(Re-Tasted March 2010) ... Even when on the road I carry my own glasses, I also occasionally carry my own wine. Take for example right now: I am on a train back to Toronto, I am carrying two Californian, a Spanish and an Australian - if this train breaks down I am ready for the long haul. That's why in a La Quinta Hotel in Calhoun, Georgia, I'm sipping away on a 2005 Flat Rock Cellars Riesling. It's not the kind of summer weather you expect when you thing of Georgia, in fact it's pretty chilly in the state this time of year. Now I'm a Canadian, so that means I am ready to throw on some shorts in this 64F (12C) degree weather, but others are dressed as we would at home for below zero temps. In the hotel, I popped this bottle of Flat Rock Riesling into a garbage can of ice and waited an hour or so for it to chill. I then brought out my traveling Schott Zwiesel glasses and I was ready, all I needed was a balcony to sit on to enjoy, unfortunately there was not to be found. The nose didn't seem to want to give much up in the way of smells revealing only lemon rind and hints of petrol. The palate was willing to show a little more: petrol, lemon curd, a touch sour, a bit of tartness and a decent amount of acidity. This was once voted as the best white wine in Canada, it didn't exactly live up to that rating today ... but it just goes to show that there is so many factors at plays when tasting wine: it had been a long day on the road (13 hours) and we were quite tired; the wine was not (tired), but I think we were too tired to appreciate and enjoy it. Though it was nice to have a taste of home so far from it.
Showing posts with label Flat Rock Cellars. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Flat Rock Cellars. Show all posts
March 5, 2010
April 28, 2009
Flat Rock 2004 Gravity Pinot Noir
(Re-Tasted April 2009) ... I have heard it said that Pinot Noir is one of those weird grapes that has an ebb and flow to its aging process. Here's what I mean: Let's say you open a bottle of 2004 in early January of 2008 and the wine is beautiful and succulent with lots of berries and cherries - the kind of wine you are happy to own, your experience tells you that the wine can age another 4 to 5 years with ease. Wanting to capture that wine moment again you open a bottle of the same wine 6 months later, it's lackluster, no sign of fruit and little indicatiojn that this is even wine. Ready to pitch your case of 2004 you get unexpectedly sidetracked and the wine remains in your cellar another year. You come across it and remember the nasty stuff you tried - curious you pop the cork and try it again ... this time the wine is sublime. And that's Pinot Noir, not just a heartbreaker but a head-scratcher as well. Today, I opened up my last remaining bottle of Flat Rock's 2004 Gravity Pinot - one of my favourites from that vintage - and I found myself disappointed. Sure there are Pinot smells here, earthy, anise seed, forest floor, and fruits that aren't exactly fresh but not dried out either. The taste is another mystery of sorts: earthy forest floor, dried cranberry, slightly raisiny, touch of anise but quite smooth. We call this a "dumb phase", for Pinto Noir - not showing great, but not showing all that well either - if I had another bottle I would keep it in the corner for another 6 months to a year and try it again.
April 22, 2009
Flat Rock Cellars 2004 Riesling
Found April 2009
Funny this wine should be considered part of my Lost and Found section - I do have a tasting note on 
it from July 2006, but I never published it. At that time I said: "A great citrus nose, but not overpowering - this wine has mellowed since it’s release and drinks quite well now; though it does have a little tartness to it and tastes like a sweet lemonade." That's when I decided to lay it down and see what happens to the high acidity. Well all that sweetness and acidity helped preserve this wine beautifully and of course there's the screwcap - help, hinder ... we'll never know cause the wine was not simultaneously bottled under cork; but I am never one to shy away from a bottle of wine no matter what it is closed with. With a click I was off with the tasting. The smell was of mild petrol tones and lemon rind, while the palate proved a little more complex. Lots of mineral and lemon drop, the petrol also appeared in the mouth, but in a very mild-mannered way. The acidity was still very good and the fruit was a mixture of mac sweet and Granny-Smith tart (not fresh but by no mean mealy and old either) giving it a nice crisp entry and smooth exit. Time has not hurt this wine in any way, in fact it was very kind to it; I think a little more time would help too. Lost & Found Rating: Treasure
it from July 2006, but I never published it. At that time I said: "A great citrus nose, but not overpowering - this wine has mellowed since it’s release and drinks quite well now; though it does have a little tartness to it and tastes like a sweet lemonade." That's when I decided to lay it down and see what happens to the high acidity. Well all that sweetness and acidity helped preserve this wine beautifully and of course there's the screwcap - help, hinder ... we'll never know cause the wine was not simultaneously bottled under cork; but I am never one to shy away from a bottle of wine no matter what it is closed with. With a click I was off with the tasting. The smell was of mild petrol tones and lemon rind, while the palate proved a little more complex. Lots of mineral and lemon drop, the petrol also appeared in the mouth, but in a very mild-mannered way. The acidity was still very good and the fruit was a mixture of mac sweet and Granny-Smith tart (not fresh but by no mean mealy and old either) giving it a nice crisp entry and smooth exit. Time has not hurt this wine in any way, in fact it was very kind to it; I think a little more time would help too. Lost & Found Rating: TreasureOctober 22, 2008
Flat Rock Cellars 2004 Rusty Shed Chardonnay
was one of my favourites to come out of the 2004 vintage, and one of my all-time favourite wines to come out of Flat Rock (granted they are a relatively young winery in the grand scheme of things), but this was one fantastic wine when I tried it some 2 and a half years ago. So fantastic in fact that I decided that I just had to lay down a bottle and see what happens. Now here it is, the day I have been waiting for, and I am racked with questions about this wine. My first sniff and taste screamed out “green” and “mature” at the same time. But how can that be, green means young and mature, well that speaks for itself. Time for more aeration… There’s definitely a vanilla-caramel note here that I’m just loving (that’s my sweet tooth talking to my nose), there’s also some butterscotch and toffee coming from the glass. Any fruit character I’m smelling is that of old fruit, there’s nothing ripe and fresh here, maybe over-ripe is a better term, a hint of cucumber wafts out of the glass and then there is definitely an caramel apple sensation. Taste still has a bit of a bite in the finish with good acidity and the caramel apple keeps coming back to me, but I’m thinking it’s a Granny Smith caramel coated apple and not a Mac; the colour has definitely gone golden yellow, and the finish is quite persistent. The more I sip the more I’m thinking I still like this wine. As many of you may know I am not a huge Chardonnay fan, but this one hits the mark as something different – and I like different. I definitely like different.
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