Gonzalez Byass 'Matusalem' Oloroso Sherry VORS (30 years)

I've written positively about Byass' VORS sherries before, but this Oloroso goes far beyond anything else I've tasted from Byass. Pouring a sticky thick brown like caramelized sugar, this 20.5% ABV concoction had an astounding level of depth and complexity. On the nose I got nuts, sage, brown sugar, marjoram, date, and figs (both dried and fresh). The palate was huge, sweet, balanced, and very intense: wood, smoke, figs, peat, cigar, and sage notes made this almost a cross between sherry and scotch and unlike any wine I've had before. In fact, when you pair this with fried tapas, chorizo, dates, and hard spanish cheeses you will realize this is perhaps one of the finest Olorosos, indeed sherries, you could have.

Excellent+
$35 for 375ml at BCLDB

Palacio de Fefinanes Albarino 2007

I've tried a few albarinos before, often appreciating their easy drinking but not so much their lack of complexity. I think I just never got into the good stuff. This particular albarino comes to Vancouver from one of its most respected producers in Spain, thanks to Marquis Wine Cellars' John Clerides, who never fails to find some of the most unique and good value wines all across the world.

The nose on this had lemon, lime, and grapefruit not unlike a riesling. The palate was very impressive, with stone, apple, and lime predominating. The mid-palate held a full body and clean acidity. Somewhat like a cross between pinot blanc and riesling, I loved the cleanliness, the full body, and the superb food friendliness. Its very slightly off-dry character made it perfect for pairing with chorizo. I could imagine this wine perfectly paired with a chorizo mussel dish. Great stuff and the best Albarino I've yet had.

Very Good+ to Excellent and Highly Recommended
$30 at Marquis

Grosset Semillion / Sauvignon Blanc 2006

Grosset is so consistent in creating fresh, lively, and complete wines that they have become my favourite producer of white wine from Australia, from their rieslings to this excellent Bordeaux style white blend.

The perfumed nose on this blend was floral and filled with rich dense notes of nectarine and pear. The palate had lime and pear up front, a crisp and clean mid-palate and notes of nectarine and sour apricot on the finish. This was thicker than expected, which I suspect was brought to the wine by the Semillion. And, while this is certainly a cut wine, it is also expansive: a wonderful blend of acidity and fat that still dials back its opulence compare to, say, a New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc.

Very Good+
$30 at Marquis

CARM Grande Escolha 2003

Portuguese wine always goes unnoticed, and for no good reason at all. I've mentioned this before, but Douro dry reds can really be quite stunning and it's a shame not too many people indulge in their power and finesse. This wine came from the hot 2003 vintage which produced many overly alcholic wines across Europe, but in Portugal both the ports and the dry reds of Douro faired very well indeed.

The nose on this gem was all balance straight on the attack: I got wood, cassis, and blackberry jam on top of nice grip and excellent concentration. While this is a full mouth-coating wine, it is also not over-extracted nor does it have pronounced glycerin. Indeed, there is even a slight salty side to this eminently drinkable wine. Pair it with a great goat or sheep's milk cheese from Portugal or Spain and you will realize the unique approach that Portuguese wine brings to the fore.

Excellent
$40 at BCLDB (Purchased for $28 on sale)

Green Flash West Coast IPA

Green Flash is an extremely solid San Diego based brewer that has recently entered the BC market with some of their well crafted year round offerings. However, given the dearth of quality beer in Vancouver Green Flash always seems to disappear quickly from the city's best beer stores. Lucky for me, I got one of four six packs of the West Coast IPA from Brewery Creek a few weeks ago.

This is a very west coast IPA in style: extremely dry with pretty much no residual sweetness or maltiness. The nose had pine, grapefruit and a nice floral element. The pine continued heavily on the palate, with the addition of crisp bitter citrus rind. Without much malt to balance out the hops, this is for hop-heads who love a dry-hopped style. Nonetheless, Green Flash does not go over the top like some brewers that tend to create hop extract rather than beer. And, the beautiful clean and crisp finish makes this ideal for the summer.

Very Good+ to Excellent
$17 / 6-pack at Brewery Creek

Domaine Grand Nicolet Vielles Vignes Rasteau 2006

Cote du Rhone can really kill it, or it can be decidedly boring pepper stew. Rateau, however, a single village within the Cote du Rhone offers better quality wines, and when you can get them from a good vintage, a good producer, and at a price such as this wine they really shine through as some of the best value reds in the world.

The nose on this old vines grenache based cuvée has dusty, chocolate-infused blueberry driving the wine over a tiny edge of manure, which dissipated with air. The palate has superb fruit up front with tons of blueberry and strawberry. The mid-palate has a considerable tannic grip, but the finish is soft and smooth. The wine also maintains considerable freshness from the acidity. Heat and chalk fill out the mouth of this big-boned incredibly food friendly wine. An awesome value for the price.

Very Good+
$20 at Marquis

Sinnean Old Vine Zinfandel 2006

I doubt anyone associates Oregon state with the renowned all-American California variety zinfandel, but here we have one of Oregon's most noteworthy producers making one as their "flagship wine". As much as Sinnean is known for their Pinot Noir, they claim that it is this old vine zin, made from a 100 year old vineyard, that is their best wine. And, despite the latitude there are no signs of underripeness and no chaptalization.

The nose on this Columbia Valley zin was boozy and had blueberry, chocolate and candied cherry. The palate was extremely full and very extracted: sweet blueberry juice, cherry, strawberry jam, and chocolate undertones. This is extremely smooth and tasty, although somewhat simple.

However, the story does not end there. While I took the above tasting note while drinking from a Riedel glass, I decided to experiment and test out how that note compared to a simultaneous note taken while drinking from my new Eisch glasses. For those not in the know, Eisch has created glasses with a special coating that supposedly decants the wine instantly upon pouring it into the glass. Well, we shall see.

In the Eisch glass the nose was far more restrained and dusty, while also being far less fruity. On the palate the wine was much smoother, less boozy, and had intricate notes of herbs and underbrush. And, while noticeably less massive, it had impressive complexity and layering far superior than in the Riedel glass. So, it seems as though this limited test shows that Eisch can make a considerable difference to a wine's aromatics and flavour profile. Is it better? Not necessarily - but it certainly is different.

The wine itself? Although perhaps a little pricey, it is quite impressive and certainly worth a try.

Very Good+
$55 at Everything Wine