The $17 Pata Negra Reserva 2010 from Spain

Here's an update on the Pata Negra in the last release at $17.00. You may recall it got a scathing review from my brother when recently released in BC. In spite of that, and because I found a very different lot number, I bought 3 on the weekend. The lot number I bought was lot L-L095 and the bottles were terrific.  Yes I went back and bought a few more. Very similar to the first release of Muriel Reserva last year - big, dark cherry notes, some red cherry too, some vanilla from well integrated oak, and spicy notes.

If you can find that lot number, buy it. And let me know what you think. If you bought a different lot number (as you can tell from the photo it's somewhere on the back label usually) tell me which one you bought and what you thought of yours.
Update 2 - I stopped in to the Oakville Cornwall store on the weekend. They had a few of the lot number above and many from different lot numbers. The telling statement about the lots came from a consultant who mentioned that a customer had bought and returned an entire case because it was 'terrible'.

April 30th Vintages - Lots of options, I suppose.

This final release of April means 4 months have gone in another year. Holy smokes, time flies when you’re drinking wine. This week’s Vintages release is a cornucopia of diverse wines and styles. Three different options this week - The Pacific Northwest, Australian Whites, and lastly Roses from around the world. It’s a release that has a lot of promise. Most of it unfulfilled. Ah well.

WHITE TABLE WINE

LOIRE -   CHÂTEAU DE LA BRETESCHE MUSCADET SÈVRE ET MAINE SUR Lie  799 cases of 12  $13.95 – Melon de Burgogne grape  doing a great impression of an unoaked, full fruit, bargain priced chard.

BURGUNDY - VIGNERONS DE BUXY LES CHANIOTS MONTAGNY 1ER CRU 2013   219 cases of 12 $24.95  

BURGUNDY -   VINCENT MOTHE CHABLIS 2014    249 cases of 12 $26.95  

RED TABLE WINE

WASHINGTON St - HOGUE Genesis Meritage – Good, solid wine for the upcoming BBQ season. Black fruits with oak in support. If you like the CC H3 red blend, this’ll be right for you too.

ARGENTINA - LAMADRID SINGLE VINEYARD RESERVA MALBEC 2012   2998 cases of 12  $17.00  A good wine, not up to Suckling’s score but probably 90. Great for the BBQ with marinated steak, burgers or rare lamb chops.

AUSTRALIA -   WAKEFIELD JARAMAN CABERNET SAUVIGNON 2013   380 cases of 12 $24.95 – Wakefield is renowned for the QPR of their wines. This one goes a little upscale but should be very nice.

Australia – SIDEWOOD SHIRAZ 2013 -$19.95 – Festooned with plenty of gold and scored like crazy by Halliday, this is a new Shiraz for me but I’ll be trying it. The ‘drink by 2043’ is pretty difficult to believe. I expect to be long gone by then but so will Halliday, so how is anyone going to call him on it?

AUSTRALIA -   MITOLO JESTER CABERNET SAUVIGNON 2013   493 cases of 12 $22.95 – Good stuff this.  

RHÔNE -LE GRAVILLAS PLAN DE DIEU CÔTES DU RHÔNE-VILLAGES 2014   598 cases of 12 $17.95 – As good as the Domaine le Grand Retour from recent releases? This one is a year younger and 3 bucks more. I’d buy the latter if it’s still available.

TUSCANY - TENUTA DI CAPRAIA CHIANTI CLASSICO 2013   649 cases of 12 $21.95 – Nice, fruit driven Chianti Classico – not a great year though. Did I say it was cold and wet that May?

SPAIN - DOMINIO DEL VIENTO CRIANZA 2011   712 cases of 12  $16.95  - Might be the better of the two Spanish selections this week.

SPAIN -  MARQUÉS DE CARRION PATA NEGRA RESERVA 2010   2991 cases of 12 $17.00 – Price is right but only if this comes in like the Muriel 2008 Reserva of last year. If so, it might be a box worthy purchase. However, two bottles of this were thin, insipid, uninspired, oaky messes when bought and tried at two different times by my brother and sister in law in B.C. The wine was released there recently (for substantially more $, I might add) so I was looking forward to their opinions. Their palates are finely tuned to the old world so for them to be so unimpressed, it had to be less than mediocre. Here’s the lot number from their second bottle – my public service announcement now comes to a close with two words – buyer beware.

