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reds by the glass
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glass | ½ litre | btl |
| VANCOUVER ISLAND |
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2006 Averill Creek Estate Grown Pinot Noir, Duncan
Perhaps only an M.D. from Alberta Private Cinic infamy has the cahones to develop such vibrant and balanced fruit intensity with the imagination of drinking an animistic Burgundian Pinot. On the other hand, perhaps though it's the land. Vancouver Islands new eno alpha male winemaker Andy Johnston struts his terroire strut on the to die for promenade of his stupendous eagles nest winery perched high above the Duncan coastline. Second vintage gorgeous again |
12 | 33 | 47 |
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2006 Venturi Schulze Fiorino, Cobble Hill
The most enigmatic winery in the country focuses the palate then mind ever so subtly on the bookend paradox of the human condition: our innate naivety relative to the largness of what we are experiencing. Cacophonous carbonic maceration of the only Blue Gamay and Dornfelder in the country. A tenor singing mezzo-soprano confabulating a red wine that thinks it’s white. Fresh dark fruits imploding with vitamin B bursts. |
7.5 | 20 | 29 |
| BRITISH COLUMBIA |
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2006 Kettle Valley Naramata Bench Reserve, Extra 4079
Tiny production of this tribute to the last train # 4079 to climb the Coquihalla Pass on the Kettle Valley Rail line. Incredibly rich, jammy, food friendly Marechal Foch confabulated by two recovering accountants cum 'garagiste' winemakers Tim Watts & Bob Ferguson in Bob's garage. |
12 | 33 | 47 |
| FRANCE |
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2005 Buzet Red Badge, Buzet France
France's last declared Appelation in 1974, Buzet nestles strategically between Bordeaux and Armagnac, grows same grapes in similar dirt without the registered nomenclature cache of Bordeaux. Hence the price on this shall we say politically delicate blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot & Cabernet Franc from almost Bordeaux. |
8.5 | 21 | 31 |
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2005 Christian Moueix Merlot France
Christian Moueix oversees the family's ten properties in Pomerol and St. Émilion, including Château Pétrus, Château Trotanoy and Dominus Estate Winery in Napa. Perhaps people who spend their entire life with Merlot become like the wine: easy-going and charming, without hard edges. Exactly the experience of this wine: soft warming succulent dark berry fruit twined in leather and tobacco rubbed coccoa leaves. |
9 | 26 | 35 |
| AUSTRALIA |
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2005 Lindemans Reserve Padthaway Shiraz
Spiced purple crayons mixed with blackberry jam on toast from a pre-school art class memory come to mind. Something about the mutual colour envelope they shared. Loved chewing on the things whilst conjuring my next mess-terpiece. |
8 | 23 | 31 |
| ITALY |
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2005 Gabbiano Chianti, Tuscany
"12th century winery estate Castello Di Gabbiano perched on the rolling hills of Tuscany south of Florence originally owned by the Bardis family who brought Michelangelo to Tuscany.Invigorating flavors of sour cherry, blackberry, and spice followed by a dry vivid finish. Gabbiano's label depicts a Cavaliere or knight on horseback bearing a winged helmet, standard, and shield signifying the wines nobility and tenure."
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7.75 | 22 | 30 |
| SPAIN |
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2003 Vina Bajoz Crianza, Toro/Rueda
Standing side by side with their older counterpart of Rioja in Spain's north east, the more central regions of Toro & Rueda began there claim to the country's expansive enological community with 8 grape farmers who recognized the regions potential in 1962. Today the winery is owned by 142 farmers (grape growers), who together control a third of all the region´s grapes, making Bajoz the largest winery in the up-and-coming Toro region. 100% Tinta Toro finished 6 months in American oak, it is classically animistic, rich with a satiny velvet finish.
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10.5 | 29 | 40 |
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reds by the bottle
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btl | ||
| VANCOUVER ISLAND |
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2006 Venturi Schulze Nero di Collina (aka Zweigelt)
An extraordinary island anomaly, the only Zweigelt (aka Lemberger) produced here.Leathery black currant & cassis in bramble pitch notes serenade the deep woods lair of a sub earth dragon. Huge representation of this Alsascian interpretation of Pinot Noir. Ineffable Island brilliance in a bottle. |
66 | ||
| BRITISH COLUMBIA MAINLAND |
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2006 Golden Mile Cellars Pinot Noir, Oliver B.C.
Years ago Michael Bartier endeared my 6 year old daughter to ski boots at Mt. Washington on her first ever slippery slope adventure. Almost 2 decades latter Michael has slalomed his way into one of the premier winemaker vocations in the country. His Pinot is even more breathtaking than his skiing. Perfect nomenclature fit to our site at the top of Vancouver Island's 'Golden Mile'. |
50 | ||
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2006 Stoneboat Vineyards Pinotage, Oliver B.C.
