(Re-Tasted March 2012) ... It was only recently that Creekside started adding the other Bordeaux varieties into their Laura's mix ... here we are dealing with the days of Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Cabernet Franc only blends. In Ontario, 2005 was the second "really good" to "great" vintage of the decade, depending on who you spoke to, so it seemed only right to lie this one down for a spell. Bottled in late 2007, the back label proclaimed 2008-2013 as a perfect window in which to drink the wine - so here we are tucking ourselves neatly into the latter part of that time period. Upon opening, the wine had aromas of licorice, smoke and cassis (more smoke and licorice though) - as it sat in the glass a touch of unsweetened strawberry jam seemed to waft up and take hold, but still had the other features to back it up. The taste was something different, gone was the licorice and only a hint of smoke remained; dried blackberry dominated for a spell than red currant showed up, but all soon fell to a fiercely dry finish that was a touch woody, and getting harsher with time in the glass. All-in-all good mouth-feel here, though still slightly tannic, with fruit that still shows up - if none more than a little dried ... it's those tannins that seem to keep wanting to rise up and crush those delicate fruit nuances that still remain. If you've got some then you'll want to decant it and drink it or you could hold out another year or two, but not longer - in this case the decanter is key to smoothing those (wood?) tannins.
Showing posts with label Creekside. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Creekside. Show all posts
March 11, 2012
March 7, 2012
Creekside Estate 2002 Cabernet
(Re-Tasted March 2012) ... If you have read the original review done in 2008 you'll notice at the end I said we'll try this one again in two years; well I am behind schedule, as it is now 4 years later and it is only now that the wine comes up for re-tasting. First, I was shocked and appalled to see a plastic cork, but then around that time period Creekside was using the inferior closure. I found the wine to be a little lean right from the get go showing a little more oxidation than you want in a wine, but less than I would have expected, based on the closure. I was happy to see the wine still retained some good acidity and that there were also still quite a bit of tannin backbone, but there is something to the finish that didn't sit quite right: it's funky - sweet (as in oxidized) and bitter (because the wood is showing through, especially the longer it sits open). It is an old wine no doubt, but we must keep in mind it is 10 years old; the real question is, is it as "old" as it should be? Guess we'll never know. For this wine I would have loved to see a control wine either under cork or screwcap to compare.
January 29, 2009
Creekside 2005 Butler's Grant Vineyard Riesling
Found January 2009
Shock of all shocks, I never once officially reviewed this wine. I’ve looked everywhere: past newsletters, On the Road articles, in the wine review section, you name it I’ve looked there – and not a peep (guess I was trying to keep this one to myself). I liked it though, enough so to buy 6 bottles in June of 2006, and I made notes every time I drank a bottle (5 in total). Here’s a sampling:
June/July
2006 - Spectacular fruit driven wine ... sugar is about a 2 and a crowd pleaser for sure. Nose of lemon and lime with peaches and apple - great taste of sweet white peach. Drinks well right now and will age for a few years to come. My favourite Riesling from the New Vintages festival held in Niagara for May 2006.January 2008 - The petrol is beginning to develop but still has plenty of crisp acidity, citrus - apple - pear and lemon.
June 2008 - ... Delicious, great acidity and fruit, can’t believe I have gone through 5 bottles of this baby already, so much for really seeing what age can do ... was even better 3 days later.
With my last bottle, I took thorough notes … just 6 months after my previous bottle was opened the wine has developed even more, though it might finally be cresting the age-hill. There’s a light hint of petrol on the nose, mixed with smells of Welsh’s white grape juice and Vaseline. The palate, while still having that touch of petrol on it, has developed to a point where it now has a taste of cherry-tomato juice and a bit of lanolin. The finish still lingers, on the side of lime-juice, which to my taste is better than the tomato taste. The wine has finally seen its day, it’s not horrible by any stretch of the imagination, it’s most definitely still drinkable and enjoyable with enough pleasure in the mouth that a second glass is in order; but not what it used to be, when you easily could have finished the whole bottle and ordered up a second before lunch was even half over. Another point of interest, this one is now much dryer than expected. Lost & Found rating: Tolerable +.
September 16, 2008
Creekside 2002 Cabernet-Merlot
(Re-Tasted September 2008) ... After the appalling adventure that was the '03 Weir (see below) I decided to give Creekside a chance to redeem themselves by pulling out this 2006 Cuvee Award winning wine (Best General List Red), and I am so glad I did. This wine has evolved in such a beautiful way and still has some time left. There's enough black fruit in here, in the form of black raspberries, a hint of wood - but nothing overpowering, a touch of Ontario's signature green pepper (roasted), a smokey cinnamon note and a pleasant long finish; and what's more, it's very food friendly - my pasta tasted all the better with this to wash it down. Is this a fantastic wine, no; but it is still a very good wine, that's a great big YES. It's a wine that has reached it's maturity gracefully and is now ready for you to enjoy (and over the next two years). For it's original selling price this wine now seems like a steal, $12.95 ... if you have some of these in your cellar it's time to release them and start drinking them up.
