Thursday, May 29, 2008
GPCi for June 7th 2008 release at the LCBO
Top picks for less than $20
2004 LUIGI BOSCA SINGLE VINEYARD MALBEC - $17.95
2006 CÔTES DU RHÔNE VILLAGES PLAN DE DIEU (Ferraton Pere & Fils) - $15.95
Top picks for less than $60
2005 CHÂTEAU LA VIEILLE CURE - $46.95
2000 FAMIGLIA ANSELMA BAROLO - $55.95
US (California)
2005 BERINGER SBRAGIA LIMITED-RELEASE CHARDONNAY - $54.95
RP = 93 ; More restrained than normal, the 2005 Chardonnay Sbragia Limited Release offers copious quantities of honeyed fruit, full body, a rich, heady mouthfeel, but not the unctuosity normally found in this cuvee. Additionally, the oak is more restrained. There is abundant richness, but the vintage's acidity provides plenty of vibrancy and precision. It should drink nicely for 3-4 years. (www.erobertparker.com, Dec. 2006)
GPCi - expensive, but soooooo good! I had previous vintage at Jim's and it was the best Chardonnay yet... I would buy one for a very special occasion.
2005 BERINGER PRIVATE RESERVE CHARDONNAY - $44.95
RP = 93 : A big offering, the full-bodied 2005 Chardonnay Private Reserve reveals notions of hazelnuts intermixed with honeyed pineapple, poached pears, and toasty oak. Well-made with good acidity, beautiful richness, and a vibrant, long finish, it should drink well for 4-5 years. (www.erobertparker.com, Dec. 2006)
GPCi - Still very expensive. I wonder if there is a big difference with their Limited Release. In this, case if I need to choose, since both are expensive I would go for the Limited Release or buy 1 from each and compare.
Mexico
2005 L.A. CETTO ZINFANDEL - $10.95
Valle de Guadalupe, Baja California
This Zinfandel is a value version of the California interpretation. Aged for half a year in new oak and an additional six months in bottle prior to release, this delicious red showcases aromas and flavours of plum, raspberry and vanilla. Perfect with steaks hot off the barbecue, gourmet hamburgers or grilled portobello mushrooms.
GPCi - Zin from Mexico? almost too funny (don't mean to sound disrespectful). I would definitely buy this $11 bottle to try.
Chile
2007 BLOCK SELECTION RESERVE CHARDONNAY (La Playa) - $13.95
Hand-picked from a single block in the Limari Valley, this Chard is consistently a superb value. Its bouquet offers pineapple, peach and citrus notes, with ripe tropical fruit flavours on the palate and a smooth, pleasing finish. Perfect for sipping while lounging on the deck with a good book and a bowl of fresh fruit.
GPCi - The competition of the Chardonnay... I bet this one doesn't fall a lot behind the BERINGER for a quarter of the price. I'd buy 2-6 bottles and enjoy it throughout the summer. Great value.
2006 ANAKENA ONA SAUVIGNON BLANC - $16.95
Casablanca Valley
IWC = 90 : Pale straw. Intensely perfumed, suave bouquet of tangerine, pear, quince, quinine and mint. Juicy citrus fruit and herbal flavors are firmed by dusty minerals, picking up an anise quality with air. Finishes dry and firm, with excellent clarity and persistence. (Josh Raynolds, International Wine Cellar, March/April 2008)
GPCi - The Sauv Blanc from Casablanca Valley are a great QPR. I like them almost as much as their friends from New Zealand. I'd buy 2-3 bottles.
2003 GRAN RESERVA DE LOS ANDES CABERNET SAUVIGNON (Santa Alicia) - $18.95
Wine Enthusiast = 88 ; For full-bodied, true Cabernet at a reasonable price, Santa Alicia's 2003 Gran Reserva is a winner. The plum and berry flavors are clean and supported by proper creamy oak, and the tannins are pliable and add backbone. Drink now. (Michael Schachner , Nov. 15, 2007)
GPCi - It's a nice wine, but there are better offers this release. that's a skip for me.
