekly newsletter.</i></b></a></div>Michael Pinkushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15968983157077688761noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7206330803749360595.post-86592540248294148342014-02-15T09:11:00.000-05:002014-02-15T09:11:43.724-05:00Chateau des Charmes 2006 Gewurztraminer<div style="text-align: center;">
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<a href="http://ontariowinereview.com/wine-reviews/by-winery/chateau-des-charmes/chateau-des-charmes-2006-gewurztraminer" target="_blank"><b>Click here to read the original review from June 2008</b></a></div>
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<b>(Re-Tasted February 2014) ...</b> After a wacky experiment with a <a href="http://owrlostandfound.blogspot.ca/2014/02/fielding-estate-2006-chardonnay-musque.html" target="_blank">Fielding Musque that turned out to be a pleasant surprise</a>, I approached this Chateau des Charmes '06 Gewurzt with a little more respect and hopefulness. Gewurztraminer, although un-oaked, has the ability to surprise when aged ... but which side of the surprise line would this particular wine fall is the real question. The nose had touches of toffee along with subtle lavender ... interesting perfumed notes and a fruity / floral combination that lured one into the glass. The palate also had interesting nuances, like the coriander-pineapple mid-palate and the intense spice on the finish that seemed to play off the hint of sweetness leading to a drier than expected finish ... any sweetness the nose led you to believe was there dissipated in the end on the tongue. This wine proved to be mainly dry and its only drawback was the short (there-and-its-gone) finish. Another nice bottle of un-oaked white that makes one question their belief system about what can and can't mature when oak is not present. </div>
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Michael Pinkushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15968983157077688761noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7206330803749360595.post-6440620188272017962014-02-15T06:54:00.000-05:002014-06-03T11:25:00.986-04:00Fielding Estate 2006 Chardonnay Musque<div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b>Found February 2014</b></div><br /><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkNG1Wcu34p3E0SyQ-qd7QEUdC_BH4kVrXcD6FhudsNC-QS-XeUn3pM4Bc8NV2ezyksvivZOkAN1iaVP_pqNFiHJ5BElZEWXoNSaoK1E-Wk37vOqV0z389YBtgrx2jU_uV6j-Sq9n7wlla/s1600/image.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkNG1Wcu34p3E0SyQ-qd7QEUdC_BH4kVrXcD6FhudsNC-QS-XeUn3pM4Bc8NV2ezyksvivZOkAN1iaVP_pqNFiHJ5BElZEWXoNSaoK1E-Wk37vOqV0z389YBtgrx2jU_uV6j-Sq9n7wlla/s1600/image.jpeg" height="200" width="149" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">thanks to K. Selezen for taking the pic</td></tr></tbody></table><div style="text-align: justify;">I put little to no faith in un-oaked wines being age-able (except Riesling) - and I've done plenty of tests to come to that conclusion (knowingly and unknowingly). This year alone I've opened a 2006 Sauvignon Blanc, a 2008 Un-oaked Chardonnay and a 2007 Gamay each with no oak and each had its problems. So when I found a bottle of Fielding 2006 Chardonnay Musque in a box of "to hold" wines in my cellar I had to question myself: "What was I thinking?" Now Chardonnay Musque is traditionally an un-oaked, flowery, fruity version of Chardonnay made from a clone of the Chardonnay grape that has musky aromas to it - which is where the "musque" name comes from. I popped the cork, poured the wine into a glass, and took a deep sniff, totally prepared to be disappointed and walk away ... but wait, it's non-offensive: honey, melon and floral aromas greet the nose ... it's actually downright pleasant and most importantly it continues to be thus over the next hour. Surely the palate is where this wine will fall apart (I think to myself) - but no: tropically tinged fruit, mainly pineapple, greet the buds, followed by over-ripe peach backed by wildflower honey aspects ... sweet fruit with an interesting medium length finish that keeps you coming back for more. Surprisingly drinkable and pleasantly so, if you have some in your cellar I suspect now is the time to drink up and truly enjoy this find. [I also served this during one of my wine classes and of the 7 wines poured this received top marks and raves from everyone]. <span style="color: #38761d;"><i><b>Lost & Found Rating: Treasure</b></i></span></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.ontariowinereview.com/" target="_blank"><b><i>For more wine reviews and related articles go to www.ontariowinereview.com, </i></b></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.ontariowinereview.com/" target="_blank"><b><i>while there sign up for Michael's free bi-weekly newsletter.</i></b></a></div>Michael Pinkushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15968983157077688761noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7206330803749360595.post-66278319021954728762014-02-11T21:31:00.000-05:002014-03-13T17:42:14.089-04:00Lailey 2009 Chardonnay - Niagara Peninsula<br />
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<a href="http://ontariowinereview.com/wine-reviews/by-winery/lailey-vineyard/lailey-2009-chardonnay-niagara-peninsula" target="_blank"><b>Click here to read the original review from August 2011</b></a></div>
