July 2011: What are you drinking?

Over the July Canada day weekend, I visited Mt Lehman Wineries and Lotusland Wineries near Vancouver.

I had

2009 Joie Farms Rosé
2008 Laughing Stock Porfolio
2008 Unoaked Chardonnay Mt. Lehman
2004 Lotusland Enigma
NV Lotusland Devil's spit
2009 Laughing Stock Chardonnnay
2008 Mt. Lehman Cab-Merlot(pretty good for a BC red)
2008 Lotusland Blushing(Rosé)
2008 Lotusland Ortega


The owner of Lotusland, I believe his first name was Michael, was very gracious and friendly and quite knowledgeble about the wine world. A great winery to visit near Vancouver, if you are ever in town.

BC whites and rosés are decent and quite good value for the money and some of the reds are ok-The 2008 Laughing Stock Portfolio was very good(ie 90 points) but at 50$, very pricey for what's in the bottle.

I also learned that of the 10K acres planted with grape growing vines in BC, 4K were planted in the past 3-4 years. It will take some time before reds catch up to the whites and Rosés.

At work today got to taste the 2007 Cliff Lede Poetry Stags Leap. Quite concentrated with significant tannins.

2000 Argyle Extended Tirage Sparkling Wine
2008 Belle Glos Meiomi Pinot Noir
2008 Argyle Pinot Noir Reserve

Enjoyed at an off-line tonight.

NV Jacques Selosse Initial BdB
2002 Shafer HSS
1997 Pahlmeyer Napa
1994 Dominus
1987 Diamond Creek Gravelly Meadow

W + A, how did you like the Gravelly Meadow. Still had life left or past peak?

quote:

Originally posted by fcs:
W + A, how did you like the Gravelly Meadow? Still had life left or past peak?

2007 Stolpman l'Avion- a solid Rhone-type blend, but there are many whites from Crozes-Hermitages that will blow this away at a similar price.

quote:

Originally posted by wine+art:
Enjoyed at an off-line tonight.

NV Jacques Selosse Initial BdB
2002 Shafer HSS
1997 Pahlmeyer Napa
1994 Dominus
1987 Diamond Creek Gravelly Meadow

Sounds like a lovely evening... My money is on the dominus for wotn.

quote:

Originally posted by wine+art:
Enjoyed at an off-line tonight.

NV Jacques Selosse Initial BdB
2002 Shafer HSS
1997 Pahlmeyer Napa
1994 Dominus
1987 Diamond Creek Gravelly Meadow

W+A

The last bottle of 2002 HSS I drank was about 2 years ago. I've got a few more in the cellar. How is it holding up?

2007 Camille Giroud Lulunne Beaune white burgundy

2001 sociando mallet - a really nice wine in a really nice spot.

2008 Kongsgaard Chardonnay Kings Farm

2008 Elk Cove Pinot Noir Amalie Robert - too tart & acidic for me.

2010 Etude Pinot Gris

recently;
2002 Paul Hobbs Napa Cabernet
2004 Petrolo Torrione
2006 Bonaccorsi Vogelzang Vinyard Viognier
2007 Hartford Family Zinfandel
2008 Littorai Vin Gris Pinot Noir
2009 Tablas Creek Cotes de Tablas

2003 Talley Rosemary's Vineyard Pinot Noir

2007 Sojourn Alder Springs PN

1998 Smith Haut Laffite
2002 Anderson Conn Valley Reserve Cab

2000 L'Oratoire... Cotes du Rhone - can't remember the rest of the name from the label but it was off a restaurant list here in Quebec and was quite nice with dinner.

2009 Belle Glos Taylor Lane Pinot Noir
2009 Flowers Sonoma Coast Pinot Noir

A lovely pair and terrific examples of the great 2009 vintage.

quote:

Originally posted by TPEwinedrinker:

quote:

Originally posted by wine+art:
Enjoyed at an off-line tonight.

NV Jacques Selosse Initial BdB
2002 Shafer HSS
1997 Pahlmeyer Napa
1994 Dominus
1987 Diamond Creek Gravelly Meadow

Sounds like a lovely evening... My money is on the dominus for wotn.

