Wednesday, July 20, 2011

Saturday July 23, 2011 - Vintages Release Report


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 Cool Climate Chardonnay (CCC) and Italian wines (IT) … I have also added a feature for you bargain seekers:  Best Buys, and there are plenty in this release …

Argentina …
Red - 
Masi 2008 Corbec Appassimento Corvina/Malbec ($24.95 - #0079095) – Amarone comes to Argentina, deep, dark and delicious. (****)
White –
Alamos 2010 Torrontes ($13.95 - #0081539) – it’s like Gewurztraminer on downers, nice and light and easy to drink but not in too much quantity. (*** ½)

Australia … 
Red –
Small Gully 2006 The Formula Robert’s Shiraz ($18.95 - #0142935) – the nose lures and the palate sings and you should like this one very much especially because of the seam of chocolate and plum running through it – though drink soon. (*** ½)
St. Hallett 2008 GST Grenache/Shiraz/Touiga ($23.95 - #0660910) – surprised anybody had the balls to bring a GST to Canada, let alone Ontario, while not politically correct the wine is very tasty with lots of sweet black fruit on offer. (****+)
Stella Bella 2008 Shiraz ($24.95 - #0048553) – just what you’d expect in a Shiraz. (*** ½+)
Two Hands 2010 Sexy Beast Cabernet Sauvignon ($27.95 - #0219469) – always a consistent producer of good quality wines, this one is no exception; big 14.9% alcohol with loads of chocolate, blackberry, and white pepper – dark and delicious. (**** ½)
Wakefield 2009 Shiraz ($17.95 - #0943787) – juicy with blackberry along with white pepper and bacon notes. (*** ½+)

Austria …
White –
Loimer 2009 Trocken Gruner Veltliner ($18.95 - #0142240) – pea pod and grassy with lime/citrus and edamame notes; nice flavours and oh, pass the salt. (*** ½+) 

Canada … 
Red -
(British Columbia)
Quails’ Gate 2007 Merlot ($24.95 - #0169961) – red cherry and mocha with nice firm yet juicy flavour. (****+)
(Ontario)
Ridgepoint 2009 Cabernet Franc ($17.95 - #0245639)
Rosé - 
(Ontario)
Fielding Estate 2010 Rosé ($15.95 - #0053421)
White – 
(Ontario)
Hillebrand 2009 Trius White ($19.95 - #0054957)

Chile …
Red -
Concha Y Toro 2010 Trio Reserva Merlot/Carmenere/Cabernet Sauvignon ($14.95 - #0433920) – new packaging same good delivery with minty-dark fruit and a long finish. (****)

France … 
Red – 
(Bordeaux)
Chateau Brown 2005 ($46.95 - #0235465) – big rich flavour, gritty and black fruited with nice spice and vanilla notes. (****)
Chateau Diane de Belgrave 2006 ($24.95 - #0226050) – nice solid fruit core with a good mix of barrel influence; drinkable now or over the next 2-5 years. (*** ½+)
(Midi)
Chateau Puech-Haut Prestige Saint-Drezery ($26.95 - #0237289) – big juicy black fruit flavour with a touch of vanilla and nice raspberry notes. (****)
Mas de la Deveze La 66 2007 ($19.95 - #0065797) – chocolate raspberries and blackberries, this one is fat, full and luscious. (****)
(Rhone)
Chateau de Nages JT Costieres de Nimes 2007 ($20.95 - #0736876) – black and spicy with a juicy core and licorice root finish. (****)
Domaine de la Presidente Nonciature Chateauneuf-du-Pape 2007 ($44.95 - #0237339) – sweet of fruit, sweet of flavour, very nice; long finish loaded with dark fruit and spice. (****+)
Domaine de la Vieille Ferme de L’eoune Rasteau 2009 ($17.95 - #0234658) – supple with lovely fruit and good tannins; raspberry is the most prevalent smell and flavor; the long finish is loaded with black raspberry and vanilla. (****)
White – 
(Loire)
Clos du Porteau 2009 Le Courlis Sauvignon Touraine ($14.95 - #0246041) – mineral and gooseberry; strong palate with just a hint of grapefruit pith and a nice finish. (****)

Germany …
White –
Kurt Darting 2009 Gewurtraminer ($16.95 - #0944181) – really rose petalish and positively perfumed; nice Gewurzt with mouth-stay-ability. (****+)