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<b>(Re-Tasted February 2014) ...</b> When I first reviewed this wine less than 3 years ago I gave it four-and-a-half stars, and today I think I might just give it a little bit higher because it has turned into one spectacular wine. The nose is so alluring with aromas of rich buttery-toffee along with peach and vanilla; on the palate there's a vanilla butter sensation that mixes so well with the fruit of citrus, peach and mac apple, almost to the point of being a puree it's so creamy; but then comes the finish: there's a hint of spice that lingers lovingly on the tongue bringing everything all together and there's that great acidity, the 2009 vintage was known for, that keeps everything from being cloying or too sweet ... sure there's a sweet fruit entry, but that is backed up by that spicy dry finish and that's what makes this wine such a beauty. Oh, and did I mention the peach pit essence that appears on both the nose and palate as it sits in glass. If you have one of these in your cellar it'll hold for another few years, and if you have a few bottles I would recommend grabbing one out now and giving it a shot - it's a little piece of heaven.</div>
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Michael Pinkushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15968983157077688761noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7206330803749360595.post-58845980803708983372014-02-08T23:56:00.000-05:002014-03-31T16:25:37.176-04:00Hillebrand 2004 Late Harvest Vidal<br />
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<a href="http://ontariowinereviews.blogspot.ca/2006/08/hillebrand-winery-2004-late-harvest.html" target="_blank"><b>Click here to read the original review from August 8, 2006 Weekly Wine Note</b></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJ0z0J3Q0CrfittGBX0ZK75evDlxuBYPClesmeohyphenhyphenVzBU3wga5bMnTU1QB9zMt0Hpt-W0PFnzCoQQ5vGVzt4Y5oAvmze1LtQ3iTxcro3VkSO0NT4i_U_Qvj2lOhCOqTfPFnsSjI1cbVC0K/s1600/Hillebrand+2004+LH+Vidal.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJ0z0J3Q0CrfittGBX0ZK75evDlxuBYPClesmeohyphenhyphenVzBU3wga5bMnTU1QB9zMt0Hpt-W0PFnzCoQQ5vGVzt4Y5oAvmze1LtQ3iTxcro3VkSO0NT4i_U_Qvj2lOhCOqTfPFnsSjI1cbVC0K/s1600/Hillebrand+2004+LH+Vidal.jpg" height="200" width="150" /></a></div>
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<i><b>(Re-Tasted February 2014) ...</b></i> I have two of these bottles in my cellar and reading my original review again I have to admit I have no idea what I was waiting for to drink them because they sound like they were amazing back in 2008 ... the funny thing is, as good as they were back then they might be even better today, and that is really unexpected. This is now a 10 year old bottle of Late Harvest Vidal, and those who question whether icewine can reach this maturity would be even more impressed at this wine. I poured this as kind of a lark for my "niece" and her boyfriend after a dinner at Hillebrand, and I was enthralled by what I found in the glass: toffeed apricot, honeyed pear, nice acidity on the finish while the mid-palate proved to be creamy and luxurious, this wine has held up extremely well, in fact I would go so far as to say it is a stellar bottle; and aside from the color it would be hard to tell its age. I am not going to wait any longer for the second bottle, it will be a dessert sometime this summer.</div>
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<br />Michael Pinkushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15968983157077688761noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7206330803749360595.post-84772396051508135592014-01-16T21:43:00.000-05:002014-02-11T17:05:32.793-05:00Vineland Estates 2005 Cabernet Franc Reserve<br />
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<a href="http://ontariowinereview.com/wine-reviews/by-winery/vineland-estates/vineland-estates-2005-cabernet-franc-reserve" target="_blank"><i><b>Click here to read the original review from June 2008</b></i></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZEBpqguHU9iKXOBNp8qHE9zdZhZxMP4s1-W9bfPGS5fBMEDIWubKE-fKIohgwITXx-gc_uuO3zX4bc2Q40PpikF2sDmJr8SiO-rPwZLdyrkLmOGIycU-wUHlGheHFII7-HXSqO54tBPmB/s1600/Vineland+2005.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZEBpqguHU9iKXOBNp8qHE9zdZhZxMP4s1-W9bfPGS5fBMEDIWubKE-fKIohgwITXx-gc_uuO3zX4bc2Q40PpikF2sDmJr8SiO-rPwZLdyrkLmOGIycU-wUHlGheHFII7-HXSqO54tBPmB/s1600/Vineland+2005.jpg" height="200" width="150" /></a></div>
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<b>(Re-Tasted January 2014) ... </b>Hot-diggity, one of my favourite Ontario grape varietals from a winery that knows how to handle the grape and does it well; and now with 9 years of aging it's time to see just how this wine is doing. Back in 2008 I gushed over this wine and thought decanting would help smooth it out. I put the wine into a box and forgot about it for awhile, seems I forgot about it for a good long while ... 6 years to be exact ... now I'm excited to give it a try. </div>
