Archive for the Vintages/LCBO Release Notes Category

Tuscan wines are the feature this release and I can state there are good quality wines to be found at both ends of the pricing structure. Not too many other wines to report on as little else was sent to sample. There is a Chilean sub release, but my palate was done after tasting these big Tuscan beauts.

378257 BANFI BRUNELLO DI MONTALCINO 2009 $59.95
An enticing nose built of black raspberry, berry, dark caramel, espresso, polished wood and treacle. The palate has other ideas about drinkability though, it is tight, showing a little red fruit, bay leaf, sweet spice and plenty of gripping tannin on the finish. Find this wine

315150 CASTELLO D’ALBOLA RISERVA CHIANTI CLASSICO 2008 $22.95
Some pretty aromas of perfumed black fruit, thyme, cherry, tree bark and cigar leaf; sadly a little lean on the palate, tannins are dusty, but non aggressive. Find this wine

164707 LEONARDO CHIANTI RISERVA 2010 $19.95
Quite intense and stimulating, with a smoky/bacon note backed up with clove, plum, dried fruit and cave air. Fruit on the palate is quite dense showing off dark cherry and plummy flavours that render a decent wine for the price. Find this wine

222810 ROCCA DI CASTAGNOLI CHIANTI CLASSICO 2011 $17.00
A nice perfumed nose with heaps of plum, blackberry, fresh flowers and sweet spice leading to a slightly sweetish palate, but nonetheless, it has good solid dark fruit, gentle tannin and a soft texture. It is a tasty and nicely balanced wine. Find this wine

943670 AVIGNONESI VINO NOBILE DI MONTEPULCIANO 2011 $35.95
Laden with sweet fruit aromas, black cherry and fig take centre stage, but are supported well by notes of cured meat, Asian spice box and black tea. Chewy and ripe, the palate is full of flavours of damson, cherry and chocolate; there are some assertive tannins, but no bitterness whatsoever. Give this a couple of years and it will be a stunner. Find this wine

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It has been awhile since I was able to get to Vintages pre-release tasting and I was so pumped to attend the latest one, as Sonoma is the feature and wines from my favourite part of California have long held a special place in my heart. There is a secondary release of Piedmontese wines that is another region I have great memories of, and much to my delight, the board sent most of the red wines from both. Please read on.

148536 PAHLMEYER PINOT NOIR 2011 Sonoma Coast $100.95
Sonoma Coast produces some of the silkiest and sensational Pinot in Sonoma and this is no exception. It starts out showing plenty of sexy red fruit combined with Dutch licorice, dates, coffee cream and creamy caramel. The palate is laden with plum and dark cherry, and has perfect balance, showing the right amount of sweetness and gentle, but supportive tannins. Find this wine

215210 FLOWERS SONOMA COAST CHARDONNAY 2012 Sonoma Coast $64.95
Beautifully crafted, showing cooler climate traits of Chardonnay, with layer of after layer of guava, citrus, mineral and pear. Oak is deftly administered; the acids are pristine and refreshing, the finish is sublime. Find this wine

982413 RIDGE LYTTON SPRINGS 2012 Dry Creek Valley, Sonoma County $52.95
Dark and deceitful, the noses allures one with aromas of warm brambleberry pie, Fry’s chocolate cream bar, blueberry, dried cherry, iron and mineral. All is great, but the fun stops here as the palate is almost backward, dusty and forceful, the fruit is there, but the tannins have serious grip, suggesting cellar time will bring the wonders of this wine onto the playing field. Find this wine

203208 FRANCIS FORD COPPOLA DIRECTOR’S CUT ZINFANDEL 2011 Dry Creek Valley, Sonoma County $32.95
Not being a fan of Coppola’s wine I am happy to find pleasing aromas of mocha, tobacco, dark currant, raspberry, underbrush and plenty of peppery spice. It carries a solid fruit laden palate with good acidity and a sound finish. Find this wine

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Australia is the principal feature of the June 7th release. I must confess to not buying a lot from down under recently, but there are a couple of tasty treats to be found.

