Tuesday, February 07, 2006
GPCI for Feb 18th 2006 release at the LCBO
Germany (White)
2003 Freinsheimer Goldberg Riesling Spatlese, Lingenfelder - $21.95
RP – 90 - Chalk, spices, and flowers can be discerned in the delightful aromatic profile of the 2003 Riesling Spatlese Freinsheimer Goldberg. A distinctive note of rye is interspersed in this effort’s mineral and stone-dominated personality. Elegant, pretty, and endearing, this supple, nuanced offering has the attributes that rendered me a Lingenfelder fan many years ago. Anticipated maturity: now-2014.
GPCI - as you could see, I've been chasing the German Rieslings lately. I found them very pleasing in the winter as well as the summer. A good Riesling goes well as a "stand-alone" drink, but can go well with different kind of food if it is not too much on the sweet side. For $22 seems a fair price considering we can cellar it for another 8 years.
US, Washington state (Red)
2001 Columbia Crest Grand Estates Syrah,– $17.95
Winemaker tasting notes: This Rhone-style Washington Syrah features fresh rose, ripe strawberry and white pepper aromas. A terrific balance between fruit and cocoa flavors delivers a soft, well-integrated wine with a lush, lingering finish.
GPCI - I like the wines from this winery. They deliver good quality for the money. Syrah, particularly stood out in a superior 2001 quality vintage. The same Syrah in California would cost 3 to 4 times more. Buy 3 bottles.
2002 DOMINUS ‘NAPANOOK', Napa Valley - $44.95
68% Cabernet Sauvignon, 13% Cabernet Franc, 11% Merlot, 7% Petit Verdot, and 1% Malbec.
RP - 92 : Full-bodied, rich, and powerful, this impressive effort requires 1-3 years of cellaring, and will drink well over the following 12-15 years.
GPCI - a $45 is expensive. However, if you think about the number of years it can be cellar, you get an index lower than 2.5 (!!!). I would buy at least 1 for the cellar.
Uruguay (Red)
2002 Castel pujol TANNAT DE RESERVA – $11.95
Tannat displays remarkable forward fruit-tones when grown in the vineyards of Uruguay. The very warm climate and extended growing season allows Uruguayan producers to create Tannats that are much more approachable in their youth than their more famous French (Madiran) counterparts. Enjoy now with rare cuts of meat such as lamb or cellar for 2-4 years.
GPCI - I have this one in my cellar (got it directly from Uruguay from my tia-Ester). If you haven't had the chance to taste the Tannat grape (originally, came from south-west of France), try it! it is balanced and elegant (no power here), and the price, well... no brainer.
Australia (Red)
2002 Annvers Langhorne Creek Cabernet Sauvignon – $29.95
A full body intense cab (14.9%). Offering dense cassis with mints and dark chocolate Drink 2005-2012.
GPCI - looks promising. I'd buy 2 bottles.
New Zealand (Red)
2002 Waipara Springs Pinot Noir Reserve – $25.95
The Reserve Pinot Noir (14%) shows lovely ripe plum and black cherry flavours complemented by spice, toasted oak and complex savoury notes in the bouquet. A soft yet rich complex palate of sweet fruit, fine tannins and a lengthy finish follow. This wine will reward cellaring to at least 2010. http://www.waiparasprings.co.nz/wine/2002ReservePinotNoir
GPCI - this wine got some good feedback in few competitions:
2004 London International Wine Challenge - Bronze Medal
2004 Decanter UK Wine Awards - Bronze Medal
2004 Hong Kong International Wine Challenge - Silver Medal
This is a Pinot Noir I'm willing to try - it's in the $25 range with a great review.
France (Red)
1996 Chateau Lanessan, Haut Medoc – $29.95
Cabernet-sauvignon : 75% - Merlot : 20% -Cabernet-franc : 1% - Petit-verdot : 4%
WS – 87 - A pretty nose of currants and blackberries. Medium-bodied, with firm tannins and plenty of fruit, but a slightly short finish. A very good wine from Lanessan. Best after 2000. 20,800 cases made.
RP - 88/100 (Wine Advocate #122 - Apr 1999) - A sleeper of the vintage, Lanessan's 1996 boasts an impressively saturated dark ruby/purple color, and knock-out aromatics of melted chocolate, asphalt, and cassis. Deep, rich, and medium-bodied, with excellent concentration and purity, this impressively-endowed, flavorful, well-structured wine should be at its finest between 2004-2016.
WA - 79 (!) - WineAccess killed this wine in their review. their recommendation was "pass right by this one..."
GPCI - Now with such conflicting reviews - we have to try it and see who's right...
it's not often we have an opportunity to get hold of a 10 years old Bordeaux wines for $30 that got 88 from Parker and can lay down for another 10 more years. 1996 was a good year in the Haut Medoc area - search for elegancy. I would buy 1, try it and then decide whether to buy 2 more for the cellar or thank WA for saving me money...