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Upon opening there were aromas of white and black peppercorns, in fact they seem to take over the wine; palate was full of tobacco, dried black raspberry, and spice - but what really stood out were some fairly aggressive tannins that came on mid-palate right to the finish; but as I like to say, if you were locked in a bottle for 9 years you'd come out pretty grumpy too - and this wine was just that. After about 20 minutes the aggression started to subside; I then tried using my VinoAir to see what that did, but is striped all the character out of the wine ... so I went back to a free pour into the glass straight from the bottle. Within 40 minutes it had become a bottle you'd like to take to dinner with touches of licorice and white pepper en-robing that dried fruit and the tannins too on a more subservient role, smoothing out beautifully. This wine is ready to drink right now and it's very enjoyable. In a word, it was delicious and well worth the wait. Now I wish I had more of it ... ain't that always the way.</div>
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Michael Pinkushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15968983157077688761noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7206330803749360595.post-43263363820667753762013-12-30T21:52:00.000-05:002014-06-03T11:25:00.995-04:00Marynissen Estates 2002 Cabernet Franc<br /><div style="text-align: center;"><b>Found December 2013</b></div><br /><div style="text-align: justify;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRi04kxjjtsgRcX06bF8OsEPBaLjl6m8CHOEs8Rju14zWJROxpfsS-dPrAQ8vORoomgAaRjlzqmsgAKWpV0OMU9hPy043duNywaBz86Q5cz4MFaAFQDikTr3NQYe-Y3o51TT829HpVYZ7z/s1600/Marynissen+2002+CF.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRi04kxjjtsgRcX06bF8OsEPBaLjl6m8CHOEs8Rju14zWJROxpfsS-dPrAQ8vORoomgAaRjlzqmsgAKWpV0OMU9hPy043duNywaBz86Q5cz4MFaAFQDikTr3NQYe-Y3o51TT829HpVYZ7z/s320/Marynissen+2002+CF.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>This is a dichotomy of a wine, and right from the get go I was not sure whether I liked it or not. The aromas were not pleasant, nor did they really come around, a cross between Buckley's cough syrup, rotting leaves and dried tobacco, by the two hour mark some black licorice materialized and that added a little pleasantness to the smells (a very little pleasantness) - otherwise it was not a wine I liked dipping my nose into. And what's worse, if you just let it sit in the glass it filled the room with those oddball smells (aerating it created the better aromas of what I mentioned earlier). But that is only have the story. The palate more than made up for the nose, and what's even more exciting are the changes that occurred, over the two hours in was in my glass, were in direct opposition of the aromas. The tastes started out with lots of tobacco; what made it easy to drink was the smooth nature of the wine, but it still had good acidity backing it up and all with a pleasant mouthfeel. Over the course of the first hour it developed some dried-raspberry, along with hints of cinnamon, a delicate white-smokiness and some anise notes. By hour two there were a definite pleasant smokiness, dried red berries, tobacco, clove, and burnt cedar. Considering the age and the aromas eminating from the glass this is some pretty awesome stuff - I found some real pleasure in drinking it ... The wine is definitely past its peak but still mighty drinkable, if you can just get passed the smell. <span style="color: #38761d;"><i><b>Lost & Found Rating: Treasure</b></i></span></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.ontariowinereview.com/" target="_blank"><b><i>For more wine reviews and related articles go to www.ontariowinereview.com, </i></b></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.ontariowinereview.com/" target="_blank"><b><i>while there sign up for Michael's free bi-weekly newsletter.</i></b></a><br /></div>Michael Pinkushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15968983157077688761noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7206330803749360595.post-84129525277830293972013-12-27T21:29:00.000-05:002013-12-31T07:33:18.264-05:00Lailey 2008 Old Vines Chardonnay<div style="text-align: center;">
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<a href="http://ontariowinereview.com/wine-reviews/by-winery/lailey-vineyard/lailey-2008-old-vines-chardonnay" target="_blank"><b>Click here to read the original review from June 2010</b></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbR9CP0wMOsPGb3-h8LxfaeWxBwHnJNBENEZaQIilhuDf0G0gUWBOYNhNj0nrNqAk5MOoM8ru3oXY7z1YZ1jz28aGBw05rPL70w9gMQBbGHEzgFaT39McAbAXAqDfigZpIIXFC0B-yTj6A/s1600/Lailey+Chard+08.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbR9CP0wMOsPGb3-h8LxfaeWxBwHnJNBENEZaQIilhuDf0G0gUWBOYNhNj0nrNqAk5MOoM8ru3oXY7z1YZ1jz28aGBw05rPL70w9gMQBbGHEzgFaT39McAbAXAqDfigZpIIXFC0B-yTj6A/s200/Lailey+Chard+08.jpg" width="150" /></a></div>
