My Week in Wine #WeekendWinedown

Trapiche Reserve Malbec 2016 (Mendoza, Argentina): Blackberry, blueberry, cherry,
raspberry, subtle forest floor, florality, medium minus tannins, medium plus acidity, and medium body. Enjoyed with chicken wings and caeser salad.
Cune (CVNE) Crianza 2014 (Rioja, Spain): Red and black fruit, black pepper, chocolate, baking spice, mocha, vanilla, and earthy. This was delicious, served cooler (10-13 degrees) and had a similar appearance to Pinot Noir. Enjoyed with Mediterranean Sea Bass, Heirloom Tomato Salad, Truffle Fries, and Flourless Chocolate Cake. Medium Tannin, Body, and Acidity. 
Creekside Estate Winery 2016 Sauvignon Blanc (Ontario, Canada): Very aromatic with Sauvignon Blanc hallmarks, grass, ammonia, under ripe tropical fruit, and citrus. Crisp acidity and medium minus body. Enjoyed with red curry mussels. 
Laurent Miquel Vendanges Nocturnes (Classic) Rosé 2016 (Pays D'Oc, France): Pale Salmon. Raspberry, cotton candy, flowers, mango, guava, peaches, apricot, strawberry, and subtle lemon zest. Dry with sweet notes and high acidity. Crisp and easy drinking. Perfect for a warm spring day in the park. 
Solar Da Marquesa Moscatel Branco 2016 (Lisboa, Portugal0: Very fruit forward both on the nose and palette, with some sparkling characteristics. On the nose apricot, lychee, pear, candied lemon, stone, and a hint of grapefruit. On the palette apricot, lychee, and unripe grapefruit are the hero notes. Medium acidity, medium minus alcohol and body. Very easy drinking.
Marie-Pierre Manciat Crémant de Bourgogne Brut (Crémant de Bourgogne, France): Medium bodied, fine bubbles, and dry. Citrus notes were the hero, lemon, lime, and subtle orange peel. Great value and a great crémant.
Stratus Sémillon 2016 (Niagara-On-The-Lake, Canada): Crisp acidity yet creamy mouthful. The perfect balance. Candied lemon, golden apple, grapefruit, under ripe mango, subtle vanilla, and under ripe pineapple. Paired with Carbonara! 
**Not Pictured**Broken Stone Winery Simplicity 2016 (Ontario, Canada): Fruit forward, notes of lemon, grapefruit, under ripe pineapple, and apple. Medium body, yet still crisp acidity. 

My Week in Wine #WeekendWinedown

Chatelain Desjacques Sauvignon Blanc 2016 (Val de Loire, France): Easy drinking and refreshing. Typical Sauvignon Blanc notes however softer and more balanced than most New Zealand Sauvignon Blancs.
Ten Minutes by Tractor 10X Chardonnay 2016 (Mornington Peninsula, Australia): Once opened up, fruit forward on the nose - grapefruit, under ripe pineapple, candied lemon, green apple, and mango. On the palette more oak notes come through - cream corn, popcorn, caramel, butterscotch, vanilla, and cinnamon.
.5 Konzelmann Reserve Chardonnay 2014 (Niagara Peninsula, Canada): One of the best chardonnays I’ve tasted. The perfect balance between oak characteristics and fruit. Popcorn, vanilla, cream corn, golden apple, lemon, apricot, and caramel.
Boutari Santorini Assyrtiko 2012 (Santorini, Greece): Medium plus gold. Honey, pear, caramel apple, lemon, mango, sea salt, white Porte, and mushroom. On the palette earthy and smoky with an almond finish. Medium plus acidity, body, and alcohol, however medium length and complexity. This need decanting before serving. The notes are really opening up as it is sitting in my glass.
Trius Niagara Peninsula Showcase Wild Ferment Chardonnay 2016 (Niagara Peninsula, Canada): Slight oak but fruit forward. Easy drinking and great for the patio.
L.A. Cetto Petit Sirah 2015 (Valle du Guadalupe, Mexico): A little abrasive for my taste - might need to be decanted for sometime before enjoying. Spicy with black and red fruits, and a hint of earth. 
Costaripa Mattia Vezzola Brut Rosé (Ronchi di Brescia, Italy): Salmon Pink. Red berries, subtle vanilla, and roses. Enjoyed with bone marrow, meat and cheese platter, and shishito peppers.

