Saturday June 11, 2016 - Vintages Release Report

07 Jun 2016

 

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 … Fizz Festival (FF), Zin City (ZIN) and Father’s Day (POP)
The Skinny … We have three focuses in this release and none of them truly shines … it’s also a lackluster release for great value wines though Ontario comes through with a decent selection of wines and so does Italy, Spain and South Africa.

Argentina …
Kaiken 2013 Ultra Malbec ($19.95 - #050849) – chocolate, blackberry, black cherry, vanilla and smoke; a great sipper.  (****)
Nieto Senetiner 2013 Don Nicanor Malbec ($16.95 - #178657) – big in all aspects: fruit, alcohol (14.5%), robust and smoky.  (****)

Australia …
Wirra Wirra 2013 Church Block Cabernet Sauvignon / Shiraz / Merlot ($19.95 - #24034) – fruit forward with vanilla, smoked-cherry and sweet meat.  (****)

Canada (British Columbia) …
Quails’ Gate 2014 Pinot Noir ($27.95 - #585760) – a little smoky with some floral and spicy notes.  (*** ½+)
Canada (Nova Scotia) …
Benjamin Bridge 2014 Nova 7 Sparkling ($24.95 - #256289) – sweet melon and peach concoction that’s a nice summertime refresher.  (***) – FF
Canada (Ontario) … click on wine name for full review
Cave Spring 2013 Estate Bottled Chardonnay ($18.95 - #256552) - ***+
Chateau des Charmes 2015 Cuvee D’Andree Rosé ($15.95 - #333260) - *** ½+
Creekside 2012 Laura’s Red ($19.95 - #117960) - **** ½
Creekside 2013 Backyard Bubbly Sauvignon Blanc ($24.95 - #398628) - **** (FF)
Featherstone 2015 Sauvignon Blanc ($17.95 - #089011) - *** ½+
Fielding 2014 Riesling Estate($19.95 - #2514439) - *** ½+
Tawse 2014 Sketches of Niagara Riesling ($17.95 - #890299) - *** ½+

Chile …
Casa Lapostolle 2013 Cuvee Alexandre Chardonnay ($24.95 - #947937) – caramel, apple, pear and grilled peach.  (*** ½+)
Concha y Toro 2012 Terrunyo Peumo Vineyard Block 27 Carmenere ($29.95 - #562892) – blackberry, spice and mint; intense and well made.  (*** ½+)
Concha y Toro 2014 Serie Riberas Gran Reserva Cabernet Sauvignon ($17.95 - #256693) – lots of mint blackberry on both the nose and palate.  (*** ½+)

France (Burgundy) …
Chateau de Chaintre 2014 Pouilly-Fuisse ($27.95 - #445239) – lime meringue, lemon, apple and mineral.  (*** ½+)
France (Loire) …
Chaumeau-Balland & Fils 2014 Domaine la Grande Maison Sancerre ($24.95 - #452532) – sweet, citrus and grassy.  (*** ½)
France (Provence) …
Chateau des Bertrand 2015 Rosé ($24.95 - #451229) – dry, dry, dry with citrus pith and peel; refreshing but again it’s dry.  (*** ½)
France (Rhone) …
Domaine La Fourmone 2013 Le Poete Vacqueyras ($29.95 - #452268) – balsamic-strawberries, gentle spice, cherry kirsch and a red / black licorice mix on the finish.  (****+)

Germany …
Konigschaffhauser Vulkanfelsen 2015 Pinot Noir Rosé Trocken ($13.95 - #1682237) – dry, herbal and gentle red berries.  (*** ½)
Loosen Bros. 2014 Dr. L Riesling ($13.95 - #599274) – green apple with sweet mac on the middle with some mineral-flinty notes; great value Riesling.  (*** ½+)

Italy (Alto-Adige) …
St. Pauls 2014 Pinot Grigio ($19.95 - #391870) – soft green melon and citrus pith.  (*** ½)
Italy (Piedmont) …
Bersano Mantico 2012 Barbaresco ($39.95 - #452805) – cranberry, earthy, smoky with a heavy mocha / coffee presence.  (*** ½+)
Italy (Puglia) …
Leone de Castris 2011 Riserva Salice Salentino ($20.95 - #597534) – plum, smoke and sweet licorice with a touch of clove on the finish.  (*** ½+)
Italy (Tuscany) …
Cafaggio Basilica Solatio 2010 Riserva Chianti Classico ($39.95 - #441279) – dry and cedary with spicy cranberry and sour cherry.  (*** ½+)
Poggio Stella 2011 Vino Nobile di Montepulciano ($24.95 - #444810) – tobacco, spicy, smoky, cassis and dried currants.  (*** ½+)
Uggiano 2010 Prestige Chianti Classico ($16.95 - #454553) – leathery and fruity with smoky tannins and dark cocoa.  (*** ½+)
Italy (Veneto) …
Valpantena 2013 Valpolicella Ripasso ($17.95 - #429928) – sweet vanilla, plum and apple skin.  (*** ½+)

