Sept.15th - The Ontario Focus

As the season moves to cooler evenings and shorter days we finally get a release that has an interesting selection of wines with a combination of quality and variety. In spite of the release’s singular Ontario focus and the accompanying provincial navel gazing, this is among the more attractive releases of the summer.  It comes in at 68-72 points on the VRSS and could go higher.  Based on past experience, my top white wine choice in the release is the somewhat expensive Luca G Lot (not Spot) Chardonnay 2010. From vineyards up to 5000 ft above sea level in Argentina, previous vintages were among the best Chards ever for me but at $27.95, this isn’t cheap.  From the Ontario focus, two other chards also get a nod – the Lailey and the JT Delaine Vineyard. Both are first rate examples of what Niagara does very well. Neither has the Paskus/ Bachelder winemaker name on them but bang for the buck, they're hard to beat!  Unfortunately, if you feel the need to drink Ontario reds you will have to look elsewhere for  recos because you won’t find any here. I will say that I am hoping for a nice, long, hot, dry, autumn so that our merlot, syrah and cab sauvs can develop more dark fruit flavours and at least for this year, our winemakers can get away from the greens and browns (pepper/ tobacco and tomato leaf/ stems) I find so prevalent in Ontario reds.  Merlot that tastes like Cab Franc is just not my cuppa. Assuming a good fall, maybe, just maybe Ontario Vintage 2012 red wine could appear in future recommendations after this smoking hot summer. Style wise and in flavour profile, I don’t expect Napa but the Okanagan would be nice!

That said, I don’t think you can go wrong with any of the following global red choices. Most are unfortunately over the $20 mark, again reflecting the LCBO’s belief that we’ll spend more for wine than we should have to spend.

Best of the Release

Pick #1 (tie) LA FONT DES GRIÈRES GIGONDAS 2009 $19.95 – 299 cases – A Gigondas for under $20 at the LCBO? Really? That’s not a typo? Short term ageworthy but with air it’ll be good right away as well.

Pick #1 (tie) COLUMBIA CREST H3 LES CHEVAUX  2009 $20.95 – 231 cases – A pick in spite of it being another LCBO ‘double up’ on a $10 release from Columbia Crest’s H3 Vineyard (Horse Heaven Hills) , this blend often has Merlot predominating (2009 is either 80% or 34% merlot). It’s my opinion that the Columbia Crest H3 locations and climate are best suited to merlot so this should be very enjoyable as long as you don’t look at the US pricing. Look for chocolate, black fruit, and smoky vanilla notes from a slightly heavy handed use of oak. BBQ’d ribs anyone?

Pick #2 (tie)  MARCHESI DE FRESCOBALDI TENUTA DI CASTIGLIONI 2009  $21.95 - 1100 Cases – This baby Super Tuscan is always good value for the $$’s and some years it is even a case worthy  purchase. Too many options in and around the same price point reduce that chance this time around. With air this blend can be drunk young, medium, or middle aged. I’m enjoying a case of the 2007 vintage and they  just keep getting better.

Pick #2 (tie) BARBA I VASARI OLD VINES MONTEPULCIANO D’ABRUZZO 2008 – $18.95 - 1299 cases - 3 glasses out of 3 from Gambero Rosso for under 20 bucks is about as good as we can ever hope for when dealing with the monopoly.   Spicy black fruit, hints of licorice, long finish and lots will be available.

CHATEAU MILLEGRAND MINERVOIS 2010 $16.95 – 599 cases – A well priced Rhone blend from the Midi, this one could be the sleeper of the release.  Try one early to see if you like it and then keep it a secret! It is close to being a pick.

FERATON PERE ET FILS PLAN DE DIEU 2009 $15.95 – 449 cases – A Cotes Du Rhone Villages from the  somewhat underappreciated ‘village’ Plan de Dieu, I’m expecting this one to deliver big things for the price. Shouldn’t be more than $14.95 but vino per $ ratio is still in your favour here.

WYNN’S COONAWARA ESTATE CAB/SHIRAZ/MERLOT $19.95 – 383 cases – Priced where the Wynn’s Estate Cab Sauv used to be and should still be, expect a real mouthful here. Black fruit and hints of eucalyptus make it a natural pairing with lamb chops. If my mood changes, this could even improve to be a ‘pick’.

LUIGI BOSCA SINGLE VINEYARD MALBEC 2009 – 559 cases - $21.95 Red meat meet Luigi Bosca. Luigi, meet red meat. ‘nuff said.  I’m not sure the single vineyard designation is worth the extra few bucks over the Bosca Reserva but if you are an Argentine aficionado, perhaps it is.

