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
The focus of this week's releases are fizzy bubbly wines (FIZZ) and wines from Spain (SPAIN) ...
Argentina …
Manos Negras 2007 Malbec ($14.95 - #271205) - smooth and easy drinking, with a nice chocolate seam. (*** 1/2)
Australia …
Campbell's 2010 Shiraz/Durif ($19.95 - #271569) - tons of raspberry, black pepper and spice; there's something herbal that crosses the mid-palate to the finish. (****)
De Bortoli 2008 Nobel One Botrytis Semillon ($29.95 / 375ml - #917252) - intense and delicious: apricot and tropical fruit with a nice balance of acidity and spice. (****+)
St. Hallett 2009 Blackwell Shiraz ($29.95 - #535104) - lots of blackberry and cherry, juicy on the palate with gobs of chocolate and white pepper. (****)
Wakefield 2009 Shiraz ($17.95 - #943787) - juicy, chocolatey, full of dark fruit, and hints of spice. (*** 1/2+)
Yalumba 2008 Shiraz/Viognier ($21.95 - #524926) - violets and black fruit, a pretty text book Shiraz-Vio blend with floral and spice. (*** 1/2+)
Austria ...
Brundlmayer 2010 Kamptaler Terrasse Gruner Veltliner ($19.95 - #979708) - touch of pea pod on the palate along with fresh hay; not overwhelming acidity but still clean and fresh. (*** 1/2)
Canada …
(British Columbia)
Aces Okanagan Seven Deuce Red 2009 ($27.95 - #273631) - playful label leads to a playful wine; this is a dark fruit forward gem from BC, great for the coming BBQ season. (****)
(Ontario) - visit OntarioWineReview.com for full review
Flat Rock 2010 The Rusty Shed Chardonnay ($24.95 - #0001552) - **** 1/2
Flat Rock 2010 Twisted White ($9.95 / 375ml - #273292) - ****+
Henry of Pelham 2010 Barrel Fermented Chardonnay ($19.95 - #268342) - *** 1/2+
Hidden Bench Estate 2009 Pinot Noir ($38.20 - #274753) - **** 1/2
Chile …
Intriga 2008 Cabernet Sauvignon ($21.95 - #0057901) - licorice and chocolate. (*** 1/2)
France …
(Bordeaux)
Chateau Tour Baladoz 2006 ($28.95 - #244087) - nice fruit, balanced with wood and a dollop of spice. (*** 1/2)
(Burgundy)
Domaine Chanson 2009 Savigny-Les-Beaune Hauts Marconnets 1er Cru ($32.95 - #265033) - touch sulphury but with buttery notes intertwined to make it very palpable; nice lemon curd finish. (*** 1/2)
Domaine Joannet 2009 Bourgogne Hautes-Cotes de Nuits ($21.95 - #265009) - earthy, minerally and stony with wild cherry notes. (*** 1/2+)
Domaine Rodet 2009 Chateau de Mercey Mecurey ($22.95 - #265058) - nice perfume with floral notes which follow on the palate an adds grapefruit pith and lemon meringue. (*** 1/2+)
Lefevre Remondet Brut Rosé Cremant de Bourgogne ($15.95 - #265306) - pretty colour, deeper than your usual rosee, let's call it cranberry, which matches the flavou with cran-cherry spread on a crusty bread. (****) - FIZZ
(Champagne)
Hiedsieck & Co Monopole Blue Top Champagne ($49.95 - #68288) - othing beats the classics; delicate and toasty with great acidity and green apple on the finish. (****+) - FIZZ
(Midi)
Mas D'Auzieres Les Eclats 2009 ($16.95 - #271742) - lovely cherry wafts from the glass before depositing it in the mouth on a chocolate blanket. (****)
(Rhone)
Foncalieu La Reserve du Crouzau St. Gervais Cotes du Rhone-Villages 2009 ($14.95 - #142943) - plum, black currant, raspberry-strawberry and chocolate ... what a steal with nice spice and acidity. (*** 1/2+)
Jean-Marie Arnoux Vacqueyras 2009 ($21.95 - #172668) - licorice, spice and tobacco; smooth palate with vanilla-spiced-blackberries. (****+)
Italy …
(Abruzzo)
Valle Reale 2007 Montepulciano D'Abruzzo ($17.95 - #216408) - rustic cherry, raspberry and tobacco notes; quite pleasant. (*** 1/2+)
New Zealand …
Lawson's 2010 Dry Hills Sauvignon Blanc ($17.95 - #214460) - big on grassy nose nd palate, lemon pith, lime and grapefruit on the palate through the lasting finish. (****)
Pegasus Bay 2008 Pinot Noir ($47.95 - #0031294) - earthy and dirty but in a good way; black fruit clings to the nose ad palate with a touch of floral. (****)
Portugal ...