ROSE TABLE WINE – Sitting on the deck

ARGENTINA - BODEGA SANTA JULIA VIDA ORGÁNICA MALBEC ROSÉ 2015   523 cases of 12$13.95  

 MIDI - L'OSTAL CAZES ROSÉ 2015   447 cases of 12 $14.95  

PROVENCE - GASSIER SABLES D'AZUR ROSÉ 2015   1199 cases of 12$15.95  

ITALY- FRIULI- DUCA CATEMARIO DI QUADRI COLLEZIONE PRIVATA PINOT   396 cases of 12 $14.95  

SPAIN - VIÑA REAL ROSADO 2015   794 cases of  6 $15.95; MUGA from the previous Catalogue -$13.95

BIG BUCKS and ISDs

ARGENTINA -TRAPICHE TERROIR SERIES FINCA AMBROSIA SINGLE VINEYARD – An ISD so 49 cases of 6 at $39.95 – I love these single vineyard productions from Trapiche. Impenetrably dark, unctuous fruit and a bottle made for wrist curls or for bar fights.

NORMAN HARDIE UNFILTERED CHARDONNAY 2014   131 cases of 12 $39.00 – Perhaps not quite so puckering as his PEC Chard, but very good nonetheless.  

Tuscany-RENDOLA BRUNELLO DI MONTALCINO 2004   300 cases of 12  $39.95 – Want to know what your 2010’s will be like in 12 years? Try one of these. 2004 was almost as good a vintage as 2010 so fear not. 

April 16th Vintages release - Not too much to get excited about.

April 16^th and the LCBO Vintages team brings us a feature called European Vocation. This terrible play on European Vacation had us looking forward to Shari Mokg Edwards starring as Clark Griswald in one of those expensive, tax payer sponsored, LCBO web videos. Sadly twas not to be. I guess she lacks the comic chops, but that’s not to say the LCBO doesn’t make us laugh with this release.

AUSTRALIA - DANDELION VINEYARDS LIONHEART OF THE BAROSSA SHIRAZ  1150 cases of 12  $21.95 – Creeping up in price but a perennial favourite here in Ontario. Big, bold, Barossa.  

BRITISH COLUMBIA -  CULMINA R&D RED BLEND 2014   166 cases of 12  $25.95  - From Don Triggs’ latest wine adventure, this is worth trying if only to see how he’s doing. The winemaker was formerly the maker at Osoyoos Larose I think.

RHÔNE - DOMAINE LE GRAND RETOUR PLAN DE DIEU CÔTES DU RHÔNE VILLAGES -   997 cases of 12  $14.95 – Annually a favourite chez moi and at the monopoly. Always nice to get a wine produced almost next door to Chateauneuf and at 1/3^rd the price. Good value.  

RHÔNE - SANTA DUC ROAIX LES CROTTES 2010 391 cases of 12  $19.95 – Another of the ‘under the radar’ named Villages (not quite a cru) and from a great vintage. This should be right in its drinking window now and over the next year or two. I read somewhere that this was ‘too hard to sell as ROAIX’ so the fruit is now included in the Santa Duc Quatre Terres CdR-V. A little expensive but worth a shot.

FRANCE, SOUTHWEST - CLOS TROTELIGOTTE K-OR MALBEC 2014   299 cases of 12  $18.95 – Great producer, clever name playing on the Cahors region. Give it a few years then it’d be fun to try blind with a Malbec from Argentina to see the differences in style.

PUGLIA - TORMARESCA TORCICODA PRIMITIVO 2013   274 cases of 12  $20.95 – BBQ time, so why not an Italian Zin from  ANTINORI?

TUSCANY  - SAN FELICE IL GRIGIO CHIANTI CLASSICO RISERVA 2011   298 cases of 12  $27.95 – Solid producer and  year, but not cheap. One might be worth a try.

 TUSCANY  - GUADO AL TASSO IL BRUCIATO 2013   288 cases of 12  $25.95  - A blend of Cab Sauv, Merlot and Syrah  also from Antinori.