Spain (Red)
2001 Allende (Finca Allende), Rioja – $28.95
RP-93 - Bottled unfiltered for the USA market, the 2001 Allende exhibits a dense ruby/purple color along with a sumptuous nose of figs, black currants, blackberries, cigar box, and smoky vanilla. Full-bodied, rich, and opulent, with great purity, density, and length, it should be consumed over the next 6-7 years.
WS – 87 - Firm, wrapping a core of bright cranberry fruit flavors with licorice and floral notes in a thick frame of tannins. Needs time or food to soften. Best after 2006.
GPCI - I'm going with RP on this one. 2001 is considered the best vintage in Spain since 1964 (!) and this producer knows his stuff when it comes to wine...
1995 Faustino I GRAN RESERVA Rioja – $29.95
COLOUR Bright and deep cherry colour in the centre of the glass, turning to deep and orange-red at the edge AROMA Intense and complex nose: spices and new wood (toasted, leather, vanilla and balms) PALATE Well finished. Powerful with enveloping tannin hints in the mouth. Full bodied, adding both elegance and acidity to complement food. Over time it develops a stronger, lingering, velvety flavour. http://www.everywine.co.uk/
GPCI - I had the Faustino I 94' and the 95' in the past and I'm telling you it worths the money - Rioja at its best!
2001 Vina Villabuena Vina Izadi Crianza – $17.95
This 2001 Tinto Crianza is not to be missed. The wine comes from a wonderful vintage and offers a level of finesse not often found in this price category. It's Tempranillo which spends about 14 months in American oak...lots of new barrels. The wine is medium bodied and displays the classic, woodsy notes of good Rioja. It's not a wine for extended cellaring, but for immediate drinking and short term (a year or two) aging. Pair this with grilled lamb or beef...terrific wine! http://www.weimax.com/
GPCI - if you haven't got the message yet :) - 2001 vintage is a great one - go and try this one!
1998 R. LOPEZ DE HEREDIA VINA BOSCONIA RESERVA – $35.95
ST – 90 - Medium red with an orange rim. Musky aromas of strawberry, blood orange, pomegranate, coconut and exotic spices. Sweet, juicy and penetrating, with a firm edge of acidity to the strawberry and herbal flavors. Distinctly old-school Rioja, finishing spicy, crisp and long, with notes of mint and orange peel.
GPCI - good review but too expensive. I'd prefer buying two bottles of 2001 Allende instead.
2003 Freinsheimer Goldberg Riesling Spatlese, Lingenfelder - $21.95
RP – 90 - Chalk, spices, and flowers can be discerned in the delightful aromatic profile of the 2003 Riesling Spatlese Freinsheimer Goldberg. A distinctive note of rye is interspersed in this effort’s mineral and stone-dominated personality. Elegant, pretty, and endearing, this supple, nuanced offering has the attributes that rendered me a Lingenfelder fan many years ago. Anticipated maturity: now-2014.
GPCI - as you could see, I've been chasing the German Rieslings lately. I found them very pleasing in the winter as well as the summer. A good Riesling goes well as a "stand-alone" drink, but can go well with different kind of food if it is not too much on the sweet side. For $22 seems a fair price considering we can cellar it for another 8 years.
US, Washington state (Red)
2001 Columbia Crest Grand Estates Syrah,– $17.95
Winemaker tasting notes: This Rhone-style Washington Syrah features fresh rose, ripe strawberry and white pepper aromas. A terrific balance between fruit and cocoa flavors delivers a soft, well-integrated wine with a lush, lingering finish.
GPCI - I like the wines from this winery. They deliver good quality for the money. Syrah, particularly stood out in a superior 2001 quality vintage. The same Syrah in California would cost 3 to 4 times more. Buy 3 bottles.
2002 DOMINUS ‘NAPANOOK', Napa Valley - $44.95
68% Cabernet Sauvignon, 13% Cabernet Franc, 11% Merlot, 7% Petit Verdot, and 1% Malbec.
RP - 92 : Full-bodied, rich, and powerful, this impressive effort requires 1-3 years of cellaring, and will drink well over the following 12-15 years.
GPCI - a $45 is expensive. However, if you think about the number of years it can be cellar, you get an index lower than 2.5 (!!!). I would buy at least 1 for the cellar.
Uruguay (Red)
2002 Castel pujol TANNAT DE RESERVA – $11.95
Tannat displays remarkable forward fruit-tones when grown in the vineyards of Uruguay. The very warm climate and extended growing season allows Uruguayan producers to create Tannats that are much more approachable in their youth than their more famous French (Madiran) counterparts. Enjoy now with rare cuts of meat such as lamb or cellar for 2-4 years.
