Friday, February 1, 2013

Monthly Picks: February 2013

February's big greeting-card-industry-promoted holiday is Valentine's Day, but wine suggestions for this event (or non-event for many of us) will be covered separately. This month we're going to focus on wines that may be in your cellar that you haven't tasted in quite some time.

Fairview Cellars 2008 Sauvignon Blanc - $20
This is a surprisingly well-preserved Sauvignon Blanc thanks, in so small part, to its Stelvin Cap enclosure. Age has developed a tasty unctuousness that wasn't present in 2009, making the palate more complex, though, the finish has suffered a little, ending sooner, yet still lingers with mouth-watering lime rind notes.
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SummerGate Winery 2009 Riesling Two - $20
At close to 4 years old, this impressive Riesling is still showing as youthful and energetic with the acid holding well and the mineral notes nicely intact. May hold past my original drinking window of 2011-2015, with the upside being more honeycomb characters on the palate.
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Stag's Hollow Winery 2010 Viognier - $22
The 'yougest' wine on our list but one that has already developed beautifully. First tasted in October of 2011 and in the 15 months since has bloomed showing lush honeycomb and tropical fruit aromas and flavours balanced nicely by cool acidity and mineral notes. Delicious!
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Cassini Cellars 2009 Syrah - $34
Aging nicely with a deepening nose producing more toasted oak aromas within the still-developing bouquet. Palate is still maturing, moving from a bright mouth feel to a darker, denser one, yet, far from feeling tired.
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Stratus Vineyards 2007 Red - $44
Recently re-tasted alongside the 2009 vintage (an altogether different wine). The 2007 is just getting better and better and living up to the potential we lauded when awarding it our "Icon Wine of the Year" for 2010.
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