SOUTH AFRICA -  RUSTENBERG CABERNET SAUVIGNON 2013   299 cases of 12  $19.95  - Silver medals at 4 different major wine shows as well as scores of 89 and 90 points from critics not named Suckling give this wine credibility. While new world in place, this is a slightly more Bordeaux style of cab sauv.

SPAIN - CVNE RESERVA 2011   694 cases of  6  $24.95  - Excellent producer, ageable but also drinkable now.

SPAIN -VIÑA REAL CRIANZA 2012   996 cases of 6  $18.95  - Ditto. How’s that for a detailed review?

CALIFORNIA - MICHAEL DAVID FREAKSHOW CABERNET SAUVIGNON 2013   658 cases of 12  $26.95 – What a great label! Described as reminiscent of the Sgt Pepper Album cover (you kids can ask your parents), this is a big wine from the Phillips brothers in Lodi California.  

BIG BUCKS and ISDs

Tuscany -AVIGNONESI VINO NOBILE DI MONTEPULCIANO 2012   166 cases of 12  $39.95 – Visiting the wineries around Montepulciano and gauging the locals’ impressions of the newish owners of Avignonesi was quite interesting last fall. The opinion seemed to be that they were outsiders and were not interested in the traditional ways nor integrating themselves. The locals all had another winery that they recommended we visit instead of going there. Avignonesi wines do score well though it appears they have decided to move into Brunello territory, price wise.

BURGUNDY -CHÂTEAU-FUISSÉ TÊTE DE CRU POUILLY-FUISSÉ 2012 ISD  34 cases of 12  $41.95 – Tasty chardonnay but $$’s.  

RHÔNE - DOMAINE DE LA CHARBONNIÈRE CHÂTEAUNEUF-DU-PAPE 2012   147 cases of 12   $43.95 

Tuscany - LA LECCIAIA BRUNELLO DI MONTALCINO 2010   147 cases of 6  $57.95 – Too many $$’s for me.   

Tuscany -IL GRIGIO DA SAN FELICE GRAN SELEZIONE CHIANTI CLASSICO   333 cases of 6  $46.95  - You know this was Wine Enthusiast's #1 wine last year, right? Just sayin'.

OZ - BAROSSA VALLEY ESTATE EBENEZER CABERNET SAUVIGNON   221 cases of 6   $39.95 – Ebenezer syrah is (doing my best Jimmy Fallon doing his best Donald Trump) “HUUUGE!” I see no reason for the cab to be anything less.

Vintages April 2 - Old vs. New - At my age, you know who I'm cheering for!

A release that features comparisons of a number of old and new world  wines. The good news here is that you get to see not only the stylistic  differences in the wines but also the differences in the way wines are marketed and sold in the old and new world. As you may have noticed, one often focuses on the place, the other mostly on the grape.

ARGENTINA

NORTON RESERVA CABERNET SAUVIGNON 2012   558 cases 0f 12  $17.95 – Among the better buys in the release, this Cab will offer lots to accompany your spring BBQs.

AUSTRALIA

JIM BARRY THE LODGE HILL SHIRAZ 2013   748 cases 0f 12 $24.95 – 2013 would have been harvested in the March April timeframe so this one has a wee bit of age on it. The Lodge Hill is always a favourite, slightly cooler climate and ready to go, big but not overwhelming.

ZONTE'S FOOTSTEP AVALON TREE CABERNET SAUVIGNON 2013   638 cases 0f 12  $17.95 – A new one for me. Based on their shiraz wines I have no reason to expect anything less than a good product.

THORN-CLARKE SHOTFIRE SHIRAZ 2013   390 cases 0f 12  $21.95  - Excellent

XANADU DJL CABERNET SAUVIGNON 2012   248 cases 0f 12 $22.95 – Baby brother to their excellent and recently released Xanadu Cab which sold out at my local stores faster than you can say Olivia Newton John.

CHILE- EMILIANA COYAM 2012 - $29.95 – The 95 points from Suckling is over the top, but the fact that this is an organic product is important to some people. Fans of Chile may also like the Vina Terapaca in this release. 93 points (oh Mr. Suckling – give it a rest!) and only $17.95.

