The Monopoly fails in its quest for 3 in a row

The Monopoly fails in its quest for 3 in a row
Ah well, the Vintages streak of consecutive quality product releases has come to a crashing end at 2. Coincidentally it is also the appropriate time to reprise the Python boys ‘Fine Australian Table wines’ skit and provide the following recommendation for this release - it is a release for ’laying down and avoiding’.

On the OZ front the LCBO team has underbought and overpriced most of the products. Inside the release, the turkeys for Thanksgiving are a mostly bland rehash. With one exception the Icons from Italy are pretty much out of reach unless you have deeeeeeep pockets.

Let’s start with the Australia – if you are going to have a title of ‘Top Aussie Reds’ on your cover you had better have at least some of the TOP Aussie reds inside. Do Not Have one brilliant wine surrounded by a bunch of General List retreads, starter entries, and generally nondescript underachievers sporting overblown James Halliday scores! Where are the Two Hands, the Clarendon Hills, the Vasse Felix, the Leuwins? Hell even a Mollydooker would have been nice (they have more than one of ‘em in BC)!
On to the wines…
The Shiraz – Cimicky might be OK, the Blackwell from St. Hallet should be very good but is overpriced anymore, and the Grant Burge is an entry level wine from that producer. Ah well, if you have the bucks (I don’t), the Elderton Command is superb.
The Cabs – Really??? All of Coonawarra, and we have to have two Cabs from the same house? Katnook’s lowest price entry is good value for the $’s, Nick Faldo? Say no more. What’s the matter, didn’t they have a Wayne Gretzky bottling? The Wynn’s is a refugee from the general list where it languished at $5 LESS per bottle, and the Penley is a nice tannic brute but overpriced. It strikes me odd that here it is an Australian feature and there are a couple of Cali Cabs that are as good or better quality- wise and just as well priced.
The Western OZ offerings will provide a flavor profile more like Bordeaux. Think green peppers, tobacco maybe a bit of tomato leaf along with the fruit. The more full blown California style fruit will come from South Australia (Barossa, McLaren Vale, etc). Of the Cab Merlots – Stella Bella and Xanadu are my picks. The Stella Bella more because I can do a mini Marlon Brando impression with ‘Stella!’ than due to the overdone James Halliday review. I’ll leave someone else to do the Olivia Newton John bit with the Xanadu.
On to the Blends – don’t get me started again! Too late, I’m started again! How can you possibly have an Aussie blend page and not have a single GSM?
Pinots? – Not for me.

Rant done, lets get back to the release

The Italian Icons are at least somewhat iconic and high priced except perhaps the Chianti Classico Reserva 2006. That should be a nice find.

From Spain, what may be the three best buys of the release, the el Arte de Viver 2007 has a great review and is only $13.95; the Palacios Vendimia 2008 at $15.95 is also a good buy but I’m not as enthusiastic as Vic Harradine. The white of the release, especially with turkey day coming, might be the Burgans Albarino 2009. Again a great review and well priced at $16.95

2 from California that caught my eye – the Rodney Strong Cab is well priced and solid and last year’s Edge was a surprise. This year’s seems to be at least as good and is getting some good reviews. Under $28 for a 90 point Napa cab is pretty rare.
The Silver labeled Trapiche Cab from Argentina is always a bargain.
From Italy the Aglianico Del Vulture at $18.95 should sport big fruit and liquorice flavours I’m hoping.
As for the premium wines, look to the Italian Icons, Shafer’s Merlot and the Caymus cab along with the Philip Togni Tanbark Hill with the Caymus probably the best along with the aforementioned Elderton Command.

Those of you in the Big Smoke might head to Crossroads and pick up a real Australian bargain, the Peter Lehmann Cabernet Sauvignon 2006 is on clearout for $12.95. It’s from Barossa and on par with the Wynn’s in this release but at half the price. Or go back through some of the last two release notes and see what’s still in stock. I know I did!