Ahhhh, November and the LCBO’s thoughts turn to big buck exclusives to lighten our wallets, damage exercise our kidneys, and send our tastebuds into paroxysms of desire for more! The first release of the month of November presents an amazing compendium of grape based delights. And the good news is some are even below $20! But most of the really high scoring wines will likely require an RRSP raid. So here we go, sorted from ’cheap and cheerful’ to “You spent how much on wine this month??!!’
The Cheapies (OK, under $20)
QUINTA DE CABRIZ SELECCIONADA COLHEITA 2008 - Not a port, don’t be confused! $14.95 and a Best Value with ‘sauvage allure’. How can you even question buying a wine that has suavage allure?
STALKING HORSE SHIRAZ 2008 $17.95 – Harvey Steiman says 90 points. I’d trust his palate over Jay Miller’s. Buy this one.
DELAS FRÈRES SAINT-ESPRIT CÔTES DU RHÔNE 2009 - $14.95 – At the risk of sounding like a broken record, 2009 - Terrific vintage, terrific producers.
MAIPE RESERVE CABERNET SAUVIGNON 2009 $17.95 – Another Argentinian with 90 points from Parker’s minions.
AGRELO LAMADRID SINGLE VINEYARD MALBEC 2009 90 points from Jay (Just call me 90) Miller but for $14.95, it’s a good one.
MONTES ALPHA SYRAH 2009 – Always very good, softer than some Chileans - $19.95
SANTA CAROLINA RESERVA DE FAMILIA CABERNET SAUVIGNON 2009 $17.95 – A perennial 90 point wine. In a lighter bottle than some previous years. Too bad, I like those big, heavy ones.
CAT AMONGST THE PIGEONS NINE LIVES SHIRAZ 2009 $17.95 – Last year was good but this one gets lost among all the other choices in this release.
SAMPIETRANA VIGNA DELLE MONACHE RISERVA SALICE SALENTINO 2006 $15.95
CHUSCLAN LES GENÊTS CÔTES DU RHÔNE-VILLAGES 2009 – At $19.95, this is on the upper end of the CdR-V range, but ’09 was a terrific vintage.
And one lonely white bargain
VINUM AFRICA CHENIN BLANC 2009 $14.95 – Tired of Chards, SauvBlancs or Pinot Grigios? Nicely priced for a different white varietal.
The Midpriced beauties ($20 to $30)
RUFFINO MODUS 2007 $28.95 for a 96 point wine? This’ll be roller derby on Saturday morning! Needs some serious cellar time but this wine was #25 on Wine Spectator’s Top 100 Wines of 2010.
E. GUIGAL GIGONDAS 2007 $29.95 – Another terrific wine and if you compare Gigondas to Chateauneuf du Pape it’s a steal. Released previously in Vintages.
THE HEDONIST SHIRAZ 2008 $23.95 - Is it worth 6 bucks more than the Stalking Horse or the Cat Amongst? You’ll have to decide.
FERRATON PÈRE & FILS LA MATINIÈRE CROZES-HERMITAGE 2009 $20.95. Very nice wine but gee there are so many!
ROCCA DELLE MACÌE CHIANTI CLASSICO RISERVA 2006 – At $21.95, this is a better buy than the Castello di Querceto methinks.
SEÑORÍO DE P. PECIÑA RESERVA 2001 90 pts. $29.95 Ten years old.
‘Consider taking out a Mortgage’ Wines
If money was no object, this is the order I’d buy them in. If only money was no object!
LE VIEUX DONJON CHÂTEAUNEUF-DU-PAPE 2009 $57.95 90-92 RP – Keep the vertical going!
TWO HANDS ZIPPY’S BLOCK SINGLE VINEYARD SHIRAZ 2008 Barossa Valley,$59.00 95 WS
RUBICON ESTATE CASK CABERNET SAUVIGNON 2007 Rutherford, Napa Valley $74.95 95 WE
TENUTA SETTE PONTI ORENO 2008 $74.95 - 96 points from the usually conservative Antonio Galloni.
REININGER ASH HOLLOW SYRAH 2006 Walla Walla Valley, Washington State $39.95 93 WS
KILIKANOON PARABLE SHIRAZ 2007 McLaren Vale, Australia $39.95 94 + (The review on this one begs the question How many palates can tell the difference between 94+ and 95 points?)
CAPANNA BRUNELLO DI MONTALCINO 2006 94 RP
PODERI COLLA BUSSIA DARDI LE ROSE BAROLO $49.95 94+ RP (Hmm, what cost it the half point?)
TRAPICHE FAUSTO ORELLANA DE ESCOBAR SINGLE VINEYARD MALBEC 2007 $39.95 94 RP, 93 WS
MITOLO SERPICO CABERNET SAUVIGNON 2008 McLaren Vale, Australia $54.95 94 RP
ORNELLAIA LE SERRE NUOVE DELL’ORNELLAIA 2009 $59.95 92 RP
MISSION HILL QUATRAIN 2008 VQA Okanagan Valley, B C – 90 points in the WS $41.95
BURROWING OWL SYRAH 2008 $41.95
JONATA TODOS RED 2007 . Score: 92-94 $59.95
GEMMA COLAREJ BAROLO 2006 $34.95 for a Barolo? Very good buy.
MOLLYDOOKER THE BOXER SHIRAZ 2008 - I reviewed the Mollydooker Boxer a while back. To call it a real mouthful is understating it! Should be $29.95 not $34.95
TENUTA SAN GUIDO GUIDALBERTO 2009 $49.95 from the producers of Sassicaia
VAL DE FLORES MALBEC 2005 Mendoza, Argentina $49.95 94 points for another of the Michel Rolland efforts from Argentina.
One Big Bottle to watch out for
BODEGAS LAN RESERVA 2005 - $39.95 for a 1500ml bottle of a Top 100 wine? Seems like the loan (sorry Bad pun) the lone good buy among all the Christmas gifties. Just to clarify, the '04 LAN Rioja and the 06 LAN crianza made the WS Top 100, not the '05. My mistake!
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