BRUNEL DE LA GARDINE CROZES-HERMITAGE 2014   148 cases 0f 12 $23.95 – Unfair to compare this to a 2013 Aussie Shiraz, if only because  a 2013 Shiraz is closer to a Northern Hemisphere 2012 Vintage wine and will be considerably more ready to drink. That said, Crozes Hermitage  wines are age worthy in the mid term and are well produced.  

Gerard Bertrand LA CLAPE CSM 2011 - $18.95 – Good wine, right in its drinking window now.

MAS DES BRESSADES CUVÉE TRADITION 2014   614 cases 0f 12 $16.95  - OK wine for the price.

DAUVERGNE RANVIER GRAND VIN COTES DU RHÔNE-VILLAGES   417 cases 0f 12  $18.95  - A Grenache based wine from a bad year for Grenache. Might be worth trying one just to see.

SOUTH AFRICA

STELLENRUST TIMELESS 2011   133 cases 0f 12  $19.95  A very good South African Bordeaux blend.

WASHINGTON STATE

HOGUE GENESIS CABERNET SAUVIGNON 2013   502 cases 0f 12  $18.95 – Well priced, similar in profile to the Columbia Crest Cabernet.  

Italy - VENETO

ZENATO VALPOLICELLA SUPERIORE 2013   1198 cases 0f 12 $17.95  - A W.o.M. and I would describe this as a solid wine, very serviceable and sure to please a wide variety of palates.  Aged  for approximately 12 months in barrel.

CORTE MAJOLI RIPASSO VALPOLICELLA SUPERIORE 2013   418 cases 0f 12  $19.95 

Italy - CAMPANIA

ALOIS CUNTO PALLAGRELLO NERO 2011 -  28 cases 0f 12 $24.95  - An ISD, so few and far between unless you live in one of the chosen areas. Floral and spicy, expect harsh tannins fronted by black fruits. 

SPAIN – BODEGAS LANGA PI 3.1415 CONCEJON - $20.95- Like the Mencia grape was in Bierzo a few years back, here’s a wine grape that is unheard of outside of Aragon in Spain. Made from Concejon grapes, this is something different to try. Fulfills the Vintages responsibility to bring us ‘different’ products, I guess.

BIG BUCKS

RHÔNE – JEAN-LUC COLOMBO TERRES BRÛLÉES CORNAS SYRAH 2012 ISD   22 cases 0f 6 $72.95 – Cornas is old world syrah at its finest.

SPAIN - TORRES SALMOS 2012   147 cases 0f 6 $30.95  

S.A. – BOEKENHOUTSKLOOF THE CHOCOLATE BLOCK 2013   232 cases 0f 12 $39.95  

ARG. - VILLA DE LOS ENOLOGOS CASTA DE SALVAJES CRONOS MALBEC   208 cases 0f 12 $35.95

OZ - MOLLYDOOKER TWO LEFT FEET 2014   98 cases 0f 12  $33.95  

B.C. - BURROWING OWL SYRAH 2013   166 cases 0f 12 $40.95 

March 19th Vintages Release notes - Italy and Israel.

March 19^th has almost arrived, (or if you’re reading this after that date, it’s come and gone), and with it comes a mixed bag of global wine options. Although Vintages features Italy and Israel this time around, there is a reasonably good variety of wines and wine origins from which to choose. I’ll sort them by country this week and highlight my top flight choices with an asterisk or two.

LUCA LABORDE DOUBLE SELECT SYRAH 2013 335 cases of 6 $29.95 – While expensive for an Argentinian Syrah, the Luca line of wines produced by Laura Catena is always very good. Gets the omnipresent 90+ points from James Suckling.

ALTA VISTA PREMIUM ESTATE MALBEC 2013 419 cases of 12 $19.95 – OK QPR

HOWARD PARK MIAMUP CABERNET SAUVIGNON 2013 – $22.95 - A very tasty western Australian Cabernet. Less in your face than some Southeasterners from Australia.

*MONTGRAS ANTU SYRAH 2014 598 cases of 12 $17.95 – Always excellent. Best given a bit of time and served with anything red that’s been grilled.  Look for hints of vanilla, and lots of chocolate and black fruits.

