March 15th - a California gold rush and Hand Crafted wines

Saturday, March 15, 2014 – California wines and Hand Crafted wines are the features. That means grab your wallet, get there early and be ready to watch some wealthy guys whining!  You see, California means huge bucks and some cultish wines. Dominus scored 100 points, Pahlmeyer has a name, the Beringer in this release is renowned. But holy smokes, these are expensive wines and it’s not Christmas!  The Dominus order was reduced, the price was bumped up and there just won’t be enough! I’m going to see if I can get an empty Dominus box, close it up and just put it in a cart and walk around one of the big stores with it. What fun that'll be.

Without a winning lottery ticket I can ignore California completely so overall it’s a pretty unexciting release. It does have one must buy for me though along with one or two old favourites and perhaps a couple that are worth taking a flyer on.

 The VRSS is a deceptive 54. For me, there is only one ‘must buy’ but there are a few good wines to fill in holes in your cellar.

The Reds

Chile -  SANTA CAROLINA RESERVA DE FAMILIA CABERNET  SAUVIGNON 2010  949 cases of 6 $18.95 –the Santa Rita reserva/ this one/  the Marques de Casa Concha – the three Chilean Cabs are interchangeablely good. 

France Midi - MAS D'AUZIERÈS LES ÉCLATS 2009  545cases $18.95 – Right in its drinking window and a nice Southern Rhone blend from the Languedoc.

South Australia - THORN-CLARKE SHOTFIRE QUARTAGE 2011 334cases $21.95 – Use one word to describe it?  Ok, opaque.

South Australia - YALUMBA SHIRAZ 2012 571cases $19.95 – An Underappreciated vintner.

Spain – Senorio de los Baldos 2009 - $19.95 -  A more modern take on things from Ribera del Duero region of Spain.

Spain – Lacrimus Crianza 2009 -$18.95 – Rustic means tannic and drier.  This is a wine for laying down and avoiding.  Give it time.

South Africa - RUSTENBERG RM NICHOLSON 2010 237cases $19.95 – A nice SA take on a Bordeaux blend.

USA - RODNEY STRONG CABERNET SAUVIGNON 2009   798cases $21.95  - Solid Sonoma cab.

Whites and Fizzies

SOUTH AFRICA - MULDERBOSCH CHENIN BLANC 2011 281 cases $14.95 – I really enjoy Mulderbosch Sauv/ Blanc and Rose.  I also enjoy South African Chenin Blanc. So I figure this is a sure bet.

WASHINGTON STATE - CHARLES & CHARLES CHARDONNAY 2012 335cases $15.95 – A Tasty, well priced alternative.

ITALY - ROTARI ROSÉ   437cases of 6  $17.95

SOUTH AFRICA - GRAHAM BECK PREMIER CUVÉE BRUT BLANC DE BLANCS 2009 239 cases of 6 $23.95

SPAIN - MONT MARÇAL EXTRAMARIUM RESERVA BRUT CAVA   396 cases of 6 $20.95

BIG BUCKS

TUSCANY - CASTELLO DI AMA CHIANTI CLASSICO RISERVA 2009 200 cases  $35.95 – While visiting Italy last year  we enjoyed a bottle of the 2007 vintage of this wine. It was among the very best wines of our two weeks there, so good that I sought it out to be one of the wines that we brought back in our suitcases. As good as the ’07 was, I expect this vintage to be even better but not because ’09 was a better vintage to grow grapes. Rather it'll be better for the grapes that have gone into the bottle.  For the 2009 vintage, the Di Ama CCR  includes the grapes that would normally be used to produce their very expensive single vineyard bottlings. At $36 I know it seems expensive for a CCR but compared to the prices of their single vineyard options it's a screaming bargain. A bargain that I expect  to be every bit as good and as ageworthy as many a Brunello.  Give it some time in the dark - but if you must open it sooner, do aerate and decant.

Ridge Estate Cabernet Sauvignon 2010 - $60.95 – Too bad this one is over my own self imposed price point. $12 less and I’d buy a couple. By the way, it’s sold in Italy, France and Germany for $15 less than here! Don’t even look at the US prices.

Dominus, Beringer, Pahlmeyer – not a chance.