Saturday November 11, 2017 - Vintages Release Report
09 Nov 2017- Details
- Category: Vintages Releases
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 … Romance of France (RoF) and After Dinner (AD)
The Skinny … It’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas, especially with the array of expensive wines coming out; the Romance of France release is pretty piss poor, but the After Dinner drinks are pretty good and still within all the pricy-ness there are some really good value wines (found in my list of must buys at the bottom) – so you can drink well for a lot less.
Argentina …
Alamos 2014 Seleccion Malbec ($16.95 - #322800) – spiced blueberry, cassis and smoke. (*** ½+)
Clos de Los Siete 2013 ($22.95 - #622571) – layered with black and blue berry with vanilla and white pepper. (****)
Kaiken 2015 Ultra Cabernet Sauvignon ($19.95 - #135202) – rich blackberry, cassis and mocha. (*** ½+)
Luigi Bosca 2013 Cabernet Sauvignon ($19.95 - #128629) – super smooth, herbal, spice, plum and mocha. (****)
Australia …
De Bortoli 2014 Noble One Botrytis Semillon ($29.95 - #917252) – honeyed pear, apricot and brown-sugared lemons. (*** ½+) – AD
Mr. Black’s Concoction 2015 GSM ($24.95 - #520775) – smooth and silky with mocha, cherry, vanilla and white pepper on the finish; robust and beefy. (****)
Austria …
Domaine Wachau 2015 Terrassen Federspiel Gruner Veltliner ($19.95 - #31534) – nice complexity with stone fruit, mineral and herb. (*** ½+)
Durnberg 2015 L & T Falkenstein Gruner Veltliner ($15.95 - #464537) – pea pod and white pepper. (*** ½)
Canada (British Columbia) …
Blue Moutain Gold Label Brut Sparkling ($30.95 - #206326) – see full review here - (*** ½+)
Dirty Laundry 2014 Riesling ($19.95 - #514976) – apple and peach with good minerality. (*** ½+)
Canada (Ontario) … click on wine name for full review
Chateau des Charmes 2013 Paul Bosc Estate Chardonnay ($24.95 - #287268) - ****
Flat Rock Cellars 2016 Nadja’s Vineyard Riesling ($24.95 - #578625) - ****
Flat Rock Cellars 2010 Riddled Sparkling ($34.95 - #383315) - ****
Rosewood 2015 Mead Royale Honey Wine ($16.95 / 500ml - #437319) - ***
Chile …
Carabantes 2012 Syrah ($22.95 - #524785) – easy drinking, white pepper, raspberry, cherry and baking spice with a nice tannin finish. (****)
Santa Carolina 2013 Specialties Dry Farming Carignan ($17.95 - #213520) – still a lovely bottle with raspberry, strawberry and cherry plus vanilla and white pepper; fruit forward and tasty. (****)
France (Beaujolais) …
Chateau de Pierreux 2015 Brouilly ($19.95 - #005496) – pure delight for Gamay fans with ripe cherry, raspberry and sour cherry. ****+
Stephane Aviron 2014 Vieilles Vignes Moulin-a-Vent ($21.95 - #368134) – lean with sour cherry and earthy notes; closer to Pinot than Gamay. (*** ½)
France (Bordeaux) …
Chateau Chapelle D’Alienor 2014 ($21.95 - #512509) – pepper, blackberry, sweet black licorice and a punchy wood finish. (****)
France (Burgundy) …
William Fevre 2015 Champs Royaux Chablis ($24.95 - #461640) – salty minerality, peach pit and nice length. (****)
France (Loire) …
Donatien Bahuaud 2016 Les Grands Mortiers Vouvray ($19.95 - #140889) – there’s a sweetness of pear and peach with a little oily texture and nice finish. (*** ½)
Henri Bourgeois 2016 Petit Bourgeois Sauvignon Blanc ($15.95 - #672345) – asparagus, grassy, lemon and mineral. (*** ½+)
France (Midi) …
Domaine Cabirau 2014 Serge & Nicolas Maury Sec ($24.95 - #494146) – richness of vanilla, plum and smoky cherry. (****)
France (Rhone) …
Famille Perrin 2015 Les Cornuds Vinsobres ($17.95 - #566844) – rich blackberry, plum and white pepper. (****)
Italy (Abruzzo) …
Terra D’Aligi 2014 Tatone Montepulciano D’Abruzzo ($15.95 - #994616) – coffee, blackberry and spice. (*** ½+)
Italy (Alto Adige / Trentino)
Tiefenbrunner 2016 Pinot Grigio ($19.95 - #474742) – lime zest and crab apple with a citrus pith note on the finish. (*** ½)
Italy (Lombardy) …
Bellavista Alma Gran Cuvee Brut Franciacorta ($48.95 - #514307) – creamy with apple, pear, lemon and biscuit notes. (*** ½+)
Italy (Puglia) …
Fatalone 2012 Primitivo Riserva ($24.95 - #535202) – smoky, spicy, chewy with plum fruit and a dense, peppery finish. (*** ½+)
Italy (Sicily) …
Orestiadi 2009 Ludovico ($19.95 - #388645) – rich chocolate, black cherry, smoke; with nice tannins and coffee notes on the finish. (****)