675223 KILIKANOON KILLERMAN’S RUN CABERNET SAUVIGNON 2012 Clare Valley, South Australia $19.95

A little tight at first, but eventually it releases some dark fruit, cassis and mocha aromas, palate is tight too, but as it opens it leans towards being rather one dimensional focusing on currant and dark fruit. Find this wine

084996 WYNNS COONAWARRA ESTATE BLACK LABEL CABERNET SAUVIGNON 2010 Coonawarra, South Australia $27.95

Back in the days before the LCBO slapped their ridiculously high “Provincial Liquor fee” tariff on wines brought across the border, I used to buy this wine at Century Liquor in Rochester New York for about six bucks a bottle and I would bring back a case at a time paying a pittance on duties at the border. That was a while ago and the price has obviously increased since then, in fact it is now about $35.00 south of the border, making the asking price in the LCBO a great deal. It is so focused, the solid core of blackcurrant, polished leather, mint, eucalyptus and freshly ground black pepper is amazing. A big lift on the palate, laden with blackcurrant, cedar, chalky tannins, but well balanced, clean acidity and a long fruit focused finish. Find this wine

043224 MITOLO JESTER CABERNET SAUVIGNON 2012 McLaren Vale, South Australia $22.95

Quite stellar aromas of wet earth, chalk, leather, mineral and layers of dried dark fruits, lovely mix of currant and dark cherry on the palate, mixing nicely with milk chocolate, black raspberry to a finish with good length and structure. Find this wine

327395 DOMAINE TOURNON MATHILDA SHIRAZ 2011 Victoria $19.95

Black toffee, cedar, dried mushroom, tomato, bay leaf and red fruit roll up, a little chunky on the palate, lots of red fruit and a candy like sweetness on the finish. Another 94 point wine from Mr. P, so this will sell quickly. Find this wine

367425 HASELGROVE FIRST CUT SHIRAZ 2010 McLaren Vale, South Australia $18.95

Dusty and earthy, with layers of sweet dark fruit, vanilla, its palate has a sweet syrupy texture, there is plenty of acidity to balance, but it remains little jammy on the finish. Find this wine

236257 GRANT BURGE THE HOLY TRINITY GRENACHE/SHIRAZ/MOURVÈDRE 2010 Barossa, South Australia $29.95

Tree bark, forest floor, pure velvety black fruit lead to a palate that is viscous, has tingly red currant flavours bound with caramel, Asian spice and red licorice. Find this wine

290874 DOMAINE TERLATO & CHAPOUTIER LIEU DIT MALAKOFF SHIRAZ 2011 Pyrenees, Victoria $55.95

Funky and full of such oddities as damp soil, coconut shell, wet fur, shitake mushroom, rosemary, thyme, barnyard straw and mocha and a little dark fruit. Structurally, the palate is lean and surprisingly light, showing cherry and plum that disappears quickly on the finish. Robert P bestowed 95 points to this wine, maybe I am missing something, but I tasted twice with similar notes. Find this wine

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Fans of wines from the Cotes Du Rhone will be very happy on May 24th especially folks, like myself, that love great quality wines at reasonable prices. The board sent most of the red wines slotted for the release, made me happy, so read on, free up your credit cards and head to the store because you won’t be disappointed.

370189 CHÂTEAU SAINT ESTÈVE D’UCHAUX MASSIF D’UCHAUX CÔTES DU RHONE VILLAGES $18.95
A beautiful nose laden with Christmas cake spice, coal dust and smoke, backed up with dark cherry, dark fruit and treacle. Super silky blueberry fruit and dried strawberry on the palate, very good concentration and good length on the finish. Find this wine

374991 CLOS BELLANE CÔTES DU RHÔNE-VILLAGES VALRÉAS 2010 $19.95
An interesting blend of cedar, smoked meat, Nori and dried cherry, showing super fruit flavours of redcurrant, raspberry and blackberry on the palate all bound with milky chocolate and clean acidity. Find this wine

