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 for this week's release is Easter ... no sure what constitutes an Easter wine but so I guess we'll find out together ...
Argentina ...
Fabre Montmayou 2009 Reserva Malbec ($15.95 - #261867) - violets, dark fruit, plum with pencil shavings, strawberry and spice. (****)
La Posta 2009 Estela Armando Vineyard Bonarda ($14.95 - #261586) - easy drinking wine with hints of earthy, violets, raspberry and black cherry. (****+) - EASTER
Vistalba 2008 Corte B ($19.95 - #0024919) - dark fruit, milk chocolate, blueberries, vanilla and cedar; big alcohol, big flavour. (****+)
Zuccardi 2010 Serie A Chardonnay/Viognier ($14.95 - #262097) - delicate and drinkable. (*** 1/2)
Australia ...
Barossa Valley Estate 2007 Moculta Shiraz ($24.95 - #263707) - white pepper and plum with slight meaty note and good acidity. (****)
Frogmore Creek 2007 Pinot Noir ($24.95 - #182972) - smooth, creamy and slightly spicy with good red fruit flavour. (****)
Gotham 2008 Old Vine Salmagundi ($29.95 - #265942) - shows delicacy of flavour with lots of dark fruit, vanilla-smoke and dark chocolate and nice spice. (****+)
Peter Lehmann 2010 Layers White ($15.95 - #167171) - peaches and cream, yellow plum, lemon pith with a refreshingly long finish. (*** 1/2)
Canada ...
(British Columbia)
(Ontario) - click on wine below for full review
Cave Spring 2010 Estate Bottled Gewurztraminer ($17.95 - #302059) - ****+
Featherstone 2011 Black Sheep Riesling ($16.95 - #80234) - ****
Vintage Ink 2010 Rite of Passage Chardonnay ($16.95 - #245712) - *** 1/2+
Chile ...
Amayna 2008 Chardonnay ($25.95 - #76265) - aromas of fig and goat cheese in the glass; vanilla, passionfruit with hints of floral and good acidity on the palate. (*** 1/2+)
Anakena Ona Pinot Noir 2010 ($19.95 - #269183) - this is Pinot for non-Pinot drinkers, full of fruit with just mere hints of earth and spice that don't distract from the fruit. (****) - EASTER
France ...
(Alsace)
Joseph Cattin Brut Rose Cremant D'Alsace ($17.95 - #264572) - creamy vanilla-raspbberry with hint of strawberry on the palate; deliciously affordable bubble. (****)
(Beaujolais)
Jean-Paul Brun Terres Dorees Morgon 2010 ($19.95 - #264465) - smoky, strawberry, licorice with quite a bit of tannins. (*** 1/2+)
(Bordeaux)
Chateau La Bourree 2008 ($17.95 - #138800) - dark and brooding with big tannins. (*** 1/2)
Chateau La Fleur Terrien 2009 ($14.95 - #199059) - soft fruit, dark berries and easy drinking. (*** 1/2) - EASTER
Chateau Larrivet Haut-Brion 2004 ($48.95 - #264283) - lots of tobacco, blackberry and spice. (*** 1/2+)
Chateau Tour Haut Vignoble 2008 ($25.95 - #0087742) - funky aromas but the palate shows really nice flavours and complexity: raspberry, herbal-spice and sour blackberry. (*** 1/2+)
(Burgundy)
Domaine Besancenot Beaune Clos du Roi 1er Cru 2009 ($37.95 - #183772) - gentle spice, sour cherry, earthy, strawberry all with a nice mouth-feel. (*** 1/2+)
Vincent Marie-Antoinette Chardonnay Pouilly-Fuisse 2009 ($26.95 - #525113) - mineral and toasty notes with green apple on the finish; if you were to add bubbles this would be a great sparkler. (****)
(Midi)
Hecht & Bannier 2008 Cotes du Roussillon-Villages ($22.95 - #142802) - sweet blackberries, vanilla and cherry. (****+)
(Rhone)
Alain Jaume & Fils 2009 Terrases de Montmirail Gigondas ($27.95 - #264234) - lovely fruit, delicate spice, lovely wine. (****+)
Domaine de la Janasse 2009 Cotes du Rhone ($15.95 - #705228) - holy shit this is one lovely wine for the price: fruit is full on with raspberry, cherry and other red fruits dominating, then you have mocha, vanilla and balancing acidity finishing it off. (**** 1/2)
Italy ...
