It’s May 26th and the big
feature this week is 90 point wines. In this one the LCBO acknowledges the
impact of the wine critics’ reviews and suppliers are expected to come up with
not only the wines but the wines with suitable 90+ point reviews. None of those
‘Vintages tasting panel’ notes will do for the 90 Point part of the release.
Also this week, a few selections from Portugal.
I think one red from there will stand out, but let me make a couple of gentle comments
about the Vinho Verde page - the part 2 of the travel kit might lead a neophyte
to think these label terms apply to Vinho Verdes. They do not. Also I would
have liked to have seen a little more variety in the Vinho Verdes for summer
sipping. The one that is presented is pretty expensive (especially for a VV).
So instead we’ll have to make do with a rosé, a Cremant and perhaps one of the
chards for our lighter selections. For the red choices, my top 3 are from the
Languedoc, Tuscany and Washington St. but any and all of the red choices herein
should provide ample drinking pleasure.
A ROSÉ
DELAS FRÈRES SAINT-ESPRIT CÔTES DU RHÔNE ROSÉ 2011 499 cases of 12 $12.95 – Great price for a great producer’s summer
wine.
A FIZZY
PIERRE SPARR BRUT ROSÉ CRÉMANT D'ALSACE 329 cases of 12 $17.95 – A fine
light fizz, just dry, great for enjoying as a starter on the summer decking,
around the pool, or just because.
A FEW WHITES
VASSE FELIX CHARDONNAY 2010 138 cases
of 12 $20.95 – Excellent Margaret River (Western Oz so not as hot as the east) producer,
toasty vanilla notes, something in a shell please! The 2009 vintage was a very
nice accompaniment to lobster for Mother’s Day.
MOMO CHARDONNAY 2010 217 cases
of 12 $17.95 – An organic producer, this’ll show green apple notes on the nose,
with buttery lemon hints on the palate.
KIM CRAWFORD SAUVIGNON BLANC 2011 397 cases
of 12 $9.95 – Half bottles for those “I’m all alone so I think I’ll BBQ some
shrimp just for me” nights.
THE REDS
CATENA CABERNET SAUVIGNON 2009 1200 cases of 12 $19.95 – Lots of stock from
a first class producer so there’ll be no rush. Oak notes, cassis, hints of
anise on the backend – could be a Doug option.
TWO HANDS ANGELS' SHARE SHIRAZ 2010 499 cases
of 12 $27.95 – Always a real mouthful
and very, very tasty.
SMALL GULLY The FORMULA ROBERT'S SHIRAZ 2006 994 cases of 12 $18.95 Exceedingly popular with Ontario wine drinkers,
this has been a ‘buyer makes his
bonus’ kind of wine for the LCBO. It’s received in industrial quantities, sells
out fast and has few if any returns.
WYNNS COONAWARRA ESTATE CABERNET SAUVIGNON 2008 799 cases of 12 $24.95 – Since
this wine was removed from the general list and sold as a Vintages product, every
vintage has been consistently good. It’s a bit too expensive for what you get
but I’ve given up singing that song. If you must drink an Aussie Cab you won’t
go wrong here.
BEST’S GREAT WESTERN BIN #1 SHIRAZ 2009 $23.95 400 cases of 12 –
Originating from Best’s vineyards near the town of Great Western in Victoria,
last vintage of this was terrific. Nice to pick a shiraz that’s not from the
Barossa or McLaren Vale for a change.
TAIT THE BALL BUSTER RED 2009 $24.95 299
cases of 12 – Buy one for the name alone
but it would be nice to see this and the Best’s at $19.95 - $20.95.
(Update: Would have been Pick #1 but looks like this one is now due out in July week1) MAS D'AUZIÈRES SYMPATHIE POUR LES STONES
2009 250 cases of 12 $19.95 This was to be my number 1 pick for a
number of reasons but the caveat now is that both the on line catalogue and the
print copy says PRODUCT CURRENTLY NOT AVAILABLE.
For those intellectuals among my readers, I am flummoxed and nonplussed. For the more plebian among you, I say “WTF
gives?” And for still others, it could be both.
Why the level of consternation you ask? Well, as soon as I saw the
listing for this wine, the bongos/ congas started in my head, followed by the
maracas, a couple of Mick’s screeches and then the lyrics “Please allow me to
introduce myself, I’m a man of wealth and taste. I’ve been around for a long
long year, Stole many a man’s soul and faith”….. and now I can’t get rid of them.
Any wine that rejeuvenates memories of old, old Stones songs deserves a place
in the biweekly top 3 but who is the producer? This called for some serious Winery
Googling….
Mas d’Auzières is run by the sophisticated
cutie Irène Tolleret who was lucky(?) enough to have been treated to spam and beans
cooked on a camp stove in the BBC’s Oz Clarke & James May’s Wine Adventure – see the link below - it's quite funny.