The only pinotage in B.C. Pinot Noir and Carignan dancing a rich and lingering succulent berry pas des dues with soft wood and leather orchestration. Sinuous legs of a prima ballerina combined with the in flight balance and precision of a trapeze artist. Breathtaking. |
48 | ||
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2006 Monster Vineyards Merlot , Naramata
Poplar Grove Winery's version of a second label merlot which is often better than other property's first. Innocent food friendly acidity under eager fruit tones of black & strwaberry esters. Great value. Label is incandescent too. |
37 | ||
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2004 Quails Gate Cabernet Sauvignon, Kelowna
Ben & Tony Stewart have taken their grandfather's dream, their father's determination and their own itinerate genius culturing world class vineyard and winery and dining room development onto 100 acres of the best fruit growing land in the Okanagan. Cherry and blackberry fruit, ripeness extends through tanin softened oak aging to define their family signature in this bottle. |
47 | ||
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2006 Blasted Church Syrah, Okanagan Falls
So named after an historic event in the 30's when the steeple of the resident church was accidentally toppled while dynamiting foundations. The wine resembles the event in its relative enormity and mouth imploding sun dried raisinous black currant and saddle leathered burst of quince. An epiphany is announced. |
47 | ||
| AUSTRALIA |
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2005 Angus the Bull Cabernet Sauvignon
Garagiste winery production of meat meeting Cabernet from Victoria and various destinations of Southern Australia. Keg n Cleaver style of mind numbing sensuality you can't help but be cuddled by. |
46 | ||
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2005 Penfolds Bin 2 Shiraz Mouvedre
A Multi regional blend brain child of Penfolds founder Max Schubert, fruit is sourced from Barossa & Clare valleys, McLaren vale and Langhorne Creek. Not overtly concentrated, but has plenty of fruit, texture and long, satiny elegance to the finish. |
39 | ||
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2004 Peter Lehmans Clancy's Legendary Red, Barossa Valley
Shiraz, Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot done in a subtle ( yes it is Australian ) balance of soft dark fruits, lingering sweet earth tones and mild acidity. Text book Aussie compromise. |
39 | ||
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2003 Thorn Clarke Shotfire Ridge Barossa Quartage
Young winemaking family producing phenomenally rich and voluptuous Barossa Shiraz, Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Merlot and Petit Verdo from Thorn Clarke's Barossa Kabininge vineyard. Quartage is Aussie speak for Cuvée. On the palate it means 'never endingness' of flavour and multiple mind melting sensations. |
60 | ||
| ONTARIO |
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2005 Chateau des Charmes Equuleus, St. Davids Bench, Niagara
Paul Bosc was awarded Citizen of the Year and the Order of Canada for developing Canada's first vinifera on the St David's Bench, Niagara Escarpment. Equuleus is his Reserve Bordeaux Blend Cab Franc, Merlot, Cab Sauv. Fond of riding his Thouroghbreds through the vineyard, the wine offers succulent blackberry, peppered cherry spice with a certain leather saddle equine nature. |
72 | ||
| CALIFORNIA |
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2004 Cambria Pinot Noir, Santa Maria
Family-owned estate winery located on the Santa Maria Bench in Santa Barbara County, the 1450 acre site benefits from east-west exposure and proximity the the Pacific producing velvet-fruit-leather in a bottle of unimaginable yet natural elegance and grace. |
76 | ||
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2005 Ravenswood Zinfandel, Sonoma
Ravenswood winemaker Joel Peterson explains "When I was starting my own winery and tasting a lot of wine in the 1960s and 70s, the European wines I admired were made in a relatively primitive way. As a result, at Ravenswood we employ relatively archaic winemaking techniques." Native yeasts, open topped fermentation tanks, small french oak barrels, produce rich and naturally spiced wines of multiple flavour aspects. Somoma's infamous "No Wimpy Wines" Winery produces Buicks in a bottle and parks 'em on your table. |
60 | ||
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2005 Robert Hall Rhone de Robles, Paso Robles
Nestled up in the Santa Ana hills behind Santa Barbara is the land of the American reiteration of wines from the southern Rhone by inveterate wine makers carving out their faux niche as ' The Rhone Rangers' on land that is oft more suitable to these unique, region specific grapes. In his third career move at the tender age of 59, Robert Hall has stradled Paso Robles and the Rhone with this epitomized expression of both terroires in this blend of 46% Grenache, 45% Syrah, 6% Cinsaut, 3% Counoise. Densely spiced black fruit & equine sinue. |
72 | ||
| ITALY |
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2003 Tomassi Amarone
The four Valpolicella grape varieties Corvina Veronese 50% Corvinone 15% Rondinella 30% Molinara 5% cultivated and are dried until February high on ancient hillside terraces. Aged 3 years in Slavonian oak barrels. Result: skanky saddle leathered opulently over ripe berry esters falling capriciously to a complex, smooth, full bodied, finish in figgy shades of dried grapes. Always superbly animated. |
96 | ||