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<b>(Re-Tasted December 2013) </b><i><b>...</b> </i>Tonight I felt like a Chardonnay, it does not happen often, but for some reason a Chardonnay was calling my name; oh yes, now I remember why, salmon was on the menu. But I did not feel like just any old Chardonnay, I wanted to try something older and from one of my go-to producers, that is a short-list indeed (as I suspect it is with most people). Hence I hold in my hand a bottle of Lailey 2008 Old Vines Chardonnay. In my original review I gave it 4 stars, and if I were to try it and rate it again today I think I would raise that score just a bit. Everything just seems to have melded so well together and there are flavours and smells that just weren't even thought of back in 2010, in fact the fruit was a little shy back then, today, let's just say, it's not as shy. The nose kicks things off with vanilla and butterscotch and then as more air gets into this wine the fruit begins to emerge in the form of apricot and grilled pineapple. Taste is just as exciting, maybe more, but what really floored me was the great acidity that hit the tongue first, then the flavours start to develop, butter and spice are out of the gate first followed by vanilla, coconut and caramel ... as with the aromas fruit is the last thing that starts to show, this time in the form of mac apple, grilled peach and grilled pear. Very tasty and very appealing ... I have a couple more bottles kicking about and look forward to trying another ... soon; if you have any, now's a good time to give it another go. </div>
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Michael Pinkushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15968983157077688761noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7206330803749360595.post-3937209230973606682013-12-19T20:05:00.000-05:002013-12-20T12:24:45.654-05:00Konzelmann Estate Winery 2006 Shiraz<br />
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<a href="http://ontariowinereviews.blogspot.ca/2008/04/konzelmann-estate-winery-2006-shiraz.html" target="_blank"><b>Click here to read the original review from April 2008</b></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJlq5GokcRuefPAjuu_jjUAQN9bOzBWYG2d6d_mX4pmKY38Q-4n0SrDXmmyYVZo1mvMj8K4NvlR_0em7HI8kKprH0CVKqRG6aF8_zH3JryZyVkAmMsDITvE3WCBAxIGy7skPY4hjn_3CAu/s1600/20131219_191216.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJlq5GokcRuefPAjuu_jjUAQN9bOzBWYG2d6d_mX4pmKY38Q-4n0SrDXmmyYVZo1mvMj8K4NvlR_0em7HI8kKprH0CVKqRG6aF8_zH3JryZyVkAmMsDITvE3WCBAxIGy7skPY4hjn_3CAu/s200/20131219_191216.jpg" width="150" /></a></div>
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<b>(Re-Tasted December 2013) ...</b> In 2006 Konzelmann made a lovely, juicy, peppery, black cherry and spicy Shiraz for a mere $12.95 ... it's the kind of wine that you would drink by the gallon and never look back at. Well, that is not my way of doing things, I drank a few but held back a couple of bottles to see what would happen to a $12.95 Shiraz from a vintage like 2006. I have to say that if the nose was any indication of what I was going to find on the palate then I should have stopped immediately, it was pretty stinky right from the get go; but thankfully I'm a professional and have encountered off aromas but with good palate results, and this wine possessed that quality: the palate kept me coming back sip after sip, I just didn't breathe in when my nose was in the glass. This wine is a perfect example of the smell taking you part of the way there, but the palate taking you home. Nose was overly-earthy with elements of pepper corn, while the palate was pleasantly raspberry, white pepper with some smoky notes. As the wine sat in the glass the nose rarely got any better than what it started out as, but the palate finishes with a dried raspberry smokiness that is quite appealing ... pretty good for a 2006 - drink up now.</div>
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Michael Pinkushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15968983157077688761noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7206330803749360595.post-61825086253486007802013-12-17T23:21:00.000-05:002013-12-20T11:39:58.730-05:00Calamus Estate 2007 Meritage<div style="text-align: center;">
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<a href="http://ontariowinereview.com/wine-reviews/by-winery/calamus-estate/calamus-estate-2007-meritage-" target="_blank"><b>Click here to read the original review from June 2010</b></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXP9OEpMW28XII8edkMGm474wBs8vI8JvW_5sx5wqjopBzunUIkxUM-GxmSKH2T263Z_lzCiMcAQM-yvsKkel10rMgcmQhnFEl315o8l5hLtAxoxaQja1sS6Luj3KuE_ki6osQvwzCpGM7/s1600/20131217_182615.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXP9OEpMW28XII8edkMGm474wBs8vI8JvW_5sx5wqjopBzunUIkxUM-GxmSKH2T263Z_lzCiMcAQM-yvsKkel10rMgcmQhnFEl315o8l5hLtAxoxaQja1sS6Luj3KuE_ki6osQvwzCpGM7/s200/20131217_182615.jpg" width="150" /></a></div>
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<b>(Re-Tasted December 2013) ... </b> It's time for another Taste it Again wine and this time I've got a bottle of Calamus 2007 Meritage to put through the rigors of re-tasting. 6 years from Vintage date and long ago sold out, this wine was incredibly popular and one of the best wines made at this young winery up to that time. I came across this wine resting in my sideboard as one I had set aside to drink soon and see how it was showing, I have another bottle lying down in the cellar for a few more years to see the ageablility of the 2007 vintage. So this is a wine we will revisit in years to come. It's important to note this wine is sealed with a screwcap, does that play a part in what is to come? We'll see. The wine seemed to 'open' in a variety stages: at first the nose was black licorice and cocoa with some earthy, black raspberry, mocha and black cherry - very appealing and enticing, definitely a good sign, now if only the flavours will be that complex. The palate started out with coffee, cocoa, and hints of smoke ... but as the nose continued with those great aromas the palate seemed to grow thinner. Sure there's a smooth spicy note to the finish but the middle seems kinda hollow, it's a donut of a wine at this point: nice beginning pleasant finish but nothing in the middle to hold it up. After an hour the wine lost it's earthiness but still remains a little hollow down the middle and a woodiness is starting to come through. Half-an-hour after that things are finally coming into balance, that wood finish is still dominating but the front palate says mocha and cassis ... As I mentioned, I still have another bottle and it should be interesting to open this wine up again in a few years. At the moment you need to decant or give it time in glass.</div>
