May Wine Club - Chardonnay

This past Monday Wine Club got together to try two higher end Chardonnays.  We were supposed to meet on Thursday May 17th to do this but 4 of the 11 members couldn’t make it so we moved it to Monday instead.  The sad thing is due to last minute emergencies, 4 people didn’t make this meeting so I probably should have just left it on the Thursday instead.

Here is the LCBO information on both of the wines -

NEWTON UNFILTERED CHARDONNAY 2007

VINTAGES 1537
750 mL bottle
Price: $ 64.95
Made in: California, USA
By: Newton Vineyard
Release Date: May 28, 2011
Wine, White Wine
15.0% Alcohol/Vol.
Varietal: Chardonnay
Sweetness Descriptor: XD - Extra Dry

Tasting Note - A rich, unctuous, buttery style. Full-bodied, with spicy fig, melon, smoky oak and honeydew melon flavors that gain depth, body and complexity, ending with a roasted marshmallow aftertaste. Still a bit coarse in texture, but all the right ingredients are in the right places. Drink now through 2016. Score - 91. (James Laube, winespectator.com, Nov. 30, 2010)

MAISON ROCHE DE BELLENE VIEILLES VIGNES MEURSAULT 2009

VINTAGES 241091
750 mL bottle
Price: $ 48.95
Made in: Burgundy, France
By: Maison Roche De Bellene
Release Date: Feb 4, 2012
Wine, White Wine
12.7% Alcohol/Vol.
Varietal: Chardonnay
Sweetness Descriptor: D - Dry

Tasting Note - Meursault produces some of the most luxuriant of Burgundy's white wines, and this is certainly no exception. Aromas of toffee and nuts are wonderfully interlaced with fresh and lively fruit tones. The nose also includes a delicate perfumed note that adds intrigue and complexity. Dry, balanced and quite complex on the palate with good fruit, and a long finish. This is an elegant and finessed wine that will reward 4+ years in the cellar, or can be enjoyed tonight with trout in a white-wine sauce. (VINTAGES panel, Jan. 2011)

I was surprised as both wines were the exact same shade of straw yellow as I poured them out as I was expecting the French one to be a slightly lighter shade.  The nose on both wines though were very different with the Newton being the stronger intensity of the two with vanilla, apple and nutmeg notes vs. the melon, lime and rose notes for the Meursault.  Tasting the two wines, the Newton was the oakier of the two and was a nice mix of tropical fruit, melon and butterscotch with some smokiness to it.  The Meursault was lighter tasting with green apple, lime and some nuttiness to it.  The structure on both wines was lovely, the Meursault was more crisp and refreshing but the Newton had a wonderfully long and lingering finish to it.

Adam, a Wine Club member, brought in a corn, potato and bacon chowder to go with the wines.  Both wines went well with the food for different reasons.  The Newton worked as complimentary pairing with this rich and heavy soup whereas the Meursault was a contrasting pairing as its crispness helped offset the richness of the soup.  I liked the Newton more with the soup but like the Meursault more on its own.

Wine Club members all seemed to like both wines but were split just about down the middle on which one they liked better.

I liked both of these wines and very much enjoyed trying them but will say neither was amazing enough for me to rush out and pick up more of either.  I will add that I did like the fact that both wines were subtly oaked as over-oaked Chardonnay is usually my biggest compliant. 

Cheers!

Mark

Saturday Night – As per recipe – Part 3

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For the main course Mick did rolled chicken breast stuffed with basil, cheese and prosciutto and he grilled them on BBQ and served them with a tomato sauce and a side of rice.  He paired these with a 2002 Shafer Merlot.

The nose on this wine was stunning, big aromas that could be detected almost across the room with cherry, tobacco, mushroom and pine needles aromas.  Raspberry and black pepper were the two main flavours to the wine.  There was a harshness to the finish which was due to the heat/alcohol of the wine.  It was decent with the chicken but I really think a Merlot with more fruit and less heat would have worked better with this dish.

