Lifted strawberry and crushed berry fruits with a touch of earthiness precede a generous but well balanced fruit-driven palate. Fresh cherry and raspberry notes are wrapped in juicy acidity and underpinned by silky tannins and well managed oak from 14 months in French barrels, 20% new oak. The finish is lengthy with a touch of spice and mineral in the close.
Slightly shy on the nose, though revealing some strawberry, cinnamon and clove. Cherry and red currant flavours are more assertive on the palate with harmoniously balanced fruit, spice and a splash of milk chocolate on the finish.
A blend of Chardonnay and Aligoté. Pale straw in colour with spicy nose of apple; medium-bodied, dry and crisp with crabapple and green pear flavours ending on lemony acidity. A versatile food wine.
Guests attending a Toronto tasting of amazing Sazerac bourbons (Buffalo Trace, 1792 Sweet Wheat, Blanton’s Single Barrel, E.H. Taylor Four Grain), with Buffalo Trace Distillery Master Blender Drew Mayville, got a treat all bourbon lovers would kill for: a taste of Old Rip Van Winkle - one of the world’s most coveted whiskies. Not only that, but the 25 Year Old is the oldest expression yet. Just over 700 bottles were released … worldwide. Even Mayville worried that a wheated bourbon of this age wouldn’t work out. Well, it did. In a rather spectacular fashion. Ripe, nutty caramel, marmalade/orange chocolate, old polished wood, browned butter, some candied banana, worn leather and just a hint of acetate on a nose that reminded me of a fantastic aged rum rather than a whisky. Silky smooth in the mouth, with Christmas cake, exotic spices, and a long, warm, complex finish that I could still taste a full ten minutes after the pour was gone. Pretty unforgettable stuff.
Hints of bruised apple and some mineral notes on the nose, before a slightly tart citrus and green apple palate with mineral hints, defined by brisk acidity and a zesty finish.
Sensational nose of citrus, cream, sage, peach pit and swirling minerality. It has a silky texture on the palate, a common theme with these concrete-aged wines, with a mélange of citrus, cream and bready-yeasty notes that melt in the mouth. Hate to compare, but Chablis comes to mind.
If you’re a fan of Sauvignon Blanc, don’t miss this tasty number from the Atawara Valley. Pale straw in colour, it has a grassy, green plum nose with notes of beeswax and grapefruit. Medium-bodied and crisply dry, it finishes with mouth-freshening citrus acidity.