Blind Tasting Notes

Notes from a dinner in West Van:

2000 Cedar Creek Platinum Pinot Noir - this was fun, as the restaurant had mixed up the bags on the bottles, so I thought it was my wine, and was trying to mentally reconcile the fairly typical Pinot notes with what I figured my wine, a merlot, should be (I'd never tasted it before). Cocoa and cherry nose, and dark fruit, in a medium weight well made wine. A revelation, I think, for our out of town guest, unfamiliar with BC wine.

2001 Burrowing Owl Merlot - a bit green, a bit closed, and a bit atypical for a merlot. Their first release of merlot was made much too young, and I was reminded of that. Perhaps this one will come around - I have the 98, 99 and

2000, so it might be fun to do a mini-vertical some time.

2000 Epicurea Cote de Bourg - this Bordeaux satellite appellation produces some very good values. I was not familiar with this one, but it showed not very much on the nose, good fruit in the mouth, and tailed off with somewhat assertive tannins that need a couple of years to resolve. Not bad, though.

1994 Havens Merlot Reserve - this was the one we/I were trying to fit into the Procrustean Pinot Noir bed. Dark wine with cherry/chocolate nose, sweet and soft on the palate, ending with soft well integrated tannins that will carry it for a few more years, but IMO it will not get any better. A nice drink now.

1999 Yalumba 'The Menzies' Coonawara Cab - I have the 1998 but haven't tasted it yet. Reticent nose witrh some mint, sweet on palate, with lots of acidity, lots of tannin, a fair bit of oak. Needs time.

1993 Rene Engel Clos de Vougeot - I have a bottle of the 1989 that would have made an interesting match - this wine showed atypically, or at least that was the consensus. It had a mellow but not particularly Burgundian nose, showing a bit of bacon fat, and the wine seemed younger based on the high tannin levels of the vintage. No rush at all here! I bought a few of the 93's, selectively (the only way to buy Burgs) and should start getting into them.

1994 Wynns Michael Shiraz -a young wine in terms of development, and a lot of time ahead of it, dark and very smooth, a class act. I love this Shiraz, made from the top selected 1% of fruit. This one was much more approachable than the ginormous 98 I tasted earlier this year.

We then retreated to my place for:

1991 Leeuwin Estate Margaret River Cab - sweet ripe fruit and earth in the nose, ample fruit and well balanced - perfect drinking now.

The Oz wines prompted me to pull a couple from the cellar blind:

1985 Mt. Langi Ghiran Cab - showing signs of break-up, fraying at the edges a bit, but still showing some pleasant characteristics.

1985 Mt. Langi Ghiran Shiraz - in much better shape with a nice peppery nose and better fruit.

Bill, I liked this wine quite a bit at release. I beleive it's the prestige label from Chateau Martinat (only in Cotes de Bourg is a prestige label Bordeaux under $20!). In spring and early summer it was an open, full-bodied wine that paired well with rare meats (to match those tannins). But last bottle I opened (last month) was comparatively reticent on the nose, as you note. Seems to be closing down a little, best to leave alone for a couple of years. I expect it to be re-awakened and at its peak in maybe 4 or 5. I find if these right bank satellites shut down it's seldom for a long period. Some '98s seem to be shaking off sleep, I see a lot of '98 Castillons, Fronsacs, Lalandes in my drinking queue over next few years. Dale

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