2007 VISIÓN CARMENERE (Cono Sur) - $15.95
Each wine in Cono Sur's Visión series is sourced from a plot of land personally chosen by the winemaker, with the aim of producing a wine with individual character. The 2007 Carmenere is an intense purple colour in the glass, offering aromas of black cherry, mocha and hazelnuts. Richly textured with dark berry fruit flavours and ripe tannins, it would make a fine partner to blackened Cajun steak.
GPCi - Cono Sur Vision is a very good series and a great QPR. Carmenere, as you all know, is my preferred option to Merlot. Chile is known for that variety and for their more-than-fair-price offer. I'd buy 2-5 bottles.
Australia
2007 PENMARA RESERVE SEMILLON - $14.95
Hunter Valley is one of the finest regions in Australia, if not the world, for single-variety Semillon. Never oak aged, Penmara's Reserve Semillon displays aromas and flavours of green apple, pear, and a remarkable toastiness that many mistakenly think is the result of wood contact. Enjoy tonight with flavourful seafood dishes or cellar 3-5+ years.
GPCi - The first sentence says it all... I couldn't agree more. An excellent choice for the summer (as a great "stater" to any dinner). I'd buy 2-3 bottles.
2005 KILIKANOON BLOCKS ROAD CABERNET SAUVIGNON - $34.95
RP = 87 ; The 2005 Cabernet Sauvignon "Blocks Road" was sourced from two older vineyards with yields of less than 1.5 tons per acre and was aged in French oak, 40% new. It offers aromas of menthol and mint along with earth, pencil lead, and black currant. This is followed by a structured wine which finishes just a bit lean and compact. It may blossom with 6-8 years in the cellar but that is a gamble. (Wine Advocate, October 31, 2007).
GPCi - Honestly, I would expect more from a 2005 Kilikanoon for $35. That's a skip for me.
Germany (Rheinhessen)
2006 RIESLING SPÄTLESE (Gustav Adolf Schmitt) - $15.95
Gustav Adolph Schmidt is a centuries-old property that produces some of the most striking Rieslings to come out of the vineyards surrounding the town of Nierstein. This Spätlese features aromas of orange marmalade, peach compote and citrus. Medium in sweetness, it is leavened by a lovely seam of youthful acidity. Age it 3+ years, or have it tonight with spiced prawn dishes.
GPCi - The 2006 didn't receive great reviews by RP (he scored it 88). However, I find it hard to resist a RIESLING SPÄTLESE for $16. Goes great with a seafood appetizer. I'd buy 1-2 bottles.
Argentina
2005 GRAN LURTON GRAN RESERVA CABERNET SAUVIGNON - $20.95
ST = 89 ; Medium red-ruby. Currant, tobacco leaf and licorice on the nose, with enticing minty lift. Sappy and penetrating, with brisk acidity restraining the wine's sweetness. The currant, tobacco and spice flavors are vibrant, pure and savory. A classy wine with lovely vinosity, length and thrust. (International Wine Cellar, Jan./Feb. 2008)
GPCi - A great vintage in Argentina (RP gave it 93). That's the Gran Reserva Cab of Lurton. For $21 sounds like a fair offer. I found previous vintages to require a short decanting (30 min) to fully enjoy these wines.
2004 LUIGI BOSCA SINGLE VINEYARD MALBEC - $17.95
Luján de Cuyo, Mendoza
Wine Enthusiast = 92 : Full, chewy, doughy, spicy and intensely fruity. This single-vineyard Malbec offers a little bit of everything, and all in balanced, measured doses. The cherry and blackberry fruit is bold but pure, while chocolate comes in to darken things up. A textbook steak and potatoes wine with a bit of complexity, but mostly it's about easygoing fun.
GPCi - another hard to resist offer. Great variety, great review, good price. I'd buy 2-6 bottles.
