Nova Cabinets Wine Cabinets

 I wanted to do a special feature on a company based in British Colombia.
The company produces cabinets for kitchens, bathroom, living rooms, etc. But in relation to our interests on this blog, the company produces excellent wine cabinets. Nova can produce any type of wine cabinet that will fit your individual needs.
The top picture in this post features a modest wine cabinet that is made out of alder wood. The unit features a built in wine fridge and cabinet for glasses. Built in cabinet lighting is also included in this unit, along with a bank of drawers. This size of wine cabinet can fit into virtually any living space.

On the larger scale, the picture second picture features a fully custom knotty alder "wine closet" that can hold up to 176 bottles of wine. The unit has built in lighting and temperature control. This specific wine room is designed to fit into a standard 8 foot closet.

Check out the "Custom Millwork" gallery on www.novacainets.ca for more details and pictures of what Nova can build for you. The company does business extensively throughout the Lower Mainland, Whistler, throughout eastern BC and in the USA as well.

Torbreck Old Vines 2008 Re-tasted

So I was at the liquor store the other day and happened to see the Torbreck Barossa Valley wine on sale. It was on special for $18 instead of the normal $25. I have written about this wine before, but I thought that it deserved another post because of how good it was. Upon opening, the red had an excellent balance of fruit, light on the spice, and light oak to it. My wife and I enjoyed it with some rosemary crackers and cheese while dinner was cooking. It has a smoothe texture and nice tannins to compliment it. I dont think I mentioned this in my previous post about the wine but I was also quite pleased with how it tasted the next day. The following evening I noticed that the fruit had died down a bit and the spice and oak seemed more powerful. There was a little bit of oxidized taste to it but this red is lucky because the oxidization managed to complimentthe taste instead of overpower it. That is quite a rare trait in a wine of this price. I cant say it enough, this wine is awesome!! Go pick some up from the liquor store before the sale ends, it is an excellent wine with a very reasonabale price point.

2007 Two Hands- Bella's Garden Shiraz

My parents came to visit Jenn and I this past weekend. As usual we went to dinner at Kevan and Judy's and that can only mean one thing, getting to try expensive wines!! While it is usually my dad who selects the red wine to take to dinner, I found myself in the driver's seat this time. I decided to have a little bit of fun with my family and try a sociological experiment.

I have been meaning to try Two Hands for a long time. Bella's garden in particular has had excellent reviews and has been rated in the 93+ range. Of course, with such a high rating and such rave reviews the price tag is a bit high. $75 to be exact. I knew the wine was excellent, but I wasn't so sure my family did. So I decided to purchase the wine and not mention to my family that the wine was anything special. After all, it's my dad who is known as the wine expert and the person who is willing to spend more money on wine for a special occasion. 

Since we were having turkey, my dad selected a modest white wine, quite unexpected of him because he is known to love expensive red wine, and I brought my bottle of Two Hands. 

I guess the reason I wanted to do the experiment was that I wanted to see if everyone would recognize that the red wine was superior even if I didn't tell them that it was. Also, because I was the one who purchased the  red wine, would they think immediately that my wine was inferior to the wine my dad brought?

The results were mixed. I got the definitive answer to one of my questions, but not to the other. 

Only three of the ten people present (including me) tried my wine. Whether because they thought that my dad had brought a superior wine, or because white wine goes better with turkey, I cant be certain. Although, Kevan and Judy have been known to drink red wine with anything so I am inclined to think the former. I was disappointed that the true red wine drinkers didn't try Two Hands. My wife, and her sister were the only other two people that have a full glass. They didn't have much to say about it, which was also disappointing. My dad did get to try a small amount that was left in the bottle to which he replied, "that is very good". 

So as a result, I was unable to determine if they would be able to taste a superior wine, but I now know that if my dad brings the wine, they will certainly go for that over something I would bring. Not to sound depressed about it, but it was a bit of a bummer nonetheless. 

Ok, so after explaining my experiment, finally we can get to the review of Bella's garden. 

