Saturday April 28, 2018 - Vintages Release Report

26 Apr 2018

 

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 … Pacific Northwest (PNW) & German Wine (GW)
The Skinny … Pacific Northwest makes some very good wines, we don’t have many here, but keep your eyes open for wines from this area in upcoming releases; and the German wines aren’t anything to write home about; on the other hand, there’s an Argentine wine and a couple of Spanish that are bona fide values and the Le Volte might be the best wine of the release.

Argentina …
Los Haroldos 2014 Estate Blend Malbec/Cabernet Sauvignon/Petit Verdot ($14.95 - #512202) – simple yet fruit driven beginning but then delivers dark chocolate, subtle spice and a long dark fruit finish.  (****)
Telteca 2016 Roble Bonarda ($14.95 - #547323) – juicy cherry, a fruit driven summer chiller.  (*** ½+)

Australia …
Quarisa 2014 Treasures Coonawarra Cabernet Sauvignon ($17.95 - #552158) – sweet vanilla, blackberry and white pepper.  (***+)

Canada (British Columbia) …
Osoyoos Larose 2014 Le Grand Vin ($47.95 - #626325) - **** … PNW
Canada (Ontario) … click on wine name for full review
Cave Spring 2015 CSV Chardonnay ($29.95 - #529941) - *** +
Flat Rock 2016 Chardonnay ($19.95 - #286278) - *** ½+
Flat Rock 2014 Gravity Pinot Noir ($34.95 - #001560) - *** ½+
Henry of Pelham 2015 Family Tree Red ($18.95 - #247882) - *** ½+
Organized Crime 2016 Sauvignon Blanc ($18.95 - #396275) - *** ½+

Chile …
Bisquertt 2015 Ecos de Rulo Cabernet Sauvignon ($18.95 - #546515) – minty, blackberry, smooth and silky.  (*** ½+)

France (Bordeaux) …
Chateau le Pey 2014 ($22.95 - #548255) – smoky and spicy with dark fruit backing.  (*** ½)
Grand Vin de Margaux 2015 ($38.95 - #526871) – not Ch. Margaux so beware; but this still has good dark fruit, oak, cedar, cinnamon, dark fruit and spice.  (*** ½)
France (Champagne) …
Pannier Selection EV Brut Champagne ($45.95 - #374421) – biscuit, toasty, bready with baked apple notes.  (***+)
France (Rhone) …
Domaine de L’Oiselet 2015 Vacqueyras ($27.95 - #537951) – silky smooth, plum, blackberry, herbal and smoke.  (*** ½+)
France (Roussillon) …
Saint-Roch 2015 Vieilles Vignes Syrah/Grenache ($16.95 - #195107) – simple yet satisfying, white pepper and blackberry.  (*** ½)
France (Southwest) …
Domaine D’en Segur 2015 Cuvee Germain ($17.95 - #538504) – plum and blackberry with a blueberry-mocha underlay.  (*** ½+)

Germany …
Eugen 2015 Altschuh Pinot Noir ($15.95 - #550350) – sour cherry and slight smoky nature with rhubarb and nice acidity.  (*** ½+) … GW

Italy (Basilicata) …
Cantina di Venosa 2015 Verbo Aglianico del Vulture ($17.95 - #538561) – mineral, rich dark fruit, plum, cherry, and mocha; cellar 3-7 years.  (****)
Italy (Piedmont) …
Banfi 2017 Principessa Gavia Gavi ($19.95 - #250696) – delicate lively, lemon, grapefruit and floral.  (*** ½)
Italy (Tuscany) …
Le Volte Dell’Ornellaia 2015 ($29.95 - #964221) – gentle red and blue fruit with blackberry undertones, there’s even mocha and coffee bean.  (****+)
Cecchi 2015 Storia di Famiglia Chianti Classico ($17.95 - #540922) – rich fruit, smoky mocha, tobacco and leather.  (*** ½+)
Italy (Veneto) …
Pieropan 2015 La Rocca Soave Classico ($39.95 - #092437) – punchy lime, citrus pith and slightly nutty.  (*** ½)

