Monday, May 7, 2012

Saturday May 12, 2012 - Vintages Release Report


I am using a 5-star rating system, which appears at the end of each review; here’s the key to the stars:
5 = Outstanding … 4.5 = Excellent … 4 = Very Good … 3.5 = Good … 3 = Average

Key:  Wine colour indicators - Red are red wines, Yellow are whites, etc.

This time you will find wines from California (CALI) and Israel (ISR) on the Vintages menu, along with an assortment of Rosés (ROSE) ...

Argentina ...
2006 Los Andes
Cuvelier 2006 Los Andes Grand Vin ($39.95 - #149831) ... smooth with blueberry / blackberry, cigar, black cherry, chocolate; a simple label on a more than simple wine. (****)
Finca Flichman 2009 Expresiones Reserve Malbec/Cabernet Sauvignon ($15.95 - #507707) ... decently dark fruited: blackberry, blueberry and cocoa. (*** 1/2)
Graffigna 2008 Grand Reserve Malbec ($16.95 - #162149) ... smooth, ripe black fruit with a hint of spiced plum. (*** 1/2)
Kaiken 2010 Cabernet Sauvignon ($14.95  - #143248) ... always a good buy; lots of fruit; real easy drinking red. (*** 1/2+) - Best Buy

Australia ...
Yalumba Museum Reserve Muscat ($24.95 - #963488) ... raisin and pecan pie notes, lovely spice with great grip on the finish and spice that screams across the tongue. (**** 1/2)
Heartland 2009 Stickleback Red ($14.95 - #116574) ... good value wine that's BBQ ready; a fruit bomb party pleaser. (*** 1/2+) - Best Buy
Mitolo 2011 Jester Giacomo Sangiovese Rose ($18.95 - #278101) ... a rosee with spice and bite, surprising and well-balanced with a fruity finish. (*** 1/2) - ROSE
Thorn-Clarke Shotfire
Thorn-Clarke 2008 Shotfire Quartage ($22.95 - #0024091) ... can't argue with this dark fruited number along with white pepper, bittersweet cocoa; plum and spiced just right on the finish. (****+)
Wallace by Ben Glaetzer 2009 Shiraz/Grenache ($28.95 - #0047605) ... this bruiser is always a favourite with its berry, tobacco, chocolate, plum and pepper, plus many more surprises. (**** 1/2)
Wolf Blass 2008 Gold Label Shiraz ($28.95 - #590273) ... well balanced with enough black fruit, pepper and spice. (****+)

Austria ...
Johanneshof Reinisch Pinot Noir ($16.95 - #278929) ... quite the earthy, strawberry number. (*** 1/2+)

Canada ...
(Ontario)
Angels Gate 2010 Moutainview Chardonnay ($18.95 - #116384) ... *** 1/2
Featherstone 2011 Rose ($14.95 - #117861) ... *** 1/2+
Fielding Estate 2011 Rose ($15.95 - #0053421) ... *** 1/2
Megalomaniac 2011 Pink Slip Pinot Noir Rose ($17.95 - #0085126) ... *** 1/2+

Chile ...
Errazuriz 2010 Wild Ferment Chardonnay ($17.95 - #738393) ... dried white fruit: apple, pear lush on the palate with pineapple and mango with slight lime pith and vanilla notes. (*** 1/2+)
Montes Alpha Carmenere 2009 ($19.95 - #143230) ... burnt blueberries and blackberries with a mint and dark chocolate finish. (*** 1/2)

France ...
(Beaujolais)
Georges DuBoeuf 2010 Domaine Mont Chavy Morgon ($17.95 - #276477) ... black cherry goodness with a little earthy on the palate with a mineral seam and nice tannins. (****)
(Burgundy)
Domaine Herve Azo Beauroy Chablis 1er Cru 2010 ($27.95 - #276451) ... beauty nose and delightful palate; delicate and delicious (****)
Louis Bouillot Perle D'Aurore Brut Rose Cremant de Bourgogne ($18.95 - #0048793) ... raspberry with crisp hints of lemon. (*** 1/2) - Best Buy
(Loire)
Monmousseau Vouvray
Monmousseau 2010 Vouvray ($14.95 - #271940) ... quite fruit driven with enough mineral to keep it from being just sweet to chalky and lovely. (****+)
Roger & Didier2010 Raimbault Sancerre ($22.95 - #0082255) ... light grass nose that follows on the palate with hints of grapefruit pith. (*** 1/2)
(Rhone)
Chateau D'Aqueria Tavel Rose 2011  ($18.95 - #319368) ... dry yet approachable, sour cherry and raspberry dominate. (*** 1/2) - ROSE
Mas des Bressades 2011 Cuvee Tradition Rose ($13.95 - #950576) ... candied strawberry medium dry finish. (*** 1/2) - ROSE

Germany ...
Geil Bechtheimer 2011 Rosengarten Riesling Kabinett ($14.95 - #994764) ... peach / apple with good minerality in the form of talc on the finish. (*** 1/2)

Israel ...
Clos de Gat 2007 Ayalon Valley ($47.95 - #280339) ... nice finesse and flavour, big on fruit and flavour. (*** 1/2+) - ISR
Clos de Gat 2009 Chardonnay ($47.95 - #280321) ... no doubt about this being Chardonnay; very much in the California style, right down to the price; nicely spiced on a finish that lingers. (*** 1/2+) - ISR
Gamla 2011 Moscato KPM ($15.95  - #280297) ... peach, pineapple, nicely sweet; tasty as hell. (****) - ISR
Gamla 2010 Reserve Merlot KPM ($24.95 - #280289) ... soft, fruity with raspberry notes dominating. (*** 1/2) - ISR
Shiloh Shor 2007 Cabernet Sauvignon KP ($32.95 - #282947) ... enough blackberry and chocolate to make it interesting; nice pepper and spice on the finish. (*** 1/2+) - ISR