374983 DOMAINE COURTOIS LA GRANGE VINSOBRES 2011 $20.95
Heady aromas of black raspberry, sweet smoke, Asian spice and a whiff of mandarin peel, solid structure on the palate featuring damson and plum, black tea and a hefty layer of bitter chocolate tannin. A wine soon to be very good, but needs a little time to do so. Find this wine

374280 DOMAINE DE LA VALÉRIANE VIEILLES VIGNES CÔTES DU RHÔNE 2012 $17.95
Very ripe, projecting aromas of tar, blueberry, black pepper grounds, dried mushroom and briar, quite smooth and round on the palate showing black cherry and currant flavours controlled by a gentle layer of tannin. Find this wine

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I do not have a lot to report on for this release. Believe it or not, my notes on the wines of Chile and Argentina, the feature of the release for May 10th, are M.I.A. While driving home from the tasting, the weather cleared and the sun came out. Thus I opened my windows and instantly my notes started to fly around the car and by the time I reacted, a couple of pages exited my vehicle and by now are in tatters somewhere on Highway 401. Therefore, here are the notes from the rest of the release.

145920 MARCHESI DE’ FRESCOBALDI TENUTA DI CASTIGLIONI 2011 Tuscany $21.95
An inky enticing blend of moss, black licorice, treacle and blackberry aromas with an initial firm structure of tannin on the palate, but black cherry, currant and sweet blueberry flavours shine through. Perfect acidity, well balanced, just needs time. Find this wine

326710 LIRICA PRIMITIVO DI MANDURIA 2007, Puglia $18.95
Dark chocolate infused with black raspberry with a touch of mocha, pressed flowers and black pepper. Lovely flavourful palate, showing bright and fleshy flavours of blackberry, raspberry, lavender, cake spice and mellow tannins. A pleasing touch of sweetness on the finish along with a medicinal candy note, plus this wine is from the 2007 vintages, which indicates some bottle aging, rendering this very drinkable now. Find this wine

317313 CASALE DELLO SPARVIERO CHIANTI CLASSICO RISERVA 2010, Tuscany $19.95
Lots of aromas featuring dried cherry, underbrush, coffee grounds, prune and dark bitter chocolate lead to a mostly fruit focused palate of blackberry, damson, cherry and currant. Simple clean finish, balanced acids and minimal tannins. Find this wine

166512 VALDEMAR INSPIRACIÓN SELECCIÓN 2010, Rioja $17.00
I enjoy writing about a wine costing $17.00 that offers so much drinking pleasure at such a young age, but that also has potential to get even better with a couple of years in slumber. A dark fruit focused wine displaying great depth of black currant, black cherry, Dutch salty licorice and ground pepper. The palate hits with a whack of Ribena, dark chocolate infused with cherry liqueur, perfect acidity with a blackcurrant focused finish enhanced with mineral. Find this wine

287961 OSCAR’S ESTATE VINEYARD SHIRAZ/VIOGNIER 2011 Barossa Valley, South Australia $17.95
Sawdust, wet earth, violets, blackcurrant, Middle Eastern sweet spice and milk chocolate. Its palate is solid with plenty of dark fruit, a touch of tamarind, clean acidity and gentle tannins. Find this wine

097220 TORBRECK THE STEADING 2009 Barossa Valley, South Australia $53.95
A bit of a clumsy powerhouse right now, its nose is almost Port like, brimming with dark chocolate, blueberry, tar and candy floss. There is lively acidity, it is laden with chunky dark fruit, sweet toffee and has a finish of Fry’s chocolate cream. Tannins are silky, but solid, however, this will be quite the wine given time, but nonetheless it’s tasty albeit disjointed right now. Find this wine

948992 HEDGES CELLARS CMS 2011 Columbia Valley, Washington $19.95
A blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Syrah boasting aromas of dark fruit, chocolate covered raisins, Coffee Crisp candy bar, bacon/smoked meat and wet soil. It is a meaty wine, well balanced; the dark fruit shows well, a touch of pepper and spice lead to a clean and well balanced finish. Find this wine