BARON RICASSOLI ROCCA GUICCIARDA CHIANTI CLASSICO 2009   $24.95 - 599 cases – I like this wine. It’s not a big, viscous wine but is terrific with food. We had a bottle of this vintage a few weeks ago while in Quebec and it was a great accompaniment to both a cheese fondu as well as a Chinese fondu combination of sliced Duck breast and Bison meat. The latter 2 were fabulous by the way so guess who might have that to look forward to next time we do Chinese fondu at home!

BODEGA LAN RESERVA 2007 $21.95 – 549 cases – A Rioja that loves food and the food loves it right back. Seeing this price I wish I’d bought more of the 1500ml bottles when they were on sale for $29.95 after Christmas.  LCBO note  -  that price ($29.95) tells me where this wine really should be priced.

MEERLUST MERLOT 2008 – Only 39 cases of 12 at $25.95, this should be a terrific wine from the Stellenbosch region (some say the best wine region in South Africa). It’s an ISD so it’ll be in short supply and in few stores. If you see it, try one.

ROLF BINDER HALES 2009 SHIRAZ – $20.95 599 cases – The entry level wine from an excellent producer of Southern Australian wines. Big, bold, and black purple, expect black fruit, pepper and strong tapenade, nori notes on a long finish.  The 95 point score is just silly but is liable to have points chasers out in force. The wine is good but not that good so if you can’t find any, don’t lose sleep. There are others just as good in the release!

GEMMA BAROLO 2007 – 299 cases - $29.95 – very well priced Barolo and well scored to boot. Everything that applies to the Gattinara below applies to this wine except for the goofy bottle!

TRAVALIGNI GATTINARA 2006 $29.95 - 600 Cases – Think of it as a poor man’s Barolo in a goofy bottle (I know, I know, it traps the sediment.) A terrific wine to accompany rustic recipes for braised meats in rich sauces. It’ll need a year or two to begin to soften and even then open it well in advance of serving or better still, decant it.

BIG BUCKS

Some tempting big dollar selections this week too.

MONTEVIEJO 2007 – $33.95 – 199 cases – A big Argentine malbec blend - nearing the top of what I’ll spend for them. Has some age on it but is it really worth that much more than the Bosca malbec?

LILLY’S GARDEN 2010 - $62.95 – 199 cases – Among the best of the Two Hands offerings, the Garden Series entries are often overshadowed by the fabulous Bella’s but this one should be terrific. Over my own self imposed $$ limit unfortunately.

G D VAJRA ALBE BAROLO 2007 –299 cases – Barely into the big buck zone we find another Barolo, this one for $34.95! What’s not to like with that?

RUFFINA DUCALE D’ORO 2007 CHIANTI CLASSICO RESERVA - $43.95 –749 cases of 6 -  Not cheap but as good or better than many a Brunello.  Ageworthy for sure.

COLLOSORBO BRUNELLO DI MONTALCINO 2006 – 599 cases of 6 - Wonderful vintage for Brunello, at $49.95 this one just creeps in under my upper wine levels, price wise.

GIRAMONTE 2008 - $84.95 – 29 cases of 6.  Really? Why bother including it in the release other than to say “Look at us, look at us!”?  This should be an ISD.

BURGESS CABERNET SAUVIGNON 2005 – $37.95 – 223 cases – There is some age on this one so it should be drinking really nicely. I expect a 90-92 pointer here.

SIGNORELLO CABERNET SAUVIGNON 2007 - $62.95 – 167 cases – Perennially this is one of Gismondi’s Top 100 Wines.   I would categorize this as less of a fruit bomb than many Napa offerings.

JOSEPH PHELPS CABERNET SAUVIGNON 2009 – Big, big bucks! Even the little bottle is big bucks!

THOMAS FOGARTY LEXINGTON MERITAGE 2006 - $49.95 – 111 cases – Upon release this was categorized as the best ever Lexington. Should now be ready for you to enjoy immediately but not cheap!

CHATEAU MUSAR 2002 $54.95 – With only 74 cases coming in this should also be an ISD but since I’m not a big fan, I don’t care. However Musar is quite well regarded in the wine world so if you want to try a Bordeaux blend from off the beaten path (the Bekka Valley in Lebanon), here you go

Labour Day? How appropriate because it's hard work finding a decent wine this week.