MONTGRAS INTRIGA CABERNET SAUVIGNON 2012 199 cases of 12  $22.95 – A close second to the Syrah, this cabernet from the Maipo Valley should be very good over the next few years offering currants, mint and hints of loam.

*Chateau du Cedre CEDRE Heritage 2012 - $17.95 – Chateau du Cedre is among the better houses in the Cahors region, producing superb Malbecs.  Roger Voss scored this 94 points but suggests you wait a couple of years to open. If you must open it, decant it early for a meal of grilled meats.

MIDI

CHÂTEAU DE L'OU INFINIMENT SYRAH 2012 279 cases of 12  $26.95 -100% syrah grapes from the Languedoc.

RHÔNE

**LE GRAVILLAS CÔTES DU RHÔNE-VILLAGES SÉGURET 2014 698 cases of 12 $16.95 – When you can get a named Village for under $17, even if the village is not one of the ones regarded as a cru, you should consider it. This is among the first of the 2014’s to come in. 2014 appears to be regarded as a good vintage in the South Rhone.

TUSCANY

NOZZOLE CHIANTI CLASSICO RISERVA 2011 1298 cases of 12 $19.95 – Lots of cases so no rush here.

*BARONE RICASOLI ROCCA GUICCIARDA RISERVA CHIANTI 799 cases of 12 $24.95 – Always very good, this wine loves to be paired with braises, stews, Bolognese sauce – oh hell, any Italian food.

*LA BRACCESCA VINO NOBILE DI MONTEPULCIANO 2012 299 cases of 12 $24.95 – From Antinori’s Montepulciano estate. Having tasted through a number of 2012  Vino Nobiles last fall, I expect this to be very good. Best given a wee bit of time to allow it to rest, you can serve over the next 3 years or so with any Tuscan specialty. Perhaps a big T bone?

SPAIN

*SEÑORÍO DE SOTILLO CRIANZA 2011 599 cases of 12  $19.95 – Dark, but not brooding fruit.

There are also at least three wines from the Vintages Essentials that are  worth considering this month. Each is on sale and they are among the better offerings. Look for the Louis Martini 2013 Cabernet, the Wynn’s Coonawarra Cabernet or the Two Hands Gnarly Dudes Shiraz.

BIG BUCKS

MUGA SELECCIÓN ESPECIAL 2010   152 cases of 12 $39.95 – Terrific producer, classic Spanish style. 

THORN-CLARKE WILLIAM RANDELL SHIRAZ 2012   89 cases of 6  $44.95 – Like ‘em big? I mean really big? Here’s your pick.

IL MOLINO DI GRACE IL MARGONE GRAN SELEZIONE CHIANTI 2010 149 cases of 12  $39.95 – The top of the Chianti Classico pyramid from Il Molino di Grace.

ORNELLAIA 2012   199 cases of 6 $195.95 - $200? Fahgedaboudit! Out of my snack bracket.

CHÂTEAU MONT-REDON CHÂTEAUNEUF-DU-PAPE 2011   167 cases of 12 $46.95

BARONE RICASOLI CASALFERRO 2011   38 cases of 6 $51.95 – A single varietal (merlot) from a single vineyard in Gaiole (Chianti). The Baron is renowned for his quality – curses, two bucks lass and I might spring for one of these.

Donnatella Cinelli Columbini Brunello di Mantalcino 2008 $44.95 – Never has the value of a vintage been more obvious than with this wine. The 2010 was available for $58. An older but much less heralded vintage, this one comes in almost $14 less.

OLARRA ERUDITO RESERVA ESPECIAL 2009   99 cases of 6  $37.95 – Good, but don’t let the score fool you and there will not be many of them around.

March 5 Release - Let's just tear out the first half, throw it away and go bargain hunting (relatively speaking) from the rest

This release features Californians (mostly from Napa) which I chose to completely ignore. The sky high prices for these wines make them unfit for my consumption. I almost had to ignore those in the Brunello feature as well but having been in Montalcino last summer, I must confess a twinge of fondness and interest. The price I paid for the Piccolomini Pianrosso single vineyard offering compared to the price the LCBO is charging for the normale is a like an ice cold shower. Reality really bites. That said, the March 05 release has some wines that are worth your consideration.

