Saturday May 26, 2018 - Vintages Release Report

24 May 2018

 

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 … Meet the Maker (MtM) & Fizz Fest (FF)
The Skinny … The third focus this release is Sake, I tasted them but nothing really stood out to me (but what do I really know about Sake). In the wine department there are some great values which you can find at the bottom, but I highlight the French and Italian wine as two of the best wines for two very different reasons. As for the Ontario selections, the rosés save the day.

Argentina …
Susana Balbo 2015 Signature Malbec ($19.95 - #079798) – mocha, spice, blueberry, cassis, black cherry and more spice; a delicious Malbec worth getting.  (****) … MtM
Susana Balbo 2017 Signature Rosé ($20.95 - #493130) – light and tasty with lime, cherry and mineral.  (*** ½+) … MtM

Australia …
Frankland Estate 2015 Shiraz ($26.95 - #552133) – fresh yet still peppery with nice smoky cherry notes.  (*** ½+)
Sister’s Run 2015 Epiphany Shiraz ($16.95 - #269464) – mocha and mineral with black cherry and cassis.  (*** ½)
Tar & Roses 2016 Shiraz ($19.95 - #282731) – floral, plum, blue and black fruit with a real pleasant black cherry finish.  (****)

Canada (Ontario) … click on wine name for full review
Fielding 2017 Rosé ($15.95 - #053421) … ***+
Pondview 2017 Cabernet Franc Rosé ($16.95 - #241802) … *** ½+
Westcott 2017 Delphine Rosé ($16.95 - #498527) … *** ½

Bulgaria …
Quantum 2015 Syrah/Cabernet Sauvignon ($14.95 - #546242) – savoury black fruit.  (***+)

Chile …
Errazuriz 2016 Aconcagua Alto Cabernet Sauvignon ($21.95 - #203364) – minty, blackberry, black cherry with a smoky finish.  (*** ½)
Vina Tarapaca 2015 Gran Reserva Cabernet Sauvignon ($17.95 - #018721) – smoky-mocha-cherry with plum and pencil shavings on the finish.  (*** ½+)

France (Alsace) …
Pierre Sparr Brut Rosé Cremant D’Alsace ($19.95 - #039016) – leesy with strawberry, raspberry and good acidity.  (*** ½+) … FF
France (Beaujolais) …
Stephanie Aviron 2015 Vieilles Vignes Moulin-a-Vent ($23.95 - #368134) – burger friendly with its black cherry and plum.  (*** ½)
France (Bordeaux) …
Les Brulieres de Beychevelle 2014 ($37.95 - #527002) – spicy cherry, coffee and cassis.  (*** ½+)
France (Lauguedoc) …
Laurent Miquel 2016 Solas Syrah ($15.95 - #537977) – sweet vanilla with plum and cherry fruit.  (*** ½)
France (Loire) …
De Grenelle Saumur Blanc Grande Cuvee Sparkling ($21.95 - #545830) – lemon, apple and almond.  (*** ½) … FF
France (Rhone) …
E. Guigal 2016 Cotes du Rhone Blanc ($19.95 - #290296) – rich and full bodied, round and spicy with pear, apricot and peach.  (*** ½+)
Marrenon 2015 Versant Nord Luberon ($15.95 - #537969) – chocolate, black cherry, mocha, plum, black currant, leather, spice; it’s really very flavourful beginning to end.  (****+)
France (Roussillon) …
Tessellae 2015 Vieilles Vignes Carignan ($18.95 - #343509) – smoky-mocha, spiced plum and cherry.  (*** ½+)

Italy (Tuscany) …
Castello di Gabbiano 2016 Dark Knight ($18.95 - #540898) – lots of grip and grit but still with dark fruit, spice, mocha and herbal notes, there’s also some subtle mineral; grabs the palate and won’t let go.  (****)
Tenuta Sette Ponti 2015 Crognolo ($33.95 - #727636) – firm with coffee, blackberry, cassis, mineral and spice.  (****)
Italy (Umbria) …
Lungarotti 2010 Monticchio Rubesco Torgiano Rosso Riserva ($46.95 - #051771) – dark fruit, white pepper with hints of tree bark and mineral, quite dry.  (*** ½) … MtM
Italy (Veneto) …
Zeni 2014 Marogne Ripasso Valpolicella Superiore ($19.95 - #220830) – dates with plum and cherry.  (*** ½+)

