Grape Guy’s Pick of the Bunch: Chateau des Charmes 1999 Cabernet-Merlot
Beautiful Bottles: A look around the liquor store at interesting bottles, labels and designs
Wine Event Spotlight: Wine and Herb Festival
OntarioWineReview: A Note to our Wineries: What’s That Smell? (Print a .pdf version of this newsletter)
I know what’s good and I know what’s bad – to me anyway. I like to think of myself as the common man: I have a cat, I own a car, I owe the banks (who in turn own my soul). I look through flyers with the perverse joy of finding a “deal” on something I probably don’t need, I do crosswords with a pen and then blame the pen when I make a mistake, and I do most of my reading while sitting in the smallest room of the house. On the other hand I have used words and terms like “corked”, “sherry-nose”, “bouquet”, “legs”; “cloying” and “blech” when describing wine … some of these terms are technical and some are not as technical; and I will admit to one other thing: I have never smelled “barnyard” in a glass of wine – nor would I want to drink it if I did. The same applies to petrol, tobacco and pencil shavings … yet all these words have been used to describe wine – I have seen them in reviews, I have even sniffed and tasted those wines – but truth be known I have never picked up those smells. What I have determined over the years is what I like and don’t like. What puts a smile on my face and makes me reach for the bottle again, or what causes my face to scrunch up and lament the fact that I really could have put my 10.95 to better use at McDonald’s. While I rightly admit each wine has a different smell and taste, I can’t always distinguish what it is. I have smelled strawberries in Pinot Noir and raspberries in Gamay; I have picked up on green pepper in a Cab Franc and yellow pepper in a Cabernet blend. I readily admit to you, dear reader, and I will say it again: I’ve not always been able to distinguish different flavours in a glass of wine (unless “yuck” and “yum” are now on the flavour wheel); does that make me a bad wine taster? No. I have been influenced to taste something that I personally could not pick out during a tasting because somebody else claimed it was there? Does that make my palate
inferior? No. Wine is subjective, you taste and smell whatever you can in each wine.
The bottom line should always be whether or not that wine compels you to reach for the bottle again and pour yourself another glass. If your lips smack and you say “yum” that does not make you uncouth … it means you enjoy wine for yourself and not to impress others. Afterall, wine drinking should be about personal enjoyment. Cheers.
Grape Guy’s Pick of the Bunch : Chateau des Charmes 1999 Cabernet-Merlot
This time ‘round I have a marvelous wine for you (not that I don’t always) – Chateau des Charmes’ 1999 Cabernet-Merlot from Ontario’s Niagara-on-the-Lake region. This red wine is fantastic … smooth, easy to drink with mild tannins. It should continue to age gracefully for the next 2 – 4 years (according to the winemaker); but it is drinking beautifully right now. And as luck would have it, the LCBO has just added it to their Vintages Essentials list – so there’s plenty available for all … until I get there.
OntarioWineReview A bi-weekly newsletter dedicated to helping you discover Ontario’s best Wines and Wineries.
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