Saturday August 6, 2011 - Vintages Release Report

 

To print this report click here for the PDF version.

I am using a 5-star rating system, which appears at the end of each review; here’s the key to the stars:
5 = Outstanding … 4.5 = Excellent … 4 = Very Good … 3.5 = Good … 3 = Average

Today’s release looks at wines from that long thin country that calls itself Chile (CH) but is actually quite hot, in every sense of the word; there is also a small British Columbia (BC) release as well; plus look for the Ontario savings in the More for Less focus … there are also some excellent wines in the Best Buy section:  Best Buys, and there are plenty in this release …

Argentina …

Red - 

Kaiken 2008 Corte Malbec / Bonarda / Petit Verdot ($16.95 - #0236463) – another good wine from Kaiken with lovely fruit and a touch of spice. (*** ½)

Zolo 2006 Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon ($15.95 - #0054098) – a real black cherry-chocolate bomb of lusciousness across the tongue with good tannins on the finish. (****+)

Australia …

Red –

Mildara 2007 Cabernet Sauvignon ($24.95 - #0919548) – nice fruit forward wine, smooth and easy. (****)

Henry’ Drive 2008 Pillar Box Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon ($19.95 - #0199745) – big black fruit and very sippable. (***+)

Summerfield 2008 Merlot ($32.95 - #0228130) – real big fruit with lots of chocolate and some plum notes on the finish. (****+)

Canada … 

Red -

(British Columbia)

Laughing Stock 2008 Blind Trust ($41.95 - #0230110) – mocha, tobacco and pepper with a touch of cocoa nib; this needs time and will reward your blind trust. (****+) - BC

See Ya Later Ranch 2007 Pinot Noir ($22.95 - #0230078) – quite a nice light Pinot Noir with raspberry-strawberry notes and a spiced cherry/hint of mocha finish. (****) - BC

(Ontario)

Mike Weir 2008 Pinot Noir ($19.95 - #0000075)

Ridgepoint 2007 Reserve Pinot Noir ($20.00) – savings: $5

Rosehall Run 2008 Cuvee County Pinot Noir ($16.45 - 225748) - savings: $3.50

Sparkling -

(Nova Scotia)

Benjamin Bridge 2010 Nova 7 ($25.00 - #0256289) – a nose of ginger ale which follows to the palate then adds a little minerality, pretty serious stuff from down east, interesting and tasty. (***½) 

White –

(British Columbia)

Dirty Laundry 2010 Woo Woo Vines Gewurztraminer ($24.95 - #0246140) – one of my favourite places to visit in BC and tasting this G-wine will tell you why, there’s a hint of sweetness here but there is so much more going on.  Taste a great Gewurzt from the winery that does it best in BC. (**** ½)

(Ontario)

13th Street 2010 White Palate ($14.95 - #0207340)

Cave Spring Estate 2009 Bottled Gewurztraminer ($13.95 - #0302059) savings: $3

Fielding 2010 Pinot Gris ($21.95 - #0251108)

Henry of Pelham 2010 Pinot Blanc ($14.95 - #0618827)

Lailey Vineyard 2009 Canadian Oak Chardonnay ($19.95 - #0225474) savings: $5

Wayne Gretzky Estates 2009 Estate Series Riesling ($18.95 - #0209841)

Chile …

Red -

Anakena 2009 Single Vineyard Pinot Noir ($13.95 - #0208439) – sweet with raspberry and cherry notes, a little bit earthy with sour cherry tannins and very quaffable. (****) - CH

Chateau Los Boldos 2007 Vieilles Vignes Merlot ($18.95 - #0016006) – smooth blackberry. (*** ½) - CH

Concha Y Toro 2007 Terrunyo Block 27 Carmenere ($29.95 - #0562892) – nice chocolate, spice, mineral, plum and blackberry. (****) - CH

Montes 2007 Purple Angel ($49.95 - #0062364) – one hell of a wine at one hell of a price, note the vintage date and consider this a lost in the warehouse discovery; break open the piggy bank it’s worth buying. (*****) - CH

Santa Ema 2008 Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon ($16.95 - #0175422) – full of blackberry, chocolate, violets and mocha. (****) - CH

White –

William Fevre Chile 2009 Gran Cuvee Chardonnay ($16.95 - #0045146) – French know-how making serious Chardonnay in Chile, and it works. (*** ½+) - CH

France … 

Red – 

(Beaujolais)

Domaine Piron-Lameloise 2009 Quartz Chenas ($22.95 - #0240481) – starting to see more serious Beaujolais and here’s another with lots of mineral and black cherry; tannins are more robust than expected. (****+)

Jean-Paul Brun Terres Dorees Cote de Brouilly 2009 ($18.95 - #0235127) – red cherry and raspberry but not in a frou-frou kinda way, this is some serious stuff. (****)

(Bordeaux)

Grand Juan du Chateau Haut-Rieuflaget 2008 ($13.95 - #0226134) – this wine has something going for it, spiced cherry and vanilla with a creamy mouth-feel. (****)

Seigneurs D’Aiguilhe 2009 ($19.95 - #0195172) – mocha, coffee notes dominate along with some black fruit, vanilla, blueberry and even some plum. (****)

(Rhone)

Domaine Armand Soleiador Cairanne Cotes du Rhone-Villages 2009 ($16.95 - #0237560) – spiced cherry and white pepper with a hint of spice and nice mouth-feel. (*** ½+)

Domaine La Roquete 2008 Chateauneuf-du-Pape ($39.95 - #0070862) – bruiser on the nose but a puppy on the palate; good and tasty. (****)

Sparkling –

La Maison du Cremant Brut Cremant de Bourgogne ($16.95 - #0127811) – delightfully playful bubbles. (*** ½)