September 1 means Labour Day is next Monday.  Labour day,  a day to give the working man one last kick at the can that is summer!  The LCBO says “Let’s celebrate Labour Day by selling a bunch of over priced Champagnes!”  It’s  Labour Day! An average price of over $100 on these bubblies doesn’t say working man (or woman) to me!  Delving deeper into the release, the Fall fêtes section is pretty much a waste of paper. I will say that the scallops recipe looks terrific but I might pair it with the inexpensive Spanish Cava ($13.95) or the  DOMAINE DE VAUGONDY BRUT VOUVRAY ($16.95) from this release. The Big and Bold table setting is a laugh – too bad they couldn’t put one of the Big and Bold wines they’re trying to sell on that table!  After fall fêtes comes  the Russian Revelation  (Stop, you’re killing me with your wit!  No wait, let me get even!  I was considering the Pinot but now I’m Lenin towards the chard… or …. Where’s the informational  map of California showing the Russian River Valley with a big Karl over it? Karl Marx the spot.  Bada-boom,  I’m here until Thursday, try the veal). That focus is followed by the Ontario Royal Couple. The wines being sold almost duplicate the Russian River repertoire.  I suppose if you want to compare wines, you could use the two as a basis for that comparison. Failing that, use them to line your birdcage. 

There is nothing in this release that I just have to buy so it comes in at 51 points on the VRSS. I gave a point for the scallop recipe. But, there is some good news …. A few sort of satisfying, ‘$17 and under’ wines are available.  Finally, there’s the nod to the working man!

UNDER  $17

Two  Food and Drink ‘formerly $15 now marked up to $17 specials’ are promoted  like specials but priced  above where they should normally be sold. Both should provide some pleasure but let’s not be fooled into thinking we’re getting a deal here.  The 2008 OSCAR’S ESTATE is an Aussie Cote Rotie blend from a hot vintage in the famous Barossa Valley.  The 2010 CHATEAU DE GALIFAY CAIRANNE is a named village in the Cotes du Rhone Villages appellation meaning the bottle should contain wines of a higher quality than the standard CdR or CdRV.  Both reflect the LCBO’s opinion that Ontario wine drinkers will pay more for their wines. Note to the LCBO, we’ll pay more (and already do!!!) but  only if the wines  are worth the extra dollars – these aren’t. For instance,  below is the Wine Align review for the Oscar’s Estate Shiraz. Is a dollop of viognier really worth $4.05 more?  So Buyer beware!

TEDESCHI CAPITEL DEI NICALO APPASIMENTO 2010 – I’ve been a fan for some time. At $15.95 this is pretty well  priced. Great pizza/ lasagna wine!

ZENATO VALPOLICELLA SUPERIORE 2010 – At $15.95 I think I’d prefer the Tedeschi, but you can be the judge.

BODEGA LAN CRIANZA 2008 – Gee wasn’t  an earlier vintage of this a Food  and Drink special at $15? Yes but if it’s up to LAN’s usual standards this is OK priced at $15.95.

GERARD BERTRAND ST. CHINIAN SYRAH MOURVEDRE 2009 – $16.95 Terrific producer, this’ll be a smokey, spicy blend.

JEAN LUC BALDES TRIGUEDINA LA CHAPELLE DU CLOS MALBEC 2008 – $16.95 Give it time if you expect  to compare it to an Argentinian Malbec.

SAMPETRIANA VIGNE DEL LA MONACHE RISERVA SALICE SALENTINO 2006 – At $15.95 a 5 star winner in Decanter, this one should be right in its drinking window. Probably needs food.

LEGON CRIANZA 2008 – A 90 pointer from ‘90 points Miller’. Again at $15.95, it’s a good price for a wine that might actually evolve.

BASEL CELLARS M 2007 - $28.95 - Creeping up on the big buck segment but holding under the $30 line this  blend of  Cab Sauv and Merlot should provide sophistication and Washington State fruitiness.  I haven’t tried this one before but might be looking for one or two.

OTHERS THAT MIGHT BE GOOD

The 2010 D’ARENBERG HIGH TRELLIS CABERNET SAUVIGNON is always good and, unlike many of its siblings has managed to hold the line on pricing . At $19.95 it’s a nice round the BBQ wine.

CASTELLO DI BOSSI C. BERARDENGA CHIANTI CLASSICO 2009 at $22.95 might be allright but Mr. Suckling’s reviews seem to have slid over to the wine shill side of the ledger rather than the wine critic side since he left the Wine Spectator so keep that in mind.

BIG BUCKS

Ignoring  the big buck champers  there are a number of more expensive options that might be tempting.

SEBASTIANI CABERNET SAUVIGNON 2008 – Cassis hits big time but too highly priced at $34.95.

WAKEFIELD ST. ANDREWS CABERNET SAUVIGNON 2006 – Wakefield is a wonderful producer of value priced Aussie wines. If you enjoyed their regular releases and want to try taking a (big) step up, try this one at $49.95. Is it 3 times as good as their normal listing?

CASCINA BUSSIA DARDI BAROLO 2006 – Ageworthy and well priced for a great Barolo vintage at $39.95.

BANFI BRUNELLO 2007 – At $59.95, this is out of my self imposed  price range but the quality is always there – needs more than a few years to settle in.