All wines were showing well.

The wines are listed in order of preference for our group.

quote:

Originally posted by Board-O:
2007 Stolpman l'Avion- a solid Rhone-type blend, but there are many whites from Crozes-Hermitages that will blow this away at a similar price.

I thought the L'Avion was really good. I had it a couple of times. I think it was about 32- $. If you wouldn't mind; I would love to hear of some killer white Rhones in that range.

1999 Castello Del Terricco Tassinaia with some homemade pizza

quote:

Originally posted by wine+art:

quote:

Originally posted by TPEwinedrinker:

quote:

Originally posted by wine+art:
Enjoyed at an off-line tonight.

NV Jacques Selosse Initial BdB
2002 Shafer HSS
1997 Pahlmeyer Napa
1994 Dominus
1987 Diamond Creek Gravelly Meadow

Sounds like a lovely evening... My money is on the dominus for wotn.

All wines were showing well.

The wines are listed in order of preference for our group.

Thanks for the update... Thought it would be dominus, shafer, pahlmeyer, diamond creek. Have a bottle of the SHS, but have never tried the 97 pahlmeyer and now hope to get my hands on a bottle.

2009 Perrin & Fils La Gille Gigondas

There have been a lot of wine dinners in Dallas this week.

1995 Krug
1990 Pol Roger Winston Churchill
2001 Chave Blanc
2004 Chapoutier Les Grantis Blanc
1989 Leoville Las Cases
1978 Diamond Creek Lake Vineyard

quote:

Originally posted by wine+art:
2001 Chave Blanc

What were your thoughts on this one, w+a? I have only two bottles, and one of them has been calling to me...

2007 Core Elevation Sensation
2009 Villa Wolf Gezurtz Pfalz

quote:

Originally posted by AllRed:

quote:

Originally posted by wine+art:
2001 Chave Blanc

What were your thoughts on this one, w+a? I have only two bottles, and one of them has been calling to me...

I would hold for 1-3 more years, if you can based on this bottle.

2008 Argyle Clubhouse Pinot Noir

Thanks w+a, I'll let them rest a while yet.

N.V. Roederer Estate Brut Rosé Anderson Valley

quote:

Originally posted by wine+art:
1978 Diamond Creek Lake Vineyard

Great Summer line-up!
How did the '78 Lake show for the evening?

quote:

Originally posted by KSC02:

quote:

Originally posted by wine+art:
1978 Diamond Creek Lake Vineyard

Great Summer line-up!
How did the '78 Lake show for the evening?

+1

I have at least one Lake left- a 1984, but I may still have a 1978. I know I have GM and VH from 1978 and 1979.

Simi 2001 Landslide Alexander Vly Cab

2009 Scholium Project Androkteinos Hudson Vineyards

quote:

Originally posted by Board-O:

quote:

Originally posted by KSC02:

quote:

Originally posted by wine+art:
1978 Diamond Creek Lake Vineyard

Great Summer line-up!
How did the '78 Lake show for the evening?

+1

I have at least one Lake left- a 1984, but I may still have a 1978. I know I have GM and VH from 1978 and 1979.

Might want to check in on the 79s. The last one I had was tiring.

2003 Ch. Coucy. A TJ's special I bought a case of for a song. Overripe, sure, but it's really a QPR drinker. We will probably finish up the case within the year.

quote:

1989 Leoville Las Cases

We had this at an offline in T.O this year and it was (on this occassion) the WOTN. We shared it with jburman and K. I hope that yours was equally as good.

quote:

Originally posted by thirsty man:

quote:

Originally posted by Board-O:

quote:

Originally posted by KSC02:

quote:

Originally posted by wine+art:
1978 Diamond Creek Lake Vineyard

Great Summer line-up!
How did the '78 Lake show for the evening?

+1

I have at least one Lake left- a 1984, but I may still have a 1978. I know I have GM and VH from 1978 and 1979.

Might want to check in on the 79s. The last one I had was tiring.

Thanks. I haven't had one in a while and they were fine. I bought them at release.

2008 Rex Hill Willamette Pinot Noir