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Michael Pinkushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15968983157077688761noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7206330803749360595.post-24447110419387283482013-11-25T16:49:00.001-05:002013-11-25T16:49:59.645-05:00Vineland Estates 2005 Cabernet Franc<div style="text-align: center;">
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<a href="http://ontariowinereview.com/wine-reviews/by-winery/vineland-estates/vineland-estates-2005-cabernet-franc" target="_blank"><b>Click here to read the original review from May 2007</b></a></div>
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<a href="http://tasteitagain.blogspot.ca/2010/08/vineland-estates-2005-cabernet-franc.html" target="_blank"><b>Re-tasted in August 2010</b></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIWW6fubfcH6optGhytdmOK0SvuaRpCo4bqPrJlbztZTln3thKVWwrL3iDleNYpQLA6T69DNbKxZ9jfQPaEpwJOw4Thf5HBhB3aeZDJKi-IIdMKzgKwAFmXUgOAXPJGx3RijE1G2dDbPH2/s1600/IMG_2178.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIWW6fubfcH6optGhytdmOK0SvuaRpCo4bqPrJlbztZTln3thKVWwrL3iDleNYpQLA6T69DNbKxZ9jfQPaEpwJOw4Thf5HBhB3aeZDJKi-IIdMKzgKwAFmXUgOAXPJGx3RijE1G2dDbPH2/s200/IMG_2178.JPG" width="150" /></a></div>
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<b>(Re-Tasted November 2013) ... </b>It's been over three years since last I re-visited this wine and tonight while combing through the cellar for something to drink I found it and thought it an interesting wine to try. I think what I am most astonished about here is the palate, smoky with a touch of woodsiness, good acidity with something herbal creeping in but nothing unpleasant. Taste-wise it doesn't seem to have a lot of fruit, as the smokiness seems to have taken over, but there's plenty to get excited about as it is smooth and ends with hints of anise and a touch of leather. On the nose we have some smoked-vanilla-raspberry, not fresh, but smoked so that the fruit aromas act as an enhancer to the smokiness. The palate seems to continue to smooth and become somewhat of a quaffer that shows some vanilla in the mix and there's a cedary-aspect that continues to resolve itself. It's quite complex and interesting and altogether fun to taste and smell. The thing I keep coming back to is that this 8 year old wine cost a measly $12.95 back when I bought it, and it has withstood more than a wine of that price point should - as someone once told me about a 10-year old microwave I was throwing out - "it doesn't owe you anything". I still have a few bottles in my cellar , I may not write them all up because I am certain this holiday season the rest of them will be coming out of the cellar - it's drinking very well right now ... okay, I might hold one back just to see.</div>
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Michael Pinkushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15968983157077688761noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7206330803749360595.post-24874493989633197752013-11-19T12:03:00.000-05:002014-06-03T11:25:01.033-04:00Jackson-Triggs 2004 Delaine Vineyard Syrah<br /><div style="text-align: center;"><b>Found November 2013</b></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMZmyOa4yprfUAjfB9N1nMRdo1hYs_vx6Ks_X7oO5vO1Zh0HZCWW9Dq3bf57LN7KQVivP62LkfJwygwlgBzZx8NvkxaZgOEU4F8XRd_zN5p4skTCOdh1NP0Yt3zA5UIelURO9sk5Z07Y3G/s1600/JT+2004+Delaine+Syrah.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMZmyOa4yprfUAjfB9N1nMRdo1hYs_vx6Ks_X7oO5vO1Zh0HZCWW9Dq3bf57LN7KQVivP62LkfJwygwlgBzZx8NvkxaZgOEU4F8XRd_zN5p4skTCOdh1NP0Yt3zA5UIelURO9sk5Z07Y3G/s200/JT+2004+Delaine+Syrah.jpg" width="150" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;">This past Saturday we had a friend over and I decided to pull out some older wines, well two. One was a bottle of <a href="http://tasteitagain.blogspot.ca/2013/11/hillebrand-2006-wild-ferment-chardonnay.html" target="_blank">Hillebrand Wild Ferment Chardonnay from 2006</a>, which turned out to be quite a beauty - the other was even older and even more amazing, because if you think of the vintage in Ontario that particular year (2004), and consider the grape variety of this wine, you'll think it pretty amazing indeed that this wine survived as long, and as well, as it did. Upon opening there was an earthy nuance that came from the wine but it settled down quickly and things started to happen, both on the nose and the palate. Blueberry and white pepper emerged, then some time later there were elements of smoky dried fruit then it