Saturday October 27, 2018 - Vintages Release Report
25 Oct 2018- Details
- Category: Vintages Releases
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 … Illustrious Italians (II) & Proof Positive (PP)
The Skinny … We are moving into the Christmas months for the Board so there are tons of wines coming out, someone in the room counted over 140 … and the releases only get bigger leading up to the x-mas event. Lots of choice including wines from the little seen Mexico and even lesser-seen Armenia … the wines of note come from France, Chile and Spain and there’s even a few scores for the Spirits within this release.
Argentina …
Alta Vista 2016 Premium Cabernet Franc ($17.95 - #609081) – tobacco and black fruit, mainly black currants. (*** ½)
Pascual Toso 2016 Barrancas ($17.95 - #494609) – gentle and easy drinking with dried blackberry, and other sweet black fruit with a mocha/chocolate finish. (*** ½+)
Susana Balbo 2016 Signature Malbec ($19.95 - #079798) – pretty and juicy with lots of cherry and floral notes. (*** ½)
Armenia …
Karas 2016 Red ($21.95 - #492751) – interesting mocha-coffee and blackberry. (***+)
Australia …
Two Hands 2017 Sexy Beast Cabernet Sauvignon ($27.95 - #219469) – nice concentration fruit and secondary flavours: cherry and strawberry with chocolate, cassis, coffee bean and spice. (****+)
Canada (Ontario) … click on wine name for full review
Cave Spring 2016 CSV Riesling ($29.95 - #566026) - *** ½+
Chateau des Charmes 2016 Vidal Icewine ($47.95 - #413732) - *** ½
Creekside 2016 Backyard Block Sauvignon Blanc ($22.00 - #341792) - *** ½+
Creekside 2016 Laura’s Red ($22.00 - #117960) - ****+
Featherstone 2016 Joy Premium Cuvee Sparkling Rosé ($29.95 - #450700) - *** ½+
Henry of Pelham 2012 Speck Family Reserve Cabernet/Merlot ($39.95 - #616433) - **** ½
Redstone 2015 Chardonnay ($19.95 - #398966) - *** ½+
Vieni Momenti Sparkling Wine ($13.95 - #435784) - *** ½
Chile …
Concha y Toro 2015 Terrunyo Cabernet Sauvignon ($34.95 - #562918) – white pepper, cherry and strawberry; this one is pretty juicy from start to finish. (****)
San Pedro 2015 1865 Selected Vineyards Cabernet Sauvignon ($19.95 - #037911) – fruit forward, cherry, blackberry with a smoky-mocha finish. (****)
France (Beaujolais) …
Domaine des Rosiers 2015 Moulin-a-Vent ($21.95 - #556480) – juicy cherry and subtle spice. (*** ½)
France (Burgundy) …
Louis Jadot 2016 Pouilly-Fuisse ($39.95 - #732917) – slight butterscotch note with gentle peach cobbler and apple. (*** ½+)
France (Rhone) …
Halos de Jupiter 2016 Cotes du Rhone ($17.95 - #276956) – mocha and dark cherry with white pepper, floral, leather and a juicy core. (****)
Xavier Vignon 2017 Cotes du Rhone Rosé ($16.95 - #450908) – strawberry and lime curd; very refreshing. (*** ½)
Italy (Abruzzo) …
Ferzo 2015 Montepulciano D’Abruzzo ($17.95 - #573675) – black cherry, mocha, herbal, tobacco and cassis. (*** ½+)
Italy (Campania) …
Nativ 2013 Bicento ($41.95 - #575035) – floral, cherry, mineral, spice and lots of dark fruit. (****) … II
Italy (Piedmont) …
Banfi 2017 Principessa Gavia Gavi ($19.95 - #250696) – very lemon and grapefruit with herbal notes. (***+)
Fontanafredda 2017 Pradalupo Roero Arneis ($17.95 - #577700) – crisp mineral, peach and spice. (*** ½)
Italy (Sicily) …
Vito Curatolo Arini Superiore Dolce Marsala ($18.95 - #553990) – orange and floral notes with a creamy mouthfeel and vanilla sweetness. (*** ½)
Italy (Tuscany) …
Grillesino Battiferro 2016 Morellino di Scansano ($18.95 - #329318) – juicy and easy drinking, soft and supple with approachable berry notes. (*** ½)
La Vite Lucente 2016 ($34.95 - #747030) – meaty, cherry and vanilla smoke. (*** ½+) … II
Ruffino 2014 Riserva Ducal Oro Gran Selezione Chianti Classico ($47.95- #353201) – surprisingly juicy, dried cherry, cedar and smoke. (*** ½+) … II
San Felice 2015 Chianti Classico ($19.95 - #282996) – ripe red fruit with strawberry and raspberry tasking center-stage; nice depth. (*** ½+)
Italy (Veneto) …
Monte del Fra 2013 Lena di Mezzo Amarone della Valpolicella Classico ($49.95 - #047506) – super juicy and sweet with chocolate, cherry, mocha and plum. (*** ½+) … II
