Some big guns are taking centre spot on the USA sections of Vintages stores on October 12th. The feature this release has picked several wines from the Napa Valley and the nice folks at the LCBO head office sent pretty well all the reds on the release. Tasting brought back many great memories for me as I still have a passion for these wines, albeit they are mostly out of my price range. If you want to see what is tasty and worth picking up, then you have to read on.

THE TWO “WINE OF THE MONTH” WINES

126607 NAPA CELLARS ZINFANDEL 2011 Napa Valley, California $21.95
Lots of dark berry and underbrush aromas, coupled with sweet plum and a touch of cedar. Palate is solid, not overly sweet, has clean acids, a decent finish and is drinking very well right now. Find this wine

344416 CASTELGREVE CHIANTI CLASSICO RISERVA 2009 Tuscany, Italy $19.95
Layers of dark chocolate and blackcurrant are enhanced by a tease of Turkish Delight candy and a touch of mocha. It carries some pleasing sweet fruit on the palate, a touch of blackberry and raspberry. Not a long finish, but a flavoursome wine. Find this wine

SOME SERIOUSLY TASTY WINES FROM THE NAPA VALLEY

333328 CORISON CABERNET SAUVIGNON 2005 Napa Valley $113.95
A wine that immediately peaks at that “Oh my god” factor from the first swirl of the glass to the finish. Its nose is laden with dried blueberry, cassis, dark chocolate, black raspberry, slate and mineral. It is full bodied, carrying flavours of Asian spice, purest dark fruits and impeccable balance. The degree of oak is perfect, tannins are integrating and the finish is brilliant. Find this wine

232371 LOUIS M. MARTINI CABERNET SAUVIGNON 2009 Napa Valley $29.95
A rich nose of cedar, blueberry, blackcurrant and mineral that when encouraged with a quick swirl, shows signs of complexity. It is a viscous wine, full of chewy tannins, a solid core of dark ripe fruit and red currant on the finish. Find this wine

031351 PHILIP TOGNI CABERNET SAUVIGNON 2010 Napa Valley $137.95
Rather tight at first, only elements of dried mint, underbrush and leafy notes come through, but a note of mineral creeps in followed by layers of dense dark fruit, dried meat, mocha and tar. It has superb balance on the palate, the blackcurrant flavours take centre stage, supported by dark cherry and acidity are spot on. Drinkable now, but this will survive for many a year. Find this wine

246900 FRANK FAMILY CABERNET SAUVIGNON 2010 Napa Valley $52.95
Aromas of wet soil, sweet oak, blackcurrant, coffee grounds, cake spice and black pepper run through to a tasty ripe palate of dark fruit and great concentration. Perhaps the note of heat on the finish is a spoiler, but still one tasty wine. Find this wine

642124 HEITZ CELLAR CABERNET SAUVIGNON 2007 Napa Valley $83.95
Possibly my favourite of the group, it is full of fresh cut mint, plum, dark fruit, wet earth, iron and mineral. The palate too is gorgeous; chock full of fruit and earthy flavours, a touch of sweet spice and red cherry. Lovely, but given the forty dollar price tag south of the border; it is not destined for my cellar. Find this wine

904532 FREEMARK ABBEY CABERNET SAUVIGNON 2010 Napa Valley$39.95
So delicious, the aromas of mineral, earth, slate, dark berry and mint sweep one off of ones feet. The fruit on the palate is outstanding and well supported by hints of chocolate and pure acidity. It is chunky and tannic, but with decanting will offer hints of what is to come for those with patience to cellar. Find this wine

147637 BARLOW CABERNET SAUVIGNON 2008 Calistoga, Napa Valley, $62.95
Under growth and pleasing aromas of hay and straw, plenty of dried red fruit, a concentrated palate of cassis, mineral and gravel with an intense finish, to a very good wine. Find this wine

025122 STONEHEDGE RESERVE CABERNET SAUVIGNON 2011 Napa Valley $24.95
Simple earthy notes of mineral chalk and dried blackcurrant with a touch of licorice root and cherry. The palate has sweet fruit and a distinct tartness. It finishes with cranberry and red currant acidity. Find this wine

718668 BERINGER NAPA VALLEY VINEYARDS PINOT NOIR 2010 Napa Valley $39.95
Intriguing notes of just polished shoe leather, milk chocolate, damson and beetroot follow through to a well-balanced palate of black raspberry, cherry and plum. Gentle tannins, good fruit and chocolate bind well on the finish. Find this wine

OTHER WINES IN THE RELEASE

354316 AURÉLIEN VERDET MOREY-SAINT-DENIS 2010 En la Rue de Vergy $44.95
A wine with a New World structure, it shows sweet fruit, strawberry, pie dough and floral aromas. A chunky and un-balanced palate, it has excessive sweetness, some tannin and a short and disappointing finish. Find this wine

