Wine Advice by GPCi - Where Passion Meets Reason...

Portugal
1994 Krohn Colheita Port - $35.95
The house style at Krohn stresses concentration, sweetness and an overt, luscious mouth-feel, similar to the style at Graham. Bottled in 2006.
This type of Port is known as a COLHEITA Port and is identified by its distinct aristocratic quality, making it a precious rarity only possible in outstanding years when the climate conditions are exceptionally favorable. This wine enjoys the privilege afforded by the Port Wine Institute to bear on its label the date and the title COLHEITA. http://www.finewinehouse.com/ Vintages - Colheita Ports are from a single vintage and must age a minimum of seven years in wood; there is no maximum. Krohn matured this version 12 years in cask. Colheita ports should not require decanting.
GPCI - 1994 was a great vintage for Port. The price is reasonable for a 12 years Port.


Australia (White)
2004 d’Arenberg The Olive Grove Chardonnay - $15.95
RP=89. "The 2004 The Olive Grove Chardonnay (one-third barrel-fermented and some put through malolactic) possesses good texture along with lemon butter, honeysuckle, pear, and lemon grass notes. With fine ripeness, medium body, and little evidence of wood, it will drink well for 1-3 years."
GPCI - sounds like a great treat for the hot summer days. good value!


New Zealand (White)
2005 Cellar Selection Sauvignon Blanc Sileni - $14.95
The Cellar Selection Sauvignon Blanc has classic gooseberry and tropical fruit characters with fresh acidity giving focus to the fruit flavours. This is an excellent food wine and is made to enjoy over 2 - 3years
http://www.sileni.co.nz/index.cfm/wines/tasting_notes___current
GPCI - Hey John, this is for you - I know you like Sileni. great value!

France (White)
CHÂTEAU D'ARCHE 2002 - $17.95 (375 cl)
AC Sauternes, Grand Cru Classé
RP = 89 ; Tasting Note: Medium yellow gold colour with delightful aromas recalling pineapple, crystallized ginger and lanolin. It is medium sweet and well balanced by a nice seam of acidity. A medium body leads to a medium long finish, enjoy with fresh strawberries.
GPCI - I'd buy 3 for the cellar. it's a great value Sautern from a great vintage (RP gave 2002 a 95 rate).


US (Red)
2002 Rodney Strong ‘Single Vineyard’ Cabernet Sauvignon - $39.95
Wine Enthusiast = 88 ; Tasting Note: Drinkable now for its ripe, sweet tannins, balance and pretty flavors of black cherries and cocoa. Perfectly dry, and leaves a pleasantly spicy aftertaste.


2002 Rutherford Hill Merlot (California) - $28.95
Wine Enthusiast = 84 (suprisingly low)
Pretty smooth and supple, this is a very soft, high thread-count wine that glides across the palate. It carries very ripe flavors of cherries and cocoa, with a finish thats almost sweet.
WS = 88 ; Complex, with perfumed plum and black cherry fruit flavors that are supple and polished, with good intensity, depth and length. Fine-grained tannins show through on the finish, along with a touch of cedar and herb. This tightly wound youngster has room to grow. Drink now through 2009. 72,000 cases made. (JL).
Wine Access = 90 ; Very pure aromatics without the contrived character of many merlot wines. Good fruit depth and balance on the palate with dark berry, chocolate and leather enveloped in creamy oak and lively acidity. Impressive structure and length. Best 2005-2010.
GPCI - I had the 1998 and as someone who is not crazy about Merlot it was a very fine wine.
2002 was an outstanding year all over California, so it will be interesting to see whether this is an "84" or "90" type of wine. LCBO offers them in a 375 cl bottles, so you can try and then decide whether to buy few regular bottles. My guess is that this wine will lean towards the 90 rate...


Australia (Red)
2004 Coriole Shiraz _ $ 22.95
Winewise Magazine, April/May 2006
What a beautifully handled McLaren Vale Shiraz this is. It has intensity of varietal character without any heaviness or jamminess. In fact the freshness and spiciness suggest a wine from a slightly cooler region. The palate is very well balanced, fine firm tannins merging beautifully into layers of flavour. The oak enhances rather than dominates Cellar five to seven years.
A vibrant lifted and fragrant aroma of red fruits and chocolate. The palate is primary, or fruit driven, rather than developed in its flavours and is juicy, generous, with velvety tannins. http://www.everywine.co.uk
GPCI - I had the Coriole Shiraz from previous vintages - it never failed.