Italy …
Red – 
(Basilicata)
Cantina di Venosa 2007 Terre di Oazio ($17.95 - #0247494) – sweet black licorice, red plum, chocolate, this one really delivers on flavour and length. (****) – IT
(Campania)
Vesevo Beneventano Aglianico 2008 ($14.95 - #0120907) – nice juicy blackberry fruit with spice and toasted coffee beans. (****) – IT
(Piedmont)
Franco Molino 2006 Barolo ($29.95 - #0232967) – spices, herbs and dried raspberry. (*** ½+) – IT
(Puglia)
Feudi di San Marzano 2008 Sud Primitivo di Manduria ($14.95 - #0214692) – good plum and cherry notes and very, very juicy on the palate; it’s light with some elegance and real up front fruit. (*** ½+) – IT
(Tuscany)
La Castellina 2007 Chianti Classico ($18.95 - #0223313) – coffee/mocha, sour plum and nice finish. (*** ½) – IT
Mantellassi San Giuseppe Morellino do Scansano 2008 ($14.95 - #0226852) – fairly easy drinking red with a little rustic quality which keeps it honest. (*** ½) – IT
Prelius 2008 Cabernet Sauvignon ($17.95 - #0224022) – lovely dark fruit with chocolate, juicy and plump; not at all what you expect from Italian Cab. (****+)
Rocca Delle Macie 2006 Vino Nobile di Montepulciano ($24.95 - #0232488) – toasted plum, mocha and vanilla. (*** ½+) – IT
(Tuscany)
Novaia Corte Vaona Amarone della Valpolicella Classico 2006 ($39.95 - #0234898) – nice sweet fruit on the palate with a good tannin backbone holding it together. (****+) - IT
Sparkling – 
Tenuta S. Anna Extra Dry Prosecco ($15.95 - #0169128) – great nose with brisk citrus notes, which continue onto the palate. (****+) - IT
White –
Vinea Garganega 2009 ($12.95 - #0230656) – palate has some funky flavours that some might find interesting and for 13 bucks it is worth experiencing this grape; also an interesting finish. (*** ½) – IT

Mexico …
LA Cetto 2008 Petite Sirah ($11.95 - #0983742) – my review appears in Vintages magazine, taken from February of 2010, I would now downgrade it to 3 ½ stars but this is still a good wine. (*** ½)
LA Cetto 2008 Zinfandel ($10.95 - #0405605) – this one is juicy as hell with plum and cherry notes with a raspberry finish, beautifully BBQ-ready. (****) 

New Zealand … 
Red –
Shingle Peak 2009 Pinot Noir ($19.95 - #0032441) – fairly traditional style with sour cherry, cranberry and earthy flavours. (*** ½+)
Thatched Hut 2010 Pinot Noir ($17.95 - #0242933) – coffee bean and toasted notes with some earthy black and sour cherry notes. (*** ½+)

Portugal …
Dessert -
Quinta da Pedra Alta Fine Tawny Port ($14.95 - #0225144) – lovely nutty-cherry-orange peel nuances, a real touch of elegance. (****+)

South Africa …
Red –
Cathedral Cellars 2009 Shiraz ($14.95 - #0561142) – good black fruit and pepper notes with little to no South Africa stink, there’s a nice meatiness to this wine. (*** ½+)
White –
Atraxia 2009 Chardonnay ($23.95 - #0232967) – tropical aromas with butter and vanilla notes, fairly standard but tasty. (*** ½) - CCC

Spain …
White –
Bodegas Shaya 2009 Verdejo ($17.95 - #0241554) – nose is quiet but there’s a grassiness to the palate that’s quite nice. (*** ½)

United States … 
Red – 
(California)
Chateau St. Jean 2006 Cabernet Sauvignon ($34.95 - #0977173) – another juicy fruit loaded Cab, thoroughly enjoyable. (*** ½)
Irony 2008 Cabernet Sauvignon ($19.95 - #0025106) – the best value in the tri-fecta of nice juicy Cabs from California in this release. (*** ½)
La Crema 2008 Pinot Noir ($44.95 - #0058024) – earthy, black cherry with juicy flavours, this is just simply lovely … you’ll find beet root and sweet tannins to round it all out. (****)
Santa Barbara Winery 2009 Pinot Noir ($20.95 - #0942946) – here’s you’re typical juicy Cali-Pinot with loads of black cherry. (*** ½+)
Starmount 2007 Cabernet Sauvignon ($31.95 - #0725150) – a juicy Cab … a really juicy Cab, the first of three I tried on this day; see above. (*** ½)
(Washington)
Columbia Winery 2007 Merlot ($16.95 - #0715870) – juicy red and black fruit with hints of sweet spice, decent value. (*** ½+)
White – 
(California)
Artesa 2009 Chardonnay ($19.95 - #0657585) – pretty nose and good palate makes for a complete wine; fruit and oak mingle in the mouth with peach pit, tropicality and vanilla with a nice edge of spice on the finish. (****+)
Beringer 2009 Sauvignon Blanc ($22.95 - #0394353) – full and thick in the mouth, almost creamy, oaked just right helping to keep the fruit flavour intact. (****)