France (Bordeuax)
2005 CHÂTEAU LA VIEILLE CURE - $46.95
RP = 90-92 ; While the 2005 does not equal the prodigious 2003 (the finest La Vieille Cure to date), this Merlot-dominated effort was fashioned under the guidance of Michel Rolland. It is a dense, powerful, dark ruby/purple-tinged offering exhibiting a big structure, loads of substance as well as extract, and high tannin. Give this sleeper of the vintage 2-3 years of bottle age and consume it over the following two decades (WINE ADVOCATE, January 31, 2008).
WS = 90 ; Dark in color, showing lots of blackberry and licorice aromas, with a hint of tar. Full-bodied, with soft tannins and plenty of ripe fruit and smoky oak. Fun and interesting. Best after 2010. (James Suckling, March 31, 2008)
ST = 87-89 ; Full ruby. Kirsch and licorice on the nose. Fat, dense and sweet, if a bit youthfully monolithic. At once plump and primary, with lively flavors of black fruits and bitter chocolate. Finishes with nicely buffered tannins and a rich chocolatey nuance.
GPCi - I've been collecting CHÂTEAU LA VIEILLE CURE for a few years now. Although it's not a cheap wine, it's a good wine for long time cellaring with distinguished flavors to the area (Fronsac is located north to St. Emilion on Bordeaux's right-bank). It has a good GPCi and therefore, I'd buy 2-4 bottles.
France (Rhone)
2006 CÔTES DU RHÔNE VILLAGES PLAN DE DIEU (Ferraton Pere & Fils) - $15.95
1855.com = 4 / 5
RP = 89 ; The 2006 Cotes du Rhone Plan de Dieu is a real sleeper of the vintage, dominated by its 80% Grenache component. Ripe strawberry and black cherry fruit with some underlying mineral notes as well as pepper and sweet herbs make for a plump, attractive, lush style that can be drunk now or cellared for 3-4 years. (www.erobertparker.com, Oct. 2007)
GPCi - so many great value CÔTES DU RHÔNE VILLAGES are shared these past releases at the LCBO and this one doesn't seem to be an exception. A great $16 bottle that goes lovely with steak. I'd buy 2-6 bottles.
Italy (Piedmont)
2000 FAMIGLIA ANSELMA BAROLO - $55.95
WS = 92 ; "Bright berry and strawberry, with cedar and floral character. Full-bodied, with a solid core of fruit and ripe tannins. Long finish. Racy Barolo. Best after 2007. 1,500 cases made."
GPCi - to all the Barolo lovers (Hi Ken F and Sue A), this is a great opportunity to buy and try an 8 years old Barolo from one of the better vintages (2000 got 95 by RP). It has everything one can expect from Barolo. I'd buy 1-3 bottles.
2003 GATTINARA (Travaglini) - $29.95
WS = 91 ; Has lots of dried flowers and very ripe fruits, with a Christmas pudding undertone. Full-bodied, with chewy tannins and a long, rich finish. A little Port-like, but rich and impressive. This is consistently delicious. Best after 2010. 15,800 cases made."
GPCi - I didn't had so many great experiences with GATTINARA before, but it may be just my personal experience... It's a very tempting price for such a highly rated and well reviewed wine, but that's a skip for me.
Italy (Tuscany)
2003 CROCIANI VINO NOBILE DI MONTEPULCIANO RISERVA - $25.95
DOCG regulations require that Vino Nobile wines contain at least 70% Prugnolo Gentile (the local name for Sangiovese) and be aged for two years. Riservas, such as this one, must be aged a further year. Crociani's version is a blend of 75% Prugnolo Gentile, 15% Canaiolo Nero, and 10% Mammolo.Medium ruby colour, this crisp and focused wine features aromas of black cherry, plum, truffle and earth aromas. It's very dry, medium-bodied with a fruity cherry/plum core, bright acidity and mild tannins leading to a lingering finish. Drink now with grilled gourmet sausages, veal chops or roast lamb. (VINTAGES panel, April 2008).
GPCi - Since I've been in Montepulciano and fell in love with the place, view and wines, I'd give this one a try although I haven't tried it before. Seems like a worth-trying wine for $25 with a nice chicken marinated with Mediterranean herbs. I'd buy 1-2 bottles.
