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Wine Appreciation Through Education |
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Wine Appreciation Through Education |
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1096 Lakeshore Road, R. R. # 3 Niagara-On-The-Lake, Ontario |
| On March 4, 2002 a few of us gathered to sample wines in preparation for Fiesta Buckhorn. Jim Reschke treated us to some of Konzelmann's finest. I have long been a fan of Konzelmann wines and have thoroughly enjoyed my visits to their tasting room. Here are my observations on the wines Jim brought along to the tasting. |
| Konzelmann
Cabernet Sauvignon Reserve Barrel Aged 2000 - $12.95 Deep purple-garnet. Spice, smoke, plums, lots of pepper. Mouth filling, yummy, tons of fruit, firm even tannins. Lush with lots of sweet fruit flavours. Very full bodied and long. A bit of a crowd pleaser. Versatile wine with lots of stuffing. Excellent value, if a bit unserious. Soon to be on the LCBO general list. |
| Konzelmann
Chardonnay 2000 - ($29) Deep lemony gold colour. Citrus, grape, orange, garrigue, apricot, and a hint of oak on the nose. Quite fat on the palate. Racy, almost tart. Good fruit flavours, quite yummy. Nice playful oak in mid and back palate. Very full bodied, long, smooth and balanced. A tank sample that will give good white burgundy a challenge.. |
| Konzelmann
Late Harvest Riesling 1999 $11.25 Pale lemon-lime colouring. A bit closed, but offers up hints of orange pulp, vanilla, sawdust, apple, honey, a slight smokiness, and a touch of petrol way at the back. A racy acidity with sweet fruit flavours: tree fruits, citrus and some tropical. Quite full bodied, with a very long and even finish. Tuck one away for a few years. |
| Konzelmann
Merlot Grand Reserve Classic 1999 - $39.95 Deep black cherry. Pepper, perfumey, floral, and spice. Fat, juicy, sweet, filled with fruit flavours. Very full bodied, long and juicy with good balance, fading to light tannins on the finish. Quite a showpiece. |
| Konzelmann
Merlot Reserve 2000 - $11.25 Very deep cranberry-garnet. Minty and spice, green wood and plums. Fairly simple but yummy, with lots of sweet fruit flavours. Medium body and length with fruit right through to the end. A crowd pleaser that would make a scrumptious treat at a party. |
| Konzelmann
Pinot Blanc 2000 - $9.95 Pale bright almond-gold colouring. Very spicy: seems oaked though apparently it's not. A touch of apple, citrus peel; lovely citrus mix on the nose. Velvety with a hint of sweetness on fore palette. Racy acidity, quite fruity and a slightly oily texture. Medium-plus body; medium length, seems a bit hollow at first but finishes strong with fine acidity. Needs 1-2 years to mature. Would be a great stand-in for Chablis. |
| Konzelmann
Pinot Noir 1999 - $10.95 Medium garnet with a hint of cranberry in the colour. Lots of pepper, dry cherry, a touch of leather, crushed leaves, fruit leather, raspberry, green wood, and even goat. Quite tannic though nicely balanced against a light tartness. Good body and length. Tannic off the top with the fruit evolving nicely throughout the finish. Always popular (and reliable), this one could use another year in the cellar. |
| Konzelmann
Riesling Grand Reserve Classic VQA 2000 - ($ ?) Brilliant deep straw colour. Almost gewurz-like, with aromas of grapes, dried orange and a touch of rubber. Nose suggests sweetness. Racy tartness on the palate offset by a slight sweetness. Well balanced except for a bit of acidity. Quite good body with a long, hot finish. Overly acidic right now but might settle down in time. |
| Konzelmann
Riesling x Traminer Reserve Classic 2000 - $19.95 Soft medium yellow. Lovely riesling-like nose: slight petrol, honey, citrus, and perfume. Spicy acidity and slightly sweet on the fore palate. Quite full bodied and long with a glorious fruity finish. A veritable fruit salad - the result of extensive crop thinning. One to put away for that special occasion 10 years on. Would work now with salads. |
| Konzelmann
Zweigelt Late Harvest 1999 - $10.95 The 'late harvest' is English for spätlese and means more ripeness rather than more residual sugar. Medium black cherry colour. Presents a lovely nose with lots of pepper, cherry and leather. Quite fruity on the palate, and a bit sweet. Racy acidity with low tannins. Medium body and good length, with fruit evolving toward the finish, finally closing with an acidic tang. Easy going, not too demanding. An everyday treat at a decent price. |
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Tasting Date: March 4, 2002 |