951889 IRONSTONE OLD VINE ZINFANDEL 2012 Lodi $17.00
I like the crushed blackberry, blueberry, sweet cherry, black tea, lavender and linalool aromas. It is highly extracted, but no excessive heat, solid dark fruit flavours, some peppery spice, dusty blueberry, bubble gum and dried raspberry. Find this wine

186171 DECOY CABERNET SAUVIGNON 2012 Sonoma County $33.95
Duckhorn’s second wine displays lots of dusty warm dark fruit, a little nutshell and plenty of mineral notes on the nose. A solid palate, with currant and raspberry, nice clean acidity, dusty chocolate tannins and spicy finish. Find this wine
That’s it!
Cheers
CZ

April 26th release showcases wines from several of the lesser known regions within the vast area known as Bordeaux. In great vintages wines from these regions usually offer the consumer very good quality wines at a fraction of the price of their more affluent neighbours.

Most of the wines in this release are from the 2010 vintage along with a couple from 2009. Both were heralded and highly touted and to quote Mr. Robert P who declared ”It is an inescapable truth that 2010 has produced another year of compelling Bordeaux that will go down as a prodigious vintage alongside of 2009.”

Sadly it looks like the LCBO left it to the last minute to shop and got the dregs of what was left over from their suppliers. Many of the wines are overly ripe and extracted; full of aggressive tannins, high levels of acidity and oak, it was tough to taste through them. I fully expect young wines to have ample tannins to survive time away in the cellar, but the levels of tannin in some of these wines is in excess of the norm.

307363 CHÂTEAU LE GRAND MOULIN GRANDE RÉSERVE 2010 Blaye – Côtes de Bordeaux $16.95
Bright aromas of plum, cherry and currant, backed with whiffs of cinnamon and toasty oak, the dark cherry flavour hits the palate, and all is good until a whopping veil of tannin comes along and shuts down the fun. It is astringent, tight and really shut down. Find this wine

368159 CHÂTEAU LAMARTINE 2010 Castillon – Côtes de Bordeaux $16.95
A wine of 85% Merlot and 15% Cabernet Sauvignon, exhibiting enjoyable aromas of earth, lead pencil, sweet spice, blackberry and cherry. The texture is rich and ripe, but not over the top, its fruit is focused on plum, black raspberry and currant flavours, oak aging is deftly performed and the acids are in fine tune. Find this wine

365908 CHÂTEAU LE BOURDILLOT SÉDUCTION 2009 Graves $18.95
This starts nicely with gratifying aromas of red raspberry and sweet cherry mixed with forest floor and mineral. The palate however loses its seductive charm, the fruit is thin and the finish is short. Find this wine

365882 CHÂTEAU DE MONBADON 2010 Castillon – Côtes de Bordeaux $18.95
A wine showing pure black fruit, dried cherry, cherry cola and forest floor aromas. It has good structure, there is some sweet oak, but the battle between fruit, tannin and oak is evident, hopefully a couple of years in a cellar may bring out its good side. Find this wine

374264 CHÂTEAU VIEILLE DYNASTIE 2011 Lalande-de-Pomerol $25.95
Very ripe, full of dark fruit, cherry cola with underlying aromas of cedar/balsa, smoked meat and tar. It teases the palate with dollops of blackberry and strawberry, the acids are clean and tannins while powerful, are dusty and tea like. Find this wine

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Wines made in Veneto’s Appassimento fashion is the theme for this release on April 12th. There are some wonderful wines, but sadly there was not a lot sent for sampling, so here is my take on those that were.

650713 MONTE ZOVO SA’ SOLIN RIPASSO VALPOLICELLA 2011 $17.95
Very good concentration of dried fruit, polished mahogany, brown cardamom shell and cigar leaf on the nose, lively palate has vibrant blackberry and blueberry flavours with a hint of dusty cocoa on the finish. Find this wine

685107 TENUTA SANT’ANTONIO SELEZIONE ANTONIO CASTAGNEDI AMARONE DELLA VALPOLICELLA CLASSICO 2010 $43.95
Lovely aromas of blackcurrant, tar, black tea, fresh cut flowers, new leather and dark roasted coffee grounds lead to a mouth-watering palate of pure dark fruit, perfect acidity, bitter clove and dried plum, with a dose of astringent tannin on the finish. Find this wine