344903 FAIVELEY NUITS-SAINT-GEORGES 2010 $53.95
Earthy, lavender and floral aromas are pretty, but restrained. The palate is soft, quite light, it has sweet fruit, but an acidic note that is somewhat overpowering. It comes with a hefty price for a village wine of this quality. Find this wine

042416 DOMAINE ALBERT MOROT BEAUNE AIGROTS 1 ER CRU 2009 $53.95
The better wine of the three Burgundies showing pleasing notes of dark fruit, blackberry, mineral, straw and red fruit jam. It has decent structure, good evidence of solid fruit, some dusty tannin and good acidity. Find this wine

344721 GIACOSA BUSSIA BAROLO 2008 $39.95
The floral aromas, red fruit and Mediterranean spice combine nicely. A swirl or two brings out a layer of red cough syrup, cola and raspberry that leads to a palate of good fruit, but the level of astringent tannins suggest lying it down for a few years. Find this wine

975136 AURELIO SETTIMO ROCCHE BAROLO 2006 $52.95
Aromas of seaweed, apple skin, tobacco, dried fruit and leather are quite brilliant. Its palate is full, carries a note of caramel. Some licorice root and clove merge with the dried fruit, as a touch of cherry liqueur creeps into the finish. Find this wine

344705 PERTINACE NERVO BARBARESCO 2009 $39.95
A perfumed wine full of sweet candy, dark red fruit, sweet black licorice, cigar box and mineral, with a palate of concentrated plum and currant accented by dried mushroom and leather. It is chunky, flavourful and tannic. Give it time to show its best. Find this wine

066555 SCHILD ESTATE SHIRAZ 2010 Barossa, South Australia $24.95
Seriously good nose of salty licorice, tar, blackberry and cedar with a nice concentration of blackberry, mineral, dried herb and refreshing acidity. Find this wine

336867 CHÂTEAU HAUT-CANTELOUP 2010 Côtes de Bordeaux – Blaye $15.95
An odd and undesirable musty note, dried wood, dried mushroom and tar, although the palate does show some pleasing fruit, it is low in acidity and has a wood char note on the finish. Find this wine

085308 CHÂTEAU LIEUJEAN 2010 Haut-Médoc, Cru Bourgeois $19.95
An inky wine that has plenty of red fruit aromas, a touch of lead pencil and cedar on the nose. However, it lacks oomph on the palate, the structure is weak, light fruit is pleasing, but the finish is weak. Find this wine

997955 CHRISTIAN MOUEIX SAINT-ÉMILION 2009 $20.95
A lacklustre wine that offers little fruit, some earthy mineral notes, its palate falls short and the tannins are drying. Find this wine

350439 CHÂTEAU DU PETIT THOUARS RÉSERVE CABERNET FRANC 2010 $14.95
I seriously have no idea where this wine is going and I had to go back twice to re taste. It has a dark purple and intense robe, a nose of plum, slate, fennel seed, vanilla and a touch of green pepper. It has solid fruit, high acidity and layers of seriously astringent tannins makes me wonder if the fruit will outlive it. An opportunity, given the price, to lay a bottle down and see what happens with time. Find this wine

171025 DOMAINE PUIG-PARAHY CUVÉE GEORGES 2010 Côtes de Roussillon $15.95
A Fruit driven wine with a floral back ground, lots of black raspberry, plum and dried currant aromas, some smoky tar and leather. Quite luscious on the palate, it has some tannin, but the core of fruit and mineral is solid and those tannins are gentle enough to allow opening a bottle now. Find this wine

048884 COUDOULET DE BEAUCASTEL CÔTES-DU-RHÔNE 2011 $29.95
A seriously good tasting wine in its youth, showing lovely notes of mineral, earth, prune, blueberry and dried cherry. The palate is spicy, but the fruit is forward, the earthy flavours are tasty and the balance is spot on. Find this wine

273748 BORSAO TRES PICOS GARNACHA 2011 Campo de Borja $19.95
Inky and purple, a bit of a fruit bomb, laden with sweet oak, black raspberry and sweet cherry Kirsch aromas. Thick and chewy, very concentrated flavours of red fruit, anise and vanilla. Give it time to settle down and this wine should go on a long journey and end up in a great place. Find this wine

Cheers
CZ

Related posts:

1. Alan Kerr’s June 12th, 2010, Vintage’s Release – Tasting Notes
2. Alan Kerr’s Vintage’s October 27th Release – Tasting Notes
3. Alan Kerr’s Vintage’s October 24th Release – Tasting Notes
4. Alan Kerr’s Vintage’s October 29th Release – Tasting Notes
5. Alan Kerr’s Vintage’s October 13th Release – Tasting Notes