FATTORIA DEI BARBI BRUNELLO 2006- Oft times a bit more approachable in its youth than the Banfi, softer, more fruit forward perhaps.  A terrific vintage and at $41.95, ok priced for a Brunello.

No time for bad wine - Geyser Peak is headed back!

Last week I recommended the Walking Tree Cabernet from Geyser Peak. This week I'm recanting that recommendation. The wine is short, fruit seems both green and prematurely oxidized, tannins are there but not in concert with the wine. All in all a very disappointing  bottle. Perhaps it was the beginning of  a headcold? Nope, my wife shared my opinion - from the first mouthful to the last it was drudgery to drink. Served with BBQ'd Whole Foods filets ( holy crap, pricewise they're the LCBO of food stores), I expected a dynamic duo, a perfect pair on the palate. Too bad, they were great steaks! I bought two of the Geyser Peaks - where's that receipt? The second one is headed back.

August 18 - Southern Rhone, PNW, and Sake

The August 18^th release is almost upon us which means we’re in the home stretch of another summer. Good Grief, where did it go? Weather wise, it has been spectacularly warm. Vintages release wise? Not so hot.  This release seems to be a continuation of that trend. Originally, when I read the focal points of this release were to be the Rhone and Pacific Northwest I thought “Oh boy, I’m going to love this one.”, but after giving the release notes a quick perusal, mmmmm, not so much.  These two wine producing areas should yield a bonanza of wine selections. Somehow though the LCBO has managed to put as few wines as possible per page and make it into a boring rehash. The VRSS comes in at 62 for what had the possibility to be no less than an 81 to 84 VRSS point release!

The 2010 Southern Rhone should offer some very good alternatives. But please, 10 pages to sell only 13 different wines? That’s a remarkably wasteful and inefficient use of both printed material and bits and bytes.  The Pacific Northwest focus , which completely underwhelms with a staggeringly low  6 wines on 8 pages is even worse. Seeing how many cases of each wine they’re bringing in (where are you when I need you Michael Vaughan of Vintage Assessments?) may change my opinion but the $ performance per page for this release appears to be absolutely mind numbing to anyone familiar with a real retail business!

The third focus this week is Sake. I like sake once in a while with my sushi but I actually prefer a beer or two.  I never consider it other times. Result? The Sake section is a complete nonstarter for me. YMMV.

THE RHONE

The Rhone opens with two entry level Cotes du Rhones and a CdR Villages. It’s an inauspicious beginning  when the same winery is shown to have two different owners (Farjon Besnardeau  and  Barjon Besnardeau. Who proof reads these things? It’s Farjon by the way).  Either way, Domaine les Grand Bois has two wines here. One’s a Cotes du Rhone, the other a CdR V. Both should be good if a bit overpriced. Cambie’s Halos de Jupiter is also good but I expect we’ll get as good for less as more samples of the  2010 vintage show up in later Vintages releases.

Among the named villages (and ignoring for the moment Chateauneuf du Pape), Vacqueyras and Gigondas are my favourites but Cairanne and Vinsobres are always good as well.  It seems like yesterday that  Vintages sold 5000 cases of  Perrin’s  Vinsobres Les Cornuds at a cool $15. And this year’s comes in at $17.95. Is that a 20% increase year over year? Yes it is! Nice negotiating there LCBO. A new label should not cost me $2.95 more!  I’ll  negotiate by  taking a pass on the Vinsobres for now and recommend you readers do the same. Too bad – it’s a good wine but ….

PICK # 1- GIGONDAS PERRIN LA GILLE 2010 - $29.95 – Not cheap but worth it if you have somewhere to keep the wine for a few years. On the nose, expect olive notes, dark berry fruits, hints of meat and as it opens taste it pass through raspberry and blackberry fruitiness. Nice wine but does need some time. I had a 2006 last week that was superb. Tannins? Soft and completely integrated. The Clos de Cazeaux might be almost as good but for less.

DOMAINE GRANDY VACQUEYRAS 2010 – At $18.95 this is a well priced WoM and there should be lots around. A touch fruitier and more approachable now than the Gigondas but also substantially less expensive.

See the Big Bucks notes below for the Chateauneuf du Pape picks available in this release

PACIFIC  NORTHWEST

The lone possible pick among  the Pacific northwest wines is the 2009 COLUMBIA CREST  H3 Cabernet. This  is a rerelease (A special focus and they rerelease wines and vintage) of a very good, if slightly overpriced  wine. It’s not quite up to the merlot from the same vineyard in the last few years but it’s still a very good cab sauv option especially around a BBQ. It’s also my only reco from this focus, although the also rereleased Ste. Michelle Chard is always good.

THE REST OF THE RELEASE

 WAKEFIELD CABERNET SAUVIGNON 2009 $17.95 – From the cooler  (for Oz) Clare valley, Wakefield’s products always offer terrific value and quality. Better price than the H3 and equal in every way.

