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
Been away for a while but I’m back on track with Vintages releases for the rest of the year … in today’s release it’s California and “Fall Hearty Wines”…
California Wines …
Kicking off a look at California should start with a little bubbly: Roederer Estate Brut Rosé ($34.95 - #0479758) with its lovely nose, good palate and sweet raspberry finish (****). Then there’s the Roederer Estate Brut Sparkling Wine ($28.95 - #0294181) no surprise here, it tastes and smells like a good French bubbly but at half the price, a definite pick up for the coming holidays (****½).
Adelaida Cellars 2007 Anna’s Estate Vineyard Syrah ($26.95 - #0194316) very juicy wine with lots of fruit and white pepper as back up (****).
Alderbrook 2004 Old Vines Zinfandel ($23.95 - #0603696) a true drink now Zin, 6 years old already and it is smooth with lots of fruit, plum and vanilla (****).
Duckhorn 2008 Decoy Cabernet Sauvignon ($29.95 - #0186171) this wine has got the goods: chocolate, plum, sweet cherry and vanilla tones … mmm mmm good (****½).
Edward Sellers 2006 Cognito ($26.95 - #0194324) this wine greets you like an old friend with lots of lovely fruit and spice notes: Mourvedre, Syrah, Zinfandel and Grenache make for happy bedfellows and a pleasant palate (****).
Fall Hearty Wines …
Bodega NQN Coleccion 2006 NQN Malbec ($19.95 - #0186189) – the most interesting Malbec of the release has fallen under “Fall Hearty Wines”: a spicy intensity, toned back fruit with wood and spicy character (***½).
Domaine Zumbaum Tomasi Clos Maginiai Pic Saint-Loup 2007 ($18.95 - #0185868) – very floral, black cherry, vanilla notes with a palate that follows the nose to a tee … best part is the juicy sweet fruit finish (****).
Argentina – White …
Familglia Bianchi 2008 Chardonnay ($12.95 - #0001461) – pleasant white with slight sweetness to the fruit, nice pineapple and mac apple; a good wine for the price. (***½)
Australia – Red …
O’Leary Walker Blue Cutting Road 2006 Cabernet/Merlot ($18.95 - #0186080) – very interesting nose that demands a tasting, sweet blackberry, vanilla, cedar with a mocha finish. (****)
Pillar Box 2007 Red ($15.00 - #0685941) – this one is maturing, not as in your face as last time through the LCBO. But there is a pleasant raspberry compote finish that makes it worth recommending. (***½)
Canada – Red …
(Ontario)
Wayne Gretzky Estate Series 2007 Shiraz Cabernet ($22.95 - #0162180)
WildAss Red 2007 ($19.95 - #0086363) - audio review
- click on the above wine name for full review
Chile – Red …
Luis Felipe Edwards 2007 Gran Reserva Cabernet Sauvignon ($16.95 - #0169847) – lovely mint smells that lure you in and then shows up in the mouth with blackberry and black currant flavours along with a hint of spice and herbs. Interesting and tasty. (****)
France – Red …
(Beaujolais)
Chateau de Raousset 2009 Morgon ($16.95 - #183665) – black cherry, toasted vanilla and a good clean finish. (****)
(Midi)
Puydeval ($14.95 - #0184192) – taste meets price in this value wine: blackberry, lovely herbs and sweet fruit – easy drinking and very tasty. (****)
(Rhone)
Terres D’Avignon 2007 Reserve des Armoiries Eleve en Fut de Chene ($15.00 - #0194886) – sweet coffee notes and blackberry, there’s licorice here, more red than black and a touch of smoked meat; good price for this wine. (****)
France – Sparkling …
(Champagne)
Monmarthe Secret de Famille Brut Champagne ($41.95 - #0185686) – this wine is made with 20% undisclosed “white grapes” and that delivers a caramel on toast taste. (***½)
Italy – Red …
(Piedmont)
Poderi Colla Bussia Dardi le Rose Barolo 2005 ($47.95 - #0596890) – and absolute beauty of a nose: minty plums with stewed sweetened prunes and a hit of raspberry peaking through; there’s decent flavour to follow, though the nose is more interesting, dried sweet fruit and good tannins; needs time to develop. (****)
(Tuscany)
La Vite Lucente ($39.95 - #0747030) – beautiful mix of fruit and spice, great flavour: hearty and delicious. (****½)
Ruffino Santedame Chianti Classico 2007 ($19.95 - #0523076) – modern Chianti with good fruit along with rustic woody and earthy notes. (****)
Italy – White …
(Fruili)
Zaglia Friulano Latisana Friuli 2009 ($12.95 - #0182204) – smells sweet, like a pear puree, yet dry on the palate with flavours of mac apple skin; good value and one to try; bottle and label are pretty too. (****)
New Zealand – Red …
Margrain River’s Edge 2008 Pinot Noir ($22.95 - #0684258) – easy drinking Pinot that’s a touch earthy but with really good red fruit: dried cranberry especially; also find toasted vanilla and a medium length finish. (****)
New Zealand – White …
Babich Black Label 2009 Sauvignon Blanc ($17.95 - #0009142) – this wine has a real presence especially on the nose where grass and hay mix with grapefruit; palate is clean and focused on fruit with a grassy finish. (****½)
Spain –Red …
Condado de Haza 2007 Crianza ($24.95 - #0963348) – spicy, leathery with tobacco notes; mouth-drying with lots of wood tannins, needs time to come around. (****)
Montgo 2007 Monastrell/Shiraz ($13.95 - #0766588) – great value wine with dark fruit, spice and cinnamon leading the way on this palate pleaser. (****)
Grape Guy Top 3 … what I’ll be lining up for on October 30, 2010:
Roederer Estate Brut Sparkling Wine ($28.95 - #0294181) – USA / California
Familglia Bianchi 2008 Chardonnay ($12.95 - #0001461) – Argentina
Puydeval ($14.95 - #0184192) – France