Best Buys (wine(s) that over deliver at their price) …
Vesevo Beneventano Aglianico 2008 ($14.95 - #0120907)
Feudi di San Marzano 2008 Sud Primitivo di Manduria ($14.95 - #0214692)
Cathedral Cellars 2009 Shiraz ($14.95 - #0561142)
Clos du Porteau 2009 Le Courlis Sauvignon Touraine ($14.95 - #0246041)
LA Cetto 2008 Zinfandel ($10.95 - #0405605)

Grape Guy Top 3 … what I’ll be lining up for on July 23, 2011:
Tenuta S. Anna Extra Dry Prosecco ($15.95 - #0169128) – Italy
Prelius 2008 Cabernet Sauvigon ($17.95 - #0224022) - Italy
Artesa 2009 Chardonnay ($19.95 - #0657585) – United States 
Bonus … 
Domaine de la Vieille Ferme de L’eoune Rasteau 2009 ($17.95 - #0234658) - France

Happy Shopping



1 comment:

Dean Tudor said...

My take....

TOP VALUE WHITE WINES under $20 or so.
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
1. Spinyback Sauvignon Blanc 2009: a fine tast9ing savvy, full of
grassy character, longer finish, 12.5% ABV. With food or as sipper.
+694737, $14.95, QPR: 90.
2. Kurt Darting Gewurztraminer Kabinett 2009 Durkheimer Nonnengarten
Pfalz: delicious summer sipper, very flavourful, only slight bitter
tang on finish. 11% ABV. +944181, $16.95, QPR: 90.
3. Vinea Garganega 2009 IGT Verona: golden colour, thickish body,
concentrated tasty and ripe flavours with some botrytis. +230656,
$12.95, QPR: 89.
4. Domaine Trotereau Quincy 2009: quality savvy, good balance, long
finish. +225185, $17.95, QPR: 89.

TOP VALUE RED WINES under $20 or so.
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
1. Columbia Winery Merlot 2007 Columbia Valley: a restaurant wine,
ready now with MVC plumy fruit and wood tones. +715870, $16.95, QPR:
90.
2. Tabali Reserva Especial Syrah 2008 Limari: very North Rhonish, 14.5%
ABV, spicy components. +213538, $19.95, QPR: 89.
3. Small Gully The Formula Robert's Shiraz 2006 Adelaide Plains: very
intense, good chocolate-mocha flavours, 15.9% ABV. +142935, $18.95,
QPR: 89.
4. Tokara Shiraz 2007 Stellenbosch: another quality North Rhone MVC
knock-off wine, 14.5% ABV. +240242, $16.95, QPR: 90.
5. Chateau Pindefleurs 2007 St. Emilion Grand Cru: excellent tones on
the mid-palate, intense and great soft flavours, ready now. +102764,
$20, QPR: 91.
6. Castello di Volpaia Prelius Cabernet Sauvignon 2008 IGT Maremma
Tuscany: a delicious food-driven cabby, 13.5% ABV. Ready now. +224022,
$17.95, QPR: 90.

VALUE: "RESTAURANT READY" or "BRING YOUR OWN WINE BOTTLE" over $20
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
Restaurants should consider offering these FINE VALUE wines at a $10
markup over retail; the wines are READY to enjoy right NOW. Consumers
should buy these wines to bring to restaurants with corkage programs.

1. Coyote's Run Black Paw Vineyard Chardonnay 2009 VQA Four Mile Creek,
$21.95 retail, +49775
2. Le Clos Jordanne Claystone Terrace Chardonnay 2008 VQA Twenty Mile
Bench, $40, +56929
3. Macrostie Chardonnay 2008 Sonoma Coast, $30.95, +244467
4. Josef Chromy Chardonnay 2009 Tasmania, $29.95, +162982
5. Jean Fery et Fils Les Nosroyes Puligny-Montrachet 2008, $52.95,
+243568
6. La Chablisienne Fourchaume Chablis 1er Cry 2008, $28.95, +656835
7. La Crema Pinot Noir 2008 Los Carneros, $44.95, +58025
8. Mount Eden Estate Cabernet Sauvignon 2006 Santa Cruz Mountains,
$49.95, +31831
9. Chateau Diane de Belgrave 2006 Haut-Medoc, $24.95, +226050
10. Franco Molino Barolo 2006, $29.95, +232967
11. Vignamaggio Gherardino Chianti Classico 2008, $23.95, +963512

Chimo! www.deantudor.com AND http://gothicepicures.blogspot.com