PICK #2  GEYSER PEAK BLOCK COLLECTION WALKING TREE VINEYARD 2007 $28.95 – Always tasty and rich. A real mouth full of cassis hits, some cedar notes. Big.  I’m a sucker for the Geyser Peak Block Collection wines and am not ashamed to admit it. But it’s expensive compared to the H3 or the Wakefield so I could waffle as it gets closer to time to open the wallet!

SUMMERS CABERNET SAUVIGNON 2008 – At $29.95 there is quality in the bottle and it’s a toss up between this and the Geyser Peak but I know the Geyser Peak. DO I spring for a couple of both or just load up on the H3/ Wakefield combo?

EVANS AND TATE METRICUP ROAD SHIRAZ 2009 $19.95 A WoM from Western Australia wine, so expect more subtlety  than the ZONTE’S FOOTSTEPS  and perhaps a bit more sophistication. Grilled lamb anyone?

ZONTE’S FOOTSTEPS LAKE DOCTOR SHIRAZ $16.95. – This one hails from the Langhorne Creek region so you can taste the regional differences between there and the Barossa if you still have some of the recently released Baron von Nemesis. Not a bad price for another  BIG, bold Aussie.

PICK #3 RENZO MASI CHIANTI RISERVA 2008 Another $15.95 bargain – Reviewed as a  smart buy  by Bruce Sanderson in Wine Spectator, this should provide instant pleasure at such a good price!

ALTESINO ROSSO DI ALTESINO 2009 $18.95 – From an excellent producer of Brunellos, this wine gets additional oomph from touches of cab and merlot. Very tasty and easy to drink.

DI MAJO NORANTE CONTADO RESERVA AGLIANICO DEL MOLISE 2009 - $15.95 and 91 points from Galloni? A buy if you like tarry, licorice-y fruity wines. So close to being a pick!

CELLAR BESLLUM 2008 – A nice Spanish option at $15.95. This one earned  93 points from Jay Miller, the 90 point man himself. Expect fruit, smoke, tar and even leather on this youngish wine. Could be a real bargain.

TORBRECK’S WOODCUTTER BAROSSA SHIRAZ 2010 – Don’t do it! At $30.95, this wine has steadily increased in price over the last few years and is no longer worth the $$’s. It should be mid twenties at most and $19.95 on promotion. It’s among Torbreck’s entry level wines.  If you do spring for it, decant carefully first as it’s unfined and unfiltered. If you don’t decant, pour with a gentle hand and you’ll want to beware of the chewy gunk in the final glasses. Wine gunk can be like fresh spinach when strained  through your teeth – not too nice to look at!

BIG BUCKS

VERBENA BRUNELLO DI MONTALCINO 2007 – Terrific score from Monica Larner, even if it’s three points less at 91 this is pretty well priced for a Brunello at $37.95

Among the Chateauneuf du Papes available in this release I’d spring for the SAINT SIFFREIN first, then perhaps the BOSQUET DES PAPES  CUVEE TRADITION.  Even very young, the 2009 Saint Siffrein was excellent.

SBRAGIA MONTE ROSSO VINEYARD 2006 – At $54.95, this one isn’t cheap but comes with a pedigree and will age for some time.

August 4th - Showtime? More like slowtime. Blockbusters? I don't think so.

Another “Gee, they get paid for that?” release from the buyers at Vintages.  A few new wines to try out and a few old favourites to replenish with but  by and large a release that if you miss it, you won’t really be too upset.  The ‘Summer Blockbusters’ are anything but. Only a couple of them are worthy of the moniker blockbuster  and even then only if your idea of a blockbuster is  Repo Man. The Romance movie equivalents seem to be stuck in the paradigm that only French or Italians are capable of romance. The ‘Action’ entries are not the vinous equivalents of Dirty Harry but are more like  Sleepless in Seattle.  These wines all make a statement and the statement isn't  “Make my day”, it's more like “I’ll have what she’s having!”

The other focal point is 5 single vineyard German reislings (and a Gerwurtz).  I think Kung Fu Girl might kick their asses.

The VRSS total is 62 this week.

 ARGENTINA

PASCUAL TOSO RESERVE MALBEC 2009 594 cases $19.95

BENMARCO CABERNET SAUVIGNON 2010 (Dominio del Plata) 539 cases $17.95 – A nice sample of a simple, reasonably priced  Arg. Cabernet.

CICCHITTI GRAN RESERVA MALBEC 2004 259 cases $21.95 – This one has some age on it – should be smooth and will show you what your malbecs can become if you take care of them or can leave them alone for long enough.

