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.
Foci: Tuscany (TUS), The Pinot Family (PF), and Thanksgiving (THX) wines
The Skinny: There are some really good Tuscan wines in this release
Argentina ...
Alamos 2011 Torrentes ($13.95 - #81539) - floral and tangerine, pleasant sipper for not a lot of dough. (*** 1/2)
Catena Zapata 2010 Catena Cabernet Sauvignon ($19.95 - #985002) - good value in a good Cab; dark fruit, spiced-vanilla and chocolate. (****)
Finca Flichman 2008 Paisaja de Barrancas ($17.95 - #17129) - nice cocoa, blackberry, vanilla, spice and cherry. (****)
Luca 2009 Malbec ($29.95 - #167312) - big, fruity, dark fruited, chocolate, black cherry, sweet spice, vanilla; smooth and sexy. (****+)
Australia ...
Blackjack 2008 Major's Line Shiraz ($24.95 - #280941) - dark fruit, white pepper, plum, cherry, hint of licorice, nice acidity, tannins and good balance. (****+)
Blue Pyrenees 2009 Shiraz ($19.95 - #935890) - nice intensity of fruit, quite fruit bombish: dark with cream de cacao. (*** 1/2+)
D'Arenberg 2009 The Laughing Magpie Shiraz/Viognier ($29.95 - #936971) - violet, lavender, spiced black fruit, white pepper. (*** 1/2+)
Stonier 2010 Pinot Noir ($24.95 - #25338) - floral and fragrant, gentle red berries like strawberry and raspberry. (****) - PF
Canada (Ontario) ...
Coyote's Run 2010 Pinot Noir ($19.95 - #53090) - ****+
Peninsula Ridge 2010 Reserve Meritage ($22.95 - #299180) - *** 1/2 (THX)
Tawse 2010 Cabernet Franc Icewine ($34.95 - #306035) - ****+
Chile ...
Arboleda 2011 Sauvignon Blanc ($16.95 - #510339) - melon, passionfruit and limeade. (*** 1/2+)
Polkura 2009 Syrah ($23.95 - #283978) - lovely spice, blueberry, blackberry, plum and a slight smokiness. (****+)
Santa Ema 2008 Amplus One ($23.95 - #169987) - juicy, plum, mocha, cocoa, with herbal character. (*** 1/2)
Tamari 2011 Reserva Cabernet Sauvignon ($14.95 - #292367) - very Chilean with big mint, dark fruit, chocolate and a little leather. (*** 1/2)
France (Bordeaux) ...
Chateau Maison Blanche 2009 ($19.95 - #295824) - gritty beginning, dark fruit and spice, and a nice mid-palate to finish. (*** 1/2+)
France (Burgundy) ...
Domaine Chanson 2009 Beaune-Bastion 1er Cru ($39.95 - #279067) - very earthy, spicy with black cherry. (*** 1/2)
France (Loire) ...
La Giraudiere 2010 Clos des Meuniers Saumur-Champigny ($16.95 - #290122) - tobacco, smoke, plum, black cherry and a touch of mocha. (*** 1/2)
France (Midi) ...
Domaine de Bila-Haut 2009 Occultum Lapidem ($24.95 - #643239) - violet and smoky with a bright red fruit core. (****)
France (Rhone) ...
Domaine les Grands Bois 2010 Cuvee Maximilien Cairanne ($21.95 - #286336) - boysenberry, cigar box and dried tobacco leaf. (*** 1/2)
Germany ...
Hoffman-Simon 2011 Piesporter Goldtropfchen Riesling Spatlese ($21.95 - #216499) - nice sweetness, good acidity and minerality with floral, peach and delicious apple. (****) - THX
Italy (Piedmont) ...
Clemente Cossetti & Figli 2009 La Vigna Vecchia Barbera D'Asti ($16.95 - #106278) - sweet spiced dark fruit with some blackberry sweetness; vanilla shows up on finish. (****) - THX
Gianni Gagliardo 2006 Barolo ($44.95 - #713602) - lovely flavour and spice, dried cherries and floral notes with silky tannins. (****)
Italy (Tuscany) ...
Jacopo Biondi Santi 2008 Sassoalloro ($35.95 - #981407) - dark fruit wrapped around a juicy center. (****) - TUS
Le Pupille Poggio Valente Morellino di Scansano Riserva 2007 ($34.95 - #230680) - dark fruit, spice, and cedar; nice finish. (*** 1/2+) - TUS
Michele Satta 2009 Bolgheri Rosso ($19.95 - #39834) - loads of red and black fruit with the right amount of spice and toastiness. (****) - TUS
Moris 2010 Morellino di Scansano ($18.95 - #992560) - wild berries and dark fruit with cinnamon and cedar. (*** 1/2) - TUS
Poggio Al Tesoro 2008 Sondraia ($44.95 - #292391) - bright black fruit, chocolate cherry; a really intensity of flavour. (****+) - TUS
Rocca delle Macie 2008 Chianti Riserva ($15.95 - #111641) - a good value wine with a mocha-licorice mid and touch of cedar. (*** 1/2) - TUS
Triacca 2010 Spadino ($15.95 - #288001) - cherry and currants mixed with smoke and nice tannins. (*** 1/2+)
Italy (Veneto) ...