White – 

(Alsace)

Julien Schaal 2008 Riesling ($15.95 - #0225151) – lemon and mineral notes ... lots of mineral notes. (*** ½)

(Burgundy)

William Fevre 2008 Chablis 1er Cru ($29.95 - #0169805) – mineral driven fruit, if you like Chablis this is for you. (*** ½+)

(Loire)

Domaine Bois-Malinge 2009 Muscadet Sevre et Maine ($13.95 - #0224226) – lemon and peach makes for a nice mouth combination. (*** ½)

Italy …

Red – 

(Puglia)

Giordano Ricarico 2008 ($18.95 - #0230581) – delivers with dark fruit, vanilla, chocolate on the nose and carries it through to the palate with just the right amount of spice. (**** +)

(Sicily)

Nicosia Fondo Filara Nerello Mascalese 2008 ($14.95 - #0222653) – fruit forward with black cherry and spice leading to a rather spicy finish. (*** ½+)

(Tuscany)

Rocca delle Macie 2006 Chianti Riserva ($15.95 - #0111641) – offers good value in a rustic style Chianti yet with enough new world flair to bring everyone on board; pairs well with food. (****)

(Veneto)

Michele Castellani I Castei Costamaran Ripasso Valpolicella Classico Superiore ($16.95 - #0972406) – plum and licorice with a little chocolate and smoke. (*** ½+)

Sparkling –

Bottega Prosecco Superiore ($16.95 - #0235044) – very fruity and lively, almost sweet in nature but very tasty. (*** ½)

White –

Tramin 2009 Gewurztraminer ($18.95 - #0117028) – quite a pleasant Gewurzt from a country not known for producing this grape; floral, rosy and spicy … it holds its own. (*** ½)

New Zealand … 

White –

Dog Point Vineyard 2010 Sauvignon Blanc ($19.95 - #0677450) – much restraint shown on this one, especially for a New Zealand Savvy B; it’s creamy on the palate yet still lively with acidity. (****)

Greywacke 2010 Sauvignon Blanc ($21.95 - #0164228) – pretty wine that doesn’t smash you over the head with gooseberry and grapefruit, instead it tickles both the nose and taste-buds with its delicacy. (****)

Portugal …

Red –

Marques de Marialva 2007 Reserva Baga ($15.95 - #0245605) – here’s a unique grape from Portugal and I hope to hear from Baga … mint, mineral, raspberry and vanilla on the nose, and it tastes as good as it smells with soft juicy fruit on the mid palate; you’re gonna wanna pick up a couple. (****)

White –

Aveleda 2010 Follies Alvarinho ($15.95 - #0059048) – lime, herbs and grapefruit with floral and mineral riding on their coattails with a citrus and herbal finish, pretty intense. (*** ½+)

South Africa …

Red –

Café Culture 2010 Pinotage ($13.95 - #0072710) – this never changes in flavour only my mood for this wine changes, it’s all coffee, coffee, coffee a true breakfast wine. (*** ½+)

White –

Glen Carlou 2008 Chardonnay ($17.95 - #0915231) – mighty tasty little beast with buttered toast and caramel peach notes and a little spice to the finish. (*** ½+)

Spain …

Red –

Burgo Viejo Reserva 2004 ($18.95 - #0168823) – nice and smooth, the seven years have really softened this one and made it deliciously quaffable. (****+)

Otazu 2006 Crianza ($16.95 - #0245332) – lots of fruit here and nice tannins with a powerful finish. (*** ½)

Sparkling –

Mont-Marcal Brut Reserva Cava ($13.95 - #0229021) – bready and biscuity with a core of fruit and lemon curd. (*** ½)

United States … 

Red – 

(California)

Bogle Vineyards 2008 Cabernet Sauvignon ($17.95 - #0904565) – easy drinking Cali-Cab. (*** ½)

Rodney Strong 2008 Knotty Vines Zinfandel ($22.95 - #0363358) – a little restrained for a Zin but still with the flavours you’re looking for. (*** ½+)

Seghesio 2008 Old Vines Zinfandel ($39.95 - #0056879) – always a favourite, loaded with real Zin flavour: raspberry, cherry, plum and chocolate. (**** ½)

Signorello 2007 Cabernet Sauvignon ($59.95 - #0060152) – dense and full of fruit with a finish of chocolate and cherry.. (**** +)

Sonoma-Cutrer 2007 Grower Vintner Pinot Noir ($29.95 - #0140723) – has that Cali-fruit component that makes their Pinots juicy, there’s also a spiced-vanilla note in and amongst all that juiciness. (****)

White – 

(California)

Talbott Logan 2008 Chardonnay ($26.95 - #0716290) – creamy vanilla with a little butter and toasted caramel apple, really delicious with a sweet fruit mid-palate. (**** ½)

(Washington)

Three Rivers 2008 Chardonnay ($19.95 - #0233445) – quite fruity but with enough vanilla and spice to keep it very honest Chardonnay. (*** ½)

Best Buys (wine(s) that over deliver at their price) …

Anakena 2009 Single Vineyard Pinot Noir ($13.95 - #0208439)

Grand Juan du Chateau Haut-Rieuflaget 2008 ($13.95 - #0226134)

Zolo 2006 Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon ($15.95 - #0054098)

Grape Guy Top 3 … what I’ll be lining up for on August 6, 2011:

Marques de Marialva 2007 Reserva Baga ($15.95 - #0245605) - Portugal

Domaine Armand Soleiador Cairanne Cotes du Rhone-Villages 2009 ($16.95 - #0237560) - France

Giordano Ricarico 2008 ($18.95 - #0230581) – Italy 

Happy Shopping.

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