AUSTRALIA

Pick #2 - SCHILD ESTATE OLD BUSH VINE GMS  299 cases $21.95 – Nice political paragraph about what a pillar Mr. Schild is (overlooking and in spite of getting caught with his pants down in their WS Top 100 fiasco).  I’ll give Schild the benefit of the doubt and hope they are working hard to overcome that black eye from a few years back, this one should be a tasty Southern Rhone blend from OZ.

Pick #3 –Tie-  PIRRAMIMMA CABERNET SAUVIGNON 2009  999 cases $24.95 – I’m a fan. Excellent producer and their cab is always on par with their Shiraz .

GRANT BURGE BAROSSA SHIRAZ 2010 728 cases $18.95 – Reasonably priced for a quality producer.

PETER LEHMANN LAYERS 790 cases $17.95 – A juicy crowd pleaser for back yard BBQs.

 CANADA BRITISH COLUMBIA

Pick #3 –Tie-  SANDHILL SMALL LOTS ONE 2008 111 cases $36.95 – Ok, so it’s too expensive for what you get but if I’m going to buy a Canadian red, I’d  buy some of these before anything with Niagara on the label. Why?  Bigger, blacker fruit, cedar hints, a touch of olive, and usually far fewer  green notes.

MIDI

 Pick #3 –Tie-  Picked on price alone. DOMAINE LES YEUSES LES EPICES - $13.95 for a gold medal winner seems too good to pass up. Expect peppery  syrah flavours.

 CHÂTEAU D'ANGLÈS LA CLAPE CLASSIQUE  449 cases $14.95 – Well priced from one of the best wine growing regions in the Languedoc.

RHÔNE

 Pick #1 - DOMAINE DU GRAPILLON D'OR GIGONDAS 2010   499 cases $28.95  - Consistently a very well made wine, but will need some time.  Vintages first foray into the 2010’s from Gigondas, this was another wonderful vintage in all of the Southern Rhone.

SPAIN

BURGO VIEJO GRAN RESERVA 2001 Rioja – Decanter Gold medal winner and 11 years old  for $21.95. Long and leather-y  -  don’t expect a fruit bomb!

 CALIFORNIA

PLUME CABERNET SAUVIGNON 2009   223 cases $29.95 – First vintage from a new Okanagan – Napa combo entry.

Pick #3 –Tie-  BEAULIEU VINEYARD BV TAPESTRY RESERVE 2008   207 cases $34.95 – Try this and the Sandhill blind. You might be surprised!

BIG BUCKS

A pair of Brunelli 
The first  one an ISD, 39 cases of 12 of the CAPANNA BRUNELLO 2007 @$45.95 which was scored 97 points by the Wine Enthusiast and 93 points by Antonio Galloni. The other, the PININO BRUNELLO DI MONTALCINO 2006   329 cases $38.95 – A reasonable price for a sometimes brilliant, sometimes only average Brunello.  History has shown this wine to be an adventure because the same vintage, no the same case,  can supply you with both ends of that spectrum! Watch for the Capanna. It'll be in a very limited number of stores and I expect it'll be a dog fight for those few cases! If you see one, buy one.

OTHELLO 2008 (Christian Moueix)   249 cases $41.95 – Full of pomp and circumstance, at this price, here's a wine you'll love not wisely but  too well.  Available only in Japan and Ontario but was originally available on the Scottish Moors (ok bad review and even worse geographic pun based on Othello being a Moor which I know has nothing to do with Scotland but at least I tucked way down here so only the serious readers have to put up with its badness)!

July 21st Vintages release - Cool climate gets a cold shoulder

Cool climate wines seem to be the rage lately.  I suppose the conventional thinking is that this might be a good thing for Ontario wines  as it'll show  that they can compete in both flavour and sophistication if the temperature ranges of the producing regions are similar. That thought process requires a real leap of faith and requires we take into account at least two variables:

·         that some of these regions have a very narrow vinofocus and  their wine, cuisine and culture have symbiotically evolved over centuries to adapt to that focus

·         that other regions are not really cool so much as comparatively cool. Take for example  Australia Cool. How many ice wines are produced in their so called  ‘cool climates’?

 If Oz has ‘cool climate’ wines then certainly Ontario produces  ‘cold climate’ examples, so case closed  methinks. Anyhow, cool is the focus this week (OZ and the Loire). I’ll continue that theme by turning a cold shoulder to this release.  July 21 offers up a 57 to 60 point release in the VRSS (my humble opinion). A very few ‘must haves’ and most of the wines presented  that fall into the nice to have  category are already represented by very similar examples in the cellar. As with many of the recent releases, the whites and fizzies  are as interesting as many of the reds being offered. Since I’m not terribly interested in whites and fizzies , what does that leave me with?  Well, more disposable income, I suppose.

