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 »

I happened upon a couple of bottles of Vacqueyras of the good QPR (quality-price-ratio) variety in the last few weeks, from unlikely sources, no less. This link takes you to what may or may not be our very first report on the wines from this southern Rhône appellation, posted back in about ’97 or ’98; whatever the case, it demonstrates that we’ve been fans for a quite a while now. Unfortunately, many of the bottlings we loved so much back then have seen gradual price hikes over the years, so we don’t buy them as often as we used to; Domaine le Sang des Cailloux comes to mind right away. These two new ones are by no means among the best Vacqueyras we’ve had, but they certainly are solid, well-made wines at reasonable prices that we’ll be happy to drink now and over the next several years.

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“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

After having such a fine time at dinner with Anne Charlotte Melia-Bachas of Chateauneuf du Pape producer Chateau de la Font du Loup and AHD Vintners Sales Rep Extraordinaire Michelle DeHayes last September, Kim promised to cook the next time Anne Charlotte came to town. That turned out to be in early February, and, true to her word, Kim put together a terrific spread for our noshing and dining pleasure. Besides Anne Charlotte and Michelle, we were also joined by AHD head honcho Chip Delsener and Matt Jammes of Domaine Sarrail.

We decided that it might be fun to introduce our French guests to a couple of the best wines from California, and given that Niman Ranch flat iron steak with cannellini beans and red wine sauce was on the menu, the obvious choices were Cabernet-based. I figured it would be hard to come up with anything better than selections from Chateau Montelena and Ridge Vineyards, so that’s what we went with. But first, Michelle got us started with a delicious Champagne.
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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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Jim Cowan Photo by Chris Witkowski - click to enlarge

The 2014 archive is presented by date the notes were compiled and submitted. Prior year’s tasting notes may be found here.

February 18, 2014

All wines purchased at Total Wine, St. Petersburg, Florida.

2009 Marquis de Monistrol, Cava Brut Winemaker’s Select:
12% abv; energetic bead, nice creaminess but still bright and lively in the mouth; charming and the equal of many N/V Champagnes. Buy more. $15. Find this wine

2012 Terramore, Nero D’Avola:
12.5 % abv, organic grapes, screwcap; correct to its variety with hints of an herbaceous side; a bit of a puzzle as I like it and at the same time I’m not sure of it. I’ll buy another and try again. $10. Find this wine

2012 Greek Wine Cellars, Assyrtiko Santorini:
12.5% abv; aromas, textures and flavors that reference Chenin blanc with the addition of some sappy fruit that is both sweet and bright (the wine, however, is dry); best at refrigerator temperature as it becomes oddly cloying at room temp. Probably not. $13. Find this wine

2011 Poderi di Carlo, Ribolla Gialla Venezia Giulia:
12.0% abv; no evidence of skin contact as this is acidic and not especially intense, but it does have the characteristic scent of peach and nutmeg just at a lower intensity; quite clean and very bright, dry. I like it but I seem to crave more flavor. Maybe more. $13. Find this wine

2012 Hugues de Beauvignac, Picpoul de Pinet Coteaux du Landguedoc:
12.5% abv, screwcap; floral and citrus nose; clean and crisp in the mouth with light fruit flavors; nicely persistent. Interesting both cold and warmed to room temp. Maybe more. $11. Find this wine

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Those that head to their local vintages corner on February 15th. will have a selection of regional French wines to choose from; sadly though, I can’t give too many recommendations on what to buy as the powers that be on the top floor of the LCBO were a bit stingy with what they sent out for sampling. However, as always, there are a couple of wines worth seeking out especially at the friendlier on the wallet pricing point.  (Click images to enlarge)

REGIONAL WINES OF FRANCE

356741 DOMAINE GÉRARD CHARVET LA RÉSERVE D’AMÉLIE MOULIN-À-VENT 2012 $20.90
Not being known to be a fan of Beaujolais, I must confess to finding this wine more than just a pleasant surprise. Its bright, fresh and perfumed nose emits aromas of lavender, blackberry, yellow plum and brandied cherries. It has black raspberry on the palate along with some peppery spice, dried cherry and clean acidity. Find this wine

309245 LA FERME DU MONT VENDANGE CHÂTEAUNEUF-DU-PAPE 2011 $46.95
Very fruit forward, dark jam aromas, not a lot of complexity, but some interesting hits of sweet spice and cola. At this point in time, the palate is lacklustre and one dimensional with an element of heat on the finish. Well reviewed by one of Parker’s peeps, so maybe my comments are a little harsh. Find this wine

283424 DOMAINE DES OUCHES IGORANDA BOURGUEIL 2011 $16.95
Cab Franc as cab Franc should be, at least if you make wine in this part of the world. It is very herbaceous, showing dill ferns, bell pepper and faint whiffs of dried red fruits. There is a dose of tannin on the finish that shuts down the miserly degree of fruit. Worth buying to see what happens with a year or so in the cellar. Find this wine

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As was the case with the wines from Tablas Creek we reported on last week, we took our time getting around trying the three latest samples we received from the fine folks at Cornerstone Cellars of Napa Valley. The Stepping Stone Cabernet Franc had already been resting comfortably in our cellar waiting for a tasting opportunity when we took possession of the two Cornerstone Cabernet Sauvignons, which in turn spent several weeks down there as well. The reason for this is pretty simple, really; we don’t eat much meat at all these days, and I wanted to pair them with a good cut of grass-fed beef, as we will not purchase products from the horrid factory farms that provide most of the meats found in markets and grocery stores these days. We finally got what we wanted from C. Roy Meats, one of the best natural, organic, grass-fed beef producers in Michigan, and the next evening, we sat down to dinner with the two Cornerstones.

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I find it quite interesting to compare my current notes on this wine to those of two years ago when we first tasted it with Wyncroft owner-winemaker Jim Lester. At that time, he told us that he had intended to make “a Joguet Chinon-styled Cabernet Franc,” and it was clear that he had succeeded. Since then, the wine seems to have put on some weight, and what Jim described as a “Chianti-like cedar character” from spending 30 months in a one-year old Bordeaux barrel, has become even more accentuated. Mr. Lester left a bottle with us, and we managed to keep our hands off until just recently, when I decided to pull the cork and taste how this is coming along.

2007 Wyncroft Lake Michigan Shore Bouchet Avonlea, 13% alc.: Clean, dark color, with a lovely, perfumed nose that has a shade of something like rock ‘n rye or root beer that adds a nice touch to the rich, earthy black fruit; the flavors echo and expand beautifully on a full bodied frame, with some cedar and saddle leather accents. This is structured for several more years of development, and it has a density and character that more than holds it own to the 2012 Bonny Doon Clos de Gilroy that we reported on previously and enjoyed on the same occasion. Hands down the best Michigan Cabernet Franc we’ve had to date, and a great example to support the argument that it is indeed possible to make world class reds in the Mitten State. (I added the following “Find this wine” link because that’s what we do here, but in truth, with only one barrel having been made, chances are slim there’s any out there to be found. Still, just in case some magically appears…) Find this wine

On a final note, I love those old label shots like the one above that we used to create. I wish we could have saved that old scanner that we used, because the new one just doesn’t come close to that kind of image quality for this specific purpose. We actually find our “borrowed” labels from the old scanner on other wine sites fairly regularly. I suppose we should take this a compliment of sorts. Instead, we contact the appropriate webmasters and politely ask them to take our content down or provide attribution.

Reporting from Day-twah,

geo t.