Saturday January 24, 2014 - Vintages Release Report
22 Jan 2015- Details
- Category: Vintages Releases
To print this report click here for the PDF version.
Key to the 5-star rating system:
5 = Outstanding … 4.5 = Excellent … 4 = Very Good … 3.5 = Good
Wine colour indicators - Red, Whites, etc.
The Foci … Spain (SP) and South America (ChAr)
The Skinny … Spotlights seem to be the place where junk goes to waste away, but this time out there are some great Spanish and South American wines that aren’t so bad and worth picking up. Other wines of note come from California, Bordeaux and Portugal (which might just be the best deal in the release).
Argentina …
Los Clop 2009 Reserva Malbec ($17.95 - #186650) – nicely rounded, good blueberry, blackberry and spice. (*** ½+) - ChAr
Australia …
Chapel Hill 2012 Parson’s Nose Shiraz ($19.95 - #339705) – black and white pepper mingle with spicy black fruit. (*** ½+)
Kurtz Family 2010 Boundary Row Grenache/Shiraz/Mataro ($29.95 - #223263) – focused black fruit, silky on the palate with lots of mulberry and mocha; there’s an intensity of fruit here. (****)
Canada (Ontario) … click on wine name for full review
Featherstone 2013 Black Sheep Riesling ($16.95 - #80234) - **** ½
Kacaba 2011 Single Vineyard Cabernet Franc ($18.95 - #272146) - *** ½+
Strewn 2012 Terroir American Oak Chardonnay ($24.95 - #405530) - ****
Tawse 2011 Sketches Cabernet/Merlot ($20.95 - #130252) - *** ½+
Chile …
Casas del Bosque 2012 Gran Reserva Syrah ($22.95 - #995092) – typical but tasty: white pepper, raspberry, mint and mocha, there’s even a little smoky-meaty quality. (****) – ChAr
Falernia 2012 Reserva Carmenere ($17.95 - #269175) – pure, ripe fruit, this one is massive. (*** ½) - ChAr
Medalla Real 2013 Gran Reserva Chardonnay ($17.95 - #398503) – more crisp than I would expect from Chile; nice use of oak to compliment an array of baked white fruits. (*** ½+)
France (Alsace) …
Henri Ehrhart 2013 Reserve Particuliere Pinot Gris ($18.95 - #392092) – nice sweetness here with mineral and peach pit nuances and some subtle bosc pear on the finish. (*** ½+)
France (Bordeaux) …
Chateau de Monbadon 2010 ($18.95 - #365882) – well-priced, well-structured with nice firm tannins yet has a degree of elegance behind it; deep dark fruit and nice spice. (****+)
Chateau Haut-Surget 2012 ($27.95 - #268680) – lots of coffee, mocha and ripe dark fruit. (*** ½+)
France (Burgundy) …
Bachelder 2012 Bourgogne Chardonnay ($35.95 - #272005) – very buttery and creamy with baked apple, poached pear, vanilla and lime on the finish along with good acidity and some butter cream notes. (*** ½+)
France (Midi) …
Ormarine 2013 Carte Noir Picpoul de Pinet ($12.95 - #525287) – fresh and relatively appealing with sweet citrus, touch of mineral and citrus zest. (*** ½)
France (Rhone) …
Chateau Fortia 2012 Cuvee du Baron Chateauneuf-du-Pape ($39.95 - #959999) – acidity creeps in to balance out the raspberry, strawberry and cherry, all surrounding a mocha core. (****)
Italy (Campania) …
La Fortezza 2007 Aglianico del Taburno ($21.95 - #396952) – dense of fruit with blackberry, black cherry, cassis and plum with hints of vanilla; this is a tasty little number. (****)
Italy (Piedmont) …
Gemma 2010 Barolo ($29.95 - #285502) – young, well-structured with still a good deal of sour and sweet fruit behind it. (****)
Marenco Suri Dogliani 2011 ($17.95 - #384040) – dark and brooding with a hint of clove and spice. (*** ½+)
Tenuta Rocca Ornati Langhe 2009 ($21.95 - #309369) – tart fruit with an array of cooking spice. (****)
Italy (Sardinia) …
San Remy Monica di Sardegna 2012 ($16.95 - #395947) – cherry-raspberry mix that’s sweetly smooth fruited and easy to drink; look for the lush plum finish. (*** ½+)
Italy (Tuscany) …
Lamole di Lamole 2010 Riserva Chianti Classico ($27.95 - #280651) – nice hints of oak riding a cran-raspberry fruit middle. (*** ½+)
New Zealand …
