Friday, February 20, 2009
GPCi for Feb 28th 2009 release at the LCBO
Argentina
2006 GRAFFIGNA CENTENARIO MALBEC - $15.95
GPCi - 100% Malbec is aged for 12 months. medium full-bodied wine. Another Malbec for a great price. great with a steak or just as a day-to-day wine.
2006 TRUMPETER CABERNET SAUVIGNON - $13.95
GPCi - one of the "regulars" at the LCBO. simple yet good Cab Sauv for an excellent price. what's not to like?
2005 SANTA JULIA MAGNA - $14.95 (Must Try!)
50% Cabernet Sauvignon, 40% Malbec and 10% Syrah. Drink now to 2014.
GPCi - For such a price and for mid term cellaring (got 4.5 out of 5 by winecurrent.com), I'd buy 6-12 bottles.
2007 VIÑA COBOS FELINO MALBEC - $19.95 (Must Try!)
JM=91 ; now to 2015.
GPCi - Another Malbec for less than $20. This one with a great review and with mid term+. I'd buy 3-12 bottles.
Chile
2007 CASA LAPOSTOLLE CHARDONNAY - $15.95
GPCi - If you haven't tried Casa Lapostolle Chardonnay, and you're looking for a good-clean-minerally Chardonnay with excellent QPR, this is the one to buy!
2006 LEYDA SINGLE VINEYARD SAUVIGNON BLANC - $16.95 (Must Try!)
WS=90
GPCi - I like the Sauv Blanc from Chile. You don't need to be an expert in wines to taste the difference between them and the Sauv Blanc from New Zealand (which I love too!). Great review by Winespectator and a very good price. buy 3-12 bottles.
Australia
2006 D'ARENBERG THE DEAD ARM SHIRAZ - $55.95
IWC=93 ; James Halliday = 95, until 2030 ;
GPCi - One of D'Arenberg's "flag-ship" wines. It's Shiraz at its best! the fact that it can be cellared for so many years, makes it a good buy (GPCi=2.66 !!). If you can afford in these economy to spend this money buy 1-3 bottles. You'll enjoy it (a lot) in better economical years...
2007 MITOLO JESTER CABERNET SAUVIGNON - $22.95
JM=90 , 2010 to 2017 ;
GPCi - A very good Cab Sauv from a very talented producer. Money wise and cellaring potential makes a "strong-buy".
2004 YALUMBA THE SIGNATURE CABERNET SAUVIGNON/SHIRAZ - $49.95
JM=94 , 2015-2030 ;
GPCi - This is one of Yalumba's "flag-ship" wines. All previous vintages, as this one, have been very positively reviewed. It's another serious wine for the cellar. The same as the "dead arm" recommendation.
New Zealand
2007 COMPOSITE SAUVIGNON BLANC - $19.95
Decanter = 5/5
GPCi - yet another Sauv Blanc steller from NZ. I would buy it and try it side by side with the 2006 LEYDA SINGLE VINEYARD SAUVIGNON BLANC from Chile - great opportunity to see how the terroir makes a lot of difference with the same grape.
France (Rhone)
2007 CAVES SAINT-PIERRE PREFERENCE CÔTES-DU-RHÔNE - $14.95
GPCi - everyone, especially RP, talks about the 2007 vintage in the south part of the Rhone valley as one of the best ever (can't wait to try the CdP from this vintage). For $15, it a no-brainer. If you like the blends from this region, buy 3-12 bottles with no hesitation.
2006 CHÂTEAU DE BEAUCASTEL CHÂTEAUNEUF-DU-PAPE - $89.95
RP=92-94 , 2011-2037
GPCi - The very sought after CdP. Expensive yet extremely rewarding. I always say (just so I can convince my conscious...) that a wine at that level with such reputation in Bordeaux would have cost 10 times more. The GPCi is also pretty convincing (=3.2) and RP's review is more than promising. This release is going to be an expensive one... too many excellent/expensive wines.
2006 PERRIN & FILS LES CHRISTINS VACQUEYRAS - $23.95
WS=91 , now through 2012
GPCi - a "mini" CdP. It can be an excellent alternative to the expensive CdP at this economical situation. You can buy almost 4 bottles of this excellent VACQUEYRAS for the price of one bottle of the BEAUCASTEL. However, if you don't have a cash flow challenge (who doesn't these days?), from GPCi perspective the BEAUCASTEL is the right "investment".
Italy (Tuscany)
2005 ROCCA DELLE MACÌE CHIANTI RISERVA - $15.00 (Must Try!)
GPCi - I don't remember ever seeing a Chianti Riserva from a wonderful vintage for $15. Seems like a great opportunity if you're looking for a friendly-medium body wine.
Spain
2004 1707 SELECCIÓN DE BARRICAS - $16.95 (Must Try!)
GPCi - A blend of Monastrell (aka Mourvèdre), Petit Verdot, Syrah, Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot. 2004 was an excellent vintage all over Spain. Great price. Great blend. Buy 3-12 bottles.
2007 CAN BLAU MONTSANT - $21.95
JM=90+ , 2010 to 2018.
GPCi - Affordable price for a mid-term+ cellaring wine. Very good review by JM. I'd buy one bottle to try and decide whether to stock the cellar with a few more bottles.
2001 VIÑA ALBALI GRAN RESERVA - $19.95
GPCi - My experience with the 2001 vintage (so far...) Gran Reserva was very rewarding. I would not hesitate to buy 3-6 bottles and enjoy them over the next 5-8 years.
