Friday, February 27, 2009

Luigi Bosca Alert and comment re Occultum Lapidum from Chapoutier

For those fans of the fabulous 2005 Luigi Bosca Malbec that was out in the late summer early fall, it's baaaaaack at selected LCBO locations. Check the website to find one near you. Thats the good news, the bad news is that it's about $17.95 this time around. This wine just begs you to fire up the BBQ and throw on a slab of red meat! It'll be fun to try the Bosca against the Vina Cobos Felino. The Felino is a couple of years younger so if you are going to try them head up, open it early to even the age difference.

Now the comment re the other W.o. M. - I'm hearing disconcerting news about the Occultum Lapidum from Chapoutier. I've spoken to a couple of consultants and both said they couldn't taste it at their prerelease tastings. One said it was because her bottle was 'off', the second was in a different group and said their bottle was clearly corked. Not a good sign for a wine that I had high hopes for....buyer beware and if you buy it and it just doesn't taste right, it probably isn't. Be prepoared to return it.

Tuesday, February 24, 2009

February 28th Vintages Release

A Mediterranean focus this week, including both the South of France and Sicily. Fans of Rhone-style blends at bargain prices (myself included) should be delighted by some of the quality wines available.

What am I buying? Too many choices! But I'll be picking up some but not necessarily all of the following names:

PERRIN & FILS LES CHRISTINS VACQUEYRAS 2006
DOMAINE DE BILA-HAUT OCCULTUM LAPIDEM 2006
VIÑA COBOS FELINO MALBEC 2007
SANTA JULIA MAGNA 2005
DOMAINE DES AIRES HAUTES LES COMBELLES 2005
TERRASSES DE LA MOULINE ROUGE 2007
CHÂTEAU DE FONTENELLES CUVÉE NOTRE DAME 2006
ROCCA DELLE MACÌE CHIANTI RISERVA 2005
GRAFFIGNA CENTENARIO PINOT GRIGIO 2007
QUINTA DO INFANTADO RED 2006

Osoyoos Larose 2005

The Southern France wines are great values and terrific flavours.
CAZES L'EXCELLENCE DE TRINIAC 2005 AC Côtes du Roussillon-Villages Latour-de-France. A Gold Medal winner at the 2007 Concours Général Agricole in Paris, France. Should be lots going on here but don’t rush it. $16.95
DOMAINE DE BILA-HAUT OCCULTUM LAPIDEM 2006 AC Côtes du Roussillon-Villages Chapoutier is usually very good. I expect excellence here and it’s a WoM so there’ll be lots of it! (91-93) $19.95
CHÂTEAU DE FONTENELLES CUVÉE NOTRE DAME 2006 Another Winner of Gold Medals at the Paris' Concours Général Agricole and the Concours des Grands Vins de France in 2008. $16.95

CHÂTEAU DU VIEUX PARC LA SÉLECTION 2005 AC Corbières, Estate Btld. A Gold Medal winner at the 2007 Concours Général Agricole in Paris, France. Should be very tasty, the Vintages panel knows what they are doing! $19.95
TERRASSES DE LA MOULINE ROUGE 2007 AC Saint-Chinian, A Gold Medal winner at the 2008 Vinalies Internationales competition in Paris. – if this wine lives up to this review, you’ll be fighting over it for sure, especially at $13.95! And you have to love the way the French describe their wines…."Very rich on the palate with tannins that are adorably silky, caressing, charming and seductive. The never-ending finish is full of melt-in-your-mouth dark chocolate flavours." $13.95
LA BASTIDE BLANCHE BANDOL 2006 Bigger than some of the others from Southern France, wines from Bandol can be a real ageworthy treat $25.95
DOMAINE DES AIRES HAUTES LES COMBELLES 2005 AC Minervois, aroma profile that includes leather, raspberry, blueberry, plum, licorice and mineral. Dry, balanced, generous and fairly ripe. A wine for gourmet sausages. At this price, call me a gourmet sausage! $13.95

Yikes, some whites!
JACKSON-TRIGGS OKANAGAN ESTATE PROPRIETORS' GRAND RESERVE CHARDONNAY 2005 VQA Okanagan Valley – Always superior and well priced. 21.95

MACULAN PINOT GRIGIO 2007 DOC Breganze A very nice sample if you’re a Pinot Grigio fan $15.95
GRAFFIGNA CENTENARIO PINOT GRIGIO 2007 – This South American sample of Pinot Grigio should be very tasty! - 88. $14.95
FEUDO MONTONI CATARRATTO 2007 IGT Score - 90. Something a little different than the usual chards and Sauvignon blancs at $15.95
COMPOSITE SAUVIGNON BLANC 2007 A nod to Sancerre. At less than $20 this will be a real test against the ‘cult’ like Cloudy Bay $19.95

Canada
INNISKILLIN RESERVE SERIES MERITAGE 2006 VQA Niagara Peninsula A Gold Medal winner at the 2008 All Canadian Wine Championships. $17.95

