TNs--Carlisle, Novy, Quivet, Hager, Model Farm, Laureau, Westcott, Clos-Haut Peyraguey

2011 Carlisle Sierra Mar Syrah

10 years out, this has come into a prime window. Very Mike for me, rich without going overboard, the tannins have fined out considerably and the fruit remains rich maraschino cherry and plum, with ticks of blueberry and on the very slightly sweet side. Not Cornas, by any means, but it’s not supposed to be. Good wine here.

2011 Novy Sierra Mar Syrah

My friend Tim pulled the previous one and this one so we could compare. There is a little more mulberry and litheness about this wine, more lifted acidity, but really they are remarkably close in aromatic and especially flavour impression in terms of the fruit. I preferred this by just a bit over the Carlisle, but that’s only my personal taste preferences bouncing in.

2016 Damien Laureau Les Genets

My first taste of this about 15 months ago, it was promising but very scattershot. Well, this has resolved itself extremely well now. Still quite young, but the combination of waxy yellow fruit and some of that laser acidic focus shines through. I have called Laureau’s stuff the Chablis of Chenin and this doesn’t do anything to change my description. Yummylicious

2017 Hager Matthias Gruner Veltliner Urgestein

A new producer for me, I am learning that there is Gruner I like and Gruner I don’t like. No question that this is well-made----there’s good presence on the nuzzie and good length on the tongue. But it is populated with melon fruit notes and a sweetish exposition, and I am looking for the super-dry, pepper-mustard expression instead.

2017 Model Farm Syrah

Decanted for about 3 hours. Initially, an assault of cured leather, woodsmoked leaves and sage in the bouquet. And it is fierce when first tasted. But air does the trick and perky tart red berry and currant fruit comes up to play, along with a very light coffee and mineral nuance. This remains strong wine, very much putting me in mind of Cornas or St. Joseph, and has lots and lots of time to go. The oak is present just at the moment.

2016 Quivet Pellet Cab

This has also settled in to deliver a plush demonstration of plum pudding, black cherry, a whisper of tar and some back-end of tobacco, actually. Glycerin feel, but it has requisite power and real character to its flavour profile. Outside my normal taste wheelhouse, I am nevertheless quite enjoying drinking this.

2015 Westcott Estates Pinot Noir Reserve

From my fave pinot estate here in Ontario, my favourite bottling, man is this singing right now. Tart strawberries mixed in with cherry fruit are the main participants, with an attractive cedar/woodsy lash to the aromatics. What’s nice to see is how light and lifted this remains. 90 if pushed to score, and I’m not being a homer on that.

2017 Chateau Clos-Haut Peyraguey

I don’t think this vintage will be one to wait 10 years to see extra elements come out. But it’s reasonably priced and there is a place in my fridge for pleasure-delivering Sauternes for short-term consumption. This fits that bill admirably, with apricot, papaya, vanilla and dash of pineapple in the sniffer and in the mouth. While there is not much acidity, it backs off from being torpid. As I said, pleasure to drink while not being something to spend deep-thought time on.

A bientot,

Mike