Wine Tasting

November 11, 2009

British Columbia's Best Reds

 

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Hosts: 

 

Ian & Steph

 

Comments:

 By agreement, this wine tasting was a special event (with a slightly higher contribution) aimed at high end BC red wines ($40 to $50 range).  We wanted to find out how these wines stack up against each other.

All the wines selected were either 2004 or 2005 vintages and all are Bordeaux blends, consisting of Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon, blended with one or more of Malbec, Cabernet Franc, or Petit Verdot.

Appetizers served were intended to bring out the best in the wines.  These included:

  • French baguette
  • a selection of cheddar cheeses
  • mushroom rolls
  • venison paté with cranberry relish
  • Fourth Storey Bean dip and Lavash crackers
  • Strawberries
  • Chocolates

Two of the wines were equally popular: the C&S Quintessential and the La Frenz Reserve (each was the favourite wine of 4 people). 

Everyone was happily surprised that all the wines were good and choosing between them was very difficult.  The biggest surprise was Nota Bene, as it has high visibility, yet no one thought it the best and almost everyone rated it lower than the others (from other tastings, I don't believe that it was a bad bottle - it seemed the same as other times that I have had it).

Wines:

  # Wine Price Rating  
Starter        
    1999 E&E Black Pepper Sparkling Shiraz $70 N/A  
Wines      
  1 2004 Cedar Creek Platinum Reserve Meritage $45 88  
  2 2005 Church & State Quintessential $50 90  
  3 2004 La Frenz Reserve $40 91  
  4 2004 Black Hills Nota Bene $50 87  
  5 2004 Poplar Grove Legacy $50 88  
  6 2005 Laughing Stock  Portfolio $40 88  

Notes (selected from either the Winemaker or reviews available on the internet):

Barossa Valley E&E Black Pepper Sparkling Shiraz:

“E&E Shiraz Black Pepper was voted 7th in the world in the Wine Spectator's Top 100 in 2000 and was their top scoring Australian red wine in 2002 at 95 points.  The wine consists of Chardonnay, Shiraz, and Cabernet Merlot.  Each year a small parcel of the E&E Black Pepper Shiraz is set aside for secondary fermentation and maturation on yeast lees to craft this effervescent fruit sparkler.”

 

This wine was not rated by the group, but generally it was not well liked.

Cedar Creek Platinum Reserve Meritage (hidden wine "C"):

The 2004 was awarded Double Gold Medal at the San Francisco International Wine Competition a couple of years ago.

Deep, dark and complex with aromas of chocolate, roasted coffee, ripe blackberry, black currants, cedar, spice and licorice. Flavours of vanilla and ripe black fruit with elegant tannins (43% Merlot, 38% Cabernet Sauvignon, 9% Malbec, 8% Cabernet Franc, 2% Petit Verdot).

Church & State Quintessential (hidden wine "F"):

The 2006 vintage was awarded the title of “Best Red Wine of the Year”at the All-Canadian Wine Championships this year.

The wine begins with a wonderful aroma of mocha and fruit cake, shows flavours of cassis and blackberry and a hint of liquorice on the finish (Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Merlot, Petit Verdot, Malbec).

La Frenz Reserve (hidden wine "B"):

"La Frenz continues to produce what I think to be the best wine available in Canada with little to no fanfare."
     Vue Weekly, Edmonton, Alberta.

The wine is concentrated and inky, with layer upon layer of mint, bell pepper, violets, and dark chocolate interwoven with vanilla, toast, and earth tones (Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, and Cabernet Franc).

Black Hill Nota Bene (hidden wine "E"):

The complete inventory of 3,300 cases of the 2006 vintage sold out on-line in 47 minutes.  (Black Hills doesn`t seem to enter competitions, but there are numerous very positive reviews of this wine in the media).

Aromas of kirsch cherry, herbs, tobacco and light toast, frame a vibrant structure that yields flavours of santa rosa plums echoing through a smooth round finish (46% Cabernet Sauvignon, 36% Merlot, 18% Cabernet Franc).

Poplar Grove Legacy (hidden wine "D"):

Beppi Crosariol, Globe & Mail: ``The 2004 Legacy is a blend of mostly merlot with smaller quantities of cabernet franc, cabernet sauvignon and malbec - a velvety blockbuster evocative of a top-class Pomerol or St.-Emilion from Bordeaux``.

Current, ripe plum, and blackberry flavours are framed by silky tannins (65% Merlot, 20% Cab Franc, 10% Cab, 5% Malbec).

Laughing Stock Portfolio (hidden wine "A"):

The 2005 vintage was awarded Gold Medal at the Canadian Wine Awards.

The wine begins with cocoa, almond and cassis on the nose. Velvety raspberry and dark chocolate flavours integrate with dry tannins on the palate and complete with a full-bodied finish. Malbec and Petit Verdot bring some spice and complexity harmonizing nicely with the clarity of the concentrated dark fruit foundation (Merlot 59%, Cabernet Sauvignon 33%, Malbec 4%, Cabernet Franc 3% and Petit Verdot 1%).