Monday, January 08, 2007
GPCI for Jan 20th 2007 release at the LCBO
US (California)
2003 Château Montelena Napa Cabernet Sauvignon - $49.95
RP=90 ; The 2003 Cabernet Sauvignon exhibits a dense ruby/purple color in addition to copious quantities of herbaceous-tinged cassis fruit, full body, ripe tannin, and a soft, plump personality. It will be accessible young, yet age for 10-15 years (2015-2020).
GPCi - even though it's not the Montelena "estate" series, it seems promising and it costs less than half (the "estate" costs $115). Its GPCi is good as well. I'd buy 2 bottles for the cellar.
France Bordeaux-Fronsac
2003 Chateau la Vieille Cure - $41.95
RP=92 : The following sleeper of the vintage strongly suggests that La Vieille Cure is becoming one of Fronsac's two or three finest estates. The finest wine yet made at La Vieille Cure, the 2003 should be on the shopping lists of consumers seeking tremendous quality/price rapport. Its dense ruby/purple color is followed by sweet aromas of scorched earth, black raspberries, creme de cassis, and notions of cherries, smoke, and crushed rocks. This big, full-bodied, dense, captivating wine is structured as well as exceptionally long. Anticipated maturity: 2007-2018+. GPCi - Very tempting... Great review by RP, good "index" and If I need to choose between this wine and the Montelena, I would probably take a bottle from each... :)
Italy (Veneto)
2003 Allegrini La Grola - $26.95
RP=89 ; An explosively fruity bouquet reveals aromas of black cherries, currants, white chocolate, licorice, and a hint of toasty oak. Medium to full-bodied and spicy with silky, but noticeable tannin.
WS=88 : The grapes for this wine (70% Corvina, 15% Rondinella, 10% Syrah and 5% Sangiovese) are grown in one of the most prestigious vineyards in the Valpolicella Classico area. The Syrah and Sangiovese in this blend rules out designation under the DOC system.Tasting Note: Pleasant floral nose, with currant and ripe berry and a light oaky note. Medium- to full-bodied and silky, with intense fruit flavors and a hint of chocolate and jam on the finish ... Best after 2006.
GPCi - I have the 1999 and the 2000 of La Grola (both received 89 to 91 by RP) and they are a really great creation by Allegrini. A very good blend. I'd buy 3-4 bottles to keep the vertical running.
France (Rhone)
2004 Domaines Perrin 'Nature' Cotes-du-Rhone - $16.95
RP=88 ; Perrin have practised organic farming since 1964. Concentrated with dark dense fruit and scents of dried herbs and a hearty wallop of spicy tannin.
GPCi - a perfect day-to-day wine for those who like Grenache and Syrah blends. Expect spicy and "black-tar" taste.
2003 Domaine Courbis Saint Joseph Les Royes - $24.95
WineAcess (ST) = 91 : Dense purple color. Intensely smoky, ripe aromas of creme de framboise, rose and violet, plus exotic oak spices. Creamy, even unctuous, with concentrated red berry flavors that build and gain in sweetness through the long, supple finish.
WS = 88 : Black cherry, toast, mineral and violet notes run through this muscular red. Finish turns a touch firm, but solid. Drink now through 2010
France (Bordeaux- Fronsac)
2001 Chateau de la Rivière - $30.95
http://www.thewinedoctor.com/ -An exotic nose, with dark black, oaky fruits. Plump palate, with oak still evident, but lovely style. Moderate concentration. Nice grip. This is lovely, and I prefer it to the 2000. Needs three to four years. 16.5+/20
www.800wine.com/ - Deep, almost black color. Very ripe fruit aromas with a hint of fresh roasted coffee. Rich and long on the palate, underpinned by dense, elegant tannin. This wine truly reflects the passion shared by an entire family. Situated in the heart of Fronsac, La RIVIERE represents and brings out the best of its terroir of clay-limestone soil on Fronsac molasses and silty-sandy limestone soil. The blend is 82% Merlot, 13% Cabernet Sauvignon, 4% Cabernet Franc and 1% Malbec coming from the 59 hectares in one plot around the magnificent 18th century chateau.