New Zealand …
Soho 2017 White Collection Pinot Gris ($19.95 - #536169) – spicy pear and mandarin orange.  (*** ½)

South Africa …
Cathedral Cellars 2014 Shiraz ($16.95 - #561142) – clean and fruit driven with delicate white pepper, hints of leather, mocha and spice.  (****)

Spain …
Alvaro Palacios 2016 Camins del Priorat ($30.95 - #216291) – ripe cherry, clove, herbal, cassis and mocha.  (*** ½)
Balbas 2015 Barrica 5 Meses Old Vines Tempranillo ($14.95 - #543710) – lively dark fruit, raspberry, sweet juicy cherry core and nice balance on the finish.  (****)
Elias Mora 2014 ($17.95 - #209650) – nice depth of dark fruit, vanilla, cinnamon and nice spiced finish; good value.
Ramon Bilbao 2013 Limited Edition Tempranillo ($17.00 - #547950) – vanilla, plum, black cherry with a touch of floral.  (*** ½+)

United States (California) …
Bernardus 2013 Santa Lucia Highlands Pinot Noir ($34.95 - #544221) – sweet cherry, floral and spice.  (*** ½)
Joel Gott 2015 815 Cabernet Sauvignon ($24.95 - #444059) – juicy and easy drinking.  (***+)
Kenwood 2014 Jack London Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon ($39.95 - #944843) – mocha, black cherry, anise and coffee, with a tobacco underlay plus fine herbs and spice.  (****)
St. Francis 2014 Cabernet Sauvignon ($34.95 - #671164) – mocha, cherry, spice, easy drinking with a pleasant toasted-spice on the finish.  (****)
United States (Oregon) …
Primarius 2015 Pinot Noir ($29.95 - #402180) – light red berry fruit and fine tannins.  (*** ½) … PNW
United States (Washington) …
Airfield Estate 2014 Syrah ($26.95 - #548057) – cocoa, mocha, black cherry, and earthy with a spiced fruit finish.  (****) … PNW
Chateau Ste. Michelle 2016 Chardonnay ($21.95 - #232439) – mellow type of Chardonnay with melon, apple and lemon.  (*** ½+) … PNW
Dusted Valley 2015 Boomtown Cabernet Sauvignon ($19.95 - #220376) – coffee bean, vanilla, cassis and leather.  (*** ½+) … PNW
Wines of Substance 2015 Cabernet Sauvignon ($23.95 - #419770) – spiced mocha cherry. (*** ½+) … PNW

________________________________________

In-Store Discoveries:  wines that appear at selected Vintages outlets …
Abbadia Ardenga 2012 Vigna Piaggia Brunello di Montalcino, Tuscany ($75.95 - #437525) … *** ½+
Brauneberger Juffer-Sonnenuhr 2014 Riesling Spatlese, Germany ($40.95 - #298182) … *** ½+
Domaine Begue-Mathiot 2014 Vaillons Chablis 1er Cru, Burgundy ($37.95 - #524959) … *** ½
Roda 2012 Reserva, Spain ($52.95 - #664557) … ****
Xanadu 2014 Chardonnay, Australia ($39.95 - #027888) … *** ½


What I’ll Be Lining Up For … (April 28, 2018) …
Balbas 2015 Barrica 5 Meses Old Vines Tempranillo ($14.95 - #543710) – Spain
Cantina di Venosa 2015 Verbo Aglianico del Vulture ($17.95 - #538561) – Italy
Cathedral Cellars 2014 Shiraz ($16.95 - #561142) – South Africa
Elias Mora 2014 ($17.95 - #209650) – Spain
Los Haroldos 2014 Estate Blend ($14.95 - #512202) – Argentina

Happy Shopping

 

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