Sweet Berry Wine! Dr. Steve Brule

tis the season

been seeing sangria around, even drank some. had white wine sangria for the first time last week and i really enjoyed it. lighter and sassier than it's older and redder sibling. i know i'm always blabbing about white wine, but if you're ever into trying it out this is the time. it's refreshing and delightful on a patio or picnic table.

bottoms up!

despite not having posted in months i still like wine. i have been trying and drinking lots of it. found a couple good ones like the chilean santa carolina. it's a cab sav and it tastes nice. not acidic and loves cheese (who doesn't!). 17 dollars at the cottage so it's gotta be about 14 at the bcl.

on another note, mr floorburn and i had a great night at the international wine tasting. i was pleasantly suprised by my ability to actually taste the differences between the wines. highlights included a $180 bottle of french Champagne, the real deal. had a lovely savouriness about it, with tiny bubbles. two bordeaux at the end of the night blew my mind. had a smooth "waxiness" that i have been trying to find in the under twenty dollar wines. spent the last hour of the tasting focusing on late harvest and ice wines. delicious nectary honeyed sips. seems like this is one place bc wines stand out.

a nice little white wine i'd reccomend is the cono sur viogner. it's unoaked, which makes it smooth and a bit crisp. like a grape cider. tasty and fresh. good to drink on it's own. and only $13.

Celebrate Open That Bottle Night

BS

Valentimes Day

Citra Montepulciano D'Abruzzo 2006
Denominaxione di Origne Controllata

Citra Vini

Italy

1500 ml - $15.49
13% alc./vol

Staff Pick

Down at Brewery Creek is a fine deal on a carmenere called Estacion, $12.50 at a private.  I went specially for my second bottle of it and there was a staff recommendation tag by Lisa, hmmm...  There are some bargains kicking around out there.  Baires from Argentina at the private shop at 25th and Oak is only $13 bucks!  I've never seen these wines at BCL...  I will do my best to discover these market-breakers, these loss leading under-cutters, so far the only upside to privatisation.  I will not, however be seen shopping for wine at walmart or zellers or whatever the kids are calling it these days no matter what Harper has been telling you.  Peace in the Middle East. 

-J. Floorburn

Guilty, your Honour.

"The honourable 'Justice Jim' presiding."

"Thank you, you may be seated..."

This is a decent, affordable 14.5% South African Cabernet Sauvignon.

It's from '06 and just in transition from purple to red, has a warm-swimming-pool-with-buckets-of-candy-in-it scent in the glass and a typical South African spiciness.  There is flavour at every interval but a tad uncoordinated as a whole.  I accidentally left the bottle open overnight and it survived well enough, lost a touch here, gained some balance there, fairly impressive.  I just ate a salad with raw onion and heavily garlicked dressing and now the wine's afterlinger tastes like sausages, very impressive.  

"How do you plead?"

"High in value, moderate in character, low in style."  

"I sentence you to years of enjoyment by drinking to be served immediately.  Rating: 3.1 of 5.  Court adjourned."

-J. Floorburn 

What Are You Doing For the Rest of Your Night?

Can you tell I liked it?

This was my introduction to bordeaux.  A chrissmas present from the Allen's.  Monsieur "Duke D'Orange" Orange, b33phd1p, and I drank it.

     "The body of a malbec but goes down like an italian."  --M. O.

     "Dry on the gums but perfect on the tongue, dry in the right way."  --J. F.

     "You're quite right, my tongue is numb."  --B. D.

Chateau Pey la Tour, Bordeaux, merlot-cabernet, '06.

Rating:  Best of it's type, of which I have tried only this one.

-J. Floorburn

Happy 100th Post !

it is 2009....  

i know, previously, i said i had a lot to say this holiday season.  well, i thought i would.  but it turned out that was the last you'd hear of me.  

the thing is you know, i DID enjoy some wine on the holidays.  

(nvm)

all the best to you and yours a la 2009 !

chantilly lace

lucien albrecht
gewurtztraminer 2006
france

here's a nice wine in a pretty bottle. santa dropped this one in my stocking a couple weeks ago. i must have been good because this is a great wine. it's white, which can be problematic for a tannin lover like me, but this wine was totally satisfying. it's not really that tannicky, but it makes up for it with a minerally crispness that goes down easy. not like a coors light, but like a fresh clean spring water. it makes me think of fresh apples and lime. not too sweet and not like a melon. it's easy drinking from the moment the cork pops out, but after a day with the cork out the flavours develop into a smooth rich caramelly type thing. i've got a hunch that this wine would do well with a decanting. check out the lucien albrecht website to learn about their hand harvesting and see photos of their vineyards. lovely.

4.5/5 stars
mystery price