Saturday October 13, 2018 - Vintages Release Report
11 Oct 2018- 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 … Bouquet List (BL) & Wine Wisdom (WW)
The Skinny … There are some delicious values in this release especially from Australia and France – the focus items also seem to have some merit; bottom line there are definitely some good wines in this release.
Argentina …
Clos de los Siete 2014 ($23.95 - #622571) – smoky, cocoa, floral and black cherry. (*** ½+)
Australia …
Ladies Who Shoot Their Lunch 2017 Wild Ferment Chardonnay ($34.95 - #298380) – best to date that I have tried, shows some restraint with good oak, white fruit, vanilla and spiced peach. (*** ½+) … WW
Serafino 2015 Shiraz ($34.95 - #407718) – rich and smoky with vanilla, blueberry and black pepper. (*** ½+)
Sister’s Run 2016 Epiphany Shiraz ($16.95 – #4269464) – fruity, vanilla, mocha, dark berries and raspberry. (****)
Wakefield 2016 Cabernet Sauvignon ($19.95 - #744235) – good red and black fruit with a vanilla, chocolate and cherry base. (****)
Canada (British Columbia) …
Black Sage Vineyard 2015 Merlot ($29.95 - #593053) – cassis and cocoa with a hint of blueberry skin on the finish. (*** ½+)
Moraine 2016 Pinot Noir ($31.95 - #393827) – there is some gorgeous red fruit here with cranberry, subtle cherry and good acid balance. (****+)
Canada (Ontario) … click on wine name for full review
16 Mile Cellar 2014 Rebel Pinot Noir ($22.95 - #520783) - *** ½+
Henry of Pelham 2015 Cabernet Icewine ($39.95 / 200ml - #672402) - *** ½+ (WW)
Leaning Post 2015 Pinot Noir ($29.95 - #523183) - *** ½+
Chile …
Casa Silva 2016 Gran Terroir de Los Lingues Cabernet Sauvignon ($19.95 - #575910) – thick black cherry core, almost Port-like. (*** ½)
Primus 2015 The Blend ($19.95 - #712463) – easy drinking with vanilla, chocolate and black cherry. (*** ½+)
France (Bordeaux) …
Clos de Moiselles 2015 ($19.95 - #384198) – mocha, black cherry, smoky, graphite and cedar. (****)
France (Burgundy) …
Louis Bouillot Perle D’Ivoire Brut Blanc de Blancs Cremant de Bourgogne ($19.95 - #048801) – lemon, apple, lime with a slight bitterness. (*** ½)
Vignerons de Buxy 2015 Buissonnier Pinot Noir ($18.95 - #227983) – gentle cherry, blackberry and red plum. (*** ½)
France (Lauguedoc) …
Domaine Montrose 2017 Prestige Rosé ($20.95 - #491076) – dry, dry, dry with orange, peach and minerality. (*** ½+)
France (Midi) …
Chateau Fontenelles 2015 Cuvee Renaissance Corbieres ($20.95 - #148892) – mocha latte notes with black cherry and vanilla. (*** ½)
France (Rhone) …
Domaine Les Grands Bois 2016 Cuvee Philippine Sainte-Cecile Cotes du Rhone-Villages ($20.95 - #286344) – spearmint, black cherry and plum. (*** ½+)
Gabriel Meffre 2015 Sainte Catherine Gigondas ($32.95 - #370270) – floral, cherry, blackberry and blueberry. (*** ½+)
Xavier 2016 Ventoux ($15.95 - #413211) – great sipper with spicy blackberry on the finish and a core of black cherry, vanilla and cocoa. (****)
France (Southwest) …
Chateau de Gaudou 2016 Tradition Cahors ($18.95 - #560938) – softer version of Malbec from Cahors with a touch of Merlot; easy drinking and approachable. (*** ½)
Gerard Bertrand 2015 Grand Terroir La Clape Syrah/Carignan/Mourvedre ($18.95 - #370262) – leather and smoke, pepper and black fruit. (*** ½+)
Germany …
Konigschaffhauser Vulkanfelsen 2017 Trocken Pinot Noir Rosé ($14.95 - #168237) – raspberry, strawberry and lime pith; really pleasant. (*** ½+)
Greece …
Kourtaki Muscat of Samos ($15.95 - #938407) – peach, apricot, beeswax and floral; it’s a sweet wine and quite tasty too. (*** ½)
Italy (Piedmont) …
Michele Chiarlo 2017 Nivole Moscato D’Asti ($11.95 / 375ml - #650440) – liquid sunshine with floral, peach and delicious apple sweetness. (*** ½+)