2004 LUIGI BOSCA SINGLE VINEYARD MALBEC - $17.95
2006 CÔTES DU RHÔNE VILLAGES PLAN DE DIEU (Ferraton Pere & Fils) - $15.95
Top picks for less than $60
2005 CHÂTEAU LA VIEILLE CURE - $46.95
2000 FAMIGLIA ANSELMA BAROLO - $55.95
US (California)
2005 BERINGER SBRAGIA LIMITED-RELEASE CHARDONNAY - $54.95
RP = 93 ; More restrained than normal, the 2005 Chardonnay Sbragia Limited Release offers copious quantities of honeyed fruit, full body, a rich, heady mouthfeel, but not the unctuosity normally found in this cuvee. Additionally, the oak is more restrained. There is abundant richness, but the vintage's acidity provides plenty of vibrancy and precision. It should drink nicely for 3-4 years. (www.erobertparker.com, Dec. 2006)
GPCi - expensive, but soooooo good! I had previous vintage at Jim's and it was the best Chardonnay yet... I would buy one for a very special occasion.
2005 BERINGER PRIVATE RESERVE CHARDONNAY - $44.95
RP = 93 : A big offering, the full-bodied 2005 Chardonnay Private Reserve reveals notions of hazelnuts intermixed with honeyed pineapple, poached pears, and toasty oak. Well-made with good acidity, beautiful richness, and a vibrant, long finish, it should drink well for 4-5 years. (www.erobertparker.com, Dec. 2006)
GPCi - Still very expensive. I wonder if there is a big difference with their Limited Release. In this, case if I need to choose, since both are expensive I would go for the Limited Release or buy 1 from each and compare.
Mexico
2005 L.A. CETTO ZINFANDEL - $10.95
Valle de Guadalupe, Baja California
This Zinfandel is a value version of the California interpretation. Aged for half a year in new oak and an additional six months in bottle prior to release, this delicious red showcases aromas and flavours of plum, raspberry and vanilla. Perfect with steaks hot off the barbecue, gourmet hamburgers or grilled portobello mushrooms.
GPCi - Zin from Mexico? almost too funny (don't mean to sound disrespectful). I would definitely buy this $11 bottle to try.
Chile
2007 BLOCK SELECTION RESERVE CHARDONNAY (La Playa) - $13.95
Hand-picked from a single block in the Limari Valley, this Chard is consistently a superb value. Its bouquet offers pineapple, peach and citrus notes, with ripe tropical fruit flavours on the palate and a smooth, pleasing finish. Perfect for sipping while lounging on the deck with a good book and a bowl of fresh fruit.
GPCi - The competition of the Chardonnay... I bet this one doesn't fall a lot behind the BERINGER for a quarter of the price. I'd buy 2-6 bottles and enjoy it throughout the summer. Great value.
2006 ANAKENA ONA SAUVIGNON BLANC - $16.95
Casablanca Valley
IWC = 90 : Pale straw. Intensely perfumed, suave bouquet of tangerine, pear, quince, quinine and mint. Juicy citrus fruit and herbal flavors are firmed by dusty minerals, picking up an anise quality with air. Finishes dry and firm, with excellent clarity and persistence. (Josh Raynolds, International Wine Cellar, March/April 2008)
GPCi - The Sauv Blanc from Casablanca Valley are a great QPR. I like them almost as much as their friends from New Zealand. I'd buy 2-3 bottles.
2003 GRAN RESERVA DE LOS ANDES CABERNET SAUVIGNON (Santa Alicia) - $18.95
Wine Enthusiast = 88 ; For full-bodied, true Cabernet at a reasonable price, Santa Alicia's 2003 Gran Reserva is a winner. The plum and berry flavors are clean and supported by proper creamy oak, and the tannins are pliable and add backbone. Drink now. (Michael Schachner , Nov. 15, 2007)
GPCi - It's a nice wine, but there are better offers this release. that's a skip for me.
