Thursday, January 21, 2010

January 23rd Vintages Release - ForGaucho fans

The Best Buy right now is the Vintages Essential Marques De Casa Concha Cabernet Sauvignon – three dollars off at $16.95 but the sale ends on the 24th.

Otherwise a nice Argentina release of very good but nothing earth shattering, guaranteed to sell, Cab’s and Malbecs. However my picks are not from gaucho land. I like the Santa Rita Medalla Real Cab from Chile and the Barone Ricasoli Chianti Classico Riserva from a great 2006 Italian vintage.


Among the others, “the Show” from California has been well received, the Mulderbosch Sauvignon Blanc is always good and I like the blended Clos de Los Siete.
SANTA RITA MEDALLA REAL GRAN RESERVA
CABERNET SAUVIGNON 2007 $ 19.95

BARONE RICASOLI ROCCA GUICCIARDA
CHIANTI CLASSICO RISERVA 2006 $24.95

THE SHOW
CABERNET SAUVIGNON 2007 $ 17.95

MULDERBOSCH SAUVIGNON BLANC
2009 $ 18.95

CLOS DE LOS SIETE 2007 $23.95

KAIKEN ULTRA MALBEC
2007 $ 19.95

ZUCCARDI Q MALBEC 2007
Mendoza, Argentina
$ 18.95

CATENA CABERNET SAUVIGNON and Malbec $ 19.95

VIÑA COBOS FELINO $ 19.95

ZUCCARDI Q
TEMPRANILLO 2006 $ 18.95

LA RÉSERVE DU CROUZAU
ST. GERVAIS 2007 $14.95

Next release is the annual '90pointer release' for those who keep score. There are a few real winners in that one.

Friday, January 8, 2010

A New Year and a New Bargain Release!

Another new year of picks and another January full of pretty good bargain wines. Remember too that January usually means a big Bin end sale, so watch for it.
My Top 5 Picks
MONTGRAS QUATRO 2007 Colchagua Valley TASTING NOTE: The 2007 Quatro is a blend of 30% Cabernet Sauv, 30% Malbec, 25% Carmenere, and 15% Syrah. Score – 89+. (Jay Miller, Oct. 08) $ 15.95

D’ARENBERG THE STUMP JUMP GRENACHE/SHIRAZ/ MOURVÈDRE 2008 – A WS Top 100 choice for under 15 bucks.$ 14.95

GIORDANO VESPERO 2005 IGT Toscana Rosso – My palate and Gord Stimmell’s often seem to match up so at this price for a Tuscan red it’ll be worth a try $ 16.95

TEDESCHI VIGNETO VALVERDE VALPOLICELLA CLASSICO SUPERIORE 2007 DOC, Single Vineyard $ 14.95
CHÂTEAU DE VAUGELAS LE PRIEURÉ CORBIÈRES 2007 AC, Midi In 2009, this wine won a Gold Medal at the Concours des Grands Vins de France in Mâcon. $ 12.95 for a gold medal winner, should be worth a shot.

The Best of the rest!

LOS VASCOS CABERNET SAUVIGNON 2007 Colchagua (Domaines Barons de Rothschild (Lafite))
$ 13.95
GROVE STREET CABERNET SAUVIGNON 2006 Sonoma County $ 17.95

ST. HALLETT SHIRAZ/GRENACHE 2008 – On par with the Stump Jump in past years.$ 14.95

SIMONSIG LABYRINTH CABERNET SAUV 2006 WO Stellenbosch -Great region and
producer for $15.95

GÉRARD BERTRAND GRAND TERROIR MONTPEYROUX 2007 – Good producer, just try one and if you like it, go back for more - $17.95

ROUGES DES KARANTES 2007 Score – 89. (Kim Marcus,.winespectator, May 31, 2009)$ 16.95

LINDEMANS RESERVE CABERNET SAUVIGNON 2005 Coonawarra, For Cab fans, well priced and a great region. $ 14.95

ORTAS TRADITION RASTEAU 2008 A Gold Medal winner at the 2009 Concours des Grands Vins de France in Mâcon. Ortas is always high on quality for this ‘named Cotes du Rhone Villages. $15.00

QUEEN OF SYRAH COOL CLIMATE SYRAH 2007 Vin de Pays des Collines Rhodaniennes (Cave de Tain) $11.95 - If you are a syrah lover, this is a rarely seen example from the Northern Rhone.

The Big Dollar and ISD’s
SORI’ PAITIN BARBARESCO 2005
The only big dollar pick in the release ( other than the ISD’s) but be prepared to lay it down for a bit.$ 39.95
BANFI MANDRIELLE MERLOT 2004 DOC Sant'Antimo (3 out of 3). (Gambero Rosso Italian Wines, 2008) $42.00
BANFI TAVERNELLE CABERNET SAUVIGNON 2004 DOC Sant'Antimo Score – 91. (Monica Larner, Wine Enthusiast, April 1, 2008) $45.00
IL DRAGO E LE SETTE COLOMBE 2004IGT Toscana A new wine. Il Drago ("the dragon") is consulting enologist Carlo Ferrini, and the seven doves are the women who work in the winery. Sangiovese, Merlot and Alicante. Best after 2009. Score – 92 $34.00