Spain figures prominently in my selections from this release and with good reason. There are a number of apparently fine wines

Baron de Ley 2010 Reserva at $21.95  One of the WOMs, it’s an ok priced Rioja that’ll age nicely for years  and provide ample pleasure with food right away.

Bordon Rioja Reserva 2009 $19.95 -Equally good,  with one more year of age on it, and two fewer dollars expense,  this subtle food wine will not overpower but rather complement your meals.

Jardin de Luculo 2012 – Are you looking for something other than Tempranillo? Here’s a well scored Grenache that will be good for a few years to come.

Descendientes  de J. Palacios Petalos 2013 - $24.95 - A collaboration of Alvero Palacios and Ricardo Perez,  the wine is produced using 100% Mencia grapes from the  Bierzo region. It is annually a treat both visually and to your tastebuds. Give it a bit of time or decant.

Sisters Run Cow’s Corner GSM 2014 $16.95– So far in 2016 it seems Sister’s Run is this year’s Gerard Bertrand, seemingly a new offering available in each Vintages release. The GSM is a new one for me but I’ll try it just because of my fondness for this blend. Think of it as a slightly expensive Cotes du Rhone.

Xavier COTES Du RHONE 2012 -$17.00 – One of The Food and Drink ‘Specials’-No need to rush for this one. There are almost 3500 cases of it. Upper priced for most Cotes du Rhone but from this negociant/ producer it might be a worthwhile selection. If you’re a penny pinching C d R fan I suggest you look around for some leftover 2013 Domaine le Grand Retour Plan de Dieu or drop into the Languedoc for some leftover 2012 Chateau des Aladeres Vielle Vignes. Both were $14.95

JOSH Cabernet Sauvignon 2013- $17.00 – The other Food and Drink Special. Seems like a not bad price for a Cali cab from a good year but I’m not familiar with the producer. 3000 cases minus 1 means there’ll be lots. If you’re a cab fan, compare it to the Columbia Crest in this release to see if it’s as good. Reviews do seem OK.

Columbia Crest Grand Estates Cabernet Sauvignon 2012 - $17.95 – Ready for short term consumption, this is a solid, well made wine if a little heavy handed with oak sometimes.

Castello di Bibbione Chianti Classico Reserva 2010 - $22.95 – OK priced Chianti from a good vintage.

John X Merriman – Rustenberg 2012 $24.95 presents a Bordeaux blend from South Africa that can be enjoyed for the next 5 – 8 years.

Finca el Origin 2013 Malbec – $19.95 – The other WOM will provide a great accompaniment to burgers or sausages from the grill.

NK’MIP CELLARS QWAM QWMT 2012 Cabernet Sauvignon - $28.95 -A flashy, fleshy, sophisticated cabernet from the Southern Okanagan. The native Canadian band’s land may be the best grape growing soil in the entire valley.  Pronounced as follows, (Nk'Mip: in-Ka-meep.  QwAM QwMT: kw-em kw-empt), Winemaker Randy Picton said some years ago, "It took a leap of faith for the band to use a name that was so hard to pronounce,"  but the name honours both the terrior and the heritage of the band.

BIG BUCKS

It’s very hard to pass up the Brunelli in the release but one of my New Year’s resolutions was to hold the line at an absolute max of $50. So far so good! Let’s start the big buck options with:

LUCA G LOT Chardonnay 2013 $34.95 – OK, let’s get the elephant in the room out of the way immediately. Yes I am recommending an Argentinian Chardonnay that sells for $35 bucks! Were this a Cali chard of this quality, it’d be at least two or three times the price. It would be fun to have a Chard-off among this one, something from Napa, a premiere cru Chablis, the Hamilton Russell and say Norman Hardie’s or last year’s Closson Chase PEC County chardonnay. After the tasting, enjoy them all with fresh, pan fried pickerel, bass or even some shrimp on the bar-b. Life doesn’t get better.

Frescobaldi Castelgiocondo 2010 $49.95 – Don’t spring for the litre and a half when their 750 ml slides in under the $50 mark. You‘re better off buying two of them but there is something to be said for those big bottles! 

