Tuesday Blind Tastings
Charles Melton La Belle Mere Grenache, Shiraz, Mataro 2015
Barossa Valley, Australia
Price: $24
Rating: 91
Source: Jim's Cellars
Description: Medium bodied. Christmas cake, spice and pepper on the nose. The palate was rich and plummy with firm tannins and good length. A good drinking wine.
Tasting date: 26 June 2018
grapes. If it is not labeled VQA, it may actually contain foreign juice and water. 218 1000 BEST WINE SECRETS 813.Be wary of Ontario wine not labeled VQA from the 2005 vintage. In 2005, such wine could be made from as little as 1 percent Ontario-grown grapes, and have water added. The Ontario government laid down similar labeling law changes for the 2003 and 1993 vintages to off-set crop shortages. This situation is unfortunate for the Canadian consumer simply because this lesser quality wine is usually sold on shelves with other Canadian wines, including those which are VQA certified, which can be misleading. 814.One of Canadas best wineries is Burrowing Owl Estate Winery, which is VQA certified. Its most expensive wine, named Meritage, sells for Can$40 at the winery, and is a red blend of Bordeaux grape varieties. The 2003 vintage is delicious now, but will be even better in five years. Sweet red cherries, white pepper, blueberries, vanilla, milky chocolate, and a long black cherry finish. Fine tannins make the wine feel quite plush in the mouth. 815.St. Hubertus Estate Winery from British Columbias Okanogan Valley produces some extraordinary white VQA wines, all of which are made from grapes grown with