300012 BRIGALDARA AMARONE DELLA VALPOLICELLA CLASSICO 2009 $49.95
A wine brimming with aromas of cherry cola, sweet candy, dried cherry, cassia bark and dried meat. There is a floral background too whilst heady aromas of cherry brandy take centre stage. It has seventeen degree of alcohol, which deposits some heat on the palate, it is quite astringent, dysfunctional and clumsy now, but given time, this could be quite some wine. Find this wine

333575 CAPARZO ROSSO DI MONTALCINO 2011 $19.95
Earthy, with lots of aromas of wet cut grass, mineral, rosewater, damson and red currant. The fruit aromas flow through to the palate. It’s nicely balanced, lively acidity, with a note of mocha and chocolate tannins on the finish. Find this wine

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The theme for the release on March 29th’ is “Thirty reasons to love Vintages.” Well after the fiasco with the allocation of the 2010 Dominus featured in the previous release, I will need way more than thirty reasons to put Vintages back on my Christmas card list. Having tasted it, I touted it as being one of the best young wines I have ever had the privilege to sample. When I went to get me some, I found the allotment for the entire Niagara region was a grand total of 0 bottles.

Oddly enough, the entire allocation went to the more affluent neighbourhoods in Ontario, namely Oakville, London, Toronto and Ottawa. At least some of our federal and provincial politicians had the chance to get their grubby little paws on a bottle or two, if I did not. Seriously, if there is not enough wine to evenly distribute through the system, sell it through Vintages on Line and use a first come first served basis.

The theme of “Thirty reasons why we should all love Vintages” is a mix of self-admiration of the Vintages organization along with numerous wines worthy of making the pick. Here are my thoughts on a few of the wines listed. There is again one wine that blew me away and there is plenty to be found in the system. It is the amazing………….Ah shucks, just read the notes  Read the rest of this entry »

“California Classics” take centre stage for this release of March 15th. For the most part, these wines are outstanding, but sadly one does need deep pockets to take them home. Best advice I can offer is buy a lottery ticket or better still, rob a bank, because these wines are worth getting hold of.

212381 DOMINUS 2010 Napa Valley $170.95
Tight, but it teases with dabs of coffee grounds, molasses, salted licorice, dried herbs, barnyard and hay. Then all of a sudden it bursts into life hurling aromas of blackcurrant, plum and sweet Moroccan spice. It has amazing structure, the tannins are gripping, but the velvety dark fruit is so focused, the acidity is seamless, just enough oak and an amazing mouth feel that finishes with spice, dark fruit and a touch of mint. Robert P deemed this wine to be a 100 pointer and I can’t disagree. It is without any doubt, one of the greatest young wines I have tasted in a long long time. Plus, a quick scan of US pricing shows $170.00 price tag is more than a fair price to pay as our wine imbibing neighbours to the south are paying an average of $285.00 Find this wine

104299 THE PRISONER 2012 Napa Valley, California $49.95 or $109.95 if one wants to splurge on a magnum.
Another rave review from Mr. P. in a blend of 46% Zinfandel, 22% Cabernet Sauvignon, 18% Petite Sirah, 12% Syrah and Charbono that does sound intriguing, but for me it is awfully sweet and way over the top with its heady nose of cassis, red licorice, milk chocolate and briar. The hugely extracted palate has flavours of cherry liqueur, cherry cola, creamy oak and low acidity. Find this wine

329375 PAHLMEYER PROPRIETARY RED 2010 Napa Valley $159.00
Given that 2010 was a challenging and cooler vintage in Napa these wines are really very good and Pahlmeyer is no exception. It is a heavy Cabernet Meritage blend that is not shy about showing its fruit forwardness, but it also shows another side packed with mineral, slate, forest floor, coffee grounds, Chinese mushroom and Indian spice box. The palate is powerful, while elegant, tannins are subdued; it demands drinking now, but those with lots of patience will reap the benefits a decade or two down the road. Marvelous stuff. Find this wine