Argentina
SANTA JULIA MAGNA 2005
Mendoza, Argentina (Familia Zuccardi). Great Region, Great Producer, Great Price! Blend of Cab, malbec and syrah, the BBQ says buy lots and it’s rarely wrong $14.95
CRIOS DE SUSANA BALBO SYRAH/BONARDA 2006 Mendoza Susana Balbo is a terrific winemaker. Her wines are always well priced and very,very tasty.- 89. $14.95
VIÑA COBOS FELINO MALBEC 2007 Mendoza, Unfined & Unfiltered, Estate Btld. Vina Cobos is a real up and comer. Once again this will be a massive mouthful of maroon malbec ( ahhh , I love alliteration ). It’s the other WoM, I expect you’ll need to decant carefully so that you don’t get a chewy wine both literally and figuratively. 91pts $19.95
PASCUAL TOSO RESERVE CABERNET SAUVIGNON 2006 Maipu, Mendoza, Las Barrancas Vineyards - Another nice wine at a good price– 89pts. $19.95
The Aussies
2 ELDERTON FRIENDS VINEYARD SERIES – a Shiraz and a CAB SAUV 2006 Always good wine from a great producer. $18.95
MITOLO JESTER CABERNET SAUVIGNON 2007 Always very good, you can’t go wrong here. Doug, try one for your Elderton fix. $22.95
THE COLONIAL ESTATE EXPLORATEUR OLD VINE SHIRAZ 2006 – This is a bit expensive for what you get, I think. 90. $29.95
South Africa
STELLENRUST SHIRAZ 2005 Stellenbosch, very well priced- close to a pick! $16.95

France – the Rhone
PERRIN & FILS LES CHRISTINS VACQUEYRAS 2006 Perennially (almost a pun there!) a 90 point plus wine. I really like this …. ’04 was great, ’05 as good and this one should follow them nicely 91. $23.95
CAVES SAINT-PIERRE PREFERENCE CÔTES-DU-RHÔNE 2007 AC A Gold Medal winner at the 2008 Concours des Vins in Orange, France. – should be a dynamite wine for the price $14.95

Italy
ROCCA DELLE MACÌE CHIANTI RISERVA 2005
DOCG - Also a terrific buy if you like sangiovese at $15.00
Portugal
QUINTA DO INFANTADO RED 2006 DOC Douro, A dry wine from a terrific port producer. Get on the Portugal train before it leaves the station. Should be very good. $23.95
Spain
1707 SELECCIÓN DE BARRICAS 2004 DO Almansa (Hacienda El Espino)- This has a sinkful of various grapes – if you want red but can’t decide which one, try this after a one hour decant 16.95
CAN BLAU MONTSANT 2007 – one to lay down and forget for a few years. $21.95

The Big Budget bottles. Some terrific wines but who can afford them?

OSOYOOS LAROSE LE GRAND VIN 2005
Superb Canadian Wine from BC. But not cheap. And needs a few years in a quiet dark place. Score - 5 Stars (out of 5). $44.95
CLOS DU VAL CABERNET SAUVIGNON 2004 Stags Leap District, Napa Score - 92. $79.95
DOMINUS 2005Napa Valley, Estate Btld.(Christian Moueix) - 95+. $127.95
RIDGE GEYSERVILLE 2006Sonoma County, Estate Btld. Score - 90. $58.95
SEGHESIO HOME RANCH ZINFANDEL 2006 Alexander Valley, Sonoma County 91. $46.95
CATENA ALTA CABERNET SAUVIGNON 2005 Mendoza This one might be worth the extra bucks! $55.95
D'ARENBERG THE DEAD ARM SHIRAZ 2006 McLaren Vale, South –Needs years or decant for hours 93. $55.95
YALUMBA THE SIGNATURE CABERNET SAUVIGNON/SHIRAZ 2004 94 $49.95
KILIKANOON COVENANT SHIRAZ 2006 – $49.95
ANTINORI SOLAIA 2005 -IGT Toscana – Time to win a lottery! Anticipated maturity: 2012-2023. Score - 93. $234.95
ANTINORI TIGNANELLO 2005 IGT Toscana, Estate Btld. - 92. Half bottles for $59.95 or 1500ml for $244.95
IL BORRO ROSSO 2005IGT Toscana, Estate Btld. - 90. $59.95
CHÂTEAU DE BEAUCASTEL CHÂTEAUNEUF-DU-PAPE 2006AC, Estate Btld. …needs 4-6 years of bottle age and should last 25-30 years. That’s probably longer than I’ll last! 92-94. $89.95
FEUDO MONTONI VRUCARA NERO D'AVOLA 2005 - - 93. $37.95 -

Friday, February 13, 2009

Preview of the 28th release - Recommend you wait

I just saw the release scheduled for the 28th. Unless you really like something in the 14th release, I'd do like the guy from ING says and "Save your money". The next one has some very nice possibilities.

Thursday, February 12, 2009

A typically schizophrenic LCBO release - the focus is supposed to be South Africa, but looking at the variety and quality of the wines available in this release, the best country representation is not S.A. but rather Italy. The best single producer focus has a maple leaf - the expensive 3 Pinot noirs and two Chardonnays from Clos Jordanne on the Niagara Peninsula.

