Monday, July 31st: Got down to some tasting after inputting wine reviews from Friday’s tasting.

• CedarCreek Riesling 2016 (Okanagan – $15.99): very pale in colour with just a hint of lime; minerally, grapefruit nose; light to medium-bodied, off-dry, lime, golden raisin and grapefruit flavours with a touch of honey. (89)
• CedarCreek The Senator 2016 (Okanagan – Chardonnay and Sauvignon Blanc, $18.99): very pale in colour; apple and pear nose with a grapefruit zest note; medium to full-bodied, dry, ripe pear flavour with an engaging floral note. Good mouth-feel with lively acidity. (89)
• CedarCreek Pinot Gris 2016 (Okanagan – $18.99): pale straw in colour; peach pit nose with a mineral note; medium-bodied, sweet peach with balancing citrus acidity; a little too much residual sugar for my taste. (87)
• CedarCreek Platinum Viognier Haynes Creek 2016 (Okanagan Valley – $28.99): pale straw colour; peach nose with a light floral note; medium to full-bodied, richly extracted sweet peach puree and ripe melon flavours with a touch of bitterness on the finish. Overly rich, fleshy and lacking balance. (88)
• Robert Mondavi Chardonnay 2014 (Napa Valley – $29.95): light straw colour; spicy, baked apple and citrus nose with a vanilla oak note; full-bodied, sweet peachy-pineapple flavour with well-integrated oak and a lively spine of acidity. Long finish. (90)
• Mission Hill Perpetua Chardonnay 2015 (Okanagan – $73.03): pale straw colour; spicy pear and apple with oak notes; full-bodied, richly extracted apple and pineapple flavours carried on lively acidity and backed by vanilla oak. A rich and powerful wine. (90)
• Piazzano Chianti 2015 ($14.95): deep ruby colour; plummy, earthy nose; medium-bodied, dry, sour cherry and plum flavours with ripe tannins and a lively spine of acidity. Good value. (88.5)
• CedarCreek Estate Grown Pinot Noir 2015 (Okanagan – $24.49): ruby colour with a violet rim; cedary, cherry nose; medium-bodied, dry, plum and cherry flavours with well-integrated oak and ripe tannins and a chocolate note on the finish. (89)
•  Mission Hill Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon 2015 (Okanagan – $30.95): dense purple colour; cedary, black plum and currant nose; full-bodied, richly extracted black fruit flavours with a creamy mouth-feel and well-integrated oak and a savoury bitter chocolate finish. (90)
• Mission Hill Compendium 2014 (Okanagan – 45% Cabernet Sauvignon, 37% Merlot, 16% Cabernet Franc, 2% Petit Verdot – $84.27): dense purple colour; cedary, blackcurrant and plum with spicy new oak notes; full-bodied, richly extracted, black fruit flavours with a savoury dark chocolate and coffee bean flavour ending on grainy cocoa-like tannins. Beautifully balanced and voluptuous. (92)
• Ravenswood Zinfandel Old Vine Vintner’s Blend 2015 (California – $18.95): deep ruby colour; spicy, leather and plum bouquet; medium to full-bodied, flavourful, black raspberry and red plum flavours. (88)
• Ravenswood Old Vine Zinfandel 2015 (Lodi, California – $21.95): deep purple-ruby colour; cedary, spicy, plum nose with an oaky note; full-bodied, porty, sweet plum with balancing acidity and well-integrated oak. (89.5)

Dinner at Birch on Mount Pleasant. Ordered a bottle of Medagliato Pecorino Terre di Chieti 2015.

Wednesday, August 2nd: Drove down to St. Catharines to go over plans for a kitchen reno in the new house. We move at the end of September. Did some tasting when we got back to the condo.

• Henry of Pelham White House Wine Co. Vidal Moscato 2016 (Ontario – $11.95): bright pale straw colour; aromatic, orange and lychee nose; light to medium bodied, off-dry, lychee and melon flavour. Good length. An easy drinking wine with a faint spritz. (87)
• Gérard Bertand Viognier Réserve Spéciale 2015: (Pays d’Oc – $14.95) straw colour; spicy, peach and light honeysuckle note; medium-bodied, just off-dry with a peachy-melon flavour and lively acidity. (87)
• Mission Hill Sauvignon Blanc Reserve 2016 (Okanagan – $21.91): pale straw colour; sweaty, green bean nose; medium-bodied, dry, grapefruit and green plum flavours. (87)
• Mission Hill Crosswinds Syrah 2014: (Okanagan – $34.94): dense ruby-purple in colour; cedary, savoury blackberry and blackcurrant nose with a tobacco note; full-bodied, fruity, sweet blackberry flavour, somewhat jammy with a note of dried herbs; good acidity and ripe tannins. (88.5)
• Mission Hill Pinot Gris Reserve 2016: (Okanagan – $24.95): light straw colour; minerally, peach pit nose; medium-bodied, dry, white peach and grapefruit flavours with balancing acidity. (88)
• Buena Vista North Coast Chardonnay 2015: (Sonoma – $24.95): light straw colour; apple, undergrowth and well-integrated oak on the nose; medium to full-bodied, round on the palate with apple, orange and melon flavours and then the lemony acidity kicks in to give the wine structure and length. (89.5)
• Simi Sonoma County Chardonnay 2015 ($19.95): medium straw colour with a lime tint; grilled pear with a barnyard note on the nose; medium to full-bodied, spicy, mango, apple and pear flavours with vanilla oak backing. Well-balanced with a lovely mouth-feel and good length. (88.5)
• Simi Landslide Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon 2013 (Alexander Valley – $39.95): Deep purple-ruby colour; cedary, black plum nose with oak spice; medium to full-bodied, dry, savoury, plum and blackcurrant flavours with a minty-herbal note and a warm alcoholic finish. (90)

Thursday, August 3rd: Lunched with Marc Nadeau at One restaurant. Sat on the terrace. Ordered tuna tartare.

One’s Tuna Tartare

Marc had brought along two wines from a BC producer in the Okanagan I had not tasted before, Mirabel Rosé of Pinot Noir 2016 and Mirabel Pinot Noir 2015 – both delicious.

In the afternoon Deborah and I went to buy new appliances for the new house. Perhaps shouldn’t have done that after sharing two bottles of wine.

Friday, August 4th: Spent a blissful day working on the novel. For dinner, shrimps and rice with Château des Charmes Aligoté 2016 (pale straw in colour; minerally, citrus and apple nose; medium-bodied, crisp, crab apple and lemon flavour – 87.5).