Masi 2008 Brolo Campofiorin Oro Appaxximento ($24.95 - #976092) - bacon and black licorice with coffee and a nice toastiness. (*** 1/2+)
Zeni Marogne Ripasso Valpolicella Superiore 2009 ($16.95 - #220830) - licorice, all-spice, black cherry, chocolate, vanilla and spice. (****+)
New Zealand ...
Babich 2011 Black Label Sauvignon Blanc ($17.95 - #0009142) - soft, tropical and slightly herbaceous with a long finish of lemon and lime pith. (****)
Carrick 2009 Pinot Noir ($37.95 - #919837) - intense and flavourful, darker fruit and floral spice. (****) - PF
Kim Crawford 2008 SP Moteo Vineyard Viognier ($24.95 - #191759) - fruity with peach, melon and a bit of stoniness. (*** 1/2)
Tarras 2008 The Canyon Single Vineyard Pinot Noir ($46.95 - #287219) - sweet fruited, blackberry, boysenberry, cherry tartness, edgy with spice and acidity to spare. (****+) - PF
Thatched Hut 2011 Pinot Noir ($19.95 - #242933) - gentle cran-cherry, earthy-strawberry, hint of wood spice. (*** 1/2+) - PF
Portugal ...
Quinta do Castelinho 2009 Douro Reserva ($15.95 - #704981) - lovely black fruited finish with vanilla and spice. (*** 1/2)
Quinta do Portal 2011 Trevo Vinho Verde ($13.95 - #292086) - refreshingly citrus. (*** 1/2)
South Africa ...
Ernie Els 2010 Cabernet Sauvignon ($23.95 - #278358) - lovely structure, good fruit, mocha, spice and black fruit. (****)
Simonsig 2009 Chenin Avec Chene Chenin Blanc ($28.95 - #282772) - unexpectedly flavourful and delicious, good spice on the finish; vanilla-spice linger with peach nuances. (****)
Spain ...
Casa Castillo 2010 Monastrell ($13.95 - #165621) - sweetness of spice, vanilla, violets and blackberry with smoky notes on the mid-palate. (****+)
Dinastia Vivanco Reserva 2005 ($24.95 - #293431) - nice spiced-cherry with graphite and cranberry. (*** 1/2+) - THX
United States (California) ...
Artezin 2010 Zinfandel ($21.95 - #302943) - best Artezin since my first bottle years ago, vanilla-cola, plum, chocolate, cherry; a delight to sip on and great with BBQ. (**** 1/2)
Cline 2010 Ancient Vines Zinfandel ($19.95 - #719211) - always a favourite and always well balanced, nice acidity, good tannins: plum, cherry, vanilla and cola notes. (****+)
First Press 2009 Cabernet Sauvignon ($19.95 - #188110) - search out the 2009 as the 2010 is also available this time out, it's fresher, fruitier with blackberry, cherry and chocolate ... the 2010 if bland and boring with no character. (2009 - ****+)
Francis Ford Coppola 2009 Director's Cut Zinfandel ($34.95 - #203208) - plum, cherry, vanilla, fairly basic stuff. (*** 1/2)
Freemark Abbey 2008 Cabernet Sauvignon ($39.95 - #904532) - very nice fruit, good tannins, biting finish. (*** 1/2+)
Macrotie 2009 Chardonnay ($30.95 - #244467) - nice balance of fruit and oak with mid-palate juiciness with a slightly spiced finish and nice linger. (*** 1/2+)
Santa Barbara Winery 2010 Chardonnay ($18.95 - #989152) - intense butterscotch, vanilla-caramel and baked peach and apricot; big finish. (*** 1/2)
United States (Oregon) ...
Elk Cove 2009 Pinot Noir ($37.95 - #234534) - red fruit dominant with nice white pepper spice. (*** 1/2)
If You Can Afford It - wines that deliver even for their high price ...
Antinori 2006 Pian Delle Vigne Brunello di Montalcino ($59.95 - #651141) - **** (TUS)
Catena Zapata 2008 Nicasia Vineyard la Consulta Malbec ($89.95 - #132357) - ****+
Duckhorn 2009 Cabernet Sauvignon ($74.95 #24190) - elegant (****+)
Forman 2010 Chardonnay ($52.95 - #236117) - delicate and delicious (****)
Luce Della Vite Luce 2009 ($99.95 - #685263) - **** 1/2 (TUS)
Tenuta Sette Ponti 2009 Oreno ($71.95 - #735597) - ****+ (TUS)
What I'll Be Lining Up For - September 29, 2012 ...
Cline 2010 Ancient Vines Zinfandel ($19.95 - #719211) - USA
Casa Castillo 2010 Monastrell ($13.95 - #165621) -Spain
Happy Shopping