(Abruzzo)
Aldiano 2007 Montepulciano D'Abruzzo Riserva ($17.95 - #0051706 ... pictured) - a real vanilla-chocolate mouthful, delicious even with those ballsy tannins. Great finish. (****+)
(Friuli)
Cormons 2010 Pinot Grigio ($14.95 - #734038) - refreshing lime cordial with a touch of floral and dry honey notes. (*** 1/2)
(Marche)
Velenosi 2010 Villa Angela Pecorino ($13.95 - #173252) - gentle on the palate with some peach pit, bartlett pear and a dry finish. (*** 1/2)
(Sicily)
Tasca D'Almerita Lamuri Nero D'Avola 2009 ($17.95 - #568089) - a tasty black fruited number. (*** 1/2)
(Tuscany)
Corte Pavone 2005 Brunello di Montalcino ($49.95 - #0237263) - spicy, rustic nose with sweet dried fruit palate with nice herbal notes. (****)
(Veneto)
Albino Armani 2008 Egle Ripasso Valpolicella Superiore ($15.95 - #247916) - sweet fruit, cherry-vanilla, plum and hints of herbs. (****+)
Masi Serego Alighieri 650 Anniversario Valpolicella Classico Superiore 2008 ($23.95 - #661306) - nice spice, plum, raspberry, strawberry with some licorice and anise backing. (****)
New Zealand ...
Auntsfield 2010 Long Cow Sauvignon Blanc ($19.95 - #663286) - full on grapefruit cocktail from nose to finish; hint of grass does appear in the mouth. (*** 1/2) - EASTER
Momo 2010 Sauvignon Blanc ($17.95 - #0009167) - nice balance with not too much of anything: flinty pineapple and some melon notes, interestingly subtle. (****)
Tinpot Hut 2010 Sauvignon Blanc ($18.95 - #267906) - lots of gooseberry with a hint of grapefruit skin. (*** 1/2)
Portugal ...
La Rosa 2008 Tinto ($19.95 - #0933101) - plum and chocolate, blackberry with plenty of acid and tannins. (****)
South Africa ...
Graham Beck 2007 Premier Cuvee Blanc de Blancs Brut ($24.95 - #907568) - bruised apple with a squeeze of lemon. (*** 1/2+) - EASTER
L'Avenir 2011 Chenin Blanc ($18.95 - #72645) - pea pod, pear and floral; dry on the palate. (*** 1/2)
United States ...
(California)
Cigarzin 2008 Zinfandel ($19.95 - #269340 ... pictured) - plummy, chocolatey, vanilla, cherry, dark fruit and spice with a lovely finish; classic. (****+)
Corte Riva 2005 Cabernet Sauvignon ($39.95 - #0089318) - super concentrated fruit from nose to finish. (****+) - EASTER
First Press 2010 Chardonnay ($19.95 - #199810) - quite Californian, good sipping with nice fruit, hints of barrel tones with vanilla and butter sweetness. (*** 1/2) - EASTER
Quady 2010 Elysium Black Muscat ($14.95 / 375ml - #276840) - this is a pretty dessert wine with delicate floral perfume and some bubble gum notes; there's also really good acidity. (*** 1/2+)
Raymond R Collection 2009 Field Blend Lot No. 7 ($17.95 - #265959) - sweet, supple fruit, a lovely BBQ sipper. (*** 1/2)
The Pairing 2009 Pinot Noir ($32.95 - #218958) - cherry, raspberry with a hint of chocolate and tobacco. (****)
The Pairing 2007 Red ($33.95 - #218909) - full of fruit and full of flavour: cassis, pepper, cocoa and raspberry. (*** 1/2+)
(Oregon)
A to Z Wineworks 2009 Chardonnay ($19.95 - #269258) - fresh and easy drinking with much white fruit flavour. (*** 1/2+)
(Washington)
Chateau Ste. Michelle 2008 Indian Wells Merlot ($25.95 - #408864) - another winning wine from Washington, white pepper, blueberry, cocoa and spice. (*** 1/2+)
If You Can Afford It ...
Two Hands 2009 Bella's Garden Shiraz ($64.95 - #636407) - ****+ (EASTER)
What I'll be Buying (Grape Guys top value wines) ...
Domaine de la Janasse 2009 Cotes du Rhone ($15.95 - #705228 ... pictured) - France
Cigarzin 2008 Zinfandel ($19.95 - #269340) - USA
La Posta 2009 Estela Armando Vineyard Bonarda ($14.95 - #261586) - Argentina
Happy Shopping
Key: Wine colour indicators - Red are red wines, Yellow are whites, etc.