Italy (Tuscany) …
Corte Medicea 2014 Athos ($28.95 - #475996) – plum, black raspberry, cassis, smooth, supple with violet and subtle spice. (****+)
Lamole di Lamole 2012 Riserva Chianti Classico ($28.95 - #280651) – blackberry, cassis, blueberry and smoke. (*** ½+)
Italy (Veneto) …
Storia Antica 2015 Ripasso Valpolicella Superiore ($17.95 - #273672) – mocha, black cherry and pepper. (*** ½+)
Villa Girardi Bure 2015 Alto Ripasso Valpolicella Classico Superiore ($18.95 - #161844) – cherry, strawberry, licorice and spice. (*** ½+)
New Zealand …
Oyster Bay Brut Sparkling Cuvee ($21.95 - #163634) – fresh and lively, nice biscuit notes with some lemon character. (*** ½+)
Sacred Hill 2014 Marlborough Pinot Noir ($19.95 - #277665) – earthy, spiced-plum, cranberry with a nice herbal core. (*** ½)
Wither Hills 2016 Sauvignon Blanc ($19.95 - #919514) – bright with grapefruit intensity. (*** ½+)
Portugal …
Burmester 10 Year Old Tawny Port ($28.95 - #223958) – nutty praline, spiced-orange, and toffee. (****) – AD
South Africa …
The Mentors 2014 Cabernet Sauvignon ($24.95 - #514513) – nicely smoky, dark chocolate, vanilla, cinnamon with cassis notes. (*** ½+)
Spain …
Hacienda Valvares 2012 ($18.95 - #423509) – modern Rioja with raspberry, black cherry and smoked vanilla. (*** ½+)
Segura Viuda Heredad Reserva Brut Cava ($32.95 - #558825) – big acidity with green apple, lemon drop and a long finish. (****)
United States (California) …
Crossbarn 2014 Pinot Noir ($49.95 - #522938) – lots of prettiness in this bottle with floral, raspberry, cranberry cocktail and Christmas spices. (****)
Havens 2015 Carneros Napa Valley Chardonnay ($24.95 - #454587) – very buttery with peach, pear and spice; not on par with the last Havens Chard that came through, but still good. (*** ½)
Renwood 2014 Premier Old Vine Zinfandel ($26.95 - #450510) – cola, mocha, plum well layered in the mouth. (*** ½)
United States (Oregon) …
Foris 2014 Pinot Noir ($23.95 - #937128) – subtle spices with a juicy middle along with floral and cherry notes. (*** ½+)
United States (Washington) …
Columbia Crest 2013 H3 Les Chevaux Red Blend ($20.95 - #287425) – rich and juicy with blueberry, licorice, tobacco and a hint of pepper. (****+)
________________________________________
In-Store Discoveries: wines that appear on the shelves of your local Vintages outlet …
Alpha Estate 2013 SMX Red, Greece ($29.95 - #92361) - ****+
Patrick Lesec 2015 Galets Blonds Chateauneuf-du-Pape, France ($54.95 - #78089) - ****+
Vette di San Leonardo 2015 Sauvignon Blanc, Italy ($23.95 - #524991) - *** ½
If You Can Afford It: wines worth their high price …
Carpineto 2012 Brunello di Montalcino, Italy ($65.95 - #515486) - ****
Concha y Toro 2013 Don Melchor Cabernet Sauvignon, Chile ($89.95 - #403980) - ****
D’Arenberg 2013 the Dead Arm Shiraz, Australia ($54.95 - #430512) - ****
Deutz Brut Rosé Champagne, France ($80.95 - #92833) - ****+ … RoF
Domaine Servin 2013 Bougros Grand Cru Chablis, France ($69.95 - #145623) - *** ½+ … RoF
Elderton 2013 Command Single Vineyard Shiraz, Australia ($99.95 - #716142) - ****
Fonseca 2008 Vintage Port, Portugal ($58.95 - #256875) - ****+ … AD
Hall 2013 Cabernet Sauvignon, California ($79.95 - #273391) - ****
Le Serre Nuove Dell’Ornellaia 2015, Italy ($64.95 - #606194) - ****
Luce 2014, Italy ($114.95 - #685263) - ****+
Masi 2012 Costasera Riserva Amarone della Valpolicella Classico, Italy ($69.95 - #324137) - **** ½
Ridge 2014 Lytton Springs, California ($64.95 - #982413) - ****
Rodney Strong 2013 Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon, California ($64.95 - #382325) - ****+
Solaia 2013, Italy ($257.95 - #987586) - **** ½
Veuve Clicquot Ponsardin 2008 Vintage Brut Rosé Champagne, France ($109.95 - #588475) - **** … RoF
Best Values in this Release … (November 11, 2017)
Chateau de Pierreux 2015 Brouilly ($19.95 - #005496) – France
Columbia Crest 2013 H3 Les Chevaux Red Blend ($20.95 - #287425) – Washington
Famille Perrin 2015 Les Cornuds Vinsobres ($17.95 - #566844) – France
Luigi Bosca 2013 Cabernet Sauvignon ($19.95 - #128629) – Argentina
Orestiadi 2009 Ludovico ($19.95 - #388645) – Italy
Santa Carolina 2013 Specialties Dry Farming Carignan ($17.95 - #213520) – Chile
Happy Shopping
