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
5 = Outstanding … 4.5 = Excellent … 4 = Very Good … 3.5 = Good … 3 = Average
Today's release will be focusing on Premium Products (PREM), which basically translate into "not cheap" and Ports and Sweeties (SWEET), and there are some real lovelies in this batch. So without further ado we'll get right to them. As introduced a few releases ago I have made a few changes to the report: the addition of an “If You Can Afford It” section for expensive wines that are worth their price (this is where you'll find most of those "Premium" products); I have removed the “red” and “white” labels in favour of just using colour to indicate type; and the Best Buy bargain section will just have ratings, no notes, if you’re a bargain hunter you’ll love these wines.
Argentina …
Vina Cobos 2010 Felino Chardonnay ($19.95 - #0119099) – juicy and fruity without being over the top buttery, there is some nice spice on the finish. (*** ½+)
Maipe 2009 Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon ($17.95 - #0246116) – crème de cassis, chocolate, espresso and much more, good delivery and acidity. (****)
Australia …
Cat Amongst the Pigeons 2009 Nine Lives Shiraz ($17.95 - #0093138) – red licorice and big cherry notes. (*** ½+)
Mollydooker 2008 The Boxer Shiraz ($34.95 - #0246595) – sweet blackberry, plum, chocolate, cherry with layers of fruit and big alcohol, 16%. (**** ½)
Stalking Horse 2008 Shiraz ($17.95 - #0251215) – cute label with a more than cutesy wine under it; this wine shows finesse and refinement full of fruit but with a mineral seam. (**** ½)
Austria …
Lenz Moser 2008 Prestige Trockenbeerenauslese ($19.95 / 375ml - #0729657) – the perfect dessert wine with apricot, honeyed pear notes and so much more; stunningly delicious. (**** ½+) – SWEET
Canada …
(British Columbia)
Burrowing Owl 2008 Syrah ($41.95 - #073072) – good mouthfeel, smoked meat, white pepper and plum. (****)
Mission Hill 2008 Quatrain ($41.95 - #0218636) – nice balance of fruit and spice with a dry tannic finish; should evolve over the next 3-4 years. (****) - PREM
(Ontario)
Jackson Triggs 2009 Niagara Estate Gold Series Merlot ($21.95 - #0255901)
Chile …
Montes 2009 Alpha Syrah ($19.95 - #0000612) – minty-fruity and tasty, look for plum and white pepper on the finish. (****+)
Vina Chocalan 2008 Syrah Reserva ($14.95 - #0038513) – minty dark fruit, pepper and spice with hints of chocolate and vanilla on the finish. (*** ½+)
France …
(Bordeaux)
Chateau Beau-Site 2004 ($37.95 - #0967844) – cedar, plum, spice, licorice with lots of grip. (*** ½+) - PREM
Chateau Seguin 2008 ($47.95 - #0245837) – nice black fruit, cassis, dark cocoa, woody and smoky; good ageability. (*** ½)
La Gravette de Certan ($49.00 - #0187278) – woody, smoky with backbone of wild sour raspberry/strawberry with grittiness. (*** ½+)
(Burgundy)
Rene Bouvier 2008 La Justice Gevrey-Chambertin ($44.95 - #0241075) – nice black cherry and blackberry, sour cherry and tart cranberry. (*** ½+)
Roche de Bellene 2008 Volnay les Pitures 1er Cru ($44.95 - #0241083) – subtle spice, sour fruit and good acidity. (****) - PREM
(Rhone)
Chusclan 2009 Les Genets Cotes du Rhone-Villages ($19.95 - #0245399) – black cherry, vanilla and plum. (*** ½+
E. Guigal 2007 Gigondas ($29.95 - #0331900) – dark sour fruit on the front end, smoother and juicier in the middle with a lovely mix of each with silky tannins on the finish. (****)
Italy …
(Campania)
Ponte Grecco di Tufo 2009 ($17.95 - #0250936) – light and lemony with a lemon pith finish that’s a touch bitter, very nice with good acidity. (*** ½)
(Tuscany)
Capanna 2006 Brunello di Montalcino ($47.95 - #0651588) – spice, herbs, sour cherry and a nice lengthy finish. (****) – PREM
Castello di Querceto 2007 Chianti Classico Riserva ($27.95 - #0650754) – plum, blackberry, cassis, licorice, spice, oak and smoke. (*** ½+)
Rocca delle Macie 2006 Chianti Classico Riserva ($21.95 - #0930966) – nice hint of spice, nice bite rustic yet modern at the same time. (*** ½)
Tenuta San Guido 2009 Guidalberto ($49.95 - #0072439) – has a softness of fruit and smoothness of palate, delightfully good. (****)
(Veneto)
Villa Girardi Bure Alto Ripasso Valpolicella Classico Superiore 2009 ($17.95 - #0161844) – nice fruit, easy drinking, dark plum with semi-sweet chocolate. (****)
New Zealand ...