Canada Wine Tasting #WeekendWinedown

Tawse Quarry Road Vineyard Riesling 2016 (Niagara Peninsula, Canada): On the nose rubber ball, lemon, lime, apricot, green apple, honey, honeysuckle, and flint minerality. On the palate this wine was off-dry with medium minus alcohol and body, high acidity, and medium length and complexity. Notes of lemon, orange, sugared grapefruit, honey, apple, apricot, and flint. 

Dirty Laundry Vineyard Woo Woo Gewürztraminer 2015 (Okanagan Valley, Canada): Glue stick, yellow apple, lychee, dole peach cup, mango, rose water, and crushed rock minerality. On the palate this wine was dry with medium plus alcohol, acidity, length, and complexity, and medium body. Notes of yellow apple, rose water, lychee, peach cup, mango, wine gums, apricot, peach pit, almond, and crushed rock minerality. On the nose it smells sweet and has an oily texture on the palate. 

Stanners Chardonnay 2015 (Niagara Peninsula, Canada): On the nose burnt popcorn, cream corn, nutty, banana, bruised apple, apricot, honey, caramel, butterscotch, pineapple, apple blossom, smoke, burnt, subtle mushroom, and wet stone minerality. On the palate less burnt and more fruit forward. Dry wine with medium minus alcohol, medium plus acidity and complexity, and medium body and length. Notes of buttered popcorn, apricot, peach, apple, lemon, pineapple, peach yogurt, spice, almond, crushed rock, and a creamy mouth feel. 

Hidden Bench Pinot Noir 2016 (Niagara Peninsula, Canada): On the nose cherry, strawberry, rhubarb, baking spices, roses, twizzlers, cinnamon (big feet), meaty, iron, vanilla, tomato vine, black tea, beer root, and forest floor. On the palate this wine was dry with medium alcohol, body, and length, medium minus tannin, high acidity, and medium plus complexity. Notes of beet root, cherry, cranberry, black tea, baking spices, cinnamon, roses, strawberry, iron, and forest floor.

Stratus Cabernet Franc 2015 (Niagara-on-the-Lake, Canada): On the nose cherry, strawberry, rhubarb, vanilla, black pepper, baking spices, jalapeños, smoke, blackberry, raspberry, earl grey tea, tobacco, graphite, floral, and forest floor. On the palate this wine was dry with medium plus alcohol, body, and complexity, high acidity, and medium tannins and length. Notes of baking spices, raspberry, strawberry, blackberry, black tea, dark chocolate, vanilla, and forest floor.

Painted Rock Estate Growth Syrah 2014 (Okanagan Valley, Canada): On the nose dried herbs, tobacco, savoury meat, wood, smoke, tomato vine, leather, cherry cola, blueberry jam, green veggie stems, wet earth, and slight confection. On the palate this wine was dry with high alcohol, medium tannin, and medium plus acidity, body, length, and complexity. Notes of tomato vine, cherry cola, blueberry, blackberry, iron, black tea, cured meat, smoke, peppercorn, rare steak, chocolate, and dried earth. 

Viewpointe Lake Erie North Shore Cabernet Merlot 2010 (Ontario, Canada): On the nose black tea, menthol, black pepper, blackberry, smoke, leather, tomato, iron, barnyard, stewed plums and cherries, cilantro, ginger, cedar, vanilla, baking spices, and graphite. On the palate this wine was dry with medium plus alcohol, tannins, body, and complexion, high acidity, and a long finish. Notes mirrored nose with strawberry rhubarb jam, chocolate, baking spice, green pepper, cherry, and cloves. 

Osoyoos Larose Red Blend 2014 (British Columbia, Canada): On the nose ripe fruit, such as raspberry, strawberry, blackberry, plum, and black cherry, menthol, green pepper, vanilla, baking spices, mocha, chocolate, cedar, graphite, and fresh turned earth. On the palate this wine was dry with medium plus structure, and a full body. Notes mirrored the nose, however chocolate fondue covered fruits, and more mocha/chocolate presence.

