November 24th release - We're in the home stretch - bring the big, big, bucks

Well here we are, November 24^th. I know there’s still one more release to come in 2012 but as far as I’m concerned, if the year’s Vintages releases were a horse race, this pre- Christmas release would represent the home stretch to the finish line. I can hear the call now,  “In the lead, it’s Don Mechor on A Chile Breeze, followed closely by  One Big Napa Cab just in front of his stablemates Another Big Napa Cab,  Still Another Big Napa Cab and Biggest Buck Cabby… now here comes The Old Gaucho and Ozzie Oz on the outside as the Canadian horse, Options from Niagara, falls off the pace. As they pound toward the finish, French Fizz surges ahead by a tongue, and speaking of tongues,  Hard Licker in a Beret is gaining ground,  followed closely by the Wee 18 yr old Scot. And as they cross the line the winner is, and the winner is???  It’s just too close to call in a 3 way photo finish among jockeys Mark Up atop ‘Already High Retail’ , Mort Axes riding ‘Ungawdly High Tariffs’  and Hans Offamy-Wallet aboard ‘Conspicuous  Consumption’!”  

Speaking of the latter, again this year the first 25 bottles in this release  have an average price well over $100 each.  I looked at them, dreamt of the lottery and quickly turned the pages to the more plebian choices. If price was no object, the VRSS would be way up there. But price really is an object,  so we’re back to another mediocre 59-64 point range release. However, there are some excellent wines priced in the mid-twenties (and a few even less) that should receive your consideration. I've sorted them in the order I'd buy 'em in both the regular release and the Big Buck but not the biggest buck categories.

Domaine  Grand Veneur Clos de Sixte Lirac 2010- $22.95 Lirac is one of the less appreciated Villages among  the Cotes du Rhone Villages. This is from a great vintage and from a terrific producer, Alain Jaume, as well. This might even be down in price from last year I think. (Gasp, terrific wine, terrific vintage,  terrific producer, down in price – good thing I am sitting down!)

Pierre Amadieu  Romane Machotte Gigondas 2010 $23.95 – I’ll be buying  the Lirac and the Gigondas for sure! The Lirac might be slightly more approachable for immediate consuming, the Gigondas is built more for the long term if you can keep your hands off it.

Rust en Vrede  Cabernet Sauvignon 2009. At $24.95, a superb South African producer and region. Well priced at $24.95 for what I expect to be a big, full cab.

Mulderbosch Sauvignon Blanc 2011 – Always very good. Hits the sweet spot on my palate for SavvyBlank. Where are those scallops?

Columbia Crest Grand Estates Chardonnay $14.95 – Can’t go wrong here. Oaky enough to give you splinters, it’ll be buttery but the fruit shines through and the price is right.

Canonica a Cerretto Chianti Classico Riserva  2007 - $18.95. Well priced Riserva from a great vintage. Could be a good option too I hope!

Small Gully ‘The Formula’ Shiraz 2007 –$18.95 – Still wildly popular in Ontario, the ’06 sold out a few times over. This wine is like the energizer bunny, it just keeps selling and selling!

Ballast Stone Shiraz 2009 – $18.95- From  the Fleurieu Peninsula  of the McLaren Vale, this is a Shiraz  that lets you  taste its proximity to the ocean. Well priced, expect lots of black fruit and some real saline notes of to me, nori to others,  olive tapenade.

Volpaia Chianti Classico 2009 At $23.95, I’ll search out the Cerretto first and hold this one in reserve (not in Riserva, yuk, yuk,)

Descendientes de J. Palacios Petalos 2010. $23.95 From the Biezo region of Spain and made from the Mencia  grape. As I’ve said in the past, if you want the label on your bottle of wine to impress someone, this is the wine for you. The label is Beyond stylish. But it’s also so much more than just a label.  Contents wise, and YMMV, Mencia is Pinacherah to my palate. Hints of Pinot Noir, Grenache, and Syrah are all there. The first vintage I had was spectacular. The last couple of years’ have been harsher and less fruit forward. I laid one down last year. Hmmm, perhaps it’s time to try it and let you know how it fared.

Cicchitti Limited edition Malbec 2008 – Into the $20’s for a Malbec but I like this one. Best served with something dead and red on your plate.

Big Bucks

I refuse to even review the first 18 pages or so of this Vintages release.  The wines there are priced so far out of my league that I just have to laugh. However, there are a few smaller big bucks ones (sort of like jumbo shrimp, I guess)  further back. These ones may be flying slightly under the radar but they also manage to provide wine greatness and slip in under my (feeble attempt to maintain a) $50 ceiling.

Paul Hobbs Crossbarn 2008 - $38.95 – Almost 40 bucks but among the better Cab buys in the release. Not as age worthy as the big boys on the first 20 pages or so but over the next few years this’ll be a great addition to any cellar.

Massena 11^th Hour Shiraz 2006 - $48.95 – and should be drinking impeccably right now but is expensive. If you’re going to spend this much for an Aussie, you might consider the Terlato and Chapoutier in the previous release for three dollars more.

Domaine La Roquete 2010 – $46.95 - From the Bruniers of Vieux Telegraphe fame, this has increased in price at an alarming rate over the last 5 years. The ’05 was superb at less than $35. That said, this is still a smoking wine and I mean that in both the quality and the mesquite-y sense of the word. Look for the smokey nuances combined with lots of fruit on the palate.

Ascheri Pisapola Barolo 2007 – $42.95

Cascina Cucco  Ceratti Barolo 2007 -$39.95

Citille Di Sopra Brunello Di Montalcino - $39.95 – These last three all need to be taken to a quiet, cool dark place and forgotten for a number of years. And then, maybe five Christmases from now, go find them, pick one and consider pulling the cork. You’ll be glad you did.

Happy Imbibing One and All!