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 -
