Friday, March 17, 2006
GPCI for April 15th 2006 release at the LCBO
The Zin invation release.... !!!
Zin to me is all about combining fruit with power - the more robust-chewy-dark, the better. Don't look for cellaring potential when buying Zins. Most of them can be cellared for no more than 1-4 years.
US (Red)
Geyser Peak Block Collection Lopez Vineyard Cucamonga Zinfandel 2002 – $24.95 Connoisseurs' Guide - Rated 92 - "Big" is the operative word in describing just about every aspect of this exotic and impressively extracted wine, be it body or ripeness or fruit. Surprisingly complex and uncommonly polished for the big wine that it is, it offers up layered aromas and flavors of berries, black cherries and very sweet oak with a streak of sandalwood spice running its length. It finishes with a puckery bit of last-minute tannins, but, for all its immediate appeals, this one is built for the longer haul and will improve in four to six years.
GPCI - This seems to be the best offer (price/rate/power) Zin from the long list of Zins this release
2004 Gnarly Head Old Vine Zinfandel - $17.95
winemaker's notes: This old vine Zinfandel has a concentrated nose of spice, cherry and plum. It offers a jammy rich mouthfeel with great nuances of French and Hungarian oak. Soft tannins add to the luscious texture of this delightful wine. These compact berries produce wines that explode on impact in the mouth, with layers of blackberries, cassis and liquorice. Great with hearty pasta dishes, spicy barbecue ribs or your own favorite beef dish.
Gnarly Head Old Vines Zinandel 2004 is made from vineyards with 80-year-old vines. In the glass, this Gnarly Head wine is an opaque blackish purple red with deep purple streaks going out into a fuchsia-pinkish, slightly crimson red rim definition with super high viscosity. On the nose, this California Zin is a smorgasbord of deeply layered and crushed black fruits of the forest, with dominance by brambleberry, then blackberries, oak references, alcohol, beef jerky, spice rack, black licorice sticks, plum jam, black pepper and mineral content. In the mouth, there is a massive spicy black fruit attack with underlying licorice root, reductive black fruit stew, ripe plums, peppery sort of notes, with subtle vanilla from oak, massive tannin structure and balanced firm mid-palate and a longish finish, still peppered with spice and some dissipating alcohol. http://www.madwine.com/gnheoldvizi2.html
GPCI - good price, promising review, but I have to admit I don't know this one. I'd buy one to check and let you know.
2003 Murphy-Goode Liars Dice Zinfandel - $28.95
winemaker's notes: Alcohol – 15.4%. This is a robust, generous wine with big berry, black raspberry and peppery fruit.
2003 Paso Robles ZINFANDEL Westside - $26.95
This is a big bodied, jammy red Zinfandel with soft tannins and a round finish. It was barrel-aged in French and American oak for months for the perfect balance of toast and vanilla. Enjoy our Paso Robles Zinfandel with pronounced flavors of wild blackberry, raspberry, and chocolate.
2003 Rosenblum Cellars Annette's Reserve Zinfandel - $44.95
WS=91 ; Smooth and creamy, with rich, concentrated, graceful blackberry, vanilla, seductive toasty oak and wild berry flavors. Excellent balance, depth and length, ending with chewy yet flavorful tannins and a chocolate brownie nuance. Drink now through 2009.(WS)
GPCI - great review, but too expensive for Zin.
2002 Storybook Mountain Vineyards Zinfandel - $39.95
ST = 90 ; Good bright, dark red. Aromas of maraschino cherry, raspberry, mocha, chocolate and earth. Supple and juicy, with a restrained sweetness. This is very easy zinfandel to drink. Finishes with fairly easy tannins and lovely lingering sweetness.
WS=88 ; Smooth, with a pretty oak core that folds in well, with vibrant wild berry and minty sage notes, finishing with a dry aftertaste that shows an edge of bramble. Drink now through 2008. 4,000 cases made.
GPCI - Again, good review, but too expensive for Zin.
Australia (Red)
2002 Kilikanoon Killerman's Run Shiraz - $18.95
RP= 90 ;Drink 2004-2008. The 2002 Shiraz Killerman’s Run is produced from vineyards Kevin Mitchell sources primarily in the Clare Valley and Barossa. It is a dense, full-throttle, big, chewy, peppery, black fruit-dominated Shiraz offering sweet tannin, an attractive plushness, and an up-front style designed for consumption over the next 2-4 years.
GPCI - great value for a good shiraz although it's not for the cellar. You can have for the same price a "d'Arenberg Original" Shiraz that can be drank now or cellared for more than 10 years AND it's always available in the LCBO ("essentials"). Something to think about...