Spy Valley 2010 Gewurztraminer ($19.95 - #0032870) – lots of spicy, rose petal notes with a lychee sweet palate. (****)
Thornbury 2010 Sauvignon Blanc ($17.95 - #0734798) – guava and gooseberry, grapefruit cocktail and grassy finish; quite intense. (*** ½+)
Wither Hills 2010 Wairau Valley Sauvignon Blanc ($17.95 - #0919514) – a little more toned down with tropical, lemon, lime and green apple; a fresh grassy finish. (****)
Framingham 2009 Pinot Noir ($24.95 - #0699322) – very nice fruit with a tart sweet fruit mix, nice dry-sour cherry-oak finish. (****+)
Portugal …
Quinta do Noval Black Port ($24.95 - #0235689) – black cherry and spice with quite a lot of bite. (*** ½) – SWEET
Sivipa 2008 Moscatel de Setubal ($15.95 - #0246652) – not to be passed up, especially for the price, it’s a kick of spice and acid that really makes this sweetie amazing. (**** ½) – SWEET
Quinta de Cabriz 2008 Seleccionada Colheita ($14.95 - #0247973) – sweetness of plum, cherry, raspberry and spice. (****)
South Africa ...
Durbanville Hills 2010 Rhinofields Sauvignon Blanc ($17.95 - #0173864) – pretty Sauvignon Blanc with lots of lovely grapefruit and a puckering finish with great length. (*** ½+)
Vinum 2009 Africa Chenin Blanc ($14.95 - #0739995) – mineral, peach pit, apple core and lime. (*** ½)
Spain …
Osborne Pedro Ximenez 1827 Sweet Sherry ($17.95 - #0047944) – thick, sweet and delicious; pecan pie or raisin pie filling. (****+) – SWEET
Duque de Medina 2000 Gran Reserva ($18.95 - #0148494) – nicely aged, keeps fruit yet with dried character, spice and pepper all for under $20; good value. (****)
United States …
(California)
Patz & Hall 2009 Chardonnay ($38.95 - #0200808) – sweet butterscotch note that seems to linger in the mouth. (*** ½)
Rutherford Ranch 2009 Chardonnay ($18.95 - #0136382) – sweet fruit, pear / apple and vanilla, soft and supple; drink now. (****)
Belle Glos 2009 Meiomi Pinot Noir ($26.95 - #0130138) – this is Pinot for non-Pinot fans; this one has fruit up the ying-yang with chocolate notes, but there also seems to be a dry mineral-ish seam with vanilla and spice backing. (****)
(Oregon)
Willamette Valley Vineyards 2009 Pinot Gris ($18.95 - #0940528) – pleasant, white fruit driven, pear, mac apple with hints of lemon on the finish. (*** ½)
Best Buys (wine that over delivers for its price) …
Henry’s Drive 2008 Pillar Box Red ($14.95 - #0685941)
Delas Freres Saint-Esprit Cotes du Rhone 2009 ($15.95 - #0729962)
Agriverde Riseis Montepulciano d’Abruzzo 2008 ($14.95 - #0134478)
Sampietrana Vigna delle Monache Riserva Salice Salentino 2006 ($15.95 - #0247908)
Bodegas de los Rios Prieto Prios Maximus Roble 2009 ($14.95 - #0103432)
If You Can Afford It (they’re pricey but worth it) …
Moet & Chandon 2002 Brut Grand Vintage Champagne ($81.95 - #0069773) – PREM
Beringer 2008 Sbragia Limited Release Chardonnay ($54.95 - #0079178) – PREM
Bouchard Pere & Fils 2008 Beaune Clos Landry 1er Cru ($51.95 - #0124651) – PREM
Jonata 2007 Todos Red ($59.95 - #0218941) – PREM
L’Aventure 2009 Optimus Estate ($57.95 - #0683409) – PREM
Rubicon Estate 2007 Cask Cabernet Sauvignon ($74.95 - #0029553) – PREM
D’Arenberg 2008 The Dead Arm Shiraz ($54.95 - #0981183) – PREM
Two Hands 2008 Zippy’s Block Single Vineyard Shiraz ($59.00 - #0089516) – PREM
Chateau Malescot St. Exupery 2008 ($64.00 - #0136630) – PREM
Ornellaia 2009 Le Serre Nuove dell’Ornellaia ($59.95 - #0606194) – PREM
Tenuta Sette Ponti 2008 Oreno ($74.95 - #0735597) – PREM
Masi 2005 Serego Alighieri Vaio Armaron Amarone della Valpolicella Classico ($69.95 - #0462812)
Grape Guy Top 3 … what I’ll be lining up for on November 12, 2011:
Lenz Moser 2008 Prestige Trockenbeerenauslese ($19.95 / 375ml - #0729657) – Austria
Sivipa 2008 Moscatel de Setubal ($15.95 - #0246652) – Portugal
Stalking Horse 2008 Shiraz ($17.95 - #0251215) – Australia
Happy Shopping
1 comment:
My take...
