A Wine Lover’s Diary, part 744: Moraine

Posted on October 20, 2019 by
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Moraine wines

Recently I tasted six wines from a new winery in the Naramata Bench. This is the way their website describes them:

Moraine is a family-owned winery and vineyard overlooking Okanagan Lake, located just minutes from the city of Penticton. From its shelf-like location above striking clay bluffs, Moraine peers over the landscape and water. These iconic glaciated white clay cliffs comprise the breathtaking Naramata Bench and inspire the winery’s land-formed name.

The winery owners are the husband-wife team of Oleg and Svetlana Aristarkhov, who, at a time when they were ready to make a life change, were enchanted by Moraine’s setting. The couple believes that wine offers one of life’s most simple, enjoyable, and accessible pleasures; and this philosophy spurred their leap into the wine industry. They relocated from Alberta, where they had lived for 15 years, to make premium Okanagan wines.

Here are my notes: Continue reading →

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Wine of the Week for October 17, 2019

Posted on October 17, 2019 by

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Inniskillin Pinot Noir Montague Vineyard 2016 (Four Mile Creek, Niagara – $30.95, LCBO #997353 and in Wine Rack outlets): Bright ruby in colour; black raspberry and beetroot bouquet lifted with oak spice; medium-bodied, dry, elegant, beautifully balanced with a ripe raspberry flavour and enough tannin to give the wine structure. Lovely mouth-feel. (90)

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A Wine Lover’s Diary, part 743: Bachelder Wines

Posted on October 11, 2019 by

Thomas Bachelder has opened the first retail outlet on the Beamsville Bench in rented space at Locust Lane and will start selling his wines on line on November 1. See https://thomasbachelder.com/

I tasted through the portfolio: Continue reading →

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Wine of the Week for October 10, 2019

Posted on October 10, 2019 by

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Rusterberg Sauvignon Blanc 2018 (Stellenbosch, South Africa – Vintages #456020, $14.95)
Very pale in colour with a lime tint; minerally, slightly reductive nose of cut grass and green apple with a light floral note; light to medium-bodied, crisply dry with tangy green plum and grapefruit flavours and a long finish. (89)

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A Wine Lover’s Diary, part 742: De’Ricci

Posted on October 7, 2019 by
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De’Ricci wines

Impressed by these De’Ricci wines (private imports available through George Lawrence Imports, georgelawrenceimorts@gmail.com, 416-889-4786).

Cantine Storiche De’Ricci Rosso de Montepulciano 2017 (Tuscany – $28.88)
Deep ruby colour; lightly cedary, earthy, cherry nose with well-integrated oak; medium-bodied, dry, lightly floral-tinged flavour of ripe cherries and red plums; firmly structured, very elegant for a Rosso, lovely mouth-feel, with a tannic lift on the finish. (88.5)

Cantine Storiche De’Ricci Vino Nobile di Montepulciano 2015 ($35.23)
Deep ruby colour with an ambering rim; cedary nose of vanilla and cherries with oak spice notes; medium-bodied, dry, elegant and harmonious, beautifully balanced, savoury, dried cherry flavour; well-structured with ripe, grainy tannins on the finish. (91)

Cantine Storiche De’Ricci Il Voignone 2015 (Super Tuscan – Cabernet Sauvignon/Merlot – $40.53)
Deep ruby colour; lightly cedary nose of dark chocolate and black cherries with oak spice; medium-bodied, dry, lovely mouthfeel, round and full on the palate with flavours of plum and currants ending on a minty note. A beautifully balanced seamless wine that needs 3–4 years cellaring. (92+) Continue reading →

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