Wine Show 2017

The annual NLC Wine Show kicked off yesterday with Special Selections night (the special selections will be covered in my next blog entry). There was a full house in attendance, but the numbers worked well in the Delta ballroom and it was easy to approach a table and get the sips you wanted. There were also plenty of finger foods for snacking, and water for hydration.

A grand total of 286 different wines were available for tasting (and purchase in the show’s on-site store). For every $125 of purchases, buyers received a $10 NLC gift card. I managed to taste 41 of the wines, which seems like a lot, but means I actually missed many good wines – so apologies to those suppliers who do not get a mention here.

For show’s like this I reduce my notes to just a few words, with a simplistic rating of 1, 2, or 3 ♥s and I will also add a “+” if something falls in between (or above) the main rating. GV indicates a wine I consider to represent a particularly good value. These ratings are subjective in that they reflect my personal tastes and reaction to the wines as opposed to an effort at a more objective assessment.

Sparkling Wine

#143 Baron Albert Champagne l’Universelle Brut ($53.95), France – aroma of fresh bread, tart element in the taste ♥♥

#144 Philipponnat Royale Reserve Brut Champagne ($80.18), France – more fresh bread(!), creamy ♥♥+

White Wine

#105 Sheep Thrills Pecorino ($15.99), Italy – wonderful lemon and caramel nose with good acidity. ♥♥ GV

#107 Las Moras Barrel Select Chardonnay ($15.97), Argentina – light and simplistic ♥

#115 Henry of Pelham Chardonnay VQA ($18.99), Canada – nice chardonnay aromatics, light ♥+

#116 Henry of Pelham Estate Chardonnay ($26.97), Canada – just a tad richer than #115 ♥+

#120 Duckhorn Napa Valley Chardonnay ($52.97), USA – rich, weighty, full fruit, oaky ♥♥

#122 Neiss Pinot Grigio ($19.98), Germany – attractive appley aroma and flavour, good acidity ♥♥ GV

#123 Dreissigacker Organic Riesling ($24.51), Germany – dry, with attractive lime aromatics ♥♥

#126 Parusso Langhe Bianco ($29.82), Italy – described as sauvignon blanc, but I couldn’t taste it, nice anyway ♥

#169 Pinta Negra White ($16.58), Portugal – minerality with floral and fruit aromatics ♥♥+ GV

#171 Quinta de Aves Badia – Muscadet & Sauvignon Blanc ($19.84), Spain – an unusual blend that works, grapefruit! ♥♥+

#173 Villa Huesgen Riesling – by the Glass ($22.61), Germany – a wonderful example from the Mosel ♥♥+

#174 Moulin de Gassac Picpoul de Pinet ($22.42), France – deliciously tart with some weight ♥♥+

#175 Pont de Gassac Blanc ($25.53), France – very fresh nose, soft and fruity ♥♥

#207 Calina Reserva Sauvignon Blanc ($20.53), Chile – smoky aroma with nice acidity ♥

#209 Kendall-Jackson Vintner’s Reserve Chardonnay ($31.41), USA – creamy, sunny nose with oak and vanilla, new world character, good acidity ♥♥+

#210 Murphy-Goode “The Fumé” Sauvignon Blanc ($27.23), USA – complex, layered nose of flint and smoke, good acidity ♥♥

#223 Chereau Carre Muscadet sur lie ($20.98), France – round, lemony, good acidity ♥♥

#224 Gustave Lorentz Reserve Riesling ($22.26), France – medium body, delicious ♥♥+

#225 Sugar Loaf Sauvignon Blanc ($22.26), New Zealand – restrained nose (for NZ), excellent ♥♥+

#229 Taku Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc ($19.98), New Zealand – also restrained nose, lovely ♥♥+

#235 Mercer Canyons Columbia Valley Chardonnay ($34.99), USA – full bodied, creamy, yellow apple ♥♥+

#238 Cloof Duckitt Sauvignon Blanc ($13.51), South Africa – thistle aroma, absolutely lovely ♥♥+ GV

#239 Cloof Duckitt Chardonnay Pinot Noir ($13.45), South Africa – interesting, but hollow mid-palate ♥

#243 Paco & Lola Albariño ($24.02), Spain – wonderful fruit expression ♥♥+

#265 Bodegas Garzon Albariño Reserve ($27.98), Uruguay – great acidity, wonderful fruit ♥♥+

Red Wine

#106 Sheep Thrills Red Blend ($15.99), Italy – sweet fruit based on montepulciano ♥+

#121 Duckhorn Migration Russian River Pinot Noir ($59.78), USA – loads of aroma, but lean, element of tartness ♥♥♥

#131 Montgó Old Vines Monastrell ($17.99), Spain – stunning flavours ♥♥+ GV

#132 Oraculo ($79.88), Spain – smooth and delicious ♥♥+

#168 Coreto Joker ($16.83), Portugal – simple red ♥+

#170 Dory Harvest Red ($18.97), Portugal – layers of complexity, fruit, smooth tannins ♥♥+ GV

#176 Pont de Gassac Rouge ($27.66), France – good fruit and acidity, tasty ♥♥

#177 Bichi Borghesi Chianti Colli Senesi ($22.52) – juicy, tart, lovely fruit, smooth ♥♥+

#178 Villa S. Anna Rosso di Montepulciano ($28.49) – excellent acidity with big fruit flavour ♥♥+

#179 Ocra Bolgheri Tuscany ($33.47) – beautiful blend with lean aroma, but huge wine ♥♥♥

#266 Bodegas Garzon Tannat Reserve ($27.98), Uruguay – huge wine, complex, wonderful ♥♥♥ GV

Sweet and/or Fortified

#99 Croft Reserve Tawny Port ($18.99), Portugal – caramel, cooked fruit, raisins ♥♥♥ GV

#100 Taylor Fladgate Special Edition 325th Anniversary Port ($49.95), Portugal – wonderful port expression ♥♥♥

#180 Vin Santo di Sangimignano ($43.61 for 500 ml), Italy – pleasant contrast of sweetness with acidity ♥+