Your scribe is fortunate to enjoy a diverse wide range of mature wines. Sometimes your expectations exceed the actual results. Other times less frequently the anticipation is met by an over delivery of delightful complexity. This past week was a the lottery win with three very different bottles all showing outstanding quality. My enthusiastic brief comments follow:
NOBLE RIDGE VINEYARD & WINERY THE ONE GRAND RESERVE SPARKLING 2017:
British Columbia are making some unsung excellent Sparkling wines. Pioneered by the dependable Blue Mountain Vineyard and Cellars there are now several top quality Sparkling producers. One of my favs is Noble Ridge in Okanagan Falls owned by conscientious Leslie & Jim D’Andrea and with the now Chief Operating Officer Benoit Gauthier but still the inquisitive talented Director of Winemaking & Viticulture. They all strive to produce the finest quality and have succeeded with this Sparkling wine. This first one produced in 2017 as a Grand Reserve is a step up from their regular dependable “The One”. Also check out their 2020 The One 20th Anniversary Sparkling plus 2021 The One Blanc de Blanc. Like how they picked the 2017 vintage of 78% Chardonnay and 22% Pinot Noir at low 18 Brix sugar but with defining unique terroir using Methode Traditionnelle en Tirage for 66 months at 12.1 abv with only 2.5g/l residual sugar for 165 cases. Others like it too as Katherine McEachnie, Master of Champagne, gave it 100 points as “truly exceptional – It is refined, elegant and finessed”. Your scribe appreciated the rich nutty balanced flavours with long lees aging complexity that was delightful both as an aperitif but also a wonderful pairing for a sardine pasta with sweet leeks, crisp celery, and toasted bread crumbs. Congrats! More of the same please.
BACO DIVINO NAPA VALLEY 1999:
Bacio Divino Cellars (“Divine Kiss” in Italian) is a small family owned Napa Valley winery of Winnipeg Canada transplant friend Claus Janzen who has a passion for top wine doing stellar marketing for 12 years at Caymus before his own first release in 1993. This 62% Cab Sauv is blended with 28% Sangiovese & 10% Petite Sirah was a bit disjointed early on but the three grapes have now come together magically for my last bottle. There is a Napa Cab Sauv signature here but further enhanced by the savoury smooth softer Sangiovese. Almost similar to a Cab Sauv Ornellaia with Merlot/CF/PV in the blend while here using Sangiovese & Petite Sirah coming in at 14/1 abv. Like the back label note of “Contains Some of the Winemaker’s Heart & Soul”. So true and has aged to surprising delightful drinking. Matched perfectly with a fresh local hand made meatball course with tomato and chickpeas. Baco Divino are now making some really outstanding wines using quality fruit from top vineyards as highlighted in this article here. Well done Claus & family.
CHATEAU TALBOT SAINT-JULIEN 1982:
This celebrated vintage stored well is showing brilliantly for many Bordeaux chateaux at 40+ years of age. Shows you how important it is to be vintage aware and collect these top years for later drinking. Talbot a Fourth Growth 1855 classification from Cordier was in these old days cheaper and usually playing second fiddle to their Second Growth big sister Gruaud Larose St. Julien – those 1982 and 1986 are also outstanding and more structured. Really appreciate how this value wine has developed and stayed on a beautiful drinking plateau (as has the 1986). It shows classic textbook pure bouquet of cedar cigar box lead pencil with intriguing leathery floral notes. So delicious and singing fully sweet, rich and balanced with a Penne Pasta Bolognese main course. Buy a current top vintage of Bordeaux from a value property and wait a few years (maybe not 40) to treasure this rare experience. Really a delightful surprise!
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