Welcome to Second Ferment! Wine pairs well with life ... and food, travel, people, work and play. Grab a glass and join me as I explore the wine scene in Ottawa, Canada, and beyond. Love hearing from my readers, so please leave a comment. Cheers! - Bethany

Wednesday, February 15, 2012

Wine Wednesday: Random Quaffing

Just a few things I've had lately ...

Kacaba 2008 Unoaked Chardonnay (Niagara) - Crisp, lemony, zesty with firm acidity. This refreshing number is showing all the natural charm of the grape; one of the reasons why I love a good unoaked chard. But as you'll recall from the Wine and Food Show this year, Kacaba's oaked versions are just as - if not, more so - tantalizing.

Gray Monk 2009 Gewurztraminer (British Columbia) - Heavy, thick aromas of tropical flowers and fruit, topped with a generous spoonful of honey. Mid-weight on the palate with a slippery feel, the tropics following through in each mouthful of ripe pineapple and mango. Finish released a faint herbal tinge.

La Montesa Rioja (Spain) - Sorry about the lack of vintage; bottle went back for recycling before I was done taking notes! This Spanish red started with peppercorns, green pepper and cinnamon; dusty, grippy and tart, with tangy notes of sour cherry on the finish.

Creekside 2009 Sauvignon Blanc (Niagara) - It's been a while since I had one of these. Creekside became an instant favourite with its 2001 s.blanc, way back in my pre-Algonquin days (not knowing a thing about wine, I could still tell when something was good.) This one was grassy and citrusy up front, but opened up a bit more to reveal a more floral bouquet. It was sweeter than expected, with a bit of oily viscosity on the mid-length finish.

Wine by Joe 2009 Pinot Gris (Oregon) - Ya gotta love a label that comes right out with "Really Good" in a nice, bold font on the front. Hubby and I both found this to be quite tart, bordering on burning. (He had a bad cold at the time; I think it was probably good to have such high acid and alcohol in the wine. Burns off the germs.) The nose was quite complex, ranging from sharp (lychee, citrus peel, wet stone) to sweet (pineapple, melon and floral notes). The taste was mild in terms of fruit, somewhat overshadowed by its pungent base.




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