Global Cabernet Sauvignon takes pride of place in this edition of Vintages manual. In addition, there are a few wines for Passover and a couple of decent wines in the regular section of the release. It’s time for a barbecue perhaps in this spring-like weather we are experiencing.

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WINES OF THE CABERNET SAUVIGNON RELEASE

212357 NAPANOOK 2007 Napa Valley $53.95
True left bank Bordeaux blend, 85% Cabernet Sauvignon, 8% Cabernet Franc and 7% Petit Verdot, loaded with mineral, iron, dried meat and rich dark fruit. Solid structure on the palate, but tannin is dominant and holds back the dense layer of fruit from presently showing its best. Find this wine

045476 SHAFER ONE POINT FIVE CABERNET SAUVIGNON 2007 Stags Leap District Napa Valley $79.95
Holy cow, pure blackcurrant, Dutch salty licorice, mocha, chalk and dusty cocoa are bold and enticing. A delight to drink, tannin is there, but the layers of dark and red fruits roll across the palate leaving a coat of tingly acidity. Superb concentration and balance with a creamy texture on the finish. Find this wine

671164 ST. FRANCIS CABERNET SAUVIGNON 2006 Sonoma County $28.95
Ripe with a raisin aroma, plenty of sweet blackcurrant, mocha and cigar box. Clumsy tannins and sweet fruit clash on the palate, oaky vanilla note on the finish. Find this wine

210047 COLUMBIA CREST H3 CABERNET SAUVIGNON 2007 Horse Heaven Hills $19.95
A little note of bacon, lots of dark fruits, cedar and creamy mocha. Pleasant enough, although a little mainstream for my tastes. Popular with other tasters I must add. Find this wine

100719 HAUTS DE PONTET-CANET 2007 Pauillac, 2nd Wine of Château Pontet-Canet $36.00
Elegant, lighter styled or sleek? Or perhaps not really very good! It is lacking in structure, some red berry fruits appear, but a green note, mostly bell pepper is apparent on both the nose and palate. Find this wine

401596 JEAN LEÓN RESERVA CABERNET SAUVIGNON 2005 Penedès $28.95
Lovely currant aromas backed up by floral, chocolate and earthy components. Beautifully balanced, tannins are silky, while unobtrusive, at least until the super long finish where their density suggests a little time in the cellar. Find this wine

014639 RENÉ BARBIER SELECCIÓN CRIANZA CABERNET SAUVIGNON 2006 Penedès $19.95
A wine that rarely disappoints. This vintage shows lovely ripe blackcurrant fruit with cherry and mineral in support. A little toasty, but nicely balanced, drinking well right now. Find this wine

KOSHER WINES FOR PASSOVER

095075 GALIL MOUNTAIN YIRON KP 2006 Upper Galilee $33.95
A blend of 58% Cabernet Sauvignon, 37% Merlot and 5% Cabernet Franc. Very intense robe, powerful nose of creamy oak, rose petal, blackcurrant, couvature, vanilla and creamy blackberry coulis. The fifteen degrees of alcohol is hidden beneath the concentration of fruit and its dusty texture on the palate. Not for this Passover, but lay down and resurrect in a few years and it should be quite the wine. Find this wine

183517 TABOR GALIL MERLOT KP 2009 Galilee $14.95
An odd note of wood polish, sweet raspberry, Middle Eastern spice mix and cedar on the nose. It is silky, but lacks oomph. Find this wine

218081 BORGO REALE PRIMITIVO 2008 Salento $19.95
A mix of smoked and roasted meats, sweet blackberry and red berries, anise and cardamom. Plenty of ripe sweet fruit on the palate, a hint of mocha, red licorice and milk chocolate. Interesting to say the least. Find this wine

WINES FROM THE REGULAR SECTION OF THE RELEASE

138339 TAIT BASKET PRESSED SHIRAZ 2006 Barossa Valley, South Australia $44.95
Primary notes of rubber and engine block oil give way to thick black fruit coulis, pepper, cherry brandy, creamy oak and Asian spice. Not for the faint of heart, the sixteen point three degrees of alcohol will knock the unsuspecting drinker on their arse. Very intense on the palate, thick and unctuous texture, long and impressionable finish. Find this wine

177824 13TH STREET GAMAY NOIR 2008 Niagara Peninsula $17.95
Ontario Gamay can be superb and this wine is a great testimonial. Ripe with flavours of plum, cherry, black pepper, floral notes and lavender, lead to layers of solid cherry and raspberry fruit on the palate, plenty of lively acidity and mineral through to the finish. Find this wine

