Select Wine & Spirits Portfolio Tasting Recommendations 2013

Have you ever heard of a portfolio tasting?  Most people probably have not, unless you attend wine tastings on a fairly regular basis.  A portfolio tasting is when a wine agency, like Select Wines & Spirits, pours their selection of wine (and spirits) in a casual (usually) walk-about fashion, where you can taste the wines and talk with the rep or winery principal in some cases about their wines.  Think of it as a mini version of the Vancouver International Wine Festival, or a similar festival in the city where you live.  Select Wine & Spirits always has a wide range of very interesting wines to taste, and I look forward to it every September.  Thank you Select Wine & Spirits for the invitation!

My Wine Picks

White and Sparkling Wines

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  Trivento Amado Sur Torrontes Viognier 2012, Chile ($14.95) – A nice nose with sweet spices and stone fruit.  Light plus body, round and soft in the mouth.  Melon and stone fruit flavour with a herbal edge.

• Domaine Laroche Saint Martin Chablis, 2011, France ($25.95) – Restrained citrus, tropical fruit, and vanilla aromas. Medium body, soft and dry with medium acidity.  Citrus and apples with a hint of vanilla.  Medium length. Very elegant.
• Hugel & Fils Riesling, 2009, France ($15.95 SPEC) – Light stone fruit and honey nose.  Medium body, dry with medium plus acidity.  Stone fruit flavour with pineapple showing up later.
• Hugel & Fils Vendage Tardive Riesling, 1996, France ($39.95 SPEC) – A very aromatic nose with honey and apricots.  Medium body, sweet with dried apricots, and honey.  Medium acidity dries out your palate on the finish making it quite nice to sip on its own. (FYI, Vendage Tardive means Late Harvest in France, so expect a sweeter wine.)
• Charles Heidsieck Brut Reserve, NV, France ($69.95) – Hazelnuts and bread on the nose.  I quite liked enjoying the aroma of this wine.  Quite complex flavours with hazelnuts and yeast up front.  Citrus on the mid palate.  Tiny, soft bubbles on your tongue.
• Barone Montalto Pinot Grigio, 2012, Italy ($10.49) – A pleasant nose with citrus and stone fruit.  Very soft mouth feel with medium minus body.  Stone fruit with some sweet spice on the mid palate.  Lower level of acidity.  Very easy to drink.

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  Wither Hills Rarangi Sauvignon Blanc, 2011, New Zealand ($23.95 SPEC) – This is a single vineyard Sauvignon Blanc that does show it’s uniqueness I think.  Medium intensity asparagus nose.  Dry with higher acidity. Quite pronounced asparagus and citrus on the palate. Medium length.

• Chalk Hill Estate Chardonnay, 2010, California ($59.99) – Light intensity, elegant nose with citrus and vanilla. Lots of flavour upon sipping.  Medium plus body, with soft mouth feel.  Tropical fruit followed by cinnamon spice, vanilla and citrus flavours.  Medium plus length. Sweet spice, vanilla and citrus on the finish.
• Firesteed Citation Chardonnay W3, 2007, Oregon ($33.95 SPEC) – Light vanilla, apple, and citrus aromas. Medium body, with sexy vanilla, nutmeg and apple flavours. Soft mouth feel.

Red Wines

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  Concha y Toro Don Melchor Cabernet Sauvignon, 2004, Chile ($119.95) – Ripe cassis and some leather on the nose.  Medium plus body, soft and round mouth feel with medium acidity and fine tannins. Ripe cassis up front with chocolate showing up mid palate and peppery finish.

• Concha y Toro Don Melchor Cabernet Sauvignon, 2006, Chile ($119.95) – Opaque garnet in the glass.  Dark fruit and coffee aromas.  Medium plus body, soft, with coffee, dark fruit, cassis and candied cherries on the palate.  Firmer tannins.  Sweet and source cherry finish.  Long length. Nice.
• Concha y Toro Terrunyo Carmenere, 2009, Chile ($36.95) – Nice nose, fully of juicy cassis aroma.  Dry, medium body, soft mouth feel with more juicy cassis, black cherries and vanilla.  Some licorice flavour mid palate to finish. Also chocolate on the finish.  Medium minus tannins. Another quality wine from Concha y Toro.

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  Ogier Expression des Terroir Galets Roules, 2010, France ($54.95) – Nice cassis nose.  Medium body, with minerality, juicy cassis and cherry flavours.  Medium acidity and fine tannins.  Spicy finish. Very good.

• Chateau Paloumey, 2009, France ($35.99 SPEC) – Light intensity, dark fruit nose.  Medium body, medium tannins, with a prominent mineral component on the palate along with cassis, tea leaves, cherries and vanilla. Medium tannins.  One of my favourite wines of the tasting.
• Chateau Peyredon Lagravette, 2009, France ($32.95 SPEC) – Light intensity, dark fruit nose.  Medium minus body, mineral with nutmeg, cherries and dark fruit flavours.  Light vanilla touch. Medium length.  An elegant Bordeaux.
• Firesteed Citation Pinot Noir, 2002, Oregon (not in BC yet) – Light cherries and tea leaves on the nose.  Light body, soft tannins, with red cherries and tea leaves on the palate and a peppery finish. Medium length.

A special thanks to the Shaughnessey Golf Country Club for cooking up a wide variety of tasty appetizers, including tiger prawns in cream, salsa and tequila, bbq’d chicken drumsticks, medium rare roast beef on a bun, pasta, beef tartar, lamb sliders, and more!  Enjoy the food pictures below.