It’s my 800^th diary entry. I think I’ll celebrate by tasting some wine.

First, a set from Huff Estate, in Prince Edward County, Ontario.

Huff wines

Huff Estate Winery Vacay Vidal 2019 (Prince Edward County)
Pale straw in colour; smoky, citrus peel nose; medium-bodied, just off-dry, apple and peach flavours with bright acidity and a touch of bitterness on the finish. (86.5)

Huff Estate Winery Buried Vine Pinot Gris 2020
Light straw colour; minerally, peach pit nose; medium-bodied, dry, green peach flavour with crisp acidity; a touch hard on the finish. (87)

Huff Estate Winery Catharine’s Chardonnay South Bay Vineyard 2019
Bright, pale straw colour; lightly toasty, spicy, apple bouquet; medium-bodied, dry, fresh and lively on the palate with green apple and lemon flavours; well-integrated oak with great length. Chablis-esque in style. (90)

Huff Estate Winery Getaway Rosé 2020
Pale salmon colour; light fragrance of cherries; medium-bodied dry, watermelon and cherry pit flavours, round on the palate, with a fresh acidic finish. (87)

Huff Estate Winery County Roads Pinot Noir Rosé 2020
Pink with an orange hue; wild strawberries with a struck flint note on the nose; medium-bodied, crisply dry, cranberry and orange flavours with a touch of bitterness on the finish. (87)

Huff Estate Winery South Bay Vineyard Four Acre Merlot 2019
Deep ruby in colour; cedary, toasty plum bouquet with oak spice; medium-bodied, dry, sour cherry and plum flavours, firmly structured with vanilla oak notes. (87)

Next, three Austrian wineries. First, Schloss Gobelsburg, in Kamptal, Niederösterreich.

Schloss Gobelsburg Kamptal Grüner Veltliner Langenlois 2019
Pale straw colour; minerally, green plum and white pepper bouquet; light to medium-bodied, crisply dry, lemon and green plum flavours with a note of green herbs. Great length. (90).

Schloss Gobelsburg Kamptal Grüner Veltliner Ried Steinsetz 2019
Pale straw colour; minerally, lightly floral, citrus peel nose; quite round on the palate, medium-bodied, dry, white peach and lemon flavours; beautifully balanced and lingering. (91)

Schloss Gobelsburg Kamptal Grüner Veltliner Ried Lamm 2018
Golden straw colour; minerally, lightly floral, peachy nose; medium-bodied, rich and round on the palate; medium-bodied, dry, ripe peach and lemon flavours carried on racy acidity. Long finish. Lovely mouth-feel. (92)

Schloss Gobelsburg Kamptal Riesling Ried Heiligenstein 2018
Light gold in colour; stony, light floral nose of lime and lemon; medium-bodied, dry, lime and honey flavours with a green peach note on the finish; a beautifully balanced wine.

Next, Groiss, in Weinviertel, Niederösterreich.

Groiss Niederösterreich Gemischter Satz “Braitenpuechtorff” 2020
Light straw colour; stony, ripe apricot and citrus nose; medium-bodied, dry, peach and apricot flavour carried on lively acidity. Long fresh finish. (90)

Groiss Weinviertel Grüner Veltliner 2020
Pale straw in colour; minerally, green plum with white pepper and green tobacco leaf notes on the nose; medium-bodied, dry, elegant, beautifully balanced flavours of lemon, green apple and green plum. Fresh and lively on the palate with great length. (91)

Groiss Niederösterreich Reserve Grüner Veltliner Ried Sauberg “Tradition” 2019
Bright, pale straw colour; minerally, green pepper and citrus nose; medium-bodied, dry, well-balanced, fresh and clean, with green apple and green plum flavours and a long, long lemon-lime finish. (91)

Groiss Niederösterreich Reserve Riesling Ried Auf der Henne 2018
Bright, pale straw in colour; minerally, lightly floral, grapefruit nose; medium-bodied, just off-dry, honeyed grapefruit flavours with a smoky, flinty finish. (92)

Finally, Umathum, in Neusiedlersee, Burgenland.

Umathum Burgenland Grauburgunder 2019
Bright, pale straw in colour; minerally, peach pit and lemon zest nose; medium-bodied, dry, white peach and lemon flavours with a firm finish. (89)

Umathum Burgenland Rosé “Rosa” 2019
(40% Zweigelt, 30% Blaufrankisch and 30% Saint Laurent.) Light strawberry red; in colour; raspberry nose; medium-body, spicy, strawberry flavour with exciting acidity and herb-tinged finish. (89)

Umathum Burgenland St. Laurent “Vom Stein” 2015
Deep ruby-purple colour; cedary, spicy, smoky-tarry, blackberry nose with a floral top note; medium to full-bodied, dry, plum and cherry flavours carried on fresh acidity; firmly structured with ripe tannins. (90)

Umathum Burgenland Blaufränkisch 2017
Deep ruby colour; cedary, spicy, black plum bouquet; medium to full-bodied, dry, peppery plum flavour with well-integrated oak and herb-tinged finish. (89)

Other wines tasted:

Gérard Bertrand Heresie 2018 (Corbières, $19.95, Vintages #205821. To be released August 7^th)
Grenache, Syrah, Mourvèdre blend. Dense purple in colour; cedary, spicy, blackberry and rose petal nose; medium to full-bodied, dry, fruity, firmly structured ripe blackberry flavour with mellow tannins. Good value. (90)

C.V.N.E. Contino Gran Reserva 2014 (Rioja Alavesa, $39.95, Vintages #480178, to be released July 8^th)
Opaque purple in colour; cedary, high toned plum nos with oak spice; medium-bodied, dry, beautifully balanced, cherry flavour; elegant and juicy with great length, (91)

Speck Brothers Family Tree “The Padré” Cabernet-Merlot 2018 (Niagara Peninsula, $21.95, CSPC #18667, winery only)
Deep purple-ruby colour; cedary, spicy, plum and blackcurrant nose with a floral top note; medium-bodied, dry, St. Emilion-style; ripe plum and blackcurrant flavours with well-integrated oak; well-balanced and firmly structured. (90)

Château Grand Retour Plan de Dieu 2018 (Côtes du Rhône Villages, $15.95, Vintages #224592)
Dense purple colour; rich blackberry nose with oak spice; full-bodied, richly extracted blackberry flavour with a herb-tinged finish. Good value. (90)

Ruffino Chianti Classico Riserva Ducale Oro Gran Selezione 2016 (Tuscany, $49.95, Vintages #353201)
Deep ruby in colour; cedary, spicy, savoury, cherry nose with a touch of almond paste; medium-bodied, dry, spicy, sour cherry and plum flavours; elegant, beautifully balanced with bright acidity and evident but mellow tannins, (91)

Lapis Luna back label

Lapis Luna front label

Lapis Luna Cabernet Sauvignon 2018 (Lodi, California, $19.95, Vintages #17809. To be released July 24^th)
Deep purple colour; cedary, licorice, blackberry with a floral note; medium-bodied, dry, plum and blackcurrant flavours with a firm, spicy finish. (89)