Saturday May 27, 2017 - Vintages Release Report
25 May 2017- Details
- Category: What I'm Tasting
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 … Southern Italy (SI) & Santa Barbara (SB)
The Skinny … The Santa Barbara and Southern Italy spotlight is pretty good, but the real winner this week is the wines from Chile, especially if you’re a value seeker like I am.
Argentina …
Atamisque 2012 Assemblage ($45.95 - #483032) – full-bodied with a weighty mouthfeel yet with nice tannins and big black fruit middle. (****)
Australia …
Credaro Estate 2014 Five Tales Shiraz ($19.95 - #491068) – sweet vanilla, plum, blackberry and pepper; this is for those that like their Shiraz big, bold and brooding. (****+)
Wakefield 2016 Clare Valley Estate Chardonnay ($15.95 - #711556) – not “over” anything, it’s right down the line of balanced fruit and wood. (*** ½+)
Canada (Ontario) … click on wine name for full review
Chateau des Charmes 2015 Cuvee D’Andree Rosé ($15.95 - #333260) - *** ½+
Rockway Vineyards 2015 Red ($14.95 - #498667) – *** ½
Chile …
Chilcas 2014 Reserva Cabernet Sauvignon ($18.95 - #486050) – black cherry, smoke, vanilla and plum. (****)
Cono Sur 2015 Single Vineyard El Recurso Block 18 Cabernet Sauvignon ($19.95 - #439364) – minty blackberry, cherry with a stony/mineral component around the red fruit and acid finish; this is a real elegant wine that well-balanced and juicy middle. (****+)
Maycas del Limari 2015 Reserva Especial Chardonnay ($18.95 - #143768) – good acidity mixed up in the lemon and green apple with butter and vibrant acidity. (****)
Santa Ama 2014 Amplus Cabernet Sauvignon ($19.95 - #076307) – juicy and intense with black fruit, cinnamon and vanilla. (*** ½+)
France …
Luc Belaire Rare Sparkling Rosé ($39.95 - #395384) – great cherry and strawberry notes with vibrant bubbles and lots of summertime fun. (****)
France (Bordeaux) …
Chateau Tour Bayard 2012 ($21.95 - #388348) – easy drinking mocha and blackberry. (*** ½)
France (Burgundy) …
Domaine Chevallier 2015 Chablis ($24.95 - #112227) – fruit forward with apple and pear with lemon pith on the finish. (*** ½+)
Domaine Saint Germain 2015 Macon Aze Chardonnay ($15.95 - #488874) – pretty floral, baked apple and wildflower honey. (*** ½)
France (Provence) …
Chateau la Tour de L’Eveque 2016 Rosé ($18.95 - #319392) – dry cherry with raspberry and minerality; quite pretty. (*** ½+)
Henri Gaillard 2016 Rosé ($16.95 - #450825) – subtle and elegant, more floral than fruit and quite dry. (*** ½+)
France (Rhone) …
La Ferme du Mont 2015 Cotes Jugunda Gigondas ($32.95 - #354118) – good fruit to wood ratio with elegant floral, black cherry and mocha. (*** ½+)
France (Roussillon) …
Domaine Guisset 2014 ($15.95 - #480863) – plenty of herbal and cherry with hints of plum. (*** ½)
Italy (Basilicata) …
Pipoli 2016 Vigneti del Vulture Rosato ($15.95 - #450718) – sweet cherry and raspberry, very summery. (*** ½)
Italy (Campania) …
Nativ 2011 Taurasi ($31.95 - #445262) – pretty black fruit, vanilla and smoked cherry. (****) – SI
Vesevo Beneventano 2015 Falanghina ($16.95 - #289538) – pretty pear and lime with hints of floral. (*** ½) – SI
Italy (Puglia) …
Masseria Altemura 2014 Sasseo Primitivo ($16.95 - #366955) – very Zin-like without being over the top; bright cherry, strawberry and a 70% cocoa like note, silky and lovely. (****) – SI
Schola Sarmenti Cubardi 2012 Primitivo ($24.95 - #316083) – sweet cherry, cranberry and mocha latte. (*** ½+) – SI
Italy (Sicily) …
Feudo Maccari 2015 Grillo ($14.95 - #477877) – lively lemon acidity with green apple and almond. (*** ½+) – SI
Le Casematte 2014 Peloro ($22.95 - #487991) – sweet cherry rhubarb with licorice notes. (*** ½+) – SI
Italy (Veneto) …
Almadi 2014 Corvina ($15.95 - #492595) – smoky, cocoa nibs, black cherry and pepper. (*** ½+)
Masi 2013 Toar Valpolicella Classico Superiore ($21.95 - #342444) – coffee bean, anise and black pepper. (*** ½+)
Valpantena 2014 Torre del Falasco Ripasso Valpolicella ($17.95 - #642421) – fruit forward with subtle cherry, white smoke and balsamic strawberry. (*** ½+)