Italy ...
(Puglia)
Poderi Angelini Primitivo di Manduria 2008 ($17.95 - #268136) ... if you like your Zinfandel well spiced this is your wine. (*** 1/2)
(Tuscany)
Bellaria Assunto Brunello di Montalcino 2006 ($36.95 - #206854) ... lots of dried cherry and strawberry; nice smoothness across the palate with good acid and spice. (*** 1/2)
San Fabiano Calcinaia Chianti Classico 2008 ($19.95 - #0023408) ... mixes the sweet with the rustic into a simple pleasure wine; watch for biting tannins on the finish. (*** 1/2)
Carpineto 2011 Rosato ($12.95 - #699934) ... red berries on the nose; quite a dry palate and food friendly. (*** 1/2) - ROSE
(Veneto)
Arduini 2009 Ripasso Valpolicella Classico Superiore ($18.95 - #267898) ... one of the better Ripasso's that has come out thru Vintages in a while; great summer BBQ wine. (****)

Mount Riley Pinot
New Zealand ...
Mount Riley 2009 Seventeen Valley Pinot Noir ($33.95 - #0694703) ... earthy, black cherry, raspberry with a hint of mushroom and fine tannins. (****+)

Portugal ...
Quinta do Infantado Ruby Port ($15.95 - #979898) ... one of my favourite Ruby's year after year, lots of lovely sweet cherry notes. (****)

Spain ...
Chapillon 2007 Cuvee Remy ($18.95 - #271114) ... chocolate, black cherry, mineral and herbal on the finish. (*** 1/2+)
Heredad de Baroja 2001 Gran Reserva ($21.95 - #276113) ... keep in mind it's 11 years old and still retains some nice freshness on the palate along with some dried notes and big acidity. (*** 1/2+)
Juan Gil 2010 White Label de Cepas Viejas Monastrell ($12.95 - #0013656) ... fruit driven red with class. (****) - Best Buy
Pinyolet 2010 Garnacha ($16.95 - #271791) ... good fruit and mocha notes with just a touch of well-meaning spice. (*** 1/2)

United States ...
(California)
Arrowood 2007 Cabernet Sauvignon ($37.95 - #985408) ... juicy with lots of red fruit. (****) - CALI
Gallo Frei Ranch
Gallo Family 2008 Frei Ranch Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon ($38.95 - #555607) ... lovely mouthfeel with a great mocha sensation; this one is bloody good. (**** 1/2) - CALI
Hartley Ostini 2009 Hitching Post Cork Dancer Pinot Noir ($34.95 - #179812) ... all red fruit with a little herbal character; cinnamon and strawberry with a nice bite on the finish. (****) - CALI
Kendall-Jackson 2010 Vintner's Reserve Chardonnay ($19.95 - #369686) ... easy drinking, sippable Chardonnay. (***+) - CALI
McManis Family Vineyards 2009 Syrah ($18.95 - #658104) ... big hit with its black cherry and plum, a touch of vanilla and smokiness. (*** 1/2+)
Mer Soleil 2010 Silver Unoaked Chardonnay ($29.95 - #220343)  ... jug ceramic style bottle; has a nice fruit and leesy finish. (*** 1/2) - CALI
Peachy Canyon 2008 Westside Zinfandel ($25.95 - #930644) ... cherry cola, mocha-chocolate; a good Zin, exactly what it should be. (****) - CALI
Seghesio 2010 Sonoma Zinfandel ($29.95 - #942151) ... a nice one for Zin fans. (*** 1/2+) - CALI
Stags' Leap Winery 2010 Chardonnay ($34.95 - #655381) - fruit driven white with apple, peach, some baked apple, vanilla and nice mouth-feel, touch of the exotically tropical in here too. (*** 1/2+) - CALI
Talbott 2009 Logan Estate Sleepy Hollow Vineyard Chardonnay ($26.95 - #716290) ... brazenly Chardonnay with lots of barrel spice and vanilla but also with some amazingly rich fruit with real biting acidity. (****+) - CALI
(Oregon)
Stoller SV Estate Pinot Noir 2007 ($43.95 - #272633) ... sweet black cherry leads the charge; nice acidity and touch of coffee on the peppered finish. (****)

If You Can Afford It ... expensive but worth it
Far Niente Estate 2007 Cabernet Sauvignon ($144.95 - #539098) ... creamy chocolate with black fruit. (****+) - CALI
Sequoia Grove 2007 Cabernet Sauvignon ($54.95 - #0060020) ... nicely balanced. (****+) - CALI
Shafer 2008 One Point Five Cabenet Sauvignon ($84.95 - #0045476) ... dark fruit, nice spice. (****) - CALI

What I'll Be Lining Up For ... May 12, 2012
Thorn-Clarke 2008 Shotfire Quartage ($22.95 - #0024091) - Australia
Wallace By Ben Glaetzer 2009 Shiraz/Grenache ($28.95 - #0047605) - Australia
Gallo Family 2008 Frei Ranch Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon ($38.95 - #555607) - USA

Happy Shopping


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