Sunday, March 29, 2009

Report from ... Bokke Tasting - March 25, 2009

At a minimalist art gallery in downtown Toronto we assembled for the second time in almost six weeks to try more offerings from Eleanor Cosman and her Bokke wine agency … if you missed my last Bokke article check it out here. Bokke is the agency that brings in the Goulart wines, one of which I found quite impressive last time out. During a recent visit to the U.S. I made the discovery that their labeling for the U.S. is a little flashier than our more conservative packaging here in Canada and with different names for the same wine - check up my review of the "Classico” Malbec.

Today's tasting focused on nine wines, most, as expected, from South Africa. The exceptions were the Goulart wines from Argentina and an excellent Pinot Noir from New Zealand: Coney Wines Pizzicato Pinot Noir 2006 ($38.00) - a rich beautiful nose loaded with cinnamon, vanilla, black and sour cherries; the palate showed lots of sour cherry; a touch of spice and cranberry on the finish … it also had a nice seam of acidity running through it.

Wines from South Africa …

There were three from a winery called Viljoensdrift (Fill-Junes-Drift) with the name River Grandeur emblazoned across the middle of the label. Of these three the 2007 Shiraz ($21.80) showed very well with lots of pepper and dark fruit and a spicy smooth finish - not jammy in the least.

A Chenin Blanc (2008) from Mont Destin ($18.45) caught my eye: a nice tropical, grassy and pineapple nose which followed onto the palate and lingered a long time on the tongue.

The 2006 Klein Genot Black Swan Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon/Franc 50/50 blend ($29.50) had a soft, almost imperceptible nose, but what it lacked on the snoot it gained between the lips: spicy-black fruit, vanilla, tobacco, herbs and black cherries - very nice.

But my wow wine of the tasting goes to Lammershoek for their 2006 Zinfandel-Syrah ($20.50), a blend of 75% Zin, 20% Syrah, and a touch of Cabernet Sauvignon (5%). This one had everything you’d want from Zin, plus the kick of Syrah, and smoothness of a Cab. Plum, cherry, vanilla and a touch of spice on the nose; in the mouth a plethora of flavours: vanilla, cinnamon, red fruit, cherry, some tannins - yet not too aggressive, then there was the drying sensation on the tongue just before it became all peppery on the finish … exciting and tasty all at the same time.

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