(October 16, 2015) … Four days later the Jays were in the AL Championship series and once again Larry and I congregated to watch the game and try another box worth of wine … With the higher caliber of game came a higher calibre of wine, or so I hoped. This time all the wines were from Ontario.
Lailey 2008 Vidal (not previously reviewed) … You could have slapped me around and called me Lolita after tasting this wine and I would have had nothing to say … it truly was the surprise of the night … a 7 year old vidal that still showed that touch of sweetness yet all balanced by enough acidity to make it very palateable – most amazing part is that was still drinking very nicely thru the course of the evening.
Lailey 2007 Chardonnay, Vino 50 (not previously reviewed) … After the Vidal, which we wrongly assumed would be dead, we tried this ode to York University’s 50 years and what a nasty piece of business this was; not even worth describing. It was for York University’s 50th anniversary the wine itself didn’t even come close to making it to its 8th … disappointing due to its pedigree. Then again it is a collector’s item only if you went to York.
Lailey 2007 Gamay-Zweigelt (click here for original review) … This was the third of four bottles of Lailey to come out of this case of wine; the acidity is still very much intact, but the nose was offputing and the flavour is more sour fruit than anything else. Quite disappointing, but I had to admit we had little hope for this wine, and it delivered.
Smith & Wilson 2009 Pinot Noir (click here for original review) … Did not receive VQA approval and I am still not sure why, it tasted like an older Pinot with a sweet fruit: cherry/strawberry upfront, pepper and a drying finish … still quite decent. Larry, as a Pinot aficionado was impressed.
Konzelmann 2007 Pinot Noir, Barrel Aged (not previously reviewed) … Palate is peppery and smoky, gritty, fairly flat and unappealing.
Jackson-Triggs 2006 Pinot Noir, Delaine Vineyard (click here for original review) … Funky foresty floor, dried red berries, white pepper, sour cherry, green pepper, herbaceous; within 30 minutes things changed for the MUCH better: outstanding acidity, sour cherry and almost seemed fresh. This was not as much a surprise as a revelation.
Riverview 2007 Merlot (click here for original review) … Drinking okay: blue and black berry, pleasantly smooth, still mainly fruit driven – nothing taxes the palate, but nothing exciting either.
Chateau des Charmes 2002 Paul Bosc Cabernet Sauvignon (click here for original review) … “Holy Shit” (as someone around the table muttered) layers of finesse and fruit and spice, dried cherry, vanilla, cinnamon – everything it should be and more; and all with a gorgeous mocha finish and super silky across the tongue.
Muscedere 2007 Cabernet Sauvignon (click here for original review) … Nose and finish are way off-putting; mid-palate shows promise, but the beginning and end are what is killing this one
Colio 2007 Shiraz, Nine Barrel (CEV) (click here for original review) … A little off mid-to-finish – something to be revisited because this should be much better … The revisit did nothing to enhance our thoughts, someone even thought they picked up some rubber hose notes – oh boy, wonder if I have more of this cause in its youth it was pretty good.
Lailey 2007 Cabernet Franc (click here for original review) … Tobacco, pepper, smoky, cassis, black raspberry … so wonderful it defied description – we just kept sipping on it And enjoying the hell out of it … it was one of three bottles that we finished – can you guess the other two?
Here they are … Chateau des Charmes Cabernet Sauvignon – Jackson-Triggs Pinot Noir – Lailey Cabernet Franc