From the Cellar

Thanksgiving Wines 2015 (Argentina / Australia/ Italy / Spain / Portugal)

26 Apr 2016

 

(October 11, 2015) ... Time for my annual Canadian-Thanksgiving wine report, this year there wasn't a Canadian Wine on the menu, instead wines from Argentina, Australia, Italy, Spain and Portugal were assembled for tasting and drinking - here were the candidates and the results:

Kaiken 2007 Malbec (Argentina) - I like Kaiken wines, though I'm not sure I've had one this old. The nose was riddled with smoky cassis notes while the palate seemed quite young for an 8 year old wine:  nice blackberry sweetness, along with vanilla oak, and dried currants ... Within 2 hours the wine takes a funny turn and goes very earthy - it was definitely a drink now (upon opening) kinda wine.

Kingston 2005 Cabernet Merlot (Australia) - This Cab-Merlot was sealed under screwcap and came across very closed at first, it opened very slowly, but once it did there was lots of dark fruit, smoky, and anise aromas; the palate gave up raspberry, black cherry, smoke, vanilla, and licorice root flavours. Once fully opened it proved to be a beautiful wine, I'm really starting to be a fan of these screwcap-thingies.

Goulart 2007 Clasico Malbec (Argentina) - Back to South America for wine three and this time it's a wine I picked up in the US many years ago from an "agent / importer". Once again it's a screwcap wine that opened slowly and while the nose remained fairly close and the flavours started out tight giving only smoky, and oaky notes; but all was forgiven shortly as soon the wine was loaded with nice raspberry, blueberry and smoky notes ... there was also a pretty roasted/charred dark fruit part that grabbed my attention.

Il Brutto 2013 Negroamaro / Primitivo (Italy) - The most recent wine of this tasting, and one I purchased from the Virgin Wine Club (in the USA) and probably one of the best from this grouping so far. Nose is full of plum, vanilla, and black cherry. The palate was juicy with red fruit, plum, and black berry ... Lots of juicy blackberry actually, backed by black cherry and an appealingly smooth mid-palate with just a touch of grit.

Torres 2003 Celeste (Spain) - So here is the first wine in this line up that finally started to show its age: dried herbs, craisins, dried cherry, and freeze dried strawberry on the nose, the palate pulled back on the fruit (dried or otherwise) instead showing much more tertiary characteristics, but still quite enjoyable: cinnamon, oak, cracked-pepper-strawberry, and Mediterranean herbs.

Churchills 2011 Douro Red (Portugal) - Many would pull out a Port wine for dessert, instead I pulled out a Portuguese wine from the Douro (where they make port anyway). The aromas are quite simply put, gorgeous, with blackberry, cassis, and cocoa; these smells follow on the palate adding plum, and vanilla to the mix ... But the take away here is all that gorgeous dark fruit both on the nose and in the mouth.

 

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