Here is the group rating for the wine -Mick – 88, Mark - 86, Kathy – 87, Amy – 87, Overall – 87.

Here is the LCBO information for the wine –

SHAFER MERLOT 2007

VINTAGES 247676
750 mL bottle
Price: $ 59.00
Made in: California, USA
By: Shafer Vineyards
Release Date: Mar 8, 2012
Wine, Red Wine
14.9% Alcohol/Vol.
Varietal: Merlot
Sweetness Descriptor: XD - Extra Dry

Tasting Note - Dark and muscular, with blackberry and graphite aromas and youthful, concentrated black cherry and mocha fruit that show notes of roasted herb, with a hint of game. Score - 92. (Tim Fish, winespectator.com, April 30, 2010)* Note – this is for the 2007 and not the 2002 review here.

I wasn’t blown away by this wine and at $50+ a bottle I was expecting a bit more from it.  The nose was stellar but the taste and structure were close to OK than good.  There are better Merlots for less money out there and I would recommend going with them instead.

The new Chicken dish was good and Mick grilled them to perfection which with stuffed meat is tricky to do.  The tomato sauce with the chicken didn’t add much to the dish and we all thought a cream base sauce would be interesting with this dish for the next time.

Amy picked up a Milky Way chocolate cake to finish off the evening which was enjoyed by all.

Thanks to Mick for all the great food and to both Mick and Amy for hosting.

Cheers!

Mark

Saturday Night – As per recipe – Part 2

The next course was Mick’s curried Mussels which I always look forward too and this was paired with a 2010 Lingenfelder Kabinett Riesling.

The nose on the Riesling was peach, nectarine with floral and petrol notes in the background.  Orange zest and Green apple flavours were the two main flavours to the wine.  I liked the structure on the wine but a touch more acidity was needed to balance out the sweetness of the wine.  Good and solid pairing with the Mussels.

Here is the group rating for the wine -Mick – 86, Mark - 88, Kathy – 86, Amy – 88, Overall – 87.

Here is the LCBO information on the wine –

LINGENFELDER FREINSHEIMER MUSIKANTENBUCKEL RIESLING KABINETT 2010

VINTAGES 87593
750 mL bottle
Price: $ 17.95
Made in: Pfalz, Germany
By: Lingenfelder Estate
Release Date: May 26, 2012
Wine, White Wine
10.5% Alcohol/Vol.
Varietal: Riesling
Sugar Content: 25 g/L
Sweetness Descriptor: M - Medium

Tasting Note - Yellow-gold colour with aromas of spring flowers, pear, mineral, yellow apple, spice and a hint of limeade. Off-dry with pretty, intense apple and spice replays and very good acidity for balance. This tasty wine is light in body with an impressively long finish. Enjoy with soft cheeses, or pork roast with peach salsa. (VINTAGES panel, March 2012)

Click here for Part 3

Saturday Night – As per recipe – Part 1

Mick and Amy were hosting again this week as I will be hosting back to back Saturdays in the next couple of weeks.   Mick had two new recipes on tap and three new wines selected for the night.

The first course was a curried butternut squash hummus with pita which was a recipe that Mick hadn’t tried before.  He paired this with a 2008 D’Arenberg “The Last Ditch” Viognier.

The nose was powerful with pink grapefruit, lime, banana and lilac aromas.  Tasting the wine, honeydew melon and grapefruit flavours ran the length of the wine.  The structure on the wine was good with crisp acidity but it finished a bit shaper than I would like.  I liked this as a pairing for the hummus as it really helped in quelling the spicy burn of the dish.

Here is the group rating for the wine -Mick – 87, Mark - 87, Kathy – 86, Amy – 87, Overall – 86.75.