GPCi - I like most of the wines I tried from Fronsac (Bordeaux right-bank) - there is something very different about their taste - terroir is one of the reasons and probably because they are more Merlot based. 2009-2012. I'd buy 2 bottles.
New Zealand
2005 Babich Black Label Sauvignon Blanc - $17.95
www.nzhouseofwine.com/ - A lifted and pungent bouquet, with passionfruit and pineapple, fighting for dominance among some intriguing floral notes. The full palate is powerful and rich. Flavours of gooseberry and pear join the tropical fruit following on from the nose. The wine is weighty and has a lingering and crisp finish.
GPCi - you can never go wrong with Sauv Blanc from NZ under $20. My eyes caught this wine because of it's producer's name - Igor, are you related? I'd buy 2-3 bottles.
Canada BC
2004 Jackson Triggs Proprietors Grand Reserve Meritage - $20.95
GPCi - I really like the Meritage Grand Reserve from Jackson Triggs (especially from BC). All previous vintages were very good. These wines are usually very round, balanced, smooth and medium-full bodied. It's a good price for the quality! I'd buy 2-3 bottles.
Spain
OSBORNE BAILEN DRY OLOROSO SHERRY - $15.95
Offers all the requisite almond and dried stone fruits one could ask for. The spicy palate is racy as can be, with flavors of mushroom, almond, sea salt and white pepper. The finish is long and powerful, and overall it is a serious Sherry with no cracks or flaws. A Best Buy.
GPCi - a great Sherry for such a price. no brainer.
Argentina - Mendoza
2004 FINCA FLICHMAN EXPRESIONES RESERVE SHIRAZ/CABERNET SAUVIGNON -$15.95
www.wine-pages.com - The Expressions range is a beautifully and handsomely packaged new line from Luis Cabral de Almeida, the new winemaker at Finca Flichman, which he hopes will display his terroir. From 28-year-old vineyards in Tupungato, the wine spends eight months in a mix of French and American oak. The nose has a lovely blackcurrant pastille and juicy cherry ripeness, with little nuances of violet and blueberry pie. On the palate this shows lovely fruit: it is dry and savoury, with tannins immediately gripping the sides of the mouth, and a coffee and woodsmoke oak note adding to the dry, food-friendly appeal. But the fruit really comes through, with a concentration of black berries and some clove and pepper notes, with a very nicely balanced and long finish. Very impressive. Very good indeed/excellent. (Tom Cannavan, Aug. 2006).
GPCi - Finca is a known-respected wine producer in Argentina. Although Argentina are not necessarily known for their Shiraz (but who knows...), it seems like another good day-to-day wine for the right price. definitaly deserve a try...
Worth watching (especially if money is no object...)
US California-Napa
2004 Beringer Private Reserve Napa Chardonnay = $44.95
RP=92 : The 2004 Chardonnay Private Reserve is a surprisingly tightly knit Chardonnay by Beringer’s standards, with notes of lemon oil, orange blossom, apple pie, and brioche in a full-bodied style with some tropical fruit but good underlying acidity and fleshy texture. It seems that Sbragia has cut back on the oak, and the wine shows more of a steely minerality than in the past. It is still a big, relatively extroverted Chardonnay to consume over the next 2-3 years.
GPCi - What I'd like in previous vintages of this wine was that it was "oak with a bit of wine" - it was one of the best Chardonnay I've ever tasted. But, again, you need to like it... So if you're a big oak-Chardonnay fan, and you would like to experience something different, buy 1 bottle.
Spain - Ribera del Duero
2002 Abadia Retuerta Seleccion Especial - $24.95
Winemaker notes: Selección Especial is dense ruby-garnet in color, with a subtle, complex nose of ripe red berry and wild black cherries offset by notes of violet, menthol, spice and vanilla. Silky, ripe red fruits and hints of spice and mint predominate on the palate, with a full, harmonious balance underscored by refined tannins. The finish is finely textured and lingering.
GPCi - it's an interesting Temparnillo-Cab Sauv-Merlot blend. 2002 wasn't a good year in Ribera del Duero (RP gave the vintage an average rate of 78). Difficult decision.... Would not be my first choice...
