Saturday February 21, 2015 - Vintages Release Report
17 Feb 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 … Australia (AUS) and Award Winning Local (AWL)
The Skinny … There are some delightfully good Australian wines in this release, a unique wine from Inniskillin plus an Italian and California wine that I recommend you definitely put your hands on, see the What I’ll be Lining up for list at the bottom of the report.
Argentina …
Juana de Sol 2012 Reserva Malbec ($15.95 - #288381) – black and blue berry with a juicy core and slightly peppery finish. (*** ½)
Australia …
Dutschke 2012 80 Block St. Jakobi Vineyard Merlot ($23.95 - #393744) – spiced-blueberry and blackberry with spicy finish. (*** ½+) – AUS
Heartland 2012 Directors’ Cut Shiraz ($35.95 - #48496) – wow, this wine has got a really rich nose and flavour with a mocha mid, white pepper, blackberry and chocolate on the nose and generous fruit and pepper on the palate; quite opulent. (****) – AUS
Henry’s Drive 2012 H Syrah ($24.95 - #402693) – nice fruit and herb mix with some blackberry, dried plum and baking spice. (****) – AUS
Kilikanoon 2012 Killerman’s Run Cabernet Sauvignon ($19.95 - #675223) – blackberry, mocha, cocoa with some herbal character and chocolate on the mid-palate. (*** ½+) – AUS
Penny’s Hill 2012 Cracking Black Shiraz ($22.95 - #396473) – raspberry, blackberry and spice with a little baking cocoa on the finish. (****) – AUS
Schild Estate 2012 GMS Grenache/Mourvedre/Shiraz ($19.95 - #108183) – beautifully blended making for a good mouthfeel with good spice and balanced alcohol along with plum, herbal, and licorice. (****+) – AUS
Tait 2012 The Ball Buster Red ($24.95 - #269472) – mocha, vanilla, plum and cassis. (****) – AUS
Austria …
Schlumberger Brut Sparkling ($16.95 - #284596) – floral, pear and delicate citrus. (*** ½)
Canada (Ontario) … click on wine name for full review
Chateau des Charmes 2012 Old Vines Riesling ($16.95 - #277228) - **** (AWL)
Foreign Affair 2012 Dream ($29.95 - #364380) - ****
Inniskillin 2013 Discovery Series Botrytis Affected Viognier ($39.95/375ml - #405027) - ****+ (AWL)
Ridge Road 2013 Riesling ($15.95 - #346858) - *** ½+
Chile …
Vina Casablanca 2011 Nimbus Single Vineyard Syrah ($19.95 - #399386) – raspberry, cherry and blackberry with white pepper and a touch smoky; a wine to happily serve this summer. (****)
France (Bordeaux) …
Chateau de Panigon 2011 ($19.95 - #230367) – coffee bean, blackberry and smokiness. (*** ½+)
France (Burgundy) …
Collin-Bourisset 2012 Coteaux Bourguignons ($15.95 - #404574) – easy drinking, more fruit than earth, but both are present. (*** ½)
Stephanie et Vincent Michelet 2013 Petit Chablis ($21.95 - #405852) – nice mid-palate with citrus, peach pit and a good whack of mineral. (*** ½+)
Veuve Ambal Grande Cuvee Brut Cremant de Bourgogne ($19.95 - #209619) – crisp and lemon pith, this is a nice little bubble. (*** ½)
France (Champagne) …
Moutard Grande Cuvee Brut Champagne ($44.95 - #400432) – biting acidity, crisp green apple, hint of nectarine/tangerine, honey and beeswax. (****)
France (Midi) …
Chateau la Bastide 2012 ($13.95 - #360487) – blueberry, cherry and subtle spice. (*** ½+)
France (Rhone) …
Chateau Simian 2010 Combe des Avaux Cotes du Rhone ($17.95 - #400283) – nice fruit mix of dark and red with touches of mocha and vanilla. (*** ½+)
Domaine du Grapillon D’or Gigondas 2012 ($32.95 - #981787) – rich plum and black cherry with a little pepper backing. (****)
Domaine les Grand Bois 2012 Cuvee Maximilien Cotes du Rhone-Villages Cairanne ($22.95 - #286336) – there’s sweet fruit aromas that are truly inviting then comes licorice, blackberry, plum and vanilla. (****)
Domaine Tour Saint-Michel 2012 Cuvee des Deux Soeurs Chateauneuf-du-Pape ($44.95 - #400390) – nicely rounded mouthfeel of dark berries, plum, cherry with a seam of chocolate. (****)
Italy (Friuli) …
Cormons 2013 Tocai Friulano ($18.95 - #396945) – grapefruit zest, orange pith and prickly pear. (*** ½)
Italy (Piedmont) …
Giribaldi 2006 Barbaresco ($32.95 - #101147) – cherry, tobacco, herbs; soft and supple. (*** ½+)