There was no LCBO information for the wine but Mick said it was around $18 a bottle when he bought it.  You can get the D’Arenberg “Hermit Crab” which is 70% Viognier and 30% Marsanne for about the same price and I would suggest going that way as I find the Marsanne really softens and rounds out the Viognier nicely.

The curried butternut squash hummus was good except for two things – way too much garlic and way too much spice.  The recipe had both roasted garlic and uncooked garlic in it and the combo was too much, Mick will try this again in the future but will leave out the straight garlic.  Too be fair to Mick here, he did the garlic as per recipe so it wasn’t as if he added more garlic than intended.  The recipe also called for mild curry paste and Mick used the same amount but with hot curry paste which made it very potent, he will use half of the hot in the future or find mild for the next time.

Click here for Part 2

Saturday Night – 3 Classic recipes and 3 new Wines – Part 3

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For the main course Mick did Grilled NY Strips with Zippy Sauce with a boiled potato side and a side of steamed broccoli.  Mick paired this with a 2003 Robert Mondavi “Napa Valley” Cabernet Sauvignon.

The nose on the Mondavi was a wonderfully powerful nose of Eucalyptus, Green Pepper and Blackberry.  Tasting the wine you’ll find raspberry, black cherry and dark chocolate flavours.  The structure on the wine was good with ripe acidity, super fine and soft tannin and a lingering finish.  My only issue with this wine was the tannin was too soft and fine and gave the wine a small mouth-feel; other than that this was a very solid California cab.  The wine was a good pairing with the steaks.

Here is the group rating for the wine -Mick – 89, Mark - 89, Kathy – 89, Amy – 88, Overall – 88.75.

Here is the LCBO information on the wine -

ROBERT MONDAVI CABERNET SAUVIGNON (V)

VINTAGES 255513
750 mL bottle
Price: $ 34.95
Made in: California, USA
By: Robert Mondavi Winery
Release Date: Apr 18, 2012
Wine, Red Wine
14.3% Alcohol/Vol.
Varietal: Cabernet Sauvignon
Sugar Content: 4 g/L
Sweetness Descriptor: XD - Extra Dry

Description  - DID YOU KNOW? Robert Mondavi is considered the godfather of the California wine movement. This wine had been produced every year since the winery's founding in 1966. FLAVOUR & STYLE: Classic Cali Cab with aromas of cassis, blackberry, graphite and cedar notes. Enjoyable now, but also a great for the mid-term cellaring (4-7 years). Everyday: meat-based lasagna. Takeout: gourmet hamburgers. Fine Dining: filet mignon.

* Please note that the wine listed here is probably a 2008/2009 vintage and not the 2003 reviewed here.

For dessert Amy had picked up a selection of cupcakes which everyone enjoyed.

Thanks to Mick for all his hard work in making those three wonderful dishes and to both Mick and Amy for hosting. 

Cheers!

Mark

Saturday Night – 3 Classic recipes and 3 new Wines – Part 2

For the second course Mick did his version of Caprese Salad which I jokingly refer to as Mexican Caprese Salad as Mick enhances the recipe with sliced Avocado.

Mick went with a 2010 Mahi Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc from New Zealand.  It being from New Zealand through me for a loop as we have been trying a number of South African Sauvignon Blanc recently that I had gotten to the point where I was starting to associate Sauvignon Blanc with South African by reflex.  This is funny as New Zealand is a world leader in Sauvignon Blanc and is renowned for them.

The nose on the wine was odd as it reminded me of Pine-Sol, grapefruit zest and lime zest.  Tasting the wine, a lime flavour dominates this wine.  The structure of the wine was decent with good acidity but the wine had a very short finish to it.  It was OK with the Caprese Salad but it did come across a bit sharp at times.  It wasn’t a bad wine per se but we have had much better Sauvignon Blanc for less money.

Here is the group rating for the wine -Mick – 85, Mark - 84, Kathy – 84, Amy – 86, Overall – 84.75.