New Zealand …
Clos Henri 2015 Sauvignon Blanc ($29.95 - #675629) – sweaty and grassy almost earthy with subtle tropical and peach pit notes. (*** ½+)
Jules Taylor 2014 Pinot Noir ($25.95 - #329805) – fruit forward with subtle earthy cran-black cherry and smoky character. (*** ½+)
Waimea 2016 Classic Riesling ($18.95 - #408666) – nice pretty floral, lemon-lime with juicy green apple on the finish. (*** ½+)
Portugal …
Fonseca 2011 Late Bottle Vintage Port ($22.95 - #087551) – black cherry starts things off then there’s spice and acidity and finally the chocolate settles in on the finish. (****)
Portas da Herdade 2014 Reserva ($15.95 - #404418) – herbal black fruit with hints of vanilla. (*** ½+)
South Africa …
Rustenberg 2016 Petit Verdot Rosé ($13.95 - #451773) – hints at sweet on the nose with with good acidity it balances the strawberry and cherry fruit. (*** ½+)
Spain …
Balbas 2005 Reserva ($21.95 - #085183) – vanilla, blackberry and cherry, smoky-mocha and juicy middle. (*** ½+)
Vivanco 2012 Seleccion de Familia Crianza ($17.95 - #673491) – layered cherry, blackberry with lots of other dark fruit; quite juicy. (*** ½)
Williams & Humbert Walnut Brown Medium Sweet Sherry ($13.95 - #437467) – sweet almond and hazelnut with a little orange pith. (*** ½+)
United States (California) …
Bell Town 2014 Cabernet Sauvignon ($19.95 - #495226) – smooth, soft and supple, ready to drink full of rich “sweet” fruit with plum and blackberry. (*** ½)
Firestone 2013 Syrah ($32.95 - #458901) – subtle and savoury with black pepper, cassis, smoke and spice. (****) – SB
First Press 2015 Chardonnay ($24.95 - #199810) – buttery vanilla with a sweet apple finish. (****)
Hitching Post 2014 Hometown Pinot Noir ($29.95 - #256644) – smoky-earthiness with enough raspberry-cranberry to make this elegant. (****) – SB
Nielson by Byron 2014 Pinot Noir ($23.95 - #438523) – strats off cranberry, kicks in a little sweet cherry and ends with anise and earthy. (****) – SB
Simi 2013 Landslide Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon ($39.95 - #462721) – bold Cab with cocoa, cassis, blackberry, vanilla and smoke. (****)
United States (Washington) …
Buried Cane 2014 Cabernet Sauvignon ($19.95 - #402081) – blueberry, plum, slight bit of herbal and gentle coffee. (*** ½+)
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In-Store Discoveries: wines that appear on the shelves of your local Vintages outlet …
Bachelder 2011 La Petite Charmotte Nuits-Saint-Georges, France ($49.95 - #357228) - ****
Domaine Billard-Simon 2014 Les Vaillon Chablis 1er Cru, France ($39.95 - #330175) - *** ½+
Domaine Charles Audoin 2013 Clos du Roy Marsannay, France ($47.95 - #243857) - *** ½
Henri Bardouin Pastis, France ($40.95 - #951368) - *** ½+
La Jota 2013 Howell Mountain Estate Cabernet Sauvignon, California ($110.95 - #659755) - ****
Michele Satta 2012 Piastraia, Italy ($38.95 - #709980) - ****
Silverado 2013 GEO Cabernet Sauvignon, California ($91.95 - #471409) - ****+
If You Can Afford It: wines worth their high price …
Beaumont des Crayers 2006 Fleur de Prestige Champagne, France ($68.95 - #483099) … ****
Chateau Clos de Sarpe 1995, France ($53.95 - #497073) … *** ½+
Chateau Montelena 2013 Cabernet Sauvignon, California ($74.95 - #718452) … *** ½+
Kistler 2015 Les Noisetiers Chardonnay, California ($99.95 - #251223) … ****
Segla 2010, France ($65.95 - #359810) … ****+
Other Stuff That’s Fine, But It’s Not Wine …
Dillon’s Small Batch Distillers Sweet Vermouth, Ontario ($19.95 - #477356) … ****
What I’ll Be Lining Up For (May 27, 2017) …
Chilcas 2014 Reserva Cabernet Sauvignon ($18.95 - #486050) – Chile
Cono Sur 2015 Single Vineyard El Recurso Block 18 Cabernet Sauvignon ($19.95 - #439364) – Chile
Credaro Estate 2014 Five Tales Shiraz ($19.95 - #491068) – Australia
Masseria Altemura 2014 Sasseo Primitivo ($16.95 - #366955) – Italy
Maycas del Limari 2015 Reserva Especial Chardonnay ($18.95 - #143768) – Chile
Happy Shopping