2003 Château Montelena Napa Cabernet Sauvignon - $49.95
RP=90 ; The 2003 Cabernet Sauvignon exhibits a dense ruby/purple color in addition to copious quantities of herbaceous-tinged cassis fruit, full body, ripe tannin, and a soft, plump personality. It will be accessible young, yet age for 10-15 years (2015-2020).
GPCi - even though it's not the Montelena "estate" series, it seems promising and it costs less than half (the "estate" costs $115). Its GPCi is good as well. I'd buy 2 bottles for the cellar.
France Bordeaux-Fronsac
2003 Chateau la Vieille Cure - $41.95
RP=92 : The following sleeper of the vintage strongly suggests that La Vieille Cure is becoming one of Fronsac's two or three finest estates. The finest wine yet made at La Vieille Cure, the 2003 should be on the shopping lists of consumers seeking tremendous quality/price rapport. Its dense ruby/purple color is followed by sweet aromas of scorched earth, black raspberries, creme de cassis, and notions of cherries, smoke, and crushed rocks. This big, full-bodied, dense, captivating wine is structured as well as exceptionally long. Anticipated maturity: 2007-2018+. GPCi - Very tempting... Great review by RP, good "index" and If I need to choose between this wine and the Montelena, I would probably take a bottle from each... :)
Italy (Veneto)
2003 Allegrini La Grola - $26.95
RP=89 ; An explosively fruity bouquet reveals aromas of black cherries, currants, white chocolate, licorice, and a hint of toasty oak. Medium to full-bodied and spicy with silky, but noticeable tannin.
WS=88 : The grapes for this wine (70% Corvina, 15% Rondinella, 10% Syrah and 5% Sangiovese) are grown in one of the most prestigious vineyards in the Valpolicella Classico area. The Syrah and Sangiovese in this blend rules out designation under the DOC system.Tasting Note: Pleasant floral nose, with currant and ripe berry and a light oaky note. Medium- to full-bodied and silky, with intense fruit flavors and a hint of chocolate and jam on the finish ... Best after 2006.
GPCi - I have the 1999 and the 2000 of La Grola (both received 89 to 91 by RP) and they are a really great creation by Allegrini. A very good blend. I'd buy 3-4 bottles to keep the vertical running.
France (Rhone)
2004 Domaines Perrin 'Nature' Cotes-du-Rhone - $16.95
RP=88 ; Perrin have practised organic farming since 1964. Concentrated with dark dense fruit and scents of dried herbs and a hearty wallop of spicy tannin.
GPCi - a perfect day-to-day wine for those who like Grenache and Syrah blends. Expect spicy and "black-tar" taste.
2003 Domaine Courbis Saint Joseph Les Royes - $24.95
WineAcess (ST) = 91 : Dense purple color. Intensely smoky, ripe aromas of creme de framboise, rose and violet, plus exotic oak spices. Creamy, even unctuous, with concentrated red berry flavors that build and gain in sweetness through the long, supple finish.
WS = 88 : Black cherry, toast, mineral and violet notes run through this muscular red. Finish turns a touch firm, but solid. Drink now through 2010
France (Bordeaux- Fronsac)
2001 Chateau de la Rivière - $30.95
http://www.thewinedoctor.com/ -An exotic nose, with dark black, oaky fruits. Plump palate, with oak still evident, but lovely style. Moderate concentration. Nice grip. This is lovely, and I prefer it to the 2000. Needs three to four years. 16.5+/20
www.800wine.com/ - Deep, almost black color. Very ripe fruit aromas with a hint of fresh roasted coffee. Rich and long on the palate, underpinned by dense, elegant tannin. This wine truly reflects the passion shared by an entire family. Situated in the heart of Fronsac, La RIVIERE represents and brings out the best of its terroir of clay-limestone soil on Fronsac molasses and silty-sandy limestone soil. The blend is 82% Merlot, 13% Cabernet Sauvignon, 4% Cabernet Franc and 1% Malbec coming from the 59 hectares in one plot around the magnificent 18th century chateau.
