Patchen and Andrea came to Vancouver from Chicago to visit and I was fortunate enough to manage to get together for lunch today with them.
2000 Alderlea Pinot Gris - in an effort to introduce them to BC wines, this was produced. From a small winery in Duncan BC, it showed a colour that was lighter than rose, more an oeil de perdrix as in a vin gris. The nose was almost peachy, and the flavour full, but it ended with almost an oversupply of acidity- until we had it with a seafood starter course, when it all fell into place.
2000 Greata Ranch Pinot Blanc - this is a separate label of Cedar Creek, a mid-sized BC winery, used for premium product. The wine was oaked in a very Californian style, but it had tons of character in the nose apart from the oak (of which I am not a notable fan), and finished clean and crisp, though not quite as much so as the previous wine.2000 Cedar Creek Pinot Noir - hte regulart bottling as opposed to the premium 'Platinum' label. Excellent raspberry and cherry nose, with good concetration, sweet in the mouth and good length. Worked with his chicken and my buffalo ribeye.
1997 Ch. La Bourguette - a simple Bordeaux Superior, this wine was very mildly corky, and more than mildly uninteresting - as Patchen is a poli-sci prof, he'd probably agree with the Hobbesian characterisation of 'nasty, brutish and short'1998 Ch. Tour des Combes - after one taste of the previous wine we begged to move on to something more interesting, and this delightful St. Emilion from a good vintage took it's place. Dark, lovely nose showing some development, sweet forward and perfect for lunch fare.
NV Cedar Creek 'M' - served blind by our host, it had a medium amber colour, maderised nose, only slight residual sugar, and a lingering nuttiness in the mouth. I guessed a Madeira and couldn't believe that it was a quite rare (and expensive) one shot project of a BC winery - I would never have picked it as a New World wine. Apparently a large component is icewine, which explains the price. I was told that they are unlikely to make it again, as they can sell all the icewine they make. A pleasant lunch indeed.