Sunday, September 10th: Went over to Michael Vaughan’s and did some tasting:

• Bouchard Père & Fils Maçon Lugny 2015 (Burgundy  – $18.50): yellow straw in colour; a nose of hay, apple, light floral tone and a mineral note; medium-bodied, rich and ripe, pineapple and apple flavours with a touch of sweetness from a warm vintage. Full on the palate. (89 – BB)
• Bouchard Père & Fils Petit Chablis 2015 ($22.20): pale straw in colour; dusty, green nut nose of green apple with a mineral thread; medium-bodied, dry, fresh and lively on the palate and quite ripe for a Petit Chablis, with lemony-lime acidity and good length. (89 – BB)
• Bouchard Père & Fils Pouilly-Fuissé 2015: bright straw colour; a nose of green tobacco leaf, apple and melon; medium-bodied, ripe apple, pineapple and lemon flavours; well-balanced and clean with good length. (90 – BB)
• Henry of Pelham Pinot Gris 2016 (Niagara Peninsula): golden straw colour; spicy, peach it and peach puree nose with a mineral note and light florality; medium-bodied, dry, apple and white peach flavours that tend to fade on the finish. (87.5)
• Henry of Pelham Chardonnay 2013: pale straw colour with a hint of lime; a nose of apple, undergrowth with a toasty note; medium-bodied, ripe apple flavour; good mouth-feel, broad on the palate with a warm alcoholic finish. (88.5 – T)
• Cave Spring Pinot Gris 2016 (Niagara Peninsula – $16.95): bright straw colour; minerally, peach pit nose; medium-bodied, dry with an apple core flavour and lively acidity. (87)
• Henry of Pelham Riesling 2016 (Niagara Peninsula – $14.95): bright straw colour; minerally, grapefruit zest nose; medium-bodied, off-dry, honeyed grapefruit and lime flavours; well-balanced with good  length. (89 – BB)
• Henry of Pelham Pinot Noir 2016: medium ruby colour; cherry bouquet with a light floral note; medium-bodied, dry, richly extracted cherry and red plum flavours, ripe and full on the palate with ripe tannins and a firm finish. (89 – BB)
• Cave Spring Cabernet Franc 2015 (Niagara Escarpment – $17.95): deep ruby-purple colour; cedary, plum nose with a herbal note; medium-bodied, dry, oaky, plum and redcurrant flavours; firmly structured with a rich mouth-feel and a lively spine of acidity. (89 – BB)
• Henry of Pelham Baco Noir 2016 ($14.95): deep ruby-purple in colour; cedary, black cherry nose; medium-bodied, dry, spicy (almost peppery) cherry and plum flavours with balancing acidity and good length. (89 – BB)

After the tasting, Michael, Rosie and I went to an Indian restaurant (Leila’s on Dufferin) to celebrate Michael’s brother Kim’s birthday. Top-notch Indian food.

Monday, September 11th: Spent virtually the whole day inputting wine notes, not a task I relish.

Tuesday, September 12th: Worked on wines I’m donating to a charity tasting for St. Joseph’s. The successful bidder wants to expand the number of guests which means an extra bottle of each wine. Wrote up a tasting sheet for the event. Then tasted Cantina Tollo Colle Secco Montepulciano d’Abruzzo 2014 ($9.40): Deep purple-ruby in colour; spicy plum and tobacco nose with a light floral note; medium-bodied, dry, fruity, plum and cherry flavours with fresh acidity, ripe tannins and a note of old wood on the firm finish. Great value. (88.5)

Wednesday, September 13th: Typed up my phone interview with the cork guys in Portugal, then went for another chiropractor session for my shoulder. Went to visit Roberto Baycrest but he was sleeping so I left without disturbing him.

Deb is away in Mexico so I’m eating alone. She’s with 19 women for an extreme Zumba week – whatever that means. Probably extreme Margarita week. Opened a bottle of La Linda Old Vines Malbec 2014 ($15.95): dense purple colour; cedary, blackberry and blackcurrant nose with vanilla oak and a floral top note; medium to full-bodied, high-toned, fresh and fruity black fruit flavours; beautifully balanced. (89)

Thursday, September 14th: A meeting at Terroni with Doris, the President of Grapes for Humanity Canada, and two of the directors, Liz and Cathy, to discuss next May’s “Uncorked” event. We decided that the theme country will be Spain. In the evening Gordon Pape picked me up to drive down to the Palais Royale for a fund-raiser for Muscular Dystrophy Canada. Lots of food and drinks with spectacular entertainment.

Wine at Palais Royale

Entertainment at fund-raiser

Friday, September 15th: The bridge loan for the new house finally came through on the day we are meant to close the deal. Picked up the keys and the garage remote from the lawyer. Celebrated by opening a couple of Henry of Pelham wines:

• Henry of Pelham Speck Family Reserve Chardonnay 2016 ($27.95): yellow straw in colour with a spicy, oaky, tropical fruit nose; medium-to-full-bodied, dry, richly extracted flavours of mango and pineapple with oak spice; the oak is nicely integrated and the wine has a long, graceful finish. (91)
• Henry of Pelham Cabernet Merlot 2016: deep ruby in colour; cedary, plum and cherry nose; medium-bodied, dry, plum and currant flavours with a savoury-herbal note; a well-balanced wine. (88.5)