FIZZIES and/ or SPARKLERS, those carefree, effervescent little buggers for summer sipping

Joseph Cattin Brut Cremant d’Alsace - $16.95

Tenuta S. Anna Prosecco Superiore de Valdobbiadene - $18.95

WHITE WINES

2010 Ken Forrester Reserve Chenin Blanc - $17.95 – Across the board  this one rates over 90 points and for a wine this good, is also well priced.  WS: 90 pts; WA: 92 pts; W E: 90 pts  

2010 Charles Smith Kung Fu Girl Riesling - $18.95 – Another  ‘off centre’ name and wine from Washington States’s  eponymous Rock and Roll winery, Charles Smith. Very tasty (citrus-y with little or no petrol) and always good,  Charles Smith wines are to be enjoyed  right from the store or after a year or three aging.   WS: 90 points  

2009 Red Hill Estate Chardonnay - $21.95 – The review , even taking into account James Halliday’s inflatomatic scoring of Aussie wines (94pts?), is a good one.  Could be worth a try.

2010 Domaine Sigalas Assyrtiko / Athiri - $16.95 – something slightly off the beaten path from Greece. WS: 90 points  

2010 Martin Codax Albarino $16.95–  Another off the beaten path wine  serve chilled with ceviche or lightly breaded crab cakes perhaps.  Very well scored white 87 to 90 points 

RED WINES

2009 Altocedro Reserva Malbec - $24.95 – This might be the best red wine option in the release. It is the best if you like big juicy black fruited accompaniments to slabs of red flesh being seared on a grill. From La Consulta in the Uco Valley within Mendoza. Some regard this as the finest grape growing region in Argentina and certainly this wine does nothing to contradict that opinion.  A great big wine for a great big steak but also at a pretty big price. WA and WS: 92 points

2009 Clos de los Siete - $21.95 – A Michel Rolland investment in big tannic juiciness, this too will stand up to anything grilled.  As the vineyard grows up, so too does the wine. WA: 90 pts;  WS: 89 pts; Tanzer  90 pts

2009 Summers Napa Cabernet Sauvignon - $29.95 A 90 point Napa cab for under 30 bucks? Ok, I’ll bite! Robert Parker: 91 points; Wine Enthusiast: 90 points

2010 Domaine La Guintrandy Cotes de Rhone-Villages Visan Le Deves - $14.95 – Try one, then buy a bunch is my bet.

The Australian cool climate release looks less than stellar. There are some interesting wines but none that really, really  turn my crank and none of them are real terrific values. Of the Aussies in the release, the following  ones are my selections, but I’d take the two (maybe the three) Argentines and try the Napa cab before them:

 2008 Tahbilk Shiraz - $20.95 Lisa Perrotti-Brown: 91 pts – A very good wine from what I would describe as a traditional Aussie  producer .

2008 Camelback Shiraz - $27.95 Lisa Perrotti-Brown says 92 points  - A man is not a camel.  Hmmm, at the same time a camel is not a man. Just as well or there’d be far less wine around!  Enough philosophy, on with the drinking! And please note there was no off colour 'camel' related reference made during this wine review.

2010 Tyrrell Rufus Stone Heathcote Shiraz - $19.95 – An OK wine but shouldn’t be more than $17.95. Hello LCBO, are you out there?

2009 Durigutti Malbec – $16.95- A former WS top 100 producer, this’ll be a good BBQ wine for burgers or sausages and casual  get togethers . Nothing too sophisticated, just lots of dark fruit and soft tannins.

2009 Gabriel Meffre Laurus Gigondas - $26.95  - Not a bad price for an ‘almost CNdP’ WS: 91 points’ Is it better to wait for the 2010 Grapillon D’Or in the next release? Or buy both? Such a conundrum!

2009 The Show Cabernet Sauvignon - $17.95 – Another  easy drinking summer BBQ wine from California that you can age for a few years  if you can stay away from it for long enough.

2009 Tedeschi Capitel San Rocco Valpolicella Ripasso Superiore - $18.95 – If you like the Vintages essential Zenato Ripasso, try this one. It’s a few $’s less and usually very good. I W C: 90 points

ROSÉ WINES

2011 Chateau St. Roch Syrah / Grenache rosé - $14.95 – The best rosé choice this week but only if you’re out of rosé and have to have a new one. Otherwise, save a few bucks and look around for past rosé picks @ $12.95.

BIG BUCKS

2009 Delas Haute Pierre Chateauneuf du Pape - $37.95 – JM in WS: 92 points  - not cheap but age worthy and a terrific vintage.  