August 4, 2008
Creekside Winery 2004 Shiraz
Found July 2008
Should a Shiraz last 4 years? Damn straight it should, wood and skins alone will make it alright for that kind of ageing, but it’s the long term ageing potential that a year like 2004 is not going to be known for (that is a general rule to which there are some exceptions). So what about this Shiraz, is it an exception or does it follow the rule? There was definitely a generous use of wood here, because it comes through on both the nose and palate, but so does the black fruit and white pepper; there’s also some nuances of dried fruit, a sure sign of an aged wine – but it’s the white pepper and woodiness that’s keeping this one alive. Right now it’s smooth and enjoyable with a bit of wood tannins joining the white pepper on the finish. This one wasn’t meant for any longevity, it was built for drink now enjoyment, I’d say you’ve got maybe a year or two left. Lost & Found rating: Tolerable +.
May 28, 2008
Creekside 2001 Laura’s Blend Red
(Re-Tasted May 2008) … I loved this wine so much at first tasting I bought quite a few bottles (6 to be 
exact) and I still have 3 left. 2001 was a good year in Ontario, except for our vineyard friends the ladybugs, who got munched up in the grapes and secreted that foul smelling and tasting pyrazine chemical into the wines. Thankfully this wine has none of that. Today, some 7 years from vintage date (and 2½ from original tasting), I popped the cork and tried it again. The nose grabbed me by the hairs and screamed “green pepper”, which was all over this wine – there were also some black currants, but they only peaked through that green pepper curtain. The taste is loaded with cedary notes … heck, forget notes, it was like chewing on a stave; little fruit seems to exist here. And that previously mentioned green pepper – well that appears just prior to swallowing and all over the finish and into the aftertaste, but little shows up in the mouth itself. A little aeration proved to be only slightly helpful in bringing out more flavours and different smells. It’s still drinkable and not unpleasant, but I’m not sure I know where it’s going, or if it’s gone. With so many bottles left, I’ll try it again at the end of the summer and let you know.
exact) and I still have 3 left. 2001 was a good year in Ontario, except for our vineyard friends the ladybugs, who got munched up in the grapes and secreted that foul smelling and tasting pyrazine chemical into the wines. Thankfully this wine has none of that. Today, some 7 years from vintage date (and 2½ from original tasting), I popped the cork and tried it again. The nose grabbed me by the hairs and screamed “green pepper”, which was all over this wine – there were also some black currants, but they only peaked through that green pepper curtain. The taste is loaded with cedary notes … heck, forget notes, it was like chewing on a stave; little fruit seems to exist here. And that previously mentioned green pepper – well that appears just prior to swallowing and all over the finish and into the aftertaste, but little shows up in the mouth itself. A little aeration proved to be only slightly helpful in bringing out more flavours and different smells. It’s still drinkable and not unpleasant, but I’m not sure I know where it’s going, or if it’s gone. With so many bottles left, I’ll try it again at the end of the summer and let you know.January 9, 2008
Creekside Estate Winery 2002 Cabernet
(Found – August 2007)
2002, being the year that its was, it was hard to make a wine that would not have life after a few years in bottle; but what about 5 years on. The winemaking team at Creekside shows that their current hit streak is no fluke – and started a long time ago, they have been making great wines all along. At first the wine showed leathery-dark fruit on the nose - the leathery then blew off and became cedary-dark fruit. The cedar continued into the mouth with some cassis, blackberries, a touch of vanilla, a little cinnamon and nutmeg also thrown in for good measure. Not bad at all especially for a wine that has been under plastic cork all this time, and I have had little luck with aged plastic. I still seem to have one bottle left, I’ll lay it down and we’ll assess it again in 2 years. Lost + Found rating: TREASURE.
2002, being the year that its was, it was hard to make a wine that would not have life after a few years in bottle; but what about 5 years on. The winemaking team at Creekside shows that their current hit streak is no fluke – and started a long time ago, they have been making great wines all along. At first the wine showed leathery-dark fruit on the nose - the leathery then blew off and became cedary-dark fruit. The cedar continued into the mouth with some cassis, blackberries, a touch of vanilla, a little cinnamon and nutmeg also thrown in for good measure. Not bad at all especially for a wine that has been under plastic cork all this time, and I have had little luck with aged plastic. I still seem to have one bottle left, I’ll lay it down and we’ll assess it again in 2 years. Lost + Found rating: TREASURE.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)