TOP VALUE WHITE WINES under $20 or so.
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
1. Rutherford Ranch Chardonnay 2009 Napa: restaurant-ready wine,
balanced, lots of fruit, lightly wooded cream-like texture. +136382,
$18.95, QPR: 90.
2. Kuhlmann Platz Pinot Gris 2008 Alsace: rich, ripe, yet dry finish,
Concentrated flavours on the mid-palpate, 13.5% ABV. QPR: 90.
3. Casa del Bosque Reserva Sauvignon Blanc 2010 Casablanca: good MVC,
intense character but modest body. 12.5% ABV. +974717m $14.95, QPR: 89.
4. Vinum Africa Chenin Blanc 2009 WO Western Cape: tasty, dry chenin
like savvy but bellowed by some BF wine. 13.5% ABV, +739995, $14.95,
QPR: 89.
TOP VALUE RED WINES under $20 or so.
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
1. Chateau Lafon Cuvee Classic 2006 Listrac: juicy, new style but some
mushrooms too. 12.5%, good value (already 5 years old). +165399,
$16.95, QPR: 90.
2. Sampietrana Vigna delle Monache Riserva Salice Salentino 2006:
delivers the delicious goods, very North American appeal for a fat,
fleshy, fruity wine. 13.5% ABV. +247908, $15.94, QPR: 90.
3. Bod. I Marin Duque de Medina Gran Reserva 2000 DO Carinena: great
maturing complexity in this decade old wine, 12.5% ABV, black fruit and
wood. +148494, $18.95, QPR: 90.
4. Vina Requingua Toro de Piedra Cabernet Sauvignon Reserva 2008
Curico: delicious cabby feel, black all the way, long rich finish. 14%
ABV. +39362, $14.95, QPR: 89.
5. Henry’s Drive Pillar Box Red 2008 Padthaway: despite 14.5% ABV, a
modest finish, but still a decent Oz shiraz. +685941, $14.95, QPR: 89.
6. Chateau La Cheze 2005 Premieres Cotes de Bordeaux: basic MVC for a
six year old Bordeaux, enjoyable. +244038, $18.95, QPR: 89.
7. Villa Girardi Bure Alto Ripasso Valpolicella Classico Superiore
2009: Ripasso of the month at the LCBO, 13.5% ABV. +161844, $17.95,
QPR: 89.
VALUE: “RESTAURANT READY” or “BRING YOUR OWN WINE BOTTLE” over $20
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
1. Hidden Bench Chardonnay 2009 Beamsville Bench Niagara, +68817, $32
retail.
2. Closson Chase Beamsville Bench Chardonnay 2008 Niagara, +230904,
$39.95
3. Le Clos Jordanne Village Reserve Chardonnay 2009 Twenty Mile Bench
Niagara, +33936, $30.
4. Domaines Schlumberger Kessler Riesling 2007 Alsace Grand Cru,
+61176, $25.95
5. Maison Roche de Bellene Vieilles Vignes Chassagne-Montrachet 2008,
+241158, $49.95
6. Flat Rock Gravity Pinot Noir 2009 Twenty Mile Bench Niagara, +1560,
$29.95
7. Unum Wine Cellars Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon 2003 Napa, +236075,
$34.95.
8. Stella Bella Cabernet Sauvignon/Merlot 2008, +47639, $28.95
9. Two Hands Zippy’s Block Single Vineyard Shiraz 2008 Barossa, +89516,
$59.
10. Chateau Beau-Site 2004 Saint-Estephe, +967844, $37.95.
11. Chateau Le Caillou 1998 Pomerol, +45682, $49.95.
12. Rene Bouvier La Justice Gevrey-Chambertin 2008, +241075, $44.95.
13. Castello di Querceto Chianti Classico Riserva 2007, +650754,
$27.95.
14. Ruffino Modus 2007 IGT Toscana, +912956, $28.95.
15. Senior de P. Pecina Reserva 2001, +82156, $29.95.
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