060020 SEQUOIA GROVE CABERNET SAUVIGNON 2010 Napa Valley $55.95
A pricy entry level wine, but one that has serious merit and is bloody tasty, right from the muscular iron and mineral notes that meld with creamy mocha, currant, fennel seed and tobacco aromas. Cocoa and dusty tannins hold back the lively fruit for now, but give it a year or two of slumber and those fruit flavours will awake and do their thing. Find this wine

982413 RIDGE LYTTON SPRINGS 2011 Dry Creek Valley, Sonoma County $50.95
As good a Lytton Springs that I have tasted in a while. Cedar, blackberry, black toffee with a floral edge, dried cherry, lavender and a touch of beet abound. Not a candidate for early drinking, although I have no problem at the time of tasting, but there is a veil of tannin that does suppress the stunning concentration of fruit as it opens up, with super structure and lip smacking acidity. Having already made a purchase of this wine at “Plum Market” a store in the Detroit area known for its competitive pricing policies, I paid $29.00, considerably less than what the LCBO commands. Find this wine

366013 BELLE GLOS DAIRYMAN PINOT NOIR 2012 Dairyman Vineyard, Russian River Valley, Sonoma County $44.95
For those that wish to try a Pinot that doesn’t remotely taste anything like Pinot, this is the one to acquire. As a wine, it has interest, as the inky purple/mauve libation shows density and heavy viscosity. The nose overflows with aromas of blueberry, Turkish Delight, white chocolate and sweet spice. Sweet and gobby on the palate, lots of dark fruit, and a background of coffee crisp candy and chocolate fondue. Find this wine

058024 LA CREMA PINOT NOIR 2012 Los Carneros $44.95
Moroccan spice ground with sweet cake spice, lovely blackberry, black raspberry and cherry cola aromas lead to an elegant palate, showing fruit purity, mineral, gentle acidity and the right amount of oak. Find this wine

089284 RIDGE ESTATE CABERNET SAUVIGNON 2010 Monte Bello Vineyard, Santa Cruz Mountains $61.95
Classic, this baby Monte Bello is filled with sweet spice, violets, cardamom, cassis, slate and blackberry aromas with a lovely palate; quite chewy, with great structure, vivacious fruit and lots of dusty tannin. Find this wine

325027 CADE CABERNET SAUVIGNON 2010 Howell Mountain, Napa Valley $99.95
Very tight at first, needs sweet-talking to strut its stuff and when it does, it is a majestic and stately wine. Aromas of black and red fruits, vanilla, wet soil, molasses, morels, balsa and forest floor are plentiful. It has layer after layer of red fruit, cassis, and black raspberry with mineral and stone, a super long finish and although tannins are somewhat restrictive, every time I go back and re-taste this, it just keeps on getting better. Find this wine

THE REST OF THE RELEASE.

327700 BURNING KILN STRIP ROOM MERLOT/CABERNET FRANC 2012 Ontario $24.95
First impressions are of musty old wood, but that blows off to reveal notes of candy and soda pop, quite a tannic palate, some red currant and raspberry flavours that are masked by the astringency on the finish. Find this wine

591370 LAILEY CABERNET SAUVIGNON 2011 Niagara Peninsula, Ontario $24.95
2011 was a taxing vintage in this part of the world, but wine maker and fellow Brit, Derek Barnett has produced one tasty Cabernet that, although tight, carries great aromas of plum mocha, blackcurrant and whiffs of vanilla. It has solid structure, well balanced fruit, acidity and mineral flavours, but the tannins are in control and suggest time in the cellar is needed. Find this wine

743989 CHAPEL HILL SHIRAZ 2011 McLaren Vale, South Australia $25.95
Muddy and enthralling notes of barnyard, Marmite, coconut and dense fruit, super power packed, but focused palate; well balanced and super length on the finish. Find this wine

357053 PATRICK LESEC CUVÉE SUZON BEAUMES-DE-VENISE CÔTES DU RHÔNE VILLAGES 2011 $19.95
Sweet cherry, linalool, caramel and currant combine in the Grenache and Syrah blend. There is dark fruit on the palate, decent acidity, but not enough to balance the unusually sweet flavours and globby texture. The 15 degrees of alcohol makes itself known on the finish with a snap of heat. Find this wine