2002 St Hallett Blackwell Shiraz - $28.95
100% Shiraz. Color Deep ruby red. Bouquet Lifted spice and smoked meat with plums, mocha and cedar.Palate Rich with ripe, sweet blackberry and plums combined with licoriceand chocolate. The palate is well balanced with clean acidity and smooth, finely textured tannins giving a long finish.Serving Suggestion Excellent with any red meats, rich braised dishes or game. Perfect with firm full flavoured cheeses like cheddar or Parmegiano Reggiano.Cellaring 8 to 12 years from vintage. http://www.winebuythecase.com/
WS=91 ; Dark and ripe, not at all heavy, with an elegance to the blackberry, currant and dried cherry flavors that linger effortlessly on the toasty, fine-grained finish. Drink now through 2012.
GPCI - tempting but not cheep for a shiraz...
France (Red)
2003 Chateau Fombrauge Saint Emilion - $56.95
RP 91-93 ; WS 89-91 ; ST 89-91
RP- "One of the stars as well as sleepers of the vintage of St.-Emilion, this wonderfully opulent, deep ruby/purple-colored 2003 boasts a sweet nose of smoke, creme de cassis, plums, figs, and licorice. Voluptuously-textured, dense, and pure, this hedonistic beauty will be drinkable early in life because of low acidity, an elevated pH, and lofty levels of glycerin as well as alcohol. Consume it over the next 12-14 years."
GPCI - an index of 4 (price divided by years of cellaring), a bit high for a "strong buy" recommendation, but again, tempting - 2003 is a great vintage for a powerful Bordeaux.
2003 Chateau La Tour Carnet - $49.95
RP=87/88 ; A long forgotten classified growth being brought back to life by proprietor Bernard Magrez and his winemaking team of Michel Rolland and Jean Cordeau, the 2003 La Tour Carnet (a blend of 55% Cabernet Sauvignon, 37% Merlot, 6% Cabernet Franc, and 2% Petit Verdot) is not as riveting as the brilliant 2001 or 2000. Nevertheless, it is a complex offering revealing an evolved bouquet of dried herbs, underbrush, black cherries, and currants. This seductive, medium-bodied effort is ideal for drinking over the next 7-8 years.
Decanter – Recommended - Very deep ruby, quite massive, compacted Cabernet fruit, but shows a lovely freshness lifted by new oak, very polished despite the weight and extraction, perhaps just a little short. 2008-18.
GPCI - this is a more difficult decision, because the review is very good but not overly exciting. I would buy it only if you have the previous 2000 and 2001 and you want to have your mini-vertical of that Chateau.
Zin to me is all about combining fruit with power - the more robust-chewy-dark, the better. Don't look for cellaring potential when buying Zins. Most of them can be cellared for no more than 1-4 years.
US (Red)
Geyser Peak Block Collection Lopez Vineyard Cucamonga Zinfandel 2002 – $24.95 Connoisseurs' Guide - Rated 92 - "Big" is the operative word in describing just about every aspect of this exotic and impressively extracted wine, be it body or ripeness or fruit. Surprisingly complex and uncommonly polished for the big wine that it is, it offers up layered aromas and flavors of berries, black cherries and very sweet oak with a streak of sandalwood spice running its length. It finishes with a puckery bit of last-minute tannins, but, for all its immediate appeals, this one is built for the longer haul and will improve in four to six years.
GPCI - This seems to be the best offer (price/rate/power) Zin from the long list of Zins this release
2004 Gnarly Head Old Vine Zinfandel - $17.95
winemaker's notes: This old vine Zinfandel has a concentrated nose of spice, cherry and plum. It offers a jammy rich mouthfeel with great nuances of French and Hungarian oak. Soft tannins add to the luscious texture of this delightful wine. These compact berries produce wines that explode on impact in the mouth, with layers of blackberries, cassis and liquorice. Great with hearty pasta dishes, spicy barbecue ribs or your own favorite beef dish.
Gnarly Head Old Vines Zinandel 2004 is made from vineyards with 80-year-old vines. In the glass, this Gnarly Head wine is an opaque blackish purple red with deep purple streaks going out into a fuchsia-pinkish, slightly crimson red rim definition with super high viscosity. On the nose, this California Zin is a smorgasbord of deeply layered and crushed black fruits of the forest, with dominance by brambleberry, then blackberries, oak references, alcohol, beef jerky, spice rack, black licorice sticks, plum jam, black pepper and mineral content. In the mouth, there is a massive spicy black fruit attack with underlying licorice root, reductive black fruit stew, ripe plums, peppery sort of notes, with subtle vanilla from oak, massive tannin structure and balanced firm mid-palate and a longish finish, still peppered with spice and some dissipating alcohol. http://www.madwine.com/gnheoldvizi2.html
GPCI - good price, promising review, but I have to admit I don't know this one. I'd buy one to check and let you know.