Mexico …
L.A. Cetto 2015 Petite Sirah ($12.95 - #983742) – sweet fruit with savoury and herbal notes.  (***+)

New Zealand …
Kim Crawford 2016 Small Parcels Favourite Homestead Pinot Gris ($24.95 - #415463) – nice acidity with grapefruit zest and tangerine; fresh and lively.  (*** ½+)
The Doctors’ 2017 Rosé ($19.95 - #498428) – low 9.5% alcohol and fruit forward, red fruit driven: cherry and subtly sweet.  (***+)

South Africa …
Kloof Street 2016 ($19.95 - #460964) – coffee, blackberry and white pepper.  (*** ½+) … MtM
Mullineux 2016 Old Vines White ($36.95 - #556597) – nice weight, honey, floral, apple, lanolin and spiced pear.  (*** ½+) … MtM

Spain …
Castano 2015 Hecula Monastrell ($13.95 - #718999) – juicy with cherry, raspberry, vanilla and spice.  (*** ½)
iHola! Brut Cava ($16.95 - #545848) – toasty hazelnut with bright lemon zest on the finish.  (***+) … FF
Marques de Valparaiso 2014 Crianza Tempranillo ($19.95 - #546184) – sweet and savoury with plum and white pepper.  (*** ½)

United States (California) …
Bench 2016 Sonoma Coast Pinot Noir ($29.95 - #548735) – juicy of red fruit, mainly cherry and raspberry.  (*** ½)
Simi 2016 Chardonnay ($19.95 - #673806) – vanilla, melon, subtle spice along with some apple and a pleasant toastiness.  (****)
United States (Oregon) …
A to Z Wineworks 2016 Chardonnay ($22.95 - #269258) – light and peachy with apple and citrus.  (*** ½+)
United States (Washington) …
Domaine Ste-Michelle Brut Sparkling ($21.95 - #557637) – light and creamy with nice mineral and apple notes.  (*** ½) … FF
________________________________________

In-Store Discoveries:  wines that appear at selected Vintages outlets …
Argyle 2014 Artisan Series Reserve Pinot Noir, Oregon ($59.95 - #070623) - *** ½+
Canvasback 2014 Cabernet Sauvignon, Washington ($54.95 - #467795) - ****
Chateau Brown 2010, Bordeaux ($66.95 - #496646) - *** ½+
Chateau Juvenal 2015 La Terre du Petit Homme, Rhone ($27.95 - #490672) - ****
Domaines Ott 2016 Clos Mireille, Provence ($44.95 - #545731) - *** ½
Domaine Saint-Prefert 2015 Chateauneuf-du-Pape, Rhone ($67.95 - #539973) - ****
Louis Roederer Premier Brut Champagne, France ($149.95 - #440883) - ****
Mr. Riggs 2015 The Magnet Generation Series Grenache, Australia ($25.95 - #552125) - ****
Phelps Creek 2014 Pinot Noir, Oregon ($48.95 - #557538) - ****
Shaw & Smith 2015 Shiraz, Australia ($39.95 - #686659) - *** ½
St. Francis 2014 Reserve Alexander Valley Cabernet Sauvignon, California ($69.95 - #562876) - ****


If You Can Afford It:  wines worth their high price …
Emmolo 2015 Merlot, California ($69.95 - #096024) - *** ½+ … MtM
Paul Hobbs 2014 Cabernet Sauvignon, California ($144.95 - #119065) - ****
Pickett 2014 Cabernet Sauvignon, California ($97.95 - #548297) - *** ½+
Robert Mondavi 2014 Maestro, California ($59.95 - #459933) - ****+ … MtM
Taittinger Prestige Brut Rosé Champagne, France ($79.95 - #993113) - ****+ … MtM


Best Values in this Release … (May 26, 2018) …
Castello di Gabbiano 2016 Dark Knight ($18.95 - #540898) – Italy
Marrenon 2015 Versant Nord Luberon ($15.95 - #537969) – France
Simi 2016 Chardonnay ($19.95 - #673806) – California
Susana Balbo 2015 Signature Malbec ($19.95 - #079798) – Argentina
Tar & Roses 2016 Shiraz ($19.95 - #282731) – Australia

Happy Shopping

 

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