2007 VISIÓN CARMENERE (Cono Sur) - $15.95
Each wine in Cono Sur's Visión series is sourced from a plot of land personally chosen by the winemaker, with the aim of producing a wine with individual character. The 2007 Carmenere is an intense purple colour in the glass, offering aromas of black cherry, mocha and hazelnuts. Richly textured with dark berry fruit flavours and ripe tannins, it would make a fine partner to blackened Cajun steak.
GPCi - Cono Sur Vision is a very good series and a great QPR. Carmenere, as you all know, is my preferred option to Merlot. Chile is known for that variety and for their more-than-fair-price offer. I'd buy 2-5 bottles.
Australia
2007 PENMARA RESERVE SEMILLON - $14.95
Hunter Valley is one of the finest regions in Australia, if not the world, for single-variety Semillon. Never oak aged, Penmara's Reserve Semillon displays aromas and flavours of green apple, pear, and a remarkable toastiness that many mistakenly think is the result of wood contact. Enjoy tonight with flavourful seafood dishes or cellar 3-5+ years.
GPCi - The first sentence says it all... I couldn't agree more. An excellent choice for the summer (as a great "stater" to any dinner). I'd buy 2-3 bottles.
2005 KILIKANOON BLOCKS ROAD CABERNET SAUVIGNON - $34.95
RP = 87 ; The 2005 Cabernet Sauvignon "Blocks Road" was sourced from two older vineyards with yields of less than 1.5 tons per acre and was aged in French oak, 40% new. It offers aromas of menthol and mint along with earth, pencil lead, and black currant. This is followed by a structured wine which finishes just a bit lean and compact. It may blossom with 6-8 years in the cellar but that is a gamble. (Wine Advocate, October 31, 2007).
GPCi - Honestly, I would expect more from a 2005 Kilikanoon for $35. That's a skip for me.
Germany (Rheinhessen)
2006 RIESLING SPÄTLESE (Gustav Adolf Schmitt) - $15.95
Gustav Adolph Schmidt is a centuries-old property that produces some of the most striking Rieslings to come out of the vineyards surrounding the town of Nierstein. This Spätlese features aromas of orange marmalade, peach compote and citrus. Medium in sweetness, it is leavened by a lovely seam of youthful acidity. Age it 3+ years, or have it tonight with spiced prawn dishes.
GPCi - The 2006 didn't receive great reviews by RP (he scored it 88). However, I find it hard to resist a RIESLING SPÄTLESE for $16. Goes great with a seafood appetizer. I'd buy 1-2 bottles.
Argentina
2005 GRAN LURTON GRAN RESERVA CABERNET SAUVIGNON - $20.95
ST = 89 ; Medium red-ruby. Currant, tobacco leaf and licorice on the nose, with enticing minty lift. Sappy and penetrating, with brisk acidity restraining the wine's sweetness. The currant, tobacco and spice flavors are vibrant, pure and savory. A classy wine with lovely vinosity, length and thrust. (International Wine Cellar, Jan./Feb. 2008)
GPCi - A great vintage in Argentina (RP gave it 93). That's the Gran Reserva Cab of Lurton. For $21 sounds like a fair offer. I found previous vintages to require a short decanting (30 min) to fully enjoy these wines.
2004 LUIGI BOSCA SINGLE VINEYARD MALBEC - $17.95
Luján de Cuyo, Mendoza
Wine Enthusiast = 92 : Full, chewy, doughy, spicy and intensely fruity. This single-vineyard Malbec offers a little bit of everything, and all in balanced, measured doses. The cherry and blackberry fruit is bold but pure, while chocolate comes in to darken things up. A textbook steak and potatoes wine with a bit of complexity, but mostly it's about easygoing fun.
GPCi - another hard to resist offer. Great variety, great review, good price. I'd buy 2-6 bottles.
