From the Cellar

Mr Black's Concoction & Masi Bonacosta (Australia / Italy)

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Category: Uncorked Tonight

(August 5, 2015) ... An odd combination of wines tonight that started with a Shiraz-Viognier blend and ended with a Valpolicella. I felt like something big and powerful so I lurched around the cellar till I found Small Gully 2009 Mr Black's Concoction, the nose was leathery with a floral component and some cassis notes ... The palate started a little oddly but soon delivered what I was expecting: black cherry, leather, smoky, peppery, and spicy ... The odd part was the violet-pine that was in the first few sips, but then it turned rich and fruity with the right balance; screwcap is great but sometimes you just have to acclimatize the wine.

Once bottle one was completed I opened a Masi 2014 Bonacosta, Valpolicella Classico - compared to the above bottle this was simple, but in a good way. Aromas of earthy and sour cherry; while the palate was sour cherry, with good acidity and a touch of smokiness with sour raspberry. At the end of the night, if you don't go sweet sometimes simple is best.

The Other Two (France / Spain)

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Category: Uncorked Tonight

(August 2, 2015) ... As previously mentioned and reported, I had dinner at my brother's place on this night and it wasn't just these four Ontario Wines on the docket ... I also brought along a Chateau de Gaudou 2005 Cahors, home of the real Malbec wines. This is a wine I recently consumed to great fanfare, so I trotted it out once more for our dining and (no) dancing pleasure.

You might start to think I'm just bringing out some of the greatest hits of the last 6 months, and you're not far off, but I've also gotta thrown in something new for fun, and that wine was the Izadi 2001 Crianza Tempranillo: aromas are of the smoky-cassis and spiced-peppered-plums variety, with a palate that's quite oaky and the backing of vanilla, smoke, finishing off with nicely spiced-plums.

Check out the 4 Ontario Wines opened this evening.