Sharp Rich North

Layer Cake Shiraz 2010

Chris — Fri, 18 May 2012 01:14:44 +0000

In the glass this is clear, medium-plus ruby with hints of purple. Clean, medium intensity nose of plum, black cherry, and a bit of oak. Dry, medium acidity and low tannins; medium-plus body. Black cherry and spice are what appeal here but they are almost overpowered by a fairly strong medicinal quality. Good length but one-dimensional, and a bit of a sickly sweetness in the finish. Overall good, but not terribly enjoyable. 14.1% alcohol. Not good value for price at almost $34 (Crosstown). See Layer Cake Wines.

Mt Billy Southern Fleurieu Circe 2005

Chris — Mon, 14 May 2012 00:43:13 +0000

Deep ruby red with a thin garnet rim. Appealing medium nose of black cherry, spice, and oak with some hints of sweetness. Dry, medium-plus acidity, and medium body. Medium level of soft but prominent tannins; the heat from the 14.5% alcohol is apparent and works well to bolster the flavours here. Which are black cherry, liquorice, and ripe plum, along with cedar and spice. Nice complexity; rich, powerful, deep. Good length with wood and pepper coming to the fore. Overall very good; recommended.

$35 at Kitsilano Wine Cellar. See Mt Billy Wines (warning: Flash site).

Emiliana Adobe Sauvignon Blanc 2009

Chris — Wed, 09 May 2012 01:17:04 +0000

Clear, pale lemon-gold appearance. Clean, medium intensity grapefruit, lemon, hints of ripe tropical fruits, and a touch of grassiness. Dry, high acidity, and medium body. Mainly citrus in the mouth, with some appealing floral-spice notes. Not much length. 13% alcohol. Overall good, especially at the price—just over $16 at Crosstown—though pretty straightforward. Cheap and cheerful, as they say; but it’s tempting to say that the flavours of this wine are more forward due to the organic production, as I find is often the case: I have to search out more organically produced wines.

See Emiliana Organic Vineyards.

Blue Mountain Pinot Noir 2010

Chris — Fri, 04 May 2012 02:35:17 +0000

Clear, medium ruby red with a hint of purple. Clean, medium intensity nose of cherry and oak with some vegetal overtones: straightforward but appealing. Dry, medium-plus acidity, and light tannins; medium body. Cherry and sour cherry, some appealing wood notes, and spices. A medium length finish; not complex but nicely balanced. Overall good; recommended. 14% alcohol.

$30 at Crosstown. See Blue Mountain Winery (warning: some Flash).

Hillside Okanagan Valley Muscat Ottonel 2011

Chris — Tue, 01 May 2012 01:44:08 +0000

Clear, very pale silver-gold appearance. Clean, medium-plus intensity ripe pear, floral, and honey nose. Off-dry, high acidity and medium body. Ripe fruit sweetness mixes with nice minerality evolving to a bit of lemon on the medium-length finish. 11.5% alcohol. Overall good; I enjoyed this and must seek out more Muscat (this is a Muscat Ottonel).

See Hillside Winery and the winemaker’s notes on this vintage.

Schug 2009 Sonoma Coast Pinot Noir

Chris — Sun, 29 Apr 2012 01:50:19 +0000

Clear, medium ruby in the glass. Clean, light nose of cherry with some oak apparent. Dry, medium acidity, low tannins and light body. Cherry and earth with vegetal notes on the palate, with spice and increasing and not altogether pleasant sourness in the medium length finish. Overall good. 13.5% alcohol. About $37 at Steamworks Wine Thief.

See Schug Carneros Estate Winery and the winemaker’s notes on this vintage.

Langmeil Barossa Valley Floor 2009 Shiraz

Chris — Sat, 21 Apr 2012 02:47:04 +0000

Clear, deep purple-ruby in the glass. Clean, medium intensity nose of oak, plum, vanilla and blackberry. Dry, medium-plus acidity, and light tannins. Medium body with lots of ripe fruits: sweet plum and ripe blackberry, with spicy notes working with the sharp 14.5% alcohol. Good long complex finish with liquorice figuring in. Recommended.

This was about $40 at Crosstown. See Langmeil Winery and the winemaker’s notes on this vintage.

Bird in Hand Shiraz Mount Lofty Ranges 2008

Chris — Fri, 13 Apr 2012 01:59:18 +0000

Clear, deep ruby red with a tinge of purple. Clean, medium intensity nose of red and black cherry, ripe plum, and blackberry with spice and candy sweetness. Dry, medium acidity and body, gentle tannins. The oak comes through on the palate along with a real heat from the 14.5% alcohol over a well-balanced base of ripe fruit—red berries with blackberry for balance. Good length with spices coming through in the finish. Very enjoyable: recommended.

$42 at Crosstown. See Bird in Hand.

Ignorance of the Right

Chris — Thu, 12 Apr 2012 01:39:51 +0000

Reading idly through the Globe and Mail, I encountered this from (ultra right-wingnut) Toronto Mayor Rob Ford’s Deputy Mayor: “My advice to the taxpayer would be: Don’t send us any more activists, don’t send us any more unionists. Don’t send us any more cyclists, send us some people down here with good common sense who just want to manage the city’s affairs” (Ford loses key vote that puts his contracting-out agenda in peril, April 10 2011).

The ignorance here is stunning, and a great example of either brain-dead thinking or attempted manipulation. This guy, one Doug Holyday, seems to believe that the vast majority of “taxpayers” are just like him, but for some reason frustratingly keep selecting those darned nutty activists, unionists, and—gasp—cyclists (who, by implication, aren’t taxpayers)—to “send” to city hall to make his life miserable. Maybe they’re doing it as a prank!

Of course, a pretty central concept this guy doesn’t seem to understand is that we elect people who actually represent us in government. Another is that he’s actually one of them, and he was “sent” there as well; he and his band of conservative compatriots doesn’t “own” government. He seems to assume that his position is safe and he’s just waiting for the voter-idiots to wake up and populate the rest of government with people just like him.

“Common sense” is one of the most overlooked and dangerous phrases in politics, and I’ve seen it invoked increasingly frequently (unsuccessful Vancouver mayoral candidate Susan Anton used it in her campaign last fall). “Common sense” is essentially carte blanche: nothing these people want to do needs justification or data; it’s—obviously—just so. Well, it’s just common sense that the world is flat, isn’t it?

I’d really like to know whether these anti-science, anti-evidence, and ultimately anti-people politicians are unhappy, uneducated, or just think they can fool the rest of us.

Kokomo 2005 Syrah Green Pastures

Chris — Sun, 08 Apr 2012 01:48:13 +0000

Clear, medium ruby red appearance. Clean, medium intensity sweet blackberry and pepper nose. Dry, medium-plus acidity and appealing medium tannins in a light body. Spice comes through in the mouth with a bit of heat from the 14.2% alcohol; lots of ripe fruit and a good medium-length finish with a bit of sweetness and spice. Overall good; quite enjoyable, and recommended. $38 at Marquis Wine Cellars. See Kokomo Winery.