Inniskillin Vidal Icewine 2015 (Niagara Peninsula, Canada): On the nose lychee, apricot, peach, pineapple, honey, lemon, and steel. It was an apricot bomb on the palate, with other nose notes as the backdrop. This wine was sweet with low alcohol, high acidity, and full body. 

USA Wine Tasting #WeekendWinedown

A to Z Pinot Gris 2016 (Oregon, USA) - Notes of under ripe peach, apricot, green apple, ripe pear, honey, honeysuckle, candied lemon, crushed rock, and a hint of confection on the nose. On the palate this wine was dry with medium plus alcohol and acidity, and medium body, length, and complexity. Notes of grapefruit, golden apple, honey, peach, ripe pear, apricot, and crushed rock.

La Crema Sonoma Coast Chardonnay 2016 (Sonoma Coast, USA) - On the nose almond, popcorn, vanilla, butterscotch, caramel apple, sugared grapefruit, cream corn, confected lemon, apricot, peach, honey, honeydew, mushroom, and wet stone. On the palate this wine is dry with medium plus structure. Toasty, nutty, creamy, smoky notes as well as mirroring the nose. Tartrate Crystals from being acidified due to hot climate.

Omero Pinot Noir 2015 (Willamette Valley, USA) - On the nose cherry cola, cherry, strawberry, forest floor, black pepper, beef root, cranberry, red licorice, vanilla, backing spice, smoke, and confection. On the palate this wine is dry with medium plus alcohol and acidity, medium body, length, and complexity, and soft tannin. Notes of riper/fresher fruit, such as strawberry, cranberry, and blackberry, beef root, black tea, vanilla, baking spices, forest floor, and black pepper.

Tuli Pinot Noir 2016 (Sonoma County, USA) - “Wagner” family known for Belle Glos and Meiomi. Notes of cherry cola, cranberry, mocha, cherry cough drop, raspberry, blackberry, beef root, menthol, sweet vanilla, new leather, black tea, black pepper, forest floor, confection, and savoury. On the palate this wine is dry with medium plus alcohol, acidity, length, and complexity, soft tannin, and medium body. Notes of strawberry, chocolate, baking spice, cherry, vanilla, caramel, raspberry, blueberry, forest floor, and cherry cola. Nose mirrors palate.

Cowhorn Syrah 21 2013 (Applegate Valley, USA) - Notes of blueberry, violets, cherry, strawberry, plum, blackberry, mocha, black tea, black pepper, savoury, olive brine, dried herbs, smoke, menthol, dried earth, and graphite. On the palate this wine is dry with medium tannins, alcohol, and body, high acidity, and medium plus length and complexity. Notes of fresh/ripe fruits, such as blueberry, blackberry, and plum, mocha, black pepper, smoke, charcoal, and dried earth.

Silver Oak Cabernet Sauvignon 2013 (Napa Valley, USA) - Notes of tomato, beet root, green pepper, jalapeños, dill, dried cherry and strawberry, SmartFood, cheese, leather, cedar, black tea, black pepper, baking spice, coconut, vanilla, tobacco, plum, blackberry, clove, cassis, black current, forest floor, and graphite. On the palate this wine was dry with medium plus structure. Notes of fresher fruit, such as cherry, strawberry, plum, and blackberry, black tea, baking spice, coconut, leather, cassis, smoke, coffee, blue cheese, and forest floor.

Col Solare Collector's Society Red Wine Red Mountain 2013 (Washington, USA) - Tomato vine, green pepper, menthol, stewed cherry, strawberry, blackberry, smoke, baking spice, anise, violets, vanilla, cassis, black current, cherry cola, graphite, and a combo of forest floor and dried earth. On the palate this wine is dry with high alcohol, full body, medium tannins, and medium plus acidity, length, and complexity. Overall soft/plush. Notes of cherry, strawberry, blackberry, plum, vanilla, black tea, cherry cola, cassis, chocolate, mocha, baking spices, confection, and forest floor.

DeLoach Russian River Valley Zinfandel 2014 (Russian River Valley, USA) - Notes of menthol, cherry cough syrup, fennel, licorice, black tea, oregano, black pepper, raisin, dried plum, fig, cranberry, cherry cola, and dried earth. On the palate this wine is dry with high alcohol, medium tannins and complexity, high acidity, medium plus body, and medium minus length. Notes of sour cherry, strawberry, and spice.