GPCI - I have this one in my cellar (got it directly from Uruguay from my tia-Ester). If you haven't had the chance to taste the Tannat grape (originally, came from south-west of France), try it! it is balanced and elegant (no power here), and the price, well... no brainer.
Australia (Red)
2002 Annvers Langhorne Creek Cabernet Sauvignon – $29.95
A full body intense cab (14.9%). Offering dense cassis with mints and dark chocolate Drink 2005-2012.
GPCI - looks promising. I'd buy 2 bottles.
New Zealand (Red)
2002 Waipara Springs Pinot Noir Reserve – $25.95
The Reserve Pinot Noir (14%) shows lovely ripe plum and black cherry flavours complemented by spice, toasted oak and complex savoury notes in the bouquet. A soft yet rich complex palate of sweet fruit, fine tannins and a lengthy finish follow. This wine will reward cellaring to at least 2010. http://www.waiparasprings.co.nz/wine/2002ReservePinotNoir
GPCI - this wine got some good feedback in few competitions:
2004 London International Wine Challenge - Bronze Medal
2004 Decanter UK Wine Awards - Bronze Medal
2004 Hong Kong International Wine Challenge - Silver Medal
This is a Pinot Noir I'm willing to try - it's in the $25 range with a great review.
France (Red)
1996 Chateau Lanessan, Haut Medoc – $29.95
Cabernet-sauvignon : 75% - Merlot : 20% -Cabernet-franc : 1% - Petit-verdot : 4%
WS – 87 - A pretty nose of currants and blackberries. Medium-bodied, with firm tannins and plenty of fruit, but a slightly short finish. A very good wine from Lanessan. Best after 2000. 20,800 cases made.
RP - 88/100 (Wine Advocate #122 - Apr 1999) - A sleeper of the vintage, Lanessan's 1996 boasts an impressively saturated dark ruby/purple color, and knock-out aromatics of melted chocolate, asphalt, and cassis. Deep, rich, and medium-bodied, with excellent concentration and purity, this impressively-endowed, flavorful, well-structured wine should be at its finest between 2004-2016.
WA - 79 (!) - WineAccess killed this wine in their review. their recommendation was "pass right by this one..."
GPCI - Now with such conflicting reviews - we have to try it and see who's right...
it's not often we have an opportunity to get hold of a 10 years old Bordeaux wines for $30 that got 88 from Parker and can lay down for another 10 more years. 1996 was a good year in the Haut Medoc area - search for elegancy. I would buy 1, try it and then decide whether to buy 2 more for the cellar or thank WA for saving me money...
Spain (Red)
2001 Allende (Finca Allende), Rioja – $28.95
RP-93 - Bottled unfiltered for the USA market, the 2001 Allende exhibits a dense ruby/purple color along with a sumptuous nose of figs, black currants, blackberries, cigar box, and smoky vanilla. Full-bodied, rich, and opulent, with great purity, density, and length, it should be consumed over the next 6-7 years.
WS – 87 - Firm, wrapping a core of bright cranberry fruit flavors with licorice and floral notes in a thick frame of tannins. Needs time or food to soften. Best after 2006.
GPCI - I'm going with RP on this one. 2001 is considered the best vintage in Spain since 1964 (!) and this producer knows his stuff when it comes to wine...
1995 Faustino I GRAN RESERVA Rioja – $29.95
COLOUR Bright and deep cherry colour in the centre of the glass, turning to deep and orange-red at the edge AROMA Intense and complex nose: spices and new wood (toasted, leather, vanilla and balms) PALATE Well finished. Powerful with enveloping tannin hints in the mouth. Full bodied, adding both elegance and acidity to complement food. Over time it develops a stronger, lingering, velvety flavour. http://www.everywine.co.uk/
GPCI - I had the Faustino I 94' and the 95' in the past and I'm telling you it worths the money - Rioja at its best!
2001 Vina Villabuena Vina Izadi Crianza – $17.95
This 2001 Tinto Crianza is not to be missed. The wine comes from a wonderful vintage and offers a level of finesse not often found in this price category. It's Tempranillo which spends about 14 months in American oak...lots of new barrels. The wine is medium bodied and displays the classic, woodsy notes of good Rioja. It's not a wine for extended cellaring, but for immediate drinking and short term (a year or two) aging. Pair this with grilled lamb or beef...terrific wine! http://www.weimax.com/
GPCI - if you haven't got the message yet :) - 2001 vintage is a great one - go and try this one!
1998 R. LOPEZ DE HEREDIA VINA BOSCONIA RESERVA – $35.95
ST – 90 - Medium red with an orange rim. Musky aromas of strawberry, blood orange, pomegranate, coconut and exotic spices. Sweet, juicy and penetrating, with a firm edge of acidity to the strawberry and herbal flavors. Distinctly old-school Rioja, finishing spicy, crisp and long, with notes of mint and orange peel.
GPCI - good review but too expensive. I'd prefer buying two bottles of 2001 Allende instead.