Irène’s husband Philippe is a Michel Rolland
trained oenologue (but we won’t hold that against him) who provides useful
technical back-up. Irène on the other hand provides the heart and soul of these wines as
well as campaigning for the extension of
the Pic St. Loup appellation. In a couple of years her wines will be AOC Pic St. Loup. The emphasis
in Irène’s mainly Syrah- based wines is the minerality derived from the
limestone soil. No wood is used at all and the wines are left to clear
naturally. The result is apparently, for I have not yet tasted this year's, a pure expression of fruit in some
eccentrically named cuvees. For
instance, ‘Sympathie pour les Stones’ has its foundation in Irène and Philippe’s love for the Rolling Stones. They also love the
minerality that their limestone terroir produces and the two loves combine to manifest themselves in this franglais cuvée name. For the younger
folks out there, the classic track ‘Sympathy
for the Devil’ is from the Beggar’s
Banquet LP. Don’t make me explain what an LP is!
As the video linked above proves, Irène is a
real sweetie who seems to know her way
around wine, cars, tractors, farms, rocks and rock and roll, (and now Spiced Ham too). If you can, try one to be sure then go back for more if
you like it. The wine also earned a
David Schildknecht opus that makes for great reading while singing “Pleased to
meet you, hope you guess my name….”
(Pick #2) MARCHESI DE' FRESCOBALDI TENUTA DI CASTIGLIONI 2009 750 cases of 12 $21.95 – Annually a very satisfying wine. The
’07 vintage is drinking superbly now. Can be a tannic beast but certainly leans
toward new world rather than traditional old world stylings. A blend of Cabernet Sauvignon,
Merlot, Cabernet Franc, and Sangiovese, high to low %-wise.
UMANI RONCHI MONTIPAGANO MONTEPULCIANO D'ABRUZZO 2010 439 cases of 12 $13.95 – Good
price, try one as it may be a well priced alternative to the Cotes Du Rhone
Villages options lately.
VICCHIOMAGGIO AGOSTINO PETRI CHIANTI CLASSICO RISERVA 2007
1198 cases of 12 $19.95 – A WoM so lots around. No need to rush
out for this one.
CLOS DE CAVEAU FRUIT SAUVAGE VACQUEYRAS 2009 349 cases of 12 $18.95 – Hard to go wrong with anything from
Vacqueyras in 2009.
PIERRE HENRI MOREL SIGNARGUES CÔTES DU RHÔNE-VILLAGES 2009 599 cases of 12 $15.95
– Probably just as good a choice as the Vacqueyras for $3 less.
QUINTA DO INFANTADO RED 2009 199 cases
of 12 $21.95 – A dynamite Portuguese
red, full of some red but mostly black fruits, some oak notes (vanilla) on the
nose and palate.
STAGS' LEAP WINERY CABERNET SAUVIGNON 2008 99 cases of 12 $23.95 – Half bottles for those “I’m all alone so I
think I’ll BBQ a rib eye just for me” nights.
LOUIS M. MARTINI CABERNET SAUVIGNON 2007 698 cases of 12 $29.95 –
slightly more Bordeaux than Napa to my palate.
(Pick #3) CHATEAU SMITH CABERNET SAUVIGNON 2009 839
cases of 12 $25.00 – The other WoM, this
one should be quite good and a 3 pack might be in order. Fruit sourced from
prime Washington vineyard locations makes for a tasty, short term ageworthy cab. Served blind, it’ll be a nice head to head
with the Wynn’s to see if it’s worth a nickel more. Definitely an option to become someone’s eponymous
house wine.
BIG BUCKS
Recommendations from the over $30 zone:
BAROSSA VALLEY ESTATE EBENEZER SHIRAZ 2006 457 cases of 6 $39.95 – a perennial
favourite of mine since I tasted the ’98
vintage (I think) at Steve and Lori’s annual wine tasting competition (it won,
if I recall correctly). 95 points for the ’06 from Halliday? Nah, 92 from BP
maybe.
RIDGE LYTTON SPRINGS 2009 239 cases
of 12 $46.95 – after having my socks knocked off lately by the Ravenswood Icon, this might be a good comparison and a
similar wine.
ANTINORI PIAN DELLE VIGNE BRUNELLO DI MONTALCINO 2006 400 cases of 6 $59.95 – Special, among my favourite
Brunellos.
LE MANNELLA BRUNELLO DI MONTALCINO 2006 199 cases of 12 $39.95 – Heck of a price for a 2006 Brunello.
RUFFINO DUCALE ORO CHIANTI CLASSICO RISERVA 2006 400 cases of 6 $43.95
BADIA A CONTIBUONO SANGIOVETO DI TOSCANA 2007 ISD 49 cases of 6 $59.95
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