Saturday September 17, 2016 - Vintages Release Report
13 Sep 2016- Details
- Category: What I'm Tasting

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 … Ontario (ONT)
The Skinny … Lots of Ontario wines, and you can link to the website to see the full reviews; as for the rest of the world there is some stuff from California; Midi (France) offers up some excellent value (again); and then Spain pours it on big time with four more wines that you’ll want to also take advantage of, all under twenty-bucks.
Argentina …
Lamadrid 2013 Single Vineyard Reserva Cabernet Sauvignon ($19.95 - #223206) – lovely dark fruit, hints of coffee, licorice, white pepper, root beer and layer upon layer of generous fruit. (****+)
Son Vida 2012 Malbec ($29.95 - #458240) – good fruit/spice combo with mainly black fruit: cassis, blackberry and mocha. (****)
Australia …
Magpie Estate 2015 The Sack Shiraz ($21.95 - #94078) – soft and smooth with blackberry, plum, white pepper, herbal and smoke; there’s a touch of elegance in this one. (****)
Mollydooker 2014 The Scooter Merlot ($24.95 - #462275) – blackberry, spice with subtle spice; it’s a little jammy but still on the really-tasty side of things. (*** ½+)
Two Hands 2014 Angels’ Share Shiraz ($24.95 - #009480) – always a pleasurable wine; this year with mocha/chocolate, black cherry, blackberry, spiced plum and white pepper. (****+)
Yalumba 2015 Y Series Unwooded Chardonnay ($16.95 - #460972) – fresh fruit driven and a touch tropical with good acidity. (*** ½)
Bulgaria …
Bulgariana 2012 Cabernet Sauvignon ($13.95 - #419390) – decent red berry, coffee and pepper notes with a long spiced-herbal finish. (*** ½+)
Canada (British Columbia) …
Mission Hill 2013 Reserve Shiraz ($27.95 - #126763) – pepper and spice, dark fruit based with a juicy mid-palate and lovely spiced finish. (*** ½+)
Canada (Ontario) … click on wine name for full review
Closson Chase 2015 KJ Watson Vineyard Pinot Gris ($21.95 - #469445) - *** ½ … ONT
Cuddy by Tawse 2013 Cabernet/Merlot ($24.95 - #469031) - *** ½+ ... ONT
Cuddy by Tawse 2013 Chardonnay ($24.95 - #469023) - *** ½+ … ONT
Featherstone 2014 Canadian Oak Chardonnay ($21.95 - #149302) - ****+ … ONT
Flat Rock 2014 Riesling ($16.95 - #43281) - *** ½ … ONT
Foreign Affair 2013 Apologetic Red ($69.95 - #471516) - ****+ … ONT
Hidden Bench 2013 Chardonnay ($28.95 - #68817) - *** ½+ … ONT
Malivoire 2014 Gamay ($17.95 - #591313) - **** … ONT
Marynissen 2013 Merlot ($17.00 - #469130) - *** ½ … ONT
Smoke & Gamble 2012 Cabernet/Merlot ($19.95 - #332825) - *** ½ … ONT
Thirty Bench Sparkling Riesling ($34.95 - #469478) - *** ½ … ONT
Viewpointe 2010 Balance Pointe Cabernet/Merlot ($24.95 - #451088) - *** ½ … ONT
Chile …
Siegel 2014 Special Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon ($16.95 - #464438) – minty blackberry and vanilla with quite the spicy finish. (*** ½+)
France (Beaujolais) …
Henri de Villamont 2010 Brouilly ($18.95 - #454562) – red berries with a little leathery-earthy and white pepper. (*** ½)
France (Bordeaux) …
Chateau Langlais 2000 ($39.95 - #463273) – interesting old vintage: oxidized in places but there’s definitely dried fruit; I’m thinking it’s a Lost-in-the-Warehouse selection. (*** ½+)
Chateau Saint-Antoine 2012 Reserve du Chateau ($14.95 - #434464) – coffee, mocha, spice, cassis and bitter strawberry. (*** ½+)
France (Burgundy) …
Louis Jadot 2014 Chablis ($28.95 - #468751) – lean and crisp with minerality and a nice spicy component. (*** ½+)
France (Champagne) …
Moutard Grand Cuvee Brut Champagne ($39.95 - #400432) – nice acidity with a delicate lime, yeasty and mushroom notes. (****)
France (Loire) …
Amirault Les Quarterons Cremant de Loire ($22.95 - #462606) – very crisp and mousy with earthy, apple and lemon. (*** ½+)
Bernard Reverdy & Fils 2015 Sancerre ($26.95 - #200055) – mineral and grapefruit zest with herbed notes on the finish with good acidity. (*** ½+)
Roger & Didier Raimbault 2013 Sancerre Rouge ($28.95 - #446401) – earthy, cherry and decent tannins. (*** ½)
France (Midi) …
Le Cirque 2013 Grenache Noir/Carignans/Syrah ($16.95 - #277079) – good value with mocha, blackberry, cassis, plum and black raspberry and a spicy finish. (****)
Les Darons 2014 ($17.95 - #448464) – plenty of black, blue and red berries in here with coffee and spice; delightfully long finish. (****)
France (Rhone) …
Paul Jaboulet Aine 2013 Secret de Famille Cotes du Rhone ($16.95 - #400333) – a gateway wine to get to know Jaboulet: blueberry and gentle spice, easy drinking style with a touch of white pepper on the finish. (****)
