September 4th - Non Cottage Owners get their revenge!

If you don't own a cottage it means you're probably stuck in the city for the Labour Day weekend. The good news is all your cottage owning buddies are out of town, missing out on all the LCBO locations that the city has to offer.
This is a superior release, overall the best one in some time by our friends at the monopoly. I’ve listed my selections geographically, in order of preference for each region, not in order of preference overall. Why? Because I am completely at a loss to pick MY top 5 or even 10 from this release! It looks to be just that good.
It’s full of bargains for the short term, interesting well priced big boys for the midterm and excluding the ISD's even the top priced wines are not bank breakers but are built for the long term. The Southern Rhone 2007 focus has at the very least a half a dozen very good wines; there are three from BC that would be good picks for an East vs. West Canada Showdown and may show Ontarians what to expect from the 2009 Ontario vintage if it continues; OZ has a quartet of dandies between $16 and $24, and Italy has 5 beauties that almost get lost among the many choices available!
That’s 18 already and I haven’t mentioned the ones-y's from Argentina, Chile, NZ, SA, and a not bad Spanish duet! And I have not listed the In Store Discoveries…they’ll rate their own little epistle! Some great wines among the ISDs, but $KA-CHING$! Where’s my piggy bank?!!!?

Focus on the Southern Rhone

PERRIN & FILS PEYRE BLANCHE CÔTES DU RHÔNE-VILLAGES CAIRANNE 2007 $17.95

PROMENADE DES PRINCES CÔTES DU RHÔNE-VILLAGES PLAN DE DIEU 2007 $12.95 – just north from CHÂTEAUNEUF-DU-PAPE and look at the price!

PIERRE AMADIEU ROMANE MACHOTTE GIGONDAS 2007 $22.95

LES HAUTS DE CASTELLAS VACQUEYRAS 2007 $18.95
VIGNERONS DE GIGONDAS LA FONT DES GRIÈRES GIGONDAS 2007 $21.95

LES VIGNERONS DE VISAN CÔTES DU RHÔNE-VILLAGES VISAN 2007 $12.95

GRANDES SERRES CÔTES DU RHÔNE-VILLAGES SIGNARGUES 2007 $14.95

CHÂTEAU SAINT MAURICE LES GRÈS CÔTES DU RHÔNE-VILLAGES LAUDUN 2007 $`14.95

RÉSERVE DES ARMOIRIES CÔTES DU RHÔNE 2007 $12.95

CUVÉE DU COMTE CÔTES DU RHÔNE 2007 $15.95

DOMAINE DE L’ECHEVIN CÔTES DU RHÔNE-VILLAGEs SAINT MAURICE 2007 $16.95

DOMAINE ROCHE-AUDRAN CÔTES DU RHÔNE-VILLAGES VISAN 2007 $15.95


The Big $ ones from the RhoneDOMAINE DU HAUT DES TERRES BLANCHES CHÂTEAUNEUF-DU-PAPE 2007 $36.95

PERRIN & FILS LES SINARDS CHÂTEAUNEUF DU- PAPE 2007 $19.95 – remember this is the half bottle size!

DOMAINE DU VIEUX LAZARET CHÂTEAUNEUF DU-PAPE 2007 $32.95

Canada Okanagan
SANDHILL SMALL LOTS ONE 2007 $34.95 – I really enjoy the Sandhill wines Small Lots Bordeaux blends. I like them as well as Osoyoos Larose or Nota Bene and would match this against any Meritage blend from Ontario - bar none.

CEDAR CREEK ESTATE CABERNET/MERLOT 2007 $23.95 - Almost as good as the Sandhill at less $$$'s - worth hunting down!

SANDHILL CABERNET/MERLOT 2008 $19.95


Niagara
MALIVOIRE GUILTY MEN SAUVIGNON BLANC 2009 $19.95

USA
HESS ALLOMI VINEYARD CABERNET SAUVIGNON 2007 $33.95

Argentina
FAMIGLIA BIANCHI MALBEC 2007 San Rafael, Mendoza $14.95

Chile
CHATEAU LOS BOLDOS VIEILLES VIGNES MERLOT 2007 $18.95

OZ
GEORGE WYNDHAM FOUNDER’S RESERVE SHIRAZ 2005 $23.95
YALUMBA BUSH VINE GRENACHE 2008 $19.95
THORN-CLARKE TERRA BAROSSA CUVÉE 2007 Barossa, South Australia
A Gold Medal winner at the 2009 Mundus Vini International Wine Awards.
THORN-CLARKE TERRA BAROSSA SHIRAZ 2008 - Both at $15.95

NZ
SILENI CELLAR SELECTION SAUVIGNON BLANC 2009 $15.95 – probably a better buy than Guilty Men.

SA
RUSTENBERG BRAMPTON SHIRAZ 2007 $15.95 – Well priced now.
Bordeaux
CHÂTEAU LILIAN LADOUYS 2006 $21.95

Northern Rhone
DELAS DOMAINE DES GRANDS CHEMINS CROZES-HERMITAGE 2007 $21.95 – not highlighted in the Southern Rhone part of the release, this should be a terrific syrah from the Northern Rhone.

Italy
Some fantastic wines here - the WS Top 100 #5 and #46 (at less than half the price of #5!)

BARONE RICASOLI CASTELLO DI BROLIO CHIANTI CLASSICO 2006 $54.95

I GREPPI GREPPICANTE BOLGHERI 2007 #46 in Wine Spectator’s Top 100 Wines of 2009. $23.95

DA VINCI CHIANTI 2007 $16.95

TENIMENTI ANGELINI TRE ROSE VINO NOBILE DI MONTEPULCIANO 2006 $21.95

MARZIANO ABBONA TERLO RAVERA BAROLO 2005 $36.95 – Good price for a Barolo – we have to get our heads around the strength of the Cdn $ versus the Euro!

Spain
BERONIA ELABORACIÓN ESPECIAL TEMPRANILLO 2008 $15.95
TORRES CELESTE 2006 DOC Ribera del Duero $19.95