turned into definitive aromas (and the occasion taste) of Montreal smoked meats with just a touch of thyme (there was an herbal quality that took us a while to put our collective fingers on - or should I say our noses around, but this is what we all agreed upon in the end). An amazing find in the cellar and a wine filled with so much complexity. If you have this in the cellar I think it's time to pull out this bottle of 9-year-old Syrah and enjoy. <span style="color: #38761d;"><b><i>Lost & Found Rating: Treasure</i></b></span></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.ontariowinereview,com/" target="_blank"><i>For more wine reviews and related articles go to www.ontariowinereview.com, </i></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.ontariowinereview,com/" target="_blank"><i>while there sign up for Michael's free bi-weekly newsletter.</i></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div>Michael Pinkushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15968983157077688761noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7206330803749360595.post-11486363654118962892013-11-18T12:21:00.004-05:002013-11-18T12:21:57.452-05:00Hillebrand 2006 Wild Ferment Chardonnay<div style="text-align: center;">
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<a href="http://ontariowinereview.com/wine-reviews/by-winery/hillebrand/hillebrand-2006-wild-ferment-chardonnay-" target="_blank"><b>Click here to read the original review from June 2008</b></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgMxBu7sTvHT5dog91PdQp-ZF1YiVtfHOoX8m-VLY3TztPKVKsSqX7NgHudWBF6qrxPdKRj6Q5xks4ACPFosGsQw4e660lz_eKlHO-w_4MxsV8Tit8_NB2bhzS3CImApRCaC103_L6ceQC/s1600/Hillebrand+2006+Chard.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgMxBu7sTvHT5dog91PdQp-ZF1YiVtfHOoX8m-VLY3TztPKVKsSqX7NgHudWBF6qrxPdKRj6Q5xks4ACPFosGsQw4e660lz_eKlHO-w_4MxsV8Tit8_NB2bhzS3CImApRCaC103_L6ceQC/s200/Hillebrand+2006+Chard.jpg" width="150" /></a></div>
<b>(Re-Tasted November 2013) ...</b> The full name of this wine is (bare with me): Hillebrand 2006 Showcase Mori Vineyard Barrel No. 6038 Radoux French Puncheon Wild Ferment Chardonnay - now try saying that 5 times fast ... anyway, I opened this up on a Saturday night with a real Chardonnay fanatic (who seems to have turned me into, at the very least, an ABCer open to Chardonnay). It is the oldest Chardonnay in my cellar and being a fan of wild ferment wines (in their youth) I was excited to give this a try to see how it ages ... if you're thinking fresh fruit, forget about it, but if you're into caramel, toffee, baked dried apple, burnt butter, touches of apricot and peach pit then this wine definitely delivers on all levels, plus more. It has held up well but I think now is the time to be drinking it, waiting won't give you anything more that you're really looking for. </div>
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<br />Michael Pinkushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15968983157077688761noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7206330803749360595.post-16897255917263069242013-11-14T12:45:00.000-05:002013-11-18T12:56:49.136-05:00Henry of Pelham 2007 Reserve Cabernet/Merlot<br />
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<a href="http://ontariowinereview.com/wine-reviews/by-winery/henry-of-pelham/henry-of-pelham-2007-reserve-cabernetmerlot" target="_blank"><b>Click here to read the original review from June 2011</b></a></div>
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<i><b>(Re-Tasted November 2013) ...</b></i> Please excuse me if I get a little more effusive than usual about a Taste it Again wine but I'm telling you this might be one of the best taste it again wines I have re-tasted in quite some time ... granted it is only (according to the review) 2 years from tasting date - but something tells me I have tasted this earlier than that and the dating of the original tasting might be a little off. But let's go through this wine bit by bit so that you know why it is so awesome. The nose screams of dark fruit: blackberry, black cherry and plum along with cinnamon and clove. Palate still has wonderful tannin structure and comes off as really sexy in the mouth with a smoky quality, hints of cocoa, great spice balanced with vanilla, blackberry and cassis - there's also some lovely mocha-spice on the finish. If you have some of this wine in your cellar it is drinking beautifully right now, if you don't have any, find someone who does, this is a really beauty that seems to just keep on getting better and I don't think it has reached its plateau quite yet; it still has a few years but I'm telling you now is as good a time as any.</div>
