Wines scored out of 10 points.
Top Wines of the Year
8.0 Graham Beck Gamekeeper’s Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon 2004 ($20)
8.0 Columbia Crest Merlot 2002 ($20)
8.5 Pommery Champagne ($51)
8.0 Bollinger Grand Cuvee Champagne ($65)
8.5 Mission Hill Reserve Chardonnay 2004 ($19)
8.0 Francis Coppola Blue Label Merlot 2004 ($27)
8.0 Trimbach Riesling 2003 ($52)
Red Varietals
September 13, 2006 – David
8.0 Graham Beck Gamekeeper’s Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon 2004 (South Africa) ($20)
Lovely rich, balanced and voluptuous wine with loads of blackcurrants, leather and chocolate (3rd win for a Graham Beck wine at the PTC)
8.0 Columbia Crest Merlot 2002 (Washington) ($20)
Subtle bouquet with some chocolate, balanced and richly fruity
7.5 Penfolds Bin 28 Kalimna Shiraz 2002 (Australia) ($30)
Very rich, peppery and tannic, some leather
7.5 Goldridge Premium Reserve Pinot Noir 2004 (New Zealand) ($22)
Barnyard nose ++, red fruit flavor, would be good with food
7.5 Ravenswood Vintners Blend Zinfandel 2004 (California) ($20)
Faint berries on the nose, slightly sweet and very fruity
6.5 Volpaia Chianti Classico 2003 (Italy) ($22)
Sweaty socks bouquet, quite acidic but balanced
Portuguese and Spanish Reds
October 18, 2006 – Michele and Ted
Wines tasted not recorded.
Syrah
November 15, 2006 – Jane and Justin
7.5 Vinao Del Vero Syrah 2004 ($??)
Smooth, light and fruity; gasoline on the nose
7.0 Bonterra Syrah 2003 ($22)
Rich and leathery with abundant fruit
6.5 Porcupine Ridge Syrah 2005 ($20)
Dry and tannic, petrol and fruit
6.0 Hogue Genesis Syrah 2001 ($19)
Acidic and thin, some pepper
6.0 Cline Syrah 2004 ($19)
Petrol on the nose, slightly sweet, green peppers
5.5 Domaine des Salices Syrah 2003 ($15)
Musty and thin, weak bouquet
Champagne
December 13, 2006 – Suzanne and John
8.5 Pommery (Suzanne and John) ($51)
8.0 Bollinger Grand Cuvee (David) ($65)
7.5 GH Mumm Brut (Suzanne and John) ($54)
7.5 Charles Heidsieck (Michele and Ted) ($55)
7.5 Ayala Brut Majeur (Louise and Neil) ($47)
7.0 Pol Roger (Ellen and Don) ($45)
Chardonnay: Old vs New World
January 17, 2007 – Jane and Justin
8.5 Mission Hill Reserve Chardonnay 2004 (British Columbia, Canada) ($19)
Buttery, burnt sugar bouquet, sweetish, pineapple flavors
7.0 Little Yering Chardonnay 2005 (Australia) ($13)
Buttery, refreshing, nice for a hot day
7.0 Rodney Strong Chalk Hill Chardonnay 2004 (California) ($25)
Faint bouquet, caramel flavors
6.5 Louise Jadot Chardonnay 2003 (France) ($20)
Lemony nose, thin and lacking substance
6.0 Joseph Drouin Meursault 2004 (France) ($45)
Burnt sugar nose, flabby and unstructured
4.5 Domaine Chanzy Rully 2002 (France) ($23)
Sulforous bouquet initially, like a self-cleaning oven
BYO Reds
February 7, 2007 – Michele and Ted
8.0 Francis Coppola Blue Label Merlot 2004 (California) (Michele and Ted) ($27)
Smokey bouquet, red berries and chocolate taste, soft tannins
7.5 Montes Cabernet Sauvignon 2004 (Chile) (Suzanne and John) ($13)
Sweet bouquet, quite tannic, red berried, rough aftertaste
7.0 Santa Rita Medalla Real Cabernet Sauvignon 2003 (Chile) (Michele and Ted) ($20)
Very minty, eucalyptus, tannic
7.0 Graham Beck Gamekeepers Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon 2004 (South Africa) (David) ($20)
Oaky, quite rich and supple, dark fruit
6.5 Mission Hill Sonora Ranch Cabernet Sauvignon (BC) (Don) ($10)
Very vegetal, green peppers
Rose
March 21, 2007 – Ellen and Don
7.5 Kim Crawford Pansy! Rose 2004 (New Zealand) ($18)
7.5 Penley Estate Over the Moon Rose 2005 (Australia) ($16)
6.5 The Ruins Rose 2006 (South Africa) ($14)
5.5 Chateau d’Aqueria Tavel Rose 2005 (France) ($18)
5.5 Castel del Monte Rose 2005 (Italy) ($10)
3.5 Le Rose de Phelan Segur Rose 2005 (France) ($16)
Alsatian Whites
April 11, 2007 – Louise and Neil
8.0 Trimbach Riesling 2003 ($52)
Petrol bouquet, smooth and balanced, good acidity
7.0 Brand Riseling 2002 ($28)
Faint petrol bouquet, fruity, well balanced
6.0 Willm Riesling 2005 ($16)
Faintly flowery bouquet, nice fruit and balance
6.0 Pierre Sparr Gewurtztraminer 2005 ($16)
Spicey, lychee nose, sweet and abundant perfume
5.0 Dopff and Irion Pinot Blanc 2003 ($18)
Faint almond bouquet, flat and lifeless
4.5 Domaines Schlumberger Pinot Gris 2004 ($30)
Sweet and flabby
South African vs Chilean Reds
May 9, 2007 – David
6.5 Marques de Casa Concha Merlot 2004 ($20)
Deep fruity bouquet, balanced tannins, smooth
6.0 Lanzerac Cabernet Sauvignon 2000 ($24)
Menthol on the nose, medium bodied, rich berry taste
6.0 Delheim Merlot 2004 ($17)
Cedar and green pepper
6.0 Marques de Casa Concha Syrah 2004 ($20)
Very fruity bouquet, good tannins
6.0 Graham Beck The Ridge Syrah 2002 ($25)
Barnyard and burnt toast notes on the nose, chocolate
5.5 Cono Sur Southern Cone Cabernet Sauvignon Reserve 2005 ($14)
Red currant jam, ripe and smooth