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
Key: Wine colour indicators - Red are red wines, Yellow are whites, etc.
The Foci … Fresh French Whites (FFW) and a small look at Shiraz / Syrah (SHSY)
The Skinny … South African Syrah that’s pretty darn good, if you’re looking for fruit forward you might want to check out the Bonarda from Argentina, plus a wine that’s really great, especially if you have $105 burning a hole in your pocket.
Argentina …
Don David 2011 Finca La Maravilla #6 Malbec ($16.95 - #322826) – good chocolate and spice with intense blackberry, mocha and licorice. (****)
La Posta 2011 Estela Armando Vineyard Bonarda ($14.95 - #261586) – sweet and supple fruit with lovely round mouthfeel and a touch of smokiness. (****)
Zuccardi 2009 Q Tempranillo ($19.95 - #973503) – rich and juicy with spicy blackberry, vanilla and plum. (****)
Australia …
Salena Estate 2010 Ink Series Petit Verdot ($18.95 - #327445) – intense in both colour and flavour with good acidity and nice pepper notes. (****)
St. Hallett 2009 Blackwell Shiraz ($34.95 - #535104) – hint of pepper and spice with backberry, plum and wood smoke. (****+)
Swings & Roundabouts 2011 Shiraz ($21.95 - #329839) – nice bit of pepper with some great blackberry notes. (*** ½+)
Canada (Ontario) … (click wine name for full review)
Calamus 2011 Unoaked Chardonnay ($14.95 - #210062) - *** ½
Featherstone 2011 Cabernet Franc ($16.95 - #64618) - ****
Hinterbrook 2011 Deeply Red Cabernet Merlot ($15.95 - #346759) - *** ½+
Kacabo 2012 Summer Series Rebecca Rosé ($14.95 - #227025) - *** ½
Megalomaniac 2010 BigMouth Merlot ($24.95 - #67645) - *** ½
Peninsula Ridge 2010 Reserve Syrah ($24.95 - #230896) - *** ½+ (SHSY)
Tawse 2010 Laundry Vineyard Cabernet Franc ($31.95 - #130997) - ****
Chile …
Korta 2010 Reserve Syrah ($15.95 - #327577) – smooth and lush, lots of gentle black fruit with elements of smoke and spice. (****) - SHSY
Montes 2010 Alpha Cabernet Sauvignon ($19.95 - #322586) – chocolate, blackberry and mint; really very smooth. (*** ½+)
Quintay 2011 Pinot Noir Grand Reserve Q ($16.95 - #325449) – cherry, cranberry with dark notes of cocoa coated cherry undertones on the finish. (*** ½+)
Ritual 2011 Sauvignon Blanc ($19.95 - #328401) – far from a big in your face type of Sauvignon Blanc but it has real charm. (*** ½+)
Santa Carolina 2009 Reserva de Familia Cabernet Sauvignon ($17.95 - #684597) – minty black fruit with vanilla and spice all leading to a peppery finish. (*** ½+)
Ventisquero 2010 Grey Single Block Carmenere ($19.95 - #325415) – blueberry and black cherry with delicious herbal notes and lovely spice. (****+)
France (Alsace) …
Andre Blanck 2012 Altenburg Gewurztraminer ($18.95 - #168906) – oily with spicy and ginger notes; it’s a really nice Gewurzt but you have to be a fan of the grape, it does have a sweet side though. (****) – FFW
Rolly Gassmann 2009 Riesling ($20.95 - #328898) – there’s a Mosel kind of quality to this wine. (*** ½+) – FFW
France (Bordeaux) …
Chateau Dalem 2009 ($33.85 - #191213) – blackberry, cassis, tobacco and wood, should age well as the fruit is starting to emerge. (*** ½+)
Chateau D’Aurilhac 2009 ($23.85 - #189035) – vanilla, blackberry with a spiced-cherry-vanilla finish; nice fight on the finish between acidity and tannins. (****)
France (Burgundy) …
Alain Geoffroy 2011 Beauroy Chablis 1er Cru ($27.95 - #733501) – shows some floral and mineral with a grapefruit cocktail finish. (****) – FFW
Chanson Pere & Fils 2010 Beaune Clos du Roi 1er Cru ($48.95 - #330001) – spicy dark berries and licorice with touches of salty-coffee on the finish. (*** ½+)
Domaine Chevallier 2010 Chablis ($19.95 - #112227) – peach and mineral freshness; there’s a big fruit component to this one. (*** ½+) – FFW