Italy (Puglia) …
Cantine Due Palme 2016 Ettamino Primitivo ($19.95 - #434373) – vanilla and smoked cherry, gentle spice, rich plum; a subtle Zin knockoff. (*** ½)
New Zealand …
Greywacke 2017 Sauvignon Blanc ($24.95 - #164228) – herbal, grapefruit zest and even a tad pithy. (*** ½+) … WW
Portugal …
Calem 2000 Colheita Single Harvest Tawny Port ($46.95 - #264259) – orange peel and spiced dried cherry, it’s nice and edgy. (*** ½+)
Barros 2005 Colheita Tawny Port ($34.95 - #582932) – almond, cherry and hazelnut with some orange peel and toasty notes. (****)
South Africa …
Rustenberg 2017 Petit Verdot Rosé ($13.95 - #451773) – subtle and smooth with candy apple, floral and pleasant acidity. (*** ½+)
Spain …
Alceno 2015 Premium 50 Barricas Syrah ($16.95 - #398933) – pretty, pleasant and easy drinking with plenty of dark fruit. (*** ½)
Alto Moncayo 2015 Veraton Garnacha ($36.95 - #173211) – gorgeous, silky and sexy on the tongue with plum, vanilla and black cherry. (****+)
Baron de Ley 2011 Gran Reserva ($29.95 - #642496) – coffee, blackberry and licorice. (*** ½+)
Ondarre 2014 Reserva ($17.95 - #723452) – smoky, spicy, dark cherry and sour cherry. (*** ½)
United States (California) …
Clos Pegase 2016 Mitsuko’s Vineyard Chardonnay ($34.95 - #986737) – caramel and green apple with a pretty peach note. (*** ½+)
David Bynum 2015 River West Vineyard Chardonnay ($29.95 - #205815) – good balance, good acidity, fresh and lively with a decent fruit core. (*** ½) … WW
Ravenswood 2014 Old Vine Zinfandel ($21.95 - #673798) – a toned down version from previous versions, if you like Ravenswood you know what I mean. (*** ½)
United States (Oregon) …
Domaine Drouhin 2015 Roserock Pinot Noir ($41.95 - #529107) – pretty floral, soft cherry and pepper notes; supple on the finish. (****)
United States (Washington) …
Pendulum 2016 Cabernet Sauvignon ($28.95 - #533711) – chocolate, mocha, blackberry and black cherry. (****)
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In-Store Discoveries: wines that appear at selected Vintages outlets …
Abbotts & Delaunay 2014 Cumulo Nimbus Minervois, France ($28.95 - #561126) … *** ½+
Henschke 2015 Henry’s Seven, Australia ($49.95 - #685578) … ****
Shafer 2015 TD-9, California ($99.95 - #570788) … ****
Soumah 2017 Hexham Single Vineyard Chardonnay, Australia ($34.95 - #609297) … *** ½+
If You Can Afford It: wines worth their high price …
Archimedes 2014 Cabernet Sauvignon, California ($79.95 - #431825) … *** ½
Argiano 2013 Brunello di Montalcino, Piedmont ($59.95 - #154609) … *** ½+ (BL)
Cliff Lede 2015 Stags Leap District Cabernet Sauvignon, California ($119.95 - #014217) … ****+
Elderton 2014 Command Single Vineyard Shiraz, Australia ($99.95 - #716142) … **** ½ (BL)
Goldeneye 2015 Pinot Noir, California ($74.95 - #659854) … ****
Masi 2012 Costasera Riserva Amarone della Valpolicella Classico, Veneto ($69.95 - #324137) … ****+
Montes 2015 Purple Angel, Chile ($62.95 - #062364) … **** ½ (BL)
Oreno 2016, Tuscany ($86.95 - #735597) … **** (BL)
Silver Oak 2013 Alexander Valley Cabernet Sauvignon, California ($119.95 - #943472) … *** ½+ (BL)
Stags’ Leap Winery 2015 Petite Sirah, California ($57.95 - #590356) … *** ½+
Two Hands 2016 Lily’s Garden Shiraz, Australia ($59.95 - #683086) … ****+
Other Stuff That’s Fine, But It’s Not Wine …
G.E. Massenez Vieux Calvados, France ($52.95 - #271726) … *** ½+
Best Values in this Release - (October 13, 2018) …
Clos de Moiselles 2015 ($19.95 - #384198) – France
Sister’s Run 2016 Epiphany Shiraz ($16.95 – #4269464) – Australia
Wakefield 2016 Cabernet Sauvignon ($19.95 - #744235) – Australia
Xavier 2016 Ventoux ($15.95 - #413211) – France
Happy Shopping
