The LCBO and Vintages websites have suffered a real setback lately. Someone has messed with the search feature, finally fixed the messed up search function which used to work reasonably well once you discovered its foibles, so now it doesn't works worth a darn. More on that when I have some time do really vent!
Mid July has arrived along with a release that presents lots
of variety in wine styles, geographic
locales, new world vs. old world options, and interesting choices
among the reds, whites and roses. While
there are no truly compelling wines like last release’s Hamilton Russell or
Villa Cafaggio, there are still lots of choices from which to choose. More good news is that even among the big buck
options, few will break the bank. Any that would break my bank are ignored.
BBQ wines and I4C (International Cool Climate Chardonnay
Celebration) are the features in this release and both features have
representatives in the vintages recommendations.
Below are my choices from the release. I’m thinking the
Gabianno and a few Chardonnays may take
precedence this time around.
THE WHITES AND ROSES
13th
Street June’s Vineyard, unoaked chardonnay2012 – $21.95 - From vines
planted in 1999, another very nice example of the excellent combination of pure
Niagara fruit, acidity and limestone soil.
Kim Crawford Unoaked
Chardonnay – 2013- $18.95 – From half a world away comes another unoaked
sample at a reasonable price.
Don Jacobo Rose 2013
- $14.95 – Blend of Tempranillo and Garnacha. Should be great on the deck with
all sorts of tapas.
Delas Saint Esprit
Cotes du Rhone Rose 2013 -$14.95 – Delicate, fruity, very tasty
accompaniment to a grilled chicken
breast with a pesto mayonnaise on focaccia or maybe a Cucci octopus appetizer.
THE REDS
Castello Gabbiano
Chianti Classico Riserva -2009 - $22.95 – Well priced and from a quality
producer and vintage. To acquire a CCR of this quality in future vintages you
may have to move up to the price level of the new CCR Gran Selezione. Keep that in mind.
Renzo Massi Chianti
Riserva 2009 - $15.95 – Terrific price for a riserva.
Alain Jaume Grand
Garrigue Vacqueyras 2012 - $24.95 – Among
the first of the 2012 Vacqueyras to be
released and the Grand Garrigue from Jaume is always very good.
Cave de Tain Crozes
Hermitage 2011 - $21.95
Perrin L’Andeol
Rasteau – 2011- $19.95 – Another of the named villages from Perrin.
Chateau St. Roch
Chimeres 2011 - $18.95 – From the Languedoc, one of the wines of the month.
(That is the LCBO’s wine of the month, not mine.)
San Pedro 1865 Single
Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon 2011 - $19.95 – Solid wine and OK priced. This single vineyard Chilean Cab hails from the Maipo valley, one of my
favourite wine regions in Chile. QPR
wise it’s a good value, probably the best among the three cabs listed here. You
may find it a bit more coarse with a touch of greenness and loam not found in the
following pair.
Black Stallion
Cabernet Sauvignon 2011 - $29.95- If you missed it, here’s another version
of last release’s EDGE. Look for Cassis, cedar and spice.
Two Hands Sexy Beast
Cabernet Sauvignon 2012 - $25.95 – Two Hands is a terrific producer. The
name of the wine? Not so much. Add a little hint of mint to the Cassis, cedar
and spice.
Dei Vino Nobile de
Montepulciano 2010- $27.95 - Short
term cellar worthy from a great location. Everyone should visit Montepulciano
once in their life – or maybe twice.
CVNE - Vina Real
Plata Crianza 2009 - $18.95 – Among the better buys in the release in my
opinion. The producer is first rate.
Convento San
Francisco 2005 - $21.95- A very good review
but check the date. This wine has lots of age on it so I expect what you
find in the bottle (and your glass) will differ from the review somewhat.
Montebuena Rioja
$14.95
Tamara Roble
Tempranillo 2011 - $16.95
THE BIG BUCKS
Le Clos Jordanne
Village Reserve Chardonnay 2011 - $30.00 – Always very good and certainly
among the better eastern Canadian wines period. Oaked? Yes but not overdone. If
it was $29.95 it would not be in the big bucks zone - 5 cents makes a difference!.
Miramar Unoaked Chardonnay
– 2012- $31.95 – You can describe this wine two ways –‘Stylistically very UnCalifornian’ or ‘This is an eighty year old man in a
bottle - no wood’. Hmmm, maybe I should copyright that name for the I4C.
Souverain Winemaker’s
Reserve 2008 - $41.95 – A big buck wine from the Alexander Valley, this one
has some age on it already so it should be drinking very nicely.
Domaine Barville
Chateauneuf du Pape 2010 - $44.95– A rerelease from a wonderful vintage in
the Southern Rhone.