Here is the LCBO information for this wine -

MAHI SAUVIGNON BLANC 2010

VINTAGES 63941
750 mL bottle
Price: $ 19.95
Made in: Marlborough, New Zealand
By: Mahi Wines
Release Date: Feb 18, 2012
Wine, White Wine
13.0% Alcohol/Vol.
Sweetness Descriptor: XD - Extra Dry

Tasting Note  - Classic Marlborough-styled Savvy with aromas of pea pod, grass, passion fruit, gooseberry and a hint of tropical fruit. Dry and flavourful with a healthy, and welcome, crisp streak. Medium bodied with a lingering finish. Enjoy it with jumbo prawns marinated in chili powder and lime juice, then barbecued. (VINTAGES panel, June 2011)

Click here for Part 3

Saturday Night – 3 Classic recipes and 3 new Wines – Part 1

Mick had three favourite recipes on tap for the night and paired them three wines we hadn’t tried before.

The first course was Prosciutto wrapped grilled shrimp and these were paired with a 2008 Wolfer Goldgrube Kabinett Riesling.

The nose on the Riesling was an aromatic collection of apple, peach, lilac and nectarine.  Tasting the wine you initially get huge green apple, mandarin and mango and the mandarin flavour continues right to the finish as the other two fade into the background.  The structure on the wine was decent as the acidity almost offsets the sweetness of the wine but it gets slightly cloying at the end which is a real shame as this wine just needed a touch more acidity or alcohol and it would be the best Riesling I’d ever tasted.  It was a great pairing with the shrimp.

Here is the group rating for the wine -Mick – 89, Mark - 90, Kathy – 89, Amy – 91, Overall – 89.75.

Here is the LCBO information for this wine –

VOLLENWEIDER WOLFER GOLDGRUBE RIESLING KABINETT 2008

VINTAGES 249730
750 mL bottle
Price: $ 21.95
Made in: Mosel, Germany
By: Weingut Vollenweider
Release Date: Feb 4, 2012
Wine, White Wine
7.0% Alcohol/Vol.
Sugar Content: 67 g/L
Sweetness Descriptor: M - Medium

Tasting Note  - At only 7% alcohol, Vollenweider's 2008 Wolfer Goldgrube Riesling Kabinett is predictably high in residual sugar. But the ultra-bright character of the vintage at this address renders the sweetness only moderate and highly supportive of the lime, kiwi, and green plum flavors, while the low alcohol helps render the wine almost weightless. Suggestions of mint and lavender combine with lime peel for a pungent, invigorating, and tactile finish perfectly balanced by sweetness. Wire this properly and it seems as though it should turn on a light bulb. I can't wait to see what happens over the next decade when (or is that -if-?) this settles down ... Score - 90. (David Schildknecht, erobertparker.com, Feb. 2010)

Click here for Part 2

Saturday Night – Six for dinner

This past Saturday we were joined by Alex and Zdenka for dinner along with Mick and Amy.  This blog is just a quick overview of the night with no reviews as most of the wines we have reviewed before. 

Mick and I split the cooking duties for the night and Alex and Zdenka took care of dessert.

Here is the menu for the night –

Barbequed Brie with a Bruschetta topping paired with a 2010 Graham Beck Sauvignon Blanc

Carrot Soup with Fire-Roasted Chilies paired with a 2005 Rosenblum Zinfandel

Almond encrusted Goat Cheese on a bed of mixed greens with a Raspberry Poppy seed dressing paired with a 2005 Wegeler Kabinett Riesling

Marmalade and Dijon Grilled Chicken Wings with a side of homemade Blue Cheese dressing and carrot and celery for dipping paired with 2010 Seghesio Zinfandel

Chocolate Cake paired with a 2008 Cattail Creek Select Late Harvest Merlot

The evening was a ton of fun and we got through a lot of wine hence the lack of reviews as the some of the evening was a bit fuzzy. 

Cheers!

Mark