I have found that wines of this caliber tend to be very complex. I mentioned in a previous post that the Cat Among the Pigeons red was one dimensional, Two Hands is the contrary. This complexity, the subtle balance between spice, oak, fruit, and tannins, is the exact reason that this bottle demands $75, instead of $19.99. A lot of the more expensive bottles I have tried were very complex, but complex in their own way. Some balance between fruit and oak, or fruit and spice. This one in particular was a blend of spice and oak. Not much fruit at all. The wine was quite acidic which gave it a slightly tart taste which might be confused as fruit. Maybe some subtle hints of berries. If I had one word to describe the flavor of the wine it would be vibrant. All of the flavors were very vibrant. Bright and very clearly taste. This is not a subtle wine overall. It would be good with the usual shiraz fair-steak and potatoes, something rich and heavy. 

For the person who is wanting to go deeper into tasting a good wine, I would highly recommend it. This is not a wine for the average wine drinker. Too expensive and to complex for the inexperienced tongue. 

I enjoyed it quite a bit, if only my family had given it a proper try...

Cat Amongst the Pigeons- Nine Lives Shiraz 2009

So out of curiosity, I bought this wine yesterday. I had heard from a few different people that this wine ws a winner. It is from the Barossa Valley and won a silver medal at the Adelaide wine show in 2010. The wine is actually from Rosedale Wines, which is based in the Barossa Valley. Rosedale Wines is a huge commercial winery that produces several different types of reds but under various, different looking labels. I have had my disappointments with big commercial wines before but hey, its all part of the job.

I was pleasantly suprised by this wine. For a shiraz, it was very light and fruity. Virtually no oak at all. The tannins are very light. I was a bit dissappointed that the wine didnt last well in the bottle over night. Some wines, if you are lucky, taste just as good the next day. I generally see wines last a bit over 24 hours after you open them. Some wines oxidize more slowly or have taste profiles that are complimented by the oxidization taste. Wines that are more balanced between fruit and oak, and wines that are heavier and more rich are like that. This wine, being almost completely fruit and lighter than air did not respond as well to the oxidization that took place over night. No that it was undrinkable, but it certainly didnt taste as good as the night before.
Overall, I would recommend it to someone who is just looking to try a South Australian Red. It is light and easy to drink. A little one dimentional, but thats ok. Its nothing special, but you tend to find that quality in red wines like this that are mass produced by huge commercial wineries (especially at this price point). It wont disappoint the average wine-goer. At $19.99 a bottle, its cheap enough to give it a try.

I havent mentioned bottle design in any of my posts before, but at this stage I feel like it is something to consider. Bottle design is very important to a winemaker. Its the shape of the glass, and colors on the label, and the color and font of the label that make wines stand out to the inexperienced wine drinker. I have to admit, I am a little biased when it comes to labels. I find a lot of bottles from California are so loud and colorful, they seem like they are trying to cover up an inferior wine. Also the name of the wine can be a bit overdone as well. Apothic Red, Blasted Church, and Evil wines are perfect example of names, and/or artwork that is overdone. Simple, classy labels, glued to a tall dark bottle are what appeal to me.
The Cat Amongst the Pigeons wine bottle is a little bit on the cute side. Im not crazy about the name. The name is trying to say to much, and the label is a bit busy. Also, naming the wine nine lives shiraz is a little too cute. I dont mean to come off as cynical or a downer, but in my opinion flashy bottles like this are what attract the people who know nothing about wine. The smart wine drinker would know better. Or better yet, wouldnt judge a wine by its bottle. I guess I am not a pure wine critic.
Anyway, after that tangent, I would recommend it. Decent wine at a price that my wife wont kill me for buying. If you like this one, I would recommend the Petaringa Understudy, and the Undercover. Both are excellent wines, no cute labels, and produced by a smaller winery that spends a bit more time considering the final product in the bottle. They are a bit more money, but are certainly worth it.

Until next time...