2006 Livio Sassetti Pertimali Brunello di Montalcino - $47.95 – From the terrific ’06 vintage, expect smoke, tar, more red fruits than black - WS: 94 points

Ladies Who Shoot Their Lunch Shiraz 2009 $35.95 - The 2008 was released in November and covered in a blog entry at that time. It’s a great name and cleverly marketed by Plunkett Fowles but once the cork is pulled, that cleverness doesn’t taste quite as fulfilling as the price indicates it should. Good with squirrel though.

July 7th Vintages release - an improvement over the last few

A better release than the recent ones that the LCBO has foisted upon us, this one actually contains a number of attainable and desirable wines. Helped in large part by the ‘Stones’ being delayed from May, this week’s release climbed over the 70 point mark in the VRSS (Vintages Release scoring system) , coming in at 72 points overall.

 WS Top 100 fans will like it because there are three wines that scored well enough and were well priced enough to make that list.  From an overall perspective, the Tour de France doesn’t quite merit the yellow jersey while the cool Climate Chards and the Governor General’s awards hold little interest.  On the plus side, South Africa’s white wines are not without some interesting options.

Reds

2009 Mas D'Auzieres Sympathie Pour Les Stones - $19.95 – Originally 250 cases were to have been released in the May 26, 2012 release. Oh crap, here I go again with the Mick  impression…This wine was universally praised by Ontario reviewers at that time. I suppose they were able to taste samples of it even if the balance of the shipment was late arriving. Or was it improperly labeled? With any luck a combination of things will happen:

• The reviewers  will not rereview it and so the masses will forget about how good it was
• We will receive the same lot numbers as the reviewers tasted earlier in May so we will actually get what they tasted.  As it was then, it is my Number 1 pick.

You also won’t go wrong with anything from the Tuscany section of this release but there are a few that really stand out:

2009 Argiano NC Non Confunditur - $24.95 – 249 cases of the #46 wine from the  Wine Spectator Top 100 of 2011 & 92 points. I’m not sure why the LCBO didn’t highlight the Top 100 info since it did for the others in this release.

2009 Fonterutoli Chianti Classico - $25 95 – 349 cases, this one was #49 on Wine Spectator Top 100 of 2011 & 92 points & Smart Buys 

Poggio Bonelli Chianti Classico Reserva 2007 – 249 cases of another well scored CCR from the ’07 vintage, this one should be just coming into its prime now. 

E Guigal Gigondas 2009 – Almost 500 cases of an annual treat. Lots of everything going on here. Licorice, smoked meat, weeds,(ok, garrigue),  big fruit. Age worthy and very, very nice.

Santa Rita Medalla Real Gran Reserva Cabernet Sauvignon 2008 from Chile is always very good value at $19.95 and  available in this release for $17.95. There’ll be 839 cases of it.

Those looking for a well priced (by Ontario standards at least) Washington State Cab Sauv could do worse than the Hogue 2007 Cab at $17.95. 500 plus cases – expect something similar to the recently released  Chateau Smith for a few dollars less. This’ll be fruitier and softer than the big Chilean above.

2009 Chateau du Donjon Grande Tradition Minervois - $12.95 600 cases but at this price it may blow out by the boxload. From the midi this one is not only very well priced but should also taste delightful. If you like Cotes Du Rhone style wines (only from the Languedoc), I think you’ll be pleased.

Cave de Rasteau La Domeliere 2009 with 1331 cases coming in and a $15.00 price point there’ll be lots to choose from.

Two Hands Sexy Beast Cabernet 2011 will need some time and at $29.95 is expensive compared to most of those above. There’ll be 449 cases but leave it alone for a few years unless you like Welch’s grape juice and vodka-style.

Hickinbotham Cabernet/ Shiraz  2009  should be a massive mouthful at  a reasonable $16.95 and there are almost 1200 cases being released.

2007 Nashwauk McLaren Vale Shiraz – 450 cases at $19.95  - Repeat of a  Feb. 2011 release. OK around the BarBQ but if you miss it, no big deal.

Domaine Durand 2009 Les Coteaux St. Joseph – Should be a tasty 100% Syrah, Parker scored it 90 – 93 points and liked the licorice aromas and intense fruit.

2008 Seppelt Chalambar Shiraz – 519 cases, based strictly on price it finishes up the track to the blend and the Shiraz above.$24.95

Whites

2010 Vinum The Winery of Good Hope Chenin Blanc - $14.95 – Well scored and a tasty departure from the Chards  below.

Kim Crawford 2011 unoaked Chardonnay – $17.95 - 610 cases of bursting pure fruit. No oak so if you like those big buttery chards, you may not like this one.

2008 Kumeu River Kumeu Estate Chardonnay – 167 cases $34.95 - #78 on Wine Spectator Top 100 of 2011 & 92 points.

Sterhuis Barrel Selection Chardonnay 2009 – At $25.95 this could be a better buy than the Kumeu but without the Top 100 score.