What am I buying?
Not much, I picked up what I thought were the best of the bargains from the sale last week and am cashed out. If I were buying, I'd grab a couple of the Pio Cesare Barbera D'Alba, the Teusner Shiraz , High Trellis, the Memsie or the Terrazas Cabernet from Argentina. I like to plug them because they link to my blog in Argentina!

South Africa

GRAHAM BECK THE RIDGE SYRAH 2003 WO Robertson One of the best S.A. wines in the release. $25.95
STARK-CONDÉ SYRAH 2005 WO Stellenbosch, Unfined and Unfiltered -Terrific producer, well priced $19.95
GROENLAND ANTOINETTE MARIÉ 2005, WO Stellenbosch –well priced, might be highlight among the dim bulbs in this S. A. release. $17.95

Argentina
TERRAZAS DE LOS ANDES RESERVA CABERNET SAUVIGNON 2006 – This one’ll call out for red meat, but should be good. $18.95
RENACER PUNTO FINAL RESERVA MALBEC 2005 - Nice review! But like the Cabernet, get some red meat between you and it! 91. $23.95

OZ
D'ARENBERG THE HERMIT CRAB VIOGNIER/MARSANNE
2007 , A White blend of 58% Viognier and 42% Marsanne. – something a little different $17.95
D'ARENBERG THE HIGH TRELLIS CABERNET SAUVIGNON 2006 A Bordeaux blend from the McLaren Vale Score – Very well priced 90+. $19.95
TEUSNER THE RIEBKE EBENEZER ROAD SHIRAZ 2006 Barossa Valley, Kym Teusner is the talented winemaker for Rolf Binder Wines, but he also finds time for his own venture, which has been receiving rave reviews.- 93. $23.95
WATER WHEEL MEMSIE 2007 – Always a terrific price. $13.95
France
DOMAINE DES MULINS MORGON
2007 AC My gosh, my first Beaujolais highlight – Wait for the first sunny, warm Saturday afternoon..Serve it slightly chilled alongside a plate of cold cuts or with white meats. $18.95
Italy
MASTROBERARDINO AGLIANICO 2006. The wine has thick tannins and good length with bursting fruit flavors. 88. $22.95
TERREDORA LACRYMA CHRISTI DEL VESUVIO ROSSO 2005 (100% Piedirosso)- try this and the Spanish Mencia for fans of the unusual , soft, polished red offers and the pretty finish. - 90. $20.95
PIO CESARE BARBERA D'ALBA 2006–Very good buy – there’ll be a huge run on it 92. $21.95
CASTELLANI CHIANTI CLASSICO RISERVA 2004 – should be good…$21.95
ROCCA DELLE MACÌE TENUTA SANT' ALFONSO CHIANTI CLASSICO 2004 very classy single vineyard expression of 100 per cent sangiovese. Enjoy now-2014. Score - 90. $22.95
CORTE ZOVO SA' SOLIN RIPASSO 2005 - very good – always. $17.95
Spain
CUATRO PASOS MENCÍA 2006 Try something different tonight! The Grape is Mencia, 90. $16.95

The Big Buck selections
All of these are best held for a number of years or decanted for a few hours:
MITOLO G.A.M. SHIRAZ 2006 The 2006 Shiraz "G.A.M." is loved by Parker’s team 95. $54.95
CHÂTEAU DE PEZ 2006AC Saint-Estèphe 89-91 $48.95
PIO CESARE BARBARESCO 2004 a mostly traditional interpretation of Nebbiolo. Anticipated maturity: 2009-2024. Score - 92. $73.95
BARONE RICASOLI CASALFERRO 2004 blend of Sangiovese and Merlot that spent 18 months in French oak. - 90. $39.95
CA'MARCANDA PROMIS 2006 Ca'Marcanda is Angelo Gaja's winemaking venture in Tuscany's coastal region of Maremma. Mini-cult wine, too expensive - 90. $49.95
FATTORIA DEI BARBI BRUNELLO DI MONTALCINO 2003- always 89-90 points- usually a more fruit forward rendition of Brunello. 89. $48.95
I CASTEI AMARONE DELLA VALPOLICELLA CLASSICO 2004 - nice amarone - 91 $44.95
OPUS ONE 2005 Napa Valley – Are you kidding me?!? In this economy? $359.95
RIDGE SANTA CRUZ MOUNTAINS ESTATE 2005 – Always good $59.95

Thursday, February 5, 2009

Another Sale this weekend - with a few real goodies!

Get to your friendly local Vintages website for a summary of the items on sale. There is one WS Top 100 wine in the list and a few very good wines that are now marked down to more realistic prices!

My top picks from the list are:
Montirius Le Clos Vacqueyras 2005 - WS top100, organic, Southern Rhone, no oak, a beaut!
Onix Fusio 2006 - Grenache/ tempranillo blend from Priorat in Spain

and then it's a tie among the two CdPs, the Brunello, another Spanish one, a couple of Northern Rhones, some Amarones and on and on.....