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<br />Michael Pinkushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15968983157077688761noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7206330803749360595.post-62657417906688173632013-10-28T08:47:00.000-04:002014-06-03T11:25:01.043-04:00Inniskillin 2006 Reserve Series Pinot Noir<div style="text-align: center;"><b>Found October 2013</b><br /><b><a href="http://owrlostandfound.blogspot.ca/2013/04/inniskillin-2006-pinot-noir-reserve.html" target="_blank">Read this review from 6 months ago - it's getting even better </a></b></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLUBxKTGgw5_nFki6bAD-8LMLLGnGGSzKUNVbB-AL56zCiIZZt1HRou1XHSWiRaSD0mlHQQsixvWPv0DqDeLkPcokW6hmzI1QufC6CHnePA2VCD7BuvuzqiO7bbJRvpUY3pToShCr9ybU4/s1600/Inniskillin+2006+Pinot+Noir.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLUBxKTGgw5_nFki6bAD-8LMLLGnGGSzKUNVbB-AL56zCiIZZt1HRou1XHSWiRaSD0mlHQQsixvWPv0DqDeLkPcokW6hmzI1QufC6CHnePA2VCD7BuvuzqiO7bbJRvpUY3pToShCr9ybU4/s200/Inniskillin+2006+Pinot+Noir.jpg" width="150" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;">This was a surprise of a wine. Not that I didn't think it would age, but that it aged so well. 2006 was a year that Pinot Noir would have thrived as it was not an incredible vintage for big heavy reds, but the lighter ones would have done quite well and the acidity would have been good for things like Chardonnay, Riesling, Gamay and, of course, Pinot Noir - wines that really need the acidity to make them sing in the glass and helps them age well. The Inniskillin 2006 Reserve Series Pinot Noir has a gold label, as you can see from the picture, and it truly deserves the gold status is gave itself. Dried strawberry, earthy and smooth right from the get go and throughout the time I drank it; it was a delightfully tasty wine with a med long finish and something else that showed was a seam of strawberry that appeared in many facets and stages thru the course of the drinking. The above noted flavours and smells were always there but there was also a myriad of others that came and went over the course of the couple of hours I sipped on it: things like vanilla, cedar, clove and cinnamon all managed to make and appearance and add to the enjoyment of this wine. If you have some of this in the cellar it is now time to drink. <span style="color: #38761d;"><b>Lost & Found Rating: Treasure</b></span></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.ontariowinereview.com/" target="_blank"><i>For more wine reviews and related articles go to www.ontariowinereview.com, </i></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.ontariowinereview.com/" target="_blank"><i>while there sign up for Michael's free bi-weekly newsletter.</i></a></div><br />Michael Pinkushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15968983157077688761noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7206330803749360595.post-57856382027111713812013-10-25T08:13:00.000-04:002013-11-09T08:27:31.783-05:00Stoney Ridge 2005 Cranberry Wine<div style="text-align: center;">
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<a href="http://ontariowinereview.com/wine-reviews/by-varietal/fruit/stoney-ridge-2005-cranberry-wine" target="_blank"><b>Click here to read the original review from February 2007</b></a></div>
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<b>(Re-Tasted October 2013) ...</b> I won't belabor this review. I'm gonna get right to the point and not beat around the bush. I'm gonna come right out and say it and not make you wait for it. Okay, enough lolly-gagging around, let's get right to this ... this wine was actually much much much better than expected. When I pulled it out around the Thanksgiving table many were wondering what the heck I was thinking bringing such an old unimpressive looking bottle to the family dinner (the label looks like something I made at home). But once it was opened we all started singing a different tune, this wine had kept those lovely tart cranberry notes and had ditched the cranberry cocktail aspect it had when it was young. Then my intrepid sister-in-law suggested that it might be a good base for a holiday themed spritzer and out of what was originally seen as a daring wine to open turned out to be the hit of the evening ... I also got a picture of the stained bottle and even that was impressive - you can actually see a line running down the side of the bottle where the colouring and the bottom side of the bottle ended up being darker than the top side - I'll publish it here too.<i> </i></div>
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Michael Pinkushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15968983157077688761noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7206330803749360595.post-62417996265837902542013-10-25T07:59:00.000-04:002014-06-03T11:25:01.081-04:00Lailey Vineyard 2008 Zweigelt<div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b>Found October 2013</b></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguFc5vd3CK6ksHos0e7y5Kp_hnAtHul_r0Eff3wyrvrZVX32P51IMvY_aJH6P2N2_76d8stMOg85jc36eIhVhZk3TpsVVs4kVfdadVG39wAbrw00bxDWXS01_Pu8osZp26wnDeCglZjHfQ/s1600/Lailey+2008+Zweigelt.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguFc5vd3CK6ksHos0e7y5Kp_hnAtHul_r0Eff3wyrvrZVX32P51IMvY_aJH6P2N2_76d8stMOg85jc36eIhVhZk3TpsVVs4kVfdadVG39wAbrw00bxDWXS01_Pu8osZp26wnDeCglZjHfQ/s200/Lailey+2008+Zweigelt.jpg" width="150" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;">It causes me great pains to write such a review - because I am usually a fan of wines from Lailey - but at Thanksgiving I decided to open a few older bottles with the family. Now I have to take some responsibility for this bottle, after all I was the one who waited this long to open it; but how else do we learn about older wine unless we store them away and open them on a rainy day. Now I know Zweigelt isn't known for it's robust and fresh fruit character but this one was pure badness: leathery, pencil shavings, band-aid along with caraway seed, and even more band-aid. There was not one person who could find a redeeming feature about it ... chalk this one up to experience - thankfully we had some other excellent bottles that night. <span style="color: #cc0000;"><b>Lost & Found Rating: Trash</b></span> </div><br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.ontariowinereview.com/" target="_blank"><i>For more wine reviews and related articles go to www.ontariowinereview.com, </i></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.ontariowinereview.com/" target="_blank"><i>while there sign up for Michael's free bi-weekly newsletter.