Wolf Blass Grey Label

The grey label shiraz is a part of Wolf Blass' luxury range of wines. It cost about $35-40 a bottle. The more and more I sample wines that are in the $30-40 range, I find that they are very similar in quality and taste. 

The grey label is a very fruity wine. Dark Red in color, with a very dry finish. The tannins were light, again which is common with this price range of wine. The $100 bottles of wine are more complex and have tannins that complement the wine. The lowest quality wines are all over the board which have harsh tannins and extreme tastes. Older more mature wines are more subtle and well rounded.
Overall I liked the wine, if it was a bit average. There wasn't much that stood out about this wine. It was a middle of the road wine that everyone would like. Good price point and good taste makes this one accessible for anyone. Its not one I would necessarily buy again and cellar, but it would be a wine that I would recommend to anyone who is looking for a decent red.

Penfold's Grandfather Port

I had the unique opportunity this weekend to try a very special port. Now, I realize that port falls outside of the scope of this blog, but for this specific port, I am willing to make an exception. Port is technically called a fortified wine. In my research on the port, I learned that this port has a very interesting process.
The Grandfather port is 20 years old on average. I say average, because of the unique process in which the port goes through. The port is fermented in an 8 level system called a solera. But before the wine is added to the solera, it is aged for 8 years. once in the solera, the wine is slowly pushed down through the various levels by a small amount of port being drained at the bottom and a small amount of wine being added at the top. When all is said and done, the port has been fermented for about 20 years.

Penfold's produces this grandfather port from four main varieties of grapes-Grenache, Cabernet, Shiraz, and Mourvedre. Although the website mentions that the port is not limited to only these varieties. Port is generally considered a dessert wine. It is very sweet, and as my father in law said, "if you feel like you've got a mouth full of syrup, you've taken too much." All that is needed is the tiniest of sips in order to experience the flavor. Because of this only a fraction of a regular red wine glass is typically served- only about an ounce.
When I tried it, I found it very smooth and easy to drink. Just wetting my lips with the port gave me all the flavor I needed. I got the sense that this port had a very nice toffee type of taste while I was drinking it.
I very much enjoyed the Grandfather port. And because port is able to mature in the bottle, even after opening, it is something that I can keep in my collection for a long time!! This bottle retailed for about $85. The price initially seems like a lot, but considering you simply don't drink as much of it at any one time, it actually will last quite a while when compared to a bottle of red you would finish in an evening. It is well worth the experience of drinking it!!

Yalumba- Octavius 2000

To put it simply, I was quite spoiled this weekend. My parents came up for a visit and we decided to spend the evening with Kevan and Judy. Being a special occasion, my dad bought some very nice wine for us to try. One of the many wines we tried (and the best one) was Yalumba's Octavius from 2000. Needless to say, Yalumba always produces excellent wines, and their Octavius is top notch. The Octavius, along with the Reserve, are Yalumba's top wines they offer. Octavius is a Shiraz from Yalumba's Barossa Valley and Eden Valley vineyards. The Barossa and Yalumba in particular, have produced some of Australia's best Shiraz. It is  such a privilege to be able to try one of Australia's iconic red wines.

I had the opportunity to try two very nice (and expensive) wines this weekend. The other being Oculus from Mission Hills here is BC. Oculus is a favorite of Kevan and Judy. In both of the bottles I noticed the wines' ability to transcend the fruity and sweet, and oakey and dry barrier. In my limited experience, cheaper wines are either one of the two. The term for this is "complex". And usually you find that more expensive wines are more complex. For the Octavius, this was very apparent. It had an oakey taste that went well with its lighter fruity side. I was surprised how well the two flavors complimented each other. Octavius had a spicy flavor as well in its finish. It had very light tannins-probably the lightest I have tried. The term silky comes to mind trying to define this wine's texture. I had my glass with steak and mushrooms which I quite enjoyed, although this wine certainly doesn't need to be enjoyed with a meal. It can be enjoyed on its own, or with a wide variety of food-Cheese, chocolate, fruit, steak, chicken. Whatever you can throw at it. At $100 per bottle, it is a VERY special treat. Again, I was quite spoiled this weekend.

Peter Lehmann- Layers 2008

Jenn and I just picked up a new bottle of wine this evening. We didn't want to spend too much this time so we went with a wine in the $20 range. We decided to go with a Peter Lehmann wine called "Layers". The front label has five grapes on it signifying the five different types of grapes that were used to produce this wine- Shiraz, Tempranillo , Carignane, Mourvedre, and Grenache. The Shiraz makes up about half the bottle at 46%.
As usual, I did a bit of research before opening the bottle and learned a bit about Peter Lehmann. I was unaware that Lehmann is a commercial company. I know I did not speak very well of the Jacob's Creek wine I tried a few weeks ago, and mentioned that because it was a commercial wine, perhaps it was a lower quality. Upon further research, I have learned that my comments about large wineries may have been a bit too generalized. Penfolds is an excellent example of a large commercial winery that makes one of the worlds best known wines- Grange. It is also know for making some other excellent wines that are of very high quality. In my defense, I am just trying to stick up for the small guy. I would say that I am more easily attracted to the smaller, privately owned wineries that really try to differentiate themselves from the average bottle that the corporations turn out by the millions.  So I am willing to give Peter Lehmann a fair shot. Apparently this wine won several awards in some Australian wine competitions (bronze and silvers), and received a gold metal in the Sydney international wine competition. And for $20, if its a winner, them thats all icing on the cake. After all, this blog is about trying reds I haven't experienced before. I cant say that I have ever tried a Peter Lehmann so this will be new.