France (Bordeuax)
2005 CHÂTEAU LA VIEILLE CURE - $46.95
RP = 90-92 ; While the 2005 does not equal the prodigious 2003 (the finest La Vieille Cure to date), this Merlot-dominated effort was fashioned under the guidance of Michel Rolland. It is a dense, powerful, dark ruby/purple-tinged offering exhibiting a big structure, loads of substance as well as extract, and high tannin. Give this sleeper of the vintage 2-3 years of bottle age and consume it over the following two decades (WINE ADVOCATE, January 31, 2008).
WS = 90 ; Dark in color, showing lots of blackberry and licorice aromas, with a hint of tar. Full-bodied, with soft tannins and plenty of ripe fruit and smoky oak. Fun and interesting. Best after 2010. (James Suckling, March 31, 2008)
ST = 87-89 ; Full ruby. Kirsch and licorice on the nose. Fat, dense and sweet, if a bit youthfully monolithic. At once plump and primary, with lively flavors of black fruits and bitter chocolate. Finishes with nicely buffered tannins and a rich chocolatey nuance.
GPCi - I've been collecting CHÂTEAU LA VIEILLE CURE for a few years now. Although it's not a cheap wine, it's a good wine for long time cellaring with distinguished flavors to the area (Fronsac is located north to St. Emilion on Bordeaux's right-bank). It has a good GPCi and therefore, I'd buy 2-4 bottles.
France (Rhone)
2006 CÔTES DU RHÔNE VILLAGES PLAN DE DIEU (Ferraton Pere & Fils) - $15.95
1855.com = 4 / 5
RP = 89 ; The 2006 Cotes du Rhone Plan de Dieu is a real sleeper of the vintage, dominated by its 80% Grenache component. Ripe strawberry and black cherry fruit with some underlying mineral notes as well as pepper and sweet herbs make for a plump, attractive, lush style that can be drunk now or cellared for 3-4 years. (www.erobertparker.com, Oct. 2007)
GPCi - so many great value CÔTES DU RHÔNE VILLAGES are shared these past releases at the LCBO and this one doesn't seem to be an exception. A great $16 bottle that goes lovely with steak. I'd buy 2-6 bottles.
Italy (Piedmont)
2000 FAMIGLIA ANSELMA BAROLO - $55.95
WS = 92 ; "Bright berry and strawberry, with cedar and floral character. Full-bodied, with a solid core of fruit and ripe tannins. Long finish. Racy Barolo. Best after 2007. 1,500 cases made."
GPCi - to all the Barolo lovers (Hi Ken F and Sue A), this is a great opportunity to buy and try an 8 years old Barolo from one of the better vintages (2000 got 95 by RP). It has everything one can expect from Barolo. I'd buy 1-3 bottles.
2003 GATTINARA (Travaglini) - $29.95
WS = 91 ; Has lots of dried flowers and very ripe fruits, with a Christmas pudding undertone. Full-bodied, with chewy tannins and a long, rich finish. A little Port-like, but rich and impressive. This is consistently delicious. Best after 2010. 15,800 cases made."
GPCi - I didn't had so many great experiences with GATTINARA before, but it may be just my personal experience... It's a very tempting price for such a highly rated and well reviewed wine, but that's a skip for me.
Italy (Tuscany)
2003 CROCIANI VINO NOBILE DI MONTEPULCIANO RISERVA - $25.95
DOCG regulations require that Vino Nobile wines contain at least 70% Prugnolo Gentile (the local name for Sangiovese) and be aged for two years. Riservas, such as this one, must be aged a further year. Crociani's version is a blend of 75% Prugnolo Gentile, 15% Canaiolo Nero, and 10% Mammolo.Medium ruby colour, this crisp and focused wine features aromas of black cherry, plum, truffle and earth aromas. It's very dry, medium-bodied with a fruity cherry/plum core, bright acidity and mild tannins leading to a lingering finish. Drink now with grilled gourmet sausages, veal chops or roast lamb. (VINTAGES panel, April 2008).
GPCi - Since I've been in Montepulciano and fell in love with the place, view and wines, I'd give this one a try although I haven't tried it before. Seems like a worth-trying wine for $25 with a nice chicken marinated with Mediterranean herbs. I'd buy 1-2 bottles.
