Here comes the June 27th release and for this
week the main Vintages feature is something called “Customer Favourites”. Is it just me or are there some odd choices
among these customer favourites? Those
that made the recommended list here are prefaced by an F.
Also included are two other minor features. One is the
Americas in honour of the Pan Am games. The LCBO will surely love them because
our commutes in the GTA will drive us to drink even if we car pool! The other
is a Canada Day feature. Both are ho hum.
You can pretty much skip this release completely and not be
too upset.
ARGENTINA
VALENTIN BIANCHI LEO
PREMIUM MALBEC 2013 955 cases of
6 $19.95 - An almost premium bottle of juice. A great
big Tuscan t-bone will be the perfect fit for this wine. Some of the proceeds
go to underprivileged youth so you can feel good about pulling a cork.
F SUSANA BALBO SIGNATURE MALBEC 2012 866
cases of 12 $19.95 – Solid wine, solid winemaker.
AUSTRALIA
CLAYMORE YOU'LL NEVER WALK ALONE 335 cases of 12 $21.95
- What do Liverpool football, Rogers
and Hammerstein, Gerry and the Pacemakers and this wine have in common? The
song of the same name of course. Nice GSM blend.
F ZONTE'S FOOTSTEPS BARON VON NEMESIS SINGLE SITE SHIRAZ 640 cases
of 12 $17.95 – I can understand naming the winery
after the original currant field but the name of the wine itself seems pretty
juvenile. That said, one expects this well made, modestly priced wine will
mature better over the short term than the name will. Stupid wine name, pretty good shiraz in the
bottle tho.
FRANCE
F ORTAS TRADITION RASTEAU 2013 698 cases
of 12 $17.95 - OK wine but to be a customer favourite you’d
expect that the wine would be really popular on its own merits, right? So why
haven’t we seen one of these for over 13 months and why did we skip the 2012
Vintage and jump from 2011 to 2013? Or did I miss it in Vintages? Perhaps it was a Food and Drink special under
a different product code? If that was the case, it was only a favourite because
it cost a buck less than this one.
DOMAINE LE CLOS DES CAZAUX LA TOUR SARRASINE GIGONDAS 195 cases
of 12 $28.95 – Nice, give it a while though.
MICHEL GASSIER LES PILIERS SYRAH 2012 349 cases
of 12 $18.95 – Just OK.
ITALY
F RUFFINO MODUS 2012 12 399 cases of 12
$29.95 - Give it some time. Always
a pretty good example of a midpriced super Tuscan – typical Tuscan profile, this
wine likes food and vice versa.
BADIA A COLTIBUONO CHIANTI CLASSICO 2012 299 cases
of 12 $23.95 Organic, 3 glasses from Gambero Rosso, under $25. Worth
a shot.
F VILLA MEDORO ROSSO DEL DUCA MONTEPULCIANO D'ABRUZZO 498 cases of 12 $19.95
- Worth a buy perhaps but let it rest for a time.
SAN SILVESTRO PATRES BAROLO 2010 279 cases of 12 $29.95
- New to me and Well priced for a
Barolo but be careful because sometimes you get what you pay for.
SPAIN – For Spanish wines this week is probably better than the upcoming Spanish
feature.
BORSAO BEROLA 2011 2997 cases of 12 $17.00 Another of the $17 specials that should really
only be $15 and that are $12 to $13.99 in the US. This is a blend of 70%
garnacha, 20% syrah and 10 % Cab Sauv, look for a ripe wine with blackberry and
cassis notes perhaps with a hint of balsamic acidity on the finish.
F BRECA OLD VINES GARNACHA 2012 1747 cases of 12
$22.95 $19.95 after all! - This was a favourite at
$19.95 and previous vintages of this
garnered a 93 point score from Parker. Look what happened to the price. (Update: Turns out nothing happened to the price after all...although my store has a graffiti type price correction to $19.95 on the WOM poster). Similar
quality and profile to the BorsaoTres Picos from last release.
F ARDAL CRIANZA 2005 1299 cases of 12 $16.95 - Solid Crianza with some age on it.
THE ROSÉS
BERONIA TEMPRANILLO ROSÉ 2013 399 cases of 12 $14.95
- Excellent producer, worth buying a few if you like a nice chilled rose
while passing a summer’s day.
KIM CRAWFORD PANSY! ROSÉ 2014 2518 cases
of 12 $17.00 - The annual gay pride release but there are many
better price/ quality choices among the rose options. Yes this is another of the $17 that should
only be $15 or less wines.
The Big Bucks
F TENUTA SETTE PONTI CROGNOLO 2012 587 cases of 12 $33.95
- A solid Tuscan, but 95 Points? James, calm yourself!
IL MOLINO DI GRACE IL MARGONE RISERVA CHIANTI CLASSICO 2007
- 199 cases of 12 $34.95 - Excellent year in Chianti and right in its
drinking window. Loves food.
FATTORIA CARPINETA FONTALPINO DO UT DES 2011 249 cases of 12 $37.95
- Annually garners scores in the 91 to 93 range from all reviewers but, like
others in this release, will benefit from some time.
F THE PRISONER 2013
279 cases of 12 $49.95 - Oh yes, now I remember this one! It’s the
wine with the name that best describes the Ontario wine consumer. I’ve never had
a bottle nor seen a bottle in any friends’ houses. …has anyone?
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