Middle-Earth 2012 Sauvignon Blanc ($17.95 - #391987) – gentle and easy drinking with pink grapefruit, hints of grassy but done with some delicacy with hint of tropical. (****)
Spy Valley 2012 Pinot Noir ($24.95 - #734681) – black cherry, plum, white pepper; very tasty. (*** ½+)
Portugal …
Quinta das Camelias 2012 Reserva ($13.95 - #305334) – dense and delicious with lots of plum and vanilla, black cherry; this one is fruit loaded and it coats the mouth with flavour, best Portuguese wine I’ve tasted in quite some time. (****+)
South Africa …
Avondale 2011 Jonty’s Duck Pekin Red ($14.95 - #383547) – very pleasant of fruit and spice: plum and a touch of café mocha on the finish and well-priced. (****)
Spain …
Abelis Carthago William Selection Crianza 2011 ($23.95 - #399105) – vanilla oak, mocha mint, sweet spices and plenty of red fruit. (*** ½+) – SP
Alceno Premium 50 Barricas Syrah 2012 ($13.95 - #398933) - great value and a grape that is recognizable to most; mocha, raspberry, cinnamon, sweet licorice and delicate spice. (****) – SP
Baron de Ley 2010 Varietales Graciano ($21.95 - #397166) - this is more the Rioja style people have come to know with dried fruit, cedar and spice, there's even some leatheryness to the finish. (*** ½+) – SP
Dominio Dostares Estay Prieto Picudo 2011 ($15.95 - #393140) – fruit forward, mostly dark fruit but with a touch of red for balance. (*** ½+)
Gotin del Risc 2010 Mencia ($15.95 - #391581) ... light and juicy but packs in a lot of red fruit along with it. (****) – SP
Macho Man 2012 Monastrell ($18.95 - #392993) – forget the cartoon label and if you can this one’s a tasty treat full of plum, white pepper and cherry fruit with hints of vanilla and cinnamon on the finish. (*** ½+) – SP
Sueno 2011 Tempranillo ($18.95 - #397133) – lots of red fruit packed with spice and floral notes. (*** ½+) – SP
Tineta 2012 Tempranillo ($19.95 - #391565) – lots of lovely red fruit and subtle white smoke. (*** ½+) - SP
Torre de Ona 2009 Reserva ($29.95 - #397117) - this one blends the world of the rustic with a modern twist of good fruit. (****) – SP
Vinessens Sein 2011 ($17.95 - #391896) – tobacco and dark fruit with a toffee element and raspberry finish. (*** ½+) - SP
United States (California) …
Arrowood 2012 Chardonnay ($26.95 - #270694) – heavily oaked with butter, vanilla and some fruit in on the mix. (*** ½)
Buehler 2012 Cabernet Sauvignon ($41.95 - #396135) – smooth with plum and cherry and a heavy vanilla presence. (*** ½+)
Ca’Momi 2012 Zinfandel ($19.95 - #396168) – raisin, vanilla, raspberry along with a little bit of date and cherry-cola. (*** ½+)
Calera 2012 Chardonnay ($24.95 - #713313) – has a really nice fruit and oak mix that will appeal to lots and lots of Chardonnay lovers, especially if you favour fruit to oak. (****)
Cherry Pie 2012 Cherry Tart Pinot Noir ($29.95 - #402594) – plenty of sweet cherry, this reminds me of the Belle Glos Meiomi style of Pinot with lots of that sweet, sweet fruit. (*** ½+)
First Press 2011 Chardonnay ($19.95 - #199810) – vanilla, pear, apple, and melon rind, quite full in the mouth. (*** ½+)
Rodney Strong 2012 Cabernet Sauvignon ($22.95 - #226944) – chocolate, black cherry, silky smooth and supple with a wee bit of mocha on the finish. (*** ½+)
Santa Barbara Winery 2012 Pinot Noir ($21.95 - #942946) – nicely fruited, nicely spiced with sweet black cherry and a touch of cranberry. (*** ½+)
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In-Store Discoveries – wines that appear on the shelves of your local Vintages outlet …
William Fevre 2012 Montmains Chablis 1er Cru ($49.95 - #977587) - ****
What I’ll Be Lining Up For – January 24, 2015 …
Alceno Premium 50 Barricas Syrah 2012 ($13.95 - #398933) - Spain
Calera 2012 Chardonnay ($24.95 - #713313) – California
Chateau de Monbadon 2010 ($18.95 - #365882) – Bordeaux
Quinta das Camelias 2012 Reserva ($13.95 - #305334) – Portugal
Happy Shopping
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