Wines of Grape Tree Estate

609792 CABERNET FRANC 2000 $ 12.95, Lake Erie North Shore, Grape Tree Estate.
Medium ruby colour, the bouquet was clean and clearly focused on tobacco, hints of green pepper, red currant and clove. The palate was lighter in style than the aromas suggested. Nice acidity and the red fruit took the spotlight in the finish.

605782 CABERNET/PETIT VERDOT RESERVE 2000 $ 19.00, Lake Erie North Shore, Grape Tree Estate Wines.
This appeared to be a little shut down and tight when I tasted it (it had been open for several hours by the time I got to it). The colour was more intense than the Cab Franc. This combined with the veil of tannin shows it could age for a while. There was a noticeable earthiness to the nose that bound nicely with the fragrance of green tea. The fruit seemed content to stay behind the curtain. On the palate the red fruit came to light along with a spicy herbaceous tone that echoed sage and thyme! A definite crispness on the fairly lengthy finish

605774 CHAMBOURCIN RESERVE 2000 $ 14.00, Grape Tree Estate Wine.
This was my favourite of Grape Tree’s reds. Bolder flavours of red fruit dominated the nose while the vegetal components, tomato and beet, lurked in the background. The palate was fruit driven, stewed plum, cranberry, strawberry and vanilla. There was a touch of gaminess as well as the fruit in the finish.

609776 'HEXAGON' SPARKLING CUVÉE 2000 $ 16.00, Blanc de Blancs, Grape Tree Estate Wines.
This demonstrates the alchemist’s contribution to winemaking by the six grapes that are blended to create this bubbly. Riesling, Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, Pinot Gris, Pinot Blanc and Viognier. The medium mousse allowed all sorts of flavours to dance and tease the palate. It had citrus notes, tree fruit, peach, apple and apricot. It finished with a pleasing toasty yeasty note.

563460 PINOT GRIS 2000 $ 14.95, Niagara Peninsula, Vineland Estates.
Light pink straw tone with a touch of rust at the rim. Quite spritzy and biting on the palate. Simple peach and floral flavours. Finished with a tart dose of grapefruit. Needs food I think.

946665 VIOGNIER 2000 $ 17.55, California, Ironstone Vineyards.
This exhibited a myriad of floral, vegetal and spice aromas. I found a hit of ginger, cake spice, hazelnut, raw white mushrooms, peach and honey. Everything seemed to have come together on the palate but all the fruit was tucked away in the background. The finish was lengthy if a little cloying.

727685 TORRONTES DE CAFAYATE 2000 $ 13.45, 'Coleccion Michel Torino', Cafayate Valley, Bodega La Rosa/Michel Torino. Argentina.
Imagine the aromas created from mixing Muscat and bath oil together and you would get something maybe close to the perfume from the nose of this wine. There were strong aromas of sweet fruit, rose petals and spice. Flavours of almond paste, peach, apricots and lime peel danced across my tongue. The slight level of sweetness was only noticeable in the finish. Good stuff!

955849 RULLY BLANC 1999 $ 26.40, Premier Cru, Joseph Drouhin.
The enticing nose of peach, pear, mineral, slate and spiced apple were not detectable on the palate. All I found were the earthy elements and a hint of tree fruit on the finish.

738864 CHÂTEAUNEUF-DU-PAPE BLANC 1999 $ 34.75, Clos du Roi', Château Gigognan,
Lots of funky things happening in the glass with this wine. Slightly bitter coffee grounds, Anjou pear, crab apple and licorice. The flavours offered on the palate were equally as interesting. Full bodied, spicy, solid fruit and pine cone. The finish lasted long, lingering with anise and honey.

976803 ERBACHER HOHENRAIN 1990 $ 18.70, Riesling Spätlese, Gutsabfüllung, Weingut Schloss Reinhartshausen.
A twelve-year-old Riesling at this price makes me highly suspicious. Although the depth of the rich yellow green colour was absorbing, it was a bit of a let down on the palate. A splash of baked apple, some mineral and hints of oily petrol mouth feel was all this wine had left to offer. The low level of acid left it dull and one-dimensional. The catalogue suggests another five years of aging but IMHO, I really don’t see how that would benefit this wine.

721415 CABERNET SAUVIGNON 1998 $ 74.65, Vineyard Georges III, Rutherford, Napa Valley, Clos du Val.
Upfront this gave off some lovely currant and stewed fruit aromas. These followed through on the palate but that was as far as they went. The fruit on the finish fell quickly revealing some harsh tannins. Right now I would pay the extra twenty five cents and buy the Montelena.

942136 SYRAH 1999 $ 29.80, Fess Parker Winery. California.
This was an "in your face" style of wine that had complexity and character as well as incredible harmony and balance. The nose exhibited roasted portabello mushrooms, leather, licorice, stewed plum, black cherry and vanilla laced cappuccino. All these flavours echoed through the palate and on into the opulent finish.

561811 ZINFANDEL 1999 $ 25.00, Sonoma County, Geyser Peak.
Not your regular run of the mill Zin but nonetheless it’s medium bodied frame held flavours of lavender, cranberry and cassis. Zippy on the finish with decent length

468637 'OLD VINE' 1998 $ 28.60, Shiraz/Grenache/Mourvèdre, Barossa Valley, South Australia, Penfolds.
Quite a deep opaque purple colour. Whiffs of eucalyptus, blackberry, cherry, herbs, sage and thyme on the nose. Thick and chewy mouth feel, nice balance and spicy aniseed captured the finish.

713693 BOURGOGNE 1999 $ 26.45, Hautes-Côtes de Nuits, A.-F. Gros.
If you want to introduce a friend to experience the taste sensation of "la goute de terroir" this is the wine to use. To the novice its sewer-centered soul may even prove offensive. Along with the barnyard funk, aquarium, and forest floor traits lay aromas of plum, anise, cherry, tobacco, beet and tomato. Excellent balance to this multidimensional, medium bodied wine. Decent Pinot here for $26 and change.

966200 LADOIX 1998 $ 25.45, Joseph Drouhin.
This paled in comparison to A-F Gros’s offering but nonetheless it was a pleasing, light bodied and graceful wine. Simple aromas of cherry, medicinal candy, strawberry coulis and rhubarb. The mid palate fell flat and the finish was light

722454 DOMAINE DE L'AURIS 1998 $ 14.30, Côtes du Roussillon.
This wine rendered my inner cheeks joined to one another. My friend Mark Handleman, whose palate I respect most highly, suggested I do not pass this one up. I suspect Mark had tried it much earlier in the day because when I got to it, It had totally shut down. Through the mask of coffee, charcoal, walnut shell and inky tannin, I could smell some pleasant plum, cherry and berry fruit. The finish was big with mostly pepper and dark bitter chocolate.

738054 DOMAINE LE COUROULU 1998 $ 18.50, Cuvée Classique', Vacqueyras.
I missed this one on the table but from my understanding, it will be worth buying.

725762 'EL ALBAR' 1998 $ 19.90, Toro DO, Bodega J. & F. Lurton, S.A.
Last but certainly not least this wine deserves an honorable mention. Its dark colour suggested it is a power packed wine and it was. The nose was leathery, dusty and full of chocolate, raspberry and black fruits that were solid right across the palate and into the long finish.