Remo Farina 2016 Ripasso Valpolicella Classico Superiore ($17.95 - #999946) – mocha, blueberry and smoked-cherry. (*** ½+)
Mexico …
LA Cetto 2016 Petite Sirah ($12.95 - #983742) – great value in a simple black fruited and mocha wine from Mexico. (***+)
New Zealand …
Craggy Range 2017 Te Muna Road Single Vineyard Sauvignon Blanc ($26.95 - #466011) – mellow and soft version of Kiwi Savvy B: fresh and lively with apple, lemon and mineral. (****)
Kim Crawford 2014 Small Parcels Rise & Shine Pinot Noir ($29.95 - #035337) – delicate spices with black cherry, cocoa and mocha-cream on the finish; really nice. (*** ½+)
Villa Maria 2017 Cellar Selection Sauvignon Blanc ($21.95 - #974527) – nice little Savvy with herbal, grapefruit and grass; this one is textbook New Zealand. (*** ½)
Portugal …
Quadrus 2013 Red ($22.95 - #440305) – floral, blackberry and black cherry with a good spiced finish. (*** ½)
Quadrus 2011 Reserva ($28.95 - #534271) – generous mocha cherry, plum and blackberry. (****)
South Africa …
Cathedral Cellar 2015 Chardonnay ($16.95 - #328559) – rich, round and mouthfilling with apple and pear skin and lemon zest backing. (*** ½)
Spain …
Chapillon 2015 Siendra ($15.95 - #417675) – spicy, blackberry, leather and smoke. (****)
United States (California) …
Cline 2016 Ancient Vines Zinfandel ($24.95 - #719211) – fresh and floral with plum, cherry cola and anise. (*** ½+)
J. Lohr 2016 Falcon’s Perch Pinot Noir ($29.95 - #361717) – juicy style of Monterey Pinot with sour cherry, plum and lovely floral elements. (****)
Rodney Strong 2015 Knights Valley Cabernet Sauvignon ($39.95 - #456723) – mineral and mocha with blackberry fruit and a gritty finish. (*** ½)
Seghesio 2016 Sonoma Zinfandel ($29.95 - #942151) – cinnamon, plum, cherry, blackberry with a spicy finish. (****)
United States (Oregon) …
Stoller Family 2016 Chardonnay ($27.95 - #461574) – fruit forward in nature with apple sauce, mineral and plenty of pear. (*** ½+)
United States (Washington) …
Chateau Ste, Michelle 2016 Syrah ($21.95 - #949651) – juicy Syrah that shows some complexity with spice and pepper backing. (****)
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In-Store Discoveries: wines that appear at selected Vintages outlets …
Bouchard Pere & Fils 2015 Rully Blanc, Burgundy ($26.95 - #950337) - *** ½+
Klein Constantia-Pascal Jolivet 2016 Metis Sauvignon Blanc, South Africa ($31.95 - #617498) - ***+
Louis Roederer 2012 Brut Champagne, France ($102.95 - #981027) - ****
Mission Hill 2015 Perpetua Chardonnay, British Columbia ($49.95 - #258210) - *** ½+
Stonestreet 2015 Chardonnay, California ($49.95 - #991380) - ****
Torres 2015 Cos Perpetual, Spain ($49.95 - #265710) - ****
Volpaia 2015 Chianti Classico, Tuscany ($28.95 - #953828) - ****
If You Can Afford It: wines worth their high price …
Banfi 2013 Brunello di Montalcino, Tuscany ($55.95 - #378257) - *** ½+ … II
Chateau Montelena 2014 Cabernet Sauvignon, California ($74.95 - #718452) - *** ½+
D’Arenberg 2015 Dead Arm Shiraz, Australia ($58.95 - #430512) - **** ½
Duckhorn 2015 Cabernet Sauvignon, California ($89.95 - #024190) - ****
Faust 2015 Cabernet Sauvignon, California ($59.95 - #238261) - ****
Palazzo 2013 Brunello di Montalcino, Tuscany ($69.95 - #660746) - *** ½+
Sassicaia 2015, Tuscany ($225.95 - #480533) – ****+ … II
Other Stuff That’s Fine, But It’s Not Wine …
El Dorado Enmore Single Still Demerara Rum, Guyana ($87.95 - #341164) - **** … PP
El Dorado Port Mourant Single Still Demerara Rum, Guyana ($87.95 - #469973) - *** ½ … PP
Michter’s 10 Year Old Kentucky Straight Bourbon, USA ($199.95 - #520841) - *** ½+ … PP
Sazerac Sraight Rye Whiskey, USA ($55.95 - #205666) - *** ½ … PP
Tokinoka Black Blended Whisky, Japan ($85.95 - #575043) - *** ½ … PP
Best Values in this Release - (October 27, 2018) …
Chapillon 2015 Siendra ($15.95 - #417675) – Spain
Halos de Jupiter 2016 Cotes du Rhone ($17.95 - #276956) – France
San Pedro 2015 1865 Selected Vineyards Cabernet Sauvignon ($19.95 - #037911) – Chile
Happy Shopping