2004 CRANEFORD ‘JOHN ZILM' CABERNET SAUVIGNON - $33.95
Barossa Valley, South Australia
RP = 91 : The 2004 Cabernet Sauvignon (93% Cabernet Sauvignon and 7% Merlot, aged primarily in small new French oak) offers superb flavor purity as well as delineation. Its dense purple color is followed by sweet scents of creme de cassis and licorice. A big, rich Cabernet with no hard edges, it should age for a decade, but is probably best consumed during its first 5-7 years of life.
GPCI - I like John Zilm's wines. I had the 2004 Grenach this Saturday and it was excellent.


France (Red - South Rhone)
2003 Domaine de Montmirail Gigondas ‘Cuvee de Beauchamp’ - $23.95
RP = 88-90 ; Tasting Note: One of the better efforts from this appellation, Montmirail's 2003 Gigondas Cuvée de Beauchamp's deep plum/ruby color is accompanied by scents of black currants, berries, plums, and earth. Medium-bodied and pure, with a sweet attack, it narrows out in the mid-palate and finish, and possesses some noticeable tannin. Two to three years of cellaring is recommended. Drink it over the next 10-12 years (Dec 2004).
GPCI - a sure buy for the cellar if you like the South-Rhone valley wines.


2003 ‘La Cour Des Papes‘ Chateauneuf-du-pape - $32.95
Vintages ; Tasting Note: Made mostly with Grenache supported by Syrah and Mourvèdre, this Châteauneuf shows classic cherry, cranberry, chocolate, coffee/tar aromas and flavours plus a hint of lavendar. It is dry, full-bodied with very good balance between fruit, acids and tannins. Enjoy it with pork roast, grilled steaks, roasted root vegetables.
GPCI - Sounds like a fair price for a full bodied 2003 CNP.



France (Red)
DOMAINE MAGELLAN SYRAH/ GRENACHE VIEILLES VIGNES 2003 - $15.95
Vin de Pays des Côtes de Thongue (Bruno Lafon)
WS = 90 ; Only 500 cases of this wine were made; we were able to acquire 350 of those.Tasting Note: Powerful, pure-tasting and well-crafted red, with an aroma of spiced meats and loads red plum, mincemeat and spice flavors. Red berry and cinnamon notes linger on the long, firm finish. Best from 2006 through 2008.
GPCI - great review. great value. not too many will have this wine (500 cases only). And I love Syrah-Grenache. Buy 2-3 bottles.


France (Red - Burgundy) - in-store discovery
2002 Volnay Clos Des Chenes 1er Cru - $57.95
from the 2nd of the three outstanding 1er Cru sites in the Bitouzet domaine, this wine is a touch fruitier than the Taillepieds with slightly less stout tannins; a generous and quite exceptional wine that is deeply fruity (both red and black berries) and profound with impeccable balance. http://www.madrose.com/producers/new_releases/bitouzet_releases.html
Vintages - Voluptuous Volnay. This silky smooth, rich Pinot is packed with ripe fruit flavours. A brilliant seam of acidity and a fair amount of tannins provide structure. It has a long, spicy finish. Enjoy over the next 6 years.


Italy (Red)
2003 Gaja Sito Moresco - $49.95
A fruity, elegant taste; good balance in the mouth and a fresh fruity finish with very fine, silky tannins. Ideal to drink young but matures well for at least 5-7 years. http://www.liquorama.net/
Vintages - Of all the Piedmontese DOCs, Langhe is the most liberal in terms of grape variety and allowable winemaking techniques. It is the place where superstars such as Angelo Gaja go to push the boundaries. With this wine, Gaja combines 35% Nebbiolo with 35% Merlot and 30% Cabernet Sauvignon. The wines are then matured for 18 months in French barriques and a further 6 months in bottle prior to release. Expect an elegant, balanced, ageworthy wine that can be enjoyed now with mature cheeses or rare cuts of meat.