France (Champagne) …
Hiedsieck & Co Monopole Blue Top Brut Champagne ($49.95 - #68288) – lovely biscuit notes with element of sweetness and come mac apple fruit. (*** ½) - FFW
France (Loire) …
Jerome Godon 2011 Sancerre ($23.95 - #327734) – grapefruit zest and pith with just enough grassiness to scream Sauvignon Blanc to your tastebuds. (*** ½+) – FFW
Marc Bredif 2011 Vouvray ($19.95 - #685362) – nice sweetness of fruit with lanolin and beeswax backing; this one is always fresh on the palate sip after sip. (****) – FFW
Michel Delhommeau 2011 Cuvee Harmonie Sur Lie Muscadet Sevre et Maine ($13.95 - #164624) – mainly white fruit driven with soft citrus notes backing. (*** ½+) – FFW
France (Rhone) …
Vignerons de Caractere Seigneur de Fontimple Vacqueyras 2010 ($19.95 - #234013) – licorice, black cherry, spice and fresh ground pepper. (*** ½+)
Xavier 2010 Chateauneuf du Pape ($39.95 - #244814) – lots of sweet red and black fruit with elegant spice and floral notes. (****+)
France (Southwest) …
Lionel Osmin & Cie 2010 Villa la Reserve Malbec ($14.95 - #328641) – quite fruity with blackberry and cherry. (*** ½)
Germany …
Darting Durkheimer Nonnengarten Gewurztraminer Kabinett 2012 ($17.95 - #944181) – rose petal and lychee with gently spiced orange peel. (*** ½+)
Italy (Veneto) …
Trabucchi D’Illasi Terra del Galante Amarone della Valpolicella 2007 ($41.95 - #248500) – has a sexiness to it; quite port-like with cherry, chocolate and just enough spice to keep it honest. (****)
South Africa …
Delheim 2010 Shiraz ($17.95 - #959080) – oddly appealing yet typically South Africa, and here in the Syrah it works: peppery, smoky with coffee and tarry notes, shows good elegance. (****) - SHSY
Ken Forrester 2011 Reserve Chenin Blanc ($17.95 - #231282) – interesting intensity here with floral and honeycomb notes with a spiced finish. (*** ½+)
The Grinder 2012 Pinotage ($13.95 - #269076) – hello coffee, goodbye wine; this could substitute for your morning cup’o Joe. (*** ½)
Spain …
Bodegas Lan 2007 Reserva ($21.95 - #42929) –fresh roasted coffee, red licorice and cherry with a gentle spice and ripe red cherry finish. (****)
Ondarra 2006 Reserva ($17.95 - #723452) – spiced sweet cherry, blackberry and hints of vanilla. (*** ½+)
United States (California) …
Brandlin Estate 2010 Cabernet Sauvignon ($49.95 - #340513) – lots of delicious red and black fruit with vanilla, plum and chocolate.(****+)
Cameron Hughes 2009 Lot 257 Cabernet Sauvignon ($24.95 - #329854) – nice silky palate with generous fruit. (*** ½+)
Ghost Pines 2011 Winemaker’s Blend Zinfandel ($19.95 - #269373) – a jammy Zin for a decent price. (*** ½)
Irony 2011 Chardonnay ($19.95 - #27409) – nice fruit and decent oak for not a bad price. (*** ½)
J Lohr 2011 South Ridge Syrah ($19.95 - #948240) – smooth sipping with plum and black cherry, look for the raspberry jam finish. (*** ½) – SHSY
Macrostie 2009 Wildcat Mountain Vineyard Chardonnay ($45.95 - #59733) – big, ballsy and oh so California with all that oak; vanilla, butterscotch, and spice, not my cup of tea of a Chardonnay but there are those that dig the style. (*** ½+)
If You Can Afford It – wines worth their high price …
Cade 2009 Cabernet Sauvignon ($105.00 - #325027) – California, USA - (**** ½)
Rodney Strong 2009 Symmetry ($59.95 - #641142) – California, USA – (****)
What I’ll Be Lining Up For – August 3, 2013 …
Andre Blanck 2012 Altenburg Gewurztraminer ($18.95 - #168906) – France
Delheim 2010 Shiraz ($17.95 - #959080) – South Africa
La Posta 2011 Estela Armando Vineyard Bonarda ($14.95 - #261586) – Argentina
Ventisquero 2010 Grey Single Block Carmenere ($19.95 - #325415) – Chile
Happy Shopping
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