Pierre Amadieu 2013 Domaine Grand Romane Cuvee Prestige Gigondas ($29.95 - #968693) – black fruit, plum, mocha, chocolate-cherry, anise seed and spice; this one grows on you sip after sip. (****+)
Xavier 2012 Cotes du Rhone ($17.95 - #297317) – plenty of herbal, floral, white pepper and licorice. (*** ½+)
Greece …
Lantides 2013 Agiorgitiko ($16.95 - #286708) – earthy, smoked-cherry and baking spice. (*** ½+)
Italy (Piedmont) …
Fontanafredda 2012 Eremo Langhe Rosso ($17.95 - #454041) – spices and herbal, dried cherry, strawberry and a smoky finish. (*** ½+)
Marchesi di Barolo 2014 Zagara Moscati D’Asti ($17.95 - #168195) – orange blossom, pear, apricot with good acidity and a clean finish. (*** ½+)
Italy (Puglia) …
Scala 2013 Negroamaro Appassimento ($16.95 - #455212) – lovely smoky-plummy, cocoa/chocolate, well-balanced, well-priced with licorice and spice on the finish. (****)
Italy (Sicily) …
Feudo Arancio 2014 Nero D’Avola ($14.95 - #412668) – blackberry, licorice, plum and herbal. (*** ½+)
Italy (Tuscany) …
Castello D’Albola 2012 Chianti Classico ($19.95 - #339937) – soft, floral, plum and mocha-spice. (*** ½+)
Selvapiana 2013 Chianti Rufina ($21.95 - #456152) – red fruit with pepper, cinnamon and herbal notes. (****)
New Zealand …
Fox by John Belsham 2014 Pinot Noir ($27.95 - #462028) – cran-cherry, smoky and spicy with good mouthfeel. (*** ½+)
Spain …
Estay 2012 Prieto Picudo ($15.95 - #393140) – red and black fruit with a mix of sweet plum and a herbaceousness to the finish. (*** ½+)
Habla de la Tierra 2013 Tempranillo/Cabernet ($18.95 - #464347) – smoky black licorice, cassis and floral. (*** ½+)
Lan 2009 Reserva ($24.95 - #42929) – cedar, vanilla, spice, blueberry and mocha. (****)
Monasterio de las Vinas 2008 San Jose de Aguaron Reserva ($14.95 - #166579) – smoky dried cherry, leather and spice. (*** ½)
Pago de Cirsus 2012 Vendimia Seleccionada ($16.95 - #461319) – sweet black plum and chocolate with a nice spice on the finish. (****)
Torres 2014 Pazo das Bruxas Albarino ($19.95 - #417667) – apple, lemon, lanolin, mineral and green apple. (*** ½+)
United States (California) …
Bonterra 2014 Viognier ($19.95 - #128900) – touch of the tropical which makes this one enjoyable. (*** ½)
Decoy 2013 Merlot ($34.95 - #460642) – soft, supple and tasty with sweet blue and black fruit; easy drinking Cali-Merlot (*** ½+)
Ironstone 2014 Cabernet Sauvignon ($17.95 - #537597) – red fruit based: raspberry, strawberry, vanilla, red plum and a mainly sweet core. (***)
Kenwood 2014 Chardonnay ($18.95 - #158790) – creamy, almond, vanilla, pear and baked apple. (*** ½+)
Noble Vines 2013 The One Red Blend ($23.95 - #460725) – inky black in colour, sweet mid-palate, dark fruit, gentle spice, plum, vanilla, black cherry and a long lush finish. (****+)
Renwood 2013 Premier Old Vine Zinfandel ($23.95 - #450510) – vanilla, cherry, smoke, cola, plum, oak and spice. (****)
Tuli 2014 Pinot Noir ($29.95 - #461046) – this is a Belle Glos project and you can get their signature rich red and black fruit with licorice, red plum and baking spice. (*** ½)
United States (Oregon) …
Acrobat 2014 Pinot Noir ($29.95 - #421149) – gently, smooth and silky with subtle cran-licorice notes and a white pepper finish. (*** ½)
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In-Store Discoveries: wines that appear on the shelves of your local Vintages outlet …
Aldeasona 2006 ($27.95 - #378968) – Spain (*** ½+)
Domaine de la Cendrillon 2010 Inedite Corbieres ($27.95 - #464768) – Midi (****)
Foreign Affair 2010 Gran Q ($150.00 - #397877) – Ontario (****+)
Galerie Plenair 2013 Cabernet Sauvignon ($85.95 - #460709) – Napa (****)
Henri de Villamont 2013 Clos du Cromin Meursault ($61.95 - #462531) – Burgundy (****)
Simmonet-Febvre & Fils 2013 Cote de Lecht Chablis 1er Cru ($42.95 - #462549) – Burgundy (****)
Time 2013 Meritage ($34.95 - #465898) – British Columbia (****)
If You Can Afford It: wines worth their high price …
Besserat de Bellefon Cuvee des Moines Brut Champagne ($55.95 - #724955) – France (*** ½+)
Antinori 2014 Castello della Sala Cervaro della Sala ($57.95 - #417667) – Italy (****)
What I’ll Be Lining Up For (September 17, 2016) …
Le Cirque 2013 Grenache Noir/Carignans/Syrah ($16.95 - #277079) – France
Pago de Cirsus 2012 Vendimia Seleccionada ($16.95 - #461319) – Spain
Scala 2013 Negroamaro Appassimento ($16.95 - #455212) – Italy
Happy Shopping