Reported by Mark Kilpatrick

On this February night, members of the National Capital Sommelier Guild met to taste the upcoming Vintages February 4th release. As usual, the wines were tasted blind.

Quick Picks

• Lingenfelder ‘Bird Label’ Riesling 2004
• Torres ‘San Valentin’ Garnacha 2004
• Prieure St. Jean de Bebain ‘La Chappelle de Bebain’ 2001
• RH Phillips Toasted Head Cabernet Sauvignon 2003
  

Flight #1: All the whites presented showed well, each aromatic, with nice fruit and well priced. The winner for most attendees was the Lingenfelder Riesling, with a touch of petrol, good fruit, and nice length. For the oaky Chardonnay fans out there, the Wolf Blass was quite lovely, elegant, true to type, and a nice dash of vanilla and oak in the nose and finish. The d’Arenberg ‘Hermit Crab’ Viognier/Marsanne was quite unusual, with attendees having really no hope of guessing the grapes. It had a big spicy nose, with some honeysuckle aromas, and continued to improve throughout the flight. The Soave was all Anjou pears in the nose and mouth, and well made.

Flight #2: In the second flight, the Henry of Pelham Pinot Noir was nicely done, with fresh raspberries on the nose, obvious Pinot flavours, and good acid and red berries in the finish. It will improve for a couple of years. The Torres Garnacha was well liked, done in a youthful, carbonic maceration style, with a nose of berries, and ripe fruit. The Prieure St. Jean de Bebain “La Chappelle de Bebain” was a nice ruby red colour, with a nose of sweet cherries, and dark, tart fruit, with a touch of tannins in the mouth. The last wine of the flight was the Quinta da Lagoalva Castelao Touriga Nacional, a deeply coloured red wine, with a mouth of nice dark fruit and finish that was quite dry.

Flight #3: The wines in this flight were all good, you won’t go wrong by choosing any of them, but the RH Phillips Toasted Head Cabernet Sauvignon showed very, very well and carried the day. It was a nice, deep purple red colour, some spice and plums, with a touch of cedar in the bouquet, and ripe plummy fruit and sweet vanilla in the mouth and finish. The Bonny Doon Domaine des Blaguers ‘Syrah Sirrah’ was recognized as Syrah, a nose of spices and coffee, with big juicy fruit, but no obvious oak. The Tedeschi Ripasso was nice, with earth and raisins in the nose, full bodied, with typical ripasso flavours and long length. If you like serious Valpolicella, you will enjoy this one. The Fattoria dei Barbi Brunello di Montalcino was a wellstructured wine, with a nice, deep red colour, some spice and sandalwood in the nose, sweet fruit, and some nice mushroom and earthiness too, with a long, lingering finish. 

All in all, the wines showed nicely this evening, with choices for everyone’s wine interests and pocketbook.

Flight 1: Whites

Bolla ‘Tufaie’ Soave Classico, 2004 70969 $14.95

Lingenfelder ‘Bird Label’ Riesling, 2004 568634 $13.95

D’Arenberg ‘Hermit Crab’ Viognier/Marsanne, 2004 662775 $15.95

Wolf Blass Gold Label Chardonnay, 2004 606186 $21.95

Flight 2: Reds

Henry of Pelham Pinot Noir Unfiltered, 2003 268391 $19.95

Torres ‘San Valentin’ Garnacha, 2004 673541 $13.95

Prieure St. Jean de Bebain ‘La Chappelle de Bebain’, 2001 669572 $15.95

Quinta da Lagoalva Castelao Touriga Nacional, 2002 938449 $12.95

Flight 3: More Reds

Bonny Doon Domaine des Blaguers ‘Syrah Sirrah’, 2003 951848 $15.95

RH Phillips Toasted Head Cabernet Sauvignon, 2003 969873 $19.95

Tedeschi ‘Capiel San Rocco’ Ripasso, 2003 719294 $18.95

Fattoria dei Barbi Brunello di Montalcino, 1999 928028 $41.95