</i></a></div><br />Michael Pinkushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15968983157077688761noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7206330803749360595.post-59726769351362907822013-10-24T07:07:00.000-04:002014-06-03T11:25:01.089-04:00Maleta Vineyards 2001 Meritage<br /><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b>Found October 2013</b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhE8CwqkVNzVeJvTBlv6Q9Lu2drqWgQ8fBNg-CsxB2EqiE7Ovqb1x4Sure8mDVjhAeRByIkBN2Nes-lDmG8brDQ_EaBSJ1gSjIcPiuHqmVKG8Mb6bRe2D-8jxonskq3bkAEaIoRZ5i8ED3c/s1600/Maleta+2001+Meritage.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhE8CwqkVNzVeJvTBlv6Q9Lu2drqWgQ8fBNg-CsxB2EqiE7Ovqb1x4Sure8mDVjhAeRByIkBN2Nes-lDmG8brDQ_EaBSJ1gSjIcPiuHqmVKG8Mb6bRe2D-8jxonskq3bkAEaIoRZ5i8ED3c/s200/Maleta+2001+Meritage.jpg" width="150" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Shhh, don't tell my wife, but I kinda enjoy when she leaves town to visit her family for a few days. I have nothing to hide but if she saw the amount of time I spend in my wine cellar that weekend she would have flipped (why was I not cleaning other parts of the house?) Now, I did not spend 24 hours or anything silly like that, I just took a few hours to re-arrange and move stuff around and also make some discoveries, like this 2001 Maleta Meritage. I was really looking forward to this one as it had been a silver medal winner (as the sticker on the bottle proudly proclaimed) and 2001 was a pretty good year for reds in Ontario. Except for one little spotted creature it would have been a perfect year ... and alas the Asian Lady Beetle had infected this wine as well. Back when this wine won its award I am sure it was not as pronounced, but today it's all rancid peanut on the nose that just keeps getting stronger the longer it stays open ... sadly, you could make out that lovely fruit that would have been there if not for that off putting nose (especially on the palate) - flavours were muted, but another surprise was that the fruit and acidity still seem to be very much intact ... it's really just the off-putting nose, and the muting of the fruit that stands in its way. <span style="color: red;"><b>Lost & Found Rating: Trash</b></span></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.ontariowinereview.com/" target="_blank"><i>For more wine reviews and related articles go to www.ontariowinereview.com, </i></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.ontariowinereview.com/" target="_blank"><i>while there sign up for Michael's free bi-weekly newsletter.</i></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div>Michael Pinkushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15968983157077688761noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7206330803749360595.post-28838208056589399712013-10-04T20:13:00.000-04:002013-10-07T20:16:35.848-04:00Between the Lines 2009 Cabernet Franc<div style="text-align: center;">
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<a href="http://ontariowinereview.com/wine-reviews/by-winery/between-the-lines/between-the-lines-2009-cabernet-franc-" target="_blank">Click here to read the original review from June 2011</a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOWfU031k4ePUlqS8Get3rJW21nRrXFZIsPy0R-TTGtTJIotPLZ_8MiN2JAMT71Xr_W6Sws61JGnU4-yGx1e_s5qHgRXSAL6LNXGxKFMkxUNtDWrOgqz9OmOXFAj7t_eipdx4dLRCrcfqB/s1600/20131004_175646.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOWfU031k4ePUlqS8Get3rJW21nRrXFZIsPy0R-TTGtTJIotPLZ_8MiN2JAMT71Xr_W6Sws61JGnU4-yGx1e_s5qHgRXSAL6LNXGxKFMkxUNtDWrOgqz9OmOXFAj7t_eipdx4dLRCrcfqB/s200/20131004_175646.jpg" width="150" /></a></div>
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<b>(Re-Tasted October 2013) ...</b> It's not usual that I re-look at a wine after less than three years, but this unoaked number isn't going to last forever, so if you have some in the cellar it would be a good time to listen up. When we last looked at this wine in June of 2011 it was all fruit, lovely, rich, red fruit. Now 2+ years later it has developed into something more. There's a nice tobacco, blueberry and raspberry aroma and follows onto the palate where you do find an underlay of tobacco leaf. Gone are the ripe red fruits, replaced by some secondary characteristics that play well with what brought this wine to the dance in the first place: fruit. It's drinking really well now, it's smooth and delicious and very tasty - but drink it up soon, because it's unoaked you'll want to enjoy it while it still has something to offer. </div>
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<br />Michael Pinkushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15968983157077688761noreply@blogger.com0