GPCi - I like most of the wines I tried from Fronsac (Bordeaux right-bank) - there is something very different about their taste - terroir is one of the reasons and probably because they are more Merlot based. 2009-2012. I'd buy 2 bottles.
New Zealand
2005 Babich Black Label Sauvignon Blanc - $17.95
www.nzhouseofwine.com/ - A lifted and pungent bouquet, with passionfruit and pineapple, fighting for dominance among some intriguing floral notes. The full palate is powerful and rich. Flavours of gooseberry and pear join the tropical fruit following on from the nose. The wine is weighty and has a lingering and crisp finish.
GPCi - you can never go wrong with Sauv Blanc from NZ under $20. My eyes caught this wine because of it's producer's name - Igor, are you related? I'd buy 2-3 bottles.
Canada BC
2004 Jackson Triggs Proprietors Grand Reserve Meritage - $20.95
GPCi - I really like the Meritage Grand Reserve from Jackson Triggs (especially from BC). All previous vintages were very good. These wines are usually very round, balanced, smooth and medium-full bodied. It's a good price for the quality! I'd buy 2-3 bottles.
Spain
OSBORNE BAILEN DRY OLOROSO SHERRY - $15.95
Offers all the requisite almond and dried stone fruits one could ask for. The spicy palate is racy as can be, with flavors of mushroom, almond, sea salt and white pepper. The finish is long and powerful, and overall it is a serious Sherry with no cracks or flaws. A Best Buy.
GPCi - a great Sherry for such a price. no brainer.
Argentina - Mendoza
2004 FINCA FLICHMAN EXPRESIONES RESERVE SHIRAZ/CABERNET SAUVIGNON -$15.95
www.wine-pages.com - The Expressions range is a beautifully and handsomely packaged new line from Luis Cabral de Almeida, the new winemaker at Finca Flichman, which he hopes will display his terroir. From 28-year-old vineyards in Tupungato, the wine spends eight months in a mix of French and American oak. The nose has a lovely blackcurrant pastille and juicy cherry ripeness, with little nuances of violet and blueberry pie. On the palate this shows lovely fruit: it is dry and savoury, with tannins immediately gripping the sides of the mouth, and a coffee and woodsmoke oak note adding to the dry, food-friendly appeal. But the fruit really comes through, with a concentration of black berries and some clove and pepper notes, with a very nicely balanced and long finish. Very impressive. Very good indeed/excellent. (Tom Cannavan, Aug. 2006).
GPCi - Finca is a known-respected wine producer in Argentina. Although Argentina are not necessarily known for their Shiraz (but who knows...), it seems like another good day-to-day wine for the right price. definitaly deserve a try...
Worth watching (especially if money is no object...)
US California-Napa
2004 Beringer Private Reserve Napa Chardonnay = $44.95
RP=92 : The 2004 Chardonnay Private Reserve is a surprisingly tightly knit Chardonnay by Beringer’s standards, with notes of lemon oil, orange blossom, apple pie, and brioche in a full-bodied style with some tropical fruit but good underlying acidity and fleshy texture. It seems that Sbragia has cut back on the oak, and the wine shows more of a steely minerality than in the past. It is still a big, relatively extroverted Chardonnay to consume over the next 2-3 years.
GPCi - What I'd like in previous vintages of this wine was that it was "oak with a bit of wine" - it was one of the best Chardonnay I've ever tasted. But, again, you need to like it... So if you're a big oak-Chardonnay fan, and you would like to experience something different, buy 1 bottle.
Spain - Ribera del Duero
2002 Abadia Retuerta Seleccion Especial - $24.95
Winemaker notes: Selección Especial is dense ruby-garnet in color, with a subtle, complex nose of ripe red berry and wild black cherries offset by notes of violet, menthol, spice and vanilla. Silky, ripe red fruits and hints of spice and mint predominate on the palate, with a full, harmonious balance underscored by refined tannins. The finish is finely textured and lingering.
GPCi - it's an interesting Temparnillo-Cab Sauv-Merlot blend. 2002 wasn't a good year in Ribera del Duero (RP gave the vintage an average rate of 78). Difficult decision.... Would not be my first choice...