South Africa …
Cathedral Cellar 2013 Triptych ($16.95 - #53124) – sweet, smoky, vanilla, herbal and dark berry fruit with a touch of leather on the finish.  (*** ½+)
Graham Beck 2010 Brut Rosé ($21.95 - #0040855) – tasty mineral, raspberry and rhubarb with great acidity and a dry finish.  (****) – FF
Jardin 2014 Sauvignon Blanc ($15.95 - #663302) – grassy, green pea and asparagus.  (*** ½+)
Rustenberg 2015 Petit Verdot Rosé ($13.95 - #451773) – raspberry, cranberry, watermelon, sweet mid with nice berry finish.  (*** ½+)

Spain …
Lopez de Haro 2010 Crianza ($15.95 - #377481) – dried berries, sweet cranberry, herbal, spice; it’s a nice wine for its age.  (****)
Marquesado del Alto 2010 Crianza ($17.95 - #444158) – coffee, licorice, spice and a decent finish.  (*** ½+)
Sumarroca 2011 Cuvee Gran Reserva Brut Nature Cava ($18.95 - #393504) – dry, mineral and lemon zest, pleasant and good for the money.  (*** ½) – FF
Totus Tuus Reserva Brut Cava ($18.95 - #226282) – this is a weird one with a dry-sweet –tart mix on the palate with some lanolin and burnt apple.  (*** ½) – FF

United States (California) …
Ca’ Momi 2014 Zinfandel ($22.95 - #396168) – sweet cherry, plum, milk chocolate and spice.  (*** ½+) – ZIN
Candor Lot 7 Zinfandel ($22.95 - #133389) – sweetish plum, vanilla, and cherry; an easy drinking Zin.  (*** ½) – ZIN
Rosenblum 2012 Zinfandel ($19.95 - #450544) – plum, vanilla, cherry, licorice, cherry-cola and a little smokiness on the palate.  (****) – ZIN
Smith & Hook 2014 Cabernet Sauvignon ($39.95 - #213611) – juicy, big fruited Cab with dark and red fruit and a hint of smoke.  (*** ½+)
United States (Oregon) …
Plowbuster 2013 Pinot Noir ($29.95 - #387019) – there’s a hit of earth amongst some silky smooth red berries and smoky-spicy notes.  (*** ½+)
United States (Washington) …
CMS 2015 Sauvignon Blanc ($22.95 - #008680) – flinty minerality, asparagus and iceberg lettuce.  (*** ½)
Diversion 2013 Majestic Red ($18.95 - #446997) – gentle of fruit and tannins with a hint of vanilla on the juicy finish.  (*** ½+)

________________________________________

In-Store Discoveries:  wines that appear on the shelves of your local Vintages outlet …
Carracedo 2011 Tinto Mencia ($29.95 - #167718) – Spain … (****)
Jadot 2013 Clos des Couchereaux Beaune 1er Cru ($67.95 - #724815) – Burgundy … (*** ½+)
Oldenburg Vineyards 2012 Syrah ($27.95 - #443457) – South Africa … (****+)
Sidewood 2013 Mappinga Shiraz ($52.95 - #446609) – Australia … (*** ½+)
Tabali 2013 Talinay Pinot Noir ($27.95 - #443440) – Chile … (*** ½+)


If You Can Afford It:  wines worth their high price …
Antica 2013 Cabernet Sauvignon ($75.95 - #266551) – California, USA … (****)
Brunelli 2012 Amarone della Valpolicella Classico ($51.95 - #439745) – Vento, Italy … (*** ½+) – POP
Ridge 2013 Lytton Springs ($57.95 - #982413) – California, USA … (*** ½+) – ZIN

What I’ll Be Lining Up For:  June 11, 2015 …
Rosenblum 2012 Zinfandel ($19.95 - #450544) – California

Happy Shopping

 

 

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