Gadzooks! Autumn will have arrived before the bottles for
this release reach the floor. This release also signals the continuing (or is
that continuous?) rise in Vintages prices culminating with the preChristmas
releases a few months from now. The proof is in the recommendations – lots of
big, bold reds and fewer lightweight whites and roses but only one wine under $20!
This week features New World Groundbreakers , Portugal, and Thanksgiving,.
That first one is the big feature of the release. The LCBO spells Groundbreakers ‘ Big Bucks’.
My early opinion is that this’ll be a great release for fans
of Australian red wines and both the Washington Smiths should be good.
Another note. This is a special release of many 2011 Vintage
Ports. The year was superb and the prices reflect it. If you buy some and if
you are of a certain age, your children and perhaps your grand children will drink
very well to your memory because these’ll keep for years and years and years.
AUSTRALIA
TWO HANDS ANGELS' SHARE SHIRAZ 2012 349 cases $25.95 - A well priced, always excellent Aussie
Shiraz.
JIM BARRY THE LODGE HILL SHIRAZ 2012 600
cases $26.95 Disregard Halliday’s 95 points. The wine is perennially very good
but not 95 points good. If you are a fan of the old Bin 61, this wine’ll match the
early to mid-2000’s closely.
MOJO CABERNET SAUVIGNON 2012 $18.95 – 800 cases and finally
one to recommend under $20! James Halliday really seems to have liked this one
but remember, he’s never met a bottle of Oz wine that he didn’t adore. This one is from Coonawarra home to many an iconic cab and
you can expect cassis and mint or is that eucalyptus? Throw a rack of lamb on the bar-b or a leg of lamb in the
oven.
SOUTH AFRICA
MEERLUST CABERNET
SAUVIGNON 2010 - 110 cases $29.95 - Big
S.A. cabernet fruit in a ripe and yet understated (well, not over the top, well
ok sort of a restrained new world/old world style but not quite, hmm how about ‘like
a Coonawarra cab in a strait jacket?’ ) wine.
FRANCE
DOMAINE BRUSSET
TRADITION LE GRAND MONTMIRAIL GIGONDAS 2012 - $29.95 – You know me and my
predilection for Southern Rhone blends.
I’m getting into white Burgundies a lot lately (Thanks to
Norman H., his pizza oven, a warm day and good friends. You know who you are.)
so if I was to buy any this time around, I’d
expect these two to be very nice.
At this price they should be!
BOUCHARD PÈRE &
FILS MONTAGNY 1ER CRU 2011 139 cases $29.95
JEAN-MARC BROCARD
VAU DE VAY CHABLIS 1ER CRU 2012 200
cases $29.95
WASHINGTON STATE
CHARLES SMITH BOOM
BOOM! SYRAH 2013 166 cases $21.95 – Charles Smith’s wines are easily
identifiable with their bold print and stark black and white labels. It is
clear he doesn’t take wine or himself too seriously. This is a big wine that stands up nicely to medium
rare roast prime rib of beef.
CHATEAU SMITH
CABERNET SAUVIGNON 2012 447 cases
$23.95 - Look for the typical Washington
profile of cassis and cloves with some cedar notes.
HORSEPOWER PROPRIETARY RED BLEND 2009 $21.95
– A kitchen sink blend of whatever was available it would seem. Syrah, Barbera, Malbec, Petit Verdot, and Mourvedre seems an odd lot but somehow it
works. This’ll be a tasty wine for nontraditionalists, to be sure.
CALIFORNIA
NAPA CELLARS
CABERNET SAUVIGNON 2012 2014 cases of 6
$25.95 - Lots of cases of a good solid
crowd pleaser.
BIG BUCKS
DOMAINE DES MALANDES
CÔTES DE LÉCHET CHABLIS 1ER CRU -$35.95 – Another white Burgundy – this one is an
ISD so only 49 cases.
DOMAINE JEAN DEYDIER ET FILS LES CLEFS D’OR CHATEAUNEUF DU PAPE 2010 - $44.95 – A late
arrival to the LCBO Vintages scene from the wonderful 2010 vintage. Worth a
plunge if you want a wine to forget about for some time before opening on a
special occasion.
From here on you better have a fat wallet because there are
lots of big boys! Barring a lottery win, I will not be buying any of these but
will recommend them nonetheless for anyone who has a reason to splurge.
MORE FROM OZ
JOHN DUVAL PLEXUS SHIRAZ/GRENACHE/MOURVÈDRE 2009 99
cases of 6 $49.95 – Expensive but think
of it as a slightly more fruit forward Chateauneuf.
TWO HANDS LILY'S GARDEN SHIRAZ 2012 249 cases of 6 $56.95 –
Always among the best wines from Two Hands and better than the 2011. If I was
to break my own rule and spring for an over $50 big buck wine in this release,
this’d be it. Spoiler alert – I expect to see this in the WS Top 100, maybe
even Top 10.
SOME CALIFORNIA BIGGIES
CAYMUS 40TH ANNIVERSARY CAB SAUV 2012 - $68.95 – Well
above my own self imposed price ceiling. Watch out for the Range Rover traffic
jam trying to load up on it.
IRONSTONE RESERVE ESTATE GROWN CABERNET SAUVIGNON 400 cases
of 6 $36.95 – A notch up for this solid producer.
SHAFER ONE POINT FIVE –$93.95 - A Napa treat. Where’s that damn lottery ticket? I think this
has gone up in price by 10 bucks since a certain youthful Italian Stallion
turned 50!
STAG'S LEAP WINE CELLARS ARTEMIS CABERNET SAUVIGNON 279 cases
of 12. $64.95 –Look around for the 1500 ml of the 2011 available from last
Christmas for well under $100. Do the math and save a few bucks if you must buy
this wine.
ARGENTINA
CATENA ALTA CABERNET
SAUVIGNON 2011 70 cases of 6 $45.95 – A wonderful expression
of Cab Sauv from Argentina. A Top flight producer and an ageworthy wine.
CATENA ALTA MALBEC 2011 269 cases of 6 $49.95 – Among the
best of Argentina’s signature grape from any producer at any price.
A LONELY CLASSIC ITALIAN
MARCHESI DE' FRESCOBALDI MORMORETO 2010 39
cases of 6 - $63.95 – An ISD, so this
one’ll be in short supply and high demand. A super Tuscan if ever there was
one, this is priced out of my wallet so I’m not worried.
