Anniversary dinner red wines

Anniversary dinner wites wines

Thursday, August 19^th: Our anniversary – which we share with two other couples – is celebrated with a dinner that rotates among us. This year it was our turn. The wines:

• Rotari Platinum Label Brut (Alto Adige)
• Cuvée Catharine Rosé Brut (Ontario)
• Waterkloof Circle of Life Chenin Blanc/Sauvignon Blanc 2017
• Mont-Redon Réserve Blanc 2019
• Little Engine Pinot Noir 2018
• Bachelder Lowrey Vineyard Old Vines Pinot Noir 2014
• Errazuriz Don Maximiano Founder’s Reserve 2017

Turning to my tasting notes: I tasted several wines from Lang Vineyards, a boutique winery located on the Naramata Bench in the Okanagan Valley.

Lang Vineyards Pinot Blanc 2019 (Okanagan Valley)
Pale straw colour with a greenish tint; minerally, peach pit nose; medium-bodied, dry, aromatic, white peach and lychee flavours with fresh acidity and engaging touch of bitterness on the finish for added interest. Drink now. (88.5)

Lang Vineyards Viognier 2018
Golden straw in colour; minerally, stony nose of peach with a light floral note; medium-bodied, dry, spicy, tangerine and melon flavours carried on lively acidity. Hold a year to allow the bouquet to develop. (88–89)

Lang Vineyards Petite Juliette 2019
44% Riesling, 39.5% Gewurztraminer; 14.5% Pinot Blanc, 2% Muscat. Spicy, aromatic nose of lychee, lemon zest and grapefruit; medium-bodied, just off-dry with good tension between the honeyed grapefruit flavour, the Muscat’s grapey-floral note and the spine of acidity from the Riesling. Sustains well on the palate Drink now. (90)

Lang Vineyards Pinot Noir 2018
Deep ruby with a tawny rim; spicy, lightly cedary, toasty, strawberry bouquet; medium-bodied, dry, cherry and dried tomato flavours; well-structured and firm on the palate with ripe chewy tannins. Drink now or gold for a year (89)

Lang Vineyards Cabernet Merlot 2018
63% Merlot, 32% Cabernet Franc, 5% Cabernet Sauvignon. Deep purple-ruby colour; cedary, lightly smoky nose of black plum and blackcurrant with oak spice; medium-to-full-bodied, dry, blackcurrant and blackberry flavours; well-balanced and firmly structured. Can be consumed now but will reward cellaring for 1–2 years. (89–91)

Lang Vineyards Merlot 2018
Deep ruby with a mature rim; cedary spicy, blueberry nose with toasty oak notes; medium-bodied, dry, elegant, beautifully balanced and juicy; Well structured. Drink now or hold  1–2 years. (90)

Lang Vineyards Syrah-Viognier 2018
Deep purple in colour; cedary, spicy, savoury, blackberry nose with a floral top note; medium-bodied, dry, spicy, blackberry and black cherry flavours with lively acidity finishing on a savoury-herbal note of white pepper. Delicious wine. Drink now or hold 1–2 years. (91)

Lang Vineyards Marechal Foch 2019
Dense purple in colour; earthy, black plum bouquet with oak spice; medium to full-bodied, dry, richly extracted plum flavour; beautifully balanced with tangy acidity and ripe tannins. Drink now or through 2022. (89)

Other wines tasted:

Podere Brizio Rosso de Montalcino 2016 ($24.95, Vintages #17858, to be released Sept. 18^th)
100% Sangiovese. Deep ruby in colour; earthy, chery bouquet with oak spice; medium-bodied, dry, savoury, raspberry  and cherry flavours carried on fresh acidity. Fruity with a caressing mouth-feel, (90)

Bookwalter Winery Readers Cabernet Sauvignon 2018 (Columbia Valley, $19.95, Vintages #13238, to be released Sept. 4^th)
Deep purple in colour; cedary, floral, black fruits on the nose with a hint of dried herbs; medium-bodied, dry, richly extracted blackberry and black plum flavours with fresh acidity. (90)

Ferraton Père & Fils Côtes du Rhône Samorëns 2019  ($16.95, Vintages #168708, to be released Sept. 18^th)
Deep purple colour; cedary, black olive and herbal nose; full-bodied, dry, earthy-savoury black plum flavour; firmly structured with grainy tannins. (89)

Réserve Mont-Redon Côtes du Rhône Blanc 2019 ($17.95, Vintages #18602)
Pale straw in colour; lightly floral, lime and white peach bouquet with a mineral note; medium to full-bodied, dry, white peach and lemon flavours; beautifully balanced, lovely mouth-feel. (91)

Waterkloof Circle of Life Chenin Blanc/Sauvignon Blanc 2017 (Stellenbosch, Vintages #284588, to be released Sept. 18^th)
Bright, very pale straw colour; grassy, green plum nose; medium-bodied, crisply dry, green plum, grapefruit and gooseberry flavours with a long, fresh finish. (90)

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