2006 GRAFFIGNA CENTENARIO MALBEC - $15.95
GPCi - 100% Malbec is aged for 12 months. medium full-bodied wine. Another Malbec for a great price. great with a steak or just as a day-to-day wine.
2006 TRUMPETER CABERNET SAUVIGNON - $13.95
GPCi - one of the "regulars" at the LCBO. simple yet good Cab Sauv for an excellent price. what's not to like?
2005 SANTA JULIA MAGNA - $14.95 (Must Try!)
50% Cabernet Sauvignon, 40% Malbec and 10% Syrah. Drink now to 2014.
GPCi - For such a price and for mid term cellaring (got 4.5 out of 5 by winecurrent.com), I'd buy 6-12 bottles.
2007 VIÑA COBOS FELINO MALBEC - $19.95 (Must Try!)
JM=91 ; now to 2015.
GPCi - Another Malbec for less than $20. This one with a great review and with mid term+. I'd buy 3-12 bottles.
Chile
2007 CASA LAPOSTOLLE CHARDONNAY - $15.95
GPCi - If you haven't tried Casa Lapostolle Chardonnay, and you're looking for a good-clean-minerally Chardonnay with excellent QPR, this is the one to buy!
2006 LEYDA SINGLE VINEYARD SAUVIGNON BLANC - $16.95 (Must Try!)
WS=90
GPCi - I like the Sauv Blanc from Chile. You don't need to be an expert in wines to taste the difference between them and the Sauv Blanc from New Zealand (which I love too!). Great review by Winespectator and a very good price. buy 3-12 bottles.
Australia
2006 D'ARENBERG THE DEAD ARM SHIRAZ - $55.95
IWC=93 ; James Halliday = 95, until 2030 ;
GPCi - One of D'Arenberg's "flag-ship" wines. It's Shiraz at its best! the fact that it can be cellared for so many years, makes it a good buy (GPCi=2.66 !!). If you can afford in these economy to spend this money buy 1-3 bottles. You'll enjoy it (a lot) in better economical years...
2007 MITOLO JESTER CABERNET SAUVIGNON - $22.95
JM=90 , 2010 to 2017 ;
GPCi - A very good Cab Sauv from a very talented producer. Money wise and cellaring potential makes a "strong-buy".
2004 YALUMBA THE SIGNATURE CABERNET SAUVIGNON/SHIRAZ - $49.95
JM=94 , 2015-2030 ;
GPCi - This is one of Yalumba's "flag-ship" wines. All previous vintages, as this one, have been very positively reviewed. It's another serious wine for the cellar. The same as the "dead arm" recommendation.
New Zealand
2007 COMPOSITE SAUVIGNON BLANC - $19.95
Decanter = 5/5
GPCi - yet another Sauv Blanc steller from NZ. I would buy it and try it side by side with the 2006 LEYDA SINGLE VINEYARD SAUVIGNON BLANC from Chile - great opportunity to see how the terroir makes a lot of difference with the same grape.
France (Rhone)
2007 CAVES SAINT-PIERRE PREFERENCE CÔTES-DU-RHÔNE - $14.95
GPCi - everyone, especially RP, talks about the 2007 vintage in the south part of the Rhone valley as one of the best ever (can't wait to try the CdP from this vintage). For $15, it a no-brainer. If you like the blends from this region, buy 3-12 bottles with no hesitation.
2006 CHÂTEAU DE BEAUCASTEL CHÂTEAUNEUF-DU-PAPE - $89.95
RP=92-94 , 2011-2037
GPCi - The very sought after CdP. Expensive yet extremely rewarding. I always say (just so I can convince my conscious...) that a wine at that level with such reputation in Bordeaux would have cost 10 times more. The GPCi is also pretty convincing (=3.2) and RP's review is more than promising. This release is going to be an expensive one... too many excellent/expensive wines.
2006 PERRIN & FILS LES CHRISTINS VACQUEYRAS - $23.95
WS=91 , now through 2012
GPCi - a "mini" CdP. It can be an excellent alternative to the expensive CdP at this economical situation. You can buy almost 4 bottles of this excellent VACQUEYRAS for the price of one bottle of the BEAUCASTEL. However, if you don't have a cash flow challenge (who doesn't these days?), from GPCi perspective the BEAUCASTEL is the right "investment".
Italy (Tuscany)
2005 ROCCA DELLE MACÌE CHIANTI RISERVA - $15.00 (Must Try!)
GPCi - I don't remember ever seeing a Chianti Riserva from a wonderful vintage for $15. Seems like a great opportunity if you're looking for a friendly-medium body wine.
Spain
2004 1707 SELECCIÓN DE BARRICAS - $16.95 (Must Try!)
GPCi - A blend of Monastrell (aka Mourvèdre), Petit Verdot, Syrah, Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot. 2004 was an excellent vintage all over Spain. Great price. Great blend. Buy 3-12 bottles.
2007 CAN BLAU MONTSANT - $21.95
JM=90+ , 2010 to 2018.
GPCi - Affordable price for a mid-term+ cellaring wine. Very good review by JM. I'd buy one bottle to try and decide whether to stock the cellar with a few more bottles.
2001 VIÑA ALBALI GRAN RESERVA - $19.95
GPCi - My experience with the 2001 vintage (so far...) Gran Reserva was very rewarding. I would not hesitate to buy 3-6 bottles and enjoy them over the next 5-8 years.