Italy (Tuscany) …
Borgo Scopeto 2010 Chianti Classico ($18.95 - #23325) – cranberry and red currant with herbal and sweet red berry finish. (****)
Fontodi 2011 Chianti Classico ($34.95 - #933317) – spice, dried cherry, plum and floral. (*** ½+)
Lamole di Lamole 2009 Chianti Classico Riserva ($37.95 - #231241) – dark berries and spice, along with firm tannins. (*** ½+)
Le Mortelle 2011 Botrosecco ($24.95 - #400846) – inviting nose of vanilla, and black cherry, rich in flavour, plum, black cherry, smooth until the end where some spice swings in. (*** ½+)
Rocca di Frassinello 2010 Poggio alla Guardia ($17.95 - #25718) – sweet cherry and plum with a mid-palate of herbs. (*** ½+)
Italy (Veneto) …
Remo Farina 2012 Montecorna Ripasso Valpolicella Classico Superiore ($19.95 - #56267) – sweet black cherry, fig, red currant and sweet spice. (*** ½+)
Lebanon …
Cave Kouroum 2012 Petit Noir ($13.95 - #260141) – smooth, supple and easy drinking. (*** ½)
New Zealand …
CJ Pask 2010 Gimblett Road Cabernet/Merlot/Malbec ($19.95 - #279869) – subtle herbal note with good red berries and nice flavour of vanilla-oak. (*** ½+)
Lawson’s 2014 Dry Hills Sauvignon Blanc ($18.95 - #214460) – typical New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc but it delivers what it’s supposed to. (*** ½+)
Wither Hills 2013 Rarangi Single Vineyard Sauvignon Blanc ($21.95 - #288134) – delicate lime / grapefruit pith, gentle with a little floral. (*** ½+)
Portugal …
Fonseca Terra Prima Organic Reserve Port ($26.95 - #67132) – wonderfully spicy with cherry, blackberry and bittersweet chocolate with screaming acidity on the tongue. (****)
Morgadio da Torre 2013 Alvarinho Vinho Verde ($17.95 - #960955) – honeysuckle, mineral and peach pit. (*** ½+)
Parcelas 2010 ($14.95 - #397422) – nice plum including plum and blackberry with hint of vanilla. (*** ½+)
South Africa …
Graham Beck 2012 The Game Reserve Shiraz ($17.95 - #383570) – mocha, blackberry with a subtle vanilla hint. (*** ½+)
Spain …
Prima 2012 ($19.95 - #80762) – silky blackberry, black cherry and chocolate; a little vanilla creeps in on the backend with spice on the finish. (****)
United States (California) …
Edna Valley 2011 Paragon Chardonnay ($19.95 - #984153) – pear and spice on the finish with delicate oaky flavours. (****)
Esser 2012 Chardonnay ($18.95 - #675017) – sweet finish, praline, pineapple core, and vanilla; quite pleasant. (****)
Hartley-Ostini 2013 Hitching Post Hometown Pinot Noir ($29.95 - #256644) – easy drinking Pinot Noir with a hint of violet amongst cherry fruit. (*** ½+)
J. Lohr 2012 Los Osos Merlot ($20.95 - #27516) – this is a winning Merlot from Lohr with generous fruit of blueberry, cherry and mocha elements. (****+)
United States (Washington) …
Hedges 2011 Red Mountain ($34.95 - #01594) – silky smoothness that keeps cherry, raspberry and strawberry at the forefront with a little vanilla smoke in the background. (*** ½+)
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In-Store Discoveries – wines that appear on the shelves of your local Vintages outlet …
Lustau Peninsula Solera Reserva Palo Cortado ($18.95/375ml - #677856) – Spain … *** ½+
Two Hands 2012 Samantha’s Garden Shiraz ($67.95 - #67355) – Australia … ****
Wieninger Preussen 2012 Gruner Veltliner ($46.95 - #400812) – Austria … ****
If You Can Afford It – wines worth their high price …
Clos du Val 2011 Cabernet Sauvignon ($46.95 - #325779) – California …****
Melville Estate 2012 Pinot Noir ($52.95 - #405548) – California … *** ½+
Stonestreet 2010 Monument Ridge Cabernet Sauvignon ($52.95 - #285098) – California … ****
Volker Eisele 2010 Cabernet Sauvignon ($68.95 - #53926) – California … *** ½+
What I’ll Be Lining Up For – February 21, 2014 …
Borgo Scopeto 2010 Chianti Classico ($18.95 - #23325) – Italy
J. Lohr 2012 Los Osos Merlot ($20.95 - #27516) – California
Prima 2012 ($19.95 - #80762) – Spain
Schild Estate 2012 GMS Grenache/Mourvedre/Shiraz ($19.95 - #108183) – Australia
Happy Shopping
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