Delaforce His Eminence's Choice 10 Years Old Tawny Port ($24.95 - #0265504) - spiced cherry, raisin, wood, hint of cherry flavoured caramel and spice; good acidity giving a nice bite on the tongue. (*** 1/2+)
Medeiros 2009 ($16.95 - #268789) - lovely fruit, vanilla, dark cherry; nice drinking bauty beauty at a great price. (****+)
Quinta do Portal 2006 Grande Reserva ($28.95 - #0074666) - plum, blackberry and vanilla, sharp acidity and spice on the tongue, finishes well with blackberry, cassis and plum notes. (*** 1/2+)
Quinta Nova Pomares 2009 ($16.95 - #214007) - decent, well priced, smooth, easy drinking and black fruited. (*** 1/2)
South Africa ...
Graham Beck Brut Sparkling ($18.95 - #593483) - interesting and exotic bubble with almondine in the mouth leading to a lemon biscotti finish. (*** 1/2+) - FIZZ
Oak Valley 2009 Sauvigon Blanc ($15.95 - #263947) - plenty of grapefruit complete with pith and rind. (*** 1/2+)
Spice Route 2009 Shiraz ($24.95 - #263657) - a real gem from South Africa lots of fruit, lots of flavour without the tar, ripe and delicious, big alcohol of 15%. (****+)
Spain …
Atalaya Almansa 2008 ($19.95 - #132605) - sweet plum and black cherry with hints of chocolate. (*** 1/2+) - SPAIN
Cerro Anon Reserva 2005 ($18.95 - #114306) - nice wine with good flavours of spiced dried black fruits; shows some real finesse. (****) - SPAIN
Olivares Altos de la Hoya Monastrell 2009 ($13.95 - #163154) - juicy, plummy and creme de cacao. (*** 1/2) - SPAIN
Pena Roble Crianza 2004 ($18.95 - #266932) - nice dark fruit with vanilla and baking spice. (*** 1/2) - SPAIN
Senorio Del Aguila Gran Reserva 2001 ($19.95 - #269530) - black cherry with a hint of age that shows through, ready to drink. (*** 1/2) - SPAIN
Vega Sauco Adoremus Tinta de Toro 2004 ($19.95 - #268813) - dark berries with a complex nose, aged nicely and it's ready to drink; nice bite on the finish from the acidity and spice. (****) - SPAIN
United States …
(California)
J. Lohr 2009 Los Osos Merlot ($19.95 - #27516) - this is the value Merlot of this release: juicy, easy drinking with just the right amount of spice. (****)
Mumm Napa Sparkling Rosé ($29.95 - #205641) - lovely bubble with a touch of raspberry and grapefruit, especially on the nose with lemon-lime wrapped raspberry on the palate. (****+) - FIZZ
Rodney Strong 2009 Chardonnay ($20.95 - #226936) - exotic fruits on the palate, creamy mouthfeel with mac apple notes throughout. (****)
Saintsbury 2008 Pinot Noir ($29.95 - #359265) - more Burgundy than California in style, which is good for Burg-fans but not for Cali-fans. (*** 1//2)
Simi 2009 Chardonnay ($19.95 - #673806) - butter, spice and white fruits; vanilla-butter coats the mouth all the way to the caramel finish. (****)
Treana 2008 Red ($39.95 - #11221) - nice, juicy, big fruited blend, lush in the mouth with vanilla and black cherry; very seductive. (****+)
Truchard 2008 Zinfandel ($25.95 - #54858) - now this is Zin with sweet chocolate, cherry, and cola notes with sweet fruit on the palate with the right amount of spicy bite back. (****)
Vila Mt. Eden 2007 Antique Vines Grand Reserve Zinfandel ($19.95 - #256719) - great nose, decent palate: sweet with spice. (*** 1/2)
Vineyard Twenty-Nine 2008 Cru Cabernet Sauvignon ($49.95 - #212241) - big black cherry, hints of chocolate, along with raspberry and pepper notes. (*** 1/2+)
(Oregon)
Cloudline 2009 Pinot Noir ($22.95 - #159970) - mixes the eartiness of Burgundy with the juiciness of California, a nice bridge between the two with cran-cherry, mineral and earth. (****+)
(Washington)
Columbia Crest 2009 H3 Cabernet Sauvignon ($19.95 - #210047) - lovely texture, herbal, sweet spice, with hints of chocolate. (****+)
If You Can Afford It (they're pricey but worth it) ...
Chateau de Beaucastel 2009 Chateauneuf du Pape ($89.95 - #0711317) - lovely. (**** 1/2)
Chateau Montelena 2009 Chardonnay ($59.95 - #701748) - nice depth and finesse. (****)
Concha y Toro 2007 Don Melchor Cabernet Sauvignon ($79.95 - #315176) - ballsy and minty. (****+)
Opus One 2008 ($364.95 - #158063) - big fruit, wood and spice. (****+)
Quintarelli 2002 Valpolicella Classico Superiore ($79.95 - #986117) - seductive and tasty. (****+)
Yalumba 2007 The Menzies Cabernet Sauvignon ($53.95 - #473645) - full of fruit. (****+)
Best Buys (wines that over-deliver for their price) ...
Las Perdices 2010 Torrontes ($12.95 - #267823) - a toned down Gewurzt. (*** 1/2) - Argentina
The Ned 2011 Pinot Gris ($14.95 - #267138) - a real beauty (****+) - New Zealand
Happy Shopping
Key: Wine colour indicators - Red are red wines and Yellow are white wines.
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