The wine is from the Barossa Valley, so on the north side of the wine region that has Mclaren Vale on the bottom of it. The Mclaren Vale is very close to the ocean and produces a Mediterranean like climate. The Barossa is further away from the sea and has a drier atmosphere. Much like that of the Columbia basin region of Washington, or the Osoyoos area of British Columbia.

The wine colour was a very light red, almost dark pink when I opened the bottle. Upon drinking it, I was quite surprised at the lack of fruit in the first taste. Not that its a bad thing, but it was just a surprise. It has a very oakey taste, that I am not use to. The tannins were very light which was surprising because I would think that tannins intensify with oakey flavored wines. The wine was very rich and acidic. Spicy notes as well. You can definitely taste the shiraz in it, but the other wines give it a more complex flavor. After drinking the red for a few minutes I was hit by how rich and heavy the wine was. I felt like after one glass I was ready to be done. Quite a difference from the other more fruity and light reds I have tried recently. It is definitely one that should be enjoyed with food. Steak and potatoes would be my first inclination.
My conclusion on this red was that it was good enough to by on a whim for a dinner party, but definitely should be served with dinner, not just enjoyed while standing around with friends. I would give it a pass but would look for something a bit lighter as a favorite "whenever" red wine. Perhaps one more strike against it is that the red is not designed to age. It is a drink now red that is not good for collecting.
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Petaringa- The Understudy 2007

So for this review I want to go into more detail. In previous posts I have talked mostly about the region in which a bottle is from and the history behind the bottles, etc. But now, since I have already talked about region and climate, I want to focus on the taste of the bottle.
Last night, I tried Petaringa's- The Understudy 2007. This bottle has been sitting in my collection for the past few months. I picked it up from Everything Wine in North Vancouver. Since I have not tried anything from Petaringa, I thought now is as good a time as ever to give it a try. The bottle cost about $30 so its middle of the road as far as value. Petaringa is from the Mclaren Vale-so a Mediterranean climate. The bottle is a blend of Cabernet and Petit Verdot in a 60/40 ratio. I have not tried a wine with Petit Verdot in it before so this will be new. The website mentions that this wine specifically has been rated between 87-90 points by various critics.

As far as nose- The red had a hint of berries, apple, blackberry mostly, slight mint.
Taste was similar- berries, mint, apple.
The tannins were light, which was excellent. However, I found that after a few minutes of drinking the red, the Tannins stuck around. Without eating anything, it took a few minutes for them to dissipate. This wine is best when it is paired with food. I would suggest cheese, garlic, and balsamic vinegar. Perhaps dipping bread with olive oil and balsamic vinegar.
Mouth feel was light and fruity to start and gets more and more rich. The richness is a result of the Petit Verdot.
I found the bottle to be quite fruity and light which was very good. I could tell that the bottle had room to age. As mentioned on the back label, giving the bottle 5 to 8 years will allow it to grow in complexity-a natural result of aging a bottle of red.
Overall I would definitely recommend this wine. Very easy to drink, and will accompany good food. Anybody who likes wine, young or old, experienced or with no knowledge of wine at all wine appreciate this wine. It is definitely one I would  buy as a way to impress my mother in law and dad. I would classify this in a similar category to Scribbler as far as taste, quality, similarly priced, and ease of drinking.

Red Wine Grapes

When heading out to the liquor store in search of a bottle of wine, there are times when deciding on what type of wine to buy can be overwhelming. Most people rely on the back label of a bottle to describe what the wine tastes like. I thought is would be interesting to look at a few common varieties and see how they flavor red wine...

Cabernet Sauvignon

Spiritual home: Bordeaux.

Grown elsewhere: Widely cultivated throughout the world.

Key flavour: Blackcurrants.

Profile: Renowned for the wines it produces on the well-drained, gravelly soils on the left bank of the Gironde in Bordeaux, cabernet Sauvignon has been a natural choice for New World winemakers wishing to emulate the fine wine that is claret. It is a robust grape that has travelled well, and is now cultivated in Australia, South Africa, North America and South America, but has also been put to use in Italy, Spain and Eastern Europe. It has small, blue-black berries which have thick skins, providing necessary tannin, colour and flavour. Characteristics aromas and flavours are blackcurrants, cedar, old furniture and cabinets, coffee, tobacco, cigars, cigar boxes, violets, minerals, green pepper (especially if grapes are somewhat under-ripe), chocolate and so on. Young wines start off intensely fruity, whilst the more complex aromas will develop with age.