225748 ROSEHALL RUN CUVÉE COUNTY PINOT NOIR 2008 Prince Edward County $19.95
A lovely mix of red currant, red cherry, mineral, slate, mocha, beet mocha and rhubarb all come together on the palate. It is light bodied, but beautifully balanced and drinking well. Find this wine

128652 WAYNE GRETZKY No. 99 ESTATE SERIES CABERNET/MERLOT 2007 Niagara Peninsula $19.95
Initial funky Bret aromas blow of to show an aggressive nose of black olive, green pepper corns, dark fruit and dark chocolate. Plenty of blackberry fruit, coconut and spice on the palate, but the grippingly astringent tannins push it to the penalty box for a year or two. Find this wine

033241 JACKSON-TRIGGS OKANAGAN ESTATE PROPRIETORS’ GRAND RESERVE SHIRAZ 2006 Okanagan Valley $24.95
Tempting aromas of dark fruit, dusty chocolate, mineral, sweet spice and floral notes, run through to the palate that combine spicy pepper and silky tannin. Nice wine! Find this wine

573709 BONTERRA SYRAH 2007 Mendocino County, $19.95
Organic wine, a little heat at first, plenty of rich chewy black fruit, chocolate and a cloying finish. Find this wine

133389 CANDOR LOT 2 ZINFANDEL California $21.95
Non vintage Zin no less, but promising aromas of black raspberry, white chocolate, blueberry pancake syrup and mossy cave air. Lovely fruit on palate, nice sweet toasty oak and a rich layer of currant on the finish. Find this wine

135384 GHOST PINES WINEMAKER’S BLEND MERLOT 2007 Napa & Sonoma Counties (Louis M. Martini Winery) $19.95
I bought a few bottles of this wine from the previous vintage and I will again. It is well constructed, has a tasty dose blueberry and blackberry fruit, a little spice and dusty chocolate tannin on the finish. Find this wine

672733 RAVENSWOOD BARRICIA ZINFANDEL 2007 Single Vineyard, Sonoma Valley $39.95
Bubblegum and underbrush give way to layers of red and blackberry fruit, spicy peppercorn and mocha. The palate is a bit of a letdown, the fruits are simple, spicy pepper and creamy chocolate do show, but not as well as one expects from the power of the nose. Find this wine

212076 BELLE GLOS LAS ALTURAS VINEYARD PINOT NOIR 2008 Santa Lucia Highlands, Monterey County $39.95
One of my favourite non Pinot Pinots, showing powerful aromas of black and gunpowder tea, caramel and dark treacle, Asian spice and vanilla. The palate is laden with spice and cherry and dark berry fruits. A bit sweet on the finish, but fun wine to drink if one is not looking for a Pinot of true typicity. Find this wine

159970 CLOUDLINE PINOT NOIR 2008 Oregon $21.95
Oregon’s Domaine Drouhin offers a wine showing pleasing notes of red fruit, juniper, dried cranberry aromas, a palate of simple, but balanced strawberry and raspberry flavours and a note of mineral on the finish. Find this wine

013755 TOMMASI POGGIO AL TUFO ROMPICOLLO 2008 Maremma Tuscany $17.95
Lavender and cake spice abound and mix with black fruit toffee, cherry, beet, coffee grounds and currant. A little sweet on the palate, but the fruit and spicy elements meld well. Find this wine

413179 ZENATO AMARONE DELLA VALPOLICELLA CLASSICO 2006 $47.95
Marzipan and blueberry leap from the glass as a note of red licorice and polished shoe leather linger just behind. The palate is rich and sweet with black toffee richness, blackberry fruit, a touch of cardamom and a creamy “Milky Way” bar texture. Find this wine

145920 MARCHESI DE’ FRESCOBALDI TENUTA DI CASTIGLIONI 2008 Tuscany $21.95
Nose is dull and closed; the palate has sweet carbonic macerated fruit and almost no tannin. The finish leaves a lingering cloying texture and some red fruit. Find this wine

132548 CHÂTEAU MOURGUES DU GRÈS LES GALETS ROUGES 2009 Costières de Nîmes $14.95
All ways a bargain, although not carrying the usual concentration in this vintage, it leads with notes of tar, pure blackberry fruit, black cherry, mineral and white pepper. Great balance and mouth feel, silky tannins and a pleasing finish. Find this wine

Cheers
CZ

Related posts:

1. Alan Kerr’s February 20th, 2010, Vintage’s Release – Tasting Notes
2. Alan Kerr’s Vintage’s February 5th Release – Tasting Notes
3. Alan Kerr’s February 6th, 2010, Vintage’s Release – Tasting Notes
4. Alan Kerr’s Vintage’s October 24th Release – Tasting Notes
5. Alan Kerr’s Vintage’s January 21st Release – Tasting Notes