Wine Club #16: Saint-Emilion & Cab Merlot

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Host: Sara-Rose

Date: March 28, 2008

Theme: A blind tasting of Saint-Emilion and Cabernet Merlot blends

Attendees: Carmela, Tayisa, Anna, Shereen, Andrea, and Hot Mamma Julie











Wine #1: Christian Moueix Saint-Emilion


Region: Saint-Emilion, Bordeaux, France

Vintage: 2005
Price: $19.75

Vino Vixens’ Tasting Notes:

Rating: Bottom three

Look: dark

Smell: peppery, spicy & fruity, potent, caramel, light, floral

Taste: acidic, dry, bitter, smooth, sour

Flavours: plum, current, white pepper, prune

Overall thoughts: dry, strong flavour, not as strong and very good with lamb

LCBO Tasting Notes: Pretty ruby/purple colour leads to an equally attractive nose of raspberry eau-de-vie, vanilla, tobacco leaf, cherry and sweet herbs. Dry with an elegant structure, the fruit is nicely wrapped in ripe tannins. Not a huge wine, but beautifully polished. Medium-bodied with a medium-long finish. Try it with veal tenderloin or cellar it for up to three years. (VINTAGES panel, Dec. 2007).


Wine #2: Chateau Franc Grace-Dieu Saint-Emilion Grand Cru

Region: Saint-Emilion, Bordeaux, France

Vintage: 2004
Price: 21 CHF

Vino Vixens’ Tasting Notes:

Rating: Bottom three

Look: dark, ruby, opaque but not dark

Smell: fruity, cherry, tobacco, smoky

Taste: very light, doesn’t carry well, acidic, sour, bitter, dry, sweet

Flavours: fruity, cherry, raisin, blackcurrant

Overall thoughts: very mild, okay, bland, strong, better with food



Wine #3: Wyndham Estate Bin 888 Cabernet Merlot

Region: South Eastern Australia

Vintage: 2004
Price: $14.85

Vino Vixens’ Tasting Notes:

Rating: Bottom three

Look: dark

Smell: blackberry, very fruity, cherry, onion, peppery,

Taste: sweet, creamier, smooth, bitter, very dry

Flavours: blackberry, peppery, plum, smoky

Overall thoughts: very rich, good with food, bold

Wyndham Estate Tasting Notes: A medium to full bodied wine blended from Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot, Bin 888 displays ripe blackcurrant, cassis, cherry and spice characters. The elegant and sophisticated palate is enhanced by toasty oak. Blackcurrant and smoky, leafy flavours linger on the finish. www.wyndhamestate.com


Wine #4: Calvet Saint-Emilion

Region: Saint-Emilion, Bordeaux, France

Vintage: 2005
Price: $17.80


Vino Vixens’ Tasting Notes:

Rating: Top 2 (Best of Saint-Emilion)
Look: light, dark

Smell: spicey, burning wood, bland, smokey

Taste: tart

Flavours: pepper

Overall thoughts: okay, “I like this one!”, “Tasty!”, Andrea’s Favorite

LCBO Tasting Notes: Deep ruby purple colour, almost opaque; cassis, vanilla and mint aromas; full bodied with dried black cherry flavours; fine tannins on the finish.


Wine #5 Dan Aykroyd Discovery Series Cabernet Merlot

Region: Lakeview Estate Cellars, Niagara Pinninsula, Ontario, Canada
Vintage: 2006
Price: $17.00

Vino Vixens’ Tasting Notes:

Rating: Top 2

Look: lighter

Smell: “Great!”, berries

Taste: dry

Flavours: berries, peppery, fruity

Overall thoughts: Berrylicious!

LCBO Tasting Notes: Medium ruby, the nose shows sweet black plum and dry herbs. Medium-bodied, quite soft and ripe, it ends with good acidity and soft tannins.

Bottle Tasting Notes: It is a full-bodied red with plenty of berry fruit flavours. Notes of smoky oak and a robust yet smooth structure make it a great partner to grilled meats and aged cheeses.













Lessons of the night:
  • Blind tastings are fun. “Blind Shereen” is double the fun!
  • A blind tasting allows you to focus your senses on the wine and taste without any preconceptions based on grape, region, price, brand, or reputation.
    • It can open you up to enjoy wine that you might not have expected, such as the Dan Aykroyd Cabernet Merlot.
    • It also fun to try and distinguish between different types of grapes, for example, all three Saint-Emilion wines tasted somewhat similar, while the Cabernet Merlot blends (which I believe were predominantly Cabernet Sauvignon blends), although different from each other, definitely stood out in sharp contrast to the Saint-Emilion wines.
  • Saint-Emilion is a wine producing region in the Bordeaux area, with a reputation for pricey Merlots (blended with Cabernet Franc). www.Bordeaux.com is a useful source for more information.
  • The Dan Aykroyd Cabernet Merlot and Calvet Saint-Emilion were the two final wines of the night and the two favorites by far.













Enjoyed with:
  • Black Olive Tapenade
  • Roasted Red Peppers
  • Cheese: Riopelle, 4-year aged Gouda, Manchego
  • Mushroom Crostini
  • Rosemary and Garlic Lamb

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