Merlot

Spiritual home: Bordeaux.

Grown elsewhere: Important in Italy and California.

Key flavours: Chocolate, fruitcake.

Profile: Whereas Cabernet Sauvignon has its spiritual home in the left bank communes of Bordeaux, Merlot is most famous for the wines from the right bank, especially from Pomerol and St Emilion. Although somewhat less widely travelled when compared to Cabernet, this thin-skinned, large-berried variety has found a new home in California. It is also important in some of the top wines of Italy, and can also be found in Australia and Eastern Europe. Spicy fruitcake, Christmas cake and chocolate characteristics will often give Merlot away, although it may also display blackcurrant, black cherry and plums. It is less tannic than Cabernet Sauvignon, and is often used in clarets when they need to be 'fleshed out' in weaker vintages.

Pinot Noir

Spiritual home: Burgundy, important in Champagne.

Grown elsewhere: Success in New Zealand, California, Australia.

Keywords: Summer berry fruits (primary characteristics).

Profile: Without doubt, although many winemakers of the New World have tried their hand at cultivating this variety, none have come close to emulating the fine wine that can be produced in Burgundy. Nevertheless, the wines of New Zealand have received critical acclaim in recent years, and there are also extremely good examples from California, Australia and South Africa to be found, although all are made in a richly fruity style quite distinct from Burgundy. This variety is thin skinned, grows in small bunches, and is prone to problems with yields. Accepted wisdom states that consistently low yields are necessary to maintain quality, and although high-yield clones have been developed (there are many different clones of Pinot Noir, all of which have different flavour, yield, disease resistance and so on) the final product lacks the necessary quality. When discussing Pinot Noir, it is also worth remembering that it plays a vital role as one of the three grapes widely planted in Champagne. Primary aromas and flavours (those present when young) are redcurrants, cranberries, strawberries, blackberries and chocolate. The secondary aromas (those that develop with age) include horsehair and animal fur, farmyard aromas, manure and compost. Lovely!

Syrah/Shiraz

Spiritual home: Rhône Valley, particularly the north.

Grown elsewhere: Australia, but many other countries also.

Keywords: Black fruits & black pepper.

Profile: Syrah is the grape behind fine wines of the Northern Rhône, not only Côte Rôtie ("roasted slope") and Hermitage, but also Cornas and Crozes-Hermitage. Nevertheless, most wine drinkers are familiar with it as Shiraz, the name by which it is known in Australia, where it is responsible for richly fruity wines, ranging from inexpensive everyday bottles right up to Australia's first growth, Penfolds Grange (once known as Grange 'Hermitage'). This thick-skinned grape may produce potentially tannic and long-lived wines. It is also late-ripening, explaining why it has gravitated towards warm regions such as the Rhône and Australia, although it is also producing good wines in South Africa, Chile and California. Typical descriptors include black fruits and black pepper, but more intriguingly raspberries, spice, herbs, grilled meats, charcoal, smoke and tar may be found. When aged it may develop rubbery aromas, particularly when from the Northern Rhône.

Cabernet Franc: Dominant grape in the Loire Valley, but also extremely important in Bordeaux where it is general used as a minor component of the blend by most châteaux, although by itself it is the grape behind the wine from one of the regions top estates, Cheval Blanc. Characteristics: blackcurrants, blackcurrant leaves, green/bell peppers, smoke, spice.

Grenache: Important in the Southern Rhône, where it dominates. Nevertheless, in almost all cases in is blended with other varieties such as Syrah and Mourvèdre, which is standard practice in this region. It may also be found in Spain and Australia. Characteristics: raspberries, white pepper.

Malbec: Like Cabernet Franc, this is used as part of the blend by some Bordeaux estates. It is also the grape behind Cahors, a southern French appellation. It is becoming more widely known, however, for the steadily improving wines it is producing in Argentina. Characteristics: intense summer fruits, spice.

Yalumba- The Scribbler

Yalumba's -The Scribbler
This bottles hold no surprises- in a good way. It's from an outstanding winemaker, and from a excellent region-Barossa Valley. I picked up a bottle on my way to my mother in laws house for mother's day. I wasn't quite sure what to expect, I have heard good things about Yalumba, and of course being from the Barossa Valley was a plus. The wine is a Cabernet/shiraz blend and will cellar for five to ten years from the vintage.
Needless to say the mother in law was impressed. She just told me today that she ordered 3 bottles and was excited to go pick them up. At $25 a bottle, its also a good value for what you get
The flavor was quite good, and it was quite smooth. Very easy to drink, and the tannins were light. That makes it an A+ in my book.

I would definitely recommend The Scribbler to anyone  who is interested in a premium, well made, easy to drink wine. And the fact that it is ready to mature over the next 5 to 10 years is an extra bonus that makes it collectible.