356816 ALBERT MOROT BEAUNE TOUSSAINTS 1er CRU 2009, Burgundy, France $59.95
Pinot in its purity, featuring delightful aromas of beet, lavender, blackberry, sweet licorice and bay leaf, that turn to a blend of velvety red and dark fruit, sweet spice, cola, perfect acidity and a deft amount of oak. Find this wine

051797 GIORDANO COLLECTION PRIMITIVO DI MANDURIA, Puglia, 2011 $17.95
Fleshy and ripe, floral aromas combine with a touch of smoked meat and spice. Some expected sweetness on the palate, pleasing chocolate texture, dark fruit and enough acidity to keep one interested. Find this wine

684597 SANTA CAROLINA RESERVA DE FAMILIA CABERNET SAUVIGNON 2010 Maipo Valley $18.95
Quite dense, cassis and Ribena aromas enhanced by dried mint, Thai basil and cigar box. It is muscular, has plenty of fruit, but added mineral and iron notes are powerful, as are the teeth coating tannins. Needs time or a spell in the decanter. Find this wine

359927 FINCA LA EMPERATRIZ RESERVA 2007 $29.95 Old vines, DOC Rioja
Impressive, dark berry notes, some clove and mocha in the background, mostly red fruit on the palate; plum joins in the fun, tannins are soft, but still could use a year or two. Find this wine

Cheers
CZ

A fleet of Cabs will be cruising onto the LCBO shelves this March 1st. Many are really tasty, a couple are well…not so much. In time for Passover, there are a couple of new additions to the Vintage’s portfolio and I am happy to say Kosher wines have come a long way.

THE CABERNET SAUVIGNONS

060525 RUTHERFORD RANCH RESERVE CABERNET SAUVIGNON 2009 Napa Valley, California $49.95
Heaps of dusty clay, mineral, dried herbs and pure black fruit run to a chewy and meaty palate of fleshy fruit, dried blueberry, blackcurrant, with bright acidity and silky dark chocolate tannins. Tasty now with time in a decanter, but it will get even better with time in the cellar. Find this wine

642207 DRY CREEK VINEYARD CABERNET SAUVIGNON 2010 Dry Creek Valley, Sonoma County, California $25.95
The aromas of black forest torte, blackcurrant and sweet vanilla entice, while the pure clean palate offers mouth-watering flavours of currant and black raspberry. It has great texture, is well balanced and although noticeable, the silky tannins do not interfere. Find this wine

725150 STARMONT CABERNET SAUVIGNON 2009 Napa Valley, California $35.95
A costly, but tasty entry level wine from Napa’s renowned Merryvale Vineyards, that is rustic and hard showing notes of iron, mineral, dark fruit, Dutch licorice and cassis. The blend of 76% Cabernet Sauvignon, with Merlot, Petit Verdot, Cabernet Franc and Malbec is built to last. It is brawny, has solid tannins, the right amount of oak and pure clean fruit on the finish. Find this wine

161398 LANDER-JENKINS SPIRIT HAWK CABERNET SAUVIGNON 2010 California $19.95
If I only grab one Cab from this release, you are lucky enough to be reading about it. It’s aromas of dark cherry, chocolate, currant and bay leaves are quite enthralling. The balance between dark fruit, lively acidity and sweet spice is spot on. Although its AVA is merely California, it offers up the drinking pleasure of some more prestigious wines at twice the price. Find this wine

001594 HEDGES FAMILY ESTATE RED 2011 Red Mountain, Yakima Valley, Washington State $32.95
A non-conventional blend of 44% Cabernet Sauvignon, 33% Merlot, 16% Syrah, 4% Malbec and 3% Cabernet Franc, boasting aromas of sweet mint, dried fruit, tar, peppery spice, blackcurrant and vanilla, with super structure on the palate, layers of dark fruit, chunky tannins, mineral and a finish of cassis and baking chocolate. Find this wine

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