2003 Murphy-Goode Liars Dice Zinfandel - $28.95
winemaker's notes: Alcohol – 15.4%. This is a robust, generous wine with big berry, black raspberry and peppery fruit.
2003 Paso Robles ZINFANDEL Westside - $26.95
This is a big bodied, jammy red Zinfandel with soft tannins and a round finish. It was barrel-aged in French and American oak for months for the perfect balance of toast and vanilla. Enjoy our Paso Robles Zinfandel with pronounced flavors of wild blackberry, raspberry, and chocolate.
2003 Rosenblum Cellars Annette's Reserve Zinfandel - $44.95
WS=91 ; Smooth and creamy, with rich, concentrated, graceful blackberry, vanilla, seductive toasty oak and wild berry flavors. Excellent balance, depth and length, ending with chewy yet flavorful tannins and a chocolate brownie nuance. Drink now through 2009.(WS)
GPCI - great review, but too expensive for Zin.
2002 Storybook Mountain Vineyards Zinfandel - $39.95
ST = 90 ; Good bright, dark red. Aromas of maraschino cherry, raspberry, mocha, chocolate and earth. Supple and juicy, with a restrained sweetness. This is very easy zinfandel to drink. Finishes with fairly easy tannins and lovely lingering sweetness.
WS=88 ; Smooth, with a pretty oak core that folds in well, with vibrant wild berry and minty sage notes, finishing with a dry aftertaste that shows an edge of bramble. Drink now through 2008. 4,000 cases made.
GPCI - Again, good review, but too expensive for Zin.
Australia (Red)
2002 Kilikanoon Killerman's Run Shiraz - $18.95
RP= 90 ;Drink 2004-2008. The 2002 Shiraz Killerman’s Run is produced from vineyards Kevin Mitchell sources primarily in the Clare Valley and Barossa. It is a dense, full-throttle, big, chewy, peppery, black fruit-dominated Shiraz offering sweet tannin, an attractive plushness, and an up-front style designed for consumption over the next 2-4 years.
GPCI - great value for a good shiraz although it's not for the cellar. You can have for the same price a "d'Arenberg Original" Shiraz that can be drank now or cellared for more than 10 years AND it's always available in the LCBO ("essentials"). Something to think about...
2002 St Hallett Blackwell Shiraz - $28.95
100% Shiraz. Color Deep ruby red. Bouquet Lifted spice and smoked meat with plums, mocha and cedar.Palate Rich with ripe, sweet blackberry and plums combined with licoriceand chocolate. The palate is well balanced with clean acidity and smooth, finely textured tannins giving a long finish.Serving Suggestion Excellent with any red meats, rich braised dishes or game. Perfect with firm full flavoured cheeses like cheddar or Parmegiano Reggiano.Cellaring 8 to 12 years from vintage. http://www.winebuythecase.com/
WS=91 ; Dark and ripe, not at all heavy, with an elegance to the blackberry, currant and dried cherry flavors that linger effortlessly on the toasty, fine-grained finish. Drink now through 2012.
GPCI - tempting but not cheep for a shiraz...
France (Red)
2003 Chateau Fombrauge Saint Emilion - $56.95
RP 91-93 ; WS 89-91 ; ST 89-91
RP- "One of the stars as well as sleepers of the vintage of St.-Emilion, this wonderfully opulent, deep ruby/purple-colored 2003 boasts a sweet nose of smoke, creme de cassis, plums, figs, and licorice. Voluptuously-textured, dense, and pure, this hedonistic beauty will be drinkable early in life because of low acidity, an elevated pH, and lofty levels of glycerin as well as alcohol. Consume it over the next 12-14 years."
GPCI - an index of 4 (price divided by years of cellaring), a bit high for a "strong buy" recommendation, but again, tempting - 2003 is a great vintage for a powerful Bordeaux.
2003 Chateau La Tour Carnet - $49.95
RP=87/88 ; A long forgotten classified growth being brought back to life by proprietor Bernard Magrez and his winemaking team of Michel Rolland and Jean Cordeau, the 2003 La Tour Carnet (a blend of 55% Cabernet Sauvignon, 37% Merlot, 6% Cabernet Franc, and 2% Petit Verdot) is not as riveting as the brilliant 2001 or 2000. Nevertheless, it is a complex offering revealing an evolved bouquet of dried herbs, underbrush, black cherries, and currants. This seductive, medium-bodied effort is ideal for drinking over the next 7-8 years.
Decanter – Recommended - Very deep ruby, quite massive, compacted Cabernet fruit, but shows a lovely freshness lifted by new oak, very polished despite the weight and extraction, perhaps just a little short. 2008-18.
GPCI - this is a more difficult decision, because the review is very good but not overly exciting. I would buy it only if you have the previous 2000 and 2001 and you want to have your mini-vertical of that Chateau.