Feb.20 Vintages - Australia takes centre stage

Vintages February 20^th release features Australia and, while it has some of the same old same olds, it also has some new and different wines for us. Interesting that the winery occupying half a page in the Adelaide Hills section is not represented in the release. Odd? Not for the LCBO. I’m sure whoever took the pic had an enjoyable choco vino tasting at that winery. And I’m sure the owners of Hahndorf Hill were content not to deal with the LCBO. Giving the Penfolds mirror almost a quarter of a page baffles me as well. I cannot imagine a real retailer publishing a retail catalogue and giving up three quarters of a page to suppliers not even in the catalogue.  

Another personal opinion is that many of the wine critics’ scores are somewhat elevated for the wines presented. James Halliday and Campbell Mattinson are Australian wine writers and are not dissimilar to many of our own local writers in that respect. Let’s just say they are susceptible to nationalistic tastebuds, shall we? On the other hand, James Suckling seems more interested in promoting his wine website - high scores keep his name before the public on shelf talkers and that drives subscriptions to his site. Keep these facts in mind and reduce their numerical scores by 2 to 5 points and you will get a better idea of what to expect in the bottles. On to the picks!

Twelftree Greenock Ebenezer Grenache Mataro 2012 – $23.95- 399 cases of 6 - Expect a sleek OZ take on the Southern Rhone stalwart. Twelftree Wines, from Michael Twelftree of Two Hands fame, is a limited collection of Grenache based wines. They’ve been sourced from vineyard sites to present the best of what both the grapes and sites have to offer. Here the Grenache is from near Moppa Springs and the Mourvedre (Mataro in Oz) is from a vineyard near the village of Ebenezer in the Barossa Valley.

3 Rings Shiraz 2013- $18.95 – 888 cases of 12 and as the label says, “It’s magic”. And not badly priced either.

Xanadu Cabernet Sauvignon 2012 - $29.95 – 199 cases of 12 in the release. A winner of the Cabernet Trophy as the best cab in the national wine show in Oz. From the Margaret River area, expect more Bordeaux influences than those exhibited by the Katnook below.

Katnook Estate Cabernet Sauvignon 2012 -$29.95 –332 cases of 6 - A wonderful cabernet from the Coonawarra region, expect black fruit and hints of eucalyptus. Great with lamb and historically 91- 92 points in my book.

Jip JIP Rocks Shiraz 2013 - $16.95 – 998 cases of 12 of this well priced, solid wine for BBQs.

Penny’s Hill Cracking Black Shiraz 2013 -$21.95 – 503 cases of 12 Big, rich, dark wine from the McLaren Vale.

D’Arenberg The Custodian Grenache 2012 - $19.95 – 998 cases of this good sub $20 wine.

Also in the release is ‘Fields of Joy’ from the Two Hands Picture Series. While the Picture Series identifies the entry level wines in the Two Hands portfolio it does not represent a reduction in quality. ‘FoJ’ is from grapes grown in the Clare Valley region and as Michael Twelftree described an earlier vintage “…Clare Valley is easily one of the most soft and elegant regions I work with in Australia. The wines have a lifted aromatic profile and a very tight and slightly lean palate that is … caressing and silky, I always love Clare for its feminine nature.”

LaPosta Armando Bonarda 2014 $14.95 647 cases- of 12 – Fruity, but balanced. If you’re looking for something different you might want to give this a try.

Gadais Muscadet Sevre & Maine – 2013- $15.95 – Feeling like a white? There’ll be 504 cases of this somewhat underappreciated  wine from the Loire. Made from the Melon de Borgogne grape and right in its drinking window.

Muriel Gran Reserva 2005- $28.95 –898 cases- Looking for an older wine? This has 10 and a half years on it but is still going strong. Ready to serve immediately with charcuterie, tapas or anything grilled or roasted. The 2008 Muriel Reserva was excellent and I expect nothing less from its older, bigger brother (the 2005).

BIG BUCKS

Glaetzer Bishop Shiraz 2013 – $40.00- 255 cases of 6 - I had a previous vintage of this alongside Glaetzer’s Amon Ra and there was little, if anything to choose between the two. Super wine.

Raymond Usseglio Cuvee Imperiale Chateauneuf du Pape 2012 – $57.95 - 120 cases and superb, from vines over 100 years old. In 2010 this cuvee flirted with 100 points. If you can afford it, this might be worth wrestling for.