Category Archives: Celebrity Skins

Face-off! 2007 Mike Weir vs. 2007 Wayne Gretzky Pinot Noir

2007 Wayne Gretzky Estate/ Mike Weir Wine Pinot Noir

2007 Wayne Gretzky Estate/ Mike Weir Wine Pinot Noir

Last night, I had a little tasting with my friends Judy and Terri and I wanted it to be as unbiased as possible. Since I’m an ex-pat from the Niagara region, I’m partial to many wines from that area, not just the Icewine that it’s noted for. Maybe I’m feeling a little homesick especially since it’s Grape and Wine Festival time. Sigh. I know it’s called ‘The Niagara Wine Festival‘ now, but it’ll always be ‘Grape and Wine’ to me.

For years, I’ve enjoyed the whites and particularly liked what had been coming off the vine from Mike Weir Wine. Having never sampled anything from Wayne Gretzky Estates, I wanted to try something different and compare the two. To keep things on equal footing, I chose the same type and vintage, otherwise it could be like comparing apples to oranges, and not really a fair fight. We poured both through an aerator since we didn’t have time to decant.

Armed with both the Wine Aroma Wheel and Mouth-feel Wheel, we started with the 2007 Mike Weir Wine Pinot Noir. The color ranged from a burgundy (Terri) to light claret (me) to garnet (Judy). We all agreed that, sadly, there didn’t seem to be much on the nose. As for mouth-feel, it seemed to be a bit thin and watery; as if it could’ve been cellared longer. We found the taste to be more tart berry; Judy thought it had a grippy, alcohol feel. Terri thought it had more of a chemical, bitter feel. She described it as ‘gird-y’: for her, it produced more of a burn-like sensation going down. Overall, it wasn’t bad, it just tasted quite young. I wondered if pairing it with something like Brie and fruit might have brought out more of its depth.

On to the 2007 Wayne Gretzky Estates (Estate Series) Pinot Noir. By comparison, the Gretzky was richer in color; a deep garnet with nice floral notes on the nose.  The mouth-feel was warm, satin-y and supple with a viscous, mouth coat texture (yes, ‘mouth coat’ is listed in the wheel). Terri found it had a smoother, softer, fuller texture compared to the Weir. It tasted of rich cherry, sulfur with a light smoky, butter finish, and would probably pair well with a nice filet or roasted chicken. We thought it was a nice wine to drink all on its own, from start to finish.

Looks like, for now, No.99 is still the Great One.

Cheers!

Hell’s Bells ~ AC/DC launches collection of… fine wines?

 AC/DC, my favorite metal band, is set to launch a new collection of wines with Warburn Estate, an Australian winemaker. I have to admit when I think of fine wines, AC/DC doesn’t immediately jump into my head but their varietal names are pretty cool: ‘Highway to Hell’ Cabernet Sauvignon, ‘You Shook Me All Night Long’ Moscato, ‘Hell’s Bells’ Sauvignon Blanc and ‘Back in Black’ Shiraz.

Brian and Angus in Toronto. (QMI AGENCY).

Brian and Angus in Toronto. (QMI AGENCY).

That said, the names might be catchy, and the artwork totally righteous (although I haven’t seen it yet), the real proof will be what’s in the bottle. I’ve tried some celebrity wines in the past only to be a little disappointed with what ended up in my glass.

Warburn Estate is an independent, family-owned winery that started in the 1950’s, so it’s a good bet that they know a few things about producing a quality product. They also seem to be  very clear about their approach: that wine is for drinking. Sounds good to me. I can throw on my ‘Dirty Deeds Done Dirt Cheap’ vinyl, pop open a ‘Highway to Hell’ Cab Sauv and see whether it shakes me all night long.

The AC/DC collection of wines launch in Australia at the end of this month and should hit our fair shores in the US by the end of the year.

Cheers!  http://nyp.st/oFTexJ 

I just found a picture of the bottles:

AC/DC Fine Wines (Warburn Estate)

AC/DC Fine Wines (Warburn Estate)